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China, U.S. museum leaders gather in Chicago for more cooperation

Xinhua) 08:39, March 20, 2025

CHICAGO, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Museum leaders from China, the United States and Canada gathered Wednesday at the Field Museum in downtown Chicago to seek more exchanges and cooperation.

Under the theme of "Now/Next: Make an Impact Together," leaders from more than 20 museums in China, the United States and Canada exchanged views on topics such as "Museum Collaboration during the New Globalization Era: Opportunities and Challenges," "Exhibiting Asian Art and Culture in the East and West," "Research and Exhibiting the Art and Archaeology Collections: Collaborations between Museums and Academia" and "AI, the New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of Museums" at the Pritzker China-U.S. Museum Leadership Forum.

The Pritzker Art Collaborative and the Chinese Museums Association, the U.S. and Chinese sponsors of the forum, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the forum, aiming to further promote exchanges among the museums in the two countries.

In his welcome and opening speech, David Pritzker, director and chief curator of the Pritzker Art Collaborative, said the aim of hosting the forum is to build trust and collaboration, as "the best way to build trust is to have shared experience."

The Pritzker Art collaborative was originally created to collaborate with the Dunhuang Academy. "During that time we became very close with a number of museums around China and also with the Chinese Museums Association," Pritzker said.

By signing the MOU, "we would like to organize more events to bring museum directors in the U.S. and in China together to speak, to share, to get to know one another," Pritzker said. "The Pritzker Art collaborative can be a bridge to try to make it happen."

"Museums are windows for the learning of civilizations," said Chinese Consul General Wang Baodong in Chicago in his opening remarks. "The forum is a highlight of the China-U.S. cultural dialogue."

"We firmly believe that the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations are the common wishes of the people of the two countries," wang said.

A program has been funded jointly by the China Museums Association and the Tencent Foundation to bring Chinese museum professionals to the United States for fellowships from six months to one year.

Douglas Dillon, chairman of the Department of Asian Art of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, expressed the hope that U.S. museum professionals may go to China in the future to get a better understanding of Chinese museums.

"Chinese museums are developing very fast, in the way they display and the method they restore relics. There are lots that we can learn," Dillon said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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Bilateral trade between Trinidad and Tobago and India reached a record TT$1.2 billion (US$368.96 million) in the last fiscal year, according to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

She disclosed this as she announced that her Government aims to expand exports to tap into Indias market of 1.4 billion consumers, and will pursue a Partial Scope Trade Agreementthe first from a Caricom countrywhile laying the foundation for a new Bilateral Investment Treaty.
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.
Russell Nicolet, the founder of Nicolet Law, started his practice in 2007 because he wanted to assist those in difficult situations and help them achieve a positive outcome in their lawsuits.

Overcoming Challenges

Nicolet has always met challenges head-on. The first of his family to enter law school, he pursued his dream despite not knowing exactly what to expect in his chosen field. He overcame every obstacle to accomplish his goal, even though he sometimes didnt know how to make things work.

Nicolet asserts that the key to his success was his constant quest for more knowledge. He actively sought out mentors as he strove to improve his knowledge base. Those mentors in the legal profession helped him significantly hone his skills.

He also spent an abundant amount of time doing research in the Washington County Law Library. Even though Nicolet was a brand new attorney, his determination to effectively handle client cases was a driving force in those early days.

I think becoming obsessed with getting clients problems solved and wanting to get better was what really made a difference for me, Nicolet says.

Choosing Personal Injury Law

As a young attorney, Nicolet was involved in general litigation at the start of his career. This placed him close to lawyers who practiced different areas of the law. Even those who were his opposition gave him opportunities to learn more about the law.

As a young attorney, I tried to soak up as much as I could from all the attorneys I came across, he explains.

Nicolet says he had the pleasure of meeting outstanding attorneys in those early days and gleaned as much knowledge as he could from his interactions. Eventually, he decided to focus on personal injury law, and the pool of attorneys he could learn from in his area became much smaller.

It was then Nicolet realized it was time to expand his horizons beyond the borders of the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. He started traveling to other states to train with some of the best injury law attorneys in the United States.

I have been to Florida, Georgia, New York, and California several times to learn from the best of the best of trial lawyers, Nicolet adds.

Starting His Own Law Firm

In the beginning, Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers had only one lawyer: Russell Nicolet. He says his primary goal was to help the hard-working people and families in the Midwest receive the justice they deserved and not stop fighting for those people.

Over time, the Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers expanded to cover three states and employ dozens of employees. As Nicolet puts it, each person who works for the law firm believes their job is a calling to help, serve, and stand up for those that need it most.

Nicolet plans to continue to grow his law firm as he and his team of attorneys hold insurance companies and large companies accountable for the injuries inflicted on his clients.

My most notable highlights have been results for the great people who I have had the honor to represent. I have settled and taken cases to verdict which include some of the largest amounts awarded in those counties. Additionally, I have had the privilege to help guide and support other lawyers at my firm in obtaining outstanding settlements and verdicts as well, he concludes.

The information contained in or available through this article is general in nature; it is not intended to be medical advice or a substitute for obtaining medical advice. The author makes no representation and assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of information contained in this article. You are encouraged to confirm any information obtained from or through this article with other sources and review all information regarding any medical condition or treatment with your physician.

The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this contributor content belong solely to the contributor and do not represent the views of Lee Enterprises.

Lee Enterprises newsroom and editorial were not involved in the creation of this content.
The Tucson City Council Tuesday night OKd amending an ordinance related to banning people from occupying medians at busy traffic intersections.

But, the council did not pass two other proposals, for a new law and an ordinance amendment, relating to camping in city washes and parks.

The changes proposed Tuesday night were prompted by Proposition 312, which Arizona voters approved in November, which allows property owners to get a property tax rebate if the local jurisdiction fails to enforce its own laws on misbehavior such as loitering, illegal camping or drug use.

The amendment approved updates an ordinance that originally barred people from soliciting in traffic medians. That ordinance, passed in 2000, has become unenforceable in the 20-plus years since because of federal court rulings finding that the act of soliciting is a protected First Amendment activity, City Attorney Mike Rankin said.

Approved by a 5-1 vote, the amendment strikes language from the ordinance pertaining to expressive conduct such as soliciting, but bars people from occupying or remaining at a traffic median for longer than one traffic light cycle on any roadway with a posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour or greater. Vice Mayor and Ward 1 councilmember Lane Santa Cruz was the sole no-vote.

The penalty for violating this is a misdemeanor, punishable by community services or fines up to $250 and/or up to 24 hours imprisonment.

The purpose is really about traffic safety, Rankin said, as the ordinance doesnt extend to sidewalks and other areas where expressive activity can still take place.

The median ordinance also now has a section included, that if its the basis of a successful claim against the city through Prop. 312, Rankin is directed to notify the Mayor and Council so they can consider changing it to limit the citys risk in the future.

One new law up for a vote Tuesday night would have created a new city code prohibiting camping in city washes.

This ordinance had been put on a City Council agenda, then removed, numerous times since February 2024. Originally, consideration was paused pending what was then a case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In June last year, the Supreme Court, in a split decision, ruled that laws banning camping on public property do not violate the Eight Amendment ban against cruel and unusual punishment.

But the proposed ordinance failed Tuesday night in a 3-3 vote. Councilmembers Santa Cruz, Paul Cunningham and Kevin Dahl voted against it, while Mayor Regina Romero and Councilmembers Nikki Lee and Karin Uhlich voted for it.

Dahl, while saying the median ordinance made sense to him, thought the washes ordinance would be criminalizing homelessness.

Cunningham was concerned that the city, if the ordinance passed, would not have the resources to transition these people from living in a wash because we dont have anywhere for them to go.

If we dont have places for folks to go, we have no place to camp, all were going to be doing is chasing people from one place to another, he said. I dont know how that is productive.

Another ordinance amendment was up for a vote Tuesday night, relating to the citys prohibition on camping in parks, which is already on the books. Rankin suggested that it not be considered because it was primarily based on having a consistent definition of camping across the two ordinances, he said.
PHOENIX  State legislators say guests should know if a hotel is also serving to shelter homeless people, and they are on the verge of making that a law.

Legislation approved Wednesday by the Senate Government Committee would preclude the use of public funds for what Phoenix Republican Rep. Matt Gress calls mixed hoteling. Thats when a hotel or motel accepts not just paying clients but also those who need emergency, temporary or transitional rooms.

His House Bill 2803 also would require those hotels to erect a sign at least two feet high at all entrances with gothic bold letters a third of an inch high in red ink, informing guests about homeless people being housed there and recommending they keep hotel doors locked, safely store their belongings and report any health or safety concerns to local law enforcement.

Hotel guests would also have to be personally informed of the presence of homeless when they check in  and given the opportunity to instead get a full refund and go somewhere else.

The party-line vote in the committee came over the objections of Jeanne Woodbury, who represents the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence. She said this is not just about shelter for those generally placed in the category of being homeless.

HB 2803 unfairly targets hotels that provide emergency housing for victims of domestic violence and homelessness, Woodbury told lawmakers. We feel it stigmatizes hotels that support these programs, making it less likely that businesses will participate in critical emergency housing efforts.

Katelynn Contreras of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona warned that the broad wording would have even broader implications.

Consider, she said, the case of those who are victims of natural disasters, such as earlier this year in California where more than 5,400 homes were destroyed in the Eaton and Palisades fires and more than 12,900 households were displaced. Contreras said any Arizona hotel taking in such people, whom she said would be considered homeless under the bill, would have to post the same warning signs and live under other provisions of the measure.

Gress told Capitol Media Services it is not his intent to deal with emergency situations like that. But he conceded the legislation, already approved by the House, may need to be amended when it now goes to the full Senate.

Contreras said that change still wouldnt solve legal problems with the measure, however.

For example, she said the government cant force hotels to erect signs that interfere with their ability to conduct their business and remain financially viable. To do so amounts to compelled speech by the government on private entities, which violates the First Amendment, Contreras said.

Potentially more problematic from a constitutional perspective, she said, is the bill would compel participating hotel owners to stigmatize homeless persons by implying that the government believes they are more likely to commit theft and have health issues.

Gress said the issue came to his attention when he learned that Scottsdale, an area he represents, was using tax dollars to rent 10 rooms at a local hotel.

He testified that he would understand such use in limited situations, such as entire families who need to stay together or people with pets for short-term stays. Neither situation can be accommodated at homeless shelters.

But that isnt whats happening, Gress said.

Exhibit No. 1, he said, is the Windemere Hotel, which Mesa uses as part of its Off the Streets program. The facility rents some of its rooms to the city.

You will see some of the most traumatized Yelp reviews or Google reviews youll ever see from unsuspecting paying customers who checked into the Windemere and soon realized this was operating as a quasi homeless shelter, Gress said.

A check Wednesday of reviews found a more mixed selection.

One, on Expedia.com, complained of a closed pool and lobby, homeless loitering, filthy unsafe.

I cant believe you would list this property, it reads.

But another on Yelp said it isnt as bad as the reviews, but said this part of town has homeless and yes its ghetto.

Gress, in an interview, said nothing in his legislation bars hotel operators from renting their rooms to the homeless  as long as other guests are informed and as long as no public dollars are involved. But he said the whole concept of using hotels as homeless shelters is bad policy.

Theyre not designed for that, he said. Theyre not staffed to do that.

And then theres what Gress calls the consumer protection angle of his legislation.

If there is a paying patron who is going to the hotel, I think that they should be made aware that the hotel theyre going to is also being used as a quasi homeless shelter, he said.

Gress said theres a legitimate reason for requiring a hotel to disclose there are homeless people being housed there versus, say, mandating that guests be told up front that rooms are being occupied by college students on spring break.

The homeless population is a very different and vulnerable population, especially when youre taking people off of the streets and putting them into hotel rooms, he said.

A lot of people who are being taken off of the streets are suffering from severe mental illness and/or addiction, Gress continued. And when you have families with small kids around, I think theres a safety issue.

He said guests, armed with that information, could still choose to stay or that they could take their money and go find another place.

The measure drew support from Sen. John Kavanagh.

Some of these people are street-homeless people who are extremely mentally ill who may have bedbug infestations, said the Fountain Hills Republican. You need to give people notice when they go to a hotel that theyre not going to be exposing themselves to this.

But Sen. Lauren Kuby said the legislation is based on assumptions.

If you want to talk about actual facts, youre more likely to be the victim of a crime than commit a crime if youre a homeless person, said the Tempe Democrat.

She noted that hotels fill a need in serving couples and those with pets who cannot go into homeless shelters.

Kuby, a former member of the Tempe City Council, said hotels also played a crucial role during COVID when they could be used to safely get homeless people off the street.
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Randy Krehbiel Tulsa World Reporter Follow Randy Krehbiel Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OWASSO  President Donald Trump "moves fast and breaks things," U.S. Sen. James Lankford acknowledged Wednesday.

But, Lankford continued, Trump promised to be a catalyst for change, and so Americans should be patient until the bubble and fizz die down a little.

"President Trump moves forward," Lankford told the Owasso Chamber of Commerce. "He is a risk taker. He's not afraid to take risks. And at times, there are mistakes made when they take a risk. He's admitted that. There have been several things that have occurred, they've had to turn around and say, 'Oops, we're going to go back and fix that. we were moving too fast and I ran over that.'

"He also ran at the very beginning of it faster than he had staff to be able to manage some of it," Lankford continued. "He's been adding a lot of staff now and that is making a big difference."

There is, said Lankford, a "big buzz around the country" that "there's pay off" in the end.

Skeptics might say that buzz is the sound of millions of puzzled Americans wondering aloud about announced  and sometimes rescinded  reductions in staff for everything from forest fire fighters to Veterans Administration and Social Security personnel.

Two audience questions Wednesday were about the latter two, and Lankford was later asked by a reporter whether Oklahomans should be concerned about the availability of federal assistance given the recent swings in administration policy.

Having acknowledged administration missteps, Lankford assured questioners that core functions will not be sacrificed.

He said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has promised Oklahomans the help they need, not only from recent wildfires but from November tornadoes. The new VA and Social Security, he said, will be focused on services to beneficiaries.

"The first thing you've got to have is a good call center, a good way to be able to get answers to questions on it, and actually people there (to answer question)," Lankford said. "I totally agree."

Lankford said he expects more cooperation between the VA and other providers, and fewer administrators and more medical professionals in VA facilities.

All of that said, Lankford made it clear that some cutbacks are inevitable if Republicans are to achieve their long-term goal of balancing the federal budget and paying down the nation's growing debt.

Balancing the budget, said Lankford, involves some combination of $2 trillion in spending cuts and new revenue.

To get there in one year (or even a few years), Lankford said, "would be so draconian and it would collapse our economy. We're not going to get to the balance this year, next year, the next year or the next, but we can chip away at hundreds of billions a year while the economy grows.

"If we can chip away, let's say, $200 billion for 10 years in a row, and grow our economy $200 billion in those same 10 years, we're in balance  10 years out. That's a way of gradually doing it without collapsing the economy. But it's not an exact science," he said.

Government efficiency has been a leading issue for Lankford throughout his 14 years in Congress. His efforts have focused mainly on better oversight and leaner bureaucracy. Wednesday, when asked about disaster relief for fire victims, he noted that 30 different federal agencies have a hand in such assistance.

"No small town city manager or mayor can deal with that," Lankford said.

At the top of his talk in Owasso, Lankford repeated a line he has used before: "There's a lot going on right now.  All I would say to you is the same thing that Abraham Lincoln (said) years ago, and that is, 'Don't believe everything you read on the internet.'"

In wrapping up, Lankford lamented "a lot of chaos and a lot of anger on both sides of the aisle. People are getting on social media every day and getting angrier than they were yesterday. And cable news starts every every hour with, 'You thought you were angry yesterday. Just wait till today.'"

With the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing one month away, he invoked that act of domestic terrorism to urge moderation.

"We in Oklahoma understand better than anywhere else in the country what happens when out-of-control rage happens against the federal government," he said. "The guy who was mad at the federal government decided to drive a truck bomb into a federal office in Oklahoma City and kill 168 people because he wanted to start a war with the federal government and take it out."

That history, he said, "gives us the responsibility to set the example, to say, 'I disagree with you. I disagree with you strongly. But let's figure out how we're going to work this out. We're both Americans. We should be able to solve this."

The Baptist pastor also took an oblique poke at political polemic cloaked in religious vestments.

"For some reason," Lankford said, "people of faith think that there's an asterisk next to Jesus' statement. 'Love your neighbor as yourself  unless it's politics.' I don't remember that asterisk."

The Tulsa World is where your story lives.
Melissa Jacques Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Melissa Jacques Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

OKLAHOMA CITY  A bill addressing perceived outsize influence from Oklahomas urban areas in citizen-led legislation initiatives passed Tuesday in the Senate.

Senate Bill 1027, if passed by the House and signed by the governor, would limit the number of signatures that could be collected in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties for initiative petitions or referendum petitions. Those options for citizens hoping to get a state question on the ballot require different numbers of signatures.

The bill passed with a vote on party lines; the eight Democratic senators were the only ones to vote against the measure. Almost all of these senators represent districts within Oklahoma and Tulsa counties.

Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant, the author of the bill, said in a press release after it passed: These guardrails will bring greater transparency to the initiative petition process and give more Oklahomans, not just the urban elites in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, a say in what questions qualify for the ballot.

The maximum for Oklahoma and Tulsa counties would be 20% of the required number of signatures, even though 36% of the state's registered voters reside in those two counties.

In response to a question from Sen. Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa, on the power imbalance the bill would give to rural counties, Bullard said more people would be involved in the initiative petition process.

The bill specifically carves out Tulsa and Oklahoma counties by making these restrictions for counties with populations over 400,000. Each county with a population under that limit would also have a percentage cap.

No more than 4% of the required signatures could come from any county with a population under 400,000. The same limit would exist for Cleveland County, with a population of 295,528, as for Cimarron County, population 2,296.

Oklahoma, Tulsa, Cleveland and Canadian counties together account for 48% of all registered voters in the state but under SB 1027 could represent at maximum only 28% of the signatures for a petition.

Minority Senate Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, said in a statement released after the bill passed: This bill undermines the right of the public to make decisions about the laws they live under. Too many politicians dont trust citizens to make decisions, so now theyre rewriting the rules so they can get what they want instead of what the people want.

Democrats have pointed out previously that legislation like SB 1027 is a response to successful petitions that Republicans have not liked. Since 2016, Oklahoma voters have approved criminal justice reform, medical marijuana and Medicaid expansion through state questions that many in state leadership had opposed.

Organizers of State Question 832 far exceeded the number of signatures needed to get a ballot measure about increasing the minimum wage but found that their fight wasn't over once Gov. Kevin Stitt pushed the vote back until 2026. That proposal in that state question is opposed by the Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce and other business interests.

Under SB 1027, canvassers would have to clearly post if they are being paid to circulate the initiative petition and whom their financial backers are. The practice of paying canvassers per signature would no longer be allowed, as well as any other incentives for them to get more signatures.

What this comes down to is disenfranchisement of people and the voting process and the signature-gathering process, Goodwin said during debate against the bill. And right now, what this bill will do is burn it all down, and burn it all down with just the flick of a wrist and some suggestion that what we're doing here is proper.

Bullard ended debate over the bill by talking about his grandfathers, who both fought in World War II. He said this legislation is needed to fight the tyranny of the majority and to keep leftist policies out of Oklahoma.

I rise today to say that there is a point at which we must stand.  Let people take your state and your freedom by doing nothing or stand up against them and restore the republic you pledged to uphold," Bullard said on the Senate floor. "Stand, and I promise you, you're going to get called names. Kneel, and you will have blanket primaries, abortion on demand and socialism your grandchildren can't afford.

The Tulsa World is where your story lives.
Mondays Four Corners story is Truth / Yoorrook reported by Bridget Brennan, produced by Ali Russell and researched by Kate Ashton.

The Yoorrook Justice Commission is making history as Australias first formal truth-telling inquiry, shedding light on a violent past long buried in the nations consciousness.

Bridget Brennan, with the ABCs Indigenous Affairs Team in collaboration with Four Corners, has been documenting the powerful testimonies presented to the groundbreaking commission in Victoria, which expose the deep and ongoing impact of massacres and human rights abuses which began when Australia was colonised.

Among these stories is the harrowing account of the Warrigal Creek massacre, where, in 1843, dozens of Aboriginal people were shot dead by white settlers in retaliation for the killing of a pastoralists nephew.

For Elizabeth Balderstone, the tragic history of Warrigal Creek is not just a historical account  it is a lived reality. She and Gunaikurnai elder Uncle Russell Mullett have come forward to share their story, bringing long-suppressed truths onto the public record.

If we are to have a future where we live together with understanding, Uncle Russell said, we must first be willing to know our historyand accept it.

The documentary witnesses the gruelling and deeply personal work of the Aboriginal truth commissioners, as they attempt to document the true history of Victoria.

The team also follows along as the Commission investigates the catastrophic legacy of a former Prime Minister.

Truth/Yoorrook is a fearless, definitive documentary which examines how we as a nation reckon with our colonial past and take critical steps towards truth, healing and justice.

Monday 24 March at 8.30pm on ABC
Tones & I and Mark Seymour are set to perform at this years Nine Telethon, to be held in late April.

The event which totalled $6.79m was last year, will raise funds towards research and equipment at Mater Little Miracles.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced a commitment of $1,500,000 on behalf of the Queensland Government.

Minister Nicholls said, Queensland babies need and deserve the best possible car. Mater provides critical care for vulnerable babies from across the state, so Im encouraging Queenslanders everywhere to support this cause and the dedicated frontline teams who care for our little miracles.

The Nine Telethon will give viewers an insight into the brave stories of Maters miracle babies, their families and the Mater teams who support their inspirational health journeys.

Mater Foundation Chief Executive Andrew Thomas said, Mater and our frontline Mater Mothers staff are incredibly grateful to Channel Nine for sharing the stories of many Mater Little Miracles, the Queensland Government for generously kick-starting the donations, and all our presenting partners.

Were sure that our Mater babies, parents and staff  supported by Tones & I and Mark Seymour  will provide an incredible show for Nine viewers.

The Nine Telethon is off to a tremendous start and were confident that big-hearted Queenslanders will give our Mater Little Miracles another giant lift on April 26.

Managing Director for Nine Queensland and Northern New South Wales, Kylie Blucher, said, Every year Channel Nines Telethon highlights what amazingly compassionate people Queenslanders are and how much they appreciate the hard work the Mater does, day in and day out.

We know this year will be no different and we cant wait for the response from our viewers.

April 26 on Nine Brisbane and 9Now.

www.9telethon.com.au
VicScreen has announced emerging creatives Maya Johnson and Mimo Mukii as the recipients of the Victorian Screen Internships.

The 12-month internships are provided by VicScreen, designed to overcome traditional barriers to entering the screen industry and fast-track careers.

This years program is supported by ABC, Blackfella Films and GoodThing Productions. Both recipients have commenced the first of three, four-month rotations across each participating organisation.

Maya Johnson said, Ive always wanted to share First Nations stories, and the Screen Internship will solidify my knowledge and strengthen my industry networks to share important First Nations stories on screen and, be of assistance to storytellers and creators to help amplify their projects. Im excited to be part of the Screen Internship and looking forward to learning and establishing relationships. 

Mimo Mukii said, Im grateful for this opportunity to learn and connect to people from many different areas of the screen industry, and Im very excited to take this experience and apply everything I learn to my practice as a producer.

Minister for Creative Industries, Colin Brooks said Through our VicScreen strategy, the Allan Labor Government is proud to back our screen industry at all levels. This internship program not only helps to grow our screen workforce and talent pool, but its focus on diversity ensures the stories on our screens, and the workforce behind the scenes, reflect our diverse communities.

VicScreen CEO Caroline Pitcher said, Maya and Mimo have distinct perspectives and experiences and a shared passion and talent for film and television production. Were delighted to be supporting them as they take the next step in their careers, in partnership with the ABC, Blackfella Films and GoodThing Productions.

ABC Director, Content Jennifer Collins said, The ABC is committed to supporting the next generation of creatives through our collaboration with VicScreen, Blackfella Films, and Good Thing Productions, and were delighted Maya and Mimo will have this wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on production experience to enhance their skills and develop their careers in the Screen Industry.

Managing Director of Blackfella Films, Darren Dale said Blackfella Films is once again excited to be a part of this successful talent development program. Gina Song is now our Development Executive who came to us via this wonderful initiative. We know first-hand what a profound experience this can be to both the company and the successful candidate.

GoodThing Productions Virginia Whitwell said The Australian screen industry is built on shared knowledge and collaboration between a network of businesses and organisations. Its really fantastic that VicScreen have created this opportunity for talented emerging producers to have meaningful time to with a broadcaster, funding body and production company to gain a real depth of experience. GoodThing look forward to getting started with Mimo.

Emerging producer Mimo Mukii is a graduate of RMIT with a passion for creating screen stories that speak to and reveal the untold stories of underrepresented communities. Mimo has produced several short films, worked in screen production, accounting and casting, and with fellow producer Ivy Mutuku and writer/director Kalu Oji has developed and produced their debut feature film Pasa Faho, through VicScreens Originate Features initiative.

A proud Wulgurukaba woman from Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) in Queensland, Maya Johnson studied journalism at Bond University. From there Maya worked in communications at CSIRO, Melbourne Fashion Festival before joining the ABC as Social Media Coordinator, creating content and campaigns for ABC Indigenous. Maya has also produced content for Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation, Creative Australia and worked in production roles.
AUSTIN  Texas public school leaders could impose a mandatory period to pray and read religious texts under a bill passed by the Texas Senate on Tuesday.

The GOP-backed proposal would expand religious liberties in public schools, Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, said during the bills debate. It builds on growing momentum to weave more Christianity into classrooms.







In Texas, our schools are not God-free zones, Middleton said. Senate Bill 11 is about providing a space for free expression of our religion in public schools and open-enrollment charter schools. The bill does not make participation of prayer or reading of religious texts compulsory.

Later on Tuesday, state senators began debate on a bill that would require classrooms to display the Ten Commandments in public schools.

In 2023, lawmakers approved allowing chaplains in schools. Then last year, the State Board of Education narrowly approved Bible-infused lessons that public campuses could use.

Having a religious period during school would not replace or supplant class time, Middleton said during Tuesdays debate. It is simply meant to allow a time for students and faculty to freely express their religion, he said.

The bill would require parents to sign a consent form allowing their children to participate and waiving their right to sue the district, including under a claim of the First Amendments establishment clause separating church and state.

The Senate passed SB 11 in a 23-7 vote after a lengthy debate with skeptical Democrats opposing the measure and stressing that students already have the freedom to pray before or after school, at recess and during lunch.

Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, suggested the bill sought to force an addition to the so-called three Rs of reading, writing and arithmetic  religion  instead of letting families lead that conversation at home.

Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, expressed concern that those students who arent Christians could be bullied or coerced into participating.
The Texas Senate gave initial approval to legislation Wednesday seeking to extend the states ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to K-12 public schools.

Senators voted along party lines  20-11  in favor of Senate Bill 12, one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patricks priority proposals this session. The bill is still subject to another vote before it heads to the Texas House.







Sen. Brandon Creighton, the Conroe Republican who chairs the Senate Committee on Education K-16, introduced SB 12 after Gov. Greg Abbott expressed support in his State of the State address earlier this year for Texas banning diversity practices across its more than 1,200 public school districts.

Its clear these programs are already in our schools using millions of taxpayer dollars meant for the classroom to fund political activism and political agendas, Creighton said during a public hearing last month.

During debate on the Senate floor Wednesday, Creighton and Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, got into a heated debate over the bills potential impact on the states non-white public school students. Miles said the bill would increase already existing racial inequities present in the states public schools without offering a better alternative.

Youre going to force these kids to conform and if the achievement gaps for minority students widen, you look back to this bill as the start, Miles said to Creighton on the floor. The state has demonized DEI, but I refuse to accept the narrative. Minority students have borne the brunt of the assault.

An earlier version of SB 12 suggested that school districts could lose funding if they failed to comply with the proposed ban, but it did not lay out how that would have happened. The new bill voted out of committee Thursday no longer includes that provision.

SB 12 would still make it illegal for Texas school districts to factor in diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring and employment decisions. It would prevent schools from developing policies, programs and training that reference race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. It would require districts to create policies for disciplining employees who engage in or assign DEI-related tasks to others. And it would ban classroom instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation.

The bill would also impact student organizations. Student clubs that are based on sexual orientation or gender identity would not be allowed in public schools. Moving forward, parents and guardians would also have to provide written consent to allow their student to participate in a student club. And school employees would only be allowed to sponsor clubs centered on race or ethnicity in a supervisory capacity and would be banned from providing certain instruction for those groups.

SB 12 would also allow parents to submit complaints to principals about alleged DEI violations and require school officials to offer parents an explanation of their response to those complaints. Parents could appeal the schools response to the Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who the bill requires to assign an arbitrator to review the complaint and conduct a hearing.

If education officials rule against a school district, the measure would require the superintendent to testify before the State Board of Education about the findings and the number of complaints against that district.

Advocates of the bills argued during a public hearing last month that DEI policies in public schools are not effective, waste taxpayer money and create division. Julie Pickren, a Republican member of the State Board of Education, said that such programs may appear well intentioned, but they do more harm than good.

DEI fosters a culture of entitlement and disappointments that will steal the American dream from kids, Pickren said. Every minute that we spend on woke DEI indoctrination is a minute that we are not teaching a child how to read or how to do math.

Opponents of both bills testified that students from underrepresented groups would be hurt the most by a potential ban, including Black students and LGBTQ+ children. Critics say the ban could also make it more difficult for the state to recruit new teachers.

Sarai Flores, a policy fellow for the Mexican American School Board Association, testified that the ban would make it more difficult for schools to hire educators that reflect the communities they teach in. Though about three quarters of all public school students in the state are people of color, the majority of teachers in the state are white, according to Texas Education Agency data.

SB 12 would ban schools from factoring in diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring and employment decisions. That restriction would come as the state is facing a shortage of teachers without formal classroom training. Most new instructor hires during the 2023-24 school year lacked a teaching certification, data from the education agency shows.

The bill, which Flores also called vague and restrictive, might also prevent teachers from having important discussions about race, history and identity due to the fear that they might violate the law, she added.

Other criticisms also centered on SB 12s proposed ban on classroom instruction on gender identity or sexual orientation, reminiscent of the 2022 Florida Dont Say Gay law that gained national attention. Several testified against that part of the bill late last month, saying it would worsen negative stigmas associated with LGBTQ+ students.

Dash Kostka, a student at the University of Texas in Austin, said LGBTQ+ students would be more likely to have mental health crises or face bigotry if teachers are banned from teaching about sexual orientation.

Liberals like me are not trying to teach intersectional queer theory to your middle schoolers, Kostka said. Were not trying to turn your kids gay.

Neither of the proposals would prevent schools from acknowledging or teaching the significance of state and federal holidays or commemorative months or teaching how those holidays or months fit into Texas and U.S. history, according to the legislation. The ban also would not apply to the states ability to collect data about the race and ethnicity of students and staff.

Texas school districts oversee offices and programs responsible for helping ensure students of color, children learning English, kids from immigrant families, students with disabilities and others receive support and feel included on their campuses. Children of color comprise the overwhelming majority of Texas 5.5 million student population.

Jonathan Feinstein, state director for The Education Trust, told The Texas Tribune that its unclear how a DEI ban could impact public school districts abilities to close achievement gaps among students. The state has a responsibility to do so under federal law, he said. In Texas, Black and Latino students are more likely to read below grade level than their white counterparts.

Would districts or poor [performing] charter schools be restricted from setting goals to explicitly close these gaps by improving academic outcomes for underperforming students? Feinstein said.

Antonio Ingram, a lawyer at the NAACPs Legal Defense Fund, testified against SB 12, saying it would harm all students, but especially Black students. He said that DEI programs are meant to remediate disparities that are present because of past segregation. A number of programs that benefit Black students could be on the chopping block, Ingram said, if the DEI ban moves forward.

SB 12 may cause middle school administrators to curtail mentorship programs encouraging Black girls to pursue careers like engineering or medicine, Ingram said. SB 12 may cause high school counselors to discontinue implicit bias training [that helps] to prevent Black boys from receiving unjust discipline.

Lawmakers in support of SB 12 and SB 1565, including Creighton, see them as an extension of the states ban on teaching critical race theory in K-12 public schools and the prohibition on DEI programs in Texas public universities.

Critical race theory is a college-level discipline that examines why racism continues in American law and culture decades after the civil rights movement in the United States. It is not taught in elementary or secondary schools in Texas, but some conservatives use the term to describe what they see as a liberal bent in the way race and racism is taught in public schools.

programs and training at publicly-funded universities. The law has caused confusion and fear among university employees and students, while colleges have shuttered DEI offices and efforts. Those offices also aimed to help Black, Latino, LGBTQ+ and other underrepresented students adjust to life on college campuses and foster a sense of community among their peers.

Abbott has since called on lawmakers to ensure that no taxpayer dollars will be used to fund DEI in K-12 public education.

Schools must not push woke agendas on our kids, Abbott said during his State of the State address in early February. Schools are for education, not indoctrination.

Those efforts mirror attempts to eliminate diversity at the federal level. On Feb. 14, the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to schools across the country giving them two weeks to ban such efforts on their campuses and threatening a loss of funding if schools dont comply. That window of time recently ended. The federal effort has faced legal challenges.

Republicans nationally and in Texas often refer to any school activities attempting to create a more inclusive environment for children  such as teaching about systemic racism or allowing students to check out library books that center LGBTQ+ characters  as so-called woke liberal indoctrination.

State officials attempts to extend the diversity ban come as lawmakers continue to push for greater control over public schools and to allow taxpayer dollars to flow toward private ones. In 2021, the state passed a law limiting how Texas schools can teach Americas history of slavery and racism. The law instructs schools to teach those topics as deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to the authentic founding principles of the United States, which include liberty and equality.

The governor and top officials in both the Texas House and Senate have made passing a school voucher bill their top priority this legislative session. At the same time, top Texas officials have expressed a desire to expand Christianity in the classroom. The Senate Education Committee has advanced a pair of bills this session that would, respectively, require schools to display the Ten Commandments and grant districts the power to provide students and employees with an opportunity to participate in a period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text every school day. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has declared both a priority.

A nod to Texas lawmakers aim to also expand so-called parental rights, the DEI bill would also allow parents to apply to remove their children from their local school district to attend another. Under most circumstances currently, a child must attend the school district closest to where the student lives. In SB 12, the district the family applies to could deny the transfer request under certain circumstances, like if it lacks space to accommodate the child or if it has a policy prohibiting students with a criminal background.
Mother of woman killed by suspected methanol poisoning demands Laos be put on no-travel list

Tragedy in Laos: Simone White outside the Nana Backpacker Hostel in Vang Vieng, Laos, where she was fatally poisoned with methanol (Bethany Clarke)

The mother and travelling companion of one of six victims of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos is demanding the UK government put the country on its travel no-go list.

Simone White, 28, a London lawyer, died along with two Australian backpackers, two Danes, and an American after becoming unwell while visiting the town of Vang Vieng  a popular stop on the backpacker trail through southeast Asia.

They were staying at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which offered free shots of spirits thought to be tainted with methanol. The substance causes coma, convulsions, blindness, nervous system damage and death, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

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Simone was travelling with her friend Bethany Clarke, who had met her in Asia after a stint working in Australia.

Care free: Bethany Clarke (front) and Simone Clarke (back) on in Laos on the day they were both poisoned with methanol (Bethany Clarke)

Bethany was also hospitalised but has recovered. Now, along with Simones mother, Sue White, she is campaigning for greater awareness of the risks of methanol poisoning  and for the Foreign Office to warn against travel to Laos.

Bethany told The Independent: The UK should impose a ban on trips to Laos. The Lao authorities are failing to be honest and transparent about whats happened.

Were the Foreign Office to warn against travel to Laos, the effect would be to invalidate most travel insurance policies and put the nation off-limits to many British travellers.

The call follows reports that no action will be taken against 11 people arrested in connection with the mass poisoning.

Bethany said: We found out that the 11 detainees were released without charge.

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One of the Danish fathers phoned me and said there's been a big meeting  which we weren't aware of  over in Laos, with the British ambassador, the Danish ambassador.

He said: Were you told the outcome?

I said I didn't even know a meeting was taking place, but during the course of the conversation, I said at least the 11 employees are still detained.

He said no, they were released two weeks ago. We'd never been told. We were given no updates at all.

The Danish father that I spoke to said his understanding was the Lao government are very reluctant to pursue the investigation.

They do literally want it swept under the carpet.

The second thing that came out of the meeting was that they're saying that it wasn't a distillery problem. It did come from the hostel  the alcohol was tampered with at the hostel. So I don't know why they let the employees go.

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Thavone Siharaj, deputy chief of the Lao Embassy in London, said that the government in Vientiane immediately ordered investigations into the incident to identify the actual cause of the deaths and to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice in accordance with the laws.

He said the owner and staff of Nana Backpackers Hostel have been released because there is not sufficient evidence to extend their detention according to the law.

But he added: They are committed to cooperate with the authorities and their passports are kept with the police as long as the investigation is not completed.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos and we are in contact with the local authorities

Last week the junior Foreign Office minister, Hamish Falconer, said in a written answer: The risks of methanol poisoning are included in our travel advice pages where we see evidence of a trend that is likely to affect British nationals in that country or territory.

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We include information about the risks from methanol poisoning or counterfeit alcohol in our travel advice pages for Cambodia, Costa Rica, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam.

In determining what we include in our travel advice, we assess a range of factors, including drawing on local knowledge and monitoring trends in consular cases.

Seeking justice: Sue White, mother of Simone White (Bethany Clarke)

Sue White is hoping that politicians including Laura Trott, Conservative MP for Sevenoaks & Swanley, will add to the pressure on the Lao authorities.

It's just so difficult to kind of get any kind of justice, she said.

Methanol poisoning occurs in a wide range of locations popular with travellers. The substance is tasteless and has only a faint smell, making it impossible to tell if a drink is contaminated.

Bethany Clarke and Sue White are also campaigning for funding to be organised for testing strips for travellers to detect whether methanol has been added to drinks.

At present there is no straightforward method to assess if the poison is present.
In the shadow of Russia's war with Ukraine, some European countries have offered advice on how to prepare for conflict and other emergencies.

The threat of war with Russia for some European countries has sparked advice on how to prepare for armed conflict. (Reuters)

Brussels has told all EU citizens to put together an emergency kit to last for three days in preparation for any potential crisis the continent may face.

Every member state has been asked to develop the 72-hour survival kit as part of the EUs Preparedness Union Strategy.

Unveiled on Wednesday by the European Commission, the strategy includes a list of action that member states need to take to boost their preparedness for crises including natural disasters and cyber and military attacks.

Items in a survival kit could include food, water, torches, batteries, medicines and warm clothes.

Hadja Lahbib, the commissioner for humanitarian aid and crisis management, said: In the EU we must think different because the threats are different, we must think bigger because the threats are bigger too.

Today, the EU launches its new #Preparedness Strategy.



Ready for anything  this must be our new European way of life. Our motto and #hashtag. pic.twitter.com/fA1z8ZvMDA  Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib) March 26, 2025

Several EU member states already have their own, published guidelines for citizens on what to do in case of a disaster  natural or otherwise.

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The latest strategy from the EU comes in the shadow of Russias ongoing war with Ukraine  and the fears that Vladimir Putin could invade other countries and escalate a wider war with the continent.

So what are countries in Europe doing to prepare their citizens in case of conflict? Yahoo explains...

France

The French government has created a survival guide for citizens on how to cope with nationwide crises including a nuclear attack.

Due to be sent out before the summer, the content of the booklet is intended to ensure the resilience of populations in the face of all types of crises, whether natural, technological, cyber or security.

The guide also tells citizens to protect yourself, but also protect the people around you. It explains how to register as a reserve to carry out civic service if needed  be it military, digital or communal.

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The 30-page booklet also contains practical advice on what to do in the event of a climate disaster or industrial accident  including building up essential supplies like bottles of water, torches, batteries and first aid kids.

The guide, which is expected to be distributed via official websites, social media and discussed in schools, follows the lead of other European countries.

Officials from the General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), insisting that the booklet was absolutely not to prepare the population for the prospect of war  unlike in Sweden.

Sweden

In November last year, Sweden updated its guide on how to survive in the event of a war.

The country has faced escalating threats from Russia  particularly after it joined Nato last year. However, the updated guidance did not mention Russia by name.

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Nevertheless, Russia would likely be the aggressor in the event of a war and citizens have been told to mentally prepare for the possibility of an armed conflict.

The new version of Swedens If Crisis or War Comes Was sent out in November last year. (Alamy)

The 32-page booklet, titled If Crisis or War Comes, was distributed to every household and was it was updated for the first time since 2018 to include the threat of war.

It includes advice on stockpiling essentials like water and canned food to last for at least a week, while also gives detailed instructions on how to shelter in the event of air raid sirens going off.

Conscription is mandatory for everyone in Sweden over the age of 18, while everyone aged 16-70 is also part of Swedens total defence  and are obligated to contribute in the event of a war.

The guide states: If Sweden is attacked, we will never surrender."

Finland

Finland shares a land border with Russia that stretches over 800 miles  potentially putting the country at greater risk of a potential invasion by Putin's forces.

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While the country does not have a physical booklet, an online guide called Preparing for Incidents and Crises was made available in November last year.

The guide, which does not mention Russia by name, offers advice on how to prepare for emergencies  including military conflicts, cyberattacks, power outages and disinformation.

Again, it advises citizens to stockpile food and water for at least three days, as well as pet food and an alternative energy source to deal with the sub-zero climates in the country.

Finland has compulsory military or alternative services for all males over 18.

Most guides advise stockpiling food and water. (Getty)

Germany

Germanys Guide for Emergency Preparedness and Correct Action in Emergency Situations was last updated in 2022 but does give advice for citizens at a time of war.

The 48-page booklet is available both online and in physical form and says German citizens should stockpile 10 days of food and five days of water, as well as cash and medicine.

Candles, torches and batteries are recommended in the event of a power cut, while there are tips on packing a grab bag if people need to evacuate quickly.

Last year, Germany also updated its outlines of wartime plans, including the armed forces beginning training companies on how to respond in the event of a conflict.

Compulsory military service was abolished in Germany in 2011 but the debate on conscription has been brought up in the country once again due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Norway

Norways You Are Part of Norways Emergency Preparedness was issued in 2018 and while it has not been updated since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, it is nevertheless relevant for a Nato country that shares a border with Russia.

The 20-page booklet advises stockpiling food for at least a week, as well as cooking equipment and sleeping bags.

It states that people should stay indoors at a time of war, unless there are evacuation orders, and securing digital devices in the event of a cyber attack.

Military service is also compulsory for men and women aged 19-44.

Denmark

Denmarks Prepare for Crises was relaunched digitally in 2024 and prepares citizens for crises like conflict, and natural disasters.

Another country close to Russia physically, Denmark advises people to stockpile enough food and water for three days and keep a crisis kit containing torches, batteries, first aid and medicine.

Young recruits during an inspection at the regiment in Enkoping, Sweden. (Alamy)

It sets out what to do if hearing a siren and advises using basements for shelter in the event of a conflict, as well as securing online accounts from cyber threats from countries like Russia.

Males over 18 are also subject to compulsory military or alternative services.

Lithuania

Lithuania is physically close to Russia and Belarus  a country aligned with Russia and sympathetic to Putins aims.

Its LT72 website was last updated in 2023 and its guide is distributed to all households and schools in the country.

Again, stockpiling is key  the guide advises enough food and water for 72 hours, as well as a first aid kit, torch, money and a radio.

Staying indoors are inside public shelters are recommended in the event of hearing sirens, while it also includes a section on resisting occupation.

The booklet advises people to disrupt occupiers non-violently, but also recommends damaging infrastructure to disrupt takeover if people are willing.

Lithuania does have military conscription and it is compulsory for selected males aged 18-23.

UK

While the UK does not have a physical guide for citizens at a time of emergency or war, there are plenty of resources online.

The Prepare page offers advice for people in England in how to deal with things like floods, including stockpiling three days worth of food and water, as well as first aid kits, torches, batteries and money.

The UK Emergency Alerts system sends phone warnings for life-threatening events like terror attacks or natural disasters, while the government recommends making a household plan with emergency contacts and learning first aid.

Unlike some other countries, it avoids advice on conflict but there have been calls for the UK to be more like Sweden and be prepared for war.

The UK Emergency Alerts system sends phone warnings for life-threatening events. (PA)

Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the chief of the UK defence staff, said Britain would benefit in looking at Sweden for their lead at a time of increased risk from Russia.

He told the Berlin security conference in 2024: We dont have some of the civil aspects or planning aspects that other countries within Nato have as part of their traditions. We are having those conversations to learn from our colleagues and see what might be appropriate for ourselves.

He added: The conclusions from Ukraine speak for themselves. Deterrence doesnt start at the barrel of a gun. It starts with a society that can muster a credible answer to the threat of an armed attack.
HCM CITY  The HCM City International Exhibition of Food and Beverage 2025 (HCM City FOODEX 2025) will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre from April 16 to 19, providing opportunities for both local and overseas businesses to enhance connections and explore potential partnerships.

Organised by the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC) in collaboration with the Food and Foodstuff Association of HCM City, it has attracted over 400 exhibitors from many countries and territories, including South Korea, Japan, China, and Malaysia.

A range of products will be showcased at more than 500 booths, including raw and processed foods, beverages, food ingredients, machinery and equipment, and packaging and preservation technologies.

Speaking at a press conference held to introduce the event in HCM City on March 18, ITPC director Tran Phu Lu said: The combination of technology, ingredients and processed products at HCMC FOODEX 2025 will create an innovative exhibition space, offering collaboration opportunities for businesses across the food supply chain.

ITPC has closely collaborated with partners to optimise buyer access and distribution channels at the exhibition, enabling local businesses to connect directly with partners, importers, and major distribution networks.

A highlight of this years event is the participation of buyers from the horeca sector (hotels  restaurants  catering), providing businesses with greater access to premium distribution systems and elevating Vietnamese products in both domestic and international markets, he added.

Additionally, over 100 domestic and international buyers from 15 countries have confirmed their participation in the exhibition.

During the four-day event, the exhibition will facilitate over 1,000 business-matching meetings, each carefully arranged based on the specific business needs of the participants to ensure relevance and maximise business outcomes.

A series of seminars will be held to help businesses understand market trends, comply with international regulations and optimise development opportunities.

The event will also feature the Master Chef of FOODEX competition in which renowned chefs and expert judges from Viet Nam, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the US will come together.

With a diverse range of competition categories, this event is not only a platform for showcasing culinary talent but also a celebration of creativity and exceptional cooking skills, Lu said.

He said last years exhibition was a resounding success, attracting over 380 enterprises and 18,000 visitors from 50 countries and territories, including 10,000 trade visitors, and having over 600 business-matching sessions.

With its significant investment and a wide variety of cultural and culinary showcases, HCMC FOODEX 2025 aims to attract 20,000 visitors, reinforcing its reputation as a leading trade event in Viet Nams food processing industry.  VNS
HA NOI  The stock market extended its losses on Wednesday, with the VN-Index dropping below 1,325 points. Liquidity improved compared to the previous session, while foreign investors increased their net selling pressure.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index lost 6.34 points, or 0.48 per cent, closing at 1,324.63 points.

Market breadth remained negative, with 195 decliners, 109 gainers, and 58 unchanged stocks. Trading liquidity increased to VN23.5 trillion (approximately US$920.3 million), marking a 19.3 per cent rise from the previous session.

Meanwhile, the VN30-Index, which tracks the 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation, also declined, losing 11.01 points, or 0.79 per cent, to settle at 1,377.63 points. Within the VN30 basket, 20 stocks fell, eight advanced and two remained unchanged.

The markets downturn was primarily driven by losses in blue-chip technology and banking stocks.

FPT Corporation (FPT) posted the sharpest drop, slipping 4.15 per cent, erasing nearly 1.9 points from the VN-Index. Mobile World Investment Corporation (MWG) also declined, losing 3.72 per cent, while Vietnam Prosperity Joint Stock Commercial Bank (VPB) fell 1.77 per cent.

Despite the overall market weakness, several large-cap stocks helped limit the decline. Vietnam Rubber Group - Joint Stock Company (GVR) led the market, rising 4.19 per cent, contributing nearly 1.5 points to the VN-Index.

It was followed by Vingroup Joint Stock Company (VIC) which gained 1.17 per cent, while Fortune Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LPB) advanced 1.55 per cent. Meanwhile, Imexpharm Corporation (IPM) hit its ceiling price, rising 6.88 per cent.

Market analysts at Saigon - Hanoi Securities (SHS) noted that the VN-Index remains in a short-term uptrend, with its nearest support level at 1,315 points, corresponding to the lowest price recorded on March 11, 2025, and stronger support at 1,300 points.

"The market continues to experience selling pressure and portfolio restructuring across many stocks following an eight-week rally. The VN-Index and VN30 are facing strong resistance around 1,350 points and 1,400 points, respectively, and are currently undergoing a consolidation phase after an extended period of growth," SHS stated.

"In the short term, the VN-Index is not in an attractive range for additional capital allocation. However, the market remains selectively positive, with short-term rotational opportunities. Investors should maintain a balanced portfolio and focus on stocks with strong fundamentals, leading positions in strategic sectors, and exceptional growth potential in the economy."

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index edged down by 0.71 per cent, closing at 245.28 points. Trading value on the northern bourse reached VN987 billion, with more than 58 million shares changing hands.

Foreign investors were recorded as strong net sellers on Wednesday, offloading shares worth over VN1.4 trillion on the HoSE and over VN75 billion on the HNX.  VNS
HA NOI  Banks are concerned about a sharp surge of invoices to be issued daily for small individual transactions due to a new regulation proposal from the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

According to current regulations in Decree No 123/2020/N-CP on invoices, banks are allowed to aggregate transactions of individual customers, who do not need to get invoices, to create a daily total invoice.

This helps to significantly reduce the number of invoices that need to be processed, especially for small transactions such as account management fees, text message service fees and ATM withdrawal fees.

However, in the draft decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree No 123/2020/N-CP, the MoF removes this provision, meaning that banks must issue invoice for each transaction of individual customers, regardless of whether the customers request it or not.

According to banks, if the proposal was approved, the number of invoices to be issued daily would be too large, putting great pressure on the banking system and causing a burden on costs.

Data showed at VietinBank alone, one million invoices are issued each day on average. On days when BIDV collects account management fees and SMS service fees, the number of transactions requiring invoices at the bank is up to ten million transactions per day. If the new regulations are applied, the number of invoices will increase many times, causing system overload.

Therefore, many banks believe that there needs to be appropriate support solutions so that credit institutions can adapt to the new regulations without affecting business operations.

According to banks, unlike petrol stations, where customers commonly pay in cash which makes it difficult to control sales revenue, in the banking retail, fees and interest of individual customers are collected from customers' accounts, and the revenue is fully recorded at each point of fee and interest collection. Customers, who borrow capital and use services from credit institutions, will have their information and transaction history fully and transparently stored.

Therefore, instead of being required to issue individual invoices for each transaction to individual customers as at petrol service areas, banks can issue total invoices based on detailed information of each transaction arising during the day and month in the bank's data management system. Banks must be responsible for the accuracy of transaction information and provide a detailed summary of provided services when requested by competent authorities.

According to the Vietnam Banks Association (VNBA), in addition to the increase in workload, issuing individual invoices also requires credit institutions to invest heavily in upgrading information technology systems.

Invoices are accounting documents that must be stored permanently, so storing a huge amount of invoices electronically for many years requires banks to invest heavily in IT infrastructure, the VNBA said.

In addition, the VNBA believes the change will affect not only banks, but also tax agencies. The sudden increase in the number of invoices will cause difficulties for the electronic invoice processing and lookup system, not only of credit institutions but also of tax authorities. This can lead to network congestion and delays in transaction processing, affecting the operation of the entire financial system.

In light of the difficulties, the VNBA said it has proposed the MoF and the Ministry of Justice to keep the current regulation on invoice in Decree No 123/2020/N-CP unchanged.  BIZHUB/VNS
HA NOI  To foster the conversion of business households into companies, experts suggest the Government should simplify how they declare their tax, along with easing accounting rules for their first three years of operating.

Along with this, authorities should refrain from inspections during this initial period and offer a significantly lower tax rates to encourage smoother transitions.

Economic expert PhD inh The Hien said that to effectively encourage business households to shift to becoming formal firms, the process needs to be more straightforward and a flexible tax model should be in place.

At present, business households carry out the presumptive tax with a lump-sum tax declaration, meaning value added tax and personal income tax is calculated according to the presumed earnings. Enterprises are required to provide tax declarations for each kind of tax.

Hien proposes that business households should be allowed to experiment with operating as enterprises for a set period, without the full burden of legal constraints, allowing them to adjust to the new system gradually. This pilot phase would ensure that the converted enterprises are smoother and more effective after completing the conversion.

He also highlights that over the long term, as Viet Nam has stricter invoicing and registration regulations, the shift from business households to enterprises will be inevitable. This change would help create a more transparent business environment, providing a solid foundation for sustainable growth.

Chairwoman of the Viet Nam Tax Consulting Association, Nguyen Thi Cuc, has emphasised the need for a fundamental overhaul of tax policies to make the conversion from business households to enterprises more feasible.

At present, the business households enjoy a very low tax rate.

For example, in the commercial trading industry, the tax rate for business households is only 1.5 per cent, with 0.5 per cent being personal income tax and 1 per cent for value-added tax (VAT).

In contrast, registered enterprises must comply with a more detailed tax regime, including VAT rates as high as 5 per cent, along with other taxes and regulatory compliance, such as insurance and labour safety regulations.

Given this tax discrepancy, Cuc has suggested that business households with annual revenues of up to VN1 billion should be allowed to continue with lump-sum taxes, as their operations are often small-scale, providing income primarily for the household.

For those with higher revenues, however, she has proposed adopting the declaration method with tax rates aligned with those of formal enterprises.

The Governments goal of reaching one million enterprises has yet to be realised, and many business households remain hesitant to transition into formal businesses.

Despite incentives and simplified procedures for setting up enterprises, many business households fear the burden of increased taxes, complex procedures, and the potential for more stringent tax inspections.

According to a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Viet Nam has approximately five million business households. However, only 1.7 million of these have registered as businesses and meet their tax obligations, contributing only 1.6 per cent to the State budget.

The remaining 3.3 million households are still unregistered, often due to the lower tax rates applied to them under the lump-sum tax system. Business households are concerned that transitioning to an enterprise would require full transparency and clearer tax reporting, which could result in higher taxes and administrative burdens.

Reducing the compliance burden, simplifying tax declarations and providing incentives during the early years of a business, can help foster growth in the private sector and encourage more business households to formalise their operations.

By addressing the tax disparities and creating a more conducive environment for micro-enterprises, Viet Nam can empower small businesses to thrive and contribute more effectively to the economy.

Given the vital role the private sector plays in economic growth, it is crucial for the Government to introduce new and innovative solutions that ease the transition for business households.  VNS
HA NOI  The Vietnamese Government has issued a new decree stipulating that foreign investors could only buy treasury stocks which were purchased by credit institutions before January 1, 2021.

Decree No. 69/2025/N-CP amends several provisions of Decree No. 01/2014/N-CP regarding foreign investment in Vietnamese financial institutions. The changes specifically address purchase methods, ownership limits and investor obligations.

Accordingly, total foreign ownership in Vietnamese commercial banks is capped at 30 per cent, with some exceptions, while that in non-bank credit institutions is no more than 50 per cent.

In special cases involving weak or troubled financial institutions, the Prime Minister will decide on ownership percentage of a foreign organisation or a strategic foreign investor. The new decree also allows foreign ownership in commercial banks undergoing mandatory transfers to exceed 30 per cent but not surpass 49 per cent of charter capital, provided the bank is not majority state-owned.

If foreign investors surpass the regulated thresholds, they must reduce their ownership percentage within six months to comply with the limits.

When the total foreign ownership in a credit institution exceeds the legal threshold, foreign investors cannot purchase additional shares until total foreign ownership falls below the prescribed limits.

The decree will take effect on May 19.  VNS
A NANG  The Viet Nam Blockchain Association (VBA), in cooperation with the Viet Nam Nam-Korea Friendship Information Technology University (VKU), has agreed to an educational exchange programme on the blockchain and AI to provide technological insights and career guidance to students.

The VBA said in a recent working session during the Academy of Blockchain and AI Innovation (ABAII) Unitour conference in a Nang that students need to learn about new trends in AI and blockchain technology, as it will be crucial in the digital era.

ABAII experts said emerging technological trends are shaping the global labour market, highlighting that 66 per cent of businesses prioritise AI skills and that the blockchain market is projected to reach US$30 trillion by 2034.

Head representative of the VBAs a Nang Office Vo Cong Khoi provided an in-depth perspective on generative AI, a technology that is significantly impacting areas such as content creation, product design and scientific research.

Data from Microsoft has revealed that 66 per cent of businesses worldwide would refrain from hiring candidates lacking AI skills, he said.

The statistic underscores that AI is no longer optional, but an essential requirement for maintaining competitiveness in the future job market, he added.

Vice Rector of VKU Tran The Son emphasised the critical role of integrating new technologies into academic curricula.

He said AI and blockchain platforms will become key drivers of the digital transformation, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the labour market.

Son said the cooperation between VKU and VBA would help train students in essential skills and knowledge of global technological trends.

VKU curriculum

Nguyen uc Hien, head of the Faculty of Computer Science at VKU, stated that the university has already integrated blockchain and AI courses into its official curriculum, and students are ready to participate in practical projects with major tech enterprises.

The university, built in 2007 with ODA funding of $10 million from the South Korean government, is a major training centre for skilled IT workers and technicians serving FDI enterprises in the central region.

Earlier this year, VBA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Nang authorities on building international financial centres.

VKU plans to cooperate with LG Electronics and the University of Northampton in the UK to research digital work and applications in high-tech industries.

To date, 14 businesses are operating chip design and semiconductor facilities in a Nang, including Synopsys, Uniquify, Renesas, Synapse (now Quest Global), Sannei Hytechs, Mixel Viet Nam, Marvell Viet Nam, Sibridges Viet Nam, Ideas2Silion Viet Nam, FPT Semiconductor, Viettel Hi-Tech and Acronics.

a Nang is leading the country in the digitalisation progress, with an average rate of 2.3 digital businesses per 1,000 people.  VNS
HCM CITY  With their complementary strengths, Viet Nam and Belarus have considerable potential to enhance trade and investment cooperation, according to participants at a seminar held in HCM City on March 19.

In his opening remarks, Tran Phu Lu, director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of HCM City (ITPC), said in the context of increasing international economic integration, exploring new markets, diversifying trade partners and attracting investment are among Viet Nams top priorities, particularly for HCM City.

Belarus, with its growing economy and open investment policies, is emerging as a promising destination for Vietnamese businesses and investors.

Bilateral ties have been reinforced in recent years, especially since the Viet Nam-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement came into effect.

This agreement grants both sides market access for goods covering approximately 90 per cent of tariff lines and accounting for over 90 per cent of bilateral trade.

This creates substantial opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to enter the Belarusian market as well as other countries in the region.

Lu highlighted the visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders of both countries that took effect in January this year. This milestone in bilateral relations paves the way for enhanced cooperation in cultural exchange, trade and tourism.

Trade between the two countries has grown strongly, reaching US$59.7 million last year after rising by 45 per cent. But Lu said this is not commensurate with bilateral ties and the expectations of the business community.

He said Vietnamese businesses, particularly those in HCM City, are showing increasing interest in the Eastern European market.

Kiryl Halantsou, consul general of Belarus in HCM City, said Viet Nam is a priority partner for Belarus in Southeast Asia.

He underscored the positive impact of the Viet Nam-EAEU FTA and the vast potential for interregional cooperation, particularly between Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and HCM City.

He pointed out that Belaruss key exports to Viet Nam include pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, milk, and dairy products, and its imports from Viet Nam are also on the rise with products such as rice, nuts, fruits, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, clothing, seafood, and coffee widely consumed by Belarusian customers.

Many leading Belarusian companies rely on rubber, equipment and electronics sourced from Viet Nam, he said.

This economic interdependence and complementarity indicate the scope for further cooperation, he said.

Halantsou called for elevating the collaboration to a new level through the establishment of joint ventures to produce high-tech, competitive products that meet domestic demand and could also be exported to other markets.

Polina Girenko of the department for international cooperation and information promotion at the National Centre for Marketing of Belarus, spoke about her countrys diverse economic potential.

She highlighted its status as a leading exporter of agricultural products, wood and timber products and fertilisers and introduced emerging sectors such as IT, healthcare and medical tourism.

She referred to its position as a gateway to the EAEU market and its strong industrial base, particularly in machinery manufacturing.

The seminar was organised by the ITPC together with the Belarussian consulate in HCM City and that countrys Ministry of Foreign Affairs National Marketing and Pricing Research Centre.  VNS
HA NOI  Gene Bio Media (GBM), a leading biotechnology company in British Columbia, Canada, is planning to establish a diagnostic test kit manufacturing facility in Binh inh Province.

The total estimated investment for the project is US$10-20 million.

During a recent meeting at the Binh inh Province Peoples Committee Office, a GBM executive said that after conducting thorough research in Viet Nam, the company decided to invest in a modern factory to produce high-quality diagnostic test kits.

Deputy Chairman of the Binh inh Province Peoples Committee Lam Hai Giang welcomed GBMs decision to invest in the provinces biotechnology sector. It is an area in which Binh inh is actively allocating resources for development and attracting investment.

GBM and Binh inh Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Joint Stock Company (Bidiphar) have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a joint venture for large-scale diagnostic test kit production in this province.

The partnership aims to manufacture diagnostic test kits using Canadian technology to serve the Vietnamese market and export them to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North America.

The collaboration underscores GBMs commitment to global expansion and pandemic preparedness, positioning the company as a key player in next-generation diagnostics.

Viet Nams growing healthcare market and strategic location make it an ideal hub for our expansion, said Jessica Hu, CEO and founder of GBM.

GBM is recognised for its groundbreaking innovations in molecular diagnostics and AI-driven healthcare solutions.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, GBM played a crucial role in global public health, supplying the Canadian government with over 48 million high-quality SARS-CoV-2 rapid test kits.

Binh inh has emerged as a premier investment destination in Viet Nam, offering a range of incentives for foreign investors, including corporate income tax benefits and land rental incentives.  VNS
CAN THO  The World Bank is committed to mobilising additional non-refundable aid to support Viet Nams project on developing one million hectares of high-quality and low-carbon rice in association with green growth in the Mekong Delta region, a senior WB official has said.

Shobha Shetty, Global Director of the Agriculture and Food Global Practice at the World Bank, made the statement while making a field trip to a rice cultivation site at New Green Farm Cooperative in Thot Nots district, Can Tho city, on March 19.

The New Green Farm Cooperative currently comprises over 100 households cultivating 148 hectares of rice. It has been part of the project for three consecutive seasons.

According to ong Van Canh, Head of the Cooperative, farmers have adopted the "One Must, Five Reductions" technique, which requires using certified seeds while reducing seeding rates, fertilisers, pesticides, water usage, and post-harvest losses.

Additionally, by integrating organic fertilisation from rice straw, farmers have been able to reduce chemical nitrogen fertiliser use by 40 per cent, lower production costs by nearly VN1.7 million (US$67) per hectare per season and increase profits by VN3.5 million per hectare per crop.

New Green Farm is also the first cooperative in Can Tho to adopt circular agriculture. Instead of discarding rice straw, cooperative members repurpose it to cultivate straw mushrooms and produce organic fertiliser, creating additional income streams.

"The circular economy model maximises the use of by-products, enabling farmers to earn more from selling straw, mushrooms, and organic fertiliser," Canh explained.

Shetty said that her visit helped her better understand low-emission rice farming practices. Viet Nam is a pioneer in low-emission rice farming, she said, adding that many people around the world are eager to visit the country to learn from this model.

According to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam, despite fluctuations in global food prices and recent drops in rice prices, farmers involved in the one-million-hectare rice project remain financially secure because lower production costs have increased their profits. As a result, even when rice prices drop, farmers maintain stable incomes and peace of mind, thanks to partnerships with enterprises that ensure market access.

Recognising the projects positive impact on farmers livelihoods, Nam noted a growing interest among farmers in adopting high-quality, low-emission rice cultivation.

To further support the project, the WB is helping Vietnam access the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF) and is preparing a technical and infrastructure support project for high-quality, low-emission rice production in the Mekong Delta, which will be financed through WB loans.

To accelerate the signing of agreements with TCAF and finalise project proposals, the WB has organised a working delegation to work with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and provinces involved in the one-million-hectare rice project from March 17 to March 25.  VNS
HA NOI  Representatives of US businesses affirmed their interest and readiness to invest and expand operations in Viet Nam while meeting with Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh in Hanoi on March 19.

At his reception for a delegation from the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) led by its Chairman and CEO Ted Osius, Thanh underlined the crucial role played by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the US in Viet Nams socio-economic development, investment and trade, science - technology, innovation, and digital transformation.

He noted that Viet Nam has taken solutions to create strategic breakthroughs in institutional reforms and developing infrastructure, human resources, and science-technology to lay the premise for a new era of national progress.

Viet Nam is actively reforming its mindset and approach of the legislative work by drafting and enacting concise and clear laws; promoting decentralisation and administrative reform; and shifting from a management-focused legal framework to one that balances effective governance with development and innovation, Thanh stated.

According to the legislator, Viet Nam wants to maintain stable cooperation with the US and is proactively adapting to policy changes to safeguard its economy and sustain sustainable growth.

He valued the important role and contributions of the US business community, particularly the USABC, in strengthening the Viet Nam-US investment and business cooperation, affirming that the Vietnamese NA remains committed to fostering economic growth and developing supportive policies for foreign businesses, including those from the US.

Viet Nam hopes to attract resources from foreign businesses and investors, including USABC members, to support its strategy for rapid and sustainable economic development in the coming years, he said.

Thanh stated that the NA and its agencies stand ready to accompany the USABC and the US business community to promptly remove institutional, policy, and legal obstacles, creating favourable conditions for investment and business activities of American enterprises in Viet Nam in the coming time.

The US guests expressed their impression of Viet Nams socio-economic achievements and highly valued the countrys investment and business environment in recent years. They affirmed their readiness to expand investment in Viet Nam, particularly in green transition, technology, innovation, digital economy, AI, e-commerce, and sustainable development.

They showed their hope that the Vietnamese NA and Government will continue accelerating administrative reforms, optimising the business environment, and providing greater support for foreign enterprises, including US firms.

On the same day afternoon, representatives of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Policies and Strategies had a meeting with the USABC delegation.

Standing vice chairman of the commission Thai Thanh Quy reaffirmed Viet Nams consistent policy to consider the US a top priority partner.

The two sides discussed and proposed orientations for boosting investment and business cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the areas of interest to US companies, such as renewable energy, aviation, AI, health care, semiconductors, supply chain development, financial services, digital economy, and circular economy.

Representatives of US businesses said they hope to receive support from and expand cooperation with Vietnamese agencies, especially the commission, to create a favourable business environment for their investment in Viet Nam.

They reaffirmed their commitments to close cooperation with Viet Nam to advance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, particularly in economy, trade, and investment cooperation, for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Quy affirmed that the commission strongly supports the USABCs activities, particularly in helping US businesses operate effectively in Viet Nam.

He called on the USABC to further strengthen its role as a bridge in practically promoting Viet Nam-US cooperation, and expand partnerships with Vietnamese companies to boost investment in Viet Nams priority sectors that align with the USs strengths.  VNS
HAI PHONG  A delegation from Hekou county of China's Yunnan province visited the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority and Nam Cau Kien Industrial Park on March 1920, sharing experiences in the development of free trade zones.

Le Trung Kien, head of the Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority, emphasised Chinas role as a strategic partner in various sectors of the northern port city.

China ranks second among the 42 countries and territories investing here, with 245 projects totalling US$6.2 billion. Hai Phong is currently developing its southern economic zone under a green, ecological, and circular industrial model, and also working to establish a free trade zone, he noted.

On this occasion, Kien invited the Hekou delegation to share insights into the free trade zone development, economic and social impacts of those zones, as well as the challenges during their development and operation.

Yu Yang, Secretary of the Hekou county Party Committee and head of the Yunnan Pilot Free Trade Zone - Honghe Area, expressed admiration for Hai Phongs vigorous growth over the past years. He highlighted the strong Viet Nam  China cooperation and the close ties between Yunnan and Hai Phong as key drivers of new opportunities and promising prospects for both sides.

The two sides agreed to enhance collaboration in areas such as high-level mutual visits, friendship exchanges, and railway infrastructure connectivity. They will work to advance the construction of the KunmingLao CaiHa NoiHai Phong standard-gauge railway, and resume a direct air route between Hai Phong and Yunnan.

Additionally, a cooperative framework will be established between Hai Phong's economic zones and the Yunnan Free Trade Zone, particularly in the Kunming and Honghe areas.  VNS
HA NOI  The Republic of Korea (RoK)'s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on March 20 announced plans to build an integrated logistics centre in Nhon Trach 6 Industrial Park in the Vietnamese southern province of ong Nai.

The facility will cover over 55,000 sq.m of land, with a total floor area of 26,168 sq.m. The project is being developed through a joint venture with Lotte Global Logistics in Viet Nam, supported by the global logistics supply chain fund.

The logistics centre will feature two main zones: one for ambient storage and another for cold storage. It is expected to become operational by May 2026.

A ministry official noted that Nhon Trach Industrial Complex is home to numerous Korean shipping companies. Once completed, the logistics centre is expected to serve as a key hub for Korean import-export businesses in Viet Nam.

The Nhon Trach Industrial Park in ong Nai province is a major logistics hub in southern Viet Nam, strategically located near key markets such as HCM City and Nha Trang. It also benefits from strong transport links, including Long Thanh International Airport and Cat Lai Port.  VNS
Viet Nam possesses many favourable factors to develop a dynamic and strong economy, Jens Ruebbert, Chairman of the EU-ASEAN Business Council, President of EuroCham Singapore and Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region of Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg (LBBW), said in an interview with the Vietnam News Agency.

Could you tell us about the main opportunities and challenges that European companies are facing when working with Viet Nam? In your opinion, in the future, what will be the most potential areas for the development of economic cooperation between the two sides?

In terms of opportunities, Viet Nam has a lot to offer a very dynamic fast-growing economy. The Vietnamese Government has always been open and friendly to investment and has implemented many reforms to integrate into the global trade. In addition, a young and eager-to-learn population is also a strength.

Despite these positive great opportunities, we do see a few challenges in terms of the administrative capacity to implement and consistently push through reforms at regional and local levels, in terms regulatory complexity and in terms of Viet Nams general infrastructure environment including ports and logistics which should continuously develop further.

Most potential areas of economic co-operation in general is trade and luckily we are talking about free trade manifested by the EU- Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in terms of sectors and investment, I would say-green energy/green technology, high-tech and industry 4.0, med-tech and bio-tech as well as mobility and transportation.

How has the EU-ASEAN Business Council contributed to connecting Vietnamese companies and Government agencies with European countries? Which initiatives do you expect to create significant changes in economic cooperation between the parties?

Personally, I think that the EU-ASEAN Business Council - which works very closely with EuroCham in Viet Nam - has connected European companies with Vietnamese Government agencies at a deep level. We conduct mission trips every year, bringing large business delegations from Europe to Viet Nam to work directly with ministries, discussing urgent issues in many fields. Last year, we organised a mission trip with more than 120 delegates from more than 50 companies, meeting with nearly 20 Vietnamese ministries.

Regarding current initiatives, I highly appreciate the following three points. The first is the excellent economic perspectives in Viet Nam with an ambitious GDP growth target of 8 per cent in 2025.

The second is the most significant governance restructuring since oi moi (Renewal), which the National Assembly finalised in February, this will be a beginning of a new economic ambition.

Finally, Resolution No 57-NQ/TW dated December 22, 2024 of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation, identifying science, technology and innovation as the driving force for Viet Nam's further economic development.

How do you assess the impact of Viet Nam's tax and customs reforms on the business environment and the development of European companies in Viet Nam? Have these reforms met the expectations of international companies in facilitating import and export and reducing transaction costs?

Over the years, Viet Nam has implemented many major tax and customs reforms to improve the business environment, attract foreign investment and integrate more deeply into the global economy. These reforms are particularly important for European businesses operating in Viet Nam.

Viet Nam's tax and customs reforms currently focus on simplifying procedures, increasing transparency and aligning with international standards. Key reforms include streamlining customs procedures such as reducing time and complexity in customs procedures, implementing national and ASEAN single windows, helping businesses submit documents electronically and minimising procedures.

In addition, from 2021, the GenDepartment of Viet Nam Customs will implement a programme to support businesses in voluntarily complying with customs laws, helping to reduce costs and customs clearance times.

At the same time, it is modernising tax management by implementing e-invoices and electronic tax declaration and payment systems, reducing the bureaucratic burden for businesses.

As committed in free trade agreements such as EVFTA, Viet Nam has reduced tariffs on many products, benefiting European businesses.

All of the above reforms have had a positive impact on Viet Nam's business environment. Accordingly, the simplification of customs procedures and electronic systems helps reduce transaction costs and time, especially for businesses that depend on fast supply chains.

Lower tariffs and simpler processes make Viet Nam an attractive destination for European businesses looking to expand production or invest, increasing competitiveness

In particular, improved transparency and compliance with international standards have increased Viet Nams attractiveness for foreign direct investment (FDI).

European businesses have welcomed these reforms in Viet Nam as they have brought many benefits such as facilitating trade and increasing the volume of exchanges between Viet Nam and the EU, reducing transaction costs through electronic filing and payments and improving business predictability, which is important for long-term planning and investment.

However, I believe that there are still challenges such as the implementation of reforms is sometimes inconsistent due to differences in administrative capacity at the local level, and the regulatory environment in Viet Nam still needs to be streamlined and clarified. With increasing trade volumes, Viet Nams infrastructure, including ports and logistics networks, needs to be further upgraded to meet the demand.  VNS
QUANG NAM  A project to fight erosion and sustainably protect Hoi Ans coastline was officially launched on Wednesday in Hoi An City of Quang Nam Province.

The project, funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the European Union (EU), has a total investment of 42 million euros, (nearly VN1 trillion), including an AFD loan of more than 35 million euros, a non-refundable grant of over two million euros from the WARM fund, authorised by the EU, and over five million euros (VN127 billion) in matched funding from the provincial budget.

The project, which is being carried out until the end of 2026, includes the construction of a submerged breakwater located about 250m offshore, with a total length of 2,160m, and the building of groynes with a total length of 1,750m, using dredged sand to protect the beaches.

Once completed, the project will help protect land, homes, assets and lives, as well as tourism infrastructure across an area of approximately 3.2 sq.km, benefiting more than 1,300 households in Cua ai Ward and surrounding areas, particularly in coastal regions.

Additionally, it will support local socio-economic stability and development, especially in Hoi Ans tourism sector and Quang Nam Province as a whole.

Director of the Quang Nam Provincial Project Management Board for Investment and Construction, Vo Van iem, said that due to the urgent need to protect Hoi Ans coastline from increasingly severe land encroachment, the province has implemented several structural measures to mitigate erosion, which have begun to show effectiveness.

However, due to financial constraints, only approximately 2.3km of the more than 6km of coastline in need of protection has been addressed.

Therefore, the project is expected to contribute to ensuring the future development of Hoi Ans coastal areas through comprehensive solutions that adhere to integrated coastal zone management principles.

The project is expected to play a key role in ensuring the safety of local residents, and promoting economic activities, particularly in tourism. It will also create job opportunities and enhance the resilience of the local population against climate change impacts, he said.

Director of AFD in Viet Nam, Herve Conan, expressed his hope that the projects implementation and operation will contribute to reducing coastal erosion, ensuring public safety and promoting economic activities, particularly in tourism.

The project is also expected to create job opportunities, strengthen the resilience of local communities to climate change and drive socio-economic development in the region.

The vice chairman of the Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee, Ho Quang Buu, emphasised that the project is a key initiative with special significance, playing a crucial role and complying with integrated coastal zone management principles.

He urged the projects investors to focus resources on ensuring quality and timely implementation as committed while adhering to legal regulations on planning, land use, investment, construction and environmental protection.

Consulting units and contractors must strictly comply with construction standards and regulations, ensuring the quality, safety and environmental sanitation of the project. They must also prevent construction activities from negatively impacting the lives, production and daily activities of local residents in the project area.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nams first museum dedicated to stained glass art has opened at Da Vinci Camp, Ba Trai Commune in Ha Nois Ba Vi District.

The Viet Nam Art Glass Museum, built in 2022, covers a space of 2,000sq.m. It houses a collection of over 1,500 valuable glass and stained glass art pieces gathered over nearly 40 years from around the globe by diplomat and journalist Nguyen Xuan Thang, president of Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations (VFUA) and director of the new museum.

Stained glass art requires the application of intricate techniques and technology. This important field of art and applied aesthetics has long been intertwined with human life across all nations, Thang said.

By the late 19th century, the continuous development of stained glass crafting technology led to the emergence of many special types of stained and coloured glass, captivating a wide audience.

Unfortunately, as of today, the number of museums dedicated to stained glass art worldwide constitutes only a very small percentage of the global museum system, he added.

The museum director said that the institution would undertake the responsibility of collecting, classifying, preserving and exhibiting artefacts related to stained glass from both Viet Nam and around the world.

It will also conduct systematic research and assessments on the history of stained glass art, as well as various stained glass masterpieces, to support the museum's long-term development goals.

At the same time, the museum will provide knowledge about the art to those interested in studying this field, thereby enhancing public understanding and aesthetic appreciation.

As a venue for domestic and international events, the museum will also help experts, artisans and collectors share knowledge and experiences about stained glass art for those involved in research and production.

Visitors will have the opportunity to admire stained glass artworks featuring various styles and crafting techniques, including Murano glass (Italy), Bohemian (Czech Republic), Tiffany (USA) and Mayer Munich (Germany).

One of the highlights of the museum is the artwork The Nativity, which measures 8m x 6m and was crafted by the renowned Mayer Munich glass studio in the 19th century for a church in New York, US.

This work has been regarded by American experts as one of the most beautiful stained glass masterpieces in the world. Thang revealed it took him nearly seven years to fully acquire this classic stained glass piece in 2019.

All artefacts and the majority of the museum's assets, as well as the Da Vinci Camp complex, will be donated to the community.

The assets, which hold significant spiritual value, will be managed and operated by VFUA with the aim of enhancing public knowledge and quality of life.

This initiative will also involve establishing a Cultural Development Fund and contributing part of its value to the non-governmental activities of UNESCO in Viet Nam.

Nguyen Xuan Thiet, vice president of the VFUA and deputy director of the Viet Nam Art Glass Museum, noted that the museum is expected to become a fresh and attractive cultural and artistic destination that contributes to promoting Ba Vi, one of the key tourist centres of Ha Noi. VNS
AN GIANG  The Via Ba Chua Xu (The Lady of the Realm) Goddness Festival at Chau ocs Sam Mountain received recognition from UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of Humanity at the opening of the festival held in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on March 19.

The festival is Viet Nam's 16th intangible cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO.

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh stated that for over 200 years, the worship of Ba Chua Xu goddness has been a crucial spiritual anchor not only in the southern region but also nationwide.

This event recognises the efforts of generations in preserving and promoting the cultural and spiritual values of the festival.

The festival not only demonstrates reverence for Ba Chua Xu goddness, who is revered as the Mother of the region, but it also stands as a symbol of Viet Nam's Mother Goddess worship, thereby contributing significantly to the country's overall cultural identity, he added.

He requested An Giang authorities and locals to join hands to preserve cultural space, balance development, protect Mount Sams sanctity, and maintain rituals for the festival's sacred value.

Furthermore, he called upon to enhance the promotion of the heritage, especially on digital platforms.

He also hoped UNESCO would continue to support Viet Nam in preserving and promoting its culture globally.

The Via Ba Chua Xu (The Holly Lady of the Realm) goddness Festival at Chau oc Citys Sam Mountain is a traditional folk festival, preserved and practiced through generations in An Giang province.

It took place from April 22 to 27 of the lunar calendar at the Mieu Ba Chua Xu Nui Sam temple and the stone altar area dedicated to the Lady of the Realm on Sam Mountain.

It features many rituals, including a Ba Chua Xu statue bathing ceremony and the preparation and presentation of offerings.

It features the cultural identity of the Southwestern region's inhabitants, fosters cultural exchange and strengthens community ties among the An Giang province's diverse ethnic groups including Khmer, Chinese and Cham.  VNS
HA NOI  Russia is considering easing visa requirements for several Southeast Asian countries, including Viet Nam, to boost tourism, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development told Izvestia.

The country aims to facilitate entry for group travellers from Viet Nam and is exploring a bilateral visa waiver agreement for individual tourists from Malaysia.

Vice-President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry (PCT) Dmitry Gorin said as demand for travel to Russia grows, the country will continue expanding visa exemptions and increasing e-visa availability. Russia is also actively promoting its Discover Russia tourism brand, including in ASEAN countries.

The Russian ministry confirmed that efforts to strengthen tourism ties with Viet Nam are well underway. It is working on a visa-free mechanism for Vietnamese group tourists, similar to existing policies for China and Iran, to attract more visitors and promote group travel through licensed operators. Vietnamese citizens currently still need a visa to enter Russia.

Meanwhile, Viet Nam has extended its visa exemption for travellers from 12 countries, including Russia, until March 14, 2028. Under this policy, visitors can stay for up to 45 days before applying for an e-visa.

Vietnam Airlines is set to resume regular flights on the Moscow-Ha Noi route in May, a move that tour operators believe will create new opportunities for travel between the two countries. VNA/VNS
Viet Nam News speaks to Nguyen Van Thuan, head of the Quality and Organic Agriculture Division at the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing and Market Development under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment on food safety management.

The wholesale markets and local markets currently distribute about 80-90 per cent of food and ensure livelihoods for many households involved in business. What are the main challenges in food safety management at traditional markets and what solutions has the department implemented to improve food safety standards at wholesale and local markets?

In Viet Nam, the distribution and consumption of products are primarily concentrated in wholesale and local markets.

Wholesale markets serve as a transit point for products coming from production areas, then distributing to local markets, communal kitchens, small markets and even shops. Wholesale markets are mainly located in major cities like Ha Noi, HCM City, a Nang and Can Tho.

For smaller provinces or areas not close to wholesale markets, local markets are still the main direct food supply point for consumers. Not only consumers but also communal kitchens source their food from local markets.

Managing food safety at wholesale and local markets is crucial. The first challenge is controlling the origin and traceability of products.

Do these products have traceability information? Are they compliant with food safety standards? Food sources are diverse and fragmented.

If we are unclear about the origin and production conditions in those areas, we can't know for sure if the products sold at the market are safe.

The second challenge comes from the transportation process.

If the transportation doesnt meet the necessary conditions for each type of product, it can compromise food safety.

For example, transporting meat requires hygienic containers and depending on the conditions after slaughter or capture, proper temperature control must be maintained. Poor storage conditions can degrade product quality. When quality declines, sellers don't get a good price.

The third challenge is ensuring food safety conditions at the market itself. Even if the product comes from a good source and is transported properly, if the markets equipment and tools are inadequate, it still creates food safety issues.

Currently, people are paying more attention to food traceability, meaning consumers are increasingly interested in a closed-loop process from cultivation, harvesting, processing to consumption. What initiatives has the department taken to enable consumers to trace the origin of their food and access safer agricultural products from farm to table?

A comprehensive management approach to ensure food safety is something the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing and Market Development, along with the Safe Food for Growth (SAFEGRO) project, is working towards.

We are rolling out a project that covers the entire production chain from farm to table, specifically from the cultivation, livestock, aquaculture to processing, distribution and consumption in wholesale markets, local markets and even communal kitchens.

We are implementing solutions to manage every step in this chain. Each process and actor in the chain must meet the minimum requirements set by Viet Nam.

To earn consumer trust, traceability tools play a critical role. Consumers will be able to trace where their food comes from and which stages it has gone through.

However, hidden risks or food safety issues need to be controlled by the production facilities and regulatory authorities. Are those control measures properly monitored? Is there a system for issuing warnings? All this information is available in the traceability software system developed with SAFEGRO support.

SAFEGRO has integrated food safety culture into training programmes from preschool to university levels. How do you assess the significance of those training programmes in raising awareness about food safety from children to young adults?

The projects name 'Safe Food for Growth' reflects the focus not only on implementing technical aspects of food safety but also on addressing the root causes of the issue, looking toward a future with broader development.

We dont want the project to only solve specific issues for Viet Nam or address a particular angle. We aim to foster long-term progress.

The project has supported preschool education by helping communal kitchens prepare safe meals for children. They also train kitchen staff to adhere to food safety regulations, ensuring that the staff protect the health of future generations.

Viet Nam has over 10 universities offering programmes in food safety. However, if training is only theoretical, students will face challenges when they graduate and enter the workforce and will need further training.

Weve studied the experience of university-level training in Canada and around the world to help universities develop more practical, application-based programmes that are updated and innovative.

Looking even further, the engineers and graduates SAFEGRO has trained will go on to work in institutes, schools, centres and businesses where they will continue to teach and pass on their knowledge to the next generations.

Does the department have any plans or directions for raising community awareness about food safety and building a food safety culture within the community?

Public awareness, dissemination, training and workshops are some of the most important tasks for the Government in ensuring food safety quality.

Every year, the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing and Market Development, along with provincial and municipal authorities, implement plans to carry out these activities.

The main focus is to promptly inform the public, producers and businesses about new regulations and policies from the Government so they can understand and access them.

We also enhance controls after training and post-inspection to evaluate how these initiatives are being implemented.

We aim to incorporate food safety culture into social issues. We cooperate with organisations such as the Viet Nam Women's Union, the Viet Nam Farmers' Union and other social organisations to integrate gender equality and food safety culture into the dissemination of regulations.

We recognise that food safety is everyones responsibility, and when the responsibility is shared by the community, we believe that the work of ensuring food safety will improve over time. VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for an end to the legislative mindset of 'if it cannot be managed, then ban it', urging a shift toward empowering local authorities with autonomy, responsibility and accountability.

The directive came during a Government meeting on Wednesday to draft and amend several key laws, including the revised Atomic Energy Law, the revised Enterprise Law, the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, and amendments to the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy.

Government members highlighted the necessity of these laws to enhance the management of atomic energy applications for peaceful purposes, promote scientific and technological advancements, encourage energy efficiency and create a favourable legal environment for businesses.

Discussions on the revised Atomic Energy Law centred on policies to promote atomic energy applications while ensuring nuclear radiation safety and decentralising management in this field.

Key topics included nuclear inspection, radioactive waste management, spent radioactive sources and nuclear fuel, nuclear radiation incident response and civil liability for nuclear damage.

The meeting also addressed the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation, with delegates discussing measures to foster the growth of the science and technology market, drive innovation and integrate technology into daily life.

The goal is to make science, technology and innovation a driving force for industrialisation and modernisation, as outlined in the 13th National Party Congress and Politburo Resolution 57.

The revised Enterprise Law was seen as a step toward 'untying businesses', promoting the development of a robust business ecosystem, encouraging investment in production and trade, and improving the investment climate.

Government members also debated issues related to market entry and exit, international commitments on anti-money laundering and the legal framework for individual business activities.

Regarding amendments to the Law on Economical and Efficient Use of Energy, discussions focused on strengthening penalties to ensure businesses comply with energy consumption and business data reporting requirements.

The meeting also covered preferential policies, financial support tools for energy transition and measures to enhance energy management efficiency.

Prime Minister Chinh emphasised that investing in lawmaking is an investment in development, stating that effective legislative work creates opportunities for growth.

He urged ministers and heads of Government agencies to allocate time and resources to lawmaking, not only for laws within their jurisdiction but also to contribute to the broader legal system.

Chinh stressed that the legislative process must address challenges in mobilising resources for development, reduce unnecessary administrative procedures, decentralise authority and enhance oversight capabilities.

He also called for laws to concretise the Party's policies, particularly newly issued resolutions, conclusions and directives.

The PM outlined the 'six clear principles' for lawmaking: clearly stipulating what is inherited, what is revised, what is added, what is cut, the degree of decentralisation and empowerment, and unresolved issues with proposed solutions.

PM Chinh also emphasised that laws should only provide general guidelines and principles, and the specific regulations should be the responsibility of the relevant authorities.

He instructed relevant agencies to review existing legal regulations to refine the legal system, ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of the new administrative apparatus.

The Government leader also urged the prompt completion and submission of laws to the National Assembly for the 9th session of the 15th National Assembly, particularly those related to the restructuring of administrative bodies at all levels.

The PM concluded by calling for the immediate implementation of laws and resolutions passed during the 9th Extraordinary Session of the 15th National Assembly, with any difficulties reported to the Government for timely resolution.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam is set to triple the number of annual visits by foreign military vessels to its ports, from one to three, according to a draft decree proposed by the Ministry of Defence.

The draft, which aims to replace the 2012 regulation, outlines new rules for foreign military ships visiting Viet Nam and Vietnamese naval vessels operating abroad.

It stipulates that the Prime Minister holds the authority to approve visits by foreign military vessels powered by nuclear energy, aircraft carriers, or those exceeding the three-visit annual limit. In all other cases, the decision rests with the Minister of Defence.

Under the proposed decree, military ships from the same country may visit Viet Nam up to three times annually, with a maximum of three vessels permitted to dock at the same port simultaneously. The duration of each stay is capped at seven days.

The legal draft also introduces provisions allowing foreign military ships to obtain permits for the use of infantry weapons, such as rifles, or mock firearms for ceremonial purposes, including flag-saluting rituals or official greetings upon arrival and departure.

Permits for the use of aircraft will also be regulated.

Foreign military vessels requesting to conduct diving operations, deploy boats, robots, or other underwater equipment for technical checks, or routine maintenance must include these activities in an official programme submitted with their visit permit application.

Such operations will be subject to inspection and oversight by the port's border guards and maritime authorities.

In emergencies outside the approved programme, such as those related to ship safety, operations must be approved and monitored by the guards and authorities.

The draft, additionally, extends the deadlines for entry and exit procedures for foreign military ships from 30 days to 60 days prior to their scheduled arrival in Vietnamese waters.

It also granted the Minister of Defence authority over Vietnamese ships travelling abroad for visits, operative activities or repairs.

The proposed decree comprises five chapters and 29 articles, reflecting Viet Nam's efforts to update its regulations on military maritime interactions amid evolving regional security dynamics.  VNS
QUANG TRI  Several US-funded projects in the central province of Quang Tri have resumed after being suspended earlier this year for evaluation and review, according to a representative from the provincial Department of Foreign Affairs.

They include the Restoring the Environment and Neutralising the Effects of War (RENEW) Project funded through Norwegian Peoples Aid (NPA/Norway) with over US$9.7 million; the Survey and Clearance of Unexploded Ordnance to Reduce Hazards and Support Socio-Economic Development in Quang Tri Province 2021-25 Project funded through PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN) with over $14.5 million, the capacity building for the Quang Tri provincial Mine Action Centre for the 2022-25 period with a budget of $1.4 million, funded through the NPA/Norway.

A project on improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange for the 2021-26 period using non-refundable ODA funds from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is also back in operation. This project is implemented in eight provinces of Viet Nam, including Quang Tri with funding of more than $5.6 million.

Previously, the US government required foreign non-governmental organisations receiving its funding, including the US Department of State and the USAID, to suspend activities for 90 days, starting January 25, 2025, for evaluation and review.

This decision affected key projects related to surveying and clearing unexploded ordnance in the locality financed by the US Department of State through organisations such as the Mines Advisory Group, NPA, and PTVN.

These projects play a crucial role in post-war recovery efforts in the province, addressing landmine contamination, enabling land clearance for livelihood development, and ensuring community safety.

Quang Tri Province has approximately 62,000 ha contaminated with cluster munitions. Over 37,000 ha have been cleared, with more than 830,000 bombs and other unexploded ordnance safely removed. For more than 20 years, US-funded NGOs have been highly effective in mine clearance efforts in the province.  VNA/VNS
HA NOI  The programme 'Meeting of Vietnamese and Chinese Students across Generations' was held on Thursday at the Viet Nam-China Friendship Palace in Ha Noi to commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and marked the Viet Nam-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2025.

Present at the event were current and former Party and State leaders, along with representatives from various ministries and agencies. From the Chinese side are Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary He Wei, his wife, friendship dignitaries, and approximately 800 delegates. These included multiple generations of students from both nations, who have witnessed and contributed to the development of bilateral relations, alongside younger representatives symbolising the future of Viet Nam-China ties.

Participants shared emotional reflections and cherished memories from their experiences studying and working in both countries, expressing strong optimism and confidence about the continued strengthening and bright future of the relationship.

Chinese Ambassador He Wei underscored the continuous positive growth and significant accomplishments in Viet Nam-China relations, highlighted by historical exchanges between the countries top leaders. Notably, following the successful official visit by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to China in October 2022, Chinese General Secretary and President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Viet Nam in December 2023. This visit reaffirmed mutual commitments to deepen the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and establish a strategically significant Viet Nam-China Community of Shared Future.

In August 2024, during General Secretary and President To Lams visit to China, both nations issued a Joint Declaration to further strengthen their partnership.

The Chinese Ambassador emphasised comprehensive bilateral cooperation across political, governmental, legislative and local channels, as well as robust defence and security cooperation and significant growth in trade, investment, and tourism. He expressed confidence that the youth would continue playing a pivotal role in nurturing Viet Nam-China relations, transforming the "sapling of friendship" into a "forest of friendship."

In his keynote speech, General Secretary To Lam praised the programmes importance in reaffirming friendship and showcasing the significant role of students in realising the visions of their respective parties and nations.

Reflecting on historical revolutionary ties, General Secretary To Lam acknowledged the immense contributions of past leaders, notably President Ho Chi Minh and Chairman Mao Zedong, who established the foundation for the profound 'Viet Nam-China friendship, both comrades and brothers'. He highlighted enduring mutual support, particularly thanking China for facilitating Vietnamese officials and students who later contributed substantially to Viet Nam's national development and bilateral relations.

General Secretary To Lam reiterated that stable, sustainable and long-term development in Viet Nam-China relations aligns with the fundamental interests and aspirations of both peoples. He confirmed Viet Nams consistent prioritisation of its comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, aiming to build a Community of Shared Future for mutual prosperity and global peace.

He commended young people from both countries as effective "youth cultural ambassadors," essential to maintaining vibrant and sustainable bilateral relations. He emphasised the youths duty to inherit and strengthen friendship traditions, shaping a dynamic future for Viet Nam-China relations.

General Secretary To Lam advised the youth to enhance their understanding of the deep historical and strategic significance of bilateral ties, encouraging excellence in science and technology to support national industrialisation and modernisation. He urged Vietnamese students to fully exploit educational opportunities in China to learn from its rich culture, technological advancements and socio-economic successes. Similarly, he encouraged Chinese youth to explore Vietnamese culture, language and business opportunities.

The General Secretary called on relevant organisations to innovate youth education regarding historical friendship and shared achievements. He advocated expanding practical cooperation in cultural and educational exchanges and enhancing youth interaction programmes during the Viet Nam-China People-to-People Exchange Year 2025. Additionally, he promoted stronger youth collaboration within international forums and suggested leveraging historical revolutionary sites for mutual educational experiences.

Prior to addressing the gathering, General Secretary To Lam joined Party and State leaders and the Chinese Ambassador in viewing a photo exhibition celebrating 75 years of diplomatic ties and participated in planting a symbolic 'Viet Nam-China Friendship' tree, entrusting future generations with sustaining the enduring relationship.  VNS
HA NOI  State President Luong Cuong welcomed former Special Ambassador for Viet Nam  Japan Sugi Ryotaro in Ha Noi on Thursday, expressing deep appreciation for his guest's decades-long contributions to bilateral ties.

The Vietnamese State leader commended the former ambassador as a close friend of Viet Nam and acknowledged his tireless efforts over nearly 40 years in strengthening the Viet Nam  Japan friendship.

Reflecting on the progress made since the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership over a year ago, the leader noted the continued development of bilateral relations, with political trust reinforced and economic cooperation serving as a key pillar. Education and healthcare cooperation, cultural exchanges, locality-to-locality collaboration, and people-to-people ties have also been increasingly deepened.

He emphasised that the success of the Viet Nam  Japan relations today comes as a result of efforts by generations of leaders from both nations, with Sugi making a significant contribution.

For his part, Sugi reaffirmed his deep affection for Viet Nam and his commitment to further strengthening the ties between the two nations.

He briefed the Vietnamese President on ongoing projects supporting disadvantaged communities in Viet Nam, particularly in remote and mountainous regions.

They include the construction and renovation of dormitory facilities for a primary and secondary school in Yen Bai Province, aimed at providing students with a better learning environment. He has also been assisting the Nghia Lo General Hospital with free medical check-ups and liver disease screenings for ethnic minority communities.

Additionally, Sugi proposed the establishment of a music ensemble for visually impaired children at the Ha Noi-based Nguyen inh Chieu School, an institution he has supported for the past 30 years. He also expressed his wish to contribute to further strengthening cultural and tourism links between Viet Nam and Japan.

President Cuong expressed his gratitude for Sugis philanthropic initiatives, particularly those benefiting Vietnamese children. He affirmed that the Vietnamese State will continue to support and facilitate his charitable endeavours, ensuring that his meaningful ideas are brought to fruition.

He noted that many Vietnamese people, even those who have never met Sugi, are aware of and deeply moved by his generosity. The leader also highly valued his projects aimed at improving public health in remote areas and promoting Viet Nams tourism in Japan.

Perceiving that there remains ample room for bilateral relations, the President expressed his hope that Sugi will continue his dedicated efforts to advance the Viet Nam  Japan comprehensive strategic partnership across all sectors, expand cultural exchanges, and promote Japans image in Viet Nam, thereby reinforcing mutual understanding  an important stepping stone for elevating bilateral relations to new heights. VNS
HA NOI  Party General Secretary To Lam received visiting US Senator Steven David Daines in Ha Noi on Thursday, reiterating that the US remains one of Viet Nams key partners.

He welcomed Washington's strengthening of cooperation with Viet Nam and support its path towards a strong, independent, self-resilient, and prosperous country.

Reflecting on the progress in bilateral ties over the past 30 years, the Party leader described Viet NamUS relations as a model of international cooperation. He acknowledged the positive outcomes achieved since the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023, spanning diplomacy, trade and investment, education, culture, and people-to-people exchange.

He outlined key priorities to further develop bilateral cooperation, emphasising that economic, trade, and investment relations should remain an important pillar of the relationship, along with expansion of collaboration in science and technology, innovation, energy, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture - areas where the US has strengths and Viet Nam has growing demand.

Thanking the US Congress and leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties for their support, he urged Daines to further advocate for a more harmonised, sustainable, effective and substantive partnership.

For his part, Daines congratulated Viet Nam on its socio-economic achievements in the past years. He recalled the phone conversation between Party General Secretary To Lam and US President Donald Trump shortly after Trumps election victory in November 2024, highlighting that it underscored Viet Nams priority status in the Trump administrations regional strategy.

The US senator agreed with the Vietnamese Party chief's orientations regarding bilateral relations, expressing his country's interest in bolstering all-round ties with Viet Nam, particularly in economy, trade, agriculture and energy. He also wished for enhanced collaboration in combating drug trafficking, especially synthetic opioids like fentanyl, and further joint efforts against illegal migration.

He pledged to convey Lam's regards to Trump and reaffirmed his commitment to fostering stronger Viet NamUS ties in the years ahead. VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has been actively working with the United States on trade issues in a bid to sustain the momentum of two-way trade relations, the foreign ministry said on Thursday, amid heightened concerns over tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on its trade partners to protect US business and workers interests.

"On the basis of the comprehensive strategic partnership of peace cooperation and sustainable development between Viet Nam and the United States, Viet Nam has been working closely with the US to maintain the positive growth trajectory of our bilateral trade relations," the foreign ministry spokesperson told the press in the briefing in Ha Noi, in answer to questions over whether Viet Nam believes it can avoid the tariff measures as US White House this week indicated that reciprocal tariff rates will take effect on April 2.

"Going forward, Viet Nam stands ready to continue its discussions and exchanges with the US on this issue in the spirit of constructive and cooperative spirit to exchange information and enhance understanding, address any outstanding bottlenecks and contribute to the further elevation of bilateral trade ties, in a sustainable stable and enduring manner so as to fulfill the interests of both sides," Hang noted.

The Vietnamese Government has been making numerous efforts to alleviate the trade deficit between Viet Nam and the US.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, in a reception for US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and nearly 60 major US corporations on a visit to Viet Nam, suggested a new bilateral trade framework tailored to current realities and urged the US to avoid trade barriers on Vietnamese exports, recognise Viet Nams market economy status soon, and called for more investments from US enterprises.

Last week, several economic cooperation agreements between Vietnamese and US businesses, with a total value of approximately US$90.3 billion have been signed during an official visit to the US by Special Envoy of the Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien.

Dien also had talks with Trade Representative Jamieson L. Greer, where he affirmed that Viet Nam's consistent policy is to build harmonious, sustainable, stable and mutually-beneficial economic and trade ties with the US, adding that Viet Nam has no intention to create any barriers that could harm the USs workers or economic and national security.  VNS
HA TINH  Treating patients with psychological conditions is already a challenge, but caring for those with mental disorders is even tougher, requiring unwavering dedication and nerves of steel from medical staff at Ha Tinh Mental Health Hospital in central Viet Nam.

The hospital, often described as an 'unusual place', hosts a diverse range of patients, from those with severe agitation and psychosis, to individuals battling depression, anxiety disorders and congenital mental impairments.

Each case presents unique demands, forcing healthcare workers to provide meticulous, tailored care.

"It's not like treating ordinary patients," said Le Thi Quynh Nga, Deputy Head of the hospital's Acute Female Ward.

"We face risks and bizarre situations daily. Being attacked, hit, or even soiled by these patients is routine."

Over eleven years at the hospital, Nga has witnessed the full spectrum of emotions tied to her profession. She described how every patient brings a distinct story and how staff here often has to endure torn clothes, slaps, insults or being hit by splashes of dirty water.

"To survive in this job, you need a solid mindset and a heart dedicated to the work. Without that, no one lasts long," she said.

Abandonment is not unusual, with families dropping patients at the hospital gates and relinquishing the care to the facility. Staff then take over, bathing, feeding and tending to them.

During aggressive episodes, the wards turn chaotic as workers restrain patients and administer medication. Once calm, some might apologise, only for the pattern to repeat later, and they couldn't really help it.

When patients flee, doctors split up to search for them, serving not just as medics but as listeners and caregivers. Nga reflected on how prolonged interaction reveals the patients pitiable circumstances, a sentiment that has fueled her decade-long tenure.

"After spending time with them, I realise how pitiful their situations are," Nga said.

Staff sometimes use their money to support patients, especially those neglected by families or unable to afford basics like food. For some, the hospital becomes a second home over years of treatment.

Nga recently checked on L.T.H., a 38-year-old schizophrenic patient from Thach Ha District who has relied on the hospital for six years.

Spending 15 to 20 days per visit before returning home with medication, L.T.H.s unmarried status and responsibility for a child place a heavy load on her accompanying mother, a situation Nga knows well.

Vo Thi Thanh Huyen, a 23-year-old nurse in her sixth month on the job, finds it taxing but rewarding, as understanding patients struggles fosters a sense of connection.

"Its tough, but I find joy in it. Understanding their struggles makes me feel for them," she said.

Nguyen Tien Hung, Head of the Acute Male Ward, recounted a recent attack where a patient gripped his throat during a psychotic episode. Caught off guard while holding a pen and paper, he relied on colleagues and security to intervene.

"I couldnt react in time, but Im used to it. Colleagues and security stepped in to help," he said.

After 31 years in psychiatry, Hung has developed techniques to handle violent outbursts, though unexpected incidentslike one that scarred his facestill occur.

Managing 40 to 60 patients daily alone due to a staffing shortage, he works without breaks, pushing himself to keep up.

The job lacks sufficient support or protection despite its dangers, he noted. Patients cannot always control their actions, leaving staff vulnerable.

"Success here requires firmness and authority, fear or hesitation would drive anyone away," he said.

Family understanding sustains him, with his wife and children in healthcare offering empathy that has kept him in the field for over three decades.

Deputy Director Nguyen Van Manh pointed to a severe shortage of specialised staff and resources. As mental health issues risespurred by modern pressures affecting everyone from farmers to professionalsthe hospital struggles to cope.

Overcrowded wards and outdated equipment compound the problem, while recruiting psychiatrists remains elusive.

Hung observed that growing societal stress is driving up cases, underscoring the need for more personnel and infrastructure to meet patients needs. For now, the staffs determination and compassion keep this underfunded facility running.

"Lifes pressures are increasing mental health issues," Hung said. "We need more manpower and infrastructure to cope." For now, the staffs grit and generosity hold the line at this under-resourced outpost of care.  VNS
A NANG  The a Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation Joint Stock Company (AHT), in cooperation with the Immigration department under the ministry of Public Security, has introduced the Auto Gate, an automatic immigration declaration system, at the International Terminal No 2, the first smart terminal in central Viet Nam.

The airport is the first in Viet Nam to apply completely automated service for passengers from check-in to boarding.

Its the fourth technological solution that AHT has integrated into the terminal service since 2023, with efforts focusing on facilities and service improvement.

Deputy General Director of AHT, o Trong Hau, said the company has been working with partners to boost digital transformation right across the terminal.

Hau said the debut of the Auto Gate is a strong commitment of the company to creating smooth service for local and international tourists visiting the city, a liveable urban area in Viet Nam, and promoting the five-star brand of a key international terminal for the tourism hub.

To date, AHT has installed many automatic service systems at the terminal, including self-service bag drop, self-check-in kiosks, auto boarding gate, video call kiosks and multi-language information search screens.

In 2024, the terminal won a five-star rating by the international airport agency Skytrax.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Pham Thi Minh Loan, head of the logistics office of the immigration department, said that the automatic gate is a progressive milestone in digital transformation and technological applications in airport procedures.

The newly debuted automated system will help save time for travellers, while creating the most comfortable conditions for tourists and residents at the airport, she said.

AHT, in partnership with FPT Soft a Nang company, has installed AI-powered cameras at aviation procedure handling zones, with more mobile apps providing smart support solutions, along with touch-screen systems at the terminal for passengers.

a Nang has 24 direct air routes, of which 16 are international, servicing around 112 flights per day. The terminal is designed to be able to handle 28 million passengers and 200,000 tonnes of cargo a year by 2030.

Tourism and aviation are two major industries contributing to the citys socio-economic growth, and the city is planning to welcome 12 million visitors in 2025, according to the citys tourism department. VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam has been ranked the second happiest country in Southeast Asia, behind only Singapore, according to the 2025 World Happiness Report released on Thursday.

The report, which ranks 143 countries and territories, saw Viet Nam rise from its 54th position in 2023 to 46th globally. Viet Nam was also noted to be among the top gainers this year, alongside China, Mongolia, and the Philippines in Asia.

Finland was crowned the world's happiest nation for the eighth consecutive year.

Nordic countries dominated the top ranks, with Denmark, Iceland and Sweden joining Finland in the top four. European nations generally performed well, occupying most of the top 20 spots.

Israel, despite ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza, ranked eighth. Costa Rica and Mexico broke into the top 10 for the first time, securing sixth and tenth places, respectively.

In contrast, the US fell to its lowest-ever ranking of 24th, with the report highlighting a 53 per cent increase in the number of Americans dining alone over the past two decades.

At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan remained the least happy country, followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon.

The rankings are based on self-assessments of life satisfaction by residents, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an independent editorial board.

Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup, emphasised that happiness extends beyond wealth, encompassing trust, social connections and a sense of community support.

"Happiness isn't just about wealth or growth  it's about trust, connection and knowing people have your back," said the CEO.

"If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other."

Researchers identified key factors influencing happiness, including health, wealth, and seemingly simple elements like sharing meals, having trusted social support and household size.

Trust in others' kindness also correlated strongly with happiness, with those believing in the return of a lost wallet reporting higher life satisfaction.

However, the report revealed a concerning trend. Nineteen per cent of young people worldwide in 2023 reported having no one to count on for social support, a 39 per cent increase since 2006.  VNS
Digital health must reach further ground, photo Le Toan

Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital is implementing the Bach Mai care app on mobile phones so that people can make an appointment before coming to the clinic, manage their health records, and consult doctors.

Since November, the hospital has implemented electronic medical records, two months ahead of the initial plan. Thanks to this, people can pre-register for an appointment by phone, via the app or website, and choose a doctor or specialist per their most convenient schedule.

Hospital director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Xuan Co said that all information on health status, medical history, and treatment is now stored and managed online.

The hospital has entered all patient data into electronic medical records and when examining patients, there is no need to print x-rays. With just these steps, the hospital is expected to save nearly VND100 billion ($4 million) each year, he said.

As the central-level hospital, it now receives 6,000-8,000 patients on average. Thus, tech is helping to cut waiting times as well as improve service quality.

Currently, Bach Mai Hospital and Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City have been assigned by the Ministry of Health (MoH) to be the focal points for connecting medical data. Once successful, this model will be deployed to hospitals nationwide.

Similarly, E Hospital in Hanoi has invested heavily in IT infrastructure to support digital transformation activities. Management software systems, cashless payments, and apps have been effectively deployed, helping patients easily access medical services.

At Duc Giang General Hospital, also in the capital, patients make an appointment similar to booking a plane ticket, choosing a department and an appointment time. After arriving at the hospital, people do not have to queue, but simply scan a code to go straight to the doctors office, with all information available on the system. The hospital has 12,000 chronic outpatient records, and all paper records have now been entered into the system.

Luong Dinh Trung, doctor at Duc Giang,s said, We havent been required to print x-rays for years, and all paraclinical data such as tests, scans, ultrasounds, endoscopy of patients are updated to the hospital management software. Now, doctors only need patient codes to be able to access information on the management software.

The MoH has issued many policies to encourage digital transformation. Its administrative settlement information system boasts full function, according to the governments rulings on implementing a one-stop mechanism.

The ministry builds and maintains a medical disclosure portal, a portal for publicising prices of medical equipment and drugs, diagnostic biological products, medical examination and treatment costs, and information about products in circulation, being recalled, and bidding.

In addition, the MoH has connected over 50 online public services to the national single window portal to implement admin procedures related to the export, import, and transit of goods in the health sector. It has promoted the application of IT in the management of medical treatment and health insurance payment appraisals, and also connected health departments and Vietnam Social Security in all provinces and cities.

According to the MoH, all such service facilities have deployed the hospital information system, most facilities have deployed the Laboratory Information System test management software, and many hospitals utilise a medical image archiving and transmission system to save time, costs, and protect the environment.

In 2025, the ministry plans to continue to improve the legal framework to facilitate and overcome institutional bottlenecks for digital transformation in healthcare by reviewing and amending legal regulations on connection, data exploitation, and ensuring security, safety, and confidentiality in healthcare activities on digital platforms.

Despite the efforts, experts said that the application of technology and digitalisation of healthcare is still slow.

Although the worlds healthcare is rapidly shifting to smart healthcare and digitalising medical records, in Vietnam, this still faces many barriers. E-records and telemedicine have not been widely deployed, and too many hospitals still use manual paperwork, said Tran Quy Tuong, chairman of the Vietnam Medical Informatics Association.

Dr. Nguyen Van Thuong, director of Duc Giang, said, Digitalisation has met 85 per cent of the operational processes in the hospital. To achieve the strong transformation weve seen over the past four years, the biggest initial difficulty was the resources used in infrastructure, transmission lines, internal network systems, servers, and virtual traffic systems in the hospital, which have gradually been dealt with.

According to the Vietnam Medical Informatics Association, the MoH must offer more regulations on financial mechanisms so that public hospitals have funds to implement e-records.

Currently, there are no specific guidelines on financial sanctions for the application of medical IT, and implementation of electronic records in particular. Hospitals mainly use the units development investment fund to apply IT, affecting other hospital activities, Tuong explained. The IT level of medical staff is still lacking and weak at medical examination and treatment facilities nationwide.
From April 18-20, chef Hideki Maeda of Nobu Singapore at Four Seasons Hotel Singapore will join chef Alex Moranda of NAYUU to present an exclusive four-hands dining experience. Guests have the rare opportunity to taste a fusion of two distinct culinary philosophies, united by a shared respect for Japanese artistry.

At NAYUU, we honour tradition by preserving its essence while simultaneously challenging it, shares chef Moranda. Bringing Nobu classics to Vietnam is a chance for us to create an entirely new exploration of flavour and technique. We are delighted to welcome chef Maeda for this exciting collaboration and cant wait to share the journey with our guests.

The legend of Nobu springs from chef Nobu Matsuhisas creative cuisine, centred around traditional Japanese cooking with Peruvian influences. NAYUU, meanwhile, offers a stage for sensory discovery: diners can engage with the culinary process through a blend of live-fire yakiniku grills and the refined theatre of omakase, a style of dining where you leave it up to the chef.

Taking their place behind the sleek counter at NAYUU, chef Moranda and chef Maeda will curate a 14-course menu, showcasing their distinct styles through an interplay of prized ingredients and intricate methods. The evening begins with steamed black abalone, paired with a rich, velvety liver sauce. Delicately prepared bluefin tuna bone-marrow melts in the mouth, while otoro caviar is radiantly elevated with a touch of gold leaf.

An interlude of bright yuzu sorbet cleanses the palate before the mains arrive. Savour chef Maedas miso black cod, an iconic Nobu dish, followed by Japanese Wagyu beef finished with wasabi pepper sauce. Other standouts include king crab tempura with amazu ponzu and aged Hanwoo beef with black winter truffles. For dessert, citrus blossom brings a floral note to the herbal freshness of shiso leaf sorbet.

Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai launches new Five Element Body Work Treatment Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An has added the innovative Five Element Body Work Treatment to its award-winning Heart of The Earth Spa. The full-body treatment soothes stressed souls and balances mind and being, bringing perfect harmony to welcome a new year of wellness.

Four Seasons The Nam Hai receives 5-star recognition once again Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An has received 5-star recognition from the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide, the fifth consecutive year that the resort has been awarded the honour.
This milestone highlights Panasonics efforts towards its net zero goal and serves as a testament to its long-term commitment to promoting sustainable living awareness within the community.

Launched in 2022, Panasonics "Live Wellness, Contribute Green" programme was initiated to align with the Panasonic Green Impact commitment and support the Vietnamese governments One Billion Trees Initiative (2021-2025). The programme brought to life the idea that every individual can contribute to building a "green fund", nurturing vast forests for the future.

For every air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, or health solution product sold, Panasonic pledged to plant tree-growing forests for a greener, healthier Vietnam. After three years, Panasonic proudly set a Vietnamese record of planting over one million trees nationwide in the shortest time.

The record ceremony was held at the Hoa Binh Wind Power Plant in Bac Lieu province on March 18, with the participation of government representatives, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Vietnam Records Organisation, strategic partners, and leading media outlets.

This milestone not only acknowledges Panasonic's tangible contributions to the community, but also serves as an opportunity to express gratitude to customers and partners who have supported this journey. This achievement would not have been possible without the collective efforts of the community; those who have embraced and promoted a greener lifestyle alongside Panasonic.

Marukawa Yoichi, general director of Panasonic Vietnam, shared, "We are proud that Panasonic Vietnam has been officially recognised by the Vietnam Records Organisation for initiating and successfully planting one million trees in the shortest time through the Live Wellness, Contribute Green programme. This is not only a meaningful milestone, but also a strong motivation for us to continue pursuing green initiatives, working together for a sustainable Vietnam.

Panasonic representatives receiving the record certification for "One million trees planted in Vietnam in the shortest time" from the Vietnam Records Organisation

"On behalf of Panasonic, I would like to express my deep gratitude to government agencies, local authorities, partners, and the community for their support throughout this journey. Moving forward, Panasonic is committed to advancing the Live Wellness, Contribute Green programme, developing green technologies, and spreading sustainable living awareness within the community.

The initiative has received high praise from government representatives and local authorities. Le Van Phuong, deputy director of Bac Lieu Department of Agriculture and Environment, said, "Panasonic Vietnam has made practical contributions to environmental restoration and raising community awareness. The Live Wellness, Contribute Green programme is an exemplary model of corporate social responsibility. We will continue to provide favourable conditions and collaborate with Panasonic in environmental activities towards a sustainable future and a greener Vietnam."

As part of the event, Panasonic introduced a range of activities, with the highlight being a forest visit. Guests had the opportunity to explore the coastal protection forest in Soc Trang province and personally plant new saplings. This activity provided valuable insights into forest ecosystems and their role in mitigating climate change, and inspired a greater sense of environmental responsibility within the community.

Guests visiting the coastal protective forest in Soc Trang province

Beyond setting a record, this event also provided an opportunity for the community to reflect on the positive impact of the "Live Wellness, Contribute Green" programme. In 2025, the initiative had successfully planted 1,071,300 trees across 20 provinces, carefully selecting 17 native species suited to different ecological regions. These trees not only enhance landscapes, prevent soil erosion, and protect groundwater sources, but are also projected to absorb 108,000 tonnes of carbon over the next 10 years, helping mitigate climate change.

The "Live Wellness, Contribute Green" programme with the participation of the government and partners united towards the shared goal of "For a Green and Wellness Vietnam"

As a pioneer in sustainable development, Panasonic continuously expands community initiatives and promotes sustainable business models with green technology products. Its comprehensive health solutions, including nanoe X technology, improve air quality, inhibit bacteria, and enhance human health, while smart home appliances ensure convenience and safety.

Panasonic aspires to inspire and connect with customers, partners, and society at large, spreading the spirit of green living and responsible consumption. Every energy-saving product and every environmental action today contributes to a net zero future. Panasonic calls on the community to join hands in protecting the environment and creating a greener, more sustainable Vietnam.

Panasonic turns commitment into action Immediate actions to cut down greenhouse gas emissions are needed to limit global warming, with global corporations like Panasonic fulfilling their significant role towards carbon neutrality.

Panasonic launches HARMONY+ Edition refrigerator Panasonic Vietnam on December 9 officially launched its latest refrigerator  the Panasonic HARMONY+ Edition, possessing a unique Slot-in wall design that brings seamlessness and delicate touches.
The partnership between PVI AM and SK Capital marks a significant milestone in the development of specialised real estate investment solutions, while also opening doors for investors to access Vietnams dynamic property market.

The two entities will collaborate to introduce new investment products, including Real Estate Investment Trusts , real estate securities, and other flexible investment structures. This collaboration promises sustainable asset growth opportunities by leveraging the immense potential of Vietnams real estate sector.

By leveraging their respective expertise, PVI AM and SK Capital aim to deliver structured investment products that optimise risk-adjusted returns and meet the evolving demands of sophisticated investors.

At the signing ceremony, Trinh Quynh Giao, CEO of PVI AM said, "The synergy between PVI AMs asset management expertise and SonKim Groups proven track record in real estate development will create compelling investment opportunities tailored to high-end investors."

"We expect this collaboration will bring forth investment products that are not only sustainable and transparent but also capable of generating long-term value for our investors.

Nguyen Hoang Tuan, chairman of SonKim Group, and Jens Holger Wohlthat, chairman of the Board of Directors at PVI Holdings

James Kershek, CEO of SonKim Capital, also expressed his enthusiasm, saying, SonKim Capital is thrilled to join in this partnership with PVI Asset Management. SonKim Group has long established itself as a premier real estate developer in Vietnam while delivering impressive investment returns to its investors. Now it is time to extend these services to the broader market through this partnership to deliver new and innovative investment solutions.

PVI AM is a asset management company under PVI Holdings, a leading non-life insurance and financial investment company in Vietnam. PVI AM specialises in providing professional investment solutions for institutional and individual investors, managing a diversified portfolio that includes fixed-income, equities, and alternative investments. With total assets under management and investment advisory exceeding VND16 trillion ($626 million), PVI AM is committed to delivering sustainable value and innovative investment strategies.

SonKim Group, a leading professional real estate developer in Vietnam, is known for high-end projects such as The Metropole Thu Thiem, The 9 Stellars, Serenity Sky Villas, Gateway Thao Dien, Nassim, and JW Marriott Cam Ranh.

In addition to real estate development, SonKim Group also owns and operates retail businesses including GS25  a lifestyle convenient store platform, fashion brands such as Vera and Jockey, and the ON25 e-commerce platform. Leveraging its extensive capabilities in real estate development and property management, SonKim Group is now expanding into the development of investment products and services tailored for a broader market.

SonKim Capital, a business unit under SonKim Group, specialises in capital raising and creating investment products across industry sectors by extending SonKim Groups proven internal capabilities in real estate development, retail, and property management to the broader market.

Evolving demands being met in high-end segment Despite COVID-19 restricting the flow of foreign buyers and investors to Vietnam, positive signs were reported from local buyers in the last quarter of 2020 for high-end residences, brightening up 2021.

The Crest Residence by SonKim Land wins Best Apartment/Condominium for Asia-Pacific The Crest Residence at phase two of The Metropole Thu Thiem developed by SonKim Land has just won the Best Apartment/Condominium Asia-Pacific 2020-2021 award at the International Property Awards on February 7 in recognition for SonKim Land's signature architectural style offering elevated lifestyles.
Some domestic companies are looking to produce new rail carriages

The National Assembly Standing Committee on March 10 discussed draft amendments to the railway regulations, with supporting policies that are expected to help increase private participation in the industry, improve operation quality, reduce financial pressure on the state, and ensure control over public assets.

The draft adds several regulations to maximise the mobilisation of resources for railway infrastructure development, in which the state budget plays a leading role. It will encourage organisations and individuals to participate in investing in railway infrastructure through many different models, such as build-transfer, build-operate-transfer, leasing, and more.

It also supplements regulations on using land near railway stations to maximise resources for developing railway infrastructure and specifying responsibilities.

Another notable point is regulation on leasing and transferring for a limited period and the right to operate railway infrastructure assets invested in by the state.

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Danh Huy said, The objective of the draft is to continue institutionalising the Party and states policies and guidelines on railway development; solving existing institutional shortcomings and inadequacies, creating new momentum, and encouraging the competitiveness of railway transport.

The amendment focuses on five important innovations to create a legal corridor for railway development: infrastructure development, infrastructure management and operation, railway transport activities, connections, and industrial and personnel development.

In a study of almost 30 public-private partnership (PPP) railway infrastructure projects worldwide, very few were successful due to large investment capital requirements and difficulties in getting capital return, Huy said.

Meanwhile, private participation in transport operation, transport services, and value-added service business at stations and around stations have proved effective. Therefore, the draft should have special policies to lure private investment, he added.

Experts have said that some specific amendments should be added to increase feasibility and enable investors. Prof. Dr. Bui Xuan Phong, former chairman of the Vietnam Railway Transport and Economics Association, said, It is necessary to propose specific solutions and incentive policies to remove obstacles and accelerate investment in urban railway systems, while ensuring capital support for railway investment, and urban railways in particular.

Senior railway expert Nguyen Ngoc Dong added that countries around the world mainly invest in high-speed railways for passenger transport, while freight transport is also being exploited in some countries, but not widely.

High-speed rail investment around the world is mostly in the form of public investment. A few routes are invested in the form of PPP but still need large state support such as support for construction costs or in the form of state payment for operating and maintenance costs to reduce revenue risks for investors, he said.

He suggested that it was necessary to supplement the draft law with regulations on the role of the state in mobilising resources to prioritise investment in developing high-speed railways, and the responsibility of localities participating in high-speed railway projects.

According to the Vietnam Railway Authority, a number of foreign-invested enterprises and domestic ones are interested in the industry. For instance, last week, a delegation of Chinese businesses worked with the authority on the possibilities of cooperating in railway projects.

Tran Thien Canh, director of the Vietnam Railway Authority, told VIR, These businesses are interested in the Lao Cai to Haiphong railway, Hanoi to Dong Dang, and others. We are discussing on how we will cooperate.

The 390-km Lao Cai-Haiphong railway plans to have a total capital of $8.37 billion, connecting nine cities and provinces including the capital of Hanoi. The plan is for it to be completed by 2030.

Also in early March, China Railway Second Bureau worked with authorities in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on restoring the historic Dalat-Thap Cham railway, which was constructed between 1908 and 1932 and was known as the worlds first mountain railway.

Guan Huapinh, deputy general director of China Railway Second Bureau, said that the group has carried out many railway and transport projects in 50 countries and territories, and expressed interest in the restoration. We hope Lam Dong will provide information on the planning related to the railway. After that, we will prepare a feasibility report and make the next steps, he said.

In 2024, Vietnam Railways received many international business delegations seeking cooperation opportunities in the industry, including operation, maintenance and implementation of railway projects, including the Trans-Asian Railway. They also included Indonesian Railways.

Seeing the potential, domestic private investors are looking to get involved. Specifically, Hoa Phat Steel and THACO are preparing to join the North-South high-speed railway by producing both rails and carriages.

Hoa Phat is prioritising the completion and operation of the Hoa Phat Dung Quat 2 iron and steel complex to ensure stability and will continue to invest in developing high-quality steel products in Dung Quat Economic Zone, aiming to be self-sufficient to supply key projects, of which priority has been given to the North-South high-speed railway.

Meanwhile, THACO has invested heavily, developing an advanced electrical equipment factory, a modern auto glass factory, and a precision mechanical factory to meet domestic and export demand, as well as plans to build high-speed rail carriages.

Funding policy takes shape for new railway Vietnams construction of a modern railway in the north will not affect the countrys public debt safety, but will offer special incentives.

Start date set for Binh Duong-Ho Chi Minh City metro construction Binh Duong province's first metro line, connecting Binh Duong New City to Ho Chi Minh City's Suoi Tien, is expected to start construction in 2027 and be completed in 2031.
A Baraboo Common Council member who also serves on the Sauk County Board is looking to continue his double duty in the April 1 election.

Bryant Hazard, who has represented District 3 in Baraboo since 2022, is running for another three-year term against challenger Travis Wisner, a 17-year city resident and member of Friends of Baraboo Parks. Hazard also represents District 19 on the Sauk County Board.

The District 3 election is one of two contested council races on the April 1 ballot. Kathleen Thurow is running to retain her District 9 seat for another three years against former council member Brett Topham.

John Ellington is running unopposed for another term on District 6, which he said will be his last.

Bryant Hazard

A retired information technology specialist, Hazard, 69, is seeking his second three-year term in city government and said the citys budget issues would be his primary focus if re-elected. He said he hopes state funding formulas for municipalities will change in the 2025-27 biennial budget.

Hazard said he wants to help create a balanced budget while maintaining services such as the Campbell Park Pool, as well as maintain operations at the citys Civic Center.

Ive got the experience in city government and county government, and I understand the budgets, Hazard said. I think I am part of the group making wise choices.

The Baraboo Riptide swim team led a fundraising effort to open the swimming pool in Campbell Park for this year, but the 90-year-old pool will likely have to be replaced for the long term, city officials have said. Hazard said he hopes a large private donation could help fund a new pool

The failure of an operating referendum on Nov. 5 that would have added $2 million to city revenues on a continuing basis presents budget questions that cannot currently be answered, according to Hazard, including how to fund the citys taxicab service. He said city expenses for parks may need to be covered by a nonprofit in future years.

We could all hope that the state changes their attitude towards funding, with levy limits and the rest (of funding issues), Hazard said, adding that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and the Republican-controlled legislature cannot agree on how to spend state surplus funds.

Hazard said the city has been waiting nine months for a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program loan of $24 million with a 40-year payback period to fund the future Baraboo Fire and EMS District stations. He also said that the city may look to propose a capital referendum to help fund those stations as well.

The cost keeps going up every year, and I think, if we end up wanting to borrow for that, we need to have a referendum, Hazard said.

Hazard is in his fourth two-year term representing District 19 on the County Board. He is up for re-election to that seat next spring.

Travis Wisner





Wisner, 45, works at Menards in Baraboo and, as a member of the Friends of Baraboo Parks, hopes to find sustainable funding solutions for the pool and Ochsner Park Zoo, as well as maintain the citys taxicab service in future years.

He said the citys parks are being put on the back burner by the current council, adding that the parks and their amenities benefit residents and attract people to Baraboo.

Its important stuff for the citizens, and they need a voice on the council, in my opinion, Wisner said.

After fundraising efforts helped to open the pool this year following the failed referendum, city officials, Friends of Baraboo Parks and area business owners have discussed replacing the 90-year-old pool.

Friends of Baraboo Parks are pushing really hard to try and work with the city to come up with it, Wisner said of a pool replacement. There are capital campaigns we can do, look at private investors, something to get some sort of revenue in.

Wisner also suggested looking for grant funding for the pool, and praised the Baraboo Riptide swim team for leading the fundraising to open the pool this summer.

Working at Menards, Wisner said he sees taxicabs frequently dropping off and picking up customers, and he suggested possibly raising fares to increase revenue and maintain the service.

The city received a $50,000 donation from the SSM Health St. Clare Foundation to keep the service going this year following the failed referendum.

I hate to spend extra money if I dont have to, but if I need that service, Im willing to pay a little extra, he said.

Housing and commercial development in Baraboo has also increased in recent years with projects such as the Spirit Lake Development and the proposed Corson Square project, and Wisner said that while such development can benefit the city, he also wants to see developers commit to spending more money in Baraboo, particularly with contractors.

If you are getting breaks from the city, some of that money for that development should be brought back into the city, Wisner said, referring to tax incremental financing for new projects.

Wisner believes the city should spend less money on research for projects that officials know are needed, particularly regarding reasons why they are needed. He listed the planned fire stations as an example, saying, We know we need a new fire station.

Why are we paying to research it more this year, instead of pulling a figure and start developing it? he said. We do that with a lot of different projects, Ive noticed.
800k to deliver safety works at Wrexhams coal tip sites

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025

Close to 34m of investment to deliver safety works at more than 130 coal tip sites throughout Wales represents the largest safety programme to date  with over 800k in Wrexham.

Coal tip safety is devolved to Wales, therefore the responsibility of the Welsh Government, and locally Wrexham has 216 tip sites with four Cat C defined as A tip with the potential to impact public safety, to be inspected at least once a year. 

The funding was confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford on a visit to Dyffryn Rhondda Colliery in the Afan Valley yesterday.

The funding is part of the Welsh Governments Coal Tip Safety Grant Scheme, and now 10 local authorities and Natural Resources Wales will carry out work at sites say Welsh Government.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said Im pleased to announce the Welsh Government is investing almost 34 million to support 10 local authorities and Natural Resources Wales in carrying out essential works across 130 coal tips throughout Wales.

This represents a significant increase from our previous investment of 19.2 million in 2024-2025, marking the highest annual expenditure on coal tip safety to which weve ever committed.

When combined with the 25 million investment from the UK Government announced in the Autumn Budget, we will have dedicated over 100 million to coal tip safety during this Senedd term  demonstrating our commitment to protecting communities and addressing this crucial infrastructure challenge.

Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies added: This Welsh Government is unwavering in our commitment to protecting our communities.

After visiting residents living near these sites and hearing their concerns firsthand, Im proud to announce this unprecedented level of funding, an investment that will deliver credible safety improvements for these communities.

In December, I introduced the Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill to the Senedd, first-of-its-kind legislation in the UK which places Wales at the forefront of developing comprehensive safety systems for disused tips.

If passed, this groundbreaking legislation will establish a dedicated public body to safeguard against threats from tip instability. The new authority would take full responsibility for assessment, registration, monitoring and management of these sites across Wales, helping to provide peace of mind to nearby communities.

A comment from the Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council was provided to Wrexham.com  however there appears no comms from Wrexham Council on the topic.

It is unclear which sites, or what work, will be taking place locally. No detail from Welsh Government nor Natural Resource Wales has been released.
Chester Zoo trialling unique technique to save rare pheasants from extinction

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025

Chester Zoo scientists are trialling a unique tail-tagging technique to help reintroduce rare pheasants to the wild.

Last week, conservationists at Chester Zoo trialled attaching dummy transmitters to the tail feathers of three Vietnam pheasants living at the zoo.

Vietnam pheasants (Lophura edwardsi) are critically endangered. In 2024, the IUCN officially added the designation probably extinct in the wild.

They have not been seen in the wild for 25 years and may be extinct in the forest ecosystem of central Vietnam. This trial at Chester Zoo is part of international efforts to restore the lost wild population.

The project is being implemented on the ground in Vietnam by Viet Nature who are supported by a range of other partners including Conservation Vietnam, Mandai Nature and Keidanren Nature Conservation Fund and the World Pheasant Association.

Leah Williams, Lead Conservation Scientist: Population Biology, explained: The big plan is to breed pheasants for release. When reintroducing a species its really important to know if they are able to survive in the wild, so post-release monitoring is vital. Thats where the transmitters come in.

We need to know if the transmitters and attachment method will work with this species. Theyre often used with birds of prey, but never on Vietnam pheasants before this project. We monitored the behaviour of the pheasants at the zoo before the transmitters were installed, so we have a behavioural baseline.

This will tell us if the transmitters change the birds behaviour and whether they will tolerate them or preen them off. We want the transmitters to stay on for the lifetime of their battery and then drop off when the tail feathers naturally moult, where they can be retrieved.

This part of the project builds on work carried out by ZSL (Zoological Society of London), which saw similar devices fitted to Vietnam pheasants cared for at Whipsnade Zoo and London Zoo. The Chester Zoo bird team were supported by London Zoo staff during the tail tagging.

These tests will help predict how Vietnam pheasants bred for release will cope with real Very High Frequency (VHF) transmitters, how long their tail feathers stay on before being moulted and how to attach the transmitters most effectively.

Monitoring birds after release can be challenging, as the modules must be lightweight but send out strong enough signals to be trackable. VHF transmitters are being used instead of more high-tech Global Positioning Systems because GPS signals may not be able to penetrate the thick forest canopy. The transmitters weigh just 6g and are attached to the tail feathers using crimps.

If successful, this tail telemetry technique will be used to track the movements and health of the released birds.

This is vital to monitoring the success of the reintroduction process, which in turn is crucial to restoring the birds to their wild habitat, bringing them back from the brink of extinction.

Andrew Owen, Head of Birds at Chester Zoo, said: If the tagging goes well here, it can be used at the conservation breeding centre, set up by Viet Nature in Le Thuy in 2020, which provides Vietnam pheasants with a training aviary where they can learn social and foraging behaviours before they are fully released.

They will be bred from Vietnam pheasants which were part of the EAZA ex-situ conservation-breeding programme (EEP), of which Chester Zoo plays an important role. Pairs are specially selected to make sure the chicks are as genetically diverse and healthy as possible, to boost their chances of surviving and breeding in the wild.

Zoos such as London, Whipsnade and Chester play a vital role in the conservation of the Vietnam pheasant, and its a privilege to be working together to play our part in conserving this beautiful species..

The vanishing of Vietnam pheasant populations in the wild has been attributed to logging, poaching and habitat loss, and environmental damage caused by chemicals used during the Vietnam War.

Males of the species have dark blue, iridescent feathers, a short white crest and distinctive red caruncles (fleshy patches) around their eyes, while females have rich brown feathers. The pheasants at Chester Zoo can be found in an aviary close to the Chimpanzees and another not far from the snow leopard habitat.

This tail tagging is a small, but very important part of a much longer-term project to develop a robust reintroduction strategy for the Vietnam pheasant, which includes removing snares from the selected habitats, engaging with trappers and continuing to develop the in-country breeding programme to produce birds acclimatised to living in the wild.

If successful, the grand-children and great-grandchildren of Vietnam pheasants cared for in European and Asian zoos will find new homes in the forests of Vietnam.
Childrens TV favourite Andy Day to return to Llangollen Eisteddfod

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025

A beloved Childrens TV presenter will be back in north east Wales this summer as part of the Eisteddfods Family Fun Day.

Andy Day, known for his work on CBeebies, will be in Llangollen with his band the Odd Socks on Sunday 13 July.

The centrepiece of the day will be a lunchtime concert in the Pavilion, produced in association with Music for Youth, featuring sets from Andy and the Odd Socks.

They will be joined by a variety of talented youth music groups, handpicked from both around the UK and from the Eisteddfods visiting international groups.

Alongside the concert in the Pavilion, the Family Fun Day will feature a host of fun activities for all ages, along with a variety of performances on the Eisteddfods outside stages, from both visiting international competitors and professional performers.

Artistic Director of the festival, Dave Danford, said: Andy went down a storm at last years Family Fun Day, so were delighted that hes agreed to return this summer, especially with his band coming as well.

Theyll be featuring in our lunchtime concert in the Pavilion, which were looking forward to working on with our partners Music for Youth, who will be bringing along some of the UKs finest young musicians to share the stage.

Itll be a brilliant day out for the whole family.

Tickets are available from Llangollen.net, with family tickets starting from 21 for an adult and up to 2 children.
Wrexham police officer shares positive impact of learning sign language

This article is old - Published: Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025

A Wrexham police officer has spoken candidly about the positive impact that learning sign language has had on her personal and professional life.

It comes as part of British Sign Language (BSL) Awareness Week, which began on 17 March, an annual celebration of BSL and the deaf community, held to recognise BSL as an official language and to promote awareness, education, and inclusivity.

PC Danielle Fleming was 16 years old when a bus she was travelling on had broken down, leaving an elderly couple she was sat opposite in distress.

I could see they were signing, but I didnt really understand it at the time, PC Fleming said.

I went home that night, and I felt awful that I hadnt been able to help them.

I know it can sound a bit cheese on toast, but I just love looking after people, its always been in my nature.

Over the following weeks, she researched sign language and ended up enrolling on a course, leaving with a qualification in BSL.

Now aged 37, PC Fleming said that she just wanted to learn more and more.

Ten years later, she joined North Wales Police  a dream she had worked hard for.

I was the first in my family to join the police, she said.

I wasnt really brought up with an expectation to go to go to university. The expectation was to go to school, go to college and go and get a job.

But I always knew I wanted to break that cycle and follow my dream.

Within her first week as an officer, she was assisting with the search for a wanted man, who was hiding in a flat owned by a profoundly deaf man.

When we got there, the owner opened the door, but officers were struggling to communicate with him, she added.

I told them I could sign, so I went to speak to him to explain why we were there.

From that day onwards, I never had any issues with that man again, due to knowing I was trying my best to communicate with him via BSL  that was so rewarding.

Little did she know that her BSL skills would help her as a police officer as well as eventually enabling her to communicate with her non-verbal son who, at the age of two-and-a-half, was diagnosed with autism.

Not being able to verbally communicate with him was difficult, she admitted.

Unless you have someone close to you with autism, its difficult to truly understand how challenging it can be.

One day, I started signing with him to see if hed pick anything up. I started doing little games with him, and while we were playing, I would ask him if he was happy or sad, and it got his attention which was huge, because he never really made eye contact.

He doesnt like big crowds or different spaces, and a few days later, we were out and about, and he started signing something to me.

I asked him what was wrong, and he signed it was a bit much and a bit loud for him. That day, his behaviour and his reaction was different to what it had ever been before.

I couldnt believe it had worked. So, I started learning a bit more than what Id learnt on the course, and together we learned more signs which helped him communicate even more.

He felt he was being heard through sign. He is now eight, and we still sign to this day in our own little way.

Now a demand reduction officer, PC Fleming continues to champion BSL in her work and uses it as a gateway of communication with anyone with sensory loss who comes into contact with police in the city.

She has also recently joined the North Wales Police choir to ensure anyone with sensory loss can be included in their performances.

I cant sing, I sound like a cat, but I really loved the idea behind it, she said. Any money raised through the choir goes to a local charity, which is amazing, so I joined.

And then I thought how I could use my skills to support those coming to see the choir who might have sensory loss.

So, I practiced and practiced as much as I could and now, I can fully sign one of the songs.

Following her first performance at Christmas, she added: People came up to me afterwards and they thanked me for doing it.

It made me realise that even those who dont have any sensory loss still enjoyed the visual aspect to it, so it was for everyone.

Im no expert at signing, but Im learning as much as I can, where I can.

In a message to the deaf community, PC Fleming said: We are here for you too. Please dont be afraid to come and talk to us and we cater for anybodys needs.

And if theres anyone who sees me signing and think they can help me improve, please come and teach me so I can help even more people.
Two people were arrested after fleeing from Washoe County Sheriff's deputies in Incline Village in two different cars on Wednesday evening.

WCSO says that around 11:32 p.m. on March 19, a deputy observed a black Ford F-150 and a white Jeep Cherokee drive through a stop sign in Incline Village.

Both cars exceeded the posted speed limit by a significant amount.

In an attempt to do a traffic stop, the deputy turned on the red and blue overhead lights of the patrol car.

The black Ford F-150 and white Jeep Cherokee did not stop for the deputy. Both cars entered the Incline Valley Bowling Alley parking area to avoid the deputy as the pursuit continued there.

To stop the cars from fleeing, the deputy blocked the exit.

The black Ford F-150 hit the patrol car and then fled, while the white Jeep Cherokee dodged by driving around it.

A second deputy arrived in the area and continued the pursuit of the two cars.

When the white Jeep Cherokee struck a tree close to the intersection of Northwood Boulevard and Tahoe Boulevard, the pursuit came to an end.

As the black Ford F-150 fled toward the California border, nearby agencies were given a description of the truck.

The driver of the Ford F-150 was eventually caught and taken into custody on local charges following a crash that occurred during a pursuit with Truckee Police Department officers; more information will be provided after their agency's investigation.

They say no police or deputies were injured in this incident.

The white Jeep Cherokee's driver was identified as Luca Giannini.

Following medical clearance, Giannini was charged and booked for the following charges: DUI 1st (Drugs + Alcohol) and Stop Required Upon Signal of Peace Officer While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Controlled Substance.
MARCH 19 UPDATE:

The Washoe County Regional Medical Examiners Office has identified the victim of a fatal shooting at the Nugget Casino Resort on Sunday morning.

35-year-old Salvador Sanchez was pronounced dead shortly after being taken to Renown Regional Medical Center.

A release from the Medical Examiners Office lists the manner of death as homicide and the cause as multiple gunshot wounds.

---

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Early Sunday morning, Sparks Police were answering a routine call for service at the Nugget in Sparks when officers heard gunshots.

It happened just before 5:00 a.m. - officers on scene immediately went into the west end of the lobby, where they found a 35-year old man who had been shot.

The man was transported to the hospital and treated for the injuries, but he ultimately succumbed to the wounds.

According to the Sparks Police Department, this is the first homicide of 2025 for the City of Sparks.

Officials were notified that while still on the scene, another mana 19-year oldhad been transported to the hospital privately and was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.

Sparks Detectives are currently investigating the incident.

Based on their investigation, they think that a fight ensued between the two injured men and both were armed with guns.

The detectives do believe that this is an isolated incident, with no current threat to the public.

Sparks Police are asking that anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information regarding what happened to call the Sparks Police Detective division at (775) 353-2225 or leave a tip anonymously with Secret Witness at (775) 322-4900.
UN chief saddened by death of staff member in Israeli attacks on Gaza

Xinhua) 08:41, March 20, 2025

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks to the press outside the Security Council Chamber at the UN headquarters in New York, on Oct. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Xie E)

Wednesday's deadly strike has brought the number of UN personnel killed in Gaza since Oct. 7 2023 to at least 280.

UNITED NATIONS, March 19 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply saddened and shocked" by the death of a UN staff member during the Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip, condemning all attacks on UN personnel and calling for a full investigation, his spokesman said on Wednesday.

A United Nations Office for Project Services personnel was killed and five others seriously injured after two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah, central Gaza, were hit in the strikes, the UN and Gaza-based health authorities confirmed Wednesday morning. The Israeli military denied attacking the compound.

The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict, who are bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said.

People clear debris of buildings damaged by Israeli airstrikes in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, on March 18, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua)

Guterres strongly condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation. He underscores that all conflicts must be conducted in a way that ensures civilians are respected and protected, Haq said.

"The Secretary-General stresses the need for the ceasefire to be respected to bring an end to the suffering of the people. Humanitarian aid must reach all people in need. The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally," the spokesman added.

Israel has resumed its assault on Gaza since early Tuesday, killing more than 400 people and shattering a fragile ceasefire that took effect on Jan. 19.

Wednesday's deadly strike has brought the number of UN personnel killed in Gaza since Oct. 7 2023 to at least 280, according to the UN spokesman.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Rock Chip Results Confirm Polymetallic Potential of Central and Southern Sweden Projects



Rock Chip Results Confirm Polymetallic Potential

Perth, Mar 20, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Basin Energy Limited ( ASX:BSN ) ( BSNEF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to report that it has received rock chip assay results for its Prastrun and Hakantorp projects in northwestern and south-central Sweden, respectively (Figure 1*). While focus in Q4 2024 was on field reconnaissance mapping of the northern Sweden projects Virka, Ravaberget and Bjorkberget, the late winter onset allowed Basin's field team to proceed with short prospect visits to the Hakantorp and Prastrun projects.



Key Highlights



- Positive results received from initial reconnaissance field mapping and rock chip program results at the Prastrun and Hakantorp projects in Sweden received.



- Niobium, uranium and tantalum mineralisation highlighted at Prastrun:

o Assay results up to 0.43% Nb (4350ppm) and 0.12% U3O8 (1153 ppm)



- Rare earth elements and uranium mineralisation identified from samples taken from interpreted tailings piles near Frakengruvan historical iron ore pit at Hakantorp



o HAK-003: 0.33 % U3O8 (3183 ppm), 0.33% TREO (3336 ppm)

o HAK-001: 0.39% U3O8 (3867 ppm), 0.21% TREO (2094 ppm)

o HAK-002: 0.20% U3O8 (1998 ppm), 0.27% TREO (2721 ppm)



- Structural core logging and multi-element assay sample on-going on Virka historical drillholes



Of nine samples collected at Hakantorp, five samples returned strongly anomalous total rare earth element oxides ("TREO") with two of these samples comprising uranium oxide values above 3000 ppm (Figure 3*). Assay results from the Prastrun project confirmed anomalous niobium, uranium and tantalum on three samples with results up to 4350 ppm niobium, 1153 ppm uranium oxide and 185 ppm tantalum.



Refer to Appendix two and three for full details*.



Basin's Managing Director, Pete Moorhouse, commented:



"The latest multi-element assay results are highly encouraging, confirming the potential presence of strategically important minerals within a multi-element mineral system.



With growing global demand for critical minerals essential to clean energy technologies, including nuclear power and advanced materials, these results position our project as a potential strategic asset. We look forward to integrating these results into our broader exploration model and continuing costeffective field work as the next steps to establish the full potential of these mineral-rich systems."



The Hakantorp project is located in south-central Sweden within the southern Bergslagen Zn-Pb-Ag and Fe-Co-Ni province, one of Sweden's most important provinces for the exploitation of metallic mineral resources (Figure 2*). The province includes Lundin Mining's ( TSE:LUN ) Zinkgruvan Zn-Pb-(AgCu) mine, approximately 10 kilometre southeast of Hakantorp, as well as the Zinkgruvan deposit where large-scale mining commenced in 1857 and is still ongoing today with ore production in 2024 totalling 1.43 million tons.



Numerous small skarn iron ore deposits were mined in the 19th century in the project area (Figure 2* and Figure 3*). Uranium occurrences were first reported in the 1950's through examining radioactive historical mine tailings. Follow-up investigations consisting of uraniferous sample collection from waste dumps and select open pits which had been drained (Figure 4*), returned U3O8 values in the 3-4% range.



Basin Energy conducted a short field visit to the project in Q4 2024. Strongly anomalous uranium oxides and TREO assays were returned from what appeared to be tailings near the historical Frakengruvan iron ore pit (Figure 3*):



- HAK-003: 3183 ppm U3O8, 3336 ppm TREO

- HAK-001: 3867 ppm U308, 2094 ppm TREO

- HAK-002: 1998 ppm U3O8, 2721 ppm TREO



Elevated TREO assays up to 837 ppm were also returned from two separate samples near Hank-Olles gruvan (HAK-004) and Torrgruvorna (HAK-006) pits.



Uranium mineralisation distribution in the area is poorly understood however, historical workings indicate uranium mineralisation appears to be structurally bound to a WNW trending structure zone.



Age determination on uranium mineralisation from samples collected in the 1950's concluded the most probable age was 1.785 million years during late-Svecofennian times.



The Company's priority at Hakantorp is to establish both surface and subsurface extensions of the rare earth and uranium rich skarn layers. Further field reconnaissance including structural mapping where feasible, and magnetic and radiometric surveys are considered as next steps in 2025 for the project.



Polymetallic prospectivity assessment at Prastrun, Northwest Sweden



The Prastrun project is located in Jamtland County, in northwestern Sweden, approximately 25 kilometres from the Norwegian border. The region is known for its polymetallic deposits, including uranium, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, copper, zinc, and potash minerals.



Exploration conducted in the 1980's by the Swedish Geological Survey (SGU) at Prastrun highlighted anomalous results in rock chip samples up to 1.2% niobium, 0.45% U3O8, 0.07% tantalum, and 0.26% zirconium(Figure 5*, Appendix 2*). Sampling at the time occurred within anomalous outcrops over a 1,400-metre strike length, with the remainder of the prospect being covered by a thin glacial till.



Mineralisation is present as betafite (a uranium-niobium-tantalum mineral) hosted in nepheline syenite gneiss of the Seve nappe of the Caledonian tectonic zone. No drilling is known to have been completed at the prospect, however high quality geological and mineralogical studies were completed.



Previous claim holder Mawson Energi AB, a former subsidiary of Mawson Gold Limited, Now Southern Cross Gold Limited ( ASX:SXG ), completed a field visit6 at Prastrun in 2010 where a total of six samples were collected out of three sites (Figure 5*). Assay results on these samples highlighted anomalous niobium up to 5250 ppm, uranium oxide up to 728 ppm and tantalum up to 282 ppm (Appendix 2*).



Basin conducted a short two-day field visit in Q4 2024 to attempt to locate additional syenite gneiss outcrops, however the vegetation cover appears extremely dense in the project area and outcrops/boulder fields exposure was very low. Three rock chip samples were collected from a syenite outcrop 130 m north of historical sample site (Figure 5*) with assay results returning anomalous niobium, uranium and tantalum:



- PRAS-003: 3480 ppm Nb, 1153 ppm U3O8, 185 ppm Ta, 1330 ppm Zn from a boulder at the base of the outcrop sampled in PRAS-003



- PRAS-001: 2750 ppm Nb, 658 ppm U3O8, 146 ppm Ta, 1030 ppm Mn from a boulder at the base of the outcrop sampled in PRAS-003



- PRAS-002: 4350ppm Nb, 336 ppm U3O8, 74 ppm Ta from a syenite outcrop



Further field work at Prastrun is needed to delineate the extent of the anomalous betafite bearing syenite. Scintillometer surveying of syenite outcrops presumed locations (covered by moss) returned higher than background values. A systematic ground radiometric survey and further rock chip sampling would be an excellent tool to map out the surface extent of betafite-bearing lithologies.



Virka/Bjork/Rava Projects Update



While field mapping activities have halted for the winter, historical core relogging and sampling continues. Revisiting historical core through relogging and sampling represents a critical step in refining Basin's geological understanding of the projects area. Detailed structural analysis will help delineate key deformation events, fault structures, and fluid pathways that may have influenced multi-phase mineralisation. Using modern multi-element geochemical analysis is instrumental in understanding the ore systems at play in the area. These findings will help optimising future exploration strategies and drill targeting.



Finland Reservation Update



On 31st October 2024, Basin announced the execution of an agreement for the 100% acquisition of a portfolio of projects within Scandinavia. In addition to the five exploration licenses in Sweden that Basin has actively been assessing, the portfolio included 5 reservations in Finland. Following review of available data, Basin has elected to proceed with the application for exploration licenses over the Lotto, Temo and Palmottu projects and withdraw from the Eronlampi and Puokio projects.



*To view tables and figures, please visit:

https://abnnewswire.net/lnk/F9U801RL





About Basin Energy Ltd





Basin Energy Ltd (ASX:BSN) (OTCMKTS:BSNEF) is a green energy metals exploration and development company with an interest in three highly prospective projects positioned in the southeast corner and margins of the world-renowned Athabasca Basin in Canada and has recently acquired a significant portfolio of Green Energy Metals exploration assets located in Scandinavia.

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ABP Majha, Indias leading Marathi news channel, is all set to host its flagship show, Majha Maharashtra Majha Vision, on March 21, 2025, in Mumbai. The event will bring together top political leaders and key stakeholders from Maharashtras political landscape to assess and evaluate the governments progress in the first 100 days since its formation. The show will be aired live on ABP Majha from 11 AM.

This special edition of ABP Majhas Majha Maharashtra Majha Vision will bring together the state's prominent political leaders for a balanced and transparent discussion. The event will assess the implementation of key initiatives in line with the governments 100-day manifesto. Through exclusive interviews, this platform will allow the ruling party to showcase its achievements, while the opposition will have an opportunity to present its critiques, ensuring a well-rounded and unbiased analysis of Maharashtras political landscape.

The event will be graced by Maharashtras prominent political figures, including Devendra Fadnavis, Honble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Joining them will be Ajit Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, along with Nitesh Rane, Minister of Ports Development. Harshwardhan Sapkal, President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, Aditya Thackeray, Shiv Sena UBT Leader, Imtiaz Jaleel, President of AIMIM Maharashtra, and Rohit Pawar, MLA, NCP SP will also be part of this significant discussion.

The event will offer a clear and balanced perspective on the evolving political landscape of Maharashtra. With a focus on transparency and accountability, the show ensures that both the ruling party and opposition have an equal opportunity to present their views. This edition will highlight the critical milestones achieved in the first 100 days, while also addressing any remaining concerns or criticisms from the opposition.

Through Majha Maharashtra Majha Vision, ABP Majha continues its tradition of fostering open dialogue, bringing together diverse perspectives, and ensuring that the people of Maharashtra stay informed about the governments actions, challenges, and vision for the future.



Majha Maharashtra Majha Vision is presented by Ram Bandhu, SRJ Steel, BVG Life and it is Powered by Marino, MS-CIT ,Society Tea, McCoy and Cotton King. Brand Banao.AI , GP Parsik Sahakari Bank Ltd, Lords Mark and MEDA are the Partners. ABP LIVE is the Digital Partner.
CEAT, a leading Indian tyre manufacturer, today announced the launch of three advanced tyre innovations for its SportDrive range, further strengthening its presence in the ultra-high performance and luxury four-wheeler segment. With these launches, CEAT becomes the first Indian tyre manufacturer to produce Run-Flat tyres and 21-inch ZR-rated tyres capable of handling speeds greater than 300 KMPH with CALM Technology, marking a significant milestone in India's automotive manufacturing capabilities.

Tested rigorously at leading international automotive facilities in Germany, CEATs latest offerings adhere to the highest standards of performance and safety. Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Mr. Arnab Banerjee, MD and CEO, CEAT, said: "Under the new SportDrive range of tyres, CEAT with the launch of ZR-rated tyres, CALM Technology and Run-Flat tyres, strengthens its position as a premium, technology-driven brand. These innovations reflect our commitment to enhancing safety, comfort, and performance for luxury and high-performance vehicle owners. We are proud to be the first Indian company to introduce Run-Flat Tyres, reinforcing our leadership in the four-wheeler tyre segment.

Lakshmi Narayanan B., CMO at CEAT, added: "CEATs latest innovations are a testament to our relentless pursuit of excellence in tyre engineering. The new range of SportDrive with Run-Flat Tyres and ZR-rated tyres with CALM Technology have been rigorously tested at our state-of-the-art facilities in Germany, blending our rich Italian heritage with precise German engineering to deliver tyres that meet the exacting standards of luxury vehicle owners worldwide."

CEAT's new premium tyre range will be available across key markets including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Bangalore, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore, Madurai, Kerala, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and Ahmedabad from April. The Run-Flat Tyres are priced at 15000/- to 20000/-, while the 21-inch ZR-rated Ultra-High-Performance CALM Technology tyres are priced at 25000/- to 30000/-.

Breakthrough Tyre Technologies

CEATs ZR-rated 21-inch tyres establish the brands expertise in high-performance mobility. Designed to withstand speeds exceeding 300 kmph, these ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyres cater to luxury vehicles, offering superior grip, control, and stability at extreme speeds.

CALM Technology, significantly reduces in-cabin noise, enhancing passenger comfort and ensuring a quieter, more enjoyable ride.

CEATs Run-Flat Tyres (RFT) mark a breakthrough in safety, allowing vehicles to continue at a considerable speed even after a puncture, ensuring enhanced security and reliability for high-end sedans and SUVs.

CEATs strong heritage in precision engineering, coupled with a deep understanding of evolving consumer demands, has driven the development of these industry-first products. These premium tyre technologies align with CEATs strategic focus on expanding its presence in the high-value luxury segment, both in India and international markets.
DIGIXX Awards 2025 honoured Indias best Digital minds, marketers, technologies, innovations and campaigns at a glittering ceremony held in Delhi this evening. Celebrating its 9th edition this year, DIGIXX Awards has become synonymous with recognizing and celebrating outstanding achievements in the ever-evolving world of digital initiatives. As an industry benchmark, DIGIXX honours the visionaries and pioneers who challenge conventions and redefine possibilities through groundbreaking campaigns, transformative technologies, and data-driven strategies.

DIGIXX Awards 2025 were presented across four broad categories:

Industry Awards

Discipline Campaigns

Outstanding Awards

Special Awards

Over 190 Awards were given across these categories. DIGIXX Awards 2025 saw a 37% increase in the number of entries received, with a more pan-India representation in terms of brands and the creative work.

Following are the Special Awards winners for 2025:

Digital Agency of the Year (Independent): White Rivers Media

Performance Agency of the Year: BigTrunk Communications

Performance Agency of the Year (Adgully Choice): Adsflourish

Display Agency of the Year: Xapads Media

Best Data-Driven Marketing Agency of the Year: Admattic

Best Demand-Side Platform (DSP): Mobavenue

Contextual Advertising Innovator of the Year: Hybrid Adtech Pvt. Ltd.

Brand of the Year: State Bank of India

Excellence in Cross Media: SYNCMedia

Excellence in Leadership Award: Asmita Kapoor from Adflourish

Brand Identity: UP Warriorz, for the Campaign  Trash Talk Clean Up

Adgullys Young Gun of the Year (Female): Akshita Bahuguna from Teamology Softech & Media Services

Adgullys Young Gun of the Year (Male): Saurabh Pandey from White Rivers Media

Click here for the complete list of DIGIXX Awards 2025 winners.
Barb, the UK TV measurement body, has announced that Disney+ has become the latest VOD service to join its Advanced Campaign Hub.

Advanced Campaign Hub leverages Barb panel and first-party insights in combination with census-level impressions supplied by participating VOD services. This enables users to forecast the unduplicated reach and frequency delivered by campaigns on linear and VOD services over multiple screens.

The addition means Advanced Campaign Hub users will now be able to include Disney+ when planning and optimising their campaigns using the tool. Barbs estimate of the number of households on the Disney+ ad-tier subscription is also now available and will be updated every day in Barbs audience reporting.

Disney+ joins Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and discovery+, which Barb added to Advanced Campaign Hub last year.

Luca Vannini, Head of Campaign Audiences at Barb, said: Our addition of Disney+ to Advanced Campaign Hub fulfills a core demand of our users, giving them the ability to plan their ad campaigns across all four of the largest pure-play VOD services in the UK, alongside broadcasters VOD services and linear channels.

Lucy Gregory, VP, Audience Measurement and Insights at The Walt Disney Company EMEA, said: Joining Barbs Advanced Campaign Hub enables us to offer advertisers and brands an enhanced ability to include Disney+ in campaign planning and optimisation. As the very first streamer to sign up to Barb, we know that transparent audience measurement that brings linear and VOD services together is of vital importance; not only for our partners but for the industry as a whole.

Last week, Barb announced it has appointed RSMB to build a single interface for Advanced Campaign Hub and CFlight. This will be a web-based interface where Barb clients can access and export data from Advanced Campaign Hub and its post-campaign evaluation service, CFlight. It will launch in January 2026.
X (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk, has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government, challenging the use of the Information Technology (IT) Act to censor online content. The lawsuit, lodged in the Karnataka High Court, alleges that the government is engaging in arbitrary censorship and unlawful regulation.



The core of the dispute centers on the government's interpretation of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act. X argues that this section is being used to bypass the formal content removal process outlined in Section 69A, which requires explicit government orders based on national security, sovereignty, or public order. X contends this practice violates Supreme Court rulings and undermines freedom of expression.



X emphasizes the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in the Shreya Singhal case, which mandated that content blocking must adhere to due process under Section 69A. The company asserts that the government's current methods contradict this precedent and impose undue liability on platforms by forcing them to determine content illegality, rather than relying on clear government directives.



Concurrently, the Ministry of Information and Technology (MeitY) is engaging with X regarding concerns about its AI chatbot, Grok. The chatbot has reportedly generated responses in Hindi containing slang and expletives, prompting government scrutiny. MeitY is investigating the causes of this output and monitoring X's content moderation practices for Grok.



This legal battle has significant implications for content regulation and digital rights in India, potentially reshaping the relationship between social media platforms and government oversight.
CaratLane, a Tanishq partnership, has become one of Indias leading omnichannel jeweller brands, known for its signature jewellery-buying experience across platforms. In addition to its website, one of the largest online jewellery destinations, CaratLane has over 170 stores nationwide, offering a seamless shopping experience. The brands mission has always been to create simple yet bold and beautiful jewellery that is accessible, affordable, and timeless.

CaratLane recently launched its engagement campaign, capturing the emotional journey of men planning the perfect proposal. In conversation with Adgully, Shaifali Gautam, CMO, Caratlane, speaks about the creative process behind the campaign, innovative activations, evolving consumer preferences, and how CaratLane is adapting its designs and customer service. She also sheds light on the brands marketing strategy, budget allocation across digital, traditional, and experiential channels, the role of performance marketing, global marketing strategies relevant to the Indian market, as well as insights into CaratLanes roadmap for the future.

What inspired CaratLane to create this engagement campaign, and how does it capture the emotional journey of men planning the perfect proposal?

CaratLanes latest campaign sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of wedding proposals  the introspection, anticipation, and emotions that men experience before taking this life-changing step. The campaigns film sensitively explores the societal expectations men navigate, from career aspirations to personal identity, as they prepare to pop the question.

By presenting the proposal journey from a mans perspective, the campaign adds a fresh emotional depth to the act of commitment. Seamlessly blending sentiment with storytelling, it beautifully captures the nuances of love, self-reflection, and the significance of choosing the perfect ring. With this heartfelt narrative, CaratLane continues to redefine the essence of proposals, celebrating the courage, desire, and personal expression that make every love story unique.

What sets CaratLane apart for a proposal is not limited to their beautiful designs, but also the exceptional ability to add an everlasting layer of love and expression to their rings with them world-first tech innovationPostcardsallowing users to add a heartfelt digital message into any CaratLane ring, which can be scanned by the recipient and relived forever.

What are the main channels used to promote this campaign? Are there any innovative digital or offline activations?

We collaborated with Brand Equity to unveil our latest campaign on Proposal Day (February 8th), creating a powerful impact across digital and traditional media. The film premiered on Meta and YouTube, engaging audiences with its heartfelt storytelling.

CaratLane executed a 360-degree launch strategy, leveraging TV, OTT, Print, Outdoor and Radio advertising alongside an eye-catching large-scale ring installation at Palladium Mall, Mumbai, which became a visual spectacle for visitors. Our 4-week campaign is live on television and OTT. Additionally, an AR-enabled print ad was rolled out in select markets, enhancing interactivity and engagement.

To amplify reach, CaratLane strategically utilized Spotify, Glance, and InShorts, tapping into diverse consumer touchpoints. As part of its innovative on-ground activation, we distributed ring-shaped flyers in key catchment areas near its stores, generating significant traction and boosting in-store footfall.

With this multi-channel approach, we successfully blended creativity, technology, and emotion, reinforcing its position as a frontrunner in the luxury jewellery space.

Could you share insights into the creative process behind the campaign visuals and storytelling?

At CaratLane, every campaign begins with a deep understanding of our customers. To uncover the emotional and psychological drivers behind engagement ring purchases, we conducted extensive brand research, studying perspectives from both men and women. One of the most compelling insights we discovered was the underrepresented male perspective  the emotions, jitters, and self-reflection men experience before proposing, a narrative that few brands have explored.

To bring this vision to life, we collaborated with our creative agency BBH to craft a script that would resonate with modern couples. The result is a powerful, theatrical yet deeply relatable film that visually captures the anticipation and emotional intensity of a proposal. We are thrilled with the way this campaign breaks new ground, offering a fresh and heartfelt take on one of lifes most cherished moments.

With evolving consumer preferences, how is CaratLane adapting its designs and customer service approach?

CaratLane continues to push the boundaries of design and innovation, elevating the customer experience with the launch of its latest engagement collection. At the heart of this collection is the exquisite 73-faceted Gulnaara solitaire, a testament to the brands commitment to unparalleled craftsmanship and timeless elegance.

Blending technology with emotion, CaratLane introduced the Postcards feature, redefining how customers celebrate love by adding a personalized touch to their special moments. With over 400+ diamond and solitaire rings, starting at just 25,000, this collection offers a diverse range of meticulously crafted designs to suit every love story.

Whether its a grand proposal or a heartfelt gesture, a CaratLane solitaire is designed to symbolize love that grows more radiant with time. Customers can explore the collection at 300+ stores across India, online at www.caratlane.com, or book a free try-at-home session for a seamless shopping experience.

How does CaratLanes marketing budget for this year compare to last year? Have there been any significant shifts in allocation? What percentage of the budget is now dedicated to digital marketing, and how crucial is performance marketing in your overall strategy? How is CaratLane allocating its marketing budget across digital, traditional, and experiential channels?

We have made a significant shift from product-centric marketing to purpose-driven storytelling, ensuring that every campaign resonates deeply with our audience. Our increased focus on collection launches reflects this commitment, allowing us to craft narratives that go beyond jewellery and celebrate meaningful milestones in our customers lives.

This strategic evolution along with expansion of regional footprint has also led to a rebalancing of our media investments. While digital platforms have been a dominant force, we recognized the value of traditional media in building trust and broader brand visibility. Previously, 80% of our marketing budget was allocated to digital, but today, we have diversified our approach, investing 40% in Print, Radio, Outdoor, and other offline avenues to create an Omni channel impact.

By integrating digital precision with the expansive reach of traditional media, we aim to connect authentically with diverse consumer segments, while reinforcing our position as a category leader in the jewellery industry.

Are there any global marketing strategies that you believe should be adapted for the Indian market? If so, why?

The Indian market requires a deeply localized approach that resonates with cultural values, purchasing behaviour, and evolving consumer aspiration hence global strategies cannot be as is adapted. A few emerging strategies I see getting adapted are Personalization & Experiential Retail. CaratLane offers innovative solutions like postcards and engraving.

Another thing which is most important from a customers point of view is to see If the brand gets them. The emotional storytelling, and cultural significance can deepen brand relevance. CaratLane is a true Omni channel brand pushing the boundaries of Digital Innovation. Influencer & Community-Driven Marketing is growing in India with consumers increasingly relying on regional influencers, real-life testimonials, and community-driven engagement.

Whats next for CaratLane in terms of upcoming campaigns, product innovations, or expansion plans in India?

At CaratLane, our vision is to establish ourselves as the go-to destination for engagement rings, offering designs that symbolize love and commitment in the most meaningful way. Building on this, our next campaign will continue to strengthen this positioning, reinforcing our commitment to couples embarking on their forever journey.

As part of our brand philosophy, we also celebrate womens achievements and self-expression. This Womens Day, we are excited to launch a campaign that extends our signature IP, Wear Your Wins, empowering women to embrace their milestones through fine jewellery.

Additionally, collection launches remain a strategic priority for us, aligning with key cultural moments. Our upcoming collection for Akshaya Tritiya in April will be a significant launch, bringing auspicious and elegant designs to mark the festive occasion.
Jitender Dabas is set to exit McCann Worldgroup after more than 14 years at the agency. Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), Dabas confirmed his departure to Adgully.

He joined McCann India in 2015 as Executive Vice President & Head of Strategy and played a pivotal role in shaping the agencys strategic direction. With nearly 25 years of experience in the advertising industry, he has worked with major brands such as Pepsi Foods, Nokia, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Hero Honda, General Motors, Mastercard, and Sony.

An IIT Delhi alumnus, Dabas began his career at Draft FCB Ulka (now FCB Ulka) and went on to work with J. Walter Thompson (JWT) and Grey Worldwide India Pvt Ltd. However, the most significant part of his career was spent at McCann, where he led strategy across its various divisions, including McCann, McCann Health, MRM/McCann, and Momentum Worldwide.
Actress Kritika Kamra is set to visit her hometown in Madhya Pradesh to spend quality time with the women artisans who are an integral part of her unique initiative she began in 2024 that helps empower women . Kritika, who launched her own fashion initiative, believes that one must champion the very people who bring their creative vision to life.

The actress plans to spend time with the talented artisans who have been tirelessly supporting her. Kritika understands the value of providing opportunities and recognizing the contributions of grassroots talent, particularly in the handloom and textile industries that have deep cultural roots in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking about her upcoming visit, Kritika Kamra said, "Madhya Pradesh holds a special place in my heart. It's not just my hometown, but also where I draw inspiration for my ethnic wear from. Ive always wanted to support the people of my state in some way, especially women artisans, who play a vital role in making my entrepreneurial dreams a reality. Their skills, dedication, and passion deserve recognition and gratitude. This visit is not just about connecting with them but also about learning from their incredible stories and forming a stronger bond.

My mother hails from Madhya Pradesh, that is what is a deep personal connect for me to the stare and the place. Growing up she introduced me to Chanderi and its beautiful people and craftsmanship of textiles. When we started off, our larger goal and attempt has been to employ women from the state especially those from this region, to empower them and being their work forth. We continue to strive increase employment, give these women agency and give them the power of fair prices helping them elevate their lifestyles. As an actor personally for me i have always believes that we need to use out mediums to use our voices to uplift the next tribe of women. We will continue to possibly work with more and more women as we grow and help them be empowered.

Kritikas initiative that helps to celebrate traditional handloom craftsmanship with a modern twist, and the actress has been deeply involved in every aspect of its journey. Her visit to Madhya Pradesh aims to foster a sense of community with the women artisans who have been pivotal in the success of her initiative.
Tata Motors has announced Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal as its new brand ambassador, signaling a strong push towards electric vehicle innovation and enhanced road safety. The announcement was made during a recent virtual media briefing, where Vivek Srivatsa, Chief Commercial Officer at Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, highlighted the strategic importance of this partnership.

Tata Motors aims to leverage Kaushal's values of excellence and boldness to promote its upcoming Curve SUV through the 'Take the Curve' campaign. This initiative is designed to resonate with a broad spectrum of Indian consumers and reinforce Tata Motors' commitment to shaping the future of mobility. "Vicky Kaushal was selected for his alignment with Tata's core principles: breaking conventions, pursuing excellence, and making bold choices," stated Vivek Srivatsa. The 'Take the Curve' campaign will emphasize how the Curve SUV embodies the spirit of embracing life's unexpected turns.

This collaboration marks a significant shift in Tata Motors' marketing strategy, as it's the first time in years the company has partnered with a celebrity ambassador. Kaushal will represent both passenger and electric vehicles, and will be featured in multiple TV commercials during the upcoming IPL season. Tata Motors views this association as a qualitative measure of success, focused on increasing brand recall and amplifying shared positive values.
Bolstering their shared commitment to public health, TV9 Network, in collaboration with Sensodyne, has launched a nationwide oral health awareness campaign focused on World Oral Health Day on March 20, 2025. Now in its third year, the campaign is themed Take the First Step and carries the rallying call BeSensitiveToOralHealth, urging citizens to prioritize oral hygiene as an essential pillar of overall well-being.

Lending gravitas to the launch, Smt. Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, graced the occasion, reaffirming the governments commitment to advancing oral healthcare as a public health priority. Joining her were Mr. Navneet Saluja, general manager, BU, India sub-continent, Haleon, and Anurita Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, Indian Sub-Continent, Haleon, who reinforced Sensodynes vision of championing proactive dental care.

While addressing the audience at the launch event at India Gate, Minister of State Anupriya Patel said, The Government of India is making several efforts to create awareness about oral health because even today, a large population in our country lacks basic knowledge about oral health care. And when we talk about quality and affordable health care services in the context of oral health care, accessibility is still limited compared to our actual needs. I would like to congratulate Sensodyne and TV9 Network on this initiative.

In a bid to make dental care more accessible, the campaign introduced two fully equipped Mobile Dental Vans that will traverse multiple cities, offering free dental check-ups and personalized guidance on oral hygiene practices.

Commenting on the partnership, Navneet Saluja, BU General Manager, Haleon India Subcontinent said, We are honoured to continue our collaboration with TV9 Network for the third consecutive year. Sensodynes Take the First Step campaign focused on World Oral Health Day, has been dedicated to driving meaningful progress in oral health awareness and accessibility across India. Our partnership with TV9 Network has played a crucial role in amplifying this mission, allowing us to reach millions with the message of proactive dental care. This year, by leveraging innovative solutions like Mobile Dental Vans and AI-driven diagnostics, we are making oral health solutions more accessible and actionable for communities nationwide. I firmly believe that through collaboration and shared expertise, we can create a lasting impact on Indias oral health landscape and contribute to a healthier future for all.

Flagged off on March 8, 2025, the campaigns on-ground efforts were launched in the presence of prominent dentists, healthcare professionals, and community leaders. These mobile units are poised to play a vital role in bridging the dental care divide, particularly in underserved regions, by delivering expert consultations and preventive care awareness at the grassroots level.

Speaking on the campaign, Amit Tripathi, Chief Revenue Officer, TV9 Network, said, We are delighted to partner with Sensodyne for the third time in a row for this impactful initiative aimed at raising awareness around oral health, a critical yet often overlooked aspect of overall well-being. At TV9 Network, we believe in leveraging the power of our platforms to drive conversations that matter and create meaningful change. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to making quality oral health care information accessible to every Indian.

At TV9 Network, we remain steadfast in our resolve to drive purposeful public health initiatives. This ongoing partnership with Sensodyne not only reflects our commitment to nation-building but also underscores the power of storytelling and community engagement in creating lasting impact, said, Raktim Das, Chief Growth Officer, TV9 Network.

In a first-of-its-kind integration, the campaign leverages cutting-edge digital tools to enhance accessibility and engagement. A QR Code Amplification feature across TV9 Networks broadcast and digital platforms will offer users an immersive experience, allowing them to scan and access an AI-powered diagnostic tool, receive personalized oral health assessments, and book free consultations with nearby dental professionals.

The event also witnessed the active participation of the TV9 Network and Haleons senior management along with TV9s editorial leadership, further amplifying the campaigns significance as a collective mission toward fostering nationwide oral health consciousness.

Furthering this cause, Sensodyne has reaffirmed its partnership with TV9 Network as Indias Oral Health Partner for the upcoming Mega Thought Fest  What India Thinks Today. As part of this platform, Sensodyne will lead conversations around preventive dental care, spotlighting the critical need for early intervention and sustained oral hygiene practices.

This strategic collaboration aligns seamlessly with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modis vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, contributing to the larger narrative of nurturing a healthier, more aware India. By sparking dialogue among thought leaders, health experts, and citizens, the initiative seeks to position oral health at the forefront of the nations public health discourse.

With this forward-looking initiative, Sensodyne and TV9 Network reaffirm their unwavering commitment to fostering a healthier India.
To mark the launch of Legends of Shiva with Amish on Discovery Channel India and discovery+, Warner Bros. Discovery collaborated with ting and ting studios to bring mythology to life through art.

In partnership with the Aravani Art Project - a collective of transgender and non-binary artists - a striking Ardhanarishwara mural was painted on a Mumbai billboard.

At Warner Bros. Discovery, they believe identity transcends gender. Inspired by Legends of Shiva with Amish, our collaboration with the Aravani Art Project celebrated self-expression and inclusion through art. The Ardhanarishwara mural symbolized Shivas balance of masculine and feminine energies, sparking conversations on visibility and acceptance.

ting and ting studios documented its creation in a digital film, amplifying its message of empowerment and inclusivity.

Janhavi Vyas, Head Of Marketing - South Asia, Warner bros. Discovery commented, "In a world brimming with diversity, we often hear that India is a country of many India's within it. This resonates deeply when we think of Lord Shiva - the perfect embodiment of contrast and harmony. He is both a householder and a recluse, a union of masculine and feminine energies. Shiva truly represents everyone, transcending all boundaries.

As marketers, we execute numerous campaigns, but this one is different. It goes beyond business - it is a step toward inclusion, recognition, and the celebration of diversity. This partnership reflects not just WBDs values but also WBD's commitment to creating a more inclusive and supportive world, where everyones voice is heard and valued. Grateful to be a part of something so meaningful.

Speaking on this, Sudharshan Anandkumar, Partner, ting commented, At ting, we thrive on crafting narratives that go beyond promotion and spark conversations. Partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery for Legends of Shiva with Amish allowed us to bring mythology to life in a way that connects with todays world. The Ardhanarishwara mural, created by the Aravani Art Project, became more than just art, it became a symbol of identity, balance, and inclusivity. Through our digital film, we aimed to amplify this powerful story, proving that mythology isnt just history, its a living, breathing dialogue that continues to inspire.

More than just show promotion, this collaboration amplified unheard voices, highlighting the inclusivity and enduring relevance of Shivas teachings and proving that mythology remains a living, breathing part of todays world.
We. Communications revealed a comprehensive brand refresh designed to help businesses communicate through complexity in todays ever-changing world.

The ability to communicate through uncertainty and shifting landscapes is a differentiator for companies looking to lead in complex times, said Melissa Waggener Zorkin, global CEO of We. Whether unveiling a new drug discovery or responding to a global crisis, organizations that can articulate their purpose, engage the right stakeholders and make sense of nuanced challenges will be the ones to thrive.

For more than 40 years, We. has worked at the intersection of technology and humanity, helping clients bridge the gap between what businesses create and how people experience those creations.

As the agency has grown, its expertise has broadened across industries  from health to technology to consumer goods and services and beyond. Through it all, weve helped clients navigate change and connect with the audiences that matter most. This experience is the heart of the agencys brand refresh.

The New We. Communications  humanizing complexity to realize progress

We.s refreshed brand is rooted in helping companies communicate through complexity by uncovering the most meaningful truths that connect with people. Whether its making AI relatable or green energy breakthroughs accessible, its about translating innovations in ways that unlock understanding, progress and impact.

Weve learned that beneath even the most unruly or unpredictable situations, lies a human need. That could be for connection, credibility, joy or a sense of fulfillment. But its always there, said Waggener Zorkin. Its by pushing to uncover and speak to those truths that we can shape how people think, feel and ultimately act.

Core components of the rebrand include:

A refined name: Moving from WE to simply We.  a name that feels more human, unified and aligned with our founding values and belief that real strength comes from working together.

Moving from WE to simply  a name that feels more human, unified and aligned with our founding values and belief that real strength comes from working together. A fresh, new logo: Featuring a circular expression, a timeless symbol of collaboration, community and limitless possibilities.

Featuring a circular expression, a timeless symbol of collaboration, community and limitless possibilities. A reimagined website: Showcasing solutions to todays biggest communications challenges.

An evolved Brands in Motion study: Delivering deeper insights into shifting business landscapes slated for release in the coming months.

Our new brand better reflects the agency we are today, said Dawn Beauparlant, CEO of North America. Pulling from our deep expertise navigating complexity and our willingness to run toward the hard stuff, challenge assumptions and dig deeper in a world where the answers arent always clear.

The refreshed brand will roll out globally, with some We. companies moving to the new branding later in 2025.

This refresh reinforces our commitment to turning big challenges into powerful opportunities for connection, impact and growth, said Kass Sells, CEO of International. Its about ensuring our clients can confidently navigate change, tell their stories in meaningful ways, and drive real progress in the world.
Zee Business, Indias leading Business News Channel, is thrilled to announce the return of Wealth Creation Weeka highly anticipated programming initiative dedicated to equipping investors with expert insights, strategic market intelligence, and wealth-building opportunities. Airing from 18th March to 28th March, this special series goes beyond conventional financial discourseits a movement that has shaped the investment journeys of millions over the years.

First launched in 2020 amid the challenges of the COVID-19 era, Wealth Creation Week proved to be a trusted source of financial guidance, helping investors navigate turbulent markets with confidence. Over the years, it has become a vital knowledge hub for individuals committed to making informed investment decisions. This year, the legacy continues, delivering actionable insights and expert strategies to empower investors in securing long-term financial stability and success.

The 2025 edition of Wealth Creation Week features a dynamic line-up of expert-led programs tailored for both beginners and experienced investors. Starting from March 18th, Wealth Creation Pick will air daily at 9:00 AM & 9:25 AM, offering top stock recommendations to maximize returns. At 9:40 AM, Wealth Creator Research will provide in-depth market analysis and high-impact investment strategies. Additionally, special episodes of Wealth Creator   will highlight inspiring success stories of industry leaders, offering valuable insights and motivation for investors at every stage of their journey.

Anil Singhvi, Managing Editor of Zee Business, emphasized the significance of this show series, stating, At Zee Business, our mission is to arm investors with the right knowledge and tools to achieve financial independence. Wealth Creation Week is not just about picking stocksits about shaping financial destinies. When investors make informed decisions, their wealth grows, and so does the economy.

Adding to this, Karan Abhishek Singh, CEO of Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), highlighted the broader impact of the initiative: Financial literacy is the cornerstone of wealth creation, and Zee Business has always been committed to empowering citizens with credible financial insights. Wealth Creation Week is designed to inspire, educate, and guide individuals toward financial prosperity, ensuring they achieve their goals with clarity and confidence.

Beyond its role as an informative series, Wealth Creation Week is a catalyst for financial empowermentbreaking down complex market trends into actionable insights. Whether one is a first-time investor or a seasoned trader, this initiative ensures that every viewer gains the knowledge and confidence to navigate the financial landscape successfully.
Bill Gates Partners with Maharashtra to Eradicate Malaria, Fadnavis Announces Bold AI and Digital Plans 2

In a significant move towards public health advancement, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the Gates Foundation will collaborate with the Maharashtra government to make the state malaria-free. The announcement followed Fadnavis meeting with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates at the Sahyadri guest house in Mumbai.

The Gates Foundation, known globally for its work in healthcare, poverty reduction, and education, will assist Maharashtra in not just eradicating malaria but also in adopting AI-driven innovations across health, agriculture, and infrastructure. Gates, currently visiting India, had earlier met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other key leaders in New Delhi.

Fadnavis shared on X that the discussion spanned Maharashtras welfare initiatives like Lakhpati Didi and Ladki Bahin Yojana, aimed at empowering women, youth, and farmers. The CM highlighted the states vision of widespread digitalization and revealed plans to set up a Skill University in collaboration with Microsoft, aimed at equipping youth with future-ready skills.

A special focus will be placed on training 10,000 women in Artificial Intelligence to ensure inclusive participation in the digital revolution. The discussion also covered dengue control measures and forming innovation city partnerships. Fadnavis reiterated that Maharashtra is determined to set an example in digital governance and citizen service delivery.
Nagpur Violence Erupts Over 'Chhava' Film: Fahim Khan Booked for Sedition and Social Media Misinformation 2

Tensions in Nagpur have escalated after police booked Fahim Khan, city chief of the Minority Democratic Party, and five others for sedition and spreading false information on social media, which allegedly triggered violent clashes. The unrest broke out following rumors of a sacred chadar being burnt during protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb in Sambhajinagar district.

The violence is being linked to the film Chhava, which portrays the brutal execution of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj by Aurangzeb. Barelvi cleric Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking a ban on the film, claiming it incites communal hatred and provoked the Nagpur unrest. Maharashtras cybercrime department is investigating 230 social media profiles that allegedly spread misinformation and glorified the violence.

The Archaeological Survey of India, under district administration directives, has installed tin sheets and wire fencing around Aurangzebs tomb to prevent further provocation. Meanwhile, political blame games have intensified, with Shiv Sena (UBT) attacking Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis for blaming the film. The partys mouthpiece Saamana called this an act of weak morale, questioning whether actors and filmmakers will also be charged.

Fadnavis defended the film, stating it merely portrays historical truth, while Maulana Razvi accused the movie of deliberately portraying Aurangzeb as anti-Hindu, inciting Hindu youth to violence. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned the violence, reiterating the importance of Indias unity in diversity.

The Maharashtra Cyber department has identified over 140 objectionable posts and videos aimed at stoking communal unrest. Authorities have urged citizens to exercise restraint and avoid sharing unverified or inflammatory content as the investigation continues.
Almost 200,000 cans of green beans were recalled by Del Monte due to an undisclosed contamination. Getty Images/Tetra images RF

California-based Del Monte Foods, Inc. has recalled 8,242 cases of its Target brand Good & Gather Cut Green Beans because due to the potential they are contaminated with a foreign object.

The recall, which equates to 197,808 cans, was initiated on Feb. 12, 2025. On March 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Class II recall notice.

The FDA defines a Class II recall as a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

The recalled Good & Gather Cut Green Beans came in 14.5 oz cans with a UPC number of 085239-11628 9. The Best if Used By date was Oct. 28, 2026. The lot number is 7AA 418507.

The beans were distributed at Target stores in 21 states, including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

According to an announcement from the FDA, the recall is marked ongoing, and no further information is currently available on what the foreign material may be.
Crowds gathered in Birmingham's Five Points South after a September 2024 mass shooting killed four people. Bill Castle/WBMA via AP

Two more suspects have been charged in the 2024 mass shooting outside Birminghams Hush Lounge in Birminghams Five Points South, and a second man has been charged in the 2023 on-duty ambush killing of firefighter Jordan Melton.

NyQuan Lollar, 22, and Crishawn Jamel McLemore-Bruce, 23, are charged with capital murder of two or more people in the massacre that killed four people on Birminghams Southside on Sept. 21, and with 17 counts of first-degree assault for those who were injured.

Eddie Jerry Jones, 47, of Fultondale is charged with capital murder of a first responder in the slaying of Melton in July 2023.

Jones' actual role in Meltons slaying has not yet been made public, but he is reportedly a close acquaintance of the McDaniel family.

Lollar and McLemore-Bruce were already being held without bond in the Jefferson County Jail from previous cases.

Jones was booked in at 2:59 a.m. today and is also held without bond.

Birmingham Interim Police Chief Michael Pickett announced the new arrests at a Thursday press conference at police headquarters.

Up until today, 22-year-old Damien Laron McDaniel III, charged with killing 14 people and wounding 30 others over a span of 14 months, was the only person charged in the Hush case.

It is not immediately clear what led to the timing of the charges against Lollar and McLemore Bruce in the Hush case, but Lollars name surfaced as a potential suspect just hours after the mass shooting and it has been long expected he could be charged in the case.

In many investigations you hear a lot of different names. Our detectives are charged with walking down actual credible evidence that can be presented in a court of law, Pickett said. That evidence has to be legitimate and verified so it does take an amount of time for us to verify the information the tips that come."

NyQuan Lollar,and Crishawn Jamel McLemore-Bruce (Jefferson County Jail)

Lollar and McLemore-Bruce are also charged alongside McDaniel in the slaying of 32-year-old Jamarcus McIntyre, a father of two, who was fatally gunned during a robbery of his backpack.

The ambush killing of McIntyre, which was plotted via text messages and captured on home surveillance footage, happened the night after the Hush mass shooting.

McDaniel is also charged with capital murder of a first responder in Meltons killing.

McDaniel and Lollar both had brief appearances in a documentary called This City Eats People Alive: The Most Dangerous Place in Alabama, America: The Dirty South posted by The Taboo Room With Aaron S.

About 20 minutes into the documentary, McDaniel and Lollar are briefly seen. It was not clear when the documentary was made.

They were asked if they would have any empathy toward the mothers of someone who was murdered.

Im (expletive) going to do the same thing to you so why not do it to them? McDaniel said. Why show them compassion when they aint gonna show your folks compassion?

They aint going to spare me, McDaniel said. If their son ends up dead and they come to court, they aint going to spare me in the mother (expletive) courtroom. Theyre going to want my ass (inaudible).

Authorities have long said there were others involved in the Hush massacre and said the investigation had far-reaching implications in other crimes, including the lucrative illegal drug trade, throughout the city and beyond.

Police have not released a motive in either case.

Pickett said more arrests are possible.

Up until the DA and judge set this for trial, our investigators do not stop working, Pickett said. It is quite possible more arrests could come."

The gunfire in Southside erupted just after 11 p.m. that Saturday, killing Carlos McCain, 27, Roderick Lynn Patterson Jr., 26, Anitra Holloman, 21, and Tahj Booker, 27. Seventeen others  believed to be innocent bystanders  suffered wounds ranging from superficial to critical.

Police quickly said that they believed the barrage of gunfire was a hit  a murder-for-hire targeting at least one of the men killed in the shooting.

Two of the victims  McCain and Patterson - both were charged in past Birmingham homicides.

McCain was acquitted of murder and attempted murder in 2017 in the shooting death of 15-year-old Kelvon Julius, who police said was killed in retaliation for another shooting in 2015. A young woman was also wounded in the gunfire that killed Kelvon.

Kelvons slaying happened June 4, 2016, on 12th Street South. A second suspect pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Patterson was previously charged with murder in the 2021 shooting of 20-year-old Dentarius Maurice Jackson, who was gunned down at the gas pumps at the Chevron on First Ave. North.

In 2022, the murder charge against Patterson was dismissed at the request of prosecutors citing death, unavailability, and non-cooperation of witnesses.

There could be multiple motives for the one individual we believe was targeted former police Chief Scott Thurmond said when initially announcing McDaniels arrest. Others could have been targeted.

Some of the individuals killed have extensive criminal histories and because of that, theres often motivation from others, and theres people willing to pay to have them killed, the chief said at the time.

Some, if not all, of the victims were out that Saturday night celebrating Jackson-Olin High Schools alumni events, which included a picnic earlier that day.

One of the slain victims, Holloman, was a single mother whose longtime boyfriend was shot to death two years ago when she was pregnant with their daughter. She was in college studying to become a teacher and worked as a tax preparer for her familys business.

Detectives notified Hollomans mother, Candance Kemp, Wednesday of the impending new charges, and she posted this on Facebook, Detective just called me the day before Antitra Reyonna birthday to let me know they just charged 2 more (expletive) boys for my baby murder. Happy Birthday to you Rere. #justiceforrere.

Police last month announced McDaniels arrest in Meltons murder, as well as two others: the Jan. 10, 2024, fatal shooting of 21-year-old Mia Nickson outside her familys home in east Birmingham and the April 9, 2024, ambush killing of 44-year-old Anthony Lamar Love Jr., a husband and father who had worked at UPS for around 20 years

In Loves slaying, McDaniel and 41-year-old Charles Derius Nance, are charged with capital murder/murder for hire. Nance is a co-defendant of McDaniel in yet another Birmingham homicide -- the Aug. 13, 2024 shooting death of Charlie Herbert Moore.

Eddie Jerry Jones (Jefferson County Jail)

McDaniel and Jones are also charged with attempted murder of BFRS Sgt. Jamal Jones, who was critically injured in the Station 9 shooting.

The shooting at Birmingham Fire and Rescue Services Station 9 happened on July 12, 2023.

Firefighters Melton and Jones were working their shift and performing routine maintenance in the stations bay area. A gunman entered through the open bay door and opened fire in what police have said was a targeted attack.

Police and firefighters were called to the station, at 1228 27th St. North, where the firefighters had reportedly been shot in the chest and legs.

At least one caller reported hearing shots and ran to take cover in the bathroom.

The shooter entered the fire station through the bay door, which typically remains open to be accessible to residents who need their blood pressure checked or other help or information.

Melton died five days later. Jones, critically injured, still has not been able to return to work.

These charges will never repair the hole left in our hearts, Fire Chief Cory Moon previously said, but will hopefully provide some closure for Jordans family, Jamals family, and the BFRS family.
Slain Birmingham firefighter Jordan Melton was targeted and killed because of his role as a witness in a murder trial, according to newly released court records.

Birmingham police on Thursday announced the arrest of Eddie Jerry Jones, 47, on a charge of capital murder of a first responder in Meltons death.

Damien McDaniel, charged with killing 14 people and wounding 30 others in just a span of months, was charged last month in Meltons ambush killing.

12 1 / 12 Birmingham Firefighters Shot July 12, 2023

Charging documents against Jones, who was previously convicted of murder in a 1999 homicide, state Jones provided specific information to McDaniel regarding Meltons identification and location which led to his death.

The criminal complaint says Melton was killed because he was subpoenaed to testify against Larry Denzel Rollins in a murder trial.

The crime stemmed from, was caused by, or was related to the capacity or role of Jordan Ellis Melton as said witness, the warrant states.

Rollins has not been charged with any crime in connection to Meltons death.

He is, however, one of six people  including McDaniel  charged with capital murder in the 2024 shooting death of Jamarcus McIntrye, who was killed during a theft of his backpack the night after the Hush mass shooting, in which McDaniel is also charged.

Text messages between the defendants in the McIntyre case show they waited up to two hours to ambush McIntyre and communicated during that time via text messages.

A wreath laying ceremony was held Thursday, July 20, 2023, outside Birmingham Fire Station 9 to pay tribute to the 29-year-old Melton who died Monday, five days after and Firefighter Jamal Jones were shot shortly after they went on duty. (Carol Robinson)

Melton, 29, died July 26, 2023, at UAB Hospital, five days after he and firefighter Jamal Jones were shot in the chest and legs at Station 9.

They had just gone on duty on duty at the station, at 1228 27th St. North, when a shooter entered the fire station through the bay door, which typically remains open to be accessible to residents who need assistance.

Jones was critically injured and later promoted to the rank of sergeant. He has not yet been able to return to work.

After the shooting, Station 9 remained closed until December 2023.

Prior to his death, Melton was a witness to the 2021 slaying of 27-year-old Eric Tyler Sledge Jr., a Hoover father.

Melton was not yet a firefighters when Sledge was killed.

The fatal shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, May 2, 2021, in the 1100 block of 20th Street South.

Sledge was found unresponsive in the middle of the roadway. He was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police at the time said the deadly shooting stemmed from an altercation inside an establishment that then spilled over to outside.

Rollins was charged in Sledges slaying. The case went to trial in 2024, and Rollins was acquitted.

Jones connection to Rollins has not yet been made clear, but he is closely connected to the McDaniel family.

Rollins attorneys previously said he has been demonized in the media.

Rollins' attorney, John Lentine, provided this statement to AL.com Thursday:

Anyone who actually covered Mr Rollins trial would have seen was that he was acquitted because he was defending himself from an angry out of control individual who assaulted him. Most of the incident was video recorded and state offered testimony from the deceased girlfriend and others which was rejected by the jury.

If the state had evidence back then or now to charge Mr. Rollins with any crime relating to Mr. Meltons death then why havent they done so? The arrest and allegations surrounding it is far from an official link of anything on Mr. Rollins part and appears to be a continued effort on the part of the state to implicate him without any evidence to even charge him.

Court records show Jones was charged with capital murder in 1999.

Details of that case were not immediately available through court records.

He pleaded guilty in 2002 to a reduced charge of murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Jones was paroled for good behavior in April 2017, records state.
A bill that would give Alabama teachers and state workers up to eight weeks of paid parental leave is making its way to the governors desk.

The proposed law would give female employees eight weeks of paid parental leave in the event of a birth, stillbirth or miscarriage of a child. Male employees would receive two weeks of leave under the same circumstances.

If passed, Alabama would join at least 36 other states that give paid leave to state employees.

We say were pro-life, and people say we dont care about them after theyre born, and this is showing that we do, Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, told members on the House floor Thursday. Its a very pro-family bill, and we want to support families.

The bipartisan legislation, spearheaded by Shaver and Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, won early support from Gov. Kay Ivey, who has called it a pro-family, pro-workforce and pro-Alabama bill. The House on Thursday voted 94-2 to approve a final Senate version of the bill, and it now awaits the governors signature.

In a post on X Thursday, Ivey said she looks forward to receiving the bill and getting my signature on it.

The legislation could impact thousands of workers across the state.

As of 2023, Alabama employed 28,807 state employees, according to the state personnel department. Just over 57,000 staff work for public schools, and at least 53,000 are employed at state colleges and universities.

The Alabama Education Association told the Alabama Daily News that that between 2,000 and 2,200 K-12 female teachers could have been covered by maternity leave between 2019 and 2023. In 2024, that number dropped to 1,500.

The bills also provide specified amounts of paid parental leave for eligible employees who adopt a child who is three years old or younger.

The legislation includes a return-to-work provision that would require employees to resume their positions for at least eight weeks following their paid parental leave. Exceptions may be granted in certain circumstances, including cases of serious health conditions.

Sponsors made some final tweaks to the legislation in recent weeks to include community college, charter school and state board of education employees.

On the floor Thursday, Shaver said the issue was personal for her: Her daughter, a third-grade teacher, had to be hospitalized after pregnancy complications and was forced to take unpaid leave, she said.

She had to pay all of her benefits. Their familys insurance was through her, so she had to pay all of her insurance, she said. And so that really showed me how we have a need for this, to support women and families and babies. And I think its well worth our money.

Paid parental leave was one of several recommendations offered in a 2023 final report from the Governors Study Group on Efficiency in State Government, which sought to address increasing employee turnover rates in the state.

Currently, public school educators must build up a bank of sick leave days or take unpaid leave to care for a newborn or adopted child. Public school teachers generally are given 10 sick days each year.

The legislation saw some early pushback over costs to administer the program. A fiscal note now says it would decrease the potential savings of state entities by about $10,750 for state workers and about $8,100 for education employees who use eight weeks of leave.

For teachers, salaries are budgeted at the beginning of the year, so the policy wouldnt cause districts to lose money, sponsors said.

One lawmaker, Rep. Ben Harris, R-Lauderdale, said hes had to field calls from business owners who were worried that the benefits would draw employees away from companies.

I think its unfair to employers in the private sector to be competing and giving benefits that typically they cant afford to pay, he said.

Shaver listed a number of companies that provide paid leave policies, including Alabama Power, universities and insurance agencies.

We need quality employees working for the state, too, she said, noting that other surrounding states have adopted similar policies. Many employers do offer this and we are in competition for good employees.

Figures and Shaver told reporters Thursday that the legislation would help boost the states workforce and improve families wellbeing.

This day has really touched my heart, Figures said. Its good for our education system, its good for us to be able to recruit the personnel we need and be able to retain them. My heart is just full of joy.

If signed into law, the legislation will go into effect July 1, 2025.

Mike Cason contributed reporting.
Guns N Roses announced on social media recently it is splitting with longtime drummer Frank Ferrer.

The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the 19 years, and wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey, the statement on Instagram read. Frank first joined GNR during a show in June 2006 helping anchor the rhythm section during subsequent tours, including their recent outings featuring the reunited trio of Axl rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. His last show with the band took place November 5, 2023 in Mexico.

Ferrer, 58, first joined founding members Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan nearly 20 years ago for a show in Dessel, Belgium.

According to The New York Post, although he was initially only meant to be a two-week replacement for Bryan Brain Mantia, Ferrer was named the bands official drummer that October.

Ferrer opened up in January about joining Guns N Roses with My Global Mind.

Im trying to keep it all inside, but in my mind, its like, bing, bing, bing, bing, bing, and exploding, of course, Ferrer said regarding his first official show with the Paradise City band. It was initially only going to be a temporary thing. It was only going to be for two weeks.

But in my heart, I felt like, if I could really do well on this, even if its just for two weeks, then it could open up a lot of doors, he continued. So, I didnt have any fear. A matter of fact, it was the complete opposite. I felt like, okay, Im ready for this.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on The Opening Kickoff on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.
The Rev. Mark Correll was senior pastor of the Cathedral of the Cross in Center Point from 1993-2007. He died on March 18, 2025. He was 70. Correll family photo

When the Rev. Mark Correll became pastor of Cathedral of the Cross in 1993, he inherited a mostly empty 8,000-seat church in Center Point and a $14 million debt.

Correll quickly built back the membership and paid off bondholders over the next three years, taking the church out of bankruptcy.

By the time Correll preached his last sermon as senior pastor at Cathedral of the Cross in 2007, the church had weekly attendance of 3,500 and was one of the largest Assembly of God congregations in the nation.

Correll died on Monday, March 18, after battling cancer and COVID-19. He was 70.

Correll, who had an accounting degree from Pennsylvania State University and worked as a controller for a printing company for 10 years, had a financial as well as spiritual mandate.

It was surprising to see the full extent of the debt, Correll recalled in a 2007 interview with The Birmingham News about his arrival at Cathedral of the Cross. When I got here, they had $750 in the bank and couldnt meet payroll.

In 2007, Correll stepped down as senior pastor of Cathedral of the Cross to become an international evangelist with plans to set up an Assemblies of God college branch in Israel.

But he soon found out he had Stage IV cancer.

Correll and Sheryl, his wife of 49 years, traveled extensively. Correll took mission trips to Romania, Jamaica, Russia and Zaire, and visited Israel at least 32 times.

Correll promoted support of Israel at Cathedral of the Cross. Weve been a pro-Israel church, he said in 2007. We fly an Israeli flag.

Correll was born Sept. 28, 1954, in Hazleton, Pa., was raised Catholic and served as an altar boy in his youth.

Correll gave up his business career to become senior pastor at Bellwood (Pa.) Assembly of God in 1988, then moved to Parkway Christian Fellowship in Huffman in 1990 to succeed founder Bob Smith as senior pastor.

Then Correll was tapped to salvage Cathedral of the Cross from a financial mess. The church used bond sales to build the largest capacity sanctuary in the Birmingham area, and bondholders were threatening to foreclose.

Correll said he insisted that everyone owed money was paid back in full, with interest, even though that wasnt required as part of the bankruptcy. That established our name back in the community, he said.

The attendance had dwindled at that point so that there were only 205 members who voted on calling Correll as pastor. A curtain had been drawn around the center pews of the church so that only 500 seats were showing.

Correll removed the curtain and eventually people began to fill the empty seats.

Its going to be emotional, Correll said as he left Cathedral of the Cross. Ive buried their loved ones, married their kids.

Correll also prided himself on establishing a truly integrated congregation at Cathedral of the Cross.

We are a multiracial church, one of the largest multiracial churches in the area, he said in 2007. Its about 50-50, black and white. Its not an issue here whether someones white or black. I tried to preach and teach and love people.

In 2011, a predominantly Black denomination, the Apostolic Overcoming Holy Church of God, bought the Cathedral of the Cross campus in Center Point and made it the headquarters of the international Pentecostal denomination. The AOH was founded in Mobile in 1920 as the Ethiopian Overcoming Holy Church of God. The headquarters moved to Birmingham in 1973.

A memorial service for Correll is planned for March 24 at 3 p.m. at Metropolitan Church of God in Birmingham, with visitation beginning at 1 p.m.
Global pop star Sabrina Carpenter is one of the headliners for the upcoming 2025 Lollapalooza music festival. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP) Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP

One of the biggest music festivals of the year, Lollapalooza, is returning to Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois this year. Set for July 31  August 3, this years Lollapalooza features headliners Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, Gracie Abrams and more.

With over 170 artists across every genre set to perform on eight stages this year, this festival is one you wont want to miss. Along with those mentioned above, other headliners for this years event include Korn, A$AP Rocky, Doechii, Twice, Luke Combs, and Rufus Du Sol.

Other notable artists participating in the festival this year include Dom Dolla, Cage the Elephant, Role Model, Finneas, Alex Warren, Dominic Fike, Martin Garrix, Young Miko and much more.

Breakdown of Lollapalooza ticket options

Four-day passes  Thursday, July 31 through Sunday, August 3

Single-day passes  Thursday, July 31

Single-day passes  Friday, August 1

Single-day passes  Saturday, August 2

Single-day passes  Sunday, August 3

Also within those ticket categories you have different styles of tickets such as general admission, general admission+, VIP, platinum and more.

Heres what you get with each style of ticket:

General Admission: Entry and access to all eight festival stages

General Admission Plus: Shaded seating in two areas, premium air-conditioned restrooms, complimentary water and soda, exclusive full-service bar

VIP: VIP lounge access with premium seating, shade, and elevated platforms and exclusive shuttles between lounges.

Platinum: Air-conditioned N & S Lounge with full-service bar and food, premium stage-view seating for all stages, and expedited shuttles to entrances, lounges and stages.

Where can I find the cheapest passes for Lollapalooza 2025 if I missed pre-sale?

For those who missed the Ticketmaster presale on Thursday, March 20 at 11 Central Time, there are still plenty of ways to get your hands on all the Lollapalooza ticket options mentioned above.

Trusted ticket resell vendors such as Vivid Seats, StubHub, Viagogo and Seat Geek are great secondary markets to check out for tickets to music festivals such as this one. Below you can find the cheapest tickets for all four-day Lollapalooza passes.

Four-day general admission: Vivid Seats ($738 per person) | StubHub ($529 per person) | Viagogo ($455 per person)

Four-day GA+: Vivid Seats ($871 per person) | StubHub ($908 per person) | Viagogo ($781 per person)

Four-day VIP: Vivid Seats ($1,824 per person) | StubHub ($1,883 per person) | Viagogo ($1,620 per person)

Four-day Platinum: Vivid Seats ($6,017 per person) | StubHub ($6,193 per person) | Viagogo ($5,327 per person)

The secondary ticket markets also have single-day passes for Lollapalooza for those unwilling to stay the entire four days. Its a good idea to regularly check these sites as oftentimes festivalgoers end up reselling their tickets for one reason or another.
Orange Beach is a popular Alabama vacation spot known for its pristine, sugar white sand beaches. But the city is growing rapidly. City officials recently adopted a nine-month moratorium to slow down the growth and prepare for what might occur in the future.

Orange Beach, Alabama has long been a sun-soaked haven where pristine beaches meet a vibrant, family-friendly community.

With its dazzling shoreline, booming tourist industry, and rapidly expanding school system, more people are flocking to this coastal paradise whether for a vacation or a fresh start.

But as growth continues to surge, so too does the pressure on the citys infrastructure, with crowded roads and overburdened utilities becoming frequent realities for residents.

In a historic move this week, the city council enacted a nine-month moratorium on large-scale residential projects, hoping to put the brakes on development long enough to assess what the future holds for this fast-growing beach town.

The moratorium on multi-family dwellings and single-family residential subdivisions with three or more lots with 9,000 square feet does not apply to the citys beachfront, which is home to large condominium towers.

I think for every one of us, its a conundrum, Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said during Tuesdays City Council meeting. Most of us here are all about property rights and the right to build. But at the same time, as elected officials, our job is to make sure we maintain our quality of life and do the best we can to keep our taxes low.

Baldwins growth

Orange Beachs move is nothing unusual for fast-growing Baldwin County. Cities like Fairhope and Daphne have adopted past moratoriums on apartment complexes. Others, like Gulf Shores, have enacted additional permitting to place more scrutiny on similar developments.

Slowing the growth comes as Baldwin County remains atop the states rankings as its fastest growing county. Huntsville and the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley area accounted for more than half of the states growth last year, according to recent Census figures.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon submitted photos

The growth in Baldwin County is beyond the norm, Kennon said. We all know that. Gone unchecked, we will either be catching up or we wont be able to catch up. What we are trying to do is get ahead of the growth and evaluate the infrastructure.

Orange Beach officials, in the coming weeks, will approve a contract with a company that will undertake an assessment of the citys assets and infrastructure, and see how current and future growth will affect it.

De-annexation

The moratorium, which will last until mid-December, comes as city officials consider shrinking the city limits through a de-annexation. The efforts have sparked two lawsuits alleging that the city is trying to exclude lower-income residents from the city school system. Orange Beach officials strongly deny these claims.

Kennon told AL.com last month that de-annexation was not meant to exclude students from the citys schools. The properties that were to be de-annexed are vacant. The citys concerns and interest in de-annexation came after a proposal, far from the city center, to add 1,700 new homes.

Kennon said the moratorium and de-annexation proposal go hand-in-hand as ways to control growth and costs. Those added costs could include an expansion of the citys sewer system, which Kennon estimates would be $40 million to $60 million. An addition to the citys schools could cost tens of millions of dollars as well, he said.

Kennon said he is not interested in the city taking on a lot of debt.

In the next five years, at the rate of the building (that is currently going on), you are looking to as many as 7,000 new homes, Kennon said. We are the ones who have to deal with it and one of two things has to happen: there is a reduction in services, or an increase in taxes. We want to keep everyones taxes low and maintain the level of services we provide.

Moratoriums elsewhere

Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan speaks during the City of Fairhope's groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, June 25, 2024, for the future Flying Creek Nature Preserve in Fairhope, Ala. The approximately $2 million project includes nature trails, trailhead with informational kiosks, parking, restrooms, and the redevelopment of an existing house into a nature center. Future phases include kayak/canoe launches, biking trails and more. John Sharp

The issues playing out in Orange Beach come as Fairhope city leaders debate how to handle its own growth. The Fairhope City Council approved in February its third moratorium in nine years to halt new apartment construction and subdivisions.

The efforts in Fairhope could become more permanent. City officials are exploring whether to put a permanent cap on multi-unit housing. Krebs Engineering has been hired to do a sewer capacity study, which the council is expected to review next month.

I do think probably the larger municipalities like Daphne, Foley and Fairhope, we are seeing more density on the outskirts of our city limits, Fairhope Mayor Sherry Sullivan said. If those folks annex in, it would impact our resources that we offer.

Sullivan said that a strain on utilities and infrastructure underscore Fairhopes issues. The biggest impact in recent years has been with repeated water emergencies and conservation requests. The citys population has soared 63% in the past 15 years, from 15,326 residents in 2010 to around 25,000.

Sullivan has been critical of new subdivision regulations approved by the Baldwin County Commission in early January. She said the new county regulations allow for more dense development, which affects all of Baldwin County when they dont provide any services.

Baldwin County Engineer Frank Lundy said the new regulations strengthen several areas in the unincorporated areas such as stormwater management, open space and buffers to adjacent properties, environmental preservation, traffic management and require a more thorough review of a utilitys ability to serve a new development.

Lundy also said the development did not increase density from previous regulations but mandated that other methods like useable open spaces and wider street designs be incorporated into higher density projects.

Through collaborative efforts with our municipal partners, Baldwin County continues to embrace responsible growth to create an exceptional place to live, work, and visit for generations to come, Lundy said.

Forward looking

Kennon said he is not overly concerned about the countys regulations because Orange Beach does not share a significant border with county property.

Kennon also declined to say that the upcoming municipal elections in August, in which growth management is a top policy concern in Baldwin County, has anything to do with implementing the moratorium.

They either want me or they dont, Kennon said about the upcoming election, in which he will seek re-election. But when it comes to growth on the north side, it struck a chord with us that we need to get a handle on what was coming.

In nearby Foley, city officials have approved, over the years, across-the-board standards for development that include impact fees, low impact development standards, density changes, and additional infrastructure requirements.

Foley Mayor Ralph Hellmich said the city has seen a 70% drop in permitting for both residential and multi-family apartments. Over the last several months, we have seen little or no movement for new residential subdivisions, the mayor said.

We do not think a moratorium is needed because we have already implemented changes needed to both moderate growth and get better growth, said Hellmich.

Kennon said the moratorium is unusual for Orange Beach. He said the city government has not had to intervene in construction activity beyond temporary restrictions on fishing or boating licenses.

The bottom line, he said during Tuesdays meeting. Is if we dont do anything, there will be an effect on your quality of life and that on the equality of us as a city. We need to get ahead of it.
Today on the podcast we have AL.com reporter Ivana Hrynkiw to update us on some prison issues. Her series on Alabamas parole practices last year caught a lot of attention, so well get updated on that. Also, well talk about a couple of high-profile death-penalty cases -- one that was recently commuted by Gov. Kay Ivey and another (Toforest Johnsons) that has gotten a lot of attention already.

The rest of the report follows the podcast embed.

Change in US-NATO relationship?

As the chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Mike Rogers, an Alabama Republican, is speaking out against reported plans by the Trump administration to end the U.S. hold on NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, reports AL.coms Howard Koplowitz.

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe is a NATO position held by four-star U.S. generals dating back to Gen. Dwight Eisenhowers tenure. NBC reported Tuesday that the Department of Defense may give up control of that post. The reports sources were two anonymous Defense Department officials.

Rogers joined Senate Armed Forces Committee Chair Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, to voice opposition to the reported plan.

In a statement, the two called for continuing Americas leadership among our allies and warned that the plans risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with Americas adversaries.

Goat Hill roundup

Heres another legislative roundup from the State House:

Gov. Kay Ivey signed the state Glock switch ban into law.

The Senate passed a bill that would allow the review of life sentences being served by some inmates who were sentenced under the Habitual Offender Law before May 26, 2000. The law was changed to be less hardline since then. Inmates who were convicted of homicides, sexually-based or violent offenses would not be eligible.

State Rep. Mack Butler, a Rainbow City Republican, has filed a bill that would require religiously affiliated private schools to accept religious exemptions to otherwise required vaccines.

Nitrogen execution in Louisiana

Louisiana resumed capital punishment this week when it became the second state, behind Alabama, to use nitrogen gas to execute a convicted killer, reports the Associated Press.

Witnesses, including those in the media, reported some convulsive activity by the condemned man but nothing outside what they expected.

It was the fifth nitrogen execution in the U.S. The first four happened here in Alabama. Mississippi and Oklahoma also have approved nitrogens use, and Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders this week signed into law legislation approving its use there.

By the Numbers

15

Thats likely to be the final tally of tornadoes that have been confirmed since Saturdays outbreak of severe weather. Fourteen of those were in the central part of the state, with one touching down in North Alabama and none in South Alabama.

More Alabama News

Born on This Date

In 1935, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Sam Lay of Birmingham. He played with many artists, including Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley. As a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Lay was behind the kit when Bob Dylan went electric at Newport.

The podcast
A north Alabama man was sentenced Thursday to 40 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to stalking and extorting a woman and making child pornography, prosecutors said.

Donald Wayne Carmody, 29, of New Hope, pleaded guilty in December to cyberstalking, extortion, and production of child pornography.

On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Liles Burke sentenced Carmody to 480 months -- or 40 years -- in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Prim F. Escalona and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Carlton L. Peeples.

The convictions will require Carmody to register as a sex offender in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

According to the plea agreement, Carmody used anonymous text messages to threaten to release pictures of the victim on the internet if she did not send him intimate photographs.

Carmody also obtained the victims login credentials for her social media accounts and accessed their contents.

After Carmody was arrested on cyberstalking and extortion charges for this conduct, investigators discovered a USB thumb drive belonging to him that contained images of child pornography involving two victims under the age of twelve.

The FBIs Video Forensic Analysis Unit compared the images from the thumb drive, which showed a persons hand, to pictures of Carmodys hands taken during the investigation.

The FBI unit identified similar class and distinguishing characteristics between the images, demonstrating that the hand in the images on the thumb drive belonged to Carmody.

The FBI investigated the case with help from the Madison County Sheriffs Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Hundscheid prosecuted the case.

Anyone who suspects or becomes aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child was asked to contact law enforcement.

To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports may also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Led by U.S. attorneys offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

For more resources on cybercrime, visit www.ic3.gov.
An Alabama legislative committee discussed but took no action Wednesday on a bill to make it a crime to put any chemical, substance, or apparatus into the sky to try to affect the weather or sunlight.

The sponsor, Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, said Alabama needs a law to prohibit activities or experiments intended to affect weather, including efforts that are in response to climate change.

For many years we as a state have been at war with the federal government trying to cram values down our throats that werent Alabama values, Butler said. I see this as no different.

The Alabama House Economic Development and Tourism Committee held a public hearing on the bill but did not take a vote.

The chairman, Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, said in a text message on Thursday that he was not convinced the bill was addressing a serious threat.

Our committee will take a look at the evidence presented during the public hearing and make a decision based only on evidence and facts, Whitt said. In my personal opinion, this legislation does not meet this criteria.

I do not believe that there is this huge federal government conspiracy that is spraying chemtrails and poisoning our citizens. I have been witnessing and counting plane contrails since I was a young child.

We will look into it, but at this time, I do not see the bill moving this session.

Conspiracy theories about the government controlling the weather circulated last year after Hurricane Helene, including claims that the storm was steered to North Carolina.

Related: James Spann reported threats over hurricane misinformation: If you hate me that is fine

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene helped fuel the rumors with a post on X in October.

Yes they can control the weather, Greene wrote. Anyone who says they dont, or makes fun of this, is lying to you.

Greene linked to a 2016 video of CIA Director John Brennan talking about stratospheric aerosol injections (SAI), a form of solar geoengineering.

Brennan said SAI is a method of seeding the atmosphere with particles that can help reflect the suns heat in much the same way that volcanic eruptions do.

An SAI program could limit global temperature increases, reducing some risks associated with higher temperatures and providing the world economy additional time to transition from fossil fuels, Brennan said.

A 2023 report by the Congressional Research Service, Solar Geoengineering and Climate Change, included a brief explanation of several proposed methods to try to limit global warming, including SAI.

The report describes the methods as theoretical and said that as of May 2023 that no solar geoengineering experiments at scale had been carried out.

Thus, most of the current understanding about SG comes from theoretical and modeling studies, the report says.

In response to the rumors about Hurricane Helene last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said no technology exists that can create, destroy, modify, strengthen or steer hurricanes in any way, shape or form.

The NOAA said, Solar geoengineering, a theoretical practice which would modify the atmosphere to shade Earths surface by reflecting sunlight back into space, is not taking place at scale anywhere in the world.

Butlers bill would make it a make it a crime to knowingly inject, release, or disperse, by any means, any chemical compound, substance, or apparatus within or above this state for the purpose of affecting weather, including temperature or the intensity of sunlight.

Stephanie Durnin, director of Health Freedom Alabama, who spoke at the public hearing, said more than 20 other states, including Florida, have considered similar legislation. Tennessee has passed a bill.

Butlers initial bill did not carry any criminal penalties but he said a substitute version would make the crime a Class A misdemeanor that would carry a fine of $100,000.

Butler said the bill would set up a procedure for citizens to report what they believe are violations of the prohibition. He said it would set up an Alabama Air Pollution Control Fund, to be administered by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Butler said he had not discussed the legislation with ADEM.

Whitt questioned how people would be able to recognize violations.

Whitt said that since the bill appeared on the committees agenda, people interested in the legislation had been sending him photos of contrails, the white streaks that form behind jets crossing the sky.

How would you go about trying to police that, when a flight is originating in Georgia thats flying to Texas and theyre coming over the state of Alabama? Whitt said. And youve not got a website that these individuals can go to report violations. Will they just not load that website up?

It would be cumbersome, Butler said.

Butler said he was open to ideas about changing his bill but said he wanted to start discussion of the issues.

Butler said he had heard conspiracy theories related to weather control experiments.

Theres all kinds of conspiracies people have told me about, Butler said.

I dont know about the North Carolina thing. Ive had people reach out to me and tell me you can control hail. You can steer tornadoes and do different things. I dont know that you can do that.

But if something is going to take place, whether it was a permitted system or whatever, we need to have the policy to protect our citizens. So thats where Im at in bringing this. It will be up to you guys to do what you think.

Durnin said the legislation is needed because she said the threat from climate intervention experiments are real.

The same people who lecture us about climate change are the same people advocating for spraying unknown substances into our skies, Durning said. They claim it will cool the planet. They ignore the dangers to human health.

Alabama does not consent to being a test site for dangerous new geoengineering schemes, Durnin said.

This story was edited on March 21 to correct the spelling of Stephanie Durnin.
The Alabama congressman who heads the powerful House Armed Services Committee voiced his opposition Wednesday to a report that the Trump administration plans to withdraw from NATOs top command in Europe as part of an overall military restructuring.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, responded to an NBC report published Tuesday that the Department of Defense is considering no longer having an American lead NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe, which has been headed by a four-star U.S. general since Dwight Eisenhower first assumed the role.

The NBC report, which cited two anonymous Defense Department officials with knowledge of the plans, stated the U.S. is also considering nixing a plan to expand American forces in Japan and consolidating five of 11 U.S. commands.

U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear, Rogers said in a joint statement Wednesday with Senate Armed Forces Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss.

Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim DoD is considering unilateral changes on major strategic issues, including significant reductions to U.S. forces stationed abroad, absent coordination with the White House and Congress, the lawmakers said.

The statement by Rogers and Wicker, both Republicans, marked a rare instance that GOP leaders of influential congressional committees pushed back against the administration.

We support President Trumps efforts to ensure our allies and partners increase their contributions to strengthen our alliance structure, and we support continuing Americas leadership abroad. As such, we will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress, Rogers and Wicker stated.

The proposals, the lawmakers said, risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with Americas adversaries.
White House staff secretary Will Scharf hands President Donald Trump an executive order to sign in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick watches. (Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is making waves in President Donald Trumps administration, according to a far-ranging CNN article about him published Tuesday.

Lutnick was a major backer of Trumps reelection campaign, donating $5 million to his PAC and raising $15 million in August at a fundraiser at his home in the Hamptons, on New Yorks Long Island. He outspent longtime Trump supporters and became a major architect of the presidents cabinet as cochair of his transition team.

Lutnick, a Haverford College alum and the schools largest donor, is the CEO of financial firm Cantor Fitzgerald. On Haverfords Main Line campus, he is a familiar presence, with buildings named after him, his best friend, and his company.

He was confirmed as commerce secretary on Feb. 18 with a 51-48 vote split along party lines.

Here are some takeaways from CNNs dive into Lutnicks reputation in the White House so far.

Lutnick cheers for tariffs on TV, but privately disagrees

Lutnick has become a cheerleader for Trumps trade war with a near constant presence on cable television, CNN reported. But he has privately told friends that he is not thrilled that Trump fractured trade relations with Canada and Mexico by raising tariffs from the start instead of using them as leverage down the line.

While his frequent television appearances have shown his public-facing loyalty to Trumps tariffs agenda, they have not landed smoothly with everyone.

Two Fortune 50 executives told CNN that they have not been able to get meetings with Lutnick, as they have with other senior members of Trumps administration, and one anonymous executive lamented that Lutnick is too busy being on f------ television.

A White House official objected to that narrative to CNN and said that the secretary has been in regular contact with business leaders. White House spokesperson Kush Desai argued that all of Trumps staffers are playing from the same playbook and are aligned on Trumps agenda.

Lutnick really wanted to be treasury secretary

Lutnick aggressively campaigned for himself to be treasury secretary instead of Scott Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager who used to be aligned with the Democratic Party and was picked for the role. Lutnick argued that he was most loyal to Trumps tariffs agenda and even publicly secured the backing of Elon Musk.

That stunt resulted in transition aides comparing Lutnick to Dick Cheney, who selected himself after leading the search for George W. Bushs 2000 vice presidential candidate. White House staff felt as if they had to pick sides during confirmation hearing preparations, and there is still lingering tension surrounding Lutnick and Bessent, CNN reported.

A really good bad cop

Lutnick has what CNN described as a New York brashness. This has rubbed some the wrong way, but it has also been embraced.

Lutnick has excelled in a good cop, bad cop partnership with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum during trade negotiations with Canadian provinces, according to Kevin OLeary, a Canadian businessman close to the Trump administration, who told CNN that Lutnick is a really good bad cop.

Fast and loose with the facts

CNN reported that some of Trumps allies are not pleased that Lutnick can be fast and loose with the facts.

Lutnick said ahead of the election that now-Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would not lead that department if Trump was elected. This was shortly after Kennedy publicly stated that Trump promised him control over public health in his new administration, and shortly before he was nominated for the role.

Lutnick also told CNN in October that Elon Musk would not work in the Trump administration but instead would write software he would give to the government.

He also recently struck a different tone from Trump about whether to expect a recession.

I would never bet on recession, Lutnick said on NBCs Meet the Press. No chance.

Trump, on the other hand, said on Fox that he does not like to predict things like that and that there is a period of transition.

_____

2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer. Visit inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Donald Trump speaks to the media at Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Pool photo via AP) AP

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency thats been a longtime target of conservatives.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement.

Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, finalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

Trumps Republican administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half, and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

This isnt fixing education. Its making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And were not about to let that happen without a fight, the National Parents Union said in a statement.

The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be a better functioning Department of Education.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.

Currently, much of the agencys work revolves around managing money  both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents groups demand more authority over their childrens schooling.

In his platform, Trump promised to close the department and send it back to the states, where it belongs. Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of radicals, zealots and Marxists who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.

At the same time, Trump has leaned on the Education Department to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education funding to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in womens sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.

Even some of Trumps allies have questioned his power to close the agency without action from Congress, and there are doubts about its political popularity. The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

During Trumps first term, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agencys budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. It was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

In a controversial move, President Donald Trump is taking steps to fulfill one of his campaign promises: dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Trump is expected to sign an executive order designed to significantly reduce the federal governments role in education.

In a recent interview, Trump reportedly said of the department: I expect it will [be shut down entirely]. Youll have a few people left just to make sure [the states are] teaching English, you know, you say reading, writing and arithmetic.

Its important to note that the President cannot immediately eliminate the Education Department due to its establishment by Congress. However, the initiative reflects Trumps vision of decentralizing education policy.

Trumps order directs newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the complex process of winding down the departments operations. The goal is to redistribute its functions to transfer educational responsibilities to state and local governments.

Key Elements of the EO:

Decreased funding for specific federal education initiatives, particularly in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and gender ideology

Development of a strategy to redirect federal education funds to states, local governments, and individual students

Maintenance of federal support for students with disabilities and underprivileged schools

Continuation of federal student loan programs

The Trump administration has already significantly reduced the departments workforce by approximately 50% through layoffs and voluntary departures.

While supporters hail this move as a step toward educational freedom and local control, some critics argue that it could lead to inconsistent educational standards across the country and potentially reduce resources for disadvantaged students.

So, as President Trump moves to dismantle the Department of Education, many questions are emerging not only about the future of education policy but also key education-related tax benefits. Heres more of what you need to know.

Are education tax credits at risk under Trump?

As Kiplinger has reported, Republican lawmakers recently circulated proposals for significant changes to the tax code, some of which target popular tax credits.

Among proposals reportedly under consideration are modifications to or eliminating significant federal tax breaks like the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC).

The AOTC currently provides up to $2,500 a year for eligible higher education expenses during a students first four years of college. The LLC offers a 20% credit on up to $10,000 in annual education expenses with no limit on years claimed.

Those potential reforms, which havent yet been set in stone, are part of broader tax policy discussions as the administration seeks to make tax cuts from Trumps first term permanent. According to proposals under consideration by House Republicans, eliminating the AOTC and the LLC is estimated to save the government $85 billion over 10 years.

Will scholarships be taxable?

Republican lawmakers are also said to be exploring changes to education-related tax policies, with one proposal targeting the tax-exempt status of scholarships. If embraced, that potential shift could have far-reaching implications for students and families.

Currently, scholarships and fellowships used for qualified educational expenses are not subject to federal income tax.

However, a proposed system could introduce tax on various forms of educational financial assistance, possibly including some state-sponsored programs.

That could significantly affect college affordability, particularly for families who depend on scholarships to fund higher education.

Under the potential new approach, scholarship funds that are currently tax-free when applied to tuition and required course materials might be reclassified as taxable income for students.

According to proposals being floated by the House Budget Committee, Republicans estimate that they can save $54 billion over 10 years by eliminating the exclusion of scholarship and fellowship income from taxation.

What happens if Trump closes the Department of Education?

The potential closure of the Department of Education under President Trumps administration has sparked widespread concern about the future of crucial educational programs and services in the United States.

One pressing issue is the fate of the federal student loan program, which manages a vast amount of student debt affecting millions in the United States.

If the Education Department is effectively shuttered, the administration of these loans would likely shift to another federal agency, possibly the U.S. Treasury Department.

This transition could substantially change loan servicing, repayment plans, and forgiveness programs.

Borrowers would still have to repay their loans but would face significant uncertainty and chaos regarding their existing loans and future financial aid.

The impact on students with disabilities is another major area of concern.

The Department of Education plays a crucial role in enforcing federal laws that protect the rights of students with disabilities and ensure they receive appropriate accommodations and services in schools.

With the departments workforce significantly reduced, there are worries about how effectively these protections can be maintained and enforced nationwide.

The potential weakening of federal oversight could result in inconsistent implementation of disability rights across different states, potentially leaving students without adequate support.

The allocation and management of federal funding for special education programs is another critical issue.

The federal government provides substantial funding to states for special education services. If the Department of Education is eliminated, its unclear how this vital funding would be distributed and overseen.

Its also worth noting that many states are already struggling to fully fund special education services. So, any disruption in federal support could exacerbate these challenges, potentially leading to reduced services for students.

As this situation unfolds, educators, parents, and students are unfortunately left with many unanswered questions about the future of federal education policy and financial support and, yes  tax policy as well.

All contents copyright 2025 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau runs during an NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers won 75-68. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP

The No. 7 UCLA Bruins play against the No. 10 Utah State Aggies in an NCAA Tournament game tonight. The matchup will begin at 8:25 p.m. CT on TNT. Fans can watch this first-round game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Bruins enter this matchup with a 22-10 record, and they have a 9-8 record against Quad 1 opponents. However, the team is coming off an 86-70 loss against Wisconsin.

In order to bounce back tonight, the Bruins will need to rely on their forward Tyler Bilodeau. He leads the team in scoring, as he averages more than 13 points per game.

Bilodeau shot 1-7 from the field last game, so he will look to improve his offensive play this evening.

The Aggies enter this matchup with a 26-7 record, and they have won two of their last three games.

In order to pull off the upset, Utah State will need a great performance from their guard Ian Martinez. He averages nearly 17 points per game, which leads the team.

Fans can watch this NCAA Tournament game for free online by using the free trial offered by DirecTV Stream. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Storm Prediction Center's storm report map has filled up with tornado confirmations over Alabama. The National Weather Service has confirmed 15 tornadoes from that round of severe storms. Storm Prediction Center

The tornado count from last Saturdays severe weather is at 15, and it could stay there.

The National Weather Service in Birmingham said it confirmed another tornado track from March 15s round of severe weather, bringing the total for central Alabama to 14.

The weather service in Huntsville confirmed a tornado track in north Alabama earlier this week, and there were no confirmed tornadoes in south Alabama.

That brings the total for the entire state to 15.

35 1 / 35 Severe Weather in Alabama: March 15th weekend

The weather service said no new storm surveys are planned.

The tornado added to the list on Wednesday was an EF-2 in Sumter County.

The strongest tornado was an EF-3 that struck the Dallas County town of Plantersville, killing two people. That tornado had winds estimated at 140 mph.

A third person was killed when an EF-2 struck Talladega County.

Here are the 15 tornadoes from Saturday, March 15:

Lexington tornado (Lauderdale County): EF-1, top winds 108 mph. Path length 2.29 miles; path width 63 yards. No injuries. Tornado touched down at 2:21 p.m. Saturday near Lexington.

Lewiston-Holman tornado (Greene/Pickens/Tuscaloosa counties): EF-1, top winds 90 mph. Path length 26.26 miles; path width 1,200 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 3:08 p.m. Saturday near near Highway 14 in Greene County and lifted near Highway 82 in Tuscaloosa County.

Gordo tornado (Pickens County): EF-2, top winds 115 mph. Path length 21.53 yards; path width 950 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 4:58 p.m. near County Road 2 and lifted near Zion Road. EF-2, top winds 115 mph. Path length 21.53 yards; path width 950 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 4:58 p.m. near County Road 2 and lifted near Zion Road.

Alamuchee Creek tornado (Sumter County): EF-2, top winds 120 mph. Path length 3.32 miles; path width 650 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 5:20 p.m. near Loon Curl Road in a hunting camp and lifted near County Road 13.

Allenville Road tornado (Hale/Perry counties): EF-0, top winds, 80 mph. Path length 21.72 miles; path width 500 yards. No injuries. Tornado touched down at 6:39 p.m. Saturday near Gallion in Hale County and lifted near Morgan Springs in Perry County.

Deer Creek Road tornado (Bibb County): EF-0, peak winds 80 mph. Path length 7.63 miles; path width 75 yards. No injuries. Tornado touched down at 7:39 p.m. Saturday near the Talladega National Forest in Bibb County and lifted near Ashby.

Calera tornado (Chilton/Shelby counties): EF-1, peak winds 90 mph. Path Length 7.28 miles; path width 250 yards. No injuries. Tornado touched down at 7:57 p.m. near Minooka Park in Chilton County and lifted near Camp Branch in Shelby County.

Lawler Drive tornado (Shelby County): EF-1, peak winds 90 mph. Path length 2.55 miles; path width 150 yards. No injuries. Tornado touched down at 8 p.m. Saturday near Montevallo in Shelby County and lifted near American Village.

Winterboro tornado (Talladega County): EF-2, peak winds 120 mph. Path Length 3.63 miles; path width 500 yards. One death and one injury. Tornado touched down at 8:42 p.m. Saturday in Winterboro in Talladega County and lifted nearby. The tornado did significant damage to the Old Winterboro High School building and gym. One person was killed when a single-wide manufactured home was destroyed near Bob White Road.

Plantersville tornado (Dallas/Autauga/Chilton counties): EF-3, peak winds 140 mph. Path length 24.33 miles; path width 1,000 yards. Two deaths and two injuries. The tornado touched down at 8:50 p.m. Saturday near Valley Creek Junction in Dallas County and lifted near Clanton in Chilton County.

County Road 29 tornado (Coosa County): EF-1, top winds 110 mph. Path length 12.02 miles; path width 200 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 9:33 p.m. over the Coosa Wildlife Management Area in southwestern Coosa County and lifted near County Road 18.

Horseshoe Bend tornado (Tallapoosa County): EF-2, top winds 120 mph. Path length 20.44 miles; path width 800 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down near Dare Park in Tallapoosa County and lifted near Daviston.

Pike County tornado (Pike and Bullock counties): EF-2, top winds 130 mph. Path length 21.29, path width 1,400 yards. Three injuries. The tornado touched down at 11:02 p.m. Saturday on Pike County Road 2228 south of Troy and lifted in Bullock County west of Perote.

Snapper Creek tornado (Chambers County): EF-0, top winds 80 mph. Path length 3.80 miles; path width 100 yards. No injuries. The tornado touched down at 11:59 p.m. Saturday near Snapper Creek and lifted before reaching County Road 83.

Sipsey/Campbellville tornado (Walker County): EF-2, top winds 120 mph. Details to come.
Solar electricity has big problems. Solar is intermittent. It stops working if clouds obscure the sun. It does not work at night. Solar works much better in the summer than in the winter. Solar is peaky. Electricity delivery peaks in the middle of the day and is weaker in the early morning or late afternoon.

Solar electricity is very expensive compared to electricity generated by natural gas or coal. Unsubsidized solar electricity costs about $150 per megawatt hour. Using natural gas, one can generate electricity for as little as $20 per megawatt hour -- over seven times less. The high cost of solar is hidden by an extensive system of subsidies.

The intermittent delivery of electricity could be smoothed if it were possible to store the electricity for use when solar is not working. But its not possible. Bridging the times and seasons when solar is not working by means of storage is not remotely possible because the amount of storage needed would cost ten or even a hundred times more than the solar farms generating the electricity.

There is a demand for electricity storage. Storage can solve the peakiness problem that plagues solar. Because solar output surges in the middle of the day It will often overtax the ability of the local electrical grid to accept the electricity. The solution is time-shiftng batteries that store excessive midday power and release it later in the day or in the early evening. New solar plants in solar-heavy states are equipped with time-shifting batteries. Time-shifting batteries increase the cost of solar electricity by about a third.

The U.S. is spending about $50 billion per year on new solar electricity plants. The money comes from government subsidies and increased electricity rates. New solar plants with a capacity, or peak output, of 27 terrawatts were built in 2023. The solar plants are backed up by fossil-fuel plants capable of stepping in when solar is not working. If existing solar plants were razed, the electric grid would continue to work smoothly using the fossil-fuel plants that would otherwise be on backup duty for solar.

When solar electricity is generated, the backup plants are throttled back and cheap fossil-fuel electricity is replaced with expensive solar electricity. The result is that in solar-heavy states like California residential electrical rates often exceed 50 cents per kilowatt hour or about four times as much compared to states that are not buying into the solar mythology.

Solar electricity is justified by claiming that we may run out of fossil fuels. Another major justification is that using solar will help prevent a climate catastrophe because solar does not emit CO2.

Solar is also promoted by claiming that solar electricity is cheaper than using fossil fuels.

We might run out of fossil fuels someday. But the U.S. has enough coal and natural gas to last for hundreds of years. No matter what the Sierra Club says, modern fossil-fuel generating plants are not giant air polluters. Insisting that we plan for the hypothetical exhaustion of fossil fuels in the future is like demanding that Columbus devise a plan for interstate horse trails to be built 500 years after his discovery of America.

The climate crisis is widely recognized as being junk science that showers career benefits on climate scientists. Predicting a future catastrophe is a wonderful way to attract attention and finance. Scientists who criticize the catastrophe theory are routinely persecuted, clear evidence that something is amiss in the world of climate science. Close examination of this so-called science, in the British government Stern Review, reveals that the catastrophe at most is a mild shift in the climate. Even that mild shift is probably an exaggeration.

Using solar electricity instead of natural gas electricity, to reduce CO2 emissions is very expensive, costing about $400 for each metric ton of CO2 not emitted. Nuclear energy reduces CO2 emissions for three times less cost per metric ton. There is enough uranium and thorium to provide nuclear energy for thousands of years. Nuclear electricity is not intermittent and does not require backup plants. Roughly, a single truck can carry nuclear fuel that can supply as much energy as 5000 railroad cars full of coal. Nuclear fuel is much cheaper than any fossil fuel. There are clear paths to make nuclear energy safer and cheaper such as modular reactors or liquid salt thorium reactors.

The current adoption of solar energy on a mass scale is difficult to explain. It is too simple to blame it on collective insanity. The technical and financial analysis is not difficult. Many critics have written articles and books pointing out the fallacies. Somehow, the critics are ignored. Politicians, media, and academics are driving the solar bandwagon full speed ahead.

My best explanation for the survival of the solar hoax is that when the CO2-driven global warming theory gained popularity there was a need for a method of generating electricity without CO2 emissions. The obvious solution, nuclear energy, was rejected because the environmental lobby had previously demonized nuclear energy so much that it would be difficult to rehabilitate it -- that left hydro and various marginal energy sources. Hydro was rejected because the environmental lobby previously demonized dams. Hydro also lacks scalability, because there is a limited supply of suitable sites. The most practical remaining technologies that are scalable are wind and solar. Generous government subsidies hide the high cost of wind and solar. Although wind energy is not discussed here, it has problems similar to solar energy problems.

The solar electricity industry depends on government subsidies and mandates. It is not surprising that a $50 billion a year industry is able to influence the government to protect its franchise. Many other industries of dubious value are protected by government favors. For example, half the corn crop is turned into ethanol and burned up in gasoline. That activity is supported because Republican farming states need places to sell their corn.

The media rarely critically examines the solar industry. I mark that up to scientific ignorance. Very few media types have any understanding of engineering or science. They cant independently examine the issues because to them it is all a mystery.

The professors that support solar energy are very dependent on government grants that are heavily influenced by politics. Supporting uneconomic but politically popular energy solutions is a matter of career survival. Principled critics risk cancellation.

Solar energy survives due to a web of ignorance, financial opportunism, and promotion by interested parties. Killing the industry will save $50 billion per year and be a victory for rational policy.

Norman Rogers has a website solarshame.com.

Image: Oregon Department of Transportation
If you wish to experience Europe with all its unique nations, hurry because the entire continent is rapidly changing due to (legal and illegal) unchecked Islamic immigration, demographic shifts, and political pandering. Even with no future immigration, Muslims in Europe will increase their population. They are giving birth at a much higher rate than non-Muslims: 2.6 children compared to 1.6 children. It doesnt take a mathematician to see where this goes.

In 2006, Muammar Gaddafi said:

We have 50 million Muslims in Europe. There are signs that Allah will grant Islam victory in Europewithout swords, without guns, without conquestwill turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades.

Most European leadership is blind to what is happeningor doesnt care.

Muslims on London's sidewalks. X screen grab.

If you visit Europe, be sure you know where you are walking. The Migration Research Institute in Budapest, which is affiliated with the renowned Matthias Corvinus College, estimated in 2024 that there are 900 NO-GO ZONES across Europe. This is the result of Europes open-border policies that brought in an influx of Muslims who do not wish to assimilate into their adopted homeland. Instead, they want their adopted homeland to become an Islamic Sharia paradise.

German playwright Botho Strauss wasnt afraid to say what many have been thinking:

In the course of the demographic change due to the majority of Muslim population in the metropolises expected in the near future, other priorities could emerge with respect to tolerance and diversity. How ridiculous and senseless then it is to continue with the tired and saccharine tones of tolerance towards a class of people who in our cities are rising to the majority.

Throughout Europe, if you say anything about what is happening to your country or continent due to the influx of legal or illegal radicalized Muslim immigrants, youre quickly called Islamophobicand possibly arrested. For example, Member of Parliament Paul Scully was verbally attacked in February for appearing on BBC Radio London, where he responded to another MP by saying:

There are areas where there are a tiny minority of people who make people uncomfortable about not being of their religion, of their culture, who are misinterpreting their own doctrine. Thats not to say Tower Hamlets itself is a no-go area.

Scully was quickly criticized for even implying that London has any no-go areas. The BBC quoted a source close to Londons Mayor Sadiq Khan:

Unfortunately, Paul Scully is resorting to a notorious Islamophobic trope - with the highly offensive and untrue claim that there are no-go areas for non-Muslims in parts of London.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer calls anti-immigrant sentiment far right as if its a bad thing to want to protect your homeland from an Islamic invasion. Just ask the people in Wethersfield, England, who will only whisper the truth about what asylum seekers are doing to their once quaint village.

But what about America? Well, its here, too.

Paterson, New Jersey, once a solid blue-collar city, has morphed into Palestine, New Jersey. In 2022, Main Street was officially changed to Palestine Way. Guess which day they officially made the change? On Israels Independence Day.

In New Jerseys First Islamic City, Amy Mek, writing in RAIR Foundation USA (Rise Align Ignite Reclaim), points out:

Muslim elected leaders with deep ties to radical Islamic organizations are prioritizing Islamic identity over American values, steering Paterson away from its historical roots. Every policy change, symbolic gesture, and political appointment moves the city closer to becoming an Islamic enclave.

Just 30 miles from Dallas, Yasir Qadhi, a Pakistani American imam and theologian, is building a self-contained Muslim Sharia city of 1,000+ homes in East Plano, Texas.

Hillel Fuld, an American Israeli technology business advisor, blogger, and vlogger with a large following, posted on X:

If the west doesnt wake up soon and start recognizing how radical Islam is penetrating every pillar of society, if people dont stop labeling anyone who acknowledges the agenda of radical Islam an Islamophobe, if we dont reverse the trajectory that were on, western civilization will join every other empire that threw morality out the window right before its demise. The west is falling, and radical Islam is rising. Please, people, wake the hell up. This shouldnt be a political issue of the left and the right. This is a question of survival and if we dont open our eyes soon, radical Islam will accomplish its goal and achieve its mission. They state it clearly. They (Islamists) want the destruction of the west. Theyre using our politicians, our students, and our youth to spread the very dangerous cancer that is radical Islam. We need to diagnose the cancer and administer chemotherapy immediately. Time is not on our side and history is quite clear about what happens next. I hope Im wrong. But Im not. I never, in my wildest darkest dreams imagined Id see Americans marching in the streets of New York calling for the murder of Jews and declaring their support and loyalty to genocidal terrorist organizations full of murderers, rapists, and pedophiles. But here we are. Wake up. We are approaching the point of no return.

Of course, not every Muslim is looking to kill Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, and other non-Muslim people. But what if only 1 percent of the worlds Muslims want to harm infidels? One percent doesnt sound like that much, does it? However, as of 2020, there were over 1.8 billion Muslims in the world. Thats more than 25 percent of the worlds population, second after Christianity.

If just 1 percent of the worlds Muslim population is violently radicalized, that would equal 18 million Islamic jihadists. Ah, but we keep hearing that Islam is the religion of peace:

Syria  Muslims are massacring Christians!

Africa  Muslims are slaughtering Christians!

Europe  Muslims are murdering Christians!

Israel  Muslims are killing Jews! On October 7, 2023, they killed, raped and/or kidnapped about 1,400 innocent Israelis of all faiths.

United States  Muslims are rioting for Hamas and/or planning or killing innocent Americans.

Leftists in Europe and Democrats in America refuse to respond to growing radical Jihadist threats. Instead, in cowardly fashion, they call us Islamophobes because we express valid concerns about radical Islam destroying Western civilization. Maybe leftists in America and Europe should learn how to say Auschwitz in Arabic.

Robin M. Itzler is a regular contributor to American Thinker. She is the founder and editor of Patriot Neighbors, a free weekly national newsletter. Robin can be reached at PatriotNeighbors@yahoo.com.
Image: Hercules and the Lernaean Hydra by Gustave Moreau

As far back in time as we can trace him, man has been tested no less severely by himself than the natural world. Starvation, disease, and wild animals conspired to menace his life. However, so did those of his own kind who envied him what he had and were ready to steal the fruits of his labor. And thus the history of mankind began.

Whenever it enters the relationship between fellow men, envy acts like a poison to the soul, displacing good will and tempting to lowliness. It tears families apart and pits siblings against each other. It may also come between man and his god. As we are told, envy spurred Eve to pluck an apple from the tree of wisdom. In fact, any manlike being, to which we attribute thoughts and feelings, is vulnerable.

Turning to classical antiquity, both envy and lust have been terrible driving forces in mythological accounts of divine wrath, going up as high as Zeus himself. At the state level of self-assertion and rivalry, envy is the basis of countless wars down through history.

Since envy between men is reckoned to be an inappropriate feeling in Christianity, downright classified as a deadly sin by Tertullian, the father of Western theology, it likes to appear in disguise. Of great importance to political upheavals in recent centuries, it pervades allegations of inequality and social injustice as articulated in revolutionary manifestos.

A third deadly sin is greed. Ideologically uncompromising and incorruptible on the surface, totalitarian tyrants of our time have also been required to cover up that very unflattering sin in order to maintain the agitprop illusion of self-disciplined, self-sacrificing popular saviors. In their bombastic rhetoric, greed is something that exclusively characterizes the exploiting class enemy  or the racial enemy of the state.

While actively (a) demonizing him, (b) exposing him to public hatred, and (c) preparing the people for his liquidation, Bolsheviks and Nazis went after the capitalist in general or the reactionary, tsar-loyal kulak and rent-seeking, parasitic Jew, respectively, in particular. Contrary to the Sun King at Versailles, Louis XIV, king by the grace of God, what luxury goods they amassed by simple robbery themselves, the self-made, revolutionary, and anti-Christian tyrants carefully hid from the eyes of the public; they were never meant for boastful display as their existence would go against the official narrative of equality and expose the hypocrisy.

Leaving aside the intricacies of lust, the twin sins of envy and greed give away the defining resolve of the modern tyrant to rule totally over his fellow men. Unwilling to let them pursue their dreams and live their lives as they please, he insists on the privilege of arbitrary interference and control.

Effectively the head of a terror-dependent, unchecked state machinery operating like a criminal (mafia) organization, with an invariable demand for submission, the beloved-leader tyrant expects to be an object of worship. It reinforces his narcissism to be feared and loved like a god. Zealously, he monitors the relationships of others, never mind any signs of organized opposition to his authority, by whatever means at his disposal. Uneasily aware that his fellow men have thoughts and feelings, he desires to know them in full inasmuch as he owns the very persons themselves. Like other psychopaths, he is vain, devious, and conceited, desiring to rule and dominate without restraint.

For obvious reasons, personal prosperity has always been associated with power (as with the absolute monarch of the past). Therefore, the image of a modern tyrant living in abstinence helped feed a false narrative of humility and self-sacrifice for the community.

Since the French Revolution, we have accustomed ourselves to ascetic-looking tyrants like Robespierre (i.e. the revolutionary prototype). For all their differences, Lenin and Hitler followed in his footsteps (as did Mao, Castro, Mengistu etc.). What they had in common, indicating moral depravity, was their view of the people: It was but an ideological abstraction whose invocation could legitimize monstrous purges and genocide. Their declared love for the people or mankind at large was a sickening lie. The reliance on historical falsification and other pseudoscience was an accompanying disgrace.

The tyrant of our time likes to portray himself as somebody who works around the clock for the people whom fate or the irresistible forces of history (i.e. rarely the people itself) have appointed him to lead. Power-hungry and self-obsessed, he usually decides on a reputation as the superman who is both an incomparable theorist and practitioner. So he does not sit sprawled on a golden throne with a scepter in his hand, waiting for amusement. No, bent over his desk, he rather pretends to study five-year plans, if not busy signing the death warrants of those standing in his way: Declared enemies of the people.

Human nature is and remains what it always has been. What makes the tyrant of our time so monstrous is not his psychopathic desire for total dominance or his brutality, but the means that technology puts at his disposal. They make it truly difficult to contain his executive power.

Totalitarianism is a man-eating monster with many heads. As a social phenomenon, it originates from the same desire for dominance that we know from all parts of the animal world. Thus, judged by its motives (i.e. to be distinguished from its propaganda), it is primitive. If the urge to dominate others under false promises of salvation completely takes over the lifestyle of a person, no matter how cunningly he tries to cover it up and deceive his fellow men, we are entitled to suspect a narcissistic-psychopathic personality.

Western civilization, on the other hand, as informed by Christianity, expresses the loving and morally aspiring side of man, the urge for mutual care and security in the group, a striving for orderliness  and common norms. Indeed, it is about the eternal pursuit of justice. As human beings, we always have a choice. However, it is not always that we know what we choose. Time and time again, we are seduced and led astray which has great costs for mankind.

What fundamentally separates man from the beast is his capacity for magnanimity, tolerance, and generosity, reaching beyond his own immediate needs for self-assertion and the urge to succeed at the expense of others. The thing is that we have the capacity for both animal evil and human goodness. And being who we are, we have the language to express the difference, but also the language to deliberately obscure it in cases of evil intent.

In reality, totalitarianism represents the pinnacle of political perversion. Without scruples, the tyrant massacres his own people under the pretense of saving it from itself (!) or purely fictitious dangers from without. His brutal conceit is an affront to human dignity and reason. As it happens, parading the tyrants of the twentieth century is like studying criminal psychology. It is about the penetration of malicious behavior in the extreme.

Mankind has not become more evil in the twentieth century. However, atheistic-totalitarian tyrants produced by historical coincidences have embraced the political trend and adopted a self-explanatory language unknown to the monarchs of the past. Sickening heights of hypocrisy are likely to create an impression of unparalleled evil. Ultimately, the messengers of utopia are transparent predators whom modern technology has provided with the means to perfect oppression and cause hell on earth (e.g. persecution of dissenters, forced labor in prison camps, mass executions etc.).

Christianity, the foundation of institutional stability in civil society, has long been in decline. For the peoples of the Old World, the price for betraying the faith has been high. Secular utopianism, whether Bolshevik or Nazi, has offered mankind nothing but savagery and suffering.

Totalitarianism, a menace characterized by ideological sham in competing variants, should be considered the final interpretation of psychopathic ambitions for total dominance in human society, whether cave or country. And they are as old as man himself.

In summary, the ancient monster threatening Western civilization (i.e. freedom of speech, democracy, and the rule of law) is human evil or simply the evil of nature as present in man. The truth is banal.
In what way are the German Nazis, v.1.0., 1938, akin to the United States Nazis, v.2.0., 2025?

The answer may surprise you.



Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany on Jan. 30, 1933. Twenty months later, after the death of German President Paul von Hindenburg, Hitler won 90 percent of the votes in a plebiscite on August 19, 1934, making him both chancellor and president, a new position Hitler called Der Fuhrer (the Leader).

However, he really made his mark as the most virulent anti-semite on the planet on Nov. 9, 1938. Then  in one awful night  vicious Jewish oppression really took hold across Germany and Austria.



For those without a clear understanding of what the Third Reichs Nazis 1.0. Kristallnacht was, and what todays Kristallnacht against Elon Musk and his companies is all about  consider the original Kristallnacht, and consider what todays far-Left Nazi 2.0.s are doing to Tesla.

Except for the religious overtones of what the original Nazis did during Kristallnacht v.1.0, it's remarkably similar.

Does this massive and at least semi-official victimization sound familiar? If youve been watching the firebombing of Tesla cars and trucks, as well as Tesla dealerships, it should sound familiar.

Newport Beach, CA



Walked out my door to a cybertruck sharpied with Nazi Scum



This isnt my car - but beyond disturbed that this is happening in my community.



Luckily there was a note on the car that a good samaritan left that stated i saw who did this call me. pic.twitter.com/sfS1Y4Gdp0  Sophia Lorey (@SophiaSLorey) March 20, 2025

Tens of thousands of OG (Original Generation) Nazis shattered windows in hundreds of thousands of Jewish homes, hospitals and businesses. They also painted hateful slogans on those buildings or torched many thousands of them. The name -- Kristallnacht, that is, Night of shattered glass -- became the watchword of official Nazi oppression of the Jews.

By 1945, this virulent hatred took the lives of 6.5 million Jews, along with other hated minorities, including activist Christian  mostly, but not exclusively, Catholic  leaders, such as Protestant pastor and concentration camp victim Martin Neimuller.



Fast forward 88 years after the original Kristallnacht.

New:  The FBI are on the scene at a Tesla service center fire in Las Vegas.



Whether you like Elon Musk and Tesla or not, targeted attacks are not the answer!



GITMO or El Salvador for these t*rror*sts?

pic.twitter.com/RP8mjAhyuS  Tom Homan - Border Czar MAGA News Reports (@TomHoman_) March 18, 2025

In America, the modern Kristallnacht has sadly become business as usual for far-Left Democrats Nazis, including political candidates and party leaders.

Thousands of Tesla owners were doxxed and threatened.



Dozens of Teslas were set on fire and vandalized.



A bunch of Tesla dealerships were targeted with violence.



Tim Walz hasnt condemned this coordinated domestic terrorism.



Instead, hes practically celebrating and egging it pic.twitter.com/FBAs83GrUe  Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 19, 2025

Rick Wilson wanted to "put a bullet in Donald Trump." Now he wants to "kill Tesla"



He is an unhinged and deranged extremist. pic.twitter.com/IECLQTCw1H  Wojciech Pawelczyk (@WojPawelczyk) March 19, 2025

Musk, labeled Trumps chief Nazi by the far Left, is taking time away from the companies he owns, including X, SpaceX, and of course, Tesla, maker of the most energy-efficient electric cars on Earth.

Since he created DOGE, Musk has led efforts to cut a couple of trillion wasted dollars from the federal budget. These savings reduce the $34 trillion national debt. For this good and necessary work, Musks become the target of Americas real Nazis. Hint: they all voted for Harris.



From the beginning, Musk has become a target of the American far-Left, the latter-day Nazis. What began with a fiendishly clever attempt to lower Teslas market value and  in a stroke  cut Musks wealth has become a wave of pure-Nazi-like tactics against Tesla itself, along with dealers and individual owners. For the first time in my long lifetime, Americans have become targets of truly Kristallnacht-like terror tactics.

First, they tried to persuade  with rhetoric  people who own Teslas to sell them off in favor of other energy-efficient cars.

That had a limited impact.

Then they called for different tactics, and the American far-Left Nazis took a page from Hitlers playbook, beginning a Kristallnacht-like attempt to shatter Tesla auto dealers windows, spray hateful graffiti on dealers doors, and firebombed cars on display in the lots. As well as individually owned Tesla vehicles and charging stations.

Its a wonder no one has died. Yet.



These personal attacks didnt directly hurt the dealerships, but they did punish the owners of Teslas, regardless of their political affiliation  if any. They also created a barrier to individuals buying Teslas, reducing the market for used Musks e-cars.



Likely, all Teslas are insured. Some Tesla owners  including the incredibly brave (sarcasm added) Democrat far-Left Sen. Mark Kelly  chose to sell off their targeted e-cars and e-trucks.

As a former astronaut and military officer, Kelly should have known better. Reading the far-left gibberish literally written on dealership walls, Musks former friend quickly and very publicly sold off his Tesla before turning around and buying a gas-guzzling Chevy Tahoe SUV.

So much for saving the planet  his official public reason for buying a Tesla. With the far-lefts outcry against Musk, saving the planet suddenly became far less important than saving his career or honoring his friendship.



Until he came out for Trump, Elon Musk had been the darling of many Green New Dealers and other far-Left environmental Nazis. The reason was simple. Musk manufactured  in the United States, no less  an electric car that was both phenomenally-efficient and luxurious. This was so popular that even far-Left U.S. senators and other prominent Democrat politicians  who presumably could buy any energy-efficient vehicle they chose.



So what has caused all this deranged uprising against one of the worlds richest men? Musks a true philanthropist who has spent much of his career helping others. Among other things, hes given free Internet access via his self-funded Starlink network of in-orbit communications satellites. These allow people deprived of access to the Internet by natural disasters, wars, or other calamities to connect via Musks Starlink.



Through donated Starlink ground stations, hes helped many thousands of people in devastation zones  last falls horrific hurricanes, or near the front lines in the Russia-Ukraine  to remain connected  at no cost to themselves. He even builds and launches the rockets that put the Starlink satellites into low-earth orbit. All for free.

And that's just one example, we don't need to bring up the major space rescue of stranded astronauts from Musk's SpaceX that happened just this week.



While Musk is nothing if not experienced in dealing with those who  for stupid knee-jerk reasons or no reason at all  attack him personally, it's a new thing to see this attack on his businesses.

When he took over Twitter, investing more than $44 billion to provide an uncensored, politically neutral global discussion network, as opposed to Twitters massive effort to block conservatives from sharing their facts and opinions. Eighty percent of Twitter employees, including virtually all of Twitters fact checkers, ensured that only liberals had access to Twitters massive audience. Changing the name to X, the first thing he did was eliminate those 80 percenters  employees who liked ensuring that far-Lefters had a monopoly on Twitter. They were outraged, and opposition to Trump began immediately.



Initially, they used their free access to left-leaning Mainstream Media to make the case that over-valued Twitter began losing market value as soon as Musk began meddling. This tactic initially cost Musk tens of billions of dollars in market value, membership revenue, and advertising dollars. Until all the people whod been shut out of Twitter found that in X, they had unfettered access to the truth.



Their initial success incited the same far Lefters to go nuts.

In San Francisco, the city government was prodded to tell Musk he must take down the X logo from atop his building  disregarding the fact that thousands of businesses in the City by the Bay had signs on or above their buildings. Somehow, when Musk did it, it must be wrong because Musk was wrong.

However, before they could even begin celebrating Musks latest blow, Elon ordered his California-based world headquarters closed and most of its employees laid off, then relocated X to a state  Texas  more comfortable with both branding a major corporations world headquarters and with the idea that free speech must be for all  not just for all who share far-left ideologies.



However, once he became head of DOGE and began cutting corrupt spending in federal agencies, more was needed. The better he got and the more positive results he generated  the more the far Left sought more effective tactics to put Musk in his place.



When just speaking out didnt seem to deter Musk from his efforts, many on the far Left sought to destroy Teslas value on the stock exchange by scaring away buyers and making dealership and Tesla car owners  very nervous. Who wants to become a target, with a big red bullseye painted on their cars or dealerships, just to make an expensive point?

Some will  the brave advocates of Musk and free enterprise, as well as those who refuse to knuckle under to Nazi-like oppression and terror.



Ned Barnett, a long-time military historian, studied Nazi propaganda and terror tactics in Graduate School, the better to spot and oppose them. He has written a series of novels set in early World War II  his understanding of propaganda and terror influenced those books, and his nine appearances on The History Channel as on-camera historian.



In his career, he has published 40 books, including 18 ghostwritten books (and one animated screenplay, a young-adult fantasy film). He has three more books scheduled for publication this year, including a ghost-written book for a major conservative political candidate. He specializes in marketing books and authors to improve sales. Ned can be contacted at nedbarnett51@gmail.com or 702-561-1167.

Image: X video screen shot




My regular readers know that I see a number of left-wing legal writings from day to day. One of the more sane (from time to time) pundits is Ilya Somin of George Mason University. In his latest piece, he bemoans the Perils of the Unitary Executive Theory. He begins by saying,

The originalist case for a unitary executive falls apart in an era when many of the powers wielded by the executive branch were not originally supposed to be federal powers in the first place.

For those who didnt major in Constitutional Law, Somin is referring to Article II,  1, Sentence 1, which says, The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. Thats pretty simple. And it is, as the Supreme Court loves to say, Black Letter Law.

Further, in more words from the Court, it is unqualified. That means that all power in the Executive Branch belongs to Donald Trump. No ifs, buts, or excepts. All means all. Put bluntly, as long as he occupies the White House, every bureaucrat is obligated to do what he says. If you dont like it, then Youre fired!

Image by Andrea Widburg

This isnt complicated, and as push comes to shove, all the Supreme Court needs to do is look at the language of the Constitution. In every case, Trump wins. Even Somin admits that he is supposed to have all the power given to the executive branch, except such as is specifically allocated elsewhere in other parts of the Constitution. The next step is where Somin goes off the rails. He confuses proximate and ultimate causation.

Somin is correct that the Executive branch wields great powers that were not envisioned in the original discussions around the Constitution. In this, he agrees with James Madison in Federalist 41. Madison states that using the general welfare clause (Article I,  8, Clause 1) to allow the government to exercise every power which may be alleged to be necessary for the common defense or general welfare is a stooping toa misconstruction.

Madison goes on to state that logically, the enumerated powers that follow the general welfare clause explain what the clause means. In short, if its not in that detailed list after the General Welfare Clause, the federal government isnt supposed to do it.

When I asked ChatGPT when this changed, it pointed me to United States v. Butler (1936), where the Court said, The power of Congress to authorize expenditure of public moneys for public purposes is not limited by the direct grants of legislative power found in the Constitution.

You can take your jaw off the floor now. During the New Deal under FDR, the Supreme Court threw the entire concept of enumerated powers out the window. This was set in concrete with Helvering v. Davis (1937), which explicitly allowed Congress to use the General Welfare Clause to do almost anything it wanted to do with your tax dollars.

As for the Presidents management powers, most of the questions are unanswered. Myers v. United States (1926) clarified that the President has the freedom to fire any official he nominated, and the Senate confirmed. Then Humphreys Executor v. United States (1935) limited his removal power for certain specific officials. Morrison v. Olson (1988) basically echoed Humphreys Executor for Special Counsels. Seila Law v. CFPB (2020) and Bessent v. Dellinger (2025, DC Court of Appeals) have both chipped away at Humphreys Executor, and many legal observers are suggesting that the Court is looking for a way to put it six feet under.

What does this all mean for President Trumps actions to fire lots of bureaucrats? For almost a century, Congress has felt free to create and fund lots of agencies and the cronies to operate them. This becomes a great feedback loop where more bureaucrats discover more needs for Congress to answer.

And with little or no pushback from anyone in the White House, the Federal Government and debt have exploded. Then a true outsider showed up. He was stymied by a Swamp more impenetrable and Dismal than he ever imagined. Even his own Vice President has now been proven to be part of the enemy swarm.

But when Donald Trump sat a second time behind the Resolute Desk with Sharpie in hand, DC changed. He can neuter many of his opponents simply by denying them access to classified information. This strips them of access to the corridors of power and rich sinecures due to their privilege.

So, its no surprise that they are actively pursuing legal Hail Mary strategies. But those remedies are running headlong into Article II, Section 1. Democrat district judges can try to gum up the works, but the Constitution does not care, and, ultimately, virtually everything will end up in the lap of the Supreme Court, where, contra Professor Somin, Donald Trump possesses plenary power over the management of the Executive Branch.

Ilya Somin has missed the point. Admitting that the President has complete authority over his branch of government would not be a problem if Congress was properly constrained by the Constitutions enumerated powers. But since a rogue progressive Court ignored the plain history and tradition of the General Welfare Clause, we have a behemoth in DC. When Saint George Trump arrived to slay this dragon, those who benefit from it started screaming. Donalds Ascalon is the proximal threat to America that the Swamp fears when, in fact, the ultimate threat is the Swamp itself.

We must be careful to avoid Professor Somins error of mistaking the proximate cause of whatever we fear for the ultimate cause. We can fix a thousand proximate causes, and like Hydra, a new head of the monster will appear. Until we return our government to one of limited, constitutionally enumerated powers, we will not have subdued the threat to liberty.

Ted Noel is a retired physician who posts on social media as Doctor Ted. His Doctor Teds Prescription podcast is available on multiple podcast channels.
There has recently been growing concern regarding the gap on foreign policy perceptions between the US and Western Europe, as well as violations of freedom of expression within Western Europe. One method that the US government can use to help address this issue would be for the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM) to expand broadcasts into Western Europe. This can be achieved either by expanding Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) to Western Europe or by creating additional news services specifically targeted to the conditions in the nations of the region.

On March 15, President Trump issued an executive order titled Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy, which, among other things, called for USAGM to reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law. This executive order came after there had been calls for eliminating some of these broadcast networks entirely.

Image by Andrea Widburg

On February 9th, Ambassador Richard Grenell called for abolishing both Radio Free Europe and VOA entirely, noting that they are filled with far-left activists. Grenell raised legitimate concerns about these activists. A USAGM press release issued after the executive order was issued noted several massive problems in the agency as it currently exists, including what it describes as massive national security violations, including spies and terrorist sympathizers and/or supporters infiltrating the agency, $100s-of-millions being spent on fake news companies, and a product that often parrots the talking-points of Americas adversaries.

The press release also noted that

[T]his agency is not salvageable. From top-to-bottom [sic] this agency is a giant rot and burden to the American taxpayera national security risk for this nationand 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.

These news outlets, as they currently exist, were not achieving what Congress created them to do. However, government broadcast outlets are an important public diplomacy tool, and they should be rebuilt so that they can effectively advance their core mission.

The executive order presents an opportunity to completely overhaul those broadcast networks from the ground up. With much of the existing staff removed, those who were helping to advance US public diplomacy goals can be rehired, and new staff can be hired to replace those who were undermining those goals.

President Trumps nominee to lead USAGM, Brent Bozell, has decades of experience countering leftist media narratives as head of the Media Research Center and would be very effective in reforming USAGMs broadcast networks. (Disclosure: I worked for the Media Research Center when Brent Bozell was in charge.)

Other officials in the Trump administration have discussed some of the issues in Europe that expanding broadcasts could help to address. Vice President JD Vance has criticized how freedom of expression is treated in Europe. At the Munich Security Conference on February 14th, Vance discussed examples of this, both at the EU level, as well as in Germany, Sweden, and Britain, stating,

Unfortunately, when I look at Europe today, its sometimes not so clear what happened to some of the Cold Wars winners. I look to Brussels, where EU commissars warn citizens that they intend to shut down social media during times of civil unrest, the moment they spot what theyve judged to be hateful content, or to [Germany] where police have carried out raids against citizens suspected of posting anti-feminist comments online as part of combating misogyny on the internet, a day of action. I look to Sweden where two weeks ago the government convicted a Christian activist for participating in Quran burnings that resulted in his friends murder. And as the judge in his case, chillingly noted, Swedens laws to supposedly protect free expression do not in fact grant, and Im quoting, a free pass to do or say anything without risking offending the group that holds that belief. And perhaps most concerningly, I look to our very dear friends, the United Kingdom, where the back slide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons in particular in the crosshairs. A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist, and an army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes. Not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own.

Additionally, there have been European calls for completely banning American social media platforms that do not comply with the EUs censorship policies. In a January 11 television interview, former European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton called for the social media platform X to be banned in the EU, saying the law must be enforced in order to protect our democracies in Europe. In July 2024, when Breton was still Commissioner, the EU charged X for allegedly violating the Digital Services Act.

Having USAGMs networks broadcast in Western Europe can help to counteract these issues. Back during the Cold War, these networks were instrumental in bringing attention to issues that were being suppressed in Communist countries in Eastern Europe. These networks can help to achieve that same goal today in Western Europe as well.

Zachary Leshin is a former congressional staffer who has worked extensively in foreign policy. He has a Masters degree in Statecraft and National Security with a track in Public Diplomacy and Strategic Influence from the Institute of World Politics.
For over fifty years, environmental groups, like Greenpeace, have hounded companies that they wished to demonize. They would try to make it costly for companies to continue practices that they deemed were environmentally unsound. They had no problem slandering a companys reputation, interfering with its operations, leading a boycott against it, or ensnaring it in frivolous lawsuits. It has been the strategy of environmental groups up until now, but that may be ending.

A North Dakota jury has awarded damages of hundreds of millions to the Dakota Access Pipeline operator, Energy Transfer, in a defamation suit against Greenpeace. The company alleged a vast, malicious publicity campaign against the company that damaged its relationship with the banks funding the pipeline. It also alleged that Greenpeace paid professional protesters, organized training events for demonstrators, and sent them lockboxes so they could attach themselves to construction equipment. The allegations highlight standard practices that Greenpeace has employed throughout its existence. Energy Transfer sought $300 million in damages stemming from lost financing, public relations costs, and the five-month delay in the pipelines construction and a jury agreed.

Now here is the good part. Greenpeace denied the companys allegations, saying it played only a minor role in protests that were primarily led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Greenpeace, the defiant David, is hiding behind a womans skirt. Who would have thought it was so easy to turn Greenpeace into a sniveling coward and get it to rat out its fellow conspirator. Greenpeace is now crying that the verdict will bankrupt it and force it to refrain from operating in the U.S. Well, hallelujah.

The thing that comes to mind with this verdict is the question of why more companies have not pushed back against the marauding tactics of environmental groups like Greenpeace. That they have not done so is an indictment of our corporate managerial class who would rather pay Danegeld to the Vikings of Greenpeace rather than take them to court for the mischief they cause. The prime culprit is the go-along-to-get-along CEO never uttering a bad word about Greenpeace lest he disturb the sensibilities of someone at a cocktail party.

I would like to see more combative leaders in corporate America willing to take on the Green Blob. Its not a big ask. Greenpeace and the other environmental groups are not fanatics in the same way as Hamas. They wont show up at your front step in a suicide vest and blow themselves up. Greenpeaces foot soldiers are blue-haired girls and pajama boys who see camping out in a pile of garbage at Standing Rock as an adventure. The groups are primarily funded by rich liberal oligarchs, like Bill Gates, (who has recently recalibrated his priorities and slashed funding to environmental groups). One can only hope that if more environmental groups are sued by the companies that they harass, other wealthy donors will reconsider shoveling money into a bottomless pit.

Image: Greenpeace, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, unaltered.
As President Trump and DOGE continue their attempts to dismantle the fraud and waste in our government, there are some judges who think that they can read the minds of both the president and Elon Musk, believing they also possess the power to overrule based on such assumptions, facts be damned.

One of the latest cases, from Obama-appointee U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuangs 68-page opinion, via NPR:

[T]he Court finds that Defendants actions taken to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis, including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID Officer, likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways, and that these actions harmed not only Plaintiffs, but also the public interest, because they deprived the public's elected representatives in Congress of their constitutional authority to decide whether, when, and how to close down an agency created by Congress.

The judge has a major flaw in his decision. No decision has been made by anyone in the Trump administration to permanently shutter USAID. The work of the agency has been drastically reduced, including personnel, but some services are being maintained and overseen by the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio.

Judge Chuang has convinced himself of several distortions of events, thereby assuming that the president has violated the Constitution. His actions are so clearly partisan that even Democrats should be embarrassed. What are the judges blatant and deceitful attempts to upend the DOGE efforts?

He essentially accuses the president of lying:

In his ruling, Chuang wrote that the evidence presently favors the conclusion that contrary to Defendants sweeping claim that Musk has acted only as an advisor, Musk made the decisions to shutdown USAIDs headquarters and website even though he lacked the authority to make that decision.

The facts are that Elon Musk is only an advisor, whether or not the judge believes it, and is only permitted to take action with the presidents approval; that means that Trump is making the final decisions regarding USAID. The evidence Chuang cites doesnt exist.

The judge also ruled that Musk needs the permission of an agency official, to continue his work; the presidents approval will not suffice:

DOGE and Musk are prohibited under the judges order from taking any other actions relating to USAID without the express authorization of an agency official with legal authority to take the action. The Trump administration is likely to appeal the decision. To deny plaintiffs Appointments Clause claim solely on the basis that, on paper, Musk has no formal legal authority relating to the decisions at issue, even if he is actually exercising significant authority on governmental matters, would open the door to an end-run around the Appointments Clause, Chuang wrote. Chuang has decided that only an agency official can make the changes that the president is authorizing through Musk. Secondly, hes decided that even though there has been no formal appointment of Musk to a position in the government, he must be trying to avoid the Appointments Clause. (Musk doesnt even receive a salary.) The judge refuses to accept that President Trump ultimately has the authority to take these actions against USAID.

The most significant issue is that the judge wont acknowledge the facts and is creating new facts: President Trump does have the authority to reduce the size of USAID regarding its agenda and regarding personnel, and he is authorizing Musk, who has advised him regarding steps to take, to implement those changes. Although Chuang assumes that other dastardly acts are taking place, his imagination doesnt count as evidence.

When will these overreaches by activist judges be stopped?

Image: Public domain.
We knew when Vote-by-Mail cheated the Democrats into a supermajority, and a Democrat somehow won every close race in Oregon, even if the Republican candidate led on election day, we were being lied to. Multiple rounds of counting days after November 5, 2024, suddenly flipped the race to the Democrat candidate. Since Vote-by-Mail has been implemented in Oregon, most, if not all, of the close political races have flipped in only one direction: for the Democrats. Since Vote-By-Mail was implemented in 2000, there have been no Republican governors, very few, if any, Republican majorities in either the state Senate or State House, and almost continuous Democrat supermajorities with no accountability to the citizens of Oregon in any category, not even voting how the citizens want their representatives to vote or conduct themselves.

The supermajority Democrats continue to disallow audits of the elections; they continue to use dirty voter rolls to collect bogus votes from dead, missing, or nonexistent people. Judicial Watch is suing Oregon for the dirtiest voter rolls in the nation. And still, our Oregon Secretary of State says the elections are fair and transparent.

On November 5, 2024, Oregon voters rejected statewide Rank-Choice voting by a 3 to 1 margin. Yet in less than four months, the Democrats have reintroduced the concept of Rank-Choice Voting, just labeling it differently and hoping nobody will notice.



I write these articles not to complain but to warn others in other red states not to ever do away with one-day voting, paper ballots, hand counting, and having to provide an ID card to receive a ballot. The Democrats will tell you that voting by mail is convenient and easy. Honestly, the real reason the Democrats say this is that it is easy for them to cheat and lie and then claim the election was fair and transparent. Lazy people get bad results, and unwinding the cheat takes a long time. I would gladly spend the time in line at a polling place, provide ID, and vote by a certified ballot than what we have in Oregon. We could move and go wherever the citizens are more like-minded, but I have a sign in my garage with a man with a bloody ear raising his hand and saying, "Fight, fight, fight," after almost losing his life to an assassins bullet. When I feel defeated, somehow, that sign always catches my eye. If Trump can overcome that, we can keep fighting to overcome the corrupt system now ruling Oregon.

Image: Oregon Department of Transportation
After an abysmal and embarrassing performance on the national stage as a vice presidential candidate, it looks as though Tim Walz is dipping his toes in amateur stand-upa video clip of Walz talking about how he gets a mood boost by watching Tesla stock tumble before a laughing audience recently made the rounds on social media:

If you need a little boost during the day, check out Tesla stock  pic.twitter.com/KBEh6pOZLW  Tim Walz (@Tim_Walz) March 19, 2025

Now, perhaps someone forgot to remind Walz that Minnesota, the very state and people he ostensibly claims to serve, is reportedly a sizable shareholder of Tesla stock, unless theyve offloaded this aspect of the state portfolio in the last eight months. Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin reports that as of this past June, the state of Minnesota had 1.6 million shares of Tesla in its retirement fund, and 211,000 shares of Tesla in its non-retirement fund.

Or, perhaps he just doesnt care when public investment funds take a dump in the market, because hes immune, weathering the storm with Chinese Communist Party yuan?

The irony was so thick that Walzs comments even became a topic of discussion on a CNN segment last night. Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton described Walz as a total moron (more than half of voters unequivocally agree), while businessman Kevin OLeary pitied the poor bozo with a political platform talking down about his own investments:

Kevin OLeary blasts Bozo Tim Walz over rooting for Tesla stock to crash  while his states pension plan owns it:



"That poor guy didn't check his portfolio and his own pension plan for his state. It's beyond stupid what he did."



"I mean, what's the matter with that guy? He pic.twitter.com/WPvT2OCTUX  Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) March 20, 2025

Oh, and theres more: Minnesota is home to three Tesla showrooms, and a manufacturing facility in Brooklyn Park. If Tesla goes down the layoffs will come, affecting his constituents even further. Then, theres this prospective mining deal, reported on in 2022:

Tesla signs deal to source nickel from Minnesota mine The company that plans to develop a nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota has made a major supply deal with Tesla, the electric vehicle maker. [snip] Mining.com reports that the deal could be worth $1.5 billion if consummated. This agreement is the start of an innovative partnership between Tesla and Talon for the responsible production of battery materials directly from the mine to the battery cathode, said Henri van Rooyen, CEO of Talon. Talon is committed to meeting the highest standards of responsible production that is fully traceable and that has the lowest embedded CO2 footprint in the industry. [snip] Talon hopes to open the mine by January 2026, but has not yet started the permitting process with the state of Minnesota.

If Tesla pulls out, thats a tremendous loss of revenue, both for the state and its businesses.

Can anyone find me a more financially illiterate person in America than Kamala Harris or Tim Walz? Ill wait.

Image:YouTube video screen grab.
It's almost like he lost a division.

Venezuela's socialist dictator, Nicolas Maduro, has stepped forward with a bizarre mixture of rage and crocodile tears, whimpering about all theVenezuelan criminals shipped by the U.S. to El Salvador this weekend for a stretch in President Nayyib Bukele's famously strict prisons.

According to CNN:

Venezuelas leader has described the deportation of more than 200 mostly Venezuelan migrants sent by the United States to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador as a kidnapping, and denied they are criminals while backing calls for their return. Nayib Bukele should not be an accomplice to this kidnapping, because our boys did not commit any crime in the United States, none, Nicolas Maduro told supporters Wednesday, referencing El Salvadors leader, who has struck a deal with US President Donald Trump. They were not brought to trial, they were not given the right to a defense, the right to due process, they were deceived, handcuffed, put on a plane, kidnapped, and sent to a concentration camp in El Salvador, Maduro added.

It's as good an argument as any I've ever seen that President Trump was right in invoking the Alien Enemy Act in deporting the Venezuelan illegals involved with Tren de Aragua gang from the U.S.

Maduro is suddenly insisting that he wants these people back in Venezuela -- after emptying his prisons of them and telling them to head to el norte.

Crazier still, the prisoners were sent to El Salvador precisely because Maduro refused to take a repatriation flight of them to Venezuela.

He didn't want them back earlier, but now he wants them back now? He's offering to send migrant "dignity" flights, borrowing from the language of the pope, when just yesterday, he didn't want them back inside his country?

Too late, it was off to San Salvador for them as a result of that decision, where they are sure to cause no problems to anyone, such is the security of the prisons there.

Sound like there might have been a mission all along? Sound like he lost his army sent to loot and pillage the hated gringo?

Well, it does to me.

Note how he denies that any of them are criminals, which he would very cynically know is not true. Maduro knows exactly who he sent to the U.S. to wreak havoc -- which his mentor, Hugo Chavez, openly spoke of when he was alive -- and now that he finds them in El Salvador's fearsome prison out of the reach of anyone, whether Venezuelan or U.S. American, he's out an army.

Of course there was a plan -- and it's been thwarted, badly, by President Trump and President Bukele.

It's very well known that Maduro, drugs, and Tren de Aragua are closely connected and work in sync as Chavista thug enforcers.

Here's a very good history (you have to hit Google translate, but it's worth it) on the intertwined involvement between Maduro and the Tren de Aragua criminal organization:

 Primer informe



EL TREN DE ARAGUA: Su origen



En la actualidad, el Tren de Aragua, una peligrosa banda asociada al chavismo, es un tema recurrente y ampliamente mencionado. Sin embargo, pocos conocen su verdadero origen y la relacion directa que mantiene con el chavismo y sus pic.twitter.com/KRcjP9eHyA  Yo soy tu Pedro (@pedr0estrada) March 18, 2025

CNN has a decent backgrounder here

Now he's pretending he's cared about the migrants all along, despite driving them from his country. Sure, he's probably trying to score points with Democrats, who are making similar arguments to allow Tren de Aragua's thugs to stay in the states -- raising questions about their involvement with him. But more likely, he's most upset about his "poor man's weapon" of illegal immigration to inflict harm on the U.S.

Trump got rid of it, and since he didn't welcome them back, they're out of circulation now. The only thing this really suggests is that Trump was right about the Alien Enemies Act and Maduro's been caught with his pants down.
Its clear now that the next revolution in AI technology is AI search engines. Rather than looking through a list of websites to visit, these tools generate a rundown of what you searched. There are obviously major issues with this approach, but thats not stopping companies from releasing their own AI search engines. Anthropic just announced that Claude 3.7 Sonnet can search the web.

Claude can now search the web

It was only a matter of time before the Amazon and Google-funded AI startup brought this feature. While not as big as Google or OpenAI, Anthropic has been making some rather ambitious AI products. Its working on a model that can pilot your computer for you.

On Thursday, the company unveiled that its Claude 3.7 Sonnet model can now search the web for you. Just like other tools, you wont see a list of web pages. Rather, youll see a chatbot-style rundown of what you searched for. Since its a search engine, it will still show the sources that it reached out to.

In the GIF that Anthropic used to showcase the feature, we see that the sources are shown only for a short amount of time before the AI takes over. We would have to see this in action to know for sure, however. The fact of the matter is that its similar to the other AI search engines out there.

Not everyone can search the web with Claude at the moment. This feature is only available to paying customers in the U.S. Of course, this feature will make it to more users as time goes on, so stay tuned.

Theres a bad side

As innovative as AI search engines are, we cant forget the overall threat that it presents. For instance, a new study revealed that AI search engines link to more than 90% fewer websites compared to traditional search engines. Many sites have had to shutter because tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT Search, and AI Overviews are stealing traffic.

This is an issue that some companies acknowledge by linking to a short list (a VERY short list) of sources. While this technology can save time, theres no telling if it will cause more harm than good.
Samsung has kept its fans waiting a long time for One UI 7. However, at least the company has been delivering security patches on time for all its eligible devices. Earlier today, we reported on the arrival of the latest monthly patch for the Galaxy S25 series. The company is also rolling out the March 2025 security update to the Galaxy S23 FE, Galaxy A53, Galaxy A25, and Galaxy A15.

This week, Samsung sent the security patch to the Galaxy S24 FE and S21 FE. For some reason, the S23 FE wasnt included at that time, which was a bit strange. However, it didnt take long for the company to begin the OTA rollout for that model as well.

Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 FE in September 2023 with some support surrounding it. The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. If youre not aware, this is the chip that Samsung itself ruined due to problems in its factories, presenting issues with heating and power consumption. On the other hand, the Galaxy A53, Galaxy A25, and Galaxy A15 are mid-range and entry-level devices. The oldest among them is the Galaxy A53, which the company announced in March 2022. Meanwhile, both the Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A15 hit the market in December 2023.

March 2025 security update now reaching the Galaxy S23 FE, A53, A25, and A15

That said, all of the aforementioned phones are receiving the latest monthly patch. As reported by SamMobile, the update is reaching the international version (SM-S711B) of the Galaxy S23 FE under build number S711BXXS6DYBH.

Regarding the Galaxy A53, the update is currently reaching units in South and North America. The firmware for this device has the build number A536EXXSDEYBD. In the case of the Galaxy A25 (build number A256EXXS7BYC3) and Galaxy A15 (build number A156EDXS5BYB1), the updates are currently rolling out to carrier-locked units in countries across Asia, Central America, and the Middle East.

Its noteworthy that all of these handsets have the same update policy. Samsung promised up to four years of Android OS upgrades. So, even older models are eligible to receive One UI 7. That said, their owners will likely have to be very patient.
Gmail is the most used email client in the world, and this is mostly because Google is always delivering useful features. As it stands, when you would search for specific emails, the platform would do a typical keyword-based search. However, thanks to a new update, Gmails search feature is much smarter.

This new feature solves a pretty big problem when it comes to searching through your emails. When you do a search, the app will just surface a list of emails that involve that keyword. While that works for certain situations, its not the best when it comes to finding specific emails. If you have a ton of emails that have a keyword similar to the one youre searching for, then youll need to sift through the results.

Gmails search feature will get smarter thanks to AI

If theres a new feature coming out for a Google product, you know that it involves AI in some capacity. On Thursday, Google announced a new updated search feature for Gmail that its releasing globally. Rather than being tied to a typical keyword-based search, youll have the power of AI on your side.

When you do a search, youll have the option to show the most relevant search results. Gmail will take into account the most clicked emails, the recency of the emails, and frequent contacts. Using this data, it will surface the emails it thinks are the most relevant to your search. Basically, Gmail will read the room.

Google gave an example showing a user searching for the word Reunion. In the image below, we see that the left side shows the emails organized by the most recent. We see that an email advertising a sale came up first. However, the image on the right shows an email about a class reunion. Youre more likely to search the word Reunion to find an email about an actual reunion than one about a sale.

Google rolled this feature out globally to all personal Gmail users. Its available across the web version and mobile version, so chances are that you have access to it. If not, then make sure that your Gmail app is fully up to date.
News of the Google Pixel 9a started popping up months ago in the form of rumors and leaks, but today Google officially announced the phone and revealed it to the world. Googles latest iteration of the Pixel lineup follows the companys tried and true method of releasing a slightly toned-down version of the current flagship device. It also has a few differences and of course, a lower price point which means a lower barrier for entry for consumers.

At the end of the day, this is a Pixel 9. However, it has enough changes that warrant the lower price point. Its also different enough that its worth talking about more. That being said if youre looking for all the important details about Googles Pixel 9a, weve put together this roundup of all the major news surrounding Googles latest device. From colors to prices, to when its available, all the main details are covered.

Google has officially announced the Pixel 9a

Google announced the Pixel 9a this morning, revealing the new phone in all its glory and finally giving the public an official look at the device. Unsurprisingly, it looks exactly like the leaks suggested. Then again this happens every single year and no one should be surprised by this point anymore.

The Pixel 9a has some of the Pixel 9s best features. It has a slightly streamlined look thanks to a smaller camera array on the back. Its also not just the camera array thats smaller this year. The megapixel count on the camera is smaller as well, and Google is actually using an entirely different sensor. The most notable change with the phone compared to last years Pixel 8a changes, is probably the battery.

The Pixel 9a has a 5,100mAh battery inside. This makes it bigger than any other Pixel phone battery to date. According to Google, that will translate to over 30 hours of battery life on a single charge. When every other device has boasted around 24 hours.

Check out the full set of specs

While you can check out a more well-rounded collection of the phones specs in our original post, there are some notable highlights with this years A-Series device. As mentioned above, the battery is probably the one that stands out the most. Due to its capacity being larger than any other Pixel phone so far. Google has also swapped out the 64MP camera for a 48MP camera on the back. However, it has kept the 6.3-inch Actua display (find out more about the screen here) with the same pixel density, peak brightness, and refresh rate.

The panel tech is pOLED and with regard to the resolution, its FHD+. The phone is powered by Googles Tensor G4 chipset and comes with 8GB of RAM, and either 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.

Google plans to launch the phone in April

Initially, Googles plan was to launch the Pixel 9a next week but the company has since delayed the phone launch, citing a recently discovered issue with component quality. Google now plans to release the Pixel 9a in April. Google has not given out an exact release date yet, however. All that has been confirmed is that the phone will now launch next month instead of next week.

That being said, its March 19, so next month is only two weeks away. Its entirely possible that the Pixel 9a could launch within the first week of April. Then again, it could be towards the end of the month as well. Well just have to wait and see for now.

The price will start at $499, available in several regions

If youre wondering how much Google will charge for this new phone, the answer is $499. At least, for the base model with 128GB of storage. Google will also be offering a 256GB model which will cost $599.

The phone will be available directly from the Google Store, but also from carriers, and a handful of retail partners. Itll also be available in several regions around the globe. This includes the US, Canada, several countries in Europe, and quite a few countries in the Asia Pacific. For retail partners in the US, the phone will be available to buy from T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, Xfinity Mobile, Best Buy, and Amazon to name a few.

The Pixel 9a redefines the meaning of a budget smartphone

Budget smartphones have become increasingly good over the past 5-10 years. The Pixel 9a can now be counted among those. At the same time, the Pixel 9a is sort of redefining what it means to be a budget smartphone. With its suite of awesome features and reasonable price tag, other phones in the same category are going to have a tough time trying to compete.

From the durable IP68 water and dustproofing to the recycled hardware materials to the plethora of AI features, the Pixel 9a is a compelling option at $499.

Four exciting colors to choose from

Google always releases multiple colors of its Pixel phones and the Pixel 9a is no different here. It comes in four color options, three of which are the same as the Pixel 9  Obsidian, Porcelain, and Peony. The new color this time around is Iris. In terms of brighter colors, this is definitely my personal favorite between it and Peony. Although I still think the Aloe Pixel 8a was better, and nothing really beats the Oh So Orange Google released for the Pixel 4 series (in my opinion, Google has yet to top this).

All four colors should be available from every retailer that will sell this device. So dont let the color you want dictate where you purchase the phone.

microSD cards? Where were going, we dont need microSD cards

The Google Pixel 9a doesnt have support for microSD cards? Great scott! Heres the thing, you dont really need microSD card support with this phone. Now, Google not supporting microSD cards in its Pixel phones isnt really going to be a surprise for anyone whos used more than one Pixel device. However, there are still more new Pixel users every year, and they might not be aware that the phone is reliant on internal storage.

The Pixel 9a is limited to 128GB or 256GB when it comes to storage, but only if you consider internal storage your only means of storage. The fact of the matter is, there are numerous ways to expand your storage beyond the amount the hardware provides.

How does the Pixel 9a compare to the Pixel 8a?

Googles Pixel 9a is a lot like Googles Pixel 9, but how does it stack up against last years A-Series Pixel offering? You can read all about the full comparison here, but to highlight a few key details, its pretty comparable where it matters. Such as with the price. The Pixel 8a launched at a starting price of $499, and the Pixel 9a is launching at a starting price of $499. Both phones also come with the same storage options and relatively similar dimensions.

The Pixel 9a pulls way ahead when it comes to the battery though. The Pixel 9a also has a slightly bigger screen, as its now 6.3 inches compared to the Pixel 8as screen at 6.1 inches.

You can already buy accessories for the Pixel 9a

With Googles delay of the Pixel 9a launch, you wont be able to get the phone in your hands for at least a few more weeks. Having said that you can already buy cases and other accessories for the phone. You might think this is unnecessary without the phone in your possession but on the contrary. Wed argue its better to have the accessories first so youre not stuck waiting for them after the phone arrives. Then once you pull the phone out of the box for the first time, youre ready to start using the new accessories alongside it.

And if its a case, like this MagFit case from Spigen, then your brand-new, undamaged Pixel 9a stays protected as soon as you get it.

How fast is Googles Pixel 9a at charging up?

Googles Pixel phones arent really the fastest kids on the block when it comes to charging. This has never really been the case and its not clear if Google will ever change this up. That being said, the Pixel 9a does come with a 5,100mAh battery. Google also says its supposed to last longer than any other Pixel phone so far. So with that in mind, you may not find that super fast charging is even a necessity.

It all depends on what your preferences are. As for how fast the Pixel 9a charges, the maximum charging speed is 23W when using wired charging. That isnt going to break any records. However, the phone should last you all day easily. Allowing you to plug it in at night and be at 100% by morning with zero issues.

There are a few really good alternatives to Googles latest device

Googles Pixel phones, and thereby its Pixel A-Series phones, have always been pretty decent. In fact, Id venture to say theyre quite a bit better than that. For several reasons. Not necessarily the best phone each year. But definitely very good.

That being said, in the case of the Pixel 9a, its not the only budget phone out there. There are several good alternatives available and weve listed the best ones here.
Nvidia just held its GTC AI conference, and we got a taste of what AI has in store for the future. Heres what was announced during Nvidias GTC conference.

GR00T N1 model

Starting off with the most interesting announcement, Nvidia announced a new foundation model that is specifically designed for humanoid robots called GR00T N1. Its an open-source model trained on both existing and synthetic data. Synthetic data is data thats been generated from AI.

This model will use both fast and slow thinking, which mimics how humans think. It will use faster thinking to translate planned action into robotic movements. This is similar to how people can move their arms and legs without needing to think about it. When a robot needs to reason about its environment, then itll use slower thinking. It needs to process the visual data in order to know where it is.

New Blackwell Ultra

Last year, Nvidia introduced the Blackwell AI chip, and it was a pretty big deal at the time. During the conference, the company took the wraps off of its latest and greatest AI chip called the Blackwell Ultra. This chip is designed for reasoning models, which the companys CEO, Jensen Huang, says is the future of AI.

A reasoning model is different from a regular AI model in that it lists the entire thought process as it generates a response. OpenAIs o1 is an example of a reasoning model along with Gemini 2.0 Thinking and DeepSeeks R1.

The Blackwell Ultra will fit into Nvidias NVL72 rack server. This is the same rack that the first Blackwell chip fit into. The much more powerful chip should bring in some serious money for the company. According to Nvidia, the first Blackwell chip brought in $11 billion in revenue.

New Vera Rubin chips

This year marks a pretty significant milestone for Nvidia. We all know it as the company that makes some of the best GPUs on the market. However, its new Vera Rubin chips see Nvidia introducing its own custom CPU as well.

Vera Rubin is a new system developed by the company slated to launch sometime next year. Vera is the new CPU, and Nvidia says that its twice as fast as the CPU used for its Grace system last year. As for Rubin, this is a GPU; rather, its two GPUs that work in tandem. This plus the Vera CPU should make this system a force to be reckoned with.

Nvidia says that it can manage 50 teraflops while doing inference. This dwarfs what we saw with the companys current Blackwell chip, which is 20 teraflops.
Buyers of the Galaxy S25 series can boast of being among the first to try One UI 7. However, interestingly, the devices didnt have priority during the rollout of the latest available security patch, as they still have the February one. Samsung is finally solving that by starting to send the March 2025 security update to the Galaxy S25 lineup.

Galaxy S25 series users have been enjoying all the new features and the new design of the Android 15-based One UI for weeks. So, they dont have too many complaints about itunlike those who have been waiting for the update for months. Now, the Galaxy S25 series will become more secure after receiving their latest available OTA.

March 2025 security update now reaching the Galaxy S25 lineup

As reported by SamMobile, the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra are starting to get the March 2025 security update. The new firmware is being seen first in South Korea, the companys home country. The OTA has build number S938NKSUAYC3 and weighs around 577 MB. The file size might suggest that Samsung has included some new features. However, the changelog only refers to the implementation of the latest monthly security fixes.

This is the second update the Galaxy S25 series has received since its arrival in stores. The first brought the February 2025 security file, some bug fixes, and performance optimizations.

Regarding the March security update, it resolves up to 58 security holes. Google contributed most of the fixes for Androids core, while Samsung patched up to seven vulnerabilities that only affected its Galaxy products.

According to recent reports, Samsung has canceled all intermediate One UI 7 updates. The next update now is expected to be a direct jump to Android 16-based One UI 8. Some internal test builds have even been detected in recent weeks. That said, were likely many months away from Samsungs next big update for Galaxy devices. Meanwhile, One UI 7 will arrive on the Galaxy S24 series and the Galaxy Z Fold 6/Z Flip 6 from April 7.
If youve ever found yourself ticking boxes featuring traffic lights or distorted characters to prove that youre human, you probably know the pain of CAPTCHA verification. The CAPTCHA system has been around for a long time to separate bots from humans. However, if youve installed One UI 7 on your Galaxy device, theres a new feature that lets you bypass CAPTCHA verification when using Samsungs browser.

A One UI 7 feature lets Samsung Galaxy users skip CAPTCHAs, with some limitations

The feature in question is the Automatic Verification. Android Authority notes it is a Smart anti-tracking feature that restricts websites from using any user data collected during the authentication process. Thats not all; this One UI 7 feature allows blocking websites from spying on your online activity. Speaking of spying, a report from earlier this year cited a YouTube video claiming that Googles reCAPTCHA is spyware.

Its normal to think that the aforementioned feature would work on every website. Sadly, that isnt the case. Samsung reportedly notes that the CAPTCHA-skipping feature only works on supported websites. However, theres no mention of which website the feature will work on.

Not to forget, the feature is only usable in the Samsung Internet app. This means you cant use it when browsing websites on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or other third-party web browser apps. Since Automatic Verification is one of the features of One UI 7, its not available on any other Android devices.

You can enable the feature quite easily

If you have a Samsung Galaxy device, you can enable the Automatic Verification feature in the Smart anti-tracking settings. Next, you have to find the Privacy option and select Smart anti-tracking. Once selected, youll land on a page where youll see the toggle to enable the Automatic Verification feature.

You can also check out the screenshot below shared by folks over at SammyGuru, which guides you to enable the One UI 7 feature. Speaking of One UI 7, Samsung has confirmed that its stable rollout will begin on April 7.
Summary: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will charge just as slow as its sibling, the Galaxy Z Flip 7. The phone was revealed to offer 25W wired charging by the 3C authority in China. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will offer that same charging speed, in case you were wondering. Samsung could announce the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE alongside its foldable siblings in July or August.

It seems like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will offer the same slow charging as its siblings. The phone was certified by the 3C certification authority in China, and thus its charging speed has been revealed.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE will charge just as slow as the Galaxy Z Flip 7, unsurprisingly

The phone appeared under the SM-F7610 model number on the website. For those of you who dont know, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE is supposed to be a budget version of the Galaxy Z Flip 7. Well, its charging speed will seemingly be identical to that of the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

Based on the 3C information, the phone will support 25W charging, as the EP-TA800 power brick was mentioned. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 appeared on that same authority recently, and were revealed to support 25W wired charging too.

The phone could launch in July or August

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE could launch alongside the other two foldables from the company. Nothing has been confirmed just yet, but it does remain a possibility. If that ends up happening, well see it become official in either July or August.

Last year, Samsung hosted its Unpacked event in July, though the company usually does it in August. It remains to be seen what will happen this year, anything is possible.

With that being said, we already know what the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 will look like, thanks to our exclusive leaks. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be notably thinner, and have a less noticeable display crease. It will also include a 200-megapixel main camera, it would seem. That could be the same camera the Galaxy S25 Ultra is using.

The Galaxy Z Flip 7, on the other hand, will have a larger cover display. Samsung will allow the display to go around the cameras, thus ditch the folder-type cover display.
Thanks to modern technology, we can buy almost everything and anything we need on the internet. Once we place our order, it is delivered right to our doorstep. The problem with this is that it creates porch piratespeople that steal unattended packages in front of peoples houses. That said, the US Department of Justice has recently taken down a criminal ring of porch pirates that stole expensive electronics like the iPhone.

The Porch Pirate criminal network

According to the report, the criminal network, which included thirteen members, orchestrated the operation using automated scripts to scrape tracking data from FedEx systems. Its members also bribed AT&T employees to obtain confidential customer information, including customer names, addresses, and tracking numbers. By leveraging this information, the porch pirates intercepted shipments, snatching Apple iPhone packages from porches minutes after delivery.

Authorities claim the thieves established hubs in New York to manage the stolen devices. For instance, some members of the operation received the stolen phones in the Bronx, while other members set up a Brooklyn site for processing bulk shipments of the stolen electronics from across the country. The operation spanned multiple states, with criminals transporting and selling the stolen devices overseas.

Brazen behaviors

The thieves were even brazen enough to complain to FedEx about missing shipments. In one instance, two members of the crime ring attempted to ship a package at a FedEx store. They falsely claimed it contained baby clothes. However, when FedEx security inspected the parcel, they uncovered stolen iPhones and confiscated them. Later, when the package arrived empty, one of the criminals contacted FedExs customer service and complained that someone had taken his stolen iPhones.

Both FedEx and AT&T worked with law enforcement to track down the individuals behind these thefts. In a statement, FedEx emphasized its proactive efforts to combat the growing problem of porch piracy. AT&T also assured the public that it continues to refine its employee training and security measures to prevent internal leaks.

Authorities have now charged all individuals involved in the scheme, with some facing up to 20 years in prison.

So, the next time you plan to buy something expensive online, make sure that you or someone is at home to receive it. You can also install security cameras to receive notifications when someone approaches your doorstep.
iPhone users have long been able to send emergency messages over satellite. However, Android users have been unlucky, as a only few new devices like the Pixel 9 series previously supported this feature. However, when Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 series, Verizon was quick to confirm that all three models of the series support Satellite SOS messaging. Now, Verizon has announced that its satellite texting service is now available on select Google Pixel and Galaxy smartphones.

Verizon rolls out satellite texting to the Google Pixel 9 & Samsung Galaxy S25 series

Today, via a press release, Verizon announced that it is rolling out its satellite texting service to a few Android smartphones. This makes Verizon customers the first in the US to have the ability to send text messages over satellite to anyone with any device.

If you are on the Verizon network and have a phone from the Google Pixel 9 or Samsung Galaxy S25 series, you can send satellite texts from network dead zones. The announcement came nearly a month after Verizon successfully tested data services and video calling over satellite connectivity.

The company also notes that it uses satellite technology to provide reliable service in emergency situations through satellite-linked portable assets. For the uninitiated, Verizon also uses satellite connectivity for new cell sites and provides satellite IoT capabilities for various industries.

Other telecom companies are also pushing for satellite technology

Its worth noting that Verizon showcased satellite texting and calling through an ad during the Grammy Awards last month. However, it isnt the only U.S. telecom company racing for satellite connectivity. T-Mobile is another name that has been actively testing its system with the Starlink network. The company even aired an ad during Super Bowl LIX highlighting the satellite technology. Moreover, AT&T and AST SpaceMobile have also successfully completed testing video calls over satellite to an everyday smartphone.
Adolescence co-creator Jack Thorne has revealed that social media users have shared false claims about him following the success of the hit Netflix show.

The four-part crime drama  about a boy accused of killing his female classmate  was co-written and created with This Is England star Stephen Graham.

The series, which starts with the arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by newcomer Owen Cooper, has been at the top of the most-watched programmes on the streaming website globally and has prompted questions in Parliament.

The limited series, starring Graham as Jamies father, examines so-called incel culture, which has been blamed for misogyny online, and the use of social media in bullying.

Stephen Graham stars as Eddie Miller in Adolescence (Netflix)

When asked about the reaction, Thorne told BBC Twos current affairs programme Newsnight: Its very interesting.

Ive been on the television a little bit, and whats been happening in the last few days is my picture is being circulated with questions (made about) my masculinity, questions as to whether Ive got too much oestrogen (a group of female sex hormones) in my system, questions whether Im a man or not.

Weird things like people saying Im Jewish, when Im not, its been very odd, and its given me a taste of something thats very strange.

Im very comfortable with how I look, I dont mind it, but its been scientifically very interesting.

Thorne has advocated for the show to be shown in Parliament and schools, and during Wednesdays Prime Ministers Questions, Sir Keir Starmer indicated that it should.

The Prime Minister said he watched the programme with his children, and added that this violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem, its abhorrent, and we have to tackle it.

Thorne said he hopes we can use this moment to provoke this Government to consider quite serious change.

He referenced that the Australian Senate has passed a social media ban for young children.

I would extend it further, it is about gaming too, and its about getting inside all these different systems, Thorne said.

He admitted that there was good about social media and gaming, but stressed the Government should legislate to protect teenagers and see what change that could bring to our society.

Australia is set to make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (25 million) if they systematically do not prevent those younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Thorne also said the issue is not just about controversial influencer Andrew Tate, adding this is why the series has struck a chord worldwide.

Following the show, Sir Gareth Southgate delivered the Richard Dimbleby Lecture at the University of London, saying manipulative and toxic influencers trick young men into thinking women are against them.

The former England manager said many young men end up searching for direction and fill the void with a new kind of role model who do not have their best interest at heart.
In a letter to Liberal MP Warren Entsch, foreign affairs minister Penny Wong said Australia was working to understand the impact of the USs foreign aid pause. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Australian government is consulting Pacific nations to assess the devastating consequences of the Trump administrations freeze on foreign aid and considering what additional support it can provide ahead of next weeks federal budget.

In a letter to a Liberal MP concerned the freeze could cause irreversible damage to Pacific communities, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said Australian diplomats were discussing its impact with US government officials.

We are working with our country, regional and global partners to understand the potential impact of the US administrations decision to pause its foreign aid, Wong said in a letter to Liberal MP Warren Entsch earlier this month. [We] will continue to engage with the US on key issues as it conducts its review.

The Australian government, including through its diplomatic network, is also engaging with countries in our region to determine how we can help them manage impacts from the pause.

Related: Australian foreign aid workers fear deaths and suffering will result from Trumps halt to USAid

Entsch wrote to Wong in February warning the 90-day freeze was undermining global efforts to fight tuberculosis, which have been heavily reliant on US funding.

The stop work order is already having devastating consequences with active case finding efforts, contact tracing and treatment support suspended in multiple high tuberculosis burdened countries, Entsch said in the letter.

Organisations are already laying off hundreds of trained, dedicated staff members because they are unable to make payroll this month without US funding. The current interruptions to tuberculosis services therefore not only halt further progress, but actively undermine progress to date.

Some of the damage will be irreversible.

Entsch, who is the co-chair of the Australian Tuberculosis Caucus, a bipartisan group of politicians who raise awareness of the disease and its impact, urged Australian diplomats to show the new US administration that investing in health aligns with their goals of enhancing American safety and prosperity.

Wong said Australia was determined to be a partner of choice for our neighbours and stressed this was fundamental to our regions prosperity, stability and security.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, criticised the Trump administrations decision to pause foreign aid after an address to the Lowy Institute on Thursday.

I think it is detrimental to the collective interests in the region and I hope that there can be a discussion between our governments about a sensible pathway forward in that regard, Dutton said.

Last year, a Lowy Institute report found China had renewed its efforts to curry favour with Pacific island nations after charting a resurgence in Beijing-backed aid and infrastructure funding.

Beijing has emerged from a pandemic-induced lull with a more competitive, politically targeted model of aid engagement, the thinktank said in the November report.

Tim Costello, the chief executive of Micah Australia, a coalition of church groups advocating for development projects, said allowing China to address the shortfall in US aid would be a strategic disaster for Australia.

We have a kneejerk reaction to increase defence spending when China sends warships down our coast, but its just as scary to say: lets let China fill the US aid vacuum, Costello said.

Related: Its back to drug rationing: the end of HIV was in sight. Then came the cuts

Analysis by Micah Australia found increasing foreign aid from 0.68% of the federal budget to 1% would help immunise another 6.6 million people in our region, enrol 164,100 children in local schools, and provide 164,500 services to women and girl victims/survivors of violence.

In a time of rising defence spending, a stronger aid program is not a luxury  its a smart, strategic investment in a stable and secure region, which is ultimately in Australias national interest, said Micah Australias director, Matt Darvas.

Cameron Hill, a senior researcher specialising in foreign aid at the Australian National University, said there was scope to increase funding given large cuts to aid under the previous Coalition governments.

The only countries that have seen an increase to aid over the last decade are those in the Pacific and Timor-Leste, Hill said. So, theres not much left to cut beyond our immediate neighbourhood.

I cant see either major party cutting aid to these countries any time soon given the anxieties about China.
WhatsApp first revealed in January that 90 of its users, including civil society members and journalists, had been the target of government clients of Paragon, although it is not known if any Australian users have been targeted. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Australian government agencies could be customers of military-grade spyware from Israeli firm Paragon Solutions, a new report suggests.

In January, Meta revealed more than 90 people, including journalists, had their WhatsApp compromised by the software, although it is unknown if any Australians were targeted.

In a report published by the Citizen Lab on Wednesday, the group identified two IP addresses located in Australia among countries where the companys Graphite spyware tool was suspected to have been used. Citizen Lab had received a tip which they believe allowed Paragons server infrastructure to be mapped.

The software can provide full access to the instant messaging apps on a users device. The service is only sold to governments around the world. It is not sold to private enterprises.

Neither of the Australian domains listed in the report show any records of having been owned before, according to a who-is domain search conducted on the two sites listed.

The domains could have been used by any federal or state agency. Guardian Australia has confirmed that the Department of Home Affairs and Australian Signals Directorate have no links to Paragon Solutions.

When asked if Paragon had Australian customers, or if the software had been used to target Australians, the company did not directly respond to the question.

Paragons mission is to support national security and law enforcement agencies, in full accordance with applicable laws and regulations, in their fight against serious crime and terrorism while minimising the impact on privacy, the companys executive chairman, John Fleming, said.

Paragon maintains a robust due diligence framework to vet customers, ensuring they operate within democratic systems and that their law enforcement and intelligence agencies have the proper legal framework to use our tools. We have a zero-tolerance policy for customers who violate our terms of service, and a proven track record of enforcing those rules.

If the Australian government is a customer there is no suggestion by Citizen Lab in their report that they have misused it or violated Paragons terms of service.

The Citizen Lab report came after WhatsApp owner Meta announced in January it had high confidence that 90 journalists and other members of civil society had been compromised on the messaging platform, after being targeted by spyware owned by Paragon Solutions.

WhatsApp had sent Paragon a cease and desist letter and said it was exploring its legal options. The company alerted those who had been targeted at the time.

When asked whether Australians were targeted, Meta declined to comment further.

An Italian investigative journalist, Francesco Cancellato, who is known for exposing young fascists within prime minister Giorgia Melonis far-right party, came forward after receiving a notification from WhatsApp about the attack.

Paragon Solutions terminated its contract with Italy after the revelations. Melonis office denied that domestic intelligence services or the government were behind the alleged breaches against the journalist and activists.

Citizen Lab, based at the University of Toronto, are specialists at researching cyber and surveillance techniques.
Venom extraction of an Echis coloratus snake, a a highly venomous viper - Simon Townsley/Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

A pill used to combat mercury and arsenic poisoning could be repurposed to tackle snakebites, trials have found.

The development may prove revolutionary for antivenom treatments  there is currently no tablet available for snakebite victims, while existing antidotes rely on technology that has hardly changed for a century.

Not only is the production of traditional antivenoms laborious  it involves milking snakes, before injecting horses with toxins and harvesting their antibodies  but the resulting drugs are difficult to distribute and administer. Side effects can be so severe that they can also only be given in medical facilities, where rehabilitation from anaphylactic shock is possible.

Yet the bulk of victims do not live near a hospital. Between 81,000 and 138,000 people die each year after being bitten by a snake, the vast majority in poor, rural regions in developing countries. Another 400,000 suffer life changing injuries.

Thats where the arsenic antidote, called unithiol, comes in.

Unithiol will be especially useful to tackle viper bites - Ray Wilson

Developed and approved as a treatment for heavy metal poisoning, the drug first became available in 1958, in what was then the Soviet Union. It was later approved in Western Europe in the 1970s.

The drug works as a chelating agent  it acts almost as a metal magnet, pulling in toxic heavy metals and then facilitating their exit from a persons body.

Snake venom contains hundreds of different toxins, but some of them  called metalloproteinases  are zinc-based, meaning unithiol can also be used to attract, inhibit and then extract the dangerous toxins.

This will be especially useful to tackle viper bites. If untreated, the metalloproteinases in these snakes cause severe tissue damage and life-threatening bleeding.

I think unithiol could be really revolutionary for the field, Dr Michael Abouyannis, a clinical researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), told the Telegraph.

The current situation is pretty dire, in that people have to go to hospital and get antivenom intravenously. It has to be stored in a fridge it has a high risk of anaphylactic, its very expensive, and it doesnt always work, he said. Whereas this drug is affordable, very safe, and could be given in clinics in remote settings.

A health worker organises blood and urine samples of those participating in the trial - KEMRI-Wellcome

The concept is not a pipe dream. Last week a phase one trial  led by Dr Abouyannis and published in eBioMedicine, part of the Lancet journal  found it is safe to administer the higher doses of unithiol required to tackle snake bites.

The study, based on 64 healthy volunteers in Kenya, found the drug was well-tolerated and confirmed it is easy to administer in remote rural clinics. It was conducted in collaboration with the Kenya Medical Research Institute and the Wellcome Trust.

The trial was based on previous research in mice, published in Science Translational Medicine in 2020. Unithiol saved all of the rodents when given 15 minutes after a venom injection  as long as this was followed by an antivenom dose an hour later.

We are hoping this therapy will act as a bridge, to reduce the severity of the envenoming and, at the worst, buy them time to get to hospital, said Professor Nicholas Casewell, director of the Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions at the LSTM.

That theory will be put to the test as soon as next year, as the team has secured funding to test unithiol in a phase two clinical trial.

The drug will be studied in Brazil and Ghana, where viper bites are a significant issue, including in remote clinics  for instance, in the Amazon rainforest. Some 60 participants will initially be recruited, a number that will rise further if preliminary data is positive.

But testing new antivenoms is no easy task, given it is deemed unethical not to give patients an available treatment for a fatal condition.

The only other trial of a potential pill  an oral drug varespladib, which targets a different toxin compared to unithiol  came up against this issue in a study published in BMJ Global Health in October. Researchers gave everyone the traditional antivenom too, and compared whether recovery times were faster, but results were unclear.

Prof Casewell said the unithiol trial would get around this issue by picking trial sites where intravenous antivenoms are not available. Patients would then be taken to hospitals for the existing drugs  but the time lag should provide clearer data, by comparing outcomes between patients given unithiol in the first instance, and those given a placebo.

Precise timescales remain hazy, but the team hopes to kick off the trial early next year and have preliminary data within the following 18 months.

The key is reducing the time to treatment, said Prof Casewell. The longer it takes patients to get antivenom, often the worse the outcomes are. So anything we can do to reduce that time to treatment, or buy more time to access treatment, is likely to have a beneficial impact.

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Screenshot from a social media video of a new Chinese barge system designed for efficient ship-to-shore transfer of supplies. Photograph: X

The short video is shot from a public beach in Chinas Guangdong province, the unidentified filmer standing quietly by some fishing boats and a few tourists out for a walk.

Just to their right, a line of strange looking ships loom in the mist. The enormous ships are unmoving, raised above the waves by thick pylons. Drop-down bridges connect them to each other, the front one extending down to the sand.

The original video reportedly disappeared from WeChat shortly after it was uploaded, but copies circulated widely among watchers of China-Taiwan hostilities. The 19-second clip was their first clear look at what many believe are Chinas newest tool for its Taiwan invasion plans.

The barge-like Shuiqiao ships were first seen during the construction phase in January, and reported by Naval News. The Zhanjiang beach test showed how together they can create a loading dock from almost a kilometre out to sea  exactly what China needs to overcome one of the key challenges of any land invasion of Taiwan.

They also provide crucial insight into Chinas advancing integration of its military, paramilitary and civilian operations.

Under the rule of Xi Jinping, Chinas military is pursuing the capability to forcibly annex Taiwan if it fails to convince or coerce the islands government to submit peacefully. Most annexation scenarios involve a full ground invasion of Taiwans main island, but there are fewer than 20 beaches on which an amphibious assault could land, and in wartime those can be defended, filled with anti-landing equipment.

Analysts say these barges can negate that key defence and, potentially, give the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) direct access to any road within about 150 clear metres of the shore. Taiwan has more than 1,500km (930 miles) of coastline which several major roads and highways closely skirt, including as close as 30km to central Taipei.

Related: Taiwans president labels China a foreign hostile force and ramps up security measures citing infiltration

These bridge-barges are purpose-built for a Taiwan invasion scenario, said Andrew Erickson, a professor of strategy at the China Maritime Studies Institute. They embody the seriousness with which China under Xi is pursuing absorption of Taiwan by any means possible.

The Shuiqiao barges are not a panacea that can overcome all difficult landing conditions, but they definitely provide PLA planners with more options along far greater stretches of Taiwans coastline.

Many have noted the barges vulnerabilities. Yu Pei-chen, a former army major general turned city councillor, told local media that Taiwans military could use its newly acquired Himars rocket systems to quite easily take them out.

China should build more barges of the same kind and send them to Taiwan. That would save the ammo for our armed forces, Yu said.

But Lu Li-Shih, a retired navy major and now political commentator, urged careful evaluation, telling a political talkshow he expected the barges wouldnt be deployed until Taiwans armed forces lose their control of the air and sea.

Jason Wang, chief executive of Ingenispace, a geospatial analysis company, said the ships were a clear sign of Chinas creativity.

They can produce the ships really fast  four to six months  and get them into theatre, Wang said. They can also iterate improvements faster than everybody else.

Several analysts said it was highly unlikely the barges would be used in a first wave of attack. Instead theyd be part of a follow-on landing, servings as a causeway to help deliver large numbers of troops, vehicles and artillery transferred from accompanying vessels. High-resolution satellite imagery seen by the Guardian shows the barges at Zhenjiang were also carrying amphibious vehicles on their decks.

The Zhanjiang beach where the vessels were filmed is near a PLA Navy facility, the headquarters for the PLAs Southern Theatre Command, which runs operations targeting Taiwan.

US intelligence has said Xi has ordered the PLA to be capable of invasion by 2027, although military experts have noted that a number of variables  including ongoing corruption issues in the PLA and the unpredictability of US support for Taiwan under Trump  could push that in either direction.

Regardless, the PLA is now undergoing one of the biggest military buildups since the second world war. Xi has overhauled the command structure, boosted missile and nuclear stocks, and strengthened paramilitary arms including the coastguard and the paramilitary fleet of fishing boats known as the maritime militia. The different groups are cooperating more than ever on joint operations.

Satellite images show the barges were escorted by at least two civilian ships from a nearby civilian dock, and that several other boats  including some marked as fishing vessels on their tracking ID  were sailing laps behind them, appearing to practise running interference.

At least three more barges are under construction or in early testing. The barge design suggests they have been built to work with the roll-on, roll-off ferries that China has been repurposing or building to bring tanks and another heavy armoured vehicles across the Taiwan Strait.

Shipbuilding is a key part of the expansion of the PLA, which has the worlds largest navy. In a recent report on Chinas growing dual use shipbuilding industry, the Centre For Strategic and International Studies said Chinas largest single state-owned shipbuilder had built more commercial vessels by tonnage in 2024 than the entire US shipbuilding industry has built since the end of world war two.

Additional research by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu

 This article was amended on 2 April 2025 to correct the spelling of Shuiqiao.
Chlamydia causes infertility and has severely affected koala populations. Photograph: Matthew Starling/Getty Images

Chlamydia has spread to Sydneys only disease-free koala population with two koalas testing positive after they were rescued late last year.

The koalas were tested after they were found in Appin in south-western Sydney in September with injuries suggesting they had both been hit by cars.

One koala was treated while the other had to be euthanised, the New South Wales environment department said.

The south-western Sydney koala population, which includes Appin and Campbelltown, is one of only a few koala populations in NSW free of chlamydia, which causes infertility and has severely affected populations elsewhere in the state.

Chlamydia positive and chlamydia negative populations of koalas meet on the Woronora Plateau at Picton Road, 10.5km south of Appin.

The government said it had moved quickly to introduce additional biosecurity measures and establish a working group that includes wildlife carers and researchers at the University of Sydney.

But it did not make the positive detections public at the time.

The department said surveys and testing of wild koalas in the vicinity of where the chlamydia positive koalas were found had been conducted and had found no further evidence of the disease. The department did not say how many koalas had been tested.

We responded to this incursion quickly and will continue to improve our understanding of the most effective interventions, said Alison Schumacher, the departments director of threatened species and ecosystems.

We are working closely with our partners to manage this disease and protect this much-loved species.

Saul Deane, the urban sustainability campaigner at the Total Environment Centre, said the positive detections of chlamydia were a really depressing development.

It would be devastating if it becomes endemic in the local population because its one of only a few in the state where chlamydia is not the main cause of mortality, he said.

Related: Global heating, land clearing and the extinction vortex: the fight to save Australias koalas

The department said it would continue monitoring for the disease and would expand testing in coming months by using drones east of Appin to locate koalas and collect their scats for testing.

It is also long-established practice that every koala that is rescued and taken in to care is tested for chlamydia.

Professor of veterinary science Mark Krockenberger is leading a University of Sydney research team that has been commissioned to develop a chlamydia management strategy for delivery to the NSW government by the end of the year.

Krockenberger has been involved in research for the past few years that has been trialling a vaccine to determine if it can be used to create a barrier between koalas with chlamydia in the southern highlands and the disease-free populations in Appin and Campbelltown.

He said while the positive detections in September were a serious development, weve done a lot of tests which have not detected any more chlamydia.
Alex Wheatle, who wrote a string of books about life on Londons streets for young black men including the Crongton series, has died at the age of 62 after having prostate cancer.

The author, who was known as the Brixton Bard, was diagnosed with the condition in 2023, and campaigned for awareness of the cancer.

Born on January 3 1963, Wheatle grew up in childrens homes and began by writing lyrics then progressed to poetry, short stories and novels.

He was also known for being part of the 1981 Brixton riot  which saw him being sent to prison, and inspired Sir Steve McQueen to direct the film Alex Wheatle about the writers life for the anthology series Small Axe.

Wheatle would later contribute to the BBC programme Battle For Brixton, and put out the fiction book East Of Acre Lane about the events.

His first novel, Brixton Rock, about a troubled London teenager getting to grips with finding his family, was published in 1999.

Wheatles A Crongton Story series, about children growing up on a council estate and facing gang wars and other struggles, has been made into the upcoming BBC show Crongton  set to begin airing on Monday.

Crongton will begin on Monday (BBC/New Pictures/Yoshitaka Kono)

His family posted on his Instagram, saying: It is with great sadness to inform you that Alex Wheatle our Brixton Bard sadly passed away on Sunday March 16 2025 after his fight with Prostate Cancer.

Alex has 26 years of legacy for you all to continue and enjoy by reading his novels, watch again the self-titled episode Alex Wheatle from the Small Axe TV series and also watch the new upcoming Crongton TV series as he looks over us in spirit.

Alexs family would like to thank you all for your support over the years in his work and we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.

Author Alex Wheatle. (Lucy Ray/PA)

Author Dorothy Koomson, known for the novel and TV drama The Ice Cream Girls, wrote on Instagram that she was heartbroken.

She added: He was a wonderful person and writer. A brilliant and empathetic human being. He leaves an incredible legacy. Lots of love to those who were closest to him. Rest in peace and glory, Alex.

Fellow Prostate Cancer UK supporter and actor Colin McFarlane said he was shocked and saddened.

He added: Sadly, tragic deaths like these are all too common. Were losing far too many beloved Dads, brothers, sons, and friends to the most common cancer in men, simply because too many are diagnosed too late  and the situation is at its worst when it comes to black men.

On several occasions when I met Alex, we talked about the desperate need for a national screening programme, and for GPs to be empowered to reach out and speak to black men about their higher risk and their right to a PSA blood test.

Prostate cancer is curable if it is diagnosed earlier, and one day I hope we can stop losing brilliant men like Alex to this disease.

Wheatle joined Prostate Cancer UK in calling for the Government to overhaul NHS guidelines to allow GPs to proactively start conversations with black men about their increased risk of prostate cancer and their options for a quick and simple PSA blood test from the age of 45.

Keith Morgan, associate director of Black Health Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said: Were deeply saddened to hear of the loss of Alex Wheatle MBE.

Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and the thousands he inspired through his work and activism.

His book East Of Acre Lane had a big impact on me growing up as a young man in London, and his powerful words will live on to inspire the next generation.

Im proud to have worked with him later in life as he used his platform, and his own shocking late-stage diagnosis, to raise vital awareness of prostate cancer and campaign for change.

He added that one in four black men will get prostate cancer, double the risk of other men, and said that men like Wheatle are dying twice as much from a cancer that is treatable if caught early.

When he received his honour in 2008 for services to literature, Wheatle said: I know some people might say the MBEs got empire on it, but there is no British empire any more.

But more importantly, it shows young kids coming up that they can achieve and you can be successful.

On Instagram, publisher Hachette Childrens Group said they were incredibly saddened, and added that he leaves behind a legacy of rich and powerful stories.

We are extremely proud at Hachette Childrens Group to publish Alexs acclaimed and award-winning Crongton series, the statement also said.

He will be remembered for his astonishing creative talent, enormous generosity to other writers and his ability to bring joy to any room.

We will miss him very much and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.
A deaf TikTok star who died after ingesting a poison she ordered online had overdosed on prescribed medication in the months before her death, an inquest heard.

Imogen Nunn, 25, died in Brighton, East Sussex, on New Years Day 2023 after taking a poisonous substance.

Ms Nunn, who was born deaf, raised awareness of hearing and mental health issues on her social media accounts, which attracted more than 780,000 followers.

Imogen Nunn died in Brighton, East Sussex, on New Years Day 2023 after taking a poisonous substance (Family Handout/PA)

An inquest into her death on Thursday heard that Ms Nunns consultant psychiatrist at the Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Simon Baker, saw her three times between March and December 2022, including during a home visit three days before her death.

One meeting came after Ms Nunn had overdosed on medication and another after she had cut her forearm as a result of self-harm, but no changes were made in her mental health care on either occasion, West Sussex Coroners Court heard.

Giving evidence about his first meeting with Ms Nunn on March 9 2022, Dr Baker told the court she was quite low in mood and he had concerns about her as she felt unable to cope with her tiredness.

He said: This meeting was precipitated by an overdose of her prescribed medication.

I felt this was an appropriate point to have a review of her care.

Asked by senior coroner for West Sussex, Penelope Schofield, if he felt Ms Nunn was safe to remain in the community, Dr Baker said: She had a very comprehensive package of care. She was seeing a psychologist once a week.

She had pretty much the maximum amount of support.

He added that Ms Nunn did not present as acutely suicidal at the time of the meeting, but the overdose was on the spectrum of self-harm.

Asked if the overdose could have been an attempt to end her life, Dr Baker said: There is a distinction between deliberate self-harm and suicidal acts.

Asked by the coroner what her treatment plan was, going forward, Dr Baker told the court he would see Ms Nunn as and when required but that he didnt feel we could add anything to it (her care).

A second meeting between Ms Nunn and Dr Baker took place at a clinic on September 16 2022 after carers became concerned about her mood, which appeared to have been affected by relationship problems, the court heard.

Dr Baker told the inquest Ms Nunn did not want her medication to be amended at the meeting and revealed she had began researching what medications she was on.

Asked if that behaviour was unusual, Dr Baker said: I find it very healthy  in fact, I encourage it.

The court previously heard Ms Nunn ordered a lethal chemical substance online on November 14, which was delivered to her home address on November 21.

She had contacted her support worker at the deaf adult community team on November 23 and told them she had bought something online that she planned to take to end her life.

Dr Baker told the court he had not been involved in any response to a disclosure about the chemical substance.

An inquest into Ms Nunns death is being held at West Sussex Coroners Court (Helen William/PA Archive)

Asked by the coroner whether he would expect to be involved, he said: Not necessarily. If we knew a patient had purchased some toxin, we would move more promptly.

On December 29 2022, Dr Baker attended Ms Nunns home with her care co-ordinator Ray McCullagh after she had sent a text message saying she had an increase in suicidal thoughts.

No British Sign Language interpreter was brought to the meeting as there was not enough time to arrange it, the court heard.

Ms Nunn was quite subdued during the meeting but engaged in an interview, Dr Baker said, and he was surprised at how well it went.

She agreed to go to A&E at Royal Sussex County Hospital with Mr McCullagh and Dr Baker after she had changed her mind and no longer requested an admission, the court heard.

Dr Baker said the immediate plan was that Ms Nunn should be reassessed after having treatment for the incident of self-harm in which she had injured her arm.

Asked by the coroner if there was a missed opportunity to provide her support, Dr Baker said: She had more support than any other patient in our care.

Asked if he could have done any more following the self-harm incident, he told the court: The only support that would have made a difference was in the patient care.

Dr Baker said he made no record of the home visit on December 29 as there was no change in her diagnosis or medical treatment.

The inquest also heard a statement from emergency nurse practitioner Annie Mead, who had been on shift at A&E at Royal Sussex County Hospital when Ms Nunn was admitted.

She said Ms Nunn had caused deliberate harm to her left forearm with a cut at approximately 1am on December 29, and that no drugs or alcohol were found in her system when checked.

The statement added: During my contact with Ms Nunn, she was not expressing suicidal or self harm intent.

The inquest previously heard Ms Nunn was eventually left alone in the emergency room, and walked out of hospital before being seen by the mental health liaison team.

The inquest continues on Friday.
Death In Paradise's Ben Miller was the first detective on the BBC show. (BBC)

Death in Paradise's first detective Ben Miller has remembered how hard it was leaving his newborn baby Harrison to film the BBC show in 2011 in the Caribbean.

More than 10 years have flashed by since the 59-year-old actor said goodbye to his character Detective Inspector Richard Poole in 2014. As the 14th season of the BBC show nears its finale on 28 March, the Diary of a Puss In Boots author has reflected on why he chose to quit Death in Paradise and how his life is "incredibly rewarding" now as a writer of children's books.

He told Yahoo UK: "[My second son] Harrison was born in December. First day filming [I find out my wife Jessica is pregnant], 10 months later he's born and I'm going back [to film] when he's three months old and I went back to the Caribbean to do season two.

"So I didn't see him from when he was three months old to when he was nine months old, so I missed six months of his life when he was a baby."

Death in Paradise filming

Ben Miller is filming in the beach shack on Death in Paradise. (Denis Guyenon/BBC) (BBC/Courtesy Everett Collection, Everett Collection Inc)

Miller expanded: "It was really quite difficult. [Having a baby,] it wasn't what we planned at all. It was completely unplanned. There wasn't really anything I could do. I was signed up to do the show and stuff but it was kind of amazing for the show because my character in the show really doesn't want to be there.

"And there was a level on which I loved the show and I thought the show was brilliant but I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be at home with my pregnant wife.

"So I think you can tell, I think a lot of the reason that the show works so well is it's really genuine. You can see I'm not pretending I don't want to be there. I really don't want to be there! I think that really helps the comedy of it. I really do.

Ben Miller is soaking up the sunshine in the Caribbean for Death in Paradise. (BBC) ((BBC))

"People can feel that there's something real about it and I think it really, really works. Of course it was brilliantly written, it's brilliantly cast, it's an amazing show and all those other kind of things that helps.

"But for my tiny part in it, I think the fact that genuinely there was a big part of me that wanted to go back to England, it really helped. Its like the method acting you'd never wish on yourself."

Ben Miller with his wife Jessica and their daughter Lana. (Getty) (Dave Benett via Getty Images)

Death in Paradise detectives

His last scenes on Death in Paradise played out on our screens in 2014. After being contracted for two series, Miller stayed on to see his character DI Poole help new detective Humphrey Goodman (played by Kris Marshall) solve his own murder when he was killed by one of his university friends in series three episode one.

Death in Paradise is on its fifth detective now, with Don Gilet playing the irritable DI Mervin Wilson. Marshall, Ardal O'Hanlon and Ralf Little have also all served time as the detective solving murders on the Caribbean island between 2014 and 2024.

Ben Miller's character hated being in the Caribbean. (BBC) ((BBC))

Losing the lead actor in a role can often be a weakness of a show but Miller thinks it's part of the secret to success for the BBC's Death in Paradise.

"One of the reasons for the show's success is it keeps moving forward and I think that's an important part of it." Miller says. "I love that episode [where DI Richard Poole is murdered]. It's so clever that I solve my own murder from beyond the grave. Then the writing in that final episode could stand up against any other show. It's so clever to have that idea that he gets murdered and he helps the new detectives solve the crime; it's great."

DI Mervin Wilson (Don Gilet) with Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) in Death in Paradise. (BBC) (BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Philippe Virapin)

Miller did make a cameo return as a ghost in scenes for the 100th episode that aired in 2021 and he was reunited with Don Warrington who plays commissioner Selwyn Patterson. Warrington is one of the two remaining original cast members of Death in Paradise.

"I'm very, very fond of Don and I think he has been brilliant in the show hasn't he?" Miller said. "He took me to one of the new restaurants on the beach and we had a really lovely lunch together when I was there [in the Caribbean filming] and he caught me up on what I've missed for the last 10 years."

Life after Death in Paradise

Life has changed for Ben Miller since Death in Paradise. (BBC)

Miller's life after Death in Paradise has been "incredibly rewarding". In fact, having children transformed his career too in a way he had never imagined. Recently back from Australia where he was filming the second series of Austin, which tells the story of a bestselling but cancelled author (played by Miller) who is approached by a 20-something young man claiming to be his son. So Miller is still very much in the acting spheres but he also has branched out into the world of writing children's fiction.

The actor-turned-writer is father to three children: Jackson (Sonny), Harrison and Lana. First he started writing stories for his eldest son, now 19, whom he shares with his ex-wife Belinda Stewart-Wilson. Miller then went onto write stories for his youngest two Harrison, born in 2011, and Lana, born in 2015, too  both of whom he raises with his wife Jessica at their home in the Cotswolds.

"It was definitely having kids [that sparked my interest in writing]," he said. "I loved stories, I loved reading when I was little, and having kids and seeing the books that they were reading and loving reading with them, reminded me how much I loved reading when I was a kid. Then feeling like I'd like to try and write some stories for them... That got me off running, really and then I discovered I just loved the world of children's books."

Ben Miller poses on the red carpet for Paddington in 2024. (Getty) (JUSTIN TALLIS via Getty Images)

His children have made appearances in his books too. Miller's latest book Diary of a Puss in Boots tells the story of cat Mittens who is based on a combination of his sister's cat Harvey and his friend's cat Archie.

Miller has relished becoming a children's author. He added: "I loved the world of book festivals and going to schools and I just find it really, really rewarding because when a kid comes up to you after an event and they say that they weren't into reading until they read one of your books, you can't imagine how that feels, especially if books meant a lot to you as a child. But I think reading is one of those things that seems to really set kids up for life.

"None of us are born being able to read, you forget as well as you're older, how hard it was to learn to read because you have to rewire your brain. And if I could write some stories that kids really want to read that they think, 'Yeah, it's worth it' to sit down and struggle and get through the story, I think that's incredibly rewarding... Plus, I get to be a kid!"

Death in Paradise's finale airs on 28 March at 9pm on BBC One.
Eddie Jordan has been hailed as one-of-a-kind after the charismatic former Formula One team owner died on Thursday.

A statement from Jordans family released to the PA news agency confirmed the death of the Irishman at the age of 76.

Jordan revealed in December he had bladder and prostate cancer, which had spread to his spine and pelvis, but the ex-F1 team owner, TV pundit and entrepreneur continued to live life to the full and earlier this year led a consortium which bought rugby union side London Irish.

A born entertainer, a determined underdog, and truly one-of-a-kind. Eddie Jordan #F1 pic.twitter.com/LMx4AmaXDl  Formula 1 (@F1) March 20, 2025

He also recently helped seal F1 design guru Adrian Neweys 20million-a-season deal from Red Bull to Aston Martin, who were previously titled Jordan between 1991 and 2005.

The team  named after Jordan himself  entered 250 races across a 14-year spell, with Michael Schumacher notably handed his debut by the constructor, and tributes have been paid to its founder.

F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said ahead of this weekends Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai: We are deeply saddened to hear about the sudden loss of Eddie Jordan.

With his inexhaustible energy he always knew how to make people smile, remaining genuine and brilliant at all times.

Eddie has been a protagonist of an era of F1 and he will be deeply missed. In this moment of sorrow, my thoughts and those of the entire Formula One family are with his family and loved ones.

Jordan sold his F1 team in 2005 but returned to the paddock four years later as part of BBCs coverage. He went on to work as a pundit for Channel 4 and briefly as a presenter of Top Gear.

Presenter Jake Humphrey, who worked alongside Jordan at the BBC, tweeted: Utterly devastated.

Formula One wont see the likes of Eddie ever again where a guy with a love for racing can hustle his way into the sport and end up winning races.

More important than race wins though, he won hearts. I will never forget how his face would always light up whenever he saw a Jordan GP jacket, flag or cap.

His greatest achievements were Mikki, Zoe, Kyle and Zak. His incredible 4 kids who share his spirit. His wife Marie is one of the strongest, most wonderful women I have ever met. The 4 years we spent together hosting F1 on the BBC were greatest of my career.

Eddie lit up a room whenever he entered it. That is a lesson for us all  be the light in the room. I was lucky enough to share one, final, cherished meal with him and his boys a few months ago. It was special.

The world seems a little less bright this morning. Farewell friend. Play the spoons up there for me.

Aston Martins current team principle Andy Cowell: Eddie Jordan was one of the all-time motorsport greats.

He was a one-off, a wonderful human being, and a charismatic leader who founded this team and took it to F1 in 1991.

His vision laid the foundations for us and he leaves a lasting legacy for the entire motorsport community. Today we pay tribute to a legend of the sport and our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues.

Eddie Jordan was a legend of Formula One. He made an invaluable contribution to global motor sport throughout his life, governing body FIA said.

On his Formula For Success podcast with former F1 driver, David Coulthard, where he revealed his cancer diagnosis, Jordan said: This is a little message to everybody listening to this, dont waste or put it off.

Go and get tested, because in life you have got chances. Go and do it. Dont be stupid. Dont be shy. Look after your body, guys.
Ursula von der Leyen, Olaf Scholz and other EU leaders attend a round-table meeting in Brussels on Thursday, where all but Hungary called on Russia to show real political will to end the war.

Photograph: Omar Havana/AP

EU leaders  apart from Hungarys Viktor Orban  say they are ready to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions, as summit talks exposed a geographical divide on rearming Europe.

Meeting in Brussels, the bloc agreed it was ready to levy further sanctions on Russia and strengthen existing measures after talks with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined by video link.

The show of unity was marred by Orban refusing to support an EU text declaring support for Ukraine, which stated: The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war. The Hungarian prime minister similarly declined to support the EU position two weeks ago.

Orbans growing confidence in diverging from the EU on Ukraine raises questions about the blocs ability to impose new sanctions and renew existing ones, although diplomats take comfort from the fact Hungary has always acceded to the plans in the end.

Zelenskyy told the EU leaders: Please do not ease pressure on Russia over the war. Sanctions must remain in place until Russia starts withdrawing from our land and fully compensates for the damage caused by its aggression.

In a clear reference to Hungarys efforts to stymie Ukraines EU accession talks, Zelenskyy added, without naming any country: It is simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon.

Separately the Financial Times reported that Europes biggest military powers are discussing how to take on greater responsibility for Europes defence. Countries including the UK, France and Germany aim to present Donald Trump with a plan to shift the financial and military burden to European capitals, in the hope of a managed transfer over five to 10 years, the paper reported.

Leaving the summit, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, praised the Buy European policy as a major doctrine change in Europe that would make the continent more independent. In a victory for Paris, the European Commission has proposed that a 150bn (125bn) loans rearmament programme should exclude countries without a defence pact with the EU, such as the UK and the US.

Macron also said he would host a meeting of European leaders with Zelenskyy in Paris next Thursday to discuss Ukraines defence, including immediate military aid, making any ceasefire work and possibly deployment of troops.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said it was of the utmost importance to develop the defence industrial base in Europe, adding that associated countries could be involved. These are billions and billions of euros that we will spend and we want a return on investment, she said. And where they are spent, they will produce good jobs.

Related: EU accuses Google and Apple of breaking its rules, risking Trump clash

Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, the former Nato secretary general who last month re-entered the Norwegian government as finance minister, said that uncertainty over US commitment to the transatlantic alliance was not a reason to give up Nato, but a motivation for European countries and Canada to increase their contributions.

Stoltenberg said that whether or not the US decided to reduce its Nato contributions, it was crucial for other Nato members to stand together and step up.

We need to all do what we can to ensure that Nato remains a strong alliance between North America and Europe that has helped to keep us safe for more than 75 years. There have been differences and disagreements before but we have been able to overcome them by realising we are all safer when we stand together, he said, speaking from Copenhagen shortly before Zelenskyy touched down in Norway on Thursday.

If the US should decide to reduce their contributions to Nato, it is even more important that we stand together the rest of us in Nato and step up, as European allies now do. And not least the United Kingdom, being the second largest military power in Nato after the United States.

He added: I cannot rule out that the US will reduce their contributions to the Nato command structures, to the Nato forces, but I expect the United States to remain a Nato ally. The answer to that is not to give up Nato but to strengthen the European and Canadian contributions to Nato.

Despite an EU agreement to urgently step up efforts to aid Ukraines defence, a 40bn (33bn) EU military aid plan has fizzled out after it failed to win support from larger member states, including France, Spain and Italy. Kaja Kallas, the EUs foreign policy head, who led the initiative, is now calling on member states to provide 2m shells worth 5bn, a downgrade on her original plan that envisaged every country contributing military aid based on the size of its economy.

Kallas acknowledged the plan had not won universal support: For every country it is the domestic politics, also the understanding of the public of what needs to be done and that is different in every member state.

EU talks on an 800bn plan to ensure Europe can deter any potential invaders by 2030 are exposing the geographical fault lines over rearming Europe.

Polands prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the EU summit was about finalising the first stage of perhaps the most important project in decades: making Europe safe, armed and united against the Russian threat.

Lithuanias president, Gitanas Nauseda, said Europe was facing a strategic choice that recalled the years before the second world war. We have to rearm ourselves because otherwise we will be the second, next victim of Russian aggression.

Spain and Italy, which both spend below the 2% Nato target on defence, say Europe cannot overlook other threats to security. Spain is urging a wider definition of defence spending to encompass cybersecurity, anti-terrorism and efforts to combat the climate crisis.

Its prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said he did not like the term rearm, which the European Commission has used repeatedly in its drive to increase defence spending. It was important, he said, to take into account that the challenges that we face in the southern neighbourhood are a bit different to the ones the eastern flank face.

Earlier this month the commission outlined an 800bn plan that included a 150bn loans package and flexibility on EU fiscal rules that would allow countries to take on 650bn in additional debt. EU leaders have endorsed the big picture, but some countries are reluctant to deepen their debts and are seeking EU grants.

The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said the EU needed a more serious discussion on the provision of grants to European member states in order to make the important investments that they need to do. The Netherlands and Germany oppose any common debt that would be used to create such grants.

Stoltenberg said it was valid and fair of Trump to ask other Nato members to do more, adding: The good news is that Europeans are doing more.
US border security

Britain has updated its advice for citizens travelling to the US, warning them they face arrest or detention.

Travel advice issued by the foreign office now stresses that the US strictly upholds entry rules and that those who do not abide by them could be detained.

You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry, the new guidance reads.

The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.

Earlier guidance that was in place in February read simply: The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules.

Trump tightening rules

It is unclear when the British Government updated its travel advice, but it comes as the Trump administration is tightening its enforcement of immigration rules.

The Foreign Office declined to comment on the reason for the revision or confirm when exactly it came into effect.

It added that the advice was constantly kept under review and designed to help people make decisions about their travel.

A British woman was recently detained in the US for three weeks over a visa mix-up.

Rebecca Burke, a 28-year-old graphic artist, was handcuffed and put in a cell before being transferred to a detention centre, according to her family.

She has since returned to the UK, with footage from Sky showing her landing at Heathrow airport on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Germany updated its US travel guidance to emphasise that a visa or entry waiver did not guarantee entry after several of its citizens were detained at the border.

In the Trump administrations most high-profile immigration battle, it is attempting to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student whom it claims advocated for the terrorist group Hamas.

Mr Khalil, who is currently detained in Louisiana pending court proceedings, is a legal permanent resident of the US and is married to a US citizen.
An injured Palestinian boy waits to be treated at the Indonesian hospital in Beit Lahiya. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

At least 91 Palestinians have been killed and many more injured in a third day of Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to medical officials in the strip, who said a high proportion of the dead were women and children.

The timing of the strikes in the new Israeli offensive appears to have increased the proportion of women and children among the victims, with many sleeping when the missiles struck overnight or very early in the morning. Among those pulled alive from rubble on Thursday was a month-old baby girl, but her parents and brother were killed.

A first wave of airstrikes on Tuesday shattered a two-month pause in hostilities and killed more than 400, according to the health ministry in Gaza, in what may have been the single bloodiest day of the 18-month conflict. The dead included 183 children and 94 women, Palestinian officials said.

Warnings telling Palestinians to evacuate areas in the north and east of Gaza to avoid being trapped by fighting have been issued by the Israeli military, suggesting ground assaults could be imminent, although Israel appears to be relying on air power for now.

Related: World leaders express outrage at Israels renewed bombing of Gaza civilians

Thursdays strikes appeared concentrated on the southern cities of Rafah and Khan Younis and the northern town of Beit Lahiya.

A strike on a family home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village near Khan Younis, killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of the month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.

The home was within an area covered by a recent evacuation order.

The house collapsed over the peoples heads, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors.

The European hospital in the southern city of Rafah said it had received 26 bodies after the overnight strikes, mostly women and children. The Nasser hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian hospital said it received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border. A second strike in Beit Lahiya killed many mourners at a funeral, survivors said.

A spokesperson for al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir al-Balah said 70% of the injured were women and children, most arriving in critical condition.

Zaher al-Wahidi, the director of the health information centre at the health ministry in Gaza, said the situation in all hospitals was catastrophic.

The injured are lying on the ground with blood covering the floors of the hospitals. We are suffering greatly from a shortage of supplies for emergency and intensive care, as well as for surgeries and medical equipment. There is a severe shortage of fuel stations, desalination stations, oxygen, and a critical shortage of fuel in the hospitals, Wahidi said.

In its first military response to the Israeli offensive since the ceasefire was broken, Hamas fired rockets at Tel Aviv in Israel. No casualties or damage were reported.

Lt Col Nadav Shoshani, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, said earlier this week that Israel had attacked terror targets and terrorists in Gaza  to weaken their military and governmental capabilities and remove threats to Israel.

Israeli media have reported that the new air offensive is aimed at senior political and military Hamas officials, and have identified several killed, including the head of Hamass internal security agency.

On Wednesday the IDF reoccupied the Netzarim corridor, a key strip of land that divides Gaza into northern and southern halves.

As part of the ceasefire deal signed in January, Israel had withdrawn from the corridor, where it had demolished almost all existing buildings, widened a road and built a series of strongpoints.

Israel and Hamas blame each other for the collapse of the ceasefire, which had largely held since coming into effect in mid-January and had brought some respite for Gazas 2.3 million inhabitants.

Hamas, which still holds 59 of about 250 hostages it seized in the October 2023 attack into southern Israel that triggered the conflict, says it wants to conclude the three-phase ceasefire deal agreed after more than a year of indirect talks mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the US. More than half of the hostages are thought to be dead.

The group said on Thursday that talks with mediators to halt the Israeli offensive were continuing, and called again for Israel to abide by the earlier agreement.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, and other Israel officials said the decision to renew attacks in Gaza came after Hamas rejected proposals for a 30-to 60-day extension of the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Thursday that Donald Trump backed Israels new offensive and blamed Hamas for the violence.

He fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days, Leavitt told reporters.

Lets not forget that this situation is completely the fault of Hamas when they launched that brutal attack on Israel on 7 October, and the president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home.

Sirens sounded across much of Israel at 4am on Thursday to warn of an incoming missile launched by the Yemen-based Houthi militia. The missile was intercepted by Israels air-defence system.

The Hamas surprise attack in 2023 killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, also mostly civilians.

Critics in Israel have accused Netanyahu of resuming the offensive to reinforce his coalition government before a crucial budget vote in parliament, to rally support for the war in the face of popular backing for a ceasefire to return the hostages, and to head off widespread public anger over his attempt to fire the head of the internal security service, Shin Bet.

Underlining the deep divisions in Israel, hundreds of Israelis protested outside Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem on Thursday. Police used a water cannon after some tried to break through barricades. More demonstrations were planned on Thursday.
Kemi Badenoch says the Tories are the only credible choice at the local elections - Carl Court/Getty

Labour town halls are increasing council tax more than that Conservative-held ones, according to analysis.

Councils controlled by Labour will increase total bills by an average of more than 5 per cent for next year, while the Tories will put them up by 4.76 per cent.

It comes as the Government confirmed that the average household will see its council tax bill go up by 109, to 2,280 for Band D properties.

The Tories claimed that Labour had left town halls left to foot the blame when record bills hit the doormat.

The analysis comes as Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader, fired the starting gun on the partys local elections campaign, with voters going to the ballot box on May 1.

She promised lower taxes and better services. She added: We are the only credible choice: Lib Dems will wreck your public services, Reform has no experience running anything, Greens will run councils into the ground and Labour will spend, tax and waste your money, just like they always do.

But Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said that her new pledge was comical, citing figures showing that across 19 Tory-controlled councils bills had risen by 23.5 per cent over the past five years.

The Tories track record in local government is one of higher taxes and crumbling services. After decades of mismanagement, Conservative councils across the country are buckling under the pressure.

Residents in Liberal Democrat-run authorities face the steepest overall council tax bills, at 2,344 for a Band D property, inclusive of all precepts from fire, police and potential mayoral or parish precepts. This is followed by the Tories at 2,299.

But Labour local authorities have increased bills compared to last years receipts by the greatest amount, at 5.01 per cent, compared to the Lib Dems at 4.97 per cent and the Tories at 4.76 per cent, according to analysis by The Telegraph.

The largest rises in the councils own levies came from Labour councils in Bradford, where it is set to rise by 10 per cent, and increases of 9 per cent in Labour-run Newnham and Lib Dem-run Windsor and Maidenhead.

Mrs Badenoch said on Thursday morning that the party was aiming to do a bit better than a local election wipe-out, warning that she expected the contest to be extremely difficult.

The council seats up for grabs at the local elections in May were last contested in 2021, when Boris Johnson achieved sweeping success.

Only Labour and Liberal Democrat-run councils which are imposing council tax rises above the mainstream 5 per cent referendum threshold this year.

Town halls cannot put up the levy by more than a specific amount  currently 5 per cent  without voters agreeing in a local referendum or having agreed a specific carve out by the Government.

A Labour spokesman said: The numbers are clear, on average Conservative councils charge households 300 more than Labour councils. The Tories decimated our local services.

Labour is picking local government back up off its knees with a funding settlement that sees a 4.3 per cent real terms increase in funding this year, compared to last.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesman said: We are under no illusion about the scale of financial issues facing councils we inherited and our work is underway to fix the foundations and bring long-term stability to the sector.

And while councils are ultimately responsible for setting their own council tax levels, we have been clear that they should put taxpayers first and carefully consider the impact of their decisions.

Thats why we are maintaining a referendum threshold on council tax rises, so taxpayers can have the final say and be protected from excessive increases.
India, Indonesia and the Gulf states will be targeted by the UK as potential growth markets with an increased diplomatic push to boost British business ties.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the efforts to develop hinge markets would see ambassadors judged on their ability to boost trade.

He told a business conference that the 21st century diplomat needs a very different set of tools from their forebears with greater economic and technological expertise at all levels.

With my leadership, the FCDO means business. pic.twitter.com/dfUs3dFsEz  David Lammy (@DavidLammy) March 20, 2025

Mr Lammy announced a package of measures intended to open up diplomatic expertise to businesses as the UK seeks growth in key markets while also increasing the economic focus of British embassies and high commissions.

From the next financial year, all ambassadors in priority markets will be assessed against their delivery of trade and investment wins overseas, Mr Lammy said.

From now on I have told my ambassadors that they should give equal weight to their contacts in business and politics.

Speaking at a trade conference in London organised by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), Mr Lammy acknowledged that the European Union, China and the United States were the UKs key markets, and efforts were being made to improve trade with all of them.

But, he added: The detailed work is going on in the department to look at these new hinge markets that are so important to our future economy.

Clearly, India is hugely important. There are countries in the Gulf, but there are emerging economies like Indonesia where weve got to play a greater role.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy, seen through a window of closed door, delivers his speech to the British Chambers of Commerce (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

The changes come as governments around the world grapple with the economic changes triggered by Donald Trumps return to the White House and the risk of global tariff wars as a result of his policies.

Mr Lammy said industrial activism was on the rise around the world and US policy was a reflection of that long-term trend.

Like it or not, the laissez-faire approach to globalisation which ruled from 1989 to 2008 is dead and buried, he said.

Mr Lammy said international rules and institutions built to manage the global economy were under threat, with no new World Trade Organisation negotiating round in sight.

While supporting the WTO, the UK would form new coalitions of the willing on specific trade initiatives such as a drive on e-commerce.

Mr Lammy also set out the need to harness new technology such as artificial intelligence, with the UK in a hyper-competitive race between nations.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said diplomats would be assessed on their ability to boost trade (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Under Mr Lammys plans ambassadors will be held accountable to a new delivery board for delivering trade and investment wins overseas.

A new geopolitical impact unit at the Foreign Office will share insights with companies seeking to do business around the world, while a quarterly Lancaster House business engagement series will see ambassadors and experts meet the UKs top international firms.

Companies could offer placements to diplomats while members of their businesses work alongside Foreign Office staff to encourage greater collaboration.

A diplomatic advisory hub within the BCC will offer geopolitical advice to smaller firms.

BCC director general Shevaun Haviland said: The Foreign Secretarys announcements on a closer working relationship with UK business will be music to their ears.

Quarterly meetings, trade roadshows, better intelligence sharing, and a fresh approach to economic diplomacy  that puts business and politics on an equal footing  are all very welcome.
Lewis Hamilton insisted now is not the moment to throw the toys out of the pram as he said his Ferrari career will not be defined by one race.

Hamiltons debut for the Italian giants ended in a disappointing 10th at last weekends season-opening round in Australia.

The 40-year-old admitted he was low on confidence following the rain-hit race.

Lewis Hamilton, left, was beaten by Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, in Australia (Scott Barbour/AP)

But speaking ahead of his second appearance for Ferrari in China, Hamilton said: It is not a moment to throw the toys out of the pram.

It wasnt the race that we want but we move forward and everyone here has their heads high and the energy is still good in the garage. We are not defined by that, and we will not defined by one race.

For much of his first appearance in red, Hamilton ran in eighth, trailing Williams Alex Albon, while politely asking new race engineer Riccardo Adami to leave it to me on several occasions.

Adami was urging Hamilton to use an overtake button in his Ferrari.

But the seven-time world champion explained: Everyone over-egged that (the radio exchanges). It was literally just a back and forth.

I was very polite. I wasnt swearing. I was really struggling with the car and I needed full focus on a couple of things.

We are getting to know each other but there are no issues between us at all.

Go and listen to the radio calls with others and their engineers. They are far worse.

The conversation that Max (Verstappen) has with his engineer over the years, and the abuse that poor guy has taken.

With us, we are literally just getting to know each other.

Afterwards, I was like, hey, bro, I dont need that bit of information. But if you want to give me this, this is the place Id like to do it. This is how Im feeling in the car. And at these points, this is when I do and dont need the information.

And thats what its about. Theres no issues. Its done with a smiley face and we move forward.

Heading into this weekends round in Shanghai, McLaren appear to hold an advantage over the rest of the field with Hamiltons former Mercedes team-mate George Russell even claiming the British team should win every race.

Lando Norris leads the standings after his triumph in Australia.

Hamilton, bidding for a record eighth title, said: I dont think we are on the pace of McLaren  they have done a great job and look very strong  but we can close the gap.
Emmanuel Macron is considering the possibility of the mission to Ukraine being led by the United Nations - AFP/Philippe Huguen

Emmanuel Macron is actively exploring alternatives to putting European boots on the ground in Ukraine  his plan drawn up with Sir Keir Starmer.

The Telegraph understands that the French president is considering the possibility of a mission to protect a future peace deal being led by the United Nations.

The Prime Minister and Mr Macron have been leading a push to form a coalition of the willing of Nato and EU states to form a peacekeeping force backed by US security guarantees.

Sir Keir hosted 30 senior military leaders from European countries and beyond near London to hash out the plans.

They were moving into an operational phase, he has said, but it is still unclear how many countries are willing to send troops or how the plan will be implemented.

Mr Macron raised the subject of the UN alternative at Thursdays European Council summit with Antonio Guterres, the UN security general, who was a guest of the gathered EU leaders.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (L), seen here with EU Council President Antonio Costa, was present at the meeting in Brussels - Shutterstock /Olivier Matthys

It comes as the Prime Minister is showing signs of shifting his focus away from European boots on the ground to secure a peace deal with Russia, and is turning instead towards air and sea support to defend Ukraine.

The Telegraph understands that the RAF is in talks for British jets to police Ukraines skies under proposals being discussed by Sir Keirs coalition of the willing.

Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, has said that any Nato troops, including British and French soldiers, would be unacceptable to Moscow.

In a March 16 interview, Mr Macron said it would be up to sovereign Ukraine not Russia who policed its soil.

Vladimir Putin rejected Donald Trumps demands for a full ceasefire earlier this week, but agreed to a partial truce exempting energy infrastructure; a promise that was broken the evening of the call between the two leaders.

The US president has been cool on the idea of providing back up to the European force.

Any UN peacekeeping force would require the approval of the Security Council. With both Russia, and potentially the US, against its prospects appear to be slim.

The French president faced calls this week from Jean-Luc Melenchon, the hard-Left leader, who is soft on Putin, to get blue helmets to protect nuclear power plants in the war-torn country if the condition for peace was no Nato troops.

Earlier this month, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the hard-Right National Rally, said sending French troops was madness and that the only possible participation that could be envisaged would be under a blue helmets mandate.

While France has a minority government, which could be brought down by the National Rally, foreign policy remains in the power of the president. The Elysee was asked for comment.

Very complex, risky and ineffective

Some European allies have also been circumspect or ruled the idea of European peacekeepers out entirely. Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister has said he will not send soldiers to Ukraine.

This week, Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, said it would be very complex, risky and ineffective.

On Wednesday, the EU announced plans for a scheme offering member states 150 billion in loans to buy weapons  65 per cent of the loans must be spent in the EU, Ukraine or Norway.

The UK, Canada, US and Turkey are currently shut out of plans to encourage members to buy European at this stage, but that could change in future defence pacts with the bloc.

Sources in Brussels suggested that France was behind the decision to exclude the UK for the time being, with at least one eye to looming EU negotiations over continued access to British fishing waters.

After Thursdays summit, 26 EU leaders issued a joint statement backing Ukraine. The sole exception was Hungarys Viktor Orban, who has close ties to both Putin and Mr Trump.

Beforehand, Volodymyr Zelensky urged the EU to step up weapons supplies as he accused Russia of continuing to strike Ukraines energy system despite Putin agreeing a halt with Mr Trump.

Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure, he said. Despite Putins words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks  nothing has changed.

European leaders are working out how best to come to the aid of Volodymyr Zelenskys Ukraine - Getty Images/Murat Gok

Over two hours of discussion on Ukraine, the EU leaders cast doubt on the negotiations between Mr Trump and Putin.

One EU official said: There was a shared view that no real negotiations are taking place at the moment. Leaders also exchanged about the best ways to have an influence on the process.

Divisions over EU defence spending plans and military aid to Ukraine were also laid bare at the summit.

The leaders also discussed the European Commissions 800 billion ReArm Europe plan, which includes the 150 billion loan facility, which raises money against the EU budget.

Greece and Italy said they wanted grants rather than loans, which would not count on their national balance sheets.

Italy, France and pro-Putin Slovakia are reportedly looking to water down a plan to send 40 billion military aid to Ukraine by the end of the year because it links the military contributions to the size of states economies.

Kaja Kallas, the EUs chief diplomat, said she would focus on securing agreement for a more limited plan to send 2 million shells worth 5 billion as a first concrete step.
British Navy sailors searching for the missing Malaysian airliner MH370 in 2014 - Ministry of Defence

Malaysia has approved a new search for the missing flight MH370, which vanished while travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing with 239 people on board more than a decade ago.

The countrys cabinet authorised a no find, no fee contract with Ocean Infinity, a UK-based marine robotics company, to probe a 15,000 sq km area in the southern Indian Ocean.

If successful in the search, the firm will receive 56 million. But the wreckage and the missing black boxes would also help solve one of the worlds greatest aviation mysteries.

It is now more than a decade since MH370 disappeared from air traffic controllers screens on March 8 2014, less than an hour after take-off. Friends and relatives of those on board have long been haunted by what happened to them.

Although debris believed to be part of the Boeing 777 plane has washed up on the shores of the Indian Ocean in the years since, extensive searches for the wreckage by the three nations involved  Malaysia, China and Australia  have so far proven futile.

A multi-national search that covered 74,000 sq km was abandoned in 2017, while a separate hunt by Ocean Infinity involving autonomous underwater vehicles was called off in May 2018 after just three months.

At that point, the Malaysian government said efforts would be resumed only if credible new evidence emerged.

Oliver Punkett, the Ocean Infinity CEO, said this year that the technology available to launch a search had improved, and that analysts had refined their estimates of where the aircraft may have plunged into the sea.

The deal with Malaysia was agreed in principle in December, and the firm has already deployed a search vessel to the target zone 1,200 miles off the coast of Perth, Australia, to capitalise on better conditions before winter arrives in the southern hemisphere.

The vessel  a state-of-the art, 250-foot-long ship called Armada 78 06  is operated via a satellite link from Ocean Infinitys control centre in Southampton.

Equipped with 3D-imagers, sonars, lasers and cameras, it can spend up to four days submerged, and descend to 6km below the surface.

Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Malaysias transport minister, said in a statement announcing the new contract that his government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the MH370 passengers.
Military figures are set to gather in the UK on Thursday as planning for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine moves into an operational phase.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to assemble a coalition of nations that would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes a lasting peace can be achieved this year after a call with US President Donald Trump.

Sir Keir is expected to meet with defence planners after he announced at the weekend that military chiefs would gather to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraines future security.

He also signalled a move to an operational phase as he confirmed Thursdays meeting.

Addressing a press conference in Downing Street on Saturday, the Prime Minister did not elaborate on which nations had made concrete commitments to a peacekeeping force, but said that what action they could take would be a subject of discussion in the meeting.

There are different capabilities from different countries, but those are the operational discussions that are going on in relation to what this coalition of the willing will be able to provide, he said.

Diplomatic efforts on securing a ceasefire had continued on Wednesday, with the call between the US and Ukrainian leaders on Wednesday coming a day after Mr Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Zelensky said he had a positive, very substantive and frank conversation with Mr Trump, and said that Ukraine was ready to implement the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

He thanked Mr Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia last week, and added: We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.

We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.

I had a positive, very substantive, and frank conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump @POTUS. I thanked him for a good and productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11this meeting of the teams significantly helped pic.twitter.com/JFBd5EeIkg  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025

In the same call, the US president suggested that America takes ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky during their call that the US could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise, according to a White House statement from US secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.

The US president added that American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure.

Number 10 welcomed the progress that Mr Trump has made towards a ceasefire deal.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, a Downing Street spokesperson said: We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire deal, and we will continue to work with international partners on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

We now need to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire deal to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky is also expected to address European leaders on Thursday when he dials in to the European Council meeting via video link.

Elsewhere on Thursday, the Prime Minister is also due to visit Barrow-in-Furness after hailing the town as a blueprint for how increasing defence spending can boost prosperity.

He will lay the keel of the first of the Dreadnought class of submarines, a fleet of four vessels that will make up the next generation of the UKs nuclear deterrent.
More than 100 suspects have been convicted in a Metropolitan Police operation against the abuse of women, the force has claimed.

The V100 initiative has seen 126 people charged with 574 offences against women and girls, including rape, grievous bodily harm and attempted murder.

The operation uses a scoring system which calculates the severity of alleged offences by assigning points based on potential prison sentences.

Officers revealed details of the V100 scheme to reporters at New Scotland Yard on Thursday (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

A suspect accused of a crime carrying a 30-day jail term would be scored a corresponding number of points.

Those who rank in the top 100 each month are then specifically targeted by police.

The Met says the method has doubled the likelihood of arrest for those deemed to pose the highest risk.

Speaking outside Scotland Yard on Thursday, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ben Russell, who leads the initiative, said: We look at all reports of violence against women and girls in a 365 day period.

Where an individual has been accused of more than one crime in that period  we score based on the severity of that offence.

If youve been accused of a pretty serious crime, that gets you a higher score.

If you are in the top 100 every month you go into our process and we take as much action as we can.

Since the scheme began officers have arrested 155 suspects linked to 1,246 offences, including 42 for rape, 18 for GBH, and 17 for non-fatal strangulation.

Adam Baillie, 39, was sentenced to life in prison for the kidnap and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl in Harrow last April (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Among those jailed is Adam Baillie, 39, who was sentenced to life in prison for the kidnap and sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl in Harrow last April, the force said.

He must serve at least 10 years before being considered for parole.

Another, Louis Collins, 30, received a life sentence with a minimum of 11 years and five months after launching a four-day spree in which he attacked eight women across London.

According to the Met, his crimes included raping a woman at knifepoint in a park and attempting to rape another after following her home.

Louis Collins, 30, who received a life sentence with a minimum of 11 years and five months after launching a four-day spree in which he attacked eight women across London (Metropolitan Police/PA)

The proportion of rape and serious sexual offence cases resulting in charges has climbed from 3.9% in 2022 to just over 9%, the Met claim.

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said: Every woman has a fundamental right to feel safe.

A hundred offenders convicted by the Met Police means 100 more dangerous men off our streets, a powerful achievement for the Mets V100 initiative.

Delivering a consistent national approach in the use of these data-driven tools to identify and pursue the most dangerous perpetrators is a core part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan welcomed the Mets results but warned more must be done.

I am really encouraged by this progress, but we know there is still work to do, he said.

I remain committed to doing everything I can to support the Mets action, investing in vital services that support victims and important intervention work that stops perpetrators from re-offending.
The celebration of criminality by drill musicians is contributing to the toxic culture which is pushing knife crime into the mainstream, the Commons heard.

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty accused the press, including the BBC, the Times and the Guardian, of validating gangs use of music and videos to promote stabbings and taunt their opponents.

He also criticised the hypocrisy of brands such as Adidas, who continue to use convicted criminals in its advertising, whilst also conducting campaigns against knife crime.

The success of drill rappers who have criminal convictions could suggest to some there is no consequence for carrying a knife, the MP for Huntingdon said.

Mr Obese-Jecty said young black men are over represented in knife crime statistics as both the victims and perpetrators, adding that soft bigotry of low expectations makes black culture ripe for exploitation, as a cheap way to appear edgy, irrespective of the upstream impact.

Speaking in the Commons, he said: Whilst drill music is a genre, it is also the medium by which various groups, come gangs are able to taunt their ops. The catalyst for multiple stabbings, often fatal.

The line between gang and a group are blurred at points of irrelevance. Meanwhile, the media either doesnt know or doesnt care.

Inner city black youths are, whether consciously or unconsciously, expendable and interchangeable, over represented in statistics as both victim and perpetrator. The soft bigotry of low expectations makes black culture ripe for exploitation as a cheap way to appear edgy, irrespective of the upstream impact.

But media, large corporations, even the BBC, play their part in the creation of this milieu, leaning into it and giving it validation.

The cynical valorisation of the most detrimental aspects of urban black culture and the celebration of criminality via musicians is one of the most toxic overarching influences on how we have pushed this issue into the mainstream.

Irving Adjei, aka Headie One, went to prison three times as a teenager, amongst them for dealing crack cocaine and heroin.

In June 2019, Adjei was arrested for possession of a knife following a stop and search.

Whilst on bail, Adjei completed his UK tour, released his album, which reached number five in the UK charts, appeared on Stormzys album Heavy Is The Head, played Glastonbury and was featured on BBC Radio One, was used in an advertising campaign alongside heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua for JD sports, and also fronted an advertising campaign for Adidas that December.

Thats the same Adidas who ran their No More Red knife crime awareness campaign alongside Arsenal FC just a couple of miles down the road, shortly after that, but are also happy to run an advertising campaign with a rapper on bail for possession of a knife.

The hypocrisy of brands like Adidas is off the scale.

Less than a month after launching this Adidas promo, Adjei was sentenced to six months with possession of that knife and went to prison for a fourth time.

He was released that April.

Six months later, his single is number two in the charts, and hes having praise lavished upon him by The Times newspaper, and hes never looked back.

How does this convince anybody that there is  any penalty whatsoever for carrying a knife?

If anything, its been an asset for someone like him, the edginess I referred to earlier.

During the debate on knife crime, Mr Obese-Jecty criticised the Guardian for an article it wrote in 2019 about drill group OFB.

OFB member Jayden ONeil Crichlow is one of five people convicted of murdering 19-year-old Kamali Gabbidon-Lynck in Wood Green, north London, in February 2019.

The MP said this occurred 300 metres from his home at the time, before saying: I challenged the author of the piece as to why it was appropriate to write a puff piece about a group that had one member on remand for murder.

He cited that it was an editorial decision by the Guardian.

This is precisely the type of irresponsible media valorisation that illustrates my point, he added.

Another member of OFB, Kemani Duggan, the son of Mark Duggan who was shot dead by police in 2011, was jailed in 2024 for five years for having a gun.

Labour MP Paulette Hamilton (Birmingham Erdington) said her nephew had been stabbed recently, turning her familys world upside down.

She said: My nephew, a kind-hearted, wonderful young man was brutally attacked in an act of senseless knife violence. His crime was being in the wrong place, at the wrong time. While his wounds are healing, it will take months for him to fully recover. The emotional trauma inflicted on him, and in our family however, is immeasurable.

This is a pain no pain no family should ever have to endure.

Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson thanked MPs for their contributions and outlined the work being under taken by the Government to tackle knife crime.

On the suggestion of rounded tips for kitchen knives, Dame Diana said: Nothing is off the table when it comes to tackling the scourge of knife crime and saving young lives.

The Home Office is considering a proposal brought to us on rounded kitchen knives.
The Reform leader, Nigel Farage, has been accused by a fellow MP of working harder for Trump than the people he was elected to represent. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Nigel Farage is once again in America helping to fundraise for Donald Trumps Republican party, with the latest data showing he has spent more than 800 hours on outside employment since being elected.

The Reform UK leader is appearing on Thursday night to give a keynote speech at a fundraiser for Florida Republicans Disruptors dinner, with tables for top-tier Trump sponsors costing $25,000 (19,000).

Before his appearance, he was absent from prime ministers questions on Wednesday, and he did not appear in the Commons on Thursday.

Related: Farage reportedly met Cummings for friendly chat about the general scene

Farage has made at least nine trips abroad, including eight to the US, since he was elected MP for Clacton in Essex last July, with many of them either funded by donors or undertaken for paid employment such as speeches.

In a statement issued by the US organisers, Farage said: Im so incredibly excited to be joining the Republican party of Florida for the Disruptors Dinner.

President Trumps decisive win and return to the White House inspires us all to continue the fight for freedom globally. Im looking forward to being back in the Free State of Florida to celebrate with all of you.

Data from the MPs register of interests shows that Farage has registered an estimated 800 hours of work since entering parliament, while also carrying out his job as leader of the Reform party.

His paid social media work, articles for the Telegraph, job as a brand ambassador for a gold company, speeches and GB News presenting role work out at about 22 hours a week in additional employment since early July.

The total shows he rivals Geoffrey Cox, the highly paid barrister and former attorney general, for the most time spent on work outside his job as an MP. Between 2009 and 2021, Cox worked about 600 to 1,600 hours on outside interests every year.

Matt Western, the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, said: Its embarrassing that Nigel Farage spent decades trying to get into parliament, and now he has, he does everything but represent his Clacton constituents.

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson, added: Nigel Farage is acting like the MP for Mar-a-Lago, not Clacton-on-Sea. Hes a part-time parliamentarian  working harder for Trump than for the people he represents. His partys in a shambles and it looks like his priorities are, too.

Farages spokesperson was contacted for comment. The Reform UK leader has previously defended his position, saying he is representing Clacton on the world stage and pointing out he is regularly in his constituency, where he has now bought a home.

Farages outside work and trips to the US do not appear to have dented support for the party, which is challenging Labour and the Tories in a three-way battle to top the opinion polls.

On Thursday, Greg Smith, a Conservative shadow minister, hinted at the idea of a pact with Farages party, despite the insistence of the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, that this will not happen.

I think if we want to get rid of socialism from this country, there may well be a point where the right-of-centre parties have to play nicely, he told TalkTV.

The Lib Dems said Smith should be sacked for making such a suggestion.

Farage is trying to shrug off the dramatic fallout with his now former MP, Rupert Lowe, which has caused unhappiness among grassroots members. Lowe had the whip suspended after accusations that he was abusive towards the Reform chair, Zia Yusuf, which he denies.

Lowe also gave an interview to the Daily Mail in which he described Farage as messianic and said he should delegate more power if he is serious about winning an election.

A number of Reform branch officials have resigned as a result of the row, which has hit the party at a time when it needs maximum manpower for a byelection in Runcorn, elections in several mayoralties from Doncaster to Lincoln, and the local council elections in May.
Not a scrap of evidence against me, says Sturgeon as police probe dropped

Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said there was not a scrap of evidence against her as she was cleared following a long running police probe into SNP finances.

Police Scotland said on Thursday it has dropped the investigation into Ms Sturgeon and former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie in relation to the partys finances.

It came as Ms Sturgeons estranged husband and former party chief executive Peter Murrell appeared in court charged with embezzlement.

Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie were arrested in 2023 in relation to Operation Branchform, but were released pending further investigation.

Speaking to journalists outside her home near Glasgow, she said she is relieved to have been cleared, and admitted the past two years have been difficult and frustrating.

She said: As first minister of this country for the best part of a decade, I have utmost respect for the police and for the prosecution authorities, and Im never going to say or do anything to undermine that.

All I can say is that I have done nothing wrong and I dont think there was a scrap of evidence that I had done anything wrong.

And therefore, of course, to have something like this hanging over me for almost two years now has been difficult, its been frustrating, and I dont think Im saying anything there that people would be surprised to hear.

Former Scotland first minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks to the media outside her home near Glasgow (Steve Welsh/PA)

Ms Sturgeon added: I am completely in the clear, that is the outcome I would always have expected.

As I have said to all of you many times, I have done nothing wrong so I was confident of reaching this point and getting to this outcome.

Asked to sum up her feelings, she said they are of relief and vindication.

Ms Sturgeon disagreed with the suggestion the investigation had damaged her legacy, saying the last few years have given her perspective.

She added: Im proud of my legacy as first minister.

Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Mr Beattie said he was very relieved with the outcome.

I knew myself that I had done nothing wrong, but two years is a long time to be waiting for a result, he said.

Colin Beattie speaking at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)

Its been a hard time for my family, my wife and myself and I still havent quite taken it on board.

He said he intends to stand in the election next year and added: As far as Im concerned, its over.

First Minister John Swinney said he shares their relief and hopes they can now move on from the difficulties that they have faced while this investigation has been under way.

Speaking to journalists in his office at Holyrood, Mr Swinney said the SNP is now in a clearer position in that it may have been the victim of embezzlement, an issue he said must be dealt with in the courts.

In a statement earlier, Police Scotland said: Following direction from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, criminal inquiries into two people arrested as part of the investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party have now concluded.

The 73-year-old man arrested on April 18, 2023 and the 54-year-old woman arrested on June 11, 2023 have not been charged and are no longer under investigation.

Murrell appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday. He made no plea and was released on bail with no date set for his next appearance.

He is separated from Ms Sturgeon, who announced earlier this year that the couple have decided to end their marriage.

Statement on Operation Branchform: pic.twitter.com/N9UqDi6lTe  Police Scotland (@PoliceScotland) March 20, 2025

In the months after Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation as first minister in February 2023, Murrell was arrested in relation to Operation Branchform.

He was later re-arrested and charged in connection with the alleged embezzlement of party funds.

A Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) spokesperson said regarding Murrells court appearance: Professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel are dealing with this case without involving the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotlands prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

These matters are active under the Contempt of Court Act 1981. The provisions of this Act protect the integrity of proceedings, preserve access to justice for victims, and secure the rights of people accused of crime.

Anyone publishing items about active cases is advised to exercise caution as material must not be commentary or analysis of evidence, witnesses or accused. Contempt of court carries penalties of up to two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Addressing the investigation into Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie, the spokesperson added: A request from Police Scotland for advice and guidance in an investigation into a 73-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman has been responded to.

The request was handled as part of a large-scale wider inquiry and without delay on the part of the prosecution service who recognise its significance.

Where allegations are made against people or institutions in which the public have placed trust, it is the responsibility of the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if there is evidence that criminal conduct has occurred.

We understand public curiosity about this investigation. However, the Crown does not publicly share details of confidential inquiries where there are no proceedings in court. This protects the rights of the individuals concerned who are entitled to a presumption of innocence.
Brain-spinal interface offers new hope for paralyzed patients

Xinhua) 08:49, March 20, 2025

SHANGHAI, March 19 (Xinhua) -- For many, walking is a simple and everyday act, yet for those living with spinal cord injuries, it remains a distant and often unattainable dream.

However, four patients in China have taken life-changing steps toward reclaiming this ability after they received surgery featuring an innovative "brain-spinal interface" technology in Shanghai.

The breakthrough hinges on a "triple-integrated" brain-spinal interface system created by Jia Fumin's team at Fudan University's Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence.

Their brain-spinal interface system works by capturing motor signals from the brain's movement center, decoding them via advanced algorithms, and delivering tailored electrical pulses to spinal nerves below the injury site, thus effectively rerouting movement commands around injured areas.

Unlike external assistive devices, this system creates an internal "neural bypass," allowing patients to control their limbs naturally.

For patients like Lin, a man in his 30s who found himself reliant on a wheelchair following a life-altering fall two years ago, the results have been nothing short of transformative.

Lin's journey began in October 2024 when he volunteered for a clinical trial after spotting a recruitment notice on Fudan's official social media page. His surgery, performed on Jan. 8 at Fudan-affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, involved minimally invasive implants: two 1-mm-diameter electrodes placed in his brain's motor cortex and a stimulator chip in spine.

The progress was startlingly swift. By day three, he could move both legs using brain signals. Within two weeks, he could lift his right leg high enough to step over moving obstacles. By day 15, he managed to walk more than five meters using a standing frame with suspension support.

"I used to cry every day," Lin shared. "Now, I can walk again. I am grateful for the efforts of every member of the research team."

Similar breakthroughs took place for two other patients who regained leg movement within hours of their surgeries in February. Notably, both exhibited voluntary leg lifts just one day after their operations.

While a 2023 Swiss study published in Nature demonstrated similar principles, Fudan's approach exhibits distinct advantages. The Swiss method required invasive dual craniotomies (leaving palm-sized openings) and staged surgeries over two years, raising the risk of infections.

In contrast, Jia's team can complete both brain and spinal procedures in a single four-hour session using ultra-minimally invasive techniques. They integrate multiple components into a miniature brain device, enhancing signal stability while reducing surgical trauma.

Even more promising are signs of neural regeneration. While the Swiss team observed nerve repair after six months, Lin showed early signs within two weeks.

"It's as if dormant nerves 'woke up' once the brain-spinal connection was restored," explained Dr. Ding Jing, director of the neurology department at Zhongshan Hospital.

Follow-up exams revealed further improvements: Lin's sensation gradually returned in his legs, along with muscle contractions and renewed control over bodily functions.

The new technology might help more people reignite the hope for life, as China now has 3.74 million spinal injury patients, with 90,000 new cases annually.

Despite its prospects, scaling the technology faces hurdles, including scarce implantable electrodes and the complexity of decoding diverse motor signals. "Achieving real-time, precise decoding remains our biggest challenge," Jia noted.

Additionally, the system is currently limited to adults capable of intensive post-op rehabilitation, requiring 5 to 7 hours of therapy each day.

Collaborating with hospitals like Zhongshan and Huashan, Jia's team aims to refine algorithms, gather more clinical data, and prepare for regulatory trials. They will also develop wearable neuroregulation devices for milder cases and multi-modal motion monitoring systems in the future.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaks about her plans for Britains economy in Eynsham, January 29, 2025 - Peter Cziborra/Reuters

 The mistake that Liz Truss made was to cut taxes before cutting spending. Arguably Rachel Reeves has made a similar mistake, but an even worse one because shes raised taxes before cutting spending

On the latest Planet Normal podcast, columnists Liam Halligan and Allison Pearson discuss what could be in store for Labours Spring Statement with independent economist Julian Jessop.

Julian argues that key measures in the October budget, particularly tax hikes on companies, have led to a collapse in trust, Theres no doubt the increase in taxes on businesses has had a chilling effect, he said. Investors are worried, and theres now an additional premium on borrowing costs.



 Business confidence, consumer confidence are down, job insecurity has increased, which is particularly worrying for a government that was talking about what Rachel Reeves calls Securonomics.



Despite the current economic gloom, Julian remains cautiously optimistic about a recovery in the second half of the year. However, he warned that much depends on the governments ability to restore confidence, both with businesses and consumers.



The economy is on a knife edge, he concluded. A few wrong moves, and we could easily tip into recession.

Planet Normal, a weekly Telegraph podcast featuring news and views from beyond the bubble. Listen on the audio player above or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
The Trump administration has accused a Georgetown academic of spreading Hamas propaganda, but has not offered any evidence. Photograph: Backyard Productions/Alamy

A US district judge has barred Donald Trumps administration from deporting an Indian academic from Georgetown University after the Department of Homeland Security accused him of having ties to Hamas.

On Thursday, US district judge Patricia Giles in Alexandria, Virginia, prohibited federal officials from deporting Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at the university, in an order that is to remain in effect until it is lifted by the court, Reuters reports.

Giless order comes after Suri, whose wife is of Palestinian heritage, filed an emergency court request to prevent deportation.

Related: I am a Palestinian political prisoner in Louisiana. I am being targeted for my activism | Mahmoud Khalil

Department of Homeland Security agents on Monday detained Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at the universitys Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, saying that his visa was revoked. Suris attorney said that he was arrested on the same spurious legal grounds as the Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, according to Politico.

Suri was arrested after returning home from a traditional Ramadan meal and detained by masked federal agents, his legal team said. He has since been transported to several immigration detention facilities and is now at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staging center in Louisiana potentially awaiting deportation, the ACLU of Virginia said. His attorneys are requesting his immediate return to Virginia and release while his immigration case is being considered.

Detainees may only be held at this particular facility for 72 hours, his lawyers contend. The facility also does not permit access to visitors or even legal counsel, court papers in support of the emergency petition say.

Ripping someone from their home and family, stripping them of their immigration status, and detaining them solely based on political viewpoint is a clear attempt by President Trump to silence dissent, Sophia Gregg, a senior immigrants rights attorney at the ACLU of Virginia, said in a statement. That is patently unconstitutional.

Suri on Tuesday filed a legal petition for release; in court papers first reported by Politico, his attorney said that he did not have a criminal record, nor had he been charged with any crime.

The Department of Homeland Security alleged that Suri had ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and claimed he shared its propaganda and antisemitic content on social media, officials said in a statement to Fox News. This statement, which did not include any evidence, said that the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, found that his activities rendered him deportable.

One of Suris attorneys, Hassan Ahmad, said he had not been able to reach him since the arrest outside his Arlington, Virginia, home. Were trying to speak with him. That hasnt happened yet, Ahmad told Politico. This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil.

Suri, who was teaching a course this spring on majoritarianism and minority rights in south Asia, holds a doctorate in peace and conflict studies from a university in India, according to Reuters. His wife, Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen, is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, a former political adviser to Hamas.

For at least one month before Suris arrest, various hardline pro-Israel social media accounts, as well as Israels US embassy, highlighted his wife and father-in-law in posts on X. One 13 March missive, which showed a photo purporting to be Saleh and another photo of her and her father, tagged the US attorney general, Pam Bondi. Court papers say that such groups publicized the home address of the couple, who have three children.

Dr Suris experience is shocking and disgraceful, Ahmad said in a statement. It should worry everyone that masked government agents can disappear someone from their home and family because the current administration dislikes their opinion.

According to a 2018 article about Suri and Saleh in the Hindustan Times, Saleh is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, a former political adviser to Hamas.

Suris arrest came amid Donald Trumps efforts to expel foreign nationals who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations against Israels war in Gaza following the October 2023 Hamas attack. Civil liberties groups have decried Trumps actions as assaults on free speech and illegal targeting of political opponents.

Khalil, a Palestinian Columbia graduate and green card holder, faces deportation under a provision of immigration law that permits the US secretary of state to expel non-citizens if their presence in the country is deemed a threat to foreign policy. A Manhattan federal court judge ordered that Khalil remain in the US while his immigration case is pending and has transferred the proceedings to New Jersey.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, confirmed in a social media post that Rubio deemed Suris presence a threat to US foreign policy interests.

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas, McLaughlin said in a post on X. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i).

Related: Trump administration plans for militarized border in New Mexico  report

A spokesperson for Georgetown said the university did not know of any alleged wrongdoing on Suris part and that it supported students and professors right to free expression.



Dr Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention, the university said. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly.

Trump has repeatedly characterized pro-Palestinian protesters as antisemitic. Those advocating for Palestine, among them some Jewish groups, contend that their criticism of Israels military efforts in Gaza and support for Palestinian rights has wrongly been cast as antisemitism by critics.

Reuters contributed reporting
Ukraine will have a delegation in Riyadh on the same day the US is holding ceasefire talks there with a Russian negotiating team led by a secretive former FSB chief who played a key role in planning Vladimir Putins 2022 full-scale invasion.

Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said the delegation would meet with US representatives on Monday and supply a list of energy infrastructure that would be off-limits for strikes by the Russian military. The US representatives would then meet the Russian negotiating team, Zelenskyy said on Thursday.

The Ukrainian announcement indicates the US could shuttle between the two sides to try to achieve Donald Trumps goal of a quick ceasefire. But both Russia and Ukraine have already disputed the White Houses accounts of their earlier talks with the US president, indicating Trump may have misrepresented the progress of the talks  and his chances of striking a quick deal to halt the war.

Related: Starmer warns Putin of severe consequences if he breaches peace deal

On Thursday, Zelenskyy contradicted Trump by denying he had discussed a US plan to take over Ukrainian power plants as part of a peace deal, saying that they belong to the people of Ukraine.

Trump had announced on Wednesday that US ownership of the plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Zelenskyy denied there had been any discussion with Trump about privatising the plants. If the Americans want to take the station from the Russians and they want to invest there and modernise it, that is a completely different issue, he said. We are open to discuss it, but the issue of property we definitely did not discuss with President Trump.

Moscow announced on Thursday that Sergei Beseda, the former head of the spy agencys fifth directorate  who oversaw intelligence operations in Ukraine and orchestrated the recruitment of collaborators before the full-scale invasion  would travel to Riyadh for Mondays talks with the US.

Both sides said the talks in Saudi Arabia were aimed at finalising a limited ceasefire deal agreed this week, and initiating negotiations on a maritime ceasefire.

Before Russias early failures in the invasion, reports surfaced that Beseda had briefly fallen out of favour with Putin owing to flawed intelligence in the lead-up to the war. Beseda will be joined by Grigory Karasin, the chair of the Russian senates committee on international affairs, for the new round of talks with US officials.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of making unnecessary demands that will drag out the war, and said Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure had not stopped despite Putins claims about his readiness to halt them.

Moscow doubled down on Thursday on its insistence that a requirement for serious peace talks would be the complete cessation of both foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence to Kyiv.

Trump, speaking on Fox News earlier, denied that arms supplies were discussed during his call with the Russian president, despite a Kremlin readout explicitly stating Putin had demanded an end to military aid to Ukraine.

There is still uncertainty over the timing and terms of a limited US-brokered ceasefire agreed this week, with both countries exchanging aerial assaults overnight. Zelenskyy, who was in Oslo on Thursday, said Russia had launched nearly 200 Iranian Shahed drones overnight, wounding at least 10 people, including four children, and damaging residential buildings, a church, and infrastructure.

Zelenskyy said in a morning statement on Telegram: Russias strikes on Ukraine continue despite its propagandistic statements  With each launch, the Russians show the world their true attitude toward peace.

Russian forces also struck a village in the Sumy region and carried out a series of airstrikes on a town near the city of Kharkiv.

Ukraine launched its own mass drone attack on Russia, appearing to hit a key airbase about 435 miles (700km) from the frontlines. The airbase in the Russian city of Engels hosts the Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers that have frequently been involved in strikes against Ukrainian cities.

Roman Busargin, the governor of Russias Saratov region, wrote on Telegram: Engels today suffered the most massive UAV [unmanned aerial vehicle] attack of all time.

Busargin said the attack had left an airfield on fire and that people living nearby had been evacuated. He did not specifically mention the airbase, but it is the main airfield in the area.

Images shared by Russian Telegram channels showed thick smoke rising from an area west of the airfield, with reports suggesting an ammunition depot cruise missile exploded. Regional officials said 10 people were injured in the strike.

Zelenskyy said on Wednesday he had signed up to a partial ceasefire that Trump had agreed with Putin a day earlier after what the Ukrainian leader had described as a positive, very substantive and frank call with the US president.

But there was confusion over what exactly Trump and Putin had agreed after Moscow and Washington gave different readouts afterwards. Trump, in an initial post on Truth Social, said the partial ceasefire would apply to energy and infrastructure, giving the impression it would extend to all civilian infrastructure. Zelenskyy, after his call with Trump, spoke about ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

However, Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Wednesday the ceasefire would apply only to the energy sector, and a White House statement on Wednesday also referred only to energy.
Paul Kagame

High in the celestial heavens  or, more likely, somewhere hotter deep beneath our feet  the spirits of Robert Mugabe and other late tyrants of Africa whisper advice to their successors.

When you do something utterly outrageous, they say, always blame your old colonial power. Deflect the pressure onto them. Argue that by murdering other Africans you are waging a noble struggle against imperialism.

Yes, this is an old trick. And of course its ludicrous; millions of Africans will not be fooled by it.

But gullible Westerners full of post-colonial guilt can still be duped into ignoring  and even excusing  the bloodshed and poverty caused by many African despots.

This week president Paul Kagame of Rwanda became the latest autocrat to follow this advice. On Monday he severed diplomatic relations with Belgium, the old colonial power, with a rhetorical flourish worthy of Mugabe.

Who are you by the way? Mr Kagame asked Belgium. Who put you in charge of us? Rwandans believe in God, but did God really put these people in charge of Rwanda?

In fact the Belgians have not been in charge of Rwanda since independence in 1962 (when Mr Kagame was four). Why did he claim they were still running Rwanda in 2025?

The answer is that Mr Kagame has invaded his neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his soldiers are joining forces with a rebel militia known as M23 to kill thousands, evict millions from their homes and pillage the mineral wealth of an impoverished nation.

The horrors that Mr Kagame has inflicted on Congo defy imagination. The east of this giant country  particularly the provinces of North and South Kivu  has already endured decades of ruinous conflict, reducing almost every inhabitant to destitution.

Of all the places where a leader might wage war, invading eastern Congo is just about the most morally repugnant decision that anyone could take.

Yet this is exactly what Mr Kagame has done: occupying swathes of his neighbour while sabotaging every effort to end the killing.

In December he was supposed to sign a peace agreement with his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, but Mr Kagame never turned up for the summit in Angolas capital Luanda.

Instead, he launched a new offensive which soon captured Goma, the biggest city in eastern Congo and capital of North Kivu. Rwandan forces then advanced southwards to seize Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.

Between October 2024 and the fall of Goma in January, almost half a million Congolese were driven from their homes; since then another 850,000 have been displaced.

Eastern Congo has immense mineral wealth and Mr Kagame has taken the opportunity to grab the mines and plunder the country.

Note the bitter irony of this: he accuses Belgium of imperialism while he is himself waging an imperialist war in Congo.

And note, too, the parallels with Vladimir Putin: the invasion of a neighbour, the de facto annexation of its territory, the mass displacement of its people, and the murder of Rwandan opponents of the regime who live in foreign countries.

Mr Kagame is also capable of Putin-esque mendacity. He typically justifies his aggression by claiming to be hunting down the militias behind Rwandas genocide in 1994. Yet look where his soldiers are deployed: they have occupied the mines instead of pursuing the last genocidaires.

Sometimes, though, Mr Kagame just tells straightforward lies. When a CNN journalist asked him whether Rwanda troops were in Congo, he replied: I dont know, as if his army might have deserted en masse or attacked his neighbour by mistake.

Now Mr Kagames last gambit is to claim that the eternal struggle against Belgian imperialism requires him to lay waste to Congo. Will anyone fall for it? Britain should take this opportunity to demonstrate that the old trick no longer works.

David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has done what should have happened long ago and suspended British aid to Rwanda. He has allowed our diplomats in the United Nations to state the obvious: that Rwandan troops are in Congo and they should get out.

But even now, Britain remains reluctant to challenge the willingness of other African states to indulge Mr Kagame. The African members of the Security Council  Sierra Leone, Algeria and Somalia  have often combined to protect Rwanda from scrutiny.

Will Britain listen to the viewpoint of these nations or will we highlight the moral bankruptcy of their position?

In the end, the trick that Mugabe and his comrades whisper from beyond their graves only works if we allow it to work. For the sake of peace in Africa, it must never succeed again.
Slow Horses star Kadiff Kirwan has said he is elated to be guest-starring in the next series of Doctor Who.

The actor, 36, known for playing MI5 agent Marcus Longridge in the popular spy show, will join the 15th Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) for an intergalactic journey.

Kirwan said: I feel elated to be joining the rich legacy of actors who have guest-starred in Doctor Who.

(Writers) Russell T Davies and Juno Dawson have truly outdone themselves with this episode in what I can only describe as an intergalactic gargantuan extravaganza.

Its packed with gravity-defying mastery beyond imagination, and being a part of it is an absolute dream. Strap in Whovians, this one is gonna rock your world!

The news follows the announcement that his Slow Horses co-stars Christopher Chung and Freddie Fox will guest-star in the next series.

Also featured in Gatwas second series as the time-travelling alien is Scottish actor Alan Cumming.

Showrunner Davies said: Were so lucky in Cardiff to open the doors to world-class talent, and its been a riot, getting to work with Kadiff.

Ive loved his work on TV, and stage for a long time, so when we realised he was available and happy to come on board, that was truly a great day in the office!

Kadiff, who played Aaron in TV series Chewing Gum, has also starred in 2018s Mary Queen Of Scots and 2022s My Policeman.

Doctor Who will air on April 12 at 8am on BBC iPlayer and later that day on BBC One.
The upcoming BBC show Crongton will become a loving tribute to author Alex Wheatle following his death at the age of 62.

The author, who was known as the Brixton Bard, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2023, and campaigned for awareness of the condition.

He wrote a string of books about life on Londons streets for young black men including the Crongton series, about children growing up on a council estate and facing gang wars and other struggles.

Writer Alex Wheatle at Buckingham Palace after receiving an MBE for services to literature (Carl Court/PA)

He died on Sunday, March 16, his family said,  more than a week before the first series of Crongton is due to air on the BBC on Monday.

Patricia Hidalgo, director of BBC childrens and education, said with the blessing of Wheatles family they will air the show as a celebration of Alexs incredible life and powerful stories that mean so much to so many young people.

She also said: We feel incredibly privileged to have worked with Alex on the adaptation of his award-winning Crongton Knights books, whose young characters leap off the page in their vibrant portrayals of the highs and lows of growing up in modern Britain.

The shows production company New Pictures said: Alexs warmth, generosity and humour shone out through his writing, and his work will continue to touch so many lives.

We are so honoured to have played a part in bringing the world of Alexs Crongton books to life and the show remains a loving tribute to him.

Born on January 3 1963, Wheatle grew up in childrens homes and began by writing lyrics then progressed to poetry, short stories and novels.

He was also known for being part of the 1981 Brixton riot  which saw him being sent to prison, and inspired Sir Steve McQueen to direct the film Alex Wheatle about the writers life for the anthology series Small Axe.

The actor who played him, Sheyi Cole, wrote in an Instagram story that he was indebted to Wheatle, and his story became my story.

Wheatle would later contribute to the BBC programme Battle For Brixton, and put out the fiction book East Of Acre Lane about the riot.

His first novel, Brixton Rock, about a troubled London teenager getting to grips with finding his family, was published in 1999.

Crongton will begin on Monday (BBC/New Pictures/Yoshitaka Kono)

His family posted on his Instagram, saying: Alexs family would like to thank you all for your support over the years in his work and we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time.

Author Dorothy Koomson, known for the novel and TV drama The Ice Cream Girls, wrote on Instagram that she was heartbroken.

She added: He was a wonderful person and writer. A brilliant and empathetic human being. He leaves an incredible legacy. Lots of love to those who were closest to him. Rest in peace and glory, Alex.

Fellow Prostate Cancer UK supporter and actor Colin McFarlane said he was shocked and saddened, and said that he talked about the desperate need for a national screening programme with Wheatle.

Prostate cancer is curable if it is diagnosed earlier, and one day I hope we can stop losing brilliant men like Alex to this disease, he added.

Wheatle joined Prostate Cancer UK in calling for the Government to overhaul NHS guidelines around prostate cancer, to lead to more diagnosis.

Keith Morgan, associate director of Black Health Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said he was proud to have worked with him later in life as he used his platform, and his own shocking late-stage diagnosis, to raise vital awareness of prostate cancer and campaign for change.

He added that one in four black men will get prostate cancer, double the risk of other men, and said that men like Wheatle are dying twice as much from a cancer that is treatable if caught early.

When he received his honour in 2008 for services to literature, Wheatle said: I know some people might say the MBEs got empire on it, but there is no British empire any more.

But more importantly, it shows young kids coming up that they can achieve and you can be successful.

On Instagram, publisher Hachette Childrens Group said they were incredibly saddened, and added that he leaves behind a legacy of rich and powerful stories.
Burned Teslas after an incendiary device was used to set them on fire in Las Vegas on 18 March 2025. Photograph: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The US attorney general announced charges against three people she accused of violent destruction of Tesla properties, amid protests and controversy over Tesla owner Elon Musks role in slashing US government staffing and budgets under Donald Trump.

In a statement on Thursday, Pam Bondi said: The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended. Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.

Related: Tesla stock falls after Trump official urges Americans to invest in Elon Musk

The unnamed defendants set to face the full force of the law are accused of using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations, according to a justice department release.

One was said to have been armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle when arrested after throwing approximately eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon.

Another was arrested in Loveland, Colorado, the release said, after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails, and was allegedly found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.

A defendant in Charleston, South Carolina, allegedly wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails.

The department said each unnamed defendant faced serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison  but did not say what those charges were.

Teslas share price has taken a battering since Musk took up his role at the head of the so-called department of government efficiency, or Doge, overseeing brutal cuts to the federal workforce and taking over governmental department and agencies, often on questionable legal grounds. Judges have issued orders against many Doge directives.

One prominent Tesla backer, Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush, said this week brand damage caused by Musks work for Trump has spread globally over the last few weeks into what we would characterize as a brand tornado crisis moment.

Musk claims to have done nothing harmful.

Tesla is a peaceful company, weve never done anything harmful, Ive never done anything harmful, Ive always done productive things, he told Fox News. So theres some kind of mental illness thing going on because this doesnt make any sense.

Musk did acknowledge that he has upset people with his work for Doge and unsubstantiated allegations of improper conduct by government workers, though he made another unsubstantiated claim when he said: It turns out when you take away the money people get fraudulently, they get very upset.

They basically want to kill me because Im stopping their fraud, and they want to hurt Tesla because we are stopping this terrible waste and corruption in the government. I guess they are bad people. Bad people do bad things.
Chris Barrie, the former chief of the Australian Defence Force, says Donald Trumps second term is similar to what happened to Australia in 1942 with the fall of Singapore. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

A former Australian defence force chief has warned the vandals in the White House are no longer reliable allies and urged the Australian government to reassess its strategic partnership with the United States.

Retired admiral Chris Barrie spent four decades in the Royal Australian Navy and was made a Commander of the Legion of Merit by the US government in 2002. He is now an honorary professor at the Australian National University.

What is happening with the vandals in the White House is similar to what happened to Australia in 1942 with the fall of Singapore, Barrie said. I dont consider America to be a reliable ally, as I used to.

Frankly, I think it is time we reconsidered our priorities and think carefully about our defence needs, now that we are having a more independent posture ... Our future is now in a much more precarious state than it was on 19 January.

Trump 1.0 was bad enough. But Trump 2.0 is irrecoverable.

Barrie said it was too soon to say whether Australia should end its multibillion-dollar Aukus partnership, but raised concerns about a lack of guarantee that nuclear-powered submarines would actually be delivered. He also warned about an apparent lack of a back-up option.

Pillar One of the Aukus deal  which would see the US sell Australia nuclear-powered submarines before the Aukus-class submarines were built in Australia  is coming under increasing industry scrutiny and political criticism, with growing concerns the US will not be able, or will refuse, to sell boats to Australia, and continuing cost and time overruns in the development of the Aukus submarines.

Lets define why we really need nuclear submarines in the first instance, given a new independent defence posture for Australia, Barrie said. If they still make sense in that context, fine. But they might not. There might be alternatives. There might be alternatives with conventional submarines if we didnt want to go any further than the Malacca Straits.

Barries warning comes after former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr said Australia would face a colossal surrender of sovereignty if promised US nuclear-powered submarines did not arrive under Australian control.

Carr, the foreign affairs minister between 2012 and 2013, said the Aukus deal highlighted the larger issue of American unreliability in its security alliance with Australia.

Related: Could Trump sink our subs deal?  podcast

The US is utterly not a reliable ally. No one could see it in those terms, he said. [President] Trump is wilful and cavalier and so is his heir-apparent, JD Vance: they are laughing at alliance partners, whom theyve almost studiously disowned.

The US Congressional Research Service has proposed an alternative under which the US would not sell any submarines to Australia; instead, it would sail its own submarines, under US command, out of Australian bases.

Related: Instead of wasting more time on the flawed Aukus submarine program, we must go to plan B now | Peter Briggs

When asked if he trusted Donald Trump earlier this week, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said what sort of question is that?

I mean, hes the president of the United States, Albanese said. Hes elected as the president of the United States. Im the prime minister for Australia. Hes entitled to pursue his agenda, of course. But Im entitled to defend Australias national interest and thats what were doing.

The opposition leader Peter Dutton, speaking at the Lowy Institute this week, said the United States is still, and must always be, our most important partner.

But he criticised the Trump administrations decision to impose tariffs on Australia.

We disagree with president Trumps decision to apply these tariffs: theyre not just unjustified, they benefit neither Australia or the United States.
President John F. Kennedy - William J. Smith/AP

A feverish sense of anticipation greeted the announcement that Donald Trump had authorised the declassification of thousands of documents on the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which were released this week.

Interest in his murder has remained undiminished since that fateful car ride in downtown Dallas on November 22 1963. Not long after the assassination, the first books contesting the official explanation  that the murderer had been a lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald  began to appear.

The conveyor belt of works on the assassination has continued ever since, so much so that more has now been written on Kennedys death than any aspect of his life, despite the crucial issues he faced as president, such as the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam and civil rights. Public fixation on Kennedys death has matched that of historians. Simply put, the killing of Kennedy has become the most famous murder in history.

62 years on from Dallas, that begs the question why  and, in particular, why do the American people still care so much about the assassination yet with a sceptical eye as to what they have been told about it? The answer to that question relates to fundamental aspects of American history, and the unique nature of Kennedys life in politics.

To bring closure to the controversies surrounding the assassination, such as what seemed to many Americans the suspicious shooting of chief suspect Oswald by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while Oswald was in police custody, President Lyndon Johnson established the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination and reach a definite conclusion on it so as to curtail public speculation about the tragedy.

In autumn 1964 the Commission released its final report asserting that the assassin was indeed Oswald. That verdict has never convinced the majority of Americans, who instead believe in one of the various conspiracy theories that have developed, such as the idea that it was the Mob or even a government coup, as alleged in 1991 by director Oliver Stone in his Oscar-nominated film JFK.

That so many Americans reject the official explanation is due in part to a deep-seated suspicion in US culture towards official Washington, the feeling that fundamentally centralised power should not be trusted. That sentiment goes back to 1776 when the American revolutionaries believed they were fighting against a distant and duplicitous British government. Governmental power was more a threat than a protector. In establishing the American political system, power was deliberately divided for that reason  between the executive headed by the president, the legislative branch (Congress) and the judiciary with the Supreme Court at its apex.

This strand in the tapestry of US political culture has continued to be apparent in recent decades, with successful presidential candidates, including Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, portraying Washington as corrupt and incompetent and saying if elected that they would come into town and clean up. Hence there has been a strong inclination to consider but reject what official Washington has said about the assassination and instead to embrace anti-Establishment conspiracy theories.

The enduring fascination with Kennedys murder is also linked to his unique political career. More than perhaps any Western democratic leader, he succeeded in crafting a remarkably powerful image akin to that of a Hollywood star. That was no accident. His father Joseph P. Kennedy had been a Hollywood producer, as well as successful businessman, and JFK himself spent time in Hollywood.

A friend recalled that when JFK visited him in California in 1946, he studied movie stars like Gary Cooper. What was it about them which meant that when they entered a room, you couldnt take your eyes off them? What was it about the way they moved, the way they dressed, the way they spoke? More image conscious and savvy than any president before or since, JFK constructed a multifaceted, powerful image as a war hero (having served in the Navy in World War II), sex symbol, family man (paradoxically given his philandering), literary figure and American royalty. He worked hard at his televisual skills, a key reason why he was able to defeat Richard Nixon in the 1960 election; he had been behind in the polls until their first television debate.



Despite her grief, Jackie Kennedy thought quickly and strategically after the assassination about how she could ensure JFKs image and reputation would continue to enchant the American people. She was worried that historians might remember him less charitably than she wanted, and so deliberately used the power of myth to counter any sort of objective history.

One week after her husbands murder, she granted an interview to the journalist Theodore White for Life magazine in which she revealed that on evenings in the White House she and her husband liked to listen to a record of the hit musical Camelot about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. White wrote up his article with the Camelot legend as his central theme. The idea was that Kennedy has been so incredible it was appropriate to think of him in terms of the Arthurian legend. This made JFKs image even more powerful.

In these ways, Kennedy was no ordinary politician. He became part of popular culture, like Marilyn Monroe or James Dean. And just as those stars, who also suffered premature death, with a youth preserved in aspic, continue to fascinate people today, so does John Kennedy. The magnitude of his stardom made his death seem even more tragic and his slaying even more terrible.

Beyond all of that, there are facets of the human condition that help explain our ongoing fascination with Kennedy, his death as well as his life: our obsession with sex and death, key themes in Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet (which, interestingly, Robert Kennedy quoted from when giving a speech on his brothers life at the 1964 Democratic Convention). More than any modern politician, Kennedy symbolises both the erotic life and mortality, and thats an important reason why our interest in his life and death will continue.

Mark White, Professor of History at Queen Mary, University of London, is author of Icon, Libertine, Leader: The Life and Presidency of John F. Kennedy
Volodymyr Zelensky had a frank conversion with Donald Trump on Wednesday evening - AFP/Ole Berg-Rusten

Ukraines nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky declared, after the US proposed taking ownership of the stations as part of a ceasefire deal.



Donald Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart on Wednesday that a US takeover of nuclear power in Ukraine would offer the best protection for the countrys infrastructure against Russian attacks.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian leader, however, dismissed the idea, saying he would not discuss any handover of his countrys power facilities, including Zaporizhzhia  the largest nuclear plant in Europe, which was captured by Russia in 2022.

We will not discuss it. We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to our state, Mr Zelensky said.

He added that he could not legally negotiate ownership of the vast Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant, which before the war supplied half of Ukraines energy, but was open to talking about US investment once Ukraine got it back.

In a display of the US presidents shifting designs for peace, the White House on Wednesday said that it had moved beyond the long-contested rare minerals deal which would give the US access to rare earth minerals worth $300 billion.

Anything is possible with the Americans

The new proposal also raises difficult questions about Ukraines sovereignty, while experts have questioned whether such a move would even be logistically or financially feasible.

Anything is possible with the Americans, but this is something quite unusual, a former senior Ukrainian official said.

The Americans would own it  and on what grounds? It belongs to Ukraine, they told Reuters. Will they buy it? Will they take it as a concession? Many questions.

It comes as US negotiators are set to meet both Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday for the next round of talks on a potential peace deal.

Mr Zelensky, who had a frank hour-long call with Mr Trump on Wednesday, said the US-Ukraine meeting would be separate from Russias talks with the US.

A Russian soldier patrols the territory of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in May 2022 - ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP

As Europe scrambles to weigh in on plans for peace in Ukraine, EU leaders met in Brussels. The gathering resulted in 26 member states issuing a statement backing Kyiv, although without the support of Hungarys Viktor Orban, who has close ties to Vladimir Putin.

The heads of state and government discussed the European Commissions 800bn ReArm Europe project two days after Putin rejected Mr Trumps demand for a full ceasefire in Ukraine.

Speaking by video call, Mr Zelensky urged the EU to step up weapons supplies as he accused Russia of continuing to strike Ukraines energy system despite Putin agreeing a halt with the US president.

Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure, he said. Despite Putins words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks  nothing has changed.

Over two hours of discussions on Ukraine, the EU, the leaders cast doubt on the negotiations between Mr Trump and Putin.

An EU official told The Telegraph: There was a shared view that no real negotiations are taking place at the moment. Leaders also exchanged about the best ways to have an influence on the process.

There was strong agreement, as reflected at the conclusions at 26, on the need to continue to support Ukraine politically and militarily. Many leaders also underscored the need to speed up the accession negotiations of Ukraine to the EU.

Starmer says coalition of the willing proposals coming together

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer hosted 30 senior military leaders from nations interested in his coalition of the willing near London to hash out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said afterwards that proposals were coming together and the focus was now on turning the political intention of security guarantees for Ukraine into reality.

Whether thats in relation to what might happen at sea or air or defending borders, and those plans are coming together, Sir Keir told the military planners.

It marked the second such meeting of defence chiefs to consolidate support for Ukraine since the USs shifting policy on Ukraine and possible disengagement from the conflict.

Sir Keir Starmer met with military leaders of nations interested in joining the coalition of the willing - PA/Alistair Grant

Despite ongoing negotiations towards a temporary truce, Ukraine and Russia traded another heavy night of aerial attacks.

Ukraine said Russia had launched 171 long-range drones, claiming to have shot down 75 while another 63 were lost likely due to jamming.

Russia said it destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in six Russian regions, while claiming Ukraine launched its largest ever attack on the Saratov region.

Ukraine was targeting a key military airbase deep inside Russia which houses Putins nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

Footage showed a large mushroom cloud rising above the Engels airbase in Saratov, southern Russia, home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers which regularly launch missiles at Ukrainian cities.

It was the third such attack on the airbase, which is 435 miles from the front line in Ukraine, in 10 weeks. Ukraines defence ministry said its forces had struck the airfield and triggered secondary detonations of ammunition.

As a clear military target, Engels airbase would not constitute a breach of the partial ceasefire on attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure that Ukraine and Russia have both said they support.

06:44 PM GMT

Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a round-up of the days events:

Zelensky dismissed Trumps plan to takeover Ukraines power plants

EU leaders reaffirmed their support for Kyiv at peace summit

Starmer met with military leaders from nations interested in his coalition of the willing

Trumps aides to meet Russian and Ukrainian officials separately on Monday

Ukraine launched a major drone attack on a Russian nuclear bomber base

Ukrainian forces are not encircled in Kursk, according to US intelligence

Kremlin accuses Europe of turning itself the party of war

Zelensky vowed their will be no Berlin Wall across Ukrainian cities

06:35 PM GMT

Russia can only exist in a state of war, warns top Zelensky aide

Russia can only exist in a state of war, a top aide to Volodymyr Zelensky has warned.

Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian president and main negotiator during the initial 2022 peace talks, said that Vladimir Putin stood to benefit from dragging out negotiations to end the invasion of Ukraine, and that had been reflected in the Russian leaders negotiating tactics with the US.

In an interview with The Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Mr Zelensky spoke with Donald Trump, Mr Podolyak urged the White House to take more decisive action on the war and also called on the European Union to accelerate its own plans to support Kyiv and implement further sanctions on Moscow.

There is one rule for negotiating with Russia: if you agree to something today, the price tomorrow will be higher, he said. Russia can only exist in a state of war.

Sowing chaos in global relations is a priority for Russia. It is important for them that the concept of violence dominates. We just need to discuss all these mutual misunderstandings at the negotiating table, with both the EU and US, because our interests are synchronised, Mr Podolyak said.

Mykhaylo Podolyak says there is one rule for negotiating with Russia: if you agree to something today, the price tomorrow will be higher - Future Publishing

06:25 PM GMT

Starmer: Putin will absolutely breach peace deal if no security guarantees included

Keir Starmer warned that Vladimir Putin will breach any peace deal if security guarantees for Ukraine are not included.

Speaking after his meetings with allied military leaders, he said: Whats happening here is turning that political intention into reality, the concept into plans.

He continued: It is vitally important we do that work because we know one thing for certain, which is a deal without anything behind it is something that Putin will breach.

We know that because it happened before. Im absolutely clear in my mind it will happen again.

06:03 PM GMT

Pictured: Ukraines troops train near the eastern frontline

Ukraines 59th Shkval Battalion train close to the frontline in the Donbas - Shutterstock

05:39 PM GMT

Starmer: Plans for protecting Ukraine ceasefire coming together

Sir Keir Starmer said that plans for allied countries to safeguard a potential Ukraine ceasefire were coming together, after senior military officials from nations interested in his coalition of the willing met in the UK.

The Prime Minister said the talks were focused on turning the political intention of security guarantees for Ukraine into reality.

Whether thats in relation to what might happen at sea or air or defending borders, and those plans are coming together, he added.

Keir Starmer met with military planners to map out next steps to protect a ceasefire in Ukraine in Northwood, London - Alastair Grant/AP

05:22 PM GMT

Listen to todays episode of Ukraine: The Latest

05:10 PM GMT

Zelensky hangs up on Macron during press briefing

Volodymyr Zelensky picked up a call from Emmanuel Macron, only to tell him that hed have to phone him back because he was on a live video briefing with journalists.

In a strange scene streamed live to reporters, the Ukrainian leader immediately identified the caller, saying: Sorry Emmanuel, I [was] just having a conversation with some journalists.

Can I ring you back in some minutes, 15-20 minutes? Yes please, thank you, Emmanuel. OK, great. Bye, bye, he said, before putting the phone down.

Then, adopting a more formal tone, he told the waiting journalists: That was President Macron, we have a conversation on average once a day, hes helping a lot.

04:56 PM GMT

Russia denies setting fire to Lithuanian Ikea store

Russia has denied setting fire to an Ikea outlet in Lithuania, after prosecutors suggested it could have been targeted by Moscow because the chains logo uses the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesman, said the accusations were baseless and driven by Russophobia.

They need to see a doctor. Russophobia is a disease and a diagnosis, she said.

04:50 PM GMT

Trump did not mention Crimea during phone call, Zelensky says

Donald Trump did not raise the topic of Crimea with Volodymyr Zelensky during their phone call on Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader said.

That [Crimea] is a Ukrainian peninsula, President Trump did not raise this with me, Mr Zelensky said.

We once talked about Crimea back in September (2024) in New York. He was interested in what it looks like, why Ukrainians love it so much, he added.

It came after a report this week said Washington was considering recognising Crimean as Russian territory as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.

Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014, when it annexed the territory after pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in the Maidan revolution.

04:08 PM GMT

What Telegraph readers are saying...

03:57 PM GMT

US to meet Russian and Ukrainian officials separately on Monday

US negotiators are set to meet both Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday for the next round of talks on a potential peace deal.

Volodymyr Zelensky said the US-Ukraine meeting would be separate from that of the US and Russia, which the Kremlin said would be held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on the same day.

The Ukrainian leader yesterday said his delegation would discuss technical issues regarding a partial ceasefire that bans attacks on energy infrastructure.

He today said he had drawn up a list of buildings that must not be targeted by Vladimir Putin, adding that he would hand it to the US to give to Russia.

03:44 PM GMT

Ukraine launches major drone attack on Russian strategic bomber base

Ukraine has launched a major drone attack on a key military airfield near a Russian strategic bomber base, causing local officials to declare a state of emergency.

Footage posted on Telegram shows a large mushroom cloud rising above Engels in Saratov, southern Russia, home to Vladimir Putins Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy bombers.

Roman Busargin, governor of the Saratov region, said the drone attack had left the airfield on fire and that nearby residents had been evacuated.

Russian state media later said there were 10 victims of the attack, but did not provide further details.

The base in Engels, around 435 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, has been used as a launch base for Russian planes in the war.

It hosts the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, a unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces long-range aviation and also stores Kh-101 and Kh-55 cruise missiles.

As a military target, the attack would not constitute a breach of a partial ceasefire that was agreed between Russia and Ukraine covering civilian and energy infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelensky admitted last night that a partial ceasefire with Russia would likely not come into effect until it was agreed upon in a document.

I understand that until we agree (with Russia), until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly, Mr Zelensky told reporters last night.

02:29 PM GMT

Zelensky draws up list of buildings for Russia not to target

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has drawn up a list of Ukrainian buildings that must not be targeted by Vladimir Putin under a limited ceasefire deal that bans attacks on energy infrastructure.

He said he will give the list to the US who will hand it over to the Russians.

02:20 PM GMT

Zelensky praises increased Norwegian support to Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky has praised Norways decision to raise support to Ukraine to almost $8 billion (6.17 billion).

It truly adds up to our long term confidence, and it is a very strong, very powerful contribution, he said during a joint press conference with Jonas Gahr Store, Norways prime minister.

We need to continue to pressure Russia so that Putin stops manipulations and makes the concrete steps that all the world wants, the Ukrainian leader added.

Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a meeting with the Norwegian prime minister at the prime ministers residence - Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB Scanpix

02:10 PM GMT

Starmer: We must be ready to react quickly to any Ukraine peace deal

Sir Keir Starmer was warned that Britain must be ready to react quickly should there be a peace deal struck between Russia and Ukraine.

Were working at pace because we dont know if therell be a deal. I certainly hope there will be, but if theres a deal, its really important that were able to react straight away, the Prime Minister told reporters.

[Our] plans are focusing on keeping the sky safe, the sea safe and the border safe and secure in Ukraine, and working with the Ukrainians, he said.

01:22 PM GMT

Russian glide bombs kill 1 in Sumy

A Russian glide bomb attack on the village of Krasnopillia in the Sumy region of Ukraine killed one person and injured another, Ukrainian authorities said.

The Sumy military administration said that Russia had dropped six glide bombs on the village and that reports indicate one person was killed and another was injured as a result of the attack.

An apartment building, a private house and a shopping center were damaged, it added.

12:59 PM GMT

Kremlin names date for next Russia-US talks

The next Russia-US talks on Ukraine will take place on March 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin said.

We agreed with Mr Waltz (the US national security adviser) that consultations on this matter in a bilateral format will be conducted by experts appointed by the presidents, Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putins foreign policy aide, said.

These consultations will take place on Monday, March 24, in Riyadh, he added.

Mr Ushankov said the Russian delegation will be headed by Grigory Karasin, a senator and career diplomat, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of Russias FSB security agency.

The talks will mainly concern ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea, he said.

12:29 PM GMT

Pictured: Russian Grad launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions

A Russian Grad self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine, Mar 20 - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

11:44 AM GMT

Up to 250,000 Russians killed in Ukraine since 2022, MoD says

Between 200,000 to 250,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Russian forces have suffered approximately 900,000 casualties in total including dead and wounded, it added.

Ukraines general staff earlier posted a similar update, saying that Russia had suffered 899,470 casualties as of March 20.

A project by the BBC and Russian independent news site Mediazona has recorded the names of 97,994 Russian soldiers killed since 2022 using a variety of publicly available sources.

Using excess mortality data, they estimated that as of February Russia had lost a total of 165,000 soldiers.

11:19 AM GMT

10 victims of Ukrainian drone attack on Russias Saratov region

Russian state media has reported that there were 10 victims of Ukraines drone attack on its Saratov region, which hit a key military airfield near a strategic bomber base.

It is not clear if the number refers to dead or injured.

A state of emergency was declared in the Engels district of the region after what governor Roman Busargin said was the largest-ever attack it had faced by enemy drones.

Mr Busagarin added that the attack left the airfield on fire and that nearby residents were evacuated.

A smoke cloud rises after a Ukrainian drone attack on Russias Saratov region - X

10:58 AM GMT

Pictured: Aftermath of overnight Russian drone strike

A vehicle is shown burning after an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukraines Kirovohrad region, in an image posted on X by Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian leader said the attack wounded 10 people, including four children, and caused damage to homes, a church and other infrastructure.

He thanked everyone who works on the ground and helps to eliminate the consequences of Russian terror.

A vehicle is shown burning after an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukraines Kirovohrad region - X

10:46 AM GMT

Ukrainian peacekeeping force will need full US involvement

A coalition of the willing planning to deploy a peacekeeping force in Ukraine will only be able to proceed if there is full US involvement, the German ambassador to Britain has suggested.

Miguel Berger said the US will need to provide intelligence, air surveillance and air defence as part of any post-war security guarantee.

Asked if a US proposal of taking control of Ukrainian power plants would be enough of a security guarantee for the coalition to press ahead, Mr Berger told Times Radio: To take over Ukrainian assets is not what we understand as a US backstop.

What we would need is a full US involvement  intelligence, air surveillance, air defence  so that Russia understands that if they would violate a ceasefire agreement, it would mean that they violated also not only against European troops and Ukrainian, but also against the US.

So the US has to be fully involved to make this operational.

10:20 AM GMT

Pictured: Ukrainian rescuers attend site of Russian drone attack

Rescuers are shown working at the site of an overnight Russian drone strike on residential buildings in Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine

The attack was reported to have wounded eight people, including a child.

Rescuers working at a site of a Russian drone strike in Kropyvnytskyi - HANDOUT/AFP

10:17 AM GMT

Ukrainian forces not encircled in Kursk

Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the Kursk region of Russia have not been encircled by Moscows troops, according to a report.

US intelligence shared with the White House found that Kyivs troops have lost ground but are not surrounded, three US and European officials told the Reuters news agency.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have both claimed in recent weeks that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were encircled, with the Russian leader saying on March 13 that they would need to surrender or die.

Mr Trump repeated the claim about encircled Ukrainian troops during a speech on Monday and a TV interview on Tuesday.

10:08 AM GMT

Kremlin: Next US-Russia talks could take place Sunday or next week

The next US-Russia talks on Ukraine could take place on Sunday or early next week, the Kremlin said.

It may not be Sunday itself, the nuances are being agreed. It could be the start, the very start, of next week, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, said.

The two countries will discuss ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea and other aspects of a Ukraine peace settlement, Peskov said.

He added that Russian participants of the talks would be named in due course.

We will inform in due course who will represent the Russian side. I am not ready to do this yet, Peskov said.

09:55 AM GMT

Europe has become the party of war, Kremlin says

Europe is rapidly militarising and has turned itself into a party of war, the Kremlin has said.

It added that Europes actions were at odds with those of Russia and the US, which it said were attempting to reach a peace settlement in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, said: The signals from Brussels and European capitals now mainly concern plans to militarise Europe, which is clearly at odds with the attitude of the presidents of Russia and the United States to seek ways to enter into a peaceful settlement process.

Europe has so far gone into militarising itself and has rather turned into a party of war.

09:49 AM GMT

No Berlin Wall in Ukrainian cities, Zelensky vows

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian towns or cities that would fall along a demarcation line in the event of a ceasefire should be emptied of their residents.

The Ukrainian leader said: There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by a contact line, and if in some places you leave this line in place, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city.

He added: I told President Trump honestly: Do we want Berlin? I think we both understood that this was not an option. The Berlin Wall is not an option.

09:28 AM GMT

EU leaders prepare for peace summit

European leaders are gathering in Brussels for another peace summit centred around the war in Ukraine.

Speaking before the summit, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: These are decisive days for Europe.

Our Europe editor James Crisp in Brussels ahead of the summit - well bring you updates as they come in.

Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, arrives at the summit in Brussels - REUTERS

09:04 AM GMT

UK has capacity for peacekeeping force, minister insists

The UK does currently have the military resources and personnel to play its part in a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, a defence minister insisted this morning.

Military experts have questioned whether Britain has enough troops and equipment to sustain a major deployment on the continent.

But Luke Pollard said the UK would be able to answer the call.

Asked if the nation would have enough forces to act today, he told the BBC: Yes. If asked to, the brave men and women of our armed forces have the ability to be able to do this.

He would not be drawn on how many British troops could be sent to Ukraine as part of an international peacekeeping force.

It doesnt benefit anyone except Putin for us to outline our force structure, he sa

08:34 AM GMT

UK set for another coalition of the willing meeting

Dozens of military chiefs from countries keen to help protect an eventual ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine will meet in Britain on Thursday to discuss planning for a peacekeeping force.

Sir Keir Starmer, who has led the proposal alongside Emmanuel Macron, is expected to address the meeting of roughly 30 military officials.

It comes after Russia repeated its demand that western peacekeepers must not be part of any deal and demanded that Europe and the US end all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Starmer and Macron have been trying to build the coalition since Donald Trump opened direct negotiations with Russia last month to end the three-year-long war.

They say the group is necessary - along with US support - to provide Ukraine with security guarantees that would deter Putin from violating any ceasefire.

08:24 AM GMT

Starmer speaks with Saudi leader

Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Mohammed bin Salman, the leader of Saudi Arabia, last night, congratulating him on his pivotal role in US-led ceasefire talks in Jeddah last week.

Both leaders agreed that securing a just a lasting peace is in everyones interest, and they both looked forward to seeing progress as talks resume on Sunday, a statement from No10 read.

Saudi Arabia has become a key mediator in the war between Russia and Ukraine, hosting talks between US officials and both countries.

More talks between Russia and the US are set to take place in Riyadh later this week, according to Steve Witkoff, Donald Trumps most trusted negotiator.

08:06 AM GMT

Watch: Ukraine strikes Engels military base in Russia

An airfield near a Russian strategic bomber base is on fire after a major Ukrainian drone attack in southern Russia, according to Russian officials and state media.

The base in Engels, about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, hosts Russias Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear capable heavy strategic bombers.

Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the town of Engels that had left an airfield on fire and that nearby residents had been evacuated.

A state of emergency has been declared by authorities.

07:56 AM GMT

US and Ukraine closer than ever, claims UK defence minister

The US and Ukraine are now closer than ever on their positions on ending the war with Russia, a UK armed forces minister claimed this morning.

Luke Pollard said Washington and Kyiv were strongly supporting each other after a bumpy start to the relationship between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky since the formers return to the White House.

Meanwhile, Mr Pollard would not be drawn on the wisdom of a mooted US plan to take control of Ukrainian energy infrastructure to deter Russian attacks.

Asked specifically about the suggestion of the US taking ownership of Ukraines power plants following a call between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky, Mr Pollard would not be drawn, telling Sky News: The bit that I take from the calls is that Ukraine and the United States are closer than ever on their positions, strongly supporting each other.

The ball is really in Russias court here. They are the ones that arent seeking an immediate ceasefire, they are the ones who are seeking to continue this war.

07:36 AM GMT

Pictured: Russian POWs released by Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners of war on Wednesday in what was described as a confidence-building measure ahead of potential peace talks.

Moscow also released an extra 22 wounded soldiers in need of immediate medical attention.

A group of Russian soldiers wave as they sit in a bus after being released in a prisoners swap between Russia and Ukraine - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

07:15 AM GMT

Putin fears our nuclear weapons, insists Starmer

Vladimir Putin fears Britains nuclear weapons, Sir Keir Starmer has insisted.

The Prime Minister said Trident had proved incredibly effective since its introduction in the 1990s, and that it continued to be a crucial deterrent, with the Russian president resisting Donald Trumps efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Sir Keir has also been urged to offer Europe Britains nuclear protection, amid fears Mr Trump will scale back security guarantees for the continent.

He focused on the effect Trident has on Moscows thinking ahead of a visit to Barrow on Thursday, where he will usher in the next generation of submarines to carry the missiles. I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability.

07:06 AM GMT

Kyiv says Russia launched 171 drones over Ukraine

Russia launched 171 drones over Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said this morning.

During the night the enemy attacked with 171 drones, the air force said in a statement, adding that it had downed 75 drones and that 63 others were lost from its radars without making damage.

06:59 AM GMT

This is what Putins ceasefire looks like

Russia launched one of its largest-ever attacks on the city of Kropyvnytskyi overnight, injuring at least four children.

Authorities reported that 10 people were injured in total, with one of the victims in critical condition with surface burns covering 90% of their body.

Dozens of drones were launched at the central Ukrainian city overnight, striking homes and residential buildings. Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraines railway authority, reported that railway infrastructure had been damaged as a result of the attack.

Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskys chief of staff, has posted a picture of Russias attack on Kropyvnytskyi, which injured at least 10 people.

This is what Putins ceasefire looks like. Russia takes great pleasure in attacking civilians, he wrote.

06:56 AM GMT

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Well bring you the latest news and analysis throughout the day.
An 11-year-old boy is dead, and his mother is facing a homicide charge after authorities said they found the child stabbed in a California hotel room Wednesday.

Santa Ana Police Department spokesperson Natalie Garcia said about 9:30 a.m. local time , officers responded to the La Quinta Inn in Orange County after the mother allegedly dialed 911 to report she had killed her son.

Arriving officers took the mother into custody and transported her to a hospital after she reportedly told them she had "ingested some sort of substance," Garcia said.

As of Wednesday, Garcia said, the mother remained in custody in stable condition.

"Unfortunately, our officers located the little boy with multiple stab wounds inside the hotel room," Garcia said.

Orange County Fire Authority also responded to the scene and pronounced the boy dead, Garcia said.

11-year-old charged with murder: Third child arrested in bicyclist's hit-and-run death

Motive in California boy's killing unclear

At the scene, Garcia said, officers located a knife believed to have been used in the crime.

As of Thursday, police had not released the identities of the mother and son.

A motive in the killing was not immediately known.

According to local ABC7, the mother and son are from the Irvine area and had been staying at the hotel recently.

The case remained under investigation Thursday.

Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call Santa Ana police at 714-245-8665.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 11-year-old boy stabbed to death at California hotel, mother charged
Social media makes it easy to believe luxury pets live better than most humans, but behind the glam shots is a reality thats far less picture-perfect. If youve ever considered getting a status symbol pet, brace yourself for the hidden truths no one is telling you.

Boom in Luxury Pet Care

Credit: Facebook

Spoiling pets has gone from cute to big business. The global pet accessories market hit $4 billion in 2023 and is set to soar to $6.7 billion by 2033all thanks to indulgent pet parents. It includes plush designer beds and gourmet pet meals that rival restaurant dishes and turn four-legged companions into VIPs.

Cool in Theory

Credit: Instagram

A monkey on your shoulder or a hedgehog in your pocket might sound cute, but before you start picking out names, check the rules. Many states have strict bansCalifornia says no to ferrets and primates, while Texas requires special permits for certain exotic animals. Breaking the law could mean fines or losing your new pet.

Gourmet Dining

Credit: Instagram

If you think your luxury pet is just another household member, wait until you see their food bill. High-end pet foodespecially raw or fresh optionscan cost up to five times more than standard kibble. Feeding a medium-to-large dog exclusively wet food could run anywhere from $201 to a jaw-dropping $7K annually.

Glamorous but High-Maintenance

Credit: Instagram

That show-stopping Afghan Hound or regal Maine Coon might look effortlessly elegant, but behind the scenes, its a whole different story. Their shiny coats demand extensive care. Daily brushing, weekly baths, and a blowout routine that rivals a salon visit are non-negotiable unless you want a walking tangle.

Not Always Welcome

Credit: Getty Images

Rare or exotic pets might seem like the greatest flex, but good luck finding a place that will actually let you keep one. Many states completely ban big cats, wolves, and venomous reptiles, while others require permits that cost more than the pet. Even if you clear those legal hoops, landlords often have the final say.

Not Built for Chaos

Credit: Facebook

If you love spontaneity, an exotic pet might not be your best match. These high-maintenance companions crave routine, and even minor changes can send them into stress mode. Beyond medical care, their habitats need to be just righttemperature, humidity, lighting, and even noise levels can make or break their well-being.

Luxury Grooming Routines

Credit: Getty Images

Grooming goes way beyond brushing the tangles and bathing the dirt away. Tear stain treatments for light-colored breeds, paw pad conditioning to prevent cracking, and even dental polishing to keep their breath fresh are all part of the routine. Some pets even get buffed and have rounded nails to avoid snagging on designer furniture.

Accessorizing Like A Diva

Credit: Instagram

Some pets get treats and belly rubsothers get wardrobes that put designer runways to shame. Big-name brands have jumped in, too. Louis Vuitton sells a $60k custom dog kennel, a $470 poop bag holder, and a $2,160 leather dog bowlbecause why settle for stainless steel?

Art of a Drama-Free Introduction

Credit: Getty Images

Bringing a luxury pet into a home with existing animals is less like a casual meet-and-greet and more like introducing VIP guests with wildly different lifestyles. A hyperactive pup might see a delicate new pet as a toy. With patience and planning, you can turn potential pet rivalries into a surprisingly harmonious household.

Keep Your Wallet Ready

Credit: SimpleFoto

Make sure your bank account is just as prepared as your heart when bringing home a new pet. Exotic animals need specialized vet care; even routine check-ups can set you back a couple of hundred dollars. Spaying or neutering? A tiny rabbit alone can cost over $200. Thats just the basicswait until you see the emergency bills.

A Lifetime Commitment

Credit: Getty Images

Pets usually stay with you for a few years, while some might write you out of their will. African Grey Parrots can chat with you for 60 years, and Sulcata Tortoises can shuffle around for 70+. If youre not ready for a pet that might see you through reAfrican Grey Parrots tirement, you might want to reconsider.

Instincts to Match

Credit: pexels

Those interested in an exotic pet must also be ready to keep up with their lifestyles. Border Collies were born to herd and need constant activityor theyll turn your house into an agility course. And parrots are not just colorful companionstheyre social geniuses wholl scream the house down if ignored. Neglecting their needs affects their well-being, so foresight is required.

Ensure the Bills

Credit: pexels

As previously mentioned, exotic pets need specialized care, and thats where pet insurance for exotics comes in. Providers like Nationwide offer plans tailored for exotic pets that cover illnesses, injuries, and even preventive care. Without coverage, one unexpected bill could put you in a tough spot.

Building a Habitat

Credit: Reddit

Ask yourself: Is your house ready for a luxury pet, or just prepared for Instagram? Big cats, primates, and reptiles need specialized enclosures, climate control, and constant care. If your space isnt built for their needs, youre in for a wild ridejust maybe not the one you imagined.

Do Your Homework

Credit: Getty Images

Jumping into the world of luxury pets without vetting the source is like buying a designer bag from a sketchy street vendoryou might end up with more problems than prestige. Unethical breeders prioritize profit over health and produce animals prone to genetic disorders and behavioral issues.
Tesla arson defendants will face the "full force of the law" for allegedly using Molotov cocktails to set fire to the electric vehicles and charging stations, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Thursday.

"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," Bondi said in a statement. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."

Bondi is referring to the three people charged for their alleged involvement in recent attacks against Tesla properties in Salem, Oregon; Loveland, Colorado; and Charleston, South Carolina.

PHOTO: ATF investigators inspect burned Tesla Cybertrucks at a Tesla lot in Seattle, March 10, 2025. (Lindsey Wasson/AP)

Recent attacks aimed at Tesla have also been reported in Seattle, Kansas City, Las Vegas and other cities across the United States since Tesla CEO Elon Musk began his role with the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency.

The defendant in Oregon was arrested after throwing approximately "eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership located in Salem, Oregon" and was also armed with a "suppressed" AR-15 rifle, according to the statement.

The second alleged arsonist was arrested in Loveland, Colorado, after attempting to "light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails." The defendant was later found "in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons," the DOJ said.

The third defendant the statement mentions is an individual in Charleston, South Carolina, who wrote "profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire with Molotov cocktails," the DOJ said.

MORE: Tesla vehicles vandalized across US since Elon Musk began White House role

"Each defendant faces serious charges carrying a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The Department of Justice is committed to ending all acts of violence and arson directed at Tesla properties and otherwise," the statement said.

PHOTO: Five Tesla cars were set on fire and shot at in an arson attack at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas, March 18, 2025. (Hal Sparks via Storyful)

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said police officers who successfully step in to prevent any harm may get "a pay raise and a promotion."

"If you are a law enforcement officer in Florida and you interfere with somebody and prevent them from hurting a Tesla  come find me and I'm gonna try to get you a pay raise and a promotion," Uthmeier said on Fox News Thursday morning.

Uthmeier also said police officers will be patrolling Tesla dealerships.

"Were gonna enforce the law in Florida, were gonna hold people accountable. If you try to hurt one of these cars, were gonna put you away," Uthmeier said.

Musk said Thursday the company has increased security nationwide in response to the acts of vandalism.

"Tesla has ramped up security and activates Sentry Mode on all vehicles at stores," Musk said in a post shared on X.

-ABC News' Will Steakin and Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.

Tesla arson defendants to face 'full force of law,' AG Bondi says originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
In a blue strip of Rep. Kevin Kiley's California district, an empty chair will sit on stage when his constituents gather tonight.

We would love to have him show, but we haven't heard one word from him, said Kathy Dotson, the event's organizer and leader of the Nevada County chapter of Indivisible, a progressive advocacy group.

Dotson said there is local appetite to hear from Kiley in the county, which supported Democrat Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote in November's presidential election. Recently two of the congressmans staff people held an event locally and were greeted by more than 400 unhappy constituents. Dotson spoke with people waiting in line.

They were so concerned. The majority of them were seniors. They were concerned about Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, and quite a few were veterans, and they were petrified that their livelihoods were going to be affected, she said. People are scared. People are really, really nervous.

In just two months since Trump took office and began a sweeping effort to restructure government by firing tens of thousands of federal employees, closing entire departments and shutting local offices for agencies like Social Security, activists have ramped up their efforts as well, with lessons learned from a fight that began in Trump's first term. Protests have accelerated across the country as Trump has rolled back protections for green card holders, asylum seekers, transgender people and federal workers.

In February alone, more than 2,085 protests took place nationwide, according to the Crowd Counting Consortium, a joint project of Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Connecticut. That's an increase from 937 protests in February 2017, the first full month of the first Trump administration, though many of those were much larger than the nation has seen so far in 2025.

The White House dismissed the increasing activism.

Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to USA TODAY. "President Trump will not be deterred from delivering on the promises he made to make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country who overwhelmingly re-elected him.

'He deserves to be shamed for this'

After a spate of contentious town halls gained media attention last month, National Republican Congressional Committee leaders told House Republicans not to hold in-person meetings. Members of Congress blamed liberal provocateurs for the high-pressure events.

"Democrats are trying to distract voters from their abysmal approval ratings and out-of-touch records with manufactured productions organized by far-left activist groups who are funded by billionaire mega-donors. Voters see through their pathetic charade," NRCC Spokesman Mike Marinella said in a statement.

Instead of in-person public meetings, several members of Congress, including Kiley, are holding virtual town halls with screened questions and no chance to push back. Kiley, whose district stretches along California's eastern border from south of Death Valley to north of Lake Tahoe, did not respond to requests for comment.

Protesters hold signs opposing President Trump's new policies and their Republican congressman in Roseville, Calif. on March 8, 2025.

Local activists are changing their strategy in response to the NRCC directive: Dozens of groups have scheduled meetings in the next few weeks to talk about what is happening in Washington and how President Donald Trump's administration may change their community. Each meeting will feature an empty chair in an attempt to shame their member of Congress for not holding an in-person town hall, open to every constituent.

Honestly, he deserves to be shamed for this. He absolutely does," Heather Meaney-Allen, who leads an Indivisible chapter in Williamsburg, Virginia, said of her congressman, Rep. Rob Wittman. "He is too much of a chicken to actually show up and face the people that put him in office, or even those of us who didn't vote for him ever, but he still represents us. He's still supposed to be our congressman."

Williamsburg JCCC Indivisible has had a contentious relationship with Wittman since the first Trump administration. Its town hall, scheduled for Sunday, will feature a cardboard cutout of the Republican and the chicken dance more commonly seen at weddings.

Wittman will not attend because his staff did not organize the event, his office said.

"I look forward to answering these constituents questions during our next telephone town hall  I hope they will sign up and participate," Wittman said in a statement.

Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin called the empty chair town halls Organizing 101.

If they show up, great, then you've succeeded in creating a town hall. But if they don't show up, then you have something to represent them, cardboard cutout, a person in a chicken suit, a live chicken on stage I've seen before, whatever it may be, he said.

More: The Donald Trump resistance is ready for when Democrats are done grieving

National Indivisible organizers arent involved in setting up the local town halls, they are just promoting the idea, he said.

It is up to you to do," Levin said, addressing the hundreds of Indivisible chapters across the country. "I'm not flying into any district with even my least favorite Republican member of Congress to set something up. Either folks in the district do it or it doesn't happen."

Meaney-Allen, who expects more than 140 attendees next week, said participation in her group's weekly protests at the local courthouse have skyrocketed since Trump's election, with energy unlike anything she has seen in nine years of activism.

We have a huge amount of retired military here, and they showed up. They are livid. They took an oath to our Constitution, and they are still living that oath to our Constitution. These were true Americans out there, Meaney-Allen said. It's been building. It's increased every single week.

Protesters wave signs in support of Ukraine and democracy outside the Williamsburg James City County Courthouse in Williamsburg, Va. on March 4, 2025

Thousands of protests

For weeks, protests have taken place on small town street corners, in major cities, state capitols and in Washington. Some have focused specifically on supporting federal employees, LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, Palestinian self-determination or Ukraine, and others have demonstrated against Trumps agenda generally.

Some have been led by the progressive groups like Indivisible that formed the "resistance" during Trump's first term. Others were organized by labor unions, special interest groups, fired federal workers or just frustrated Americans.

Hundreds gathered outside the Stonewall Inn in New York City Feb. 14 to protest the Park Service deletion of the word transgender from its national monument website.

Starting March 1 and continuing since, thousands have shown up at national parks to protest staffing cuts that have resulted in fewer services for the public.

On March 13, almost 100 protesters were arrested during a sit-in at Trump Tower in downtown New York City. Organizers Jewish Voice for Peace called for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist with a green card who has been detained by federal immigration agents.

In El Paso, Texas, on March 16, activists hung a massive upside-down American flag from an overpass.

Indivisible, Women's March, MoveOn and more than a dozen other national and local activism groups have teamed up for a "mass mobilization" April 5 to bring together thousands of people at hundreds of protests and marches in Washington as well as spread across nearly every state.

Protesters hold signs opposing President Donald Trump and their Republican congressman, California Rep. Kevin Kiley on March 8,2025 in Roseville, Calif.

More: Thousands travel to Washington for People's March ahead of Trump inauguration

'More people are becoming alarmed'

Indivisible's local numbers are growing every day, Levin said. And each month exceeds how many people joined in the first months of Trump's first term in 2017, he said.

More and more people are becoming alarmed, Levin said. Maybe it's the 17th time they've heard some story about some egregious thing Musk has done, and that 17th time was too much, and so now they're going to show up at their meeting until things start to get better. I think we're going to see more and more people get active, and I so far don't see it slowing down.

Tabitha St. Bernard-Jacobs, chief partnerships officer at Women's March, said a flood of people are coming forward to join existing groups or create new ones. Women's March organized the mass protests in Washington and across the country the day after Trump's first inauguration where many local activists first met and formed groups.

There was this narrative at the end of the last year that the resistance is dead and people aren't mobilizing, and that's just not what we're seeing or hearing from our base, and that's also not what we're seeing and hearing from people around the country," St. Bernard-Jacobs said.

She said the key is that more people are willing to take on leadership roles in their local community and are mobilizing and organizing without relying on national groups.

People arent just showing up for a march and then going home, she said. They are looking for ways to get involved locally.

We want people to envision mobilization going forward like: Yes, show up, yes. Make your sign, yes. Put on your slogan T-shirts, and (then) think about day two and day 30 and day 100 afterwards."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Activists ramp up rallies, protests opposing Trump administration
The Bering Air flight was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome when it crashed on Feb. 6.

A Cessna plane that crashed while as it was flying to Nome, Alaska, last month, killing all 10 people on board, was hundreds of pounds too heavy for icing conditions, a National Transportation Safety Board report says.

The Bering Air flight was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome on Feb. 6 when it crashed.

Calculations after the crash showed that the cargo gross takeoff weight at departure was 9,865 pounds  about 1,058 pounds heavier than the maximum for forecast icing conditions, the NTSB said in a preliminary report.

Records show the aircraft was using a payload extender, and that weight made it 803 pounds over the limit for any flight operations with that system, the report said.

A senior NTSB aerospace engineer will conduct a detailed review of the airplanes performance as part of the investigation, including an evaluation of the airplanes center of gravity location, the report released Wednesday said.

Bering Air did not immediately respond to a voicemail and an email requesting comment.

The Cessna 208B took off from Unalakleet, on the coast of Norton Sound in western Alaska, at 2:37 p.m. Feb. 6, headed for Nome, which is about 140 miles away.

It did not arrive, and searchers found the wreckage on a large floating icepack on Norton Sound, southeast of Nome, the next day, the NTSB report says.

Federal Aviation Administration "automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast" data showed the planes last location at 3:20 p.m. about 32 miles southeast of the Nome airport and 12 miles offshore of Norton Sound, the report says.

The crash remains under investigation, and the preliminary report released Wednesday does not conclude a cause of the crash.

The report described the flight as an air taxi and commuter plane.

Nome and Unalakleet are not serviced by the states highway system, leaving air and water or snowmobile and trails the main forms of transportation between the two.
By Foo Yun Chee

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Amazon (AMZN) lost its fight against a record 746 million euro ($812.4 million) fine handed out by Luxembourg's privacy regulator four years ago as a court sided with the watchdog, according to a statement on the regulator's website.

The Luxembourg National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) said the country's administrative court dismissed Amazon's appeal in a March 18 ruling.

The watchdog had penalised Amazon for processing personal data in breach of EU privacy rules known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Europe has taken a tough line against such violations, with its landmark law setting the benchmark for other countries.

CNPD said its decision, which also included measures for Amazon to fix the issue, will remain suspended during the appeal period.

Amazon said it was considering appealing the court ruling.

It said the CNPD's decision "imposed an unprecedented fine based on subjective interpretations of the law about which they had not previously published any interpretive guidance".

($1 = 0.9183 euros)

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
In this handout photo released by Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George Glezmann, center, poses with Adam Boehler, second left, and Zalmay Khalilzad, second right, and Qatari diplomats in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, March 20, 2025, before departing to Doha, Qatar. (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)  An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration that Qatari negotiators helped broker, the State Department said Thursday.

George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained the following year.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and praised Qatar for steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts that he said were instrumental in securing Georges release.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.

Glezmann was being accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump's administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had met with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Glezmann, 66, was in Afghanistan as a tourist at the time of his abduction and has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organization that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the normalization" of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Most countries still dont recognize the Talibans rule.

Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The Talibans Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the U.S.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmanns release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

On Thursday, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Glezmann's release on humanitarian grounds." In a statement, it said the Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.

President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and vanished in 2022.

The FBI and Habibi's family have said they believe Habibi was taken by Taliban forces, but the Taliban has denied holding him. Representatives for Habibi on Thursday cited what they said was overwhelming evidence that he was arrested by the Taliban after his home was searched by people identifying themselves as part of the Taliban's security service.

"We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the U.S. to move forward," one of Habibis brothers, Ahmad, said in a statement. We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter, and elderly parents for 953 days.

___

Associated Press writers Victoria Eastwood in Cairo and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
Have you ever done a "happy dance" when you're presented with a plate of something really tasty? Don't be embarrassed! A lot of us have, even if we're not always conscious of when we're doing it. I've even caught myself doing a little "side-to-side shimmy" at the dinner table without realizing that I'd started dancing. It's just one of those weird things that humans sometimes do!

And here's the thing: it's not an exclusively human behavior, either. Some animals even have their own "happy food dance," though this Cavapoo puppy's dance went a little further than the standard suppertime shimmy. Rocket is absolutely crazy about french fries, and whenever he gets a taste of his special treat, he makes an absolute production out of it!

Rocket is so extra; he can't ever just eat the fry. First he's gotta get it from Mama, set it down on the ground, and get into place. Then, he breaks out into the ultimate "happy dance," flipping, rolling, shimmying, leaping, barking, and hopping around like he'd just won the puppy lottery. It was only after about a solid minute and a half of happy dancing (and yes, I timed it) that he finally settled down enough to snack on his prize. We stan a crazy Cavapoo king.

Related: Golden Retriever Puppy's Instant Obsession with New Cavapoo Pup BFF Is Irresistible

Rocket is an incredibly exuberant little puppy, and he always treats snack time like a major affair. If you thought his french fry dance was wild, you should see how he reacted to Mom giving him a peanut butter dog cookie! He's just so full of life and a genuine love for food, and he's just gotta let all that excitement out whenever he gets a special treat. Rocket knows how to put on one heck of a show, and his performance won him a digital ovation from his TikTok followers!

"French fries can be dangerous! Very smart to dazzle that fry with footwork to distract it!" one commenter jokingly praised. Another user had a slightly different take, saying, "It's a celebratory dance for the fry...it's a ritual... must always be done." A few others joked that Rocket was burning calories before indulging in his fast food treat, and honestly, Rocket's ritual does make for pretty good health inspo: first you do the dance, then you get the fries!

The "Happy Food Dance" Is a Multi-Species Ritual

As if Rocket's Tony Award-worthy performance wasn't evidence enough, one need only make a cursory Google search to see tons of pet parents online talking about their dog's special "happy food dance" (and offering adorable video evidence to prove it). There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of research analyzing the how and why behind dogs' pre-meal happy dances, but it doesn't seem like much of a stretch to assume that they're doing it because they're excited and playfulsame reasons why we humans do it!

Other species, like squirrels and goats, have been filmed performing their own happy food dances (or behaviors reminiscent of it), and still other species of animals have their own unique mealtime rituals. Perhaps most famous is that of gorillas, who have been observed composing happy little food songs that they sing and hum to themselves while eating.

"Each gorilla has its own voice: you can really tell whos singing, Ali Vella-Irving, a gorilla caretaker for the Toronto Zoo, told the New Scientist in 2016. And if its their favorite food, they sing louder. In the wild, only dominant silverback gorillas have been observed singing their food songs, but in zoo settings, everyone gets in on the mealtime music!

It really doesn't matter what species you belong to: we all love eating, and when it's our favorite food, we can't help but get excited. The joy that comes with indulging in our most beloved foods is an experience that transcends species boundaries!
Meghan Overdeep

Let me start by saying that I have absolutely no business buying a nearly five-pound pie. But yall know thats not how Costco works. The store tells us what to buy, and we listen.

On my most recent Costco run, it was the apple berry pie that whispered to me from the bakery section. As a longtime fan of Costcos apple pie, I knew I had to try this fun, new spin on a classic. Id deal with how my two-person household would manage to consume it later. Maybe Id throw a party?

With a filling of apples and mixed berries, Costcos new apple berry pie is essentially the iconic apple pie dressed up for spring. It also features a delicious and beautiful lattice crust, which Im a total sucker for. For just $15.99, it was coming with me.

Meghan Overdeep

Costco rarely misses on a pie crust, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had nailed it once again. The crust is sweet and soft and somehow both crumbly and doughy. As far as the flavor of the filling goes, it reminds me a lot of strawberry rhubarb, another springtime staple. Raspberries and strawberries lend tartness to the apple and give it a vibrant red hue. There aren't too many seeds in it either, which can sometimes be the case with berry pies. Overall, its sweet, but not too sweet.

Costco fans are singing the new pies praises over on Reddit. One user gave it an eight out of 10, writing: Definitely worth trying, especially if you warm it up and pair it with the Kirkland vanilla ice cream. Cant go wrong for pie lovers

My husband, who isnt the biggest fan of fruit pies, liked the crust so much that he has been pulling it off to snack on when Im not looking. I really enjoyed it, but Ive never met a fruit pie that didnt have me seeing stars. Given its size, however, Im unlikely to purchase it again without having somewhere to bring it. Or heck, maybe I will throw that party.

Costcos new apple berry pie has been available in stores for the past couple of weeks. Its unclear if its a seasonal spring item or if it will stick around through summer, so grab one while you can!



Related: Costco Fans Say This Cake Is 'Worth Its Weight In Gold'

Read the original article on Southern Living
Nadia Moskalenko said she really wanted to help out.

PAVLOHRAD, Ukraine  They are Ukraines Rosie the Riveters, rolling up their sleeves and doing a dirty job once considered suitable only for men.

But unlike their American equivalents in World War II, theyre not working in defense-industry factories. Instead theyre going 900 feet underground, helping to dig coal and keep the power on, replacing the men who left to fight Russia. Now theyre hopeful that President Donald Trump can secure a ceasefire deal and bring an end to the war, which entered its fourth year in February.

We really wanted to help and to replace those men who went to fight and to protect Ukraine, Nadiya Moskalenko told NBC News on Thursday.

The 48-year-old grandmother said two of her sons had volunteered to fight Russia, and a few months after President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion in February 2022, she signed up to go down the 50-year-old mine on the outskirts of the city of Pavlohrad in eastern Ukraine.

Nadiya Moskalenko working at the DTEK coal mine.

Before the war started, the government barred women from doing jobs underground because it considered the work too physically demanding. But after many male miners joined the military early in the war and others were later conscripted, the Soviet-era policy was scrapped.

Moskalenko, who wears lipstick and eyeliner to work, operates the cable cars that move workers and supplies across the mines vast 75-mile tunnel network.

It was not hard physically, but its a very responsible job, she said, adding that she has to react quickly if anything goes wrong. You cant miss anything and [have] to be very attentive and responsible.

At her mine alone, 700 of the 3,000 male workers went off to fight, according to Alyona Lapina, a communications manager at DTEK, the mines owner and Ukraines largest private energy firm. She added that 71 had been killed and 200 were wounded.

The mine is near the eastern Donbas region, where Moscow-backed separatists have been battling Ukrainian forces since 2014. Since then, the Donbas, which is made up of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, has been used as a staging post for Russian attacks into Ukraine. Putin illegally annexed them in September 2022 along with the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions. Ukrainian forces are still fighting to regain control of all four territories.

Workers head down the shaft at the DTEK coal mine in Ukraines Pavlohrad region Thursday.

Elevator operator Iryna Basanets, 38, said she also joined up after the war began. Since then, she said, the women and men had learned to work together.

The boys help us, she said. We are sweeping here, cleaning, keeping our working space clean and tidy.

But war is always close, with an air raid siren sounding shortly after miners returned to the surface for lunch on Thursday.

The coal they mine is used primarily to power Ukrainian electricity and heating stations, key energy infrastructure that has come under frequent Russian attacks and is now the subject of a proposed temporary ceasefire accepted by Ukraine and partially agreed to by Putin.

Previous Russian attacks on energy infrastructure like power stations and substations had led to blackouts, Basanets said, leaving miners underground with no electricity or cellphone signal, though they were eventually brought back to the surface.

We always store water in advance, she said, adding that some blackouts are scheduled.

Irina Basanets.

Both Basanets and Moskalenko said they were hopeful that Trumps recent talks with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could lead to a peace agreement.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz said that in a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, Zelenskyy agreed to move forward with a partial ceasefire against energy, according to a joint White House statement. Zelenskyy later confirmed in a lengthy post on X that Ukraine was ready to implement this deal.

Their call came a day after Trump spoke with Putin, who declined to endorse a 30-day ceasefire that was accepted by Zelenskyy. But, according to a Kremlin readout of their conversation Tuesday, the Russian leader did agree to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days.

We want this to happen, Moskalenko said of the peace agreement. And when you really want something, then you hope and you believe that it will happen.
Walt Disney shareholders overwhelmingly rejected a proposal calling for the entertainment giant to drop its participation in a benchmark index used to rank companies on how friendly their policies are to LGBTQ+ people.

The investor proposal presented Thursday at Disneys annual meeting by the National Center for Public Policy Research, which describes itself as a nonpartisan independent conservative think tank, urged Disney to resume a neutral stance in political matters.

Disneys perfect score in the annual Corporate Equality Index survey from LGBTQ+ advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign was due to a partisan, divisive, and increasingly radical agenda, the proposal said.

In its proxy statement, the company said the shareholder proposal was unnecessary. We do not believe this proposal would provide additional value to shareholders, the companys board said.

The proposal fetched 1% of the vote, according to a preliminary tally.

Stefan Padfield, executive director of the National Center for Public Policy Researchs Free Enterprise Project, blamed institutional shareholders and company management. The think tank regularly introduces anti-diversity, equity and inclusion measures.

It is not surprising that our proposal received low support, given the concerns we have about bias and conflicts of interest infecting the votes and recommendations of the Big 5 asset managers and proxy advisors, as well as the companys management, he said in a statement to USA TODAY.

The logo of the Times Square Disney store is seen in Times Square, New York City, U.S. December 5, 2019.

Corporate Americas embrace of LGBTQ+ rights was the result of decades of protests and boycotts from LGBTQ+ activists that transformed once indifferent, even hostile, companies into powerful allies.

In recent years, big brands stepped up to promote LGBTQ+ equality with more inclusive benefits and policies. The HRCs Corporate Equality Index played a key role in ushering that social change.

This vote gives us a clear statement of values from Disneys shareholders, said Eric Bloem, vice president of corporate citizenship at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. We know that 93% of LGBTQ+ workers believe that scoring 100 on the Corporate Equality Index communicates support of the LGBTQ+ community  those are current and future employees and customers. Disney shareholders recognize this.

Following the backlash against Bud Light and Target over Pride-related merchandise, corporations have come under mounting pressure to disassociate themselves from the Human Rights Campaign as gay and trans rights emerge as a flashpoint in the nations culture wars.

As part of his campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion policies in corporate America, conservative influencer Robby Starbuck has targeted participation in the survey. AT&T, Lowe's, Ford, Target and Walmart are among the companies that have dropped participation.

Disney publicly clashed with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, for opposing the states so-called Dont Say Gay law, which limits classroom discussion of sexual orientation.

It recently rolled back some of its DEI policies, as have other Hollywood studios, as the Trump administration pushes to eradicate DEI in the government and in the private sector. It said it would end Reimagine Tomorrow, an initiative to promote storylines from underrepresented communities and said it would remove a trans athlete storyline from a Pixar animated series.

Padfield said the DEI rollbacks suggest the company is "slowly distancing itself" from "leftist radicalism."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney shareholders reject anti-DEI investor proposal
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Atlantis Paradise Island

Its been 25 years since Shaggy dropped It Wasnt Me  and he is still clearing up the meaning of the iconic song.

At the end of the song, it apologizes, Shaggy, 56, told Us Weekly about It Wasnt Me being an anti-cheating anthem during an exclusive interview ahead of his performance at the 3rd Annual Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival on Saturday, March 15. It's a conversation between two people. One is telling one [about cheating], and the other one is like, 'Yeah, I'm not gonna take your advice. And at the end of it, he says, I'm gonna go apologize because you're an idiot.

It Wasnt Me was released in November 2000, and according to Shaggy, fans still just blurt out 'it wasn't me' all the time when they run into him.

It's everywhere, he said when asked whether hes ever heard the track in a surprising place. It keeps coming up. Nothing surprises me.

Wyclef Jean Says He Doesnt Have a Set List at His Shows: I Just Go With Energy

As for how he will mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of the song, Shaggy told Us, We have an album coming out  Hot Shot 2025. (Hot Shot is the name of the studio album that included hits It Wasnt Me and Angel.)

Following the release of his new track with Sting, Til a Mawnin, hes hinting that there will be more from the unlikely duo, too.

That should be in the works pretty soon, he said of a second full-length album with The Police frontman, 73.

Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Atlantis Paradise Island

I'm still figuring out why it works, but it does. Him and me together is a chemistry that actually connects. So we just kind of roll with it, he told Us, adding that people may be surprised to learn that Sting is super funny.

A lot of people think he's a very square, straight guy, but he's one of the funniest people, he said.

Shaggy told Us that performing with Sting at a separate food festival is actually what inspired him to hit the stage at the 2025 Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival, where he performed a medley of hits  including It Wasnt Me, Angel, Boombastic and Hey Sexy Lady  at the festivals iconic Jerk Jam.

Dionne Warwick Talks Career Highlights, Modern-Day Pop Stars and Why Shes Not Retiring

This is the Bahamas, my home away from home, he said. All of the energy, all the music that is made is part of the soundtracks of everybody's lives. It's not very hard [to agree to this].

When asked about his setlist, Shaggy noted that these songs are gifts" that "bring joy and change people's lives."

Being from Jamaica has had an undeniable influence on Shaggy's music. "Caribbean people have an ease of life. Wake up, go to the beach, fish, carnival  its a lifestyle, he said.

During his time in the Bahamas, Shaggy dined at Michael Whites Paranza and made sure to have plenty of his favorite dish. I'm a sucker for conch salad, he said. I had some today and I'll probably have some tomorrow.

Last years Jerk Jam headliner, Wyclef Jean, was also a big fan of conch salad.

Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Atlantis Paradise Island

The conch out here  that conch salad is addictive. The rice  let me tell everybody something, man, I ODd on that rice. I aint gonna lie to yall, Jean told Us at the time. The jerk chicken out here was amazing. But, the conch  this is the best conch in the world.

The Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival supports the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a private nonprofit foundation that fosters the preservation and conservation of coral reefs and animals in the Bahamas, and is held annually at the Atlantis resort. Food influencers from New York City, Texas and Georgia joined guests who traveled from all over the country to try dishes by celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay, Kardea Brown, Katie Lee, Michael Symon, Alon Shaya, JJ Johnson, Jose Andres and Michael White and master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim.
Police take Solomon Pena into custody in southwest Albuquerque, N.M., in 2023.

A failed Republican candidate was found guilty Wednesday of hiring people to shoot at the homes of local Democratic leaders after he lost an election for the New Mexico House of Representatives, according to his attorney.

Solomon Pena, 41, was charged with multiple felonies, including three counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence, three counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging the firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy, according to a federal superseding indictment filed against him in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.

A jury found him guilty on all counts Wednesday evening, according to his lead attorney, Nicholas T. Hart.

Pena faces life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

Federal prosecutors said that Pena, refusing to accept his electoral defeat, organized a shooting spree that targeted the homes of four elected officials and their families from Dec. 4, 2022, to Jan. 3, 2023, according to court records.

In a text message after the jury's verdict, Hart called it "a travesty."

"The evidence showed that Mr. Pena had nothing to do with these shootings. Solomon Pena was prosecuted because of his political beliefs, and because he advocated that the 2020 election was stolen and rigged, Hart said.

He added: Meanwhile, the men who actually shot at and terrorized these politicians are going to walk free. That is not how our system is supposed to work.

Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the verdict.

The shootings, one of which involved a machine gun, were carried out by Pena and co-defendants Demetrio Trujillo, 43, and his son, Jose Trujillo, 24, according to federal prosecutors.

Both men pleaded guilty last year to charges of conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and other counts, prosecutors said.

They have not been sentenced but face up to life in prison.

During the trial, Hart blamed Demetrio and Jose Trujillo for carrying out the shootings. He said that Pena did not commit the shootings and never ordered them and that he was not there when they occurred.

The evidence shows that the father and son are fully responsible for the shootings and are trying to pin it on Pena, he said.

They see the opportunity to get out of jail and to avoid prison for all of their wrongdoings, Hart said.

The indictment said Pena targeted the homes of a state senator, two members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners and a close political ally, whom it did not name. Some of the officials have publicly identified themselves.

Pena came to my house right after the election," Bernalillo County Commission member Adriann Barboa said in 2023. "He was sort of erratic in the points he was trying to make about the election and about how many doors he knocked on and how the number of votes didnt match.

Eight shots were fired at her home on Dec. 4, 2022, in the first in the series of targeted shootings, she said.

Former County Commission member Debbie OMalley shared a similar experience with Pena: This guy came to my home. I was very concerned about it, and it was very unsettling. He was angry about losing the election.

Bullets struck her home on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, 2022, as she and her husband slept, police said.

Albuquerque police said at least eight shots also were fired at state Sen. Linda Lopezs home.

"We are grateful that the jury found this man guilty on all counts and hope this verdict serves as a reminder that threats or acts of violence against anyone in this community will not be tolerated," Lopez, OMalley and Barboa said in a joint statement posted to Lopez's Facebook page.
Arthur Mensch, founder of Mistral AI, at Station F during the AI Action Summit in Paris, France, on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. France's president Emmanuel Macron said foreign and domestic companies will invest a total of 109 billion in artificial intelligence projects in France, marking a push to position the country as a competitive hub for AI development. Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch denied reports the Paris-based startup is planning an IPO but highlighted its growth and a renewed focus on open-source AI to compete with Chinas DeepSeek in a Fortune interview at Nvidias GTC conference.

The IPO rumors began following an interview with Bloomberg at Davos in January, in which Mensch emphasized that Mistral was not for sale and that an IPO was the plan.

I was asked a question about our future, and what I said is that we intend to remain an independent company, [so] the natural path is to get to an IPO at some point, he told Fortune. Just to clarify, were not looking towards an IPO [right now].

Mistral burst on to the AI scene less than two years agoits cofounders veterans of Google DeepMind and Metas AI research lab and emerging from a few months in stealth mode with $113 million in seed fundingthe largest seed funding round in European history. Its first AI model, Mixtral 8x7B, released in March 2024, was widely praised for its innovative design and delivering excellent performance.

But, since then, many industry observers have questioned whether the AI foundation model company has what it takes to go the distance against deeper-pocketed competitors such as OpenAI and Anthropic, not to mention tech behemoths such as Meta, Google DeepMind and Microsoft. Although it has raised $1 billion to dateincluding a $640 million Series B round that valued the company at $6 billionthat amount is dwarfed by the $18 billion OpenAI has raised so far (with Softbank poised to invest another $40 billion) and the $8 billion in Anthropics coffers.

The cash burn needed to stay at the cutting edge of general purpose AI modelsin terms of purchasing computing power and hiring and retaining top talentand the speed with which any performance edge becomes commoditized mean that its unclear how even these better-funded AI startups, like OpenAI and Anthropic, will ever turn a profit, let alone smaller competitors such as Mistral. And unlike OpenAI (backed by Microsoft) or Anthropic (backed by Google & Amazon), Mistral lacks a Big Tech patron that can guarantee it long-term access to thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs), the specialized computer chips used to train and run AI models.

The most open of the open weight companies?

Mistral has tried to position itself as the most open of the companies offering what are known as open weight models. In contrast to the proprietary AI systems that OpenAI and Anthropic offer, in which a user can only submit a prompt to an AI model through an application programming interface (or API), and receive an output, open weight companies allow users to freely download the core brain of the AI model itself, as well as the code for running the model.

A partnership with Microsoft in 2024 spurred criticism that Mistral had abandoned this open source ethos as the company released several closed proprietary models and made them available on Microsofts Azure cloud service.

But Mensch insists Mistral remains fully committed to open sourcewhile still generating revenue through its premium proprietary models, an AI infrastructure platform called "Le Platforme," and pro subscriptions to "Le Chat," the companys AI assistant.

In fact, a new billboard on Highway 101 in Silicon Valley slyly notes that most of Mistral's models are actually open. Thats a dig at Meta, which is perhaps the best known company to offer free, open weight models, but which Mensch notes carry more restrictive licensing terms than Mistral's Apache 2.0 license. (Almost none of these open weight model companies, Mistral included, make the datasets they used to train their models public, which has drawn criticism from open source purists who insist that the models can't be called "open source" without providing such information.)

It's as open as you can be, Mensch said. We share the weights, we share the inference, we share a lot of findings around how we built it. There's obviously some trade secrets that we keep, because how we bring our core value to work with customers.

Mistrals enterprise plan

Those business customers, including Axa, Mars, and Cisco, are the fruit of an 18-month quest to target the competitive enterprise market. Mistral's business customers pay for Le Plateforme, which provides access to Mistrals open and closed-source models, as well as to a host of AI tools and infrastructure meant to help technical teams build, customize, and deploy AI across the organization. Mensch told Fortune that Mistral's revenue has increased 25x over the pat yearalthough he declined to specify either the current sales figure or the base from which Mistral had experienced such rapid sales growth.

As its revenue has grown, so has the company's headcount and geographic footprint. From just a few dozen employees, predominantly in Paris, a year ago, Mistral now employs 200, including 60 researchers, with offices in Paris, London, San Francisco and a newly-opened outpost in Singapore. Mensch admitted that he's had to grow into his CEO role as the company has expanded. For four or five months, I was still coding and doing science, he said. Now, Im mostly focused on sales and product.

A Trump bump

Many argue Mistral is benefitting from not just the capabilities of its models, but also from geopolitical tailwinds. European countries, and France in particular, are increasingly talking about the need for "sovereign AI" that would enable them to escape dependency on U.S. or Chinese AI systems. While this sentiment was present in 2023 when Mistral launched, it has grown more stark this year in light of the combative approach the Trump administration has taken towards European tech regulation and the ratcheting up of tensions between the U.S. and China. An Economist article last week said that In the fast-growing world of artificial intelligence (AI), Mistral, a French startup, may be a beneficiary of the transatlantic tempest.

Mistral has always been a favorite in France, where French President Emmanuel Macron has frequently spotlighted the Paris-based startup as a paragon of French ingenuity and proof that the country can nurture fast-growing tech startups that are competitive with those being launched in Silicon Valley. Like many European politicians, Macron views AIboth as a growth industry itself and in terms of the productivity AI can bring to other sectors of the economyas a potential cure for years of moribund economic activity. It doesn't hurt either that Cedric O, a Macron confidante and former secretary of state for the digital economy, is now a "cofounder" of Mistral and advisor to the startup.

But now the advantage of being seen as a "homegrown hero" may apply to Mistral's commercial position in Europe as a whole.

European companies are looking to partner more closely with European technology, Mensch said. They want an AI partner that can drive transformation, independent of geopolitical tensions. Our regional presence gives us an edge that others simply dont have.

Mensch said he has seen a tremendous increase in Mistrals commercial traction in Europe over the last two months, though he claimed not to know whether it was specifically related to Trumps inauguration. Mensch has been outspoken about the importance of Europe remaining competitive in AI: At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this month, he said It feels like the conversation around AI is in the US and China, and Europe sometimes gets left out of that conversation.

Mensch told Fortune that he was not sure that those in the US fully understood how much Europeans were starting to become more conscious of the need to push back and assert itself. If Europe is mistreated, Europe is reacting, he said, adding that there's definitely some pretty strong momentum around uniting, around technology, around automation, on AI.

Ambition and a scrappy culturebut does it have the capital?

For now, Mensch said he is focused on continuing to take Mistral from scrappy startup to major AI player, in an era when experts question whether any AI model startup can keep up with the top leaders in the space: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta. While Mistral remains far smaller than those three, Mensch pointed to the best practices Mistrals three original cofounders brought from their roles at Google DeepMind and Meta  shaping a mindset focused on shipping fast and maintaining rigorous scientific standards.

We have created our own culture, which is low-ego and scrappy, he said. While Mistral likely cannot match the sky-high compensation and multimillion equity stock grants of the foundation model giants, Mensch pointed out that the companys open source ethos is very attractive to the AI research talent it seeks.

When you're a scientist, you really want to contribute to the community, at the end of the day, you're usually less interested in the business success of the company, he said. So [open source] has been a great advantage, and that's something that we will continue to promote. Mistral is also hiring more researchers to work on fundamental AI research that is not necessary linked to product. There are so many things that need to be figured out, and new ways of thinking about architectures, he said. If you're only thinking about the product, you don't have the time to think about these things.

It is unclear how Mistral intends to fund that research. Mistral has not publicly disclosed, for example, receiving direct funding from the French government for its R&D activities, even though the French government has said it is committed to advancing AI in the country.

Mistral has secured European AI cloud platform, Fluidstack, which is building what it says will be Europes largest supercomputer. Mistral is slated to begin using that AI computing cluster later this year. It has also partnered with AI chip firm Cerebras, whose hardware allows Mistrals AI assistant, Le Chat, to respond at unprecedented speeds.

For now, Mensch says that he and the rest of the team are keeping their eyes on the prize: We started very ambitiously, but we need to continue being very ambitious.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
Warburg Pincus, which claims to be the nations oldest private equity firm, is facing the future the same way it handled the pastby sticking to its roots. Thats the case even as a new team of young guns take the reins, including 41-year old Jeff Perlman, who became Warburgs CEO last July. In an interview with Fortune, Perlman said the nearly 60-year-old Warburg doesnt expect to change into a lender or list its shares or evolve into an alternative asset manager.

Perlman also made clear Warburg won't be joining the private equity industry's rush into private credit, which has emerged as the hottest area of investing on Wall Street. While Warburg currently has a $4 billion capital solutions founders fund that it raised last year, the pool provides financing to companies but is not a direct lending private capital fund.

To be clear, we are most focused on remaining an investor first private partnership, Perlman told Fortune, explaining that Warburg will continue to invest in adjacent sectors like real estate in Asia or GP-led secondaries.

All of this has meant that Warburg cuts a decidedly unflashy figure compared to some of its Wall Street rivals. But for Perlman and his team, that suits the firm just fine. Warburg has returned $151 billion to its investors since 1971 and carried this out with a conspicuous lack of drama.

Youth movement at Warburg

Wall Street is littered with tales of bitter succession and, in private equity especially, the process of passing the torch has led to some messy breakups. Leon Black spent 31 years as CEO of Apollo Global Management but left the firm in 2021 after his ties to Jeffrey Epstein became public. This led to a power struggle at Apollo over who would replace him, Fortune reported, with the role ultimately going to Marc Rowan. Carlyle Group CEO Kewsong Lee abruptly quit in 2022, leaving Carlyle to search for its next leader. (The firm ultimately chose ex-Goldman Sachs exec Harvey Schwartz.) By contrast, Warburg, known for its low-key style, has managed to change its leadership twice without a murmur of dissent coming from its partnership.

Perlman became CEO in July when Chip Kaye, who had led Warburg for more than 20 years, stepped back and became chairman alongside Timothy Geithner, the 75th Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Kaye is credited with leading Warburg into Asia in 1994, making it one of the first private equity firms to have a presence there. Perlman, who spent 13 years in Asia, helped expand Warburgs presence in the continent, which included opening the firms Singapore office in 2016.

Perlman, who is young for a private equity CEO, said his ascendence came as part of a broader push by Warburg to elevate the next generation of leaders. The group includes Vishal Mahadevia and Dan Zilberman, Warburgs global co-head of financial solutions. Mahadevia also leads Asia private equity for the firm while Zilberman is global head of capital solutions. To help ensure continuity, Mark Colodny and Jim Neary, the co-heads of U.S. private equity, are remaining at Warburg. (Colodny is also a former Fortune reporter.)

Nearly everyone in this grouproughly 10 executives who are nearly all menjoined Warburg around the same time in the early to mid-2000s. All the Warburg leaders are excited about the next phase and the evolution of the firm, Perlman said.

Kaye, who spent more than two decades as Warburgs CEO, said handing over the keys to Perlman was very brand affirming and seamless. He said the new cohort of Warburg leaders deserved the same opportunity I had to go see what they could do.

Small but influential

Warburg's new leaders are taking charge of a firm that has changed dramatically since its founding in 1966. Thats the year that Lionel Pincus and Eric Warburg launched the firm that bears their name, and that has had an outsized influence on the evolution of the private equity industry. Warburg launched its first PE fund in 1971 with a $41 million pool of capitala sum it called in on day one. This is much different from current PE practices, where firms take commitments and call in capital when they need the money. In those days, nobody trusted their investors, Perlman said.

In the 1970s, it was Pincus who led efforts to change regulations so as to allow state pension funds to invest in private equity funds, which spurred the growth of the emerging PE industry. In Warburgs case, it allowed the firm to raise a then-record $1.2 billion fund in 1987, backed by investors that included pension funds of AT&T and General Motors.

We're still today the only investor that has more than 50 years of a continuous investing track record, Perlman said.

While Warburg has worked to stay true to its roots, the firm has gotten bigger. Known for its investments in the fields of technology, healthcare, financial services and industrials. Warburg currently has about 800 employees, including more than 275 investment professionals, that are spread across offices including New York, Berlin, London, Singapore and Shanghai. It has over $87 billion in assets under management and has invested more than $120 billion in over 1,000 companies.

Warburg has a growth-oriented mindset that allows it to invest in all sorts of deals, including early-stage as well as growth. The firm does take part in buyout transactions, which it calls growth buyout, while using debt selectively. One of its most well-known deals was CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm. In 2011, Warburg was CrowdStrikes first investor and remained its largest shareholder until its $612 million IPO in June of 2019. Warburg is a steady performer, providing consistent returns, Perlman said. We've never had to go to our investors and ask for a mulligan, right? he joked.

A changing perception

Today, Warburg stands as a venerable private equity firm that has weathered several economic cycles, like the global financial crisis of 2007, which put the PE industry on its heels for several years, and the covid-19 pandemic that led some firms to suspend investments for some months. The end of covid, in 2021, spurred several firms to return to dealmaking, resulting in a record number of mergers that year that were often clinched at high multiples.

The PE industry is still dealing with the aftermath of the 2021 bubble, with many firms unable to exit their deals because of the slowdown in IPOs and M&A. This has made returns harder to come by and caused PE IRRs to come under pressure. Buyout funds have generally outperformed public markets, but returns for 10-year pools have fallen by three percentage points in North America over the past three years, according to Bains Global Private Equity Report 2025.

Warburg has not been immune to the headwinds of the last few years. Since its founding, the firm has raised about 25 funds in all, including Warburg Pincus Global Growth 14, the firms flagship fund, which raised $17.3 billion in 2023, its biggest ever. This was up 15% from its prior fund, Global Growth (technically Warburgs 13th flagship pool), which collected $15 billion in 2018. Fund 13 is generating a net IRR of 15% while Global Growth 14 produced a net IRR of 20% as of the end of 2024, according to a person familiar with the situation.

In private equity, a good IRR typically exceeds 20%. Global Growth 14 is considered too young to critique but the other pool, fund 13, is falling short. Warburg declined to comment on the performance of the funds.

Still, unlike many of its competitors, Warburg has been exiting. So far this year, the PE firm has sold three companies in three different sectors. Clearlake Capital earlier in March bought Warburgs stake in ModMed in a deal that valued the healthcare tech SaaS company at $5.3 billion. Warburg also agreed to sell heat pump maker Sundyne to Honeywell for $2.16 billion. And, in February, Warburg completed the sale of its stake in broker dealer Kestra to Stone Point Capital.

No IPO right now

Warburg has also evolved since its founding and, while it plans to stick to private equity investing, it also expects to focus on capital solutions, real estate in Asia and GP-led secondaries.

Another area of growth may come from the Middle East where Warburg already has a presence. The firm is partnering with Hassana Investment Company to invest in Saudi Arabia. Hassana is the investment manager of General Organization Social Insurance, or GOSI, one of the worlds largest pension funds with about $320 billion AUM. Warburg has tapped senior partner, Viraj Sawhney, to lead investing activities in the Middle East.

Like many, Warburg recognizes the importance of AI and has been betting on companies using the technology, including Personetics, CData Software, and Contabilizei. But the PE firm has no interest in trying to predict who's going to end up as having the most efficient ChatGPT equivalent, Perlman said. As a firm, Warburg also uses AI, building agents to help it determine when companies might come to market or helping to find businesses that fit their investment criteria.

Over the course of its long history, Warburg has had to navigate shifting perceptions of private equity. Some PE executives have complained that the sector is misunderstood and unfairly villainized. Perlman notes that when he joined Warburg in 2006, people did not understand what private equity was, but as the industry has grown, the firms investments have touched many people. This coincides with a rise in the stock market. And, as more players are investing in the stock market, and with seven tech stocks currently comprising roughly 30% of the S&P 500, some investors are seeking out alternatives as a way to diversify.

Now, when Perlman meets a non-finance person, they might not know the Warburg name. But then he mentions some of the well-known businesses that Warburg has invested in including eye care company Bausch & Lomb, retailer Neiman Marcus and CityMD. Immediately it resonates. They understand who [Warburg] is on that front, he said.

When it comes to an IPO, thats also off the menu for Warburg. Many of Warburgs rivals, including Blackstone, Carlyle Group, KKR, Ares, EQT, CVC and TPG, have gone public. Dont expect Warburg to join the trend right now. If we felt we are at a competitive disadvantage by not being public, we would need to revisit. I think the opposite is true today  I believe its a real distinct competitive advantage for us to remain an investor first private partnership, Perlman said.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
A heartless traveler in Florida was arrested Tuesday for allegedly drowning her own dog in the womens bathroom of the Orlando International Airport, so she could board her flight, according to police.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, was told by TSA that she did not have the proper paperwork to bring her dog on her Dec. 16, 2024 flight, according to a report from WFTV-9.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, is facing felony animal abuse charges for allegedly drowning her dog in a womens bathroom at Orlando International Airport. Orlando Police Department

Instead of calling someone to pick up the pup or missing the plane, the ghoul allegedly took her dog to a restroom ahead of the security checkpoint and drowned the poor pooch  and then went on to board her flight as if nothing happened, Orlando police said.

An airport employee later found the dead canine and alerted police, but the brute was already gone, according to the report.

An airport worker found a dead dog in the bathroom and alerted police, according to reports. Ryan Tishken  stock.adobe.com

Following an investigation, the 57-year-old was arrested on Tuesday in Clermont, Fla., and charged with one count of felony animal abuse. She was released later the same day after posting a $5,000 bond, Lake County jail records show.

The Orlando Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.
Courtesy @Wildroots_Photography Caleb Baker, Brooklyn Stutler, Kristen Stutler and Jeremy Baker.

Two (identical) sets of wedding bells are ringing!

Identical twin brothers Jeremy and Caleb Baker, 21, married another set of identical twins  22-year-old sisters Kristen and Brooklyn Stutler, respectively  in a special double wedding on March 14, TODAY reported. The couples had dual ceremonies and a joint reception to celebrate one momentous day for their families.

Caleb and Brooklyn got married first, as Jeremy stood as best man and Kristen as the maid of honor. Immediately afterwards, the roles were reversed.

Related: Bride Left in Tears After Opening Surprising Gift at Her Bridal Shower (Exclusive)

"Right after Brooklyn and Caleb's wedding, I quickly changed into my wedding dress and then we all lined up for mine and Jeremy's ceremony!" Kristen said.

The twins all met each other at a church youth group in 2016  Jeremy and Caleb were in eighth grade, and Kristen and Brooklyn were in ninth. Kristen and Jeremy formed a strong bond, as Caleb and Brooklyn did, though they all forged a lasting friendship together.

Courtesy The Bakers Identical twins marry identical twins.

Romance bloomed in 2021 after the girls' mother had been hospitalized, Kristen and Brooklyn moved in with Jeremy and Caleb for a month. And the women realized their affections around the same time.

"We were sharing a chair, and I put my head on his shoulder  it was so comforting. And it was so strange," Kristen said. "After five years of friendship, I suddenly realized I had a crush."

Their first dates were, technically, a double first date at the same time and same waterfront restaurant, but the men arranged for them to be seated at far ends of the dining room. Both relationships became official that night.

"We wanted to do things together, but still be our own people," Caleb said.

Related: Watch a Family Practice the Dance from Bride's Favorite Movie 8 Months Ahead of Surprise Wedding Performance

Courtesy The Bakers Caleb, Brooklyn, Kristen and Jeremy after the two proposals.

The couples had corresponding proposals, minutes apart from each other. Jeremy brought Kristen to a picturesque lake, and proposed with a 2.5-carat emerald cut ring in a silver setting. And one minute later, Caleb popped the question to Brooklyn at the top of a mountain, with an identical ring in a gold setting.

The newlyweds are honeymooning together on a cruise to Mexico, and when they return to Arizona, they'll live side-by-side in apartments next door to one another.

"We're all best friends," Brooklyn said, and Kristen added, "We're basically living the same lives."

Read the original article on People
Though it's nearly been two years since "Succession" concluded, HBO's other critically acclaimed finance drama is far from over.

Another season of "Industry" is slated to return introducing several new cast members to balance out the departure of one of its main characters. Since 2020, the show has followed troubled London analysts at the Pierpoint investment bank as they navigate a grueling work environment fueled by drugs, sex and high risks.

Season 3 concluded last fall on more than one major cliffhanger, leaving fans desperate for more. The season saw a 40% boost in viewership, averaging about 1.6 million watchers per episode, according to HBO.

The season also debuted new star Kit Harington of "Game of Thrones" fame. He played immature green tech energy company CEO Sir Henry Muck.

Here's what to know about Season 4.

Marisa Abela and Kit Harington in the Season 3 finale of HBO's "Industry."

Will there be a Season 4 of 'Industry'?

Yes, "Industry" Season 4 is currently undergoing production in the U.K, according to Deadline.

'Industry' Season 4 release date

HBO has not yet revealed a release date for "Industry" Season 4, which Deadline reports is currently filming in the U.K as of March.

'Industry' new cast members

HBO has revealed several new actors joining the cast of "Industry" Season 4 through the show's official Instagram page. The following cast members have been confirmed:

Max Minghella ("The Handmaid's Tale")

Kiernan Shipka ("Chilling Adventures of Sabrina")

Toheeb Jimoh ("Ted Lasso")

Jack Farthing ("The Serial Killer's Wife")

Amy James-Kelly ("Everyone Else Burns")

Who is leaving 'Industry'?

Harry Lawtey, who has starred as Robert Spearing since the show's 2020 premiere, will not be returning for Season 4 of "Industry."

Harry Lawtey in Season 3 of "Industry."

In a recent interview with the U.K.s The Telegraph, the 28-year-old said his exit was due to both creative reasons and scheduling issues.

Ultimately I feel like Im in a place where Ive said everything I had to say with a character, and I think both me and the writers felt mutually happy with where we left him," Lawtey told the outlet. "Now I feel unmoored, but in a really good way. And ready for the next chapter."

Where to watch 'Industry'?

The first three seasons of HBO and BBC's "Industry" are available to stream on Max.

When did 'Industry' premiere?

HBO and BBC's "Industry" premiered in the U.S. on Nov. 9, 2020.

How did 'Industry' Season 3 end?

Myhala and Ken Leung in Season 3 of "Industry."

Season 3 of "Industry ended with Pierpoint & Co. being sold to an Egyptian investment firm essentially shutting down the London office where the series is set.

Though Harper (Myhala) and Rob (Harry Lawtey) pursue new business ventures, Eric (Ken Leung) is left with a $20 million buyout. Meanwhile, Yasmin (Marisa Abela) finds herself engaged to Henry, ending her long "will they or won't they" romance with Rob.

Rishi's (Sagar Radia) longstanding debt fueled by his gambling addiction takes a cruel turn as his wife is fatally shot right in front of him.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Industry' Season 4: Release info, new cast, actors leaving and more
Tel Aviv  Israel's defense minister threatened earlier this week to open "the gates of hell" in Gaza if Hamas refuses to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demands, and Israel has been delivering. At least 58 people were killed in a third consecutive night of airstrikes up and down the Palestinian territory, bringing the death toll to an estimated 500 people since the ceasefire was shattered with Tuesday's shock pre-dawn Israeli missile barrages, according to the enclave's Hamas-run Ministry of Health.

More than a dozen people were killed overnight in a strike on just one house, the home of the Mubarak family in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya. They had gathered to mourn an earlier death. Survivors whisked the bodies of the dead to a hospital by ambulance and horse cart.

There were reports of fresh airstrikes early Thursday morning near Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of Gaza, near the border with Egypt.

Israel resumes ground operations in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Tuesday that it had also resumed ground operations in central Gaza, again dividing the strip into north and south along the Netzarim corridor and blocking movement across the line. The IDF said it was also stationing a brigade of troops in the south, while airdropping fliers warning civilians to evacuate from areas around the entire Gaza border, which it warned would be turned back into combat zones.

A child looks on as people mourn Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, March 20, 2025. / Credit: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS

"The IDF does not intend to harm you," a post by the IDF spokesman for Arab Media said on X. "For your safety it is forbidden to approach IDF forces in the defensive zone and in any place where they are deployed."

That message followed a severe threat from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to the citizens of Gaza.

"Residents of Gaza, this is a final warning," he said in a video broadcast Wednesday afternoon. "If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza Israel will act with forces you have never known before. Take the advice of the U.S. President. Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you  including going to other places in the world for those who wish. The alternative is complete destruction and devastation."

It appeared to be a threat of collective punishment against Gaza's civilian population for the actions of Hamas, which has long been designated a terrorist organization by Israel and the U.S.

Collective punishment is considered a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, though neither the U.S. nor Israel are signatories to that treaty.

U.S. strikes Houthis as Yemeni rebels fire missiles at Israel, U.S. ships

Israel's renewed bombing of Gaza has drawn fierce condemnation from most of the country's Arab neighbors, and renewed efforts by Houthi militants in Yemen to target Israel and ships in the Red Sea with missiles.

The Houthis claimed Thursday that they had fired a "hypersonic ballistic missile" at Israel before dawn - the second claimed launch in three days. The group said it had attempted to hit Ben Gurion international airport south of Tel Aviv, and air raid alarms shattered the peace many Israelis had grown accustomed to during two months of the ceasefire at 4 a.m. across the city and central Israel.

"A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (Israeli Air Force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory," the IDF said in a statement minutes after an all-clear was given. No damage was reported.

The Houthis also claimed to have targeted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group and its warships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, but the U.S. military said there were no impacts.

The U.S. has responded to the Houthis' resumption of rocket launches with strikes against the group. Overnight, the U.S. struck targets in Yemen's capital of Sanaa, according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV. At least nine women and children were wounded in a residential neighborhood, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run Yemeni health ministry claimed in a post on X.

People stand near buildings damaged by U.S. military strikes, in Sanaa, Yemen, March 20, 2025. / Credit: Khaled Abdullah/REUTERS

U.S. strikes also hit targets in southern Yemen, in a province known to have Houthi military sites and weapons warehouses.

President Trump had threatened on his Truth Social media platform that the group would "be completely annihilated."

Thursday morning, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X that American "forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis," sharing undated videos of U.S. fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier.

At least 31 people have been killed in Yemen by the U.S. airstrikes, according to Yemeni media reports.

In a statement on Tuesday, CENTCOM said the Houthis had seized control of a World Food Program warehouse in the northern Yemeni city of Saada containing over 5,700,000 pounds of food and other humanitarian aid intended for civilians.

"This is another example of the Houthi's complete and reckless disregard for the people of Yemen and aggression toward the humanitarian operations that help those in need," CENTCOM said. "The Houthis continue to violate international humanitarian law, as well as put aid workers and the Yemini people at risk. The Houthis care nothing for the Yemeni people."

Editor's note: This article previously cited a leaflet dropped by Israeli forces in Gaza, but CBS News understands that leaflet was dropped in January, not this week. The paragraph referencing the leaflet has been removed.

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The first thing that hits you isnt the sight of the steam rising in ghostly tendrils from the mountainside, nor the warning signs advising visitors of the areas volcanic activity. Its the scent. A thick, mineral-rich fog clings to the air, an unmistakable reminder that the earth here is very much alive.

Welcome to Owakudani, one of the most otherworldly destinations in Japan. Here the ground exhales plumes of sulfur, the rocky terrain is tinged in shades of ochre and gray, and the regions most famous culinary delicacy  black eggs, or kuro-tamago  are said to add seven years to your life.

The journey to Owakudani

To embark on the quest for these enigmatic eggs, one must venture to Owakudani, which translates to "Great Boiling Valley." This geothermal hot spot was forged some 3,000 years ago during Mount Hakone's last eruption.

Today its another kind of hot spot for tourists seeking a whiff of the mineral-rich air and a taste of its famed black eggs. The landscape is a spectacle of natures raw energy, with fumaroles hissing, sulfur-stained rocks glowing in eerie shades of yellow, and steaming pools bubbling like a witchs cauldron.

Sharp-eyed visitors will also notice the network of pipes running alongside the mountain, funneling Owakudanis prized hot spring water to nearby ryokans (traditional inns), a testament to the regions long history as an onsen retreat.

Reaching this volcanic wonderland is an adventure in itself. Visitors can take a bus from Hakone-Yumoto or Gora, winding their way up the mountain roads. But the most thrilling approach is by air.

The Hakone Ropeway carries passengers high above the rugged terrain, offering a dramatic ascent through swirling plumes of steam and sweeping views of Hakones mountains. As the gondola nears the summit, the lush greenery below gives way to an unforgettable preview of the raw volcanic forces at work.

For chef and food writer Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook, her first visit to Owakudani with her family was nothing short of surreal.

"As the gondola ascended from Sounzan Station, we were greeted by the lush mountain scenery of Hakone and the breathtaking sight of Mount Fuji, she says. But as we crossed the first peak, the scenery changed dramaticallysuddenly, we were hovering over a stark, sulfuric volcanic terrain, which caught us completely off guard."

If there were ever a dramatic setting for a snack break, this would be it.

Owakudani's volcanic valley has active sulphur vents and hot springs. Photograph By Olga Kashubin / Alamy

The culinary alchemy

The process of creating kuro-tamago is a blend of science and a dash of culinary magic. Fresh eggs are placed in wire baskets and submerged into the bubbling hot springs, rich in sulfur and iron. As the eggs cook, a chemical reaction occurs: The iron in the water reacts with the hydrogen sulfide gas, resulting in iron sulfide, which imparts the eggshells with their distinctive black hue.

After about an hour, the eggs are retrieved, moved to a steam pot, and steamed for 15 minutes to finish the process.

Despite its dark exterior, the inside of the black egg is surprisingly tender, smooth and white. The flavor is, well, eggy. And though the aroma is strong, the taste offers only a slight hint of sulfur.

Most people are shocked by the huge contrast between the appearance and taste, says Mamoru Sato, director of the Hakone Tourism Association.

The real flavor is in the experience  the act of peeling away the inky shell to reveal the familiar comfort of a hard-boiled egg, all while standing on an active volcanic vent.

Our kids were initially hesitant to try them, Chen says. Our daughter even pinched her nose to avoid the distinct sulfuric aroma! But after cracking the shells and sprinkling a little salt, we all took a bite  hoping to extend our lives by seven years, as the legend goes.

Outside the souvenir shop, glossy black egg-shaped stools are scattered across the landscape, offering the perfect perch to snack and soak in the scene. On a clear day, Mount Fuji looms against the backdrop of Owakudanis steaming, sulfur-streaked terrain. Standing there, time itself seems to hesitate, as if granting you the extra years legend has promised.

The seven-year legend

The belief that eating black eggs grants an extra seven years of life has captivated visitors for decades. So where did this tradition begin? The commercial production of boiling black eggs in Owakudanis hot springs started in 1955 with the Okuhakone Kanko Company, but the roots of the longevity legend stretch much further back.

Owakudani is home to Enmei Jizo, a statue thought to have been carved by the Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi about 1,200 years ago. According to Sato, this Jizo is said to grant longevity and protect children, a belief that evolved into the idea that consuming black eggs could extend ones lifespan.

And why seven years? The number isnt random; its deeply tied to Japans cultural beliefs, since the number seven is considered lucky.

Sato cautioned that theres no scientific evidence behind the longevity myth, but that hasnt stopped the story from enticing tourists and locals alike. Talking about living seven years longer while eating black eggs is an essential part of the Owakudani experience, he says.

Whether you take the legend to heart or simply enjoy the eggs for their unique origin, the ritual of peeling back an obsidian shell while gazing over the steaming valley has become as much a part of Hakones identity as its hot springs themselves. But before you attempt to immortalize yourself through mass egg consumption, be forewarned: The life-extension benefits are said to max out after two eggs.

A word to the wise

While the allure of kuro-tamago is undeniable, it's essential to approach Owakudani with respect. The area is subject to volcanic activity, and access can be restricted due to elevated gas emissions. Visitors are advised to check current conditions before planning their trip and to heed all safety warnings.

After all, no egg  no matter how life-extending  is worth a rendezvous with danger. And for those with respiratory issues, the sulfuric fumes might be a bit overwhelming, so be prepared to duck inside if necessary.

Here's where you can taste it

The black eggs are available at Owakudani Kurotamagokan, which sells eggs that have been freshly prepared that day. To get there, take the Hakone Tozan Cable Car from Gora Station to Sounzan Station (about a 10-minute ride). At Sounzan Station, take the Hakone Ropeway to Owakudani Station, another 10-minute ride. The shop is located on the second floor of the Owakudani Kurotamagokan building and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Maggie Downs is a travel writer based in California. She is the author of Braver Than You Think: Around the World on the Trip of My (Mothers) Lifetime, and 50 Things to Do Before You're Five. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, AFAR, and McSweeney's, among others.
WASHINGTON  A MAGA-branded vape company has been boasting about revitalizing US manufacturing with its product  even as its founder lobbies against legislation that could cut off its supply of illicit e-cigs from China.

Entrepreneur Brady Bates has promised to Make Vaping American Again by founding Fifty Bar, a disposable e-cigarette seller that touts being the only one built in the USA on its website  despite its non-FDA authorized vapes being manufactured in Shenzhen, China.

Thats true for nearly all of the flavored disposable vapes on the US market, an illicit $2.4 billion industry as of last year that has exploded in America.

Fifty Bars founder lobbies against legislation that could cut off his supply of illicit vapes from China. Fifty Bar

After buying disposable vapes from Chinese wholesalers, Fifty Bars e-cigs are filled with liquid flavors in California, packaged and shipped out for sale.

Last September, the FDA dinged the company for selling those disposable flavored vapes without premarket authorization.

All new tobacco products on the market without the statutorily required premarket authorization are marketed unlawfully and are subject to enforcement action at FDAs discretion, the letter states.

The disposable e-cigarette seller touts being the only one built in the USA on its website  despite its non-FDA authorized vapes being manufactured in Shenzhen, China. VCG via Getty Images

Please note that tobacco products offered for import into the United States that appear to be adulterated and/or misbranded may be detained or refused admission.

Bates company is also unique in marketing its e-cigs to US consumers by suggesting alignment with President Trumps efforts to bring manufacturers back to the States from overseas.

Fifty Bar is dedicated to pioneering the trail of American disposable vape products, its website declares. We believe its time to bring home something truly genuine.

Bates company is unique in marketing its e-cigs to US consumers by suggesting alignment with President Trumps efforts to bring manufacturers back to the states from overseas. Vape Wholesale USA

Meanwhile, Bates has been on a lobbying campaign in states to oppose bills that would regulate his company and stop it from selling the Chinese-made disposable vapes.

Im the guy from Fifty Bar that wants to bring manufacturing back to America, he declared to Arizona state legislators in February, while acknowledging that his product was made in China.

You want to manufacture here in Arizona, Republican state Sen. Kevin Payne asked Bates in a Feb. 12 hearing. Whats stopping you from doing it now?

After buying the disposable vapes from Chinese wholesalers, Fifty Bars e-cigs are filled with liquid flavors in California, packaged and shipped out for sale. Fifty Bar

Well, theres nothing stopping me from doing it now. We already do part of it in California, Bates said, later adding, We source the parts from China.

When pressed about how an Arizona bill would help him produce the disposable vapes in the US, he demurred.

If this bill goes through, then I cant sell my products into the state of Arizona, he admitted. This is not the only state that were facing these fights in. Theres 44 states that we were facing registry bills in. Fourteen of them passed.

Im the guy from Fifty Bar that wants to bring manufacturing back to America, Brady Bates declared to Arizona state legislators in February, while acknowledging that his product was made in China. LinkedIn / Brady Bates

When I say they passed, they completely demolished the entire marketplace, he added.

These are currently illegal right? Democratic state Sen. Brian Fernandez pointed out. So youre selling them unlawfully here now.

Federal and state prosecutors in New York  where 99% of the discarded vapes were exported from China  have also targeted the vape distributors for selling the illicit products to minors.

President Trump has already slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese imports. REUTERS

The leading Chinese distributors are owned by the billionaire Zhang Shengwei, known as the Magician of Zhenzhen for his control of the vape market, Bloomberg reported.

A Massachusetts government task force also released a report in February showing that the seizure of illicit Chinese e-cigs skyrocketed 21,000% and lost the state nearly $240 million in tax revenue since 2018.

Trump has already slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese imports  but promised to save vaping again on the 2024 campaign trail after having halted regulators from ending distribution of the flavored e-cigarettes in his first term.

We have no idea whats in these products, FDA nom Marty Makary said. Its very concerning, and its not right that theyre banned  products are banned in China, but theyre manufacturing and sending them to the United States. REUTERS

I saved Flavored Vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking, Trump posted on his Truth Social in September 2024. I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the kids. Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the Country. Ill save Vaping again!

Trumps pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Marty Makary, said in his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this month that US markets were being flooded with unlawful Chinese vapes.

We have no idea whats in these products, Makary told Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.). Its very concerning, and its not right that theyre banned  products are banned in China, but theyre manufacturing and sending them to the United States.

Reps for the FDA and Fifty Bar did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Courtesy of Zachary Schimmel Zachary Schimmel

Zachary Schimmel knew he had the most important role at his friend's gender reveal party in July 2021.

"I was the only person that knew the gender of the baby," Schimmel, who was 27 at the time, tells PEOPLE. "Nobody else did. Not him, not his girl, not my girl, none of his family. No one knew the gender but me. And I was so excited about that."

Schimmel was in charge of the cake, which had a pink center and "little dollops" of pink and blue icing. A baby on top was wearing a pink-and-blue-striped onesie. "I was so into it!" says Schimmel.

He and his girlfriend picked up the cake and headed to his friend's house in Leland, North Carolina, just outside Wilmington.



Courtesy of Zachary Schimmel Zachary Schimmel before his brain tumor diagnosis

Related: Woman Dead, Parents in a Coma After Hiking in Extreme Heat: Just Trying to Have a Good Time

But when they arrived, things took a turn.

"I got maybe two steps up the porch, and then my legs got wobbly, and I stumbled back down the steps and fell onto my butt in the grass," Schimmel, now 30, recalls. "I stood up and suddenly didn't feel very well." Since he was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt on what he describes as "the hottest day of the year," he assumed it was heat exhaustion.

Despite his protests, someone called 911, but when the ambulance arrived, he says, "I brushed them off."

After the paramedics left, he continued to feel bad. "I'm like, 'I'm going to go home and sleep this off.' " He wished his friends a final congratulations. As he and his girlfriend walked toward the car, he fell again. The same ambulance came back.

"The paramedic gets out and he's like, 'Hey, man, this is our second time here, so by law, you need to come with us now,' "Schimmel says. Begrudgingly, he got in the ambulance. The last thing he remembers is a conversation with the EMTs  then he started having a seizure and lost consciousness.

Courtesy of Zachary Schimmel Zachary Schimmel in the hospital

The ambulance took him to Brunswick County Hospital where doctors discovered his brain was enlarged and he had hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). More troubling, though, was that a CT scan revealed he had a brain tumor. They tried to do an MRI but he had another seizure. That same day, he was transferred to New Hanover Hospital in Wilmington.

Doctors diagnosed Schimmel with a very rare type of brain cancer, pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID).

Hes got the rare of the rare type of cancer, says Dr. Margaret Johnson, MD, MpH, a neuro-oncologist who later treated him at Duke University.

Schimmel had 12 brain surgeries and procedures in one month. He has almost no recollection of anything in the entire year after the party,

Courtesy of Zachary Schimmel Zachary Schimmel in the hospital

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Schimmel is one of five children, and all four of his sisters, his parents and his stepmother travelled to the hospital from New York, North Carolina and Florida to be with him. His family started a GoFundMe to help with medical bills.

In September, his sister Lexxie Bligh, a 33-year-old registered nurse, applied for a job in Duke University Hospitals neurology department, hoping that would help her brother get accepted as a patient at Duke Health. She talked about her brothers case in her application cover letter and job interview. Several weeks later, she was hired.

On November 12, after 105 days at New Hanover Hospital, Schimmel went home to Wilmington. (He and his girlfriend were no longer together.) He was in a wheelchair and needed round-the-clock care. His mother and sisters "tag-teamed," taking him to many doctors and outpatient therapy appointments as he relearned how to walk, talk, eat and care for himself again.



Courtesy of Zachary Schimmel Zachary Schimmel recovering after his brain surgeries

Related: A Timeline of Teddi Mellencamps Cancer Journey  and How Her Melanoma May Have Spread to Her Brain

When Lexxie moved to Durham for her new position at Duke, she continued to try and get her brother accepted as a patient, even though he lived several hours away. It finally happened in December 2024.

In mid-January, he had his 13th brain surgery  this time at Duke  to relieve pressure in his brain. About a week later, he began intensive chemotherapy and radiation. He moved in with Lexxie to be closer to his care team.

Me and my husband love having him as a roommate," she says.

Schimmel is now legally blind, as the location of the brain tumor caused a backup of spinal fluid which injured his optic nerve, Johnson explains. But he can walk again and has mostly recovered physically. His MRIs are stable.

He's made huge strides, Johnson says. With all hes been through, hes done incredibly well. Hes pushed himself.

Now he is reflecting on his journey. "Cancer sucks," he says. "It is miserable. Surviving cancer is the worst thing I've ever done in my life, but I've met some of the best people as a result of it.

With permission from K Hammock Photography-Durham, NC Zachary Schimmel after his medical ordeal

Schimmel, who installed HVACs before his medical ordeal, has since learned Braille and is training to become a digital accessibility analyst to test websites and mobile apps to see how user-friendly they are for people who are differently abled.

"It's amazing," Lexxie says. "Because today, he is my brother from who he was before everything  and there was a long time when we did not think that was going to be possible.



Schimmel is sharing his story to spread hope.

To other people just diagnosed with cancer Id want to say: It's not the end. It will most likely change your life irrevocably, but that's okay. It doesn't mean it's the end, it just means it's a new start."

With permission from K Hammock Photography-Durham, NC Zachary Schimmel

Read the original article on People
California Dept. of Corrections via AP Erik and Lyle Menendez

At a press conference on Thursday, March 20, family members of the Menendez brothers claimed Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman has a personal bias against the brothers' bid for release.

Hochman doesn't seem to want to listen or engage with us, said Lyle and Erik's cousin Tamara Goodell. "At every turn, we feel like D.A. Hochman has dismissed us, ignored us, and quite frankly, treated us like we don't matter. Why? Why does he seem to be making this case so personal? A district attorney is supposed to be fair, impartial, and focused on the law, but Hochman is not acting like a neutral party.

The press conference comes 10 days after Hochman announced he would not recommend resentencing for the Menendez brothers, who are serving life sentences for the 1989 killing of their parents, Kitty and Jose Menendez.

ABC Jose and Kitty Menendez

Related: New DA Deals Severe Blow to Menendez Brothers' Hopes. Here's How Erik and Lyle Could Still Go Free

Lyle and Erik claimed they killed their parents because they feared for their lives, and that Jose had sexually abused them both for years.

Hochman, at a March 10 press conference, said the brothers had not taken full responsibility for their crimes and accused them of telling "lies" for the "past 30 years."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Nathan Hochman

Hochman suggested that their claim of self-defense was fabricated.

"In looking at whether they have exhibited full insight and complete responsibility for their crimes  they have not," Hochman said.

Hochman also offered the brothers a "pathway" for his office to stand behind their resentencing, saying they would have to "admit" to 16 lies he alleged they told after they killed Jose and Kitty.

Related: Inside the Twists and Turns of the Menendez Case After DA Possibly Paves Way for Brothers to Go Free

"If they acknowledge the lies they have told for over 30 years," Hochman announced, "then we will certainly evaluate the quality of that sincerity."

But Goodell said Hochman is re-litigating a case from 35 years ago with the same outdated lens that ignored abuse and trauma and compassion in the first place. And now he's saying that Erik and Lyle are still a danger to society. But to who? Anyone who spends even five minutes with Erik and Lyle will tell you that it's just not true."

Goodell added, "They have done more good from the inside of a prison than most people do in their lifetime. And yet, Hochman is hyper-focused on one thing: What they said as scared kids."



In February, Hochman delivered the first setback to the brothers chances of going free when he announced he would oppose a habeas corpus petition filed by the pair in 2023. The petition cited sexual abuse allegations by Roy Rossello, a Menudo boy band member, against Jose, whom he claims raped him in the 1980s. It also focused on a letter Erik purportedly wrote to his now-deceased cousin Andy Cano describing his fathers alleged sexual abuse before the murders.

A resentencing hearing is scheduled for April 11.

The brothers are also set to appear in front of a parole board on June 13 after Governor Gavin Newsom recently announced that he asked the California parole board to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment investigation into whether the brothers are risks to the public if they go free.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.



Read the original article on People
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is more radical than the radical left, according to one veteran of local and national political campaigns.

He is in a category all by himself, the campaigner, who asked to withhold his name, told The Post. Ive never seen someone so far to the left. Hes anti Israel, hes all up in the protests and violence. This is not how a mayoral candidate behaves.

He may be a dyed-in-the-wool member of the hard-left Democratic Socialists of America  but Zohran Mamdani, the Muslim son of filmmaker Mira Nair, knows how to raise money.

Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, is second only to former governor Andrew Cuomo in raising money for the race. William Farrington

Despite being a virtual unknown until recently, Mamdani, 33, a Democratic Assembly member and New York City mayoral candidate, is second only to the disgraced but still powerful ex-governor Andrew Cuomo in raising campaign contributions for the race.

Mamdani  who was raised in New York and believes in free buses, free childcare, a rent freeze and city-run grocery stores - raised almost a million dollars over the last two months and has more than 16,000 donors.

More than $500,000 of his cash raised since January is eligible for the citys eight-to-one matching funds program, the campaign said  meaning Mamdani is set to get $4 million in taxpayer cash next month.

Mamdanis also eager to make a scene, as he demonstrated last week when he was caught on video trying to get past New York State police troopers while shouting at border czar Tom Homan. Mamdani yelled at the acting ICE director over Trumps immigration policies and the recent detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and anti-Israel activist.

Mamdani has raised almost $1 million in small donations from more than 16,000 donors. Matthew McDermott

How many more New Yorkers will you detain? How many more New Yorkers without charge? he shouted before being removed by police at the State Capitol. Do you believe in the First Amendment, Tom Homan?

The mayoral candidate was arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally outside Sen. Chuck Schumers house on Brooklyns Prospect Park West in October 2024, a week after Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7.

And in 2023, he introduced a bill  titled Not on Our Dime!: Ending New York Funding of Israeli Settler Violence Act  that would have given the state attorney general power to dissolve groups funding settlements in the West Bank, where some 700,000 Jews reside.

There is a clear divide between those who embrace socialism and antisemitic, backwards ways of thinking, another veteran political observer who did not want to be identified told The Post.

Earlier this month, Mamdani was among a number of protesters who came to Albany to protest the Trump administrations deportation policies. X.Zohran Kwame Mamdani

Mamdani is dangerous because hes someone who seems to be fairly charismatic and effectively engages with people. New Yorkers care about improving legitimate options to improve services and support, true, but anyone who has the backing of the far left and DSA is backwards.

The Post reached out to Mamdani for comment but received no response.

Mamdani comes by his far-left activist tendencies by birth.

His father, Mahmood, a sometime Columbia professor and the chancellor of Kampala International University in Uganda, has called for the end of the Jewish state.

In a 2014 speech at Columbia, Mahmood claimed: The Palestinian challenge is to persuade the Jewish population and the world  the longtime security of a Jewish homeland in historic Palestine requires the dismantling of the Jewish state  Jews can have a homeland in historic Palestine, but not a state.

Mamdani (far left) is the son of Indian-born filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan-born Indian who is an academic and longtime civil rights activist. Getty Images for Disney

The Indian-born Ugandan first came to the US in the 1963 group of the Kennedy Airlift, a scholarship program that brought hundreds of East Africans to universities in the United States and Canada.

Mamdanis mother, acclaimed Monsoon Wedding filmmaker Mira Nair, was allegedly one of the names on a letter asking the Academy of Motion Pictures to ban Israeli citizen Gal Gadot from presenting at this years Oscars.

The virtual open letter, allegedly signed by 21 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences members and more than 75 other filmmakers, called for the Oscars to reconsider Gal Gadots presence because the Wonder Woman star, who is Israeli, has openly and repeatedly expressed her support for Israels military actions against Palestinians.

Mamdani and his mother, Mira Nair, in 2016. She was allegedly one of 21 Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences members and other filmmakers calling for the Academy to reconsider Israeli actress Gal Gadot as a 2025 Oscars presenter. Getty Images

They spent a few hours trying to get Gal removed from the Oscars, one Hollywood source previously told Page Six. It was disgusting.

The Post reached out to Nair but received no response.

Mamdanis parents met in 1989 in Kampala, Uganda, when Nair was doing research for her 1991 film Mississippi Masala, starring Denzel Washington.

The state assemblyman, per his financial disclosures, owns four acres in Jinja, a city in eastern Uganda on the shores of Lake Victoria.

Momdani (second from right) moonlights as a self-described B-list rapper, Mr. Cardmom, and got the legendary Indian-American actress Madhur Jaffrey to appear in his Nani music video. Zohran Mamdani/ Mr. Cardamom

He moved with his family to Cape Town, South Africa, at age 5 and then moved to New York two years later. Mamdani graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and went on to graduate from Bowdoin College in Maine.

Mamdani began organizing campaigns as a student and went on to work on the unsuccessful campaigns of several Democratic candidates, including journalist Ross Barkans bid for the state senate in 2017 and Tiffany Cabans failed effort to win the Queens District Attorney race in 2019.

Using the stage name Mr. Cardamom, Mamdani has also had a side line as a self-described B-list rapper and recorded the soundtrack for his mothers 2016 film Queen of Katwe.

Mamdani outside the White House in November 2023, announcing a hunger strike to demand President Biden call for a permanent ceasefire and no military aid to Israel. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

He was elected to the State Assemblys 36th District, which includes Astoria and Long Island City in Queens, in 2021.

That same year, Mamdani held a 15-day hunger strike in support of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance clawing back hundreds of millions of dollars of debt relief for cab drivers who own cab medallions.

In 2023, he participated in a hunger strike calling for a ceasefire to stop Israels retaliatory strikes in Gaza after Hamas invaded the Jewish State on Oct. 7.

Mamdani spoke in favor of universal child care at an event in NYC last fall. Getty Images

The DSA announced last October it is endorsing Mamdani. Not only does the group back divestment and sanctions against Israel, it has affirmed Irans right to defend itself against Israel.

Other points on the partys platform include defunding the police, allowing transgender prisoners to be housed in facilities matching their chosen gender identities, and granting unconditional amnesty for all immigrants.
A North Carolina school division employee has been fired and is facing charges after the district said she transferred nearly $200,000 to her personal accounts.

Jordan Allred, 36, was fired on March 14 after school administrators discovered the alleged embezzlement, which has gone on since at least 2022, Lee County Schools said in a news release this week.

According to court documents obtained by USA TODAY, she is alleged to have taken $190,588.93. She has since been charged with one count of embezzlement greater than $100,000, according to a news release from the Sanford Police Department .

She turned herself in Wednesday and was released on a $250,000 unsecured bond.

A lawyer for Allred did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's requests for comment Thursday morning.

Allred was working for Lee County Schools, about 36 miles southwest of Raleigh, overseeing payroll for the district when the alleged crimes occurred, the school division said in a statement Wednesday.

District officials found a payroll discrepancy on March 13 and began investigating, the release said. They contacted the police that day and fired Allred the next day.

Since that time, Mrs. Allred has not had access to any Lee County Schools software, systems, or facilities, the district said in the news release.

Boy stabbed: 11-year-old boy found stabbed to death at California hotel, mother in custody: Police

State auditor is involved in the investigation

According to the school district, Allred was altering financial data and records to hide the scheme, making it hard for the district to find out what she was doing.

The district is working with the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor on an investigative audit of Lee County Schools.

"Ive talked to leadership of Lee County Schools, the District Attorney, and local law enforcement," said State Auditor Dave Boliek in a news release. "With our investigation into Lee County Schools, the goal is to provide an objective account to assist in resolving what appears to be financial malfeasance."

The school district said all employees are screened before being hired and the process includes criminal background checks and reference checks.

The actions of one employee will not and should not overshadow the dedication and hard work of the many great people in our district who are committed to doing what is best for students every day, Lee County Schools said.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia  the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NC school payroll worker Jordan Allred charged with embezzlement
U.S. Department of Justice

(The Center Square) - The U.S. Department of Justice charged a Nevada father and son Wednesday for allegedly harboring illegal immigrants in the Reno area.

Carlos Recinos-Valdez, 43, and his son Kevin Recinos-Ruano, 20, allegedly sheltered foreign nationals for personal financial gain for almost four years, from July 2021 to March 2025, according to the DOJ.

The criminal complaint against the men alleges they conspired to exploit vulnerable individuals for profit," Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada said.

Human smuggling operations threaten our national security, she said. The U.S. Attorneys Office is committed to continually working with HSI (Homeland Security Investigations) and our local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who smuggle illegal aliens into the United States.

Authorities are accusing Recinos-Valdez of orchestrating this illegal smuggling through a transnational criminal organization with human smugglers and traffickers in Guatemala, Mexico and America.

Recinos-Valdez allegedly located these illegal immigrants in apartment complexes in the Reno area, according to the DOJ's criminal complaint.

He and the criminal organization allegedly charged thousands of dollars for people who wanted to be brought into America illegally.

When these illegal immigrants were in America, law enforcement claims Recinos-Valdez made these people pay off their debt to the criminal organization.

Recinos-Valdez allegedly would go to the places where the illegal immigrants were staying and collect regular payments for the smuggling fees, according to the DOJ.

The Department of Justice accuses Recinos-Valdez of threatening illegal immigrants with physical violence if payments were not received. Recinos-Ruano allegedly acted as an enforcer and helped collect payments.

Recinos-Valdez faces charges of one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens; three counts of harboring illegal aliens; and two counts of aiding and abetting attempted interference with commerce by extortion," the DOJ said.

Recinos-Ruano has been charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal immigrants.

If Recinos-Valdez is convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Recinos-Ruano faces up to 10 years in prison.

The Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, Douglas County Sheriffs Office and Washoe County Sheriffs Office collaborated on this investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations.
By Erin Banco

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk have lost ground in recent days but are not encircled by Russian forces, contrary to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to three U.S. and European officials familiar with their governments' intelligence assessments.

U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, have shared that assessment with the White House over the past week, a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said. However, Trump has continued to claim that Ukrainian troops are surrounded in western Russia's Kursk region.

The U.S. and European intelligence assessments show that Ukrainian troops have faced intense pressure from Russian forces but they are not completely surrounded, the officials said.

Trump has said he hopes to bring a quick end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Experts described a claim by Putin on March 13 that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were cut off and would ultimately need to surrender or die as misinformation intended to show that Russia is offering concessions by saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, giving Putin leverage in ceasefire negotiations.

In a social media post on March 14, Trump said he had asked the Russian president to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainians who he said were "completely surrounded" and vulnerable. Putin said that he would do so if they surrendered.

Trump repeated the claim about "encircled" Ukrainian forces during a speech at Washington's Kennedy Center on Monday and in a Fox News interview on Tuesday.

The U.S. National Security Council did not respond directly to questions about the intelligence assessments but referred Reuters to a joint statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz that mentioned Trump's call with Zelenskiy on Wednesday and how the two leaders agreed to continue to share intelligence on Kursk.

The White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence all declined to comment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has denied that Ukrainian forces are surrounded and said Putin was lying about the reality on the ground.

The Ukrainian leader acknowledged his military is in a difficult position in Kursk and that he expects continued attacks from Russia as it attempts to push Ukrainian forces out of the region.

Zelenskiy's office and the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since August, when Ukrainian soldiers smashed their way across Russia's western border in Kursk, Kyiv has lost almost all of the territory it gained. It once held close to 500 square miles of land but now only holds between 20 and 30 square miles, according to open source reports.

Trump spoke with Putin on Tuesday. During that call, the Russian leader said he would halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, a promise that fell short of the full 30-day ceasefire Trump has called for and that Zelenskiy has said Ukraine would be prepared to accept.

"This is likely part of Putin's effort to make the point that they are winning the war and that resistance is useless and that it is inevitable that Russia's greater strength will bring victory. That resonates with Trump," said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"Both sides are maneuvering to get into a better position for the negotiations."

Although Russian forces appear to be making incremental advances in Kursk, the officials who spoke to Reuters and experts who study the battlefield said Putin's March 13 statement was not accurate.

The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based conflict monitor, said on March 14 that it had "observed no geolocated evidence to indicate that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere along the frontline in Ukraine."

(Reporting by Erin Banco; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams)
OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada said on Wednesday that China had executed four of Canadian citizens on drugs smuggling charges earlier this year, and strongly condemned Beijing's use of the death penalty.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told reporters that all four had been dual citizens and said Ottawa would ask for leniency for other Canadians facing the same fate.

"There are four Canadians that have been executed and therefore we are strongly condemning what happened," she said, adding that all four had been convicted on drugs charges.

Separately, the Canadian Foreign Ministry said that Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian man sentenced to death in 2019 for drug smuggling, had not been executed.

Canada-China ties have been icy since 2018 when Meng Wanzhou, Chief Financial Officer of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, was detained in Vancouver at the Trump administration's request. China arrested two Canadians shortly afterwards.

Meng and the Canadian duo were released in 2021.

Earlier this month Beijing announced tariffs on over U.S. $2.6 billion worth of Canadian agricultural and food products, retaliating against levies Ottawa slapped on Chinese electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products last year.

In a statement, the Chinese embassy in Ottawa said Canada was making irresponsible remarks.

"China always imposed severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a 'zero tolerance' attitude towards the drug problem," it said, without confirming that any executions had taken place.

(Reporting by David LjunggrenEditing by Sandra Maler)
By Michael Martina and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. government-funded Radio Free Asia told hundreds of U.S.-based staff on Wednesday they will be put on unpaid leave from the end of this week after President Donald Trump's administration said it was terminating the outlet's funding.

RFA spokesperson Rohit Mahajan told Reuters the administration's move was "unlawful" and said the outlet was pursuing legal action. The news service is wholly dependent on government grants for its operations.

The Trump administration announced on Saturday it was terminating the federal grants that sustain the operations of RFA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, and that more than 1,300 Voice of America employees were placed on leave in a likely fatal blow to the government-funded outlets.

RFA has broadcast across Asia since 1996. Rights activists say its multilingual reporters serve as a rare source of reliable news in authoritarian countries, raising awareness about the plight of oppressed minorities such as China's Uyghur Muslims.

Mahajan said the furlough from Friday would mainly affect U.S.-based full-time staff, and reduce the number of people working at the outlet from more than 300 to about 75.

"We have very little funding left to pay our staff. We are trying to keep RFA afloat, as we pursue a legal challenge to the termination of our grant, which we believe is unlawful," he said.

Mahajan said RFA would prioritize exempting from the furlough staff with visas dependent on their employment status, especially those who could face persecution in their home countries. Furloughed staff would receive health care coverage at least through April, he said.

Staff were told the news by RFA management in a town hall meeting on Wednesday.

Participants were told RFA planned to mount a legal challenge similar to that filed by RFA's sister outlet Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Tuesday, according to two RFA journalists who joined the town hall.

A notice of the furlough announcement sent to RFA staff, seen by Reuters, said it was assumed employees would return to work at the end of the furlough period.

The notice added: "because the situation is fluid, we cannot predict how long the furlough may last."

U.S. lawmakers and rights advocates say the funding cuts are a major blow to Washington's hard-earned soft power globally at a time when China is rushing to expand its sphere of influence.

The cuts are part of an unprecedented push by Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shrink the federal government, which they say wastes U.S. taxpayer money on causes that do not line up with U.S. interests.

In a letter on Wednesday to Kari Lake, acting head of U.S. Agency for Global Media, who announced the funding termination, RFA's CEO Bay Fang said the move had "no basis in law or fact and violates the U.S. Constitution, a litany of federal statutes and regulations, and the plain terms of RFAs grant agreement."

A copy of the letter was provided to Reuters by RFA.

"Our federal government is over $36 trillion in debt and President Trump is committed to making our government more efficient," said White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes in an email, when asked to comment on the letter.

"We are confident our reorganization efforts will strengthen American diplomatic efforts abroad."

In a post on his X platform last month, Musk called for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America to be shut down, calling it "just radical left crazy people talking to themselves."

Trump is seeking to improve U.S. relations with Russia and engage diplomatically with China, where Musk has significant business interests. China's Global Times tabloid celebrated Voice of America's shutdown in an editorial this week.

Asked on Monday if U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio supported the move to dismantle RFA, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce did not say where the top U.S. diplomat stood on the issue but said the use of taxpayer money was "serious business."

"Right now, it's new, it's a fluid situation, and we'll have more for you as it unfolds," Bruce said.

(Reporting by Michael Martina and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams)
By Kanishka Singh and Jack Queen

WASHINGTON/ NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has detained an Indian man studying at Washington's Georgetown University and is seeking to deport him after deeming him a harm to U.S. foreign policy, the student's lawyer said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security accused Badar Khan Suri of ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and said he had spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitism on social media, according to a statement it shared with Fox News.

The DHS statement to Fox News, which was reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not cite evidence. It said Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri's activities "rendered him deportable."

Suri - who is living in the U.S. on a student visa and is married to an American citizen - has been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is awaiting a court date in immigration court, his lawyer said. Federal agents arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.

The case comes as Trump seeks to deport foreigners who took part in pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 Hamas attack. Trump's measures have sparked outcry from civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups who accuse his administration of unfairly targeting political critics.

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown's Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the university's School of Foreign Service. His arrest was first reported by Politico.

"If an accomplished scholar who focuses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar," Suri's lawyer said in an email.

A Georgetown University spokesperson said the university had not received a reason for Suri's detention and it was not aware of Suri engaging in any illegal activity.

Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen, said his lawyer. Saleh is from Gaza, according to the Georgetown University website, which said she has written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. Saleh has not been arrested, the lawyer added.

Suri himself has been teaching a class this semester on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia" and has a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from a university in India, according to the Georgetown University website.

Earlier this month the Trump administration arrested and sought to deport Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil is challenging his detention in court.

Trump, without evidence, has accused Khalil of supporting Hamas. Khalil's legal team says he has no links to the militant group that the U.S. designates as a "foreign terrorist organization."

Trump has alleged pro-Palestinian protesters are antisemitic. Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, say that their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their support for Palestinian rights is wrongly conflated with antisemitism by their critics.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Jack Queen in New York; editing by Michelle Nichols, Michael Perry and Saad Sayeed)
By Yuliia Dysa and Tom Balmforth

(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that a halt on energy strikes in the war with Russia could be established quickly, but warned Ukraine would respond in kind if Moscow violated the terms of the limited ceasefire.

After speaking to U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday for the first time since their disastrous Oval Office talks, Zelenskiy said Kyiv would draw up a list of facilities that could be subject to a partial ceasefire brokered by Washington.

That list could include not only energy, but also rail and port infrastructure, he said, a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Trump and agreed to pause attacks on energy infrastructure.

"I understand that until we agree (with Russia), until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly," Zelenskiy said, referring to drones and missiles.

As Zelenskiy's online briefing with reporters drew to a close, regional authorities reported a mass drone attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi, with footage on social media showing large fires and damage to apartment buildings.

Officials said the attack also damaged rail infrastructure. The regional governor said some injuries were reported.

The Ukrainian leader, who looked tired as he spoke to reporters, described his phone call with Trump as "probably his most substantive and positive" talks yet and added that he had not felt under pressure.

The readout contrasted with the acrimonious optics of Zelenskiy's last meeting with Trump on February 28, which was meant to lead to them signing a minerals deal but instead spiralled into a shouting match.

Asked at the briefing if he still wanted Trump to visit Ukraine, Zelenskiy said that he did and that he believed it would be helpful for the U.S. president in his efforts to halt the war.

NEW MEETING TO DISCUSS TECHNICAL DETAILS

Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff has said another round of talks between Russian and U.S. officials, aimed at a permanent ceasefire and end to the war, will take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, but it was unclear whether Ukraine would be involved in those talks.

Zelenskiy said Ukrainian and U.S. officials could meet next in Saudi Arabia on Friday, Saturday or Sunday to discuss technical details.

The Ukrainian leader said he wanted to understand how the partial ceasefire would be monitored, though he added that he thought it would be successful if the United States set out to do it.

A statement by the U.S. presidential administration said earlier that Trump suggested to Zelenskiy that the U.S. could help run, and possibly own, Ukraine's nuclear power plants and energy infrastructure.

Zelenskiy said he and Trump discussed only the vast Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine during their phone call.

He added that he told Trump that Kyiv would be ready to discuss U.S. involvement in modernising and investing in the nuclear plant if it is returned to Ukraine.

Zelenskiy said he believed Putin would not agree to a full ceasefire while Ukrainian troops remained in Russia's western Kursk region.

Kyiv's forces launched a surprise incursion into the region in August last year, but have since been pushed back to a tiny sliver of land during a multi-stage operation by Russia.

Zelenskiy also said that Ukraine had received new supplies of several F-16 fighter jets, but he declined to say exactly how many or when exactly the delivery had happened.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Nia Williams and Michael Perry)
If youve ever dreamed of getting a baby otter  this might change your mind. A family in Shetland, Shetland were terrorized by an otter that found its way into their house. Donna Mouat was so horrified when she saw the animal enter her home and was petrified as it tore through her house. It was scary! Thankfully, the animal didnt get hurt, but its certainly something wed never like to experience anytime soon.

Video shared by BBC Scotland News shows the exact moment the animal snuck into the womans house.

According to the clip, the otter managed to get in through a door that was left open at Mouats house on February 21.

Donna Mouat spotted the mammal outside her home in South Nesting while cooking dinner, the caption states.

Related: Otter Gets Treated to Special 15th Birthday Party Complete with 'Shrimp for the Road'

But chaos really kicked off when the family went to go look at the otter  prompting the animal to run right in and make itself at home.

How are wegoing to get it out of the house?! Mouat can be heard exclaiming in the footage shared on Instagram.

The otter took full advantage of the new environment. He ran around the house; crashing into objects and leaping from the furniture onto countertops. It then proceeded to knock things off shelves, and even went inside a wall-mounted kitchen cupboard, the caption reads.

After knocking things over and scattering several bowls and plates, the animal finally made its way back out the front door and into the night.

There he goes, there he goes, there he goes, Mouat can be heard exclaiming in the footage, while the animal vanished. Thankfully, things didnt get too crazy. As Mouat explained, It emptied a cupboard but other than that, there was nothing smashed or broken, remarkable really.

The video is certainly terrifying to any homeowner. But people in the comments section were deeply concerned for the otters wellbeing. Aww poor thing is blooming terrified, wrote one person. Eek! Glad it found its way back out quickly, chimed in someone else. Well its obviously terrified. For Gods sake. Poor otter. Headline should read family wreaks havoc on otter! exclaimed another commenter. Well s/he wasnt causing chaos was s/he? He was terrified beyond belief and trying to find somewhere to escape to and nearly hurt her/himself, added one person.

Again, it seems that neither the otter nor Mouat nor her family were injured. But its a good reminder to always keep your doors closed and to keep your distance when approaching a wild creature.



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A hospital employee shot a co-worker multiple times in Troy, Michigan, at the building's parking garage on Thursday in a "targeted attack," according to police.

The employee was struck twice in the arm when the suspect fired a handgun five times outside Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital, according to Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department. The victim's vehicle was also struck, Hancock said.

The victim -- a 25-year-old man from Troy -- is alive and in stable condition.

PHOTO: Law enforcement respond to a shooting at a hospital in Troy, Michigan, Mar. 20, 2025. (WXYZ)

The victim and the suspect were friends who had a falling out at some point, Troy Police Department Chief Josh Jones said at a press conference Thursday.

The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Troy after he fled the scene, police said. After he was contacted by phone, the suspect walked out and surrendered without incident, police said

Officials have not revealed the identity of the suspect.

PHOTO: Law enforcement respond to a shooting at a hospital in Troy, Michigan, Mar. 20, 2025. (WXYZ)

Police responded to the shooting on Thursday at about 7 a.m. local time, according to police, with the suspect being taken into custody a couple hours later.

"One victim is in the emergency department for medical treatment. Patients with services scheduled should not come to the hospital at this time. Patients may call the department where they were scheduled for service directly," Corewell Health said in a statement to ABC News.

The hospital was immediately put on lockdown "out of an abundance of caution," Corewell Health said. It is now in the process of resuming normal operations, according to police.

Michigan hospital employee shoots co-worker outside building in 'targeted attack': Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
In the span of just a few short years, Nvidia (NVDA) has become one of the most important chip companies in the world. Revenues have skyrocketed from $27 billion in the companys fiscal 2023 to $130.5 billion in its fiscal 2025. Share prices are also soaring more than 680% since January 2023.

Not quite a household name like other Big Tech firms, Nvidia is at the center of the global AI push thanks to its powerful chips, including the Blackwell Ultra, which the company showed off during its annual GTC event on Monday.

A number of technologies behind those processors, the ones that power gaming PCs around the world, and the software that runs both all originated in Nvidias relatively small research and development department: The appropriately named Nvidia Research.

Established in 2006, the group is responsible for everything from Nvidias ray-tracing technology, which creates realistic lighting for gamers and professional designers, to NVLink and NVSwitch, which allow graphics chips and central processing units (CPUs) to communicate at the kind of speeds needed for AI systems.

Nvidia's Spectrum-X and Quantum-X silicon photonics networking switches. (Image: Nvidia) (Nvidia)

Currently, the organization is working on new chip architectures, quantum computing, and software simulators that teach robots and self-driving cars how to navigate the real world.

Its all meant to keep pushing Nvidia forward at a time when its already riding high. And to do that the research team has adopted a willingness to fail more often than not while also giving promising projects the time they need to succeed, no matter how long it takes.

We have to realize that most things we start in Research fail, and that's actually a good thing, explained Bill Dally, senior vice president of research and chief scientist at Nvidia. I tell people, you know, if everything you do succeeds, you're not swinging for the fences. You're bunting.

Nvidia's stock price rose over 1% in pre-market trading on Thursday.

The benefits of failing

While Nvidia has developed a number of impressive technologies over the years, the companys research team isnt nearly as large as some of those at other Silicon Valley companies.

We're a tiny fraction of the size of competitive research labs, Dally said. We're 300 [people] and yet, I think in things that matter, we punch well above our weight. And I think the real measure of that, for me, is our impact over the years on getting things to [a marketable] product.

According to Dally, the best researchers are those who come up with an idea, test it, and, if it doesnt work out, abandon it without wasting resources on it.

But if a concept looks like it could pan out, the company will continue to chip away at it until its a worthwhile product or technology.

Nvidia's Spectrum-X and Quantum-X silicon photonics networking switches. (Image: Nvidia) (Nvidia)

Nvidias ray tracing is a perfect example. The product took 10 years to develop but is now used across hundreds of major games and in design software.

I think it's quite extraordinary that the company was able to follow through on a vision that took more than 10 years to implement, said Bryan Catanzaro, vice president of applied deep learning research at Nvidia.

AI is the most important example of that, Catanzaro, who joined Nvidia as an intern in 2008, explained.

AI in 2011 was considered old and dumb and dead. It's like, people have been trying this since the 1950s and it's never worked, so why would it work now? But there were a few of us that believed this was really an opportunity and so the company gave us the space to continue trying things out and then to produce kind of incrementally better results, which then led to more investment incrementally, added Catanzaro.

Nvidias DLSS, or deep learning super sampling, is another example of a product the company continued to pursue despite early struggles. Introduced in 2019, the first iteration of DLSS improves a game's image quality and performance using AI. But the software didnt hit the mark out of the gate. I remember trying it out on my own computer and not seeing much improvement while playing games.

Nvidia's DLSS4 improves the performance of games and graphics technology. (Image: Nvidia) (Nvidia)

Fast-forward to today, and the company now offers DLSS 4, which dramatically improves game visuals for even the most resource-intensive titles, including Cyberpunk 2077.

DLSS 1.0 was not great, and a lot of people thought that it was a bad idea, this was a bad technology. We believed in it, Catanzaro said. I think Nvidia just has this unshakable belief when it knows something is true about the future, it just keeps banging away at it.

Research that drives chip sales

Not every successful research project ends up as a product that directly generates revenue. However, they can help power sales indirectly by driving GPU sales.

I'm perfectly happy with people developing  applications for GPUs that broaden the market, Dally explained.

"Recently, our folks did this thing called Sana, which is this text-to-[image] generative network. And so it doesn't go into a product, but it's still a great success because people outside use it, and therefore it fuels demand for GPUs."

Thats ultimately the goal. But the companys newly unveiled Blackwell Ultra and Vera Rubin superchip also come at a time when Nvidia is facing increased competition. AMD is offering up its own AI chips designed to rival Nvidia and the companys customers are developing or deploying specialized AI processors of their own.

There are also market-shaking moves like the release of DeepSeeks R1 AI model, which sent Nvidia's market cap plunging nearly $600 billion in January, and the unpredictability of governmental intervention, including tariffs and export controls, which continue to weigh on the companys stock price.

And with tech companies like Amazon (AMZN), Google (GOOG, GOOGL), Meta (META), and Microsoft (MSFT) set to spend billions on AI infrastructure in the years ahead, Nvidias research efforts become all the more important as it works to ensure its share of that bounty.

It just needs to keep failing quickly and moving forward.

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French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou plans to distribute a survival manual to every household with instructions on how to prepare for imminent threats, amid concerns over an emboldened Russia and weakened security support from the United States.

A spokesperson for the prime ministers office told NBC News that the first-of-its-kind document, which is currently awaiting official approval, addresses preparations for armed conflict, nuclear threats and natural disasters.

According to the prime ministers office, the 20-page booklet was not designed specifically in response to the current geopolitical climate, but it would seem to align with Frances new defense posture.

During a national address on March 5, French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the need to overhaul Frances security stance, saying, We must equip ourselves better, raise our defense posture, and this for peace, even to deter.

French police officers in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in July 2024.

If approved, the manual would be launched before the summer, according to French broadcaster Europe 1 radio, and aim to offer practical advice to citizens on how they can protect themselves and their loved ones in the face of immediate danger.

Divided into three sections, the manual will include a list of emergency contacts for the police, fire service and ambulance, as well as which radio channels to tune in to for more information.

In the face of nuclear threats, it advises closing doors and windows, along with details on how to volunteer for reserve units or firefighting groups.

The recommendations include putting together a survival kit that consists of at least one and a half gallons of water, a dozen tins of food, a first aid kit, medicines, batteries and a flashlight.

Emergency supplies recommended by the French government in an article shared in 2023.

In a national address earlier this month, Macron urged his country to prepare to confront Russian threats, referring to changing relations between the U.S. and Europe in recent months.

I want to believe the U.S. will stay by our side, but we have to be ready if they dont, Macron said, according to Reuters, adding: Russia has become, at this moment and for years to come, a threat to France and Europe.

After visiting a military base in eastern France this month, Macron announced a major overhaul of Frances security forces that includes increasing the number of operational reservists from 40,000 to 100,000 by 2035 and more military equipment.

He added that France was willing to discuss offering the countrys nuclear capabilities to European allies given that U.S. military support was no longer guaranteed.

This is the choice we have made and will continue to make. No one can say what will happen in the months and years to come, he said.

The move follows in the footsteps of neighbors and NATO allies Finland, Norway and Sweden, which late last year also updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war.

In Sweden, a pamphlet called Om krisen eller kriget kommer, or If crisis or war comes, was distributed by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) to all 5 million households over two weeks from Nov. 18, while a digital version was available online.

It was the fifth version of a brochure that was first published in World War II, placing greater emphasis on preparing for war, according to the MSB.
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada rosen.senate.gov

(The Center Square) - U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, has proposed the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act, which aims to bring more doctors to regions in need.

The bill, S.709, was announced as Nevada ranks 46th for states in primary care physicians per 100,000 people. All 17 of the states counties have healthcare professional shortages.

S.709 would address the shortage of physicians by redistributing medical residencies to underserved regions such as rural areas.

The dire shortage of doctors in our state is hurting Nevadans ability to get quality medical care, Rosen said in a news release. We know that when more doctors train in our communities, they are more likely to stay here. Thats why Im working across the aisle to bring more doctors to Nevada by increasing medical residency slots.

More than half of medical students who completed residency, the entry-level stage of a medical career, stayed afterward to practice in that same state as physicians, said the Association of American Medical Colleges.

The bill would revise the federal residency program, or Graduate Medical Program, to give residency preference to areas with physician shortages.

Nevada has significant shortages in nearly every physician specialty, and we are woefully underfunded for residency positions compared to most other states, said Dr. Marc Kahn, dean of Las Vegas Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, about the complementary U.S. House bill, HR 1585. Any effort to decrease this disparity is greatly needed for our community.

Residency positions, mainly funded by the federal governments Medicare program, are allotted to hospitals to train doctors. When a hospital is closed, the resident slots are redistributed within the same state, but currently with no preference toward areas with a greater need for doctors.

By ensuring that unused residency slots are swiftly redistributed to hospitals that need them most, this bill will help strengthen the rural health workforce and expand access to care in underserved areas, said Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association.

Amidst serious state budget constraints and concerns over President Donald Trumps potential cuts to Medicare, the bill does not propose new positions for residents. Instead, the legislation is designed to redistribute residencies, as they become vacant, to areas with the greatest need for doctors.
Warren Police Department Dorian Trevor Sykes

A serial bank robber who spends his free time writing crime novels is accused of striking another bank in Detroit, authorities allege.

A criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE show Dorian Trevor Sykes, 41, who previously spent 20 years in federal prison for helping steal almost $200,000 from Fifth Third Bank with a partner in 2002, now faces charges of bank robbery and incidental crimes.

Sykes is the author of eight crime novels all set in his hometown of Detroit. Sykes most recent book Born to Die, is set to be released in May.

During the time of his lengthy incarceration, he penned several highly notable street novels, including his Going All Out trilogy, Sykes' author biography on Barnes & Noble's website reads. Currently residing in Detroit, Mr. Sykes is constantly working to give the readers new hot material."

According to the criminal complaint, Sykes is accused of stealing over $10,000 from Credit Union One and days later, $3,400 from a Chase Bank.

On March 6, at 11:50 a.m., Sykes allegedly entered Credit Union One in Sterling Heights, and gave the teller counter a piece of paper that the teller couldnt read. He allegedly then stated This is a robbery, and demanded the teller give him big bills, according to a criminal complaint.

On March 12, at 4:40 p.m., Sykes allegedly entered a Chase Bank branch in Lathrup Village and gave the bank teller a note that said, Give me all the moneyI have a gun I will kill everyone in here, according to the criminal complaint.

The complaint alleges that after the robbery, Sykes fled in a "Rolls Royce SUV."

Per the Detroit News, Sykes had asked to serve as his own lawyer and was ordered to be held temporarily without bond. PEOPLE was not able to immediately reach him.

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At the time of the alleged incidents, Sykes was on federal supervised release from a bank heist in 2020, where he was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for robbing a Citizens Bank and a Comerica Bank.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider and Assistant U.S. Attorney wrote in the sentencing memo for that case that they believed he couldnt be rehabilitated.

While a lengthy term of incarceration may serve to deter others, the unfortunate lesson gleaned from Sykes history is that incarceration is not a deterrent for him, they wrote in the memo.

In a handwritten note to Paul Borman, a judge in Michigan, Sykes wrote that at a young age, he was thrust into the pits of the most violent prisons across America, where he felt rehabilitation was the last thing on prison officials minds.

Although the defendant made it out of prison alive it was not without injury, Sykes wrote, referring to himself. The defendant left prison physiologically scarred and unable to adapt to the changes of society.



Read the original article on People
Air travel often feels like a social experiment at 35,000 feet, where diverse personalities converge in a confined space. But have you ever wondered how much your fellow passengers' behavior is influenced by their home state? The skies' social dynamics involve more than you can ever think! Which states' residents are the most courteous co-travelers, and which ones might make you wish for an earlier landing? Lets find out below.

Arkansas

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

A flight with Arkansans feels like a small town gathering in the sky. They greet seatmates like old friends, chat just enough to be pleasant, and always say "thank you" to the crew. If someone struggles with luggage, they're the first to lend a hand. Their genuine kindness makes flying alongside them an easy and enjoyable experience.

Alabama

Credit: flickr

Southern charm doesn't take a day off when Alabamians board a plane. They don't hog the armrest, strike up polite conversations, and make flying feel like a neighborly affair. Flight attendants get plenty of "yes, ma'ams" and "thank you, sirs." If turbulence hits, they offer a reassuring smile.

Florida

Credit: pexels

Floridians bring their easygoing, vacation-mode energy wherever they go. They stay relaxed through delays, help first-time flyers with luggage, and keep restless kids entertained with a joke or two. Even when flights get chaotic, they shrug it offprobably because they've dealt with worse traffic on I-95. Nothing fazes them, and that attitude is contagious.

Ohio

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Midwest manners shine in the air when Ohioans are on board. They follow the unspoken rules of flyingno seat-kicking, no armrest battles, no loud phone conversations. The "Birthplace of Aviation" locals respect the boarding order, listen to flight attendants, and wait their turn when deplaning. Their considerate nature makes them the kind of seatmate everyone hopes to get.

Kansas

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Kansans approach flying the same way they approach lifecalm, friendly, and with zero unnecessary drama. They don't shove their way to the overhead bins or sigh loudly during delays. If someone needs an extra space, they scoot over. They chat when spoken to but never overdo it. Their easygoing nature keeps the cabin peaceful.

Wisconsin

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Flying with Wisconsinites feels like sitting next to a friend. They're chatty in a fun way, always polite, and never complain about minor inconveniences. If a kid starts crying, they'll pull out a silly face or a snack. They thank the crew, respect the rules, and genuinely make the flight more enjoyable. Bonus points if they bring cheese.

Michigan

Credit: Canva

This lot travels like prosefficient, polite, and never the source of unnecessary drama. Michiganders line up properly, keep their carry-ons in check, and don't hover in the aisle when deplaning. In case they strike up a conversation, it's usually about sports, the weather, or why their home state is shaped like a mitten. They're always friendly and never intrusive.

Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvanians are the kind of travelers who follow the rules without being uptight. They listen to flight attendants, keep their rows tidy, and won't steal the armrest. The Quaker State residents appreciate good service and show it with a nod, a tip of the hat, or a genuine "thank you." Flying alongside them means a peaceful, drama-free trip.

Iowa

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It's never a smooth flight with everyone, though! Iowans don't always make the best seatmates. Some ignore personal space, stretch out into neighboring seats, and chat a little loudly. Boarding etiquette is optional for them. They'll squeeze into rows they don't belong in or block the aisle without a second thought. While not the worst, their in-flight manners could use some work.

Illinois

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A flight with certain Illinois travelers can feel like a test of patience. Some talk too loudly, blast music without headphones, or shove their way off the plane the second the seatbelt sign dings. If there's a delay, you can expect a few sighs and eye rolls. Not everyone's rude, but there are enough to make the reputation stick.

Virginia

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Virginians have a habit of making flights more stressful than they need to be. Some slam their seats back without warning, snap at flight attendants, and huff loudly when things don't go their way. They treat the aisle like their personal runway and ignore common courtesy.

Texas

Credit: flickr

Everything's bigger in Texas, including the entitlement some passengers bring on board. Certain Texans act like they own the plane, order flight attendants around, talk over safety announcements and act annoyed when reminded of basic rules. A little patience would go a long way, but some seem to think that doesn't apply to them.

Georgia

Credit: flickr

Georgians don't always bring Southern hospitality to the skies. Some refuse to wait their turn, shove their way into the aisle, and complain like it's an Olympic sport. They don't handle delays well, expect VIP treatment, and make it clear when they're unhappy. The flight crew's patience is tested when they're in the cabin.

California

Credit: Canva

Californians act like they're still in their cars by treating every flight like a personal bubble. They stretch into other people's space, act inconvenienced by basic flight rules, and sigh dramatically at any minor discomfort. A request to turn off a phone or fasten a seatbelt may meet an eye roll or a passive-aggressive remark.

Washington

Credit: Getty Images

Washington passengers take up extra space without care, ignore pleasantries, and act too busy to acknowledge those around them. Conversations are rare, smiles even rarer. If they show any emotion, it's usually impatience when the plane doesn't deboard fast enough. The sky feels colder with them onboard.
One of America's largest unions is taking aim at President Donald Trump's administration for shutting down access to affordable student loan repayment plans -- saying the decision is "effectively breaking" the system.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), representing 1.8 million educators across the country, filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., hoping to restore the programs that have now been shuttered for three weeks.

The filing alleges the administration halting the application process for all Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plans and ordering student loan servicers to stop all processing violates federal law.

"AFT sued the United States Department of Education (ED) for effectively breaking the student loan system, denying borrowers' access to affordable loan payments and blocking progress towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), in violation of federal law," the union said in a statement Wednesday.

PHOTO: Protestors gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education, March 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Federal Income-Driven Repayment plans were first created by Congress in the 1990s to make student borrowers' loan bills more affordable and cap the length of time students would be on the hook for paying back debt.

As of this year, there were four IDR plans offered by the Department of Education: the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan, the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan and the Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan.

All of the plans are based on the borrower's income, with student loan forgiveness of any remaining debt after a fixed repayment term of 20 or 25 years.

MORE: 3 claims about the Department of Education and what it really does

There are over 12 million student loan borrowers enrolled in IDR plans and more than 1 million borrowers were waiting for their applications to be processed when the Dept. of Education shuttered the system three weeks ago, according to the union.

On its website, the Education Department cites a federal court-issued injunction on the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, which was introduced under former President Joe Biden's administration, as the reason for the pause on all IDR plans. The agency also says students can submit paper applications to programs.

The teachers' union, however, says the Education Department's decision to interpret the 8th Circuit's decision on Feb. 18 "in such a maximalist way" has "wreaked havoc" on the system. The union claims in its filing that paper applications are not currently being processed as well.

"Student loan borrowers are desperate for help, struggling to keep up with spiking monthly payments in a sinking economy, all while President Trump plays politics with the student loan system," Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, said in a statement Wednesday.

PHOTO: Student loan debt relief rally in front of the Supreme Court as the justices are scheduled to hear oral arguments in two cases involving President Joe Biden's bid to reinstate his plan to cancel billions of dollars in student debt, Feb. 28, 2023. (Nathan Howard/Reuters, FILE)

"Borrowers have a legal right to payments they can afford and today we are demanding that these rights are enforced by a federal judge," Pierce added.

The union said in its filing that the department has not provided any guidance to borrowers about when their applications will be restored and when they can expect to see their payments lowered.

In a statement to ABC News on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Dept. of Education said the federal agency "is working to ensure these programs conform with the 8th Circuit's ruling, and anticipates the revised form allowing borrowers to change repayment plans to be available as soon as next week."

In a letter earlier this month to the agency, 25 U.S. senators similarly called for clarity, noting that the federal court's ruling focused on a single IDR plan, not the remaining three.

MORE: 3 claims about the Department of Education and what it really does

"While the Department was tasked with implementing a judicial ruling to suspend a single IDR plan... the Department inexplicably and confusingly chose to also suspend access to every other IDR plan," the senators wrote in the letter.

"Borrowers have relied on many of these plans for decades and this sudden and reckless action means millions of borrowers have fewer repayment options available and are unsure of what to do in order to manage their debt," the senators wrote.

Student loan debt remains massive in the United States and reliance on federal support for payments is a reality for millions of borrowers.

According to AFT's filing, there are nearly 43 million federal student loan borrowers in the U.S., with approximately $1.62 trillion outstanding in debt.

Teachers sue Trump admin for stopping affordable student loan repayment plans originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Google Maps Ibis Styles Hotel 17 Rue des Reglises

An American teenager accused of throwing her newborn out of a hotel window in Paris could spend the rest of her life in prison  or be entirely absolved of the alleged crime depending on her mental state, according to local legal experts.

The 18-year-old was on a gap year trip with a Massachusetts-based international cultural program when she allegedly threw out her newborn, with its umbilical cord still attached, on Feb. 24, French authorities said at the time.

The body had been moved to a trash can nearby; it was wrapped in a cloth when it was found, Barron's and CNN reported, respectively, citing local police. The case is being investigated as a homicide.

Prosecutors in Paris say the mother, who is yet to be publicly named, was taken to the hospital for surgery, and was held in police custody there.

Now, local defense attorneys are weighing in on whats ahead for the woman.

Avi Bitton and Lois P. Lesot, criminal defense lawyers in Paris, tell PEOPLE a key factor determining her fate is whether she was aware of her pregnancy.

The Paris public prosecutor's office said in the initial stages of the investigation that "denial of pregnancy," a psychological condition, is being considered in the case. The condition occurs when a woman is unable or unwilling to admit she is pregnant.



"Whether she knew or not that she was pregnant could have an impact on her defense, as it would not place her in the same mental state at the time of event," Lesot says.

"She would not receive the same treatment if she knew she was pregnant and premeditated to kill the baby once it was born or if she had just found out while giving birth and acted on an impulse," she added.



After establishing their case, and if they have sufficient evidence, investigators will decide whether to take it to the criminal court, the experts say.

I believe that the outcome of this case will depend on her mental state, Bitton says. Indeed, under French law, a person who, at the time of the events, was suffering from a mental or neuropsychiatric disorder which had abolished their discernment or control over their actions is not criminally liable."

He adds, however, that such a case is a rarity.

Related: American Teen Accused of Throwing Infant Out of Paris Hotel Window Was on Gap Year Trip

The woman could spend as long as three years in pre-trial detention, Bitton and Lesot say.

There are provisions for her to be released before that under judicial review on specific conditions, such not being allowed to leave French territory as the investigation continues, the legal experts say.

The investigation, which authorities have been tight-lipped about, will likely include an assessment of her mental health, interviews with witnesses and an autopsy of the infant, per Bitton and Lesot.



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.

If convicted, under the United States extradition agreement with France, there are provisions that could allow her to serve her sentence in the U.S., Bitton says.

It is not clear if the woman has retained an attorney to speak on her behalf.



Read the original article on People
A view of the Texas Capitol Dome from the east drive Texas Preservation Board

(The Center Square)  The Texas Senate continues to pass legislative priorities, from affordable housing to parental rights. Most bills received bipartisan support.

Senators passed a bill Wednesday designed to remove barriers to affordable housing filed by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston. It passed with bipartisan support.

According to a 2024 state comptroller housing report, Texas faces a shortfall of 306,000 homes.

Local regulations and permitting issues are stifling our housing supply, rendering our communities unable to meet present and future growth, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said.

Bettencourts bill, SB 15, with more legislation to come, will make a huge difference in allowing countless Texans to pursue the American dream.

The bill would implement a series of regulatory reforms, including removing municipal minimum lot size regulations in Texas fast-growing cities, allowing developers to build more affordable homes without compromising neighborhood character, Bettencourt said, The Center Square reported.

The Senate also passed state Sen. Lois Kolkhorsts bill to ban foreign adversaries from purchasing land in Texas with bipartisan support. The bill would prohibit certain foreign entities from purchasing private property in Texas as a matter of national security. It would prohibit the purchase of certain private property by government entities, companies, and individuals from hostile countries and their actors named in the three most recent Annual Threat Assessment reports prepared by the director of National Intelligence. It would ban private property ownership by entities, not foreign business investments in Texas, The Center Square reported. The bill received bipartisan support.

The Texas Senate also passed several education bills, including allowing for prayer and religious text reading in public school and displaying the Ten Commandments, The Center Square reported.

It also passed a bill to ban age-inappropriate books in public school libraries. SB 13 passed its second reading; a final passage is expected soon. The bill, filed by state Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, would increase parental oversight of childrens education records, including school library materials. It would modify the definition of objectionable content to match the Federal Communications Commissions definition and allow districts to implement additional restrictions. It also would require school districts to establish a Local School Library Advisory Council to include parents, educators, and community members to make recommendations on content available in school libraries.

The Texas Senate also passed a Parental Bill of Rights, which affirms parents are the primary decision-makers in their childs education, bans Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ideology in K-12 public schools, restricts teachings of sexual orientation and gender identity, simplifies public school transfers, and reforms the parental-ISD complaint process, The Center Square reported. SB 12, filed by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, passed its second reading; its final passage is expected soon.

The Texas Senate also passed a bill with bipartisan support to ban Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Texas.

Since 2019, retailers across Texas have exploited a state agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC to Texans, including children, Patrick said. After conducting his own investigation, he found that the stores often target children and sell to them, with many stores located next to public schools  even though the products are only permitted to be sold to individuals over age 21. In one shop, they were openly selling gummies with 750 milligrams of THC, he said, which is powerfully strong.

I will not allow retailers to circumvent the law and put Texans, and especially childrens, lives in danger, Patrick said, which is why he made the bill a legislative priority. These rogue retailers are selling THC products containing several times more THC content than marijuana purchased from a drug dealer off the street. These dangerous products must not be allowed to permeate our communities and endanger Texas children.

The bill, SB 3, filed by state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, would prohibit the retail sale of any cannabinoid in Texas, excluding CBD and CBG; ban Delta 8, Delta 9, and all forms of intoxicating THC, including beverages. It doesnt alter Texas Compassionate Use Program.

The Senate also passed a bill to improve efficiency in the multi-billion-dollar road construction contracting process to build more highways in Texas. SB 35 file by Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, would restrict the state Department of Transportation to only use competitive Design-Bid-Build projects to create operational efficiencies and cost-savings for taxpayers and build high-quality roads.

The Senate also passed with bipartisan support a bill to increase pay for judges and improve accountability. SB 293, filed by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, would increase the base pay for district judges by 15%, from $140,000 to $161,000. It would expand the definition of judicial misconduct and enhance the complaint process against judges. It also would require quarterly reporting of district judges' duties to ensure transparency of judicial workloads. It also would increase the base pay for district judges by $21,000.

The bills now head to the Texas House for consideration.
A thief whose crew drugged drunk Hells Kitchen clubgoers said nothing as he was sentenced Thursday to eight years behind bars for the fiendish scheme that left two people dead.

Andre Butts, 30, appeared solemn in Manhattan Supreme Court to learn his fate after he changed his story and fessed up to robbery and conspiracy charges for his part in the fentanyl-wielding crew that drugged victims to rob them blind.

Butts  who was not charged with murder in the scheme  worked alongside Jayqwan Hamitlon, Robert DeMaio and Jacob Barroso, who were found guilty at trial in February for mugging and drugging five different gay men, killing two.

Andre Butts was sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in the deadly drugging and robbery scheme targeting gay men in Hells Kitchen. Steven Hirsch

Andre Butts is now facing accountability for his role in this deadly and callous conspiracy, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. He admitted to participating in multiple robberies using fentanyl-laced drugs to incapacitate victims, so he and his co-defendants could drain money from their financial accounts.

Butts helped the trio target victims outside The Q NYC, a gay nightclub that was located on West 48th Street and Eighth Avenue, where they preyed on clubgoers before feeding them fentanyl-laced drugs in order to rob them, prosecutors have said.

The hefty Butts admitted to participating in two robberies, including a March 18, 2022 robbery where he took the victim back to a hotel in Union Square  then drugged him until he lost consciousness.

Jacob Barroso (left), Jayqwan Hamilton (center) and Robert Demaio were found guilty of murder and robbery in the drug-induced deaths of two Manhattan clubgoers. DCPI

The crew were seen pushing the victims limp body on a luggage cart to bring him back to his hotel room  before they took his phone and made quick unauthorized charge transfers using Apple Cash and Cash App.

Less than a month later, Butts and Shane Hoskins, another member awaiting sentencing for his role in the scheme, tagged along with Hamilton and Barroso to target another victim outside the same night club.

They brought the man back to his Lower East Side apartment and drugged him, then robbed him of his cellphone and credit cards, according to court papers.

When the victim woke up, he saw purchases made using his money at Prada and Bloomingdales, prosecutors have said.

Manhattan Assistant DA Emily Ching told the judge that Butts had initially denied his guilt in a probation report, telling officers that he was guilty by association, at the wrong place at the wrong time with friends.

But Butts quickly admitted his guilt when pressed by Judge Felicia Mennin. At his sentencing, he was slapped with five years post-release supervision in addition to his prison term.

The Q NYC nightclub.

Butts is the first member of the crew to be sentenced for the spree, which left consultant John Umberger and Brooklyn social worker Julio Ramirez dead.

Hoskins is expected to be sentenced to eight years in prison next month after pleading guilty to robbery.

Hamilton, DeMario and Barroso are set to be sentenced on May 21.
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday afternoon aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, laying the groundwork for the most contentious and far-reaching battlefront in his fight to push the bounds on presidential authority.

The immediate impact of the directive remains unclear, however, given that fully dissolving the department, created by Congress in 1979, would require action from Congress.

Though the White House continues to use words like "close," an official acknowledged that the department would continue operating in some form  albeit as a significantly smaller agency  and continue to administer "critical programs."

Read more: President Trump signs order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education

The Trump administration has shown it is willing to ignore laws set by Congress to cut federal programs through Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and dismantle entire agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development. Those efforts, however, have hit roadblocks in federal court.

Bracing for a total upheaval of the department, the head of a leading teachers union promised to sue the Trump administration over the action.

More: Exclusive: Trump to sign order Thursday aimed at eliminating Education Department

Here's what we know:

How does Trump say he'll change the Education Department?

Trump is directing his education secretary, Linda McMahon, to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," according to a White House summary of the order, which has been in the works for weeks.

The order simultaneously calls for the "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."

Key federal programs for schools, all housed within the Education Department, cannot be removed from the department unless Congress passes laws authorizing such a move.

Community members hold signs and rally in front of the Department of Education to protest budget cuts on March 13, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Can Trump close the Education Department?

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday that the Education Department won't be abolished under Trumps order but would be much smaller than it is today, adding that McMahon intends to greatly minimize the agency's size.

Leavitt said the ultimate goal is to have the federal government spend less on public education by cutting wasteful spending while protecting "critical programs." She did not identify what the White House determined is waste.

Leavitt said the Education Department has failed to deliver despite spending $3 trillion on education since it was created in 1979. What has been the return on that investment for the American taxpayer? Levels that are less than ideal, less than proficient, she said.

What will happen to Title I, IDEA funding and student loans?

Public schools rely on the Education Department to distribute federal education dollars. A major stream comes from Title I, a program that boosts funding to schools serving high-poverty populations.

Leavitt said federal Title I and funding for students with disabilities  as well as Pell Grants and student loans that help students pay for college  will still be administered by the department under the order.

President Donald Trump told reporters that Linda McMahon, his nominee to lead the Education Dept., should eventually "put herself out of a job."

A White House official told USA TODAY McMahon intends to work on a plan to "bring these funds closer to states, localities, and, more importantly, students."

Trump has talked about the Small Business Administration or Commerce Department possibly taking over the distribution of student loan payments. That would presumably require action from Congress.

Does Trump's Education Department order eliminate DEI and LGBTQ+ initiatives?

Under the order, education programs or activities that receive "any remaining Department of Education funds" will not be allowed to advance diversity, equity and inclusion or "gender ideology," according to the White House summary.

Eliminating initiatives that promote racial diversity and self-assessed gender identity, rather than two binary sexes, has been a top priority for Trump across the federal government.

Didn't Trump already cut the Education Department workforce?

Trump's long-anticipated order comes after more than 1,300 Education Department employees received termination notices last week as part of large-scale "reductions in force" across the federal government pushed by Musk's DOGE.

Combining layoffs and other types of departures, the Trump administration has trimmed the department's workforce from 4,133 to 2,183 since the start of his second term.

A protester sits near U.S. Department of Education headquarters in Washington, D.C. on March 12, 2025.

Despite the dramatic downsizing, the agency continues to oversee vital federal funding programs for schools.

What is Trump's justification for abolishing the department?

Republicans have long accused the federal government of holding too much power over local and state education policy, even though the federal government has no control over school curriculum. Trump told reporters last month that he hopes McMahon eventually puts herself "out of a job."

Trump has increasingly criticized the performance of U.S. public schools compared with schools in other countries. "Were ranked at the very bottom of the list, but were at the top of the list in one thing: the cost per pupil," he said last month.

In levying those complaints, Trump and other Republicans have often relied on data from the Education Department's research arm, a branch the administration has reduced to a skeleton staff, which raises questions about tracking school progress in the future.

What does Trump mean when he says he'll give more control of education to states?

Since returning to the White House, Trump has discussed giving states full authority to oversee schools, often singling out Iowa and Indiana as two strongly performing states that "should run their own education."

Looking to stress this concept, Trump signed the order along with several Republican governors and education chiefs. They included: Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Greg Abbott of Texas and Mike DeWine of Ohio.

But it's not entirely clear what Trump means by such an arrangement.

Local school districts and states already control their school curriculums. The federal government, on the other hand, provides limited oversight for schools that receive federal funding to ensure students are being kept safe and treated equally.

Is Congress likely to pass a law closing the Department of Education?

Passing legislation in Congress to eliminate the Department of Education would require support from Democrats, which makes such an effort highly unlikely.

It's unclear whether moderate Republicans in the U.S. Senate would be on board with a Republican proposal to shift the agency's offices elsewhere within the federal government (Trump has begun discussing the idea with his Cabinet anyway).

What do Democrats say about Trump's order seeking to close Education Department?

Congressional Democrats blasted the president for making what they called a blatantly illegal move. Sen. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and a top funding appropriator, said in a statement Thursday that Trump was taking a "wrecking ball" to the agency despite knowing "perfectly well he can't abolish the Department of Education without Congress."

"But he understands that if you fire all the staff and smash it to pieces, you might get a similar, devastating result," she said.

Advocates for student loan borrowers issued similar critiques.

Lets be clear: theres no Executive Order the President can sign to legally eliminate the Department of Education," said Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network. "Linda McMahon acknowledged that herself. The real effect of this decree will just be even more hardship and confusion for students and families."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump signs order aimed at dismantling Education Dept.: What to know
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to start dismantling the Education Department.

"It sounds strange, doesnt it? Department of Education. Were going to eliminate it," Trump said in the East Room of the White House at a ceremony where he was flanked by children seated at school desks. Before he signed the order, Trump turned to the children and asked, Should I do this?

Introducing McMahon, Trump said that hopefully she will be our last secretary of education. He vowed to find something else for you, Linda.

Congressional approval would be needed to fully abolish the department. Trump said he hoped Democrats would vote in favor.

I hope theyre going to be voting for it," Trump said of congressional Democrats, "because ultimately it may come before them.

Immediately after the signing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said on X that he will submit legislation to accomplish Trumps goal of shutting down the Education Department as soon as possible.

Congress established the Education Department in 1979 during President Jimmy Carters administration, and any effort to abolish it would face major obstacles from Democrats in the Republican-controlled Senate, where 60 votes are required to overcome filibusters and advance measures to final votes.

The House Education Committees top Democrat, Bobby Scott, of Virginia, called the executive order reckless and argued in a statement that it would put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, and rural students at risk.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday morning that the department would not be completely eliminated under the executive order, saying its critical functions would continue, including the enforcement of civil rights laws and oversight of student loans and Pell grants.

"The Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today," Leavitt said, adding that the order directed McMahon "to greatly minimize the agency. So when it comes to student loans and Pell grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education."

Follow live politics coverage here

The executive order also will not affect department activities aimed at meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities or Title I funding, which goes to school districts with high proportions of students from low-income families, a senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday.

The text of the order was not immediately published after the White House signing ceremony, which several Republican state attorneys general and governors attended. Trump publicly acknowledged Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others.

Polling on eliminating the Education Department shows the move is broadly unpopular, large part because of opposition from Democrats and independents. A Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10 found that 60% of registered voters opposed the plan, while 33% were in favor of it. Just 1% of Democrats are in favor of the move, while 98% oppose it. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

At her Senate confirmation hearing last month, McMahon acknowledged the need to coordinate with Congress to close the department.

"Certainly President Trump understands that well be working with Congress," she said in response to a question from Cassidy. "Wed like to do this right. Wed like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with and our Congress could get on board with that would have a better-functioning Department of Education but certainly does require congressional action."

With Trump's executive order, however, it appears the administration to some extent is sidestepping lawmakers. McMahon said Tuesday on SiriusXMs The David Webb Show" that as they "wind down" her department, administration officials want to ensure they are providing states with best practices and the tools they will need.

In her justification for eliminating the department, McMahon said: "I think its important to note what the Department of Education does not do. The Department of Education doesnt educate anyone. It doesnt hire teachers. It doesnt establish curriculum. It doesnt hire school boards or superintendents. It really is to help provide funding so that the states themselves can help with their own programs. But that creativity and innovation has to come from the state level.

McMahon and the administration have already taken steps in recent weeks to gut the department by cutting its workforce nearly in half.

NBC News recently reported that state officials and lawmakers have said they are not prepared to take on the full responsibility of education policy, and Trump's latest order is likely to be met with more legal challenges.

Labor and civil rights groups issued statements Wednesday blasting the administration for the move. National Education Association President Becky Pringle said the administration's actions "will hurt all students by sending class sizes soaring, cutting job training programs, making higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, taking away special education services for students with disabilities, and gutting student civil rights protections."

NAACP President Derrick Johnson called the order "unconstitutional," adding that "the rule of law doesnt seem to matter" to Trump.

"Only Congress can establish or abolish an executive agency," Johnson said. "Trump is not just seeking to shut down an agency, he is deliberately dismantling the basic functions of our democracy, one piece at a time. This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump."
By Jasper Ward and Mike Scarcella

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is withdrawing an executive order that targeted law firm Paul Weiss, saying the firm "acknowledged the wrongdoing" of an attorney who investigated the president and has pledged $40 million in free legal work to support the administration.

The surprise move, which comes amid a wave of attacks by the Republican president on prominent law firms, follows a meeting between the president and Paul Weiss' chairman, Brad Karp, according to the White House.

During that meeting, Karp acknowledged the wrongdoing of Mark Pomerantz, a former partner at the New York firm, who was involved in the Manhattan district attorney's investigation into Trump's hush money payments to a porn star, the White House said.

"Paul Weiss agrees that the bedrock principle of American Justice is that it must be fair and nonpartisan for all," said Trump.

Pomerantz, who worked most recently at Paul Weiss until 2022, said in a statement: I engaged in no wrongdoing by working as a prosecutor to uphold the rule of law."

Paul Weiss did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump's executive order against Paul Weiss suspended its lawyers' security clearances and restricted their access to government buildings and officials, citing the firm's diversity policies and its association with Pomerantz.

Trump said Thursday that Paul Weiss promised to dedicate the equivalent of $40 million in pro bono legal work during the president's term toward administration priorities such as combating antisemitism and support for veterans.

The firm also agreed to audit its employment practices and purge them of any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, the White House said.

Trump has mounted a broad campaign against DEI practices in government and the private sector that the administration alleges are discriminatory. On Monday the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sent demands to 20 major law firms for detailed information about their diversity initiatives and racial and gender demographics.

The apparent truce between Trump and Paul Weiss is in stark contrast with the response of another firm, Perkins Coie, that sued the administration after it was hit with a similar executive order this month.

A judge in Washington temporarily blocked parts of the Perkins Coie order on March 12, finding the firm was likely to win its lawsuit alleging Trump's actions violated the firm's rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Perkins Coie did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's decision to rescind the Paul Weiss order.

Paul Weiss' chairman Karp helped raise funds for Trump's 2024 election opponent Kamala Harris. The firm's partners include Loretta Lynch, who was U.S. attorney general during the Democratic Obama administration.

The firm is known for guiding corporate deals on behalf of financial giants like Apollo Global Management, Blackstone Group, Citibank and Goldman Sachs, and for handling high-stakes litigation for tech industry clients such as Alphabet's Google and Amazon.com.

The companies either declined to comment or did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Paul Weiss told a judge in New Jersey on Wednesday that it was fired by a client it was defending in a bribery case because of Trump's order. Perkins Coie in its lawsuit said seven of its clients had left the firm due to the order against it.

Leslie Levin, a University of Connecticut law professor and expert on the legal profession, said Paul Weiss likely feared a client exodus.

There was no playbook for how to deal with this, she said.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Mike Scarcella; Editing by Daniel Wallis, David Bario, Gerry Doyle and Stephen Coates)
Sudanese refugees living in Chad likely didn't think the most recent U.S. presidential election would impact them, but President Donald Trump's foreign aid freeze has put in jeopardy vital health care services provided by the U.N. to refugees living in displacement camps fleeing the Sudanese conflict in eastern Chad.

The U.S. foreign aid freeze, which has massive implications for the world's poorest and most vulnerable populations, has caused vital services around the world to come to a screeching halt, and it's left aid organizations scrambling to fill funding gaps for programs that have lifesaving implications. At less than 1% of the federal budget, the U.S. Agency for International Development assisted 130 countries in fiscal year 2023, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The Trump Administration has repeatedly said they are freezing foreign aid and shutting down USAID to cut down on the size of the federal government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the administration had finished a six-week purge of programs at USAID last week, cutting 83% of the agencys programs. Rubio announced the process was complete in a post on X.

MORE: A USAID official escaped violence in Congo. He returned home to a different crisis

Elon Musk said he was feeding USAID into the wood chipper, in a post on X on Feb. 3. A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency likely violated the constitution in its dismantling of USAID.

"I've been in humanitarian work for 25 years, and this is the worst thing I've ever experienced in terms of just pulling the plug overnight on operations in dozens of countries, and just having to suddenly stop work. It's very, very difficult if you're running maternity wards and entire safe houses, like how do you shut that down overnight?" Anna Jefferys, a U.N. communications specialist, told ABC News.

Almost 700,000 refugees have crossed from Sudan into Chad since April 2023 when the ongoing conflict in Sudan broke out, according to the U.N. While Chad has a history of taking in refugees from neighboring countries experiencing violence, the Sudanese conflict has resulted in one of the largest influxes of refugees in Chad's history. Ninety percent of the refugees are women and children, according to the U.N.

The women in Chad are just one example of how the U.S. foreign aid freeze is limiting lifesaving services to some of the world's most vulnerable populations.

'One day, everything changed'

"In Sudan, I have a big family and have a happy family. I worked at a university. So everything was good. But one day, everything changed," Daralssalam Issa, a 41-year-old displaced woman living in a refugee camp in Chad, told the U.N. "When they came, they closed schools and hospitals and water went away. We stayed for 40 days like this. [After] that, we go away and ask for water, asking for food, asking for hospital."

Issa, like thousands of other women who have fled the Sudanese conflict in Chad, left her home country because it was unsafe. In eastern Chad, the U.N. Population Fund, or UNFPA, supports the health care system by training and deploying midwives to rural areas where there are no health services and by providing mobile clinics and health care support inside refugee camps where women need services most. UNFPAs team in Chad filmed interviews with some of the midwives and staff working in Chad and some of the refugees in the camps. UNFPA gave media access to the footage and interviews.

The health system in Sudan has all but collapsed due to the ongoing violence, with up to 60% of the population unable to access health services, the U.N. reports. UNFPA, which receives 70% of its funding for its humanitarian response in eastern Chad from the State Department, in the amount of about $2 million, is one of the humanitarian organizations closing that health care services gap for pregnant women fleeing Sudan in search of a safe place to live and give birth to their unborn children.

PHOTO: Yewande Odia, UNFPA resident representative in Chad, discussed the lifesaving care provided by the group. (ABC News)

"It's lifesaving. It's essential work," Yewande Odia, UNFPA resident representative in Chad, told ABC News in a video interview. "Too many women in this country don't have access to good health care, so having access to health care means sometimes going to them."

UNFPA's program in Chad funds and pays for the salaries of 148 community midwives and 100 case workers who provide direct medical support to Sudanese refugees and other women and girls displaced by conflict in areas in Chad where they would otherwise not have access to health care. UNFPA also has mobile clinics that service areas without any other form of health care. Over 80% of the refugee population is made up of women and girls, Odia said.

MORE: Humanitarians warn of dire consequences if US foreign aid ends

Soliri Adete, 32, works as a UNFPA midwife in the maternity ward at the district hospital in Adre. Adre, once a small border town with a population of 40,000, now has a population of 230,000 due to the migration of Sudanese refugees, according to the U.N.

"Every day I come in to the hospital and the goal of coming to the hospital is to help my sisters who are ill and suffering," Adete said in a video filmed by the U.N. "I come to help them recover their health and also to help those who are victims of sexual violence."

PHOTO: Soliri Adete, 32, works as a UNFPA midwife in the maternity ward at the district hospital in Adre (UNFPA)

Farchana is one of the refugee camps in eastern Chad where refugees are relocated from Adre, the U.N. said. There is no hospital at the camp, but UNFPA-funded and trained midwives help pregnant Sudanese refugees fleeing the conflict have safe births. Chad has the second-highest maternal mortality rate in the world, with 1,063 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, according to U.N. data.

"Here at the camp, we don't have any hospital and we don't have an ambulance vehicle to rescue pregnant women. We struggle with these pregnant women to deliver," 39-year-old Souat Oumar, who works as the Women's Community Leader at Farchana Camp, told the U.N. "Sometimes they come to me personally at home. ... Sometimes the women might be bleeding seriously or has a miscarriage or other fatal issues. From that, some women might pass away."

Preventing women from dying during childbirth is one of UNFPA's main objectives in their work in eastern Chad.

"We have had a huge impact in ensuring that women have safe deliveries," Odia said. "Women are having children at quite a high rate, so it's a need that we are here to support, to ensure that they are not dying when they're having babies."

PHOTO: Daralssalam Issa, a 41-year-old displaced woman living in a refugee camp in Chad, told the U.N. she's been impacted by the cut of funding to aid groups by the Trump administration. (UNFPA)

The U.S. foreign aid freeze has caused UNFPA to search for alternative funding to pay these midwives, but Odia warned that if the freeze isn't lifted by the end of March, they will be unable to pay the midwives, and the services will stop.

"The midwives will not be paid, and that means that the services that they provide for reproductive health, for victims of violence, will stop," Odia said. "It's hard to imagine how we would be able to address this gap, this huge gap, which will happen if we don't continue to get funding, adequate funding."

Odia said if no other funding is found, the consequences could be dire.

"We're hoping that there will be a review, and that hopefully the funding will be continued. However, if it is not, it really means that salaries will not be paid, and it means that services will not be provided to those who need them, and it also means that the death rates, the maternal mortality rates in Chad will go up," Odia said.

Humanitarian waivers

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced humanitarian waivers would be issued to USAID and State Department programs that have lifesaving implications shortly after the U.S. foreign aid freeze went into effect. UNFPA and other aid organizations have applied for these waivers, but the response has been chaotic, sources told ABC News.

"We did try to apply" for the waiver, "because we've been very confused," Odia said. "There's been a lot of back and forth. ... We're hoping that something good comes out."

PHOTO: Ninety percent of Sudanese refugees in Chad are women and children, according to the U.N. (UNFPA)

A senior aid official who works for an international nonprofit organization that receives U.S. funding for 38 programs globally told ABC News applying for the waivers was very confusing, and the organization had not received any indication their funding was unfrozen.

"Basically, emergency health care, emergency nutrition, emergency water and sanitation projects, these have all been in theory permitted to restart," a senior aid official who did not want to be named for fear of retribution told ABC News on the phone. "There doesn't seem to be a logic, right? I can only assume that it's all chaos over there."

US foreign aid freeze threatens health care services for Sudanese refugees in Chad originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
By Steve Holland and Nandita Bose

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House blasted "activist" federal judges and called on the U.S. Supreme Court to rein them in on Wednesday as President Donald Trump and his allies escalated their attacks against judges who have ruled against his administration.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters it was incumbent upon the Supreme Court to take action against judges who "are acting erroneously."

"We have judges who are acting as partisan activists from the bench. They are trying to dictate policy from the president of the United States. They are trying to clearly slow walk this administration's agenda, and it's unacceptable," she said.

Her comments came a day after Trump called for the impeachment of Washington-based U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who issued an order temporarily banning the administration from removing migrants from the United States under an 18th-century law that the president invoked to proceed with the deportations. The comment drew a swift rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who said an appeal, not impeachment, was the appropriate response when disagreeing with a judge's decision.

In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump called Boasberg "a Radical Left Lunatic Judge" who "wants to assume the role of President."

Other members of the administration including Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller echoed Trump's demand to hold the judge accountable, while tech billionaire Elon Musk complained about a different judge who has temporarily blocked the U.S. military from enforcing Trump's executive order barring transgender people from military service.

"This is a judicial coup," Musk said on his social media site X, calling for Congress to impeach judges.

The combative stance from the president and his team has raised concerns among some legal experts that the administration might openly defy a court order, possibly sparking a constitutional crisis. Under the U.S. Constitution, federal judges are part of a separate branch of government considered equal with the executive branch.

Trump said in an interview on Tuesday on Fox News' The Ingraham Angle that his administration would not defy any court orders and that he was confident the Supreme Court would rule in his favor in the case over the deported Venezuelans.

The administration is eager for the deportation case - and other legal fights - to go before the nation's high court despite Roberts' rebuke of Trump's demand for judges to be impeached, a senior White House official with knowledge of the strategy said.

Roberts is part of the court's 6-3 conservative majority, which includes three members appointed by Trump during his first term in office.

"We view Roberts stepping in as him saying he is an establishment guy, this is just against the D.C. code of ethics to call for impeachment of a judge, but he will ultimately be on our side and he is," the official said.

Trump's administration has notched some important legal wins as it seeks to dramatically shrink the federal bureaucracy and cut foreign aid spending, but some of its major policy rollouts around immigration, spending and social issues have stalled in court.

Judges have blocked Trump's efforts to curtail automatic birthright citizenship for people born in the U.S., paused his freeze on trillions of dollars worth of financial assistance, and barred Musk's cost-cutting effort from accessing sensitive Treasury Department systems.

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from taking any more steps to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development, saying their efforts to close the foreign aid agency likely violated the U.S. Constitution.

The White House official acknowledged the unlikely odds against getting any judge impeached.

To remove a judge from office, the House of Representatives must pass articles of impeachment by a simple majority vote and then the Senate must vote by at least a two-thirds majority to convict the judge. Republicans control both chambers of Congress but do not have a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

Even so, some Republican leaders did not rule out congressional action.

A spokesperson for House Speaker Mike Johnson said he "looks forward to working with the Judiciary Committee as they review all available options under the Constitution to address this urgent matter."

Russell Dye, spokesperson for House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, said: "All options are on the table."

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Nandita Bose; additional reporting by Luc Cohen and David Morgan; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Deepa Babington)
A smiling selfie of Bryan Kohberger with a thumbs-up pose taken hours after four University of Idaho students were killed in 2022 may be introduced at his murder trial, prosecutors said in a series of court filings released Wednesday.

Bryan Kohberger in a selfie presented as evidence by the prosecution. It was taken at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, after the murders.

The photo, which Latah County prosecutors say was time-stamped at 10:31 a.m., roughly six hours after the students were fatally stabbed at their off-campus home, would help a jury determine whether he has "bushy eyebrows" as the suspect was described as having by a surviving roommate, prosecutors said.

"I just remember, like, bushy eyebrows. That's all I could think about," the roommate, Dylan Mortensen, later told investigators, according to court documents. Mortensen had described how she opened her door some time before 4:19 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022, and saw a figure walking past her in black clothing and a ski mask that covered the intruder's forehead and mouth.

Police have said they believe housemates Madison Mogen, 21; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; and Xana Kernodle, 20; as well as Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin, 20, were fatally stabbed after 4 a.m.

Mortensen told investigators she was standing about 3 feet from the person, adding that she was "probably still a little bit drunk. I just woke up. I don't remember fully," according to the prosecution's filing.

Prosecutors added that Mortensen is "credible and competent" to testify, and that photos of Kohberger are relevant and should be admissible.

Kohberger's defense team is seeking to exclude any evidence referring to "bushy eyebrows" at his trial, arguing it would be "unfairly prejudicial."

"If evidence of 'bushy eyebrows' is presented to the jury, the jury might well believe that Mr. Kohberger is guilty simply because of 'bushy eyebrows,'" his defense wrote in a filing in February.

His defense team has also questioned Mortensen's recollection of events, writing in its filing that she has "acknowledged that her brain might have been fuzzy due to alcohol and sleepiness when she saw the intruder."

The defense also said there were inconsistencies in her statements to investigators.

"Several weeks after the murders, D.M. thought that the person she saw was a fireman," the defense wrote, referring to Mortensen. "In her mind, D.M. thought that the intruder went out of the back sliding door, but she doesn't know 'if he actually went out the back door.'"

Goncalves' family wrote on their Facebook page that the selfie of Kohberger was "disgusting," but they hoped the latest court documents indicate "the truth is finally coming out."

Lawyers for Kohberger, 30, who was a doctoral student of criminal justice at nearby Washington State University at the time of the killings, have denied any involvement.

But Latah County prosecutors say they want to offer other evidence at Kohberger's trial, which is scheduled for August in Boise, following months of delays as the prosecution and defense clash over what should be admissible. A judge has yet to rule on the various requests.

Possible murder weapon

Prosecutors said Kohberger's Amazon activity shows he purchased a Ka-Bar knife eight months prior to the murders, according to the newly released court documents.

Investigators had gotten a search warrant that allowed law enforcement to seize his "customer click activity pertaining to knives and accessories" from Amazon.

An investigator previously described finding a tan leather knife sheath on the bed next to Mogen's body.

"The sheath was later processed and had 'Ka-Bar' 'USMC' and the United States Marine Corps eagle globe and anchor insignia stamped on the outside of it," a Moscow police officer wrote in his report. "The Idaho state lab later located a single source of male DNA (suspect Profile) left on the button snap of the knife sheath."

Top row, from left, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen; bottom row, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle.

The DNA is a statistical match to Kohberger, according to investigators. The murder weapon, believed to be a large fixed-blade knife, has not been recovered, Moscow police have said.

In a court filing last week, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson wrote that a defense expert's disclosure revealed that Kohberger's lawyers won't challenge that the DNA found on the sheath belongs to the suspect.

"The defense plans to argue the DNA on the knife sheath does not prove Defendant was ever at the crime scene and the knife sheath itself could have been planted by the real perpetrator," Thompson wrote.

A gag order prevents those involved in the case from speaking publicly, and it's unclear how the defense may respond to the prosecutions characterization of its defense expert.

Defendant's autism defense

If found guilty, Kohberger could face the death penalty.

His lawyers, however, have said they would like to argue that he should not be put to death because he is in the autism spectrum and it would violate his constitutional rights.

They also said he has obsessive-compulsive disorder, and his reactions at trial may be misinterpreted.

A private security officer sits in a vehicle on Jan. 3, 2023, in front of the house in Moscow, Idaho, where four University of Idaho students were killed.

"For example, he does not show emotion on his face, he has a flat affect, he sits very still and holds his hands in the same position," court documents say, adding that he has a "piercing stare," a stiff body posture and uses repetitive language.

Prosecutors responded in their latest filing that Kohberger was shown to be diagnosed with the least severe form of autism that comes "without accompanying intellectual or language impairment," and that he has failed to show his diagnosis "would in any way make him less culpable for murder."

But his defense contends that Kohberger routinely went on drives at night alone, including at the time of the murders, and that cellphone tower data would prove he was miles away from the crime scene.

Surviving roommates' phones

Kohberger's defense also responded to a motion by prosecutors seeking to have text messages between Mortensen and another surviving roommate, Bethany Funke, included as evidence at trial.

The texts between Morternsen and Funke from 4:22 a.m. to 4:24 a.m. indicated increasing panic as they failed to reach their housemates by phone.

But Kohberger's lawyers claim the texts in the prosecution's motion were selective, and the defense in its filing presented further evidence showing that the roommates were calling and using their phones beginning at 7:30 a.m. until 911 was dialed on one of their phones at 11:56 a.m.

The roommates were on Instagram, Snapchat and other social media, although the defense's filing doesn't detail the extent of their activity or if anyone picked up when they called other people.

The defense is now asking the judge to review the fuller picture of the roommates' conversation to determine whether the texts should be excluded from trial because the messages are hearsay.

The surviving roommates "texted each other a handful of times and then they were in the same bedroom," the defense's filing said. "They were together with the ability to talk to each other. They were not asleep for 8 hours."

Steve Goncalves, Kaylee Goncalves father, told NBC News earlier this week that while the family was at first surprised that 911 had not been called sooner, he doesnt blame the surviving roommates for how they acted.

When you start looking at all the facts and you start seeing everything, you realize that the girls just went to bed that night thinking something was weird, something was strange, but they didnt have a full extent of everything that was going on, he said, adding, Its hard to have positive things when you have four people that are killed, but it could have been a lot worse.

Kohberger is due in court on April 9 for another motions hearing.




Hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk has celebrated its first 10 years with the official launch of its social impact program.

Through strategic partnerships, AirTrunks social impact program will address urgent social and environmental challenges.

It will deliver long-term, positive outcomes via funding, grants, ecosystem collaboration, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement. The program will be funded through margin adjustments from AirTrunks sustainability-linked loans (SLL).

It aims to create lasting social and environmental impact in Asia Pacific and Japan and as the business scales in the coming years, the program will grow into a multi-million-dollar fund.

At the recent Schneider Electric Innovation Summit in Sydney 2025 AirTrunk CFO Prashant Murthy said the data centre industry has evolved, going from focusing on infrastructure and contract structures to increasingly considering the impact on the entire ecosystem. This includes water, power, integration with other sectors, and sustainability.

You know, we do have a really cool sustainability debt platform, weve been softly announcing it for the last two years when we kicked it off, but we actually have converted all of our debt into sustainable income, he said.
by Fady Noun

Lebanon considers it imperative that the Syrian refugees in the country, at least 1.5 million, be repatriated. The change of leadership in Damascus also changes their status. At the meeting of donor countries organised by the EU, the Foreign Minister calls for stopping crisis management and starting to resolve the crisis, starting with the sanctions that must be cancelled.

Beirut (AsiaNews) - The situation in Syria has changed radically since the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad. With the stabilisation of the new Syrian leadership led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa, political refugees in Lebanon have become economic migrants. This is the gist of the arguments presented by the Lebanese Foreign Minister Joe Raggi at the Syria Donors Conference organised in recent days in Brussels by the European Union (EU).

Today there is no legal justification for keeping Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The displaced are no longer fleeing war or persecution, but have become economic migrants, said the head of diplomacy in Beirut, in front of an audience that included, for the first time, the new Syrian interim Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani. We agree that it no longer makes sense to finance economic migrants in Lebanon, he continued, emphasising the burden that these refugees represent for the infrastructure and education system of the country of the cedars.

Until now, the compensation paid by the European Union to Syrian refugees in Lebanon was suspended as soon as they returned to Syria. However, according to Beirut, this policy, aimed at punishing the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, is no longer justified.

Lasting solutions

Their return requires decisive changes of course that will lead to lasting solutions, added Foreign Minister Raggi, hoping that the conference will be the moment when we stop managing the crisis and start solving it. We know that 70% of Syrians live below the poverty line and the Syrian refugee contingent is one of the largest in the world.

According to estimates by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there were almost one million Syrian refugees in the Land of the Cedars before the fall of Bashar al-Assad on 8 December 2019. This figure is disputed by the Lebanese General Security, which puts the number at 1.5 million. At the height of the crisis that erupted with the 2011 civil war, Syrian refugees represented about a quarter of the population according to the Lebanese authorities. From 2015 onwards, Beirut has registered more than 40,000 births of Syrian children every year, a number almost equal to that of births of Lebanese children.

It goes without saying that the figure of 1.5 million Syrians recorded by the UNHCR does not include Syrian workers in key sectors of the economy (construction, agriculture, catering, hotels), who have valid work permits. To these are added the homeowners in possession of so-called residence permits of convenience. According to the latest UN statistics, more than 300,000 refugees have already returned to Syria. However, this figure does not show in detail the countries from which the flow of returnees originates, mainly Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.

The Red Cross warning

Mirjana Spoljaric, Swiss diplomat and president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), realising that this is an historic opportunity not to be missed, recently issued a warning from Brussels. The inability to help Syria get back on its feet, she emphasises in an interview with AFP, will lead to a new wave of migration out of the country.

When you don't have schools for your children, when you don't have functioning hospitals, when you don't have access to water and electricity, when your house has collapsed and you don't have the means to rebuild it, you will be forced to leave, said the ICRC expert. Moreover, according to the International Rescue Committee, 81% of Syrian electrical networks, 61% of water networks and almost 50% of healthcare infrastructures have been destroyed due to the conflict.

Immediate action

Based on a survey by the UNHCR, the Lebanese Foreign Minister emphasised that around 355,000 Syrians say they are ready to return from Lebanon in the next twelve months, provided they receive financial and material support. He added that it is imperative not only to support their return, but also their reintegration in Syria's reconstruction efforts. To this end, he called for the lifting of sanctions on key sectors in Syria, to move from immediate recovery to full reconstruction.

In Brussels, the European Union has committed to providing Syria with almost 5.8 billion euros over two years to facilitate its recovery; however, the sum represents little more than a pittance for a country in which Americans, Turks, Iranians, French, Russians and Israelis, not to mention Islamic groups, have fought at one time or another. All this is in addition to the losses due to the economic sanctions imposed by the US-branded Caesar Act. Since the beginning of the year, Qatar, the European Union and Canada have announced the partial lifting of some of the sanctions affecting key economic sectors in Syria, such as food and energy. Finally, referring to the arrival last week of over 13,000 new refugees fleeing the massacres of Alawite civilians in the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous, Joe Raggi explained that this does not mean that we have to agree to replace one refugee with another.

The housing crisis in Lebanon has worsened considerably since the war between Israel and Hezbollah (2006-2008) and Israel's destruction of about 70 villages in southern Lebanon, rendering them uninhabitable. The Foreign Minister, who met his Syrian counterpart, finally thanked the UNHCR, the United Nations agencies, the EU and international partners (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, Norway, Switzerland, South Korea and the Gulf States) for their assistance. In conclusion, the head of diplomacy in Beirut extended an official invitation to visit Lebanon to Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission.
by Daniele Frison

Human rights activist Xavier William told AsiaNews that access to the only church in a Pakistani correctional facility has been restricted. Opened in 2009, the place of worship was used by about 200 Christian inmates. Former PM Imran Khan is among the prisoners held in the facility. For William, a balance must be found between security and religious freedom; he urges prison authorities to review this decision.

Rome (AsiaNews)  About 200 Christians are victims of abuse, discrimination and aggression in Rawalpindi Central Jail, Punjab Province, this according to Xavier William, a human rights activist.

Speaking to AsiaNews, the 37-year-old said that the inmates religious freedom is being restricted during Lent after access to the facilitys church was curtailed.

The maximum-security penitentiary, which is also known as Adiala Jail, is the first correctional facility with a church. When it was inaugurated in 2009, it was hailed as a significant step forward for the country.

Adiala Jail currently holds former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, some of his aides, as well as some high-profile terrorists.

Restrictions were imposed following a major security lapse when a prisoner managed to escape last month. Six prison officials were suspended for negligence.

The crackdown came down particularly hard on Christian inmates since they only have access to the church for two hours on Sundays.

I visit them in prison and in court, Xavier William explained. They are already facing many difficulties, both inside the prison and with the judicial system. They are forced to clean the cells and suffer repeated abuse. Now they are even denied access to the church, to pray or engage in activities for their spiritual growth.

The activist has been working for over a decade with groups defending the rights of the marginalised. In recent years I have fought in the cases of Asia Bibi, Rimsha Masih and other people wrongly accused, he said.

The living conditions inside reflect the hostilities faced by Christians on a daily basis even outside the prison walls. In the most disadvantaged areas, life is a real nightmare, William laments.

The measures taken by the prison administration raise serious questions about religious freedom and the rights of minority communities in Pakistan.

Shutting down the church, after a prisoner escaped, is a lopsided response, which disproportionately affects Christian prisoners in a country where this community represents 1.8 per cent of the population."

The measure undermines their ability to observe important religious traditions, such as spending extended time in prayer and reflection in the run-up to Easter, William said. For this reason, he calls on the Minister of Prisons, the General Inspectorate of Prisons and all the competent authorities to intervene.

It is urgent that the management review this decision, ensure the reopening of the church and allow Christian prisoners to practise their faith without undue restrictions," William added. "Balancing security measures with the protection of religious freedoms is essential to uphold the principles of justice and equality in Pakistan."

The activist has certain suggestions. Instead of banning access to the church, safety protocols during religious activities should be improved," he proposes. This can be done by increasing the number of supervisors during worship hours, and implementing stricter controls at entry and exit, aided by video surveillance technology to monitor activities without interrupting prayer.

William goes on to also suggest staggered access to the church, and appointing trusted spiritual advisors or chaplains to oversee religious activities, working closely with prison authorities. And special provisions should be made for religious holidays like Lent, Ramadan, Christmas and Easter to facilitate spiritual observance.

In case security concerns require action, it would always be necessary to involve religious representatives and prisoners' leaders to develop joint solutions, so that the measures are perceived as just and necessary, rather than discriminatory.

Finally, it would also be appropriate to establish a committee composed of prison authorities, religious representatives, and human rights defenders to periodically review policies. To ensure a constant balance between security and religious freedom.
The National Assembly of Laos has completed its examination of the new draft constitution, which aims to strengthen local administrations, promote a self-sufficient economy, and strengthen the role of the Peoples Prosecution Office in legal proceedings. Among the novelties, there is also the explicit recognition of the Laotian diaspora as an integral part of the nation.

Vientiane (AsiaNews)  The National Assembly of Laos has just completed the review of the draft of a new constitution, a process the Southeast Asian country customarily undergoes every decade or so.

From Monday till today, Laotian lawmakers discussed a series of important changes to the country's political and legal structure with the aim of empowering local governments and developing an independent economy, goals that echo changes neighbouring Vietnam went through recently.

The latest round of constitutional revision in Laos began in June last year, with the announcement by the government of the creation of a special commission.

In accordance with the provisions of existing legislation, the bill was made available in January on the website of the Ministry of Justice to facilitate the consultation process, even if the draft legislation says nothing about how comments would be used.

Promulgated for the first time in 1991, 16 years of the founding of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Laotian Constitution was amended in 2003 and 2015, inaugurating the practice of revising the fundamental charter every 10-12 years, in a relatively short period of time.

In August 2021, the 30th anniversary of the 1991 Constitution, the president of the National Assembly, Xaysomphone Phomvihane (son of Kaysone Phomvihane, the first leader of the Laotian People's Revolutionary Party, the countrys sole ruling party), stressed the need to amend the constitution in response to changes in modern times, while a few months earlier he had declared that the planned changes will better support the Party and governments development goals, led by Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

Unlike the past, constitutional amendments have become more important for the party, some noted. The changes in the draft revision are not yet final, but they signal Laoss ambition to overcome its status as an underdeveloped country.

Article 13 introduces the concept of an independent economy and emphasises the importance of stable, self-sufficient and environmentally sustainable growth.

Local media have also highlighted Laoss willingness to reduce its dependence on external factors while attracting more sustainable investment.

Much like Vietnam, Laos also intends to include innovation, science and technology as key drivers of future economic growth.

To achieve these economic objectives, the local administration will be rebooted. The 2015 Constitution provides for management structured around individual executive roles (governors, mayors, and village chiefs).

The new text abolishes these positions and introduces government committees led by a president, a decision designed to decentralise decision-making and distribute power more evenly, local media report.

At the same time, the draft provides for the creation of an additional administrative level, called "ta seng", which would correspond to a sort of county, halfway between the district and the village.

This proposal probably serves to lighten the administrative burden of some districts and reduce the sense of distance the population feels towards government institutions.

The most important innovations, however, concern the judicial system. The amended constitution would strengthen the role of the Peoples Prosecution Office, which would be able to prosecute, a key change from its previous role, which was more about legal oversight and supervision. This would boost the government's control over legal proceedings.

The National Assembly will thus exercise greater control over the Supreme Peoples Prosecution Office, and ensure the central governments role in overseeing the countrys judicial institutions.

Another important change concerns the explicit recognition of Laotians living abroad as part of the national community. The draft mentions the Lao people rather than citizens, a term that seems to include those who emigrated in the past and acquired a new citizenship.

Although the text does not grant particular legal recognition to members of the diaspora, it could be a first step towards the inclusion of Laotian communities abroad, a sensitive issue due to the political divisions and consequent waves of migration that occurred after 1975.

After the end of the Vietnam War and the creation of a communist regime in Laos, about 300,000 people, out of a total population of 3 million, left the country crossing the border into Thailand.
One million Chinese will be living in Japan by next year, according to some estimates, driven by families enrolling their children in academies linked to Japans animation industry, where the best talents are offered the possibility of permanent residence. About 70 per cent of foreign students today come from mainland China, but distrust is growing towards them.

Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies)  With the easing of visa requirements, the number of Chinese immigrants in Japan continues to rise and it is estimated that by 2026 the number will exceed one million, driven by a singular factor, manga and the animation industry.

Kyoto University of Arts is one of Japan's leading art institutions and has attracted many Chinese students in recent years. According to Nikkei Asia, the number of Chinese students in Japan's leading art schools has increased significantly in recent years, and now make up 70 per cent of the total number of international students.

This is closely linked to obtaining permanent residency in Japan. By attending these schools, Chinese students can obtain the qualification of highly skilled talents, by virtue of which they could obtain permanent residency in Japan for their parents as well.

This disguised immigration channel opened in 2017, when the Japanese government reduced the number of years to be eligible for permanent residency and  simultaneously  with the "Cool Japan" initiative promoted the development of popular culture industries, implementing preferential measures for foreigners working in related sectors.

The trend eventually spread from the big cities to the most remote areas of Japan, those that are depopulating due to the countrys demographic crisis caused by fewer births and the shift to large metropolitan areas.

In rural Japan, schools suffer from declining enrolment, and Chinese families are trying to take advantage of this opportunity.

Chen Lifu, a Taiwanese scholar who was formerly a researcher at Waseda University's Asia-Pacific Research Center, told Radio Free Asia that the wave of Chinese immigration to Japan began in the Deng Xiaoping era, when China was generally poor and migrants were willing to travel to remote rural areas in Hokkaido to work in farming.

During the Hu Jintao era, Chinese people moved to big cities to buy property and invest.

After Xi Jinping's rise to power, internal control became increasingly strict, and the policy of common prosperity frightened the middle class, who feared that their life savings might be wasted. So the idea of investing abroad turned into a real desire to "make money" abroad.

After Xi Jinping imposed the national security law in 2019 to crack down on protests in Hong Kong, many mainland migrants picked Japan as their destination of choice rather than the former British colony and Macau.

This is having repercussions in Japanese society, with many political parties expressing concerns about Chinese penetration and possible repercussions on local culture.

Suspicions have been triggered by historical wounds that have shaped relations between the two countries and by new fears related to the growth of Chinese military power in East Asia and Southeast Asia.

This was compounded by recent tensions created by Chinas campaign against the release of Fukushima waters, only recently lessened with the agreement on the resumption of exports of Japanese fish products to China.

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On the feast day of St Joseph, the episcopal ordination of Mgr Raymond Wai Lin Htun, presided over by Card Charles Maung Bo. The Archbishop of Yangon warns against ethnic divisions: Can we give in to the temptation to treat others on the basis of man-made identities, when instead we are all Children of God created in his image?

Yangon (AsiaNews)  On the solemnity of St Joseph, the Church in Myanmar experienced the joy of the episcopal ordination of the new auxiliary bishop of Yangon, Mgr Raymond Wai Lin Htun, a 48-year-old priest appointed by Pope Francis on 27 December last.

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, the archbishop who will assist him in his ministry, presided over the solemn rite that also became an occasion to reflect on the Church's ministry in the country, now four years immersed in the drama of civil war.

In his homily, Cardinal Bo entrusted to the intercession of St Joseph the thousands of people who, as happened to him with the Holy Family, are now internally displaced in Myanmar and are dealing with the anguish of their sons and daughters who have been forced to flee their homes, suffer from hunger and are afflicted by despair.

Quoting the new bishop's motto - which reads In hope we are saved (Romans 8:24) - and the times of crisis and uncertainty that the country is experiencing, the Archbishop of Yangon invited Monsignor Wai Lin Htun to be firm in the faith, like Abraham, who trusted in God's promises even when everything seemed impossible.

To have faith not in earthly solutions, but in the unshakeable providence of God, who remains sovereign even in the darkest hours. Remind the people - added Cardinal Bo - that God's justice and peace will prevail, even if we cannot see it yet.

Finally, the Archbishop of Yangon took the opportunity of the ordination of the new auxiliary bishop to once again invite the country to unity. The only war we need to fight, he said, is the war against hatred and division.

He also warned the Christians of Myanmar against this demon. Can we identify ourselves with a cultural identity similar to a caste or with any other identity? Can we give in to the temptation to treat others on the basis of identities that are man-made, when instead we are all Children of God created in his image?

In this Lenten season, concluded Cardinal Bo, let us repent for our divided hearts. Let discrimination based on cultural identities such as castes and tribes die at the foot of the Cross and may Christ reign in our hearts. Let hope be reborn. May all our wounds be healed and may the healing of our nation and the whole world begin.
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20 March 2025 20:17 (UTC+04:00)

From 12:30 to 15:15 on March 20, units of the Armenian Armed Forces intermittently opened fire with small arms from their positions located in the directions of the villages of Khanzakh in the Gorus district and Zarkand in the Basarkecher district, targeting the positions of the Azerbaijani Army.

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20 March 2025 10:23 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijans Energy Minister, met with Hugo Guevara, Charge daffaires of the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan.

The meeting saw discussions on the contribution of the Azerbaijan-US Energy Partnership to the energy security of the region and European countries. The parties reviewed new cooperation opportunities within Azerbaijan's projects and initiatives of international importance in the fields of oil and gas and renewable energy.

Minister Shahbazov provided information about the renewable energy course, which ensures Azerbaijan's diversity in energy mix and wide diversification in energy supply. He noted that the first phase of the green energy development plan, which involves meeting domestic needs and increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity generation capacity to 33%, is nearing completion. According to the minister, measures are currently being taken to strengthen the network, and new projects related to the creation of additional renewable energy capacities are being considered. Additionally, the parties discussed the implementation of green energy interconnectors with Turkiye, Europe, and Central Asia and emphasized the importance of supplying energy to Europe from clean energy sources.

The sides also exchanged views on the Southern Gas Corridor and the Green Energy Advisory Council.
20 March 2025 16:07 (UTC+04:00)

Azerbaijan has proposed the establishment of Tax Centers in various countries of the Intra-European Organization of Tax Administrations (IOTA) to enhance cooperation and operational efficiency.

Azernews reports that Orkhan Nazarli, Head of the State Tax Service (STS) under the Ministry of Economy, shared this initiative in an interview with IOTAs official website.

Notably, Nazarli is set to assume the presidency of IOTA in June 2025. He emphasized that his tenure will focus on strengthening IOTAs financial stability, expanding its geographical scope, and optimizing operations:

"For this purpose, a number of strategic proposals have been put forward and are currently being evaluated by the relevant IOTA Working Groups."

Nazarli outlined several key measures for IOTAs financial sustainability, including a fair methodology for calculating membership fees, efficient use of resources, and exploring investment opportunities.

"To increase the global impact of the organization, it is planned to attract new full and associate members. In addition, it is proposed to amend the IOTA Charter so that associate members can apply for full membership after being in this status for at least two years."

Additionally, the Azerbaijani official highlighted plans to enhance IOTAs activities through closer cooperation with research institutions, the creation of a Tax Academy, and a strategic partnership with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which already manages a network of Multilateral Tax Centers (MTCs) worldwide.
20 March 2025 14:49 (UTC+04:00)

Armenia supports a balanced approach when deciding on the venue for signing a peace treaty with Azerbaijan, and discussions on the time and place have not yet taken place.

Azernews reports, citing Armenian media, that this was stated by the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan.

He noted that Armenia had not proposed a specific location for the signing but suggested that it would be logical to choose some balanced option.

Addressing why the Armenian government has not published the text of the document, Grigoryan stated that during public discussions, society has already received detailed information about the content of the agreement.

I understand that there is public interest in the agreement. However, given that there is no agreement on the time and place of signing yet, we continue our work. When this happens, the text will be made public, he added.
20 March 2025 09:58 (UTC+04:00)

Qabil Ashirov Read more

Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijans Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a telephone conversation with Caspar Veldkamp, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The telephone conversation saw discussions on various aspects of the Azerbaijan-Netherlands relations, as well as the post-conflict situation and realities in the region.

The FMs stressed the importance of the mechanism of political consultations between the two countries ministries of foreign affairs with respect to discussing the current state and prospects of bilateral relations, reciprocal visits, and contacts within international organizations.

Minister Jeyhun Bayramov briefed his Dutch counterpart about the current situation and realities in the region, including the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process. He emphasized that although negotiations on the peace agreement text have concluded, an amendment to Armenias constitution to eliminate claims against Azerbaijans sovereignty and territorial integrity is a prerequisite for signing the negotiated text.

Additionally, Bayramov stressed the need to abolish the outdated and ineffective Minsk Group and related structures of the OSCE.

Moreover, FM Bayramov provided information about the court proceedings of the Armenian citizens and separatist leaders accused of committing large-scale crimes against Azerbaijan. He said that following the conclusion of the anti-terror measures, Azerbaijan had demonstrated a humane approach by letting over 10 thousand members of illegal Armenian detachments leave its territories. Minister Bayramov further noted that the detainees are accused of committing crimes against humanity, adding that the smear campaign against Azerbaijan regarding the allegedly unfounded detentions is groundless. In this vein, Jeyhun Bayramov informed the Dutch Minister about the opinion of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, published on 13 March 2025, rejecting the Armenian sides claims.

The conversation also included an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest.
20 March 2025 12:04 (UTC+04:00)

Nazrin Abdul Read more

A program to introduce the Azerbaijani business environment to Turkish business representatives was organized in Istanbul.

Azernews reports that in this regard, an iftar program was organized in Istanbul with the support of the Turkiye-Azerbaijan Business Council of the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK).

The event was attended by representatives of the Turkish Ministry of Trade, DEIK, the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association, SOCAR Turkey, PASHA Investment Bank A.S., as well as representatives of institutions and companies representing construction, tourism, mining, energy, textile, food, healthcare, and other sectors. Within the framework of the program, participants, including Turkish businessmen attending the event, were informed about the business and investment environment in our country.

Azerbaijani Trade Representative in Turkiye Tamerlan Tagiyev informed the participants about the opportunities, incentive mechanisms, and benefits created for investors in our country. The Trade Representative stated that appropriate support measures are being implemented for entrepreneurs who want to set up business in Azerbaijan and invited Turkish businessmen to invest in our country.

Selcuk Akat, Chairman of the Turkiye-Azerbaijan Business Council, spoke about the activities of the organization he leads and the positive experiences of Turkish business representatives in Azerbaijan.

The event featured a video clip prepared by the Trade Representation of Azerbaijan in Turkiye, reflecting information on investment and trade opportunities and incentive mechanisms in our country, as well as a presentation on the opportunities created for investors in our liberated territories, discussed the potential for cooperation, and answered questions.
20 March 2025 10:54 (UTC+04:00)

According to the release, the Armenian side fired from positions located in the direction of the Arpa settlement of the Keshishkend region.

As reported by Azernews, citing the Azerbaijan Defence Ministry's release, on March 19, from 19:00 to 19:10, units of the Armenian armed forces opened fire on the positions of the Azerbaijani Army.

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20 March 2025 13:43 (UTC+04:00)

SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf met with John Ardil, Vice President for Global Exploration and New Projects at ExxonMobil Corporation.

Azernews reports that satisfaction was expressed with the participation of ExxonMobil Corporation in projects implemented at the initiative of Azerbaijan, and the importance of the existing cooperative relations between the companies was noted.

 During the conversation, views were exchanged on the activities of ExxonMobil and SOCAR in local and foreign countries, innovations, new projects being implemented, priorities, and common interests.

Partnership opportunities for new projects to be implemented in Azerbaijan were considered, and other issues of mutual interest were discussed.
20 March 2025 17:17 (UTC+04:00)

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Slovakia is in talks with Azerbaijan regarding gas supplies while hoping that peace talks in Ukraine will enable the restoration of Russian gas transit to Europe.

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20 March 2025 01:25 (UTC+04:00)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his support on Wednesday for President Trumps initiative to implement a limited ceasefire with Russia.

Zelensky stated that one of the initial actions to end the war could involve halting strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. He added that Ukraine is ready to take this step, confirming their commitment to its implementation.

According to Zelensky, such measures are essential for laying the groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement during the ceasefire.

The U.S. had proposed that both sides cease attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure as a starting point for a broader peace deal. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a nearly three-hour phone call on Tuesday, followed by a conversation between Zelensky and Trump on Wednesday.

Zelensky further mentioned that Ukrainian and U.S. officials will address technical aspects related to expanding and implementing the partial ceasefire.

Both Ukrainian and American teams are also scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace.
20 March 2025 15:45 (UTC+04:00)

Armenia will open the Margara border crossing on the Armenian-Turkish border from March 21 to 31 to facilitate the transportation of humanitarian aid to Syria via Turkiye, Azernews reports via Turkish media.

The Armenian government made the decision at a meeting held on March 20.

The government has amended the decision on border crossing points adopted on May 12, 2011. That decision provided for the closure of the Margara crossing point. The project was prepared by the Prime Ministers Office. They noted that the adoption of the new decision will allow for faster and cheaper delivery of goods to Syria, the report states.

The last time the Margara border crossing was opened was from February 11 to 17, 2023, to send humanitarian aid to Turkiye after the earthquake.
20 March 2025 22:50 (UTC+04:00)

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In January and February, China reduced its volume of Russian oil imports by 12.6% year-on-year, totaling 15.47 million tons, Azernews reports.

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20 March 2025 22:20 (UTC+04:00)

By Alimat Aliyeva

The armed forces of the Republic of Korea and the United States have successfully completed the large-scale military exercises, Freedom Shield, which began on March 10, Azernews reports.

These maneuvers demonstrated the joint defense capabilities of both nations and strengthened coordination between their military forces, according to a statement from the organizing committee. The exercises were based on realistic threat scenarios, taking into account potential changes in the composition of forces and assets within the North Korean army. The training also incorporated the DPRK's evolving tactics and strategies, as well as the growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, drawing from a range of international armed conflicts.

General Kim Myung-soo, the head of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, highlighted the importance of discussions with the head of the joint US-South Korean command, noting that the military cooperation had significant implications for the security of the Korean Peninsula, particularly in the context of the growing ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

These exercises were the first major drills held under the second administration of U.S. President Joe Biden. They were part of ongoing efforts to ensure robust defense preparedness and coordination between the allies. In addition to Freedom Shield, South Korea and the United States conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises every August, which simulate a full-scale war scenario.

The completion of Freedom Shield underscores the deepening military collaboration between the U.S. and South Korea amid heightened tensions in the region, particularly with North Korea's increasing provocations and its strengthening ties with Russia.
20 March 2025 20:10 (UTC+04:00)

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Saudi Arabias holdings of US Treasury securities stood at $126.9 billion in January, reflecting a $10.6 billion decrease from December, according to the latest US Treasury data, Azernews reports, citing Arab News.

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20 March 2025 23:25 (UTC+04:00)

A special program was held Wednesday in the Turkish capital Ankara to highlight the deep-rooted ties between Turkiye and Switzerland as part of the year-long commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Friendship Treaty signed between the two countries, Azernews reports, citing Yeni Safak.

Hosted by the Swiss Embassy, the event focused not only on the historical relationship but also on the future of Swiss-Turkish cooperation in diplomacy, trade, culture and innovation.

Swiss Ambassador to Turkiye Guillaume Bertrand Scheurer emphasized that this milestone represents a century of mutual trust, respect and collaboration. He noted that Switzerland and Turkiye have built strong connections over the years in various fields, including diplomacy, economic relations, education and cultural initiatives.

As part of the centennial celebrations, several events are planned to further strengthen bilateral engagement. One key highlight is the Swiss Traces in Ankara: Through Schwarzenbach's Lense photography exhibition curated by Burcak Yakici, which will explore Switzerland's historical footprint in Ankara.

The exhibition will be open from April 11-24 at the Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum, with an official inauguration on April 10 attended by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Beyond cultural initiatives, economic cooperation remains a priority. Later this year, the Switzerland-Turkiye Economic Forum will take place in Istanbul, bringing together business leaders, policymakers and researchers to discuss sustainable green infrastructure and innovation. The forum aims to create new avenues for collaboration and investment between the two nations.

Ambassador Scheurer also expressed his gratitude to Turkish institutions and sponsors for their support in organizing the centennial activities, emphasizing that this anniversary is not just an opportunity to reflect on the past but also a moment to look toward the future.

Switzerland remains committed to working closely with Turkiye to build a future rooted in shared values, innovation and sustainable development. As the centennial celebrations continue, both nations have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their dynamic and evolving partnership.

The event in Ankara concluded with a reception following the speeches.
20 March 2025 21:15 (UTC+04:00)

A jury in the United States has ordered Greenpeace to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages in a defamation lawsuit brought by oil pipeline operator Energy Transfer, raising serious free speech concerns, Azernews reports, citing Al Jazeera.

The environmental advocacy group has said it will appeal Wednesdays verdict, which came almost a decade after activists joined a protest led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Access Pipeline, in one of the largest anti-fossil fuel protests in US history.

The jury in North Dakota awarded more than $660m in damages across three Greenpeace entities, citing charges including trespass, nuisance, conspiracy and deprivation of property access.

Energy Transfer, a Texas-based company worth $64bn, celebrated the verdict and has denied attempting to stifle speech.

We would like to thank the judge and the jury for the incredible amount of time and effort they dedicated to this trial, the company said in a statement.

While we are pleased that Greenpeace will be held accountable for their actions, this win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace.

The nine-person jury in Mandan, North Dakota, deliberated for two days, in the trial which began in late February, before finding in favour of Energy Transfer on most counts.

However, a group of lawyers who monitored the case, calling themselves the Trial Monitoring Committee, said many of the jurors had ties to the fossil fuel industry.

Most jurors in the case have ties to the oil and gas industry and some openly admitted they could not be impartial, although the judge seated them anyway, the committee said in a statement, following jury selection.

Greenpeace plans to appeal the verdict. Greenpeace International is also countersuing Energy Transfer in the Netherlands, accusing the company of using nuisance lawsuits to suppress dissent. A hearing in that case is set for July 2.

The fight against Big Oil is not over today, said Greenpeace International General Counsel Kristin Casper.

We know that the law and the truth are on our side.

The water protectors of Standing Rock

Energy Transfers case against Greenpeace dates back to protests in North Dakota almost 10 years ago.

In April 2016, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe set up a protest camp along the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline route to stop construction, calling themselves water protectors.

The camp continued for more than a year, drawing support at first from other Indigenous people around the country and later from other activists, including environmental organisations like Greenpeace, and even hundreds of US Army veterans.

Even as wintry conditions set in and hundreds of police patrolled the protests with waves of violent arrests which also targeted journalists, the Sioux and their supporters remained in place.

According to Energy Transfers lead lawyer Trey Coxs closing arguments, Greenpeaces role involved exploiting the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to advance its anti-fossil fuel agenda, according to the North Dakota Monitor.

But Greenpeace maintains that it played only a small and peaceful role in the movement, which, it says, was led by Native Americans.

As one Lakota organiser, Nick Tilsen, testified during the trial, the idea that Greenpeace organised the protests is paternalistic, according to the Lakota Times.

Despite the protests, the pipeline, designed to transport fracked crude oil to refineries and on to global markets, became operational in 2017.

Energy Transfer, however, continued its legal pursuit of Greenpeace, initially seeking $300m in damages through a federal lawsuit, which was dismissed.

It then shifted its legal strategy to North Dakotas state courts, one of the minority of US states without protections against so-called Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP).

Drill, baby drill

Wednesdays verdict is another win for the fossil fuel industry, as President Donald Trump promises to open up the US to fossil fuel expansion, with his campaign slogan of drill, baby drill, including by eliminating air and water protections.

Throughout the years-long legal fight, Energy Transfers billionaire CEO Kelcy Warren, a major Trump donor, was often candid about his motivations.

His primary objective in suing Greenpeace, he said in interviews, was not just financial compensation but to send a message.

Warren went so far as to say that activists should be removed from the gene pool.

Critics call the case a textbook SLAPP, designed to silence dissent and drain financial resources.

It comes as the Trump administration is also seeking to instate a wider crackdown on freedom of expression across the country.

In a post on Bluesky responding to Wednesdays verdict, author and journalist Naomi Klein noted that attacks on protest and freedoms affecting different movements including climate, Palestine, labor, migrant, trans and reproductive rights should be seen as related.

Fossil fuel companies should be forced to pay the public trillions in damages for the costs of planetary arson, Klein added.

Meanwhile, climate change is already contributing to increasingly severe and frequent disasters in the US and around the world, including recent fires in California, and an unprecedented inland hurricane in North Carolina.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe filed a new lawsuit last October against the US Army Corps of Engineers, which has jurisdiction over a section of the pipeline upstream from the Standing Rock Reservation, arguing that the pipeline is operating illegally and must be shut down, according to the North Dakota Monitor.
The UK's new Labour Party government is faced with its first by-election (special election) for a parliament seat. The special election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent Labour member of parliament after he was convicted of assaulting a constituent. The parliament constituency of Runcom and Helsby is considered one of Labour's safest seats where its candidate won by 35 points in last year's general election.

Labour's problem is that the first poll for the by-election shows the populist nationalist anti-immigration ReformUK Party, led by Brexit hero Nigel Farage leading and on track to take the seat away from them. ReformUK winning a Labour safe seat in a by-election would be an earthquake in British politics.

Reform's message is to close the migrant hotels and deport the illegal aliens. Labour's candidate as a local government leader has been a vocal supporter of "welcoming" the migrants and providing them furnished apartments. Now she is trying to reinvent herself by putting up an online petition to close a migrant hotel within the consituency. Reform is blasting her for talking out of both sides of her mouth.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/2029705/reform-runcorn-and-helsby-by-election

The UK will finally hold local elections in one third of its local jurisdiction in May, after Labout delayed them trying to fend off ReformUK. Polls for that election show ReformUK in the lead at 36% followed by Labour at 30% with the Conservatives third. Farage recently held a press conference to announce that 29 local elected officials from other parties, mostly Conservatives, had defected to Reform and would run for reelectoin on their ticket.

Illegal immigration is a leading issue, with ReformUK saying they are the only party voters can trust on that issue, pointing to Labour's open borders policies and the failure of the last Conservative government to do much about the problem. Growing disenchantment with the NetZero climate policy https://www.rcpatelpolytechnic.org/ championed by Labour and its cost to average people is also a major issue. The Conservatives recently in a major policy announdement said NetZero was impracitcal and would bankrupt the UK so they were now opposed to it going forward. ReformUK shot back that it was the Conservatives who had first made it government policy while Reform has always opposed it, calling it "Net Stupid".

https://conservativehome.com/2025/03/18/kemi-badenochs-policy-renewal-speech-no-more-net-zero-by-2050-it-is-impossible-without-bankrupting-britain/
The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland is now 1.5%

Employee jobs in Northern Ireland have hit a new high of 832,180 though typical monthly pay dropped in the last month, job market reports have revealed.

The quarterly employment survey said employee jobs had risen over the quarter to December, and over the year.

According to the report, released by the Department for the Economy, there were rises in employee jobs in the manufacturing, construction and services sectors.

And data provided by HMRC showed that the number of employees receiving pay through PAYE in NI last month was 809,300, an increase of 0.2% over the month and of 1.3% over the year.

There was median monthly pay of 2,295 in February 2025, a decrease of 2 over the month but an increase of 137 over the year.

The separate labour force survey for November to January puts the unemployment rate at 1.5%, unchanged since the quarter before, and down 0.7 percentage points over the year.

And the employment rate was unchanged over the quarter and decreased by 0.5 percentage points over the year to 72.2%.

The total number of weekly hours worked in NI was estimated at 29.2 million hours, a decrease of 1.8% on the previous quarter and an increase of 1.9% on the equivalent period last year.

The economic inactivity rate was unchanged over the quarter and had increased by 1 percentage points over the year to 26.6%.

But the separate claimant count for February was 40,800, or 4.2% of the workforce  up 3% from previous periods revised figure. And it was 36.5% higher than pre-pandemic count.

However, the latest annual total of proposed and confirmed redundancies is considerably lower than previous year.

The NI Statistics and Research Agency, acting on behalf of the Department for the Economy, said it had received confirmation that 90 redundancies occurred last month.

Over the year March 2024 to February 2025, 1,880 redundancies were confirmed, which was approximately three-quarters of the figure for the previous year.

There were 150 proposed redundancies in February, taking the annual total to 3,060, which was around four-fifths of the figure for the previous year (3,920).

And the quarterly employment survey reported that employee jobs increased over the quarter by 0.2%, and rose over the year by 1.6% to 832,180 jobs in December 2024.

According to the department, the figure of 832,180 was a series high.

Rachel Richardson, director of the employment team at law firm DWF in Belfast, said the figures showed sustained strength in the face of tough economic circumstances.

And she said that employers faced an ongoing juggle between balancing demands for increased pay with rising costs.

Mark McAllister, chief executive of the Labour Relations Agency, said the data on employee jobs could be an encouraging sign.

However, increases in employee national insurance contributions which will apply from next month were imminent, he added.
NI holistic therapist on truth about viral anxiety hacks and what can actually work: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is

How do we separate actual advice from the nonsense? Clodagh Traynor speaks to holistic therapist Amanda Brown to explore why managing anxiety is rarely as simple as following whats found online

Amanda Brown, founder of Amanda Brown Holistic Therapies

Clodagh Traynor Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 08:00







Based in north Belfast, Amanda Brown specialises in womens wellness, offering personalised treatments to address physical and emotional imbalances. Her approach focuses on restoring balance, relieving stress, and promoting overall wellbeing.
China urges U.S. to immediately cease blockade against Cuba

Xinhua) 08:51, March 20, 2025

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday that China opposed the abuse of coercive diplomacy and urged the United States to immediately cease its blockade against Cuba and remove Cuba from its unilateral list of "state sponsors of terrorism".

Mao made the remarks when asked to comment on the U.S. new visa restrictions against Cuba. Recently, the U.S. announced an expansion of visa restrictions against Cuba, alleging that Cuba's overseas medical services were suspected of "forced labor." Foreign ministers of the Caribbean community member states have recently raised concerns about U.S. policies, and multiple Caribbean countries' leaders have also criticized these measures.

Mao said according to Cuba's medical authorities, over the past six decades, Cuba had overcome its own difficulties to dispatch more than 600,000 medical professionals to over 60 countries worldwide, and they had provided medical services to over 230 million people, performed more than 17 million surgeries, and saved over 12 million lives. Cuba's overseas medical cooperation has been widely welcomed by Caribbean governments and peoples, she added.

Mao said allegations of "forced labor" had become an excuse and a tool for the U.S. to suppress dissenting voices, adding that the new restriction on Cuba represented a continuation and intensification of the six-decade-long blockade and sanctions against Cuba by the U.S.

She said China urged the U.S. to take concrete actions to improve U.S.-Cuba relations, and genuinely contribute to Caribbean nations' development.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
If the box office was dropping, hed do something outrageous so that people would go and buy tickets: Actor Jared Harris on his father Richards legacy
Daughter of murdered Belfast man Ian Ogle speaks out after killers jailed: There are no winners in this

Five men were sentenced for the father-of-twos murder yesterday

Toni Ogle reacts to sentencing of men involved in her dad Ian's murder

Liam Tunney Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 07:00

The daughter of an east Belfast man murdered in a frenzied attack in January 2019 has said her family will always be grieving his death after his killers were sentenced yesterday.
The murder scene where Constable Robert McPherson was shot in Dungiven in July 1975

Two men in their 70s are to be handed over to the authorities in Northern Ireland to face charges relating to the murder of an RUC officer nearly 50 years ago.
Northern Irelands significant history of trauma must be factored into the proposed welfare cuts before carrying them out, the regions Mental Health Champion has warned.

The Labour Government announced major changes to health and disability benefits this week as Westminster seeks to cut spending, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer claiming that the current welfare system is discouraging people from working.

The proposals would see significant changes to those receiving welfare and disability support.

These include stricter eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), the scrapping of Work Capability Assessments and an increase in the minimum age to claim Universal Credit.

Professor Siobhan ONeill

Professor Siobhan ONeill said that Stormont must make a strong argument to the Government that Northern Ireland should be treated differently. Although welfare is devolved, the cash-strapped Executive may have little choice but to adopt the reforms.

Prof ONeill said that Northern Irelands significant history of trauma and violence has led to a disproportionate increase in mental health issues here.

We could ask our Executive to step in with mitigations and not to have these cuts implemented here but they dont seem to have the resources to do that, Prof ONeill said.

But they need to be making a very strong argument that Northern Ireland is different from other parts of the UK. We have a significant history of trauma and violence that has affected the mental health of our population.

We have high rates of PTSD and theyve gotten a lot worse, actually, over the past 20 years. Theyve changed from 5.1% to 6.1%. And thats higher than other places worldwide, and certainly higher than other parts of the UK. And the Troubles accounts for that difference.

At the end of last year, up to 318,000 people were economically inactive in Northern Ireland. This includes sick, the disabled, students and unpaid carers.

PIP can be claimed by people regardless of their work status and is not means-tested.

The two components of the benefit are for daily living and mobility, with the maximum weekly payment being 184.30.

Prof ONeill said there are a number of circumstances that can affect someones ability to work, with significant stigma around mental health making it more difficult for those seeking to enter the workplace. She said: Theres so many things that impact on whether a person is able to go to work, go out to work or be economically productive, and mental health problems are part of that.

Theres still a lot of stigma and this is making the stigma worse. Employers would maybe be less likely to recruit somebody with a mental health problem.

Another myth that this seems to be contributing to is the idea that mental illness is somehow different from physical illness and that its not real in some way, that its not a real impairment, that you should still be able to work.

Thats not the case  and to say that somebody with a mental illness thats not treated should just be back out in the workplace, thats completely unrealistic.

Crude estimates based on UK total numbers suggest that up to 35,000 PIP claimants here could now miss out on the payments as a result of the new proposals. The Professor of Mental Health Sciences at Ulster University pointed to those losing out being at risk of suicidal thoughts.

The most recent figures from NISRA show that suicide rates double in Northern Irelands most economically deprived areas.

Now, a quarter of the people who are on payments in Northern Ireland have those mental health conditions, which are also a risk factor for suicidal thoughts, said Prof ONeill.

So Im really concerned that all of that together will mean that people will feel like a burden associated with suicide and feel that theres no hope for them  that things are hopeless.

Because the reality is that simply taking money away from someone doesnt make them go back to work and it wont.

To tackle the relationship between mental illnesses and welfare, Prof ONeill proposes providing people with the right kind of support to return to employment.

She further stressed the need for a greater emphasis on early intervention and prevention to reduce issues such as the transgenerational transmission of trauma by supporting parents in those vulnerable areas.

Prof ONeill added: What we need to do is invest in programmes and support employers to employ people with poor mental health. Give them a bit extra there so that youre nearly incentivising that and providing support for people, particularly young people.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said: The planned PIP changes raise cross-cutting issues for the Executive and the Health Minister expects detailed discussions to be held with Ministerial colleagues around the Executive table.
Firefighters deal with two buses on fire at an industrial estate in Dunmurry on March 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Firefighters deal with four buses on fire at an industrial estate in Dunmurry on March 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Firefighters deal with four buses on fire at an industrial estate in Dunmurry on March 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

The owner of five buses destroyed in a blaze at an industrial estate in Dunmurry said the damage has cost his business around 100,000.

It happened in the Seymour Hill area, with the fire service receiving the call at around 10.15pm on Wednesday.

Police have confirmed the blaze is being treated as deliberate arson.

Ben Allen of Allens Tours, based in Sandy Row, said the company has lost half its fleet and the cost of the blaze will be significant.

Firefighters deal with four buses on fire at an industrial estate in Dunmurry on March 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Mr Allen said five of his fleet had been left as scrap metal, and that he had jumped into one of the buses to move it away from the blaze at the yard.

Allens Tours runs popular open-top bus tours, as well as day trips from Belfast to the Giants Causeway.

He believes the yard was targeted in an arson attack. On receiving the phone call, I raced round to the yard and the fire service was there trying to get the vehicles out, he said.

I actually jumped into one of the buses and moved it myself out of the fire.

I have 20 employees here who could have been coming in today with no work.

Its only thanks to the fire service that Ive been able to save some of the buses and keep everybody on.

There are five buses completely gone. Theyre just scrap metal now. Theres another one that has quite a bit of damage, but its repairable, and Ive another four or five that Ill be able to continue operating with.

Its made me more determined to succeed. I only started last April and we now have over 50% of the market here in Belfast.

Ill maybe look at doubling the fleet now that its made me so determined.

He explained: I dont think its an accident.

Firefighters deal with four buses on fire at an industrial estate in Dunmurry on March 20th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott)

Firefighters battle double bus fire at Dunmurry Industrial estate

We have CCTV and we can actually see where, from the river side, somebody has squirted petrol in underneath, but that will be up to the fire service and the police to investigate.

Despite his determination, Mr Allen said the cost of the blaze will be heavy.

I would estimate, at the moment, that were looking at 80-90,000, but Im just glad 20 people can come into work today.

Id like to thank the fire service for what they did on last [Wednesday] night.

Mr Allen has made an offer of free tours for any firefighters and their families for the rest of the month if they wish to come into the city centre.

On BBC NIs Good Morning Ulster, NI Fire and Rescue Service group commander Danny Ard described it as an intense fire.

We had an additional challenge with nearby power cables, so it was quite an intense fire for crews to deal with, and getting enough water down to deal with such an energetic fire was challenging for crews, he added.

A spokesperson for NIFRS said: Firefighters were called to reports of buses on fire on Seymour Hill Mews, Belfast, on Wednesday evening.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one jet and two hose reels to extinguish the fire.

The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation and the incident was dealt with by 12:52am.

The PSNI said: Officers received a report from our colleagues at Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service at approximately 10.15pm on Wednesday that buses were on fire at Seymour Hill Industrial Estate.

Officers attended the scene, and noted that the buses were totally destroyed while another had sustained significant damage.

We remain at the scene carrying out enquiries and are treating this fire as deliberate arson.

Anyone that could help with our investigation is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference number 1764 of 19/03/25.

We would be particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have been in the vicinity of the lower end of Seymour Hill housing estate, Seymour Hill Industrial Estate or the Lagan tow path between 9.30pm and 10pm, who either witnessed suspicious activity or may have dashcam or other relevant footage.
A much loved DUP mayor who died following a short illness will be laid to rest this weekend as flags across the borough she served are lowered as a mark of respect.

Alderman Beth Adger MBE, from Ballymena, passed away peacefully in hospital on Tuesday.

According to a funeral notice she was a much loved wife of Tommy, loving mother of Gordon, Nicky, Lisa, Aaron, Brian, James, Rodney, Martin and Laura [and] a devoted grandmother and great grandmother.

The Braid representative, who had served as mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough since last June, was also remembered as a dear sister of Robert, Jane, Billy, Brian, David, Marie, Esther and the late Tom.

A funeral service will take place in Wellington Presbyterian Church at 12pm on Saturday before burial in Ballee Cemetery.

The family has requested donations in lieu, if desired, for Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Air Ambulance NI.

Always loved and never forgotten by her husband, family and family circle at home and Australia, the funeral notice adds.

I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; 2nd Timothy 4 v 7.

Ms Adgers son Gordon confirmed her death on social media on Wednesday morning as he expressed great sadness at having to say farewell to the true North Star of our lives.

"A woman overflowing with love, honour and dedication to everyone in her life showed us all what it meant to be loved, he added.

"We will miss your laughter, your smile, your words of encouragement, your words of wisdom. We'll even miss being told off. "

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council expressed deep sadness at the loss of our esteemed mayor and said flags will fly at half-mast across all town halls in the borough as a mark of respect.

. "Alderman Adgers contribution to our borough was immense and her loss will be deeply felt across every corner of our community, it said in a statement.

She was a woman of exceptional strength, compassion and unwavering commitment, who dedicated her life to public service.

"Elected as a councillor for the Braid area in May 2014, she was re-elected in 2019 and again in 2023. She twice served as deputy mayor (2019-2020 and 2022-2023) and, in June 2024, she was designated as mayor, a position she held with distinction until her passing.

Her political career spanned more than two decades and, throughout that time, she was known for her tireless dedication to her constituents.

The statement said that as a member of the DUP, Ms Adger strived to improve the lives of everyone in the local community.

"She was a passionate advocate for local businesses, community groups and charitable causes, it continued.

Alderman Adger was not only a dedicated politician but also a champion of her community. Born and bred in Carnalbanagh, she was a proud daughter of the local area and her commitment to it was unwavering. As a foster mother to many children over the years, she was devoted to her family, exemplifying kindness, compassion and dedication.

The strong advocate for fostering was praised for her own resilience in the face of personal hardship after undergoing a chemotherapy trial in England when she was only 17-years-old after which she vowed to dedicate her life to helping others.

The council said she worked tirelessly with various organisations including Barnardos and the Asthma Society and passionately supported causes such as the Air Ambulance NI and the Cystic Fibrosis Trust always putting the needs of others first.

[Ms Adger was] a true leader who dedicated her life to the betterment of others. Her contribution to our community will never be forgotten and her memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her, the statement concluded.

Northern Irelands Deputy First Minister said she was "so deeply saddened by the passing of the wonderful woman who was hailed as a tireless worker.

Emma Little-Pengelly said Ms Adger had served her constituents "with commitment and dedication" and exemplified kindness and compassion, always putting others before herself.

"A foster parent, friend, champion for so many," she added.

DUP leader Gavin Robinson also expressed a deep sense of grief following the loss of a woman who he said served the borough with unwavering commitment.

"She was a dedicated councillor, a respected public representative, and as both deputy mayor and mayor, she led with distinction, he said.

"Beyond politics, Beth's life was one of service  both to her community and to those in need.

"As a foster parent, she exemplified kindness and compassion, always putting others before herself.

"This is a deeply sad time for Beth's family, and they are in our thoughts and prayers."
The Government has faced criticism over its announcement of an overhaul of the welfare system

The Labour Governments changes to the welfare system will mean that some of societys most vulnerable people will be seriously impacted, according to a social security law researcher.

The measures are expected to save more than 5 billion-a-year in 2029/30, with changes to eligibility for Pip (personal independence payments) expected to account for the largest proportion of savings.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the proposals will help support people into work, as the current social security system was "failing the very people it is supposed to help and holding our country back".

Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick, lecturer in law at Ulster University

But University of Ulster lecturer Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick said: We're absolutely going to see starkly rising levels of poverty.

And disabled people at the minute are barely making ends meet. So, all those people that lose their entitlement to personal independence payment are going to be very seriously impacted.

A DfC spokesperson said: Officials are continuing to work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to understand the full implications of the changes announced yesterday for Northern Ireland.

"The Minister will continue to engage with the UK Government to ensure that this happens, and also with Executive colleagues as Northern Ireland does not have the resources to mitigate against these changes.

What are the major changes?

It will become harder to qualify for PIPs, which financially support people suffering from physical or mental health conditions that inhibit day-to-day activities.

The condition must be expected to exceed 12 months and claimants must be over the age of 16.

A recipients income or savings does not impact their amount they can receive, with the maximum weekly payment being 184.30.

The Government said it will bring in a new eligibility requirement for a minimum score of at least four points regarding how much help the person needs with everyday tasks (the daily living element of the benefit).

No change is being proposed for the mobility element, which looks at how much help someone needs in getting around.

The Government confirmed the change means that people who only score the lowest points on each of the PIP daily living activities will lose their entitlement in future.

Westminster will also be scrapping the work capability assessment for for universal credit by 2028. Individuals will instead by assessed via their PIP eligibility.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

Will Northern Ireland be affected?

Despite being a devolved area, Northern Ireland typically mirrors Westminsters decisions on the issue of welfare.

However, it has had mitigations in place here for years in the aftermath of the bedroom tax and benefit cap.

The Executive does possess the power to develop their own rules for PIP but any changes made would have to be funded out of Stormonts budget.

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said mitigations for the new changes could cost 150m, but the money isnt there to fund them any longer.

Who will be hit hardest by the cuts?

Dr Fitzpatrick warned that young people aged between 18-22 are a personal worry outlined in the proposals.

She explained how this demographic typically consists of care leavers and trauma victims who have been in and out of the care system.

Those suffering from fluctuating states such as muscular skeletal illnesses and neurodivergent conditions, such as autism, are also expected to be among the hardest hit.

Young people with vulnerabilities are really in the firing line here, she said. I'm particularly worried about young people who have mental health issues and young people with neurodiversity.

How many people will be affected?

Over 217,000 people were receiving in Northern Ireland were receiving PIP as of November of 2024. Nearly a quarter of those receiving it lived in the Belfast area.

Estimates point to upwards of 35,000 people in Northern Ireland missing out on the changes to PIP rules.

Dr Fitzpatrick warns that proposal will spell devastating affects in Northern Ireland due to rising levels of poverty.

I can't put it into strong enough words how devastating this is for the Northern Ireland economy, the researcher said.

She added that taking into account the current cost of living crisis means unless they [claimants] have parents and carers who have the means, we're going to see a lot of struggling families.
People in the street celebrating VE Day in London, marking the end of the Second World War in Europe in 1945.

Crowds waving their flags at the VE Day 60th Anniversary concert at Trafalgar Square in 2005.

Sinn Fein has opposed a boost to community grants aimed at helping people celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Despite the opposition, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Councils community committee approved a 14,525 increase to the street party budget  it is now just under 60k.

The local authoritys funding pot had been oversubscribed with a majority of councillors now backing a move to give almost all 86 applicants a 700 grant. The fund is for groups wanting to mark the anniversary of Germanys surrender on May 8, 1945, which ended the war in Europe.

A council officer said: The council agreed to develop and implement, as part of its overall VE Day 80 programme, a small grant fund to allow local groups to apply for financial assistance to undertake community initiatives.

This grant has an upper threshold of 700 with an overall budget of 45k.

All applicants were deemed successful with a total of 59,525 applied for.

The overspend of 14,525 can be earmarked from in-year underspend in the leisure and community wellbeing department budget.

The committee had previously heard the VE (Victory in Europe) Day funding pot would be shared between an estimated 64 groups.

Previous council budgets for major community events saw 35,000 grants for local groups, with each gaining a maximum of 500 for D-Day commemorations as well as a 46,000 fund for the Queens Platinum Jubilee and 52,495 for the Kings Coronation.

Sinn Fein representative Gary McCleave said: We cant support this increase and we have already raised concerns on the amount of money being spent by the council on this.

Due to the division in chambers, the matter of increasing the VE Day community budget was taken to a recorded vote.

Some councillors from the 16 member committee had declared an interest as they were members of the Royal British Legion, and were then required to leave the discussion and vote.

Both Sinn Fein members  Mr McCleave and Daniel Bassett  voted against with SDLP representative John Gallen abstaining.

However, the vote was carried with a total of six in favour.

Crowds waving their flags at the VE Day 60th Anniversary concert at Trafalgar Square in 2005.

News Catch Up - Thursday 20 March
How school was plunged into acrimony by claims one of its teachers was behind infamous GAA Catfish controversy

Niamh Farrell says she was falsely accused and has secured a High Court injunction

The Two Johnnies. Photo: Ruth Medjber

Ellen Coyne and Tim Healy Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 11:44

One south Dublin secondary school has been plunged into acrimony, threats of protests from parents, secret filming and a legal row after it was claimed online that one of its teachers is the woman behind the infamous GAA Catfish controversy.
A United Nations expert said Ireland has an obligation to comply with the provisions of the Occupied Territories Bill, even without having legislation enacted.

Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said international law requires Ireland to ban goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements.

She said that was based on a finding from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the occupation is unlawful and trade with illegal Israeli settlements should not continue.

Ms Albanese, an Italian lawyer, travelled to Dublin on Thursday to hold a series of meetings with politicians and visit the Dail before meeting President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain.

Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur, following a press conference at Buswells Hotel in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

Speaking to reporters, Ms Albanese said Ireland should not be doing business as usual with Israel.

If Ireland acted according to international law, it probably wouldnt need an Occupied Territories Bill, but it would still have an obligation under the ICJ advisory opinion not to have its companies or banks or pension funds, or any financial institutions involved and universities involved with Israel, she said.

Dont look at the border of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, this is a state endeavour.

There is a (Israeli) minister today that takes decisions over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

We are cutting history and cutting as we please our obligation according to international law. But this leads to the erosion of the system that has protected many of us.

She also called on the Irish Government to review its financial ties with Israel, adding that the Occupied Territories Bill should have been enacted years ago.

She said Israeli attacks on Gaza is ethnic cleansing.

Its ethnic cleansing in order to exercise, to realise greater Israel. They are saying that, its not me. They are saying that that they will retake Gaza, they will rebuild Gaza, she added.

Its not President Trump. This is Israels plan. This is the chance for this government, in particular, to gift the people of Israel with what remains of Palestine, the spoils of Gaza.

The plan will end the moment there will be no Palestinian breath left.

She added that the genocide in Gaza is being live-streamed and televised in real time.

Francesca Albanese in Dublin on Thursday (Brian Lawless/PA)

She also accused Israel of failing to respect its ceasefire with Gaza.

These days are very dark for the Palestinians.

Dont call it a return to war. This is not a breach of a ceasefire that Israel itself never fully respected. This is Israel acting to finish the job it started, erasing the Palestinian from Palestine, with the green light from the US.

This is genocide, and we cannot name it if we do not see it.

Today there is an obligation to prevent genocide, to stop genocide, and then to punish so it makes absolutely no sense to say that governments cannot embrace the fact that that is genocide because the court has not said it.

We cannot just wait for a court to prevent a genocide. This is nonsense. Its hiding behind the finger.

There are 18,000 children dead, and they will continue to die. States have a duty to prevent and stop genocide. They have failed.

Its shocking that (EU) member states are still behaving as if we were in the 19th century, really, colonial mentality, 2.0.

She added that the illegality of trading with illegal Israeli settlements is so serious and irredeemable that EU member states have an obligation not to deal with Israel.
Tanaiste Simon Harris speaking to the media as he arrives at Government Buildings, Dublin, ahead of a Cabinet meeting (Brian Lawless/PA)

Ireland is highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence in the face of threatened tariffs by Donald Trump, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Simon Harris said that Ireland will have to engage with its foreign direct investment based in the Republic.

However, he also told the Dail that regardless of who is in the White House, many US multinationals still want to do business in an EU market.

US tariffs of 25% on all imports of steel and aluminium products and derivatives came into effect worldwide on March 12.

Mr Trump later threatened a 200% tariff on imported alcoholic drinks from the EU.

Mr Harris made the remarks in response to queries from Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who said the Government must provide clarity about how its plans to deal with US tariffs.

Ms Bacik said: What I want to raise with you today is how we in Ireland respond to US President Trump, and first on the impact of Trumps proposed tariffs, because here we are hearing that US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are already scenario-planning for moving manufacturing to the US.

Like all of us in this House, many people I represent are employed directly by US multinationals, and Im hearing already from constituents who fear they may lose their jobs, who are worried about the impact upon their families, being about being able to pay their rent or their mortgage.

Amid this uncertainty, as we await the detail of Trumps plans, and indeed, the EU response, Tanaiste, you must give what clarity you can to those who are living in fear.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik speaking to the media at Leinster House in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA)

She said that around 7% of workers in the Republic are directly employed by US businesses, while US companies pay nearly seven billion euros in wages.

Of course, (they make an enormous contribution to corporation tax receipts, Ms Bacik added.

We couldnt be more exposed in terms of jobs and in terms of our economy from the risk of tariffs.

It was also agreed that Government would brief opposition parties next week on how tariffs will impact Ireland.

Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: We are highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence.

We have got to control what we can control in terms of what we can do here in Ireland.

We have got to work as part of and as members of the European Union where, of course, trade policy is at.

He added that many US companies have decades of experience carrying out their business in Ireland.

We are also, though, approaching a position of relative strength because regardless of politics, there is also a reality that many companies are based in this country not for the weather, but because it is a good place to do business. It is a good place to access the European market.

Regardless of who is in the White House or what policies are pursued, it is a statement of fact that many American multinationals still want to do business in a market with more than 400 million people.
Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell has appeared in court charged with embezzlement.

Murrell, 60, appeared at a private petition hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

He made no plea or declaration and was committed for further examination and bailed.

The charge relates to Police Scotlands long-running Operation Branchform probe into SNP finances.

Murrell is separated from former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who announced earlier this year that the couple have decided to end their marriage.

In the months after Ms Sturgeon announced her resignation as first minister in February 2023, Murrell was arrested in relation to Operation Branchform.

He was later re-arrested and charged in connection with the alleged embezzlement of party funds.

Ms Sturgeon was also arrested in relation to the same probe, as was former party treasurer Colin Beattie.

The case relates to Police Scotlands probe into the SNPs finances (PA)

They were both released without charge pending further inquiries.

A request from Police Scotland for advice and guidance into the investigation regarding Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie has been responded to, a spokesperson for Scotlands prosecution service said.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) spokesperson said regarding Murrells court appearance: Professional prosecutors from COPFS and independent counsel are dealing with this case without involving the Lord Advocate or Solicitor General. All Scotlands prosecutors operate independently of political influence.

These matters are active under the Contempt of Court Act 1981. The provisions of this Act protect the integrity of proceedings, preserve access to justice for victims, and secure the rights of people accused of crime.

Anyone publishing items about active cases is advised to exercise caution as material must not be commentary or analysis of evidence, witnesses or accused. Contempt of court carries penalties of up to two years in prison and/or an unlimited fine.

Addressing the investigation into Ms Sturgeon and Mr Beattie, the spokesperson added: A request from Police Scotland for advice and guidance in an investigation into a 73-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman has been responded to.

The request was handled as part of a large-scale wider inquiry and without delay on the part of the prosecution service who recognise its significance.

Where allegations are made against people or institutions in which the public have placed trust, it is the responsibility of the authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to determine if there is evidence that criminal conduct has occurred.

We understand public curiosity about this investigation. However, the Crown does not publicly share details of confidential inquiries where there are no proceedings in court. This protects the rights of the individuals concerned who are entitled to a presumption of innocence.
The UK called on Vladimir Putin to commit to a full and immediate ceasefire as Russian forces continued to bombard Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the Russian leader should agree to the US and Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.

Military chiefs from the UK and its allies were meeting to discuss how a peacekeeping force could operate in Ukraine to deter further Russian attacks if a deal to end the war is reached.

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That could mean British forces currently guarding Natos eastern flank being redeployed to Ukraine, with other allies filling the gap.

Calls this week between US President Donald Trump, Russias Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky have failed to produce the 30-day ceasefire envisaged by the White House.

Instead Mr Putin agreed to a truce on striking energy infrastructure, although Ukraine has said other civilian targets including a hospital had been struck.

Mr Lammy, who spoke to his US counterpart Marco Rubio on Wednesday night, said: Putin must commit to a full and immediate ceasefire without conditions  as Ukraine has done.

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As military leaders from the coalition of the willing prepared for talks in the UK, armed forces minister Luke Pollard set out some of the ways a peacekeeping mission could operate.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today: If one nation offers fast jet combat air, like a Typhoon aircraft, for instance, how will the other nations work alongside it? Where will it refuel?

How will it operate with other nations capabilities?

Its that type of planning that were doing today to make sure that any force in or around Ukraine can be as credible as possible and, importantly, support our Ukrainian friends to defend their country and their front line, because it will be for them that this is primarily designed to support.

He added that the talks would also consider if a deployment means moving a military asset or capability thats already deployed, how can we backfill those commitments to make sure that were not simply moving all our available resources into one location and leaving other flanks of Nato exposed.

Mr Pollard pointed out we already have UK forces along the eastern flank of Nato in Estonia, for instance, to deter Russian aggression against the Baltic states.

Downing Street said the military leaders would be involved in granular planning of the details of any potential deployment.

Mr Zelensky said he believes a lasting peace can be achieved this year after his call with Mr Trump.

In the same call, Mr Trump suggested that the US takes ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

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Mr Zelensky was updating European Union leaders on the discussions during their summit in Brussels on Thursday.

Overnight, Mr Zelensky said Russia carried out a series of drone attacks.

Last night, the Russians launched nearly 200 Shahed drones and decoy UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), he said.

A massive attack on the Kirovohrad region left 10 people wounded, including four children, and caused damage to homes, a church, and infrastructure.

British military intelligence officials estimate 200-250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the 2022 invasion, the countrys largest losses since the Second World War.

Russian President Putin and the Russian military leadership highly likely prioritise their conflict objectives over the lives of Russian soldiers, the assessment released by the Ministry of Defence said.

They are almost certainly prepared to tolerate continuously high casualty rates so long as this does not negatively affect public or elite support for the war, and those losses can be replaced.

In total there have been an estimated 900,000 casualties, including the wounded, with the bulk of military personnel drawn from impoverished regions and ethnic minorities, the defence intelligence update said.
Olivier Grondeau spent more than 880 days in prison (MEAE/CDCS via AP)

A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for more than 880 days has been freed and is back home, as is another French citizen held under house arrest in Tehran, French officials have said.

The pairs liberation came as France and the rest of Europe are trying to jump-start talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations.

Mr Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support of Yemens Houthi rebels as the American military has launched an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced online that Frenchman Olivier Grondeau had been freed.

The French Foreign Ministry said another French citizen who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months had been released on Wednesday night. He had asked not to be publicly identified, the ministry said.

The release came ahead of Nowruz, the Persian new year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past.

In January, Mr Grondeau spoke to a French broadcaster from prison, alluding at the time to the politics at play in his imprisonment.

You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another, he said.

His lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said he had returned to Paris on Monday.

Hes in good hands. Hes recovering, the lawyer told The Associated Press.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote online that Mr Grondeau had been freed (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

An Iranian court had sentenced Mr Grondeau, a backpacker and world traveller, to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France did not provide anything in exchange for Mr Grondeaus liberation.

Mr Barrot told French broadcaster TF1 on Thursday that he had initially discussed the situation with Irans foreign minister but when those discussions failed to secure a release, it was via different means that we obtained this result. He did not elaborate.

Releases of westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately acknowledge Mr Grondeaus release.

Earlier this week, Irans foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case.

An image was circulated of Mr Grondeau, who was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz, on a private jet flying home.

Although the exact details of what sparked Mr Grondeaus arrest remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained for not wearing Irans mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities.

United Nations investigators later said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Ms Aminis death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country.

Most of the questions were, Did you take part in a demonstration, List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip, Why did you come to Iran? Youre not a tourist, Mr Grondeau said in the January phone call with French broadcaster France 2.

One day you think youre going to be freed very quickly, the next you think youll die here, he added.

He described lights being shone on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with more than a dozen prisoners.

Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: If you look for bruises on my body you wont find any, because they are not that stupid.

Mr Grondeau was held at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, which holds westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

Mr Barrot said that France was keeping up pressure on Iran to release two other French citizens held in Iran, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

Mr Macron also posted about the two, writing: All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.

Mr Grondeaus lawyer said the news about his release was tempered by the continued detention of the two others.

Were only half-relieved, she said.
Israeli strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to local health officials.

Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel ended their ceasefire with a surprise bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday.

The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate an area in central Gaza near Khan Younis, saying it would operate there in response to rocket fire from Hamas.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military restored a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, that it had maintained for most of the war.

Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel on Wednesday (Ariel Schalit/AP)

It warned residents against using the territorys main highway to enter or leave the north and said only passage to the south would be allowed on the coastal road.

It also announced an additional ground operation in northern Gaza near the already largely destroyed town of Beit Lahiya, where strikes have killed dozens over the past 24 hours.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to what remains of their homes in the north after a ceasefire took hold in January.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire that had halted the war and facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages.

Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal that departed from their signed agreement.

Israels military said on Thursday that it had killed the head of Hamass internal security apparatus in an air strike in Gaza.

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Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal that departed from their signed agreement. The Trump administration, which took credit for helping to broker the ceasefire, has voiced full support for Israel.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

The military said three rockets were fired out of Gaza on Thursday, with one intercepted and two falling in open areas. Hamas claimed the attack and said it had targeted Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels overnight before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported. It was the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

One of the strikes on Gaza early Thursday hit the Abu Daqa familys home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village just outside of Khan Younis near the border with Israel. It was inside an area the Israeli military ordered evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

The strike killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.

Another tough night, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble. The house collapsed over the peoples heads.

Israels military said Thursday that it killed the head of Hamas internal security apparatus in an airstrike in Gaza, where Israel says it has struck dozens of militant targets.More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

The military said three rockets were fired out of Gaza on Thursday, with one intercepted and two falling in open areas. Hamas claimed the attack and said it had targeted Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels early on Thursday before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported. It was the second such attack since the US began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

One of the strikes on Gaza early on Thursday hit the Abu Daqa familys home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village just outside of Khan Younis near the border with Israel. It was inside an area the Israeli military had ordered be evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

The strike killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.

Israel has resumed heavy airstrikes across Gaza (Leo Correa/AP)

Another tough night, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble.

The house collapsed over the peoples heads.

The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of militant targets across Gaza.

On Wednesday, Israeli ground troops advanced in Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire took hold in January, seizing part of a corridor separating the northern third of the territory from the south.

The announcement about passage to the south indicated troops will soon retake full control over what is known as the Netzarim corridor, stretching from the border to the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel, which has also cut off the supply of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to Gazas roughly two million Palestinians, has vowed to intensify its operations until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it holds  35 of whom are believed dead  and gives up control of the territory. The Trump administration, which took credit for brokering the ceasefire, says it fully supports Israel.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire agreement they reached in January after more than a year of mediation by the US, Egypt and Qatar.

Volunteers and rescue workers used a bulldozer to remove the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis (Mariam Dagga/AP)

Hamas, which does not accept Israels existence, says it is willing to hand over power to the western-backed Palestinian Authority or a committee of political independents but will not lay down its arms until Israel ends its decades-long occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Gazas health ministry said the overnight strikes killed at least 85 people, mostly women and children. Zaher al-Waheidi, the official in charge of records for the ministry, said a total of 592 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday.

The Indonesian Hospital said it had received 19 bodies after strikes in Beit Lahiya, near the border.

It was a bloody night for the people of Beit Lahiya, said Fares Awad, head of the health ministrys emergency service in northern Gaza, adding that rescuers were still searching the rubble from homes that were hit.

The situation is catastrophic, he added

Beit Lahiya was heavily destroyed and largely depopulated during the first phase of the war before Januarys ceasefire. On Wednesday, an Israeli strike on a gathering of mourners killed 17 people there, according to health officials.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Most of the hostages have been freed in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

Displaced Palestinians carried their belongings as they travelled from Beit Hanoun to Jabaliya after Israels renewed offensive in the Gaza Strip (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

Israels retaliatory offensive, among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were militants, but says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war at its height displaced around 90% of Gazas population and has caused vast destruction across the territory. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to their homes during the ceasefire, but many found only fields of rubble and the bombed-out shells of buildings.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest against his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the countrys head of internal security.

Police used a water canon to disperse the crowd after protesters tried to break through police barricades.

A mass march and demonstration on Wednesday outside the Israeli parliament continued into the late evening hours and ended with several arrests.
A US man who was abducted more than two years ago while travelling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration, the State Department said.

George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Talibans intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the US government as wrongfully detained the following year.

Secretary of state Marco Rubio said Mr Glezmann was on his way back to the US to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra, and praised broker Qatar for steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts which he said were instrumental in securing Georges release.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step, Mr Rubio said. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free all Americans unjustly detained around the world.

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Mr Glezmann is being accompanied back to the US, through Qatars capital Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for Donald Trumps administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier on Thursday that Mr Boehler had met a delegation that included Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Mr Glezmann, 66, has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organisation that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.

The release is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the normalisation of ties between the US and Afghanistan after the chaotic US withdrawal in 2021. Most countries still do not recognise the Talibans rule.

Mr Glezmanns release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The Talibans Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two US citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under US narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the US.

Unlike in that arrangement, the US did not give up any prisoner to secure Mr Glezmanns release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to a source.

Afghanistans Foreign Ministry confirmed Mr Glezmanns release on humanitarian grounds, saying the Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.

George Glezmann, centre, in Kabul (Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs/AP)

President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Mr Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

But Mr Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and vanished in 2022.

The FBI and Mr Habibis family have said they believe he was taken by Taliban forces, but the Taliban has denied holding him.

Representatives for Mr Habibi on Thursday cited what they said was overwhelming evidence that he was arrested by the Taliban after his home was searched by people identifying themselves as part of the Talibans security service.

We are confident that the Trump administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the US to move forward, one of Habibis brothers, Ahmad, said in a statement.

We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter and elderly parents for 953 days.
Thousands of people have gathered outside Istanbuls city hall for a second consecutive night to rally against the arrest of the citys mayor.

The detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent contender against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was viewed by many as a politically driven attempt to eliminate a key rival from the next presidential race.

He was arrested after a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday as part of investigations into alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices.

Ekrem Imamoglu (Alamy/PA)

Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.

The arrest of a popular opposition leader deepened concerns over democracy and sparked protests in Istanbul and elsewhere, despite a four-day ban on demonstrations in the city and road closures.

It also caused a shockwave in the financial market, triggering temporary halts in trading on Wednesday to prevent panic selling.

Mansur Yavas, the mayor of the capital Ankara and another popular opposition figure, joined the rally outside Istanbul city hall, calling on all opposition parties to join forces against injustices.

Police blocked a group of youths who attempted to breach a barricade to march toward Taksim, Istanbuls central square.

In Ankara, police fired tear gas to prevent students from advancing along a main avenue.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Achmad Ibrahim/AP)

Critics see the crackdown as an effort by Mr Erdogan to extend his more then two-decade rule after significant losses by the ruling party in local elections last year.

Government officials reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that the courts operate independently.

Omer Celik, a spokesman for Mr Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party, disputed allegations by the opposition that the detentions were government-orchestrated and urged respect for the judicial process.

What a politician should do is to follow the judicial process, he told journalists. None of us have any information about the content of the (criminal) file.

He also rejected accusations by the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP, that the mayors arrest amounted to a coup, saying: The name of our party, our president, can only be associated with democracy  on the opposite side of a coup.

Mr Erdogan accused the opposition of failing to respond to the allegations with evidence or legal arguments.

Protesters in Istanbul (Francisco Seco/AP)

Whether its about the diploma issue or matters of corruption and theft, the opposition never responds to the allegations brought forward by the judiciary, he said.

Instead, they confine the matter to political slogans, resorting to the easy way of provoking their base and deceiving the public.

Earlier, interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said authorities had detained dozens of people for sharing provocative social media content related to the mayors detention.

The authorities identified 261 social media accounts that shared posts that allegedly incited public hatred or crime, including 62 run by people based abroad, Mr Yerlikaya said. At least 37 of the suspected owners were detained and efforts to detain other suspects were continuing.

Imamoglus arrest came days before he was expected to be nominated as the Republican Peoples Partys presidential candidate in a primary scheduled for Sunday. The partys leader has said the primary will go ahead as planned.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over the mayors detention, saying it was a very, very bad sign for Turkeys relations with the European Union.

Riot police scuffle with protesters (Khalil Hamra/AP)

He said it was depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for the relationship between Europe and Turkey.

We can only call for this to end immediately and for opposition and government to stand in competition with each other, and not the opposition being brought to court, he said.

Prosecutors accused Imamoglu of exploiting his position for financial gain, including the improper allocation of government contracts.

In a separate investigation, prosecutors also accuse him of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, by allegedly forming an alliance with Kurdish groups for the Istanbul municipal elections.

The PKK, behind a decades-long insurgency in Turkey, is designated a terrorist organisation by Ankara, Washington and other allies.

Before his detention, Imamoglu already faced multiple criminal cases that could result in prison sentences and a political ban. He is also appealing against a 2022 conviction for insulting members of Turkeys Supreme Electoral Council, a case that could result in a political ban.
Pictured: Moment rapist arrested for alleged bail breach

Predator accused of driving around area he was banned from

Cops arrest Oisin McGranaghan

Sunday Life Reporter Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 14:00

This is the moment a self-confessed rapist was arrested by cops for breaching his strict bail conditions.
Jonathan Majors loves Meagan Good "so much".

Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors recently tied the knot

The 35-year-old actor recently married Meagan, 43, and Jonathan has admitted to loving life with the movie star.

During an appearance on the 'Sherri' show, Jonathan explained: "I said to Meagan yesterday, 'Today might be the happiest day of my life'. I love that woman so much. We fell in love."

The actor admitted that he "always" intended to marry Meagan.

He said: "We finally got to do it, but it was always the plan."

Jonathan also revealed that he actually asked Meagan's dad for permission to marry the actress.

The 'Creed III' star - who was previously married to DeVon Franklin from 2012 until 2022 - shared: "We had these rings, and we got them engraved in Hawaii after I spoke with her father again."

The loved-up duo met at the Ebony Power 100 Gala in November 2022, and Meagan recently admitted to being impressed by Jonathan's acting skills before they came face-to-face.

She told The Hollywood Reporter: "I had seen a lot of his work and I was just like, This kid is super talented.'

"I just remember thinking, Hollywood is a strange town, and when youre new to it, you dont know who to trust or whats what. I just want to say something and affirm him."

Jonathan still has vivid memories of their first-ever meeting, too.

The actor shared: "She said to me, I see you. I really love what youre doing. Keep going. I stood up straight and said, Yes, maam. We just looked at each other and that was that. And I didnt stop thinking about it."

Asked where he sees himself in five years' time, Jonathan said: "Me and Meagan, maybe a couple kids and my [11-year-old daughter], happy, at ease, not worried about anything."
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Justin Baldoni's lawyer has accused Ryan Reynolds of "arrogantly asking to be dismissed" from a defamation lawsuit.

Justin Baldoni launched legal action against Ryan Reynolds

The 48-year-old actor recently filed a motion to dismiss Baldoni's complaint, insisting that the 'It Ends with Us' director's accusations have no legal merit - but Bryan Freedman, Baldoni's lawyer, has now hit back at the 'Deadpool' star.

Freedman said in a statement: "Mr. Reynolds now attempts to reduce plainly cognisable claims to 'hurt feelings,' sending a clear message that bullying is acceptable.

"After lighting a match, Mr. Reynolds now seeks to run from the flames. It wont work. The Wayfarer Parties claims against him are real, and they are serious.

"Mr. Reynolds can appear on as many sketch shows as he wants and feebly try to make light of his current situation, but we will not stop until he is held accountable for his actions."

Reynolds - who is married to Blake Lively, Baldoni's former co-star - recently rubbished the defamation lawsuit.

Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, Reynolds' attorneys, said in a statement: "The entirety of Mr. Baldonis case appears to be based on Mr. Reynolds allegedly privately calling Mr. Baldoni a predator, but heres the problem - that is not defamation unless they can show that Mr. Reynolds did not believe that statement to be true.

"The complaint doesnt allege that. In fact, it suggests the opposite: that Mr. Reynolds genuinely believes Mr. Baldoni is a predator."

Reynolds's legal team insisted that the actor is entitled to "express his opinion of Mr. Baldoni".

They said: "Mr. Reynolds has a First Amendment right to express his opinion of Mr. Baldoni, which should be comforting to a group of people who have repeatedly called Ms. Lively and Mr. Reynolds bullies and other names over the past year."

Meanwhile, Lively previously launched a lawsuit against her 'It Ends With Us' director and co-star, accusing him of harassing her while making the romantic drama film.

The actress accused Baldoni of causing her "severe emotional distress".

Lively, 37 - who played Baldoni's on-screen love interest in 'It Ends with Us' - previously told the New York Times newspaper: "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted."

Baldoni later denied the allegations, with his lawyer describing the claims as "categorically false".
BENNINGTON  Timothy Payne is the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union boards choice to become the next superintendent of schools.

Payne, now principal of the Mount Anthony Union High School, was approved Wednesday evening by the board following an executive session.

The board also approved having Chair Scott McEnaney enter into contract negotiations with Payne, who was not present at the meeting.

"I'm grateful for the support of the school board, students, families, and staff," Payne said Thursday in an email. "This is an exciting opportunity for me to serve my community as superintendent. I am committed to Mount Anthony Union High School throughout the end of the school year, as they prepare for a transition of leadership as well."

He added, "I thought the process was very transparent. I felt supported, and I look forward to working with all of the folks who gave me this opportunity."

Prior to a board vote on the Payne's selection, McEnaney praised the superintendent search process, saying that the level of engagement we got from the community from the onset has been impressive and uplifting ... The level of engagement was impressive and inspiring. So, thank you to the community."

"I want to thank everyone who has been involved in this process," said board Vice Chair Nicol Whalen. "It has been a good, thorough process."

"And some of that was due to students participating in the process," said board member Ray Mullineaux. "Those students made impressions, strong impressions."

Payne was one of three finalists put forth by a superintendent search committee. The others were Cheryl Gonzalez, of Connecticut, who dropped out after telling SVSU officials she had accepted a position at another school district, and Daniel Serfass, superintendent of the Camp Hill School District in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Payne and Serfass participated in separate online candidate forums last week.

Payne, who has been a Bennington resident since 1994, has served as principal at MAUHS since 2021 and previously was principal at the MAU Middle School.

Prior to that, he was principal for nine years at Mount Greylock Regional School in Williamstown, Massachusetts. He also taught at MAUHS and at Mount Greylock.

Payne would become superintendent as of July 1 and replace longtime Superintendent Jim Culkeen, who is retiring as of June 30.
MONTEREY  Two brothers who were doing landscaping work outside a home off Brett Road were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Wednesday evening.

The pair appears to be among the 10 people detained by ICE in the Berkshires on Wednesday.

Someone walked into the Monterey Police Station at around 5:15 p.m. to report the men missing, according to the Monterey police log entry, which was obtained by The Eagle.

When officers responded to the location at 70 Brett Road, they learned that the men had been detained by ICE and taken to Boston, according to the log. Officers found their vehicles, equipment and personal items still at the site.

Officers then contacted the Great Barrington Police Department about the missing men and learned that ICE was in town.

Monterey Police Chief Brian Fahey said he was unaware that ICE had come to Monterey until he heard the report of missing persons and checked the log.

After an apparent lull in ICE activity since November  when two Berkshire men facing rape charges were detained by ICE  the agency appeared to have a list of individuals across the county who they picked up on Wednesday.

The detentions appear to stem from increased enforcement under the administration of President Donald Trump, who has promised mass deportation of immigrants who are in the country illegally. But there have been numerous reports in recent weeks of people being detained who have no history of criminal activity  regardless of their immigration status.

The two detentions in Monterey bring the total confirmed number so far from Wednesday to 10, said Fernando Leon, a community organizer with Berkshire Interfaith Organizing who is tracking and following up on these reports.

The others who were detained include three people at an auto body shop in Pittsfield, and five people in other places in the Berkshires  mostly in Pittsfield and Lenox, Leon said.

On Thursday morning, The Eagle spoke with an eyewitness, who asked not to be named, at Fourth Street Automotive in Pittsfield with the help of a translator app. The source said three people were taken on Wednesday by FBI and ICE agents, who came to the shop on the corner of Fourth and Lake streets in four black SUVs.

Of the three detained, one person was taken from the garage and the other two from the auto sales shop area, all in handcuffs, according to the man. He said he believes two of the three people taken into custody have work permits  or a government document that allows a foreign national to legally work in the U.S. for a specified period of time  while the other was in the process of obtaining one.

They came in, they took him and didnt say anything, he said, adding that he did not see a warrant. He said there were about 15 agents.

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield, said she was told by one of her trusted community partners in this space that ICE was "looking for certain individuals and whether or not they found them, they picked up people along the way.

"I have heard that at least one child does not have parents at home now because of this," Farley-Bouvier said, citing the same community source. "Some kids had one out of two parents picked up."

The Eagle has not been able to independently verify this information.

I know theres a lot of fear in the community. I definitely heard that, Farley-Bouvier said. People don't know if they should go to work, for sure.

Farley-Bouvier stressed that local and state law enforcement agencies were not involved in Wednesdays raids. "I want to make sure that's clear," she said.

Pittsfield Police Chief Thomas Dawley said ICE called the station on Wednesday morning as a "courtesy" to let them know about the agency's presence in the city that day.

Dawley said the agency did not provide information about which individuals or businesses may have been involved.

Mayor Peter Marchetti said he was not informed in advance that ICE was planning a raid in the community. He learned about the action on Wednesday afternoon, then spoke with Dawley.

As of now I still dont know why they're here. And I dont really know why anybody was taken into custody, Marchetti said.

I think were living in an ever-changing landscape  since Ive never experienced this before I dont know what Im expecting to be told, Marchetti said of the lack of information from federal channels. We're usually in the aftermath trying to figure out what happened."

Berkshire County Sheriff Thomas Bowler said his office was not notified that members of the agency were coming to the Berkshires.

"We're apparently left out of the loop," he said. "They're doing their own thing."

Six of the 10 people detained on Wednesday were taken to the ICE detention center at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, as well as to a detention facility in Burlington, Leon said.

ICE lists the Plymouth facility as the only one in the state for detainees. But ICE's Boston field office has a location in Burlington.

They were not taken to Burlington, Vt., Leon said. ICE does not have a facility in that state, according to the agencys website.

Leon said he believes that the arrests made Wednesday are not about legality of immigration status, but rather racism and abuse of power.

They are going against brown and Black immigrants, Leon said. Why are we normalizing incarcerating people for this?

Leon also said that it is hard to walk the fine line of unnecessarily frightening immigrants with reports of ICE activity, while at the same time, alerting them.

Fear spreads like wildfire and then people start acting irrationally," Leon said.

People should prepare for a worst-case scenario," and he is calling on all authorities, like superintendents and principals in schools to take this threat seriously and take action steps to help people.

As of Thursday afternoon, Pittsfield schools Superintendent Joseph Curtis said the district is aware of three city schools where students were affected by the raids in some way.

However, because student attendance fluctuates daily due to a variety of factors, it is not possible to directly attribute any specific attendance pattern to a single event," Curtis said. "Our priority remains ensuring that all students feel supported, safe and engaged in their learning environment."

At 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Curtis sent a letter to school families letting them know that, as of that writing, no ICE and other federal officials had been present at any of the citys 14 schools, or approached its buses.

As a precaution, all district and school leaders, secretaries, counselors and bus drivers have access to copies of a comprehensive procedure to follow if an ICE officer arrives at a school or approaches a bus, Curtis said. Those policies were distributed in January.

Maria Fuller, a Pittsfield-based Spanish interpreter, is connected with many immigrants who are grappling with fear.

The fear is so real that people are afraid of even sending the kids to school, Fuller said. That problem is also compounded by worry that child welfare workers will be alerted, she added.

Berkshire Immigrant Center Executive Director Melissa Canavan said that, while the center had not yet received any calls regarding Wednesdays ICE detentions, nor spoken with anyone in need of assistance, "we are here to support and to aid our Berkshire immigrant community."

"BIC staff can provide legal support for certain types of cases, make immigration attorney referrals, and connect individuals to local resources," Canavan wrote in an email. "Additionally, important updates on immigration policy and other resources and information about legal rights can be found on our website, berkshireic.org. If someone requires help, we strongly encourage them to contact BIC directly."

In Pittsfield, rumors of ICE activity in the Morningside community circulated on Wednesday. However, by Thursday morning, most residents didn't answer their doors or said they hadn't see any activity firsthand.

But some felt something was off in the neighborhood.

A Pine Street resident, who asked not to be named, said she has seen fewer people coming out of their houses in the past month, likely because theyre afraid of immigration enforcement. She noted the typically busy and diverse neighborhood has been much quieter; she used to see more people walking their kids to school every day.

Our area has never been like this, she said. We cant be pushed around like this  theyre scared.

Farley-Bouvier emphasized the importance of stepping up to help those who have been affected by the raids, and speaking out.

People need to raise their voices and say this is not OK. This is not OK, she said.

Picking up people randomly on the street, which is what seemed to have happened, without due process  I do not believe this is the value of this country, Farley-Bouvier said. Everybody deserves due process.
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.
Last year, we used this space to raise some hope that the Josh Billings RunAground might once again cross the finish line and hold its afterparty at Tanglewood. This year, were happy to say that hope has been validated by the leadership of two cherished Berkshire institutions.

Our Opinion: To finish at Tanglewood again would be a big win for the Josh Billings RunAground Yes, "to finish is to win"  but to see the Josh finish at Tanglewood again would be a particularly big win for the Berkshires.

As confirmed to The Eagle last week by race director Brian Berkel, the Josh will terminate and celebrate at the Berkshire home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. It feels great to be able to write that for the first time in six years. The pandemic sidelined the race in 2020 and the afterparty in 2021. Then in 2022, a contract dispute disrupted the tradition of ending and celebrating at Tanglewood. Add in 2023s cancellation due to forecasted inclement weather that never materialized, and its been a rough ride for the Josh over the last half-decade.

Now, though, a homecoming for the home stretch of one of the countrys oldest triathlons promises a welcome return to form for a beloved Berkshire event. Thats some good news when we desperately need it.

When we expressed hope that the Josh and Tanglewood might find a path to reconciliation under the light of new leadership, we apparently put our hopes in the right place. Kudos to Mr. Berkel, who took over the Joshs race director position amid a period of turnover and tumult and prioritized steering the event back toward Tanglewood. Credit is also due to the BSO, particularly president and CEO Chad Smith and director of Tanglewood facilities Bobby Lahart, for seeing the value in rekindling this relationship between two Berkshire institutions that mutually benefit from this shared tradition drawing participants from the world over to the heart of our country every September. Mr. Berkel also said the triathlons leadership is looking to work with Tanglewood to make sure we can preserve this tradition going forward  more good news for the Joshs future.

As with many big breakthroughs, there also were plenty of community stakeholders behind the scenes who helped move this from community conversation to realized rejuvenation. Mr. Berkel praised the Stockbridge Select Board to that end, and were grateful for those local leaders and everyone else who helped foster this development that will delight many Berkshirites and Josh enthusiasts beyond. And while we rejoice in the Joshs return to Tanglewood, Camp Mah-Kee-Nac deserves credit for holding down the fort by providing a finish line and festivities for the Josh amid a tough stretch in recent years.

Thankfully, it seems the Josh is over that hill, and the finish line at Tanglewood is once again in sight. In many domains, we are still clawing back what COVID took from us. In September, when Josh participants and supporters celebrate at Tanglewood for the first time since 2019, our Berkshire community will take back something big and beautiful.
Local public health officials said overall measles vaccination rates in the Berkshires are high enough to keep children protected from measles, but there are some concerning exceptions that would leave pockets of the county vulnerable to measles if, and when, exposed.
Saying the word conviction can elicit various reactions. Some resist conviction of sin, calling it uncomfortable. Others reject the guilty feelings associated with conviction. But Christians can take comfort in the biblical truths about conviction.

Lets examine a few of these comforting truths.

1. Conviction Reveals Gods Love for Us

When we experience conviction of sin, we may not realize it shows us something powerful: God loves us! In love, He convicts sinners of their need for salvation, and His rebuke and discipline toward believers, bringing conviction, stem from the Fathers loving concern.

God could allow His children to continue in sin without conviction, but He knows how damaging that would be. Sin leads to destruction. God doesnt want that for us, Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth said. Hell even wound us temporarily if thats what it takes to move us to action. If youre experiencing conviction about some sin, its an evidence that God loves you.

Our loving Father God wants what is best for us, much like a caring human parent, but more so. Actress Priscilla Shirer says she prays that her sons will feel convicted when theyre doing wrong.

The actress shared, One of the prayers I have prayed for my sons for a long time is, Lord, would you let the weight of conviction be so heavy on them that when they are trying to do wrong, they actually cant because theres such a gut level feeling of discomfort? They cant rest well; their gut feels uneasy, so they cant even enjoy food  like everything is just so uneasy.

When under conviction, remember that God loves you enough to make you uneasy about sin.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Denis Mamin
Kim Kardashian is reportedly "done trying to be reasonable" with Kanye West after his latest rant.

Kim Kardashian is 'appalled' by Kanye West's latest rant

The 47-year-old rapper launched into another hateful rant on social media this week as he attacked Beyonce and Jay-Z's seven-year-old twins Rumi and Sir in an unprovoked post.

An insider told PageSix: "Kim has had enough and shes done trying to be reasonable with Kanye when it comes to communication."

The source added that 'The Kardashians' star was "appalled" that her ex-husband "would use that kind of language about anybody, let alone when it comes to children".

It's said Kim, 44, has found his posts "shocking and offensive".

According to the insider, she thinks: "No matter what feud Kanye has going on with Jay and Beyonce, kids are off limits.

Kanye - who now goes by Ye - deleted the controversial post before re-sharing it hours later, and he insisted he didn't take it down to be a "good person".

He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "I need everyone to know that I took the post about Jay Z and Beyonces family down  because there was a possibility of my Twitter being cancelled."

Meanwhile, recent reports claimed Kim was considering changing her custody agreement after Ye released a song featuring their eldest daughter North West without her approval.

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, nine, Chicago, seven, and five-year-old Psalm.

According to TMZ, decision-making regarding their kids has become a point of contention.

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.

The 55-year-old music mogul is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, which he has denied.


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Israel on Tuesday unleashed its most intense strikes on the Gaza Strip since a January ceasefire, with rescuers reporting 220 people killed, and Hamas accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of deciding to "resume war" after a deadlock on extending the truce.

The White House confirmed that Israel consulted US President Donald Trump's administration before launching the wave of strikes, which rescuers said killed mostly women, children and elderly.

Netanyahu's office said the operation was ordered after "Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages, as well as its rejection of all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators.

"Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength," said the statement.

An Israeli official told AFP the military operation would "continue as long as necessary" and was expected to "expand beyond air strikes".

In a statement, Hamas said: "Netanyahu and his extremist government have decided to overturn the ceasefire agreement."

"Netanyahu's decision to resume war is a decision to sacrifice the occupation's prisoners and impose a death sentence on them," it said, accusing the Israeli prime minister of using the conflict as a political "lifeboat" to stay afloat amid domestic crises.

AFP footage showed people rushing stretchers with injured people, including young children, to the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis. Bodies covered with white sheets were also taken to the hospital's mortuary.

Mohammed Jarghoun, 36, was sleeping in a tent near his destroyed house in Khan Yunis when he was woken by huge blasts.

"I thought they were dreams and nightmares, but I saw a fire in my relatives' house. More than twenty martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women."

Ramez Alammarin, 25, described carrying children to hospital southeast of Gaza City.

"They unleashed the fire of hell again on Gaza," he said of Israel, adding that "bodies and limbs are on the ground, and the wounded cannot find any doctor to treat them.

"They bombed a building in the area and there are still martyrs and wounded under the rubble... fear and terror. Death is better than life."

Mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, the initial phase of the ceasefire took effect on January 19, largely halting more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza triggered by Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

That first phase ended in early March, and while both sides have since refrained from all-out war, they have been unable to agree on the next steps for truce talks.

Israel has also been carrying out near-daily strikes on Gaza, but not on the scale of Tuesday's operation.

In a post on Telegram in the early hours of Tuesday, the Israeli army said it was "conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip".

Gaza's civil defence agency reported more than 220 people killed, "most of them children, women and the elderly". At least 150 people were also wounded by the "aggression, aerial bombardment and artillery shelling".

Israel ordered all schools close to the regions neighbouring Gaza shut, as the government said it would ramp up military action against Hamas.

US envoy Witkoff told CNN on Sunday he had offered a "bridge proposal" that would see five living hostages, including Israeli-American Edan Alexander, released in return for freeing a "substantial amount of Palestinian prisoners" from Israel jails.

Hamas had said it was ready to free Alexander and the remains of four others.

Witkoff said Hamas had provided "an unacceptable response" and "the opportunity is closing fast".

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Trump's administration had been consulted ahead of Israel's Tuesday operation.

"As President Trump has made it clear, Hamas, the Huthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorise not just Israel, but also the United States of America, will see a price to pay -- all hell will break loose," she said in the televised interview.

During the first phase of the truce agreement, Hamas released 33 hostages, including eight deceased, and Israel freed around 1,800 Palestinian detainees.

Since then, Hamas has consistently demanded negotiations for the second phase.

Former US president Joe Biden had outlined a second phase involving the release of remaining living hostages, the withdrawal of all Israeli forces left in Gaza and the establishment of a lasting ceasefire.

Israel, however, seeks to extend the first phase until mid-April, insisting any transition to the second phase must include "the total demilitarisation" of Gaza and the removal of Hamas, which has controlled the territory since 2007.

The talks have been stuck at an impasse, and Israel has cut aid and electricity to the territory during the deadlock.

"It's so hard for me to think about what they're (hostages) going through right now because I know that feeling," freed Israeli captive Omer Shem Tov said in a recently released video.

"It's a terrible feeling and it has to stop as soon as possible."

Hamas' October 7 attack resulted in 1,218 deaths on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, while Israel's retaliatory response in Gaza has killed at least 48,572 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from both sides.
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Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, the creators of TV drama Adolescence, have accepted an invitation to attend a meeting in Parliament to discuss online safety with MPs.

The Netflix crime drama is about a boy accused of killing a girl in his class.

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This Is England star Graham plays 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.

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.

Co-creator of Adolescence Jack Thorne (Ian West/PA)

The programme examines so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture, which has led to misogyny online and bullying using social media.

Graham and Thorne received an invite to the meeting by Labour MP Josh McAlister, which he confirmed to the PA news agency had been accepted with a date to be decided on.

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It comes after Thorne advocated for the show to be shown in UK parliament and schools, with Sir Keir Starmer indicating that it should during Wednesdays Prime Ministers Questions.

The British prime minister said he watched the programme with his children, and added that this violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem, its abhorrent, and we have to tackle it.

During an interview with BBC Twos current affairs programme Newsnight, Thorne said he hopes we can use this moment to provoke this government to consider quite serious change.

He referenced that the Australian senate has passed a social media ban for young children.

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Thorne said: I would extend it further, it is about gaming too, and its about getting inside all these different systems.

Entertainment Adolescence creator says social media users have s... Read More

He admitted there were good things about social media and gaming, but stressed the government should legislate to protect teenagers and see what change that could bring to our society.

Australia is set to make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars if they systematically do not prevent those younger than 16 from holding accounts.

Thorne also said the issue is not just about controversial influencer Andrew Tate, adding this is why the series has struck a chord worldwide.
British actor Bella Ramsey has described receiving their autism diagnosis as freeing.

The 21-year-old said their diagnosis had been helpful to better understand their identity.

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Fronting the cover of British Vogues April issue, Ramsey is best known for co-starring alongside Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal in the post-apocalyptic drama The Last Of Us.

They said: Ive spoken a bit about neurodivergence before, but I always for some reason didnt want to. I felt like I didnt want to say what it was.

I got diagnosed with autism when I was filming season one of The Last Of Us.

Ramsey, who rose to fame playing noblewoman Lyanna Mormont in the fantasy series Game Of Thrones, described the diagnosis as freeing.

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They added: It enables me to walk through the world with more grace towards myself about not being able to do the easy everyday tasks that everyone else seems to be able to do.

The label of being autistic has been so helpful to me because thats helped me to understand myself, but gender and sexuality-wise, labels do not feel comfy for me in any capacity, because I feel like Im putting myself into a box. I feel trapped.

It does make me a bit sad that people who arent in the public eye can explore their gender identity or sexuality in private.

Thats a privilege I dont really get any more. If I did want to explore other things, like facets of my gender identity, that would be done publicly.

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As much as I would try and keep it private, if someone recognises me on the street, say if Im presenting differently, (and) takes a photo, then that is just talked about.

Ramsey won the best young performer Bafta award in 2019 for their role in The Worst Witch  a CBBC drama about a school for witches.

They also received an Emmy nomination in 2023 for their role playing teenager Ellie in The Last Of Us, the TV adaptation of the hugely popular video game which is set in a post-apocalyptic world where society has been destroyed by a pandemic.

Ramsey also starred in series two of the BBC prison drama Time, playing Kelsey Morgan, a young, pregnant heroin addict.

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The full feature can be read in the April issue of British Vogue available from Tuesday March 25th or online by visiting: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/bella-ramsey-british-vogue-interview
A mother who has looked after her child with neurological deficits for the last 24 years has told a High Court judge how she pleaded with the HSE for a nurse to help out one night a week but was turned down.

"I have had two heart attacks in the past and I just want a nurse one night a week but they wont give it," the woman told Mr Justice Paul Coffey on Thursday.

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She was speaking as her daughter, now in her 30s, settled a High Court action for 1.3 million over her care when she had brain tumour surgery at Cork University Hospital when she was 8 years old.

The settlement is on the basis of a liability apportionment of just 10 per cent against the HSE. Mr Justice Coffey also ordered that the family not be identified.

The court heard if the case had gone to trial it would have taken ten to twelve weeks.

The womans counsel, Dr John OMahony SC instructed by solicitor Vincent Toher, told the court it was "a very complex, heartbreaking and devastating case" where the girl was found to have a very large brain tumour.

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Dr O'Mahony said without the surgery the girl would only have survived six to nine months.

He said it was their case that after surgery at Cork University Hospital in 2001, the girls vision was turned down to the left and she was left with neurological deficits including cognitive impairment, deafness and epilepsy.

Now in her 30s, the woman cannot walk unaided and has to use a wheelchair and she requires full time care and will never be able to live independently, counsel said.

Dr OMahony said it was their case that while a CT scan was taken before the brain surgery, an MRI scan was not done, which "would have illuminated and given a broader picture" as to how to plan for the surgery.

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The MRI scan, it was contended, would have given an indication of brain stem involvement with the tumour and could have influenced the surgical approach.

All of the claims in the proceedings were denied. The womans mother told the judge her 8-year-old daughter "was skipping and dancing on the ward" before the surgery, but afterwards she was "like a rag doll."

She said she and her husband had looked after their daughter for last 24 years "and done everything for her and even bought equipment."

Ireland Father of murdered Cork student says judicial syst... Read More

"I have had two heart attacks. I have pleaded with the HSE for a nurse one night a week and they wont give it. My daughters wheelchair is five years old; my daughter who suffers from seizures is a prisoner in her own home," she told the judge.

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She said the HSE did give the family 15 hours a week and the Irish Wheelchair Association allotted seven hours a week but her daughter needs full-time care and she and her husband have to provide it.

After hearing the mother, the judge said that she and her husband were to be saluted for their efforts over the last 24 years which he was were "truly heroic."

Approving the settlement the judge said there were "formidable difficulties" in the case and in the circumstances the offer was adequate.
Hamas said it remained open to negotiations while calling for pressure on Israel Wednesday to implement a Gaza truce after its deadliest bombing since the fragile ceasefire began in January.

Israel carried out fresh air strikes on Gaza on Wednesday, killing 13 people according to the territory's civil defence agency, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday's raids were "only the beginning".

The United Nations and countries around the world condemned the high civilian death toll in the renewed strikes, which have killed more than 400 people, according to Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

Hamas is open to talks on getting the ceasefire back on track but will not renegotiate the agreement that took effect on January 19, an official from the militant group said.

"Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations but we insist there is no need for new agreements," Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

"We have no conditions, but we demand that the occupation be compelled to immediately halt its aggression and war of extermination, and begin the second phase of negotiations."

Negotiations have stalled over how to proceed with a ceasefire whose first phase expired in early March, with Israel and Hamas disagreeing on whether to move to a new phase intended to bring the war to an end.

Instead, Israel and the United States have sought to change the terms of the deal by extending stage one.

That would delay the start of phase two, which was meant to establish a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and was swiftly rejected by Hamas, which demanded full implementation of the original deal.

"There is no need for new agreements in light of the existing agreement signed by all parties," Nunu said.

Israel and the United States have portrayed Hamas's rejection of an extended stage one as a refusal to release more Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Netanyahu's office said he ordered the renewed strikes on Gaza after "Hamas's repeated refusal to release our hostages".

In a televised address late Tuesday, the premier said: "From now on, negotiations will take place only under fire... Military pressure is essential for the release of additional hostages.

"Hamas has already felt the strength of our arm in the past 24 hours. And I want to promise you -- and them -- this is only the beginning."

The White House said Israel consulted US President Donald Trump's administration before launching the strikes, while Israel said the return to fighting was "fully coordinated" with Washington.

The intense Israeli bombardment sent a stream of new casualties to the few hospitals still functioning in Gaza and triggered fears of a return to full-blown war after two months of relative calm.

"Today I felt that Gaza is a real hell," said Jihan Nahhal, a 43-year-old from Gaza City, adding some of her relatives were wounded or killed in the strikes.

"Suddenly there were huge explosions, as if it were the first day of the war."

The Gaza health ministry said the bodies of 413 people had been received by hospitals, adding people were still under the rubble.

A spokeswoman for the UN children's agency UNICEF said medical facilities that "have already been decimated" by the war were now "overwhelmed".

Governments in the Middle East, Europe and beyond called for the renewed hostilities to end.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Israel's raids on Gaza "are shattering the tangible hopes of so many Israelis and Palestinians of an end to suffering on all sides".

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she told her Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar that the new strikes on Gaza were "unacceptable".

Both Egypt and Qatar, which brokered the Gaza ceasefire alongside the United States, condemned Israel's resort to military action.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the strikes were part of "deliberate efforts to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable and force the Palestinians into displacement".

Trump has floated a proposal to move Palestinians out of Gaza, an idea rejected by Palestinians and governments in the region and beyond, but embraced by some Israeli politicians.

Israel's resumption of military operations in Gaza, after it already halted all humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza this month, drew an immediate political dividend for Netanyahu.

The far-right Otzma Yehudit party, which quit his ruling coalition in January in protest at the Gaza ceasefire, rejoined its ranks with its firebrand leader Itamar Ben Gvir again becoming national security minister.

The war began with Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliation in Gaza has killed at least 48,577 people, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the territory's health ministry.

Of the 251 hostages seized during the attack, 58 are still in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
A woman has been charged with stealing over 70,000 from well-known chef Martin Shanahan who owns the award-winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork.

Nessa Gilsenan (51), of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, who was an employee of the restaurant, appeared before a sitting of Kinsale District Court in Bandon on Thursday.

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She faces over 130 charges which relate to theft and the alleged submitting of false documents. Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given via certificate.

More than 110 charges are for theft while she faces additional charges relating to false documents. The various sums she allegedly stole ranged from 82 to 1,650.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge John King the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that Ms Gilsenan be returned for trial on indictment. Defence solicitor Daithi ODonnabhain asked that the case by adjourned until the end of May.

Mr ODonnabhain is seeking certain documents from the State Solicitor. He asked for a lengthy adjournment to facilitate limited disclosure. Mr ODonnabhain said that he had been in contact with the State Solicitor, Jerry Healy, regarding the case and needed to consider his clients position in totality.

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Judge King adjourned the case until May 15th for the service of the book of evidence. Mr ODonnabhain applied for, and was granted, free legal aid for his client who had submitted a statement of means and a pay slip.

Ireland Father of murdered Cork student says judicial syst... Read More

Ms Gilsenan, who wore a cream jumper and blue pants was present in court. However, she was not required to speak during the brief hearing. She was remanded on bail to appear before Kinsale District Court, sitting in Bandon, on May 15th.

Fishy Fishy restaurant was established by Mr Shanahan, one of Irelands leading seafood chefs, in 2006. The restaurant has capacity for 160 customers and is run by Mr Shanahan and his wife Marie.

Mr Shanahan embarked on his first venture in television in 2009, filming the first of a successful series of programmes, Martins Mad about Fish.

He also teamed up with chef Paul Flynn to feature in the series Surf n Turf, which aired on RTE. Mr Shanahan has also written a number of successful cookery books.
Ireland is highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence due to threatened tariffs by Donald Trump, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Simon Harris said that Ireland will have to engage with its foreign direct investment based in the country.

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However, he also told the Dail that regardless of who is in the White House, many US multinationals still want to do business in an EU market.

US tariffs of 25 per cent on all imports of steel and aluminium products and derivatives came into effect worldwide on March 12th.

Mr Trump later threatened a 200 per cent tariff on imported alcoholic drinks from the EU.

Mr Harris made the remarks in response to queries from Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who said the Government must provide clarity about how its plans to deal with US tariffs.

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Ms Bacik said: What I want to raise with you today is how we in Ireland respond to US President Trump, and first on the impact of Trumps proposed tariffs, because here we are hearing that US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are already scenario-planning for moving manufacturing to the US.

Like all of us in this House, many people I represent are employed directly by US multinationals, and Im hearing already from constituents who fear they may lose their jobs, who are worried about the impact upon their families, being about being able to pay their rent or their mortgage.

Amid this uncertainty, as we await the detail of Trumps plans, and indeed, the EU response, Tanaiste, you must give what clarity you can to those who are living in fear.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik speaking to the media at Leinster House in Dublin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

She said that around seven per cent of workers in Ireland are directly employed by US businesses, while US companies pay nearly seven billion euros in wages.

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Of course, they make an enormous contribution to corporation tax receipts, Ms Bacik added.

We couldnt be more exposed in terms of jobs and in terms of our economy from the risk of tariffs.

It was also agreed that Government would brief opposition parties next week on how tariffs will impact Ireland.

Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: We are highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence.

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We have got to control what we can control in terms of what we can do here in Ireland.

We have got to work as part of and as members of the European Union where, of course, trade policy is at.

Ireland Ireland has obligation to comply with Occupied Ter... Read More

He added that many US companies have decades of experience carrying out their business in Ireland.

We are also, though, approaching a position of relative strength because regardless of politics, there is also a reality that many companies are based in this country not for the weather, but because it is a good place to do business. It is a good place to access the European market.

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Regardless of who is in the White House or what policies are pursued, it is a statement of fact that many American multinationals still want to do business in a market with more than 400 million people.
Father-of-one Jordan Davis was warned by a drug dealer  "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang"  19 days before he was shot to death as he pushed a pram carrying his four-month-old son in a laneway on Dublin's northside, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

A detective has previously given evidence that drug "tick lists" found at two addresses linked to drug dealer Robert "Roo" Redmond had contained the name "Jordo"  the same nickname Jordan Davis was known by  with amounts up to 153,000 recorded as owing.

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The prosecution contend that Robert Redmond is the older brother of accused woman Rachel Redmond (34), who is accused of driving the alleged shooter  her then partner Wayne Cooney  away from the scene and later checking him into a hotel in an effort to help him evade prosecution.

It is also the State's case that Robert Redmond was engaged "in some acrimony" with 22-year-old drug dealer Jordan Davis, who was murdered in broad daylight by a lone gunman on a distinctive orange bike at 4pm on May 22nd, 2019.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Detective Garda Kevin Farrell told Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting, that he examined an iPhone and two Nokia devices in May 2019, which were found on the body of Jordan Davis.

The detective said he used the software 'Cellebrite' to extract data from the iPhone and had found a thread of WhatsApp messages exchanged between Mr Davis' phone and a phone number saved on the deceased's handset as 'Rew', which ended in the numbers 858.

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Det Gda Farrell agreed with the prosecutor that the message exchange took place on May 3rd, 2019  19 days before Mr Davis was murdered.

A series of messages were sent from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis' phone at 9.49am on the morning of May 3rd beginning with: "How much you give him in total about 3k".

Another message sent a minute late from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis said: "You haven't gave him anymore than 10K you owed 70K so thats how you owe 60K or over" [sic].

Mr Davis sent a message at 1.29pm saying: "3K get your facts right to you even talk to him pal".

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The number saved as 'Rew' says at 1.34pm "they didn't add anything on" followed by "someone be onto you today".

Mr Davis replies: "classic Robert" to which 'Rew' asked "you on the gear or something".

At 1.36pm 'Rew' says to Mr Davis: "Lad who you trying to be".

A minute later 'Rew' sent a message to Mr Davis' phone saying: "Fucking clown that can't pay bills trying to be a big man. I heard a lot about you trust me I'll get you soon".

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'Rew' also says in a message: "I'm on your case mate it won't be long" followed by a series of 13 or 14 laughing emojis.

The next message sent from 'Rew' to Mr Davis at 1.38pm says: "Get off me phone soon, very soon bang bang" to which Mr Davis replies: "Nice one mate".

Ashling McNally previously told the jury that she had been going out with Rachel Redmond's brother Robert Redmond, of Streamville Road in Donaghmede, for about three years in May 2019 before the relationship fell apart. Ms McNally said she referred to him as Robert but others called him "Roo".

Ms McNally agreed with the prosecution that she had told gardai in May 2019 that Robert Redmond had used a number ending in 858.

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The jury has also been told that Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in May 2013 to the possession of heroin worth almost 37,000 and was jailed for five years.

Ireland Pair assaulted couple walking home and bit part of... Read More

Ms Redmond, from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Co Antrim, is charged on two counts that on or about May 22nd, 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution.

Ms Redmond has pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

The jury have been told that the prosecution have to establish that Ms Redmond, who was in a relationship with Mr Cooney at the time, knew or believed he had committed the murder.

The trial continues on Friday before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury of three men and nine women.
A man and woman have been jailed for their roles in the attempted robbery and assault on a man who was beaten unconscious in Dublin city.

Samantha Osbourne (33), who is living in a Dublin hostel, pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery.

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A co-accused, Adam Casey (22), who is also living in a Dublin hostel, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted robbery and one count of assault causing harm. All offences took place at Crane Lane, Dublin city centre on November 9th, 2020.

A third co-accused Andrew Cash (32) of no fixed abode was previously sentenced by Judge Pauline Codd for his role in the attack and is currently serving a five-year prison sentence.

Garda Kevin Cassidy told David Perry BL, prosecuting, that the injured party had been socialising with friends on the night in question.

He was walking towards the city centre when he stopped to smoke a cigarette on Crane Lane.

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He was approached by Osbourne who asked him for a cigarette. Cash was with her, he grabbed the injured party and held him down while Osbourne searched his pockets. Osbourne then left the scene.

Cash left the scene before returning a few moments later with Casey and another man. The man was attacked by all three men. They pulled him to the ground, kicking him to the body multiple times and stamping on his head. The court heard that while the injured man lay unconscious on the ground, his pockets were again searched.

X-ray and MRI

Garda Cassidy said when gardai arrived at the scene, the injured man was covered in blood and was disorientated. He underwent an X-ray and MRI, and a medical report was handed to the court.

The man suffered a fracture to his nasal bone; his two front teeth were cracked, he had injuries to his back, and a severe concussion.

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A victim impact statement was handed into the court but not read out.

Osbourne was identified using CCTV footage. She was arrested and interviewed. She denied being at the scene of the crime, but once she was shown the CCTV footage, she identified herself but said she could not remember it.

She took a trial date, but on the day of the trial, she failed to attend and a bench warrant was issued. She was remanded into custody and entered a guilty plea. Osbourne has 90 previous convictions, 50 of which are for theft.

CCTV

Casey was also identified using CCTV footage. He also took a trial date but entered a guilty plea on his trial date. Casey had turned 18 two days before this offence. Casey has 15 convictions all of which arose after this offending.

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Garda Cassidy agreed with Nicola Cox BL, defending Osbourne, that her client does not have any convictions for violence and that all her previous convictions were borne out of addiction. The garda accepted that Osbourne is a vulnerable person and was apologetic during her garda interview.

Ms Cox told the court her client is deeply ashamed of her actions. She said Osbourne was homeless at the time and left the area after the first encounter with the injured party. She said her client is doing well in custody and training to be a barista and hairdresser.

The garda agreed with the defence counsel for Casey that her client had turned 18 two days before this incident. He agreed that Casey was homeless, had addiction issues and was hanging around with a bad crowd.

Counsel said Casey moved to the UK for a time where he enjoyed a pro-social life. She said since he went into custody, his mental health has suffered. She handed a letter of remorse into the court in which Casey asked for forgiveness.

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Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Martin Nolan said the injured party was treated disgracefully by everyone involved. He said the man was beaten by Cash, and then Osbourne riffled through his clothing, but the man had nothing to steal.

Prison term

Judge Nolan said Osbourne did not commit any physical attack on the injured party. He noted that she has a disgraceful history of conviction. He considered her guilty plea but said that she deserved a prison term.

Ireland Catriona Carey appears in court on money launderin... Read More

He said, you cannot attempt to steal or rob a defenceless man. He sentenced her to 16 months in prison, backdated to when she went into custody on this matter.

The judge said Caseys involvement was far more sinister. He said Casey participated fully. The judge noted that at the time of this offence, Casey had no previous convictions but is currently serving a prison sentence in Castlerea Prison for offences that took place in Galway.

Judge Nolan said, To attack a defenceless man like this is grievous. He considered Caseys guilty pleas, his young age at the time of the offence and the challenges and difficulties he has had. He noted that Casey was not given a great start in life.

Judge Nolan said Casey deserves a prison term and sentenced him to four years in prison but suspended the final year. He placed Casey under the supervision of the Probation Services for one year post-release.
Two men who assaulted a Mongolian couple, resulting in the man having one-third of his ear bitten off, will be sentenced later this year.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Robert Costello (35), of Liberty House, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. His co-accused, Ciaran Whelan (35), of Glouster Place, Sean McDermott St, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. The offending occurred at Findlater Place, Dublin 1, on August 9th, 2016.

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Garda Peter Byrne told Pieter LeVert BL, prosecuting, that a Mongolian couple were walking home after being out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary.

Costello and Whelan were walking ahead of the couple, and then Costello stopped to urinate. As the couple walked past him, he said, Hey, you f***ing dickheads. The man in the couple stopped and spoke with Costello. Costello then shouted up the street for Whelan.

The court heard that while Whelan was returning down the street, Costello told the couple to suck his dick. Whelan then picked up a traffic cone and threw it at the couple.

A fight then broke out, with the injured party trying to defend himself. All three men ended up on the ground, and Whelan bit part of the man's ear off. Whelan jumped up and said, Ive bitten him, Ive bitten him, look at how much of his ear Ive got.

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Gda Byrne said the female in the couple was also assaulted. Costello pulled her by the hair, took her handbag and hit her with it. She screamed for help.

When the gardai arrived at the scene, both Costello and Whelan were aggressive and passed remarks that the couple were liars. An ambulance was called, and the couple were taken to hospital for treatment.

A medical report was handed into the court that outlined that the male injured party sustained an injury where one-third of his ear had become separated from the remainder of his ear. He had a CT scan and had a skin graft from his scalp transferred to his ear. The female injured party sustained a fracture to her nasal bone and underwent surgery in Mongolia.

Two victim impact statements were handed into the court on behalf of the couple who were not present in court as they returned to Mongolia.

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The male injured party the attack had a profound effect on him, he said that he no longer felt safe in Ireland. He described feeling guilty for not being able to protect his wife.

The female injured party described that she feels intense fear when walking alone. She also described being anxious and easily startled.

Costello has 29 previous convictions with his last conviction dated in 2017. Whelan has 33 with his last conviction in 2012.

Gda Byrne agreed with Patrick McCarthy BL, defending Costello, that the guilty plea was beneficial to the prosecution and that his client was not responsible for the ear injury. The gardai accepted that Costello had addiction issues at the time but has now made strides in dealing with this.

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Mr McCarthy said his client feels he was confronted by the couple, but he accepts that the matter escalated. He said Costello accepts his actions and is remorseful. The court heard that Costello had a very difficult childhood and drug addictions.

Counsel said when his client viewed the CCTV footage, he described it as looking at someone else. Mr McCarthy asked the court to consider the strides his client has made, his guilty plea and his family obligations when sentencing.

Garreth McCormack BL, defending Ciaran Whelan, put it to Gda Byrne that his client was of the belief that Costello was under attack, which is why he threw the traffic cone, to which he agreed.

The garda agreed with counsel that Whelan took responsibility for biting the man's ear at the scene immediately. He also agreed that Whelan was highly intoxicated on the night in question and has addiction issues.

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Ireland Paedophile who sexually assaulted his daughter and... Read More

He said Whelan had 3,000 in court as a practical expression of remorse and would like time to collect a further sum. He said his client wants to do everything he can to put things right.

Mr McCorrmack told the court that Whelan had a difficult childhood and had addiction issues. He is now currently waiting on a placement for a 14-week drug rehabilitation programme.

He asked the court to consider adjourning the case for finalisation so Whelan could undergo his rehabilitation while also raising more money for the injured parties.

Judge Ronan Munro agreed to adjourn this case for finalisation until June 20th to allow Whelan to engage in rehabilitation services and to allow him more time to collect a further monetary token of remorse.
China has executed four Canadians in recent months, Canadas foreign affairs minister has said.

Melanie Joly said she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had asked for clemency in the drug-related accusations involving the dual citizens.

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Beijings embassy in Ottawa said the executions were due to drug crimes and noted that China does not recognise dual citizenship.





We strongly condemn the executions, Ms Joly told reporters in Ottawa.

I asked personally for leniency  They were all dual citizens.

Ms Joly said Canada consistently asks for clemency for Canadians facing the death penalty abroad. She said the families had asked the government to withhold details of the identity of the four individuals.

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Global Affairs spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said they continued to provide consular assistance to families and requested that the media respect their privacy.





She said Ottawa continued to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling.

China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said.

The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient.

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China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, the total is a state secret. Executions are traditionally carried out by gunshot, although lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.

The embassy spokesperson said Beijing fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned, and urged Canadas government to stop making irresponsible remarks.





The two countries have some tensions. China imposed retaliatory tariffs on some Canadian farm and food imports earlier this month, after Canada imposed duties in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV) and steel and aluminium products. The tariffs add to global trade tensions amid rounds of tariff announcements by the United States, China, Canada and Mexico.

China is sending us a message that we have to take steps if we want to see an improvement in the relationship, said a former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques.

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Ian Brodie, a former chief of staff to ex-Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, posted on social media that it turns out agricultural tariffs werent the worst part of the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) response to EV tariffs.

And opposition Conservative politician Michael Chong said executing a number of Canadians in short order is unprecedented, and is clearly a sign that Beijing has no intention of improving relations with Canada.

China is Canadas second-largest trading partner, but relations have been bad since Canadian authorities arrested a former Huawei executive in 2018 who the US had charged with fraud.





China jailed two Canadians shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the companys founder, on a US extradition request. They were sent back to Canada in 2021, the same day Ms Meng returned to China after reaching a deal with US authorities in her case.

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Many countries called Chinas action hostage politics, while China described the charges against Huawei and Ms Meng as a politically motivated attempt to hold back Chinas economic and technological development.

Amnesty International condemned the executions and noted that China executed thousands of people in 2023.

These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada, the groups head for English-speaking Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi, said in a statement.
Details of Tommy Robinsons life in prison have been disclosed at the UK High Court, amid a bid to challenge the British government over his segregation behind bars.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for 18 months last October for the civil offence of contempt of court and is currently incarcerated in HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

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He is currently seeking to launch a legal challenge against the Ministry of Justice over his segregation from other prisoners.

The High Court was told on Thursday that he was isolated because of concerns for his safety, including that he would be killed by a lifer.

The Ministry of Justice is opposing the challenge, and its lawyers said his isolation was substantially more permissive than standard segregation regimes, including access to a laptop and emails, use of an exercise yard for several hours a day, and being able to make social phone calls for four hours daily.

Tom Cross, for the MoJ, said in written submissions that 120 people had been authorised to visit him and that he had been allowed over 80 visits, another 13 non-family visits approved up to March 30th, and the ability to request to see other prisoners.

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His visits are two hours of social visits, four days a week, which he said were well in excess of prison requirements for unconvicted prisoners, which is at least one hour per visit, three days a week.

Mr Cross said that the governor of the prison had said he had significantly more visits time than any other prisoner at HMP Woodhill.

He said that Robinson could access a telephone for four hours a day to speak to family and friends since March 11th, after a request for increased phone use was approved.

In court, Mr Cross said: Since November 1, he (Robinson) has made more than 1,250 social telephone calls.

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Robinson was held at HMP Belmarsh before being moved to HMP Woodhill (Yui Mok/PA)

He continued: In his cell, he has access to various personal possessions, (such as) TV, laptop notebook, CD player, DVD player.

Mr Cross said Robinson used his laptop to send and receive emails, which he had done in their hundreds.

Other aspects of his incarceration include a daily visit from a member of the prisons chaplaincy team, a daily visit from an NHS doctor or registered nurse, and two and three quarter hours of work painting and decorating, three days a week.

In written submissions, Mr Cross said: The claimants regime does not amount to total solitary confinement. It has been and will continue to be modified as conditions have permitted.

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The claimant has been permitted extensive and regular communications with other people.

Robinson was jailed in October last year by Mr Justice Johnson, after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court order made in 2021.

The order barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

He will be released from HMP Woodhill on July 26th.

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Mr Cross said that shortly after arriving at the prison in November, Robinson was moved to a closed wing which cannot be accessed by other prisoners after it received intelligence about threats to his safety.

In written submissions, he said: HMP Woodhill received several intelligence reports showing a non-speculative risk to the claimant, including that two other prisoners at HMP Woodhill were plotting to assault the claimant to gain kudos and notoriety, and that the claimant had a mark on his head and would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing.

Alisdair Williamson KC, for Robinson, said: We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him.

He added: It is clear, we submit, that the distress he is suffering goes beyond that which is inherent in incarceration.

Mr Williamson also said that Robinson disputed parts of the MoJs claims about his life in prison.

He said: He (Robinson) disagrees that he has been working three times a week. In fact he has the opportunity of working for one and a half hours, on a Wednesday.

He wanted to work with other people. He is working cleaning cells, on his own.

When he goes to the gym, he is locked in, on his own.

He continued: The comparators that are provided (with other prisoners), we respectfully submit, do not assist.

Mr Justice Chamberlain will hand down his decision in writing at a later date.
A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for more than 880 days has been freed and is back home, as is another French citizen held under house arrest in Tehran, French officials have said.

The pairs liberation came as France and the rest of Europe are trying to jump-start talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

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US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations.

Mr Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support of Yemens Houthi rebels as the American military has launched an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group.





French President Emmanuel Macron announced online that Frenchman Olivier Grondeau had been freed.

The French Foreign Ministry said another French citizen who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months had been released on Wednesday night. He had asked not to be publicly identified, the ministry said.

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The release came ahead of Nowruz, the Persian new year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past.

In January, Mr Grondeau spoke to a French broadcaster from prison, alluding at the time to the politics at play in his imprisonment.

You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another, he said.

His lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said he had returned to Paris on Monday.

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Hes in good hands. Hes recovering, the lawyer told The Associated Press.



French President Emmanuel Macron wrote online that Mr Grondeau had been freed (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

An Iranian court had sentenced Mr Grondeau, a backpacker and world traveller, to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France did not provide anything in exchange for Mr Grondeaus liberation.

Mr Barrot told French broadcaster TF1 on Thursday that he had initially discussed the situation with Irans foreign minister but when those discussions failed to secure a release, it was via different means that we obtained this result. He did not elaborate.

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Releases of westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately acknowledge Mr Grondeaus release.

Earlier this week, Irans foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case.

An image was circulated of Mr Grondeau, who was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz, on a private jet flying home.

Although the exact details of what sparked Mr Grondeaus arrest remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained for not wearing Irans mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities.

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United Nations investigators later said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Ms Aminis death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country.





Most of the questions were, Did you take part in a demonstration, List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip, Why did you come to Iran? Youre not a tourist, Mr Grondeau said in the January phone call with French broadcaster France 2.

One day you think youre going to be freed very quickly, the next you think youll die here, he added.

He described lights being shone on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with more than a dozen prisoners.

Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: If you look for bruises on my body you wont find any, because they are not that stupid.

Mr Grondeau was held at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, which holds westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

Mr Barrot said that France was keeping up pressure on Iran to release two other French citizens held in Iran, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

Mr Macron also posted about the two, writing: All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.

Mr Grondeaus lawyer said the news about his release was tempered by the continued detention of the two others.

Were only half-relieved, she said.
Israeli strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to local health officials.

Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel ended their ceasefire with a surprise bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday.

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The Israeli military ordered people to evacuate an area in central Gaza near Khan Younis, saying it would operate there in response to rocket fire from Hamas.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military restored a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, that it had maintained for most of the war.



Smoke rises following an Israeli bombardment in the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel on Wednesday (Ariel Schalit/AP)

It warned residents against using the territorys main highway to enter or leave the north and said only passage to the south would be allowed on the coastal road.

It also announced an additional ground operation in northern Gaza near the already largely destroyed town of Beit Lahiya, where strikes have killed dozens over the past 24 hours.

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Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to what remains of their homes in the north after a ceasefire took hold in January.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire that had halted the war and facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages.

Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal that departed from their signed agreement.

Israels military said on Thursday that it had killed the head of Hamass internal security apparatus in an air strike in Gaza.

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Sirens sounding in central Israel after projectile fire from terrorists in Gaza pic.twitter.com/zij7NjYcS7  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 20, 2025

Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal that departed from their signed agreement. The Trump administration, which took credit for helping to broker the ceasefire, has voiced full support for Israel.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

The military said three rockets were fired out of Gaza on Thursday, with one intercepted and two falling in open areas. Hamas claimed the attack and said it had targeted Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels overnight before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported. It was the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

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One of the strikes on Gaza early Thursday hit the Abu Daqa familys home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village just outside of Khan Younis near the border with Israel. It was inside an area the Israeli military ordered evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

The strike killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.

Another tough night, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble. The house collapsed over the peoples heads.

Israels military said Thursday that it killed the head of Hamas internal security apparatus in an airstrike in Gaza, where Israel says it has struck dozens of militant targets.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday alone, mostly women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry.

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The military said three rockets were fired out of Gaza on Thursday, with one intercepted and two falling in open areas. Hamas claimed the attack and said it had targeted Tel Aviv.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels early on Thursday before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported. It was the second such attack since the US began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

One of the strikes on Gaza early on Thursday hit the Abu Daqa familys home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village just outside of Khan Younis near the border with Israel. It was inside an area the Israeli military had ordered be evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

The strike killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.



Israel has resumed heavy airstrikes across Gaza (Leo Correa/AP)

Another tough night, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble.

The house collapsed over the peoples heads.

The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of militant targets across Gaza.

On Wednesday, Israeli ground troops advanced in Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire took hold in January, seizing part of a corridor separating the northern third of the territory from the south.

The announcement about passage to the south indicated troops will soon retake full control over what is known as the Netzarim corridor, stretching from the border to the Mediterranean Sea.

Israel, which has also cut off the supply of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to Gazas roughly two million Palestinians, has vowed to intensify its operations until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it holds  35 of whom are believed dead  and gives up control of the territory. The Trump administration, which took credit for brokering the ceasefire, says it fully supports Israel.

Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire agreement they reached in January after more than a year of mediation by the US, Egypt and Qatar.



Volunteers and rescue workers used a bulldozer to remove the rubble of a building hit by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis (Mariam Dagga/AP)

Hamas, which does not accept Israels existence, says it is willing to hand over power to the western-backed Palestinian Authority or a committee of political independents but will not lay down its arms until Israel ends its decades-long occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Gazas health ministry said the overnight strikes killed at least 85 people, mostly women and children. Zaher al-Waheidi, the official in charge of records for the ministry, said a total of 592 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since Tuesday.

The Indonesian Hospital said it had received 19 bodies after strikes in Beit Lahiya, near the border.

It was a bloody night for the people of Beit Lahiya, said Fares Awad, head of the health ministrys emergency service in northern Gaza, adding that rescuers were still searching the rubble from homes that were hit.

The situation is catastrophic, he added

Beit Lahiya was heavily destroyed and largely depopulated during the first phase of the war before Januarys ceasefire. On Wednesday, an Israeli strike on a gathering of mourners killed 17 people there, according to health officials.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Most of the hostages have been freed in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.



Displaced Palestinians carried their belongings as they travelled from Beit Hanoun to Jabaliya after Israels renewed offensive in the Gaza Strip (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

Israels retaliatory offensive, among the deadliest and most destructive in recent history, has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were militants, but says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war at its height displaced around 90% of Gazas population and has caused vast destruction across the territory. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to their homes during the ceasefire, but many found only fields of rubble and the bombed-out shells of buildings.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest against his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the countrys head of internal security.

Police used a water canon to disperse the crowd after protesters tried to break through police barricades.

A mass march and demonstration on Wednesday outside the Israeli parliament continued into the late evening hours and ended with several arrests.
Thousands of people have gathered outside Istanbuls city hall for a second consecutive night to rally against the arrest of the citys mayor.

The detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent contender against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was viewed by many as a politically driven attempt to eliminate a key rival from the next presidential race.

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He was arrested after a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday as part of investigations into alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices.



Ekrem Imamoglu (Alamy/PA)

Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.

The arrest of a popular opposition leader deepened concerns over democracy and sparked protests in Istanbul and elsewhere, despite a four-day ban on demonstrations in the city and road closures.

It also caused a shockwave in the financial market, triggering temporary halts in trading on Wednesday to prevent panic selling.

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On Thursday, university students in Istanbul and the capital Ankara held largely peaceful demonstrations under heavy police presence.

Outside the city hall, police blocked a group of youths who attempted to breach a barricade in an effort to march toward Taksim, the citys central square.

Critics see the crackdown as an effort by Mr Erdogan to extend his more then two-decade rule after significant losses by the ruling party in local elections last year.



President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Achmad Ibrahim/AP)

Government officials reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that the courts operate independently.

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Omer Celik, a spokesman for Mr Erdogans ruling Justice and Development Party, disputed allegations by the opposition that the detentions were government-orchestrated and urged respect for the judicial process.

What a politician should do is to follow the judicial process, he told journalists. None of us have any information about the content of the (criminal) file.

He also rejected accusations by the main opposition Republican Peoples Party, or CHP, that the mayors arrest amounted to a coup, saying: The name of our party, our president, can only be associated with democracy  on the opposite side of a coup.

Earlier, interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said authorities had detained dozens of people for sharing provocative social media content related to the mayors detention.

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The authorities identified 261 social media accounts that shared posts that allegedly incited public hatred or crime, including 62 run by people based abroad, Mr Yerlikaya said. At least 37 of the suspected owners were detained and efforts to detain other suspects were continuing.

Imamoglus arrest came days before he was expected to be nominated as the Republican Peoples Partys presidential candidate in a primary scheduled for Sunday. The partys leader has said the primary will go ahead as planned.



Protesters in Istanbul (Francisco Seco/AP)

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over the mayors detention, saying it was a very, very bad sign for Turkeys relations with the European Union.

He said it was depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for the relationship between Europe and Turkey.

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We can only call for this to end immediately and for opposition and government to stand in competition with each other, and not the opposition being brought to court, he said.

Prosecutors accused Imamoglu of exploiting his position for financial gain, including the improper allocation of government contracts.

In a separate investigation, prosecutors also accuse him of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, by allegedly forming an alliance with Kurdish groups for the Istanbul municipal elections.

The PKK, behind a decades-long insurgency in Turkey, is designated a terrorist organisation by Ankara, Washington and other allies.

Before his detention, Imamoglu already faced multiple criminal cases that could result in prison sentences and a political ban. He is also appealing against a 2022 conviction for insulting members of Turkeys Supreme Electoral Council, a case that could result in a political ban.
Six people died and 40 are missing after a migrant shipwreck in the Mediterranean, the United Nations said Wednesday, as Italian authorities searched for survivors off the island of Lampedusa.

"Still too many dead in a new shipwreck in the Mediterranean," Chiara Cardoletti, the Italy representative of the UN refugee agency UNHCR, said on X.

An inflatable dinghy carrying 56 people left the Tunisian port of Sfax on Monday before getting into trouble, she said.

"After a few hours of sailing, the dinghy began to deflate and take on water. Six bodies recovered. 40 missing," she wrote.

Italy's coastguard said it pulled 10 people to safety and was scouring the area for survivors.

"Due to the particularly adverse weather and sea conditions, the search operations are being carried out with the support of various aircraft... which will take turns in overflying the area," the coastguard said in a statement.

Those included aircraft belonging to Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, it said.

The dinghy was reportedly found partially deflated off the tiny rocky outcrop of Lampione, to the west of Lampedusa, which lies closer to North Africa than Europe.

The search and rescue centres in Malta and Tunisia have both been alerted as part of efforts to recover the missing, the coastguard said.

Those rescued -- six men and four women -- said there had been 56 people on board from the Ivory Coast, Mali, Guinea and Cameroon, a UNHCR spokesperson told AFP.

Survivors, who are receiving psychological support, said some of the missing had fallen overboard in rough seas, according to the AGI news agency.

After the migrants were rescued, a separate group of 40 migrants landed on Lampedusa after travelling from Sfax in metal boats, the ANSA news agency said.

There were five landings in Lampedusa on Tuesday with a total of 213 migrants, bringing the number of people at the island's reception centre to 230, it said.

Around 8,743 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, slightly more than in the same period last year, according to Italy's interior ministry.

Save the Children said that number includes "almost a thousand unaccompanied minors".

Far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has adopted a tough stance on migrants, vowing to stop arrivals, which are down sharply on 2023 figures.

The country is the first port of call for many people who make the perilous journey on small boats from North Africa to Europe.

According to the International Organization for Migration, 140 people have died or gone missing while attempting the central Mediterranean crossing so far this year.

Meloni's flagship plan is to outsource migrant processing to Albania -- a non-EU country -- and speed up repatriations of failed asylum seekers.

But the scheme, closely watched by Europe, has run into several legal hurdles and the purpose-built centres in Albania currently stand empty.
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order on Thursday calling for the shutdown of the US Education Department, according to a White House official.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement which will advance a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that has been a long-time target of conservatives.

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Mr Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology, but finalising its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.



President Donald Trump talks with reporters (Pool/AP)

The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

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This isnt fixing education. Its making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And were not about to let that happen without a fight, the National Parents Union said in a statement.

The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, Mrs McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be a better functioning Department of Education.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees 1.6 trillion (1.23 trillion) in federal student loans.

Much of the agencys work revolves around managing money  both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programmes for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

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People rally at the University of California, Berkeley campus to protest the Trump administration in California (Godofredo A Vasquez/AP)

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programmes for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento programme for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents groups demand more authority over their childrens schooling.

Mr Trump promised to close the department and send it back to the states, where it belongs. He has cast the department as a hotbed of radicals, zealots and Marxists who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.

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At the same time, the president has leaned on the Education Department to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education funding to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in womens sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.

Even some of Mr Trumps allies have questioned his power to close the agency without action from Congress, and there are doubts about its political popularity. The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

During Mr Trumps first term, former education secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agencys budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. It was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.
Indonesias parliament has voted unanimously to pass a revision of its military law that will allow officers to serve in more government posts without resigning from the armed forces.

The news comes despite growing opposition from pro-democracy and human rights groups who see it as a threat to the countrys young democracy.

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In a plenary session, all eight political parties represented in parliament backed the bill. The house of representatives is largely controlled by parties supporting President Prabowo Subianto, a former army general with ties to the countrys dictatorial past.



Protesters held a rally against the passing of the new military law in Jakarta (Tatan Syuflana/AP)

Active military officers can currently only serve in ministries or state institutions related to security, defence or intelligence under a watershed 2004 law that reduced the militarys role in civil affairs.

The amendment to the 2004 law on the Indonesian armed forces introduces several changes that aim to broaden the militarys role beyond defence.

Once in force, the new law will allow active officers to take civilian positions without having to retire or resign from service in four more bodies, including the attorney generals office, the supreme court and the co-ordinating ministry for political and security affairs.

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Under current law, military personnel are permitted to serve in only 10 ministries and state institutions, including the ministry of defence, the national intelligence agency and the search and rescue agency. But that number will now be expanded to 14 for non-combat military functions.



Student protesters set a tyre alight during the rally (Tatan Syuflana/AP)

A new clause also grants the president the authority to appoint military personnel to other ministries as needed, according to the draft.

The revision has raised concerns among pro-democracy activists and students who fear that expanding the military in civilian roles would restore the dual function of the armed services that they had in the era under the dictator Suharto.

At that time, seats in the legislature were reserved for the military, and officers occupied thousands of civilian roles from district chiefs to cabinet ministers.

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The dual-function system effectively turned the armed forces into a tool for Suharto when he later became president to crush his political opponents.





Al Araf, the director of Indonesian rights group Imparsial, said that the new law was inconsistent with the spirit of the reforms that followed the end of more than three decades of rule by Suharto in 1998 and returned the military to the barracks.

The move has the potential to restore the authoritarian system, Mr Araf said.

Another major criticism of the law is the way it has been discussed: behind closed doors, with little public input and in a fast-tracked process.

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The latest draft was introduced less than a month ago, following a letter to the house from Mr Subianto endorsing the bill. Pro-democracy activists discovered that politicians and government officials had met in secret to discuss draft revisions at a five-star hotel in South Jakarta on March 15.

Dominique Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at Indonesias Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said on Thursday that the way in which the law was drafted could prompt a backlash.



Police officers set up a barricade during the student protest (Tatan Syuflana/AP)

Autocratic legalism will damage the foundations of constitutional democracy because it exploits loopholes in the construction of legal thought, he said.

Defence minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, a former three-star army general, defended the new law, saying that politicians had considered it properly and that it would make the military more effective.

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In a speech after the parliament passed the bill into law, he said the amendments were necessary because the geopolitical changes and global technology required the military to transform to face conventional and non-conventional conflicts.

We will never disappoint the Indonesian people in maintaining the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, he said.
Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after US President Donald Trump spoke with the countries leaders this week, although it remains to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack.

The tentative deal to partially rein in the grinding war came after Russian President Vladimir Putin rebuffed Mr Trumps push for a full 30-day ceasefire.

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The difficulty in getting the combatants to agree not to target one anothers energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Mr Trump will face in trying to fulfil his campaign pledge to quickly end the war.

After a roughly hour-long call with Mr Trump on Wednesday that both leaders said went well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters that technical talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend would seek to resolve what types of infrastructure would be protected under the agreement.



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the call with Mr Trump as fruitful (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP)

But it was immediately clear that the three parties had different views about what the pact entailed, with the White House saying energy and infrastructure would be covered, the Kremlin saying the agreement referred more narrowly to energy infrastructure, and Mr Zelensky saying he would also like railways and ports to be protected.

One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure, Mr Zelensky said on social media following his call with Mr Trump, which came a day after the US president held similar talks with Mr Putin.

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I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.

During their call, Mr Trump suggested that Mr Zelensky should consider giving the US ownership of Ukraines power plants to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.

Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky that the US could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise, the statement said.



Firefighters attended the site of a Russian attack in Krasnopillia, in the Sumy region of Ukraine (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP)

Mr Trump suggested American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure, according to White House officials.

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The idea was floated even as the Trump administration looks to finalise an agreement to gain access to Ukraines critical minerals as partial repayment for US support for Ukraine during the war.

But Mr Zelensky said the conversation focused on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant  which is the largest of its kind in Europe and has been under Russian control since early in the war.

He said Mr Trump posed the idea of an understanding in which the United States can recover the plant.

The call, which Mr Zelensky described as fruitful, came just weeks after a disastrous Oval Office meeting between the two leaders that led to Mr Trump temporarily pausing intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine.

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During the call, Mr Zelensky requested additional Patriot defence missile systems. Mr Rubio and Mr Waltz said Mr Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe.



A Russian Grad self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP)

On Tuesday, Mr Putin told Mr Trump that he would agree not to target Ukraines energy infrastructure but refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire that Mr Trump proposed.

According to the Kremlin, Mr Putin made clear to Mr Trump that there must be a cessation of foreign military aid and intelligence sharing as part of any deal.

But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt underscored on Wednesday that US intelligence sharing in terms of defence for Ukraine would continue.

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Prior to his call with Mr Trump, Mr Zelensky said Mr Putins limited ceasefire pledge was very much at odds with reality after Russia launched an overnight barrage of drone strikes across Ukraine, including some that struck Ukrainian energy facilities.

Russia responded by saying it had halted its targeting of Ukraines energy facilities and accused Kyiv of attacking Russian equipment near one of its pipelines.

Unfortunately, we see that for now there is no reciprocity on the part of the Kyiv regime, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.



Russian soldiers patrol an area in Sudzha, in the Kursk region of Russia, after it was taken over by Russian troops (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service via AP)

Hundreds of drone attacks were launched overnight by both sides, injuring several people and damaging buildings.

Ukraine said Russia had launched 171 long-range drones and it shot down 75 while another 63 decoy drones disappeared from radar after likely being jammed. Russia said it had destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in six Russian regions and the annexed Crimea.

The White House described Tuesdays call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin as the first step in a movement to peace. But there was no indication that Mr Putin is ready to back away from his conditions for a prospective peace deal, which are fiercely opposed by Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky even while agreeing to work on the limited ceasefire said Mr Putin is not seriously pursuing peace talks, and wants to prolong the war until he is in a stronger position.

The White House also confirmed that technical experts from the US, Ukraine and Russia would gather in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss implementing the partial ceasefire.

Meanwhile, the two combatants said Wednesday that they had each swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges of the war.
The Yakutia will enhance the capabilities of the domestic nuclear fleet, contribute to addressing key multifaceted challenges facing the national economy, and further solidify Russias status as a naval power. Eight Russian icebreaker ships are now in service, the highest number since the Cold War. By the end of this decade, Rosatom  the nuclear agency that operates them  has set out plans for its fleet to number 17. In 2022, almost 3.2 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent were pumped out of the polar region  or around 5.5 per cent of global production that year. Credit: AP Sovcomflot, the Russian state shipping giant, is also building more Arc7 liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo ships capable of navigating ice on their own. They are expected to play a growing role in transporting resources out of the Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets regions, adjacent to the Barents and Kara seas, respectively, where about 80 per cent of Russias gas and 60 per cent of its oil are produced.

According to the Centre for High North Logistics, transit shipments through the North Sea Route reached a record 3.1 million tonnes in 2024  most of it crude oil that was shipped to China. The World Wide Fund for Nature, which opposes drilling in the Arctic due to the risk of environmental destruction to species such as polar bears, seals and walruses, says Russia is by far the largest Arctic producer  but it is by no means alone. In 2022, almost 3.2 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent were pumped out of the polar region  or around 5.5 per cent of global production that year. Russia accounted for 2.9 billion barrels, followed by 176 million barrels by the US in Alaska and Norways Arctic producing 98 million barrels. Despite the protestations of green campaigners and some governments, all three countries have plans to increase outputs, experts predicting that Donald Trumps arrival in the White House will eviscerate any remaining hesitancy in Washington.

Loading For Russia, exploiting the Arctic is a key plank of its economic independence, while for the US, extracting oil in Alaska chimes with Trumps America first policies, says Klaus Dodds, a professor of geopolitics at the Royal Holloway. I expect that under Trump, you will see a doubling-down on his previous goal of energy dominance, Dodds says. That is likely to mean more energy extraction in Alaska and far less restraint being shown than you saw under Biden or Obama. Like Russia, Trump has a raw focus on issues such as energy security and shipping lanes. A common theme between him and Putin is that they have made clear they are not going to allow others, such as China, to take advantage of a more accessible Arctic.

This is probably what has animated Trumps recent fixation with threatening to annex the Danish territory of Greenland, explains Dodds, following attempts by Beijing to establish footholds there. Chinas interests in the region include opening up shipping lanes so that its own companies can take advantage and potentially lay claim to resources such as fish. The nuclear-powered Yakutia ship, designed to carve a safe path through ice-covered waters, is the fourth of a new class being built at the Baltic Shipyard in St Petersburg. Credit: AP However, the Arctic region as a whole is also becoming more important militarily as Russia re-establishes bases there, creating a need for the US to reopen radar stations and other monitoring outposts to detect missile launches. Despite the fanfare, however, many experts believe the potential of the Arctic for both shipping and resources has been overstated.

Navigating passages past Canada or Russia does offer potential alternatives to routes that go via the Suez Canal or the Strait of Malacca, but the ice cover makes it unpredictable. Excitement among companies such as BP for offshore oil and gas reserves has waned over the years due to the difficulty of extracting it. Long voyage days certainly reduce the economics of the NSR passage, which include icebreaker costs, although lower bunker expenditure due to the shorter distance travelled via the NSR and no need to pay Suez Canal dues helps to balance that out, said shipbroker Gibson in a 2023 report. So far, crippling Western sanctions aimed at supply chains and insurance have also slowed Russias attempts to build more ice-breaking tankers and open its Arctic LNG 2 project. The expectations in the early 2000s of an economic bonanza didnt really materialise, says Katarzyna Zysk, a professor of international relations at the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies. But Russia, in particular, still has an ambition to develop the North Sea Route into a major shipping lane between Asia, Europe and North America.

Loading In the past, Moscows ambitions have involved bringing in foreign investment and expertise, she says, with sanctions relating to the Ukraine war making this more difficult  although a Trump-brokered peace deal with Kyiv could change this. If there was a change that reopens possibilities, then shipping could become more plausible, more profitable and more safe. But at the moment, things look quite limited. For now, like an icebreaker carving a path through frozen seas, Putins dream of conquering the Arctic can advance only slowly. Telegraph, London
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This weeks picks include Netflixs harrowing drama about a teen accused of murder, Amanda Seyfreid returns with Long Bright River and long-lost Clint Eastwood classic turns up on Binge. Adolescence  (Netflix) Adolescence is staggering. You feel like the ground has shifted beneath you watching this four-part Netflix series, which documents with harrowing emotional and technical detail the circumstances surrounding a 13-year-old British boy, Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is arrested and accused of stabbing a female schoolmate to death. The show is less about the who than the why. Each episode grapples with how this tearful child, dropped into an adult world and pleading that theyre innocent, ended up at this nightmarish point. There are few comforts to this modern classic. Its all the better for it. Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in the four-part drama Adolescence. Created and written by Jack Thorne (Toxic Town) and the actor Stephen Graham (A Thousand Blows), who plays Jamies plumber dad, Eddie, each episode of Adolescence was filmed in a single take. There are no cuts, which means no pause. Everything accumulates. Director Philip Barantini and cinematographer Matthew Lewis keep the camera moving, searching, and querying as they capture an hour of real-time. It is wildly complicated choreography but never showy. The counterbalance is unaffected dialogue and naturalistic performances. Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller and Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller in Adolescence. From the moment a Yorkshire police SWAT team crash the Miller household and arrests Jamie at gunpoint, there is a risk of making do with that old current affairs cliche: every parents worst nightmare. But the procedural elements, following Jamie and the arresting detectives, Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and Misha Frank (Faye Marsay), to the local police station, root out any cheap sentimentality. The first episode is horrifying but mundane. Everyone keeps ending a sentence with, OK? No one is OK.

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Spread over 13 months, the episodes track the adults trying to make sense of Jamie and his generation. The detectives, who feel like miserable aliens trying to secure evidence at Jamies school, give way to the psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), assigned to subsequently write an assessment of this boy. The pairs final session comprises the third episode, and it is a riveting meeting of professional experience and personal upheaval as Ariston gets at Jamies beliefs about himself and women, which have been distorted by misogynistic internet culture. Loading There are minute flaws: using a childrens choir at one point overdoes it, a hint of contrivance to the second episodes narrative. But as four hours of television, this is comprehensive and remarkable. It is painfully authentic, whether in capturing the legal system at work or watching Eddie and Jamies mother, Manda (Christine Tremarco), struggle for moments of happiness amidst the familys trauma. Its a deeply intimate story that resonates with a troubling cultural moment, and the performances are compelling. Youre left with more questions than answers. Please keep asking them. Thats what Adolescence deserves. The Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke  (Disney+) The Devil in the Family: the Fall of Ruby Franke mixes raw footage with interviews. Its common knowledge that the gap between the online performance of influencers and their reality is considerable, but its never been so thoroughly and horrifically observed as in this three-part documentary about Ruby Franke. An American wife and mother of six who built a lucrative family vlogging business, Franke is presently serving up to 30 years in jail for the systematic abuse of her youngest children. Everything has been recorded: from jarring outtakes to the eventual police bodycam footage.

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Veteran British documentarian Olly Lambert has made a thorough and tragic study of greed, fame, faith and delusion. The raft of raw footage is matched by extensive interviews with Frankes former husband, Kevin, and their two oldest  now adult  children, Shari and Chad. Shari Franke stars in the documentary about her mother Devil in the Family: The Fall of Ruby Franke. Loading Shari describes her mothers action as psychotic and full-on evil, while a devastated Kevin admits he still loves his wife. One of the shows strengths is that its not afraid of complexity. Frankes downward spiral, which saw therapist and eventual co-defendant Jodi Hildebrandt offer an extra push, turned her familys Mormon faith into an increasingly apocalyptic religious world view; Franke believed it was necessary to torture her children because of demonic possession. The different strands of extremism piled up. That this began with, and was fuelled by, the incessant need for online validation is an obvious warning: an insatiable hunger for clicks is rarely benign. Dark Winds (season 3)  (AMC+) Teddi Issacs (Carly Roland), Jim Chee (Kiowa Gordon) and Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) in Dark Winds. Credit: Supplies

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Veteran ensemble actor Zahn McClarnon (Reservation Dogs) continues to deliver one of the best genre performances  bittersweet, nuanced, rife with illuminating gestures  in this 1970s American crime drama, which follows his Navajo police officer, Joe Leaphorn, in navigating the divide between the law and his fractured community in the dusty reaches of Arizona. A missing teen, and the ramifications of the choice Leaphorn made at the close of season two, provide the accelerant for the latest instalment, which ties together a neo-noir plot and deeply held Native American concerns exceptionally well. F Marry Kill  (Amazon Prime Video) Lucy Hale stars in the dating thriller F Marry Kill. The mix of comic exasperation and genuine suspense delivered by Lucy Hale (Ragdoll) in the lead role of this comic-thriller is the best thing about Laura Murphys busy but too often undistinguished feature film. Turning 30 and single again, Hales Eva returns to the dating apps, only to realise  much to her friends excitement  her three dating options need to be carefully classified, since one may be a serial killer targeting her. This is an alarming yet silly proposition, and its told through true-crime podcasts and the familiar commentary of Evas pals. Long Bright River  (Stan*) Amanda Seyfried in Long Bright River. Amanda Seyfried, who was phenomenal in 2022s The Dropout, gives a committed, carrying-too-much-burden performance in this Philadelphia-set crime drama, playing a uniformed police officer trying to help the neighbourhood where she grew up, as opioids and a killer targeting sex workers present overlapping crises. Seyfrieds Mickey Fitzpatrick balances out the convoluted structure and sometimes clumsy storytelling that mark this limited series. Too often Long Bright River confuses overt sympathy with insight  it milks an obvious moment instead of telling you whats truly at work here.

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Exclusive Eating outRestaurant news Beloved inner west Spanish restaurant Bar Louise to close The team behind Porteno will hand over the keys for the eye-catching Enmore Road property to a top Italian chef. Scott Bolles March 20, 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

One of Sydneys inner west dining gems, the chefs hatted Bar Louise, will close within months after its owners sold its distinctive Enmore Road home to one of the citys top Italian chefs. The pink and purple facade of Enmores Marie-Louise Salon has survived 75 years of changing fashion, but what will happen to the exterior now that Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni has snapped the building up with plans to open a wine bar? The answer? Absolutely nothing. Its heritage listed, Pavoni said. Good Food can reveal Pavoni  the chef behind Ormeggio at The Spit, aMare and Postino Osteria  his wife Anna, and long-term business partner Bill Drakopoulos bought the building in recent days. (Drakopoulos also operates Sydney Restaurant Group, which runs Sails Lavender Bay and Ripples Little Manly). Pavoni said theyll get the keys to the property when the purchase settles in June. The heritage-listed facade of 135 Enmore Road. Edwina Pickles

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Anna Pavoni has looked into the history of the Enmore Road building and its slightly faded enamel facade. Every bit as much a Sydney shopfront icon as the Olympia Milk Bar on Parramatta Road Stanmore, Marie-Louise Salon is generally thought of as a product of the colourful 1950s. It was actually built around 1949, she said. She points to some late art deco curves. Its bright, smiley facade could be characterised as post-war optimism. The owners of Bar Louise did such a beautiful reno of the interior; its still new and shiny, she said. Bar Louise co-owner Joe Valore said the decision to sell one of the jewels of Enmore Road was motivated by his groups nearby expansion on Australia Street in Newtown, where Valore and his business partners have opened a number of venues, including Mister Grotto. The group also intends to focus more on core brands Porteno and Humble Bakery. Valore said Bar Louise would continue to trade until mid-June, and with the recent business expansion, there would be opportunities to relocate staff within the group.

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The interior soon after being reborn as Bar Louise. Wolter Peeters Were sad to see it go, he said of the building where Stanbuli traded before Bar Louise opened in 2022. The sale price wasnt revealed, but its new owners intend to continue to honour the heritage-listed name on the shopfront. The plan at this stage is to rename it Vineria Luisa, the Italian word for Louise, and open in late July, Alessandro Pavoni said. The buildings facade reminds the chef of mid-century architecture in the north of Italy, and one of its hot trends will be a cornerstone at Vineria Luisa. The gin and tonic will star alongside a large wine program and a sweeping food menu. Ginoterias have become really big in the past five or 10 years, Pavoni said. Pavoni is impressed by Italys ginoterias, particularly in Milan. Theyll stock 2025 gins in Enmore, predominantly from Italy and Australia, and 15 tonic waters. With all that gin on hand, there are also plans for martinis. And the food menu?

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A teenager who slashed a stranger across the head with a machete in a brazen attack on a busy St Kilda street will spend three more months behind bars after a magistrate lashed his conduct as extremely dangerous and urged him to turn his life around before somebody was killed.

The Victorian Childrens Court magistrate sentenced the 15-year-old boy on Thursday to five months in jail and slapped him with a criminal conviction for the machete attack in St Kilda, minus the 66 days he has already served.

A 15-year-old boy accused of a machete attack and armed robbery in St Kilda. Credit: Seven News

The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, was on four counts of bail for crimes stretching back nine months when he boarded the train from regional Victoria to St Kilda with a machete hidden in his pants in January.

The court heard the teenager  who has an intellectual disability, severe language disorder and diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism  approached a 39-year-old man on Barkly Street, while holding a large machete, and demanded the man hand over his phone and car keys about 9pm on January 12.
NSW Police are investigating and community leaders are calling for stronger laws to criminalise anti-Muslim hate after a TikTok user called for Christchurch again please on a video of Lakemba mosque during Ramadan.

The official Lakemba Mosque account posted a time-lapse video of worshippers leaving during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. A TikTok user named wello commented on the video saying Christchurch again please, an apparent reference to Brenton Tarrants massacre of 51 Muslims at prayer in the New Zealand city in 2019.

Later in the comments, he claimed he lived in Silverwater prison.

NSW Police have launched an investigation into the online threat.
Its sad that the demise of the swimming carnival will mean fewer stories like this one from Ken Allen of Stroud: In 1960, as 12-year-old 10 pom, I learned to swim in the ships pool en-route to Australia. Shortly after arriving, I attended my Scout troops swimming carnival at Iron Cove Bridge baths where I was encouraged to enter the 50m breaststroke. It didnt go well. Still swimming bravely, they pulled me out of the pool halfway along as I was holding up the next race.

Mary Carde neednt worry about the edibility of frozen prawns marked For Human Consumption Only (C8), advises Greg Phillipson of Aranda (ACT). Those prawns shouldnt be used for bait or aquatic feed because they may contain viruses that would adversely affect wild or farmed prawns in Australia. Cook them up and they will be fine. Just dont come the raw prawn. We also thank Bruce Satchwell of Carrara (Qld) and John Newbery of Coogee for pointing out that the virus in question is White spot disease.

Warren Nicholls of East Blaxland just read Alison Stewarts comments (C8) on reading Column 8 from the bottom up. Its nice to know Im not the only one doing this.

I invariably start reading Column 8 at an item in bold font towards the middle of the column, frequently switch to an adjacent letter to the editor, then return, having lost my place, to peruse the remainder of Column 8, says Ian Falconer of Turramurra.

I read yesterdays opening paragraph from Lorraine Phillips as Clive Palmer Strumpet, admits Jo Rainbow of Orange. How apt.
Australians are starting to see a shift on population that delivers on some of the political rhetoric of the past few years about bringing migration under control after the surge in arrivals when the country reopened its borders three years ago.

The flow of migrants into Australia has slowed  and the change could not come soon enough for Anthony Albanese. The prime minister has been under pressure on migration for some time, thanks in part to the tough talk from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton about cutting the intake. Now we have a new set of facts to shape the election.

Illustration: Simon Letch Credit:

But do not expect a high-minded debate about the most practical ways to ensure a successful migration program.

The intake slowed to 379,800 in the year to September 30, down from 548,800 in the same period one year earlier. That looks like good news for the government. Ministers said the recent surge was temporary because of the way the borders closed during the pandemic, and they claimed the intake would return to normal levels over time. The official numbers show something like this is happening.
An Indiana mother has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly boarding a middle school bus and attacking an 8th grade student for reportedly bullying her son, breaking his nose in the process.

The confrontation began after Latea Hentz's 13-year-old son reported being bullied by the 14-year-old boy involved in the altercation, Fox 59 reported. The bullying allegedly included physical and verbal abuse, including racist comments.

On March 6, Hentz and her 17-year-old daughter boarded the school bus to confront the alleged bully, leading to the physical altercation.

Hentz allegedly shouted threatening comments to the other children on the bus and joined in physically assaulting the boy, resulting in injuries to his face, including a fractured nose.

Security footage and a viral video captured the event, which was shared widely on social media, drawing significant attention.

Police later arrived at the scene, and Hentz was arrested on charges including criminal confinement, battery, intimidation and criminal trespass. The investigation revealed conflicting accounts of the bullying, with Hentz asserting that her son was the victim, while the 8th grader's family alleged that Hentz's son had been the bully.

The mother now faces multiple felony charges, and her daughter and 13-year-old son could also face legal consequences. The school district has not yet taken formal action but has been involved in the investigation.

Originally published on Lawyer Herald
Ride-share drivers in NSW will have the power to argue for minimum pay and conditions in a major overhaul of industrial relations laws that will hand gig-economy workers the power to take on the major operators.

Despite opposition from major ride-share apps such as Uber and DoorDash, the Minns government is moving to enshrine changes to workplace laws that will give gig-economy workers in the transport industry the power to argue for conditions such as penalty rates in the Industrial Relations Commission.

The NSW government is pushing ahead with changes to the gig-economy system despite pushback from operators. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The bill, to be introduced into parliament on Thursday, will also remove archaic rules that prevent contract drivers who deliver milk and bread from applying for the same protections.

The changes would allow platform companies, employers and unions to apply to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission for binding determinations on workers pay and conditions for the first time.
Basil Zempilas is in the hot seat to replace Libby Mettam as WA Liberal leader after she resigned from the role 12 days after her partys crushing defeat.

In a statement released Thursday afternoon, Mettam said she would have liked to continue as leader but did not have the support of the party room.

Liberal leader Libby Mettam conceding defeat at her function in Cottesloe on election night. Credit: Colin Murty

She will instead put her hand up for deputy leader when her colleagues meet next Tuesday.

While I would have liked and hoped to continue as leader it has become clear that I do not have that support of my colleagues to continue as leader through to the election in 2029, she said.
Find stunning outlooks and suburban bliss galore in this weeks round-up of our top picks of the most luxurious properties across the country.

Youll feel like youre on a luxury yacht at Gill House, a spectacular riverfront home spanning four levels with lift access. Six-metre-high ceilings in the main living zone capture water and city skyline views, while the adjoining terrace provides access to an infinity-edge pool. Each of the four bedrooms comes with an en suite, with the main claiming the entire top floor.
Washington: Billions of dollars of Australian beef exports are in the firing line for more Trump tariffs after powerful American farmers accused Australia of running by far the most lopsided and unfair trading deal with the US.

The attack comes as the White House made clear it would target other countries food testing and local content rules, among other non-tariff trade barriers, when it introduces reciprocal tariffs next month, with each trading partner assigned a score based on its import duties and perceived trade transgressions.

US farmers say Australia has exported $45 billion of beef to the United States over the past 20 years. Credit: Peter Braig

In comments to this masthead, the National Cattlemens Beef Association (NCBA), representing 175,000 American cattle farmers and feeders, accused Australia of repeatedly frustrating negotiations to end a ban on uncooked US beef products.

For 20 years, Australian beef has enjoyed the benefits of free trade with the US, and we have been stonewalled over and over again, said Kent Bacus, the groups trade chief and executive director for government affairs.
Empowering SMEs across industries

Valiant, an Australian platform that streamlines business finance by connecting companies with more than 80 top lenders, has supported more than 20,000 SMEs in securing necessary funding, demonstrating its commitment to businesses at various growth stages.
An Arizona man executed by lethal injection on Wednesday requested Carl's Jr. and baklava as his final meal.

It was revealed that Aaron Brian Gunches requested a Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger with fries from Carl's Jr., spicy and BBQ gyros, and onion rings for his final meal. For dessert, he opted for baklava, a press conference revealed.

The 53-year-old inmate was then executed at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence, the state's first in two years. When asked if he had a final statement, Gunches shook his head.

Gunches was arrested in January 2003 for killing his then-girlfriend's ex-husband two months prior. The woman, who was addicted to methamphetamine at the time, called Gunches to "take care" of her ex after he struck her with a phone and threatened to call child protective services for their two children, 12News reported.

Gunches drove the man to a bus stop before realizing he did not have enough money for a ticket. Instead, he drove the man to the desert and shot him four times, The Arizona Republic reported at the time.

When Gunches was later pulled over, he shot and struck an office who survived. Gunches pleaded guilty to murder in 2003 and was sentenced to death in 2008.

Originally published on Latin Times
U.S. judge rules Musk's USAID cuts likely unconstitutional

Xinhua) 08:53, March 20, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has likely violated the Constitution, and ordered an indefinite pause on further cuts to the agency.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland ordered the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to restore email and computer access to all USAID employees, including those on administrative leave, though the ruling does not reverse firings or fully restore the agency.

The lawsuit was filed by USAID employees and contractors, arguing that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are wielding power reserved by the Constitution for elected officials or those confirmed by the Senate.

The judge rejected DOGE's argument that Musk's role is merely an adviser to Trump, finding that Musk has "firm control over DOGE."

DOGE's fast-moving destruction of USAID likely harmed the public interest by depriving elected lawmakers of their "constitutional authority to decide whether, when and how to close down an agency created by Congress," ruled the judge.

The ruling came as a significant setback for Musk and the Trump administration, which had been rapidly dismantling USAID over the past two months. The administration has also placed top security officials on forced leave, terminated a large portion of the agency's program contracts and ordered most staff members off the job through forced leaves and firings.

Chuang did not stop the mass terminations of USAID's contracts and the firing of personnel. Though likely unconstitutional, these moves were approved by unnamed government officials, said the judge.

The judge's decision is seen as a milestone in pushback against DOGE, with critics arguing that the rapid dismantling of USAID has disrupted global humanitarian relief efforts and harmed the public interest.

Trump told Fox News that his administration would appeal the ruling. "I guarantee you we will be appealing it. We have rogue judges that are destroying our country," Trump said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A North Dakota jury on Wednesday found Greenpeace liable for millions of dollars in damages to Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners in connection with protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly a decade ago.

The lawsuit, filed in 2019, accused Greenpeace of orchestrating the protests, spreading misinformation, and causing the company financial harm through damaged property and lost revenues. Energy Transfer Partners sought $300 million in damages.

After a three-week trial, the nine-person jury deliberated for two days before returning its verdict. The ruling marks a significant setback for Greenpeace, a 50-year-old environmental organization that had warned that the case could potentially bankrupt its operations in the U.S.

In response to the verdict, Greenpeace International's General Counsel Kristin Casper issued a statement saying, "The fight against Big Oil isn't over today, and we know that the truth and the law are on our side. Greenpeace International will continue to campaign for a green and peaceful future. Energy Transfer hasn't heard the last of us in this fight."

This is a developing story.
BLACKPINK's Jennie has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in K-pop history, becoming the first female solo artist to chart three songs simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100.

This historic feat was announced Tuesday after two tracks from her debut solo album Ruby ranked on the Billboard Hot 100. A pre-release single also re-entered the rankings. Specifically, "Handlebars feat. Dua Lipa" entered the chart at No. 80, and the title track "Like JENNIE" debuted at No. 83. Additionally, her song "ExtraL featuring Doechii" re-entered the Hot 100 at No. 99.

This achievement makes Jennie the first K-pop soloist to have three songs charting on the Hot 100 at the same time. It also makes her the first female K-pop soloist to have six songs on the Hot 100, including three previous entries like "One of the Girls," "Mantra," and "Love Hangover."

Released on March 7, Ruby is Jennie's first full-length solo album. It features 15 tracks, including collaborations with artists like Dua Lipa, Dominic Fike, and Doechii. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on the UK Official Albums Chart. It also topped iTunes charts in 21 countries and digital sales charts in China.

Outside of charts, Jennie was honored with the Global Force Award at the Billboard Women in Music 2025 ceremony, becoming the first Korean soloist to receive this accolade.

"From rising stars to legendary icons, this year's honorees are redefining what it means to be a trailblazer in the industry," Billboard's Editor-in-Chief Hannah Karp said. "It's a privilege to continue Billboard's tradition of recognizing the women who are pushing the boundaries of music and culture, and we can't wait to share this incredible night with our global audience."

Jennie recently held the "Ruby Experience" concert series, which took place in Los Angeles, New York, and Seoul from March 6 to 15. Proceeds from the concert were dedicated to supporting wildfire recovery efforts in Los Angeles.

Originally published on Kpop Starz
This is it. The excise tax exemption on pickup trucks is now gone thanks to the effectivity of the Capital Market Efficiency Promotions Act ...
IN THE lead-up to World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March, Down Syndrome Irelands Carlow branch is shining a spotlight on the remarkable commitment of volunteer Marie Sheppard, who has served as branch secretary and facilitator for over seven years.

Maries dedication has been pivotal in organising events such as the annual walk, festive Christmas party and in ensuring essential occupational and speech therapies are accessible to members and their families.

According to Down Syndrome Irelands Carlow branch, the volunteer has been a staunch advocate for member welfare, tirelessly working to provide resources, support and a listening ear to those who seek assistance. Her unwavering commitment and selfless dedication have made a profound difference in the lives of many branch members in Carlow.

Marie, who began volunteering with the branch in 2018 and stepped down last July, expressed surprise and delight at the recognition: Im absolutely thrilled. Gosh! There are a lot of people that help out, Im not the only one. But yes, I was delighted.

She attributes her involvement to her daughter Lauren, born with Down Syndrome in 2015.

At the end of the day, I went into the role for Lauren  to be more involved in what she was going to need and for her to make friends within the Down Syndrome community in Carlow, she said.

While much of her time has been spent advocating for consistent funding  particularly for speech and language therapy  the former secretary also pointed out the more uplifting aspects of the branchs work.

Marie Sheppard with Deirdre Kennedy from Down Syndrome Carlow

On Sunday 23 March, to mark World Down Syndrome Day, the Carlow branch is hosting a walk at Rathwood starting at 11am: We want families to come together. Theres a 1km walk and a 5km one  and well have a raffle with lots of prizes on the day.

She also highlighted Down Syndrome Irelands employment programme, which has found success in Carlow: Its proper employment, its not just for optics. But if we could get more employers on board, that would be amazing.

World Down Syndrome Day and Lots of Socks

World Down Syndrome Day has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012, celebrating the contributions of individuals with Down Syndrome around the globe.

This year, the Carlow branch is encouraging the community to wear vibrant socks on 21 March as part of Down Syndrome Irelands annual Lots of Socks fundraiser. People can find downloadable resources on the organisations website for their own Lots of Socks events, whether at schools, workplaces or in the community.

Schools, communities, and workplaces are encouraged to host their own events, wearing their most colourful socks while raising awareness and vital funds, it says on the Down Syndrome Ireland website.

All you have to do is gather friends, family, classmates or colleagues, pop on some colourful socks and raise awareness and funds for Down Syndrome Ireland.

In Maries words, the heart of World Down Syndrome Day is simple yet profound: Its important to celebrate persons with Down Syndrome. Theyre valuable members of the community and of society and theyre well capable of going through education, getting college places, getting jobs.
Sarah Slater

A garda investigation is underway into a number of fires which broke out at a halting site in Co Tipperary.

The garda probe is continuing into the cause of two fires which destroyed a house and caravan on the outskirts of Clonmel on the N24 Inner Relief shortly after 5am on Tuesday.

Two units of South Tipperary Fire Service were called to the scene and were stood down around 7am, but had to return to the Railway Cottages at 9am when the blaze reignited.

Gardai are also investigating a number of criminal damages offences at the same halting site late on Monday night which continued into Tuesday.

An initial call was made at about 12.45am on Tuesday in relation to a premises at a halting site in Clonmel.

Gardai called the fire service for assistance in relation to a disturbance at the scene and units from Cahir and Clonmel were mobilised.

In a statement, gardai said that they are continuing to investigate a number of incidents of criminal damage that occurred overnight in Clonmel, County Tipperary on Tuesday, March 18.

No injuries were reported and investigations are ongoing.
A TERRIFIC effort from Carlow schoolchildren has reaped the benefit for children in Nairobi and closer to home.

Pupils in Holy Family GNS and Bennekerry NS were busy making St Brigids Day crosses in school over a number of weeks, with all their hard work raising an amazing 3,500. Of the total raised, 2,500 was donated to the Mukuru Foundation in Nairobi and 1,000 to the St Lazerians Walking Track fund.

Askea GNS girls also demonstrated to the congregation in Askea Church on St Brigids Day and at all the Sunday Masses how they made the crosses.

Catherine Nolan and Vera Smith from Graiguecullen have been travelling to work in Mukuru slums in Nairobi with Sister of Mercy nun Sr Mary Killeen for the past nine years. They work at Sr Marys Rehabilitation Centre for Street Boys, which currently supports 68 boys aged from four year up to 18. All monies raised go directly to the centre and are used to fund services for the boys there.

Hannah Kingston, Abigail OGorman, Nina Stojakovic, Anna Conway-Whelan, Emily Carey, Willow Cahill, Emilija Rudokas and Mia McCauley Cahill 6th class pupils from Askea Girls NS present the proceeds of their St Brigids Cross fundraiser to Catherine Nolan accepting on behalf of the Mukuru Promotion Centre in Nairobi Kenya, also pictured Mary Kehoe acting Principal, June Farrell former teacher and 5th and 6th class pupils

The rehab centre provides the boys with clothes, food and education. It employs two teachers, a carpentry teacher and a cook, who help to equip the boys with basic life skills.

When the boys are ready, they move into a mainstream school on a site beside the centre. The aim of the project is to rehabilitate the boys, who are then returned to family or extended family. A follow-up remains in place by the social workers and the boys attend school in their locality. They encourage them to be self-sufficient, plant vegetables and care for chickens and rabbits. They employ a former street boy to teach them art, which is sold to visitors, and their latest project is to provide musical instruments and encourage them to play.

Pupils from Bennekerry NS show their St Brigid's Day crosses to Catherine Nolan

Holy Family GNS, Askea has been supporting this project for the last number of years by donating proceeds from the St Brigids Crosses. Last years donation helped them to renovate a room, which they named Askea GNS Room in recognition of the support that has been given by the school over the years.

The girls in Holy Family GNS were delighted to receive a video message of thanks from the boys and a photograph of the new room.

Principal of St Laserians School Rachel Dolan and some of the students and staff were presented with a cheque for 1,000 towards their walking track fundraiser. Holy Family GNS is delighted to be able to support this worthy local cause, too.

The making and selling of St Brigids Day crosses is a long-standing tradition within the school and has been led by June Farrell (retired deputy principal) even into her retirement years. The school is very grateful for Ms Farrells continued support.
A federal jury convicted Aimee Bock, leader of Feeding Our Future, and Minneapolis restaurant owner Salim Said on Wednesday after deliberating for only five hours. The verdict marks a significant milestone in one of the largest pandemic-related fraud cases in U.S. history, involving $250 million in fraudulent claims.

Bock, 44, from Apple Valley, was found guilty on seven counts, while Said, 36, from Plymouth, was convicted of 21 crimes, including wire fraud and federal programs bribery. Each count of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson, the lead prosecutor, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, saying, "The fact that they returned a verdict so quickly I think speaks volumes to the job that our team did." This case is part of a massive investigation that has charged 70 individuals, with 37 already pleading guilty.

Following the reading of the verdict, Bock was seen crying and was comforted by her attorney. She and Said were handcuffed and led out of the courtroom. A sentencing date has not been set. Bock's lawyer, Kenneth Udoibok, plans to appeal the decision, expressing surprise at the swift verdict. "I'm disappointed, very disappointed," he said, adding that he did not believe the government had met its burden of proof.

The trial, which began on February 3, attracted widespread attention due to Bock's prominent role as the executive director of Feeding Our Future, a nonprofit linked to many of the defendants in the case. It was the second trial in the investigation, which began in 2022, with five other defendants convicted in a prior case. Over five weeks, jurors were presented with hundreds of exhibits, including secret camera footage, bank records, and invoices, documenting how Feeding Our Future exploited the federal meals program.

Bock and Said were accused of operating a massive fraud scheme involving the distribution of federal funds meant to provide meals to children in need. Prosecutors argued that Feeding Our Future and its affiliates diverted nearly $250 million through inflated reimbursement claims, false invoices, and kickbacks. Bock, however, testified that she did not notice the fraud, claiming that her employees had betrayed her. "I didn't have a clue," Bock said about the fraudulent activities.

Prosecutors rejected this defense, arguing that Bock's "willful blindness" to the fraud was not a valid excuse. They pointed out that Bock personally confirmed millions of dollars in fraudulent payments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry Jacobs emphasized, "You can't close your eyes to the obvious to avoid responsibility ... If you do that, you're still guilty."

The trial also revealed troubling details about Bock's actions, including the use of profanity-laced text messages to intimidate critics. In one exchange, she wrote, "We may have become the mob," which prosecutors used to argue that Bock exhibited a criminal mindset. "When someone tells you who they really are, you better believe it," Jacobs told the jury.

Bock's defense team sought to distance her from the fraud, but prosecutors presented evidence of her active role in the scheme, including falsified documents and efforts to cover up the operation. Bock's testimony was also questioned, with her defense attorney conceding that she would have regretted not telling her side of the story.

As for Said, he denied knowledge of the fraud, claiming he was simply an investor. He testified that his restaurant, Safari, delivered thousands of meals in 2020, but he later turned over management to his partner, Abdulkadir Nur Salah, who has since pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Said admitted to profiting significantly from the scheme, earning at least $5.5 million.

The case highlighted systemic failures in the oversight of the federally-funded meals program, which has faced criticism for poor regulation. Despite the fraud, the Minnesota Department of Education has vowed to strengthen oversight, ensuring funds reach children in need.

The trial also saw key witnesses not take the stand, including Salah and former Feeding Our Future manager Hadith Ahmed, who had previously pleaded guilty. Ahmed had described how Bock orchestrated the fraud and used her position to solicit kickbacks from meal site operators.

This conviction is just the beginning, as several other individuals involved in the scheme face upcoming trials. Of the 42 individuals who have either been convicted or pleaded guilty, only three have been sentenced so far. The federal government has seized more than $75 million as part of the investigation.

As the case continues to unfold, the implications of this massive fraud scheme are still being felt, with more trials scheduled in the coming months.
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Pakistan's cement sector has consistently demonstrated impressive export performance in the first eight months of FY24-25 (July 2024-February 2025). According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), exports of cement and clinker surged by 27 per cent, reaching a total value of US$208.06m, up from US$163.90m during the same period last year. When converted to Pakistani rupees, export revenue rose by 23.4 per cent, totalling PKR57.89bn (US$206.5m). In terms of export volumes, there was a 38.1 per cent increase to 5.861Mt in the 8MFY24-25 from 4.245Mt in the equivalent period of the previous year.

The growth trend was somewhat reversed in February 2025, with the PBS reporting a MoM decrease in cement sector exports of 3.1 per cent, falling to US$19.72m from US$20.61m in January 2025. However, the export volume in February increased by 1.13 per cent, rising from 581,606t to 588,173t compared to the previous month. YoY comparisons for February reveal a significant increase, with cement exports climbing by 50.8 per cent in value and 68.3 per cent in quantity compared to February 2024, amounting to 349.534t valued at US$13.24m.

by Abdul Rab Siddiqi, Pakistan
The History and Political Studies Department at Southern Adventist University welcomes historian Catherine Brekus, PhD, to present Christianity and the American Revolution on Thursday, April 3, at 7 p.m. in Lynn Wood Hall Chapel on campus as part of the Benjamin McArthur Endowed Lecture Series.

Dr. Brekus will explore the religious ideas that fueled the revolt against Great Britain and the rise of the new United States. She is the Charles Warren professor of the History of Religion in America and chair of the Committee on the Study of Religion at Harvard University in Massachusetts. She graduated from Harvard University with a BA in the history and literature of England and America, and she holds a PhD in American Studies from Yale University in Connecticut. Dr. Brekus research focuses on the relationship between religion and American culture, with particular emphasis on the history of women, gender, Christianity, and the evangelical movement. She is currently writing a book about the relationship between American nationalism and Christianity.

This free event is open to the public. For additional details, visit southern.edu/mcarthurlecture.
The community is invited to the Chattanooga premier screening of October 8 documentary, on Thursday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road. A facilitated discussion will take place after the film. There is no cost to attend. Registration is required at www.jewishchattanooga.com.

Review of October 8:

October 8 unpacks the explosion of antisemitism on college campuses, on social media and in the streets of America, in the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The film examines the forces that led to a dystopian moment where Hamas is celebrated as freedom fighters rather than as terrorists at the most elite universities in America. This documentary film stars Debra Messing, Michael Rapaport and Noa Tishby. It is directed by Wendy Sachs. (1 hour 40 minutes)

Why this film? Why now?" asked Michael Dzik, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Chattanooga. "Recently a student from Columbia was arrested and threatened with deportation for his role in campus protests. The Federations mission includes combating antisemitism and having community conversations is a Federation priority. This film is an educational way to learn and discuss this topic.


The Chattanooga State Humanities Departments Writers@Work program is pleased to welcome award-winning author Lorrie Moore to Chattanooga for a multi-day community-wide celebration of her work, April 22-24.

Created in 2011, the Writers@Work program celebrates literature in the American South by bringing acclaimed writers to the city for an annual series of community-wide events. Since its beginning, W@W has provided unique opportunities for public interaction with visiting authors through events that are always free to attendees. These events take place in various spotlight locations across the city such as the Chattanooga Aquarium, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, and the Hunter Museum of American Art, where the community can interact with the authors in settings that highlight the best of Chattanooga. Designed and hosted by the English faculty at Chattanooga State Community College, W@W is the Colleges literary gift to the community it serves.

Over the last 14 years, W@W has hosted a lineup of nationally-recognized and best-selling Southern authors, including Terry Kay, Jill McCorkle, Lila Quintero Weaver, Rick Bragg, George Singleton, Ron Rash, Robert Morgan, Tayari Jones, Tom Franklin, Beth Ann Fennelly, Daniel Wallace, Jericho Brown, Karen Russell, Ariel Francisco, Harrison Scott Key and Chattanoogas own Ishmael Reed.

The 2025 Writers@Work featured writer is award-winning author Lorrie Moore. Ms. Moore is the author of four short story collections (Self- Help, Like Life, Birds of America, and Bark), four novels (Anagrams, Who Will Run the Frog Hospital?, A Gate at the Stairs, and I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home), and a childrens book, The Forgotten Helper. See What Can Be Done is a collection of her reviews and essays. Ms. Moore has won the O. Henry Award, The Irish Times International Fiction Prize, the Rea Award for the Short Story, the PEN/Malamud Award for Short Fiction, and the Finn Zinklar Award for the Short Story given by the Karen Blixen Society in Copenhagen. She has been a finalist for the Orange Prize, The PEN Faulkner Award, The National Book Critics' Circle Award, The Story Prize, and the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. A recipient of an NEA, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Lannan Fellowship, the Berlin Prize, and a Pushcart Prize, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001 and to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2006, where she is a member of the Board of Directors. Moore currently serves as the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of English.

At the beginning of March, the Writers@Work program distributed over 350 copies of Ms. Moores books to more than 40 Chattanooga-area book clubs to promote a citywide common read in anticipation of the authors April visit.

Were so excited about the communitys response to our book-club-in-a-bag giveaway, said Erica Lux, ChattState English faculty member and W@W co-director, and we hope to make it a regular feature of the Writers@Work program for years to come.

This years book distribution was made possible through the generous financial support of Chattanooga State Community College, the Chattanooga State Foundation, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and SouthArts, as well as partnerships with local literary arts nonprofit SoLit and local independent bookstore The Book & Cover. But even if you missed the book giveaway, you can still enjoy the authors visit next month.

The Writers@Work program would like to invite the public to the following schedule of free events. (Note that, while admission is free, seating at each event is limited. Please secure your tickets for the events that interest you at www.chattbigread.com.)

Schedule of Free Public Events

Inside the Mind of Lorrie Moore: The Behind-the-Writer Interview

Tuesday, April 22, 6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View Ave.

Enjoy beautiful views of the Tennessee River from the lobby of the Hunter Museum during Writers@Work's annual interview night. Ray Bassett, host and producer of Scenic Roots on WUTC, will interview Lorrie Moore about her life as a writer, her move to the South, and her experiences in the classroom. Join us at the Hunter Museum of American Art to ask questions, get your books signed, and mingle with other readers from the community while enjoying a selection of delicious desserts at the authors reception. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required. (Registration will open on April 1.)

The Craft of Writing with Lorrie Moore

Wednesday, April 23, 6-7:30 p.m.

ArtsBuild, 301 E 11th St #300

W@W and SoLit invite you to visit ArtsBuild for a craft talk with Lorrie Moore. Her writing ranges from short stories to novels to nonfiction. (Shes even written a childrens book.) Come listen to her discuss how she balances a writing life with a teaching career, what brings her inspiration, and what shes working on now. Bring your questions and be prepared to take notes! Light refreshments will be served. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required. (Registration will open on April 1.)

Last Stop to Nashville

Thursday, April 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

ChattStates Kimball Site (2100 Main Street, Kimball, Tn.)

On her last stop as she makes her way back home to Nashville, Lorrie Moore will share her work with students and the public at the ChattState Kimball site. Listen to the author read from her various works and come prepared with questions and to have your books signed. This in-person event is free to the public, but registration is required. (Registration will open on April 1.)

For more information on the annual Writers@Work program or these events, please visit the programs website at www.chattbigread.com.




Drivers traveling near the I-75 at I-24 interchange in Hamilton County should be aware of upcoming road construction activities that will temporarily impact traffic. As part of Phase 2 (the second of two projects) to widen and improve the I-75 at I-24 interchange, Tennessee Department of Transportation contract crews must implement weekend lane closures on I-75 near the SR 153 interchange to repair damaged concrete roadway slabs. This work is scheduled to take place over the next several weekends.

Beginning Friday at 9 p.m. and continuing through Monday at 6 a.m., contract crews will close the right lane on I-75 South from SR 153 to the bridge over the CSX railroad. Traffic from the SR 153 South ramp to I-75 South will be required to yield before merging onto I-75 South. I-75 North will not be affected by this work. As soon as the new concrete cures long enough to pass required strength testing, the roadway will reopen to traffic.

Drivers should consider an alternate route and are encouraged to avoid the area during these times. Significant delays are expected. Drivers should follow all posted signage and remain alert to changing traffic conditions.

This work is weather-dependent. Should inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances cause delays, it will be rescheduled to take place at a later date. Uniformed police officers will be present to assist with traffic control and law enforcement.

Additional information and resources can be found on the projects website.

As always, drivers are reminded to use all motorist information tools wisely and Know Before You Go! by checking travel conditions before leaving for your destination. Drivers should never tweet, text, or talk on a cell phone while behind the wheel. Get the latest construction activity traffic updates from the TDOT SmartWay Map. Travelers can also call 511 for statewide travel information.

The Move Over Law was passed in 2006. The penalty for violating the law in Tennessee can be up to 30 days in jail and a maximum fine of up to $500.
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Rachel Eggum Cinader, founder and president of Hope 4 Women International | Photo Credit: Facebook/ Rachel Eggum Cinader

A Christian charity has distributed nearly 4 million dresses to impoverished girls around the world through a campaign that coordinates dress-making efforts involving various churches and nonprofits.

The program, called Dress a Girl Around the World, is a part of Hope 4 Women International (H4WI) and has provided over 3 million locally made dresses since its launch in 2009.

H4WI President Rachel Eggum Cinader explained that the campaign began after her visits to Uganda, where she saw a need for dresses as many girls were wearing threadbare clothing. The number of dresses distributed through the program is nearing the 4 million mark, with contributions coming from around the world.

Cinader noted, 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.

The charity ensures that dresses are hand-carried by individuals going on mission trips, providing an opportunity for these teams to share Jesus and His love with recipients.

Beyond clothing, the charity also uses the distribution process to educate communities about the dangers of trafficking, highlighting tactics that traffickers exploit to lure girls.

One of the notable contributors to the program is Oro Valley Church of the Nazarene in Oro Valley, Arizona, which began sewing dresses for the charity in 2012. Pastor David Hillis, who oversees missions and evangelism at the church, mentioned that members initially made 138 dresses in their first year but have since created over 28,000 dresses.

Each November, the church hosts a Sew-a-Thon event where hundreds of volunteers gather to produce more than 1,500 dresses in a single day.

According to Hillis, 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.

Another church involved in the Dress a Girl program is Leduc Alliance Church, located in Leduc, Alberta, Canada. The Leduc group has sewn or donated over 3,500 dresses for the campaign.

From October to either May or June, volunteers at Leduc Alliance meet weekly for three hours to create dresses and also include items like flat dolls for the girls.

The dresses have reached many African countries, including Malawi, Namibia, Egypt, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Botswana, Kenya, and Cameroon, as well as countries like Mexico, Jamaica, India, Brazil, Haiti, Panama, and Guatemala.
Photo Credit: Facebook/ ACSI USA

The Pennsylvania Board of Education has unanimously rejected an application from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) for official accreditation of private schools, prompting allegations of religious discrimination.

The board made this decision during a public meeting on Thursday, following unfavorable recommendations from a special committee regarding ACSI's application, as reported by Lancaster Online.

ACSI currently accredits 2,200 private schools across the United States, including 116 in Pennsylvania. The organization sought formal recognition under Pennsylvania's Private Academic Schools Act to enhance its credibility and support its member schools.

The decision has sparked controversy amid arguments from Democratic lawmakers and progressive advocacy groups that ACSIs policies on "biblical sexuality" are discriminatory. During the meeting, board members did not directly reference ACSI's policies.

Randall Wenger, the Independence Law Center attorney who represented ACSI, characterized the board's decision as religious discrimination, asserting that the recognition was denied solely due to ACSI's faith-based mission.

He expressed concern, saying, 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 also pointed out that ACSI has been approved as an accrediting body in every other state where it has submitted an application and insisted that the application met all state requirements.

In contrast, the liberal advocacy organization Education Law Center contended that ACSI's policies regarding sexual orientation and gender identity are discriminatory and harmful to LGBT-identified students.

They referenced ACSI's 2023 document, Guiding Principles on Biblical Sexuality, as evidence of the allegedly discriminatory practices, claiming that its approach is narrow, exclusionary, and detrimental to students.

Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler suggested that private schools tend to lose the freedom to be independent under state oversight, emphasizing that the State Board of Education does not need to approve ACSI's accreditation since it is already permitted under Pennsylvania law.

In response to the board's decision, ACSI is currently exploring its options, which may include appealing the ruling or reapplying at a later date.
On December 25, 2023, Pastor William Devlin (on the left), the missions pastor of Infinity Bible Church in the South Bronx, New York, is photographed celebrating Christmas with persecuted church members in northern Nigeria. | Photo Credit: Facebook/ William PB Devlin

An American pastor, William Devlin, is offering his life in exchange for a Nigerian Christian, Sunday Jackson, who has been sentenced to death by hanging for killing a Fulani herdsman in self-defense during an attack on his farm.

Devlin, the missions pastor of Infinity Bible Church in the South Bronx, New York, voiced his support for Jackson after the Supreme Court of Nigeria upheld the farmer's death sentence on March 7.

Devlin expressed his emotions during a press conference in Nigeria following the court's decision, stating, I was just filled with emotion. I said to the press, 'My relationship with Jesus Messiah demands that I offer myself up for Sunday Jackson, much as Jesus Messiah offered Himself up for me.

The pastor, who is 72 years old, emphasized, God has blessed me with a great life. If I can save that man's life, and they take my life, then I'm willing to do it.

As the volunteer CEO of the nonprofit charities REDEEM! and Widows & Orphans, Devlin has spent years advocating for persecuted Christians globally. He has been involved in Jackson's case since 2021, the year Justice Fatima Ahmed Tafida sentenced the farmer to death.

This ruling followed an incident in 2015 when a Fulani herder, Buba Ardo Bawuro, allegedly threatened Jackson with a knife.

Jackson states that he was working on his farm in Numan when Bawuro herded his animals onto Jackson's property, allowing them to graze on his crops. He claims that when he confronted Bawuro about this situation, the herdsman attacked and injured him, but Jackson ultimately managed to overpower and kill Bawuro.

During the initial trial in 2021, the Adamawa High Court judge interpreted the law to indicate that Jackson should have fled instead of defending himself, resulting in his death sentence, a ruling recently upheld by Nigeria's Supreme Court.

Devlin, alongside various Christian leaders, is advocating for clemency in Jackson's case while making it clear that he is willing to die in Jacksons place should their efforts fail.

I see it as obedience to the Scripture, he stated. Jesus Messiah did it for me. He went to the cross, and I have a new life because of that. So why wouldn't I do that for someone else?

Leaders from the Christian Association of Nigeria are also calling on Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to grant Jackson a pardon.

The violence between radicalized herders and predominantly Christian farming communities in Nigeria has resulted in thousands of deaths over the past decade, leading some to claim that the situation has reached a level of genocide, a claim the Nigerian government disputes.

Additionally, Christian advocates often express concern that violent attacks on their communities in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria seldom lead to prosecution, with attackers rarely held accountable.

On this issue, lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives recently held a congressional hearing titled Conflict and Persecution in Nigeria: The Case for a CPC Designation. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, urged the Biden administration to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
Home News American UN envoy rejects claims Israel violated ceasefire, says blame 'lies solely with Hamas

Acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea rejected accusations in the United Nations Security Council that Israel was conducting indiscriminate attacks in Gaza after Israel resumed military strikes in the enclave.

Shea, who is serving as the interim ambassador to the UN, addressed a Security Council that was practically united against Israel.

UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs head Tom Fletcher said he was distressed to report that in addition to the intense air strikes that have resumed, since March 2, Israeli authorities have cut off the entry of all life saving supplies for 2.1 million people.

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Overnight our worst fears materialized. Airstrikes resumed across the entire Gaza Strip. Unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people killed  and once again, the people of Gaza [are] living in abject fear, Fletcher told the council, which had met to discuss Israels refusal to allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip after Hamas rejected the first attempt to extend phase one of the hostage-ceasefire proposal negotiated under the administration of former President Joe Biden.

This total blockade of life-saving aid, basic commodities and commercial goods will have a disastrous impact on the people of Gaza who remain dependent on steady flow of assistance, Fletcher said. As Gaza is cut off  again  our ability to deliver assistance and basic services is becoming harder.

The Algerian ambassador to the UN, Amar Bendjama, accused Israel of using starvation as "a weapon of war."

While Russias Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy said the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has become truly biblical in nature, calling on Israel to end aid restrictions in Gaza and Judea and Samaria.

Shea responded to such comments by saying the blame lies with Hamas, not Israel.

This brutal terrorist organization has steadfastly refused every proposal and deadline they've been presented over the past few weeks, including a bridge proposal to extend the ceasefire beyond Ramadan and Passover to allow time to negotiate a framework for a permanent ceasefire, Ambassador Shea told the Security Council. The blame for the resumption of hostilities lies solely with Hamas.

The IDF is striking Hamas positions, Shea said, addressing the resumption of strikes. It is well known that Hamas continues to use civilian infrastructure as launching pads, and the United States condemns this practice, as should others.

Jonathan Miller, Israels deputy ambassador to the UN, contested reports of starvation in Gaza due to a shortage of humanitarian aid.

If there is suffering in Gaza, it is not because of a lack of aid. It is because Hamas has hijacked an entire civilian population for its own violent ends, Miller said.

Hamas diverts food. Hamas hoards fuel. Hamas transforms hospitals, schools and UN facilities into command centers, ensuring that even in the presence of humanitarian aid, suffering persists, Miller stated.

Shea said the U.S. supports Israel in its decision to use military pressure against Hamas.

President Trump has made clear that Hamas must release the hostages immediately or pay a high price, and we support Israel in its next steps, she remarked.

This article was originally published by All Israel News.
Home News Brown University prof. deported for attending Hezbollah chief's funeral allegedly praised his sermons

An assistant professor at Brown University was deported to Lebanon last weekend after she traveled abroad to attend the funeral of former Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and reportedly expressed praise for the slain terrorist leader, referring to him as a "spiritual person."

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, 34, is a Lebanese citizen and kidney doctor who worked as an assistant professor of medicine at the Rhode Island-based Ivy League research university.

In response to an inquiry from The Christian Post, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Alawieh's removal was prompted by her attending Nasrallah's funeral in Beirut, Lebanon, last month.

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The agency described Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last year, as 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 spokesperson for the DHS told CP.

"A visa is a privilege not a right  glorifying and supporting terrorists who kill Americans is grounds for visa issuance to be denied," the agency spokesperson added. "This is commonsense security."

Alawieh arrived at Boston Logan International Airport on Thursday after returning from Lebanon, according to a Friday complaint filed by the woman's cousin, Yara Chehab, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She was granted an H1B visa on March 11 and had previously lived in the U.S.

According to court filings obtained by WCVB, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at Logan questioned Alawieh about the photos of Nasrallah that she had on her phone.

"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 paperwork stated.

Alawieh also allegedly encouraged customs officials to listen to Nasrallah's sermons, according to the report. The Brown University employee reportedly described the Hezbollah leader as "a religious, spiritual person" of "very high value," claiming that Nasrallah's "teachings are about spirituality and morality."

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, an appointee of President Barack Obama, issued an order that barred Alawieh's removal from Massachusetts without 48 hours' notice to the court, as CNN reported.

However, Alawieh was deported anyway, as customs officials had not been made aware of the judge's order until after her departure from the U.S., according to lawyers for the government. The judge has since put the assistant professor's case on hold.

In response to the deportation of its employee, Brown University sent a campus-wide email this week to international staffers and students, advising them against traveling outside of the U.S.

"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," Russell Carey, Brown's executive vice president for planning and policy, wrote in the email.

Brown University did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment.

The deportation case of Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil has also made headlines this month. Khalil, a green card holder from Syria, was detained and faces possible deportation for his role in organizing anti-Israel protests.

Anti-Israel activists on college campuses throughout the country last year set up protest encampments and organized demonstrations in opposition to Israel's military response to Hamas' terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Jewish students at various academic institutions, including Columbia University, reported that they experienced antisemitic harassment from the protesters.

Canary Mission, a group that works to expose antisemitism, shared a video to its social media page on March 6 that showed Khalil among the activists who took over a library at Barnard College, a Columbia affiliate.

Activists at the protest handed out pamphlets from the "Hamas Media Office" that reportedly justified the terror group's 2023 invasion in southern Israel, which resulted in the massacres of over 1,200 people in southern Israel and sparked Israel's military operation in Gaza.
Home News Christian charities, volunteers aiding those in need after deadly storms tore through 7 states

Christian charitable organizations are responding to a severe weather outbreak that left more than 40 dead and over 100,000 without power across seven states.

In a statement published Tuesday, the Evangelical humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse said it is sending volunteers to assist with recovery efforts in Missouri and Oklahoma after powerful storms fueled by heavy winds ripped through the two states and other parts of the Midwestern and Southern United States over the weekend.

The group reported that Disaster Relief Unit # 1, identified as "a tractor-trailer filled with relief supplies and equipment," is headed to Missouri.

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Samaritan's Purse is preparing to deploy volunteers to Poplar Bluff, Missouri, where hundreds of homes were destroyed by "powerful twisters" in the city. The group will operate out of First Baptist Church of Poplar Bluff on 551 N. Westwood Blvd.

Samaritan's Purse will also set up operations in Stillwater, Oklahoma, at New Covenant Fellowship, located at 1110 East McElroy Rd. Stillwater experienced wildfires that "destroyed tens of thousands of acres and destroyed nearly 100 homes and structures."

In an update Monday, Convoy of Hope said it is also launching aid efforts in Poplar Bluff, where "relief supplies are en route."

"Additional loads will leave our World Distribution Center this week to go to West Plains, Missouri, and Cave City, Arkansas  both communities were hit hard by EF-3 tornadoes this weekend," Convoy of Hope added.

In a statement Sunday, Convoy of Hope indicated that trucks filled with relief supplies were continually leaving Convoy of Hope's World Distribution Center.

"Teams are in communication with partners across the Midwest and South to coordinate how we can best help their communities," the organization stated.

Those impacted by the recent burst of severe weather will also receive help from the federal government.

In a statement Monday, President Donald Trump proclaimed that his administration is actively monitoring the situation.

"The National Guard have been deployed to Arkansas, and my Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage," he vowed. "Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!"

Many states continue to experience power outages several days later, according to data from the website poweroutage.us.

As of Wednesday evening, there were more than 55,000 power outages in Nebraska, over 5,000 customers without power in Kansas, nearly 2,000 electrical outages in Texas, over 12,000 customers without electricity in Missouri, more than 11,000 without power in Arkansas and over 12,000 without power in Iowa.
Home News Duluth Vineyard's interim Pastor John Kliewer steps aside after questions about leadership

Just over a month after publicly criticizing the handling of sexual abuse claims by his church's parent organization, John Kliewer, interim senior pastor of the Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota, has voluntarily "stepped back" from the role after Vineyard USA accused him of leadership abuse.

"Vineyard USA has expressed concerns about the leadership of our interim Senior Pastor, see the full letter here. We take all allegations seriously," Duluth Vineyard Church Council said in a statement Sunday.

"Vineyard USA has asked for these accusations to remain confidential, yet we believe transparency is essential for trust and accountability. We call upon Vineyard USA to clarify and substantiate their claims."

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In a March 6 letter, Vineyard USA Managing Director Robb Morgan highlights concerns about Kliewer, among other things, "wielding power in unhealthy ways."

"We once again feel compelled to express concerns about the conduct of your interim senior pastor, John Kliewer. Additionally, we have concerns related to the Church Council and the fulfillment of its oversight responsibilities," Morgan argued.

"As early as December 2023 and on multiple occasions, leaders from Duluth Vineyard have confidentially sought the advice of VUSA as they have attempted to make sense of John Kliewer's leadership, actions, and communication. Together, these have amounted to cries for intervention, as well as a plea for wisdom, grace, truth, and reconciliation," he added.

As the Duluth Vineyard Church Council called on Vineyard USA to substantiate their claims against Kliewer, the interim pastor voluntarily stepped aside from his role to allow a "qualified independent investigator to assess the situation fairly and objectively."

"We invite everyone to participate in this process with honesty and integrity. Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be presented. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution and to avoid even the appearance of interference in the investigation, our interim lead pastor John Kliewer has voluntarily stepped back from his role while we conduct this prompt and independent review," the church council stated. "This is not a punitive action, nor does it assume wrongdoing. It is simply a proactive and responsible step to ensure a fair and thorough process."

Kliewer noted in a statement that even though he is disappointed by the allegations made by Vineyard USA, he is submitting to the investigation to show that "no one is above scrutiny."

"I am thankful for our Church Council's commitment to truth and justice. Although disappointed that the charges brought by Vineyard USA against me distract from the harm done to survivors, I welcome this leave of absence and investigation. No one is above scrutiny. I will cooperate fully and patiently look forward to the completion of the investigation," he said.

Both The Vineyard Church and Vineyard USA have been named in nine civil lawsuits alongside Jackson Gatlin, a former young adult and online community pastor at The Vineyard Church who accepted a plea deal in November for criminal sexual conduct with a child.

Gatlin, 36, was charged in 2023 with sexually abusing five teenage girls but pleaded guilty to only one count of sexual assault. On four other counts, he entered an Alford plea in which he admitted there is sufficient evidence to find him guilty during a trial but maintained his innocence.

He was sentenced to 13 years on two sexual assault-related charges, another 13 years for two other sexual assault charges, plus eight years for one additional charge, according to Northern News Now. All his sentences are expected to run concurrently.

Also named in the civil lawsuits are Gatlin's parents. His father, Michael Gatlin, was a senior pastor at The Vineyard Church, where his son met most of his victims. His mother, Brenda Gatlin, also served in leadership at the church and at Vineyard USA. They both resigned from their roles at the church and Vineyard USA without cooperating with an investigation into their son's abuse in early 2023.

Earlier this year, Kliewer shared his disagreement with Vineyard USA "about the relative importance of victims and perpetrators (pastors) in our response to abuse."

"In my recent personal experience, VUSA worked to preserve the power of Michael and Brenda. For example, at the start (December 2022/January 2023) we were told by Vineyard USA that (a) we would need Michael and Brenda's leadership to get through this and (b), although maybe Michael and Brenda shouldn't have the ultimate say, they should be given input into who conducts the third-party investigation," Kliewer said, citing an opinion he previously shared with Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment in July 2023.

Kliewer highlighted several ways in which he believes Vineyard USA appeared to prioritize the perpetrators of abuse instead of the alleged victims and recommended 20 actions Vineyard USA could take to better address the issue of abuse in the organization, including radical transparency.

Other recommendations include a public acknowledgment and apology for past failures; offering private apologies and making amends with survivors and churches that are willing to engage; dedicating a main session at the next national conference to confession, lament, and a call for repentance regarding past mishandling of abuse; gender diversity in leadership; and investing in trauma-informed training.

"Vineyard pastors, we're all a part of a culture that prioritized Senior Pastor power, rather than Senior Pastor accountability," Kliewer said. "I don't blame Vineyard USA any more than I blame myself. The question now is: what are we going to do about it? We could start by being honest and acknowledging the truth."
Home News 'Abuse on a daily basis': Hostage families describe torment Hamas put their loved ones through

WASHINGTON  Hamas hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David were forced to watch the release ceremony for several other hostages freed via the recent ceasefire deal with Israel. They even felt sunlight before they were taken back into a tunnel where the terror group has held them captive since October 2023..



Ilan Dalal, the father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal, said during an advocacy event earlier this month that the glimpse of his son at the ceremony last month was the first sign he had received in months that he is still alive.



The father shared details about what his son has endured in captivity during a panel discussion organized by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli Defense Forces. He joined other families of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.



"We have been living for more than 16 months with a deep hole in our hearts," the father of Guy Gilboa-Dalal told attendees.



"And this has been our life for the past 16 months," he said. "We're going from place to place and trying to talk to everybody that's willing to listen to us, and trying to achieve the goal that all the hostages will be free."

The event included dozens of family members of the hostages taken captive during Hamas' terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of at least 1,200 people and the abduction of over 240 others from southern Israel. The families shared details of what their loved ones have endured in captivity.

On the day of the terrorist attack, Guy Gilboa-Dalal attended the Nova Music Festival with several friends, later meeting up with his brother, Gal Gilboa-Dalal. After Hamas began its assault, the brothers became separated, with Gal Gilboa-Dalal managing to survive the massacre and evade capture.

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Gilboa-Dalal and Evyatar David attempted to hide, but Hamas found them, and the group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 has held the friends captive for over 500 days now.

Ilan Dalal called for the release of the remaining hostages to take place "as soon as possible," stressing that the situation for those held captive by Hamas becomes "worse every day."

"They are in a very small tunnel," Ilan Dalal said about the conditions his son and the other hostages have had to endure. "It's dark most of the time, and they are chained most of the time. They are starved, and they are going through mental and physical abuse on a daily basis."

Michel Illouz, whose son Guy Illouz succumbed to wounds he sustained after Hamas took him captive at the Nova festival, told attendees that he doesn't care if his son's body comes back last if that's what it takes to secure the release of the remaining hostages.

During his testimony, Michel Illouz played a recording of his last phone call with his son, which took place on the day of Hamas' attack. Amid the sound of machine gun fire, Guy Illouz repeatedly uttered the phrase "Father, I love you" in Hebrew.

"I remember I told him, 'Guy, don't you dare, don't you try to separate from us, please,'" the father recalled. "And then everything finished."

Eli Shtivi, another father advocating for the return of his son's body, also spoke during the event. His son, Idan Shtivi, was killed at the festival, but the news of his death didn't come out until a year after the attack.

Rising from his seat next to the other panelists, Eli Shtivi described his son as "a good person," stating that he did not have a gun when Hamas murdered him. The father held up his phone and played a video of Hamas members shooting his son in the head several times before dragging his body to Gaza.

"You go to a party for peace and love, and then the Hamas monster comes," Eli Shtivi said.
Home News Over 16,000 baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in recent ceremonies

A Seventh-day Adventist Church regional body has reported that more than 16,000 people joined the denomination in a series of recently held baptismal ceremonies across Latin America.

The Inter-American Division of the SDA Church reported earlier this week in the denomination's flagship journal, Adventist Review, that the baptisms occurred across missions based in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America.

As part of the events, IAD President Elie Henry spoke to approximately 10,000 church leaders and members at a live event hub held last month in Huimanguillo, Tabasco, Mexico.

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"This is a great feast today, where we can rejoice and celebrate together so many new people who have come to be part of the kingdom," Henry was quoted as saying. "This is just a taste of the wonderful reunion we will have the privilege of participating in with Jesus for eternity."

IAD credited the evangelistic efforts of pastors and elders, as well as laity and small groups. It was also the second time that ordained local church elders had been authorized within the regional body to officiate baptisms.

"This is a momentous occasion where church elders, who have worked closely in preparing candidates for baptism, can share the joy of baptizing," said Josney Rodriguez, IAD ministerial secretary and the main organizer of the event.

The Christian Post reached out to the Inter-American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more information. A response is pending.

News of the mass baptism events comes a few years after the SDA Church reported one of its lowest years of growth in recent times and previously expressed financial concerns over a pandemic-related drop in donations.

At its 2021 Annual Council in Silver Spring, Maryland, the denomination reported that the number of new members it received in 2020 was around 800,000, the first time it had dropped below the 1 million mark since 2004.

During the 2020 Annual Council, held virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic gathering restrictions, it was reported that the denomination expected to experience a $26 million decline in tithes and mission offerings.

Juan Prestol-Puesan, treasurer for the denomination, told the Executive Committee in a virtual presentation at the time that they were in "survival" mode as a result of the drop in donations.

"According to reports received from division treasurers, the decrease in tithe income could be estimated as low as 5 percent and as high as 25 percent in some places, and the decrease in mission offerings as low as 10 percent and as high as 40 percent," said Prestol-Puesan, as quoted by The Adventist Review.

David Trim, director of archives, statistics, and research of the SDA General Conference, reports that from 1965 to 2023, the denomination has faced a net member loss rate of over 42%, or over 18 million people.
Home News Pakistan's deterioration of human rights condemned at United Nations event

LAHORE, Pakistan  Religious freedom advocates this month strongly condemned deterioration of human rights in Pakistan, particularly continued abuse of the countrys harsh blasphemy laws and forced conversions of minority girls.

They delivered the scathing rebukes during the 58th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva on March 11 at a side event hosted by rights organizations Jubilee Campaign USA, Set My People Free and the European Centre for Law and Justice. The event focused on systematic use of torture and persecution in Pakistan, Eritrea, Nicaragua and Sudan.

Charlie Weimers, a member of the European Parliament, reviled Pakistans blasphemy laws, describing them as weapons of terror against religious minorities.

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Christians and others in Pakistan face mob violence, wrongful imprisonment, and forced conversions, Weimers said, adding that August 2023 riots in Jaranwala  where 26 church buildings were torched and multiple homes and businesses of Christians were ransacked  exposed the complete absence of justice for Christians.

The European Parliament in 2021 called on Pakistan to amend its blasphemy laws and urged targeted sanctions on Eritrean officials and international jurisdiction over crimes of Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega, but nothing has changed since then, Weimers said.

The European Union must stop enabling Pakistans persecution machine, he said. Trade, aid and visas must be conditional on real human rights reforms, and sanctions must be imposed on violators.

He also warned of religious persecution metastasizing into Europe, citing increased attacks on church buildings, clergy and other faithful.

We cannot claim to fight for religious freedom abroad while ignoring the crisis at home, he cautioned, criticizing reckless immigration policies and the unchecked spread of radical ideologies.

Weimers asserted that more than 800 church buildings were desecrated in France in a single year, while violent attacks on Christians in Germany, Sweden and the U.K. surged.

How can we criticize Pakistans blasphemy laws when European citizens fear wearing a cross in public? he said. If Europe is serious about defending religious freedom, it must take back control at home and confront persecution abroad with unwavering resolve.

Jubilee Campaign advocacy officer Joseph Janssen slammed Pakistans ruthless enforcement of blasphemy laws, saying they have turned into a death sentence for Christians, Hindus and other minorities.

Victims face state-sponsored physical and psychological torture, indefinite detention without trial, and extrajudicial executions at the hands of violent mobs, said Janssen.

He spoke about several people who were languishing in prison because of fake accusations, including Nadeem James, sentenced to death over a WhatsApp message, who has been in solitary confinement for eight years; Anwar Kenneth, who was deemed mentally unfit but has spent 23 years in prison over a blasphemy charge; and Shagufta Kiran, a mother of four, who has been imprisoned over an accusation about a social media post.

At the same time, perpetrators of mob violence against Christians have walked free, Janssen said, stating that nearly all of the more than 300 suspects arrested following the Jaranwala riots have been released on bail.

These abuses demand urgent global action. The international community must step in now to protect Pakistans religious minorities, hold perpetrators accountable, and push for immediate legal reforms, he said.

Shahid Mobeen, president of the Italian Roundtable on Religious Freedom, said that 307 million Christians were facing persecution worldwide.

The murders of Shahbaz Bhatti and Salman Taseer for defending religious freedom in Pakistan serve as grim reminders of the cost of speaking the truth, Mobeen said. Governments must counter radicalization, dismantle blasphemy laws and enforce protections for religious minorities.

Organizers called on the international community, including the U.N., the European Union and national governments to act immediately to increase U.N. human rights monitoring in high-risk countries; demand legal protections for religious communities and repeal oppressive laws; impose targeted sanctions on government officials responsible for religious persecution; launch independent investigations into religious persecution, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable under international law; and pressure states to repeal blasphemy laws and eliminate state-backed religious discrimination.

Speakers stressed that the time for polite diplomacy was over, and that decisive action was needed  international intervention to hold perpetrators accountable, strengthen protections for vulnerable communities and ensure justice for victims of state-backed religious oppression.

Nazila Ghanea, U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said countries were trampling over the right to religious freedom and the prohibition of torture. She added that a recent HRC report underscored the need for stronger action: accountability for grave violations rather than empty condemnations.

Pakistan ranked eighth on Open Doors 2025 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian.



This article was originally published by Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News.
Home News Trump admin. drops Biden-era challenge to Alabama law banning puberty blockers for kids

The Trump administration has dropped the federal government's involvement in a Biden-era lawsuit targeting Alabama's ban on the prescribing of puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormones for trans-identified children.

In a joint stipulation of dismissal filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, Northern Division, the administration agreed to end its involvement in the lawsuit of Brianna Boe, et al. v. Steve Marshall, et al.

"The United States consents to this Court's jurisdiction solely to the extent necessary to resolve any motion by Defendants to unseal and/or authenticate documents produced by the United States in discovery in this case if the matter cannot be resolved without court intervention," the court document stated.

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The federal government previously intervened in the case under President Joe Biden, whose Justice Department expressed opposition to several similar state-level laws.

Jonathan Scruggs of the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group that supports state bans like Alabama's, released a statement celebrating the dismissal.

"In a refreshing return to sanity, the federal government is proving its commitment to protecting children from radical gender ideology that has devastated countless lives," Scruggs said.

"Alabama rightly enacted a law that protects children's health and welfare  supporting their natural biological development and ensuring that children experiencing gender dysphoria have a chance for comprehensive healing and compassionate mental-health support."

In April 2022, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a law banning so-called gender transition surgeries and puberty drugs for minors, also known as the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, originally scheduled to take effect that May.

LGBT advocacy groups filed a lawsuit on behalf of multiple families living in Alabama who have trans-identified children.

Groups representing the families included the Human Rights Campaign, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the Southern Poverty Law Center, King & Spalding LLP, and Lightfoot, Franklin & White LLC.

U.S. District Judge Liles Burke, a Trump appointee, issued a preliminary injunction in May 2022 that blocked enforcement of the ban on experimental drugs. His decision kept the surgical ban in place.

However, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit overruled the injunction in August 2023. In January 2024, the full appeals court removed the injunction while litigation on the case continued.

The LGBT advocacy groups representing the families issued a joint statement denouncing the decision to lift the injunction.

"The district court issued its preliminary order blocking the ban after hearing days of testimony from parents, doctors, and medical experts about the devastating impact of this ban and the lack of any medical justification for it," they stated.

"Today's ruling will hurt parents and children in the state. We will continue to challenge this unlawful ban and to support parents and their kids in pushing back against the dangerous reality of being denied access to necessary, best practice medical care."
Home Opinion How Christian universities crash and burn

Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and many other universities were founded explicitly as Protestant Christian institutions, only to devolve over time into something else. So, in the latter half of the nineteenth century, Evangelical Protestants in America started again, creating a new generation of colleges and seminaries that they hoped would avoid the mistakes of their predecessors.

But as the current controversy over Wheaton College attests, history seems to be repeating itself. And the problem reaches far beyond Wheaton.

For 12 years I served as a professor at Seattle Pacific University (SPU). Founded by pious Free Methodists in the 1890s, the school is another historically Evangelical institution like Wheaton. While there, I was able to witness firsthand how a Christian university deconstructs.

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To be sure, Seattle Pacific still publicly identifies itself as a Christian university that is both historically orthodox and clearly Evangelical. The school remains a member of the Christian College Consortium along with Wheaton and other self-identified evangelical Christian colleges. Prospective students continue to be told that At SPU, everything we do is rooted in faith  faculty integrate their faith into how they teach and how they live.

Alumni might wonder, however, precisely what faith SPU faculty are integrating into their teaching and their lives. In 2021, the university made national headlines when 72% of its faculty voted no confidence in the schools board of trustees. Why? Because the board wouldnt repeal the universitys Statement on Human Sexuality, which affirmed that sexual experience is intended between a man and a woman and the full expression of sexuality is to be experienced and celebrated within the covenant of marriage between a man and a woman.

How can you have a faithful Christian university when more than 70% of its faculty reject basic biblical teaching on marriage? The answer is simple: You cant.

SPUs heterodoxy isnt just confined to sex. Lincoln Keller graduated from SPU in 2021 and wrote a book about his disillusionment. According to Keller, his professors taught him that the Bible is flawed, contradictory, factually wrong, and unclear. As a consequence, for certain professors and students, the Word of God was not supreme authority. Instead, contemporary scholarship, science, or culture had the final say on what professors and students should believe.

It may seem surprising, but I dont place most of the blame for SPUs downfall on its theologically liberal faculty. Those faculty are wrong in my view, but they have the courage of their convictions. No, the real responsibility for what SPU has become lies elsewhere, and it isnt as obvious.

A squandered legacy

When I was first hired by SPU for a tenure-track position, a faculty member who interviewed me said something I will never forget. He warned me that the school had a very theologically conservative board of trustees. In fact, I was told in confidential tones, that the board had just recently rejected for tenure a religion professor because the board thought he had unorthodox beliefs. The faculty member telling me this thought he was revealing something scandalous.

Little did he know that when I heard his confession, I thought good for the board of trustees. Thats precisely what I believed the board of a Christian institution was called to do: defend the integrity of its mission. SPU was still an Evangelical institution when I joined its faculty in the mid-1990s because those in authority had tried their best to keep the university tied to its mission. They hadnt been perfect, and there already were many faculty who werent biblically orthodox. But they had to be careful, because they knew there were limits to what would be tolerated.

The boards denial of tenure of a faculty member on grounds of unbiblical theology was probably the most powerful message it could have sent to the campus community. Many faculty didnt like the message, but they understood it. The boards decisive action chilled the facultys enthusiasm for going further afield and hiring even more unorthodox people. When I came to SPU, the school still had a fighting chance to maintain its Christian identity.

Alas, during the 12 years I was there, I saw the legacy of SPU squandered. Soon a new president was hired. To the delight of many faculty, he gradually convinced board members that they were too involved. The board became less focused on the details, and more and more people were hired who pushed the institution in a new direction.

The watershed moment

In retrospect, the watershed moment in the schools history came during 2000-2001. That was the school year SPUs president drafted a plan to revamp the boards of all Free Methodist colleges, effectively removing the power of the denomination to hold them accountable.

The presidents plan proposed the creation of a new Board of Trustees, no longer selected by the denomination or its sponsoring conferences. Free Methodist representatives would be demoted to a new and largely advisory Board of Governors whose only real authority was to confirm the board of trustees nomination of the university President.

By the time SPU entered into its debate over governance, there had been a great deal of research about how formerly Christian universities had become secularized in America. As I delved into some of this scholarship, it seemed to me that SPU was following the exact same path trod by earlier Christian institutions that failed.

One of the most insightful studies I came across was James Burtchaells magisterial book, The Dying of the Light: The Disengagement of Colleges and Universities from their Christian Churches (1998). (Unbeknown to me at the time, Fr. Burtchaell had been seriously accused of sexual misconduct with male students at the University of Notre Dame and had resigned his post.)

According to Burtchaell, a key signpost along the road of secularization was the end of church control of college governance: The critical turn, as we have seen, often involved forcing those who spoke for the church out of college governance. Despite the best of intentions, ending church control often removed a vital structural safeguard that helped maintain the religious integrity of colleges and opened the door to secularization in the generation following the change. Trustees have the final say not only over budgets, but over tenure, top administrative positions, and college programs. A change in board composition almost inevitably will have long-term consequences for a schools character and mission.

When SPUs board members finally learned the details of the plan to replace them, they should have fired the president. Instead, they faltered. They did not discharge the president, although his plan was placed on hold.

Once the board showed its failure of nerve, the president waited for things to quiet down, regrouped, and continued his push. By 2005, Free Methodist members of the board were reduced to a mere third of the board, and they were no longer selected directly by the Free Methodist Church. The church nominated people, but the Trusteeship Committee of SPUs board now had to approve them. The board had been neutered.

One of my last experiences at SPU before deciding to leave was telling. I tried to defend a faculty member who was being denied tenure. He was an outstanding colleague and one of the few theologically and politically conservative faculty members hired in the last years I was there. But in the end, neither the president nor the board was willing to overturn the verdict of the increasingly progressive (and intolerant) faculty.



Recall that when I arrived, the board had denied tenure to a theological liberal. Now it was ratifying the expulsion of a theological conservative.

Here is the most important point: The SPU board that capitulated was not itself theologically liberal. It was populated by personally devout and theologically conservative Christians, many from the business world.

In my view, these conservative Christians bear more responsibility for SPUs transformation than the liberal faculty. Unlike the theological liberals, they did not have the courage of their convictions.

By the 2020s, the university was led by a new president, and there were just enough Evangelical board members left to prevent a formal change of the schools official statement of faith or its statement on sexuality because those formal changes required a supermajority. But there were no longer enough biblically solid members to actually enforce things like denying tenure to unorthodox professors.

The previous board of conservative Christians had sown the seeds, and now the bitter harvest was left to others to reap.

After the public blow-up on campus over human sexuality, SPUs president resigned and so did key board members. It now appears that current board members may be trying to steer the school back toward its Evangelical identity. How serious they are remains an open question.

Last year, the university allowed its gym to be used for a LGBT festival that was teeming with queer joy and affirmation according to the student newspaper. If the new leadership was truly committed to restoring the schools Evangelical identity, shutting down that event should have been an easy decision. More critically, the university needs to recruit new faculty and staff who affirm historic Christian teachings or nothing will change.

The current leadership may not have much time. As SPU became increasingly woke over the past decade, student enrollment plummeted. As a result, the school has announced plans to slash 40% of its faculty and staff and eliminate 19 majors.

Abraham Lincoln spoke famously about the challenge of perpetuating institutions after their founding. SPU is a cautionary tale about what happens when personally orthodox board members fail to take that challenge seriously when it comes to their Christian university.

Originally published at Clear Truth Media.
Home News Cindy Clemishire tells Texas House how Robert Morris shattered her innocence in 1982

Cindy Clemishire, whose story of childhood sexual abuse led to the indictment of Gateway Church founder Robert Morris by a multicounty grand jury in Oklahoma on March 12, said he shattered her sheltered 1982 childhood innocence, and it has taken her a lifetime to heal.

The now 55-year-old grandmother of three testified on Wednesday along with other survivor advocates before the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committee in support of House Bill 748. Also known as "Trey's Law," the legislation would prohibit the use of nondisclosure agreements in civil settlement agreements involving victims of child sex abuse and trafficking.

Clemishire alleged last June that Morris, who founded the Southlake, Texas-based Gateway Church in 2000, sexually abused her over multiple years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12 and ending when she was 17 after she told an adult about the abuse. Morris was a traveling evangelist and married with one child at the time.

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She told state legislators she was haunted by shame she carried around like luggage for many years and did not even accept that she was abused until the age of 35.



"I was 35 the first time I truly accepted and believed that he abused me, that it was criminal, and I understood what grooming was. And that changed the course of my journey to more healing, and there's anger, of course, involved in that," Clemishire said.



Living in the small town of Hominy, Oklahoma, in 1982, where the abuse took place, Clemishire said that she wasn't yet exposed to much at 12 years old.



"I mean, [19]82 was a very different time when we didn't carry computers around in our hands and we had six channels maybe on our televisions," she said. "Innocence was very different than it is now most of the time."



At age 17, she claimed Morris' wife, Debbie, told her that she forgave her for the abuse and was grateful because she felt at the time that the abuse was her fault.



"At 17, when I told, I did feel as though I was the one at fault, even to the extent that Robert Morris' wife, Debbie, called to tell me she forgave me," Clemishire said.



"At 17 and them [Morris family] being family friends, I was thankful because I felt like I had done something wrong and I had been treated as though I had done something wrong by Robert," she explained.

Trey's Law, HB 748, was approved unanimously by the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committee to move to the full House of Representatives for approval. If the House passes it, the bill will need approval by the Texas Senate and the governor to become law.

Trey's Law is named in honor of Trey Carlock, who died by suicide just before his 29th birthday in 2019 after signing an NDA to settle a child sex abuse claim against Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Missouri.

His abuser, serial abuser Pete Newman, was found guilty of molesting at least 57 victims while he was a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps. Newman was given two life sentences plus 30 years for abusing six boys at the Christian camp and was denied parole last October.

Trey's older sister, Elizabeth Phillips, testified to the committee that the restrictive NDA he signed to settle his case had destroyed him.

"My brother referred to his settlement as blood money as if he had betrayed his own soul to keep Kanakuk secrets, and it killed him," Phillips said. "So I am here before this committee to ask you to please remember Trey. I'm asking the Texas Legislature to pass Trey's law this session as an urgent matter of public safety."
Home News Federally-funded hospitals continue sex changes for minors despite Trump order: report

Numerous hospitals that receive federal funding are reportedly continuing to offer body-mutilating sex change procedures to minors despite President Donald Trump's recent executive order vowing to slash funding for such facilities.

Altogether, 37 federally-funded hospitals providing surgical procedures or drugs to individuals under 18 who have gender dysphoria confirmed to the Daily Caller that they are still administering so-called interventions such as puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and, in some cases, surgery. The list of hospitals was compiled by the Trans Health Project.

A staff member at Boston Medical Center told the Daily Caller that, based on their understanding, the executive order has not altered the services offered by their providers.

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Similarly, a front desk employee at Bay State Medical Center in Massachusetts indicated no changes had been communicated regarding the provision of so-called "gender-affirming care" for minors. The employee also noted there had been a recent surge in new patient inquiries.

Trump issued an executive order on Jan. 28 targeting federal funding for medical institutions involved in what the order described as the "chemical and surgical mutilation of children." The directive instructed agency heads overseeing research or educational grants to ensure compliance with the funding restriction in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget.

"It is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called 'transition' of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit these destructive and life-altering procedures," the order said.

Some hospitals the Daily Caller contacted affirmed they are providing not only puberty blockers and hormone therapy but also surgical interventions or referrals for minors. A staff member at the University of Minnesota Health noted that her employer is seeing patients as young as 14 for "top surgery"  a euphemism for mastectomies of young girls.

Mount Sinai's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery in New York City confirmed to the Daily Caller that they offer surgical options for minors seeking to transition, with decisions made individually by physicians without a fixed age limit.

Children's Hospital Colorado pointed to ongoing lawsuits against Trump's order as justification for resuming gender transition treatments, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, as stated in a voicemail from their True Center for Gender Diversity.

The University of Michigan's medical center told the Caller it provides hormone therapy to patients under 18. Michigan Medicine reported receiving $482.8 million from NIH in fiscal year 2023, ranking it 11th among federally funded research institutions.

Legal challenges from states like Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Colorado resulted in a preliminary injunction granted by a Biden-appointed judge in Seattle on Feb. 28. A separate ruling from a Baltimore federal judge, also appointed by Biden, mandated continued funding for hospitals offering these services during an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit.

Some hospitals have scaled back transgender services for minors following Trump's order.

The University of Virginia stopped accepting new patients for youth gender treatments, with a representative confirming no medications are offered to those under 19.

Children's National Hospital also paused new hormone therapies and refills, citing the order, though they continue to provide behavioral health support.

"I think, as a whole, hospitals are afraid of providers losing their license if they continue to do it under the executive order, so  it's the best guidance for the time being," a representative told the conservative outlet.

The "Cass Review," a comprehensive four-year study commissioned by the National Health Service in England, questioned the efficacy of puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria, citing limited evidence of mental health benefits and concerns over long-term effects. The NHS consequently restricted such treatments to clinical research settings.
Home News Protest leader apologizes for comparing Netanyahu to Hitler; protesters clash with police

The protests against the Israeli government and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intensified on Wednesday, as demonstrators clashed with police in Jerusalem and one of the protest leaders compared the premier to Adolf Hitler during a speech.

Moshe Radman, one of the figureheads of the anti-Netanyahu protests in recent years, accused the prime minister of betraying Israels future in a speech outside Netanyahus residence.

We survived Haman, we survived Pharaoh, we survived the British Mandate, we survived Hitler  well survive them too, Radman said. He continued, We are moving to resistance and civil disobedience.

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He initially clarified, We dont want a single hair on Netanyahus head to be harmed  we just want him to get the hell out and sit in prison until his last day.

In a later statement, Radman acknowledged, My choice of words was wrong in the heat of the moment, but added, Lets move on, we have a country to save.

The demonstration near Netanyahus residence followed a morning march on Jerusalem, which blocked the capitals main entrance for some time. The police set up barricades on streets leading to the residence, but some protesters attempted to break through, leading to clashes.

Some protesters blocked the central Paris Square intersection with a sit-in, while others used cars to block several main streets in the capital.

The police later called this a blatant violation of the protest conditions agreed upon in advance between protesters and Israel Police in recent days.

Overall, four people were arrested, including one counter-protester. Over the course of the protest, dozens of participants began to disrupt the public order, a police spokesman said.

The demonstrations oppose several of the governments policies and recent decisions by Netanyahu, including the resumption of fighting, which the protesters see as the abandonment of the hostages and the prime ministers intention to dismiss Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar.

Clashes also broke out between leaders of opposition parties. While taking part in the Jerusalem protest, National Unity party leader Benny Gantz was called a traitor by one of the protesters.

Gantz later wrote on X that he was received with warmth by many of the protesters, who are Israeli patriots who care about the country. Within the crowd, there was also an unrepresentative handful of barn-burners who hate Netanyahu more than they love the country.

These are people shameless enough to call me  a man who risked his life under fire for the state in uniform for decades and has been fighting for it in the political arena for six years  a traitor. This extremist minority is no less dangerous than the extremists on the other side, and I have no intention of surrendering to them, Gantz wrote.

This drew the ire of Yair Golan, chairman of the far-left Democrats Party.

He hit back by criticizing that the centrist Gantz had called part of the protesters barn-burners, a Hebrew word often used for those seen as irresponsible, and who are ready to burn down the country in the pursuit of political goals.

Barn-burners? The protesters who took to the streets today are the greatest Israel-lovers Ive ever met  Zionist, patriotic citizens fighting with all their might to save the country, democracy, and the lives of the hostages, Golan said.

Gantzs party later accused Golan of distorting Gantzs words, who emphasized the importance of the demonstration and the fact that most of the demonstrators were Israeli patriots.

Normalizing the use of the word traitor, the party said, alienates precisely the parts of the people who need to be brought together to replace this terrible government.

In addition to Gantz and Golan, opposition leader Yair Lapid, former Defense Minister and Chief of Staff Moshe (Bogie) Yaalon, and former Prime Minister Ehud Barak also attended the protest.

This article was originally published by All Israel News.
Home News Trump thanks El Salvadoran Pres. Nayib Bukele for taking over 200 Tren de Aragua gang members

President Donald Trump expressed his gratitude to El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for accepting 200 members of the Tren de Aragua criminal organization deported from the United States. The news has generated reactions from various sectors in both the U.S. and Latin America.

According to Voz Media, Trump highlighted Bukele's cooperation in the fight against organized crime and the Salvadoran government's efforts to contain violence in the region.

These are the monsters sent to our country by the corrupt Joe Biden and the Radical Left Democrats. How dare they! Trump wrote on his social media account, Truth Social. Thank you to El Salvador and, in particular, President Bukele for your understanding of this horrible situation, which was allowed to continue in the United States due to the incompetent leadership of the Democrats. We will not forget!

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The 200 members of the Tren de Aragua gang were deported as part of a security strategy implemented by U.S. authorities. This criminal group, originating in Venezuela, has expanded its influence to several Latin American countries and is considered one of the most dangerous organizations on the continent.

Members of this criminal organization have been spotted in various parts of the U.S., including Colorado and Texas. This transnational criminal group traces its origins to a prison in the Venezuelan state of Aragua.

Bukele has gained international recognition for his security strategy, which has significantly reduced crime rates in El Salvador. As part of this policy, his government has established a state of emergency that has led to the arrest of thousands of gang members in recent months.

Trump's decision to deport these criminals to El Salvador has been seen as a show of confidence in the Bukele administration's ability to handle the security crisis. However, some sectors have expressed concern about the potential impact of these criminals' presence in the Central American country.

Tren de Aragua has been responsible for various crimes in the region, including kidnappings, extortion and drug trafficking. Security cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador has strengthened in recent years, and this latest incident reinforces the alliance between the two countries in the fight against organized crime.

Meanwhile, security experts warn of the need to maintain strict surveillance of these individuals to prevent them from reorganizing their operations in Salvadoran territory. Salvadoran authorities have assured they will continue their heavy-handed policy to guarantee the safety of the population.

This article was originally published at CP Espanol
Home News Trump urged to help secure release of 24 Christian political prisoners in Azerbaijan

President Donald Trump is being urged to help secure the release of two dozen Christians who advocates say are being held hostage by the government of Azerbaijan and follow through on his pledged support for "persecuted Christians" on the campaign trail.

A coalition of Christian leaders has signed a letter urging the president to take action on behalf of 23 Christian Armenians and one Azeri Christian convert currently detained in Azerbaijan. The letter, published on March 11, was spearheaded by the advocacy group Save Armenia.

Notable signatories include former United States Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Christian artist and missionary Sean Feucht, National Religious Broadcasters President and CEO Troy Miller, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Commissioner David Curry, Save the Persecuted Christians Executive Director Dede Laugesen and civil rights activist Alveda King.

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Former Rep. Michelle Bachman, R-Minn., who now serves as the dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University, and Jim Garlow, former pastor of Skyline Church in California, also signed the letter.

The leaders expressed gratitude to Trump for showing "support for Armenia and persecuted Christians" during his 2024 presidential campaign and praised him for sending "a clear message to those who would undermine Armenia's security and their rich Christian heritage as the first country in the history of the world to embrace the gospel of Christ."

They believe the situation can only be resolved "by a leader of your qualities, a leader feared and respected by other world leaders."

"Almost two years ago, Azerbaijan ethnically cleansed more than 120,000 Christian Armenians out of their ancestral homes, while the Biden administration refused to take action to stop the ethnic cleansing or punish the perpetrators of that crime," the Christian leaders wrote. "Since then, the same regime has been holding 23 Christian Armenian hostages and one Azeri Christian convert, who are being subjected to routine torture, according to credible reports."

The leaders stressed that the International Committee of the Red Cross, which they say was "the only organization with access to check on the well-being of the prisoners," was recently ordered to leave the predominantly Muslim country.

Azerbaijan has found itself under the spotlight by international religious freedom advocates in recent years as it has warred with the predominantly Christian nation of Armenia over an area of land known as the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which was previously a de facto Armenian-majority state within Armenia's borders known as the Republic of Artsakh but has been internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

Last May, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom labeled Azerbaijan among its list of the world's worst religious freedom violators. The watchdog warned that religious freedom violations trended negatively in the aftermath of the Nagorno-Karabakh territorial conflict.

Nagorno-Karabakh was mostly ethnic Armenian Christians before a mass exodus in 2023, with some experts accusing Azerbaijan of "ethnic cleansing."

Azerbaijan secured a place on the advocacy group International Christian Concern's "Persecutors of the Year" report in 2023.

"Azerbaijan's end game is clear: to rid its borders of Christianity either by forcing the Armenian people and their faith out of Azerbaijan or destroying the people and historical sites," the ICC report stated. It cited rhetoric used by Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev to describe Armenians, specifically highlighting his characterization of the group as "barbarians, rats, and vandals."

In their letter, the Christian leaders told Trump he is "the only one who can rescue these Christian hostages."

"A few months ago, we saw how Hamas freed the Israeli hostages out of fear of your Administration," they said, asking Trump to "utilize the authority of your office to stand for and with these 24 Christian lives, and once again send a message that murder and persecution of Christians around the world will no longer be tolerated."

Last year, ICC called on the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan for its treatment of Armenians after obtaining testimony from Christians who were tortured in captivity. As highlighted on the website of Save Armenia, Armenia became the first nation to embrace Christianity in 301 A.D. Approximately 1.5 million Armenian Christians were killed in the Armenian genocide of 1915-16.
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Fundraising Regulator

The Fundraising Regulator has reported that activity by community interest companies (CICs) generated more than one in nine (12%) of the complaints it received last year, potentially threatening the charity sectors reputation.

Its annual complaints report , published today, says that 54 out of the 455 complaints received by the regulator from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 were related to a small number of CICs, which are not registered charities.

Concerns related to CICs involved negative fundraiser behaviour, pressure to donate, inadequate licenses and permissions, and misleading fundraising practices, the report says.

Meanwhile, misleading information and door-to-door fundraising were some of the main causes of complaints about registered charities.

Misleading information and door-to-door fundraising draw complaints

The report analyses both complaints made to the regulator directly from members of the public and fundraising complaints received by 53 of the UKs largest fundraising charities.

Misleading information was the top reason why complaints were made to the regulator, comprising 15% of those raised, with digital fundraising seeing the most complaints about misleading information.

The methods most complained about to the regulator were once again charity collection bags, addressed mail, and digital marketing.

Meanwhile, door-to-door fundraising drew the most complaints to the largest fundraising charities, making up 22% of all complaints reported by the sample charities.

Door-to-door fundraising has been in the top five most complained about methods to the sample charities in the previous four years, with complaints rising as activity has increased since the Covid-19 pandemic.

After door-to-door, fundraising by addressed mail received the next highest number of complaints to the sample charities, followed by challenge and sponsorship events.

Poor practice by some CICs threatens reputation of charitable fundraising

Jenny Williams, chair of the Fundraising Regulators complaints and investigations committee, said: The report highlights the need for those engaged in charitable fundraising to monitor their fundraisers behaviour, particularly that subcontracted to agencies, and investigate any complaints made promptly.

The report also discusses the emergence of a significant number of complaints related to a few CICs. Poor practice by some CICs not only puts the public at risk it also threatens the reputation of charitable fundraising more generally.

We will continue to work with other authorities and regulators to ensure that CICs are aware of and comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice.

In response to the report, Social Enterprise UK director of policy and research Emily Darko said: CICs may make up around 15% of organisations likely to be fundraising.

The reports figures suggest around 12% of complaints relate to CICs, so its not clear that there is a particular issue in terms of the proportion of complaints.

In any case, we would hope the CICs who have been the subject of complaints are thoroughly investigated.

In the UK, there are more than 32,500 CICs, which are social enterprises registered with the CIC Regulator instead of the Charity Commission.

Last year, the CIC Regulator received 34 complaints and did not launch any formal investigations.

Louise Smith, who is the regulator of CICs, said in response to the report: Since 2023, the Office of the CIC Regulator and the Fundraising Regulator have worked closely to address emerging issues that have arisen in relation to community interest companies and fundraising.

I remain committed to ensuring CICs continue to meet the requirements of the CIC legislation and encourage them to comply with the requirements and legislation of other regulators in all their activities.

Smith is also chief executive of Companies House, which the government recently proposed merging with the CIC Regulator.

On the potential merger, the CIC Regulator said in a statement : We would like to take this opportunity to reassure our customers that for the time being it will be business as usual within the Office of the CIC Regulator, and your obligations and duties as a CIC remain the same.

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A few days before Donald Trumps second inauguration, Heather Tirado Gilligan, the managing editor of El Timpano (The Eardrum), a small local newsroom in California known for covering the Bay Areas Latino and Mayan communities, launched an updated guide to protecting immigrant sources. The new policy called for identifying any individuals who were not public figures or experts by their first name and last initialand, in certain circumstances, using a pseudonym. We realized right away that our sources were going to need additional protection with the upcoming Trump administration, Tirado Gilligan said.

El Timpano is one of a large number of publications, especially those that write about or for immigrant communities, wrestling with what sorts of additional measures they should take to protect the people they cover. Many of these outlets are simply doubling down on extensive policies theyve had for years; others are taking novel steps, including going out of their way to help potential subjects understand the implications of talking to the press.

At the Miami Herald, senior editor Jay Ducassi recently soughtand receivedapproval to liberalize the papers policy on anonymous sourcing for immigrants, inspired by a request from Syra Ortiz-Blanes, the papers immigration reporter. Ducassi, who has been at the paperincluding a brief stint with its Spanish-language sister publication El Nuevo Heraldsince 1999, is characteristically skeptical about using unnamed sources, but he believes the times merit a new approach. Its not our job to make Immigration [and Customs Enforcement]s job easier by identifying targets, he said. So, if people are telling us something of importance about their own experience, about what they fear they may be going through if they lose their status, and they want some level of anonymity, were going to be sympathetic to that.

At Documented, a digital publication dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City, special projects and investigations editor Max Siegelbaum said he doesnt like to use fake names (its an integrity issue) but added that he was making an effort to ensure potential sources or subjects know about any implications of speaking to a reporter. Once we publish information about your life, that will be public and we dont know what sort of response the government will have, he said he tells interviewees. We dont know what sort of response the public will have. We cant control that. Its highly possible that itll be bad and will hurt you or your family, and we cant control that if that does happen. We can continue to report on it, but its not necessarily a situation we can fix. He often concludes: Having said all that, I do think its important that you share your story, and we can tell the public about whats happening to you.

Uriel Garcia, who covers immigration at the Texas Tribune, said his paper usually seeks to avoid anonymous sources as well, but he has recently backed off trying to persuade undocumented migrants to speak openly and by name. There was a time where I comfortably could say, Going public with your story can make a positive impact, Garcia said. However, if they tell me they dont want to talk or they dont want to be mentioned in the story at all, I leave it alone. I dont necessarily push.

Some publications told CJR that theyre findingperhaps not surprisinglythat even with additional safety measures, many immigrants are more reluctant to participate in newsgathering. The team at Enlace Latino NC, a Spanish-language digital news nonprofit in North Carolina, was recently disappointed by a potential podcast subject who canceled three times for one episode about the end of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans. We offered to change her name, modify her voice, and ensure that only audio would be used, with no visual elements that could identify her, said Paola Jaramillo, the publications cofounder. However, fear has prevailed, making the interview impossible to carry out.

Still, other sources seem undeterred. Tirado Gilligan said El Timpano still has regular support and interaction from subjects and subscribers, despite the risks. For a recent photo-essay, titled Strength and Uncertainty (or Fortaleza y Incertidumbre in its Spanish version), immigrants were asked to pose for portraits to go alongside an audio or text presentation of how they were feeling ahead of the inauguration. Instead of their faces, El Timpano showed the subjects holding up dry-erase boards with a few words describing their moods. Were just trying to think of ways to be smart and strategic about how were using multimediawithout revealing peoples identities, Tirado Gilligan said.

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To be extra cautious, her reporters carry with them paper copies of a fact sheet titled Talking to Journalists: What You Need to Know, in English and Spanish, and have also taken steps to discourage subscribers from sending sensitive information over their SMS service. Were thinking about how to level the field between journalists and sources, she said. We want them to be equipped with that information where they are making an informed decision to talk to us, and they know that there might be risks involved. She finds it moving that people continue to volunteer to speak up. Thats a remarkable testament to people understanding the power of storytelling, she said.
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In January, President Trump issued an executive order with the title Removing Barriers to American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence. The document revoked a previous order by former president Joe Biden (Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence), which had built on voluntary commitments to his administration by leading US AI companies, including OpenAI and Google, to help move toward safe, secure, and transparent development of AI technology. Last month, the new administration put out a call for public comment on the development of an AI Action Plan. Like Trumps order, the call stressed the importance of ensuring American AI dominance, emphasizing that it will define priority policy actions to enhance Americas position as an AI powerhouse and prevent unnecessarily burdensome requirements from hindering private sector innovation. This desire for dominance is rooted in the assumption that continued US AI leadership will promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security.

As the administration invests hundreds of billions of dollars in AI infrastructure, AI companies are positioning themselves to benefit. In January, for instance, OpenAI released ChatGPT Gov, a tool designed to streamline government agencies access to OpenAIs frontier models. And recently, OpenAI and Google used Trumps call for comment as an opportunity to tackle what they perceive to be one of the biggest obstacles to US dominance in generative AI: copyright law. Both companies submitted proposals endorsing, among other things, the weakening of copyright restrictions on AI training and the codification of a right for US AI companies to train their models on publicly available data largely without restriction.

In a letter, Google criticized the disproportionate attention that has been paid to risks associated with AI and embraced the Trump administrations laissez-faire approach to regulation (while calling for comprehensive federal privacy and security standards to bring clarity to the chaos of a state-by-state approach); it also argued that exceptions that allow for the use of copyrighted, publicly available material for AI training avoid often highly unpredictable, imbalanced, and lengthy negotiations with data holders during model development or scientific experimentation. OpenAI, meanwhile, leaned heavily into an AI arms race narrative, writing that the Trump administrations plan can ensure that American-led AI built on democratic principles continues to prevail over CCP-built autocratic, authoritarian AI, a reference to the Chinese Communist Party. Describing its Chinese competitor DeepSeek as state-subsidized and state-controlled and vulnerable to manipulation by the CCP, OpenAI claimed that if Chinese developers have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over. America loses. OpenAI also claimed that rigid copyright rules are repressing innovation and investment and argued that their models operate under the fair use doctrine of copyright law, in that they use existing works to create something wholly new and different without eroding the[ir] commercial value.

The proposals come as these companies and others continue to face significant legal challenges from news publishers and other content creators on grounds including copyright infringement. OpenAI is facing lawsuits from US media companies including the New York Times, eight papers owned by Alden Global Capital, the Center for Investigative Reporting, The Intercept, Raw Story, and AlterNet, as well as international publishers including a coalition of Canadas biggest news organizations, several Indian outlets, and the UK parenting forum and publisher Mumsnet. Last month, Chegg, an education technology company, sued Google, claiming that its AI-generated summaries of search results have hurt its traffic and revenue. Also last month, a court ruled against Ross Intelligence, an AI startup in the legal sector, finding it liable for copyright infringement against Thomson Reuters. The judge determined that Rosss AI outputs competed directly with material from a Thomson Reuters research firm on which they had been trained. ArsTechnicas Ashley Belanger suggested last week that OpenAI now appears to be looking to Trump to avoid a similar outcome in its lawsuits.

The new submissions from OpenAI and Google have sparked significant opposition. Brian Merchant, a tech journalist and author, characterized them as dark stuff on his Substack, Blood in the Machine, and as a $160 billion AI company and a $2 trillion tech giant invoking the need to maintain technologicaland implicitly, militarysuperiority over China, the former casting it as a foe, to justify eroding artists already meager rights and protections. (Indeed, the whole framing of an AI war between the US and China is contested, as Camille Bromley explored in yesterdays newsletter.) According to Axios, dozens of newspapers owned by Alden ran an editorial calling the submissions self-serving proposals and urging the government to reject them and protect the work of creators and copyright holders who have been the victims of these companies. The editorial itself invoked American patriotism, arguing that an iron-clad commitment to protecting the rights of owners of work they themselves created is precisely what distinguishes the United States from communist China, not the reverse.

Indeed, groups seeking to defend strong copyright protections also submitted public comments on the AI Action Plan. The News/Media Alliancewhich represents over two thousand US publishers, some of which filed a copyright and trademark infringement case against an AI startup called Cohere last monthsubmitted a letter proposing that the plan respect intellectual property, support the development of voluntary licensing in free markets, and promote appropriate transparency and fair competition in the AI and technology sector. The future of generative AI requires sustaining the incentives for the continued production of news and other quality content that, in turn, builds and powers generative AI models and products, the alliance wrote. More than four hundred filmmakers, writers, actors, musicians, and other Hollywood creative leadersincluding Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Erivo, and Paul McCartneyalso signed an open letter submitted as a public comment, urging the administration not to roll back copyright protections. They wrote that AI companies are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit Americas creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds.

The AI Action Plan is set to be released in July of this year. Until then, as Sara Fischer wrote in Axios, both media companies and AI makers are operating on unsettled ground. The central question remains whether the government can balance AI innovation with established copyright protections. As Danielle Coffey, the president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, argued in a press release about the groups public comment, We believe intellectual property rights encourage American innovation, rather than hinder it. By protecting those rights, the US can be a leader in both AI and content creation industries, rather than sacrificing one to benefit the other.

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Other notable stories:
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday it will install enhanced safety technology at 74 airports by the end of 2026 to help detect runway incursions.

The FAA is installing the Runway Incursion Device, a memory aid for air traffic controllers that indicates when a runway is occupied.

The system is operational at four airports and will be installed at another 70 airports over the next 19 months.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said earlier on Wednesday that he plans to announce in the next few days a plan to overhaul the U.S. air traffic control system to replace aging technologies.

The Jan. 29 fatal Army helicopter and American Airlines regional jet collision that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport has also rekindled concerns about aviation safety.

Duffy said last week that he plans to ask Congress for tens of billions of dollars to reform air traffic control.

The Government Accountability Office says the FAA must take urgent action to address aging air traffic control systems, saying that one-third are unsustainable.

The FAA said in October that it was opening an audit into runway incursion risks at the 45 busiest U.S. airports.

Over the last two years, a series of troubling near-miss incidents has raised concerns about U.S. aviation safety and the strain on understaffed air traffic control operations.

The Runway Incursion Device is installed at Austin airport, which was the site of a serious 2023 near-miss incident involving Southwest Airlines and FedEx airplanes after a mistaken assumption by a controller.

A persistent shortage of controllers has delayed flights and, at many facilities, controllers are working mandatory overtime and six-day weeks to cover shifts.

The FAA, which has aging technology and facilities and needs billions of dollars to modernize, is about 3,500 air traffic controllers short of targeted staffing, prompting the aviation industry and lawmakers to call for action.

The FAA is also installing the Surface Awareness Initiative system and Approach Runway Verification system at airports.

SAI uses Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast data to display surface traffic to controllers at airports without a surface surveillance tool. It is operational at 18 airports and the FAA plans to install it at 32 others by the end of 2025.

(Reporting by Shepardson; Editing by Mark Porter)
Greenpeace has been ordered to pay more than $660 million in damages to Energy Transfer Partners LP after the Texas-based oil company accused the environmental group of defamation in connection with protests against an oil pipeline almost a decade ago.

A jury in North Dakota found Greenpeace and its U.S. entities liable for defamation, conspiracy, and other claims for its involvement in protests at the Dakota Access pipeline. The construction of the conduit, running from the western part of the state to southern Illinois, sparked months of protests, with clashes between environmentalists and police drawing international attention.

Were going to appeal. And were prepared to fight this all the way to victory, Greenpeace said in a statement on its website, calling the lawsuit meritless.

Energy Transfer had sought financial compensation as it claimed negative publicity generated by the protests caused it to lose many hundreds of millions of dollars, and damaged its ability to raise money from capital markets, according to an earlier complaint.

The jury did not find Greenpeace responsible for alleged harms committed by protesters but did find it interfered with Energy Transfers business, according to a news report in the North Dakota Monitor.

Top photo: A jury in North Dakota found Greenpeace and its U.S. entities liable for defamation, conspiracy, and other claims for its involvement in protests at the Dakota Access pipeline. Photographer: FFred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images.

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.
The chair for Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, sits empty Tuesday in a Senate hearing room in the State Capitol complex in St. Paul, a day after his arrest in Bloomington for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution. (Steve Karnowski, Associated Press) AP

ST. PAUL, Minnesota  A Minnesota Republican state legislator who proposed a bill to classify Trump derangement syndrome as a mental illness now is facing criminal charges after he was accused trying to arrange to have sex with a minor.

The Minnesota Tribune reports State Sen. Justin Eichorn, 40, was arrested by police in Bloomington, Minn., after he arranged to meet what he thought was a 17-year-old girl. Instead, the meeting was set up as part of an undercover police operation, reports say.

When Eichorn arrived at the arranged location, he had a condom and enough money to pay for 30 minutes of sex, police tell the Tribune.

He was arrested without incident and is being charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Minnesota. He is being held in jail without bail.

As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someones child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said in a statement. I have always advocated stiffer penalties for these types of offenses. ... We need our state legislature to take this case and this type of conduct more seriously.

An affidavit filed by federal prosecutors shows Eichorn reportedly made contact with who he thought was a teen girl on March 11. Hey [fictitious name] I saw your post and (sic) chance you are still available tonight? Eichorn reportedly texted. He also texted, Whats a guy gota (sic) do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.

The next day he again texted and asked if the teen was available, court records show. The undercover officer pretending to be the teen said she was available but later said she was only 17 years old.

Over the next several days, Eichorn continued to pursue an in-person meeting to pay for sex. He also asked for the teen to send him naughty pictures. Eichorn was arrested Monday after arranging a meeting.

According to Eichorns Senate profile, he is married with four children. He lists his profession as entrepreneur and was first elected in 2016.

The Guardian reports he is one of five authors of a bill introduced this week that would classify Trump derangement syndrome (TDS) as a mental illness. TDS is a negative term used toward frequent critics of President Donald Trump.

Members of the Minnesota state legislature are now calling for Eichorn to resign, the Tribune reports.

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz told reporters he thinks Eichorn should resign, saying the bar is high for elected officials. He said the case should be an opportunity to show that you cannot prey on our children and expect to get away with it.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
Ohio schools could lose millions in federal funding, impacting programs for disadvantaged and disabled students, English language learners and career-technical education. (AMY PORTER / THE WESTFIELD NEWS) The Westfield News

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio public school funding largely comes from three sources: the federal government, state government, and local property taxes.

But one source may soon be cut to the bone  or even shuttered.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday afternoon calling for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education. Gov. Mike DeWine attended the event.

An actual closure would require approval by Congress, and the vote is expected to be tight, given the narrow Republican majorities in each chamber. The Trump administration will likely continue to eliminate staff, even if the Department of Education is not shut down.

Earlier this month, the department closed its office in Cleveland, laying off all personnel who hadnt taken an early leave package. The department has lost almost half its staff since Trump took office, when 4,113 employees worked for the agency.

READ MORE: U.S. Department of Education closes Cleveland office amid layoffs

The U.S. Department of Education distributes funds to each of Ohios school districts to help pay for the education of disadvantaged and disabled students. Agency funding also supports career-technical education, early childhood and preschool programs and English language learners.

Trump said during the executive order signing event that Title I, which is enhanced funding for high-poverty schools, special education programs and college loan programs will continue but be handled by other federal agencies.

Were going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs, he said.

Trump said education expenses could decrease by half under his plan.

In Cleveland Metropolitan School District during the 2023-2024 school year, the feds provided an average of $6,646.49 per student. The state provided $10,026.95 per student and local property taxes paid $9,089.99 per student, according to information on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforces website.

In addition to the three main sources, school districts receive scholarships from their local chambers of commerce or other community organizations and donations that they count as funding, such as when Apple Inc. donates iPads, said Stephen Dyer, a former Democratic lawmaker from Summit County.

Dyer delves into education funding on his Stack blog, 10th Period, which is critical of funding for private school vouchers and charter schools. He became knowledgeable about the topic when he was chair of an Ohio House Finance subcommittee on education.

Dyer believes funding cuts could accompany the personnel cuts at the U.S. Department of Education.

Eliminating federal money will force you to have to raise your property taxes again, or drastically reduce services to your kids, Dyer said.

The following table shows how much money in federal, state and local dollars went to each Ohio school district in the 2023-2024 school year.

Loading

At a Tuesday gathering in Columbus, chairs of the Ohio legislatures education committees expressed hopes that federal funding wouldnt flow to Ohio by specific programs, but that the feds instead would provide the state a block grant to fund education.

This would give Ohio more flexibility in spending the money, but the question remains whether the block grants would be smaller than what schools receive today.

Are they going to block grant power to the States? said state Sen. Andrew Brenner, a Republican who chairs the Senate committee. And if they do that, what do we do once we have those dollars? How do we utilize those dollars?

Block grants are going to allow us to do some more creative things at the state level, said state Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur, chair of the House committee.

State Rep. Phillip Robinson, a Solon Democrat and ranking member of the House education committee, criticized the state for funding nearly $1 billion a year private school vouchers, as taking state money from traditional public school classrooms.

Laura Hancock covers state government and politics for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.
Adaptive reuse projects offer fun urban hangouts for Chinese youngsters

Xinhua) 08:55, March 20, 2025

CHONGQING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A subtle revival is emerging in China's consumption landscape: abandoned factories now hum with art fairs, century-old alleyways lure crowds with craft beer and trendy cinemas, and 70-year-old neighborhoods have been transformed into hybrid art-retail hubs.

Dubbed "adaptive reuse," this trend is redefining consumption by blending nostalgia with modern lifestyles, catering to the growing demand for unique, experience-driven destinations.

In southwest China's Chongqing, the centuries-old Luzu Temple has been renovated as a commercial complex that integrates shopping, art and social interaction while preserving its historical charm.

At Uncle's Tea Restaurant within the complex, authentic Hong Kong-style cuisine and retro decor create a distinctive atmosphere, drawing both local residents and tourists. The 70-square-meter shop generates a monthly revenue of 300,000 yuan (about 41,842.75 U.S. dollars).

"Today's consumers are looking for more than just products; they crave unique vibes and immersive experiences," said Shu Chang, the restaurant's manager.

This shift has been evident across the country, from Chengdu's Eastern Suburb Memory, a repurposed factory turned art district, to Shanghai's Hongshoufang area, where historic architecture meets modern retail.

As China's younger generation gradually becomes the backbone of the consumer market, traditional retail has found it challenging to fulfill their demands for culture, art, and socialization.

"Adaptive reuse spaces, often set in factories or public areas, resonate deeply with young people," said Tang Zhengyi, an executive at the Chongqing branch of Cushman &Wakefield, a property consulting and service firm.

In Chongqing, Peiping Machine, a Beijing-originated brewery, has opened a new store in a heritage-protected building. Patrons enjoy craft beer and savory pancakes while watching classic films, creating an enchanting blend of nostalgia and contemporary culture.

"Craft beer carries local and cultural identities. We engage deeply with communities through such events," said Dai Kan, the brand's manager.

The trend extends beyond commerce, fostering urban renewal and community integration. In Chongqing's Minzhucun in Jiulongpo District, a 70-year-old neighborhood revitalized since 2021, trendy shops now coexist with residential areas.

Yao Yuanzhu runs an art-inspired homeware store in a residential building, which fuses creativity with daily life. "Our concept is based on merging art and life. Adaptive reuse commerce in communities lets consumers explore and discover surprises," he said.

"Youth crave personalized expression and warm social interactions," Tang said. "Adaptive reuse commerce is about offering a haven, emotional value, and a curated experience."

"After a hectic day at the office, I need to find a public space to unwind," said Chai Xinxin, a resident in Shanghai who often visits pet-friendly outdoor venues in the city with her cat. "These spots help me meet fellow cat lovers and feel a sense of belonging."

With their unique appeal, adaptability to shifting consumer values, and role in urban renewal, adaptive reuse projects are emerging as a new growth engine for consumption. "They embody both local culture and a city's vitality," Tang said.

"By deepening community roots and fostering neighborhood synergy, they represent the future of urban commerce," Tang added.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
arsworld

Toujours pas propose chez moi. La 23H2 etant maintenant relativement stable jai presque envie de ne pas la mettre cette 24H2. Je crois que je la mettrai une fois quune 25h2 sera en insider ou W12 qui sait ?

Exemple de bug encore present :

Ejection de cle usb via licone de la barre des taches : Impossible

Ejection de cle usb via lexplorer  ca marche

Changement de periph de son via licone de la barre des taches : Des fois ce nest pas pris en compte

Changement de periph de son via WIN+G et le widget son : ca marche

Je ne sais pas ce quils branlent avec leur OS et surtout avec cette barre des taches. Mais depuis quils ont joue a la barre des taches verrouillee, cest du grand nimporte quoi.
Sovereign wealth fund ADQ and American private equity firm Energy Capital Partners, or ECP, have signed a deal for a $25 billion investment partnership dedicated to increasing power generation, primarily in the U.S., to serve data center needs, the companies announced Wednesday.

The partnership "aims to service the growing power needs of data centers, hyperscale cloud companies and other energy-intensive industries," a joint statement by the firms read. "As the continuity and quality of power supply is crucial for these high-growth industries, the need for captive power plants that are in proximity is often a pre-requisite. The partnership is focused on meeting these needs over the long-term."

The 50-50 partnership will deploy capital with the goal to invest more than $25 billion across 25 gigawatts worth of projects via greenfield site development, new builds and expansions of current infrastructure.

ADQ, established in 2018 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, focuses on investments in critical infrastructure and global supply chains, while ECP describes itself as the largest private owner of power generation and renewable energy assets in the U.S. ADQ oversees $225 billion in assets, while ECP has raised more than $31 billion in capital commitments since its inception in 2005.

The partnership announcement comes at a time of rapidly increasing power needs  electricity demand is set to surge in the U.S. after staying largely flat for some 15 years, fueled by new data centers, factories, electric vehicles, and hotter and longer summers.
Thyssenkrupp marine systems CEO Oliver Burkhard (4th R), German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (6th R) and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's State Premier Manuela Schwesig (8th R) during their visit of a shipyard of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems that will build military submarines on Jan. 17, 2025 in Wismar, Germany.

German naval systems maker ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems expects its overall accessible market size  customer base  to triple by the end of the decade, according to CEO Oliver Burkhard.

"This attainable market in electronics, drones, surface vessels and submarines, we expect that it's doubling or even tripling by the end of this decade," Burkhard told CNBC on the sidelines of the Singapore Defense Technology Summit.

That comes on the back of the German parliament voting in favor of a major fiscal package, which includes changes to long-standing debt policies to enable higher defense spending.

Burkhard said the move shows that "when it comes to the defense budget, there is more or less no limit anymore."

The proposed changes mean that defense and certain security expenditures above a certain threshold would no longer be subject to the debt brake, which limits how much debt the government can take on and dictates the size of the federal government's structural budget deficit.

"This is unusual for Germany," Burkhard said, noting that the reform was accompanied by German Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz reportedly saying "In view of the threats to our freedom and peace on our continent, the rule for our defense now has to be 'whatever it takes'."

Burkhard highlighted that "the Germans normally don't say 'whatever it takes,' because [its] very irrational. We have KPIs, we have figures, we have argumentation, we have surveys, we have research. Based on these, then we say something, but we never said 'whatever it takes,' and 'whatever it takes' is more or less limitless."

He added, "that means, whether it's 500 billion [euros] or even more, it's a kind of special funding which has not been there, never been seen before since 1945."

What that means for the defense industry in Germany, he said, is that the government would want to speed up projects and purchase more from the industry.

ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, is the warship division for German industrial engineering conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, and manufactures naval vessels and submarines.

When asked if the company envisions a shift from building traditional naval vessels to unmanned sea drones, such as those used in the Russia-Ukraine war, Burkhard suggested those might be better described as an "extension" to current naval platforms, such as submarines which are surrounded by above and below-water drones.

Bukhard gave an example, saying that customers may not order four submarines, but maybe two, with 50 autonomous vehicles.

He acknowledged the hurdles to building capacity, however, saying "Everybody has higher budgets. Everybody wants to have it faster, and the demand is very strong."

TKMS had acquired a new shipyard in the northern German city of Wismar, which will be used to produce new vessels for Germany, Norway and Israel, in addition to its traditional shipbuilding facilities in Kiel and a facility in Brazil.

But Burkhard also acknowledged that the company would have to look for partnerships if it wanted to expand. He pointed at a joint venture earlier in 2025 with India's Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, through which TKMS will help to design and engineer six submarines for the Indian Navy. MDS will build them in India.
The homepage for Edibles.com, the hemp marketplace from the parent company of Edible Arrangements

The parent company of Edible Arrangements is moving into a different kind of edible.

Edible Brands is launching Edibles.com, an e-commerce marketplace for hemp products, such as Cann drinks and Wana gummies.

The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, which is legally defined as a plant that contains 0.3% or less tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the primary intoxicant in cannabis. The federal law paved the way for companies to sell products with THC derived from hemp rather than marijuana across most states, even if those areas haven't legalized marijuana.

A handful of states, like Connecticut, have placed restrictions on how much THC a hemp product can contain. But in much of the country, hemp legalization has led to a veritable Wild West.

"There's a lot of demand for hemp products out there right now, but what people are looking for is that safe and trusted place to buy it," Edible Brands CEO Somia Farid Silber told CNBC.

The website launches Friday, starting with Texas. The company is planning to roll out the platform nationwide quickly, with Florida, Georgia and other Southeastern markets following soon after Texas.

Edibles.com also has a lease for a brick-and-mortar location in Inman Park in Atlanta and said it plans to add physical locations in other states as well.

"This is a defining moment for the hemp industry," Cann CEO and co-founder Jake Bullock said in a statement. "A trusted, high-quality marketplace like Edibles.com has the power to reshape the future of THC products and drive the long-term industry growth we've all been working toward."

As a private company, Edible Brands does not have to disclose its quarterly financial results. The business, best known for its fruit baskets inspired by floral bouquets, had nearly 800 locations as of the end of 2023.

While cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, 24 states have legalized it for recreational use. Legal retail sales were projected to surpass $32 billion in 2024, with roughly 14%  or $4.5 billion  coming from edibles, according to a study from cannabis-focused software company Leaflink.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets with Elon Musk in New York, U.S., on June 20, 2023.

This report is from this week's CNBC's "Inside India" newsletter which brings you timely, insightful news and market commentary on the emerging powerhouse and the big businesses behind its meteoric rise. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.

Elon Musk has been working relentlessly to break into India's lucrative market, a point he stressed during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, D.C., last month, as CNBC confirmed.

In that meeting, Musk reiterated to Modi the benefits of widening internet access across the world's most populous country, according to sources in the room. Musk's pitch appears to have worked, with SpaceX announcing deals with the two dominant players in Indian telecom  Reliance's Jio and Airtel  that will roll out Starlink internet services across India.

Musk has spoken to Modi about space and satellites before. Why was India more receptive this time around?

Sources close to New Delhi say Musk's influential role in the White House no doubt incentivized the Indian government to reevaluate a Starlink deal.

As we reported last week, trade talks between U.S. and Indian officials have not resulted in a breakthrough, with Trump saying the U.S. will charge India reciprocal tariffs starting April 2, according to domestic media.

While India and the U.S. remain in trade talks, the two Starlink deals are seen as a huge win for Musk.

The world's richest person will finally get access to an incredibly important, mobile-savvy consumer market that he has been vying for years.

Plus, Musk gets to partner rather than compete with Reliance's Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together dominate India's booming telecom market. It also offers Musk the unique opportunity to work with the heads of rival telecom majors and powerful Indian billionaires: Mukesh Ambani and Sunil Mittal. The two are highly respected and influential tycoons.

"Space, defense and India are basically the biggest opportunities for any company in the world right now. Musk gets all three  at the same time it adds a whole new dimension to American force projection in the most contested region in the world," said Eliot Pence, former head of international at Anduril, a defense technology company, to CNBC over the phone.

Possible 'new dawn' for U.S. companies in India

One of the biggest challenges for foreign companies breaking into India has been protectionist policies, stiff competition from local competitors and an inability to penetrate India as an outsider. U.S. companies including Meta , Walmart and Amazon have had their share of challenges on the ground.

"India has been historically a very challenging market for U.S. companies, but this might be a new dawn," added Pence.

The opportunity is large. Having recently traveled across different parts of India a few months ago, I was surprised by the limited access to internet in smaller towns.

Starlink, which uses low earth orbit satellites, may prove useful in non-urban areas and less-populated parts of the country where internet access remains patchy.

"[Starlink] should provide a great boost  particularly in rural and remote areas of India, where traditional telecom networks don't do especially well," said Pravin Krishna, professor of international economics at Johns Hopkins University, to CNBC over the phone.

Counterpoint Research's Neil Shah explained that Starlink can offer internet in rural India where Jio and Airtel do not have connectivity, and it is costly to build telecom infrastructure. Jio and Airtel will then acquire local customers on behalf of Starlink, selling the equipment needed to run high-speed internet.

Connectivity might be choppy

But challenges await.

To officially enter India, Starlink still needs to get past several regulatory hurdles and acquire a communications license which the Indian government is currently reviewing.

While a partnership with Ambani and Mittal sounds promising, the mechanics behind the Starlink deal have raised several questions.

For one, will both Jio and Airtel abandon initial plans made with European companies to introduce satellite internet services in India? Last year, Reliance's internet arm Jio unveiled a joint venture with SES, a firm based in Luxembourg, to operate satellites in India. Airtel has an existing alliance with Eutelsat OneWeb.

Starlink will need to navigate technical challenges, such as limiting interference as satellites generally require line-of-sight and can more easily be impacted by weather disturbances, according to analysts at Citi.

"We reckon satellite networks would be more suited for servicing remote rural areas where there are coverage gaps rather than high-density urban areas where satellites may not be able to match terrestrial networks in terms of capacity and coverage," the Citi analysts said.

Starlink will also need to make its service more affordable in a price-sensitive market such as India, especially if the opportunity lies in rural areas where incomes are often lower.

"While there is an opportunity to connect a lot of people to the internet, pricing will challenge Starlink's ability to scale," said Shah to CNBC over the phone.

Starlink's service currently costs around $110 per month for users in the U.S. Jio's cheapest WiFi package for individuals in India costs less than that in a year.

Industry experts say that's where local governments will be under pressure to provide incentives and subsidies to make broadband access more affordable. This is also where Musk's new Indian billionaire friends could provide much-needed guidance.

Musk's ties to President Trump may have given Starlink the green light to enter India, but the satellite space company's success rests on its two powerful Indian partners, and the price it settles on.
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The European Union has plans to step up its defense spending in a big way  but some leaders want it to go even further as geopolitical tensions heighten. The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, earlier this month proposed measures that could bring about 800 billion euros ($867 billion) in new defense spending. These measures have yet to be approved by the various EU capitals, but have been enough to boost EU defense stocks since the plan was announced. The current measures are "an important step in the right direction," but "maybe we need to be more ambitious," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told CNBC's Silvia Amaro on the sidelines of a European Council summit on Thursday. The ReArm Europe plan, which was announced earlier this month, includes 150 billion euros of loans that member states can access to invest in defense and security capabilities. These funds will, however, only be made available if at least 65% of the cost of production takes place in the EU, Norway or Ukraine.

Ukrainian army soldiers of the 22nd brigade during tank training as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on October 29, 2023. Diego Herrera Carcedo | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

The proposal also allows for a temporary relaxation of the bloc's fiscal rules to enable member states to use public funding for defense on a national level. Lending from the European Investment Bank, the EU's investment bank, would also be available. "I'm happy about the fact that member states now will have more fiscal flexibility within the confines of the stability pack to spend more on defense," Mitsotakis said, adding that perhaps the plan could go further. "This should not just be a question of loans, as is currently the case. I think we also need to seriously discuss the possibility of a facility, a joint borrowing facility, that would also offer grants to member states," he said. Other leaders, such as Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, struck a similar tone. She said she was supportive of the package that -- even a year ago -- likely would not have happened. The country has long been supportive of a stronger Europe that spends more on security and defense, she said. "I believe we should discuss even more possibilities for financial resources," Silina said, noting that administrative burdens also needed to be reduced to support the military industry.

'This is only the start'

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda echoed calls for further financial instruments to be included in the EU's defense plans. "I think this is only the start," he told Amaro, explaining that options such as grants also needed to be considered.

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The Greenpeace logo on the green ecological awareness stand of the association in Lyon, France, on Oct. 23, 2024.

A jury on Wednesday ordered environmental campaign group Greenpeace to pay more than $660 million in damages to Texas-based oil company Energy Transfer, the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

A nine-person jury in Mandan, North Dakota, reached a verdict after roughly two days of deliberations. The outcome found Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions of dollars over actions taken to prevent the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly a decade ago.

It marks an extraordinary legal blow for Greenpeace, which had previously warned that it could be forced into bankruptcy because of the case. The environmental advocacy group said it intends to appeal the verdict.

"This case should alarm everyone, no matter their political inclinations," Greenpeace U.S. interim executive director Sushma Raman said in a statement published Wednesday.

"It's part of a renewed push by corporations to weaponise our courts to silence dissent. We should all be concerned about the future of the First Amendment, and lawsuits like this aimed at destroying our rights to peaceful protest and free speech," Raman said.

Greenpeace has described Energy Transfer's case as a clear-cut example of SLAPPs, referring to a lawsuit designed to bury activist groups in legal fees and ultimately silence dissent. SLAPP is an acronym for "strategic lawsuit against public participation."
A sign in front of the entrance of the Security Administration's main campus on March 19, 2025 in Woodlawn, Maryland.

A federal judge Thursday issued a temporary restraining order barring Elon Musk's so-called Department of Government Efficiency team from having access to personally identifiable information from the Social Security Administration.

Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander in a scathing ruling accused DOGE of launching a "fishing expedition" at the Social Security agency and failing to provide any reason why it needed to access vast swaths of Americans' personal and private data.

Hollander said the "defendants, with so called experts on the DOGE Team" never identify or articulate a reason why DOGE needs "unlimited access to SSA's entire record systems, thereby exposing personal, confidential, sensitive, and private information that millions of Americans entrusted to their government."

The order in U.S. District Court in Baltimore blocks the Social Security Administration, acting Commissioner Leland Dudek and Chief Information Officer Michael Russo, as well as all related agents and employees working with them, from granting access to any system containing personally identifiable information.

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Per the lawsuit, personally identifiable information is defined as information that can be used to identify an individual, either on its own or when combined with other information. That includes Social Security numbers, medical provider information, medical and mental health treatment records, employer and employee payment records, employee earnings, addresses, bank records and tax information.

The judge also ordered the DOGE team members and affiliates to delete all non-anonymized personally identifiable information in their possession or control that they have accessed "directly or indirectly" since Jan. 20.

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition of unions and retirees including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Alliance for Retired Americans and the American Federation of Teachers.

In a statement, White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields slammed Hollander as a "radical leftist" and accused her of "abusing the system to try and sabotage" Trump's agenda.

"The President will continue to seek all legal remedies available to ensure the will of the American people goes into effect," Fields said.

"We will work to comply with the court order," a Social Security spokesperson told CNBC via email.
Investors have closely watched Nvidia 's week-long GPU Technology Conference (GTC) for news and updates from the dominant maker of chips that power artificial intelligence applications. The event comes at a pivotal time for Nvidia shares. After two years of monster gains, the stock is down 15% over the past month and 22% below the January all-time high. As part of the event, CEO Jensen Huang took questions from analysts on topics ranging from demand for its advanced Blackwell chips to the impact of Trump administration tariffs. Here's a breakdown of how Huang responded  and what analysts homed in on  during some of the most important questions: Blackwell demand Huang said he "underrepresented" demand in a slide that showed 3.6 million in estimated Blackwell shipments to the top four cloud service providers this year. While Huang acknowledged speculation regarding shrinking demand, he said the amount of computation needed for AI has "exploded" and that the four biggest cloud service clients remain "fully invested." Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore noted that Huang's commentary on Blackwell demand in data centers was the first-ever such disclosure. "It was clear that the reason the company made the decision to give that data was to refocus the narrative on the strength of the demand profile, as they continue to field questions related to Open AI related spending shifting from 1 of the 4 to another of the 4, or the pressure of ASICs, which come from these 4 customers," Moore wrote to clients, referring to application-specific integrated circuits. Piper Sandler analyst Harsh Kumar said the slide was "only scratching the surface" on demand. Beyond the four largest customers, he said others are also likely "all in line looking to get their hands on as much compute as their budgets allow." Physical AI Another takeaway for Moore was the growth in physical AI, which refers to the use of the technology to power machines' actions in the real world as opposed to within software. At previous GTCs, Moore said physical AI "felt a little bit like speculative fiction." But this year, "we are now hearing developers wrestling with tangible problems in the physical realm." Truist analyst William Stein, meanwhile, described physical AI as something that's "starting to materialize." The next wave for physical AI centers around robotics, he said, and presents a potential $50 trillion market for Nvidia. Stein highliughted Jensen's demonstration of Isaac GR00T N1 , a customizable foundation model for humanoid robots. Macroeconomic concerns Several analysts highlighted Huang's explanation of what tariffs mean for Nvidia's business. "Management noted they have been preparing for such scenarios and are beginning to manufacture more onshore," D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria said. "It was mentioned that Nvidia is already utilizing [Taiwan Semiconductor's'] Arizona fab where it is manufacturing production silicon." Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon said Huang's answer made it seem like Nvidia's push to relocate some manufacturing to the U.S. would limit the effect of higher tariffs. Rasgon also noted that Huang brushed off concerns of a recession hurting customer spending. Huang argued that companies would first cut spending in the areas of their business that aren't growing, Rasgon said.
India has always been a country of dichotomies. It is the world's most populous nation, fifth biggest economy and home to the highest number of billionaires after China and the U.S. It is a world leader in digital finance, thanks to the creation of digital public infrastructure, and is the world's third-largest start-up hub. Yet it remains a lower-middle-income economy, with a large share of the population classified as low-income or poor, and is a highly unequal society. India's climate narrative is, similarly, marked by contradictions. While its contribution to world cumulative emissions is negligible  India accounts for approximately 4% of the global stock of emissions in the atmosphere  and it is one of the lowest emitters on a per-capita basis, India is already the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gasses on an annual basis, and is, worryingly, home to 12 of the world's 15 most polluted cities.

The NLC Tamil Nadu Power power plant, right, and Tuticorin Thermal Power Station, left, in Tuticorin, India. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images

With India forecast to be the world's fastest-growing large economy and biggest oil consumer over the coming years, if it does not take action fast, emissions will only continue to rise.

'Greening' of the power sector

India needs to act not only for the world to achieve the Paris Agreement ambitions, but also for its own survival. More than 75% of Indian districts are at risk of extreme weather and it is already seeing fiercer cyclones, greater incidences of drought and flooding and more heatwaves. While these climatic changes will impact worker productivity and economic output in aggregate, they will disproportionately impact vulnerable communities and farmers  60% of which are monsoon-dependent. While India needs to decarbonize its entire economy, achieving its target of net-zero emissions by 2070 arguably hinges on the "greening" of its power sector. With a 34% share, India's power industry constitutes the single biggest source of emissions in India, and its grid ranks as the fourth most carbon-intensive in the world. Coal still accounts for almost 50% of installed power capacity, and more than 70% of power generation. With greater power demand expected from consumers, as well as existing and emerging areas of industry, in the near future, and the ongoing electrification of the economy also putting greater pressure on the grid, emissions from power will continue to rise if left unabated.

A farmer works in his vegetable field in Jharia city, Dhanbad district, Jharkhand state. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images

In recognition of the imperative to decarbonize power as a means to drive the whole-economy emissions transition, the government has outlined impressive clean energy targets: achieving a 50% share of renewables in power capacity by 2030 and energy independence by 2047. India has made impressive strides toward these goals. As a result of significant private sector investment, India now ranks fourth of all countries globally on installed solar and wind power capacity and its addition of renewable power capacity has been particularly strong in recent years. Unfortunately, this simply isn't enough. To truly decarbonize its energy sector, India needs to act on three fronts.

1. Integrating renewable energy into the grid

Apart from greater renewable capacity installation  for context, India's additions in 2024 represented only 8% of China's  India needs to find ways to integrate greater amounts of renewable energy into its grid, a challenge that countries globally are grappling with, while continuing to invest in baseload (or round-the-clock readily available) power. To do this, India needs to invest more in battery storage infrastructure  including via pumped hydro storage, new and innovative battery energy storage systems, and also green hydrogen.



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Indeed, the inability to transmit renewable energy into the grid when it is generated in surplus (for example, solar during summer months in south-western states) often leads to curtailment, or the intentional offloading of power production, as the lack of storage capacity prevents its use in power-scarce states. Digitalization of the grid will also be key to integrating renewables. Emerging digital technologies can enable power operators to access information from renewable energy assets and consumers in real time, allowing them to operate intelligent load-dispatching systems based on current supply and demand. In order to have a tangible impact on renewable power integration, grid digitalization will need to take place concurrently with electricity market reform. Currently, India's state electricity distribution companies, or DISCOMs, have limited flexibility in incorporating renewables as per availability and demand as they are locked into long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). Plans for what's known as a Market-Based Economic Dispatch System, which would centralize power purchase and dispatch across the country on a real-time basis, will enable India to transition from relatively inflexible locked-in power agreements with thermal power producers to lowest-cost (including renewable) generation.

Solar panels at the Bhadla Solar Park in Bhadla, in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. Sajjad Hussain | Afp | Getty Images

A digital energy grid overlaid with centralized power purchase and dispatch will improve efficiency in power trading, and also likely lead to lower power prices. While this transition takes place, greater flexibility is needed at India's coal power plants to ensure a steady baseload supply of power, while more investment in nuclear is needed to guarantee future energy security. Reassuringly, India has already outlined plans for both.

2. Improving energy efficiency

The second front constitutes a greater focus on enhancing energy efficiency, both on the demand and supply side. On the demand side, smart appliances, buildings, and meters, coupled with time-of-day tariffs, can enable better demand optimization. On the supply side, meanwhile, the professionalization of state distribution companies via arrangements with private operators can be instrumental in reducing transmission losses. India sees heavy losses in power transmission across most states as infrastructure remains outdated, while leakages and theft are rampant. Indian residential and agricultural consumers have long thought of electricity as a free public good, and for good reason. India's DISCOMs heavily subsidize power to these two segments. Professionalization of power distribution can help lower these subsidies and reduce wastage. States that have professionalized distribution have indeed shown a significant reduction in transmission and distribution losses. In a power-hungry  power demand is expected to quadruple by 2050  and historically power-scarce country, there is no room for waste.

3. Decentralized energy solutions

The third front constitutes the greater installation and use of decentralized renewable energy (DRE) solutions, including rooftop solar and microgrids. This will enable India to meet the dual goals of both improving power access for India's remote and marginalized communities, as well as greening its power supply. Progress on the installation of rooftop solar has been slow so far, impeded by a lack of affordability, consumer awareness and trained personnel, with only around 16 gigawatts installed versus a target of 40 gigawatts. Microgrids, meanwhile, remain commercially unviable, and more impact  non-commercially minded  capital will be required to get such initiatives off the ground. Hearteningly, recent government initiatives signal progress on decentralized renewable energy, and this installation will be important in lowering grid load and emissions.

Where the funding could come from

All three prongs of India's energy sector transition will require funding. According to expert estimates, India needs to spend around $100 billion per year, or 2.8% of current nominal GDP, to achieve net-zero power sector emissions by 2070. With various imminent and urgent competing demands on the country's budget, public finance will simply not be enough. India will need to attract greater amounts of philanthropic, foreign, and private capital, as well as develop creative financing structures, to meet its net-zero target. Each of these capital sources has a specific role to play.

Residential properties stand illuminated at night on hillsides in Gangtok, Sikkim, India. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., from left, Howard Lutnick, US commerce secretary, walk on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, March 14, 2025.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urged the public to "buy Tesla " stock, a highly unusual promotion by a Cabinet member of a company whose current investors have suffered a sharp slide in share price since December.

Lutnick's touting of Tesla shares Wednesday night came as CEO Elon Musk oversees the highly controversial DOGE effort to slash the federal workforce for the Trump administration.

The company is also facing a spate of vandalism of Tesla locations and vehicles around the United States in reaction to Musk's involvement with DOGE and his financial support for President Donald Trump's electoral victory.

Government conflict of interest rules prohibit federal employees from using their "government position or title or any authority associated with his public office to endorse any product, service or enterprise" save for very limited situations, none of which appeared to apply to Lutnick.

"If you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla," Lutnick said during an interview on Fox News with Jesse Watters.

"It's unbelievable," Lutnick said, drawing out the last word, "that this guy's stock is so cheap."

"It'll never be this cheap again," Lutnick continued, next to a split screen of video showing flames from Teslas in Las Vegas that were set on fire by Molotov cocktails earlier in the week.

Tesla has shed hundreds of billions of dollars in market capitalization since its stock's sharp slide began in December, a month after Trump was elected to a second non-consecutive term in the White House. The company's share price is more than 50% lower than the high reached in December.
View of the Peace Monument sculpture in front of the Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) headquarters in Caracas, on December 2, 2022.

President Donald Trump is considering extending Chevron's license to pump oil in Venezuela, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

Trump said in late February that he would reverse a Biden administration decision that allowed Chevron to restart production in Venezuela. The Treasury Department gave Chevron until April 3 to wind down its operations.

But the president was open to extending the license during a meeting with Chevron CEO Mike Wirth and other oil industry executives at the White House on Wednesday, the people told the Journal. The Trump administration is also considering financial penalties on countries that do business with Venezuela, according to the report.
Pakistan is set to introduce a legal framework for cryptocurrencies in a bid to attract foreign investment, Bilal Bin Saqib, chief advisor to the countrys finance minister, told Bloomberg in an interview on Thursday.

The development follows Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs decision to establish the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) to promote blockchain technology.

Pakistan is done sitting on the sidelines, Saqib told Bloomberg. We want to attract international investment because Pakistan is a low-cost, high-growth market with 60% of the population under 30. We have a Web3-native workforce ready to build. Trump is making crypto a national priority, and every country, including Pakistan, will have to follow suit.

If Pakistan proceeds with legalising cryptocurrencies, it will become the first South Asian nation to do so, potentially outpacing India, which has maintained a cautious stance on digital assets. Bhutan, another regional player, is engaged in Bitcoin mining, but cryptocurrencies are not legal tender in the country.

The shift in Pakistans approach is influenced by global political trends, particularly U.S. President Donald Trumps push for pro-crypto policies.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also urged Pakistan to bring crypto gains into its tax net to help cover its bailout debts, Economic Times reported. Pakistan has received over 20 loans from the IMF since 1958, with the latest being a $7 billion package approved in September 2024.

While India has taken a more conservative approach to digital assets, Pakistan is looking to capitalise on the growing global acceptance of crypto. Earlier in February, speaking at a town hall organised by CNBC-TV18, Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) Secretary Ajay Seth said that shifting global attitudes toward cryptocurrencies had prompted New Delhi to review its stance.

More than one or two jurisdictions have changed their stance towards cryptocurrency in terms of its usage and acceptance, Seth said, adding that India was reassessing its long-awaited discussion paper on crypto, which was initially due in September 2024.

Seth said that because such assets "don't believe in borders", India's stance cannot be unilateral.

Pakistan Crypto Council takes shape

Last week, Islamabad set up the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) to draft regulations and align the countrys crypto policies with international standards.

The council, led by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, includes key figures such as the governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and the federal IT and law secretaries, the ET report added.

According to a March 14 release from the finance ministry, the councils key objectives include:



Establishing clear regulatory guidelines for crypto trading.



Ensuring investor protection and financial stability.



Encouraging blockchain innovation across various sectors.



Collaborating with international crypto organisations to adopt best practices.



As regulatory clarity improves worldwide, Pakistan is betting that its proactive approach will not only attract investment but also position the country as a regional leader in blockchain-driven finance.
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Kaitlin Olson didnt come to rival Bugs Bunny overnight.

A week after the Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia star earned the unofficial title of Twitters second favorite slapstick comedian behind only the Looney Tunes icon  a comparison she described as a huge compliment  Olson opened up about how she became a cartoon character incarnate, detailing the decades she spent honing her comedy chops.

Ive been inspired by women who are funny, who are not trying to look pretty, Olson explained during a recent appearance on The Drive with Rob & Roz, a program on South African radio station Jacaranda FM.

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Beyond admiring female comedians  and perfecting her slapstick skills as a member of The Groundlings  Olson said her love for physical comedy spans back to her childhood, where she relied on wacky, balls-to-the-wall antics to amuse her family. Throwing your body around to make people laugh, that makes me laugh so much, Olson explained. Thats how I used to make my parents laugh.

This passion for hamming it up apparently runs in the family, too. The sitcom staple, who shares two children with her husband and Its Always Sunny co-star, Rob McEhenney, revealed that her 12-year-old son has taken after her, performing the dumbest dances imaginable.

It cracks me up, she said.

The apple doesnt pratfall far from the tree, apparently.
While Larry Sanders mansion doesnt get much attention from the public, and as far as we know there is no Arliss sightseeing tour, at least one HBO comedy series from the 90s is still of interest to tourists: Sex and the City.

Carrie Bradshaws apartment wasnt some kind of elaborate CGI creation, the brownstone is a real location in New Yorks West Village, and its unsurprisingly a go-to stop for Sex and the City fans visiting New York.

Since the new reboot, And Just Like That, found Carrie returning to her apartment following the Peloton-inflicted death of her husband, interest in the brownstone has seemingly spiked, which is bad news for the people currently living there.

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In January, the owners of the building asked the city to let them put a gate up blocking the entrance, complete with a sign reading Private Property: No Trespassing. As one of the residents told the media at the time, theyre fine with fans taking pictures, but just requested please dont climb into our space and into our windows  something that seems entirely fair.

Now, one of the owners has seemingly gotten pretty fed up. As reported by The New York Post, just recently, a real-life person who in no way resembles Sarah Jessica Parker peeked his head out of the house and reprimanded the crowd of tourists. You cant just take over the street, he protested. I try not to do this, but sometimes people cross the line and I cant. Thank you so much for understanding, have a great day. And remember, this is not empty, its a private home, and its not Carries, its mine.

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When a reporter tried to talk to the man, he accused them of loitering and added, This is not a movie lot.

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The folks inside Carries bachelorette pad arent the only people who have had to put up with issues caused by living in a fictional characters home, just ask owners of the Breaking Bad house about their anti-pizza fence.

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And people living in the Friends apartment building have had to put up with near constant public urination thanks to pop-culture obsessed tourists. Could they be any grosser?

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But, to be honest, the people who own the Sex in the City house should have known what they were getting into. The house sold in 2012 for a whopping $9.85 million. And that was well after the problems with fans had been well-documented. As weve mentioned before, fans who recreated a famous cupcake scene from the show routinely discarded wrappers on the ground outside the house. Because of the crowds and the garbage, one neighbor even described the street as a hellhole.

It would have been a lot cheaper and quieter to buy a house from Dream On or Lucky Louie.
As cybercriminals evolve their tactics, relying on tools like AI to simplify and speed their existing efforts, the cybersecurity industry also must evolve at an extraordinary pace. From CISOs to government agencies to software vendors, organizations everywhere are constantly rethinking and reimagining their approaches, with many adopting emerging technologies and developing more proactive strategies for staying ahead of adversaries. Its not surprising, then, that security software and services spending is projected to grow by 15% this year. Job growth is poised to follow the same up and to the right trajectory, with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting that the total number of cybersecurity jobs will increase between 10% and 31% in the next decade.

Attributes like rising demand, rapid innovation, and increased hiring indicate the cybersecurity industry is maturing. Yet one of the most significant barriers to meaningful and sustained industry growth is the siloed way many organizations still approach risk management. Having a skilled internal team, a robust technology stack, and a comprehensive and sophisticated cybersecurity strategy are undoubtedly all vital to increasing resilience. Yet no single individual or organization can combat cybercrime on its own, as no one has complete visibility into all the threats that exist.

Effectively disrupting cybercrime operations requires public and private organizations to work together, taking a coordinated, unified, and sustained approach. Collaboration is critical, and cultivating relationships across industries and borders lays the foundation for sharing information, ultimately enabling the industry to outpace our adversaries. Impactful collaboration across the public and private sectors is another key, yet often overlooked, measure of industry growth and maturity.

Successful partnerships offer a blueprint for effective collaboration

Numerous cybersecurity-focused partnerships are underway, involving successful collaboration across all sectors. These examples can help take public-private partnership efforts from abstract ideas to impactful execution and provide valuable insights and lessons learned.

One example is the work being done by the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) and its members. Earlier this month, the CTA introduced its Responsible Vulnerability Communication Policy, laying out guidelines for responsibly handling disclosed vulnerabilities in any product or system in a way that optimizes secure outcomes. The CTA and its members created this policy in response to decades of discussion across the industry about how to responsibly discuss vulnerabilities. Practitioners have long debated how to disclose newly identified vulnerabilities in software offerings and how companies should proceed after learning about vulnerabilities in their own products through third parties.

The development of and enthusiastic response to this policy is a sign of a maturing cybersecurity industry. The new policy is a strong example of greater standardization of ethical practices across the industry, better alignment with globally recognized standards, and increased transparency and collaboration among software vendors, government agencies, and researchers. The Responsible Vulnerability Communication Policy reflects a shift from ad hoc responses to a common framework and set of standards that guide how we approach and implement vulnerability disclosure. In a recent Q&A, CTA CEO Michael Daniel discussed the new policy, providing his perspective on what it means for advancing cyber resilience at scale.

In addition to collaborations that enhance the ways in which we communicate and manage vulnerabilities across our industry, there are additional global partnerships that exist to encourage and facilitate the sharing of information and threat intelligence across sectors and borders. The World Economic Forum Cybercrime Atlas Project is a leading example of an effective partnership among public and private organizations. The goals of the Cybercrime Atlas are threefold: map the cybercriminal ecosystem to identify choke points, disrupt cybercriminal organizations holistically through activities like dismantling infrastructure and seizing cryptocurrency, and shape policy through lessons learned to build a global, systemic operational model.

In the first year of operation, Cybercrime Atlas contributors shared over 10,000 community-vetted and actionable data points, created seven intelligence packages on emerging threats for distribution to defenders, and supported two cross-border cybercrime disruption campaigns. The Cybercrime Atlas community contributed last year to INTERPOLs Operation Serengeti, which led to the arrest of 1,006 suspects. This collaboration is a shining example of the effectiveness of public-private partnerships.

By working across the public and private sectors, industry stakeholders can exchange knowledge and ideas and learn from one another, all of which enable our industry to operationalize initiatives that benefit everyone and make significant strides in the fight against cybercrime.

Industry growth hinges on working together

Public-private partnerships are more than just a defense against a growing list of threatsthey are a catalyst for the cybersecurity industrys growth and maturity.

As the saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. And when we establish a foundation of collaboration and trust through public-private partnerships, we set higher standards for security practices that enable our collective cyber resilience to improve. As the threat landscape grows increasingly complex, the industry must embrace these partnerships as essential rather than viewing them as optional. The future of our industry depends on our ability to work together, relying on our collective expertise to protect organizations and individuals around the world.

Learn more about Fortinets partnerships with public and private sector organizations such as the World Economic Forum, the Cyber Threat Alliance, INTERPOL, MITRE Engenuity, the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, and more.
An unembellished limestone fireplace, sleek wood paneling, cork floors, and glass tile were cutting edge in 1935. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

On East 49th Street, between Second and Third Avenues, a bright-red door at street level is set at an angle, as if propped open for a visitor. Above it, the facade at 219 appears to float, alternating boxy terraces with clear and glass-block windows in a wall of dark-blue brick-and-glass tile. Its stark but colorful, an odd sight on a block known for the Tudor-style apartment at 225, the shadowy Amster Yard at 211, and the Flemish and Regency-style row houses across the way that were once home to Stephen Sondheim and Katharine Hepburn. And it was perhaps an even odder sight in 1935, when the home was finished, becoming the first built from the ground up in New York City with the modern, clean lines pioneered by Le Corbusier and tweaked by William Lescaze. Both 219 and Lescazes townhome  renovated in the same style just a year earlier, one block south  survived long enough to be individually landmarked, with the former taking the name of its architect resident, the Morris B. Sanders House.

The red door and the facade above it. MoMA curator John McAndrew noted the blue-black glazed brick was a unique color choice at that time, and suitable for the citys sooty atmosphere. From left: Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property The red door and the facade above it. MoMA curator John McAndrew noted the blue-black glazed brick was a unique color choice at that time, and suitab... more The red door and the facade above it. MoMA curator John McAndrew noted the blue-black glazed brick was a unique color choice at that time, and suitable for the citys sooty atmosphere. From top: Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

A 1936 feature in The Architectural Forum on the house included a shot of the door with a circular window. Currently, the door to the ground-floor office, inside, is nearly identical to whats shown here and likely original; Sanders was particular about details, and also used globe-shaped lighting throughout. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

Independently wealthy and known by friends for a strong, inflexible nature that would permit no compromise, Sanders was born into the business. His father was in plumbing, and his uncle studied architecture. Sanders went to Yale and ended up in Paris between the wars, where he might have ogled the work of Le Corbusier. Back in New York with his license in hand, he knocked over an 1869 house to build a six-story, 6,900-square-foot building to his exacting specifications, filling it with custom furniture and cutting-edge tech including central air and recessed lighting. (General Electric gave him its own recognition for the use of its tubular bulbs.) Built during the Great Depression, the house was a showpiece for both what Sanders could do and what modernism could be. In 1936, Architectural Forum published a ten-page glossy spread that praised 219 for scorning any effort to preserve the amenities on a block where the contrast between old and new could hardly be more extreme. Even in the 1960s, the house stood out for its revolutionary character, according to the critic Ada Louise Huxtable, who called it a work of protest against the routine mannerisms of overworked period styles. And in todays market, its still a standout. If youre looking for your quintessential townhouse, this isnt it, says broker Martin Eiden, who is representing the family who has lived and worked there for more than 50 years, using the building just like the Sanders family had  as a home, a rental, and a business.

The primary suite upstairs includes another simple fireplace framed by wood paneling and tons of hidden storage, including cabinets and built-ins around the window and to the side of the fireplace. Behind are three closets. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The 1936 piece in The Architectural Forum shows the original design included a curtain over the built-in bookcase and carpets over the wood floors. Some of the furniture shown here may have been of Sanderss own design. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

A view of the bedroom fireplace in the 1936 issue of The Architectural Forum shows a chrome grill in front of the hearth. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

The distinctive red door opens to an angled hallway with an intercom that looks like a metal Mondrian: an immense panel with three tiny buttons lodged in a lower-left corner, under an exposed lightbulb. Up a shallow set of stairs and through a door with a circular window is the ground-floor office that Sanders built to run his practice. On the street side, glass bricks let in light but filter out chaos and noise  an innovation at the time. The office stretches a full 64 feet back, doing away with the larger backyard that was no longer needed for modern city dwellers who didnt do laundry outside or keep horses. The main stairs lead up to a duplex designed as a rental, with a loggia over 49th Street and a showy centerpiece: a curving staircase with a chrome handrail designed by Sanders, who also designed tubular chrome furniture. (At its best in rooms such as these, praised The Architectural Forum.)

A chrome banister designed by Sanders. He staged the home with his tubular chrome furniture designs, praised by Architectural Forum in 1936 as best in rooms such as these. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

Above the rental duplex is an owners triplex with a penthouse-style bedroom on the top floor that leads out to a private roof deck. One floor down, a primary suite has built-ins with curving cabinets. On the fourth floor was an entrance designed to impress visitors: Its open plan stretches from a dining area in back with a picture window framing Amster Yard, and a living room in front where a flat wall of unembellished wood frames a fireplace of plain limestone slabs. Sanderss custom furniture for the space is long gone. (Though you can still grab an item here and there online.)

Details: Price: $5.3 million ($4,747 in monthly taxes) Specs: Ground-floor office, duplex (3 beds, 3 bathrooms), triplex (3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms) Extras: Roof deck, two terraces, basement, original cabinetry, lighting, and interior detail by Sanders Listed by: Martin Eiden and Zoe Jackson, Compass

Don and Taki Wise raised their family and ran overlapping businesses at 219. Don, who died in 2012, was an artist, curator, and adman who founded a marketing firm in 1952 that specialized in home decor, repping the Danish designer Georg Jensen. One of Dons companies owned the building by 1970, when it handed ownership to him personally. Taki, who is selling now, had also worked in marketing as a fashion stylist, but she found a new niche when she opened a Soho gallery that turned the business of fashion photography into an art form to sell to collectors. When they didnt need the duplex, they rented it out. In 1983, when the New York Times stopped by, the ground-floor unit was home to HEA Productions, a firm that supplied jingles for NBC (Just Watch Us Now) and Hallmark ads (Birthday).

On the ground level, the former office of Morris B. Sanders Jr. leads out to a small patio. Don Wise later used the space as an office for his marketing agency. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The old offices still hold books and papers on shelves and flat files, and Eiden has staged the owners triplex, but the bare bones of the house is the selling point, showing just how much thought Sanders put into the space. Built-in cabinets curve just where a busy parent would want to slide past them. Closets abound  with three in the primary suite alone. And theres a separate bathroom for every bedroom, where the original sinks, mirrors, and grids of white tile look very 2025. The living room floors are a surprising spongy cork. And the glass bricks differ in size in different rooms, perhaps to match the scale of the rooms they adjoin, as MoMA curator John McAndrew has argued. Theres a sense that the home is the work of a perfectionist, someone who couldnt settle for whats been done. Describing his design philosophy, Sanders once told a roomful of teachers, The materials and methods at hand must be deftly fitted to suit the real end in view.

Up the stairs on the third floor, a door leads to the owners triplex. Storage throughout was built in by Sanders, who installed larger glass blocks on this floor on the East 49th Street side. A door to the left leads out to a loggia. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The view of the living area in March 1936, when The Architectural Forum shot the home for a feature and showed that Sanders had installed carpets on the cork floors, had painted the built-in bookcases in a lighter shade, and had a built in desk and shelving that is no longer in the home. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

The main living area looking back to Amster Yard. A curved cabinet off the staircase leads up to the bedrooms, and a limestone fireplace (left) is framed with wood paneling. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The 1936 photography in The Architectural Forum shows that the living room, Sanderss showstopper, has been largely unchanged. The glass bricks, limestone fireplace, and wood-paneled wall are still the main features of the space. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

The floors are cork. The open-plan layout would not have been common at the time, and it allows light through both sides. A cabinet and a staircase newel post curve just where a busy parent might brush past them. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The view toward the dining room published in the 1936 issue of The Architectural Forum shows that the desk and shelving is gone, but other details are still intact, including an overhead light and built-in cabinets. Photo: Garrison Photos/The Architectural Forum, March 1936

Above the primary suite, a smaller bedroom opens to a private hall that leads to the roof deck. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

At six stories, the home has a view over the block. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

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Other businesses have rented the downstairs space, including a music publisher. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

A business occupied a bedroom that Sanders put in the rental unit on the third floor. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The window here echoes the bedroom window in the primary suite upstairs, with glass bricks framing picture windows. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

A smaller bedroom in the rental unit with a view over Amster Yard was transformed into an office. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

The back of the house peers over Amster Yard, a hidden but public park thats now connected to the Instituto Cervantes. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property

Amster Yard shares a back wall with 219 East 49th and its neighbors. Photo: Anton Brooks/H5 Property
An accountant has called out the Australian Taxation Office for refusing to refund an extra $20,000 payment her client accidentally made.

Hive Wise founder Hripsime Demirdjian claimed her client owed the ATO $20,000 but accidentally processed the payment twice, so she requested a refund on their behalf.

Ms Demirdjian contacted the government agency again 14 days later after noticing the refund hadn't been processed.

The ATO advised her the funds would be withheld as the client had an upcoming bill.

'They were like, "Oh, we can't process this refund because you've got a balance sitting on your ATO account",' Ms Demirdjian explained in a video last week.

'We're like, "Yes, we're aware of that. However, that balance is not yet due. The client will pay that amount later in the month, closer to the due date".'

The accountant said her client had no overdue payments but did have a large bill of about $150,000 approaching.

'It was very unusual because we've had a lot of success in the past requesting refunds from the ATO,' she told Yahoo News.

Hripsime Demirdjian (pictured) said taxpayers should never pre-pay the ATO

'So it was a bit shocking that we were experiencing some difficulties with this one, particularly because this client does have a good lodging history with the ATO.'

Ms Demirdjian acknowledged her client did owe money later to the ATO, but they were entitled to receive the payment back before this was due.

'The fact of the matter is that it's not the ATO's money,' she said.

An ATO spokesperson said the department could not comment on individual cases but explained its processes with refunds.

'If a taxpayer has a debt with the ATO, we are required by law to use any payments made, available credits, or refunds they become entitled to, to pay off the debt, except in very limited circumstances,' the spokesperson said.

'Where a taxpayer pays the ATO more than what they currently owe, they can contact the ATO to request a refund of the excess amount that has been paid.'

Ms Demirdjian addressed the ATO's refusal to refund the extra $20,000 payment in her video, saying: 'That $20,000 was double paid. We want that back and we want it back now.

'It's not your money, just give it back. Why are you fighting us on this?'

An accountant's client accidentally paid a $20,000 ATO bill twice, which it refused to refund

While her client is not being 'negatively impacted' by the missing funds, Ms Demirdjian believes the story serves as an example of why Aussies shouldn't pre-pay the ATO.

'When things like this happen, it just reiterates my viewpoint of not pre-paying tax to the ATO,' she said.

'I know there's people out there who like to pay the PAYG upfront each time they process payroll or pre-pay an amount on their ATO account.

'I'm personally not a fan of that because of things like this. Once you give money to the ATO, god help you trying to get that money back in case you ever need it.

'Once you've given it to the ATO, forget it existed.'

Instead, Ms Demirdjian recommended taxpayers save money from each paycheck in a separate bank account.

'You can earn interest on that bank account and make use of your money there. But the purpose is the money is set aside knowing it is going to be used to extinguish your ATO debt when it falls due in the future,' she said.

The accountant added by saving the money, it allowed small businesses better control over their cash flow as many face 'make or break' situations in the current cost of living crisis.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ATO for further comment.
The last time the big powers carved up Eastern Europe was at Yalta in February 1945.

Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt agreed to Joseph Stalin's demand that Eastern European nations bordering Russia should be subject to the influence of the Soviet regime.

In fact, the two great Western leaders had little alternative because Russian troops had just driven the Germans out of Poland, and controlled virtually the entire country.

The Russians incorporated 70,000 square miles of Polish territory into the Soviet Union (an area larger than England and Wales combined), and quickly installed a client government. By way of compensation, Poland acquired 40,000 square miles of what had been part of Germany.

The future of Ukraine is being determined in a similar manner by the great powers. As Poland was reshaped following Yalta, so Ukraine is about to have its borders redrawn by Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

However, there is one key difference. At Yalta  which ironically enough is in the Crimea, seized by Putin from Ukraine in 2014  there was one Western European power present, namely Britain.

The destiny of Ukraine is being shaped by a Russian dictator and a mercenary New York real estate tycoon

The destiny of Ukraine, by contrast, is being shaped by a Russian dictator and a mercenary New York real estate tycoon. Not only is Ukraine itself effectively excluded from negotiations, as was Poland 80 years ago, but Britain and every other European power are mere spectators.

How extraordinary  and humiliating. Sir Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron call meetings and look important. Our PM bangs on about a 'coalition of the willing'  nations led by Britain and France which will supposedly keep the peace in Ukraine if there is a settlement, though the Russians have vetoed the idea and the Americans aren't keen on it.

All of this is mere posturing since neither Starmer nor Macron are at the negotiating table. They are likely to have the most peripheral influence on whatever is agreed by Donald Trump and his twisted Russian counterpart.

Ukraine is a country in the heart of Europe. It was illegally invaded by Russia three years ago, and has suffered the loss of about a fifth of its territory, while thousands of its civilians and soldiers have been killed. Yet Europe can only look on, feebly and helplessly.

There is one lesson, which European leaders should absorb as they play being statesmen and flit from one futile summit to another. Never again should Britain and Europe allow other powers to decide the future of their continent.

We can none of us be certain but it appears that the cynical sellout of Ukraine by Donald Trump is now well underway.

Nothing was ceded by Putin in his 90-minute telephone conversation with Trump on Tuesday. The Russian leader wouldn't agree to the 30-day truce that Ukraine had accepted.

What Putin appeared to give was in fact a gain. The 30-day pause in attacks on energy infrastructure is calculated to benefit his country because Ukraine has recently targeted such sites in Russia with considerable success.

Putin outrageously demanded during his talk with Trump that during the partial truce  which is no kind of truce at all  there should be a complete cessation of military and intelligence support to Ukraine. Neither the EU nor Britain will accept this condition. Putin wants to weaken his enemy without offering the slightest concession.

Both Russia and Ukraine have already accused each other of breaking the agreement. As German defence minister Boris Pistorius sarcastically pointed out, attacks had 'not eased at all in the first night after this supposedly ground-breaking, great phone call'.

No one should be surprised that the vainglorious Trump has described his conversation with Putin as 'very good and productive'. He said his shorter call with President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday was 'very good', which in Trump-speak means nothing.

Meanwhile the Kremlin has declared that Putin and Trump 'trust each other'. This is probably only too true  in the sense that two rival mobsters may trust each other because they recognise one another's low motives.

I suppose we shouldn't dismiss the possibility that Putin will overplay his hand and offer Trump so little that even the American president will be forced to walk away. He needs to present a deal to the world in which Russia can be seen to have given something.

What he wants is pretty clear. Russia will cease its war in Ukraine but hang on to most of the land it has taken. Ukraine won't be a member of Nato (Trump has already stated that) but may be allowed to join the EU. The United States will get a chunk of future mineral revenue. Zelensky may have to stand down.

Before that happens the Ukrainian president will resist the capitulation that Trump intends to force on him. He'll draw some comfort from the assurances of European nations that they will continue to supply him with arms. But he will know in his heart that Ukraine can't continue the war for long without the support of Uncle Sam.

Such an outcome will of course be dangerous for Britain and Europe as well as injurious to Ukraine. It will leave Russia an almost total victor, able to regenerate its armed forces, enjoying at least a partial relief from sanctions, and ready to strike again at a time and in a place of its own choosing.

Is there anything we can do? Not now. It's pointed out that in 2024 almost 60 per cent of military aid to Ukraine came from European nations plus Canada, but it is fanciful to suppose that Europe alone could supply all of Ukraine's needs. If only.

There is however one thing we can and must do in the longer term. Rearm. Rearm so that we are never again dependent on the whims of an American president. Rearm so that, with European allies, we are able to deter and, if necessary, resist Russian aggression.

Sir Keir Starmer has won plaudits for the way in which he has conducted himself on the world stage in recent weeks. But it is all an act. He pretends to be strong but his country is weak, and his modest ambitions for increasing defence expenditure aren't going to change that.

The Prime Minister talks a big game about Europe being 'at a crossroads in history' but his actions do not match his rhetoric. He hasn't prepared this country for the immense national effort that will be needed because he has no proper concept of it himself.

So he raids the foreign aid budget for a few billions, and the welfare budget for a few more, and nothing much changes. Maybe in the next Parliament we'll spend a bit more on defence. If we can.

We're not alone, of course. Most European powers have been at least as feckless. We have farmed out the responsibility for defending our continent to the Americans, and the Americans under this particular unreliable president have decided that they want to do it their own way.

If the despicable spectacle of Trump and Putin carving up Ukraine in their own interests doesn't finally wake up our somnolent leaders, I really don't know what will.
Eighteen visitors from Mongolia's parliament were in the gallery for equality questions and PMQs. They stolidly listened to proceedings via translation-service headphones.

'Brother Genghis, how was your trip to Westminster, England, famed fountain of democratic repartee?'

'Brother Kubla, they have question times at which they never receive answers. The way to prosper politically is to luxuriate in other citizens' woes to make yourself sound noble. They use a language no ordinary voter speaks. And they seize money from farmers while giving it to people who will not work.'

Whitehall's department for equalities, invented for Harriet Harman in 2007, is a pond of poses. Its current supremo, if an equalities department can have such a thing, is 'Scary Bridget' Phillipson, who doubles as Education Secretary. Yes, a department allegedly opposed to discrimination and violence is led by a class warrior with a voice like fermented mares' milk.

Tulip Siddiq (Lab, Hampstead & Highgate), entirely undented by her recent toppling as a Treasury minister, celebrated moves to impose 'ethnicity pay-gap reporting requirements' on firms. Downing Street may wish to reduce corporate red-tape but Seema Malhotra, a D-list minister, claimed these rules would help 'unleash talent'.

We heard of 'two-way dialogues to tackle inequality', 'investing in mental health', a new 'race equality engagement group' (hooray, another quango), 'hate crimes', various phobias and isms, 'quantifying and defining prejudice', 'identifying barriers to progression', 'mandatory referral criteria' and 'tireless campaigners', which the Anglo-Mongolian interpreters may have translated as 'lifelong busybodies on the public-sector teat'.

Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding, went all gnomic and announced, as one might after a night on the campfire bong somewhere in the Mongolian-Manchurian grasslands, that 'the rising of the women is the rising of us all'.

With that she picked up her file and floated out of the chamber, even though equalities questions still had some time to go.

Jess Phillips (pictured), minister for safeguarding, went all gnomic and announced, as one might after a night on the campfire bong somewhere in the Mongolian-Manchurian grasslands, that 'the rising of the women is the rising of us all'

Sir Keir Starmer (pictured) called Israel's latest attacks on Gaza 'truly shocking'. When Sir Keir says 'shocking', which he does quite often, he keeps his lips rigid like a ventriloquist

She passed, toddling in the other direction, Diane Abbott, who disregarded House conventions and walked along the front bench, past the Despatch Box, en route to her normal place. It was like seeing a gerbil cross the M4 during rush hour. Everything else had to stop.

Speaker Hoyle's jaw dropped. As 'Mother of the House' (ie, longest-serving female MP), Ms Abbott is shown leeway, of which she takes full advantage. PMQs started. Sir Keir Starmer called Israel's latest attacks on Gaza 'truly shocking'.

When Sir Keir says 'shocking', which he does quite often, he keeps his lips rigid like a ventriloquist. The 'ck' makes the hard glurp of a rubber plunger used on a blocked sink. Sir Keir's face communicates no shock. It remains as inexpressive as a blackbird's.

Political-speak resumed: 'Strategies', 'health hubs', 'leisure hubs', 'holistic support', 'unleashing support' and bland claims to 'passionate support' and 'deep concern'.

No one means these things. Words are used like cheap marge in supermarket sandwiches. Sir Keir, in four consecutive answers, parroted his '22billion black hole' claim.

Annoyed when Kemi Badenoch asked about his tax hit on hospices, he affected laughter. His scorn, like much else, felt rehearsed, out of a packet. Ms Abbott complained that there was 'nothing moral' about cutting benefits.

Sir Keir briefly flared, saying it was indeed 'moral' to wean teenagers off state dependency. He's right. But he is only halfway there. Will he never see the immorality in taking money from workers and giving it to people so that they need not work? If you tried that in Ulan Bator, who would milk the yaks?

She passed, toddling in the other direction, Diane Abbott (pictured), who disregarded House conventions and walked along the front bench, past the Despatch Box, en route to her normal place. It was like seeing a gerbil cross the M4 during rush hour

Annoyed when Kemi Badenoch (pictured) asked about his tax hit on hospices, he affected laughter. His scorn, like much else, felt rehearsed, out of a packet. Ms Abbott complained that there was 'nothing moral' about cutting benefits

And Sir Ed Davey asked about hare-coursing. The Mongolians, whose idea of sport is whacking a recently severed goat's head round a field, stirred. This was more like it! Sir Keir's aide, Chris Ward, who sits behind him with pages of prompts, shrugged. No one had given him a cheat-sheet on hares. Help.

But Sir Keir managed to kill the moment. A human fire hydrant. One squirt of that adenoidal drone and all interest was extinguished. The Mongolians trudged off in the direction of lunch.
An adorable litter of rare northern African lion cubs have been born at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.

The four little lions, born as part of the conservation breeding programme for their threatened sub-species, were welcomed into the world on January 23 to mother Waka and father Malik.

This came just two months after another lioness, Winta, gave birth to her litter of three at the end of November, bringing the total number of cubs up to seven.

The quartet were born between the hours of 5.30am and 6.40am, with keepers watching the birth remotely via a hidden 'cubcam' CCTV.

Staff at the zoo were delighted to see Waka following in Winta's footsteps, carefully cleaning and nuzzling her four newborns, who quickly got the hang of feeding.

Sweet clips of the cubs have been released by the organisation show one cheeky lion cub stepping on their siblings in an attempt to find the perfect place to snooze.

The baby lion woke up their brothers and sisters by climbing on top of them and deciding to go for their nap there, before letting out a cute yawn.

Another video shows the four cubs feeding from their mother while Waka slowly falls asleep.

An adorable litter of rare northern African lion cubs have been born at Whipsnade Zoo

North African lions face greater threats in the wild compared to Southern lions, with three quarters of both populations declining in the wild

One image of the new cubs shows them playing as they frolicked around in the hay, with one lion appearing to clean another.

Even after two months, the family appears to be closer than ever as they cuddle up together in the lion pen.

The sexes of new cubs will be confirmed at their first health check when they're around 10 weeks old.

Plans for naming the young big cats will be confirmed by the conservation zoo in the coming weeks.

North African lions face greater threats in the wild compared to Southern lions, with three quarters of both populations declining in the wild.

This is driven by a number of reasons, including the loss of prey through unsustainable hunting and human and wildlife conflict.

In 2023, Whipsnade Zoo received two north African lionesses Waka and Winta, who are both three years old, along with male Malik, who is also three.

Many of the animals at the facility, including lions, are involved in conservation breeding programmes.

The four little lions were born as part of the conservation breeding programme for their threatened sub-species

The quartet were born between the hours of 5:.3am and 6.40am at the end of January

A video shows the four cubs feeding from their mother while Waka slowly falls asleep

Whipsnade Zoo's section manager Sarah McGregor said: 'We're overjoyed to have second litter here at Whipsnade Zoo, not only because these cubs are precious additions to the breeding programme, but because our pride has now grown to ten lions.

'Lions are highly sociable animals, and enjoy living in large groups. The youngsters will grow up side-by-side with their half-siblings, and I'm sure they'll love having an abundance of playmates.

'Waka and Winta, who are both proving to be natural mums so far, will also share parental duties as lions in the wild would too.

'While Waka and her cubs may be keeping warm and cosy indoors for a little bit longer, visitors will be able to catch a glimpse of their trio of half-siblings racing around the paddock this easter.'
Gulnaz Brennan had been looking forward to a gossipy lunch with her old friend. Both successful career women, they always had so much to talk about.

So Gulnaz couldn't hide her shock when  instead of the usual chat about the latest books and movies  Maria* asked if she could borrow 100.

'I just need to buy some groceries,' she whispered. 'I promise I'll pay you back.'

Looking around her friend's beautiful home, with its state-of-the-art kitchen and carefully chosen furnishings, Gulnaz was dumbfounded.

'On the surface, my lovely friend had it all,' she says. 'I simply couldn't understand why she could possibly need to borrow money.'

But as Gulnaz began to probe, the truth came tumbling out. Maria's boyfriend was bleeding her dry.

At the start of their relationship, he'd wooed her with champagne and chocolates and couldn't do enough to please her. There had been theatre trips and expensive meals out  all of which he insisted on paying for.

But, as the months passed, he had changed. Gradually, Maria had found herself paying for more and more.

Gulnaz Brennan, 55, is a former teacher who has been nominated in this year's Inspirational Women Awards for her empowering work teaching victims of domestic abuse how to become financially independent

'Quite simply he slowly took control of her finances,' explains Gulnaz, 55, a former teacher who has been nominated in this year's Inspirational Women Awards for her empowering work teaching victims of domestic abuse how to become financially independent.

She adds: 'He took her debit card away  saying she didn't need it while she was with him  and then started using it himself.

'He started driving her car for his own work. Then he said he loved her so much he couldn't bear to be apart from her. She was so touched, she agreed he could move in.

'Once he had his feet under the table, he never paid a penny. All the bills landed at her door and now she was sinking under the weight of them.

'As is common with this sort of abuse, it took her a long while to admit to herself what was happening. She'd been too embarrassed to say anything to friends.'

Horrified, Gulnaz lent Maria the money while begging her to get rid of her boyfriend. However, it took many more months and a lot of support before Maria had the courage to tell him to leave.

'I was hugely relieved,' says Gulnaz, who lives in Bolton with her husband Michael, 56, a retired management accountant.

'But it left me blindsided. How did such a competent woman end up in this mess? The more I thought about it, the more I realised there are so many women like Maria falling into financial abuse. And often it's because they aren't taught how to recognise the signs.

'Too often, women just don't talk about money. So many of us don't understand that it's vital to stay in charge of our finances and not let anyone  even a partner  take over. And that leaves us at a huge disadvantage.

'I know of several women who've ended up in debt because their husbands took out loans in both their names. They signed the paperwork without even looking at it. The shame and stigma that surround financial abuse and coercion keep people from seeking help.'

She adds: 'Maria's story made me think about my own mother. She was a housewife, married to my father, a successful businessman who was always generous. Yet she longed to be economically independent  to earn her own money and be valued for her own achievements.

'She had an enterprising spirit, investing her modest savings in friends' and family businesses. However, she lacked the financial knowledge to navigate the complexities of investing, leading to repeated losses.'

Determined to help women like Maria, in July 2019 Gulnaz set up a Community Interest Company and launched a financial wellbeing campaign, the Let's Talk Money initiative.

Two years ago, she won 10,000 in funding and since then her success has been astounding.

Gulnaz now runs monthly seminars, podcasts, webinars and networking events around Bolton, helping thousands of women.

She has even persuaded members of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to offer job interviews to women escaping abusive relationships. Thanks to the initiative, women who gave up hope are now working.

'It's wonderful to see,' says Gulnaz proudly. 'These are women who had ended up losing their homes and taking shelter in a refuge. They desperately needed help rebuilding their lives. I have a great network of businesswomen to call on now.

'We mentored these women, helped build their confidence and then persuaded employers to give them a chance.

'I'm passionate about facilitating economic independence. Money isn't just for paying bills or securing a roof over your head. Having your own money gives you choices, power and security.'

As part of a wider drive to help women in her community, Gulnaz also runs the She Inspires award scheme. The scheme, sponsored by businesswoman Jackie Hyde, hands out an annual award of 1,000 to budding entrepreneurs to help them take that extra step.

Recipients include two women launching a fashion website, a dog groomer and a woman setting up a bereavement cafe.

'It's all about helping women at grass-roots level,' says Gulnaz. 'We don't just give money, we also offer mentoring and advice. The idea is to hold women's hands in those early days so they can find success and help others down the line.'

Gulnaz fears the next generation will be even more vulnerable to financial exploitation and is taking steps to help. Last year, she launched a programme to set up financial workshops in schools.

'I'm convinced there's a greater need than ever for girls to understand how money works,' she says. 'Go on social media and influencers are bombarding young girls with all the fabulous things they can buy  but not mentioning the debt they'll rack up.

'The more we become a cashless society, the easier it is to spend. And the results can be calamitous. I am convinced that a world where girls are financially empowered is a world where they have control over their futures. That's what I want to see.'

* Maria's name has been changed. Visit sheinspires.org.uk to find out more about Gulnaz's work.

Do YOU know an inspirational campaigner, carer or activist? Here's how to nominate her for our awards

We all know them  the women determined to make a difference in their communities. That might be by raising funds, championing underdogs or campaigning for causes. That's why we've launched the Daily Mail's Inspirational Women Awards 2025, in partnership with disability charity Sense, and sponsored by Marks & Spencer. We want you to nominate extraordinary women from every walk of life. Five finalists will be chosen to attend a charity gala on Thursday, June 5.

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Each winner receives a crystal trophy and a 500 M&S gift voucher. There are no cash alternatives to the prizes. Full terms apply. Read before entering at dailymail.co.uk/inspirationalwomenawards2025.
Women are fuming after a male content creator shared a video revealing what he thinks is the 'hottest thing a girl can wear.'

Nicklaus Daniel went viral after he told his 56,000 TikTok followers that he believes he's discovered the key to a woman looking good - and it sparked a massive debate on the platform.

While some loved his take, others slammed it and said they'd never 'take fashion advice from a man.'

Nicklaus explained that he had saw a woman at a Celtics game wearing a slicked back ponytail, big gold hoop earrings, a plain black top, an oversized team letterman's jacket, and Nike Air Jordan sneakers.

'She was wearing this combo, which is the lethal combo,' Nicklaus said. 'She looked like a former player's wife - she looked good.

'That combo right there - I don't care who you are, you look hot,' he promised, receiving more than 900,000 likes.

'Anybody that wears this looks good,' the content creator continued.

Nicklaus Daniel sparked a debate when he said a plain black top, an oversized team letterman's jacket, and Nike Air Jordan sneakers is the 'hottest thing' a girl can wear

Nicklaus explained that he had saw a woman at a Celtics game wearing a slicked back ponytail, big gold hoop earrings, a plain black top, an oversized team letterman's jacket, and Nike Air Jordan sneakers

Many of his followers thought he was talked about Celtics player Payton Pritchard's wife Emma Pritchard, who posted her own video wearing an outfit similar to what he described

Some people weren't pleased that Nicklaus was trying to give women fashion advice.

'Let me guess... blond, skinny, tall and pretty?' one snarked.

'So You mean basic?' another confused commenter questioned.

Others said it sounded like an outfit a high schooler would wear and asked if his video was satire.

One woman called it 'the most basic, commercially trendy and boring outfit that everybody already knows about.'

'This is why I dont care what men say about my outfits,' one woman harrumphed.

'Men are so embarrassing,' another commenter chimed in.

'Thank god I don't dress for the male gaze,' another woman announced.

Nicklaus explained that he had saw a woman at a Celtics game wearing the look, and described it as 'lethal' (stock image)

While some loved his take, others slammed it and said they'd never 'take fashion advice from a man'

'Best combo a girl can wear is happiness and confidence,' another person wrote encouragingly.

Many of his followers thought he was talked about Boston Celtics player Payton Pritchard's wife Emma Pritchard, who posted her own video wearing an outfit similar to what he described.

People on TikTok rushed to Emma's account to tell her she was the highlight of Nicklaus' viral video, which received more than 20 million views.

However, her outfit didn't exactly match, as her jacket wasn't oversized and she wasn't wearing sneakers.
An Instacart shopper has stressed the importance of listening to your gut after she saved an elderly man's life.

In 2022, Jessica Higgs was working as an Instacart shopper when she noticed an order from a woman for her elderly father come through.

The Georgian local recalled taking it in the hopes of making some extra money - not expecting to save a man's life while along the way.

In a tearful TikTok recorded after the incident, Higgs, 27, said something seemed immediately off about the man when she went to deliver the order as she noticed that he looked sick.

Despite the Instacart policy not allowing shoppers to go inside a customers house, she said she decided to take his groceries inside.

'I go to message the lady because I was very concerned for her dad, he looked sick,' she explained, admitting she 'didn't know what to do.'

Higgs decided to reach out to the woman, explaining if she marked the order as complete she wouldn't be able to contact her, but she wanted to let her know her father seemed unwell.

'I said, "It's very unprofessional to say something," and I wasn't going to - I never talk, I always just put groceries down and leave,' she continued.

An Instacart shopper has stressed the importance of listening to your gut after she saved an elderly man's life

'This time, for whatever reason, my head was like, "You gotta say something," so I said, "He's not doing good, he's sick,"' she explained.

The caring shopper then explained that upon entering his home, she noticed a propane tank in the house.

She also said she felt dizzy after only being five feet in the house.

'I said [to the woman who placed the order], "There's gotta be a leak,"' she explained. '"He might not be doing good because of this leak."'

Jessica explained that the woman told her she would have her son come and and look at the tank - and changed her tip from $14 to $100.

The next day, Higgs noticed the woman had also left her a message explaining her son and gone to check on her father - and there was indeed a leak in the propane tank.

'You definitely saved my dad and my younger son's life!' she wrote.

In a recent interview with People, Higgs said although three years have passed since this the incident, she re-shares it on the anniversary - January 22 - every year to encourage people to 'see something, say something.'

In a tearful TikTok, Jessica Higgs, 27, said something seemed immediately off when she delivered to an elderly man, and noticed there was a propane leak in his house

'The more people that see [the TikTok], the better,' she told the publication.

'It's not for me. Not for the comments or likes. It's for the message. The message is strong. And a tearjerker. I read every single comment.'

She continued: 'Every single message sent. And it still brings tears to my eyes. I still watch it myself.'

Higgs said the experience gave her a purpose and a 'completely different outlook on life.'

'Because you truly just never know,' she said passionately.

According to Medline Plus, breathing in or swallowing propane can be harmful as propane takes the place of oxygen in the lungs, which makes breathing difficult or impossible.

They recommend seeking medical help right away if someone has breathed in the poison, as well as immediately moving them to fresh air.
A $10 sell-out item from Kmart Australia has been urgently recalled due to fears of explosion and risk of serious injury.

The Anko Glass Flip Pickle Jar, which was sold at Kmart and Target between February 15, 2023 and March 3, 2025, was hugely popular among shoppers, with many reporting the item was difficult to find after selling out multiple times.

The ACCC's Product Safety Australia has now issued an urgent recall, warning customers to stop using the jar immediately.

'The affected product can break when used to store certain fruit or vegetables in liquid,' the authorities said.

'Fermented food stored in affected products can build up gas and cause the jar to explode or make the lid difficult to remove.'

The recall is due to the risk of serious injury from lacerations if the jar explodes or if the lid breaks while being removed.

'Injuries have occurred,' the authorities confirmed.

Kmart has responded to the urgent recall, saying: 'We take the quality and safety of our products very seriously, which is why we would like to advise you of a product safety recall.

The Anko Glass Flip Pickle Jar from Kmart has been urgently recalled due to fears of explosion

Earlier this year, a shopper named Sally purchased three pickle jars from Kmart to store her canned beetroot - only to discover it later exploded, leaving the inside of her fridge covered in staining dark purple juice

'Customers should immediately sop using the product and return to the nearest Kmart store for a refund with or without a receipt.

'Please contact us if you are unable to return the product or have sold or gifted it to another person.'

The hourglass-shaped jar featured two compartments, designed to separate brine from the food when flipped.

Kmart has urged customers to stop using the popular pickle jars

Over the years, shoppers have been using the glass jars to not only to store pickles but also other foods typically stored in liquid, such as olives, tinned beetroots, pineapples and more.

However, an increasing number of customers started warning others about the glass jars spontaneously 'exploding' in their fridges.

Earlier this year, a shopper named Sally purchased three pickle jars from Kmart to store her canned beetroot - only to discover it later exploded, leaving the inside of her fridge covered in staining dark purple juice.

Another customer named Sandra had a similar issue back in November, after using the pickle jar to store beetroot.

'I was packing my groceries in the fridge... when I heard a loud bang and glass flying everywhere,' she said.

'I thought my kitchen light had exploded. It was the beetroot jar. Lucky I had bent my head towards the crisper as the glass could have got my eyes, there was tiny bits of glass plus large pieces.

What should customers do? 1. Stop using the jar immediately. 2. Return the jar to a Kmart or Target store for a refund. 3. Please contact Kmart or Target if you cant return it or if you have sold or gifted it to another person. Contact Kmart: 1800 124 125 or Target: 1300 753 567 Advertisement

Another customer named Sandra had a similar issue back in November, after using the pickle jar to store beetroot. She later heard a loud bang, and glass flying everywhere in the fridge

'It just exploded... The lid and sealer blew off it. I had to throw out a lot of the food in the fridge, plus two hours of cleaning and finding tiny sharpies of glass.

'I think they should be recalled.'

Before the urgent recall, Kmart warned customers on its website that the pickle jars were, 'not suitable for beetroot' and advised, 'not use this jar to store fermenting food'.
One of the country's most talked about tourist spots has undergone a much-needed makeover that will drastically improve the experience for visitors.

Tucked away in the Snowy Mountains in the south-western alpine region of New South Wales lies the Yarrangobilly caves - a sprawling system of astonishing rock tunnels that formed 440 million years ago.

And among the pristine mountain river setting in the Kosciuszko National Park sits one of the nation's worst-kept 'secret spots': a thermal pool fed by a natural spring that remains 27C year-round.

Although it was a must-visit for locals and tourists alike, the area was in dire need of an upgrade, with tired facilities, tricky paths and a lack of accessibility options.

And this week that became a reality, with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service delighting visitors with news of a 'sleek makeover'.

'We recently upgraded the beautiful Yarrangobilly thermal pool,' they announced.

'Accessibility is a core focus, with a new ramp and seating allowing people with different access needs to use the pool.

'New walkways connect the new toilet block and changeroom. New shelters have also been constructed around the pool, and existing shelters have been upgraded.

One of the country's most talked about tourist spots has undergone a much-needed makeover that will drastically improve the experience for visitors

Although it was a must-visit for Aussies and tourists alike, the area was in dire need of an upgrade, with tired facilities, tricky paths and a lack of accessibility options (pictured today after its makeover)

New walkways connect the new toilet block and changeroom. New shelters have also been constructed around the pool, and existing shelters have been upgraded

'The precinct is open for you to enjoy.'

The news was flooded with praise from regular visitors, especially those who hadn't been able to enjoy the stunning hideaway due to accessibility constraints.

'Well done, the upgrades are AMAZING,' one raved.

'It took me an age to walk down there two years ago and then I struggled to get out of the pool on the slippery ladders. This will make such a huge difference to those of us with mobility challenges.'

Another added: 'It's so wonderful! Was there last week and was very impressed with the new toilets, change room and ramp - and the little shelf seat across the end is also a fabulous practical addition.'

The thermal pool has skyrocketed in popularity over the years, with visitors amazed by the toasty temperature - even when snow is falling around them.

The pool is created from rain water that seeps through porous limestone rock 760m below the ground where it is heated then forced back up through cracks to form a warm spring.

Although the landscape was ravaged by the 2019/2020 horror bushfire season, the shrubbery has recovered with vibrant green eucalyptus leaves climbing their way up charcoal-bitten tree trunks to regenerate.

Just a five hour drive from Sydney, or three from Canberra, it makes for an ideal weekend trip away

The thermal pool has skyrocketed in popularity over the years, with visitors amazed by the toasty temperature - even when snow is falling around them

The pool is created from rain water that seeps through porous limestone rock 760m below the ground where it is heated then forced back up through cracks to form a warm spring

The unusual sight makes for a breathtaking drive through the Snowy Mountains, with the National Park also home a population of wild brumbies.

Just a five hour drive from Sydney, or three from Canberra, it is an ideal weekend trip away and guests can stay on site or at one of several lodges nearby.

Park entry fees apply to access the caves and the pool and cost $4 per vehicle per day.
Meghan Markle's best friend from her days on Suits has revealed she was left utterly baffled by a request from the Duchess during the filming of her Netflix show.

Abigail Spencer, 43, who first met the former royal in 2007, appeared on the show alongside Kelly McKee Zajfen to make salt-baked fish while enjoying mimosas.

But the actress revealed that while she was honoured to have joined her long time pal on the show, she was left stunned when the Duchess revealed what they would be making together.

She told Hello! that Meghan's natural talents in the kitchen hadn't transferred to her and she said she felt like she was out of her depth when Meghan asked her to help.

'It was so funny when she told me she was going to teach me how to cook fish. "I'm sorry, you're what?" And I didn't know where anything was in that kitchen,' said Abigail.

'I felt like I was just doggy paddling and she was doing butterfly kicks! Meghan is about to win a gold medal and I'm just doggy paddling above the surface!'

And her pal's lack of cookery skill came as no surprise to the Duchess of Sussex who joked that while Kelly is a great cook, 'Abby has other strengths' during the opening of the episode where she spoke to the camera while driving.

Abigail said she found the whole thing hilarious and was left in hysterics by Meghan's comments before admitting she does have other strengths and is much better at topping up the drinks while her friend of almost 20 years makes the dinner.

Meghan Markle's best friend Abigail Spencer, 43, (left) has revealed she was left utterly baffled by a request from the Duchess (centre) during the filming of her Netflix show (pictured with Kelly Zafjen, right)

Meghan and Abigail first met 18 years ago at an audition but they became closer once they became co-stars on legal drama Suits.

The Duchess played Rachel Zane - a paralegal who later became an attorney - in the series and Abigail was cast as lawyer Dana Scott.

The star told the publication that the pair have a 'private a friendship' but she was happy that Meghan could show off her 'natural' self doing what she loves - hosting her friends and family at her rented 5million reality TV mansion.

'Meghan is the hostess with the most. Literally for years she has been like this,' she said.

'But I really was there just to support her and surround her. This is her heart, that show is her heart, it was so natural and [I was] really just there to have fun and to delight in her and to be a safe space.

'We have a very private friendship, so choosing to let people in on part of that is it's very private but I'm glad that we got to share a little bit of it.'

Abigail has been by Meghan's side for many of her most important moments including attending her wedding to Prince Harry and hosting a baby shower in New York in 2019 before the birth of the couple's first child Archie.

Meghan and Abigail - who was one of the few that was sent jam by the Duchess last year - share the exact same birthday, date, month and year, calling themselves 'birthday soul sisters'.

The actress, 43, revealed that she was left stunned when the Duchess revealed what they would be making together and admitted she had very limited cooking skills

Abigail's lack of cooking skills was no surprise to the Duchess of Sussex who joked that while Kelly is a great cook, 'Abby has other strengths' during the opening of the episode

Abigail's confession comes as Meghan's brand continues to flourish with the Duchess announcing that she would be releasing another podcast based around female founders after Archetypes was axed by Spotify.

The Duchess of Sussex signed a deal with Lemonada Media in February 2024 after her Spotify contract ended in 2023 after one series of her first podcast Archetypes.

Now, her first project called 'Confessions of a Female Founder' with Lemonada has been confirmed and is set to feature conversations with businesswomen and friends talking about starting a company.

Lemonada described the show as inviting listeners 'to be a fly on the wall as Meghan sits down for candid conversations with female founders and friends about the success, the struggles, and the never-before-told stories of building a business'.

A trailer will be released on March 25 with the first episode on April 8, and it comes after her new lifestyle show 'With Love, Meghan' premiered on Netflix on March 4.

Meghan and Abigail first met 18 years ago at an audition but they became closer once they became co-stars on legal drama Suits (pictured on the show)

Abigail has been by Meghan's side for some important moments including attending her wedding to Prince Harry and hosting a baby shower in 2019 (pictured) before the birth of Prince Archie

Posting a photograph of the cover work for the new podcast on her Instagram account today, the Duchess said she was 'so excited' to share news of the podcast, describing the experience as 'absolutely eye-opening, inspiring...and fun!'

Meghan said: 'I'm so excited to share with you something else I've been working on: 'Confessions Of A Female Founder,' my new podcast with @lemonadamedia!

'I've been having candid conversations with amazing women who have turned dreams into realities, and scaled small ideas into massively successful businesses.

'They're opening up, sharing their tips, tricks (and tumbles), and letting me pick their brains as I build out my own business, As Ever. It has been absolutely eye-opening, inspiring...and fun! (Because what's the point if we can't have some fun on this wild adventure?)'
Kirstie Allsopp said opening your windows for ten minutes can help with mould

Property guru Kirstie Allsopp has revealed her easy and free trick to help get rid of black mould in homes.

The broadcaster, 53, is known for helping people achieve their housing goals alongside Phil Spencer in Channel 4's Love it or List it and Location, Location and Location.

However, many British properties struggle with mould, especially in the cold, damp autumn and winter months.

The latest research from Uswitch has found that more than 60 per cent of people have experienced mould in their home, up from 58 per cent last year.

Kirstie - who has more than 430,000 followers on X - is passionate about drawing attention to this issue and shared her personal tip on how she banishes black mould from her houses in Devon and Notting Hill.

Last month, she replied to a tweet recommending a German method called Luften and said it is a good practice to try in your home.

It is a practice where people regularly open their windows for around ten minutes to let out the damp and ventilate the room with fresh air instead.

A woman wrote to Kirstie: 'Our daughter lives in Germany and they open their windows every morning for a while. Its called Luften. They do it even when its really cold.'

Many British properties struggle with mould, especially in the cold and damp autumn and winter months

Kirstie - who has more than 430,000 followers on X - is passionate about drawing attention to this issue and shared her personal tip on how she banishes black mould from her houses in Devon and Notting Hill

Kirstie said that Luften is a technique she swears by to help get rid of black mould and damp

She replied: 'I cannot [retweet] this often enough. It is the way to deal with the majority of mould and damp problems. Lack of understanding of the science of this is a huge issue.'

Kirstie says people can open the windows while they are making their bed and clearing up the rooms.

She said that with bathrooms, homeowners and tenants should open the door as soon as they come out of the shower or bath and then fling open their windows as soon as possible to reduce the damp build up.

She also claimed that running cold water first before turning on the hot water tap would 'reduce steam'.

Mould and damp are recognised by the World Health Organisation as causing an array of neuro-toxic effects, problems with breathing, irritations to the skin, eyes, nose and mouth, along with other nasty reactions

However, her followers expressed concerns that opening their windows would increase their energy bills and make their house cold.

One wrote: 'It may be a false economy not to do it but it means an extra energy cost if you do. So, this is not straightforward or easy to message at the moment.'

She then replied: 'Thats not true, it makes no difference and can actually reduce your heating bill. If you dont believe me look into the science of it.'

Luften is a practice where people regularly open their windows for around ten minutes to let out the damp and ventilate the room with fresh air instead

Kirstie says people can open the windows while they are making their bed and clearing up the rooms to help prevent mould

Kirstie wrote about her top tip to help get rid of mould on X, formerly known as Twitter, and gave extra advice by answering people's questions

Kirstie also said to another user who had their doubts: 'Opening windows does not increase your heating bill or make your home colder.'

HOW TO GET RID OF MOULD FROM YOUR HOME According to Shelter, a homelessness and housing charity, these techniques can help prevent mould and damp. Let fresh air in Use extractor fans Cover pans and open windows when cooking Clean up water quickly Dry clothes outside, with a tumble dryer or using a use a dehumidifier Keep your home warm Advertisement

She later admitted that while Luften doesn't solve all mould and condensation problems it is a 'very good start'.

Condensation and humidity on walls and windows two major factors that contribute heavily to mould growth within properties.

Yan Margulis, a home improvement expert at Capable Group, told the Telegraph: 'In winter, short but intense bursts of this kind of ventilation  10 minutes with wide-open windows  is much better at drying out humid air than simply cracking them open throughout the entire day, losing lots of heat in the process.

'In summer, the longer windows can remain open, especially in the morning or evening when outdoor humidity is low, the better.'

In 2022, Shelter, a housing and homelessness charity, estimated that 42 per cent of private renters - nearly 4.7 million people - have experienced issues with mould in the previous year.

Noel Fok, CEO and co-founder of EcoAir, told House Beautiful that rooms that have the most moisture in a house tend to be the bathroom and the kitchen.

Therefore using Luften and a dehumidifier in these areas could be very beneficial in removing mould from a property.
Jessie was preparing for work one April morning in 2021 when, out of the blue, she received a message on her Facebook account.

The sender was a girl called Lauren; someone she knew of, but had never met.

'She was an ex-girlfriend of my former boyfriend,' Jessie recalls.

What Lauren had to say chilled Jessie to the bone.

'It's taken me a lot of time to send you this message,' Lauren wrote. 'I am his ex-girlfriend. Me and him were together for a year and a half, and in that time he raped me twice. It took me a very long time to accept what happened to me.

'I don't know anything about your relationship with him, and I really hope that he was not inappropriate to you in any way.'

That hope was already shattered: Jessie had been raped several times during the course of her year-long relationship with the same man, something she had tried to bury in the aftermath of their break-up.

Now, that carefully constructed edifice of denial crumbled in the face of Lauren's message, which also said there was a third girl who had been raped by her ex.

Pictured: Jessie from Kent, who appeared on the Stacey Dooley documentary Rape on Trial which was recently aired on the BBC

Jessie, pictured when she was aged 22 in August 2022 around the time that the incident occurred

The sender was a girl called Lauren; someone she knew of, but had never met. 'She was an ex-girlfriend of my former boyfriend,' Jessie recalls . What Lauren had to say chilled Jessie to the bone

In the flood of emotions that followed  devastation, guilt, fear  Jessie knew instinctively that she had to go to the police.

'It wasn't just about me anymore. I knew I had to do something for the sake of the women before and the women after,' she says. 'It was bigger than just being about me.'

What happened from then on is the subject of a compelling and troubling two-part documentary. Presented by Stacey Dooley, it follows Jessie, then 23  as well as two other rape cases brought by a 19-year-old and a 22-year-old - and details what happens after a woman reports her rape to police.

Filmed over three years, Rape on Trial lays bare the pressure on victims and explores the challenges of securing a conviction when the alleged perpetrator is someone you know. It also reveals the pressures placed on police and the Crown Prosecution Service  and the difficulties faced by juries - in cases which boil down to one person's word against another.

'I completely understand where they're coming from,' Jessie tells me, referring to those who still struggle with the definition of rape when not committed by a stranger. 'But it's not right, and in real life what happened to me is a more likely scenario than somebody jumping out of a bush in an alleyway.'

That sentiment is borne out by statistics: a recent Criminal Justice Inspectorate report found that in 84 per cent of reported cases, the assault was committed by someone known to the complainant.

Jessie went on to have other boyfriends, but admits to battling anxiety and an 'innate feeling of not being safe'. Pictured in 2022

Jessie, now 26, a bubbly and attractive young woman with a ready smile, is part of that statistical mass, although she worked hard to not allow what happened to define her.

Nonetheless, she admits it impacts her relationships to this day. 'I'm almost too quick to, you know, jump at the first sign of somebody who might love me,' she confides, her eyes filling with tears. 'I'm just constantly searching for a man who isn't a monster.'

Initially, her ex-boyfriend did not fit the 'monster' mould either. After they started dating in her teens, he was welcomed into her close knit, loving family.

'What I saw as charming I now see as manipulative,' she says. 'But I thought I was in love. Now I look back and think I had no idea.'

Certainly the sex, when consensual, was intimate and loving. 'But then there was the abuse,' she says quietly.

This happened in the morning, usually when Jessie was still asleep, when she would wake up to find her boyfriend inside her, his hands clamped on her shoulder blades.

Jessie, now 26, a bubbly and attractive young woman with a ready smile, is part of that statistical mass, although she worked hard to not allow what happened to define her

'I remember the first time it happened I was like: "Please can you stop? Why are you doing that? I'm asleep." But he didn't. That continued fairly often - it was almost ritualistic. I'd be woken up to it, his hand would be there between my shoulder blades, and if I tried to turn, there would be enough force to hold me there. I explained to him that I didn't like it, for him to stop, but he didn't. And that just continued until the end of our relationship. It got to the point where I would just pretend I was still asleep.'

She was young and confused: 'I liked a lot about our relationship, then there was this side I hated, and I couldn't reconcile these feelings,' she says.

A year later, the pair mutually agreed to split up, as Jessie was off to university and neither wanted a long-distance relationship.

Jessie went on to have other boyfriends, but admits to battling anxiety and an 'innate feeling of not being safe'.

'At the time, I just thought I was a young woman and that all young women feel this way,' she reflects. 'But now I've been more open and I have sought help, I have been able to recognise that those feelings are related to what happened.'

It was a year after she had graduated when Jessie received the message from Lauren that finally forced her to put a word to what she had been through.

Like Jessie, Lauren, who also features in the BBC documentary, had been initially bowled over by the charismatic man with whom she had gone travelling in Australia, only to be raped twice while she was there. Lauren details how the first time he raped her also happened in the morning, in a shared hostel room.

'He was spooning me, and he starts kissing me, touching me. I said "No" and he pulled my knickers down and just went for it. My whole body froze. Couldn't move. All I could hear was his breath next to my ear. I kept saying, Stop. I said, Get off me. I don't want this. And he carried on until he finished,' she recalls in the documentary.

It was a year after she had graduated when Jessie received the message from Lauren that finally forced her to put a word to what she had been through

She describes her bewilderment when he then behaved as if nothing had happened and the shame she felt after accusing him of raping her and his astonished rebuttal. 'He said: "No, I didn't. You're my girlfriend. I love you. I wouldn't do that to you." He was upset that I'd even suggested it,' she recalls.

She reported it to police in Australia, but the case was dropped through lack of evidence.

It meant that while her case could not be prosecuted in the UK, if Jessie went to the police Lauren could be called as a witness.

First though, Jessie had to confront what had happened.

'It was really overwhelming,' she says of reading that initial message. 'I was having to confront something I'd kept down for so long.' She met Lauren the same day.

'It was very emotional,' Jessie recalls. 'She told me her whole story, and it was like she was telling me my story. I had been in denial that whole time, but then the realisation flooded in that he knows what he did. You don't rape someone by accident.'

The next step was to tell her mother Michelle, who talks movingly on screen about the changes she witnessed in her once joyful, happy-go-lucky daughter as she progresses through the legal system.

'It's your worst nightmare,' she tells the documentary of the moment her daughter confided in her. 'I was so angry. There was a sense of betrayal. We used to have him round for barbecues. Everyone liked him. I was just so angry at him.'

As news reports from the time make clear, Jessie was not alone in facing such enormous delays, with sexual offence cases, where many accused are on bail, taking the longest time on record to go through crown courts in England and Wales against a backdrop of a spiralling increase in cases being sent to trial

When Jessie goes to the police, she says she is questioned by a female officer and treated with respect. Her ex is subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of rape, two in relation to Jessie and another in relation to a third woman who chooses to remain anonymous.

Little could Jessie know then that this would be the start of an agonising judicial process that would last almost four years: while the trial was initially set for September 2021, barrister strikes meant it was postponed for 14 months until November 2022.

As news reports from the time make clear, Jessie was not alone in facing such enormous delays, with sexual offence cases, where many accused are on bail, taking the longest time on record to go through crown courts in England and Wales against a backdrop of a spiralling increase in cases being sent to trial. At the time of writing, complainants are waiting on average more than two years for their cases to complete in court.

In the meantime, all Jessie could do was wait, labouring under the knowledge that she could bump into her ex at any time  as she frequently did: at one point the camera catches her clear distress after she has seen him undertaking building work near her house.

'I'd see him quite a lot,' she tells me. 'On nights out, I'd see him in the pub. All I could do was turn around and leave.'

Finally, in November 2022, the case opened and Jessie was called to testify about events that by that point were eight years old. She was then cross-examined for two hours, an experience she describes as 'brutal.'

'I don't think I have been through anything worse,' she says quietly. 'I was just crying the whole way through as the defence barrister was telling me that I was lying, that I didn't say no, I didn't fight him off. So she was basically trying to make out to the jury that I didn't say no, so that means yes.

'Overall, the suggestion was that the three of us had nothing better to do than make up this allegation.'

Today Jessie continues to feel wronged by the system, though she also understands the challenges juries face

Lauren (pictured) also featured on the BBC show and recalled her alleged incident with the same person

Nonetheless, Jessie doesn't regret going through the process, even if she didn't get the ending she hoped for. In fact, she feels empowered by speaking out

When the jury retired, Jessie, Lauren and the other victim could only reassure themselves they had done everything they could. But then, after an agonising four days of deliberation, they learned that the jury could not agree - an outcome for which she had not prepared.

Filmed at the time, she poignantly tells the cameras that she would have preferred a 'not guilty' verdict as at least she could have moved on.

'I just wanted it to be over,' she says, describing her devastation. 'I'm now a victim of the system as well. I now feel like I'm fighting both.'

The only comfort was that it meant that at least three  maybe even nine  of the jurors thought he was guilty, as otherwise there could have been a majority verdict.

'That definitely us gave us hope in terms of making the decision about a retrial,' she says.

With the three women all agreed on a retrial, another date was set for June 2024, only for that, too, to be moved again, this time to January this year - meaning that the trial would take place nearly four years after Jessie first went to the police.

'It has literally taken years of my life, the person that I was before was very outgoing and confident, and now I am a nervous wreck,' she confides of the way the impending trial has hung over her life. It's a sentiment that is poignantly echoed by her mum, who says her daughter is 'not the same Jessie that she was... and I just want her back.'

'I think I was completely oblivious to that change in myself,' Jessie says now of her transformation from a happy-go-lucky character into an angrier person. 'At the time I had no idea, but I can recognise it now. It was a massive mental trauma. And you can't move on.'

Finally, in January this year, Jessie took the stand once again along with Lauren and the other victim, buoyed by the prediction of the officer in charge that they had a good case. 'I think I'd got my hopes up,' Jessie admits.

This time, the jury did come back with a verdict: not guilty. The documentary shows the moment when Jessie and Lauren hear the 'shattering' news: Jessie seems stunned, almost unable to take it in. 'It's like these women were cross examined and dragged through this for years - and for what?' she says.

Lauren, meanwhile, is shown sobbing uncontrollably at home when she receives the result over the phone. Their feelings will doubtless have been shared by many other complainants, given that 2022 statistics reveal that, in England and Wales, more than 99 per cent of rapes reported to police do not end in a conviction.

Today Jessie continues to feel wronged by the system, though she also understands the challenges juries face.

'They are asked to make a decision beyond reasonable doubt, and I've never been beyond a reasonable doubt about anything,' she says. 'Ultimately, it was our word against his - although that's still three against one, three separate people, completely unrelated to one another, who've been dragged through this for years.'

The lengthy filming process and the impact on victims left its mark on presenter Stacey Dooley too. She has subsequently observed that if she were raped she has faced the 'bleak' realisation that she 'would not bother' going to the police. 'In terms of what I've witnessed, I wouldn't feel confident' she told the Radio Times, adding that it is one of the few crimes where the credibility of the alleged victim is immediately brought into question.'

Nonetheless, Jessie doesn't regret going through the process, even if she didn't get the ending she hoped for. In fact, she feels empowered by speaking out.

'I had to do it, not just for me, but for other women like me,' she says. 'I don't know the answers to getting better conviction rates, but I know we have to try to do better.'

Stacey Dooley: Rape on Trial is available on BBC iPlayer
READ MORE: The plastic surgeries of the Trump family REVEALED

Tiffany Trump recently sparked plastic surgery rumors after fans claimed she looked 'different' in a new selfie with her husband Michael Boulos.

The first daughter, 31, posted a few pictures to Instagram this week from a recent snowy vacation, captioning it 'Cozy' with a few emojis.

Among snaps of food and mountains, Tiffany also shared a few pictures of her and Michael, 27 - who are currently expecting their first child - enjoying their trip together.

And while many people thought the soon-to-be-mom looked beautiful, showering her post with adorning comments - a few wondered if she had used cosmetic enhancements to change her appearance.

'Cut down on the lip filler! Your lips are getting too big!' one person wrote.

Another added: 'You have a different face.'

Tiffany has never publicly spoken about plastic surgery, but the 31-year-old is also eight months pregnant, which could have contributed to her 'different' look.

Skin can look healthier and 'glow' during pregnancy because you have higher levels of hormones and extra blood flowing in your body, per Pregnancy, Birth, & Baby.

Tiffany Trump recently sparked plastic surgery rumors after fans claimed she looked 'different' in a new selfie with her husband Michael Boulos

The first daughter, 31, posted a few pictures to Instagram this week from a recent snowy vacation, captioning it 'Cozy' with a few emojis

After sharing the snaps, a few of her followers wondered if she had used cosmetic enhancements to change her appearance. She's seen in 2006

'I mean no one has ever looked better pregnant. The glow is insane,' someone else praised in the comment section.

'WOW! You look extra pretty. Pregnancy glow is gorgeous,' a different user commented. 'And handsome hubby too. Beautiful couple.'

'You look radiant!' read another comment.

'You look beautiful,' someone else praised.

'Shes definitely glowing!' agreed another user.

Back in November, cosmetic expert and one of the UK's leading plastic surgeons Mark Solomos compared Tiffany's looks now to when she first entered the spotlight.

'Tiffany has always had quite full cheeks so its tricky to say if shes used any form of filler, but I do suspect shes had some Botox around the forehead, eyes and around the nose area,' he said.

Dr. Solomos also suggested that Tiffany has had 'what's called a "lip flip" where a small amount of Botox is injected into the muscles around the upper lip.'

Tiffany has never publicly spoken about plastic surgery, but she is eight months pregnant, which could have contributed to her 'different' look. She's seen left in 2008 and right in 2025

Back in November, cosmetic expert Mark Solomos said he suspected Tiffany (seen in 2019) 'had some Botox around the forehead, eyes and nose area'

'This relaxes said muscles causing the lip to flip and appear fuller,' he added.

Tiffany publicly confirmed that she was expecting her first child in mid-December - months after her father announced it to the world.

Donald excitedly shared the news that he was going to become a grandfather again while speaking at the Detroit Economic Club back in October.

He recognized several guests in the crowd, including businessman Massad Boulos, who is Tiffany's father-in-law, and then delivered the good news.

'He happens to be the father of Tiffany's husband, Michael, who's a very exceptional young guy,' said the President.

'And she's an exceptional young woman. And she's going to have a baby. So that's nice.'
A woman has begged people to stop biting their nails after she ended up in hospital.

Bre, believed to be from California, took to TikTok this week to share a video of her heavily bandaged hand from her hospital bed.

The young woman admitted she bites her nails regularly and had cut herself after picking at her cuticle.

She was forced to go to hospital for surgery after bacteria got in and caused her finger to swell up.

'Your sign to stop biting your nails,' Bre wrote, as she showed off her injured hand in a video that has since gone viral and racked up more than 50 million views.

Though she jokingly confirmed she did still have all her fingers, she's vowed to stop biting her nails again as the episode has left her 'traumatised'.

She explained on her TikTok account @breezzyy.yy: 'I had a small cut on my finger from picking at my cuticle. Bacteria got in and caused my finger to swell so they did a minor surgery to wash out the bacteria.'

People soon rushed to the comments to confess they hadn't thought the habit could be so dangerous - and that they would struggle to kick the addictive habit.

Bre, from California, has begged people not to bite their nails after she ended up in hospital

They said: 'Me watching this while biting my nails..';

'REMIND MEEE I CAN'T STOP BITING THEMMM';

'I've been biting my nails for 40+ years.. I think you did it wrong.'

One person explained: 'She probs bit too much, caused a wound, which caused infection.'

Another confessed nail biting had also given them medical issues, writing: 'It literally took trigeminal neuralgia (sudden and severe facial pain) to get me to stop biting my nails.'

According to Psychology Today, nail biting - or onychophagia - is quite common in adults, with 20 to 30 percent of the population estimated to have picked up the habit.

Children and adolescents are most prone to nail-biting, with some estimates suggesting that almost 40 percent of children and nearly half of teenagers bite their nails.

The website states that people who bite their nails may use it to relieve anxiety.

The young woman admitted she bites her nails regularly and had cut herself after picking at her cuticle

People soon rushed to the comments to confess they hadn't thought the habit could be so dangerous

Experts have previously warned about the dangers of nail-biting - even though it's a tough habit to crack.

In the long and short term, it can disfigure your nails and cause them to grow back irregularly.

But the nail bed is also a hub for bacteria to grow, and biting nails may transmit pathogens into the body.

Nail disorder expert Richard Scher, dermatologist at New York's Weill Cornell Medical College said many germs lurk under the nails.

The most dangerous of these are a family of bacteria called enterobacteriaceae  which includes salmonella and E.coli, he told Time Magazine.

Scher also warns about an infection called paronychia, where tiny cuts on your fingertips allow bacteria to seep under the skin.

The infection causes pusiness and swelling and must then be drained surgically and treated with antibiotics or antifungals.

The wart virus, HPV, is another affliction of nail biters, which can spread from the fingers to the mouth, as are dental problems and gum disease.

Experts have previously warned about the dangers of nail-biting - even though it's a tough habit to crack (stock image)

'Constant biting can lead to poor dental occlusion, so the biters teeth shift out of position or become oddly shaped,' Scher said.

In order to kick the habit, chronic nail biters can think about introducing varnishes that leave a bitter taste on the nails.

Barrier-based interventions, such as gloves and socks, may also reduce the incentive.

For more severe cases, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help challenge the thought processes behind the habit and manage the triggers that cause it.

In 2018, a grandfather was even left fighting for his life after developing sepsis from biting his nails.

Ricky Kennedy said he was lucky to be alive after contracting the silent killer from nibbling his thumbnail down.

The 57-year-old was given slim odds of surviving the terrifying ordeal and spent months in hospitals battling sepsis.

Sepsis strikes when an infection sparks a violent immune response, causing the body to attack its own organs.

Dr Stewart Beggs, a cosmetic dentist, previously warned that nail biting may weaken teeth

Speaking to the Lennox Herald from his home to raise awareness, Mr Kennedy said: 'Im lucky to be alive.

'I may never be as healthy or as strong as I was, but I'm still here with my family and that is very precious to me.'

Mr Kennedy, from Dumbarton in Scotland, said he had bitten his nail down too far and noticed a tiny blister forming on his thumb.

He went to see his GP after getting concerned over the blister and he was initially given antibiotics to clear a suspected infection.

The infection began to spread up his arms to his chest, and within days he was rushed to hospital and left battling for his life.

Mr Kennedy said: 'I didnt think for a second that the cut on my thumb was the cause of it all. It was tiny.

'I had bitten my nail like that hundreds of times before so to think it almost killed me is terrifying.

'I was in so much pain, I couldnt move. I thought I was having a heart attack and I really did think I was going to die.'

The habit isn't just bad news for nails either, as dentists say it can also damage your teeth.

TikTok dentist Dr. Stewart (@drstewartbeggs), who works in London, said that the habit could even risk chipping your teeth.

'Avoid this one thing because it is so bad, and that is biting fingernails. It causes your teeth to chip and break,' he said.
One spring morning last year, Id just got into work when my boss called me into his office. Id been at the same marketing agency for 20 years, having worked my way up from receptionist to account management, and had a good rapport with him.

So imagine my surprise to be greeted not only by a peculiarly awkward expression on his face but a member of the HR team, too.

A complaint has been made against you for sexually harassing a male employee of this company, he said solemnly.

What, me? I stuttered, absolutely astonished. Are you sure you havent made a mistake?

A 55-year-old married mum of four, I was the breadwinner while my husband stayed at home to raise our children. We were totally reliant on my salary.

Theres no way I would jeopardise my career  or marriage  for an office affair. Or indeed make any kind of move on a colleague. Yes, I can be a little flirtatious at times but thats all part of the office dynamic. A tight-knit team of 40 or so, mainly men, there had always been a cosy familiarity and it was the norm for us all to indulge in harmless office banter.

Besides, though I took care of my appearance  I still dye my hair and have the odd tweakment  I knew perfectly well my days of attracting wolf whistles were long gone. And I was fine with that.

But apparently I had been sending inappropriate messages of an increasingly intimate nature to another employee, who felt under pressure to respond similarly.

Juliette's situation with a flirty, younger male colleague mirrors the plot of 2024 erotic thriller Babygirl, starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson

It took me a good five minutes of utter horror and confusion before the penny dropped. Sure enough, it was Jamie, 35, who my boss had asked me to mentor after hed joined the company the year before.

I must admit I burst out laughing at the mention of his name. It was utterly ludicrous!

Looking down at his desk and shuffling some papers, my boss muttered, Jules, we need to be seen to take this seriously.

He told me he was merely following correct legal procedures and that I would be able to put my side of the story across, too.

As a senior member of staff, when Jamie was hired I was asked to show him the ropes. I wont deny it was a bit of an ego boost having someone hanging on my every word and deferring to me.

It helped that he was easy on the eye, too. Tall, clearly no stranger to the gym, with dark shoulder-length hair, I joked that his wife was a lucky woman! to some of the girls.

In hindsight, I do realise that if the sexes were reversed and a man had said that to a female colleague 20 years his junior, it could have seemed like predatory behaviour. But nuance is everything and I genuinely dont believe Id crossed a line.

There was one occasion when hed been there for a month when I asked where the office hottie was and Jamie walked in and blushed.

Juliette and Jamie had a flirty friendship but Juliette was shocked to hear about the accusation of sexual harassment

Having worked in a male-dominated environment for so long, Ive lost count of the times Ive had my bum patted or a colleague has complimented me on my magnificent rack. I considered it harmless fun and used to laugh.

Over the years, Ive complimented one colleague on his two-stone weight loss and admired a female PAs new breast augmentation  she even let me have a feel! Such comments and actions felt normal in the office; if anything the banter only served to bond us as a team.

I assumed Jamie would take my comments in the same spirit  particularly being a young man.

As nice as it was to be around someone as handsome as him  Id been married to my husband for 30 years and he was balding with a bit of a paunch  I clearly wasnt making a play for him.

Yes, I started taking more time with my make-up in the morning, lost half a stone over three months and found myself looking forward to going to work, but not for one moment did I ever entertain anything happening between us. I knew Jamie wasnt interested in me like that... well, at the start, anyway. And I would never betray my husband and children.

During his first month, Jamie and I would have lunch together every day. A casual informality developed between us  we knew how the other one took their morning coffee, what we liked to eat for lunch.

The first exchange that pushed the boundaries came when I returned from our family holiday to Greece. That morning I was sitting at the desk in my office when Jamie messaged: You look good in that skirt today! Followed by several flame emojis. I replied with a heart emoji and a thank you, with lots of exclamation marks and was on an absolute high for the rest of the day.

It didnt occur to me that it might be inappropriate for him to comment on my appearance.

By then Jamie was now overseeing his own clients but would still message me for advice and we tended to have lunch together on Fridays. He talked about having got married the previous year and we discovered a shared interest in spirituality, reiki and Buddhism.

One Friday evening, I was at home alone with my husband (the children were out) when I received a late message from Jamie asking what I was watching. I told him The White Lotus and we discussed the plot. Then out of the blue, he sent the most explosive message yet: Maybe in another lifetime we could be together.

Heart racing, I replied with a dozen heart emojis. I knew this was dangerous territory, but in the heat of the moment I felt so empowered. It was such a compliment.

It had been a long time since any man had expressed any sort of desire for me. And yes that included my husband; like many middle-aged couples, our sex life was on the wane.

Ill admit the last thing on my mind was my husband  or any kind of guilt. This was about me and a member of the opposite sex finding me attractive. As long as I didnt act on it, it was harmless.

I couldnt stop thinking about the message all weekend. I even took a screenshot of it and saved it on my personal laptop in case I ever needed to delete such racy exchanges, though I knew my husband couldnt be less interested in the messages on my phone.

Until then Id found Jamie attractive but I never considered him to be in my league. In any case we were both married. But was this his way of letting me know he found me attractive? If this was a line crossed, he was the one who had crossed it, surely.

I realise that some may question whether my ego led me astray at this point. Did the fact I believed my head-turning days were over mean the attentions of a strapping young man were all the more flattering? Did it make me more willing to take risks?

The next day, I wore my favourite red, figure-hugging dress. When he walked in, I messaged him saying Good morning, superstar and he replied with a heart against my message and Looking gorge today! Its fair to say things had switched up a gear. We fell into the habit of flirty, cheeky, cheery messages. I found myself checking my phone obsessively throughout the day.

At times during work meetings, Id find myself wondering if he desired me. And on warm days when his sleeves were rolled up, I gazed at his forearms, wondering what it would be like to brush my fingers along his lean and muscly skin.

I admit I did fantasise about how Id respond if he ever made a move on me. Oh, the dilemma. Id tell myself Id gently turn him down, but in the heat of the moment would I really?

At networking dos or Friday drinks, we would gravitate towards one another, especially after a couple of glasses of wine.

A couple of the girls from the office teased me about the two of us being joined at the hip, but I assumed they were just joking.

Yes, we flirted but wed never so much as touched each other.

I did have steamy dreams about kissing Jamie and undressing in front of him but it was harmless fantasy. There is no way on earth Id have propositioned him in real life.

That year at our Christmas work dinner, we were seated next to one another. A gorgeous picture taken of us was put on our work socials. Jamies arm was draped casually around the back of my chair and I was leaning in towards him.

I was taken by surprise by how good we looked together; if you didnt know us, you could have mistaken us for a couple.

But when we returned to work in January, the messages from Jamie suddenly stopped. So did the conversations at work. I was perplexed and whenever I saw Jamie in the corridor, Id pull him to one side and ask: Are we still friends? Hed irritatingly reply: Were cool, its fine. But I very much got the sense that it wasnt fine.

I started to wonder if his wife had seen the picture from the Christmas party. I later discovered this was indeed the case. And I suspect he felt compelled to complain about me to demonstrate to her that he was the innocent party.

I cant see any other motive. Unless his plan was to extract a sexual harassment payout from the company? Is that what hed been plotting all along? Perhaps he didnt fancy me at all.

As for the investigation, I had kept every single WhatsApp message exchanged between us. There were hundreds! Jamie might have subsequently deleted his messages in the thread but I had taken screen shots of the most incriminating.

Even though it was embarrassing to hand them over, Im so glad I had them. Thankfully my boss didnt read them, only HR. I was requested to provide a written statement of my side of the story, too.

Of course the news spread like wildfire through the office. I felt a mixture of fury and shame. No one said anything to my face and I was told to stay well away from Jamie; I couldnt confront him because I wasnt allowed to speak to him during the investigation.

On one occasion, we found ourselves walking towards each other down the corridor. When he saw me he did a sharp 360 degree turn in the opposite direction. I ran into the toilets and burst into tears.I felt so betrayed. Hed made such a fool of me and I hadnt seen it coming.

Of course I had to tell my husband. He was appalled on my behalf and unbelievably cross with Jamie, which made me feel even worse. I glossed over the flirty messages and the idle fantasies. Even so he told me I had no one to blame but myself and I should stop being so generous with younger employees.

Rational me agreed with him, but the teenage girl me was quietly devastated, because I genuinely thought Jamie liked me.

Fortunately when HR went through my telephone records and requested Jamies, they decided there was no case to answer. But my boss did pull me aside and tell me I had crossed a line with a junior and hed find it hard to defend me again.

Fortunately for me, Jamie left three months later. His replacement was thankfully female and we have got along splendidly.

I did consider making an accusation against Jamie, but in the end chose to be the bigger person. Even though I am now the one with sexual harassment mark on my employment record  a shameful stain on my hard-won career that feels completely unwarranted.

Juliette Tewington is a pseudonym. Names have been changed.
Night owls are at increased risk of depression compared to early risers, a study has suggested.

British researchers found those who stay up late generally had a tendency to worry excessively into the wee hours and consumed more alcohol  a known risk factor for mental illness.

They said their findings suggested interventions to change this sleeping pattern could potentially reduce symptoms of depression  suffered by about one in six adults.

In the study, University of Surrey experts questioned 546 university students about their sleeping patterns.

They classified participants as either morning types (early risers), evening types (night owls) or intermediate.

The study found night owls scored two points higher on a medical depression questionnaire than early risers, on average.

Participants were also asked about their awareness of their thoughts and feelings, their tendency to ruminate and alcohol use.

Analysis of the results revealed night owls tended to drink more alcohol, have poorer sleep quality and more frequently reported ruminating.

Poorer sleep quality and drinking too much alcohol could be driving increased rates of depression in people who stay up late and are slow to rise, a study suggests. Stock image

Writing in the journal PLOS One, the researchers said these factors could be contributing to the increased risk of depression among in this group.

They highlighted those who stay up late have more time to ponder and worry about their lives, compared to those who go to bed early, and this habit could increase their depression risk.

Researchers also found people who go to bed early were more likely to report a greater awareness of their emotions and thoughts.

This, the authors suggested, could act as a form of protection against low moods.

Night owls recorded an average sleep quality score of eight, with higher scores indicating worse sleep, compared to an average of five among those with earlier bedtimes.

The authors concluded: 'With many young adults' experiencing poor mental health, these study findings are particularly important.'

'Many young adults tend to stay up late and the results point to how interventions could be implemented to reduce their risk of depression.'

Levels of alcohol consumption were not directly recorded in the study.

Routinely sleeping less than six or seven hours a night demolishes your immune system and significantly raises your risk of developing numerous forms of cancer

Instead, participants were grouped into six categories based on units of alcohol they reported drinking on average per week, with one being the fewest and six the most.

Night owls, on average scored a two on this scale whereas early risers only scored one.

The study is observational, meaning although researchers found a link between factors like poorer sleep, consuming alcohol and risk of depression in night owls, they cannot directly prove these were the cause, and not some other aspect of their lives.

The NHS acknowledges a link between alcohol and depression, warning consumption can lead to changes in the brain that increase the risk of the mental health problem.

However, it's not as simple as saying drink causing depression.

Patients with existing depression may instead increase their alcohol intake to 'drown their sorrows' which can then exacerbate their condition.

Another limitation of the new study was that only 38 of the participants were early risers, which could limit the interpretation of the findings.

Previous studies have delivered mixed results when it comes to if being a night owl is beneficial or detrimental to health.

The solid line in this graph depicts the average risk of dying [the Y axis] based on sleep duration [the X axis]. The dash line represents the confidence intervals, which provide a range in which scientists can be sure the true risk of death lies

The graph shows that sleeping fewer than around six hours vastly increases one's risk of chronic diseases including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke

A study last year reported late risers could have sharper brain function, performing better in cognition tests, compared to other sleeping patterns.

However, other research has suggested night owls are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes because their body clock is out of sync with society.

Other studies have also found they are more likely to smoke, eat unhealthy food and have a higher body mass index.

Famous night owls include former US president Barack Obama who reportedly went to bed well past midnight only to wake up at 7am.

British political titan and former prime minister Winston Churchill was also a night owl, going to bed at 4am and rising so late that he hosted War Cabinet meetings in his bath.

'The King' Elvis Presley also had late night sleeping habits, often only having breakfast at 4pm.

Pop star Robbie Williams has also said he is a night owl previously claiming he doesn't go to sleep until 6am and makes his first meal of the day at 5pm.

According to latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) about one in six adults in the UK experienced moderate to severe depressive symptoms in 2022.

While most people will go through periods of feeling down those who feel persistently sad for weeks or months are urged to seek help from their GP.

Treatment for depression varies by severity, at the milder end a GP might suggest exercise or talking therapies.

Those with severe cases can be prescribed a combination of therapy and drugs like antidepressants.
The world watched last night as two NASA astronauts emerged from their space capsule off the coast of Florida after nine uncertain months in space.

Sunita Williams, 59, smiled and waved as she was lifted out of the SpaceX Dragon craft and helped into a stretcher, assuring the public she was well.

But health experts picked up on a small detail that revealed the silent health battle she now faces.

After waving, her right arm suddenly went limp and flopped against her thighs as if they were much heavier  the result of spending so long in zero gravity.

Doctors who viewed the footage told DailyMail.com that the movement may be a sign of muscle wasting while in space for 286 days.

In the microgravity of space, muscles get smaller because the body doesn't need to work as hard to maintain posture.

Her heart may also have shrunk because the body doesn't need to exert much energy to allow blood to flow.

But the the fact she was still able to lift her arm in the first place was a good sign, doctors say.

It comes after other experts raised concerns over Williams' health pointing to her thin wrists, which they said may also indicate weight loss nd muscle wasting.

Dr Stanton Gerson  who researches the impact of deep space on cells  said Williams appeared much more frail than her male crew member, Butch Wilmore.

'She had more trouble, if you will, than did the other astronaut with standing up,' he told this website.

'This may be because it is really hard to maintain muscle mass in space without the help of gravity.

'In space, there isn't a differential on muscle mass, because there isn't the stress and strain from gravity and, as a result, from undertaking exercise.

'That means that when you do push and pull exercises, these don't exert the same level of muscle activation as they would on Earth.'

In microgravity, muscles experience significantly less resistance, leading them to atrophy over time.

On Earth, gravity constantly forces muscles  especially those in the legs, back and core  to work against it, creating a mechanical load that prevents wasting.

Astronaut Williams waves to the camera after being pulled from her space craft

Her arm instantly flops and goes limp

The doctor also pointed out Williams would have been exhausted after her trip home.

It takes about eight hours for astronauts to pack and do pre-flight checks on the space station, and then another 17 hours for them to undock and fly back to Earth.

He said: 'What I see is a happy, tired, astronaut. Think how you would feel after a long trans-Atlantic flight.'

Asked how much muscle mass the astronauts may have lost in space, he said that this was likely to be in the single digits and 'minimal'  based on his experience with previous missions.

Your browser does not support iframes.

'It would be in single digits in terms of percentage muscle mass, and we have even had some cases  very few  where astronauts have come back with a little extra muscle mass,' he added.

Men have more muscle mass than women, overall, which can lead to women being more seriously affected by the loss of a small amount of muscle mass.

On the return to Earth, he said astronauts may have appeared unsteady because of the impact of the planet's gravity on their inner ear.

'It turns out that our inner ear has evolved very, very, well for the environment here on Earth,' he said.

'But in space, because of the lack of gravity, we lose some of the fluid in the inner ear which causes it to start behaving differently.

'When we come back, this can cause vertigo,' which is a sensation of spinning, whirling or moving when you are not actually in motion.

It always takes time for astronauts to recover after returning to the US from space, with experts saying this can take a month to three months.

But there have been no recorded cases of astronauts suffering from permanent health problems as a result of being in space.

Dr Vin Gupta, an Air Force surgeon who works with people who spend a long time in the air, added that it was a good sign she could still lift up her arm.

'Anyone who is able to elevate their arm is then also able to lower their arm successfully, should be OK,' he said.

Studies have shown that other health effects of being in space for long periods include the brain shrinking and swelling in the eyes, which happens because the lack of gravity causes the positioning of fluids to shift.

Dr Stanton said patients recover quickly after returning to Earth with no long-term adverse health effects.

He said some astronauts have reported 'brain fog' after returning to Earth, but that this clears within a few days to weeks.
A popular ready meal has been urgently pulled from the shelves of a major supermarket over fears it could contain 'hard pieces of plastic'.

Food safety watchdogs the Food Standards Agency has issued an urgent 'do not eat' warning to shoppers who has bought Iceland's Vegetable Lasagne with the best before dates 23 July 2026 and 30 July 2026.

Customers who have purchased the 2.50 ready meal have been urged to return the item to Iceland stores as soon as possible.

An alert issued by the supermarket, it advised: 'If you have purchased any of the above product, DO NOT eat It. Instead follow the below instructions:

'1. Check If you have bought any of the affected product.

'2. You can do this by taking a photo of this notice or writing down the details at home. Please return to any Iceland store where a full refund will be given. No receipt is required.'

The Food Standards Agency issues recalls when problems are spotted with food that could be potentially harmful to consumers.

The warning follows the recall of more than a dozen items over the past few weeks.

The affected meals have the best before dates 23 July 2026 and 30 July 2026.

Supermarket Waitrose issued an urgent recall on its own brand Seafood Sticks due to the product being printed with an incorrect best before date.

Food safety watchdogs have stuck 'do not eat' alerts on items including cereals, cheeses and crisps over allergy, choking and bacteria contamination concerns.

Those impacted include products made by Nestle, Tesco and TK Maxx.

Most recently, upmarket supermarket Waitrose issued a safety alert over its own brand seafood sticks due to fears the product may be five months out of date.

Food safety regulators said the actual best before date for the product was October 5 last year, meaning eating it now could make people ill.

Eating expired food is a known risk factor for food poisoning.

Food that has been stored too long is at increased risk of being contaminated by harmful bacteria that can make us ill.

If ingested, this can cause problems like nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and a high temperature.

Food poisoning is a common ailment in Britain with an estimated nearly 2.5million cases recorded in the UK per year.
A mother-of-two has been referred to end-of-life care after her extreme tiredness turned out to be the only sign of deadly, late stage bowel cancer.

Karen Kennerley, 57, from Lancashire, first started experiencing fatigue in December 2022, but a GP performed a blood test and told her it was likely a sign of an iron deficiency.

The teacher assumed the problem could be related to her busy, full-time job.

'I worked in a small school for special educational needs pupils, and I was working really hard at the time  I was exhausted,' she said.

However, a doctor advised Ms Kennerley to undergo a colonoscopy to 'rule out' a serious bowel problem that could be causing her symptoms.

A colonoscopy involves a thin, flexible tube attached to a camera being inserted into the bowel via the back passage in order to capture images of the digestive system.

'Everyone was telling me I was fit and healthy, that there was nothing to worry about but they were doing the tests to rule things out,' she said.

The procedure ultimately revealed a tumour in her bowel  but doctors assured her it was non-cancerous.

Karen Kennerley, 57, from Lancashire, first started experiencing fatigue in December 2022, but a GP performed a blood test and told her it was likely a sign of an iron deficiency. Pictured here with her husband Craig

She underwent surgery to have the growth removed in May 2023, but the medic performing the operation halted it due to fears the lesion looked suspicious.

Biopsies were then taken and results showed it was in fact cancerous, with the previous diagnosis based on a 'sampling error'.

Ms Kennerley was 'devastated' to learn she had stage three bowel (also called colon) cancer  when the disease has spread to nearby glands but not yet to other organs.

She said: 'I was devastated from being told that I was benign to then being told I have stage three colon cancer.

'There were so many emotions. I was obviously devastated and then horrifically scared.'

In June 2023, Karen had a major surgery to remove the tumour and part of her large intestine.

Her care was then transferred to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, where she underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy.

Then, in March last year Ms Kennerley was rushed to hospital with suspected appendicitis, but subsequent scans showed fast-growing tumours on her ovaries and in the thin layer of tissue that lines the abdominal wall.

Howver, further tests ultimately revealed a tumour in her bowel  but doctors assured her it was non-cancerous

However, tragically subsequent biopsies showed the growth was in fact cancerous, with the previous diagnosis based on a 'sampling error'

'While I was there, they did a total hysterectomy,' she said.

'During the surgery, the surgeon looked at my liver and was not happy with how it felt or looked.

'After the operation, a further MRI scan showed that tumours had grown on my liver.'

While doctors could offer chemotherapy to attempt to shrink the tumours, they told her this was unlikely to destroy the cancer.

'Unfortunately, because the cancer has now spread to my liver, the NHS cannot offer other treatment except palliative chemo,' she said.

'I've gone through the mill but my time is running out.'

Now, Ms Kennerley has pinned her hopes on a specialised chemotherapy treatment available in Germany, which costs around 30,000.

Ms Kennerley has pinned her hopes on a specialised chemotherapy treatment available in Germany, which costs around 30,000

The therapy, which feeds chemotherapy drugs directly into the blood vessels that keep tumours alive, is only available on the NHS for the treatment of liver cancer.

'The results I have had so far show that the tumours have shrunk nicely but I still need further treatment,' she said.

'I have had three rounds so far and I am now out of money.

'The mental torment is horrendous, worrying about not working, worrying about how I will fund the treatment.

'I am on statutory sick pay which runs out at the beginning of April.

'People with stage four cancer feel totally abandoned, I want to change that, not only for me, but for everyone else going through this.'
When Adam Macciocchi-Lancia noticed his hair was thinning, he decided to do whatever it took to reverse the problem.

The then 27-year-old artist from Toronto, Canada worried that a receding hairline would make him appear far older than what he was and ruin his dating life.

So, he booked an appointment with a hair-loss specialist and asked whether he would be eligible for a hair transplant.

But, the surprising answer he received was that the surgical procedure was unnecessary.

Instead, all he needed was a daily tablet that costs pennies. The drug, called finasteride, or the branded Propecia, is taken by millions of men with hair loss, including President Donald Trump.

And, as the doctor explained to Adam, finasteride works wonders. According to studies, more than four in five men who take finasteride stop losing their hair.

Nearly three in five see their hair begin to grow back, often within months.

I was told the tablets would be as good if not better than a hair transplant, says Adam. And there were apparently very few side effects.

Adam Macciocchi-Lancia was informed that, in less than one per cent of cases, finasteride patients experienced low mood and erectile dysfunction

The drug, called finasteride, or the branded Propecia, is taken by millions of men with hair loss, including President Donald Trump

Adam was informed that, in less than one per cent of cases, finasteride patients experienced low mood and erectile dysfunction.

But the doctor said, if these symptoms happened, I could just stop taking the pills and they would go away, he says.

'So it wasnt something I was worried about at all.

However, as Adam soon found out, this is not always the case.

Because, soon after beginning the treatment, Adam developed a debilitating series of symptoms that plagued his life for years  even after he stopped taking the pills.

These long-lasting problems, which Adam says destroyed his life, have been recorded in thousands of men who take finasteride for hair loss. It even has a name: Post-finasteride syndrome.

Where persistent physical and mental adverse reactions take place both during treatment and after men stop taking the medication.

Tragically, there are no approved treatments, meaning many men live with these symptoms, which include depression, insomnia, low libido and erectile dysfunction, indefinitely.

However, nearly a decade after he first began taking finasteride, Adam, now 36, believes he has found a cure  and wants to share it with others afflicted with the terrible condition in order to help them turn their lives around.

Finasteride works by blocking the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into the adrogen dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. High levels of DHT are believed to lead to hair loss by shrinking follicles on the scalp.

It was originally developed, and taken at higher doses, to treat having an enlarged prostate. Researchers then noticed that prostate patients taking the tablets experienced hair regrowth, and trials were launched which involved giving lower doses to treat hair loss.

Adam developed a debilitating series of symptoms that plagued his life for years  even after he stopped taking the pills

Not only did these trials prove that finasteride was highly effective, they also concluded that the tablet was safe. Fewer than four per cent of participants experienced temporary side effects including mental health problems and erectile dysfunction.

Unsurprisingly, given more than six million men in the UK alone have male pattern baldness, finasteride was a blockbuster success from its relaunch as a treatment for hair loss in 1997, quickly becoming one of the most popular drugs in the world.

However, as far back as 2011, the drug company behind finasteride, Merck & Co, have been aware of severe side effects linked to the drug including suicidal thoughts.

In 2021, Reuters news agency revealed it had obtained US court documents which show that US health watchdogs had received more than 700 reports of suicide and suicidal thoughts linked to the drug since 2011.

These included at least 100 reported suicides. The documents also revealed Merck & Co had paid about $4.3million (about 3.5m) to settle lawsuits brought by people claiming to suffer persistent side effects.

In court, Merck denied the drug caused problems with sexual function after men stopped taking it, and links to mental illness. The claims were settled without admission of liability.

Last year, the UK medical safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), concluded that packs of finasteride should include a patient alert card that warned of the risks of post-finasteride syndrome.

The MHRA said it had received nearly 300 reports of depressed mood disorder, suicidal and self-injuries behaviours linked to the pill. It also identified more than 400 cases linked to sexual dysfunction.

However, none of this was known to Adam when he began taking the tablets.

He started taking finasteride in September 2016 and within two months, he says things started going downhill.

He began to experience dark thoughts about suicide, which hed never had before. I was just hit with this awful depression, says Adam, who is visually impaired.

I couldnt get out of bed, I couldnt hold a conversation, I couldnt do anything. I told my parents and, by the third month, came off the pills. But nothing changed.

Instead, it was around then that I developed erectile dysfunction. I felt like killing myself all the time. It was like Id lost my soul.

At the same time, Adam also developed brain fog  which made it impossible for him to think clearly  he also developed exercise intolerance, meaning that any physical activity worsened his symptoms.

Adam repeatedly sought medical help. First, at his local hospital, then with the specialist who had prescribed him the finasteride.

Each time, he was brushed off. I was told these issues were all in my head, says Adam. The doctors said that it was impossible that finasteride had caused these issues. They said it was completely safe.

Adams condition was so severe that he was unable to work and he lost his job at a construction firm that he did alongside his art.

Over the years, he tried a number of experimental treatments  including painful injections into his penis  but nothing worked.

Adam listened to a podcast which described how magic mushrooms could cure severe bouts of depression

Then, in late 2019, Adam listened to a podcast which described how magic mushrooms could cure severe bouts of depression.

The hallucinogenic fungus contains a compound called psilocybin which has been shown in studies to help with a number of mental health issues such as Post-traumatic stress disorder and Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

And while it is illegal to buy magic mushrooms in Canada  as it is in the UK  Adam decided that it was worth trying seeing if the drug could help improve his Post-finasteride syndrome.

I had nothing to lose, he says. I was willing to try anything to break free of this condition.

Adam took three grams of magic mushrooms  a high dose capable of triggering intense hallucinations  along with a friend.

We went for a walk in the woods while we did them, he says. I didnt know what to expect.

Astonishingly, Adam says he noticed an immediate difference, saying: When the mushrooms kicked in, it was like my brain fog disappeared.

I felt like myself for the first time in years, it was one of the most profound experiences of my life.

Over the following months, Adam took mushrooms several more times. Eventually, he switched to microdosing them  this involves taking small daily doses of the drug.

Most of my side effects would go away when I was on them, he says. However, I felt like I started to reach a limit to my improvement. I would get better for a week or two and then all the symptoms would return with a crash.

And no matter what I did, the erectile dysfunction was still just as bad as before.

So, in 2023, Adam decided to try an even more intensive therapy: The potent psychedelic drink ayahuasca.

The illegal beverage, first used by Amazonian tribes, is so strong that it can trigger mental health problems in some people who take it. It can even be deadly.

However, this did not put off Adam, who believed it was his only hope of curing himself.

I went to see a Shaman in Ontario, Adam says. 'After I drank the ayahuasca I started hallucinating.

'When I came to, I knew that the crippling depression was gone.'

Experts warn that patients who experiment with illegal drugs could be putting themselves in danger.

Ive never heard of anything like this before and its not a good idea to try illegal drugs in this way, says Dr David Fenton, a Harley Street consultant dermatologist.

These drugs have many side effects and often are not safe.

A year-and-a-half on, Adams condition has continued to improve. He has been able to return to his work as an artist and he regularly exercises.

He is now side effect free with the exception of the erectile dysfunction. However, Adam says his erections continue to improve slowly and he is hopeful for the future.

I finally feel like Ive got my soul back, he says.

Ive done so much work on myself, and now I feel open and ready to finally enjoy life again.

Not only can this be illegal, it can also be dangerous. Both magic mushrooms and ayahuasca have been linked to mental health issues and deaths.

Any new treatment should always be discussed first with a medical professional.
A janitor has admitted to spreading sexually transmitted diseases to over a dozen people after he was caught urinating into an office water cooler and workers' personal bottles.

Lucio Catarino Diaz, 50, who had worked at a Houston, Texas, doctor's office for 20 years, was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

He was sentenced to six years in prison, out of which he has already served two and is allowed to seek parole after completing five years.

The sicko - who could be released as soon as 2028 - will not have to register as a sex offender either.

Over 13 women in the same building were infected with herpes and hepatitis A, a virus that causes liver damage, leading to jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dark urine.

In the long run, both infections can lead to infertility in women, potentially leading to increased risks of miscarriages, preterm birth and complications during pregnancy.

In August 2022, a female employee noticed the water from the communal water cooler tasting sour and decided to only drink from her own water bottles that she brought to work.

Lucio Catarino Diaz, 50, has admitted to spreading two deadly sexually transmitted diseases after he was caught urinating into office workers' water bottle

However in late September, she noticed the same odd smell from her own bottle so she threw it away and bought another.

Despite getting another bottle, she kept coming across the smell and could not understand what was happening until a coworker noticed that the her water was yellow in color and suspected that it was urine.

Since there were no cameras in the office, the victim then decided to place a spy camera on her desk and caught Diaz in the act.

She told KHOU11: '[He] just picked it up, removed the cap, and proceeded to put his penis halfway into the bottle. Then he tilted it up so that his penis was surrounded by the water.'

Tests later revealed that she had contracted the diseases.

According to doctors, both viruses could have been transmitted to her after she came into direct contact with Diaz's bodily fluids that were present in her bottle.

After seeing him perform the disgusting act on her spy camera, the victim notified the police the next day and provided them with two water bottles as evidence.

Since there were no cameras in the office, the victim then decided to place a spy camera on her desk and caught Diaz in the act. (Stock image)

When police confronted Diaz about the incidents, he admitted to what he had done.

He added that he had done something similar at a previous job where he worked.

At the time of his arrest, Diaz told police he did it out of 'malicious intent' and that it was a 'sickness.'

By November 2022, officials discovered that four women including the original victim had been infected with the same diseases.

According to ABC News, after the initial lawsuit was filed against Diaz, nine other women who worked in the same building came forward with the same allegations and diagnoses.

Officials are yet to clarify the severity of the victim's condition.

Herpes simplex 1 virus is a common infection that causes painful blisters or ulcers on the mouth and lips

Herpes simplex 1 virus is a common infection that causes painful blisters or ulcers on the mouth and lips.

Some of its symptoms include, small, painful, fluid-filled blisters around the lips or edge of the mouth, tingling or burning around the mouth or nose, fever and sore throat.

In rare cases, HSV-1 can lead to serious issued such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or keratitis (eye infection that can lead to scarring of the cornea and potentially blindness).

Pregnant women who have been infected with HSV-1 also have a higher risk of miscarriage, premature labor, slow fetal growth or passing on the infection to the infant during vaginal delivery, which can be life threatening or cause a disability in the child.
Life at 27 is a blur for Zachary Schimmel  he doesn't remember any of it.

The New Yorker has virtually no memories of the entirety of 2021 due to a rare brain cancer.

One of the last things he does remember is collapsing at a friend's house in North Carolina.

While Zachary originally blamed the episode on heat exhaustion, when it happened for a second time, 911 was called and he was driven to the hospital by an ambulance, during which he experienced a seizure.

Once at the hospital, he underwent a CT scan of his brain, which revealed the tumor and he was rushed in for emergency surgery and doctors inserted a shunt - a hollow tube - to help drain excess fluid from his brain.

Soon after, he was diagnosed with an extremely rare brain cancer called pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID).

There are less than 100 cases of PPTID reported in scientific literature, but the recommended course of treatment is surgery to remove the mass followed by radiation and/or chemotherapy.

Zachary underwent 12 brain surgeries in one month.

Life at 27 is somewhat of a blur for Zachary Schimmel. The now 30-year-old cannot remember that entire year due to an extremely rare form of cancer that saw him have 12 brain surgeries in one month

He says that because he underwent so many procedures so close together, he doesn't remember much of the 12 months that followed his diagnosis.

PPTID itself can also cause memory issues, which he thinks added to his amnesia.

One of his doctors at Duke University, Dr Margaret Johnson, called Zachary's cancer the 'rare of the rare.'

PPTID are located in the pineal region of the brain, which is a small, pinecone-shaped gland deep in the center of the brain.

Because of this, it can be difficult for surgeons to access the mass and remove it, and multiple procedures might be required.

Along with balance problems and seizures, other common symptoms include headaches, nausea and vomiting, unusual eye movements.

For PPTID, the five-year overall survival rate ranges from 39 percent to 74 percent.

Following Zach's first surgery, he underwent an MRI, which revealed his tumor was 4cm - about the size of a walnut.

Your browser does not support iframes.

The mass was in the center of his brain pressing on his pineal gland, which regulates sleep patterns, thirst, sex drive and hunger.

Doctors waited another day to perform a second surgery to allow some of the brain swelling to go down.

In one update posted to a Go Fund Me fundraising page set up to help with medical bills, his sister Lexxie writes three months after his shock diagnosis: 'His body cannot do many things that we take for granted.

'Zachary is still having vision problems and cannot speak, eat, swallow, sit, stand, walk, or even hold his head up straight on his own.

'He is going to need intense physical therapy to re-learn how to do all of these things again.'

After spending 105 at New Hanover Hospital in Wilmington in North Carolina, Zachary was allowed home.

He was no longer with his girlfriend, so instead of moving back to the apartment he had just leased with her, he moved in with his family.

His parents and siblings helped provide him with round-the-clock care and they took it in turns to shuttle him to rehab sessions and medical appointments.

In another post dated to October 2021, his sister wrote: 'Therapies are going well for Zach; but he is still unable to stand, walk or do much on his own.

A CT scan revealed that Zachary had a very rare type of brain cancer called pineal parenchymal tumors of intermediate differentiation (PPTID)

Zachary was declared legally blind, as the tumor had caused damage to his optic nerve due to a build up of pressure

'Most of the day is spent in a wheelchair for Zach, but therapy works with Zach daily to rebuild his body's strength and balance so that one day he will be able to stand, walk and just live on his own again (although that will be a far while out).'

Following numerous surgeries to fully remove the tumor, Zachary still had a long road to recovery.

He underwent more than six months of chemotherapy before being declared cancer free in April 2022.

However, the brain cancer left him blind, as the tumor had caused damage to his optic nerve due to a build up of pressure.

Today, he is learning Braille and training to become an analyst to test websites and apps to asses how user-friendly they are for people who are specially abled.

Despite his vision loss, Zachary can now walk again and has mostly recovered.

While he had a girlfriend at the time of his diagnosis, they have since broken up and Zachary now lives with his sister and her husband.

They say they 'love' having him as a roommate.

Commenting on his recovery his sister Lexxie, who works as a nurse, told People: 'It's amazing.

'Because today, he is my brother from who he was before everything - and there was a long time when we did not think that was going to be possible.

'To other people just diagnosed with cancer I'd want to say: It's not the end. It will most likely change your life irrevocably, but that's okay. It doesn't mean it's the end, it just means it's a new start.'

Reflecting on his own journey, Zachary said: 'Cancer sucks. It is miserable. Surviving cancer is the worst thing I've ever done in my life, but I've met some of the best people as a result of it.'
Formula 1 legend Eddie Jordan has died from cancer at the age of 76just a year after first learning he had the disease.

His devastated family announced the sad news on March 19, adding that the former racing team owner turned BBC pundit 'had was working until the last'.

Jordan shocked fans when he announced his diagnosis last year on his Formula For Success podcast, stating: 'We've kind of alluded to it over the shows.

'Way back in March and April, I was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer, and then it spread into the spine and the pelvis, so it was quite aggressive.'

In an urgent warning to listeners, the racing legend added that anyone suffering symptoms of the disease should see a doctor: 'Don't put it off.

'Go and get tested, because in life, you've got chances. Don't be stupid. Don't be shy. Look after your body, guys.'

Around 10,500 new cases of bladder cancer are recorded in the UK each yearabout 29 people per dayand roughly 5,500 die from it.

Here we outline the facts about the diseasethe 11th most common cancer in the UKand the little-known signs that no one should ignore.

Formula 1 legend Eddie Jordan has died from cancer at the age of 76just a month after giving a heartbreaking update on his battle with the disease.

His devastated family announced the sad news today, adding that the former racing team owner turned BBC pundit 'had was working until the last'.

In an urgent warning to listeners, the racing legend added that anyone suffering symptoms of the disease should see a doctor: 'Don't put it off'

Smoking and working with harmful chemicals are the biggest risk factors

Bladder cancer is most common in older adults, with the majority of new cases recorded in people aged 60 and above.

The NHS pinpoints smoking as the single biggest risk factor for bladder cancer.

'This is because tobacco contains cancer-causing (carcinogenic) chemicals,' it says.

'If you smoke for many years, these chemicals pass into your bloodstream and are filtered by the kidneys into your urine.

'The bladder is repeatedly exposed to these harmful chemicals, as it acts as a store for urine. This can cause changes to the cells of the bladder lining, which may lead to bladder cancer,' it adds.

Exposure to certain industrial chemicals is the second biggest risk factor, according to the NHS.

Previous studies suggest that this may account for up to a quarter of all cases.

This could help to explain why the disease is also more common in men than in women, as men were previously more likely to smoke and work in the manufacturing industry.

Bladder cancer usually begins in the cells of the bladder lining. In some cases, it may spread into surrounding bladder muscle.

In Jordan's case, it is not known where the disease began.

But the fact he had prostate cancer at the same time suggests it is possible patients can develop two primary cancers at once.

Research published in the Journal of Urology revealed that 25 per cent of patients with bladder cancer had also been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Beware of blood in the toilet...

The most common symptom, according to the NHS, is blood in the urinealso known as hematuria.

This may be visible, appearing bright red, pink or brown, often describe as cola-colored.

But sometimes it is not obviousand is only detected in a urine test.

While not all cases of hematuria are caused by bladder cancer, it's a significant symptom that always warrants medical investigation.

Other more common causes including urinary tract infections and kidney stones.

Another little-known cause is vigorous exercisemost commonly seen in long-distance runners and also after high-intensity interval training.

This occurs as intense physical activity can affect the way the kidneys filter the bloodstream, allowing red blood cells to mix with the urine.

...and changes to how often you need to go

Changes to bladder habitsprimarily needing to pee more frequently than usualincluding multiple times during the nightsudden urges to urinate, difficulty urinating or a weak stream, or a feeling of 'incomplete emptying' are also common.

Some patients may also experience a painful, burning sensation when peeing.

These symptoms are among a number that overlap with prostate cancerwhich Eddie Jordan also said he had been diagnosed with.

They may also, more usually, be a sign of non-cancerous changes to the prostate, mostly related to age.

In any case, changes to toilet habits that last for more than three weeks are always a reason to speak to a doctor, the NHS advises.

Look out for achesand weight loss...

Lower back pain, limited to one side of the body, or abdominal pain, sudden or unintended weight loss and loss of appetite, and fatigue may also be seen.

...as well as pain in your bones

Aching and pain in your limbs that lasts for more than a few weeks could be a red flag sign that bladder cancer has spread to the bones.

When the disease first spreads, it is most likely to reach the nearby tissues such as the urethra or other structures within the pelvis.

However in later stages, it can end up in the bones, lungs and liver.

Some 25 per cent of bladder cancer cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Anyone suffering these symptoms should book an appointment with a GPwhile in most cases it won't be bladder cancer, this and other sinister causes should be ruled out, the NHS states.
Kaitlan Collins was noticeably absent at the White House press briefing on Wednesday afternoon after she went viral on Monday for an uncomfortable clash with press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

While the exchange was heated, Collins remains in her role at CNN and was absent because the network rotates their team.

Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny was at Wednesday's press briefing instead.

Collins is CNN's chief White House correspondent and hosts the network's primetime show, The Source, from Washington DC.

Alayna Treene, Kevin Liptak, and Kayla Tausche are also on CNN's White House team.

While Collins doesn't attend every press briefing, her recent appearances have certainly made an impression.

In their latest encounter, Leavitt slammed Collins for asking whether there was any evidence to suggest that President Biden's last-minute pardons were voided because he used an autopen.

The press secretary quipped, 'You're a reporter, you should find out,' in a cringe-worthy moment.

Kaitlan Collins was absent at the White House press briefing on Wednesday as her colleague Jeff Zeleny represented CNN at the press pool

Karoline Leavitt has frequently sparred with reporters at her briefings and recently hit back at Collins for a question on former President Biden's pardons

CNN's Chief National Affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny represented CNN instead of Collins during Wednesday's briefing

'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?' Leavitt added.

Leavitt then called upon Collins and the rest of the press corps to ask those questions themselves and get to the bottom of whether there were any illegal implications to Biden's last-minute pardons instead of pestering her about it.

At a press briefing last month, she questioned Leavitt on why the Associated Press was blocked from attending press events by the White House.

'Which White House official made the decision to bar the AP reporter from the Oval Office and the diplomatic reception room last night?' Collins asked.

Leavitt answered that attending a press briefing was a 'privilege' and that 'nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask the President of the United States questions.'

The Trump administration is shaking up the way the White House press corp. operates, which has increased tensions with the press.

In an unprecedented move, the administration decided to revoke the AP's invitation to pool events.

Collins suggested in a recent briefing that the move was 'retaliatory' after the AP announced their reporters would continue to refer to the Gulf of America as the Gulf of Mexico, following a Trump executive order to change the name.

Leavitt has had numerous contentious moments with Collins, including a recent interaction over the White House's decision to block the Associated Press from press events

Collins has gained a reputation for asking tough questions and has had multiple cringe-worthy moments with Leavitt and Trump

'Is this setting a precedent that this White House will retaliate against reporters who don't use the language that you guys believe?' Collins continued.

Leavitt replied that the White House would penalize news outlets 'if lies are being pushed' and that it was a 'fact' that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana was now called the Gulf of America.

'I'm not sure why news outlets don't want to call it that, but that is what it is,' she added.

Not only has Collins frequently sparred with Leavitt, but the president has made his feelings known about the reporter numerous times.

During a briefing at the Oval Office in early February, Trump made multiple jabs at Collins when she asked him about Russian President Vladimir Putin.

When asked by Collins if he believed Putin wanted peace, Trump blamed the war on Biden and suggested that Collins was a friend of the former president's.

'He's [Biden] a friend of CNN, and that's why nobody watches CNN anymore because they have no credibility,' Trump said.

During Trump's first administration, he even blocked Collins from attending a White House event after she asked him questions about Putin and his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.

Associated Press reporter Josh Boak pressed Leavitt on her understanding of who pays tariffs - American importers or foreign countries, which she later deemed 'insulting'

Collins isn't the only journalist who has sparred with the Trump administration, as Leavitt hit back at an AP reporter for an 'insulting' question just last week.

Josh Boak asked Leavitt about Trump's decision to impose tariffs on foreign countries, a policy that has come under scrutiny by economists. The exchange quickly escalated when Boak asked Leavitt if she had ever paid a tariff.

'Ultimately, when we have fair and balanced trade, which the American people have not seen in decades. As I said at the beginning, revenues will stay here, wages will go up, and our country will be made wealthy again,' said Leavitt.

'And I think it's insulting that you're trying to test my knowledge of economics and the decisions that this President has made. I now regret giving a question to the Associated Press.'
Donald Trump bestowed Fox News star Jacqui Heinrich with the worst insult he could think of by suggesting she should work at liberal CNN instead after she criticized his Tesla event at the White House.

The president turned the South Lawn of the White House into a Tesla showroom last week with five different models - including the infamous Cybertruck - on display on the driveway.

Heinrich spoke somewhat critically of the 'display' in an interview with Ohio GOP Senator Bernie Moreno Sunday, where she also asked about Tesla's open letter to the Trump administration concerned over Trump's tariff war.

The anchor - who has been critical of Trump and her own network in the past and even in that same Sunday broadcast - asked Moreno: 'Was that an appropriate thing for the president to do there?'

Heinrich also played skeptic with national security advisor Mike Waltz, asking him if Trump was getting 'played' by Vladimir Putin.

Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday: 'I watched Jacqui Heinrich from Fox over the weekend and I thought she was absolutely terrible.'

The president then delivered the worst insult he could think of about the Fox News star.

'She should be working for CNN, not Fox,' he quipped.

Donald Trump gave Fox News star Jacqui Heinrich as devastating an insult as he could think of by suggesting she should work at liberal CNN instead after he criticized his Tesla event at the White House

Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday: 'I watched Jacqui Heinrich from Fox over the weekend and I thought she was absolutely terrible'

Trump then added: 'Not surprisingly, I later found out that shes a fan of the White House Correspondents Association!'

Heinrich is indeed a board member of the White House Correspondents Association.

Longtime Fox News fixture Brit Hume raced to his colleague's defense in a post to X later Wednesday.

'I watched her too. She plays it straight, covering both sides of a story and has certainly played fair with you. You may have a case against some White House reporters, but not @JacquiHeinrich,' Hume said.

On the same show that offended Trump on Sunday, she annoyed Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz for asking if the president was getting 'played' by Vladimir Putin.

The question came as the U.S. is working to broker a ceasefire deal between Ukraine and Russia as war has raged since Russia invaded.

Heinrich posed the question while Waltz was appearing on Fox News Sunday.

She noted that a European intelligence service uncovered a document prepared for the Kremlin on how to stall at the same time Russia first came to the negotiating table and pointed out much of the document has played out.

Trump posted to Truth Social on Wednesday: 'I watched Jacqui Heinrich from Fox over the weekend and I thought she was absolutely terrible.' The president then delivered the worst insult he could think of about the Fox News star. 'She should be working for CNN, not Fox,' he quipped

Heinrich quoted The Washington Post report which detailed how Russia can boost its negotiating position by proposing access to Russian minerals, reject peacekeepers and propose demilitarize zones.

'How do you know President Trump isn't being played right now by Putin?' Heinrich asked.

'Well look, that's almost laughable,' Waltz said after a pause.

'I'll take President Trump in dealing with the likes of Xi, of Kim Jong Un, with Putin and others certainly ahead of his predecessor,' Waltz declared.

He noted comments from both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky while insisting 'only President Trump could drive this to an end.'

'We know who we're dealing with,' Waltz claimed. 'We know who we're dealing with on all sides.'

The national security adviser said the U.S. will continue to negotiate and use 'carrots and sticks to get both sides to the table.'

He would not say however whether the U.S. would put sanctions on Russia after Trump made the threat last week on social media.

Longtime Fox News fixture Brit Hume raced to his colleague's defense in a post to X later Wednesday

Trump added: 'Not surprisingly, I later found out that shes a fan of the White House Correspondents Association!' Heinrich is indeed a board member of the WHCA

Heinrich played a role in the defamation suit filed against Fox by Dominion voting systems, which was settled at a cost of $787.5 million and led to the network firing Tucker Carlson.

The Wall Street Journal said that executives were angry at the 'disparaging and derogatory remarks' he made about colleagues, including a plea to get White House reporter Jacqui Heinrich fired for fact-checking Donald Trump, and calling his bosses 'incompetent liberals' and 'f******'.

Shortly after the 2020 election, Carlson pointed Hannity to a tweet by Heinrich, which fact-checked a tweet by Trump that mentioned Dominion voting conspiracy theories.

'There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised,' she wrote.

Carlson texted Hannity and Ingraham: 'Please get her fired. Seriously  What the f***? I'm actually shocked. It needs to stop immediately, like tonight. It's measurably hurting the company. The stock price is down. Not a joke.'

He said he raised Heinrich's factually accurate tweet with Meade Cooper, the executive vice president of programing.

'I just went crazy on Meade over it,' Carlson wrote.

Heinrich deleted her offending tweet, though she posted a nearly identical fact-check of Trump afterwards.

Heinrich played a role in the defamation suit filed against Fox by Dominion voting systems, which was settled at a cost of $787.5 million and led to the network firing Tucker Carlson

Trump's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz fired back after Heinrich suggested the president is 'being played' by Putin is almost 'laughable' in a tense exchange on Fox News

Fox did not give any reason for the departure of their most-watched news anchor, saying on Monday: 'Fox News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways.

Heinrich, 36, was promoted to the post of Senior White House Correspondent just this past June.

She has often gotten into stare downs with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on various issues.

Henrich also criticized the Trump administration's decision to not give wire services like the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, a permanent spot in the pool saying it 'gives power to the White House, not the people.'

She also once infamously angered former President Joe Biden in one of his rare forays into speaking with the media.

Ahead of a 2022 infrastructure meeting at the White House, Heinrich asked the president: 'Why are you waiting on Putin to make the first move, sir?'

'What a stupid question,' Biden replied after lightly chuckling.
Car buyers have turned their back on allegiances to automotive brands and become 'more disloyal than ever', according to a Google strategist.

He claims that Britons are 'searching more than ever' but that brand loyalty has disappeared, especially with the recent emergence of Chinese brands selling cheaper vehicles.

Presenting Google's automotive market trend analysis findings at Car Dealer Live, Google's global partner agency consultant Mohammad Lone revealed that brand loyalty has been dramatically diminishing since 2019.

Lone said that customers are considering choosing from as many as seven manufacturers today compared to just three or four last year.

And the data shows that three quarters of drivers switched to a different marque when changing cars last year because they're being 'convinced by new brands'.

New car registration figures from last year show that Chinese brands represented almost one in 20 new vehicles entering Britain's roads as car buyers are increasingly being swayed by their budget-friendly prices.

Car buyers have turned their back on allegiances to automotive brands and become 'more disloyal than ever', according to a Google strategist

Explaining how the new trend for Chinese cars is proving popular, Lone on Wednesday told a Car Dealer Magazine audience at the British Motor Museum: 'Consumers are more disloyal in many ways than ever.

'They're more open to being convinced by new brands and that's where the Chinese brands  the non-traditional OEM [original equipment manufacturer] brands as well  are really getting traction.'

Last year, Chinese brands sold 94,168 new cars in the UK last year, according to official registration figures.

However, the total market share of Chinese-built vehicles sold in Britain will be even higher when considering mainstream auto firms that have started producing models in the country.

For instance, MG  which is owned by Chinese auto giant SAIC motors  saw more its cars (81,536) sold last year than Vauxhalls (78,895), Skodas (78,601), Peugeots (68,905), Volvos (66,408), Land Rovers (61,290), Renaults (57,967), Teslas (50,334), Minis (46,975), Seats (36,782), Dacias (31,457) and Hondas (30,636).

Relative newcomers BYD and Omoda  who only joined the UK market in 2023 and 2024 - amassed 8,788 and 3,629 sales respectively last year, while Great Wall Motors' Ora brand upped its registrations to 1,162 in the previous 12 months.

Google's data shows that three quarters of drivers switched to a different marque when changing cars last year because they're being 'convinced by new brands'

It's not just that people are branching out with brand searches.

Google data shows that automotive searches in general increased 13 per cent in 2024.

Lone explained: 'Trends that we have been seeing since 2019 show generic searches constantly rising  so people not necessarily looking for specific brands but asking questions to Google about the overall market.

'They're asking it 'What are the best SUVs?' rather than 'What are the best Vauxhalls or VWs?'.

Google saw a 11 per cent rise in price enquiry searches and around eight per cent in car finance, he explained.

However, YouTube is becoming an even greater tool in the decision making process for car buyers with a 25 per cent year-on-year spike in automotive searches.

Older drivers less open to Chinese cars: Two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over told Auto Trader in a recent study that they are concerned by data security and privacy risks related to Chinese products, including motors

Who is open to buying a Chinese-made car?

Last year saw a 14 per cent surge in sales of models from the four major Chinese makers now available in the UK: BYD, MG, Omoda and Ora.

These made up five per cent of all new cars bought in Britain last year, representing almost 100,000 motors entering the road.

A poll of out a poll of 3,985 adults earlier this year carried out by Auto Trader to gauge specifically asking their thoughts on Chinese cars found that two in five drivers today would consider purchasing a car built by a Chinese brand.

The most pro-Chinese buyers were the 17-to-34 age group, with 57 per cent attracted by factors including innovative technology and affordability compared to a quarter of over 55s.

Older drivers are generally a lot less accepting of the idea of driving a Chinese car: two fifths of motorists aged 55 and over are concerned by data security and privacy risks when buying Chinese products, with 43 per cent mistrusting the quality of goods.

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader's commercial director, said: 'Consumers' trust in the quality and safety of these new Chinese entrants remains mixed, particularly among older buyers.

'To succeed, Chinese brands will need to focus on reassuring consumers  through strong safety ratings, data security, expert reviews and customer service  that they are as good as the more trusted traditional manufacturers.'
An early investor in Tesla has called for Elon Musk to stand down amid fears his closeness to Donald Trump is harming the business.

With shares down 50 per cent since peaking three months ago, Ross Gerber said the electric car makers reputation has been destroyed by its divisive chief executive.

He suggested Musk has too much on with his work at the US presidents Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) and his jobs at Tesla, social media platform X, rocket company Space X and beyond.

I think Tesla needs a new CEO, Gerber told Sky News. Its time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long.

He added: There are too many important things Tesla is doing, so either Elon should come back and give up his other jobs, or he should focus on the government and keep doing what he is doing but find a suitable CEO of Tesla.

The investor, who is co-founder and boss of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, said Tesla is absolutely in crisis having seen its shares halve in value since mid-December.

Protests: With shares down 50% in three months, Tesla Investor Ross Gerber said the electric car makers reputation has been destroyed by its divisive billionaire chief exec

That has wiped 600billion off its value and 120billion off Musks fortune.

It has been hit by falling sales amid a backlash over Musks forays into politics in the US and Europe and stiff competition  particularly from China.

Musks job at Doge has attracted public anger over cuts to federal government staff.

The companys reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk, said Gerber.

Sales are plummeting, so yeah, its a crisis. You literally cant sell the best product in the marketplace because the CEO is so divisive.

Chinese rival BYD this week claimed a major breakthrough that could give it the edge over Tesla and other competitors.

The company said that it can fill its car batteries in lightning-fast speed, by charging from 10 per cent of capacity to 80 per cent in just five minutes.

That gives around 250 miles of range in the time it takes to fill up a tank with petrol.

Gerber was an early investor in Tesla, and his wealth management company owns about 80million of stock.
At the last Budget, Rachel Reeves said a cut in beer duty means a penny off a pint in the pub.

But drinkers are being warned that the flurry of other tax rises announced by the Chancellor mean prices are, in fact, going up.

Shepherd Neame, which dates back to 1698 and is Britains oldest brewer, said it is facing an extra 2.6million a year in costs due to a rise in National Insurance and the minimum wage next month.

The Kent-based company, whose beers include Spitfire, Bishops Finger and Whitstable Bay, said that it intended to mitigate the majority of these costs over the next 18 months through price increases and savings.

The additional costs imposed on our sector are most unwelcome, said chief executive Jonathan Neame.

The company, which runs 290 pubs, said revenue fell 4.5 per cent to 85m in the six months to late December, but profits rose nearly 10 per cent to 4.2million.
The London Metal Exchange (LME) has been fined nearly 10million for its role in chaos that engulfed global nickel markets three years ago.

The exchange, famous for its central ring where traders make deals in person, failed to ensure it could deal with severe market stress, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

When the price of nickel tripled in a few hours, in March 2022, LME cancelled billions of pounds worth of trades, triggering legal action from aggrieved investors.

Trading in nickel, used in electric car batteries and steel production, was then suspended for eight days.

The nickel pickle began after Russias invasion of Ukraine prompted fears over supply. Some investors were shorting nickel  betting that its price would fall.

One of the largest shorters was Tsingshan Holding Group, a Chinese nickel producer run by tycoon Xiang Guangda, known as Big Shot.

Fined: The London Metal Exchange is famous for its central ring where traders make deals in person

As the price rose, Tsingshan had to close its short position and buy into nickel, pushing the price even higher.

The exchange then cancelled several trades placed in the preceding hours, limiting the losses of both Tsingshan and Xiang.

But others in the market such as banks, commodity traders and hedge funds who stood to benefit from the price rise saw their profits wiped out.

While the courts have ruled the exchange acted lawfully, the FCA said LMEs actions undermined the orderliness of and confidence of the market and fined it 9.2million.

It said some junior staff on duty during its Asian trading hours of 1am to 7am London time, had not been trained to recognise the causes of the dysfunction.

The FCA also noted that LME staff took steps to accommodate the increasingly extreme price rises.

This included disabling price bands, automatic controls designed to serve as circuit breakers to stop prices rising and falling too quickly. The watchdog said this allowed the price of nickel contracts to rise much faster.

Steve Smart, the FCAs joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said: The LME should have been better prepared to address the serious risks posed by extreme volatility.

The watchdog acknowledged changes made by the LME, which dates back to 1877, since the scandal to strengthen controls, adding that the exchange accepted the findings and as a result received a 30 per cent discount on the fine.

Some critics alleged that LME, owned by a Hong Kong company backed by the Chinese state, may have been pressured by Beijing to protect Tsingshan.
An endometriosis sufferer has claimed a private surgeon unnecessarily took out her womb and left a plastic tube inside of her body in a botched 12,700 operation.

Cath Kendall, 36, has spent most days of the last three years depressed, bedbound and in agonising pain after the horror surgery caused blood clots the size of her hand to fall out of her body.

'In the end, the biggest regret of my life was ever letting them put me to sleep,' she told MailOnline.

The animal rights activist travelled three hours from her home in Coventry for the surgery just nine days after a 400 consultation with a specialist she says is seen as the 'best of the best' in his field.

During the 10 minute meeting he diagnosed her with having adenomyosis - a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus - from looking at a picture of a scan on her mobile phone.

He carried out an examination on the former carer with her fiance Jamie Hammond, 32, by her side by pressing down on her womb which caused her to scream out in pain before he allegedly declared: 'Yep, it's the womb that's causing the problem.'

He advised Ms Kendall to have a hysterectomy, an earthshattering announcement that left her 'heartbroken', but she hoped the surgery would rid her of the crippling pain she had suffered every month since the age of 15.

But her life has been hell since the bodged surgery as she has developed intestinal problems, her ovaries are adhered to her bowels and scar tissue is causing her organs to stick together.

Ms Kendall is now fundraising for further surgery to 'get her life back', a decision she says she did not take lightly.

Endometriosis sufferer Cath Kendall, 36, has claimed a private surgeon unnecessarily took out her womb and left a plastic tube inside of her body in a botched 12,700 operation

She has spent most days of the last three years depressed, bedbound and in agonising pain after the horror surgery caused blood clots the size of her hand to fall out of her body

The plastic tube that fell out of Ms Kendall's body ahead of further surgery which she says was left inside of her during her hysterectomy

She said she felt 'pressured' in to having the major life-changing operation after the specialist said he could 'squeeze' her in just over a week later on a day when he had four other people booked.

'From that examination I trusted what he was doing,' she said. 'He knows what he is doing he was the best of the best. He's told me "yes, it's the womb that is causing the problem". So if it's the womb that's causing the problem then we agreed with whatever needs doing.'

An anxious Ms Kendall said on the day of the operation there was a five hour delay for her keyhole surgery and everything felt 'stressed'.

'Then, when I got taken down, the lady was going "come on, come on, we've got to go", and she was running me down the hallway,' she said.

'She was like "have you got your socks on? Have you got them on? No, we've got to go now we've got to go now". It was horrible, really horrible.'

When she woke from her hysterectomy still heavily dosed with ketamine she was told to her horror that they had removed her womb despite finding that it looked 'healthy' and that they no longer believed she had adenomyosis.

A shocked Ms Kendall said: 'Why would you take someone's womb if it's fine? Why didn't we have this discussion before that if it's fine you're not going to take it?'

Ms Kendall, who has autism and sometimes struggles to consume water, claims hours later the surgeon berated her down the phone telling her to drink, that he had 'put my neck on the line for you', and ordered medics to not give her anymore IV fluids.

Ms Kendall pictured with her fiance Jamie Hammond, 32. The couple had hoped to wed this year but the pain she goes through on a daily basis means they have had to put those plans on hold

During a 10 minute consultation a specialist diagnosed her with having adenomyosis - a condition where the lining of the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus - from looking at a picture of a scan on her mobile phone which he then marked up (above)

Cath Kendall, pictured with Jamie (left), has spent most days of the last three years depressed

Within 24 hours a panicked Ms Kendall was struggling to breathe and was taken by ambulance to an NHS hospital

A tearful Ms Kendall described the toll it has taken on her life saying she has not been out pain since 'his surgery'

Around 13 hours after surgery Ms Kendall was 'kicked out' of the hospital in a wheelchair still 'high on drugs'

Mr Hammond said: 'I can't even tell you what he sounded like. He was so nasty.'

Around 13 hours after surgery Ms Kendall was 'kicked out' of the hospital in a wheelchair still 'high on drugs' with her pleas for 'another bag of fluids before she left' being rejected.

The NHS website states between a one and four day stay in hospital after a laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Ms Kendall claims her discharge notes, which she didn't receive when she left, detailed that she had eaten, and drunk fluids. She says this is not true.

'It was a very sad drive home and for me it was heartbreaking, she looked so frail and so unwell,' Mr Hammond said.

'I felt dirty to be honest with you. And I was thinking what have we done? I felt like something was up. It just felt really dirty and like we had done the wrong thing.'

Within 24 hours a panicked Ms Kendall was struggling to breathe and was taken by ambulance to an NHS hospital.

She was admitted to hospital for six days after doctors found a blood clot on her lungs and excess air in her stomach.

Ms Kendall hoped the surgery would rid her of the crippling pain she had suffered every month since the age of 15

The couple have since taken to Instagram to document their ordeal after 'almost three years of agony caused by someone who was meant to help me'

An anxious Ms Kendall said on the day of operation there was a five hour delay for her keyhole surgery and everything felt 'stressed'

At its worst she was passing blood clots the size of her hand which left her in tears and fearing she was going to die

A fortnight later Ms Kendall noticed she was bleeding which progressively got worse over the next month.

At its worst she was passing blood clots the size of her hand which left her in tears and fearing she was going to die.

'I genuinely thought I was going to die,' she said. 'I've had my womb removed I shouldn't be having these.

'It was like a constant. If I got up I could feel one coming out of me and then I would start crying and it was a cycle over the next few weeks.'

Frantic emails to her private surgeon were rebuffed and when he did finally agree to meet face-to-face again Ms Kendall said he spoke to her like she was a 'naughty schoolgirl'.

She said: 'I think that he really wanted rid of us at that point. And he thought, "I'm going through absolutely everything, so they don't have anything else to say or ask me".

'And he didn't really go through anything. He just shouted at us the whole time.'

She continued to send emails to the specialist detailing her agony and begging for help, but to her shock she received a response from his secretary saying she had been discharged.

To add insult to injury he also sent her a 2,000 bill, which Ms Kendall has refused to pay, on top of the 12,700 she had already paid.

Ms Kendall pictured recovering after her surgery. When she woke from her hysterectomy she was told to her horror while heavily dosed with ketamine that they had removed her womb despite finding that it looked 'healthy'

An NHS doctor carried out an ultrasound where he found a nodule at the top of her vagina and said she needed an emergency operation.

But when she went to take a urine sample a plastic tube came out of her body and fell into a pot leaving surgeons baffled who then immediately cancelled her surgery.

Six weeks after her hysterectomy Ms Kendall had to have further surgery to make sure nothing else was left inside her body and to remove an endometrioma - a fluid-filled cyst that forms on the ovary.

She described having to have another operation so soon as 'traumatising' and now has post-traumatic stress disorder.

Holding back tears, Ms Kendall said: 'I became severely depressed, like extremely depressed. I was suicidal.

'I would wake up every single morning crying. It was the worst time of my life.'

Now, her endometriosis has spread with her ovaries adhered to her bowels and extensive scar tissue sticking her organs together.

She is also suffering with upper intestinal and gastro issues, and the constant feeling of an 'air bubble' inside her stomach.

A tearful Ms Kendall described the toll it has taken on her life saying she has not been out of pain since 'his surgery'.

'Even like just doing my hair... By the time I've washed my hair and put my makeup on I'm knackered. I'm in too much pain,' she said.

'I want to get back into bed. So it's very rare that I actually do anything anymore. I'm in bed a lot of the time.'

The couple have since taken to Instagram to document their ordeal after 'almost three years of agony caused by someone who was meant to help me'.

They had hoped to wed this year but the pain Ms Kendall goes through on a daily basis means they have had to put those plans on hold.
Nigerian TikTokers are touting prison officer jobs as a quick and easy route to getting UK visas.

Prisons are recruiting foreign nationals in a desperate attempt to plug staff shortages in British jails, with 2,340 hired as wardens over the last three years, according to new figures obtained by MailOnline.

Prospective recruits are able to apply for these roles entirely online despite union leaders warning that some successful applicants are unsuitable or struggle with English.

While the Ministry of Justice declined to provide a breakdown of overseas applicants by nationality in response to a freedom of information request by MailOnline, the majority are thought to come from Nigeria.

One TikToker who advertises UK job opportunities to Nigerians said he knew someone who had been offered a prison officer job after applying 'just last weekend'.

Describing the application process, he continued: 'You put in the application, you do the online test, then they invite you for an interview...

'All you have to do is go on Google and type in prison officer job. What are you waiting for - apply!'

The influencer added in a comment: 'You don't even need experience or a masters degree for this!!'

TikToker king_kriyl suggested it was easy to apply to become a prison officer and get a Tier 2 visa, which are reserved for skilled workers

He said he knew someone who had passed the online assessment phase in just a week - and revealed this email to prove it

The prison service has been able to sponsor skilled worker visas for overseas workers since October 2023, while some are thought to have switched from other visa routes.

Ian Acheson, a former prison governor, said the fact prison officer jobs were being hawked on social media as a shortcut to getting a British visa was proof of how 'unattractive' the role had become.

'We need the best people to work in the wrecked front line of our prison system, not the only people who can be persuaded to join it as a means to an end,' he told MailOnline.

'Communication skills and cultural awareness is central to carrying out what used to be a vital vocational role.

'It is an extraordinary indictment of the mismanagement of a law enforcement agency that bosses are forced to seek people to work as prison officers who were not even born in this country. That is how unattractive the job has become.'

It follows warnings by union leaders that some new recruits are unsuitable or have little or no English.

They have been particularly critical of the policy of hiring officers over Zoom and called for the return of in-person interviews.

Mark Fairhurst, chairman of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), said in January that he knew of cases where overseas recruits 'struggle to, or simply cannot, speak English'.

Your browser does not support iframes.

He described the online application process as 'simply not fit for purpose' and warned that it could mean others sit tests for candidates to get them the job.

His words were echoed by the Prison Governors' Association's (PGA) Tom Wheatley, who said: 'The scale of the levels of people from African, particularly Nigerian, origin, who are applying for jobs in the prison service, at the moment they are in the majority by a significant margin.'

The recruitment of overseas staff had created 'communication problems' in some prisons and could cause division where there are disproportionate numbers of foreign prison staff in remote rural areas, he previously told The House magazine.

It meant, he added, that 'you create some other issues that are about changing the environment around the prison, and you also potentially create issues in your workforce'.

Warning of competence issues, he added: 'Some people are getting through the assessment, it appears, and then struggling significantly once they get into the operational role and they can't do what we think the assessment tested that they could.'

He said the demand appeared to have been fuelled by content on social media.

The POA has also warned that wardens recruited from overseas have turned up for work on their first day expecting to be handed living quarters with their job.

Mr Fairhurst told the Lords justice and home affairs committee: 'I am hearing some horror stories... about recruits from overseas turning up at the gate with suitcases and family in tow asking, 'Where's my accommodation?'

'We have had examples of overseas recruits sleeping in their cars.

'Apparently, a bunch of overseas recruits - because they have no accommodation - have set up camp in a wooded area opposite the prison where they are working.'

Unions have warned that prisons are employing guards with little or no English in a bid to fill places amid staffing shortages

Mr Fairhurst also said another officer who was recruited remotely was later found to have cerebral palsy - meaning they could not lock or unlock cell doors, restrain prisoners or conduct rub-down searches.

He told MailOnline today: 'As a union we value the commitment of our overseas recruits who provide essential skills within our prisons. It is unfortunate that HMPPS are setting up people to fail by not explaining the job offer to many new overseas recruits.

'Staff sleeping in cars because accommodation is not provided is an unacceptable position. The employer needs to do better to support people who do not understand the complexities of the role.'

Applicants need to have lived in the UK for at least three years to work in a Category A prison, but this requirement does not apply to other institutions.

There are currently 23,273 prison officers employed in prisons across England and Wales.

Nigerian citizens are currently the second largest recipients of general UK work visas, with 29,700 applying in 2023 - many for jobs in health and social care.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'All staff  regardless of nationality  undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards.'
Twisted teen gunman Nicholas Prosper trawled the internet for sickening images of mass murder and asked if gunshot wounds to the neck were 'lethal' and if 'sex with a corpse feels good' in the hours before he slaughtered his family.

The warped 19-year-old serial killer was on a bloodthirsty mission to commit the 'biggest massacre in the 21st century' after exploiting a terrifying loophole in gun laws to buy a shotgun and 100 cartridges.

School dropout Prosper launched his rampage on September 13 last year, blasting his mother, Juliana Falcon, 48, and siblings Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, in the head at their Luton home before setting off for the school intending to 'kill all'.

Consumed by a lust for extreme violence and harming children, he fantasised about shooting a classroom of 30 children aged four and five and their teachers, by bursting into the assembly at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School at 9am.

His disturbed ramblings were so depraved that he was kicked off a gore website  where millions of users share and comment on videos of people being killed  because of his warped stance on child abuse.

His content was uploaded under a pseudonym and featured his distinctive accent, althought the videos were deleted from YouTube in the wake of his appalling crimes.

Building up to the carnage, the wannabe school shooter searched the internet, asking 'do you die if shot in the neck?', 'how lethal are neck gunshots?' and 'man shoots woman in the head at close range' at 1pm the day before he gunned down his family.

He then stayed up all night poring over sickening images of mass murder and school shootings, arterial anatomy and head gunshots. The sordid loner even searched: 'Does sex with a corpse feel good', 'woman raped and killed', and hunted for details related to the rape and murder of Sarah Everard, a court heard.

He also looked up 'suicide by neckshot' and viewed images and videos of school shooters and massacres between 3.42am and 4.08am. He went on to shoot his mother and two siblings in the head little more than an hour later, at 5.50am.

His videos include a clip recorded hours before the massacre, believed to be filmed in his family's flat, in which he calmly and dispassionately said he would take violent revenge against his 13-year-old sister Giselle over her actions in a computer game.

Prosper said: 'On June 30, my sister decided to make the incorrect choices on episode one of season one of The Walking Dead games, and for that her face will be mutilated further than necessary.'

He said he was 'chosen' to protect a fictional character called Clementine in the zombie video game, in a sign he struggled to differentiate between the real world and make-believe.

The teenager spent so much time on the internet in his bedroom that neighbours had no idea he even existed  despite them being on friendly terms with his mother and siblings.

Yesterday, emotionless Prosper was jailed for life with a minimum term of 49 years at Luton Crown Court - but Justice Cheema-Grubb said he 'may be too dangerous to ever be realised.'

Teenage serial killer Nicholas Prosper menacingly poses with the plank of wood as though it is a firearm shortly before he went to use a shotgun to murder his family and try to kill 30 children

Left to right: Giselle Prosper, 13, Juliana Prosper, 48 and 16-year-old Kyle Prosper were all killed in their own home. Each suffered shotgun wounds to the face, while Kyle was also stabbed more than 100 times across his body before being shot

Att the time of the attack, school dropout Prosper was unemployed and his life seemed to revolve around going to the gym and spending time alone on his computers.

His online history showed that in August 2023, he started to contemplate a school shooting, Mr Cray told the court.

Between the end of June 2024 and the end of August, Prosper downloaded a total of 208 indecent images of children, of which 12 images and nine videos were of the most serious category.

On July 11, the wannabe school shooter searched the internet for reports on the bombing of the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena, zombie knives and 'when were psychosexual stages discovered'.

He also looked up details about when to apply for a child to start school and St Joseph's Primary School.

On August 3 he searched the internet for various mass killers and for the manifestos of far-right killer Norwegian Anders Breivik and for Christopher Dorner who killed five people in San Bernardino, California in 2013.

The court was told he had reached out directly to one of the victims who had lost a child in a mass shooting and sought to receive images of her murdered child by email.

On September 1, he made a large number of searches related to mass killings and school shootings, along with several searches related to bad things happening on Friday 13.

Prosper wanted to become a notorious school shooter, gunning down children at a nearby primary after slaughtering his family

Prosper, seen in the white shirt, was filmed on CCTV purchasing the shotgun he used to murder his family less than a day later

Over the next week there were more searches related to St Joseph's primary school and he even checked the advance weather forecast for Friday 13.

Today, as the loner faces being jailed for decades, it can be revealed Prosper was able to purchase a shotgun with ease simply by copying real certificates he found online.

He discovered that lethal weapons can be traded privately without any official checks if the buyer is able to produce a genuine-looking paper firearms certificate to the seller.

Under the current law, sellers have to notify police within seven days about the sale of a weapon.

But they don't have to check with police whether the buyer's firearms certificate is genuine before the purchase, creating a loophole whereby the new owner has a window to carry out an attack before anyone discovers the fake.

Prosper, now 19, downloaded a blank firearms certificate and used a website which allows you to amend pictures so he could create his own fake.

He was so proud of the forgery that when he was arrested, he couldn't resist bragging to officers: 'My name is Nicholas Prosper; you saw my fake shotgun certificate in my room in the 82 flat? Did you see the fake shotgun certificate I made?'

Prosper pictured in Luton Crown Court on Tuesday in an artist's impression

On August 30 last year Prosper contacted a gun owner on a trading website called Gun Star, offering him 600  150 over the 450 asking price  for the shotgun, claiming it was for clay pigeon shooting. Luton Crown Court was shown CCTV of the handover in a car park outside Prosper's home on September 12 where he produced the cash after inspecting the gun in a car boot.

Less than 24 hours later he would begin his shooting spree after staying up all night poring over sickening images of mass murder and school shootings.

Yesterday he smirked in the dock as the court heard how he later confessed in prison that he 'wanted to cause the biggest massacre in the 21st century', whispering to a horrified nurse: 'I wish I had killed more.'

Prosecutor Timothy Cray, KC, said on Tuesday: 'What drove him on most was the desire to be famous or infamous as a mass killer. This was killing for the sake of killing.

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'The killing of his family was to be the first step in an even more shocking mass killing.

'Specifically, he wanted to imitate and even surpass other mass killers around the world.'

Prosper was bent on killing more children than the Sandy Hook school shooting in Connecticut, US, in 2012, when 20 died.

He spent a year researching local schools, carrying out surveillance on St Joseph's, capturing images of staff and pupils, checking assembly and lesson times and sketching class layouts.

He carefully assembled a 'killing costume' and spent months poring over 'images and audios that showed deep alienation from normal life and interest in the darkest sides of humanity, including people being killed or seriously injured and violent video games'.

Police found a diagram of the early years' classroom at St Joseph's in which Prosper had written 'Kill all'.

The smirking wannabe school shooter was caught on camera after purchasing his shotgun

In a chilling foreshadowing of the horrors that were to come, Prosper, wearing his distinctive yellow bucket hat, filmed himself pretending a piece of wood was a shotgun

He had recorded videos of him practising the shooting with a piece of wood in his family kitchen and he uploaded a clip promising to shoot his sister an hour after the murders.

He claimed he planned to kill his family in their sleep before raping his sister, stating: 'Why so early? So I'd have time to cannibalise my family, and rape a woman at knife point before the shooting. 'Why? Because I could.'

But his mother woke up, forcing him to carry out his plan earlier than intended.

In a sign of his warped mentality, a few days after gunning down his family, Prosper told prison nurse Tatenda Muketiwa: 'I wish I had killed more.'

Yesterday Prosper's father Raymond said in a victim impact statement that 'part of my soul died' on the day of the killings.

'The pain of our loss will never be healed. This includes my whole family; our lives will never be the same,' Mr Prosper told the court on Tuesday.

'For me personally, when I heard the horrific news on that day, part of my soul died too.

'This is a lose-lose situation for us all and we have lost four family members.'

Nicholas Prosper admitted murdering his family members (pictured left to right) Kyle, Juliana and Giselle. He remained emotionless during the hearing in February

Prosper is seen in a court sketch, flanked by a prison guard during his sentencing hearing

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Mrs Justice Cheema Grubb while Prosper is in the dock at Luton Crown Court, Bedfordshire, on Tuesday

During their investigation, police uncovered Prosper's sickening obsession with death, with the evil teen having spent his time trawling the internet for chilling slaughter videos.

His disturbed ramblings online were so depraved that he was kicked off a gore website  where millions of users share and comment on videos of people being killed  because of his warped stance on child abuse.

The wannabe school shooter's content was uploaded under a pseudonym and featured his distinctive accent.

His videos have been deleted from YouTube in the wake of his appalling crimes, although the Mail has been able to view them.

They include a clip recorded hours before the massacre, believed to be filmed in his family's flat in Luton, in which Prosper vowed to mutilate the face of his sister 'further than necessary' for making an incorrect choice' in the Walking Dead game.

In the video, the 19-year-old also ranted that he was 'chosen' to protect a fictional character called Clementine in the zombie survival game, in a sign he struggled to differentiate between the real world and make-believe.

Prosper said he was 'chosen' to protect a fictional character called Clementine in zombie video game The Walking Dead, in a sign he struggled to differentiate between the real world and make-believe

Prosper peppered online forums with his repulsive ideas, many relating to children and including the sexual abuse of dead bodies.

His rants were so revolting he was banned from a gore website for repeatedly 'sexualising minors'.

One moderator told the Mail: 'There were multiple comments by him either in support of or arguing for child-adult sexual interactions that made it clear this was not in jest or a careless attempt to play devil's advocate.

'We do not know what sort of person Mr Prosper was, other than someone unwilling or incapable of following our site's rules and therefore someone we would not allow on our platform.'

In another video, Prosper sarcastically suggested that child sexual abuse was blamed for 'virtually every mental disorder and issue'.

Police were called to the high-rise block in Luton, following reports that shots had been fired

Apologising for his 'slurred' speech, the teenager said: 'Who knows, maybe in a few years we'll see Aids, rectal cancer, increased chance of stubbing your toe, every single problem you face in life is because you touched a winky [penis] when you were six.'

While caged in prison, awaiting his first court hearing, Prosper wrote out his murder plan and stashed it in his shoe. The chilling document was later found by a prison officer on November 13 - two months after the teen's rampage.

Part of the notes read: 'I was right in predicting no-one would've called the police had I killed them in their sleep. 3 shots under 30 seconds.

'The only known phone call to police that day was made by the b**** at the door as a result of my B**** mother waking them up and it being turned into a long struggle.

'My plan wasn't 'stupid'. I was f****** right. MY MOTHER IS A STUPID F****** COW.'

The notes continued: 'But why so early? So I'd have time to cannibalise my family, and rape a woman at knife point before the shooting.'

Pictured is the scene of Prosper's home where he gunned down and killed his family

Tributes were left outside the Leabank building after the triple killing in September last year

There was also a step-by-step guide to the planned school shooting, including Prosper leaving the flat at 8.40am on his mother's bike and arriving at the school for 9am.

The guide said he would 'shout that this is a robbery and for everyone to get down' before shooting the two teachers and killing the children.

Defending, David Bentley, KC, said Prosper was not a psychopath, but a 'socially impaired' teenager with 'autistic traits'.

He said: 'He is a young man who has gone down effectively an internet wormhole.'

Grinning, the killer rocked back and forth as his lawyer called his actions 'incomprehensible'.

Prosper admitted the murders at an earlier hearing, as well as possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life. He will be sentenced today.
It was news that every mother in her street had been dreading.

As Hitler's Panzers rolled across France towards Dunkirk in 1940, Alice Barber opened her local paper to read that her 20-year-old son Ron had been killed in action.

The article claimed a comrade had seen him fall.

At first, she was devastated, but then she refused to believe it, telling friends and family: 'I'd know it if he was gone.'

After two years of desperately waiting for news, she was vindicated. Ron Barber was alive and being held in a German POW camp.

She would not set eyes on him until the end of the war - when he was liberated by the advancing Americans and flown home.

Last week, the veteran celebrated his 105th birthday at his care home in Middlesbrough.

He also revealed to his shocked family even more details about what had happened to him during his brutal period of captivity.

Last week, Second World War veteran Ron Barber celebrated his 105th birthday. Above: Cutting his cake at his care home in Middlesbrough

The family say he had been ghosted between multiple German work camps so the Red Cross did not catch up with him until 1942.

Ron's name listed among the casualties in the local newspaper

While desperately waiting to be liberated, he and his fellow prisoners had been herded into a field near the camp and found themselves staring down the barrels of heavy machine guns.

Ron would recall years later: 'We had heavy machine guns trained on us. We were there all day.

'The rumour was that something was going on.

'But it must have fallen through because at night, all of a sudden, they just stacked up the machine guns and went.'

The terrified POWs never did find out what the Nazis had planned, but it could have been a terrible end to an ordeal which began in 1940.

Ron and his comrades were among the first British soldiers to be captured by the Nazis during the fighting around Dunkirk.

The eldest of four children, Ron was starting a career as a baker when he joined the 4th Battalion, The Green Howards, as a fresh-faced 19-year-old in May 1939.

Ron Barber (pictured right with comrades) was presumed dead after going missing in Dunkirk in 1940

The eldest of four children, Ron (pictured seated, far right) was starting a career as a baker when he joined the 4th Battalion, The Green Howards, as a fresh-faced 19-year-old in May 1939

He was in a field at RAF Catterick Camp when war was declared, with the 4th and 6th Green Howards among the first to be shipped to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

Ironically, as the Blitzkrieg raged, Ron and his comrades found themselves fighting in the same trenches that had been dug in the last war.

As the Germans closed in on Dunkirk, the Green Howards fought tooth and nail to hold them back from the beaches.

Ron said they were desperately ill equipped. The officers had no bullets in their revolvers and apart from rifles the soldiers had nothing more lethal in their packs than smoke bombs.

In July 1940, Ron's luck ran out and he was treated in a French church after shrapnel hit him in the back and head, denting his tin helmet.

He was put on an ambulance heading to Dunkirk but they could not make it through and he was returned to the church - where he was captured.

The Nazis marched him across Belgium to Germany and he was then interned in one brutal camp after another.

He said: 'When they marched us through Holland and Belgium, the women used to put buckets of water out so we could have a drink but the Germans used to kick them over.'

Ron celebrating with his family at his care home in Middlesbrough

'One morning, at the main gate, there was a big queue of POWs. Somebody had put a notice up saying "queue this side for Blighty"  so there was a great big queue waiting to go to Blighty!

'The Germans could never understand our mentality.'

Over the years, there were times of unimaginable hardship. But then one morning everything changed.

Ron recalled: 'We'd been marching  you just slept where you stopped  and one day, the Germans just disappeared.

'They were there one night and gone the next morning, so we all just walked to the next village.'

Ron with his great-grandson. In later life, he became a guiding light of the Combined Services Association

Once back in Britain, Ron initially returned to work in a bakery, where he was a foreman.

He then started a career in insurance, which he continued until retirement.

But he never forgot what happened to him. In later life, he became a guiding light of the Combined Services Association. He was treasurer and chairman before being elected president in 2004 aged 84.

He was also a familiar face at military parades and Remembrance Day services, where he carried the standard for the association until he retired aged 98.

On December 8, 2010, he received the Middlesbrough Mayor's Award from former mayor Ray Mallon and in 2015, he was named Middlesbrough Citizen of the Year.

A proud family man, he is a father, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather with two happy marriages  first to Margaret, who died in 1972, and then to the late Dorothy.
A former soldier sobbed while on trial for shooting his wife dead after her birthday party and claimed he'd only done so to escape the abuse she heaped on him.

Jordan Henning, 34, is facing trial for the June 2023 murder of his wife Ashley, 37, which was caught by the security cameras in their Kentucky home.

The former Fort Knox soldier sobbed last week as he claimed he suffered years of physical and mental abuse that included Ashley kicking him down the stairs and biting him.

Ashley, who was an Army Sergeant First Class, is also said to have grabbed Henning's testicles during sex and clutched Henning's penis moments before he shot her after the couple held a party to celebrate her birthday.

'I just broke, I dont know, next thing I remember, Im standing over top of her shooting, and I didnt know how it got to that point,' Henning told jurors.

Horrifying security camera footage played at a court in Louisville captured the killing, WAVE reported.

Henning, who denies murder, was seen walking down the stairs of their home behind Ashley and following her behind a living room wall, when a gunshot rang out.

Moments later he was seen reloading his handgun before shooting her again. Afterwards, he was filmed spitting on Ashley's corpse.

The couple's 13 year-old daughter was upstairs in bed at the time of the killing recovering from pink eye.

Jordan Henning sobbed in court last week as he denied murdering his wife Ashley, instead claiming she'd been killed after her alleged domestic abuse made him snap

Henning sobbed after being shown footage of himself shooting Ashley once after her 37th birthday, then reloading the gun and shooting her again

Nest doorbell cameras from inside the couple's home captured the sound of the first shooting and Henning reloading his gun before embarking on the second

Henning was angry, loud and aggressive on the Nest camera footage - a marked contrast to his contrite demeanor in court.

The Louisville court saw footage of the deadly shooting in the couple's Rineyville home. It shows an enraged

'I watched myself on that video,' Henning said. 'I dont know who that was.'

An expert psychologist hired by Henning claimed Ashley's alleged abuse incidents were like 'drops in a bucket.'

Dr Justin Anderson told the court that these, coupled with Henning's military background, created the 'perfect storm' that ended with Ashley being killed.

Henning was grilled by his attorney about why he'd reloaded the pistol and returned to shoot Ashley again after initially gunning her down.

His attorney said this could suggest the second shooting was thought out and showed Henning was in control of himself.

'No, I wasn't thinking at all,' Henning replied.

Prosecution witnesses cast Henning in a different light.

Ashley was an Army Sergeant First Class and was based at Fort Bragg. Friends dispute Henning's claims she abused him and painted him as paranoid and violent

Henning's former friend Jimmy Watts claimed the soldier was a paranoid prepper who had a list of 10 people he'd kill in the event of an apocalypse so he could steal their supplies.

Ashley's friend Janie Savat rubbished claims Henning shot his wife because of mental health issues.

She said Henning had previously joked about blaming PTSD if he ever ended up killing someone.

Closing arguments in the case are set to be heard Thursday.
The teenage star of Netflix hit Adolescence has overtaken Hollywood legend Robert De Niro in the race for an Emmy award, just days after they appeared on British TV together.

Owen Cooper, 15, has soared from nowhere a week ago to be a front-runner in the battle to be named Best Actor in a Limited Series according to Hollywood awards bible Gold Derby.

The Warrington teen was a 100/1 shot as recently as last weekend but as his performance as murderer Jamie Miller sends shockwaves around the showbiz world his odds have tumbled to 9/1 and are getting shorter by the hour.

Gold Derby is the leading LA publication tracking the performances and shows tipped for awards-season success. The Emmy nominations will be revealed on July 15.

First-time actor Cooper and Godfather star De Niro met for the first time last week on the One Show sofa as both promoted their projects.

Cooper was alongside Adolescence's co-writer Stephen Graham, who also plays his father in the show that has garnered extraordinary praise since hitting screens on Thursday.

The four-episode drama follows events surrounding Cooper's 13-year-old character being arrested and investigated for the stabbing to death a girl from his school. All episodes are filmed in one continuous take without edits.

One newspaper reviewer said Cooper's pitch-perfect performance in such a demanding role could be the best on-screen debut in more than 50 years.

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Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in Adolescence. Cooper, 15, has soared from nowhere a week ago to be a front-runner in the battle to be named Best Actor in a Limited Series according to Hollywood awards bible Gold Derby

Cooper with Robert De Niro on the One Show. De Niro was a long-time favourite to win the Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Emmy for his portrayal of former US President George Mullen in Netflix's Zero Day. But now Cooper's performance has ripped up the market.

Stephen Graham and Cooper in the hit Netflix series. Show creator and star Graham revealed he had compared the young star to the A-lister at his audition. He said: 'You see a rare talent like this once in a blue moon, yeah it's a talent of a generation.

And now industry experts agree as more people watch the show and awards talk swells.

De Niro was a long-time favourite to win the Best Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie Emmy for his portrayal of former US President George Mullen in Netflix's Zero Day.

In recent weeks he dropped behind new favourite Colin Farrell for The Penguin and Kevin Kline in Disclaimer.

But now Cooper's performance has ripped up the market. This morning he was fourth-favourite behind Farrell, Kline and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story star Cooper Koch - but was bearing down on Kline and Koch.

His rise knocked De Niro out of the Top 5, meaning he faces not being nominated.

It's a remarkable turnaround seeing as De Niro, 81, was asked to give the youngster life advice when they appeared on BBC One's The One Show.

De Niro told the young actor: 'Well, I think he's off to a good start, that's the main thing.

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'And just keep at it. Keep at it! Do...I mean he's there. Now it's common sense, what to do, what not to do.

'Try to stay out of trouble and all that stuff and you'll do well. You'll do well!'

Show creator and star Graham revealed he had compared the young star to the A-lister at his audition.

He said: 'You see a rare talent like this once in a blue moon, yeah it's a talent of a generation.

'And I came out of the [audition] room and said to his mum "He's the next Robert De Niro". I did.'

And the critics are equally blown away by young Owen, with The Standard's Martin Robinson hailing his performance the 'best debut since Jodie Foster', who appeared in Taxi Driver alongside De Niro aged 12 in 1976.

'His is a performance that may be the best debut ever seen by a child actor,' he wrote. '[Leo] DiCaprio was unbelievable in This Boys Life, but technically his first film was the schlock horror Critters 3.

'You may have to go back to Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver for anything comparable, for the sheer grit and believability of the performance from one so young.'

Another star who's scenes have been praised is Erin Doherty, who plays the psychiatrist opposite Owen in episode three. She is also rocketing up the Emmy odds as Best Supporting Actress. Today she is 12/1 sixth-favourite and rising.

Colin Farrell as the titular character of the Penguin. Farrell remains the favourite to win the Emmy

The Guardian's Lucy Mangan hailed Erin 'a woman who is surely emerging as one of the best actors of her generation.'

Adolescence, written by Stephen and Jack Thorne, was only released on Netflix on Thursday, but has already made waves and earned huge praise for its storyline and videography. The show was 5/1 second-favourite for the Emmy win behind just The Penguin.

Stephen Graham takes on the role of Eddie Miller, the dad of Cooper's Jamie, who is suspected of stabbing one of his classmates Katie (Emilia Holliday).

And the most startling feature of the show is that each episode is all shot in one take, which makes for a theatre-like experience for the viewer.

Critics have called the show 'flawless' and predicted it will sweep the next awards season, while others have been left stunned by the psychological mini-series - which has earned a 98% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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.

All episodes are available now on Netflix.
Vladimir Putin fears Britains nuclear deterrent, Keir Starmer said today - as he prepared to launch work on the Navys next generation of nuclear submarines.

Speaking ahead of talks today on a new coalition of the willing to keep the peace in Ukraine, the Prime Minister said Britains independent nuclear deterrent made it one of the key countries able to stand up to Russia.

Asked whether he believes Putin respects Britains nuclear arsenal, the PM told reporters: Yes, thats why the UK within Europe is one of the leading nations on defence and security because weve got our own independent deterrent and were committed to Nato.

He added: I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is they appreciate that it is what it is which is a credible capability. And that it most certainly is.

Sir Keir will travel to Barrow today to launch construction work on the new Dreadnought class submarines which will take over responsibility for Britains continuous at sea deterrence in the 2030s.

He will also reveal that the King is to honour the Cumbrian shipyard town for its vital national security work by allowing it to use the title Royal Port of Barrow.

Earlier this week he made a secret visit to the crew of one of the existing Vanguard submarines as it returned to Faslane after a record 204 days at sea.

This afternoon he will address a meeting of senior military chiefs from around 30 countries to plan the creation of a military force to deter further Russian aggression in Ukraine if a peace deal is struck.

Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey on board a nuclear-armed Vanguard class submarine this week as it returned to Faslane

Keir Starmer and John Healey are briefed on the operation of the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent

Keir Starmer says Russian tyrant 'respects' Britain's nuclear deterrent

Britain and France are the only two countries to have publicly committed to putting boots on the ground. But government sources said a significant number of others had privately indicated they are considering it, while other nations could provide different support such as logistics and backfilling.

Sir Keir suggested that the force could have to mobilise within months if Donald Trump succeeds in brokering a ceasefire and persuading Russia and Ukraine to stick to it.

The fact that weve moved to the military planning stage shows that this beyond the sort of speech you tend to get in a political arena to the more military side because I am conscious of the fact that things could move quite quickly.

There are a lot of moving parts obviously, but we need to be in a position to answer the question how are you going to defend the deal?

We have to understand Putins position, -that he doesnt respect a deal that doesnt have security arrangements around it. We know that because hes breached them.

Sir Keir said he had been moved by his visit to the Vanguard class submarine which would be responsible for firing the UK's Trident nuclear missiles if he was ever required to give the order.

The boat is thought to have made the longest deployment at sea on record, with the crew not seeing sunlight for more than six months and having no contact with their families.

The PM, the first to visit a boat returning from a nuclear patrol for 12 years, said: We do ask extraordinary commitment from those that are doing the nuclear deterrent front line work for us.

The Prime Minister is given a tour of the submarine which helps provide the UK's ultimate deterrent

Relief: Families prepare to greet loved ones after the crew's record deployment of 204 days at sea

Weathered: Nuclear submarine shows the effects of almost seven months in the ocean

Keir Starmer was briefed by the crew as Vanguard class nuclear sub returned to Faslane on Monday

As the Prime Minister, who writes the letters of last resort, to go and meet the team who are operating our nuclear deterrent is, for me, a real sense of duty.

He added: 'The crew themselves I was very struck by. They have been there a long time - no daylight. By and large they've been doing six-hour shifts for every one of those however days - it is literally six hours off, six hour on repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. I was really struck by what an incredible commitment that is

'All of them have got to be absolutely on their game because it's one of those situations where you're in an environment like that - below the water - you are totally reliant on the teams to do everything they need to do.'

Sir Keir said he was 'slightly surprised' to learn he was the first PM since David Cameron in 2013 to join one of the nuclear deterrent boats on its 'Day Zero' return to base.

And he paid tribute to the families of the crew.

'To have your loved one on board for a prolonged period of time when you literally cannot have any communication is really quite something.

'It was quite emotional for the families. It was a joyful day for them - the last hours of waiting before they were reunited. I would describe it as sort of bursting with love.... and also bursting with pride.

'There are little human things that get you - some of them were coming off as new fathers of babies they hadn't either seen or even known (about) but also some coming off to bereavements they did not know about. So a real mix of emotions.'
The idyllic scene of a stay-at-home mother cuddling her young sons, Vazul, Magor and Matyas, in front of a wood-burning stove in their thatched cottage, would delight Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

We found the Dani family with three boys living contentedly and without money worries next to a forest near the capital Budapest.

Their happy situation is mainly thanks to an audacious pioneering scheme in Hungary that has been designed to stop the population falling by boosting birthrates: the government has scrapped women's personal income tax if they have more babies.

'We are announcing a lifelong tax exemption for mothers of two, three or more children,' Mr Orban proclaimed last month. '2025 is the year of the breakthrough. There is nothing like this in the whole world! We will be a tax haven for millions of women who choose to make their family a career.'

The 'lifelong' aspect of this outstanding policy means even if the mothers go back to work after having children, they will never have to pay tax.

It is the latest raft of handouts available to women to increase birthrates. There is also a host of tax exemptions, grants and cheap loans. Hungary's move is being watched across the globe.

We found the Dani family - mother Ibolya and sons Vazul, Magor and Matyus - living contentedly and without money worries next to a forest near the capital Budapest

The country's population fell by nearly 10 per cent in 50 years to its current level of 9.9million. But the birth crisis here is far from unique  fewer children are being born globally, particularly in the richer Western nations.

According to a ground-breaking report in the Lancet medical journal last year, that means in the 'near future we face a staggering social change' and a 'reshaping of the world in which we live in today'. Yet no country has so far discovered a way to solve this so-called 'baby gap'.

The facts are simple. To keep a country's population stable, every woman must have 2.1 babies. This is called the fertility replacement rate, and anything less means there would not be enough fit and able humans to work, create wealth, pay personal taxes and support the elderly to keep a society functioning.

With falling birthrates, each generation will be smaller than the one before it. And no nation in history that has faced a collapsing population has ever turned the situation around.

By the end of the century, said the Lancet, there will only be six countries in the world  Samoa, Somalia, Tonga, Niger, Chad and Tajikistan  where the 2.1 replacement rate will be sustained.

In the UK, total birthrate is expected to fall from 1.49 in 2021 to 1.3 in 2100. The number of pupils in state schools is expected to drop by 50,000 in the next three years. Already some primary schools in London have been forced to close or merge because there are simply not enough children being born to fill the desks.

Even in the traditionally baby-making Catholic nations of Europe, it is the same sorry story.

Italian newspaper La Stampa has said 'for every child under six years old, there are already five elderly people,' and pointing out that this is unsustainable because 'three workers [are needed to] support every pensioner'.

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban encouraging bigger families on his 2023 Christmas card

The paper added a chilling prediction: Italy's worker pensioner ratio will, in a matter of years, fall to 1.1. At which point the welfare state 'will collapse' because not enough people will have been born to sustain it.

Hungary's birthrate was at a record low of 1.25 in 2010 when Mr Orban and his populist Fidesz party came to power.

He introduced initial policies of cash handouts, tax incentives, interest-free loans, subsidised nursery places and even free IVF treatment to encourage motherhood. Maternity leave was also extended to encourage women to stay at home while fathers went out to work (the men get just ten days off when their child is born).

At first the results looked startling. By 2021, the birthrate was up to 1.61. But the uptick dropped back to 1.5 last year.

'We need more Hungarian children,' Mr Orban repeatedly declares. He released a 'Merry Christmas' card in 2023 to the nation showing him cradling a baby and surrounded by the newborn's five adoring siblings.

So can his plan, laced with persuasive propaganda and lures, really crack the birthrate dilemma?

The Mail went to Hungary to talk to some women  including Ibolya at her cottage with her sons, aged ten, nine and four.

Seated in her living room, she told us: 'After my second son was born, I began thinking of a third. We did the sums and couldn't afford it. Then our dream came true because of the government's financial help. It meant I wouldn't have to work again.

We cross the road to a beach on the bank of the Danube to speak to Dora Nagy, 36, who has two-year-old identical twin girls

I could be a full-time mother, which is what I wanted.'

Ibolya, 33, is a talented musician who was born in Romania and moved to Budapest as an opera student in her early 20s. Her husband, ten years older, is a low-paid chef at a country club.

She told us: 'The family is the cement of society. I came home from school as a child and found my mother always there.

'She was the central point of my life. I want it to be the same for my boys.

'And most importantly, thanks to the government, we don't have to worry about money. We have already received some extra state benefits and a tax-free grant of 25,000 for having our family.

'Now I expect I will be rewarded more by Mr Orban.

'The tax-free grant meant we were able to buy a new car, and we bought a house.

'The state assistance means we can afford music lessons for our two eldest boys, who are talented at the cello and violin.

'They have a real chance of success in life.'

Ibolya loves being a mother. But not all women are prepared to take state money to be baby makers. In a playground at Veroce village, on the banks of the Danube an hour's drive from Budapest, we met Boglarka Gaspardy-Boros, 28, who worked as a dental assistant before marriage beckoned. She has three children, aged five, two and nine months.

She said many Hungarian women of her age don't want children, even though it could mean a lifelong exemption from tax.

'They want their careers, their lifestyle to stay the same. I am one of the few who have started a family.'

Then she adds: 'But it is for the family to decide on how many they have  not the state.

'What the state is offering is not enough to make me have another baby. My husband already does three jobs and a fourth child would be too expensive.'

We then cross the road to a beach on the bank of the Danube to speak to Dora Nagy, 36, whose two-year-old identical twin girls in pink are playing on a climbing frame. Her eldest girl, aged four, is at school in the next village along the river where they live.

She has lived in London, working at a restaurant where she met her Spanish husband.

'I went there to learn English, but I found no one spoke the language in the shops or streets  everyone was foreign,' she said.

'The price of a flat was expensive, and when Covid struck, in 2020, I decided we should return to Hungary.

'I was already pregnant with my first girl and I didn't really think about state help for being a mother.'

However, she was offered work in a friend's shop back in Hungary, which meant she had an official employment contract.

'That allowed me to get an interest-free loan from the government because I was expecting a baby, formally working and paying tax. We were able to get a flat and do it up when the twins came along.

'I won't rely on the state long-term, and wouldn't try for more children because of the Orban money on offer. I am retraining to be a money exchange trader so I can be independent and earn my own income for my family.'

But what of concerns about women's rights?

Dr Fanni Csernus, Amnesty International's gender studies expert in Hungary, recently sounded a warning: 'The government here is insisting a woman's primary duty is to give birth and raise children. It is forcing one section of society into a situation of constant dependency, which is very problematic.

'We are at a point where a woman's very existence and financial security depends on how many children she has.'

They are sentiments which Professor Eva Fodor, a Hungarian social scientist and gender studies expert, would likely applaud. Like many Left-leaning academics, she opposes the birth-boost plan.

At the Budapest campus of the Central European University of Vienna, Professor Fodor said the policy is only encouraging ethnic-Hungarian married mothers to have children  ignoring single parents, those unmarried and gay couples as well as those at the bottom of the social hierarchy, such as impoverished Roma families  of which Hungary has many.

As for a birth gap reversal, she says: 'No single policy has ever changed a falling population.

'My students, in their early 20s, say they don't want children. It's not trendy. They want to enjoy their own lives.

'I don't call the birthrate decline a problem. What's wrong with a falling population? People could migrate here to increase numbers, if that is issue.'

Echoing her views, the Lancet report controversially stated an 'obvious solution' to the birth gap is letting people from countries with a large young population to migrate to others  such as Hungary or Britain  which do not.

Natalie Bhattacharjee, one of the authors, predicted: 'Reliance on open immigration will become necessary to sustain economic growth.'

This has, of course, alarmed Right-wing political leaders in an increasingly populist Europe and America. Many have fought against lax borders while claiming, like Mr Orban, that more births in traditional families are the solution to the baby gap.

Into the heated Left vs Right fracas has stepped the Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X and the father of at least 13 children by various mothers.

In a social media conversation with Holland's populist leader Geert Wilders, the Dutch politician warned that his country risked losing Western values thanks to mass, uncontrolled immigration. 'Agreed,' replied Musk, currently Donald Trump's unofficial right-hand man. 'If your birthrate in Holland stays as low as it is, your nation will die by its own hand.'

Only last week, Musk warned of the 'catastrophic population collapse'. He posted a picture holding a sign saying 'Make More Babies' as one of his followers on X posted United Nations figures showing the declines in birth rates between 1950 and 2024.

An anonymous message soon appeared in response to Musk's alarm. It said specifically of Hungary: 'Orban's family policies have a dark secret: they aren't about raising birthrates but about raising white birthrates. Tax breaks and cheap loans are tailored to exclude poor Roma families, the very community that could help reverse the population decline.'

When we spoke to Hungarian Roma families, they complained about missing out on the baby boost benefits. Mr Orban's incentives to make women into mothers are tied to strict regulations concerning parents' previous employment and making regular tax returns  effectively ruling out the Roma, the newly arrived immigrants and others working in the economy.

An hour's drive away from the Danube, we visited a Roma village called Acsa with 200 residents. It is a place of shabby properties, where fierce-looking dogs barked at visitors and the ground underfoot was mostly mud.

When we knocked on the door of one house with a sunken, tiled roof, a 27-year-old mother-of-three Nema Georgina said she was aware of the handouts to encourage baby making. 'But, of course, we haven't been offered them in our community,' she said.

'I get 150 a month in universal state benefit given to all mothers. My husband works on the black market. He used to go to a construction site but that went by the wayside. Now he does odd jobs whenever he can.'

Her mother-in-law owns the dilapidated house, where ten people live, including Nema's family, some cousins, her sister and all their children. 'It has no heating,' she says, apart from its open fireplace. 'At night it can drop to minus 8 degrees inside. The young ones are often sick, my toddler has the flu. It is hard to nurse a child better when it's so cold.

'It's not fair my sister and I are not given the same money that is helping other Hungarian mothers.'

'Will you and your husband have more children,' I ask. 'No,' she says with certainty. 'The reason is obvious. We have no home of our own and struggle to feed the three kids. The government don't want Roma to have bigger families. We are not the right sort of people.'

As Hungary's radical attempts to increase its birthrate take root, the question is whether Britain  where the baby gap is causing increasing concern  will follow suit.

A recent survey by London University revealed 31 per cent of Gen Z Britons are not interested in having babies, many of them explaining they 'find children a nuisance' and 'want time for themselves'.

It is an ominous situation that worries Rupert Lowe, former Reform MP and champion of many on the Right, who said: 'Having a child is an incredibly difficult decision for young men and women now. The brutal truth is: we need Britons to have more children. We are dying out.'
The word yesterday from faraway Montecito, the super-rich enclave of California where Prince Harry lives in cosseted luxury, was that the Duke of Sussex was purring with satisfaction.

Attempts to prise open the secrets of his US visa application had apparently failed. The heavily redacted court documents that did emerge suggested that his immigration status should remain confidential because of fears he could be subjected to harassment.

No wonder a beaming Harry was spotted in the sunshine with reports suggesting a metaphorical weight had been lifted from the Kings 40-year-old son, who had faced accusations of concealing his past illegal drug use.

On the face of it the argument of privacy over disclosure seems to have won. For those who love a conspiracy there was precious little in the material that was published to indicate any subterfuge. But then, the six documents that were released contained page after page of blocked out type. Even the scant details that remained, such as at one point a fleeting mention of the rock star Sting, were infuriatingly vague.

An unredacted extract which referred to whether Prince Harry or Sting or anyone else you can think of who is prominent has a particular visa status made no sense because of what had been expunged.

I would, however, caution Harry from putting out the bunting yet.

If it is found that Harry has lied about his drug use and thus broken the law, he could face prosecution or  and this is the nightmare scenario  deportation

If we have learned anything over the last two years since The Heritage Foundation, a leading American think tank, raised Freedom of Information laws to ask how the Duke of Sussex was permitted to enter the United States after openly admitting using a variety of substances in the past (including cocaine, marijuana and magic mushrooms), it is the tenacity it has shown in getting to the truth.

And while we may not have learned very much from the files about whether Harry did  or did not  receive special favours when he emigrated to the US, the fact that campaigners secured access to any documents at all indicates that due process is taking place.

For the Prince, that represents a ticking timebomb. The simple fact is that The Heritage Foundation is not going away. It is a well-respected organisation with its own legal teams and, crucially, possessing contacts embedded in the Donald Trump White House.

It also believes that it will, ultimately, prevail.

What that means for Harry is, at best, considerable uncertainty. If it is found he has lied about his drug use and thus broken the law, he could face prosecution or  and this is the nightmare scenario  deportation.

This would not just be a personal disaster for Harry, who has not ruled out applying one day for US citizenship, but also a crisis for the Royal Family. Under US law, anyone applying for a visa to live and work in America has to tick a box to answer yes or no to the question: Are you or have you ever been a drug abuser or addict?

This unsavoury episode only arose because of the Princes candid admissions in Spare, his controversial memoir. He said he had first tried cocaine at 17.

It is these words that could prove central to whether he is allowed to remain in the US or is obliged to leave. At someones country house, during a shooting weekend, I was offered a line [of the drug] and Id done a few more since, he wrote.

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. I was a deeply unhappy 17-year-old boy willing to try anything that would alter the status quo.

Marijuana, he wrote, was better. That actually really did help me. He described smoking it at Eton in a tiny bathroom and giggling at the wicked excitement of it all.

In another passage he related how he had a delightful trip on psychedelic mushrooms at a party at the Los Angeles home of Friends star Courteney Cox.

After helping himself from a huge box of black diamond mushroom chocolates he went to the bathroom and hallucinated that a pedal bin was a head. I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth, he wrote. A huge open grin. I laughed.

To The Heritage Foundation it is not just his brazen admission of drug use that is key but the language he chose, which put a positive spin on this activity.

Harry, they argue, is a high-profile public figure who makes interventions of a political nature. For someone in his position to boast about his consumption of drugs in a bestselling book and the pleasure he derived from it represents an abuse of that position.

It is this which underpins the foundations case  its argument is that it is in the public interest to know how Harry answered the drug question on his visa application. It is entirely possible that he ticked the yes box, in which case he would have needed a waiver to be granted a visa to be admitted into the States.

If that is the case, campaigners want to know who granted that waiver and why. Their demand to know if Harry was treated differently seems not just reasonable but eminently sensible. The Heritage Foundations lawyers also argue that the Dukes answers raise important questions about the US governments integrity.

President Trump swept to power on the back of promises to tighten border control and, when it comes to immigration, the application of the rule of law. It is why the advocates demanding the authorities come clean about Harrys case are convinced that they will win.

While the legal battle to open up the relevant files continues, Washington insiders are optimistic that Mr Trump will eventually step in and simply release them under executive decree.

But would he make such an incendiary move having previously declared that he would not kick Harry out because, as he waspishly put it, hes got enough problems with his wife?

One reason why he might consider doing so is because of his anger at the Biden administration, which last year released his late mother-in-laws immigration records. That decision was said to have outraged his wife Melania, whose mother died in January last year.

At the same time, it can hardly have escaped the Presidents attention that Archewell, Harry and Meghans charitable foundation, donated almost 200,000 to ex-President Bidens daughter, Ashley, to fund her womens wellness centre.

Any one of these might be enough to trigger a provocative Donald Trump to act, if not out of spite, then out of revenge.

As The Heritage Foundations Nile Gardiner said of the files released by the US Department of Homeland Security on the orders of a federal judge this week: There is zero accountability and transparency in the heavily redacted documents, so much so that they offer no answers at all.

Even so, the unsealing of the documents may come to represent the beginning, not the end, of Harrys nightmare.
A business owner has lashed out at Australia's soaring cost of living, saying he has only two weeks left before he will be forced to declare bankruptcy.

The father-of-two, who runs a flooring business in Sydney, shared his desperation on TikTok as consumer spending dries up due to rising mortgages, rents and the cost of household goods.

'Welcome to Australia where you're ment (sic) to be broke,' the caption read.

The family man said the country had become 'an absolute joke' as he took aim at the rising prices for households, and high taxes and wages for businesses.

'You can't afford to rent anymore,' he said.

'The rent prices of the apartment that we were staying at was $450 a week - it jumped up to $780.

'You can't afford a mortgage - we ended up buying a house, right? You can't afford the mortgage because the (interest) rates are too high.'

The cash rate is currently at 4.1 per cent after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut it by 0.25 per cent in February.

It marks the lowest it has been since early November 2023, however ever-increasing real estate prices means the size of mortgages continue to rise, stripping people of disposable income.

Westpac released a new Home Ownership Report on Tuesday showing a third, or 30 per cent, of homeowners were considering refinancing.

The father-of-two said shopping for groceries was another financial burden.

'You can't afford shopping because Coles and Woolies dominate the market,' he said.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission launched an inquiry into the supermarkets in February 2024 as it investigates claims of price gouging.

Both supermarkets are accused of misleading consumers by temporarily hiking prices by at least 15 per cent before marginally reducing them so they can slap promotional discount stickers on them, even when there's no genuine reduction.

The ACCC claims Woolworths did this for 266 products in its Prices Dropped promotion over 20 months, while it alleges Coles did it for 245 products in its Down Down promotion across 15 months.

The findings are expected to be handed down on February 28 this year.

A business owner has lashed out at the rising cost-of-living claiming he only has two weeks left before he will be forced to declare bankruptcy

The father-of-two claimed he had been struggling to keep his business afloat due to the high taxes.

'Your taxes are absolutely insane - you're paying about 45 per cent on your business. It's not too much fun,' he said.

The business owner added he feared he could only make the mortgage repayments for the next one or two weeks before he would have to declare bankruptcy.

He said he had lost more than $3million since Covid.

'Thanks Aussie government, we're loving it,' he said.

In a follow-up video he explained he had lost all of his savings and superannuation during the pandemic.

'This is probably one of the last things that we have to hold onto is the house,' the father said.

He said that although he owned a home, he slept in his car most nights rather than return home so he could save money on fuel and road tolls.

Woolworths and Coles are accused of misleading consumers by temporarily hiking prices by at least 15 per cent before slapping them with promotional discount stickers at prices higher than before the hike (stock image)

He showed off his work van, which had blankets and a mattress along with his work tools.

'This is what I have to do as a business owner in Australia to try and give my kids a better life,' he said.

Many social media users sympathised with the father as they opened up on their struggles.

'It makes me want to cry when I think about the position I was in before Covid to the position I am in now. Can't even afford to rent a place on my own,' one wrote.

'I can't afford to go to the dentist,' a second added.
A devious Aussie mum brazenly showed off her indulgent and luxurious family holidays on Instagram which were paid for by money stolen from a needy charity.

Thief Angela Stathopoulos fronted a Melbourne court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to stealing more than half-a-million dollars from a charity which aided underprivileged kids and fed the homeless.

The court heard Stathopoulos 'acted like the charity's money was hers to spend' while she drained the Prahran Community Learning Centre dry.

Stathopoulos, 49, was the highly paid boss of the inner east charity which ran on an oily rag while she stole $531,111 between May 2011 and March 2022.

The greedy grifter, who was on a huge six-figure salary with a $20,000 annual fuel allowance, spent $155,274 on lavish trips including multiple first-class jaunts to the US.

In a callous knife to the ribs, Stathopoulos proudly displayed her ill-gotten holidays with a series of Instagram happy snap postcards.

The holiday snaps feature Stathopoulos and her husband and children living it up at premium locations including Disneyland, NYC, Universal Studios and Hawaii.

Stathopoulos, who appeared at court dressed down compared to her usual designer vintage and fur drip, also showed off the photos to hardworking and honest staff at the not-for-profit charity.

Angela Stathopoulos (pictured) appeared at court dressed down in an attempt to conceal her identity

The holiday snaps feature Stathopoulos and her children living it up at premium locations including Disneyland

Stathopoulos also spent big in the Big Apple NYC

The overt display was perpetrated while charity staff back in Melbourne struggled to make ends meet and crucial programs were being cancelled.

The court heard Stathopoulos, who sobbed while she blabbered out her guilty pleas at today's hearing, took 10 separate overseas holidays between August 2011 and May 2019 paid for by illegally obtained charity funds.

In a single breathtaking transaction, Stathopoulos dropped $29,040 on flights for a Melbourne to Los Angeles return via New York and Nashville trip for her and her family in 2015.

Stathopoulos spared no expense as she laid down for luxe accommodation including a seven-night stay at the Westin Hotel Times Square New York City and the Sheraton Music City Hall Nashville.

During another outrageous holiday, Stathopoulos burned almost $30,000 on a US trip where the jetsetters stayed at Disneyland Anaheim.

Stathopoulos and her family also visited LEGOLAND California and stayed at 5-star hotels at Beverly Hills, San Diego and the Grand Hyatt San Francisco in 2017.

Public transport during these overseas jaunt was not required as Stathopoulos blew cash on airport transfers, hire cars, premium rail tickets and other travel expenses.

Back home and Stathopoulos dropped more than $6000 on a Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus concerts, a Wizard of Oz stage show and WWE Live events.

Stathopoulos appeared at court dressed down compared to her usual designer vintage and fur drip

Stathopoulos and her family poolside at Hawaii

The remorseless Stathopoulos hid her thefts as 'legitimate business expenses' but the court heard it was estimated only 12-18 percent of funds were actually spent on the charity.

Stathopoulos, who today brandished a vintage PELLE di GIADA Croco Italian black patent purse, spent big on jewellery for her kids and school books, excursions and activities.

The grifter mum also paid top money for dancing lessons for her daughter, bought herself vintage designer clothes and accessories and coughed up for beauty and styling, personal fitness and Netflix.

Stathopoulos, who lives in a house in Murrumbeena in Melbourne's southeast estimated to be worth more than $1.7 million, also funnelled money onto 'untraceable' Load & Go cards and bought luxury accessories via PayPal.

The disgraced boss also burned $32,575 on unauthorised fuel cards despite having a $20,000 per year vehicle allowance as part of her employment contract.

Stathopoulos boasted about visiting Times Square NYC

An investigation was spearheaded by charity staff Shima Ubuki (left), Tara Blanchy (middle) and Maggie Burke (right

Stathopoulos unabated criminality took a huge hammer blow when a new board headed by Neil Pharaoh took over in 2020.

Mr Pharaoh initiated an investigation spearheaded by charity staff Maggie Burke, Tara Blanchy and Shima Ubuki.

The court heard the women worked tirelessly day and night digging up dirt on Stathopoulos who had been 'slow and resistant' during the investigation.

Stathopoulos also stifled attempts to end her reign with gaslighting, 'physical aggression' and even locking Ms Burke out of the centre.

In the end, a forensic accounting investigation was launched and Stathopoulos was stood down, sacked and then handed to police.

Stathopoulos scampers from court while her hunters watch her go in the background

Stathopoulos also visited China

The fraudster, who later worked as a teacher and a manger at a South Yarra vintage clothing store, eventually copped to her offending.

'I've always had a problem with this sort of thing,' she told investigators.

'Some people turn to alcohol and drugs but this is my problem.'

The court heard the charity, which has since changed it's name, suffered repercussions beyond financial loss including severe reputational damage.

The federal Government also withheld funds and Stonnington Council now defers any PCLC funding decisions to its lawyers.

Programs and classes were also disrupted and the charity is now 'viewed as a high-risk grant applicant'.

Ms Burke, who had to postpone urgent spinal surgery to investigate Stathopoulos, told the court the crook 'acted like the charity's money was her own'.

'(The money she stole) could've changed the lives of disadvantaged youths,' she said.

Ms Blanchy said she lost a lot of sleep over Stathopoulos' 'nefarious activities' and feared the fraudster's 'ill-gotten wealth' would buy her way out of jail.

Stathopoulos locked down her socials after her crimes were exposed in the media last year.

The formerly public posts obtained by the Daily Mail Australia before they went private depicted Stathopoulos poolside at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort Honolulu and Vegas hotel The Bellagio.

Stathopoulos used stolen money to pay for five-star accommodation in Hawaii

Stathopoulos also posted pics of herself at the 'VIP Ultimate Prince Experience'.

Stathopoulos also posted boasts about visiting pop star Prince's 'Paisley Park' residence multiple times and how the Universal Studios VIP Experience Tour was 'amazing'.

The mum of two also posted pics of her and the fam at a School of Rock show, the Melbourne Grand Prix and the 'VIP Ultimate Prince Experience'.

Stathopoulos also posed for media ops supporting charities including the Feed Melbourne Appeal during her time as charity boss.

Judge Gavan Meredith lashed the defence for causing today's hearing to be adjourned prematurely.

'I'm not happy about it,' he said.

Stathopoulos had her bail extended until sentencing on April 8 when she has been warned she will be thrown in jail.
Newly-unveiled files related to the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have revealed details of a Soviet KGB defector called 'the most valuable' turncoat the CIA ever had.

The release early Tuesday evening included 2,182 PDF documents totaling 63,400 pages on the National Archives website more than 60 years after the president was shot and killed in Dallas.

While there were few immediate bombshells found, one of the files with some intrigue pertain to Anatoliy Golitsyn, who used the code name 'Stone' and under the alias 'John Stone.'

CIA Counter-intelligence Director James Angleton and writer Sir John Hackett both termed Golitsyn 'the most valuable defector ever to reach the West.'

Among the files released include statements from Golitsyn's administrative assistant Donald Deneslya, who spoke about the work done by Golitsyn.

Newly unredacted pages show that Golitsyn was given a settlement of $200,000 by the CIA as well as protection.

Golitsyn wrote about his experience as a defector in two books released during and after the Cold War.

He was also provided a Virginia residence, located near the CIA's headquarters in Langley.

Deneslya was a CIA operative - which Golitsyn was aware of - working undercover as a Georgetown University student while he helped Golitsyn write one of his books.

While there were few immediate bombshells found, one of the files with some intrigue pertain to Anatoliy Golitsyn, who wrote about his experience as a defector in two books released during and after the Cold War

He said Golitsyn 'turned up traitors in many Western countries,' including Swedish and West German generals.

Golitsyn, who died in 2008, supplied information about several Soviet spies and revealed how deeply the KGB had infiltrated governments in France and other Western nations.

The files included typewritten reports and handwritten notes spanning decades, including details of a top CIA agent who claimed the deep state was responsible, Lee Harvey Oswald being a 'poor shot' and that Secret Service had been warned Kennedy would be killed in August, three months before the murder.

The rollout of the files stunned Trump's national security team, who spent 24 hours racing to assess security hazards ahead of publication.

When the files were released at around 7pm, it sparked widespread backlash, from liberals claiming it was just a repeat of a similar drop by Joe Biden years ago, to MAGA fans angered that the pages still contained redactions and left questions, leading experts to describe the files as 'impenetrable.'

Experts have warned as they sift through the information that they do not expect the release to overturn the long understanding of what happened or earth-shattering reveals.

The document batch did not include annotations, what agency documents originated from, how they were linked together or whether they were found more credible than others to the investigation.

Its publication represents the fulfillment of a campaign promise from Trump, who had threatened to get the files out dating back to his first term in office.

The release early Tuesday evening included 2,182 PDF documents totaling 63,400 pages on the National Archives website more than 60 years after the president was shot and killed in Dallas

Among the files released include statements from Golitsyn's administrative assistant Donald Deneslya, who spoke about the work done by Golitsyn, who used the code name 'Stone' and under the alias 'John Stone'

While Trump's team was working on getting the records out since the president returned to the White House in January, those plans were put into overdrive on Monday.

The president said during a media event at the Kennedy Center that the files were all going to be released on Tuesday.

National security analysts were scrambling to make sure there were no hazards in what they were about to publish with a supercharged deadline.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe had wanted to have everyone prepped on what was in the documents so that they wouldn't be caught off guard, the New York Times reports.

The National Security Council put together an emergency call to make everyone aware of what they still had to un-redact.

Many had worries that confidential information would be revealed about people who were still alive.

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, scoffed at the notion that anyone was left unaware that this was coming.

'President Trump made a promise to release all of the JFK. files  and he is delivering on that promise. Anyone surprised by this hasn't been paying attention or has been willfully ignorant.'

Historians speaking to the mainstream media have suggested there's not much new out there in the JFK files and what's been released is disorganized and will be hard to parse through regardless.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also claimed on X that Trump was 'ushering in a new era of maximum transparency' and that the files were being released 'with no redactions.'

The files on JFK weren't the only ones released, as documents pertaining to the assassinations of both Kennedy's brother Robert and Dr. Martin Luther King.

Leading up to its release, Trump said it would be 'interesting' and the White House said Americans would be 'shocked' by revelations.

'People have been waiting for decades for this,' Trump said on Monday. 'We have a tremendous amount of paper. You've got a lot of reading.'

Trump was for releasing the JFK files during his first term in office but thousands remained under seal.

During his 2024 campaign he vowed to make them public as part of his overall effort to increase government transparency.

He signed an executive order in January to declassify the remaining files.
Anthony Albanese's government is declaring Australia will not buckle to pressure from US drug companies to scrap Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidies, even with the threat of new tariffs.

Despite pressure from 'Big Pharma', Labor has announced a $25 cap on PBS-subsidised prescription medicine, down from the existing $31.60, should it get re-elected.

Health Minister Mark Butler made the announcement on Thursday after American drug companies wrote to Donald Trump's trade boss, complaining that Australia's PBS was 'an egregious and discriminatory program which cuts prices and blocks American exporters'.

But Mr Butler said the Australian government would not give in to the threat of the US imposing reciprocal tariffs on Australian pharmaceutical exports.

'It should be of no surprise, of course, that Big Pharma from the US want to sell their medicines at top dollar,' he told Sky News on Wednesday.

'We want to make medicines cheaper. Of course there's an inherent tension there.'

Australia does not impose tariffs on American drug imports but PBS subsidies prevent US companies from being able to sell their products here at prices set in a free market.

The US pharmaceutical giants regard so-called non-tariff barriers as a breach of international trade rules that diminish the return they can make on money invested in developing medicines.

Anthony Albanese 's government is declaring Australia won't buckle to pressure from the United States and review its Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to avoid getting slapped with new tariffs

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which counts drug giants Pfizer as a member, has written to US trade representative Jamieson Greer complaining about countries with pharmaceutical subsidies, including Australia.

'Egregious and discriminatory pricing policies in several markets including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Korea undervalue American innovation, threaten billions of dollars in lost sales and undermine American competitiveness, jobs and exports,' the lobby group said.

The group also accused Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee of undermining the earnings of American drug companies by forcing them to charge lower wholesale prices to chemists.

'PBAC conducts biased health technology assessments that compare innovative medicines to the lowest-cost comparator,' the submission says, adding that this punishes the US companies.

With an election looming, both major parties are committed to a $25 cap on prescription medicines.

The last Budget in May 2024 included a $3billion program to freeze Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme co-payments for patients and a five-year freeze for pensioners and Commonwealth concession cardholders, that came into effect on January 1.

The American government raised Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in 2004 during negotiations over the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement to eliminate tariff barriers, when George W. Bush was president and John Howard was prime minister.

'This was also a fight back 20 years ago when the US Free Trade Agreement was being negotiated,' Mr Butler said.

Health Minister Mark Butler made the announcement on Thursday after American drug companies wrote to Donald Trump 's key trade advisor, complaining that Australia's PBS was 'an egregious and discriminatory program which cuts prices and blocks American exporters'

'Back then, Big Pharma tried to get some sort of pressure on our PBS.

'The Labor Party fought that particularly hard in the Parliament and forced John Howard to put through some laws that really strengthened the defence of the PBS, and I can tell your viewers the Labor Party will do that again.'

As recently as Sunday, Trade Minister Don Farrell was confident the Trump administration would not raise the PBS issue even if the pharmaceutical sector is pushing it to do so.

'It simply is speculation. That's all it is. I've not heard one comment from any person in the United States that refers to the PBS,' he told Sky News.

This was two days after a former Liberal trade minister Simon Birmingham told Daily Mail Australia the PBS was likely to be a sore point as Australia tried to negotiate exemptions from upcoming US tariffs on Australian pharmaceutical exports.

'American pharmaceutical companies have long argued they see the PBS as having unfair rules that are overly generous when it comes to things such as generic drugs,' he said.

'And in doing so limit the ability of those companies to be able to fulfill the full economic potential of their investment in new drugs.

'I would be surprised if US companies weren't using the PBS as a point of leverage in their dialogue with the Trump Administration.'

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which counts drug giants Pfizer as a member, has written to US trade representative Jamieson Greer complaining about countries with pharmaceutical subsidies, including Australia (pictured is a federal government advertisement)

Mr Butler was still hopeful Australia could secure an exemption on pharmaceutical tariffs, despite having failed to negotiate an exemption to the 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium.

'We hope they will. We're making the case for that, as we have for the last few months, on other areas as well,' he said.

Pharmaceuticals were Australia's third biggest export to the US in 2024, with the $2.1billion worth of goods sent there making up 8.6 per cent of goods sold to Americans.

'We sell about $2 billion of pharmaceuticals to the US. They sell about $3.5 billion to Australia,' Mr Butler said.

'It's obviously in their interests as well to continue tariff free or free trade in pharmaceuticals as it is in so many other areas.'

Only meat and gold were more lucrative Australian exports to the US, an AMP analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed.

The Trump Administration, unlike 2018, has granted Australia no exemptions from tariffs despite having a trade surplus with Australia dating back to 1952, where Australia bought more from them than they bought from us.

'It's not just pharmaceuticals that are potentially on the table for further tariffs as we understand it,' Mr Butler said.

'We're working day and night to make the case to the US Administration.

'It's not in their interests, let alone ours, to start to put tariffs on areas of the economy that have been tariff free for at least 20 years now.

'They have a good trade surplus with Australia, it should be in their interest to maintain the existing arrangements.'
A married high-flying barrister who forced an aspiring lawyer to have 'unwanted' sexual activity with him on the first day of her work experience has been disbarred.

Navjot 'Jo' Sidhu KC, 59, initiated sexual activity with the young paralegal in her 20s, named only as Person 2, who was doing a 'mini-pupillage' work experience with him with a view to becoming a barrister in 2018, a seven-day tribunal in December heard.

The incident involved contact with her bare skin and sexual touching either over or under clothing, according to a panel at the Bar Tribunal & Adjudication Service, which found three charges of professional misconduct proven against Mr Sidhu.

The panel concluded that his invitation was of a sexual nature and one which he knew or should have known was inappropriate and unwanted. In a sanctions hearing on Wednesday, the panel announced the decision to disbar Mr Sidhu.

The December tribunal was told that the married father-of-two Mr Sidhu invited Person 2 back to his hotel room to work on a case and asked her to join him in bed despite her repeated insistence that she wanted to leave or stay on the sofa.

Person 2 told the tribunal that she had not responded to his advances after she lay on the bed, when he began to kiss her as well as touching her genitals and breast.

'I touched his private parts at some point - I was not enthusiastic about it. I did not want the sexual activity,' she said, giving evidence remotely and from behind a screen.

Fiona Horlick, KC, for the Bar Standards Board, told the tribunal the way the encounter unfolded amounted to 'induc(ing) reluctant consent' and that the woman had been coaxed into 'unwanted sex'.

Navjot 'Jo' Sidhu KC (pictured), 59, initiated sexual activity with the young paralegal in her 20s, named only as Person 2, who was doing a 'mini-pupillage' work experience with him with a view to becoming a barrister in 2018, a seven-day tribunal in December heard

The incident involved contact with her bare skin and sexual touching either over or under clothing, according to a panel at the Bar Tribunal & Adjudication Service, which found three charges of professional misconduct proven against Mr Sidhu (pictured during a rally in 2022)

Person 2 added that Mr Sidhu, who is the former chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, was 'a senior' in the profession who 'holds a lot out in terms of your careers'.

At a sanctions hearing on Wednesday, BTAS panel chairwoman Janet Waddicor said the majority decision of the panel was that Mr Sidhu - who appeared over a video link for the hearing - should be disbarred.

The sanction applied to two of the three charges, with no separate penalty for the remaining charge, which was said to overlap with one of the others.

On the extent to which Mr Sidhu acted in breach of a position of trust and authority, Ms Waddicor said: 'He did. He was mentoring her, she was a mini-pupil and he was a senior barrister.

'There was a significant disparity in seniority and experience between the two of them.

'She was in her mid-20s and he was in his 50s. He was a senior silk and she had not had any experience of the Bar before. The disparity could not have been more striking.'

Lawyers for Mr Sidhu had argued that the tribunal case should be heard behind closed doors, but in a majority ruling the five-strong panel rejected that and found him guilty of on December 9, 2024, of three charges by a tribunal in London.

Another seven charges regarding the same woman - Person 2, who was doing work experience with the KC - and another younger woman were thrown out. Neither of the women has been named.

Mr Sidhu did not deny having relationships with the women but he maintained that they were consensual and that the claims should be dismissed because they related to his private life and not his professional role

Mr Sidhu, who is married with two adult daughters and lives in west London, had originally faced 28 charges, but his lawyers successfully applied to have 18 dismissed at earlier hearings and he was found guilty of three of the remaining ten charges.

According to The Times, the tribunal ruled unanimously that Mr Sidhu should not have asked the woman to his hotel room, with the chairman finding that the 'invitation was entirely of a sexual nature and entirely inappropriate in all the circumstances'.

It also found Mr Sidhu guilty of professional misconduct for changing out of his day clothes and into his pyjamas, insisting that she slept in his bed, for putting pillows between them as a barrier and engaging in sexual activity.

At the hearing before the Bar's disciplinary tribunal, it was alleged that on two occasions within a fortnight in November and December 2018, Mr Sidhu, who was described as 'attractive and charismatic', separately invited both women back to his hotel room.

The other woman, named as Person 3, was a student that was allegedly invited by Mr Sidhu to his hotel room after she contacted him on LinkedIn to ask for professional advice.

He is said to have touched her knee at the hotel in December 2018 - but nothing further transpired until he texted her years later to make clear he wanted to have sex with her, offering to meet her at her student accomodation in London.

After a 'significant break' the pair began exchanging sexually explicit messages. These were not shown in court, but Ms Horlick KC, for the BSB, said members of the public would be 'horrified' by the exchanges.

Mr Sidhu did not deny having relationships with the women but he maintained that they were consensual and that the claims should be dismissed because they related to his private life and not his professional role.

He led thousands of barristers on strike during a bitter feud with the Johnson Tory government over legal aid rates; the action led to his successor, Liz Truss, granting a 12 per cent pay rise for thousands of barristers

During closing arguments at the tribunal, a lawyer for Mr Sidhu told the tribunal that he was not a 'monster' or a 'predator', adding that he had not sought them out aggressively or forced them to do anything against their will.

Mr Sidhu voluntarily gave up his certificate to practise and has not practised at the bar for 17 months. No reason was given as to why.

Mr Sidhu, who hails from Southall in west London, wrote he 'never wanted to be a barrister' in a column for Counsel magazine in 2023, in which he extolled the virtues of equality and diversity.

He led thousands of barristers on strike during a bitter feud with the Johnson Tory government over legal aid rates; the action led to his successor, Liz Truss, granting a 12 per cent pay rise for thousands of barristers.

'I have tried to remain faithful to my favourite motto, "we rise by lifting others", by mentoring scores of aspiring barristers, speaking at university campuses across the country to encourage students to consider a career at the Bar, and supervising pupils in chambers,' he wrote in the column.

He was state-educated at Villiers High School and studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford; he then worked as a researcher at the BBC before being called to the Bar in 1993, taking silk 19 years later.

Mr Sidhu served as president of the Society of Asian Lawyers for four years and ran to become director of public prosecutions - the top CPS job once held by Sir Keir Starmer - twice.

He latterly moved to No5 Barristers' Chambers - but left and removed himself from the Bar Standards Board's register, taking him out of practice.
Cancer screenings are being missed and crimes misrecorded because official statistics are 'corrupted' by extreme gender ideology, a review warned last night.

A government-commissioned report found that biological sex had been erased from official data in the police, NHS and even the military.

Fuelled by activism from within, official bodies have replaced sex with 'gender identity', putting patients and the public at risk, the independent review found. The merging of sex and gender had become 'widespread' in records over the past decade, it warned.

Women's rights campaigners called on the Government to act on Wednesday.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, said: 'The problems are everywhere, from NHS records that do not record biological sex to police forces that record male sex offenders as women.

'These corrupted data standards have been set by bureaucrats insulated from the impact of their decisions, and competing for Stonewall awards.

'The Government should swiftly implement the recommendations of the review.'

The review by Professor Alice Sullivan, from University College London, found that from 2015, public bodies began collecting information on gender identity rather than biological sex, meaning 'robust and accurate data' was lost.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, said: 'The problems are everywhere, from NHS records that do not record biological sex to police forces that record male sex offenders as women'

Cancer screenings are being missed and crimes misrecorded because official statistics are 'corrupted' by extreme gender ideology, a review warned last night (stock image)

It said a 'partisan climate' existed within public bodies  including the Office for National Statistics  that has created a 'hostile environment' for those who believe in biological sex.

Professor Sullivan's report calls for the statistics regulator to urgently carry out a 'review of activism and impartiality within the civil service' in relation to official figures.

The 226-page review was commissioned under Rishi Sunak to examine the collection of accurate data and statistics on biological sex. It concludes that there has been a 'widespread loss of data on sex' which poses a risk to the public, with this risk particularly high in health and social care settings and among children.

Across the NHS, 'gender identity is consistently prioritised over or replaces sex... putting individuals at risk,' Professor Sullivan found.

It undermines medical research and poses the risk that people are not called up for sex-specific checks, such as cervical cancers screenings or prostate exams, potentially with 'fatal consequences'.

It also presents a safeguarding risk to children because under the current rules there is no minimum age at which a child's sex and NHS number can be changed, the Sullivan Review adds.

It gives a real example of a child who was 'brought up in the preferred gender of the mother which was different to their birth-assigned gender'.

It adds: 'She had gone to the GP and requested a change of gender/NHS number when the baby was a few weeks old and the GP had complied. Children's Social Care did not perceive this as a child protection issue.'

The review by Professor Alice Sullivan (pictured), from University College London, found that from 2015, public bodies began collecting information on gender identity rather than biological sex, meaning 'robust and accurate data' was lost

Professor Sullivan also found that the recording of sex and gender across the justice system and police forces is 'highly inconsistent', meaning data is often not reliable, particularly when it comes to female offending, and specifically in cases where biological male rapists who identify as trans women have been recorded as female.

Guidance notes for officers reviewed by the professor found that it is 'quite possible' that if somebody who has been arrested has legally changed their gender and not informed police, they 'could be released or otherwise dealt with before any link to their previous offending history is known'.

Several Ministry of Defence surveys are said to collect information on only gender identity, including a Royal Navy sexual harassment questionnaire that did not collect data on sex 'despite its obvious relevance to the subject matter', instead asking if service personnel identify as male, female, or non-binary.

It is understood the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has shared the recommendations with other government departments for consideration.

A Whitehall spokesman said: 'This government is clear that the collection of accurate and relevant data is vital in research and the operation of effective public services, particularly when it comes to sex.'
China cracks down on fake, inferior agricultural supplies to protect farmers' interests

Xinhua) 09:09, March 20, 2025

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- As the spring farming season approaches, China's public security authorities will launch a crackdown on the manufacturing and sale of fake or substandard agricultural supplies to protect farmers' interests, according to the Ministry of Public Security on Wednesday.

The plowing season usually sees peak demand for agricultural supplies, which include seeds, fertilizer, pesticide and farming equipment.

The ministry requires authorities at all levels to deal a targeted blow to sources of fake or inferior agricultural supplies, such as unlicensed workshops or companies that engage in such offenses, and crack down on illegal online sales.

The protection of intellectual property rights in the seed industry should be strengthened, the ministry said.

In 2024, public security organs nationwide investigated and handled more than 500 criminal cases involving fake or substandard agricultural supplies, which effectively ensured grain production and security, it said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A top Australian university has come under fire for the second time in a week over its 'woke' requirements to pass a law class.

Macquarie University students studying Age and the Law under course organiser Holly Doel-Mackaway spoke out this week after being asked to perform a heartfelt Welcome to Country and a 'privilege walk' to pass the module.

In an exercise intended to teach law students about social and economic power, class participants were randomly assigned personalities ranging from 'poor children with diseases to CEOs of large companies', as reported by The Australian.

The students were asked to step forward when they felt a statement - for example, 'I eat three meals a day' - applied to their character.

Those who were assigned 'privileged positions' managed to cross the classroom while the 'oppressed people stayed behind'.

'We were then made to feel bad for having these positions. The convener told those of us with jobs or positions of power that we had achieved our positions by "stepping on the shoulders of others",' the anonymous student said.

The same class also taught students that childhood is a 'social construct' and 'children should not be viewed as mini humans with mini human rights, rather they should be equal to adults'.

The student claimed Age and the Law 'is not the only subject at Macquarie that has been completely hijacked by this mentality'.

Macquarie University (pictured) students have slammed a class, Age and the Law, for forcing a 'political ideology' onto students

Course convenor Holly Doel-Mackaway (pictured) required students to participate in a 'privilege walk' and perform a Welcome to Country

'They just seem very detached from real-world examples and more just on this political ideology that we have to agree with or we don't get good marks,' they said.

'Unfortunately, at Macquarie, I feel pressured to express an opinion that I don't truly believe in because I am afraid of the consequences of saying otherwise.'

It comes after The Australian reported Age and the Law attendees could fail an exam if they didn't begin it with a heartfelt Welcome to Country.

The requirement is part of Macquarie University's 'law reform campaign' oral exam, which counts for 30 per cent of the final mark in the course.

The exam rules said a student would fail if they didn't present an Acknowledgement or Welcome to Country or 'did so in a way that was inappropriate or did not comply with the instructions', The Australian reported.

To get a high distinction mark, a student's Acknowledgement of Country would be 'a brief, thoughtful, exceptionally well-written, culturally respectful acknowledgement of country or welcome to country at the beginning of the presentation'.

Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price slammed the exam as 'indoctrination'.

Senator Nampijinpa Price said 'mandating that students participate in what is arguably a reinvention of culture in order to attain a tertiary qualification is an indictment on our education system'.

An anonymous student said of the Age and the Law teachers: 'They just seem very detached from real-world examples and more just on this political ideology'

The NT senator added that it showed universities were 'more interested in indoctrination than genuine education'.

'The whole concept of welcome to country is a reinvention of culture,' Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

'The fact that it is being imposed upon university students in their education institutions, especially when it's being implanted into courses that actually don't have anything to do with Indigenous culture or history or anything like that; this is pure indoctrination. It's not education.'

Indigenous businessman Warren Mundine said what Macquarie University is doing is 'indoctrination'.

Mr Mundine, who spearheaded the No campaign in the failed Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, said he was 'flabbergasted' by the requirements.

'What has that got to do with the actual course?' he said.

In a statement Macquarie University said: 'An Acknowledgment of, or Welcome to Country is a requirement of this assessment because it is relevant both to this specific task and to the overall learning outcomes of the unit, Age and the Law.

'This unit addresses Indigenous young people and their relationship with the legal system in Australia.'

The spokesperson added that 'Age and the Law comprises three assessments.

'This is the only assessment in this unit that requires an Acknowledgment of, or Welcome to country,' they said.

'An Acknowledgment of, or Welcome to country is not a requirement of all assessment tasks at the university, nor is this a requirement of all assessment within the Macquarie Law School.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Macquarie University and Ms Doel-Mackaway.
The nurse who was knocked unconscious when Casualty actress Amanda Mealing ploughed into his car while high on cocaine said he considers himself lucky to be alive.

Mealing, 57, was said to have been dealing with the traumatic deaths of her father, her best friend and her dog when she took the Class A drug the night before the smash.

He car drifted across the road and crashed into an oncoming Skoda being driven by nurse Mark Le Sage, who was seriously injured and had to give up his career as a result.

The accident happened at 10.14am on January 26 last year, just yards away from her front door in Deeping St Nicholas, Lincolnshire.

Last night Mr Le Sage, 58, said he was thankful to have not been injured more seriously after the smash as he drove his 1.6ton Skoda Kodiaq  the firm's largest SUV.

The councillor told the Mail: 'I was very lucky I was in such a substantial car, I very nearly took my motorbike out that day.'

He said he rounded a bend to see Mealing's Mini on the wrong side of the road. 'I just came around the corner and "bang" it was right in front of me and she hit the front corner of my car', he said.

The father-of-three and grandfather-of-five said he was knocked unconscious by the impact and 'came around to find the car was filled with smoke'.

Mark Le Sage was seriously injured in the smash and had to give up his career as a result

Magistrates heard Amanda Mealing drifted across a road before colliding with Mark Le Sage's vehicle as he was on his way to work

Prosecutor Marie Stace told the court Mealing suffered a cut to the head, a broken wrist and a broken clavicle in the January 2024 smash (pictured)

'My right foot was trapped under the pedal but I thought the car was on fire and I was just desperate to get out. I think the adrenalin kicked in and I was able to free myself. The driver's side of the car was bashed but I got out myself out of the passenger side and fell into the road.

'I now know that the smoke was caused by the airbags going off but I didn't know that at the time. I'm very lucky. The fire brigade told me afterwards that If I was in a smaller vehicle it might've been a different story.'

Incredibly, once free from the wreckage, Mr Le Sage's thoughts turned to helping the woman who had caused the crash.

'I looked over and saw she had blood running down the left side of her face', Mr Le Sage added.

'Luckly, there was an off-duty fire fighter following my car and he had pulled over to give her first aid. I think my nursing instincts kicked in  I went over to see her. She was still sat in her car. I had to make sure she was OK.'

Mr Le Sage said he was breathalysed at the scene, while police also checked his phone to make sure he hadn't been using it before the collision. He was assessed by paramedics and advised to attend hospital, but the ambulance that had been allocated to him was diverted to another emergency so he was asked to make his own way to accident and emergency to be checked over.

The actress has appeared in the hit film Four Weddings and a Funeral as well as directing episodes of Casualty, Waterloo Road and Coronation Street

Mealing was taken to hospital by another ambulance, while an air ambulance had also attended, he said.

The councillor's compassion extended to the court case, where he told prosecutor Marie Stace on Friday that he did not wish to see Mealing jailed over the collision.

Mr Le Sage said: 'The prosecutor then relayed that to the court. She has children as well and she will have suffered like I have. I did not think it was appropriate for her to be jailed.'

He added: 'They said at court that she was an actress but they didn't go into it (her career).'

The accident left Mr Le Sage unable to continue in his role as a theatre nurse because he had developed a tremor which left him struggling to fill syringes.

He can also no longer stand on his feet all day, or cope with the colder temperatures of the operating theatre which are designed to aide infection control.

But he has been able to change his role to that of a community mental health nurse and says he is 'just glad it's all over now' and grateful for the support of his family and girlfriend Emma Watson, who runs her own marketing business.

Mealing admitted driving with cocaine in her system and driving without due care and attention and was banned from driving for 28 months, reduced to 22 months as she had already served a six month interim ban.

Mealing left Casualty in March 2021 after seven years

Mealing whose brother died of a drugs overdose when he was aged 18 was also fined 485, and ordered to pay 400 costs and a surcharge of 194. She offered to pay at a rate of 100 a month, which was accepted by the court.

Her solicitor Lloyd Edwards detailed the pressures she was under at the time of the accident, saying: 'Unfortunately it came at a terrible moment in her life.

'She tells me she was undergoing divorce proceedings from her husband, which was extremely upsetting.

'Within a short space of time her father had died, she had to put her dog down and her best friend had died. So all of these events occurred. It was deeply, deeply upsetting.

'She is, however, a lady who has significant health problems. She suffers from blood cancer, so she's not working at the present time.'

Mealing admitted driving with cocaine in her system at a previous court hearing in Lincoln last September, but had denied driving without due car and attention before changing her plea.

The actress, who has also appeared in the hit film Four Weddings and a Funeral as well as directing episodes of Casualty, Waterloo Road and Coronation Street, had 18mcg of cocaine in her blood, the legal limit being 10mcg.

She also had in excess of 240mcg of benzoylecgonine (the chemical that cocaine leaves after being metabolised by the body)  almost five times over the legal limit of 50mcg.

Prosecutor Marie Stace said Mr Le Sage, who is also a district councillor, remembered 'an explosion and his car began to spin' after Mealing's Mini Cooper smashed into his Skoda on the A1175 at Hop Pole, near Stamford in Lincolnshire.

She added: 'He started to panic, the car was full of smoke and he couldn't get out because his foot was stuck under the pedal.

'He did get out and was assessed by a paramedic who said he needed to go to hospital.

'There was a witness following the Mini, who said he assumed there was something in the road because it went onto the other side of the carriageway.'
Disturbing letters from Hong Kong have turned up in Melbourne mailboxes offering a $200,000 bounty on an Australian citizen's head.

The letters circulated last week included a photo of Kevin Yam and labelled him a 'wanted person'.

Mr Yam worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong for 20 years and advocated democracy in the now Chinese territory, before returning to Australia in 2022.

'Kevin is wanted on suspicion of a range of national security-related offences,' the letters said.

'A reward of one million Hong Kong dollars ($200,000) is being offered by the Hong Kong police to any member of the public who can provide information on this wanted person and the related crime or take him to Hong Kong or Australia Metropolitan Police.'

Mr Yam, now a PhD candidate at Melbourne Law School, said the letters were nothing short of a 'call for me to be kidnapped' by Chinese authorities.

'Given the letters about me contained official Hong Kong police contact details, my conclusion is these were acts either of the Chinese or Hong Kong authorities, or parties that operate with their explicit or tacit approval,' he wrote in a piece for the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday

Former Hong Kong politician Ted Hui was also targeted in a campaign where pamphlets were sent to Adelaide mosques representing him as a pro-Israel lawyer who wanted to 'wage war' against Islamic terrorism.

'Kevin is wanted on suspicion of a range of national security-related offences,' the letters said

The letters circulated in Melbourne last week concerned Kevin Yam, who worked as a lawyer in Hong Kong for 20 years

Mr Yam said both the Australian government and the Opposition had 'reacted strongly' against both pamphlets, which was 'reassuring for me and for Hui, as they show that threats against us are being taken seriously'.

'The bringing of threats to Australian shores demonstrates China's disregard for Australia's legal sovereignty.

'They are even closer to home than the Chinese navy's recent into Australia's exclusive economic zone.'

Mr Yam was referring to live firing exercises by Chinese warships beneath an area of busy commercial airspace in the Tasman Sea.

'As much as Australia might seek to shower China with love, China has shown that it will not reciprocate,' he added.

'Instead, it continues to act like an authoritarian bully that will disregard Australia's sovereignty, democracy, and social cohesion for as long as the Chinese Communist Party remains in power.'

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said this week she had raised the issue of both pamphlets with Chinese and Hong Kong officials.

'We are a sovereign nation,' Ms Wong said.

Mr Yam is now a PhD candidate at Melbourne Law School

'We do not accept any one of our citizens or on our shores, people being bullied or harassed or threatened by a foreign power.

'We expect our democracy and our citizens to be able to operate free from such interference, that kind of pressure or threats.'

Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson called both campaigns 'completely unacceptable and illegal'.

In a statement to the ABC, the Hong Kong government insisted it would not send anonymous letters.
Pull out the straitjackets and prepare the rubber rooms, because the Democrats are losing their minds.

Indeed, it's time to classify a new mental health condition, one closely related to Trump Derangement Syndrome, call it Musk Induced Madness.

But all joking aside  this is deadly serious because the hysteria driving the critics of the President and Elon Musk is disturbing and dangerous.

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of debating this topic with former Biden White House official Neera Tanden over on CNN. When given the opportunity to unequivocally denounce recent violence and vandalism directed at Musk's company Telsa, Tanden deflected and dissembled.

'Anyone who commits violence against Tesla or Congress or anyone else should be put in jail 1,000 percent, but that should not stifle dissent or opposition to Elon Musk,' she said.

Of course, Tanden points to the January 6 riots  a shameful day that I have condemned at every chance  because she would rather debate a strawman than face facts.

The truth of the matter is that mobs are not descending on Capitol Hill any longer - they're targeting Telsa. And Tanden won't clearly condemn it.

In cities across the country, Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations have been vandalized, firebombed, shot at and otherwise attacked.

On Tuesday, I had the pleasure of debating the topic with former Biden White House official Neera Tanden over on CNN (pictured). When given the opportunity to denounce recent violence and vandalism direct at Musk's company Telsa, Tanden deflected and dissembled.

In cities across the country, Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations have been vandalized, firebombed, shot at and otherwise attacked. (Pictured: A burned Tesla vehicle seen on March 18, in Las Vegas).

On Wednesday, a website - that I will not name - reportedly published the personal information of Tesla owners and an interactive map that uses an image of a Molotov cocktail as a cursor.

President Trump has labeled the violence as domestic terrorism and I couldn't agree more. But flip on your TV sets and you'll hear America's leading liberals reveling in the mayhem.

Take Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the hapless buffoon who recently ran for vice president on Kamala Harris's 2024 'Joy' campaign.

'I'm not a vindictive person or anything, but I take great pleasure in the fact that [Musk's] life is going to get very, very difficult,' he admitted during a town hall event on Tuesday.

There's a word for taking pleasure in another person's pain: sadism.

During Tim's rant, he pulled out his iPhone to reveal that he has belatedly added a stock widget to his home screen so he can watch Tesla's recent declining stock values - he said it gives him 'a little boost.'

(For the record, while Telsa stock has fallen in recent weeks, it is still trading above its price just five months ago and is worth more than General Motors.)

On one hand, it is amusing to see Walz following the markets at all. During the 2024 campaign, he bragged about owning no stocks, bonds, or home and took pride in being one of the most financially illiterate candidates to run for national public office in US history.

President Trump has labeled the violence as domestic terrorism and I couldn't agree more. (Pictured: A burned Tesla Cybertruck at a Tesla lot in Seattle on March 10).

Now he pines for the ruination of an American company that employs a reported 121,000 workers. These are the people that Walz and other Democrats claim to fight for.

As Fox News's Bill Melugin observed, as of June 2024, the Minnesota State Board of Investment  which manages state-wide retirement systems  held 1.6 million Telsa shares.

Walz is literally rooting against his own constituents.

And what about Telsa's contribution toward addressing global warming?

Musk's Tesla is the first commercially-viable electric car company  and it has done more than any other carmaker in the world to remove carbon-emitting vehicles from our roads.

You'd think that Walz - a man who claims to care about the environment - would support such a company.

Far worse than Walz's hypocrisy is the fact he is justifying a manic anti-Telsa frenzy.

On Tuesday, late night 'comedian' Jimmy Kimmel cheered Tesla's recent stock drop (as his leftist audience applauded wildly). Then he stared into the camera and said  with all the sarcasm he could muster  'Please don't vandalize don't ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,' pausing dramatically to make sure you got the joke.

To me, his message was clear, ABC's Kimmel endorses the criminal destruction of Telsa cars.

Kimmel stared into the camera and said  with all the sarcasm he could muster  'Please don't vandalize don't ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,' pausing dramatically to make sure you got the joke.

For sure, the Left has condoned destruction when it suited them in the past  whether it was justifying the violence of the George Floyd riots, or harassing Trump officials in public, or censoring speech on social media. And just as they smeared Trump as a dictator and a Nazi  claiming he would cancel all future elections if he won and that he would tear up the US Constitution  Elon now faces the wrath of Leftists who don't consider the consequences of their rhetoric.

'People are legitimately upset,' said Tanden on CNN.

Perhaps, but there's nothing 'legitimate' about domestic terrorism.

If Democrats can't summon the courage to say that then they have no business calling themselves patriots.
Never-before-seen pictures of 'Deadpool Killer' Wade Wilson reveal he has had a dramatic transformation behind bars as he languishes on death row.

The 30-year-old slaughtered two Florida women during an hours-long crime spree in October 2019 in Cape Coral.

Dubbed the 'Deadpool Killer' as he shares a name with the Marvel character, Wilson was sentenced to death for killing Kristine Melton, 35, and Diane Ruiz, 43, simply 'for the sake of killing.'

He amassed a loyal and swooning fanbase among women who even wrote desperate letters to the judge in his case pleading for his freedom.

But jailhouse photos recently released to blogger Melissa Jade under a Freedom of Information request show Wilson's appearance has shockingly changed during his time behind bars.

A trove of photos taken from the killer's Lee County jail approved tablet show Wilson is missing teeth and has gained weight in custody.

The pictures were taken on his tablet, which snaps a picture every time it is accessed to ensure it is only being used by the inmate approved to use it.

In one of the photos, Wilson's jaw appears to be out of alignment as he displays his missing and cracked teeth.

Wilson amassed a loyal and swooning fanbase among women who even wrote desperate letters to the judge in his case pleading for his freedom

Never-before-seen pictures of 'Deadpool Killer' Wade Wilson reveal he has had a dramatic transformation behind bars as he languishes on death row

Wilson strangled Kristine Melton to death inside her home in Cape Coral, Florida after meeting her at a live music bar

And in another he wears what appears to be a bandage around his head, with a white bandana in a separate photo.

The pictures, which were taken between 2023 and late 2024, show Wilson in a disheveled state and from unflattering angles, documenting a range of hairstyles, from a shaved head to longer curly locks.

DailyMail.com can reveal Wilson is currently being held in 'disciplinary confinement' inside Union Correctional Institution after he was transferred from Lee County.

As per his disciplinary confinement, he's currently not eligible for regular guests or visitation rights.

It is understood he's received at least 10 violations behind bars.

His appearance is a far cry from the slick look he displayed in court which initially attracted so many women, despite the gruesome crimes he was on trial for.

Wilson's crime spree began on the afternoon of October 6, 2019, when he met Melton at a live music bar and went home with her.

Wilson strangled her to death inside her home in Cape Coral the next day, where her body was found.

Jailhouse photos recently released under a Freedom of Information request show Wilson's appearance has dramatically changed during his time behind bars

A trove of photos taken from the killer's Lee County jail approved tablet show Wilson is missing teeth and has gained weight in custody

Wilson ran Diane Ruiz over 'until she looked like spaghetti.' Her body was found three days later in a field behind a Sam's Club

The killer was arrested on October 8 2019

The same day, Ruiz was reported missing after she was seen being asked for directions by Wilson while on her walk to work.

He was driving a car he stole from Melton's home after he murdered her, which Ruiz got into before she was also strangled to death.

In testimony from Wilson's father, it was said that he went on to 'run her over until she looked like spaghetti.' Ruiz's body was found three days later in a field behind a Sam's Club.

Wilson was also convicted of a number of charges, including the battery of his ex-girlfriend Melissa Montanez, 41, the burglary and theft of two homes, and the grand theft auto of Melton's car.

Wilson added a number of tattoos since he was arrested, and his face includes several Swastika's, menacing Joker-like mouth tattoos, and a neck tattoo reading: 'Bred for war.'

A woman asked the judge to 'impose a lighter sentence that reflects the possibility of recovery and rehabilitation' (pictured: Wilson in court on June 3)

Wilson told his father gory details of how he killed the two women, including how he choked Melton after she fell asleep.

And yet, that never deterred the host of women who wanted to see the good in Wilson because of his appearance.

One woman from Canada told the judge she's noticed that Wilson looks 'healthier' in prison.

'If you look past his tattoos to his face structure since being in prison and medicated he is healthier, his face is fuller compared to his booking picture where his face is gaunt, pale and he looks unhealthy,' the mother-of-two said.

A woman also asked the judge to 'impose a lighter sentence that reflects the possibility of recovery and rehabilitation.'
A never-before-seen picture of Bryan Kohberger taken just hours after he allegedly murdered four college students will form part of the prosecution's case against him.

The extraordinary picture shows Kohberger smirking and offering a 'thumbs up' to the camera.

The selfie appears to have been taken in a bathroom, with a shower as the backdrop.

Kohberger wears earphones and a collared long sleeve shirt buttoned to the top in the eerie picture.

The prosecution is expected to show jurors the picture as they argue that one of the surviving housemates recalls seeing a person 'with bushy eyebrows' in her home on the night of the murders, according to NewsNation's Brian Entin.

Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were all found fatally stabbed in their off-campus student home in Moscow, Idaho in November 2022.

Kohberger, a criminology PhD student, was arrested six weeks later and accused of the slayings. He denies involvement in the crime.

Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen recalled amasked intruder leaving the student house moments after the brutal murders are believed to have taken place.

The extraordinary picture shows Kohberger smirking and offering a 'thumbs up' to the camera

From left: Dylan Mortensen, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders), Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Bethany Funke

The defining characteristic she recalls was the man's 'bushy eyebrows.'

Last month, the accused mass killer's defense made a string of requests asking the judge to block certain words and phrases from his trial - including 'bushy eyebrows.'

Mortensen, whose bedroom was on the second floor, came face-to-face with a masked man in the immediate aftermath of the murders, according to court documents.

She told investigators that she had been woken by noises in the home at around 4am that morning and had heard a voice say theres someone here.'

She also heard what sounded like whimpering coming from Kernodle's room and a mans voice saying: Its ok, Im going to help you.

Mortensen told investigators she had opened her door and peeked outside three times.

The third time, she said she saw a man with 'bushy eyebrows' and dressed in black walk past her door and head towards the sliding back doors of the home.

Between 4.22am and 4.24am on the morning of November 13, 2022, Mortensen and the other surviving housemate Bethany Funke exchanged 17 frantic text messages fearing someone was in their house.

Ethan Chapin was staying at his girlfriend Xana Kernodle's (together on left) home on the night of the murders. Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen (together on right) were found stabbed to death in the same bed

Between 4.22am and 4.24am on the morning of November 13, 2022, survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke exchanged 17 frantic text messages fearing someone was in their house

'I'm not kidding o [sic] am so freaked out,' one of the messages read.

Over three separate messages, Funke responded 'come to my room. Run. Down here.'

Soon after seeing the intruder, Mortensen went downstairs to Funkes room and the two roommates fell asleep there, according to the newly-filed court documents.

The text messages offer an insight into the state's case against Kohberger and the chilling fear that ran through the survivors on the night four of their friends were tragically killed.

'Kaylee. What's going on,' Mortensen wrote in a text message to Gonclaves. She didn't hear back.

She sent another text to Funke which read 'no one is answering', followed moments later by another: 'I'm rlly confused rn.'

Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen together. Mogen had DNA from three individuals under her nails

Funke replied, asking: 'Ya dude wtf... Xana was wearing all black.'

Mortensen responded confessing she was 'freaking out' before clarifying that she had seen someone wearing 'like a ski mask almost.'

Kohberger has so far offered up a vague alibi for the night of the murders claiming he was driving around at night looking at the stars.

No witnesses can corroborate where he was, his attorney Anne Taylor admitted in a court filing.

As well as the DNA found on the knife sheath, prosecutors say Kohberger was also tied to the murders through his white Elantra - matching the car seen leaving the crime scene at the time of the murders - and cellphone records placing him in the vicinity of the home.
A homeowner has been left baffled by an 'alien-like' object found floating in her pool.

The Sydneysider shared a photo of the object online, explaining their home in South Turramurra backed onto the Lane Cove National Park on the city's North Shore.

Many locals quickly recognised the strange object.

The 'fleshy teeth' and scales were clear signs the object was a tail that had formerly been attached to a southern leaf-tailed gecko.

When the reptiles are attacked or feel threatened, the gecko sheds its tail as a defence mechanism.

The tail continues to twitch, distracting the predator while the gecko escapes.

Many Aussies were shocked by the find.

'Ew. Where is that wombat girl when she's needed?' one joked.

The item was identified as the discarded tail of a southern leaf-tailed gecko

When the reptiles are attacked or feel threatened, the gecko sheds its tail as a natural defence mechanism. The tail continues to twitch, distracting the predator as the gecko escapes

'Looks like a mutated Golden Gaytime,' another said.

'I thought it had teeth,' a third wrote.

'I've never seen anything like this...' a fourth said.

'I saw the white bits and immediately thought some random seeding pod on a tree I've never seen,' one said.

But other users recognised the familiar object.

'There's a gecko with a good story out there somewhere,' one said.

'Those little white bits are separated muscle tissues that are specially evolved for dropping the tail,' another added.

The geckos are local to the Sydney basin but have been sighted in surrounding areas.

The home where the tail (pictured) was found backs onto the Lane Cove National Park

Southern leaf-tailed geckos live in urban areas with sandstone heath.

Their brown-grey mottled pattern resembles surrounding habitat.

They can grow up to 15cm long.

Other types of lizards, including skinks, use the same survival mechanisms for attacks from birds and other animals.
Furious locals have forced a convicted sex offender to flee their small town under police escort after learning about his dark past.

Damien Bell, 53, was chased out of Port Pirie, 220km north of Adelaide, after locals found out he was recently released from jail for possessing child exploitation material.

Under the cover of darkness on Monday night, officers ushered Bell into a police van as residents yelled for him to be kicked out.

Footage captured the dramatic moment with neighbours seen standing on the street and yelling at him, happy to see the back of the cop car.

The 53-year-old offender had been living close to a primary school, and the area is known to be popular with families and young children.

He did not breach his parole conditions and is not accused of any wrongdoing, but was taken from the community for his own safety.

Port Pirie has a population of around 14,000 and it did not take long for locals to get wind of Bell's disturbing history.

In the days leading up to his eviction, Port Pirie residents shared his information online - including a car he was often seen in.

Bell (pictured) was living just metres from a primary school in Port Pirie

A group of officers (pictured) help Bell safely move from the town after locals learnt of his history as a child sex offender

Bell uses his online social media platforms, like Facebook, to preach about Jesus.

One of his key topics is forgiveness.

'For those who don't know, he died for us, for our sins,' Bell said in one clip.

However, Port Pirie locals said they weren't willing to overlook Bell's criminal history.

Several said Bell shouldn't have been allowed to live in such close proximity to a school given his past of child sex abuse.

However, the parole board noted Bell did not commit any offences that physically involved contacting or approaching children, 7News reported.

One requirement of his release does prevent him from loitering near schools.

Port Pirie residents labelled his actions 'completely disgusting'.

SA Police confirmed officers attended a 'disturbance' at a home on Jensen Street (pictured)

'We should've been notified about it and he shouldn't be so close to a school,' local Josh Radcliffe said.

Another local, Paul Oaklands, said: 'We're asking for a town that is predator-free. That's all we want, somewhere for our children and our grandkids as well.

'It's still an offence, it does not matter where it's online, physical ... any crime committed against a child is unacceptable by the community.'

The online reaction to Bell's forceful removal was largely positive.

'Well done to all involved. These people commit crimes that destroy their victims lives. The victim gets a life sentence, so should the offender,' one wrote.

'Now that's a community united. Congratulations to all of you, we're all behind you on this,' another said.

'Good on them! Shouldnt be anywhere around families or a school!' another wrote.

'It's stories like this that make me proud and ashamed all at the same time to be from Port Pirie,' another added.

A SA Police spokesman confirmed officers were called to a home following a 'disturbance'.

'Police were called to Jensen Street, Risdon Park on Monday 17 March by reports of a disturbance between a group of local residents,' he said.

'The group dispersed after patrols arrived. There were no reports or arrests made.'

Bell's mother confirmed he is no longer living in Port Pirie.
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To report an inaccuracy, please email corrections@mailonline.co.uk. To make a formal complaint under IPSO rules please go to www.mailonline.co.uk/readerseditor where you will find an easy-to-use complaints form. You can also write to Readers Editor, MailOnline, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or contact IPSO directly at ipso.co.uk
Labour's welfare crackdown will be 'all pain, no gain' because it delivers 'no significant savings', a report warned yesterday.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall triggered a Labour backlash this week with plans for welfare reforms designed to save the taxpayer 5billion.

Ms Kendall told MPs that the measures were needed to put Britain's bloated benefits bill on a 'sustainable' footing.

But a study by the Disability Policy Centre suggested yesterday that savings from the measures may be as low as 100million  just 2 per cent of the total claimed.

The report found that projected savings from previous rounds of benefit cuts had been eaten up by increased costs on the NHS, the economic impact of lower spending by disabled people and the cost of trying to defend the measures in court.

Its author, Arun Veerappan, said the Government was facing an 'all pain, no gain scenario'. He added: 'Previous attempts to reform Personal Independence Payments in particular have failed to produce anywhere near the savings successive governments claimed they would  and the same pattern will play out here without further changes.'

In a separate report, the Institute for Fiscal Studies also questioned whether the changes would deliver promised savings. The economic think-tank predicted that tightening eligibility criteria for disability payments would result in people trying to game the new system to carry on claiming.

'Previous governments attempting similar reforms have found that they have saved much less than hoped,' it said.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall triggered a Labour backlash this week with plans for welfare reforms designed to save the taxpayer 5billion

In the Commons yesterday, Labour MP Diane Abbott told Sir Keir Starmer there was 'nothing moral' about his plans

This week's watered-down package of reforms will lead to pain for some benefit claimants, but do little to slow the overall rise in the welfare bill.

In the biggest money-saving measure, the rules for claiming the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be tightened, with handouts limited to those who have serious difficulty performing at least one basic task, such as washing. The Resolution Foundation said the proposal would hit around 1.2 million people, costing them an average of 5,000 each.

But a planned freeze in PIP payments was shelved following furious Labour complaints.

Young people will be barred from receiving incapacity benefits until the age of 22 following a post-pandemic surge in claims.

Other incapacity benefits will be frozen, with new claimants facing a cut of almost 50 per cent. Ministers are facing a growing Labour backlash over the cuts, which are needed to help balance the books at next week's emergency budget.

More than 100 Labour MPs turned up for a briefing on the issue with Ms Kendall yesterday, with one source saying that the meeting had made a major rebellion 'more likely, not less'.

In the Commons yesterday, Labour MP Diane Abbott told Sir Keir Starmer there was 'nothing moral' about his plans, adding: 'This is not about morality, this is about the Treasury's wish to balance the country's books on the back of the most vulnerable and poor people in this society.'

Ms Kendall told MPs that the measures were needed to put Britain's bloated benefits bill on a 'sustainable' footing

The Prime Minister the fact that one in eight young people were not in employment, education or training was a 'moral issue'.

He said: 'I'm not going to turn away from that. I am genuinely shocked that a million people, young people, are in that position, and I'm not prepared to shrug my shoulders and walk past it.'

Official forecasts show that the bill for sickness and disability benefits is set to jump from 65billion by the end of the decade. The cost for working age people alone is forecast to reach 70billion.

The Tories warned that this week's package of reforms was 'too little, too late'.

Meanwhile, new figures suggested yesterday that one in 12 working-age people could be classed as economically inactive through sickness in five years. The Department for Work and Pensions said 3.62million might be in this category in 2030, up by 61 per cent from 2.25million in 2019, before the pandemic.

Someone is economically inactive if they are aged 16 to 64, without a job and not actively looking for work. This is different to being unemployed  those without a job who are actively seeking work.
A major pre-election speech by Peter Dutton has been derailed by two anti-nuclear protesters.

The Opposition Leader was addressing the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Thursday morning when an audience member leapt out of his seat to protest the Coalition's policy of building nuclear power plants.

The man tried to unveil a banner but was stopped by two security guards who quickly bundled him out of the venue.

'Mr Dutton, why are you lying to the Australian people about the cost of nuclear?', the man shouted before he was forcibly removed.

The Liberal leader continued detailing the Coalition's foreign policy agenda unperturbed.

But he was interrupted again just moments later by another man who tried to talk over him.

That protester too was dragged out by a security guard, and fell onto the lap of another attendee in the process.

The Coalition has vowed to build seven nuclear power stations across Australia to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while also providing cheaper, more reliable power than renewables like solar and wind.

The angry audience member leapt out of his seat (pictured) to protest the Coalition's pro-nuclear power policy as Peter Dutton gave a major pre-election speech

The man (pictured) was dragged out by a security guard, and fell on to the lap of another attendee in the process

Critics of the policy point to the expense of building the plants, and claim it will allow for more gas and coal production in the interim before the nuclear facilities are operational.

It marks the second time in as many days that environmental demonstrators have disrupted major political speeches.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers was forced to halt a keynote speech about the nation's finances when protesters twice crashed the stage on Tuesday.

Dr Chalmers had just begun his speech at the Queensland Media Club when a man appeared behind him carrying a sign which read: 'No new coal or gas'.

The treasurer appeared to almost jump in fright as he spun around to see who was approaching, and broke off his address.

'Australia cannot afford any more climate disasters... When will the Labor Party stop funding more coal and gas projects?' the protester shouted.

Several other protesters appeared moments later on the stage.

The usually-unflappable Dr Chalmers let out a nervous laugh before he resumed reading from the autocue.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers was forced to halt a keynote speech about the nation's finances when environmental protesters twice crashed the stage on Tuesday (pictured)

His speech warned that clean-up costs and the impact on the economy from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred could hit GDP by up to $1.2billion.

Dr Chalmers also sought to downplay expectations of any major policy changes in next week's pre-election budget, as most of the policies 'have already been announced'.

These include the $8.5billion investment in strengthening Medicare, the $7.2billion for upgrades to the Bruce Highway and wiping up to $19billion in student debt for up to three million graduates.

The budget will be handed down on Tuesday, March 25.
More than half of British adults are reliant on the state to make ends meet, a study suggests, amid a growing 'culture of dependency'.

This includes nearly one in four adults  or 12.6million  whose livelihood is dependent on the state pension, researchers found.

Overall, 52 per cent were found to rely directly or indirectly on the expanding public sector.

There are 6.3million (12 per cent) who depend on Universal Credit.

Meanwhile, 5.9million (11 per cent) are employed by the public sector, and nearly 3million young adults (5 per cent) are students who rely on taxpayer-funded loans and grants.

Researchers from the Adam Smith Institute also included employees in human resources and the planning sectors in their State Reliance Index.

The number of these roles has exploded in recent months due to new red tape introduced by Labour.

They made up a further 160,000 adults (0.3 per cent) reliant on the state, according to the think-tank.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the study was further proof that the state needs 'rewiring' after Labour's overhaul of the welfare system.

She said: 'This index is an important contribution to the necessary work of rewiring the state.

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'A culture of dependency has developed that goes beyond welfare to a bureaucratic class with so many talented people working in the unproductive parts of the public sector and on compliance with government regulations in the private sector.

'An increasing reliance on state subsidy and regulation is holding back enterprise and growth.

She added that the Adam Smith Institute's data 'makes the case for fundamental reforms that will redirect the talents of the British people  away from stifling bureaucracy and into innovative and productive work'.

The study says an explosion in regulatory bodies has created a 'class of professionals' whose roles are reliant on growth-destroying bureaucracy.

It points to the human resources sector, where jobs have increased four times faster than overall workforce growth in the UK.

Sam Bidwell, the author of the report, said: 'The results from the State Reliance Index are astonishing, but hardly surprising.

'They are the inevitable result of decades of government meddling in the economy and our lives.

'Worse still, considering that some private sector jobs are subsidised by the state, the true number of those who are in some way reliant on the state is likely to be higher.

'We have to wake up to the fact that an ever-shrinking pool of taxpayers is having to prop up the Government's vast spending commitments. This is completely unsustainable.'

It comes after a House of Lords report warned earlier this year that Britain's soaring benefits bill is down to a flawed welfare system.

Peers said claimants are currently 'incentivised' to declare themselves long-term sick, with the potential to double their income.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch (pictured) said the study was further proof that the state needs 'rewiring' after Labour's overhaul of the welfare system
France is set to issue a survival manual to households across the country, warning citizens how to respond to an invasion or any other 'imminent threat'.

The dramatic move comes as tensions rise in Europe and fears grow over Russia's aggressive tactics.

The new 20-page booklet, reportedly packed with 63 measures, will advise the French on how to protect themselves and their families in the event of armed conflict, natural disasters, industrial accidents or even a nuclear leak.

It will include tips on how to create a 'survival kit' with essentials including six litres of water, canned food, batteries, a torch and basic medical supplies such as paracetamol and bandages.

Crucially, it will offer advice on what to do if an attack is imminent, including how to join local defence efforts, such as signing up for reserve units or firefighting groups.

Citizens will also be told to 'lock their doors' in the event of a nuclear incident - advice that has already drawn ridicule from commentators.

Despite the alarming content, the French government insists the booklet is not a direct response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

President Emmanuel Macron has previously warned that Europe must be prepared to confront the 'Russian threat' and adapt to the possibility that America could scale back its military support.

Earlier this week, Macron revealed that French fighter jets equipped with new generation hypersonic nuclear missiles will be sent to the German border as part of his bid to renew France's airborne nuclear deterrent.

President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech in front of Dassault Rafale and Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter aircrafts during his visit to the French Air and Space Force on Tuesday, where he revealed French nuclear-armed warplanes will be sent to the German border

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

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an expanded meeting of the Prosecutor General's Office board in Moscow yesterday

Officials from the General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN), which oversaw the booklet's creation, claim the aim of the survival guide is simply to bolster France's resilience in the face of 'all types of crises'.

The decision to draft the booklet reportedly dates back to 2022, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of a national strategy to improve public preparedness.

But the timing of its release - expected before summer if approved by Prime Minister Francois Bayrou - has raised eyebrows.

French newspaper Le Figaro noted that the kit's rollout 'could easily suggest that the state is reacting to the unstable international situation'.

Macron has recently called for Europe to rearm in the face of Russia's aggression in Ukraine and America's wavering commitment to upholding European security under Donald Trump.

He initiated a doubling of the French defence budget over the course of his two terms and recently set an even higher target, saying the country should increase defence spending to 3-3.5 per cent of economic output from the current 2 per cent.

France's public investment bank Bpifrance will launch a 450million (377million) fund dedicated to financing defence projects as part of the country's efforts to ramp up military spending, finance minister Eric Lombard said on Thursday.

'French citizens will be able, by tranches of 500 (419), to invest their money in the long term,' Lombard told TF1.

French companies in the defence sector will need more than five billion euros in additional equity capital over the next few years, according to both the finance and the defence ministries.

The new 20-page booklet will include tips on how to create a 'survival kit' with essentials including six litres of water, canned food, batteries, a torch and basic medical supplies such as paracetamol and bandages. Pictured is a graphic from a French government website showing the recommended contents of the kit

French soldiers stand in line in front of their military vehicles following a combat simulation during the ''Scorpion Days'' manuevers at the French army Canjuers camp, in the Var department, south-eastern France on March 4, 2025

Macron said the French government would order more Rafale fighter jets from aerospace company Dassault Aviation to replace its ageing fleet of Mirage jets (pictured)

Macron has also offered to extend the protection of France's nuclear weapons, the so-called nuclear umbrella, to other European countries.

During a visit to Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur airbase in northeast France on Tuesday, he told aircrews their base will soon receive a squadron of Rafale F5s - the latest evolution of France's premier fighter jet that is expected to enter service in 2030.

The jets will be equipped with the ASN4G - a nuclear hypersonic cruise missile currently under development that will reportedly fly at more than 5,000mph with double the range of France's current air-launched nuclear weapons.

Macron said the government had earmarked more than 1.5billion to transform Luxeuil - a famed World War One airbase just 80km from Germany - into one of the nation's most advanced military facilities.

Rafale F5s equipped with the next-gen nuclear hypersonic missiles would be ready for deployment at the base by 2035, he said to a crowd of Air Force pilots and officers outside their hangars.

'We haven't waited for 2022 or the turning point we're seeing right now to discover that the world we live in is ever more dangerous, ever more uncertain, and that it implies to innovate, to bulk up and to become more autonomous,' he said Tuesday.

'I will announce in the coming weeks new investments to go further than what was done over the past seven years,' he added.

Macron also said that the government would order additional Rafale warplanes from French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation to replace ageing Mirage fighter jets - some of which were sent to Ukraine.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, meets French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the European Council to discuss continued support for Ukraine and European defense, in Brussels

Plumes of smoke rise from a Russian strike on Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad Region, Ukraine on March 20, 2025

The site of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike in Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraine today

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Earlier this month, it was reported that Poland will soon send out a guide for its citizens on how to survive future crises, after it warned its male population they would have to go through military training amid rising tensions with Russia.

The country, which borders both Ukraine and Russia, will be sending the pamphlets to households this year.

The booklets will inform them on 'how to deal with various hazardous situations,' a deputy director for the interior ministry's civil protection unit, Robert Klonowski, told the PAP news agency.

Civilians will be given wartime tips on how to cope with 'a power outage lasting several days or several hours,' he said, adding that the information would also serve for reacting to natural disasters.

The brochure will be issued in Polish, and in Ukrainian for the some 900,000 Ukrainian refugees in the country.

'We are also planning a special version, or at least part of this guide, addressed to children,' Klonowski added.

Poland is one of Kyiv's staunchest allies in the European Union and hosts a logistics hub through which NATO and EU member states have been sending military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

It has been warily eyeing Russia and been ramping up its defences, as Vladimir Putin's invasion rages on.

Poland has been making overtures towards a war footing in recent weeks, with the country's prime minister Donald Tusk revealing that his government is working out a system to militarily train all men in the event of a war.

Sweden's Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin presents the new version of the booklet 'If Crisis or War Comes

The British government last issued similar guidance during the Cold War with the infamous Protect and Survive booklet, which advised citizens to paint their windows white and build a 'fallout room' in the event of nuclear war

Sweden, Norway and Finland have already taken similar steps amid growing geopolitical instability.

Last year, Sweden sent out five million copies of a chilling 32-page booklet titled If Crisis or War Comes, advising citizens to stock up on food and water and be ready for an armed attack.

'An insecure world requires preparedness. The military threat to Sweden has increased and we must prepare for the worst - an armed attack,' its introduction states.

Norway's directorate for civil protection distributed a similar guide last year, warning its citizens: 'We live in an increasingly turbulent world.'

The Norwegian pamphlet advises citizens to keep stock of medicine, a supply of cash, and at least a week's worth of non-perishable food items including 'crispbreads, canned pulses and beans, canned sandwich spreads, energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate, honey, biscuits and nuts'.

Finland has also launched a government website detailing how to prepare for various 'longer-term crises' including 'military conflict'.

In a similar move, Germany announced last November that it was drawing up a list of bunkers that could provide emergency shelter to civilians in the event of war.

The Interior Ministry announced underground train stations, car parks, state buildings and private properties could all be harnessed for protection.

Despite all the preparations by other European nations, the French survival booklet has already sparked mockery.

A soldier from the 42nd Brigade's kamikaze drone unit controls a BC drone for testing before deployment to the frontline in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, on March 19, 2025

Soldiers from the 42nd Brigade observe as a drone operator controls a BC kamikaze drone during testing before deployment to the frontline in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine yesterday

French President Emmanuel Macron has urged France to learn how to respond to an invasion or any other 'imminent threat'

French comedian Matthieu Noel scoffed at the idea of telling people to 'stock up' and 'lock their doors' if a nuclear bomb hits.

'Putin could drop a nuclear bomb on Paris, Ebola could strike the Cantal - we'll be ready,' he joked on France Inter.

'While you're at it, why not advise against snorkelling during a tsunami?'

The UK, meanwhile, has shown no signs of following suit.

The British government last issued similar guidance during the Cold War with the infamous Protect and Survive booklet, which advised citizens to paint their windows white and build a 'fallout room' in the event of nuclear war.

A 2004 campaign following the Madrid bombings offered updated advice, but there's been little movement since.
Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday that aims to majorly downsize the Department of Education, a source confirmed to DailyMail.com.

The move fulfils a key campaign pledge, the White House said in a fact sheet on the measure, as Trump said during the presidential campaign that the DOE was full of 'radicals, zealots and Marxists.'

The White House says Education Secretary Linda McMahon will be directed to facilitate the department's cutbacks while 'continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.'

It also mandates that any programs or activities receiving remaining Department of Education funds should not 'advance DEI or gender ideology.'

The Trump administration lays out a case that the department has been deeply inefficient in its 46 years of existence.

They claim the DOE has 'spent over $3 trillion without improving student achievement as measured by standardized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.'

The White House hits hard on $200billion wasted during the pandemic subsidizing remote learning, 'which, given the substantial learning loss that resulted, typifies the ineffectiveness of the current federally driven model.'

Trump also claims that the Biden administration made the issues even worse, having 'wasted more than $1 billion in grants focused on entrenching radical ideologies in education.'

Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday that aims to majorly downsize the Department of Education, a source confirmed to DailyMail.com

The White House says Education Secretary Linda McMahon will be directed to facilitate the department's cutbacks while 'continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely'

They cite the rewriting of Title XI to expand the definition of 'sex' discrimination to include 'gender ideology' and over $226million in grants pushing gender identity ideology.

'I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,' Trump said during the campaign.

'The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.'

In the weeks since he took office, the Trump administration already has cut the department's staff in half and overhauled much of the departments work.

Trump adviser Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency has cut dozens of contracts it dismissed as 'woke' and wasteful.

It gutted the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

The agency's main role is financial. Annually, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio.

Closing the department would mean redistributing each of those duties to another agency.

The move fulfils a key campaign pledge , the White House said in a fact sheet on the measure, as Trump claimed while running for president that the DOE was full of 'radicals, zealots and Marxists'

The Education Department also plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those with disabilities to low-income and homeless kids.

In his campaign platform, Trump said he would pursue civil rights cases to 'stop schools from discriminating on the basis of race.'

He has described diversity and equity policies in education as 'explicit unlawful discrimination.'

His administration has launched investigations of dozens of colleges for alleged racial discrimination.

Trump also has pledged to exclude transgender students from Title IX protections, which affect school policies on students use of pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms.

Originally passed in 1972, Title IX was first used as a womens rights law. Last year, Bidens administration said the law forbids discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, but a federal judge undid those protections.

While the Education Department does not directly accredit colleges and universities, it oversees the system by reviewing all federally recognized accrediting agencies.

Institutions of higher education must be accredited to gain access to federal money for student financial aid.

Any programs or activities receiving remaining Department of Education funds from McMahon should not 'advance DEI or gender ideology'

Accreditation came under scrutiny from conservatives in 2022, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools questioned political interference at Florida public colleges and universities.

Trump has said he would fire 'radical left accreditors' and take applications for new accreditors that would uphold standards including 'defending the American tradition' and removing 'Marxist' diversity administrators.

Although the education secretary has the authority to terminate its relationship with individual accrediting agencies, it is an arduous process that has rarely been pursued.

Under President Barack Obama, the department took steps to cancel accreditors for a now-defunct for-profit college chain, but the Trump administration blocked the move.

The group, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, was terminated by the Biden administration in 2022.

Much of the Education Department's money for K-12 schools goes through large federal programs, such as Title I for low-income schools and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Those programs support services for students with disabilities, lower class sizes with additional teaching positions, and pay for social workers and other non-teaching roles in schools.

During his campaign, Trump called for shifting those functions to the states. He has not offered details on how the agency's core functions of sending federal money to local districts and schools would be handled.
Leaked documents have shown the Government's Net Zero plans could wipe 10 per cent off economic growth by the end of the decade.

The documents show Labour's proposal could lead to a financial crash and a huge rise in the country's national debt.

Poor planning for the country achieving the target of Net Zero emissions by 2050 could risk destabilising the financial system in the UK.

The leaked Whitehall assessment of the effects of Net Zero, seen by The Sun, warned that billion pounds worth of assets being retired before the end of their shelf life could cause a huge drop in the value of firms which own them.

Assets such as power plants, chemical factories and aircrafts could become 'stranded assets' and are therefore being overvalued by companies.

Around 1.6trillion worth of assets may be retired early, which could cause a major knock on effect on the British economy.

Under the terms of the Paris Agreement, coal-fired power plants would have to retire up to 30 years early, wasting potentially billions of pounds of investment.

Such power plants were already closed in the UK long ago, but the impact of the plants closing in other countries may yet affect UK markets.

Leaked documents have suggested the push for Net Zero could cause a financial crash

The UK government is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050 as part of the Paris Agreement

The Prime Minister has hailed Net Zero as 'one of the economic opportunities' of this century

It comes after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch vowed to ditch the target, claiming it would bankrupt the country.

The Conservative leader used a speech to reject plans introduced by then-PM Theresa May in 2019 and backed by other Tory leaders including Boris Johnson.

Dubbing herself a 'Net Zero sceptic' she argued that drastically cutting carbon emissions cannot be achieved without serious financial problems hitting living standards at a time when families are struggling.

She also claimed it would make the UK dependent on authoritarian regimes for its energy supply.

Mrs Badenoch sought to put clear blue water between her party and Labour, blasting Energy Secretary Ed Miliband for spending 'all of his time serving up dollops of lofty rhetoric'.

The Tories are also struggling to win back voters from Reform, which has made Net Zero scepticism a key plank of its platform.

However she failed to set out any immediate Tory counter-proposals, instead setting up a taskforce to find 'achievable solutions' to delivering cheap and clean energy, led by shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho.

Prior to winning last year's general election, Labour pledged to decarbonise the UK's electricity grid by 2030 as part of accelerating Net Zero efforts.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said the government's Net Zero plans would 'bankrupt the country' in a recent speech

Early closures of assets as part of the move to Net Zero could cause huge losses for firms

Solar and wind projects have been accelerated under the Labour government since the election

Since entering Downing Street, Sir Keir Starmer has lifted a de facto ban on onshore wind farms in England and given consent for a slew of solar projects.

The PM has hailed Net Zero as 'one of the economic opportunities' of this century, while business chiefs recently pointed to an 83billion boost from the sector last year.

Earlier this month, economists claimed the UK's Net Zero drive is making families poorer by squeezing living standards, .

The report, by researchers at investment bank Peel Hunt, questioned whether Britain's decarbonisation efforts were to blame for the country's productivity crisis.

They found a 'clear link' between falling energy capacity and weak productivity in the UK, which has 'hurt economic performance and growth in living standards'.

In the Peel Hunt report, authors Kallum Pickering and Charles Hall wrote: 'Our analysis challenges the Governments claim that there is no trade-off between Net Zero and economic growth. Two decades of experience suggests otherwise.

'The result of the UKs decarbonisation efforts, so far, appears to be weak economic growth, high energy prices, de-industrialisation and no significant impact on the overall trajectory of global emissions.'
A university student and part time professor is facing deportation over his alleged links to Hamas amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown.

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral student at Georgetown University, was taken into custody by masked ICE agents outside of his home in Rosslyn, Virginia on Monday night.

Suri's attorney Hassan Ahmad has filed a petition in federal court in Virginia on Tuesday calling for his release, likening the case to that of Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, Politico reports.

He claimed his client is only being targeted because his wife is a Palestinian, noting they have 'long been doxxed and smeared' for their support of Palestinian rights.

The Department of Homeland Security, however, alleges Suri been involved in 'actively spreading Hamas propaganda' and 'promoting antisemitism'.

His wife, Mapheze Ahmad Yousef Saleh, is the daughter of Ahmed Yousef who was an advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza, according to Campus Watch.

'Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media,' a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News.

'Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral student at Georgetown University, was taken into custody outside of his home in Rosslyn, Virginia on Monday night

'The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i).'

Suri endorsed Hamas online even though his Georgetown bio says he focuses his studies on the 'peace process in the Middle East.'

In one now-deleted post, he reportedly denied reports of the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

'Three lies by Israeli occupation, no proof whatsoever of babies beheaded, rapes or mass killing at carnival,' the postdoctoral student, who also teaches a class on majority and minority rights in South Asia, wrote at the time, according to Campus Watch.

In another post from years ago, Suri reportedly expressed support for Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yasin.

He is said to have posted a video saying, 'This is what Hamas argues. Sheikh Yaseen giving the reasons why his group is fighting for their land which was stolen.'

Suri even reportedly posted a video showing Hamas terrorists holding Israeli child hostages, writing: 'This is how Hamas men deal with kids on Oct. 7.'

His wife, a US citizen, has also spoken out on social media about her support for the terrorist group, and spoke about her role in Hamas' government.

Suri's wife, Mapheze Ahmad Yousef Saleh, (right) is the daughter of longtime Hamas leader Ahmed Yousef (left) - who served as a senior Hamas official in Gaza and was an advisor to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

She told Arabic-language media that she served with the terror group's Committee to Break the Siege in Gaza - which happened to be chaired by her father, the National Review reports.

At one point, she even reportedly expressed her hatred for her adopted company, declaring in Arabic on Instagram: 'America is the plague.'

On Monday, agents informed Suri they were with the Department of Homeland Security, and told him that his student visa has been revoked, a petition for his release claims.

It says Suri was put in deportation proceedings under the same provision of immigration law that the Trump administration invoked to try to deport Khalil.

The provision gives the Secretary of State the power to deport noncitizens if he or she determines that their continued presence in the United States would threaten foreign policy - though Suri has not been charged with a crime in the United States.

Following his arrest on Monday, Suri was taken to a facility in Virginia and is expected to be transferred soon to a detention center in Texas.

As of Wednesday night, an online locator for immigration detainees showed he was at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staging center at an airport in Alexandria, Louisiana, Politico reports.

Mapheze, a US citizen, reportedly expressed her hatred for her adopted company, declaring in Arabic on Instagram: 'America is the plague'

His lawyer Hassan Ahmad said he has not been able to contact his client since he was detained, and said he is now unsure whether he will have to refile Suri's petition for release in Louisiana.

Ahmad told Politico he is prepared 'to do whatever we can to release our client from detention and afford him due process.'

He then went on to hit out at the Trump administration for Suri's arrest.

'This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil,' Ahmad argued.

Khalil's case has become a flashpoint for Trump's pledge to deport activists who participated in the wave of protests on US college campuses against Israel's military assault on Gaza.

The Trump administration has argued pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses have included support for Hamas and anti-Semitic harassment of Jewish students.

But Khalil's supporters say his arrest is an attack on free speech, and have been staging protests in the city and across the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though, has fired back at critics of Khalil's arrest, saying that it is 'not about free speech.'

'When you come to the United States as a visitor, which is what a visa is, which is how this individual entered this country, on a visitor's visa, you are here as a visitor. We can deny you that visa,' the U.S. top diplomat argued.

Suri teaches a class on majority and minority rights in South Asia at the Washington DC school (pictured)

If someone said they intended to come to the U.S. as a student 'and rile up all kinds of anti-Jewish student, anti-Semitic activities' and shut down universities, they would be denied the visa, Rubio said.

He added: 'If you actually end up doing that once you're in this country on such a visa, we will revoke it.'

'This is not about free speech. This is about people who don't have the right to be in the United States to begin with,' the secretary of state said.

'No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card,' Rubio added.

He said the U.S. can deny one for 'virtually any reason.'

That included 'being a supporter of Hamas and coming into our universities and turning them upside down, and being complicit in what are clearly crimes of vandalization, complicit in shutting down learning institutions.'

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Georgetown University said it was not aware of Suri engaging in illegal activity.

'Dr. Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan.

'We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention.

'We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly.'
British teenage boys are being blackmailed by Nigerian crime gangs posing as young women on social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram.

The National Crime Agency has warned that criminals are targeting boys as young as 14 over Snapchat and Instagram.

The perpetrators trick the victims into sending explicit images before demanding payments of around 100.

If they refuse to pay, the gangs threaten to share the compromising pictures with parents, friends, and schools.

While most victims of child sexual exploitation are female, 90 per cent of sextortion victims are boys aged 14 to 17.

Along with Nigeria, fraudsters often come from the Ivory Coast and the Philippines, the NCA said.

Marie Smith, a senior manager at the NCA's child exploitation and online protection command (CEOP), described the abuse as 'extremely disturbing.'

'The majority of offenders we see are from West African countries,' she said.

The gangs use fake images of women to persuade boy to send indecent photos of themselves

Fraudsters often come from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and the Philippines, the NCA said (file photo)

'They use fake profiles of young women, persuading boys to send indecent images by promising explicit pictures in return.

'Once they have the images, they pressure the victim to pay quickly - sometimes giving them just minutes before threatening to expose them.'

While teenagers are the primary targets, adults as old as 30 have also fallen victim to scams, the NCA said.

In some cases, victims have taken their own lives out of fear that the images will be shared.

The NCA has launched an awareness campaign, urging victims not to panic or pay the blackmailers.

Ms Smith said: 'Do not pay - stay calm. We can help. If you pay once, they will just demand more.'

She added that the NCA is working with enforcement officers in Nigeria to crack down on the gangs.

She said: 'We're working internationally with our Nigerian counterparts, which is where we're seeing most of this abuse happening.

'Nothing is off the cards and we hope to hold these criminals accountable.'

The NCA has launched an awareness campaign urging victims not to pay the blackmailers

The scammers threaten to release the indecent images of the victims and ask for payments in return (file photo)

The campaign, launching on Thursday, will reach boys aged 15 to 17 through social media platforms such as Instagram, Reddit, and Snapchat.

It will warn them about sextortion tactics and how to report incidents safely.

NCA director of threat leadership Alex Murray said: 'Sextortion is unimaginably cruel and can have devastating consequences for victims.

'This campaign will help empower young boys, giving them the knowledge to spot the dangers posed by this crime type and how to report it.

'It supports them to understand that if it does happen, it is never their fault.

'It will also take the advantage away from the criminals responsible, whose only motivation is financial gain.

'Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of 'sextortion', which has been a major factor behind launching this campaign.'

The NCA's CEOP safety centre received 380 sextortion reports in 2024 alone.

While teenagers are targeted, adults as old as 30 have also fallen victim to scams (file photo)

Criminals are targeting boys as young as 14 over social media sites Snapchat and Instagram

Meanwhile, UK police recorded an average of 117 monthly reports involving under-18s in the first five months of the same year.

In the United States, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 28,000 sextortion reports globally in 2024 - up from 26,718 the previous year.

Research commissioned by the NCA ahead of the campaign found that 74% of boys surveyed did not fully understand sextortion, while a similar proportion failed to recognise requests for nude images as a warning sign.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) did not know how to report the crime, and only 12% believed they could be at risk.

The NCA has also issued guidance for parents and carers on how to recognise sextortion risks, talk to their children about the dangers, and support victims.

The campaign follows an unprecedented NCA alert to teachers last April, which reached an estimated two-thirds of UK teaching staff.

Teachers reported feeling better equipped to recognise and respond to cases of sextortion as a result.

The campaign comes amid rising concerns about child sexual abuse, with recent figures revealing that nearly 40,000 such offences were committed by children in 2023.

Analysis of data from 44 police forces in England and Wales found that more than half of the 115,489 child sexual abuse and exploitation offences recorded last year were committed by offenders aged 10 to 17.
Sir Keir Starmer has revealed he is watching Adolescence as calls grow for the hit Netflix mini-series to be shown in schools.

The thriller starring Stephen Graham, who is also a co-writer, centres on 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) who is accused of murdering a schoolgirl.

It has gripped the nation gaining an eye-watering 24.3million views since its release last week.

One of the millions of viewers is Sir Keir who told PMQs yesterday that he was watching the show with his teenage children.

Asked by Labour MP Anneliese Midgley if he backs the creators' calls for it to be aired in parliament and schools, Sir Keir said he does.

Sir Keir said: 'At home we are watching Adolescence. I've got a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, and it's a very good drama to watch.

'This violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem.

'It's abhorrent, and we have to tackle it.'

Sir Keir Starmer at the PMQs yesterday said: 'At home we are watching Adolescence. I've got a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, and it's a very good drama to watch'

The thriller starring Stephen Graham (left), who is also a co-writer, centres on 13-year-old Jamie Miller played by Owen Cooper (right) who is accused of murdering a schoolgirl

Cooper's portrayal of Jamie has been praised and prompted a discussion about the impact of social media on children

Graham and fellow co-writer Jack Thorne said they wanted the critically acclaimed series to 'cause discussion and make change'.

Speaking to Sky News, the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that the government was 'acutely aware' of the issues raised in Adolescence.

The hit show has prompted a discussion about the impact of social media on children.

Writing for the Mail on Sunday, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said: 'Adolescence is not just a TV drama  it is a disturbing glimpse into the minds of thousands of young British boys warped by the extreme violence and sexual abuse they are witnessing every day online.'

To try and limit the violent and dangerous content children are exposed to on social media, Labour is pressing ahead with the Online Harms Act - a bill to make social media companies more responsible for user's safety on their platforms.

However some MPs want more radical steps to be taking including a private member's bill raising the age of social media consent from 13 to 16.

Although this was later watered down in order to gain the support of the government.

Speaking on Radio X, Graham said the idea for the series came to him from looking at the epidemic of knife crime in the UK.

Labour MP Anneliese Midgley (pictured) asked the PM if he backs the creators' calls for Adolescence to be aired in parliament and schools

The Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that the government was 'acutely aware' of the issues raised in Adolescence

Joining his wife Hannah Walters on the show the actor said: 'Okay, let's get this serious nature of the show out the way, and then we can have some fun, with all due respect.

'Look, it started when I read an article, and it was an article about a young boy who'd stabbed a young girl to death, and it just, you know, it made me feel cold.

'And then a couple of months later, there was a piece on the news, and it was about a young boy who'd stabbed a young girl to death, and if I'm really honest with you, they hurt my heart.

'And these two incidents were opposite ends of the country. And I just thought, "Why? Why is this happening?"

'Not just because I'm a father, but I think any kind of human being with an ounce of moral compass can look at that kind of situation and think, "What's happening? What's going on with society today that we're in?"'

Grahm added that the spate of stabbings was a sharp contrast to the world he grew up in.

Graham said the idea for the series came to him from looking at the epidemic of knife crime in the UK

'We're entering this kind of era where there was, like, four, five, six, seven cases of young boys  and I'm going to call them young boys, they're not men  stabbing girls to death,' he said.

'And, you know, that beautiful saying, "It takes a takes a village to raise a child", I just wanted to create something that kind of looked at it from that perspective, but also looked at it like, look, maybe we are all slightly accountable in some way, be that parents, be that school, be that government, community, society.

'And now, let's be completely honest, when I was a kid, when we were kids, we didn't have these kind of things. But today, the internet is as much of a teacher and a parent to our children as we can be. Do you know what I mean? And that was kind of where it came from.'

The show is on course to smash all streaming records and also schoop up a number of awards with Cooper's performance now amongst the favourites to bag an Emmy later this year.
A former sub-postmaster is suing the Post Office and Fujitsu for a multi-million pound sum over the Horizon IT scandal.

Lee Castleton, from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, is the first individual to sue the two organisations in the wake of the controversy.

More than 900 subpostmasters were wrongly prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as though money was missing from their accounts.

Hundreds are still awaiting compensation despite the previous government announcing that those who have had convictions quashed are eligible for 600,000 payouts.

'I want justice and to be publicly vindicated,' Mr Castleton told the BBC. He is seeking to have a civil action taken against him by the Post Office overturned or set aside. 'I'd like to effectively have my day in court as well,' he said.

Mr Castleton was sued by the Post Office for 25,000 it said was missing from his branch in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, in 2007. His two-year legal fight saw him declared bankrupt following legal costs of 321,000.

He said he had little faith in compensation schemes set up by the Post Office for wrongfully-convicted sub-postmasters.

According to the BBC, he instructed his solicitors to launch High Court proceedings against the Post Office and Fujitsu on Tuesday, seeking a multi-million pound sum in compensation over the original judgment against him being obtained by fraud.

Lee Castleton (pictured), from Bridlington, East Yorkshire, is the first individual to sue the two organisations in the wake of the controversy

Former post office workers Lee Castleton (left) and Noel Thomas celebrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice, London, after their convictions were overturned

'Lee faced a David versus Goliath battle against the Post Office and we are fully ready to take this all the way to the high court should we need to,' his lawyer Simon Goldberg, from Simons Muirhead Burton, told the BBC.

'It was never about recovery of the sum of money - it was to make an example of Mr Castleton.'

Mr Goldberg also told the Telegraph: 'He wants public vindication. He was crushed by the Post Office and he wants the acknowledgement by a court of law that he was innocent all the way along.

'For Lee, he had to move towns, he had to leave his property, his job was gone forever, he was a pariah. So of course these claims are multi-million pound claims, because you're starting again  they destroyed his life.'

His case came under the spotlight in January 2024 when it featured heavily in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. Mr Castleton was portrayed by actor Will Mellor in the successful drama.

He said the campaign had undergone 'a complete turnaround' after the drama aired, adding: 'The whole of the nation seems like they're very much behind us.'

Mr Castleton said there were still 'highly pensioned, highly paid' executives at the Post Office who needed to be held accountable for their role in the Horizon scandal.

He went on: 'I hope that our fight, my fight, everyone's fight, continues until something changes. I just don't mean for our group, I mean for everybody. Society deserves so much better. We deserve proper justice - there's nobody in this country that's above the law.'

His case came under the spotlight in January 2024 when it featured heavily in the ITV drama Mr Bates (portrayed by Toby Jones, pictured above) vs The Post Office. Mr Castleton was portrayed by actor Will Mellor in the successful drama

Seema Misra has been made an OBE in the New Year Honours list, for services to Justice

Mr Castleton was one of four sub-postmasters who campaigned for justice for victims of the Post Office scandal to have been awarded OBEs in the New Years Honours.

Seema Misra, Chris Head and Jo Hamilton were given the honours alongside Mr Castleton after fellow campaigner Sir Alan Bates was knighted last year.

Mrs Misra was pregnant with her second child when she was convicted of theft and sent to jail in 2010 and had her baby while serving a prison sentence.

She was one of the hundreds of sub-postmasters who were accused of theft after faults in the Post Office's Horizon IT system made it appear that money was missing from their branch accounts.

Mrs Misra ran a Post Office in West Byfleet, Surrey, but was suspended in 2008 and handed a 15-month prison sentence in November 2010, on her son's 10th birthday, after she was wrongly accused of stealing 74,000.

She said the scandal was 'ongoing' and that many sub-postmasters were still waiting for compensation and 'accountability' from the Post Office.

She said she was 'very honoured' by the OBE, adding: 'It will give more weight to the fight and we need to keep reminding people the scandal hasn't been sorted out yet.

'It's one of the main reasons I accepted it - to remind people that the scandal hasn't gone yet.'
A Royal Navy recruit has died at a military base in Cornwall following training.

The recruit passed away at HMS Raleigh, Torpoint, on Tuesday, March 11.

The Royal Navy said an investigation will be launched into the circumstances of the death.

A spokesperson said: 'It is with great sadness that we can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy died at HMS Raleigh following routine training on Tuesday, March 11.

'Our thoughts are with the family and all those affected at this sad time.

'An investigation into the circumstances will take place and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time'.
Barron Trump's future may depend on his 'aptitude in technology' rather than his brothers' desire to follow their father's footsteps in the family business.

Donald Trump revealed the first son's prowess on the laptop during an interview that aired one day before the NYU student's 19th birthday.

While attending NYU Business School and staying in New York with mother and First Lady Melania Trump, Barron has become a slightly more public figure during the president's second term.

Barron was credited with providing some Gen Z tips to help his father connect with podcasters and spread the MAGA message to a younger audience.

In an interview with Fox News where he also covered campus protests and fixing the national debt, Laura Ingraham asked the president about his relationship with his son, whom he said he speaks to 'all the time.'

She asked: 'What do you see for his future, given his aptitude in certain areas? Business, politics?'

Trump initially suggested that Barron has an eye for business but noted another sector where he thinks the soon-to-be 19-year-old could thrive.

'Maybe technology,' Trump said, noting that he knew his way around a computer better than his father.

'I turn off his laptop I go back 5 minutes later, he's got his laptop. I say, 'how did you do that?' None of your business, dad,' he said.

Donald Trump said that his son Barron may have a greater 'aptitude in technology' rather than following his father into politics in an interview ahead of his youngest child's 19th birthday

While attending NYU Business School and staying in New York with mother and First Lady Melania Trump, Barron has become more of a public figure during the president's second term

'He's got an unbelievable aptitude in technology,' the president added.

Trump used Barron as a sounding board during his 2024 campaign, with his son even reportedly providing some key debate advice.

After years of staying out of the spotlight, Barron emerged as an unexpected online star earlier this year after he attended his fathers victory speech.

Almost immediately following the appearance, the world became fiercely fascinated by the six-foot-nine teenager, as millions across the web scrambled to uncover every intimate detail about his personal life.

Barron's sudden thrust into the public eye was almost as quick as his retreat from fame in 2016 after his dad became president.

Donald welcomed Barron with his third wife, Melania Trump, while he was in the midst of running his real estate empire and already a huge media star, which meant Barron was propelled into the spotlight from a young age.

At first, the youngster seemed to have a knack for cameras; he appeared on his dads show The Apprentice as a toddler and his adorable personal instantly captured viewers attention.

Described as a 'little Donald,' Barron even once said that he wanted to grow up to be a business mogul like him, and between his natural ability to wow a crowd and his vivacious personality, many believed he had the makings to one day do just that.

In an interview with Fox News where he also covered campus protests and fixing the national debt, Laura Ingraham asked the president about his relationship with his son, whom he said he speaks to 'all the time'

But after his dad was elected as the President of the United States in 2016, everything changed.

While the youngster was used to a spotlight being on his family, it reached new levels after Donald entered politics, and he seemed to struggle with the added attention - most of which was negative.

Suddenly, the entire nation had their eyes on the family, and a then-nine-year-old Barron was unfairly subjected to a slew of criticism from the media.

Despite children of other political figures rushing to his defense - including Chelsea Clinton and Jenna Bush Hager - and the White House issuing a plea with reporters to back off, Barron retreated heavily from the spotlight.

During his high school years, Barron, who moved to Mar-a-Lago with his parents following his dad's presidency, went through extreme measures to stay private.

But the mystery surrounding the teenager, who is now a freshman at New York University, only added to his appeal after he stepped out on stage with his dad for a rare appearance in November and suddenly became an online star.
A judge was merciless in the sentencing of two abusive white parents who treated their five adopted black children like 'slaves' by forcing them to sleep on the floor, use buckets as a toilet, and even lock them in an outdoor shed.

West Virginia couple Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 62, and her husband Donald Lantz, 63 were arrested on child abuse and neglect charges on October 2, 2023.

The saga finally came to an end on Wednesday when Judge Maryclaire Akers announced their fate in a circuit court.

'You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know as almost heaven and you put them in hell. This court will now put you in yours, and may God have mercy on your souls,' Akers dramatically told the couple at their sentencing.

The parents received the maximum penalties with Whitefeather sentenced to 215 years in prison, with at least 40 years behind bars before she is eligible for parole.

Lantz was sentenced to 160 years in prison, but must spend at least 30 behind bars before parole eligibility. The couple was each ordered to pay $280,000 in restitution to their five children.

The parents faced 31 charges, that included human trafficking of a minor, forced labor of a minor, gross child neglect, and child abuse causing harm.

Whitefeather additionally received four counts of civil rights violations as the prosecution argued that she was the primary abuser of the children.

Akers told the court that after 25 years of experience in the legal system, this case was one of the most horrific.

Jeanne Kay Whitefeather, 62, was sentenced to 215 years in prison and at least 40 years behind bars before she is eligible for parole

Donald Lantz, 63, was sentenced to 160 years in prison with at least 30 behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $280,000 in restitution each to their five children

A West Virginia couple has received the maximum sentence for the abuse they inflicted on their five adopted children

'I have seen week-old babies starved to death by their parents on drug benders, others burned with hair dryers placed on their bare skin, a child drowned and stuffed into a freezer, and unspeakable acts of sexual abuse placed on children, and I say that because I want the defendants to understand that what they did is just as horrific,' Akers said, as first reported by West Virginia outlet Metro News.

Whitefeather and Lantz were found guilty of their crimes in January after a gruesome trial uncovered the disturbing abuse that occurred in their home.

The children were first found by authorities locked in a shed with no lights, food, or running water, and a camera recording them.

Whitefeather claimed that the children were not held against their will and that the shed was used as a 'teenage clubhouse' but detectives found that the kids were locked in from the outside.

After authorities found the three older children locked in the shed, they discovered a nine-year-old girl locked inside the main house.

The children had body odor and were found wearing dirty clothes with sores on their feet.

The family had moved around before the parents were arrested, having first adopted the children in Minnesota before moving to Washington in 2018.

They then moved to their West Virginia home in May 2023, just five months before authorities stepped in and the children were placed in the care of Child Protective Services.

The gruesome trial revealed the disturbing way the couple treated their children, forcing them to endure hard labor for hours and locking them in an outdoor shed with no access to food, water, or a bathroom

Prosecutors argued in court that the parents treated their five black children like 'slaves' forcing them into horrific labor and subjecting them to racist remarks

Neighbors quickly noticed the disturbing behavior of Whitefeather and Lantz, with one neighbor testifying to the stomach-churning scenes she witnessed from her home.

Joyce Bailey, testified in the trial on January 14, that Lantz made the children carry heavy fencing, haul buckets of water, and carry propane tanks around the yard.

Bailey recalled that the children were worked to the bone and at one point the oldest boy could 'barely walk.'

Racist text messages were also submitted during the trial and the oldest child, who is now 18, testified that her adoptive parents made her dig with her hands, only fed her peanut butter sandwiches, and forced her and her siblings to use a bucket to go to the bathroom.

She also testified that her parents wouldn't eat off the same plates as the children and referred to her as 'dirty.'

'You want to know what racists look like? Look at them,' Assistant Prosecutor Madison Tuck said in court.

The children also detailed the horrific treatment they endured in the home during Wednesday's sentencing hearing.

Brittany Leavitt, a child advocacy agent, read victim impact statements to the court written by three of the five children.

The 18-year-old read her statement herself, revealing that she believed Whitefeather was a monster and that her parents' actions made her sick to her stomach.

'I don't understand at all how you were able to treat any person the way you treated me and my siblings and then preach the name of God right after that,' she said.

She added that watching her younger siblings endure abuse made her feel 'hopeless' and resulted in 'a lot of anger.'

Whitefeather apologized for her crimes in court and told her children that she never meant to harm them intentionally

Lantz told his children in court that he loved them while he received the maximum sentence for human trafficking of a minor, forced labor of a minor, gross child neglect, and child abuse causing harm

The youngest sibling said in her statement that she was taught to laugh at her siblings and now understands the abuse she endured.

'They were mean and kids should not be picked on by their parents. They should be loved,' the letter said.

'Hello, I am a little girl... and I am working on changing my life. I will be something amazing. I will be strong and beautiful. You will always be exactly what you are  horrible,' another one of the siblings wrote in their statements.

Whitefeather and Lantz apologized in court for the abuse they initiated, with Lantz telling his children that he does love them.

'I have made mistakes, and I'm very sorry for that,' Whitefeather said. 'I love my children and I have never done anything .. to harm them intentionally.'

Akers concluded the emotionally taxing trial by commending the people who intervened to help the children out of the abusive household.

'The good in this is that now these children are West Virginias children and not your children,' the judge said.
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor has abandoned a press conference that was disrupted by two anti-nuclear protesters, in the third example of environmental demonstrators hijacking politicians' appearances this week.

The Liberal frontbencher was addressing media in Sydney on Thursday afternoon when he was approached from the side by an intruder.

'I'm sorry to interrupt Mr Taylor, I'm just wondering why... you are asking taxpayers to fund billions of dollars toward nuclear power when it's going to drive up energy bills?', the man asked.

The Shadow Treasurer told the man he would speak to him later.

'Let's do the press conference and then have a chat afterwards,' Mr Taylor told the man.

But the protester was not interested in such a 'chat' but using the media platform to push his views, saying 'Australians deserve an answer to this'.

Shadow Minister for Finance Jane Hume, who was standing behind Mr Taylor, smiled awkwardly.

Mr Taylor repeated his offer of a chat but the protester responded: 'Why not have it on the record?'

The opposition frontbencher was addressing the media in Sydney on Thursday afternoon when he was approached from the side by a man to his left. The protester was soon joined by another man

It came just hours after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had a major talk derailed by two anti-nuclear protesters (pictured)

At that moment, another demonstrator approached from the other side to harangue the Shadow Treasurer.

Mr Taylor then walked off down the street, shaking his head.

The intrusion came just hours after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had a major address derailed by two anti-nuclear protesters.

Mr Dutton was addressing the Lowy Institute in Sydney on Thursday morning when an audience member leapt out of his seat to protest the Coalition's policy of building nuclear power plants.

The man tried to unveil a banner but was stopped by two security guards who quickly bundled him out of the venue.

'Mr Dutton, why are you lying to the Australian people about the cost of nuclear?', the man shouted before he was forcibly removed.

The Liberal leader continued detailing the Coalition's foreign policy agenda unperturbed.

But he was interrupted again just moments later by another man who tried to talk over him.

That protester too was dragged out by a security guard, and fell onto the lap of another attendee in the process.

The Coalition has vowed to build seven nuclear power stations across Australia to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while also providing cheaper, more reliable power than renewables like solar and wind.

Critics of the policy point to the expense of building the plants, and claim it will allow for more gas and coal production in the interim before the nuclear facilities are operational.

It marks a new approach by protesters, to double-up their attack to throw politicians off guard.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers was forced to halt a keynote speech about the nation's finances when protesters twice crashed the stage on Tuesday.

All three speeches were disrupted by the same activist group, Rising Tide who were responsible for blocking Newcastle Port with kayaks last year.

Zack Schofield who interrupted both Mr Dutton and Mr Taylor's press conferences on Thursday said the Coalition's nuclear plan would cost $600 billion to the taxpayer.

'This idea is so dumb that were now even seeing Liberal stalwarts campaigning against their own party, begging Dutton to drop this ridiculous policy,' he said.

'We have just seen with ex-tropical cyclone Alfred what the climate crisis is already doing to Australian communities. We cannot afford more distraction and delay with unfeasible policies like nuclear.'
An Aussie influencer has paused renovations on her dream farmhouse after discovering the wallpaper was riddled with asbestos.

Adelaide woman Shai Howland said she had 'learned her lesson' about she failed to check for the cancer-causing substance during her DIY renovations.

Ms Howland shared a TikTok clip of her and her partner wrenching wallpaper away from the walls with the caption: 'The moment we discovered there is asbestos in the wallpaper we just took down'.

The disability support worker said she felt 'instant anxiety' after her partner returned having read about the dangers of asbestos online.

'And that's on being non-diligent... anxiety and a lot of asbestos Google searches later we've learnt our lesson,' she wrote.

'Definitely going to be looking into asbestos testing and all the right protection now.'

In the clip, Ms Howland's partner could be heard telling her asbestos can be found in older houses in the wallpaper.

She then pulled back from the exposed wall, exclaiming: 'Babe, what the f***'.

Influencer Ms Howland (above with partner Nathan) said she learned her renovations 'lesson' after she realised there was asbestos in the wallpaper

It's estimated one-third of Australian homes contain the carcinogen, according to the Asbestos and Silica Safety and Eradication Agency.

Homes built before 1990 are likely to have been built with materials that contain asbestos, which is most commonly found kitchens and bathrooms.

Homeowners worried about the presence of asbestos can test a sample from their home or get it removed at a cost of between $40 and $160 per square metre.

Aussies were quick to offer the couple their own safety advice.

'Maybe put on shoes and gloves and actual clothes when doing house renovations,' one person said.

'Omg guys, that's such an expensive removal, be careful,' a second wrote.

'Having someone come [test the materials] is your best bet, your house could be full of it. Don't remove anything else without a mask and proper protection, long sleeves, gloves, etc,' a third shared.

Asbestos was widely used in construction materials for its strength, flexibility and resistance to fire and chemicals.

'Babe what the f***,' Ms Howland is heard yelling after h

The naturally occurring mineral fibre is also known for its insulating properties.

When asbestos is disturbed tiny fibres can become airborne and become trapped in the lungs for a long time.

Exposure to asbestos is linked to mesothelioma, lung, laryngeal and ovarian cancers.
A young tradie and OnlyFans creator who went viral for her X-rated billboard advertising for a 'rich, old and lonely sugar daddy' has been outed as a hoaxer.

The ad featured Shianne Foxx, 22, kneeling on a bed with the message 'I'm looking for a sugar daddy', and appeared to be displayed on the side of a truck.

Photos of the billboard went viral after angry residents in the upmarket suburb of Mosman, in Sydney's north shore, posted the ad to social media.

But the plot thickened when Mobile Marketing Australia, the company that owns the billboard, claimed the image had been photoshopped.

'We've got no idea who [Ms Foxx] is,' an employee told Daily Mail Australia.

'We had a job on with a different client and then they've used photos from that day and fiddled around with it and turned it into something else.'

Editor at Marketing-Interactive Matthew Eaton told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Foxx had likely swindled the public.

'She's a marketing maestro this chick. Hats off to her, she's just duped everyone. The whole thing is weird,' he said.

Photos of the billboard went viral this week despite speculation it had been digitally edited

Ms Foxx (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia that hiring the billboard had cost her $2,000

'I'm just shocked that no-one picked up on this. Everyone was talking about it but no-one really bothered to check.

'You can't be sure what it all is which is why it's so intriguing. She's an OnlyFans creator so she obviously knows what she's doing.'

Despite confirming it wasn't real, Mobile Marketing Australia said it wouldn't be taking the matter any further.

'We won't be taking any action. We're just going to let it blow over because that's what will happen,' an employee said.

'We don't want to waste our time with it.

'It's one of those things with these sorts of people who do these things. It's going to give them a little bit of attention then they're going to get over it.'

Ms Foxx, 22, previously claimed she hired the billboard for $2,000.

'I've had 300 messages and 2,000 calls (including from) a rich guy with one leg,' the tradie said from a New South Wales mine site on Wednesday.

Ms Foxx is a tradie who works in the mines and an OnlyFans creator

Shianne Foxx shared a bizarre apology video to the people of Mosman on Thursday (pictured)

Despite Mobile Marketing Australia saying the image was photoshopped over a legitimate commercial, it still didn't stop locals sharing their outrage.

One Mosman resident said on Facebook: 'My seven-year-old read it out loud and asked what it meant. What has this world come to?'

On Thursday afternoon, Ms Foxx uploaded a bizarre video to Instagram, asking for forgiveness from the Mosman community.

'I'd like to formally apologise to the residents of Mosman,' she said.

'It was not my intention for myself to find a sugar daddy and bring shame on your suburb on such an international scale.

'To minimise the spotlight that is solely on Mosman I will now be extending my search to surrounding suburbs including Neutral Bay, North Sydney, Northbridge and potentially Willoughby although I'm unsure if the average income there meets the criteria that I'm looking for.

'I am open to the possibility of Kirribilli although the houses seem quite small.'

Ms Foxx pleaded with Mosman mayor Ann Marie Kimber to make her feel welcome.

'I would also like to ask the residents of Mosman to stop petitioning Mayor Kimber to ban me from the suburb,' she continued.

'I have an annual pass to Taronga Zoo which I would hate to see go to waste. I particularly like the giraffe experience.

'I am still filtering through all the applications for my potential sugar daddy but I would like to refine my search to men who are over 60, have a waterfront home and also no immediate family or children.'
A mother who pulled over on a highway late at night and stabbed her two children because she thought they were in danger will not face a criminal trial over it.

Supreme Court Justice Sandi McDonald found Megan Jayne Somerville, 37, not guilty of attempting to murder her two sons in 2022 by way of mental incompetence.

Justice McDonald found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Ms Somerville stabbed her two children on the side of Adelaide's North-South Motorway but did not know this was wrong.

'The objective elements of the offences are established beyond reasonable doubt,' she said.

'Ms Somerville was mentally incompetent to commit the two offences of attempted murder and at the time of the incident, she was suffering from mental impairment and as a consequence did not know that the conduct was wrong.'

The judge found that her 'mental impairment was substantially caused by self induced intoxication', the Advertiser reported.

'Ms Somerville is not guilty of the offences of attempted murder by way of mental incompetence.'

The police were called to the North-South Motorway at around 11.30pm on August 15, 2022 after reports a woman was being held by a member of the public.

Supreme Court Justice Sandi McDonald found Megan Jayne Somerville (pictured) not guilty of attempting to murder her two sons in 2022 by way of mental incompetence

Justice McDonald found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Ms Somerville (pictured) stabbed her children on the side of Adelaide's North-South Motorway but did not know this was wrong

The court previously heard Ms Somerville stopped her silver Honda sedan and took her sons, aged 3 and 8 at the time out of the car.

She then stabbed them 'a number of times' with a knife.

The court also heard Ms Somerville has used meth, cannabis and prescription medication that night.

A forensic psychiatrist said Ms Somerville's account of what happened included a fear that she and her boys were in great danger.

'She had such severe delusions that were of a certain nature that meant she thought her children were in danger of a fate worse than death, that they were being groomed to kill her, and when that was done, they would be abducted, tortured and killed,' the psychiatrist said.

'In harming the children, she thought she was doing the right thing in the circumstances.'

Prosecutor Lucy Boord SC said there would probably be a victim impact statement when Ms Somerville returns to court in June.
An Australian soldier who raped his wife several times over five years and hit her with a bamboo stick 5,000 times has been jailed for 22 years.

The corporal was sentenced in the NSW District Court after he was found guilty of one count of aggravated sexual assault, one count of sexually touching another person without consent and seven counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

The man, whose name is suppressed to protect the victims's identity, met his wife when they were both based at the Holsworthy Army Barracks, 36km south-west of Sydney's CBD.

The victim, who later left the Australian Defence Force, told the court in a statement that her life was 'destroyed' by her husband.

The soldier served more than two decades in the army - including several international postings - before he was arrested in 2021.

Court documents obtained by news.com.au revealed his wife felt 'trapped' and 'unable to leave the relationship' from the early days.

'He was financially controlling and controlling in a medical sense repeatedly telling her he had saved her life multiple times in an attempt to manipulate and/or force the complainant to do what he wanted sexually,' police wrote in court documents.

'If the complainant did not do what he wanted, he would punish her physically and sexually. The punishments escalated over time.

An Australian soldier who raped his wife several times over five years and beat her with a bamboo stick 5,000 times has been jailed for 22 years

'This resulted in the complainant, at times, acquiescing to the accused's demands to keep him happy, fearing that the accused would leave her and the children if she did not go along with him.'

The couple and their children moved around Australia each year as he was posted to other military bases.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said she had been 'completely shattered' by her 15 year relationship with the soldier.

She said she was manipulated into doing things she didn't want to do and had to change who she was to keep him happy.

If she said no or asked him to stop she abused even more as punishment, she said.

'I felt nothing in the end. I may as well had been dead. My life was destroyed by him.'

The couple separated in April 2021, with the victim saying she was 'one of the lucky ones who was able to finally escape the abuse and control. So many more aren't.'

As well as the sexual abuse, the woman was left with red marks and bruises on her wrists and injuries to her genitalia and eyes from assaults by the soldier.

The victim told the court in a statement that her life was 'destroyed' by her husband

In April 2020, the man bought a bamboo stick from Bunnings and later hit his wife on the buttocks with it about 5,000 times as 'punishment'.

On another occasion, the corporal refused to stop despite his wife 'yelling and crying' in pain. He later told her that 'In the bedroom, it's my rules.'

The man was sentenced to 22 years prison.

His non-parole period is 14-and-a-half years, meaning he will be eligible for parole on January 1, 2039.

An ADF spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that 'Defence does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour in any form.'

They said that while the ADF 'does not comment on individual matters or cases, when incidents of unacceptable behaviour do occur, Defence has systems and processes in place to address these matters'.

When an ADF member is charged with a serious offence, they are suspended from duty.

If a member is convicted of an offence, they are involuntarily removed from the ADF.

National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24-hour helpline 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732

Sexual Assault Support Services on 6231 1811, or after hours 6231 1817
Police have launched an urgent appeal to find a missing 12-year-old schoolboy who vanished at a train station two days ago.

Alfie Caine, who is from Dover, was last seen at the rail station in the village of Kearsney, Kent, at 10am on Tuesday March 18.

It is thought that the boy may have then taken a train either to the Medway borough of Kent or to London, according to Kent Police.

The young boy is around 4ft 7in tall, has dark brown hair in curtains and has brown eyes.

It is believed he was wearing navy blue tracksuit bottoms, a black jacket with white markings and black Nike trainers when he was last seen.

Anyone who has seen Alfie or who knows where he might be should call 999, quoting the reference number 18-1403.

Police have launched an urgent appeal to find missing schoolboy Alfie Caine (pictured), 12, who vanished at a train station two days ago
Israel has threatened 'total destruction' in Gaza as it issued what it calls a 'last warning' for Hamas to return the hostages and be removed from power.

The Israeli military bombarded Gaza with heavy air strikes and launched a new ground operation on Thursday, shattering a relative calm that had pervaded since the ceasefire took hold in mid-January.

The offensive, which began Tuesday, has killed more than 430 people, the Hamas-run healthy ministry in Gaza says.

Israeli airstrikes overnight and into Thursday struck several homes and killed at least 58 people across the Gaza Strip, according to three hospitals.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz overnight warned Gazans to take the 'advice' of President Donald Trump and echoed the American president's previous warning that failing to release the hostages would be fatal.

'Take the US president's advice. Return the hostages and remove Hamas and other options will open up for you, including leaving for other places in the world for those who desire. The alternative is total destruction and ruin,' Katz said.

The renewed Israeli bombardment sent a stream of new casualties yesterday to the few hospitals still functioning in Gaza.

A UN Office for Project Services employee was killed and at least five others were wounded when a UN building in the central city of Deir el-Balah was hit by 'explosive ordnance'. A British bomb disposal expert, 51, was among the injured, BBC reports.

A full investigation into the Wednesday morning attack will be needed, the deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary general told the broadcaster. The name of the injured UK national has not yet been released.

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, on March 20, 2025

People perform funeral prayer as bodies of Palestinians, who lost their life following the Israeli attack, are brought to Nasser Hospital for funeral process in Khan Yunis on March 20, 2025

Children look on as people walk amid the rubble of a building destroyed in an overnight Israeli strike in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip on March 18, 2025

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has threatened 'total destruction' in Gaza as he issued what Israel calls a 'last warning' for Hamas to return the hostages and be removed from power

Israel resumed heavy airstrikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering a ceasefire that had halted the 17-month war.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced it had resumed ground operations 'in the central and southern Gaza Strip to expand the security perimeter and create a partial buffer between the north and south'.

Hamas has yet to respond militarily, but Israel's actions threaten to drag the sides back into all-out war.

The death toll from new Israeli strikes on Gaza has climbed to 58, according to hospitals in the territory. The latest total of those killed was according to three hospitals in different parts of the territory.

Multiple homes were targeted in the middle of the night late Wednesday and early Thursday. The strikes hit residences in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza and the northern town of Beit Lahiya, officials say.

The European Hospital in the southern city of Rafah said 26 people, mostly women and children, were killed in strikes on two family homes overnight. One of the strikes killed a father and his seven children, it said.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed overnight in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital said it had received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike on a home in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border.

The Israeli military also said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels early Thursday before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported.

It was the second such attack since the US began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in north Gaza, as seen from Israel's border with Gaza, Israel March 19, 2025

Youths set tires ablaze in the Al-ain camp for Palestinian refugees west of Nablus in the occupied West Bank on March 19, 2025, during an Israeli army raid

Displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza City set up their tents in the city centre after evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli occupation army on March 19, 2025

As Israel defied calls from foreign governments to preserve the ceasefire, Gazans were left to once again comb through rubble to find the bodies of their loved ones.

'We're digging with our bare hands,' said a man trying to dislodge a child's body from a heap of concrete in Gaza City.

After Israel urged civilians to leave areas it described as 'combat zones', families with young children filled the roads leading out of northern Gaza.

Fred Oola, senior medical officer at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah, said the renewed strikes shattered the relative calm of the past two months.

'Now, we can feel the panic in the air... and we can see the pain and devastation in the faces of those we are helping,' he said.

Addressing the 'residents of Gaza' - governed by Hamas since 2007 - Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a video Wednesday night: 'This is the last warning.'

He said that if they took Trump's advice, returned the hostages and removed Hamas from power that 'other options will open up for you - including the possibility of leaving for other places in the world for those who want to'.

He was apparently referring to a warning earlier this month by US President Donald Trump, who said: 'To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!'

Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, 58 are still held by the terror group in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Israeli army armoured vehicles patrol during raid on Ain refugee camp in Nablus, West Bank on March 19, 2025

Palestinians make their way to flee their homes, after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for a number of neighbourhoods in Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip on March 19, 2025

A boy sits amid rubble as Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a house, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on March 20, 2025

Hamas says it is willing to negotiate and has called on the international community to act to bring the war to an end.

An official from the group rejected, however, Israeli demands to renegotiate the three-stage deal agreed with Egyptian, Qatari and US mediators.

'Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations but we insist there is no need for new agreements,' Taher al-Nunu told AFP.

Talks have stalled over how to proceed with the ceasefire, after the first phase expired in early March. Israel and the US have sought to change the terms of the deal by extending phase one.

Hamas wants negotiations for phase two, meant to establish a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza while the remaining hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

'Moving to the second phase seems to be a non-option for Israel,' said Ghassan Khatib, a political analyst and former Palestinian Authority minister.

'They don't like the second phase because it involves ending the war without necessarily achieving their objective of ending Hamas.'

Israel and Washington have portrayed Hamas's rejection of a phase one extension as a refusal to release more hostages.

Displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza City set up their tents in the city centre last night after evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli occupation army

Palestinians leave Beit Hanun in northern Gaza after Israeli evacuation orders on Wednesday

Palestinians make their way to flee their homes in Beit Hanou, Gaza on March 19, 2025

'This was not an accident,' UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva said, adding that 'attacks against humanitarian premises are a breach of international law'.

At least 280 UN employees have been killed since the start of the war, according to the UN chief.

UK foreign minister David Lammy said on X he was 'appalled' by the incident, which the NGO Mines Advisory Group said injured a British aid worker.

The health ministry in the Hamas-run territory blamed Israel, which denied striking the compound and later said the circumstances were being investigated.

Thousands of Israeli protesters massed in Jerusalem, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of resuming strikes on Gaza without regard for the safety of the remaining hostages.

'We want him to know that the most important issue is to get the hostages back,' said 67-year-old Nehama Krysler.

Early Thursday, Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels - who have launched attacks claiming solidarity with the Palestinians - said they fired a missile at Israel, which the military said was intercepted.

Smoke rises from a location reportedly struck by US airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

An Israeli tank manoeuvres on the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel on Wednesday, March 19, 2025

The war began with Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

At least 470 people had been killed in the territory since Israel resumed large-scale air strikes overnight from Monday to Tuesday, the Gaza civil defence agency's spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Wednesday.

The agency reported 14 members of the same family killed in an Israeli strike in the north.

As of Monday, before the intense strikes resumed, the overall death toll in Gaza since the start of the war stood at more than 48,570, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
A massive explosion of ammunition triggering a giant mushroom cloud today hit Engels-2, home of a military airport for Russia's nuclear strategic bomber aircraft.

Ammunition warehouses crammed with suspected missiles and a military-linked aviation fuel oil facility were hit and ablaze in the Ukrainian blitzkrieg, and there was damage to a hospital from falling drone debris after it was downed by air defences.

Massive secondary explosions of ammunition were reported from the strike with dozens of residential properties nearby suffering damage, and smoke visible from more than six miles away.

After the detonation of the ammunition store in Engels-2, debris scattered more than three miles from the exploding missiles, say reports.

One theory is that a new supply of Kh-101 missiles had arrived at the airbase on an Il-76 transport plane, and that Ukraine had intelligence about it. At the time of the explosion, three Tu-95MS and two Tu-160s strategic bombers were at the Engels-2 airbase.

An urgent evacuation of civilians 'for safety reasons' was reportedly ordered and the closure of schools in the area, including Saratov city after the 4am attack.

Engels-2 is a major base for Russia's Tu-95MS and Tu-160 aircraft, and warehouses nearby are believed to store deadly Kh-101 and Kh-55 types missiles among other weapons.

This came as Putin's forces 'carpet bombed' a central Ukrainian city making clear that Donald Trump's peace initiatives have failed for now to halt attacks by both sides.

A massive explosion of ammunition triggering a giant mushroom cloud today hit Engels-2, home of a military airport for Russia 's nuclear strategic bomber aircraft

It was the biggest drone attack of the war in Saratov region, from which Vladimir Putin has staged repeated and devastating conventional missile strikes on Ukraine

Vladimir Putin (pictured) stored his nuclear bombers in the city of Engels

More than 30 explosions hit Kropyvnytskyi in a thunderous terror onslaught striking rail and industrial sites as well as homes with eight people including a child injured.

Armageddon-like flames and towers of smoke burned over Kropyvnytskyi after a relentless two-hour Russian attack, the worst of the war.

Ten people were wounded - including four children - as among the targets Putin hit was Mir [Peace] Street, seen by Ukrainians as evidence that the dictator has no desire to end the war.

A woman was fighting for her life with 90 per cent burns to her body.

Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, said: 'Kropyvnytskyi. This is what Putin's ceasefire looks like.

'Russia takes great pleasure in attacking civilians.'

Some reports said Ukraine's 17th aviation technical support base - military unit A-1840 - was hit in Kropyvnytskyi, capital of Kirovohrad region, with a targeting of cruise missiles and other ammunition.

Zelensky - who had constructive talks with Trump on Wednesday - said that an expected ban on striking energy facilities was not yet in place.

'I understand that until we agree [with Russia], until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly,' said Zelensky, referring to drones and missiles.

Putin said he had ordered his troops not to hit Ukrainian energy facilities, but his strikes clobbered railways and industrial facilities across several regions, and they have also hit energy facilities since he issued the 'order'.

Satellite imagery from Maxar shows the Engels-2 airfield near Saratov, Russia, showing long-range Tu-95MS and Tu-160 bombers

The airbase is home to Tu-160 (pictured, left) and Tu-95MS (pictured, right)bombers

A damaged building of a local hospital, following what local authorities called a Ukrainian drone attack, in the Russian town of Engels in the Saratov region on March 20, 2025

Ammunition warehouses crammed with suspected missiles and a military-linked aviation fuel oil facility were hit and ablaze in the Ukrainian blitzkrieg

This came as Putin's forces 'carpet bombed' the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi

Despite this he hit Ukraine overnight with 171 drones, of which

75 were shot down.

On the attack of Engels-2, home to Putin's 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment,one Telegram channel wrote: 'In the middle of the night, reports started coming about an alleged hit.

'By morning, mushrooms with an uncharacteristic colour for oil products were visible in the city.

'It can be cautiously assumed that the Russians' ammunition storage has exploded as a result of an encounter with high-precision [drones].'

Engels City Clinical Hospital No. 1 was hit by drone debris, injuring one woman, and Russian sources claimed a school and two kindergartens were damaged.

Russian air defences shot down 132 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 54 in Saratov region.

The Times of Ukraine Telegram channel reported: 'Kropyvnytskyi was simply under carpet bombing.. Most areas are in flames and smoke. No words.'

The attacks were mainly by Iranian-supplied Shahed drones.

The damage in the aftermath of the strike was horrific, and questions Putin's desire for peace.

As the onslaught was underway, the head of the military administration in Kropyvnytskyi said: 'The enemy is attacking residential areas of the city.

'Novomykolaivka, Balashivka are under attack.

'There are still enemy UAVs in the air. I ask everyone not to panic and to be as safe as possible.'

Passenger trains at this key rail hub were disrupted, and a major local factory was targeted.

Rail targets were also hit in Dnipropetrovsk region, and Russian also hit Slaviansk and Kupyansk, where one person was killed in a guided bomb strike.

Meanwhile, an inferno at Kavkazskaya - hit on Wednesday by Ukraine - was expanding and posing a threat to Russian export supplies.

Amid Ukrainian attacks, Russia evacuated a border zone in Belgorod region.

'If you do not comply with this decision, you may die,' residents were warned.
This is the shocking moment a drunk British husband flew into a rage and yelled at a waiter at a restaurant in Thailand.

David, 60, was collecting his Thai wife when he became aggressive at the Lee Zaab restaurant in Nakhon Ratchasima province at around midnight on Tuesday.

The couple left together but the retiree returned to the restaurant and launched a furious rant at the diners and staff.

Footage shows the aggressive visitor shoving aside a waiter as he screamed 'f*** you' at one of the staff.

'Don't f****** touch me,' he continued. 'I will f****** pull a... f*** you.'

David allegedly broke glasses on his way out while continuing to hurl abuse at the Thai locals, shouting 'you're a f****** idiot'.

Business owner Aphinan Yokhanuparb, 49, called the police, who helped de-escalate the situation.

Yokhanuparb suggested the Brit 'must have been jealous that his wife was having dinner with other men'.

The 60-year-old retiree was seen shouting at a waiter in a restaurant in Thailand

Footage shows the aggressive visitor shoving aside a waiter as he screamed 'f*** you' at staff

Lieutenant Colonel Vorachai of the local police added: 'The officers at the scene calmed him down and helped to avoid any further conflict and no arrests were made.

'The reason for the incident was due to a misunderstanding with his wife.'

According to the business owner, the restaurant was just about to close when David entered and launched into a furious rant.

Yokhanuparb said the 'foreign man, who seemed drunk, walked inside and started yelling and cursing at customers, speaking in a mixture of English and Thai'.

'His Thai wife was sitting at the dining table. So I asked Mr Song-nga Romyen, a restaurant employee who could speak a little English, to calm him down.

'But the foreign man kept yelling and cursing at me the whole time and trying to destroy things in the restaurant.

'Many customers started to feel uncomfortable with his language, so I called the Phimai Police Station to help us control him.

Despite the presence of officers, David was steadfast: 'Thai law is b******t, s** you'.

He accused the locals of being racist towards him.

Police then 'dragged him out of the shop and called him to calm down', the business owner said.

'He must have been jealous that his wife was having dinner with other men.'

In a clip outside, David was still animated and cursing

According to the business owner, the restaurant was just about to close when David entered and launched into a furious rant

Surveillance footage from the restaurant showed David coming in and striding over to a table

Police said that they arrived at the restaurant and calmed the situation.

Aphinan added he declined to press charges against the British man.

Thailand has been marred by over-tourism as the Thai government implements a visa-free scheme to boost revenue following the barren pandemic years.

However, angry locals claim the push for tourist dollars has attracted crowds of 'low-quality' visitors from across the globe including Russia, India and Australia.
Volodymyr Zelensky was holding a press conference in Kyiv yesterday when he was interrupted by a phone call from none other than his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

Pausing the conference to answer his phone, the Ukrainian President politely quipped: 'Sorry Emmanuel... I just have a conversation with some journalists.

'Can I ring you back in some minutes, 15-20 minutes? Please, thank you, Emmanuel.'

Moments later, Zelensky told journalists: 'We have close relations between our countries. He helps a lot. I am very grateful to him.

'I will call him back after our conversation,' he said, estimating that he speaks with Macron 'on average once a day.'

The poorly timed phone call came as British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer prepared to launch construction of the UK's next-generation of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).

Sir Keir will travel to Barrow today to lay the keel of HMS Dreadnought, one of several new vessels which will take over responsibility for Britain's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrence in the 2030s.

He will then host a closed-door meeting of European military chiefs to discuss the future defence of Ukraine as the so-called 'coalition of the willing' takes shape.

Starmer and Macron have led discussions on how Europe can guarantee Kyiv's long-term security, drawing up a plan that could see tens of thousands of peacekeepers deployed across Ukraine despite warnings from Vladimir Putin.

Volodymyr Zelensky was holding a press conference in Kyiv yesterday when he was interrupted by a phone call from none other than his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) shakes hands with France's President Emmanuel Macron (R)

(L-R) Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting

Ukrainian soldiers of Khartya brigade receive training on shooting drones down in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine on February 18, 2025

Rescuers of the State Emergency Service work to extinguish a fire in a building after a drone strike in Kharkiv

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Speaking on BBC Breakfast this morning, Britain's Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard said they want the coalition to be a 'credible force' that would allow Ukraine to 'enjoy a lasting peace' and 'reconstitute and rearm'.

'Putin won't stop if he wins in Ukraine. If he subjugates the entirety of Ukraine  which is his plan and has been for many years  he will simply rearm and look where else he can extend his influence and his domination.

'That is not in our interest as a country, certainly not in the interest of our European friends,' he said.

The particulars of the plan are yet to be revealed, but it is thought that Britain, France and other European countries would take responsibility for safeguarding Ukraine on the ground following a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow.

Ukraine's armed forces would patrol a demilitarised zone spanning the length of the frontline, while troops from an Anglo-French 'reassurance force' would be stationed at key infrastructure sites across the country.

NATO air and naval assets would also perform reconnaissance missions over Ukraine and in the Black Sea.

In theory, the Western troop presence would seek to deter future Russian attacks, with their safety upheld by US fighter jets and missiles remaining on standby in Eastern Europe as a 'backstop'.

The American backstop would be implemented to ensure 'that 'whatever forces are deployed will not be challenged by Russia,' officials with knowledge of the plans have said.

But there are fears that the US under Donald Trump could refuse to provide the air cover, while Russia has affirmed that Western troops deployed in Ukraine would be treated as combatants.

The White House's apparent reticence to uphold European security has triggered a new age of rearmament across the EU.

Macron has initiated a doubling of the French defence budget over the course of his two terms and recently set an even higher target, saying the country should increase defence spending to 3-3.5% of economic output from the current 2%.

Earlier this week he visited a French air force base near Germany to declare fighter jets equipped with new-generation hypersonic nuclear missiles would be stationed there as part of an overhaul of France's airborne nuclear deterrent.

Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey on board a nuclear-armed Vanguard class submarine this week as it returned to Faslane

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to soldiers at the Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur airbase, in Saint-Sauveur, north-eastern France, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Mirage (L) and Rafale (R) righter jets are seen in the background

France's President Emmanuel Macron stands with Pierre Gaudilliere, military governor of Nancy, in front of a Dassault Rafale fighter at Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase, France March 18, 2025

Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, raises his hand during a vote at a session of the Bundestag (lower house of parliament) on March 18, 2025 in Berlin

France's Rafale fighter jet is seen carrying France's current nuclear capable hypersonic cruise missile (centre)

'We haven't waited for 2022 or the turning point we're seeing right now to discover that the world we live in is ever more dangerous, ever more uncertain, and that it implies to innovate, to bulk up and to become more autonomous,' he said on Tuesday.

'I will announce in the coming weeks new investments to go further than what was done over the past seven years,' he said, adding that the government would order additional Rafale warplanes from French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation to replace ageing Mirage fighter jets - some of which were sent to Ukraine.

Macron has also offered to extend the protection of France's nuclear weapons, the so-called nuclear umbrella, to other European countries.

Meanwhile, the German parliament this week approved a plan set forth by Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz for a massive spending surge in hopes of reviving economic growth and scaling up military spending.

After the global financial crisis of 2008, Germany imposed a so-called 'debt brake' that dramatically restricted government borrowing.

But the move, long seen as an important economic backstop, came under criticism in recent months amid fears that it would prevent Germany from adequately increasing its defence spending.

Now, Merz's conservatives and Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) - who are in talks to form a centrist coalition after last month's election - want to remove the debt brake and create a 500 billion fund to improve Germany's infrastructure and supercharge its defence industrial base.

'We have for at least a decade felt a false sense of security,' Merz told lawmakers ahead of the vote yesterday.

'The decision we are taking today on defence readiness... can be nothing less than the first major step towards a new European defence community,' he said.

The legislation still has to go to the Bundesrat upper house for another vote on Friday, but is expected to pass.

In the wake of the Bundestag voting through the spending plan, Merz declared simply: 'Germany is back.'

The vote was also met with widespread praise from European allies, including Macron who delivered a joint press conference with outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after visiting Luxeuil.

'I want to congratulate you on the Bundestag's historic vote, which is good news for Germany and good news for Europe, because it will enable it to do more for defence and investment,' he told reporters.

Scholz, speaking alongside Macron, said that by 'strengthening the European pillar of NATO, we will strengthen the transatlantic alliance as a whole'.

And European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the Bundestag's green-lighting of the spending package was 'excellent news because it sends a very clear message also to Europe that Germany is determined to invest massively in defence'.
Alcohol taxes, entire government departments and Australia diplomatic involvements are on the chopping block as Pauline Hanson sharpens her election policies.

With just weeks until Australians go to the ballot box, One Nation - which is led by the veteran senator - officially held its Queensland Senate campaign launch in Cairns on Wednesday.

Though some of its views and platforms are viewed as controversial or fringe, it shares the same focus as every other party: the cost of living.

'It breaks my heart to see so many Australians living in poverty - they are actually living in tents, bridges, in cars with families and can't put a roof over their heads,' Ms Hanson told AAP.

One of its signature plans is to slash $90billion from government spending.

She said the party would withdraw Australia from the United Nations, World Health Organization, World Economic Forum and other global bodies.

It would also reduce funding for multicultural programs, rein in National Disability Insurance Scheme funding and abolish the National Indigenous Australians Agency and the Department of Climate Change.

'There is a lot of duplication - it is out of control - and there is wasteful spending,' she said

Pauline Hanson is pictured with newly announced One Nation candidate Geena Court at her campaign launch in Cairns on Thursday

Alcohol taxes, entire government departments and Australia diplomatic involvements are on the chopping block as Pauline Hanson (pictured) sharpens her election policies

'Most people that I talk to around Australia don't even believe all this climate change.'

Data from NASA has found the vast majority of actively publishing climate scientists agree humans are causing global warming and climate change and Australia's government climate department aims to protect the natural environment and heritage sites.

One Nation also wants to increase scrutiny on the pay and hiring processes of public servants, with Senator Hanson claiming 'incompetent' people were being hired based on their sex.

Savings would be invested in tax relief, such as abolishing the excise on alcohol at venues, exempting insurance companies and building materials on GST - which could bring down housing construction costs - and paying down Australia's debt.

While many of these policies are reminiscent of those implemented by US President Donald Trump, Ms Hanson has run on similar ideas since the 1990s.

If the election ends in a hung parliament, as many polls predict, One Nation could soon hold more sway.

But it's not just about the balance of power, she said, it's about fighting for Australians.

'They are struggling, they are hurting and the governments do not understand what the hell is going on,' she said.
Channel migrants who chronicle their journey on social media are being offered discounted passage by people smugglers eager to promote their services.

In return for posting footage of their crossing on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, migrants can cut the cost by up to 2,000, a significant reduction on a trip that normally costs anywhere between 1,500 and 6,000.

Financial incentivisation marks another layer of exploitation by smugglers, who have already ferried more than 4,392 people from France to Kent on small and often dangerously overpacked boats so far this year.

The National Crime Agency has been working with social media companies to get video footage of the crossings removed, with more than 8,000 taken down last year alone.

'Nearly 18,000 social media accounts, pages, and posts have been removed by [social media] companies since we started working with them in November 2021,' said Paul Brisley, a senior manager in threat leadership at the National Crime Agency.

'The adverts show photographs of migrants in a boat, using videos of the migrants themselves as an endorsement of the service.

'[The smugglers] also offer discounts if migrants take a video of their journey, if it is successful, that they can then use to promote their service.'

Adverts on social media have become increasingly central to the activities of smugglers, providing a key mechanism through which the criminals attract business.

A GB News investigation claimed that dozens of Albanian accounts on TikTok boast of their ability to get men, women and children from France to Britain

Stills from footage of migrants crossing the Channel in a small boat. The journey was part of an operation run by Pistiwan Jameel, a railway worker who acted as a broker for smuggling gangs

Jameel was arrested after helping Albanian national Artan Halilaj, 40, to smuggle his brother-in-law Fiorentino Halilaj, 26, into the country on a small boat in September 2023

In addition to Incentives offered for family groups, certain nationalities, women and children, their services include the supply of bogus paperwork.

'The criminals offer migrant smuggling services, the supply of false documents and fraudulent assistance with visa applications,' said Brisley.

Immigration experts have expressed concern about the increasingly polished nature of the adverts published by smugglers, which downplay the perilous nature of the crossings while putting a honeyed sheen on life in Britain.

The National Crime Agency's efforts to thwart the criminals' social media activities has been welcomed by Alp Mehmet, chairman of Migration Watch UK.

'Its welcome news there is a crackdown on social media channels,' he told the Telegraph. 'It is disturbing to hear that they are offering discounts for video footage. It shows they are very entrepreneurial. This is a ruthless business making millions each year.'

The financial scale of smuggling operations was laid bare last month when a 'prolific' people smuggler who hid in plain sight as a railway company cleaner was jailed after it emerged that he had been running an illegal operation for 15 years.

Pistiwan Jameel, 55, acted as a broker for smuggling gangs in France and boasted of being a 'trusted' fixer who made at least 1.6million for his criminal network.

Jameel's dealings as an underworld fixer for international smuggling network saw him jailed for four years and 10 months at Birmingham crown court after he admitted two counts of facilitating illegal immigration.

Social media accounts often include pictures of the UK, including landmarks like Tower Bridge and the Houses of Parliament, to drum up business. Here, migrants hail a French boat for help

Earlier this month, a Palestinian migrant fleeing war-torn Gaza shared footage of his treacherous journey across the English Channel, showing how he travelled on a dinghy crammed with people.

Abu Wadih Al-Qassas had been documenting his escape from the deadly Israel-Hamas war on TikTok, where some of his videos received up to 89,000 views.

One clip showed Al-Qassas, who has nearly 173,000 followers on the social platform, sitting on a packed boat in the middle of the sea alongside dozens of migrants, including women and children, most of whom were wearing orange life vests.

The video was captioned: 'Thank God, we have arrived in Britain after a long journey.'

A spokesperson for the Home Office said: 'We all want to end dangerous small boat crossings, which threaten lives and undermine our border security.

'The people-smuggling gangs do not care if the vulnerable people they exploit live or die, as long as they pay. We will stop at nothing to dismantle their business models and bring them to justice.'
Military figures are set to gather in the UK today as the Prime Minister seeks to galvanise his 'coalition of the willing' into a viable plan for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has been trying to assemble a pact of nations who would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes a 'lasting peace can be achieved this year' after a call with US President Donald Trump.

Sir Keir is expected to meet with defence planners after he announced at the weekend that military chiefs would gather to 'put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security'.

He also signalled a move to an 'operational phase' as he confirmed Thursday's meeting.

It came as Trump floated a new peace plan what would see the US buy Ukrainian power stations and infrastructure.

In the call with Zelensky, the US president 'said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,' according to a White House statement.

'American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,' it added.

Sir Keir is expected to meet with defence planners after he announced at the weekend that military chiefs would gather to 'put strong and robust plans in place'

It came as Trump floated a new peace plan what would see the US buy Ukrainian power stations and infrastructure.

Engels-2 airbase, home to Russia's nuclear bombers, was rocked by massive explosion in Ukraine's biggest drone strike on the Saratov region last night

Addressing a press conference in Downing Street on Saturday, the Prime Minister did not elaborate on which nations had made concrete commitments to a peacekeeping force, but said that what action they could take would be a subject of discussion in the meeting.

'There are different capabilities from different countries, but those are the operational discussions that are going on in relation to what this coalition of the willing will be able to provide,' he said.

Diplomatic efforts on securing a ceasefire had continued on Wednesday, with the call between the US and Ukrainian leaders on Wednesday coming a day after Mr Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Zelensky said he had a 'positive, very substantive and frank' conversation with Mr Trump, and said that Ukraine was 'ready to implement' the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

He thanked Mr Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia last week, and added: 'We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.

'We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.'

In the same call, the US president suggested that America takes ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky during their call that the US could be 'very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise', according to a White House statement from US secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.

The US president added that 'American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure'.

Number 10 welcomed the 'progress' that Mr Trump has made 'towards a ceasefire deal'.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, a Downing Street spokesperson said: 'We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire deal, and we will continue to work with international partners on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

'We now need to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire deal to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.'

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky is also expected to address European leaders on Thursday when he dials in to the European Council meeting via video link.

Elsewhere on Thursday, the Prime Minister is also due to visit Barrow-in-Furness after hailing the town as a 'blueprint' for how increasing defence spending can boost prosperity.

He will lay the keel of the first of the Dreadnought class of submarines, a fleet of four vessels that will make up the next generation of the UK's nuclear deterrent.
The ex-wife of a Russian oligarch who won Britain's biggest divorce payout expects to wrack up a 2million legal bill to sue her lawyers, the High Court has heard.

Tatiana Soroka, 52, claims the firm, Payne Hicks Beach (PHB) where Baroness Fiona Shackleton is a partner, missed opportunities to have her former husband Farkhad Akhmedov's ten-deck floating palace Luna seized in Miami.

She was awarded 453million in what was Britain's biggest divorce settlement, but Ms Soroka is arguing that with the right information, she could have achieved a 'better' settlement and outcome - and is suing the firm at the High Court.

In a newly-published judgement it emerged that the divorcee estimates that she will pay approximately 2 million in legal fees when the full 20-day trial takes place in autumn of next year.

The wealthy divorcee has accused her lawyer Baroness Shackleton of professional negligence and said she was not offered the correct advice when she asked them to 'explore options' to have the yacht impounded.

In 2016, PHB represented Ms Soroka in divorce proceedings against her ex-husband Mr Akhmedov, who is an Azerbaijani businessman and former politician in Russia.

Matters soured between Ms Soroka and PHB after the settlement money failed to materialise despite oil and gas tycoon Mr Akhmedov, 68, being ordered to pay up by a judge.

She claims she instructed PHB to chase him for the money and asked the firm to 'reconsider whether' they could seize the 200 million yacht. But the lawyers claim this was not the case and she was 'not interested in impounding the Luna'.

Tatiana Soroka pictured outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London in February 2018 alongside Baroness Fiona Shackleton

Ms Soroka got a 450million payout after divorcing Russian oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov (pictured)

Ms Soroka claims her lawyers missed opportunities to have the Luna (pictured), a superyacht belonging to her ex-husband, seized while it was in Miami

Solicitor and Conservative politician Baroness Shackleton is nicknamed 'Steel Magnolia' for her ruthless pursuit of her clients' interests.

She represented King Charles and Sir Paul McCartney in their divorces  memorably having a jug of water poured over her by Heather Mills after she was awarded just 24million of the 125million she had sought from the former Beatle.

As Britain's highest-profile divorce lawyer, she has also worked with A-list stars such as Liam Gallagher and Madonna during their expensive and heavily spotlighted splits.

In the new judgement, judge Master Kaye said Mr Akhmedov did not willingly comply with this order, prompting Ms Soroka to 'take steps' to enforce it.

Luna was an asset of Mr Akhmedov's and was docked in Miami, Florida, USA, from January 2017 to May 2017. The vessel was built for former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, and has nine decks, two helipads, a pool and a mini-submarine.

The divorcee claimed that she spoke to PHB by telephone on January 23 of that year to tell them that Luna and Mr Akhmedov were in the city and so she wanted to 'explore options' there.

She claimed she asked the firm to 'reconsider whether she might be able to enforce the financial remedy order against the Luna in Miami'.

While she cannot recall 'exactly' what she was told on this date, Ms Soroka said she had the 'clear impression that enforcing the financial remedy order in Florida whilst the Luna was there was not an option open to her'.

The ten-deck floating palace is the world's second-largest expedition yacht and has two helipads, a pool and mini submarine

The vessel features two helipads, a huge swimming pool, and its own mini submarine, along with nine decks and space for 52 crew

However, the firm's version of events differed.

They said that Ms Soroka gave 'express instructions' in early January that she was 'not interested in impounding the Luna and that those instructions did not change'.

PHB said they were not instructed to obtain advice about the possibility of impounding the Luna in Miami but only about the possibility of arresting Mr Akhmedov.

The firm said they sought advice from a Miami attorney where they were told that arresting Mr Akhmedov was 'not an option' but they could seek to enforce the order in Florida if Mr Akhmedov had assets there.

The firm told that attorney that Mr Akhmedov did not have any assets in the country.

In July 2021, Ms Soroka entered into the settlement with Mr Akhmedov in relation to his obligations under the order.

It was reported that they agreed to a private deal that would mean her getting 100 million and art estimated to be worth 50 million.

Lawyers representing Ms Soroka said the firm had acted in breach of the contractual and common law duties of care that it owed to her.

In 2016 Ms Soroka secured an astounding 453million sum with the help of her lawyer Baroness Shackleton (pictured outside the High Court in August 2017)

Ms Soroka pictured outside the High Court in December 2020

They argued this was done by them 'wrongly and negligently' informing the Miami attorney that the oligarch had no assets in the USA when in fact they knew that Luna was docked in Miami.

And they said the firm 'negligently led [Ms Soroka] to understand that enforcing the [financial remedy order] in Florida while the Luna was in Miami was not option that was open to her'.

The firm denied any breach of duty and said that if they were to have obtain advice on seizing Luna, then that in itself would have been a breach of confidentiality as they had 'not been instructed' to do so.

They said the 'entire case is founded on the false premise that [Ms Soroka] instructed the [firm] to obtain the said advice'.

The court heard there has been delays in the case, which is now set to take place in autumn of next year, at the earliest.

'This is a stale claim relating to historic events,' Master Kaye said.

Ms Soroka has indicated to the firm that she 'wanted to attempt to settle' but PHB told her that 'they were not yet willing to engage' with this prospect.

The High Court ruled that the trial must be heard in one sitting, rather than split across two dates - which was preferred by Ms Soroka.

Sir Paul McCartney outside court with his lawyer Fiona Shackleton during his divorce to Heather Mills in 2008

Baroness Shackleton doused with water in court by a furious Heather Mills while representing Paul McCartney during the couple's divorce in 2008

Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher arriving at the Central Family Court in central London with his divorce lawyer Fiona Shackleton

The judge said the divorcee hadn't 'really grappled with the cost benefits or disadvantages of two trials'.

Master Kaye said: '[Ms Soroka] considers she will incur approximately 2m for the full 20-day trial.

'There is no breakdown for that figure but an explanation of the complexity of the causation and loss issues and the extensive disclosure and expert evidence needed.

'It seemed to me that when considering the rates and the work which [Ms Soroka] says has to be undertaken for the full trial that the trial estimate was unrealistic too.'

Rejecting her request for a split trial, they said: 'The strain and inconvenience and impact on all the witnesses is a factor that militates against a split trial.

'Standing back and looking at this in the round, taking a common sense and pragmatic approach, it seems to me the best course most consistent with the interests of justice and to enable the claim to be determined fairly and efficiently is to exercise my discretion to refuse the split trial.'
A French scientist was denied entry to the US after immigration officials discovered 'hateful' text messages criticising Donald Trump on his phone.

The space researcher - who has not yet been named - was subject to a random airport search on his way to a conference in Houston, Texas.

Officers found messages 'which conveyed a hatred toward Trump and could be considered to be terrorism', according to AFP, while another source suggested they felt the messages were 'hateful and conspiracy'.

The FBI later informed the academic that they had opened an investigation into the matter, but the agency later dropped charges.

After being rejected on March 9, he was sent back to Europe the following day after authorities confiscated his personal and professional equipment.

Philippe Baptiste, Frances minister of higher education and research, condemned the US authorities for taking action over a 'personal opinion'.

In a statement to Le Monde, he said: 'I learned with concern that a French researcher who was traveling to a conference near Houston was denied entry to the United States before being expelled.

'This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher's phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy.'

The researcher was denied entry by immigration officials after they found 'hateful' texts

Donald Trump has signed several executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal migration

France's Higher Education Minister Philippe Baptiste said he learned of the case 'with concern'

On the same day that the researcher was denied entry, Baptiste called on American academics to relocate to France.

In an open letter, he said: 'Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States.

'We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.'

On March 10, the French minister posted a photo with a researcher from the University of Maryland who had decided to take up an invitation from Aix-Marseille University to carry on her work there.

Baptiste has also been publicly critical of Elon Musk, who holds a key role in the Trump administration, for slashing scientific research budgets.

Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has imposed sweeping cuts and funding freezes to US universities and research institutions amid efforts to lower federal spending.

France's Foreign Ministry also condemned the incident and said it valued 'freedom of expression', but suggested the US was 'sovereign' when it came to controlling their borders.

Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs for the US Customs and Border Protection, told MailOnline: 'If individuals violate the terms of a lawful immigration status and attempt to re-enter the country, officers will take appropriate action. Federal privacy restrictions prohibit CBP from discussing specific cases.

'All persons arriving at a port of entry to the United States are subject to inspection on a case-by-case basis. As part of their critical national security mission, CBP officers routinely determine admissibility of foreign nationals using longstanding U.S. immigration law.

'If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded.'

Yesterday it emerged that another academic, Badar Khan Suri - an Indian national studying and teaching on a student visa at Georgetown University - was detained by immigration authorities.

The postdoctoral fellow was arrested outside his home in Virginia on Monday night, and was told by agents that the government had revoked his visa, according to Politico.

Officials reportedly used the same provision of immigration law as they did with Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student and green card holder who led pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has pledged to stop the 'invasion' of illegal migrants

Legal experts have warned that the Trump administration has likely exceeded its authority in invoking rarely applied laws as part of its immigration crackdown.

The 18th-century Alien Enemies Act, which gives the president the authority to detain and deport foreign citizens during times of war, has been used to deport 238 alleged gang members.

Immigration lawyer David Leopold told Reuters: 'This broad immigration statute, based solely on some abstract foreign policy worry, is being used to chill speech.'

A number of European nationals have also either been denied entry or detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in recent weeks.

Becky Burke, 28, only returned to Wales this week after being held at a processing centre for 19 days due to a visa mix-up at the US-Canada border.

The artist was detained in Washington after initially being denied entry by Canadian authorities and then told to return to the US.

Her father Paul Burke told the BBC that it 'will take some time for Becky to recover from this traumatic experience'.

Meanwhile, German authorities were forced to tighten up travel advice after three German nationals were held in a detention facility for weeks.
An Iraqi asylum seeker was allowed to stay in the UK after an immigration judge appeared to confuse his home country with Iran, a tribunal heard.

The unnamed man won his case after Judge Helena Suffield-Thompson delivered a ruling based on guidance that related to Iran and Turkey.

Judge Suffield-Thompson was assessing the potential risks if the asylum seeker was deported back to Iraq.

A tribunal heard he had made anti-Iraq government posts on his public Facebook account and argued he would be subject to persecution on his return.

At the hearing Judge Suffield-Thompson found in his favour, noting the 'sophisticated' capability of the authorities to monitor the social media accounts of political opponents.

But, a new tribunal has since found that she 'erred in law' as the apparent 'risks' to the asylum seeker were based on an assessment of Iran instead of Iraq - which carries out no such surveillance.

Now, the entire asylum case will have to start again, because the latest tribunal ordered it to be reheard.

The Immigration and Asylum Chamber of the Upper Tribunal, sitting at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre, was told that the unnamed Iraqi had his first asylum appeal dismissed in 2019.

IRAQ: A tribunal heard that the man made anti-Iraq government posts on his public Facebook account (file picture of Baghdad)

Following the July 2022 decision to allow him to stay, the Home Secretary - now Yvette Cooper (pictured) - launched an appeal

IRAN: The judge noted Tehran's 'sophisticated' capability of the authorities to monitor the social media accounts of political opponents (file picture of Tehran)

His next appeal was in July 2022 and was presided over at the First-tier Tribunal by Judge Suffield-Thompson, who allowed it.

Judge Suffield-Thompson ruled in his favour after he argued 'he was at risk from the Kurdish leadership as he had exposed their corrupt practices and behaviour'.

The asylum seeker claimed 'he campaigned against the Kurdish leadership in the UK' and was involved in 'activities' in Britain and 'expressed his views on Facebook such that he would be at risk of persecution on return as a result'.

But following the July 2022 decision to allow him to stay, the Home Secretary - now Yvette Cooper - launched an appeal.

Outlining the Home Office's case, a tribunal report said: 'The [Home Secretary's] grounds of appeal assert that [Judge Suffield-Thompson] had materially erred by relying on the factual findings of Country Guidance decisions that did not relate to the country situation in Iraq and instead either related to Turkey or Iran.

'It is submitted that the findings of fact in relation to risk on return are based on country guidance that is not applicable to Iraq.

'It is submitted that [Judge Suffield-Thompson's] findings on the ability of the Iraqi authorities to monitor the [Iraqi's] social media posts and ability to identify [him] on return are based on the [Judge Suffield-Thompson's] assessment of the country situation in Iran instead of Iraq.

'It is further submitted that [Judge Suffield-Thompson's] findings as to the risk to the [Iraqi] on return are based both on the ability of Iranian and Turkish authorities to identify political opponents on return instead of the ability of the Iraqi authorities.

'It is contended therefore that the appeal has been allowed on an erroneous basis.'

The tribunal report included the comments made by Judge Suffield-Thompson in July 2022 that were said to be erroneous.

Pictured: Cardiff Civil and Family Justice Centre where the tribunal was heard

She said: 'It is clear on both case law and objective background information that the Iraqi authorities have developed various sophisticated means to keep check on the activities of demonstrators, Facebook Users and Bloggers abroad.

'They have a biometric system which I find will be readily available to identify the [Iraqi] on return.

'As a failed asylum seeker, the [Iraqi] will be interviewed by the authorities on return and he will be asked to disclose his computer details and his Facebook posts will be found.

'The [Iraqi's] Facebook posts are public so he will be readily identified as the person making those anti-government posts.

'He will also have to disclose that he has been living in the UK.

'He is not expected to lie about his political views and beliefs due to fear of persecution.'

At the latest Upper Tribunal appeal, the Iraqi's lawyer objected to the Home Office's argument that the case should be reheard.

Ultimately, it was found by the Upper Tribunal that there is no evidence that Iraqi authorities monitor the social media pages of anti-Iraq protestors, unlike Iran.

Concluding, Deputy Upper Tribunal Judge Lucy Murray ruled that there was an error in law and that the case should be remitted back to the First-tier Tribunal.

Judge Murray said: 'It is unclear whether [Judge Suffield-Thompson] mistakenly thought that [Iranian case law] was in fact Iraqi country guidance case law.

'The case reference is incorrectly cited by her... and omits the word 'Iran'.

'However, and in any event, there is neither case law in relation to Iraq nor... was there any background evidence before her to support the findings in relation to the 'various sophisticated means' of the Iraqi authorities to monitor activities of demonstrators and social media users abroad.

'In the circumstances, I conclude that [Judge Suffield-Thompson's] assessment of the risk on return to the [Iraqi] due to his sur place activities was based on country guidance that did not relate to Iraq.

'I am satisfied therefore that the extent of fact-finding which is necessary for the decision in the appeal to be re-made is such that it is appropriate to remit the case to the First-tier Tribunal with no findings preserved.'
A father-of-three tragically lost his life after falling 250 feet from a cliff while operating a drone on a small island in South Devon.

The inquest heard that Giles Battye, from Exeter, had been walking near the cliff edge when he became distracted by his drone and failed to notice the dangerous drop.

Coroner Miss Alison Longhorn concluded that the death was an accident, ruling out suicide.

The court heard that Mr Battye had been battling long Covid, which had taken a toll on both his health and business.

The illness led to the collapse of his London-based shop fitting business, and he had also experienced the emotional strain of a relationship breakdown and the deaths of his father and a close friend who was also his business partner.

These challenges, coupled with his deteriorating health, saw Mr Battye move to Totnes, Devon, to live with his mother, where he continued to grapple with the effects of his illness.

The inquest heard that Giles Battye, from Exeter, had been walking near the cliff edge when he became distracted by his drone and failed to notice the dangerous drop

Mr Battye move to Totnes, Devon, to live with his mother, where he continued to grapple with the effects of his illness (stock image)

His mother told the inquest that despite his struggles, he remained 'optimistic' and had a warm, affectionate nature.

On December 2, 2022, Mr Battye went out in his van and was not heard from again. His mother reported him missing three days later.

CCTV footage later confirmed that his van had been parked at Burgh Island, a small island off the south Devon coast, and his belongings, including a rucksack and GoPro camera, were found by a member of the public and handed in to the island's Art Deco hotel.

A full search, involving police, coastguards, and a lifeboat, was launched. Mr. Battye's body was discovered on the rocks beneath the towering 250ft cliffs.

The drone was found nearby, but it was water-damaged and its footage could not be retrieved.

However, his GoPro camera revealed several short clips of Mr. Battye walking near the cliff edge while looking down at the camera rather than at his surroundings.

The drone was found nearby, but it was water-damaged and its footage could not be retrieved (file photo)

The coroner explained that Mr. Battye had been walking confidently along the cliff's edge, but his attention was diverted by the drone, which led to the fatal fall. He died from multiple traumatic injuries.

His mother said that, despite the financial difficulties he faced, Mr. Battye was set to inherit a 1 million property portfolio, including her holiday let and shop properties.

Miss Longhorn, the coroner, recorded a conclusion of accidental death, stating that Mr. Battye's distraction by the drone led to the fatal fall.

There was no evidence to suggest he intended to take his own life, and he had no history of mental health issues.
London companies are struggling to recruit new employees who are proving too picky while demanding they should work from home, new figures suggest.

Bosses are also raising concerns about a lack of knowledge about maths and English when interviewing potential new arrivals.

More and more people have settled into home living while working since the first Covid-19 pandemic was declared five years ago this month.

Communication and finance have been identified in a new report as the London-based industries struggling most to lure in new arrivals.

The findings raising concerns about working from home follow a poll of 1,200 managers by the Chartered Management Institute.

They learnt that since January last year, among managers who saw remote or hybrid working during the pandemic, two in five felt they should order a return to the office.

About one in seven respondents told how pandemic-era flexible working hours had now been scaled back.

More than a third of firms told of workers lacking the necessary skills - with one in five revealing how 'English skills' were sub-standard.

Companies are struggling to atttact new recruits amid a rise in the number of people working from home, a new study suggests (file photo)

Bosses are also raising concerns about a lack of knowledge about maths and English when interviewing potential new arrivals (file photo)

And a similar number said so-called 'right to disconnect' policies, which aimed to protect workers from out-of-hours communication, were now ended.

The CMI suggested that firms were rowing back on pandemic-era policies that had encouraged employees working from home.

And they said more than half of companies they surveyed were struggling to recruit, while the survey of 1,000 firms found 22 per cent judging employees to be lacking 'English skills' and 20 per cent 'basic maths skills'.

They discovered that 82 per cent of enterprises across London had live vacancies, up from 80 per cent last year.

The business group highlighted Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget last October.

She hiked the rate of employer National Insurance contributions to 15 per cent and reduced the threshold for paying the tax from 9,100 to 5,000 - despite an election pledge not to increase NI 'for working people'.

CMI policy director Petra Wilton said: 'The pandemic taught us invaluable lessons about the workplace - that flexibility boosts productivity, that trust in employees drives success, and that great managers are the backbone of any thriving organisation.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves hiked the rate of employer National Insurance contributions to 15 per cent in her Budget announced on October 30 last year

'Rolling back these gains risks eroding the trust and goodwill that have been built over the last few years.

'While some employers continue to embrace flexibility to attract and retain top talent, others are undoing the very changes that made them more adaptable and competitive during difficult days.

'The message is clear - businesses that take too strict an approach by mandating a full-time return to the office will limit their talent pool and lose out.'

And BusinessLDN's Mark Hilton said: 'Londons labour market is cooling following the autumn budget as the impact of next months hike in employer national insurance contributions filters through.

'Many firms across the capital are still struggling to find the right staff, especially in fast-growing sectors like tech, financial services and life sciences.

'With businesses crying out for a mix of digital and sector specific skills, more are planning to invest in training to upskill staff and bridge the gap.'

Official figures have shown that two out of five UK workers are working from home some or all of the time  and two-thirds of managers are doing so.

The Office for National Statistics said that for 28 per cent of employees, so-called hybrid working had become the new normal' - while 13 per cent are working only from home.

BusinessLDN's Mark Hilton (pictured) told of how firms were 'still struggling to find the right staff, especially in fast-growing sectors like tech, financial services and life sciences'

The Survation figures showed that 45 per cent of those in senior posts such as managers, directors and senior officials enjoy a hybrid working arrangement, while 22 per cent work only from home.

Yet only three per cent pf people working on a retail shop floor or as a cleaner or carer or other services worker have a hybrid working pattern.

The ONS said: 'While the trend in working only from home has fallen since 2021, a hybrid-working model (part travelling to work, and part at home), has become the new normal for around a quarter of workers.'

Former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said: Bosses ought to lead by example and get into the office.

If they are not there employers may discover that they are not missed so it is in their interests to show up.
Elon Musk's Space X safely brought stranded NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams back down to earth on Tuesday, marking a triumphant conclusion to an eight-day voyage that overran some nine months.

The reaction was jubilant. The astronauts were taken back to Houston for health checks, and NASA confirmed they were 'doing great'. Photographs from Tallahassee showed their pair smiling in stretchers as crews helped them back to dry land.

Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days stranded in space after propulsion issues with their Boeing Starliner craft upended what was supposed to be a week-long stay on the International Space Station.

In a viral clip shared by Elon Musk, the pair took the time to thank the SpaceX boss and President Donald Trump for organising the rescue mission.

'All of us have the utmost respect for Mr Musk and obviously respect and admiration for [the] President of the United States, Donald Trump,' Wilmore said.

'We appreciate them, we appreciate all that they do for us, for human spaceflight, for our nation. And we are thankful that they are in the positions that they are in.'

The story has become a political lightning rod, with President Trump and his close advisor, Elon Musk - who leads SpaceX - repeatedly suggesting former president Joe Biden abandoned the astronauts and refused an earlier rescue plan.

But amid mounting backlash against Trump's cost-cutting tsar over his role in American politics, praise for SpaceX's rescue mission remains muted.

Judging that Musk's politicking had 'poisoned' his business empire, and connecting the recent slump in Tesla value, a guest author for the New York Times offered the damning assessment: 'So what if Elon Musk rescued the astronauts?'

The incident comes amid mass protests of Elon Musk for his efforts to slash government spending. He is pictured with his son on Friday

The astronauts thanked Trump and Musk in a video shared before their recovery

Wilmore and Williams spent 286 days stranded in space after propulsion issues with their Boeing Starliner craft upended what was supposed to be a week-long stay on the International Space Station

The NASA support team pulled the entry vehicle out of the water and onto a waiting boat so that the astronauts could step out and take their first breaths of fresh air in months

Wilmore and Williams, two veteran NASA astronauts and retired U.S. Navy test pilots, had launched into space as Starliner's first crew in June for what was expected to be an eight-day test mission.

But issues with Starliner's propulsion system led to cascading delays to their return home, culminating in a NASA decision to fold them into its crew rotation schedule and return them on a SpaceX craft this year.

On Tuesday morning, the pair strapped inside their Crew Dragon spacecraft along with two other astronauts and undocked from the ISS at 1.05 a.m. ET (0505 GMT) to embark on a 17-hour trip to Earth.

The four-person crew, formally part of NASA's Crew-9 astronaut rotation mission, plunged through Earth's atmosphere, using its heatshield and two sets of parachutes to slow its orbital speed of 17,000 mph to a soft 17 mph at splashdown, which occurred at 5:57 p.m. ET some 50 miles off Florida's Gulf Coast under clear skies.

'What a ride,' NASA astronaut Nick Hague, the Crew-9 mission commander inside the Dragon capsule, told mission control moments after splashing down.

'I see a capsule full of grins, ear to ear.'

Wilmore and Williams logged 286 days in space on the mission.

The long-awaited return adopted a political bent after capturing the attention of President Trump, who upon taking office in January called for a quicker return of the astronauts and alleged, without evidence, that former President Joe Biden 'abandoned' them on the ISS for political reasons.

NASA officials have said the two astronauts had to remain on the ISS to maintain adequate staffing levels and it did not have the budget or the operational need to send a dedicated rescue spacecraft.

Crew Dragon flights cost between $100 million to $150 million.

Butch Wilmore is seen smiling as he is helped out of the capsule and onto a stretcher for his medical examination

Suni Williams is helped out of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on board the SpaceX recovery ship

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, now a close advisor to Trump, had echoed the President's call for an earlier return, adding the Biden administration spurned a SpaceX offer to provide a dedicated Dragon rescue mission last year.

NASA acted on Trump's demand by moving Crew-9's replacement mission up sooner, the agency's ISS chief Joel Montalbano said Tuesday.

The agency had swapped a delayed SpaceX capsule for one that would be ready sooner and sped through its methodical safety review process to heed the president's call.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft used in the rescue is the only U.S. spacecraft capable of flying people in orbit.

Boeing had hoped Starliner would compete with the SpaceX capsule before the mission with Wilmore and Williams threw its development future into uncertainty.

The success of SpaceX's mission was inevitably championed by Elon Musk, who took to his own platform, X, to sing its praises.

'Congratulations to the SpaceX and NASA teams for another safe astronaut return!

'Thank you to POTUS for prioritizing this mission!'

The post had been seen 54 million times at the time of writing, shared 57,000 times and liked by 375,000.

Sunita Williams gives a thumbs-up after emerging from the capsule. Following their initial checks, the astronauts will be taken to their crew quarters at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for several more days of routine health checks.

On their return mission, Williams (right) and Wilmore (left) were joined by the other members of NASA's Crew-9 mission: American astronaut Nick Hague (second from right) and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (second from left)

Pictured: SpaceX Dragon being pulled onto the recovery ship after it landed

Users noted that NASA had decided to bring the crew home with the SpaceX Crew-9 mission early this year, announced in an August press release published when Biden was president.

'Wilmore and Williams will continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025,' the release said

'They will fly home aboard a Dragon spacecraft with two other crew members assigned to the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 mission.'

Starliner, unfit to carry them home, would depart without them and make a controlled re-entry and landing in September 2024.

It was not clear how much faster they returned as a result of the Trump administration's demands to NASA.

While Trump heralded Musk's 'genius' in the recovery, there was muted praise for Elon Musk in the media.

The New York Times went so far as to lead with an opinion piece entitled, 'So What if Elon Musk Rescued the Astronauts?'

Clive Irving wrote in the article that Musk's Tesla had become a 'poisoned brand' amid his 'turn to the hard right', noting the collapse in share price.

'Using his own flippant term, Mr. Musks wunderkind status could be experiencing a rapid unscheduled disassembly.'

While SpaceX 'eclipsed' Boeing in aerospace, he assessed that Musk's 'innovative willpower can become, in the public eye, as much a liability as an asset'.

Musk finds himself embroiled in a growing firestorm surrounding his involvement in U.S. politics, having taken a role heading the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) since Trump came to power.

The world's richest man was widely criticised after he made a gesture interpreted as a Nazi salute at Trump's indoor inauguration parade in Washington D.C. in January.

Musk rattled off a series of off-colour puns on his X account in response, and some conservative politicians in the U.S. and Israel stepped up to defend him.

DOGE has also been the subject of much controversy.

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the dismantling of USAID likely violated the constitution, indefinitely blocking the department from making further cuts to the agency.

Within weeks, entire government agencies were dismantled and tens of thousands of workers fired.

Protests against Elon Musk popped up at Tesla showrooms across the country this month

Protesters carrying signs and chant slogans protesting Elon Musk and President Donald Trump outside a Tesla showroom and service center in the North Hollywood section of Los Angeles

Critics, including a growing number of U.S. lawmakers, have voiced concerns about potential conflicts of interest between DOGE's decisions and Musk's business interests as CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and X.

The DOGE team is small, about 40 people, many of them young software engineers who are current and former employees in Musk companies. They have little to no experience inside the U.S. government.

According to its website, the only official window into its operations, DOGE says it had saved U.S. taxpayers $105 billion as of March 2 through a series of actions, including workforce reductions, asset sales, and contract cancellations.

Yet its savings total is unverifiable and its calculations have been riddled with errors and corrections.

In the 'receipts' section of its website, DOGE has repeatedly deleted some of its biggest claims to taxpayer savings. For instance, it reported one $8 billion contract that turned out to be worth only $8 million.

Amid growing outrage, acts of protest have emerged across the world.

On a beach in Wales this week, a silhouette of Musk's controversial gesture appeared in the sand with the words 'Don't buy a Tesla'

British political campaign group Led By Donkeys staged the protest on Black Rock Sands - Traeth y Greigddu - near Porthmadog, Wales.

It was made by attaching a huge rake to the back of a Tesla Model 3, which was driven around the beach to create the 250m x 150m message.

Musk-hating hackers also doxxed Tesla owners in the United States, releasing an interactive map showing their names, addresses, phone numbers and emails.

After a fiery re-entry, the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule was slowed by four large parachutes and spashed down safely at 5:57 pm ET (21:57 GMT) on Tuesday

Williams (right) and Wilmore (left) left Earth in June last year for a test flight of the Boeing Starliner crew capsule. The original plan was to take the shuttle up to the ISS, stay for eight days while NASA performed diagnostics on the capsule, and then return to Earth. Pictured: Williams and Wimore prepare to board the Boeing Starliner on June 1

A Tesla driver is believed to have staged the world's biggest anti-Elon Musk protest - by raking a 250m long 'Don't buy a Tesla' message into the sand on a Welsh beach

British political campaign group Led By Donkeys staged the protest on Black Rock Sands - Traeth y Greigddu - near Porthmadog, Wales

Musk recently went on FOX, claiming there was a conspiracy to assassinate him and destroy the car company.

He told Sean Hannity on Tuesday that his attempts to cut government waste and fraud is the reason why certain characters 'want to kill me.'

'It turns out when you take away people's, you know, the money that they're receiving fraudulently, they get very upset,' he said.

'And they basically want kill me because I'm stopping their fraud and they want to hurt Tesla because we're stopping the terrible waste and corruption in the government. And, well, I guess they're bad people. Bad people do bad things.'

He repeated claims that there could be left-wing groups 'coordinating' the protests, without providing evidence.

The protests have took a violent turn on Tuesday morning when an arsonist used Molotov cocktails to firebomb five Teslas before firing rounds into the burning vehicles at a dealership in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Last week, roughly 250 activists gathered outside a showroom in New York City, holding anti-Musk placards that read 'Block Fascism Now and 'Musk Must Go' as they shouted 'Elon Musk is not elected! Democracy must be protected!'

The chaos and anger directed at Musk and Tesla have swelled to the point that Trump came out and declared it domestic terrorism.

'They're harming a great American company,' Trump said at the White House, referring to the demonstrators. 'Let me tell you, you do it to Tesla, and you do it to any company, we're going to catch you, and... you're going to go through hell.'

Musk and Donald Trump showcased Tesla vehicles at the White House last week following a spate of attacks

During their months on the space station Suni Williams (top left) and Butch Wilmore (top right) became part of the Crew-9 mission and spent their time performing maintenance on the station and conducting scientific experiments

Williams and Wilore returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule (pictured). Upon arrival, the capsule was circled by an inquisitive pod of dolphins

SpaceX's feat to recover the stranded astronauts trapped aboard the ISS is a miracle feat.

But Elon Musk's foray into politics appears to have tainted the reception, with deepening mistrust 'poisoning' his affiliated brands.

The nine-month mission to the ISS began in one political climate and ended in another.

For the astronauts at the centre of the story, the important thing is that they are home and safe.
A British builder who was fined for polluting rivers and chopping down a 176-year-old redwood tree has gone bust, leaving a newbuild estate abandoned half-finished.

Fiorenzo Sauro, chief of Enzo's Homes Ltd, previously made headlines in 2019 when he was fined 100,000 for chopping down around 70 protected trees - including one of Britain's first ever giant redwoods, in Swansea.

Last year, he was fined 20,000 after it was found his Wales-based company polluted a tributary of the River Llwyd with silt during work in the south Wales town of Cwmbran, Torfaen.

And now, the tradesman's company has collapsed and liquidators have been appointed - leaving the 29 homes in the White Cliffs Court development in Dover, Kent, unfinished.

Half-completed construction work on the protected National Landscape site has left what councillors have dubbed a 'horrendous chalk scar', making it 'probably the only site you can see from the moon'.

The houses on the hillside Kent Downs site are still being marketed on Enzo's Homes' website, ranging from 300,000 for a three-bed to 550,000 for a five-bed. The site adds: 'Each home is covered by a ten-year structural defect warranty for ultimate peace of mind.'

Last year, Dover District Council (DDC) issued an enforcement notice to the developer over a planning breach, ordering it to reinstate the land to its previous levels and cover it with topsoil.

But this notice has now been appealed - and it will be up to the planning inspectorate now to decide what happens 'in light of the status of Enzo's Homes', a DDC spokesperson said. It is not known if any of the homes have already been bought.

Fiorenzo Sauro (pictured), chief of Enzo's Homes Ltd, previously made headlines in 2019 when he was fined 100,000 for chopping down around 70 protected trees - including one of Britain's first ever giant redwoods, in Swansea

Now, the tradesman's company has collapsed and liquidators have been appointed - leaving the 29 homes in the White Cliffs Court development in Dover, Kent, unfinished (pictured)

Half-completed construction work on the protected National Landscape site has left what councillors have dubbed a 'horrendous chalk scar', making it 'probably the only site you can see from the moon' (pictured)

Enzo's Homes, which has been trading for 13 years, has been surrounded by controversy in recent years.

It emerged in 2019 that its chief Sauro had ordered an 176-year-old redwood tree to be felled, in a breach of its protected status, because it bordered on land he wanted to develop into a housing estate.

It was among 72 protected trees that were felled on his instructions in 2018 - and he was found guilty a year later and fined 100,000, a revision of the original 300,000 fine ordered that came after Sauro appealed.

District Judge Neale Thomas said at the time the developer's protestations of innocence were 'hollow', adding, 'He was not a convincing witness at all', and, 'Much of what he said I did not believe'.

The giant redwood - thought to be one of Britain's first - was planted on the Penllergare country estate in Swansea in 1842 and grew to 90ft in height with a 16ft circumference. It bordered 14 acres of land sold by the city council for development.

Last year, he was slapped with another fine for polluting a tributary of the River Llwyd in south Wales with silt between December 2022 and March 2023, which can harm fish and other invertebrates by clogging their gills and reducing light in the water.

The water pollution, caused by run-off from an Enzo's Homes building site contaminated by silt, saw the firm fined 20,000.

It was also ordered to pay a 2,000 victim surcharge and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) costs of 7,389.42, after the government body had been forced to repeatedly send officers out to the site.

It emerged in 2019 that Enzo's Homes chief Sauro had ordered an 176-year-old redwood tree (pictured) to be felled, in a breach of its protected status, because it bordered on land he wanted to develop into a housing estate

Last year, he was slapped with another fine for polluting a tributary of the River Llwyd in south Wales with silt between December 2022 and March 2023. Pictured: The building site in the town of Cwmbran, south Wales, that caused the pollution

It was among 72 protected trees that were felled on his instructions in 2018 - and he was found guilty a year later and fined 100,000, a revision of the original 300,000 fine ordered that came after Sauro appealed

The giant redwood (pictured) - thought to be one of Britain's first - was planted on the Penllergare country estate in Swansea in 1842 and grew to 90ft in height with a 16ft circumference

The water pollution, caused by run-off from an Enzo's Homes building site (pictured) contaminated by silt, saw the firm fined 20,000

Now Sauro's Enzo's Homes has collapsed and liquidators have been appointed - and Labour ward councillor Michael Nee said he has 'huge fears' about what will happen now the White Cliffs Court site on Folkestone Road has been chained off unfinished (pictured)

The representative for the Maxton ward, where the site is, said: 'It all seems to be up in the air at the moment. It could become a ghost town if the site is left to fall to wrack and ruin and become derelict'

He added: 'A new developer could come in and finish the project, but they could have to tear it all down and rebuild, which won't be good for the residents who will have to put up with another two years of mess'. Pictured: Fiorenzo Sauro

And now Sauro's Enzo's Homes has collapsed and liquidators have been appointed - and Labour ward councillor Michael Nee said he has 'huge fears' about what will happen now the White Cliffs Court site on Folkestone Road has been chained off unfinished.

The representative for the Maxton ward, where the site is, said: 'It could be local people who are burnt.

'It could be a big hit to contractors or anyone who placed an offer on one of the houses, and they could have to pay the price.

'It all seems to be up in the air at the moment. It could become a ghost town if the site is left to fall to wrack and ruin and become derelict.

'A new developer could come in and finish the project, but they could have to tear it all down and rebuild, which won't be good for the residents who will have to put up with another two years of mess.'

Residents of the Maxton area, west of Dover, have taken to social media to express their concerns - particularly the large expanse of chalk left exposed by the half-completed construction work.

One wrote: 'Whoever takes on the site now has to sort a massive pile of unstable chalk.

'The view from my house shows how deep the chalk is - it should never have been allowed.'

Residents of the Maxton area, west of Dover, have taken to social media to express their concerns - particularly the large expanse of chalk left exposed by the half-completed construction work (pictured)

One wrote: 'Whoever takes on the site now has to sort a massive pile of unstable chalk'

Another added: 'Great, now it will be even longer before it is finished'

The development is described on the Enzo's Homes website as 'a collection of 29 new-build homes on the White Cliffs of Dover'. Pictured: Fiorenzo Sauro

Another added: 'Great, now it will be even longer before it is finished.'

The development is described on the Enzo's Homes website as 'a collection of 29 new-build homes on the White Cliffs of Dover': 'Upon entering an Enzo's Home, you'll immediately notice the high quality and workmanship that is not present in other typical new builds.'

But work on White Cliffs Court has been fraught with problems.

In August, DDC imposed an immediate two-month halt, effective from August 25 until October 18, on certain engineering work at the site.

With the development set in a designated National Landscape, the council said there were concerns about construction work harming wildlife and the area's 'scenic beauty'.

DDC then issued an enforcement notice on the development in November. A spokesman said at the time that the depositing of chalk was an 'unauthorised operation' resulting in an 'unsympathetic alteration to the site and wider landscape'.

The marked land was noticed by hillwalkers from miles away - including Dover's Western Heights, an old fortress turned nature reserve around three miles away - at least from the summer of 2023.

Council leader Kevin Mills, of the Labour Party, described the landscape as bearing a 'horrendous chalk scar' from the unfinished construction work, saying it was 'probably the only site you can see from the moon'.

District Judge Neale Thomas said when the developer was fined for felling protected trees (pictured, the redwood) that his protestations of innocence were 'hollow', adding, 'He was not a convincing witness at all', and, 'Much of what he said I did not believe'

The redwood that was cut down (pictured) bordered on land Enzo's Homes' chief Sauro wanted to develop into a housing estate

The felling of the redwood (pictured) was just one in a series of scandals that have befallen the company in recent years

Stephen Goderski and Oliver Collinge, of PFK Littlejohn Advisory, were appointed joint liquidators of Enzo's Homes on February 27. Pictured: Fiorenzo Sauro outside Swansea Magistrates' Court in 2019

DDC's enforcement notice has now been appealed, with the final decision on this in the planning inspectorate's hands.

A DDC spokesperson said said: 'As far as the council knows, the appeal is still going ahead - it will be for the planning inspectorate to make a decision in light of the status of Enzo's Homes.'

Stephen Goderski and Oliver Collinge, of PFK Littlejohn Advisory, were appointed joint liquidators on February 27.

Mr Goderski said: 'Enzo's Homes traded for nearly 13 years prior to its liquidation. We will be engaging with all relevant stakeholders to maximise the return to creditors.'

Enzo's Homes was contacted for comment.
Keir Starmer supped Guinness with a star of Ru Paul's Drag Race as he hosted the first ever St Patrick's Day reception in Downing Street.

Guests including TV presenter Dermot O'Leary and Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee were invited to try to 'split the G' as they partied last night.

The PM was pictured sharing a drink and a joke with Blu, real name Joshua Cargill, to mark the festival of the patron saint of Ireland on Monday.

He is from Belfast and took part in the first series of the popular BBC series in which drag queens compete against each other.

The PM told guests that Northern Ireland was a place 'close to my heart' having worked there as a lawyer.

'Who would have thought, that tonight Downing Street is the best place in London to grab a pint of Guinness,' he joked.

'We have set up a Guinness bar in the back. I think there is probably a strong case for leaving it there till the next one of these events.

'And if anyone wants to have a go at splitting the G, then please go ahead.'

The PM was pictured sharing a drink and a joke with Blu, real name Joshua Cargill, to mark the festival of the patron saint of Ireland on Monday.

Guests including TV presenter Dermot O'Leary (left) and Derry Girls writer Lisa McGee were invited to try to 'split the G' as they partied last night.

'Who would have thought, that tonight Downing Street is the best place in London to grab a pint of Guinness,' the PM joked.

Splitting the G is a new bar game where you take a large swig of a full pint of stout and try to drink enough to make the line between the dark body and light foamy head line up with the bar on the G in the word Guinness.

Other guests included Daniel Wiffen, the 2024 Olympic gold medal-winning Irish swimmer, who was born in England.

There were also relatives of Mo Mowlam, the late Northern Ireland secretary who played a central role in the Good Friday Agreement in the late 1990s.

'For me the Belfast Good Friday agreement is the greatest achievement of the Labour Party in my lifetime,' the PM said.

'And I'm delighted that we have got in the room tonight, some of the people who were instrumental in bringing that around.'

He also revealed that he spent his honeymoon in Ireland, spending three weeks driving around the island with his wife Victoria.

'Tonight matters ... because it's a chance to celebrate the incredible ties that bind us all together,' he added.

'The connections between families and friends across our islands.

Splitting the G is a new bar game where you take a large swig of a full pint of stout and try to drink enough to make the line between the dark body and light foamy head line up with the bar on the G in the word Guinness.

Blu, real name Joshua Cargill, is from Belfast and took part in the first series of the popular BBC series in which drag queens compete against each other.

'The late Queen Elizabeth II spoke about this. I've got what she said because when you pull it out it's a really poignant reminder.

'She said ''The ordinary people who yearned for the peace and understanding we now have between our two nations and between the communities'' within them, and she went on to say is a reminder of everything we still need to do to build a better future for all of us.

'And I think it's worth remembering those words and what an incredible piece of history that we have been living through.'
Peter Dutton has been slammed for his 'disgraceful' use of a term historically used to insult gay people to describe Anthony Albanese.

Speaking on Thursday at an event hosted by the Lowy Institute think tank, the Opposition leader said the Prime Minister's response to the Chinese navy's recent manoeuvres around Australia was 'limp-wristed'.

Mr Dutton said what China's actions were a 'show of force by Beijing'.

'Now they're not words that the Prime Minister used at all. It was the weakest, most limp-wristed response you can see from a leader,' Mr Dutton said.

The term 'limp-wristed' is an outdated term used to describe gay men and is considered by many to be a homophobic slur.

According to the Cambridge dictionary, the phrase is 'an extremely offensive word used to describe a man whose behaviour is thought to be typical of a gay person'.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who is gay, told the ABC that Mr Dutton 'is a bloke who opposed marriage equality, so it's an unsurprising use of language from him'.

Independent MP Allegra Spender accused the Liberal Party leader of promoting 'offensive stereotypes about gay men'.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton (pictured) has been slammed for his 'disgraceful' use of a term insulting to gay people to describe Anthony Albanese on Thursday

Speaking at an event on Thursday, Mr Dutton said the Prime Minister's response to the Chinese navy's recent manoeuvres around Australia was 'limp-wristed'. Anthony Albanese is pictured

Picture taken on February 11, 2025 shows the Chinese navy's Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang

Writing on X, Ms Spender said Mr Dutton's language was 'completely inappropriate & offensive to many in the LGBTQ+ community.

'By all means criticise the govt response, but don't do so in a way that plays into offensive stereotypes about gay men.'

Amid mounting criticism, a spokesperson for Dutton said: 'It was a phrase that shouldn't have been used, and no offence was intended from Mr Dutton.'

Rodney Croome, of Just.Equal Australia, also condemned Mr Dutton's choice of words.

He said the term limp-wristed 'is widely known as a derogatory term for gay men' and that its use by the Opposition leader could be seen as a 'Trump-style dog whistle to homophobic prejudice'.

There was a swift response on social media to Mr Dutton's comment, with one saying if no offence was intended 'then why say it?

'When they show you who they really are, believe them!'

Another wrote that 'With each passing day Dutton shows us he is a cheap and discounted version of Trump - Australia doesn't want that divisive & mean-spirited view of the world.'

Foreign Minister Penny Wong (pictured), who is gay, told the ABC that Mr Dutton 'is a bloke who opposed marriage equality, so it's an unsurprising use of language from him'

Independent MP Allegra Spender (pictured) accused the Liberal Party leader of promoting 'offensive stereotypes about gay men'

There was some support for the man who could be Australia's next prime minister within weeks, though.

One commenter on X wrote that 'Albanese is limp wristed - why should Dutton get in trouble for telling the truth.'

The fury over Mr Dutton's comment meant that much of what was meant to be his message on Australia's foreign policy got lost.

He said he would seek to meet President Trump at the White House in his first overseas trip as prime minister if the Coalition won the May election.

But Mr Dutton also said he would stand up to Mr Trump to defend Australia's interests when necessary.

His speech was interrupted by heckling from two anti-nuclear activists, who were removed from the event.

'Mr Dutton, why are you lying to the Australian people about the cost of nuclear?', one man shouted before he was thrown out.

The Coalition has vowed to build seven nuclear power stations across Australia, which it said will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and provide cheaper, more reliable power than renewables such as solar and wind.
A scuba diver has been found dead in a notorious underwater labyrinth after vanishing during a trip.

Police were called to Twin Caves in the Blue Springs Recreation Area in Florida on Tuesday after three people failed to return to the surface on time.

Twin Caves extends back hundreds of feet and has three passages that drop to even greater depths. The cavern descends in stages going from 20ft to 100ft deep. It also features multiple 'jump tunnels' that run off into wider tunnels.

Rescue teams quickly swooped and dragged two of them out of the complex cavern to safety at around 1.15pm on Tuesday.

But the third diver, who has not been named, was found dead in the system. The coroner is working to determine the cause of death.

Sheriff Donnie Edenfield thanked Jackson County Fire & Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the staff at Cave Adventures for their help with the rescue.

He also urged the community to 'please keep the families of the divers in your thoughts and prayers'.

The Twin Caves are located at the bottom of Merritt's Mill Pond, situated in a park in Marianna, located roughly 65 miles northwest of Tallahassee.

The Twin Caves are located at the bottom of Merritt's Mill Pond, situated in the Blue Springs Recreation Area in Marianna, Florida located roughly 65 miles northwest of Tallahassee (file photo of divers exploring the Twin Caves)

Twin Caves appears to be a notoriously dangerous diving spot, with social media users this week saying it is 'very sad' to learn the cavern has 'claimed another life' (file photo)

Diving instructor Mehdi Zinetti (pictured) went into the cave searching for the missing diver. He was in 'complete zero visibility' conditions, so he had to do 'everything by feel'. He found the victim in the cave and brought him out

Diving instructor Mehdi Zinetti went into the cave searching for the missing divers after they failed to turn from their dive.

He first found one of the divers who was trying to locate her friend, News 13 reports. Zinetti made sure she was okay and watched her exit the cave herself.

He then came back into the cave to search for her missing friend, world renown diving expert Edd Sorenson said. Sorenson had been called to carry out the rescue but was 50 miles away at the time.

According to Sorenson, the 'intricate' cave system allows for divers to return safely to the surface without being seen.

But when Zinetti returned to the surface and didn't see the woman's friend, he went back into the cave despite having limited air supply.

'He thought since he had to go multiple directions maybe he missed him and maybe he's out safe. So he exited and he wasn't there yet. So he went back in again,' Sorenson told the TV station.

He said that Zinetti was in 'complete zero visibility', so he had to do 'everything by feel'. He then found the victim in the cave and brought him out.

Sorenson, who sped to the scene after the call for help came in, was prepared to go into the cave and assist Zinetti, but by the time he arrived the diver had been pulled out and authorities were on scene.

Officials attempted to CPR and a life flight was inbound, but nothing could be done to save the diver.

Tuesday was the first time Zinetti ever carried out a body recovery or rescue, according to Sorenson.

Sorenson, who owns the nearby Cave Adventures Dive Shop, is a leading expert in dives and rescues. He has conducted several body rescues and is reportedly the only person in the world to have completed more than one successful cave rescue in his lifetime.

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Merritt's Mill Pond (pictured) is a popular swimming and diving spot due to its clear, light blue waters and lack of vegetation

The Twin Caves system extends back hundreds of feet and has three passages that drop to even greater depths. The cavern descends in stages going from 20ft to 100ft deep and up to 3,000ft underground. It also features multiple 'jump tunnels' that run off into wider tunnels

Merritt's Mill Pond is a popular swimming and diving spot due to its clear, light blue waters and lack of vegetation.

The two caves can be found roughly 88ft away from the swimming platform at the man-made pond, according to Cave Atlas.

Cave Adventures warns the cave system is a 'low flow cave' that can easily become filled or blocked with silt if divers are not careful.

The cavern is also very tight, with officials noting 'if you get nervous in small places, this isn't the passage for you'.

The cave system at Merritt's Mill Pond appears to be a notoriously dangerous diving spot, with several deaths reported over the years.

One social media user, commenting on Tuesday's tragedy, said it is 'very sad' to learn the cavern has 'claimed another life'.

Clyde Douglas Rorex, 68, who frequently went diving in the pond area, died in July 2020 after getting trapped in the Hole in The Wall cave.

Rorex's family reported him missing on the morning on July 8 after he took off from a public boat ramp around 6am and failed to return by 10 am, as scheduled.

His body was recovered from the pond by Sorenson later that afternoon, News 13 reported at the time. Sorenson revealed Rorex had gotten trapped inside the cave.

Rorex had been diving 'for close to 20 years', police said, adding that he would dive in the area 'almost every day'.

Four years earlier, almost to the day, a 17-year-old boy drowned in Merritt's Mill Pond while attending a birthday party.

Jeremiah Sabeff was swimming near two large floats several with other children on July 9, 2016 when he vanished out of sight, NWF Daily News reported.

One of the other children tried to pull Sabeff to the surface but 'was not strong enough to keep him there and continue swimming', investigators said.

Clyde Douglas Rorex, 68, who frequently went diving in the Merritt's Mill Pond area, died in July 2020 after getting trapped in the Hole in The Wall cave

Jeremiah Sabeff, 17, drowned in Merritt's Mill Pond while attending a birthday party on July 9, 2016

A child informed their parent that Sabeff had gone under water and could not be found, prompting a search for the teen.

His lifeless body was found hidden in the sediment at the bottom of the pond by a parent whose child had attended the party.

Sabeff was pulled out of the water and was given CPR, according to the incident report, which notes how he had 'turned blue' and appeared to have 'lungs full of water'.

Paramedics took the teen to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

DailyMail.com has approached the sheriff's office and the regional medical examiner for comment.
Labour are hoping to block Elon Musk from handing Reform UK a huge $100million cash injection by drawing up new rules to restrict foreign donors, it has emerged.

Mr Musk, the billionaire tech mogul, met with Reform leader Nigel Farage in December amid speculation he is poised to significantly bolster the party's coffers.

As a US citizen, the South African-born businessman cannot legally make a personal donation to a British political party.

But he could hand Reform a considerable slice of his vast fortune through one of the UK subsidiaries of his various companies, which include Tesla and X/Twitter.

According to Sky News, the Government is looking at restricting political donations based on how much a company makes.

This would see either profit or share of revenue used to calculate a potential cap for the amount each UK-based business can give.

Government sources told the TV news channel the changes were partially about Mr Musk.

The British arm of Mr Musk's company X, known as X.AI London Limited, has yet to report making any money - meaning he could not use it to donate to Reform under the plans.

Labour are hoping to block Elon Musk from handing Reform UK a huge $100million cash injection by drawing up new rules to restrict foreign donors, it has emerged

Mr Musk, the billionaire tech mogul, met with Reform leader Nigel Farage in December amid speculation he is poised to significantly bolster the party's coffers

Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Musk clashed last year over rioting in the UK. The businessman sparked fury by claiming 'civil war is inevitable' amid the violent chaos in UK cities and towns

Ministers are also said to be considering the introduction of enhanced due diligence checks on donations from unincorporated associations.

The report added that Labour's belief is Mr Musk is likely to donate to Reform just before the next general election.

The Government is therefore hoping to pass new legislation on restricting political donations before then.

The Prime Minister's adviser on ethical standards recently called on the Government to 'protect electoral integrity' by limiting donations from companies to only profits made in the UK.

Doug Chalmers, chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the law should also be changed so political donations made by businesses do not exceed their net profits after tax in the two years prior to a donation.

'At stake here is the basic principle that only those who are entitled to vote and conduct business in the UK should be able to fund our political parties and therefore influence the outcome of UK elections,' he told the Financial Times.

'It is an important area that needs addressing to protect UK electoral integrity.'

In its manifesto before July's general election, Labour said it was 'committed to strengthening our democracy and upholding the integrity of elections'.

The party vowed to 'protect democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties'.

It has since been revealed how Sir Keir Starmer abandoned plans to announce an outright ban on foreign political donations following the intervention of Labour peer Lord Alli.

A new book charting Sir Keir's rise to power, titled Get In, disclosed how Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner was due to announce plans for an outright ban alongside former PM Gordon Brown.

But a Labour official said the plans were abandoned after Lord Alli - who donated thousands of pounds worth of suits and glasses to Sir Keir - told the Labour leader's team to 'pull it'.

Mr Musk, a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has taken a keen interest in British politics and the rise of Reform.

He met with Mr Farage and Reform's treasurer - property mogul Nick Candy - at Mr Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida late last year.

Those talks fulled rumours Mr Musk is ready to plough some of his fortune into the party, which would turbocharge Reform's challenge to both the Tories and Labour.

But Mr Musk's support for Reform was thrown into doubt soon after the meeting when he publicly told Mr Farage he 'doesn't have what it takes'.

He also appeared to endorse Rupert Lowe as a replacement leader in social media comments in January.

Mr Lowe has recently been stripped of the Reform whip as the party was plunged into civil war.

He has vociferously denied allegations of workplace bullying and violent threats, which saw him reported to police.

The Great Yarmouth MP has instead claimed to be victim of a 'witch hunt' after he publicly criticised Mr Farage's leadership.

Sir Keir and Mr Musk clashed last year over the widespread rioting in the UK.

The businessman sparked a furious backlash by claiming that 'civil war is inevitable' amid the violent chaos in British cities and towns.

He also branded the PM 'Two Tier Keir' as he fuelled claims that UK police treat some groups more harshly than others.

But Mr Musk was left red-faced after being forced to retract false claims about Sir Keir setting up detainment camps in the Falkland Islands for rioters.

A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: 'As set out the in the manifesto, we will protect our democracy by strengthening the rules around donations to political parties, including enhanced safeguards against foreign donations.

'We have set out the Government's immediate priorities in delivering for the Plan for Change, at the Kings Speech.'
Benjamin Netanyahu gifted a 'silver-plated beeper' to Senator John Fetterman during his visit to Israel this week.

Israel's Prime Minister presented Fetterman with the bizarre gift during an awkward exchange in his office in Jerusalem.

In an apparent move to double down on his support for Israel, Fetterman presented Netanyahu with a framed article from a Philadelphia newspaper that memorialized the PM's brother, an Israeli soldier who was killed in 1976 during an Israeli raid in Uganda.

In return, the Israeli leader offered Fetterman a gift of his own, jokingly asking: 'What can I give a man who has everything? How about giving him a beeper?'

'This is a silver-plated beeper. The real beeper is, like, one-tenth the weight,' Netanyahu said as he handed the pager to the laughing senator. 'It's nothing, but it changes history.'

The gift is an apparent reference to the Israel's operation in Lebanon last September that saw the military detonate pagers that were used by members of Hezbollah. The explosive attack left 42 people dead and thousands injured.

Netanyahu presented a golden pager to President Donald Trump in February when the pair met at the White House, but some have questioned why he would give this symbolic gift to a junior member of the senate.

Fetterman, however, has repeatedly voiced his support for Israel, despite his Democratic Party being highly critical of the offensive in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted a 'silver-plated beeper' to Sen. John Fetterman during his visit to Israel this week

The gift is an apparent reference to the Israel's operation in Lebanon last September that saw the military detonate pagers (pictured) that were used by members if Hezbollah. The explosive attack left 42 people dead and thousands injured

Fetterman on Tuesday doubled down his support for Israel after it shattered the tenuous ceasefire with Hamas by bombarding Gaza with air strikes

Video of the exchange, posted online yesterday, shows how Fetterman laughed as Netanyahu presented him with the gift.

He appeared to admire the device before saying, 'When that story broke, I was like, 'Oh, I love it, I love it.' And now, it's like, thank you for this.'

'Thank you,' he said again as he shook the prime minister's hand.

Fetterman on Tuesday doubled down his support for Israel after it shattered the tenuous ceasefire with Hamas by bombarding Gaza with air strikes.

'Hamas does not want peace. I unapologetically, 100% stand with Israel, and demand the release of all remaining hostages,' he tweeted, noting that he was 'sending this from Israel'.

But his message and display of support for Netanyhu's troops has prompted backlash from liberals who have branded him the 'most despicable scum in Congress'.

'I can't believe this man once conned progressives into campaigning for him and defending him,' one X user said of Fetterman. 'Forget pro Israel, he's pro Netanyahu, who just massacred over 100 kids to avoid going to court for his trial. Sick stuff.'

'This despicable ghoul is a US senator. What a joke!' echoed another.

'OMG. To be this cruel and this tacky all at the same time,' one user penned.

Another wrote: 'Who doesn't enjoy a gift from a criminal thug murderer?'

'Proud of their terrorism. Sickos of the highest degree,' said another.

One added: 'Absolutely no way this is real right???'

'Why is the senator from Pennsylvania hanging out in Israel? And who's paying for it?' another asked.

People walk past a building destroyed during Israeli strikes at the Nusseirat refugee camp, on March 20, 2025. Israel bombarded Gaza and pressed its ground operations after issuing what it called a 'last warning' for Palestinians to return hostages and remove Hamas from power

Palestinians cover the grave of a group of victims of Israeli army strikes after their funeral in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, March 20, 2025

Children carry containers, as Palestinians make their way to flee their homes in Beit Hanoun, northern Gaza Strip, after the Israeli army issued evacuation orders for a number of neighborhoods on March 19, 2025

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

The outspoken senator also made headlines earlier this month when he criticized his party's response to Trump's address to Congress.

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

'I don't think that was the best look for our party last night,' Fetterman said when asked by Fox News for his reaction to how Democrats behaved during the speech.

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

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

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

Despite suffering health issues during his run for the senate in 2022, including having a stroke that impaired his speech, and his apparent break from his party, Fetterman has been floated by some as a potential Democtratic presidential candidate in 2028.

Despite Fetterman's break from the Democratic Party, he has been floated by some as a potential presidential candidate in 2028. He is pictured in September 2024 with then-Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris

Fetterman was floated as a potential candidate as Democrats begin their search for a standard bearer to lead them into the 2028 election, following Kamala Harris' resounding defeat in November.

Comedian Bill Maher even called for him to run, saying 'Democrats need to find their Trump.'

Fetterman was previously asked about his White House ambitions in December 2023, to which he told Politico that he was 'not thinking about 2028'.

Despite losing in a landslide to Trump, Harris surprisingly topped a post-election poll among Democrats, where she led the field with 41 per cent of the vote, according to a Puck News/Echelon Insights survey.

The rest of the pack combined - 13 Democratic politicians who all scored in the single digits - garnered 43 per cent, with 16 per cent of those surveyed saying they were 'unsure' to the question of who they would vote for if a party primary were held now.
A Brit holidaymaker spent 10 days chained up, drugged and beaten in a Thai police cell after being spiked by a psychoactive drug.

Lewis Green, 22, was arrested on January 24 - the day before he was due to fly home from a eight-week solo trip around the South Asian country - and suffered fractured ribs, a broken wrist and foot lacerations.

He was also forced to drink his own urine in his damp cell at the Hua Hin Police Station and was only released after paying a 7,000 'bribe'.

The builder, from Staffordshire, believes he may have been deliberately targeted by crooks and spiked with a powerful hallucinogenic drug known as Dimethyltryptamine or DMT in order to make him an easy target.

Lewis believes either his drink was spiked with the drug, it was injected into him or administered by a 'spiked vape'.

The effects so severely impacted Lewis's mental health that when he returned to the UK last month Lewis had to be temporarily 'sectioned' for his own safety.

After finally being discharged this week, nearly two months on from his arrest, he told MailOnline: 'It was terrible, my arms were chained up and I was handcuffed to the prison bars.

'You don't get fed any food or given any water, I had to start drinking water off the floor because they turned the tap on and flooded the cell and left the water in there for days.

Lewis Green, 22, was arrested on January 24 - the day before he was due to fly home from a eight-week solo trip around the South Asian country - and suffered fractured ribs, a broken wrist and foot lacerations

The builder, from Staffordshire, believes he may have been deliberately targeted by crooks and spiked with a powerful hallucinogenic drug known as Dimethyltryptamine or DMT in order to make him an easy target

'I was chained up so every time I needed to use the toilet I had to go on the floor then drink the water I'd peed in.

'One day six of them [officers] came in the cell and just started punching me, beating the s*** out of me. I just covered myself as best I could.

'I was just lucky I was able to pay my way out but there were a lot of British and American lads out there getting caught up in stuff like this.'

Lewis says he has limited memory of the incident that led to him first being arrested but insists he didn't knowingly take any drugs including cannabis which was decriminalised for medical use in 2022 but is now openly sold to tourists across Thailand.

Lewis says he was led away by two police officers after arguing with the owner of a cannabis dispensary in the coastal town of Hua Hin, around 125 miles south of Bangkok.

He believed he was being taken to the police station to pay a fine but was locked in a cell for four days, released, then locked up for a further six days after being accused of stealing a car.

He said: 'I really have no idea why I was locked up, I was chained up and nobody would give me any answers - every time anybody walked past I tried speaking to them but they just ignored me.

'I was lucky I was in a cell on my own as some cells had 10 people in them.

'I was definitely under the influence of this drug then, I don't know if they even injected me when I was in the cell because I was trying to fall asleep.

'When they let me out of jail the first time the car owner told me I could drive this car but then the police arrested me for stealing it and took me back. I'm struggling to remember because I was under the influence of this drug.

'Drugs are everywhere and I was offered cocaine and ketamine on the streets and you can smoke cannabis legally but I was on my own so the strongest thing I had was a few beers.'

He was also forced to drink his own urine in his damp cell at the Hua Hin Police Station and was only released after paying a 7,000 'bribe'

The effects so severely impacted Lewis's mental health that when he returned to the UK last month Lewis had to be temporarily 'sectioned' for his own safety

Lewis was forced to pay 4,500 in fines, and 1,700 compensation to the car owner to drop the charges before he could be released on February 4.

When Lewis's parents learned their son was arrested, they organised Lewis's dad Peter Green, 51, flew out to Thailand to help return his son while mother Colleen Wilding, 51, contacted police and the British Embassy for help.

Colleen told MailOnline: 'This was a dream trip for Lewis, he's been on holiday in Europe before but is very independent and wanted to do this on his own.

'He initially booked onto a fishing trip but wanted to see more of the real Thailand and that's where it all went wrong.

'It was awful to go through that as a mum.

'We heard from him the night he was drugged, the last message we received before we knew he was in the police station was sent to his dad and said 'where does it begin and where does it end' which is never anything he would send before.

'We'd had eight weeks of perfectly normal messages about the holiday, we kept messaging asking if he's alright but we never heard anything.

'After 48 hours I had it in my head that he was gone and that message was goodbye.

'We only found out when he'd been in a cell for three days and that was only because somebody in Hua Hin noticed he was missing and contacted us.'

Lewis was forced to pay 4,500 in fines, and 1,700 compensation to the car owner to drop the charges before he could be released on February 4

When Lewis's parents learned their son was arrested, they organised Lewis's dad Peter Green, 51, flew out to Thailand to help return his son while mum Colleen Wilding, 51, contacted police and the British Embassy for help

After arriving back in the UK, Lewis was rushed to St George's Hospital in Stafford where his injuries were discovered.

With no history of mental health problems, medics were concerned about changes in his behaviour and after a brain scan ruled out head injuries he was temporarily admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Peter and Colleen have set up a GoFundMe page to help their son make ends meet while he recovers from his injuries - and to warn other young Brits to be cautious when visiting Thailand.

The Foreign Office warns male and female tourists are targeted and spiked with alcohol and drugs across Thailand although drinks are more commonly targeted.

Police and academics have warned about an increase in 'vape spiking' and a study last year by the University of Bath found 16% of disposable vapes confiscated from school children across England contain the synthetic drug Spice.
A Ukrainian model who went missing after a party earlier this month was found in Dubai dumped by the side of a road with horrific injuries.

Maria Kovalchuk, who was 20 this month, had been missing for eight days after telling friends she had been invited to a party at a hotel on March 9.

She was set to attend the event 'with two men who introduced themselves as representatives of the modelling business,' according to several Ukrainian media reports.

The model told her mother, Anna, that she would be staying with these representatives for the night, but she subsequently disappeared.

Maria had booked a flight to Thailand that departed Dubai on March 11, but did not turn up at the airport.

Anna and concerned friends then contacted local authorities who launched a search for Maria and opened an investigation, but she remained missing for several days.

On March 19, ten days after she first went missing, a battered and bloodied Maria was found dumped at a roadside in Dubai with her limbs and spine broken, according to Russian outlets Shot and Life.

Ukrainian OnlyFans model Maria Kovalchuk, 20

Maria was rushed to hospital, and according to her mother underwent three surgeries to save her life, before later receiving a fourth procedure.

She remains in a critical condition and is reportedly unable to speak.

Friends and family hope she is able to make a full recovery to talk about her ordeal and explain what happened.

Speaking to Ukrainian media earlier this week, Anna said: 'There is an assumption that she went to a party. But the promoter who organized these parties did not see her.

'Today Masha was found in the hospital in serious condition.

'She has no documents, no phone, nothing. She has undergone three operations. And she cannot speak.

Maria Kovalchuk, who was 20 this month, had been missing for eight days after telling friends she had been invited to a party at a hotel on March 9

Maria's friend, Russian model Angelina Doroshenkova, 31, said: 'We all hope for the best and are very grateful to everyone who took part in the search and helped with information.'

She was spending time with Maria in Dubai and was reportedly invited to the same party on March 9, but ultimately decided to return to Russia days before.

Maria, from the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine, is also a known anti-war activist, and had participated in an event expressing solidarity with a jailed Russian sociologist.
Australia is no longer one of the top 10 happiest countries in the world according to a new global study.

The University of Oxford released its latest Global Happiness Ranking report on Thursday.

Finland clinched the top spot for the eighth year running, while Australia landed at number 11, slipping one spot from number 10 in 2024.

The rest of the top five was exclusively European with Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and The Netherlands landing second through fifth respectively.

Oxford's World Happiness Report had New Zealand finishing just behind Australia in twelfth position, according to the university's Wellbeing Research Centre.

Other countries that managed to make it into the top 10 included Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxemburg and Mexico.

These ranking are based on three-year averages of self-reported wellbeing scores from 147 countries.

more than 100,000 people participants ranked their overall satisfaction on a scale of zero to ten based on the opportunity and reassurance their country provides them.

Finland secured the number one for the eighth year in a row, according to the report

Australia has slipped out of the top 10 happiest countries in the world according to the University of Oxford's global happiness ranking (pictured: partygoers in Sydney this month)

Australia garnered number 11 on the Oxford University list

One of the editors of the report, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, said this year's results were more considerate of factors like wealth and health in assessing overall happiness.

'It turns out that sharing meals and trusting others are even stronger predictors of wellbeing than expected,' he said.

'In this era of social isolation and political polarisation, we need to find ways to bring people around the table again  doing so is critical for our individual and collective wellbeing.'

Generosity, social support and household size also played key roles in influencing survey responses.

In Mexico and Europe the average household size can accommodate four or five people which corresponded with both country's levels of happiness, the study said.

The president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Jeffrey D Sachs, said the report's results could help countries become better going forward.

'The findings in this year's World Happiness Report reconfirm a fundamental truth: happiness is rooted in trust, kindness, and social connection,' he said.

While Europe dominated the top 20 slots several other western countries dropped to their lowest position in years.

Researchers at the university said its findings revealed that the amount of generosity and social support in any country greatly impacts its people's overall happiness levels

Denmark came in at number 2 on the list (pictured is Australian-born Queen Mary)

New Zealand came in at number 12, one rank below Australia which was number 11

One of the sharpest drops compared to previous years was the US which earned its lowest ever ranking at number 24

The US landed at its lowest ever ranking at number 24, well below its peak of 11th place in 2012.

Over the last two decades the amount of people who said they dined alone had increased by 53 per cent.

The UK faired only slightly better, coming in as the 23rd happiest country in the world which was its lowest worst performance since 2017.

Earth's unhappiest country was Afghanistan which also secured the unfavourable distinction in the 2024 report.

Afghan women in particular reported that their lives were difficult thanks to the severe restrictions brought in by the Taliban regime.

Sierra Leone in West Africa was the second unhappiest and Lebanon ranked third from the bottom.
Donald Trump will sign a historic executive order Thursday to kickstart the dismantling of the Education Department.

It comes just weeks after the administration shuttered USAID overnight  and as the federal government is forced to rehire roughly 25,000 workers who were let go as part of the DOGE firings earlier this year.

The idea behind the dissolution of the DoE is to 'return education authority to the States,' according to a White House summary of the order.

Trump is holding an event in the East Room with Education Secretary Linda McMahon as he directs her to take 'all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of' her department.

Several Republican governors and state education commissioners will attend the order signing.

DoE already has the smallest staff of any Cabinet agency with roughly 2,200 employees remaining this month after a reduction in force through voluntary resignations and retirements.

As of last September, 4,209 people worked there.
A Las Vegas man who was repeatedly raped by his own mother from when he was 10 fears his younger brother might actually be his own son.

Logan Gifford, 26, was frequently sexually assaulted by Doreene Gifford for six years from the age of 10 until he was 16.

The attacks only stopped when he reported his mother her to police.

He later testified against his mother who was sentenced in 2015 to 8-20 years behind bars over charges of attempted sex assault after taking a plea deal.

Gifford told a court that he had been exposed to drug use in his youth and detailed how his mother's abuse first started. She has long claimed she is innocent.

He said that his mom brought him into a bedroom she shared with his father, Theodore, in which a pornographic video was playing, when she sexually assaulted him.

Gifford was left to help raise his younger siblings due to his mother's heinous behavior, including his own brother, 15, who may also be his son.

The youngster, whose identity Gifford has withheld, struggles with cognitive difficulties. Children born as a result of incest are at a higher risk of genetic disorders and disabilities.

Speaking with the Las Vegas Review Journal, Gifford said that his sibling was born around the time of the sexual assaults, and that he believes he could be his father.

He told the outlet: 'Look at the mess that Im left with. I didnt ask for any of this'.

Logan Gifford, seen here, is seeking a paternity petition to identify if his brother is his son after being sexually abused by his own mother

Gifford, seen here at the age of 10, had previously testified in court about how his mother's abuse began

Gifford is now seeking a paternity petition through the courts in Vegas to find out for sure if his own brother is actually his son.

His attorney Timothy Treffinger told the outlet that his mother has denied that Gifford is the father, and expressed a willingness to have a paternity test.

According to state information Doreene Gifford is currently being held inside Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center

Gifford believes his brother could have been conceived around late 2008 when another instance of sexual abuse took place.

He also detailed to the outlet how he had grown up around child protective services, with his brother Liam dying at the age of 3 after drowning in a pool.

Other acts followed over the years until around 2014. His mom accepted a plea in the case of attempted assault sexual assault, and attempted lewdness with a child.

The plea she accepted is known as an Alford plea.

That sees a defendant concede only that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.

Her public defender said in a memorandum at the time of her sentencing that Gifford had animosity for his mom and that his version of events was littered with inconsistencies.

The note said that Doreene was brought up around abusive parents who were in and out of prison, an abusive foster system as a child, couple with an abusive marriage and later abusing crystal meth herself.

Gifford added: 'I was a child when all of this happened and yet now Im responsible for picking up the pieces of something that really is still continuing to have an impact in my life and dragging me to deal with that.

Gifford his pictured with his younger brother, who he believes may also be his son. The youngster, whose identity Gifford has chosen to conceal, suffers from cognitive difficulties

Gifford as a boy. He believes his brother could have been conceived around late 2008 when another instance of sexual abuse took place. He is seen here as a youth

'I feel that as though it is my obligation or my duty to (him) to do this and find out who his biological father really is.'

Gifford told the outlet that it was a therapist who raised the idea with him that he could be the father of his brother.

He added: 'I was 17 at the time. That threw me for a loop.'

His younger brother receives a disability check and is now living with Gifford who currently has temporary guardianship.

The teenager had been living with Theodore until January when he started living with his elder sibling.

If it turns out that Gifford is the father, the ongoing court case will become a custody matter. If he is not the father it will still remain as a guardianship case.

According to his lawyer determining paternity is more of a challenge since the two brothers would both have Theodore's DNA, whether or not Gifford is the father.

Gifford said: 'To sit here and say that my brother may be the product of my sexual assault is a very visceral thing to think about as a male survivor.

'But hes here now. Theres no going back and undoing anything. And he deserves to have a quality of life where hes comfortable, where he can be a kid.'

Doreene was released on parole last July but arrested in January after she violated a condition of her parole that she had no victim contact.

She is set to go before of a parole violation hearing in April, and according to state information is currently being held inside Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center.
The founder of the toy company responsible for the Polly Pocket brand has died aged 91.

Sir Torquil Norman has been described by as an 'extraordinary man' following his death with his son leading the tributes in the House of Commons.

Conservative MP Jesse Norman told the commons that his father helped bring 'unbelievable joy to millions of young people' around the world.

Mr Norman added he hopes his father's values of positivity, creativity and respect for others could inspire Parliament and the country at this time of 'difficulty and stagnation'.

Sir Torquil served in the military and worked as an investment banker before entering the toymaking industry, a period which saw him establish Bluebird Toys.

Speaking at business questions, shadow Commons leader Mr Norman told MPs: 'Almost exactly 24 hours ago, my father Torquil Norman died at the age of 91. He was an extraordinary man who flew Seafires and Sea Furies during his national service in the Fleet Air Arm.

'He created Polly Pocket, a toy which brought unbelievable joy to millions of young people around the House and around the world.

'And he rebuilt the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm in London, not just as an incredible performing arts centre but as a creative centre for young people and for them to find their way from whatever backgrounds into jobs.'

Sir Torquil Norman founder of the toy company responsible for the Polly Pocket brand has died aged 91

Polly Pocket became a licensed product of Bluebird Toys, based in Swindon, in 1989 and from there its popularity exploded

Conservative MP Jesse Norman told the House of Commons that his father helped bring 'unbelievable joy to millions of young people' around the world

Sir Torqui was educated at Eton College, Harvard University and Trinity College, Cambridge, before taking on National Service in the RAF.

He then worked as an investment banker in the US for over a decade and returned to the UK in the 1960s where he entered the toy making industry.

From 1973 he was the was CEO of Berwick Tempo before founding Bluebird Toys, makers of Big Yellow Teapot House, the Big Red Fun Bus and Polly Pocket.

Polly Pocket became a licensed product of Bluebird Toys, based in Swindon, in 1989 and from there its popularity exploded - becoming a childhood staple for 90s children due their portability and eclectic styles.

By 1994 an estimated three quarters of British girls owned a Polly Pocket, with the company selling more than 100million worth of the pocket-sized product.

And when it was sold to Barbie-producer Mattel in 1998, the doll soon increased in size - alongside the launch of new removable clothing styles.

The dolls were priced at around 10 during their original release, but prices have escalated thanks to a hunger for vintage toys still in their packaging.

While vintage editions of the toys do have extortionate asking prices it is later models that are fetching the highest prices on eBay.

By 1994 an estimated three quarters of British girls owned a Polly Pocket, with the company selling more than 100million worth of the pocket-sized product

The dolls became a childhood staple for 90s children due their portability and eclectic styles

Sir Torquil holding a 'Postman Pat' plastic lunchbox, manufactured by Bluebird Toys

Mr Norman highlighted his father's values and noted he always said the secret to success in the toy business was to have 'a mental age of seven and an eye for detail'.

Sir Torquil bought the derelict Roundhouse arts venue in 1996 for 3m and raised 27m to restore it as a 1,700 performance space, re-opening it ten years later.

He stepped down as the Roundhouse Trust chairman in 2007, the same year he was knighted for his services to the arts and to disadvantaged young people.

The business then went on to found the Global Vehicle Trust which helped provide affordable transport for rural areas in developing countries.

While paying tribute to his father, The MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire added: 'Incredible energy but also amazing resilience and focus on the long-term; turn up at the finishing line was one of his maxims.

'And even in his 80s he was building and creating a new enterprise to develop flatpack trucks, if you can imagine such a thing, that could be developed and sold around the world at low cost and in countries supporting businesses and people.

'I think the whole House would perhaps agree with me that we need these values today, a time of difficulty and stagnation and international conflict, we need these values of creativity, of ambition, of drive, of respect for others and, above all, a capability - not just a focus on the head but on the hand and the heart as well.

'It's something I feel very strongly about, we're trying to build this new university in Hereford, a specialist technical engineering college, precisely to bring those kinds of different aspects of the human personality together in the service of better jobs and better possibilities.

Sir Torquil bought the derelict Roundhouse arts venue in 1996 for 3m and raised 27m to restore it as a 1,700 performance space, re-opening it ten years later

The business then went on to found the Global Vehicle Trust which helped provide affordable transport for rural areas in developing countries

'I also think it raises a question of us as a House and as Parliament, which is to encourage us all to ask the right questions and to support long-term solutions, even when those questions and those solutions may not be ones that we're ideologically or politically drawn to.'

Sir Torquil had married Lady Elizabeth Ann Montagu in 1961, and the couple went onto have five children, including artist Amy Sharrocks and politician Mr Norman.

Mr Norman pushed for more co-operation between different political parties on the long-term issues, adding: 'One of my father's maxims, you'll discover he has many, was that the secret to success is taking a large bite and then chew it.

'I think we could do that more perhaps as a House and perhaps as a country.'

Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani sent her condolences and 'love and prayers' to Mr Norman and his family.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell thanked Mr Norman for his tribute to his father, saying of Sir Torquil: 'I didn't know him but in the short time (Mr Norman) has spoken about him today, he sounds like a wonderful father to have.

'Someone who invented children's toys but also sounds like somebody of great wisdom who gave him great advice and I'm sure we can all in this House live by those values of positivity, creativity and resilience that he so fondly shared with us.'
There is growing concern in Queensland after an underweight koala was spotted with strange devices strapped to its body - leading to it being dubbed 'Robokoala'.

The mystery only deepened when it turned out a state government body had given the greenlight to attaching the cumbersome mechanics to the marsupial, but that the research is being kept secret from the public.

According to government data, 444 koalas have been included in the research so far.

Gold Coast woman Zoe Scharenguivel was driving with her children when she spotted the koala on a busy road in Helensvale.

She thought it could be lost as the area, a known koala habitat, had recently been bulldozed and there was a lot of wire fencing around, so she stopped to try to help it.

Ms Scharenguivel discovered there was a collar with a large VHF tracker around its neck, a pin stitched between its shoulder blades and a blue tag on its ear.

'I felt sick. I couldn't believe it. There was a rod in its back and a big cumbersome collar around its neck,' she told Yahoo News.

'I just want some information about what is actually going on, so I can share it with the community.'

The koala (pictured) had a collar with a VHF tracker around its neck, a pin stitched between its shoulder blades and a blue tag on its ear

The mystery only deepened when it turned out a state government body had approved what was done to the creature and that the research is secret

It turned out that Queensland's Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is allowing a company called Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) to use animals for scientific purposes.

'Specific details of EVE's activities are confidential. Only authorised departmental officers have access to information collected ... about the use of animals for scientific purposes,' DPI said in a statement.

The koala's appearance scared many people who saw the photos and wondered if the fact it was underweight could be due to the devices making it harder for it to eat.

EVE, though, is contracted by Queensland's Department of Transport (TMR) to monitor the movement and health of an endangered koala population that has been displaced by land clearing for the Coomera Connector, a new motorway.

It said the VHF collars don't hinder the koalas' movement, nor do they stop joeys from clinging to their mother's backs.

EVE CEO Michael Hornby said it wants to 'deliver the best outcomes for at-risk and declining koala populations'.

Mr Hornby said the devices serve two purposes. The first is for safety during the clearing of their habitat.

A phenomenal 444 koalas have been included in the monitoring program since it began in August 2021, and 251 are currently being tracked. Stock image

'Without tracking, about half of koalas aren't seen until it's too late. Using near real-time monitoring along with back-up VHF tags prevents accidental injuries or death caused by vegetation clearing machines,' he said.

The second purpose is to monitor the koalas' health. 'Our devices send us GPS location and activity data, which our field staff check at least once daily.

'When we see that they might be in trouble or sick, we respond. We work collaboratively with the wildlife rescue groups as well, who might get called to one of our monitored koalas before we can get to it.'

TMR told Yahoo that 444 koalas have been included in the monitoring program since it began in August 2021, and 251 are currently being tracked.

'This data has provided robust, scientific evidence and knowledge about the koalas in the Coomera Connector Stage 1 corridor,' it said in a statement.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Endeavour Veterinary Ecology for further comment.
A Michigan hospital worker has been arrested after allegedly shooting a colleague in the parking lot.

The incident at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy sparked a huge manhunt after the suspect fled following the a 7:08am shooting on Thursday.

A 25-year-old victim was shot twice in the arm and is being treated in the hospital where he is in a stable condition.

Corewell Health Beaumont Troy, located 24 miles north of Detroit, was placed on a lockdown and terrified staff were forced to barricade themselves inside amid the chaos.

Police have since announced they have apprehended the suspect and said the hospital is in the process of resuming normal operations.
An American researcher has described how she slept with a hammer hidden in her bra after being sexually harassed while living on an Antarctic base - as claims have emerged of a staff member attacking a scientist at another remote station.

Liz Monahon was working as a ship mechanic at the US research station McMurdo some 1,500km from the South Pole when she was allegedly threatened and sexually harassed.

Monahon's horrifying experience has been cast back into the spotlight amid recent claims from a research group on the continent that they are trapped with a colleague who allegedly assaulted and threatened to kill one of his peers.

The team of nine scientists from South Africa are currently stationed at the Sanae IV base, a research centre located on the northern tip of Antarctica some 4,000 kilometres from their homeland.

Extreme weather makes leaving and entering nearly impossible, and they are set to remain on the mission until December despite calls for them to be evacuated.

In 2022, Monahon shared her experience on the McMurdo base - on the opposite side of Antarctica - where she was isolated for several months with a small research crew.

The team included Zak Buckingham, a man from New Zealand who had a history of alcohol-related criminal offending.

Monahon told how Buckingham quickly began to intimidate and threaten her, while he and his friends made sexual jokes about her and other women at the station.

Ship mechanic Liz Monahon detailed how she hid a hammer in her bra while stationed in Antarctica after she was allegedly threatened and sexually harassed by a male colleague

It comes as 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)

Monahon said that her cries for help weren't taken seriously

Cameron Dailey-Ruddy - a bartender on the base - said: 'It was kind of an open secret at that point that that guy had been harassing her.' He added that Buckingham was at the bars most nights, sometimes drank in public areas and harassed women.

Manahon also told how Buckingham threatened her by saying 'snitches get stitches'.

'No one but myself was there to save me', Monahon recalled. 'And that was the thing that was so terrifying'.

Monahon felt unsupported by her superiors - who offered her a 'top-secret' room and one day off work.

In a statement to the HR department about the colleague in question, she said: '[He] is a danger to me. He has threatened my life.

'He is capable of hurting me and he wants to hurt me.

'I have been living in fear for the last two days.'

She had no option but to arm herself with a hammer to protect herself because she was crippled with fear that she was going to be sexually assaulted or killed.

'If he came anywhere near me, I was going to start swinging at him,' she said.

'I decided that I was going to survive.'

Once Monahon returned to the US, she condemned management for failing to protect her and her and her fellow female colleagues, saying she avoided physical harm thanks to her own actions to protect herself.

Following Monahon's ordeal, the National Science Foundation published a report in 2022 which revealed 59% of women said they'd experienced harassment or assault while stationed in Antarctica, and 72% of women said such behaviorr was a problem on the bases.

Monahon takes a selfie on the McMurdo ice shelf in Antarctica in November 2021

Liz Monahon was working the US research station McMurdo some 1,500km from the South Pole in 2022 at the time of the ordeal

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In one case, a woman who reported a colleague had groped her was made to work alongside him again.

A separate incident on ice involved a food worker on the base who told her bosses she'd been sexually assaulted at work - she was fired two months later.

One woman said that bosses at the base downgraded her allegations from rape to harassment.

The long stretches of isolation and working in close quarters means that each researcher must undergo a series of background checks, physical and medical assessments and a psychometric evaluation before they are cleared for the expedition.

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

Antarctica is known for its vast icy terrain and isolated location, characteristics that mystify and intrigue most people - but also characteristics that have led to a rampant culture of sexual abuse

But last week, a researcher on South Africa's Sanae IV base sent a worrying email claiming one team member had attacked them and was issuing death threats. The man in question is also accused of sexually harassing another researcher.

They reportedly pleaded to be rescued, but an emergency evacuation operation would take at least two weeks to reach them - if weather conditions remain stable.

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.

'Specifically, he physically assaulted [X], which is a grave violation of personal safety and workplace norm. 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.'

Ahead of their expedition to the base, members of the group shared pictures together and described their excitement at partaking.

One of the team members posted on social media about their 'adventures' at the remote base in recent days, and previously described the 'thrill' at spending months the base with the small team.

A South African government official confirmed that one of the team member's threatening behaviour was triggered by 'a dispute over a task the team leader wanted the team to do  a weather-dependent task that required a schedule change'.

The author of the email seen by South Africa's Sunday Times expressed immense concern over their 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 author wrote.

Neither the author nor the accused have been named.
Hamas said it fired rockets at Tel Aviv on Thursday in its first military response to the growing civilian death toll from Israel's resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza.

Israel said it had closed off the territory's main north-south route as troops expanded the ground operations they resumed on Wednesday.

Gaza's civil defence agency said 504 people had been killed so far in the Israeli assault, including more than 190 children.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said it fired rockets at Tel Aviv in response to Israel's 'massacres' of Gaza civilians.

The Israeli army said it intercepted one projectile fired from Gaza above Rishon Lezion and that two others struck an uninhabited area.

Police have said no one was injured by the rockets, or their shrapnel, but that they are sweeping the area for additional pieces that may not have been initially noticed.

After weeks of stalemate, Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes that drew widespread condemnation.

The offensive shattered a relative calm that had pervaded in the war-ravaged Palestinan territory since a ceasefire took hold on January 19.

Hamas said it fired rockets at Tel Aviv on Thursday in its first military response to the growing civilian death toll from Israel's resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza

People walk surrounded by buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, Thursday, March 20, 2025

People walk past a building destroyed during Israeli strikes at the Nusseirat refugee camp, on March 20, 2025

At the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza, grieving families knelt by the bodies of their loved ones enveloped in blood-stained white shrouds.

'We want a ceasefire! We want a ceasefire!' one of them, Mohammed Hussein, said while appealing for the international community to stop the killing.

'We are defenceless Palestinian people,' he added.

On Thursday, the Israeli army banned traffic on the territory's main north-south artery.

'Over the past 24 hours, IDF soldiers have begun a targeted ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone between the northern and southern parts,' army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

Movement along Salaheddin Road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip is prohibited 'for your safety', he said.

'Instead, travel from northern Gaza to the south is possible via the Al-Rashid coastal road,' Adraee added, without spelling out whether that meant movement from south to north was banned.

Asked by AFP for clarification, the army had no immediate comment.

It comes after an official from Gaza's Hamas-run interior ministry said the Israeli army had last night closed what it calls Netzarim Junction, on Salaheddin Road just south of Gaza City.

The Israeli army said it intercepted one projectile fired from Gaza above Rishon Lezion and that two others struck an uninhabited area

An Israeli military vehicle drives along Israel's southern border with the northern Gaza Strip on March 20, 2025

Israel directs Palestinians attempting to move south to the coastal al-Rashid Street by closing Salah al-Din Road, which connects northern and southern Gaza, on March 20, 2025

The official said Israeli tanks had deployed at the junction, where the road artery crosses Israel's main supply route, 'following the withdrawal of American special security forces yesterday (Wednesday) morning'.

He was referring to American private security contractors deployed in February after the pullback of Israeli forces under the terms of the January ceasefire.

The first stage of the ceasefire expired early this month amid deadlock over next steps.

Israel rejected negotiations for a promised second stage, calling instead for the return of all of its remaining hostages under an extended first stage.

That would have meant delaying talks on a lasting ceasefire, and was rejected by Hamas as an attempt to renegotiate the original deal.

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Thursday deplored 'an endless unleashing of the most inhumane ordeals' on the people of Gaza since Israel resumed its military offensive

'Israeli Forces bombardment continues from air & sea for the third day,' Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. 'Under our daily watch, people in Gaza are again & again going through their worst nightmare.'

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called Israel's latest strikes on Gaza a 'catastrophic crime' and said the United States 'shares responsiblity'.

The war began with Hamas's 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,218 deaths, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures.

The Gaza civil defence agency's spokesman Mahmud Bassal said Wednesday that at least 470 people had been killed in the territory since Israel resumed large-scale air strikes in the early hours of Tuesday.

The agency reported 14 members of the same family killed in an Israeli strike in the north.

As of Monday, before the intense strikes resumed, the overall death toll in Gaza since the start of the war stood at more than 48,570, according to the territory's health ministry.
A former megachurch pastor, who stalked a congregation member for eight years after she rejected his romantic advances, ramped up his 'strange' behavior until it all came crashing down when he was caught on CCTV breaking into her home twice.

Sergio Guardia, the 49-year-old former pastor at the renowned Thomas Road Baptist Church founded by televangelist Jerry Falwell who died in 2007, was convicted by a jury last week on two counts of burglary and one count of stalking, according to Lynchburg Circuit Court in Virginia.

But despite having a protective order against him, his victim Marie Columna, 43, says she is still 'terrified' of Guardia, believing he 'doesn't care about anything.'

His former megachurch in Lynchburg  which is affiliated with Falwell's Liberty University  is one of the most celebrated Baptist churches in the country.

Marie, 43, an early intervention service coordinator, said she reported Guardia's increasingly bizarre behavior before leaving the church in 2016, but 'nothing was ever done about it'.

The Lynchburg woman is speaking out to DailyMail.com about the 2023 break-ins, caught on security camera footage.

'I was out of state with my children visiting a friend, and I got a notification on my phone that a person was in my house,' Marie recalled.

The footage, captured at 11.30pm on November 10, revealed Guardia walking through the door and creeping around the kitchen.

Sergio Guardia, 49, who stalked a congregation member for eight years after she rejected his romantic advances, was caught on CCTV breaking into her home twice

Marie Columna, 43, a service coordinator for early intervention said she reported Guardia's increasingly bizarre behavior before leaving the church in 2016 but 'nothing was ever done about it

Guardia was convicted by a jury last week on two counts of burglary and one count of stalking, according to Lynchburg Circuit Court

'Every light was off, and he was using the flashlight on his phone. It was very clear that he knew exactly where he was  that he had been in my house before,' Marie said.

Guardia, wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, appeared to notice the camera and ran away.

Marie, who had installed security cameras about a month before due to a series of neighborhood break-ins, said she called police the next morning.

'I was coming back Sunday, so we agreed I'd call the officer when I returned home, and we'd do the report,' she recalled.

'I wanted to press charges.'

The next night, while still out of town, Marie received another alert - this time showing Guardia entering her backyard.

The camera feed revealed Guardia entering through the basement into her daughter's bedroom.

'The entire basement is my daughter's bedroom, which is like a den,' she explained.

Marie, who has a 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son, was in shock.

The church that Guardia was a former pastor at was the Thomas Road Baptist Church founded by the infamous televangelist Jerry Falwell who died in 2007

Part of the reason that Marie never came forward was the immense amount of money that backs the church and its influence in the area

While out of town, Marie got a notification from her CCTV security cameras at 11.30pm on November 10 that someone was walking through the door and creeping around the kitchen

'He got in the same way the night before,' she said.

'My daughter has left that door unlocked before, and her friends use it to come over. The key is easy to find, right when you walk in, on a shelf at eye level.'

Police later confirmed there was no sign of forced entry, leaving Marie with a strong suspicion.

'Either the door was unlocked or he had a key.'

Fearing for her safety, Marie called police again.

'I reported that I was having a break-in, and it was Sergio Guardia, and he was currently in my house.'

Officers arrived, guns drawn, and searched every inch of the house, including bedrooms, closets and even kitchen cabinets.

They also sent in a dog to search the property, but he wasn't found.

He was using the flashlight on his phone to make his way around the kitchen and ran away when he saw the cameras for the first break-in

The next night, while still out of town, Marie received another alert - this time showing Guardia entering her backyard. Horrifyingly, he entered through her 17-year-old daughter's room

Marie said the former pastor had to have known that the key was hidden on a shelf before he entered the bedroom

'They searched the yard and the neighbor's yards,' Marie explained.

When the police showed Marie a photo of Guardia, the connection was immediate.

'There was no question it was him. Within two hours of that break-in, Sergio was charged and arrested,' she said. 'I never thought he'd be breaking into my house.'

Marie first met him when she got married in 2007 and attended his Spanish-language church service at Thomas Road Baptist Church. After she divorced her husband, his advances got increasingly creepier

Marie, who had a longstanding history with Guardia, described their initial friendship as close.

She first met him when she got married in 2007 and attended his Spanish-language church service at Thomas Road.

After separating from her husband in 2011, Guardia and his wife encouraged her to return to the church promising support. But Guardia's behavior soon became unusual, she said.

'He was supportive of me being separated from my husband, but he was telling me that I shouldn't be talking to men after church or in the church,' she recalled.

'He saw how many male friends I had on Facebook and told me to delete and block them.'

When Marie reported the break-in, officers arrived, guns drawn, and searched every inch of the house, including bedrooms, closets and even kitchen cabinets

The officers also sent in a dog to search the property, but he wasn't found. But when they showed Marie a picture of the man, she confirmed that it was indeed Sergio Guardia

After finalizing her divorce in 2015, she said Guardia's behavior left her more worried.

'He started showing up at my house with groceries, but only when my kids weren't home. I never asked for help, but he would come anyway,' she explained.

'He began visiting randomly, and even when I told him I wasn't comfortable, he continued coming.'

She says Guardia's visits escalated.

'At times, I would pull up to my house, and he was already on my steps. It felt like there was no way of getting away from him,' she said.

The situation reached a boiling point when Guardia allegedly confessed his feelings for her.

'He told me he was in love with me and wanted a relationship. I said I didn't even want him at my house, let alone a relationship. I told him not to come back, but he did.'

She moved multiple times in an attempt to get away from the pastor.

Within two hours of that second break-in, Guardia was charged and arrested

Marie recalled Guardia being supportive of her separation from her husband but was telling her to not speak to men before or inside the church

The former pastor began showing up at Marie's house. One time she found him sitting on her couch when she walked in and he wouldn't leave until she threatened to call the police

However, she says Guardia managed to find her each time, even showing up uninvited.

'I came home in the middle of the day and found him in my living room on my laptop.

'When I confronted him he gaslit me, saying he wasn't doing anything wrong and acted excited to see me,' she recalled.

'He wouldn't leave until I picked up my phone and said I was calling the police.'

Despite these encounters, she never reported him at the time due to fear of his influence.

'He's not just a pastor, he's a pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church, a powerful and wealthy church. I didn't believe I had any power against him, especially with no evidence,' she explained.

She eventually moved to her current home, but in the years leading up to the break-ins, she noticed suspicious activity on her email linked to the same university the now-deceased televangelist Falwell had also founded.

'I started getting notifications that a new device had logged into my Yahoo email. When I checked the IP addresses, they were linked to Liberty University,' she said.

Marie eventually moved to her current home, but in the years leading up to the break-ins, she noticed suspicious activity on her email linked to the same university the now-deceased televangelist Falwell had also founded

Executive pastor Matt Wilmington (pictured) was a character witness for Guardia at the bond hearing when she testified

Marie later discovered that a Liberty email address was listed as a recovery option on her account, which she believed allowed Guardia to access her information.

Once she removed it, the login attempts stopped.

After years without direct contact, Marie was shocked to see Guardia on her security camera footage.

'I never imagined he would go this far,' she said. 'Because he's had no prior convictions, they gave him a $5,000 bond.

'I think he only spent four days in jail, and he's been out ever since.'

With a pre-sentencing hearing not scheduled until August 20, Marie remains fearful despite a protective order in place against the disgraced pastor.

'I don't think he cares about anything,' she said.

Guardia, Marie says, is being backed by the top administration at the church. Executive pastor Matt Wilmington was a witness of character for Guardia at the bond hearing when she testified.

She shared hope that her story would reach Guardia's blind supporters, emphasizing the significance of the jury's decision.

'I want them to hear my story, especially the fact that the jury found him guilty on all three counts and that he's now considered a felon,' she said.

'I want them to be scared. I want them to feel the same fear that anyone should have when facing the consequences of criminal activity.

'It's typically women and children who are affected, and I believe it's incredibly rare for those responsible to be held accountable.'

The Thomas Road Baptist Church did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
A Boston weatherman has come under fire after making outrageous comments about the NASA landing that brought back two astronauts who had been stuck in space for nine months.

What was supposed to be a celebratory moment of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returning to Earth was tainted after NBC Boston meteorologist Pete Bouchard proposed a video of the landing had been altered by artificial intelligence.

'Im no conspiracy theorist, but that splashdown today had strong hints of AI enhancement in the drone footage,' he wrote in a Facebook post with an emoji wearing a monocle.

'Lighting looked cinematic. Was it the camera?'

The weatherman had deleted his original post, where he questioned in the dolphins seen in the footage were actually real or added by AI for more effect.

Commenting on the debacle: 'My original post was simply commenting on how visually appealing and perfect the landing looked using the drone. I was curious about the technology and the camera the crew used to capture the scene.

'This doesnt take anything away from the brave astronauts or remarkable scientists involved in returning a capsule from space. Its a remarkable feat and a heroic moment for our country.'

His Bluesky post still references the dolphins, reading: 'I know I wont feed the conspiracy theorists on this platform, but that splashdown today had strong hints of AI enhancement. And the pod of dolphins that just happened to surface?'

What was supposed to be a celebratory moment of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returning to Earth was tainted after NBC Boston meteorologist Pete Bouchard (pictured) proposed a video of the landing had been altered by artificial intelligence

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth after nine months stuck in space. 'Im no conspiracy theorist, but that splashdown today had strong hints of AI enhancement in the drone footage,' Bouchard wrote in a Facebook post with an emoji wearing a monocle

'And the pod of dolphins that just happened to surface?' he wrote on Bluesky. NASA drone footage showed a pod of dolphins appearing near the capsule after it landed in the ocean

NASA drone footage showed a pod of dolphins appearing near the capsule after it landed in the ocean.

Although he said he 'walked back' on the dolphins cynicism, he still questioned the video on the platform, unlike his other ones.

'NOT refuting the landing itself. Nor criticizing NASA or the administration. Simply stating that the camera seemed to have enhanced the view. (Why isnt the sun glistening off the capsule? Why are the shadows muted?),' he wrote.

He claimed the footage was 'totally unrealistic at reentry' and questioned if it was due to the 'camera settings.'

Many of Bouchard's followers were not happy with his speculations, ripping into him for it in the comment section.

'This is the most ridiculous post I have read in a very long time,' Mary Ann Albert Boucher wrote on Facebook.

'You should know yourself that that boats had to be at least three miles away from the splashdown site and the capsule touched down only going at a rate of 16 mph.

'It was said over and over again that the weather was absolutely perfect for such an event. Imagine, dolphins in the ocean. The astronauts made it safely to earth. Their mission was a success...Let it be just that.'

Many of Bouchard's followers were not happy with his speculations, ripping into him for it in the comment section

'"I'm no conspiracy theorist " but I have a conspiracy theory,' another wrote.

'Stay in your lane Pete,' David Lybarger wrote on the platform.

'Just do the weather. Which basically means reading the forecast the government agency provided to all the other stations. Stand in front of a screen and wave your arms,' Lewis Rizk wrote.

'You, sir, are an absolute [clown],' another wrote.

This isn't the first time Bouchard has made a fumble.

The meteorologist went viral while working for WHDH 7 News when he said the nine inches of snow as 'almost as big as me.'
LA residents continue to witness the devastating impact of the deadly wildfires nearly three months on, with marine life now emerging as the latest casualty of the disaster, DailyMail.com can reveal.

The fallout from the destructive blaze has reached the city's coastline where a deadly tide of toxic fire debris has resulted in dead dolphins and seals washing up along the iconic Santa Monica Beach.

The tragic scenes have sparked outrage from locals who are now accusing city, county, and state officials of failing to protect the coast from the environmental disaster.

Among them is surfer Ryan Harris, who has made these waters his playground for 25 years and had never been faced with the unsettling sight of sick or dying animals up until this week.

It was on the same stretch of sand he walks past every day that he saw the unimaginable early Tuesday morning: a lifeless dolphin sprawled across the shore.

Sprawled across the same stretch of sand he walks past every day, a lifeless dolphin

'You don't need a PhD to connect the dots. We see sick marine animals from time to time, but nothing like this,' the eco-surfboard pioneer told DailyMail.com.

'There's no way this isn't linked to the toxic runoff from the fires earlier this year. I don't understand why our city and state officials refuse to remove the fire debris covering the sand and polluting the ocean.

Sick or dead marine life have been washing up on shore at LA beaches due to a deadly tide of toxic fire debris contaminating the ocean, residents tell DailyMail.com

Conservation biologist Ashley Oelsen of The Coastal Alliance shared a heartbreaking photo of a seal in distress and covered in ash on Santa Monica Beach on March 16

'I've lived here nearly 30 years, and I've never seen a dead dolphin.'

Just four days earlier, Harris came across a baby dolphin at Dockweiler Beach, south of Venice, that was so far gone it had to be euthanized on the sand by a Marine Mammal Care Center veterinarian.

'It's heartbreaking,' said Harris, who provides daily surf and water reports to his 8.5k Instagram followers.

'I feel a responsibility to explain what's happening to our ocean. This isn't just my opinion, it's based on science.

'Every day, multiple times a day, people are reporting sick seals and sea lions and dead dolphins and whales.'

But Harris is frustrated by the silence from those who could make a difference.

'Why aren't more people in positions of influence speaking out? Leo lost his home, and he hasn't said anything about the contaminated beaches,' he said referring to Leonardo DiCaprio, the Oscar-winning actor and famed eco-warrior.

'We need public figures to bring attention to this because the city and county officials responsible for protecting our ocean aren't doing their job.'

Since the start of the year, the Marine Mammal Care Center has admitted more than 100 stranded animals.

Local Ryan Harris, who has been surfing in the same spot for 25 years, came across the unsettling sight of a dead dolphin at El Porto Beach, just south of Santa Monica, earlier this week

Up until now, Harris had never seen a dead dolphin wash up on shore while surfing, yet there have been an alarming number of reported beached animals in the wake of the deadly fires

Baywatch alum David Chokachi came to the aid of a stranded seal and with the help of the California Wildlife Center after he found the animal making agonizing guttural sounds

As of March 18, its facility has 59 California sea lions, two northern elephant seals, and a Pacific Harbor seal, with numbers increasing daily.

'This is very concerning,' said John Warner, CEO of the San Pedro-based nonprofit.

'We have more strandings than we can handle. We've been raising the red flag.'

Warner points to worsening environmental conditions, including a sharp rise in toxic algae blooms.

'We used to see these blooms every three to seven years, but now we've had four in a row,' he told DailyMail.com.

'This is a natural phenomenon worsened by rain events. While the fires may contribute to conditions that fuel these toxic blooms, they're not the sole cause.'

Conservation biologist Ashley Oelsen, however, is convinced the toxic runoff from the January Palisades fires has played a major role in the domoic acid outbreak and the overall decline of the marine ecosystem.

'Ash, particularly from urban wildfires, can act as a source of nutrients, which under certain conditions can stimulate harmful algal blooms,' explained Oelsen.

The issue has prompted local environmental activists to host rallies appealing to elected officials to clean up the ocean and shorelines

Locals have blamed officials for the lack of proper cleanup of toxic wildfire debris that has now reached the ocean

Conservationists and environmental activists believe the toxic runoff from the January Palisades fires has played a major role in the overall decline of the marine ecosystem

'Additionally, this can lead to oxygen depletion in coastal waters negatively impacting our kelp forest, critical for marine habitats, and the countless species that depend on them,' the conservationist added.

'The combination of toxic runoff, nutrient imbalances, and lingering pollutants creates a cascading effect, weakening an already fragile ecosystem and putting marine wildlife at even greater risk.'

Oelsen, who founded The Coastal Alliance in response to the fires, has been advocating for the ecologically sensitive cleanup and disposal of the toxic debris blanketing the beaches but her calls for action have largely been ignored, she claimed.

'I fear that due to the lack of action over the past two months, we have lost the opportunity to properly remove and remediate these contaminants, which have now become a long-term environmental hazard.

'California prides itself on being a leader in environmental protection, but it's just a facademore about optics than real action,' she added.

Baywatch alum David Chokachi has spent years in the ocean  both on-screen and in real life.

Most recently, he helped transport dogs from overcrowded animal shelters to out-of-state rescue facilities to make room for displaced pets from the fires. He currently volunteers with the Marine Mammal Care Center.

'The lifeguards told me straight up  they've never seen anything like this,' said Chokachi, referring to the surge of sick marine animals.

'The condition of the ocean is like the Exxon Valdez oil spill times a thousand. It's a disaster zone, and nothing has been cleaned up.

'The storms sent all that debris into the ocean, and they've done nothing. That toxic waste has been leaching onto the sand since day one.'

The actor asks the question many are wondering: Who exactly is in charge?

'I don't understand why the fire debris hasn't been cleaned up. Entire homes along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu burned to the ground, and nothing has been removed.

'Emergency crews should have been working 24/7 to get that toxic debris off the coast before it washed into the ocean. That would have been my top priority.

Instead, he said Governor Gavin Newsom has been 'doing podcasts and laughing'.

'People are furious,' said Chokachi, whose most famous role was as lifeguard Cody Madison on Baywatch.

Just last week, Chokachi, 57, got a call about a stranded seal at Nicholas Canyon Beach, 14 miles north of Malibu.

'I went immediately. The sound that seal was making  I've never heard anything like it. It was in agony.

An aerial image from March 15 shows the aftermath of the Palisades Fire in an oceanside neighborhood where hundreds of homes were destroyed

The Palisades Fire, which erupted in January, is considered one of the most destructive in California's history

'Normally, I can handle these things, but the guttural noise it made it sounded like it was begging for help. It was seizing, going rigid. We had to flex its flippers just to get it into the crate. It was brutal.'

Many believe officials are literally sweeping the problem away to protect tourism dollars.

DailyMail.com reached out to Governor Newsom's office who advised us to contact the Los Angeles Department of Public Health.

The agency replied via email urging beachgoers to stay clear from visible fire debris and to stay out of the water during any posted ocean advisory.

Questions about marine wildlife were directed to yet another department.

'Our ocean is treated like a toilet,' Oelsen said. 'Every chance to remove these pollutants has been ignored by city and county officials.'

Marine Mammal Care Center is urging the public to immediately call 1-800-39-WHALE to report beached seals and dolphins, and to give the animals space.

The center has also advised not to attempt to help the animals, noting that pouring water over them or feeding them can worsen their condition and add unnecessary stress. Encourage others to do the same until specialists arrive.
The Vatican is battling claims that Pope Francis is 'really dead' as sceptics spread 'toxic' conspiracy theories concerning his health.

Italian social media users have flooded platforms with wild suggestions that the leader of the Catholic Church is dead and that the papal 'deep state' is hiding the news as the pontiff approaches five weeks in hospital.

Pope Francis, 88, has been at Rome's Gemelli hospital since February 14 for treatment after a complex lung infection turned into pneumonia in both lungs.

The Vatican say he is gradually recovering, with doctors recently suspending the use of his mechanical ventilation mask, while on Sunday he was pictured concelebreating a mass inside his private hospital chapel.

But Roman Catholic cardinals have now issued desperate calls to 'free ourselves from much fake news' as rumours continue to spread, despite the church issuing regular updates on the Pope's condition.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said: 'They say we, the Roman Curia, keep Francis frozen so that we can do our scheming.'

He suggested that the Vatican's efforts to be more transparent than ever about the Pope's health, which have involved regular public updates, have not stemmed accusations of a cover-up on social media.

Cardinal Ravasi added: 'It's the first time that they are saying the raw truth about the pope's condition. It doesn't work. It's a toxic atmosphere.'

Vatican officials are also privately discussing the fake reports, according to the New York Times.

The statue of John Paul II outside the Rome Gemelli Hospital, where Pope Francis is recovering

Pope Francis concelebrates Holy Mass in the chapel of the of the Gemelli hospital on Sunday

Conspiracy theorists and opportunistic influencers claim the Vatican is using doctored audio of his voice to fool the public.

The Pope sounded breathless as he delivered a brief message earlier this month expressing thanks 'from the bottom of my heart' to well-wishers around the world who have offered their support.

Speaking in his native Spanish, the pontiff paused every few words to take a deep breath in the clip played during a nightly prayer service for the Pope in St Peter's Square.

But in an appearance outside a shopping mall, Italian media personality Fabrizio Corona proclaimed: 'He is really dead.

'The audio is fake. It's done with artificial intelligence.'

Some accounts have also claimed that the photo of the pontiff shared by the Vatican on Sunday were either old or AI-generated.

Others have descended on the hospital itself to try and garner evidence for their outlandish theories.

Nuns and other supporters have been praying near the statue of the late Pope John Paul II

Earlier this month the Pope expressed thanks to those who have wished him well around the world

Simone Basile, also known as The 8th King of Rome, has racked up millions of TikTok views during three trips to the hospital.

Leaving the hospital on Tuesday, he said: 'It's an unmistakable sign that he is no longer.'

Another influencer, Er Bombolino, peered through hospital windows in one of his videos while questioning whether the pope is 'dead or alive'.

Nicola Cerbino, a spokesman for the hospital, said that the influencers 'are going to places that have absolutely nothing to do' with Francis' ward. The pope's private apartment, he said, was 'impregnable.'

Cyabra, a social media intelligence company in Tel Aviv that monitors disinformation, said that around a third of over 3,600 accounts posting about Pope Francis' health that it sampled were fake.

Rafi Mendelsohn, a spokesman for the company, said: 'It becomes worrying and incredibly alarming.

'It's really ripe as a topic, if your objective is to create chaos and create distrust and spread confusion.'

While the Pope's condition is now stable, he has been forced to issue a written prayer from his hospital bed for five consecutive weeks as he remains in a physically vulnerable state.

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.

The latest medical bulletin from the Vatican suggests he is reducing his reliance on high-flow supplemental oxygen during the day, and that his double pneumonia infection, while not completely eliminated, is under control.

Plans to receive King Charles and Queen Camilla on April 8 are still due to go ahead.

The next update on his condition is expected on Monday.
A laundry expert explained why one of Costco's most popular products could be removed from shelves.

Zach Pozniak, who goes by jeevesny on TikTok, praised the warehouse store chain's item in a video on March 17 before advising shoppers to 'stock up.'

The product, Kirkland Signature Ultra Clean HE Liquid Laundry Detergent, is highly rated item that will be made under a new manufacturer.

'Kirkland is a great detergent that I recommend because it cleans really well and it's really well priced,' the TikToker said.

The panic has since left TikTokers 'terrified' about what to do if the laundry detergent is taken off shelves due to its manufacturing change.

The video has racked in nearly 173,000 views and more than 100 viewers were shocked and asking what laundry detergent they should use instead.

'This is absolutely horrific news to me, thanks for the heads up,' a commenter responded to the video.

The highly praised detergent is still available to buy for now at Costco, and its 146-load container costs $20.

Laundry expert Zach Poznia claimed Costco's Kirkland Signature brand laundry detergent could be removed from stores following its manufacturer change

Multiple shoppers who purchased the product claimed it was similar to Tide detergent and complemented its scent.

It's also been praised by Reddit users who were reacting to the news of its possible store removal, which one person insisted was 'depressing.'

'Now I'm madly doing the math to figure out when my 5 jugs of Kirkland free and clear will run out,' a shopper wrote on a Reddit post.

The mayhem began after Kirkland Signature's detergent manufacturer Henkel confirmed in February 7 press release that it finished making Portfolio Optimization Measures.

The company's Consumer Brands business had already sold its Retailer Brands business to an affiliate of First Quality Enterprises in 2022, which includes detergent, fabric finisher, and dishwash brands sold in North America.

Henkel had been working to make the optimization measures to help in making business 'successful in the future' before signing the agreement.

'As we are sharpening our portfolio in North America, the world's largest laundry & home care market, we underpin our ambition in this attractive market with our branded consumer business,' said Wolfgang Konig, Executive Vice President Consumer Brands at Henkel.

'With a more focused Consumer Brands portfolio comprising leading and trusted brands such as all, Snuggle, Dial, Schwarzkopf and got2b, we will further strengthen our ability via focus on our branded portfolio to serve North American retail partners and consumers, drive a focused innovation pipeline and fuel profitable growth through our iconic national brands in this important region.'

Henkel, the Kirkland Signature brand detergent manufacturer, recently sold its Retailer Brands business to an affiliate of First Quality Enterprises

TikTok users compared the possible detergent change to the recent manufacturer change for its diapers and paper towels

The manufacturing change came to light in the US in 2024 after Costco confirmed it would switch manufacturers for its Kirkland Signature brand diapers.

First Quality took over manufacturing duties from Kimberly-Clark Corp, which makes Huggies diapers.

The switch became noticeable in January, and TikTokers who watched Pozniak were not afraid to compare the potential detergent change to the diaper situation.

'This is like the diapers all over again,' a TikTok user wrote.

'They changed the Kirkland diapers and now the diapers suck,' another shopper commented.

'So if they change the laundry detergent, it's going to be so bad.'

Daily Mail has reached out to Costco for comment regarding its popular laundry detergent.
This is the dramatic moment a fire ripped through a diving boat off the coast of Thailand which led to a British holidaymaker going missing.

Scuba divers can be seen frantically swimming for their lives away from the boat as it becomes engulfed in flames while an explosion causes parts of it to fly into the air.

The shocking footage was shot from an accompanying diving boat with those on it screaming at the scuba divers in the water to swim as fast as they could.

The inferno can be seen ravaging the boat called Davy Jones Locker, at its rear. It was carrying 16 tourists on a scuba diving trip.

Backpacker Alexandra Clarke, 26, from Lambeth, was reportedly using the toilet when the blaze erupted from the engine of the wooden vessel near Koh Tao on Sunday morning.

The search for her continues with specialist divers from the Thai navy facing hazardous conditions in a race against time to find her.

Video showed scuba divers swimming away from the inferno on Sunday

Backpacker Alexandra Clarke (pictured, right) was reportedly using the toilet when a blaze erupted from the engine of the wooden vessel near Koh Tao

Those on board are understood to have been rescued by passing tourist boats, but Ms Clarke was still unaccounted for on Sunday afternoon

A tourist on the diving boat which helped to rescue divers from the Davy Jones Locker told MailOnline: 'Both boats set off at the same time and were packed with tourists for a scuba diving trip.

'We came to a stop and then there was this huge explosion. It's lucky we were there because we were able to help the scuba divers who had to jump into the water to save their lives.'

Police on the island have arrested the captain, who they named only as Tawee, 66 and a crew member, named only as Tae, 48 on charges of negligence.

Since the fire, the boat has sunk, and Thai officials are now trying to bring it to the surface.

A police source said: 'Our efforts are continuing but the weather has made the search operation very difficult. There are high winds and the current is very strong. We are doing our best to find the British tourist.'

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 inferno can be seen ravaging the boat called Davy Jones Locker, at its rear. It was carrying 16 tourists on a scuba diving trip

A British woman is still missing after the incident on Sunday

Divers from the Koh Tao Rescue Team, a local organisation that co-ordinates sea rescues are assisting the Thai navy.

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.

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.

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.

Footage shows how the inferno ravaged the large wooden cabin at the rear of the boat as shocked holidaymakers on passing boats looked on

Officials said at least 16 tourists, as well as two crew and four instructors from the scuba diving firm, were onboard the boat

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.'

An FCDO spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We are supporting the family of British woman reported missing in Thailand and are in contact with local authorities.'
The new Harry Potter TV series will be a chance for JK Rowling to 'totally eradicate' the movie memories of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint with a new cast of child stars and millions of new fans, an insider told MailOnline today.

All seven of her beloved books will be adapted by HBO with a fresh group of actors over the next ten years at a cost of more than $200million per season. Filming starts in the UK this summer.

Ms Rowling appeared to take aim at Harry Potter movie stars Radcliffe, Watson and Grint in a social media post shared to her 14.3million followers yesterday.

'For JK, this is a chance to lay the memories of the three leads to rest and start afresh with a whole new cast and fanbase too', MailOnline's TV industry insider has said.

Next month auditions of children aged between nine and 11 to find the next Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grainger will be held. The show's casting team are still working through an astounding 32,000 audition tapes.

Ms Rowling will serve as an executive producer on the series with HBO saying she has been 'very very involved' in the project to ensure will it be a 'faithful adaptation' of her books. She spectacularly fell out with the three young stars of the movies over her views on transgender women. She hinted last year that she could not forgive them even if they apologised to her publicly.

The three actors, who owe their fame and fortune to their roles in the Harry Potter films, all responded to her 2020 essay calling transgender identity 'deeply misogynistic and regressive' with statements that were supportive of trans rights.

A TV insider with feet in London and Hollywood says Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will be 'expunged' and replaced with new young stars.

'This is Ms Rowling's opportunity to totally eradicate the memories of the old movies and the old cast  with new TV and movie franchises it brings in new leads, lust like with Superman and Batman', MailOnline's industry source said.

J K Rowling appeared to take aim at Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in a social media post shared to her 14.3million followers. Pictured: The author with the actors in 2011

Many of Rowling's followers widely interpreted her riposte as a nod to the three child stars who played the lead roles in the successful franchise

Filming for the HBO series is scheduled to begin in the Summer of 2025

There is fevered speculation about the new adult cast with Cillian Murphy now rumoured to be playing Lord Voldemort in series one.

John Lithgow has claimed he will play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore while Paapa Essiedu is reportedly close to a deal to be Severus Snape.

But no child stars have been confirmed.

Yesterday the 59-year-old author penned a biting response to the three stars of the original films in response to the question: 'What actor/actress instantly ruins a movie for you?'

Without missing a beat, Rowling cryptically wrote: 'Three guesses. Sorry, but that was irresistible.'

She ended her post with three laughing emojis.

Many of her followers widely interpreted her response as a nod to the three child stars who played the lead roles in the successful franchise.

Relations between the multi-millionaire author and the actors - who rose to prominence thanks to the Harry Potter films - have been frosty for years because of Rowling's views on trans rights.

There will be a new cast of young stars to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grainger

According to Deadline, the show's casting team are still working through an astound 32,000 audition tapes sent in by child actors hoping to score roles in the lead trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grangers; Original stars (LR) Radcliffe, Watson and Grint seen in 2005

John Lithgow, 79, is nearing a deal to star as Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series remake

Paapa Essiedu is being eyed to play Severus Snape , the Hogwarts potions master played by Alan Rickman in the film series

Last year she publicly stated that she could not 'forgive' Radcliffe and Watson or other celebrities who 'cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights' following the publication of the Cass review of gender identity services in 2024.

Rowling hit out at stars who use their 'platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors' and said people who supported gender transitioning in children should apologise to 'traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces'.

The writer has been vocal in her opposition of allowing children to change their gender, while Radcliffe and Watson have been outspoken in their support of the trans community.

Following the publication of the Cass report many people who have expressed misgivings over allowing children to transition claimed they have been vindicated.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Rowling said at the time that it was a 'watershed' moment and that it 'lays bare the tragedy' of allowing children to transition.

But when someone claimed that Radcliffe and Watson owe her 'a very public apology... safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them', Rowling responded by saying: 'Not safe, I'm afraid.'

She added: 'Celebs who cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights and who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of minors can save their apologies for traumatised detransitioners and vulnerable women reliant on single sex spaces.'

Last year Rowling publicly stated that she could not 'forgive' Radcliffe and Watson or other celebrities who 'cosied up to a movement intent on eroding women's hard-won rights'

Radcliffe has openly spoken about his rift with Rowling and said in an interview last May that his beliefs don't have to align with the author's just because she made him a star.

The actor, 34, and fellow Harry Potter stars Emma Watson, 34, and Rupert Grint, 35, have been outspoken in their support of gender ideology - that biologically male trans women are actually women.

Yet although Radcliffe admitted 'nothing in my life' would likely have happened if not for Rowling.

Watson has also openly hinted at the furore with Rowling.

In 2022, Baftas host Rebel Wilson invited the actress onto the stage saying: 'Here to present the next award is Emma Watson. She calls herself a feminist, but we all know she's a witch.'

But when Watson arrived on stage, she said, 'I'm here for all the witches!', in a way that many interpreted as an open dig at Rowling.

The Mail has contacted JK Rowling's management for comment.
The release of additional files on John F. Kennedy's assassination also revealed the social security numbers of more than 200 people, sparking outrage over the security breach.

'It's absolutely outrageous. It's sloppy, unprofessional,' former Trump campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova, whose private information was included in the release, told The Washington Post.

'It not only means identity theft, but I've had threats against me,' said diGenova. 'In the past, I've had to report real threats against me to the FBI. There are dangerous nuts out there.'

He said he had no idea his information was in the files until the Post contacted him. In the 1970s, diGenova investigated intelligence abuses.

'It makes sense that my name is in there,' he said 'but the other sensitive stuff  it's like a first-grade, elementary-level rule of security to redact things like that.'

Documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy are displayed after they were released following an order from President Donald Trump

The National Archives said it would work with those affected, bringing in the Social Security Administration to help.

'In an effort to maximize transparency, these records were released without redactions and some of these records contain the personal identification information of living individuals. The National Archives and Records Administration and the Social Security Administration are working closely together to protect the individuals who may be affected from their information being exploited, a spokesperson for the Archives said.

'NARA has begun the process of identifying and will be contacting individuals whose personal identification information are included in the records. However, those who believe they may be affected should contact the National Archives at jfkrecords@nara.gov.'

More than 60,000 pages related to the 1963 assassination were released on Tuesday by President Donald Trump's administration.

The White House bragged about the complete release with very few redactions and blacked out information.

'President Trump is ushering in a new era of maximum transparency. Today, per his direction, previously redacted JFK Assassination Files are being released to the public with no redactions. Promises made, promises kept,' wrote Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on X.

But that meant the files included the personal information of congressional staffers and political officials from that time, many of whom are still alive.

'President Trump delivered on his promise of maximum transparency by fully releasing the files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. At the request of the White House, the National Archives and the Social Security Administration immediately put together an action plan to pro-actively help individuals whose personal information was released in the files,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.

There were the Social Security numbers, birthplaces and birth dates of more than 100 staff members of the Senate Church Committee, which was established in 1975 to investigate abuses by America's intelligence agencies and government.

There were also 100 Social Security numbers of staff members of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which investigated the killing of Kennedy, the Post discovered.

The files also exposed at least one C.I.A. agent's complete personnel file.

The revelations could be a breach of the Privacy Act, which protects individuals personally identifiable information.

Joseph diGenova, a former attorney for President Donald Trump, was one of the people's whose social security number was in the JFK files

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President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy moments before the president was shot in Dallas on November 22, 1963, as his car passed through Dealey Plaza

Trump's national security team had to rush to get the files ready after the president's surprise declaration - during a tour of the Kennedy Center on Monday - that the documents would be made public the next day.

The release of the files proved a disappointment to many.

Instead of confirming or denying many of the conspiracy theories around Kennedy's death, the files revealed the sources and practices of U.S. intelligence operations.
Tommy Robinson has been moved to a 'closed wing' in prison after receiving reports he had a 'mark on his head' and 'would be killed by a lifer', the High Court has heard.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court after breaching an injunction.

The attack fears were revealed at a High Court hearing as the activist applied to launch a legal challenge against the Government over his segregation while in prison.

After being sentenced in October last year, Robinson was admitted to HMP Belmarsh, but 'on his first day he stated he had a conflict with followers of Islam', the High Court heard.

He was then moved to HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes on November 1, but the prison received intelligence over threats to Robinson, with two other prisoners supposedly 'plotting to assault' him, the court was told.

This resulted in him being moved to a 'closed wing which cannot be accessed by other prisoners'. Although he still has access to a laptop, with email capabilities, and gym facilities for three hours a day.

Despite this, Robinson's barristers argued he should be allowed to bring a legal challenge over his segregation from other prisoners at HMP Woodhill after suffering an 'evident decline in his mental health'.

His barrister, Alisdair Williamson KC, told the court that HMP Woodhill has 'a significant Muslim population', adding that 'it appears to be that which is causing a difficulty'.

Tommy Robinson (pictured in October 2024) has been moved to a 'closed wing' in prison after receiving reports he had a 'mark on his head' and would be killed by a lifer'

Robinson was admitted to HMP Belmarsh (pictured) last year after being sentenced for contempt of court after breaching an injunction

He was then moved to HMP Woodhill (pictured) in Milton Keynes on November 1, where he received threats to his safety

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) opposed the bid, with its lawyers stating it is 'not an arguable claim' and that Robinson was isolated following threats to his safety.

In written submissions, Tom Cross, for the MoJ, said: 'HMP Woodhill received several intelligence reports showing a non-speculative risk to the claimant, including that two other prisoners at HMP Woodhill were plotting to assault the claimant to gain kudos and notoriety, and that the claimant had a 'mark on his head' and would be killed by a lifer if located on a wing.'

Mr Cross said that Robinson remained on the 'closed wing' but that 'this is ultimately an interim position' until he can be moved to a different wing, which is undergoing repairs.

He continued: 'The significant risks both to the claimant's own safety and to the good order or discipline of the prison required him to remain removed from association with other prisoners, subject to review.'

He added that the MoJ had considered whether an alternative prison was available, but had concluded that 'there is not presently another option where the risk to the claimant, and to good order or discipline, could be better managed'.

Mr Cross also said that Robinson's segregation was 'more permissive' than usual, including having access to a laptop, being able to send and receive emails 'in their thousands', and having access to gym facilities for three hours a day.

He also said that Robinson works two-and-three-quarter hours a day, three days a week, 'painting and decorating'.

Responding to the MoJ's submission, Mr Williamson said: 'He (Robinson) disagrees that he has been working three times a week. In fact, he has the opportunity of working for one-and-a-half hours, on a Wednesday.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London on April 22, 2024

Court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook of Robinson (right)being sentenced by Mr Justice Johnson at Woolwich Crown Court in October 2024

'He wanted to work with other people. He is working cleaning cells, on his own. When he goes to the gym, he is locked in, on his own. The comparators that are provided (with other prisoners), we respectfully submit, do not assist.'

Mr Williamson, said Robinson had asked to be moved to open prison in February, stating: 'The solitary confinement is destroying my mind.'

Robinson continued: 'I am terrified of the long-term consequences of the continued solitary confinement. I feel I am being provoked to react. I want to leave prison mentally well, not mentally broken.'

Robinson said in a separate complaint, also made last month, that he felt the 'continued isolation' was 'politically motivated because of my activism and beliefs'.

Mr Williamson said: 'We accept that there was and perhaps is a threat to the claimant at HMP Woodhill which justified the original decision to segregate him.

'So our focus is the Secretary of State giving them leave to continue that process in the face of a decline, an evident decline, in his mental health.'

He continued: 'We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him. It is clear, we submit, that the distress he is suffering goes beyond that which is inherent in incarceration.'

The barrister added that Robinson should be moved to a different prison 'where he does not have to be kept in isolation'.

Robinson supporters gather outside Woolwich Crown Court ahead of his sentencing last year

Supporters of anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, install a banner near London's Woolwich Crown Court

The hearing had been adjourned until 12.30pm to allow Robinson to give instructions to his legal representatives.

Shortly before the hearing was due to resume, Robinson returned to the video room at HMP Woodhill and held up a piece of red paper to the camera, which read: 'They cut my phone off.'

After holding up the sign to the camera, Robinson, dressed in a grey jumper and with a beard, was then seen to use a laptop which the court previously heard he was allowed to use in prison.

After the hearing resumed, Mr Williamson told Mr Justice Chamberlain: 'Our call was cut off, we presume by the prison authorities. I believe I have enough instructions.'

Mr Justice Chamberlain said: 'It does seem to me that if there are instructions he wishes to give to Mr Williamson, he ought to be able to give those instructions.'

He continued: 'The court has other business to attend to today and we do require the prison to facilitate communication between Mr Yaxley-Lennon and his barrister, and that needs to happen straight away.'

Robinson then held up another sign to the camera, which read: 'My calls are live monitored. They were listening when they cut it off.'

After the hearing concluded, Robinson held up a piece a paper which read: 'Can't lock up the truth.'

Robinson was jailed in October last year by Mr Justice Johnson, after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court order made in 2021.

The order barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

He is set to be released from HMP Woodhill on July 26 and appeared from prison on Thursday via video link in a grey jumper.

In a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice Chamberlain dismissed Robinson's bid, stating his case was 'not arguable'.
The EU has sparked fury by excluding British arms companies from a 150 billion defence fund - with anger directed at 'puerile' French behaviour.

European Commission proposals, published yesterday, set out strict rules for the bloc's new Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative.

These include a 'buy European' clause that means the fund can only be used to purchase arms from EU-linked countries or Ukraine - and not the UK, US or Turkey.

Brussels officials outlined how the fund would only consider buying British arms if the UK strikes a new security and defence pact with the EU.

The Prime Minister is hoping to agree such a deal as part of his Brexit 'reset', with EU leaders due to travel to London for a summit in May.

But Sir Keir Starmer has been stung by French-led demands to back down on post-Brexit fishing rights in exchange.

A senior Government source told The Times: 'Europe needs Britain's defence industry a bit more than the French need a few extra fish.

'It is astonishing how puerile the French are behaving. They have not grasped the enormity of the moment.'

Sir Keir Starmer, pictured with Defence Secretary John Healey today, is hoping to strike a new security and defence pact with the EU

But the PM has been stung by French President Emmanuel Macron's demands to back down on post-Brexit fishing rights in exchange

A senior Government source told The Times: 'Europe needs Britain's defence industry a bit more than the French need a few extra fish.'

The new EU defence fund has been established in the wake of US President Donald Trump's threats to scrap American security guarantees for Europe and Ukraine.

The 150 billion fund will allow EU member states to take out loans from funds raised against the EU budget.

But, among other restrictions, it will prohibit the purchase of complex weapons systems where non-EU countries hold 'design authority'.

Concerns were recently expressed in Germany that the US has the power to shut off F-35 fighter jets, which are widely used across Europe.

But the US denied the existence of a 'kill switch'.

Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, yesterday hinted at French pressure to exclude the UK as she outlined 'different worries' among member states.

'We are working on having this defence and security partnership with the UK,' she told a press conference in Brussels.

'I am really hoping that for the summit, which is in May, we can have results. But of course, like you know, it is related to member states and also different worries.'

Sir Keir today swerved a suggestion that Britain was being 'snubbed' by the EU, although he said there was 'scope for more joint work' on defence among the UK and European allies.

'I'm very pleased that the EU is signalling their intent to spend so much on defence,' he said on a visit to Barrow-in-Furness, the Cumbria port where the UK's nuclear submarines are based.

'I've been making the argument, as others have, that all of us in Europe need to step up.

'Not just in relation to Ukraine, but more generally in our own collective self-defence. That does mean more spend, more capability, more coordination.

'I want to have those discussions with our European allies - we're continuing those discussions with them, because I do think there's scope for more joint work here.'

European Commission proposals, published yesterday, set out strict rules for the bloc's new Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative

Sir Keir swerved a suggestion that Britain was being 'snubbed' by the EU, although he said there was 'scope for more joint work' on defence among the UK and European allies.

Labour's Luke Pollard, the Armed Forces minister, had earlier also tried play down the row in public.

'There's conversations that are being led by the Cabinet Office at the heart of Government to create a new security deal with the EU,' he told Times Radio.

He also pointed to how the UK and France were leading efforts to form a 'coalition of the willing' to enforce a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.

Asked if the French were being 'petty', he replied: 'No, I mean, we work very closely with the French.

'Indeed, the effort on the coalition of the willing... is jointly led with our French friends.

'It is important that we have a way of securing an EU security pact. It's in all our interest.

'Indeed, I think the French will benefit from that as well. But those discussions are ongoing.

'In the meantime, we need all our European friends to step up and rearm. And more investment in European defence is good for all our collective security at the moment.

'We think there's an opportunity for all of us to benefit even greater with the involvement of the UK and indeed Norway, that sits outside the EU but is vital to Euro-Atlantic security.

'So there's an opportunity here to defence our collective interest in a more secure way, that's the conversations that we're continuing to have with our European friends.'
China has provoked international outrage after it 'inhumanely' executed four Canadian nationals accused of drug-smuggling, with mass killings by Beijing's firing squads furiously condemned by campaigners and officials.

Canada's foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly said she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had asked for clemency for the dual citizens after they were implicated in the alleged crimes.

But Beijing's embassy in Ottawa said the executions were due to drug crimes and noted that China does not recognise dual citizenship.

Amnesty International condemned the executions as inhumane and noted that China executed thousands of people in 2023, according to its most recent figures.

'These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada,' the group's head for English-speaking Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi, said in a statement.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, with the total number a closely-guarded state secret.

Executions are traditionally carried out by gunshot, although lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Ms Joly said the Canadian government 'strongly condemned' the latest killings.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined. Pictured: Archive image shows Chinese police presenting a group of convicts for sentencing, many of whom went on to be executed

Canada's foreign affairs minister Melanie Joly said she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had asked for clemency for the dual citizens

'I asked personally for leniency... They were all dual citizens,' she said, adding that Canada consistently asks for clemency for its citizens facing the death penalty abroad.

She said the families had asked the government to withhold details of the identity of the four individuals.

Global Affairs spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said they continued to provide consular assistance to families and requested that the media respect their privacy.

She said Ottawa continued to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling, who was not included in the latest executions.

Former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig has reacted to China's 'completely unnecessary' execution of Canadians in an interview with Canadian broadcatser CTV News.

'Any hopes that China might be willing to extend some olive branches or try to heal rifts in the relationship, to try to thaw things out, I think this pretty clearly demonstrates that that is not terribly high on its list of priorities', he said.

About 100 Canadians are currently held in China, according to Canadian media, many of them on drug offences.

Combating drug-related offences is a shared responsibility of all countries, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday, urging Canada to 'respect the spirit of the rule of law and stop interfering in China's judicial sovereignty'.

Mao added that China treats those accused equally regardless of nationalities, handles their cases fairly and strictly, while safeguarding their rights.

'China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes,' a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said.

'The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient.'

The embassy spokesperson said Beijing 'fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned', and urged Canada's government to 'stop making irresponsible remarks'.

There have been mounting tensions between the two countries in recent years.

China imposed retaliatory tariffs on some Canadian farm and food imports earlier this month, after Canada imposed duties in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV) and steel and aluminium products.

The tariffs add to global trade tensions amid rounds of tariff announcements by the United States, China, Canada and Mexico.

This handout photograph released in 2019 shows Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg during his retrial on drug trafficking charges in China's northeast Liaoning province

Chinese police lead a condemned man into a special execution van (file image)

Chinese President Xi Jinping pictured earlier this week

An inmate screams before being taken to execution in Ghanghzou in 2001

'China is sending us a message that we have to take steps if we want to see an improvement in the relationship,' said a former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques.

Ian Brodie, a former chief of staff to ex-Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, posted on social media that it turns out 'agricultural tariffs weren't the worst part of the PRC (People's Republic of China) response to EV tariffs'.

And opposition Conservative politician Michael Chong said 'executing a number of Canadians in short order is unprecedented, and is clearly a sign that Beijing has no intention of improving relations with Canada'.

Canada-China ties have been icy since 2018 when Meng Wanzhou, Chief Financial Officer of Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, was detained in Vancouver at Washington's request. China arrested two Canadians shortly afterwards.

China jailed two Canadians shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the company's founder, on a US extradition request.

They were sent back to Canada in 2021, the same day Ms Meng returned to China after reaching a deal with US authorities in her case.

Many countries called China's action 'hostage politics', while China described the charges against Huawei and Ms Meng as a politically motivated attempt to hold back China's economic and technological development.

While the communist does not release its official figures, rights groups believe many thousands of people in China are executed each year - more than the likes of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the US, even when tallied together.

Criminal law in the country is as severe as it is obfuscated, with many crimes punishable by death under Beijing's draconian legislation.

Death sentences are frequently handed down for crimes ranging from drug trafficking to murder, but also white collar crimes such as corruption.

According to a report published in 2021, China's Penal Code of 1997 - which is still in force today - has 46 crimes punishable by death, including 24 violent crimes and 22 non-violent crimes.

While the number of such crimes has slowly reduced (in 1979 it was 74, according to the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty), executions remain widespread, creating what Amnesty International calls a 'conveyor belt of executions'.

In 2022, the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty said that at least 8,000 people per year were executed in China from 2007.
David Lammy insisted it is 'difficult to see' how Israel's actions in Gaza are legal today - but backed off his claim that international law had been broken.

In a statement to MPs on the breakdown of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Foreign Secretary voiced alarm at the 'appalling loss of life' happening.

While he insisted there was 'no moral equivalence' with the terrorist group, Mr Lammy said there was a 'clear risk' that Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to block humanitarian aid in Gaza went too far.

He also confirmed a British national was amongst those wounded after a UN compound was hit yesterday.

Mr Lammy said: 'On the night of March 18, Israel launched air strikes across Gaza. A number of Hamas figures were reportedly killed, but it's been reported that over 400 Palestinians were killed in missile strikes and artillery barrages. The majority of them were women and children.

'This appears to have been the deadliest single day for Palestinians since the war began. This is an appalling loss of life, and we mourn the loss of every civilian.'

David Lammy insisted it is 'difficult to see' how Israel's actions in Gaza are legal today - but backed off his claim that international law had been broken

People walk past wreckage at the Nusseirat refugee camp today after air strikes

He said: 'The Government calls for a transparent investigation and for those responsible to be held to account.'

Mr Lammy said the UK is working with France and Germany to send Israel a 'clear message' that they 'strongly oppose' the resumption of hostilities.

He told MPs: 'We urgently want to see a return to a ceasefire. More bloodshed is in no-one's interests. Hamas must release all the hostages and negotiations must resume.

'Diplomacy is the only way to achieve security for both Israelis and Palestinians.'

Mr Lammy recalled the events of recent weeks during the two-month ceasefire before noting negotiations have been 'gridlocked for several weeks'.

He said: 'Hamas has been resisting calls for the release of further hostages in return for a longer truce.

'Israeli forces did not begin to withdraw from the Philadelphi Corridor as agreed and on March 2 the Israeli government announced it was blocking all further aid deliveries until Hamas agreed to its terms.

'For weeks now, supplies of basic goods and electricity have been blocked, leaving over half a million civilians once again cut off from clean drinking water and sparking a 200 per cent surge in the price of some basic foodstuffs; a boon to those criminals who use violence to control supplies.

While he insisted there was 'no moral equivalence' with the terrorist group, Mr Lammy said there was a 'clear risk' that Benjamin Netanyahu's (pictured) decision to block humanitarian aid in Gaza went too far

'As I told the House on Monday, this is appalling and unacceptable. Ultimately, of course, these are matters for the courts, not governments, to determine, but it's difficult to see how denying humanitarian assistance to a civilian population can be compatible with international humanitarian law.

'Though it's important to say I could have been a little clearer in the House on Monday, our position remains that Israel's actions in Gaza are a clear risk of breaching international humanitarian law
Protesters have disrupted the House of Lords with chants calling for the abolishment of the chamber.

In footage from the Palace of Westminster, the group of about eight people could be heard shouting 'Lords out, people in' from the public gallery.

One thousand white and yellow leaflets carried by the small crowd of activists were thrown down into the chamber, where Baroness Twycross was speaking.

On one side, the papers, apparently modelled on an album by the Sex Pistols punk band, read: 'Never mind the Lords here's the House of People.'

On the turn, it added: 'Aristocrats and oligarchs: Out.

'Posties, mums, nurses and neighbours: In.

'Replace the House of Lords to save the UK.'

As they were escorted out, the group sang a song urging viewers to 'take back the Commons' and 'raise a glass to Thomas Paine'. They carried a banner saying 'Lords out, people in', which was promptly snatched away by security.

Baroness Twycross, a Labour peer, looked bemused as the white leaflets began to fall around her

As they were escorted out, the group sang a song urging viewers to 'take back the Commons' and 'raise a glass to Thomas Paine'

On one side, the papers, apparently modelled on an album by the Sex Pistols punk band, read: 'Never mind the Lords here's the House of People'

Photos of the House of Lords after the incident showed leaflets remaining caught in the chamber's elaborate clock

Paine, an English-born American Founding Father, penned the Rights of Man in the 1790s - defending the French Revolution. The revolutionary rejected monarchy and aristocracy.

The protesters said they were acting on behalf of Assemble, an organisation that campaigns for the Lords to be abolished and replaced by a citizens' assembly.

They claim their actions mirror the Suffragettes in 1908, when they rained hanbills down onto the House of Commons demanding suffrage for women.

In a fundraiser to help them transform democracy in the UK, they have currently raised a mighty 263 of their 150,000 target over the last six months - a grand total of 1.8 per cent.

Baroness Twycross, a Labour peer, looked bemused as the white leaflets began to fall around her.

She had been delivering a statement on the 80th anniversary of victory in Europe and Japan.

The current Government Whip, she received a life peerage in 2022 as p[art of the Special Honours.

Photos of the House of Lords after the incident showed leaflets remaining caught in the chamber's elaborate clock.

The protesters said they were acting on behalf of Assemble, an organisation that campaigns for the Lords to be abolished and replaced by a citizens' assembly

They carried a banner saying 'Lords out, people in', which was promptly snatched away by security

As they were escorted out, the group sang a song urging viewers to 'take back the Commons' and 'raise a glass to Thomas Paine'

Protester Lucy Porter, 50, a primary school teacher from Leeds, told the PA news agency she was 'campaigning for a house of the people'

The House was adjourned for a short time as the demonstrators were escorted out.

After the primary group had left, another protester rose to her feet to hurl more pamphlets across the chamber.

She proclaimed: 'This is the House of the People, it is not the House of the Privilege. I'm standing here like the Suffragettes once did. Power to the people.'

Protester Lucy Porter, 50, a primary school teacher from Leeds, told the PA news agency she was 'campaigning for a house of the people'.

On the Lords, she said: 'It's a symbol of everything that's outdated.

'We don't have a functioning democracy in this country.'

Citizens' assemblies are selected by sortition, which means members of the public are picked at random via a lottery.

Supporters of this system argue it means a more representative sample of the population are able to come together and debate important issues.

Another demonstrator, who wished to be known only as Christina, said: 'We did this action on behalf of Assemble and the ask is that, instead of a House of Lords, which is a house of unelected wealthy elites, we have a house of the people.

The protest came amid moves at Westminster to reform the Lords by ousting hereditary peers

'So, we have citizens' assemblies where people can participate in real democracy, instead of having everything handed to them from up high.'

Christina Jenkins, 31, a care worker from Cwmbranadded: 'We need a People's House, not a house of wealthy elites. Lords: give up your seat! How can we a real democracy when we're only given the chance to vote once every five years?

'Even then, so many people don't vote because their voices still go unheard.

'Whether it's the spiralling cost of living crisis, insecure housing, wars or the climate crisis, you don't have to look far to see the symptoms of a broken political system.'

Protests by the public in the Lords are prohibited.

Signs there say: 'All demonstrations by strangers in the gallery are out of order and must be treated accordingly.'

The protest came amid moves at Westminster to reform the Lords by ousting hereditary peers.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill, which has already been through the Commons, will abolish the 92 seats reserved for members of the upper chamber who are there by right of birth.

The legislation delivers on a promise in Labour's election manifesto and has been promoted as the first step in revamping the House.

But a commitment to introduce a participation requirement and mandatory retirement age of 80 were not included in the Government's current legislative plans.

The administration has said that longer term it wants to replace the Lords with an 'alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations'.

A spokesperson for the House said: 'We are aware of an incident in the public gallery, after which the House briefly adjourned but has now resumed. We will not be commenting further at this time.'
Elon Musk slammed Tim Walz with a savage insult after the failed Democratic VP candidate mocked Tesla's tumbling stock value.

The Tesla chief was branded an 'un-elected, South African nepo-baby' by Walz this week at a town hall in Wisconsin titled 'The People vs Musk', where Walz took aim at the electric car maker's 41.4 percent stock fall as of March.

'On the iPhone, they've got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day,' Walz said at the event.

In response, Musk ridiculed Walz over his heavy election defeat in November alongside Kamala Harris, saying he gets the same 'boost' when he remembers their drubbing.

'Sometimes when I need a little boost, I look at the @JDVance portrait in the White House and thank the Lord,' Musk wrote on X.

The White House's 'Rapid Response' account piled on, adding in its own post alongside Vance and President Trump's official portraits: 'When we need a little boost during the day at the White House, we walk around the corner from our office and admire these beautiful portraits.'

It comes as Walz has faced backlash from conservatives for his remarks at the town hall, with some accusing him of celebrating the downfall of a key American-based company.

The GOP House Judiciary said the Minnesota Governor exhibited 'disgusting behavior', while Texas Senator Ted Cruz branded him a 'small, petty, vindictive, evil b***ard' who 'represents today's Democrats well.'

Elon Musk slammed Tim Walz with a savage insult after the failed Democratic VP candidate mocked Tesla's tumbling stock value

Walz said he got a 'boost' every day by checking Tesla's struggling stock price, to which Musk responded that he gets the same 'boost' by remembering Walz's election defeat

Walz's remarks on Tesla's struggles come as some customers revolt against his intimate ties to the Trump White House, with liberal groups calling for a boycott of the electric car manufacturer.

Tesla vehicles and facilities across America have also been targeted by vandalism and attacks in recent weeks, including in Las Vegas this week where several of the vehicles were firebombed.

The FBI launched an investigation into the attack, and Attorney General Pam Bondi branded the incident 'nothing short of domestic terrorism.'

Walz's speech aimed at Musk comes as the former VP candidate has been on a media blitz in recent weeks, fueling speculation that he is considering a run for president in 2028.

When pressed by the New Yorker earlier this month, the 60-year-old did not rule out a run for the White House.

'Look I never had an ambition to be President or Vice President. I was honored to be asked,' he said.

'If I feel like I can serve, I will. And if nationally, people are like, "Dude we tried you and look how that worked out," I'm good with that.'

Walz's speech aimed at Musk comes as the former VP candidate has been on a media blitz in recent weeks, fueling speculation that he is considering a run for president in 2028

When the politician was then asked point-blank whether he would ever run for president, he replied: 'Well I had a friend tell me, "Never turn down a job you haven't been offered."

'If I think I could offer something... I would certainly consider that. I'm also, though, not arrogant enough to believe there's a lot of people that can do this.'

He then explained that if the circumstances are right in 2028 and he has the right 'skill set' for the moment, 'I'll do it.'

'I'll do whatever it takes. I certainly wouldn't be arrogant enough to think that it needs to be me.

While Walz weighs a run for president, he faces the prospect of the world's richest man dampening his hopes.

Musk's insult hurled at Walz this week was far from his first, with the Tesla chief mocking Walz's November defeat last month as well

In another exchange days earlier, Musk mocked Walz's moves as Governor in Minnesota to allow tampons to be placed in boy's bathrooms in schools

Musk's insult hurled at Walz this week was far from his first, with the Tesla chief mocking Walz's November defeat last month as well.

Walz said in an X post that 'the richest man in the world is sitting at the Resolute Desk, about to defund your public school. Trump should stop him.'

Musk responded: 'What's your name again? I forgot.'

In another exchange days earlier, Musk mocked Walz's moves as Governor in Minnesota to allow tampons to be placed in boy's bathrooms in schools.

After Walz said that Musk was 'a terrible president', Musk responded with a meme of an elderly character from the movie Up ridiculing Walz.
Bryan Kohberger has made a shocking demand to restrict what the families of the four slain University of Idaho students can wear to his capital murder trial.

Among a trove of new court documents released Wednesday, the accused mass killers defense has asked the judge to ban any clothing featuring the photos of victims Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin.

The defense also wants to ban any clothing referring to shooting Mr. Kohberger or about the firing squad.

Mr. Kohberger respectfully requests that the Courts guidance outline proper Courtroom decorum which discourages spectators from wearing T-shirts (e.g. T-shirts with a picture of the victim on them and the words In Memory of or T-shirts about shooting Mr. Kohberger or about the passage of Idahos firing squad legislation), buttons or other apparel with words, photos or artwork that can be observed by the jurors since such conduct poses a coercive threat to the jurys ability to remain impartial, the defense filing states.

In court proceedings in Latah County a family member of victim K.G. wore a t-shirt to court related to the passage of Idahos firing squad legislation.

During a court hearing in August 2023, one of Goncalves family members was seen sporting a shirt that read: Justice for Kaylee Idaho House Bill 186 Shots Fired.

Kohbergers defense attorneys argue this must not be allowed in any future courtroom proceedings because trials must be free from a coercive or intimidating atmosphere.

This marks only the latest bizarre demand from the defense after they asked the judge to ban the terms 'murder', 'bushy eyebrows' and 'psychopath' from the trial.

Bryan Kohberger has made an outrageous demand to restrict what the families of the four slain University of Idaho students can wear to his capital murder trial

Kaylee Goncalves family arrive for a court hearing in 2023. A family member previously wore a shirt in support of the firing squad

In the new filing, Kohberger also asks the judge to define who is classed as the victims' immediate family members - and so who can be present in the courtroom for the duration of the trial even if called to testify as a witness.

Likewise, he also asks that his own family - his mother, father and two sisters - be permitted to attend the trial in support of him.

The Kohberger family has been silent about the case for the past two years. The only public comments ever made came in a statement released in the days after his arrest where they said they 'care deeply for the four families who have lost their precious children', that they were cooperating fully with the investigation and that 'as a family we will love and support our son and brother.'

Goncalves' family members have been vocal about their support for the death penalty - and her father has called for the man going on trial for his daughter's murder to face the firing squad if convicted.

Firing squad became an alternative method of execution in Idaho last year, amid a shortage of lethal injection drugs.

But it is not the primary execution method and so no inmate has been put to death since it was introduced.

Republican state lawmaker Bruce Skaug has since put forward a bill to change that and make firing squad the principal method of execution in death row cases - and Goncalves' father Steve Goncalves said he has reached out to Skaug to help get it over the line.

When asked if he had been following the news about his daughters accused killer possibly facing the firing squad, he told NewsNation in February: I dont follow it. I help make it.

From left: Dylan Mortensen, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen (on Kaylee's shoulders), Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Bethany Funke

Pictured: the firing squad chair in the execution chamber at the Utah State Prison. Firing squad became an alternative method of execution in Idaho last year

'Im talking to some of these individuals in the state of Idaho. Were definitely being out there.

I'll be that person to stand in front of the camera and drum up some support, he said.

He added: There's no reason to have capital punishment if this isn't the case for it.'

Kohbergers attorneys are fighting to get the death penalty off the table in the case.

A previous argument that the methods of execution available to inmates in Idaho - firing squad and lethal injection - as well as forcing inmates to wait for years on death row would amount to a cruel and unusual punishment and be unconstitutional was dismissed by Judge Steven Hippler in November.

Now, the defense is claiming that Kohberger's diagnosis for autism means that he should not face capital punishment.

In the motion to Strike the Death Penalty Re: Autism Spectrum Disorder,' Kohberger's defense says he has an autism diagnosis which 'exposes him to the unacceptable risk' that a jury will convict him of murder and sentence him to death.

Due to his autism, Kohberger has 'little insight into his own behaviors and emotions,' often rocks his body back and forth when listening, has 'limited' facial expressions and 'his expressions are sometimes incongruent with what is happening around him,' the defense states.

Bryan Kohberger smirks and offers a 'thumbs up' to the camera in a selfie six hours after the murders

A juror seeing the defendant engage in any one of these behaviors, while sitting at counsel table during a murder trial, would perceive the defendant as strange, out-of-control, and even disrespectful of such a solemn proceeding,' the defense writes.

The judge is yet to rule on this motion.

Kohberger's attempt to limit the courtroom attire of the victims' families comes after he asked the judge to ban the two-word phrase 'bushy eyebrows' from his trial.

'Bushy eyebrows' was the defining characteristic that the slain victims' surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen recalled about the masked intruder she saw leaving the student house moments after the brutal murders are believed to have taken place.

According to Kohberger's defense, 'the description provided by D.M. is unreliable and should be excluded' from the courtroom.

In the state's response, released Wednesday, prosecutors clapped back, arguing that Mortensen's description was consistent through all of her interviews with law enforcement and revealing a never-before-seen selfie of Kohberger.

The creepy photo shows Kohberger in a white shirt buttoned up to the collar and headphones as he stands in front of a shower.

He gives a chilling half smile and thumbs up to the camera.

The photo, prosecutors say, was taken at 10.30am on November 13 2022 - around six hours after he allegedly broke into the student home and slaughtered the four victims.

Prosecutors want to present the photo at trial and let jurors decide if they believe he could be described as having 'bushy eyebrows' at the time of the murders.

Mortensen and a fifth roommate Bethany Funke lived with Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle in the three-story house at 1122 King Road and survived the attack.

Mortensen, whose bedroom was on the second floor, came face-to-face with a masked man in the immediate aftermath of the murders, according to court documents.

She told investigators that she had been woken by noises in the home at around 4am that morning and had heard a voice say theres someone here.'

She also heard what sounded like whimpering coming from Kernodle's room and a mans voice - that she was sure was not Chapin - saying: Its ok, Im going to help you.

Mortensen told investigators she had opened her door and peeked outside three times.

The third time, she said she saw a man with bushy eyebrows and dressed in black walk past her door and head towards the sliding back doors of the home.

Survivors Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke exchanged frantic text messages after Mortensen saw a masked man inside their home

The student home where the murders took place. Mortensen came face-to-face with a masked intruder moments after the murders are believed to have taken place

After seeing the intruder, Mortensen and Funke exchanged a series of frantic texts and calls, court documents show.

Cell phone records, released last week, show that the two students made a string of desperate calls and text to their other roommates - but got no response.

Mortensen ended up leaving her bedroom on the second floor and going down to Funke's room on the first floor.

Around eight hours later, just before midday, a harrowing 911 call was placed from Funkes phone.

Officers arrived on the scene to find the four victims brutally stabbed to death inside the home.

Kohberger, who was a PhD student just over the border at Washington State University at the time, was arrested around six weeks later at his parents home in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania.

Investigators honed in on the suspect after finding a brown leather Ka-Bar knife sheath next to Mogens lifeless body.

Touch DNA found on the sheath was traced to Kohberger using Investigative Genetic Geneaology (IGG).

In one bedroom on the second floor lay the bodies of young couple Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin (left)

One floor above lay two more victims - best friends Madison Mogen (left) and Kaylee Goncalves (right) - together in the same bed

The quadruple homicide suspect's attorneys have tried - unsuccessfully - to have the DNA evidence tossed from his trial by undermining the IGG method.

The knife itself has never been found.

However, according to a new prosecution filing, Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife and sheath from Amazon in March 2022.

The defense has pointed to other DNA evidence also found at the scene.

A bombshell court filing recently revealed that DNA evidence from three unknown individuals was found under Mogens left fingernails.

Testing showed a three-person mixture and, when compared to Kohberger, this came back inconclusive - meaning he could neither be confirmed or eliminated as the source.

Blood from two, unidentified men were found at the crime scene - one on a handrail between the first and second floor of the three-storey home and one on a glove found outside.

Kohberger's attorneys have zeroed in on the fact that investigators have not determined who the two mystery men are

University of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger (seen in court in 2023) is now claiming his autism diagnosis means the death penalty should be taken off the table

To date, the defense has only offered up a vague alibi for the night of the murders, claiming that he was driving around alone late at night on November 12 and into the morning of November 13.

No witnesses could corroborate where he was, his attorney Anne Taylor admitted in a court filing.

At his arraignment, Kohberger stayed silent, leading the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Kohberger is next due in court in April.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is preparing to call a snap election for April 28.

Carney, who was sworn in on March 14 to replace former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is expected to ask for Parliament to be dissolved on Sunday, the Canadian news outlet Globe and Mail reported.

It comes as tensions between Canada and the U.S. are at an all-time high as the trade war escalates and President Donald Trump threatens to annex the neighboring country.

Canada's Liberal Party is seeking to capitalize politically in response to Trump's ongoing trade threats.

Prior to his decision to slap punishing tariffs on Canada, the party appeared to be heading to an election defeat having been in power since 2015.

But the trade war and Trump pushing to make the country the '51st state' has infuriated Canadians who have rallied together boycotting American products and booing the American anthem at sporting events.

Carney would take his request to dissolve Parliament to the governor-general who holds constitutional and ceremonial duties as a representative of the monarch, King Charles III.

Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney smiles as he speaks after winning the race to become leader of Canada's ruling Liberal Party

Carney, a former banker, has not prior experience in politics, but led the Bank of Canada through the 2008 financial crisis and then the Bank of England.

Carney and Trump have not yet spoken. But in a post on Wednesday, the Canadian prime minister said Canada would be ready to engage with the U.S. on negotiations 'when Canada is shown respect as a sovereign nation.'

Several recent polls have shown his Liberal Party in Canada closing the gap or even ahead of the Conservatives.

The country's Conservative Party appeared on the cusp of an historic victory until Trudeau announced his resignation and Trump began attacking the country's economy and sovereignty in his second term.

The Liberals have been Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre as someone who would give in to Trump's demands.

Liberal Party of Canada Leader Mark Carney, right, speaks to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after Carney was announced as the winner of the party leadership

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poillivre speaking on March 14 in Ottawa, Canada

In response to Trump's escalating attacks on Canada, Poilievre as adopted the slogan 'Canada First.'

But Carney also appears to be taking advantage of Trump dismissing Poilievre in a recent Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham.

'The conservative that's running is, stupidly, no friend of mine. I don't know him, but he said negative things,' Trump said. 'When he says negative things, I couldn't care less.'
A massive block of ice plummeted into a Florida home after seemingly falling directly out of the sky, leaving both the local community and experts perplexed as to what could have caused such an unusual event in the Sunshine State.

The mysterious chunk of ice fell from the sky and crashed through the roof of a Seattle Trail home in Palm Coast last month, landing in the family's living area and leaving a gaping hole in its wake.

'It's a really big hole, really,' Allen Alisyn, a neighbor whose mother witnessed the aftermath, told KOAT Action News.

Fortunately, no one inside the home was injured, and the family was able to remain in their house overnight without issue.

In February, the sudden crash landing reverberated loudly throughout the neighborhood, prompting a concerned resident to contact the fire department, FOX 35 News reported.

When fire crews responded to the scene, they were met with a surprising sight - ice. The mysterious discovery left officials scratching their heads as to how such an event could occur on a warm, sunny day in Florida.

Initially, officials speculated that the block of ice could have fallen from a plane flying overhead, possibly due to a water leak on board the aircraft.

When a plane has a water leak, the liquid that seeps out can freeze while at high altitude.

A massive block of ice plummeted into a Florida home in February after seemingly falling directly out of the sky, leaving a gaping hole in the roof of the Palm Coast residence

The ice landed in the family's living area of their Seattle Trail home, but fortunately no one was injured inside the home

The family was able to remain in their house overnight without issue, but responding fire crews were left scratching their heads as to how such an event could occur on a warm, sunny day in Florida

As the aircraft descends and temperatures rise, the ice may begin to melt and detach, posing the risk of falling from the in-motion plane.

The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, intervened to investigate the incident, revealing on Wednesday that they had contacted all airlines operating flights within the Flagler County vicinity at the time of the incident.

However, the investigation determined that the ice chunk did not originate from a plane overhead.

'Inspections of those aircrafts did not find evidence of water leaks that could have caused ice to form on the outside of the aircraft,' an FAA spokesperson said in a statement, which was obtained by FOX 35 News.

The FAA discovery left neighbors in the area even more puzzled, growing increasingly unconvinced that the ice chunk hadn't dropped from a plane.

'They need to double check,' one neighbor told FOX 35. 'I'm pretty sure it just didn't materialize out of thin air.'

Another concurred, adding: 'I don't know. It had to have come from an airplane.'

Some, including a young girl, developed their own theories, speculating that aliens were responsible for the ice dropping out of the sky. Another believed the massive chunk to be hail.

Initially, officials speculated that the block of ice could have fallen from a plane flying overhead, possibly due to a water leak on board the aircraft

When a plane is plagued with a water leak, the liquid runs into the possibility of freezing while high altitude. As the aircraft descends and temperatures rise, the ice may begin to melt and detach, posing the risk of falling from the in-motion plane

A majority of the ice has been removed since falling through the family home, with a blue tarp now covering the damaged roof to protect the rest of the property.

As of now, officials are continuing to investigate the puzzling February event.

The bizarre incident came just a month after a California couple, who narrowly avoided 'devastating injury' after a giant chunk of ice crashed through their ceiling, sued JetBlue airlines after claiming that a 'watermelon-sized' block of ice dropped from one of their planes.

The couple, who purchased their 'dream home' in Inglewood back in 2020, alleged that the ice fell from a JetBlue Airbus A321-231 traveling from New York City to Los Angeles last January.

Leah Ferrarini, 59, and Michael Reese, 60, claimed that the massive frozen block landed inches from their bed, leaving them fearing for their lives. They are now suing the airline for $1 million.

The accident forced the pair to move for fear of a repeat incident, according to the million-dollar lawsuit obtained by The Independent.

Ferrarini and her husband 'cringe in fear with each plane that passes over their home, which is approximately one every five minutes,' the complaint stated.

It adds that the pair can 'no longer sleep comfortably without thinking of the incident,' causing 'persistent insomnia' that has had a 'real-world effect' on their lives.

'The insomnia has forced Reese to turn down work as a commercial driver in the TV and film industry,' the complaint said.

'The incident has overall made them anxious and depressed, feeling unsafe in what was their dream home.'

JetBlue claimed that it is not liable for the destruction caused by the falling ice, according to a response filed on January 9 in LA federal court.

The Federal Aviation Administration intervened to investigate the incident, revealing on Wednesday that they had contacted all airlines operating flights within the Flagler County vicinity at the time of the incident before determining that the ice did not drop from a plane overhead

A majority of the ice has been removed since falling through the family home, with a blue tarp now covering the damaged roof to protect the rest of the property as officials continue to investigate

The bizarre incident comes after Leah Ferrarini (left), 59, and Michael Reese (right), 60, a California couple who narrowly avoided 'devastating injury' after a giant chunk of ice crashed through their ceiling, sued JetBlue airlines after claiming that a 'watermelon-sized' block of ice dropped from one of their planes

The airline said it was conforming with all 'statutes, governmental regulations, and industry standards' at the time of the crushing incident.

The FAA has since opened a probe into the matter, according to the complaint.

The probe led the agency to discover that the aircraft in question had 'a history of potable water issues dating back to July 2023.'

According to the complaint the agency also found that the airline was responsible for a similar incident in August 2023 when it discharged another slab of 'clear ice' that crashed through the roof of a home in the Boston area.

Ten days after the incident, the FAA also ordered a review of the plane's potable water and drainage systems, which were found to be defective.

The agency said inspectors found incorrectly threaded fasteners connecting a valve. It said that this caused a leak, which then froze at altitude and broke free over Reese and Ferrarini's home.

According to the complaint, JetBlue should have performed the inspection a full year earlier.

Had the airline done so, the FAA believes Reese and Ferrarini's home would still be intact.
Nicola Sturgeon is the longest-serving first minister in Scotland's history, having spent more than eight years in Bute House.

Her time in power saw her lead Scotland through seismic events in Britain's history including the Brexit vote - which she fiercely opposed - the Covid crisis, and the death of the Queen.

Nicola Sturgeon is the longest-serving first minister in Scotland's history, having spent more than eight years in Bute House

The SNP leader, pictured aged 14, was born in Irvine, North Ayrshire in 1970

Throughout it all, the former SNP leader pushed her party's campaign for Scotland to tear up the 300-year-old Act of Union and break away from the UK.

Ms Sturgeon's efforts to force a second Scottish independence referendum - along with a second Brexit vote - were the source of huge tension with all five prime ministers that served at Westminster during her spell in power.

But they were also the cause of dissent within the SNP's own ranks, with many internal party critics questioning her strategy or accusing her of being too slow to push for another independence vote.

In addition to the constitutional row, Ms Sturgeon faced huge pressure over her Scottish government's management of the NHS and schools, with Scots having suffered a long-running ambulance crisis.

There were also other domestic rows over a multi-million pound ferries contract, and sex assault claims against her predecessor Alex Salmond.

Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon was born in Irvine, North Ayrshire, in 1970 to mother Joan, a dental nurse, and father Robin, an electrician.

She became a member of the SNP at the age of just 16 and, after studying law at the University of Glasgow, she embarked on a career as a solicitor.

Ms Sturgeon was the SNP's youngest candidate at the 1992 general election when, at the age of 21, she unsuccessfully contested the seat of Glasgow Shettleston.

She also failed to get elected to the UK Parliament at the 1997 general election but, following the creation of the Scottish Parliament, she became an MSP in 1999.

Ms Sturgeon entered elected office after becoming an MSP following the creation of the Scottish Parliament

She attended a 1992 rally in favour of Scottish independence alongside maverick politician George Galloway and pop singer Pat Kane

Ms Sturgeon served as deputy to SNP leader Alex Salmond, her political mentor, for ten years between 2004 and 2014

The 2007 Scottish Parliament election saw Ms Sturgeon (pictured in 2008) chosen as MSP for Glasgow Govan, having previously been elected on a regional list

Ms Sturgeon pictured at a 'Wear It Pink' fundraiser at the Scottish Parliament in September 2019

Ms Sturgeon became Mr Salmond's running mate during his successful 2004 bid for the SNP leadership.

She was leader of the opposition at Holyrood between 2004 and 2007, until Mr Salmond was elected an MSP himself.

The 2007 Scottish Parliament election saw Ms Sturgeon elected as MSP for Glasgow Govan, having previously been elected on a regional list.

But, more significantly, the SNP's emergence as the largest party at Holyrood saw the party form a minority administration under Mr Salmond as First Minister and Ms Sturgeon as his deputy.

In the wake of the 'Yes' campaign losing the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Mr Salmond resigned as first minister with Ms Sturgeon replacing him after no other challenger came forward.

Under her leadership, the SNP won a landslide in Scotland at the 2015 general election with the party winning 56 out of 59 Scottish constituencies as Labour and the Liberal Democrats suffered an almost total wipeout.

But she suffered a blow the following year when the SNP lost its majority in the Scottish Parliament.

Ms Sturgeon frequently clashed with Theresa May and Boris Johnson (pictured below) over Brexit following the 2016 EU referendum

Ms Sturgeon, pictured in 2016, seized on the Brexit vote to push her case for a second Scottish independence vote

Little more than a month later, another huge challenge was to come when the UK voted to leave the EU.

Ms Sturgeon, a fierce opponent of Brexit, soon seized on the Leave result to push her case for another Scottish independence referendum.

In the hours after the EU referendum result, Ms Sturgeon insisted a second Scottish independence vote was 'highly likely'.

She claimed it would be 'democratically unacceptable' for Scotland to be taken out the EU after a majority of voters in her country backed Remain.

Ms Sturgeon soon engaged in regular battles with first Theresa May and then Boris Johnson as the UK Government undertook the process of untangling Britain from the EU.

The onset of the Covid pandemic in early 2020 also led to further tensions between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Johnson, as they repeatedly clashed over lockdown restrictions.

With health a devolved matter, the First Minister used her powers to set her own Covid rules in Scotland, while the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive did the same.

At the same time, daily televised press conferences further increased Ms Sturgeon's prominence as a national leader and saw her popularity soar among Scottish voters in the early months of the crisis.

Ms Sturgeon also saw her former political mentor, Mr Salmond, cleared of sexually assaulting nine women while he was first minister.

The court case led to a breakdown in Ms Sturgeon's relationship with her one-time ally, and also put severe pressure on her position as his successor.

An inquiry later found she had misled the Scottish Parliament over her meetings with Mr Salmond in 2018 over the allegations against him.

Yet a Holyrood committee stopped short of ruling Ms Sturgeon had 'knowingly' misled MSPs, which would have been a breach of the ministerial code and a resignation matter.

Amid her fresh push for independence, the First Minister had to deal with a growing number of domestic scandals

The First Minister used her powers to set her own Covid rules in Scotland during the pandemic

Ms Sturgeon's long spell in power has seen her lead Scotland through a series of seismic events, including the death of the Queen

During her time as SNP leader, Ms Sturgeon's party has increased its number of seats at Westminster

The pandemic delayed the Scottish Parliament elections, scheduled for 2020, until 2021 when the SNP once again fell short of winning a majority at Holyrood.

Prior to the elections, Mr Salmond formed the new pro-independence Alba Party in a direct challenge to the SNP and provided yet another clear sign his relationship with Ms Sturgeon had completely broken down.

The 2021 election result was a double blow for Ms Sturgeon because, as well as depriving her of a majority again, opponents insisted it weakened her claim that she had a mandate to seek another independence referendum.

Yet the First Minister soon pushed ahead with plans for a new vote and ordered a series of reports on how Scotland might operate outside of the UK.

She also set October 2023 as a target date for a second referendum.

But her plans were soon in tatters again when the Supreme Court ruled that the Scottish Government could not legislate for an independence vote without Westminster's prior position.

This saw Ms Sturgeon threaten to turn the next general election into a 'de facto' referendum.

Amid her fresh push for independence, the First Minister was also having to deal with a growing number of domestic scandals.

This included a rumbling row over a contract for the construction of new ferries, which has become known as the 'ferries fiasco', as well as an ambulance and A&E crisis in NHS Scotland and increased scrutiny over the SNP's record on education.

But the bitterest dispute came over Ms Sturgeon's decision to push ahead with controversial gender identity reforms in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon pictured in 2007 promoting Glasgow's bid to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games

She celebrates with SNP MPs elected after the 2019 general election at an event in Dundee

Despite fierce opposition in Holyrood and numerous protests outside the Scottish Parliament, MSPs voted in favour of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

The legislation was aimed at making it easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC), which is legal recognition of their acquired gender.

But, in a dramatic move, then-PM Rishi Sunak vowed to block the Bill from becoming law due to concerns over its impact over UK-wide equality laws.

Ms Sturgeon described Westminster's block as an 'outrage' and threatened fresh legal action.

Yet, in the wake of that row, there came intense scrutiny of the management of transgender prisoners in Scotland.

Although she denied 'short-term issues' were behind her decision to quit as first minister in 2023, many viewed it as the final factor in her resignation.
Springtime was heralded in by Britain's warmest day of the year so far today with temperatures hitting 21C - making the UK one of the hottest places in Europe.

The mercury got up to 21.3C (70.3F) at Northolt in West London today, beating the previous 2025 high of 19.7C (67.4F) recorded on March 9 in Crosby, Merseyside.

The Met Office said temperatures would be well above average for the time of year with generally dry and fine weather throughout the day and plenty of sunny spells.

The highest temperatures are also set to be around the Home Counties and southern Midlands with 19C (66F) to 20C (68F) widely and 21C (70F) in a few places.

The UK was hotter today than Ibiza, where 18C (64F) is forecast, as well as Corfu, Rome and Lisbon (all 16C/61F), and Barcelona and Nice (both 15C/59F).

The warmer weather is coinciding with the spring equinox, which is the first day of astronomical spring. Meteorological spring began three weeks ago on March 1.

The highest recorded UK spring equinox temperature was 21.5C (70.7F) in 1972, and the Met Office said 2025's highest temperature today is unlikely to top that.

But today's warmest temperature in Wales was 20.4C (68.7F) at Gogerddan in Ceredigion, provisionally making it the warmest spring equinox on record for Wales.

Bianca Bastos, 32, and Jordan Jeffreys, 25, and their six-year-old Australian Shepherd dog Milo enjoy the warm weather at Battersea Park in South West London today

People play volleyball on Bournemouth Beach in Dorset in the warm and sunny weather today

City workers relax in the sunshine by the River Thames in London this afternoon

After a UK high of 18.7C (65.7F) at Northolt yesterday, Met Office meteorologist Simon Partridge said today will be generally dry, fine and sunny, adding: 'It will be a little warmer too.

2025 UK temperature extremes so far HIGH: 20.6C (69.1F) on March 20 in Northolt, West London

LOW: -18.9C (-2F) on January 11 in Altnaharra, Highlands Advertisement

'The highest temperatures are expected in an area from London, the Home Counties to southern Midlands.

'Here we are likely to see 19C (66F) or 20C (68F) widely with one or two spots likely to reach 21C (70F).'

Temperatures will reach 19C (66F) in the South East tomorrow before wetter weather begins to move in, with a cloudier day on Saturday and showers on Sunday. Highs of 15C (59F) to 17C (63F) are expected across this weekend.

Speaking about today, Mr Dixon said: 'It's going to be a widely dry, fine and sunny day for many, with temperatures well above average at the time of year.

'Temperatures are going to peak on Thursday and they'll decline into the weekend, heading closer towards average but still relatively warm for this time of year.'

Higher pressure to the east of the UK is currently helping to draw warmer air north across the country, he said.

The sunshine will be only broken by some fair-weather cloud in central parts of England today, Mr Dixon added.

'Unsettled weather, with occasional rain or showers for many, will continue on Sunday, with plenty of cloud around as well.'

A couple and their dog enjoy the warm weather at Battersea Park in London this afternoon

People walk along Bournemouth Beach in Dorset today as the spring equinox arrives

A woman rollerskates under cherry blossom trees on a warm day at Battersea Park today

A panoramic view of the London skyline from Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath today

People enjoy the warm weather and sunshine during lunchtime in London this afternoon

People walk past beach huts on Bournemouth Beach in Dorset on the spring equinox today

People enjoy the warm weather at Battersea Park in London today as temperatures rise

People play volleyball on Bournemouth Beach in Dorset in the warm and sunny weather today

People walk past blossom as they enjoy the warm weather and sunshine in London today

A woman takes a selfie with her dog under cherry blossom trees in Battersea Park today

People walk along Bournemouth Pier in Dorset on the spring equinox this afternoon

A cyclist stands under cherry blossom trees on a warm spring day in Battersea Park today

A squirrel leaps through a flowerbed at Greenwich Park in South East London today

A woman photographs cherry blossom trees on a warm spring day in Battersea Park today

People walk past blossom as they enjoy the warm weather and sunshine in London today

People look out from Bournemouth Pier in Dorset today during the spring equinox

People walk past blossom as they enjoy the warm weather and sunshine in London today

People enjoy the warm weather in Battersea Park today as temperatures rise in London

People walk past blossom as they enjoy the warm weather and sunshine in London today

People enjoy the warm weather in Battersea Park today as temperatures rise in London

The sun rises over South Shields lighthouse at the mouth of the River Tyne this morning

Tomorrow will remain warm for many but some rain is expected to move in from the South West.

Showers are forecast to start in Cornwall and gradually travel north-east during that day into parts of Wales and central and southern England.

Rain is then expected for much of the country through the weekend.

Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Steven Keates said: 'This heralds the move to something more unsettled for the UK's weather on Saturday, with more rain or showers developing for much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland through the day, and some heavier bursts likely in places.

'Western parts of Scotland are also likely to see rain on Saturday, with this gradually moving eastwards across the rest of Scotland through the weekend.

'Unsettled weather, with occasional rain or showers for many, will continue on Sunday, with plenty of cloud around as well.'

Cloudy weather is expected next week, with highs of around 12C (54F) to 13C (55F) from Monday to Wednesday.

It comes after the coldest night of March so far yesterday, with a low of -8.3C (17.1F) in Scotland at Braemar, Aberdeenshire and -6.8C (19.8F) in England at Shap, Cumbia.

The country has already had cold nights this week, with lows of -7.8C (18C) on Tuesday in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire; and -6.6C (20.1F) at Altnaharra in Sutherland on Monday.

Daytime highs this week meanwhile got up to 14.4C (57.9F) at Otterbourne in Hampshire on Tuesday and 12.1C (53.8F) at Achnagart in the Highlands on Monday.

Meteorological spring always starts on March 1 while astronomical spring, or the equinox, begins around March 20 each year.

The other equinox is in September and both mark the sun crossing the equator, rather than being at an angle. Day and night are therefore about the same length.
A toddler drowned in the pool of his family's Los Angeles home after his parents bought a faulty child safety lock on Amazon, according to a heartbreaking lawsuit.

Kai Bernabe, 3, died after he and his twin brother Liam were found unresponsive in the pool of their $1.3 million Porter Ranch home in April of 2023.

His brother miraculously survived the incident which cops at the time said was an accident.

A newly-filed lawsuit has shed disturbing details on how the twins ended up in the pool that day and has blamed Amazon and the manufacturer of a child proof lock for their deaths.

Their parents Mark Bernabe and Jasmine Coleman had purchased an Okefan branded sliding glass door child lock for their own patio doors to keep the two from wandering into their backyard and near their swimming pool.

The family settled down for a nap after what the suit described as an 'active early morning', with the safety lock on the rear door engaged 'as it always was'.

Typically the toddlers would have woken their parents up when they woke from their nap but didn't on the day of Kai's death, the suit adds.

Home security camera footage then captured them going to the patio doors where they placed a chair against the glass, causing the lock to fail and unlatch, the suit says.

The two proceeded out into the backyard and entered the water. Minutes later Jasmine appeared on the footage and frantically pulled Kai's 'unconscious body from the shallow end'.

Kai Bernabe, 3, died after he and his twin brother Liam were found unresponsive in the pool of their home in April of 2023

The family had settled down for a nap after what the suit describes as an 'active early morning', with the safety lock on the rear door engaged 'as it always was'

The family's $1.3 million home in Porter Ranch is seen here

The frantic mom then ran into the home to perform CPR, while her husband Mark found their son Liam in the deep end, also unconscious.

After a 911 call was made, the two boys were rushed from the home to Northridge Hospital where Kai died. Liam pulled through.

The suit says Okefan and Amazon had 'negligently and carelessly' sold the product, currently priced at $15.95, that was in a 'dangerous and defective' condition.

It also claims that the item was unsafe for its intended purposes, being able to withstand tugs from babies and small children.

Coleman, it is claimed, had been drawn to the listing for the lock, which is still online, due to its 'Amazon advertised safety features'.

A listing reads: 'This kid stopper has been proven to withstand the pulls and tugs of babies and children, keep doors and windows opened in safe!

'Sliding door child Lock will give you the confidence and peace of mind to feel comfortable performing household tasks while your little one roams explores house.

'Never worry about your child getting in to something they are not supposed to or hurting themselves while opening patio sliding door or hung window!'

The two boys were hoisted from the swimming pool and rushed to hospital after being unresponsive

The suit says Okefan and Amazon had 'negligently and carelessly' sold the product that was in a 'dangerous and defective' condition

The pool of the property can be seen here in an aerial shot taken at the time of the death of Kai

The suit says that when it arrived Coleman followed the installation instructions 'as intended by defendants'.

The complaint adds that Amazon and Okefan, the manufacturer, 'failed to conduct adequate testing' of the door lock.

It adds that the companies had been aware of the problems with it due to 'ongoing consumer complaints' on the Amazon website.

Amazon has argued in a response filed by their attorneys that if the lock was defective and dangerous 'it did not know and had no reason to know that'.

Their attorneys have also denied that the company was negligent in the case or is liable.

The company has also said that the third-party item had 'complied with all applicable industry standards'.

It adds that the family 'may have misused, abused, altered, and/or improperly maintained, and/or used the product in a manner other than it was intended to be used, and disregarded the warnings, instructions, and directions for the products use.'

The couple have asked for a jury trial and a minimum of $2 million in damages, with the two sides scheduled to appear in court in early May.

DailyMail.com has approached Amazon and Okefan for further comment on the lawsuit.
Labour infighting is continuing to rage following the Government's benefits cuts as further reports emerge of Cabinet splits over the 5billion welfare squeeze.

Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, this week unveiled reforms that experts said would see around a million people in England and Wales lose disability benefits.

Both she and Sir Keir Starmer have since faced a fierce backlash over the measures, which aim to narrow access to Personal Independence Payment and Universal Credit.

Ms Kendall has defended her efforts to tackle Britain's ballooning benefits bill by highlighting how there are more than 1,000 new PIP awards every day.

And the Financial Times reported a 'fractious' Cabinet meeting last week saw Foreign Secretary David Lammy offer a personal example.

He is said to have claimed one member of his extended family was on benefits 'when they probably should not be'.

It follows other reports that top ministers - including Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband and Lucy Powell - had expressed concerns about the scale of a revolt over welfare.

Meanwhile, a Labour group leader on a local council has quit the party in protest over the action.

David Lammy is said to have told a 'fractious' Cabinet meeting that one member of his extended family was on benefits 'when they probably should not be'

Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, this week unveiled reforms that experts said would see around a million people in England and Wales lose disability benefits

Pete Lowe, who led the Labour group on Dudley Council, has quit the party

Pete Lowe, who led the Labour group on Dudley Council, said the welfare cuts were the 'final straw' under Sir Keir's leadership of the party.

In a statement posted to social media, he said: 'Although I have contemplated my future in the party under Sir Keir Starmer's leadership over the last few years, I always believed I could better serve my community from within the Labour Party.

'I no longer believe that is the case. The national party leadership is not only silencing voices within the party who dare to speak up for those we were elected to serve, but they are also attacking the most vulnerable in society.

'First they came for the pensioners and our children and now they are coming for the sick, vulnerable and disabled.

'The Labour Party may not have been perfect but it always offered support for the working class. Unfortunately, I no longer feel this is the case.

'I have outstayed my welcome, hoping I could influence, change and create Labour policy but my voice too has been ignored.'

Left-wing Labour MPs have publicly blasted the welfare changes in the House of Commons, while - in private - dissent has spread further through the party's ranks.

'I'm starting to feel like a frog getting gradually boiled; it's one difficult decision after another,' one unnamed MP told the Financial Times.

'This is not what any of us became Labour MPs to do,' a senior MP added. 'It's not how Labour should be running the country.'

Another usually loyal MP said the benefits cuts had been 'appallingly handled' by the party's leadership.

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, veteran Labour MP Diane Abbott told Sir Keir there was 'nothing moral' about the plans.

She told the Commons: 'There is nothing moral about cutting benefits for what may be up to a million people.

'This is not about morality, this is about the Treasury's wish to balance the country's books on the back of the most vulnerable and poor people in this society.'

But Sir Keir told Ms Abbott it was a 'moral issue' that one in eight young people were not in employment, education or training.

He said: 'I'm not going to turn away from that, I am genuinely shocked that a million people, young people, are in that position, and I'm not prepared to shrug my shoulders and walk past it.'
Any British troops deployed to Ukraine would be kept away from front line areas to avoid clashes with Russian forces, it was reported today as Keir Starmer gathered military leaders in London for talks.

The Prime Minister has been trying to assemble a 'coalition of the willing' pact of nations to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

Talks between military leaders from interested countries took place in London today with Sir Keir saying that if a peace deal comes to fruition the UK and its allies need to be ready to defend it.

The BBC reported today that the international troops will not be a 'peacekeeping' force, because at 20,000-strong they will not b enough to keep the peace.

Instead a source told the broadcaster they would be a 'reassurance force' posted to guard cities and power plants, and keep Black Sea ports open.

They also said troops would stay away from the frontline in Ukraine's east to avoid accidental clashes with Putin's troops.

Sir Keir told broadcasters that any peace deal would need to be defended to ensure Vladimir Putin did not simply ignore it.

'What matters to me is that we're clear that Ukraine must be secure and sovereign, and therefore able to make decisions on behalf of the Ukrainian people, and that if there's a deal, it has to be defended, because there been deals in the past that haven't had security arrangements and Putin's taken no notice of them,' he said.

The Prime Minister has been trying to assemble a 'coalition of the willing' pact of nations to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow .

The BBC reported today that the international troops will not be a 'peacekeeping' force, because at 20,000-strong they will not be enough to keep the peace. They also said troops would stay away from the frontline in Ukraine's east to avoid accidental clashes with Putin's troops.

It came as Trump floated a new peace plan what would see the US buy Ukrainian power stations and infrastructure.

'So, we know from history what the risk is here, which is why we're working with allies to ensure that the political alignment and momentum that we've built up in recent weeks  which is a good thing, to have so many countries aligned  is now turned into military planning, military operations.'

It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes a 'lasting peace can be achieved this year' after a call with US President Donald Trump.

Trump also floated a new peace plan what would see the US buy Ukrainian power stations and infrastructure.

In the call with Zelensky, the US president 'said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,' according to a White House statement.

'American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,' it added.

Addressing a press conference in Downing Street on Saturday, the Prime Minister did not elaborate on which nations had made concrete commitments to a peacekeeping force, but said that what action they could take would be a subject of discussion in the meeting.

'There are different capabilities from different countries, but those are the operational discussions that are going on in relation to what this coalition of the willing will be able to provide,' he said.

Diplomatic efforts on securing a ceasefire had continued on Wednesday, with the call between the US and Ukrainian leaders on Wednesday coming a day after Mr Trump spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Engels-2 airbase, home to Russia's nuclear bombers, was rocked by massive explosion in Ukraine's biggest drone strike on the Saratov region last night

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Mr Zelensky said he had a 'positive, very substantive and frank' conversation with Mr Trump, and said that Ukraine was 'ready to implement' the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

He thanked Mr Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia last week, and added: 'We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.

'We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.'

In the same call, the US president suggested that America takes ownership of Ukrainian power plants to ensure their security.

Mr Trump told Mr Zelensky during their call that the US could be 'very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise', according to a White House statement from US secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.

The US president added that 'American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure'.

Number 10 welcomed the 'progress' that Mr Trump has made 'towards a ceasefire deal'.

In a statement on Wednesday evening, a Downing Street spokesperson said: 'We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire deal, and we will continue to work with international partners on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.

'We now need to ensure the implementation of the ceasefire deal to see a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.'

Meanwhile, Mr Zelensky is also expected to address European leaders on Thursday when he dials in to the European Council meeting via video link.

Elsewhere on Thursday, the Prime Minister is also due to visit Barrow-in-Furness after hailing the town as a 'blueprint' for how increasing defence spending can boost prosperity.

He will lay the keel of the first of the Dreadnought class of submarines, a fleet of four vessels that will make up the next generation of the UK's nuclear deterrent.
A horrifying new image showed the moment two aircrafts in Arizona collided after the pilots reportedly had a screaming match.

A Lancair and Cessna aircrafts collided mid-air on February 19, killing two, while the latter was performing an instructional flight with a student.

NASA engineer and Lancair pilot, Michael Reinath, 70, and his passenger Linda Gifford, 76, were killed in the collision.

A witness said they heard the pilots yelling at each other prior to the crash, with one allegedly shouting: 'You cut me off' just before the impact, according to a police report obtained by 13 News.

A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) preliminary report showed the flight paths of the two aircrafts before they collided.

It found that the planes collided 'over the intersection of [the] runway' roughly 150 feet above ground.

The Cessna was performing a 'stop-and-go' landing on the runway around 8:30am.

At 8:25am, the student pilot used the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to let nearby pilots know that they were going to perform the landing.

A Lancair and Cessna aircrafts collided mid-air on February 19 , killing two, while the latter was performing an instructional flight with a student. A NTSB preliminary report showed the flight paths of the two aircrafts before the collided barely above the ground

A witness said they heard the pilots yelling at each other prior to the crash, with one allegedly shouting: 'You cut me off' just before the impact

At 8:28am, the student announced they were upwind and moments later an 'audible gasp' was heard, according to NTSB. Ten seconds later, the Cessna declared an emergency

Roughly 30 seconds later, the Lancair phoned in to asked if it was a 'touch and go' landing as they saw 'traffic on base.'

The flight instructor replied: 'We are a stop-and-go.'

Reinath than told the student and their instructor that he was turning left base and the the pair reiterated that they were on runway 12.

Roughly two minutes later, Reinath said he was roughly a mile out, and 27 seconds later, he announced he was 'going around again.'

At 8:28am, the student announced they were upwind and moments later an 'audible gasp' was heard, according to NTSB. Ten seconds later, the Cessna declared an emergency.

The flight instructor was reportedly 'keying up the radio' to ask the Lancair if they saw them when the mid-air collision occurred.

The instructor then took control of the flight from the student after the crash and had an 'uneventful' landing on the same runway.

A witness on the ground blamed the Lancair pilot - Reinath - claiming he cut in front of the Cessna and had his tail wing sliced clean off by the Cessna propeller.

Michael Reinath, the pilot of a plane which crashed into another aircraft killing him and his passenger, was heard arguing with the other pilot before impact

The Lancair was engulfed in flames and debris was spread across the runway. The Cessna sustained minor damage to its propeller

Meanwhile, the Lancair was engulfed in flames and debris was spread across the runway.

Another pilot who said he was in the air nearby during the crash shared the final seconds of radio traffic.

'I heard the Lancair pilot make a radio call seconds before the collision saying, "Going around Runway 12 again."' he said.

'Just seconds after that radio call you hear someone screaming and yelling mayday and the [Cessna] declaring the emergency saying they were going to turn around and land on Runway 30.'

The Cessna sustained minor damage to its propeller, according to NTSB. Neither of the passengers were injured.

The airfield this occurred in does not have an air traffic control tower and uses CTAF for pilots to maneuver safely.

Marana is working on getting a tower, as this is the second crash since October.
Russia has suffered the largest troop losses since World War Two during its invasion of Ukraine, British intelligence has claimed.

The Ministry of Defence said in its latest intelligence update that up to 250,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since Vladimir Putin began his brutal invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The MoD added that despite the fact that Russia has, in total, 900,000 casualties since invading, 'Putin and the Russian military leadership [is] highly likely to prioritise their military objectives over the lives of Russian soldiers.'

The ministry added: 'They are almost certainly prepared to tolerate continuously high casualty rates so long as this does not negatively affect public or elite support for the war, and those losses can be replaced.

The Mod also accused the Kremlin of selectively recruiting soldiers from poorer regions of the country.

'Putin and the Russian leadership highly likely place significantly less value on the lives of ethnic minority Russian citizens from impoverished regions, with Russian recruitment efforts consequently focused disproportionately on these areas.

'Slavic Russians from urban centres such as Moscow and St. Petersburg have contributed disproportionately fewer service personnel than their poorer, ethnic minority compatriots.'

It comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders today that Moscow had continued strikes on Ukraine's energy system despite Russian President Vladimir Putin agreeing with US counterpart Donald Trump to halt attacks.

Russian soldiers patrol an area in Sudzha, the Kursk region of Russia, on March 13 after it was taken over by Russian troops

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky told EU leaders today that Moscow had continued strikes on Ukraine's energy system despite Russian President Vladimir Putin agreeing with US counterpart Donald Trump to halt attacks

'Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure', Zelensky (pictured) said

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Governor of Kostroma region Sergei Sitnikov in Moscow, Russia, March 20, 2025

'Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure. We in Ukraine face this every day and night, you know it. And despite Putin's words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks - nothing has changed,' Zelensky told an EU summit by video call.

Next week is expected to be pivotal for the invasion, and its potential end, as Russian and US officials will hold talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov said.

Donald Trump spoke to both Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky this week and the US is also due to hold talks with Kyiv in the coming days.

'These consultations will take place on Monday, March 24th, in Riyadh,' Ushakov said Thursday in comments published by the Kremlin.

'From the Russian side, they will be attended by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Senate's committee on international affairs, and Sergei Beseda, advisor to the head of the FSB security service.'

Ushakov said he had confirmed this after talks with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Both agreed to send 'expert groups' for the talks, he added.

The delegations are due to discuss 'initiatives' that Putin and Trump spoke about regarding the Black Sea.

A Russian soldier prepares to raise a flag atop a house in Staraya Sorochina, a village in the Sudzha district of the Kursk region of Russia after it was taken over by Russian troops

Russian soldiers ride a quad bike (ATV) in the village of Kazachya Loknya, which was previously held by Ukrainian troops and recently retaken by Russia's armed forces, in the Sudzha district of the Kursk region on March 18, 2025

A fighter of the Chechen Akhmat battalion walks inside a damaged Orthodox church in the village of Kazachya Loknya, which was previously held by Ukrainian troops and recently retaken by Russia's armed forces, in the Sudzha district of the Kursk region on March 18, 2025

Officials work at the site of destruction and fire after the Russian attack in Sumy, Ukraine on March 19, 2025

A fighter of the Chechen Akhmat battalion walks past destroyed houses in the village of Kazachya Loknya, which was previously held by Ukrainian troops and recently retaken by Russia's armed forces, in the Sudzha district of the Kursk region on March 18, 2025

The Russian FSB in 2014 admitted that Beseda was in Kyiv during a bloody crackdown on the Ukrainian capital in the midst of the country's pro-EU revolution.

He has been under Western sanctions since 2014.

Karasin is a career diplomat.

Kyiv has said that the US is due to hold talks with Ukraine in Saudi Arabia in the 'coming days'.

It is not clear if they will take place on the same day or if the Russian and Ukrainian delegations will meet.
The mother of a British man who has been missing for nearly a year after vanishing on a walk in Sardinia says she feels 'completely let down' by Italian police.

Michael Frison, 25, from Chard, in Somerset, disappeared in rural Luras on July 13.

He had extended his stay on the island to meet up with pal Niomi Orlandini, 27, from Jersey, who was the last person to see him alive.

Michael's heartbroken mother, Cristina Pittalis, 49, said the pair had met online in July 2023 and had seen each other in person just once before Niomi asked to join him on his trip to the Italian island.

Italian-born Cristina says she feels 'completely let down' by her own country's police force and said she wished it was British authorities who were involved in his disappearance.

She said she had to preserve her own son's belongings in a bag and criticised authorities for giving his friend's passport back.

'I can't even imagine how Jay Slater's mum would have felt when her son went missing and she couldn't communicate in Spanish,' she told The Sun.

'I can communicate with the police and they have done absolutely nothing  they have been useless.'

Michael Frison, 25, (left) from Chard, in Somerset, disappeared after going for a trek in rural Luras on July 13. Pictured here with his mother Cristina Pittalis

Mr Frison, who grew up in Bristol, had been visiting his grandparents while volunteering in the northern side of the Mediterranean island at the time

He had extended his stay on the island to meet up with pal Niomi Orlandini, 27, (pictured) from Jersey who was the last person to see him alive

According to Cristina, Italian police have failed to provide her with a family liasion officer and have not contacted her since they upgraded the case to a criminal investigation.

Cristina said the last message she received from her son was the night before he went missing saying he would call her tomorrow and ended it with a 'I love you emoji'.

Mr Frison, who grew up in Bristol, had been visiting his grandparents while volunteering in the northern side of the Mediterranean island at the time.

He had celebrated his 25th and grandmother's 70th birthdays while there, but Cristina says he wasn't as chatty or smiley when Niomi arrived.

He and Niomi left his grandparents' house on July 12 to 'volunteer on a farm in the Gallura hinterland' - a remote area with 'imperious terrain'.

But two days later Cristina received a Facebook message from Niomi telling her to call the German landowner saying he had gone for walk but returned in a 'confused state'.

'After resting he ventured out again and did not return,' she said.

'She [Niomi] found his clothes but personal belongings were all left behind.'

Cristina says they never contacted emergency services about her son and when she flew out to assist in the search they told her he disappeared 'wearing only his pants'.

Just two weeks into his disappearance, Italian authorities suspended their search.

Cristina says she has had no response from Niomi since she left the island but insists 'I'm not accusing her of anything'.

Niomi has links to Thailand with it being her mother's native country and Cristina believes she may have travelled there and is 'hiding somewhere'.

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Michael's mother shared a picture of him taken in July in a plea for help in local searches

Mr Frison, (pictured) who grew up in Bristol, had been visiting family while volunteering in the northern side of the island

Mr Frison went missing in northern Sardinia in July as authorities began their searches

Niomi told Cristina that Mr Frison (pictured) he had gone for walk but returned in a 'confused state' before venturing out again wearing only his pants

The mother revealed in October it was 'out of character' for her son to vanish without contacting his family. At the time she had travelled to the island six times in a bid to find him.

She has previously pleaded to Niomi, as she believes the woman may have details regarding his whereabouts.

'I need you, Niomi. I need your help. You've done nothing wrong,' Cristina pleaded in October: 'However, you were the last person to be with Michael.'

A fundraiser has been set up to try and raised funds to get volunteers out to Sardinia in the search for Mr Frison's. It has raised more than 8,000 so far.

Organiser Evie Baker wrote: 'Michael had recently arrived at a volunteer site in Sardinia and set up his tent upon arrival.

'Feeling unwell and unaccustomed to the intense 40C heat, he was given water and decided to rest. After waking, Michael mentioned he was going for a walk but tragically never returned.

'When he woke he said he was going for a walk and now sadly he is missing.

'I can't tell you how genuinely lovely this family is I'm absolutely heartbroken for them.'
Bryan Kohberger's damning Amazon shopping history has finally been revealed, with prosecutors saying it connects him to the murder weapon used to slaughter four University of Idaho students in a crime that shocked America.

The 30-year-old criminology PhD student bought a Ka-Bar knife, sheath and sharpener from Amazon back in March 2022, according to new court documents, filed by the state and unsealed Wednesday.

Eight months later - on November 13 2022 - investigators believe this same type of knife was used to murder Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside a student home in Moscow, Idaho.

A Ka-Bar brown leather knife sheath, featuring a US Marine Corps seal, was found next to Mogen's body in her bedroom on the third floor.

Touch DNA on the sheath was later found to be a statistical match to Kohberger, according to prosecutors. The murder weapon has never been found.

Kohberger's Amazon history also reveals that he searched for a replacement knife or sheath in the days after the murders, according to prosecutors.

The bombshell revelation comes amid a flurry of new court documents filed in recent days as both sides prepare to head to trial this summer.

In other court documents, Kohberger has claimed there were multiple killers that fateful night, arguing that one individual could not have pulled off the savage murders in such a short timeframe.

University of Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger (seen in court in 2023) has claimed that there were multiple killers

DNA was found on a Ka-Bar knife sheath (seen in a stock image) left behind at the scene

He also claims he has a physical condition that would have made it impossible for him to kill four in the roughly 13-minute timeframe - as he vows to point to several alternate suspects at his trial.

Kohberger was arrested at his parents' home in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania on December 30, 2022, and was charged with the four murders.

A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf at his arraignment.

After more than two years, his trial is finally set to get under way in Ada County in August - with the accused killer facing the death penalty if convicted.

Investigators swooped on Kohberger after Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) determined that he was the source of the DNA on the knife sheath.

Kohberger's team has tried unsuccessfully to have this IGG evidence tossed from the trial.

In the new court documents, further details about the alleged murder weapon were revealed as prosecutors ask the judge to allow jurors to see Kohberger's Amazon history at his trial.

Prosecutors wrote that the state was granted a search warrant for Kohbergers Amazon.com user activity in the spring of 2023, including his 'customer click activity pertaining to knives and accessories,' 'payment methods used, 'details of items in carts,' 'all suggestions made to account,' 'all records regarding reviews by other Amazon users viewed by Bryan Kohberger', 'advertising data', 'devices used to connect to account' and 'all account linked to account.'

Best friends Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen were found dead in the same bed in Mogen's room on the third floor

Young couple Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were found dead in Kernodle's room on the second floor

The search was limited to between March 20, 2022, and March 30, 2022 - the time prosecutors said it was known that Kohberger had bought a Ka-Bar knife, sheath and sharpener online - and between November 1, 2022, and December 6, 2022 - the days right before and after the murders.

According to prosecutors, the data revealed that his Amazon account bought a knife, sheath and sharpener in the lead-up to the murders.

It also allegedly revealed that he searched for a replacement knife and sheath after the murders.

'Kohbergers click activity which shows a purchase of a Ka-Bar knife and sheath before the homicides makes it more probable (than it would be without the evidence) that the Ka-Bar sheath found at the crime scene was Bryan Kohbergers,' the state argues.

'Second, Kohbergers click activity after the homicides makes it more probable (than it would be without the evidence) that Kohberger had a reason to search for a Ka-Bar knife and sheath after the homicides. These facts are of consequence to determining whether Bryan Kohberger committed the homicides at 1122 King Road- the central question before the jury. This evidence is clearly relevant.'

In a separate court filing, prosecutors also pushed back against the defense's claims that it would be impossible for one person to have committed the crime alone in the estimated 13-minute window that the murders took place.

Prosecutors say investigators carried out 'timed runs' at the off-campus student home at 1122 King Road 'to gain an understanding of the approximate time needed to carry out the homicides.'

The timed runs established that 'one assailant could have carried out the four homicides in the suggested time frame,' according to prosecutors.

The off-campus student home at 1122 King Road where the murders took place

Blood appears to drip down the wall of the house where the four Idaho students were murdered

The state also plans to argue that the victims had been drinking and so this 'impaired their ability to resist' and - for some - even 'prevented them from putting up any resistance.'

'These opinions support the argument that less time would have been needed to commit the homicides,' the filing says.

In a separate newly-unsealed defense filing, Kohberger's team pushes back on these test runs, pointing to the suspect's 'developmental coordination disorder.'

According to the defense, the 30-year-old 'suffers from deficits in fine motor dexterity and visual motor function' which means he does not have the physical speed and coordination to have killed four in such a short timeframe.

'Clearly these are physical issues. He has experienced these physical impairments all of his life.'

The defense adds: 'Such speed and coordination are not possible for him.'

Kohberger's team has previously pointed to other DNA evidence found at the scene that does not belong to the suspect - including the blood from two mystery men, one on the handrail of a stairwell and the other on a glove found outside.

A three-person mixture of DNA was also found under Mogen's nails - with testing coming back inconclusive for Kohberger and several other individuals.

Bryan Kohberger smirks and offers a 'thumbs up' to the camera in a selfie six hours after the murders

In the new filing, Kohberger's legal team also revealed that he has been diagnosed with autism and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).

The defense argues that jurors should hear about these conditions at his trial because they offer an explanation for some of his behaviors both in and out of the courtroom.

For example, Kohberger was allegedly wearing gloves and placing trash in baggies when police raided his parents' home and arrested him.

The defense argues that - rather than trying to hide his DNA - Kohberger was wearing gloves to avoid germs due to his OCD.

Meanwhile, the defense argues Kohberger's autism will impact how he behaviors in the courtroom during the trial.

Kohberger has 'little insight into his own behaviors and emotions,' often rocks his body back and forth when listening, has 'limited' facial expressions and 'his expressions are sometimes incongruent with what is happening around him,' the defense stated in a previous court filing.

A juror seeing the defendant engage in any one of these behaviors, while sitting at counsel table during a murder trial, would perceive the defendant as strange, out-of-control, and even disrespectful of such a solemn proceeding,' the defense writes.

The defense is arguing that capital punishment should be taken off the table at his trial, claiming his autism diagnosis 'exposes him to the unacceptable risk' that a jury will convict him of murder and sentence him to death.

The defense has already lost one bid to have the death penalty struck from his high-profile trial, which comes at a time when Idaho is undergoing a shake-up of its capital punishment methods.

Last year, firing squad became an alternative method of execution in Idaho, amid a shortage of lethal injection drugs.

Kaylee Goncalves family arrives for a court hearing in 2023. A family member previously wore a shirt in support of the firing squad

Pictured: the firing squad chair in the execution chamber at the Utah State Prison. Firing squad became an alternative method of execution in Idaho last year

A Republican state lawmaker is now pushing for it to become the principal method of execution - something that Goncalves' father Steve Goncalves has publicly supported.

For the past two years, Goncalves' family members have been vocal about their support for the death penalty, with a relative wearing a pro-firing squad shirt to one of Kohberger's court hearings in August.

The defense is now asking the judge to ban the victims' families from wearing clothing referring to shooting Mr. Kohberger or about the firing squad at his trial, as well as clothing featuring the photos of the victims.

Kohberger has indicated that his own family is also planning to attend his trial.

As well as the DNA found on the knife sheath, prosecutors say Kohberger has been tied to the murders through his white Elantra which matches the car seen leaving the crime scene at the time of the murders.

Cellphone records also allegedly show that Kohberger may have stalked the King Road home at least a dozen times in the lead-up to the murders - and that he turned his phone off while committing the crime to try to cover his tracks.

One of the surviving roommates also came face-to-face with a tall masked intruder with 'bushy eyebrows' inside the student home moments after the murders.

Dylan Mortensen and Bethany Funke lived in the student home with Mogen, Goncalves and Kernodle and survived the attack.

The student home where the murders took place. Surviving roommate Dylan Mortensen came face-to-face with a masked intruder moments after the murders

At around 4am that morning, Mortensen came face-to-face with the man who walked past her doorway on the second floor and headed towards the back sliding door, according to court documents.

The terrified roommate then sent a series of panicked texts to Funke and her slain roommates moments later.

Only Funke answered. The others were already dead.

Around eight hours later, a 911 call was made from Funke's phone.

Prosecutors plan to show jurors a creepy selfie Kohberger took around six hours after the murders.

It shows Kohberger in a white shirt buttoned up to the collar and headphones as he stands in front of a shower. He gives a chilling half smile and thumbs up to the camera.

Jurors should be allowed to decide if they believe he could be described as having 'bushy eyebrows' at the time of the murders based on the photo, prosecutors say.

Kohberger is next due in court in April.
A jockey wept as he appeared in court charged with the murder of a pensioner who died ten days after a fight outside a pub in Suffolk.

Levi Williams, 25, is said to have punched Richard Wingrove, 71, during an altercation involving four people outside the Waggon and Horses pub in Newmarket on March 8.

Mr Wingrove died at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge ten days later on March 18.

Another man, aged 45, was taken to hospital but was discharged the same day, police said.

Williams, from Newmarket, looked straight ahead for much of the hearing and later wept as he listened to proceedings from the secure dock at Cambridge Crown Court.

The judge, Mark Bishop, refused an application for bail and Williams' partner, Lillie May, sobbed in the public gallery.

Ms May's mother, Cathy May, and Williams' mother, Hayley Williams, also sat in the public gallery.

Ms Williams said it has been her son's dream to be a jockey 'since he was knee high'.

Jocky Levi Williams (pictured), 25, from Holland Park, has been charged with murder and remanded in custody

Officers were called to reports of an altercation involving four people outside the Waggon And Horses pub (pictured) at 3.40pm on March 8

She said he left home when he was 16 to go to the British Racing School in Newmarket.

The defendant, who had short-cropped, brown hair and wore a long-sleeved, grey top and light blue jeans, was not asked to enter a plea to the charge of murder during Thursday's hearing.

The judge remanded him in custody until a plea hearing at the same court on May 9, with a provisional trial date of September 15 set.

Suffolk Police said officers were called to reports of an altercation involving four people in Newmarket High Street at 3.40pm on March 8.

Mr Wingrove was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died on March 18.

Williams had previously been arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm in connection with the incident and had been bailed.

But he was rearrested on Tuesday and later charged with murder, police said.

A 23-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm, and a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of affray - both have been bailed by police.

Williams (front left) is pictured riding his first winner Mr Scaramanga at Lingfield, Surrey, in January 2019

During a hearing in court, prosecutor Peter Gair said Mr Wingrove and his son Jamie had been drinking on the afternoon of March 8 at the Waggon and Horses pub in the town - regarded as 'the Home of Horseracing' - but were thrown out by the landlord after he decided they had drunk enough.

The pair 'tried to return to the pub on a number of occasions' but were ejected again.

Williams and a jockey friend who had been in the pub watching horse racing left to catch a taxi to go back to work when they became involved in a 'confrontation' with the father and son.

This, Mr Gair said, 'resulted in a physical punching fight in the high street'.

'During the fighting, this defendant was seen to throw one punch to Mr Wingrove senior and a little later one punched him again or hit him in the chest, which caused Mr Wingrove to fall to the pavement,' he told the court.

'It caused an injury which resulted in his death. He never regained consciousness and his life support was turned off on March 18.'
A sex cult leader who preyed on children and treated them as 'sexual playthings' could be moved to an open prison in a recommendation by the Parole Board.

Colin Batley was jailed for a minimum of 11 years after he operated as the self-styled high priest of the cult which he ran from a series of quiet homes in a cul-de-sac in Kidwelly, west Wales.

The then 48-year-old was convicted of 35 charges in 2011, including 11 rapes, three indecent assaults, and was warned his offences were so serious that the monster could die in jail.

Jacqueline Marling, then 42, described as Batley's 'right-hand woman', was jailed for 12 years, while Batley's wife Elaine was jailed for eight years, while Shelly Millar, 35, described during the trial as Batley's 'sex slave', was jailed for five years.

Vincent Barden, then 70, who was not a cult member, was jailed for three years after admitting two counts of sexual assault on an underage girl.

The Parole Board noted at the time of his offending he had an obsession with sex and 'child abuse supportive beliefs' and showed a 'callous disregard' for the feelings of victims.

But in the third review of his eligibility for parole on March 7, the panel heard of Batley's work to address his sexual offending and that his behaviour in prison was 'exemplary'.

Batley agreed his release 'would not be a good idea' at this stage but that he wanted to build on his skills in an open prison.

Colin Batley, then 48, was given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum 11-year tariff in 2011 after being found guilty of 35 offences, including multiple rapes

Jacqueline Marling, then 42, described as Batley's 'right-hand woman', was jailed for 12 years

Batley's wife Elaine (left) was jailed for eight years, while Shelly Millar (right), 35, described during the trial as Batley's 'sex slave', was jailed for five years.

Open prisons have minimal security and allow eligible prisoners to spend most of their day out of prison on licence, for example to carry out work or education.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood will make the final decision whether to accept the Parole Board's recommendation for open conditions.

In a decision summary, a Parole Board spokesperson said: 'The panel reflected on the gravity of the index offences and the profound harm caused to victims.

'Mr Batley had shown a commitment in prison to address his risk to others and had completed all recommended work.

'After considering the progress made and the evidence presented at the hearing, the panel was not satisfied that release at this point would be safe for the protection of the public.

'However, on considering the criteria for recommending placement in open conditions, the panel recommended that Mr Batley should be progressed in this way.'

Batley's wife Elaine was freed in 2014 after less than four years or half her sentence, while Marling was released in 2017 after serving just six years.

Millar was also released in 2014 after three years in jail, whilst Barden was freed in 2012, just over a year into his three year sentence. It is not known if he is still alive.

The Eye of the Horus tattoo, similar to the one Colin Batley and his co-defendants have and indicated cult membership

Vincent Barden, who was not a cult member, was jailed for three years after admitting two counts of sexual assault on an underage girl

The case caused shockwaves across the UK when the sordid details emerged with Batley - a former security guard at Tesco - being revealed as a monster practising in plain sight.

At a five-week trial, the court was told Batley ran a 'Satanic' sex cult from his home in Kidwelly, inspired by the works of occultist Aleister Crowley.

The court heard that Batley moved from London to Kidwelly in the 1990s, where the cult operated from a series of homes in a cul-de-sac. The sex abuse was said to have already been taking place.

He set up what was described in court as a 'black magic sex cult', of which he was the self-appointed 'high priest'.

The jury heard Batley psychologically terrorised and coerced vulnerable children into performing sexual acts, by using death threats and brainwashing.

He conducted occult ceremonies and indicated cult membership with an ancient 'Egyptian eye' tattoo of Horus, a hawk-headed god on their arms.

Batley forced a number of his victims into prostitution and claimed 25% of their earnings.

In one instance, the trial heard, Batley tried to force a pregnant schoolgirl to give birth. The girl, who had been raped by a cult member, was told that all children conceived within the cult belonged to it.

The town of Kidwelly in Wales where Batley ran the sex cult from a cul-de-sac

The Clos Yr Onnen cul-de-sac where Batley and his fellow perpetrators lived

New cult members, often deeply troubled children, were forced to go through an elaborate initiation ceremony. At its heart would be sex with an adult, with anyone unwilling to take part warned they risked being killed by a cult assassin.

A victim explained after the verdict: 'Colin knew how to manipulate you, to make you believe anything he said.'

Judge Thomas detailed how Batley darkened Kidwelly when he moved to the seaside town. He said: 'What happened thereafter has besmirched the unsuspecting town of Kidwelly.'

He added: 'You formed a community within a community, you were described as evil. That, in my view, is an entirely accurate statement of your character.

'It is likely that you have dedicated your life since you were 12 years old to satisfying your sexual urges by whatever means at your disposal.'

The judge also attacked the works of occultist Aleister Crowley, which inspired the Kidwelly cult.

Batley and the others were said to have used Crowley's The Book Of The Law  which praises prostitution and free sex  as a guide for their own action.

Judge Thomas told Batley he had used the occult to manipulate and control his victims.

Batley (pictured in 2011) operated as the self-styled high priest of the cult which he ran from a series of quiet homes in a cul-de-sac in Kidwelly, west Wales

The judge added: 'You became their master and formed a community within a community involving child abuse rape and prostitution. You have been described as evil and that is an entirely accurate statement of your character.

'It is clear you have dedicated your life to satisfy your sexual urges by any means at your disposal. The age or sex of your victims was largely a matter of indifference to you.

'You treated one victim as nothing more than a sexual plaything, dominating and controlling her life and you persuaded your wife to join in. What happened has besmirched the unsuspecting town of Kidwelly.'

Tragically for the cult's many victims, Carmarthenshire Social Services were warned of Batley's child abuse in 2002 by a worried relative  but took no action.

As a consequence, Batley continued to 'prey on the young and vulnerable' for a further eight years.

It was not until one brave victim - whom Batley had impregnated as a teenager - went to the police in 2010 that his dark web of manipulation, terror and cruelty finally collapsed.

Batley was found guilty of offences including 11 rapes, three indecent assaults, causing prostitution for personal gain, causing a child to have sex and inciting a child to have sex.

Passing sentence, the judge made it clear that Batley would be eligible to seek parole only once it was determined he no longer represented a danger to the public.

A major part of that process is to admit his guilt, something he vehemently denied throughout the trial, the court heard.

His wife was found guilty of three counts of indecency with a child and one of sexual activity with a child.

Marling was found guilty of one count of aiding and abetting rape, one of causing prostitution for gain and one of inciting a child to engage in sex.

She was also found guilty of three separate counts of indecency with a child. Millar was found guilty of indecency with a child and inciting a child to engage in sex.
The two brothers of the Venezuelan man who killed Georgia nursing student Laken Riley will be deported after they confessed to possessing fake green cards.

Killer Jose Ibarra, 27, was convicted in November of murdering Riley after kidnapping her with intent to rape on February 22, 2024, when she was 22 years old in a case that shocked America.

Now, his brothers Diego Ibarra, 29 and Argenis Ibarra, 25, are being deported from the US over separate crimes, along with their former roommate Rosbeli Flores-Belo, 29, the Justice Department said.

Diego was taken into custody after he gave a counterfeit green card to a police officer investigating Riley's death.

Argenis and Rosbeli were later also found to have fake IDs, and agents also found counterfeit Social Security cards for the pair, the Justice Department said.

Diego was sentenced Wednesday to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty in July to two counts of possessing a fraudulent document.

He is due to be transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation after he completes his sentence.

Argenis and Robselli were each were sentenced Wednesday to time served after pleading guilty in December to one count of possessing a fraudulent document.

The two brothers of the Venezuelan man who killed Georgia nursing student Laken Riley (pictured) will be deported after they confessed to possessing fake green cards

The killer's brothers, Diego Ibarra (left), 29, and Argenis Ibarra (right), 25, are being deported from the US over separate crimes, along with their former roommate Rosbeli Flores-Belo, 29

Killer Jose Ibarra (pictured), 27, was convicted in November of murdering Riley after kidnapping her with intent to rape on February 22, 2024, when she was 22 years old

They were to be immediately turned over to ICE for deportation, according to the Justice Department news release. The statement did not elaborate on those deportation plans.

Federal authorities said they believe that Diego Ibarra is affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA) based on his tattoos and social media photos of him making signs and wearing clothes associated with the gang.

Diego's tattoos include a five-point crown on his neck, a symbol associated with the TDA.

The gang came into the national spotlight after shocking footage showed apparent members taking over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado.

TDA started in Venezuela's prisons and has spread through the western hemisphere as the oil-rich nation goes through the worst migrant crisis in the world.

Ibarra, an undocumented migrant, was sentenced in November to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Riley.

The Venezuela native, 26, had pleaded not guilty to the killing near the University of Georgia campus in Athens.

Prosecutors had declined to seek the death penalty in the case.

Ibarra stared coldly as the verdict was read while his victim's family sobbed in court.

The killer's brothers, Diego Ibarra, 29, and Argenis Ibarra (pictured), 25, are being deported from the US over separate crimes, along with their former roommate Rosbeli Flores-Belo, 29

Diego Ibarra (pictured) was sentenced Wednesday to four years in federal prison after pleading guilty in July to two counts of possessing a fraudulent document

He also did not show emotion as Riley's heartbroken mother pleaded with the judge to give the killer the maximum punishment, calling him a 'monster.'

Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard found Ibarra guilty after he waived his right to a jury trial.

Ibarra was convicted of all 10 counts against him: malice murder, felony murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape, aggravated battery, obstructing an emergency call, evidence tampering and being a peeping Tom.

The case fueled the immigration debate during last year's presidential election, with Republicans using it as an argument against Joe Biden and his immigration policies.

President Donald Trump reacted to the verdict, writing on Truth social at the time: 'JUSTICE FOR LAKEN RILEY! The Illegal who killed our beloved Laken Riley was just found GUILTY on all counts for his horrific crimes.

'Although the pain and heartbreak will last forever, hopefully this can help bring some peace and closure to her wonderful family who fought for Justice, and to ensure that other families dont have to go through what they have.

'We love you, Laken, and our hearts will always be with you. It is time to secure our Border, and remove these criminals and thugs from our Country, so nothing like this can happen again!'

Following the sentencing, Republican state senator Colton Moore called on attorney general Chris Carr to demand that Ibarro be given the death penalty.

'District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez let her radical political agenda stand in the way of justice,' Moore said on X. 'By refusing to seek the death penalty, she denied Lakens family, friends, and community the full measure of justice they deserve.'

Georgia nursing student Laken Riley (pictured) was murdered by Jose Ibarra, 27, last February

Jose Ibarra (pictured), 27, was convicted in November of murdering Riley after kidnapping her with intent to rape on February 22, 2024, when she was 22 years old

Riley's body was found less than an hour after she was reported missing, near a lake on the University of Georgia campus. She had been a student there until 2023, when she transferred to Augusta.

Prosecutors called more than a dozen law enforcement officers for the trial, as well as Rileys roommates and a woman who lived in the same apartment as Ibarra.

They showed selfies that Ibarra had taken on his phone just hours before attacking the student. That's how police were able to prove that the phone that pinged close to where Riley was found was used by the killer.

'He went hunting for females on the University of Georgia campus. When Laken Riley refused to be his victim, he bashed her skull in with a rock repeatedly,' prosecutor Sheila Ross told the court.

Riley fought for her life for 18 minutes while Ibarra attempted to rape her before having her life snuffed out. DNA and digital evidence found on her body later tied him to the crime,

'She marked her killer for the entire world to see. It is his DNA. Only his DNA, underneath Laken's right fingernails,' Georgia special prosecutor Sheila Ross said.

'He left behind his thumbprint on her iPhone, which was found near her body at the crime scene.'

Defense attorney Dustin Kirby said in his opening that Rileys death was a tragedy and called the evidence in the case graphic and disturbing. But he said there was not sufficient evidence to prove that his client killed Riley.

Georgia nursing student Laken Riley (pictured) was murdered by Jose Ibarra, 27, last February

Laken Riley was a nursing student at Georgia University. She was just 22 when she died

The defense team called a police officer, a jogger and one of Ibarras neighbors on Tuesday and rested their case Wednesday morning.

On Friday prosecutors said Ibarra's DNA was a direct match to the DNA under Riley's fingernails, and was '10 billion times more probable than a coincidental match.'

They also showed images of suspicious scratches on Ibarra's body at the time of his arrest.

The judge said that as he listened to the closing arguments, he wrote down on a legal pad two things the lawyers had said.

He noted that prosecutor Sheila Ross called the evidence 'overwhelming and powerful' and that defense attorney Kaitlyn Beck reminded him he was 'required to set aside my emotions' in making his ruling.

Ibarra illegally entered the US through US-Mexico border in 2022 and was allowed to stay in the country while he pursued his immigration case.

He has been identified as a member of the brutal Tren de Aragua gang.
Vice President JD Vance joked Thursday that he was a different vice president than Kamala Harris, because he was not drunk before he started speaking.

Vance spoke about his vice presidency in an interview with radio host Vince Coglianese who asked him how he was 'doing the job differently' than Harris

Well, I dont have four shots of Vodka before every meeting, thats one way I think that Kamala really tried to bring herself into the role is these word salads,' Vance said laughing.

'I think I would need the help of a lot of alcohol to answer questions the way Kamala Harris answered questions,' he continued.

Harris was famous for speaking in 'word salads' when talking to the public in interviews or unscripted settings, as she layered multiple dependent clauses to emphasize her points.

Vance said he believed that Harris did not enjoy the same level of trust from former President Joe Biden that he as vice president enjoyed with President Donald Trump.

My sense is that there wasnt a level of trust between Biden and Harris, she was just less empowered to do her job, Vance said.

Vance said he was grateful that Trump trusted him to do the job as he saw fit and did not try to 'micromanage' his vice presidency.

U.S Vice President JD Vance joked about his predecessor Vice President Kamala Harris in a radio interview

Kamala Harris speaks onstage during the HumanX AI Conference 2025 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

I feel empowered in a way that a lot of vice presidents havent been but thats all in the service of accomplishing the presidents vision,' he said.

Vance also detailed the awkward transition between he and Harris prior to moving into the vice president's residence after the inauguration.

He indicated that his wife and three young children were interested in visiting the house before they moved in, in order to prepare for the transition.

Vance said he did not know whether it was a staff mixup or Harris' intention to block he and his family from the house, but the visit did not happen.

They just would not, even with me not there, they would not allow the three kids to come by and see this place that they are going to live in,' he said.

He dismissed the apparent slight however, as 'all water under the bridge.

'The kids are living in the vice president's residence now, they all love it, there's a lot of space especially in Washington, DC and they're having a great time,' he said.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz takes the stage in Des Moines, Iowa

Gov. Tim Walz speaks to Gov. Gavin Newsom about the Democrat struggle to reach out to young men

Vance also addressed comments from Kamala Harris' running mate Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, who recently said that his masculinity 'scared' the Trump-Vance team.

I think I scare them a little bit, why they spend so much time on me, Walz said during a podcast interview with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, adding he felt he could 'kick all of their ass.'

But Vance said that was not the case.

'I was never physically intimidated by Tim Walz,' he said, chalking up Walz's comment as posturing.

'The Democrats have become so unpopular among young men in particular but really all men, I think they have to posture and pretend ... I just think its a guy who doesn't actually know how to relate, who's trying to say something.'

Vance said he knew that Democrats were talking about Walz possibly running for Senate of Minnesota or even looking to a bigger leadership role in 2028.

'I'm not too worried about Tim Walz as a political talent. We're just going to focus on doing our job and when Tim Walz says something crazy we'll laugh at it and move on.'
A British Airways crew member faces up to 20 years in jail in Singapore after he was accused of raping an air hostess colleague during a lay over.

The man, a flight attendant, was arrested by the Singapore Police Force and is currently in custody.

The alleged incident occurred after a group of cabin crew went out in the city state during a lay over between flights.

The Singapore Police Force have confirmed that an allegation of rape has been made against the British Airways staff member and that the man is being formally questioned.

Two BA airhostesses have flown back to the UK following the incident. No charges have so far been filed.

However, the suspect, whose identity has not been released, could be jailed for two decades and receive 18 lashes of the cane if convicted of rape, under Singapore's strict penal code.

The British High Commission has said it is 'providing support' to a British national in Singapore, according to local news reports.

A British Airways crew member has reportedly been detained in Singapore after raping a stewardess colleague (file photo)

A source said yesterday: 'Everyone is numb. The rape accused steward has flown with BA for years.

'The case is under the jurisdiction of Singapore authorities and proving a major headache for aviation chiefs.'

When approached for comment, BA told MailOnline: 'This is a matter for the police and it would be inappropriate to comment further.'

It comes after a former British Airways pilot who was sacked for snorting cocaine off a topless woman in between flights was allowed back in the cockpit.

Married father-of-one Mike Beaton had boasted about his drunken antics to a stewardess colleague at British Airways in 2023.

Before a return flight from Johannesburg to London, in texts sent to his colleague the pilot described partying with two local men, a female holidaymaker and a young Spanish woman in the South African city.

The group of five had reportedly met at a nightclub before heading back to one of the men's flats where cocaine was produced.

The unnamed man was locked up last night in Singapore after being accused of attacking the woman following a night out between flights (file photo)

A shocked co-worker raised the alarm to 'furious' managers about Beaton's night of debauchery hours before he was due to co-pilot a flight from South Africa back to Britain.

The flight was promptly cancelled by BA and Beaton was flown as a passenger back to Heathrow Airport the next day, where he tested positive for drug use.

Beaton was sacked a short time later.

But now, the married father has reportedly made a return to the cockpit after convincing the Civil Aviation Authority [CAA] that he is a reformed man.

Beaton has so far completed four flights for Bournemouth-based air freight carrier European Cargo.

In 2018 a British Airways crew member was arrested on suspicion of raping an air hostess colleague following an 'off-duty drinks party' in Singapore.

The 46-year-old BA employee was accused of attacking the 29-year-old woman at the four-star Hotel Jen Tanglin where they were both staying during a lay-over between flights.
A female police officer has been seen calling for help after being challenged by a man outside a major London railway station.

The British Transport Police worker was filmed edging away from a confrontation which was captured on camera and widely shared online.

BTP have now issued an update on the incident which was reported at King's Cross station in central London on Wednesday afternoon.

Members of the public were seen passing by the confrontation which occurred on a walkway that has been modernised in recent years amid the area's regeneration.

The female officer in high-vis clothing, filmed backing away from the man in front of her, is heard urging colleagues by phone: 'I need help here.'

While giving her location as King's Cross, the police community support officer (PCSO) adds: 'Hurry up.'

A man was then seen being led away following the incident which appeared to spread between Kings Cross mainline railway station and surrounding streets.

BTP officers were filmed gathering outside the terminal which neighbours St Pancras station whose services include the cross-Channel Eurostar.

Video footage of a British Transport Police officer and a confrontation with a man at King's Cross railway station in London has been shared online

The officer was seen to be edging back from the confrontation on Wednesday afternoon

Footage of Wednesday afternoon's incident at King's Cross has been posted on Instagram

British Transport Police have since said that their enquiries into the incident have now ended

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A clip showing the confrontation was posted on Instagram by a user with almost 54,000 followers, who added: 'Kicking Off at Kings Cross station - Police try stopping a suspect.'

People commenting below the video shared on Instagram debated the officer's response.

Some suggested she should have done more while others sympathised with her situation, with one writing: 'She completely managed to get the suspect stopped.'

Another said: 'Shes only a PCSO, they dont have nearly the same powers as regular officers.'

Officers have now revealed how there were reports of a suspected bag thief at the station but they have now ended their enquiries.

A British Transport Police spokesperson today told MailOnline: 'Were aware of a video online which shows a PCSO responding to a report from rail staff that a bag thief was operating in King's Cross station.

'She was supported by police officers who arrived shortly after, and it was established following enquiries that no offences had taken place.

'We are proud of our PCSOs in BTP, who in this case responded quickly and proactively, within the confines of their role, in order to keep the public safe.'

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BTP said they were aware of a video shared online showing 'a PCSO responding to a report from rail staff that a bag thief was operating in Kings Cross station'

The force also praised for police colleagues who went to help at King's Cross on Wednesday

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MailOnline revealed last month how more than 4,100 crimes were recorded last year at King's Cross St Pancras - more than any other station on Transport for London's entire network.

Crime rates on the capital's transport systems have more than doubled since 2016, from nine per every million journeys to more than 21 last March.

Similarly, offences have risen on the Overground, DLR and Elizabeth line, which opened in 2022.

Across all Underground, Overground, DLR and Elizabeth line stations - excluding stations outside the London fare zones 38,000 crimes were reported to the BTP in 2024, according to their data - equivalent to 104 per day.

Data includes crimes committed at the stations themselves and those committed on trains either at or arriving into that station.
The Iowa man who was the last person who saw University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki before she vanished in the Dominican Republic was dramatically hauled aside by US border agents on arrival to Puerto Rico.

Joshua Riibe, 22, was grilled at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan on Wednesday evening as his father, Albert Riibe, was filmed yelling to his son through doors to ask for his lawyer.

The St. Cloud State University senior earlier left the Dominican Republic on JetBlue flight 2538. Once arriving in the U.S. territory he was taken by Customs and Border Patrol after an agent said his passport was not stamped by their Dominican Republic counterparts.

A U.S. immigration official confirmed to DailyMail.com that Riibe was questioned over the passport discrepancy before he was released and allowed to board a connecting flight to the United States.

The official declined to provide Riibe's destination under government privacy rules.

Puerto Rican television station WAPA showed Riibe's father, Albert Riibe, shouting, 'Ask for your lawyer,' after he was escorted down a hallway.

'Please, just no comment,' Albert Riibe told a reporter. 'No comment is what I said multiple times and I am pretty sure that means no comment.'

'I'm just a regular human. I don't know how to do this stuff. I am just a dad who had his son taken away and I don't understand,' the exasperated parent added before he stormed off. 'We just spent two weeks trying to stay together and now I don't understand, I just ...'

Pictured: Joshua Riibe at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Wednesday evening before boarding his JetBlue flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a connecting flight back home

Albert Riibe complained to WAPA television in San Juan, Puerto Rico that his son, Joshua Riibe, had been detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents for questioning after stepping out of a JetBlue flight at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport on Wednesday night. Joshua Riibe went through an inspection because his United States passport had not been stamped by customs agents in the Dominican Republic prior to boarding his flight

Sudiksha Konanki, 20, disappeared from a beach at the Riu Republica Hotel in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on March 6

Riibe was named a person of interest by Dominican authorities who launched an all-out search for the 20-year-old Konanki after she disappeared from a beach at the Riu Republica Hotel during the early morning of March 6.

The five-star resort's surveillance camera system showed Riibe walking with Konanki, his friend Carte Joseph and three of Konanki's girl friends towards the beach at 4:15 am.

Two of Konanki's friends were seen returning to their rooms at 4:55 am, followed by Joseph and another of the young women at 5:05 am.

The same camera picked up a shirtless and barefooted Riibe making his way back to his room at 8:54 am without Konanki in sight.

Riibe had his cell phone and passport confiscated by authorities, who barred him from leaving the country and kept him holed up inside the resort under strict surveillance.

Joshua Riibe was considered a person of interest by Dominican Republic authorities who were investigating the disappearance of University of Pittsburgh pre-med student Sudiksha Konanki

Sudiksha Konanki vanished from the Riu Republica resort in Punta Cana last Thursday

The former high school wrestler, who has a girlfriend in the United States, gave conflicting and confusing statements of what transpired on the beach.

He told police that he and Konanki 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. Konanki was never seen again.

Riibe was taken in for another round of questions March 12 and told a prosecutor that he and Konanki drank on the beach and then kissed in the ocean when they got swept by waves.

He declined to reply to multiple questions, with the prosecutor probing him over how they could be sure what he was being honest.

He 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.

PHOTO CREDIT: El Diario Libre

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

Riibe was hauled out of his room over the weekend and joined Attorney General Yeni Berenice at the beach, where he provided a chronological explanation of the events.

Riibe's Dominican Republic-based attorneys filed a writ of habeas corpus Monday, arguing that he had been illegally detained and not charged with a crime.

The petition was made the same day Konanki's parents called on the Dominican National Police to declare her legally dead.

'Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence,' Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki wrote. 'While no declaration can truly ease our grief, we trust that this step will bring some closure and enable us to honor her memory.'

During a hearing Tuesday, Judge Edwin Rijo ruled that Riibe could cooperate in the investigation without being detained and allowed him to leave the country.

Riibe complained that he did not have access to his passport and visited the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, where he was provided a new one.
A Wisconsin man said he 'doesn't regret' voting for Donald Trump, even after ICE agents arrested his wife as the newlyweds were returning home from their honeymoon.

Bradley Bartell and his wife, Camila Munoz, had just returned back from their belated honeymoon in Puerto Rico last month when an immigration agent pulled Munoz aside and questioned her citizenship status, ultimately detaining her at the airport.

'I knew they were cracking down,' Bartell told Newsweek. 'I guess I didn't know how it was going down.'

Nevertheless, the Trump-voting husband remained steadfast in his admiration for the 78-year-old president, doubling down on his support despite the unexpected ordeal.

'I don't regret the vote,' he said.

Munoz, a Peruvian citizen, came to the United States on a work-study visa back in 2019, but when the COVID pandemic hit, she was forced to stay in the country, causing her visa to expire.

While international travel remained at a standstill, Munoz worked in the farming and hospitality industries, meeting Bartell shortly after.

After initially throwing out his number scribbled on a scrap of paper, the pair reconnected on Facebook a few days later and quickly sparked a serious relationship.

Bradley Bartell, a Wisconsin man, said he 'doesn't regret' voting for Donald Trump, even after ICE agents arrested his wife, Camila Munoz, as the newlyweds were returning home from their honeymoon in February

Munoz, a Peruvian citizen, came to the United States on a work-study visa back in 2019, but when the COVID pandemic hit, she was forced to stay in the country, causing her visa to expire

The couple eventually married but postponed their honeymoon until travel restrictions were lifted. In the meantime, Munoz began the process of applying for legal permanent residence as she was now married to an American citizen.

Bartell and Munoz finally took their belated honeymoon trip in February, traveling to Puerto Rico to celebrate tying the knot.

On the flight home, the pair proudly wore their wedding rings, confident that the US government was aware they had applied for her green card, despite her original visa expiring.

Munoz had been vetted from the very beginning, working on a W-2 and paying taxes throughout her time in the country.

However, their long awaited trip took an unexpected turn once the coupe landed in the Wisconsin airport.

Bartell could only watch as an immigration agent stopped his wife, asking whether or not she was an American citizen. When she answered truthfully, explaining that she was in the process of obtaining a green card, she was detained.

Fearing her wedding ring may be confiscated, Munoz shoved the symbol of love into her backpack and handed it to her husband before agents led her away.

Watching his wife disappear, all Bartell could think was: 'What the f*** do I do?' USA Today reported.

Similar to Bartell, millions of Americans voted for Trump, backing his promise to carry out widespread deportations of undocumented immigrants, particularly those with criminal records as they pledged to target the 'worst first'

Munoz had been vetted from the very beginning, working on a W-2 and paying taxes throughout her time in the country, and has began the process of applying for legal permanent residence as she was now married to an American citizen

According to immigration attorneys, overstaying a visa is considered an administrative violation, not a criminal one, and can lead to a 10 year ban from the states.

However, it can also be forgiven through a 'waiver of unlawful presence' if the immigrant is married to a US citizen or has an immediate relative in the country.

'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, the White House press secretary, said in a January news conference.

Yet Bartell didn't see his hard-working wife who came legally as one of the 'illegals' who Trump vowed to deport, especially since the pair spent months filling out the USCIS paperwork to apply for residency.

'It's all been a nightmare really, taking things as they come and moving forward,' Bartell told Newsweek.

'They know who she is and where she came from,' he told USA Today. 'They need to get the vetting done and not keep these people locked up. It doesn't make any sense.'

Similar to Bartell, millions of Americans voted for Trump, backing his promise to carry out widespread deportations of undocumented immigrants, particularly those with criminal records.

The Trump administration had pledged to target the 'worst first,' but as immigration enforcement efforts become more prominent across the country, there have been dozens of reports of people with no criminal history being held by ICE.

Bartell didn't see his hard-working wife who came legally as one of the 'illegals' who Trump vowed to deport, especially since the pair spent months filling out the USCIS paperwork to apply for residency

Bartell has criticized ICE while still backing support of the president, telling Newsweek: 'He didn't create the system, but he does have the opportunity to improve it. Hopefully, all this attention will bring to light how broken it is'

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security previously told Newsweek: 'Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are once again a nation of laws. We will find, arrest and deport illegal aliens. We are prioritizing the worst of the worst and aliens with final removal orders.'

However, Munoz is now one of those reports, as she has been held in a Louisiana ICE detention center since being arrested at the airport.

'We have an attorney. The system for getting people through seems to be very inefficient, so it is taking longer than it should,' Bartell said.

Bartell has also criticized ICE, calling for reform. He stated: 'ICE never really has information, it seems. The system needs to be revamped for better processes and communication between departments,' he told Newsweek.

Either way, the newlywed husband has stood by his vote for Trump, despite facing intense scrutiny from the public.

'I've received a lot of hateful messages, plenty of people saying we deserve this,' he said. 'And a lot of other insults.'

'He didn't create the system, but he does have the opportunity to improve it,' Bartell added, referring to Trump. 'Hopefully, all this attention will bring to light how broken it is.'

The sudden situation has forced Bartell to consider drastic measures if his wife is deported. He mentioned that moving to Peru has crossed his mind, though such a decision would be difficult for his 12-year-old son whom Munoz has been raising as her own.

Bartell launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for attorney fees and additional money to help secure his wife's release from custody, as she has been in a Louisiana ICE detention facility since being detained last month

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security previously told Newsweek: 'Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, we are once again a nation of laws. We will find, arrest and deport illegal aliens. We are prioritizing the worst of the worst and aliens with final removal orders'

After Bartell's story gained attention in the news earlier this week, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for attorney fees and additional money to help secure his wife's release from custody.

The couple had recently saved money with a plan to put a down payment on a home, but that money has since evaporated into paying fees for her release if she is given the chance to return back to Wisconsin.

The fundraiser has raised nearly $900 of the $3,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon.

'Emotionally, I'm concerned for her,' Bartell told USA Today. '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.'

It took days for Bartell to find where his wife was after she was detained at the airport, nearly a week before she appeared in the ICE detention system where her name finally turned up in an online locator to Louisiana, USA Today reported.

The pair now keep in touch through 20-cents-per-minute phone calls. Munoz is set to remain in ICE custody as she awaits an outcome in her case.
The parents of babies murdered and harmed by Lucy Letby have criticised the misinformed circus of supporters backing the serial killer.

They accused Tory MP David Davis and Letbys legal team of being disrespectful and exacerbating the harm and hurt they have suffered.

Press conferences outlining alternative theories for their childrens murders were nothing more than publicity stunts, designed to generate public sympathy for the killer former nurse, they said.

The media PR campaign aimed to garner public sympathy for Letby demonstrates a complete lack of understanding for Letbys crimes and the complexity of the case, the mother of Baby C, a premature boy murdered with an injection of air, said.

The misinformed and inaccurate media circusis potentiating the distress of all of the families involved.

Letby, 35, is serving 15 whole life sentences for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven more  one of whom she attacked twice  at the Countess of Chester Hospital, between June 2015 and June 2016.

She had twice appealed and failed to overturn her convictions.

Last month Mr Davis appeared at a news conference with Letbys new barrister, Mark McDonald, where they announced that an eminent panel of 14 international experts had examined the medical notes of babies involved in Letbys original trial. No murders had taken place, they said, and instead the infants collapses or deaths could be explained by natural causes or poor care.

Lucy Letby, 35, is serving 15 whole life sentences for the murder of seven babies and attempted murder of seven more

The parents of babies murdered and harmed by Letby accused Tory MP David Davis (pictured) and Letbys legal team of being disrespectful and exacerbating the harm and hurt they have suffered

Supporters of Letby at a rally outside the High Court in London last year

Mr McDonald said the experts preliminary reports had been lodged with the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice, who subsequently confirmed they are looking into Letbys case.

But this week, in a series of moving statements issued to the public inquiry investigating the circumstances around Letbys crimes, the families of her victims criticised her legal team for discussing their children live on television and treating them like public property.

The recent news conference conducted by Letbys new legal team has once again plunged (our) family into the depths of distress and upset, the parents of Baby G said.

Whilst (we) do not deny peoples right to follow the relevant legal processes as they see fit, the way (they) have conducted this through a media circus has exacerbated the harm and hurt (weve) been living through.

Letby tried to kill their daughter, who survived but has been left seriously disabled.

They added: (We) now have to avoid watching the television, listening to the radio, reading newspapers and online articles and accessing social media to protect (ourselves) from the mostly inaccurate and often biased and toxic messages that are being reported and published.

The couple said Mr Davis suggestion that the panel hoped to give comfort and assurance to the families by getting to the truth, could not be further from reality.

(We) know the truth about what really happened, they said. Letby murdered and attempted to murder babies. The conference and messages that Letbys team are broadcasting, far from bringing comfort and assurance, cause distress. The message is conveyed in a way that shows no respect towards how families might be affected by it.

Letby (pictured) had twice appealed and failed to overturn her convictions

Image taken from body worn camera footage issued by Cheshire Constabulary of the arrest of Letby

Mr McDonald said he didnt wish to respond to the parents comments. He said he could understand that they were angry but claimed he was simply trying to do the best for his client, who he believes is innocent of her crimes.

Richard Scorer, a solicitor with Slater and Gordon, who represents families of five babies killed or harmed by Letby, told the Mails Trial+ podcast: If somebody believes that they are wrongly convicted, there are procedures they can follow.

Its not clear to me why that has to be accompanied by the press conferences weve had and that kind of media noise. It seems to be more of an attempt to create noise and drama, rather than to actually go through a legal process. It feels like it has become a circus.

Barristers for the families told the inquiry that the expert panels reports did not contain new evidence and were simply a re-hash of what had already been heard and dismissed by the jury at Letbys original trial.
American George Glezmann was released by his Taliban captors this week after two years as a hostage.

Glezmann, 65, departed the Kabul airport in Afghanistan on Wednesday evening en route to Doha, where he met with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler along with a team from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.

Boehler led the Trump administration's negotiations for the release of Glezmann.

This is the third person to be released from Taliban captivity since Trump took office in January.

But the latest release comes after two other American hostages  Ryan Corbett and William Mckenty  were freed earlier this year under the conditions struck by a deal under President Joe Biden to exchange a Taliban member in U.S. custody.

During a tourist trip to Kabul in December 2022, Glezmann was abducted by Taliban terrorists.

U.ZS. citizen George Glezmann (pictured) was released from Taliban custody on Wednesday after negotiations were facilitated by Qatar for his return after two-and-a-half years as hostage

Glezmann (center) left Kabul Airport on Wednesday evening with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler (second left) and former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad (second right) along with Qatari diplomats

He was held for more than two years until Boehler conducted talks with Qatar to help secure his release.

Qatar maintains diplomatic relations with Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021 in the aftermath of the disastrous U.S. withdrawal  while America no longer has a diplomatic relationship with the country.

'Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra,' Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in a statement on the release on Thursday.

'We extend our deepest appreciation to the State of Qatar, who's steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing George's release,' he continued. 'Qatar has consistently proven to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations.'

'George's release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world,' Rubio vowed.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio lauded the return of George to the U.S. on Thursday

White the insurgent-run Taliban government denies it, there is intelligence that U.S. citizen Mahmood Habibi has been held by the Taliban for more than two years.

Glezmann was accompanied back to the United States, through Qatar's capital, by Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for Trump's administration.

An image of Glezmann and Boehler was released with the two preparing to board a plan at the Kabul Airport with former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad and Qatari diplomats who helped negotiate the release.
Police in Belize have pulled a dramatic U-turn in their investigation into the mysterious deaths of three American women at a luxury hotel last month.

Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Mallah, 24, and Wafae El Arar, 26, were found dead inside their room by staff at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort in San Pedro on February 22.

Each of the women died from acute pulmonary edema - a build-up of fluid in the lungs - but what triggered the fatal condition is still under investigation.

Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams quickly suggested the women may have suffered a drug overdose, noting that alcohol, 'gummies', and vapes were found in their room - but no illicit substances.

Grieving family members and loved ones were left outraged by Williams' insinuations, insisting it was unlikely any of the three had taken drugs and blasted the commissioner for drawing hasty conclusions.

The women's remains have since been flown back to their home state of Massachusetts where the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is conducting an autopsy to further investigate their cause of death.

In back-to-back exclusive reports this month, DailyMail.com revealed that preliminary autopsy results showed signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to a source close to one of the families.

Then, in a second report, guests who stayed at the Royal Kahal claimed they'd suffered carbon monoxide poisoning at the resort just days after the women were found dead.

In light of those reports, Williams told local media on Wednesday that officials decided to conduct a second round of carbon monoxide tests at the Royal Kahal, having previously claimed the initial tests found nothing of alarm.

Kaoutar Naqqad (right), 23, Imane Mallah (center), 24, and Wafae El Arar (left), 26, were found dead in San Pedro on February 22

Three women were found dead in the above hotel room at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort. DailyMail.com's source 'Jane' arrived just over a week later

Belize Police Commissioner Chester Williams confirmed more carbon monoxide tests are being conducted at the hotel

'We had a meeting whereby we had representatives from the police. We had from the fire department, the environment, and even from the Ministry of Health, and it was agreed that a second round of testing be done at the hotel,' said Williams.

'This was after we had received reports from some previous guests at the hotel, who had indicated that while they were there, they had done some tests with their own carbon monoxide test, and they had detected carbon monoxide.'

Williams has not returned repeated requests for comment.

He told local reporters that the results of the latest tests at the resort are still being finalized.

Williams shared that he's also expecting a toxicology report for the three women to be returned within the next two weeks, which will help to shed further light on how the women died.

'That is going to give us some good guidance in terms of what may have led to the death of these three women,' he said.

'I still dont want to speculate at this time and await the result of the toxicology report.'

Belize Fire Chief Colin Gillett previously told Belizean media that carbon monoxide poisoning had been ruled out following an investigation.

However, on Friday, Chief Environmental Officer Anthony Mai told 7NewsBelize that abnormal levels of carbon monoxide were found inside the hotel.

Sources close to that investigation reportedly told the network the levels registered about 500 PPM - which is dangerously high and poses a serious health risk.

A spokesperson for the families of Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arar has declined to comment at this time.

The victims: Kaoutar Naqqad, 23, Imane Mallah, 24, and Wafae El Arar, 26. A source close to one of their families says preliminary autopsy results show signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

Last week, the families released a joint statement mourning the loss of the three women and discussing the ongoing investigation into their deaths.

The circumstances surrounding this tragedy remain unclear and suspicious, and we are seeking answers to understand what happened in Belize,' read part of the statement.

We urge the authorities in Belize and in the United States to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation so that we may find the truth and justice for Kaoutar, Imane and Wafae.

Our families are grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received during this heartbreaking time. We ask for continued prayers, patience, and privacy as we navigate this profound sorrow.

May their beautiful souls rest in eternal peace. We will forever love and miss you, Kaoutar, Imane, and Wafae.

A guest at the Royal Kahal, who DailyMail.com is identifying under the pseudonym 'Jane', believes she narrowly avoided the same fate as Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arar.

Jane and a group of her friends checked into the Royal Kahal on March 1 - a week after the women were found dead.

Concerned by the news of their deaths, she reached out to the hotel on February 25 to ask 'Is it safe to come?' messages shared with DailyMail.com show.

A hotel representative identified as Daniel assured her there are no safety issues at the Royal Kahal and the sad incident involving Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arar was out of their control.

While we are still waiting on the authorities to formally release their findings, all signs indicate that this was a drug overdose, wrote Daniel.

As unfortunate as these circumstances are, there is nothing the hotel couldve done to prevent these deaths.

The Royal Kahal Beach Resort has been closed since early March

Excerpts from a text exchange between Jane and a representative of Royal Kahal show the hotel assuring Jane's safety, insisting the women's deaths were caused by a drug overdose

Janes concerns were quickly assuaged by the hotels explanation, so she and her friends decided to proceed with their booking.

But Jane said that five days into the trip, she awoke in the morning and her left leg was completely numb. She said she was also experiencing dizziness, blurred vision, and a headache.

When she attempted to get up to go to the restroom, Jane said she collapsed to the ground.

I laid on the ground for, Id say, at least 30 to 40 minutes because I could not pull myself up, I just had no strength in my body, it was the weirdest thing, shared Jane.

Ive never experienced anything like that in my life. I couldnt figure out where it was coming from.

Jane eventually gathered the strength to get up. She spent the next three hours seated in a chair by an open window before she was finally able to walk uninhibited again.

She said she was still struggling with headaches, a cough, brain fog, and blurred vision five days after returning home to California.

One of Jane's friends on the trip had also been suffering from recurring migraines, she said.

All of the symptoms described by Jane are textbook side effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

It was only after reading a report by DailyMail.com earlier this month about Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arars deaths possibly being caused by carbon monoxide poisoning that Jane connected the dots.

It all started to make perfect sense because I was completely out of it, and I did not feel right, she said.

Every morning after that, I felt like I was in a fog. And I still dont feel right now, everything feels off.

The women's families paid tribute to each of them in a heartfelt statement on Monday

A review posted on Trip Advisor just over a week ago complained of carbon monoxide exposure and 'critical' safety concerns at Royal Kahal

Jane has sought medical treatment and contacted Royal Kahal and the U.S. Embassy to report her story.

One of Jane's friends on the trip was told by embassy officials that initial tests found some rooms at the hotel contained high levels of carbon monoxide.

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment on those claims, sharing only that their office 'continues to work with the Belizean law enforcement in the investigation into this case. We also have close contact with the families of the victims.

'We dont have further information to release about the investigation or other incidents at the Royal Kahal resort.'

However, a recent review on Royal Kahals Trip Advisor page, dated March 1, complains of critical safety concerns during a visit to the resort in February.

I had a wonderful stay at Royal Kahal Beach Resort from February 17th-21st. The staff was exceptional - [the] front desk, maintenance, housekeeping, bartenders, and beach staff went above and beyond. The beauty of San Pedro, Belize, and the warmth of its people made this trip unforgettable, wrote user Naquana H.

However, I cannot, in good faith, rate the hotel highly due to serious safety concerns. On February 18th, our carbon monoxide detector went off with levels above 400.

Despite informing the front desk, the staff seemed unfamiliar with the issue. Maintenance suggested turning off the gas, but the CO levels remained dangerously high. We were left feeling uneasy. The next morning, a friend reported dizziness, which we now suspect was from CO exposure.

While the hotel is beautiful, the lack of CO detectors is concerning. I urge management to address this for the safety of future guests.

Though it remains to be seen whether Naqqad, Mallah, and El Arars deaths were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, Jane said shes furious the hotel lured her into a potentially dangerous situation with false promises of guaranteed safety.

She said her heart breaks for the womens families and feels remarkably lucky to have avoided any serious harm herself.

They told us everything was safe, and we believed them. We had no reason not to, said Jane.

And I cant get the girls and their families off my mind. Its heartbreaking. But its also frightening knowing the same thing couldve happened to us.

Who knows what wouldve happened if I was left to sleep in my room for another few hours, or if when I fell on the ground I couldnt get up and nobody came to check on me.

Its just so sad those girls werent afforded the same luck.

The Royal Kahal has not returned several requests for comment.

The hotel is currently closed as the investigation continues.

El Arar (above) was remembered as honest, kind, and deeply devoted to the people she loved
Wes Streeting today banned the NHS from changing childrens gender on their medical records amid fears it could leave them at risk of harm.

It comes after a review into the corruption of official statistics by extreme gender ideology found there is currently no minimum age at which the record of a childs sex can be changed.

The Health Secretary said this was completely wrong and that children's safety must come first after the government-commissioned review highlighted serious safeguarding concerns.

The Sullivan Review found that in one case a mother had requested a change of sex for their baby who was just a few weeks old and the GP had complied, granting the child a new NHS number.

The Health Secretary announced today that the NHS will immediately suspend all in-process or new applications for gender changes and new NHS numbers for under 18s.

The move has been welcomed by the reviews author, Professor Alice Sullivan from University College London, who said she hopes that other ministers will follow suit in due course.

The review by Professor Alice Sullivan (pictured), from University College London, found that from 2015, public bodies began collecting information on gender identity rather than biological sex, meaning 'robust and accurate data' was lost

Cancer screenings are being missed and crimes misrecorded because official statistics are 'corrupted' by extreme gender ideology, the review warned (stock image)

Mr Streeting said: Children's safety must come first. It's completely wrong that children's NHS numbers can be changed if they change gender. And I've made it clear this must not happen.

We must deliver safe and holistic care for both adults and children when it comes to gender, and that also means accurately recording biological sex - not just for research and insight, but also for patient safety.

I have always made it clear that doing so does not stop us from recording, recognising and respecting peoples gender identity where these differ.

As we reform gender identity services across the board, well take forward the serious research this review highlights.

It comes after the Sullivan Review found that from about 2015 public bodies began collecting information on gender identity rather than biological sex.

This undermines medical research and has meant that people have not been called up for sex-specific checks such as cervical cancers screenings or prostate exams, potentially with fatal consequences, it found.

The review called for data on sex to be collected by default by all public bodies and said that the most urgent matter was to cease issuing new NHS numbers and changed gender markers to children on request.

The Health Secretary (pictured) said it was completely wrong that there is currently no minimum age at which the record of a childs sex can be changed and that children's safety must come first

Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, said of the Sullivan Review: 'The problems are everywhere, from NHS records that do not record biological sex to police forces that record male sex offenders as women'

Prof Sullivan, head of research at the UCL Social Research Institute, today welcomed the Health Secretarys move to address what she described as the most serious issue raised by her review.

She told the Mail: I am delighted that the Health Secretary is taking decisive action to implement the recommendations of the review, and I hope other ministers will follow suit in due course.'

Prof Sullivan added: The fact that there was no lower age limit on when the NHS gender marker can be changed, which was information provided by a whistleblower, was the one thing that really knocked me for six.

I was absolutely shocked by that and it was the one thing that was marked in the report as urgent because its clearly a very urgent safeguarding issue.

She added that the whistleblower who had highlighted the case of the mother who changed their babys gender had raised it as a safeguarding issue but was not able to get action taken by childrens services.

This is what happens with issues around gender identity, people become so frightened that they forget all of their basic principles that they would act on with any other issue, and thats very dangerous, Prof Sullivan said.

The review also urged the Home Secretary to make it mandatory for all police forces to record data on the sex of offenders and victims in police systems rather than gender.

The recommendation came based on a note in the Police National Computer which showed that it is quite possible that somebody could be released from custody if their offending history wasnt known because they had changed gender.

Defence minister Luke Pollard said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is looking into the recommendation to make sure that we're keeping the public safe.

He told LBC: What is important is that we recognise that the accurate collection of data is vital, not just for the public health component but across government.
A British punk band successfully lobbied for taxpayer cash to fund their music career, despite claiming it is embarrassing to be from England.

Critics said it beggars belief that Labour agreed to hand two-piece Lambrini Girls a share of 1.6 million from the Music Export Growth Scheme, funding them to go on tour around the world and promote their songs which denigrate England.

The Brighton-based band - comprising guitarist Phoebe Lunny and privately-educated bass player Lilly Macieira - have released a series of provocative tunes.

This includes Gods Country, where they rhyme Maggie Thatcher with flag-s****er - a derogatory term for someone deemed enthusiastically patriotic - and sing: Racist uncles want their country back.

In interviews, they said Britain was a colonial, s***-hole, chunk of land.

The final track of debut album Who Let The Dogs Out features multiple references to the C-word, and talks about the liberation of doing a poo at your friends house, s***ing behind some bins and being a massive whore.

Their apparent hatred of Britain and the state - they previously said the likes of Rishi Sunak and Lord David Cameron were on their s*** list - did not stop the band from applying to the Government for cash to help them with their careers.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said the money would fund the next generation of artists to tour abroad, market themselves to new audiences and showcase the best of British culture and creativity to the world.

Brighton-based band Lambrini Girls have released a series of provocative tunes including Gods Country, where they rhyme Maggie Thatcher with flag-s****er - a derogatory term for someone deemed enthusiastically patriotic - and sing: Racist uncles want their country back.

The band comprises of guitarist Phoebe Lunny and privately-educated bass player Lilly Macieira (pictured)

In interviews, they said Britain was a colonial, s***-hole, chunk of land and the final track of their debut album features multiple references to the C-word, and talks about the liberation of doing a poo at your friends house, s***ing behind some bins and being a massive whore

But Stuart Andrew, the shadow culture secretary, said: It beggars belief that we are using taxpayers cash to fund a band aimed at denigrating the UK.

There are serious questions to be answered, especially as Lisa Nandy said they represented the best of Britain.

Labour must come clean about whether they think its right that we should fund groups that seem to hate Britain.

A Government spokesman refused to confirm how much of the 1.6 million fund was handed to Lambrini Girls, citing commercial confidentiality.

He said: This Government believes in backing our incredible British artists and supports their right to freedom of expression.

Clearly theres work to do in persuading this particular artist to back us in return.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy (pictured) has faced criticism for handing Lambrini Girls a share of 1.6 million from the Music Export Growth Scheme, funding them to go on tour around the world and promote their songs which denigrate England

Last year, Tory party leader Kemi Badenoch objected to a 14,250 grant going to Irish language rap trio Kneecap, who are named after the paramilitary punishment of shooting someone in the knee, and have been accused of glorifying the IRA and mocking the Queen's death.

She said she wanted the government to stop taxpayers money subsidising people who neither need nor deserve it.

A spokesman for Ms Badenoch said at the time: 'Labour will always capitulate rather than defend UK interests.

Lambrini Girls hit back at criticism, saying they received the money because were f***ing sick thats why.

Writing on Instagram, they said: Rather than complaining about a government program meant to support artists, direct your frustration towards the governments plans to cut welfare, which will push the most vulnerable into poverty.
A Florida woman was arrested after she allegedly killed her dog in the Florida airport bathroom when she couldn't board the plane with the pooch.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, of Clermont, was seen inside Orlando International Airport on December 16 with her white poodle near TSA, but she was unable to board the dog as she didn't have the proper paperwork, according to WFTV 9.

Instead of calling family or friends to come pick up the dog, Lawrence has been accused of engaging in an unthinkable act against her lovable pet.

According to authorities, Lawrence drowned her dog in the toilet in the women's restroom near TSA, before throwing the little poodle in the trash, where a janitor later found the animal.

The airport informed Orlando Police about the deceased pet and a warrant was issued for Lawrence's arrest.

It is unclear where Lawrence was traveling, when she returned, or why she was bringing her animal with her.

Her sister told WFTV 9 that Lawrence did not have a phone.

She was arrested on aggravated animal cruelty charges, a felony, on Tuesday at her home.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, of Clermont, was seen inside Orlando International Airport on December 16 with her white poodle near TSA, but she was unable to board the dog as she didn't have the proper paperwork

Instead of calling family or friends to come pick up the dog, Lawrence has been accused of engaging in an unthinkable act against her lovable pet. Lawrence allegedly drowned her dog in the toilet in the women's restroom

She allegedly threw the little poodle in the trash, where a janitor later found the animal

Lawrence was booked into the Lake County Jail and she bailed out on a $5,000 bond, records show.

Neighbors remember the 57-year-old having a white poodle that she used to walk around the neighborhood often, they told WFTV 9.

They hadn't seen her or the dog as of late and were shocked to hear their neighbor would be accused of such a thing.

'Someone that would do such things has got to be disturbed upstairs,' a neighbor told the outlet.

Small pets are able to travel in the cabin of the aircraft with their owners and can be screened through security, according to TSA.

Animals are required to be in carriers and will be swabbed for explosives.

Lawrence was booked into the Lake County Jail on Tuesday and she bailed out on a $5,000 bond

Each airline has their own requirements for traveling with pets onboard their aircrafts.

Most require health certificates, a carrier, and an airline reservation. Most also charge a pet fee to bring them on board.

Most airlines will allow up to two pets. Some countries do not allow pets to fly in and all dogs flying into the US need to fill out a form.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Labour minister in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a model to plug his heat pumps.

Labour minister Ed Miliband has been mocked online for using Daisy Lowe to sell his heat pumps in a strange Pride and Prejudice-themed shoot.

In the advert Lowe has donned a collection of regency-esque dresses as she posed with the eco-friendly heating system in various rooms at Muncaster Castle in Ravenglass, Cumbria  a historic building powered by ground-source heat pumps.

The Jane Austen theme continues throughout the campaign which the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) hopes will encourage 'heat pump pride' over 'heat pump prejudice.'

It continues: 'Much like Mr Darcy at a ball, heat pumps were once eyed with suspicion  but now they are stealing hearts (and lowering the carbon footprint) across the UK.'

However, the new push to promote heat pumps using Lowe has been ridiculed by campaigners who have described the stunt as a waste of money.

Consumer champion Martyn James told The Daily Telegraph: 'What people want is a plain English guide on the best way to cut their out-of-control bills, subsidies for tighter budgets and a guarantee that they won't lose out when heat pump prices drop.'

Mike Foster, CEO of Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) said that heat pumps already have a reputation for being expensive to buy and run and having a celebrity pose with them in a castle 'plays to that stereotype'.

Daisy Lowe donned a collection of regency-esque dresses as she posed with a heat pump for the Pride and Prejudice-themed ad campaign

Jane Austen theme continues throughout the campaign which the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) hopes will encourage 'heat pump pride' over 'heat pump prejudice'

The bizarre ad campaign has been ridiculed by campaigners who have described the stunt as a waste of money

Heat pumps are an energy-efficient heating system that transfers rather than generates heat.

It does so using electricity to move heat from a cooler source to a warmer space which therfores means it can be used to both increase and decrease the temperature in a room.

Both Labour and the previous Conservative governments have both seen the technology as crucial in order to hit net zero targets.

However, convincing the public to buy the heating system has proved difficult due to the high cost of installation.

Labour have set a target for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed each year by 2028. But at the moment they are fallen well behind this lofty ambition after just 60,000 were installed last year.

To encourage greater uptake among consumers, DESNZ has offered 7,500 grants to households to have their first ever heat pump fitted.

Ed Miliband's department have set a target for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed each year by 2028. But at the moment they are fallen well behind this lofty ambition after just 60,000 were installed last year

The government have previously launched another ad campaign earlier this month. In this advert, created by agency M&C Saatchi, featured stop-frame animations of knitted characters reading testimonials written by real-life heat pump owners.

A Government spokesperson told the Telegraph: 'Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home and our creative campaign will help more households get a 7,500 grant towards a heat pump.'

'We are in the third year of this campaign, which helped increase heat pump sales by 63pc in 2024.'

MailOnline have approached DESNZ for a comment.
President Donald Trump's administration has swiftly taken down some of America's most notorious criminals.

FBI Director Kash Patel has announced that three of his agency's 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' have been arrested since the president took office on January 20.

'The FBI and [the Department of Justice and Attorney General Pam Bondi] have captured our third fugitive on the Ten Most Wanted list since January 20, 2025,' Patel posted this week.

'Thats not an accident,' his post continued. 'When you let good cops be good cops, this is what happens.'

'This administration is giving the new FBI and AG Bondi the resources to get the job done  and we wont stop.'

For comparison, four fugitives on the FBI ten most wanted list were apprehended during Joe Biden's four years as president.

At this point during Biden's presidency, none of the fugitives on the FBI list were caught.

Earlier this week, Patel announced the arrest of Francisco Javier Roman Bardales, 47, an alleged MS-13 gang leader from El Salvador, who is facing charges related to violent crime, drug distribution and extortion in the Eastern District of New York.

FBI Director Kash Patel shared this week that three of the FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives' have been captured since January 20

Javier Roman-Bardales

Bardales is allegedly a senior leader of the Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 gang, a group that Trump has consistently sought to eradicate from the U.S. The gang originally started in Los Angeles in 1980

The cartel is notorious for murder, drug trafficking, terrorism and more, and Bardales is thought to be among the gang's senior leadership.

He was arrested Monday in the mountains of the Gulf coast state of Veracruz by soldiers and federal agents.

The alleged MS-13 leader was deported from Mexico to New York on Wednesday.

He is accused of various crimes including racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists, narco-terrorism conspiracy and alien smuggling conspiracy.

'This is a major victory both for our law enforcement partners and for a safer America,' Patel wrote in celebration of Bordales' capture.

The FBI also thanked Mexican authorities for their support in the operation.

'When you let good agents be good agents, this is the result,' Patel said of the quick action his agency is taking on the most wanted list.

Arnoldo Jimenez, 43, another of the 10 Most Wanted, was arrested in Mexico on January 30, 2025.

Arnoldo Jimenez, pictured above, was arrested on January 30, 2025

Donald Eugene Fields II was on the ten most wanted list and was the first to be caught by the Trump administration. He was arrested on January 25, 2025

'Earlier this month, Atlanta police identified and detained FBI Most Wanted fugitive Justin Smith, who allegedly shot his pregnant girlfriend in the head multiple times in Philadelphia in 2021, killing her and her unborn child,' the FBI said in a statement

Jimenez is accused of murdering his wife the day after their wedding in 2012.

Her body was later found in the bathtub of their apartment, but the alleged criminal fled to Mexico to avoid being prosecuted.

Donald Eugene Fields II, 60, who was on the FBI 10 Most Wanted for crimes relating to child abuse, was arrested on January 25, 2025.

Fields is charged with child rape and child sex trafficking charges, and he is also accused of trying to solicit a minor into sexual acts.

He was arrested during a routine traffic stop in Florida.

In addition to the 10 Most Wanted criminals, the FBI also announced earlier this month the arrest of Justin Smith, a man accused of killing his pregnant wife in 2021.

Smith allegedly shot his girlfriend in the head several times in Philadelphia, killing her and her unborn child.

'The hunt is on,' Patel posted on X Thursday. 'And were just getting started.'
A man who climbed through a woman's window and raped her just hours after meeting her at a barbecue has been jailed.

Antanas Jancevskis and his victim had both attended the gathering in the area of Leicester's Glenfield Road on April 17, 2022.

That evening she was taken home by two friends and ended up falling asleep on her sofa.

However later that night she woke to find 35-year-old Jancevskis lying on the sofa with her, where he subsequently raped her, police said.

When he left to go to the toilet she ran from her flat and alerted a member of the public, who immediately rang the police.

Jancevskis was arrested by cops in the early hours of April 18.

On February 19, 2025, following a trial at Leicester Crown Court, Jancevskis  of Castle Street in Boston, Lincolnshire  was found guilty of one count of rape.

Today, at the same court, he was sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment and will be placed on the sex offender register for life.

Antanas Jancevskis was today sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment and will be placed on the sex offender register for life

Detective Constable James Alcock was the investigating officer in the incident.

He said: 'This is a deeply disturbing case, particularly because he entered her home through a window.

'The victim has shown great bravery as she's had to re-live her ordeal through a trial.

'I hope the local community can take some reassurance from the fact he's been convicted of his crime and is now serving a period of imprisonment.'
Chinese university develops country's first space mining robot

People's Daily Online) 09:18, March 20, 2025

China's first space mining robot has been developed at China University of Mining and Technology. Designed by Professor Liu Xinhua's team, the multifunctional robot has a six-legged structure with three wheeled legs and three clawed legs. This design is tailored for space's microgravity environment.

The robot is built to conduct geological surveys and collect minerals on extraterrestrial bodies, where effective drilling is crucial. On Earth, gravity naturally helps apply pressure for drilling, but with the Moon's gravity at just one-sixth of Earth's, and asteroids having even weaker gravity, keeping the drill stable becomes a major challenge.

To prevent drifting in weightless conditions, the team took inspiration from insect claws, designing special clawed legs for grip.

Professor Liu explained that the clawed legs use an array-style structure that enhances adhesion and stability in microgravity. This design not only allows the robot to anchor itself securely while sampling but also enables it to move efficiently.

The prototype has already passed its preliminary patent review.

According to Professor Liu, the team successfully tested the robot in simulated lunar soil conditions, where it demonstrated walking, anchoring, and sampling capabilities.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Brussels, Belgium (PANA)  The High Representative of the European Union on Thursday called for renewed action to ensure that the global convention for the elimination of racial discrimination is fully and effectively upheld worldwide
A Missouri mother has been accused of abandoning her four children during a brutal storm, and threatening to kill the person who reported her to police.

Crystal Ray, 27, of St. Ann, was arrested on March 14 after she left her children - who are eight months, five, three, and eight - home alone when tornado sirens went off, according to the complaint.

She left her children alone for 'several hours,' leaving them 'extremely upset' during the severe weather event, which brought brush fires, power outages, and downed power lines, the complaint said.

Family members contacted St. Ann Police to alert them the youngsters have been left alone, according to First Alert 4.

Police eventually found Ray, who 'exhibited signs of intoxication,' according to the complaint.

During her arrest, the mom-of-four allegedly resisted going into custody and began 'wrestling with the officers, as well as, hitting and kicking them,' police said.

Ray also 'threatened to kill the reporting party,' authorities said.

'I believe defendant poses a danger to the victim based upon the nature of the offenses,' Detective Christopher Cox wrote in the complaint.

Crystal Ray, 27, of St. Ann, was arrested on March 14 after she left her children - who are eight months, five, three, and eight - home alone when tornado sirens went off. She threatened to kill those who reported her

She left her children alone for 'several hours,' leaving them 'extremely upset' during the severe weather event. Family members contacted St. Ann Police to alert them the youngsters have been left alone (pictured: her home)

The mom was charged with four felony counts of endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk and one felony count of resisting arrest.

In a similarly troubling incident, an Indiana mother left her two infants at home for 14 hours after she left home to get drunk and crashed into a pole on March 12.

The neglected infants were not rescued until 14 hours after Sandra Henriquez, 32, left her home at 12:30am and drove to the Big Shots Pub in Muncie, Indiana.

Her little girls were only saved when neighbors called police saying they heard babies crying inside the home at 2:22pm.

Henriquez had already downed a whole six-pack of 16oz Budweiser cans at home before she abandoned them to drink all night.

After the bar closed, she tried to drive home but collided with a utility pole around 5:30am, where she was caught by police.
A disabled 16 year-old who is deaf, blind and disabled has vanished after getting into a strange car.

River Evans was last seen on Wednesday night in Pueblo, Colorado, Fox21 reported.

The vulnerable youngster, who has a cognitive disability and functions at a younger age level than her age, has been described as 'endangered' by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

CBI investigators fear Evans may have suffered a mental health crisis and that she does not have medication she needs to take.

They believe the teen got into a small truck on Brown Avenue around 9pm Mountain Time.

Evans has not been heard from since and her phone is going straight to voicemail, according to family friend Katheryn Beeby.

River Evans, 16, vanished Wednesday night after getting into an unknown car. The youngster is deaf, blind and cognitively-impaired

Grainy footage showed the car Page got into in Pueblo, Colorado, around 9pm MT Wednesday. Colorado Bureau of Investigation officials now believe she is endangered

Beeby says the family believe Evans may have met the driver of the car online.

She said the teen left without telling anyone.

Beeby added: 'She was in the shower at 9:30. Her grandpa went to her room at 11 to say goodnight and she was gone. Never heard her leave or anything.'

The teen, who attends the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, left home with a red panda purse and two black bags, Beeby wrote on a Facebook post.

Evans is white, around five feet tall and weighs 200 pounds.

Anyone who sees her has been asked to dial 911 or contact Pueblo Police Department on 719-553-2502.

Her family and friends have also pleaded anyone with information to come forward in the hopes of learning that Evans is safe.
A Mickey Mouse mascot is being hunted by police after allegedly posing with tourists before launching a knife attack and extorting cash from victims.

The mouse-eared mugger dresses up as the Disney character complete with what looks like an authentic replica ears just like the real thing at the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland.

But visitors to the tourist magnet Via Toledo in Naples, Italy, say the resemblance stops there if families refuse to pay him for having their photos taken with him.

Now local MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli has sent a dossier on the rodent robber to police after one constituent said he had pulled a knife on them.

Deputy Borrelli said: 'We are getting many reports on this subject who, disguised as Mickey Mouse, threatens and extorts money from tourists and citizens who take pictures with him.

'In some videos, users claimed that the man is also armed with a knife.'

He added: 'We cannot allow people like this to act undisturbed in the tourist areas of the city, damaging the image of Naples and creating a climate of fear between citizens and visitors.

'We have received several reports and videos that show worrying attitudes, including an alleged episode of threat with a weapon.

The mouse-eared mugger dresses up as the Disney character complete with what looks like an authentic replica ears just like the real thing at the Magic Kingdom in Disneyland

But visitors to the tourist magnet Via Toledo in Naples, Italy, say the resemblance stops there if families refuse to pay him for having their photos taken with him

Now local MP Francesco Emilio Borrelli has sent a dossier on the rodent robber to police after one constituent said he had pulled a knife on them

Deputy Borrelli said: 'We are getting many reports on this subject who, disguised as Mickey Mouse, threatens and extorts money from tourists and citizens who take pictures with him'

'I want an investigation to get to the facts and if the allegations are confirmed he will be caught and dealt with.'

Borrelli is calling for 'mouse trap' patrols to catch the knifeman red-handed as he harasses children and their parents.

He said: 'Naples cannot be hostage to those who think they can do just as they like without any respect for the law.'

Tourists have taken to social media to talk about her experience with the impersonator.

The woman said: 'I was super excited and had my daughter take a picture with Mickey Mouse.

'Only now have I discovered that he goes around with a knife and take its out on anyone who doesn't give him money. Thank god we escaped.'
Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a chilling warning to domestic terrorists targeting Tesla dealerships as she vowed to end the recent attacks.

Three people have been charged with separate attacks on Tesla facilities across the country, and Bondi announced Thursday that 'the days of committing crimes without consequence have ended.'

'Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,' she said.

The first of the alleged attackers to face charges was named as Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, who is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon on January 20.

Lanksy allegedly threw a 'large heavy object through the dealership window', and was armed with a suppressed AR-15 at the time, reports Fox News.

A week after the Oregon firebombing, Lucy Grace Nelson, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, 42, was taken into custody in Loveland, Colorado on January 29 after allegedly being caught attempting to light Molotov cocktails near a dealership.

Prosecutors said Nelson was found to have been in possession of a container of gasoline, bottles and wicks, which were allegedly intended to be used to create incendiary weapons.

On March 7, Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, allegedly vandalized a dealership in Charleston, South Carolina, by spray-painting messages reading 'f*** Trump' and 'Long Live Ukraine' before lighting three charging stations on fire.

Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, allegedly vandalized a dealership in Charleston, South Carolina on March 7 by spray-painting messages reading 'f*** Trump' and 'Long Live Ukraine' before lighting three charging stations on fire

Lucy Grace Nelson, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, 42, was taken into custody in Loveland, Colorado on January 29 after allegedly being caught attempting to light Molotov cocktails near a Tesla dealership

Prosecutors alleged the person seen in this CCTV footage was Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, who is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon on January 20

Lanksy and Nelson are charged with arson of property in interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device, while Clarke-Pounder was charged with arson of property in interstate commerce.

All three suspects face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the DOJ said.

Tesla's share price has dropped dramatically this year amid chief Elon Musk's intimate ties to the Trump White House, with disgruntled liberal customers calling to boycott the brand as repeat attacks occur at dealerships.

This week, a dealership in Las Vegas was also targeted by an apparent firebombing as a row of Tesla vehicles were set ablaze.

Police said the unknown suspect, who was seen at the scene in all black, managed to completely burn out two of the cars while damaging three others before escaping.

Musk later responded to footage of the blaze, sharing it to his X profile and captioned it: 'This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong.'

While local authorities in some of the targeted Tesla dealerships were cautious over how to characterize the attacks, Bondi did not hold back with a previous statement on Tuesday, branding them 'nothing short of domestic terrorism.'

'They're targeting Elon Musk who is out there trying to save our country and it will not be tolerated. We are coming after you,' she added in an appearance on Fox News.

Nelson, seen in their mugshot, was allegedly found to have been in possession of a container of gasoline, bottles and wicks, which prosecutors say were intended to be used to create incendiary weapons

Clarke-Pounder (pictured) faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the same fate Nelson and Lansky also face on charges of arson of property in interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device

One of the Molotov cocktails that Lanksy allegedly threw at a Tesla dealership is pictured

Former FBI special agent Michael Tabman told Fox News that despite Bondi's pledge to imprison anyone targeting Musk's businesses, he expects political violence to escalate as Trump continues rapidly reshaping the federal government.

'I do fear that more violence is on its way,' Tabman said.

'Maybe not directly Teslas or DOGE, but just general political violence. I think it's already here. But I think there's more around the corner.'

'I think right now, given the tenor of society, given the rhetoric that we hear, the dogma that we hear and that a lot of what we hear is filled with violence or violent undertones, I say, yes, I think we are becoming a more reactionary country,' Tabman added.

'We're a more divided country, hatred for the other side is boiling over, and I'm putting this in on both sides.'

Tabman said he doesn't see a quick resolution to the attacks as 'realistic', and said he expects individuals to continue targeting Musk so long as he teams up with Trump.

'And you know, there are some people who think in terms of, hey, this is working. Let's say they're anti-DOGE or anti-Trump, and they feel that, hey, if we keep doing this, eventually we'll sort of overthrow  not literally overthrow  but sort of dethrone the king.'

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a chilling warning to the 'domestic terrorists' targeting Tesla dealerships, saying: 'Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars'

Pictured: Two burned Teslas are seen in the parking lot in Las Vegas that was attacked earlier this week

It comes after Musk made startling response to the attacks, claiming he was being targeted by a conspiracy to assassinate him and destroy his companies.

Musk told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that he believes his attempts to cut government waste and fraud is the reason why certain characters 'want to kill me.'

'It turns out when you take away people's, you know, the money that they're receiving fraudulently, they get very upset,' he said.

'And they basically want kill me because I'm stopping their fraud and they want to hurt Tesla because we're stopping the terrible waste and corruption in the government. And, well, I guess they're bad people. Bad people do bad things.'

Musk repeated the claim made by many conservative lawmakers, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, that there could be left-wing groups coordinating the protests and attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships.

'I think there are larger forces at work as well,' Musk said. 'I mean, who's funding and who's coordinating it? Because this is crazy. I've never seen anything like this.

'Tesla is a peaceful company, we've never done anything harmful. I've never done anything harmful, I've only done productive things, so I think we just have a deranged... I think there's some kind of mental illness going on here,' he added.
A group of scientists made a grim discovery as they were testing water samples from a North Carolina river.

Several university scientists were conducting tests in the stretch of the clouded, 202-mile-long Cape Fear River on Tuesday afternoon when a body appeared, prompting authorities to launch an investigation.

'A group of scientists conducting water tests made the discovery,' the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation said in a news release, adding that recovery efforts were more difficult due to the recent storms plaguing the state.

At around 2.30pm Tuesday afternoon, the group of scientists made the horrifying discovery of a body resting at a spot in the stretch of the river running through eastern Fayetteville, roughly a 65-mile drive from Raleigh.

The chilling ordeal prompted a 911 call, where the police department then responded to the scene. The recovery process was impacted, authorities said, as North Carolina has been recovering from devastating storms.

'The recovery of the body was delayed due to fallen trees and debris resulting from past hurricanes,' authorities said.

Authorities believe that the body may have entered the river from another county and drifted down the river before coming to rest at a spot between River Road and Highway 295.

The river, which covers 9,000-square-miles, has 'more than 1,100 dams and blockages' according to experts, The News & Observer reported.

Several university scientists were conducting tests in the stretch of the clouded, 202-mile-long Cape Fear River in North Carolina on Tuesday afternoon when they chillingly stumbled upon a body

Authorities believe that the body may have entered the river from another county and drifted down the river before coming to rest at a spot between River Road and Highway 295

The recovery process was impacted, authorities said, as North Carolina is recovering from devastating storms, specifically 'fallen trees and debris resulting from past hurricanes'

The 'murky-colored waterway' also cuts through 'some of the largest urban areas in North Carolina before disgorging into the Atlantic Ocean,' according to the Wilmington Star-News.

An investigation was swiftly launched and the body was sent to the North Carolina Medical Examiner's Office for further analysis, including determining the cause of death and identifying the individual.

The bureau said that the investigation into the discovery is still ongoing at this point.

On the very same day, another body was found in a notorious underwater labyrinth in Florida following the disappearance of a scuba diver during a trip.

Police were called to Twin Caves in the Blue Springs Recreation Area on Tuesday afternoon after three people failed to return to the surface on time.

Twin Caves extends back hundreds of feet and has three passages that drop to even greater depths. The cavern descends in stages going from 20ft to 100ft deep. It also features multiple 'jump tunnels' that run off into wider tunnels.

Rescue teams quickly swooped and dragged two of them out of the complex cavern to safety at around 1.15pm.

But the third diver, who has not been named, was found dead in the system. The coroner is working to determine the cause of death.
The sister of a woman murdered by her husband almost 30 years ago is hopeful her killer will finally reveal where her body is after ministers agreed to back Suzannes Law.

Carol Gillies and her elderly parents have never been able to give mother-of-two Arlene Fraser a proper funeral as her killer refuses to tell them what he did with her body.

But she feels there is a chance of closure after the SNP this week backed a Scottish Conservative amendment to a new justice Bill for Suzannes Law, which would mean killers are forced to reveal the location of their victims remains or face spending the rest of their lives in jail.

Mrs Frasers disappearance in 1998 sparked one of Scotlands biggest missing person investigations and her husband Nat Fraser is currently serving a life sentence for her murder after he was twice convicted of killing her, in 2003 and again in 2012.

He is due for parole in 2029 but has never revealed what he did with her body.

Mrs Gillies says she feels a responsibility to find her sister and bring her home and feels progress on Suzannes Law, named after Edinburgh bookkeeper Suzanne Pilley, whose body has not been found after she was killed by her former lover, David Gilroy, in 2010, has given them an opening for us to move forward.

The 62-year-old said: This is going to affect us for the rest of our lives. Its not right that if his behaviour in prison is very good he gets out and gets to go on leading his life - where does that leave Arlene?

Although she is dead, she still has her own human right to be found.

Arlene Fraser was murdered by her husband, Nat, almost 30 years ago

Nat Fraser was jailed for life for murdering his wife in 1998

She shouldnt be cast aside, and buried and the truth buried with her. Theres more than one crime - theres the murder and the concealing a body and withholding information.

And if he gets out [without saying where she is] hes still continuing to commit a crime by withholding information and concealing a body.

She added: Parole boards need to get us on board, they need us to be involved and to know what non-disclosure means to families.

Mrs Gillies, from Erskine, Renfrewshire, said it was time for politicians to realise families played a part in the process.

The grandmother-of-two said her parents, in their 80s, deserve to know what happened to their daughter.

She added: I dont see why we cant see a change in legislation.

We might never know if it [the law] stays the same; its highly unlikely well ever find out, and that is hard to accept.

But the new law change is like an opening for us to move forward, because right now were stuck.

Arlene's sister Carol Gillies hopes her family will finally reveal where her body is after ministers agreed to back a new law putting pressure on killers to reveal where they left their victims' bodies

Former Detective Superintendent Alan Smith, who was the deputy senior investigating officer on the case previously said he did not believe Fraser would ever tell where his wifes body is because it is now the last piece of control he has over her.

But following the Scottish Governments decision to back the new law, put forward by MSP Jamie Greene, Mrs Gillies said: It gives us hope. It means were not fighting the battle on our own, that the law is on our side, or at least assisting us.

If he gets out for good behaviour, Id feel like the law was letting us down.

Fraser was jailed for murdering his wife, who had made plans to divorce him, in 2003 after his friend, farmer Hector Dick, turned on him in court to escape charges.

That conviction was later quashed but Fraser was retried in 2012 and found guilty of paying a hitman 15,000 to kill Mrs Fraser.

He wanted to dodge a divorce that would have cost him 250,000 and the custody of their children.

To this day he has refused to give her family closure by revealing where her remains are.

Mrs Gillies said: I thought about going out into the woods and looking for her myself in the very early days, I was so desperate, its just natural.

I just feel this responsibility to bring her home, but also guilt in not knowing how to do it.

'Im just glad that the law is helping us because as a family we dont know where to start.

She praised Suzanne Pilleys family for persevering with their calls for a change in the law, which follows the introduction of Helens Law in England and Wales in 2021.

Under the reforms backed by justice secretary Angela Constance on Thursday, the Parole Board for Scotland, which considers whether to release criminals who have served the punishment part of their sentence, will be given powers to take into account any failure to disclose the location of a victims remains when making decisions on release.

This means prisoners who do not disclose where they hid a body could be kept behind bars until they do.

Mrs Gillies is now hoping that the law comes into force before Fraser is due for parole in four years.
Sir Keir Starmer has issued a warning to Vladimir Putin that there would be 'severe consequences' if Russia broke any peace deal with Ukraine.

The PM made the punishing remarks during a meeting with officials from 31 countries at the Northwood military base as a part of efforts to galvanise his 'coalition of the willing' into a viable plan for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

At the high-level talks the nations have started to explore which western forces might be deployed to protect Ukraine following a peace deal.

Sir Keir stressed that any agreement must have the support of the US and that Putin mustn't be allowed to veto how Ukraine decides to defend itself.

'The point of the security arrangements is to make it clear to Russia there'll be severe consequences if they are to breach any deal,' the PM said.

He added: 'That's why we need a forward leaning European element, which is what I've been working on intensely, obviously, with the French, that bring these allied countries together, and beyond.

'I think the Australians and New Zealanders have dialled in this morning in the middle of night in order to be part of the planning. So there is that level of integration.

'This is why it will require a US component, because it needs to be clear to Putin that there will be severe consequences if he breaches the lines.'

Sir Keir Starmer at the Northwood military base. The PM issued a warning to Vladimir Putin that there would be 'severe consequences' if Russia broke any peace deal with Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin. Sir Keir stressed that any agreement must have the support of the US and that Putin mustn't be allowed to veto how Ukraine decides to defend itself

The Guardian reported that when asked whether Britain would put boots on the ground in Ukraine, as he previously suggested, Sir Keir said that the military planners were discussing offering support by air, sea and land.

He said: 'There is a strong sense that, because of what's happened in the last three years, the Ukrainian forces are amongst the strongest now in Europe. They've got the capability, they've got the numbers, and they've actually got the frontline experience.

'We're not talking about something that replaces the capability, we're talking about something that reinforces that and then puts around it capabilities in relation to air, water and sea, and land.'

Countries at today's meeting included France, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Canada and Australia.

The remarks come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes a 'lasting peace can be achieved this year' after a call with US President Donald Trump.

In the call with Zelensky, the US president 'said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,' according to a White House statement.

'American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,' it added.

In a post on X on Wednesday afternoon, Zelensky said he had a 'positive, very substantive and frank' conversation with Trump.

Sir Keir with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The PM met officials from 31 countries at the Northwood military base as a part of efforts to galvanise his 'coalition of the willing' into a viable plan for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine

He added that Ukraine was 'ready to implement' the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

Zelensky thanked Trump for the talks in Saudi Arabia last week, and added: 'We agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a real end to the war and lasting peace.

'We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year.'

Peace talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia are expected to resume in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.
A six-year-old girl who went missing last year was sought by a 'healer' for her 'light eyes and skin', a court has heard.

Joshlin Smith disappeared in February 2024, and her mother Kelly Smith has been accused of orchestrating her kidnapping from their hometown in South Africa.

The little girl, who has a fair complexion and turquoise eyes, vanished from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, prompting a high-profile search mission according to the BBC.

Since then, Kelly, along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn have been charged with human trafficking and kidnapping.

They have all pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody.

In the days after Joshlin disappeared, local media reported that neighbors accused her mother, also known as Racquel Chantel Smith, of selling her for just over $1,000.

During the first week of her trial, the court heard from a local pastor who said that he heard Kelly, who has three children, talk about selling them for 20,000 rand, which is the equivalent of $1,100.

Lourentia Lombaard, Kelly's friend and neighbor, said that in the days before Joshlin disappeared, the mother confessed to her that she had sold her child to a 'sangoma' - a traditional healer.

Joshlin Smith (pictured), a six-year-old girl who went missing last year was sought by a 'healer' for her 'light eyes and skin', a court has heard

The girl disappeared in February 2024, and her mother Kelly Smith (pictured in court) has been accused of orchestrating her kidnapping from their hometown in South Africa

Pictured: Kelly Smith's home where she lived with Joshlin in Saldanha, South Africa

Lombaard said she later saw Kelly pack some of Joshlin's clothing into a black bag, which she was carrying when she met a woman she believes was the sangoma.

Kelly climbed into a white car with Joshlin and the sangoma, according to Lombaard, and they drove away.

Lombaard said 'the person who took Joshlin wanted her for her eyes and skin'. It was unclear why the sangoma wanted a child with these features.

A woman believed to be the sangoma was arrested alongside the other defendants last year, but the charges against her were dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Sangomas are recognized in South Africa under the Traditional Health Practitioners Act of 2007. It is believed they can access ancestral spirits who guide their healing.

Joshlin is still missing despite a major search operation involving police, firefighters, city authorities and specialized sniffer dog units around the family home.

Joshlin Smith (pictured) went missing last year

Pictured, from left to right on the stand: Jacquin Appollis (boyfriend of the mother), Stefano van Rhyn (friend of the mother), Kelly Smith (mother of Joslin Smith) and Phumza Sigaqa during the Joslin Smith disappearance case at Vredenburg Magistrate's Court this month

Police said children's clothing had been recovered last weekend near the settlement of small houses and shacks where Joshlin lived. It was sent to a laboratory for forensic examination.

Community members who are also involved in the search said the clothing was spattered with blood and a knife was also found. Police didn't give any more details on what was discovered.

Prosecutors said in court documents released Thursday that Kelly Smith and the others conspired to abduct Joslin and intentionally sold, delivered or exchanged her.

The suspects face a sentence of life in prison if convicted of the main charge of human trafficking.

The four suspects left the courthouse in Vredenburg, a town near Saldanha Bay, in an armored police van as a large crowd gathered outside, repeatedly shouting 'Justice for Joshlin.'

Kelly Smith (pictured in court) has been accused of orchestrating her daughter's kidnapping

Western Cape province police commissioner Thembisile Patekile told reporters that more arrests could be made, but authorities also had to re-focus on the search for Joshlin.

'At this stage, we do not have a child,' he said. 'Our ultimate goal is to find the child. We still want to find that child alive.'

Authorities have given different spellings for the girl's name. Police identified her as Joslin, while prosecutors named her as Joshlin in their documents. It wasn't immediately possible to verify the spelling of her name.
It was full steam ahead for HMS Russell Findlay as the Scots Tory leader navigated the choppy waters of ferry procurement.

Findlay sounded his foghorn over contracts going to Poland, which he said should have gone instead to Ferguson Marine, before changing course to lambast the Nationalists over their past dealings with the same yard.

Back then, when ministers were buying what would become the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, the process had been rushed through for one reason: to promote the interests of the SNP, not the interests of islanders.

Findlay is relentless. The 2015 procurement was dodgy, and not only that but rigged, and not only that but corrupt.

As he tore into the whole sordid business, Shona Robison yapped from her seat: Now you are talking down the yard!

Findlay should choose his words more carefully. He might give the shipyard that took seven years to build two ferries a bad name.

John Swinney complained of a complete contradiction in Findlays question. The government is being accused of rigging the process on one occasion and now were being accused of not rigging the process, he protested.

Im sorry, John, Russell riposted, but we dont want the SNP to fix contracts for Fergusons, we want the SNP to fix Fergusons so it can win contracts fairly and squarely.

The Presiding Officers head shot up.

Mr Findlay, she chided, we do not use only first names.

The Conservative chief begged her forgiveness then addressed Swinney as First Minister in a mock-obsequious tone.

Swinney would have him for that. He just so happened to have a dossier of Findlays past remarks about Ferguson Marine and the wisdom of giving the yard any more cash.

The First Minister accused Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay of political opportunism over his criticism of the ferries debacle

Mr Findlay took John Swinney to task over the SNP's handling of ferry procurement

He had, it seemed, branded it a terrible drain on public finances and opposed recklessly throwing taxpayers money away on it.

Theres something special about hearing the words terrible drain on public finances uttered inside the Scottish Parliament. Its like hearing sin and wickedness denounced from downtown Sodom and Gomorrah.

The First Minister accused Findlay of political opportunism, throwing not a stone so much as an entire quarry in his little glass house. His voice lilted with glee as he described how the Tories were being hammered by Reform and how this would cost Findlay and most of his colleagues their seats.

Thank goodness, he gloated, and good riddance to the lot of them.

Thank goodness? Thats strange. I thought the First Minister was concerned about the rise of Reform. I thought thats why he was assembling a cross-party summit on countering the far-right.

Could it be that this was all just self-serving cant and that this summit is a thinly-guised partisan ploy? If that were true, why, the First Minister would be guilty of whats the phrase political opportunism.

The mans got more faces than Easter Island.

Anas Sarwar also took issue with handing Scottish ferry contracts to Poland and pointed out that the Nats previously did the same with a Turkish shipyard.

Sarwar quipped: The SNP: Stronger for Poland and Stronger for Turkey.

Its Labours fault, when you think about it. They demanded the Scottish Government invest in the countrys economy, but they didnt specify which country.

Swinney spent much of FMQs deflecting questions about the Polish contract with a scripted response about competitive tendering processes.

So Sarwar asked the $64,000, or rather the 175m, question: What is it about the way that the SNP runs Fergusons and the way that the SNP does procurement that means that Scotlands ferries cannot be built in Scotland?

Cornered. Trapped. Gotcha.

Swinneys considered reply? Guff.

The Presiding Officer went off on one again. Guff, it turns out, is unparliamentary language at Holyrood. Whenever I think about Holyrood, other four-letter words come to mind, all of them considerably stronger than guff.

Nonetheless, the First Minister apologised and opted for nonsense instead.

He fell back on the legal constraints around procurement.

Ministers cannot operate outside the law, he said.

They cant operate inside it either.
'Several' people have been injured in a horrific six vehicle pile up which saw a lorry smash through central reservation before crashing into other road users.

One person has been rushed to Salford Royal hospital with serious injuries, while four others are being assessed by medics at the scene on the M60 motorway, M.E.N reports.

A shocking video from the scene shows multiple emergency service vehicles rushing past gridlocked traffic with their sirens blaring out.

The video then jumps to show at least half a dozen of the emergency vehicles gathered close to the crash site.

A section of the M60 motorway near Salford remains closed and emergency services are currently still present.

Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are responding to a collision on the M60 motorway at junction 15 in Swinton involving an HGV crossing the central reservation, into the opposite lane, before going into the embankment.

'At approximately 7pm this evening (20/03/2025), the HGV crashed into six vehicles.

Several' people have been injured in a horrific six vehicle pile up which saw a lorry smash through central reservation before crashing into other road users. Pictured: Footage from the scene



A section of the M60 motorway, near Salford, remains closed and paramedics are currently on the scene. Pictured: Traffic on the M60

A shocking video from the scene shows multiple emergency vehicles rushing past gridlocked traffic with their sirens blaring out

'The M60 is closed clockwise and anticlockwise between junction 15 and 16. Several people have been injured and paramedics are on scene.

'We ask motorists to avoid this section of the M60 this evening. Your patience is appreciated as emergency services continue to provide medical aid and investigate the incident.'

National Highways said: 'At least one vehicle which has crossed through the central reservation barrier'.

They added: 'The road is likely to be closed for some time'.

The video then jumps to show at least half a dozen emergency services gathered close to the crash site

National Highways said: 'At least one vehicle which has crossed through the central reservation barrier'. Pictured: Grid locked traffic

The motorway is shut both ways with diversions in place.

Drivers stuck in traffic near the crash site have shared dramatic footage showing emergency services speeding to the scene on X.

A witness who drove past in the aftermath told M.E.N: 'I've never seen a response like it. Central reservation was flattened and I could see loads of emergency response.'
Brussels, Belgium (PANA) - With the US withdrawal, the pace and the scale of that withdrawal, the European stake in the humanitarian sector has effectively doubled almost overnight, Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the European Parliament late Wednesday
Surrounded by school children of all ages, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to start the dismantling of the 'no good' Department of Education.

'We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. It's doing us no good,' Trump said at an event in the East Room filled with conservatives.

'The United States spends more money in education by far than any other country, and spends, likewise, by far more money per pupil than any country. And it's not even close, but yet we rank near the bottom of the list in terms of success,' he noted.

'We have to get our children educated.'

As he signed the executive order at his desk, the children, sitting at school desks on each side of him, opened their folders and signed their own version of the order.

Then Trump and the children held up their folders to show off their signature. The audience - which included Rep. Virginia Foxx, Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis - gave a standing ovation.

President Trump signs his executive order as the kids sign their version

The president also praised Linda McMahon, inviting her up to stand with him, and said he hopes 'she will be our last Secretary of Education.'

The Department of Education, founded in the 1970s, has long been a target for conservatives, who want to see education policy returned to the states. Trump, during his presidential campaign, repeatedly vowed to end the department.

He and Elon Musk, who is heading DOGE, are on a mission to cut the government.

Completely dismantling the department is most likely impossible without an act of Congress but the president can significantly cut it.

Pell grants and student loans will still be run out of the department, as will civil rights issues and mediations.

But Trump said those will eventually be moved to other parts of the government.

'They're going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them,' he said.

President Trump and the kids hold up their executive orders

President Donald Trump, alongside Department of Education (DOE) Secretary Linda McMahon, shows off his order cutting the Education Department

The president also pointed to the Republican governors in the audience - Indiana Governor Mike Braun, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, and Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds were also there - and said they would do a better job of educating the children in their states.

'We want to return our students to the states where just some of the governors here are so happy about this. They want education to come back to them, to come back to the States, and they're going to do a phenomenal job,' he noted.

The U.S. ranks eighth out of 41 countries in education.

The Education Department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.

Currently, much of the agencys work revolves around managing money  both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, like school meals and support for homeless students.

Trump said his plan to return education to the states is 'going to work. Absolutely it's going to work.'

He said he expected the change to result in the U.S. ranking among the highest in education - along with Denmark, Sweden, and Finland.

He noted that 'probably the cost will be half, and the education will be maybe many, many times better. So we look forward to this.'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was at the White House event

President Trump greets the students at his event

One student holds up his message to President Trump

Democrats have been heavily critical of his move.

'Trump, Musk and the GOP are gutting the Department of Educationaxing teachers jobs, slashing support for students with disabilities and pushing college out of reachall to bankroll billionaire tax cuts. Americas future is not for sale. Our kids deserve better,' Nancy Pelosi wrote on X.

Trump, however, vowed to take care of teachers.

'I want to just make one little personal statement, teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country, and we're going to take care of our teachers and take actually better care of them,' he said.

'We're going to love and cherish our teachers along with our children, and they're going to work with the parents, and they're going to work with everybody else, and it's going to be an amazing thing to watch, and it's really going to be something special.'
Daily Show host Jordan Klepper called out his own audience for applauding 'domestic terrorism' after their outrageous response to attacks on Tesla dealerships.

Three people have been charged with separate attacks on Tesla facilities across the country and Attorney General Pam Bondi has threatened people with jail time for the attacks.

Klepper - one of the rotating hosts of the long-running Comedy Central series - played clips of the attacks on his show Wednesday night.

The comedian was stunned when the audience erupted in rapturous applause.

Klepper asked: 'Wow. You guys like petty acts of domestic terrorism, huh?'

His New York City crowd again began to cheer before Klepper tried to lecture them towards more peaceful demonstration.

'Nobody should be breaking the law and blowing up Teslas,' he said.

However, he couldn't help getting in a jab at Musk's company: 'Because if you just wait a few minutes, theyll probably just do it by themselves.'

The outrageous reaction came as Attorney General Bondi announced Thursday that 'the days of committing crimes without consequence have ended.'

Liberal Daily Show host Jordan Klepper seemed stunned by his audience's outrageous response to reports of attacks on terror dealerships

Three people have been charged with separate attacks on Tesla facilities across the country and Attorney General Pam Bondi warning jail time to people she said committed 'domestic terrorism'

'Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars,' Bondi said.

The first of the alleged attackers to face charges was named as Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, who is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon on January 20.

Lanksy allegedly threw a 'large heavy object through the dealership window', and was armed with a suppressed AR-15 at the time, reports Fox News.

A week after the Oregon firebombing, Lucy Grace Nelson, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, 42, was taken into custody in Loveland, Colorado on January 29 after allegedly being caught attempting to light Molotov cocktails near a dealership.

Prosecutors said Nelson was found to have been in possession of a container of gasoline, bottles and wicks, which were allegedly intended to be used to create incendiary weapons.

On March 7, Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, allegedly vandalized a dealership in Charleston, South Carolina, by spray-painting messages reading 'f*** Trump' and 'Long Live Ukraine' before lighting three charging stations on fire.

Lanksy and Nelson are charged with arson of property in interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device, while Clarke-Pounder was charged with arson of property in interstate commerce.

Even after telling them the destruction and setting Teslas on fire was unacceptable, Klepper couldn't help getting in a jab at Musk's company, adding: 'Because if you just wait a few minutes, theyll probably just do it by themselves.'

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a chilling warning to the 'domestic terrorists' targeting Tesla dealerships, saying: 'Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars'

All three suspects face up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the DOJ said.

Tesla's share price has dropped dramatically this year amid chief Elon Musk's intimate ties to the Trump White House, with disgruntled liberal customers calling to boycott the brand as repeat attacks occur at dealerships.

This week, a dealership in Las Vegas was also targeted by an apparent firebombing as a row of Tesla vehicles were set ablaze.

Police said the unknown suspect, who was seen at the scene in all black, managed to completely burn out two of the cars while damaging three others before escaping.

Musk later responded to footage of the blaze, sharing it to his X profile and captioned it: 'This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong.'

While local authorities in some of the targeted Tesla dealerships were cautious over how to characterize the attacks, Bondi did not hold back with a previous statement on Tuesday, branding them 'nothing short of domestic terrorism.'

'They're targeting Elon Musk who is out there trying to save our country and it will not be tolerated. We are coming after you,' she added in an appearance on Fox News.

Nelson, seen in their mugshot, was allegedly found to have been in possession of a container of gasoline, bottles and wicks, which prosecutors say were intended to be used to create incendiary weapons

Clarke-Pounder (pictured) faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, the same fate Nelson and Lansky also face on charges of arson of property in interstate commerce and possession of unregistered destructive device

One of the Molotov cocktails that Lanksy allegedly threw at a Tesla dealership is pictured

Former FBI special agent Michael Tabman told Fox News that despite Bondi's pledge to imprison anyone targeting Musk's businesses, he expects political violence to escalate as Trump continues rapidly reshaping the federal government.

'I do fear that more violence is on its way,' Tabman said.

'Maybe not directly Teslas or DOGE, but just general political violence. I think it's already here. But I think there's more around the corner.'

'I think right now, given the tenor of society, given the rhetoric that we hear, the dogma that we hear and that a lot of what we hear is filled with violence or violent undertones, I say, yes, I think we are becoming a more reactionary country,' Tabman added.

'We're a more divided country, hatred for the other side is boiling over, and I'm putting this in on both sides.'

Tabman said he doesn't see a quick resolution to the attacks as 'realistic', and said he expects individuals to continue targeting Musk so long as he teams up with Trump.

'And you know, there are some people who think in terms of, hey, this is working. Let's say they're anti-DOGE or anti-Trump, and they feel that, hey, if we keep doing this, eventually we'll sort of overthrow  not literally overthrow  but sort of dethrone the king.'

Daniel Clarke-Pounder, 24, allegedly vandalized a dealership in Charleston, South Carolina on March 7 by spray-painting messages reading 'f*** Trump' and 'Long Live Ukraine' before lighting three charging stations on fire

Lucy Grace Nelson, also known as Justin Thomas Nelson, 42, was taken into custody in Loveland, Colorado on January 29 after allegedly being caught attempting to light Molotov cocktails near a Tesla dealership

Prosecutors alleged the person seen in this CCTV footage was Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, who is accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon on January 20

It comes after Musk made startling response to the attacks, claiming he was being targeted by a conspiracy to assassinate him and destroy his companies.

Musk told Fox News' Sean Hannity on Tuesday night that he believes his attempts to cut government waste and fraud is the reason why certain characters 'want to kill me.'

'It turns out when you take away people's, you know, the money that they're receiving fraudulently, they get very upset,' he said.

'And they basically want kill me because I'm stopping their fraud and they want to hurt Tesla because we're stopping the terrible waste and corruption in the government. And, well, I guess they're bad people. Bad people do bad things.'

Musk repeated the claim made by many conservative lawmakers, including Marjorie Taylor Greene, that there could be left-wing groups coordinating the protests and attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships.

'I think there are larger forces at work as well,' Musk said. 'I mean, who's funding and who's coordinating it? Because this is crazy. I've never seen anything like this.

'Tesla is a peaceful company, we've never done anything harmful. I've never done anything harmful, I've only done productive things, so I think we just have a deranged... I think there's some kind of mental illness going on here,' he added.
Conor McGregor has announced his bid to become Irelands President just days after a controversial trip to the White House.

The MMA fighter, who was found to have raped a woman in a civil case in November in Dublin, announced his plans with an Instagram post which sees him standing in front of a private jet and wearing a Make Ireland Great Again cap.

The post comes just days after McGregor spoke of an 'illegal immigration racket ravaging our country' at the White House.

On Instagram, McGregor wrote: Ireland must fully implement the EU Migration Pact by June 12, 2026.

So between now and 12 June 2026, several pieces of legislation have to be passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas & then signed by the President.

The next presidential election must take place by 11 Nov 2025. Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill?

Any other Presidential candidate they attempt to put forward will be of no resistance to them. I will!

For clarity also, as President, I would put forth this bill to referendum.

Conor McGregor has announced his bid to become Irelands President just days after a controversial trip to the White House

McGregor announced the plans in an Instagram post where he is stood ahead of a private jet and wearing a Make Ireland Great Again cap

The annoucement comes just days after McGregor spoke of an 'illegal immigration racket ravaging our country' at the White House

Although I oppose greatly this pact, it is neither mine nor governments choice to make. It is the people of Irelands choice! Always! That is a true democracy!'

Earlier today, McGregor posted on X: 'Ireland, the choice is yours and it is an easy one. Vote for me as your President and we will SAVE IRELAND TOGETHER!'

On Monday, ahead of a press conference with Donald Trump, McGregor told an audience that Ireland was close to 'potentially losing its Irishness', laying into the Irish government as an administration of 'zero action with zero accountability'.

'Our money is being spent on overseas issues that is nothing to do with the Irish people,' he said.

McGregor's invitation to the White House came after Donald Trump last week singled out the sportsman as one of his favourite Irish people.

Conor McGregor praised Donald Trump's 'work ethic' as 'inspiring' when they finally met on Monday.

The pair posed for photos, clasping hands, and shared light comments in front of a map of the Gulf of Mexico, labelled as the Gulf of America, in the Oval Office.

Ahead of the meeting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the briefing room: 'We couldn't think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick's Day'.

McGregor's appearance in Washington D.C was criticised by Irish leaders. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said his comments 'did not reflect the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, or the views of the people of Ireland'.

Martin wrote on X that the holiday was 'a day rooted in community, humanity, friendship and fellowship.'

Ahead of the meeting with Donald Trump, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in the briefing room: 'We couldn't think of a better guest to have with us on St Patrick's Day'

Conor McGregor and his family pictured with Donald Trump on Monday

Conor McGregor praised Donald Trump's 'work ethic' as 'inspiring' when they met on Monday

McGregor also met US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth during his visit to the White House

Simon Harris, now deputy prime minister, said in a video published to social media while visiting New York: 'It's for President Trump to decide to 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 and my views on him are very clear.'

McGregor has not held a role in office before. But he has claimed that he would be the 'only logical choice' for president of Ireland.

Ireland is headed by an elected president, with Michael D. Higgins currently in his second term after being elected in 2011 and 2018.

However, most real political power lies with the Taoiseach, nominated by the Dail, the lower house.

Yesterday, the Irishman boasted of having the 'complete backing of the entire Trump administration.'

On Wednesday morning he posted images of a meeting with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth. McGregor wrote: 'Tremendously productive meeting!'

In another post with Department of Health chief Robert F Kennedy Jr, McGregor said: 'Astounding meeting.

The former UFC champion attended Trump's inauguration in January. When asked if he would run for office he said: 'We will see. We will see. We will see.'

Meanwhile, in September last year, McGregor posted on X: 'As President I hold the power to summon the Dail as well as dissolve it. So as i said before, I would have all the answers the people of Ireland seek from these thieves of the working man, these disrupters of the family unit, these destructors of small businesses, and on and on and on!

'These charlatans in their positions of power would be summoned to answer to the people of Ireland and I would have it done by day end.

'Or I would be left with no choice but to dissolve the Dail entirely. Stop the train until. The people of Ireland deserve the answers they seek. Point blank. This would be my power as President. I know very well. Ireland needs an active President employed wholly by the people of Ireland. It is me. I am the only logical choice. 2025 is upcoming.'

McGregor announced his bid to run for Irish President while wearing the same Make Ireland Great Again cap

The MMA fighter was found to have raped Nikita Hand in a civil court case in Dublin in November

In comments in December 2023, amid turbulent discourse around the Dublin riots triggered by the stabbings of three children and a carer in the city, McGregor made a case for himself as president.

'Potential competition if I run. Gerry [Adams], 78. Bertie [Ahern]. 75. Enda [Kenny], 74. Each with unbreakable ties to their individual parties politics,' he wrote online.

'Regardless of what the public outside of their parties feel. These parties govern themselves vs govern the people.

'Or me, 35. Young, active, passionate, fresh skin in the game. I listen. I support. I adapt. I have no affiliation/bias/favoritism toward any party. They would genuinely be held to account regarding the current sway of public feeling. I'd even put it all to vote.'

His bid received support Elon Musk, now Trump's cost-cutting tsar, who replied: 'I think you could take them all single-handed. Not even fair.'

Andrew Tate, who faces rape and human-trafficking charges in Romania, which he denies, also backs McGregor's bid.

He previously wrote: 'My grandfather is from Limerick. I have the Irish passport. I will vote for you. We must do something before it's too late.'

McGregor's 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.

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.

Following the case, a wave of major retailers cut ties with the fighter and stopped selling his Proper No. Twelve Irish whiskey. He was also removed from video game Hitman.

A judge at the High Court in Dublin later said the jury had 'conclusively determined' that McGregor had raped Ms Hand

He wrote on Instagram: The next presidential election must take place by 11 Nov 2025. Who else will stand up to Government and oppose this bill?'

McGregor is appealing against the outcome of the civil case.

Tanaiste Mr Harris said in his statement following McGregor's White House visit: 'I've spoken to Nikita Hand. I admire her bravery, her courage, and I'd much rather be talking about Nikita Hand than Conor McGregor, quite frankly.'

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre wrote to the US Embassy in Ireland following McGregor's White House meeting.

They said his appearance 'effectively normalises sexual violence and trivialises its impact on survivors'.

Furthermore, McGregor and the NBA's Miami Heat are currently facing a federal lawsuit over claims the MMA legend sexually assaulted a woman in a bathroom at the Kaseya Center while security stood guard outside the stall. The Irish fighter has maintained his innocence.

Not only is he accused of sexually assaulting a woman at that game, but in a misguided on-court bit, McGregor struck the team mascot, Burnie, sending the costumed performer tumbling down to the hardwood earlier in the evening. A second punch sent the mascot kicking his feet and rolling in apparent agony.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra later confirmed that the person portraying the mascot was taken to the hospital, but assured reporters Burnie didn't suffer any permanent injuries.

McGregor described his meeting with Department of Health chief Robert F Kennedy Jr as 'astounding'

'We won't reveal who that is, but yeah, he can take a punch and get back up,' Spoelstra said at the time. 'He's not going to miss any time.'

McGregor has since portrayed the incident as a 'skit' gone awry.

'The mascot's good, my man,' he told Adam Glyn in June of 2023. 'The Mascot is good. It was a skit, and it went the way it went, but all is well.

Despite support from America, McGregor's chances of becoming President are slim. Gail McElroy, a professor of political science at Trinity College Dublin, said it is 'close to zero' he even is nominated.

Candidates are nominated by receiving support of 20 members of the Oireachtas, representatives in Ireland's lower and upper houses of parliament, or by four of Ireland's 31 local authorities.

Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern and ex-European Commissioner Mairead McGuinness have been touted as potential candidates.

McGregor has found support among a growing faction on the Right espousing pro-nationalist and anti-immigration views.

Ireland's general election last November saw Fianna Fail retaining the most seats as centrist and centre-right parties continue to dominate Irish politics.
One of Stephen Lawrences killers is set to admit his involvement in the racist attack for the first time as he makes a bid for freedom.

David Norris, 48, has always denied being involved in the 1993 murder of the teenager. But as he makes a bid for freedom ahead of a parole hearing, a ruling released last night revealed this has now changed.

Recent reports now suggest he has accepted he was present at the scene and punched the victim but claims that he did not wield the knife, Parole Board vice chair Peter Rook KC wrote.

He does not accept he holds racist views.

In a major victory for the Mail and the Lawrence family, Norris parole hearing will be heard in public.

Norris fought against such an application from this newspaper, arguing that having the hearing in the open to do so would increase the risk to his safety.

But Mr Rook ruled that his case should be made in public, and in his judgement quoted in extensively from an application made by the Mail which argued that without press scrutiny it is unlikely that Stephens killers would have faced justice.

Five men were initially arrested over the murder, in Eltham, southeast London, with Norris, 16 at the time, and Gary Dobson, 16 then but 49 now, only brought to justice after a belated forensic breakthrough.

David Norris (pictured) has always denied his involvement in the 1993 murder but a ruling released last night as he looks to win parole states this had now changed

Stephen Lawrence (pictured) was murdered in Eltham, South-East London in a racist attack

Neville Lawrence (pictured), the father of Stephen Lawrence said previously he will accept the release if Norris apologises and 'shows he is a changed man'

Both were given life sentences in 2012.

It followed a lengthy campaign from the Mail to secure justice for Stephen, including a 1997 front page in which Norris was named as one of his killers.

The application to the Parole Board also quoted from a recent interview with Stephens father, Neville, in which the 82-year-old said he would be willing to accept Norriss release from prison if he apologised and showed he was a changed man.

The Mail argued that a public hearing would provide the killer with the platform to properly express remorse for his actions.

The Lawrence family supported a public hearing but lawyers for Norris argued that the murderer, who has been diagnosed with PTSD, would suffer from emotional stress should a hearing be held in public.

They also argued that it would increase the risk to his safety within the prison estate, given he has been attacked three times while incarcerated, and that he would be incapable of giving his best evidence should his remarks be made public.

But Mr Rook found that the case remained of public importance because of its impact on policing, that it was accepted that not all those involved have been brought to justice and that the public will be interested to know whether Norris now accepts his responsibility for Stephens murder.

The criminal justice system had clearly failed with regard to this case at earlier stages, he said, with the subsequent MacPherson report into the investigation making multiple recommendations still relevant today.

In 1998 David Norris, alongside four other youths who were charged but not convicted for Stephen's murder at the time, was pelted with eggs after leaving a Public Inquiry into police handling of the case

There is a clear public interest in seeing the Parole Review conducted in a proper judicial manner with evidence-based decisions on risk, Mr Rook said.

Norriss time in prison has not been without issues that will likely count against him when the panel makes its decision.

He was caught illegally using a smartphone in jail in 2022, which he used to take a sickening selfie from his cell on Dartmoors E wing, which houses supposedly well-behaved inmates.

The phone was recovered from his body after he was X-rayed and a police investigation into how he obtained the device was launched.

A date is yet to be set for the hearing.

Stephens father called on Norris to name his sons other killers and tell the truth about what happened on the night of his murder for the first time.

Speaking from his home in Jamaica, Neville Lawrence, 82, thanked the Daily Mail for its fight to ensure his parole hearing would be heard in public.

Thank you to the Daily Mail for doing this service for us, he said.

On the 30th anniversary of Stephen's death, Keir Starmer joined Stuart Lawrence, former Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at a memorial service

Without your appeal this would have stayed behind closed doors.

Mr Lawrence added: If hes going to make a statement the public will hopefully finally hear everything that happened.

He knows who was there with him.

And he has been in prison for all this time so its his chance to say it wasnt just him alone, there were others with him. And name them.

I dont think hes going to do that but thats what I want him to do.

This is his chance to come clean and confess to what happened that night.

Mr Lawrence said he planned to attend the hearing and his solicitor would read a statement outlining the effect Stephens murder has had on the family.

Hes going to be able to walk away and live the rest of his life if he behaves himself.

Stephen cant do that, he said.

I feel if someone is lucky enough to have that chance for parole they should have to say Im sorry, Ill never get into trouble again and they should have to admit what they did.

If he admits it and said how sorry he was and he names the other people I could accept him coming out.

No one who was there that night has ever told the truth about what happened or even admitted the fact that they were there.

If he does do that it will be the first time.

If he admits he was there and caused my son to lose his life I would accept what happened and it would make it seem to me he was a changed person but if he just says nothing I cant accept [his release].
A day after the White House floated the shocking idea of U.S. 'ownership' of Ukrainian nuclear plants, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said he could not legally negotiate transfer of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

The plant, which came under fire after Russia's invasion and raised fears of a nuclear disaster, is currently occupied by Russian troops. Now offline, it is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.

Trump said the U.S. could own it, in the latest statement seeking to shake up negotiations meant to bring an end to the three-year war. The topic came up in Trump's phone call Wednesday with Zelensky.

'President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,' according to a statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.

'American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,' it said.

The potential energy cooperation came up amid a stalled minerals deal that Trump says will provide security for Ukraine and allow it to reimburse the U.S. for billions spent arming and aiding the country.

'We will not discuss it. We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to our state,' Zelensky told a news conference in Oslo, where he held talks with Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

'We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to our state,' said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking about Trump raising the issue of U.S. ownership of Ukrainian nuclear plants

He said the nuclear plants legally belonged to the Ukrainian people but that Kyiv was open to US investment once Ukraine got back control of the Zaporizhzhia plant, seized by Russian troops at the start of the war.

'If they want to take it back from the Russians, if they want to modernize it, invest  this is a different question, this is an open question, we can talk about it,' Zelensky added.

Trump made the proposal during a call with Zelensky on Wednesday, which was believed to be their first conversation since a blazing televised row in the Oval Office last month.

Trump's tone on Wednesday was positive after the Zelensky call.

But there is at least one major obstacle to the idea: it would be years before there is even a hope of it making a return on investment.

The vast plant occupied by Russia since the early days of its 2022 invasion is beset with problems. Its six reactors are in cold shutdown, the facility has lost its main supply of cooling water and no one knows the state of its equipment.

'American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure,' according to a U.S. government readout following the call between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky

Trump said that 'the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise,' according to a statement

Two Ukrainian industry sources said the proposal could be an example of the U.S. testing out various ideas to see what works, as Trump seeks to hammer out a lasting peace deal that would rapidly end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

One of the sources said the idea also applied pressure on Russia by proposing an arrangement in which they would have to hand over the plant. The Americans were inflaming the situation by using the word 'ownership,' the source said.

Zelenskiy has said it would take two-and-a-half years to restore the plant, the largest such facility in Europe.

A former senior Ukrainian official said 'anything is possible with the Americans, but this is something quite unusual.'

'The Americans would own it - and on what grounds? It belongs to Ukraine. Okay, let's hand it over to the USA - but on what basis? Will they buy it? Will they take it as a concession? Many questions.'

Oleksandr Kharchenko, a Kyiv-based energy analyst, said the return of the plant to the Ukrainian grid - as Kyiv demands - would be a 'game changer' for energy generation not only for Ukraine but also for eastern and central Europe.

The station provided 20% of Ukraine's power output before the war. Ukraine started large-scale electricity exports to the European Union just before the invasion, but stopped when Russia hammered its infrastructure with missiles and drones.

Despite making attempts, Moscow's forces have not been able to connect the facility to the Russian grid and it produces no energy.

Kharchenko said it would take up to one year to restart just a single reactor, and up to four years to get the whole station running because of various problems.

For one, the plant lost access to water from the now-emptied Kakhovka reservoir after the hydroelectric station and dam were blown up in 2023 ahead of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

The nuclear facility has since been taking water from a cooler pond, but the water level has been decreasing.

Engineers at Ukraine's energy ministry believe the water shortage would mean that only a maximum of two of the plant's six reactors could be turned back on to generate electricity.

What's more, they believe it would take at least a year to restart even those limited operations because the technical condition of the plant is not known.

A staff member at the plant who fled life under occupation and is now living in Kyiv told Reuters that Ukraine had drafted a detailed plan of action for the facility's potential return.

The staff member, who asked not to be named because their relatives were still living under occupation, said it would not be enough for Russia to simply hand over the plant on its own.

The adjacent, Russian-held thermal power plant would also be needed, as would nearby settlements including the city of Enerhodar as well as a route by road to the Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia, the worker said.

Nonetheless, for some people like pensioner Olha Shyshkyna in the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia not far away, the return of the plant one day looks likely as it has had no actual use for the Russian side so far.

'For Russia, our nuclear station is like a suitcase without a handle. After all, it is not operational, and now it's just a plaything. To us, it's critically important,' she said.
A Ukrainian missile struck an airbase used by Russian strategic bombers 400 miles behind the front line yesterday, in one of the longest-range strikes of the conflict.

The Neptune cruise missile strike caused a fireball and huge explosions as Russian heavy ordnance 'cooked off'.

The blast was apparently so forceful it ripped roofs from houses in civilian areas surrounding the Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast.

A huge billowing cloud lingered over the base for hours and was visible for 20 miles.

It was unclear last night whether any of the Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers based at Engels were wrecked  but the missiles they carry were destroyed.

The attack represents a major success for Ukraine as its recently upgraded Neptune missile system evaded Russian air defence systems  most likely due to a sophisticated radar jamming operation before the cruise missile was launched.

A Ukrainian subsonic cruise missile R-360 Neptune was launched towards a Russian airbase

Engels-2 airbase, home to Russia's nuclear bombers, was rocked by a massive explosion
Ed Miliband has topped a poll of Labour activists  as party members urged Sir Keir Starmer to move further to the Left.

The controversial Climate Change Secretary had the highest approval rating of any Cabinet minister in a survey of more than 2,000 party members.

Mr Miliband's zeal for achieving net zero at any cost had alarmed some of the PM's allies and triggered rumours he could be moved aside in a Cabinet reshuffle this summer.

But, his popularity among Labour activists could make him almost unsackable.

The Survation poll for the website LabourList found Mr Miliband has a net approval rating of 68.6 per cent among Labour members, putting him narrowly ahead of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner on 62.3 per cent.

The Left-wing pair are both far ahead of Sir Keir, who is on just 13.8 per cent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves is in last place, with Labour members giving her a net approval rating of -11.2 per cent.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, whose 5 billion cuts to welfare triggered a Labour backlash this week, has a rating of -7.5 per cent.

The survey also found that Labour members believe the Government is going in the wrong direction by a margin of 49:40.

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Ed Miliband topped the poll of Labour members despite his disastrous leadership of the party (pictured, the notorious bacon sandwich episode in the run-up to the 2015 election defeat)

Mr Miliband was also ridiculed over the 'Ed Stone' stunt during the 2015 campaign

Angela Rayner is the second most popular candidate among Labour activists

More than half of the party's activists still wanted Sir Keir to lead Labour into the next election

Tom Belger, editor of LabourList, said: 'It should raise alarm bells with the leadership that there's so much unease, even among the so-called party faithful, less than a year into office.

'The grassroots mood matters if Labour wants a strong ground operation in upcoming elections.

'But it's no surprise given how many controversial decisions ministers have felt forced into in tough fiscal circumstances, when hopes are high after so long out of power.'

The poll also revealed that Labour members fear the rise of Reform UK, with 71 per cent saying Nigel Farage's party now presents the biggest electoral threat compared with just 16 per cent identifying the Conservatives and 3 per cent naming the Liberal Democrats and the Greens.

Despite the Government's rocky start, more than half of party activists (52 per cent) said they want Sir Keir to lead Labour into the next election, while 31 per cent want a new leader.
When Sir Keir Starmer personally delivered a letter from King Charles to Donald Trump at the White House last month, inviting him for an unprecedented second state visit, the American President said the monarch was a 'beautiful man, a wonderful man'.

It would, Trump added, be an 'honour' to visit the King's 'fantastic' country.

Now, I hear that the monarch could make the president an offer he might find tempting.

And one which could help dampen down tensions between the White House and Canada, of which the King is head of state.

Plans are being made for the USA to become the next 'associate member' of the Commonwealth.

The King shares his late mother's deep affection and respect for the global 'family of nations', and sees it as particularly important at a time of international conflict and global uncertainty.

The Commonwealth, whose nations have a total population of more than 2.7billion, is one of the world's oldest political associations of states, with its roots in the British Empire.

Although America declared independence from Britain in 1776, this would be no impediment to its becoming the 57th member of the Commonwealth.

Donald and Melania Trump meet the then Prince Charles and Camilla at Clarence House in 2019, as Nato leaders gathered to mark 70 years of the alliance

The last four countries to join (Mozambique, Rwanda, Togo and Gabon) have no links with the British Empire, underlining the Commonwealth's role as a voluntary organisation of independent and equal states.

The proposals were made by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), with the apparent backing of Queen Elizabeth, during Trump's first term as president, but did not come to fruition. Now, the plans have been revived, with members of the society hopeful that the King will make the case to Trump when he meets him.

'This is being discussed at the highest levels,' a member claimed this week, telling me: 'It would be a wonderful move that would symbolise Britain's close relationship with the US.

'Donald Trump loves Britain and has great respect for the Royal Family, so we believe he would see the benefits of this. Associate membership could, hopefully, be followed by full membership, making the Commonwealth even more important as a global organisation.'

The source added: 'The Commonwealth is also a great forum for resolving differences between nations, and the King has shown that he is a natural peacemaker.'

Trump's regular talk of turning Canada into America's 51st state has created enormous tensions and put the King in an awkward position. Canada is one of the 15 countries of which he is head of state. He met new Canadian prime minister Mark Carney in London this week, in what many interpreted as a show of support.

When the RCS wrote to Trump in 2017, its then director, Michael Lake, said opening a Commonwealth branch in the US would help the two nations 'find imaginative ways' to work together.

His letter was delivered by Nigel Farage, who was the first British politician to meet Trump after his 2016 election victory.

The King said last week that the Commonwealth could help restore 'the disrupted harmony of our entire planet'.

In his annual Commonwealth Day message, he said: 'In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth's remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship.'

He added: 'As we mark this Commonwealth Day together, there is no more important task than to restore the disrupted harmony of our entire planet.

'For the sake of our younger generations' threatened future, I can only hope that the Commonwealth will continue its vital work to restore that harmony.'

A spokesman for the RCS declined to comment.
Whatever happened to Meghan's best friend Markus Anderson?

The tall, handsome Canadian was a third wheel in the early days of her romance with Prince Harry  and he was front and center at their 2018 wedding.

However, he was nowhere to be seen in the first series of her recent Netflix lifestyle show With Love, Meghan  and I understand that he won't appear in the second series either.

Though that next instalment isn't due to air until the autumn, it was filmed at the same time as the first, in a rented $8 million home near to the Montecito mansion Meghan shares with her husband Prince Harry and their children Archie and Lilibet.

A friend of Anderson conceded that their bond 'may' not be quite as tight as it once was.

This is apparently is due to Anderson's extremely busy professional life  he's an executive at Soho House and travels 'almost constantly.' The private members club now has 42 outposts around the globe.

The last time he and Meghan were spotted together was at a baby shower for a mutual friend in December. And before that, he hadn't been pictured with her in years.

On top of Anderson's busy schedule, his friend admitted there was another reason he has steered clear from Meghan's new show, saying: 'He just really is not comfortable in the spotlight... it's not his thing.'

Whatever happened to Meghan's best friend Markus Anderson? (Pictured: Meghan Markle and Markus Anderson in 2014).

The tall, handsome Canadian was a third wheel in the early days of her romance with Prince Harry - and he was front and center at their 2018 wedding (pictured).

Other prominent personalities who Meghan counts among her friends, but who haven't appeared in her show, include Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey  though, it's hardly like either of them are afraid of the spotlight.

Another missing face has been feminist-trailblazer Gloria Steinem, with whom the Duchess of Sussex is close.

Steinem's absence is less surprising, for she has built a career around fighting for equality and getting women out of the kitchen  not sprinkling edible flowers on biscuits.

Perhaps a changing of the guard is afoot in Meghan's inner circle.

After all, in the first episode of With Love, Meghan, she described her make-up artist Daniel Martin as her 'best friend'.

Martin came over to stay, and the Duchess faced some mockery online for decanting store-bought peanut butter pretzels from their cellophane wrapping into another cellophane bag, tying it with a bow and attaching a hand-written tag, to put by his bedside.

She appeared not to know whether Martin liked tomatoes and was surprised when he told her that he was left-handed.

Anderson was on there with Meghan on the July 2016 holiday to London when she met Harry. He set up their blind at the city's Soho House at 76 Dean Street  and, two years later, arranged Meghan's low-key bachelorette weekend at Soho Farmhouse, in the Cotswolds.

On his birthday in August 2016, Meghan wrote in a celebratory post on Instagram: 'What would I do without you, my loving, supportive, and endlessly fun friend? I know what... I would be bored, and life would be infinitely less interesting. I love you SO much.'

Just over two weeks since launch, and With Love, Meghan has already dropped out of the Top Ten Netflix shows globally. The show was met with a rather critical response.

But for his part, Netflix boss Ted Sarandos still believes the Duchess has enormous pulling power, and the streamer is a partner in her yet-to-launch lifestyle brand, As Ever.

Anderson (pictured here with Harry and Meghan in 2023) was nowhere to be seen in the first series of her recent Netflix lifestyle show With Love, Meghan - and I understand that he won't appear in the second series either.

Anderson was on there with Meghan on the July 2016 holiday to London when she met Harry. He set up their blind at the city's Soho House at 76 Dean Street  and, two years later, arranged Meghan's low-key bachelorette weekend at Soho Farmhouse, in the Cotswolds.

In an interview in Variety magazine this week, Sarandos said Meghan was 'underestimated in terms of her influence on culture.'

'When we dropped the trailer for the 'Harry & Meghan' doc series [in 2022], everything on-screen was dissected in the press for days. The shoes she was wearing sold out all over the world. The Hermes blanket that was on the chair behind her sold out everywhere in the world. People are fascinated with Meghan Markle.'

Sarandos added that the streamer's reported $100 million deal with the Sussexes was 'good for marketing and branding'.

'We're a passive partner in Meghan's company,' he said, 'and it's a big discovery model for us right now.'

Meghan was also a topic if interest in Vanity Fair's interview with Gwyneth Paltrow this week.

The Goop founder said of her Montecito neighbors: 'I don't know Meghan and Harry... I mean, I've met Meghan, who seems really lovely, but I don't know her at all.'

Paltrow added, with what sounded like faint praise: 'I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes... I think there's always more than enough to go around. Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try.'
Look around you, if you can't see the flames, you can certainly smell the smoke. They say it's darkest before dawn, but what if dawn or help isn't coming?

January 6th 2021's attack on the Capitol felt like a fever dream at the time, now a ghoulish forewarning of what was to come.

Current American policy, has sent seismic shockwaves throughout the world. You only have to glance at the TV to see a grim-faced Trump, holding yet another executive order, or a vice president in a very public, televised spat with a world leader.

Tariffs are in place, a US trade war is underway, while the said same vice president is undermining British fighting forces in an administration that's cosying up to Putin's war machine while pausing military aid to Ukraine.

No wonder it's so easy to forget the rise of the far right with our European neighbours. Or that Israel's prime minister has threatened Hamas with 'consequences you can't imagine' if the Palestinian group does not release the remaining hostages held in Gaza. That sort of language barely registers now, let alone shocks anyone.

In Syria, the country's new leader faces a power struggle as the country's fragile alliances  born after the fall of Assad  begin to fray and rival factions vie for a seat at the table.

David Patrikarakos: 'As the world plunges, seemingly unstoppably, toward mass conflict, we are back at the heart of the biggest global news stories, going behind the headlines, and on the ground, where it matters, to explain why it matters.' Listen here.

In Serbia, the opening day of the spring Parliament saw MPs light flares and discharge teargas, before scuffling with security guards. PMQs is positively sedate in comparison.

But this is serious. How did we get here?

To help us answer that question and more is David Patrikarakos, best selling author and the Daily Mail's Special Correspondent, and a host of guests who have stared into the abyss.

Each episode, we'll go on the ground to try and understand what forces and adversity each territory faces and how that might eventually, almost inexorably, impact us all.

One world used to be a term of hope and defiance, now it simply sounds like the first domino falling

Host Patrikarakos's writing has taken him to the frontlines of the geopolitical world.

Beginning his career reporting on the fight back against ISIS in the Middle East, Patrikarakos has since become a leading voice on the war in Ukraine.

He was the first western journalist in the occupied city Sloviansk in April 2014, which many view as the beginning of Russias occupation.

On the new podcast, Patrikarakos said: 'I am delighted to be back with the new season of the Mail's weekly global news podcast - Apocalypse, Now? Dispatches From a World on the Brink.

'As the world plunges, seemingly unstoppably, toward mass conflict, we are back at the heart of the biggest global news stories, going behind the headlines, and on the ground, where it matters, to explain why it matters.'

You can find the inaugral episode of Apocalypse, Now? wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes released every Thursday.
The Atascadero Unified School District school board, on Mar. 18, 2025, voted not to push through with a controversial pick for the superintendent position after facing backlash from parents and staff.

Parents and staff criticized the school board's selection process, even after trustees ensured that they would not hire their first choice. Previously, the board considered E.J. Rossi, the district's assistant superintendent of education services, as the top candidate.

Rejection of School Superintendent Candidate

However, concerns about the choice have surfaced over the past few weeks. In a survey and at a Mar. 4, 2025, school board meeting, there was also widespread disapproval of Rossi's hiring for the position.

The concerns raised were primarily due to the candidate's allegations of misappropriation of public funds while working as a superintendent and principal in the San Ardo Union School District.

A grand jury report also investigated Rossi's promotion within the Atascadero district in 2009, noting that he paid more than $30,000 to San Ardo as part of a settlement agreement. He had previously denied any criminal wrongdoing, according to The Tribune.

Although the school board did not select Rossi as the new superintendent of the Atascadero School District, parents, and staff still had some words for the trustees.

On Tuesday night, parents and teachers discussed their frustrations with the school district's process. One parent, Stephanie Drexler, said that many teachers feared retaliation for publicly opposing Rossi's consideration.

Allegations of Misappropriation of Funds

The report of Rossi's misappropriation of funds allegedly involved $54,000 in district funds, $32,000 of which he returned as part of the settlement agreement. Some argued that the situation should not have gotten this far before the board listened to the people, the Atascadero News reported.

When it announced that it would no longer consider Rossi, the school board said it had considered a "significant amount of public input from the community." It added that it would continue the search for the next district superintendent.

Trustee Denise McGrew-Kane said they simply want to ensure that the board and the community support the individual who becomes the school district's next leader. They added that they are committed to a process that "will work toward building trust."

Another issue the community had with Rossi was that in 2009, parents of Atascadero High School cheerleaders claimed that he refused to refund payments made for items the students never actually received, among other issues, as reported by CalCoastNews.
READ MORE: Humanoid gives chilling response when asked if it'll take our jobs

For any homeowner, having a helpful robot companion around the home is the stuff of sci-fi-worthy dreams.

But American tech firm Nvidia is now among the companies keen to make this a reality.

In California on Tuesday, the chip giant unveiled Blue, a cute advanced AI-powered robot with two legs, just 3 feet tall.

Footage shows Blue  which looks like the robot from the Pixar classic Wall-E  walk onto the stage as it's introduced by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

'Tell me that wasn't amazing,' Huang says to the audience, as Blue waddles up to him with a similar gait to a duck. 'Look how smart you are!'

Like R2-D2 talking to C-3PO in Star Wars, Blue responds with an adorable series of bleeps and bloops as it looks up at its master.

However, it seems there's still lots of work to do on Blue, as the bot was being controlled remotely by a staff member backstage.

It looks like Nvidia is not to be outdone  as Boston Dynamics has hit back with a fresh clip of its own cartwheeling humanoid.

Nvidia's Star Wars-inspired robot, called Blue, appears on stage during a keynote session at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, on March 18, 2025

The robot bares a striking resemblance to some of Disney's other iconic designs such as Wall-E from the 2008 animation of the same name

Mr Huang introduced Blue at Nvidia's GTC AI Conference on Tuesday in San Jose, California, described by some outlets as 'the Super Bowl of AI'.

Blue, inspired by Star Wars, is part of a collaboration with Google and Disney, which owns the rights to the Lucasfilm movie franchise.

Disney will showcase the robot as several of its theme parks this summer, including Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland Paris.

Nvidia computers are operating inside Blue, which has been built with a powerful AI-driven physics engine called Newton to be able to perform 'complex tasks'.

Since its founding in 1993, Nvidia has specialized in graphics processing units (GPUs) coveted by video game enthusiasts.

GPUs are also ideally suited for AI and the rise of that technology has catapulted the Silicon Valley-based chip maker into the spotlight.

'We're not making chips anymore; those were the good old days,' Huang said. 'What we do now is build AI infrastructure.'

In perhaps a well-timed X post, rival Boston Dynamics shared a new clip of its humanoid called Atlas performing some impressive acrobatics.

Like R2-D2 talking to C-3PO in Star Wars, Blue responded with an adorable series of bleeps and bloops as it looks up at its master, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang

In perhaps a well-timed X post , rival Boston Dynamics shared a new clip of its humanoid called Atlas performing some impressive acrobatics

Last year, Boston Dynamics unveiled a new version of its Atlas humanoid robot, showing its creepy movements that make it look like something out of a sci-fi horror movie

This latest version of Atlas, unveiled last year, is seen in the new clip doing cartwheels, forward rolls, hand stands and short runs.

It also crawls on all fours and does a sophisticated bit of breakdancing  but similar to Blue, not all is what it seems in the newest clip.

The Boston company confirmed Atlas is being controlled here with 'motion capture'  meaning it's copying the movements of a human operator.

Atlas is not for sale, but rather it's a 'research platform designed to push the limits of whole-body mobility', the company claims.

The bot's capabilities have gradually been expanded since it was first unveiled, back in July 2013.

According to Boston Dynamics, Atlas is a 'high mobility, humanoid robot designed to negotiate outdoor, rough terrain'.

It is aimed specifically at helping emergency services in search and rescue operations.
After nine long months aboard the International Space Station, NASA's astronauts have finally returned to Earth.

But Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams' shockingly changed appearances have stunned the world since their landing on Tuesday.

In particular, their long stint in space appears to have turned the astronauts' hair grey.

Williams, whose 'gaunt' appearance previously sparked health concerns, appeared notably different  with a long head of grey hair.

While some online commenters joked that this could be caused by a lack 'of hair dye' on the ISS, scientists say that space really can change your hair.

Research has shown that microgravity aboard the ISS interferes with hair growth.

Trapped outside Earth's gravitational pull, hair follicles in astronauts' heads start to undergo genetic changes that suppress growth.

Some studies even suggest that microgravity leads to an increase in 'oxidative stress' in hair cells, which is a potential cause of greying.

As the stranded NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore return to Earth, their strikingly changed appearance has shocked the world

Suni Williams' appearance stunned the world as she emerged from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule looking noticeably greyer

According to scientists, an extended period of time in microgravity can lead to reduced hair growth and increased levels of stress which could trigger greying. Pictured: Suni Williams being escorted on a stretcher after landing, March 18, 2025

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Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, first arrived on the ISS in June aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.

However, after a series of technical issues made it impossible to return on the problem-plagued capsule, the pair were forced to wait aboard the ISS until the departure of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission in March.

In that time, Williams and Wilmore were exposed to the harsh conditions of space and the extreme stress of living in a floating laboratory 240 miles (386km) above the Earth's surface.

Even during their stay, health experts were concerned that they may have been experiencing dramatic weight loss, but their return has raised new questions about the impact of space on the human body.

When Williams arrived on the ISS, her long flowing locks prompted Donald Trump to dub her the 'woman with the wild hair'.

However, as Williams was helped from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, following their splashdown of the coast of Florida, her hair appeared to have become grey.

On social media, commenters were quick to suggest that the change may be due to her grey roots growing out.

On X, formerly Twitter, one commenter wrote: 'Well, looks like Suni Williams, stranded on the International Space Station, has run out of hair dye'.

Studies have shown that time spent in microgravity alters the genetic expression in human hair follicles, leading to reduced growth

On X, commenters attributed Williams' change in appearance to a lack of hair dye which could have caused her grey roots to become visible

One commenter joked that Williams had 'run out of hair dye' during her time on the ISS

What does space do to your hair? Thinning Studies have shown that microgravity activates genes in hair follicles that suppress hair growth.

This could lead to hair not being replaced as it grows.

Research on mice has also shown that spaceflight causes skin thinning and disrupts hair's growth cycle. Greying There is no direct evidence that spaceflight causes greying.

However, microgravity does increase oxidative stress in hair cells which has been linked to greying.

Likewise, time in space causes emotional stress which can trigger hair to become grey or white. Advertisement

Another added: 'She expected to be away for a weekso obviously she couldnt continue coloring her hair.'

In reality, it is possible that Williams and Wilmore's dramatic transformations are a product of the intense forces of space.

A study published in 2016 by scientists from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) found that microgravity alters gene expression in human hair follicles.

The study collected hair samples from ten astronauts living on the ISS for six months.

These samples showed that the spaceflight increased the activation of certain genes which restrict hair growth  prompting balding fears.

In the paper, Dr Masahiro Terada, a researcher at JAXA, wrote: 'We found that spaceflight alters human hair follicle gene expression.

'In some astronauts, genes related to hair growth such as FGF18, ANGPTL7 and COMP were upregulated during flight, suggesting that spaceflight inhibits cell proliferation in hair follicles.'

The study raises the prospect that humans may turn into a bald species if we start living in space and lose the ability to replenish hair as it falls out.

Williams' changing appearance had sparked concerns earlier in the mission when pictures showed her looking 'gaunt'

Studies show that microgravity causes changes in the genetic expression of human hair follicles. This activates more genes which suppress hair growth, particularly in men, which could lead to thinning or hair loss

The changes were also found to be more pronounced in male astronauts than in female astronauts.

Dr Terada wrote: 'Although there are many differences such as hormone levels or functions between males and females, female astronauts appear to have a better response against the features of the space environment, as one example, FGF18 expression in females was more stable in space than in males.'

Likewise, a 2015 study looked at the skin and hair cells from mice who had spent three months aboard the ISS.

Researchers found that the mice had thinner skin and a disrupted hair follicle cycle.

Currently, there is no direct research into whether time spent in space causes hair greying.

However, there are studies which show spaceflight increases some of the known causes of greying.

In particular, studies have shown that changes to gene regulation during spaceflight leads to increased 'oxidative stress' in hair tissues.

Some research has suggested that oxidative stress, a type of damage created by harmful molecules called 'reactive oxygen', could be a key cause of greying.

There is no direct evidence to show that microgravity causes hair to turn grey. However, studies have shown that spaceflight causes extreme emotional stress which can take a serious toll on the body, including greying the hair

Having now returned to Earth, Williams (left) and Wilmore (right) will need to undergo a lengthy process of medical checks and a 45-day rehabilitation programme to recover

If spaceflight does increase oxidative stress in hair cells, this could explain why some astronauts' hair appears to grey.

Likewise, astronauts undergo a huge amount of emotional stress during their time in space.

Studies have shown that astronauts undergo something called 'long-term spaceflight composite stress'.

This is a combination of multiple sources of stress unique to space such as microgravity, isolation, confinement, constant noise, and circadian rhythm disturbance.

According to research from the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, this stress is so severe that it can even trigger depression and cognitive dysfunction.

There is well-documented evidence that experiencing stress causes hair to turn grey by triggering the body's fight-or-flight reflex.

When this happens, your body's nervous system releases a chemical called norepinephrine into the hair follicles which turns the hair grey or white.

Suni Williams' transformation was so profound that it sparked a bizarre conspiracy theory claiming that the mission was faked and that she had dyed her hair before 'returning' to Earth. In reality, these confused conspiracy theorists had simply mixed up photos from before and after the mission, giving the impression that her hair had become darker

Although these conspiracy theorists did pick up on Williams and Wilmore's changed appearance, they failed to realise which photos had been taken first

Given the stressful circumstances surrounding their stay on the ISS, it is perhaps unsurprising that Williams and Wilmore might look a little more grey once they finally got home.

Williams' transformation was so profound that it sparked a bizarre conspiracy theory that the entire mission had been faked.

On social media, confused conspiracy theorists mixed up photos taken before and after the nine-month mission, taking this as evidence that Williams's hair had actually darkened while in space.

One baffled commenter wrote: 'It was nice that Sunita Williams thought to put a color through her hair to cover up the grey for the journey home.'

'Not only that, but her gray hair magically transformed back to a rich, dark brownno roots, no touch-ups, just pure space alchemy,' another commenter mistakenly claimed.
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore could suffer from lifelong, excruciating back pain as a result of their nine-month-long space mission.

Studies suggest around a third of astronauts who spend months in space go on to suffer chronic back pain as a result of their spines degrading in zero gravity.

Almost all astronauts suffer acute pain, including NASA's Frank Rubio, who spent a record-breaking 371 days on the International Space Station (ISS).

He has said it took him two to three months of rehabilitation and reclamation to feel normal again once he was back on Earth.

The lack of gravity on the ISS reduces the compressive load on the spine, causing it to straighten and lengthen, doctors told Dailymail.com.

Once astronauts are back on the ground, the spine gradually shifts to its normal shape, but is significantly weaker.

So are the back and core muscles, which protect and support the spine.

Williams, 59, and Wilmore, 62, returned to Earth on Tuesday after their 286-day space saga, and doctors warn they face a long road to getting healthy again.

Based on the length of their mission, 'it will likely take at least three to six months for them to feel fully normal again, and probably longer for their spine to return to pre-flight condition,' Dr Ehsan Jazini, spine surgeon at VSI, told DailyMail.com.

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio logged 371 days on the ISS before returning to Earth in September, 2023. He experienced back pain as a result of his extended mission

Indeed, former astronauts have found that it can take up to 1.5 times the length of the mission to recover. That means the pair may need more than a year before they feel entirely themselves again.

Dr Jazini said their rehab program will likely include progressive core and spinal stabilization exercises, stretching and mobility work, slow reintroduction to high-impact activities and monitoring for signs of herniation or chronic pain issues.

'NASAs medical teams are well-equipped to handle this, but given the length of their mission, a longer recovery timeline should be expected,' he said.

'Just like I tell my patients, theyll need a lot of patience and consistency in the rehabilitation process.'

The severity and duration of any back pain Williams and Wilmore face will vary depending on the health of their bones, experts said, but many astronauts have reported pain in the lower back and characterized it as 'dramatic,' or 'spasming.'

'In space, the spinal column expands due to lack of gravity,' said Dr Deena Adimoolam, a specialist bone disease and endocrinology at Summit Health.

'When the astronauts return to Earth, the spinal column compresses due to gravity which can lead to back pain,' she explained.

At the same time, the lack of gravity on the ISS causes bone loss and muscle atrophy, which also affects the back and spine.

Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida on Tuesday, marking an end to their 286-day space mission. Williams have a thumbs-up after emerging from the Dragon capsule that carried them back to Earth

Williams and Wilmore were helped onto stretchers by NASA's medical crew. This is standard practice for astronauts whose muscles have been weakened by their time in microgravity

All of this reduces the strength and stability of the spine, resulting in acute or sometimes chronic pain.

Dr Michael Eng, an orthopedic surgeon with Hoag Orthopedic Institute, said that Williams and Wilmore 'can pretty much count on a level of muscle atrophy, even at the smallest of levels.

'The atrophy of the core muscles can affect posture, but depending on the severity of the atrophy can also lead to a risk of disc herniation.

'The weakened core includes paraspinal muscles, that are pretty important to your spine functioning safely.'

Williams and Wilmore logged 286 days in space before splashing down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida Tuesday evening.

Like all astronauts, they exercised for at least two hours per day to reduce bone and muscle loss. But the longer the human body stays in space, the more difficult it can be to recover from this damage once they return to Earth.

'Even with pre-landing conditioning practices, their return to gravity is still a major adjustment to their spine, as nothing fully replicates that sudden shift back to Earths gravity,' Dr Jazini said.

Rubio spent more than a year in orbit, and said it took months to get close to his pre-flight physical status after he returned.

In January 2024, He told Time Magazine that his rehabilitation involved 'lots of exercise, lots of testing, and science.'

One recent study found that 77 percent of astronauts experience back pain during spaceflight, 47 percent report acute pain after they return and 33 percent suffer from chronic pain long after their missions.

Like Williams and Wilmore, Rubio didn't expect to be in space as long as he was.

When he launched aboard the Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft on September 21, 2022, he thought he would only be on the ISS for a typical long-term stay of six months.

But his mission was extended after Soyuz was hit by space junk while docked to the ISS, causing the spacecraft to leak all its coolant.

Low gravity reduces the compressive load on the spine, causing it to straighten and lengthen. While in space, astronauts may grow up to three inches taller as a result

NASA astronaut Raja Chari performs strengthening exercises after returning from a 177-day-long ISS mission. Astronauts typically undergo a 45-day rehabilitation program after long-term space missions to reverse the effects that low gravity had on their muscles and bones

A new Soyuz spacecraft had to be dispatched to the space station to bring Rubio and his two Russian crewmates home. They splashed down on September 27, 2023.

Like Rubio, Williams and Wilmore will undergo an extensive rehabilitation program to reverse the effects of their nine-month-long space mission.

This program should last about 45 days and will require them to exercise for two hours per day, seven days per week.

While it is tailored to the specific needs of each astronaut, it generally consists of three basic phases.

Phase one focuses on regaining strength, flexibility and the ability to walk. This may include gait training exercises, range of motion exercises and obstacle training.

Gait training exercises are movements designed to improve strength, balance and coordination during walking. Examples include squats, straight leg raises, standing on one leg and seated marching.

To improve their range of motion, the astronauts may perform ankle pumps, which involve sitting or lying down while flexing the feet. They may also do stretches to loosen the calves, quadriceps and hamstrings.

Astronauts may have to navigate an obstacle course or step over and around objects to improve their coordination.

After making some improvement during phase one the astronauts move on to phase two, which adds proprioceptive exercises and cardio reconditioning.

Proprioceptive exercises strengthen the body and improve the mind's perception of its movement and position.

Examples include reverse lunges, banded toe taps and sumo squats with leg raises.

Some of these exercises are more complex. Astronauts may be asked to pick an object up off the floor while standing on one leg, which requires them to hinge at the waist and maintain their balance as they bend down.

Doctors said Williams and Wilmore could be at risk of chronic back pain, or may require months of physical therapy to combat acute back pain as a result of their extended space mission

As for cardio training, the astronauts may use a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike to get their endurance back to pre-flight status.

Phase three, the longest phase, focuses on returning the astronaut to their optimal level of physical performance through functional development training.

This training helps astronauts regain the skills and abilities they need in order to do their jobs and fully participate in their daily lives with ease and efficiency.

It may include more high-intensity exercises, such as jump squats and jump lunges, mountain climbers, planks and dead lifts.

Most astronauts return to their re-mission fitness level after the 45 days, according to NASA.

But it can take months or even years for some to recover, and research has shown that many astronauts never fully restore their bone density.

Dr John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer, previously told DailyMail.com that they could still recover their pre-flight bone density if they use osteogenic loading, but it won't be easy.

This involves exercises that strengthen bones by putting stress on them, such as squats, lunges or jumping.

But in order to stimulate bone growth, the astronauts' bones will have to bear a load 4.2 times their body weight, Dr Jaquish said.

For reference, 'the world record squat is only four times body weight, so the minimum [weight] you need is more load than the world record holders,' he said.
NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore has revealed who he believes truly rescued him while he was stranded in space for more than nine months.

The astronaut admitted that being stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) was not ideal but said: 'It all works out for those that will believe.

'It's bound in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ he is working out his plan and his purposes for his glory throughout all of humanity and how that plays into our lives is significant and important,' Wilmore explained in a newly released interview.

The astronaut is a devout Christian and has not shied away from his faith while being in the public eye.

Born and raised in Tennessee, he now lives in Texas with his wife, Deanna, and two daughters, Daryn and Logan, who are all members of the Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena.

Wilmore paused moments before the June 5 launch, huddling in prayer with technicians and his crewmate Sunita Williams.

His daughter Daryn, also raised in the church, told DailyMail.com: 'The Lord has given all of us a peace throughout all of this and we know it was his plan.'

Wilmore and Williams splashed down off the coast of Florida Tuesday at 5:57pm ET and Daryn said she saw her dad a few hours after he was released from medical.

'The Lord has blessed us in this time, and we know hes in control of it,' said Daryn on the day of her father's return.

NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore (left) recently shared that it was his faith that helped him get through the unexpected stay in space. He and his crewmate Sunita Williams were stuck on the International Space Station for more than nine months

Born and raised in Tennessee, he now lives in Texas with his wife, Deanna (center right), and two daughters, Daryn (left) and Logan (right), who are all members of the Providence Baptist Church in Pasadena

Wilmore and Williams were set to return home on June 13, but a scourge of technical issues with their spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner.

The problems ultimately drove NASA to delay their return until they could hitch a ride home on a safer ship.

The fiasco made its way to the White House where President Donald Trump blame former President Joe Biden for 'abandoning' the pair in space.

Trump made the comments in January, tapping Elon Musk to 'go get' them as soon as possible.

Shortly after, NASA announced an earlier return date for Williams and Wilmore.

Wilmore gave an interview earlier this month while still in space, but it was just shared with the public this week, where the Christian Broadcasting Network asked him what his life lesson or takeaway was from the nine months in space.

'However [God's plan] plays out I am content because I understand that,' Wilmore said.

'I understand that He's at work in all things somethings are for the good go to Hebrews 11, some things look to us to be not so good but it all works out for his good for those that will believe.'

Wilmore paused moments before the June 5 launch, huddling in prayer with technicians and his crewmate Sunita Williams

The astronaut admitted that being stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) was not ideal but said, 'It all works out for those that will believe.' Pictures is Wilmore early Wednesday morning after leaving medical

Ahead of the mission, the astronaut said that his family was prepared for his stay in space because they 'trusted in sovereign God.

'Whatever the plan is, we're ready for it, whatever that might be,' he added.

Deanna had said Wilmore's faith that God is in control gives his family great peace. He is content on the space station, neither worrying nor fretting.

'We're not saying this means that nothing bad will happen or the Starliner will bring Barry home safely, but whatever the Lord does, will be for our good and for His glory,' even if they don't fully understand it, Deanna said before the June flight.

It is unknown how many have practiced their faith in orbit, according to NASA, because some keep it private. But flight-certified religious items are permitted.

In 2023, astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli celebrated Hanukkah on the ISS, sharing a video featuring a menorah, a spinning dreidel and her view of Earth.

Houston Rabbi Shaul Osadchey encouraged a member of his congregation and then astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman to bring the first Torah into space on his final shuttle mission in 1996.

Osadchey tracked down a miniature scroll, and he and about 40 synagogue members attended the launch in Florida.

'We bring our culture and our backgrounds with us where we go,' said Osadchey, noting Hoffman read from the Torah, the start of Genesis specifically, on Shabbat. 'Jeff brought the Jewish tradition into a new domain  new world that is being conquered by humans.'

The three astronauts aboard Apollo 8 broadcasted their reading from Genesis on Christmas Eve as they flew around the moon, starting with 'In the beginning, God created the heaven and the Earth.'
The US Army is set to test its next-generation long-range missile today, ensuring the weapon is reliable and accurate for soldiers in a potential future conflict.

The launch is taking place at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California Thursday between 10:30am and 11am ET.

The test will see the military's $3.5 million ground-to-ground missiles fired from trucks up to 300 miles away from targets.

The Army hopes this new generation of missiles soon replaces their aging arsenal that has been used in combat since the early 1990s.

Thursday's test follows several other successful test firings of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) by the Army and Lockheed Martin, including one in February at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The launch also comes as President Donald Trump warned this week that the US could still get pulled into World War III if Russia's invasion into Ukraine escalates.

'We want to get it over with,' Trump said of the war during his interview with The Ingraham Angle host Laura Ingraham Tuesday, admitting that 'Russia has the advantage.'

'Look, we're doing this  there are no Americans involved. There could be if you end up in World War III over this, which is so ridiculous,' he added.

The US Army is testing the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) at Vandenberg Space Force Base Wednesday

President Trump said in an interview that US forces could still end up involved in a conflict between Russia and Ukraine that turns into World War III

With the US now potentially facing new threats and escalating situations in Ukraine and the Middle East, Army officials said its PrSM provides more accuracy and lethality on the battlefield.

The PrSM is designed to eventually replace an older missile system called ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System), which the Army has been using since Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

The new missiles have been fired in groups of two during these practice launches, a tactic called a 'double shot' test.

It simulates the Army's doctrine which often calls for two missiles to be fired at critical target, including incoming enemy missiles and heavily defended positions.

Launching multiple missiles from these trucks (called HIMARS) increases the chances of hitting the target or overwhelming enemy defenses.

Lockheed Martin noted that their current contract with the military will allow the aerospace giant to produce 400 of these missiles each year when the company receives a green light from the Army to go into full production. The deal is worth up to $120 million.

In July, Darrell Ames from the US Department of Defense said: 'The two major differences between the ATACMs and PrSM today are range and loadout quantities.'

A missile's loadout refers to the amount of rockets a launch container (pod) can hold, while the range reveals how far it can travel.

'The PrSM has doubled the loadout capability per pod and has a significantly greater range capability,' Ames added.

Carolyn Orzechowski, the vice president of Precision Fires Launchers and Missiles at Lockheed Martin, noted that the company was continuing the weapon tests while they await military approval to start building more PrSMs.

The PrSM has been designed to replace the Army Tactical Missile System, which has been used in combat since 1991 during Operation Desert Storm

The new missile reportedly has a range of more than 300 missiles and is fired from a mobile rocket-launching platform called HIMARS

The PrSM is not the only high-tech piece of the American arsenal currently being tested as tensions rise.

The Army recently unveiled a new facility for testing its HAWK missile system to ensure America's arsenal 'remains ready for action.'

HAWK (Homing All the Way Killer), originally deployed in 1959, is a surface-to-air guided missile that provides air defense coverage against slow-moving aerial threats like drones and bomber aircraft.

The McAlester Army Ammunition Plant (MCAAP) in Oklahoma announced the site in February, naming it the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility (TRMF).

The new testing site will look at the HAWK missile system (pictured) that has been used by the US since the 1960s

Although Trump said his recent conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin went 'great' and lasted for roughly two hours, it did not end with a promise of peace.

Putin rejected Trump's proposal of a full, unconditional ceasefire with Ukraine.

Instead, the Russia leader only agreed to a limited ceasefire, ending attacks on Ukraine's 'energy and infrastructure.'

The renewed fears about a world war breaking out come after Trump publicly berated Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in February, claiming that he was 'gambling with World War III' by not agreeing to America's peace terms.

Since then, leaders in Europe have promised to continue supporting Zelensky and his invaded nation - even claiming that their countries would defeat Russia in a military confrontation the situation went that far.
A researcher at an isolated station in Antarctica allegedly turned into a violent madman, leaving his team living in fear and revealing a terrifying culture of violence.

The unnamed male team member at the remote Sanae IV base was accused of attacking one of the South African crew's nine researchers, threatening to kill another, and sexually assaulting two women.

According to an urgent email from a Sanae IV researcher to the South African government, the unstable man's actions had become 'deeply disturbing' and the scientists needed an emergency evacuation.

The whistleblower revealed that the attacker 'physically assaulted Kelcey Maewashe,' the team's leader, and said the rampage created 'an environment of fear and intimidation.'

'I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim,' they added.

Stunningly, none of the six men and three women at Sanae IV have been removed from the outpost, with the South African environment ministry saying the alleged 'perpetrator' apologized and was willing to take a psychological evaluation.

South African officials confirmed to DailyMail.com that Maewashe had been attacked, but their investigation also concluded that the alleged incidents of sexual assault did not take place.

Despite Environment Minister Dion George claiming the base is now 'calm and all is under control,' this is just the latest in a shocking pattern of strange behavior among scientists in Antarctica.

A member of the South African research team in Antarctica has been accused of going on a violent rampage at the Sanae IV outpost, officials have not said which individual allegedly committed the acts

Scientists on South African Antarctic research base Sanae IV pleaded for help after one of the nine researchers became violent and assaulted at least one person

Several Antarctic researchers have come forward in recent years to expose disturbing acts of violence and sexual abuse at bases throughout the frozen and empty continent.

Former US researcher Liz Monohon was threatened on a previous mission and explained that the alleged victims on the South African team literally have no one for thousands of miles to help them immediately when someone turns aggressive.

'No one but myself was there to save me,' Monahon told the US Sun. 'That was the thing that was so terrifying.'

The South African environment minister tried to explain away the incident, saying the scientist who assaulted Maewashe and allegedly threatened to kill his colleagues at snapped after the expedition's team leader decided to change their work schedule.

'You can imagine what it's like. It is close quarters and people do get cabin fever. It can be very disorientating,' Minister George said.

The long stretches of isolation and working in close quarters means that each researcher must undergo a series of background checks, physical and medical assessments, and a psychometric evaluation before they are cleared for the expedition.

However, many of these incidents aren't just cases of scientists losing their cool.

In 2022, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the federal agency overseeing the US Antarctic Program, found that 59 percent of women claimed they had experienced harassment or were the victims of an assault while in Antarctica.

Monahon, a former ship mechanic at McMurdo Station that same year, revealed how she was forced to sleep with a hammer tucked in her bra after being threatened by a male colleague during their expedition.

Geomarr van Tonder (center) and two colleagues hold alcoholic beverages outside Sanae IV. There is no indication that anyone in this photo was involved in the incident

Maewashe (pictured in blue) and 4 researchers pose in the snow with beer bottles. It has not been revealed if anyone in the photo was involved in the incident at Sanae IV

One of the nine Sanae IV team members (pictured) emailed South African officials begging to be rescued. Officials have not said who was responsible for the incident or who sent the email

While at the US base on the other side of Antarctica, Monahon was allegedly sexually harassed and physically threatened by a fellow research team member who already had a history of alcohol-related criminal offenses in New Zealand.

That Antarctic researcher, Zak Buckingham, allegedly taunted Monahon and another woman at an outpost bar - asking several other men which one was going to have sex with the women.

Monahon told the Associated Press in 2023 that Buckingham - an amateur boxer - approached her another time and said 'snitches will get stitches' after she complained about his behavior to Buckingham's employer, PAE.

'Zak Buckingham is a danger to me. He has threatened my life. He is capable of hurting me and he wants to hurt me.  I have been living in fear for the last two days,' Monahon wrote in a letter to PAE's HR department.

Despite being removed from the expedition, Buckingham never faced any legal action or punishment related to Monahon's claims in Antarctica.

After the NSF report was released, food steward Jennifer Sorensen came forward to admit that she had been raped at McMurdo Station in 2015.

Another female researcher at McMurdo told US marshals that a male colleague assaulted her, pinning her down by putting his leg across her throat so she couldn't breathe.

'On station, I had no advocate to speak on behalf of my needs and protection, no jail to protect me from my rapist, and no knowledge of any present law enforcement personnel,' Sorensen told the AP.

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US researcher Liz Monahon was a ship mechanic McMurdo Station in 2022 when she claims a fellow expedition member sexually harassed and threatened her until he was removed from the Antarctic mission

As for the latest disturbing incident, the researchers at Sanae IV won't be relieved until December, when temperatures at the South Pole are at their warmest.

The research group includes electronics engineer Nivek Ghazi, Dr. Sihle Mpho Lawana, mechanical engineer Nkululeko Welcome Khoza, communications engineer Athenkosi Mabope, and electronics engineer Geomarr van Tonder.

Instrumentation technician Allowed Tumelo Seepane, diesel mechanic Alian Stuart Jacobs, and electro-mechanical engineer Lebogang James Tsimeare also part of the team.

It is still unclear which of the five other men on the team became enraged and triggered the call for help.

Dr. Sihle Mpho Lawana is a dermatologist and the physician on the Antarctic mission. She has been a medical doctor since 2019. Officials have not said if Dr. Lawana was involved in the incident

Crew member Geomarr van Tonder (left) has been an electronic engineer for the South African National Space Agency for 8 months. Nivek Ghazi (right) has been with the agency for nearly 3 years. Officials have not said if van Tonder or Ghazi were involved in the incident

Although the team has taken several pictures during the expedition with alcohol, there have not been any claims that drinking played a role in the violent outburst.

However, Monahon recorded conversation with Holly Newman, a representative for PAE, where the company official said there have been problems with alcohol and people 'hurting other people' in Antarctica that go back 'way before' 2015.

Wes Thurmann, a fire department supervisor who had worked in Antarctica, also claimed that the NSF often blamed incidents of sexual harassment on alcohol.

In the meantime, South African officials said they've started a 'longer term' professional counselling service to help restore the broken relationships at Sanae IV.

Unless there are changes in the outpost's schedule, the other eight team members will be forced to live with the accused madman for another nine months.
It's well known that the universe began in an explosion known as the Big Bang, but scientists now say that it might end with a 'Big Crunch'.

According to this chilling theory, the cosmos will eventually start to collapse in on itself until every shred of matter is compressed into a hot, dense inferno.

And scientists now believe they have discovered a critical piece of evidence that shows this process could begin at any time.

A groundbreaking new study suggests the mysterious force which prevents the universe from shrinking could be weakening.

Scientists previously thought that this force, known as 'dark energy', was a constant which always pushed the cosmos apart at the same rate.

However, after combining the largest-ever map of the universe with other key measurements, researchers now believe this fundamental assumption is incorrect.

Dr Willem Elbers, a researcher from the Institute for Computational Cosmology at Durham University who worked on the project, says: 'For decades, we have relied on a standard model of the universe, but our new data suggests that dark energy might be evolving over time.

'If this is true, it will change everything we thought we knew about the cosmos.'

Scientists say that the universe may end in a 'Big Crunch' in which all the matter of the universe collapses in on itself until it forms a hot, dense fireball (stock image)

Researchers have created the biggest and most detailed map of the universe ever created, containing almost 15 million galaxies and quasars. This map suggests that the force pushing the universe apart might now be weakening

Ever since the Big Bang, estimated to have occurred approximately 13.8billion years ago, the universe has been expanding like a balloon being blown up.

To explain why the universe is expanding, Albert Einstein proposed that there must be a constant force called 'dark energy' pushing things apart.

According to what scientists call the 'standard model', this force should mean that the universe keeps on expanding forever.

However, some scientists have proposed that gravity will eventually overwhelm dark energy and pull the universe back together in the reversal of the Big Bang.

If this were to happen, stars and galaxies would collide and merge into a burning core where the surface of stars would ignite other celestial bodies.

The energy of the universe would become hotter until it reached thousands of degrees Celsius, tearing hydrogen atoms into free protons and electrons.

Eventually, the universe itself would become a single, vast fireball in which all matter, life, and even time and space itself would ultimately be destroyed under the immense force of gravity.

Until now, this has been nothing more than a speculative theory about what might happen rather than a realistic scenario.

On the standard model of cosmology, the universe is being pushed apart by a constant force called dark energy. However, researchers now believe that this force could be changing its strength over time

Dark energy and dark matter are the theoretical extra ingredients in the standard model of the universe that explain why things are structured the way they are. Pictured, NASA's map of dark matter in the universe

This new map of the universe was created by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) at Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona (pictured). This telescope can measure the light from 5,000 galaxies at once

However, this new research suggests that dark matter is not a constant as Einstein proposed but, rather changes over time - meaning that the universe could start to collapse.

And this could all happen 'remarkably' quickly, according to study co-author Paul Steinhardt, Director of the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science at Princeton University in New Jersey.

These new results emerge from the latest survey by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) in Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona.

This is an exceptionally advanced telescope which uses robotically-controlled fibre-optic 'eyes' to capture the light from 5,000 different galaxies at once.

Through the efforts of 9,000 researchers around the globe, scientists have used this data to create the biggest and most detailed map of the known universe ever produced.

Scientists then compared this map to other measurements, such as heat left over from the Big Bang called the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and the light from exploding stars.

The standard model can explain almost all of these measurements individually but struggles to explain all the observations taken together.

Professor Will Percival, co-spokesperson for DESI and an astronomer from the University of Waterloo, says: 'Were guided by Occams razor, and the simplest explanation for what we see is shifting.

Using new, extremely precise measurements of the universe (pictured), researchers looked to see if a constant force of dark energy could explain everything they observed. This new data suggests that a constant force may not be the best fit

Looking at subtle variations in the distribution of matter in the map of the universe (pictured) the researchers found evidence that the force of dark energy is changing over time

If dark energy becomes weak enough, scientists say the universe could be pulled together into a Big Crunch 'remarkably quickly'. That means all the matter would be crushed together into a dense state like a black hole, destroying everything in the universe. Pictured: An artist's impression of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way

'Its looking more and more like we may need to modify our standard model of cosmology to make these different datasets make sense together - and evolving dark energy seems promising.'

In particular, the researchers looked at subtle patterns in how matter was distributed after the Big Bang called 'baryon acoustic oscillations' - essentially soundwaves spreading through the universe like ripples on a pond.

These ripples act like a standardised ruler, so, by looking at how big this ruler seems at different times in the universe's evolution, researchers can work out how fast the universe is expanding.

That, in turn, lets researchers work out how hard dark energy has been pushing the universe outwards.

With new, extremely precise measurements, the researchers are now very confident - although not completely certain - that this force has been changing over time.

If so, that means a scenario in which weakening dark energy is overwhelmed by gravity and the universe collapses in a Big Crunch could be much more likely.

Not only that, but it may mean scientists need to chuck out everything they have assumed about the universe so far and come up with a new standard model.

Dr Andrei Cuceu, a researcher at Berkely Lab who worked on the study, says: 'Were in the business of letting the universe tell us how it works, and maybe the universe is telling us its more complicated than we thought it was.'

WHAT IS DARK ENERGY? Dark energy is a phrase used by physicists to describe a mysterious 'something' that is causing unusual things to happen in the universe. The universe is full of matter and the attractive force of gravity pulls all matter together. Then came 1998 and the Hubble Space Telescope observations of very distant supernovae that showed that, a long time ago, the universe was actually expanding more slowly than it is today. The universe is not only expanding, but it is expanding faster and faster as time goes by,' Dr Kathy Romer, scientist at the Dark Energy Survey told MailOnline, as illustrated in this Nasa graphic So the expansion of the universe has not been slowing due to gravity, as everyone thought, it has been accelerating. No one expected this, no one knew how to explain it. But something was causing it. 'The universe is not only expanding, but it is expanding faster and faster as time goes by,' Dr Kathy Romer, scientist at the Dark Energy Survey told MailOnline. 'What we'd expect is that the expansion would get slower and slower as time goes by, because it has been nearly 14 billion years since the Big Bang.' Advertisement
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams may have put a brave face while stuck in space, but her family have revealed how she was secretly hurting.

Williams' mother, Bonnie Pandya, said her daughter was considering retiring weeks before being deployed on the mission that was meant to last just 10 days.

During her nine uncertain months stranded on the International Space Station, Williams complained of missing her family and the warmth of their touch.

In an interview with local news station WCNC, Williams' sister Dina Annad shared the context of a private email between her and her sibling.

In it, Williams wrote: 'You forget that in space you're not holding hands you're not hugging people.'

Bonnie Pandya also shared a heartwarming message upon her daughter's return, saying her family and friends have been 'waiting and waiting.'

'We missed you a lot, but with you keeping in touch with everybody and all of us, the family, we didn't miss that much but just enough,' Pandya said.

Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore spent a total of 286 days on the ISS, which is second to Frank Rubio who was on the ISS for 371 consecutive days,

The pair finally returned to Earth Tuesday, splashing down off the coast of Florida at 5:57pm ET and reuniting with family hours after.

Dina Annad, Sunita Williams' sister, has shared the psychological trauma the astronaut endured while being stuck in space for 286 days.

Sunita Williams returned to Earth Tuesday , splashing down off the coast of Florida at 5:57pm ET and reuniting with family hours after

Throughout William's stay, the public and medical experts raised concerns about her health as she appeared gaunt in photos taken of her on the ISS.

Dr Gupta told DailyMail.com: 'What you're seeing there in that picture is somebody that I think is experiencing the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, for extended periods.

'Her cheeks appear a bit sunken - and usually it happens when you've had sort of total body weight loss,' Dr Gupta added.

But through it all, Williams kept a stony face and even laughed about her extended stay during press conferences.

During a press conference on March 4, Williams actually said she would miss being in space.

But behind the scenes, a different story was happening.

Annad told WCNC that Williams' was missing her friends and family just as much, so much they sent funny stories and jokes to the ISS.

Williams' cousin, Falguni Pandya, was also 'constantly in touch' with her.

Annad (left) shared an untold admission from the astronaut, revealing a person who was missing her family and the warmth of their touch.Williams' mother (right) also said she has been waiting for her daughter's return

'We are constantly meeting on Microsoft software, celebrating holidays together and we sent her gifts, cards and photographs. We are constantly in touch,' Falguni said two days before the return mission. 'She talks to her mother about every day.'

The cousin painted Williams as a 'very joyful person' and gushed over how close she is with all the children in the family, suggesting the astronaut was surely missing them while in space.

'People have seen her giving speeches people have seen her talk about intense topics and Science and all that, but she really likes to laugh she finds joy in the smallest of things to the point where you know it's very infectious,' Falguni added.

Falguni told Republic World, an Indian news station, she was looking forward to seeing her two pet dogs again.

Williams and Wilmore blasted off on June 5 and docked on the ISS one day later.

While they were set to return home on June 13, a scourge of technical issues with their spacecraft, Boeing's Starliner.

The problems ultimately drove NASA to delay their return until they could hitch a ride home on a safer ship.

Williams emerged from the SpaceX capsule on Tuesday smiling and waving as she was lifted onto a stretcher and taken for medical evaluations.

Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore (right) spent a total of 286 days on the International Space Station (ISS) when their mission was set for only eight days

Steve Stich, manager at NASA's Commercial Crew Program said at a news conference that night that Williams and Wilmore were doing 'great'.

While experts believed Williams would not walk on her own for at least a few days, she was seen standing on two feet in pictures released by NASA around 2am ET Wednesday.

She looked noticeably frail with 'visibly thin' wrists, which doctors told DailyMail.com could be a sign of rapid weight loss, muscular wasting in her arms, and bone density loss.

The experts also noted the IV sticking out of Williams' wrist is 'most likely' to help restore hydration and electrolytes, as microgravity tricks the body into eliminating necessary fluids, causing dehydration.

Striking before and after pictures of Williams showed her with noticeably grayer hair, deeper wrinkles, and a more gaunt face.

Dr John Jaquish, a biomedical engineer in at Jaquish Biomedical, told DailyMail.com: 'That amount of time in space is crushing.'

Former astronauts have found that it can take up to 1.5 times the length of the mission to recover.

That means Williams and Wilmore may need more than a year before they feel entirely themselves again.
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It's been crowned the world's happiest country for eight consecutive years but what makes Finland's residents so contented?

The Nordic country's spectacular natural beauty and fairytale-like towns might have a part to play in their happiness.

It's home to Europe's largest lake district, a spellbinding archipelago and it's the most forested country in Europe with 75 per cent of its territory carpeted with trees.

Want to find out more? Dive into these beautiful photos of some of Finland's most breathtaking sites.

From a 'labyrinth' of islands to 'unspoiled nature' with the 'world's cleanest air'...these images might help you understand why Finnish people are quite so joyful.

Would you be happy to live in Finland? Let us know in the comments...

There's no way you couldn't be happy surrounded by the beauty of Lake Saimaa (pictured), in the Finnish Lakeland, also known as Finland's 'Lake District'. At 4,400 km sq/2,734 sq miles, Saimaa is Finland's largest lake. Visit Saimaa explains: 'You wont find a lake like this anywhere else. Lake Saimaa is a labyrinth formed by wide waters and thousands of islands, not just a simple lake basin'

This stunning image shows Turku Cathedral, in Turku, Finland's capital and oldest city. Built in the 1200s, the cathedral is considered to be 'Finland's most valuable historical monument', according to Visit Turku

It really is Christmas everyday in Finland thanks to Santa Claus Village (pictured), found in Lapland's capital, Rovaniemi - 'the official hometown of Santa Claus'. According to the website, 'Santa Claus Village is a family destination with plenty to see and do for all ages' and also has the Arctic Circle Line running right through it, indicated by the line of grey columns in the centre of the above image

Finland's capital, Helsinki (pictured), is described as a 'place where urban culture meets coastal nature' by Visit Finland. The southern city is located on the Gulf of Finland and Visit Finland says it has 'world-renowned architecture'

Hanko (pictured) is a seaside town on Finland's southern coast, and 'the sunniest place' in the country, according to Visit Hanko. The tourism board adds: 'In the cliff labyrinths you are bound to find a quiet nook for yourself, your blanket, and your book'

Lapland (pictured) isn't just a popular winter destination because of its snow. It also has some of the 'world's purest air, water, and arctic nature as far as the eye can see,' says Visit Finland. The tourism board adds: 'Nothing compares to going outside into unspoiled nature and filling your lungs with fresh, clean air'

Pictured is Olavinlinna Castle, in Savonlinna. Also known as Olaf's Castle, the fortress was built in the 1400s, and designed as a defence against attacks from Russia. Visit Savonlinna explains: 'The history of Olavinlinna Castle is a mixture of power struggles between the east and the west, medieval arms clashing, cannons roaring and everyday day chores inside the castle's thick walls'

Pictured is Yyteri beach, in Pori, which, Visit Finland claims, is 'Finland's most legendary beach', measuring 3 km/1.86 miles long. The tourism board adds: 'Talk of paradise is not exaggerated. Yyteris shallow beach water is excellent for everyone, starting from the smallest of the family'

Porvoo (pictured) is one of Finland's best-known historic towns. Lonely Planet says: 'Old Porvoo is worthy of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy-tale, especially when dusted with snow. Wander the cobbled streets to the maroon riverside warehouses, first given a lick of red paint to celebrate an 18th-century Swedish kings visit'

This breathtaking image is of the Aland Islands, a Finland archipelago in the Baltic Sea made up of 6,700 islands - although only about 60 of these are inhabited. Visit Aland says: 'Aland is surrounded by sea in all directions. Here you'll find a fantastic outdoor life with fresh sea air and a countless number of activities'

Pictured is Oulanka National Park, in the Northern Ostrobothnia and Lapland regions of Finland, on the border with Russia. Lonely Planet describes the park as an 'outdoors paradise' thanks to its '27,000 hectares of pristine boreal forest made up of pine, birch and spruce'
Brits going over to the USA for a holiday often reminisce about the good old days, when you could get two dollars for every pound.

But, although that excellent exchange rate hasnt been seen since 2007, theres still so much you can buy in the States at a fraction of the UK price.

In fact, there are many products readily available in the likes of Walmart and Target that youll never be able to find on the shelves of Tesco or Sainsburys.

So when Reddit user Substantial_Yogurt41 asked the forum, What are good buys from the USA compared to UK? there was no shortage of answers.

From designer gear at 'less than half the price' to a variety of flavours of M&Ms unavailable in the UK, theres plenty for Brits to fly back home.

You might just need to make sure you leave enough room in your suitcase - and be aware of the UK's rules on personal allowance

GADGETS

Reddit users have been sharing what they think are the best products to buy from the USA to bring back to the UK, with many recommending expensive gadgets, especially when travelling in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon - where there is no sales tax

Although conversation starter Substantial_Yogurt41 specifies they arent looking to buy electronics, Turbulent-Owl875 insists their family always buy new iPhones, Apple Watches and save a few hundred pounds on each when they travel to the States.

While they dont say which state they bought their new gadgets from, theyd certainly have saved a few bucks if it was in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon - where there is no sales tax.

One user, InvadingEngland, says: I always attempt to wait and make big electronics purchases while I'm in Oregon.

However, with most Apple products costing well over the UK personal allowance of 390 (or up to 270 if you arrive by private plane or boat), it's likely you will have to declare your goods to customs and pay tax and duty on the total value.

You also may have to pay import VAT and customs duty if you exceed your allowance.

DRINKS

Since 2018, when the UK government introduced the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), manufacturers have drastically lowered the amount of sugar in fizzy drinks.

Since 2018, when the UK government introduced the Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), manufacturers have drastically lowered the amount of sugar in fizzy drinks - so many Reddit users recommend picking up the sugary stuff in the States

But the US has a huge variety of sweet sodas, including Mountain Dew and Fanta, which many users in the Reddit thread were raving about.

Greylord123 says: I tried Fanta Grape in the US and it was delicious and sugary I tried the "zero" version we get here and it's horrid.

Theres also a limit on caffeine in the UK - 100mg per litre - which the States dont have, so mattiushawkeye recommends picking up some energy drinks at the grocery store.

They say: There's so many great brands that we don't get over here, especially Ghost, Ryse, Bucked Up, a load of other C4 flavours we don't have, you're spoilt for choice!

MEDICINE

While its probably not the kind of souvenir Substantial_Yogurt41 was thinking about when they asked the question on Reddit, a lot of users recommend buying medicine thats not available over-the-counter in the UK, including anti-inflammatory drug Naxopren.

In the UK, a prescription is needed to buy Melatonin - a natural hormone that improves sleep - but its readily available in supermarkets around the States, even in gummy form, says Big_Miss_Steak_, who grabbed a small jar from Target while they were there

'Magnificentfoxes adds: It's a VERY strong painkiller, even in the weaker OTC dosage in the USA. One of those cures any tooth pain I had for a couple of days, before I finally got an NHS dentist.

In the UK, a prescription is also needed to buy Melatonin - a natural hormone that improves sleep - but its readily available in supermarkets around the States, even in gummy form, says Big_Miss_Steak_, who grabbed a small jar from Target while they were there.

Jimbonjambo adds: Pick yourself up as many Nature Valley 5mg packs and you will be the lord of sleep for life.

According to goodvibezone, the cheapest place to buy Melatonin in the US is Costco, where you can shop if youre a UK Costco member.

Even paracetamol and ibuprofen are great buys in the US apparently, as they come in huge packs.

One user, Chrisevans1001, says he bought one 1,000-pack of each, costing him $7 (5.62) a tub.

None of these are controlled drugs, meaning you don't need permission to export them to the UK.

DESIGNER CLOTHES

Furiousrichie picked up two pairs of Levis [jeans] from a mall outlet for $80 [64] ($40 [32] a pair), pretty much half price, while zR_Peru bought two pairs for less than what one costs here in UK [around 100]

The USA is famous for its huge shopping malls and retail parks, and American designer brands like DKNY, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein are super cheap, says DiDiPLF, while MKTurk1984 claims Tommy Hilfiger is seen as a budget brand in the US.

YorkieLon suggests stocking up on clothes while youre there for this reason.

They add: Last time I went I bought a suitcase and paid extra to bring it back. I bought so much. Jeans and trainers are really cheap out there.

Furiousrichie and zR_Peru prove this is the case, as the former picked up two pairs of Levis [jeans] from a mall outlet for $80 [64] ($40 [32] a pair), pretty much half price, while the latter bought two pairs for less than what one costs here in UK [around 100].

As with anything bought overseas, if you spend over 390 (or 270 if you arrive by private plane or boat), you must declare it to customs - and you must be buying the clothes for personal use or as a gift, and not to sell.

SWEET TREATS

The US is often ridiculed by Cadbury-loving Brits for its chocolate, but many rave about the variety of flavour combinations available for M&Ms, unavailable in the UK

The US is often ridiculed by Cadbury-loving Brits for its chocolate, but many believe its snack selection is actually superior to the UKs, raving about the variety of flavour combinations available, especially when it comes to M&Ms.

Search_ben claims the best kind of M&Ms are the peanut butter flavour ones, which arent available in the UK, and Ballbag94 notes the Pretzel M&Ms too, while Jimoiseau mentions Peanut Butter and Jelly M&Ms have recently been released in the States.

TEETH WHITENING KITS

Many users recommend buying teeth whitening strips while Stateside, as both contain more hydrogen peroxide than is allowed in the UK, sometimes 100 times more, according to Tatwstato

Many users recommend buying some teeth whitening strips or toothpaste while Stateside, as both contain more hydrogen peroxide than is permitted in the UK.

Tatwstato says: UK allows up to 0.1% peroxides in over the counter strips, or up to 6% by use in dentists. However the US strips have 10% in and freely available!

SUN CREAM

When it comes to sun cream, aptly-named The_Salty_Red_Head says even factor 50 here in the UK isn't always enough for them.

However, USA sells sun screen up to factor 100 in many shops across the country.

The_Salty_Red_Head adds: I have a friend who regularly travels to Hawaii to see family and always brings me back some of the highest factor sun lotions she can and they work so much better than anything I've found in the UK.
A Louisiana mother was arrested and charged with the murder of an infant after she allegedly beat her eight-month-old son to death.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Autumn Victoria Harper, was charged with first-degree murder, as announced in a press release by the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office on Mar. 19, 2025, adding that the victim was known as Sterling Rogers.

Fatal Beating of Eight-Month-Old Boy

In a statement, Franklinton police chief Justin Brown said that the case was an "absolutely heartbreaking" incident that is believed to have included ongoing abuse. Brown added that preliminary information they had access to through an autopsy showed skull fractures on the victim.

The police chief noted that they also discovered the young boy suffered from fractures in the ribs, arms, and legs. However, Brown believed that the majority of these injuries were healing injuries.

Brown noted that the eight-month-old boy's death is probably one of the worst cases that he has experienced throughout his career. He added that he still had questions about the matter, such as why the beating was not seen beforehand and if it could have been prevented, according to People.

The police chief also wondered if Harper knew that she having difficulties in life, why did she not decide to give away Sterling to someone else who may have been able to take care of him. Last week, the infant was taken to Riverside Medical Center and was found to have severe injuries.

He was then airlifted to Children's Hospital in New Orleans to be treated, but he was later pronounced dead on Mar. 17, 2025. The suspect's mother, Natasha Hano, talked about the death of her only grandchild, calling it "devastating."

First-Degree Murder

Amid the ongoing investigation into the brutal death of the young boy, the mother has been booked into the Washington Parish Jail. The father of the victim was the one who identified him to authorities, KGNS reported.

There was a similar case where a Texas mother was arrested for supposedly "dosing off" and letting her toddler roam into the street. It was there that the child was struck by a car that belonged to the woman's boyfriend and subsequently died.

The mother in the case was identified as 31-year-old Morgan Ottiger, who now faces criminal charges concerning her daughter's untimely death. Investigators in the case claim that she had a "lack of care" and that it is what led to the unfortunate incident, as per Mirror US.
Reddit users share the most overrated places they've visited around the world

There are some destinations around the world that social media influencers all flock to, to share selfies with their millions of followers - inspiring them to travel there too.

But, in reality, these places don't always live up to the heavily-edited Instagram posts.

Reddit users have revealed the 'heavily influencer-recommended' hotspots they visited that turned out to be a 'major let-down'.

From a witchy US city to one of Greece's most popular islands, only ever seen from 'one specific angle' on Instagram, we reveal where they named the most underwhelming places around the world...

Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE

Abu Dhabi might be popular with influencers, with over 10.8 million posts on Instagram.

But 'EducationalAd5712' says the United Arab Emirates' capital is 'horrifically inefficient and bland'.

The tourist adds: 'Journeys that should have been quick took about 40 minutes because of poor road and city planning and the whole place felt like blocks of soulless skyscrapers.'

Many other Reddit users had similar feelings towards Dubai - a hotspot for Love Island and TOWIE stars, with over 38.9 million posts on Instagram.

Reddit users have been sharing the places they think are overhyped by influencers. Pictured is Abu Dhabi, which one tourist says felt like 'blocks of soulless skyscrapers'

'No_Pomegranate1167' says: 'It's like an amusement park without a soul.'

Meanwhile, 'CityBoundMermaid' slams it as 'a monument to consumerism rising from the desert', and 'Jippiejie' says it's nothing more than 'an expensive soulless mall' where 'influencers manage to find a purpose'.

Santorini, Greece

If you've seen influencers sharing posed-up pictures from Santorini, standing on some white steps, in front of a Blue Domed Church, it's highly likely they'll have been in Oia, a village on the Greek island that has over 208,000 posts on Instagram.

But that's not the real Santorini according to a few tourists.

TunaNoodleMyFavourite says: After visiting there its pretty funny to note that 90 per cent of influencers' pics/videos are taken in one specific part of the island at one specific angle.

A frequent Santorini visitor, Redversion advises staying outside Oia as 'the influencers have ruined it, especially at sunset'.

Santorini didn't live up to its billing for some tourists, particularly Oia village - pictured above (file image)

They say: 'Youll have a crowd staring at you and your private pool. Your time is better spent by booking a boat and being on the water around sunset.'

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

With over 819,000 posts on Instagram, Iceland's Blue Lagoon geothermal spa has become a very popular social media spot.

But it's not quite as good as influencers make it seem, according to a few visitors.

PM_ME_UR_RECIPEZ claims: It was just a themed spa, manmade and packed.

Zealousideal_Owl9621 adds: One thing you will never find there is a local. Total tourist trap.

'I will admit it felt good after a long flight, but its insanely overpriced and Id never do it again.

Salem, USA

Salem, in Massachusetts, has always been popular, due to being the place where the famous witch trials were held from 1692 to 1693.

Iceland's Blue Lagoon (pictured) is a 'total tourist trap' that is 'insanely overpriced', according to one traveller

But there are now over 1.4 million Instagram posts taken in the historical city, and locals have been left moaning about the fact it's become 'packed' with tourists, especially at Halloween.

'BostonBlackCat' explains: 'The entire month of October is so packed, I advise against visiting.

'The city is simply not big enough and lacks the infrastructure to handle that many people. So many of the tourists are also so disrespectful and treat our town like a theme park.'

A deleted user also claims the city's 'vibe' has 'changed' from being 'artsy' and 'hippy' to somewhere for people to get 'drunk in a witch hat'.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

There are over 334,000 Instagram posts with the hashtag '#Amsterdamfood', including many videos of influencers showing off their meals around the Netherlands city.

But this has led to Amsterdam's food venues 'getting famous' on TikTok an Instagram for waffles or fries, and becoming overhyped, says 'Janpeterbalkellende'.

The regular visitor says: 'Is the food good? Sort of. Is it 30-minute wait good? Definitely not. Overpriced.

Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

Thailand's Phi Phi Islands (pictured) disappointed one visitor who claims you 'can't even swim in the water'

There are over 1.4 million idyllic-looking posts taken on Thailand's Phi Phi islands.

But they aren't what they appear to be, says Forsaken_Weekend_131.

They claim: 'You cant even swim in the crystal blue waters because its a protected area, so that explains why any pictures you see of influencers at the islands, theyre only knee-deep.

Tulum, Mexico

In the past few years, Mexican beach resort Tulum has become the host of some of the biggest dance music festivals, including Afterlife, which has over 1.9 million Instagram followers and is attended by influencers from around the world.

But this rise in popularity has been the town's undoing, according to 'Travelingman0', who claims: '20 years ago it was an absolute paradise. Now it's full of $400/322 rooms and EDM (electronic dance music) parties.'

Retrooo agrees, adding: This is definitely one town ruined by influencers. I went 20 years ago and it was magical.

'I went again recently and could hardly recognise it.

Pamukkale, Turkey

'Incredibly underwhelming' is 'Ijkenneth's reaction to Turkey's Pamukkale thermal waters, pictured in over 82,400 Instagram posts.

They say: 'The water supply simply isnt what it used to be and so most of the pools are dry. Its still cool to look at but its not what its hyped to be.

Turkey's Pamukkale thermal waters (pictured) aren't 'what it's hyped to be', says one tourist who claims 'most of the pools are dry'

Zealousideal_Owl9621 adds: 'The place has obvious signs of over-tourism, pools were dry when I visited in 2019, huge crowds, trash in some of the water pools, and then the touristy Cleopatra swimming pool at the top.

Bali, Indonesia

Despite more than 8.7 million Instagram posts taken in the Indonesian province, Bali is nothing more than 'an Australian equivalent of Benidorm', claims 'BigBadAl'.

They add: 'We went expecting white sandy beaches, palm trees, temples and an almost zen-like calm.

'We discovered very quickly that the whole of Kuta Beach is covered in trash.'

38396972 agrees, adding: Too much pollution. Drunks on the beach. Black sand. Effluent running into the ocean. Two hours in traffic to see an underwhelming attraction.
As the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches, around two million Brits are expected to travel abroad, meaning airports will be busier than usual.

With the surge in passengers, avoiding long queues and navigating airport security efficiently can make a world of difference in ensuring a stress-free start to the holiday.

Shahzad Ali, CEO and security expert at Get Licensed, the UKs leading security training company, has shared his top tips to ensure holidaymakers breeze through security, as well as providing insight into safety protocols.

He said: 'Airport security can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for those who have never been through it before. I want to reassure you that it is much easier than you might first expect, as long as you are prepared for the process.'

Ali stressed the importance of preparation when going through airport security, adding: 'You will want to make sure you have all your liquids in a clear plastic zip-lock bag, and your electronics towards the top of your hand luggage, easily accessible.'

Ali warned of common habits that could attract unnecessary attention from security, saying: 'Your demeanor can often determine whether or not you will be picked up by security for questioning or further checks.

'Hold back the yawns and excessive laughter as these can draw attention to you and make you appear suspicious.'

To ensure a smoother airport experience this Easter, Ali recommends following these seven essential tips:

Shahzad Ali, CEO and security expert at Get Licensed, warned of common habits that could attract unnecessary attention from security, including 'excessive laughter' (stock image)

Arrive early

To reduce stress and nerves, it's crucial to arrive early and give yourself plenty of time by at the airport.

Ali said: 'If you have checked luggage, you will want to arrive at least three hours before your scheduled flight, this will allow for any queuing time at bag drop and security.'

Prepare your bags and choose a suitcase wisely

Ali stressed the importance of weighing your luggage beforehand to avoid delays or extra charges.

For security, opt for a common-looking suitcase, ideally a slightly worn one, to avoid drawing attention.

A high-quality padlock is also essential for keeping your belongings secure, while attaching an identifier, such as a ribbon or sticker, can help avoid your luggage getting mistaken for someone else's.

Ali stressed the importance of weighing your luggage, preparing your bags and liquids, and choosing a suitcase wisely beforehand to avoid delays or extra charges (stock image)

Be smart with queues

Ali advised: 'Opt for the queues with more business passengers compared to families.'

Passengers who are travelling for business are also likely have less luggage for security to check through, and therefore take less time than families or bigger groups going on holiday.

Remain vigilant

With airports being bustling environments, it's important to remain vigilant and stay aware of your surroundings.

Ali cautioned: 'Keep an eye on your belongings, including your phone, wallet, and passport, and report any suspicious activity to airport staff immediately.'

With airports being bustling environments, it's important to remain vigilant and stay aware of your surroundings - as well as keeping an eye on your belongings (stock image)

Stay connected

Before heading to the airport, ensure your phone is fully charged and that you have a fully charged portable powerbank in case of emergency.

You will also want to ensure you have all important phone numbers saved to your mobile and that everyone in your group has one anothers contact information.

It can also help to connect to airport Wi-Fi in case you arent able to get signal.

Know the exits

Ali advised familiarising yourself with the exits and emergency escape routes once at the airport.

Knowing the quickest way to evacuate from various areas, such as check-in counters and boarding gates, can be crucial in an emergency situation.

Stay Informed

From health advisories to weather warnings, staying up to date on travel restrictions and delays can help you pre-plan for any issues you might face at the airport.
A Ryanair passenger has told MailOnline Travel that she won't fly with the budget airline again after it 'forced' her to pay 75/62 to take her suitcase on a flight.

Kay, a 32-year-old from London, says she was 'made to feel targeted' by the airline.

The passenger was flying from Dublin to London Stansted when the incident occurred.

Kay's cabin suitcase was 'slightly out of line' when it was placed in the bag's checker, as the wheel extended over the airline's marker.

She was made to pay the airline's standard 75/62 oversized baggage fee to board the flight.

After returning to the UK, Kay complained to Ryanair about her experience but while it apologized for the 'inconvenience', it would not refund the excess baggage fee.

A Ryanair customer service representative told Kay: 'We would like to emphasize that passengers who purchase Priority and two cabin bags are entitled to carry one small bag (40 x 20 x 25 cm) and one large cabin bag (up to 10kg, with maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 20 cm).

LEFT: A Ryanair passenger has told MailOnline Travel that she won't fly with the budget airline again after it 'forced' her to pay 75/62 to take her suitcase on a flight

'We kindly wish to point out that, based on the photo you provided, it appears that the baggage extends beyond the marked line inside the sizer.

'For reference, the baggage should remain entirely within the blue area and not cross the blue-yellow line.'

Kay tells MailOnline that the experience in January has put her off flying with Ryanair again altogether.

She says: 'It made me feel targeted and like the customer experience didn't matter to them at all.

'I had bought a priority ticket with two carry on and yet they forced me to pay 75/62, even though there was no one there to take my bag into the hold so I took it on the plane with me anyway - where it fit in the overhead locker above my seat.

'It has left me thinking that Ryanair are only concerned about making money. I flew with them for many years but I won't fly with them again.

'I would prefer to give my money to an airline company that has more respect for its customers.'

And Kay is far from the only customer to fall foul of Ryanair's strict baggage rules.

Kay's bag was marked as too big, although she still had to take it onto the flight

She tells MailOnline: 'It has left me thinking that Ryanair are only concerned about making money. I flew with them for many years but I won't fly with them again'

In a similar case to Kay's, TikToker Robyn Trout recently accused Ryanair of breaking her heart after she was charged the 75/62 fee for a bag that slightly extended over the airline's sizer.

Another Ryanair passenger on a flight from Dublin to London Stansted in November says she was forced to pay an extra 50 as her suitcase's wheel was 'sticking out of the bag-sizer.

And a violinist claimed she was treated like a piece of garbage by airline staff when they told her her instrument case was 1cm too long to take on the plane.

What are Ryanair's hand luggage requirements?

Every passenger can bring 'one small personal bag' sized at 40x25x20cm which 'must fit under the seat in front of you'.

Passengers can pay for cabin baggage which allows them to bring a small personal bag and a 10kg for the overhead locker which must be sized at 55x40x20cm.

Travellers may be asked to place their bag in a sizer at the gate and luggage that doesn't fit within the baggage guidelines will incur a fee.

'Priority & 2 Cabin Bags' Fare

For those who like a bit extra, the 'Priority & 2 Cabin Bags' fare is just the ticket. You get to bring two bags onboard  one small, one not-so-small (up to 10kg, to be precise). Just make sure the larger one sticks to its 55cm x 40cm x 20cm limits. Its like getting a VIP pass for your luggage.

Checked Baggage

For grander adventures, you can check in up to three pieces of luggage although there are of course fees attached. Pack wisely  keep your treasures and tech out of the checked bags, and dont forget to tag them with your name.

Excess Baggage
A thrifty traveller has shared how she managed to bag a 1 flight to 'paradise'  though it left her with just five hours to pack and leave for the airport.

Hayley Rubery, a content creator from Norfolk, was browsing flights one evening when she spotted the incredible deal with British Airways  a flight costing just 1 to Athens, where she could travel to Agistri, a small island in Greece.

The 34-year-old decided to bite the bullet and book a seat, with the plane setting off the following morning  leaving her just five hours to get herself ready before leaving for the airport.

As well as packing, she had the daunting task of finding accommodation and booking everything she would need for the last-minute holiday.

But content creator Hayley rose to the challenge, and says the spontaneous vacation ended up being well worth it.

'I booked the flight at 8pm the night before and woke up the next day at 2am for my flight,' said Hayley.

'As I hadn't planned for it and didn't have holiday savings as such, it was super important for me to do the trip on a really tight budget.'

She was able to find such a bargain flight using British Airways Avios points, accumulated from other trips.

Hayley Rubery (pictured) found a flight to Greece for just 1 - giving herself just one day to prep for her holiday

The 34-year-old (pictured) was browsing flights when she saw the 1 flight - and decided to bite the bullet and buy it

To continue keeping things as cheap as possible, Hayley booked a 5 bus to take her from the airport to the port, then caught a 13 boat from Athens to Agistri.

There, she had booked a B&B for the week-long solo trip, costing her 420, and found 300 was plenty of spending money for the small spot.

Hayley added: 'The island being so undiscovered with tourists meant that it was still so cheap which was a bonus.

'I decided not to hire a car and just get the bus to the beaches which only cost 2-3, and the island was really small so I could walk most places too.

'It was super cheap there  takeaway coffees were 2 and dinner would cost 10.'

In total, Hayley spent around 800 for the entire week back in July 2024  and says the location made it worth every penny.

She said: 'It was magical.

'With a population of only 1,000 people  and approximately 4,000 people on the island during the busy summer months  it really felt like a slice of undiscovered paradise.

After getting her flight to Athens, Hayley (pictured) took a 5 bus from the airport to the port, then caught a 13 boat to Agistri

The total cost of Hayley's trip - including B&B accommodation and 300 spending money was around 800 for a week in June 2024

Hayley described the area of Agistri as 'magical' and undiscovered by tourists. It has a population of around 1,000 people

After enjoying what she described as a 'blissful' week, Hayley (pictured) said she is planning to return to the area this year

'I spent the most blissful week reading, swimming and relaxing.

'It was heaven.

'The best part for me was the spontaneity.

'Having not planned the trip, I realised I could get a flight for 1 and I was off the next day.'

Incredibly, the super saver has managed to find an equally cheap deal on flights for an upcoming girls trip to Palma, finding a 1 outward flight from Heathrow with British Airways, and is planning a return trip to Agistri this year.
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A sci-fi series that has been dubbed 'one of the best shows ever' and has an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score is now available to stream in full.

The 100 first hit screens back in 2014 and saw seven seasons up until 2020 and delves into Kass Morgan's post-apocalyptic books.

Starring Australian actress Eliza Taylor, Lindsey Morgan and The Killing actor Richard Harmon, the series follows survivors of a nuclear disaster three generations after the incident.

As resources begin to run out on the space ships orbiting Earth, the action-packed show sees 100 young prisoners sent to the planet to find out if conditions are habitable.

Those captivated by the dramatic tale can watch all seasons on Amazon Prime Video.

The 100 has been highly praised by many over the years, and it has a whopping 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

A sci-fi series that has been dubbed 'one of the best shows ever' and has an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score is now available to stream in full

The 100 first hit screens back in 2014 and saw seven seasons up until 2020 and delves into Kass Morgan's post-apocalyptic books

Those captivated by the dramatic tale can watch all seasons on Amazon Prime Video

Some fans have taken Google to leave their verdict, with one describing the series as 'more than perfect'.

They penned: 'Smiling, I got scared, cried, felt chills, felt angry, screamed, I learn, I complained... This series is more than perfect, it's wonderful, I said perfect!'

Another wrote: 'Literally one of the best shows I've ever seen! You would think with sci fi with this many seasons it would get repetitive BUT IT DIDN'T, every episode is unique and thrilling.

'This show is definitely gonna take you on an emotional rollercoaster. As a filmmaker and writer I love how passionate everyone seemed on screen and behind, you can just tell. I gotta give it to the writers.

'Phenomenal job. I just finished the last episode on NETFLIX I've been crying for a solid 30mins. LUV THE SHOW!'

Someone else described The 100 as 'underrated' and said: 'The most underrated show. One need to understand the complexity of human psychology and different morality to really understand this story.

'It shows a beautiful portrayal of how life is not always black or white, good or evil, it enhances the grey areas of life and survival. The decisions we have to make in difficult times for the good of some people might be catastrophic for others.

'The way this show emphasises that "there are no good guys", "who we are & what we need to do to survive are different things" and the fact being a leader is very difficult journey is beautifully implied. And with sci-fi, apocalyptic genre, sets the series apart and the best one I've ever watched.'

Another fan chimed in: 'Great show. Very intelligent. Extremely brilliant and bright. The writer and creator of this show is way ahead of his time and Has an a cute and extremely bright mind.'

The 100 has been highly praised by many over the years, and it has a whopping 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some fans have taken Google to leave their verdict

While one viewer wrote: 'This show is absolutely breathtaking. I am only at the end of season one and it has kept me on edge since I began watching it.

'The emotion shown by the cast in their performance is truly amazing, and the plot has me biting my nails and talking to the TV.

'It brings an incredible new element to the dystopian genre, and is a great show for anyone over 13. I look forward to watching the next 6 seasons.'

However, not everyone has been impressed with the sci-fi series and one commented: 'I cant say Im impressed. I started watching this cause I thought itll be a different sci-fi series. It has only an okay storyline.

'First of all, why would 10 people die just to save 1 person? It makes no sense anymore. Its like a cliched cliche.

'The whole series is about a group of teenagers who are saving their world. In every season, the main story is how one clan is trying to protect themselves regardless of what happens to others.'

Someone else wrote: 'Honestly one of the most disappointing shows I had the displeasure of ever watching. An extremely strong premise of post apocalyptic world with a group of children trying to survive in a unfamiliar world after being separated from their parents.

'Early on you get to see the dangers that the earth now has on it, you catch a glimpse of a mutated deer, and are left wondering what else could be lurking.'

Fans have been gripped by another drama on Amazon Prime Video - murder mystery series Guilt.

US drama Guilt first aired back in 2016 on Freeform and follows an American student in London who has to deal with the aftermath of her roommate being murdered.

However, not everyone has been impressed with the sci-fi series and some shared their views on Google

All ten episodes are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and are free to stream for members.

Directed by Larry Shaw, the murder mystery's cast includes The Syndicate actress Daisy Head, 34, American actor Billy Zane, 59, and The Woman King star Rebekah Wainwright, 36, amongst others.

As the search for the student's killer develops, it 'leads to scandal and intrigue stretching all the way from underground sex clubs to the highest levels of the Royal Family,' according to the synopsis.

The 100 is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.
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TV fans have all shared the same complaint about Bradley Walsh's new show as he trades The Chase for a very different series.

Best known for hosting the popular ITV quiz show and its various spin-offs, the presenter has also fronted several other programmes, including Wheel of Fortune and Blankety Blank.

Now, Bradley has ventured into new territory that doesn't involve answering questions and winning cash prizes at all.

He has jetted off to Egypt in a three-part series on Sky History, Bradley Wash: Egypt's Cosmic Code.

The new show aired on Tuesday and saw Bradley visit the country for the first time to delve into the history of the pyramids and Ancient Egyptians.

However, some TV watchers have hit out at the decision to put the presenter at the front of such a specialised topic.

TV fans have all shared the same complaint about Bradley Walsh's new show as he trades The Chase for a very different series

Bradley has ventured onto something new that doesn't involve answering questions and winning cash prizes

He has jetted off to Egypt in a three-part series on Sky History, Bradley Wash: Egypt's Cosmic Code

One penned on X: 'The Chase's Bradley Walsh?! Not sure he's the right fit for an educational program.'

Another commented: 'Who decides Bradley Walsh is the person to tell us about this? No wonder Sky's so expensive, money they pay these people, just get an expert to present it.'

Someone else wrote: 'Bradley Walsh shows his intelligence and enquiring mind why the so-called ' expert' comes across as totally dumb...'

A fourth said: ''Idea for a programme: Send Bradley Walsh from TV's 'The Chase' to Egypt to investigate the age of the Sphinx and who built the pyramids. An Indiana Jones hat is a requirement.''

While others were supportive and one commented: 'Watching 'Bradley Walsh: Egypt's cosmic code' on Sky History and it's brilliant. He's such a likeable guy!'

Bradley's interest in ancient engineering stems from his early career as an apprentice engineer for Rolls Royce.

Sky have also recruited an 'expert guide' to explain the concepts to viewers and the presenter, 'as the perfect foil for Bradley and his ideas,' according to a synopsis.

A TV insider previously told The Sun: 'This isn't necessarily the field of expertise most viewers would imagine him having, but he is obsessed with this chapter of ancient history.

Some TV watchers have hit out at the decision to put the presenter at the front of such a specialised topic while others have praised him

'He's just thrilled to have bagged a documentary where he gets to indulge the great passion, even if it doesn't quite fit in with his current line-up of shows.'

It comes after Bradley was reportedly offered a huge pay rise to stay on The Chase last year.

He has fronted the ITV1 teatime quiz show since since its inception in 2009 and the series still regularly pulls in audiences of up to five million.

The exact amount he received was not known, but now bosses have reportedly bumped up his salary amid fears he could quit.

A source told The Sun: 'Bradley is one of the network's most popular presenters and is hugely likeable.

'During negotiations for his contract to be renewed, bosses at ITV were concerned he might quit if he wasn't happy with his package.

'There was a real concern he might walk away.'

The show is approaching 16 years on air and insiders told the outlet that everyone at the broadcaster is 'delighted' that Bradley has decided to stay.

Bradley has been a mainstay on ITV for years, as he fronted Wheel of Fortune for them in the late 1990s.

The new show aired on Tuesday and saw Bradley visit the country for the first time and delve into the history of the pyramids and Ancient Egyptians

Sky have also recruited an 'expert guide' to explain the concepts to viewers and the presenter, 'as the perfect foil for Bradley and his ideas,' according to a synopsis

In the early 2000s, he appeared as Underworld boss Danny Baldwin on their flagship soap but has also worked extensively for the BBC.

He played Graham O'Brien in their sci-fi series Doctor Who, and has also hosted a revival of Blankety Blank for them in recent years.

Bradley and his son Barney hosted the BBC's acclaimed revival of Gladiators in 2024 and the show has been renewed for a second series.

In 2022, he returned to drama with his role on the short-lived reboot of The Larkins for ITV.
Harry Potter fans all made the same joke as a beloved star's major career change was revealed - including a surprise nod to the legendary films.

Muggle-born wizard Colin Creevey was a student and photographer for Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School and featured in Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets.

And the actor behind the camera-holding young wizard, Hugh Mitchell, has followed his character's footsteps by making a career in photography.

His website explains how he 'started out in life as an actor' and has now moved to 'portraiture, events, weddings, and my first love, landscape photography'.

The photographer revealed how he has 'always had a bit of an obsession' with the art.

Many Harry Potter fans have joked on Instagram how Hugh was practicing method acting by following his character's role.

Muggle-born wizard Colin Creevey was a student and photographer for Gryffindor House at Hogwarts School and featured in Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

And the actor behind the camera-holding young wizard, Hugh Mitchell (pictured), has followed his character's footsteps by making a career in photography

His website explains how he 'started out in life as an actor' and has now moved to 'portraiture, events, weddings, and my first love, landscape photography'

One commented: 'He really took some method acting.'

Another chimed: 'Method acting taken to a whole new level.'

While someone else said: 'Ain't no wayyy.'

A fourth wrote: 'Bro was method acting.'

One fan penned: 'When METHOD ACTING pays off.'

'Bro didnt hear the director say cut,' someone else commented.

Another said: 'Wow, such commitment to the role. Truly one of greatest method actors of our time.'

Despite Colin appearing throughout the novels, including a poignant death scene, he only showed up in one movie, before being replaced by fellow Gryffindor Nigel Wolpert (William Melling).

While movie bosses have never confirmed the reason, according Screen Rant he was likely axed due to actor Hugh's sudden growth spurt, making him unsuitable to go on playing Harry's young fan.

It comes after Hugh's co-star Jessie Cave left Harry Potter fans stunned after announcing she was launching her own OnlyFans account - with 'daily owl drops' of new snaps.

The photographer (pictured, far right) revealed how he has 'always had a bit of an obsession' with the art

Despite Colin appearing throughout the novels, including a poignant death scene, he only showed up in one movie, before being replaced by fellow Gryffindor Nigel Wolpert (left)

But the actress, 37, who played Ron Weasley's love interest Lavender Brown in the smash hit film series, explained she would be appealing to a 'very niche' market on the adults only subscription site.

While others profiles mostly feature sexually explicit content, Jessie revealed she'd be keeping her clothes on, making the most of her long blonde locks as she marketed herself to those with a hair fetish.

The mother-of-four's OnlyFans profile reads: 'Former Harry Potter actress, writer, doodler and now OnlyFans Long Hair Specialist. I do NICHE HAIR CONTENT which you may well quite like. How magical!'.

'Will respond to Dms. Let's get to know each other!' she added. 'If you have a hair thing, this is the place for you. If you want something specific, you can message me and I will be happy to see what we can do. LOVE JESSIE XXX'.
Kadiff Kirwan has become the latest high-profile star to join the Doctor Who cast as he gets ready to hop into the TARDIS ahead of season two.

The actor, 36, has featured in a string of hit series including Death In Paradise, Black Mirror, Fleabag, I May Destroy You, This Is Going to Hurt, and most recently Slow Horses.

He has also been spotted on the big screen, with film roles ranging from 2018's Mary Queen of Scots to 2022's My Policeman, and on the stage in the Pulitzer Prize winning play The Hot Wing King.

Kadiff will join the fifteenth Doctor Ncuti Gatwa and Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) who are set to embark on an epic quest to get Belinda back to Earth.

But a mysterious force is due to stop their return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before.

Kadiff said: 'I feel elated to be joining the rich legacy of actors who have guest-starred in Doctor Who. Russell T Davies and Juno Dawson have truly outdone themselves with this episode in what I can only describe as an intergalactic gargantuan extravaganza.

Kadiff Kirwan has become the latest high-profile star to join the Doctor Who cast as he gets ready to hop into the TARDIS ahead of season two

The actor, 36, has featured in a string of hit series including Death In Paradise (pictured), Black Mirror, Fleabag, I May Destroy You, This Is Going to Hurt, and most recently Slow Horses

'It's packed with gravity-defying mastery beyond imagination, and being a part of it is an absolute dream. Strap in Whovians, this one is gonna rock your world!'

Showrunner Russell T Davies said: 'We're so lucky in Cardiff to open the doors to world-class talent, and it's been a riot, getting to work with Kadiff. I've loved his work on TV, and stage for a long time, so when we realised he was available and happy to come on board, that was truly a great day in the office!'

The highly-anticipated second season launches on Saturday April 12 on BBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

On Sunday, the trailer for the new series was released and revealed some huge surprise guest stars.

Featured in the clip was a first look at iconic special guest stars including presenter and former X Factor star Rylan Clark, 36, who will play himself, the co-host of the Interstellar Song Contest in a Eurovision-themed episode.

Also featured was actor Alan Cumming, 60, who voices the villainous cartoon character, Mr Ring-a-Ding.

Additional guest stars spotted in the trailer, adventuring with the Doctor, Belinda and Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson), included Anita Dobson, Bonnie Langford, Jemma Redgrave, Caoilfhionn Dunne, Christopher Chung, Evelyn Miller, Ariyon Bakare, Julie Dray and Jonah Hauer-King.

Rylan said upon the announcement: 'As a massive Whovian, getting the call to be in Doctor Who was a call I've always dreamed of getting.

Featured in the trailer is a first look at iconic special guest stars including presenter and former X Factor star Rylan Neal, 36, who will play himself, the co-host of the Interstellar Song Contest

The highly-anticipated second season launches on Saturday April 12 on BBC and BBC iPlayer in the UK

'The episode is all my favourite things about the show with an added song contest set in space. It really is a dream come true.

'I can't wait for everyone to see it. It really is going to be out of this world.'

The trailer comes after it was reported that Doctor Who is set to air the 'ridiculous Eurovision-themed episode' which could be the most expensive instalment to date.

The sci-fi series is gearing up to screen the episode to coincide with the competition.

This year's Eurovision competition will take place in St Jakobshalle, Basel, Switzerland from May 13 - 17.

Writer Juno Dawson has claimed the episode is set to be 'mahoosive' as there's 'no limit to the imagination.'

A source told The Mirror: 'Think Eurovision in space. There will be singing and there will be competition. Hey, there might even be a cameo for Graham Norton! Anything is possible.'

Juno added: 'It's the most ridiculous episode they've ever done - and the most expensive.'

A mysterious force is due to stop the Doctor and Belinda's return and the time-traveling TARDIS team must face great dangers, ferocious enemies and wilder terrors than ever before

She continued: 'There's no limit to the imagination on the show. I think it's the best show ever made. Just you wait. This episode is mahoosive.'

It comes amid the news that Doctor Who is reportedly facing the axe, while lead actor Ncuti is thought to be on the verge of quitting.

The long-running sci-fi show has suffered a huge drop in ratings of late, with fans said to be fed up of the injection of woke storylines.

The actor, 32, joined the show in 2023 after Jodie Whittaker bowed out as the Time Lord, but it's rumoured that he's set to walk away from the BBC show after just two seasons.

According to reports, a decision of the show's future will only be decided by bosses once Ncuti's second series hits screens later this year.

It is thought that Ncuti has already filmed his regeneration exit scene, with crews allegedly fearing that this could spell the end of the series after a whopping 62 years.

A source told The Sun: 'Ncuti doesn't want to be tied to the series beyond this and plans to relocate to Los Angeles with several Hollywood projects standing by for him.

'His team also see a lot of fan backlash from the series, and don't want the perception of him still being The Doctor to get in the way of any future work.'

It comes amid the news that Doctor Who is reportedly facing the axe, while lead actor Ncuti is thought to be on the verge of quitting

They continued: 'The show has been poorly managed in recent years and there's a lot of people who've been working on this show for years and now being cast aside due to poor leadership.'

The insider added that people had warned that the episodes were becoming 'too caught up on an agenda' rather than focusing 'telling a story', with those people apparently being 'shouted down' and 'ignored.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives of BBC and Ncuti for comment.

According to the publication, Ncuti's first series attracted between '2.25million and 3.18million viewers', much less than previous series'.

Ncuti was the first black actor to take on the leading role as The Doctor, after Jodie made history as the first permanent female Time Lord in 2017.

He became a household name when he starred as gay teenager Eric Effiong in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education.
The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan has shut down a viral theory that the resort monkeys will play a key part in this season's death.

As season three has slowly built up to the death of a yet-to-be revealed character in the series, fans have been going wild with a range of hypothesis about the shooting spree teased in the premiere episode.

Indeed, the first episode of the third season began with what appeared to be a frenzied shooting spree at the Thailand White Lotus resort.

The scenes that has since followed have all taken place before the shooting, and fans have been trying to piece together which character might be the one to crack and lash out at fellow holiday goers.

However, another option has presented itself thanks to the pointed amount of footage showcasing the many wild monkeys that hang around in the trees outside of the resort.

It has led to a popular theory on X and Reddit that one of the monkeys gets hold of a gun and ends up going on a shooting rampage.

However, Monaghan - who stars as actress Jaclyn Lemon in the show - addressed the rumor in a new interview with InStyle.

The star appeared shocked by the speculation as she stated: 'What? The monkeys do the shooting?'

The White Lotus star Michelle Monaghan has shut down speculation that the resort monkeys will play a key part in this season's death

As season three has slowly built up to the death of a yet-to-be revealed character, fans have been going wild with a range of theories about the shooting spree teased in the premiere

'Man, y'all have lost it,' she laughed, adding: 'Spoiler alert, like, sorry, the monkeys don't do the shooting.'

Time will tell if the actress was telling the truth or trying to throw viewers off the scent.

For those unfamiliar, The White Lotus is social satire that follows the exploits of the guests and staff working at a luxury hotel chain over the span of one week.

The latest season of Mike White's celebrated HBO series is set in Thailand and also stars the likes of Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Leslie Bibb, and Jason Isaacs.

The first season premiered in July 2021, was set in Hawaii and received 20 Emmy nominations across 13 categories, receiving 10 wins - the most wins of any program that year.

The second season, which premiered in December 2022, was set in Sicily and garnered 23 Emmy nominations and five wins.

So far, the third season has been labelled 'slow' and 'boring' by fans and critics alike due to its leisurely pace.

Some have even called for the return of fan favorite Jennifer Coolidge, whose hammy hijinks as Tanya McQuoid added some levity to the cerebral satire.

A popular theory on X and Reddit that one of the monkeys gets hold of a gun and ends up going on a shooting rampage

Michelle laughed: 'Man, y'all have lost it. Spoiler alert, like, sorry, the monkeys don't do the shooting'

American writer Joyce Carol Oates has led the charge against the show, eviscerating it in a series of posts on X on Sunday.

'The wisest way to see season three of White Lotus is to wait until the series has ended, and see the entire season with remote in hand to fast-forward,' she wrote in one post.

'White Lotus is certainly roiling with subplots and back stories while moving with glacial slowness in the present,' she wrote in another.

'The first two seasons seemed to have been more evenly paced and with much more humor.

'Is there any humor in season three at all? Facial expressions of actors are becoming tic-like, repeated; exaggeratedly widened eyes, slack drugged faces, miming hilarity.'

Oates isn't the only critics to call out the series, with The Standard calling it 'agonizingly slow' while The Wellesley News said that the series had an 'abnormally slow pace.'

However, many others have come to the show's defense, even going as far as to accuse naysayers of having low attention spans.
Roxy Jacenko stepped out in Sydney's CBD on Wednesday wearing a terry cloth bath towel around her waist.

The 44-year-old 'It Girl' wore the black version of Balenciaga's AU$1,400 'towel skirt', which made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2023 when it first appeared on the Paris Fashion Week runway.

Roxy paired the short black towel, wrapped around her slim frame, with a form fitting cropped black T-shirt and a pair of classic high heels.

She sported her usual gleaming head of blonde highlights and a fresh spray tan, toting a laptop and car keys under one arm as she stopped to commemorate the look with an elevator selfie.

'The "towel skirt,"' she captioned photos alongside laugh-crying emojis, as she poked fun at the fashion oddity.

Nevertheless, Sydney's most recognisable PR guru took the towel skirt for a bold road test in the heart of the city at lunch time, as she treated her social media agency employees to a Hump Day feed at the re-opened Golden Century restaurant.

Roxy Jacenko stepped out in Sydney's CBD on Wednesday wearing a terry cloth bath towel around her waist. Pictured

The 44-year-old 'It Girl' wore the black version of Balenciaga's AU$1,400 'towel skirt', which made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2023

The Towel Skirt debuted in Balenciaga's Spring 2024 collection.

The terry cotton couture is a knee-length number that features two waistline buttons and an adjustable belt built into its interior.

Vogue staffer Julia Hobbs trialled the original beige 'towel skirt' at the fashion bible's London office for a day and waxed lyrical about the objectively stupid item.

'If the towel skirt is to be read as a comment on our times, my sense is that it hints at a modern human desire to linger in the chrysalis phase of our daythose moments before we are confronted with the news, the emails, the noise,' she wrote.

'Swaddled in a bath towel, we get to suspend the outside world a while longer.'

But take away the adjustable belt on the inside, and the two buttons at the waistline, and it is exactly the same as the bath towel in your linen cupboard.

'Someone could see the beauty,' Roxy mused as she captioned a close up snap of her skirt with a face-palm emoji, showcasing the incredibly subtle designer logo draped over her trim legs.

The Sweaty Betty founder is well known for her love of splashing cash on designer threads and outrageous items.

Roxy (pictured left) wore the controversial item out to lunch

Over at balenciaga.com, it is listed as dry clean only, which might raise a few eyebrows at the counter of your local dry cleaners.

Its also described as 'regular fit', and will, therefore, hug the body like all the towels at home.

The Spanish fashion house has trolled the fashion set many times, infamously releasing the Croc high heel, the Lays chip handbag, and 'distressed' (i.e. fake broken) sneakers.

So adding a clasp to a bath towel and slapping an eye-watering price tag on it shouldn't have come as a shock and yet  it became an instant global sensation.

And if there's one thing Roxy adores more than an outrageously expensive accessory, it's executing a buzzworthy moment.
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Married At First Sights Jacqui Burfoot has taken another brutal swipe at her TV ex-husband Ryan Donnelly.

One Wednesday, she trashed his part-time acting career and claimed it was incompatible with her high standards.

The 29-year-old jewellery store owner didn't hold back in a scathing social media post, revealing she had major concerns about Ryans 'unstable' job.

'I was concerned about his acting career not being stable and predictable. It would force him to be a primary caregiver... he wouldn't be happy with that,' Jacqui began.

'I want to be with a man who works hard/late, treats women very well and prides himself on a clean home. Ladies, never lower your standards. If you are insecure about finances then it is an insult to someone to have a concern over finances.

'Who wouldn't be concerned married to someone unemployed and a part-time actor? I was legit worried for him, so were the producers.'

Married At First Sights Jacqui Burfoot has taken another brutal swipe at her TV ex-husband Ryan Donnelly. One Wednesday, she trashed his part-time acting career and claimed it was incompatible with her high standards

Jacqui's snide remarks came just hours after she also took aim at Ryan's Sydney home, blasting his Campbelltown suburb as 'boganic'.

This is despite the fact he fully owns his property, while she filmed her Homestays in an Airbnb rental.

Jacqui since has moved on and now lives with co-star Clint Rice in his sprawling Tasmanian mansion.

Ryan listed his profession as a 'project manager' on the show and his acting gigs appear to be a side hustle.

Earlier this week, Daily Mail Australia revealed the Manly property she welcomed Ryan into on Monday night was actually a rented Airbnb.

She returned to the Northern Beaches for the episode and was filmed rolling her suitcase through the front door of what was supposedly her home.

However, the property was in fact a $200-a-night Airbnb rental.

A voiceover described the residence as 'Jacqui's home', but in reality it was a two-story rental arranged by producers.

The 29-year-old jewellery store owner didn't hold back in a scathing social media post, revealing she had major concerns about Ryans 'unstable' job

'I want to be with a man who works hard/late, treats women very well and prides himself on a clean home. Ladies, never lower your standards. If you are insecure about finances then it is an insult to someone to have a concern over finances,' she said

The property was also a completely different home from the one shown during her wedding backstory.

According to a production insider, Jacqui's actual living situation was deemed 'too small' and impractical for filming.

'She had roommates living at her house and it was in a messy state, and she didn't feel comfortable with it,' a source told Daily Mail Australia.

'Ryan and Jacqui were instructed not to make any mention that it was a fake house and just to pretend that it was actually Jacqui's.'

The source added the decision was ironic given Jacqui's later criticisms of Ryan's real home.

'Pretty hypocritical because when they went to Ryan's, Jacqui was given full freedom to attack his living conditions,' they said.

Homestay week is designed to offer a glimpse into the daily lives of MAFS contestants, leading viewers to believe they are staying in their actual homes.

However, due to Jacqui's real living situation - a small shared apartment in Manly -producers opted for a more visually appealing alternative.

'Her real bedroom was tiny, and the camera crew couldn't fit in her apartment. Her roommates' stuff was everywhere. They would've had to be asked to leave for filming,' the insider added.

After the episode aired, Jacqui took to Instagram to defend her decision not to show her actual home on the show, claiming 'security and privacy is important' when you're a 'single lady'.

'For anyone curious, this was taken at my actual Manly apartment,' she captioned a photo of her real home.

'As a single lady, security and privacy is important to me and my friends.

'I didn't [sic] feel comfortable opening my home up to all of Australia.

'Just so you know the "apartments" the couples live in are actually also decorated hotel rooms.'
Garcelle Beauvais offered a savage response to Erika Jayne's shady comment about her love life during Tuesday's episode of Watch What Happens Live.

The RHOBH star, 58 - whose tense relationship with her castmate began in 2021 - briefly opened up about the topic to host Andy Cohen and fellow guest Leslie Bibb.

Jayne recently stated that Beauvais 'peaked' in the 90s and a fan called into the show to ask Garcelle what her 'reaction' was to Erika's comment.

Without thought, the TV personality simply answered, 'F*** Erika' - which prompted Cohen's jaw to drop and the live audience to let out both sounds of shock and cheers.

Andy then cut in to say that Garcelle's '90s roster was impeccable' and the actress agreed by humorously adding, 'Maybe I did peak.'

Beauvais continued, 'Listen I married for love, not for money,' which was possibly a subtle dig at Jayne's marriage to Tom Girardi - whom she filed for divorce from in 2020 before they were both named in an embezzlement lawsuit.

Garcelle Beauvais, 58, offered a savage response to Erika Jayne's shady comment about her love life during Tuesday's episode of Watch What Happens Live

Garcelle previously dated celebrities such as Eddie Murphy, Sean Penn, Will Smith and also claimed that she had 'made out with' Johnny Depp at a club in Miami.

The Coming To America actress tied the knot with Daniel Saunders in 1991 until their split in 2000. The former couple also welcomed son Oliver, 32.

The reality star later said 'I do' to Michael Nilon in 2001 and the pair share twins Jax and Jaid, 17. However, they went their separate ways in 2011.

Beauvais was also linked to screenwriter Michael Elliot back in 2019, but the two ended their romance in 2020.

Jayne's comments about her co-star's dating life began on the current 14th season of RHOBH after Garcelle questioned about Kyle Richard and Morgan Wade's friendship.

In a confessional, Erika stated, 'Garcelle wants information about Kyle's private life, yet we know nothing about Garcelle's private life. I don't know, Who is Garcelle sleeping with?'

She then added, 'I know she had a roster. Back in the '90s, it was good. Maybe she peaked.'

Beauvais and Jayne's 'feud' began in 2021 when Erika yelled at the actress's teenage son Jax during Garcelle's birthday party back in season 12.

At the time, Erika screamed 'Get the f*** out of here!' to the teenager who had been 14-years-old at the time. The star also allegedly flirted with Garcelle's eldest son Oliver and had called him 'hot.'

Without thought, the TV personality simply answered, 'F*** Erika' - which prompted Cohen's jaw to drop and the live audience to let out both sounds of shock and cheers; Jayne seen earlier this month in Beverly Hills

Beauvais and Jayne's 'feud' began in 2021 when Erika yelled at the actress's teenage son Jax during Garcelle's birthday party back in season 12

A heated confrontation then occurred between the two reality stars after Beauvais' son Jax stated that he had felt 'violated' by the incident.

'You hurt Jax's feelings don't talk to him like that. You said "Get the f*** out of here." That's not okay,' the mother-of-three had told Erika.

The drama continued when Jayne took to social media to show that she threw Garcelle's memoir titled Love Me As I Am into the trash.

She then added the caption which read: '@Garcelle, even though you unfollowed me I'm sure you'll see this [kiss emoji].'

In late 2023, Jayne apologized to Jax in an episode of RHOBH which calmed her tense relationship with Beauvais.

Jax went to Erika and told her, 'I just wanted to come and let you know that everything is okay.'

The TV personality replied with, 'Well, I apologize from the bottom of my heart,' while also adding that she had been 'totally out of line.

'I have said this to your mother and I'm really happy you get to hear it from me. So, please accept my apology.'

Later in a confessional, Jayne commended the teenager's maturity and said, 'What a class act this young man is to walk up and say, "Hey, no hard feelings." Garcelle, you've done a beautiful job.'

The drama continued when Jayne took to social media to show that she threw Garcelle's memoir titled Love Me As I Am into the trash

In late 2023, Jayne apologized to Jax in an episode of RHOBH which calmed her tense relationship with Beauvais; seen above with Jax (left) and Jaid 9rught) in 2023 in Beverly Hills

'I wish Erika had been the one to approach Jax because she's the adult,' Garcelle later reflected but expressed, 'I'm glad Jax felt confident enough to go talk to her himself'; Jayne seen bottom left and Garcelle (bottom right) in 2024

'I wish Erika had been the one to approach Jax because she's the adult,' Garcelle later reflected but expressed, 'I'm glad Jax felt confident enough to go talk to her himself.'

Last year in 2024, Garcelle briefly gave an update on her dating life during an interview with First For Women.

When questioned what other goals she has for herself, the reality star answered, 'Finding love and finding my partner.

'I also want to continue doing what I love. My kids ask me if I ever think about retiring and I say no, but I wouldn't mind slowing down. The catch is, I'm doing the things that I love, and if that is not a reason to keep going, I don't know what is!'

The current 14th season on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills began airing late last year in November and is set to conclude on March 25.

A three-part reunion is also slated to premiere on Bravo beginning next month in April.
Cassie Ventura helped broadcast a scathing message for Kanye West amid his public support for her ex, the incarcerated Diddy.

The songstress, 38, shared a cutting message originally posted by Playboi Carti, who took to X after finding himself in the crosshairs of Kanye's latest rant.

'YE STFU,' Carti simply posted in response to Kanye's remarks.

The acronym STFU is shorthand for 'shut the f**k up.'

Cassie endorsed the message, re-posting a Shade Room post about the tweet to her own Instagram Stories.

Word of Cassie's post apparently came back to West, 47, who told her to 'shut the f**k up' on X before re-iterating his support for Diddy.

Her thumb's up on the message comes as no surprise considering the rapper has been vocally supporting Diddy, whom Cassie has accused of rape and physical abuse.

Cassie Ventura helped send a scathing message to Kanye West amid his support for his ex, the incarcerated Diddy; pictured 2023

West, pictured 2024, has publicly supported Diddy despite Cassie's allegations and the sex trafficking and racketeering charges against him

Diddy is now currently behind bars after he was charged with a host of sex trafficking and racketeering offenses following his September 16 arrest.

As it stands, he will remain in prison ahead of his May 2025 trial.

Cassie played a pivotal role in the downfall of Diddy after she accused him of repeated physical abuse and rape in a bombshell $30million lawsuit and was seen being attacked by him in a hotel hallway in surveillance video. It was settled by Combs just one day after she filed.

West mocked the hotel assault on X, has begged President Trump to 'Free Puff' on social media, launched a fashion collaboration with Diddy, and insisted the Making A Band mogul is a better dad than himself.

On Tuesday, he also accused Cassie of extorting Diddy as he referenced her $30 million lawsuit.

'HOW EVERY NI*** YOU KNOW HIT A GIRL BEFORE BUT EVERYBODY SO MAD AT PUFF,' he posted in a since-deleted tweet. 'SO CASSIE AINT EXTORT PUFF? CASSIE CAME TO PUFF AND SAID GIMME 30 MILLION OR IMA RELEASE A TELL ALL BOOK THATS LOOK LIKE EXTORTION TO ME.'

Cassie was in a long-term on-off relationship with Combs for 11 years.

They secretly started dating in 2007, two years after first meeting when Cassie was just 19. Their romance became public knowledge in 2012 and they split six years later in 2018.

Cassie filed a lawsuit against Combs for 'rape, and of repeated physical abuse over about a decade' on November 16, 2023, which indirectly explained her musical elusiveness.

In the filing, she claimed that just before the end of their relationship, he forced his way into her home and raped her.

Her lawsuit described in detail how he allegedly drugged her, intimidated her and forced her to have sex with male sex workers in front of him throughout their romance.

Combs settled the case just one day later.

Cassie endorsed Playboi Carti's message instructing Kanye to 'shut the f**k up'

Cassie played a pivotal role in the downfall of Diddy after she accused him of repeated physical abuse and rape in a bombshell $30million lawsuit and was seen being attacked by him in a hotel hallway in surveillance video; pictured in 2015

In March, shocking surveillance footage emerged, showing Combs violently attacking Cassie at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City, Los Angeles hotel in 2016.

Combs, wearing only a towel, can be seen chasing her down the hall before grabbing her at the back of the head and slamming her into the ground.

Cassie addressed the chilling video in a statement, which read: 'Thank you for all of the love and support from my family, friends, strangers and those I have yet to meet.

'The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning.

'Domestic Violence is the issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.'

At the time of Combs' arrest, a source close to Cassie said it had not been a cause for celebration for her.

Ventura and Diddy were together on-off for 11 years; pictured 2017

'She is relieved that the case has escalated but she isn't celebrating,' the insider told DailyMail.com.

'She is upset that people didn't listen to other alleged victims in the 90s because she would have been spared.'

'Cassie is taking time away to focus on her peace because the details of the case are triggering,' the source added.

She was also said to be 'hurt' by the baby oil jokes and memes made after Federal agents claimed they confiscated '1,000 bottles' of baby oil and lubricant from Combs' homes in Miami and Los Angeles  believed to be used in his long-rumored sex parties known as Freak Offs.

In November, Combs' defense attorneys claimed the security video of Combs attacking Cassie was 'edited'.

Ventura and Diddy pictured in 2017

Federal prosecutors cited the video as evidence that Combs was sex trafficking Ventura, as well as the danger he could pose to other women if released on bail.

But the music mogul's defense attorneys hit back, arguing the prosecution used a 'manipulated version' of the footage and 'invented' the narrative being told in court, ABC News reported.

The defense said the video did not show a 'freak off' but instead a domestic dispute in which the rapper ran down the hallway to recover his cellphone and clothing.

Combs' lawyers argued that 'more complete footage' of the incident 'contradicts' the prosecution's allegations and have offered to bring a forensic video analyst to his bail hearing.

Cassie's legal team has since pushed back, insisting the video is authentic and that they anticipate it being admitted into evidence.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, Wigdor dismissed Diddys argument, saying, 'Its not surprising Diddy would make a disingenuous argument to exclude the disturbing video from being shown to the jury in the upcoming trial.'

He added, 'I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity.'

Diddy's team claims CNN altered and destroyed the original footage, arguing for its exclusion in court, but Cassies camp expects the motion to be denied.

'Our written and oral communications with CNNs counsel was clear - they destroyed the original video file they received from their source,' read a statement from Diddy's legal team recently issued to Dailymail.com.

CNN denied the claims made by Combs that the clip was edited to make him look worse.

'CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source,' a network spokesperson told TMZ. 'CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.

Diddy is now currently behind bars after he was charged with a host of sex trafficking and racketeering offenses following his September 16 arrest; pictured 2020

While Diddy is not facing criminal charges for the assault seen in the footage, federal prosecutors intend to use it to support allegations of his history of violence.

Amid the scandal, it's been claimed Cassie is quietly working on reviving her music career after it was stalled by Combs for more than two decades.

She has turned her attention to a musical comeback, recently registering a new song and weighing up whether to drop tracks from her vault of unreleased music.

'Cassie is considering making a comeback to music now that Diddy is behind bars and some of the executives who were his lackeys are resigning,' a source exclusively told DailyMail.com in October.

'She couldn't have imagined her career would have been stalled in the way it was when her first album came out, but she has so many unreleased records that she wants to release if the timing and business is right.'

They added: 'Her collaborators have been informed of this, so the royalty splits have been agreed.'

The revelation comes after Cassie, real name Cassie Ventura, made amendments to a track titled Into It in May this year, which she had initially registered with Universal Music back in 2010.

She is also now expecting her third child with husband Alex Fine.
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Married At First Sight groom Tony Mojanovski has been spotted in a cosy embrace with a female friend, after his split from TV wife Morena Farina.

The 53-year-old reality TV star was seen in Sydney at an event for the show's grooms, radiating joy while posing with popular Australian influencer Just Jennie.

Their tender display included Tony's arm wrapped around her waist while she hugged him affectionately around the neck.

In another snapshot, Tony enthusiastically embraced her alongside fellow cast members, including Ryan Donnelly.

The pair appeared to be great friends as they strolled along together while hanging off one another's shoulders and giggling.

While the pair are just friends, the outing has made it clear that Tony isn't dwelling on the past and is already moving on with his life in style.

Married At First Sight groom Tony Mojanovski (left) has been spotted in a cosy embrace with a female friend, after his split from TV wife Morena Farina

it comes after Tony's wife Morena Farina, 57, made a dramatic exit from MAFS during a Commitment Ceremony.

The DJ initially looked like she was a no-show before coming on to the set as Tony sat on the couch explaining why their marriage has not worked.

It was the first time Tony had seen her since the previous cast dinner party.

She was determined not to let Tony have the final say on their tumultuous relationship.

'Did you really think I wasn't gonna come?' she asked as she strode into the room, turning heads.

'Did you really think I was gonna give him the last word?'

Morena had been determined not to return to the show after the dinner party and Tony's shock revelation that he wanted to father children at age 53.

She even told producers she would ring police if they did not let her return home.

The 53-year-old reality TV star was seen in Sydney at an event for the show's grooms, radiating joy while posing with popular Australian influencer Just Jennie

Their tender display included Tony's arm hand draped over her shoulders

The pair appeared to be great friends as they strolled along together

They were hanging off one another's shoulders and giggling

Tony enthusiastically embraced her alongside fellow cast members, including Ryan Donnelly

While the pair are just friends, the outing has made it clear that Tony isn't dwelling on the past and is already moving on with his life in style

'They were holding me against my will. I told them, 'I'm going to call the police - give me my phone',' Morena told Daily Mail Australia.

'They put their hands up and acted innocent, saying, 'No, we haven't touched you.''

Morena eventually spoke to executives of the production company and was convinced to make a final appearance.

'I had the big boss on the phone for a long time,' she revealed.

'They told me, 'Are you really going to let Tony get away with everything he's done to you? You know he's married. He wanted his wife to come into the experiment.

'He thinks you're too old, calls you a sl**, even headlocks you.''

Morena eventually agreed to attend one final Commitment Ceremonybut with conditions.

'I told them, 'I'm not speaking to the experts. They've never had my back. I just need to confront Tony',' she explained.

Tony was enjoying a night out with his cast mates

The stunner showed off her figure in a red jumpsuit

The busty beauty and the reality star put on a very friendly display

'They said, 'Done. You can make a grand entry when Tony is on the couch and rip into him.''

The episode saw Morena storm onto the set while Tony was on the couch, delivering a brutal take-down of her on-screen husband before immediately storming out and not waiting for other couples' turns on the couch.

During the confrontation, Morena exposed multiple secrets about Tony's behaviour in the experiment, including his alleged desire to bring his estranged wife onto the show.

'He suddenly changed his story and said it wasn't about my age - it was because he wanted a baby,' Morena said.

'I grabbed his hand and told him, 'Tony, if you wanted a baby, I would have let you go. I would never stop you.''

She added that some cast members, including Tony, were given preferential treatment, with her husband being allowed to return home to Wollongong every weekend.
Real Housewives of New York alum Bethenny Frankel has a home in Miami and has been looking as happy as a clam in the seaside community.

For her latest jaunt to Miami, the Skinnygirl founder took to her Instagram page on Tuesday, March 18, and shared a series of snaps, including four showing her posing in two different swimsuits.

'Miami moments with the Peanut,' in a reference to her daughter Bryn, 14. 'A city filled with colorful places, personalities, food, and fashion.'

She then teased fans by writing, 'Want to shop my Miami closet? Comment SHOP I'll drop a link in your DMs. #miami #mommyandme #momlife #beachday.'

The cover page captured her on the beach in a purple one-piece with a baby blue wrap around her lean waistline, all while still showcasing her legs.

Bethenny Frankel, 54, showed off her beach body during yet another trip to Miami, Florida, which included strutting her stuff in a blue and white string bikini

Some fans speculate that Frankel's frequent trips to the Sunshine State could be a sign that she wants to join the cast of The Real Housewives of Miami

She also rocked a wide-brim, cream-colored hat with lavender strip and matching dark sunglasses, as she carried an artsy beach bag.

Never shy in showing off her fab figure, The Real Housewives Of New York City alum took off the wrap to give a full look at her purple swimsuit, while standing near the shoreline.

In a more revealing ensemble, the Queens, New York native also strutted her stuff in a blue and white string bikini, featuring tree and leaf designs on both the top and bottoms.

For this one, she struck a confident pose closer to the incoming waves wearing a lavender hat with a small pink heart near the front, and those same matching sunglasses.

She also took a selfie snap of herself lounging on a chair on the sand dressed in that very same two-piece, hat, and sunglasses ensemble.

Of course, she made a point of getting her flat tummy in the photo, along with her radiant smile.

She went on to share a photo of herself enjoying a smoothie with Bryn, whom she shares with ex-husband Jason Hoppy.

They appeared to also take a break from all the fun in the sun to do a bit of shopping, which was highlighted with a sweet snap of her teenaged daughter posing in a clothing store.

The Real Housewives Of New York City alum gushed about Miami, describing the city as 'filled with many colorful places, personalities, food, and fashion'

For her latest jaunt to Miami, the Skinnygirl founder also posed in a purple one-piece with a baby blue wrap around her lean waistline, all while still showcasing her legs

Never shy in showing off her fab figure, the Queens, New York native took off the wrap to give a full look at her purple swimsuit, while standing near the shoreline

Frankel made a point of sharing a photo of herself enjoying a smoothie with her daughter Bryn, 14

The mother-daughter tandem took a break from all the fun in the sun to do a bit of shopping, which was highlighted with a sweet snap of Bryn posing in a clothing store

In capturing some of various colorful places in Miami, Frankel shared an picture of a fruit and vegetable BBQ with its roaring flames

The duo also apparently enjoyed what appeared to be sushi-inspired creation that's fish-free

The dog lover also shared a picture of a couple of well-groomed dogs during a day out

Frankel has been sharing about her time in Miami over the winter, including this beach shot in a bikini taken earlier in March

Leading to the talk of her potentially vying for opportunities in Miami due to all the time she's spending in the city, Frankel has shared many selfies in a bikini, like this one from February

In the image she flashes her infectious smile while tipping her hat dressed in a white miniskirt, yellow top, and white sweater.

Frankel has been spotted in Miami on multiple occasions, leading fans to believe she might be setting up a base there or is actively exploring opportunities in the city.

In capturing some of various colorful places in Miami, Frankel shared an picture of a fruit and vegetable BBQ with its roaring flames, and what appeared to be sushi-inspired creation that's fish-free.

To cap things off, the dog lover posted a picture of a couple of well-groomed dogs during a day out in Miami.

Frankel has often been sharing about her time in Miami over the winter, including a number of beach shots decked out in a bikini on the beach.

The beach day comes shortly after the reality star issued advice to Kim Kardashian amid her latest drama with her ex Kanye West, who recently dragged their 11-year-old daughter North into the Diddy scandal.

Kim was reportedly left furious after the rapper released a song by Diddy which features North's voice, with Kanye, 47, also sharing - then deleting - threatening texts with the reality star where he threatened to 'go to war' with her.

Diddy, 55, is currently in jail awaiting trial on charges including sex trafficking, and after the song was uploaded, a source has shared that Kim - who previously trademarked her children's names - has sought legal action to prevent its release and have it taken down from X.

And in the wake of the tensions between the former spouses, Bethenny shared her own words of wisdom with Kim, advising her not to focus on the trademarks, but the 'decision-making' instead.

The beach day comes shortly after the reality star issued advice to Kim Kardashian amid her latest drama with her ex Kanye West, who recently dragged their 11-year-old daughter North into the Diddy scandal

Bethenny's guidance comes just years after she was embattled in a contentious divorce with ex-husband Jason Hoppy. The two filed for divorce in 2013, but it wasn't finalized until 2021.

Taking to Instagram over the past weekend on Sunday, Bethenny filmed herself chopping fruit as she gave counselling to the SKIMS founder 'as someone who has been through a horrific decade-long divorce on a two-year marriage, and got primary-custody and no child support that I had to pay.'

Bethenny told how the media is focused on trademark of North West as she's been featured in the new Diddy song 'which is alarming at best.'

She advised Kim not to text Kanye as he's 'not a rational person', stating to the camera: 'She should not be speaking to him at all, she should be speaking to him by proxy- somebody else should be the one interacting with him because again, he's not rational, he's sharing her texts and that's a violation.'

Bethenny then added that they shouldn't be focusing on the trademark but rather the 'decision making' instead.

She noted that Kim having decision-making is 'so important in a divorce because people always focus on the custody time', adding 'what's most critical is decision making because God forbidden something happens with the kids that is medical or is for education or something important.

'You need a sane, rational, non-punitive party to be making those decisions and if Kim has decision-making, then it's irrelevant whether or not she has the trademark for her daughter because in a best interest of a child matter, a judge doesn't care about trademarks as much.'

Bethenny continued: 'A judge focused on custody matter is always focused on what is best for the child and even if their agreement says something otherwise, the judge is always going to err on the best interest of the child.'

The star then went on to talk about her own situation in which she moved out of her apartment when she technically wasn't supposed to, which was called 'abandonment', but told how she was 'applauded' as it was best for the child due to circumstances within the home.

Bethenny told how the media is focused on trademark of North West as she's been featured in the new Diddy song 'which is alarming at best'; North and Kim seen in 2024 in L.A.

She noted that Kim having decision-making is 'so important in a divorce because people always focus on the custody time'

Bethenny noted that she also bought her own home amid her divorce process and while financially unwise, she was once again 'applauded' because it gave her 'a space safe to emotionally be with her child.'

Concluding her video amid her advice to Kim, Bethenny added: 'Judges are human beings, they are not only about the letter of the law when it comes to the interests of the child.'

She captioned her post: 'Sadly Im an expert on all matters divorce and custody.'

Bethenny's words come as she revealed in April of last year that she suffers from PTSD following her divorce from ex Jason Hoppy, and labeled the experience as 'traumatizing.'
Critics have finally weighed in on Marc Webb's $270M-budget 'PC' live-action remake of Disney's Snow White starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot alongside a slew of CGI motion-capture dwarves.

The remake of the classic 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - hitting US/UK theaters this Friday - currently has a dismal 48% critic approval rating (out of 87 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave Snow White one out of five stars and called it a 'pointless' and 'exhaustingly awful reboot' with 'tiresome pseudo-progressive additions that tie the whole thing in knots.'

'Where other movies are playfully reimagining the backstories of famous villains, this one plays it straight, but with carefully curated revisionist tweaks,' Bradshaw wrote.

'Those otherwise estimable performers Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot are now forced to go through the motions, and they give the dullest performances of their lives.'

Daily Mail's Brian Viner gave Snow White two out of five stars, calling it a 'painfully muddle-headed affair' and 'pallid reimagining' but admitted Zegler 'plainly has oodles of talent.'

Critics have finally weighed in on Marc Webb's $270M-budget 'PC' live-action remake of Disney's Snow White starring Rachel Zegler (pictured) and Gal Gadot alongside a slew of CGI motion-capture dwarves

'Disney's contorted attempts not to offend anyone have somehow managed to offend everyone,' Viner noted.

The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave the Brothers Grimm fairy tale one out of five stars, criticizing the studio for 'summoning up the most corporate response possible' to the depiction of the controversial dwarves.

'Human beings have been replaced with uncanny CGI caricatures that will make you yearn for the simple horrors of 2004's The Polar Express,' Loughrey scoffed.

'The film's prince, played by Andrew Burnap and, for some reason, called Jonathan, is essentially Disney cannibalising itself, as he has the same thief backstory and curtain bangs as Tangled's Flynn Rider.'

Empire reporter Helen O'Hara gave Snow White two out of five stars and was also offended by the dwarves, calling them an 'unholy VFX disaster, they slow the film to a crawl every time they appear.'

'It feels like Jonathan's bandits were at one point intended as substitutes for the original septet,' O'Hara wrote.

'But instead they now stand alongside patently fake characters who dont feel or look right.'

The New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski gave the 'boring, mediocre live-action Disney retread' two out of four stars and said it 'vanishes from your mind the second it's over.'

The remake of the classic 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - hitting US/UK theaters this Friday - currently has a dismal 48% critic approval rating (out of 87 reviews) on Rotten Tomatoes

Daily Mail's Brian Viner gave Snow White two out of five stars, calling it a 'painfully muddle-headed affair' and 'pallid reimagining' but admitted Zegler 'plainly has oodles of talent'

Rolling Stone's David Fear wrote that Snow White was 'a strong contender for its blandest' live-action adaptation and savagely quipped: 'The movie does earn points as a bedtime story, however, because it will definitely put you to sleep'

SNOW WHITE: WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING Daily Mail (TWO STARS) Rating: Snow White the movie has its charms, and dozens of cute CGI forest animals, but on the whole it is a painfully muddle-headed affair. The Guardian (ONE STAR) Rating: Here is a pointless new live-action musical version of the Snow White myth, a kind of un-Wicked approach to the story and a merch-enabling money machine. The Independent (ONE STAR) Rating: Human beings have been replaced with uncanny CGI caricatures that will make you yearn for the simple horrors of 2004's The Polar Express. Empire (TWO STARS) Rating: Despite committed performances from its leads and years of edits and re-edits, it cant establish a consistent tone through its real and artificial locations. The New York Post (TWO STARS) Rating: The timeless classic, a groundbreaking achievement for animation, has been turned into another pointless and awkward live-action automaton that vanishes from your mind the second its over. 00:00 00:00 Advertisement

Empire reporter Helen O'Hara gave Snow White two out of five stars and was also offended by the dwarves, calling them an 'unholy VFX disaster, they slow the film to a crawl every time they appear'

The New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski gave the 'boring, mediocre live-action Disney retread' two out of four stars and said it 'vanishes from your mind the second it's over'

Vulture's Allison Willmore criticized Snow White's 'plasticky set design and gift shop tacky costuming' and said Gadot's performance as the Evil Queen with no name was 'so incredibly stilted it almost swings around to being good-bad'

Vulture's Allison Willmore criticized Snow White's 'plasticky set design and gift shop tacky costuming' and said Gadot's performance as the Evil Queen with no name was 'so incredibly stilted it almost swings around to being good-bad.'

Rolling Stone's David Fear wrote that Snow White was 'a strong contender for its blandest' live-action adaptation and savagely quipped: 'The movie does earn points as a bedtime story, however, because it will definitely put you to sleep.'

The AV Club's Jacob Oller gave the 'messy flop' a C grade, blasting Gadot's 'droning, stiff performance' that 'can't even come to life when coaxed to vogue during her villain song' while praising Zegler's presence and singing being 'so winning that even the camera stops to stare, simply holding on her, center frame, as she belts.'

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman was the only one to praise the CGI gnomes for 'bringing the movie to life' and said it was 'one of the better live-action adaptations of a Disney animated features.'

'Rachel Zegler, as Snow White, has a pertly appealing glow,' praised Gleiberman.

'I wish Gadot's vocal performance were more operatic and less Mata Hari, but she still makes a stylishly intense villain.'

The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney wrote that the 'echo chamber of overblown online controversies' has 'zero bearing on the pleasures of this 21st century update,' and praised Zegler for 'radiating light and beauty.'

'Even those with knives out for the movie might have to admit it's no poisoned apple,' Rooney noted.

Variety critic Owen Gleiberman was the only one to praise the CGI gnomes for 'bringing the movie to life' and said it was 'one of the better live-action adaptations of a Disney animated features'

The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney wrote that the 'echo chamber of overblown online controversies' has 'zero bearing on the pleasures of this 21st century update,' and praised Zegler for 'radiating light and beauty'

Walt Disney Studios is expecting Snow White to earn between $45M-$55M from 4,200 North American theaters and around $50M internationally in its opening weekend

IndieWire's Kate Erbland gave the 'spirited and sweet crowdpleaser' a B- grade, but admitted: 'It can often feel as if all its various parts and players exist in a slightly different film.'

'Webb's Rachel Zegler-starring film is good. Not great, but certainly good,' Erbland wrote.

'And while that might not be good enough for some potential audience members, lets be honest: There are just some people who were never going to loosen up to a "colorblind" fairy tale or one that dared ask, "Hey, what if a woman could like, do stuff, too?"'

Walt Disney Studios is expecting Snow White to earn between $45M-$55M from 4,200 North American theaters and around $50M internationally in its opening weekend - according to Variety.
Lord Alan Sugar has finally spilled the beans on the future of The Apprentice after claiming 'hard graft has gone from the UK'.

The British business magnate, 77, revealed he has committed to the beloved BBC show for three more years.

The Amstrad founder, who has been leading the show since 2005, remarked he still has the eye to spot the best and worst candidates to receive his eye-watering prize.

Previously speaking to MailOnline, Lord Sugar told: 'Work ethic has changed in my lifetime and in my opinion, I think it's getting too relaxed.

'I blame companies like Google for example that have beds, and they allow people to turn up at 11am so they can detox from boozing the night before and lay in a little pod somewhere and then pop out at about 3pm and do their two minutes of genius.

'And then go and have the free lunch and dinner laid on for them. Hard graft has gone in my view.'

Lord Alan Sugar, 77, has finally spilled the beans on the future of The Apprentice after claiming 'hard graft has gone to the UK'

The British business magnate revealed he has committed to the beloved BBC show for three more years, the broadcaster has revealed

The political advisor and author stressed he doesn't intend to change his work ethics or method, adding: 'Anybody working for me that wants a two-hour lunch break to go to the gym, I'm afraid to say they will have to stay on the treadmill for the rest of the day ... It's not my culture and I might be wrong.'

Earlier in February amid the latest instalment of the BBC show, the parents of contestant Jana Denzel - who dramatically quit the show after making an offensive remark - have insisted he is not racist and is 'proud to be British'.

Cosmetic dentist Dr Denzel is thought to have used the term 'coloured' to describe a black person during a task.

But his parents Veluppilai and Rajes Denzel, said their son is not prejudiced and that his comments had been misunderstood.

Before the contestant's exit was finally shown to millions of viewers in Lord Sugar's show on BBC One last night, his parents defended their 'good' son.

Speaking from their home in Harrow, north London, his mother Rajes told MailOnline: 'Jana is not racist. We are not against anybody. We brought Jana up  and all our children  to be open-minded.

'Jana was born here in England and is proud to be British. We are open to everyone from every culture.'

Jana's father Veluppilai told how his son called him a couple of weeks ago to say that he had quit the hit reality show following the scandal that saw him reprimanded by producers and made to undergo diversity training.

Previously speaking to MailOnline, Lord Sugar told: 'Work ethic has changed in my lifetime and in my opinion, I think it's getting too relaxed. I blame companies like Google for example'

'And then go and have the free lunch and dinner laid on for them. Hard graft has gone in my view,' he added (pictured with Karren Brady and Tim Campbell)

The 71-year-old retired postman explained: 'He called to say that there had been an issue, but I didn't really understand.

'He has been misunderstood, I am sure. He is a good boy. I told him "You worked hard to become a dentist, be a dentist".'

Veluppilai continued: 'We are from a different culture and maybe he was misunderstood.

'But I know he did not mean to cause any offence. That is not who he is.'

Mum Rajes, 61, told how the couple struggled to give their four children  three sons and a daughter  the best upbringing they could, after the family fled their native war-torn Sri Lanka.

She explained: 'I came to UK in 1983. It was a very difficult in Sri Lanka. I worked in a supermarket in the morning and my husband worked as a postman on the late shift.

'We barely saw each other but we made sure there was always someone at home for the kids. We are very proud of them.'

A picture of Dr Denzel at his university graduation ceremony is proudly mounted on the wall of the family's living room, alongside similar photographs of his two brothers.

Earlier in February amid the latest instalment of the BBC show, the parents of contestant Jana Denzel (pictured) - who dramatically quit the show after making an offensive remark - have insisted he is not racist and is 'proud to be British'

Dr Denzel's parents Veluppilai (right) and Rajes Denzel (left), say their son is not prejudiced and that his comments had been misunderstood

Dr Denzel runs a cosmetic dentistry practice in Harley Street and has A-List stars as clients

Veluppilai added: 'We are very proud of our children. We did all we could for them and they worked hard and made us proud. We are very proud of Jana. Whether he is on the TV or not is not important to us.'

The Harley Street dentist had been part of a team on the show creating a character for a marketing campaign when he is understood to have used the phrase.

Two women on his team were said to have been particularly upset by the comment, which was reported to show bosses.

Dr Denzel, who has spoken of pride at his Sri Lankan heritage and refugee parents, sat in on talks with producers to ensure he understood the remark was offensive.

The BBC insisted that the departure was not related to the comment, which was not broadcast during the episode.

And Dr Jana said he was leaving because he felt the other contestants wanted to win the 250,000 investment more than him.

Dr Denzel runs a cosmetic dentistry practice in Harley Street, and boasts A-List stars and Grammy award winners as some of his clients.
Welcome to The Group Chat with Lucy Manly, where Australia's most-trusted society insider shares the hottest gossip BEFORE it makes the news.

A Highlands romance?

Forget the eastern suburbs. This week, a piping hot rumour from the well-heeled Southern Highlands town of Bowral had me speeding off down the M5.

Now, I'll admit I hadn't thought much about Bowral since Sam Armytage called it quits with her husband Richard Lavender last year, moved out of his 40-hectare compound and high-tailed it back to Sydney.

But it seems even without Sam-the-human-headline hanging around, there's still plenty of gossip to keep the local rumour mill spinning. Namely private school gossip about two very famous parents.

We hear local billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes, who split from his fashion designer wife Annie last July after 13 years of marriage, may have recently found love in the Highlands...

We hear local billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes (right), who split from his fashion designer wife Annie (left) last July after 13 years of marriage, may have recently found love in the Highlands

...with Phoebe Burgess (pictured), the influencer ex-wife of retired NRL star Sam Burgess

...with Phoebe Burgess, the influencer ex-wife of retired NRL star Sam Burgess.

Now, it could all be wishful thinking on the part of overzealous school mums keen to play matchmaker, but we simply couldn't ignore the influx of tips this week telling us to 'keep an eye' on Mike and Phoebe.

Where's the Gossip Girl of the Southern Highlands when you need her?

'Everyone here knows they are close. It's a bit of an open secret and frankly we are surprised it hasn't come out yet,' a local mum tells me.

'Phoebe's social media has changed too. She used to post a lot but she hardly does anymore. It almost seems like she is trying to stay off the radar a bit.'

While it's unknown how they met, their rural boltholes are within a five-minute drive of one another: Phoebe, 36, can often be found at her parents' Glenquarry estate 'Daffodil Downs', while Mike, 45, calls Rosehill Farm in nearby Kangaloon home.

The pair, who are believed to be otherwise romantically unattached, both send their children to The King's School, Tudor House, in nearby Moss Vale.

Of course, Mike having a new woman in his life isn't exactly breaking news. The Wall Street Journal (of all places) first reported in November the tech boss was dating an unnamed 'civilian' he'd met in the Highlands. When we approached him at the time, he declined to comment.

Phoebe and Sam (pictured in 2016) had a rocky divorce. He has since remarried Lucy Graham

The Atlassian CEO is a part-owner of South Sydney Rabbitohs, the team Phoebe's ex-husband Sam and his brothers led to victory (he is seen wearing a Souths cap in July 2022 in Idaho)

I spent Wednesday in Bowral after receiving a flood of tips to 'keep an eye' on Mike and Phoebe

Coincidentally, the Atlassian CEO is a part-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the rugby league team Phoebe's ex-husband Sam and his brothers led to victory.

Sam, who shares two children with Phoebe, daughter Poppy and son Billy, remarried British hairdresser Lucy Graham in Rome last October.

In the background of all this is Mike's divorce from Annie, which could prove to be extraordinarily complex as they divide their enormous wealth and assets, which total an estimated $31billion.

Phoebe certainly knows a thing or two about messy divorces, so she'll no doubt be a pillar of support.

'It' girls ditch Ozempic, go old-school

You only need to scroll through Instagram to see celebrities and the rest of us common folk fading to skin and bones courtesy of Ozempic.

For those who've been living under a rock, it's a medication created to treat type 2 diabetes but is now being widely used as a miracle weight loss treatment.

Some of the earliest adopters among the in-crowd now say they're quitting Ozempic after suffering embarrassing and debilitating stomach symptoms - including losing control of their bowels.

But they're not losing weight the old-fashioned way. Oh, no. They're trying a new drug. Well, technically, it's an old drug. Duromine.

It's been on the market since the '50s as an appetite suppressant. Unlike Ozempic, which mimics a natural hormone called GLP-1 that regulates blood sugar and appetite, Duromine works by stimulating the central nervous system, similar to amphetamines.

Some of the earliest adopters among the in-crowd say they're quitting Ozempic after suffering embarrassing and debilitating stomach symptoms, including losing control of their bowels

'Duromine is the eastern suburbs' oldest secret. It suppresses your appetite just like Ozempic but it is safer,' a source tells me.

'People are buying under the counter and every chick in the east has a dodgy doctor or pharmacist willing to help out.'

According to my insider, some users are even mixing their Duromine with ADHD medication Ritalin for a double dose of skinny and mental sharpness.

It is not suggested anyone mentioned or pictured in this article uses Ozempic, Ritalin or Duromine. Abusing prescription drugs can be deadly.

And finally... guess who, don't sue

Their affair was common knowledge in hospitality circles for years.

But now the mercurial mistress of an internationally known restaurateur is biting the hand that feeds her.

Rumour has it she's considering going to the press to expose their years-long relationship despite him promising his wife it was a 'one-off' indiscretion.'

The subject of this blind item is not mentioned or pictured elsewhere in this article.
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Former Home and Away star Pia Whitesell has revealed that the Malibu home she shared with her husband, multimillionaire Hollywood agent Patrick, and her sons was destroyed in the devastating LA wildfires.

The actress, 41, posted a video of the remains of the property, with nothing left but a charred staircase.

Pia praised God as she stood in the debris of the beachside property while the waves hit the shore.

'And still... God's design remains perfect,' she captioned the post.

Many celebrities saw their multi-million dollar mansions razed to the ground as fires spread to Hollywood Hills and Calabasas back in January.

The Calabasas blaze, named the Kenneth Fire, was allegedly caused by an arsonist, who has been apprehended by police.

Former Home and Away star Pia Whitesell has revealed the Malibu home she shared with her husband, multimillionaire Hollywood agent Patrick, and her sons was destroyed in the devastating LA wildfires

The actress, 41, posted a video of the remains of the property, with nothing left but a charred staircase

Pia and Patrick's Malibu home was their beach hideaway.

They usually reside in a huge AUD$57million Tuscan-style estate in Holmby Hills, Los Angeles, which Patrick owns.

The property features a resort-style swimming pool, a driveway lined with olive trees, and even its own maids' quarters for staff.

There's also a gourmet kitchen, a library and home theatre, in addition to a smaller guest house on the grounds.

It spans more than 19,000 sq ft, sits on 1.35 acres of land and features a top-of-the-range security system and gated driveway, with privacy guaranteed because it cannot be seen from the street.

Holmby Hills is one of LA's most exclusive neighbourhoods and their home is close to the AUD$220million mansion built for the late TV executive Aaron Spelling and his widow Candy Spelling.

Also nearby is the infamous Playboy Mansion once owned by the late Hugh Hefner.

Pia and Patrick gave their home a makeover before moving in, with extensive renovations taking place while they lived in their oceanfront property in Malibu.

Pia praised God as she stood in the debris of the beachside property while the waves hit the shore

Patrick is the executive chairman of Endeavor talent agency and is widely considered one of the most influential men in movies.

He has an estimated net worth of AUD$630million and boasts a client list including Ben Affleck, Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale.

The couple recently reached their five-year anniversary.

The couple marked the occasion by jetting off to a picturesque location for a five star getaway, with Pia documenting the romantic break to Instagram.

In one frame, the brunette beauty is seen casually gazing into the camera in a grey tee and denim cut-offs, while in another she proudly shows off her signature.

Pia also gave her fans a look at their breathtaking holiday accommodation decked out in celebratory metallic balloons to mark the relationship milestone.

The luxe digs also featured a stunning infinity pool surrounded by lounges and umbrellas, where the genetically blessed couple were fortunate enough to see whales playing in the ocean.
Demi Moore shared rare photos of Bruce Willis and their daughters in an Instagram tribute on Wednesday to celebrate his 70th birthday amid his ongoing dementia battle.

The Substance actress, 62 - who recently took her Oscars loss 'very hard' this month - uploaded an assortment of snaps to her main page as the family gathered around the Die Hard actor in sweet memories.

Moore and Willis were previously married from 1987 through 2000 - and welcomed three children: Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31.

In one image, the beauty could be seen flashing a cheerful smile as she embraced Bruce - who 'stepped away' from acting back in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia.

Demi also included a lighthearted moment with her three daughters as they sat on a couch with the Hollywood star while sharing a laugh.

Another picture was taken as Willis kissed his granddaughter Louetta - whom Rumer welcomed to the world in April 2023.

Demi Moore, 62, shared rare photos of Bruce Willis and their daughters in an Instagram tribute on Wednesday to celebrate his 70th birthday amid his ongoing dementia battle

The actress also included a lighthearted moment with her three daughters as they sat on a couch with the Hollywood star while sharing a laugh

Tallulah could be seen sitting with her father as she embraced him in another picture, and Bruce held his granddaughter in another snap.

Moore also gave her followers a glimpse at sugar cookies they indulged in that had their father's face decorated on top with colorful icing along with the number '70.'

In the caption of her latest post, the actress penned: 'Happy birthday, BW! We love you .'

Bruce's wife Emma Heming also jumped to social media to celebrate her husband's 70th birthday and uploaded a picture of the star outdoors while posing on an ATV four-wheeler.

She wrote, 'It's Bruce's birthday, and if there's one thing I know, it's that there's no greater fan than a Bruce fan.

'So flood him with all the love today - he will feel it, I swear he will. You are one powerful bunch. I love how you rally for him, and I'm so grateful that he has you .'

In 2009, Bruce married Heming and the couple also share two daughters Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Rumer gave an update on her father Bruce Willis just one day before the star's 70th birthday.

Moore and Willis were previously married from 1987 through 2000 - and welcomed three children: Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31; former couple seen in 1990

Another picture was taken as Willis kissed his granddaughter Louetta - whom Rumer welcomed to the world in April 2023

Tallulah could be seen sitting with her father as she embraced him in another picture, and Bruce held his granddaughter in another snap

Moore also gave her followers a glimpse at sugar cookies they indulged in that had their father's face decorated on top along with the number '70'

In the caption of her latest post, the actress penned: 'Happy birthday, BW! We love you '

The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actress opened up about the retired actor's health during a Q+A session on her Instagram stories.

Back in February 2023, Bruce's loved ones revealed that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia - one year after he 'stepped away' from acting due to also battling aphasia.

In one reel, the mother-of-one was asked by a fan, 'How's your dad doing?' and Rumer replied, 'He's doing great, thank you for asking.'

She then added, 'It is actually his 70th birthday tomorrow so please wish my papa a big happy birthday.'

Last month in February, Rumer also gave rare insight into how her father was doing during an interview with ITV and expressed that the family has 'rallied around each other.'

She shared, 'He's doing great. I think, obviously as many people in California, the thing we're all kind of the most scared, dealing with is just fires and wanting to make sure everything is okay.

'Because my family, we're all so close, I think what's so beautiful is the way that we rally around each other, [it's] so lovely, because we really are a unit.'

Rumer then applauded Bruce and Demi's relationship even after they divorced after 13 years of marriage.

Emma added, 'So flood him with all the love today - he will feel it, I swear he will. You are one powerful bunch. I love how you rally for him, and I'm so grateful that he has you '

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Rumer gave an update on her father Bruce Willis just one day before the star's 70th birthday

'I think the thing I'm most grateful for is that even when they split up, they created such a beautiful foundation of prioritizing my sisters and I, that I never felt like I had to choose or like, they never played against each other.'

She further expressed that, 'We were a family, and we still are very much a family no matter what

'And not only did I feel like that has set me up in my life to have such a beautiful foundation of my own family, but now, as I'm working through co-parenting as well, I feel deep gratitude for the example they've set.'

Earlier this month, Bruce's wife Emma shared the shocking call she received from a 'very prominent doctor' as she cares for the retired actor amid his dementia battle.

She expressed on Instagram, 'I received a call from a very prominent doctor the other day, letting me know that he has a family who's just been diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's.

'And they have three children aged 10, 12 and 14, and that he needs all of my resources, any contacts. And I was like: "Huh?"'

Emma continued, 'And I have the contacts, and nothing makes me happier than to be able to be of service and to support the next caregiver, which I happily passed on.

'The thing that just boggles my mind is how do our doctors not already have a Rolodex of ways to support caregivers?' the mother-of-two questioned to her followers.

'The other thing that just is so upsetting to me is, when I receive messages from families that have just been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia or some type of dementia, and theyre asking me for my resources.

Earlier this month, Bruce's wife Emma shared the shocking call she received from a 'very prominent doctor' as she cares for the retired actor amid his dementia battle; seen in 2024 in NYC

'I'm not even in the same state as them, same city. It's very hard to sort of pass on those resources, except to like the Association For Frontotemporal Dementia or things like that.'

Heming added, 'But it's just like, they need to do better. Doctors need to do better. Doctors really do need to have a road map of just some support.'

Last month, she also shared a video to Instagram to help celebrate National Caregivers Day.

Last year in October, Emma opened up about his dementia battle and expressed that she doesn't 'shield' her daughters from the diagnosis.

During an interview with Town & Country Magazine, Heming explained, 'This disease is misdiagnosed, it's missed, it's misunderstood.

'So finally getting to a diagnosis was key so that I could learn what frontotemporal dementia is and I could educate our children.'

Emma added, 'I've never tried to sugarcoat anything for them. They've grown up with Bruce declining over the years. I'm not trying to shield them from it.'

Last year in October, Emma opened up about his dementia battle and expressed that she doesn't 'shield' her daughters from the diagnosis

Emma said that she was not going to let 'FTD to take our whole family down. Bruce wouldn't want that,' while adding that she hopes to help the 'next family out there'

'What I learned from our therapist was that if children ask questions, they're ready to know the answer. If we could see that Bruce was struggling, I would address it with the kids so they could understand, but this disease is chronic, progressive and terminal.'

Heming told the outlet that their children don't tend 'to speak about the terminal side of this with them, nor have they asked.'

However, she expressed that Mabel and Evelyn 'know that Daddy's not going to get better.'

Emma said that she was not going to let 'FTD to take our whole family down. Bruce wouldn't want that,' while adding that she hopes to help the 'next family out there.'

Last month in February, Demi Moore gave an emotional update on Bruce during an interview with Variety

Last month in February, Demi Moore gave an emotional update on Bruce during an interview with Variety.

The Golden Globe winner told the outlet, 'We will always be a family, just in a different form.

'For me, there was never a question. I show up because that's what you do for the people you love,' Moore added.

She then explained, 'I hope it's encouraging for others to see that there's a different way to do things. There is life after divorce. There is a way to co-parent with love.'
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Former Married At First Sight bride Tahnee Cook has revealed the truth behind the houses contestants stay in during Homestays Week.

Rumour has spread producers hire Airbnbs as 'fake homes' for the couples to stay in, after they were caught doing just that for Jacqui Burfoot.

However, Tahnee, 29, who starred on season 10 of the series, revealed on TikTok on Wednesday she did not stay in a 'fake home' during her Homestays Week.

Instead, the podcaster said she suffered the 'worst case scenario' when she had to stay in her very recognisable real life apartment in Bondi.

Paired up with Ollie Skelton in 2023, the couple had to squeeze into her tiny studio unit which left little space for filming and could be easily found by fans.

'There has been some speculation of the places they are going for the Homestays not being their own houses and them being Airbnbs,' she said.

Former Married At First Sight bride Tahnee Cook, 29, has revealed the truth behind the houses contestants stay in during Homestays Week. Pictured

'My experience was interesting because it was my place and I remember getting roasted for it,' Tahnee continued.

She went on to say people online slammed her for having such a small apartment in Bondi despite owning very expensive Balenciaga handbags.

'Mind you, I was paying for this on my own. It was like $475 a week which, honestly, is pretty good in this economy right now,' she added.

'I am going to buy my designer handbags and live in my shoe box and I am happy with that.'

However, that was not the worst of her Homestay experience, as Tahnee revealed her address had been completely exposed on TV, leading to safety concerns.

'At the time, I lived in a really popular building in Bondi. Everyone knows that building so I was like, "I don't want people to know where I live. This is going on TV,"' she said.

'There was no way you could hide it. I expressed my concern and stress about that because I didn't want randoms to know where I lived.

'What do they do? Show people where I lived. We had a scene walking in, literally showing the restaurant and the supermarket across the road.

Tahnee, 29, who starred on season 10 of the series and was paired with Ollie Skelton, revealed on TikTok on Wednesday she did not stay in a 'fake home' during her Homestays Week

'It was very obvious what building I was living in. Literally the hallway with the numbers. It was worst case scenario.'

Tahnee said she felt grateful to have moved apartments right before her season aired on TV, as fans quickly began deducing where she lived and sharing it online.

'I would have been a mess if I was seeing those comments while sitting in that apartment,' she said.

'So that really annoyed me because I didn't want to be there in the first place. I felt uncomfortable with all these people in my home.'

She said producers and viewers had 'no respect for her privacy' after the episode aired.

It comes after 2025 bride Jacqui, 29, was caught trying to pass off an Airbnb as her 'house' during Homestays Week with groom Ryan Donnelly.

Daily Mail Australia revealed on Tuesday the luxurious Manly property she welcomed Ryan, 36, into on Monday night was actually a rented Airbnb.

The jewellery store owner returned to the Northern Beaches for the episode and was filmed rolling her suitcase through the front door of what was supposedly her home.

Instead, the podcaster said she suffered the 'worst case scenario' when she had to stay in her very recognisable real life apartment in Bondi

However, the property was in fact a $200-a-night Airbnb rental.

A voice-over described the residence as 'Jacqui's home', but in reality it was a two-story rental arranged by producers.

The deception didn't end there either, as it was also a completely different home from the one shown during her wedding backstory.

According to a production insider, Jacqui's actual living situation was deemed 'too small' and impractical for filming.

'She had roommates living at her house and it was in a messy state, and she didn't feel comfortable with it,' a source tells Daily Mail Australia.

'Ryan and Jacqui were instructed not to make any mention that it was a fake house and just to pretend it was actually Jacqui's.'

The source added the decision was ironic given Jacqui's later criticisms of Ryan's real home.

'Which is pretty hypocritical because when they went to Ryan's, Jacqui was given full freedom to attack his living conditions,' they said.

What's more, MAFS fans have also claimed the fake home was filled with Kmart furnishings after Jacqui continued to describe herself as 'high class'.

Homestay Week is designed to offer a glimpse into the daily lives of MAFS contestants, leading viewers to believe they are staying in their actual homes.

However, due to Jacqui's real living situationa small shared apartment in Manlyproducers opted for a more visually appealing alternative.

'Her real bedroom was tiny, and the camera crew couldn't fit in her apartment,' the insider added.

'Her roommates' stuff was everywhere and they would've had to be asked to leave for filming.'
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Steph Claire Smith has lashed out at online followers who post in influencer gossip threads about her to complain about the things she posts.

The fitness influencer, 31, who is currently pregnant with her second child, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to rant about her 'rude' fans.

She said she often has to 'delete' comments which complain about her sharing images of her son Harvey, three, with his face covered up.

'It still baffles me people feel like they can have such an opinion and have a say on what you do and do not share on the internet,' Steph began.

'I've deleted some of these comments because they were just effing rude.

'People saying I can't post anything of Harvey now when I cover his face because I was showing his face a year ago. Why?'

Steph Claire Smith, 31, has lashed out at online followers who post in influencer gossip threads about her to complain about the things she posts

'Why is it bothering you so much you have to make a comment? Why can parents not make this decision for themselves on their own platform?' she added.

'If you don't like it, just unfollow me.'

Steph went on to say she discovered a thread on a gossip forum about her which discussed the mother-of-one's choice to cover her son's face online.

'There has been a gossip thread about me and the way I share about Harvey,' she said.

'[It says] because I don't show his face anymore, all they hear is me talking about rough nights with him.'

She continued: 'But I posted something today [with Harvey] that made me smile so much... but because I covered his face apparently it's pointless to post.

'I am over people thinking creators have to curate their feed to suit [their followers]... That's not how it works. Let me tell you. I'm so sick of it. I'm so over it.

'I am going to post what brings me joy and what makes me feel good... that is how I've posted for the past 13 years.

The fitness influencer who is currently pregnant with her second child, took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to rant about her 'rude' fans

'Nothing has changed except my lifestyle and if you're not into it, if you're not into authenticity, if you're not into motherhood s***, move on.

'Just stop with the judgement about what people share on their own bloody platforms.'

It comes after Steph recently revealed the reason she no longer shows her son's face on social media.

Fans have recently asked Steph why the previously open internet personality has begun hiding Harvey's face in family photos shared to her public account.

Steph, who shares her son and current pregnancy with husband Josh Miller, previously documented several details of Harvey's life online.

Her Instagram page still has two 'highlight reels' dedicated to her firstborn called 'bump' and 'Harvey' which contain hundreds of videos showing his face.

'Just curious why have you just started hiding his face? I'm sure in your stories I used to watch his face wasn't blanked out?' one fan commented on a set of family photos.

'Why do you keep covering his face when you have shown his face loads of times?' another person asked.

She said she often has to 'delete' comments which complain about her sharing images of her son Harvey, three, with his face covered up

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Steph shared a screenshot of her response to the frequently asked question and hit back at the 'judgemental tone' of the questions.

'This question comes up a lot. And quite often in a judgemental tone, not a curious one,' she wrote.

The KIC app co-founder has one of the largest online followings in Australia, with an audience of 1.4million on Instagram and 136,000 on TikTok.

In her reply to the second commenter, Steph penned: 'The older he's gotten, the more he's settled into what he's going to look like as a kid.

'He was getting recognised when he was out in public with other people like my mum, not even with me, and I was uncomfortable with that.'

In recent posts, the influencer has covered Harvey's face with emojis, scratching it out, or only sharing photos in which her toddler is turning away from the camera.
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She is currently filming the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor in Sydney.

And Samantha Armytage has undergone a glamorous makeover for her new TV role.

The Nine star, 48, has well and truly ditched the down-to-earth country girl appearance she rocked as the face of Farmer Wants A Wife, and debuted longer locks and a very bronzed visage on the set of the new show on Thursday.

While Sam once got around wearing a wide-brimmed hat and casual outdoor outfits, she is sporting more formal attire and looked stunning in a gold buttoned nude dress for her day on set.

Her blonde locks were styled pin straight and her blue eyes were accentuated with a dark bronzed shadow.

Sam shared her new look in a video to promote the Wharf4Ward charity event hosted by Sony Foundation for their 'You Can Stay' program.

Samantha Armytage, 48, is currently filming the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor in Sydney, and the TV personality has undergone a makeover

The charity raises funds to provide accommodation in self-contained apartments, at no cost, for 15 to 25-year-old regional patients near city hospitals.

Sam also gave fans a glimpse at the set of season one of the Golden Bachelor as she underwent her makeover.

The television host shared a selfie to Instagram Stories as she sat in the makeup chair before shooting scenes for the series.

'Getting ready to bring you something golden,' Sam wrote in the caption alongside the image.

Sam was dressed casually for her styling session in a long sleeved blue shirt and a pair of jeans.

Cameras have officially started rolling on the Channel Nine dating show for older, single romantics looking for a second shot at love.

Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed Barry 'Bear' Myrden, a 50-something infrastructure engineer and passionate sailor from Sydney, has been handpicked as the leading man for the upcoming Australian adaptation.

In exclusive pictures, Barry was seen filming the show in Sydney last Wednesday, and his cast of leading ladies have since been spotted arriving at the Sydney mansion where filming will take place.

The Nine star, 48, has well and truly discarded the down-to-earth country girl appearance she rocked as the face of Farmer Wants A Wife , and debuted longer locks and a very bronzed visage on the set of the new show on Thursday

Barry, a father-of-three and a respected professional in the tech industry, currently works in Data Centre Management for Woolworths Group.

With decades of experience in his field, he has held senior roles at major companies like Macquarie Bank and the NSW Port Authority.

But while his career has flourished, sources close to Daily Mail Australia revealed his personal journey has been marked by tragedy as Barry is is widowed.

'Bear is always complaining that his boys are saying that he is bringing around the wrong kind of girls that are just too young and hot for him,' one friend revealed.

'We were always saying that he needs to be put on a show like MAFS, so seeing him up for the Bachelor role is no surprise.'

Despite his corporate background, Barry is far from your typical office-bound executive.

A passionate sailor, he has competed in high-profile races like the Sydney to Hobart.

In one photo captured during one of his recent sailing ventures, Barry looked handsome and rugged as he manned a yacht.

Unlike The Bachelor and The Bachelorette which feature young men and women, the Golden Bachelor is targeted at a more mature audience eager to watch how those who have already experienced great love and loss are chasing companionship in their next chapter.

'Bear is not your usual reality TV type,' an insider told Daily Mail Australia.

'He's charming, intelligent and has really lived a full life. He's been through love, loss and now he's ready to open his heart again. Women are going to adore him.'

Local fans of the The Golden Bachelor have been calling for an Australian version since the US version premiered last year to critical acclaim.

Producers are keeping tight-lipped about the contestants vying for Barry's heart, but if the US series is anything to go by the show promises to deliver a mix of heartwarming moments, deep connections and unexpected twists.
Bling Empire star Christine Chiu revealed that she has suffered dramatic hair loss due to a mystery medical issue.

The actress, 42, shared that she lost '99%' of her hair in the last few months in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Christine revealed that she is 'running labs' to determine the cause of the sudden hair loss.

The star posted a clip of herself in a hair salon, wearing a long brunette wig over her scalp, sharing that she was at her 'first custom wig fitting.'

'For those who don't know ... i am experiencing sudden and dramatic hair loss - and have lost 99% of my hair over the last few months,' she wrote.

Christine tagged her stylist Maranda Widlund in the clip. In the video, she is seen sitting in the salon chair, as Widlund styles the wig.

Bling Empire star Christine Chiu, 42, revealed that she has suffered dramatic hair loss due to a mystery medical issue; pictured in February

The actress, 42, said that she lost '99%' of her hair in the last few months in an Instagram post on Tuesday while sharing that she was at her 'first custom wig fitting'

She explains that she went for 'a dark, dark brown' instead of black.

'And then, when it gets styled, it just has a lot of life in it,' the hairdresser adds.

Earlier this week, the Taiwanese-American star attended the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California.

She shared some photos from the event, where she wore a Chanel hat, which covered most of her hair.

'Trying to ace the day, but mostly just rallying between champagne and shade (and sushi!),' she captioned the post.

She was accompanied by her husband, Dr. Gabriel Chiu, and their son, Gabriel Chiu III.

Christine has been married to the plastic surgeon since 2006.

The star, born Christine Alexandra Chiu, is a Taiwanese-American businesswoman and philanthropist.

She was the star and producer of the Netflix reality TV series, Bling Empire that documented a group of affluential Asian Americans living in Los Angeles as they balance modern life with traditional cultural values.

The show ended in 2022 after three seasons.

In 2011 Chiu appeared on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. Though her background is Taiwanese, she was raised in Beverly Hills.

She is a co-owner and founder of Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery and the Regenerative Medicine Aesthetic Institute, as well as the SPA at BHPS.

Christine revealed that she is 'running labs' to determine the cause of the sudden hair loss

'For those who don't know ... i am experiencing sudden and dramatic hair loss - and have lost 99% of my hair over the last few months,' she wrote

Earlier this week, the Taiwanese-American star attended the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California with her husband, Dr. Gabriel Chiu, and their son, Gabriel Chiu III

She shared some photos from the event, where she wore a Chanel hat, which covered most of her hair

She showed off her long dark tresses last year at the Brothers Sun premiere in Los Angeles

The star, born Christine Alexandra Chiu, is a Taiwanese-American businesswoman and philanthropist; seen in 2022

She was also the star and producer of the Netflix reality TV series, Bling Empire, that documented a group of affluential Asian Americans living in Los Angeles. The show ended in 2022 after three seasons; seen in a still from the show

As chief creative officer, she designed the luxe clinic and developed branded partnerships in the non-invasive Spa at BHPS.

She has led the development and amplification of the Dr. Chiu brand and has been the spokesperson for the Institute and a respected beauty expert in both dermatology and surgery for national and local print, digital and television media.

Chiu attended Pepperdine University, graduating at the top of her class with a dual degree in both international business and philosophy, and a minor in marketing.

She spent over a decade in marketing and public relations in the cosmeceutical technology sector prior to founding Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery Inc. with her husband.

As the world's youngest noted haute couture collector, Christine is an international fashion insider and sought-after brand ambassador.

Chiu has been recognized for her commitment to Asian American representation and social involvement.
This star is widely regarded as one of the best models of all time.

And on Wednesday, the 32-year-old took to her Instagram to share a hilarious childhood throwback snap.

In the photo the model, who has posed in campaigns for numerous high-end brands, including Burberry, Chanel, and Dior, can be seen sporting a red jumper with a funny quote.

The funny jumper featured the words 'If you think I'm bad, you should see my daddy'.

The star looked almost unrecognisable as she sassily posed with one hand on her hip and frowned for the camera.

But can you guess who she is?

This top model took to her Instagram on Wednesday to share a hilarious childhood throwback snap - but can you guess who she is?

It's none other than Cara Delevingne! The model who has walked runway shows for top designers like Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Stella McCartney (pictured walking L'Oreal Paris show in 2024)

It's none other than Cara Delevingne!

The model has walked runway shows for top designers like Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Stella McCartney.

She has won numerous awards over the years including Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014 and three Teen Choice Awards.

Cara has also received nominations for a British Independent Film Award and an MTV Movie & TV Award.

The multi-talented star is also an actress, she began her acting career with a minor role in the 2012 film adaptation of Anna Karenina by Joe Wright.

However, her most notable roles include Margo Roth Spiegelman in the romantic mystery film Paper Towns, the Enchantress in the comic book movie Suicide Squad, and Laureline in Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Cara had her first modelling job at age 10 in an editorial shot by Bruce Weber for Vogue Italia.

She signed with Storm Management in 2009 and worked in the industry for a year before going through two seasons of casting and landing her first runway show.

She has won numerous awards over the years including Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2012 and 2014 and three Teen Choice Awards (pictured with Kendall Jenner 2014)

Last week, Cara cut a stylish figure in a black leather jacket as she joined Samara Weaving at a special screening of the actress' new film Borderline in Los Angeles

The movie follows a bodyguard tasked with protecting a pop superstar and her athlete boyfriend from a determined stalker in 1990s Los Angeles

Last week, Cara cut a stylish figure as she joined Samara Weaving at a special screening of the actress' new film Borderline in Los Angeles.

The model looked effortlessly chic in a black leather jacket with a brown faux-fur collar as she posed for snaps with the Australian star, 33.

The movie, which released in the US on March 14, follows a bodyguard tasked with protecting a pop superstar and her athlete boyfriend from a determined stalker in 1990s Los Angeles.
She instantly became a pop culture icon after bursting into the public eye as loudmouthed Page 3 girl, Jordan.

Having tried her hand at modelling, singing, presenting, campaigning and reality TV, the glamour model quickly became a household name in Britain.

Yet while Katie Price's moniker will ring a bell for both young and old, you would be forgiven for not recognising the star on sight alone, with Katie famously undergoing numerous cosmetic procedures over the years.

After two decades in the spotlight, Katie is almost unrecognisable from the naturally pretty teenager who burst on to the modelling scene at the age of 16, with her natural curls and fresh-faced beauty winning her an army of fans.

Katie, now 46, has undergone an array of procedures over the years, including rhinoplasty, a silhouette facelift, 3D, veneers, lip fillers and Botox, culminating in her first facelift in 2017.

Now, after two decades under the surgeon's scalpel, MailOnline takes a look at the many faces of Katie Price.

The many faces of Katie Price: MailOnline takes a look at the star's changing look after two decades of boob jobs, Botox and face lifts

1995 - Barefaced beauty

At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling.

At a friend's suggestion, the teenager had professional photographs taken and was quickly snapped up by a modelling agency who landed her a Page 3 slot in The Sun newspaper the following year, sparking the creation of her glamour model alter ego, Jordan.

Speaking last year, Katie revealed she was glad that she wasn't exposed to social media at the time as she had 'no idea what Botox was or fillers', otherwise she may have started her tweaks and enhancements at an even earlier age.

1995: At the age of 17, Katie Price was a fresh-faced natural beauty looking to make it into the world of glamour modelling

1998 - First boob job

Having just turned 20, the rising glamour model experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C.

The procedure cost 4,500 and it's thought her mum Amy and stepdad Paul helped pay for her to have the procedure.

Katie has since spoken out about her decision to go under the knife, admitting she was 'too young' and that she feels sorry for young girls growing up these days in a world of social media and filters.

1998: Having just turned 20, Katie experienced her first taste of cosmetic surgery, boosting her 32B cup breasts to a 32C

1999 - Second and third boob job

Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures the following year at the age of 21.

Katie boosted her bust from a C cup to a D cup and just a few months later went up again to a F cup.

Katie has previously claimed that she has only paid for two of her boob jobs over the course of her career - it is not known if these were the ones.

1999: Despite having only just increased her breast size, Katie opted to have two more procedures at the age of 21

2001 - Lip fillers

At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers.

While the glamour model did not confirm the rumours at the time, she was seen sporting a noticeably fuller pout while out enjoying the party scene.

Her overall look had also started drastically transforming, with the model sporting dramatic false lashes, bright lipstick and pale hair extensions.

2001: At the age of 21, Katie had her first cosmetic procedure on her face, opting for lip fillers

2004 - Botox

Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines and wrinkles.

She made no secret of her love of the procedure, announcing at the time: 'I get my forehead and around my eyes Botoxed every six months and I love it. You can't beat it. It just freezes all the wrinkles and that's what you want.'

At the time, Katie insisted she would never take things further and have a facelift, explaining: 'I'd never have a full facelift. I've seen what they can do to people and I don't want to go through that.'

2004: Aged 26, Katie began to experiment with Botox injections that relax the muscles in your face to smooth out lines

2006 - Fourth boob job

Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup.

The glamour model also played around with her overall look and embraced her dark side with a new brunette hairstyle.

She also continued to dabble with fillers and Botox.

2006: Katie went under the knife yet again to take her F cup breasts up to a G cup

2007 - First nose job and veneers

At the age of 29, Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and treating herself to a 25,000 set of new veneers.

'Oh my God, it burned like hell!' she said at the time. 'The next day I had this hideous red rash on my chin but two days later there wasn't a single spot left.'

Speaking about her nose job at the time, she admitted to liking her original nose, explaining: 'I liked my nose before and now. If I had a cupboard with both noses, I would alternate between them!'

2007:Katie took her love of surgery to the next level, undergoing rhinoplasty, a chemical peel and a 25,000 set of veneers

2008 - Fifth boob job

Despite gradually increasingly her bust size over the year, Katie fancied a change on her 30th and brought her bra size back down from an F cup to a C cup.

The procedure meant that Katie had returned to the size of her first boob job 10 years prior.

Katie's changing shape also coincided with the launch of her first clothing line - an equestrian range.

2008: Despite gradually increasingly her bust size, Katie fancied a change and brought her bra size back down to a C cup

2011 - Sixth boob job

Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup.

Katie also underwent body-contouring treatment and cheek and lip fillers.

The Loose Women panelist admitted that she loved having her cheeks filled to give her a 'plumper, more youthful look'.

2011: Katie's smaller chest didn't last long, and at age 33 she went back under the knife again to boost her bust to an F cup

2015 - Seventh and eighth boob job

Just before appearing on Celebrity Big Brother, the reality star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast and an implant protruding from her flesh.

Katie told her shocked housemates: 'Ive got no tits anymore. Theyve gone. Theres not even anything there. If you saw what Im like underneath. The scars gone septic. My whole implant was hanging out on New Years Day.'

Shortly after leaving the Big Brother house she underwent corrective surgery and had her implants swapped for a D-cup.

2015: Just before Celebrity Big Brother, the star had a botched boob reduction that left her with a hole in her breast

2016 - Ninth boob job and tattooed makeup

Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie was undeterred and flew to a Brussels clinic to go under the knife yet again, this time settling on a 32GG bust.

The reality star also had her eyebrows and lips tattooed, also known as 'permanent make-up', explaining that she prefers to go make-up free on a day-to-day basis.

Additionally the star has regular facial treatments, last year sharing a bloodied selfie after having a dermal roller micro-needling treatment, which sees a dermaroller with many tiny needles rolled across into the skin - designed to stimulate cells into regeneration.

2016: Despite her surgery horror the year before, Katie flew to a Brussels clinic to get another boob job, this time a 32GG cup

2017 - First face lift, new veneers and 10th boob job

Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word undergoing a 'Silhouette' face lift.

The procedure is designed to lift a sagging cheeks and blurred jawline, using 'sutures' implanted under the skin to sculpt features.

However, Katie was soon spotted with puffy features, revealing that she suffered an allergic reaction to anesthetic penicillin after having further work on her veneers. She also had her breast implants reduced from 1000ml implants to 795ml.

2017: Despite insisting she would never have a face lift and could rely on Botox, Katie went back on her word

2018 - Second face lift

Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40 to correct it.

She said at the time 'I need to get my face re-corrected after surgeon has totally f**ked my face up', admitting it had

He agent added: 'She had the thread and it really quite distorted her look. She got a lot of backlash, a lot of negative press, a lot of trolling, everyone saying shed taken it too far, when actually it was a job that had not gone to plan.'

2018: Katie claimed her first face lift had been a botched job and went back under the knife the following year aged 40

2019 - Third face lift, boob job first Brazilian bum lift and 11th boob job

Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her entire look with a full body transformation.

The reality star opted for a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck.

Just three months later she returned to the clinic and opted for another boob job, going back down to a D cup.

2019: Katie jetted to Turkey to overhaul her look with a face, eye and eyelid lift, Brazilian bum lift along with a tummy tuck

2020 - 12th boob job and another set of veneers

Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers and revealed her real teeth had been reduced to stubs as she flashed a smile on her YouTube channel.

The mother-of-five then jetted to Belgium to correct botched surgery on her breasts, saying her surgeon was utterly shocked by the 'awful' previous procedure.

Katie said: 'They looked deformed, they were absolutely awful. That's the first time I've gone to a different surgeon. I had to go back to Frank with my head down, ashamed that I'd been to another clinic.'

2020: Katie returned to Turkey to have another set of veneers then jetted to Belgium to correct a botched boob job

2021 - Liposuction, eye and lid lifts and 13th boob job

Amid the Covid pandemic, Katie jetted off to then red-list Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts, liposuction under her chin, and fat injected into her bum.

The reality star also visited Belgium to have her 13th boob job as well as full body liposuction with bum fat removal.

The plastic surgery - performed by Dr Frank Plovier - came just five days ahead of the glamour model's sentencing for her shocking drink-drive crash.

2021: Katie jetted to Turkey for a complete cosmetic surgery overhaul, undergoing full body liposuction, eye and lip lifts

2022 - Another brow and eye lift

Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium at the beginning of 2022 for an eye and brow lift and had been concealing her new look with her head in a bandage.

Dr Judy Todd, an aesthetic doctor at Clinica Medica in Glasgow, said: 'It appears like she's had a face lift, temporal brow lift, and possibly an upper blepharoplasty.'

It was reported last month that Katie plans to travel to Turkey imminently for yet more plastic surgery, amid claims she wanted to get some tweaks in after being unhappy with her latest work.

Sian Dellar, Brow Specialist and Founder of Sian Dellar Permanent Makeup Clinic, added: 'Katie's eyebrows, like the rest of her, have changed lots over the years!

'Back in the 90s she had a very thin over plucked brow which was the fashion at the time, and today she has an extremely thick and unnatural looking brow.

'Currently it seems the face or eye lift that shes had have pulled her brows outward which looks unnatural and makes the brows appear almost stretched.

'Of course, as with any enhancement, its personal preference but we recommend not going too many shades darker, and keeping the shape as natural looking as possible and work to create or enhance brows to frame the face.

'Katies choice to have them so thick and dark and in that unusual positioning means they dominate her face and are the first thing the eye is drawn to. I would love to see Katie take her brows back to 2015/2016 when the fuller brow became a big trend. She got it right then and they framed her face well.'

2022: Katie secretly jetted back to Belgium for an eye and brow lift and is planning to to travel to Turkey for more surgery

2023 - 16th and 'biggest ever' boob job

It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th.

The star went under the knife in a bid to have the 'biggest in Britain' and was subsequently pictured being wheeled into surgery at the Be Clinic in Belgium.

She is said to have wanted even bigger breasts, opting for 2120 CC implants in a bid to boost her already large bust size.

Katie told OK! magazine of her boobs: 'I love them. They healed really quickly and they didn't hurt at all. That probably doesn't help. Because I heal quickly, it doesn't put me off and I have more.

'I would go bigger as well  and I will eventually. I just love having big boobs and a small body. I've always loved that look. In my eyes, if I'm having a boob job, I want them to look fake, I don't want them to look natural. I don't like the natural look.

'I just like that old-school American Playboy pin-up look. When I have surgery, that is what I'm striving for. If I could look like my airbrushed pictures, that would be amazing. But that's impossible to achieve.'

2023: It's not clear if Katie lost track of the number of breast augmentations or opted to keep some of her surgery private but by 2023 it emerged she'd undergone her 16th boob job, two years after claiming to be on her 13th

2024 - MORE facial surgery

In July 2024 Katie confirmed she is travelling to Turkey for facial surgery, to be filmed for a new documentary, after failing to attend a bankruptcy hearing.

The former glamour model was absent at a scheduled 760,000 bankruptcy court hearing having flown overseas for her latest cosmetic procedure.

A warrant was subsequently issued, with Katie admitting she's 'doing the best she can' to rectify her financial issues after receiving 'very clear warnings' that she needed to attend court.
Julianne Moore looked stunning as she attended the Rouje & Helena Christensen Dinner in New York City on Wednesday.

The actress, 64, opted for a slick of bold red lipstick and a chic oversized blazer for the event.

She teamed her jacket with a pair of wide legged jeans and black, strappy, platform sandals.

Julianne was joined by fashion model Helena, 56, who looked incredible in a floral highneck dress.

She added a pair of pale blue heels and posed for photos alongside Julianne and French designer and Rouje label founder Jeanne Damas.

The girls tucked into a plate of canapes at the dinner, where they were joined by Leigh Lezark and Famke Janssen.

Julianne Moore looked stunning as she attended the Rouje & Helena Christensen Dinner in New York City on Wednesday (L-R Jeanne Damas, Helena Christensen, Julianne)

The actress, 64, opted for a slick of bold red lipstick and a chic oversized blazer for the event

Last month Julianne's semi-autobiographical book about a child embracing their freckles was added to the Trump administration's banned book list.

The Academy-Award winning actress revealed her first book Freckleface Strawberry is barred from schools run by the Department of Defense.

She shared her 'great shock' at the revelation, describing the book as one 'about a seven year old girl who dislikes her freckles but eventually learns to live with them.'

In the book, the little girl 'realises that she is different just like everybody else.'

Julianne said: 'It is a book I wrote for my children and for other kids to remind them that we all struggle, but are united by our humanity and our community.'

The decision to prohibit the book in DoD classrooms comes amid a wider push to prevent diversity, equity and inclusion practices being taught.

Other topics like transgender and immigration issues have also reportedly been banned.

Julianne said that she herself is a graduate of a DoD school, raised by a father who is a Vietnam veteran and spent his career within the US Army.

Julianne was joined by fashion model Helena, 56, who looked incredible in a floral highneck dress

The girls tucked into a plate of canapes at the dinner, where they were joined by Leigh Lezark and Famke Janssen

Last month Julianne's semi-autobiographical book about a child embracing their freckles was added to the Trump administration's banned book list

'I could not be prouder of him and his service to our country,' she said.

'It is galling for me to realize that kids like me, growing up with a parent in the service and attending a @dodea_edu school will not have access to a book written by someone whose life experience is so similar to their own.'

The actress said she simply can't wrap her head around what in her picture book was 'so controversial... that caused it to be banned by the US government.'

'I am truly saddened and never thought I would see this in a country where freedom of speech and expression is a constitutional right.'

DoD schools are in place for children of service members and civilian employees of the defense department, with almost 70,000 students attending 161 schools.
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Lauren Goodger has revealed her plans to build the next 'multi-million pound fashion empire' as she unveiled her stunning new clothing collection with HL London.

The TOWIE star, 38, looked effortlessly chic as she modelled her stunning new mother-daughter line - after months of secret talks.

Displaying the comfy collection in a gorgeous photoshoot, Lauren was joined by her mini-me daughter Larose, three.

Lauren proudly showed off her new clothing line with the brand, The Lauren & Larose collection.

After a 'terrible few months', Lauren said she is back and better than ever, with plans to take her business as far as possible.

She told MailOnline: 'Its a new business venture of mine that Ive wanted to do for a long time.

Lauren Goodger, 38, has revealed her plans to build the next 'multi-million pound fashion empire' as she unveiled her stunning new clothing collection with HL London

Displaying the comfy collection in a gorgeous photoshoot, Lauren was joined by her mini-me daughter Larose, three

'Ive had a terrible few years completely lost my drive for work motivation all I wanted to be was a mum and thats exactly what I did, so behind the clothing brand meaning mother and daughter Range matching!

'Perfect time for Mothers Day Im doing it for Larose and also my angel baby Lorena. This business is my multimillion empire, Im working hard. I have been working hard.

'Ive been doing it behind the scenes for months since middle of last year. Ive designed it all.

'Ive chosen the colours, I go to the office regularly, Im heavily involved and Im working till late nights early mornings.

'Im so excited finally after LW tan. Ive got my business back and something that I love and enjoy and I hope everyone supports me on my journey and loves the range and I cant wait to see everyone in the pictures.'

Lauren referred to he fake-tan brand, Lauren's Way, which she started when she was 23 and was stocked in big name stores like Superdrug and Debenhams. However she has now fallen out with her business partner.

The clothing line will be available to purchase in-store and online, with a meet and greet set to take place at the store in Lakeside.

As she posted a clip to social media, Lauren penned: 'So excited my secret is out Launching my own clothing line on SATURDAY 22ND MARCH!

Black Asymmetrical Wide Leg Co-Ord The TOWIE star unveiled the exciting new career venture on Wednesday after months of secret talks

Lauren proudly showed off her new clothing line with the brand, The Lauren & Larose collection

Lauren proudly showed off her new clothing line with the brand, The Lauren & Larose collection

After a 'terrible few months', Lauren said she is back and better than ever, with plans to take her business as far as possible

Lauren was joined by her lookalike daughter Larose

The TOWIE star looked effortlessly chic as she modelled her stunning new mother-daughter line - after months of secret talks

She slipped into a wide leg blue jumpsuit

'Matching mother and daughter range!! It's available in-store and online.

'I will be doing meet and greets and showing off the whole range. Come down, say hello & enjoy the day with me.'

And her showbiz connections flooded to her comment section to celebrate her new project.

Her former TOWIE co-star, Gemma Collins wrote: 'Well done Lauren,' with a red love heart emoji.

Her friend and co-star, Junaid Ahmed penned: 'So so proud of my best friend Lauren, the original OG Queen of Essex.

'I know how hard you've worked on this and I'm so proud to see it finally out there. No matter what life throws at you, you always bring it LG.'

Love Island's Ekin-Su Culculoglu commented 'Proud,' alongside a heart emoji.

Lauren previously spoke candidly about her financial difficulties after previously commanding 25,000 for a magazine shoot in her TOWIE heyday.

Lauren previously spoke candidly about her financial difficulties after previously commanding 25,000 for a magazine shoot in her TOWIE heyday

She said she is living a 'basic' life in an ordinary semi-detached home with her daughter Larose, whom she shares with ex Charles Drury.

Lauren, who gave birth to a stillborn daughter in 2022, said she did not care about work after her death. She said: 'I didn't want to do anything else but being the mum.'

Lauren gave birth to her second child, Lorena, another daughter, in July 2022, but her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck and she tragically lost her life.

The pair split shortly afterwards.

Lauren previously admitted it hasn't been easy with Charles but they're now in a good place and have been doing everything in their daughter's best interests.
Tom Cruise showed off his new long hair and highlights as he continued filming for his latest Mission Impossible film.

The actor, 62, who recently sparked romance rumours with Ana De Armas, 36, is usually seen with a much darker and shorter hair style.

Arriving at the heliport in Battersea after a day of reshoots at Longcross Studios, he wore a tight, long sleeved top.

Tom teamed his look with a pair of dark blue jeans, black leather boots and carried a wool jacket over his arm.

The Hollywood star, who has had his pilot licence since 1994 and owns several aircrafts, hopped into the cockpit and flew himself back.

His solo trip comes after he was spotted with Ana for a second time last week as they arrived at the heliport together.

Tom Cruise showed off his new long hair and highlights as he continued filming for his latest Mission Impossible film

The actor, 62, who recently sparked romance rumours with Ana De Armas , 36, is usually seen with a much darker and shorter hair style (pictured right in Top Gun in 2022)

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.

During the dinner, they put on a close display as they headed out together in Soho, London.

The couple were mobbed by fans during their evening out and stopped to take pictures as a crowd formed around them.

Ana recently 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.'

Tom most recently displayed his close friendship with his agent Maha Dakhil in December when the pair were spotted enjoying a cosy dinner.

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.

Arriving at the heliport in Battersea after a day of reshoots at Longcross Studios, he wore a tight, long sleeved top

Tom Cruise pictured with Kelly McGillis in 1986 in Top Gun

Tom teamed his look with a pair of dark blue jeans, black leather boots and carried a wool jacket over his arm

The Hollywood star, who has had his pilot licence since 1994 and owns several aircrafts, hopped into the cockpit and flew himself back

He was seen greeting crew members on the tarmac

His solo trip comes after he was spotted with Ana for a second time last week as they arrived at the heliport together (Ana pictured this month)

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 first teaser trailer for Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning has finally been released, as the long-awaited conclusion to the beloved film series confirmed its title after months of delays.

Reprising his role as the titular hero Ethan Hunt, Tom is set to take on his biggest mission yet, after a tense cliffhanger saw the spy determined to track down cyber weapon The Entity.

The preview offers glimpses of Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg and Vanessa Kirby, while Esai Morales returns as the villainous Gabriel.
One of the UK's favourite comedian's Rob Beckett has revealed why he is quitting stand up touring after his upcoming show Giraffe.

The funnyman's career has soared in recent years after his successful show with fellow comedian Romesh Raganathan as well as his tour and regular appearances on panel shows.

Rob, 39, hosted the TV BAFTAs with Romesh last year and also took part in the celebrity Christmas special of Gladiators last year.

However Rob has admitted his plans to step back from stand-up tours as he prioritises time with his children.

The father of two, who shares daughters with his wife Louise, told The Sun: 'Ill still do stand up and local clubs and charity gigs but Im going to take a break from touring until the kids are 16/17.

'Then Ill do a big tour when theyre sixth form and when they go to Uni, me and Lou are going to spend Feb and March in Australia bumming around.'

Favourite comedian Rob Beckett has revealed why he is quitting stand-up touring  just a month after announcing he is stepping down from radio show

The father of two, who shares daughters with his wife Louise, said: ' Ill still do stand up and local clubs and charity gigs but Im going to take a break from touring until the kids are 16/17'

Revealing another of his ambitions for the future he added: 'When Im 50 I want to do a psychology degree.'

While Rob keeps the names and identities of his daughters private, the star is incredibly open about the highs and lows of parenthood on his podcast Parenting Hell with co-host Josh Widdecombe.

His latest career update comes after Rob also announced last month he has quit Radio 2.

The star, who took over from Paul O'Grady after he stepped down in 2022, will broadcast his last Sunday afternoon show in April.

Following a schedule shake-up, which saw him regularly swapping with Rob, Paul quit in August 2022 when he was told to share his duties with a younger presenter.

He admitted at the time that he left the station because he 'wasn't really happy with the 13 weeks on, 13 weeks off business'.

It came after a push by Radio 2 to attract younger listeners by recruiting younger talent sparked an ageism row and triggered an exodus of older talent including Ken Bruce.

Rob has been hosting the 5pm-7pm slot every week since and although he will be stepping away from the show, he will remain part of the BBC Radio 2 family.

Rob, 39, hosted the TV BAFTAs with Romesh Ranganathan last May (pictured) and also took part in the celebrity Christmas special of Gladiators

His latest career update comes after Rob also announced last month he has quit Radio 2 (pictured on Gladiators)

He explained: 'Ive had such a laugh each Sunday getting to know the listeners, but as my tour schedule hots up and my family forget what I look like, Ive decided to step away from a weekly show.

'But you wont get away from me that easily as Ill be back presenting shows on Radio 2 later in the year when normal service is resumed!'

Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2, added: 'Id like to thank Rob for his brilliant work every Sunday evening. Hell stay within the Radio 2 family and will be heard on the station at a later date.'
Rachel Zegler has claimed that West Side Story bosses questioned her Colombian heritage.

The actress, 23, has said she felt utter confusion at having 'a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them', as she spoke in a new interview.

She starred as Maria in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake of West Side Story.

It comes as her new Snow White movie has been surrounded with controversy with criticism and fears that the remake prioritized 'woke' messaging over authentic storytelling.

Notably, the remake has dumped the traditional romance plot because of 'sexism' and reimagined the Seven Dwarfs as a diverse group of 'magical creatures'.

And now leading star Rachel has opened up about her previous struggle to prove her heritage in the movie business in an interview with Allure, released on Tuesday.

'There's confusion because I don't have a single ounce of Latin in my name,' she said.

Snow White star Rachel Zegler has claimed that West Side Story bosses questioned her Colombian heritage

She starred as Maria in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake of West Side Story alongside Ansel Elgort

'When I was in the running for Maria in West Side Story, they kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, 'Do you want me to bring my abuelita in? I will. I'll bring her into the studio if you want to meet her.''

Zegler hails from Hackensack, New Jersey. Her mother, Gina, is of Colombian descent.

Her maternal grandmother immigrated from Barranquilla, Colombia, to the States in 1960s.

Meanwhile her father, Craig Zegler, is of Polish descent.

She went on to say that it's an 'interesting experience being part of that diaspora in the current climate we live in' before adding, 'But I love being Colombian.'

West Side Story proved to be her Hollywood breakthrough.

The role earned her a win at the Golden Globes for best actress in a musical or comedy film.

Spielberg then personally recommended her to Snow White director Marc Webb.

Elsewhere in the interview, Zegler explained that her singing capabilities were the deciding factor in her being cast as Snow White, even though the Disney princess is not Latina in the original animated film.

Rachel is seen with her father Craig, mother Gina and sister Jacqueline

It comes as her new Snow White movie has been surrounded with controversy with criticism and fears that the remake prioritized 'woke' messaging over authentic storytelling

The actress, 23, has said she felt utter confusion at having 'a bunch of white executives have you prove your identity to them', as she spoke in a new interview (seen in West Side Story)

She said on Wednesday: 'When I was in the running for Maria in West Side Story, they kept calling to ask if I was legit. I remember thinking, 'Do you want me to bring my abuelita in? I will'

'The reality is, I was given a chance because I could sing,' she shared.

She went on to say, 'My only prayer for the future of diversity and inclusion is that we invest in and nurture talent no matter what they look like.'

'That's why it's so important for the next generation to see movies like Snow White,' she added.

'To realize there's nothing wrong with choosing to do what's right and that it doesn't have to be with anger or a clenched fist.'

'Anger can be a powerful emotion, but it doesn't bring the brightest future. Snow White chooses kindness and still makes change. Power takes many forms. I hope we'll see a new dawn of kindness and acceptance in the next couple of years. And people don't see the need to use hate to cause further division.'

Snow White has been plagued by controversy in the run-up to its release this Friday, partly because of Zegler's politically charged comments.

When her casting was announced in 2021, it became a flashpoint of debate because she did not fit the traditional description of the character, 'white as snow.'

In response to the negative reception, Rachel wrote in a since-deleted post: 'yes i am snow white no i am not bleaching my skin for the role.'

Zegler was staunchly supported by the movie's director Marc Webb, who insisted: 'There are few people who are more dedicated Disney fans than Rachel.'

He added: 'She's been to the parks dozens, maybe scores, of times. She knows the Disney Princesses backward and forward. She even knew the Hilary Duff and Miley Cyrus Disney videos I directed back in the day!'

Webb continued: 'All that is to say, she understood the Disney tone I was aftera delicate blend of "fairy tale" with a few modern twists.'

'She delivers the music and dancing with an unironic grace that harkens back to the original, while still feeling emotionally alive and real. Its no easy feat.'

It was recently claimed that Zegler is 'out of control' and causing major headaches for Disney ahead of the movie's release by an insider.

A source told Page Six the company 'doesn't know what to do' with Zegler because of her repeated insistence on airing her progressive views.

While Zegler was put front-and-centre of the film's European 'premiere', the leading lady wasn't given the chance to speak to any global press - because they weren't invited to the secret event.

She jetted off to a remote castle in Segovia, Spain, to perform for around 100 select 'VIPs' which included influencers and families, though the event raised eyebrows as she was the only star in attendance, with not even Gal Gadot, who plays the Evil Queen, present.

Disney are reportedly treading carefully with Zegler after she has made a series of bold comments panning the original 1937 classic for its 'sexist' traditional romance plot and 'dated' love story.

'Disney's lead actress is out of control,' a source told Page Six. 'They don't know what to do.

'She's an outspoken 20-something and Disney chiefs have called her directly and asked her to tone down her posts. They've called her management, but she won't listen.

'It's been this way the entire way through filming. But it's the tying of her politics to Snow White that is upsetting.'

Last week, the movie had a 'scaled back,' sparsely attended Hollywood premiere instead of a bigger red carpet event, amid the mounting backlash.

She went on to say that it's an 'interesting experience being part of that diaspora in the current climate we live in' before adding, 'But I love being Colombian' (seen in West Side Story)

Elsewhere in the interview, Zegler explained that her singing capabilities were the deciding factor in her being cast as Snow White, even though the Disney princess is not Latina in the original animated film

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.'

Rachel has been embroiled in drama following her controversial comments on the Disney animation.

She sparked backlash after she called the storyline of the film 'weird' and also labeled the prince as a 'stalker.'

In one past interview, Zegler had 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.'

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.
Former Married At First Sight star Tim Gromie has called attention to his 'villain' edit on the hit show.

The controversial groom attracted a barrage of online criticism after rejecting bride Katie Johnstone for not meeting his preference for 'petite blondes'.

And now the 38-year-old has been spotted on a dating app with an updated bio that reads: 'Just because you saw it on TV doesn't mean it's real'.

Reports surfaced earlier this week that Tim was using the app, called Bumble, to seek love after his disappointing experience on the experiment.

Tim's reference to his chequered TV history is a recent addition on his profile which originally made no reference to MAFS.

The PE teacher tells users that he lives in Melbourne and makes no mention of 'petite blondes'.

Former Married At First Sight star Tim Gromie has called attention to his 'villain' edit on the hit show. And now the 38-year-old has been spotted on a dating app with an updated bio that reads: 'Just because you saw it on TV doesn't mean it's real'. Pictured: Tim shared this image to his Bumble dating app profile

Instead, Tim has detailed that his perfect match should be 'funny, kind and playful'.

Using the Bumble checklist the robust looking reality star described himself as an 'active non-smoker', a 'drinker' who has a wish to have children.

As for interests Tim said he likes 'gigs, dogs', and 'coffee'.

He has a number of flattering photos on his profile, after previously being called out for using older images of himself that do not show his current looks on dating apps.

It comes after one 'blonde' and 'petite' woman who went on a date with Tim spoke out on the experience.

Small business owner Amea May, 32, posted a series of videos detailing her interactions with the teacher, who exited the experiment with his bride Katie earlier this year.

'I am actually one of the sad saps who went on a date with this man who thinks he is God's gift to women, and if you're wondering, he's not,' she began the first video.

Amea said she 'barely recognised' Tim when she saw a meme of him on her social media recently.

Tim's reference to his chequered TV history is a recent addition on his profile which originally made no reference to MAFS. Pictured: Tim's bio on Bumble

The PE teacher tells users that he lives in Melbourne and makes no mention of 'petite blondes'

'But I barely recognised him when I actually met him for the date as well.'

'He gave me the ick the whole time and you could just tell that he thought very, very highly of himself.'

Amea, who runs Melbourne lash studio and brow bar Dear Lashes in Surrey Hills, is now engaged to be married and said she was 'so embarrassed' to admit she had 'hooked up' with Tim in September 2019.

The beauty blogger said that she had just come out of a rough break up at the time and came across Tim after 'going through the attractive guys' [on the dating apps] 'really quickly.'

'So, you start to go for the guys who maybe are just not good at taking photos,' she said. 'You think, I'll give it a go, maybe they look better in real life.

'Also, I'm not a b***h so I'll give a chance to a medium-ugly guy.'

Tim - who described himself as being too nice in an early episode of MAFS - has been lambasted by viewers for turning down his bride on their wedding day for not being his 'usual type'.

He said his type is 'blonde, or brunette,' 'petite', and 'short'.

On their honeymoon, Tim also told Katie he'd 'put the blinds down' when the social enterprise owner made a joke about running around naked.
Bella Hadid flaunted her incredible figure in a bikini on Instagram on Wednesday.

The supermodel, 28, took to social media to show off the best bits from a sun-soaked trip to Dubai, posting snaps from the beach by the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Hotel.

She wowed in a dark blue and white thin-checked two-piece as she frollicked in the sea with her fashion influencer friend Yasmine Diba.

The beauty added a gold gemstone necklace and a thick bracelet for her beach trip and let her brunette tresses loose as she advertised her Orebella fragrance in a variety of different poses.

In several snaps she lay in the sea while holding a bottle of her perfume and in another she made telephone gestures with a mystery man, while drying out by the sun loungers.

Bella captioned the post: 'i wanna bathe in my salted muse.til im fully charged.

Bella Hadid flaunted her incredible figure in a bikini on Instagram on Wednesday taking to social media to show off the best bits from a sun-soaked trip to Dubai

She wowed in a dark blue and white thin-checked two-piece as she frollicked in the sea with her fashion influencer friend Yasmine Diba

The supermodel, 28, looked stunning as she posted snaps from the beach by the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Hotel

'my sun my moon my water my stars my @orebella love her so much ..'

The model has been dating cowboy Adan Banuelos since January 2023 and the couple bought their Fort Worth, Texas, home one year ago.

The half-Dutch, half-Palestinian stunner previously dated art director Marc Kalman, R&B crooner The Weeknd, and Cha Cha Matcha founder Matthew Morton.

Bella - who used to be a competitive equestrian - has most recently worked with Frankies Bikinis on a new swimwear collaboration, which launched earlier this month.

The IMG Model flashed her $140 'Austin' underwire bikini top and $80 leopard-print 'Full Moon' bikini bottoms after pulling down her black leather pants inside a horse barn.

Bella - who plans on releasing more capsules in April and June - grew up in Malibu being childhood friends with Frankies Bikinis founder Francesca Aiello.

The brunette beauty was recently named the third highest-paid model in 2025.

Her elder sister Gigi is just above her in second place.

The beauty added a gold gemstone necklace and a thick bracelet for her beach trip and let her brunette tresses loose

Bella advertised her Orebella fragrance in a variety of different poses, kissing the bottle in one snap in the water

In one snap she made telephone gestures with a mystery man, while drying out by the sun loungers after making a splash in the sea

Bella captioned the post: 'i wanna bathe in my salted muse.til im fully charged.'

The list is: Kendall Jenner, Gigi, Bella, Adriana Lima, Liu Wen, Gisele and Ashley Graham, according to CEO Today magazine.

Earlier this year, the Hadid sisters were left devastated when their childhood home burnt down in the Los Angeles wildfires.

The luxurious property  where Yolanda once lived and raised her kids including Bella and her sister Gigi  would frequently make appearances on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

She also shared another decimated photo of the home in the daytime.

Once a backdrop to the reality TV series and drama-filled dinner parties in the earliest seasons, now just the wooden frames of the home remain.

The Malibu mansion, known as the Carbon Canyon Estate, was also once rented by Kylie Jenner for nearly half a million dollars a month, but now no longer exists after heroic firefighters put out the blaze.

The last owner had just put the Los Angeles mansion up for sale in July 2024 for $35 million.
Georgia Love has made her first public appearance since announcing her split from husband Lee Elliot.

The Bachelorette star looked relaxed and happy as she attended the opening night of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne on Thursday night.

The 35-year-old stunned in a fitted, sleeveless gold gown with a split at the calf that sat close to her figure.

She added a pair of statement cross earrings and a pair of towering black heels with rose gold accents.

For makeup, the former reality star chose a rosewood lipstick in a shiny finish along with a warm-toned blush and smokey eye.

She pulled her brunette locks off her face in a half-up do and matched her manicure to her lipstick.

Georgia Love (pictured) has made her first public appearance since announcing her split from husband Lee Elliot

Earlier this month, Georgia broke her silence on the split with a simple message to Instagram Stories, thanking her fans for reaching out with kind words.

'Thank you for your kind messages' she posted, alongside an image of a serene sea view.

Georgia and Lee, who first met on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette, announced their separation with identical posts to Instagram last month.

'After nine wonderful years together, including four as husband and wife, [we] have made the incredibly difficult decision to lovingly part ways,' they wrote.

'Our relationship has been so special and we will always cherish the memories, love, and laughter we've shared.

'There is no drama, no bad blood. Just two people who have grown in different directions while still holding deep respect and care for each other.

'We remain friends and we'd really appreciate our privacy as we navigate this next stage. Thank you.'

Georgia and Lee had fuelled rumours they had split for some time as it had been more than four months since they were seen together.

The Bachelorette star looked relaxed and happy as she attended the opening night of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne on Thursday night

The 35-year-old stunned in a fitted, sleeveless gold gown with a split at the calf that sat close to her figure

They pair spent Christmas apart with their respective families before Georgia jetted off to New York City for a holiday without Lee.

They were also both spotted without their wedding bands, which led to a wave of speculation online which suggested they had ended their relationship.

It seemed the pair were still living under the same roof at their marital home in Melbourne as recently as Saturday.

Georgia was spotted making a trip to a nail salon before she headed to the home to prepare for a drinks night.

The former reality TV star was not wearing her wedding ring during the outing and had been seen without the diamond sparkler for months.

Shortly after, Lee returned home driving a tradesman's ute while wearing a bright yellow uniform.

Earlier this year, a source told Daily Mail Australia the pair were well and truly over after spending Christmas and the new year apart.

'The time apart could be good for them and I think they both have had an opportunity to see what life would be like if they did [officially] separate,' they said.

She added a pair of statement cross earrings and a pair of towering black heels with rose gold accents

For makeup, the former reality star chose a rosewood lipstick in a shiny finish along with a warm-toned blush and smokey eye. She pulled her brunette locks off her face in a half-up do

The source added Lee 'has always supported Georgia following her dreams' and 'I think whatever happens, they will remain friends in the long term'.

'Everyone, including them, is hoping they make things work and I guess that's why they have been so reluctant to address anything officially,' they said.

Fans on Instagram continued to press Georgia about her husband's whereabouts while she was away in New York.

She had not confirmed a split or a trial separation at the time, but simply said he was 'at home' while she was living it up in the states for New Year's Eve.

'Where is Lee?' one user asked in her comments section, adding a sad-faced emoji.

'He's at home, I'm here visiting my friend,' Georgia replied, adding she was 'incredibly tired of this question'.

One follower asked, 'Oh, you've split up with Lee?' which prompted another to reply: 'Poor Lee.'

'Why?' Georgia bluntly answered.

Georgia and Lee (both pictured) announced their separation with identical posts to Instagram last month

The pair met and fell in love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette, which saw Georgia, a former TV news reporter, choose tradie Lee as her winning suitor.

They married in 2021 at the Frogmore Creek Winery outside Hobart, followed by an outdoor reception at the Shene Distillery.

The lovebirds had been due to marry in Italy the year prior, but were forced to cancel due to Covid travel restrictions.

The following year, they moved into their $1.3million townhouse in Melbourne's upmarket suburb of Hampton East.

It comes after Georgia was allegedly spotted with a mystery man on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula earlier this year.

A source told Daily Mail Australia they witnessed 'love blossoming in broad daylight' between Georgia and her alleged new beau during an outing in the small town of Rosebud.

The source claims the couple were displaying a certain 'chemistry' on the outing.

'They looked very much newly acquainted,' the insider said.

The pair met and fell in love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette (pictured), which saw Georgia, a former TV news reporter, choose tradie Lee as her winning suitor

'There was clearly nervous energy and chemistry between them,' they added, when asked if the two could have been just friends.

Meanwhile, a close friend of Lee's offered their assessment as to why the four-year marriage failed.

'Georgia has probably grown tired of coming second to his friend group,' they told Daily Mail Australia.

'He loves to go out with the boys.'

They added the split was a shame as they believed the couple were a perfect match.

'In my opinion, Georgia seemed like a good match [for Lee],' they said.

'With her being quite ambitious and her priorities also not being with settling down, that seemed like a good partner for Lee.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Georgia Love for comment.
Emma Appleton, Lady Clara Paget and Lady Amelia Windsor enjoyed a night on the tiles as they celebrated the opening of new London restaurant ALBA.

The new Italian restaurant in Knightsbridge welcomed a host of talent to its launch party on Wednesday night.

Actress and model Emma Appleton 33, cut a chic figure in a pale blue Rotate set and Roger Vivier loafers.

While actress Lady Clara Paget, 36, wore a black ensemble with stilettos.

Lady Amelia Windsor, 29, meanwhile slipped into a stylish black waistcoat, trousers and boots.

The girls headed straight to the bar for cocktails, curated by the expert bar team at ALBA London, including the ALBA-tini made of Beluga vodka, apple liqueur and an apple & cinnamon cordial.

Emma Appleton enjoyed a night on the tiles on Wednesday as she celebrated the opening of new London restaurant ALBA

Actress Clara Padget was also in attendance wearing an all black ensemble

Lady Amelia Windsor meanwhile wore a stylish black waistcoat, trousers and boots

Also in attendance was Charlotte Tilbury's 'niece and muse,' Bella Tilbury, who wore a vintage Comme des Garcons dress and a Rick Owens jacket.

Bella was joined by socialites Allegra Handelsman and Lady Clara, who removed her blazer to showcase her gorgeous black Khanums dress.

She teamed her outfit with a FENDI Vintage tropical Baguette.

She was accompanied by her guest, Jana Sascha, Founder of the fashion brand De Le Vali.

Other attendees included Holly Macnaghten, Isabella Charlotta Poppius, Tara Duross and Tobi Ojora.

Amelia, who is the granddaughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, recently revealed she enjoys the little luxuries in life, including 95 bamboo pyjamas and dry cleaned bedding.

The royal who resides in Notting Hill, spoke to Hello magazine about the little treats she likes to give herself.

She said that she likes to wear her 'super soft' Stripe & Stare pyjamas which are made from bamboo and range from around 55 to 95, depending on the material used.

Also in attendance was Charlotte Tilbury's 'niece and muse,' Bella Tilbury, who wore a vintage Comme des Garcons dress and a Rick Owens jacket

When Amelia takes to the kitchen, she likes to cook with 'good quality' oil from Citizens of Soil, which is produced solely by women.

The model said: 'I also love good quality olive oil from Citizens of Soil, created by female makers in Greece, Spain and Italy.'

As a Londoner, Amelia said she likes spending a night out in the city on a rooftop bar sipping on Paloma tequila cocktails, before going out for a dance.

She also said her favourite meal is tucking into a 25.50 plate of 'organic roast chicken with roasted root veggies,' from the Duke of Cambridge in Islington.
90s rocker Billy Corgan has become a father for the third time after he welcomed a baby daughter with his wife.

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman and his partner Chloe Mendel announced the birth of their newborn, Juno, into the world in 'the wee hours' of Tuesday.

The couple, 58, already share Augustus, nine, and six-year-old Philomena, with Chloe, 32, giving birth at their family home in Illinois.

In an interview they announced baby Juno weighed 9lb 9oz and measured 22 inches long.

Billy told People magazine: 'My wife, Chloe is doing well and recovering, and baby Juno is happy, healthy, and nursing with gusto.

'We are so touched by all the kind wishes of support and love, and thank those who helped Chloe and baby have such a safe, and peaceful, home birth.'

90s rocker Billy Corgan has become a father for the third time after he welcomed a baby daughter with his wife (Billy pictured in December 2024)

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman and his partner Chloe Mendel announced the birth of their newborn, Juno, into the world in 'the wee hours' of Tuesday (pictured together in October)

He continued: 'The kids are absolutely thrilled by their new sister, and being nine and six, they cant wait till shes old enough to play.'

The rocker recently admitted he'd given up on his dream of having a family before he met Chloe in 2012.

They married in September 2023 after welcoming their first child in 2015 and second in 2018.

Last year, he revealed that he discusses childhood trauma with his young kids during an appearance on the REINVENTED With Jen Eckhart podcast.

During the interview he revealed that his guitarist father William Dale Corgan once told him that the abuse that he had suffered as a child was 'good' because it had 'made him a better rock star.'

Billy reiterated that it was an actual quote and joked that 'it's pretty funny, if you think about it.'

He went on to reflect how his past has had an influence on his own parenting as he explained: 'I absolutely believe in the concept of generational trauma.

'I mean, much of what we were taught or not taught or we went through as children  my brother and I  I think was the result of what our parents had been taught or not taught.'

The couple, 58, already share Augustus, nine, and six-year-old Philomena, with Chloe, 32, giving birth at their family home in Illinois (pictured with his son in 2018)

Billy told People magazine: 'My wife, Chloe is doing well and recovering, and baby Juno is happy, healthy, and nursing with gusto' (pictured together in Chicago in May 2014)

He said that parenting is a complex thing and that it isn't exactly 'simple math' and added: 'Even down to the concept of "Yeah, Im hitting you, but Im hitting you less than I was hit," so this is better.'

The president of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) was then asked by the host if he and his wife Chloe have discussed their past struggles and traumas with their children.

Billy responded: 'We do talk about it occasionally. In fact, I was talking to my son this morning about certain things that are sort of loosely related to what you asked.'

The Zero hitmaker went on to say that his philosophy to parenting is to 'dole it out where appropriate.

'For example, I told my children some stories about where my father had beat my brother and I, and my kids being kids turned that into a story that my daddy was bad, like what kids do, like hes a villain in a superhero movie.

'We were driving down the road one day and my daughter started saying something about my father being bad or me not liking my father or something, and I said, No, no. I love my dad. I love my father. '

Billy stressed the importance of giving children a more balanced sense of conflict instead of it being one sided.

He explained: 'That you give them  as much as they are capable of understanding at the age of 8 and 5  lets call it the quantum aspect of how you can both love and have issues with someone in your life.

'That its not so simple as dividing the world into good guys and bad guys.'
Chloe Brockett was reportedly rushed to hospital by her boyfriend Jack Fincham after suffering an asthma attack.

The TOWIE star, 24, was taken to hospital by Jack, 33, after she complained of feeling unwell and he is said to have stayed by her side all night.

Chloe recently told how she had been feeling unwell, particularly after Jack was freed on bail for a dog attack.

A source told The Sun: 'Everyone knows about the stress of Jack's court case but behind the scenes Chloe has been ill for months.

'She's been cancelling work commitments and not seeing friends.Last night she had a bad turn and ended up in hospital with a severe asthma attack.

'She's always had asthma but it's usually under control then last night she was struggling to breathe.'

Chloe Brockett was reportedly rushed to hospital by her boyfriend Jack Fincham after suffering an asthma attack

The TOWIE star, 24, was taken to hospital by Jack, 33, after she complained of feeling unwell and he is said to have stayed by her side all night

After being seen by doctors in A&E, Chloe was sent home to rest, with the insider adding that the last few months have 'taken their toll' on her.

It has also been claimed the couple have been locked in a series of rows as of late over the stress of Jack's court return.

On January 31, Jack was sentenced to six weeks in jail after his black cane corso dog Elvis bit a runner in 2022, although he is now out on bail pending an appeal.

He has been ordered to pay 3680 to the courts, including a 200 compensation fee to his victim and a 50 compensation fee to a second unnamed victim.

But in a sign of his reduced circumstances, he has been forced to negotiate a deal to pay off the money in 400 monthly installments.

Jack will face a judge about his appeal again on Friday, March 21 where he will find out whether his custodial sentence will be upheld.

There was speculation Chloe and Jack had split after they both deleted photos of each other from their social media.

But Chloe reassured fans they are still together on Wednesday as she wrote on her Instagram Stories: 'For anyone concerned, I am very much still in a relationship.

Chloe recently told how she had been feeling unwell, particularly after Jack was freed on bail for a dog attack

There was speculation Chloe and Jack had split but she confirmed she is still in a relationship on Wednesday

On January 31, Jack was sentenced to six weeks in jail after his black cane corso dog Elvis bit a runner in 2022, although he is now out on bail pending an appeal.

'The last few months have been very hard for everyone involved.'

MailOnline has contacted a representative of Chloe Brockett for comment.

Jack faced two counts of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog, with a separate incident involving a woman occurring in Grays, Essex, in June 2024, although no injury was reported on that occasion.

The Love Island winner pleaded guilty to the charge and was handed a custodial sentence after the judge determined handing Fincham a further suspended sentence was not appropriate.

As the verdict was read out, Chloe broke down in tears and had to be led from the court room by his family members who were also in attendance.

Following the hearing, Fincham's lawyer filed an appeal against the decision. The couple have since been spotted in Essex since the trial walking arm-in-arm, with the Love Island star granted bail pending the outcome of his appeal.
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Karlie Kloss made her first public appearance since announcing shes expecting her third child with billionaire husband Josh Kushnerand she did it in true supermodel fashion.

The Project Runway host, 32, turned the streets of Paris into her personal catwalk on Wednesday, exuding effortless maternity chic.

She rocked an unbuttoned black monk jacket, confidently baring her growing baby bump, paired with low-rise denim that perfectly balanced laid-back cool with high-fashion edge.

Dark designer shades and a sleek black leather handbag completed the look as she kept a low profile.

Kloss outing comes amid a subtle show of support from her sister-in-law, Ivanka Trump, who appeared to put any rumored family tensions to rest by liking the former Victorias Secret Angels pregnancy announcement.

She wasnt the only one celebrating the newsLauren Sanchez, Yolanda Hadid, Paris Hilton, Serena Williams, and Kim Kardashian also sent their love with likes and heartfelt comments.

Karlie Kloss made her first public appearance since announcing shes expecting her third child with billionaire husband Jared Kushnerand she did it in true supermodel fashion

The Project Runway host, 32, turned the streets of Paris into her personal catwalk on Wednesday, exuding effortless maternity chic.

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.

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.'

Dark designer shades and a sleek black leather handbag completed the look as she kept a low profile

Supermodel Karlie, 32, revealed on Monday that she is expecting her third child

Just two years prior, her husband voiced similar sentiments on his 'liberal values,' which have 'guided his life.'

'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.

Ivanka and Karlie have found themselves on very different sides of the political fence (pictured with Dasha Zhukova in 2016)

Kloss is expanding her family with Kushner (pictured pregnant with her second child in May 2023)

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.
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Christine McGuinness turned up the heat on Thursday when she stripped down to a revealing bikini for an outdoor shower.

The TV star, 36, showed off her enviable figure in a strappy brown bikini, complete with matching thong bottoms.

In the sizzling video, Christine can be seen checking the temperature of the water to ensure it's just right and attempted to keep her blonde ponytail dry.

The mum-of-three revealed that she had just returned to the UK from a pre-birthday getaway and was looking forward to relaxing ahead of celebrating her latest trip around the sun.

Christine wrote on Instagram: 'Home from a Pre-birthday getaway.

'Reset mode: activated. Taking time to relax, recharge and reflect before another amazing year begins! #SelfCare #BirthdayCountdown #36 #37.'

Christine McGuinness wowed fans online after sharing a video of her stripping down for an outdoor shower ahead of her 37th birthday

The TV star, 36, showed off her enviable figure in a strappy brown bikini, complete with a thonged bottom

Viewers were quick to take to the comments section to praise the The Real Housewives of Cheshire star for her enviable physique.

One praised that she was looking 'totally amazing' and warned that the spicy video was at risk of 'breaking' the internet.

Others wrote: 'Wow Christine you are total perfection. Absolutely stunning and gorgeous.';

'What a stunning figure.'; Never been so jealous of a shower.';

'Happy birthday for tomorrow beautiful.'

Another viewer took the post as a sign that they should also invest in an outdoor shower.

Countless others, meanwhile, replied with fire emoji.

The spicy video came just before Christine attended the National Diversity Awards in London on Wednesday.

Christine can be seen checking the temperature of the water to ensure it's just right and attempting to keep her blonde ponytail dry

The spicy video came just before Christine attended the National Diversity Awards in London on Wednesday where she was honoured for her work prompting autism and ADHD awareness

Christine cited ADHD as one of the reasons why she split from Paddy in 2022 after 15 years together and said she wanted discover who she was on her own terms

She was honoured there for her work promoting awareness of autism and ADHD.

Christine cited ADHD as one of the reasons why she split from Paddy in 2022 after 15 years together, claiming that she wanted to discover who she was on her own terms.

At the event, Christine flashed her toned physique in a shimmering bronze crop top and matching maxi skirt, teamed with strappy heels.

She posed alongside Duncan James and Char Bailey on the red carpet at the event, held at Grosvenor House in London.

Her appearance at the event comes after it emerged that Paddy, 51, had put their former family home up for sale following the finalisation of their divorce.

Priced at 6.5 million, the Macclesfield mansion has been described by its estate agent as a 'traditional-meets-modern voluminous home' which is 'all about the family - but in an opulent way.'
Demi Moore gave an update on ex-husband Bruce Willis as she shared snaps from his 70th birthday celebration amid his ongoing battle with dementia.

The 62-year-old Oscar nominee took to Instagram on Thursday morning to post sweet images from the Die Hard star's milestone day.

Demi also responded to all of the encouraging and loving comments the family has received as they celebrated his birthday previously.

In the caption she wrote to her 6.1million followers: 'Quality time with our BW Who was feeling the love! Keep it pouring in! [black heart emoji].'

Bruce smiled in all of the images as he looked handsome in a seafoam green blazer over white T-Shirt, black trousers, and grey sneakers.

One of the sweetest images saw former married couple Bruce and Demi looking into each other's eyes and smiling.

Demi Moore gave an update on ex-husband Bruce Willis as she shared snaps from his 70th birthday celebration amid his ongoing battle with dementia.

Demi also shared a cute photo of Bruce's current wife Emma Heming Willis, 46, giving Bruce a kiss on the cheek.

The Ghost actress and Bruce also posed for a snap with youngest daughter Tallulah Willis by the pool at the intimate gathering.

Just a day prior, Demi had shared rare photos of Bruce nd their daughters in an Instagram tribute on Wednesday.

The Substance actress - who recently took her Oscars loss 'very hard' this month - uploaded an assortment of snaps to her main page as the family gathered around the Die Hard actor in sweet memories.

Moore and Willis were previously married from 1987 through 2000 - and welcomed three children: Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and the aforementioned Tallulah.

In one image, the beauty could be seen flashing a cheerful smile as she embraced Bruce - who 'stepped away' from acting back in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia.

Demi also included a lighthearted moment with her three daughters as they sat on a couch with the Hollywood star while sharing a laugh.

Another picture was taken as Willis kissed his granddaughter Louetta - whom Rumer welcomed to the world in April 2023.

The Ghost actress and Bruce also posed for a snap with youngest daughter Tallulah Willis by the pool at the intimate gathering

Demi also shared a cute photo of Bruce's current wife Emma Heming Willis, 46, giving Bruce a kiss on the cheek

In the caption she wrote to her 6.1million followers: 'Quality time with our BW Who was feeling the love! Keep it pouring in! [black heart emoji]'

Tallulah could be seen sitting with her father as she embraced him in another picture, and Bruce held his granddaughter in another snap.

Moore also gave her followers a glimpse at sugar cookies they indulged in that had their father's face decorated on top with colorful icing along with the number '70.'

In the caption of her latest post, the actress penned: 'Happy birthday, BW! We love you .'

Bruce's wife Emma Heming also jumped to social media to celebrate her husband's 70th birthday and uploaded a picture of the star outdoors while posing on an ATV four-wheeler.

She wrote, 'It's Bruce's birthday, and if there's one thing I know, it's that there's no greater fan than a Bruce fan.

'So flood him with all the love today - he will feel it, I swear he will. You are one powerful bunch. I love how you rally for him, and I'm so grateful that he has you .'

In 2009, Bruce married Heming and the couple also share two daughters Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Rumer gave an update on her father Bruce Willis just one day before the star's 70th birthday.

Just a day prior, Demi had shared rare photos of Bruce nd their daughters in an Instagram tribute on Wednesday

The actress also included a lighthearted moment with her three daughters as they sat on a couch with the Hollywood star while sharing a laugh

Moore and Willis were previously married from 1987 through 2000 - and welcomed three children: Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31; former couple seen in 1990

Another picture was taken as Willis kissed his granddaughter Louetta - whom Rumer welcomed to the world in April 2023

Tallulah could be seen sitting with her father as she embraced him in another picture, and Bruce held his granddaughter in another snap

Moore also gave her followers a glimpse at sugar cookies they indulged in that had their father's face decorated on top along with the number '70'

In the caption of her latest post, the actress penned: 'Happy birthday, BW! We love you '

The Once Upon A Time In Hollywood actress opened up about the retired actor's health during a Q+A session on her Instagram stories.

Back in February 2023, Bruce's loved ones revealed that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia - one year after he 'stepped away' from acting due to also battling aphasia.

In one reel, the mother-of-one was asked by a fan, 'How's your dad doing?' and Rumer replied, 'He's doing great, thank you for asking.'

She then added, 'It is actually his 70th birthday tomorrow so please wish my papa a big happy birthday.'

Last month in February, Rumer also gave rare insight into how her father was doing during an interview with ITV and expressed that the family has 'rallied around each other.'

She shared, 'He's doing great. I think, obviously as many people in California, the thing we're all kind of the most scared, dealing with is just fires and wanting to make sure everything is okay.

'Because my family, we're all so close, I think what's so beautiful is the way that we rally around each other, [it's] so lovely, because we really are a unit.'

Rumer then applauded Bruce and Demi's relationship even after they divorced after 13 years of marriage.

Emma added, 'So flood him with all the love today - he will feel it, I swear he will. You are one powerful bunch. I love how you rally for him, and I'm so grateful that he has you '

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Rumer gave an update on her father Bruce Willis just one day before the star's 70th birthday

'I think the thing I'm most grateful for is that even when they split up, they created such a beautiful foundation of prioritizing my sisters and I, that I never felt like I had to choose or like, they never played against each other.'

She further expressed that, 'We were a family, and we still are very much a family no matter what

'And not only did I feel like that has set me up in my life to have such a beautiful foundation of my own family, but now, as I'm working through co-parenting as well, I feel deep gratitude for the example they've set.'

Earlier this month, Bruce's wife Emma shared the shocking call she received from a 'very prominent doctor' as she cares for the retired actor amid his dementia battle.

She expressed on Instagram, 'I received a call from a very prominent doctor the other day, letting me know that he has a family who's just been diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's.

'And they have three children aged 10, 12 and 14, and that he needs all of my resources, any contacts. And I was like: "Huh?"'

Emma continued, 'And I have the contacts, and nothing makes me happier than to be able to be of service and to support the next caregiver, which I happily passed on.

'The thing that just boggles my mind is how do our doctors not already have a Rolodex of ways to support caregivers?' the mother-of-two questioned to her followers.

'The other thing that just is so upsetting to me is, when I receive messages from families that have just been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia or some type of dementia, and theyre asking me for my resources.

Earlier this month, Bruce's wife Emma shared the shocking call she received from a 'very prominent doctor' as she cares for the retired actor amid his dementia battle; seen in 2024 in NYC

'I'm not even in the same state as them, same city. It's very hard to sort of pass on those resources, except to like the Association For Frontotemporal Dementia or things like that.'

Heming added, 'But it's just like, they need to do better. Doctors need to do better. Doctors really do need to have a road map of just some support.'

Last month, she also shared a video to Instagram to help celebrate National Caregivers Day.

Last year in October, Emma opened up about his dementia battle and expressed that she doesn't 'shield' her daughters from the diagnosis.

During an interview with Town & Country Magazine, Heming explained, 'This disease is misdiagnosed, it's missed, it's misunderstood.

'So finally getting to a diagnosis was key so that I could learn what frontotemporal dementia is and I could educate our children.'

Emma added, 'I've never tried to sugarcoat anything for them. They've grown up with Bruce declining over the years. I'm not trying to shield them from it.'

Last year in October, Emma opened up about his dementia battle and expressed that she doesn't 'shield' her daughters from the diagnosis

Emma said that she was not going to let 'FTD to take our whole family down. Bruce wouldn't want that,' while adding that she hopes to help the 'next family out there'

'What I learned from our therapist was that if children ask questions, they're ready to know the answer. If we could see that Bruce was struggling, I would address it with the kids so they could understand, but this disease is chronic, progressive and terminal.'

Heming told the outlet that their children don't tend 'to speak about the terminal side of this with them, nor have they asked.'

However, she expressed that Mabel and Evelyn 'know that Daddy's not going to get better.'

Emma said that she was not going to let 'FTD to take our whole family down. Bruce wouldn't want that,' while adding that she hopes to help the 'next family out there.'

Last month in February, Demi Moore gave an emotional update on Bruce during an interview with Variety

Last month in February, Demi Moore gave an emotional update on Bruce during an interview with Variety.

The Golden Globe winner told the outlet, 'We will always be a family, just in a different form.

'For me, there was never a question. I show up because that's what you do for the people you love,' Moore added.

She then explained, 'I hope it's encouraging for others to see that there's a different way to do things. There is life after divorce. There is a way to co-parent with love.'
Mark Dobies, best known for his roles in soap operas like One Life to Live and Guiding Light during the 2000s, has died at age 65.

The actor passed away on March 11 in Dunellen, New Jersey, according to a local obituary, which also described him as 'a loving father, accomplished athlete and talented actor' who 'lived a life full of passion, perseverance and love.'

His cause of death remains unknown, at this time.

Dobies, who was was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is best known for his role as district attorney and serial killer Daniel Colson on One Life to Live from 2003 to 2005.

The performer also guest-starred in TV programs including Just Shoot Me!, Home Improvement, Profiler, Melrose Place, Everybody Loves Raymond, CSI: Miami, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Gossip Girl and Nash Bridges.

Additionally, he played Bruce Niles in the 2004 off-Broadway revival of Larry Kramer's The Normal Heart at The Public Theater.

Mark Dobies, best known for his roles in soap operas like One Life to Live and Guiding Light during the 2000s, has died at age 65; seen in 2006

His first on-screen role was in the drama series Fame L.A. in 1997.

He later appeared in 14 episodes of CBS' Guiding Light as Dr. Noah Chase in 2000.

Dobies' former publicist, Alan Locher, took to Instagram to react to the 'really sad and unexpected' death of his client, who he said passed away 'far, far too young.'

'I was lucky to work with Mark at Guiding Light and always knew him as a genuinely good guy. I also feel very lucky that I got to see his performance in The Normal Heart,' he wrote in a heartfelt tribute.

He continued: 'I'll never forget this small-world connection: When I started dating my now-husband Ray and we were going to meet his parents for the first time, their street name sounded so familiar to me. It turned out Mark and his family lived just down the road. His children and ex-wife, Linda, are still our neighbors today.'

Dobies is survived by his three kids, Francesca, 27, Olivia, 24, and Robert, 21, whom he shared with his ex-wife Linda Hill, as well as his mother, Suzanne, and siblings Paul and Sandy.

Despite his impressive career in the arts and on the screen, his obituary stated that his 'greatest love was his family' and that his children were the 'the center of his universe.'

Additionally, he was a passionate Philadelphia Eagles fan and shared that love with his son, who watched his team win the Super Bowl LII in 2018.

The actor passed away on March 11 in Dunellen, New Jersey , according to a New Jersey obituary , which also described him as 'a loving father, accomplished athlete and talented actor' who 'lived a life full of passion, perseverance and love' (pictured in 1998)

His cause of death remains unknown, at this time (seen in 2005)

Dobies' former publicist, Alan Locher, took to Instagram to react to the 'really sad and unexpected' death of his client, who he said passed away 'far, far too young'

Robert recalled watching the Birds' big win as 'one of the fondest moments in both of their lives' and the only time he saw his father cry.

Prior to his acting career, Dobies earned a football scholarship to Delaware Valley University (then Delaware Valley College).

During his time as a player, he successfully brought his team to their first Middle Atlantic Conference football championship in 1980.

In addition to football, he was an avid athlete who competed in several triathlons and found joy in helping others reach their fitness goals.
A former Family Feud contestant and teacher has been arrested and charged on multiple counts of child sexual abuse dating back 30 years.

Christopher Crisona, 57, who appeared on the show in 2010, and priest John Taggart, 80, have been charged with several felonies connected to allegations of abuse between 1994-1996 at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Wilmington, Delaware, and other locations.

Both Crisona and Taggart are accused of sexually abusing the same alleged victim, who was in their 7th and 8th grade years at the Catholic school.

He has been charged with unlawful sexual contact 2nd degree, three counts of unlawful sexual intercourse 1st degree, unlawful sexual penetration 3rd degree, unlawful sexual contact 2nd degree and continuous sexual abuse of a child.

Crisona worked at St Thomas' for the 1994-1995 school year and part of the 1995-1996 school year - before he was removed mid year following a student complaint.

Taggart's charges include continuous sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual penetration, unlawful sexual intercourse, and dangerous crime against a child. Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas from 1987 to 1998.

Former Family Feud contestant and teacher Christopher Crisona has been arrested and charged on multiple counts of child sexual abuse dating back 30 years

Crisona, 57, who appeared on the show in 2010 (pictured) -and priest John Taggart, 80, are accused of sexually abusing the same alleged victim, who was in their 7th and 8th grade years at St. Thomas the Apostle School in Wilmington, Delaware between 1994-1996

After leaving St Thomas' Crisona worked at St. Matthews in Wilmington(1999), Corpus Christi (1999), and St. Hedwigs (2000). Official say Crisona currently works as an elementary school teacher in Florida.

Father Taggart was apprehended following an anonymous report to the Diocese of Wilmington, and subsequent Wilmington Police Department investigation, regarding alleged sexual abuse by Taggart and Father John Francis OBrien, who is now dead.

Per a Delaware Department of Justice statement: 'WPDs investigation found evidence that Taggart repeatedly abused a victim during their 7th and 8th grade years at St. Thomas, and continued after the victim left St. Thomas and began high school.'

In January of 1999 Taggart was sent to St. John the Apostle in Milford, and in January of 2001 was sent to St. Helenas in Wilmington.

He resigned from active ministry in 2004 and currently resides in Georgia.

In a statement obtained by DailyMail.com, Delaware Attorney General Kath Jennings said: 'The States indictment alleges a pattern of gravely serious abuse against a juvenile by two adults in a position of trust.

'As prosecutors, and as parents, these kinds of cases keep us up at night  but they also give us purpose. The victim in this case suffered profound trauma over a period of years and deserves justice.

'Im grateful to the police, prosecutors, and social workers who have been critical to this investigation and who are committed to getting justice.'

Taggart's charges include continuous sexual abuse of a child, unlawful sexual penetration, unlawful sexual intercourse, and dangerous crime against a child. Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas from 1987 to 1998 (pictured right in the 1980s)

Father Taggart was apprehended following an anonymous report to the Diocese of Wilmington regarding alleged sexual abuse by Taggart and Father John Francis OBrien, who is now dead - St Thomas The Apostle school is pictured

Crisona and Taggart are expected to be extradited to Delaware.

Following the arrests, the Diocese of Wilmington issued a statement reading: 'A former priest and a former teacher of the Diocese of Wilmington have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse occurring between 1994 and 1996.

'John Taggart, 80, and Christopher Crisona, 57, are charged with several felonies following an investigation into a report of abuse by the Delaware Department of Justice. The investigation began when the Diocese of Wilmington received an anonymous complaint and reported it to law enforcement.

'John Taggart was arrested in Georgia on Friday, March 14, 2025. Taggart was indicted by a Delaware grand jury on March 3rd on 10 counts pertaining to the sexual abuse of a minor from the mid 1990s while Taggart was a priest at St. Thomas the Apostle in Wilmington, DE. John Taggart resigned from priestly ministry in 2004 and moved out of state.

'Additionally, Christopher Crisona of Orlando, Florida was also arrested and taken into custody after being indicted by a Delaware grand jury on March 3rd on 7 counts pertaining to sexual abuse of a minor during a similar time frame. In the mid-90s, Crisona was working as a teacher at St. Thomas the Apostle School. St. Thomas the Apostle School closed in 2008.

'In keeping with policy, the Diocese of Wilmington has been and will continue to cooperate with the Delaware Attorney Generals Office.'

The DOJ is seeking other potential victims given the nature of the allegations and the defendants professional history.

Anyone with information may contact (302) 577-5293 or ReportAbuse@delaware.gov to provide information to prosecutors and investigators.
In America there are tiny signs that Meghan Sussex-not-Markle just might have the last laugh. I know. Stop it. Hear me out.

Following the debut of her much-derided Netflix series, it is no secret the Duchess of Sussex is the subject of a torrent of mockery and criticism in the Land of the Free.

With Love, Meghan has been lampooned absolutely everywhere across the States.

Newspapers and magazines, showbiz publications and supermarket tabloids, late night chat show hosts, cultural commentators, stand-up comics, random dudes in wigs on the internet and even sundry knock down gingers have all duly knocked Mrs Ginger down  with no end of the ridicule in sight.

But one person believes in her. Ted Sarandos. And he is the one man you would want on your side, were you a wannabe lifestyle influencer with no discernible culinary skills and a truckload of jam to sell.

In an interview with trade bible Variety this week, the all-powerful CEO of Netflix claimed that the Duchess was 'underestimated in terms of her influence on culture'.

He pointed out that following the Netflix show Harry & Meghan in 2022, the shoes Meghan was wearing sold out all over the world, as did the Hermes blanket on the chair behind her.

Shoes and blankets? They are important to horses of course, but what deeper significance do they have for the rest of us? 'People are fascinated with Meghan Markle. She and Harry are overly dismissed,' insisted the Netflix boss. Fascinated? Or appalled? Perhaps it doesn't matter in the heat of the ratings war.

In America there are tiny signs that Meghan Sussex-not-Markle just might have the last laugh. I know. Stop it. Hear me out

But one person believes in her. Ted Sarandos (pictured). And he is the one man you would want on your side, were you a wannabe lifestyle influencer with no discernible culinary skills and a truckload of jam to sell

Sarandos is the man who brought Squid Game and professional wrestling to a global audience on his platform, so he's not going to go broke underestimating the intelligence of the viewing public any time soon.

Perhaps that is why Netflix is harnessing the global interest in the Duchess and fixing it on to the wagon of cold, hard commerce.

To the extent that it is now a partner in Meghan's company  and will be making and distributing products displayed or referenced on her show. These will include the edible flowers, the dreary jams and the baking mixes used by the Duchess, who admitted on screen that she didn't much like baking anyway.

But who gives a damn about authenticity if there is a dollar to be made?

Some might say that the streaming giant should at least have the decency to advertise this commercial partnership before each show, so viewers can judge for themselves if Meghan's charming reliance upon sprinkling petals on everything from her iced doughnuts to her cocktails is simple affectation or wily product placement.

You have to laugh. Remember all that grand talk from Meghan and Harry about carving out a 'progressive new role', launching meaningful initiatives, driving long-term change, uncovering and resolving the root causes of issues, prioritising lasting solutions over temporary fixes and generally being better than you?

And here she is, little more than a cooking Kardashian, flogging Victoria sponge mix while scattering little hints  like her beloved hemp hearts on an oaty drink  that being a member of the Royal Family was like being a prisoner in an ivory tower; a place where she was prohibited from self-expression and wearing the bright colours that she doesn't love and hasn't worn since.

And now that she is free, she can fulfil her mission in life to show the world how to make bath salts and indulge in her odd little mania for repackaging items and putting a label on them.

This image released by Netflix shows Daniel Martin, left, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in a scene from 'With Love, Meghan'

Abigail Spencer, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Kelly Zafjen in 'With Love, Meghan'

It's quite possible that Harry wanders around Montecito with a Paddington-style label around his neck that reads 'Please Look After This Twit' in her beautiful but oddly menacing calligraphy.

'It is an expression of fandom,' says Mr Sarandos of the collaboration, which is a quaint way of saying 'cashing in like there is no tomorrow'.

In the not-too-distant future, I can see a Netflix shop stacked with edible petals and calligraphy pens and honey candles and all sorts of Meghan-themed merchandised crud, all of it for sale at an opportunistic price point and do you know what? It might just work.

There are enough airheads out there who seem to be impressed by decanting peanut butter pretzels from one bag into another and making beetle-shaped canapes from cherry tomatoes and mozzarella balls.

And even if there aren't, the Duchess of Sussex is a lesson to us all in perseverance and indefatigability; of keeping true to your chosen path despite the mocking laughter of the world.

For despite the bland, smirking hostess she portrays in these corny kitchen scenes, there has to be something extraordinary about a woman who, with nothing more than sheer grit and a Soho House membership, managed to spirit herself and her husband out of the supposedly evil clutches of the British Royal Family and on to the sunlit uplands of California.

And it is there, in her heroic determination to succeed no matter what, that we see the real Meghan.

Why is there no will to stop Tate's poison?

In his BBC lecture, Gareth Southgate spoke out about 'toxic influencers' who 'willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, never showing emotions and believing that the world and young women are against them'.

He means Andrew Tate  the influencer with 11 billion views who faces allegations of sexual assault in Britain and human trafficking in Romania  and Southgate's remarks could not be more timely.

He did not mention Tate by name, even though he is regarded as a poster boy for virulent misogyny; a man who sees women as possessions and encourages his followers to think the same.

Triple murderer Kyle Clifford  who killed his girlfriend after she dumped him, along with her mother and sister  was a fan who watched Tate videos the night before he committed these terrible crimes.

In his BBC lecture, Gareth Southgate (pictured) spoke out about 'toxic influencers' who 'willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, never showing emotions and believing that the world and young women are against them'

He means Andrew Tate (left, pictured with his brother Tristan)  the influencer with 11 billion views who faces allegations of sexual assault in Britain and human trafficking in Romania  and Southgate's remarks could not be more timely

Triple murderer Kyle Clifford (pictured)  who killed his girlfriend after she dumped him, along with her mother and sister  was a fan who watched Tate videos the night before he committed these terrible crimes

Adolescence, the gripping Netflix drama, poses the terrible question: could a teenage boy be so influenced by the likes of Tate that he is driven to murder a classmate? The answer seems to be yes.

The gospel according to Tate is that evil feminists and weak politicians persecute and oppress men. This means lonely and troubled boys who crave attention from the opposite sex can turn their isolation into victimhood, blaming women for all the perceived hurts in their lives.

The isolation that living online can bring does not help either.

Southgate also talked about an 'epidemic of fatherlessness' with 'boys more likely to own a smartphone than live with their dad'. I'm glad he addressed this directly, because modern society too often marginalises fathers and their important role in family life.

Southgate's message was entirely laudable, but what good will it do? Tate's poison flows directly into the brains of vulnerable young men  and there seems to be no will to stop it. Sometimes it feels there is hate crime legislation to protect every tyrannised group  except women.

Poor Meg battered over a waffle

Yet more Meghan! That poor girl can't even make green waffles for St Patrick's Day without the internet loons going conspiracy crazy.

Did she really cook them? Why weren't they quartered, like the grid on her waffle maker? Everyone missed the obvious, which was that the Duchess of Sussex deliberately and maliciously set out to humiliate the Royal Family by making a sly waffle portrait of our dear departed Queen Elizabeth.

Just look at that whipped cream hair, those blueberries for eyes and that kiwi fruit nose.

It is a dead ringer for HM  and so disrespectful to the memory of a wonderful woman. It is waffily rude and proves that Meghan will stop at nothing to embarrass our Royal Family. PS I'm kidding, so don't all write at once.

Yet more Meghan! That poor girl can't even make green waffles for St Patrick's Day without the internet loons going conspiracy crazy

Everyone missed the obvious, which was that the Duchess of Sussex deliberately and maliciously set out to humiliate the Royal Family by making a sly waffle portrait of our dear departed Queen Elizabeth

Teenage killer Nicholas Prosper is another who refused to attend his sentencing hearing.

After being found guilty of murdering his mother, brother and sister, Prosper refused to leave his cell to turn up at Luton Crown Court this week. Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb was having none of it.

She ordered the killer to be brought before the court and, in advance of sentencing him to 49 years in prison, said: 'I was told that you were refusing to attend court. I ordered that you must attend. You do not want to be here, but it is not your choice.

'You have to face the consequences of your actions; to hear the court's sentence passed in public and it is important for those who loved your victims to see you sentenced.'

How I wish more judges would follow her excellent example. It's not about the rights of the accused  it's about the tiny comfort the bereaved and the victims can glean from seeing justice being done.

Teenage killer Nicholas Prosper is another who refused to attend his sentencing hearing

After being found guilty of murdering his mother, brother and sister, Prosper refused to leave his cell to turn up at Luton Crown Court this week

Frankly goes to Holyrood

Back to Nicola Sturgeon, who is no longer a suspect in the investigation into SNP finances. 'As I have said to you many times, I have done nothing wrong,' she told reporters with her usual nippy sweetie air.

'Obviously it is a relief now to have that confirmed.' Meanwhile, the former First Minister reveals her upcoming autobiography is to be called Frankly. She assures us it will be 'honest and candid'  well there's a first time for everything, even in Scottish politics.

She also promises detail about her 'achievements' which I take to mean chapters on her magnificent life and countless accomplishments and very little on her husband being charged with embezzling SNP party funds. 'I know nothing more,' she told police last year, frankly.

Back to Nicola Sturgeon (pictured), who is no longer a suspect in the investigation into SNP finances. 'As I have said to you many times, I have done nothing wrong,' she told reporters with her usual nippy sweetie air

Kirstie Allsopp says the secret to banishing mould from your house is to open your windows for a short period every day. Who would have thought it?

Next week domestic goddess Kirstie addresses the difficulty of dirt collecting on carpets and suggests a technique called 'vacuuming' to tackle the problem.

And when a viewer tells of crockery build-up and storage issues in her dishwasher, Kirstie advises her to promptly remove the cleaned crockery from inside the dishwasher and store it neatly inside kitchen cupboards before attempting to reload with more dirty plates. You're welcome!

Back Queen Gal

Israeli actress Gal Gadot's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony was disrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.

This had nothing to do with the controversies surrounding her new film Snow White  in which she stars as the Evil Queen  but everything to do with the simple fact of her birth.

Gal formerly served in the Israel Defence Forces, during her mandatory two years of national service. Her heritage is enough to bring the nutters out in Hollywood and online  but their protests seem less pro-Palestinian than simply anti-Jewish.

And there is a word for that, as we all know. If Hollywood had a moral spine, it would defend Gadot, who is being criticised for merely existing.
Major fast food chains are swapping out employees for computers as a way to battle rising wages.

Yum Brands  the owner of Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut  announced Tuesday that AI will take drive-thru orders at 500 locations by summer.

Powered by Nvidia chips but developed in-house, the technology will have customers speaking to AI assistants much like an Alexa device.

The end game is to have all orders taken by computers  be that via AI assistants, digital kiosks or phone apps  rather then by humans.

Bosses hope that it will not only cuts labor costs but boost sales  as AI can suggest menu items based on customer preferences.

After years of menu price hikes post-pandemic  driven by rising costs for food and staff  customers voted with their wallets and spent less at the likes of McDonald's in 2024.

Wages are continuing to climb. In California, lawmakers increased the minimum wage for restaurant workers to $20. Elsewhere, ten US states  along with 48 cities and counties  now have a minimum wage above $15 an hour.

But restaurant bosses know they cannot hike prices more to cover higher wages  so they are increasingly looking at technology to replace workers.

Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell's brand, said it is advancing AI capabilities in stores

Yum's new drive-thru is just the beginning of the AI push, which it is working with Nvidia on as part of a long term deal that was also announced on Tuesday.

Other planned upgrades include computer vision to detect order mistakes and AI that analyzes online chatter for valuable customer feedback  both areas where Nvidia will play a key role.

While workers will likely be replaced, Yum's Joe Park spun the news as a positive for staff that remain and customers.

The partnership will 'build smarter AI engines that will create easier experiences for our customers and team members,' he said.

AI is also expected to take over customer service calls, further reducing the need for human workers.

With food and labor costs among the biggest expenses for restaurants, many in the industry see AI as the only way to maintain profit margins amid rising wages.

Some companies, including Burger King, have already turned to technology in California  launching digital menus in place of front-end workers.

Yum Brands currently operates more than 60,000 global locations and employs 23,000 people in the US.

While workers will likely be replaced, Yum's Joe Park spun the news as a positive for staff that remain and customers

The new AI bots could replace drive-thru employees

Dozens of fast-food chains are adding more digital interfaces with customer service issues, like Burger King

Around 85 percent of the company's employees work in restaurants.

Yum Brands is not an AI-novice. The company has already been testing Nvidias technology in select Taco Bell and Pizza Hut locations across the US to help with drive thru operations.

The company said the further use of AI tech will help 'delighting consumers and maximizing shareholder returns.'

It's also not the only restaurant turning to computers for some help behind the counter.

Chipotle has deployed AI-driven robots in stores across the country to help cut avocados.

Wendy's, IHOP, and Sweetgreen have also turned to robots to help in the kitchen.

Meanwhile, California-based burger chain Miso Robotics and coffee brand Cafe-X have built brand images as a robotics-only restaurants.

Yum Brands didn't immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Sunday embarked on a visit to Brazil to participate in the 11th BRICS Parliamentary Forum where he is scheduled to prese ...


When global business meets China's 'rising heartland': Inside 'CIIE in Hubei'

09:33, March 20, 2025 By Peng Yukai ( People's Daily Online

Under the theme of "To Boost Dual Circulation by Introducing More Foreign Investment," the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event kicked off in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province on March 18, 2025.

Organized by the Ministry of Commerce, and as a part of the "CIIE entering local areas" series, the event aims to introduce the high-quality resources of the CIIE into local areas, enhance cooperation between local and multinational companies, and promote high-quality development of local economies.

More than 200 corporate executives and representatives were invited to the event. For these attendees, discussing potential cooperation opportunities is just one element of the event, as it also provides a precious platform for them to exchange thoughts and ideas.

Join a People's Daily Online reporter for a glimpse of the event and discover the thoughts and insights of attendees on investing in Hubei.

(Web editor: Peng Yukai, Du Mingming)
Serious kudos must go to the team at Boston Dynamics for coming up with the most agile and human movement mimicking robot as yet. These robots basically shit on any Chinese junk, and no doubt the CCP engineers will be scratching their heads trying to figure out how to steal more blueprints from the Americans. Pretty much every Chinese tech has been stolen from the West and re-engineered by the Chinese, claiming everything for themselves. The Chinese consensus is to let others do the millions of dollars of research and to simply steal it all, cutting out time and money doing their own development, plus the Chinese are generally very limited in creativity.

The Boston Dynamics Atlas is the robot of the future. One can easily imagine these guys in disaster zones helping out, or maybe in some kind of security role.

Technology is getting there, its hitting that sweet spot, and we are now on the cusp of a new epoch that will change everything.

Imagine programming these guys in martial arts moves, crawling up buildings, clandestine missions, infiltration, real Ninjutsu shit.
The French government is preparing to send a new survival manual to households across the country, offering guidance on how to respond to imminent invasion by Russia. The 20-page booklet outlines steps to take in case of armed invasion by Putins hordes of Orcs.

The document, which reportedly includes 3 measures, will provide instructions on how to surrender immediately, even if you are a soldier, and how to stockpile French cheese and wine, because the Russians are useless at making fromages et vins.

The French government has insisted the manual is not a direct response to the war in Ukraine, despite President Emmanuel Macrons previous warnings about the growing Russian threat and the possibility of the United States reducing its military presence in Europe.

President Macron has already received full assurance from President Putin that the Russians would not use nukes on France or Paris when they walk in to the country, but they can use as many nukes as they want for the Rosbifs, French official, Jean Marie Capitulation, told Le Monde newspaper on Wednesday.

Among the recommendations, the manual suggests that people prepare an emergency survival kit of fromage, garlic and wine as well as a very large white flag.

When Hitler and the Germans walked into France, our Vichy government surrendered and Adolf thankfully spared Paris. The boulevards and Haussmann buildings, and the palaces were all saved. We will naturally do the same thing when Putin walks into France. Mon Dieu, imagine doing anything else? This is why the Americans call us cheese eating surrender monkeys.

The brave Foreign Legion can only do so much.
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Stevie McCarry, the visionary head chef and co-founder of County Derry restaurant Lir, has been crowned the regional winner for Northern Ireland on this years Great British Menu, securing a place in the prestigious UK final.

Competing against some of the most talented chefs in the country, Stevie showcased exceptional skill, creativity and a deep passion for innovative dishes that paid homage to local produce and the rich food heritage of Northern Ireland.

Stevie impressed the judges with a menu inspired by this years theme, which celebrated influential figures throughout history from the Northern Irish region.

Stevies starter was a tribute to La Girona, a ship from the Spanish Armada that sank off the coast of County Antrim.

His main course celebrated Isabella Tod, founder of the North of Ireland Womens Suffrage Society, with ingredients sourced from female suppliers.

Stevie completed his menu with a nod to dramatist Brian Friel. His dessert, Dancing at Lughnasa, featured a foraged bilberry tart in heritage grain pastry, served with peat-smoked honey ice cream and a honey-fermented bilberry sauce.

Speaking about the victory, Stevie said: Winning the Northern Ireland heat means everything to me. Being a self-taught chef, Ive always battled with imposter syndrome, and stepping into a competition of this level was daunting. On top of that, managing my type one diabetes in such a high-pressure environment added another layer of challenge. But I wanted to push myself, to prove that passion, hard work, and a deep love for food can take you far. I hope my journey inspires others facing their own battles to go for it, no matter the obstacles.

Stevies win highlights Northern Irelands North Coast and its growing reputation as a food destination, celebrating the areas world-class produce, from wild caught seafood to award-winning artisanal ingredients.

Lir Seafood, founded by Rebekah and Stevie McCarry, began as Native Seafood and Scran in January 2020.

Initially operating as a fishmonger during the pandemic, they delivered sustainably sourced wild Irish seafood directly to customers, using eco-friendly packaging.

As restrictions eased, their menu evolved daily, inspired by the day's catch, featuring innovative dishes like Monkfish corn dogs, ling and langoustine fish dogs, squid shawarma and smoked dogfish sausage rolls.

Their commitment to sustainability and community engagement led to accolades such as 'Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland' by the Slow Food Awards 2020.

Relocating to 'The Pool' in Portstewart in 2021 before moving on to open their restaurant at Coleraine Marina, Lir has expanded to include a full fish counter, live events and tasting menus, earning multiple awards, including 'Best Seafood Restaurant in Ireland' by the Georgina Campbell 2022 awards, Best Chef in Ulster 2023 by Food and Wine, Best Restaurant in Derry 2024 and Top New UK Restaurant by Conde Nast Traveller magazine 2024.
Two men in their 70s will be surrendered to Northern Ireland to face charges relating to the murder of an RUC officer nearly 50 years ago after a court rejected their argument that their extradition would be an abuse of process.

At the High Court extradition hearing today (Thursday), Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said there was no evidence to suggest that John Edward McNicholl (73) and Seamus Christopher O'Kane (74) would not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland, as he ruled that a delay in serving warrants on the respondents was not grounds for refusing their surrender to the north.

Both men escaped from the Maze Prison in a dramatic tunnelling breakout in May 1976 before they could be put on trial. Mr O'Kane has been living openly in the Meath area for almost five decades while Mr McNicholl, who was deported from the United States, has been here since 2003.

Mr McNicholl, of Newmills, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and Mr O'Kane, of Scalestown, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath are wanted in the UK. They face charges arising from an investigation into the murder of 25-year-old Constable Robert John McPherson in Co Derry on July 26, 1975 and the attempted murder of a second constable.

Mr McNicholl is charged with murdering Constable McPherson and attempted murder, while Mr O'Kane is charged with possession of firearms, including an RUC-issued firearm taken during the ambush on Constable McPherson.

At the High Court last year, Mark Lynam SC, for Mr McNicholl, said his client had been in Ireland since 2003 but for reasons unknown, the UK made no effort to seek his surrender until now. Mr Lynam said he was arguing that this was a "significant abuse of process".

Counsel said the UK had made repeated decisions over several decades not to seek his client's surrender but then "the political wind has changed and the Legacy Act has come in and Mr McNicholl was in the unfortunate cohort of people who were now going to be proceeded against".

The extradition warrant was issued four days prior to the commencement of the Legacy Act, which limits criminal investigations and prosecutions related to Troubles era offences. It was submitted that Mr McNicholl is now a "frail" man with severe health problems.

John Berry BL, for Mr O'Kane, said he was also making an objection on grounds of an abuse of process.

He said the delay in the UK authorities seeking his client's extradition has not been adequately explained. Following a failed extradition attempt in 1978, Mr Berry said his client "got on with his life" and lived normally and unexceptionally in the republic for nearly half a century.

In delivering judgement today, Mr Justice McGrath said that in the case of both men, while there was no doubt that their surrender would impinge on their family life, this was a regular if not inescapable consequence of surrender. He said this disruption was not so exceptional that it would constitute a breach of their family rights.

In the case of Mr McNicholl, Mr Justice McGrath noted that the respondent had argued that due to the delay and the lapse of the warrant, the refusal of his surrender would be in the interest of justice.

He noted that the respondent was now 73 and had a number of health issues, but he found these issues were well controlled at present, while there was nothing put before the court to suggest Mr McNicholl would not receive proper medical treatment.

The judge said that in the absence of any evidence that suggested otherwise, the UK courts will provide a fair trial.

There is no basis to suggest he will not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland, and no evidence has been put before the court to raise any doubt that he will be shut out from challenging this prosecution in Northern Ireland, said Mr Justice McGrath.

He went on to say that there was a public interest in Ireland honouring its various extradition treaties.

Saying that he did not think this was a case where the respondents surrender would be an abuse of process, Mr Justice McGrath rejected the grounds of objection and said the court would make an order for his surrender.

In the case of Mr OKane, Mr Justice McGrath said that an explanation had been offered by the requesting state for the passage of time between the alleged offence and the extradition request.

Although a long number of years have passed, there is no reason to doubt he will receive a fair trial, said Mr Justice McGrath.

Finding there were also no grounds to conclude this was a case where surrender was an abuse of process, Mr Justice McGrath rejected the application and made an order for the respondents surrender.

The matter was put back to April 3 next, with both men remanded on continual bail to that date.

Warrants for the arrest of both men were issued following a request by the Northern Ireland authorities last year as part of an ongoing investigation into Constable McPherson's murder.

Constable McPherson was from Leck, outside Coleraine. He was shot dead in an INLA ambush in Dungiven Main Street around midday. He was hit by a single shot when he and a colleague were ambushed as they investigated a report of a suspect car. His fellow officer was hit multiple times but survived.

Both Mr McNicholl and Mr O'Kane face four charges relating to the possession of explosives and firearms on February 16, 1976 at Garvagh, Co Derry. The court heard that an RUC-issued firearm retrieved at that location had been taken during the ambush on Constable McPherson.

The extradition warrant relating to Mr O'Kane states that on May 5, 1976 he and others escaped from custody at the Maze prison in Northern Ireland prior to a decision being made to prosecute him for the four offences.

At a previous hearing of the High Court Detective Garda Tony Keane, of the Garda Extradition Unit, said that following a search of the premises at Garvagh in 1976, the RUC recovered two electric detonators, two improvised pressure mat switches, two Walther pistols, one Browning pistol, a 0.22 rifle, a Remington shotgun and 104 rounds of ammunition.

Detective Keane said the warrant issued by the Northern Irish authorities states that Mr O'Kane and two other males were found hiding in an upstairs bedroom in the property and were arrested.

The warrant continues that Mr O'Kane was interviewed on February 17 1976, where he made a full admission to possessing the explosive substances, firearms and ammunition recovered from the property at Brockaghboy in Garvagh.
PICTURED ABOVE: firmus energy networks representatives Olga Pollock (front row, far right), Eric Cosgrove (second row, far right) and Lorna Leese (front row, far left) pictured with students and lecturers from the BEng Renewable Energy Engineering course at Ulster Universitys Magee Campus. These include last years award recipient Tara Coll (front row, second from left).

firmus energy networks is pleased to announce its ongoing support for Ulster Universitys Renewable Energy Engineering Scholarship at its North West campus.

Launched in 2024, the initiative is aimed specifically at first-year undergraduate students at Magee in Derry working toward a BEng in Renewable Energy Engineering.

The bursary provides substantial financial and career support for the winner, reinforcing firmus energy networks commitment to nurturing the local areas future engineering workforce and, in turn, help the company in their journey to a lower carbon future.

firmus energy networks Human Resources Manager, Olga Pollock, said: firmus energy networks is pleased to be able to continue its partnership with Ulster University and its Magee Campus. We are also proud to sponsor a scholarship that was created specifically for those students who are part of the BEng Renewable Energy Engineering programme.

At firmus energy networks, we strongly believe that investing in education and providing hands-on experience can help these talented individuals reach their absolute potential and help nurture the next generation of engineers here in Northern Ireland, she added.

Once again, the Renewable Energy Engineering Scholarship provides a 2,000 bursary for the successful first-year applicant. In addition, they also benefit from a paid summer placement, as well as a year-long paid industrial placement at firmus energy networks headquarters in Antrim that is worth 25,000 plus benefits.

The scholarship also offers mentorship from experienced staff members and support with professional registration, and upon successful graduation, the recipient will have the opportunity to apply to firmus energy networks Graduate Engineer Programme to further advance their career in the natural gas distribution industry.

Professor Jim Harkin  the Head of the School of Computing, Engineering, and Intelligent Systems at Ulster University  thanked firmus energy networks for deciding to extend their support of the bursary and continue their working relationship with Ulster University.

Professor Harkin said: Im delighted to welcome the firmus energy networks Engineering Scholarship for the second consecutive year. This partnership with firmus energy networks provides invaluable support to our students, not only easing financial pressures, but also offering them opportunities to engage with industry, develop practical skills, and enhance their employability.

At the School of Computing, Engineering, and Intelligent Systems, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of engineers, and initiatives like this play a crucial role in empowering our students to excel in their studies and future careers, he continued.

READ NEXT: Santander announce closure of County Derry branch in sweeping network changes

Welcoming the extension of the Engineering Scholarship, Derry Chambers Chief Executive, Anna Doherty, said: firmus energy networks Renewable Energy Scholarship at Ulster University is a great example of the mutual benefits of collaboration between education and business and is exactly the type of private sector action to support public realm development that Chamber encourages.

With the growth in student numbers planned to rise to 10,000 in the next eight years, the opportunities for such initiatives will be numerous and wide-ranging.

Derry Chamber is proud to be supporting the work of the Magee Taskforce and its business sub-group by planning a series of business engagement events, to inform and advise on the opportunities for the private sector, added Anna.

Applications for the Renewable Energy Engineering Scholarship are now open to first-year students of the Renewable Energy Engineering course at Ulster Universitys Magee campus. The shortlist will be announced in early April, and interviews are scheduled for the same month. For more information, visit firmus energy networks Careers.
The Bishop of Derry, Most Rev Dr Donal McKeown, has expressed his concern about the safeguarding practices and policies of SSPX Resistance Ireland, a new religious group operating in the Derry Diocese.

In a letter printed in every parish bulletin in the diocese at the weekend, Bishop McKeown addressed the fact SSPX Resistance Ireland was holding Masses in the diocese.

The Derry News understands SSPX Resistance Ireland Masses have taken place in the Galliagh area of the city, but not in Church properties, over the past two years.

Bishop McKeown said, given the groups presence in the Diocese of Derry, he found it necessary to stress the Catholic Church had no supervision whatsoever of the priests or ministers of SSPX Resistance Ireland.

[They] have no connection with the Diocese of Derry in terms of Safeguarding practices and policies and are not overseen by the Bishop of Derry, wrote Bishop McKeown.

The priests associated with SSPX Resistance Ireland are not in full communion with the Catholic Church and they do not accept the full teaching authority of the Church, his letter continued.

The priests of SSPX Resistance Ireland administer sacraments, but do so illicitly - that is, without the necessary facilities and approval of the Church.

The Catholic Church has no supervision whatsoever of priests or ministers of SSPX Resistance Ireland, who have no connection with the Diocese of Derry in terms of Safeguarding practices and policies and are not overseen by the Bishop of Derry.

Considering this information, I urge all the faithful to remain steadfast in communion with the Church, united with the Holy Father and the bishops who share in full communion with him.

Let us continue to pray for the unity of the Church and for those who have distanced themselves from full communion, that they may one day be reconciled.

SSPX Resistance is a splinter group of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) - the canonically irregular organisation founded in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Ordained in 1929, Archbishop Lefebvre was a Holy Ghost Father. As Superior General of the order, he participated in the drafting and preparation of documents for the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965). He was a major leader of the conservative bloc during its proceedings and refused to implement its subsequent reforms.

In 1968, he resigned his leadership position in the Holy Ghost Fathers and founded SSPX as a small community of seminarians in the village of Econe, Switzerland, in 1970.

SSPX favours the retention of the Tridentine Mass - the Traditional Latin Mass - and pre-Vatican II liturgical books in Latin for other sacraments.

As well as the Diocese of Derry, SSPX Resistance Ireland has a presence in County Cork - in the rural community of Reenascreena near the town of Rosscarbery.

In a December 8, 2024 podcast The SSPX Resistance in West Cork: Pious priests or a danger on our doorstep? produced by The Southern Star newspaper in West Cork, Fr Tom Hayes, Parish Priest of the local Clonakilty and Darrara Parish, outlined the provenance of SSPX Resistance Ireland.

In the 1980s, a significant new step was taken by Archbishop Lefebvre, when he went ahead, without the authority of the Pope, and consecrated a number of people as bishops, said Fr Hayes.

He added: That led to all the people involved being automatically excommunicated - or put outside communion with the Church - so they were barred from participating in any sacraments or from participating in Church life in any fashion.

One of the bishops he ordained, allegedly as bishop, went on later again to ordain other people and one of those has recently formed the movement that is called the SSPX Resistance.

They have fallen out with the original group who broke away from the Church, largely because they dont believe that the Society of St Pius X was radical enough for them or is in enough opposition to the authority of the Holy Father in Rome or the Catholic Church.

The group of people who have set up camp, as it were, in Reenascreena belong to that second group [SSPX Resistance Ireland].
A man who poured beer over his partner has received a conditional discharge at Derry Magistrates' Court today for assaulting the woman and damaging a phone.

Wesley Mathala (42) of Cable Street in Derry appeared charged with the offences that occurred on March 14.

The court heard that police received a 999 call from the defendant's 13-year-old stepson who claimed his father was assaulting his mother.

The boy said he was upstairs in his bedroom and the adults were downstairs.

When police arrived a neighbour flagged them down and told them the injured party and person were in her house and the defendant was in his own house.

The woman told police Mathala had returned after having a few drinks and had argued with her before pouring beer over her and slapping her on the face.

She said she had tried to get to her phone and in the ensuing struggle the phone was damaged.

Neighbours alerted by screaming came to the window and the defendant allowed the woman to leave.

At interview the defendant admitted pouring the beer but denied slapping her.

He claimed the phone was already damaged and was not caused by him.

A police officer said that the defendant had apologised and the injured party 'wanted to move on from this'.

Defence solicitor Seamus Quigley said that both parties were Zimbabwean nationals.

He said the injured party 'did not deserve this' but wanted to move on and wanted her partner home.

He said Mathala was 'deeply ashamed of himself' and added that the incident was 'an escalation of underlying issues'.

Mr Quigley said that both parties were in employment.

District Judge Barney McElholm said he would treat this as 'a one off' and imposed a conditional discharge for a period of two years.
A self-confessed cocaine and cannabis dealer has been told by a judge at Derry Crown Court to expect a jail sentence when he's sentenced for a series of drugs offences on May 1.

At his arraignment before Judge Neil Rafferty KC, Ben Sweeney (23) whose address was given as no fixed abode and care of Magilligan Prison, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply the drug and guilty to offering to supply cocaine in March of last year.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to offering to supply cocaine and cannabis in June 2023 and guilty to offering to supply cannabis in February of last year.

Two other drugs related offences were left on the books not to be proceeded with without the permission of the court.

Judge Rafferty ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report and told Sweeney that he'd sentence him on May 1.

"The overwhelming likelihood is because you have offered to supply a Class A drug you will receive a custodial sentence in May", he told Sweeney.

The defendant was remanded in continuing custody until he's sentenced.
Amnesty International has warned that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) must be better prepared for possible violence this weekend ahead of planned anti-immigration protests in Belfast and Derry.

The planned demonstration is due to take place on Sunday afternoon in Guildhall Square.

The demonstration is due to coincide with the Al Quds Day rally, organised by Derry IPSC.

A poster of the demonstration, which has been circulating on social media, demands that Sinn Fein stop 'flooding the North with unvetted men'. It also states that the party are 'traitors' and support Palestinian group Hamas.

Other social media posts about the rally has claim to oppose 'mass illegal unvetted immigration'.

Amnesty Internationals Northern Ireland Director Patrick Corrigan urged the PSNI to be 'better prepared ahead of the demonstrations.

Mr Corrigan said: It is essential that the police are better prepared for violence than they were last August when racist thugs were able to throw missiles at anti-racism campaigners at Belfast City Hall, injuring at least one person, and then rampage through south Belfast attacking minority-owned businesses at will.

Organisers of a peaceful anti-racism solidarity protest in Belfast have been assured by the PSNI that there will be a better-organised policing operation in place on Sunday in case of trouble from anti-immigration protestors.

We welcome these assurances. There must be zero tolerance for racism. Those who seek to divide our communities and stoke hatred and violence cannot be allowed to win.

While everyone has the right to protest, people do not have the right to incite or commit acts of violence on our neighbours. We encourage people in Belfast to come out in force to show the true face of the cities as places of welcome.

The PSNI recorded 1,777 racist incidents and 1,150 racist attacks in 2024, reaching the highest ever recorded levels during the summer period.

Mr Corrigan continued: Last year saw racist hate crimes hit new all-time highs in Northern Ireland. Our response must be solidarity to those being marginalised and attacked within our communities and to demand better political leadership at Stormont to address the root causes of racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia that plagues our society.
A new interactive online learning tool has been launched by British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland (BHF NI) to equip thousands of schoolchildren with essential life-saving skills.

Classroom RevivR is a game-changing tool that makes teaching life-saving skills to students aged 11 to 16 easy and fun. It meets Northern Ireland curriculum standards and can be taught in one easy lesson plan - minimising teachers' workload.

Working together, young people will learn the difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack, how to respond to an unconscious person and make an emergency call, how to use a defibrillator and how to perform CPR safely.

More than 60 schools in Northern Ireland are already successfully using Classroom RevivR and BHF NI hopes the launch of this tool will help save many lives.

BHF NI health lead and cardiac nurse Karen McCammon, said: The launch of Classroom RevivR today will set young people up with an invaluable life-saving skill at an early age. A cardiac arrest can affect anyone, at any time, so we want as many people to learn CPR as possible.

Tragically, of the 1,400 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that happen every year in Northern Ireland, less than one in ten people will survive. We are determined to change this by giving everyone the opportunity to learn CPR. By equipping our young people today with these lifesaving skills, more lives could be saved in the future.

Karen added: There is no need for an external trainer or lots of specialist equipment and Classroom RevivR has been designed with busy teachers in mind. All students need is a digital device and something to perform compressions on, like a cushion. And the best part is  its completely free to use.

We are urging all teachers to sign up to our free Classroom RevivR training so that every young person leaves school knowing how to save a life.

The launch took place at St Brigids College, Derry where Head of Careers & LLW and History teacher, Joseph Scanlon, alongside his colleague and English teacher Carmel Gallagher, took two Year 9 classes through a live interactive session of Classroom RevivR.

Mr Scanlon said: "We currently teach CPR to our year 9 pupils as part of the statutory requirements through the CCEA Community of Lifesavers programme, however, with Classroom RevivR, our teachers will be equipped to deliver this programme to many more of our pupils as it will serve as a fantastic accompaniment to our curriculum delivery."

It is a really engaging tool which caters for all school year groups and our pupils found it easy to use and understand.

He added: It is so important that young people are equipped with these life-saving skills of CPR and defibrillation and I would encourage other schools in the North West to register for Classroom RevivR and help teach vital life-saving skills in a fun and relaxed environment.

Education Minister, Paul Givan said: I am delighted to support the roll-out of Classroom RevivR, developed by the British Heart Foundation to schools across Northern Ireland. We know that providing CPR and training in how to use a defibrillator can have a clear and measurable impact on survival rates. This is a great addition to the life-saving skills which have been mandatory elements of the school curriculum at Key Stage 3 since 2022.

Classroom RevivR has been supported by Royal Mail in partnership with British Heart Foundation.

Royal Mail and the British Heart Foundation are celebrating a successful two years of their life-saving partnership, which aims to protect heart health and save lives in communities across the UK. Thanks to the incredible efforts of Royal Mail colleagues, the partnership has so far raised 1 million, providing essential support for thousands of people in local communities.

For further information search Classroom RevivR.
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Bahwan CyberTek and EtherWAN announce strategic partnership

Global leaders in innovative technology software services and solutions, Bahwan CyberTek (BCT), and industrial Ethernet communication experts EtherWAN, today announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop tailored IoT solutions for the energy and manufacturing industries, as well as large enterprises. This collaboration will combine BCT's advanced Retina 360 platform with EtherWAN's reliable EW50-V LTE Cellular Gateway to provide a comprehensive solution that enhances operational efficiency and accelerates digital transformation.

Since its founding in 1999, Bahwan CyberTek (BCT) has become a global leader in providing innovative technology software services and solutions. BCT focuses on the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analysis, Cloud Computing, and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, committed to using its cutting-edge technology platform to support corporate clients in responding to rapid market changes and driving global digital transformation. At the core of innovation, BCT has successfully provided solutions for over a thousand companies across various industries, solving a diverse range of complex business challenges and enabling these companies to effectively meet the demands of the modern technological environment.

Founded in 1996, EtherWAN specializes in industrial-grade high-performance networking equipment. With its own R&D team, core software expertise, strong integration capabilities, and professional technical support, the company has earned several domestic and international technology patents. All products are made in Taiwan (MIT), ensuring high quality and reliability. EtherWAN's products include Industrial Ethernet Switches, Media Converters, Power over Ethernet (PoE) solutions, and IIoT Cellular Gateways, which are widely used in key areas such as smart transportation, security monitoring, energy, public infrastructure, and process automation. In 2017, EtherWAN became part of the German Phoenix Contact Group, joining a world-class R&D team to boost its global presence and improve product and service competitiveness.

Retina 360 is an advanced platform developed by Bahwan CyberTek (BCT), specifically designed to enhance the operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities of enterprises. The platform integrates Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and big data technologies to collect and analyze data from dispersed assets in real-time, thereby offering insights to optimize business processes and predictive maintenance. Retina 360's core features include asset management, energy monitoring, and security surveillance, providing enterprises with a comprehensive visual platform to manage operations and improve work efficiency.

We are honored that through EtherWAN's development of the high-performance industrial network gateway, EW-50V Gateway, it can seamlessly connect various industrial equipment and sensors, collecting data in real-time and transmitting it. Through integration with the Retina 360 platform, the EW-50V enables the platform to directly collect critical operational data from onsite equipment and systems, enhancing data timeliness and accuracy, and further supporting complex data analysis and decision-making. This integration not only improves the efficiency of asset and energy management but also provides rapid alerts in the event of potential issues, ensuring the continuity and safety of enterprise operations.

BCT and EtherWAN will showcase their integrated IoT solutions at this year's Smart City Expo, booth number #P831a. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience firsthand the transformative effects of this collaboration, understanding how the collaborative technologies simplify operations and promote smarter decision-making.

Through this strategic partnership, BCT and EtherWAN are pioneering industrial IoT innovation, helping businesses boost productivity and sustainability as they transform digitally. This collaboration is expected to redefine industry standards and pave the way for a smarter, more connected future.

EtherWAN partners with BCT to co-exhibit at Smart City 2025, with executives gathering to drive smart solutions forward. Credit: Bahwan CyberTek (BCT)

RETINA, BCT's powerful Predictive Analytics Engine. Credit: Bahwan CyberTek (BCT)

Article edited by Jack Wu
How people are using Discord in 2025

Discord has come a long way from being just a place for gamers to chat. These days, it's a full-on platform for businesses, creators, and even educators. In 2025, people are using it for all kinds of thingssome expected, some pretty surprising. Thanks to its easy-to-use interface, automation tools, and the fact that you can set up private communities, Discord has turned into a hub for way more than just voice calls and text chats.

One trend that is catching on in 2025 is Discord casino servers. Instead of going to traditional gambling sites, people are using Discord. Servers now have bots that run games, live dealers hosting rounds in private voice channels, and entire communities built around betting. Since a lot of these casinos are invite-only, they feel more exclusive, like being part of a private club.

Some even run on cryptocurrency, which makes transactions faster and more secure. It's not just about the gambling itself, the social side of it is a big draw. People like chatting with others while playing, making the whole experience feel more interactive than just clicking buttons on a website.

Businesses have also jumped on the Discord train, and honestly, it makes sense. Instead of clunky email chains and endless Slack notifications, teams can hop into voice channels for quick meetings or automate boring tasks with bots. Customer service is changing, too. AI bots now handle common questions, book appointments, and even process orders. Some companies have ditched traditional ticketing systems altogether because Discord's real-time chat just works better. Plus, it's way easier for customers to ask a question and get an instant response rather than waiting for an email reply.

Schools and online learning platforms are using Discord as well, which wasn't always the case. Before, it was more of an underground thing where students made study servers on their own. Now, teachers and schools are officially setting up servers for classes, study groups, and even tutoring. AI-powered bots can grade quizzes, track assignments, and offer instant feedback. Some universities use Discord to network, letting students connect with alumni and industry professionals. Compared to Zoom or Microsoft Teams, it just feels more relaxed and interactivekind of like a virtual campus.

Crypto traders and NFT collectors still love Discord, but now it's more advanced. Servers have real-time market alerts, trading bots that can execute automated buys and sells, and direct blockchain integrations so users can verify their assets instantly. It's not just a place to talk about crypto anymoreit's where people are actually making transactions and setting up deals. Some servers are mini financial hubs, with AI analyzing trends and offering predictions. If you're into crypto, Discord is still the place to be.

For content creators, Discord has become more than just a fan community, it's part of their business. Podcasters, YouTubers, and streamers use it to run live Q&A sessions, share exclusive content, and interact with their followers in real-time. With better audio and video streaming options, some creators have even started hosting live shows directly in Discord. There are also subscription-based servers where members get VIP perks, like early access to videos or one-on-one chats with their favorite creators. It's been great for engagement, making fans feel more connected.

Even remote work is shifting to Discord. Startups and even some big companies are using it as their main workspace. Instead of clunky email threads or formal Zoom meetings, teams can jump into voice chats whenever they need to. Bots help with scheduling, tracking tasks, and sending reminders. Some companies have fully automated their workflowsso much so that employees don't even need separate apps for project management anymore. It's like having a virtual office that actually works the way people want it to.

At this point, Discord is more than just a chat app, it's turning into a full-blown ecosystem where people work, play, and collaborate.

Article edited by Jack Wu
Kidder Mathews

Robinson

Having recently departed BioMed Realty's Seattle office, Anwen Robinson has joined Kidder Mathews. Her new company announced the news this week. Its Erin French said in a statement, Anwen is a fantastic addition  she knows how to run a portfolio with precision while keeping both tenants and clients top of mind. Her depth of experience and leadership style make her a natural fit, and I'm excited to see the impact she'll have in Seattle. Robinson has been in our market for about four years, and will join Kidder's asset services division as a senior VP.




A United Nations expert said Ireland has an obligation to comply with the provisions of the Occupied Territories Bill, even without having legislation enacted.

Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, said international law requires Ireland to ban goods and services from illegal Israeli settlements.

She said that was based on a finding from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the occupation is unlawful and trade with illegal Israeli settlements should not continue.

Ms Albanese, an Italian lawyer, travelled to Dublin on Thursday to hold a series of meetings with politicians and visit the Dail before meeting President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain.

Speaking to reporters, Ms Albanese said Ireland should not be doing business as usual with Israel.

If Ireland acted according to international law, it probably wouldnt need an Occupied Territories Bill, but it would still have an obligation under the ICJ advisory opinion not to have its companies or banks or pension funds, or any financial institutions involved and universities involved with Israel, she said.

Dont look at the border of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, this is a state endeavour.

There is a (Israeli) minister today that takes decisions over the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

We are cutting history and cutting as we please our obligation according to international law. But this leads to the erosion of the system that has protected many of us.

She also called on the Irish Government to review its financial ties with Israel, adding that the Occupied Territories Bill should have been enacted years ago.

She said Israeli attacks on Gaza is ethnic cleansing.

Its ethnic cleansing in order to exercise, to realise greater Israel. They are saying that, its not me. They are saying that that they will retake Gaza, they will rebuild Gaza, she added.

Its not President Trump. This is Israels plan. This is the chance for this government, in particular, to gift the people of Israel with what remains of Palestine, the spoils of Gaza.

The plan will end the moment there will be no Palestinian breath left.

She added that the genocide in Gaza is being live-streamed and televised in real time.

She also accused Israel of failing to respect its ceasefire with Gaza.

These days are very dark for the Palestinians.

Dont call it a return to war. This is not a breach of a ceasefire that Israel itself never fully respected. This is Israel acting to finish the job it started, erasing the Palestinian from Palestine, with the green light from the US.

This is genocide, and we cannot name it if we do not see it.

Today there is an obligation to prevent genocide, to stop genocide, and then to punish so it makes absolutely no sense to say that governments cannot embrace the fact that that is genocide because the court has not said it.

We cannot just wait for a court to prevent a genocide. This is nonsense. Its hiding behind the finger.

There are 18,000 children dead, and they will continue to die. States have a duty to prevent and stop genocide. They have failed.

Its shocking that (EU) member states are still behaving as if we were in the 19th century, really, colonial mentality, 2.0.

She added that the illegality of trading with illegal Israeli settlements is so serious and irredeemable that EU member states have an obligation not to deal with Israel.
Ireland is highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence in the face of threatened tariffs by Donald Trump, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Simon Harris said that Ireland will have to engage with its foreign direct investment based in the Republic.

However, he also told the Dail that regardless of who is in the White House, many US multinationals still want to do business in an EU market.

US tariffs of 25% on all imports of steel and aluminium products and derivatives came into effect worldwide on March 12.

Mr Trump later threatened a 200% tariff on imported alcoholic drinks from the EU.

Mr Harris made the remarks in response to queries from Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who said the Government must provide clarity about how its plans to deal with US tariffs.

Ms Bacik said: What I want to raise with you today is how we in Ireland respond to US President Trump, and first on the impact of Trumps proposed tariffs, because here we are hearing that US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are already scenario-planning for moving manufacturing to the US.

Like all of us in this House, many people I represent are employed directly by US multinationals, and Im hearing already from constituents who fear they may lose their jobs, who are worried about the impact upon their families, being about being able to pay their rent or their mortgage.

Amid this uncertainty, as we await the detail of Trumps plans, and indeed, the EU response, Tanaiste, you must give what clarity you can to those who are living in fear.

She said that around 7% of workers in the Republic are directly employed by US businesses, while US companies pay nearly seven billion euros in wages.

Of course, (they make an enormous contribution to corporation tax receipts, Ms Bacik added.

We couldnt be more exposed in terms of jobs and in terms of our economy from the risk of tariffs.

It was also agreed that Government would brief opposition parties next week on how tariffs will impact Ireland.

Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: We are highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence.

We have got to control what we can control in terms of what we can do here in Ireland.

We have got to work as part of and as members of the European Union where, of course, trade policy is at.

He added that many US companies have decades of experience carrying out their business in Ireland.

We are also, though, approaching a position of relative strength because regardless of politics, there is also a reality that many companies are based in this country not for the weather, but because it is a good place to do business. It is a good place to access the European market.

Regardless of who is in the White House or what policies are pursued, it is a statement of fact that many American multinationals still want to do business in a market with more than 400 million people.
Labour finance spokesperson and Louth TD Ged Nash and has urged government and regulators to call telecom companies that are rising prices to task.

Deputy Nash said:

The Labour Party has consistently highlighted the need to address the enormous gouging of consumers going on over the past number of years.

As the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) today calls for a crackdown on telecoms companies hiking prices mid-contract, its time to see real action and teeth from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

Under Fine Gael and Fianna Fail families are struggling with the permanently increased cost of living and higher bills. This government and the relevant regulators need to put hard-pressed consumers first, for a change.

Labour has set out a clear plan to make wages go further. Little has been done by successive Fine Gael Fianna Fail coalitions to tackle price gouging or the high costs of services in Ireland which is why Labour has called for a detailed action plan to address this once and for all.

With the spotlight on telecoms companies today, more than ever we need to see real reform to ban automatic annual price increases in service contracts. The tail is wagging the dog here, and its time for this Government to intervene.

Tackling the high price of mobile phone contracts for example is just one of the many areas that this government needs to address to end the enormous cost of living in Ireland.

Even the Tories in the UK banned the sort of annual price increases our regulator green lights on-the-nod for global telecoms giants as a matter of course, here.

We need to see action from Government to make grocery prices lower, by giving the CCPC greater powers to regularly assess prices, the groceries market and make pro-consumer interventions."

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The Louth TD also said people need to see the loyalty penalty thats rampant in many kinds of utility contracts end.

We need to tackle the high cost of insurance which continues to impact negatively on business in Ireland. We need to bring down household bills by reducing electricity prices to the European average, and implementing a street by street retrofitting plan ana carrying out a major, independent review of the reasons why prices are so high.

The Labour Party will never be shy of constructive solutions to end the rip-off of consumers and demand a greater balance between the interests of working people and small businesses and big businesses that betray all the signs of effective monopolies with their pricing strategies.
Tributes have come flooding in for Damien Agnew of Oakland Park, Dundalk, who died suddenly at home where he was surrounded by his heartbroken family.

Predeceased by his parents, Paddy and Jane and his sister-in-law Martina, Mr Agnew will be sadly missed by his loving and lifelong partner Chrissie Kelly, their daughter Kate and his son Padraig.

The Louth native is a grandfather to six grandchildren and much adored Grandad to Sophia and Paddy, brother of Miriam, Seamie, Ann, Paddy and Patsy, his nieces and nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, relatives, friends, good neighbours and his colleagues in An Post.

Many past colleagues, friends and family took to RIP.ie to share their condolences.

READ MORE: Louth TD demands crackdown on telecom price hikes

One former co-worker said, "Sincere and deepest condolences to Chrissie, Kate, Padraig and the entire members of the Agnew family on the very sad passing of Damien (beano). I had the pleasure of working with him for many years in An Post, always one for a joke and a bit of craic, he will never be forgotten by all his work colleagues in An Post, may his gentle soul now rest in eternal peace. Amen"

A friend commented, "Our sincere condolences to Patsy, Christine and all the Agnew family on the sad loss of your beloved Damien.. we have many memories of Damien with all that wit and humour along with the unbelievable stories....rest in peace dear Damien."

Another said, "Rest in Peace Beano- thank you for all the memories growing up and all the laughs we had together in Macs. Chrissie, Kate, Padraig, Sophia & Paddy Im so sorry for your loss. Beano had a heart of gold and loved you all dearly. He was a gentleman. We have lost a true family friend and we will never forget him. Have a drink with Nora up there. RIP."

Damien will be reposing in the Eternity Room of Quinns Funeral Homes, Dundalk today (Thursday, March 20) until 6:30pm.

The Funeral Mass will be on Friday, March 21, in St Nicholas Church at 11am, followed by cremation at Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harolds Cross, Dublin 6.
Local Sinn Fein TD Joanna Byrne has said that government assertions that they are tackling the housing crisis and adequately fighting to end homelessness, is far from the reality on the ground in Louth.

Speaking in the Dail on the Sinn Fein motion regarding the Tenant-In-Situ scheme, Deputy Byrne said: In January 2024 there were 172 Adults accessing emergency accommodation in Louth, and in January 2025 that had jumped to 232 Adults accessing emergency accommodation in Louth.

That is a 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in Louth, in just a year.

By any definition or metric, that paints a picture of abject failure to tackle homelessness in Louth by this government.

The Tenant-In-Situ scheme had helped people who were given notice to quit an opportunity to stay in the home they had rented for years and in some cases even for decades.

As a former Louth County Councillor & Chair of Louth County Councils Housing SPC, I know the impact and real-life positives of The Tenant-In-Situ Scheme had for those lucky enough to be approved.

But for some reason, this scheme that has actually delivered, for those few lucky enough to be approved, and allowed people to stay in their homes, has been suspended since the end of last year, due to the failure of Government to agree the funding and targets for 2025, with hundreds of applications left pending without a decision due to lack of funding.

Deputy Byrne said that the requests by tenants who have been served notice to quit by their landlords, who want to sell the property, are coming in thick and fast, daily and weekly.

She continued: This decision by government will cost the taxpayer more in the long run as those that will have to leave their homes will most likely end up in emergency accommodation.

Read Next: Louth TD demands crackdown on telecom price hikes

The social housing tenant-in-situ scheme is a vital homeless prevention scheme which is why we in Sinn Fein introduced our motion, to try and bring it back, properly funded and ready to go.

A 35% increase in those needing emergency accommodation in Louth alone in just a year, shows how badly it is needed.

No one can stand over an increase like that.

I will continue to push the government to tackle the homelessness crisis in Louth and I will always support legislation that can actually tackle the crisis.
The median house price for houses sold with the Dundalk Eircode A91 in January 2025 was 325,000, according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office) in their Residential Property Price Index report.

The county wide median house price for Louth now stands at 325,000.

Of the 63 houses sold in Dundalk in January, 28 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 29 to former owner-occupiers and 6 were to non occupiers.

Forty-two of these houses were existing builds while twenty-one were new homes.

The median price of the new houses sold was 390,000 and the median price of existing houses sold in January was 278,000.

In Drogheda, the median price of residential properties sold in A92: Drogheda in January 2025, was 355,000.

Of the 117 houses sold in Drogheda in January, 63 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 48 to former owner-occupiers and 6 were to non occupiers.

Sixty-five of the houses sold were new houses and fifty-two were existing. The median price for the new houses sold was 387,801 while for existing houses it was 315,000.

Nationally, in the 12 months to January 2025, house prices in Dublin rose by 7.9% while apartment prices increased by 6.1%. The highest house price growth in Dublin was in Fingal at 9.5% while Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown saw a rise of 6.4%.

Read Next: Gardai in Louth investigate burglary in Dundalk

Outside Dublin, house prices were up by 8.9% and apartment prices rose by 5.0%. The region outside of Dublin that saw the largest growth in house prices was the Border (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, and Sligo) at 12.7%, while at the other end of the scale, the Mid-East (Kildare, Louth, Meath, and Wicklow) saw a 5.8% rise.

Households paid a median or mid-point price of 359,999 for a residential property in the 12 months to January 2025. The highest median price paid for a dwelling was 662,349 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, while the lowest was 180,000 in Leitrim.

The most expensive Eircode area over the 12 months to January 2025 was A94 'Blackrock' with a median price of 743,500, while H23 'Clones' had the least expensive price of 133,000.
Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather has warned people to expect gusts of Saharan sand landing on Irish shores from Africa on Friday.

As Ireland experienced the warmest day of the year on Thursday, this bizarre twist seems to be almost expected in this continuous plight of Irish weather.

But just how odd is this weather phenomenon? It turns out this isn't actually too uncommon for Ireland and it tends to happen a couple of times each year.

Hope you didnt wash the windows today. Friday will see Saharan Dust and rain to bring it down onto your windows and car pic.twitter.com/3uVSwBefmy  Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) March 20, 2025

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Saharan dust can reach Irish shores when dust storms in the Sahara region coincide with winds coming from the south. Although it can have an impact on air pollution, it's nothing people need to worry about - unless you're concerned about your clean windows, of course!

As the Carlow Weather man points out, Friday will also bring an end to the dry weather with rain forecast across the country which will drag the dust down onto the ground.
I am me, theres no doubt about it. I have never been cloned or have a twin sister. My name is unique at least here in the Philippines as my father last name is very rare. If you meet someone with the same last name there is a big chance we are related.

But however unique my name is, I became a victim of identity theft. The government who I assume or at least trust to catch the thief has burdened me with their faulty system and the thiefs fault and her cohorts.

Yes, I am a victim of identity theft, more than a decade ago, somebody used my name to get a passport.





How did I find this out? When I first got my passport, I was called to the Directors Office of the Department of Foreign Affairs where I was told that they have issued a passport to someone who used my name and my birth certificate.

I was shocked.

Wait a minute! I have not applied for a passport ever in my life until then. How and why and what the heck?!!!

I was very much appalled by what I learned, I was confused and clueless. How could this have happened? Travelling abroad was out-of-my-mind when this thief got a passport under my name and during that time I was still a bit naive and young and was dependent on my allowance to live.

Thanks to my connection during that time, I was still a reporter back then, I was assisted by the press relations office of DFA and press relations officer of NBI to find the thief.

When I got called back for the issuance of my FIRST passport, they got the thiefs file, they flashed it to me and told me that the girl is in Japan at that time so they were not able to arrest her or put her to jail.

I had the ability to read documents and see images upside down or backwards, that is one of the skills reporters acquired for their trade, and I saw that the girls was from Cavite (I am so from North of NCR and never lived in a province ever!) and I saw the face, OMG she is pango and panget (sorry for criticizing her but she deserves it coz shes a thief) I do not in any way look like that ilong palang di na sha papasa na ako!

DFA finally issued me my passport and assured me that they will apprehend the thief.

I dunno what happened after that.

***

How did the thief got a passport under my name?

According to my friends at the NBI during that time, illegal recruiters was prevalent at that time. Since our system back then was prehistoric (the Green Passport is handwritten!) and if you have gone through getting government documents you know how Jurassic our system is, everything is on paper folders and drawers none of them was consolidated in one system or one record for easy access.

Illegal recruiter syndicate got assets from the system who give them information/ list of people with clear records who have not used their names yet. They get your birth certificate (it seems anyone can request your birth certificate once they get your name and birth date) and then they use it to get people who dont have clean records or no records at and are desperate to work abroad by all means even by crook , out-of-the-country. Thats what happened to me.

They used my name because I was not using it yet.

So I suggest if you dont have a passport yet, get one now to secure your identity.

***

Five years after I went to DFA to renew my green passport. I was able to get the Machine Readable Maroon Passport hassle free.

Five years after that is this year, it took me since December 2014 to book an online appointment for a passport renewal at a DFA satellite office (geez I am very much online dependent now I mean everything is online now it is so convenient, it cuts expense and saves a lot of time!)

Come April 28, I went to DFA Satellite office in Ali Mall Cubao coz that is where I was able to secure a schedule. I was confident and happy that the satellite office is clean and cool and the service looks fast. I had come an hour earlier just to be on the safe side. I was let in immediately and was in line and in it for the entire process (Step 1 to Step 4).

When it was finally my turn at Step 1, suddenly I was told Maam please go to DFA main office in Pasay you are scheduled there, the personnel said.

Wait what? Why was I scheduled there when my paper and schedule shows I am scheduled here? I calmly inquired.

You are ______ Rullan right. We have a note here to turn you over to DFA Pasay . You can come there anytime you want. You can go there right now. They will assist you. They are waiting for you, the guy said.

Why? I asked.

Maam I dont know po but I will give a referral and note so you can just go there anytime you wish, he said. Then excused himself and ask his fellow DFA personnel what he will put on the note.

He attached a green note on my papers and put on the remarks: Memo PR PPT DO (5-13-05).

Confused, I stared at my paper, sat for a bit and Googled: What is DFA Memo PR PPT DO?

My search just made me more lost as it shows that 1) I need to report to DFA having travelled to Sabah as all officials need to report travel to that country all the time; 2) I need to prove my citizenship or sort as I had dual citizenship (?) and a resident of Honolulu, Hawaii (uhmmm only my Aunt lived in Honolulu for a time) and; 3) I am called for a volunteer work abroad.

All three reasons makes no sense!

So I went to Facebook and asked friends. One of them cleared my mind : about having a note/ issue on file the first time she got a passport, and since then she was asked all the time to bring that note that the issue was resolved each time she renew her passport.

This might be it. But I dont think so, it was resolved ages ago.

Anyway, the next day I went to DFA Aseana .

Not much people there, in less than 10 minutes I was seated at the interviewer gave him my documents he looked for a sec then said  OK maam do you have your NSO Birth Certificate, Old school IDs and other valid IDs with you?

Wait, I am for renewal, I am not a first time applicant, I said.

Maam I need the other supporting document because you have an issue with your passport, he elaborated.

OK, is this about the issue of the other passport issued under my name years ago? But this was resolved? I showed him my Green Passport and the Maroon Passports. See? How could I have gotten all this passports if the issue was not resolved?

Trying to outwit me he said Maam yes we know this was resolved but we just want to make sure that you are you and that because there was a note in file we need to make sure that each time someone renews under your name have to prove that she is you or _______ Rullan so as we dont issue another passport under your name unless it is you, he said.

Sensing his unfounded superiority complex I backed down and said OK, what do you need from me?

Just give us your NSO Birth Certificate and a valid ID supporting documents listed on our site, I would have approved you already had you had these documents with you, he added.

Irate with what he said ; You should have included in that note that this is what you needed so I dont go blind coming here.

Maam they dont know about this, he said.

You should have told them or at least include in the note! Anyway, Ill come back , I am already agitated and not want an argument so I just walked out.

***

I cursed the one who stole my identity for giving me such inconvenience.

I wanted that person who stole my identity to die. Oh wait, if she dies I will be also be noted as dead and she might get a Death Certificate under my name. Oh shit! Shit ! Shit!

From now until forever, or at least when DFA and our government office finally adopts to technology (syncing files and keeping records updated) I will be needed to prove that I am me! Plus I dont get the fact that we are asked to get an NBI clearance just to be told that NBI clearance are useless piece of paper as this DFA officer said anyone can get an NBI clearance, it is not valid.

What DFA could have done to avoid giving me the hassle and to everyone who was a victim of identity theft like me was to:

Cancel and take note of the Passport Number issued to the Fake person , NOT note the name of the person. By having NOTED the passport number of the FAKE one, they would not make a mistake of issuing another passport number to the FAKE. Do not put the BURDEN on the Real person he/she already gone through a lot having been a victim of identity theft.

Who knows what this thief have done while using MY NAME, what records she has acquired under my name! Heaven knows! I hope and pray she does and did not acquire any bad record or else if I get the chance to see her face to face I will make sure she suffers!

Identity theft is not a joke, it is you, your life, who you are on record.

How about you, have you experienced this or at least how Jurassic our government record system is? Share your story at the comment section below!

UPDATE:

I got my passport after two weeks when I reapplied. I was told by the passport officer that when I get my next passport I wont have this same trouble anymore, they have noted my passport number and I have 3 consecutive passports on-hand. They have canceled out that fake person using the identity she stole from me and have confiscated her second passport application under my name. Thank goodness.

Meanwhile, some important things you should know so you will not become a victim of identity theft:

This happened to me when social media was not even in our dreams, I can just imagine how many are gullible of this modus operandi of stealing identity to do crime under your name! People tend to be careless posting about their IDs and too many personal details about their life/ finances/ travel/ documents that they dont think its harmless. That fact is it can be used to steal your identity or do a crime against you. Be careful. I always police my friends who post their credit cards, passports, company or school ID, and full birthdate online because its so easy to copy/ clone. With the one who stole my identity all she needed was my full name and my birthday and she was able to get a copy of my BC from NSO and used it to get a passport under my name! When I got my birthcertificate (DFA always ask for certfied true copy of Birth Certificate for passport applications) NSO was kinda strict issuing them if the person is not you or you dont have an authorization letter and ID bearing birthdate of that person you want to get hold of. But theres always a way to get around this so just be vigilant. Like I said earlier, even if you have no plans of travelling, just to secure your identity, go get a passport.

Stay gorgeous everyone!
A man caught with cannabis for his own use was told that by buying drugs, he was paying for the lifestyles of shady people in sunny places.

Judge Miriam Walsh made this comment to Martin Linehan, of Lagan Grove, Mayfield, at Cork District Court.

She also told the 23-year-old that by involving himself in this drug culture, he was putting himself at risk of ending up in a wooden suit and lowered six foot into the ground.

Mr Linehan was caught with the drugs for his own use when Garda Elaine Murphy stopped him in the car park of the Radisson Hotel in Little Island, Co Cork, just over a year ago, on March 8, 2024.

He pleaded guilty to that offence. Sergeant Gearoid Davis said the man had three similar convictions previously, and he also had one previous conviction for drug dealing.

Defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly said the defendant was now doing much better with his life.

Judge Walsh adjourned sentencing until May 27 so a probation report could be prepared on the accused.

The judge told the man that it was one thing for him to be a mug paying for the lifestyle of shady drug dealers and destroying his own life, but warned him about destroying other peoples lives.

She said that by referring the man to the Probation Service, she was giving him an opportunity to get clear of this kind of offending.
Tomorrow is World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), and the students at the Down Syndrome Cork Field of Dreams will be helping out with bucket shakes to raise funds.

The date for WDSD is set each year on the 21st day of the third month as a representation of the extra copy of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome that people with Down syndrome are born with.

Under a microscope, that extra chromosome is said to resemble socks, so odd socks are used to symbolise WDSD, and members of the public can celebrate the day by organising lots of socks events in their school, workplace, or home.

This years theme is Improve Our Support Systems, and members of Down Syndrome Ireland are asking the public to Support Our Dreams.

In the Down Syndrome Cork Field of Dreams, students are planning to mark WDSD with a day-long event called Hollywood Comes to the Field.

Down Syndrome Cork bucket shakes will take place in Ballincollig, Wilton, Cork city centre, Mahon, and Douglas today and in Midleton and Youghal tomorrow.
Improved post-bank holiday trolley figures have been welcomed by health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who credited the change to a greater emphasis on having senior staff available to discharge patients on weekends.

Nationally, the number of patients waiting on emergency department trolleys at 8am over the St Patricks bank holiday weekend from Saturday to Monday, was reduced by 70% when compared to the St Brigids bank holiday weekend this year.

This resulted in a 63% drop in the number of patients waiting on trolleys across Ireland as of 8am on Tuesday morning, when compared with the same Tuesday after the St Brigids bank holiday weekend in February.

Attendances at emergency departments in hospitals were slightly lower this weekend when compared to the St Brigids weekend, but only by 4%.

Cork figures

In Cork, fewer than half the number of patients were on trolleys compared to the previous months bank holiday weekend, according to INMO daily trolley figures.

On Tuesday, there were 39 patients on trolleys, including 27 in CUH; seven in the Mercy, and five in Bantry General Hospital. This represented a 61% reduction from a figure of 100 the day after the February bank holiday weekend when there were 74 patients in Cork University Hospital; 21 in the Mercy University Hospital, and five in Bantry General.

Ms Carroll McNeill said the reductions were due to measures she had put in place.

I was quite alarmed by the growth in the number of patients waiting on trolleys after the St Brigids bank holiday weekend, which went from 253 to 617 trolleys in a three-day period from Saturday morning to Tuesday morning, she said.

Recognising that this is in large part connected to the presence of senior decisionmakers on site, I requested the HSE to provide a deeper analysis of hospital consultant rostering in all acute hospitals, to cover a focused analysis of future periods rostering of senior decisionmakers in the evenings, on weekends and public holidays, initially covering St Patricks weekend.

An increased focus is being put on the delivery of integrated services on a seven-day basis, including ensuring sufficient senior decision makers are rostered to discharge patients throughout the entire week, including evenings, weekends, and public holidays.

Dr Andy Phillips, regional executive officer HSE South West, said: I am very proud of all our staff who planned and delivered high-quality care during the busy St Patricks weekend.

Our doctors, nurses, and health and social care professional staff once again went above and beyond.

Thanks to those efforts, we were able to deliver even higher quality care when compared with the most recent St Brigids weekend and last years St Patricks weekend.

While it is not acceptable that any patient is waiting on a trolley to be admitted to a hospital, it is nonetheless important to acknowledge progress.
A 51-year-old woman has been charged with stealing over 70,000 from well known chef Martin Shanahan who owns the award winning Fishy Fishy restaurant in Kinsale, Co Cork.

Nessa Gilsenan of Copper Beech House, Mellifontstown, Kinsale, who was an employee of the restaurant, appeared before a sitting of Kinsale District Court in Bandon today. She faces more than 130 charges which relate to theft and the alleged submitting of false documents.

Evidence of arrest, charge and caution was given via certificate.

More than 110 charges are for theft whilst she faces additional charges relating to false documents.

The charges are that Ms Gilsenan did steal property, to wit various sums of money from Fishy Fishy, the property of Martin Shanahan. The various sums she allegedly stole range from 82 to 1,650.

Ms Gilsenan is also charged that she dishonestly, with the intention of making a gain for herself or another, in furnishing information for her employer, for the purpose of weekly staff payroll approval, did produce or make use of a document made or acquired for accounting purposes that was misleading, false or deceptive in a material manner.

The alleged offences occurred between 2017 and 2022. The charges are contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told Judge John King that the DPP had directed that Ms Gilsenan be returned for trial on indictment.

Adjourned

Defence solicitor Daithi ODonnabhain asked that the case by adjourned until the end of May.

Mr ODonnabhain is seeking certain documents from the State Solicitor. He asked for a lengthy adjournment to facilitate limited disclosure.

Mr ODonnabhain said that he had been in contact with the State Solicitor, Jerry Healy, regarding the case and needed to consider his clients position in totality.

Judge King adjourned the case until May 15 next for the service of the book of evidence.

Mr ODonnabhain applied for, and was granted, free legal aid for his client who had submitted a statement of means and a pay slip.

Ms Gilsenan, who wore a cream jumper and blue pants was present in court. However, she was not required to speak during the brief hearing. She was remanded on bail to appear before Kinsale District Court, sitting in Bandon, on May 15.

Fishy Fishy was established by one of Irelands leading seafood chefs Martin Shanahan in 2006. The restaurant has the capacity for 160 customers and is run by Mr Shanahan and his wife Marie.

Mr Shanahan embarked on his first venture in television in 2009, filming the first of a successful series of programmes, 'Martins Mad about Fish'. He also teamed up with chef Paul Flynn to feature in the series 'Surf n Turf', which aired on RTE.

Mr Shanahan has also written a number of successful cookery books.
A mother who has looked after her child who has had ongoing neurological deficits for the last 24 years yesterday told a High Court judge how she has pleaded with the HSE for a nurse to help out one night a week but has been turned down.

I have had two heart attacks in the past and I just want a nurse one night a week but they wont give it, the woman told Mr Justice Paul Coffey.

She was speaking as her daughter, now in her 30s, settled for 1.3m a High Court action over her care when she had brain tumour surgery at Cork University Hospital (CUH) when she was only eight years old.

The settlement is on the basis of a liability apportionment of just 10% against the HSE.

Mr Justice Coffey also ordered that the family not be identified.

The court heard if the case had gone to trial it would have taken 10 to 12 weeks.

Complex

The womans counsel John OMahony, instructed by Vincent Toher Solicitors, told the court it was a very complex, heartbreaking, and devastating case where the little girl, when she was eight years of age, was found to have a very large brain tumour.

Counsel said that without the surgery the little girl would only have survived for six to nine months.

However, he said it was their case that after the 2001 surgery at CUH, the little girls vision was turned down to the left and she was left with neurological deficits including cognitive impairment, deafness, and epilepsy.

Now in her 30s, the woman cannot walk unaided and has to use a wheelchair and she requires full- time care and will never be able to live independently, counsel said.

Mr OMahony said it was their case that while a CT scan was taken before the brain surgery, an MRI scan, which counsel said would have illuminated and given a broader picture as to how to plan for the brain surgery, was not done.

The MRI scan, it was contended, would have given an indication of brain stem involvement with the tumour and could have influenced the surgical approach.

Denied

All of the claims in the proceedings were denied.

The womans mother told the judge that her eight-year-old daughter before the surgery was skipping and dancing on the ward but after the surgery she was like a rag doll.

She said she and her husband have looked after their daughter for the last 24 years and done everything for her, and even bought equipment.

I have had two heart attacks, the womans mother told the judge.

I have pleaded with the HSE for a nurse one night a week and they wont give it. My daughters wheelchair is five years old. My daughter, who suffers from seizures, is a prisoner in her own home.

She said the HSE did give the family 15 hours a week and the Irish Wheelchair Association allotted seven hours a week but her daughter needs full-time care and she and her husband have to provide it.

After hearing the womans mother, the judge said that she and her husband were to be saluted for their efforts over the last 24 years which he said were truly heroic.

Approving the settlement, the judge said there were formidable difficulties in the case and in the circumstances the offer was adequate.
Ryan Dunne

Two men in their 70s will be surrendered to the North to face charges relating to the murder of an RUC officer nearly 50 years ago after a court rejected their argument that their extradition would be an abuse of process.

At the High Court extradition hearing on Thursday, Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said there was no evidence to suggest that John Edward McNicholl (73) and Seamus Christopher O'Kane (74) would not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland, as he ruled that a delay in serving warrants on the respondents was not grounds for refusing their surrender to the north.

Both men escaped from the Maze Prison in a dramatic tunnelling breakout in May 1976 before they could be put on trial.

Mr O'Kane has been living openly in the Meath area for almost five decades while Mr McNicholl, who was deported from the United States, has been here since 2003.

Mr McNicholl, of Newmills, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and Mr O'Kane, of Scalestown, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath are wanted in the UK.

They face charges arising from an investigation into the murder of 25-year-old Constable Robert John McPherson in Co Derry on July 26th, 1975 and the attempted murder of a second constable.

Mr McNicholl is charged with murdering Constable McPherson and attempted murder, while Mr O'Kane is charged with possession of firearms, including an RUC-issued firearm taken during the ambush on Constable McPherson.

At the High Court last year, Mark Lynam SC, for Mr McNicholl, said his client had been in Ireland since 2003 but for reasons unknown, the UK made no effort to seek his surrender until now. Mr Lynam said he was arguing that this was a "significant abuse of process".

Counsel said the UK had made repeated decisions over several decades not to seek his client's surrender but then "the political wind has changed and the Legacy Act has come in and Mr McNicholl was in the unfortunate cohort of people who were now going to be proceeded against".

The extradition warrant was issued four days prior to the commencement of the Legacy Act, which limits criminal investigations and prosecutions related to Troubles era offences.

It was submitted that Mr McNicholl is now a "frail" man with severe health problems.

John Berry BL, for Mr O'Kane, said he was also making an objection on grounds of an abuse of process.

He said the delay in the UK authorities seeking his client's extradition has not been adequately explained. Following a failed extradition attempt in 1978, Mr Berry said his client "got on with his life" and lived normally and unexceptionally in the Republic for nearly half a century.

In delivering judgement on Thursday, Mr Justice McGrath said that in the case of both men, while there was no doubt that their surrender would impinge on their family life, this was a regular if not inescapable consequence of surrender. He said this disruption was not so exceptional that it would constitute a breach of their family rights.

In the case of Mr McNicholl, Mr Justice McGrath noted that the respondent had argued that due to the delay and the lapse of the warrant, the refusal of his surrender would be in the interest of justice.

He noted that the respondent was now 73 and had a number of health issues, but he found these issues were well controlled at present, while there was nothing put before the court to suggest Mr McNicholl would not receive proper medical treatment.

The judge said that in the absence of any evidence that suggested otherwise, the UK courts will provide a fair trial.

There is no basis to suggest he will not receive a fair trial in Northern Ireland, and no evidence has been put before the court to raise any doubt that he will be shut out from challenging this prosecution in Northern Ireland, said Mr Justice McGrath.

He went on to say that there was a public interest in Ireland honouring its various extradition treaties.

Saying that he did not think this was a case where the respondents surrender would be an abuse of process, Mr Justice McGrath rejected the grounds of objection and said the court would make an order for his surrender.

In the case of Mr OKane, Mr Justice McGrath said that an explanation had been offered by the requesting state for the passage of time between the alleged offence and the extradition request.

Although a long number of years have passed, there is no reason to doubt he will receive a fair trial, said Mr Justice McGrath.

Finding there were also no grounds to conclude this was a case where surrender was an abuse of process, Mr Justice McGrath rejected the application and made an order for the respondents surrender.

The matter was put back to April 3rd, with both men remanded on continual bail to that date.

Warrants for the arrest of both men were issued following a request by the Northern authorities last year as part of an ongoing investigation into Constable McPherson's murder.

Constable McPherson was from Leck, outside Coleraine in Co Derry. He was shot dead in an INLA ambush in Dungiven Main Street around midday. He was hit by a single shot when he and a colleague were ambushed as they investigated a report of a suspect car. His fellow officer was hit multiple times but survived.

Both Mr McNicholl and Mr O'Kane face four charges relating to the possession of explosives and firearms on February 16, 1976 at Garvagh, Co Derry. The court heard that an RUC-issued firearm retrieved at that location had been taken during the ambush on Constable McPherson.

The extradition warrant relating to Mr O'Kane states that on May 5th, 1976, he and others escaped from custody at the Maze Prison in Co Armagh prior to a decision being made to prosecute him for the four offences.

At a previous hearing of the High Court, Detective Garda Tony Keane, of the Garda Extradition Unit, said that following a search of the premises at Garvagh in 1976, the RUC recovered two electric detonators, two improvised pressure mat switches, two Walther pistols, one Browning pistol, a 0.22 rifle, a Remington shotgun and 104 rounds of ammunition.

Detective Keane said the warrant issued by the Northern authorities states that Mr O'Kane and two other males were found hiding in an upstairs bedroom in the property and were arrested.

The warrant continues that Mr O'Kane was interviewed on February 17th, 1976, where he made a full admission to possessing the explosive substances, firearms and ammunition recovered from the property at Brockaghboy in Garvagh.
There is a saying that All roads lead to Rome, but for visual arts curator Helen Carey, All roads lead to Cork.

Helen was recently appointed Director of the National Sculpture Factory, and is this week beginning her new role on Leeside.

The visual arts curator previously served as Director/Curator of Limerick City Gallery of Art, the inaugural Director of the flagship Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris, Public Art Project Manager at Bristol Regeneration Project, and Director of Galway Arts Centre.

Most recently, she worked as Director of the Fire Station Artists studios in Dublin, where she had been based since 2014.

Helen will now be based at the National Sculpture Factorys long red-brick building on Albert Road, Ballintemple.

The building provides the necessary space and equipment to artists and sculptors to create work which they could not do in smaller spaces or at their kitchen tables, making it a vital resource not only for the creative community of Cork but for the whole of Ireland.

The studio spaces are allocated on a project basis within the walls of the Factory, which is 770 square metres in size.

Helen Carey is the new director of the National Sculpture Factory..jpg

There are currently 14 artists based at the world-class facilities.

Helen sees the artistic tapestry of Cork as being part of the natural ecosystem where each region has its own distinct activity providing creative flavour to the whole.

Ive always been very aware of Cork and how many richly talented artists come from here, in fact the first exhibition I was responsible for when I started in Galway was Cork artist Vivienne Roche, who was actually one of the founders of the Sculpture Factory, she recalled.

As well as being a founder member and first chairperson of The Sculpture Factory, Vivienne is a member of Aosdana and The Royal Hibernian Academy and works in large-scale bronze glass, steel and sailcloth amongst other materials.

Among her many and varied works is Light Ensemble at MTU Cork School of Music which is an award-winning work, consisting of three large site-specific pieces, a sculptural homage to architecture, music and time.

Its also fantastic to witness the trajectory of many other really strong and talented Cork artists such as Aideen Barry, said Helen.

She is hyper-aware of the importance of public art to the lifeblood of a city.

Public art commemorates events and places where local communities gather to celebrate and reflect on a significant moment in their history or to recall loved ones no longer here.

One such sculpture is the memorial to those lost to heroin addiction entitled Home which depicts a flame of hope behind a doorway at the junction of Buckingham Street and Sean McDermott street, which is close to the Fire Station Artists Studio in Dublin where Helen was based up to now.

She outlines the significance of such monuments for people to gather and express their emotions.

The local community gather there to remember their loved ones who have been lost to the ravages of drugs.

People should feel at ease with their city, and artistic expressions should serve to embellish urban life, making it more relatable and unique.

I am very much committed to public art and in a previous life I was the Public Arts Project Manager for the landmark millennium project in Bristols city centre, which was really enjoyable, she said.

Helen was educated at Loreto Convent in Navan and then she went on to study in UCD. She also later graduated from the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dun Laoghaire as well as directing many projects, galleries and art centres, including the Limerick City Gallery of Art.

Helen was also a representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs on the ChoctawIrish Public Art Commission in 2024 which saw her going to Oklahoma to further commemorate the link forged between the Irish and the Choctaw nation, an experience which she really enjoyed.

Inside the National Scuplture Factory.

Cork artist Alex Penteks work Kindred Spirits, which was made at the Sculpture Factory, and now stands in Bailick Park in Midelton, was a real turning point in forging that link between the Choctaw and the Irish connection, and opened up a huge channel of engagement, Helen said.

It commemorates the generous donation of the Choctaw people, themselves decimated after their forced removal from their ancestral lands in what was called the Trail of Tears. Despite the hardship they were enduring, they still managed to gather a donation of $170 to help the Irish during the Famine.

I had to oversee the selection and development of a Choctaw artist, who would create a sculpture that would continue on that connection, which remains a really interesting and time-defying link across the centuries.

You really learn a lot when you are engaged with people in their creative process making and developing work, and it was fascinating to spend time with the Choctaw people.

I was so struck with how composed and silent their conversation can be. You really have to take it in, and its a great antidote to rushing around. It was very interesting to witness how it can be sometimes more important to listen rather than talk.

The Eternal Heart sculpture was designed to honour the eternal bond forged between the two nations.

The sculpture, an 8ft tall piece by Choctaw nation tribal member Samuel Stitt, was jointly funded by the Government of Ireland and the Chahta Foundation.

It combines a Celtic Trinity Shape intertwined with a heart and is specifically placed facing toward Ireland at the Choctaw Capitol Grounds in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma.

There is no beginning or end to the overall piece  thus it is eternal, said the creator Stitt.

Helens reach with the worldwide artistic and creative community is wide and in her future role as Director of The Sculpture Factory, she hopes to forge even more strands with the international community to build connections and visibility for Irish artists.
Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

River Rescue Kits can help communities take action against the growing crisis of river pollution. River Action UK

The newly launched River Rescue Kit provides expert guidance for people in the United Kingdom to take action to help protect their local waterways.

The online resource, launched by UK-based environmental campaign organization River Action, can help empower communities to take steps to stop the growing river pollution crisis, a press release from University of Manchester said.

The state of our rivers is a national scandal, and Greater Manchester is no exception. We need people on the ground to push for change  the River Rescue Kit provides the tools they need to do that effectively, said Jamie Woodward, a physical geography professor at University of Manchester, in the press release.

In a video, Woodward highlighted the alarming amount of sewage contaminating the Manchester regions rivers, describing them as frequently being little better than open sewers.

The video highlights the issues urgency, as well as the crucial part local communities can play in affecting change.

Woodward described how the toxic pollutants harm wildlife, degrade ecosystems and pose public health risks.

Roughly 75 percent of rivers in the UK now pose a serious health risk to humans, the River Rescue Kit website said.

Presently, water companies have little incentive to change their reckless behaviour, with regulators consistently failing to enforce legislation and issue meaningful fines, the website said. Fines for breaking the law are so infrequent and minimal that polluting becomes financially advantageous, effectively encouraging companies to continue the harmful practice.

Woodward emphasized that scientific research can reveal the scale of the issue, but true progress is made when communities come together and campaign for action.

The River Rescue Kit is designed to support individuals and grassroots organisations in holding polluters and policymakers accountable, the press release said. It offers guidance on gathering water quality data, lobbying decision-makers and raising public awareness.

Woodward underscored the impact of efforts by organizations like Windrush Against Sewage Pollution, which have helped shift political and public conversation surrounding the issue.

Community activism works, Woodward said. We need more people to step up, challenge the status quo, and demand urgent action to clean up our rivers.

Additional information and access to the River Rescue Kit can be found here.

River Action and Professor Woodward urge the public to engage with the River Rescue Kit and join the fight against river pollution. By equipping communities with specialist knowledge and tools, this initiative aims to drive meaningful change and restore the UKs rivers to health, the press release said.
Enrico Salvatori, Senior Vice President and President of Qualcomm Europe discusses Qualcomm Dragonwing's support of the complete AI and Edge ecosystem.

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Qualcomms RB3 Gen 2 Kit now features the Edge Impulse platform, enabling more than 170,000 developers to create, deploy, and monitor AI models for a wide range of edge applications and hardware.

The Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Development Kit has been designed to help you develop high-performance IoT and edge AI applications. With powerful AI acceleration, pre-validated peripherals, and extensive software support, this kit enables every engineer to move quickly from prototype to production within a growing developer-friendly ecosystem. Now, with the integration of Edge Impulse, you have even more flexibility to build, train, and deploy machine learning models on the Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 platform.

High-performance hardware for IoT and AI at the edge

At the heart of the Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Kit is the Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS6490 / Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS5430 processor, delivering AI acceleration optimized for computer vision and edge inference. Whether you're building for smart devices, robotics, industrial automation, or just any general-purpose edge AI applications for any data and model combination, this kit provides real-time superior AI processing with power efficiency in mind.

With Wi-Fi 6E connectivity for fast data transfer and expanded I/O support, the kit ensures seamless integration with external peripherals, sensors, or cameras. Built on the 96Boards open hardware standard, it allows you to customize and extend your setup with mezzanine cards to fit your application-specific needs.

A growing developer tooling ecosystem

With the addition of Edge Impulse platform, the Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Kit now offers an even broader set of tools for AI and IoT development. The Qualcomm developer ecosystem continues to expand, enabling faster prototyping and seamless AI model development and deployment, and allowing developers to move quickly from prototype to production.

Edge Impulse integration: AI model development made easier

Leveraging Edge Impulse Studio, you can now easily collect data, train, fine tune AI models, and deploy them on the Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Kit. Edge Impulse integrates with the Qualcomm AI Hub to ensure that your models are optimized for performance, power efficiency, and memory usage, allowing AI workloads to run smoothly on edge devices.

Through this integration, you will be able to:

- Use Edge Impulse Studio to train, and fine-tune AI models with real-world sensor data and deploy models as C++ libraries, Docker containers, or ready-to-flash binaries

- Leverage the Qualcomm Intelligent Multimedia Product SDK for advanced data pre-processing, post-processing, and inference

Get remote access with Qualcomm Device Cloud (QDC)

Dont have a device to get started? With Qualcomm Device Cloud, you can start building and testing applications without needing physical hardware. This cloud-based Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS6490 gives you remote access to the physical hardware, so you can develop and validate real-time performances from anywhere. Combined with Edge Impulses MLOps workflows, you can deploy edge AI models seamlessly on our cloud hosted device accelerating your development cycle and making it easier to iterate before moving to real-world deployment.

Broad OS and software support

The kit supports multiple operating systems, including Linux (Yocto Project), Ubuntu, Android, and Windows, giving you the flexibility to choose the best platform for your applications.

Qualcomm Technologies provides a robust suite of developer tools, including:

Comprehensive documentation and sample applications

To help you get started, the Qualcomm RB3 Gen 2 Kit comes with comprehensive documentation, including detailed hardware documentation, user guides, and tutorials. Additionally, Qualcomm Technologies provides a repository of sample applications that demonstrate the kit's capabilities for various use cases. These resources help developers quickly get started and build innovative solutions.

Join the innovation

At Qualcomm Technologies, we believe that innovation is a collaborative effort. Start evaluating or developing with the Qualcomm RB3 Gen2 Development Kit. We invite you and every developer to join us in exploring the possibilities of the Qualcomm Dragonwing processors  with an easy development journey for AI applications thanks to Edge Impulse. Whether you're working on robotics, industrial automation, or any other IoT application, the Qualcomm RB3 Gen2 Development Kit provides the tools you need to succeed.



Manvinder Singh Vice President, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies

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Meta is rolling out its AI assistant across 41 European countries, including to members of the European Union, starting this week. It will also extend its access to 21 overseas European territories. In its announcement, Meta said that it has taken the company longer to bring its AI technology to European users as it continues to "navigate its complex regulatory system."

The company was planning to make its AI technology available in the region last year, but it had to put its plans on pause after the Irish Data Protection Commission asked it to delay training its Large Language Models on content posted by adult European users on Facebook and Instagram. A month after the Irish regulator's request, Meta said that it wasn't going to release its new multimodal Llama models in the region "due to the unpredictable nature of the European regulatory environment."

Meta will start its AI rollout in Europe by incorporating the technology into its messaging apps across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger, which will soon show a blue circle on their interface. It will be available in six languages from the region and will have limited capabilities that revolve around text queries for now, but the company says it hopes to expand its AI's offering over time until its finds "parity with the US."

European users will be able to call Meta AI in group chats by typing @MetaAI followed by their prompt or question. Users will also be able to use the chatbot to surface relevant posts and Reels by typing in queries, such as "show me Vancouver Island content." They will be able to look up information from all over the web within the chatbot, as well.
TikTok is bringing Amber Alerts to the For You feed, the platform just announced via blog post . It has teamed up with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to bring these alerts to users and to leverage the power of the US TikTok community to help reunite kids with their families.

The social media platform started experimenting with this functionality last year, with a pilot program in Texas. The rollout was successful, with TikTok saying Amber Alerts in Texas were viewed more than 20 million times and contributed to 2.5 million visits to NCMEC's website.

When an AMBER Alert is issued, users who live near the missing child will see it show up in the For You feed. The posts will feature two hyperlinks. One will lead to the relevant NCMEC data and the other will contact 911, just in case theres information to impart. The platform is also donating advertising credits from these posts to amplify NCMEC's messaging via their official TikTok account.
Morgan Wallen is making his way back to Saturday Night Live set to appear as the musical guest on the March 29 episode, alongside Anora star Mikey Madison.

The guest spot marks the country music star's first return to the SNL stage since his debut in December 2020. His initial scheduled appearance two months earlier was canceled after he was seen partying maskless and kissing multiple college students in Alabama, violating the show's strict COVID-19 protocols.

Following his removal, Wallen publicly apologized, acknowledging his actions were "short-sighted" and vowing to "work on himself."

When he finally made his way to SNL, he participated in a sketch poking fun at the controversy, reenacting the ill-fated party scene with host Jason Bateman.

Now 31, Wallen is returning to the late-night stage as he prepares to release his fourth studio album, I'm the Problem.

His SNL comeback comes amid a packed season, with Jack Black, Jon Hamm, and Lizzo also set to appear in upcoming episodes.
Fairfield, MT (59436)

Today

Mostly sunny this morning then becoming cloudy during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 70F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low 49F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Ryan Zinke walked up the stairs of the American Legion in Bozeman on Tuesday to hold court with his veteran constituents, running the gamut on national issues and providing off-the-cuff responses.

For over an hour, Montanas third-term representative went from topic to topic with relative ease, from the recent spending bill showdown to the war in Ukraine, from veteran care to Elon Musk, all while about 15 veterans mostly listened, occasionally chiming in as they sipped coffee provided by the congressmans team.

Ill go through whats going on in Washington, D.C., but as far as the state, we have three combat veterans and the son of a Marine representing Montana, Zinke, a former Navy SEAL, said. On veteran issues, I think we have some personal experience.

Much of the gathering revolved around the veterans, whether that was the publics perception of those returning from war, how deployments have changed, a lack of services, or harmful stereotypes of drug use, homelessness, and suicide rates.

Zinke acknowledged that many veterans use the medical services provided by the Department Of Veteran Affairs in Montana but argued that structural changes might be necessary to alleviate budgetary concerns within the department.

You got to redo the VA, he said. But thats outside my pay grade. I am not an expert on delivering health care.

Zinke said the VA should remain a primary source for certain treatments, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI) or prosthetics, but that other health-care clinics could provide less-specialized treatments.

One of Zinkes staff members confirmed that 11 Montana VA employees were terminated in recent weeks but that five have been rehired and six are under review.

Zinke also tipped his hat to former Sen. Jon Tester for the VA clinics in Montana but criticized his signature accomplishment, the PACT Act, for being mandatory spending that cant be reassessed like other items on the spending budget.

The clinics are pretty convenient, guys like them, and Ill be frank, Jon Tester had a lot to do with it, thank Jon, Zinke said. I would not have put the PACT in mandatory spending. I would have put it in discretionary because you can review it. I dont think we should have a line between mandatory and discretionary and I got probably 26 trillion reasons why its not a good idea.

Dressed in his familiar black cowboy hat and Helmville Rodeo 50th anniversary jacket, Zinke continued to offer insight on a range of issues, speaking bluntly as he shared his perspectives.

When one constituent raised concerns over the U.S.s involvement with Russia, Zinke said his stance on the war in Ukraine has been largely the same from the get-go.

My opinion has been consistent with Ukraine: tell me objectives and tell me a plan. On the low end, were at $85 billion. High end, were at $350 billion, he said. But were in a conflict (in) which Ive never seen a plan or objective, yet were spending a lot of resources.

Zinke mentioned the highly publicized televised interaction between President Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the leader of Ukraine, whom Zinke said is an oligarch, corrupt.

Putin is an oligarchy, too, hes just the undisputed oligarchy in Russia, Zinke said.

Referencing the shouting match between Trump and Zelensky from February, Zinke said: Ive never seen two heads of state, ever, like what I saw with President Trump and Zelensky, adding that leaders usually share niceties in front of the media before hashing it out behind closed doors.

What we saw is straight up live and Zelensky went back and said, You know, Im not the most powerful man in the world. Hes not, his very existence is predicated on U.S. support.

Ultimately, Zinke said its likely the current boundaries between Ukraine and Russia will remain, a land bridge will connect Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, and that there could be a demilitarized zone as prospects of a cease-fire increase.

It didnt take long for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk, whom Zinke called obviously bright, hes different, to emerge.

Were in the exposing phase, the congressman said, referring to released Social Security data that showed some 3.2 million people over the age of 120.

The second phase has got to be to confirm it. Just because a person has a Social Security number that puts them older than the country, doesnt mean they get a check.

The other problem, he continued, should be to everyone (that) if a group of fairly young U.S. Treasury agents can open up files in an hour and a half and all of sudden see whats there ... we dont have security so our nations systems are at risk if somebody can break into it.

I assume China also has people that are clever.

Zinke said he was glad New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, agreed to pass the Republican continuing resolution for the funding bill, thereby averting a government shutdown, something Zinke said would have been more detrimental to federal workers than the recent layoffs.

Last week, Zinke issued a statement about reinstating laid-off U.S. Forest Service workers, that DOGE can now set their sight on the real waste  the overpaid lawyers, biologists and environmental zealots.

At around 9:50 a.m. Tuesday, the Congressman and his four-person entourage left the American Legion, and the event ended without disruption, compared to other events that caused House Speaker Mike Johnson to encourage Republicans to avoid town halls.
GREAT FALLS, Mont.  Exciting changes and updates are happening around Great Falls, from new businesses opening to community events and renovations.

Construction crews are busy at the former Loading Zone, Playground Lounge, and Buffalo Saloon building site, which closed in September 2022. The location is being cleared to make way for a new tire shop.

The Children's Museum of Montana is temporarily closed as it searches for a new location. The museum has narrowed its search to two potential sites and is working on a rebrand. They're keeping the community informed with a new newsletter.

Honey Hippo Play Cafe has opened a new coffee shop on the second floor of the Strain Building at 410 Central Avenue. The shop is open from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, offering freshly brewed coffee.

Brit's Bridle & Brush, owned by Britney, is offering mobile grooming, riding, and exercise services for horses and ponies in Great Falls and surrounding areas. Britney has extensive experience with 4H, county fairs, and horse ownership.

We Haul Montana is expanding its services to include power raking and power washing, alongside its existing trash removal offerings.

At Malmstrom Air Force Base, the 341st Contracting Squadron has awarded a $28,126 contract to Wadsworth Builders Company, Inc. to repair fire damage at the Temporary Lodging Facility. A $798,500 contract was also awarded to Shumaker Trucking & Excavating Contractors, Inc. for the demolition of Dorm 631.

On March 20, CMR and Malmstrom Air Force Base will compete in a basketball showcase at CMR High School, starting at 6 p.m.

Western Art Week is underway, lasting through March 23. Great Falls transforms into the "Western Art Capital of the World" with over 14 shows featuring paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and more at locations like the Montana ExpoPark.

Central Avenue remains closed through the end of the week due to construction, so plan your travels accordingly.

Registration is open for the 45th Annual Ice Breaker Road Race on April 27. Participants can select from 1-mile, 3-mile, or 5-mile race options.

Families are invited to meet the Tooth Fairy at the Great Falls Public Library on Saturday at 11 a.m. Children can learn about dental health and the Tooth Fairy's world.

The Friends of the Library are accepting donations for their annual book sale, happening May 15-24. Donations can be made every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Great Falls Public Library.
I remember the first time I got busted. If memory serves me correctly, I was about 17 years old. I was minding my own business, my Bear Kodiak recurve bow in hand. Id taken up a position in a ground blind  a naturally growing entanglement of grapevines and greenbrier. My hopes were that I was prepared to outsmart a wily whitetail. I had my license, a deer permit and written permission to be on the property. Id walked into the area so there was no parking issue with where Id left the old 68 Impala I sometimes drove. I didnt leave a gate open and I couldnt have imagined that most folks would even know I was there.

I was seated on a stump padded by one of those butt-warming cushions once popular with hunters. My back was against a huge oak, tucked neatly behind that greenbrier screen. It wasnt our familys La-Z-Boy, but it allowed me to keep an eye on what I imagined to be a good spot to see a deer. I was soon to discover that it was an even better site to see squirrels. Fox squirrels were busily rustling around the woodlot looking for fallen acorns  a nice distraction during those quiet morning hours. As more of their cohorts joined the search, the fragile crispness of the dry leaves caused them to sound like a herd of grazing elephants. They seemed to be developing some nefarious plan to surround me and their antics transitioned from entertaining to annoying.

One squirrel became particularly brave. It did its dig-scamper-rustle routine to within touching distance, circled around me then magically disappeared. Before long, I heard him startup again, right behind me  and it sounded like he brought along a couple more of his pals. Leaves would rustle, then the squirrel would give it a rest as I imagined him chewing on a hickory nut or acorn: rustle stop, rustle, stop rustle getting ever closer. Now, I had nothing against squirrels gathering their dinner and winter stores, but this was getting under my skin. It wouldnt be long before every animal within 10 miles would be suspicious of what this squirrel was up to. I finally made the decision to tell it to go find another nut tree.

I turned slowly and with a quiet Hey, you! I came face-to-face  or rather face to big, black, wet nose  of a very large, matronly doe. Two things immediately occurred, she flipped her tail skyward and vanished and I broke my schools high-jump record. In deer hunters terms, she busted me. This was also the first deer Id actually ever seen while bow hunting. I needed to learn something more about whitetails and a whole lot more about deer hunting.

A few years ago, Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife staff writer, Tony Bresnen, wrote about how deer communicate and react to their surroundings and shared the information in Wild Ohio Magazine. Its sort of a tale of the tail.

Side to side (wagging): A side to side or wagging tail is a good sign meaning that they are likely at ease and unalarmed. Some deer wag more than others, often to chase flies just as a horse does with its tail. Time to get in position with slow movements.

Tail half-lifted: Usually the first sign that a deer senses danger. It may hold the tail straight out horizontally, drop it and then raise it again. Sometimes the tail comes up slowly, as the deer applies all of its senses in the direction of the potential danger. Other body language, such as stiffened legs, might tell you that the deer senses something is wrong, though it cant quite figure out exactly what it is. This is the time to sit tight.

Tail flat: A deer that holds its tail flat against its body is typically hiding and aware of a threat at close range. The tail remains flat or tucked against the deers backside, and only the outer brown fur of the tail can be seen. This deer probably knows you are close by either scent, sight or has been alerted by other deer or animals.

Tail flagging: A flagging deer holds its tail vertically, exposing the white fur of the tail and the backside. The tail may also be wagged from side to side while flagging. Tail flagging is commonly used when deer are fleeing an area, and helps other members of the herd locate each other. When running through deep thickets and brush, a does tail flagging helps the fawn stay close. Theyre out of here, better luck next time.

I wish that there was a Wild Ohio Magazine when I was a kid. I could have used Bresnens insight on whitetails tails. Unfortunately, my generation fell between the once very popular Ohio Conservation Bulletin and the newer and colorful Wild Ohio Magazine. Wild Ohio is an ad-free publication that provides readers an entertaining look into Ohios wildlife opportunities, from bird and wildlife watching to hunting and fishing. Published by ODNRs Division of Wildlife, the magazine is delivered to your mailbox six times per year.

If youd like to subscribe to Wild Ohio Magazine and catch some of the many interesting articles and fantastic photos of Ohios wildlife, there are three options to get signed up  and its cheap!

1. Perhaps the easiest access to Wild Ohio Magazine is through the HuntFish OH mobile app available for your smartphone. Its free to download for both Android and I-Phone, just search for HuntFish OH. Once installed, you can subscribe to Wild Ohio Magazine, purchase fishing and hunting licenses and permits, Wildlife Legacy Stamps, download wildlife area maps, check your deer and turkeys, report wildlife sightings and so much more.

2. Go to any store selling hunting and fishing licenses and sign-up to receive the magazine.

3. Sign up through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System to purchase a subscription at www.wildohio.gov and hit the Buy hunting or fishing license tab. The cost is still just $5. You can also call 1-800-WILDLIFE for instructions about a mail-in subscription, but the cost jumps to $10.

I dont have to take a trip around the world or be on a yacht in the Mediterranean to have happiness. I can find it in the little things, like looking out into my backyard and seeing deer in the fields.

 Queen Latifah
COLUMBUS  Clint Nester was recently recognized with the 2025 Ohio Certified Crop Adviser of the Year award at the 2025 Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference held March 11-12 in Ada, Ohio,

He received a plaque and a $1,500 cash award for his contributions, courtesy of the Ohio Association of Independent Crop Consultants and Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.

Nester is a certified crop adviser and co-owner of Nester Ag, LLC.

Clints strong integration of technology with traditional agronomy sets a high standard for agronomic advice and service, said Jason Hartschuh, chairman of the Ohio CCA board. His work and commitment at Nester Ag to precision agriculture, nutrient management, soil sampling, data management and variable rate seeding showcases his dedication to enhancing crop yields and efficiency.

The award, sponsored by the Ohio Certified Crop Advisers Program, recognizes individuals for their service to farmers; contributions to nutrient, soil and water and integrated pest management; crop production and fostering knowledge within Ohios agriculture industry.

Clint stands out not just for his agronomic expertise, but for his dedication to our farm and community, said a representative from one of his farmer clients who nominated Nester for the award. He seamlessly integrates the latest agricultural technologies with our needs, driving significant improvements in our operations. His proactive approach, especially in scouting and custom recommendations, has made him indispensable to us. Clints commitment extends beyond professional services as he actively supports programs in our community.

Recent awardees include Josh Snyder of Sunrise Cooperative; Dr. Alex J. Lindsey, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science at Ohio State University; Tina Lust, Lust Seed Sales & Service; Thomas Puch, Heritage Cooperative; Wesley Haun, Tiger-Sul

Products, LLC and Don Boehm, Legacy Farmers Cooperative.

The Ohio CCA program is administered by the Ohio AgriBusiness Association. For more information, visit oaba.net/cca.
But if the house looked prettier at night, why goodness  the sugar house was the prettiest place in the whole world.

Marly in the book Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen.

JOHNSTOWN, Pa.  A few weeks ago, I wrote about Hurry Hill Maple Farm and Museum, which highlights this award-winning book. In the story, Marly, a 10-year-old girl, travels with her family to their deceased grandmothers house on Maple Hill in Edinboro, Pennsylvania.

The family hopes that the countryside will ease their dads PTSD from war. Almost instantly, Marly becomes fascinated by the sugar house, the woods and the countryside around it.

When reading this story, it dawned on me: I have traveled down a similar road before. In fact, my life didnt feel so entirely different from Marlys  the childlike wonder and magic she feels while visiting the sugarhouse.

Like Marly, I remember the first time I laid eyes on my grandfathers sugarhouse: It felt like falling in love. Perhaps with the woods or maple syrup but mostly I think I fell in love with being a Partsch. This is where my pap and his five brothers spent years making syrup, cooking kielbasa and sharing laughs  this is part of my history.

I never got to see my pap in that sugarhouse  he died when I was 6 years old  but every time I visit it, I feel closer to him.

There was nothing he loved more than his family and his farm. He would collect acorns in the woods and bury them around the property; he planted thousands of trees during his lifetime, a portion of which is former strip mine land. To him, the farm and the woods behind it were his paradise. How could I view it any differently?

Every time I visit the farm, I get the same feeling of butterflies Ive gotten since I was a little girl. But back then, I wasnt the one behind the steering wheel, gliding the car up and down the rolling hills of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

I was the one sitting in the backseat of my dads car, holding my breath, waiting for the moment when we crested Beech Hill that would descend down to Grandmas. When we arrived, the first thing I wanted to do was visit the old sugar camp in the woods. I would beg my dad to take me back there and share stories of making maple syrup.

As I grew older, this fascination has never left me; if anything, the sugar camp reminds me of the type of person I want to be: a steward of the land like Pap.

The sugar house has been home to outdoor critters instead of maple syrup making for years now. One day, we hope to restore it to its former glory. But for now, it sits in the woods, bearing the blunt force of mother nature, waiting for its story to be told  today is that day.

The Partsch sugar camp

Making maple syrup was a family affair from the Partschs first batch to their last. My great-grandfather began making maple syrup in the 60s on a cast iron kettle that was boiled outside on a wood fire. Before they used metal taps, my Uncle Don and great-grandpap carved taps from sumac wood found on the farm.

My pap followed in his fathers footsteps and built a small sugar house in the woods of the Partsch farm in the 70s. He tapped a few trees and made maple syrup on his own for several years before his brothers Vick, Ed, Al, Ray, Harold and his brother-in-law Merle wanted to join in.

The six brothers built the current-standing maple house in the early 80s, out of scrap wood, American chestnut trees, doors, metal siding and shingles to resemble three walls for weathering the elements.

In the sugarhouse was an oven built out of bricks they found at a nearby abandoned coal mine. The bricks were cemented together with fire clay also found at the mine. Attached to the oven was a smoke stack made out of steel water heaters.

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The brothers tapped roughly 300 maple trees scattered across 70 acres of rolling hills. My dad, the brothers, my dads sisters and brother and his cousins would collect the sap in plastic milk jugs and dump it into a large barrel that sat on my paps tractor and my Uncle Rays three-wheeler.

Years later, the brothers would install a tubing system in parts of the woods where the maple trees were close together. Despite this, most of the sap still had to be collected by hand and, according to my dad, imagine carrying full buckets up a snow-covered hill, especially if the sap was flowing and you had to do it several times a day.

Once the sap was transported from the woods, it was dumped into a stainless steel holding tank, just outside the sugar house, that the brothers bought from a nearby dairy farm. The sap was pumped into a smaller holding tank inside the sugar house that poured the sap into a large evaporator pan that sat on the edge of the brick oven.

Wood burned inside the oven on railroad crates that would heat up the sap for several hours. If it got too hot while boiling, there were flaps on the roof they could open to let in air.

When the sap moved to the finishing pan, the brothers would take it inside their houses and finish the sap off, filtering it three times over. The brothers then divided up the maple syrup and used it as they wished.

More than anything, the sugar house was home to family gatherings and good food. The Partschs would cook kielbasa and hot dogs, and eat them on benches and a couch that sat in the sugarhouse. Sometimes, they would bake potatoes in the embers of the brick oven and heat up raw sap for maple tea.

My dad spent quite a few weekend nights with his cousins, sleeping on the floor of the sugarhouse, stoking the fire, making sure the sap didnt burn. By morning, my pap and his brothers took over, trading shifts for sleep in a warm bed.

No one knows for sure when this tradition stopped, but as my dad and his cousins went off to college, operations dwindled as the help left. Today, my dad, his friend Terry Tischler and I are making a small batch of maple syrup using the same metal and plastic taps my great grandpap used decades before.

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As my dad and I filter sap on our back porch, the smell of freshly made maple syrup wafts through the air. I smile; the scent transporting me back to the sugar camp in the woods, reminding me of the miracles born on Beech Hill by my pap and his father before him.

(Liz Partsch can be reached at epartsch@farmanddairy.com or 330-337-3419.)
Animal health experts are once again offering their nematodirus forecast tool to help farmers, vets and advisers identify when lambs might be at risk.

The online tool, now available to use, aims to ensure timely and effective interventions when dealing with the parasitic roundworm.

Created by the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group, it particularly looks at the role of temperature on the larvae.

This year, experts at SCOPS have seen some significant fluctuations in temperatures, making the time of hatching difficult to predict without the forecast.

Currently, the map indicates there are some very high risk areas, as marked by black dots, which is earlier than in previous years.

Lambs born from mid-February onwards that are old enough to be grazing are currently at the highest risk, SCOPS says, while most March-born lambs are currently too young to be affected.

Analysis of historic forecast data from 2019 to 2024 highlights the variation in the timing of the nematodirus hatch, corresponding to temperature fluctuations.

Speaking on behalf of SCOPS, independent sheep consultant Nerys Wright says: "The forecast helps to pinpoint the timing of any treatment given.

"The range between the earliest and latest onset of very high-risk varies by six to seven weeks over a five-year period, highlighting that treatment at set times is unlikely to be effective.

"Neither can we risk a wait-and-see approach because when an outbreak occurs, as Nematodirus can rapidly cause severe harm or even death to a large number of lambs."

Nematodirus eggs already on the pasture from last years lambs typically require a period of cold weather followed by warmer temperatures of 10C or more to hatch, SCOPS says.

If these conditions occur in quick succession it can trigger a mass hatch, and if this coincides with lambs beginning to consume significant amounts of grass, the group warns that the impact can be devastating.

It's important to note that faecal egg counts (FECs) are not a reliable indicator of current risk," Dr Wright continues.

"The damage is caused by immature larvae that do not produce eggs and will not be found in samples.

The SCOPS forecast predicts the hatching of Nematodirus battus based on local weather conditions.

The interactive map, updated daily with data from 140 weather stations provides a guide to the risk level in any area.
A Scottish MSP has urged the UK government to "come clean" on its plans to allow an English single malt application to be given the green light.

Douglas Ross, Highlands and Islands MSP, warned that the move would be "catastrophic" for the reputation of the Scotch whisky industry.

Under plans being put forward by the Labour government, "single malt English whisky" could be used for whisky made by an English single distillery.

But the Scotch Whisky Association has said that the move would be "very damaging" for the reputation of single malt whisky from the UK.

Mr Ross raised these concerns during a recent debate in Holyrood, where he highlighted a letter he had received from Defra Food Security Minister Daniel Zeichner, who said the move remained a possibility.

That is despite fellow Labour minister Darren Jones saying in the Commons that the UK government would not be watering down the definition of single malt whisky.

However, in the letter Mr Ross received last week, Mr Zeichner said that Defra was satisfied the English whisky guild's application for geographical indicator met all the relevant requirements.

Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant intervened to dismiss what Mr Zeichner had said in his letter, prompting Mr Ross to say that Scottish Labour MSPs "should not be pretending everything is fine", and that they should be standing up for the Scotch whisky industry.

Mr Ross went on to say that the industry was "so important" for Moray and across the Highlands, and that Labour must rule out any such move which would be catastrophic for single malt Scotch Whisky.

Following the debate in Holyrood, the Scottish Conservative MSP called on the Labour government to "come clean" about the application by English whisky distillers.

He said: "One Labour minister might have said it had been ditched in the Commons, but another has left the door well and truly open in response to the concerns I raised with him.

It is simply wasnt good enough that Scottish Labour MSPs turned up to this debate and pretended everything was fine.

"They cannot arrogantly dismiss it given the importance of Scotch whisky to Moray, the Highlands and the Scottish economy."

The Scotch Whisky Association claims the method used in England would be simpler than the process which is used in Scotland.

For Scotch whisky, the malted barley is turned into mash, which is then fermented and distilled at one site.

The English proposal would strip away the first two of those three elements, removing the connection to place that single malt Scotch whisky has.

Mr Ross said that, if given the green light, this would be "catastrophic" for the reputation of the Scotch whisky industry.

Any plans to water down the definition of single malt would "severely undermine the iconic products produced in Moray and elsewhere".

Mr Ross concluded: I can only reach the conclusion following the letter from Daniel Zeichner that these plans are still on the table, given he said it aligns with relevant UK laws.

The industry needs Labour to confirm once and for all that this application will be ruled out and it is time Scottish Labour MSPs joined me in standing up for our whisky industry.
Sainsbury's and Cranswick have signed a ten-year partnership worth over 60 million to improve pig welfare and on-farm sustainability.

The new partnership between the retailer and meat processor seeks to elevate standards within the UK pig sector beyond the industry recommended.

As part of the move, all of Sainsburys British pork, sausages, premium bacon and gammon, and cooked meats will be supplied through food producer Cranswick, which is based in East Yorkshire.

Worth 61m, the partnership will include direct investment in flexible farrowing accommodation, the area where pigs are housed during the birthing process, providing extra space for sows and piglets.

Artificial intelligence technology will also be rolled out to allow for 24/7 monitoring of the animals, which is set to inform improvements to pig welfare.

Sainsburys will invest 50m to implement these standards by 2030, with an additional 11m invested by Cranswick to help build the new sheds and housing for the pigs.

Meanwhile, longer term contracts and more financial stability will be provided for the 170 farmers in the Sainsburys Pork Producer Group.

On the environment, Sainsbury's and Cranswick aim to offer Taste the Difference pork that meets net zero by 2029 and a year later for fresh pork.

Working closely on sustainable on-farm practices, the partnership will allow the continuation of current trials into the reduction of soya and a focus on more sustainable cereal feedstocks.

Rhian Bartlett, Sainsburys chief commercial officer, said the ten-year partnership would mean a bigger focus on animal welfare, financial security for farmers and sustainable pork production.

She said: We, in partnership with Cranswick and the farmers in the Sainsburys Pork Producer Group, hope to better prepare ourselves for unforeseen knocks such as price shocks and climate concerns.

"There is an ever-evolving relationship between retailers, farmers, and processors but we hope this news serves as a good example of what is possible when people come together in the food system.

Jim Brisby, Cranswick chief commercial officer, said the long-term contract would give the processor the confidence to continue to invest in its farms, processing factories and people.

"The purpose of the new partnership is to provide a total supply chain approach delivering a robust and differentiated consumer offer across British pork," he added.

The partnership provides a secure supply chain that is fit for the future, facilitating improved welfare standards, delivery of our joint sustainability targets and a fair return to over 170 valued farmers."
HS Code 560392 covers nonwoven fabrics weighing more than 25 grams per square metre. This article provides an in-depth analysis of key exporters and their trade performance in the US market. As the US seeks cost-effective nonwoven fabrics, it sources imports primarily from Southeast Asian and EU countries. With heightened tariffs on China,examines how major exporters are navigating these shifting trade dynamics.

Table 1: Top exporting countries and market performance - HS-560392 - nonwoven fabrics (>25 G/M) in CY 2024

Source: TradeMap and F2F Analysis *Effective from 2024

Note: RCA - Revealed Comparative Advantage, UVR - Unit Value Realisation, LPI - Logistic Performance Index

Figure 1: Top exporting countries and market performance - HS-560392 - nonwoven fabrics (>25 G/M) in CY 2024

Trade review and key observations

All the top five exporters have competitive advantages and efficient logistics.

China remains the largest exporter of nonwoven fabrics under HS Code 560392, with total exports to the US valued at $135.474 million. However, its export price is relatively low at $2.92/kg, indicating a focus on high-volume, cost-effective production.

Tariff Impact: The first tariff imposition on February 4, 2025, raised the tariff rate to 10 per cent. This increase is expected to drive up the unit value of exports (UVR) as production and export costs rise. Consequently, the UVR is projected to reach approximately $3.20/kg, highlighting the growing challenges posed by higher tariffs. This increase suggests that nonwoven fabrics from China may become less competitive among price-sensitive buyers.

Figure 2

Source: F2F Analysis

With the second tariff imposition, effective March 4, 2025, the tariff rate increased further to 20 per cent. This substantial rise is expected to push the UVR to approximately $3.50/kg or higher. The added tariff burden will continue to drive up costs, further reducing the cost-effectiveness of these products. As a result, competitors from countries with lower tariff rates may gain a stronger competitive edge, potentially shifting demand away from Chinese exports in price-sensitive markets.

Taiwan exports a smaller volume of nonwoven fabrics to the US compared to Mainland China but commands a higher price of $3.81/kg, suggesting a focus on premium or specialised products.

Thailand has the highest export price among the top three countries at $6.01/kg, indicating a strategy centred on high-quality products or a competitive positioning tailored to the US market.

Turkiye commands a price of $3.28/kg, reflecting a premium market positioning, likely driven by advanced manufacturing capabilities or niche applications.

Germany, despite having the smallest export volume among the top five, offers a highly competitive price of $6.39/kg. This could be attributed to government subsidies, cost efficiencies, or other economic factors. Additionally, Germanys higher UVR may reflect a strong emphasis on quality, allowing its products to fetch higher prices in the US market.

Market insights and outlook

The nonwoven fabric trade in the US is currently dominated by China in terms of volume. However, the recent additional tariff on Chinese exports is expected to erode its cost advantage, creating opportunities for competitors. Countries like Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkiye compete on both pricing and specialisation, but Chinas continued expertise in the sector, combined with its above-average logistics performance (LPI: 3.7), may help it maintain its dominant position, particularly in the US market.

High export prices in Turkiye and Thailand suggest a focus on market differentiation strategies, targeting premium segments. In contrast, Germanys exceptionally high pricing could indicate a cost-leadership approach or a concentration on higher-end product offerings.

To stay competitive in nonwoven fabric exports, market players must carefully assess both volume and pricing strategies to identify and leverage their key advantages.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (NS)
The euro areas trade surplus with the rest of the world dropped significantly in January 2025, falling to 1.0 billion (~$1.09 billion) from 10.6 billion (~$11.52 billion) in January 2024, according to the first estimates of Eurostat.

The decline was driven by a sharp rise in imports, which grew by 7.6 per cent year-on-year to 231.5 billion (~$251.63 billion), outpacing the 3.0 per cent growth in exports, which reached 232.6 billion (~$252.83 billion).

Compared with December 2024, the euro areas surplus fell dramatically from 15.4 billion (~$16.74 billion). The drop was largely due to declines in two key product categories. The trade balance for machineries and vehicles fell from 16.5 billion (~$17.93 billion) in December 2024 to 7.4 billion (~$8.04 billion) in January 2025, while other manufactured goods shifted from a 1.2 billion (~$1.30 billion) surplus to a 4.6 billion (~$5 billion) deficit.

For the full year 2024, the euro area recorded a total trade surplus of 173.8 billion, a significant increase from the 57.4 billion surplus in 2023. Total exports for 2024 rose slightly by 0.5 per cent to 2.86 trillion, while imports fell 3.6 per cent to 2.69 trillion. Intra-euro area trade, however, declined 2.9 per cent to 2.57 trillion, as per Eurostat.

Across the wider European Union, the trade balance swung into deficit in January 2025, recording a 5.4 billion shortfall compared with a 6.7 billion surplus in January 2024. Exports increased 4.4 per cent to 208.7 billion, while imports surged 10.9 per cent to 214.1 billion.

The EUs deficit also widened sharply compared to December 2024, when it posted a 15.9 billion surplus. The main contributors to the decline were machineries and vehicles, whose trade balance dropped from 19.1 billion in December 2024 to 9.0 billion in January 2025, and other manufactured goods, which saw a shift from a 1.7 billion surplus to a 7.8 billion deficit.

For the entire year 2024, the EU recorded a trade surplus of 147.0 billion, a major improvement from the 34.4 billion surplus in 2023. Total exports increased by 1.1 per cent to 2.58 trillion, while imports fell 3.4 per cent to 2.44 trillion. Intra-EU trade declined 2.2 per cent to 4.03 trillion.

Seasonally adjusted data for January 2025 showed a 2.1 per cent increase in euro area exports, while imports rose 2.3 per cent, causing the trade surplus to dip slightly to 14.0 billion from 14.2 billion in December 2024. In the EU, seasonally adjusted exports grew by 2.0 per cent, but imports rose 3.2 per cent, leading to a trade surplus of 10.1 billion, down from 12.3 billion in December 2024.

Over the past three months, euro area exports increased 2.7 per cent, while imports rose 1.2 per cent. In the EU, exports grew by 3.1 per cent, with imports rising 1.5 per cent compared with the period from August to October 2024.

The euro area's trade surplus dropped to 1.0 billion (~$1.09 billion) in January 2025 from 10.6 billion (~$11.52 billion) a year earlier, as imports rose 7.6 per cent to 231.5 billion (~$251.63 billion), outpacing 3.0 per cent export growth. The EU swung to a 5.4 billion deficit. For 2024, the euro area had a 173.8 billion surplus, while the EU recorded 147.0 billion.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (HU)
Aamir Khan surprised his fans and followers on his birthday when he introduced his partner Gauri Spratt to them. They have apparently been friends since 25 years but have only recently taken their relationship to a newer level. Now, the actor's sister Nikhat Hegde has opened up about Gauri and called her a great human being. During an interview, the L2: Empuraan actress said, "Were very happy for Aamir and Gauri as she is a great human being. We want them to stay happy always. She further revealed that Aamir introduced Gauri to her in Mumbai almost a year ago. Meanwhile, Filmfare was the first to report that Aamir Khan's partner is based out of Bangalore.









See Also: Aamir Khan, Junaid Khan arrive at Salman Khans home ahead of Ira Khan, Nupur Shikhares wedding





Confirming what our sources had stated, Khan introduced his partner Gauri to the media during an informal gathering on the occasion of his 60th birthday. She runs a hairdressing business in Bengaluru. Gauri is now working at Khan's production house and reportedly has children as well. They have known each other for 25 years. During his birthday meet with the media, the actor spoke about how he managed to keep the relationship private for almost 2 years. He said, "For one, she lives in Bangalore, or lived there till recently. So, I would fly down to meet her, and the media scrutiny is less there. So we stayed under the radar."



Our source had previously stated, "Aamir's mystery partner hails from Bangalore. We must respect their privacy and not reveal personal details. But I can tell you that Aamir recently introduced the lady to his entire family. The meeting went very well."Confirming what our sources had stated, Khan introduced his partner Gauri to the media during an informal gathering on the occasion of his 60th birthday. She runs a hairdressing business in Bengaluru. Gauri is now working at Khan's production house and reportedly has children as well. They have known each other for 25 years. During his birthday meet with the media, the actor spoke about how he managed to keep the relationship private for almost 2 years. He said, "For one, she lives in Bangalore, or lived there till recently. So, I would fly down to meet her, and the media scrutiny is less there. So we stayed under the radar."
Hrithik Roshan recently showed immense support towards ex-wife Sussanne Khan. The actor took to social media to praise Sussanne's new business venture. Opening up on her dream of about 20 years, Roshan penned an emotional note and lauded the entrepreneur for thinking big.



View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hrithik Roshan (@hrithikroshan)

He wrote, "Dreams to reality. So proud of you Sussanne ! I remember 20 years ago this was a concept you kept dreaming about , today as you launch your SECOND Charcoal Project in Hyderabad, I cant help but applaud the little girl who dared to dream so many years ago. Your hard work shows , but what shows most is your exquisite and unique talent ! World class truly !"



He further added, "I was shocked to my bones at the Hyderabad charcoal store at the design, presentation and vision !! Huge congratulations to all the incredible partners who shared this vision ! More success to you all !!"



Hrithik and Sussanne married in 2000 after dating for four years but they divorced in 2014 after 14 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalised in November 2014. They have two sons, Hrehaan and Hridaan Roshan, whom they co-parent. Their sons are often seen supporting their parents' ventures, be it Hrithik's acting projects or Sussanne's ventures. While Sussanne is dating Arslan Goni now, Hrithik is in a relationship with Saba Azad.





On the professional front, Hrithik is gearing up for the release of Ayan Mukerji directed War 2. It is scheduled to hit the theatres

on August 14, 2025

. It also stars Kiara Advani and Jr NTR in leading roles. The actor hasn't confirmed any other projects yet. However, War 2 has his fans all excited.
Getting a loyal fandom to invest in a spin-off can be challenging. Especially, if that fandom belongs to Suits. The makers of the long-running legal drama recently released Suits LA. Fortunately, Gabriel Macht, whom we know as Harvey Specter, gave it his stamp of approval. In an exclusive chat with Filmfare, Josh McDermitt, who plays Stuart Lane in the series, opened up about working with Stephen Amell, meeting Gabriel Macht and more.Definitely! I watched the first season. I was on The Walking Dead for many years and I wasn't able to watch much television during that time because I was exhausted every day. But after that show ended, I came home and I saw Suits. The show I've heard about all these years and haven't watched yet. And I was immediately hooked. It just grabbed me. I even remember thinking that this looks like a fun show to do. You can tell when actors are having fun on a show. Its good writing. The characters are great. I thought, I wish I could have done it. Shortly after watching it,came around. It felt very seamless. It was like I was putting on my favourite shirt. Then I went back and started watching more episodes. It was cool to see it grow into what it became. If you compare the first season with later seasons, they're different. But it's all within the same pot.I was really focused in the first episode. You see Stuart take half the firm with him. It's a bold move on his part. One of the things I focused on was that Stuart's the villain here. And in the conversations I was having with Aaron, he told me, No, Stuart is not a villain. He's a man who's deeply hurt by his relationship with Ted Black. I don't know if you have friends like this, but sometimes you're friends with people that you shouldn't be friends with or you need to push the reset button and have a conversation. Their relationships span many years and there's been a lot of toxicity between them. Stuart got a bad rap, at least the way I was reading it, and Aaron was very adamant hes not a bad guy. This is a product of years of abuse within their relationship that they've done to each other.There are so many physical challenges. I have a beard. I don't grow my facial hair that fast. So it's not like we can shave it for a flashback and have it grow back to this length. Its months and months of growing. But one of the other challenges is keeping in mind where you are in a flashback. If you're doing a flashback from a year ago, you're probably going to be similar enough to how you are today. But 10 years ago, 15-20 years ago, I'm not the same person. Its about finding those moments to highlight the differences. My voice has lowered over the years. The older I get, I probably am hunched over because life is taking its toll on me (laughs). When I'm playing a younger version of myself, I might be a little more spry and have a little more spring in my step. So it's just finding those little things and making some adjustments there.I don't want to speak for Stephen, but it was really important to me. If Stuart and Ted were going to be best friends for more than a decade, then Stephen and I need to have the same relationship. We're all professional actors. If I don't like you, I can still pretend to be your best friend for the camera (laughs). But if we're going to make this series work, it was important for us to spend time together. We shot our pilot in. I got up there along with Lex Scott Davis for a month or two before we started shooting. We spent time with each other and built that history so that it could somehow translate on camera. I was just saying last night that I love Stephen, he sent me a nice text or whatever, you know? That's what I want. It was important to me that Stephen and I have a shared relationship, a history that we can draw from that would then present as truth between Stuart and Ted.I don't get starstruck often. I've worked with some pretty amazing actors who are huge worldwide stars. To me, they're just another actor. But when I met Gabriel, I took a pause. There's a charisma and a kindness. He's just so cool. I just met him a few weeks ago for the first time and I loved him. Brian Greenberg, who plays Rick on the show, and I went down to the set to hang out with him. And he's so generous. It's really important to me and the rest of the cast that we get the stamp of approval from the original show. Suits LA isn't this show that all the cast of Suits doesn't care about. The cast of Suits cares about Suits LA. To spend time with Gabriel, giving us advice and walking us through his experiences, was huge. They went on for nine seasons. That's a wealth of knowledge that we can tap into. Were all very thankful for that.If you know my work, not just from The Walking Dead, but anything I do, I try and look as different and take on different characters. A lot of people were surprised to see me not covered in blood and zombie guts. I didn't have a full beard. They used to see me with long black hair from different characters I played. I think people were just genuinely excited to see something different. It is challenging for me to play someone buttoned up and everything. I usually play, I don't know if you have the term in India for a blue-collar person. So this was, this was very exciting. Fans are responding really well to it. And it's it makes me happy.Suits LA is currently streaming on JioHotstar.
Tom Cruise is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Mission: Impossible  The Final Reckoning. Amidst all the buzz around the film's release, the actor is set to be honoured with one of the highest awards in cinema, the BFI Fellowship. The British Film Institute (BFI) will recognise the actor's contribution to world cinema and his connection to the U.K. film industry.The Fellowship will be presented to Tom Cruise at the BFI Chairs Dinner in London on May 12. Ahead of the dinner, the actor will take part in a special In Conversation session at BFI Southbank, where hell talk about his iconic career, the popular Mission: Impossible franchise, and his experience of working in the U.K.has shot several films in the U.K. His Mission: Impossible movies were shot in locations across the U.K. His decision to shoot in Britain has not only brought British filmmaking into the mainstream but has also created multiple opportunities for local talent. Many graduates from the BFI Film Academy and the BFI Future Skills Programme have reportedly worked on his latest films.Opening up about receiving the award, Cruise shared, "Im truly honoured by this acknowledgement. Ive been making films in the U.K. for over 40 years, and I have no plans of stopping. The U.K. is home to incredibly talented professionals, and some of the most stunning locations in the world. Im grateful for everything the BFI has done to support filmmaking here.Cruises commitment to British cinema goes beyond just shooting movies. From filming death-defying stunts on Londons landmarks to bringing attention to hidden locations across the country, his mark on British filmmaking is undeniable.BFI Chair, Jay Hunt, also praised Cruises contributions. Tom has brought so much to the U.K. by choosing to make many of his films here. Hes put our locations on the world map, created jobs, and, of course, delivered unforgettable performances," he shared.Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning will be released in theatres on May 23, 2025.




Lee Jin Ho referenced a cryptic post shared by Sae Ron in January, where she uploaded and quickly deleted a series of photos with a mysterious man that appeared to be from a wedding. She captioned the post 'Marry'. Her representatives later claimed that the photos were from a shoot with a friend but the YouTuber is now claiming that after verifying the facts, her marriage was confirmed.



The tragic death of South Korean actress Kim Sae Ron has reignited discussions about her alleged past relationship with South Korean star Kim Soo Hyun. Following her untimely demise, the actor found himself at the centre of controversy, with fans and netizens digging deeper into their alleged connection. Now, new revelations have emerged, adding further intrigue to the unfolding saga. YouTuber Lee Jin Ho recently released alleged leaked audio recordings of Kim Sae Ron, claiming she was secretly married, became pregnant and had an abortion.



Adding more to the controversy, Lee Jin Ho also released a voice recording of a conversation between Kim Sae Ron and an agency representative, identified as Person A. In the clip, the late actress clarified that hadn't posted the wedding photos, it was her boyfriend who did. The agency official questioned in response, "How can you get married when hes not the guy I saw at Christmas? Are you sure youre married?"



Kim allegedly replied, "I met my ex-boyfriend, broke up, and told him I had a new boyfriend. I wasnt going to get married, but I got pregnant. I got rid of the baby. He threatened me with the baby, so I got married. Until I started using Telegram and sending occasional texts, I was powerless. I ended up uploading that photo after my boyfriend argued with me about hiding our marriage." Adding more to the controversy, Lee Jin Ho also released a voice recording of a conversation between Kim Sae Ron and an agency representative, identified as Person A. In the clip, the late actress clarified that hadn't posted the wedding photos, it was her boyfriend who did. The agency official questioned in response, "How can you get married when hes not the guy I saw at Christmas? Are you sure youre married?"

This video surfaced amid Kim Sae Ron's family's defamation lawsuit against Lee Jin Ho for spreading false information about the late actress. Her family claimed that the YouTuber fabricated stories that damaged her reputation and also accused Kim Soo Hyun's agency Gold Medalist of orchestrating Lee Jin Ho's content about Sae Ron.
Chiranjeevi was recently honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Public Service through Cultural Leadership by Bridge India at the House of Commons in the UK on March 19. Sharing pictures from London on Instagram and X, he expressed how deeply honoured he felt to receive the award. In his heartfelt post, he wrote, "Heart filled with gratitude for the honour at the House of Commons - UK Parliament by so many Esteemed Members of Parliament, Ministers & Under Secretaries, Diplomats. Humbled by their kind words. Heartened by the Life Time Achievement Award by Team Bridge India."

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chiranjeevi Konidela (@chiranjeevikonidela)

He went on to thank his fans, family, and well-wishers for their unwavering support throughout his journey. "Words are not enough. But a heartfelt Thank You to each one of my wonderful loving fans, blood brothers, blood sisters, my film family, well-wishers, friends, and all my family members and everyone who in every which way contributed to my journey and participated in the humanitarian causes I have been championing."Chiranjeevi also shared how this recognition inspires him to do even more, saying, "This honor motivates me to continue my work with greater vigour. And love to each one of you for your beautiful congratulatory messages."His younger brother,, who is also the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, shared a heartfelt tribute on X, celebrating Chiranjeevis achievements. He wrote about how Chiranjeevi, despite being born into a middle-class family, built his own path and became a megastar, winning 9 Filmfare Awards and 3 Nandi Awards over four and a half decades. He also expressed his deep admiration for his brother, calling him a father figure. "I will always be proud to be born as his younger brother. I consider Chiranjeevi garu more like a father than an elder brother. He is the person who showed me the way when I was confused and did not know what to do in life. My elder brother Chiranjeevi garu is the hero of my life."Beyond cinema, Chiranjeevi has made a significant impact through his philanthropic work. He was honoured at the UK Parliament by Navendu Mishra, MP of the ruling Labour Party in Stockport, along with MPs Sojan Joseph and Bob Blackman. Bridge India recognised his contributions to both cinema and social service. In 2024, he was awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian honour, and also received a Guinness World Record as the Most Prolific Actor-Dancer. His Chiranjeevi Charitable Trust (CCT), founded in 1998, runs a blood bank and eye bank, and in 2021, his team set up oxygen banks and ambulances in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to support COVID-19 patients.
The Telangana police have filed an FIR against 25 celebrities and influencers for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps on social media. Well-known names like Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu are among those accused. The complaint was lodged at Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad by a 32-year-old businessman, PM Phanindra Sarma, who raised concerns about celebrities endorsing gambling apps that violate the Public Gambling Act of 1867. He claimed these promotions were misleading people into investing their money in risky platforms, causing serious financial harm.





See Also: Check out these pictures of Vijay Deverakondas new bungalow in Hyderabad



The police report lists several more celebrities and influencers, including Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, and Varshini Sounderajan. According to officials, these apps rely on celebrity endorsements to appear trustworthy, convincing many people to invest their hard-earned moneyonly to face huge losses. The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the TS Gaming Act and the IT Act, including Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating and identity theft. Phanindra said that on March 16, while chatting with young people in his community, he was shocked to learn that many had invested in these gambling apps simply because their favourite celebrities were promoting them. He mentioned that these influencers are being paid huge amounts to endorse betting platforms, making it seem like a safe and easy way to earn money. Phanindra himself almost signed up for one of these apps but decided against it after his family warned him about the risks. He emphasized that these promotions are especially dangerous for lower and middle-class families, who often get lured in by the false promise of quick money.The police report lists several more celebrities and influencers, including Praneetha, Nidhi Agarwal, Ananya Nagella, Siri Hanumanthu, Sreemukhi, and Varshini Sounderajan. According to officials, these apps rely on celebrity endorsements to appear trustworthy, convincing many people to invest their hard-earned moneyonly to face huge losses. The accused have been charged under multiple sections of the TS Gaming Act and the IT Act, including Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating and identity theft.

The case is now being investigated by Officer G Ramesh Naidu, who is looking into how deeply these celebrities were involved. Inspector K Kranthi Kumar from Miyapur Police Station assured the public that authorities are taking strict action, saying, "This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting the public from harmful gambling and betting platforms that exploit individuals for financial gain." Officials are also urging people to be cautious and not blindly trust celebrity endorsements. Further legal steps will be decided based on the findings of the investigation.
Airports evolve from transit points to tourist destinations

People's Daily Online) 10:07, March 20, 2025

A passenger poses for a photo with a giant sculpture of local snack "Roujiamo", or Chinese hamburger, at the departure hall of Terminal 5 of Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Shao Rui)

Recently, the world's first on-site cultural relics display museum set inside an airport was unveiled at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, attracting numerous visitors eager to view cultural relics.

An increasing number of airports in China are seamlessly blending consumption and cultural scenarios to provide people with more diverse offerings, from dining and shopping to photography and exhibitions. Airports are no longer merely departure or arrival points but are transforming into tourist destinations.

Primary school students from Hong Kong pose for photos at Beijing Daxing International Airport. (Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin)

Beijing Daxing International Airport now houses over 500 retail shops offering diverse products, from time-honored Chinese brands to trendy cultural and creative products, catering to the diversified needs of passengers. Additionally, the airport provides services including delivering purchases to boarding gates within 30 minutes or to customers' homes. As a result, the airport has earned the playful nickname "Daxing shopping mall" among internet users.

Since its opening in September 2019, the airport has been a popular attraction. During that year's National Day holiday, it welcomed over 500,000 tourist visits.

As more airports enhance passenger experiences with distinctive local features, social media users eagerly share their recommendations. For example, Kunming Changshui International Airport in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province showcases its famous local flowers with year-round flower stalls in the terminal, sometimes complemented by exhibitions featuring Yunnan's specialties like coffee beans and gastrodia elata, a traditional Chinese herb.

Beijing Daxing International Airport, Haikou Meilan International Airport, Baiyun International Airport, and Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport were recognized in the prestigious 2024 Airport Service Quality Awards recently announced by the Airports Council International.

In particular, Beijing Daxing International Airport won six awards including the best airport for passenger throughput between 25 million and 40 million, the most convenient, cleanest, and most pleasant airport in the Asia-Pacific region. This marked the fifth consecutive year that the airport has received the best airport award in its category.

Photo shows a view of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Liu Ting)

Often described as a city's "aerial gateway," airports strive to create a lasting first impression for visitors through innovative measures.

In late February, the "Reading China in Museums" exhibition was launched at Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport. Featuring themes of history, culture, revolution, art, nature, science, and archaeological achievements, the exhibition comprehensively showcased China's fine traditional Chinese culture, revolutionary heritage, and advanced socialist culture, creating a culturally immersive atmosphere and enhancing passenger experience.

Going forward, the airport plans to transform itself into an urban gateway integrating transportation and cultural experiences.

Hosting themed exhibitions has become an important cross-sector approach for airports and an effective way for museums to extend their services, allowing travelers to discover cultural beauty during their journeys.

For instance, an exhibition about Beijing's central axis, co-hosted by the Capital Museum of China and Beijing Daxing International Airport, was opened to the public free of charge on the fifth floor of the airport.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Die Deutsche Bank will im laufenden Jahr rund 2.000 Stellen streichen und die Zahl ihrer Filialen weiter reduzieren. Vorstandschef Christian Sewing sprach auf einer von Morgan Stanley organisierten Konferenz von einer "signifikanten Anzahl" von Filialen. Die Kosten fur den Stellenabbau seien bereits bereitgestellt, sagte der Manager weiter.

Die Deutsche Bank hat in den vergangenen Jahren immer wieder Filialen geschlossen, um die Kosten zu drucken, und einen weiteren Abbau angekundigt.

Ein Konzernsprecher sagte, bei den Filialschlieungen handle es sich um bereits bekannte Manahmen. Im Zuge dessen und bei Einsparungen im Backoffice wurden die genannten Stellen entfallen. Es gebe kein neues Sparprogramm.

Die Deutsche Bank hatte im September bekanntgegeben, dass sie Privatkunden starker per Video und Telefon beraten will und zugleich eine "mittlere zweistellige Zahl" an kleineren Filialen schlieen will. Im Zuge dessen hatte der Dax -Konzern Verhandlungen mit dem Betriebsrat angekundigt. Die Deutsche Bank beschaftigt rund 90.000 Menschen weltweit./als/DP/nas
TOKYO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberAgent, Inc. today has unveiled a new key visual and the character visuals for the television anime of up-and-coming award winning author Mokumokuren's "The Summer Hikaru Died" (published by KADOKAWA, produced by CygamesPictures ).

"The Summer Hikaru Died" is a hit horror manga series about an ordinary high school boy, Yoshiki, who experiences various mysterious incidents in his life with Hikaru, a mysterious being who imitates his best friend Hikaru Indou. The story of "whatever it is" and the boy's madness has garnered significant attention, making it a must-see anime film.

Following the announcement of the anime adaptation in May 2024, there is considerable anticipation among fans in Japan and worldwide.

The animation will be directed by Ryohei Takeshita known as the director of "Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night" and CygamesPictures will be handling the animation production for the series.

The newly revealed key visual features the main characters, Yoshiki and Hikaru standing under an exceptionally clear blue sky in the setting of their hometown "Kubitachi Village". An ominous figure known as "DORODORO" and Hikaru's face is appearing on the back of Yoshiki. Additionally, the character visuals of Yoshiki and Hikaru has each been unveiled.

Starting the day after tomorrow on March 22nd, AnimeJapan 2025, one of the largest anime events in Japan, will be held at Tokyo Big Sight. "The Summer Hikaru Died" will appear at a special booth of KADOKAWA where visitors can experience the world of "The Summer Hikaru Died". "The Summer Hikaru Died" will also appear on GREEN STAGE at March 22nd, and casts from the anime, Chiaki Kobayashi (Voice of Yoshiki Tsujinaka) and Shuichiro Umeda (Voice of Hikaru) will be speaking on stage. Please check the official AnimeJapan 2025 website for more details.(https://www.anime-japan.jp/en/)More information is also announced on the anime's official X account.(https://x.com/hikaru_anime_en)

The Anime "The Summer Hikaru Died" will be available on Netflix worldwide in 2025. We will continue to provide additional details.

New Character Visuals Revealed!

Yoshiki Tsujinaka CV: Chiaki Kobayashi

A high school student living in Kubitachi Village. He struggles with accepting the fact that his childhood friend, Hikaru Indou, has been replaced by something else, yet continues to go about his daily life with it. He has a fondness for animals and insects.

Hikaru CV: Shuichiro Umeda

"Something" that appeared in place of Hikaru Indou, who went missing half a year ago in the forbidden mountains. It looks and sounds exactly like Hikaru Indou, but isn't him. It seems innocent and full of curiosity.

Follow "The Summer Hikaru Died" for the latest news and announcements:

Official website: https://hikanatsu-anime.com/

Official X: https://x.com/hikaru_anime_en

Netflix Title Page: https://www.netflix.com/title/81948057

Introduction

In a certain village

Since their childhood, they have grown up together.

Yoshiki and Hikaru, childhood friends.

the sun shining down on them

the chirping sound of a cryptotympana facialis

Ice cream on the way home

Laughing over trivial things

One day in summer, no different from any other day

...... You're not Hikaru after all, are you?

Half a year ago, Hikaru went missing in the mountains.

A week later, he came back on a whim.

The voice, the figure, the thing that looked like Hikaru

What was stirring inside...

"Hikaru is no longer with us. ...... if that's the case."

Starting the days with "something" in the form of a friend,

The "same as usual" everyday life.

But at the same time...

Strange incidents begin to plague the village.

Falling into the unknown "something"

The curtain rises on a coming-of-age horror story.

Teaser trailer

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAfcm5Cydvs

Official Website:https://hikanatsu-anime.com/

Scene images

Work Information

Original story: Based on the comic "The Summer Hikaru Died" by Mokumokuren, originally serialized in the YOUNG ACE UP published by KADOKAWA

Director/Series Composition: Ryohei Takeshita

Character Design/Chief Animation Director :Yuichi Takahashi

DORODORO Animator: Masanobu Hiraoka

Animation Production :CygamesPictures

Copyright :Mokumokuren/KADOKAWA/The Summer Hikaru Died Partners

Copyrights must be indicated when posting or using the image materials.

Original work information

Title :"The Summer Hikaru Died

Author :Mokumokuren

Previously published: Volumes 1-5 (Kadokawa Comics A)

Available on YenPress

https://yenpress.com/series/the-summer-hikaru-died

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2644426/Picture1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2644327/Picture2.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2644425/Picture3.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/netflix-worldwide-exclusive-streaming-anime-the-summer-hikaru-died-reveals-new-key-visual-also-unveils-new-character-visuals-of-yoshiki-and-hikaru-302404926.html
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!
Issy-les-Moulineaux, March 20, 2025 (7am)

Sodexo (Euronext Paris FR 0000121220-OTC: SDXAY)



Sodexo First half Fiscal 2025 estimates and full year guidance update

First half Organic revenue growth of +3.5%

First half Underlying operating profit up +6.4% at constant currencies, margin up +10bps

Update to full year guidance mainly triggered by slower than expected organic growth in North America : Organic revenue growth between +3% and +4% (from between +5.5% and +6.5%) Underlying operating profit margin improvement between +10 to + 20 bps, at constant currencies (from +30 to +40 bps)



First half Fiscal 2025 key figures - unaudited1

(in million euros) H1 FISCAL 2025 H1 FISCAL 2024 DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE CONSTANT RATES Revenues 12,475 12,101 +3.1% +3.2% Organic revenue growth +3.5% +8.5% UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT 651 612 +6.4% +6.4% UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN 5.2% 5.1% +10bps +10bps Other operating income & expenses (71) 30 OPERATING PROFIT 580 642 (9.7%) (10.0%) Net financial expense (40) (46) Tax charge (105) (99) Effective tax rate 19.5% 16.6% NET PROFIT FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 434 496 (12.5%) (12.7%) UNDERLYING NET PROFIT FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS 450 427 +5.4% +5.2% Basic underlying EPS from continuing operations (in euros) 3.08 2.91

Sodexo Chairwoman and CEO, Sophie Bellon, said:

"While our industry fundamentals remain strong, in North America the continued soft trend in volumes in Education and slower than expected net new ramp-up in Healthcare have impacted our ability to meet initial expectations. We are determined to strengthen execution on identified areas where improvement is required. We continue to see significant opportunities in a highly attractive market, and we are investing in the future to grow faster. We are confident in our ability to create sustainable value for our stakeholders."

H1 Fiscal 2025 highlights

First half Fiscal 2025 consolidated revenues reached 12.5 billion euros, up +3.1% year-on year including a negative currency impact of -0.1% and a net contribution from acquisitions and disposals of -0.3%. Organic revenue growth was +3.5%. In North America, Organic growth was +3.5%, lower than expected, with Education affected by the continuation of soft volumes, and Healthcare by delays in the opening of new contracts, meanwhile Business & Administrations and Sodexo Live! demonstrated good organic growth. Europe was up +2.1% organically, with good performance in Healthcare & Seniors but continued soft growth in Facilities Management. In Rest of the World, Organic growth was +6.6%, fueled by strong performance in Australia, India and Brazil.



reached 12.5 billion euros, up +3.1% year-on year including a negative currency impact of -0.1% and a net contribution from acquisitions and disposals of -0.3%. was +3.5%.

REVENUES

(in million euros) H1 FY 2025 H1 FY 2024 ORGANIC GROWTH EXTERNAL GROWTH CURRENCY EFFECT TOTAL GROWTH North America 5,977 5,756 +3.5% -0.6% +1.0% +3.8% Europe 4,336 4,254 +2.1% -0.8% +0.7% +1.9% Rest of the World 2,162 2,091 +6.6% +1.5% -4.7% +3.4% SODEXO 12,475 12,101 +3.5% -0.3% -0.1% +3.1%

During First half Fiscal 2025, last-12-months (LTM) client retention stood at 93.9% with a development of 7.3%.

Underlying operating profit in the First half was 651 million euros, up +6.4%. The Underlying operating margin improved +10 basis points at 5.2%, with good improvement in North America despite the revenue shortfall, and softer improvement in Europe, specifically in Corporate services, and in Rest of the World due to some operational challenges in a couple of contracts in Latin America.

(in million euros) UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT H1 FISCAL 2025 DIFFERENCE DIFFERENCE (EXCLUDING CURRENCY EFFECT) UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT MARGIN H1 FISCAL 2025 DIFFERENCE IN MARGIN DIFFERENCE IN MARGIN (EXCLUDING CURRENCY MIX EFFECT) North America 422 +6.8% +5.6% 7.1% +20 bps +10 bps Europe 186 +3.3% +3.3% 4.3% +10 bps +10 bps Rest of the World 85 +6.3% +12.7% 3.9% +10 bps +20 bps Corporate expenses (42) -2.3% -2.3% UNDERLYING OPERATING PROFIT (continuing activities) 651 +6.4% +6.4% 5.2% +10 bps +10 bps

FY25 Guidance

Organic revenue growth guidance revised to between +3% and +4% (from +5.5% to +6.5% in the initial guidance)

Underlying operating margin YoY improvement guidance revised to +10 to +20 bps (from +30 to +40 bps in the initial guidance)

Our adjustment to the full-year organic revenue growth guidance is primarily driven by weaker-than-expected volume trends in Education in the First half, which are expected to persist. Additionally, in North America, delays in certain contracts start dates in Healthcare, and softer commercial performance in the First half have impacted expectations for net new contributions in the second half.



Similarly, the revision of the Underlying operating margin guidance mainly reflects the full-year impact of the revenue shortfall.

Sodexo is strengthening execution on identified areas where improvement is required, with a particular focus on North America towards commercial discipline and operational execution, as well as global organizational efficiency and strict overhead cost control.

Further details will be provided in the upcoming H1 results announcement, scheduled for April 4th, 2025.





Conference call

Sodexo will hold a conference call (in English) today at 8:30 a.m. (Paris time), 7:30 a.m. (London time) to comment on this release.

Those who wish to connect:

From the UK: +44 121 281 8004, or

From France: +33 1 70 91 87 04, or

From the US: +1 718 705 8796,

Followed by the access code 07 26 13.

The live audio webcast will be available on www.sodexo.com

The press release, presentation and webcast will be available on the Group website www.sodexo.com in both the "Newsroom" section and the "Investors - Financial Results" section.

Financial calendar

Fiscal 2025 First half Results April 4, 2025 Fiscal 2025 Third quarter Revenues July 1, 2025 Fiscal 2025 Annual Results October 24, 2025

These dates are indicative and may be subject to change without notice.

Regular updates are available in the calendar on our website www.sodexo.com

About Sodexo

Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in sustainable food and valued experiences at every moment in life: learn, work, heal and play. The Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. Thanks to its two activities of Food and Facilities Management Services, Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. For Sodexo, growth and social commitment go hand in hand. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all.

Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, Bloomberg France 40, CAC 40 ESG, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.

Key figures

23.8 billion euros Fiscal 2024 consolidated revenues

423,000 employees as at August 31, 2024

#1 France-based private employer worldwide

45 countries (as of August 31, 2024)

80 million consumers served daily

10.7 billion euros in market capitalization (as at March 19, 2024)

Contacts Analysts and Investors Media Juliette Klein

+33 1 57 75 80 27

juliette.klein@sodexo.com Mathieu Scaravetti

+33 6 28 62 21 91

mathieu.scaravetti@sodexo.com

1 Sodexo's Board of Directors met on March 19, 2025, reviewed the financial data for the first half of Fiscal 2025 and reviewed this press release. These financial data are preliminary, the financial results for the first half of Fiscal 2025 will be approved by the Board of Directors on April 3, 2025. The limited review procedures by the Statutory Auditors are ongoing.

Attachment
Through Syngenta's Sustainable Sourcing Program, companies have joined forces to support and drive growers in the transition toward regenerative and traceable agriculture, which also allows them to obtain an additional profitability benefit.

Farmers participating in the program will get between 1% and 2% higher the price of their sunflower grain versus domestic market price.

In its first year of implementation in Argentina, 4,000 tons of sunflower oil produced in fields applying verified regenerative agriculture practices were delivered to PepsiCo. In a second stage, it is expected to increase the hectares implementing these practices by at least 25%.

Syngenta, leader in technology and innovation in agriculture, and PepsiCo, global leader in food and beverages, are working in collaboration with the aim of boosting regenerative and traceable agriculture in the food industry value chain in a transparent and verifiable way.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320349801/en/

Syngenta and PepsiCo reward farmers for regenerative farming practices

During the first year of joint work, Syngenta provided PepsiCo with 4,000 tons of sunflower oil from fields of farmers in the province of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis and Santa Fe, who applied regenerative agriculture practices.

In a second stage, it is expected to increase the hectares that implement these practices by at least 25%. Through Syngenta's Sustainable Sourcing Program, farmers can trace the good practices carried out on their fields like crop rotation, cover crops, irrigation efficiency, use of biological products and pollinator habitat development, among others with constant support and monitoring from Syngenta, and obtain an additional value per ton, which is granted by the verification of these practices. The process includes third-party validation, ensuring security throughout the entire commercial chain.

The commercialization of sunflower grain is carried out through Syngenta's AVC (Agriculture Value Chain) program, which facilitates the exchange and export of oil.

The traceability of field practices is executed through Syngenta's Cropwise digital platform, with which farmers can measure and verify their regenerative practices and implement continuous improvement plans, to ensure compliance of these practices.

"At Syngenta, sustainability is embedded in the business. Regenerating soil and nature through practices that aim to leave the system better than we found it, is a commitment we assume every day," comments Mariale Alvarez, Head Sustainability Corporate Affairs LATAM at Syngenta "This time, together with a strategic partner like PepsiCo, with whom we share this same vision, we are taking this commitment one step further: farmers who join our Sustainable Sourcing Program receive an economic benefit by demonstrating the adoption of regenerative farming practices in their production process, which has a positive impact not only on the environment but also on their profitability" she explains.

"Companies have a great responsibility to care for and improve the way we produce food. At PepsiCo, everything we do is driven by sustainability at its core, within the framework of pep+, our global transformation strategy that aims to create and inspire positive change on the planet and in people," comments Santiago Desmery, Oils Category Leader, PepsiCo Southern Cone and Brazil.

"With this project, PepsiCo Southern Cone becomes the company's first region at LATAM level to have 100% regenerative agriculture in the sunflower it uses," adds Desmery.

Web Resources

Media release image pack

Syngenta Media Library

About Syngenta

Syngenta is a global leader in agricultural innovation with a presence in more than 100 countries. Syngenta is focused on developing technologies and farming practices that empower farmers, so they can make the transformation required to feed the world's population while preserving our planet. Its bold scientific discoveries deliver better benefits for farmers and society on a bigger scale than ever before. Guided by its Sustainability Priorities, Syngenta is developing new technologies and solutions that support farmers to grow healthier plants in healthier soil with a higher yield. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States. Read our stories and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram X.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated nearly $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

Data protection is important to us. You are receiving this publication on the legal basis of Article 6 para 1 lit. f GDPR ("legitimate interest"). However, if you do not wish to receive further information about Syngenta, just send us a brief informal message and we will no longer process your details for this purpose. You can also find further details in our privacy statement.

Syngenta's Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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Contacts:

Media Contacts

Syngenta Group Media Relations

media@syngentagroup.com

Syngenta Argentina:

Celina Peper

Head Corporate Communications LATAM

celina.peper@syngenta.com

Clara Fernandez Escudero

Lead External Communications LATAM

clara.fernandez_escudero@syngenta.com

PepsiCo Argentina

Nadia Lucas

nadia@feedbackpr.com.ar
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Omada A/S ("Omada"), a global leader of Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), is honored to be named a winner in the 21st Annual 2025 Globee Awards for Cybersecurity, a globally recognized program celebrating excellence in all areas of cybersecurity. This prestigious award highlights Omada for its groundbreaking contributions to digital security, innovation in threat defense and commitment to cybersecurity solutions. View the full list of 2025 winners here.

The Globee Awards for Cybersecurity spotlight the achievements of companies and individuals excelling in risk management, threat detection, cloud security, AI-driven defense, data privacy, zero-trust architecture, compliance and other cutting-edge cybersecurity innovations that safeguard digital ecosystems worldwide.

Omada Identity Cloud provides the agility and scalability you need to manage the most complex identity workflows using the latest technology that is intelligent, intuitive, efficient and modern. With a focus on automation and user-centric design, Omada reduces manual tasks and enhances operational efficiency, ensuring that organizations can easily enforce security policies, comply with regulations and manage user access at scale. By leveraging advanced technologies such as AI-driven decision-making and role-based access control (RBAC), Omada enables businesses to achieve stronger security, better compliance, and improved user experiences-without the complexities traditionally associated with identity governance.

San Madan, President, Globee Awards, said: "Congratulations to the 2025 winners for their exceptional contributions to strengthening our digital world. Your dedication, innovation and leadership are not only driving cybersecurity forward but also inspiring the industry to reach new heights. We are proud to recognize and celebrate your success."

Michael Garrett, CEO, Omada, said: "Being recognized by the Globee Awards is a powerful validation of our commitment to cybersecurity excellence. With over 20 years of experience, we've embedded our best practices framework into our solutions to ensure our customers are live and in production within 90 days. Our team is dedicated to continuous innovation, with a simplified, powerful approach that safeguards organizations against evolving threats. This honor reinforces our mission to stay at the forefront of cybersecurity and drive industry advancements."

About the Judging Process

The 21st Annual Globee Awards for Cybersecurity utilized a data-driven evaluation framework, with an esteemed panel of 2,085+ experts and industry leaders from around the world. This ensures a fair, transparent, and highly competitive selection process, recognizing only the most deserving cybersecurity achievements. View the full list of 2025 judges here.

About the Globee Awards

The Globee Awards present recognition in ten programs and competitions, including the Globee Awards for Achievement (American Business), Globee Awards for Artificial Intelligence, Globee Awards for Business (International), Globee Awards for Customer Excellence, Globee Awards for Cybersecurity, Globee Awards for Disruptors, Globee Awards for Impact (Women in Business). Globee Awards for Innovation (also known as Golden Bridge Awards), Globee Awards for Leadership, and the Globee Awards for Technology. To learn more about the Globee Awards, please visit the website: https://globeeawards.com. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @globeeawards globeeawards cybersecurity

About Omada

Omada, a global market leader in Identity Governance and Administration (IGA), offers a full-featured, cloud-native IGA solution that enables organizations to achieve compliance, reduce risk, and maximize operational efficiency. Founded in 2000, Omada specializes in delivering innovative identity management solutions for complex hybrid environments, based on a proven best practice process framework and a streamlined deployment approach. For more information, go to omadaidentity.com

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PU Prime is proud to announce the successful completion of the IBA Convention 2025, held at the prestigious Congress Centrum Stadtgarten in Germany. The event brought together over 400 participants, including industry professionals, thought leaders, and financial experts, reaffirming PU Prime's influence in the global financial and affiliate trading sectors.

As a cornerstone event in the industry, the International Building Academy (IBA) Convention continues to provide a platform for collaboration, innovation, and financial market expertise. This year's event focused on empowering traders and affiliates, with discussions covering market expansion, the role of technology in trading and affiliate marketing, and evolving regulatory landscapes.

One of the key highlights was a keynote speech by Steven Galt, an industry expert and experienced affiliate from PU Prime. Galt shared valuable insights into affiliate marketing strategies and business opportunities in Germany, emphasizing adaptability, innovation, and growth opportunities for affiliates. His speech resonated with industry professionals looking to expand their market reach and enhance profitability.

In addition to the keynote, the event featured panel discussions and breakout sessions on financial trading, emerging trends, and business expansion strategies. Attendees engaged in thought-provoking conversations, exchanged expertise, and built valuable industry connections.

PU Prime extends its gratitude to all participants, speakers, and organizers for their contributions in making the IBA Convention 2025 a resounding success. As a leader in the financial sector, PU Prime remains committed to driving innovation, supporting affiliates, and delivering world-class trading experiences through platforms such as the PU Prime App , MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 .

For more information about the event, please refer to our article on PU Prime's Newsroom .

For media inquiries, reach out to media@puprime.com.

About PU Prime

Founded in 2015, PU Prime is a leading global fintech company providing innovative online trading solutions. Today, we offer regulated financial products across various asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, and shares. Committed to providing advanced technology and educational resources, PU Prime supports traders and investors at every stage, from beginner to professional. With a presence in over 120 countries and exceeding 40 million app downloads, PU Prime is dedicated to enabling financial success and fostering a global community of empowered traders. Discover PU Prime's latest promotions and join us for a fruitful trading journey today.

Company Information

Organization:

PU Prime Contact

Person Name: Qianyi Hong

Website: https://www.puprime.com/

Email: media@puprime.com

SOURCE: PU Prime
PU Prime , a global leader in online trading, has clinched three prestigious awards from Brands Review Magazine (BRM) in 2025, underscoring its commitment to excellence and innovation for Canadian traders.

Presented by Brands Review Magazine (BRM), a respected London-based authority in recognizing outstanding brands across industries, these awards affirm PU Prime's leadership in delivering tailored, high-quality trading solutions. BRM's acknowledgment highlights PU Prime's growing influence and dedication to excellence in the competitive financial trading landscape.

Top Performing CFD Broker Canada 2025

PU Prime's recognition as Top Performing CFD Broker Canada 2025 showcases its superior trading experience, driven by competitive spreads, transparent pricing, and lightning-fast execution. With a diverse range of CFD products and a no-dealing-desk model, the broker continues to set the standard for reliability in the Canadian market.

Best Forex Broker Canada 2025

Earning the title of Best Forex Broker Canada 2025 , PU Prime empowers traders with access to nearly 100 currency pairs , cutting-edge platforms like MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 , and 24/7 multilingual customer support. This award highlights its blend of low costs and robust tools, making it a top choice for enthusiasts who are interested in forex trading .

Best Copy Trading Platform Canada 2025

The Best Copy Trading Platform Canada 2025 award celebrates PU Prime App's innovative copy trading feature , which allows users to effortlessly replicate expert strategies. This accolade reflects the broker's mission to make trading accessible and user-friendly, resonating strongly with Canadian clients.

Continued Leadership in Trading Excellence

With this triple victory, PU Prime reinforces its position as a trusted leader in the CFD and forex markets. The company remains dedicated to delivering exceptional, cutting-edge solutions, meeting the evolving needs of traders in Canada and across the globe.

For media inquiries, contact: media@puprime.com

About PU Prime

Founded in 2015, PU Prime is a leading global fintech company providing innovative online trading solutions. Today, we offer regulated financial products across various asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, and shares. Committed to providing advanced technology and educational resources, PU Prime supports traders and investors at every stage, from beginner to professional. With a presence in over 120 countries and exceeding 40 million app downloads, PU Prime is dedicated to enabling financial success and fostering a global community of empowered traders. Discover PU Prime's latest promotions and join us for a fruitful trading journey today.

Company Information

Organization: PU Prime

Contact Person Name: Qianyi Hong

Website: https://www.puprime.com/

Email: media@puprime.com

SOURCE: PU Prime
PU Prime , a global fintech leader in trading and investment solutions, has secured three prestigious honors for the UAE at the 2025 Brands Review Magazine (BRM) Awards: Best Trading Platform UAE 2025 , Best Promotion Brokerage UAE 2025 , and Best Copy Trading Platform UAE 2025 . These awards highlight PU Prime's innovation and commitment to enhancing client experiences in the UAE's thriving financial market.

Brands Review Magazine is a respected name known for celebrating excellence in finance and beyond. The BRM Awards honor industry pioneers who raise the bar, and PU Prime's triple win for the UAE in 2025 showcases its standout role in the region's dynamic trading landscape.

Best Trading Platform UAE 2025

The Best Trading Platform UAE 2025 award praises PU Prime's sleek, powerful trading hub, loved by UAE traders for its advanced tools and seamless performance. Recent upgrades have made it a top pick in the region.

Best Promotion Brokerage UAE 2025

PU Prime 's Best Promotion Brokerage UAE 2025 title celebrates its rewarding campaigns, like the December 2024 Christmas promotion with $3,000 in cash and $2,500 in Amazon gift cards, keeping UAE traders engaged and appreciated.

Best Copy Trading Platform UAE 2025

The Best Copy Trading Platform UAE 2025 award recognizes PU Prime's smart PU copy trading feature, simplifying success for UAE traders by letting them mirror top performers with ease.

Gratitude to Our Clients

These UAE wins at the 2025 BRM Awards are a proud moment, but they're really a tribute to our clients. Your trust drives our trading platforms such as the PU Prime App , fuel our promotions, and inspires our innovations. With over 40 million app downloads across 120+ countries, we're thankful every day for your support as we shape a brighter trading future together.

About PU Prime

Founded in 2015, PU Prime is a leading global fintech company providing innovative online trading solutions. Today, we offer regulated financial products across various asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, and shares. Committed to providing advanced technology and educational resources, PU Prime supports traders and investors at every stage, from beginner to professional. With a presence in over 120 countries and exceeding 40 million app downloads, PU Prime is dedicated to enabling financial success and fostering a global community of empowered traders. Discover PU Prime's latest promotions and join us for a fruitful trading journey today.

Company Information

Organization: PU Prime

Contact Person Name: Qianyi Hong

Website: https://www.puprime.com/

Email: media@puprime.com

SOURCE: PU Prime
Commerzbank AG (London Branch) - Pre-Stabilisation Notice

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 20

Allianz SE EUR Benchmark 30.3NC10.3 Tier 2

Pre-Stabilisation Notice

March 20, 2025

Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

Allianz SE

EUR Benchmark 30.3 non-call 10.3 Reg S Tier 2

Launched pursuant to the Issuer's Debt Issuance Programme dated 23 May 2024 with reference to the Specific Prospectus

Commerzbank AG (contact: Ian Turner; telephone: +44-207-7475-1817) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014).

The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Allianz SE Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: EUR Benchmark Description: EUR Benchmark 30.3NC10.3 Tier 2 Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: DIP, denoms 100k/100k, listing Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Payment date 27 March 2025 Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG BNP Paribas S.A. Citigroup Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank Deutsche Bank AG Stabilisation period expected to start on: March 20, 2025 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange

In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules.

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction.

This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful.

END
Barclays today announces the appointment of Kieran Whitty as Co-Head of Healthcare EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), working alongside Sid Chhibbar, Co-Head of Healthcare EMEA.

This appointment reflects Barclays' effort to continue its growth in the UK and Continental Europe, which is a key focus for Barclays investment bank.

Kieran joins Barclays from Bank of America where he spent 18 years, most recently as a Managing Director in the EMEA Healthcare team. He has a strong track record advising clients, with extensive experience and connections across the healthcare sector, specifically in the healthcare services and medtech space, working with corporates and sponsors. He recently advised PureHealth on its acquisition of Hellenic Healthcare Group and Nordic Capital on its exit from Sunrise Medical.

Kieran will work alongside Sid Chhibbar, who joined Barclays in 2015 and advises corporates and financial sponsors across the healthcare sector with a focus on Pharma and Pharma Services.

"Kieran's extensive industry expertise and his proven track record in helping clients will be hugely complementary to our already strong healthcare practice," said Richard Landgarten, Global Head of Healthcare and Real Estate. "We are delighted to be able to provide clients with expanded capabilities to support their growth."

"Kieran's appointment demonstrates our continued investment in senior talent and our commitment to helping clients," said Alisdair Gayne, Co-Head of Investment Banking, EMEA. "It underlines the investment in our EMEA franchise to deepen relationships with our clients, whilst driving growth and delivering returns for our shareholders."

Kieran joins in June and will be based in London, reporting to Richard Landgarten, Global Head of Healthcare and Real Estate Investment Banking.

About Barclays

Our vision is to be the UK-centred leader in global finance. We are a diversified bank with comprehensive UK consumer, corporate and wealth and private banking franchises, a leading investment bank and a strong, specialist US consumer bank. Through these five divisions, we are working together for a better financial future for our customers, clients and communities. For further information about Barclays, please visit our website home.barclays.

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Contacts:

Press Contacts:

James White (UK)

+44 (0)20 7773 1782

james.xa.white@barclays.com
Visionary sector leaders Dan Menichella and Jo Brewer, PhD join as Non-Executive Directors

Bringing strengths in strategy, immuno-oncology science execution from bench to approval, major partnerships and collaborations, and biotech scale up

To support the acceleration of proof-of-concept cancer vaccine, ITOP1, into Phase I/IIa clinical development, to prevent the recurrence of oesophageal cancers

OXFORD, England, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinitopes, a pioneering precision immuno-oncology company, today announced the appointments of Dan Menichella and Jo Brewer, PhD as Non-Executive Directors to its Board as the company prepares to transition into a clinical stage company with lead vaccine candidate, ITOP1, to treat patients with oesophageal cancer.

Dan Menichella is a seasoned biotech executive, who brings extensive experience in vaccine development, strategic partnerships, and rapid corporate growth. As CEO and CBO of CureVac's U.S. subsidiary, he built out the Boston operation, delivered four deals in his first year - including a multi-product cancer vaccine collaboration with Eli Lilly worth up to $1.7 billion. He became CEO of CureVac AG in 2018. Before CureVac, Dan served as CBO at Bamboo Therapeutics, where he spearheaded the in-licensing of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy programme, unlocking the company's $43 million series A and subsequent $645 million buyout by Pfizer. He has significant fundraising experience and led many large transactions, including partnerships with Lilly, Biogen, and Takeda, and supported IPO's and successful exits. Dan's proven ability to forge high-value alliances and advance breakthrough therapeutics underscores his expertise in guiding life science ventures to success.

Dan Menichella, incoming Non-Executive Director at Infinitopes, added: "I am honoured to join Infinitopes' Board of Directors at this exciting time for the company, as we begin the Phase I/IIa clinical trial in oesophageal cancer. Infinitopes is a highly innovative company with a strong commitment to cancer research. Its approach holds the promise to revolutionise cancer treatments for patients, and I am excited and committed to support Jonathan and the team as they embark on this groundbreaking path."

Jo Brewer, PhD, is a recognised industry leader in cancer immunotherapy and cell therapies, with over 20 years of experience bringing cutting-edge treatments from discovery to the clinic. Currently serving as CSO at Adaptimmune, she has been instrumental in developing autologous and allogeneic T-cell therapies, leading to Tecelra, the first engineered TCR-T cell therapy for solid tumours to reach the market. As a founding scientist at Adaptimmune, Jo played a critical role in the development of multiple immunotherapies, including lete-cel for sarcoma and uza-cel, now partnered with Galapagos. She has built and led multiple research teams at Adaptimmune and played a significant role in the upscaling from a small biotech to 500+ employees, driving innovation across discovery and translational science.

Jo Brewer, PhD, incoming Non-Executive Director at Infinitopes, remarked: "Infinitopes, with its pioneering approach to precision cancer vaccines, driven by its innovative AI/ML-powered Immunomics platform, has the potential to revolutionise how we target and treat cancers. The precision and speed that its world-leading clinicians and scientists are advancing its novel immunotherapies is truly impressive, and I look forward to joining the Board at such a critical time of clinical development, to contribute my expertise to bringing these transformative treatments to patients."

Jonathan Kwok, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder at Infinitopes, said: "I'm delighted to welcome Dan and Jo to our Board at a pivotal time, as we prepare to begin our first clinical trial for ITOP1, our proof-of-concept cancer vaccine candidate, initially targeting oesophageal cancers. Their leadership and deep expertise in immuno-oncology and biotech growth is invaluable as we advance our AI/ML-driven antigen discovery platform and push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer vaccine development. Their decision to join Infinitopes reflects the strength of our technologies, our ambitious mission, and the future potential impact for patients worldwide."

In April 2024 Infinitopes announced its oversubscribed 12.8 million seed financing to advance its AI/ML Precision Immunomics bespoke antigen discovery platform. This proprietary technology enables the safe and highly accurate design of 'best-in-class' therapeutics for multiple cancer indications. Guided by an exceptional leadership team and distinguished Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of world-class clinicians, scientists, and regulatory experts, Infinitopes is poised to initiate its vaccine candidate, ITOP1, in a highly anticipated double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled Phase I/IIa clinical trial. This trial is aimed at treating patients with oesophageal cancer and is expected to begin at four UK NHS university cancer centres in the first half of 2025.

About Infinitopes

Infinitopes Ltd is a soon to be clinical stage, integrated cancer biotechnology company supported by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) and the University of Oxford. The Company combines two world leading platforms, in precision target discovery and in high efficiency, vector delivery systems, to develop immunologically durable vaccines against multiple solid tumour indications. The lead vaccine candidate is expected to begin Phase I/IIa trials in H1' 25. Infinitopes has gathered together in-house talent across antigen discovery, immunology, vaccinology, oncology, biomanufacturing, clinical trials and regulation, winning an 'Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway' (ILAP) innovation passport from the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2022. Infinitopes has also won two prestigious, maximum size, nondilutive awards from Innovate UK, a Cancer Therapeutics Award (in 2022) and a Future Economy Investor Partnership (in 2023). Since incorporation, the Infinitopes team has raised nearly $20m from sector expert investors including Cancer Research Horizons, Cancer Research Institute, Kindred Capital, Manta Ray Ventures, Martlet, Meltwind, Octopus Ventures, Saras Capital, Wilbe and the Fundacion CRIS Contra el Cancer, funding its rapid growth from three academic co-founders to 28 full time equivalents. It is now the largest tenant of Oxford University's BioEscalator innovation accelerator. For more information, visit www.infinitopes.com

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Independence Gold Corp. (TSXV: IGO) (OTCQB: IEGCF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce significant drill results from the Johnny and Ted-Mint Vein Systems at the 3Ts Project located in central British Columbia, further defining a robust system of gold-silver-bearing veins. Recent drilling has intersected some of the best mineralized zones to date within the Johnny Vein System, highlighting the potential to contribute to the upcoming resource update expected in the second quarter of 2025. The 3Ts Project is located approximately 185 kilometres ("km") southwest of Prince George, British Columbia and is comprised of seventeen mineral claims covering approximately 8,840 hectares in the Nechako Plateau region of central British Columbia. The project is situated 16 km southwest of Artemis Gold Inc.'s Blackwater Mine and covers a low-sulphidation epithermal quartz- carbonate vein district within which nineteen individual mineralized veins, ranging from 50 m to more than 1,100 m in strike length and with true widths up to 32 m have been identified.

Highlights:

Johnny Vein: Drill hole 3TS-25-05 returned 77.00 metres grading 4.04 g/t gold and 40.90 g/t silver, with an estimated true width of approximately 32.00 m.

Ted-Mint Vein: Drill hole 3TS-24-28 returned 29.51m grading 5.59g/t gold and 86.17g/t silver, with an estimated true width of 15.00 metres ("m").

Both vein systems remain open along strike and at depth, demonstrating the potential for further expansion.

Ongoing drilling continues to test these veins and other mineralized structures, with assay results pending from SGS Canada.

Figure 1: Johnny and Ted-Mint Vein Systems 2025 Drill Collar Locations

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8610/245380_f219ae4f34c40a29_002full.jpg

The Johnny Vein, originally identified on surface in the mid-1990s, has been a focus of the Company's systematic exploration efforts over the past two years. Detailed geological modeling and drill targeting have now confirmed that the Johnny Vein is part of a series of intertwined gold-bearing quartz veins within a zone of mineralized brecciated rhyolitic country rock. The Johnny Vein indicates similarities in grade and continuity to the established Ted-Mint and Tommy Vein Systems, which form the foundation of the current 3Ts resource model (please see news release dated August 18th, 2022 for further details; "Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate Update for the 3Ts Gold Project, Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia, Canada", authored by Armitage and Miller).

Drill Hole Target From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) Gold

(g/t) Silver

(g/t) 3TS-24-28

including Ted-Mint Vein System 38.40 67.91 29.51 5.59 86.17 38.40 49.16 10.76 14.20 151.39 3TS-25-05 Johnny Vein System 9.00 86.01 77.01 4.04 40.90 including 9.00 25.43 16.43 5.48 110.53 and including 16.88 17.94 1.06 28.57 670.75 and including 38.69 53.43 14.74 5.51 41.72 and including 65.63 66.24 0.61 8.73 42.62 and including 68.95 70.26 1.31 11.84 31.30 and including 73.46 74.00 0.54 10.81 29.63 and including 74.50 75.03 0.53 11.89 33.92 and including 81.00 81.50 0.50 17.14 86.00 and including 83.00 83.50 0.50 12.62 98.00

Table 1: Johnny and Ted-Mint Vein System assay highlights

The proximity of the Johnny Vein System to the existing resource model underscores its potential to add additional ounces to the upcoming mineral resource estimate. With drilling ongoing, the Company remains focused on further delineation and expansion of the known high-grade zones. The Johnny Vein is situated 600m to the west of the Tommy Vein System and has a defined strike length of approximately 265m.

"These latest results reinforce the significant upside potential at 3Ts," stated Randy Turner, President and CEO of Independence Gold. "The discovery of a broader vein system, coupled with grades comparable to our primary resource areas, strengthens our confidence in the growth potential of the Project. We look forward to continued success as drilling progresses."

Update on Program

Drilling continues at the 3Ts Project and as at time of writing has completed 8,700m of the planned 10,000m program. Samples continue to be sent to SGS Canada for analysis and results are pending.

About Independence

Independence Gold Corp. is a well-financed mineral exploration company with holdings ranging from early-stage grassroots exploration to advanced-stage resource expansion in British Columbia and Yukon. The Company is positioned to add shareholder value through systematic project advancement, while management continues to evaluate additional gold and silver projects for possible acquisition. For additional information, visit the Company's website www.ingold.ca.

Andy Randell, P.Geo., the Company's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF INDEPENDENCE GOLD CORP.

"Randy Turner"

Randy Turner, President and CEO

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.

Drill Hole Location Data

Drill Hole Easting Northing Elevation (m) Azimuth Dip Length (m) 3TS-24-28 364960 8676838 1091 270 45 125 3TS-25-05 363044 5876910 1214 90 90 276

*All drill hole locations are in NAD83, Zone 10 Datum

All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Independence within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities. The Company provides forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in Independence's public filings under Independence Gold Corp.'s SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Independence has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, 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 information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Independence disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245380

SOURCE: Independence Gold Corp
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - GoviEx Uranium Inc. (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF) ("GoviEx" or the "Company") announces that it is conducting a private placement financing of up to 150,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.05 per Unit (the "Issue Price"), for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $7.5 million (the "Offering").

The Units to be issued under the Offering will be offered to purchasers as follows: (i) up to 50,000,000 Units (the "Hold Units") will be offered pursuant to the accredited investor exemption under National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), and (ii) up to 100,000,000 Units (the "LIFE Units") will be offered pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106, in all the provinces of Canada, except Quebec. The LIFE Units will not be subject to resale restrictions pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Hold Units will be subject to the statutory hold period of four months and one day from the date of issuance in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.

Each Unit will be comprised of one Class A common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at the USD equivalent price of $0.07 per Common Share for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund continued exploration and development activities on the Company's assets, working capital and for general corporate purposes.

The closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about April 2, 2025, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange.

Up to a 6.0% cash finder's fee may be paid to arms-length finders on Hold Units and/or LIFE Units placed by a finder in the Offering. In addition, the Company may issue finders, on the Closing Date, Warrants of the Company (the "Finder's Warrants") to acquire, in aggregate, up to that number of Common Shares of the Company which is equal to 3.0% of the aggregate number of on Hold Units and/or LIFE Units placed by a finder under the Offering with each Finder's Warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one additional Common Share at the USD equivalent price of $0.07 per Common Share for a period of 18 months following the closing date of the Offering.

An offering document relating to the offering of the LIFE Units can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.goviex.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States or any other jurisdiction. No securities may be offered or sold in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer or sale would be unlawful absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an exemption therefrom or qualification under the securities laws of such other jurisdiction or an exemption therefrom.

References to "$" in this news release are to Canadian dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About GoviEx Uranium Inc.

GoviEx (TSXV: GXU) (OTCQB: GVXXF), is a mineral resource company focused on the exploration and development of uranium properties in Africa. GoviEx's principal objective is to become a significant uranium producer through the continued exploration and development of its mine-permitted Muntanga Project in Zambia.

Contact Information

Disclaimers & Cautionary Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All information and statements other than statements of current or historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking information.

Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in GoviEx's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will", "could", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "potential", "should," and similar expressions, are forward- looking statements. Information provided in this document is necessarily summarized and may not contain all available material information.

Forward-looking statements include those with respect to the anticipated quantum, timing and completion of the Offering; receipt of TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the Offering; and the proposed use of the proceeds of the Offering.

Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurances that its expectations will be achieved. Such assumptions, which may prove incorrect, include the following: (i) receipt of TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the Offering will be obtained; (ii) sufficient subscriptions will be received to complete the entirety of the Offering; (iii) the price of uranium will remain sufficiently high and the costs of advancing the Company's mining projects sufficiently low so as to permit GoviEx to implement its business plans in a profitable manner.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include (i) the Company's failure to complete the Offering in-part or in-full; (ii) inability to make effective use of the proceeds of the Offering; (iii) the failure of the Company's projects, for technical, logistical, labour-relations, or other reasons; (iv) the Company's inability to obtain TSX Venture Exchange acceptance of the Offering; (iv) a decrease in the price of uranium below what is necessary to sustain the Company's operations; (v) an increase in the Company's operating costs above what is necessary to sustain its operations; (vi) accidents, labour disputes, or the materialization of similar risks; (vii) a deterioration in capital market conditions that prevents the Company from raising the funds it requires on a timely basis; and (viii) generally, the Company's inability to develop and implement a successful business plan for any reason.

In addition, the factors described or referred to in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023, as well as the Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2023, of GoviEx, which are available on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca, should be reviewed in conjunction with the information found in this news release..

Although GoviEx has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance, or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances, or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, no assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information in this news release will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do so, what benefits that GoviEx will derive therefrom. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and GoviEx disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law.

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, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245359

SOURCE: GoviEx Uranium Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Provenance Gold Corp. (CSE: PAU) (OTCQB: PVGDF) (the "Company" or "Provenance") is pleased to announce that a drone-based airborne, high resolution, magnetic survey has been completed at its Eldorado property in Eastern Oregon.

The strong correlation between highly mineralized drill holes and reduced magnetic signatures in the diorite suggests that this high-resolution 3D magnetic survey will be a valuable tool to assist in accurately defining drill targets together with the IP survey and detailed mapping that was already completed this winter. It is important to note that only a small area of the property has been explored in detail to date, with the Company looking to increase the size and scope of the gold mineralization substantially in 2025.

The survey was conducted by Zonge International Inc. and was designed to further refine the understanding of mineralized structures at Eldorado and delineate additional property-wide exploration targets through detailed 3D modelling of the new magnetic data. Results are expected in the coming weeks and will be released when available.

2025 RC Drill Program

The initial 2025 RC drill program will be commencing in the next few weeks now that weather conditions at the site are more favorable. We are confident that Boart Longyear, as drill contractor, will bring experience and efficiencies to the 2025 program.

This program is a follow-up to our 2024 three-hole core drilling program which included the following results:

Hole EC-01 returned 2.01 g/t Au over 288.34m from surface including 3.07 g/t Au over 175.26m (see press release dated December 9, 2024)

from surface including (see press release dated December 9, 2024) Hole EC-02 intersected 156 meters that assayed 0.501 g/t gold including 32 meters of 0.94 g/t gold (see press release dated February 28, 2025)

including (see press release dated February 28, 2025) Hole EC-03 intersected 154 meters of 0.8 g/t gold, including 13.7 meters that assayed 3.02 g/t gold and 12.2 meters containing 2.57 g/t gold (see press release dated February 28, 2025)

The Company has also secured Paragon Geochemical to assay the upcoming drill holes in an effort to streamline the process from the site to the assay laboratory and expedite assay turnaround times which will help guide our initial drill program.

Qualified Person

The technical content disclosed in this press release was reviewed and approved by Jo Price, P.Geo., M.Sc., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

About Provenance Gold Corp.

Provenance Gold Corp. is a precious metals exploration company with a focus on gold and silver mineralization within North America. The Company currently holds interests in Nevada, and eastern Oregon, USA.

Provenance is also active on social media and invites investors to follow us on X to stay up to date with our latest news and developments:

https://x.com/ProvenanceGold

On behalf of the Board,

Provenance Gold Corp.

Rauno Perttu, Chief Executive Officer

Safe Harbor Statement: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its regulation services provider, accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245389

SOURCE: Provenance Gold Corp.
Ende Mai leitete US-Prasident Donald Trump mit der Unterzeichnung mehrerer Dekrete eine weitreichende Wende in der amerikanischen Energiepolitik ein. Im Fokus: der beschleunigte Ausbau der Kernenergie.



Mit einem umfassenden Manahmenpaket sollen Genehmigungsprozesse reformiert, kleinere Reaktoren gefordert und der Anteil von Atomstrom in den USA massiv gesteigert werden. Ausloser ist der explodierende Energiebedarf durch KI-Rechenzentren, der eine stabile, CO-arme Grundlastversorgung zwingend notwendig macht.



In unserem kostenlosen Spezialreport erfahren Sie, welche 3 Unternehmen jetzt im Zentrum dieser energiepolitischen Neuausrichtung stehen, und wer vom kommenden Boom der Nuklearindustrie besonders profitieren konnte.



Holen Sie sich den neuesten Report! Verpassen Sie nicht, welche Aktien besonders von der Energiewende in den USA profitieren durften, und laden Sie sich das Gratis-PDF jetzt kostenlos herunter.



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BRUSSELS, March 20, 2025, a global leader in technology solutions, is proud to announce its inclusion as a Niche Player in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Integration and Management (SIAM) Services. We believe this esteemed recognition underscores Stefanini's commitment to delivering tailored, client-centric SIAM solutions that enable businesses to navigate complex multi-vendor IT ecosystems effectively.

Commitment to Excellence in Service Management





With decades of experience in SIAM, Stefanini has developed a robust framework that supports enterprises in optimizing their IT operations. Through strategic partnerships, advanced automation, and a client-focused approach, Stefanini ensures seamless service integration, enhancing efficiency and innovation across industries such as banking, healthcare, and manufacturing.

The Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates vendors based on their Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision, offering valuable insights for organizations seeking reliable IT partners. Stefanini's positioning as a Niche Player reflects its specialized focus and dedication to meeting diverse client requirements with agility and precision.

"Niche Players successfully focus on a particular service, a limited number of geographical markets or both. This narrow focus may affect their ability to outperform or innovate," highlights Gartner Magic Quadrant for Service Integration and Management.

Driving Operational Success with a Specialized Approach

Effective management of multi-vendor environments is critical in today's rapidly evolving IT landscape. Stefanini's expertise in SIAM enables organizations to streamline processes, reduce operational risks, and improve overall service quality. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies and best practices, the company empowers businesses to adapt and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Innovation and Investment in Future-Ready Solutions

Recognizing the dynamic needs of the market, Stefanini continues to invest in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, and data-driven decision-making to enhance its SIAM capabilities. These advancements help organizations drive digital transformation, ensuring adaptability and resilience in an ever-changing technological landscape.

A Trusted Partner for Digital Transformation

For over 35 years, Stefanini has been a reliable partner for businesses seeking innovative services. Its commitment to operational excellence and client satisfaction has established it as a preferred choice for enterprises aiming to enhance service management and IT integration.

For further insights into Stefanini's recognition and evaluation, download your complementary copy of the Gartner report.

Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Service Integration and Management Services, By DD Mishra, Andrea Lanzavecchia, Christopher Wiles, Karl Rosander, Jess Aggio, 9 December 2024.

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally, MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's Research & Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Stefanini

Stefanini is a global technology services provider dedicated to empowering organizations through digital transformation and operational excellence. From business consulting to service management, Stefanini delivers scalable, sustainable, and innovative solutions tailored to the evolving needs of clients worldwide.

Media contact details

Diana Iosu

Corporate Communication Senior Advisor, DiFine PR

diana.iosu@difinepr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba8a8bf9-242e-46a4-a19f-61384673b5a6
The Identity Authority to host spotlight session on opportunities and risks of using AI and its intersection with the security of non-human identities (NHIs)

Saviynt, a leading provider of cloud-native identity and governance solutions, today announced its participation in the Gartner Identity Access Management Summit 2025, taking place March 24-25 in London, U.K. The company will showcase its latest innovations in identity governance, privileged access management (PAM), and identity security, empowering organizations to achieve zero trust security and compliance at scale.

As part of the summit, Saviynt will also host an exclusive spotlight session addressing one of the most pressing topics in cybersecurity today-the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), non-human identities, and identity security. The session, titled "More Human than Human A Riveting Story About Machines, AI, and Identity" will take place from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m GMT on March 24 in Room Arora 5. Henrique Teixeira, senior vice president of strategy, and Simon Gooch, field chief information officer at Saviynt, will lead the discussion. The session will explore how AI's rapid advancements are reshaping identity security and how organizations can balance the risks and benefits of AI in managing human and non-human identities.

"The Gartner IAM Summit provides a crucial platform for industry leaders to collaborate and plan their strategies around identity for the rest of the year," said Teixeira. "We look forward to showcasing our new product announcements in identity security and intelligence and to facilitate engaging interactions with conference attendees, our clients, partners, and industry analysts."

Saviynt's presence at the summit underscores its commitment to innovation in identity security, helping enterprises stay ahead of evolving threats and regulatory requirements. The company product leaders will be available at Booth 404 to connect with security professionals, provide live demonstrations, and discuss industry best practices.

For more details on Saviynt's presence at the Gartner IAM Summit 2025, or to schedule a meeting with the team, visit the website.

About Saviynt

Saviynt empowers enterprises to secure their digital transformation, safeguard critical assets, and meet regulatory compliance. With a vision to provide a secure and compliant future for all enterprises, Saviynt is recognized as an industry leader in identity security whose cutting-edge solutions protect the world's leading brands, Fortune 500 companies and government organizations. For more information, please visit www.saviynt.com.

About the Gartner Identity Access Management Summit 2025

Gartner analysts will provide additional analysis on identity and access technologies and strategies at the Gartner Identity Access Management Summits taking place March 24-25 in London and December 8-10 in Grapevine. Follow news and updates from the conferences on X using GartnerIAM.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320692016/en/

Contacts:

Media Contacts

Jacklyn Kellick

jacklyn.kellick@saviynt.com

Gartner Contacts

Public Relations Contact

Laurence Goasduff

Director PR EMEA and India

Laurence.Goasduff@Gartner.com

Mobile: +33 6 45 29 03 49

Exhibitor Contact

Sophie Ford

Client Success Partner

Sophie.Ford@Gartner.com

Mobile: 44 7561872739
Dubai Chambers will host the Dubai Business Forum Germany in Hamburg on 20 May 2025. Organised by Dubai Chambers with Hamburg Chamber of Commerce as Supporting Partner, the forum is set to further strengthen trade and investment relations between Germany and Dubai.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320266403/en/

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President CEO of Dubai Chambers (Photo: AETOSWire)

Building on the success of previous editions in China and the United Kingdom, the third international edition of the Dubai Business Forum is designed to unlock new economic opportunities and attract companies and investors from Germany in support of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33). The event comes as part of the chambers' ongoing efforts to strengthen economic partnerships, stimulate foreign direct investment, and consolidate Dubai's position as a global business destination.

The Dubai Business Forum Germany will showcase the diverse investment opportunities available in the emirate, with the goal of attracting multinational companies and fast-growing startups from Germany to Dubai. The forum also aims to support German businesses and investors in establishing impactful partnerships with their counterparts in Dubai to drive growth in bilateral trade and investments.

H.E. Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, commented: "We are looking forward to bringing the Dubai Business Forum to Germany. Dubai offers exceptional opportunities for German businesses seeking growth and expansion in the MEASA region. We are confident this event will serve as a catalyst for collaboration and investment between Dubai and Germany and contribute to mutual growth and prosperity."

Recognised as a powerhouse for German commerce and innovation, Hamburg has been carefully selected as the ideal destination for the high-profile event. Bringing together key public and private sector stakeholders from both markets, the forum will showcase Dubai's business-friendly environment, attractive tax incentives, and unrivalled access to global markets.

Highlighting Dubai's investment-friendly environment across key sectors including tech, finance, logistics, manufacturing, and sustainability, the forum will foster collaboration in areas including AI, advanced manufacturing, smart mobility, and clean energy. The event will also explore opportunities in private equity, venture capital, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.

About Dubai Chambers:

Dubai Chambers is a non-profit public entity that supports Dubai's vision as a global player by empowering businesses, delivering innovative value-added services, and unlocking access to influential networks.

Source: AETOSWire

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320266403/en/

Contacts:

Mohamad Mouzehem

PR Corporate Communications, +97142028537

mohamad.mouzehem@dubaichamber.com
Team Marksmen Network's CX Transformation Conclave to spotlight technology's role in redefining customer journeys and driving business growth

BANGALORE, India, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In an era where digital innovation sets the pace, the pursuit of exceptional customer experiences (CX) has become a cornerstone of business success. As technology rapidly evolves, companies must embrace transformative tools to create seamless, personalised, and impactful customer journeys.

India's leaders and organisations are clearly cognisant of this wave of change, with India ranking third globally and leading the way in the Asia-Pacific region when it comes to CX maturity. And even though 79% of Indian firms today agree that CX is a means to drive revenue, only 17% of businesses are able to provide 'exceptional' customer service. This leaves a lot of headroom for growth and direction by industry experts on how to create new growth pathways.

The upcoming Bengaluru edition of Team Marksmen Network's CX Transformation Conclave, set to be held on March 21st 2025, will delve deep into the art and science of crafting customer-centric strategies. With an array of industry luminaries sharing their insights, the conclave aims to equip businesses with the tools to build future-ready capabilities, tap into emerging technologies, and craft meaningful connections with their customers. Expect thought-provoking discussions, actionable takeaways, and a unique opportunity to engage with pioneers shaping the future of CX, who will deliberate on:

Omnichannel integration for improved CX

EX for CX: Building high performance customer service teams

Leveraging AI to modernize customer journey mapping

The 3 A's of Next-Gen Customer Experience

Balancing digital interaction with human empathy

...and much more

The key lies in leveraging technology that doesn't just sit atop the CX strategies but truly integrates with them. Putting people first while integrating tech enhances the ability to connect with customers, while retaining the human touch. A few companies embody this spirit of change and innovation, and they will be recognised as Masters of CX. These organisations have thoughtfully crafted CX that is rooted in purpose, delivering experiences that are supercharged and impactful while being acutely focused on discovering and delivering on critical customer needs.

This industry-centric platform has been brought to life by its industry partners, namely the Presenting Partner NICE, AI Transformation Partner Exotel, and Associate Partner Ubona Technologies.

Offering his thoughts ahead of the event, Rajesh Khubchandani, Co-Founder and MD, Team Marksmen Network, said, "Customer experience is no longer just about service; it's about creating meaningful, memorable moments at every touchpoint. As technology continues to redefine these interactions, businesses have a unique opportunity to turn customer engagement into a true competitive advantage. The CX Transformation Conclave is a platform for industry leaders to exchange insights, uncover strategies, and explore the limitless possibilities of technology-driven CX innovation."

To know more about this unique initiative, write to Team Marksmen at contact@teammarksmen.com.

About Team Marksmen

Through an array of bespoke industry-centric knowledge platforms, using a variety of formats, such as Roundtables, Summits & Conferences, Workshops, and Recognition Ceremonies, Team Marksmen helps senior industry decision makers navigate through issues of critical importance and informs their world-view for better decision-making.

Team Marksmen has successfully executed more than 50 events that have featured 1500+ brands, helping businesses across industries create opportunities to engage audiences through on-ground and virtual experiences.

The organisation empowers industry leaders by providing them with insights, ideas, and opportunities that fits their unique industry and context. Through content shared via its flagship website, Marksmen Daily, and print magazine 'in Focus' focused on business, leadership, and lifestyle, they help advance the practice of management. Meanwhile, through strategic initiatives like Marksmen Media, it helps organisations achieve objective through a plethora of bespoke digital and content strategies.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646186/Team_Marksmen_CX2025.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646187/Team_Marksmen_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/transforming-customer-experiences-unleashing-technologys-potential-302406912.html
First patient dosed in Phase II OCULE-01 study with roginolisib, an allosteric modulator of PI3Kd

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation for roginolisib for treatment of uveal melanoma - benefits include 10 years market exclusivity in the European Union

GENEVA and AMSTERDAM, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iOnctura, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers, today announces it has dosed the first patient in the randomized Phase II OCULE-01 study investigating lead asset roginolisib in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma (UM), a rare cancer of the eye.

Roginolisib is an orally dosed small molecule allosteric modulator of PI3Kd. Allosteric modulation is a new archetype for precise inhibition of PI3Kd, promising clinical activity without the detrimental tolerability seen with previous generations of inhibitors. In the Phase I DIONE-01 study roginolisib demonstrated an excellent safety profile and a doubling of overall survival in metastatic uveal melanoma patients compared to historical controls. With few available treatments, eye melanoma is a rapidly growing market which is projected to be worth USD 9.56B by 2032[1].

The Phase II open label, randomized, parallel-arm OCULE-01 study (NCT06717126), has been designed to assess roginolisib as a monotherapy with the primary objective to evaluate overall survival in patients. The study will have multiple sites across Europe and the US, enrolling approximately 85 patients with metastatic UM, who have progressed following at least one prior therapy.

The secondary objectives of the Phase II study will assess progression free survival, objective response rate, duration of response, time to response, disease control rate, clinical benefit rate, safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics, safety, health care utilization and quality of life.

Late in 2024, iOnctura also received Organ Drug Designation (ODD) from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for roginolisib. ODD provides privileged status to drugs that show promise for the treatment of rare diseases in the European Union and qualifies iOnctura for benefits including protocol assistance, market exclusivity and fee reductions. Additionally, in early 2023 the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted ODD for roginolisib in UM.

Paul Nathan, Principal Investigator of the Phase II OCULE-01 study said: 'Roginolisib has so far shown impressive tolerability and an interesting median overall survival of 16 months in patients with uveal melanoma who had progressed on prior systemic therapy. With roginolisib's attractive safety profile and the encouraging survival data observed in the first-in-human dose study, we look forward to continuing to investigate the potential of roginolisib in patients with limited therapeutic options.'

Catherine Pickering, CEO and Co-Founder of iOnctura added: 'We have achieved our first significant milestone for 2025 by starting one of several planned randomized Phase II studies for roginolisib. We are excited by the potential of roginolisib across a number of indications including uveal melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and myelofibrosis, and we look forward to early data readouts by the end of the year.'

About iOnctura

iOnctura is a clinical-stage precision oncology company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers with a pipeline of first-in-class small molecules. The bold new treatments extend lives and improve healthspans, changing the outlook for patients and their families. Lead asset, roginolisib, is an allosteric modulator of PI3Kd with a unique chemical structure and binding mode. Allosteric modulation is a new archetype for precise inhibition of PI3Kd, promising clinical activity without the detrimental tolerability seen with previous generations of inhibitors. Roginolisib is being investigated in multiple randomized Phase II studies in solid and hematological malignancies. iOnctura BV is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, iOnctura SA, located in Geneva, Switzerland. iOnctura is backed by specialist institutional investors including Syncona, M Ventures, Inkef Capital, EIC Fund, VI Partners, Schroders Capital and XGEN Venture.

About roginolisib

Roginolisib is an allosteric modulator of PI3Kd with a unique chemical structure and binding mode. Allosteric modulation is a new archetype for precise inhibition of PI3Kd, promising clinical activity without the detrimental tolerability seen with previous generations of inhibitors. The PI3K signaling pathway is one of the most commonly dysregulated pathways across multiple cancer types. The potential of roginolisib has been validated by positive clinical signals in Phase I in solid tumor and hematological malignancies, including a doubling of overall survival compared to historical controls in rare eye cancer, uveal melanoma. The company has carefully designed its clinical program to allow full development in uveal melanoma, while in parallel validating the program in larger market indications. The Phase II OCULE-01 study in uveal melanoma started in March 2025 and Phase II studies in other cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer and myelofibrosis, are being initiated.

[1] Emergen Research, Jan 2024

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ionctura-commences-randomized-phase-ii-study-in-metastatic-uveal-melanoma-302406927.html
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Carolina Rush Corporation (TSXV: RUSH) (OTCQB: PUCCF) ("Carolina Rush," "Rush" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the results of its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Brewer Gold-Copper Project in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

Highlights:

Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource: Indicated: 202,000 oz Au and 16.8Mlbs Cu within 6.0Mt @ 1.04 g/t Au and 0.13% Cu Inferred: 210,000 oz Au and 7.9Mlbs Cu within 7.8Mt @ 0.84 g/t Au and 0.06% Cu

Brewer Backfill Mineral Resource: Inferred: 139,000 oz Au and 9.7Mlbs Cu within 11.9Mt @ 0.36 g/t Au and 0.03% Cu

Open for Expansion: the Brewer mineral resource remains open for potential expansion in several directions

Rush President and CEO Layton Croft stated: "The release of our maiden Mineral Resource Estimate at Brewer is a key milestone. It quantifies our work to date and reinforces the scale potential of this large, underexplored gold-copper system. The resource remains open for expansion, particularly at depth, where our exploration model suggests potential for a deeper mineralized deposit. To further understand and unlock Brewer's potential, we will soon complete a deep-sensing geophysical survey designed to map subsurface lithology and identify key geological structures that may control mineralization. Based on that, we intend to conduct a deep drill program to test for copper porphyry mineralization."

Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource Estimate

The Brewer maiden mineral resource estimate was prepared under National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") standards by Independent and Qualified Person (QP), Patrick J. Hollenbeck. The Mineral Resource Estimate (Table 1) was constructed using all available drilling information available for the Brewer project, including Carolina Rush core drilling (n = 36); Carolina Rush rotary airblast drilling (n = 194); Historical drilling (n = 1,020); and Historical production blastholes (n = 49,926). The Brewer Mineral Resources are reported at a 0.5 g/t Au cutoff considered for "reasonable economic extraction" and were calculated using a 3-year gold price (Jan. 2022 - Dec. 2024) of US$2,045/oz and an assumed all-in mining and processing cost of US$33/tonne.

Table 1. Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource Statement (0.5 g/t Au cutoff)

Average Value Material Content I&I Mass Au Cu Au Cu thousand tonnes g/t ppm thousand oz thousand lbs. Indicated 6,022 1.04 1,266 202 16,811 Inferred 7,805 0.84 460 210 7,908

Differences may occur in totals due to rounding.

(1) Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability.

(2) The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

(3) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.

(4) The Mineral Resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

(5) A NI 43-101 Technical Report supporting the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of this news release. Investors are encouraged to review the full report, which will provide further details on key assumptions, parameters, and risks associated with the Mineral Resource Estimate.

Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource Estimate Methodology

Domain Modeling: A mineralized envelope was constructed from 6-meter drill hole composites of the Carolina Rush and Historical drilling samples using Leapfrog Geo's "Indicator Shell" functionality. A 0.25 g/t Au cutoff was derived from histogram population analysis and was used to construct the mineralized envelope. Drillhole intersecting the mineralized envelope were then composited to 3-meter intervals for grade estimations.

A mineralized envelope was constructed from 6-meter drill hole composites of the Carolina Rush and Historical drilling samples using Leapfrog Geo's "Indicator Shell" functionality. A 0.25 g/t Au cutoff was derived from histogram population analysis and was used to construct the mineralized envelope. Drillhole intersecting the mineralized envelope were then composited to 3-meter intervals for grade estimations. Block Model Construction: The block model was constructed from regular 9m x 9m x 3m blocks using the EDGE estimation tools in Leapfrog Geo software.

The block model was constructed from regular 9m x 9m x 3m blocks using the EDGE estimation tools in Leapfrog Geo software. Bulk Density: A density of 2.92 g/cm3 was assigned to mineralized blocks while a density of 2.84 g/cm3 was used for the surrounding material. Densities were assigned based on 731 specific gravity measurements of drill core made by Carolina Rush personnel.

A density of 2.92 g/cm3 was assigned to mineralized blocks while a density of 2.84 g/cm3 was used for the surrounding material. Densities were assigned based on 731 specific gravity measurements of drill core made by Carolina Rush personnel. Interpolation and Search Parameters: Two estimation methods were utilized to generate the Brewer resource; Inverse Distance Squared (ID2), and nearest neighbor (NN). The ID2 estimators are the basis for the resource report, while the NN estimations served as a validation check for the ID2 estimations. Variable anisotropy was used to drive the mineralized envelope and ID2 estimators, intended to capture the curved nature of the central portion of the deposit along with the more planar nature of the southern Tanyard Breccia zone.

Two estimation methods were utilized to generate the Brewer resource; Inverse Distance Squared (ID2), and nearest neighbor (NN). The ID2 estimators are the basis for the resource report, while the NN estimations served as a validation check for the ID2 estimations. Variable anisotropy was used to drive the mineralized envelope and ID2 estimators, intended to capture the curved nature of the central portion of the deposit along with the more planar nature of the southern Tanyard Breccia zone. Model Validation: The block model was validated with a detailed visual comparison of the blocks and drillholes together in vertical and plan view sections (Figure 1). Swath plots along the X, Y, and Z axes of the block model were also utilized for statistically validating the block model.

The block model was validated with a detailed visual comparison of the blocks and drillholes together in vertical and plan view sections (Figure 1). Swath plots along the X, Y, and Z axes of the block model were also utilized for statistically validating the block model. Grade Sensitivity Analysis: The gold cutoff grade selected for the Brewer deposit can have significant implications for the total resource reported. A tabulated breakdown of grades and tonnes at a given cutoff grade are provided in table 2.

Table 2. Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource Grade Sensitivity Analysis

Average Value Material Content Cutoff Mass Au Cu Au Cu Au g/t thousand tonnes g/t ppm thousand oz thousand lbs. 0.1 184,568 0.21 128 1,265 52,077 0.2 35,564 0.56 433 639 33,985 0.3 26,061 0.68 553 567 31,782 0.4 19,304 0.79 675 491 28,729 0.5 13,827 0.93 811 412 24,718 0.6 10,145 1.06 926 347 20,713 0.7 7,694 1.20 1,035 296 17,553 0.8 6,053 1.32 1,142 257 15,233 0.9 4,733 1.45 1,230 221 12,831 1 3,711 1.59 1,304 190 10,668 1.1 2,832 1.76 1,372 160 8,568 1.2 2,195 1.94 1,454 137 7,035 1.3 1,770 2.10 1,493 120 5,825 1.4 1,430 2.28 1,514 105 4,776 1.5 1,192 2.45 1,549 94 4,070



Figure 1. Brewer In Situ Mineral Resource Visual Validation

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Brewer Backfill Mineral Resource Estimate

The previously mined open pits at the Brewer project have been backfilled with the waste rock and heap-leached ore generated from the previous mining activities. The backfill material lies above a large portion of the Brewer in situ Mineral Resource and would need to be removed in the event the Brewer mine is re-started. As such, Carolina Rush has drilled six large diameter sonic holes through the backfill to determine the gold content of this material.

The material was categorized based on its acid-generating potential and backfilled into the pit as discrete layers "HLP1-4" oxidized ore, "HLP5-6" mixed to unoxidized ore, and "Waste Rock". These domains form the basis of the inferred Backfill Mineral Resource presented in table 3.

Table 3. Brewer Inferred Backfill Mineral Resource Statement

Average Value Material Content Backfill Model Mass Au Cu Au Cu thousand tonnes g/t ppm thousand oz thousand lbs. HLP 1-4 2,000 0.17 94 11 414 HLP 5 1,579 0.49 863 25 3,007 HLP 6 2,429 0.22 292 17 1,561 Waste Rock 5,892 0.46 313 86 4,068 Total 11,900 0.36 345 139 9,050 Differences may occur in totals due to rounding.

(1) Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability.

(2) The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

(3) The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve.

(4) The Mineral Resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.

(5) Details on the metallurgical properties and processing methods required to extract gold and copper from the backfill material have not been undertaken. As such, the Backfill resource is considered theoretical and additional studies are required to report the inferred resources at a higher level of confidence.

(6) A NI 43-101 Technical Report supporting the Maiden Mineral Resource Estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca within 45 days of this news release. Investors are encouraged to review the full report, which will provide further details on key assumptions, parameters, and risks associated with the Mineral Resource Estimate.

Brewer Backfill Mineral Resource Estimate Methodology

Domain Modeling: Each backfill domain was modeled as a discrete wireframe and clipped to the surface of the historic open pit and topographic surfaces.

Each backfill domain was modeled as a discrete wireframe and clipped to the surface of the historic open pit and topographic surfaces. Block Model Construction: The block model was constructed from regular 5m x 5m x 3m blocks using the EDGE estimation tools in Leapfrog Geo software.

The block model was constructed from regular 5m x 5m x 3m blocks using the EDGE estimation tools in Leapfrog Geo software. Bulk Density: A bulk density of 2.2g/cm3 was assumed for the backfill material which provides a reasonable correlation of the total tonnage of material removed and backfilled into the open pit as documented by the previous operator.

A bulk density of 2.2g/cm3 was assumed for the backfill material which provides a reasonable correlation of the total tonnage of material removed and backfilled into the open pit as documented by the previous operator. Interpolation and Search Parameters: Each backfill domain was estimated independently using Leapfrog Geo's Radial Basis Function (RBF) numerical modeling function.

Each backfill domain was estimated independently using Leapfrog Geo's Radial Basis Function (RBF) numerical modeling function. Model Validation: The backfill resource model was validated using visual examination in various global and cross-sectional orientations, as well as back-flagging the RBF estimators onto the drillhole assay table and checking scatter plots of the comparative grades. Swath plots were also examined but the sparse density of drillholes in the backfill material limits the ability to understand how the estimators are performing. Figure 2 provides an example of the visual validation of the backfill resource model.

The backfill resource model was validated using visual examination in various global and cross-sectional orientations, as well as back-flagging the RBF estimators onto the drillhole assay table and checking scatter plots of the comparative grades. Swath plots were also examined but the sparse density of drillholes in the backfill material limits the ability to understand how the estimators are performing. Figure 2 provides an example of the visual validation of the backfill resource model. Grade Sensitivity Analysis: No grade sensitivity analysis was conducted for the backfill resource model; the reported resource does not apply a cutoff grade as it assumes that all backfill material will need to be removed and processed to support mining of the in-situ resource below the backfill.





Figure 2. Brewer Backfill Mineral Resource Visual Validation

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Qualified Person - Brewer Mineral Resource Estimate

The Independent and Qualified Person for the Brewer Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) is Patrick J. Hollenbeck, CPG-11436. He has reviewed, completed, validated, and approved the Brewer MRE. In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, he has validated and approved the technical and scientific content of this news release.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements as set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Patrick Quigley, MSc, CPG-12116, the Company's Senior Geologist and Exploration Manager and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

About Carolina Rush

Carolina Rush Corporation (TSXV: RUSH) (OTCQB: PUCCF) is exploring the Carolina Terrane in the southeastern USA. Its flagship Brewer Gold-Copper Project is located at the past-producing, 397-hectare Brewer Gold Mine property in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, 17 kilometers along trend from the producing Haile Gold Mine (https://oceanagold.com/operation/haile/).

The proximity of the Brewer Gold-Copper Project to the Haile Gold Mine does not imply that mineralization or results from Haile are indicative of mineralization at Brewer.

For additional information please visit our new website at http://www.TheCarolinaRush.com/ and our X feed: https://twitter.com/TheCarolinaRush.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information is characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. This news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the Company's 2025 Maiden MRE; that the mineral resource remains open at depth, the potential for future MRE growth from deeper drilling, and/or future exploration. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, and other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, including those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis as filed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information in this news release is based on the opinions and assumptions of management considered reasonable as of the date hereof, including that all necessary governmental and regulatory approvals will be received as and when expected. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245280

SOURCE: Carolina Rush Corporation
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV: HAN) (OTC Pink: HANNF) ("Hannan" or the "Company") is pleased to report the identification of a significant copper porphyry target at its 100%-owned Previsto project in Peru (Figure 1).

Systematic channel sampling across four parallel creeks has confirmed 750 m of continuous copper mineralization with widths up to 192 m. The target is located only 1,300 m from the previously identified high-grade alkalic gold mineralization where Hannan recently trenched 69.1 m @ 2.4 g/t Au reported on 06 February 2025.

Highlights:

Expanded Mineral System : Identification of a significant copper porphyry target at Previsto, located only 1,300 m from the previously identified gold mineralization (69.1 m @ 2.4 g/t Au), substantially expands the project's potential (Figure 2).

Proven Strike Continuity : Systematic channel sampling across 4 parallel creeks (spaced 130 m to- 290 m apart) confirms 750 m of continuous mineralization with widths up to 192 m (Figures 2 and 3). Mineralization remains open under cover to the north, south, and east.

Copper Grades : Surface sampling indicates consistent copper mineralization despite extensive leaching, suggesting potential for higher grades in unweathered (hypogene) zones. Results from 768.7 m of channel sampling include: CH15447: 48.0 m @ 0.12% Cu CH15430: 107.0 m @ 0.09% Cu CH14555: 126.0 m @ 0.22% Cu (reported here) CH15391: 192.0 m @ 0.17% Cu (reported here)



Continued Exploration: A team of 5 geologists and 10 support staff are back on the ground to expand and further delineate the gold-copper mineralization at Previsto.

Michael Hudson, CEO, states: "While our focus remains on the exciting alakalic gold system at Previsto, the identification of this extensive and adjacent copper porphyry system, situated just 1,300 m from our recently announced high-grade gold identification, demonstrates the district-scale potential we are unlocking in this emerging mineral belt. Systematic channel sampling has revealed consistent copper mineralization over significant widths despite surface leaching, suggesting the potential for higher grades at depth in unweathered zones.

"What's particularly exciting is the 750 m strike length with widths up to 192 m that remain open in multiple directions. This further validates our exploration approach across the Valiente project, where we continue to identify multiple mineralized centres within this previously unrecognized metallogenic belt.

"With our team back on the ground and actively expanding both the gold and copper mineralization at Previsto, while simultaneously preparing for our first drill program at Belen in Q2 2025, we are systematically advancing this large-scale alkalic gold-copper system across multiple fronts."

Geological Discussion

Systematic channel sampling has delineated copper mineralization over a 750 m strike length and up to 192 m width at Previsto, extending from the previously announced intercept of 126 m @ 0.22% Cu. The mineralized system exhibits unusual porphyry-style alteration and mineralization characteristics.

The central portion displays moderate to strong phyllic alteration dominated by vanadium-rich mica and pyrite, with a discrete 25 m zone of potassic alteration and localized relics of intermediate argillic alteration. Primary sulphide mineralization consists of disseminated pyrite (1% to 5%) with subordinate chalcopyrite (up to 1%). Surface exposures show significant leaching with development of secondary copper minerals (malachite, neotocite) and hematite along fractures. Multiple stockwork vein assemblages are present, including pyrite-magnetite-hematite, pyrite-chalcopyrite-fluorite, and carbonate-quartz-molybdenite-chalcopyrite.

Alteration and mineralization exhibit systematic spatial variations. Northern channels contain more intense phyllic alteration with increased pyrite content (2% to10%), traces of chalcopyrite and molybdenite, and distinctive carbonate-molybdenite-chalcopyrite and roscoelite veins. The southern channels (including CH15430) maintain strong phyllic alteration with vanadium-rich mica zones, consistent pyrite (1% to -5%) and chalcopyrite (up to 1%), and similar stockwork veining.

The mineralized footprint has been defined by 20 channel samples with the longest continuous interval measuring 192 m. Minor gaps between channels result from colluvial cover. The system remains open for expansion to the north, south, and locally to the east, suggesting potential for a significantly larger mineralized body.

About the Valiente Project

The 100% owned Valiente project is in central eastern Peru, east of the city of Tingo Maria (Figures 1 and 2). The area is characterized by steep topography on the eastern flank of the Central Cordillera with elevations between 800 m and 2,000 m above sea level (a.s.l.). The project was discovered in 2021 during an extensive greenfields prospecting program initiated by Hannan for back-arc porphyry copper-gold systems. The Company has been actively prospecting on the project since 2021 and has successfully gained social permits progressively in all areas of interest.

During 2021 Hannan staked and still holds 1,002 km2 of 100% owned mining concessions at Valiente covering unexplored terrain for potential mineralized porphyry targets in central eastern Peru. The Valiente Project has rapidly evolved from a greenfields prospect to a multi-prospect opportunity.

Early surface prospecting discovered two outcropping copper-gold porphyry targets and one epithermal target at Belen (see Press Release Feb 16, 2023). Porphyry discoveries quickly followed at Serrano Norte, Serrano and Pucacunga. The focus more recently has been on Previsto. At Previsto and Belen, a district-scale porphyry cluster within an area of 25 km by 10 km, with eight porphyry and/or epithermal targets now identified in more detail with up to 10 earlier stage targets awaiting further work.

Hannan has achieved critical permitting milestones at the Belen Project in Peru. In November 2024, the company received the Declaracion de Impacto Ambiental (DIA) or Environmental Impact Statement from Peru's Ministry of Mines, which approved 40 drill platforms across 702 hectares. The Company also received the Authorization for Exploration Activities permit (the "permit") in February 2025 following the previously announced DIA (Environmental Impact Statement) approval. The Permit allows Hannan to start drill access work for 40 approved platforms within the 702-hectare Belen area. it is expected to commence at Belen in Q2 2025, while Hannan continues to unravel the large scale alkalic gold-copper mineral system at Previsto

The company is executing a multi-year strategy to systematically explore and drill test its extensive land package in this emerging Miocene-aged linked porphyry-epithermal mineral belt.

Technical Background

All samples were collected by Hannan geologists. Samples were transported to ALS in Lima via third party services using trackable parcels and by company staff. At the laboratory, rock samples were prepared and analyzed by standard methods. The sample preparation involved crushing 70% to less than 2 mm, riffle split off 250g, pulverize split to better than 85% passing 75 microns. Samples were analyzed by method ME-MS61, a four-acid digest performed on 0.25g of the sample to quantitatively dissolve most geological materials. Analysis is via ICP-MS. Gold was analyzed in rock and soils by ALS in Lima using a standard sample preparation and 30g fire assay sample charge. Soil samples were analyzed by a portable XRF (VANTA-VMR) using an inhouse protocol which includes routine use of CRM and field duplicates as well as 10% check samples analyzed by ALS Lima.

About Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV: HAN) (OTC Pink: HANNF)

Hannan Metals Limited is a natural resources and exploration company 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. Hannan is a top ten in-country explorer by area in Peru.

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 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.

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SOURCE: Hannan Metals Ltd.
Noria Corp. is acquired by Reliability Won, a Battery Ventures-backed platform providing asset-reliability training and services across industries

Reliability Won, an industrial services platform focused on improving asset reliability and backed by global investment firm Battery Ventures, today announced it has acquired Noria Corp., a leading provider of lubrication and oil analysis services, conferences and software.

Noria is Reliability Won's second acquisition, joining Mobius Institute, a provider of vibration-analysis training and certification. Noria and Mobius will continue to operate as independent brands within the Reliability Won group, leveraging complementary strengths and go-to-market relationships to create a more comprehensive services offering helping companies manage asset-reliability, condition-monitoring and precision-maintenance technologies.

Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a subsidiary in Leon, Mexico, Noria has built a strong reputation for its expertise in lubrication and oil analysis. Through services, training and software, Noria helps a wide range of blue-chip organizations optimize their reliability programs and extend asset life through its software and service offerings.

Mobius, meanwhile, offers a range of asset-reliability training and certification products targeted primarily at vibration analysis, as well as processes involving infrared and ultrasound technologies. Together, the two companies will offer a comprehensive suite of training and service offerings for maintenance and reliability engineers globally across industries including pharmaceuticals, food-and-beverage, energy, manufacturing, automotive and transportation.

"Noria's mission has always been to help organizations optimize machine reliability and safety through better lubrication practices," said Jim Fitch, Noria's founder. "Joining Reliability Won allows us to accelerate this impact. Together, we can provide even greater value to our customers and empower reliability professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to improve their operational performance."

Noria will continue to operate under its established brand, leveraging Reliability Won's commercial resources and international presence to accelerate growth and expand its offerings. Jim Fitch will support the business going forward as a technical advisor, while Noria's current president, Bennett Fitch, will continue to lead the day-to-day business. In Latin America, Noria's subsidiary will be led by Oscar Trujillo with technical and strategic support from its founder Gerardo Trujillo.

"We are thrilled to welcome Noria to the Reliability Won family," said Marcus Pillion, Reliability Won Group CEO. "Noria's expertise enhances our ability to provide a full range of services to our shared customer base. Noria's focus on lubrication and oil analysis is highly complementary to Mobius Institute's specialization in vibration analysis. With the acquisition, we are uniting two high-profile brands and are excited by the continued growth opportunities available for both businesses."

The acquisition of Noria is the latest milestone in Reliability Won's strategy to build a global family of asset-reliability and condition-monitoring companies. Going forward, Reliability Won is striving to expand the portfolio into additional industrial training, certification, and specialized product and service offerings.

"Combining the strengths of Mobius and Noria is a natural step in our vision to create a global leader in asset-reliability and condition monitoring," said Zack Smotherman, a general partner at Battery Ventures who serves on Reliability Won's board. "We continue to be excited about additional acquisition opportunities that we believe will be additive to Reliability Won's current suite of offerings."

About Noria Corporation

Noria Corporation is a global leader in lubrication management and oil analysis services, dedicated to empowering maintenance professionals and reliability engineers to achieve world-class reliability standards. Noria's team of domain experts is unmatched in the field of tribology, lubrication and oil analysis. Its training programs, educational resources, and consulting services are available in more than 40 countries and ten different languages. Noria is headquartered in Tulsa, OK with a subsidiary in Leon, Mexico. Learn more at www.noria.com.

About Mobius Institute

Mobius Institute is a worldwide provider of reliability improvement, condition monitoring, and precision maintenance education to industrial plant managers, reliability engineers, and condition monitoring specialists, allowing plants to be successful in implementing reliability improvement and condition monitoring programs. Mobius delivers training via public, in-plant, and online education programs and has trained and certified more than 70,000 industrial professionals from 180 countries since 2005 with thousands more engaged through distance learning programs and Mobius's online community MOBIUS CONNECT. Learn more at https://www.mobiusinstitute.com/mina/.

About Reliability Won

Reliability Won has been established to create a leading, global asset-reliability and industrial services family of companies focused on industrial training, certification, and specialized products services. The Reliability Won platform began in February 2024 with an initial investment in Mobius Institute, a worldwide provider of reliability improvement, condition monitoring and precision maintenance education. Since the initial investment in Mobius, Reliability Won has acquired Vibration Institute of Australia, a provider of vibration analysis training to expand its presence in Australia, and most recently Noria.

About Battery

Battery Ventures partners with exceptional founders and management teams developing category-defining businesses in markets including software and services, enterprise infrastructure, consumer tech, healthcare IT and industrial technology and life-science tools. Founded in 1983, the firm backs companies at all stages, ranging from seed and early to growth and buyout, and invests globally from offices in Boston, San Francisco, Menlo Park, New York, London, and Tel Aviv. Follow the firm on X @BatteryVentures, visit our website at www.battery.com and find a full list of Battery's portfolio companies here.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320803895/en/

Contacts:

Rebecca Buckman

Marketing Partner

becky@battery.com

(650) 292-2077
Amphista Therapeutics to present novel mechanism of action for the degradation of BRD9 using its proprietary Targeted Glue technology at two key upcoming scientific conferences

Oral presentations will detail the rapid, deep and persistent degradation of BRD9 through the recruitment of DCAF16 using Amphista's Targeted Glue technology.





Cambridge, UK, 20 March 2025 - Amphista Therapeutics, a leader in the discovery of next-generation, Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) medicines, today announces the presentation of the discovery of a novel mechanism for BRD9 degradation, differentiated from cereblon- or VHL-based PROTACs using the Company's novel Targeted Glue technology. These will be at the 2nd SMR Molecular Glues meeting being held on 21 March in Stevenage, UK, and the 5th Annual TPD and Induced Proximity Summit Europe being held 25-27 March in London, UK.

Dr. Marta Carrara, Associate Director Target Discovery & Validation at Amphista, will deliver the oral presentations that describe the generation of selective and potent degraders of BRD9, an emerging target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Amphista's proprietary Targeted Glue catalyzes degradation via DCAF16, a relatively uncharacterised E3 ligase, and therefore has the potential to create novel TPD therapeutics for application across a wide range of indications.

These data illustrate the strength of the Company's proprietary chemistry and its Eclipsys platform in enabling the rational design of orally bioavailable protein degraders.

Details of presentations:

Conference Presentation Date and Time Presentation Title



2nd SMR Molecular Glues meeting, Stevenage, UK







Friday 21st March,

11.50am-12.30pm GMT Degradation of BRD9 by a novel "Targeted Glue"



5th Annual TPD and Induced Proximity Summit Europe, London, UK







Wednesday 26th March,

9.00am GMT Rational design of a novel DCAF16-recruting BRD9 Targeted Glue

About Amphista Therapeutics

At Amphista Therapeutics, we are focused on transforming the lives of patients with severe diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, through the discovery of advanced, next generation targeted protein degradation

Amphista, Eclipsys, Targeted Glue, Targeted Glues and the Amphista logo are all trademarks or registered trademarks of Amphista Therapeutics Limited.

For more information please contact:

Amphista Therapeutics

John Goodall

Info@amphista.com

ICR Healthcare

Amber Fennell, Namrata Taak, Emily Johnson

Email: Amphista@icrhealthcare.com

Tel: +44 (0)20 3709 5813
GRENOBLE, France, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Koelis, SAS ("Koelis" or the "Company", www.koelis.com), a global leader and innovator in urology and prostate care, announced today it is attending its 17th European Urology Meeting EAU as a major sponsor and exhibitor.

Koelis will be holding interactive demonstrations at its booth C40 from March 21st to March 24th to promote the innovative approach of using its exclusive "Organ Based Tracking" fusion technology in transperineal focal therapy of prostate cancer.

Fusion biopsy and patient follow-up with 3D mapping are the cornerstone of a successful Focal Therapy program. In line with the latest EAU guidelines, Koelis Trinity is a unique device on the market integrating technologies to ensure continuity between fusion biopsy and focal guidance.

Trinity integrates 3D ultrasound imaging with proprietary MRI-US fusion image guidance that features the Company's unique prostate motion tracking software (OBT Fusion). The compact Koelis Trinity system does not require interface with either external ultrasound equipment or external sensors. Its versatility is enabling Koelis to lead the ongoing paradigm shift in prostate cancer care towards more accurate biopsy diagnoses, personalized patient follow-up and more choices for less invasive, ambulatory treatments.

During EAU 2025, Koelis will demonstrate its capacity to plan and guide Focal Therapy.

Dr Jonathan Fainberg of Memorial Sloan Kettering, NY USA, will introduce an innovative way of managing focal therapy for radio-recurrent prostate cancer using the full capacity of the Koelis Trinity. His video abstract entitled "Focal salvage cryoablation using organ-based tracking and software-guided 'triple fusion'" will be presented during the Sunday Video Session 14 at 17:15.

Dr Peter Chiu of Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, will chair the abstract session 36 on Sunday 17:15 entitled "New technologies and focal therapy in localised prostate cancer". He will also present in abstract session 43, Monday 10:45, "Navigating prostate biopsy strategies: MRI-targeted, systematic, and perilesional approaches", which is essential for focal therapy preparation.

Koelis will more specifically display at its booth its own focal therapy offering: Targeted Microwave Ablation ("TMA") performed transperineally with Trinity guidance which offers a very simple, fast, precise, efficient and safe outpatient focal procedure.

Supporting its focal therapy capacity, Koelis will also be featuring its "Promap-Contour" software which enables healthcare providers to utilize their compatible AI/connectivity solution to automatically process prostate contours and lesions. MRI preparation outputs are then seamlessly transferred to the KOELIS Trinity platform for 3D MRI/US fusion procedures. In this regard, Koelis has entered into collaboration with respected companies from the AI/connectivity field: Siemens Healthineers, Deephealth, Quibim, Bot Image, and more to come.

Antoine Leroy, PhD, Koelis founder and CEO, declared: "In 2025, Koelis emphasizes workflow efficiency and focal therapy. We are proud to respond to the growing demand and to the latest guidelines by innovating and meeting the needs of urologists and their patients. We have the best-in-class fusion technology on the market, and our latest announcements made during EAU'25 will support our customers innovating efficiently."

KOELIS technology is currently available in 50 countries with over 600 systems in use in the USA, Europe and Asia. The Koelis Trinity platform has been utilized in 1 million patients diagnosed with prostate cancer.





About KOELIS

Headquartered in Grenoble, France, Koelis has been a pioneer and leader of MRI-US fusion image guidance technology since 2006. Featuring proprietary 3D ultrasound and prostate motion tracking software.

Contact press :

Thomas MARTINS PINHEIRO

Communication Manager

Tel. : + 33

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2926aae4-e94f-4316-8160-c09b41d8f41e
EON Resources Inc. (NYSE American:EONR) ("EON" or the "Company") is an independent upstream energy company with oil and gas properties in the Permian Basin. Today, the Company announces the signing of an expanded non-binding Letter of Intent ("LOI") with Enstream Capital Management, LLC ("ECM" or "Enstream") for $52.8 million in a revenue sharing and volumetric funding arrangement ("VMA"). We expect to close on this funding by end of June 2025.

The VMA capital will be utilized in three ways:

$22 million to satisfy the Seller consideration, which will reap approximately $40 million in net shareholder value through agreed concessions of the Seller. The summary of the Agreement with Seller can be found on the EON website at Seller Agreement Press Release.

$21 million to satisfy the net remaining pay-off of the senior reserve-based loan ("RBL"), which was originally $28 million on the acquisition date of the operating company in November 2023.

$9.8 million for low-cost workovers of up to 45 wells on the Company's 13,700 leasehold acres in Eddy County, New Mexico.

Benefits of using VMA capital instead of debt or equity:

Improves our monthly cash flow by over $250,000 per month, or $3 million a year. The RBL amortization payment is reduced by $700,000 and replaced by the VMA payment of approximately $450,000.

No dilution to our common stock.

Reduces major debt on our balance sheet by $40 million, which is more than $2.00 a share.

Insulates EON from oil price risk as payments to Enstream are based on percentage revenue and not a fixed dollar amount.

The ORRI reverts to EON after the contractual cash on cash payout via an option to buy-back the ORRI at a minimal amount.

Minimizes/reduces default risk by not being a traditional loan, and as the payments are based on a percentage revenue.

Provides capital to expand and develop untapped proven, but not developed, reserves.

The LOI has a clause to exclude the drilling of new wells from the ORRI structure so that the Company can maximize the benefits of the planned horizonal drilling program in the San Andres interval as described in our press release on February 26, 2025 located at Horizonal Drilling Program Press Release.

The balance sheet will be improved when final funding structure and GAAP accounting determines the impacts to debt reduction, minority interest and equity, and the asset value.

Closing on the VMA, or an alternate financing arrangement, consummates the benefits of the agreement with the seller. Key benefits are: reduction of $40 million of obligations from the balance sheet; reduced number of shares to be issued for the preferred stock obligations; and reducing our net purchase price from an original $120 million to less than $60 million. The benefits are further described in the press release dated February 11, 2025 located at Seller Agreement Press Release, and the letter to our shareholders on March 12, 2025 located at EON Shareholder Letter.

"The volumetric funding with Enstream is neither debt nor equity," said Mitchell B. Trotter, CFO of EON. "Furthermore, we are retiring our reserve-based loan, which improves our cash flow by approximately $250,000 per month. This removes around $40 million of liabilities from our balance sheet."

"The use of this volumetric structure is an ideal and novel way for us to dramatically improve both our balance sheet and cash flow," said Dante Caravaggio, CEO and President of EON. "This $53 million cash infusion, plus our recently announced plan to commence a horizonal drilling program in the San Andres in the first quarter of 2026, sets the stage for an exciting high growth journey for the balance of this decade. We have a world class asset with a billion barrels of oil in place, and we are poised to maximize the potential. All aboard!"

About Enstream Capital Management, LLC

Enstream is a Dallas based energy merchant banking firm that provides asset-level funding to enable oil and gas operators to convert lower risk, proven non-producing and undeveloped reserves into production and for other linked special situations. Since 2006, Enstream has executed over $1 billion of investment banking services on behalf of energy clients. For more information on Enstream, please visit their website: https://ecmtx.com

About the Oil Field Property

In November 2023, the Company acquired LH Operating, LLC ("LHO") including its holdings in New Mexico of oil and gas waterflood production comprising 13,700 contiguous leasehold acres, 342 producing wells and 207 injection wells situated on 20 federal and 3 state leases in the Grayburg-Jackson Oil Field. The Grayburg-Jackson Oil Field is located on the Northwest Shelf of the prolific Permian Basin in Eddy County, New Mexico.

Leasehold rights of LHO, now a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, include the Seven Rivers, Queen, Grayburg and San Andres intervals that range from as shallow as 1,500 feet to 4,000 feet in depth. The December 2023 reserve report from our third-party engineer, William H. Cobb and Associates, Inc. ("Cobb"), reflects LHO to have proven reserves of approximately 15.4 million barrels of oil and 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The mapped original-oil-in-place ("OOIP") in the LHO leasehold is approximately 876 million barrels of oil in the Grayburg and San Andres intervals and 80 million barrels in the Seven Rivers interval for a total OOIP of approximately 956,000,000 barrels of oil.

Our primary production is currently from the Seven Rivers zone. In addition to proven reserves, the Company believes it may access an additional 34 million barrels of oil by adding perforations in the Grayburg and San Andres formations. With proven oil reserves of over 15 million barrels, combined with the potential 34 million additional barrels from the Grayburg and San Andres zones, LHO should produce oil and a revenue stream for more than two decades with a low decline rate.

About EON Resources Inc.

EON is an independent upstream energy company focused on maximizing total returns to its shareholders through the development of onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. EON's long-term goal is to maximize total shareholder value from a diversified portfolio of long-life oil and natural gas properties built through acquisition and through selective development, production enhancement, and other exploitation efforts on its oil and natural gas properties.

EON's Class A Common Stock trades on the NYSE American Stock Exchange (NYSE American:EONR) and the Company's public warrants trade on the NYSE American Stock Exchange (NYSE American: EONR WS). For more information on EON, please visit the Company's website: https://eon-r.com/

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from what is expected. Words such as "expects," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "estimates," "seeks," "may," "might," "plan," "possible," "should" and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future results, based on currently available information and reflect the Company's management's current beliefs. A number of factors could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors - including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts and the risks relating to our business - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on EDGAR (see www.edgar-online.com) and with the Securities and Exchange Commission (see www.sec.gov). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, 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.

Contact Information

Michael J. Porter

Investor Relations - President, PORTER, LEVAY & ROSE, INC.

mike@plrinvest.com

SOURCE: EON Resources Inc.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Tenet Fintech Group Inc. (CSE: PKK) (OTCQB: PKKFF) ("Tenet" or the "Company"), an innovative analytics service provider, owner and operator of the Cubeler Business Hub, today announced that its operating subsidiary Cubeler Inc. ("Cubeler") has signed a referral agreement with global technology-based lender Uncapped Technologies Inc. ("Uncapped") as the Company continues to bring the best loan and credit options to SME entrepreneurs through its Business Hub.

Uncapped (https://www.weareuncapped.com) is headquartered in the U.K. and services businesses operating in the U.K., U.S., and more recently, Canada. The company is a leading provider of working capital for growing e-commerce brands and retailers, offering fast, simple, and transparent financing to SMEs that are often overlooked by traditional banks and MCA lenders. It takes pride in helping founders maintain full equity control of their businesses by offering working capital loans and lines of credit of up to USD $10M. Uncapped uses technology to quickly assess the applicants' sales data and usually renders a lending decision in 24 hours. Uncapped can now simply enter its qualification criteria for loans and lines of credit into its dedicated Business Hub interface to be matched with qualified SME members of the platform.

"Our main objective at Cubeler is to build a global network where SME business owners have free access to technology-driven tools and services to grow their businesses," commented Fredi Tasciyan, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Financial Institutions at Cubeler. "This implies working with technology and service partners with complementary products and services to ours, who are also dedicated to helping business entrepreneurs succeed. This partnership perfectly fits the mold, which is why we're so excited about today's announcement. Uncapped's ability to provide loans of up to USD$10M brings a completely different dimension to the Business Hub, which I believe will immediately benefit our Canadian SME members. Their presence in the U.S. will undoubtedly be equally beneficial to our U.S. SME members when we expand the Hub south of the border early next quarter," concluded Mr. Tasciyan.

About Tenet Fintech Group Inc.:

Tenet Fintech Group Inc. is the parent company of a group of innovative financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) companies. All references to Tenet in this news release, unless explicitly specified, include Tenet and all its subsidiaries. Tenet's subsidiaries offer various analytics and AI-based products and services to businesses, capital markets professionals, government agencies and financial institutions either through or leveraging data gathered by the Cubeler Business Hub, a global ecosystem where analytics and AI are used to create opportunities and facilitate B2B transactions among its members. Please visit our website at: https://www.tenetfintech.com/.

Forward-looking information

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tenet to be materially different from the outlook or any future results, performance or achievements implied by such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that could affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, holding company with significant operations in China; general economic and business conditions, including factors impacting the Company's business in China such as pandemics and COVID-19; legislative and/or regulatory developments; Global Financial conditions, repatriation of profits or transfer of funds from China to Canada, operations in foreign jurisdictions and possible exposure to corruption, bribery or civil unrest; actions by regulators; uncertainties of investigations, proceedings or other types of claims and litigation; timing and completion of capital programs; liquidity and capital resources, negative operating cash flow and additional funding, dilution from further financing; financial performance and timing of capital; and other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed by Tenet with securities regulators in Canada. Reference should also be made to Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) in Tenet's annual and interim reports, Annual Information Form, filed with Canadian securities regulators and available via the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR+) under Tenet's profile at www.sedarplus.ca, for a description of major risk factors relating to Tenet. Although Tenet has attempted to identify certain factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended.

Forward-looking statements reflect information as of the date on which they are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect future events, changes in circumstances, or changes in beliefs, unless required by applicable securities laws. In the event the Company does update any forward-looking statement, no inference should be made that the Company will make additional updates with respect to that statement, related matters, or any other forward-looking statement.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245290

SOURCE: Tenet Fintech Group Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Cosa Resources Corp. (TSXV: COSA) (OTCQB: COSAF) (FSE: SSKU) ("Cosa" or the "Company") is pleased to report the inaugural drill program has confirmed that the Murphy Lake North Uranium Project contains up to 2 kilometres strike length of the extension of geology underpinning the Hurricane deposit. Murphy Lake North ("MLN" or the "Property") is a joint venture (the "Joint Venture") between Cosa and Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) and is located in the eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. Cosa is the project operator and holds a 70% interest with Denison holding a 30% interest.

Highlights

Located and defined the Hurricane trend extension within Murphy Lake North, the primary objective of the inaugural drilling campaign

Final drill hole intersected a significant zone of sandstone-hosted alteration and structure, overshooting optimal target by 25 metres; zone is open along strike in both directions and up to two kilometres of untested Hurricane trend strike length is interpreted within Murphy Lake North

Plans are in development for a fully funded summer drill program to follow up winter drilling results

Keith Bodnarchuk, Cosa President and CEO, commented: "The results of our inaugural drill program at the Murphy Lake North Joint Venture have exceeded our expectations and have confirmed our thesis that MLN hosts the same geology underpinning the Hurricane deposit only a few kilometres away. These initial results require immediate follow up, leading to the decision to leave the drill and equipment on-site to ensure a seamless summer start-up and significant cost savings. Having recently closed our C$6 million oversubscribed private placement, we are fully funded for the foreseeable future and intend to meet with our Joint Venture partner and largest shareholder, Denison Mines, as soon as possible to develop plans for an exciting follow up drill program."

Andy Carmichael, Cosa VP Exploration, commented: "The key objective of winter drilling at MLN was to locate and define the extension of Hurricane trend basement rocks and structures within the Property. In addition to meeting that objective, the final hole of the winter program, MLN25-004, intersected a sandstone-hosted hydrothermal alteration zone cored by structure on the southern side of the trend and is interpreted to have overshot the optimal target by 25 metres. As only one drill hole at MLN has targeted this side of the trend, the alteration zone is wide open along strike to the east and west, indicating that MLN may host up to two kilometres of entirely untested Hurricane stratigraphy. We eagerly await analytical results which will be instrumental in prioritizing this zone for follow up among the abundant drill targets on this shallow, prospective project."

Murphy Lake North

Murphy Lake North covers a portion of the Larocque Lake trend and is located 2.7 kilometres east of the Hurricane deposit (Figures 1 & 2). Hurricane is the world's highest-grade Indicated Uranium Resource and was discovered and delineated for IsoEnergy Ltd. by current members of Cosa's management, board of directors, and advisors from 2018 through 2022. The Larocque Lake trend also hosts the Larocque Lake Zone, Yelka Prospect, and Alligator Lake Zone.

MLN also contains approximately six kilometres of conductive strike length oriented sub-parallel to conductive features associated with the Hurricane deposit (Figure 2). Limited historical drilling on MLN intersected weak uranium mineralization in the basement and zones of alteration and structure in the sandstone and basement. Historical drilling, completed before the discovery of Hurricane, focused on the western extremity of the Property and left most of the conductive strike length untested. Abundant drill targets exist at MLN. The depth to the unconformity at MLN varies from approximately 170 to 250 metres.

Per the completed Acquisition Agreement between Cosa and Denison (see Cosa's news release dated January 14, 2025), Cosa sole funded this initial MLN drill program as part of the Company's obligation to fund 100% of the first $1.5 million of exploration expenditures at the Project by December 31st, 2027.

Winter Drill Program

A four-hole drill program totalling 1,739 metres was completed from mid-February through early March (Figures 2 through 4). The primary objectives of the program were to locate and define the interpreted strike extension of the Hurricane (CH1) trend and follow up historical intersections of weak uranium mineralization on the parallel Cyclone (CH2) trend to the south. Drill holes were collared at inclinations between -55 and -67 and true vertical depths are less than the down hole depths referred to herein.

Hurricane (CH1) Trend

Three drill holes completed on the CH1 trend succeeded in locating graphitic basement rocks and structures interpreted as the extension of those underpinning the Hurricane deposit. Sandstones in all three drill holes were anomalous, with each hole containing widespread bleached zones. MLN25-004, the final hole of the winter program and the southernmost on the trend, intersected the strongest sandstone alteration on the Project to date (Figures 3 & 4).

From 197 metres to the unconformity at 274 metres, MLN25-004 intersected a broad zone of moderate to strong hydrothermal alteration. The zone contained a broad interval of fracturing, faulting, and desilicification from 223.5 to 260 metres where core loss averaged 20% and hydrothermal hematite was locally present. Fracturing and associated desilicification decreased in the 14 metres immediately above the unconformity though the sandstone remained strongly bleached and contained patches of hydrothermal hematite. Basement rocks in MLN25-004 were strongly graphitic and pyritic from 390 metres to the end of hole and with a significant fault zone from 393.7 to 397.0 metres that includes cataclasite. Like at Hurricane, this prospective structure is located at the contact between graphitic and non-graphitic rocks.

MLN25-004 is interpreted to have overshot the optimal target by approximately 25 metres where basement faulting is inferred to root the altered structural zone in the sandstone (Figure 4). As MLN25-004 is the only drill hole on the Project to target this portion of the Hurricane trend, the alteration zone is open along strike to the east and west (Figure 3).

MLN25-001 tested the up-dip projection of basement structures intersected by historical drill hole CRK-143. MLN25-001 intersected broad, weakly to moderately bleached zones through most of the sandstone and a strongly bleached, moderately desilicified zone in the basal 3 metres of sandstone. Strongly graphitic and pyritic basement rocks were intersected as well as a hematite-altered breccia 16 metres below the unconformity.

MLN25-003 targeted the hematitic structure 140 metres northeast of MLN25-001. Below broad, weakly to moderately bleached zones in the sandstone, MLN25-003 intersected primarily non-graphitic, non-pyritic basement rocks. MLN25-003 is interpreted to have been collared too far to the north to intersect Hurricane trend basement geology.

Additional work is warranted on the Hurricane (CH1) trend to:

Follow up the zone of alteration and structure intersected in the lower sandstone by MLN25-004 Follow up the prospective cataclasite intersected in the basement by MLN25-004 Continue testing the approximately 2 kilometres of Hurricane trend within MLN

Cyclone (CH2) Trend

Drill hole MLN25-002 was completed to follow up weak basement hosted mineralization intersected by historical drill hole CRK-144 on the CH2 trend (Figures 2 & 3), now referred to as the Cyclone trend by Cosa. MLN25-002 intersected broad, pervasively bleached zones and intervals of silicification throughout the sandstone as well as clay alteration in the lower sandstone, suggesting the presence of a significant hydrothermal alteration zone in the area. Graphitic rocks were not intersected in the basement, indicating the drill hole was not optimally targeted and the area remains prospective.

The widespread alteration in the sandstone of MLN25-002 and the historical intersections of weak uranium mineralization in the basement of CRK-144 emphasize the prospectivity of the CH2 trend. Drilling to date has targeted the western portion of MLN, leaving 90% of this five-kilometre-long conductive trend undrilled.

Additional work is warranted along the CH2 trend to:

Follow up historical drilling results, including sandstone alteration and structure with anomalous lead (Pb) in historical hole CRK-145 Drill test the 4.5 kilometres of untested conductive strike east of existing drilling

Next Steps

Planning is underway for a fully funded summer drill program. The focus of summer drilling is expected to be following up the MLN25-004 alteration zone along strike. Winter assay results are pending and will influence summer drilling, including whether to follow up MLN25-004 on section.

The drill rig and support equipment remain on site to minimize costs and increase efficiency for the planned summer drilling program.

Figure 1 - Cosa's Eastern Athabasca Uranium Projects with Joint Venture Projects

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9865/245345_8bc7265a14524a51_003full.jpg

Figure 2 - Nearby Historical Drilling Results and 2025 Winter Drilling

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9865/245345_8bc7265a14524a51_004full.jpg

Figure 3 - Close up of Winter 2025 Drilling Area Showing Interpreted Geology

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Figure 4 - Cross Section 0600E Showing Interpreted Hurricane Trend (CH1) Geology and Zone of Alteration and Structural Intersected by MLN25-004

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

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About Cosa Resources Corp.

Cosa Resources is a Canadian uranium exploration company operating in northern Saskatchewan. The portfolio comprises roughly 237,000 ha across multiple 100% owned and Cosa-operated Joint Venture projects in the Athabasca Basin region, all of which are underexplored, and the majority reside within or adjacent to established uranium corridors.

In January of 2025, the Company entered a transformative strategic collaboration with Denison Mines that has secured Cosa access into several additional highly prospective eastern Athabasca uranium exploration projects. As Cosa's largest shareholder, Denison gains exposure to Cosa's potential for exploration success and its pipeline of uranium projects.

Cosa's award-winning management team has a long track record of success in Saskatchewan. In 2022, members of the Cosa team were awarded the AME Colin Spence Award for their previous involvement in discovering IsoEnergy's Hurricane deposit. Prior to Hurricane, Cosa personnel led teams or had integral roles in the discovery of Denison's Gryphon deposit and 92 Energy's GMZ zone and held key roles in the founding of both NexGen and IsoEnergy.

The Company's core focus throughout 2025 is drilling at the Murphy Lake North Joint Venture. Murphy Lake North is a 70/30 Joint Venture between Cosa and Denison respectively and is located at the northern end of the Larocque Lake trend. The Project is within three kilometres of and on trend with the Hurricane deposit. Initial drilling completed by Cosa during winter 2025 intersected broad zones of hydrothermal alteration of the sandstone, associated with prospective basement structures interpreted as the strike extension of those controlling the Hurricane deposit. An expanded follow up campaign is currently in planning for the summer season.

Technical Disclosure

Historical drilling and geophysical results for Murphy Lake North and adjacent projects were sourced from the Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database (SMAD). SMAD sources for the Murphy Lake North Project include file numbers 74I-0060, 74I09-0057, 74I09-0064, 74I09-0066, 74I09-0077, 74I09-0098, and MAW00510.

SMAD sources for drilling and geophysical results proximal to Murphy Lake North include 64L05-0161, 64L05-0180, 74I-0066, 74I-0067, 74I01-0114, 74I08-0056, 74I09-0053, 74I09-0061, 74I09-0064, 74I09-0071, 74I09-0079, 74I09-0087, 74I09-0088, 74I09-0090, 74I09-0091, 74I09-0092, MAW01939, MAW02327, MAW02599, and MAW02395.

Drill hole collar locations for Murphy Lake North and relevant along-strike drill holes were verified from air photos. The collar locations of Murphy Lake North drill holes CRK-144 and CRK-145 were verified on the ground using a handheld GPS and determined to be within 20 metres of the locations derived from air photos. Segments of drill core from CRK-143 and CRK-144 were reviewed in the field; further review was hampered by the deteriorated condition of core boxes.

Verification of historical geophysical results included confirming the locations of geophysical survey grids from air photos, compiling data from geophysical surveys completed post year 2000, engaging a consultant to re-interpret historical survey data, and evaluating whether interpreted geophysical results could be reasonably explained by historical drilling results.

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Cosa. Mr. Carmichael is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. This news release refers to neighbouring properties in which the Company has no interest. Mineralization on those neighbouring properties does not necessarily indicate mineralization on the Company's properties.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to anticipated exploration, development and/or expansion activities, including exploration of the Company's current Projects; the collaboration with Denison, including the Joint Venture, and the anticipated benefits thereof; and the outlook regarding Cosa's business plans and objectives.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the cost of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct Cosa's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by Cosa in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: Cosa may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with its contractual obligations with third parties; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with extensive government regulation applicable to its operations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect Cosa's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of Cosa's securities, regardless of its operating performance; the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, and other risk factors set out in Cosa's public disclosure documents.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Cosa as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. Cosa does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245345

SOURCE: Cosa Resources Corp.
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Eguana Technologies Inc. (TSXV: EGT) (OTC Pink: EGTYF) ("Eguana" or the "Company"), a leading provider of high-performance energy storage systems, is pleased to announce it has reached a settlement (the "Settlement") regarding the collaboration agreement dated January 1, 2024, and an associated security agreement dated January 31, 2024 (together, the "Agreements"), with Omega Electronics Manufacturing Services and Omega Green Power (doing business as "Duracell Power Center").

Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement, in consideration for Eguana's release of Duracell Power Center's obligations under the Agreements, Duracell Power Center has paid Eguana a termination fee of US$250,000 in cash. Duracell Power Center has provided a reciprocal release of Eguana's obligations under the Agreements.

Duracell Power Center will transfer ownership of US$1.1M in additional finished goods, consisting of both 5KW and 10KW Evolve systems, under the Agreements to Eguana. Eguana has agreed to provide replacement parts to Duracell Power Center as needed during the remaining warranty period for any products Duracell Power Center has sold. Duracell Power Center will remain responsible for field support costs of any warranty replacement.

Notwithstanding the Settlement, Duracell Power Center has agreed to increase the amount of manufacturing credit available to Eguana under the Agreements by US$250,000 to US$1.45M. The credit must be fully utilized by Eguana within the next 36 months.

The settlement agreement increases our finished goods inventories, which have been key to executing the feeder enhancement project in British Columbia, as well as providing additional systems to continue accelerating our utility strategy" commented Eguana CEO Justin Holland. "The cash component has provided some near-term liquidity relief and the manufacturing credit and raw materials will reduce working capital requirements balance of year and through 2026."

About Eguana Technologies Inc.

Eguana's vision is to build the grid of the future by delivering flexible, modular, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional grid upgrades. Our technology provides value to all key stakeholders - from the consumer, to the electricity retailer, the distribution utility, and the system operator.

Since 1998, Eguana Technologies Inc. has connected utilities with consumers through its high-performance commercial and residential energy storage solutions. The Eguana product suite has been designed from the ground up with both the end user and the utility in mind to transition the power grid seamlessly.

Manufactured in local facilities in North America to ensure compliance and quality, Eguana's standardized platform allows the flexibility to ensure each product solution is optimized for use in major grid modernization markets.

To learn more, visit www.EguanaTech.com or follow us on LinkedIn and @EguanaTech on X.

Forward-Looking Statements

The reader is advised that all information herein, other than statements of historical fact, may constitute forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning assigned by National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations and other relevant securities legislation.

Certain information in this news release includes statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans, and prospects that constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: the timing and transfer of ownership to Eguana by Duracell Power Center of finished goods under the Agreements; the provision of replacement parts under warranty by Eguana to Duracell Power Center; and the use, if at all, of the manufacturing credit by Eguana. These statements are based on assumptions subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward-looking statement will prove to be correct.

Forward-Looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or future events or developments, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors set out in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024 and Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, which may be found on its website or at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245376

SOURCE: Eguana Technologies Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Cleantech Vanadium Mining Corp. (TSXV: CTV) (OTCQB: CTVFF) ("Cleantech" or the "Company") and Oracle Commodity Holding Corp. (TSXV: ORCL) (OTCQB: ORLCF) ("Oracle") are pleased to announce the execution of an Amended and Restated Royalty Agreement (the "Amended Agreement") dated March 3, 2025, among Oracle, Nevada Vanadium LLC, and Nevada Vanadium Holding Corp., which amends the original royalty agreement dated August 25, 2021 pursuant to which Oracle holds a 2% royalty on Cleantech's Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project (the "Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project") in Eureka County, Nevada (the "Original Royalty"). The Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") published a Record of Decision approving the Environmental Impact Statement for the Company's proposed Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in October 2023. The Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project has also received many of the state permits required to start construction.

Key Terms of the Amended Agreement

Removal of Royalty Payment Threshold : The previously established vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) threshold price of USD 12/lb required to trigger the royalty payments under the Original Royalty has been removed. Pursuant to the Amended Agreement, the 2% royalty is now payable to Oracle without any threshold requirement.

Consideration : As consideration for entering into the Amended Agreement, Oracle must pay Cleantech aggregate consideration of CAD 200,000 as follows: CAD 75,000 (already paid); and CAD 125,000 upon V2O5 prices exceeding USD 12/lb for 180 consecutive days.

Guarantee: Cleantech and Nevada Vanadium Mining Corp., the parent companies of Nevada Vanadium LLC and Nevada Vanadium Holding Corp., will guarantee all future royalty payments.

The parties entered into the Amended Agreement to streamline the royalty structure and clarify payment obligations.

About Cleantech Vanadium Mining Corp.

Cleantech is an exploration-stage mining company focused on vanadium and critical mineral resources. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project in Nevada, United States.

Further information on Cleantech can be found at www.cleantechvanadium.com.

CLEANTECH VANADIUM MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

John Lee

Chief Executive Officer

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 INFORMATION

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-Looking information is generally identifiable by use of the words "believes," "may," "plans," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "projects" and similar expressions, and the negative of such expressions. Such forward-looking information, which reflects management's expectations regarding Cleantech's future growth, results of operations, performance, business prospects and opportunities, is based on certain factors and assumptions and involves known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-Looking information in this and other news releases includes the potential for the Royalty to be payable, the payment of CAD 125,000 in additional consideration and the requirement for Cleantech or Nevada Vanadium Mining Corp. and the ability to enforce any Guarantee provided over the future royalty payments.

Forward-Looking information involves significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance, events or results, and may not be indicative of whether such events or results will actually be achieved. A number of risks and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from expected results discussed in the forward-looking information, including but not limited to: changes in operating plans; ability to secure sufficient financing to advance the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project; conditions impacting the Company's ability to develop the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project, such as unfavourable weather conditions, development of an exploration plan, maintaining existing permits and receiving any new permits required for the Gibellini Vanadium Mine Project, and other conditions impacting development generally; maintaining cordial business relations with strategic partners including any Indigenous communities and contractual counter-parties; meeting regulatory requirements and changes thereto; risks inherent to mineral resource estimation, including uncertainty as to whether mineral resources will be further developed into mineral reserves; political risk in the jurisdictions where the Project is located; commodity price variation; and general market, industry and economic conditions. Additional risk factors are set out in the Company's latest annual and interim management discussion and analysis, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Forward-Looking information is based on reasonable assumptions by management as of the date of this news release, and there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with any forward-looking information included herein. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information in this news release to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date of this news release, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245392

SOURCE: CleanTech Vanadium Mining Corp.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. (CSE: QIMC) (OTCQB: QIMCF) (FSE: 7FJ) ("QIMC") is pleased to announce a major expansion of its natural clean renewable hydrogen exploration activities with the establishment of a new exploration camp in the Cumberland Basin, Nova Scotia, QIMC has staked 2,645 exploration claims. This strategic initiative significantly expands QIMC's natural clean renewable hydrogen and helium exploration portfolio into Canada's Atlantic region, positioning the company to access international hydrogen export markets via existing Atlantic port infrastructure.

John Karagiannidis CEO of QIMC stated: "Our expansion into Nova Scotia marks a transformative step forward, building upon our unparalleled exploration success in Quebec. By harnessing the favorable geological features of the Cumberland Basin and utilizing our proven exploration methodologies, we are poised to unlock substantial new natural clean hydrogen and helium resources, fueling a cleaner energy future and creating significant value for shareholders."

Covering approximately 428.49 km with 2,645 exploration claims, the Cumberland project strategically targets geological structures conducive for their natural hydrogen and helium potential. Characterized by a thick sedimentary sequence exceeding 7 kilometers, deep-seated faults, and prominent geothermal gradients, the Cumberland Basin offers optimal conditions for hydrogen generation, accumulation, and potential storage.

Leveraging the exceptional exploration model developed at QIMC's St-Bruno-de-Guigues property in Quebec, where groundbreaking exploration has yielded outstanding natural renewable hydrogen results, QIMC intends to replicate its proven approach in the geologically favorable Cumberland Basin area. Nova Scotia's geological environment, marked by significant structural similarities to renowned global hydrogen-rich regions such as the Lorraine Basin in France, offers an ideal opportunity for transformative discoveries.

Specifically, the Cobequid-Chedabucto fault system, an extensive and deep-reaching geological structure, provides pathways for natural hydrogen production through water-mineral interactions involving biotite-rich granitoids and olivine-bearing mafic rocks. Recent scientific modeling in analogous geological environments, such as France's Rhine graben, demonstrates substantial hydrogen generation from biotite-rich granites, confirming the significant hydrogen potential awaiting discovery in Nova Scotia.

In addition, Nova Scotia's geological setting provides robust potential for helium co-production and hydrogen storage, particularly due to abundant salt diapirs within the Windsor Formation. This integrated exploration strategy strengthens QIMC's leading role in natural hydrogen exploration and positions it prominently as the North American leader in natural renewable hydrogen.

Prof. Marc Richer-Lafleche explains: "Nova Scotia frequently hosts biotite-rich potassic granitoids, notably within Neoproterozoic geological complexes such as the Frog Lake pluton (Murphy et al., 2001), as well as within several significant Carboniferous plutons including the North River and Hanna Farm plutons in the Cobequid Highlands (Pe-Piper, 1991). Additionally, lamprophyric intrusions, which are notably abundant throughout the region, also exhibit high biotite concentrations. Within our exploration model for natural hydrogen in Nova Scotia, biotite plays a pivotal role. Analogous to the process involving olivine in mafic and ultramafic rocks, biotite in these granitoids is known to readily react with groundwater, facilitating substantial hydrogen generation under appropriate geothermal conditions. This reaction underscores the strategic geological significance of Nova Scotia's biotite-rich granitoids for natural hydrogen exploration and potential production. This process has been demonstrated and modelled in the Rhine graben (Alsace, France) where, for moderate temperatures of around 130-200oC, biotite produces good quantities of hydrogen (e.g. 102 KT of H2 per km3 of granite: Murray et al., 2020). Given the favorable geothermal gradient in Cumberland, these temperatures could easily be reached, enabling hydrogen production by oxidation of the Fe2+ contained in biotite."

Cumberland sector:

The geological context of Nova Scotia includes lithological, structural and geophysical features conducive to the formation of hydrogen or helium. The Cumberland Basin area (Fig. 1), in particular, is a convergence zone bringing together several critical elements conducive to the formation and accumulation of natural hydrogen in a context showing certain similarities with the geological context of the hydrogen discovery in the Lorraine region of France. This area is characterized by the presence of the Cobequid Highlands.

Figure 1: Location map of the Cumberland project in Nova Scotia and other hydrogen exploration properties of QIMC and its partners. Figure modified from Google Map.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/245342_35ce51fa04ebf928_001full.jpg

The sedimentary geology of the Cumberland area, adjacent to the Cobequid Highlands, is characterized at surface by the presence of Late Carboniferous geological units of the Cumberland Group (Ragged Reef Fm, Polly Brook Fm) and stratigraphically underlying rocks of the Windsor and Mabou Groups. Rock units in the basin include continental detrital sedimentary rocks, coal formations (e.g. Springhill) and evaporites (Windsor Group). These rocks are underlain by older bedrock rich in Neoproterozoic potassic granitoids, mafic volcanics and intrusives, diorites and Carboniferous potassic granites (Pe-Piper et al., 1989; Pe-Piper and Piper, 2002). These rocks are cut by local or regional faults. The Cobequid-Chedaducto fault zone, south of the Cobequid Highlands, cuts across much of Nova Scotia and separates the Avalon terrain to the north and the Meguma terrain to the south (Fig. 2). The latter are components of the Northern Appalachians. This structural zone is thought to be the upper part of a larger structure known as the Minas Geofracture. This geological structure, reactivated several times in the Paleozoic, is thought to have been involved, among other things, in the emplacement of basaltic magmas that support the hypothesis of the presence of a transcrustal fault that could reach the peridotitic lithospheric mantle. This mafic magmatism, associated with the effusion of 1,500 m of volcanic rocks (continental tholeiites) (Dessureau et al., 2000), is of great importance for the production of natural renewable hydrogen through the interaction of groundwater and minerals such as olivine, pyroxenes and magnetite.

Figure 2: Simplified geological map of Nova Scotia's Carboniferous and Triassic sedimentary basins. Source: NSDNR, 2006.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/245342_35ce51fa04ebf928_002full.jpg

The presence of an imposing succession of sedimentary rocks (over 7 km) in the Cumberland Basin is a favorable feature for natural hydrogen exploration, given the presence of porous, permeable rocks interbedded with impermeable rocks such as shales and evaporites (salt formations of the Windsor Fm). The formation of anticlinal structures by the rise of salt diapirs is, among other things, conducive to the formation of hydrogen and helium gas deposits. The presence of salt formations offers the potential for gas storage in the Cumberland Basin.

With its thick succession of sedimentary rocks and relatively high geothermal gradient, the Cumberland Basin is also recognized for its geothermal potential (Comeau et al., 2020). In a context of hydrogen production, through reactions between groundwater and minerals such as olivine, magnetite and biotite, the presence of relatively warm water, at realistic depths, is one of the characteristics sought for natural hydrogen production. The presence of a granitic basement rich in K, Th and U is also conducive to the production of radiolytic hydrogen and crustal radiogenic helium.

References :

Comeau et al., 2020. Assessment of geothermal resources in onshore Nova Scotia. Offshore Energy Research Association (OERA). Open File Report ME 2021-003, 216 pages.

Dessureau, G., Piper, D.J.W., and Pe-Piper, G., 2000. Geochemical evolution of earliest Carboniferous continental tholeiitic basalts along a crustal-scale shear zone, southwestern Maritimes basin, eastern Canada. Lithos, Volume 50, Issues 1-3, Pages 27-50.

Murray, J., Clement, A., Fritz, B., Schmittbuhl, J., Bordmann, V., Fleury, J.M., 2020. Abiotic hydrogen generation from biotite-rich granite: A case study of the Soultz-sous-Forets geothermal site, France. Applied Geochemistry.

Murphy, G.B., Pe-Piper, G., Piper, D.J.W, Nance, R.D. and Doig, R., 2001. Geology of the Eastern Cobequid Highlands, Nova-Scotia. Geological Survey of Canada, Bulletin 556, 62 pages. NSDNR, 2006. Geological map of the province of Nova Scotia, Scale 1:500 000, Compiled by J. D. Keppie, 2000. Digital Version of Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources Map ME 2000-1. DP ME 43, Version 2.

Pe-Piper, G., 1991. Granite and associated mafic phases, North River pluton, Cobequid Highlands, Nova Scotia. Atlantic Geology, 27, 15-28.

Pe-Piper, G., Murphy, J.B. and Turner, D.S., 1989. Petrology, geochemistry, and tectonic setting of some Carboniferous plutons of the eastern Cobequid Hills. Atlantic Geology, 25, 37-49.

Pe-Piper, G. and Piper, D. J.W., 2002. A synopsis of the geology of the Cobequid Highlands, Nova Scotia. Atlantic Geology, 38, 145-160.

White, C. E., Archibald, D. B. MacHattie, T. G and Escarraga, E. A. 2011. Preliminary Geology of the Southern Antigonish Highlands, Northern Mainland Nova Scotiain Mineral Resources Branch, Report of Activities 2010; Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Report ME 2011-1, p. 145-164.

M. Richer-LaFleche is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical information contained in this news release and has read the information contained herein. He is a professional geologist registered with the Ordre des geologues du Quebec and is the Qualified Person responsible for the technical information contained in this news release and has read the information contained herein and approves the press release.

For more information about Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. and its products, please visit www.qimaterials.com.

About Quebec Innovative Materials Corp.

Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. is a mineral exploration and development company dedicated to exploring and harnessing the potential of Canada's abundant resources. With properties in Ontario and Quebec, QIMC is focused on specializing in the exploration of white (natural) hydrogen and high-grade silica deposits. QIMC is committed to sustainable practices and innovation. With a focus on environmental stewardship and cutting-edge extraction technology, we aim to unlock the full potential of these materials to drive forward clean energy solutions to power the AI and carbon-neutral economy and contribute to a more sustainable future.

QUEBEC INNOVATIVE MATERIALS CORP.

John Karagiannidis

Chief Executive Officer

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the CSE policies) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

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 Quebec Innovative Materials' 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.

Although Quebec Innovative Materials believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions in Canada and abroad; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the natural resources sector, in particular as regards the regulation of white (natural) hydrogen exploration, development and exploitation; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; natural resources industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of Quebec Innovative Materials to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.

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, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

Cautionary Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements are based on expectations, estimates, and projections as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, as no assurance can be provided regarding future outcomes.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245342

SOURCE: Quebec Innovative Materials Corp.
Management to Host Conference Call Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. ET

(NYSE:KFS) Kingsway Financial Services Inc. ("Kingsway" or the "Company") previously announced the formation of Plumbing Holdco LLC ("Kingsway Skilled Trades") and the acquisition of the privately-held M.L.C. Plumbing LLC d/b/a Bud's Plumbing ("Bud's Plumbing"), a 100+ year old service and repair plumbing company serving residential and commercial customers for $5.0 million, plus transaction expenses and a working capital adjustment, in a transaction funded with cash on hand and a $1.25 million seller note.

Management will host a conference call at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the transaction and host a live Q&A session. Additionally, investors may also submit questions via email to: James@HaydenIR.com.

Conference Call Information

Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Toll Free: 888-506-0062

International: 973-528-0011

Participant Access Code: 694854

Live Webcast Link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2928/52209

Conference Call Replay Information

Toll Free: 877-481-4010

International: 919-882-2331

Replay Passcode: 52209

Replay Webcast Link: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2928/52209

About the Company

Kingsway is a holding company that owns or controls subsidiaries primarily in the business services and extended warranty industries. The common shares of Kingsway are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "KFS."

The company serves the business services industry through its operating subsidiaries within its Kingsway Search Xcelerator ("KSX") segment:

B2B Services

Ravix Group (ravixgroup.com), CSuite Financial (Csuitefinancialpartners.com)

Image Solutions (istechology.com)

Healthcare Services

Digital Diagnostic Imaging (ddimagingusa.com)

Secure Nursing Services (securenursing.com)

Vertical Market Software

Systems Products International (spisoftware.com)

Kingsway Skilled Trades

Bud's Plumbing (budsplumbing.com)

The company serves the extended warranty industry through its operating subsidiaries within its Extended Warranty segment:

Auto Warranty

IWS (iwsgroup.com)

Penn Warranty (pennwarranty.com)

Preferred Warranties (preferredwarranties.com)

HVAC/Facility Warranty

Trinity Warranty Solutions (trinitywarranty.com)

Additional Information

Additional information about Kingsway, including a copy of its Annual Reports can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov, on the Canadian Securities Administrators' website at www.sedar.com, or through the Company's website at www.kingsway-financial.com.

For Investor Inquiries:

Hayden IR

James Carbonara

(646) 755-7412

james@haydenir.com For Company Inquiries:

Kingsway Financial Services Inc.

Kent Hansen, CFO

(312) 766-2163

khansen@kingsway-financial.com

SOURCE: Kingsway Financial Services, Inc.
BRUSSELS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellar Tech, leader in influencer marketing technology, excitedly announces the acquisition of IROIN, the leading influencer marketing platform in Germany. This strategic move will enhance Stellar's product offerings and accelerate its expansion in the DACH region and across Europe. As the company's 2nd acquisition in less than a year - following the purchase of Influo (now Creatorz) in June 2024 -, this reinforces the company's commitment to growth and innovation, solidifying its position as a key player in the European influencer marketing landscape.

IROIN is a recognized, leading player in influencer marketing, offering advanced solutions for hundreds of agencies and brands to manage influencer relationships and track campaign performance. With a strong presence in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, IROIN has empowered notable companies like Spotify, Porsche and Service Plan to run impactful influencer campaigns. Known for its intuitive interface, robust analytics capabilities, and commitment to fostering authentic brand-creator relationships, IROIN has built a reputation for excellence in the DACH region.

Founded by Cathy Pill andSarah Levin Weinberg, Stellar Tech is a trusted name in influencer marketing, providing advanced, AI-driven tools such as the Stellar platform that helps marketers in 30 countries to optimize their influencer marketing campaigns. Renowned for its unparalleled performance and ROI analytics, Stellar delivers exceptional actionable insights, setting the industry standard for innovation. Headquartered in Brussels and Paris, the company has a strong presence in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy and the UK notably, and serves prominent clients such as Disney, Nintendo, Dyson, Air France and Ketchum.

Integrating IROIN's innovative technology into Stellar Tech's portfolio will enhance the company's ability to offer scalable, effective influencer marketing solutions to clients across Europe.

"We are excited to welcome IROIN into the Stellar family," said Cathy Pill, CEO of Stellar Tech. "IROIN's team has built an incredible platform that complements our existing solutions beautifully, so this acquisition is a critical step in our ambitious plan to become the undisputed European leader in influencer marketing technology," she adds. "We're not just expanding geographically - we're bringing together the best minds and technologies across the continent to build a product that outperforms anything else on the market. Our mission: to create the most powerful, intuitive, comprehensive influencer marketing platform in Europe, and with the IROIN team joining us, we're well on our way to achieving that goal."

New chapter, new leaders



The company's leadership will transition to Stellar Tech. Mathis Betz, former IROIN CEO, will serve as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), while Andre Kilz, former CTO, will become Chief Product Officer (CPO). Their expertise and vision for the future of influencer marketing will be instrumental as the company continues to grow and enhance its product offerings. Both teams share an aligned vision for the future of influencer technology, with an increasing focus on AI to unlock new opportunities and drive innovation in the industry.

"Joining forces with Stellar Tech represents an exciting new chapter for IROIN," said Mathis Betz, former IROIN CEO and new Stellar Tech CCO. "Our companies share not only a vision for the future of influencer marketing but also a deep commitment to trust, innovation, and excellence. Combining our DACH market expertise with Stellar's broader European presence creates a truly pan-European powerhouse that will deliver even greater value to our clients and partners."

While IROIN and Stellar will remain separate products for now, they will merge over time to create the most robust influencer marketing platform in Europe.

About Stellar Tech, IROIN & new leadership team

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646222/Stellar_Tech_x_IROIN.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646206/Stellar_Tech_Logo.jpg

For more information, contact Sarah Levin at sarah.levin@stellar.io

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/stellar-tech-expands-its-presence-in-europe-with-acquisition-of-german-platform-iroin-reinforcing-its-position-as-a-leading-influencer-marketing-platform-302406947.html
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - MiMedia Holdings Ltd. (TSXV: MIM) (OTCQB: MIMDF) (FSE: KH3) ("MiMedia", "Company") will be hosting a company update call via zoom today, Thursday, March 20th, at 4PM EST, hosted by MiMedia CEO Chris Giordano.

Management will provide additional information on the business impact of the recently announced partnerships.

To register for the zoom, please click the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YwLjjC1ySA-Ni8jD7tfqEw

A conference call replay will be made available within 24 hours following the call on the Investor Relations section of the MiMedia website, found here: https://www.mimedia.com/investors/index.html

-----------------------------------------------------------------

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.

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 for-ward-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/245402

SOURCE: MiMedia Holdings Inc.
Company Announces ERPA for Philippine Climate-Smart Agriculture Project, Provides BC OBPS Compliance Support, and Highlights Quadra Island Forest Project

Ostrom Climate Solutions Inc. ("Ostrom" or the "Company") (TSX-V:COO)(Frankfurt:9EAA), a leading provider of carbon project development and climate solutions, is pleased to provide a corporate update covering key milestones in its global carbon project portfolio. This includes the signing of an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) for its flagship Climate-Smart Agriculture project in the Philippines, an overview of British Columbia's Output-Based Pricing System (BC OBPS) and Ostrom Climate's role in supporting compliance, and the Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project's contribution to high-quality carbon offset supply for the BC OBPS.

Ostrom Signs Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement for Climate-Smart Agriculture Project in the Philippines

Ostrom entered into an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with a Fortune Global 500 corporation for the Upper Pampanga River Climate-Smart Agriculture Rice Project (UPRIIS) in the Philippines. This agreement includes an advance payment for carbon credits to fund project development costs, which helps reinforce Ostrom's ability to assess risks, mitigate them, and execute this high-integrity carbon project. The ERPA relates to the purchase of Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs), which are independently verified carbon credits representing the reduction of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The first payment under this ERPA has been received as a prepayment against future VERs and becomes repayable if the Company is unable to deliver the credits under the terms of the ERPA. Due to confidentiality agreements, further details cannot be disclosed at this time.

UPRIIS has the potential to span over 100,000 hectares in Central Luzon, and is expected to generate high-quality carbon credits over its planned 21-year term, with compliance potential under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Proceeds from carbon credit sales will directly benefit local partners, including the local irrigation authorities and rice farmers.

Tejinder Virk, CEO of Ostrom stated, "We are excited to partner with a leading global corporation as a strategic buyer on this transformative project. The UPRIIS initiative is a critical step in advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture and achieving significant methane reductions. This agreement underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality carbon projects that drive substantial environmental and socio-economic benefits."

Rice production is one of the largest agricultural sources of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas over 28 times more effective at trapping heat than CO2 over a 100-year period. According to the World Bank, methane from rice fields accounts for approximately 12% of global agricultural methane emissions. The Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) methodology used in this project can reduce methane emissions by up to 48% per hectare according to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), while also improving water efficiency and crop resilience. The Project Design Description (PDD) is currently under development and will align with updates to global rice methane crediting methodologies. The Company recently applauded Verra, a leading global standards organization that certifies greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction projects through the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), for releasing VCS Methodology VM0051 Improved Management in Rice Production Systems, v1.0. This methodology replaced the previous CDM AMS-III.AU., expanding eligible project activities, enhancing monitoring techniques, and strengthening baseline calculations.

Ostrom Supports BC Industry with Output-Based Pricing System (BC OBPS) Compliance

British Columbia (BC) pioneered carbon pricing by introducing Canada's first greenhouse gas (GHG) tax in 2008. Over time, the province adapted its carbon pricing framework to balance emissions reductions with industrial competitiveness. The BC OBPS, which came into effect on April 1, 2024, replaces the CleanBC Industrial Incentive Program (CIIP) and introduces a more flexible, performance-based approach to industrial emissions regulation. The system allows companies to comply based on their emissions intensity rather than facing a blanket carbon tax.

According to the BC Government's B.C. OBPS Program and Reporting Guidance, which was released in January 2025, the BC OBPS applies to industrial facilities emitting 10,000 tCO2e or more annually. Instead of paying a fixed carbon tax, regulated emitters receive a facility-specific emissions limit that becomes progressively more stringent over time. Facilities that reduce emissions below their assigned limit can generate compliance credits, while those exceeding their limit must either purchase credits or pay a carbon price, which starts at $80/tCO2e in 2024 and increases by $15 per year until reaching $170/tCO2e by 2030.

Ostrom supports the British Columbia industry by providing GHG quantification, regulatory compliance advisory services, and access to verified BC OBPS-compliant carbon offsets. As industrial operators adjust to the new regulatory landscape, Ostrom's expertise will ensure businesses can optimize their emissions management strategies while remaining competitive. The BC OBPS allows emitters to use high-quality offset credits to meet their obligations, which management believes will position Ostrom as a key provider of credible offset solutions for industrial facilities.

Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project: One of the Few BC OBPS-Compliant Offset Projects Available

Ostrom has had an exclusive carbon offset marketing and sales agreement in place since 2016 with the Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project, a significant environmental initiative that preserves over 400 hectares of at-risk forestland in British Columbia. Without carbon offset funding, this land would have been subject to logging and development. Instead, it has been permanently protected and is now managed by BC Parks, contributing to long-term climate resilience and biodiversity protection.

This conservation project was validated under the BC Forest Carbon Offset Protocol (BC FCOP) and verified by KPMG Performance Registrar Inc., ensuring the highest standards of environmental integrity. Over its 25-year lifespan, the project is expected to generate over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in BC offset units. In addition to its climate benefits, the project protects second-growth Coastal Western Hemlock forests, maintains wildlife corridors, and safeguards cultural heritage sites, including an Aboriginal portage route.

Management believes the Quadra Island project is one of the few carbon offset projects currently available that is fully BC OBPS-compliant, making it a valuable solution for industrial emitters seeking cost-effective pathways to regulatory compliance. The project also serves as a model for conservation finance, demonstrating how carbon markets can help protect critical ecosystems while supporting the transition to a lower-carbon economy. To purchase these carbon offsets, please contact sales@ostromclimate.com

About Ostrom Climate Solutions Inc. Ostrom is one of North America's leading providers of carbon project development and management services, climate solutions, and carbon credit marketing. Over the past 12 years, Ostrom has validated and verified forest carbon projects globally for voluntary and regulated markets, having developed 16 million acres of forest land for conservation and monetized over 10 million carbon credits. Based in Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Ostrom has a global reach, working with over 200 organizations-including Fortune 500 companies-managing projects in partnership with Indigenous stakeholders, and gaining extensive on-ground experience in emerging markets.

Ostrom is focused on developing high-quality carbon projects that have a positive impact on the environment, local communities and biodiversity. Ostrom is publicly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (COO) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (9EAA).

Please visit us at www.ostromclimate.com.

To receive corporate updates via e-mail, please subscribe here.

For more information regarding the Company, please contact:

Tejinder Virk

Chief Executive Officer

Ostrom Climate Solutions Inc.

322 Water St #400, Vancouver, BC V6B 1B6, Canada

Email: tej.virk@ostromclimate.com

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.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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. 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 and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

SOURCE: Ostrom Climate Solutions Inc.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Bear Creek Mining Corporation (TSXV: BCM) (OTCQX: BCEKF) (BVL: BCM) ("Bear Creek" or the "Company") announces that Andrew Swarthout and Sandra Daycock have retired from the Board of Directors (the "Board"). The Company also announces that documentation regarding the Debt Amendments and Credit Extension (each, as defined below) announced in its news release dated March 4, 2025 continues to advance in partnership with Equinox Gold Corp. ("Equinox") and Sandstorm Gold Ltd. ("Sandstorm").

Resignation of Directors

Further to its news release dated March 4, 2025, the Company announces the retirement of Andrew Swarthout and Sandra Daycock from the Board. Mr. Swarthout was a Founder of the Company in 2003 and served as the Company's President and CEO until 2017. Ms. Daycock was appointed to the Board of Directors in November 2023 and elected as a director by shareholders in June 2024. The Board reiterates its sincere gratitude to Mr. Swarthout, a veteran director and executive of Bear Creek for over 22 years, and Ms. Daycock for their valuable contributions to the Company.

Debt Amendments and Credit Extension

Further to Bear Creek's news releases on March 4, 2025 and March 11, 2025, Equinox, Sandstorm and the Company continue to advance definitive documentation related to (i) the amending agreements with each of Sandstorm and Equinox to temporarily defer certain interest payments under certain outstanding debt arrangements (the "Debt Amendments"); and (ii) the extension of up to US$6.5 million in additional credit to the Company from Sandstorm (the "Credit Extension"). Each of the Debt Amendments and Credit Extension remain subject to approval and acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") and the Company will issue a separate news release upon closing of each.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Eric Caba

President and Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Information and statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-Looking information can often be identified by forward-looking words such as "intend" and "will" or the negative of these terms or similar words suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Examples of forward-looking information in this news release include, without limitation: the completion and timing of the Debt Amendments and Credit Extension and Exchange approval of each. These forward-looking statements are provided as of the date of this news release, and reflect predictions, expectations or beliefs regarding future events based on the Company's beliefs at the time the statements were made, as well as various assumptions made by and information currently available to them.

In making the forward-looking statements included in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to assumptions related to the Company's operating results, business objectives, goals and capabilities. Although management considers the assumptions underlying its forward-looking statement to be reasonable based on information available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, and the risk exists that estimates, forecasts, projections, and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that assumptions on which they are based do not reflect future experience. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the expectations expressed in them. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions expressed above do not occur, but may include additional risks as described in the Company's latest Annual Information Form, and other disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR+. The foregoing list of factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. Investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the Company or on behalf of the Company, except as required by law.

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245354

SOURCE: Bear Creek Mining Corporation
North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the start of engineering and construction of the flotation circuit at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji.

The Tuvatu gold mine is currently operating at the 300 TPD pilot plant level. The Company plans to double plant design capacity to 600 TPD with the expansion occurring in stages. The first stage of expansion is the addition of a flotation circuit that includes a regrind mill for processing flotation concentrate to approximately P80 20 microns prior to feeding the pre-treatment and CIL circuits.

Metallurgical testing conducted by the Lion One metallurgical lab in Fiji indicates that the addition of a flotation circuit will increase gold recoveries at Tuvatu by up to 10%. Gold recoveries at Tuvatu currently average between 80-83%. With a flotation circuit in place gold recoveries are anticipated to increase to over 90%.

Engineering of the concrete foundations of the flotation circuit has completed and construction preparation has begun. The steel and flotation plant equipment has also been ordered. Construction is anticipated to be complete in Q4 CY2025.

Lion One Chairman and President Walter Berukoff stated: "Construction of the flotation circuit is a priority for Lion One. Upon completion of construction the flotation circuit will provide immediate payback for the Company by increasing recoveries to over 90%. This is a significant increase in gold recoveries and further enhances the economics of the project."

Competent Person's Statement

In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"), William J. Witte, P.Eng., Principal Advisor to the Company, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has reviewed and is responsible for the technical and scientific content of this news release.

About Lion One Metals Limited

Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its 100% owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The Company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Walter Berukoff, Chairman & President

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release

This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-Looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245355

SOURCE: Lion One Metals Limited
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Forge Resources Corp. (CSE: FRG) (OTCQB: FRGGF) (FSE: 5YZ) ("FRG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the successful completion of its executive site visit to the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. The visit reaffirmed the Company's confidence in the project's well-organized advancement and reinforced its commitment to delivering on its strategic objectives.

During the visit, members of the executive team had the opportunity to inspect progress on the development of the planned 170-metre decline to access high-quality coal seams for the 20,000 metric tonne bulk sampling program. Led by Project Director, Emelio Genes, the team conducted a comprehensive review of the progress and next steps in the development of the La Estrella coal project. Accompanied by a consultant Canadian mining engineer, the team was able to review technical engineering aspects related to the underground decline construction and operational milestones. The project remains on schedule, with underground operations continuing to scale up.

Cole McClay, Forge COO states: "I am incredibly impressed by the skills and dedication of our technical team at La Estrella. Their expertise and meticulous attention to detail ensure that La Estrella is progressing efficiently to the highest operational standards."

Figure 1 - Forge Executives and La Estrella Technical Team at Portal Entrance

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Figure 2 - CEO, PJ Murphy and COO, Cole McClay meet Project Director and Canadian consultant engineer

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Figure 3 - Vice President of Finance, Camilo Cordovez meets with La Estrella technical team

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The executive team also visited various regions of Colombia to evaluate additional prospective coal concessions and engage with local industry stakeholders. These discussions highlighted new opportunities to expand Forge's project portfolio.

PJ Murphy, Forge CEO states: "Our examinations of early exploration to current mining operations across Colombia underscores Forge's commitment to identifying high-potential assets and establishing strong relationships within the mining sector and we are excited to strengthen our position in the global coal market."

Forge Resources remains focused on advancing the La Estrella project while exploring strategic opportunities to expand its presence in Colombia, a country recognized as one of the top global producers of thermal and coking coal.

About Forge Resources Corp.

Forge Resources Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior exploration company. The Company holds a 60% interest in Aion Mining Corp., a company that is developing the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. La Estrella contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal. The Company also holds an option on the Alotta project, a prospective porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project located 50 km south-east of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-Looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Aion Acquisition. Forward-Looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. In particular, there can be no assurance that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as described or at all. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245395

SOURCE: Forge Resources Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Cascada Silver Corp. (CSE: CSS) (OTCQB: CSSCF) ("Cascada") announces that it has received all Phase II drill assay results from its Angie Copper Molybdenum Property ("Angie"). The Phase II drill program continued to return significant intervals of molybdenum mineralization with DAAS-03 returning 2,116 ppm molybdenum over 6 metres from the start of core recovery at 10 metres downhole. This high grade interval was within a 420 metre interval grading 330 ppm molybdenum. Table 1 summarizes the assay results from the Phase II program and a drill plan, with assays, is attached.

With respect to the dioritic porphyry complex discovered in drill hole DAAS-05, while anomalous copper grades were encountered throughout the porphyry complex, and locally within the overlying rhyodacite, no significant continuous intervals of copper (+0.15%) were returned and no elevated gold assays were received.

Commenting on the Phase II drill results, Carl Hansen, Cascada's President and CEO noted, "While the molybdenum intervals continue to be very encouraging and deserve further attention, our primary objective for Angie remains the discovery of a copper-bearing porphyry system and while we did discover a large dioritic porphyry complex, disappointedly, the single hole testing the complex returned only locally elevated copper grades with no significant continuous intervals of copper. That said, we have only tested a portion of the margin of the porphyry complex and, as such, we need to take a step back and review if there are more prospective areas within the 1.3 by 0.5 kilometer target area. At the same time, we continue to actively review properties for acquisition within northern Chile."

Next Steps

Although not the primary focus of Cascada's exploration efforts, the molybdenum mineralization encountered at Angie is significant and will be examined further to determine if there is potential for more continuous zones of higher-grade molybdenum mineralization to be outlined. The higher-grade molybdenum interval encountered at the top of DAAS-03 is thought to be related to molybdenum oxides. The nature of the oxides will be examined.

Furthermore, we need to determine if there are any additional intrusive phases to the porphyry complex which may be better mineralized. Currently, at least two phases of intrusives have been identified within hole DAAS-05 and magnetics suggest that there may be complexities to the porphyry, both geological and structural, that warrant examination.

Beyond Angie, Cascada has an active project generation program through which it continually receives property submittals and reviews projects for acquisition. With the recent change in the holding costs for mining and exploration concessions in Chile, the number of properties under consideration has increased significantly during 2025. Cascada will continue to acquire and explore high potential properties in Chile.

For reference, 0.1% (1,000 ppm) Mo has an equivalent value to 0.61% Cu, excluding all mining related factors, based on $30.75 per pound Mo and $5.00 per pound Cu: a ratio of 1 to 6.1

Table 1 - Angie Project, Phase I and II Drill Assay Results

Drill Hole # From To Interval Mo MoS2 Notes m m m ppm ppm AAS-01 54 110 56 410 684 Phase 1 - RC Including 58 60 12 588 982 AAS-02 54 118 64 476 785 Phase I - RC Including 54 62 8 735 1,227 And 76 82 8 745 1,244 150 176 26 713 1,190 Including 168 176 8 1,208 2,016 DAAS-03 10 430 420 330 551 Phase 2 - DD Including 10 16 6 2,116 3,531 And 54 98 44 487 813 DAAS-04 152 164 12 943 1,574 Phase 2 - DD 216 294 78 379 637

Notes: RC = reverse circulation drilling. DD = diamond drilling. Weighted average Mo grades are based on a 250 ppm Mo cut-off grade with reported intervals incorporating no greater than 8 m of sub-cut-off internal dilution. MoS2 (molybdenite) values are for reference as many companies quote MoS2 grades. MoS2 are calculated upon a Mo content of 59.9%. Reported intervals are downhole lengths as insufficient data is available to make an accurate determination of true width. 1,000 ppm is equivalent to 0.1%.

Drill Program QA/QC Disclosure

Phase I drill holes were drilled using the RC technique and collared with a 5 1/2" diameter bit maintaining a consistent diameter throughout the drilling. Rock cuttings produced by the drill rigs were transported to the surface using compressed air and extracted from the cyclone (or hydraulic cyclone for wet samples) to the splitter by the drill contractor under the supervision of Cascada geologists. Samples were split twice, generating the lab sample, a twin, and a coarse reject. Each sample was weighed, bagged, and identified with tickets following the sampling list prepared beforehand by Cascada personnel. Chip boxes were generated during sample extraction. Subsequently, the bags were sealed and securely stored before being dispatched to lab facilities along with reference materials (standards) used to verify the preparation and analysis of the samples. Quick logging of chips was performed in the field. The reverse circulation chip trays were sent to Santiago for detailed logging and secure storage.

Phase II diamond drill holes were drilled using a HQ drill bit. Drill core was extracted from the core tubes by the drill contractor, marked for consistent orientation and placed in core boxes with appropriate depth markers added. The core was quick logged at the drill site by Cascada geologists and marked at 2 metre intervals for cutting. The drill core was cut longitudinally in half using a diamond saw with one half of the two-metre samples placed into plastic sample bag along with a sample number and the bags then sealed. The sealed bags were securely stored before being dispatched to ALS laboratory facilities along with reference materials (standards) used to verify the preparation and analysis of the samples. The unsampled core was returned to the core box and secured with a lid. Core boxes were then stacked together on palettes, plastic wrapped and shipped to a secure storage site in Copiapo.

Both the RC and diamond drill core sample bags were then transported from the drill site to the ALS laboratory facility in Copiapo for mechanical preparation, where they were weighed, dried, crushed, and pulped according to ALS's PREP-31 protocol. ALS is an accredited laboratory independent of the Cascada. The prepared samples were sent to ALS laboratories in Santiago, Chile for copper (Cu-AA62) and molybdenum (Mo-AA62). The diamond drill core was also selectively assayed for gold (Au-AA23) and trace elements (ME-MS61L + MS61L-REE). No data quality issues were indicated by the QA/QC program.

NI 43-101 Technical Disclosure

The Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators, for Cascada's exploration activities in Chile is Sergio Diaz, a resident of Santiago, Chile. Mr. Diaz is a Public Registered Person for Reserves and Resources N 51, in Chile and is also registered in the Colegio de Geologos de Chile under N 315.

About Cascada Silver Corp.

Cascada is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration opportunities in Chile. Cascada's team of successful exploration professionals are dedicated to the discovery of mineral deposits that can be progressed into economically viable development projects creating value for all stakeholders.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward-looking statements, including predictions, projections and forecasts. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: plans for the evaluation of exploration properties; the success of evaluation plans; the success of exploration activities; mine development prospects; and, potential for future metals production. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "expects" or "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", or describes a "goal", or variation 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 involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: changes in economic parameters and assumptions; all aspects related to the timing of exploration activities and receipt of exploration results; the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project or exploration parameters as plans continue to be refined; the results of regulatory and permitting processes; future metals price; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the results of economic and technical studies; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration; as well as those factors disclosed in Cascada's publicly filed documents.

Although Cascada 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 forward-looking 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.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.





Figure 1 - Drill Plan and RTF Magnetics Angie Cu/Mo Project, Region III, Chile

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245410

SOURCE: Cascada Silver Corp.


EQS Newswire / 20/03/2025 / 13:45 CET/CEST

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Neswire - 20 March 2025 - Hong Kong has maintained its World No.3 ranking in the latest Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) after New York (No.1) and London (No.2). Hong Kong's overall rating increased by 11 points to 760, remaining top in the Asia-Pacific region.



The biannual GFCI, published today (March 20) by the Z/Yen from the United Kingdom and the China Development Institute from Shenzhen, also rated Hong Kong No.4 globally for fintech offerings, a leap of five places compared to the previous report.



Hong Kong continues to be No. 1 in the Asia-Pacific region in the latest Global Financial Centres Index.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomed the report, saying the positive assessment fully recognises Hong Kong's leading status and strengths as an international financial centre.



Among the various areas of competitiveness of the GFCI, Hong Kong rose to second place for "human capital", "infrastructure" and "financial sector development" and third in the "business environment" and "reputational and general".



"The ratings reflect that our continued efforts to enhance the diversity and the competitiveness of Hong Kong as an international financial centre have fully received international recognition," said the Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, Mr Paul Chan. "I have full confidence that as long as we adhere to fundamental principles while breaking new ground, stay bold in reform, flexible in our responses and strive to seize the opportunities presented by the new era and new landscape, Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre will surely reach new heights."



Among financial industry sectors, the latest GFCI ranked Hong Kong first in "investment management", "insurance" and "finance", and third globally in "banking".



This reflects positively on the various government initiatives, including those announced in the 2025-26 Budget, to promote development of the financial market and create more new growth areas.



Some recent strategies include enhancing the timeframe for listing application process and listing requirements for specialist technology companies, which have injected new impetus into the Hong Kong market and improved its liquidity.



To deepen the financial mutual access between the Mainland and Hong Kong, a number of measures have been implemented to enrich and support offshore Renminbi (RMB) business, such as enhancing the settlement arrangements of Bond Connect and launching offshore RMB bond repurchase business using Northbound Bond Connect bonds as collateral.



The Government has also implemented measures to promote development of asset and wealth management business over the past year, including enhancements to the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect Scheme in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Exchange-traded Fund Connect, and the Mainland-Hong Kong Mutual Recognition of Funds arrangement.



Also looking ahead, Chief Executive of the HKSAR, John Lee, in his 2024 Policy Address, proposed developing Hong Kong into becoming a gold trading centre. The Working Group on Promoting Gold Market Development will formulate a plan this year, covering measures to enhance storage facilities, optimise trading and regulatory mechanisms, expand exchange products, and conduct market promotion.



In terms of promoting fintech, the Government's multi-pronged approach includes enhancing relevant infrastructure; building a more active fintech ecosystem; nurturing fintech talent; as well as strengthening co-operation with the Mainland and overseas. The Government will soon promulgate a second policy statement on the development of virtual assets to explore the integration of traditional finance and virtual assets.



In October 2024, the Government issued a policy statement, setting out its stance and approach towards the responsible application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the financial market. In addition, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Hong Kong Cyberport have launched a new Generative AI Sandbox to foster innovation in the banking industry.



The HKMA has also launched a stablecoin issuer sandbox to allow institutions with plans to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong to conduct testing on their operational plans.



The Government will continue to leverage our distinctive strengths to accelerate the cultivation of new quality productive forces and create more new growth areas, so as to sustain the high-quality development of Hong Kong's financial market.



Hashtag: hongkong brandhongkong asiasworldcity

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

News Source: Information Services Department, Hong Kong SAR Government

20/03/2025 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



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Learn from the women at A.D. Banker, who have been making history as leaders in insurance and securities for over 4 decades

In honor of Women's History Month, A.D. Banker is sharing tips to help women succeed in the financial securities industry--an industry, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report , where female talent remains one of the most untapped business resources. While improved, only 27.7% of finance advisers are women, states Zippia .

Tried and true tips for women in Finance and Securities, from women in the industry:

There is always room to reset internal navigation to ensure transparency, honesty, and ethical practices, which is the foundation to gaining trust with peers and clientele.

Remember that a goal is great, but finding purpose in the career path will create joy and longevity in the career.

Devotion to advancing career opportunities and providing professional development, consider joining events by WIFS , which A.D. Banker aligns to in order to represent women's interests in the industry.

Prioritize what's important, because being a woman in finance can pull anyone in several directions. Outsourcing and delegating should be considerations for home and work tasks.

Earning a designation like the CFP Designation can accelerate a financial career, and can significantly expand career options in wealth management, financial consulting, or investment planning, and generally creates a wide range of opportunities for career advancement.

"For me, ensuring diversity and increasing female representation in the financial industry is not just about legacy and what I want to impart--it's because women bring a unique perspective to financial advisement and management," says Kimberly Flewelling, ChFC, CLU, CASL, National Securities Expert at A.D. Banker. "Always remember your 'why'--why you entered this field and the impact you have in helping others achieve their financial goals. And yes, women in this industry often consider themselves superheroes--you can too."

About A.D. Banker

For more than 44 years, insurance and securities pre-licensing candidates have trusted A.D. Banker to provide them with the information needed to pass insurance and FINRA licensing exams. Courses are cross-referenced with the exam content outline to assure candidates receive what they need to know to produce outstanding results for Life & Health, Property & Casualty, Adjuster , and Securities exams. Content is presented through multiple, specialized modes of learning, online multimedia courses, and live webinars. As students progress through the material, the customer care team provides friendly, responsive support to make the road to licensing easier. Once licensed, producers can meet their continuing education requirements while satisfying state-specific requirements via classes, webinars, or online self-study courses. Learn more at ADBanker.com . A.D. Banker is part of the Career Certified family of educators. Learn more at CareerCertified.com .?

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SOURCE: A.D. Banker
- Presented a roadmap to enhance screening reliability at the world's leading multidisciplinary HPV congress held in Portugal from March 16-19

- Demonstrated how self-collected samples for HPV testing can bridge gaps in cervical cancer screening and advance HPV screening goals

SEOUL, South Korea, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc., a global leader in total solution for PCR molecular diagnostics, presented its high-precision Human Papillomavirus (HPV) screening and full genotyping solutions at the European Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (EUROGIN) 2025 in Porto, Portugal from March 16-19.

The company showcased its expertise through an exhibition booth under the theme "Elevating Confidence in HPV Screening" and hosted symposium programs to emphasize accurate identification of high-risk HPV types related to cervical cancer is critical. Seegene's advanced solution enhances diagnostic accuracy, enabling timely and effective detection.

Seegene presented its flagship HPV diagnostic product lineup that are designed to simultaneously detect HPV genotypes responsible for cervical cancer and/or HPV-related cancer. This capability is crucial in identifying high-risk HPV types that are known to cause cervical cancer and detecting other genotypes that are associated with benign tumors.

At the Seegene symposium on March 16, leading clinical experts from Europe discussed strategies for integrating HPV testing into real-world clinical practice. The symposium underscored the critical role of HPV testing in the early detection of cervical cancer. Additionally, the experts highlighted the advantages of self-sampling, a method that enables individuals to collect their own samples. This approach not only streamlines the testing process but also promotes the broader adoption of HPV screening.

"Seegene's HPV testing solutions are designed to deliver accurate diagnostics and reliable testing capabilities in real-world clinical environments," said Daniel Shin, Executive Vice President and Chief Global Sales & Marketing Officer at Seegene.

Seegene's annual participation in EUROGIN is a testament to its commitment to advancing HPV screening and genotyping for the accurate diagnosis and prevention of cervical cancer. In July 2024, the company also took part in the Asia-Oceania Research Organization on Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN) 2024 held in Seoul.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In 2018, the WHO launched the 90-70-90 campaign to eliminate cervical cancer. The targets aim to achieve 90% HPV vaccination coverage among girls by the age of 15; 70% of women screened using high-performance tests by the age of 35 and 45; and treatment for 90% of women identified with pre-cancer and invasive cancer by 2030.

About Seegene

Seegene has more than 20 years of dedicated experience in R&D, manufacturing, and business related to syndromic real-time PCR technologies. This expertise was particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when Seegene provided over 340 million COVID-19 tests to more than 100 countries worldwide. The core feature of Seegene's syndromic real-time PCR technology is the ability to simultaneously test for 14 pathogens that cause similar symptoms in a single tube with quantitative information.

Visit: Seegene.com and follow linkedin.com/company/seegene-inc

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RAMAT GAN, Israel, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Agmatix, a leading provider of AI-powered agronomic solutions, today announced a strategic collaboration with BASF, one of the world's largest chemical and agricultural solutions companies, to develop a cutting-edge digital solution for detecting - and predicting - the presence of soybean cyst nematode (SCN). This collaboration started through AgroStart, an open innovation and partnership platform by BASF, that aims to empower soybean growers with real-time, scalable insights to mitigate yield losses caused by SCN, one of the most damaging and often invisible soybean pests.

A Unique, Data-Driven Approach

At the heart of this initiative is Axiom, an advanced AI technology engine developed by Agmatix, which transforms vast amounts of raw agronomic data into highly standardized and enriched datasets. This rigorous data process enables the development of a robust machine-learning model capable of detecting and predicting SCN infestations with unprecedented accuracy and scalability.

"The most critical element in any AI model is the quality of the data driving it," said Dr. Shai Sela, Chief Scientist at Agmatix. "By harmonizing and enriching SCN field trial data through our platform, we can ensure consistent, reliable outputs - regardless of region, soil type or cropping conditions. It's a novel approach that dramatically increases the model's predictive power, putting actionable insights directly into the hands of growers."

Combining Expertise for Scalable Impact

Developed through AgroStart by BASF, this initiative combines Agmatix's AI-driven agronomic platform with the deep expertise of BASF in seed and crop protection solutions and will foster the development of a scalable, user-friendly digital model. The tool will integrate with existing farm management practices, enabling users to access near real-time SCN risk assessments and tailor their pest management strategies accordingly.

"Collaborating with companies like Agmatix allows us to leverage advanced digital technologies and artificial intelligence in parallel with our existing seed and trait, seed treatment and crop protection solutions," said Mika Eberl, Head of AgroStart and Digital Officer at BASF Agricultural Solutions. "This collaboration not only enhances our current offerings but also complements our future innovations like Nemasphere, providing growers with a comprehensive, proactive approach to safeguard their soybean yields against SCN."

Addressing the Most Destructive Threat to Soybean Growers

SCN remains the leading pest in soybeans, with infestations frequently going undetected until yields are significantly affected. Traditional detection methods, such as soil sampling or mid-season root digs, are time-consuming, labor-intensive and not widely adopted. A digital tool could help create awareness and compliment these traditional methods.

"Nematodes are the leading cause of soybean yield loss in the United States, costing growers an estimated $1.5 billion in yield annually[1]," said Michael McCarville, BASF Trait Development Manager. "BASF remains committed to developing innovative solutions through AgroStart and future product portfolio development for farmers doing the Biggest Job on Earth to help combat this devastating pest and protect their yield potential."

With planting-time decisions crucial for effective SCN control, growers need a more efficient, scalable solution to detect and forecast pest pressure.

"Our collaboration with BASF is driven by the urgent need to provide a practical, data-backed tool that helps growers minimize yield losses caused by SCN," added Ron Baruchi, President & CEO at Agmatix. "By digitizing large volumes of field trial data within Axiom, we believe our machine learning model will give growers the power to act before SCN causes irreversible damage."

Future Outlook

By providing accurate, predictive data on SCN infestations, the Agmatix-BASF collaboration paves the way for future innovations in pest management and digital agriculture. The joint effort represents a significant leap forward in integrating digital agriculture with crop protection strategies, demonstrating how advanced analytics can drive on-farm decision-making and improve agronomic outcomes.

Always read and follow label directions. Nemasphere is a trademark of BASF.  2025 BASF Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

About BASF's Agricultural Solutions division

Everything we do, we do for the love of farming. Farming is fundamental to provide enough healthy and affordable food for a rapidly growing population, while reducing environmental impacts. That's why we are working with partners and experts to integrate sustainability criteria into all business decisions. With 919 million in 2024, we invest in a strong R&D pipeline, combining innovative thinking with practical action in the field. Our solutions are purpose-designed for different crop systems. Connecting seeds and traits, crop protection products, digital tools and sustainability approaches, to help deliver the best possible outcomes for farmers, growers and our other stakeholders along the value chain. With teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we do everything in our power to build a sustainable future for agriculture. In 2024, our division generated sales of 9.8 billion. For more information, please visit www.agriculture.basf.com or our social media channels.

About BASF

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has approximately 16,000 employees in North America and had sales of $19.7 billion in 2024. For more information about BASF's North American operations, visit www.basf.com/us .

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers' green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of 65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com .

About Agmatix

Agmatix is a data-driven agronomy company focused on transforming the way agricultural research and field data are collected, digitized, and analyzed. Its flagship Axiom technology harnesses the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence to optimize crop production, reduce environmental impact, and enable smarter, faster agronomic decisions. To learn more, visit www.agmatix.com .

[1] 2015-2021 Crop Protection Network annual soybean cyst nematode (SCN) estimated yield loss at commodity price ($14/bu.)

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PARIS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AZmed is proud to announce a strategic partnership with UP centre for pediatric emergencies and Radiologie Dix30, positioning the two healthcare centers in Canada at the forefront of AI innovation. Through this partnership, AZtrauma, an artificial intelligence solution for fracture detection, dislocations, and joint effusions, is now available for pediatric trauma and emergency radiology, bringing better diagnostic outcomes and improved workflow management.

UP is Canada's first specialized pediatric emergency center outside of a hospital, providing urgent care as emergency rooms continue to fill to capacity and face growing wait times. Committed to the belief that children should receive top-notch care, UP is focused on transforming healthcare throughout Canada.

?"AZtrauma is a great solution that, in our model of care, enables patients to get their diagnostic imaging and return to the treating pediatric emergency physician, who is reviewing the images accompanied by the AI read!" said Dr. Sasha Dubrovsky, CEO of UP.

Dix30, for a decade now, has been serving as a radiology clinic in Montreal, making progress and effectively meeting healthcare needs by providing imaging solutions and specialized services throughout the week, unlike typical private facilities.

"We have developed a field of expertise that was previously nonexistent in Montreal, handling a high volume of patients and addressing an unmet need. Our collaboration with AZmed has been a real success story, bringing an impressive number of patients and requiring us to adapt our operations accordingly," said Dr. Pierre Bergeron from Dix30.

The link between AZmed, UP, and Dix30 has many benefits for patient care. As patient volumes rise, AI plays a key role in providing effective diagnostic assistance, helping Dix30 optimize resource allocation.

"UP and Dix30 share a commitment to innovation in patient care. Our AI solution is integrated into their workflows, ensuring physicians and patients have access to faster diagnostic support," said Julien Vidal, CEO and co-founder of AZmed.

About AZmed:

Founded in 2018, AZmed is a European MedTech startup committed to revolutionizing medical imaging through AI-powered solutions. Its AI suite, Rayvolve, enhances X-ray diagnostics, improving accuracy and saving valuable time for healthcare professionals. Rayvolve includes FDA-cleared and CE-marked solutions that streamline radiology workflows by prioritizing critical cases and expediting treatment planning. Used by more than 2,500 healthcare facilities worldwide, Rayvolve transforms patient care and operational efficiency in medical imaging. For more information, visit www.azmed.co or read the latest insight here.

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Media contact:

Moshank Relia

moshank@azmed.co

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Authored by Ed Ricks, Jessica Drexler

Adopting an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system is one of the most transformative changes a healthcare organization can undergo. The promise of streamlined workflows, improved patient care and enhanced collaboration between care teams hinges on successful EHR implementation and long-term utilization. However, all too often, organizations overlook the critical role that change management and ongoing training play in maximizing the system's effectiveness.

Effective EHR change management requires a comprehensive approach that begins long before go-live, fostering a culture where staff feel prepared to embrace the new system. This involves early knowledge development, real-time support and clear communication about the system's benefits. By integrating change management from the outset, healthcare organizations can help staff feel confident in their new workflows, reducing stress and minimizing disruptions to patient care.

Empowering employees through early engagement

Change management in healthcare is about more than just training employees on how to use a new system-it's about preparing them for change itself. The sooner staff members are familiarized with their new roles and responsibilities, the smoother the transition will be. By involving individuals who will be responsible for the change early on, organizations can tap into natural leaders who will champion the EHR implementation.

Rather than waiting until the months leading up to go-live to designate super users, organizations should identify and nurture these leaders throughout the project. Doing so not only prepares the team but helps alleviate the stress and resistance typically associated with major transitions.

Reducing resistance with a sense of control

One of the biggest challenges during organizational change is resistance, particularly when individuals feel a loss of control, which can overshadow potential gains. To address this, change management strategies that promote early readiness help empower staff and give them a sense of control throughout the transition process.

To reduce the emotional resistance that often accompanies change, organizations can assess and respond to readiness indicators, communicate clearly, actively involve staff in the decision-making process and offer autonomy in how they adopt the new system.

Continuous support and training: The key to long-term success

Training should not be a one-time event. Clinical workflows and the demands of healthcare professionals are complex, and training must reflect this. To ensure ongoing competency and maximize the long-term success of the EHR system, organizations must build in redundancy and offer continuous support.

Repetition and redundancy : Effective training involves repetition. Even after the initial training sessions before go-live, it's critical to offer refresher courses, annual training sessions and follow-up support. Continuous reinforcement ensures that staff remain confident in using the system and don't revert to outdated practices.

At-the-elbow support : One of the most valuable support methods during go-live is at-the-elbow support. This involves having super users and other experts available to assist staff in real time as they use the system with actual patients. During this high-stress period, staff are dealing with both technical learning and patient care. Immediate assistance can help mitigate frustrations and improve the user experience.

Multiple training modalities: Not all staff members learn in the same way, so a variety of training modalities is crucial. This could include in-person sessions, virtual training, recorded tutorials and digital adoption platforms (DAPs). These tools can be integrated into the system to provide in-context, guided support for users as they navigate the EHR.

Tracking competency and measuring success

It's vital to monitor and measure how well staff are using the system post-go live. Most EHR systems don't come with built-in competency tracking tools, so organizations must integrate third-party learning management systems (LMS) or other solutions to monitor training effectiveness.

By establishing clear key performance indicators (KPIs) from the outset - such as system adoption rates, utilization levels and user satisfaction - organizations can assess whether the EHR system is meeting its intended goals. Effective governance is crucial to ensure that these KPIs are tracked, and that there is an ongoing process for addressing any issues or challenges that arise.

Building a culture of continuous learning and governance

As with any system, ongoing post-go-live support and maintenance are necessary to ensure continued success. Prior to deployment, organizations must establish a governance structure that ensures role and responsibility clarity for regular system updates, ongoing training and continuous support.

This governance process also plays a critical role in helping maintain employee engagement and confidence. If employees know that their concerns and challenges will be addressed, and that the system will evolve with their needs, they are more likely to embrace the system in the long run.

Proving the value of your investment

When organizations commit to a significant investment like an EHR system, they must be able to demonstrate its value. This value isn't just measured by its performance at go-live, but by how well it supports patient care, enhances collaboration, and improves workflow efficiency over time.

Governance, training and support are integral to proving the value of that investment. By maintaining high adoption rates and demonstrating continuous improvement in clinical workflows, organizations can confidently show that their EHR investment has been worthwhile.

How we can help

Successful EHR implementation is about more than just rolling out a new system, it's about fostering an environment where staff feel supported, engaged and empowered to use the system effectively. At Baker Tilly, we work with organizations to ensure that their EHR implementations not only go smoothly but that the system remains a valuable tool for years to come.

From early engagement to ongoing training and support, we help organizations navigate the complexities of change management and build a foundation for long-term success. With the right approach, healthcare organizations can maximize the benefits of their EHR systems, improve patient care and enhance overall operational efficiency.

Connect with a Baker Tilly specialist to learn more

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Project represents only the second global certification under this methodology

SCS Global Services (SCS), an international leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, is excited to announce that Verra has approved validation and verification for a project in Africa using Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Methodology VM0042 Improved Agricultural Land Management. This project, a pioneering carbon farming initiative, is the first of its kind to achieve Verra certification under this new methodology in South Africa and demonstrates Africa's increasing commitment to regenerative agriculture to fight climate change through carbon credits.

Conducted by SCS' Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team, this is only the second project to have received verification approval resulting in credits since the methodology's release in October 2020. Achieving approval under this standard is rare due to the complexity of this type of assessment.

Verra's VM0042 methodology focuses on the quantification of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals through the implementation of improved agricultural land management (IALM) practices. Such practices may include improved fertilizer application, improved water management, reduced tillage, cover crop planting, and improved grazing management. Quantification approaches may be based on a combination of soil sampling and biogeochemical modelling.

The CNG AgriCarbon Rewards Programme Project (Verra Project 2554) was developed by Anthesis Group (formerly Climate Neutral Group) and has generated 39,207 Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) which were verified by SCS and registered under Verra's VCS Program earlier this week.

The CNG Agricarbon Rewards Programme supports the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices on 17,581.74 hectares in South Africa. Practice changes implemented by participating farmers include improved application of organic and synthetic fertilizer, reduced tillage and/or improved residue management, and improved crop planting and harvesting across the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape provinces.

"The SCS Greenhouse Gas Carbon Offset Verification Team is proud to be a part of this groundbreaking project," said Christie Pollet-Young, Vice President of SCS Global Services' Climate Division. "Our involvement in this critically important initiative is exactly why we do what we do-help organizations to demonstrate their commitment to innovative practices that promote conservation efforts beneficial to their ecosystem and communities."

Franz Rentel, Managing Director of Anthesis South Africa, says, "We are incredibly grateful to SCS Global Services for their support in verifying the AgriCarbon programme. Achieving validation and verification under Verra's VM0042 methodology is a significant milestone, and the expertise and dedication of the SCS team were instrumental in achieving this. Their rigorous assessments and commitment to high standards have helped ensure the credibility and impact of this pioneering initiative. This achievement reinforces the potential of regenerative agriculture to drive meaningful climate action, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration in scaling sustainable farming solutions across Africa.'

SCS' team of scientists and auditors have extensive expertise with the Verified Carbon Standard as well as soil science and agronomy. Leveraging this expertise, SCS is currently conducting validation and verification assessments for several additional VM0042 projects across three continents - Europe, North America, and Africa.

Read More

About Anthesis:

With world-class expertise in science-based advisory, market-leading digital solutions, the development of high-quality carbon removal projects and purpose consulting, strategy, and communications, Anthesis is uniquely positioned to manage risk and find value for our clients on their transformation journeys. Anthesis supports over 4,000 clients across all industry sectors, including multinationals such as Reckitt, Cisco. Tesco, Nestle, and Target. The company brings together 1,400 experts guiding clients in 80 countries around the world, with offices in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Middle East, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US. For more information, visit www.anthesisgroup.com

About SCS Global Services:

SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California and celebrating over 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.

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Stephanie Flynn

Marketing Manager, SCS Global Services

sflynn@scsglobalservices.com

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Organto Foods Inc. (TSXV:OGO)(OTC PINK:OGOFF) ("Organto" or the "Company") announces proposed transactions to restructure outstanding debt and an equity capital raise of up to C$5,000,000 through a non-brokered private placement of up to 50,000,000 common shares at a price of $0.10 per share. Assuming completion of the restructure of the outstanding debt on the proposed terms below and the full amount of private placement, the Company expects to have up to approximately 150,000,000 shares outstanding.

As disclosed in the Company's news release dated March 14, 2025, as at the period ended January 31, 2025, the Company's outstanding debts included, among others:

promissory notes and short-term loans of approximately C$1.9 million bearing interest at the rate of 12% per annum (the " Promissory Notes ").

convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of approximately C$2.6 million plus unpaid interest, bearing interest at the rate of 10% per annum (the " Convertible Notes ").

8.0% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures due November 30, 2026 (the "Debentures") in the aggregate principal amount of C$8.05 million plus unpaid interest.

Promissory Notes

The Company proposes, subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") to settle all principal amounts and interest owing on the Promissory Notes in the aggregate amount of $1,966,906, through a shares for debt settlement at a price of $0.10 per common share, which would result in the issuance of 19,669,056 common shares.

Convertible Notes

The Convertible Notes are comprised of:

convertible notes issued on or about December 29, 2022 with the aggregate principal amount of $2,058,350 and a maturity date of December 29, 2024; convertible notes issued on or about February 28, 2023 with the aggregate principal amount of $295,000 and a maturity date of February 28, 2025; and convertible notes issued on or about March 28, 2023 with the aggregate principal amount of $238,000 and a maturity date of March 28, 2025.

The Convertible Notes have a term of 24 months from the date of issuance (the "Maturity Date") and bear interest at a rate of 10% per annum to be paid annually in arrears on the first anniversary of the date of issuance (the "First Interest Date") and the second anniversary of the date of issuance (the "Second Interest Date"), respectively and may be converted, at the holder's sole discretion, into common shares of the Company at a price of $3.00 per share (the "Conversion Price") (as adjusted following completion of a 10:1 consolidation effective September 28, 2023 (the "Consolidation")). In the event that the closing price of the Company's common shares equals or exceeds $4.50 per share (on a post-Consolidation basis) for a period of 10 consecutive trading days or more on the Exchange, the Company may force conversion of the Convertible Notes into common shares (the "Acceleration Price").

To date, the Company has not made any interest payments as required under the terms of the Convertible Notes. As a result, the Company proposes to amend the terms of Convertible Notes in the amount of $2,543,350 as follows:

to settle the interest payments that are payable, or will become payable, as of the First Interest Date and Second Interest Date, respectively, the Company will issue, subject to the acceptance of the Exchange, an aggregate of up to 1,695,567 common shares (the "Convertible Note Settlement Shares") at a deemed price of $0.30 per Convertible Note Settlement Share to settle interest payable on each of the First Interest Date and the Second Interest Date in the aggregate amount of $508,670; extend the maturity date of the Convertible Notes by one (1) year in respect of 50% of the principal amount and by two (2) years in respect of the remaining 50% of the principal amount; replace the existing $3.00 Conversion Price with a $0.60 Conversion Price; and replace the $4.50 Acceleration Price with a $0.90 Acceleration Price (collectively, the "Convertible Note Amendments").

The Convertible Note Amendments, including the issuance of Convertible Note Settlement Shares as contemplated thereby, remain subject to the acceptance of the Exchange.

Debentures

The Debentures were issued pursuant to and are governed by the terms of a trust indenture dated November 12, 2021, between the Company and Computershare Trust Company of Canada as debenture trustee, pursuant to which, among other things:

the Debentures are unsecured subordinated convertible debentures, due November 30, 2026, and bear interest at a rate of 8.0% annually; the principal amount of the Debentures is convertible into common shares at a conversion price of $5.00 per share (on a post-Consolidation basis) and the interest is not convertible; and if, at any time after November 30, 2023, the 20-day volume weighted average trading price of the Company's shares on the Exchange exceeds $6.25 (on a post-Consolidation basis), the Company has the right to force conversion of the Debentures.

As disclosed in the Company's news release dated March 11, 2025, Antares Capital Management Ltd. ("Antares"), a private corporation, has acquired over 67% of the outstanding Debentures and has made an offer to all Debenture holders to acquire their Debentures on the same terms on which it had acquired its Debentures.

The Company has engaged in discussions with Antares to restructure the terms of the Debentures in a mutually acceptable manner and the parties have agreed, subject to the acceptance of the Exchange, to restructure the Debentures as follows:

the Company proposes to settle the outstanding principal and interest amount under the Debentures through the issuance of common shares at an issue price of $0.20 per share (the "Debenture Settlement Shares"). Should all the holders of the Debentures agree to the proposed settlement it would result in the issuance of up to an aggregate of 40,250,000 Debenture Settlement Shares; and all Debenture Settlement Shares will be subject to a contractual restriction on transfer whereby the Debenture Settlement Shares will be restricted from trading for a period of 18 months from their date of issue (the "Hold Period"), following which they would be released as to 25% per quarter, such that all Debenture Settlement Shares will be freely tradable after 30 months from their issuance.

Private Placement

The Company will conduct a non-brokered private placement of up to 50,000,000 common shares of the Company at the price of $0.10 per share (the "Private Placement") for gross proceeds of C$5,000,000.

The Company may pay finders' fees in connection with the Private Placement. The net proceeds from the Private Placement will be used to fund general working capital.

Debt Settlement

Finally, the Company has approached certain creditors with an offer to settle outstanding amounts due in exchange for common shares at a deemed price of $0.10 per share. To date creditors owed approximately $280,000 have agreed to the proposed debt settlement which would result in the issuance of approximately 2,800,000 common shares.

Restructuring Fees

In consideration of its assistance in negotiating and implementing the above debt restructuring, the Company has agreed to pay Jaluca Limited ("Jaluca") a finder's fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds raised from investors in the Private Placement introduced to the Company by Jaluca, and a fee of 6% of the total amount of Debentures that are converted into shares (collectively the "Fees"). The Fees will be satisfied by the issuance of common shares in the capital of the Company at a deemed price of $0.10 per share. Further the Company has entered into a Financial and Capital Markets Advisory agreement with Jaluca for a term of 12 months, under which it has agreed to pay Jaluca an advisory fee of C$8,500 per month for a one year term. The above fees are subject to the acceptance of the Exchange.

Certain directors and officers of the Company may acquire securities under the Private Placement and shares for debt settlement in respect of the Promissory Notes. Any such participation would be considered to be a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 ("MI 61-101"). The transaction will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of any shares issued to or the consideration paid by such persons will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization.

Completion of each of the above transactions will be subject to the prior approval of the Exchange as well as all other requisite corporate, regulatory and security holder approvals, as applicable. Further, all securities issued pursuant to the debt restructuring program described above will be subject to a minimum hold period of four months and one day from their date of issuance. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in completing all or any of the above transactions.

Further updates will be provided as discussions progress.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Steve Bromley

Chairman and CEO

For more information, contact:

Investor Relations

John Rathwell, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development

647 629 0018

info@organto.com

ABOUT ORGANTO

Organto is a leading provider of branded, private label, and distributed organic and non-GMO fruit and vegetable products using a strategic asset-lighter business model to serve a growing socially responsible and health-conscious consumers. Organto's business model is rooted in its commitment to sustainable business practices focused on environmental responsibility and a commitment to the communities where it operates, its people, and its shareholders.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release may include certain forward-looking information and statements, as defined by law, including without limitation, Canadian securities laws and the "safe harbor" provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act ("forward-looking statements"). In particular, and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements respecting the Company's plans to restructure and reduce overall debt and to obtain sufficient working capital to fund its operations, including the proposed restructuring and/or settlement of Promissory Notes, Convertible Notes Debentures, other outstanding debts and the proposed Private Placement. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions that may prove to be incorrect, including, without limitation, the assumption that the Company will be able to resolve any and all issues that may arise during the negotiation, restructuring and/or settlement of the Promissory Notes, Convertible Notes, Debentures and other outstanding debts in a timely manner; that all applicable regulatory and/or other requisite approvals will be obtained in a timely manner and on acceptable terms; that all conditions precedent to the restructuring and/or settlement thereof and completion of the Private Placement will be satisfied in a timely manner; and that sufficient funding will be available on acceptable terms. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, uncertainty regarding the outcome of negotiations with the Company's creditors; regulatory risks; risks related to market volatility and economic conditions; risks related to unforeseen delays; and risks that necessary financing will be unavailable when needed. For further information on these and other risks and uncertainties that may affect the Company's business, see the "Risks and Uncertainties" and "Forward-Looking Statements" sections of the Company's annual and interim management's discussion and analysis filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which are available under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as required by law, Organto does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

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.

SOURCE: Organto Foods, Inc.
Raven Resources Corp, under the leadership of CEO Paul Scribner, is revolutionizing the approach to strategic investment and business transformation. The company's innovative methodologies and relationship-driven strategies are setting new standards in the industry.

Key Highlights:

Raven Resources focuses on tailored solutions and strategic foresight.

The company's agile approach adapts to complex market challenges.

Raven's unique investment strategies have led to significant growth for clients.

The firm emphasizes long-term relationships and collaboration with partners.

Raven Resources' approach diverges from traditional investment models by combining financial acumen with a deep commitment to understanding and solving complex business challenges. This strategy has yielded impressive results for clients across various sectors.

"Our goal is to identify opportunities that others might overlook," says Paul Scribner, CEO of Raven Resources. "We focus on building long-term relationships and delivering tailored solutions that drive real value for our partners."

The company's success is rooted in several key factors:

Innovative Problem-Solving

Raven Resources excels at navigating complex scenarios and offering creative solutions. The company's ability to adapt quickly to changing market conditions sets it apart from competitors.

"Paul has extraordinary expertise as a dealmaker," notes Tim Davis, a prominent attorney in the field. "He is the most skilled person among all my clients when it comes to structuring transactions to take advantage of public and private financing options, while reducing tax liabilities and guarding against market risks."

Relationship-Driven Approach

The firm prioritizes building strong, lasting relationships with clients, partners, and stakeholders. This approach fosters trust and enables more effective collaboration.

Scott Weiler, an insurance provider, states, "What we at Gallagher most appreciate about Raven Resources is their commitment to build foundational relationships. They communicate openly and honestly, which allows us to do our work consistently and confidently."

Measurable Results

Raven's strategies have led to significant growth for its clients. In one case, the company helped a client multiply the size of their facilities sixfold in six years while increasing revenue by seven times.

Agility and Speed

The company's ability to assess opportunities quickly and make decisive moves is a key differentiator. Steve Kelly, President of Raven Resources, emphasizes this point: "Three days is two years in Raven speed. We move quickly and decisively when we see a good opportunity."

Comprehensive Approach

Raven Resources takes a holistic view of each investment opportunity, considering not just financial aspects but also operational, cultural, and strategic elements.

Jamie Moss, COO of Raven Resources, explains, "We focus on assessing people and building strong company cultures. This approach ensures that our investments are not just financially sound but also aligned with the values and goals of the businesses we support."

Strategic Use of Technology

The company leverages advanced analytics and AI to enhance its investment strategies and operational efficiencies. This tech-forward approach allows Raven to stay ahead of market trends and make data-driven decisions.

Focus on Undervalued Assets

Raven Resources has demonstrated a keen ability to identify and leverage undervalued assets, turning them into profitable ventures.

Dr. Wolfgang Hess, a seasoned attorney, observes, "A key distinguishing feature of Raven and its management is the ability and willingness, characterized by many years of experience, to identify investment opportunities, particularly in undervalued assets, and to leverage this potential for the benefit of the company and its partners."

Commitment to Transparency

The firm maintains a high level of transparency in its operations and communications, building trust with investors and partners.

Adaptability to Market Changes

In the face of evolving market conditions, Raven Resources has shown remarkable adaptability, adjusting its strategies to capitalize on new opportunities and mitigate risks.

Long-Term Vision

While delivering short-term results, the company maintains a focus on long-term value creation, aligning its interests with those of its investors and partners.

As the investment landscape continues to evolve, Raven Resources is positioned at the forefront of innovation in strategic growth. The company's unique approach, combining financial expertise with a deep understanding of business operations and human capital, is setting new standards in the industry.

For more information about Raven Resources and its innovative approach to strategic investment, visit our website .

About Raven Resources Corp: Raven Resources Corp is a leading strategic investment firm specializing in business transformation and value creation. Led by CEO Paul Scribner, the company is known for its innovative approach to investment, combining financial acumen with operational expertise to deliver exceptional results for its partners and clients.

Contact Information

Jack Smith

Marketing Manager

contact@trustpointxposure.com

442-220-3131

SOURCE: Raven Resources Corp
New Executive Appointment, Key Leadership Promotion and Innovative Contact Center Upgrades Signal Strategic Advancements for Atlas Travel

Atlas Travel, a leading provider of travel management services and division of Atlas Travel & Technology Group, is proud to announce new leadership appointments and innovative technology enhancements as key drivers for growth in 2025.

Paul Swartz, a seasoned industry veteran, joins Atlas Travel as Executive Vice President, Business Development. Swartz brings decades of sales management and business development experience, with plans to drive growth and foster a high-performing sales culture at Atlas Travel.

Kerin McKinnon, a tenured leader behind Atlas Travel's achievements, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Global and Strategic Partnerships. Her extensive industry knowledge and success in cultivating strategic partnerships will elevate the company's position in the market. Additionally, as the newly appointed Board Chair of the Travel and Meeting Society (TAMS), McKinnon continues to leverage her expertise to advance the travel industry.

"We're thrilled to have such accomplished leaders on our team," said Lea Cahill, President of Atlas Travel & Technology Group. "Their expertise will undoubtedly propel Atlas Travel forward as we continue to expand our business development initiatives."

Enhanced Contact Center: Revolutionizing the Travel Booking Experience

Atlas Travel is at the forefront of travel management innovation, introducing groundbreaking upgrades to its contact center. As emerging technology continues to transform the workplace, Atlas Travel is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) within its contact center to analyze intent, urgency and sentiment. This AI tool empowers agents to quickly and accurately understand customer needs in real-time.

To further this innovation, the Recommendations Engine has been integrated to streamline the travel booking process. Developed in collaboration with Prime Numbers Technology, a travel analytics company and division of Atlas Travel & Technology Group, the system suggests relevant travel options based on customer preferences and previous bookings. This supports agents in resolving inquiries faster, ensuring a seamless booking experience.

"We are committed to providing our customers with the best possible travel experience," said Cahill. "These contact center upgrades demonstrate our dedication to innovation and customer service. By leveraging technology, we're redefining how travel is booked and managed."

Atlas Travel remains committed to investing in its leadership team and driving industry-leading innovation to deliver unparalleled service for continued growth and success in 2025 and the years ahead. Connect with us to learn more about our innovative contact center and how it can elevate your travel booking experience by visiting Atlas Travel's website.

Discover the future of travel management and experience the difference with Atlas Travel.

***

About Atlas Travel

Since 1986, Atlas Travel has provided easier travel and better management to companies around the globe. Part of Atlas Travel & Technology Group, Atlas Travel offers corporate travel, vacation planning and meetings and incentives services. Through a wholly owned UK division and affiliation with BCD Travel, Atlas Travel offers global travel programs to over 110 countries. Atlas Travel is proud to be a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBE), a distinguished member of the Travel Weekly Power List and most notably, certified as a B Corp business since 2021.

***

Contact Information

Shayla Peacock

Communications Coordinator

press@atlastravel.com

1-508-488-1223

SOURCE: Atlas Travel
QIMA, a leading provider of quality control and compliance solutions that empower businesses to ensure their products and supply chains meet the highest standards, today announced an investment from TA Associates ("TA"), a leading global private equity firm. This partnership aims to accelerate QIMA's ambitious growth plans and further disrupt the Testing, Inspection, and Certification ("TIC") industry through continued technology innovation, global expansion and strategic M&A.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320587274/en/

QIMA product safety testing laboratory

Founded in 2005, QIMA is a fast-growing global TIC company that assists over 30,000 clients in building trust in their products and suppliers. Active in the consumer goods, food and life sciences markets, QIMA offers a full suite of TIC services, including onsite product inspections, laboratory testing, sustainability and capability supplier audits, as well as product and system certification solutions. Today, QIMA supports over half of the world's 100 largest fast-moving consumer goods companies, in addition to global pharmaceutical labs and local food producers.

Since its inception, QIMA has invested heavily in developing an industry-leading technology platform, positioning the company as a digital pioneer in the sector. The infusion of capital and expertise from TA will enable QIMA to further enhance its technology and AI capabilities, delivering exceptional quality assurance and compliance services to its diverse client base.

"We are thrilled to welcome TA as our partner. They bring a unique mix of sharp intelligence, entrepreneurial spirit and a formidable drive that aligns perfectly with QIMA's vision and culture. I believe their involvement will be transformative, propelling QIMA into its next phase of growth," said Sebastien Breteau, Founder and CEO of QIMA. "As we start our journey with a new partner, I want to thank our previous investor CDPQ for their support and guidance over the past three years."

"We have long admired QIMA as a tech-enabled TIC platform and are excited to have the opportunity to work with Sebastien Breteau and his team to further develop the company into a global leader, both organically and inorganically. We believe there is significant opportunity for QIMA to expand its reach into new markets and build on its service offerings, all to the benefit of its customers," said Patrick Sader and Christopher Parkin, Managing Directors at TA, who will join QIMA's Board of Directors.

"We are proud to have supported QIMA in its global expansion and wish the company continued success as it embarks on a new chapter in partnership with TA," said Albrecht von Alvensleben, Managing Director and Head of Private Equity Europe at CDPQ.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals.

About QIMA

QIMA is more than a testing, inspection, certification, and compliance company: We are on a mission to offer clients smart solutions to make products consumers can trust. With a global reach spanning 100+ countries, QIMA serves the consumer products, food and life sciences industries, supporting more than 30,000 brands, retailers, manufacturers and food growers. The company combines on-the-ground expertise with digital solutions to bring accuracy and visibility for quality, safety and compliance data.

What sets QIMA apart is its unique culture: 6,000 employees live and make decisions every day by the QIMA Values. With client passion, integrity, and a commitment to making things simple, QIMA continues to disrupt the Testing, Inspection and Certification industry. For more information, visit www.qima.com

About TA Associates

TA is a leading global private equity firm focused on scaling growth in profitable companies. Since 1968, TA has invested in more than 560 companies across its five target industries technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer, and business services. Leveraging its deep industry expertise and strategic resources, TA collaborates with management teams worldwide to help high-quality companies deliver lasting value. The firm has raised $65 billion in capital to date and has over 150 investment professionals across offices in Boston, Menlo Park, Austin, London, Mumbai, and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.ta.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320587274/en/

Contacts:

TA Associates

Maggie Benoit

mbenoit@ta.com



QIMA

press@qima.com
FAIRFIELD, N.J., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Keypoint Intelligence is proud to announce its role as the Thought Leadership Partner for FESPA, sponsoring four key events from March 2025 through July 2026. Through this collaboration, Keypoint Intelligence will deliver expert research, thought leadership, and strategic insights to help industry professionals stay informed and make confident decisions as wide format printing, textile printing, production software, and other key areas in production print evolve. With the industry undergoing rapid transformation, this partnership will highlight the most pressing trends shaping the market, including:

AI & Automation - The role of artificial intelligence and automated workflows in streamlining production, enhancing efficiency, and driving profitability.

- The role of artificial intelligence and automated workflows in streamlining production, enhancing efficiency, and driving profitability. Digital Transformation - The continued shift from analog to digital technologies, unlocking new capabilities in speed, flexibility, and innovation across the print ecosystem.

- The continued shift from analog to digital technologies, unlocking new capabilities in speed, flexibility, and innovation across the print ecosystem. Sustainability - The growing emphasis on eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient production, and sustainable business models to meet regulatory and consumer demands.

- The growing emphasis on eco-friendly materials, energy-efficient production, and sustainable business models to meet regulatory and consumer demands. Workforce Challenges - The print industry is facing labor shortages as fewer workers enter the field, experienced professionals retire, and automation reshapes job roles, creating challenges in sourcing skilled talent and adapting to new workforce demands.

- The print industry is facing labor shortages as fewer workers enter the field, experienced professionals retire, and automation reshapes job roles, creating challenges in sourcing skilled talent and adapting to new workforce demands. Production Software & Workflow Optimization - The impact of advanced software solutions in enhancing print production, workflow automation, and business intelligence.

"At FESPA, our mission is to empower the global print community by providing access to the latest knowledge, innovations, and market trends," said Neil Felton, CEO of FESPA. "This partnership with Keypoint Intelligence allows us to enhance our thought leadership capabilities, ensuring that our global community, members of the specialty print and signage sectors, can gain deeper insights into the key forces shaping the future of print. AI, automation, digital transformation, sustainability, and workforce challenges are all major drivers of change, and through this collaboration, we aim to support businesses in making informed, strategic decisions."

Keypoint Intelligence will contribute to FESPA events through in-person and virtual speaking engagements, research reports, and ongoing content designed to inform and empower the industry.

"At Keypoint Intelligence, we provide the global print industry with the critical research, insights, and advisory expertise needed to navigate change and drive strategic growth," said Anthony Sci, President and CEO of Keypoint Intelligence. "Through our partnership with FESPA, we will deliver in-depth intelligence on the key trends shaping wide format printing, textile printing, production software, and other production print sectors. By leveraging our market data, independent analysis, and consulting expertise, we empower businesses with the knowledge to make informed decisions and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry."

The first event featuring Keypoint Intelligence as a Thought Leadership Partner will take place at the FESPA Global Print Expo 2025 in Berlin (May 6-9, 2025), with additional engagements continuing through July 2026. Industry professionals can stay informed about Keypoint Intelligence's latest insights and upcoming sessions by visiting Keypoint Intelligence.

Keypoint Intelligence's first speaker sessions under the partnership will be at FESPA's SmartHub Conference within Personalisation Experience 2025, which runs alongside FESPA Global Print Expo 2025. In the first session, Principal Analysts Lisa Brown and Johnny Shell will explore how AI-powered tools enhance creativity, reduce waste, improve workflow, and customer interaction, in their session titled: 'AI driven innovation transforming the print industry'. The second session, a roundtable titled: 'Discussion amongst industry experts around how automation is impacting the future of textile production', will highlight how automation is revolutionizing the way the apparel decoration industry operates, offering up greater efficiencies, faster turn around times, higher-quality end product and higher profit margins. Keypoint Intelligence Lab Director David Sweetnam will moderate as Marcel Ruffer, Founder, dtf-express GmbH; Colin March, CEO, Resolute DTG Ltd; Victor Cheung, TSR Director, S.E.C Accessories Ltd; and Johnny Shell, Principal Analyst - Textile & Apparel Printing Services, Keypoint Intelligence, share their insights. To find out more and register, visit: SmartHub Conference and Personalisation Experience, and use code PEXM505 to receive a discounted ticket price.

About Keypoint Intelligence

For over 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data, and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry's most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards due to decades of analyst experience.

About FESPA

Founded in 1962, FESPA is a global federation of Associations for the screen printing, digital printing and textile printing community. FESPA's dual aim is to promote screen printing and digital imaging and to share knowledge about screen and digital printing with its members across the world, helping them to grow their businesses and learn about the latest developments in their fast growing industries.?????

FESPA Profit for Purpose

Profit for Purpose is FESPA's international reinvestment programme, which uses revenue from FESPA events to support the global speciality print community to achieve sustainable and profitable growth through four key pillars - education, inspiration, expansion and connection. The programme delivers high quality products and services for printers worldwide, including market research, seminars, summits, congresses, educational guides and features, in addition to supporting grassroots projects in developing markets. For more information visit,?www.fespa.com/en/about/profit-for-purpose.

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DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global US Remote Patient Monitoring Market, valued at US$14.15 billion in 2024, is forecasted to grow at a robust CAGR of 12.8%, reaching US$29.13 billion by 2030. The growing number of elderly individuals and the increasing demand for cost-effective healthcare solutions are key drivers of the remote patient monitoring (RPM) market in the US. According to the Population Reference Bureau, US population aged 65 and older is expected to grow from 58 million in 2022 to 82 million by 2050, marking a 47% increase. During this period, the share of seniors in the total population is projected to rise from 17% to 23%. For example, US companies such as Boston Scientific Corporation, Abbott, and Dexcom enhance RPM through digital biomarkers and AI-driven analytics. Government initiatives, including Medicare reimbursement for RPM services and the CMS Hospital-at-Home program, further accelerate adoption.

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By Based on component, the US remote patient monitoring market has been segmented into devices, software and services. In 2023, device segment is estimated to hold the largest share in the US remote patient monitoring market. Recent innovations in the US remote patient monitoring (RPM) market such as in March 2024, Dexcom (US) receives FDA clearance for Stelo a glucose biosensor. The device is connected to a smartphone for continuous glucose monitoring. Furthermore, the American Hospital Association supports the remote care delivery across state lines. These initiatives collectively aim to enhance patient care through improved access and technology integration in healthcare systems

By patients' segment, the fastest growth in the US remote patient monitoring market due to the rising patient awareness, increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases rises, and growing preference for home health care. The advancements in wearable technology and mobile health applications have made it easier for patients to engage with their health data actively. For instance, in August 2023, GE HealthCare (US) received 510(k) clearance from the US FDA for its Portrait Mobile wireless and wearable monitoring solution that provides personalized view of patient vitals. The US RPM market is expanding further due to the rising demand for affordable healthcare solutions, especially as the aging population becomes increasingly comfortable with technology.

By Based on indication, the US remote patient monitoring market has been segmented into cardiology, diabetes, oncology, neurology, sleep disorders, wellness improvement, respiratory disorders, mental health, and other indications. The cardiology segment holds the largest share in the US remote patient monitoring market due to the increase in the cardiovascular diseases, and advancements in products that provide real-time cardiac data. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 2,300 people die from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) each day in the US alone and according to the WHO, every year, CVDs cause 17.9 million deaths worldwide. Further improvements, such as in June 2024, AliveCor, Inc. (US) announced FDA clearance for Kardia 12L ECG system that detect 35 cardiac determinations, including heart attacks, using a reduced lead set.

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Some of the prominent players in the US remote patient monitoring market includes GE HealthCare (US), Oracle (US), Boston Scientific Corporation (US), VitalConnect (US), Abbott (US), Optum, Inc (US), Blue Spark Technologies (US), Lightbeam (US) and others.

For more information, Inquire Now!

Related Reports:

Wearable Technology Market

Patient Monitoring Devices Market

Pulse Oximeter Market

Diagnostic Electrocardiograph Market

Fetal Monitoring Market

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Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: SEKZF) (FSE: Z7D) ("ESGold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the identification of rhodonite, a manganese silicate mineral (MnSiO3), at its Montauban Project. The discovery was made as part of a sampling program around the historical Montauban deposit and may hold geological significance, as it aligns Montauban with the signature mineralogy of Broken Hill-type (BHT) deposits.

Rhodonite: A Known Marker at Some High-Grade Sulphide Deposits

Rhodonite is a manganese-rich mineral that forms under high-temperature, low-pressure metamorphic conditions. While it is not a primary ore mineral, its presence is often indicative of structural deformation and remobilization, processes that can enhance the concentration of valuable metals such as lead, zinc, silver, and gold.

In BHT deposits, rhodonite is found in close association with argentiferous galena (silver-rich lead sulfide), sphalerite (zinc sulfide), and pyrrhotite (iron sulfide). Its occurrence at Montauban suggests that similar geological processes may have influenced the mineralization underlying the property, reinforcing the potential for previously unrecognized high-grade mineralization at depth.

Geological Context at Montauban

Rhodonite is rare in typical volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits but is a distinguishing feature of some high-grade lead-zinc-silver systems.

The mineral is typically associated with manganese enrichment, which is not a dominant characteristic of most VMS deposits but is present in BHT systems.

The presence of rhodonite indicates that deformation and remobilization may have been contributing factors to the mineralization model at Montauban, and that historical exploration may not have fully tested the deposit's potential.

Current exploration programs, including the ongoing Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT) survey, aim to model the subsurface mineralized structures and define potential high-priority drill targets.

Implications for Ongoing Exploration

The discovery of rhodonite at Montauban supports the hypothesis that the deposit may host deeper, high-grade zones beyond the historically mined near-surface material. Given that historical drill programs primarily tested depths of less than 50 m, the ongoing ANT survey will play a crucial role in determining the full extent of the mineralized system.

"The identification of rhodonite at Montauban provides important geological context for our exploration efforts," said Andre Gauthier, P.Geo., "In many high-grade lead-zinc-silver deposits, including Broken Hill, rhodonite has been recognized as a key indicator mineral associated with structurally controlled mineralization. This finding strengthens our understanding of Montauban's geology and will help guide future exploration efforts, particularly in targeting deeper, untested zones."

The Company would like to note that mineralogical observations are preliminary, and the interpretations based on them are conceptual. There is no certainty that further exploration or detailed studies will substantiate these preliminary observations or that the project's geological characteristics or mineralization will be economically viable.

Next Steps

Completion of the ANT Survey - Results from the 3D subsurface imaging program will provide insight into the scale of mineralized structures at Montauban.

- Results from the 3D subsurface imaging program will provide insight into the scale of mineralized structures at Montauban. Follow-Up Sampling & Structural Analysis - Additional sampling and structural mapping will further define the extent of rhodonite occurrences and their association with economic mineralization.

- Additional sampling and structural mapping will further define the extent of rhodonite occurrences and their association with economic mineralization. Drill Target Refinement - Pending the results of the ANT survey and additional geochemical work, ESGold will refine its drill targeting to test deeper mineralized zones.

The identification of rhodonite at Montauban marks an important step in refining the geological model of the deposit. The Company continues to integrate modern exploration technologies to unlock the full potential of the project, leveraging systematic geophysical and geochemical analysis.

Qualified Person Statement

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Langton, M.Sc., P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

Other Corporate News

Further to the Company's news release dated January 31, 2025, on February 11, 2025 the Company has closed its previously announced debt settlement totaling $126,578.89 owed to certain creditors of the Company in consideration for the issuance of an aggregate of 778,947 common shares in the capital of the Corporation (each, a "Settlement Share") at a deemed price of $0.1625 per Settlement Share.

All Settlement Shares are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance of the Settlement Shares in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities.

About ESGold Corp.

ESGold Corp. (CSE: ESAU) (OTCQB: SEKZF) (FSE: Z7D) is a fully permitted, pre-production resource company at the forefront of clean mining and exploration innovation. With proven expertise in Quebec, the Company is advancing its projects toward production and feasibility while delivering long-term value through sustainable resource recovery and exploration. ESGold's flagship Montauban property, located 80 kilometres west of Quebec City, serves as a model for responsible mining practices, combining near-term production with exploration potential.

For more information, please contact ESGold Corp. at +1-888-673-1231 or visit esgold.com for additional resources, including a French version of this press release, past news releases, a 3D model of the Montauban processing plant, media interviews, and opinion-editorial pieces.

Stay connected by following us on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and joining our Telegram channel.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider 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/245414

SOURCE: ESGold Corp.
Acquisition expands the company's presence in Healthcare, BFSI, and Utilities sectors in the US

ResultsCX, a provider of Customer Experience Management (CXM) services to leading global companies including several Fortune 100 and FTSE 250 firms, has acquired Aucera. Formerly known as DialAmerica, Aucera is one of the largest privately owned Customer Experience Management companies in the United States. With this addition, ResultsCX grows its US presence and strengthens its service capabilities in core verticals including Healthcare, BFSI, and Utilities.

"ResultsCX's acquisition of Aucera marks the next step in a strategic global expansion that is foundational to our long-term business objectives. With this acquisition, we will now touch one in every three American lives in the Healthcare sector. This impact is even more profound when you factor in all our core verticals," said Rajesh Subramaniam, CEO of ResultsCX. "Having made several successful acquisitions over the past few years, we have proven that we understand the process and how to seamlessly integrate new teams while providing the support and encouragement to ensure that those who join us thrive and advance in their careers. We look forward to welcoming over 1,200 of Aucera's skilled employees to the global ResultsCX team."

Aucera is the latest in a series of acquisitions which include UK-based Huntswood in 2024, Ireland-based Zevas Communications in 2023, and Bulgaria-based 60K in 2022. Over the last three years, ResultsCX has invested over $200M in organic and inorganic growth that has fueled expansion to a global footprint of nine countries, 24,000+ employees, and 130+ clients. These investments have enabled the company to add differentiated capabilities, expand into new markets, and invest in leading-edge technology to drive its transformation agenda and deliver improved outcomes to its clients.

"Each new partnership brings with it valuable learnings and growth opportunities for all involved," said Akshat Babbar, Managing Director at ChrysCapital and a member of the Board of ResultsCX. "The acquisition of Aucera strengthens the core Healthcare vertical at ResultsCX while expanding their presence in other sectors."

ResultsCX will build upon Aucera's six+ decades of US-based expertise in customer experience, growth services, and member acquisition with a full complement of nearshore and offshore capabilities. In addition to its global scale, clients will benefit from ResultsCX's digital offerings and technology including omnichannel customer experience, AI/GenAI, ML, and predictive analytics.

"At the heart of any successful business are the people who drive it forward, and Aucera has built a culture of collaboration and excellence," said Christopher Conway, CEO of Aucera. "We've been searching for the right partner, one that aligns with our values and our goals, and ResultsCX is the perfect fit. This partnership brings together best practices from both organizations and empowers us to scale effectively for our customers while preserving the strong culture we've built for our teams."

About ResultsCX

ResultsCX is a leading provider of transformational Customer Experience Management (CXM) solutions to 130+ global brands, including Fortune 100 and FTSE 250 companies. For 30+ years, we have been driving superior customer and business outcomes for brands across Healthcare, Media, Telecom, Fast Growth technology, Retail, Banking and Financial Services, and other industries globally.

Our award-winning approach helps brands prioritize investments and build digitally influenced customer journeys, creating high-value impact across three areas: Revenue Acceleration, Cost Optimization, and Enhanced Experience. Supported by 24,000+ colleagues and 23 engagement hubs worldwide, our innovative solutions and services solve persistent customer experience challenges, making life easier for millions of consumers. For more information about ResultsCX and its award-winning customer experience solutions, please visit www.resultscx.com.

ResultsCX is backed by ChrysCapital, a $6 billion AUM India-based private equity firm. A highly experienced investor in the Enterprise Technology space, ChrysCapital has successfully invested in high-growth companies such as Infosys, Infogain, GeBBS HCL, Mphasis, LTI, Hexaware and Spectramind.

Aucera was represented by Trevor Allen and the Yellowstone Capital Advisors investment banking team.

ResultsCX: LinkedIn; Twitter

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320216836/en/

Contacts:

Media:

Karina Stabile

Aria Marketing for ResultsCX

(516) 317-5835

kstabile@ariamarketing.com
Rittal, one of the world's leading system providers of electrical enclosures, power distribution, climate control, IT infrastructure, software and services, has confirmed JAGGAER for its procurement processes. From sourcing and contract management to order management, supplier relationship and complaint management, JAGGAER's solutions support Rittal in optimizing its procurement processes.

The company, headquartered in Herborn, Hesse, initially selected JAGGAER's platform JAGGAER One in 2011. The primary goal was to optimize procurement processes, eliminate heterogeneous process structures and data silos, and increase quality and transparency through a centralized information base. The software solutions previously employed had become outdated and were unable to fully meet Rittal's ambitious requirements for strategic procurement. When selecting a new tool, the global player prioritized a comprehensive and needs-based feature set as well as future-proof modularity. Another key criterion was multilingual capability, which ensures seamless deployment across Rittal's international locations. JAGGAER's source-to-pay platform met all these criteria, ultimately winning the contract.

Rittal's day-to-day operations benefitted immediately: "We rapidly noticed that JAGGAER was able to quickly deliver results, demonstrating the value of the investment to stakeholders while supporting the achievement of our long-term goals," says Bjorn Jacobi, Director Global Commodity Management at Rittal GmbH Co. KG. Focusing on the procurement of direct materials, the company initially implemented JAGGAER One for order management and RFQs. Over time, the use of the software was gradually extended to other modules. Today, Rittal leverages JAGGAER for sourcing, contracts, orders, supplier relationship and complaint management. Specifically, the company has currently integrated more than 3,000 suppliers into JAGGAER One and processed more than 207,000 orders. Rittal therefore now has a single source of truth for all supplier information, which can be easily accessed by its international subsidiaries.

Optimized Risk Management and Improved CSRD ESG Compliance

JAGGAER also supports Rittal in other key areas such as risk management, EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and ESG compliance. To this end, the platform is integrated with Sphera's risk management solution and IntegrityNext for supply chain monitoring. This allows users to access supplier questionnaires directly from the IntegrityNext platform within JAGGAER One and instantly assess compliance and sustainability performance using a traffic light system. Rittal also uses a self-assessment tool as part of its supplier onboarding process to evaluate ESG capabilities. In addition to standard details such as price, quantity and delivery date, suppliers are required to provide information on the country of origin of materials and other ESG-related criteria. Supplier assessment in JAGGAER One also allows Rittal to easily generate annual reports and track monthly KPI developments for each supplier. This significantly increases transparency and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements.

Future-Proof Positioning

Rittal now benefits from significantly streamlined processes. Bjorn Jacobi summarizes the partnership as follows: "Thanks to its versatility, JAGGAER is an ideal tool that provides us with the right solutions to remain future proof. This ensures that the company is well equipped to meet both current and future requirements. With this in mind, Rittal is currently working to extend the use of JAGGAER One and the availability of all modules internationally."

"JAGGAER is proud to have been part of Rittal's success story since 2011 and to support the company with our solutions in achieving its strategic goals now and in the future," says Jochen Kruger, Vice President Germany, Austria Switzerland at JAGGAER.

About JAGGAER

JAGGAER is a global leader in enterprise procurement and supplier collaboration, and the catalyst for enhancing human decision-making to accelerate business outcomes. We help organizations to manage and automate complex processes while enabling their highly resilient, accountable, and integrated supplier base. Backed by 30 years of expertise, our proven AI-powered industry-specific solutions, services, and partnerships form JAGGAER One, serving direct and indirect, upstream, and downstream, in settings demanding an intelligent and comprehensive source-to-pay solution. Our 1,200 global employees are obsessed with helping customers create value, transform their businesses, and accelerate their journey to Autonomous Commerce.

For more information, visit www.jaggaer.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320230047/en/

Contacts:

Josephine Ornago

OutspokenPR for JAGGAER

josephine@outspokenpr.com

+39 320 2921051
New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Apex Group Ltd. ("the Group"), the leading global financial services provider, has appointed Regina Gannon as Global Chief Business Development Officer. In this role, Regina will drive global business growth by building deep relationships with key clients, enhancing engagement with industry partners, collaborating on product development and go-to-market strategies, and setting commercial priorities for the business.

Based in New York, this strategic role follows several other senior leadership appointments made by Apex Group in the U.S., including a newly appointed Chief Product Officer and Global Head of Transformation. The combined hires mark a foundational cornerstone as Apex Group continues to expand its U.S. presence, while bolstering its global product offerings and spearheading digital transformation across the financial services industry.

Gannon has 30 plus years of extensive experience in the financial services industry, with a proven track record of driving growth through strong, advisory-based relationships with institutional clients. Her background spans capital markets, investor services, investment management, risk management, and fund raising; focusing on both traditional and alternative asset classes. Prior to joining Apex Group, Gannon most recently served as Managing Director and Head of BlackRock's Private Credit Investor Relations/Product Strategy team. While at BlackRock, she also led BlackRock's Aladdin client business in the Americas, building relationships with the company's largest insurance, pension fund, endowment, corporate treasury, and asset management clients across in the US, Latin America and Canada. Regina has previously held senior level business development, client relationship, and sales roles at firms including J.P. Morgan, UBS Investment Bank, and Merrill Lynch.

Speaking on her appointment, Regina Gannon, Global Chief Business Development Officer, said: "I'm thrilled to be joining Apex Group. This is an organisation that is uniquely positioned to be a global market leader given its ability to innovate and transform the fund services landscape for the Alternatives market. I'm excited to leverage both my own expertise as well as the strength and breadth of Apex Group's platform to deliver global solutions for our clients."

Georges Archibald, Chief Commercial Officer at Apex Group, said: "We welcome Regina to Apex Group as Global Chief Business Development Officer. Her extensive experience in financial markets will enhance our ability to serve clients and drive global growth as a single-source solution provider across the investment lifecycle."

Regina Gannon joined Apex Group in February 2025.

-ends-

Notes to editors

About Apex Group

Apex Group is dedicated to driving positive change in financial services while supporting the growth and ambitions of asset managers, allocators, financial institutions, and family offices. Established in Bermuda in 2003, the Group has continually disrupted the industry through its investment in innovation and talent.

Today, Apex Group sets the pace in fund and asset servicing and stands out for its unique single-source solution and unified cross asset-class platform which supports the entire value chain, harnesses leading innovative technology, and benefits from cross-jurisdictional expertise delivered by a long-standing management team and over 13,000 highly integrated professionals.

Apex Group leads the industry with a broad and unmatched range of services, including capital raising, business and corporate management, fund and investor administration, portfolio and investment administration, ESG, capital markets and transactions support. These services are tailored to each client and are delivered both at the Group level and via specialist subsidiary brands.

The Apex Foundation, a not-for-profit entity, is the Group's passionate commitment to empower sustainable change.

www.apexgroup.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245413

SOURCE: Apex Group
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Jennifer Campbell, a partner and Chair of the Securities Law Department at Fogler Rubinoff LLP is pleased to announce her participation as a speaker at the inaugural Women in PR North America WorkWell Conference, taking place on May 7, 2025 at the Old Mill Toronto during Women's Health Month.





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The WorkWell Conference is a premier event designed to empower professionals in public relations, media, investor relations, and business to accelerate growth while prioritizing career success, wellbeing, and innovation.

Hosted by the Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations, the conference brings together top industry professionals to discuss strategies for leadership, resilience, and growth in today's dynamic business environment.



Ms. Campbell will be speaking on matters relating to thriving under pressure, alongside a distinguished lineup of industry experts. This session will explore how industry leaders prioritize health and well-being, offering attendees actionable insights and strategies to navigate challenges and drive success in their careers and businesses.

"I am honoured to join the inaugural WorkWell Conference, and to have the opportunity to share insights to help manage the modern day 'urgency culture' as we strive to find joy and balance in the workplace", stated Ms. Campbell.

The conference agenda includes three keynote presentations and five expert-led panels with over 20 speakers on leadership, health and wellbeing, emotional intelligence, creativity, personal branding, media and public relations.

To mark Canadian Women in Public Relations 10-year business anniversary, the event will also feature an evening reception, providing attendees with a unique opportunity to network with event speakers and connect with fellow professionals in a relaxed and celebratory setting.

Tickets for Women in PR North America's WorkWell Conference 2025 are available now on womeninpr.com and through Eventbrite.

About Jennifer Campbell

Ms. Campbell is a corporate and securities lawyer and Chair of the Securities Law Department at Fogler Rubinoff LLP. She acts for both companies and registered dealers in a broad range of industries and has over 25 years' experience, with particular expertise working with junior issuers listed on the TSX Venture Exchange and Canadian Securities Exchange. She currently sits on the TSX Venture Exchange Ontario Advisory Committee and has previously contributed as a legal commentator on CBC Metro Morning and for the Globe and Mail and CBC Investigative Reports series. She is an adjunct professor at Brock University as well as a frequent lecturer at Osgoode Hall Law School. Ms. Campbell has also been appointed by the Ministry of the Attorney General as a part-time adjudicator on the Ontario Land Tribunal. She has been recognized in the Canadian Legal LEXPERT Rankings and by The Best Lawyers in Canada and holds degrees from the University of Toronto (BA), the University of Western Ontario (LLB), Osgoode Hall Law School (LLM) and the University of Florida (MSc).



About Women in PR North America

Canadian Women in Public Relations Ltd. (Women in PR Canada) and American Women in Public Relations (Women in PR USA) is an influential network of leading businesswomen striving for excellence in the field of public relations. Together, the organizations form the networking group Women in PR North America.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245295

SOURCE: The Organization of Canadian Women in Public Relations Ltd.
Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited (Channel or Channel Infrastructure) (NZX: CHI ) announces that director Paul Zealand will retire from the Board at the next Annual Shareholders Meeting in May 2025, after nearly 9 years on the Board.

Mr Zealand was appointed to the Board in August 2016 and is scheduled to retire by rotation under the NZX Listing Rules at this years Annual Shareholders Meeting. Mr Zealand has served as the Chair of the Boards Health, Safety, Environment and Operations Committee, and was also Manager Director of the Company for a three-month period in 2020.

Board Chair, James Miller said:

Paul has made an enormous contribution to the Company during his nearly 9-year tenure on the Board. He has brought world-class experience and expertise in high hazard facilities management as well as unparalleled oil and energy sector expertise. His leadership of the Health, Safety, Environment and Operations Committee has been truly outstanding, and he has supported the Company and all its staff for many years in delivering high-performing operations combined with an excellent safety culture at Marsden Point. Pauls passion for Channel is second to none, and I join with my fellow directors in thanking Paul for all he has given to Channel and its people over many years and wish him the very best for the future.

Paul Zealand said: I am very proud of what the Company has achieved in completing the conversion of its business and operations, while always maintaining its commitment to safety and world-class operations. Channels transformation and performance has been enabled by the leadership of successive chief executives and operational leaders who continue to show deep ownership of the business and their teams. The Company is now well positioned to pursue a range of exciting growth opportunities, and I wish the Channel team every success in the future.

Board refresh process

When the Company presented the import terminal conversion proposal to shareholders for voting in 2021, it noted at the time that future reviews of the size and composition of the Board will take account of the different scope of the Companys activities. In conjunction with the transition to the simpler operating model as an import terminal (approved by shareholders by 99% of the votes in favour), the Board has undertaken a refresh and succession process with the intent of establishing a smaller, more efficient Board with a mix of skills and experience aligned with the Companys new strategy. Reflecting this intent, following the retirement of Mr Zealand and Vanessa Stoddart, whose retirement from the Board at the forthcoming shareholders meeting after more than 11 years service was announced in October 2024, the Board size will reduce to six members. Three new directors have joined the Board in the last 15 months including Andrew Brewer, who brings world-class operations experience in fuel terminals and heavy manufacturing and will chair the Health, Safety, Environment and Operations Committee following Paul Zealands retirement, Felicity Underhill, who has expertise in lower-carbon future fuels, and most recently Angela Bull, who has deep experience in large-scale industrial property development and will provide invaluable expertise as Channel continues to progress the Marsden Point Energy Precinct concept.

James Miller added:

With the import terminal conversion successfully completed, now is the right time to move to a six-member Board, with a new mix of skills and experience aligned with the Companys strategy of world-class import terminal operations and pursuit of growth opportunities, including the development of the Marsden Point Energy Precinct. Im confident we have the right size Board and mix of skills, experience and tenure across the directors to support the management team to deliver on our strategy and Channels ambitions for the future.

2025 Annual Shareholders Meeting

Channels 2025 Annual Shareholders Meeting will be held on 23 May 2025. For the purposes of NZX Listing Rule 2.3.2(a), the closing date for director nominations is 5pm on 3 April 2025. Nominations may only be made by a shareholder entitled to attend and vote at the meeting. Any nominations should be forwarded to:

The Company Secretary

Channel Infrastructure NZ Limited

Private Bag 9024

Whangarei

- ENDS -

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Brisbane, Queensland, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd. (TSXV: GMG) ("GMG" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced bought deal offering of 7,245,000 units (the "Units") at a price of C$0.80 per Unit (the "Offering Price") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of C$5,796,000, which includes the exercise in full of the Underwriters' (as defined below) over-allotment option for 945,000 Units (the "Offering").

Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and one common share purchase warrant (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall be exercisable into one additional common share of the Company for a period of 36 months from the closing of the Offering at an exercise price of C$1.10.

Under the Offering, Ventum Financial Corp. acted as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including Red Cloud Securities Inc. (the "Underwriters") pursuant to the underwriting agreement entered into between the Underwriters and the Company dated March 14, 2025.

The Offering was completed pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated March 14, 2025 to the short form base shelf prospectus of the Company dated March 7, 2025 in each of the provinces of Canada (except Quebec), in the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and applicable state securities laws and other jurisdictions outside of Canada and the United States on an exempt basis, provided that the issuance of the Units (including the underlying securities) is permitted under laws applicable to the Company (including the Australian Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to expand its production capacity to increase sales, continue ongoing research and development to progress the Graphene Aluminium-Ion Battery with the Battery Innovation Center of Indiana, prepare to uplist on a major United States exchange and working capital and general corporate purposes.

In connection with the Offering, the Company paid the Underwriter a cash commission equal to 7% of the gross proceeds of the Offering and issued to the Underwriter such number of compensation warrants as is equal to 7% of the number of Units sold pursuant to the Offering (the "Compensation Warrants"). Each Compensation Warrant is exercisable into a Unit Share at the Offering Price until 36 months from the closing of the Offering.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons as defined under Regulation S, unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About GMG:

GMG is an Australian based clean-technology company which develops, makes and sells energy saving and energy storage solutions, enabled by graphene manufactured via in house production process. GMG uses its own proprietary production process to decompose natural gas (i.e. methane) into its natural elements, carbon (as graphene), hydrogen and some residual hydrocarbon gases. This process produces high quality, low cost, scalable, 'tuneable' and low/no contaminant graphene suitable for use in clean-technology and other applications.

The Company's present focus is to de-risk and develop commercial scale-up capabilities, and secure market applications. In the energy savings segment, GMG has initially focused on graphene enhanced heating, ventilation and air conditioning ("HVAC-R") coating (or energy-saving coating) which is now being marketed into other applications including electronic heat sinks, industrial process plants and data centres. Another product GMG has developed is the graphene lubricant additive focused on saving liquid fuels initially for diesel engines.

In the energy storage segment, GMG and the University of Queensland are working collaboratively with financial support from the Australian Government to progress R&D and commercialization of graphene aluminium-ion batteries ("G+AI Batteries"). GMG has also developed a graphene additive slurry that is aimed to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries.

GMG's 4 critical business objectives are:

Produce Graphene and improve/scale cell production processes Build Revenue from Energy Savings Products Develop Next-Generation Battery Develop Supply Chain, Partners & Project Execution Capability

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, the business objectives, focus and strategy of the Company; ongoing R&D of the Company; the anticipated use of proceeds of the Offering; the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions of management, including, without limitation, expectations and assumptions concerning the business objectives of the Company; the Company's ability to carry out current planned capital projects, research and development, manufacturing, production, sales and marketing programs for its graphene and graphene-enhanced products and solutions; receipt of all necessary approvals the Company's ability to list Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange; the Company's performance and general business and economic conditions.

Additionally, forward-looking information involves a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of GMG to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation: overall economic conditions, technical de-risking and market acceptance for the Company's products and solutions; the introduction of competing technologies or products; stock market volatility; environmental and regulatory requirements; competitive pressures; change in market conditions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward looking statements; risks relating to the extent and duration of the conflict in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and its impact on global markets, the volatility of global capital markets, political instability, the failure of the Company to obtain regulatory approvals, attract and retain skilled personnel, unexpected development and production challenges, unanticipated costs and the risk factors set out under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form dated October 3, 2024 available for review on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

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 reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE U.S. NEWSWIRE OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245420

SOURCE: Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd.
This Women's Month, Bacardi shines a spotlight on Luz Irizarry, a talented female Maestro-in-training, as she steps into her new role as a BACARDl rum blender

Luz Irizarry, a talented female Maestro-in-training, as she steps into her new role as a BACARDl Rum Blender, continuing a legacy of craftsmanship and passion in the rum industry.

Bacardi is proud to have four female Maestros shaping the future of the industry and its drinks . Through its Next Generation Blenders Club, Bacardi nurtures future talent, including incredible women who are training to become the next Maestros for the Bacardi portfolio of premium brands.

This Women's Month, Bacardi spotlights one such 'Maestro in training' - Luz Irizarry - who this month takes on the prestigious title of BACARDl rum blender. Here she shares how she honed her skills and harnessed her passion for science to create an exciting and rewarding career in spirits.

What's a typical day like for you?

Every day is different - and that's what I love about it. I get to call the amazing BACARDl rum distillery in Catano, Puerto Rico my 'office' - the largest premium rum distillery in the world - that's tough to beat! On a typical day I might be tasting our latest rum to check it meets our exceptional standards for taste and quality, or I'm getting oak barrels ready to be filled with our secret BACARDl rum recipe that's been passed down over seven generations. Nothing tops that smell of the aging warehouse where our rums age under the Caribbean sun.

Every day is a new adventure. Some days work like magic and other days bring a new opportunity to continue learning and growing.

What was your path to becoming a BACARDl rum blender?

It's been a 20-year journey to this point, and I've enjoyed every moment of it. It all started with getting my Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Biology and Chemistry, before I joined Bacardi as a Quality Control Lab analyst. Since then, I've worked across every step of the rum production process - from fermentation and distillation to aging and blending - gaining in-depth knowledge of each. Every day, I gain more appreciation of the beautiful balance between art and science involved in making our incredible rum.

For the last four years I have been training under Global Master Blender for BACARDl, Troy Arquiza and this month, I was promoted to a blender. It's such a huge honor to hold this title and massive recognition of the work I've done to learn my craft.

When you started out in science, did you picture yourself here?

Honestly no, I didn't picture myself working in the spirits industry, much less becoming a BACARDl rum blender. When I decided to study science, I wanted to be a doctor. Later in my life, I decided to work in the pharmaceutical industry. In 2005, I had the opportunity to work at Bacardi as a Quality Control Lab analyst and it was love at first "preparation of a testing sample" for me! I didn't look back.

What is your favorite thing about the job?

I really love the process of blending and balancing the rum, from each nosing, tasting, mixing, through to the giving my final seal of approval on a batch. Added to that, it may sound crazy, but I still get goosebumps every time I see a bottle of BACARDl in the liquor store or being used at a bar. As part of the blending team, we put so much work and craftmanship into each bottle, so it's a very satisfying experience to see people enjoying our beautiful rum.

What is the best advice you've ever received?

"One day at a time." This is powerful advice that helps and guides me every day. Sometimes we get lost in an intense moment and find things a bit more challenging, but a solution is always around the corner.

Then, comes the second-best advice I received - "family always comes first". This advice not only applies to our personal life, but to our work life too. Bacardi is family-owned and Family is one of our cultural pillars so we all treat each other that way and it honestly adds so much to the quality of my work and the enjoyment I get from my job.

How do you pay it forward to other women?

My work ethics, disposition and dedication can serve as an example for others, and I hope it entices other women to challenge themselves to be the best in their field and who knows, even to take on the challenging but highly rewarding path to becoming a rum blender.

I am also part of Women Leading Rum which is an organization all about acknowledging the contribution of women to the rum industry and creating opportunity for professional exchange to support other women working in rum.

What's your advice to other women wanting to work in crafting spirits?

Believe that your capability, your knowledge and experience is a voice that can make a difference in the crafting world. With hard work, discipline and passion, as well as taking every lesson and learning you can as you go along - it goes a long way to helping you achieve your goals.

View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bacardi-Martini, Inc. on 3blmedia.com.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Bacardi-Martini, Inc.

Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/bacardi-limited

Email: info@3blmedia.com

SOURCE: Bacardi-Martini, Inc.
If you or someone you know is dealing with cataract surgery, sorting through the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming. Reliable details aren't always easy to find, which is exactly why the Swiss Virtual Clinic was created by Swiss Advanced Vision (SAV-IOL SA). This first-of-its-kind online platform offers tailored access for both patients and eyecare professionals, making it simpler than ever to access the right information in one place.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320758061/en/

Cataract surgery is one of the most common eye procedures, yet for many patients, it still feels like a mystery. The Swiss Virtual Clinic makes things clearer with an easy-to-use interface that explains the procedure, potential concerns, and what to expect all for free on sav-iol.com.

For eyecare professionals, keeping up with the latest in cataract surgery can be a challenge. From available tools to technical queries, finding information takes time time that could be better spent focusing on patients. The newly launched Swiss Virtual Clinic offers a dedicated section, packed with valuable resources to support their work. And the best part? It's designed to be intuitive and regularly updated so professionals can find exactly what they need when they need it. Since this pro section contains specialized medical content, users will need to register to ensure that only experts in the field can engage with the materials.

This launch is a major evolution and reinforces SAV-IOL's portfolio built on innovation, quality, and precision. "And it marks just the beginning. More features are already in the pipeline as we continue adapting to the evolving needs of ophthalmic surgeons and their patients," says Alexandre Pascarella, CEO of Swiss Advanced Vision

If you're an eyecare professional looking to save time and streamline your practice, now's the perfect moment to join the Swiss Virtual Clinic. Subscriptions are open on sav-iol.com! For those attending the APAO Congress this year, there's an opportunity to experience exclusive insights firsthand. From 3rd to 6th April, Swiss Advanced Vision will be showcasing the latest innovation at its booth in New Delhi

Since 2009, SAV-IOL develops and markets advanced EDOF IOLs globally. Its LUCIDIS and EDEN lenses, powered by Instant Focus technology, provide continuous vision from near to intermediate and far distances.

The Swiss Virtual Clinic opens the door to brand new tailored services accompanying surgeons and their medical teams as well as patients to approach cataract surgery in a truly disruptive way.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320758061/en/

Contacts:

Hulya AYDIN

Brand Marketing Manager

hulya.aydin@sav-iol.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Maritime Resources Corp. (TSXV: MAE) ("Maritime" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that in connection with its previously announced best efforts private placement offering (the "Offering"), the Company and Paradigm Capital Inc. ("Paradigm"), as lead agent and sole bookrunner, for and on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the "Agents") have agreed to increase the size of the Offering. The Company will now issue up to 266,700,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.075 per Unit for total gross proceeds of up to $20,002,500. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Unit Share") and one half of one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Warrant Share") for 24 months from the Closing Date (as defined below) at an exercise price of $0.12 per Warrant Share. As previously announced, Mr. Eric Sprott has agreed to invest approximately $4,000,000 in the Offering, for the acquisition of 53,333,333 Units. Dundee Corporation has also agreed to increase their investment to approximately $8,800,000 in the Offering for the acquisition of 117,348,000 Units. In connection with the upsize of the Offering, the Company and Paradigm have also agreed that the previously announced Agents' Option (as such term is defined in the press release of the Company dated March 19, 2025) shall no longer apply to the Offering.

The Agents will be paid by the Company on closing of the Offering a cash commission equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, other than in respect of sales of up to $1,000,000 to certain directors and officers of the Company or their related entities (the "President's List") for which the Company shall pay a commission equal to 3%.

The Agents will also receive on the Closing Date compensation options (the "Compensation Options") entitling the Agents to acquire that number of common shares equal to 6% of the number of Units issued pursuant to the Offering, at an exercise price of $0.075, exercisable for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date, other than in respect of sales to the President's List for which the Agents shall be entitled to that number of common shares equal to 3% of the number of Units issued to investors on the President's List.

The net proceeds from the Offering will be used for exploration and development, and general working capital purposes.

The Offering will be conducted in all provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to private placement exemptions, in the United States pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), and in such other jurisdictions as are agreed to by the Company and the Agents. The Offering is expected to close on or about April 9, 2025 (the "Closing Date") and will be subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, including the listing of the Unit Shares and Warrant Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day.

The securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor may there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Maritime Resources Corp.

Maritime (TSXV: MAE) (OTC Pink: MRTMF) is a gold exploration and development company focused on advancing the Hammerdown Gold Project in the Baie Verte District of Newfoundland and Labrador, a top tier global mining jurisdiction. Maritime holds a 100% interest directly and subject to option agreements entitling it to earn 100% ownership in the Green Bay Property which includes the former Hammerdown gold mine and the Orion gold project. Maritime controls over 439 km2 of exploration land including the Green Bay, Whisker Valley, Gull Ridge and Point Rousse projects. Mineral processing assets owned by Maritime in the Baie Verte mining district include the Pine Cove mill and the Nugget Pond gold circuit.

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Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is "forward-looking information" within the meaning of National Instrument 51-102 - Continuous Disclosure Obligations of the Canadian Securities Administrators. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may also be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "targets", "estimates", "plans", "expects", "may", "will", "could" or "would". 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. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation, statements with respect to the ultimate size of the Offering, the number of Units to be subscribed for by Mr. Eric Sprott and Dundee Corporation, the Company meeting all conditions for a timely closing of the Offering, including obtaining all required approvals, the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, and the proposed closing date of the Offering, among others. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof, and is based on the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSXV 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.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245434

SOURCE: Maritime Resources Corp.
Press release

Paris, 20 March 2025

Exail Technologies has signed a new contract for the supply of a transoceanic DriX surface drone with a European institutional player. This client is already equipped with several drones from the group, including the first model of DriX H-8. The client's satisfaction with the use of the group's solutions has led them to strengthen their operational capabilities with the DriX 0-16 model, the largest drone in Exail's range. This contract represents a significant amount for the Group.

After a first commercial success for this new model in the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2024, this second sale confirms the good positioning of the transoceanic DriX model. In a context where maritime operators are moving towards more autonomous and environmentally friendly solutions, the DriX O-16 supports this evolution by offering an efficient and low-carbon alternative to conventional manned vessels.

Integrated into the client's fleet alongside other already operational drones, the DriX O-16 will enable the client to carry out advanced multi-drone collaboration missions thanks to Exail's acoustic communication equipment and navigation systems. It will provide high-resolution seabed mapping and precise environmental monitoring in complex maritime conditions.

Since December 2024, the commercialization of DriX surface drones has been dynamic: Exail has sold five DriX drone systems, including two DriX O-16, for civil applications in different regions of the world. In total, these sales represent nearly 30 million for the group.

Beyond civil applications, some navies are conducting trials to use surface drones for defense applications. This is notably the case of the French Navy, which took control of the DriX from the Toulon base in March 2025 (link to the press release issued by the French Navy).

About Exail Technologies

Exail Technologies is an industrial company specializing in high technologies in the field of autonomous robotics with vertical integration of its activities. The group offers complex systems of drones, navigation, as well as products for aerospace and photonics. Exail Technologies ensures performance, reliability, and security for its civil and military clients operating in harsh environments and generates its revenue in nearly 80 countries.

Exail Technologies is listed on Euronext Paris Compartment B (EXA) and is part of the Euronext Tech Leaders segment, which includes over 110 leading or high-growth tech companies in their fields.

www.exail-technologies.com

Contacts : Investors Relations

Hugo Soussan

Tel. +33 (0)1 44 77 94 86

h.soussan@ exail-technologies.com



Anne-Pauline Petureaux

Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 72

apetureaux@actus.fr Media Relations

Manon Clairet

Tel. +33 (0)1 53 67 36 73

mclairet@actus.fr

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BANGALORE, India, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AI and Automation Software Market is Segmented by Type (Marketing Automation, Manufacturing Automation, Business Automation), by Application (Industry, Business).

The market size of AI and Automation Software in 2024 is about 86,000 million, and the compound annual growth rate in the next few years is about 24%.

In order to maintain its leading position, the United States will increase its investment in artificial intelligence research and development in non-defense fields, from USD 1.6 billion to USD 1.7 billion in 2022.

The Digital Europe plan adopted by the European Union will allocate 9.2 billion on high-tech investments, such as supercomputing, artificial intelligence, and network security. According to the latest data released by IDC, global artificial intelligence revenue was USD 432.8 billion in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 19.44%, including software, hardware and services.

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Major Factors Driving the Growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation Software Market:

The A.I. and automation software market is poised for ongoing growth as more industries embrace data-driven methodologies and machine intelligence. From manufacturing automation that enhances productivity to sophisticated marketing solutions that optimize consumer engagement, these tools streamline processes and generate tangible results. Over time, improvements in algorithmic capabilities and infrastructure availability further amplify the potential of such software. Emerging players bring fresh ideas, fostering competition and spurring technical innovation. As skill gaps narrow and deployment costs become more manageable, businesses of all sizes integrate A.I. and automation across their operations. In turn, this widespread adoption transforms entire value chains, driving efficiency, reducing errors, and encouraging sustainable expansion for organizations in diverse markets worldwide.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE AI AND AUTOMATION SOFTWARE MARKET:

Marketing automation is a key driver of growth within the A.I. and automation software market, as businesses seek data-driven insights to streamline their promotional strategies. Automated tools help organizations manage campaigns, analyze consumer behavior, and personalize outreach with minimal manual intervention. By integrating machine learning algorithms, these systems generate predictive analytics, enabling teams to anticipate trends and optimize marketing spend. Consequently, faster decision-making and improved resource allocation become possible, enhancing overall campaign performance. As companies grow more reliant on digital engagement, the ability to automate repetitive tasks frees marketers to focus on creative and strategic efforts. This synergy between marketing automation and advanced A.I. capabilities continues to expand adoption across various sectors worldwide, fueling market expansion.

Manufacturing automation significantly propels the A.I. and automation software market by optimizing production lines, reducing errors, and minimizing downtime. Automated systems employing robotics, computer vision, and machine learning can perform tasks that previously required manual labor or were prone to errors. This leads to consistent quality, higher throughput, and better safety for workers. Real-time analytics also enable predictive maintenance, helping organizations address equipment issues before they escalate into costly shutdowns. By leveraging automation software, manufacturers boost efficiency, control costs, and respond rapidly to market demands. As technology advances, the ability to integrate data from sensors, supply chains, and end-user feedback becomes a critical advantage. Thus, manufacturing automation remains a core factor spurring A.I. and automation software growth.

Consumer habits change rapidly in the digital age, with people expecting near-instant gratification, personalized interactions, and seamless online experiences. A.I. and automation solutions help organizations meet these growing demands by analyzing large data sets, predicting trends, and automating customer touchpoints. The ability to deliver timely, tailored services fosters customer loyalty and boosts overall satisfaction. As markets grow more saturated, standing out requires accurate insights into consumer behavior. A.I. algorithms identify emerging preferences, enabling brands to refine offerings and marketing strategies in real time. Furthermore, automated tools coordinate activities across multiple channels, improving response times and service consistency. These benefits collectively reinforce the importance of A.I. and automation software for companies determined to exceed consumer expectations.

Many businesses prioritize operational efficiency, aiming to reduce unnecessary expenditures and streamline processes. A.I. and automation software solutions tackle this goal by automating routine tasks, integrating workflow systems, and analyzing large data sets for actionable insights. Consequently, managers gain improved visibility over resource allocation and can make data-driven decisions to enhance productivity. This heightened efficiency often translates to faster project completion, lower labor costs, and better financial performance. Moreover, automated systems are less prone to human error, contributing to quality control and risk reduction. As a result, companies across industries adopt these technologies to maximize output while minimizing operating overhead. The perpetual pursuit of higher efficiency ensures ongoing investment in A.I. and automation software solutions.

With the expanding volume of information generated daily, organizations must adopt sophisticated tools to extract meaningful insights swiftly. A.I. and automation platforms use machine learning algorithms to process data from diverse sources, uncovering hidden patterns and predictive trends. These insights guide strategic choices, from product development to supply chain optimization, boosting revenue and sustaining market relevance. Automated dashboards offer real-time analytics, allowing decision-makers to respond to emerging issues promptly. By eliminating guesswork, businesses can allocate resources more effectively and target their objectives with precision. This data-centric approach underpins innovation across multiple sectors, including finance, retail, and healthcare. Consequently, the shift to data-driven decision making amplifies the need for reliable A.I. and automation software, solidifying its market growth.

In certain industries, labor shortages or high turnover rates can hinder productivity and inflate operational costs. A.I. and automation software solutions address this issue by handling repetitive tasks, freeing human talent for roles requiring creativity or complex problem-solving. By supplementing or replacing manual labor, businesses can maintain consistent output despite workforce fluctuations. Automated systems also reduce training requirements, as fewer workers are needed for repetitive functions. This shift to software-driven workflows promotes stability and scalability, enabling growth even in tight labor markets. Moreover, employees can focus on tasks that add greater value, improving job satisfaction and retention. As labor challenges persist in many regions, the demand for A.I. and automation solutions continues to climb.

The ability of modern A.I. and automation software to integrate seamlessly with legacy systems is a major selling point for organizations. Rather than overhauling their entire infrastructure, companies can overlay automation solutions onto existing processes, gradually modernizing operations. This modular approach reduces downtime and project costs while allowing a phased transition that lowers disruptions. Many software providers now offer application programming interfaces (APIs) and customizable connectors, simplifying data exchange between old and new platforms. As a result, businesses avoid the inefficiencies of siloed systems and harness real-time collaboration across departments. Such streamlined integration drives wider adoption of automation technologies, ensuring ongoing investments from companies seeking to improve functionality without discarding prior investments.

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AI AND AUTOMATION SOFTWARE MARKET SHARE

North America remains a prominent hub, with a large presence of technology firms pioneering machine learning research and rapid enterprise adoption.

Europe follows closely, influenced by strong privacy regulations and a focus on ethical A.I. development.

In Asia-Pacific, especially China and India, swift digital transformation and growing startup ecosystems fuel impressive market expansion.

Key Companies:

General Electric

IBM

Honeywell

Bytedance

ORACLE CORPORATION

Appier

Emerson Electric

SenseTime

Salesforce

Rockwell Automation

SAS Institute

HubSpot

AIBrain

OrCam Technologies

Preferred Networks

Prospera

Cambricon

Element AI

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BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares

PR Newswire

LONDON, United Kingdom, March 20

BH Macro Limited (the "Company")

(a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235)

Transaction in Own Shares

20 March 2025

BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc:

Ordinary Shares: - Share Class Sterling Date of purchase: 20 March 2025 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 182,439 Lowest price per share (pence) 376.00 Highest price per share (pence) 378.50 Trading venue London Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 182,439 Weighted average price per day per trading venue (pence): 377.2900

The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury.

Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows:

Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 338,298,658 Sterling Shares 37,442,053 Sterling Shares 27,132,086 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares

From 20 March 2025, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 518,273,991.

Enquiries:

Company website: www.bhmacro.com

William Simmonds

JPMorgan Cazenove

Tel: 020 7588 2828

The Company Secretary

Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited

Tel: 01481 745001
Technology company Bending Spoons today announced that it has closed the acquisition of komoot, the Germany-based route-planning platform for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.

Markus Hallermann, komoot's CEO and co-founder, said of the acquisition: "For 17 years, we have been on a mission to make outdoor adventures accessible to all. From humble beginnings in our student rooms, we've built komoot from the ground up and grown it to 45 million users, making it Europe's leading outdoor platform. Komoot inspires millions to explore the outdoors, improving both physical and mental well-being, and continues to grow worldwide. However, what got us here won't take us to the next level. Scaling a company requires a different mindset and skill set than building one. That's why we believe Bending Spoons, with its unique expertise in driving innovation and scaling platforms, is the perfect partner to lead komoot into the future."

Luca Ferrari, the Bending Spoons CEO and co-founder, said: "We're deeply impressed by komoot's achievements over the past seventeen years, and are enthusiastic about its future growth potential. By leveraging the Bending Spoons expertise and platform technologies, we're confident we can help komoot go from strength to strength for many years to come."

Advisors and investors

Investors that supported the journey of komoot are: KRW Schindler, Outdoor Secondary, MBG Beteiligungsges. Berlin-Brandenburg, and LP Capital (Liquid Partners). Perella Weinberg Partners served as exclusive financial advisor to komoot, and Osborne Clarke served as the company's legal advisor.

Freshfields served as legal advisor to Bending Spoons. EY Advisory S.p.A. provided financial and tax due diligence services. J.P. Morgan and Intesa Sanpaolo served as the company's financial advisors.

About komoot

Komoot is a thriving digital platform for adventurers and outdoor enthusiasts around the world. It's driven by a simple goal: to help people explore more of the outdoors wherever and however they want.

Komoot's mobile apps and platform provide advanced route planning and navigation tools. At the same time, a content-rich feed of unique stories and adventures inspires its community of over 45 million users to explore and share their outdoor experiences and recommendations.

For more information, visit komoot.com.

About Bending Spoons

Bending Spoons has served a billion people across the globe through its suite of digital technology businesses, including Brightcove, Evernote, Meetup, Remini, StreamYard, and WeTransfer. Its products are currently used by more than 300 million people each month.

For more information, visit bendingspoons.com.

Bending Spoons logos and photos: https://we.tl/t-VJTJEkg41a.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320568940/en/

Contacts:

Media contact

Roberto Mauri

rmau@bendingspoons.com
LONDON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kahf and Wardah, personal care brands under ParagonCorp, made history at Open Iftar London 2025 at Guildhall, a landmark venue. Organized by the Ramadan Tent Project, the event brought together 750 Muslims from diverse backgrounds, fostering unity and spiritual reflection while reinforcing Ramadan's role in strengthening global bonds.

The event was also attended by H.E. Desra Percaya, Indonesian Ambassador to the UK; Umer Khan OBE, Commander of the City of London Police; and Lady Mayoress Florence King, Lady Mayoress of the City of London. Their presence further highlighted Indonesia's role in international cultural activities and reinforced the global relevance of this event.

Kahf contributed to the event by presenting notable Muslim creators, including Waseem's Way (Content Creator & Influencer), Josh Lamonaca (Men's Hair Educator of the Year 2024), and Jihar Gifari (Indonesian AI & Data Science Expert), showcasing the harmony of self-care, faith, and success globally.

Marking its second year at Open Iftar London, Kahf reaffirms its commitment to the global Muslim community while strengthening its international expansion, proving that Indonesian brands can thrive in the global personal care and lifestyle market.

Irfan Rafi, Kahfbro Representative, stated, "Kahf's participation in Open Iftar London 2025 is not just about being present at an international event, but also part of our journey to inspire modern Muslim men to be more confident in self-care, aligned with their spiritual values. We believe that self-care is an essential part of life balance, and with the PejuangBerKahf spirit, we aim to continue making a positive impact in the global community."

Meanwhile, Wardah carried the spirit of goodness to the event by introducing Aisha Rizqy, an inspiring Education Content Creator who represented Wardah in sharing meaningful insights and positive values within the global community.

Wardah introduced its Qur'an Scholarship Program to deepen faith and bring Muslims closer to the Qur'an in daily life. With 7,000+ applicants, it serves as a beacon of inspiration, encouraging Muslims to embrace the Qur'an as a guide in their spiritual journey.

Wardah's presence at Open Iftar London 2025 is proof that goodness knows no boundaries. From Indonesia to various parts of the world, Wardah invites everyone to MenangkanLangkahKebaikan (Champion the Path of Goodness) in their lives, wherever they are and with whomever they journey.

About PT Paragon Technology & Innovation

PT Paragon Technology and Innovation (Paragon) is the largest national cosmetics company in Indonesia, housing brands such as Wardah, Make Over, Emina, Kahf, Putri, Labore, Biodef, Instaperfect, Crystallure, Tavi, Wonderly, OMG, Beyondly, and Earth Love Life.

Founded in 1985, Paragon is GMP-certified and specializes in affordable halal cosmetics for the Indonesian market. Paragon employs over 14,000 staff and produces 135 million personal care and makeup products annually.

About Kahf

Kahf is a men's grooming brand inspired by universal Islamic values. Utilizing natural ingredients and the latest technology, Kahf develops formulas that provide peace of mind for its users, preparing them to create and contribute positively to the world from the very start of their day.

For more information, visit kahfeveryday.com

About Wardah

Wardah, a pioneering halal cosmetics brand under PT Paragon Technology & Innovation since 1995, was founded by Nurhayati Subakat, now PTI's Chief Commissioner. Committed to quality, Wardah empowers women to express their beauty authentically.

With its "Beauty Moves You" tagline, Wardah redefines beauty as a force for positive change, highlighting women as catalysts for transformation, where beauty goes beyond appearance to meaningful societal impact.

For more information on Wardah's latest programs and products, please visit www.wardahbeauty.com

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Press release

Chassieu (France), 20 March 2025 - 6pm - Amoeba (FR0011051598 - ALMIB), an industrial greentech specialized in the development of natural microbiological solutions based on the patented use of amoebae, announces its participation for the 2nd consecutive year in the European SAGROPIA project, which aims to advance crop protection using pesticides of natural origin. Alongside leading players in their fields of expertise, Amoeba is proud to be the only French company to take part in this European project, which aims to reduce the use of conventional pesticides while maintaining the quality and yields of agricultural produce.

The Horizon Europe SAGROPIA project, launched in early 2024, is a promising five-year collaborative approach to research and innovation in sustainable crop protection. With a budget of 6 million, SAGROPIA is coordinated by the RTDS Association (Austria) and is made up of a consortium of 10 partners, including leading agro-industrial companies, producers' associations and research institutes:

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (Austria)

Amoeba (France)

Wageningen University and Research (Netherlands)

Certis Biologicals ( United States)

United States) Agroscope (Switzerland)

Rovensa Next (Portugal)

Sudzucker Group ( Germany)

The aim of those involved in this project is therefore to develop and implement innovative, comprehensive integrated pest management strategies, which will then be tested in field trials in 2025.

SAGROPIA's work is in line with the European "Farm to fork" roadmap, which aims to promote food security in Europe while reducing the use of conventional pesticides. In particular, SAGROPIA aims to reduce the use of conventional pesticides in potato and sugar beet cultivation by 50%, using biocontrol methods to combat plant diseases. The project aims to help increase the sustainability of agricultural production systems, particularly in terms of the environment, while ensuring that farms remain competitive.

Amoeba is taking part in this project with its biocontrol product "AXPERA", which provides a new mode of action to fight against late blight in potatoes and cercosporiosis in sugar beet. This is particularly important in the case of potatoes, where the number of available molecules is dwindling and downy mildew resistance is developing. Amoeba is thus demonstrating its ability to position itself in high-potential markets where the economic stakes are high, with a potential global market for potato fungicides of 500m by 2028.

Dr Gunter Brader, scientific coordinator of SAGROPIA and senior researcher in bioresources at the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), has this to say about the project:

"As part of the SAGROPIA project, we will advance Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies to reduce the use of conventional pesticides in potato and sugar beet cultivation. More specifically, we aim to replace a number of so-called 'candidate for substitution' (CfS) active substances, which are set to be phased out because of their toxicological profile but which, for want of alternatives, are still commonly used for crop protection."

More information about SAGROPIA:

SAGROPIA Factsheet European Commission: CORDIS

News on the SAGROPIA website: https://www.sagropia.eu/on Twitter and Linkedin.

Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Subsidy agreement 101135629.

Agroscope, SAGROPIA's associate partner in Switzerland, is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).

About Amoeba :

Founded in 2010, Amoeba is a greentech company based in Chassieu (Lyon, France) whose ambition is to become a major player in the treatment of microbiological risk based on the patented use of amoebae in the plant protection and cosmetics sectors.

With know-how that is unique in the world and protected by numerous patents, Amoeba is currently the only company capable of exploiting the full potential of the Willaertia amoeba on an industrial scale and growing it in sufficient volumes to offer biological solutions that constitute a viable alternative to the chemical products widely used today. Amoeba is currently focusing on the global biocontrol market for plant protection and the cosmetics market. As the marketing of plant protection products is subject to obtaining local regulatory approvals, the Company has taken the necessary regulatory steps and in 2022 obtained approval for its active substance in the USA as well as the recommendation for approval in Europe issued by the Austrian authority. Cosmetic applications do not require prior approval from a competent authority in Europe or the United States.

Amoeba is listed on Euronext Growth (ALMIB). The company is a member of the Bpifrance Excellence network and is eligible for the PEA-PME scheme. For more information, visit www.amoeba-nature.com.

Contacts:

Amoeba ACTUS finance & communication Droit Devant Agency Chief Executive Officer

Jean-Francois DOUCET

+33 (0)4 26 69 16 00

jf.doucet@amoeba-nature.com Investor relations

Pierre JACQUEMIN-GUILLAUME

+33 (0)1 53 67 36 79

amoeba@actus.fr Financial press relations

Serena BONI

+33 (0)4 72 18 04 92

sboni@actus.fr Business and general public press relations

Laetitia PINTO

+33 (0)7 64 83 39 85

pinto@droitdevant.fr

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Amoeba which are based on its own assumptions and estimates and on information that is currently available to us. However, Amoeba gives no assurance that the estimates contained in such forward-looking statements will be verified, with these estimates subject to numerous risks, including the risks set forth in Amoeba's universal registration document filed with the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) on April 29, 2024 under number D24-0352 and available on the Amoeba website (www.amoeba-nature.com). The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are also subject to risks not yet known to Amoeba or not currently considered material by Amoeba . The occurrence of all or part of such risks could cause Amoeba's actual results, financial conditions, performance, or achievements to be materially different from such forward-looking statements.

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Delivery of first high-power fuel cells

Inauguration of the industrial site

Confirmation of 172 million in support from France

Key figures 2024 2023 Number of projects at an advanced stage of development1 16 13 Total investment budget (USD bn) 3.0 3.2 Revenues (000) 11,126 3,935 Average headcount2 125 89 Gains on disposal of securities3 (000) - - Consolidated net income/(loss) (000) (10,860) (7,839) Shareholders' equity (000) 89,944 100,695 Cash and cash equivalents (000) 39,248 62,668

Revised 2023 scope to cover solely projects at an advanced stage of development Employees and contractors in countries where the Company has no dedicated legal entity Sale of shares to investors in SPVs

Bordeaux (France), 20 March 2025 - Hydrogene de France (HDF Energy), a developer of large-scale hydrogen infrastructure and manufacturer of high-power fuel cells, presents its business activity and financial statements for the 2024 financial year. The consolidated financial statements were approved by the Board of Directors on 19 March 2025. The audit procedures on the consolidated financial statements have been completed and the auditors' report will be issued shortly. The annual financial report will be published by April 30, 2025.

2024 revenues: delivery of first fuel cells

Consolidated revenues for 2024 amounted to 11.1 million (compared to 3.9 million in 2023), including 9.7 million from the invoicing of two fuel cells for the CEOG project. Work on the CEOG plant remains on track for commissioning in mid-2026.

Revenues generated from project management assistance totalled 1.3 million (compared to 3.2 million in 2023, excluding re-invoicing, without margins, for services outsourced to external service providers) and mainly concerned the development contracts for RSB in Barbados and NewGen in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as the construction assistance contract for the CEOG power plant.

Selection of priority projects and shift in focus

After significant growth since 2021, the portfolio of projects at an advanced stage of development is stabilising. In 2024, the Group conducted a systematic review of the portfolio in order to earmark priority projects over the short term, thereby opening the doorway to investors and allowing construction work to begin on some projects by 2025.

The headway made on in-depth studies on these projects helped achieve significant tangible progress despite a challenging overall context. The pricing structure was thus confirmed for the Caribbean projects (Barbados and Trinidad). More recent projects have seen improvements in terms of sizing and the findings of environmental studies have been taken into account. As a result, the average size of projects has decreased (with a total investment budget shrinking from $3.2 billion to $3 billion following the reduction in the South Africa project's footprint to preserve areas inhabited by endemic species), while the model's economic relevance and the Group's ability to attract prospective third-party investors have improved.

The Group's investments in these projects totalled 9.3 million at 31 December 2024.

Projects not included on the priority shortlist nonetheless remain active and represent significant potential for growth in the future.

Portfolio monitoring provides the earliest indicator of HDF's value creation for both the Group and all project stakeholders. HDF estimates that it is able to generate revenues representing between 12% and 17% of the cost of construction during the development and construction phases, including via the provision of engineering services and supply of fuel cells during the power plant construction phase.

Operational launch of industrial project

On 28 May 2024, the European Commission, within the framework of the IPCEIs (Important Project of Common European Interest), approved France's financial support for HDF's industrial project, which aims to develop and industrialise high-power fuel cells dedicated to electricity generation and heavy maritime and rail mobility. The French government grant was confirmed for a maximum amount of 172.7 million.

The financing agreement with Bpifrance is currently being finalised. As such, no income has been recognised in relation to this item in the full-year 2024 financial statements.

The arrival of the French teams at the industrial facility in Blanquefort dedicated to the design, manufacture and testing of fuel cells marks the operational launch of the industrial project. At 31 December 2024, expenses incurred by HDF under the programme since October 2022 totalled 9.2 million. Capital expenditure including investments in industrial and testing facilities comes to just under 35 million.

Earnings and cash position under control

The cost price of fuel cells is high, as this is a first-time manufacture. New sales therefore only had a minor impact on earnings.

The increase in operating expenses reflects the launch of development work for the industrial project.

The average workforce (employees and contractors) reached 125 people in 2024 versus 89 in 2023, mainly due to the hiring of key skills for the development of new-generation fuel cells and implementation of the supply chain and quality procedure. As a result, personnel costs increased from 6.9 million in 2023 to 8.3 million in 2024.

External expenses, which mainly comprised prospecting costs and subcontracting services for the IPCEI, reached 6.9 million in 2024 compared to 5.9 million in 2023.

Operating expenses remained stable excluding the IPCEI.

After net financial items and tax effects, the loss for the period amounted to 10.9 million compared to a 7.8 million loss in 2023.

The Group's cash position at 31 December 2024 remained comfortable at 39.2 million (compared to 62.7 million at 31 December 2023) after allowing for a 10.2 million investment on the construction of the Blanquefort plant and testing facilities for the industrial operations.

Fresh momentum

At 31 December 2024, the Group was firmly placed to take this step with conviction based on a sound financial position, commercially and technically proven projects and a clear financed industrial ambition.

Under the leadership of Damien Havard and Hanane El Hamraoui, the latter appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer in 2024, the team is fully mobilised to achieve significant and rapid progress towards the decarbonisation of energy production and heavy mobility using hydrogen.

Damien Havard, Chairman and CEO of Hydrogene de France, said: "I am extremely proud of the calibre of the teams we have hired across the various business lines on all continents. Together, we are fully prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead."

ABOUT HYDROGENE DE FRANCE (HDF Energy)

HDF Energy is a leading global player in the hydrogen industry, dedicated to developing large-scale hydrogen infrastructure and advanced multi-megawatt fuel cell technology.

These fuel cells generate electricity from hydrogen, driving the decarbonization efforts across the power generation, heavy maritime and rail mobility sectors. Set to commence production in 2025 at HDF Energy's facility near Bordeaux (France), these fuel cells serve as the cornerstone of the power plants and heavy mobility decarbonization solutions developed by HDF Energy.

HDF Energy's Renewstable power plants deliver non-intermittent renewable, stable and baseload power by seamlessly integrating intermittent renewable energy sources with substantial on-site energy storage in the form of green hydrogen. HDF Energy is also developing extensive infrastructure for the mass production of carbon-free hydrogen.

Backed by a team of over 150 hydrogen experts boasting more than a decade of operational experience across the value chain, HDF Energy is currently developing a portfolio of projects valued at over 5 billion.

Headquartered in France, HDF Energy has regional offices in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region with 35+ nationalities among its staff. Since 2021, the Group has been listed on the Euronext Paris stock market.

More information, visit: www.hdf-energy.com

Contact

Investor relations Media relations Helene de WATTEVILLE

+ 33 (0)1 53 67 36 33

hdf-energy@actus.fr Serena BONI

+33 (0)4 72 18 04 92

sboni@actus.fr

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NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of World Water Day, the Water Resilience Coalition-a CEO-led initiative driving corporate action on water stress-announced the addition of two new members: Grundfos and Haleon. This expansion brings the Coalition's membership to 40 leading companies, collectively representing a market capitalization exceeding US$5 trillion.

The Water Resilience Coalition is an initiative of the CEO Water Mandate, a partnership between the Pacific Institute and the United Nations Global Compact. By 2030, the Coalition aims to unite a critical mass of companies to build water resilience in their operations and supply chains, while also investing in collective action to improve water resilience in 100 Priority Basins, the most water-stressed basins in the world.

In addition, the Water Resilience Coalition announced that Heineken, alongside a key partner have intensified efforts to enhance water resilience in the Rio Bravo River Basin, which spans the United States and Mexico. Their commitment will drive impactful collaborations in this Priority Basin, advancing collective action for sustainable water management.

"The momentum we are seeing-from new members to deepened corporate leadership in priority basins-demonstrates that water stewardship is no longer optional. It's a business and sustainability imperative," said Jason Morrison, Head of the CEO Water Mandate. "Leading companies, including Heineken, are playing a catalytic role in advancing action in water-stressed basins around the globe by supporting collaborative infrastructure and services for scaling and tracking strategic, multi-funder investment opportunities for basin-wide impact."

More than 60 companies have also endorsed the CEO Water Mandate in 2025, bringing the total number of companies to 478. These companies have committed to continuous progress building water resilience across their direct operations, supply chains, watershed management, and other areas.

About the CEO Water Mandate

The CEO Water Mandate is a partnership between the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute that mobilizes business leaders on water, sanitation, and the Sustainable Development Goals for corporate water stewardship. Mandate endorsers commit to continuous progress against six core elements (direct operations, supply chain and watershed management, collective action, public policy, community engagement, and transparency) and in so doing understand and manage their own water risks. Established in 2007, the CEO Water Mandate was created out of the acknowledgement that global water challenges create risk for a wide range of industry sectors, the public sector, local communities, and ecosystems alike

About the Water Resilience Coalition

The Water Resilience Coalition is an industry-driven, CEO-led initiative of the CEO Water Mandate that aims to elevate the long-term mounting crisis of global water stress to the top of the corporate agenda and to preserve the world's freshwater resources through collective action in water-stressed basins and ambitious, quantifiable commitments.

About the UN Global Compact

As a special initiative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the UN Global Compact is a call to companies worldwide to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 18,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories based in over 101 countries, and 62 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative-one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

About the Pacific Institute

Founded in 1987, the Pacific Institute is a global water think tank that combines science-based thought leadership with active outreach to influence local, national, and international efforts in developing sustainable water policies. From working with Fortune 500 companies to frontline communities, our mission is to create and advance solutions to the world's most pressing water challenges. Since 2009, the Pacific Institute has also acted as co-secretariat for the CEO Water Mandate, a global commitment platform that mobilizes a critical mass of business leaders to address global water challenges through corporate water stewardship.

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For over 30 years, Joseph Dedvukaj has been exclusively dedicated to representing car accident victims, fighting insurance companies to secure maximum compensation for his clients. The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. continues to expand its services to ensure crash victims receive the justice and financial recovery they deserve.

Joseph Dedvukaj, founder of The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C., has spent more than three decades as a relentless advocate for car accident victims, handling thousands of cases and securing multi-million-dollar settlements for his clients. His firm specializes exclusively in car accident cases, helping injured drivers and passengers navigate complex insurance disputes, claim denials, and unfair settlement offers.

With insurance companies prioritizing profits over people, Dedvukaj has built his reputation on fighting aggressively for victims' rights, ensuring they receive the full and fair compensation they are entitled to.

Decades of Experience Fighting for Car Accident Victims

Joseph Dedvukaj has spent his entire legal career specializing in car accident cases, making him one of the most experienced and effective attorneys in Michigan in this field. He knows the strategies insurers use to minimize payouts and has successfully fought against them for decades.

"Many people accept lowball settlements because they don't realize how much their claim is worth," said Joseph Dedvukaj. "I've spent over 30 years ensuring that accident victims get every dollar they deserve. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers-so should you."

What to Do After a Car Accident to Strengthen Your Claim

Navigating the car accident claims process requires careful action. Victims should:

File a police report immediately.

Gather evidence at the scene, including photos and witness statements.

Seek medical attention -even if injuries don't seem serious.

Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters without legal representation.

Consult an attorney before accepting any settlement offer.

"One of the biggest mistakes people make is delaying medical treatment," Dedvukaj warns. "Insurance companies use gaps in medical care as an excuse to deny claims. Seeking immediate treatment strengthens your case."

Maximizing Compensation for Car Accident Victims

Car accident victims may be eligible for significant compensation, including:

Medical expenses (current & future)

Lost wages and loss of earning capacity

Pain and suffering

Vehicle repairs or replacement

Rehabilitation and long-term care costs

Insurance companies routinely undervalue claims and use tactics to pay victims less than they deserve. With over three decades of experience exclusively handling car accident cases, Joseph Dedvukaj ensures that every client receives aggressive legal representation and the highest possible settlement.

Free Consultations and No Upfront Fees - You Don't Pay Unless You Win

The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless their case is won.

No upfront costs

No hidden fees

100% risk-free representation

About The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C.

For over 30 years, The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. has been Michigan's leading car accident law firm, fighting exclusively for crash victims. The firm is known for its multi-million-dollar verdicts, aggressive litigation style, and commitment to getting clients maximum compensation.

Contact The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. Today If You Have Any Questions

If you've been injured in a car accident, don't settle for less. Call the personal law firm that only handles car accident cases and wins big.

Corporate Office: 1277 West Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302

Telephone: (248) 352-2110 or 866-HIRE-JOE

Website: www.1866HIREJOE.com

Facebook: m.facebook.com/1866HIREJOE

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joseph-dedvukaj-a03b4413

SOURCE: Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C.
A Next-Generation Solution to Streamline the Review of Complex Communication Data

Sandline Global, a leading agile advisory firm specializing in eDiscovery support services, announces the release of ModernETL 2.0, a next-generation solution designed to streamline the review of complex communication data. By structuring disparate datasets into an intuitive, easy-to-navigate format, ModernETL 2.0 enables legal teams to process and interpret modern data sources with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Sandline Global Logo

Sandline Global Logo

Jon Canty, CEO of Sandline, highlighted the platform's evolution and future potential: "ModernETL 2.0 is the scalable solution we need now for extracting value out of complex and ever-changing modern systems. Getting here has been a truly collaborative effort between our operations, development, and product teams, all informed by client need. We're already looking ahead to the 3.0 release, handling more data types and expanded functionality."

Expanding on Sandline's commitment to innovation, ModernETL 2.0 transforms how legal teams handle digital communications. Universal Threading organizes conversations across multiple platforms into a seamless, chronological view, allowing reviewers to follow custodian conversations as they move between platforms like text, WhatsApp, social media, email and more. AI Summaries of these communications deliver concise insights, helping reviewers quickly grasp key information about these chats.

Built for maximum flexibility, ModernETL 2.0 supports diverse data formats-including Slack, UFDR, and Teams-and can be updated to accommodate new and native file types, ensuring adaptability in an evolving digital landscape.

ModernETL 2.0 seamlessly integrates with Sandline's facial recognition and image querying solutions, enhancing your dataset and review experience.

Unlike traditional AI solutions that overlook valuable visual data, Sandline's facial recognition harnesses advanced AI to seamlessly integrate image querying into the workflow. With this new functionality, users can search for visual elements using natural language-whether it's "a man typing at a computer," "a construction site," or "a red car." Every result is automatically tagged with relevant criteria, ensuring seamless discovery without the limitations of outdated, text-only search methods.

Sandline's solution takes investigative capabilities to the next level with advanced facial recognition, allowing users to efficiently identify individuals across massive datasets of images. Whether confirming a specific person's presence on a custodian's device or identifying instances of an individual across tens or hundreds of thousands of images, our solution delivers unmatched precision.

Users can tag faces with names, search by face, and even run queries to determine if two individuals were present together. Leveraging social media profile pictures and harvested contact data, the solution strengthens connections between faces and identities, unlocking new investigative possibilities in eDiscovery.

Christopher Cella, an industry leader in eDiscovery and Director of Product Management & eDiscovery Analytics at Sandline, emphasized the transformative impact of ModernETL: "ModernETL is the first processing platform built from the ground up to tackle today's toughest data challenges. By combining deep industry expertise with cutting-edge technology and AI, it's the perfect solution for handling phone data, chat, and collaboration platforms-bridging the gap where traditional methods fall short."

If interested in scheduling a demo, please visit: https://sandlineglobal.com/modernetl/

About Sandline

Sandline Global is a premier agile advisory firm helping global legal teams escape the ups and downs of the eDiscovery quality rollercoaster. Sandline specializes in delivering innovative digital evidence solutions supported by a team of agile, proactive, and tenacious problem solvers. With a global network of offices and data centers in the United States, Europe, Middle East, and Asia Pacific Regions, Sandline utilizes leading technology, custom workflows, and deep industry experience to support complex investigations and litigation matters. In addition to providing forensics, eDiscovery, and document review services, Sandline designs and supports iManage deployments for law firms and legal departments. For more information, visit https://www.sandlineglobal.com/

SOURCE: Sandline Global
All amounts in US$ unless otherwise indicated

Capstone Copper Corp. ("Capstone" or the "Company") (TSX:CS) (ASX:CSC) announces that it has successfully completed the pricing of its offering (the "Offering") of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 6.750% senior notes due 2033 (the "Notes"). The offering was upsized from the previously announced $500 million in aggregate principal amount. The issue price of the Notes is 100.000%.

Interest on the Notes will accrue from the issue date at a rate of 6.750% per annum and will be payable semi-annually. Settlement is expected to take place on or about March 25, 2025, subject to customary conditions precedent. The Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company and will be guaranteed by each of the Company's subsidiaries that guarantees its senior secured revolving credit facility.

The Company intends to apply the gross proceeds from the sale of the Notes to repay project financing debt at its Mantoverde S.A. subsidiary, to pay down debt on the Company's senior secured revolving credit facility, and for general corporate purposes.

The Notes are being offered and sold in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes are being offered and sold in Canada on a private placement basis pursuant to certain prospectus exemptions.

The offer and sale of the Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act and the Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell the Notes, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

ABOUT CAPSTONE COPPER CORP.

Capstone Copper Corp. is an Americas-focused copper mining company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. We own and operate the Pinto Valley copper mine located in Arizona, USA, the Cozamin copper-silver mine located in Zacatecas, Mexico, the Mantos Blancos copper-silver mine located in the Antofagasta region, Chile, and 70% of the Mantoverde copper-gold mine, located in the Atacama region, Chile. In addition, we own the fully permitted Santo Domingo copper-iron-gold project, located approximately 30 kilometres northeast of Mantoverde in the Atacama region, Chile, as well as a portfolio of exploration properties in the Americas.

Capstone Copper's strategy is to unlock transformational copper production growth while executing on cost and operational improvements through innovation, optimization and safe and responsible production throughout our portfolio of assets. We focus on profitability and disciplined capital allocation to surface stakeholder value. We are committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of our people and local communities, while delivering compelling returns to investors by responsibly producing copper to meet the world's growing needs.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, "forward-looking statements").

In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipates", "approximately", "believes", "budget", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "guidance", "intends", "plans", "scheduled", "target", or variations of such words and phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "be achieved", "could", "may", "might", "occur", "should", "will be taken" or "would" or the negative of these terms or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's intention to offer the Notes, subject to market and other conditions, the intended use of proceeds from the offering and the Company's business strategy. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic, market and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include the timing and success of the Notes offering. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements involve a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans, intentions, activities, results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks include, without limitation, the risks included in our continuous disclosure filings on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required under applicable securities legislation. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company cautions that the foregoing lists of important assumptions and factors are not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements contained herein. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320955190/en/

Contacts:

Daniel Sampieri, Vice President, Investor Relations

437-788-1767

dsampieri@capstonecopper.com

Michael Slifirski, Director, Investor Relations, APAC Region

61-412-251-818

mslifirski@capstonecopper.com

Claire Stirling, Manager, Investor Relations

416-831-8908

cstirling@capstonecopper.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Carson River Ventures Corp. (CSE: CRIV) ("Carson River" or the "Company") announces the consolidation of its common shares ("Common Shares") on the basis of one (1) post-Consolidation Common Share for every two (2) pre-Consolidation Common Shares (the "Consolidation").

The Company anticipates its common shares will commence trading on a post-Consolidation basis on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") at market open on March 26, 2025. The new CUSIP number for the post-Consolidation Common Shares will be 14601V204 and the new ISIN number will be CA14601V2049. The name of the Company and trading symbol will remain the same after the Consolidation.

The Company currently has 27,895,000 Common Shares issued and outstanding. Following the Consolidation, the Company expects to have 13,947,501 Common Shares issued and outstanding. No fractional Common Shares will be issued pursuant to the Consolidation and any fractional shares that will otherwise be issued will be rounded to the nearest whole Common Share. The exercise price and number of Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of any outstanding securities convertible into Common Shares will be proportionately adjusted to reflect the Consolidation.

As no Common Shares are presently held in certificate format, a Letter of Transmittal will not be provided to shareholders and no action need be taken by shareholders of the Company. Registered shareholders holding Direct Registration System ("DRS") statements will receive new DRS statements representing post-Consolidation Common Shares directly from the transfer agent of the Company. Common Shares held by shareholders through brokerage accounts will also be consolidated with no action required by the shareholder.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and the Articles of the Company, the Consolidation was approved by way of resolutions passed by the board of directors of the Company. The Consolidation and the date the post-Consolidation Common Shares commence trading on the CSE remain subject to the approval of the CSE and a bulletin will be issued by the CSE upon acceptance.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, statements relating to the future operations or activities of Carson River, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements in this news release relate to, among other things, statements relating to the Consolidation, CSE approval thereof, the timing of such Consolidation and approval, and issuance of a bulletin by the CSE. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such factors include, without limitation, the ability of the Company to complete the Consolidation on the terms detailed herein. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these items. Carson River does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by applicable securities laws.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245479

SOURCE: Carson River Ventures Corp.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Denarius Metals Corp. (Cboe CA: DMET) (OTCQX: DNRSF) ("Denarius Metals" or the "Company") announced today that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), issuing a total of 13,138,000 Units at CA$0.50 per Unit for gross proceeds of CA$6,569,000. Each Unit consisted of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of CA$0.60 per common share at any time on or before March 20, 2028. This brings the Company's issued and outstanding common shares as of the current date to 106,975,066 common shares.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund its projects in Spain, including the advancement of scoping and other studies and site administration costs at its Lomero and Toral Projects, capital contributions related to certain restart activities and site administration costs at the Aguablanca Project, and for general corporate and administrative costs of the Company.

In connection with the Offering, Mr. Serafino Iacono (Executive Chairman), an insider of the Company, acquired 3,452,000 Units. As a result of closing the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owns and controls 22,078,355 common shares (which represents approximately 20.64% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares), 900,000 stock options, 7,784,650 unlisted warrants, CA$1,901,280 senior unsecured convertible debentures due 2029 and CA$6,426,000 unsecured convertible debentures due 2030. Prior to closing the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owned and controlled 18,626,355 common shares, representing approximately 19.85% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. Assuming full exercise of his stock options, unlisted warrants and senior unsecured convertible debentures, Mr. Iacono would have control and direction over 45,698,071 common shares, representing 34.99% of the then outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis.

In addition, Aton Ventures Fund Ltd. ("Aton Ventures"), a European-based investment fund, acquired 6,500,000 Units through the Offering. As a result, Aton Ventures beneficially owns and controls 13,041,385 common shares (which represents approximately 12.19% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares), 13,919,092 unlisted warrants and CA$500,000 senior unsecured convertible debentures due 2029. Prior to closing the Offering, Aton Ventures beneficially owned and controlled 6,541,385 common shares, representing approximately 6.97% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. Assuming full exercise of unlisted warrants and senior unsecured convertible debentures, Aton Ventures would have control and direction over 28,071,588 common shares, representing 23.01% of the then outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis. Aton Ventures has acquired the securities for investment purposes only, and depending on market and other conditions, may from time to time in the future increase or decrease its ownership, control or direction over securities the Company, through market transactions, private agreements, or otherwise. In satisfaction of the requirements of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104") and National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, Aton Ventures will be filing an early warning report respecting the acquisition of securities, containing additional information omitted from this news release, under Denarius Metals' SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. A copy of the report filed by Aton Ventures may be obtained from Amanda Fullerton, General Counsel and Secretary, telephone number (416) 360-4653, or via e-mail at investors@denariusmetals.com.

Participation of insiders in the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under National Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("NI 61-101"). The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of NI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of securities being issued to insiders nor the consideration being paid by insiders exceeds or will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the Offering as the details of the participation of insiders had not been confirmed at that time. Further to the Company's press release dated March 11, 2025, the Company has satisfied Cboe Canada's shareholder approval requirement and obtained written consent of at least 50% of the holders entitled to vote.

The common shares and warrants issued in the Offering are subject to a hold period in Canada ending June 21, 2025. In conjunction with the Offering, the Company paid a total of CA$41,400 of fees in cash to certain arm's length agents and brokers who acted as finders.

No U.S. Offering or Registration

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States, other than the provinces and territories of Canada. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States. Such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, any U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S of the US Securities Act) or person in the United States except in a transaction exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

About Denarius Metals

Denarius Metals is a Canadian junior company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and eventual operation of polymetallic mining projects in high-grade districts. Denarius Metals is commencing production from its Zancudo Project in Colombia in the first quarter of 2025 and expects to commence operations in the next 12 months at the Aguablanca Project in Spain.

In Spain, Denarius Metals owns a 100% interest in the Lomero Project, a polymetallic deposit located on the Spanish side of the prolific copper rich Iberian Pyrite Belt, and a 21% interest in Rio Narcea Recursos, S.L., which owns a 5,000 tonnes per day processing plant and has the rights to exploit the historic producing Aguablanca nickel-copper mine, located in Monesterio, Extremadura, Spain, approximately 88 km northeast of the Lomero Project. Denarius Metals also owns a 100% interest in the Toral Project, a high-grade zinc-lead-silver deposit located in the Leon Province, Northern Spain.

In Colombia, Denarius Metals is commencing operations at its 100%-owned Zancudo Project, a high-grade gold-silver deposit, which includes the historic producing Independencia mine, located in the Cauca Belt, about 30 km SW of Medellin.

Additional information on Denarius Metals can be found on its website at www.denariusmetals.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to anticipated business plans or strategies, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Denarius Metals to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated April 25, 2024 which is available for view on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Denarius Metals disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245489

SOURCE: Denarius Metals Corp.
March 19, 2025: Russia is conducting a disruptive clandestine operation against NATO countries in an effort to create disunity and eliminate any willingness to continue supporting Ukraine. This effort included the use of Russian sleeper agents that had been in Ukraine and Western Europe since the 1990s. Ukraine became an independent state in 1991 and Russian leaders resolved to get it back, using any means it had available. This led to the 2022 invasion when Russia concluded that stern measures were needed to, as Russian propaganda described it, prevent NATO from adding Ukraine to its list of nations that would eventually overwhelm and destroy Russia.

Russias European NATO sleepers were not fully activated until Russia realized their 2022 invasion was faltering. There was no public announcement of this but, by 2024, the Ukrainian security service, or SSU, detected several Russian agents operating in Kherson, which is near the Black Sea northwest of Crimea. Three Russian spies were arrested and apparently none of these men admitted to being sleepers or knowing anything about sleepers. That was not unusual, as sleepers and the agents they hire locally know that as long as they disclose nothing. In a revealing move, Russia proceeded to whatever it could to free these loyal agents. The agents were described as innocent Russian citizens being persecuted by NATO for mysterious and nefarious reasons. Russia never explained what those reasons were.

Russia believes that conventional warfare waged in Ukraine plus unconventional warfare carried out worldwide complement each other. Russian efforts to destabilize Africa are supposed to divert attention and resources headed to Ukraine. To make this happen, Russian spies, assassins, and propagandists continue their efforts.

The reality was that revolution and subversion efforts worldwide have long been used by the Soviet Union and later Russia to exploit whatever opportunities were available to disrupt and diminish support for groups hostile to Russia, while encouraging local leaders that support Russian objectives. For example, in 2016, Russian operatives recruited criminal gangs to cause trouble in the tiny Balkan state of Montenegro and disrupt efforts by that country to join NATO. That attempt failed when several foreign agents and pro-coup Montenegrin politicians were detected, arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned.

In February 2022, Russian agents tried to organize widespread protests that would justify imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine. This effort would be aided by pro-Russian factions in the Ukrainian government. These factions were supposed to make it possible for pro-Russian groups belonging to the Ukrainian parliament and government to seize power. That effort failed because the Russians overestimated the number of pro-Russian officials in the Ukrainian government and the Russian invasion did not immediately succeed, as the Russians expected. There were too many Ukrainians willing and able to fight and defeat the Russian invaders.

Since 1949, NATO has been preparing to defend Western Europe from a Russian attack. Until 1989 Russia had massed several hundred thousand troops in East Germany along with several thousand tanks, most of them T-72s. There were thousands more tanks waiting in Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. Starting in 1989, when the wall dividing Russian controlled east Berlin from the NATO controlled west Berlin came down, the situation changed in a radical and unexpected way.

Back then Russia was called the Soviet Union because it had more territory and twice as many people as the current Russian Federation. In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed into 14 independent nations. The two largest were the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The current Russian leader Vladimir Putin always wanted to put the Soviet Union back together and he began to do that in 2014, grabbing several Ukrainian provinces. Then he invaded Ukraine in early 2022. Ukraine was seeking to join NATO and their application was being processed. To be a NATO member Ukraine had to acquire Western tanks and warplanes because NATO is about all members using similar weapons, not Russian ones. The Ukrainians were in the process of converting when Russia attacked. That was because Russia wanted Ukraine to be part of the new Russian Empire, not the NATO alliance that defended members from Russian aggression.

The Russian attack did not go well, with their initial attack force losing most of their tanks and more than half a million soldiers dead, wounded, missing or taken prisoner. This was a startling revelation to NATO and a major disappointment to Russia. NATO amassed substantial forces to defeat a Russian attack and that attack eventually came, in early 2022, against NATO applicant Ukraine. This clarified the long unanswered question of what would have happened if Russia had attacked NATO forces during the 1949-1991 Cold War. The Russian attack against Ukraine was not as massive as the one the Soviet Union forces in Eastern Europe were prepared to make against NATO forces in West Germany and beyond.

The Ukrainians halted the Russian attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the Russians while doing so. After a year of fighting the Russians had lost most of their modern tanks along with nearly half a million troops killed, wounded or missing. A growing number of Russian soldiers preferred desertion or surrendering to Ukrainian forces to dying in Ukraine. Over a million military age Russian men left the country legally or otherwise to escape military service and the possibility of death or disabling wounds in Ukraine.

Russian tank losses were so heavy that Russia eventually used Cold War era T-55, T-62 and T-64 tanks taken out of storage, refurbished and sent to fight and get destroyed in Ukraine. Ukrainians are finding dead Russian soldiers armed with World War 1 era Mosin-Nagant rifles. Some 39 million of these rifles were produced between the 1890s and 1973 and Russia had a lot of them in storage for an emergency. That emergency was supposed to be someone else invading Russia, not Russia invading Ukraine, a former part of Russia that does not want to become part of Russia again.

For both NATO and Russia this answers the question of what would have happened if Russia attacked NATO forces during the Cold War. Since Ukraine was not yet a NATO member, NATO could not send troops to assist Ukraine but NATO has sent over $200 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine. Eventually some NATO members suggested that NATO soldiers be sent to Ukraine, as advisors and trainers for Ukrainian forces. Currently some NATO members send some of their troops to neighboring Poland, a NATO member, to train Ukrainians on how to use and maintain all the weapons and equipment NATO has sent to Ukraine. Most NATO members just train Ukrainians in their home countries. NATO aid played a major role in stopping the Russian invasion and pushing the Russians back.
A case study on how a leading European dermatology company sought regulatory intelligence support to navigate the CDSCO framework. The company aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of key guidelines, requirements, and approval processes to file their market-ready product in India successfully.

LAS VEGAS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The company's objective was to assess the essential documentation for submission, determine the necessity of conducting clinical trials tailored to the Indian market, and outline the post-market surveillance procedures to ensure compliance with local regulations.

To navigate this complex regulatory analysis landscape , the client partnered with DelveInsight, leveraging their expertise to gain a comprehensive and actionable understanding of CDSCO's latest review protocols and approval mechanisms for pharmaceutical products.

The dermatological market in India is witnessing remarkable growth, fueled by increasing consumer awareness of skin health, higher disposable incomes, and a rising demand for both therapeutic and aesthetic skincare solutions. The prevalence of skin conditions such as acne , eczema , and psoriasis is driving the need for innovative treatments, while the booming cosmeceutical industry is further expanding the market. With advancements in dermatology treatments, increasing healthcare infrastructure, and digital platforms playing a crucial role in skincare awareness, India is emerging as a significant player in the global dermatology space.

However, despite the market's immense potential, navigating India's complex regulatory landscape remains a major hurdle for pharmaceutical and skincare companies. The evolving requirements of different regulatory bodies, coupled with stringent approval processes, pose challenges that can delay product commercialization. Understanding these frameworks, ensuring compliance, and streamlining approvals are essential to mitigating risks and accelerating market entry. Companies looking to establish a foothold in this sector must adopt a strategic approach to regulatory planning to avoid setbacks and optimize their launch timelines.

At DelveInsight, we specialize in guiding companies through the intricate regulatory pathways of global markets, including India. With years of experience and deep expertise in dermatology regulations, we provide a comprehensive analysis of approval frameworks, highlighting key similarities and differences among agencies. Our strategic insights help companies efficiently navigate compliance requirements, ensuring a seamless transition from development to commercialization. By leveraging our expertise, businesses can confidently tap into India's thriving dermatology market while minimizing regulatory barriers and maximizing growth potential.

Looking to streamline your regulatory approval in key dermatology markets? Let's discuss how DelveInsight can help accelerate your success. Get in Touch Today!

DelveInsight's Strategic Approach to Regulatory Analysis for Dermatology Product Approval in the Indian Market:

Regulatory Guideline Assessment: We conducted a comprehensive regulatory analysis, mapping out the latest regulatory guidelines and compliance requirements to streamline the approval process. Our regulatory gap analysis identified potential challenges and provided strategic solutions.

We conducted a comprehensive regulatory analysis, mapping out the latest regulatory guidelines and compliance requirements to streamline the approval process. Our regulatory gap analysis identified potential challenges and provided strategic solutions. Clinical Trial Application Approval Assessment: Through our regulatory impact assessment, we evaluated the necessity of clinical trials, ensuring alignment with regional requirements. Our regulatory approval consulting helped the client navigate trial approvals efficiently.

Through our regulatory impact assessment, we evaluated the necessity of clinical trials, ensuring alignment with regional requirements. Our regulatory approval consulting helped the client navigate trial approvals efficiently. Understanding the Manufacturing and Import Licensing Process: We provided a structured approach to biotech regulatory solutions, ensuring compliance with manufacturing and import regulations. Our expertise in regulatory impact analysis helped mitigate risks and avoid approval delays.

We provided a structured approach to biotech regulatory solutions, ensuring compliance with manufacturing and import regulations. Our expertise in regulatory impact analysis helped mitigate risks and avoid approval delays. Detailing the Post-approval Process: We outlined post-market surveillance requirements, ensuring long-term compliance with regulatory guidelines. Our team provided ongoing regulatory approval consulting to support market entry and continued adherence to evolving regulations.

Results Achieved with DelveInsight's Regulatory Analysis:





Regulatory Approval Process in India - Delivered a detailed description of the CDSCO approval pathway, outlining each step to streamline the client's submission process.

- Delivered a detailed description of the CDSCO approval pathway, outlining each step to streamline the client's submission process. Regulatory Guidelines & Documentation - Provided an extensive list of required documents for clinical trial approval, licensing, and product registration in India, ensuring full compliance.

- Provided an extensive list of required documents for clinical trial approval, licensing, and product registration in India, ensuring full compliance. Regulatory Impact Analysis - Developed a simplified regulatory framework with updated approval timelines, helping the client anticipate potential delays and strategize accordingly.

- Developed a simplified regulatory framework with updated approval timelines, helping the client anticipate potential delays and strategize accordingly. Regulatory Gap Analysis - Assessed all requisite requirements for approval in India, identifying gaps and optimizing the client's approach for faster regulatory clearance.

For dermatology companies looking to expand into new markets, regulatory hurdles can slow down progress and delay product approvals. With DelveInsight's Regulatory Impact Analysis, you gain the clarity and strategic direction needed to navigate complex approval processes efficiently.

So what are you waiting for? Partner with DelveInsight to streamline approvals and accelerate your market entry.

Regulatory Analysis : DelveInsight's regulatory intelligence services simplify global approvals by consolidating complex regulatory data into a single platform. With ever-changing guidelines and country-specific requirements, navigating approvals for NCEs, biologics, biosimilars, and cell or gene therapies can be daunting. A single misstep can mean costly delays. Our experts provide clear, comparative insights into global regulatory frameworks, helping clients streamline approvals, mitigate risks, and prioritize markets with faster access.

Portfolio Management : DelveInsight's Portfolio Management services help clients assess competencies, leverage strengths, and align strategic priorities. Our structured approach identifies market needs, optimizes resources, and enhances portfolio value. With comprehensive market intelligence, we empower organizations to make informed, data-driven decisions, minimizing risks and maximizing long-term impact for both customers and the company.

R&D Analysis : DelveInsight's skilled research and development analyst specializes in the complexities of different indications, offering essential insights and advice to clients aiming to advance in research and development. They utilize a methodical assessment approach, aligned with industry norms, to track the progress of each drug in both pre-clinical and clinical stages. DelveInsight's comprehensive reports are crafted to reduce uncertainties and highlight overlooked areas, providing organizations with timely and strategic intelligence.

Why Choose DelveInsight?

DelveInsight's systematic Regulatory Analysis ensures clients confidently navigate complex approval pathways, minimizing delays and compliance risks. Our tailored insights clearly understand global regulatory frameworks, helping clients anticipate challenges, streamline submissions, and accelerate market entry. In an industry where evolving guidelines and regional disparities can complicate approvals, DelveInsight's continuous monitoring and expert analysis equip clients with the knowledge needed to achieve regulatory success efficiently and strategically.

Streamline your regulatory journey with DelveInsight. Contact us today for expert guidance!

About DelveInsight

DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform, PharmDelve.

Contact Us

Shruti Thakur

info@delveinsight.com

+14699457679

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/regulatory-analysis-unlocking-dermatology-success--strategic-insights-for-navigating-indias-approval-pathway--delveinsight-302406684.html
Golden Ocean Group Limited, or in the link below. The Annual Report is also available on the website of the Commission, www.sec.gov.

Shareholders may also request a hard copy of the Annual Report, which includes the Company's complete 2024 audited financial statements, by contacting the Investor Relations department.



Golden Ocean Group Limited

Hamilton, Bermuda

March 20, 2025

Contact Person:

Peder Simonsen: Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Golden Ocean Management AS

+47 22 01 73 40

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.





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Guidewire (NYSE: GWRE) today announced that If Skadeforsakring (If), the leading property and casualty insurer in the Nordic region, has successfully made a first business release in Guidewire InsuranceSuite on Guidewire Cloud Platform (GWCP).

The newly created platform will enhance the If partner-related automotive business, by providing a future-proof system allowing the business to adapt to changing market demands. As If progresses with the implementation, the solution will provide great value to If, If's partners and almost one million car owners in the Swedish market.

GWCP combines resilient, trusted infrastructure with modular and interconnected platform services to enhance and extend the power of an insurer's core applications. Guidewire's latest cloud release, Las Lenas, includes several additional capabilities, including new risk-scoring tools for underwriters and actuaries. Accenture, a Guidewire PartnerConnect Consulting Global Strategic member, helped to accelerate the delivery by leveraging its industry and technology expertise to support the platform rollout.

If Program Director, Lars Karlsson, said: "Thanks to the exceptional collaboration between our team, Accenture and Guidewire, the first release was a success. I am proud of the entire program team that made this possible, supporting our long-term focus on providing excellent customer and partner experiences. This is just the start. Our vision is to use Guidewire across more If markets to reach greater efficiency and stability."

Juha Huuhtanen, Guidewire EMEA practice lead, Accenture, said: "We are proud to support and contribute to If's digital transformation strategy. By leveraging our technology expertise and knowledge of the Nordic insurance industry, we worked with Guidewire to roll out the solution in record time, providing If with greater flexibility for rapid innovation."

Will McAllister, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of EMEA at Guidewire, said: "If has an industry wide reputation for delivering high quality customer experience, and for launching innovative offerings to the market. In addition, If is renowned for its commitment to driving differentiation through its use of technology, and for having a focus on the continuous improvement of its operations.

"The new platform will benefit from the agility, security and scalability of Guidewire Cloud, allowing the business to seamlessly respond to evolving market dynamics and heightened customer expectations. We are delighted by the success of this initial release, and look forward to continuing to partner with If on the future rollout of GWCP to support If's business objectives."

About If

If is the leading property and casualty insurer in the Nordic region, with over 3.9 million customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries. If offers a full range of P&C insurance solutions and services to a broad customer base, from private individuals to large corporate customers.

About Guidewire Software

Guidewire is the platform P&C insurers trust to engage, innovate, and grow efficiently. More than 570 insurers in 42 countries, from new ventures to the largest and most complex in the world, rely on Guidewire products. With core systems leveraging data and analytics, digital, and artificial intelligence, Guidewire defines cloud platform excellence for P&C insurers.

We are proud of our unparalleled implementation record, with 1,700+ successful projects supported by the industry's largest R&D team and SI partner ecosystem. Our marketplace represents the largest solution partner community in P&C, where customers can access hundreds of applications to accelerate integration, localization, and innovation.

For more information, please visit www.guidewire.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn.

NOTE: For information about Guidewire's trademarks, visit https://www.guidewire.com/legal-notices.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320796700/en/

Contacts:

Media enquiry contact:



Simon Coughlin

Senior Manager, Public Relations EMEA

Guidewire Software, Inc.

+44 7436 002 058

scoughlin@guidewire.com
Sibel Health, a Chicago, IL-based medical technology company, raised $30M in Series C funding.

The round was led by the Steele Foundation for Hope with participation from Drager. The Steele Foundation for Hope previously led Sibels Series B round, adding an additional $20M investment. Drager previously led Sibels Series A round, contributing $10M more in funding.

The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its R&D efforts.

Led by CEO Steve Xu and CTO Jong Yoon Lee, Sibel Health is a medical technology company providing advanced monitoring solutions for patients of all ages in the home or hospital. Enabled by advanced clinical-grade wearable sensors, the ANNE One platform offers wireless monitoring of all vital signs for patients 12 years and older. This financing is timed to Sibels newest FDA 510(k) clearance enabling alarms and alerts along with a central station.

The comnpany also has an international office in Seoul, South Korea. In early 2024, the firm was awarded a $17.5M dollar award grant from the Gates Foundation.

The wireless wearable ANNE One platform for vital signs monitoring.

FinSMEs

20/03/2025
Dogequest, an anonymous website, has published personal details of Tesla owners across the US, including names, addresses and phone numbers, displayed on an interactive map. The site, which surfaced amid anti-Elon Musk protests, encourages vandalism against Teslas and requires proof of sale for data removal. FBI investigations are underway following arson attacks on Tesla service centres, with authorities labelling these incidents as domestic terrorism read more

People protest against Tesla and Elon Musk outside of a Tesla dealership in Palo Alto, California, US, March 8, 2025. File Image/Reuters

A website known as Dogequest has exposed personal details of Tesla owners across the United States.

The site, which emerged amid increasing opposition to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, features names, addresses and phone numbers of Tesla owners on an interactive map.

It also highlights the locations of Tesla dealerships, charging stations and known addresses of employees of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), the US federal agency linked to Musk.

Adding to concerns over its intent, the website uses a Molotov cocktail image as its cursor. It claims to empower creative expressions of protest and states that Tesla owners can only have their information removed if they provide proof that they have sold their vehicle.

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The websites launch coincides with rising tensions surrounding Musks political role, particularly his ties to US President Donald Trump.

Musks leadership at Doge has drawn significant criticism due to his aggressive push for budget cuts, which has led to legal battles and friction within the federal government.

Are recent attacks on Tesla and Dogequest related?

Dogequests appearance online aligns with an escalation in vandalism and arson attacks targeting Tesla properties. While there is no confirmed link between the website and these attacks, federal authorities are investigating the possibility.

In Las Vegas, an assailant clad in black used Molotov cocktails to set fire to five Teslas at a service centre, leaving RESIST spray-painted on the buildings entrance.

Similar incidents have occurred across the country, including the torching of two Cybertrucks in Kansas City and an arson attempt at a Tesla charging station in South Carolina, where the perpetrator accidentally set himself on fire.

Additional attacks include swastikas being painted on Teslas at a dealership in San Diego, vandalism at charging stations in the Boston area and Molotov cocktails being hurled at a Tesla showroom in Colorado. The San Diego County Sheriffs Office has confirmed multiple incidents of Tesla vandalism in recent weeks.

A disturbing aspect of the Dogequest website is its encouragement of these acts of destruction. One section states: If youre on the hunt for a Tesla to unleash your artistic flair with a spray can, just step outside  no map needed!

The website also links to the No Trace Project, a platform providing guidance on how activists can avoid surveillance and law enforcement detection.

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The FBI has launched an investigation, with Deputy Director Dan Bongino confirming on X (formerly Twitter) that the agency is actively working on the Tesla incidents and the swatting incidents.

How have Musk and co. reacted?

Elon Musk has strongly condemned Dogequest, labelling it extreme domestic terrorism. Posting on X, he warned: Encouraging destruction of Teslas throughout the country is extreme domestic terrorism!!

Encouraging destruction of Teslas throughout the country is extreme domestic terrorism!! https://t.co/8TCNIbrQxA  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2025

US Attorney General Pam Bondi has echoed these concerns, stating that attacks on Tesla properties are nothing short of domestic terrorism and pledging a thorough federal investigation.

Tesla itself has not yet issued an official statement, but the company has advised customers to enable sentry mode on their vehicles.

This feature allows Tesla owners to monitor and record their surroundings using built-in cameras, potentially providing evidence in case of vandalism or other threats.

Before using Live Camera View from the app for the first time, make sure its enabled on your vehicle touchscreen pic.twitter.com/tJcjWFo1cq  Tesla (@Tesla) March 19, 2025

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While Dogequest claims to neither endorse nor condemn any actions taken as a result of its existence, its creation has been widely viewed as an escalation in the anti-Tesla movement.

The websites operators have not responded to media inquiries, and its domain registration is masked through an anonymous hosting service, Njalla Okta LLC, reported NBC News.

The extent of the data leak is still unclear, as some Tesla owners have confirmed that their listed details are accurate, while others have reported outdated or incorrect information. The website does not appear to contain a full list of Tesla owners, as only a fraction are displayed in some major cities where Tesla vehicles are common.

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How is Tesla faring in the market?

The Dogequest controversy emerges at a time when Tesla is already facing significant challenges. Since Trumps election in late 2024, Teslas stock has plummeted by over 50 per cent, erasing approximately $800 billion in market value.

The companys reputation has suffered, in part due to Musks involvement with the Trump administration, as well as his increasingly polarising political stances.

Investor confidence in Musk is waning. Ross Gerber, an early Tesla investor, has publicly called for Musk to step down as CEO, arguing that his political entanglements have significantly damaged the companys brand.

Sales are plummeting. Its a crisis. You literally cant sell the best product in the marketplace because the CEO is so divisive, Gerber told Sky News.

Meanwhile, Tesla showrooms have become focal points for protests. In New York City, around 250 demonstrators gathered outside a Tesla showroom, chanting slogans such as Musk Must Go and Block Fascism Now. Five individuals were arrested for disorderly conduct, and one was charged with resisting arrest.

The website remains intermittently accessible, with authorities and cybersecurity experts working to track its origin and assess whether legal action can be taken against its operators.

While some activists defend Dogequest as a form of protest, many see it as a serious breach of privacy and a potential incitement to violence.

With inputs from agencies
Following an hour-long phone call with Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to a 30-day halt on strikes on energy assets in Russia. This comes after the US president held a similar telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin during which he agreed to a pause but not to a complete ceasefire. Following the calls, the US said peace has never been closer. But is this true? read more

My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier, said Donald Trump on January 20 when he took the oath of office for a second time.

Now, two months later, it seems that his January statement may hold true, as Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after Trump spoke with the countries leaders this week.

The question that everyone is now asking is: Are we closer to seeing the Russia-Ukraine war end? We try to answer this.

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Ukraine agrees to partial ceasefire

After holding an hour-long phone call with Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to a partial ceasefire with Russia focused on energy and other civilian infrastructure. He added that it is the first step in what could be lasting peace more than three years after the small country was invaded by Moscow.

We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year, Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to US President Donald Trump on a phone call. Reuters

Later, in a Zoom call, Zelenskyy said he had felt no pressure from Trump, adding: It was a fruitful conversation, perhaps the most fruitful we have had, the mood was positive.

We have received signals from the United States that we are talking about the ceasefire on energy facilities, so as not to attack energy infrastructure, and we are also talking about the civilian infrastructure facilities.

Trump, too, described the phone call with Zelenskyy  his first interaction with the Ukrainian leader since their showdown at the Oval Office  as very good.

Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs, he wrote on Truth Social.

Later Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a more detailed statement, saying that Trump had agreed to help Ukraine source additional air defence systems, particularly in Europe. The two leaders agreed to share information closely between their defence staffs as the battlefield situation evolved, he said.

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During the phone call, Trump also raised the possibility of the US taking ownership of Ukraines power plants, adding that it would be the best protection for Ukraines energy infrastructure.

Ukraines agreement to the partial ceasefire came after Russias Vladimir Putin in a phone call with Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on energy infrastructure in Ukraine. The Russian strongman, however, declined to commit to the 30-day full ceasefire plan pitched by Trump last week and agreed to by Ukraine.

The devils in the details

While Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire, the specifics of the deal remain murky and its implementation even more questionable.

Firstly, there are discrepancies in the language used by the White House and the Kremlin and how Kyiv interprets all of it. Zelenskyy said that the proposed pause in attacks on Ukrainian and Russian targets would most likely apply to energy facilities  but that civilian infrastructure was also being talked about.

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However, readouts from the Trump-Putin call on Tuesday used different language. While Washington said energy and infrastructure in its readout, Moscow said, energy infrastructure. As CNN noted in one analysis, the small difference in language could be significant, as a pause on infrastructure attacks would have a far broader scope.

Firefighters work on a site of a Russian attack in Krasnopillia, Sumy region, Ukraine. AP

There are also differences in commitments to Ukraine. In its readout, the Kremlin said that a key condition for lasting peace would have to include complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv.

However, the White House made no mention of this commitment. In fact, Trump, speaking on Fox News, denied this had ever come up: No, we didnt talk about aid, actually, we didnt talk about aid at all. We talked about a lot of things but aid was never discussed, he said.

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However, Vladimir Putins spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, directly contradicted Trump, saying: The need to halt arms supplies to Kyiv was discussed during Putin and Trumps conversation, he said. Ceasing military aid would be high on the agenda in negotiations between Russia and the US, but the topic will not be discussed publicly, Peskov added.

Scepticism abounds

Theres also hesitation from Kyiv about Putins intentions. This comes as Russia carried out a series of attacks in Ukraine that included hitting energy targets, just hours after the phone call between Trump and Putin.

Other analysts as well as world leaders also question whether this pause between Russia and Ukraine would convert to peace. Germanys Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius in an interview with the German broadcaster ZDF, said, Attacks on civilian infrastructure in the first night after this supposedly pivotal and great phone call have not abated. Putin is playing a game here and Im sure that the American president wont be able to sit and watch for much longer.

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Ukrainian soldiers fire 120mm mortar towards Russian army positions near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk region, Ukraine. AP

He added that Putins commitment to stop attacks on energy targets was basically nothing because such infrastructure in Ukraine was already the best protected.

Other European leaders also downplayed any hope of an actual end to the war, saying that Putins condition of stopping aid to Ukraine is unrealistic. As Finlands President Alexander Stubb said, Ukraine has an undeniable right to defend itself on its own and supported by its partners. This right cannot be restricted in any way, not now, and not in the future.

Jennifer Kavanaugh, director of military analysis at Defense Priorities, also told AFP that there was reason for optimism from Trumps Ukraine diplomacy, but that Putin has the upper hand on the ground and is not going to compromise easily. To me, this was a positive step forward that set the ground for some confidence building, both between Ukraine and Russia and between Trump and European allies who are very concerned about his negotiating style, she said.

Now, all eyes turn to Saudi Arabia where technical discussions on a possible deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war will begin Monday in Saudi Arabia. As US envoy Steve Witkoff said, I believe on Monday we actually have the technical teams going. They agreed on a pathway to some ceasefire conditions and to a full-on ceasefire that will be negotiated over the coming days. I actually think in a couple of weeks were going to get to it.

With inputs from agencies
Maharashtra police have nabbed Fahim Shamim Khan, a politician from the local Minorities Democratic Party (MDP), as the main accused in the Nagpur violence that shook the city earlier this week. Khan allegedly provoked people and fanned rumours about the desecration of the Quran during a right-wing protest over Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb read more

Fahim Khan has been now named in one of six FIRs filed in connection with the Nagpur clashes, which left over 70 people injuredincluding 34 police personnel. Image courtesy: X

Days after violent clashes shook Maharashtras Nagpur, police have arrested the man accused of orchestrating the unrestFahim Shamim Khan, a local politician from the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP).

Khan is believed to have provoked people, incited violence, and played a role in spreading rumours that a holy book was desecrated by right-wing groups during their protest over the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb.

According to PTI, Khan has been now named in one of six FIRs filed in connection with the clashes, which left over 70 people injuredincluding 34 police personnel. He, along with 50 others, is now under investigation.

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Authorities have placed him in police custody until Friday as they probe his alleged role in the Nagpur riots.

But who is Fahim Khan, and what was his involvement in the violence? Heres what we know about the man accused of being the mastermind behind the chaos.

Who is Fahim Khan?

Fahim Shamim Khan, 38, serves as the city president of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP) in Nagpur. Though not widely known in mainstream politics, he has been an active voice in local affairs, particularly advocating for minority rights.

According to The Indian Express, the MDP was founded in 2009 as the political arm of Imaan Tanzeem, an organisation led by Mohammad Hamid Engineer. In 2015, Engineer was part of a delegation of Muslim leaders who met PM Narendra Modi to discuss issues affecting the Sunni community.

Senior leaders of the Muslim community from across the country met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of their concerns in 2015. Image courtesy: PMIndia.gov.in

The organisation primarily works to politically empower the Ahle Sunnatul Jamaat while conserving traditional Sunni practices. Khan, a resident of Sanjay Bagh Colony in Yashodhara Nagar, has been vocal about creating political alternatives for Muslims and has often criticised mainstream parties for neglecting their concerns.

Ahead of last years Assembly elections, he made a striking comparison while urging Muslims to seek political alternatives beyond Congress. The situation of Muslim voters within the Congress is like that of a professional dancer at Indian weddings. He may groove and light up the atmosphere of the baraat (wedding procession), but once it reaches the wedding venue, he is not even invited inside, Khan had remarked.

He contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Nagpur, challenging senior BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. However, his campaign failed to gain tractionhe managed just 1,073 votes, while Gadkari secured victory with a margin of over 6.5 lakh votes.

In his election affidavit, Khan declared assets worth Rs 75,000, with no liabilities or reported annual income. The document also revealed that he had three pending criminal cases, though none involved serious offences.

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How Khan incited Nagpur riots

On March 17, tensions erupted in Nagpur as around 250 members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest at Shivaji Putla Square near Mahal Gate, demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb in Khultabad.

The demonstration was reportedly sparked by the release of Chhaava, a film that portrays the execution of Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj at the hands of Aurangzeb, reigniting anger against the 17th-century ruler.

Bajrang Dal and VHP workers take part in a protest, demanding the removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb, in Nagpur on Monday. PTI

Soon after, rumours spread that members of the right-wing groups had set fire to a holy book belonging to the Muslim community and desecrated a religious chadar, triggering outrage and heightening communal tensions. The situation quickly escalated, leading to widespread violence.

According to News18, which cited the FIR, Fahim Shamim Khanacting as the local leader of the MDPallegedly played a key role in inciting unrest. He reportedly urged people to gather first near the Ganesh Peth Police Station and later at a mosque in the Mahal area, both of which became flashpoints for the riots.

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Police dispersed an agitating crowd as communal tension prevailed Chitnis Park area following the VHP-Bajrang Dal protest, in Nagpur. PTI

Authorities claim Khan helped spread rumours about the alleged desecration, inflaming emotions further. Several videos from the clashes show rioters purportedly chanting slogans in support of Aurangzeb, referring to him as Alamgir Hazrat.

However, the MDP has denied these allegations, maintaining that Khan had only visited the police station to demand action against those responsible for defiling religious texts. They insist he was arrested inside the station before any violence broke out.

Everyone in the country has the right to protest. The Constitution allows you to burn the effigy of Aurangzeb, and we do not have a problem with that. But why desecrate holy verses? Fahim, along with a delegation of our workers, went there to request action against those involved in the desecration. We are shocked that the police have booked and arrested him instead of taking action against the perpetrators, MDP leader Alim Patel was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

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By Monday evening, nearly 1,000 people had taken to the streets, leading to large-scale rioting. Stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson were reported, with multiple vehicles, police cars, traffic booths, and houses being damaged. The mob used dangerous weapons like axes, stones, and petrol bombs to attack the police.

Police personnel were deployed in large numbers after tensions broke out following a dispute between two groups at the Mahal area in Nagpur on March 17, 2025. PTI

Police personnel were attacked as they tried to disperse the crowd, with several officers sustaining injuries. Disturbing reports later emerged of a female police officer being molested by rioters, who allegedly tore her uniform in an attempt to disrobe her, while others made obscene gestures at the women officers.

With the violence spiralling out of control, authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in sensitive areas, restricting movement and public gatherings to prevent further escalation.

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Addressing the situation at a press conference on Wednesday, Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal confirmed that authorities were investigating whether the violence was orchestrated by a single individual or a larger network.

We are verifying the names coming up in relation to the rioting, he stated, as the probe into one of Nagpurs most intense communal clashes in recent years continues.

With input from agencies
India has long been part of the Quad  the grouping between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. Now, the Philippines wants India and South Korea to join the Squad, an informal spinoff bloc also comprising Australia, Japan and the United States. But what do we know about it? What do experts say? read more

China, in violation of international law, has lay claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

India has long been part of Quad  the grouping between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States which aims at an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.

Now, the Philippines wants India to join the Squad  an informal spinoff grouping in the South China Sea comprising it, Australia, Japan and the United States.

General Romeo S, Brawner, Chief of Staff of the Philippines armed forces, said his nation is eager to see both India and South Korea join the informal bloc.

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I will be raising the topic of India joining the Squad during a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan in the afternoon today, General Brawner, referring to China as the common enemy, said on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue.

The three artificial islands created by China give it effective control over the South China Sea. They have built a 2.7-km runway, with air defence and other missile systems, on Mischief ReefMoving forward, it is our belief that they will take full control of the South China Sea, General Brawner added.

But what is Squad? What do we know about it? What do experts say?

Lets take a closer look:

What is it?

As per Bloomberg, the nickname to the grouping was given by officials at the US Pentagon.

According to the Global Times, some experts say the Squad essentially adds an S for security to the Indo-Pacific architecture of minilateral cooperation.

The Interpreter reported the grouping was comes in the backdrop of rising tensions between China and the Philippines due to territorial disputes.

As per The Observer Research Foundation, the first meeting of the Squad was held on June 3, 2023.

The Squads first joint maritime exercise occurred in April 2024, as per Global Times.

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According to The Economic Times, the informal bloc has conducted naval exercises in the South China Sea for more than a year.

China, in violation of international law, has lay claim to almost the entire South China Sea.

This despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 ruling that Beijings claim to almost the entire South China Sea is groundless.

Chinas actions in the region have been the subject of hundreds of diplomatic protests filed by the Philippines.

Around $3 trillion worth of sea-borne goods pass through the South China Sea every year.

Two Philippine Air Force FA-50 fighter jets fly during a joint patrol and training session with the U.S. over the South China Sea. File image/ AP

The Squad is thus essentially aimed at deterring curbing Beijings adventurism in the South China Sea.

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Brawner on Wednesday slammed Beijings illegal, coercive, and disruptive Grey Zone tactics including building and militarising three artificial islands.

As per The Times of India, Chinas neighbours have accused it of flouting international norms  both in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.

Not only does Beijing have the worlds largest navy with 370 warships and submarines, it has also permanently stationed seven to eight ships in the Indian Ocean Region.

What do experts say?

The ORF piece argued that the formation of the Squad should be seen in the context of the failure of institutions such as Asean and the lack of condemnation of Chinas moves and a new way of strengthening maritime security through a security arrangement.

Firstly, it would be inaccurate to view the emergence of the Squad as an outcome at the cost of the already existing Quad, the piece stated.

The synergy among the Quad countries is directed towards fostering a secure and stable Indo-Pacific. On the other hand, the Squad should be seen in the context of the specific contests that have characterized the SCS region, and even more specifically the West Philippine Sea.

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The ORF article claimed the Squad has spurred a much-needed debate minilateralism in the Indo-Pacific.

The proliferation of such groupings has come as a boon to several players involved in the broader geopolitics ensuing in the region. Minilateral groupings are seen as helpful as they aid in the making of maritime security architectures based on the strategic and security compulsions of the players involved in the region providing them with more space and agency to manoeuvre the complex challenges at sea. This is a natural outcome of the very nature in which geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific has evolved, involving maritime spaces with varied strategic environments, and countries with wide-ranging interests, the piece stated.

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A piece in The Interpreter contended that the Squad is a natural result of the US minilateral initiatives including AustraliaUKUS (Aukus) and JapanPhilippinesUS (Japhus).

As the Squad develops, it needs to institutionalise its promising partnership through regular joint patrols in the South China Sea and across Western Pacific, expanded intelligence-sharing and maritime security cooperation, and collective efforts to accelerate the Philippines military modernisation, the piece argued.

n the meantime, the Squad sends a reminder to China that the Philippines is not alone  and that Beijing needs to reconsider its aggressive stance, lest it crystalise a de facto Asian NATO, the piece concluded.

Then US president Joe Biden, Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Narendra Modi take part in a Quad leaders summit family photo in Claymont, Delaware, US, September 21, 2024. Reuters

Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Centre for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs at the Institute for Security and Development Policy, told SCMP last year he would not be shocked if Squad becomes a more established grouping.

Squad countries are strong maritime nations, having keen commercial interests in the conflicting South China Sea to the East China Sea. Having official backing among the navies of these four countries makes sense, and hence eventually the Squad might emerge as a more institutionalised or formalised grouping, Panda said.

Panda added that the two blocs would result in a versatile power distribution where powers and responsibilities are shared.

There is an opportunity and chance for the Squad and the Quad to coexist, Panda said.

Yoichiro Sato, professor of Asia-Pacific Studies at Japans Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University, added, Manila will remain focused on borrowing the strength of the other three countries in deterring Chinas challenges in the South China Sea.

This includes security help to the Philippines in terms of both hardware and human resource training, Sato said.

The two overlapping four-party arrangements allow more cohesion within each group, allowing both India and the Philippines to work within their comfort levels, Sato added.

China, of course, sees things very differently.

A piece in the state-run Global Times savaged the Squad as a patched-together Frankenstein, a loose bloc of interests that does little more than fuel instability in the South China Sea.

Its so-called unity is nothing but a facade, built on an opportunistic grouping that only serves to further stir an already tense situation. Perhaps what the S truly stands for is sabotage and strife. Every joint US-Japan-Australia-Philippines military exercise, while officially claiming to promote regional peace and stability, only further destabilises the South China Sea situation, the piece argued.

Peace and stability in the South China Sea depend on dialogue and cooperation, not on creating one monster after another to divert attention from provocative actions. Relying on external forces for support to incite tensions will only complicate the situation and push peace further away, the piece concluded.

With inputs from agencies
A French politician has recently made the call to the US administration to return the Statue of Liberty, presented to the Americans as a gift to commemorate 100 years of the American Declaration of Independence. Raphael Glucksmann stated that Trumps America is not worthy of the monument. But can it really happen? read more

The Statue of Liberty is seen from the Staten Island Ferry in New York. AP

A French politician is in the limelight for his recent and rather controversial statement. He has called for the US to return the Statue of Liberty, presented by the French people as a gift in 1884.

Raphael Glucksmann, a member of the European Parliament and co-president of a small left-wing party in France, has claimed that the US is not worthy of the monument any more and return it to France.

Speaking to supporters, Glucksmann said, Give us back the Statue of Liberty. 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.

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It was our gift to you. But apparently you despise her. So she will be happy here with us, Glucksmann said. The speech was met with thundering applause from his supporters on Sunday (March 16).

The White House dismissed French concerns, demanding continued gratitude for past wartime aid especially during the World War I and World War II.

To this, Glucksmann retorted with eternal gratitude, but asserted Europes readiness to assume leadership of the free world. He concluded by emphasising the universal symbolism of the Statue of Liberty.

No one, of course, will come and steal the Statue of Liberty, he wrote in X posts. The statue is yours. But what it embodies belongs to everyone.

Can France claim the statue

The United Nations cultural arm, Unesco, has clarified that the iconic monument is US government property.

The Statue of Liberty was conceived as a significant expression of friendship between France and the United States, designed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence.

Raphael Glucksmann at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France. AP

But the France-Prussia War in 1870 diverted the energies of the monuments designer, French sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi.

The gift also took time to be funded, with a decision made that the French would pay for the statue and Americans would cover the costs of its pedestal. Transported in 350 pieces from France, the statue was officially unveiled on October 28, 1886.

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What is the French governments stance?

Glucksmann has not found support from the French government led by Emmanuel Macron to help him make his challenge come true.

Currently, the French president is navigating a delicate balance  seeking to collaborate with Trump and soften some of his policy changes while simultaneously resisting certain White House moves, particularly Trumps tariff increases.

Macron has let his prime minister, Francois Bayrou, play the role of being a more critical voice. Bayrou tore into the brutality that was shown to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his White House visit and suggested that Trumps administration risked handing victory to Russia when it paused military aid to Ukraine.

Glucksmanns party has been even more critical, posting accusations on its website that Trump is wielding power in an authoritarian manner and is preparing to deliver Ukraine on a silver platter to Russia.

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In his speech, Glucksmann referenced New York poet Emma Lazarus 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, Glucksmann said.

What is the White House saying?

When questioned about Glucksmanns comments, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the US would absolutely not be relinquishing the Statue of Liberty.

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 said Monday, apparently referencing the U.S. fight with Allied powers to free France from Nazi occupation during World War II and alongside France during World War I. They should be very grateful.

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But the debt of gratitude runs both ways. Leavitt skipped past Frances key role in supporting the future United States during its war for independence from the United Kingdom.

In his subsequent follow-up, Glucksmann said that his call for Lady Liberty to travel back across the Atlantic to France had been intended as a wake-up call.

We all in Europe love this nation to which we know we owe so much, he posted. It will rise again. You will rise again. We are counting on you.

With inputs from AP
March 20, 2025: The U.S. Marine Corps is making several changes to its F-35 force. The number of carrier based catapult launched F-35C carrier based aircraft is being increased from 67 to 140. At the same time the number of vertical-takeoff F-35Bs are being reduced from 353 to 280. Squadrons will increase from 10 to 12 aircraft each. The larger squadrons will get two more pilots and an additional 24 aircraft maintainers. Marine aircraft will use Small Diameter bombs and the AGM-158 anti-ship missile. There will also be upgrades to the bomb carrying equipment on these aircraft.

The F-35 is a 31-ton single engine, single-seat aircraft that entered service in different versions between 2015 and 2019. The first F-35s were built in 2006 for development purposes. The aircraft has stealth characteristics and is equipped with all the most modern aircraft electronics or avionics, sensors and capabilities. The F-35 has a max range of 2,800 kilometers for repositioning missions to a different country. For destinations more than 2,500 kilometers distant, the F-35 must land for refueling along the way. Combat range for ground attack missions is 1,2oo kilometers while carrying eight tons of missiles and bombs. Combat range for combat with other aircraft is 1,400 kilometers. The F-35 can carry 2,600 kg of weapons internally and 6,800 kg externally. Max speed is Mach 1.6 and max altitude is 15,000 meters. The F-35B is a Short Takeoff and Landing or STOVAL version that carries a third less fuel because of the STOVAL modifications. There is an F-35C aircraft carrier version that is like the F-35A but equipped with a tail hook and more rugged landing gear. The wings have larger control surfaces, and the outer portions of the wing can be folded so the aircraft takes up less space on the hanger deck.

Missiles and bombs that the F-35 is equipped to carry include air-to-air missiles like the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-132 ASRAAM, AIM-260 JATM, and MBDA Meteor. Air-to-surface missiles include AGM-88G AARGM-ER, AGM-158 JASSM, AGM-179 JAGM, SPEAR 3, and the hypervelocity Stand-In Attack Weapon. Anti-ship missiles include the AGM-158C LRASM and Joint Strike Missile. Bombs include the Joint Direct Attack Munition, Paveway Precision-guided glide bomb, AGM-154 JSOW, GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb, GBU-53/B Stormbreaker and the B61 mod 12 nuclear bomb.

Pilots benefit from several features that make their job easier and much more effective. The cockpit where the pilot sits features a bubble canopy providing excellent views of what is outside the aircraft. Cockpit controls have been reduced and made easier to see and use. This is done by using a 50 by 20 cm touch display that shows flight instruments, stores management, CNI information, and integrated caution and warnings. Pilots can customize the arrangement of the information. Below the main display is a smaller stand-by display. The F-35 electronics also provides a better view of ground targets and the ability to quickly select the most suitable ground attack weapon carried and use it.

The cockpit has a speech-recognition system but does not have a heads-up display. Instead, flight and combat information is displayed on the visor of the pilot's helmet using a helmet-mounted display system, a display that enables the pilot to look at an enemy aircraft and fire a missile at it. This point and shoot capability is an enormous advantage in air-to-air combat. The one-piece tinted canopy is hinged at the front and has an internal frame for structural strength. The Martin-Baker ejection seat is launched by a twin-catapult system housed on side rails. There is a right-hand side stick and throttle hands-on throttle-and-stick system. For life support, an OBOGS, or onboard oxygen-generation system is fitted and powered by the Integrated Power Package, with an auxiliary oxygen bottle and backup oxygen system for emergencies.

The radars and electronic countermeasures provide the pilot with an integrated view of the surrounding air space. This degree of situational awareness gives the pilot an enormous advantage in combat because the F-35 pilot can see, either with his eyes or via his sensors, more about what is in the area and in much greater detail than any enemy pilot.

About 1,100 F-35s have been built so far and eventually, by 2044, at least 2,456 will be built. Production numbers will increase as more export customers order aircraft. So far F-35s have been exported to Britain, Australia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Norway, and the Netherlands. In 2023 Israel ordered another 25 F-35s. Israel already has fifty, organized into two squadrons. With the new aircraft there will be three squadrons. Israel was the first export customer to receive F-35s because it was the only export customer that was regularly involved in combat, including air-strikes. Israel was also the only export customer allowed to modify and upgrade their F-35s. For this reason, the Israeli aircraft is known as the F-35I. The United States initially opposed Israeli requests to carry out modifications and upgrades, but the Israelis had a record of doing this with F-16s and F-15s obtained from the United States, so F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin agreed to cooperate by making some modifications to the F-35Is before Israel received them. These included changes in command, control, and communications systems, including computers, and the thorough integration of intelligence collection, electronic warfare, and weapons systems. Israel agreed to not change anything inside the aircraft but was free to add capabilities on top of the existing infrastructure. Israel Aerospace Industries, for example, was already working on such systems for the F-35I. The F-35I was designed to allow software updates to electronic warfare and weapons systems. F-35I power and cooling systems were modified to allow incorporation of Israeli developed weapons. Israel has developed its own air-to-air missiles and GPS guided bombs.

Since 2021 there have been a lot more joint exercises involving Israeli and foreign F-35s. Details of these exercises have not been publicized but it apparently involves testing current and new F-35 capabilities and sharing that knowledge with other F-35 users. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, a lot of European nations sought to obtain F-35s while canceling plans to buy older models of American and European combat aircraft. F-35s are meant to eventually replace all F-16, F-15, and F-18 aircraft.

Ukraines ability to defeat the larger Russian air force, using Ukraines own Russian-designed aircraft, made it clear that the Ukrainian tactics carried out with F-35s would provide an enormous edge over air forces equipped with older aircraft. China recently revealed two new stealth aircraft, the JHXX strike aircraft and the JXD fighter. The JHXX is a tailless delta design while the JXD is a more conventional design like the American F-35. These two aircraft appear to be in the prototype stage and production models wont appear until the 2030s.

China has not yet produced a stealth aircraft as capable as the F-35 but these two prototypes appear to be a serious effort to change that. This may take a decade or more and until then the United States and its Pacific allies have an advantage with their F-35s.

Israel demonstrated what the F-35 was capable of in 2019 when Israel had only 14 F-35I fighters and some had been operational for over a year. These F-35Is flew training missions near the Syrian border and then operational missions over Lebanon and Syria. This came after years of overcoming opposition from the United States to allowing Israel to modify the F-35A to use Israeli electronic warfare equipment and software, and also to handle Israeli-made missiles and smart bombs as well as a smart helmet, which was something Israel pioneered. This led to the Israeli aircraft being designated the F-35I, which have been in the air since 2018, often armed and within range of hostile radars and anti-aircraft missiles as well as the latest Russian electronic warfare equipment.

Israeli engineers also confirmed fears that the F-35 is eminently hackable. Other foreign users who have received their first F-35s agree that the heart of the F-35's superior capabilities are its software and digital communications with other aircraft and troops on the ground. Users are pointing out all manner of potential network vulnerabilities, and all are actively seeking which of these vulnerabilities are actual and fixable rather than potential and unlikely. F-35 software was designed over a decade ago when much less was known about how combat aircraft software could be hacked and already some basic changes in F-35 software architecture are underway to deal with that.

This brings up another major problem. The F-35 software is more complex and omnipresent throughout the aircraft than in any previous warplane. Its a major effort to carry out and test any changes. Some major upgrades are needed in how F-35 software changes are made and how quickly. In wartime this would be essential, as otherwise vulnerable aircraft would be grounded when needed most. Foreign users have also provided useful advice on penetration or red team testing and this has become another major effort that was not anticipated.

The U.S. and other foreign users of the F-35 noted Israels F-35I experience, and the Israelis have increasingly been sharing it with allies. Israel got priority on deliveries because they are literally a combat zone. Initial reactions of Israeli F-35I pilots and air force commanders were positive. What the Israeli pilots and all others who have flown the F-35 agree on is that its software and degree of automation is spectacular, easy to use and very effective. The F-35 has a large number of sensors, as in receivers for electronic signals, as well as six cameras and a very capable radar. The fusion of all that data and presentation to the pilot based on the current situation is impressive and makes the F-35 much easier to fly than any other fighter, despite all the additional capabilities it has.

Israel has become something of an unofficial member of NATO and is sharing a lot of its F-35I knowledge with NATO nations. Israel not only has to deal with Russian aircraft and electronic systems in Syria, but an even more dangerous threat from Iran. Israel has established diplomatic and defense relationships with Arab countries who are also threatened by Iran. That made it possible for Israel to establish diplomatic relations with some Arab Gulf States and that led to Americans' willingness to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates/UAE.
The murder case of a Merchant Navy officer in Uttar Pradesh by his wife and lover continues to unravel. The woman Muskan Rastogi had been allegedly plotting to kill her husband Saurabh Rajput since November. She bought two knives and had been looking for a place to bury him after the murder. Her family said she regularly did drugs with her lover and partner in crime, Sahil Shukla read more

Merchant Navy officer from UP's Meerut was murdered by his wife and her lover. Image Courtesy: X

The murder case of a Merchant Navy officer in Uttar Pradesh by his wife and lover continues to unravel.

The woman, Muskan Rastogi, had been allegedly plotting to kill her husband, Saurabh Rajput, since November.

She had also tricked her lover into thinking that his mother was communicating with him via Snapchat from beyond the grave.

Rastogis family believes that she may have killed Rajput in part because she allegedly used narcotics with Shukla.

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Lets take a closer look.

The planning

On March 4, Saurabh Rajput was allegedly murdered by his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and Sahil Shukla, with whom she was having an affair.

After that, Rajputs body was cut up into 15 parts and put in a cement-sealed drum while the killers struggled to find a way to get rid of it without raising any red flags.

Muskan Rastogi had been plotting her husbands murder since November, according to authorities.

The entire plotting was done by Rastogi, who hatched the murder plan in November, Superintendent of Police (Meerut City) Ayush Vikram Singh told NDTV.

Days before her husbands return, on February 22, she had bought two knives for Rs 800 and told the storekeeper that she would use them to cut chicken. She also had faked anxiety to a doctor and obtained the medications she would use to put him to sleep before killing him.

She started looking for locations to bury Rajputs body after planning to kill him, according to Singh. She even enquired as to where a body may be buried after telling her friends that she needed to bury certain items she had used in a puja, or prayer rite. However, the friends did not assist her.

Rajput returned on February 24 and Rastogi mixed the medications with his alcohol the following day, but he did not drink, according to the officer.

They kept look for the opportunity to drug Rajput for several days.

Ultimately, on March 4, Rastogi and Shukla drugged him, and then stabbed him to death.

Also read: Pressure of marriage, fights What brew between Mahalakshmi, lover before Bengaluru murder?

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Drug sessions and more

According to Rastogis family members, she and Shukla were habitual drug users, and they may have killed Rajput because he would stop their drug sessions.

A Dainik Bhaskar report claims Shukla regularly smoked ganja and had made Rastogi an addict, which was why the woman was not able to leave him.

As per another NDTV report, there are multiple drawings on the wall of Shuklas rental house, where he lives with two other men, that suggest the residents are involved with drugs. In a video, the number six is positioned around a star polygon in a mural representing Satan.

On the floor adjacent to another mural that reads, You cant trip with us are several beer cans.

A graphic of what looks to be a joint being transferred from one hand to the other with the words Puff puff pass was also present in the apartment.

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Due to his drug use, Shukla was also vulnerable to one of Rastogis evil plans in the run-up to the murder: she created an account on Snapchat and was able to trick Shukla into believing that her deceased mother was communicating with him via it.

The account was not in the name of Shuklas mother but the messages were sent by Rastogi in a way that she made him believe that his dead mother had reincarnated and was speaking to him. She used this as a means of controlling Shukla and, later, convincing him to kill her husband, Singh said, according to NDTV.

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Firstpost cannot independently verify this information.

Misleading the family

Rajputs marriage to Rastogi in 2016 against their wishes and then moving out of the house to live with her in a leased flat caused a rift with his family.

Singh claimed that his family had all but disowned him because of this and his frequent drinking.

He used to go to his parents house to eat, but they did not have much of a relationship. He used to stay away from the city for days and had been abroad for two years, but his family did not contact him much. Muskaan knew about this and she was banking on it to be able to tell the family after killing and burying him that he had gone abroad and would not return, the police officer said.

After killing Rajput, Rastogi told everyone that he had gone to Manali to relax, and had communicated with his family through his phone.

According to an NDTV report that obtained the WhatsApp conversations between Rastogi and Rajputs sister Chinki after the murder, Rastogi allegedly messaged her on March 6 to ask if she will be in Meerut for Holi. She replied, Yes. The reply from Rastogi stated that Rajput was out of town and would only return after the festival.

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Two days later, Chinki enquired as to whether her brother had taken his daughter with him, believing that she was speaking to him. The response was that she would have been sick because it was -10 degrees Celsius where he had gone. Wishes for Holi were soon exchanged.

In an attempt to talk to Rajput, Chinki called him on WhatsApp on March 16. The phone was not answered. Four calls remained unanswered the following day. When the family became suspicious, they went to the police.

In order to support Rajputs story, Rastogi and Shukla even travelled to Manali and uploaded pictures from his phone, it was revealed during interrogation.

She admitted to her parents that she had killed Rajput, and the two were arrested upon their return from Manali.

With inputs from agencies
The flight, operated by Qeshm Air from Iran, landed at Dabolim airport (in South Goa) at 6.30 pm on Wednesday, bringing 140 tourists to the state, a tourism department official said in a release read more

The first chartered flight from Iran after COVID-19 pandemic has arrived in Goa, marking yet another milestone in the coastal states growing appeal as an international tourist destination, a tourism department official said.

The flight, operated by Qeshm Air from Iran, landed at Dabolim airport (in South Goa) at 6.30 pm on Wednesday, bringing 140 tourists to the state, the official said in a release.

This chartered flight arrival highlights the increasing interest among international travellers in exploring Goas rich cultural heritage, diverse traditions, and vibrant culinary offerings, the tourism department said.

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This arrival marks the first chartered flight from Iran and yet another milestone in Goas growing appeal as an international tourist destination, a spokesperson of the tourism department said.

He said officials from the Department of Tourism ensured a smooth and warm welcome for the Iranian visitors.

The Department of Tourism remains committed to actively promoting Goa as a year-round destination, inviting travellers from around the world to experience the states unique charm beyond its well-known beaches, he said.
Security forces neutralised 18 Naxalites in an encounter in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district on Thursday. The operation, which took place near the Bijapur-Dantewada border, also claimed the life of a police jawan. read more

Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Source: Representative Image/PTI.

In a major crackdown on Left Wing Extremism, security forces eliminated 18 Maoists in an encounter in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district on Thursday, news agency PTI reported citing officials.

A police jawan also lost his life in the exchange of fire.

The gunfight erupted around 7 am in a forested area along the Bijapur-Dantewada border during an anti-Naxal operation conducted by a joint team of security personnel in the Gangaloor police station limits (Bijapur), the security official said to news agency PTI.

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Security forces recovered the bodies of 18 Naxalites, along with firearms and explosives, from the site, he said.

According to the official, a jawan from the state polices District Reserve Guard (DRG) unit was also killed in the encounter.

The operation in the region is still ongoing, he added.

This is a developing story.
The report, prepared by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup, found Finland to be the happiest country on the face of the Earth, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden read more

The 2025 World Happiness Report is out and guess what, it claims people in war-torn nations like Ukraine and Palestine are happier than Indians. Furthermore, terror-hit nation Pakistan has also been ranked above India, sparking discussion on Indian social media whether the report can be trusted at all.

The report, prepared by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup, found Finland to be the happiest country on the face of the Earth, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.

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India ranked 118th out of the 147 surveyed, up from its 126th position in 2022 and 2023. But the South Asian nation was ranked below its neighbours Pakistan and Nepal, which bagged 109th and 92nd positions respectively.

People in Ukraine and Palestine are also happier than Indians, the report claims. Ukraine is ranked 111th whereas Palestine, where thousands have lost their lives to war with Israel, is ranked 108th.

Methodology

According to the reports authors, they have relied on three key indicators to prepare the rankings of nations.

Our measurement of subjective wellbeing continues to rely on three main indicators: life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions. Happiness rankings are based primarily on life evaluations, as they provide a more stable measure of peoples quality of life, the authors noted.

The report is based on an opinion poll conducted by Gallup World Poll, featuring suggestions of 1,000 responders per country.

Reactions on social media

Users on social media cast doubts over the credibility of the report, saying India in real was actually way happier.

India is much happier than the reports show. The most extended study on happiness at Harvard found that relationships are one of the primary sources of happiness. In India, relationships are still strong, one user wrote on X.

Another user mocked how civil war-torn Iraq and crisis-ridden Pakistan were ranked better than India.

World Happiness Report claims India is worse than: Irans Islamist regime with burkha policing; War zones like Syria, Palestine, and Ukraine; Civil war-torn Iraq; Even Pakistan, where people are fighting for food.

I find the happiness index report hard to trust, wrote a third, citing Indias vibrant culture of celebrating festivals.

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The 155mm/52-calibre ATAGS have been designed and developed by DRDO and will be produced by private defence firms Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems read more

Advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) has been a long-standing need of the Indian Army. Image used for Representative purpose/https://www.bharatforge.com

Indias government has approved a long-awaited deal worth around Rs 7,000 crore ($840m) for the acquisition of indigenous advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) for the army, marking a significant step in the countrys push to develop its own defence manufacturing capabilities.

The contract, cleared by the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday (March 19), will see the army acquire 307 howitzers with a strike range of 45-48km, along with 327 gun-towing vehicles to equip 15 artillery regiments, The Times of India reported citing top sources. The agreement is expected to be finalised next week.

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The 155mm/52-calibre ATAGS have been designed and developed by Indias Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and will be produced by private defence firms Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems. Bharat Forge, which emerged as the lowest bidder, will manufacture 60 per cent of the guns, while Tata will produce the remaining 40 per cent.

Heres a timeline of the development of ATAGS so far:

2013: DRDO initiates a project to replace the Indian Armys older artillery guns

2017: The gun makes first appearance at the annual Republic Day parade, joining in the 21-gun salute

2018: The system enters winter trials in Sikkim.

2020 (September): A barrel burst incident occurs during final trials in Pokhran. Four personnel are injured.

2021-2022: Retrials are conducted in Sikkim and Pokhran.

2023: The gun is ready for production.

2024: Armenia places an order for ATAGS.

Before they begin bulk production of the ATAGS, the manufacturers must provide a prototype that meets the armys baseline requirements within 18 months of signing the agreement.

In addition to ATAGS, Bharat Forge is also a key contender for the 155mm/52-calibre Mounted Gun System. A request for proposal (RFP) was issued to several Indian firms, including Bharat Forge, in July 2023. When asked to provide the gun system for field evaluation, Bharat Forge and other bidders sought an 18-month development period, with a commitment to deliver a prototype by December 2025.

Meanwhile, the procurement process for the 155mm/52-calibre Towed Gun System (TGS) is also underway. An RFP was issued to Indian firms, including Bharat Forge, in July 2024, with the Indian Army set to conduct field evaluations in July 2025. To avoid delays, the army has mandated that all contenders submit their gun systems on time without requesting extensions for further development.

This order is expected to be the first of many, as the army plans to induct further advanced versions, with a total requirement of 1,580 such guns.

A troubled history of artillery procurement

Indias efforts to modernise its artillery have been repeatedly derailed by corruption scandals in past foreign acquisitions.

The Swedish Bofors deal of the 1980s, the South African Denel controversy in 2005, and a 2009 case involving Singapores ST Kinetics have all left the country wary of relying on imports.

The push for indigenous production aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modis Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, which aims to reduce dependence on foreign defence suppliers and boost domestic manufacturing.

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An official aware of the development told Firstpost that the army is committed to supporting domestic defence firms in developing weaponry that meets its stringent operational requirements, which span diverse terrains and climatic conditions.

While some Indian-made guns have been exported, all manufacturers must comply with the armys technical and performance standards before induction into active service, they said.
With the world entering a disruptive era of economic and technological competition, Chinas policies will have far-reaching ramifications for the global markets, technological ecosystems and diplomacy read more

Chinas Two Sessions is a well-choreographed, key political event convened annually in Beijing. It serves as a crucial platform for validating the national policy direction and developmental plans for the coming year. The decisions and announcements made here not only affect the lives of 1.4 billion Chinese but also have a global impact, thus being closely watched by the international community. During these sessions, the Chinese top leaders and political advisors present their work and also engage with the public through the press conferences.

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The convention is termed as Two Sessions because the countrys two top political bodies  the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National Peoples Congress (NPC)  hold their separate annual meetings almost concurrently. The CPPCC is an advisory body with little real political influence but does make innovative proposals, generally pertaining to socio-economic issues. Its members include business executives and celebrities  actors and sportspersons. The NPC is the Communist Partys legislators body, the highest authority of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC); a rubber stamp parliament with around 3,000 members.

The 2025 two sessions convention was held from March 4 to 11 in the backdrop of a challenging and complex environment, including the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan this year. The conclave commenced with the CPPCC inaugural meeting on March 4, followed by the NPCs opening conference a day later. Major issues dealt with during the two sessions were economy, technology, defence, social policies and sustainable development initiatives.

Economic strategy. During the opening session of the NPC, Prime Minister Li Qiang delivered the Government Work Report (GWR), and lawmakers reviewed multiple reports, projecting a picture of a stable environment. While the growth target of 5 per cent for the current year appears to be cautiously optimistic, on the fiscal front the government adopted a more proactive approach with its plans to increase the fiscal deficit to around 4 per cent, up by 1 percentage point compared to the previous year.

The key thrust areas identified for economic growth were boosting consumption, developing an industry embracing science and innovation, promoting landmark reform measures including the construction of a unified national market, expanding by incorporating high-level opening up by encouraging foreign investments, and preventing and resolving risks in sensitive areas, particularly stabilising the real estate market and promoting rural revitalisation. Chinas overall economic strategy encompasses stability, innovation and global competitiveness.

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Technology. The achievement of self-reliance in high-end technology remains a key focus area for Chinese leadership in view of the increasing restrictions being imposed by the West on semiconductor exports and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Consequently, China is accelerating investment in advanced manufacturing, AI and quantum computing.

The PRC aims to position itself as a global leader in high-tech innovations while reducing dependence on the foreign firms. To this end, a number of new incentives have been introduced, including tax breaks, subsidies and state-backed funding to catapult China as a global leader in the cutting-edge technology domain. All these measures signify Chinas pursuit to build a resilient industrial ecosystem.

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Socio-economic policies. To address the slow growth of the workforce, the Chinese government has pledged to create over 12 million new urban jobs while keeping the unemployment rate around 5.5 per cent. Education reforms have been accorded high priority with increased funding for the STEM courses and vocational training. President Xi Jinping called for a deep understanding of the role of education, science and technology to unlock the talent to drive Chinese modernisation and its emergence as a global leader. In view of the Chinese ageing population, pension reforms have been given due attention. The Chinese leadership is apparently intending to balance economic development with social stability, so critical for the survival of the Communist regime.

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Defence and foreign affairs. A hike of 7.2 per cent in the defence budget brings the military spending to approximately $249 billion, second only to the USA. As per the Pentagon and many experts, Chinas actual expenditure on defence could well be 40 per cent higher or even more, as many security-related items are covered under non-defence heads. An increase in the defence budget is primarily attributed to enhancing the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) high-tech capability, especially modernising cyber security assets, expanding space technology, and strengthening naval and air assets, besides scaling up the nuclear arsenal.

While issuing a firm warning against external interference in Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, and trade restrictions, Premier Li Qiang reiterated his governments preference for a peaceful solution. Foreign Minister Wang Yi provided insight into Chinas thinking on current global affairs. Reaffirming commitment to multilateralism, he made a strong case for major powers to be globally responsible.

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In response to a question on the bilateral ties between India and China as a sequel to the ending of the four-year stalemate, Wang Yi, Chinas top diplomat, stated that a cooperative pas de deux between the two countries is the only right choice for both.

Sustainable development. Chinese leadership reaffirmed its pledge for carbon neutrality by 2060, committing to accelerate investment in hydropower, solar and wind while reducing dependency on coal. To support green energy, the government is enhancing subsidies on clean energy startups and electric vehicles (EVs); incidentally, 11 million EVs were sold in China in 2024. As the biggest carbon emitter, successful implementation of these measures by Beijing will have a direct impact on alleviating global climate change. Chinas 2025 Two Sessions have reinforced the nations focus on self-reliance, innovation and realistic global engagement, alongside commitment to stability and continuity.

With the world entering a disruptive era of economic and technological competition, Chinas policies will have far-reaching ramifications for the global markets, technological ecosystems and diplomacy. The international community will be forced to push towards self-sufficiency while adapting to the disruption of existing supply chains and a fresh surge of tech decoupling vis-a-vis China. Communist leaderships geopolitical ambitions to reshape the global order are bound to reset the prevailing balance of power equations.

The writer is a war veteran, currently Professor of Strategic and International Relations. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
Warfare, especially in unforgiving Himalayan terrain, is determined not just by technological advancement or sheer numbers but by the caliber, resilience, and commitment of individual soldiers read more

(File) Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between Indian Army and Peoples Liberation army conducted by the Peoples Liberation army at the Chinese Side in Bum La, Arunachal Pradesh on October 30, 2019. PTI

Despite the October 2024 patrolling agreement, India and China are yet to de-escalate at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). As geopolitical tensions simmer into 2025, the question of military preparedness and capability inevitably arises. While much has been said about technological advances and economic might, an often underestimated factor is the stark difference between the composition and experience of soldiers in both armies: Indias all-volunteer professional army against Chinas predominantly conscripted force.

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Conscription: Quantity at the Expense of Quality?

The Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) is the worlds largest military, with an active strength of nearly two million personnel. Yet, a deeper analysis reveals an inherent structural vulnerability rooted in its reliance on conscription, with conscripts accounting for 35 per cent of the PLAs total numbers. Annually, thousands of young Chinese are conscripted for a short service period, typically two years. The brief tenure poses serious constraints on training intensity, operational readiness, and institutional memory. Unlike a professional soldier who invests years mastering combat skills, conscripts barely become accustomed to military discipline and basic tactical drills before their discharge.

Historical examples highlight this limitation. During the Sino-Vietnamese conflict of 1979, Chinese conscripts suffered heavy losses against battle-hardened Vietnamese troops who were more familiar with the terrain and warfare. Similarly, PLA commanders during the war were unable to perform the simplest of tasks, including reading a military map. Today, similar challenges exist in high-altitude Himalayan warfare, where physical endurance, tactical acumen, and unit cohesion determine outcomes more than numerical superiority. While it is a fatal mistake to underestimate your primary adversary, it makes military sense to know its weaknesses to leverage it at an opportune time. Our stiff fight during Galwan and the casualties caused on PLA soldiers is an example.

Indias Volunteer Force: Experience as a Force Multiplier

In stark contrast, the Indian Army, a volunteer force of approximately 1.2 million soldiers, invests heavily in its personnel, ensuring long-term professional careers with extensive combat experience. Indian soldiers serve an average of 15-20 years, participating in numerous operations, including counter-insurgency campaigns in Kashmir and Northeast India, deployments along the challenging terrains of the Line of Control (LoC), and the formidable high-altitude battlefield of Siachen Glacier.

Experience in harsh operational environments has instilled unmatched resilience and tactical innovation within Indian ranks. Continuous real-world exposure to asymmetric warfare, urban operations, and prolonged high-altitude deployments translates into an institutional advantage that cannot easily be replicated through brief training cycles. The prolonged service also fosters deep camaraderie, unit cohesion, and operational effectiveness, which conscript armies inherently lack by their transient nature.

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Himalayan Battlefield: A Test of Endurance and Experience

The ongoing tensions along the India-China border have already showcased Indias tactical edge. Since the Galwan Valley clash of 2020, the Indian Army has systematically upgraded its capabilities, infrastructure, and logistical networks along the LAC. On the other hand, reports indicate that PLA troops, largely conscripts deployed for rotations of approximately 6-12 months in harsh Himalayan conditions, often face severe challenges, including altitude sickness, psychological stress, and inadequate acclimatisation.

Indias prolonged presence and operational expertise in these challenging conditions are critical. Indian soldiers have decades-long institutional knowledge of Himalayan warfare, lessons absorbed from Operation Meghdoot in Siachen and decades of skirmishes along contested borders. Such knowledge isnt merely academic; it translates directly into tactical advantages, enabling swift adaptation to changing battlefield conditions.

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Morale and Motivation: The Silent Battle-Winners

Another critical yet less-discussed factor is morale. Volunteer soldiers, driven by personal commitment and pride in service, exhibit consistently high morale. In contrast, conscripts often view compulsory military service as temporary, an obligation rather than a vocation. Numerous studies indicate that conscript armies frequently grapple with motivational challenges, which manifest particularly during prolonged deployments or intense combat scenarios. The PLA has recognised this issue internally, as evidenced by recent attempts to professionalise certain elite units.

However, broader transformation remains elusive as deep-rooted systemic reliance on conscription continues. Furthermore, cultural and socioeconomic factors in China significantly influence conscription practices, often diluting the quality and motivation of conscripts to enter service. Their problems get further compounded by the aging population, with the median age at 39.9. The youth of China today are also burdened by the responsibilities of looking after their aging parents and grandparents. These challenges further bring down the morale and motivation of a PLA soldier.

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PLAs Technological Reliance: Compensating for Experience?

Chinas response to inherent manpower challenges has been extensive investment in technology and modernisation programs, focusing heavily on autonomous systems, drones, and cyber capabilities. Yet, technological prowess alone cannot replace battle-tested human judgment and adaptability, qualities forged under sustained, rigorous training and real combat experience. Indian forces, while also modernising rapidly, maintain a deliberate balance between technological advancements and human resource investment. Indias recent induction of sophisticated equipment, ranging from artillery systems to surveillance drones, complements rather than substitutes the professional acumen of its soldiers. We can overcome our technological asymmetry through a strategy of building smart power and collaborative approach.

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Future Implications: Strategic Calculations and Risks

Strategically, the PLAs reliance on conscripts has significant implications. It forces Chinese military planners to rely disproportionately on technological superiority and rapid initial gains, knowing prolonged engagements inherently disadvantage their conscript-heavy formations. This creates a strategic vulnerability India can exploit, using attrition warfare and sustained defensive operations to leverage its professional soldiers superior endurance, adaptability, and experience.

For policymakers and military strategists in India, understanding this fundamental weakness in PLA composition offers opportunities to shape defensive strategies effectively, ensuring robust deterrence and reducing escalation risks. The PLA, on the other hand, faces a crucial decision: persisting with the current conscription-heavy model or transitioning towards greater professionalisation, a shift laden with political, social, and economic challenges.

Professional Edge

Ultimately, warfare, especially in unforgiving Himalayan terrain, is determined not just by technological advancement or sheer numbers but by the caliber, resilience, and commitment of individual soldiers. Indias volunteer, professional army, steeped in combat experience, morale, and institutional knowledge, stands poised to leverage a clear advantage over the PLAs conscript-based forces. As tensions persist into 2025 and beyond, this qualitative advantage will remain Indias most potent deterrent along its disputed borders, a silent yet formidable assurance of national security in the face of a quantitatively superior adversary.

Lt Gen Dushyant Singh (Retd) is Director General, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS). Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
X Corp claims that the governments reliance on Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, along with the introduction of the Sahyog Portal, has led to an opaque and arbitrary takedown process that contravenes established legal procedures in India read more

xAI and Grok logos are seen in this illustration taken, February 16, 2025. Reuters

Elon Musk-owned X has launched a legal challenge against the Indian government, arguing that authorities are misusing legal provisions to create an unregulated censorship system that bypasses statutory safeguards.

In a petition filed before the Karnataka High Court, X Corp claims that the governments reliance on Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, along with the introduction of the Sahyog Portal, has led to an opaque and arbitrary takedown process that contravenes established legal procedures.

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Why X is taking Indian govt to court

The company contends that takedown orders should follow the framework outlined in Section 69A of the IT Act, which the Supreme Court upheld as the sole valid mechanism for blocking online content in its landmark Shreya Singhal v. Union of India ruling in 2015.

However, X argues that the government is instead invoking Section 79(3)(b) as an alternative tool to demand content removals without adhering to the procedural safeguards mandated under Section 69A. These include providing written reasons, ensuring a pre-decisional hearing, and allowing legal recourse all of which, the company asserts, are being ignored.

The law mandates that information blocking can only be carried out under Section 69A, which provides for judicial scrutiny. By using Section 79(3)(b) as an alternative mechanism, the government is effectively nullifying the Supreme Courts directives, X Corp states in its petition, according to Moneycontrol.

The Sahyog Portal problem

A key focus of the case is the Sahyog Portal, an online platform operated by Indias Ministry of Home Affairs. The system enables state police and government agencies to issue takedown requests directly, bypassing the procedural requirements of Section 69A, X argues.

The petition also comes at a time when the Indian government has asked X to explain the responses generated by its AI chatbot, Grok.

During an initial hearing, government representatives informed the court that no action had been taken against X for not integrating with the Sahyog Portal. However, the court granted X the right to seek legal intervention should the government take preemptive action against the company in the future.

The next hearing is scheduled for March 27.
In a ruling on Wednesday (March 19), the EUs executive body said the companies could be in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark law aimed at curbing the dominance of the biggest online platforms read more

The European Commission has issued a stark warning to Apple and Google, telling the two US tech giants that they must bring their products in line with the European Unions digital competition rules or risk severe penalties.

In a ruling on Wednesday (March 19), the EUs executive body said the companies could be in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark law aimed at curbing the dominance of the biggest online platforms.

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The decision escalates tensions between Brussels and Washington, with President Donald Trump already pushing back against European tech regulations amid an intensifying trade dispute.

Apple and Google now face the prospect of having to make sweeping changes to key aspects of their business models. Failure to comply could see them hit with fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue, the Commission warned.

Regulators turn up the heat

The move comes ahead of further non-compliance rulings expected later this month, which could include financial penalties. Under the DMA, which came into force this year, major tech firms dubbed gatekeepers by EU regulators are required to ensure a level playing field for competitors.

For Apple, that means opening up more of its iPhone functionalities to rival developers. The Commission specifically called on the company to grant competitors equal access to features such as notifications and device-pairing, which Apple currently restricts to its own products like the Apple Watch. The EU also wants Apple to change the way it interacts with developers.

The decision amounts to micro-managing the future of the iPhone, said Dirk Auer of the International Center for Law & Economics, according to Politico. Others argue that the measures do not go far enough. Third-party developers will still not have real app freedom and interoperability can still be hindered by Apple, said Jan Pefrat of advocacy group European Digital Rights.

Google, meanwhile, has been told to overhaul its Play Store and search services to ensure it does not prioritise its own products over those of rivals. The company has already made some changes, but regulators say they are insufficient.

Crackdown on Big Tech

Googles European policy lead, Oliver Bethell, said the company had engaged in good-faith discussions with regulators, leading to modifications that have already resulted in reduced traffic for European airlines and hotels.

But Emmanuel Mounier, head of the trade group EU Travel Tech, suggested that Googles approach needs to change radically, pointing out that the company has been at the centre of EU antitrust scrutiny for nearly 15 years.

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The latest findings mark another step in the EUs increasingly assertive stance against Silicon Valleys dominance in Europes digital economy. With more non-compliance decisions on the horizon, Apple and Google face mounting pressure to make fundamental changes or risk Brussels bringing down the hammer.
Canada has condemned China for executing four of its citizens on drug-smuggling charges, further straining diplomatic ties. China defended the executions, citing its strict zero tolerance policy on drug crimes. The incident adds to ongoing tensions between the two nations over espionage, election interference, and human rights issues. read more

Canada has strongly criticised China for executing four of its citizens on drug-smuggling charges, adding to ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, said on Wednesday that all four were dual citizens and were executed earlier this year. She added that Ottawa would ask for leniency for other Canadians facing the same fate.

There are four Canadians that have been executed, and therefore we are strongly condemning what happened, she said.

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Canada strongly condemns Chinas use of the death penalty, which is irreversible and inconsistent with basic human dignity, a GAC spokesperson, Charlotte MacLeod, said in a statement to The Guardian. Canada repeatedly called for clemency for these individuals at the senior-most levels and remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere.

MacLeod said Canada was providing consular assistance to the victims families and asked the media to respect the familys privacy during this difficult time.

However, China gave a firm response on Thursday, stating that it had acted in accordance with the law despite Canadas condemnation of the executions.

Beijing suggested on Thursday that the Canadians had been convicted of narcotics offences, saying,  combating drug crimes is the common responsibility of all countries.

China is a country under the rule of law, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Beijing, she said, treats defendants of different nationalities equally without discrimination and handles cases fairly in strict accordance with the law.

China protects the legitimate rights of the parties concerned as well as the consular rights of the Canadian side, in accordance with the law, Mao said.

Chinas zero tolerance policy towards serious offences

Beijing defended the executions in a statement to The Globe and Mail, saying drug-related crimes are serious offences that harm society and that China maintains a zero tolerance policy.

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Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said she and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who left office last week, had asked China for leniency.

China does not publicly disclose death penalty figures, but rights groups like Amnesty International estimate that thousands of executions take place each year.

This week, Beijing also announced that a former Chinese engineer had been sentenced to death for allegedly leaking state secrets to a foreign power.

Sour relations between Beijing, Ottawa

Relations between Canada and China have been tense for years. The 2018 arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive in Vancouver on a US warrant led to Beijing detaining two Canadians on espionage charges. Ties worsened over allegations of Chinese interference in Canadas 2019 and 2021 elections, which Beijing denies.

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In 2023, Joly expelled a Chinese diplomat accused of targeting a Canadian opposition lawmaker critical of China. Ottawa has also condemned Beijings security crackdown in Hong Kong and its treatment of Uyghur Muslims.
China hands over agriculture drones to Zambia

Xinhua) 10:19, March 20, 2025

LUSAKA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China has handed over five plant protection drones to Zambia, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in the southern African country.

The handover ceremony of the drones, donated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China to Zambia's Ministry of Agriculture, was held at the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute on Tuesday. Wang Sheng, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, and Reuben Mtolo Phiri, Zambian minister of agriculture, attended the event.

In his remarks, Wang said agricultural cooperation is an important part of the China-Zambia comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, expressing the hope that the drones would help improve the country's agricultural production conditions.

China, he said, is willing to promote more joint agricultural projects in Zambia and facilitate increased exports of Zambian agricultural products to China.

On his part, the Zambian minister expressed gratitude to the Chinese government and people for their support, adding that it reflects the deepening of the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

Phiri said that Zambia will continue to promote the process of agricultural mechanization and the development of the sector.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
March 20, 2025: In early 2025 the Chinese navy in cooperation with Huazhong University scientists and technicians conducted a simulated battle between a Chinese Type 55 destroyer and eight U.S. Navy Burke class destroyers. The Chinese destroyer was accompanied by two drone boats each carrying sixteen aerial drones and seven seagoing drones. Each of these drones could inflict some damage on a Burke and disable some of the weapons and sensors.

In the simulation the Burkes launched 32 cruise missiles and LRSAM anti-ship missiles. The Type 55 destroyer intercepted all the American missiles and was able to launch another salvo of missiles and drones. This simulation was criticized by U.S. Navy officers for being inaccurate and unrealistic. American warships prefer long range attacks and employ reconnaissance by aircraft, drones and overhead satellites to spot enemy warships far enough away so American missiles will reach the enemy ships before their missiles can be launched. American anti-missile defenses are more formidable than the Chinese simulation indicated. Another factor is that U.S. crews have combat experience compared to the Chinese who have none. American warships monitor Chinese naval exercises and note the capabilities of the ships and crews. The Chinese have a long way to go and their use of inaccurate simulations depicting improbable American tactics and capabilities does not help them.

Meanwhile, the Chinese are building a lot of new ships and sending them to sea for practice. The Type 55 class destroyers are 12,000-ton warships comparable to the late model American Arleigh Burke class and are in fact a bit larger and more heavily armed with similar weapons. The Type 55 is more similar in size to the failed American 15,000-ton Zumwalt class destroyer. The Zumwalt contained too many new technologies that proved too expensive and too unpredictable to put into service. The U.S. Navy kept spending more money on development in a futile effort to get the Zumwalt to work and the effort was canceled, with only three Zumwalts built and only at the end of 2020 were all fully operational.

The Type 55 is also similar to the American Ticonderoga class cruisers, which were 10,000-ton ships based on 1970s and 80s technology that paved the way for the Burkes. From 1980 to 1994, twenty-seven Ticonderogas were built and 22 are still in service. The Ticonderogas, like the Burkes, were based on the successful Spruance class destroyers. The success of the 31 Spruances, built between 1972 and 1983, led to the Burke class, which has been in production since 1988 with 67 in service, five under construction and orders for at least ten more planned. The latest version of the Burke is nearly as large as the Ticonderogas and in many ways more capable. This is apparently what the Chinese are trying to do with the Type 55. Despite using proven American technologies, the Chinese had some problems getting the Type 55s into service. That is not unusual and has become an accepted part of how the Chinese develop new warship designs.

The first Type 055 destroyer was launched in June 2017. This was not unexpected because evidence of such a ship began showing up in early 2015. Back then it appeared that this new Type 055 12,000-ton cruiser class ship would have as many as 128 Vertical Launch System or VLS tubes and much else besides. China claimed this ship would be the equivalent of a Burke class destroyer. The Type 055 would be, and now is, the largest surface combat ship China has ever built. The Type 55 turned out to have 112 American type VLS cells as well as an Aegis type radar system and four locally built gas-turbine engines. These engines provide 150,000 horsepower and a top speed of 55 kilometers an hour. There are also six generators producing 30 megawatts of power for future weapons like railguns and lasers. Also carried are hangers for two helicopters.
Over the past weekend, US President Donald Trump ordered military strikes against the Tehran-backed group, which has been attacking ships in the Red Sea region since the start of Israels war against the Hamas militant group in Gaza. On Saturday, the Houthi-run health ministry said US strikes killed 53 people and wounded nearly 100 others read more

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Thursday (March 20) condemned recent deadly American strikes on Houthi militias, calling them a crime that must be stopped.

This attack on the people of Yemen, on Yemeni civilians, is also a crime that must be stopped, the supreme leader said in a video message.

Over the past weekend, US President Donald Trump ordered military strikes against the Tehran-backed group, which has been attacking ships in the Red Sea region since the start of Israels war against the Hamas militant group in Gaza.

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Houthis will be annihilated

On Wednesday (March 19), Trump warned Houthis will be completely annihilated, adding that Iran must immediately stop sending weapons to them.

Iran must stop the sending of these Supplies IMMEDIATELY. Let the Houthis fight it out themselves. Either way they lose, but this way they lose quickly, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Just few hours ahead of his warning, the US military carried out a series of airstrikes on a Houthi stronghold in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, reported Reuters.

The ongoing US campaign in Yemen is the biggest such operation since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. On Saturday, the Houthi-run health ministry said US strikes killed 53 people and wounded nearly 100 others.

Trump also vowed to hold Iran accountable for any future attack by Houthis. Responding to this, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards said the militias were independent and took their own strategic and operational decisions.

On the other hand, Houthis have said they will continue escalating attacks against Israel and US interests.

Trumps maximum pressure campaign

During his first term, Trump withdrew from President Barack Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran and ordered a US strike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, escalating tensions with Tehran. Now, in his second term, he has revived his maximum pressure campaign, aiming to isolate Iran both economically and diplomatically.

Trump has also shown openness to negotiating a new nuclear deal with Iran, an offer rejected by Khamenei. The supreme leader said the call for negotiations by bully states was meant to dominate others and not resolve disputes.

The insistence on the part of some bully states on negotiations is not to resolve issues, but to dominate and impose their own expectations, Khamenei was quoted as saying by Iranian media earlier this month.

(With inputs from agencies)
This penalty ranks among the largest ever imposed by OFSI. The Treasury-affiliated watchdog had faced frequent criticism from politicians and civil society for not issuing any fines following Russias invasion of Ukraine read more

A UK-based law firm has been slapped with a $602,000 fine for breaching Russian sanctions. HSF Moscow transferred six payments, each nearing 4 million, to individuals whose assets were frozen under sanctions. According to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), these transactions, completed within a week, highlighted repeated compliance failures by Herbert Smith Freehills.

The British law firm closed the subsidiary in May 2022, just a few months after Russia invaded Ukraine. According to a report by Politico, the payments were made just as Herbert Smith Freehills was closing up its Russian operations.

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This penalty ranks among the largest ever imposed by OFSI. The Treasury-affiliated watchdog had faced frequent criticism from politicians and civil society for not issuing any fines following Russias invasion of Ukraine.

City Minister Emma Reynolds said that the move was a response to Britains commitment to enforce sanctions. She said, A just and lasting peace in Ukraine must be our priority, and UK financial sanctions continue to be essential to disrupting Russias war machine and putting Ukraine on the strongest footing possible.
George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening bound for Qatar, the source said. Glezmann and US hostage envoy Adam Boehler are expected to later travel onward to the US read more

Members of the Taliban carrying flags participate in a rally to mark the third anniversary of the fall of Kabul, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on August 14, 2024. Reuters File

The Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen detained in Afghanistan for over two years following direct talks between US hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials in Kabul, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening bound for Qatar, the source said. Glezmann and Boehler are expected to later travel onward to the United States.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Thursday confirming Glezmanns release.

Thursdays meeting in Kabul marked the highest-level direct talks between the United States and the Taliban since President Donald Trump came to power in January.

Boehler met with the Taliban administrations foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement by the Afghan foreign ministry.

During this meeting, discussions were held on Afghanistan-US bilateral relations, the release of prisoners, and the provision of consular services to Afghans in the United States, the statement said.

It added that the meeting was also attended by former US special representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

Qatar, a Gulf Arab state which represents US diplomatic interests in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, said in a statement posted on X that it had facilitated Glezmanns release.

The source said that Qatar coordinated with Boehler to negotiate with the Taliban authorities.

Following weeks of negotiations, a breakthrough was made by the Qataris during recent meetings with the Taliban, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Taliban goodwill gesture

In a statement, the Taliban called Glezmanns release a goodwill gesture reflecting its willingness to engage with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and interests.

The source said that the release was not part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the US in exchange.

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The US in January freed an Afghan convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for two US citizens held in Afghanistan.

Qatari officials were also involved in negotiations for that deal, which began during the administration of former US president Joe Biden and led to the release of two Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

A third American citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is thought to remain in custody in Afghanistan.

Boehlers high level diplomacy

Glezmann was the second high-profile release of a US citizen held overseas secured amid diplomacy by Boehler.

Boehler was involved in efforts that led to the release of American school teacher Marc Fogel from Russia last month.

In addition, Boehler has held direct talks with Palestinian militant group Hamas in an effort to secure the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. He also travelled to Iraq last month to push for the release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, a student at Princeton University.

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Glezmann, a mechanic for Delta Airlines in Atlanta, was visiting Kabul as a tourist when he was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, according to the Foley Foundation, which monitors cases of Americans detained overseas.

The foundation said Glezmann had been in sporadic telephone contact with his wife since he was detained, and that he had health conditions that deteriorated while in detention.
At a time when Russia is waging a shadow war on Europe, France has planned to distribute survival manuals to all citizens to prepare for emergencies such as wars and nuclear threats read more

French President Emmanuel Macron talks with Francois Bayrou, leader of French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) as he arrives to attend the second plenary session of the Conseil National de la Refondation (CNR - National Council for Refoundation) at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, December 12, 2022. (Photo: Reuters)

At a time when the Russian aggression has plunged Europe into the worst security crisis since the World War II, France has planned to distribute survival manuals to all its citizens to prepare for national emergencies, including wars and nuclear accidents.

The plan is the brainchild of Prime Minister Francois Bayrou and comes after similar actions in Sweden and Finland.

A spokesperson for Bayrou told CNN that the manual encourage citizens to develop their resilience in the face of different crises.

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This includes natural disasters, technological and cyber incidents, health crises like Covid-19, and security crises like terrorist attacks and armed conflict, said the spokesperson.

Once approved, the manual will be delivered to households before the summer, according to CNN.

What does Frances survival manual manual contain?

The French survival manual is divided into three parts, according to The Guardian.

The first parts contains advice on how to protect yourself and those around you, the second part deals with what to do if a threat is imminent with a list of emergency numbers, radio channels, and a reminder to close doors and windows in case of a nuclear threat, and the third part deals with how to get involved in defending your community, including signing up for reserve units or firefighting groups.

Previously, France had issued a online guidelines in 2022 for preparations for emergency situations.

The booklet says that all households should have a survival kit including 6 liters of bottled water, a dozen tin cans of food, batteries, a flashlight in case of power outages, and stock of essential medical supplies, such as paracetamol, compresses, and saline solution, according to CNN.

A spokespersom for the prime minister said that the manual will be the first step in citizen engagement is to be informed about threats and stay updated.

Engagement can also mean joining associations, such as the reserve forces. We are doing everything we can to ensure citizens are ready to respond in the event of a crisis, said the spokesperson.

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Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russias oil industry, including refineries and pipelines, using its drones and missiles. The aim is to disrupt the key sector which keeps the Russian economy up and running read more

Ukraine might have faced grim military and diplomatic developments over the past weeks, it may have just unlocked a key trump card in its fight against Russia: Long Neptune cruise missiles.

On Friday (March 14), the country tested its first long-range cruise missile, targeting an oil refinery in Russias Tuapse town. According to reports, the missile attack triggered a fire incident which took three days to be put out.

Governor Veniamin Kondratiev of Russias Krasnodar region said in a statement, After the attack of the Kyiv regime, on the night of March 14, a tank containing about 20,000 tons of gasoline caught fire at the oil depot. On the surface, the fire covered more than a thousand squares, the fire was assigned the fourth degree of danger."

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For Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, it was a rare good news.

Were happy with the results of Long Neptune, he declared following the test.

Russias oil industry in perils

Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russias oil industry, including refineries and pipelines, using its drones and missiles. The aim is to disrupt the key sector which keeps the Russian economy up and running.

According to reports cited by Politico, such attacks targeting oil sites may have crippled 10 per cent of Russias refining capacity.

Ukrainian MP Roman Lozinskyi on Facebook said the Neptune missile was truly their trump card.

In essence, Putin has quietly confirmed to Trump how much our deep strikes are hurting the Russian energy sector. This is our trump card, his post read.

Too early to celebrate

While cruise missiles may show better results and performance than slow-moving drones, they are not enough to change the course of the war.

Politico quoted Mykola Bielieskov, research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies and senior analyst with the Kyiv-based Come Back Alive Initiatives Center NGO, as saying, These cruise missiles alone cannot change the course of the war, even if there are many times more of them than now. We have the experience of Russia, which has launched many more different missiles at us, and we are functioning.

However, he added Kyiv must continue to develop deep strike capabilities both in the context of strategic defense now and from the point of view of deterrence in the future.

Kyivs access to long-range missiles

The Long Neptune missile places Kyiv among a small group of nations capable of producing long-range cruise missiles. These powerful weapons can travel over 500 kilometres and deliver heavy warheads capable of significant destruction.

Currently, France and the UK have the Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles, which they have supplied to Ukraine. Germany and Sweden produce the Taurus, though they have not sent any to Kyiv. Meanwhile, the United States has considered providing JASSM cruise missiles, but there are no confirmed deliveries yet.

(With inputs from agencies)
Police on Tuesday brought the ARSA leaders and operatives to a Narayanganj court with a petition seeking six of them to be remanded in custody for 20 days while the court granted police 10 days for interrogation read more

Bangladesh arrested 10 operatives of Myanmars Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), including the top leader of the insurgent group, in overnight raids on the outskirts of the capital and northern Mymensingh district, officials said on Tuesday.

We arrested ARSA chief Ataullah Abu Ammar Jununi alias Ataullah and nine others related to the outfit in separate raids in Narayamhanj (river port town on the capitals outskirts) and Mymensingh in the past two days, an official of polices elite anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said.

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He said ARSA was believed to be hatching plots to carry out sabotage in Bangladesh territory and seized from them taka 2.1 million in cash. He added that the RAB teams carried out the raids based on confidential information and filed police cases under Bangladeshs Anti-Terrorism Act and for their illegal entry into the country.

The mass circulation Prothom Alo newspaper said Ataullah had ordered the murder of Rohingya peace activist Mohib Ullah in 2021 inside a Rohingya camp and a key-accused of the murder of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) official Squadron Leader Rizwan Rushdi in southeastern Coxs Bazar.

Police on Tuesday brought the ARSA leaders and operatives to a Narayanganj court with a petition seeking six of them to be remanded in custody for 20 days while the court granted police 10 days for interrogation.

Police said they did not seek remand for the other four since they were women and children.

According to an International Crisis Group report, Ataullah was born in Pakistan and grew up in Saudi Arabia while apart from Myanmar, Malaysia declared his ARSA a terrorist group.

Over 1.3 million Rohingyas took refuge in Bangladesh to evade persecution by Myanmar military in 2017 while over 70,000 of them intruded Bangladesh in recent months in view of the clash between government troops and rebel Arakan Army at their homeland in Rakhine state of the country.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)

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Lulas second visit to Vietnam as president will take place as Vietnam, under pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its large trade surplus, is pledging to boost imports from the United States, including farm products such as soybeans of which Brazil is a top exporter to the country read more

Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will visit Vietnam next week, bringing with him a business delegation including executives from planemaker Embraer and food giant JBS that are both in talks for possible deals in the Southeast Asian country, sources said.

Lulas second visit to Vietnam as president will take place as Vietnam, under pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its large trade surplus, is pledging to boost imports from the United States, including farm products such as soybeans of which Brazil is a top exporter to the country.

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Lula will travel to Vietnam on March 27-29 after visiting Japan, according to the Brazilian government.

Lula is expected to invite Vietnam to attend a BRICS summit in Brazil in July, a Brazilian official said, noting Vietnam was invited last year to become a BRICS partner but has so far not taken an official position on the matter.

Vietnams foreign ministry did not reply to a request for comment. Brazils embassy to Vietnam declined to comment.

The two countries are expected to agree on an action plan on defence, agriculture and energy, which could boost cooperation on ethanol, a fuel of which Brazil is a major global producer, the Brazilian official said.

Brazil wants also to increase exports to Vietnam and is asking Hanoi to authorise imports of its beef, the official said confirming earlier reports on Vietnamese state media.

BUSINESS TALKS

The opening of the Vietnamese market for Brazilian beef is a precondition for an investment that Brazils food giant JBS, opens new tab is considering in Vietnam, three people briefed about the talks, including the Brazilian official, told Reuters.

The company is studying building a meat-processing hub in northern Vietnam, its first plant in Asia, with a possible investment of tens of millions of dollars, the three people said, declining to be named because the information was not public.

JBS declined to comment.

Separately, Embraer is also in talks for the possible sale of ten E190 narrow-body jets to flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, the Brazilian official said.

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It is also trying to sell C-390 military transport planes, with a possible showcase flight in Vietnam in May, the official and an industry source said.

Embraer declined to comment. Vietnam Airlines did not reply to a request for comment.

Hanoi is in talks with the U.S. to buy C-130 military transport planes produced by Lockheed Martin.

Vietnam is one of the worlds fastest-growing aviation markets and local carriers have long been seeking to expand their fleets.

In recent days senior executives from aviation giants Airbus and Boeing met top Vietnamese officials, according to state media and an internal agenda seen by Reuters. Vietnam is also working on the approval of Chinas COMAC jets.

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Canadas move to align with the EUs defence initiative marks a significant recalibration of its military strategy amid growing uncertainties in US relations read more

US President Donald Trump has undeniably tested Americas relationships with its allies. Meanwhile, under Prime Minister Mark Carneys leadership, Canada is in advanced negotiations with the European Union (EU) to join the blocs new defence industry initiativea strategic move that could redefine the countrys military manufacturing sector.

According to Stevis-Gridneff in The New York Times, this potential collaboration would enable Canadian firms to contribute to the production of European fighter jets and military equipment within domestic industrial facilities, signaling a shift in Canadas traditional defence partnerships.

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Canadas defence manufacturing is not one to be taken lightly. Canadas defence manufacturing industry is a key player in global security, producing a wide range of military equipment for both domestic and international markets.

The country is known for its advanced land systems, particularly the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) series, manufactured by General Dynamics Land SystemsCanada (GDLS-C), which is widely used by the Canadian Armed Forces and exported to allied nations.

In aerospace, Canada contributes significantly to fighter jet production, including components for the F-35 Lightning II, while also developing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and military helicopters. Naval defence is another strong sector, with Canadian shipyards constructing Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) and modernising Victoria-class submarines.

Additionally, Canada leads in cyber warfare and electronic defence, with firms like Blackberry and Thales Canada providing encryption, surveillance, and radar systems to bolster national security.

Beyond hardware, Canadas defence sector extends to space technologies, missile guidance systems and training solutions. Companies like MDA develop military-grade satellite communications, while precision-guided munitions and air-to-ground missiles enhance Canadas modern warfare capabilities.

The country is also a leader in military training, with CAE producing advanced flight simulators and combat simulation software. Ammunition manufacturing, cybersecurity innovations and electronic warfare systems further strengthen the sectors contributions.

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Strict export regulations under the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) and the Export and Import Permits Act ensure that Canadian defence products align with international security agreements.

With a strong focus on technological innovation and global partnerships, Canada remains a significant player in defence manufacturing, supplying critical military solutions to Nato allies and other strategic partners.

However, with tensions rising between Canada and the US, largely due to President Trumps unpredictable stance on Nato and defence commitments, Ottawa is exploring alternatives to reduce dependence on Washington. This shift is driven by both economic and strategic considerations as the EU ramps up its military industry to ensure self-reliance.

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Rationale behind Canadas EU defence collaboration

The EU is aggressively expanding its military production capabilities, having proposed a 150 billion ($163 billion) loan programme to finance shared defence projects. With a goal of producing at least 65 per cent of defence components within the bloc or from approved partners, the EU sees Canada as a crucial collaborator to fill the remaining 35 per cent gap. The collaboration would offer Canada privileged access to the European defence market, reducing its reliance on American-made military equipment.

Additionally, Canadas defence spending has been under scrutiny. Nato mandates a minimum of 2 per cent of GDP allocation to defence, while Canada currently spends only 1.3 per cent. However, Ottawa has pledged to meet the 2 per cent benchmark by the end of the decade. The alignment with the EU could help achieve this goal while simultaneously expanding Canadas defence manufacturing base.

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One of the most significant consequences of Canadas pivot is its reconsideration of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet purchase. Canada has long been a partner in the F-35 programme but is now reviewing its procurement strategy in light of growing concerns over US reliability.

According to the Associated Press, the EUs defence expansion offers alternative aircraft, such as the Swedish Saab Gripen, the Eurofighter Typhoon and Frances Dassault Rafale. While these jets lack the stealth capabilities of the F-35, they provide more control and fewer geopolitical risks. The Saab Gripen, in particular, is viewed as a cost-effective option, already deployed by Sweden, Brazil, and Thailand.

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Another key factor influencing Canadas shift is the fear that the US could use embedded software to disable F-35 jets if relations sour. Though the Pentagon has denied any such kill switch, the requirement for constant US software updates raises concerns that the aircraft could be rendered inoperable at Washingtons discretion.

Canadas defence industry, though relatively small, has been a key player in producing American military equipment. According to a 2022 industry review, nearly 50 per cent of Canadas military exports go to the US. By joining the EUs initiative, Canadian manufacturers would gain access to new markets and reduce reliance on American contracts.

Canada has already begun diversifying its defence partnerships. Prime Minister Carneys recent overseas visits to Paris and London highlighted his intent to strengthen military-industrial ties with Europe. Additionally, Ottawa has secured a $4.2 billion deal with Australia for an early warning radar system, further signalling its shift away from US-centric defence procurement.

While the EU-Canada defence collaboration presents promising opportunities, it remains a long-term endeavour. The EUs defence industry has historically lagged behind the US and rebuilding depleted arsenals will take years. However, with the ongoing war in Ukraine exposing vulnerabilities in European security, the urgency to bolster domestic production has intensified.

For Canada, aligning with the EU on military production is not just about economic gains but also about strategic positioning in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical landscape. If the partnership materialises, it could mark a fundamental shift in transatlantic security dynamicsone where Canada and Europe operate with greater independence from the US.

Trumps annexation talk unnerves Europe

According to a Global News report, on March 13, 2025, President Trump reiterated his long-expressed desire to acquire Canada and Greenland, making the statement in the presence of Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Despite visible unease from European allies, Trump continued to push his agenda, often putting them in uncomfortable positions.

When asked about the possibility of the US taking over Greenland, Trump expressed confidence that it would happen and suggested that Rutte could play a key role in facilitating it. However, Rutte declined to involve Nato in the matter, though he acknowledged the significance of Arctic security and the need for northern nations to collaborate under US leadership to counter China and Russia.

Addressing trade disputes with Canada, Trump reiterated his view that Canada should become the 51st US state. He criticised the existing border as an arbitrary division created many decades ago and argued that merging the two countries would enhance their visual appeal. Rutte remained silent on the implications of threatening the territorial integrity of a Nato ally.

Meanwhile, Canadian officials, including incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney, repeatedly rejected the idea of Canada joining the US Trumps stance had also fuelled a surge of patriotism among Canadians, with nearly 70 per cent expressing a declining opinion of Americans due to increasing tariffs.

Despite diplomatic efforts from Canadian representatives, Trump remained firm on maintaining tariffs, including new reciprocal duties set to take effect on April 2. Ruttes visit to Washington coincided with Trumps broader push to test Natos unity, pressuring member states to increase defence spending and warning that the US might not support those failing to meet their commitments.

Canada, which has long fallen short of Natos target of spending at least two per cent of GDP on defence, insisted it had a credible plan to reach the threshold by 2032 or earlier, though specific details had not been disclosed.

Implications for Nato and transatlantic security

Trumps stance on Nato has forced many member states to reassess their defence strategies. His assertion that Canada should become part of the US due to its military dependence has only further alienated Ottawa. The EU, facing a similar challenge, has been actively reducing its reliance on American defence systems. The prospect of Canada joining the EUs military industry program signals a broader shift where traditional Nato allies seek greater autonomy.

The geopolitical ramifications of this move extend beyond Canada and the EU. According to an Associated Press report, if more Nato members, such as Portugal and others reconsidering their reliance on US defence technology, follow Canadas lead, Washingtons military-industrial influence could wane.

Long-term outlook for Canadas defence policy

Canadas advanced talks with the EU to join its defence industry initiative highlight a significant geopolitical shift. As traditional alliances are tested under Trumps leadership, Canada is seeking greater security autonomy by expanding its military partnerships with Europe.

The implications of this move could redefine Canadas role in Nato, impact global arms markets, and reduce the dominance of US defence manufacturers. Whether this strategic realignment succeeds will depend on Canadas ability to wade through the complexities of defence procurement, economic constraints and evolving global threats.
Carneys Liberal party had been trailing badly to the opposition Conservatives, but recent surveys show a dead heat race, indicating some voters trust Carney to confront the US president read more

New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call snap elections on Sunday, sending voters to the polls on April 28, two government sources told AFP.

The prime minister is expected on Sunday to announce elections for April 28, one of the officials, who requested anonymity ahead of a formal announcement, said Thursday.

A second source, who also asked for anonymity, confirmed the expected timing of the vote.

The election is set to be dominated by US President Donald Trump, whose trade war and repeated questioning of Canadas sovereignty have upended Canadian politics.

Carneys Liberal party had been trailing badly to the opposition Conservatives, but recent surveys show a dead heat race, indicating some voters trust Carney to confront the US president.

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This will be the first campaign for Carney, a 60-year-old former central banker who took over from former prime minister Justin Trudeau just last week, after winning the leadership of the ruling Liberal Party in a landslide party vote.

Carney has never held elected office.

But he has argued that his experience leading the Bank of Canada through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and as head of the Bank of England surrounding the Brexit vote make him the ideal candidate to lead during a time of economic turmoil.

Trump has imposed tariffs on a range of Canadian goods and threatened further levies, which economists warn could plunge Canada into a recession.

Carney has called Trumps United States a country Canada can no longer trust and warned Canadians that relations with Washington may be permanently altered.

Conservatives had been seeing a rise in polling numbers over the past year and their leader Pierre Poilievre looked on track to be prime minister after nearly a decade of Liberal governance under Trudeau.

In calling the snap polls, Carney is seeking to take advantage of apparent polling momentum, which appears to show the Liberals erasing the Tories double digit lead.

Trump has also taken to mocking Poilievre, saying the Canadian Conservative is stupidly no friend of mine.

Poilievre has been under pressure to distance himself from Trump, a deeply unpopular figure across Canada, amid his repeated threats to make the country the 51st US state.

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Last month, China sent scholars to the US on unofficial diplomatic talks with the Trump administration to try and understand what the president actually wants. Beijing is seeking clarity on what Trump expects from China in a potential trade deal and how he might respond to its demands read more

US President Donald Trump has once again indicated that he is going to meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping soon. The speculation rose after Trump told reporters this week that Washington needs to be cleaned up to prepare for a summit with Xi in the near future, according to a report by the New York Times.

While Beijing has not publicly spoken about a future meeting between the two leaders, the possibility of a conference between the two leaders would be happening just weeks ahead Trumps retaliatory tariffs which will hit China too.

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Barely two months after returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has triggered trade conflicts with China, Canada, Mexico and the European Union. China swiftly responded with countermeasures in February and March when two rounds of Trump tariffs took effect. And Beijing is widely expected to quickly react to the April tariffs should they come to pass.

Beijing sends scholars to US

Last month, China sent scholars to the US on unofficial diplomatic talks with the Trump administration to try and understand what the president actually wants.

The scholars told NYT that Jinping is concerned that the Chinese officials who have been in touch with people at the US State Department and the National Security Council are not relaying Beijings message to Trump.

We talk through the diplomatic channel. Thats the normal channel. But can that reach President Trump? Do those people we talked to really know what President Trump is thinking? said Da Wei, the director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing, who is one of the scholars.

What has China been doing?

Beijing is seeking clarity on what Trump expects from China in a potential trade deal and how he might respond to its demands. China likely wants him to remove tariffs, ease restrictions on US technology exports and Chinese investments in the US, and provide assurances that he will not escalate tensions over Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as its own.

In an intial response to Trump tariffs, Beijing has slapped retaliatory levies on US agriculture and food exports, placed export and investment curbs on 25 US firms, suspended soybean import licences of three US firms and halted imports of US logs.

While China also wants to hold a high-level talks with the US, Evan Medeiros, a professor of Asian studies at Georgetown University said that Beijing would rather have Trump fly down to China than the other way round.

On the other hand, officials in Trumps administration seem worried that if he takes the initial step to engage with China or visit Beijing, it could grant China an advantage before it has taken any actions benefiting the US. They fear this could lead to prolonged and unproductive negotiations, similar to those seen in past administrations.

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With inputs from agencies
by Austin Bay March 20, 2025

On the morning of March 16, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told Fox News the latest U.S. airstrikes on Yemen's Houthi terrorists is a campaign "about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence. The minute the Houthis say, 'We'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your (U.S. recon) drones,' this campaign will end. But until then, it will be unrelenting."

Unrelenting. That word is the Trump administration's Houthi policy differentiator. Biden administration responses to the Houthis and, for that matter, other terrorists and other international threats, were episodic. As a result, Biden's half-actions were more theatrical than decisive.

So I insert this bitter comment: More media theatrical than decisive definitely applies to Biden administration support for Ukraine. Ukraine should have had F-16s by autumn 2022. I can make a case theater without decisive substance applies to almost every Biden administration foreign policy exploit, especially Afghanistan. What an inexcusable disaster.

Back to SecDef Hegseth's interview. He added this warning: "Iran has been enabling the Houthis for far too long. They better back off."

Freedom of navigation matters. The Houthis know it because their Iranian ayatollah masters know it.

Maritime insurance companies know it. So, your wallet ultimately feels it. Houthi attacks on commercial shipping exact a criminal tariff -- 80% of international trade by volume goes by ship, 70% by value. Total value? That's a tough figure to pin down, but $35 trillion may be the low-ball estimate.

Yemen is on the eastern side of the Bab Al Mandab (Gateway of Anguish), the 22-mile-wide strait connecting the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. Attacking ships in the strait raises maritime insurance rates for freighters heading for or exiting the Suez Canal.

So careful shipping companies divert and take the long route between Europe and the Indian Ocean, going south around Africa's Cape of Good Hope (South Africa). That route can add three weeks to transit time of a tanker sailing from Saudi Arabia to Rotterdam.

Quite a scam -- engineered by Iran's ayatollahs.

For four decades, Iran's kook regime has pursued a regional chokepoints strategy, first threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz (Iran has a coastline) and, subsequently, the Red Sea, after turning the Houthis into a puppet army. Hormuz is a real economic threat -- on a daily basis, tankers carry from 20% to 25% of the world's daily oil supply through the Strait.

Communist China values maritime chokepoints, economically and militarily. China's Panama Canal gambit is illustrative. The Chinese-owned company that owned port facilities on the Pacific and Atlantic ends of the canal recently sold its ports to an American-led investment group. Beijing is allegedly angry -- has Beijing lost its ability to deny America use of the Canal? We shall see how this evolves since the Trump administration insists on canal security.

But back to Iran's maritime pirate attacks via its Houthi proxies. Will the Trump administration really be relentless?

The ongoing Trump administration air campaign (bombs and missiles) could expand.

Following Iran's April 2024 strategic attack on Israel -- which Israeli air-space defenses defeated -- Israel's counterattacks badly damaged Iran's air and space defense systems.

I first wrote about this potent U.S. military option in 2006: the "simultaneous strategic bombing strike" (SSBS). Scenario summary: aircraft (especially heavy bombers), cruise missiles, perhaps ballistic missiles and drones, all armed with conventional warheads, delivering at least 2,500 precision blockbuster-sized weapons within a five-minute time frame. Blockbuster example: Joint Direct Attack Munition 2,000-pound bombs. (Their simultaneous seismic footprint is deadly.) Prime targets: Iran's two dozen or so "critical nuclear weapon-related facilities." Additional targets: the bunkers hiding the ayatollahs who call Israel a "one bomb state."

Bonus target: Make a point about maritime chokepoints and destroy Iranian naval and shore facilities near the Strait of Hormuz.
Pro-democracy groups fear the return of dark days of president Suhartos military dictatorship, which lasted 32 years until 1998. Hundreds of students protested outside Jakartas parliamentary building after the revisions were passed read more

People take part in a protest outside the Indonesian Parliament against revisions to the country's military law, which will allocate more civilian posts for military officers, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters

Indonesian House of Representatives on Thursday (March 20) approved changes to a legislation that critics fear may allow greater military say in the government. Mass student protests are expected in the country, Reuters reported, with civil society groups saying the bill could pull back the worlds third-largest democracy to the draconian New Order era of former strongman president Suharto.

Current President Prabowo Subianto was a special forces commander under Suharto, and he looks focused on expanding the militarys role in the government since assuming office last October. Pro-democracy groups fear the return of dark days of Suhartos military dictatorship, which lasted 32 years until 1998.

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On Wednesday, hundreds of pro-democracy protestors camped outside the Parliament to stage protests to the changes in legislation.

A man stands on a concrete barrier during a protest outside the Indonesian Parliament, against revisions to the countrys military law, which will allocate more civilian posts for military officers, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Source: Reuters

Why is the bill contentious?

The bill, named Amendments to Law Number 34 of 2004 on Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), was passed unanimously during a plenary session presided over by DPR Speaker Puan Maharani.

The revision now allows the government to appoint military officials in 14 civilian institutions, up from 10 under previous provisions.

Retirement age for most ranks has also been raised by several years. For instance, highest ranking generals can now serve until the age of 63, up from 60.

BBC reported that the law could also pave the way for military officers to take up positions in government without first retiring or resigning from the armed forces.

However, the Indonesian government has clarified that the bill requires military officers to resign first.

A lawmaker also addressed concerns regarding military officers potential appointment in state-owned businesses. Lawmaker Nico Siahaan, who was involved in talks on the legislation, was quoted as saying by Reuters that military officers wont be allowed to join state-owned companies.

However, rights groups insist that an increased military role in government may lead to abuses of power, human rights violations and impunity from consequences for actions.

Protests

Hundreds of students protested outside Jakartas parliamentary building after the revisions were passed. Some burned tires, while others pushed through the gates, as seen in television footage.

The essence of democracy is that the military should not engage in politics. The military should only manage barracks and national defence, Wilson, an activist from KontraS, a group advocating for those who disappeared in the 1997-1998 crackdown, was quoted as saying by BBC.

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Since 1998, there has been a creeping murder of democracy. And today marks its peak. Democracy has been killed by the House of Representatives, Wilson added.

Despite efforts over the past 25 years to curb the militarys role in politics and governance, Imparsial, a local human rights watchdog, reported that nearly 2,600 active-duty officers were already holding civilian roles even before the law was changed.
Even though US President Donald Trump is mediating between Ukraine and Russia, senior officials from both countries attending the Raisina Dialogue 2025 brought to the fore how far the two countries stand in terms of objectives and expectations in the ongoing conflict read more

Even as US President Donald Trump has arm-twisted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into accepting Russian terms for a partial ceasefire, the two warring sides stand poles apart in their objectives and expectations about how to end the ongoing conflict.

After a telephonic conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy, the countries announced on Wednesday that Ukraine has accepted a 30-day pause on attacks on energy infrastructure. After rejecting the US-backed, Ukraine-endorsed offer for a complete 30-day ceasefire, Putin had agreed to a 30-day pause on attacks on energy infrastructure the previous day. The modalities of the pause are yet to be worked out.

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However, neither Ukraine nor Russia favour such a pause. At the Raisina Dialogue 2025, organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), delegates from the two countries outlined the position of their countries that stands poles apart.

While Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview with Firstpost that the country wants unconditional ceasefire, Russian delegates, including an influential member of parliament from Putins party, said Russia is not interested in a ceasefire but in lasting peace that brings security guarantees for the country and the Russian public wants the country to win the war and Putin is in line with such a public opinion.

Following the US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, Trump and his top officials urged Putin to accept the unconditional ceasefire proposal but he rejected the call and laid down his maximalist demands for a ceasefire. Eventually, he convinced Trump to force Zelenskyy to agree to a ceasefire that favours Russia  the initial unconditional ceasefire proposal has been toned down to a ceasefire limited to just energy infrastructure that favours Russia as it prevents Ukraine from keep battering Russian oil and gas facilities with long-range drones.

Ukraines red lines & Putins unrelenting objectives

Speaking at Firstposts IdeasPod during the Raisina Dialogue, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha said that the country preferred an unconditional ceasefire. A day after the interview, Trump arm-twisted Zelenskyy into accepting a conditional ceasefire.

Sybiha further said that Ukraine wants to end the war this year and reach a lasting ceasefire, but will not compromise on some fundamentals, such as the territorial integrity of the country and a Versailles-like treaty that puts restrictions on Ukraines military. The Ukrainian red lines, which Trump is unlikely to respect, are at direct odds with Russias objectives with the negotiations.

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Listing the red lines, Sybiha told Firstpost, Ukraine will never accept restriction on the military. There is no possibility to restrict our choice to become a member of any union or any alliance. There will be no compromises of our territorial integrity and sovereignty. Ukraine will never recognise any part of territories occupied by Russians. These things are crucial and fundamental in our peace process.

ALSO READ: We want unconditional ceasefire, were ready to resist: Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on peace talks

Putin has, however, conveyed to Trump and the world that his maximalist demands dont just persist but have expanded over time. In a speech shortly after the temporary truce proposal emerged in the talks in Saudi Arabia, Putin said that certain nuances need to be addressed in such a truce. Then he 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.

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In a reference to longstanding demands, Putin further said that he wanted such terms that lead to long-term peace and eliminate the original causes of this crisis. What he meant was that Ukraine should abandon the desire to join Nato, abandon international military cooperation, enshrine neutrality in its constitution, limit the size of its military, recognise the territory under Russian occupation as Russian sovereign territory, and include Russian language in formal business. Critics of the demands have said that acceptance would mean Ukraine ceding sovereignty to Russia.

Russias war wouldnt end with ceasefire

Russian delegates at the Raisina Dialogue further elaborated the Russian position. Vyacheslav Nikonov, a member of Russian parliament from Putins party, said in a discussion on the evolving US-Russia relationship under Trump that Putin does not simply want a ceasefire but security guarantees in Russia  peddling the Russian narrative that the invasion was borne out of necessity of addressing the purported Western expansionism targeting Russia.

Nikonov said, He doesnt want ceasefire in itself because what we need is lasting peace and security guarantees for Russia. The America First approach is not just of President Trump. Its also Russia approach  Russia First. That means there are several details of the ceasefire for us. I think the most important issues are the verification and how they [Ukrainians] are going to spend these 30 days. What of American armed supplies? I dont think with that would be something which we will support.

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Nikonov went on to say that even as Putin is now engaged in talks, the goal remains victory over Ukraine. He said that the Russian public opinion favours winning the war and Putin is in tune with that opinion.

ALSO READ: As Putin dictates terms, Kremlin says Russia remains cautiously optimistic in peace talks

Elaborating what critics of Trump-Putin bonhomie in the West have also said, Anastasia Likhacheva, an international relations scholar at Russias HSE University, said that ongoing negotiations to end the war are not the endgame for a Russia but a tool to extract more security guarantees from the West.

Explaining that the war for Russia would not end with the ceasefire, Likhacheva said, No matter how these negotiations end up, even if its worlds biggest success in the negotiation tactics ever that the world has ever seen, we will get about 1,000 kilometres of bleeding border. We have hundreds of thousands of weapons circulating over these 1,000 kilometres. We have our neighbour Europe that declared anti-Russian weaponisation as the key to stay united and as the pillar for European integration. So, deconflicting the globe will be on demand. If these negotiations will be able to provide this, it will be big success.

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Those in the Trumps orbit have long claimed that the embrace of Putin and the antagonisation of European allies is essential to reorient US resources to tackle the rising China in the Indo-Pacific sector. Critics have said the approach is flawed as Russia and China are essentially in an alliance and have to be tackled as one unit and the notion of driving a wedge between them is a fantasy. Nikonov, the Russian MP from Putins party United Russia, also rejected the chance of a split.

Nikonov said that there is no chance that the United States could break the China-Russia partnership.
During a meeting between EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy EU leaders discussed ways of supporting Kyiv politically and militarily as Washington grows closer to Moscow read more

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez next to European Council President Antonio Costa and French President Emmanuel Macron at a European Union leaders' special summit to discuss Ukraine and European defence, in Brussels, Belgium March 6, 2025. Reuters File

Members of the European Union on Thursday said that no real negotiations are coming out of talks between the US and Russia on Ukraine ceasefire. The blocs leaders have expressed scepticism over Russian President Vladimir Putins seriousness to end the three-year-old war.

A readout from a meeting between EU leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who joined via video conference said, They discussed the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the state of play of the US-led talks. There was a shared view that no real negotiations are taking place at the moment.

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EU leaders also discussed ways of supporting Kyiv politically and militarily as Washington grows closer to Moscow and amid Putin and Trumps frequent exchanges over phone.

The Kremlin on Thursday accused European countries of planning to militarise rather than seek peace. For the most part, the signals from Brussels and European capitals concern plans to militarise Europe, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters including AFP.

Russia-US to begin talks on ceasefire

Russian and US officials will hold talks on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia on Monday, President Vladimir Putins aide Yuri Ushakov said.

Trump spoke to both Putin and Zelenskyy this week and the US is also due to hold talks with Kyiv in the coming days.

These consultations will take place on Monday, March 24th, in Riyadh, Ushakov said Thursday in comments published by the Kremlin.

From the Russian side, they will be attended by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Senates committee on international affairs, and Sergei Beseda, advisor to the head of the FSB security service.

Ukrainian officials to meet US counterparts

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy has announced that his officials will meet US officials on the sidelines of the Riyadh talks, an event that was not open to Kyiv earlier.

Our technical teams will be there, Zelensky said, describing meetings on Monday in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian officials that would happen on the same day as a meeting between Russian and American representatives.

With inputs from AFP
The two airlines have entered into a codeshare partnership. Generally, a codeshare partnership allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carrier on a single ticket read more

Air India has inked a deal with Air New Zealand to introduce direct flights between the two nations. New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Wednesday shared a post on X saying the agreement will boost tourism and ease travel.

Air New Zealand and Air India have signed an agreement to make it easier to fly between our countries. This is a fantastic opportunity thatll boost tourism which will grow our economy, he said during his official visit to New Delhi.

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Air New Zealand and Air India have signed an agreement to make it easier to fly between our countries.



This is a fantastic opportunity thatll boost tourism which will grow our economy. pic.twitter.com/xseUJ4wxzb  Christopher Luxon (@chrisluxonmp) March 20, 2025

The MoU includes the establishment of a new codeshare partnership on 16 routes between India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, a release said.

The two airlines have entered into a codeshare partnership. Generally, a codeshare partnership allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carrier on a single ticket.

We are delighted to be deepening our relationship with Air New Zealand, which follows the recent expansion of our codeshare partnerships with Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, and All Nippon Airways.

This partnership will not only strengthen our presence and simplify customer journeys but also help us develop traffic so that, in time to come, we may viably operate a non-stop service between India and New Zealand, which we and Air New Zealand have committed to explore together with the respective authorities, Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson said.

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Travellers from India and New Zealand have to stop in Southeast Asian and Australian airports currently as there are no direct flights between the two countries with total travel time crossing 17 hours.

As members of the Star Alliance, both airlines recognize strong demand for travel between India and New Zealand, driven by tourism, trade, and education. Additionally, New Zealand has a significant Indian community, with people of Indian origin making up the countrys third-largest ethnic group.

With inputs from agencies
Israeli forces resumed their military operation in Gaza this week, following a two-month ceasefire that collapsed after negotiations between Israel and Hamas didnt yield any result. Hamass health ministry said Israeli attacks on Tuesday alone killed more than 400 people read more

Palestinian militant group Hamas on Thursday (March 20) launched rocket attack at central Israel, in what seems to be the groups first response to the recent offensive launched by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Hamass military wing Al-Qassam Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. In a statement, it said it bombed Tel Aviv with a barrage of M90 rockets, in response to the Zionist massacres against civilians.

The IAF successfully intercepted one projectile and two additional projectiles fell in an open area, the Israeli military said in a statement.

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A spokesman for Israeli police said the attack caused no casualties and they were sweeping the area for additional shrapnel that may have landed nearby.

Israeli forces resumed their military operation in Gaza this week, following a two-month ceasefire that collapsed after negotiations between Israel and Hamas didnt yield any result. Hamass health ministry said Israeli attacks on Tuesday alone killed more than 400 people.

Israel regains control of Netzarim Corridor

Israel has regained control of the Netzarim Corridor, a key strip of land that divides Gaza into two parts. This move isolates northern Gaza and Gaza City from the south, making movement even harder for civilians.

With no signs of de-escalation, concerns are rising that the conflict will intensify, leading to more casualties on both sides.

In a warning to Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas said his actions were putting hostages at risk of an unknown fate.

The IDFs operation against Hamas resumes in the wake of US military strikes in Yemen, targeting Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. On Wednesday, Houthis launched a ballistic missile at Israel amid a series of attacks by the US military. This was the second such attack by the Houthis since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel collapsed.

Is Israel responsible for fresh escalation?

Leading Israeli defence analysts have admitted that Israel violated the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered just days ahead of the inauguration of US President Donald Trumps presidency.

The deal stipulated that both sides would enter negotiations for a permanent end to the war after 16 days. However, Israel refused to proceed with the talks while Hamas remained in control of Gaza.

As the ceasefire stalled, Hamas used the pause in fighting to regroup. Aid supplies surged into Gaza, and Hamas leaders emerged from hiding to re-establish their presence in the territory.

The resumption of hostilities has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Civil Defense has warned of an impending famine due to Israels continued blockade of humanitarian aid.

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(With inputs from agencies)
On Wednesday, Admiral Samuel Paparo, Joint Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command sat down with Harsh V. Pant, Vice President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on Firstpost IdeasPod to discuss the challenges in the Indo-Pacific region preparedness of the US and its allies to deal with these issues read more

In recent years, the Indo-Pacific region has witnessed major turbulence, with different actors contesting who has claims over what. These contests have also raised concerns over a looming crisis in the region.

On Wednesday, Admiral Samuel Paparo, Joint Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command sat down with Harsh V. Pant, Vice President of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on Firstpost IdeasPod to discuss the challenges the region has to offer and throw light on the preparedness of US and its allies to deal with these issues. The conversation took place on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2025.

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When asked about what are the key challenges he foresees in the Indo-Pacific region, Admiral Paparo first explained why these challenges have increased in recent years. The American joint commander told Firstpost IdeasPod that the new challenges have increased because in the last 25 years the global economy has grown about fourfold but the amount of maritime traffic has grown tenfold.

So you see the impact of maritime traffic on the global economy and the very high leverage that it has. And here among these very challenges you see the challenges to the norms within this space and those challenges to the norms involve excessive claims. Claims beyond the United Nations conventions of the law of the sea, he said.

He noted that growth capability in the Indo-Pacific region and within China in the last 25 years has been extremely rapid. He also mentioned that Chinas growth in air missile maritime capability and within their space capability has been hundredfold, adding that there has been an increasing presence of Russias fleet in the Indo-Pacific region.

From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean this encompasses 80 per cent of the worlds population and probably 80 per cent of the worlds economy and is the cockpit of the worlds economy and growth. So these thus are the challenges that face us, the admiral averred.

Are American policies becoming more inward-oriented?

When asked if the American policies in the Indo-Pacific region becoming more inward-oriented, Admiral Paparo had a different take on the matter. Well first Ill stress the incoming secretarys guidance to the force is concerned with the warrior ethos, rebuilding and accelerating the capability of the force, reforming the defence acquisition system to make it more responsive to growing technology, focussing on the Indo-Pacific allies and partners. And so each one of those would seem to actually be the inverse of what you said, Admiral Paparo explained.

He said that US partners are focused on linking arms together to face the threats. The Indo-Pacific becomes a centre of gravity it doesnt mean that other states matter less. It just means that since the end of the Second World War, 60 per cent of the world has been lifted out of poverty. And that 60 per cent of the world thats been lifted out of poverty is here in the Indo-Pacific, he explained.

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This is how the centre of gravity here has shifted. And with that shift has also become a lift in the military capability and some intentions and thus it bears our attention, he added.

China & the likelihood of realtime crisis

During the conversation with Firstpost, Admiral Paparo also gave his assessment of flash points signalling dangers in the Indo-Pacific region and the likelihood of a real-time crisis. l Ive been assigned to worry about crises as you probably guessed. So yes we are concerned. He mentioned that the crises in Europe and the Middle East maritime space requires and immediate duty to deal with them.

However, the admiral mentioned that these crisis offers lessons and one has to learn and apply them. When the crises and the conflicts in Europe and the crises and the conflicts in the Middle East deplete our magazines it means that weve got to work harder to refill our magazines. And this is where reforming our defence acquisition systems and making it more responsive and making it faster is what the Secretary is focused on, he said.

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When asked about Chinas assertiveness in the region and how it looks at the idea of Indo-Pacific as a containment idea, Admiral Paparo rejected the assertion and questioned the Chinese notion. There are 29,000 US troops in Korea. At the height 25-30 years ago there were 60,000. There are zero US troops stationed in the Philippines, 30 years ago there were 13,000 troops in the Philippines and yet theres this new narrative of containment, he said. Admiral pointed out how it was the US which championed Chinas entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and eventually opened doors for trading.

Now all of a sudden theres this issue of containment. Maybe the new issue is one of expansion and if you are expanding maybe you view it as containment but all the behaviours of the United States in all of these years have been ones of embracing, he maintained.

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Expectations from allies or mutual obligation?

When asked what are the expectations the US have with its allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Admiral Paparo told Firstpost that it is not about mutual expectation, but it is about mutual obligation. Since the end of the Second World War and in fact throughout the Second World War, the United States has never entered into an operation without allies and partners. This narrative is that the United States was the guarantor of the rules, but the United States was never the guarantor of the rules. The rules long predated the United States of America, the principles of sovereignty and freedom of navigation, he explained.

We dont call them expectations. We call them mutual obligations as we have in mutual defence treaties. When you have an alliance and a partnership like you have in a friendship, you have mutual obligations to one another. You dont place demands or place expectations on one another too. You link arms as you do in a friendship and you do your part, he furthered.

When asked about India-US partnership in the maritime space, Admiral Paparo admitted that India is on a growth trajectory. He noted that while New Delhi treasures its non-alignment policy, its values and interests are inclining towards Washington.

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You see this in the quad, in our diplomatic programmes and then you also separately see this in our exercise programmes, in our Tiger Triumph programmes, a humanitarian assistance disaster relief, in our maritime programmes, in our security cooperation programmes, even in some of our land exercises together and over the next generation, I think youll continue to see that an upward trajectory as India continues to take a leadership role among the market democracies and United States and India will see its relationship enrich, he concluded.
France has announced the release of Olivier Grondeau, a French national who had been imprisoned in Iran for 880 days. His release, which coincided with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, comes amid ongoing diplomatic tensions between the two countries. read more

Iran has released a French national, Olivier Grondeau, who was held captive in its prison for 880 days, French officials said on Thursday.

Afterwards, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Grondeaus release in a post on social media. His release coincided with Nowruz, the Persian New Year, a time when Iran has freed prisoners in the past.

Frances Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noel Barrot, shared a photo of Grondeau smiling aboard what appeared to be a private jet. A picture of pop star Britney Spears was seen on his lap, though Barrot did not mention it.

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Olivier Grondeau est libre, en France, parmi les siens ! Nous partageons l'immense bonheur et soulagement de sa famille.



Je remercie tous les services de l'Etat, notre ambassadeur en Iran et le Centre de Crise et de Soutien du Quai d'Orsay, de leur action decisive.  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 20, 2025

We will continue working tirelessly to secure the release of all our fellow citizens still held, including Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, Barrot wrote in a post on X. Macron also called for their freedom.

Olivier Grondeau est enfin libre.



Otage en Iran pendant 887 jours, il a retrouve sa famille, ses proches et son pays. Cest un immense soulagement.



1/3 pic.twitter.com/s7fd0RHsG1  Jean-Noel Barrot (@jnbarrot) March 20, 2025

Iran has not yet commented on Grondeaus release. Such releases often involve exchanges, but no release was done on behalf of France. Earlier this week, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians but was still gathering details on her case.

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The two other French nationals still in Iran are teacher Cecile Kohler and her partner, Jacques Paris, who were arrested in May 2022. They are accused of trying to incite labour protests, but French authorities and their families strongly deny the claims.

With inputs from AP
Israel said on Wednesday that its forces had retaken part of the Netzarim Corridor, a key route dividing northern and southern Gaza. The move came after the collapse of a ceasefire that had been in place since January. Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed over 400 Palestinians. read more

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed houses, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters

Israel said on Wednesday that its forces had retaken part of a corridor that bisects Gaza, and its defence minister issued a strict warning to Hamas that attacks would intensify until the Palestinian armed group released dozens of hostages and gave up control of the territory.

The move came after the collapse of a ceasefire that had been in place since January. Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday killed over 400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

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The military said it had recaptured part of the Netzarim Corridor, which separates northern and southern Gaza. It had previously withdrawn from the area under a ceasefire that began in January.

Israel sent more troops to southern Gaza, raising fears of a return to full-scale war. The ceasefire had provided relief to Palestinians, allowed more humanitarian aid into Gaza, and led to the release of dozens of hostages held for over 15 months.

Within Israel, the resumption of airstrikes has raised concerns about the fate of roughly two dozen hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive.

A Hamas spokesman, Abdel-Latif al-Qanou, said the advance of ground forces in Gaza was a clear sign that Israel had backed out of the truce and was reimposing a blockade. There have been no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas since Tuesdays bombardment.

The United Nations said one of its employees was killed in Gaza and five others were wounded in an apparent strike on a guesthouse. It was not immediately clear who was behind the strike, the UN said.

Israel launches limited ground operations in Gaza

Earlier, the Israeli military said its limited ground operation in Gaza would create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza. It was not immediately clear whether the move would completely block Palestinians from travelling north or south through the Netzarim Corridor.

Israel used the roughly 4-mile (6-kilometre) corridor as a military zone during the war. It ran from the Israeli border to the coast, just south of Gaza City, severing the territorys largest metropolitan area, and the rest of the north, from the south.
Israel on Thursday said that it killed two top Hamas officials, including head of Hamass internal security agency, in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip read more

People walk surrounded by buildings destroyed during the Israeli air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern Israel, on Thursday. AP

Israel on Thursday said that it killed two top Hamas officials, including head of Hamass internal security agency, in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces in recent days struck and eliminated the terrorist Rashid Jahjouh, head of the Hamas General Security Service, who assumed his position after the elimination of his predecessor, Sami Oudeh, in July 2024, AFP quoted military spokesman Avichay Adraee as saying in a post on X.

According to a Times of Israel report, the IDF identified the another official as Amin Eslaiah, the head of the security mechanism in southern Gazas Khan Younis.

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The security mechanism, according to the military, is a covert Hamas unit responsible for identifying collaborators with Israel, providing protection for high-ranking Hamas officials and assets both in Gaza and beyond, and suppressing dissent against Hamass authority.

Moreover, the mechanism is tasked with gathering intelligence for top Hamas leaders to inform their decision-making, added the IDF.

Jahjouh, as part of his role, was also responsible for Hamass internal propaganda.

Separately, the IDF said that a strike killed a prominent Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative involved in smuggling weapons to the terror group.

According to the Times of Israel report, citing IDF, the operative, identified ad Ismail Abd al-Alal, led most of the weapon smuggling efforts for the PIJ in recent years.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest episodes since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, shattering a ceasefire that has largely held since January.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military said its forces resumed ground operations in the central and southern Gaza Strip.

With inputs from agencies
Israel attributed the renewed fighting to Hamas, stating that the militant group rejected an Israeli-backed proposal that deviated from their prior agreement read more

The body of a Palestinian killed in an Israeli airstrike is brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. File image/AP

Israeli airstrikes overnight into Thursday (March 20) killed at least 70 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, according to the Gazan health authorities.

The strikes targeted homes in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza, as well as the northern town of Beit Lahiya.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday (March 18), breaking a ceasefire that had paused the conflict and allowed for the release of more than two dozen hostages. Israel attributed the renewed fighting to Hamas, stating that the militant group rejected an Israeli-backed proposal that deviated from their prior agreement.

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Hospitals report casualties

In the southern city of Rafah, the European Hospital reported that 26 people, mostly women and children, were killed in overnight strikes on two family homes. One of these strikes resulted in the deaths of a father and his seven children.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven individuals who were killed in an overnight attack on a home.

Additionally, in northern Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital reported that it had received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike on a house in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border.

Israels relentless strikes on Gaza

The renewed ground operations came a day after more than 400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest episodes since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023.

Since Tuesday, airstrikes have killed 510 Palestinians primarily women and children, Reuters quoted a health official as saying.

On Wednesday (March 19), Israeli ground troops advanced in Gaza for the first time since the ceasefire took hold in January, seizing part of the Netzarim corridor, which separates the northern third of the territory from the south.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had previously withdrawn from the area under a ceasefire that began in January.

The Israeli military has not yet commented on the latest strikes. The possibility of another ceasefire deal appears uncertain at the moment.

With inputs from AP
If you are Verizon subscriber stuck in the wilderness or other remote areas and have no cellular network signal, then you are in luck as satellite texting is now available from the network provider.

However, there is a small setback as it is only available for users who have the Samsung Galaxy S25 and the Google Pixel 9 smartphones. Eligibility for devices, however, will follow soon. However, Verizon has not provided specific details as to which devices and when this can take place.

Verizon Supports Satellite Texts For Galaxy S25, Pixel 9

According to the latest press release from Verizon, satellite texting support is now available to select smartphones in the United States, with the company claiming to be the first to offer this in the country. The network carrier revealed that it will first arrive fir the Samsung Galaxy S25 and the Google Pixel 9 smartphones as both devices already have this satellite text feature available.

Verizon said that users on the receiving end of messages need not have satellite-supported smartphones.

Android 15's Satellite SOS Feature and Verizon

The latest feature from Verizon will rely on its satellites and services to send the text messages from the Galaxy S25 to Pixel 9 to any smartphone While it will not rely on Android 15's similar feature, they can go side-by-side.

Google's Android 15 prioritizes sending messages to emergency response teams, while Verizon claims that it can send texts to any device. As of writing, Verizon is still rolling out its satellite texting feature, and it will continue to be available to more users in the coming weeks.

Satellite Texting For Emergencies

Thanks to the emergence of satellite-based networks that were popularized by Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starlink, Big Tech companies have come up with ways to maximize this technology.

Apple has introduced this feature but went for a hardware-based approach at first with the iPhone 14 Pro series. The company later offered it on its software via iOS 18.

Other companies have also followed suit with the likes of Google previously working on making it available on its Messages app, focusing on satellite support for emergency purposes. Later, the company integrated the feature via its Android 14, which allowed smartphones that support the feature to tap into this connection at a software level.

Companies like Samsung, Oppo, OnePlus, Huawei, Xiaomi, and more have also supported satellite texting with a hardware-based approach while also taking advantage of the latest software that offers it.
Trump claimed that while Iran has reduced its direct military assistance to the Houthis, it continues to supply them with substantial resources. Trump demanded an immediate cessation of these supplies read more

Trump has threatened Iran over its alleged support to the Houthis. Representational Image - Agencies

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Wednesday (March 19), US President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran regarding its support for Yemens Houthi rebels.

He claimed that while Iran has reduced its direct military assistance to the Houthis, it continues to supply them with substantial resources. Trump demanded an immediate cessation of these supplies, stating, Let the Houthis fight it out themselves.

He further asserted that the Houthis would be completely annihilated due to the tremendous damage already inflicted upon them.

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This is not the first time that Trump has threatened Iran on their support for Houthis.

US military action against Houthis

This declaration comes in the wake of intensified US military actions against the Houthi insurgents. Over the past week, American forces have launched a series of airstrikes targeting Houthi positions in Yemen. These operations, described as the most significant US military intervention in West Asia since Trumps inauguration, have resulted in substantial casualties.

According to the Houthi-run health ministry, at least 53 individuals have been killed, with many others wounded.

The US administration justifies these strikes as a necessary response to the Houthis persistent attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, which have disrupted vital maritime trade routes.

The Pentagon has said that these operations aim to deter further assaults and safeguard global commerce. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the airstrikes would continue indefinitely until the Houthis cease their attacks on US ships and drones.

The Houthis, who control significant portions of Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa, have been engaged in a protracted conflict against the internationally recognised Yemeni government.

Their ties to Iran have long been a point of contention, with Tehran accused of providing financial and military support a claim Iran consistently denies. In response to the recent US strikes, Houthi leaders have vowed retaliation, raising concerns about a potential escalation in the region.

With inputs from agencies
Amid unprecedented economic and territorial aggression from the United States, the Liberal Party has flipped years of lead that the Conservative Party had and is now poised to win the upcoming parliamentary elections, according to a survey read more

At a time when Canada is rallying around the flag in the face of unprecedented US aggression, the Liberal Party has made a comeback and flipped the lead that the Conservative Party held for years, according to the latest survey by Liaison Strategies.

The survey results published on Wednesday show that the Liberals have the support of 40 per cent Canadians compared to 36 per cent support that Conservatives have.

This is sharp reversal from just two months ago when Conservatives were the clear favourites to win the parliamentary elections later this year owing to the deep unpopularity of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the poor socioeconomic conditions that his decadelong rule created. However, US President Donald Trump changed that. As he unleashed a tariff war on Canada and threatened to annex the nation and make it the 51st US state, the Liberals made a political comeback

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On January 7, when Trudeau announced his resignation, the Conservatives had a 26 per cent lead over Liberals and poised to have a landslide victory in elections slated for later this year  the Ipsos survey published that day reported 46 per cent voters favoured the Conservatives and just 20 per cent supported Liberals.

Federal  voting intentions from Liaison Strategies:



LPC 40%

CPC 36%

NDP 10%

BQ 6% (27% in QC)

GPC 4%

PPC 2%



 https://t.co/xNGyqehRo6



[Liaison Strategies, March 16-18, 2025, n=1,500 (3-day rolling poll)]#canpoli  Philippe J. Fournier (@338Canada) March 20, 2025

The latest Liaison survey shows that the Liberals have expanded their lead in recent days. An Ipsos survey published on Feb. 25 showed that the Liberals had a 2 per cent lead over the Conservatives. Now, the Liaison survey shows that the lead is 4 per cent.

While there are internal reasons as well that could be attributed to such a rise, such as the change of guard in the Labour Party where unpopular Trudeau has been replaced by Mark Carney, the elephant in the room is of course Trump and his threats to Canada.

Trump has announced that the United States would annex Canada and make it the 51st US state. In what appears to be a strategy to make the nation bow to his wishes, he has unleashed a tariff war on the country. He has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods (with the exception of oil that is tariffed at 10 per cent) and additional tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports. More reciprocal tariffs are expected to be rolled out starting April 2.

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ALSO READ: New PM Mark Carney vows Canada will never be part of US, calls Trumps threats crazy

Canadians across the spectrum have stood up to Trumps threats and Trudeau in his last days put up a fierce defence in the face of Trumps threats. In perhaps his most impassioned speech, ironically coming at the twilight of his career, Trudeau highlighted that Canadians and Americans had traded, helped each other, and fought, bled, and died in distant lands together  from fighting on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, sheltering and evacuating American diplomats during the Iran hostages crisis, to fighting in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks.

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By invoking these historical acts, and recent ones such as the Canadian aid in California fires and previously in Hurricane Katrina (2005), Trudeau invoked in Canadians a sense of betrayal at the hands of the United States and trigerred a wave of patriotism on the back of anti-Trump sentiment.

At the same time, the Liberals have painted Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre as a copycat of Trump as he has often pitched his electoral platform as Canada First after Trumps America First. The way Liberals have flipped the lead, it appears the campaign is working.
51% say US President Donald Trump  a longtime massive EU skeptic  is an enemy of Europe, according to a report, citing a survey conducted in the EUs eight largest countries and Denmark read more

More than half of Europeans consider US President Donald Trump an enemy of Europe.

According to a Politico report, citing a survey conducted in the EUs eight largest countries and Denmark and aimed at taking the temperature of European citizens on transatlantic relations and security issues ahead of the ongoing European Council summit, 51% say Trump  a longtime massive EU skeptic  is an enemy of the continental alliance.

The survey, commissioned by Le Grand Continent and Cluster 17 and conducted among over 10,000 people between March 11 and 14, found that an even greater percentage  63% believe Trumps election has made the world less safe.

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Only 13% think Trump respects democratic principles, while 43% perceive him as having authoritarian tendencies, and 39% even view him as acting like a dictator, reported Politico.

According to the report, its not just Trump who is viewed negatively: In the countries surveyed, almost 8 out of 10 citizens believe that billionaire presidential adviser Elon Musk cannot be trusted, and almost half of respondents in Belgium, Denmark and France say that Europeans should boycott Teslas electric cars.

Fifty-five percent of respondents believe there is a high risk of armed conflict in EU territory in the coming years, with Eastern European countries Romania and Poland expressing the most concern at 74% and 71%, respectively. However, these nations tend to have a higher level of trust in Trump compared to their Western European counterparts.

Only 10% of respondents think the EU can depend on Trumps America for its security and defense, while 70% assert that the bloc must rely solely on its own resources for protection.

Opinions are more mixed regarding whether this should be achieved through national armies or a unified European force, but a majority in most countries favor the idea of a common EU military.

With inputs from agencies
The next round of US-Russia talks may take place on Sunday or early next week in the Saudi city of Jeddah, said Kremlin on Thursday, adding, apart from Ukrainian peace talks, Russia and the US will also discuss ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea read more

A Russian floating dock is towed by tugboats through Bosphorus to the Black Sea, in Istanbul, Turkey, on September 18, 2024. Reuters File

The Kremlin on Thursday said that the next round of US-Russia talks may take place on Sunday or early next week in the Saudi city of Jeddah, as Washington is also set to engage in discussions with Kyiv in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.

US President Donald Trump had conversations with both Russias Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this week.

It may not be Sunday itself, the nuances are being agreed. It could be the start, the very start, of next week, AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Apart from Ukrainian peace settlement talks, Russia and the US will also discuss ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea.

Peskov said that when Putin and Trump spoke by telephone on Tuesday, they had discussed the Black Sea Initiative.

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Turkey and the United Nations played key roles in mediating the Black Sea Grain Initiative, an agreement established in July 2022 that enabled the secure export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea amid the ongoing conflict.

After a year, Russia exited the agreement, citing significant barriers to its own food and fertilizer exports.

We fulfilled all the conditions then, but the conditions in relation to us were not fulfilled, Peskov Reuters quoted Peskov as saying.

The White House, in its March 18 statement on the Putin-Trump call, said the leaders agreed to technical negotiation on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a full ceasefire and permanent peace.

The World Banks global commodities outlook from April 2024 says that despite the Black Sea shipping risks, both Russia and Ukraine were shipping grain to global markets without major problems. It also said the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative had a minimal fallout.

The banks latest report from October 2024 does not mention Black Sea shipping risks.

It was unclear if US officials would meet both the Ukrainian and Russian teams on the same day, or if there was a possibility of three-way talks that would involve Kyiv and Moscow talking face-to-face.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Wednesday that technical teams from Russia and the US would meet in Riyadh to focus on implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire President Trump secured from Russia.

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Putin turned down a US-proposed unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, agreeing only to a 30-day halt in strikes on energy infrastructure.

Russias invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has left hundreds of thousands of dead and injured, displaced millions of people, reduced towns to rubble and triggered the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West in six decades.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a Russia-friendly president was toppled in Ukraines Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces then fighting Ukraines armed forces in the east.

With inputs from agencies
The reopening comes amid broader tensions between the two countries, with Pakistan increasingly frustrated by cross-border militant activity, while Afghanistans Taliban-led government has resisted Islamabads efforts to fortify the border read more

Pakistan and Afghanistan have reopened their main border crossing at Torkham, officials said on Wednesday (March 19), following nearly a month of closure triggered by clashes between security forces on both sides.

The vital trade and transit route, one of only two primary crossings between the neighbouring nations, will initially resume commercial activity, with pedestrian movement set to recommence on Friday (March 21), according to Riaz Khan Mehsud, a Pakistani government official.

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Qureshi Badlon, head of the media department for Afghanistans Nangarhar province, confirmed that both governments had agreed to restore operations and facilitate transit trade.

The crossing, situated in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province a region frequently targeted by Pakistani Taliban militants was shut on February 21 after border tensions escalated into armed skirmishes. The confrontation saw both sides exchange mortar and rocket fire after Afghan forces reportedly objected to Pakistans construction of a border outpost.

The closure had significant economic and humanitarian consequences, leaving truckloads of essential supplies stranded. Afghanistan, already grappling with a severe food crisis, relies heavily on imports from Pakistan, particularly wheat, flour, and fresh produce.

Businesses on both sides welcomed the resumption of trade. Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, a director at the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressed hope that normal movement of people would also resume by the end of the week.

The prolonged closure led to losses worth millions of dollars for traders and exporters, said Ghulam Ali, a Pakistani businessman, adding that perishable goods had been particularly affected.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan totalled more than $1.6 billion in 2024, according to Pakistans foreign office. The Torkham crossing alone facilitates daily trade worth an estimated $3 million and typically sees around 10,000 people crossing each day, customs officials said.

The reopening comes amid broader tensions between the two countries, with Pakistan increasingly frustrated by cross-border militant activity, while Afghanistans Taliban-led government has resisted Islamabads efforts to fortify the border. Despite the resumption of trade, relations between the neighbours remain fraught.

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With inputs from agencies
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday said that plans for allied countries to ensure a potential ceasefire in Ukraine are coming together, after a meeting of senior military planners from countries interested in his proposed coalition read more

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to a Canadian Lt Colonel as he visits a military base to meet planners mapping out next steps in the Coalition of the Willing in Northwood, London, on Thursday. AP

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday said that plans for allied countries to ensure a potential ceasefire in Ukraine are coming together, after a meeting of senior military planners from countries interested in his proposed coalition.

Around 25 to 30 military leaders gathered at a military base near London to discuss ways to secure any agreement aimed at ending the fighting in Ukraine.

After the talks, Starmer emphasised that the discussions aimed to convert the political intention of security guarantees for Ukraine into tangible reality, focusing on transforming concepts into actionable plans.

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Whether thats in relation to what might happen at sea or air or defending borders, and those plans are coming together, AFP quoted Starmer as saying.

His comments came after he said earlier in the day that any peace deal would need to be defended to deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from violating it.

If theres a deal, it has to be defended, because there (have) been deals in the past that havent had security arrangements and Putins taken no notice of them, Sky News quoted Starmer as saying.

Starmer has been spearheading efforts to establish the coalition in partnership with French President Emmanuel Macron since US President Donald Trump initiated direct negotiations with Russia last month to resolve the three-year conflict.

However, uncertainties persist regarding the groups potential actions, particularly after Putin stipulated that any cessation of hostilities would require an end to Western military support for Ukraine.

We hope there will be a deal but what I do know is if there is a deal, the time for planning is now, AFP quoted Starmer as saying after the meeting.

Its not after a deal is reached, he added.

Starmer and Macron have said they are willing to put British and French troops on the ground in Ukraine but Russia has said that it would not agree to soldiers from NATO countries being there.

The prime minister has said he welcomes any offer of support for the group, raising the prospect that some countries could contribute logistics or surveillance.

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His spokesman on Monday highlighted engineering support, the use of airfields and the housing of crews as areas where contributions could be made.

With inputs from agencies
He fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters when asked if Trump was trying to get a Gaza ceasefire back on track read more

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike on a residential building, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on March 18, 2025. Reuters File

US President Donald Trump fully supports Israeli strikes in Gaza, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday as she blamed Hamas for the attacks.

He fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days, Leavitt told reporters when asked if Trump was trying to get a Gaza ceasefire back on track.

Earlier this week, Israel launched fresh strikes on Gaza killing over 500 people including 200 children while more than 900 Palestinians have been left seriously injured.

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On Thursday, Israels military said it had killed the head of Hamass internal security agency in an air strike on the Gaza Strip, the latest official targeted in recent days.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian terrorist group has also fired rockets at Tel Aviv in its first military response to the growing civilian death toll from Israels resumption of air and ground operations in Gaza.

The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said it fired rockets at Tel Aviv in response to Israels massacres of Gaza civilians.

The Israeli army said it intercepted one projectile fired from Gaza and that two others struck an uninhabited area.

US blames Hamas

US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said that Hamas bears the sole responsibility for the war and the resumption of hostilities in Gaza at the UN Security Council meeting.

She said, Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all hostages now or there will be hell to pay, adding that fighting could end tomorrow but the group has refused time and time again to accept proposals to extend the ceasefire.

We must recognise Hamas for what it is: a savage terrorist organisation that purposefully committed the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, Shea said.

Last warning to Gazans

Israel bombarded Gaza and pressed its ground operations on Thursday after issuing what it called a last warning for Palestinians to return hostages and remove Hamas from power.

After Israel urged civilians to leave areas it described as combat zones, families with young children filled the roads leading out of northern Gaza.

Addressing the residents of Gaza  governed by Hamas since 2007  Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a video: This is the last warning.

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Take the advice of the president of the United States. Return the hostages and remove Hamas, and other options will open up for you  including the possibility of leaving for other places in the world for those who want to.

With inputs from AFP
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on a phone call on Wednesday for the first time since a tense White House meeting three weeks ago. The White House said that the two leaders had agreed to a partial ceasefire to halt Ukrainian attacks on energy targets. read more

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was entering into tough negotiations with a volatile, yet popular POTUS who holds a grudge against the Ukrainian leader. Image: REUTERS

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a very good phone call on Wednesday.

This was their first conversation since a tense White House meeting three weeks ago, which resulted in a public spat between the two leaders.

In a Zoom call with journalists on Wednesday night, Zelenskyy said he felt no pressure from Trump. He called it a fruitful conversation, possibly their best one yet, with a positive mood.

We have received signals from the United States that we are talking about the ceasefire on energy facilities, so not to attack energy infrastructure, and we are also talking about the civilian infrastructure facilities, Zelenskyy said.

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I had a positive, very substantive, and frank conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump @POTUS. I thanked him for a good and productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11this meeting of the teams significantly helped pic.twitter.com/JFBd5EeIkg  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 19, 2025

Zelenskyy called the conversation positive and frank and confirmed he had agreed to a partial ceasefire that Trump negotiated with Vladimir Putin a day earlier. The White House said Trump also pledged to help Ukraine secure more air defence systems for Kyiv.

The White House said that the two leaders had agreed to a partial ceasefire to halt Ukrainian attacks on energy targets following the phone call.

US ownership of Ukrainian nucler power plant

Zelensky on Wednesday said that he and US counterpart had discussed possible US ownership of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.

His comments to reporters came after Trump told Zelensky on Wednesday that the United States could own and run Ukraines nuclear power plants as part of his latest bid to secure a ceasefire in Russias invasion.

We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation, Zelensky, who was on an official visit to Finland, said during an online briefing, referring to the plant in Zaporizhzhia.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has denounced the recent attacks on Tesla dealerships, calling them domestic terrorism. Moreover, Amid ongoing violence, five more Tesla vehicles were damaged in Las Vegas on Tuesday. read more

Trumps AG Bondi calls Tesla vandalism domestic terrorism, but US has no specific law for the crime. AP

US Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday called the recent attacks on Tesla dealerships domestic terrorism aimed at Elon Musk.

The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism, Bondi said in a statement on Tuesday.

She said the Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including some cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences.

We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes, she said.

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Trump allies are urging the Justice Department to take strong action on such incidents.

In recent weeks, vandals protesting Musks plans to cut government jobs and reduce its size have damaged Tesla cars and buildings in several cities. No serious injuries have been reported in the incidents.

Amid ongoing violence, five more Tesla vehicles were damaged in Las Vegas on Tuesday in what local authorities called a targeted attack.

Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk, a close adviser and major donor to Trump, is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), which was formed to reduce US government spending and costs.

Meanwhile, Teslas stock has seen a steep decline as the brands reputation takes a hit.

As officers arrived, they located several vehicles fully engulfed in flames and the word Resist spray-painted on the building, the police said in a statement on Monday.

Musk also shared a video of the Las Vegas torching on his social media platform X, calling it domestic terrorism.

Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks, he said.

In a White House interview on Tuesday, Musk told Fox News he was shocked by the attacks on Tesla and the hatred and violence from the left.

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Tesla is a peaceful company; weve never done anything harmful, he said.

Recently, Tesla vehicles, dealerships, and charging stations in the US and Europe have been vandalised. In March, a charging station in Massachusetts was set on fire, and last month, Colorado police arrested a woman for attacking a dealership with incendiary devices.
At the Raisina Dialogue 2025 in New Delhi, UAE Minister Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi and former Indian ambassador Navdeep Suri discussed how the UAE is leveraging public diplomacy to strengthen its global influence. From Bollywood collaborations to AI-driven narratives and the landmark Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, the UAE is crafting a unique soft power strategy read more

A view shows the exterior of the Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex that contains a synagogue, left, a mosque, centre, and a church, right, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, February 21, 2023. File Image/Reuters

The topics ranged from cultural diplomacy and religious tolerance to emerging technologies and the UAEs flourishing relationship with India as Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates (UAE) sat down for a discussion with Navdeep Suri, former Indian Ambassador to the UAE.

The conversation, held as part of Firstposts Ideas Pod series at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 , explored the UAEs evolving approach to public diplomacy and its growing influence as a soft power.

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Cultural diplomacy as a pillar of soft power

Al Kaabi, who previously served as Minister of Culture and Youth, stressed that culture is at the heart of UAEs public diplomacy strategy. She explained how cultural exchanges have historically played a pivotal role in fostering relationships between nations.

I worked in the Ministry of Culture, and during my tenure back then, we looked at the importance of looking at how culture is the best bridge to build a relationship with a country, Al Kaabi said.

She recounted her experience collaborating the film industry and how Bollywood classics like Amar Akbar Anthony created a connection between India and herself.

The UAE has actively sought to enhance its cultural ties with other nations, particularly India. A prime example was the Bollywood Superstars: A Short Story of Indian Cinema exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which highlighted the history and global impact of Indian cinema.

Recently we also had a great exhibition at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Bollywood stars. And that is a museum that shows the history of Bollywood, something that we all grew up watching, Al Kaabi noted.

Public diplomacy through arts and culture, she stated, is about fostering a deeper understanding between societies. This aligns with the UAEs broader Soft Power Strategy, which aims to position the country as a global hub for culture, education and innovation.

Religious tolerance and the UAEs model of coexistence

One of the most crucial parts of the discussion centred around the UAEs commitment to religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue. The establishment of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi  a unique complex that houses a mosque, a church and a synagogue of equal stature  was highlighted as a groundbreaking initiative.

You have a mosque, a church, and a synagogue in the same compound, each of the same size, Suri noted, referencing the UAEs active efforts to promote religious harmony.

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Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates (left) speaks with Navdeep Suri, former Indian Ambassador to the UAE at the Firstpost Ideas Pod studio at the Raisina Dialogue 2025, New Delhi on March 18, 2024. File Image/Firstpost

Al Kaabi reaffirmed that tolerance and coexistence are integral to the UAEs identity: Tolerance and coexistence is what the UAE is built upon, you know, and having such a belief stated in policies and governmental representation is so important for us.

She also pointed out the UAEs role in spearheading international initiatives to combat hate speech and extremism. The country was instrumental in passing UN Security Council Resolution 2686, which targets hate speech that can lead to radicalisation and terrorism.

We were at the seat of the presidency of the Security Council, resolution 2686 which is basically fighting hate speech that can, of course, lead to terrorism, she said, highlighting the UAEs proactive stance on global peace and security.

Giving recent examples of the UAEs dedication to interfaith harmony, Al Kaabi highlighted a recent Iftar gathering at the newly inaugurated Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi.

Yesterday, there was an Iftar at the Hindu temple. Everyone was invited. Youre looking at the Abrahamic Family House hosting Iftars. Each temple or each worship place is hosting what the other beliefs are also celebrating. That by itself is, I think, kind of unique.

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The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi , inaugurated in February 2024, is seen as a landmark of cultural integration. Supported by both the Indian and Emirati leadership, the temple is aimed at symbolising the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations and the UAEs commitment to religious inclusivity.

You know that we have the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. That is this, you know, a sentiment of how we have a beautiful relationship with the Prime Minister, she remarked, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modis visiting the Gulf nation to inaugurate the temple .

She also pointed to February 2019 event in Abu Dhabi when Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, signed the Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.

Technology and the challenges of the digital age

The conversation also touched upon the role of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in shaping public diplomacy. AI has become an essential tool for governments worldwide, helping to refine messaging, counter disinformation, and engage diverse audiences.

I think we are now in the age that AI is the topic of any dialogue or of any work we do, or even in any discussion, Al Kaabi said. She acknowledged both the potential and challenges of AI, particularly regarding misinformation and disinformation.

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Our work at the Public Diplomacy office looks at that very carefully. Its really important. Its easy for us through space because of AI to know whats true and whats not true, she explained.

You are now in a time when you can tailor the way you build your narrative. So I think we need to adapt. I think us humans, we can adapt, but yet at the same time, I think we also need to be very smart when it comes to how to utilise such tools.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United Arab Emirates speaks with Navdeep Suri, former Indian Ambassador to the UAE (not pictured) at the Firstpost Ideas Pod studio at the Raisina Dialogue 2025, New Delhi on March 18, 2024. File Image/Firstpost

The UAE has been at the forefront of AI development, investing heavily in AI research and innovation. According to a Wired report, Abu Dhabi aims to dominate the AI sector by leveraging state-backed investments and forming strategic partnerships with leading tech companies.

While AI presents numerous opportunities, it also raises ethical considerations that governments must address to ensure its responsible use. One significant concern is the potential for AI to perpetuate biases present in training data, leading to unfair or discriminatory outcomes.

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Additionally, the use of AI in surveillance poses risks to individual privacy and can lead to the erosion of civil liberties if not properly regulated.

In theory, AI can also facilitate participatory governance by analysing public feedback and identifying societal needs, enabling more responsive and inclusive policy-making. AI-powered translation services can facilitate cross-cultural communication by breaking down language barriers, fostering better understanding between nations.

Strengthening the UAE-India relationship

The discussion naturally gravitated towards the UAEs deep and evolving relationship with India, which Al Kaabi described as a benchmark for international collaboration.

The UAE-India collaboration story is one of the most successful ones. And I think its always as you know, its always a benchmark. Even in my meetings recently, its always a benchmark, she stated.

One of the most significant achievements in this partnership was the swift negotiation of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) , which was finalised in just 80 days. Our CEPA arrangement with India took just 80 days, Al Kaabi noted, highlighting the efficiency and mutual commitment of both nations.

we are living in a world thats kind of polarised, and its a zero sum game, but having friends like India, you know, with with such an ambitious kind of a goal, when it comes from an economic perspective, yet rooted to its culture and heritage, is very much linked to the UAE, she reflected.

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The discussion at the Raisina Dialogue 2025 highlighted the UAEs holistic approach to public diplomacy  one that leverages culture, technology and religious tolerance to strengthen its global influence.

Al Kaabi aptly summarised, Soft power is important, but to work towards soft power, you need to work in terms of building such connections, collaborations, and learning from others.

Raisina Dialogue is a premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in collaboration with Indias Ministry of External Affairs.

Firstpost partnered with the Raisina Dialogue to bring exclusive content to its viewers and readers.

The event, inaugurated by Modi on March 17, featured New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as the chief guest and keynote speaker.
In an interview with Firstpost on the sidelines of the 2025 Raisina Dialogue, Rainer Rudolph, Vice-Chairman, Munich Security Conference, gave his take on where Europe stands in the current world order read more

As the US, Russia and Ukraine take weeks to negotiate a peace deal, Ambassador Rainer Rudolph, Vice-Chairman, Munich Security Conference said there is one easy end to this war. In a conversation with Firstpost, Rudolph said that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war can end if Russia withdraws from the internationally recognised boundaries of Ukraine. The German diplomat spoke to Firstpost on the sidelines of the 2025 Raisina Dialogue, where he also delved into Europes role in West Asia

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During a panel discussion titled Beyond the Crises: Prospects for Peace and Progress in the Middle East, an assertion was made that Europe has been absent in West Asia. Rudolph, who was one of the panelists at the session pointed out that Europe has delivered a significant amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

After the panel discussion, Rudolph sat down with Firstpost and shared his take on how Europe is navigating through the Russia-Ukraine war, the Trumpian era of world order, and ties with India. Ambassador Rudolph currently serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Munich Security Conference (MSC).

A German diplomat, Rudolph served as the deputy head of mission at the German embassy in Vienna, Austria, until 2023. Before this, he served as a Permanent Representative of Germany to the European Union in Brussels and at German consulates in Warsaw and Washington DC.

Is Europe really absent in the West Asia?

Rudolph rejected the assertion that the European actors have been neglecting the ongoing crisis in West Asia. I wouldnt share the assessment that Europe has been absent because Europe has been trying to contribute to a peaceful solution in the Middle East, including fundamentally through a two-state solution. Europe has, I think, also contributed substantially to humanitarian aid in Gaza. My own country, Germany, is one of the largest donors for humanitarian aid in Gaza, he said.

However, the German diplomat did admit that there has been no uniform European approach toward West Asia. Rudolph argued that the reason behind the lack of uniformity is the sheer fact that the group of 27 nations has simply have different histories, different views, different bilateral relations with many of our partners in the Middle East.

Ambassador Rainer Rudolph speaks at the session titled Beyond the Crises: Prospects for Peace and Progress in the Middle East. Source: Rainer Rudolph

Its true, yes, we are not a homogeneous bloc with a single policy approach towards the Middle East. But I think it is in our interest as Europeans to do what we can to contribute to peace in the Middle East, simply because its our immediate neighbourhood, he said.

Rodolph raised concerns that what happens in West Asia would have repercussions inside Europe. He gave an example of how Syrian refugees came to Europe 10 years ago while the West Asian nation was struggling with a long civil war.

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Conflict at Home: Russia-Ukraine war & Trumps push for peace

The highly anticipated call between Trump & Putin

Hours before Firstpost spoke to Rudolph, US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke about a ceasefire in a phone call. While Putin did not agree to the US-backed 30-day ceasefire proposal, which Ukraine accepted unconditionally, he did agree to Russia not attacking Ukrainian infrastructure.

However, things were different in the war zone. While sharing his take on the call, Rudolph told Firstpost: Putin apparently only agreed to a very limited form of ceasefire. I would add, I see no readiness on the Russian side, even after this phone call, to end their aggression against Ukraine.

Artist Alexei Sergienko walks towards his painting. Peace to the world" showing a combination of faces of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, at the Sergienko gallery in Saint Petersburg, Russia March 17, 2025. Reuters

Rudolph emphasised that there is one easy way to end the war, i.e. Russia withdraws from the internationally recognised boundaries of Ukraine. However, the German diplomat noted that Russia is not willing to stop its aggressive ambition towards Ukraine.

Who is calling the shots in the ceasefire negotiation: Trump or Putin?

Zelenskyy on Wednesday accused Putin of already breaking his pledge, saying that Russia attacked Ukraine with 150 drones overnight, including strikes on energy facilities.

Despite Putin not accepting the ceasefire proposal, Trump did not push for more sanctions on Moscow as he promised. So this begs the question of whether it is Trump or Putin who is actually calling the shots in the conflict.

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While Rudolph did not pass his judgement on the dynamics between Trump and Putin, he did say: Lets judge the Russians by their deeds, not by their words. And we have every reason to be sceptical about their professed readiness for, quote, unquote, peace.

So far, they have been continuing their aggression for over three years. And again, if they want to end the aggression, they can do so tomorrow, he said.

Need for Europe to be more self-reliant

The Trump administrations tussle with Europe has delivered one clear message; the continent needs to invest more in its security. The German diplomat agreed to the assessment. I think the Americans clearly have a point, Europeans need to invest more in our own security, he said.

There is more serious discussion about that in the European Union. Europeans, including my own country, are prepared to invest much more into their own defence and deterrence than we have done previously. I think that is at least part of the answer on the future of the transatlantic relationship.

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European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo: Reuters)

The Americans simply want us to take more responsibility for our own security. And thats what is happening, he said.

What about other grievances of the Trump administration?

Is Europe losing its freedom of speech?

Last month, US Vice President JD Vance delivered a fiery speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he said Europe is losing its freedom of speech. Trump eventually defended his second in command by saying, I heard his speech, and he talked about freedom of speech. And I think its true in Europe, its losing, and they are losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech."

U.S. Vice President JD Vance speaks at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Munich, Germany. Reuters

The vice chairman of the Munich Security Conference rejected the assertion made by Vance and said that other European actors also share the same thought. I dont see freedom of speech and rule of law endangered in Germany and Europe. And neither did the Europeans attend our conference. Many of them objected immediately to this assessment of the reality in Europe, including almost spontaneously, immediately after the speech, our defence minister, also the chancellor, then leader of the opposition, and then probably the future chancellor, he said.

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Trumps complaints about Nato and his tariff threats

When asked about Potuss main grievance that some of the Nato nations are not pulling up their socks in the Defence spending, Rudolph noted that Germany has already 2.1 per cent in defence spending (way above the 2 per cent target and plans to remain above the level. We encourage all our allies to do the same, he said.

When asked about Trumps tariff threats, the ambassador had his own share of questions. It is sometimes difficult to ascertain whether the threat of tariffs is actually to introduce them and maintain them or whether they are a bargaining chip and then a bargaining chip for what, he said.

If you look at the EU-US trade, if you only look at goods trade, then yes, then its true that the EU has a surplus with the U.S. If you include services trade, its the other way around. So what are we trying to achieve? We feel that net free trade is beneficial for all sides.

The China question

Given the brewing tensions between the United States and Europe, many are seeing China as an alternative. However, ties with China come with a price, so Firstpost asked Rudolph whether Europe can trust China. Given Beijings Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) posing a risk of making Italy and Greece more vulnerable, how will the continent maintain its autonomy?

Responding to these questions, he said: There wont be an economic and investment decoupling from China simply because our ties, economic ties, both trade and investment ties are so close with China. And obviously, China is a huge, huge economic factor.

Chinese President Xi Jinping with French President Emmanuel Macron and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. File image/Reuters

Weve become more sensitive about where foreign investment comes from and what security implications it may have. The European Union has established an investment screening procedure precisely to this end. So I would say were more aware, were maybe more cautious, but were not decoupling, he said.

Rudolph emphasised that Europe will continue to maintain its autonomy by developing its own capacities on the security side. He noted that the continent is adapting to new realities and finding alternatives and this is where India comes into the picture.

Europe & India

Rudolph mentioned the EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen said will be finalised by 2025. I sense here in Delhi, there is a new sense of urgency on both sides to get this

completed, he explained.

When asked what is Germany looking for in India, Rudolph noted that Berlin is looking for close cooperation in various areas where both Germany and India are facing challenges.

Where we feel both India and Germany have joint interests, for example, in a stable and secure Indo-Pacific region, ranging all the way to, I already mentioned, free trade to economic exchange, work on or you may say against climate change and working on climate adaptation, education, and people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen prior to a meeting at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi, on Friday. PTI

I see a whole range of areas there where we can and should and are working together. And this was very visible just a few months ago when we had our entire cabinet here in Delhi for the government consultations. As you probably remember, it was at the same time we had a port visit of our German frigate in Goa, which was to also make this security cooperation really visible.

The recent diplomatic push from Germany indicates that Berlin is willing to deepen ties with New Delhi as geopolitics looks set for an overhaul.
Dakota Access Pipeline became a flashpoint for global environmental and Indigenous rights activism in 2016. Protesters set up a large encampment to block its construction, arguing that the pipeline would endanger water supplies and sacred tribal lands read more

A Native American man leads a protest march with veterans and activists outside the Oceti Sakowin camp where "water protectors" continue to demonstrate against plans to pass the Dakota Access pipeline adjacent to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, US, December 5, 2016. Reuters

A jury in North Dakota has found Greenpeace liable for defamation, ordering the environmental group to pay more than $660m (507m) in damages to Energy Transfer, a Texas-based oil company, over its role in one of the largest anti-fossil fuel protests in US history.

The lawsuit, filed in a state court, accused Greenpeace of trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy in connection with the demonstrations against the Dakota Access Pipeline nearly a decade ago.

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The nine-person jury reached its verdict on Wednesday (March 19) following two days of deliberation. The trial took place in Mandan, around 100 miles (160km) north of where the protests unfolded near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation.

Energy Transfer argued that the group had orchestrated an unlawful and violent scheme to cause financial harm to the company.

During closing arguments, Energy Transfers lawyer, Trey Cox, claimed that Greenpeaces actions had inflicted financial damage of between $265m and $340m. He urged the jury to award that amount in damages, plus additional penalties.

Greenpeace, which has vowed to appeal, warned last month that the case could push it into bankruptcy, potentially ending more than 50 years of activism. The organisation rejected the allegations, insisting that it did not lead the protests and that the lawsuit represented a serious threat to free speech. Instead, it said that the demonstrations were spearheaded by Indigenous leaders opposed to the pipelines construction.

Dakota Access Pipeline

The Dakota Access Pipeline became a flashpoint for global environmental and Indigenous rights activism during Donald Trumps first term as president. Protesters set up a large encampment to block its construction, arguing that the pipeline would endanger water supplies and sacred tribal lands.

At its peak, the movement attracted more than 10,000 demonstrators, including members of over 200 Native American tribes, US military veterans, actors, and political leaders among them Robert F Kennedy Jr, now the US health secretary. The protests, which began in April 2016, ended in February 2017 when law enforcement and the National Guard forcibly cleared the encampments.

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Despite continued legal and environmental challenges, the 1,172-mile pipeline has been operational since 2017. However, it still lacks a key permit to operate beneath Lake Oahe in South Dakota, and local tribes continue to push for an extensive environmental review.

Greenpeace launches lawsuit

Energy Transfers lawsuit targeted Greenpeace USA, its Washington DC-based funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc, and its parent organisation, Greenpeace International, which is headquartered in Amsterdam.

In response, Greenpeace has launched its own legal action against Energy Transfer in the Netherlands, accusing the company of abusing the legal system to suppress its critics. The countersuit, filed earlier this month, seeks to recover all damages and legal costs.

With inputs from agencies
The Trump administration has detained an Indian student from Georgetown University over alleged ties to Hamas, accusing him of spreading propaganda and posing a threat to US foreign policy. The student, Badar Khan Suri, is now facing deportation, though no evidence has been publicly presented to support the claims. read more

US arrests Indian student for 'spreading Hamas propaganda', likely to be deported.

The Trump administration has detained an Indian student from Georgetown University on Wednesday and plans to deport him, accusing him of spreading propaganda and posing a threat to US foreign policy, news agency Reuters reported citing his lawyer.

The US Department of Homeland Security accused Badar Khan Suri of having ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and spreading its propaganda and antisemitism on social media, according to a statement shared with Fox News.

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The DHS statement to Fox News, reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not provide any evidence. It said Secretary of State Marco Rubio ruled that Suris actions made him eligible for deportation.

Suri, who was in the US on a student visa and is married to an American citizen, was arrested outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.

He is currently detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting a court hearing in immigration court, his lawyer said.

Postdoctoral student at Georgetown University

Badar Khan Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service in Washington.

According to a report by Politico, Suri, who was studying and teaching on a student visa, was detained by federal immigration authorities as part of the Trump administrations crackdown on student activists accused of opposing US foreign policy. The report added that masked agents arrested him outside his home in Virginia on Monday night.

If an accomplished scholar who focusses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar, Suris lawyer said to international news agency Reuters.
After US spy chief Tulsi Gabbard commented on violence against minorities in Bangladesh, Washington said the Trump administration supports steps taken by Dhakas interim government to ensure safety for all. read more

After US spy chief Tulsi Gabbard commented on violence against minorities in Bangladesh, Washington said the Trump administration supports steps taken by Dhakas interim government to ensure safety for all.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that the US condemns any violence or intolerance against minorities. She said, We welcome measures taken by Bangladeshs interim government to ensure safety and security for all. Thats what were watching, thats what we expect, and that will continue.

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#WATCH | "We condemn any instances of violence or intolerance directed toward members of minority communities in any country and have welcomed measures taken by Bangladesh's interim government to ensure safety and security for all in Bangladesh. That's what we're watching. That's pic.twitter.com/oxXgIL6BBW  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

The development comes after Tulsi Gabbard said on an Indian television channel that the violence against minorities in Bangladesh was rooted in the ideology and objective to rule and govern with an Islamist Caliphate."

She also said that the matter of Islamic terrorism continues to be a central focus of concern."

She further stated that while talks between US President Donald Trump and Bangladeshs interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, are just beginning, Islamic terrorism remains a key concern.

The Bangladesh government strongly criticised the remarks, calling them misleading and damaging to the countrys reputation.

The Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus office said in a statement that Gabbards comments unfairly portray the entire nation.

This statement is misleading and harms Bangladeshs image. Our country has a long history of inclusive and peaceful Islam and has made significant progress in fighting extremism and terrorism, the statement said.

The statement further reads that while Bangladesh faces challenges from extremism, it has worked closely with the international community, including the US, using law enforcement, social reforms, and counterterrorism efforts to address the issue.

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In a White House press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, Trump had described India as a tariff king and a big abuser while discussing trade barriers, emphasizing the difficulties of selling to the country read more

US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands as they attend a joint press conference at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on February 13, 2025. Reuters

US President Donald Trump hopes India will lower taxes on American goods before retaliatory taxes kick in on April 2. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that Countries that fail to reduce their trade barriers will face steeper tariffs aimed at protecting the countrys economy.

Talking to Breitbart News, Potus said, Believe India is probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially. But on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us.

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His comments come days after Trump said New Delhi has agreed to lower taxes. India charges us massive tariffs. Massive. You cant even sell anything in India But they have agreed, by the way; they want to cut their tariffs way down now because somebody is finally exposing them for what theyve done, he said.

Trump tariffs on India

In a White House press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, Trump had described India as a tariff king and a big abuser while discussing trade barriers, emphasizing the difficulties of selling to the country.

The Trump administration expects the tariff announcements to trigger offers by affected countries to reduce their own tariffs or non-tariff measures, the official said, noting that India, for one, was already trying to get ahead of the US moves.

Trump often singles out India as the country with the highest average tariff rates, among top trading partners, while European Union countries are criticized for their high 10 per cent car tariff rate, which is four times the 2.5 per cent US passenger car rate, but less than the 25 per cent US tariff on pickup trucks.

During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt intensified criticism of India, stating that the country levies a 150 per cent tariff on American alcohol and a 100 per cent tariff on agricultural goods.

She said, I have a handy-dandy chart here that shows not just Canada, but the tariffs across the board. If you look at Canada, since you brought it up, American cheese and butter face nearly a 300 per cent tariff. You look at India, where theres a 150 per cent tariff on American alcohol. Do you think thats helping Kentucky bourbon get exported to India? I dont think so. Theres also a 100 per cent tariff on agricultural products from India.

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With inputs from agencies
Russia has said it will not accept the presence of any NATO troops in Ukraine but Washington has not yet indicated whether it would be willing to provide a security backstop read more

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged EU leaders Thursday to step up weapon supplies to Ukraine and keep pressuring Russia, as top military brass gathered in London to thrash out plans to police any peace deal.

Europe is scrambling to weigh on the outcome as US President Donald Trump has forged ahead with Russia on efforts to end its war on Ukraine.

Speaking by video call to an EU summit, Zelenskyy said Russia had continued striking Ukraines energy system despite Russian President Vladimir Putin agreeing a halt with Trump.

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Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure, he said.

Despite Putins words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks  nothing has changed.

Zelenskyy said the Kremlin leader must stop making unnecessary demands that only prolong the war as he called on the EU to ramp up arms deliveries and keep sanctions in force.

Across the Channel from Brussels around 30 military leaders from countries keen to help secure any lasting ceasefire in Ukraine were set to huddle near London.

Zelenskyy and Putin both held talks with Trump this week, and have indicated they are prepared to halt attacks on energy infrastructure for 30 days.

But there has since been no let-up in strikes in the grinding three-year war, and both countries reported a barrage of new drone strikes overnight, as questions remained about the exact details of any lasting peace deal.

Trump, who has spooked European and NATO allies by his overtures to Putin and lukewarm commitment to European security, suggested on Wednesday night the United States could take over and run Ukraines power plants.

But on Thursday, Zelenskyy ruled that out. We will not discuss it. We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to the state, he said.

Putin, for his part, has made an end to further Western military support for Ukraine a red line for Russia agreeing to a long-term truce.

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Air defences

In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to address the closed-door meeting of military leaders at the Permanent Joint Headquarters north of London.

Speaking ahead of the talks, Starmer stressed that any agreement to end fighting in Ukraine would need to be defended to stop Russia from violating it.

If theres a deal, it has to be defended, because there (have) been deals in the past that havent had security arrangements and Putins taken no notice of them, he said.

Starmer has spearheaded efforts with French President Emmanuel Macron to form a so-called coalition of the willing to police any truce in Ukraine, and both say they are willing to put their own troops on the ground.

Russia has said it will not accept the presence of any NATO troops in Ukraine but Washington has not yet indicated whether it would be willing to provide a security backstop.

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Despite Trump going cold on support for Ukraine, the United States is looking at helping Kyiv to acquire additional air defence systems to counter Russias ballistic missiles.

This is extremely important, said the EUs top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who is pushing member states to meet a Ukrainian request for two million shells worth five billion euros ($5.4 billion), though no headway was made on the plan at Thursdays summit.

According to a White House readout, Zelenskyy on Wednesday asked Trump for help in obtaining US-made Patriot missile systems to bolster its current stock provided by the United States, Germany and Romania.

At the Kremlin, spokesman Dmitry Peskov questioned whether Europe, where governments are looking at steep increases in domestic defence spending, was committed to ending the fighting.

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For the most part, the signals from Brussels and European capitals concern plans to militarise Europe, he said.

Talks

Talks on ending attacks on energy facilities involving Ukrainian, Russian and US officials are due to resume on Monday in Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy and the Kremlin said separately.

Ukraines air force meanwhile said Thursday that Russia launched 171 drones over its territory overnight, with two people were killed in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions and several others wounded.

A drone attack in the town of Kropyvnytsky, far from the front line, wounded 10, including four children.

Russia meanwhile said its air defence units had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones in several regions across the country.

Two people were wounded in the southwestern city of Engels and schools and a hospital were damaged, it added.

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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.)
European Commission on Wednesday adopted two decisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) outlining specific measures Apple must take to meet its interoperability obligations. These steps aim to improve how third-party products and services work with Apples ecosystem, including iPhones and iPads, across Europe.

Enhancing Compatibility for Connected Devices

The Commissions press release explained that interoperability fosters seamless integration of third-party products with Apples platforms. Its key to unlocking new options for developers to create innovative products and services, the release said.

This, it added, means a wider choice of products will be available to consumers in Europe that work with their Apple devices. The first decision targets nine iOS connectivity features used by connected devices like smartwatches, headphones, and TVs. It improves access to tools such as displaying notifications on smartwatches, faster peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connections, near-field communication, and simpler device pairing.

The EU noted these changes ensure better performance for all brands on iPhones while respecting user privacy, security, and Apples system integrity. Device makers, it highlighted, gain fresh opportunities to innovate, enhancing user experiences for Europeans.

Streamlining Developer Processes

The second decision refines Apples process for handling interoperability requests from developers seeking access to iPhone and iPad features. It offers clearer technical documentation for features not yet available to third parties, timely updates, and a predictable review timeline.

This ensures fast, fair handling of requests, the release stated, allowing developers to quickly deliver innovative hardware and services to European consumers. The Commission believes this expands user choice.

Legal Framework and Timeline

These decisions, legally binding per the release, require Apple to implement the measures according to a set timeline and specific conditions. Apple must take these steps, the release cited, while noting the decisions fully respect Apples rights of defense and remain subject to independent judicial scrutiny. They follow extensive talks with Apple and a public consultation launched on December 18, 2024, incorporating third-party input.

Apples Strong Opposition

Apple sharply criticized the EUs decisions in a statement to 9to5Mac, calling them red tape that slows its ability to innovate for European users. It forces us to give away new features for free to companies not bound by the same rules, the company said, arguing it is bad for our products and European users.

Apple expressed particular concern over privacy risks, stating that opening iOS notifications could let third parties collect unencrypted user data, bypassing its safeguards. It also dislikes the added oversight, which it said delays product launches and frustrates development. Apple feels singled out, as the Commission has only applied these DMA tools to it, allowing others to benefit without similar burdens.

Still, it plans to comply and continue working with the Commission to address our concerns on behalf of users, the statement added. Some changes will begin with iOS 19, per 9to5Mac.

Looking Ahead

The coming months will clarify how Apple balances compliance with its own priorities. For now, the Commission expects these measures to reshape the digital landscape, giving consumers and developers more power in Apples ecosystem.

Source 1, 2
The European Commission on Wednesday issued two sets of preliminary findings against Alphabet, Googles parent company, for failing to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). These findings focus on Google Search and Google Play, services where Alphabet is designated a gatekeeper under EU regulations.

Google Search Favoring Its Own Services

The Commissions preliminary view is that Google Search unfairly prioritizes Alphabets own serviceslike shopping, hotel bookings, transport, financial results, and sportsover competitors. The EU states these services get prominent placement at the top of search results or in dedicated spaces, with enhanced visuals and filtering options.

Under the DMA, gatekeepers must rank services transparently, fairly, and without discrimination. Despite Alphabets reported changes to Google Search, the Commission, after its investigation and feedback from third parties during workshops, believes Alphabet still gives its offerings better treatment, breaching DMA rules.

Google Play Blocking App Developers Freedom

The Commission also flagged Google Plays steering rules. The DMA requires app developers to freely inform users about cheaper alternatives, steer them to those offers, and enable purchases outside the platformat no cost. The EUs press release states, Alphabet fails to comply with that obligation. Specifically, Alphabet technically restricts developers from directing customers to their preferred offers or channels.

Additionally, while Alphabet can charge fees for acquiring new customers via Google Play, the Commission finds these fees excessive. For example, developers face high charges over an extended period for every digital goods or services purchasenot just initial onesbeyond whats justified.

What Happens Next?

These preliminary findings notify Alphabet of suspected DMA violations. The EU press release clarifies this does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation. Alphabet can now exercise its rights of defence by reviewing the Commissions files and responding in writing. If confirmed, the Commission will issue a non-compliance decision. Meanwhile, its engaging with Alphabet to identify solutions that meet DMA standards.

Googles Pushback

Googles Senior Director of Competition, Oliver Bethell, responded, saying, Todays announcement by the European Commission pushes for more changes to Google Search, Android, and Play that will hurt European businesses and consumers, hinder innovation, weaken security, and degrade product quality.

Impact on Businesses and Users

Bethell warns that altering Search results would reduce traffic to European businesses by up to 30%, making it harder for users to find what they need. For instance, without direct airline links, travelers might pay more via intermediaries. He notes users are already using clunky workarounds due to existing changes, frustrated by the experience.

Security Risks on Android and Play

Bethell calls the EUs stance on Android and Play a false choice between openness and security. Unlike iOS, where Apple reviews apps, Android lets developers distribute freely, offering 50 times more apps. But he argues that without protection from scammy or malicious links outside Plays secure environment, users face higher malware and fraud risks.

He also defends fees, saying they fund Android and Plays development for billions worldwidenot just those who can afford a 1,000 phone. Without reasonable fees, investment in this open platform could falter.

Googles Stance

Bethell says Google will continue cooperating with the Commission and complying with DMA rules. He concludes:

But todays findings now increase the risk of an even worse experience for Europeans. The DMA is designed to regulate large platforms like Google, Apple, and Meta, and boost competition, but in reality, it is having the opposite effect by hurting European businesses and consumers. We hope to find a way of addressing these concerns.

Source
Rocket Learning announced the launch of Appu, an AI-driven tutor designed to offer conversational and personalized learning for children aged 36 across India. This initiative focuses on addressing the critical need for early childhood education.

Appu AI-powered multilingual tutor

Appu supports a multilingual learning experience, starting with Hindi and expanding to 20 other regional languages, including Marathi and Punjabi. Rocket Learning emphasized that the platform is accessible freely on all screens, ensuring widespread reach. It offers:

Targeting Preschool Education Gaps

Rocket Learning highlighted that more than 40 million children in India lack access to quality preschool education. Additionally, many second-grade students face challenges in basic literacy and numeracy. To address these issues, Appu focuses on school readiness skills such as pre-literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional learning like greetings and introductions.

Leveraging Advanced AI

Appu uses advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) for complex reasoning tasks, ensuring speed and efficiency in learning. Thousands of children are currently piloting the tool, and the platform is expected to reach 50 million families, including Anganwadi centers and preschools nationwide, by 2030.

Backed by Google.org

Rocket Learning noted that the platform was developed in just six months with the support of a $1.5 million grant awarded in 2023 as part of the AI for Global Goals Impact Challenge. Google.org Fellows provided pro bono technical expertise, which significantly aided in building Appu.

Economic Impact

Rocket Learning added that Appu and other educational initiatives are projected to generate $4 billion in lifetime value for Indias economy by benefiting their current cohort of 3 million children. The funding also supported the development of an AI-powered grading system for 50,000 daily homework assignments.

A Collaborative Endeavor

Rocket Learning highlighted the collaborative effort with Google.org through a six-month Google Fellowship program, where Google employees worked pro bono to contribute to the platforms development.

The unveiling of Appu took place at The Ashok, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, and saw attendance from dignitaries, government stakeholders, education experts, and entrepreneurs.

Speaking about Appu, Vishal Sunil, Co-Founder and CTO of Rocket Learning, says,

Appu is the future of learningAI-driven, intuitive, and designed to evolve. Adaptability is our greatest strength, and personalization is the key to unlocking every childs potential. With 85% of brain development occurring by age six, early childhood education is the next frontier in human capital. Appu aims to elevate Indias IQ, maximize its demographic dividend, and bridge the AI divide, ensuring equitable access to quality learning.

Commenting on the initiative, Annie Lewin, Senior Director at Google.org, said:
POCO has confirmed the launch of POCO F7 series smartphone for the global markets in an event in Singapore on March. The company will introduce the POCO F7 Pro and POCO F7 Ultra smartphones at the event, and the image shows both the phones.

Based on earlier rumors, the POCO F7 Pro will be a rebranded version of the REDMI K80 with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC, but with a smaller 6000mAh battery, and the POCO F7 Ultra is expected to be rebranded REDMI K80 Pro with Snapdragon 8 Elite, but with a smaller 5300mAh battery for the global markets, while retaining 90W (F7 Pro) / 120W wired + 50W wireless (F7 Ultra) fast charging.

However, POCO India head Himanshu Tandon recently said that the company prefers higher battery capacity, so India might get the same battery capacity as China, which is 6550mAh for the K80 / F7 Pro and 6000mAh for the K80 Pro / F7 Ultra.

The phones should pack 6.67-inch 2K AMOLED flat screen with peak brightness of up to 3200 nits, 120Hz refresh rate. The F7 Pro will come with triple rear cameras with a 50MP 1/1.55 Light Fusion 800 sensor with OIS, Xiaomi AISP 2.0, 13.2EV movie-level high dynamic range, 32MP ultra-wide camera and a 50MP 2.5x telephoto camera with 10cm macro option.

The F7 Ultra should pack the same main camera with OIS along with a 8MP ultra-wide camera. These should come with IP68 ratings for dust and water resistance with 12GB / 16GB RAM and 256GB / 512GB options.

POCO is also said to be working on the POCO F7 model with the upcoming Snapdragon 8s Elite chip that will launch later. Should know more details in the coming days.
Dennis received bachelor's degrees in communication and political science with a TAG degree in Spanish from The University of Akron in Ohio. He grew up in Ohio with two sisters and two brothers, one being his fraternal twin. He and his wife have two dogs: Bacio, and Cal. Dennis currently covers natural resource and environmental issues for The Daily Sentinel
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U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper listens on Tuesday to veterans talk about how the Trump administrations cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have affected them and other veterans at the Aurora Mental Health Center.
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U.S. backs Lai's efforts to counter Chinese espionage: Experts

ROC Central News Agency

03/19/2025 12:55 PM

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) Recent comments by the director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) show that the United States supports Taiwan's efforts to crack down on Chinese espionage, but do not represent a substantive change in policy, former U.S. officials and scholars told CNA.

At a news conference on March 13, Lai stated that China in recent years has intensified its efforts to infiltrate Taiwanese society and sow division through influence operations.

Saying that such actions classify China as a "hostile foreign force" under Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Act, he proposed a range of measures to counter the threat.

They include restoring the military court system, tightening restrictions on Chinese travelers and new residents, and monitoring civil servants who travel to China for exchanges.

Similar actions may have been treated warily by the U.S. in the past, as was the case during the 2000-2008 administration of Chen Shui-bian (), out of concern for raising tensions with Beijing.

But in a speech on Monday, AIT Director Raymond Greene said Lai's initiative would "further enhance [the United States'] ability to cooperate with Taiwan."

Asked whether Greene's comments marked a shift in U.S. policy toward Taiwan, Robert S. Wang, who served as deputy director of the AIT from 2006 to 2009, said he viewed U.S. policy as unchanged in its opposition to any attempt to "unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion."

"It should be clear to most people that Beijing, with its dramatically increased military exercises and cyber threats against Taiwan in recent years" is the one changing the status quo in a coercive manner, Wang said.

Greene's statement, which stems from a recognition of this fact, was most certainly approved not only by the U.S. State Department but also the National Security Council, Wang said.

"It appears they consider Lai's statement justified in the face of Beijing's recent actions," he said.

Julian Ku, a law professor at Hofstra University, also cast doubt on whether the U.S. response marked a shift in policy.

"The U.S. has long been concerned about Chinese espionage in Taiwan, which is one of the reasons the U.S. military has been reluctant to share the most advanced military technology with Taiwan," he said, citing the F-35 fighter jet as an example.

At the same time, Taiwan's "asymmetric" strategy for countering China may require some of the U.S.' most advanced drones and anti-ship missiles, which is why Taiwan's anti-espionage efforts would be looked on favorably, Ku said.

Meanwhile, Richard C. Bush, who served as AIT chairman from 1997 to 2002, said U.S. policy had adjusted to a "significant change in China's policy approach to Taiwan's leadership and people," which began in 2016 after the election of Tsai Ing-wen () of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

From that time, he said, Beijing shifted away from trying to persuade Taiwan to move toward unification and began relying on "coercion without violence" against DPP governments and the Taiwanese people.

"The U.S. government opposes this use of coercion and so has taken a number of steps to support Taiwan as it seeks to respond," Bush said.

(By Chung Yu-chen and Matthew Mazzetta)

Enditem/ls

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Prosecutors question NDU professor over alleged fraud, China links

ROC Central News Agency

03/19/2025 10:26 PM

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) The Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office took Ke Ming-te (), a professor at National Defense University (NDU), in for questioning Wednesday over suspected fraud and potentially illegal links to China.

The prosecutors also brought nine other individuals in for questioning, either as suspects or witnesses, in connection with the investigation after conducting searches at Ke's residence and NDU's Chung Cheng Institute of Technology.

The case involves Ke's alleged secret collaboration with China through his company, Dexnano Chemicals Technology Co., which prosecutors believe he set up with his son, Ke Yi-fan ().

The investigation is focused on possible fraud related to research funding, but the aspect involving Ke's collaboration with China remains unclear.

In 2023, Deputy Health Minister Lin Ching-yi (), then a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker, said in the Legislature that NDU's Systems Engineering Research Center (SERC) conducts critical precision systems research for Taiwan, with the professor overseeing technology integration and industry needs.

Lin accused Ke of "secretly" using his son as a front to establish Dexnano Chemicals Technology Co., and of collaborating with China on technology while running the company's board from the university for over a decade.

According to Lin, the professor had been involved in 117 projects under Taiwan's National Science and Technology Council and its forerunners, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the National Science Council, since 1997.

These included sensitive research projects such as advanced systems engineering, firearm parts, stealth paint and naval electromagnetic weapons, Lin said.

Lin suggested that Ke's dealings with China "could involve a potential leak of sensitive information" and the illegal transfer of research patents.

The case was referred to law enforcement authorities by the Ministry of National Defense, which has also been working alongside the Taoyuan District Prosecutors Office in the case.

In a statement issued later on Wednesday, NDU said that the university will continue to fully cooperate with the investigation.

(By Yeh Chen, Wu Shu-wei and James Thompson)

Enditem/AW

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Civil Affairs strengthens partnerships in Zambia

By Sgt. 1st Class Solomon Navarro March 17, 2025

CHONGWE, Zambia -- U.S. Army Civil Affairs Soldiers with the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), assigned to U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) and the Zambian Defence Force (ZDF) partnered for joint civil affairs operations (CAOs) and United Nations civil-military cooperation (UN-CIMIC) training at the Kenneth Kaunda Peace Training Centre from Nov. 25 to Nov. 29, 2024.

The collaboration strengthened the ZDF's operational readiness and expanded U.S.-Zambia military cooperation, supporting SETAF-AF's mission of promoting regional stability and building long-term partnerships in Southern Africa.

"Our mission is to build partner capacity through shared training and cooperation," said U.S. Army Capt. Dru Simpson, civil affairs team (CAT) leader, 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), SETAF-AF. "By working together on CAO and UN-CIMIC principles, we're improving their ability to conduct effective security and humanitarian operations."

The engagement combined classroom instruction with scenario-based practical exercises tailored to ZDF requirements, focusing on real-world applications.

"The ZDF showed a strong willingness to learn and adapted quickly to our training techniques," Simpson added. "They appreciated the hands-on approach, which deepened their understanding and prepared them for operational success."

Zambia plays a key role in regional stability, and engagements like this contribute to a more secure Southern Africa. The ZDF's proactive approach and professionalism reinforce their capacity to influence neighboring countries positively.

"Training alongside the ZDF and learning how they conduct UN-CIMIC missions has helped foster a strategic alliance between the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion, future civil affairs teams and the ZDF," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Hill, senior noncommissioned officer of the 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), SETAF-AF. "This collaboration enhanced both parties' operational capabilities and deepened mutual understanding, ultimately strengthening our ability to address shared challenges."

U.S. and Zambian Soldiers exchanged valuable insights throughout the training.

"The Zambian Defense Force demonstrated a strong understanding of civil relations and operational environments," said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Tyrone Thompson, a civil affairs noncommissioned officer, 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), SETAF-AF. "Working alongside them broadened my perspective on UN-CIMIC practices and contributed to my professional growth."

U.S. Army Sgt. William Larson, a civil affairs team medic, 478th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne), SETAF-AF, also praised the professionalism of ZDF personnel. "Their dedication to the craft of soldiering and to their country is inspiringnot only for their community, but for neighboring nations as well," Larson said. "The ZDF is a valuable partner to the U.S."

Quarterly engagements are planned with the ZDF moving forward to reinforce progress made during this training and continue building regional security cooperation.

"Together, we forged stronger bonds and exchanged invaluable knowledge, demonstrating that collaboration strengthens both sides," Simpson concluded.

About SETAF-AF Civil Affairs

Civil Affairs teams work closely with African communities and military partners to strengthen local infrastructure, provide humanitarian assistance and support to regional stability. By collaborating directly with local leaders, Civil Affairs Soldiers address critical needs while empowering African communities to build sustainable solutions for their future. This supports U.S. Africa Command's objective of 'partner-led, U.S.-enabled' activities.

About SETAF-AF

SETAF-AF provides U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Army Europe and Africa a dedicated headquarters to synchronize Army activities in Africa and scalable crisis-response options in Africa and Europe.

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Participation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Emil Hurezeanu in the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States

Romania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Type: Press release

Date: 03/17/25

The Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emil Hurezeanu, attended today, March 17, 2025, the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States (Foreign Affairs Council/FAC), which took place in Brussels.

Ministers discussed Russia's aggression against Ukraine, developments in the Middle East and EU-US relations.

Regarding Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed the unequivocal support for the establishment of a just and lasting peace, supported by substantial and reliable security guarantees. Furthermore, the Minister emphasized the commitment to provide further European assistance to Ukraine. At the same time, he stressed the importance of holding Russia accountable for its aggression on Ukraine, as well as for the damage caused to it, and insisted on advancing the European accession process of both Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. He voiced the support for High Representative Kaja Kallas's initiative to strengthen and accelerate European military support for Ukraine.

In relation to the situation in the Middle East, Minister Emil Hurezeanu emphasized the support for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, including through increased humanitarian assistance, as well as the importance of a high-level political dialogue with the Palestinian Authority. He also commended the initiative of an Arab plan to support the reconstruction of Gaza Strip and the identification of a regional security solution.

During the discussion on EU-US relations, Minister Emil Hurezeanu highlighted the unique nature of the transatlantic partnership and the importance of ensuring its long-term viability. He stressed the importance of continuing the EU's dialogue with the Administration in Washington in a coordinated manner in order to better highlight common interests and preserve the transatlantic relationship. With regard to Ukraine, he emphasised the significance of Ukraine's and the EU's participation in future peace negotiations. Last but not least, the Romanian official expressed the support for increased defense spending.

At the same time, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs participated in the ninth edition of the Ministerial Conference dedicated to Syria. Entitled "Standing with Syria: meeting the needs for a successful transition", whose main objective was to gather international political and financial support for a successful transition process in Syria.

On the margins of the Conference, the head of Romanian diplomacy had a meeting with the Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Assad Hassan Al-Shaibani. On this occasion, the Romanian dignitary conveyed Romania's support for a peaceful and inclusive political transition process that would meet the aspirations of all Syrians, regardless of religion or ethnicity, and also ensure the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria. He conveyed our country's readiness to contribute with its experience to the reconstruction of a prosperous and stable Syria, with consolidated institutions that can effectively address the multiple needs of the Syrian people. The Romanian minister condemned the recent violence and killings in Syria and stressed the importance of protecting the civilians. He also highlighted the importance of transitional justice for ensuring a stable peace in Syria.

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March 18, 2025

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

Official: Roughly 21,000 DOD Civilians Volunteered for Deferred Resignation

A senior defense official told the media today that approximately 21,000 Defense Department civilian employees volunteered to participate in the Deferred Resignation Program.

The DRP, implemented by the Office of Personnel Management Jan. 28, 2025, offered most full-time federal employees  including most of the nearly 900,000 DOD civilians  the opportunity to resign with full pay and benefits until Sept. 30, 2025.

As part of DOD's effort to align its civilian workforce with national security priorities, the department has been actively processing DRP applications while working to achieve a strategic reduction in manpower of 5-8%, or approximately 50,000-60,000 employees.

"When DRP was offered broadly to the workforce, there was very good participation [with volunteer] civilian employees raising their hands and saying they would like to be considered to go on [administrative] leave and be paid throughout that time," the senior defense official said, adding that DOD has approved a majority of the applications.

The senior defense official said that DOD's human resources team properly vetted each employee and the role that they performed.

"We worked with the services and [other DOD] components to ensure that any of the employees who volunteered to participate [in DRP] ... could be approved without negatively impacting the department's lethality and readiness," the official said.

The official also addressed concerns within DOD that a 5-8% reduction in the workforce would push uniformed service members into more civilian-type roles.

"We are confident that we can absorb [DRP] removals without detriment to our ability to continue the mission, and that's [why] we can be confident that we don't need to worry about any resulting impact on the uniformed force," the official said.

The DRP is one initiative in a three-part strategy the Pentagon is undertaking while realigning its civilian workforce. The other two measures are a hiring freeze and the removal of certain probationary employees.

Ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Feb. 28, 2025, DOD's hiring freeze acts as a "passive attrition measure," the official said.

By freezing the approximately 6,000 employees the Defense Department had been hiring monthly in the past, the senior official explained that the total number of DOD civilians would gradually thin over time.

"There's always some friction in any employee pool, [and] it's no different at the [DOD]," the official said. "Employees are moving on to other things [and] employees are retiring; and as long as we maintain the hiring freeze, we're gaining thousands towards the workforce reduction target each month just by instituting it," the official added.

The third initiative in workforce realignment is the planned removal of roughly 5,400 probationary workforce employees, which DOD announced Feb. 21, 2025.

Though limited in what could be discussed because of pending litigation, the senior defense official pointed out that choosing the first wave of employees to be released was not done arbitrarily.

"The first removal ... [was] directly focused on employees that were documented as significantly underperforming in their job functions and/or had misconduct on their records. So, our guidance was for those to be the first probationary employees removed," the official said, adding that DOD didn't undertake probationary removals "blindly based on the time they had been hired."

When asked whether a reduction in force will be implemented following the hiring freeze, the senior official said the department is currently focused on the three aforementioned initiatives and that it wouldn't be appropriate to get ahead of the next steps Hegseth chooses to take.

"It'll be the secretary's prerogative to designate how and when he might use any of the other tools that would be available to him to achieve the stated reduction targets," the official said.

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Commission unveils the White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030

European Commission

Press release

Mar 18, 2025

Brussels

Today, the Commission and the High Representative have presented a White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030.The Commission has also presented, as part of the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, an ambitious defence package providing financial levers to EU Member States to drive an investment surge in defence capabilities.

While the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 strengthens pan-European defence capabilities with new financial means, the White Paper frames a new approach to defence and identifies investment needs.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: "The era of the peace dividend is long gone. The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted. Europe is ready to step up. We must invest in defence, strengthen our capabilities, and take a proactive approach to security. We are taking decisive action, presenting a roadmap for 'Readiness 2030', with increased defence spending, important investments in European defence industrial capabilities. We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the European defence technological and industrial base. That means stimulating innovation. And that means creating an EU-wide market for defence equipment."

These measures aim to respond to the short-term urgency of supporting Ukraine, but also to address the pressing long-term need to boost Europe's security and defence.

White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030

As announced by President von der Leyen in the political guidelines, the last several years have exposed the chronic under investment and a lack of efficient spending in Europe's military capabilities. To frame the new approach and to identify Europe's investment needs, the Commission and the High Representative have presented a White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030.

The White Paper presents solutions to close critical capability gaps and build a strong defence industrial base. It proposes ways for Member States to massively invest in defence, procure defence systems and build up the readiness of the European defence industry over the long run. This is essential for Europe's security. Europe must invest in the security and defence of the continent, while continuing to support Ukraine to defend itself from Russia's aggression. To effectively address these challenges, the White Paper outlines a number of key lines of action:

Closing capability gaps, with a focus on critical capabilities identified by Member States.

Supporting the European defence industry through aggregated demand and increased collaborative procurement .

. Supporting Ukraine through increased military assistance and deeper integration of the European and Ukrainian defence industries.

through increased military assistance and deeper integration of the European and Ukrainian defence industries. Deepening the EU-wide defence market including through simplifying regulations.

including through simplifying regulations. Accelerating the transformation of defence through disruptive innovations such as AI and quantum technology.

through disruptive innovations such as AI and quantum technology. Enhancing European readiness for worst-case scenarios , by improving military mobility, stockpiling and strengthening external borders, notably the land border with Russia and Belarus.

, by improving military mobility, stockpiling and strengthening external borders, notably the land border with Russia and Belarus. Strengthening partnership with like-minded countries around the world.

ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030

As announced by President von der Leyen, the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 enables spending of over 800 billion, structured around the following pillars:

Unleash the use of public funding in defence at national level

The Commission has invited Member States to activate the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact, which will provide them additional budgetary space to increase their defence spending, within the EU fiscal rules.

To safeguard fiscal sustainability, the deviation will be limited to:

Increase in defence expenditure only, taking as a starting point the statistical category 'defence' in the classification of the functions of government (COFOGs);

Up to a maximum of 1.5% of GDP for each year of activation of the national escape clause;

For a period of four years.

A new dedicated instrument for Security Action for Europe - SAFE:

In light of the current exceptional circumstances, the Commission will raise up to 150 billion on the capital markets, drawing on its well-established unified funding approach to help EU Member States rapidly and substantially increase investments in Europe's defence capabilities. These funds will be disbursed to interested Member States upon demand, on the basis of national plans.

The disbursements will take the form of competitively priced and attractively structured long-maturity loans, to be repaid by the beneficiary Member States. The loans will be backed by the EU budget's headroom. SAFE will allow Member States to immediately and massively scale up their defence investments through common procurement from the European defence industry, focusing on priority capabilities. This will contribute to ensuring interoperability, predictability, and reducing costs for a strong European defence industrial base. Ukraine and EFTA/EEA countries will be able to join common procurements, and it will be possible for buy from their industries.

SAFE will also allow acceding countries, candidate countries, potential candidates and countries having signed a Security and Defence Partnerships with the EU to join common procurements and contribute to aggregated demand. They can also negotiate specific, mutually beneficial agreements on the participation of their respective industries in such procurements.

Leveraging on the EIB Group and Mobilising private capital by Accelerating the Savings and Investments Union

The ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 also relies on the European Investment Bank Group to widen the scope of its lending to defence and security projects, while safeguarding its financing capacity. On top of unlocking substantial funding, this will send a positive signal to the markets.

Lastly, public investment alone will not be sufficient to fill the defence industry's investment needs, from start-ups to large established companies. For this, the Savings and Investments Union Strategy, adopted by the Commission today, will make it easier to mobilise private savings into more efficient capital markets and channel investments into critical sectors of the economy, such as defence, for those who wish to invest in them.

Quote(s)

The era of the peace dividend is long gone. The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted. Europe is ready to step up. We must invest in defence, strengthen our capabilities, and take a proactive approach to security. We are taking decisive action, presenting a roadmap for 'Readiness 2030', with increased defence spending, important investments in European defence industrial capabilities. We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the European defence technological and industrial base. That means stimulating innovation. And that means creating an EU-wide market for defence equipment. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission

What we invest in defence is how we value our defence. And for the past few decades, we haven't put a high enough price on it. We must spend more. At the same time, the value we add by working together is priceless. It gives us a competitive advantage that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. In our White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030, we set out concrete ways to do this. Be it in our support for Ukraine, addressing our own capability gaps, or standing up for a world where might does not make right, we are always stronger together. Kaja Kallas, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission

This Defence package, comprising the White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030, marks a defining moment for our Union. Europe can no longer afford to be a bystander in its own security. We must take our defence into our own hands, reinforcing our commitments to collective security and standing firm against those who seek to challenge our sovereignty. This is not just about military strength  it is about our readiness, strategic autonomy, and the future of Europe as a global player. Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space

The world has changed, and Europe must change with it. Our security and prosperity are interlinked. ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 is our plan to strengthen both. Today, we are proposing to activate the national escape clause as a temporary, coordinated and targeted measure to boost defence investments at national and EU levels. EU countries will be facilitated to make the necessary investments in our defence capabilities and industry, spending more and better - together. This will also boost economic growth, drive innovation and create jobs, while ensuring fiscal sustainability. Europe will rise to this challenge. Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity; Implementation and Simplification

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Questions and answers on the Defence Package: White Paper for European Defence - Readiness 2030

European Commission

Questions and answers

Mar 18, 2025

Brussels

What are the main objectives of the White Paper?

The White Paper frames a new approach to defence and identifies investment needs to close critical capability gaps and build a strong defence industrial base.

It sets out the necessary steps to build up the European defence, by:

Providing unwavering support to Ukraine;



Closing Europe's defence capability gaps for the Member States' Armed Forces;



Strengthening the European defence industry;



Preparing the EU for the most extreme military contingencies;



Enhancing security through partnerships. The White Paper also aims at illustrating the EU's added value in its defence industrial initiatives and bringing forward new, ambitious proposals.

White Paper as a step towards a European Defence Union: What does that mean concretely?

The European Defence Union reflects the EU's ambition to enhance cooperation in defence and leverage the added value offered by the EU and the Single Market.

It is an integratory and incremental process. The implementation of proposals reflected in the White Paper and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 will contribute to this objective.

The concept fully acknowledges that Member States are and will remain in the driving seat for defence, from doctrine to deployment.

How does the White Paper relate to other priorities?

This Commission has put Defence on the top of the European agenda, as illustrated by. President von der Leyen's political guidelines and mission letters for the High Representative/Vice-President and the Commissioners.

An effective defence sector is not only key for our security, but also an important contributor to overall economic competitiveness and growth.

As indicated by the Draghi report, innovation in the defence sector will be key to re-launch our competitiveness and enable positive spillovers in the civilian sector.

Peace and security is a prerequisite for economic stability and continued prosperity within the EU. The defence industry being a driver of innovation, job creation, and economic growth.

A strong defence sector supports EU autonomy, industrial competitiveness, and overall resilience.

Defence investment aligns with broader EU goals, including technological advancements and social cohesion through industrial jobs creation.

How does the EU add value to defence and security?

Existing EU programmes and initiatives have already displayed their potential:

Total EU investment in defence research and development accounts for 8 billion (2021-2027) with the Commission having already committed 5.4 billion since the start of the European Defence Fund.

(2021-2027) with the Commission having already committed since the start of the European Defence Fund.

513 million has been leveraged for ramping up ammunition production (ASAP), with EU annual shell production capacity projected to reach 2 million by the end of 2025.

has been leveraged for ramping up ammunition production (ASAP), with EU annual shell production capacity projected to reach by the end of 2025.

310 million having been already allocated for common procurement of defence platforms and systems (EDIRPA).

The EU boosts defence cooperation through efficiency gains, encouraging solidarity and generating cross-border cooperation. Each project of the European Defence Fund brings on average 17 entities from 8 Member States, for instance.

The EU's action in defence supports the development of critical capabilities that Member States alone would not finance, therefore contributing to Europe's sovereignty and fulfilment of Member States' NATO targets. The Commissions actions in defence create an incentive for Member States to align their national defence planning, converging towards common capability development and promoting long-term budgetary planning.

The EU's action in defence also adds value in ensuring a consistent approach in making sure that systems and platforms work for all Member States. EU defence industry programmes promote interoperability and standardisation. They can foster the implementation of NATO standards when they exist or initiate pre-standardisation with EU industry where are no existing standards.

The EU's actions in defence take advantage of the size of the EU domestic defence market to create both economic growth through cross-border business opportunities and economies of scale.

The European Defence Agency helps Member States to identify capability shortfalls and priorities at EU level. It supports Member States in initiating new capability projects, starting with harmonisation of requirements. It supports the aggregation of demand and can undertake joint procurement on behalf of Member States.

Is this the beginning of the EU Army?

Nothing in the White Paper nor in the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 relates to the foundation of an EU army. This is not an objective of the European Commission or of the Union more generally.

Furthermore, all initiatives reflected in the Defence Package aim at strengthening national Armed Forces, improving their interoperability in line with NATO standards.

Member States will always be responsible for their armed forces. Defence is and will remain a national prerogative.

How does the White Paper help Ukraine?

The Defence Package helps Ukraine by outlining concrete ways in which the EU and its Member States can step up support to Kyiv, so that the latter can achieve a just and lasting peace.

The White Paper outlines a vision to increase direct military assistance and to associate Ukraine in its development and procurement of defence capabilities.

Integration of the Ukrainian defence industry into the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base is also part of the overall ambition. This will be supported through the eligibility of Ukrainian defence firms under the SAFE procurements, alongside the industries of EU Member States, as well as the adoption and implementation of the Ukraine Support Instrument under EDIP and the expansion of the mandate and staff of the EU Defence Innovation Office.

How does the White Paper support the European Defence and Technological Industrial Base?

The White Paper recognises the European defence industry as a strategic resource. It proposes the following ways to support it:

A massive industrial production ramp-up to address the critical capability gaps identified.



Simplification, harmonisation of rules which can ease and speed up industrial defence production. For this the Commission will propose a Defence Omnibus Simplification regulation and a strategy to deepen the EU-wide Market for defence products and services.

What is the Defence Industry Output Plan?

The Defence Industry Output Plan is a document that will be issued by the Commission, in close coordination with the European External Action Service, the European Defence Agency, Member States and defence industry.

The plan would provide European defence industry with an increased demand predictability and allow the EU to better tailor and target its support measures.

This document will outline industrial production targets to address identified capability gaps as well as identify priority areas for industrial investment.

The identified needs may receive EU support, i.e. incentives for common procurement under EDIP or the SAFE instrument and incentives for production ramp-up under EDIP.

The EU Military Staff and the European Defence Agency will provide their expertise to this process, e.g. as regards capability shortfalls, aggregation of demand and harmonisation of requirements, and joint procurement.

What is the Single Market for Defence?

A Genuine Single Market for defence could be described as a market where purchasing across borders within the EU is seen as equivalent to purchasing nationally. And this at the level of both final users but also across the supply chains.

Building a true Single Market for defence products would allow the EU defence industry to benefit from a bigger market, gaining in efficiency but also improving access to innovation.

This however requires Member states to cooperate more and refrain from following exclusively national approaches that are at the origin of the fragmentation of the market.

The Defence Package offers a strategy to achieve a true Single Market for defence, encompassing both defence procurement and intra-EU technology transfers.

How does the White Paper relate to the Strategic Compass, EDIS and EDIP?

The European Defence Industrial Strategy stemmed from the need to have a more structured approach to support defence industry.

The White Paper has a much broader scope focusing on the future of European defence. It is meant to frame a new approach towards defence and help readying Member States for the most extreme military contingencies.

It builds on EDIS (e.g. The need the objective to spend more, better, together and European) as well as the Strategic Compass and the Defence Investment Gaps Analysis. However, it will go beyond that to pave the way towards a European Defence Union.

How would the White Paper impact the relation with NATO?

The closer and more synchronised the international cooperation, the more effective our response will be.

The European Union will continue working closely with NATO and our partners in NATO, just as we have done over the years.

What will happen after the publication of the White Paper?

The White Paper opens a new strategic sequence on how to bring forward European Defence. It will be the basis for in-depth discussions with Member States and relevant stakeholders.

The European Council is expected to deliberate on proposals at its upcoming meetings, on 21 March and 26-27 June, which should lead to concrete commitments to materialise the vision outlined in the White Paper.

The European Commission will urgently proceed with initiatives proposed by the White Paper, such as the Defence Omnibus regulation.

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Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kallas and Commissioner Kubilius on the White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness

European Commission

Speech

Mar 18, 2025

Brussels

"Check against delivery"

High Representative / Vice-President Kaja Kallas

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my pleasure to do this College readout for the first time.

This morning, we adopted several files related to the White Paper on the future of European Defence and Rearm Europe Plan 'Readiness 2030', including two pieces of legislation to strengthen the European defence industry while proposing the necessary flexibilities in expenditures. We will delve into the details of these proposals shortly and I will be happy to answer your questions together with Commissioner [for Defence Industry and Space, Andrius] Kubilius.

In addition, the College also adopted a Comprehensive plan for Savings and Investments Union. Commissioner [for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, Maria Luis] Albuquerque will provide a detailed presentation on this plan immediately after this press conference. Later today, Executive Vice-President Sejourne will host the third press conference here in the press room to outline the Steel and Metals Plan which was also adopted this morning.

We can now turn to the White Paper on the future of European defence and ReArm Europe Plan 'Readiness 2030'.

When it comes to defence - what we invest in defence - actually shows how we value defence and for the past decade we have not put the[a] very high importance on it.

The international order is undergoing changes of the magnitude not seen since 1945. This is a pivotal moment for European security. It is a pivotal moment for action. Yes, that the needs of additional funding are massive. The proposals we have adopted today are also essential. But for all the important discussions needed on increasing defence spending, the value we add by working together is priceless. It gives us [a] competitive advantage that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. Together we are always stronger. The White Paper on Defence Readiness 2030 is our proposal for how we can work together and the ReArm package brings the financing possibilities to do it.

Three points.

First: making European countries stronger against any military threat. We have identified the capability gaps that Member States have and, in line with the NATO capability priorities, we put forward ideas how to work together to in order to fulfil them. This means replenishing European stocks of ammunition, weapons, military equipment, also to keep them flowing to Ukraine, and developing also a large scale pan European projects.

The EU has important added value. We can support Member States to aggregate demand and harmonise requirements. We can support European industry, ramp up production capacity, and we can also support Member States where they cannot do it alone because it is either too expensive or too complex.

It is faster and cheaper if you work together and interoperability, - which is also a problem for us that the capabilities do not really work together - can be built from the start. Ukraine should be part of this work too. We have a lot to learn from Ukraine's battlefield experience. We should also be in a position to develop defence systems for Ukraine, but also with Ukraine. Member States must remain in the driving seat when it comes to defence.

This is a question of national sovereignty and that is why we must connect our work here in Brussels with the end users, that it means our Member States. We do this through the European Defence Agency, through the EU Military Staff here in Brussels, and by bringing the EU Defence Ministers together regularly. We also have once in a generation opportunity to strengthen Europe's industry, boost innovation and create a market for defence equipment. And Commissioner Kubilius will talk about this in more detail.

Second, what we are talking about today is more than our security and defence. While some look to destabilise others, a stronger EU can keep working to support others because we have never seen the world as a zero-sum game. We know that wherever you are in the world, peace brings prosperity and stability, from the Middle East, including the stabilisation of Syria - which we discussed Monday at the Syria Conference - to the wider African continent from [the] Sahel, to Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And we will keep working with others who share this view from the UK - where I was yesterday - to Australia, Canada and Japan. This is also why our partners should be part of our cooperative defence projects and initiatives too, where it makes sense for everybody's interests.

And finally, Ukraine. In the White Paper we take up the proposals from the Military support initiative proposing a support to Ukraine, including more ammunition - at least 2 million rounds per year - as well as air defence and drones, the training and equipping of Ukrainian brigades. This also includes direct support to Ukraine's defence industry as well as enhanced access to space services.

The new SAFE instrument proposed by the Commission will support these ambitions. Russia's economy is in full war mode: 40% of the federal budget on the military is more than Russia spends on education, healthcare and social policies combined. Regardless of the ongoing negotiations for peace in Ukraine, this is a long-term investment in a long-term plan of aggression. Ukraine must be armed to avoid any future attacks, and we need a long-term plan to stand up to do this.

To conclude, today we put forward a plan to tackle the immediate threat centre and the build-up European long-term defence. In doing so, we will help European countries meet their NATO capability targets we do this not to fight the war but to prepare for the worst, defend peace in Europe and stand strong for a world where might cannot make right.

Commissioner Andrius Kubilius

First of all thanks Kaja for all your words and for our cooperation in drafting the White Paper. Thanks and gratitude to all our teams and services. There was a lot of job to be done so thanks to everybody.

On this occasion I would like to stress also the role of the Commission President.

President von der Leyen from the very beginning of this mandate made defence a clear priority for this Commission.

Just yesterday she repeated in Copenhagen the essence of what all of us need to do:

"If Europe wants to avoid war, Europe must get ready for war".

As you remember, intelligence services of Germany and Denmark recently publicly announced, that, according to their knowledge, the Kremlin is preparing to test NATO Article 5 before 2030.

That is why we need to have a "roadmap for "Readiness 2030":

Because we need to act big.

Those are also the words of President von der Leyen.

There are four key priorities in the White Paper or as we can call it the "roadmap to "Readiness 2030". I will not go very much into detail but simply just to remind you what this white paper is about:

Surge in defence spending: creation of opportunity for member states to reach 3.5% of GDP defence spending. Closing capability gaps: not only having in mind wars of today but also having in mind wars of tomorrow. It includes massive production of the same, as some experts are saying, also development of strategic enablers, where we have a lot of dependencies, and also implementation of defence projects of common European interests also related with disruptive technologies. Increasing support to Ukraine: Again, quoting Commission president, we can say this is still porcupian strategy, and ReArm Europe gives all the member states new possibilities to strengthen our support to Ukraine. Strengthening Europe's defence industrial base: Overcoming fragmentation, pushing for more of European investment, collaborative procurement. And really, we need to understand that different industry is a strategic resource for defence, which sometimes we need to remind ourselves why we need to invest European. Of course, very important job in order for defence industry to move ahead will be the simplification omnibus which we will present in June. And now we are getting a lot of input from different member states and industries about the problems which they are facing, including with too much of bureaucracy, too much of regulation, sometimes misunderstanding with the interpretation of some existing regulations, for example, on related with a green transition, and that is what we shall need to clarify and to make all the possibilities for defence industry to expand without any obstacles.

In short, this is what the White Paper is about.

But for me this White Paper is also the end of one hundred days of reflection.

Very intensive days of reflection.

With very valuable input from the majority of Member States, with huge number of seminars and conferences, individual meetings with Prime Ministers, Ministers, parliamentarians, defence and space industry leaders, experts and associations.

This process of preparation of the White Paper, and also the geopolitical developments around us, brought us to a clear convergence of our views on what we need to do with our defence capabilities in Europe.

That is how this Roadmap to 2030 was born.

Which is just a beginning.

Beginning of the road, and not an easy one.

Today is not only the end of an initial period of reflection, it is also the start of joint action.

To mobilise Europe's industrial and economic might.

To deter aggression and prevent war.

That is why from now on our priority is: Implementation, implementation, implementation.

Putin will not be deterred if we shall read the White Paper to him.

He will be deterred if we shall turn the White Paper into action, and if we shall use it to build very real drones, tanks, artillery for our defence.

That is our ambition:

To deter Putin with clear evidence that we are not only stronger in our economy, but also that we are stronger with our democratic political will and our defence capabilities.

That is why implementation is so crucial.

It's absolutely clear, that to begin implementing "Readiness 2030," we need a surge in defence spending.

The SAFE proposal the college adopted today is crucial for building up our defence industry and making sure Member States have the weapons they need.

Member States must join forces with other Member States, EU, EEA countries and Ukraine. They will be having possibilities to procure from European industries.

This proposal will also fully integrate Ukraine.

Both as a supplier and a participant of procurement.

And it will create totally new possibilities for Member States to surge their support to Ukraine.

And with the Communication on defence expenditure within the Growth and Stability Pact, which we adopted today, we propose greater flexibility on the national escape clause for defence spending.

--1.5% of GDP for defence will be excluded from deficit calculation.

And in conclusion -

We need to remember two basic principles where we are talking about defence.

First, - defence is a collective good.

The defence readiness of individual Member States is an expression of the basic European value of solidarity.

Our security depends on our ability to implement collective defence.

Collective defence can only be effective if all Member States invest into an appropriate development of their national defence capabilities.

Without this kind of investment, defence of other countries is weakened.

And second, - 450 million EU citizens should not have to depend on 340 million Americans to defend ourselves against 140 million Russians who can't defeat 38 million Ukrainians.

We really can do better.

It's time for us to take responsibility for the defence of Europe!

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Emerging avocado industry boosts rural revitalization in SW China's Sichuan

People's Daily Online) 11:20, March 20, 2025

Photo shows avocado trees in Shangjin village, Tieliu township, Huidong county, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Liu Haitian)

An avocado industry is emerging in a mountainous area of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, contributing to the local rural revitalization efforts.

Originating from South America and Africa, avocados, which are also called alligator pears, are known as "forest butter" for its dual characteristics as an oil crop and a fruit. Liangshan, with its excellent natural conditions, has become a perfect place for avocado cultivation. The local government and enterprises have joined forces to build a modern industrial park with cutting-edge technology for the fruit.

Photo shows a sapling breeding greenhouse in Shangjin village, Tieliu township, Huidong county, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Liu Haitian)

The sapling breeding greenhouses of the industrial park are equipped with an intelligent control system. This ensures that factors affecting plant growth, such as light intensity, temperature, humidity, and airflow, can all be manually regulated. Even the bases supporting the sapling pots are movable to facilitate ventilation and operation efficiency.

The park employs a drip irrigation system, which allows for precise, remotely controlled watering. A dedicated water-fertilizer integration workshop has been established, continuously producing liquid fertilizer and delivering it to the pipe network.

Photo shows avocado saplings. (People's Daily Online/Liu Haitian)

Additionally, soil purification is conducted as part of the seedling process. "We detoxify the soil to prevent root rot and other diseases," explained a nursery worker.

Over 1,700 mu (about 113.33 hectares) of avocado trees have been planted on the hillsides of Shangjin village, Tieliu township, Huidong county of Liangshan, presenting a spectacular scene that stretches across the mountains.

Avocado trees are planted on the hillsides of Shangjin village, Tieliu township, Huidong county, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (People's Daily Online/Liu Haitian)

Youyang Agricultural Company introduced avocado to the village. The company leased land at a price of 800 yuan (about $110.62) per mu, focusing on avocado cultivation. According to Yang Xudong, an executive of the company, avocado is a new trendy fruit in cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou. "Top-quality avocados have fetched up to 60 yuan per kilogram, showcasing their economic potential," Yang Xudong said. He predicts that as the avocado market expands, more local farmers will join the efforts. The company now offers avocado saplings to farmers at no upfront cost, with fees deducted from future sales earnings.

Yang Xingwen, deputy mayor of Tieliu, said that the Huili-Luquan expressway is under construction nearby. Set to open in 2027, the expressway will drastically cut transportation costs for avocados, thereby increasing economic benefits.

"The purchase price for avocados from the fields now stands at 20 yuan per kilogram, which is very competitive. This is truly a promising industry!" Yang Xingwen said.

Tieliu township is also eyeing the integrated development of avocados and tourism. It is striving to build a prefecture-level modern agricultural park while actively advancing tourism-related infrastructure projects including viewing platforms and service centers.

Yang Xudong stated that the company's current focus is avocado cultivation. By 2027, the lush avocado plantations will create ideal conditions for the company to develop tourism and educational tours.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Army releases version 2.0 of its unified network plan

By Army Public Affairs March 19, 2025

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Army has released its Army Unified Network Plan 2.0. While the first AUNP, published in 2021, focused mainly on the first phase of the plan - to unifying the network - AUNP 2.0 focuses mainly on phase two and some of phase three, which are to "operationalize the Unified Network" from 2024 to2026, and to "continuously modernize and transform the Unified Network" in 2027 and beyond.

Since the publication of the first AUNP - which provided the roadmap for converging Army tactical and enterprise networks around common standards, systems and security to "reduce complexity and increase integration" across the force - global events and emerging technologies have resulted in a persistently contested information environment. As a result, a far more data-centric approach to the Army Network is needed to harness its power to fight and win during multidomain operations.

Reflecting these changes, AUNP 2.0 focuses on five lines of effort to complete the Army's portion of the Department of Defense Information Network: 1) establish the Unified Network; 2) posture the force to support MDO; 3) ensure security and survivability based on zero trust principles; 4) transform the Army's Unified Network investments, policy and governance; and 5) continuously improve the Unified Network.

"AUNP 2.0 is new guidance on how the warfighter actually approaches, accelerates and operationalizes the Unified Network across the board," said Lt. Gen. Jeth Rey, the Army's Deputy Chief of Staff, G-6. "It's going to enable multidomain operations and chart the roadmap of where we're going for the Unified Network by 2027. It also talks about the critical enablers required to achieve a multidomain operational Army by 2030."

AUNP 2.0 provides a path to reduce technological complexity at the edge by enhancing the Army's ability to execute MDO; ensuring the Army's ability to seamlessly plug in anywhere around the globe; continuing the establishment and employment of common data standards and systems for all theaters and domains by ensuring the necessary security, agility and interoperability to stay ahead of adversaries; and enabling faster, more secure data sharing with partners and allies.

"As warfare continues to evolve across multiple domains and our adversaries challenge our historical dominance, the Army's dedication to integrating and modernizing its network infrastructure is crucial." the AUNP 2.0's conclusion states. "The Unified Network is essential to the future force's success, enabling seamless and effective operations across air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace.... The AUNP 2.0 sets a direction for technological superiority and operational readiness for an uncertain future."

To read the Army Unified Network Plan 2.0, click here.

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March 19, 2025

By Matthew Olay, DOD News

Hegseth Says Air, Space Forces Key to Deterring, Engaging in Future Conflicts

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said today that the Air Force and Space Force will be instrumental in both deterring and engaging in future military conflicts.

He remarked on the value of the two service branches while speaking at the Department of the Air Force Summit  a gathering of senior leadership from across each force  held at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

"The future of deterrence ... for this nation truly does reside in this room," Hegseth told those in attendance. "It's our airpower, the next generation of it and our ability to project it that will be the decisive factor in whether or not we truly deter our peer [adversaries] of the 21st century," he continued.

In reference to the threat posed by China, Hegseth told the senior leaders in the room that the decisions they make and the manner in which they implement, utilize and match threats to capabilities will determine whether "we live in a [century] dominated by the U.S. or dominated by the Chinese."

"I hope that is the sense of urgency that exists in this room; it's certainly what we think about every day in the secretary's office," he said.

When asked for his thoughts on the future of the space domain, Hegseth said it was the domain of the future.

"I feel like there's no way to ignore the fact that the next and the most important domain of warfare will be the space domain. ... So, you're going to see far more investment from this administration into that domain, both offensively and defensively ... because that's where we can continue to maintain an advantage," Hegseth said.

He added that, in war-gaming simulations, the outcomes have often been affected by the space domain-related capabilities each side of the competition had at their disposal.

"There are strategic things that can be done that change the entire [warfighting] calculus that no one else is paying attention to, and I would anticipate that [the space domain] is one of those for us," Hegseth said.

Toward the end of his appearance at the summit, Hegseth was asked about the Defense Department's recent efforts to realign its budget with national security priorities and whether those efforts would result in significant changes.

"I think we spend a lot of time  understandably and correctly so  talking about efficiencies, talking about [the Department of Government Efficiency], talking about audits [and] talking about reprioritizations, and we're going to keep doing that because we need to be good stewards of the taxpayer dollars," Hegseth said.

"But [President Donald J. Trump] has repeatedly said that we're going to rebuild [the military] ... and the Air Force will be a huge part of how that [military] gets funded," he added.

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White Paper for European Defence and the ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030: Remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the press conference

European External Action Service (EEAS)

19.03.2025

Brussels, 19/03/2025

EEAS Press Team

Check against delivery!

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

It is my pleasure to do this College readout for the first time.

This morning, we adopted several files related to the White Paper on the future of European Defence and Rearm Europe Plan 'Readiness 2030', including two pieces of legislation to strengthen the European defence industry while proposing the necessary flexibilities in expenditures. We will delve into the details of these proposals shortly and I will be happy to answer your questions together with Commissioner [for Defence Industry and Space, Andrius] Kubilius.

In addition, the College also adopted a Comprehensive plan for Savings and Investments Union. Commissioner [for Financial Services and the Savings and Investments Union, Maria Luis] Albuquerque will provide a detailed presentation on this plan immediately after this press conference. Later today, Executive Vice-President Sejourne will host the third press conference here in the press room to outline the Steel and Metals Plan which was also adopted this morning.

We can now turn to the White Paper on the future of European defence and ReArm Europe Plan 'Readiness 2030'.

When it comes to defence - what we invest in defence - actually shows how we value defence and for the past decade we have not put the[a] very high importance on it.

The international order is undergoing changes of the magnitude not seen since 1945. This is a pivotal moment for European security. It is a pivotal moment for action. Yes, that the needs of additional funding are massive. The proposals we have adopted today are also essential. But for all the important discussions needed on increasing defence spending, the value we add by working together is priceless. It gives us [a] competitive advantage that is unrivalled anywhere in the world. Together we are always stronger. The White Paper on Defence Readiness 2030 is our proposal for how we can work together and the ReArm package brings the financing possibilities to do it.

Three points.

First: making European countries stronger against any military threat. We have identified the capability gaps that Member States have and, in line with the NATO capability priorities, we put forward ideas how to work together to in order to fulfil them. This means replenishing European stocks of ammunition, weapons, military equipment, also to keep them flowing to Ukraine, and developing also a large scale pan European projects.

The EU has important added value. We can support Member States to aggregate demand and harmonise requirements. We can support European industry, ramp up production capacity, and we can also support Member States where they cannot do it alone because it is either too expensive or too complex.

It is faster and cheaper if you work together and interoperability, - which is also a problem for us that the capabilities do not really work together - can be built from the start. Ukraine should be part of this work too. We have a lot to learn from Ukraine's battlefield experience. We should also be in a position to develop defence systems for Ukraine, but also with Ukraine. Member States must remain in the driving seat when it comes to defence.

This is a question of national sovereignty and that is why we must connect our work here in Brussels with the end users, that it means our Member States. We do this through the European Defence Agency, through the EU Military Staff here in Brussels, and by bringing the EU Defence Ministers together regularly. We also have once in a generation opportunity to strengthen Europe's industry, boost innovation and create a market for defence equipment. And Commissioner Kubilius will talk about this in more detail.

Second, what we are talking about today is more than our security and defence. While some look to destabilise others, a stronger EU can keep working to support others because we have never seen the world as a zero-sum game. We know that wherever you are in the world, peace brings prosperity and stability, from the Middle East, including the stabilisation of Syria - which we discussed Monday at the Syria Conference - to the wider African continent from [the] Sahel, to Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

And we will keep working with others who share this view from the UK - where I was yesterday - to Australia, Canada and Japan. This is also why our partners should be part of our cooperative defence projects and initiatives too, where it makes sense for everybody's interests.

And finally, Ukraine. In the White Paper we take up the proposals from the Military support initiative proposing a support to Ukraine, including more ammunition - at least 2 million rounds per year - as well as air defence and drones, the training and equipping of Ukrainian brigades. This also includes direct support to Ukraine's defence industry as well as enhanced access to space services.

The new SAFE instrument proposed by the Commission will support these ambitions. Russia's economy is in full war mode: 40% of the federal budget on the military is more than Russia spends on education, healthcare and social policies combined. Regardless of the ongoing negotiations for peace in Ukraine, this is a long-term investment in a long-term plan of aggression. Ukraine must be armed to avoid any future attacks, and we need a long-term plan to stand up to do this.

To conclude, today we put forward a plan to tackle the immediate threat centre and the build-up European long-term defence. In doing so, we will help European countries meet their NATO capability targets we do this not to fight the war but to prepare for the worst, defend peace in Europe and stand strong for a world where might cannot make right.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-268889

Q&A

Q. I have two questions. The first one is to the Defence Commissioner. When this discussion started a while ago there, it started with a proposal by two Member States for a flagship project, which was basically a common air-defence shield. Now reading the White Paper, I realise that you identify gaps but there are absolutely no flagship projects in it. So my question is: why did you not pursue this path and deliver on this request? The second question go to the HR/VP, so we learned today take the cut-off date is 2021 when combined average spending by EU Member States was at 1.5%; adding 1.5% brings to 3%. Does this mean that this is the new level of ambition that should be pursued by Member States? Of course it's different for anyone at the new average level of vision .

Thank you. So, it is clear that we are in a totally new era. A new international order is being shaped and, if you look back in the Cold War era, then all the countries in NATO were spending more than 2%, some even more than 5% of their GDP on defence. And why? Because the threat was real. Now we do not have a Cold War, but we have a hot war on European soil and the threat is existential - as real as it can get.

So, yes, we need to do more. Whether the new level of ambition is a 3%, 4% or 5%, I would not get stuck to the numbers but rather the capability caps that we have and we have also addressed them in the White Paper. That is air and missile defence, artillery systems, ammunition, missiles, drones, counter drone systems, military mobility, AI, quantum electronic warfare, [and] strategic enablers. So, this all costs a lot of money. The point of the White Paper is that we can do them together because it is not only national defence, but actually regional, and by doing them together we can also spend less on the capabilities but have them in place. So, I would not get stuck to the numbers, but yes, I agree that the new level ambition is higher than 2%

Q. Yesterday, the President of the Commission suggested that the Commission itself could act as a buyer of equipment for the Member States. You have not mentioned that. Is it a possibility that you are seriously looking at or is it just a suggestion that she made to be discussed further development in the future?

We have the European Defence Agency that is underused I would say. So, we definitely do not need to create any new competences or any new structures if we have already structures in place.

The competence on defence spending is of course with the Member States. It is only when they want to act together, then the European Defence Agency can bring something you know [of] additional value also to the table to make it easier and make it cheaper to find all those ways.

Q. The proposal as written excludes third countries other than Norway and Ukraine, so notably the US, UK, Turkey. The UK exclusion, in particular, will be a really big problem for many Italians, Swedish, German companies, in particular. So, my first question is do the two of you agree with excluding those countries? And was there any debate inside the College about this French 'buy European push'? And secondly, you are talking about urgent, you are talking about urgent scaling up, are you worried that this proposal will be derailed by the exact same fighting between Member States that has held up EDIP for more than a year edit on the same third country issue?

Yes, I will add to that. First, I think we have this opportunity window to really build up the European defence industry and we are in this situation - what we see also with Ukraine if they use weapons that are not produced in Ukraine and sometimes there are limitations on how you can use those weapons, and, in terms of crisis, your military needs to really have free hands in this regard. So, that is coming from this situation.

Like, [Commissioner] Andrius [Kubilius] was already explaining all the countries that are within the same categories and, when it comes to the UK, for example, then we are working on having this Defence and Security partnership with [the] UK. I am really hoping that for the Summit, which is in May, we can have results. But of course, like you know, it is related to Member States and also different worries. But I want to say that I think the understanding that we need to do more, and we need to do together is there, which means that we have been able to keep our unity so far. I am sure that we are [will be] able to keep our unity in the future because this is really our strength.

Q. I have a question regarding funding. Why is the Commission only asking for financial predictability in the next MFF instead of talking about concrete future programmes? Are the new Eurobonds as asked by Portugal and Spain, for instance, for the defence completely out of the question? What is the Commission expectation on the countries' feedback regarding SAFE and ReArm general?

I will add to that. First, I mean MFF discussions are coming up. That is why these discussions are separate and if we put something very concrete right now forward then everybody wants their projects in. That is the problem that we had right now, although we have our priorities. Then, your question about how are the Member States taking it. First, we had two weeks ago the extraordinary Council and Member States were very positive about the ReArm part of this paper and tomorrow we will definitely discuss, and we will know more with [from] the Member States. But what can I tell you is that we have been working intensively with Member States to have their ideas on board and also their worries reflected. So, I hope that they take also well.

Q. If you could please elaborate on what role investors - institutional and retail investors - are supposed to play in the funding of the rearmament initiative and whether there will be any changes particularly in the Sustainable Finance Framework in order to encourage investors to invest in the military build-up.

If I may add to that, the point is that we have to really have the public capital as well as private capital. That is why we have, in the White Paper, also removal of obstacles related to access to finance and, actually, it is related to other point we discussed also in the College today about the Savings and Capital markets. The obstacles of finance are related to different aspects but in detail we are coming [to] in the defence omnibus - with all the regulated regulatory improvements that we need to do, but of course like [Commissioner] Andrius [Kubilius] was saying there is already a movement going and the European Investment Bank plays a huge role in this.

Q. Do you think that the strategic thinking of Member States is the same? Are they perceiving the threat in the same way? Because if I look at some countries, for example the one that I know best, they do not fear a war with Russia. They fear much more migrants, for example, or other 'threats', if you would use that word. The second point, which is correlated: is Europe able to defend itself if the leader of the free world will not be anymore the US under this administration?

Is this strategic thinking the same everywhere? I am not sure. I think no, because we have different countries. But if we talk to each other then, in the European Union, every leader understands the threat. Now the question is also to talk about this threat to the public, because the public perception - like you say - is different in the countries that are much further away from the war. But I urge you to look at the map and see how small Europe really is in this regard. Everything can happen very fast. And, in addition to that, we already see the hybrid attacks or, like [NATO] Secretary General Rutte says, state sponsored terrorism is happening everywhere, all across Europe.

I think you know, We need to talk to the public everywhere in Europe to really explain this because the problem with defence expenditure and investment is that when you need it, it is too late. You have to make the decisions when it is peace time when actually you do not have feeling 'we do not really need this'. We need to invest more. But if we do not invest in defence now, then in three-five years' time we have nowhere to take this from and then it is too late. I do not want to find ourselves in a situation where we think: "Oh, we should have made that decision then." because we do not have the option to redo things. And the conflicts with investing in defence is that, when you do it, when you do enough of defence investments, then it actually deters, so that you do not have a war. So, if you want to prevent the war, we need to invest more in defence and we need to do it now when it is peace time.

Thank you.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-269484



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Somalia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the latest terrorist attack on the Presidential convoy

European External Action Service (EEAS)

19.03.2025

EEAS Press Team

The European Union strongly condemns yesterday's terrorist attack in Mogadishu, which targeted the convoy of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. We are dismayed by this heinous act that has claimed the lives of innocent civilians.

The EU commends President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who has reached the frontlines to support the Somali National Army in its efforts to fight al-Shabaab.

The EU and Somalia share a close partnership, notably under the EU-Somalia Joint Operational Roadmap. The EU remains a steadfast supporter of Somalia's state-building process, including in the security sector.

The EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Federal Government of Somalia in its fight against al-Shabaab and other terrorist organisations.

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Estonia Acquires Its First Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs

Republic of Estonia - Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI)

19.03.2025

Today, the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was inaugurated at the Defence Forces' central training area with live-fire exercises by the Scouts Battalion. This range allows infantry to conduct training in all directions, including live-fire exercises with tanks and other weapons. The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was funded through NATO's Security Investment Programme training infrastructure package.

Previously, units conducted training at the Adazi Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs in Latvia. "Since allied forces also trained there, it was difficult to find available time due to constant bookings. Therefore, we decided to build our own Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs in Estonia. Thanks to recommendations from allies and the former head of the Armour School, we have a modern facility that also meets allied training requirements," said Elari Kalmaru, Training Areas Portfolio Manager at the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI).

"The Scouts Battalion must be several times better than the opponent to ensure success on the battlefield. Good training and excellent training opportunities create the necessary conditions for this. The Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs provides better opportunities to maintain and improve our training level since we can conduct live-fire exercises of varying complexity at the new facility," said Lieutenant Colonel Ranno Raudsik, commander of the Scouts Battalion.

The new range will facilitate training for infantry units, tanks, self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers. The area includes four northeast-southwest-oriented tank roads, and the first 1.5 kilometres of the battle runs have concrete firing positions. According to Siim Pikkur, Training Areas Portfolio Administration Manager at ECDI, the firing positions and target placement areas have been built according to allied standards, allowing for flexible training.

The remaining area features concrete and soil-covered target positions with rising targets. Pikkur explained that targets can be placed according to how the exercise leader wants to portray the enemy. Additionally, the facility includes moving targets (at 300m and 350m), enabling training for engaging moving objects, such as tanks.

In the northern part of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs, an observation tower made of shipping containers has been constructed for monitoring exercises and fire control. The containers are easily relocatable, highly visible from aircraft, and meet thermal insulation and energy efficiency requirements.

According to Aleksander Lember, head of the construction division at Tariston ASthe company that built the facilityhis company has been involved in multiple development projects at the central training area since 2008. "The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was the largest of these projects so far, and I am pleased that we successfully tackled this challenge together," said Lember.

The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was funded through NATO's Security Investment Programme training infrastructure package.

Through the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP), infrastructure necessary to meet the alliance's military objectives is developed. Previously, the NSIP programme has funded renovations at Amari Air Base, infrastructure for NATO's headquarters element, and the construction of the RSOM area in Tapa, including an internal heavy equipment road. Ongoing projects include the development of the NATO Cyber Range Project and the design and construction of piers and a breakwater at Miinisadam naval base.

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Germany Federal Foreign Office

19.03.2025 - Press release

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock issued the following statement today (19 March) prior to her departure for Beirut:

Two months after the agreement on the release of hostages and on a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the end of the ceasefire in Gaza as a result of severe Israeli attacks has crushed the hope for what so many Israelis and Palestinians felt was within reach: that the suffering on all sides could finally come to an end. The lives of dozens of remaining hostages, including Germans, their anxious relatives' entire universe, the lives of many thousands of people in Gaza depend on it.

The resumption of the fighting also jeopardises the positive efforts of the Arab states, which want to jointly pursue a peaceful path for Gaza, liberated from Hamas.

Now, all sides are called upon to exercise the greatest restraint, to comply with international humanitarian law, to return to the talks on finding a lasting solution to the conflict.

This is also absolutely crucial if the chance for a peaceful future for an entire region is not to be left hanging by a thread once again. For the risk of further regional escalation is serious - and this at a time when the situation in Lebanon has recently stabilised and there have been positive first steps towards settling the conflict surrounding the border between Lebanon and Israel.

Here, a long-term, sustainable solution is still required, which could be achieved through the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701 and which respects both Israeli security interests and Lebanon's territorial integrity. This is the only way that displaced persons on both sides of the border will finally be able to return to their homes and live in peace.

In Lebanon, I will speak with President Joseph Aoun, whose election following many years of crisis and standstill has now opened the door for urgently needed reforms, and with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, whose new government has set out an ambitious programme for the future of his country.

Germany will support the people in Lebanon on their path towards a better future - not least through our backing of the UNIFIL Mission and the Lebanese army as well as with 300 million euro that we pledged at the Brussels conference on Syria on Monday and which will also benefit Syrian refugees and host communities in Lebanon.
Chinese envoy to UN condemns Israel's latest attacks on Gaza, calls for permanent ceasefire

Global Times

By Global Times Published: Mar 19, 2025 12:23 PM

Chinese envoy to the UN, Fu Cong, said on Tuesday (local time) at a UN Security Council briefing that China is gravely concerned about Israel's resumption of hostilities in Gaza and strongly condemns it. This comes as Israel launched airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians.

We strongly urge the abandonment of the logic of supremacy of force. Military means is not the way to solve the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Fu said, according to a transcript on the website of the Permanent Mission of China to the UN.

The stark contrast between 15 months of bloody conflict and 42 days of ceasefire clear shows that the indiscriminate use of force is not the right way to bring back hostages and may even put them at greater risks, and China urges Israel to renounce its obsession with the use of force, immediately cease military operations in Gaza, and stop the collective punishment of the Gazan civilians, Fu noted.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he is "outraged by the Israeli air strikes in Gaza," joining a chorus of international condemnation as more than 400 Palestinians have been killed, including many women and children, the Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the strikes after Hamas refused Israeli demands to free half of the remaining hostages as a precondition for extending the ceasefire, the AP reported on Wednesday.

We strongly demand a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Fu told the UN Security Council briefing.

Since the ceasefire agreement was reached, it should be fully and seriously implemented in good faith, and no attempt should be made to alter or undermine it midway. China calls on the parties to implement the ceasefire agreement fully and continuously, and expects the ceasefire guarantors to adopt a fair and responsible approach to facilitate the continuous implementation of the three-phase agreement and ensure the realization of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, Fu noted.

The Chinese envoy also noted that China strongly opposes the weaponization and politicization of humanitarian aid.

As of today, for 17 consecutive days, no humanitarian supplies were allowed into Gaza, and the loss of power disabled a desalinization plant, worsening the water shortage crisis. The use of humanitarian aid as a bargaining chip is in violation of international law, especially international humanitarian law. China condemns such practice. We urge Israel to fulfill its obligations as the occupying power under international humanitarian law and immediately restore full humanitarian access to Gaza, Fu said.

Fu also strongly called for the revitalization of the political prospects of the two-state solution.

The implementation of the two-state solution is the only viable way to resolve the question of Palestine. Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are all inseparable parts of the Palestinian state, Fu said.

We support the Gaza recovery and reconstruction plan jointly initiated by Egypt and other Arab states, and support an early launch of reconstruction underpinned by the principle of Palestinians governing Palestine, whereby the Palestinian people can rebuild their homes in their own territory, Fu noted. The international community should step up its efforts to advance the political process of the two-state solution and provide necessary support to this end, he said.

"For some time now, we have witnessed a dangerous sign in the Middle East," Fu said.

As the international rule of law and international order are violated and undermined, the law of the jungle seems to reign. This is worrisome and concerning, Fu noted.

The Security Council, as the primary body for maintaining international peace and security, should put a prompt end to such chaos. We support further actions by the Council to bring about a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, restore peace in the Middle East, and achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian question, he said.

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Europe signals readiness to reduce dependency on the U.S. for security

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

London, IRNA -- The European Commission has unveiled a White Paper aimed at enhancing Europe's defensive capabilities in response to the deteriorating transatlantic alliance.

On Wednesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cited growing concerns over diminishing U.S. defense support for Europe as the driving force behind the decision to strengthen the E.U.'s defense capacity and reduce its reliance on Washington.

"The era of the peace dividend is long gone," von der Leyen said, according to the Associated Press. "The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted. We must invest in defense, strengthen our capabilities, and take a proactive approach to security."

This policy shift follows the Donald Trump administration's declaration that U.S. security priorities have shifted to Asia, with the White House asserting that Europe must take responsibility for its own defense and provide greater support to Ukraine.

Von der Leyen emphasized the need for advancements in areas like artificial intelligence and quantum technologies to bolster defense readiness by 2030.

The European Union is expected to focus on increased spending for air and missile defense systems, artillery, drones, cyber and electronic warfare capabilities, air-to-air refueling, and land border installations.

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Israel launches 'ground operation' in Gaza after deadly airstrikes

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

The Israeli military says it has launched a "limited ground operation" to reclaim control of part of the Netzarim corridor, a key strategic strip of land that cuts Gaza in half.

This marks a significant escalation in Israel's renewed offensive in Gaza, which has shattered a ceasefire agreement with Hamas that had been in place since January.

The Gaza Health Ministry reported that at least 436 Palestinians, including 183 children and 94 women, have been killed since the new wave of airstrikes began early Tuesday. Officials said Tuesday was the deadliest day in Gaza since the start of the war.

The Netzarim corridor, previously used as a military zone by Israel, bisects northern and southern Gaza. As part of the earlier ceasefire, Israel had withdrawn its forces from the area. However, the renewed offensive has seen Israeli forces re-enter the corridor.

The Israeli minister of military affairs, Israel Katz, warned that evacuations from combat zones in Gaza would resume soon.

He said that if prisoners held by Hamas were not released, "Israel will act with an intensity that you have not seen."

In a televised address on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that the deadly airstrikes were "just the beginning" of a broader military offensive in Gaza.

The gourd offensive is likely to displace more Palestinians, who had returned to what remained of their homes after Israeli forces had pulled back to a "buffer zone" along the border during the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The renewed violence has drawn global condemnation and raised concerns about the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

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Israeli protesters rally against Netanyahu, denounce renewed war on Gaza

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

Israeli protesters have once again taken to the streets in several cities, including Tel Aviv and al-Quds, to express their anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for resuming the war on the besieged Gaza Strip.

The protesters chanted slogans against Netanyahu and his ruling coalition on Wednesday, accusing them of sacrificing the remaining Israeli prisoners with a new wave of airstrikes instead of engaging Hamas in the second stage of ceasefire negotiations.

The resumption of war has further demonstrated that Netanyahu "doesn't care about the prisoners" in Gaza, who were due to be freed under the ceasefire deal. One protester carried a banner outside the Knesset reading, "The future of the coalition or the future of Israel."

The Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that police clashed with protesters in al-Quds, with video clips showing officers dragging and beating some of them.

Groups representing prisoners currently or formerly held in Gaza issued statements calling for an immediate ceasefire deal and accusing Netanyahu of using the conflict to maintain his grip on power.

"The reality is that this attack [on Gaza] is being used as a tool for political interests," said Ora Peled Nakash, a former naval officer and one of the organizers of the protests.

Netanyahu has long been accused of prioritizing his ruling coalition over the lives of Israeli prisoners.

Anger escalated after the Israeli military bombarded Gaza on Tuesday night, killing more than 400 Palestinians, many of them children. This was one of the deadliest attacks since the regime launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.

Netanyahu described the strikes as "just the beginning," repeating his intent to destroy Hamas and rescue the remaining Israeli prisoners.

However, many Israelis believe Netanyahu's war is aimed at keeping himself in power amid his ongoing corruption trials.

"Netanyahu wants to escape justice. This is the only reason we are facing the regime coup and this bloody war. This is a dangerous mixture," said Elias Shraga, an activist, during a rally outside the Knesset.

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Mitkus: in defending democratic values, the EU must act decisively - support Ukraine, strengthen defence, and protect the free media

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated 2025-03-19

On 18 March in Brussels, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Sigitas Mitkus attended the General Affairs Council of the European Union. The Council continued preparations for the upcoming European Council meeting on 20-21 March. Ministers then held an exchange of views on EU-UK relations, as well as on the 2025 European Semester, and approved a joint declaration for this year's legislative priorities together with joint conclusions on the EU's policy objectives and priorities for the years 2025-2029.

"We expect that the European Council meeting on Thursday will take many important decisions on EU defence, competitiveness, and Ukraine issues," the Vice-Minister underlined.

Mitkus stressed the need to continue and strengthen comprehensive, long-term support for Ukraine and boost European defence capabilities.

"In the current circumstances, a ceasefire alone will not ensure lasting peace. Putin has repeatedly demonstrated that Russia does not want peace with Ukraine - we must take decisive action, increase pressure on Russia, and strengthen Ukraine's position to protect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," said the Vice-Minister.

He also called for the immediate start of the preparation and approval of a new package of sanctions against Russia, as well as taking decisions on the use of frozen Russian assets for Ukraine. During the discussion on European defence, the Vice-Minister expressed the need for all EU member states to invest at least 3% of their GDP in defence and to promptly develop and make use of EU funding instruments that would ensure Europe's long-term security. Mitkus stressed the need to boost the EU's competitiveness by deepening the single market, expanding the capital market, improving access to finance, and allowing access to private and institutional investors' funds for the defence industry and new technological infrastructure projects.

Ministers also discussed the impacts of the US funding cuts to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the need to find alternative sources to continue the organisation's activities. Ministers stressed that independent media plays a key role in countering disinformation and propaganda by authoritarian regimes. The Vice-Minister emphasized the strategic importance of RFE/RL, especially in Russia and Belarus and other regions, where the freedom of speech and the press are restricted.

"The EU should urgently look for financing solutions, involving other partners such as Norway, Iceland, the United Kingdom and Canada," the Vice-Minister urged. Lithuania, together with nine other EU member states, issued a joint statement on this issue.

On the margins of the Council, the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU organised an informal exchange of views with the Belarussian opposition leader, Sviatlana Tikhanovskaya. With Tsikhanouskaya, ministers discussed the hybrid threats posed by the Belarusian regime and measures to counter them, as well as continued support to Belarusian civil society, internal democratic processes.

During the meeting with Tsikhanouskaya, the Vice-Minister reiterated Lithuania's full and unwavering support for the democratic future of Belarus.

"The European future of Belarus is in our common interest. We must strengthen the identity of Belarus and support democratic forces in building the foundations of governance for post-Lukashenka regime change," stated Mitkus.

Lithuania's Foreign Vice-Minister also emphasized that the future of Belarus was closely linked to Ukraine's victory.

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A look at the Defence news 10 - 16 March

Netherlands Ministry of Defence

News item | 19-03-2025 | 14:39

On behalf of the Dutch Government, Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans responded to the report of the Sorgdrager Committee, which investigated an airstrike on an ISIS car bomb factory in Hawija, Iraq in 2015. While the government believes that the air strike was legitimate, it is appalling that it caused unintended civilian casualties and extensive property damage. The government regrets this and apologises. Last week, the minister conveyed that message to the mayor of Hawija.

2023 reports of civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria: no need for further investigation

A preliminary investigation has been carried out into 61 reports of possible civilian casualties in Iraq and Syria during Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). There appears to be no need for further action. Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans informed the House of Representatives of this last week. The reports were submitted in September 2023 by the non-governmental organisation Airwars, which did so after the Defence organisation released more information about the Netherlands' participation in the OIR air campaign.

Brekelmans and Eichelsheim among NATO troops in the freezing cold

"A perfect example of the strength of the NATO Alliance." These were the words used by Netherlands Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans to describe the large-scale exercise Joint Viking in Norway, which was attended by the minister and the Netherlands Chief of Defence, General Onno Eichelsheim. The two also spent a night with the troops in the field.

HNLMS Groningen intercepts more than 500 kilos of cocaine

HNLMS Groningen intercepted a consignment of more than 500 kilos of cocaine in the Caribbean. The seized goods came from 2 drug transports. Although these transports had already been intercepted on 13 and 25 February, this was only announced last week.

Naval vessel tests launch of Tomahawk missile

Last week, the air defence and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter fired a Tomahawk missile off the coast of the American city of Norfolk, Virginia. It was the first time that a Dutch naval vessel fired this type of missile.

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U.S. chief justice rebukes Trump's impeachment call on judges

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:06, March 19, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday criticized President Donald Trump and his supporters for advocating the impeachment of judges who have ruled against the administration.

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision," Roberts said.

"The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose," said the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the country.

Roberts was appointed by former President George W. Bush and took office on Sept. 29, 2005. He is often seen as a conservative, but has occasionally sided with liberal justices on key issues.

Trump called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg after he blocked the deportation of Venezuelan migrants. Boasberg is the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

"This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

Since Trump assumed office in January, a series of his new policies have brought up legal challenges, and federal judges have in some cases ruled against the administration. This has sparked anger within the administration and Trump's supporters, resulting in more frequent calls for impeachment.

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Philippines Calls for Solidarity on Cluster Munitions Ban

Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs

MANILA 19 March 2025 -- The Philippines, in partnership with the Implementation Support Unit (ISU) of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), is hosting the Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Workshop on the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 18-19 March 2025 in Manila. This event underscores the country's strong commitment to humanitarian disarmament and universal adherence to the CCM, reinforcing its role as President of the 13th Meeting of States Parties to the CCM (MSP13).

With participants from ASEAN Member States, the Pacific region, and international partners, the workshop provides a strategic platform to promote universalization and effective implementation of the CCM, particularly in regions where adherence remains low. The event is part of a broader series of engagements led by the Philippines to advance international peace and security, a rules-based international order, and cooperative approaches to disarmament.

"The Philippines has long championed humanitarian disarmament, recognizing the devastating humanitarian impact of cluster munitions. As President of MSP13, we are committed to fostering dialogue and regional cooperation to strengthen the CCM and protect civilian lives," said Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa T. Almojuela of the Office of United Nations and International Organizations.

Cluster munitions have caused long-term civilian harm and continue to pose a serious humanitarian challenge, particularly in conflict-affected regions. The CCM prohibits the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of these weapons and requires States Parties to undertake measures such as stockpile destruction, clearance of contaminated areas, and victim assistance.

The Philippines' leadership in disarmament diplomacy is evident through its active engagement in international treaties, including the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and the ASEAN Regional Forum Intersessional Meeting on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

This workshop is the fourth in a series of major disarmament events hosted by the Philippines in 2025, reaffirming its dedication to global security and a world free of indiscriminate weapons. Looking ahead, the Philippines will continue to engage regional partners through initiatives such as a Regional Workshop on Space Security and a Workshop on International Humanitarian Law with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The Southeast Asia and Pacific Regional Workshop on the CCM serves as a catalyst for renewed action, encouraging States to strengthen their commitments to humanitarian disarmament and advance efforts toward a safer, more secure world. END

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FPRRD's surrender to ICC 'not diversionary tactic,' says Palace

Philippine News Agency

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

March 19, 2025, 4:38 pm

MANILA -- Malacanang denied Wednesday that former president Rodrigo Duterte's arrest and surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) was a diversionary tactic to deflect scrutiny from issues surrounding the Philippine Health Insurance's (PhilHealth) idle fund and the 2025 national budget.

This, after Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte accused the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. of singling out his family.

Duterte also claimed that the Marcos administration was trying to divert public attention from concerns over the transfer of PhilHealth's excess funds to the national treasury and the constitutionality of the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Malacanang is ready to answer these issues.

"Mayroon na po kami. Hindi lamang po namin ipinapalabas ngayon dahil nga po ang issue ngayon ay patungkol po dito sa ICC at baka hindi po maintindihan ng tao kapag ibang issue ang pinag-uusapan. Pero madali pong i-explain kung ano pong nangyari sa PhilHealth (We already have it. We are not just releasing it now because the issue today is about the ICC and people might not understand it, ig we talk about other issues. But it is easy to explain what happened to PhilHealth)," Castro said.

"At 'yung tungkol po sa GAA, hayaan po natin dahil ang sabi po natin, sumusunod tayo sa principle, enrolled bill principle (And as for the GAA, let's leave it because as we said, we follow the principle, the enrolled bill principle)," she added.

Castro reiterated that the crimes against humanity charges was filed against Duterte at the ICC before Marcos' presidency.

She also clarified that the ICC's arrest warrant is only issued for Duterte, adding that there is no arrest order yet against other respondents in the drug war case being investigated by the international chamber.

"So, walang sini-single out dito. Ang nangyayari dito, iyong mga kasong tungkol sa crimes against humanity kagagawan din po ng kaniyang ama na ibinibintang sa kanila (So, no one is being singled out here. What's happening here is that those cases about crimes against humanity are also the work of his father who is being accused)," Castro said.

"Tandaan po natin, ang kasong ito, uulit-ulitin natin, hindi po ito naisampa sa panahon ni Pangulong Marcos o ni PBBM. Panahon pa po ito mismo ng ama niya, ni dating Pangulong Duterte (Let's remember, this case, let's repeat it again, was not filed during the time of President Marcos or PBBM. It was during the time of his father, nor did former President Duterte)," she added.

Castro also maintained that the government is not cooperating with the ICC since it no longer has jurisdiction over the Philippines.

De Lima free to cooperate with ICC

Meantime, Castro said the government would not stop former senator Leila de Lima from cooperating with the ICC, in case the chamber allows her participation.

"Siguro kung iyan po naman po ay kaniyang boluntaryong gagawin at kung siya naman po ay papayagan sa ICC sa pamumuno po ng prosecutors sa ICC, hindi naman po tayo tututol diyan (Maybe if she does that voluntarily and if she is allowed to go to the ICC under the leadership of the ICC prosecutors, we will not object to that)," Castro said.

De Lima was charged with drug-related cases during the presidency of Duterte and detained at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City from 2017 to 2024.

She was eventually cleared of all three drug-related cases. (PNA)

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Missions in WPS unaffected by grounding of fighter jets - PH Navy

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

March 19, 2025, 1:38 pm

MANILA -- The grounding of the FA-50PH fighter jet fleet does not affect the country's maritime domain awareness (MDA) capability in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a ranking naval official said late Tuesday.

"The MDA capability of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has different components. One of these components is the air component composed of different aircraft to include the FA-50. The FA-50 is not the major contributor for our MDA although they form part of the overall picture," Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a media briefing.

The Philippine Air Force's (PAF) 11 remaining FA-50PH fighter jets were ordered grounded on March 5 after the crash of a similar aircraft following a nighttime tactical operation in Bukidnon a day earlier.

"Their grounding does not affect the requirements of the AFP for MDA (as) this will be covered up by the other capabilities that we have," Trinidad said.

He said other assets and capabilities could be tapped for MDA missions in the WPS.

"There are other aircraft, there are other sensors, other capabilities that could cope (with) the temporary grounding of the FA-50 aircraft," Trinidad said.

Meanwhile, PAF deputy public affairs office chief, Maj. Joseph Richard Calma, said they could not give an exact timeline on when the grounding of the FA-50PHs would be lifted.

He added that the grounding would be in effect until the conclusion of the investigation.

Calma agreed that the PAF still has other capabilities that could be used for territorial defense missions.

"We have our ground-based air defense system (Spyder air defense missiles), we have our aircraft (for) aerial reconnaissance and surveillance. We (also have) the (SIAI Marchetti subsonic) (S-211 jet trainers) also that can back up (our FA-50PHs)," he added.

He said the remaining FA-50PHs could be flown immediately in case they are needed for national security emergencies. (PNA)

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PN to expand training with Italian Navy to surface, air warfare

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

March 19, 2025, 12:44 pm

MANILA -- The Philippine Navy (PN) announced that it will not be limiting its cooperation with the Italian Navy to just anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training as there are many other capabilities that Filipino naval personnel need exposure to better improve their capabilities.

"One of the main thrusts of the PN is to further develop our ASW capability but that does not mean that we are foregoing with the enhancement of the other warfare capabilities such as anti-surface warfare, anti-air and electronic warfare," PN spokesperson Capt. John Percie Alcos said Wednesday when asked if the Navy is considering more ASW training with its Italian counterparts.

And since Italy has one of the best navies in the world, Alcos said it is only logical for the PN to continue engaging with its Italian counterparts to beef up its capabilities.

"Italy is one of the best navies in the world and we will continue to engage them for us to be able to ensure that our ships, our sailors, our marines have the knowledge and skills as well as the systems for them to better perform their mandate both on land and at sea," he added.

The PN on March 17 welcomed Italian Navy director for personnel employment and Italian Ambassador to the Philippines, Davide Giglio, during their visit to Navy headquarters at Naval Station Jose Andrada, Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

The Italian officials were formally received by PN chief Vice Admiral Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta.

The meeting highlighted the shared commitment of both navies to enhancing defense cooperation, particularly in shipbuilding, modernization, joint exercises, and strategic dialogues.

"We're looking forward to having my team visit your ships and learn more about the new technology offered by the Italian Navy," Ezpeleta said.

The visit provided an opportunity for the PN to gain insights into Italy's naval capabilities and explore potential partnerships that could support its ongoing modernization efforts.

Strengthening ties with the Italian Navy aligns with the PN's goal of enhancing interoperability, technological advancement, and regional security cooperation. (PNA)

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PBBM reaffirms PH stance vs. nuclear weapons

Philippine News Agency

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos

March 19, 2025, 7:23 am

MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday reaffirmed the Philippines' stance against the proliferation of nuclear weapons, as he stressed that there would be no winners in a new potential arms race.

Marcos issued the statement after his meeting with Dr. Robert Floyd, executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization at Malacanan Palace.

"In a nuclear war, no one wins. I met with Dr. Robert Floyd, Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, to reaffirm the Philippines' commitment to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons," he said in a Facebook post.

"A world free from nuclear threat, is a safer home for all," he added.

The Philippines signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) on Sept. 24, 1996 and ratified it on Feb. 23, 2001, becoming the third Southeast Asian nation to ratify the treaty.

The CTBT prohibits all nuclear weapon test explosions and any other nuclear explosion anywhere in the world.

Compliance with the terms of the CTBT is monitored by a global verification regime, which uses seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide technologies to detect evidence of possible nuclear explosions.

The Philippines and Preparatory Commission for the CTBT signed a facility agreement that entered into force on Jan. 8, 2004, giving the body the legal authority to carry out work on International Monitoring System (IMS) facilities in the country.

Under the CTBT's terms, the Philippines hosts three verification stations, including two auxiliary seismic stations in Davao (AS079) and Tagaytay (AS080), and a radionuclide station in Quezon City (RN52).

The stations form part of the 337-facility International Monitoring System (IMS), a key element in the global verification regime.

The Philippines also signed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) or the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty on Sept. 20, 2017 in New York.

The TPNW was ratified by the Senate in 2021, making the Philippines the 53rd state to ratify the said treaty.

The TPNW covers a comprehensive set of prohibitions in various activities, including the development, testing, production, acquisition, and possession, among others, of nuclear weapon. (PNA)

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'No migration except to al-Quds': Hamas reiterates Palestinians rejection of forced displacement

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 10:24 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has reiterated Palestinians' rejection of efforts by the Israeli regime and its most supportive ally, the Unites States, to bring about forced displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

"We state it clearly: No migration except to [the holy occupied city of] al-Quds," the Gaza-based movement said in a statement on Wednesday, repeating its past assertions.

"Our Palestinian people will remain steadfast in their land, clinging to their rights, and will thwart all attempts of forced or voluntary displacement," it added.

The Israeli regime occupied the western part of al-Quds during a heavily-Western-backed war in 1948 following which it started claiming existence across huge swathes of Palestinian and other regional territories.

The regime occupied the rest of the city, which hosts al-Aqsa Mosque, Muslims' third-holiest site, during another such wholesale war in 1967. Tel Aviv has ever since set up as many as 12 illegal settlements in the eastern side, each of which feature hundreds of settler units.

This is while Palestinians want East al-Quds to serve as the capital of their future independent state.

Hamas' reassertion of Palestinians' commitment to staying on their land and ridding its occupied parts of Israeli presence came a day after the regime resumed a war of genocide that it had begun against Gaza in October 2023 with the self-proclaimed goal of expelling the territory's two-million-plus-strong Palestinian population.

The regime killed around 48,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, from the onset of the war until implementation of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas in January.

Following the agreement's implementation, it would routinely violate the deal to further deadly effects for Palestinians.

On Tuesday, however, the regime restored its attacks to its former proportions. Nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed ever since resumption of the brutal military onslaught, with females and minors similarly comprising the majority of the victims.

"We demand that the war criminal [Benjamin] Netanyahu be held accountable and compelled to retract these actions, as he bears full responsibility for any ensuing repercussions," Hamas said amid the regime's resumption of the genocide, referring to the Israeli prime minister.

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump vowed his country's complicity in the regime's goal of depopulating Gaza, saying Washington sought to "own" the Palestinian territory.

Hamas, its fellow regional resistance groups, and numerous regional and international officials have voiced alarm over Tel Aviv and Washington's approach, but have described it as unfeasible and self-defeating.

'Netanyahu in deep crisis'

The movement, meanwhile, pointed to the repeated related threats of forced displacement against Gazans that have been issued by the Israeli regime's minister for military affairs Israel Katz, asserting that the rhetoric "reveals the depth of the crisis that is faced by war criminal Netanyahu."

"These threats will not weaken the determination of our Palestinian people, nor will they undermine their steadfastness in holding onto their land and national rights."

Hamas also lambasted a recent incursion by the Israeli military into the Netzarim Axis, a corridor in central Gaza, which it occupied after launching the war as a means of facilitating its raids in the northern and central parts of the coastal sliver.

"We hold the Zionist occupation and its criminal terrorist leadership fully responsible for the consequences of the ground incursion into central Gaza (Netzarim Axis), which constitutes a new and dangerous violation of the signed ceasefire agreement."

The movement affirmed its "commitment to the signed ceasefire agreement" and called on the mediators, namely Egypt and Qatar, to "assume their responsibilities in curbing these irresponsible violations and breaches."

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US conducts new airstrikes on Yemen; casualties reported

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 6:50 PM

The United States has carried out new airstrikes on Yemen in support of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza.

The Al-Masirah television network reported that the US strikes hit the capital, Sana'a, on Wednesday.

The attacks targeted a residential area in the al-Thawra district in the capital, damaging a number of homes and injuring seven women and two children.

The areas surrounding Sa'ada City as well as the Sawadiyah district in al-Bayda province were also hit by the strikes, according to the channel's reporter.

No immediate details on possible casualties are available.

On March 15, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order that mandated the deployment of "overwhelming lethal force" against the already impoverished nation.

The move came after Yemen reinstated a ban on Israeli ships crossing key maritime regions.

Subsequently, US warplanes conducted extensive raids against purely civilian targets throughout Yemen, claiming the lives of scores of non-combatants.

However, Yahya Saree, the spokesman for Yemen's armed forces, underscored that "the American aggression will not deter Yemen from fulfilling its religious, moral, and humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian people."

Saree confirmed the intensification of their retaliatory operations against Israeli targets until the war on Gaza ends.

Israel carried out fresh airstrikes on Gaza early Tuesday, killing more than 400 Palestinian people in one of the biggest single-day tolls since the start of Israel's genocidal campaign in October 2023.

Gaza's health ministry said on Wednesday that the rendered offensive had killed at least 970 people over the past 48 hours.

The attacks shattered a ceasefire agreement that lasted nearly two months.

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Hamas condemns Israel's 'heinous crime' against UN headquarters

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 6:30 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has condemned in the strongest terms Israel's recent "heinous crime" of striking the UN headquarters in central Gaza.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Hamas said the attack was a "flagrant violation of international humanitarian law."

Hamas accused Israel of escalating its "war of extermination" across the besieged Palestinian territory.

The Palestinian group said it was part of Israel's "systematic policy" to target civilians and aid workers. Such brutal actions aim to "terrorize" them and worsen the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, Hamas said.

The strike on the UN facility in Deir al-Balah killed at least one UN international worker and injured five others.

The statement also said Israel had already killed hundreds of UNRWA and relief workers in Gaza since October 7, 2023, in a desperate attempt to "tighten the siege" and deprive the Palestinians of basic necessities.

Hamas also censured the "disturbing international silence" toward the Israeli campaign of genocide in Gaza.

The group called on the UN and the international community to take a "clear and decisive stance" against Israel.

Elsewhere in the statement, Hamas urged an urgent intervention to lift the blockade of Gaza.

Separately, Gaza's Government Media Office issued a statement denouncing Israel for the attack on the UN center.

"This crime," it said, "[is] part of a deliberate policy targeting UN and humanitarian institutions to prevent them from fulfilling their duty to assist the Palestinian people."

"We call on the United Nations to take a clear and strong stance regarding this crime, and to act immediately" to hold Israel accountable, the office added, while calling for an "urgent international investigation."

Gaza's health ministry has said Israel killed around 970 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in a matter of 48 hours.

This brings the Palestinian fatalities since October 7, 2023, to 49,547.

The White House says Israel's new attacks on Gaza are in coordination with the Trump administration.

Hamas says the Israeli regime should be forced to stop the aggression and embark on talks regarding the second phase of the signed truce agreement.

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Israel's war machine launches ground offensive in Gaza to seize Netzarim corridor

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 5:27 PM

The Israeli military has launched a fresh ground assault in central Gaza, targeting the Netzarim corridor in what it calls a "limited operation" to create a "partial buffer" in the territory.

In a post on X, the military wrote that over the past 24 hours, its forces "have begun a focused ground operation in the center of the Gaza Strip and in the south with the aim of expanding the security area and creating a partial buffer between the north and south of the Strip."

The move appeared to deepen a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza, which shattered a ceasefire with Hamas that had begun in January.

As part of the ceasefire, Israel had withdrawn from the Netzarim corridor, which it had used as a military zone, and which bisected northern Gaza from the south.

The resumption of the offensive launched by Israel early on Tuesday risks plunging the region back into all-out war.

It came weeks after the end of the first phase of the ceasefire, during which Israel and Hamas exchanged captives for prisoners and were set to negotiate an extension to the truce to end the war.

Israeli minister of military affairs Israel Katz threatened to step up the assault, warning Palestinians in Gaza that Israel would again order evacuations from combat zones soon.

He said that if captives held in the territory weren't freed, "Israel will act with an intensity that you have not seen."

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 970 people have been killed since Israel launched the strikes early Tuesday.

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Death toll from Israel's renewed offensive on Gaza rises to 970

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 5:10 PM

Gaza's health ministry says Israel's renewed savagery has led to the massacre of at least 970 people in 48 hours.

The wave of deadly airstrikes that shattered a fragile ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday has so far claimed the lives of at least 970 people across the besieged territory, the health ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

Before the resumption of the offensive, the death toll from the regime's 15 months of genocidal war recorded by the ministry at midday on March 17 stood at 48,577.

By midday on Wednesday, the figure had risen to 49,547, the ministry said.

The health ministry also registered "one death and five severe injuries among foreign staff working for UN institutions."

It said Israel attacked a UN headquarters in Deir el-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, on Wednesday.

The victims had been taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, the health ministry said.

Israel's military denied attacking a UN building in Gaza.

The UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) confirmed the death of one of its staff by an explosive that was "dropped or fired" on its building in Deir el-Balah.

"An explosive ordnance was dropped or fired at the infrastructure and detonated inside the building," it said, adding that five others were injured.

UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva said he was "shocked and devastated" by the death of a staff member.

"This was not an accident." he said, adding that "attacks against humanitarian premises are a breach of international law."

Bulgaria's foreign ministry said later in the day that one of its citizens working for the United Nations was killed in Gaza, without specifying where in the territory.

Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel threatened on Tuesday that the massacre of women and children in Gaza was "only the beginning." He stands accused of committing war crimes and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

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Israeli protesters rally against Netanyahu over resumption of war on Gaza

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 4:40 PM

Israelis have staged a protest against Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to resume war on Gaza, calling for a renewed ceasefire deal to secure the release of the remaining captives.

Protesters gathered outside Israel's parliament, the Knesset, in al-Quds on Wednesday, slamming Netanyahu for prioritizing his political interests and his ruling coalition over the regime's interests, as well as the lives of Israeli captives.

The protesters blocked the main highway into al-Quds as they marched into the city, carrying banners reading, "The future of the coalition or the future of Israel."

The protest came a day after Israel carried out new airstrikes on the Gaza Strip and killed more than 400 Palestinians, ending a temporary ceasefire.

Taking part in the protest, Elias Shraga, chairman of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, a legal watchdog, said the war is aimed at keeping Netanyahu in power.

"Netanyahu wanted to escape justice. This is the only reason we are facing the regime coup and this bloody war. This is a dangerous mixture," Shraga told CNN.

The renewed attacks took place just hours before a hearing in Netanyahu's corruption trial where he was scheduled to testify.

"One reason he wanted to escape justice is because he wants to keep his coalition and he is ready to sacrifice his people, this is it. It's very simple," said Shraga, adding that the resumption of strikes showed once more that Netanyahu "doesn't care about" the Israeli captives held in Gaza who were due to be released under the ceasefire deal.

The resumption of war has also helped Netanyahu shore up his shaky coalition ahead of a key vote on Israel's budget later this month.

Shortly after Gaza was bombed on Tuesday, Itamar Ben-Gvir's far-right Jewish Power party announced it would rejoin Netanyahu's coalition.

Ben-Gvir and two other ministers of his part resigned in protest against January's ceasefire deal.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who joined Wednesday's protest, said the demonstration aims to "make sure that the government understands they cannot do whatever they want."

Israel launched the campaign of genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023. It has killed at least 49,547 Palestinians there so far.

In January, the Israeli regime was forced to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas given the regime's failure to achieve any of its objectives, including the "elimination" of the Palestinian resistance movement or the release of captives.

The 42-day stage of the truce, which was marred by repeated Israeli violations, expired on March 1, but Israel is refraining from stepping into talks for the second stage of the agreement.

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Israeli military issues forced displacement orders amid renewed strikes on Gaza

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 2:47 PM

The Israeli military has renewed its forced displacement orders for Palestinians to leave several areas in Gaza following fresh Israeli aggression against the besieged Palestinian territory.

Israeli warplanes on Wednesday dropped leaflets ordering residents of the towns of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza and Khuza'a and Abasan in the south to leave immediately.

Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee on his X account asked Palestinians in Beit Hanoun to head towards western Gaza City, and for people in eastern Khan Yunis to move towards its western areas.

Adraee also hinted at the Israeli army's intention to target these areas with bombardment.

About 100,000 Palestinians are estimated to be affected by a series of evacuation orders in the last 24 hours.

After taking office in January, US President Donald Trump called for forcibly displacing Gazans in other countries, preferably Jordan and Egypt. The Israelis quickly agreed to the plan, which ensured Gaza's ethnic cleansing.

However, the plot has been widely condemned and raised serious legal and moral issues.

The forced displacement comes as Israel has launched a fresh wave of airstrikes in Gaza on the second day of its resumed offensive in the devastated Palestinian territory.

Israeli warplanes have pounded multiple areas in Gaza since dawn, killing scores of Palestinians

The relentless bombardment has left emergency teams struggling to reach the dead and wounded.

More than 400 Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured in renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Tuesday in one of the biggest single-day tolls since the start of Israel's genocidal campaign in October 2023.

The White House says Israel's new attacks on Gaza are in coordination with the Trump administration.

The attacks shattered a ceasefire and prisoner-captive exchange agreement that lasted nearly two months.

Israeli has refused to enter into discussions about the deal's second phase, which is intended to lead to a permanent end to hostilities, the withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza, and the return of all the captives.

It has also re-imposed a strict blockade on the territory and cut off remaining electricity supplies.

About 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, in a brutal Israeli military campaign in Gaza since October 2023.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former war minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its war on the blockaded Palestinian region.

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Israel must be forced to implement ceasefire deal: Hamas

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 2:42 PM

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas says it has not shut the door on ceasefire negotiations despite the renewed Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, however, insists there is no need for a new agreement and the Israeli regime must be forced into honoring the existing deal.

"Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations but we insist there is no need for new agreements," Hamas official Taher al-Nunu told AFP from Cairo.

"There is no need for new agreements in light of the existing agreement signed by all parties," he added.

The truce agreement brokered by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt took effect in January, pausing the genocide that has left nearly fifty thousand people dead and thousands of others unaccounted for.

Under the deal, a second phase of the truce should have begun in early March.

The agreement stipulated that Israeli forces should withdraw from Gaza and that a more lasting ceasefire should take effect during a second phase.

However, the Israeli regime has refused to enter into the second phase of negotiations.

"We have no conditions, but we demand that the occupation be compelled to immediately halt its aggression and war of extermination, and begin the second phase of negotiations," Nunu said.

He called on the international community to "take urgent action" to end the war, while accusing Israel of "violating the ceasefire agreement it signed."

Israel on Tuesday launched one of the biggest and deadliest waves of air strikes since it began the Gaza genocide in 2023.

According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, Israel's strikes on Tuesday killed more than 400 people, making it one of the deadliest days in Gaza in the entire war.

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Two Palestinians killed as Israel expands deadly raids in West Bank

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 9:25 AM

Israeli forces have killed at least two Palestinians in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank as the Tel Aviv regime expands its deadly raids across the territory, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

The official Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing security sources, reported that Israeli special forces stormed the 'Ein Beit el-Ma refugee camp, adjacent to the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank, early on Wednesday, and opened fire at a vehicle inside the camp.

A young Palestinian man, identified as Uday Adel al-Qatouni, who was present nearby was fatally shot.

The sources added that skirmishes broke out inside the camp shortly afterward, during which three citizens were injured. One of them was struck by live bullets in the abdomen.

Israeli forces then barged into a number of homes, and deployed snipers on their roofs, before launching a search campaign. Several people were arrested accordingly.

Israeli soldiers also stormed the Balata, Askar al-Qadim and Askar al-Jadid camps east of Nablus and raided a number of homes, searched them and ransacked their contents.

They rounded up a number of local residents in the camps.

The developments came a day after a Palestinian was killed as Israeli occupation forces continued their aggression in the northern occupied West Bank.

This coincided with widespread demolitions and forced displacement campaigns in the Jenin, Nur Shams and Tulkarm refugee camps.

Medical sources said Khaled Saleh Qaraan, 25, was killed by Israeli gunfire as occupation troops stormed Kfar Saba neighborhood in Qalqilya early on Tuesday. Three other citizens were wounded during the raid.

According to local sources, Qaraan was scheduled to get married after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramadan, but Israeli special forces opened fire on a cafe in the neighborhood, killing him on the spot.

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 937 Palestinians, with over 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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Netanyahu warns Israeli airstrikes that killed 174 children were 'just the beginning'

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 7:39 AM

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared an intensification of deadly assaults on Gaza, warning that the recent airstrikes, which killed at least 174 children, are just the beginning of a larger act of aggression against Palestinians.

In a televised address on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that Israeli forces would strike Gaza with "increasing force" and the recent attacks are just the initial phase of a broader offensive against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas and Gaza residents.

"Hamas has already felt the weight of our force in the last 24 hours, and I want to assure you - and them - this is only the beginning," Netanyahu said, emphasizing that future ceasefire negotiations would occur "only under fire."

Netanyahu's comments come in the wake of a renewed wave of airstrikes that have shattered an already fragile ceasefire, which had been in place since January 19.

He outlined the regime's objectives in the current offensive, which include the release of all captives held by Hamas, fully dismantling the resistance group, and eliminating any alleged threat from Gaza to Israel.

These objectives have been reiterated over the last 17 months, yet the only outcomes have been the devastation of Gaza and the displacement of its residents.

He placed the blame for the breakdown of ceasefire negotiations squarely on Hamas, claiming that while Israel accepted an offer from US envoy Steve Witkoff, Hamas refused to engage, which led to the decision to resume military operations.

In response to Netanyahu's aggressive rhetoric, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou said "Hamas remained committed to the agreement until the last moment, prioritizing its continuation, while Netanyahu, seeking to resolve his internal crises, chose to reignite the war at the expense of our people's blood."

As the Israeli military continues its bombardment of the Gaza Strip, the humanitarian situation has rapidly deteriorated. The Palestinian Health Ministry reports that over 400 civilians have been killed since the escalation, including more than 174 children.

The strikes have left more than 560 others injured, raising alarms about the scale of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the territory.

The United Nations agency for children, UNICEF, has described the situation as "beyond horrifying," with reports indicating that many strikes have targeted makeshift shelters where families sought refuge.

The UN agency urged Israel to reinstate the ceasefire and allow for the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, warning that Gaza's one million children are now trapped in even greater fear and danger.

Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at Defense for Children International-Palestine(DCIP), lamented, "Today marks one of the largest one-day child death tolls in Gaza in history," labeling the ongoing violence as a "death warrant for Palestinian children."

More than 18,000 Palestinian children have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, according to the Ministry of Health.

"The true death toll is likely to be much higher, and children continue to suffer from serious communicable and preventable conditions like hypothermia, malnutrition, dehydration, and scabies," the DCIP official said.

The humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by the blockade of lifesaving aid, with essential supplies running dangerously low. The main desalination plant in Gaza has also lost electricity, curtailing access to clean drinking water for the already beleaguered population.

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Secretary Rubio's Meeting with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Peters

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

March 19, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters yesterday. The Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister discussed avenues for strengthening defense cooperation through burden sharing, allowing our militaries to work more closely together, and ensuring security and economic strength in the Pacific region. Both parties discussed our valued trade relationship, with the Secretary noting about maritime challenges, that the ultimate trade barrier is the inability to transit sea lanes. Also emphasized was the importance of cooperation on emerging technologies, and in particular New Zealand's space sector. The meeting reaffirmed the strong U.S.-New Zealand partnership and shared commitment to regional stability.

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Gaza: 'Dramatic escalation' as bombardments intensify and displacement surges

19 March 2025 - Israeli bombardments continued across Gaza on Wednesday, killing hundreds more people - many of them women and children - and leaving widespread destruction in its wake, according to local authorities.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that leaflets were dropped over Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in the shattered-north, as well as eastern Khan Younis in the south, ordering residents once again to leave their homes.

UN Special Advisers Virginia Gamba and Mo Bleeker warned of an alarming and potentially "irreversible" escalation as Israel intensifies pressure on Hamas to release hostages.

"Thousands of people have already been displaced", said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq briefing journalists in New York.

No safe place to go

As strikes continue following the collapse of the two-month ceasefire, families are scrambling to find shelter.

In southern Gaza, UN humanitarian partners reported that many have fled from east to west Khan Younis, seeking shelter with relatives or in open areas.

In Rafah, growing numbers of displaced people are moving back toward the Mawasi area and other locations along the coast, while in the north, those escaping Beit Hanoun have sought safety in UNRWA-run schools in western Gaza City or in Beit Lahiya.

Meanwhile, OCHA warned that Israeli military operations are expanding into new areas.

On Wednesday morning, "Israeli forces raided Ein Beit el Ma refugee camp in Nablus, ordering five families to vacate their homes, which were turned into military zones," said Mr. Haq.

The families were told not to return for three days. Fearing an extended operation in the camp, about 45 additional families have pre-emptively fled, he added.

The blockade continues

The closure of crossings into Gaza - now in its 18th day - is "severely disrupting relief operations and worsening an already catastrophic situation," noted Mr. Haq.

Humanitarian organizations warned that food, potable water, clothing and blankets are in critically short supply.

UN partners working in food security reported that food distributions have been disrupted due to the deteriorating security situation and the proximity of distribution points to evacuation zones.

Around 30 community kitchens providing cooked meals were forced to shut down on Tuesday, and those in east Khan Younis and North Gaza remained closed on Wednesday.

Education has also been affected, with learning activities in 163 temporary learning spaces suspended, leaving thousands of students without access to education.

Immediate steps

With conditions in Gaza deteriorating by the hour, UN officials are urging all parties to take immediate steps to protect civilians, halt the violence, and work toward a political solution.

"It is essential that the mutual imperatives of the peace process, integrating aspects of prevention and protection are prioritised urgently," Mr. Dujarric emphasised.

Without urgent intervention, officials warn that the humanitarian crisis will only deepen, with devastating consequences for those caught in the crossfire.

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Statement on Gaza by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, 19 March 2025

UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

The killing of a United Nations colleague and injuries to five others in strikes on our - clearly designated - UN compound in Gaza are infuriating. We grieve with the family of our colleague. And, on their behalf and for those who continue the work, we demand answers.

International law is clear. Civilians - including UN staff and humanitarian workers - must not be targeted. The international community must join us in insisting on a genuine investigation and accountability.

Yesterday, in one of the single deadliest days in Gaza, hundreds of people - many of them children - were also killed in airstrikes. And, as I set out to the Security Council yesterday, for nearly three weeks Gaza has now been completely sealed off to food, medicine, fuel, cooking gas.

The gains we made during the ceasefire in supporting survivors have been reversed. Families are being forced to move, and living once again in fear of bombardment and death.

The blockade of lifesaving aid must be lifted.

The hostages must be released.

Civilians must be protected.

The ceasefire must be renewed.



19 March 2025

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US, JGSDF strengthen interoperability during Airborne 25

Published March 19, 2025

By Senior Airman Natalie Doan, 374th Airlift Wing

374th Airlift Wing

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) -- U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron supported the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force 1st Airborne Brigade by delivering 215 Japanese paratroopers over the East Fuji Maneuver Area in Gotemba City, Japan, March 4, as part of exercise Airborne 25.

Airborne is an annual large-scale exercise that integrates air and ground forces from the U.S. and Japan. This year's iteration featured six U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules, with 36th AS aircrews working to insert JGSDF Soldiers into a simulated contested area. The scenario tested the ability of U.S.-Japan forces to secure territory in the event of a contingency and underscored the collaborative effort between both countries to strengthen combat readiness.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Zachary Riley, 36th AS C-130J pilot and Airborne 25 mission commander, emphasized the importance of this event.

"Airborne is a great opportunity for us and the JGSDF to work together at the most fundamental, tactical level," Riley said. "We have a lot of cooperation between higher level leadership, but exercises like Airborne allow us to actually test our capabilities as an Air Force supporting a ground unit. It's important for us to stay sharp on all our procedures and to work more efficiently with the JGSDF every single time."

Prior to the personnel drop, members of the 374th Airlift Wing and 1st Airborne Brigade met to discuss the details of Airborne 25. Leaders from both forces reviewed the training scenario developed by U.S.-Japan operations personnel and addressed how they would mitigate various threats and work together to accomplish mission objectives.

For Riley and members of the 36th AS, this provided valuable insight into joint operations.

"Working with the JGSDF helps us better understand each other's language and priorities," Riley said. "It's about recognizing what matters to an army unit versus an Air Force unit and highlighting those differences. Overcoming those challenges and working together to find efficient solutions is invaluable."

The execution of Airborne 25 reinforced the partnership between the 36th AS and 1 AB as they demonstrated their ability to operate in a joint environment. As both forces continue to refine interoperability, exercises like Airborne play a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

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US bombers complete latest European Bomber Task Force 25-2 deployment

Published March 19, 2025

U.S. Air Force in Europe - Air Forces Africa Public Affairs

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- After weeks of dynamic training and integration across Europe, Africa and the Middle East, four U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers and aircrews completed Bomber Task Force 25-2 deployment operations and returned to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, March 17.

While deployed, the aircraft operated as the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron out of RAF Fairford, United Kingdom. In total, the squadron completed 13 operational missions with more than 20 allies and partners, including air and land forces from Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

"Bomber Task Force missions reinforce our ability to rapidly project combat power, demonstrating U.S. lethality and readiness in a dynamic security environment," said Maj. Gen. Joseph Campo, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration. "Training alongside our allies and partners ensures seamless integration, enhancing deterrence and warfighting capability across Europe, Africa and beyond."

Aircrews executed high-end training missions like Fortress Hail, which enabled dynamic targeting alongside NATO forces over the Baltic Sea, followed by GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions drops that were guided by U.S. and Finnish joint terminal attack controllers at the Rovajarvi Range in Finland.

The B-52s also participated in long-range strike, air-to-air integration and close air support missions, culminating in a historic low-pass over the Swedish Parliament to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Sweden's accession to NATO.

BTF iterations remain a visible symbol of combat readiness, lethality and commitment, enabling the Department of Defense to achieve 'Peace through Strength.'

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USAF, ROKAF, USN F-35s integrate during FS25

Published March 19, 2025

By Maj. Rachel Buitrago

7th Air Force

OSAN AIR BASE, GYEONGGIDO, South Korea (AFNS) -- U.S. Air Force and Republic of Korea Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs joined a U.S. Navy F-35C Lightning II for integration training during exercise Freedom Shield 25, March 13.

During the training, the F-35C, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97, integrated with two U.S. F-35As assigned to the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and two ROKAF F-35As assigned to the 17th Fighter Wing, conducting a combined operation in support of FS25. The event highlighted the capability of U.S. and ROK forces to seamlessly integrate air, ground and maritime operations, reinforcing their enhanced combined defense posture.

The joint, all-domain nature of FS25 challenges forces to respond to dynamic threats across ground, air, naval, space, and cyber elements, enhancing combat readiness and ensuring that both nations are prepared for any crisis. The participation of naval aircraft from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) brought a critical maritime element to the live-fly events of the exercise, enabling the full rehearsal of air component assets to achieve combatant commander priorities.

Prior to the joint training event, the ROKAF and USAF F-35As participated in dynamic targeting and aerial refueling training, validating the capability of ROK and U.S. Air Forces, to find, fix, and defeat a range of threats.

"Rehearsing combat operations with ROKAF, USAF, and United States Navy fifth-generation aircraft demonstrates the unmatched, high level of readiness and capability of our forces," said Lt. Gen. David Iverson, Seventh Air Force commander. "By integrating our advanced forces and weapons across all domains, we're demonstrating our combined commitment and ability to defend the peace and stability of the peninsula."

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USNS John Lewis Completes First Fleet Tasked Underway Replenishment

US Navy

19 March 2025

From Sarah Cannon, Military Sealift Command Pacific

Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler, USNS John Lewis (T-AO 205) became the first ship in the new John Lewis class to conduct a fleet task under Commander, U.S. Third Fleet, by refueling the U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) of the coast of Southern California Saturday.

Christened at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, Calif., in 2021, Lewis has been operating in the Military Sealift Command Pacific (MSCPAC) area of operations as an MSC tasked ship. Lewis was officially introduced to Third Fleet as a trained and certified ship on March 10, 2025, with Saturday's UNREP, the first fleet tasking, as the ship becomes fleet operational. Certified "Ready for Tasking", Lewis will depart on its first deployment later this year.

"Providing logistics services to the Navy is the bedrock mission of MSC," said Nikki Phelps, MSCPAC's deputy operations officer. "Having USNS John Lewis certified for tasking, providing support to Third Fleet, gives the United States another asset to provide logistics services in a timely, safe and professional manner that MSC is known for throughout the Navy and throughout the world. This is a very positive step in the life of this ship and its fellow ships in the class."

The 746 foot Lewis is the first ship of the John Lewis-class previously known as the TAO(X). This class of oilers has the ability to carry 162,000 barrels of diesel ship fuel, aviation fuel and dry stores cargo. The upgraded oiler is built with double hulls to protect against oil spills and strengthened cargo and ballast tanks. The Lewis-class oilers will replace the current Kaiser Class fleet replenishment oilers as they age out of the MSC fleet.

MSC directs and supports operations for approximately 140 civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships at sea, conduct specialized missions, preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, perform a variety of support services, and move military equipment and supplies to deployed U.S. forces. MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and reserve military personnel.

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Australia, India, Japan, Korea, and the U.S. Complete Multinational Exercise Sea Dragon 2025

US Navy

19 March 2025

From Commander, Task Force 72 Public Affairs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- Exercise Sea Dragon 2025 (SD25) successfully concluded at Andersen Air Force Base , Guam, marking the completion of two weeks of intensive multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training, March 18, 2025.

Hosted by Commander, Task Force (CTF) 72, the exercise brought together participants from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Indian Navy (IN), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), and the United States Navy.

Two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 and Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 participated in the exercise. Allied and partner aircraft participating in this exercise included the RAAF P-8A Poseidon, JMSDF Kawasaki P-1, ROKN P-3 Orion, and IN P-8I Neptune. SD25 focused on enhancing ASW proficiency and multinational collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.

Exercises like SD25 demonstrate the U.S. Navy's commitment to regional security and strengthening maritime partnerships with allied and partner nations.

"CTF 72 was proud to host Sea Dragon 2025 from Andersen AFB, Guam," said Lt. Cmdr. Dan O'Keefe, assigned to Theater Security Cooperation, CTF 72. "This annual, multilateral ASW exercise included a competition phase and provided an opportunity for continuous multilateral ASW prosecution against simulated targets."

SD25 featured a structured training format to include a mobile ASW training target, the MK-30 "SLED" for tracking drills, and a U.S. Navy anti-submarine warfare exercise (ASWEX) where exercise participants tracked a live U.S. Navy submarine. This structure enabled aircrews to develop their ASW expertise progressively while ensuring seamless, international mission coordination.

"Operating alongside partner nations' maritime patrol forces strengthens security and cooperation, contributing to a free and open Indo-Pacific," said O'Keefe. "The high level of coordination and skill displayed throughout the exercise underscores our commitment to shared regional security."

As with previous years, SD25 included a competitive component in which each nation's performance was assessed and graded to earn the Dragon Belt award, testing each nation's ASW tactics and response effectiveness in a realistic scenario.

This year, the RAAF emerged victorious, securing the Dragon Belt for 2025.

The "War Eagles" of VP-16, part of CTF 72, are stationed in Jacksonville, Florida, and are currently deployed to Misawa Air Base in Misawa, Japan. The "Golden Swordsmen" of VP-47, also part of CTF 72, are stationed in Whidbey Island, Washington, and are currently deployed to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. Throughout the deployment, both squadrons will continue conducting maritime patrol, reconnaissance, and theater outreach operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

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US stages fresh attacks on Yemen as Trump vows to 'annihilate' Ansarullah in support of Israel

Iran Press TV

Thursday, 20 March 2025 3:00 AM

The United States has engaged in fresh military escalation against Yemen after President Donald Trump vowed to destroy the Arab Peninsula nation's Ansarullah popular resistance movement, which has served as an instrumental force in regional retaliation for rampant aggression by the Israeli regime, Washington's closest ally.

On Thursday, it was reported that American warplanes had carried out fresh bombing against Yemen's port city of al-Hudaydah and the city of Sa'ada in the country's farthest-lying northwestern areas.

"They will be completely annihilated!" Trump had earlier written on his Truth Social media platform, referring to Ansarullah.

Also on Thursday, the Israeli regime reported that missile sirens had rang out throughout the Shfela region and the holy occupied city of al-Quds and their surroundings in the central part of the occupied Palestinian territories.

Resistance media outlets, meanwhile, reported that sirens had gone off across huge swathes of the territories, from al-Quds to the city of Tel Aviv.

The developments came after Yemen's Armed Forces resumed their anti-Israeli operations at the discretion of Ansarullah's leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi.

Houthi had set the Israeli regime a four-day deadline to open the Gaza Strip's crossings to let in vital aid into the Palestinian territory. Tel Aviv has closed off the terminals amid its deadly attacks against the coastal sliver.

The regime, however, missed the deadline, prompting the Armed Forces to resume a ban on Israeli and Israeli-affiliated vessels' crossing key waterways off Yemen's coastline.

On Saturday, Trump issued an executive order mandating deployment of "overwhelming lethal force" against Yemen. He, however, did not mention the Israeli regime and Yemen's anti-Israeli operations, instead accusing Sana'a of disrupting international navigation.

This is while, Yemeni authorities have repeatedly asserted that the country's strikes were only aimed at Israeli targets.

Over Saturday and Sunday alone, as many as 53 Yemeni civilians, including women and children, were killed in American airstrikes hitting purely civilian targets throughout entire Yemen, despite Trump's assertions that the US's aggression was aimed at Ansarullah.

Also on Thursday, the US president alleged, despite the American strikes' toll on non-combatants, that the Yemeni movement had suffered "tremendous damage."

"And watch how it will get progressively worse -- It's not even a fair fight, and never will be," he wrote.

Yemen has, nevertheless, asserted that it would keep up its support for Gaza and confront the American aggression no matter its intensity.

On Wednesday, the Yemeni Armed Forces' spokesman Yahya Saree underscored that "the American aggression will not deter Yemen from fulfilling its religious, moral, and humanitarian duties towards the Palestinian people."

He, meanwhile, confirmed that the forces had initiated "escalation of military operations against the Zionist enemy unless the brutal aggression on Gaza stops and the siege is lifted."

His remarks came two days after the Israeli regime resumed its war of genocide against Gaza, killing close to 1,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, in addition to the roughly 48,000, who had perished as a result of the war since its onset in October 2023.

Trump, meanwhile, repeated his allegations against Iran of arming the Yemeni forces, a claim that has been unexceptionally rejected by the Islamic Republic. "Iran must stop the sending of these Supplies IMMEDIATELY," the American head of state claimed.

Most recently, Iranian envoy to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani denounced all such accusations as "baseless."

"I wish to express my deep concern and unequivocal condemnation of recent belligerent statements by senior officials of the United States administration, including the president of the United States," Iravani wrote in a letter to the UN Security Council.

The claims, he said, had been made "while they (the American officials) were attempting desperately to unlawfully justify the US's acts of aggression and war crimes against Yemen, leveling baseless accusations against the Islamic Republic of Iran and openly threatening the use of force against Iran."



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Russo-Ukraine War - 19 March 2025 - Day 1120

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 127 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.

Russian invaders launched one missile strike using one rocket and 57 air strikes using 84 air strikes. In addition, 973 kamikaze drones were recruited to strike and carried out more than 4500 shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian opponent attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of vovchansk and dvoricnoi. The Defense Forces successfully repelled five attempts of the opponent to advance.

In the Kupians komu direction, Russian forces carried out six offensive actions near Zagrizovoye and Petropavlivka. Ukrainian units have already stopped five attacks of the enemy, one battle is ongoing.

In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders 13 times stormed the positions of Defense Forces near Yampolivka and in the direction of settlements Nove, Novomikhailivka, Green Valley. Three clashes are still going.

In the Siversky direction, Russian forces once stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the area of the settlement of Verkhnyokamianske, the attack repelled.

Since the beginning of the day in the Kramators komu direction, Russian forces attacked in the directions of Oleksandro-Shultiny, Minkivka and Novomarkovy, three attempts by the Russians to appease Ukrainian defenders from the occupied positions were unsuccessful, one confrontation is still ongoing.

16 boezitknen  took place in the Toretsky direction today. Russian forces stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Crimea, Toretsk, Dachny and Diliivka.

In the Pokrovsky direction, since the beginning of this day, the Russian enemy attacked 44 times in the areas of settlements Tarasivka, Elizavetivka, Beam, Lisivka, Novoukrainka, Kotline, Zvirove, Udacne, Uspenivka, Preobrazhenka, Oleksiyivka, Valentinivka, Andriyivka and in the direction of Sergiyivka. Ukrainian defenders have repelled 39 attacks, five more clashes continue so far. The air strikes of kabama were suffered by zorya, new poltavka, hrodivka and pokrovsk.

Today, according to preliminary data, 281 Russian occupants were defecated in this direction, of which 152 - irrevocably. In addition, Ukrainian soldiers destroyed a tank, three BMPs, two satellite terminals, a cannon, two units of automobile equipment, a mortar, seven motorcycles and five UAV control points, also damaged one tank, two BMPs and a car of the Russian occupiers.

In the Novopavliv direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 11 attacks of Russian zagarbnikiv in the areas of Privilny and Konstantinopol.

In the direction of Gulyaipil, the Russian opponent tried to advance in the direction of Novopol three times unsuccessfully. The aviation of Russian terrorists struck the areas of populated areas of Velikomikhailivka and Green Field.

Ukrainian defenders repelled seven attacks in the area of Stepovoye and towards settlements Lobkove and Scherbaky. Russian forces dropped kabi around the areas of clear polyana, blue and novoivanivka.

In the pridniprovsk direction, Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions, however, made air strikes in the areas of burgunki and virivka.

In Kurshchina, the Defense Forces repelled 18 assault actions of Russian invaders, three more attacks are ongoing so far. Also the enemy caused 18 aviacijnih strikes, applied at this 20 kab, and made 290 shelling, 11 of which are from rszv.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Belgorod direction, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one heavy mechanised brigade, two air assault brigades, and two assault regiments of the AFU near Maryino, Petrushevka, and Ugroyedy (Sumy region).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 70 troops, three tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, 11 armoured fighting vehicles, three counterobstacle vehicles, seven motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns.

Units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade and one assault brigade of the AFU near Zeleny Gai, Druzhelyubovka (Kharkov region), and Novoye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to more than 250 troops, three armoured personnel carriers, including two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, one armoured fighting vehicle, nine motor vehicles, three field artillery guns, and three ammunition depots.

Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on formations of five mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one guard brigade of the AFU General Staff, one AFU UAV brigade, and one national guard brigade near Seversk, Verkhnekamenskoye, Poltavka, Zelenoye Pole, Dzerzhinsk, Novomarkovo, Kramatorsk, Chasov Yar, and Ivanopolye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 270 troops, one tank, ten motor vehicles, and one field artillery gun.

Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line. Losses were inflicted on formations of five mechanised brigades, two jaeger brigades, one assault brigade, one assault regiment of the AFU, and one marine brigade near Shevchenko, Zverevo, Sribnoye, Yelizavetovka, Krasnoarmeysk, Zaporozhye, Udachnoye, and Uspenovka (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 465 troops, four Kozak armoured fighting vehicles, five motor vehicles, and five artillery guns.



Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing into the depth of enemy defences. Losses were inflicted on formations of one mechanised brigade, one airmobile brigade, and one assault regiment of the AFU near Bogatyr, Fedorovka, and Vesyoloye (Donetsk People's Republic).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 145 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, four motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns.

Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of two coastal defence brigades of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade near Pridneprovskoye, Ponyatovka, Sadovoye, and Antonovka (Kherson region).

The AFU losses amounted to up to 45 troops, one tank, three motor vehicles, and one electronic warfare station.

Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack drones, Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces delivered strikes at infrastructure objects of military airfields, UAV depots, ammunition and material depots, as well as engaged manpower and hardware clusters of AFU formations and foreign mercenaries in 146 areas.

Air defence and electronic warfare units shot down and suppressed 142 fixed-wing UAV, with 61 of them outside the special military operation zone.

In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the AFU losses amounted to 658 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 47,353 unmanned aerial vehicles, 601 anti-aircraft missile systems, 22,344 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,529 MLRS combat vehicles, 22,700 field artillery guns and mortars, 33,050 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.

In the course of offensive actions, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one mechanised brigade, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, and two territorial defence brigades of the AFU near Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, and Oleshnya.

Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery strikes inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Gogolevka, Gornal, Guyevo, Oleshnya as well as Basovka, Belovody, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Loknya, Miropolye, Novenkoye, Stepok, Ugroyedy, and Yunakovka (Sumy region).

Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 230 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, seven motor vehicles, one artillery gun, one mortar, and six UAV command posts.

In total, since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 68,630 troops, 398 tanks, 320 infantry fighting vehicles, 289 armoured personnel carriers, 2,204 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,473 motor vehicles,567 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, 18 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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High-Ranking MS-13 Leader Arraigned in Long Island Federal Court on Terrorism and Racketeering Charges After His Arrest in Mexico

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs



Defendant, Who Was Added to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List in February, Was a Founding Member of the Transnational Criminal Organization's Ranfla en las Calles Leadership Structure

Earlier today, a high-ranking leader of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, was arraigned on a four-count indictment charging him, along with a dozen other high-ranking MS-13 leaders, with directing the transnational criminal organization's unlawful activities in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, and elsewhere over the past two decades.

Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, also known as Veterano de Tribus, 47, of Ahuachapan, El Salvador, and Veracruz, Mexico, had been a fugitive for nearly three years and was added to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List last month. He was arrested on March 18 at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego, California. Roman-Bardales had been located and arrested by Mexican authorities in Veracruz on March 17, and after it was determined that he was an El Salvadoran citizen with no valid status in Mexico, he was expelled from Mexico.

"MS-13 is a terrorist organization and this case reflects the Department of Justice's ironclad commitment to putting terrorists behind bars," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Members of MS-13 and similar groups should live in fear knowing that we will hunt them down, prosecute them, and deliver swift American justice for their heinous crimes."

"The prosecution in the Eastern District of New York of this international fugitive, who is one of the most senior leaders of the MS-13 in the world, is another momentous step in the dismantling of this evil criminal enterprise, whose bloodshed and reign of terror traverses all boundaries," stated U.S. Attorney John J. Durham for the Eastern District of New York. "Thanks to the relentless and brave work of U.S. law enforcement, he will soon face reckoning in a courtroom on Long Island where his transnational criminal organization has impacted so many communities."

As set forth in court filings, Roman-Bardales and his co-defendants are part of MS-13's command and control structure, consisting of the Ranfla Nacional, Ranfla en Las Calles, and Ranfla en Los Penales. They exercise significant leadership roles in the organization's operations in El Salvador, Mexico, the United States, and throughout the world. Roman-Bardales was himself a founding member of the Ranfla en las Calles, and oversaw the "Western Zone" of MS-13 in El Salvador. In the related case of United States v. Henriquez, et al., a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York previously indicted 14 members of the Ranfla Nacional, who functioned as MS-13's "Board of Directors." Formal extradition requests have been submitted by the United States and remain pending for 11 of those defendants who either are or were in custody in El Salvador.

As further alleged, the defendants have engaged in a litany of violent terrorist activities aimed at influencing the policies of the government of El Salvador (GOES) and at obtaining benefits and concessions from GOES; targeting GOES law enforcement and military officials; employing terrorist tactics such as the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and grenades; operating military-style training camps for firearms and explosives; using public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations; using violence to obtain and control territory; and manipulating the electoral process in El Salvador.

Further, these defendants authorized and directed violence in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere as part of a concerted effort to expand MS-13's influence and territorial control. As the leaders of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization, these defendants were an integral part of the leadership chain responsible for supervising MS-13 cliques in the United States that engaged in extreme violence, including countless murders, attempted murders, assaults, and related offenses. For example, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has prosecuted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates for carrying out more than 80 murders in the Eastern District of New York between 2009 and the present.

Several of these defendants, including Roman-Bardales, coordinated MS-13's expansion into Mexico (the Mexico Program), at the direction of the Ranfla Nacional, which was a coordinated effort to maintain MS-13's continuity of operations in response to law enforcement pressure previously exerted by the United States and GOES. Additionally, Roman-Bardales and the Mexico Program forged alliances with Mexican cartels, and engaged in narcotics trafficking, immigrant smuggling, extortion, kidnappings, and weapons trafficking. As alleged in the indictment, the MS-13's Mexico Program murdered some migrants bound for the United States, including suspected members of the rival 18th Street gang and MS-13 members attempting to flee MS-13 in El Salvador without permission. Drug trafficking was an important part of MS-13's moneymaking operation, especially in Mexico, and the defendants used MS-13's large membership in the United States to generate financial support for MS-13's terrorist activities in El Salvador.

Roman-Bardales is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to provide and conceal material support and resources to terrorists, narco-terrorism conspiracy and alien smuggling conspiracy. Today's proceeding was held before U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack. Roman-Bardales was ordered detained pending trial in the Eastern District of New York. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or the possibility of the death penalty.

This case was brought by Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was created to combat MS-13 and is comprised of U.S. Attorney's Offices across the country, including the Eastern District of New York; the Eastern District of Texas; the Southern District of New York; the District of Massachusetts; the District of New Jersey; the Northern District of Ohio; the District of Utah; the Southern District of Florida; the Eastern District of Virginia; the Southern District of California; the District of Nevada; the District of Alaska; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice's National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; HSI; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Bureau of Prisons; and the U.S. Agency for International Development, Office of Inspector General have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV's investigations.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America and an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The FBI's San Diego Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Suffolk County Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego. The Justice Department thanks its Mexican law enforcement partners.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justina L. Geraci, Paul G. Scotti, and Megan E. Farrell for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Kerryanne Ucci and Automated Litigation Specialist Michael Compitello.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Topics: Operation Take Back America

Counterterrorism

Violent Crime

Components: Office of the Attorney General

Criminal Division

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

National Security Division (NSD)

Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces

USAO - New York, Eastern

Press Release Number: 25-278

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Terrorism remains an evolving challenge, use of advanced tech necessitates collaborative & action-oriented approach, says Defence Secretary at 14th meeting of ADMM-Plus Experts Working Group on Counter-Terrorism

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Calls for developing a 'whole of government and whole of society' approach to counter radicalisation & violent extremism and enhancing legal & financial frameworks to disrupt terror financing networks

Posted On: 19 MAR 2025 5:34PM by PIB Delhi

"India remains steadfast in its zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and believes in an approach that combines robust domestic mechanisms, enhanced intelligence-sharing, and strong regional cooperation," said Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh during the keynote address at the 14th meeting of ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) - Plus Experts Working Group (EWG) on Counter-Terrorism in New Delhi on March 19, 2025.

The Defence Secretary stated that terrorism remains a dynamic & evolving challenge, with threats increasingly transcending borders, and the use of advanced technology, cyber tools & unmanned systems by terrorist groups necessitates a cohesive, forward looking and action-oriented approach. He added that the Indo-Pacific region, given its geopolitical and economic significance, is particularly vulnerable to transitional terrorism and violent extremism, which calls for a comprehensive, adaptive, and deeply collaborative response.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasised that, through the ADMM-Plus platform, India seeks to build synergy among the defence forces, security agencies, and policy frameworks to address emerging threat effectively. "In the complex, hyper-connected & fast-paced world, social and ecological systems are fragile. It is important to assess this risk to empower the Governments in priority setting and decision making. Terrorism can destabilise governments, undermine civil society, and threaten social & economic development. We have a collective obligation to provide the decision-makers guidance to understand uncertainty and better weigh the impact on decision making," he said.

The event witnessed the handing over of ADMM-Plus EWG on Counter-Terrorism chairmanship to India and Malaysia from Russia and Myanmar for a three-year cycle. The Defence Secretary voiced the commitment of the new co-chairs towards ensuring that the efforts over this cycle yield practical and meaningful results. "By leveraging our collective expertise, enhancing capacity-building, and fostering deeper trust and cooperation, we can significantly strengthen regional security and counter-terrorism preparedness," he said.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh stated that in the present cycle of EWG on Counter-Terrorism, the focus will be on strengthening regional cooperation and improving interoperability among the Armed Forces through structured joint initiatives. He added that the aim will be to counter the misuse of emerging technologies and addressing threats posed by terrorists through use of AI-driven propaganda, encrypted communications, drone technologies. Strengthening cyber resilience against online radicalisation and recruitment efforts will also be a focus area, he said.

Towards the latter half of the cycle, the Defence Secretary said, work will be carried out together towards capacity building through practical exercises wherein Malaysia will conduct a Table-Top Exercise in 2026, facilitating strategic-level decision making simulations to improve Counter-Terrorism planning and preparedness. In 2027, India will host a Field Training Exercise, aimed at stimulating real-world Counter-Terrorism scenarios, enhancing operational coordination, and testing rapid response mechanisms. He called for developing a whole of government and whole of society approach to counter radicalisation & violent extremism and enhancing legal & financial frameworks to disrupt terror financing networks.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh congratulated Malaysia for assuming the chairmanship of ASEAN for the year 2025, extending India's full support. He acknowledged Malaysia's effort in effectively steering ASEAN under the current geopolitical scenario with the theme 'Inclusivity and Sustainability'. He added that India is privileged to co-chair this crucial initiative alongside Malaysia, and appreciates the participation of representatives from the ASEAN member states, the Plus nations, the ASEAN Secretariat, and Timor-Leste. "Your presence reaffirms our shared commitment in combating terrorism in all its forms," he said.

The Defence Secretary termed India's relationship with ASEAN as a key pillar of its foreign policy, which is at the heart of Act East Policy. He reiterated India's strong support to a stable and unified ASEAN which serves as an institutional anchor of an important region.

Delegations from 10 ASEAN members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand) and eight dialogue partners (Australia, New Zealand, RoK, Japan, China, USA and Russia) along with Timor Leste and ASEAN Secretariat are participating in the meeting. India is co-chairing the EWG on Counter-Terrorism for the first time.

***

VK/Savvy

(Release ID: 2112877)

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NATO Innovation Hackathon recognises advanced technologies for defence

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

18 Mar. 2025

Last updated: 19 Mar. 2025

From 11 to 18 March 2025, NATO and the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) brought together more than 60 companies from across the Alliance to compete in the first NATO Innovation Hackathon. The aim was to uncover new technological solutions to improve intelligence gathering and Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) and electronic warfare system detection, including in degraded visual environments, such as at night.

Challenges run during the competition were directly drawn from those faced daily in war zones such as Ukraine. To address these challenges, contestants were assisted by mentors from DIANA and the Ukrainian innovation ecosystem.

The hackathon rewarded ten companies for their proposed technological solutions in areas such as AI, acoustic sensors, robotics and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) detection. In addition to up to 20,000 EUR funding, the winning teams were also offered the opportunity to further engage with DIANA.

The NATO Innovation Hackathon underscores NATO's commitment to accelerating the development and adoption of innovative defence technologies. It also contributes to the implementation of the NATO-Ukraine Innovation Cooperation Roadmap and actively supports Ukraine's needs from the battlefield.

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March 19, 2025

By C. Todd Lopez, DOD News

DOD's Acquisition Community Already Working on Golden Dome, Big Team Effort Required

Earlier this month, President Donald J. Trump told Congress and Americans the U.S. would pursue a Golden Dome, similar to Israel's Iron Dome air defense system, designed to protect against inbound missile attacks.

The Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment is working with partner agencies, including the Missile Defense Agency and the military services, to make that happen, said Steven J. Morani, currently performing the duties of undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment yesterday at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington.

"Consistent with protecting the homeland and per President Trump's [executive order], we're working with the industrial base and [through] supply chain challenges associated with standing up the Golden Dome," Morani said.

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan wanted to build such an air defense system, but technology wasn't available at the time to bring that project to fruition. Morani said the challenge would be formidable and require a lot of teamwork.

"This is like the monster systems engineering problem. This is the monster integration problem," he said. "This is going to be layers of architecture working together at all group level elevations ... to protect the United States ... so we're going to need all the services and agencies that do this kind of work to step up."

Morani said the acquisitions and sustainment community is focused on meeting the president's request for the Golden Dome while realigning also to meet Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's priorities. Among those priorities are reviving the warrior ethos, rebuilding the military by matching threats to capabilities and re-establishing deterrence to defend the homeland.

"[We're] wasting no time in moving out and taking this new direction by the president and the secretary," he said.

The office, Morani added, is also determining how to shift people, resources and priorities toward providing better support directly to the warfighter.

"[We're] looking at ways to streamline and remove some red tape," he said. Part of that includes looking at the department's real estate portfolio and reducing or eliminating what is not needed.

He said the A&S community is playing a key role in developing the department's FY2026 budget proposal, one that aligns with the president and secretary's priorities.

"There is a rigorous analytic process underway taking a relook at [the budget]," Morani said. "This is standard practice for any new administration that takes office."

Hegseth has said the department is examining the budget to refocus funding away from non-lethal programs and into programs that support the president's priorities for national defense; A&S is part of that process.

"We're relooking at some of the things we did in the past before we are going to put more money against them, and perhaps [what] we're going to stop doing," Morani said, adding it will be the secretary who makes any final decisions about how funding requests are prioritized.

Over the past eight weeks, A&S has focused on strengthening the defense industrial base and growing the department's ability to provide logistics and sustainment capability to the joint force.

Sustainment, Morani said, enhances deterrence.

"If a potential adversary knows that your logistics capabilities are robust ... and if you are in it for the long haul, they'll be less likely to engage in hostilities because they know that they'll not just be outgunned and outmaneuvered, but they're going to be out supplied," he said.

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Space Force Guardian returns to Earth after six-month space mission

United States Space Force

Published March 19, 2025

By Staff Sgt. Emmeline James

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- U.S. Space Force Col. Nick Hague returned to Earth following a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station, March 18, 2025.

Hague launched aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Sept. 28, 2024, as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission. His flight marked a significant moment in the history of the Space Force, as he became the first active-duty Guardian to fly to space and one of the first humans to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla.

"I never would have imagined that I was going to be the first Guardian to launch into space. I represent all those Guardians that are around the globe. I represent that entire family that brings so much to the table that lets us explore space and it's a thrill to be a part of that," he said.

"Welcome home, Nick, and congratulations on your second return from the ISS," said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. "We're all excited to have you back, and we're ready to leverage your experiences and expertise in the Space Force."

While aboard the space station, he participated in over 150 scientific investigations, completed a six-hour spacewalk, and interacted with students worldwide to discuss space exploration and technology.

During his mission, Hague took several significant items to space, including the official sheet music for the Space Force song "Semper Supra." The sheet music symbolized the branch's expanding presence in space and its commitment to safeguarding U.S. interests. He also brought mission patches and personal mementos to honor the service members, scientists and engineers who contribute to space operations.

"As the first member of the Space Force to launch into orbit, he embodies our Guardian Spirit," Saltzman said. "His dedication to scientific discovery is remarkable, his effort to inspire the next generation of space pioneers is commendable, and his commitment to serving our nation is unwavering. We're incredibly proud."

A key component of Hague's mission was his participation in more than 150 scientific experiments designed to advance human spaceflight and improve life on Earth. His research included blood clotting studies, microgravity plant growth, and vision changes in astronautsissues critical for future long-duration space missions. These studies aimed to improve medical treatments, enhance food sustainability in space and provide insights into how extended exposure to microgravity affects the human body.

"The experiments we are conducting on ISS are pushing the boundaries of science and solving real-world problems. Whether it's finding new treatments for diseases, discovering new material properties, learning to grow food more efficiently, or ensuring the health of future space explorers, the on-going research aboard the space station can and has improved life for everyone back on Earth," Hague said.

In addition to his scientific contributions, Hague participated in physical fitness activities aboard the space station, emphasizing the importance of astronaut health during long-duration missions. He took part in the Space Force T-Minus 10 Miler virtually, running 10 miles on the station's treadmill in approximately 90 minutes  the same time it takes for the orbiting laboratory to complete one orbit around Earth.

"I enjoyed virtually joining everyone at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla., for the T-10 Miler to kick off a week highlighting the 5th birthday of the Space Force. My race time comes with an asterisk if you consider the microgravity working in my favor! But like life, it's not about the time, but the distance covered and the perspective gained along the way," Hague said.

On Jan. 16, 2025, Hague conducted a six-hour spacewalk alongside an Expedition 72 crewmate. This extravehicular activity involved replacing a station component and servicing an external research instrument for space-based observations, ensuring the continued functionality of key space systems.

Throughout his mission, Hague connected with students worldwide, engaging with schools such as Iowa State University, the Denver School of Science and Technology, and Department of Defense Educational Activity schools. These live space-to-Earth calls allowed students to ask questions about space exploration, astronaut training, and scientific research in microgravity. Hague also answered prerecorded student inquiries about food production in space, CubeSat technology, and the potential for future space missions beyond low Earth orbit.

"Being able to engage with students and showcase the cutting-edge research taking place on space station is vital. In doing so, we underscore the opportunities a STEM education creates and the critical role STEM education plays in driving future innovation. We have to inspire the next generation of explorers, both for space and here on Earth, and let them see it is possible to turn their dreams into reality," Hague said.

Hague's return was initially scheduled for early March but was delayed due to adjustments in the Crew-10 mission timeline. He and his Crew-9 colleagues remained aboard the space station and continued their research supporting the station's operations. NASA astronaut Maj. Nichole Ayers, U.S. Air Force officer and F-22 Raptor pilot, arrived on station, March 16, 2025, as part of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission. Ayers took over operational duties and continued scientific research and experiments initiated by Hague and his crew.

Prior to launch, Ayers said she could not wait to high five Nick when she gets to the space station. "Getting to work with such an amazing human has been wonderful. In fact, there will be representatives from each of the service academies while we are there! Suni Williams is a Naval Academy Grad and Anne McClain (our Crew-10 commander) went to West Point. What a cool representation of our service academies and the opportunities we all have through our different services," Ayers said.

Hague and his crewmates returned aboard the Dragon spacecraft, which landed off the coast of Florida, March 18 at 5:57 p.m. (EDT). After landing, recovery teams assisted the crew which will undergo medical evaluations and post-mission debriefings.

As part of standard post-flight procedures, Hague will undergo physical rehabilitation to adjust to Earth's gravity and participate in briefings to share insights from his mission.

Hague has now logged more than 350 days in space across multiple missions. His time on the space station provided valuable data on astronaut health, supported international partnerships, and helped prepare for future missions beyond Earth's orbit.

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UN Group of Independent Experts: crimes against humanity committed in Belarus by authorities widely and systematically carrying out arbitrary detention and torture

Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

19.03.2025

On 19 March 2025 in Geneva, the United Nations Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus is presenting its first report to the UN Human Rights Council. Its aim was to examine the root causes of human rights violations committed in Belarus since the presidential "election" on 1 May 2020.

13,500 persons were arrested in more than 100 localities in the six days following the election. Within a year, the total number of people arrested and detained had reached over 37,000. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Lukashenko further reinforced his power by depriving members of the opposition of the right to take part in elections. Any dissent was suppressed through various restrictions, surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, and forced exile.

A conclusion by the Group of Experts: there are reasonable grounds to believe that detentions perpetrated by Belarusian authorities amount to a crime against humanity in that they were a part of a widespread and systematic attack against a specific segment of society, and the perpetrators were aware of the illegitimate nature of their action.

The Group of Experts was established in 2024, replacing an earlier mechanism on Belarus under the auspices of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, while being given a stronger mandate with greater powers. This coming autumn, the Group of Experts will also present its first report to the UN General Assembly. The Group of Experts is mandated to investigate, collect and document evidence of the violations of international law perpetrated by Belarusian authorities, as well as to identify those responsible with the aim of holding them accountable.

The experts also examined the historical causes of restrictions to fundamental freedoms and of State-sanctioned violence. After assuming power, Alexander Lukashenko restricted democratic structures in the country, seizing control over the legislative and judicial powers, curtailing civic and political rights, persecuting and intimidating human rights defenders. Already before the presidential "elections" of May 2020, the regime quelled peaceful protests against possible electoral fraud in the upcoming election with brutal repression.

The violent response by Belarusian authorities to mass protests following the 2020 presidential "election" was the latest manifestation of a long-standing pattern of a repressive policy. The wide-scale violations of human rights were possible due to absence of genuinely democratic institutions, the lack of an independent judiciary, perception of civil society as a threat by the ruling regime.

Violations of human rights committed by Belarusian authorities

Arbitrary detention - a repressive instrument constantly used by the Belarusian regime. People are being tried multiple times for the same "offences." Both prison sentences and fines are being imposed for individuals' online activities and for content deemed "extremist" by the authorities. Courts, ignoring signs of torture in detainees, have been issuing predetermined sentences to almost all defendants in expedited trials.

Torture and ill-treatment perpetrated by Belarusian authorities at all stages of detention. During detention and interrogation, the detainees were subjected to torture sessions lasting for several hours and consisting of rounds of beatings, kicks, electric shocks, and sexual violence. Political prisoners were also subjected to ill-treatment - sleep deprivation, exposure to constant artificial lighting and extreme temperatures, being kept in anti-sanitary cells, denied basic hygiene items and medical assistance. Political prisoners in penal colonies were found in breach of prison rules for made-up reasons and placed in solitary confinement for extended periods.

At the conclusion of its report, the Group of Experts sets out a number of recommendations to Belarus: among other things, to immediately release all political prisoners, re-engage with UN human rights mechanisms, cease using laws to silence dissent, end the use of torture and sexual violence, bring conditions in detention facilities into line with international standards, and properly investigate violations of human rights.

The Group of Experts recommends that the States Members of the United Nations keep the situation of Belarusian political prisoners high on the international agenda, work towards the accountability of alleged perpetrators, facilitate international protection of Belarusian refugees, and continue supporting Belarusian human rights organizations in exile.

The discussion with the Group of Experts on the said report will include statements by EU Member States, the Baltic states and Nordic countries (NB8), and the European countries. In all those formats, Latvia will strongly condemn the violations of human rights committed by Belarus on a long-standing basis.

At the conclusion of its 58th session in early April, the UN Human Rights Council is expected to adopt a resolution sponsored by EU Member States to extend the mandates of the Group of Experts and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus for another year.

Since 2024, the post of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus has been held by Nils Muiznieks, and he intends to present his first report at the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council this coming June.

See the full text of the report here

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UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for Interactive Dialogue with the Group of Experts on Belarus

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Group of Experts on Belarus. Delivered by the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

19 March 2025

Location: Geneva

Delivered on: 19 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you, Experts, for your report.

We continue to condemn human rights violations and the systematic repression of fundamental freedoms in Belarus.

We share your concern over the more than 1,200 political prisoners who are denied a fair trial, held in inhumane conditions, subject to ill-treatment, and denied adequate medical care. We acknowledge the pardoning of over 250 political prisoners since July 2024. However, arrests and political repression continue.

The reported increase of digital surveillance in Belarus, which has further restricted civil society and freedom of expression in both online and physical spaces, is troubling. As your report notes, the regime's repression extends beyond its own borders. The UK condemns reports of trials in absentia of Belarusian nationals.

On 27 January, the UK imposed new sanctions on six individuals and three entities, targeting leaders of institutions responsible for serious human rights violations and companies in the Belarusian defence sector supporting Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.

We stand with the Belarusian people and their right to live in a genuinely free and democratic environment, without fear or oppression.

Experts, how can we best demonstrate solidarity with those facing trials in absentia?

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Design phase and early construction for the Sherbrooke Armouries to begin this spring

National Defence

News release

March 19, 2025 - Sherbrooke, Quebec - National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Honourable Elisabeth Briere, Minister of Veteran Affairs and Minister Responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency, and Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke, on behalf of the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, announced the launch of the design phase for the Sherbrooke Armouries recapitalization project, an important step toward preserving the city's military heritage while providing modern facilities for our Reservists.

These armouries have held a special significance to the Sherbrooke community for generations. The Government of Canada is committed to preserving the historical value of the buildings in which they operate, while ensuring they meet operational needs of today's Reservists. Heritage consultants have been engaged in the process and the Department of National Defence (DND) continues to collaborate with the City of Sherbrooke on this transformation. While preserving the history and heritage of our Reserve units, the department is also providing Reservists in Sherbrooke with modern facilities that meet their long-term infrastructure needs.

This investment is part of Canada's renewed defence policy, Our North, Strong and Free, supporting the long-term growth of the Primary Reserve Force to 30,000 members. By modernizing these facilities, we are strengthening our Reserve Force, safeguarding our military history, and ensuring Sherbrooke's Reservists have the infrastructure they need for years to come.

Quotes

"Providing Sherbrooke's reservists with modern, well-equipped infrastructure and facilities is essential to ensuring they can train and serve effectively l for the future of our Canadian Armed Forces. This project strengthens our commitment to the Reserve Force while honouring the rich history of the armouries that have long been part of the community." The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence

"Today marks an important milestone in the preservation of our armouries in Sherbrooke. After four years of hard work alongside reservists, veterans, the city and the Sherbrooke community, I am very proud to have obtained the signature of phase 2 of the project, thus securing the completion of the work on the Belvedere Street and Williams Street Armouries. By providing our five reserve units with the facilities they need to continue their work, we recognize their contribution to defending our national security and sovereignty and ensuring the protection of the city's built heritage." The Honourable Elisabeth Briere, Minister of Veteran Affairs and Minister responsible for the Canada Revenue Agency, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke

"This project is about ensuring our Reservists have the modern facilities they need to train and serve while preserving an important part of Sherbrooke's history. It's also an investment in the local economy, supporting jobs and businesses throughout the construction process." The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton-Stanstead

Quick facts

This is one of many infrastructure investments for the Reserve Forces previously identified in the Reserve infrastructure investment program. DND also recently announced the start of phase 2 for construction work on the Halifax Armouries in Nova Scotia, and opened a newly built armoury in Levis, Quebec for the 58th Artillery Battery of 6th Field Artillery Regiment serving the 35 Canadian Brigade Group, an Army Reserve Formation of 2nd Canadian Division.

As part of a change order to the modified design build contract already in place with Pomerleau Inc. of Quebec, this portion of the contract will finalize designs and begin early construction for the renovation of the Colonel-Gaetan-Cote (Belvedere Street) and William Street Armouries. It will also include the design work for the third site once the land acquisition process is completed by DND.

These activities will begin this spring and take approximately two years to complete. The subsequent construction of the armouries is slated to begin in 2027.

The Belvedere Street and William Street Armouries have been closed since 2021 given the need for major repairs and restoration work on the buildings. The affected Reserve units will continue to work out of their leased facility on Woodward Street until these projects are completed.

The Belvedere Street Armoury was constructed in 1909 following plans prepared by Thomas Fuller, chief architect of the former Federal Department of Public Works. It was designated as a Recognized Federal Heritage Building in January 1991 and is the home of Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke and the 35e Regiment des transmissions. It also typically accommodates the Fusiliers' Regimental Museum, as well as local units of the Cadet program - one of the most important youth programs operated by the Government of Canada.

Originally built as a courthouse in 1841 following plans prepared by William Footner, the William Street armoury was acquired by the Crown in 1912, which saw the construction of an addition at the time. It is the home of the Sherbrooke Hussars and the 52e Ambulance de campagne.

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Chinese military strategy and global power projection topic of latest CASO panel

By Sarah Hauck, The Army University Public Affairs Office March 19, 2025

THE ARMY UNIVERSITY, FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas -- China continues to leech military and economic influence across the globe through soft and hard power engagements.

A continuation of the academic year's Command and General Staff College's Cultural and Area Studies Office panels focused on China as pacing threat and influence in the Indo-Pacific region, the discussion continued March 13 focused on China's military strategy and if its goal is in fact global power projection.

CASO panels provide valuable warfighter education opportunities, Col. Jason R. Rosenstrauch, Deputy Commandant, CGSC, explained during his opening remarks.

"Events like this allow us to get a little bit better when we're planning and trying to anticipate the moves and understand the underlying strategy of our adversaries," he said.

This panel was a continuation of the INDOPCOM focused events that have covered a number of aspects of China as a pacing threat.

Moderator and CASO Director Dr. Mahir Ibrahimov explained the PRC's objectives and a combination of soft and hard power means of expansion and influence, which was demonstrated on a map displayed during the event.

Panelists provided insight to Chinese shadow influence in Africa, diplomatic and economic presence (and impact of) in Thailand, and discussion on Chinese military strategy.

Lt. Col. Samual Short, Australian Army, CGSC's Department of Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Operations, explained China's military strategy, is frequently discussed as global power projection in as soon as five years.

However, its near-term goals are much smaller and closer to the command post than perceived.

Through the Chinese National Party Congress, conditions have been set to eventually become capable of being dominant force across the globe, Short explained, but that's not until 2049.

Until then, the goals include sovereignty from countries directly impacted by their military presence and influence at their borders.

Peripheries and sovereignty are pillars of the Chinese military strategy, Short said, landing them on the list of the Peoples Liberation Army's goals, which does not include global power project.

These two words, Short described, are what is being used within the governing bodies of China to create a clear path to future global power status.

"That's important to understand because that's their language when they're talking about the 5-year plans at the Party Congress," he said.

Short explained, China has spent nearly a decade reviewing, analyzing, and restructuring, focusing and organizing their military.

This intense internal review has sparked a drastic cultural change within the force making it more capable of being a global force, but in the future.

But China must first continue to stand its ground against geographic challenges with its neighbors like Russia and India pushing global dominance to the back burner for the time being.

Major pieces of China's on-ramp to future global power includes continued soft and hard power influences in areas such as Africa and Thailand.

Ambassador David Shinn, former director of the U.S. Department of State's, Office of East, Horn of Africa, and African Indians Ocean Island Affairs, highlighted China's efforts on the continent.

"Africa is important in all of this [global power project]," Shinn said. "It's a huge geographical obstacle between the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic and you've got to get over it or you've got to get around it".

China's presence mainly through peacekeeping operations demonstrates its understanding of the continent's importance in it's 5-year goal.

About 1,300 Chinese peacekeeping operators are currently spread across Africa, Shinn said, with a majority in the South Sudan region.

Although facing violence associated with the area, these peacekeepers are feathers in China's cap to positive influence on the African nations, Shinn explained.

Beyond regional stability, China boasts arms support in Africa, albeit behind near peer threat, Russia.

China is not a leader in some areas of influence in Africa, but their presence demonstrates its desire to compete in every environment.

"China's security engagement in Africa will increase," Shinn explained, noting their financial backing could allude to regional building and establishment of military bases of commercial use ports as focus shifts to Mediterranean and Atlantic naval activities.

Similarly, their stake in Africa, China manages economic and diplomatic influence within Thailand, a country with a history of being caught in the middle.

Dr. Barry Stentiford, professor of history, School of Advanced Military Studies, discussed China's role in Thailand through a historical lens.

On two previous occasions, Thai leadership has found themselves wedged between world powers like the Britain and France. Both instances the country avoided colonization, Stentiford explained.

Today, Thailand faces a similar situation finding dual sided influence from the U.S. and China.

The U.S has had treaties with the country since after World War II as well as regular military exercises.

China is the country's top military supplier as well as economic bolster mainly in the vein of tourism.

They, too, have regular military exercises with Thailand.

As mentioned earlier, a key focus of Chinese influence across the globe is that of periphery sovereignty.

Thailand does not share a border with China or have overlapping claims in the South China Sea or other major economic movement area, Stentiford explained.

Thailand is in a space to be able to tip tables in favor of either country, adding to each's ability to remain the global lead of power.

China's military strategy continues to force the country to disperse its influence attempts into many different regions across the globe.

Based on information presented during the panel, it is clear China's goals may be more centrally located, with global-scaled missions still on the horizon.

These strategy and goal timelines do not deter China from continuing to insert influence on many different levels and avenues in regions of importance.

The full conversation plus question-and-answer session can be watched on the CGSC YouTube or Facebook page.

This panel is part of a seminar series discussing issues of operational and strategic importance to the U.S., which CASO in coordination with CGSC, universities, think tanks, interagency and other partners conduct every two to three months, which is also live streamed on CGSC's Facebook page.

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China's Type 053H3 frigates repurposed as training ships amid commissioning of more advanced vessels

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Mar 19, 2025 04:37 PM

Two Type 053H3 frigates, formerly key warships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, have been repurposed as training vessels and recently participated in a combat exercise. A military affairs expert highlighted the rapid modernization of China's naval fleet, with advanced frigates like the Type 054A and the newly commissioned Type 054B gradually replacing the older Type 053 series.

A warship flotilla consisting of the Huludao, the Yichang and the Zheng He affiliated with a training ship detachment of the PLA Navy recently carried out a maritime combat training at an undisclosed location, China Bugle, an official media account affiliated with the PLA news media center, reported on Wednesday.

Unlike the Zheng He, which was specifically designed as a training ship, the Huludao and the Yichang were originally combat-focused Type 053H3 frigates, according to media reports.

The reassignment of the Type 053H3 frigates to a training ship detachment reflects China's ongoing naval modernization, as the older Type 053 series are being replaced by more advanced Type 054A and Type 054B frigates, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The Type 053 series frigates, just like the Type 051 series destroyers, once played vital roles in safeguarding China's sovereignty and maritime interests. However, with China's advancements in military technology, these vessels are now nearing the end of their operational lifespan, Song said.

Although the Type 053H3 is no longer among the PLA Navy's most advanced warships, it still serves an important role in training new naval officers and sailors, Song said.

The latest exercise involving the two veteran vessels assessed the crew's command skills, navigation abilities and emergency response readiness. Training drills included live-fire shooting, maritime replenishment, damage control support for other vessels and ship towing, according to the China Bugle report.

Since the Type 053H3 was designed to be a combat vessel, trainings on this type of ship should be closer to real combat, Song said, noting that the vessel could serve as a good training platform for naval cadets, who will eventually sail with more advanced warships.

On January 22, the PLA Navy commissioned its first Type 054B frigate, the Luohe, at a naval port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

With the hull number 545 and a displacement of about 5,000 tons, the Luohe is a new generation of frigate independently developed and built by China. It has made breakthroughs in vessel stealth technology, combat command systems and firepower integrated control, among other aspects, significantly enhancing its performances, said Xinhua.

After just a little more than a month, the Luohe made its training debut in the Yellow Sea with a China Central Television report in mid-March, with an expert describing the rapid development of the warship's capabilities as astounding and predicting it would become combat-ready soon.

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China's efforts reinforce confidence of investors

People's Daily Online

By Wang Keju, Ouyang Shijia, Zhou Lanxu (Chinadaily.com.cn) 08:23, March 19, 2025

As the global investment community grapples with the erratic policies of the United States, China's consistent approach to policymaking, coupled with its thriving technological innovation ecosystem, is emerging as a beacon of stability, drawing renewed interest from foreign investors, said economists.

Robin Xing, chief China economist at US investment bank Morgan Stanley, said the overall market sentiment, both at home and abroad, is optimistic toward China's policy package introduced earlier this month during the two sessions  the annual meetings of the nation's top legislative and political advisory bodies.

"While the policy support unveiled during China's two sessions might not have been as aggressive as some had hoped for, the overall direction and substance of the measures are well within the realm of what the market had anticipated," Xing said.

Benjamin Lam, deputy president of MUFG Bank (China), a subsidiary of Japanese global financial services group Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, said that after strategically reviewing their businesses in China, more multinational corporations are reaffirming their commitment to developing and continuing business in the country.

Noting that "the Chinese economy is improving and growing at a much better pace", Lam said the Chinese government's consistent efforts to revive consumer spending, including an action plan unveiled over the weekend to boost consumption, are reinforcing investors' confidence.

Meanwhile, a different story has been unfolding on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. The Economic Policy Uncertainty Index for the United States  devised by researchers from Northwestern University, Stanford University, and Chicago University  surged to an unprecedented level in February, reflecting the confusion and apprehension among consumers, investors, and businesses.

"Weeks into his presidency, US President Donald Trump has unleashed a barrage of tariffs and tariff threats targeting friends and foes," said Stefan Angrick, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics, adding that the trade war is no longer a risk, but a reality.

"Markets are rattled. Business sentiment surveys show confidence plunging. Equities are struggling. Consumer confidence is eroding. And the US retail sales and employment conditions have worsened meaningfully in the past month or two," he said.

Earlier this month, Goldman Sachs revised downward its 2025 GDP growth forecast for the US from 2.4 percent to 1.7 percent, citing worsening trade policy expectations. Morgan Stanley also lowered its forecast for the US from 1.9 percent to 1.5 percent, citing weak economic data and tariff concerns.

Xing, from Morgan Stanley, said, "When we look at the global market dynamics, it's evident that the US market is wrestling with heightened levels of uncertainty, while the Chinese market is showing signs of stabilization and recovery."

The divergence of market sentiment in the world's two largest economies is creating a stark contrast that is shaping the perception of investors and businesses, he said.

"Over the past two months, we've seen various investment banks revise their assessments of the Chinese market upward," he added.

Goldman Sachs has revised its 12-month target for the MSCI China Index upward by 13 percent to 85. This includes shares listed onshore and overseas. The investment banking and securities firm has also raised the CSI 300 Index of the largest yuan-denominated Chinese stocks by 2.2 percent to 4,700.

Xing highlighted the "reignited confidence of entrepreneurs and the rising enthusiasm in the sci-tech sector", as the recent fanfare surrounding the "Six Little Dragons"  a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, spearhead by DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics  has challenged the long-held perception about China's innovation potential.

Deutsche Bank hailed DeepSeek's rise as China's "Sputnik moment", drawing a parallel with the then-Soviet Union's launch of the world's first man-made satellite in 1957, which caught the West by surprise.

Xing said that over the past three years, the general narrative was that the US is the sole superpower in the realm of technological innovation, particularly in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence. The current realization is that the world has returned to its multipolar order, in which innovation is not the forte of the US alone and sees remarkable contributions from Asia, particularly China, he added.

Ole Gerdau, chief operating officer at Deutsche Bank China, said the realization has sounded a wake-up call for the world that now is the time to invest in China. "We expect this year to be the turning point where international investors are going to shift their focus and make a higher allocation in the Chinese market," he said.

Looking ahead, Kenny Pan, Asia-Pacific vice-president of Huntsman Polyurethanes, said that China's ability to drive innovation in breakthrough technologies in the coming years cannot be underestimated.

With increasing policy support and investment in research and development, AI technologies will improve efficiency and promote innovation across various industries and application fields, Pan added.

Xing, from Morgan Stanley, said that as Chinese companies have demonstrated a strong aptitude for taking technologies that are "good enough" and successfully deploying them in actual market settings, this late-mover advantage is emerging as a significant factor influencing the overall market sentiment.

He emphasized the need for China's policymakers to further strengthen policy support for debt restructuring, boosting consumption stimulus and bolstering business confidence, thereby creating a more broad-based recovery to draw global investors in the long run.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning's Regular Press Conference on March 19, 2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China

Updated: March 19, 2025 20:40

China News Service: The U.S. announced expanded visa restriction policy targeting Cuba's global medical missions, labeling them "forced labor," while also threatening visa restrictions for current or former Cuban government officials, foreign officials and their immediate family. Recently, CARICOM foreign ministers expressed concerns over the policy when meeting with U.S. Special Envoy for Latin America in Washington D.C. and several leaders from Caribbean states also criticized this policy. What is China's comment?

Mao Ning: I noted that the director of the Central Unit for Medical Cooperation of Cuba Dr. Michael Cabrera Laza said that, during the past 60-plus years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba, while overcoming its own difficulties, sent over 600,000 medical personnel to over 60 countries, provided medical services for over 230 million people and performed over 17 million operations and surgeries, which save the lives of more than 12 million people. Cuba's global medical missions have been welcomed by the governments and people of Caribbean states.

The false narrative of "forced labor" has become a perfect excuse and hegemonic tool for the U.S. to suppress other countries. Relevant measures of the U.S. is an extension and escalation of its over-60-year sanctions and blockade on Cuba. China opposes coercive diplomacy and urges the U.S. to immediately stop the blockade and sanctions on Cuba in any names and to remove Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, do more things that help improve relations with Cuba and deliver tangibly for the Caribbean states.

RIA Novosti: On March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, with a focus on the normalization of Russia-U.S. relations and the situation in Ukraine. What is China's comment? How much will this help resolve the Ukraine crisis?

Mao Ning: We've noted the reports. China has advocated since day one that the Ukraine crisis should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation. We welcome all efforts towards ceasefire and believe that talks are a necessary step in order to achieve peace.

Swedish Television: Chinese companies' petroleum exploration and mining on Russia-occupied territory of Ukraine violates international humanitarian law, as well as provisions in the Fourth Geneva Convention in 1949 and UNCLOS. What's the Foreign Ministry's view?

Mao Ning: I'm not familiar with the specifics you mentioned. China's position on the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear. The four principles laid out by President Xi Jinping form China's fundamental approach in handling this issue.

Kyodo News: It's reported that during his visit to the U.S. in February, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba jointly announced with U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. and Japan will oppose any attempts by the Chinese government to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait by force or coercion. Also early in February, a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel sailed through the Taiwan Strait. Against such background, with what kind of resolve is Foreign Minister Wang Yi set to visit Japan? How will China and Japan bridge differences in their talks?

Mao Ning: Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Japan to attend the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting and co-chair the Sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue. We made the announcement and shared relevant information yesterday, which you may refer to.

The Taiwan question is China's internal affair and brooks no external inference. Japan bears historical responsibilities to the Chinese people for its colonial rule over Taiwan. It must act with extra prudence on this issue. As for the China-related negative moves of Japan you mentioned, China lodged serious protests with Japan immediately after those moves.

The China-Japan relationship is at a crucial juncture for improvement and development. We hope Japan will act on its pledges of comprehensively advancing the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit and building a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era, and we hope it will remove obstacles against the improvement and development of the bilateral relations.

AFP: The government of Kiribati said this week that it is discussing a deep sea mining partnership with China. Can the Foreign Ministry confirm this and provide any details on what could be agreed?

Mao Ning: China engages in practical deep-sea cooperation with relevant countries in accordance with international law and under the principle of mutual benefit and win-win results. The cooperation between China and Kiribati is also carried out on the basis of mutual respect, equal consultation, openness and inclusiveness.

Reuters: According to the Thai government, a delegation of ministers from Thailand has arrived in Xinjiang to meet a group of Uyghurs who were deported from Thailand last month. Can you confirm if the Thai cabinet ministers have arrived in Xinjiang? Where are those Uyghurs currently? And how will they resume their lives in China?

Mao Ning: I'd refer you to competent authorities for the specifics about the visit. On the repatriation, China has shared information on multiple occasions. It is the normal law enforcement cooperation between China and Thailand, and is in line with the laws of the two countries, international law and international practice. The lawful rights of relevant persons are fully protected.

Kyodo News: This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression. Some analysis in Japan believed that since the September 3 this year, the Chinese government will adopt a harder line toward Japan on the diplomatic front. What's your comment?

Mao Ning: This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression and the world anti-fascist war. Japan should be responsible for the history, honor its words and commitments of facing squarely and reflecting on the history of aggression, and follow the path of peaceful development. Only by doing this can Japan earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community. We hope that Japan can work with us in the same direction, and uphold the principles of facing up to history and opening up the future to advance China-Japan relations in a sound and stable way.

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UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on the DPRK

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Delivered by the UK's Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

19 March 2025

Location: Geneva

Delivered on: 19 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you, Mr Vice President.

And thank you Special Rapporteur for your report and continued efforts to maintain international focus on the ongoing, systematic human rights violations in the DPRK.

We are pleased that the DPRK engaged with the Universal Periodic Review in November and encourage them to implement recommendations and make lasting changes for the people of the DPRK.

We share your serious concerns at the implementation of laws that further restrict the freedom of movement, work and expression in the DPRK.

All governments have a responsibility to uphold their obligations in line with UN Conventions and international law.

We also urge all Member States to respect the principle of non-refoulement and to not forcibly return those who have escaped the DPRK, where they face severe threats to their safety and human rights.

The UK supports the Special Rapporteur's recommendation that the DPRK incorporate all sustainable development goals, particularly those aimed at supporting individuals from vulnerable groups.

Special Rapporteur,

How do you propose to work with the DPRK to increase access to disaggregated data to better identify the needs of the most marginalised individuals?

Thank you.

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Oil industry nationalization revealed Iran's resolve to resist intimidation: Foreign Ministry

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei has described March 19 as an auspicious day that showed the determination of the Iranian nation to resist bullying and intimidation.

In a post on his X account on Wednesday, Baqaei commemorated the anniversary of the nationalization of Iran's oil industry in 1951.

"March 19 is not just an occasion on the calendar, but a testament to the determination of Iranians to resist bullying and intimidation, and a symbol of the national will to rule over their own destiny and defend national dignity," he stated.

The spokesperson also praised the people of Iran for steering the country toward progress by relying on national capabilities and drawing lessons from historical experiences.

March 19, which coincides with the 29th of Esfand on the Iranian calendar, marks the Nationalization of the Oil Industry, a historic movement led by Mohammad Mosaddeq, the then-prime minister of Iran.

The Oil Industry Nationalization Act was signed unanimously by the Oil Commission of Parliament on March 17, 1951, and was passed by Iran's then-Senate on March 19 of the same year.

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Dialogue, negotiation only viable option in resolving Iranian nuclear issue

People's Daily Online

By He Yin (People's Daily) 09:40, March 19, 2025

On March 14, a China-Russia-Iran trilateral meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue was successfully held in Beijing. The three parties engaged in in-depth discussions and issued a joint statement, reiterating that political and diplomatic engagement and dialogue based on the principle of mutual respect remains the only viable and practical option in this regard.

At a critical juncture for the Iranian nuclear issue, the Beijing meeting marked a constructive effort by China, Russia, and Iran to promote a political settlement, providing a platform for enhanced dialogue, consensus-building, and creating favorable conditions for the eventual resumption of negotiations.

With the Iranian nuclear issue at another crucial crossroads, the urgency to gain time for peace has intensified. Relevant parties should be committed to addressing the root cause of the current situation and abandoning sanction, pressure, or threat of force.

The trilateral joint statement called on relevant parties to refrain from any action that may escalate the situation, so as to create a favorable atmosphere and conditions for diplomatic efforts.

The three sides reaffirmed the importance of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). China and Russia welcomed Iran's reiteration that its nuclear program is exclusively for peaceful purposes and not for development of nuclear weapons, 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.

While complex, the solution to the Iranian nuclear issue is unequivocal: full and effective implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Iran signed the JCPOA with the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany in July 2015, accepting restrictions its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

The JCPOA was subsequently endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231. It represents a major achievement in addressing sensitive issues through dialogue and negotiation, a successful practice of multilateralism, and a unique and significant contribution to maintaining regional stability and upholding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.

During the Beijing meeting, China, Russia and Iran stressed the importance of the UNSC Resolution 2231, including its timeframes. While recent expressions of willingness to negotiate were noted, all efforts must adhere to the JCPOA framework, preserve existing consensus, and address all parties' legitimate concerns in a balanced manner.

Amid the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, where regional security continues to deteriorate and hotspot issues emerge one after another, resolving the Iranian nuclear issue is critical to safeguarding global non-proliferation regime and regional peace.

All parties should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work toward a widely accepted regional security architecture to achieve lasting stability.

All parties should play a constructive role in easing regional tensions and avoid linking the Iranian nuclear issue with other matters. Otherwise, this would only escalate conflicts and confrontation, further complicate the Iranian nuclear issue, and create new tensions or even crises.

As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a party to the JCPOA, China has consistently advocated for a political and diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue, the preservation of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, and the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East.

During the Beijing meeting, China put forward five points on the proper settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue. First, stay committed to peaceful settlement of disputes through political and diplomatic means, and oppose the use of force and illegal sanctions. Second, stay committed to balancing rights and responsibilities, and take a holistic approach to the goals of nuclear non-proliferation and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Third, stay committed to the framework of the JCPOA as the basis for new consensus. Fourth, stay committed to promoting cooperation through dialogue, and oppose pressing for intervention by the UN Security Council. Fifth, stay committed to a step-by-step and reciprocal approach, and seek consensus through consultation.

These propositions reflect China's constructive role in addressing the Iranian nuclear issue under new circumstances and demonstrate China's major country responsibility.

The China-Russia-Iran meeting in Beijing marked an important step in the right direction. The history and reality of the Iranian nuclear issue have repeatedly shown that sanctions, pressure, and threat of force offer no solutiondialogue and consultation remain the only viable path.

China will stay in communication and coordination with all relevant parties, actively promote talks for peace, and work toward a just, balanced and sustainable resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue while safeguarding the international nuclear non-proliferation regime and promoting international and regional peace and stability.

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Israel's Ben-Gvir rejoins Netanyahu's cabinet as Gaza war resumes

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has been reinstated to his post following an agreement between his party, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), and Likud, the party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ben-Gvir's return was proposed by Netanyahu, and was confirmed by the Israeli cabinet, according to a statement by the prime minister's office on Wednesday, which was reported by Reuters.

Likud and Otzma Yehudit announced their agreement a day earlier, hours after Israel resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip in breach of a fragile ceasefire that came into force on January 19.

The renewed attacks left more than 400 Palestinians dead, including over 170 children.

Ben-Gvir had left Netanyahu's coalition in protest against the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which he called a "capitulation" to the Palestinian resistance movement.

The far-right minister has caused controversy on numerous occasions over his extremist policies against the Palestinian people.

In January, he said that humanitarian aid coupled with fuel, electricity and water must be "completely stopped" from entering Gaza in order to put pressure on Hamas to release the prisoners held since the start of the war in early October 2023.

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Myanmar's junta drops 'more than 500' bombs on Chin state town during week of clashes

More than 10,000 residents flee city of Falam, fear city will be 'reduced to rubble.'

By RFA Burmese 2025.03.19 -- An intense battle is underway in western Myanmar as junta troops attempt to re-take Falam, the second-biggest city in Chin state, with the military dropping more than 500 bombs over the past week, residents and rebel forces said Tuesday.

Fighting in Chin has escalated in recent months, as rebels seek to push out remaining junta forces that occupied the state following the military's February 2021 coup d'etat. The clash over Falam comes after a Chin official told RFA Burmese in late December that ethnic Chin and Rakhine rebels were in control of at least 85% of the western state.

Salai Tin Me Htut, the spokesman for the Chin National Defense Force, or CNDF, told RFA the battle for Falam was sparked by a March 11 military offensive to recapture the rebel-controlled city, and that the junta's air force dropped more than 150 bombs in the area on Saturday alone.

Chin rebels captured Falam during their Nov. 9, 2024, offensive, taking control of the entire territory except for a base operated by the junta's Light Infantry Battalion No. 268. The Chin PDF spokesman said the latest week-long bombing campaign was part of a bid by the junta to prevent the battalion's capture.

Salai Tin Me Htut said that Chin forces have besieged the battalion for nearly a month and the intensified fighting since March 11 came after junta reinforcements arrived a day earlier to try to break the siege.

"They sent 40-50 soldiers, prompting the fighting to break out," he said. "But we have managed to control [key strategic areas]. That's why they have responded with airstrikes and fought back viciously."

The CNDF spokesman said that in addition to the more than 150 bombs dropped by the military on the area on Saturday, he believes that the air force has dropped "more than 500 bombs" on Falam over the course of the week.

Thousands flee

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 residents of Falam have fled the fighting to nearby villages, Sagaing region's Kalay township, the commercial capital Yangon and across the border to India's Mizoram state, according to the displaced.

They expressed fear that junta airstrikes will "reduce the town to rubble," as was the case in Chin's nearby Thantlang township.

"I'm worried that my town will be destroyed," said one resident who was displaced by the fighting. "I feel awful that they brought these troubles to the town. Now, I only hope I will be able to return to my town and live peacefully like before."

Residents of more than 10 villages in the vicinity of Falam are also fleeing the area, while others are "building bomb shelters" and are unable to work on their farms, they said.

"The airstrikes are unpredictable  they simply drop bombs wherever they want," said another resident of Falam. "People in nearby villages are running away ... [but] the farmers ... are supposed to plant crop seeds by next month."

On Sunday, the air force bombed Thalanzar village, some 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Falam, damaging homes and a Christian church building, residents said. Two days earlier, an airstrike on Sizar Mourl village injured a man and a woman and damaged four homes, they said.

Attempts by RFA to contact Aung Cho, the junta's spokesperson for Chin state, about the situation in Falam went unanswered Tuesday.

Sources from anti-junta Chin People's Defense Force, or PDF, which has fought alongside the CNDF, told RFA that the fighting since March 11 has caused casualties on both sides, although RFA was unable to independently confirm the claim.

The CNDF said that the Chin PDF has captured around 130 junta troops as prisoners of war during battles in Falam since November 2024.

According to a February statement by the Institute of Chin Affairs, which tracks conflict in the state, junta troops have killed at least 491 civilians in Chin state since the military coup four years ago.

The statement said that more than 3,000 homes and buildings have been destroyed by airstrikes and arson over the same period.

Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster.

Copyright 1998-2025, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content March not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Expanded meeting of the Prosecutor General's Office Board

The President addressed the expanded meeting of the Russian Federation Prosecutor General's Office Board.

March 19, 2025

14:55

Moscow

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Krasnov, colleagues,

Today, at this expanded meeting of the Prosecutor General's Office Board, you will review the key outcomes of 2024 and prioritise problematic areas requiring heightened focus.

I would like to note that over the past period, prosecutors at all levels have undertaken substantial work. Statistics confirm this: appeals, statements, and complaints to prosecution authorities increased by ten percent, as did citizen engagements during personal appointments. This data must be utilised and utilised comprehensively.

I urge you to conduct a thorough analysis of the most acute, systemic issues affecting citizens and submit your proposals for their comprehensive resolution. This is important for all levels of power in order to respond competently, efficiently, and promptly to public concerns.

Naturally, each case requires meticulous attention. In this context, I emphasise that in many instances, your decisive interventions have restored violated rights and compensated damages. Substantial efforts have also been made to protect the interests of the state and society.

I want to express my gratitude to Russian prosecutors for their professionalism and dedication in carrying out their duties. A special acknowledgement to the officers working in Donbass and Novorossiya, as well as the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in close proximity to the combat zone. Despite the challenging conditions, you fulfil your duties with dignity and courage, providing vital assistance to those in need.

I would like to point out that it was decided on both federal and regional levels that assistance will be provided to citizens who suffered from the actions of the Kiev regime. These measures include compensation for lost property, housing certificates and other financial assistance.

I urge prosecutors to keep a close eye on the situation so that people get the aid they are entitled to in time and in full, and so that temporary and permanent housing is provided to them as fast as possible. I also ask you to pay special attention to protecting the rights of children and teenagers, as well as the elderly, who have had to endure terrible ordeals.

Another fundamental point: as we are all aware, our forces recently conducted a series of rapid, daring, and effective operations, culminating in the defeat of almost all enemy force groupings in the Kursk Region. Let me reiterate: under Russian law, all Ukrainian military personnel, especially foreign mercenaries who entered our territory and committed crimes against civilians, shall be, and are, legally classified as terrorists.

Their atrocities must be identified, documented, and meticulously investigated. I instruct prosecution bodies, including military prosecutors, to fully deploy this work in liberated territories - in Sudzha and other localities - in coordination with relevant services. These criminals, punishers, and those who issued unlawful orders and abused civilians must be identified and brought to justice.

I would like to note that prosecutor's offices and their employees of all ranks should consider it their professional and moral duty to support defenders of the Fatherland, Great Patriotic War veterans and those who have fought in conflict zones, as well as against international terrorism and, of course, participants in the special military operation. I would like to emphasise that the results of inspections and supervisory activities of prosecutors' offices in this sphere should be constantly analysed and summarised. Of course, this practice exists, and it should be expanded.

Various regions of the Russian Federation and prosecutor's offices have already supported initiatives to provide essential benefits without prior applications. They have resolved discrepancies in regional legislation concerning the status of members of volunteer units. In turn, social security agencies now need to obtain various certificates, including military service records.

I would like to note that officials of military prosecutor's offices actively help address the problems faced by service personnel, including those involved in combat operations. I would like to urge military prosecutors to step up this work and to continue enhancing military discipline as a vital factor in the high combat readiness of military units.

Coordinated anti-crime operations remain a key task for prosecutor's offices. And here, as we agreed at last year's board meeting, it is essential to actively implement additional crime prevention measures, including among young people. Despite a decline in juvenile crime rates, the overall number of such offenses remains quite high.

As before, we need to prioritise issues of countering extremism and terrorism. I noted at a recent meeting of the Federal Security Service Board that the number of terrorist crimes has increased considerably, and it is important to protect industrial and transport infrastructure facilities, as well as public spaces, more effectively.

We must combat extremism, attempts to destabilise the socio-political situation in our country and public calls for terrorism and the creation of radical groups in the same principled, resolute and determined manner.

Colleagues,

You must step up your work in all areas that directly impact the quality of our people's lives. First of all, I refer to the protection of social, housing, labour and other rights guaranteed by law.

Health protection is undoubtedly one of these crucial areas. As you know, significant progress has been made in recent years, including as part of the corresponding national project and other programmes. Your task is to continue overseeing the legality of procedures for purchasing equipment for clinics and hospitals, ensuring the uninterrupted supply of medicines and provision of quality medical care, and, of course, to respond immediately in case of violations.

Our people require the prosecution agencies to act more effectively to protect the environment and nature. The two tankers that sank in the Black Sea causing an oil spill at the end of last year showed the serious consequences for people, nature, and the economy that can result from neglecting safety regulations. I would like to note that it was the Prosecutor General who was the first senior official to propose introducing a federal emergency regime immediately after the accident. Ultimately, that was the necessary course of action.

Let me emphasise the need to work systematically through the environmental prosecutor's office and other regulatory and law enforcement agencies, to jointly eliminate shortcomings in regulation and, in case of violations, take measures to compensate for environmental damage.

The work carried out by the prosecution agencies yields tangible results. For example, prosecutors have made a significant contribution to preventing illegal logging and timber smuggling.

Much work is being done to protect our nature reserve areas, including Lake Baikal, and wildlife. In particular, serious efforts were undertaken to establish order in the sphere of catching, keeping, and exporting marine mammals.

There are important tasks related to protecting the rights of entrepreneurs and domestic businesses. This issue is essential for our development, as well as for strengthening economic sovereignty and increasing the incomes of millions of citizens employed in industry and in small and medium-sized businesses. As you know, and I hope you saw this, we talked about this yesterday at the RSPP congress.

Let me remind you that, since January 2025, supervisory authorities, including the prosecution agencies, have completely shifted to a risk-oriented approach. We must work clearly and consistently on this practice, together with the business community eliminating the remaining administrative barriers that hinder the development of the economy and businesses, while also caring for the protection of consumer rights; these are two sides of the same coin.

We must fight corruption just as effectively, focusing more on how the funds allocated for national projects, state defence order, and the implementation of large state and regional development programmes for the country are spent.

I believe that the Russian prosecutorial corps understands the full extent of its responsibility and the historical significance of the tasks facing us and will make every effort to ensure these tasks are fulfilled precisely and effectively.

I wish you further success.

Thank you very much for your attention.

<...>

Vladimir Putin: Mr Krasnov, colleagues,

Before coming here, I once again reviewed the draft resolution of the Board of the Prosecutor General's Office. All of it is important; it is simply impossible to single out just one point. No matter which page you open, everything is significant.

I will mention some basic points, but which I believe are of fundamental importance. I want to remind you that the Prosecutor General's Office's main task - just as it has always been in the history of our country - is to uphold the law and to ensure that it is adhered to by everyone: citizens, legal entities, organisations, and, most importantly, officials.

Our people view this as a guarantee of justice, which in turn ensures the unity of Russian society and the stability of the state. This is always important, but today it is vital. In this sense, your role and your work are crucial - they are always very important, but especially so today.

I am counting on you and I wish you success.

Thank you and all the best.

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Israeli jets target ex-military bases in Syria's Homs in new act of aggression

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 6:39 AM

Israeli military aircraft have carried out airstrikes against military installations once belonging to ousted president Bashar al-Assad's army but now used by the forces of Syria's new authorities in the central province of Homs, in the latest act of aggression against the Arab nation.

Local media outlets reported that the aerial raids struck military sites in Shinshar and Shamsin villages, southwest of the provincial capital city of Homs, late on Tuesday.

Informed sources said sounds of explosions were heard in the targeted areas, coinciding with the low-altitude flight of Israeli warplanes over the regions.

There were no immediate reports available on possible casualties or the extent of damage caused.

On December 8, 2024, militant groups, spearheaded by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, overthrew Assad's administration.

Following the downfall of Assad's regime, the Israeli military has been conducting airstrikes, targeting military installations, facilities, and arsenals associated with Syria's former army.

Israel has faced significant criticism for its decision to terminate the 1974 ceasefire agreement with Syria, and taking advantage of the turmoil in the Arab nation following Assad's ouster, to make a land grab.

The United Nations has denounced the persistent Israeli assaults within Syrian territory, as well as the ongoing breaches occurring in and around the buffer zone established by the 1974 ceasefire agreement with Damascus.

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'Immediate response' drills Day 3 focuses on military engineers

ROC Central News Agency

03/19/2025 08:48 PM

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) Military engineers were mobilized to practice building and deploying counter-mobility obstacles to slow the movement of enemy forces in Taichung and Kaohsiung on Wednesday, as Taiwan's first-ever "immediate combat response" drills entered their third day.

Army engineer troops were seen deploying anti-tank hedgehogs, breakwater concrete blocks, concertina wire and booby traps at shores and access roads in the two cities to practice creating obstacles to slow down the advancement of enemy forces in the event of a full scale invasion, according to a Military News Agency report.

Meanwhile, in the offshore frontline island of Kinmen, the Army's Kinmen Defense Command on Wednesday held exercises to simulate firing 240mm M1 howitzers to defend against invading forces, according to MNA.

The drills, the first of their kind, are being conducted based on the assessment that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) could unexpectedly pivot military exercises or "gray zone" activities -- provocative or aggressive actions that fall just short of an open conflict -- near Taiwan into a real attack, a military source told local media on March 12.

Also Wednesday, the Ministry of National Defense released a series of photos showing troops closely monitoring PLA forces near Taiwan both in the sky and the open seas.

The photos showed Navy fast mine-laying boats operating in waters around Taiwan.

The photos also showed Kidd-class guided-missile destroyer Tso Ying () and Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate Feng Jia () monitoring PLA naval vessels, the Type 052C destroyer Changchun and Quzhou Type 054A frigate, respectively.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/AW

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PLA drills near Taiwan 'brazen,' 'irresponsible': U.S. official

ROC Central News Agency

03/19/2025 11:26 AM

Washington, March 18 (CNA) A United States State Department spokesperson has termed China's latest drills near Taiwan on Tuesday "brazen and irresponsible threats" while reiterating Washington's decades-long support of Taipei.

"China cannot credibly claim to be a 'force for stability in a turbulent world' while issuing brazen and irresponsible threats toward Taiwan," a unnamed State Department spokesperson told CNA in an email on Tuesday U.S. time.

The spokesperson said Washington's enduring commitment to Taiwan will continue as it has for 45 years, and that the U.S. "will continue to support Taiwan in the face of China's military, economic, informational, and diplomatic pressure campaign."

"Alongside our international partners, we firmly support cross-Strait peace and stability and oppose any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion," the spokesperson said.

A U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson told CNA, meanwhile, that the American military was monitoring People's Liberation Army (PLA) activity around Taiwan, but did not elaborate.

The two U.S. government spokespersons made the remarks when asked to comment on the U.S.' stance on the PLA's military activity around Taiwan on Monday.

The PLA sent more than two dozen Chinese military aircraft across the median line of the Taiwan Strait and dozens more into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in collaboration with Chinese naval vessels on Monday from 6 a.m. to about 9 p.m., according to data issued by Taiwan's military.

PLA activity in the previous week leading into Monday and the day after on Tuesday (when there were 10 jet fighter sorties and one that crossed the median line) was relatively calm.

Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China's State Council said the drills Monday were a "just and necessary" move to safeguard national sovereignty and peace in the Taiwan Strait.

The drills are also a countermeasure to moves by "Taiwan's leader" to "propagate separatist fallacies aimed at 'Taiwan independence' and his act to escalate tensions and confrontation across the Strait," Chen said, referring to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te ().

Asked to comment on the relatively stern wording used by the U.S. State Department on the PLA drills, Robert Wang, a former State Department official, told CNA that it "sounds like relatively strong language to me."

Julian Ku, a Hofstra University law professor, also said the word "brazen" is "a little unusual from the State Department as applied to these kinds of exercises."

He said he agreed "this is a slight change in tone."

"Overall, the State Department has not shown any signs of softer language on China or on Taiwan as compared with the Biden administration, and probably a little more Taiwan supportive, as in this case," he told CNA.

During last year's "Joint Sword 2024B" military exercises around Taiwan in October 2024, the State Department said it was "seriously concerned" by PLA's military drills in the Taiwan Strait and around Taiwan and described them "unwarranted" and risking escalation.

(By Chung Yu-chen, Elaine Hou and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ls

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Taiwan may halt S. Africa cooperation over office relocation: Source (update)

ROC Central News Agency

03/19/2025 09:20 PM

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) Taiwan is considering suspending all official cooperation projects and imposing stricter visa controls should the South African government follow through with its demand that Taiwan's representative office relocate, a diplomatic source told CNA Wednesday.

According to a diplomatic source who spoke to CNA on condition of anonymity, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung () has asked the ministry to come up with all possible reciprocal countermeasures amid a yearlong dispute that has seen Taiwan's representatives ordered to leave South Africa's administrative capital, Pretoria, and change its name to a trade office.

Potential countermeasures include stricter visa rules for South African travelers to Taiwan, suspending all bilateral exchanges, and even retaliatory economic and trade measures, the source told CNA.

It is also considering halting a yearslong project allowing South African nationals to come to Taiwan for training sessions, the source added. The source, however, did not disclose exactly what kind of training programs South Africans have been undergoing in Taiwan.

The source also did not disclose what the retaliatory economic and trade measures might be.

These countermeasures are being prepared in response to the South African government's "malicious sabotaging" of a 1997 bilateral agreement that allowed the Taipei office to operate in Pretoria following the ending of official diplomatic ties in 1998, the source added.

The controversy arose in 2024 when the South African government sought to downgrade the representative office and recategorize it as a "trade office" based in the commercial capital Johannesburg.

South Africa originally set the end of October as the deadline for Taiwan to change the name of its representative office and relocate. It later extended the deadline to before the end of March.

In the latest twist to the dispute, South Africa unilaterally changed the Taipei office's name in early March.

The update to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) website now lists the "Taipei Liaison Office" as the "Taipei Commercial Office."

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) protested the unilateral change of the office's name, calling for talks between the two sides to come up with mutually acceptable solutions to the issue.

In an English-language statement on Sunday, MOFA said both sides were currently exchanging views "on the possibility of amending the content of the legal framework governing their bilateral relations," referring to the 1997 agreement.

Taiwan has urged South Africa to "accelerate talks on details regarding formal negotiations, such as the location, time, composition of the delegation, and method of signing an agreement."

MOFA has accused China of being behind the South African government's decision to ask the Taipei office to relocate and rename, citing the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and the "one-China principle."

Resolution 2758 was adopted by the 26th U.N. General Assembly in 1971 to address the issue of China's representation in the world body and resulted in the Republic of China, Taiwan's official name, losing its seat at the U.N. to the People's Republic of China (PRC).

After South Africa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1998, the latter established a representative office in Pretoria under the name Taipei Liaison Office in the Republic of South Africa. Taiwan also has a branch office in Cape Town called the Taipei Liaison Office in Cape Town.

South Africa also has a liaison office in Taipei.

Also Wednesday, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the de facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan, told CNA that it is "disappointed" over the South African government's reported decision to rename the Taipei office.

An AIT spokesperson praised Taiwan as a "reliable, likeminded, and democratic partner," saying that Taiwan's relationships around the world provide "significant benefits to the citizens of those countries."

The unnamed spokesperson also criticized China for its enhanced efforts "trying to isolate Taiwan from the international community and constrain the sovereign choices of other countries regarding their interactions with Taiwan, including by pressuring countries to sever or downgrade ties with Taiwan."

AIT represents U.S. interests in Taiwan in the absence of official diplomatic ties.

(By Yang Yao-ju and Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/ASG/AW

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2025/03/19

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan



1.Date

6 a.m. Mar. 18 (Tue.) to 6 a.m. Mar. 19 (Wed.) (UTC+8)

2.PLA activities

13 sorties of PLA aircraft and 10 PLAN ships operating around Taiwan were detected as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 out of 13 sorties crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy ships, and coastal missile systems in response to detected activities.

1140319_PLA activities

1140319_PLA air activities in the vicinity of Taiwan

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Congress strongly condemns the arrest of Istanbul Mayor

Council of Europe

Congress of local and regional authorities

Strasbourg

19 March 2025

The President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, Marc Cools, and Congress Rapporteurs on the situation of local and regional democracy in Turkiye, David Eray (Switzerland, EPP/CCE) and Bryony Rudkin (United Kingdom, SOC/G/PD), have made the following statement:

"We strongly condemn the arrest of the democratically elected Mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, which bears all the hallmarks of the pressure on a political figure considered as one of the main candidates in forthcoming presidential elections - especially as it took place a few days before Mayor Imamoglu's CHP party should decide on its presidential candidate, and follows the decision of Istanbul University to revoke Mayor Imamoglu's degree, which is one of the conditions for presidential candidates.

"In three separate elections, the citizens of Istanbul have unequivocally placed their trust in Mayor Imamoglu, and these pressures can only be seen as running counter to the will of the people.

"We will continue to follow closely the situation and will raise the issue at the meeting of the Congress Bureau on Monday 24 March, when the Bureau should decide on the proposal to hold an urgent debate focusing on the dismissal of mayors in Turkiye during next week's Congress session in Strasbourg."

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Joint Statement by the High Representative Kallas with Commissioner Kos on the recent events concerning Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu

European External Action Service (EEAS)

19.03.2025

EEAS Press Team

Today's detention of Istanbul mayor Imamoglu and the arrests and charges brought against elected officials, political activists, civil society and businesses representatives, journalists, and others since the beginning of the year, give rise to questions regarding Turkiye's adherence to its long-established democratic tradition.

The EU urges the Turkish authorities to provide full transparency and to follow due process. As an EU candidate country and long-standing member of the Council of Europe, Turkiye is expected to apply the highest democratic standards and practices.

Respect for fundamental rights and the rule of law are essential for the EU accession process. They will continue to be an integral part of EU-Turkiye relations.



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Germany Federal Foreign Office

19.03.2025 - Press release

A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement today (19 March) on the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul:

Today's arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul and a high-profile member of the opposition, as well as over 100 other people, represents a heavy blow for democracy in Turkey. Protecting the rights of elected representatives of the people is a crucial part of upholding the rule of law.

Turkey is a member of the Council of Europe and a candidate for accession to the European Union and, as such, the Turkish Government must safeguard the fundamental democratic and rule-of-law principles to which it has committed itself.
Protest erupts in Istanbul over mayor's arrest

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

A group of Turkish citizens held a rally in Istanbul to protest the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the city's mayor and a key political rival of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Over a hundred protesters gathered outside the police headquarters in Istanbul, where Imamoglu was being held in custody, chanting slogans in support of the mayor on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Security forces blocked streets leading to the police headquarters. Authorities deployed riot police and water cannon trucks to prevent further gatherings. The Istanbul governor's office also issued a ban on public rallies following Imamoglu's detention.

The demonstrators described the arrest as a blow to democracy. Imamoglu, a representative of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), was detained just days before his anticipated presidential nomination.

The mayor faces charges ranging from corruption to assisting a terrorist group, sparking widespread condemnation from opposition figures and critics of the Turkish government.

Students at Istanbul University attempted to breach police barricades, with police using tear gas to disperse the protesters.

Imamoglu has recently intensified his criticism of the president and his government. He said that he would not back down in the face of pressure.

Imamoglu was elected mayor in March 2019, marking a historic loss for President Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party. The AK Party had maintained control of the city for 25 years.

The government said that courts in Turkey operate independently and denied allegations that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated.

Turkish prosecutors also issued arrest warrants for 100 other individuals connected to the mayor, including his press adviser Murat Ongun, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency.

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Imamoglu, Rival To Turkey's Erdogan, Detained In Istanbul

By RFE/RL March 19, 2025

Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been detained by Turkish authorities days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition candidate running in the 2028 presidential election, a move the European Union called "deeply concerning."

Imamoglu, who is widely seen as a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was detained at his home early on March 19. His party said the move showed how strong a candidate he would be if he were to run against Erdogan.

Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency says the Istanbul mayor is among nearly 100 people, including businessmen and journalists, whose arrest warrants have been issued. The charges run the gamut from leading a criminal organization and extortion to bribery and illegally accessing personal data.

Prosecutors specifically accused Imamoglu of being "the leader of a criminal organization" who allegedly extorted businessmen and laundered money.

Ozgur Ozel, chairman of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), slammed Imamoglu's detention as an "attempted coup against our next president."

Several European countries voiced concern over the developments in Istanbul, saying they feared the consequences on democracy over the move.

"The arrest of the mayor is deeply concerning," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, told reporters in Brussels.

"Turkey must uphold the democratic values, especially the rights of elected officials."

Erdogan, the nation's premier leader since 2003, has been accused of rolling back democracy, jailing opponents, independently launching foreign interventions, and has crossed swords with EU member states, and deepened ties with Putin.

"Erdogan in Turkey is using all the tactics employed by authoritarians to maintain his power. For example, before elections, he eliminates opposition leaders or strong potential rivals by imprisoning them or removing them in some way. These are well-known tactics, in fact," Ilhan Uzgel, a CHP deputy chairman, told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service.

The CHP is scheduled to hold its presidential candidate selection on March 23, and Imamoglu is the only person running.

Imamoglu posted a video on social media early on March 19 vowing to "continue fighting against" Erdogan.

"Those who are trying to usurp the will of our nation have involved my dear police officers," he said, appearing to suggest he was about to be placed in custody.

"We are facing great tyranny. But I want you to know that I will not give up," he added.

Netblocks, which monitors the connectivity of Web services, said Turkey had restricted access to multiple social media platforms following Imamoglu's detention. The blocked platforms include X, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

It has been a difficult week for Imamoglu. On March 17, his alma mater Istanbul University invalidated his diploma, alleging irregularities when he transferred from a university in Turkish-controlled Northern Cyprus in 1990.

A university degree is a prerequisite for running in elections in Turkey, which is why Imamoglu's supporters argue the decision to nullify his diploma is politically motivated. The Istanbul mayor himself said the move was illegal, charging the university did not have the authority for the annulment.

"This is not about me. This is about our future. No matter the challenges we face, we will not waver. We will not allow democracy to be undermined. We will not allow the will of the people to be overruled," he wrote on X after the annulment of his diploma.

Imamoglu secured a second term as Istanbul's mayor last year, marking a significant victory for his CHP party in local elections. The party also won key cities like Ankara, dealing a historic blow to Erdogan's Justice and Development Party.

This marked the first time since Erdogan's rise to power 22 years ago that his party lost nationwide elections.

The defeat was particularly personal for Erdogan, who began his political career as Istanbul's mayor.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/turkey-ekrem-imamoglu- erdogan-rival-arrest/33352805.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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Readout from Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent's Meeting with Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek of the Republic of Turkiye

U.S. Department of the Treasury

March 19, 2025

WASHINGTON -- On Monday, Secretary of the Treasury Scott K.H. Bessent spoke with Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek of the Republic of Turkiye. Secretary Bessent and Finance Minister Simsek discussed trends in Turkiye's economy. The Secretary briefed Minister Simsek on the Administration's commitment to restoring maximum pressure on Iran in order to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile programs, and stop its support of terrorist groups. The Secretary and Minister also discussed sanctions, as well as other economic and national security issues of mutual concern.

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Secretary Rubio's Call with UK Foreign Secretary Lammy

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

March 19, 2025

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Tammy Bruce:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy today. Secretary Rubio thanked Foreign Secretary Lammy for the UK's efforts to assemble a coalition of countries to help advance peace in Ukraine. The Secretary and Foreign Secretary Lammy discussed next steps from the March 15 summit on Ukraine. They also discussed developments in the Middle East and the importance of restoring calm.

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PM call with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia: 19 March 2025

The Prime Minister spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, this evening.

19 March 2025

The Prime Minister spoke to the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, this evening.

The Prime Minister began by congratulating the Crown Prince for his pivotal role in the US-led ceasefire talks in Jeddah last week. Both leaders agreed that securing a just a lasting peace is in everyone's interest, and they both looked forward to seeing progress as talks resume on Sunday.

Turning to the devastating scenes in Gaza, the Prime Minister underscored that he is deeply concerned by the return to fighting and urged for Israeli restraint.

The Prime Minister underlined the need for all parties to urgently come back to the table, so that a ceasefire could be reinstated to see all hostages released and an increase of aid into Gaza. Securing a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state was the only way forward, he added.

The leaders looked forward to speaking soon.

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Register of Damage for Ukraine announces the opening of new claim categories for involuntary internal displacement and violations of personal integrity

Council of Europe

Register of Damage for Ukraine

Kyiv

19 March 2025

In a significant step toward justice and accountability, the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) has announced the opening of new claims categories for individuals who have suffered grave violations as a result of Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The announcement was made at a high-level meeting between the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, the Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Iryna Mudra, and Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Liudmyla Suhak, and the Board and the Executive Director of the Register of Damage for Ukraine. During the discussions, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that victims of the war receive international recognition and access to future compensation.

The newly introduced claims categories encompass some of the most severe and traumatic violations endured during the war:

A1.1 Involuntary Internal Displacement

A2.3 Serious Personal Injury

A2.4 Sexual Violence

A2.5 Torture or Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment

A2.6 Deprivation of Liberty

A2.7 Forced Labour or Service

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal emphasised the significance of the expansion of claims categories:

"Ukraine is firmly committed to accountability and justice. We call on all Ukrainians to submit claims to the Register, as each such claim is a step towards ensuring that Russia does not go unpunished. As a next stage, we plan to launch applications for legal entities and government agencies, institutions, and enterprises that have also suffered significant damage.

We will make Russia pay. To do this, the Government of Ukraine is working on the full confiscation of Russian frozen assets. We have a strong coalition of support from more than 50 countries and organisations that are helping Ukraine on this path. The international Register of Damage is the first of three elements in this direction"

RD4U's Board emphasised that acknowledging these grave violations is critical to securing justice for victims.

"International law is clear: the suffering endured from violations must not go unrecognised. By expanding the Register to include these claim categories, we reaffirm our commitment to justice and accountability. Every claim submitted reaffirms the case for reparations and ensures that victims' voices are heard," stated the Chair of RD4U's Board, Robert Spano.

The Executive Director of the Register, Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi, urged those affected to come forward and submit their claims: "The launch of these new claims categoriesmarks a major milestone in our efforts to document the immense human suffering caused by this war. We encourage all victims of these grave human rights violations to file their claims. Every claim strengthens the foundation for justice and future reparations."

How to Submit Claims

Individuals who have experienced serious personal injury or been subjected to sexual violence, torture, deprivation of liberty, or forced labour, or those that were internally displaced by the war can submit claims through the Diia web portal, a secure government platform providing digital access to public services.

All relevant information, including claim forms, submission rules, FAQs, and practical instructions, is available on the Register of Damage for Ukraine's official website in English and Ukrainian.

A Step Forward in International Justice

The opening of these new claims categories underscores the international community's unwavering support for Ukraine and its people. By ensuring that victims of grave human rights violations have a clear path to recognition and redress, the Register of Damage for Ukraine continues to pave the way for future reparations and accountability.

The Register of Damage for Ukraine, established under the auspices of the Council of Europe, serves as the first component of an international compensation mechanism. Formal treaty negotiations to establish the next phase - an international claims commission - are set to begin next week.

Prior to these six new categories launched today, three categories were already open for submission of claims:

A2.1 Death of an Immediate Family Member

A2.2 Missing Immediate Family Member

A3.1 Damage or Destruction of Residential Immovable Property

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Finland and Ukraine to intensify cooperation on civil defence shelters

Finnish Government

Ministry of the Interior

Publication date 19.3.2025 18.16

Press release

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior and the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries signed a joint letter of intent concerning cooperation on civil defence shelters on 19 March 2025 in connection with the meeting between President of the Republic Alexander Stubb and President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen and Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Herman Smetanin have signed a joint letter of intent to intensify cooperation on civil defence shelters.

"We will support Ukraine in developing its civil defence shelter system as it is an area where Finland has a great deal of experience. The past three harsh years of Russia's war of aggression have brought Ukraine face to face with the importance of civil defence shelters," says Minister of the Interior Mari Rantanen.

The joint letter of intent was signed in Helsinki during a visit to the bedrock civil defence shelter in Merihaka.

Finland and Ukraine are together preparing a project to develop the civil defence shelter system in Ukraine. The aim is to support Ukraine in reforming its civil defence shelter system and develop the coordination of international support related to civil defence shelters to promote that the construction of civil defence shelters aligns with Ukraine's national strategic objectives.

Rescue services and civil defence are also among the key areas of the civilian material assistance that Finland provides to Ukraine. Finland has so far sent 409 truckloads of material assistance to Ukraine for the needs of the rescue services, energy and healthcare sectors, among others. Finland will continue its strong support to Ukraine in other sectors, too.

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Trump, Putin hold phone call to discuss cease-fire in Ukraine

Global Times

Many details needed to be discussed for substantial result: expert

By Zhao Yusha Published: Mar 19, 2025 12:32 AM

The White House says President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have begun a highly anticipated call as the US administration looks to persuade the Russian leader to sign-off on a 30-day cease-fire proposal as a possible pathway to end the war, AP reported.

Tuesday's call comes after Ukrainian officials last week agreed to the American proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia, per AP.

Trump and Putin have been on the phone since 10 am ET (1400 GMT), a White House official said on Tuesday, according to Reuters. "The call is going well, and still in progress," Dan Scavino, White House deputy chief of staff, wrote in a post on social media platform X.

Before the call, Trump said land and power plants are part of the conversation around bringing the conflict to a close, the Associated Press reported.

The Kremlin noted before the call that talking points on all pressing issues, first of all on the Ukrainian settlement, would be prepared for the conversation, TASS reported.

NPR reported on Monday that White House officials say they are cautiously optimistic about a proposal that would stop the fighting between Russia and Ukraine for 30 days, It said Ukraine already agreed to a 30-day cease-fire, if Russia signs on too, so that a longer peace deal can be discussed.

In general, the phone call between two presidents carries a positive meaning as the communication is likely to lead to a general consensus between US and Russia regarding solving the Ukraine crisis, and a basic framework for detailed and further negotiations could be built, Yang Jin, an associate research fellow with the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Yet Yang is skeptical any substantial results will be reached after the phone call, as many details needed to be discussed, such as who is to order a cease-fire and how to supervise it. Russia is also likely to insist its stance on territorial claims. "Russia's latest progress in the Kursk region is likely to up the ante for the country during negotiations. As the old saying goes, what you can't gain on the battlefield, you can't gain at the negotiating table."

On March 13, Putin expressed appreciation to Trump for his involvement in the peace talks and supported the idea of a cease-fire. However, the Russian president raised several critical issues regarding the status of Ukrainian military personnel in Kursk Region, the mechanisms for monitoring the cease-fire, and Ukraine's potential actions during this period, according to TASS.

Putin is demanding a suspension of all weapons deliveries to Ukraine during the cease-fire proposed by Trump, Bloomberg quoted people with knowledge of the matter as saying.

At the same time, Russia is making progress in the battlefield as over the past weeks, Russian troops have retaken a large part of areas that Ukraine captured after its surprise cross-border attack in the Kursk region in August last year, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Senior Ukrainian officials also told UK news outlet the Independent that Ukraine has four key terms that must be upheld in order for the conflict to end, which include no further territory ceded to Russia, including territory in the partially-occupied regions of Ukraine.

The situation remains complicated, with concerned parties significantly diverging on crucial issues. As a result, there is still a long way to go before any meaningful progress can be made toward resolving the crisis, Yang said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he spoke by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of an upcoming conversation between US and Russia leaders, Xinhua reported. Macron wrote on social media platform X that 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.

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 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday, Reuters reported.

Currently, the US has underestimated the complexity regarding security framework exposed by the Ukraine crisis, and yet failed to present a fundamental solution to the security dilemma, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

Li noted that there's growing concerns and discontent regarding the US approach to facilitating a cease-fire between Russia and Ukraine, which has, in turn, generated anxiety among all parties involved. "These anxieties stem from within the US, as well as from Europe and Ukraine; even Russia harbors a low level of trust in the US, given historical reasons," Li explained.

Putin said in February that Ukraine would not be excluded from negotiations to end the conflict, but success would depend on raising the level of trust between Moscow and Washington, Reuters reported.

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Moscow: Ukraine defies Trump's truce initiative by attacking Russian oil facility

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Mar 19, 2025

Moscow, IRNA -- The Russian Defense Ministry has accused Ukraine of violating a temporary halt in strikes on energy infrastructure, an agreement reached between President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to the ministry, Kyiv launched a deliberate drone attack on an energy facility in the village of Kavkazskaya, located in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. The overnight attack involved three drones and caused significant damage, including a massive blaze and the destruction of a fuel tanker. The facility is part of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's system, transferring oil from rail tankers into pipelines.

The strike came just hours after Putin and Trump agreed to a 30-day suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure. The U.S.-led initiative was welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The White House said the agreement also included plans for "technical negotiations" on a maritime ceasefire as a step toward permanent peace.

The Russian Defense Ministry said Russian forces were complying with Putin's order to halt cross-border strikes but accused Ukraine of failing to issue similar commands to its forces.

Russian air defense forces had to neutralize seven drones that were already airborne and heading toward Russian energy facilities, the ministry said.

Ukraine has not yet commented on the attack that Russia called "yet another provocation" aimed at undermining the U.S. president's peace proposals.

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Ukraine: Enforced disappearances committed by Russian authorities amount to crimes against humanity, says UN Commission of Inquiry

Press releases

Independent investigation

19 March 2025

GENEVA / VIENNA -- Enforced disappearances committed by Russian authorities in a widespread and systematic manner against the civilian population in the context of their full-scale invasion of Ukraine, amount to crimes against humanity, said the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine in its latest report.

Russian authorities detained large numbers of civilians in all provinces where they took control of areas in Ukraine. Victims included local authorities, civil servants, journalists, and others they perceived as a threat to their military objectives in Ukraine. Many prisoners of war were also victims of enforced disappearances.

Russian authorities often transferred the victims to detention facilities in Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine or deported them to the Russian Federation. There, they also subjected them to other grave violations and crimes, including torture and sexual violence. Many persons have been missing for months, or years. Some have died. The fate and whereabouts of many remain unknown, leaving their families in agonizing uncertainty.

In response to inquiries from families of missing persons, Russian authorities at different levels provided standard replies, which systematically failed to communicate the fate or whereabouts of those disappeared. The failure to disclose information about the victims to their families also shows the intention of the Russian authorities to deprive the victims of the protection of the law.

The evidence gathered led the Commission to conclude that the enforced disappearances against civilians were perpetrated pursuant to a coordinated state policy and amount to crimes against humanity.

Victims' families experienced prolonged anguish without information about their loved ones and undertook significant risks searching for them. A young woman, whose father had disappeared after being detained by Russian authorities in March 2022, stated, "Why do they hide my father? He is a civilian with serious mental health issues. What do they want from him? [...] Living in this nightmare, not knowing if he is alive, if he's being treated well or receiving medical care, is unbearable." In another instance, a young man was detained and beaten when he went to the authorities to enquire about his missing girlfriend.

The Commission previously concluded that Russian authorities have used torture as crimes against humanity. Its recent investigations further confirmed that when personnel of the Federal Security Service were present in detention facilities, they exercised the highest authority. They committed or ordered torture at various stages of detention, and in particular during interrogations, when some of the most brutal treatment was inflicted.

A 56-year-old former detainee recounted that Federal Security Service officers ordered electric shocks to be administered to him and said, "Old man, do not think that you will be spared because of your age. Go back to your cell and think carefully about your answers. And if your brain doesn't work, we will bring your granddaughters here and we will beat the truth out of you in front of them".

The Commission has previously described the systematic use of sexual violence as a form of torture by Russian authorities in detention facilities, mostly against men. It has now documented new cases of rape and sexual violence amounting to torture against detained women. Russian authorities subjected female detainees to sexual violence, including rape, and inhuman conditions reflecting the gendered nature and impact of the treatment inflicted on women in detention. A woman, who was victim of gang rape and other acts of violence stated, "It is extremely painful to relive that day over and over, the pain is always there. People say that time heals... it does not. I can't sleep well; I have severe mental and physical issues. I keep wondering what I could have done differently to avoid all of that."

The Commission examined a growing number of incidents in which Russian armed forces killed or wounded Ukrainian soldiers who were captured or attempted to surrender. This constitutes war crimes. The investigators have been able to interview soldiers who deserted from the Russian armed forces. Several of them told the Commission that they had received orders not to take prisoners but kill them instead. This points to a coordinated policy. For instance, one former Russian soldier stated that in a meeting, a deputy brigade commander told the entire regiment, "Prisoners are not needed, shoot them on the spot."

The Commission has found that both parties to the armed conflict, using drones, killed or wounded visibly injured soldiers who could no longer defend themselves. This is a war crime.

The report also describes some violations of human rights law committed by Ukrainian authorities against persons they accused of collaboration with Russian authorities.

After three years of the full-scale invasion, many victims have endured grave violations and crimes. The Commission again stresses the importance of judicial and non-judicial accountability in all its forms, which contribute to the sustainability of peace processes.

The report presented to the UN Human Rights Council can be found here

Background: The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine is an independent body mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to, among other things, investigate all alleged violations and abuses of human rights and violations of international humanitarian law, and related crimes in the context of the aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation. The Commission will submit reports of its activities to the General Assembly in October 2024, and to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2025. The Commission comprises Erik Mse (Chair), Pablo de Greiff and Vrinda Grover.

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Russia says Ukraine 'derailing' Putin-Trump energy truce deal by attacking oil depot

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 2:53 PM

Russia says Ukraine has launched a "deliberate" attack on an oil depot in the country in an attempt to sabotage an agreement reached between Washington and Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed Tuesday to a proposal by US President Donald Trump for Moscow and Kiev to stop attacks on each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his support for the peace initiative.

But on Wednesday, the Russian defense ministry said that Kiev "launched a deliberate attack using three fixed-wing UAVs on an energy facility in the village of Kavkazskaya," in southern Russia.

The facility, it said, is used to transfer oil from rail tankers into the pipeline system operated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.

The drone attack caused a fuel tank to rupture and a fire to break out across 1,700 square meters, it said.

"It is completely obvious that this is another specially prepared provocation by the Kiev regime aimed at derailing peace initiatives of the US president."

In a separate statement, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that so far there has been "no reciprocity on the part of the Kiev regime."

"There were attempts to strike our energy infrastructure," he said. "These attacks are countering our common (Russian-US) efforts."

Later on Wednesday, Kiev accused Russia of attacking Ukraine's energy facilities.

Peskov, however, said that President Putin "immediately" gave the command to stop energy attacks on Ukraine after his call with Trump.

According to Peskov, seven Russian drones were "in the air" to be used on Ukrainian energy infrastructure but they were neutralized by Russia's air defense forces.

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Trump, Putin agree on limited Ukraine truce: US special envoy Witkoff

Iran Press TV

Wednesday, 19 March 2025 7:11 AM

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, have reached an agreement on a limited halt to Russian strikes on energy and infrastructure targets in Ukraine, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Witkoff said on Tuesday that the limited ceasefire agreement came after the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in a phone call that lasted more than two hours earlier in the day.

He went on to say that Putin agreed to Trump's proposal to halt strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days and backed a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.

"Up until recently, we really didn't have consensus around these two aspects - the energy and infrastructure ceasefire and the Black Sea moratorium on firing - and today we got to that place, and I think it's a relatively short distance to a full ceasefire from there," Witkoff said.

"I'm certainly hopeful that the Ukrainians will agree to it. We have some details to work out, of course," he added.

Witkoff commended Putin "for all he did today on that call to move his country close to a final peace deal."

He further noted that diplomatic talks between the US and Russia will continue in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on March 23.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has already agreed to the US-proposed ceasefire in Europe's biggest conflict since World War II.

On Tuesday, Trump and Putin held a lengthy talk on how to reach a ceasefire deal for Ukraine.

Washington hoped its proposal would convince Moscow to accept a 30-day ceasefire agreement and then move towards a permanent peace deal.

However, Putin agreed only to halt attacks on energy infrastructure and rejected an immediate and full ceasefire in Ukraine.

According to the Kremlin, Putin outlined the need to establish a mechanism to properly monitor a potential ceasefire.

Putin also indicated to Trump that "the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution through political and diplomatic means should be the complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence information to Kiev," according to the Kremlin.

Putin also told Trump that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday, adding that Moscow will also hand over to Kiev 23 critically wounded soldiers, the Kremlin reported.

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Trump Suggests US Ownership Of Ukrainian Power Plants After Russia Launches New Strikes Despite Pledge

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and RFE/RL's Russian Service March 19, 2025

President Donald Trump suggested during a call with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the US take ownership of Ukraine's power plants as he seeks to bridge a wide divide between Moscow and Kyiv and secure a full cease-fire in Europe's largest war in decades.

Trump told Zelenskyy that US ownership of Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants "would be the best protection for that infrastructure," according to a White House readout of the March 19 call.

The proposal reflects Trump's belief that US ownership of Ukrainian assets would effectively serve as a security guarantee for the embattled country because Russia would presumably refrain from targeting them out of fear of escalation with the United States.

Zelenskyy told reporters in an online briefing on March 19 that he and Trump discussed the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine during the phone call. He said he told Trump that Kyiv would be ready to discuss US involvement in modernizing and investing in the plant if it is returned to Ukraine.

Kyiv's demand for security guarantees lies at the heart of the shuttle diplomacy between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States to secure a peace deal. Zelenskyy wants any final peace deal to include Western security guarantees for Ukraine to deter Russia from invading again, but Trump has so far refused to commit the United States to the country's defense.

During the call, which the White House described as "fantastic," Trump promised to look into acquiring more Patriot anti-air missile systems for Ukraine, while Zelenskyy agreed not to target Russian energy assets for 30 days. Ukraine has struggled to protect its cities from Russian attacks due to a lack of air defense.

Zelenskyy described the phone call as "probably his most substantive and positive" talks yet.

In a social media post, Trump said the goal of the call with Zelenskyy was "to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs."

Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine, which has killed or wounded more than a million people, a top priority for his administration. However, Moscow and Kyiv remain so far apart on key issues -- such as land exchanges and security guarantees for Ukraine -- that the Trump administration will need to use various carrots and sticks if it hopes to bring them together.

So far, Trump has mainly leaned on Ukraine, temporarily halting military assistance until Zelenskyy agreed last week to a 30-day unconditional cease-fire. Putin rejected the cease-fire proposal during a March 18 call with the US president, settling instead for a temporary halt in energy and infrastructure strikes, the first de-escalation step of the war. Zelenskyy subsequently reciprocated.

Putin agreed to continue talks with the US toward achieving a full cease-fire. US negotiators will meet with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in the coming days to work on extending the partial cease-fire to the Black Sea.

Experts say that Putin has not given up on his goals of subjugate Ukraine and will seek to drag out the talks while his forces have the advantage on the battlefield. Russia wants to fully control the four regions of Ukraine it claims to have annexed in 2022. It would fall short of that goal were it to agree to a full-cease fire now.

Trump has threatened to impose tough sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it obstructs the path toward peace deal, but experts question whether the US president would come down hard on Russia considering he values his relationship with Putin.

"Trump has shown that he can pressure Zelenskyy. Is he willing and able to pressure Putin? If not, then what is he going to do? Putin is making it clear that he's not changing his goals," Mark Katz, a Russia expert and professor emeritus of government and politics at George Mason University, told RFE/RL.

Putin's Promise

Shortly after Putin agreed not to target Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure during the partial cease-fire period, Russia stuck two hospitals and a railway power station, injuring several people.

Russia has targeted Ukraine's power infrastructure with missiles and drones in an attempt to break of the will of the Ukrainian people by denying them light and heat in the winter.

Zelenskyy said Russia launched 150 drones overnight at targets that also included energy facilities. Residents of Kyiv told RFE/RL they did not put much faith in the agreement between Trump and Putin.

Russian troops late on March 19 carried out massive airstrikes on Kupyansk that damaged critical infrastructure and caused fires at civilian structures, according to Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synehubov.

Luke Coffey, an analyst at the Hudson Institute, called Putin's concession on energy infrastructure strikes "the bare minimum" he could offer Trump.

"With warmer weather in Ukraine, Putin likely would have scaled back strikes on energy regardless," he said in a tweet, adding that the Kremlin leader "remains the primary obstacle to peace."

The Kremlin's readout from the talks suggested the scope of their agreement was limited to a pause in strikes on energy infrastructure, while the wording of the White House's statement differed slightly, referring to an "energy and infrastructure cease-fire."

"There must be checks over Putin's words. And the United States could lead that monitoring.... We will write up a list of buildings and structures hit by Russian drones and missiles. If the Russians stop targeting our buildings, we will stop our strikes on Russian territories," Zelenskyy said.

"There is a long path to reach first the cease-fire, and then a long-term peace," he added.

The Kremlin denied the attack saying it had halted its targeting of Ukrainian energy facilities and instead accused Kyiv of launching attacks on equipment near one of its pipelines.

Moscow said Ukrainian drones struck an oil depot in Russia's Krasnodar region overnight, igniting a fire and damaging a pipeline connecting storage tanks, Russian emergency officials confirmed, adding there were no casualties.

Ukraine has retaliated against the strikes on its power system by targeting Russian oil assets, such as refineries and storage facilities. Russia's war machine is heavily dependent on oil export revenues, which account for about a third of federal budget revenues.

While Trump described his call with Putin as "very good and productive," Zelenskyy expressed disappointment with the outcome, saying it showed Putin isn't interested in peace and was determined "to drag out the war."

US envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on March 18 that fresh talks with Russia on the Ukraine war will now take place on March 23 in Jeddah.

"The devil is in the details. We've got a team going to Saudi Arabia, led by our national-security adviser and our secretary of state, and I think, you know, we've got to figure out those details," Witkoff said.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to send a team for further cease-fire discussions with the United States, while reiterating Kyiv will not recognize Russian sovereignty over any occupied Ukrainian territory -- a condition for any peace agreement that Putin has voiced several times.

With reporting by Reuters, AP.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-ukraine-drone- attack-zelenskyy-talks-putin-trump-war/33352452.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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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

19.03.2025 (16:40)

On 19 March, as a result of the negotiation process, 175 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime.

In exchange, 175 AFU prisoners of war were returned. Moreover, another 22 severely wounded AFU POWs in need of emergency medical care were included in the swap as a gesture of goodwill.

At present, the Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with necessary psychological and medical care. They also have an opportunity to contact their relatives.

All released servicemen will be taken to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Defence Ministry.

The United Arab Emirates provided humanitarian mediation efforts in returning the Russian servicemen from captivity.



Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Statement by Russian Defence Ministry

19.03.2025 (13:50)

On the night of 19 March 2025, several hours after the high-level Russian-American talks were completed and after the President of the Russian Federation accepted the U.S. President's offer to temporary cease strikes at the Ukrainian power infrastructure, the Kiev regime launched a deliberate attack by three fixed-wing UAVs at a power infrastructure facility in stanitsa Kavkazkaya (Krasnodar region).

This facility ensures oil transshipment from railway tank cars into the pipeline system of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) international oil transport company.

As a result of the Ukrainian UAV crashing on the territory of the oil transshipment point, one oil tank was depressurised and a fire broke out on an area of 1,700 square metres. The fire is currently being extinguished by fire brigades.

Previously, on 17 February, the Kiev regime launched a UAV attack at the Kropotkinskaya oil pumping station (OPS) of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). As a result of the attack, the station was damaged and decommissioned.

It is quite clear that it is one more provocation deliberately prepared by the Kiev regime aimed at undermining the U.S. President's peace initiatives.

It should be particularly noted that at the moment of the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to temporarily cease strikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure, there were seven Russian attack drones in the air targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities related to the defence industry in Nikolayev region.

Air defence units of the Russian Federation were ordered to down the UAVs, six of them were shot down by Pantsir AAMG, one of them was neutralised by an on-duty fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces.





Department for Media Affairs and Information

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Russian Soldiers Safely Return From Ukraine-Controlled Territory

Sputnik News

20250319

As a result of the negotiation process, 175 Russian soldiers were returned from territory controlled by Ukraine , Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

Similarly, Russia handed over 175 Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as 22 seriously wounded prisoners as a gesture of goodwill.

The returned Russian military personnel are in the territory of Belarus, they are provided with psychological and medical assistance and can contact their relatives. During their phone call on Tuesday, Putin informed Trump about the planned 175-for-175 prisoner swap.

 Sputnik

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Ukraine's Overnight Attack May Be Seen As Peace Attempts Sabotage - Kremlin

Sputnik News

20250319

Ukraine has not canceled its night attacks on facilities in Russia, which runs counter to the efforts of Putin and Trump to reach a peaceful settlement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said.

At the same time, the Russian president's command to stop attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure facilities was immediately implemented, he stressed.

Now, Russian authorities are closely watching whether Kiev will listen to the intention of Moscow and Washington to do everything possible to get back on a peaceful track.

 Sputnik

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Statement from Secretary Rubio and NSA Waltz on Call with Zelenskyy

US Department of State

Press Statement

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State

NSA Waltz

March 19, 2025

Today, President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation. President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for a productive start for the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11th. The meeting of the senior officials from both nations significantly helped in moving toward ending the war.

President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide, and his efforts towards peace. The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump's leadership can be achieved.

President Trump fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe.

The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire. They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security. President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President's leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire.

President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

President Zelenskyy also thanked President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of POWs. He noted they had just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for his leadership. President Trump also asked President Zelenskyy about the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted. President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home.

They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. The Presidents noted the positive work of their advisors and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg, and others. The Presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. The Presidents emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security.

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UK Reaffirms Support for Ukraine, Emphasizes Ceasefire and Accountability Amid Ongoing Conflict: UK Statement to the OSCE

UK Military Advisor, Lt Col Joby Rimmer, says Ukraine's long-term security depends on a multifaceted approach of immediate ceasefire efforts, robust security arrangements, and economic and humanitarian support.

19 March 2025

Location: Vienna

Delivered on: 19 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you, Mr Chair. As we reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its territorial integrity and right to exist, we continue to emphasise the importance of its freedom, sovereignty, and independence. These principles are critical to securing Ukraine's long-term prosperity and security and are paramount to ensuring stability and peace in the region.

Recent efforts to achieve a ceasefire have rightly dominated the strategic narrative. The meeting on March 11 between the USA and Ukraine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was promising. We applaud Ukraine's commitment to an immediate ceasefire, which is an essential step towards a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in line with the Charter of the United Nations. A ceasefire is not only a cessation of hostilities but also a foundation for rebuilding trust and fostering long-term stability.

Although we don't have the full details from the dialogue between the USA and Russia yesterday, we understand that Putin has repeated his 'Yes but No' approach to a ceasefire, expressing concerns regarding the monitoring of the line of conflict and Ukraine's ability to mobilise and re-arm in the interim. Russia's demand for the complete cessation of provision of foreign military aid and intelligence to Kyiv is likely to prevent rapid progress. We repeat that any ceasefire must be respected, and that robust and credible security arrangements are necessary to ensure that Ukraine can deter and defend against any renewed acts of aggression.

The UK welcomes the proposed agreement on a cessation of kinetic strikes on energy infrastructure, but again, we call on Russia to fully reciprocate by explicitly agreeing to a ceasefire in all areas and implementing it completely. Should Russia fail to agree to such a ceasefire, we remain prepared to impose further costs, including additional sanctions, caps on oil prices, and increased support for Ukraine. The use of extraordinary revenues stemming from immobilised Russian Sovereign Assets will also be considered.

The devastating impact of the war continues. Russian attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are deeply alarming. The destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure has caused immense suffering and displacement. A Russian attack on Pokrovsk on March 17 severely injured three children. A Russian drone attack on a hospital in Kharkiv Oblast caused a 1500 square yard building fire, and the subsequent assault targeted rescue workers. On March 8, a coordinated strike on apartment buildings in Dobropillia killed 11 people and injured 30. We must emphasise the importance of accountability for these actions and reaffirm our commitment again to work together to achieve a durable peace.

In conclusion, Ukraine's long-term prosperity and security depend on a multifaceted approach that includes immediate ceasefire efforts, robust security arrangements, economic and humanitarian support, and accountability for actions taken during the conflict. By standing together with Ukraine, we can achieve a durable peace and ensure that Ukraine remains democratic, free, strong and prosperous. The path to peace and prosperity is challenging, but it is achievable. Thank you, Mr Chair.

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UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine. Delivered by the UK's Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley.

19 March 2025

Location: Geneva

Delivered on: 19 March 2025 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Thank you, Mr Vice-President.

Welcome Commissioners. Your reporting has made clear that, for as long as Russia pursues its aggression against Ukraine, the Ukrainian people will be subject to immense suffering. We are of course shocked by your latest report, which lays bare Russia's brutal treatment of detainees.

You conclude that Russia has committed torture, including sexual violence. And, for the first time, that enforced disappearances committed by Russia amount to a crime against humanity.

We are deeply disturbed by the systematic use of sexual violence against male detainees, and by new evidence of the war crimes of rape and sexual violence perpetrated against female detainees.

Detainees are subjected to abuses and, tragically, some have died. Their families are, understandably, in anguish.

This mistreatment is directed from the highest levels, pursuant to a coordinated Russian state policy. Evidence shows that Russian commanders gave orders to kill rather than take prisoners.

Commissioners, justice must be done.

We do, of course, encourage Ukraine to investigate fully your allegations against its authorities and armed forces.

But let there be no doubt: there is no equivalence between Russia and Ukraine. As a direct result of Russian aggression, Ukrainians across the country have faced violations and abuses of their right to life.

Russia must be held to account. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as this takes.

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International Register of Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine Begins Accepting Claims in Six New Categories

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 22:31

The International Register of Damage Caused by Russia's Aggression Against Ukraine has begun accepting claims in six new categories. This was announced by Chair of the Register's Board Robert Spano during his visit to Kyiv.

A meeting with the Register's delegation was held under the chairmanship of Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and with the participation of Deputy Head of the President's Office Iryna Mudra, where they discussed the expansion of claims submission opportunities and further cooperation.

The new categories include: involuntary internal displacement of citizens within Ukraine due to Russian aggression; serious personal injury caused by the aggressor's actions; cases of sexual violence committed by occupiers; torture or inhuman or degrading treatment; deprivation of liberty; forced labor or service. As before, claims can be submitted via the Diia online portal.

The meeting also addressed the potential launch of a mechanism for claims from legal entities, government agencies, institutions, and enterprises that have suffered significant losses.

The International Register of Damage is the first step toward an international compensation mechanism. The next stage will be the establishment of a Claims Commission, which will determine specific compensation amounts for victims. Following this, a Compensation Fund will be created to make payments.

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President of Ukraine and President of the United States Had a Telephone Conversation

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 19:57

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with President of the United States Donald Trump.

The Ukrainian leader thanked the U.S. President for the productive start to the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11. This meeting significantly helped in moving toward ending the war. The leaders agreed that Ukraine and the United States should continue working together to achieve a lasting peace. Together with the United States, with President Trump, and under American leadership, it can be achieved this year.

Donald Trump shared the details of his yesterday's conversation with Vladimir Putin and the key issues discussed. Ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure could be the first step toward fully ending the war and ensuring security. Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed its readiness to implement it.

In addition, in Jeddah, the American side proposed an unconditional ceasefire on the frontline, and our state accepted this proposal as well. Ukraine will continue working to make this happen. Such steps are necessary to create the possibility for a comprehensive peace agreement to be prepared during the ceasefire.

The Ukrainian leader provided an update on the battlefield situation, the course of the operation in the Kursk region, and the consequences of Russian strikes.

The parties also touched on the issue of the release of POWs and the return of Ukrainian children. The presidents also discussed the state of Ukraine's air defense and the possibility of strengthening it to protect lives.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump instructed their teams to resolve technical issues related to implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire. The Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace. The Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. They also noted the positive work of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov and Deputy Head of the Office of the President Pavlo Palisa.

The President of Ukraine and the President of the United States emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security guarantees.

The Ukrainian leader thanked the U.S. President and all the American people for their support. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Ukrainians want peace, which is why our state accepted the proposal for an unconditional ceasefire. In addition, the President of Ukraine highlighted the importance of President Trump's concept of peace through strength.

The leaders agreed to maintain constant contact, including at the highest level and through their teams.

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Ukraine and Cote d'Ivoire Agreed to Start Deepening Trade and Economic Cooperation

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 18:36

In furtherance of the agreements between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Brusylo held an online meeting with Minister of Economy, Planning, and Development of Cote d'Ivoire Niale Kaba.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Taras Kachka, Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Oksana Osmachko, Director General of the Directorate for Foreign Policy and International Military and Technical Cooperation of the Presidential Office, Ruslan Kurochenko, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The key topic of discussion was the intensification of mutually beneficial cooperation in promising economic sectors: agriculture, trade, infrastructure projects, and vocational training of Ivorian students in Ukrainian higher education institutions. Cote d'Ivoire expressed its readiness for partnership, in particular by initiating a direct dialogue between relevant ministries.

Special attention was paid to the expansion of the contractual and legal framework for bilateral relations in the trade and economic sphere. This will enable beneficial cooperation in many areas.

In addition, Ihor Brusilo and Niale Kaba agreed on practical steps to implement the agreements reached.

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President of Ukraine and Prime Minister of Finland Discussed Defense Support for Ukraine

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 17:28

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo.

The Ukrainian leader thanked Finland for its support of Ukraine, emphasizing the 28th defense assistance package worth EUR 200 million.

The President provided updates on the efforts to bring closer a just and lasting peace, in particular, he spoke about the meeting of Ukrainian and American delegations in Jeddah.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Petteri Orpo discussed continued defense support for Ukraine, including the strengthening of air defenses, the supply of artillery systems and shells, and investment in Ukrainian arms production. The Head of State urged Finland to join the procurement of Ukrainian weapons based on the Danish model.

The President expressed hope that the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation signed by the Ministers of Defense of Ukraine and Finland on March 13 will help strengthen the defense capabilities of both states.

In addition, the parties discussed the involvement of as many countries and international organizations as possible in the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition and Finland's participation in Ukraine's reconstruction.

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President of Ukraine Met with Speaker and Leaders of Political Groups of the Finnish Parliament

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 17:09

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Speaker of the Parliament of Finland Jussi Halla-aho, leaders of political groups, and heads of parliamentary committees in Helsinki.

The Head of State thanked the Finnish Parliament for its unwavering support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the fight against Russian aggression.

"Thank you for supporting Ukraine from the very beginning of the full-scale war, we count on you. We have very strong relations," the President said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy outlined the steps toward a just and sustainable peace. Ukraine, together with its partners, is developing a plan to achieve peace and provide reliable security guarantees for our state.

In addition, the parties discussed support for Ukraine on its path to EU and NATO membership.

The Head of State also visited the Plenary Hall and observed the aftermath of the Soviet bomb attack on the Finnish Parliament House during the Winter War in 1939.

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Path to Peace, Continued Defense Support, and Strengthening Air Defense: President of Ukraine Meets with President of Finland

President of Ukraine

19 March 2025 - 14:40

In Helsinki, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Finland Alexander Stubb.

The Ukrainian President thanked Finland for its support during Russia's full-scale aggression and emphasized the importance of European unity in maintaining pressure on Russia to achieve a just and lasting peace.

"Our nations know what it truly means to be neighbors with Russia. And only when we all stand together in unity - when we in Europe cooperate, help one another, and work with partners around the world - can we ensure stability and a normal, safe life for our people, a life without war," said President Zelenskyy.

One of the main topics of discussion was the continuation of defense support for Ukraine and the strengthening of air defense. Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that, despite the Russian dictator's claims about halting attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities, Russia targeted civilian infrastructure last night.

"This is exactly why we need defense support, we need support for our air defense, and we need pressure on Russia to ensure security and save lives of our people. I thank Finland for this support and for the new defense package announced earlier," he stated.

The leaders also discussed investments in Ukrainian weapons production. The Head of State thanked Finland for its decision to allocate 660 million for the procurement of defense materiel from Finnish companies to support Ukraine's Defense Forces.

The meeting also highlighted Finland's leadership in creating the Civil Protection Shelter Coalition, which aims to construct shelters and involve as many countries as possible in the initiative. Today, ministers from both countries will sign a document launching the coalition.

Additionally, the parties discussed support for Ukraine on its path toward EU and NATO membership. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed the critical importance of security guarantees for Ukraine.

"I am grateful, Mr. President, for your willingness to work with us on security guarantees. Together with our European partners, we are discussing specific, vital steps on the ground, as well as security guarantees in the sky and at sea that can help safeguard peace," he added.

Alexander Stubb reaffirmed that Ukraine can rely on Finland's continued assistance.

"Finland will continue to provide strong support for Ukraine. We are in this together. We understand what you are going through. And we will stand with you for as long as it takes," concluded President Stubb.

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Statement from Secretary Rubio and NSA Waltz on Call with Zelenskyy

The White House

March 19, 2025

"Today, President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation. President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for a productive start for the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11th. The meeting of the senior officials from both nations significantly helped in moving toward ending the war.

President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide, and his efforts towards peace. The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump's leadership can be achieved.

President Trump fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe.

The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire. They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security. President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President's leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire.

President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

President Zelenskyy also thanked President Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of POWs. He noted they had just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for his leadership. President Trump also asked President Zelenskyy about the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted. President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home.

They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. The Presidents noted the positive work of their advisors and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg, and others. The Presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. The Presidents emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security."

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Trump, Zelensky agree to "partial ceasefire against energy" in Ukraine

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 08:08, March 20, 2025

WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call on Wednesday agreed to "a partial ceasefire against energy" between Russia and Ukraine.

The phone call came one day after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday in their phone talks that the peace in Ukraine "will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire" in Ukraine.

U.S. and Ukraine's "technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire" in Ukraine, said a statement signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Trump and Zelensky discussed the situation in Kursk and "agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved," said the statement.

During the phone conversation, Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems, particularly Patriot missile systems, and "President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe," said the statement.

Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants with Zelensky and told the latter: "The United States could be very helpful in running those plants. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

Zelensky wrote on X after speaking to Trump, "One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it."

However, the White House statement on Wednesday did not mention that the partial ceasefire would apply to civilian infrastructure as Zelensky suggested.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a press briefing later on Wednesday that all intelligence sharing between the United States and Ukraine will continue.

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VICTORIA, Seychelles, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEXC , a global cryptocurrency exchange, has reaffirmed its leadership in token listings, surpassing competitors in speed, volume, and market positioning, according to the latest TokenInsight Crypto Exchange report. Covering the period from November 1, 2024, to February 15, 2025, the report provides key insights into how centralized exchanges (CEXs) adapt to shifting market narratives during the latest bull run and how these changes influence their listing strategies.

Key Takeaways

MEXC ranked first in spot listings, with 461 new tokens added.

added. The report recognized MEXC as a "Trend Capturer," citing the strong performance of its early-listed tokens.

citing the strong performance of its early-listed tokens. MEXC led in the conversion success rate (82.46%) for memecoin listings.

for memecoin listings. The exchange listed TRUMP just 2 hours and 20 minutes after its initial on-chain liquidity injectionfar ahead of competitors.

just after its initial on-chain liquidity injectionfar ahead of competitors. MEXC was among the first exchanges to list major trend-driven tokens, including PNUT, CHILLGUY, AIXBT, BIO, RIFSOL, TRUMP, and VINE.



MEXC Leads in Token Listings and Market Agility

Over the past three months, MEXC has listed 461 new spot trading pairs1.5 times more than Gate.io and 4.5 times more than Bitgetdemonstrating its superior ability to capture market momentum. The exchange has maintained a consistent two-week listing cycle, ensuring that traders gain early access to promising assets before they reach mainstream markets.

This agility is particularly evident in key industry trends, as MEXC has emerged as the first major exchange to list tokens tied to the four dominant narratives of the current market: Meme, DeSci, AI Agent, and Celebrity Tokens.

A Leader in Early Listings

The TokenInsight report recognizes MEXC as a "Trend Capturer" for positioning its traders ahead of major market moves. By listing tokens early in their lifecycle, the exchange enables traders to capitalize on rapid growth opportunities.

For example, CHILLGUY was listed when its market cap was below $150 million and surged to $600 million within just ten days. MEXC's reputation for early-market foresight has been reinforced by its rapid listing of high-performing tokens, including PNUT, CHILLGUY, AIXBT, BIO, RIFSOL, TRUMP, and VINE. Many of these tokens experienced significant price surges post-listing.

A standout case is TRUMP, which MEXC listed on January 18 at 03:20 UTC, just 2 hours and 20 minutes after its initial on-chain liquidity injectionwell ahead of other exchanges, which didnt follow until after 10:00 UTC. This ultra-fast turnaround underscores MEXC's sharp market responsiveness, allowing traders to access high-momentum tokens before broader adoption.

Quality in On-Chain Listings

Unlike platforms that focus solely on token volume, MEXC takes a selective approach, prioritizing high-potential on-chain assets. TokenInsight's data reveals that MEXC's 82.46% conversion rate from on-chain listings to its primary spot market far surpasses Gate.io's 11.76%, highlighting its ability to identify sustainable projects.

Largest Market Share and Top 5 CEX Ranking

With its ability to identify and list emerging trends faster than competitors, MEXC continues to solidify its position among top-tier exchanges. Beyond leading in new listings, CoinDesk data confirms that MEXC captured the largest market share among centralized exchanges in February 2025 and secured a top-five ranking based on overall market share.

The full report is available on TokenInsight's official website .

About MEXC

Founded in 2018, MEXC is dedicated to being "Your Easiest Way to Crypto." Known for its extensive selection of trending tokens, airdrop opportunities, and low fees, MEXC serves over 34 million users across 170+ countries. With a focus on accessibility and efficiency, our advanced trading platform appeals to both new traders and seasoned investors alike. MEXC provides a seamless, secure, and rewarding gateway to the world of digital assets.

For more information, visit: MEXC Website | X | Telegram | How to Sign Up on MEXC

For media inquiries, please contact MEXC PR Manager Lucia Hu: lucia.hu@mexc.com

About TokenInsight

TokenInsight is a leading research and data analytics firm focused on the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry. Through detailed market reports and data-driven insights, TokenInsight provides actionable intelligence to investors, exchanges, and industry participants.

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by MEXC. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector--including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining--complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an "as-is" basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7fc75310-f85c-45f9-b803-96869eb2c148
Irvine, California, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Origence Lending Services, a division of Origence, served 360,000 credit union members and grew to 167 credit unions funding $5 billion in 2024. The division also marked a significant milestone in document management, stacking, and processing more than 30 million documents since its launch of an advanced AI-powered solution in 2023. These numbers highlight another successful year of continued growth, providing scalable outsourced solutions designed to improve efficiencies and streamline operations for credit unions.

Origence Lending Services operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 362 days a year, ensuring continuous support and availability for credit unions and their members. By leveraging innovative technology, the division accelerates loan approvals through automated processes, significantly reducing turnaround times. The adoption of paperless workflows not only enhances efficiency but also contributes to environmental sustainability. Furthermore, Origence Lending Services maintains high standards of data security, employing advanced encryption and compliance measures to protect sensitive information and ensure regulatory adherence. This comprehensive approach allows credit unions to provide seamless, secure, and efficient lending services to their members at any time of the day or night.

Our achievements this year underscore the trust credit unions place in Origence Lending Services to deliver efficient, member-focused lending solutions, said Brian Hamilton, president of Origence Lending Services. By combining innovative solutions with expert support, we empower credit unions to optimize operations, reduce costs, and focus on what matters most  providing exceptional service and value to their members.

Origence Lending Services offers a comprehensive suite of solutions to assist credit unions, including full-service indirect lending, after-hours staffing and overflow support, document services, and underwriting support. These services help credit unions address critical challenges such as business continuity, disaster recovery, staffing shortages, market expansion, and scalability during periods of market volatility. By leveraging these solutions, credit unions can optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance performance, allowing them to focus on delivering a superior experience to their members.

When we reached out to Origence Lending Solutions, we were looking for operational flexibility while minimizing operating expense, explained Blair Conner, CLO at UNCLE Credit Union in Livermore, Calif. This led to off-hour coverage beyond what we could accomplish with traditional staffing while also reducing Underwriter staff levels by 50%. With more real-time scalability and the introduction of further auto-decisioning in 2025, Origence Lending Services continues to provide us with the most flexible and cost-effective solution to meet our members needs.

Origence Lending Services utilizes a vast number of advanced technology solutions to provide efficiency while serving its clients. One of these includes advanced artificial intelligence that scans, classifies, and organizes documents, ensuring accuracy and efficiency. Once validated, it generates funding-related reports and manages communications with dealers or brokers on behalf of credit unions. This seamless integration reduces errors, minimizes compliance risks, and enables credit unions to concentrate on growth opportunities and member service.

About Origence Lending Services

Origence Lending Services provides lending organizations with flexible lending operations solutions designed to meet shifting demands, complement existing capabilities, and redirect resources to pursue new growth opportunities. Our mission is to provide lenders with dynamic solutions powered by superior technology and deep industry expertise. Solutions include full-service loan underwriting, processing, call services, letter generation, funding support, and additional origination services. Origence Lending Services is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. For more information, visit www.origencelendingservices.com.

Attachment
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Halal Cosmetics Market Size and Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Halal Cosmetics market will rise to reach US$ 135.54 billion by 2033. However, from the previous figure in 2024, at US$ 45.30 billion, with a compound annual growth rate of 12.95% between the period 2025 and 2033.

Growth in demand from consumers, higher awareness towards ethical standards, and an ever-growing Muslim population all over the world are leading causes, primarily the Middle East and Southeast Asia regions.



The popularity of halal cosmetics has gained momentum across the globe. The demand for ethical and natural beauty products has increased, especially among Muslim consumers who look for products that adhere to their religion and are permissible under Islamic principles. In addition, non-Muslim consumers are also opting for halal cosmetics because they are focused on natural ingredients, sustainability, and ethical manufacturing. As awareness grows, the global halal cosmetic market continues to expand. The leading brands embrace the growing era of inclusivity, innovation, and moral standards to meet the changing needs of diverse beauty enthusiasts.



Growth Drivers for the Halal Cosmetics Market

Increasing Muslim Population and Demand for Halal Products



The growing Muslim population worldwide shows potential and considerably drives the halal cosmetics market. As the same generation continues seeking goods that are not sinfluenced, the need for halal, or permissible, beauty products shoots up. Halal cosmetics are more demanded because they observe strictly the Islamic laws and avoid alcoholic and animal products.

This cultural change towards halal products and growing disposable income and awareness has led to an expanding consumer base, especially in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. The global Muslim population is a heterogeneous and dynamic population that is dispersed all over the world. In 2024, it is estimated that there are more than 2.04 billion Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion after Christianity.



Rising Consumer Preference for Ethical and Natural Products



Increasingly, the global consumer becomes more aware of the contents in their beauty products. They opt for more natural, organic, and ethical options. Halal cosmetics frequently use plant-based, cruelty-free, and sustainable ingredients to attract Muslim consumers as well as the eco-conscious consumer.

This trend toward sustainability and ethical manufacturing practices has further fueled the market for halal cosmetics, as consumers are now seeking products that are in line with their values about environmental responsibility, cruelty-free testing, and transparency in production. According to a V-Label survey conducted in May 2023, 85% of customers regularly use cruelty-free and vegan cosmetics, and 86% are willing to buy more. This rising demand is fueling the growth of the halal cosmetics market.



Expansion of Halal Beauty Brands and Market Accessibility



The growing popularity of halal-certified beauty brands in international markets has driven the growth of the halal cosmetics industry. More international beauty brands are launching lines that are certified as halal, and hence, consumers are able to enjoy a wide variety of halal products across categories of cosmetics, skincare, and personal care.

E-commerce sites have further made it easy for consumers to shop for these products from anywhere. The rise in influencer marketing and social media campaigns for halal beauty products also played a key role in improving visibility and awareness among consumers and thus increasing demand globally. In November 2022, US investment firm TSG Consumer Partners, LLC, acquired Huda Beauty, enriching its portfolio with a popular cosmetics line offering halal products for women globally.



Challenges in the Halal Cosmetics Market

Lack of Standardization and Certification Issues



One of the major challenges in the halal cosmetics market is the lack of standardization and reliable certification across different regions. The criteria for halal certification can vary significantly between countries, making it difficult for consumers to trust the authenticity of products. Inconsistent guidelines and the absence of universally recognized certification bodies can lead to confusion and mistrust, potentially hindering market growth.

To address this, establishing globally accepted certification standards and ensuring transparency in the production and sourcing of ingredients is important for gaining consumer confidence and broadening the market's reach.



High Production and Certification Costs



The cost of producing and obtaining halal-certified cosmetics and certification can be significantly higher than that of non-halal products. All ingredients, manufacturing processes, and supply chains for the brands should comply with the standards of halal, and that can sometimes necessitate additional audits, inspections, and compliance checks, which drive up the costs of production, subsequently passed to consumers in higher prices. Such barriers can prove financially challenging to small companies trying to compete against the established brands and thus potentially cap the market growth in areas with price-sensitive consumers.



Halal Color Cosmetics Market



The Halal Color Cosmetics Market is experiencing a significant increase in growth, driven by the increasing demand from consumers for ethical and religiously compliant beauty products. Such cosmetics include makeup that is halal-certified, such as foundation, lipsticks, and eye products, free from haram ingredients such as alcohol and animal-derived substances.

The market is gaining momentum not only among Muslim consumers but also among non-Muslim buyers looking for natural, cruelty-free, and sustainable options. The growing trend of inclusivity, eco-friendly packaging, and innovation in the formulation of the product is fueling the growth of the halal color cosmetics market, with major brands expanding their offerings to cater to diverse needs of consumers globally.



Halal Beauty Care Cosmetics industry



The Halal Beauty Care Cosmetics industry is a rapidly emerging segment of the global beauty market, driven by consumer demand for products that adhere to Islamic principles. Free from prohibited ingredients including alcohol, animal-derived substances, and harmful chemicals, halal cosmetics are safe, ethical, and free from cruelty. Halal cosmetics range from skincare to color cosmetics, formulated with natural and sustainable ingredients that can be combined to perfect any desired form.

This has been one of the greatest growth drivers among Muslim consumers, mostly in regions like the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa, over awareness related to the usage of halal-certified products. Other growth drivers of the industry are rising non-Muslim consumers seeking ethical, vegan, and eco-friendly beauty solutions.



Specialty Stores Halal Cosmetics Market



Specialty Stores Halal Cosmetics Market is one of the fast-growing niches within the general beauty market. This is due to the specialty stores selling exclusively halal-certified products in the outlet. These shops give the customers a specially chosen set of beauty and personal care products, as they must adhere to the law of Islam. Thus, no alcohol, animal by-product, or synthetic preservative would be used. Specialty stores also give customers an upgraded shopping experience because the customer is taught more about halal standards and recommendations.

The market is witnessing growth due to heightened demand from Muslim consumers who prefer to shop in stores that align with their religious beliefs. Moreover, these stores appeal to eco-conscious and health-conscious consumers seeking non-animal-tested, natural, and sustainable alternatives. The rise in awareness of halal beauty, along with specialty retail outlets that are on the verge of expansion, boosts the growth of the market, especially in markets such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe. These stores are also embracing e-commerce to reach a broader audience.

Company Analysis: Overview, Recent Developments, Revenues

Estee Lauder

L'Oreal

S&J International Enterprises

Kao Corporation

Clara International Beauty Group

INIKA

Amara Cosmetics

Wardah Cosmetics

Sampure Minerals

Halal Cosmetics Company

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 125 Forecast Period 2024 - 2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $45.3 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $135.54 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 12.9% Regions Covered Global





Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research & Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Growth Drivers

4.2 Challenges



5. Global Halal Cosmetics Market



6. Market Share

6.1 By Product Type

6.2 By Application

6.3 By Distribution Channel

6.4 By Country



7. Product Type

7.1 Personal Care Products

7.2 Color Cosmetics

7.3 Fragrances



8. Application

8.1 Hair Care

8.2 Skin Care

8.3 Face Care

8.4 Beauty Care



9. Distribution Channel

9.1 Hypermarkets & Supermarket

9.2 Online Stores

9.3 Convenience Stores

9.4 Specialty Stores

9.5 Others



10. Country

10.1 North America

10.1.1 United States

10.1.2 Canada

10.2 Europe

10.2.1 Russia

10.2.2 France

10.2.3 Germany

10.2.4 Italy

10.2.5 United Kingdom

10.3 Asia

10.3.1 Pakistan

10.3.2 Indonesia

10.3.3 India

10.3.4 Bangladesh

10.3.5 China

10.3.6 Malaysia

10.3.7 Kazakhstan

10.4 MEA

10.4.1 Nigeria

10.4.2 Egypt

10.4.3 Turkey

10.4.4 Iran

10.4.5 Algeria

10.4.6 Iraq

10.4.7 Morocco

10.4.8 Saudi Arabia

10.4.9 United Arab Emirates

10.4.10 Qatar

10.5 Rest of the World



11. Porter's Five Analysis

11.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers

11.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

11.3 Degree of Rivalry

11.4 Threat of New Entrants

11.5 Threat of Substitutes



12. SWOT Analysis

12.1 Strength

12.2 Weakness

12.3 Opportunity

12.4 Threat



13. Company Analysis

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k21ma6

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.
Trust Wallet leads global wallet downloads this month, capturing over 35%more than twice the share of its nearest competitor.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trust Wallet , the worlds leading self-custody crypto wallet, continues its rapid growth, becoming the most downloaded wallet in March 2025, according to third-party data from Sensor Tower. After capturing 20% of the market share in January, Trust Wallet has now surged to over 35% , reinforcing its position as the go-to platform for secure and seamless Web3 access, and crypto asset management.

Whats Fuelling Trust Wallets Growth?

With millions of users worldwide and a fast-growing community, Trust Wallet continues to expand its reach through compelling features, product innovations, and user-centric initiatives. Its recent growth and success points to a relentless focus on usability, innovation, and security. The wallet strikes a balance between onboarding new users and offering advanced tools for experienced users.

Examples of Trust Wallets innovations include:

Enhanced user experience (UX): A streamlined interface designed for both newcomers and pros.

MEV Protection: Built-in safeguards to protect users from front-running attacks on crypto swaps. This also helps ensure fair swap pricing.

Support for 100+ blockchains: From Solana, Ethereum, BSC, and Base to Tron and beyond, Trust Wallet provides access to the most active ecosystems in Web3.

Industry-leading security features: A non-custodial approach that gives users full control of their digital assetsno middlemen, no compromises.

Shaping the Future of Web3 wallets: Trust Wallets mission is to become a personal companion  supporting users as they navigate Web3, the on-chain economy, and the emerging AI landscape.



Trust Wallet isnt just growing thoughits focus is set to reshape the industry. The wallet aims to bridge the gap between Web2 ease-of-use and Web3 autonomy, making decentralized finance (DeFi) more accessible than ever and paving the way for mainstream adoption.

Trusted by Millions

As the wallet approaches 200 million total downloads, this latest milestone underscores the growing shift toward self-custody and decentralized finance.

Trust Wallet remains dedicated to delivering best-in-class experiences, with upcoming initiatives designed to further enhance security, usability, and accessibility for crypto users worldwide.

Download Trust Wallet today.

About Trust Wallet

Trust Wallet is the secure, self-custody Web3 wallet and gateway for people who want to fully own, control, and leverage the power of their digital assets. From beginners to experienced users, Trust Wallet makes it easier, safer, and convenient for millions of people around the world to experience Web3, access dApps securely, store and manage their crypto and NFTs, as well as buy, sell, and stake crypto to earn rewards  all in one place and without limits.

For media enquiries, contact:

press@trustwallet.com

Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Trust Wallet. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector--including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining--complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an "as-is" basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcc77fc0-6cc3-4857-ae5d-936d91221194
San Francisco, California, USA, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- US Capital Global, a leading global private financial group with a presence across five continents, successfully hosted an exclusive VIP investor cocktail evening on February 19th to mark the conclusion of the 24th Global Family Office Investment Summit in South Florida. The prestigious event, held at the Bentley Residences Showroom in Sunny Isles Beach, welcomed 200 distinguished guestsincluding family offices, institutional investors, and financial advisorswho collectively represent billions of dollars in global investments.

The investor gathering followed the prestigious 24th Global Family Office Investment Summit, which took place on February 1819 at the Trump International Beach Resort in Miami. This influential summit convened dignitaries, investors, and business leaders for dynamic discussions on blockchain, fintech, real estate, healthcare, and Miamis evolving role in technology and sustainability. Notably, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez attended the event, reinforcing the citys commitment to innovation and investment.

Coinciding with these events, FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 was also held on February 1921 in Miami Beach, uniting global leaders, investors, and policymakers under the theme Invest with Purpose. Building on the legacy of the FII Institute, the summit addressed pressing global challenges such as economic growth, healthcare, and security. Esteemed speakers included Oracle CEO Safra Catz, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, and Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, among others, driving discussions on sustainable value creation and transformative business models.

Charles Towle, COO and Managing Partner at US Capital Global, commented, This vibrant gathering of 200 influential investors, capital allocators, and industry leaders fostered a powerful exchange of ideas and opportunities. The event also featured Emblem Limited, renowned for its exceptional yacht craftsmanship and luxury innovation. It was a confluence of capital, innovation, and influence, bringing together visionaries shaping the future. We look forward to hosting similar events in key financial hubs such as San Francisco, Newport, Philadelphia, New York, London, Dubai, and Singapore, and we warmly invite investors to join us.

US Capital Global Chairman and CEO, Jeffrey Sweeney, will attend upcoming investor events, further strengthening the groups global engagement with the investment community.

About US Capital Global

Founded in 1998, US Capital Global offers a range of advanced financial solutions, including debt, equity, and investment products customized for middle-market enterprises and investors. The firm oversees direct investment funds while delivering comprehensive wealth management and investment banking services, encompassing M&A strategies and capital raising expertise. Among the notable entities within the consortium are US Capital Global Investment Management LLC, US Capital Global Wealth Management LLC, and US Capital Global Securities LLC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA. To learn more, visit www.uscapital.com.

To learn more about US Capital Global, email Jeffrey Sweeney, Chairman and CEO, at jsweeney@uscapglobal.com

Attachments
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Public Schools in the US - Industry Market Research Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This report covers the scope, size, disposition and growth of the industry including the key sensitivities and success factors. Also included are five year industry forecasts, growth rates and an analysis of the industry key players and their market shares.

Public schools include traditional elementary (kindergarten through fifth grade), middle (sixth or seventh through eighth grade) and high schools (ninth through 12th grade), in addition to charter and magnet schools. Revenue depends on government funding from tax revenue and borrowing.



The Public Schools industry includes elementary and secondary schools supported by government funds to provide free education for a community or district's children from kindergarten through 12th grade. All public schools operate on a nonprofit basis.



Key Topics Covered:



ABOUT THIS INDUSTRY

Industry Definition

Main Activities

Similar Industries

Additional Resources

INDUSTRY AT A GLANCE



INDUSTRY PERFORMANCE

Executive Summary

Key External Drivers

Current Performance

Industry Outlook

Industry Life Cycle

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JARGON & GLOSSARY



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Nominates Four Director Candidates with Expertise, Independence and Accountability Required to Unlock Shareholder Value

Believes Proposed Initiatives Could Result in Share Price Upside of at Least 50%

DARIEN, Conn., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carronade Capital Management, LP (together with its affiliates, Carronade Capital, our or we), which beneficially owns approximately 2.9 million shares of Common Stock of Cannae Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNNE) (Cannae or the Company) and is one of the Companys top five shareholders, today announced it has issued the below letter to Cannaes Board of Directors (the Board) and nominated four independent director candidates for the four Board seats up for election at the Companys 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Carronade Capital believes Cannaes total shareholder return and corporate governance can be meaningfully improved, and significant opportunities exist to unlock substantial value for all shareholders. We believe Cannae can halt persistent underperformance and restore shareholder confidence by improving capital allocation and unlocking portfolio value through spin outs or buybacks, reducing overhead costs and aligning management incentives, and establishing corporate governance and accountability. If decisive action is taken, we believe that Cannae equity could have a share price upside of at least 50% as a result of activities initiated by year end.

Carronades four highly qualified nominees are as follows:

Mona Aboelnaga

35 years of experience including at Siguler Guff & Company and Proctor Investment Managers with expertise in investment management and private equity industries.

Extensive corporate governance expertise as a board member of both public and private companies including Webster Financial, a financial services company, Perpetual Limited, an Australian-based diversified global financial services company, and Sterling Bancorp, a regional financial services company.

Benjamin Duster

45 years of experience including at Wells Fargo and Salomon Brothers with expertise in working with companies to improve execution effectiveness and create long-term sustainable value.

Extensive public and private company board service including Expand Energy, an oil and gas production company, Weatherford International, a global energy services company, Republic First Bancorp, a commercial bank, and Alaska Communications Systems, a broadband and telecommunications service provider.

Dennis Prieto

21 years of experience including at Aurelius Capital Management and Evercore with expertise in financial analysis and restructuring oversight.

Significant investment management and board experience including GO Lab, a privately held building products company, Aventiv Technologies, a provider of telecommunications and technology solutions, Mohawk Gaming Enterprises, a gaming company, and Endo International GUC Trust, a trust established to obtain recoveries for creditors of Endo International plc.

Cherie Schaible

24 years of experience including as General Counsel of Ankura Consulting Group and Associate General Counsel of AIG Investments with expertise in complex legal and financial matters.

Extensive experience in structuring, negotiating and leading a variety of corporate legal matters in public and private companies.

The full text of the letter is below:

March 20, 2025

Cannae Holdings, Inc.

1701 Village Center Circle

Las Vegas, Nevada 89134

Attn: Board of Directors

Dear Members of the Board of Directors,

Entities managed by Carronade Capital Management, LP (together with its affiliates, Carronade Capital or We or Us or Our) beneficially own approximately 2.9 million shares of Common Stock of Cannae Holdings, Inc. (Cannae or the Company or You or Your), making us one of your top five investors. We believe Cannaes total shareholder return (TSR) and corporate governance can be meaningfully improved, and significant opportunities exist within the control of both management and the Board of Directors (the Board) to unlock substantial value for all shareholders. We are reiterating these previously communicated views to you, and the broader market, to ensure the entire Board is made aware of our discussions to date and to highlight this potential value creation opportunity in the hope of building a consensus for the best path forward.

Our letter today outlines why we believe the status quo at Cannae is untenable and why dramatic change is required to halt persistent underperformance and egregious governance practices for the benefit of all stakeholders. We believe there are numerous ways to drive value creation, and, by extension, shareholder returns, including by reducing costs and aligning incentives, improving capital allocation, unlocking the value of the parts of the portfolio, and establishing corporate governance and accountability by reconstituting the Board with truly independent directors. If Cannae takes decisive action to properly implement these achievable steps and rebuild investor confidence, we believe that the equity could have share price upside of at least 50% as a result of activities initiated by year-end.

The Status Quo is Untenable

In our view, there is an urgent need for changes in strategy and governance based on Cannaes substantial long-term relative TSR underperformance, persistent discount to intrinsic value, shareholder frustration with corporate strategy, and a pattern of governance deficiencies that we believe have significantly hindered the Companys ability to create shareholder value. Our concerns are underscored by the high degree of interconnectedness amongst the current directors and Cannaes classified Board structure which, among other governance concerns, have resulted in repeated adverse voting recommendations from leading proxy advisory firms. We were further shocked by the Boards egregious actions earlier this week, while we were engaged in active settlement discussions, to accelerate equity vesting for directors if they fail to be re-elected by shareholders and to require the repurchase of half of CEO and Chairman Bill Foleys shares at a significant premium to market prices. This is on top of his already rich compensation package if he invokes his right to resign because a single director is elected without his consent. That a Board of Directors deemed these actions consistent with their fiduciary duties and in the best interest of shareholders demonstrates a complete lack of independence and an abdication of their duty. We believe such an offensive combination of entrenchment techniques and unfair enrichment are beyond the pale and make it crystal clear that immediate change is necessary in the boardroom.

Managements stated strategy consists of improving the performance and valuation of our portfolio companies, making new investments primarily in private companies that will grow NAV, and returning capital to shareholders.1 Put plainly, managements plan is not working. Cannae has a valuable collection of assets, but buybacks to date have failed to close the discount due to market concerns around overall strategy and perceived misalignment of interests between management and shareholders. Shareholders have consistently shared concerns that they do not want Cannae to sell public shares to invest in small private positions with no disclosure  such actions we believe would only compound the current problems and Cannaes persistent value discount. Despite a handful of successful investments in the past, the current portfolio of private investments is consistently marked at cost and the remaining investments in public equities have destroyed approximately $900 million of value.2 Market feedback that we have gathered to date suggests a near unanimous view that numerous shareholders prefer a return of their capital as opposed to managements stated goal of selling down public positions to invest more in private equity.

Since Ceridian, they have made a bunch of bad capital allocation decisionsWe would rather them distribute value than re-invest. They havent earned the right to keep that capital.

 Top 10 Shareholder, Nov. 2024

Furthermore, a lack of strategic cohesion amongst investments and limited portfolio company disclosure weigh on investor confidence. There has been no clear investment narrative for shareholders to rally behind, as we consistently hear Cannae described simply as the Bill Foley co-investment vehicle. Additionally, we believe the persistent marking of private investments at cost without balance sheet information and absence of third-party valuations, or enough disclosure for investors to determine performance, are significant contributors to the wide NAV discount. As one analyst queried on the Companys third quarter 2024 earnings call:

If you had your wish how many positions would you have? How large would they be and I just think I kind of look at some of the parts It's just kind of all over the place you have things that are worth less than $1 per share and I just don't see the focus here.

 Oppenheimer Q&A on Q3 2024 Earnings Call

As a result of these perceptions in the market, Cannae trades at a much steeper discount to NAV than its disclosed proxy peers and closed end fund peers. The discount widened persistently after the IPO of Dun & Bradstreet in 2019 and the sell down of Dayforce from 2020 through 2023, implying the market lacks confidence in the current leaderships ability to execute a viable strategy for value creation going forward. Over the past three years, Cannae equity has traded at an average discount to its NAV per share of -40%, which places it in the bottom tenth of US investment firms with assets over $500 million.3 Approximately 90% of Cannaes market cap is covered by public holdings net of debt, and the market is valuing the remaining nearly $900 million of private NAV at an 85% discount. A well-managed company with a strong asset base should not be trading at such a deep discount. We believe this misalignment points to a failure in capital allocation, strategic planning, and governance oversight.

Shareholders vote with their feet, and the most objective indication that fundamental change is required is relative TSR underperformance compared to peers over the long term. Even when viewed on an absolute basis, Cannae shareholders have suffered a negative total return since Cannae became an independent public company despite the backdrop of one of the strongest bull markets in history. Despite the readily identifiable value in the Companys portfolio, Cannaes stock has significantly underperformed most relevant benchmarks.4 Consistent underperformance is the market telling Cannae, The status quo is unacceptable.





Dramatic Change is Required Immediately

As discussed previously with Mr. Foley and Mr. Caswell, we believe Cannae can resolve these issues through decisive action in the near term. We believe that Cannae must pursue the following initiatives without delay:

Reduce overhead costs and align management incentives  A history of burdensome fees and non-performance linked compensation paid out to management are out of step with the overall performance of Cannaes portfolio, are impacting the discount which the market places on the NAV, and need to be streamlined to reflect best-in-class approach. We believe the Company should implement a corporate overhead cost reduction program and convert the termination fee payable to its manager, Trasimene Capital Management, into performance-based, vesting stock compensation.



Improve capital allocation, unlock portfolio value, and provide a clear investment narrative  Managements current strategy is vague and undifferentiated, and shareholder feedback is that management has lost its mandate from shareholders to allocate capital in this way. We believe a commitment from management and the Board to return shareholder capital tied up in Dun & Bradstreet, Alight and Paysafe shares either via spin outs or substantial buybacks would force a collapse of the discount placed on those assets and result in a re-rating of the remaining portfolio. We appreciate that management has conceded in its last earnings call that a significant return of capital is a priority; however, we believe that Cannae should commit definitively to returning a substantial majority of this capital on an accelerated timeline. Management could then reallocate its time from monitoring small stakes in large public companies where their ability to improve the performance and valuation is limited to focusing on improving disclosure and valuation of the remaining private assets.



Establish governance oversight  We believe that market confidence in this new plan would be best supported by new fit-for-purpose directors that will be a voice for shareholders on the Board. To that end, we delivered a formal notice in December nominating a slate of four highly qualified and independent director candidates for election to the Board at the Companys 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the Annual Meeting). In addition to the four new directors, we believe the Board should refresh leadership of the Affiliate Transaction Committee and the Nomination and Governance Committee chosen from the four new candidates, and the Board should also create a new committee for Value Maximization tasked with the formulation and oversight of successful execution of a plan designed to improve shareholder returns. The need for immediate and significant governance reform is underscored by Cannaes entrenchment and unfair enrichment actions earlier this week.



Our intent at the time of nomination was, and continues to be, to engage constructively with the Board with the goal of reaching a consensual solution for the benefit of all stakeholders. However, it appears that the current Board fails to recognize the urgency of the situation. We are therefore prepared to take all necessary steps to ensure that shareholders have the opportunity to vote for directors who they believe have the skill sets and experience necessary to drive value creation and ensure accountability in the boardroom.

Managements Lack of Willingness to Meaningfully Engage

We have sought to engage with management and the Board for several months to convey our views with respect to corporate strategy and governance with the aim of closing the NAV discount and improving relative share price performance. As discussed in our original private letter to the Board dated December 19, 2024, we submitted our nomination notice as required under the Companys Bylaws despite the nomination deadline of December 27, 2024, nearly six months ahead of the anticipated Annual Meeting date. We did so in order to preserve our rights as shareholders to elect directors at the Annual Meeting, but with the hope that it would serve as a starting point for further positive discussions. Unfortunately, we now believe our sincere efforts to engage constructively have not been meaningfully reciprocated in good faith.

While the Company confirmed receipt of our December letter and nomination notice, it was more than thirty days before we received any further communication. Given the Companys significant governance failings and chronic underperformance, we have offered to travel to meet in-person with relevant Board members, but Cannae has yet to permit us to speak with any non-management directors. Perhaps as a result, the Board has failed to appreciate the markets call for urgent, meaningful governance changes. Then on March 17, 2025, we were astounded to learn via a Company 8-K that the Board, in an apparent move to entrench and enrich leadership, determined to further compensate themselves and Mr. Foley at the expense of shareholders. We believe this offensive action trounces shareholder rights and the Boards fiduciary duties and further disenfranchises the Companys true owners. It also makes clear to us that Cannae has not been engaging in good faith dialogue despite our persistent and sincere efforts, which necessitated the need to release this letter with the goal of reaching the entire Board and building a market consensus on the best path forward for the Company.

Carronade Has Nominated Four Highly Qualified Director Candidates

The fundamental role of a Board in its fiduciary duty to shareholders is to be an advocate in providing oversight of management and corporate strategy. Shareholders deserve a board that is proactive, transparent, and fully committed to driving long-term value. As evidenced by their backgrounds below, we believe our candidates will bring the expertise, independence and accountability required to correct the chronic underperformance of Cannae and champion its strategic transformation.

Mona Aboelnaga 35 years of experience including at Siguler Guff & Company and Proctor Investment Managers with expertise in investment management and private equity industries. Extensive corporate governance expertise as a board member of both public and private companies including Webster Financial, a financial services company, Perpetual Limited, an Australian-based diversified global financial services company, and Sterling Bancorp, a regional financial services company.





Benjamin Duster 45 years of experience including at Wells Fargo and Salomon Brothers with expertise in working with companies to improve execution effectiveness and create long-term sustainable value. Extensive public and private company board service including Expand Energy, an oil and gas production company, Weatherford International, a global energy services company, Republic First Bancorp, a commercial bank, and Alaska Communications Systems, a broadband and telecommunications service provider.



Dennis Prieto

21 years of experience including at Aurelius Capital Management and Evercore with expertise in financial analysis and restructuring oversight. Significant investment management and board experience including GO Lab, a privately held building products company, Aventiv Technologies, a provider of telecommunications and technology solutions, Mohawk Gaming Enterprises, a gaming company, and Endo International GUC Trust, a trust established to obtain recoveries for creditors of Endo International plc.



Cherie Schaible

24 years of experience including as General Counsel of Ankura Consulting Group and Associate General Counsel of AIG Investments with expertise in complex legal and financial matters. Extensive experience in structuring, negotiating and leading a variety of corporate legal matters in public and private companies.





Conclusion

We remain committed, engaged investors in Cannae due to our conviction in the significant opportunity for value creation that will flow from implementing achievable actions to unlock value, outlining a clear corporate strategy, establishing governance and restoring investor confidence. We repeat our request to meet in-person with the Board, including non-management directors, to discuss these proposals in more detail and explore a consensual solution that is in the best interests of all shareholders. If meaningful changes are not enacted, we are prepared to take our case to shareholders so that they have the opportunity to vote for directors who they believe will best prioritize their interests and ensure accountability in the boardroom.

Sincerely,

Dan Gropper

Managing Partner

Andy Taylor

Partner and Head of Research

About Carronade Capital

Carronade Capital is a multi-strategy investment firm based in Connecticut with over $2.2 billion in assets under management that focuses on process driven investments in catalyst-rich situations. Carronade Capital was founded in 2019 by industry veteran Dan Gropper and is based in Darien, Connecticut. The Funds managed by Carronade Capital were launched on July 1, 2020, and the firm employs 15 team members. Dan Gropper brings with him nearly three decades of special situations credit experience serving in senior roles at distinguished investment firms, including Elliott Management Corporation, Fortress Investment Group and Aurelius Capital Management, LP.

Media Contact:

Paul Caminiti / Jacqueline Zuhse

Reevemark

(212) 433-4600

Carronade@reevemark.com

Investor Contact:

Andy Taylor / Win Rollins

Carronade Capital Management, LP

(203) 485-0880

ir@carronade.com

Disclaimers

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in any state to any person. This press release does not recommend the purchase or sale of a security. There is no assurance or guarantee with respect to the prices at which any securities of Cannae Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") will trade, and such securities may not trade at prices that may be implied herein. In addition, this press release and the discussions and opinions herein are for general information only, and are not intended to provide financial, legal or investment advice. Each shareholder of the Company should independently evaluate the proxy materials and make a decision that aligns with their own financial interests, consulting with their own advisers, as necessary.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "will be" and similar expressions. Although Carronade Capital and its affiliates believe that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertaintiesmany of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Carronade or the Companythat could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. In addition, the foregoing considerations and any other publicly stated risks and uncertainties should be read in conjunction with the risks and cautionary statements discussed or identified in the Company's public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those listed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q . The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, other than as required by applicable law, Carronade does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. Certain information included in this press release is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable. Any analyses provided herein is intended to assist the reader in evaluating the matters described herein and may be based on subjective assessments and assumptions and may use one among alternative methodologies that produce different results. Accordingly, any analyses should not be viewed as factual and should not be relied upon as an accurate prediction of future results. All figures are estimates and, unless required by law, are subject to revision without notice.

Certain of the funds(s) and/or account(s) managed by Carronade (Accounts) currently beneficially own shares of the Company. Carronade in the business of trading (i.e., buying and selling) securities and intends to continue trading in the securities of the Company. You should assume the Accounts will from time to time sell all or a portion of its holdings of the Company in open market transactions or otherwise, buy additional shares (in open market or privately negotiated transactions or otherwise), or trade in options, puts, calls, swaps or other derivative instruments relating to such shares. Consequently, Carronade's beneficial ownership of shares of, and/or economic interest in, the Company may vary over time depending on various factors, with or without regard to Carronade's views of the Company's business, prospects, or valuation (including the market price of the Company's shares), including, without limitation, other investment opportunities available to Carronade, concentration of positions in the portfolios managed by Carronade, conditions in the securities markets, and general economic and industry conditions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event of a change in the Company's share price on or following the date hereof, Carronade may buy additional shares or sell all or a portion of its Accounts holdings of the Company (including, in each case, by trading in options, puts, calls, swaps, or other derivative instruments relating to the Companys shares). Carronade also reserves the right to change the opinions expressed herein and its intentions with respect to its investment in the Company, and to take any actions with respect to its investment in the Company as it may deem appropriate, and disclaims any obligation to notify the market or any other party of any such changes or actions, except as required by law.

Certain Information Concerning the Participants

Carronade Capital Management, LP, together with the other participants named herein (collectively, "Carronade Capital"), intends to file a preliminary proxy statement and accompanying proxy card with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to be used to solicit votes for the election of Carronade Capitals highly-qualified director nominees at the 2025 annual meeting of stockholders of Cannae Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the Company).

CARRONADE CAPITAL STRONGLY ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER PROXY MATERIALS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SECS WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SEC.GOV. IN ADDITION, THE PARTICIPANTS IN THIS PROXY SOLICITATION WILL PROVIDE COPIES OF THE PROXY STATEMENT WITHOUT CHARGE, WHEN AVAILABLE, UPON REQUEST. REQUESTS FOR COPIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PARTICIPANTS PROXY SOLICITOR.

The participants in the proxy solicitation are anticipated to be Carronade Capital Master, LP (Carronade), Carronade Capital, Carronade Capital GP, LLC (Carronade GP), Carronade Capital Management GP, LLC (Carronade Management GP), Dan Gropper, Mona Aboelnaga, Benjamin C. Duster, IV, Dennis A. Prieto and Cherie L. Schaible.

As of the date hereof, Carronade beneficially owns directly 2,627,877 shares of Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the Common Stock). Carronade GP, as the general partner of Carronade, may be deemed the beneficial owner of the 2,627,877 shares of Common Stock owned by Carronade. As of the date hereof, 262,770 shares of Common Stock were held in a certain account managed by Carronade Capital (the Managed Account). Carronade Capital, as the investment manager of Carronade, may be deemed the beneficial owner of an aggregate of 2,890,647 shares of Common Stock directly owned by Carronade and held in the Managed Account. Carronade Management GP, as the general partner of Carronade Capital, may be deemed the beneficial owner of an aggregate of 2,890,647 shares of Common Stock directly owned by Carronade and held in the Managed Account. As the Managing Member of Carronade Management GP, Mr. Gropper may be deemed the beneficial owner of an aggregate of 2,890,647 shares of Common Stock directly owned by Carronade and held in the Managed Account. As of the date hereof, Ms. Aboelnaga directly beneficially owns 800 shares of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, Mr. Duster directly beneficially owns 1,338.329 shares of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, Mr. Prieto directly beneficially owns 820 shares of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, Ms. Schaible directly beneficially owns 1,360 shares of Common Stock.



____________________________

Note: All analyses performed as of 3/17/2025.

1 Ryan Caswell on Q3 2024 Earnings Call.

2 Current GAV plus realized sales compared to original cost basis of DNB, ALIT, PSFE, and SST.

3 Company published NAV reports.

4 TSR per Bloomberg as of 3/17/2025. Average cumulative shareholder return. TSR Proxy Peers include APO, FSK, GBDC, PSEC, CODI, NMFC. Closed End Fund Peers include UTG, STEW, KYN, CET, GAM, IGR, EOI, MEGI, PEO.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/77496dfe-1ffc-44b7-94dd-bbd69816468b




TORONTO, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSXV: RPX, OTCQB: RDEXF) (Red Pine or the Company) is pleased to announce gold (Au) assay results from four (3) drill holes for 1,487 metres (m) of assayed drill core completed as part of its ongoing, fully funded 25,000 m drill program at its Wawa Gold Project, Ontario.

Highlights

Step-out drilling at the Jubilee Shear intersected 5.68 g/t Au over 10.72 m, including 19.05 grams per tonne (g/t) Au over 2.00 m, which is 600 m down plunge from previous drilling

Drilling at the Jubilee Shear indicates that newly discovered high-grade shoot could extend over more than 940 m

Near surface drilling at the past producing Parkhill Mine, located in the Hanging Wall of the Jubilee Shear, intersected 6.49 g/t Au over 1.11 m more than 300 m distance from the historical workings and confirms continuity of gold mineralization for future drilling



Michael Michaud, President and CEO of Red Pine commented: We are excited that our drilling returned the highest grade and widest intersection from the current program and that it comes from a hole that can extend the high-grade core of the Jubilee Shear at depth by more than 600 metres. Our recent drilling indicates that this new shoot could extend over almost 1 kilometre along its plunge and that it remains open up- and down-plunge.

We are also excited that alteration related to gold mineralization in the new shoot appears to transition from white mica-dominated to chloritized biotite-dominated. As seen at other gold deposits in the Michipicoten Greenstone Belt, including the neighboring Island Gold Mine, this mineralogical change is often associated with higher grades. (Figure 3)

In addition, the deep holes targeting the Jubilee Shear were designed to test the upper extensions of the Minto Mine and the Parkhill #4 Shears that were historically mined. A drill hole commenced near the Parkhill Mine intersected high-grade mineralization over 300 metres away from this historic mining area.

Discussion of Results (Table 1 and Figures 1 - 3):

Our current exploration strategy has been validated by finding new zones of high-grade gold mineralization in historically untested areas of the Wawa Gold Project. Deep drilling consisting of bold step-outs in the Jubilee Shear uncovered a zone of high-grade gold mineralization confirming that the high-grade core of the Jubilee Shear extends much beyond the 2024 mineral resource estimate (2024 MRE) that was filed on Sedar on Sept. 30, 2024 titled 43-101 Technical Report for the Wawa Gold Project and Authored by WSP Canada Inc.

Based on structural observations, we believe that this intersection is located along a linear array of deformed quartz veins that are concentrated in rolls in the Jubilee Shear. This roll is interpreted to extend to a zone of the 2024 MRE located 600 m up-plunge. This new shoot, open at both ends, could extend over more than 940 m. The gold enrichment observed in SD-25-534A is probably related to a cross-plunge in the Jubilee Shear that is typical of the more strongly mineralized areas of the 2024 MRE. (Figure 2)

Jubilee Shear (Figure 1)

Intersection of 5.68 g/t Au over 10.72 m, including 19.05 g/t Au over 2.00 m in a new area of the Jubilee Shear (see Figure 1)

The locations of the Jubilee Shear intersections in SD-25-534A and SD-25-536A indicate the presence of a roll in the shear between the two intersections intersecting the interpreted cross-plunge. Visible gold associated with strong quartz veining observed in the Jubilee Shear intersection in SD-25-536A, located more than 100 m down-dip of the intersection in SD-25-534A (see Figure 1 & 2).

Mineralogical transition from white-mica dominated to chloritized-biotite alteration haloes around the strongly deformed veins in the Jubilee Shear. In other deposits of the Michipicoten Greenstone Belt, that mineralogical transition is an indicator that the gold system is changing and that this can result in positive changes in the nature of the gold mineralization zones.

Minto Mine and Parkhill # 4 Shears (Figure 1)

Continuing to extend mineralization in the Minto Mine Shear beyond the 2024 MRE (Figure 1)

Intersection of significant gold mineralization in the Parkhill # 4 Shear returning 6.49 g/t Au over 1.11 m more than 300 m away from the historical workings of the Parkhill Mine

Table 1 Drilling results from the 2024-2025 drilling program

Hole

(#) From

(m) To

(m) Length

(m)* Gold

(g/t) Zone

(name) SD-25-531 1031.26 1032.52 1.27 3.19 Jubilee Shear - Lower SD-25-532 737.35 740.20 2.85 1.86 Jubilee Shear - Lower including 739.35 740.20 0.85 4.35 SD-25-534A 359.58 362.00 2.42 3.41 Parkhill #4 Shear including 360.89 362.00 1.11 6.49 949.17 959.89 10.72 5.68 Jubilee Shear - Main including 952.15 954.27 2.12 8.81 and 957.95 959.89 2.00 19.05

*Intercepts are calculated using a 0.40 g/t Au cut-off and a maximum of 6.0 m of internal dilution with no capping applied and are reported over core lengths. True widths are estimated to vary between 50 to 95% of the reported core length. The reported assays results represent 1,486.42 m of assayed core from the 2024-2025 drilling program.

Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures

Individual drill core samples are labelled and split in half along a pre-marked cutting line using a diamond saw. A consistent half-core sample is then placed in an individual plastic sample bag that is sealed. The remaining half-core samples are kept at the core storage facility of the Company located on the Wawa Gold project. Quarter-core duplicates are taken from certain samples to define the variability of gold distribution. Groups of samples are then placed into durable rice bags sealed with security seals to be transported using a commercial carrier for analysis to Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario. NQ and HQ core assays were obtained by 50-gram fire-assaying-AA finish or by 1-kilogram screen fire assay. The 1-kilogram screen assay method is selected for samples anticipated to contain coarse gold and when the fire-assay-AA finish return results greater or equal to 2.25 g/t Au. The residual coarse reject portions of the samples remain in storage for a minimum 90-day period if further work or verification is needed.

As part of its QA/QC program, Red Pine inserts external gold standards (low- to high-grade) and blanks every 20 samples and routinely insert blanks immediately after samples with visible gold. Quarter core duplicates are routinely inserted to evaluate the natural variability of gold mineralization. Assay certificates are sent to at least three members of the senior management team, and they are directly accessible from the WebLIMS portal of Actlabs. Approximately 5% of the pulps and coarse rejects analyzed at Actlabs are sent to Bureau Veritas in Vancouver for umpire testing.

Table 2  Drill hole location

Hole

(#) UTM E

(m) UTM N

(m) Elevation

(masl) Azimuth

() Inclination

() Length

(m) Assays

Status SD-25-531 668625 5314868 344.4 309.0 59.5 1080 Received SD-25-534A 668713 5314807 346.0 303.0 60.1 1116 Partial SD-25-535 668859 5315950 370.5 267.0 70.0 841 Partial SD-25-536A 668713 5314807 346.0 300.0 66.0 1149 Pending





Qualified Person

Jean-Francois Montreuil, P.Geo. and Vice President, Exploration of Red Pine and the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

About Red Pine Exploration Inc.

Red Pine Exploration Inc. is a gold exploration company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Company's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "RPX" and on the OTCQB Markets under the symbol RDEXF.

The Wawa Gold Project is in the Michipicoten Greenstone Belt of Ontario, a region that has seen major investment by several producers in the last five years. The Companys land package hosts numerous historic gold mines and is over 7,000 hectares in size. Red Pine is building a strong position as a major mineral exploration and development player in the Michipicoten region.

For more information about the Company, visit www.redpineexp.com

Or contact:

Michael Michaud, President and Chief Executive Officer, at (416) 364-7024 or mmichaud@redpineexp.com



Or

Manish Grigo, Director of Corporate Development, at (416) 569-3292 or mgrigo@redpineexp.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements which constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance.

Forward-looking information is often identified by the words may, would, could, should, will, intend, plan, anticipate, believe, estimate, expect or similar expressions. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but may not be limited to, statements regarding the possibility that the high-grade core of the Jubilee Shear at depth extends by more than 600 metres; that alteration related to gold mineralization in the new shoot appears to transition from white mica-dominated to chloritized biotite-dominated which is often associated with higher grades; the Company focusing on the open pit potential for future development; and the Companys belief that the intersection is located along a linear array of deformed quartz veins that are concentrated in rolls in the Jubilee Shear that could extend over more than 940 m. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects managements expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Such opinions, assumptions and estimates are inherently subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are: the Company's expectations in connection with the projects and exploration programs being met, the impact of general business and economic conditions, global liquidity and credit availability on the timing of cash flows and the values of assets and liabilities based on projected future conditions, fluctuating gold prices, currency exchange rates (such as the Canadian dollar versus the United States Dollar), variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in accounting policies, changes in the Company's mineral reserves and resources, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, changes in project development, construction, production and commissioning time frames, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, higher prices for fuel, power, labour and other consumables contributing to higher costs and general risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, unexpected changes in mine life, seasonality and weather, costs and timing of the development of new deposits, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims, and limitations on insurance.

This information contained in this news release is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by the Company, including the Companys financial statements and related MD&A for the year ended July 31, 2024, and the interim financial reports and related MD&A for the period ended January 31, 2024, April 30, 2024, October 31, 2024 and January 31 2025, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.



Figure 1 - 3D view of Jubilee and Minto deposits with selected gold grades from drilling.

Figure 2 - Longitudinal view of Jubilee and Minto deposits showing the interpreted trend of the higher grade shoot at depth in the Jubilee Shear and the steeper plunging zones of overlying quartz veins that have enriched the shallow, south plunging shoot.

Figure 3  Biotite Haloes around the early-syn deformation veins in the Jubilee Shear





Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9de53627-4030-40c8-9def-de14c6197ab8

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8e331b3-c95e-48d1-9db0-ebe42b195cad

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed1c0add-17ca-4e6c-b47f-71a9f1992c7e
Chinese FM spokesperson speaks on Wang Yis trip to Japan and how two countries will bridge differences

Global Times) 14:03, March 20, 2025

A Kyodo News reporter on Wednesday made inquiries at a Chinese Foreign Ministry press conference regarding Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming visit to Japan. The reporter noted that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba jointly announced with US President Donald Trump during his visit to the US in February that the US and Japan will oppose any attempts by the Chinese government to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Straits by force or coercion. Also early in February, a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force vessel sailed through the Taiwan Straits.

When asked how China and Japan would engage in dialogue to bridge differences under these circumstances, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated that Foreign Minister Wang Yi will travel to Japan to attend the 11th China-Japan-ROK Trilateral Foreign Ministers' Meeting and co-chair the Sixth China-Japan High-Level Economic Dialogue. She added that the relevant information was already released on Tuesday.

Mao further emphasized that the Taiwan question is China's internal affair and brooks no external inference. Japan bears historical responsibilities to the Chinese people for its colonial rule over Taiwan. It must act with extra prudence on this issue. As for the China-related negative moves of Japan you mentioned, China lodged serious protests with Japan immediately after those moves.

The China-Japan relationship is at a crucial juncture for improvement and development. We hope Japan will act on its pledges of comprehensively advancing the China-Japan strategic relationship of mutual benefit and building a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship fit for the new era, and we hope it will remove obstacles against the improvement and development of the bilateral relations, Mao noted.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. Some analysis in Japan believed that since the September 3 this year, the Chinese government will adopt a harder line toward Japan on the diplomatic front. Commenting on the analysis, Mao said that Japan should be responsible for the history, honor its words and commitments of facing squarely and reflecting on the history of aggression, and follow the path of peaceful development. Only by doing this can Japan earn the trust of its Asian neighbors and the international community.

"We hope that Japan can work with us in the same direction, and uphold the principles of facing up to history and opening up the future to advance China-Japan relations in a sound and stable way," Mao said.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
RENO, Nev., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ITS Logistics today released the March forecast for the ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index. This month, the index reveals that Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB) import volumes remain strong following the Lunar New Year, and there are signs that the trucking capacity-to-demand ratio may soon start pushing rates up for dray and rail capacity. In addition, equipment availability for exports is still an issue affecting individual ocean carrier lines throughout North America.

Should rates begin to increase, this may affect truckers ability to honor dedicated pricing and tender acceptance in Q2, said Paul Brashier, Vice President of Global Supply Chain for ITS Logistics. It could be alleviated as more volumes return to the U.S. East & Gulf Coasts, now that labor strikes are no longer a concern. With the return of volumes back to the U.S. East & Gulf Coasts, there has been a tightening of capacity and terminal congestion at the major gateways of New York/New Jersey, Norfolk, Savannah, and Houston.

On March 11, the International Longshoremens Association (ILA) signed an extension to its Master Contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX). This agreement is set to last until September 30, 2030, and includes workforce protection guidelines that require a detailed explanation of the technology that will be used and its effects on capacity and efficiency. The agreement also requires determination on the manning for new equipment to be included with stipulations that new work created by the technology be identified with training included for workers.

Despite this new agreement, the supply chain continues to experience challenges, including the current equipment availability concerning exporters, which has been a lingering concern thus far in 2025.

This latest supply chain challenge in equipment availability that ITS is closely monitoring is driven primarily by equipment imbalance and rail operations, continued Brashier. Rail operations are seeing similar sporadic challenges regionally. LA/Long Beach IPI dwell remains high for imports moving east. That, combined with rail transit delay and lower inland transportation costs, are pushing some shippers to move imports back to the ports on the East Coast and draying inland to avoid IPI legs.

As concerns over labor strikes ease, import volumes have begun redistributing from the West back to East and Gulf Coast ports. However, the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) recent proposal targeting Chinese vessels threatens to disrupt U.S. port operations once again. Announced in late January, the proposal includes fees targeting Chinese vessel operators, Chinese-built vessels, and operators with a certain percentage of vessels ordered from Chinese shipyards. Research from the World Shipping Council (WSC) has found that the proposal could add up to $3.5 million in fees per individual port call to 98% of vessels entering the U.S. The WSC notes that ocean carriers have already indicated they may eliminate service to smaller ports to avoid these costsa move that would severely impact regional logistics ecosystems and exacerbate congestion at major North American ports.

ITS Logistics offers a full suite of network transportation solutions across North America and distribution and fulfillment services to 95% of the U.S. population within two days. These services include drayage and intermodal in 22 coastal ports and 30 rail ramps, a full suite of asset and asset-lite transportation solutions, omnichannel distribution and fulfillment, LTL, and outbound small parcel.

The ITS Logistics US Port/Rail Ramp Freight Index forecasts port container and dray operations for the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf regions. Ocean and domestic container rail ramp operations are also highlighted in the Index for both the West Inland and East Inland regions. Visit here for a full comprehensive copy of the Index, with expected forecasts for the U.S. port and rail ramps.

About ITS Logistics

ITS Logistics is one of North America's fastest-growing, asset-based modern 3PLs, providing solutions for the industrys most complicated supply chain challenges. With a people-first culture committed to excellence, the company relentlessly strives to deliver unmatched value through best-in-class service, expertise, and innovation. The ITS Logistics portfolio features North America's #19 asset-lite freight brokerage, the #12 drayage and intermodal solution, a top 50 dedicated fleet, an innovative cloud-based technology ecosystem, and a nationwide distribution and fulfillment network.

Media Contact

Amber Good

LeadCoverage

amber@leadcoverage.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c3fabce8-2035-4eae-84e0-05646b143c0f
Ramsey, NJ, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta) demonstrated its commitment to customer success by supporting its longstanding partner, Andrick & Associates, after Hurricane Milton struck Sarasota, Florida in early October. The Category 3 storm caused widespread destruction and severe operational challenges for businesses in the region, occurring less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene devastated the area.

Andrick & Associates is a family-owned printing and mailing business serving Southwest Florida for more than 40 years. The company sustained extensive damage to its facility, including the loss of most of its roof. Key production equipment was exposed to severe water intrusion, including its AccurioJet KM-1 LED UV Press, during the height of its busiest season.

Natural disasters can disrupt businesses in unimaginable ways, and the aftermath can be overwhelming, said Frank Mallozzi, President, IPP, Konica Minolta. Konica Minolta's solid commitment to our customers highlights the strength of true collaboration, especially during times of crisis. Our goal is to stand by our clients, helping them recover quickly and return to serving their customers with minimal disruption. I am incredibly proud of the rapid response, expertise and dedication demonstrated by my team in supporting Andrick & Associates through their recovery efforts.

Under the leadership of Konica Minoltas Ashley Gorfine, Vice President of North America IP & PP, and Anthony Moneghini, Senior Director, Customer Support, the Industrial Print team took swift action to help Andrick & Associates recover and resume operations. Within days of the storm, Konica Minoltas technicians were on site to assess the damage. Despite Andrick & Associates prompt efforts to secure and repair its facility, the AccurioJet KM-1 LED UV Press, a cornerstone of its business, was declared a total loss. Recognizing the urgency, the Konica Minolta team immediately committed to providing a replacement press to ensure Andrick & Associates could quickly return to full operations.

In collaboration with Andrick & Associates insurance provider, Konica Minolta expedited the delivery and installation of a new AccurioJet KM-1e LED UV Press. By early December  less than 60 days after Hurricane Milton  Andrick & Associates was back online, leveraging the advanced capabilities of its new press and continuing to deliver high-quality, variable data printing and mailing services to their customers.

The leadership and commitment from the Konica Minolta team from the top down was immediate and impressive, said Mark Esbeck, President, Andrick & Associates. At every step, Konica Minolta was available to help our company and team get back into operation. This allowed Andrick & Associates to utilize its other machines and outside vendors to continue serving clients in the interim.

Since adopting the AccurioJet KM-1 LED UV Press in 2017, Andrick & Associates has partnered closely with Konica Minolta to optimize their production capabilities and serve clients with innovative solutions. This longstanding relationship proved invaluable during the recovery process.

Hurricane recovery for a business like ours is not a quick or easy process, added Esbeck. Everything stops, some activities cannot restart due to storm damage, new solutions must be employed and cash flow management becomes challenging. Konica Minoltas help made all of this easier to manage. Andrick & Associates is sincerely appreciative of their support!

As Andrick & Associates continues to serve its clients with the advanced capabilities of the AccurioJet KM-1e LED UV Press, the partnership stands as a testament to the resilience and mutual trust that defines this alliance.

Learn more about the AccurioJet KM-1e LED UV Press here.

About Konica Minolta

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.'s (Konica Minolta) journey started more than 150 years ago, with a vision to see and do things differently. The company partners with clients to Give Shape to Ideas by supporting their digital transformation through its expansive Intelligent Connected Workplace portfolio. Its business technology offerings include IT Services, intelligent information management, video security solutions and managed print services, as well as office technology and industrial and commercial print solutions. 2025 marks Konica Minoltas 20th anniversary in production print, for which it celebrates "20 Years of Excellence, Innovation and Impact, and continues to lead the way in digital commercial printing. This year also commemorates 20 years of Konica Minoltas bizhub brand. Over the past two decades, the bizhub series has revolutionized office technology and redefined how businesses operate. It has continuously evolved to meet the needs of modern workplaces, fueled by advances in technology and a commitment to innovation. Konica Minolta is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2025 America's Best Large Employers list, included on CRNs MSP 500 list numerous times, recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for eighteen consecutive years and presented with Keypoint Intelligences BLI 2025 and 2021 A3 Line of The Year and BLI 2021-2023 Most Color Consistent A3 Brand Awards for its bizhub One i-Series. For more information, please visit Konica Minolta online and follow it on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Andrick & Associates

Andrick & Associates is a family-owned and operated printing and mailing company with over four decades of service to Southwest Florida. Known for its dedication to quality and customer satisfaction, Andrick is a trusted partner for businesses seeking innovative and reliable printing solutions.

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New York, United States, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the Latest Report by Market Strides, the global gourmet ice cream market size was valued at USD 15.43 billion in 2024 and is estimated to reach USD 60.67 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 16.43% during the forecast period (20252033).

Gourmet ice cream refers to premium, high-end frozen desserts distinguished by their rich flavors, unique ingredients, and artisanal production methods. Unlike mass-produced options, gourmet ice creams are typically crafted in small batches using fresh, locally sourced ingredients to ensure superior taste and texture. With a higher milk-to-air ratio, these ice creams have a denser, creamier consistency.

This category also includes innovative and exotic flavors, appealing to adventurous consumers seeking a more refined dessert experience. It encompasses varieties such as gelato, sorbet, frozen custard, and other specialized frozen treats, often catering to those who desire indulgence and authenticity in their sweet treats.

Download Free Sample Report PDF @ https://marketstrides.com/request-sample/gourmet-ice-cream-market

Growing Consumer Preference for Premium Products Drives Market Growth

The increasing demand for premium products, such as gourmet ice cream, reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior toward valuing quality over quantity. With rising disposable incomes, consumers are opting for indulgent, high-end offerings, particularly in the food and beverage industry, where there is a growing interest in unique, artisanal flavors and high-quality ingredients.

For example, in September 2024, Smoor announced a partnership with Hangyo Ice Creams to launch a new gourmet ice cream range, illustrating the rising consumer preference for luxury ice creams made with premium ingredients and innovative flavors. Additionally, the growing interest in health-conscious, ethical, and sustainable choices is contributing to the expansion of the gourmet ice cream market.

Expansion into Emerging Markets Presents Significant Growth Opportunities

Emerging markets are proving to be key growth areas for the gourmet ice cream sector, driven by rising urbanization and increasing disposable incomes. Consumers in markets such as India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are developing a growing appetite for premium food products, including high-end ice cream.

A notable example of this trend is Amadora Ice Creams expansion from Bangalore to Chennai in 2023, where it focused on offering high-quality, locally sourced ingredients in its products. This move capitalized on the increasing demand for gourmet and artisanal ice cream in India, as consumers are more willing to invest in indulgent, unique experiences. As urban populations become more affluent and discerning, these market expansions are critical to tapping into the rising demand for premium food products in emerging regions.

Regional Analysis

North America continues to dominate the global gourmet ice cream market, holding over 30% of the market share. This leadership is fueled by high consumer purchasing power, a strong culture of indulgence, and a rising preference for premium food offerings. In the U.S. and Canada, the demand for artisanal and gourmet ice creams has significantly increased, with consumers gravitating toward high-quality, unique flavors made with natural, locally sourced ingredients. Additionally, the trend toward health-conscious eating is gaining traction, with many North American brands offering low-calorie, dairy-free, or organic options.

For example, in 2024, the well-known U.S. brand Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams expanded its market presence by introducing new flavors and sustainable packaging. This move reflects how North American brands are capitalizing on consumer demand for both premium products and ethical practices. Furthermore, the rise of online delivery services in North America has made gourmet ice cream more accessible, further contributing to the market's growth.

Key Highlights

Based on product type, gelato leads the global gourmet ice cream market due to its rich, creamy texture and premium appeal.

In terms of distribution channels, offline sales dominate the market, with consumers preferring to purchase gourmet ice cream in stores for a more sensory shopping experience.

North America holds a dominant position in the global gourmet ice cream market, driven by high consumer purchasing power, a culture of indulgence, and a growing preference for premium, artisanal ice creams.

Competitive Players

American Classic Specialities

Amorino

Braums Online L.L.C.

Daves Gourmet Ice Cream

Froneri International Ltd.

Gelato Italia Ltd.

General Mills Inc.

Herrells Ice Cream

iSwich Gourmet

Mammino Gourmet Ice Cream

Morellis Gelato

Numoo

Papacream

Papitto Gelato

Rons Gourmet Ice Cream

Unilever PLC

Vadilal Industries Ltd.

Recent Developments

January 2025 Graeter's Ice Cream, an Ohio-based brand, launched "Skyline Spice," a unique flavor developed in collaboration with Cincinnati's Skyline Chili. This ice cream combines Graeter's handcrafted French Pot ice cream with oyster crackers and Skyline's signature chili spice mix, offering a sweet and savory experience.

Segmentation

By Product

Gelato

Sorbet

Frozen custard

Others

By Distribution Channel

Offline

Online

By Regions

North America

Europe

APAC

Middle East and Africa

LATAM

Access the Comprehensive Table of Contents @ https://marketstrides.com/report/gourmet-ice-cream-market/toc

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Market Strides is a global aggregator and publisher of market intelligence research reports, offering insights across a wide range of industries and sectors. We provide market sizing analysis, competition insights, growth drivers, and future outlooks. Our unique pre-onboarding strategy ensures that only validated and up-to-date reports are featured on our platform.

In addition to publishing, we offer consulting services to help clients with business expansion, acquisitions, and market studies. With a team of experts tracking reports from over 350 industries worldwide, Market Strides is dedicated to delivering the latest analyses, forecasts, and insights, helping businesses save time and money.

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Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Smart Lighting Market Size and Share Analysis - Growth Trends and Forecast Report 2025-2033" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Smart Lighting Market is expected to reach US$ 392.51 billion 2033 from US$ 247.02 billion in 2024, with a CAGR of 5.28% from 2025 to 2033.



The market for smart lighting is expanding as a result of the growing need for energy-efficient solutions, IoT technology breakthroughs, and the proliferation of linked homes. Government programs that support energy conservation and sustainability are also quite important. Adoption is also being fueled by the rising need for automation and convenience, as well as the popularity of voice assistants and smart home appliances. The market for smart lighting is growing due to factors like urbanization, increased disposable incomes, and the emphasis on lowering carbon footprints.



Growth Drivers for the Smart Lighting Market

Quick developments in technology



One of the main factors driving the market's expansion is the Internet of Things' (IoT) integration with lighting systems. More flexibility and control are made possible by IoT, which makes it possible to link and control lighting equipment remotely via networks. Furthermore, the market is expected to increase because to the quick development of networking technologies like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, which make it simpler to incorporate lighting systems into larger smart home and smart building ecosystems. It provides improved convenience and experience by allowing users to manage lights using smartphones, voice assistants, or integrated control systems. In addition, the market is seeing lucrative growth prospects due to the growing use of networking technologies, which enable data collecting and analytics that enable more intelligent lighting decisions based on user behavior, ambient circumstances, and energy usage trends.



Growing demand for cost reduction and energy efficiency



The market is expanding as a result of the increased demand for energy-efficient lighting solutions. By giving users more exact control over lighting schedules and levels, smart lighting systems are intended to lower electricity use. Additionally, the market is expanding due to the expanding use of energy-efficient lighting technologies like light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. A further aspect driving growth is the pervasive use of sensors and connectivity, which enable smart lighting to adapt to the amount of natural light present or the occupancy of a space. Furthermore, the market is expanding as a result of several regulations being put in place by governments and environmental organizations worldwide to encourage the use of energy-efficient lighting options in an effort to lessen carbon emissions and fight climate change.



Increasing knowledge of how light affects health and wellbeing



The market is expanding as a result of rising knowledge of how lighting affects health and wellbeing and the increased use of smart lighting solutions. By simulating natural light patterns, smart lighting systems can support human circadian rhythm maintenance, enhancing sleep quality and general wellbeing. Additionally, they enhance visibility and lessen eye strain, both of which are advantageous in professional settings. Additionally, the market is expanding as a result of the growing use of smart lighting solutions in healthcare facilities to create environments that promote staff productivity and patient rehabilitation. The market expansion is also being accelerated by the growing acceptance of smart lighting because of its potential for therapeutic uses, such as the treatment of illnesses including seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and specific sleep disorders.



Challenges in the Smart Lighting Market

High Upfront Costs



In the market for smart lighting, high upfront expenditures are a major obstacle. Compared to conventional lighting solutions, the initial cost of smart bulbs, control systems, and installation might be significantly greater. Customers may be discouraged from switching due to this financial barrier, particularly in sectors where prices are crucial. Long-term energy savings are provided by smart lighting, but widespread adoption is still hampered by the initial cost, especially for consumers on a tight budget.



Security Concerns



The market for smart lighting is severely hampered by security issues since IoT-connected products are susceptible to cyberattacks. Hackers may use flaws in smart lighting systems to take control of household appliances or obtain unauthorized access to personal information. Customers may be reluctant to embrace smart lighting technology despite its convenience and energy efficiency advantages if certain devices lack strong security features, which could raise privacy and safety concerns.



Smart Lighting Market Overview by Regions



Due to the rapid adoption of IoT and smart home technologies, North America is leading the world in the growth of the smart lighting industry. Driven by government measures for sustainability and energy efficiency, Europe comes next. Rapid urbanization and rising disposable incomes are driving the Asia-Pacific region's economy, especially in metropolitan areas. Compared to other regions, Latin America and the Middle East are embracing smart lighting solutions more slowly, but nonetheless.



United States Smart Lighting Market



The market for smart lighting in the US is expanding quickly due to rising IoT technology adoption and consumer demand for sustainable, energy-efficient solutions. American consumers are more likely to install smart lighting in their homes and businesses due to the widespread availability of smart home appliances and platforms such as Google Home and Amazon Alexa. The market is also stimulated by government programs and laws that encourage energy conservation. Smart lighting's growing use is further facilitated by its integration with commercial sectors like retail, offices, and public areas. As connected technologies and consumer awareness increase, the industry is anticipated to keep expanding.



In June 2024, to reinvent smart home lighting solutions, GE Lighting, a Savant company, has teamed up with Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.'s worldwide connected living platform, SmartThings. The goal of this partnership is to provide customers a wider selection of cutting-edge connected lighting solutions for their houses. Cync Reveal undercabinet fixtures now easily connect to SmartThings because to Matter compatibility. By providing solutions that are easily adjustable to consumers' interests and lifestyles, this integration transforms kitchen lighting.



Germany Smart Lighting Market



The market for smart lighting in Germany is growing as a result of robust government programs emphasizing energy efficiency and sustainability. The need for smart lighting solutions is rising as a result of the nation's sophisticated infrastructure and expanding use of smart home technology. Smart lighting is being used more and more in public areas, residential structures, and businesses to save energy and improve convenience. Germany is one of the top markets for smart lighting in Europe due to its dedication to environmental objectives and the growing adoption of IoT.



India Smart Lighting Market



The market for smart lighting in India is expanding quickly due to factors such increased urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and a growing emphasis on energy efficiency. The need for smart lighting is growing in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors as people and companies look for more environmentally friendly solutions. Government programs encouraging energy conservation and technological developments also contribute to market expansion.



When Philips unveiled the Smart Light Hub (SLH) in New Delhi in February 2024, it marked a crucial turning point in this development. The SLH, which was designed by Signify, the world leader in lighting, gives patrons an immersive experience and embodies the idea of an experience center. By enabling visitors to investigate different smart lighting options, the center raises awareness and promotes adoption. This action highlights the growing demand for connected, energy-efficient lighting systems as well as the significance of smart lighting in India's developing urban infrastructure. The market for smart lighting is anticipated to grow rapidly in the upcoming years as India continues its modernization.



Saudi Arabia Smart Lighting Market



Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, which prioritizes sustainability and smart city development, is driving the country's smart lighting market's notable expansion. Demand is being driven by the growing use of IoT and smart home technologies as well as government incentives for energy-efficient solutions. In order to save energy and improve convenience, smart lighting systems are being installed in public, commercial, and residential settings. With an emphasis on modernization and sustainability to meet the country's environmental goals, major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah are setting the standard for smart lighting projects.

Company Analysis: Overview, Key Persons, Recent Developments, Revenue

Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc.

Signify Holding

Honeywell International Inc.

Itron Inc.

Wipro Lighting

Verizon

Schneider Electric

Zumtobel Group

Key Attributes

Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2024-2033 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $20 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2033 $104.37 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 20.1% Regions Covered Global

Key Topics Covered



1. Introduction



2. Research & Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1 Growth Drivers

4.2 Challenges



5. Global Smart Lighting Market



6. Market Share Analysis

6.1 By Component

6.2 By Communication Technology

6.3 By Light Source

6.4 By Application

6.5 By Countries



7. Component

7.1 Hardware

7.2 Software

7.3 Services



8. Communication Technology

8.1 Wired Technology

8.2 Wireless Technology



9. Light Source

9.1 LED Lamps

9.2 Fluorescent Lamps

9.3 Compact Fluorescent Lamps

9.4 High Intensity Discharge Lamps

9.5 Others



10. Application

10.1 Commercial

10.2 Residential

10.3 Others



11. Countries

11.1 North America

11.1.1 United States

11.1.2 Canada

11.2 Europe

11.2.1 France

11.2.2 Germany

11.2.3 Italy

11.2.4 Spain

11.2.5 United Kingdom

11.2.6 Belgium

11.2.7 Netherlands

11.2.8 Turkey

11.3 Asia-Pacific

11.3.1 China

11.3.2 Japan

11.3.3 India

11.3.4 Australia

11.3.5 South Korea

11.3.6 Thailand

11.3.7 Malaysia

11.3.8 Indonesia

11.3.9 New Zealand

11.4 Latin America

11.4.1 Brazil

11.4.2 Mexico

11.4.3 Argentina

11.5 Middle East & Africa

11.5.1 South Africa

11.5.2 Saudi Arabia

11.5.3 UAE



12. Porter's Five Forces Analysis



13. SWOT Analysis



14. Key Players Analysis

14.1 Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc.

14.1.1 Overview

14.1.2 Key Persons

14.1.3 Recent Developments

14.1.4 Revenue

14.2 Signify Holding

14.3 Honeywell International Inc.

14.4 Itron Inc.

14.5 Wipro Lighting

14.6 Verizon

14.7 Schneider Electric

14.8 Zumtobel Group



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/gedb6j

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.
MAPLE GROVE, Minn., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative , held their fifth annual Bedding Drive during the month of February benefitting three local non-profits, Karen Organization of Minnesota, More Community Services and YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services. TopLine members and employees generously donated bedding items of pillows, sheet sets, comforters and blankets to help bring comfort to those in need in our local communities.

Employees were able to participate by donating bedding items and money in exchange for a Foundation Friday/Saturday sticker, allowing them to wear jeans to work. TopLine and community members could also purchase items from an Amazon Wishlist or Target Registry and have them delivered directly to TopLine, and in return delivered to the charitable partners. When the program ended TopLine employees and members had donated over 133 bedding drive items and $1,140 in cash to assist local individuals and families.

"Thank you to the generosity of our employees and members, who graciously donated items to help bring comfort and warmth to our neighbors in need, says Mick Olson, TopLine President and CEO. Every blanket, pillow and bedding donation provides comfort to someone facing uncertainty, and together we have helped to wrap our community in kindness and support."

Karen Organization of Minnesota provides refugees with resources and programs to remove barriers and achieve economic, social and cultural well-being. Visit https://mnkaren.org to learn more.

MORE Community Services provides refugees and immigrants with education and support, helping them achieve economic and social independence today and for generations to come. Visit more-empowerment.org to learn more.

The YMCA of the North Youth and Family Services is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. To learn more about the Ys mission and work, visit https://www.ymcanorth.org/impact.

TopLine Financial Credit Union , a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesotas 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations  in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Pauls Como Park  as well as by phone and online at www.TopLinecu.com or www.ahcu.coop. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit unions foundation, visit www.TopLinecu.com/Foundation.

CONTACT:

Vicki Roscoe Erickson

Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

TopLine Financial Credit Union

verickson@toplinecu.com | 763.391.0872

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46068d6e-e5ce-4bc8-96ca-7eb11ba86ebc
Judette Louis, MD, M.P.H., has been named dean of Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Eastern Virginia Medical School at Old Dominion University effective Sept. 2, 2025.



Dr. Louis is a widely regarded physician-scientist with extensive leadership experience in an academic health center, Alfred Abuhamad, MD, executive vice president for Health Sciences and dean, Eastern Virginia Medical School, said in making the announcement. She is also a fellowship-trained maternal-fetal medicine physician and a national leader within the field."



Dr. Louis has spent her career working to improve outcomes for mothers and babies. She has collaborated with the Florida Perinatal Collaborative and led statewide initiatives in Florida to improve outcomes during childbirth and the postpartum period. She has partnered with community organizations and policymakers on programs that increase access to care and improve the health of vulnerable populations.



Her experiences and knowledge will be vital as we continue our work to address similar health challenges here in Southeastern Virginia, Dr. Abuhamad said.



Dr. Louis is a pioneer in the study of obstructive sleep apnea in pregnancy, working to better understand the disease and its implications for maternal and infant health. Throughout her scientific career, she collaborated with experts across multiple medical specialties to define the outcomes associated with sleep apnea in pregnancy.



Her research portfolio also includes the study of hypertensive disease in pregnancy, maternal morbidity and mortality and cardiometabolic consequences of sleep disorders. She has authored more than 150 scientific articles and book chapters. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and both industry and private foundations.



Dr. Louis also has excelled in undergraduate and graduate medical education. She is passionate about using simulation and innovation in medical education. She is a sought-after mentor for faculty, fellows, residents and students, and was recognized for her efforts through the Mentor of the Year Award from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.



Dr. Louis currently serves as the James M. Ingram Professor and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida (USF) Health  with a joint faculty appointment in the USF Health School of Public Health. She is director of the USF Health Regional Perinatal Intensive Care Center Obstetrical Satellite Programs.



Dr. Louis is a past president of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) and currently chairs the SMFM Publications Committee. She is a graduate of the SMFM Leadership Academy and the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program.



She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha national medical honor society and a member of the Robert A. Good Honor Society at Morsani College of Medicine. She has been recognized for research excellence by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Perinatal Research Society and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine.



Dr. Louis earned her medical degree from MCP Hahnemann University (now Drexel University College of Medicine) after receiving her Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. She completed an obstetrics and gynecology residency at Case Western Reserve University (Metrohealth Medical Center)/Cleveland Clinic Foundation and a maternal-fetal medicine fellowship at Wayne State University/NIH Perinatology Research Branch.



She is board-certified in maternal and fetal medicine and in obstetrics and gynecology.
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market - A Regional Analysis: Focus on Satellite Docking Systems, In-Orbit Refueling, In-Orbit Propellant Tanks, and Country Level Analysis, 2025-2035" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market is witnessing significant advancements due to increasing investments in in-orbit servicing, autonomous docking technologies, and satellite sustainability initiatives. As satellite constellations grow and mission longevity becomes a priority, on-orbit servicing and refueling capabilities are becoming crucial for both commercial and government space programs.



In 2024, the market is being driven by European Space Agency (ESA) initiatives, private sector investments, and collaborations between space startups and government agencies. Innovations in AI-driven autonomous rendezvous and docking (ARD) systems, robotic servicing satellites, and in-orbit cryogenic fuel storage are key enablers of satellite refueling missions. The need for reducing space debris and enabling long-term satellite operation is further accelerating demand for standardized docking systems and propellant storage solutions.



By 2035, Europe's satellite servicing market will be dominated by robotic satellite refueling platforms, advanced electromechanical docking mechanisms, and AI-powered navigation for in-orbit repairs and refueling. The expansion of commercial space stations and large orbital platforms will drive the adoption of standardized refueling interfaces and modular docking solutions. ESA's Clean Space Initiative, along with Horizon Europe-backed projects, will ensure that sustainable in-space servicing technologies become an integral part of the European satellite ecosystem.

Leading Country: Germany



Germany is expected to lead the Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market, driven by strong government-backed aerospace initiatives, private sector innovation, and a well-established space technology ecosystem. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and key industry players are investing in AI-powered docking systems, robotic servicing spacecraft, and cryogenic propellant storage solutions.



Germany's leadership in high-precision engineering and automation makes it a key player in developing docking mechanisms, fuel transfer technologies, and satellite servicing spacecraft. DLR's satellite sustainability programs, coupled with ESA-funded projects, are ensuring that Germany remains at the forefront of in-orbit servicing and refueling advancements.



Additionally, Germany's commercial space sector is actively collaborating with international partners to develop modular refueling spacecraft and intersatellite docking solutions. Government grants and venture capital investments in satellite servicing startups are further strengthening Germany's position as a hub for in-space maintenance and refueling innovations.

Trend in the Market: Impact of AI and Robotics on Docking Systems



The integration of AI-driven autonomous rendezvous and docking (ARD) technologies and robotic servicing spacecraft is revolutionizing satellite refueling and repair missions. AI-powered navigation, sensor-based proximity docking, and robotic arms for fuel transfer are key advancements improving safety, accuracy, and efficiency in space docking operations.



Driver in the Market: Technological Advancements in Fluid Transfer Systems



The development of high-precision cryogenic fluid transfer systems, standardized refueling interfaces, and propellant management techniques is a key driver. Advancements in leak-proof sealing, low-pressure cryogenic transfer, and automated docking mechanisms are enhancing the feasibility of in-orbit satellite refueling.



Restraint in the Market: Standardization and Policy Influence



A major challenge in the satellite docking and refueling industry is the lack of globally accepted docking and refueling interface standards. Varying specifications across manufacturers and the absence of uniform regulatory policies create compatibility issues, slowing adoption and increasing costs.



Opportunity in the Market: Expansion of European Space Agency (ESA) In-Space Proof-of-Concept 2 (InSPoC-2)



The ESA's InSPoC-2 initiative, focused on in-space cryogenic propellant storage and in-orbit refueling, presents a significant opportunity for technology providers, aerospace firms, and startups. Collaborations between ESA, commercial satellite operators, and space agencies will drive future investments in sustainable satellite servicing solutions.

Segmentation Analysis

By End-user

Commercial Space Operators (Leading): Private satellite operators are investing in refueling capabilities to extend mission lifespans and reduce launch costs.

Government Space Agencies: ESA and national agencies are spearheading projects for in-orbit servicing and satellite sustainability.

Defense Organizations: Growing demand for secure and resilient space infrastructure is driving investment in autonomous docking and fuel replenishment.

By Service Type

Refueling (Leading): Key focus on cryogenic propellant transfer and standardization of refueling interfaces.

Inspection, Repair, and Replacement: Increasing adoption of robotic servicing spacecraft for on-orbit maintenance.

De-Orbiting: Development of automated debris removal and end-of-life satellite decommissioning solutions.

By Satellite Size

Small Satellites (Less than 500 kg) (Leading): Increasing demand for CubeSats and nano-satellites requiring modular docking and refueling solutions.

Large Satellites (2,000 - 6,000 kg): Focus on extending the operational life of communication and defense satellites.

Key Topics Covered



1. Markets: Industry Outlook

1.1 Trends: Current and Future Impact Assessment

1.2 Supply Chain Overview

1.2.1 Satellite Docking System

1.2.2 In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids

1.2.3 In-Orbit Propellant Tank

1.3 Patent Analysis

1.3.1 Patent Filing Trend by Country

1.3.2 Patent Filling Trend by Company

1.4 Regulatory Landscape

1.4.1 Satellite Docking System

1.4.2 In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids

1.4.3 In-Orbit Propellant Tank

1.5 Impact Analysis for Key Global Events

1.6 Market Dynamics Overview

1.6.1 Market Drivers

1.6.2 Market Restraints

1.6.3 Market Opportunities

1.7 Qualitative Analysis: Satellite Docking System

1.7.1 Impact of AI and Robotics on Docking Systems

1.7.2 Innovations in Materials for Docking Systems

1.7.3 Space Debris and Collision Avoidance Technologies

1.7.4 European Space Initiatives and Programs

1.8 Qualitative Analysis: In-Orbit Propellant Tank

1.8.1 Propellant Tanks and Storage Solutions

1.9 Qualitative Analysis: In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids

1.9.1 Market Dynamics and Strategic Importance

1.9.2 Refueling Interface Specifications

1.9.3 Environmental and Operational Conditions for Refueling

1.9.4 Satellite Compatibility for Refueling

1.9.5 Market Readiness and Future Potential

1.9.6 Technological Innovations and Autonomous Robotics

1.9.7 Integrated Systems and Market Interdependencies

1.9.8 European Space Agency (ESA) In-Space Proof-of-Concept 2 (InSPoC-2): In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Storage & In-Orbit Refilling



2. Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market (by Application)

2.1 Application Segment Summary

2.2 Europe Satellite Docking System Market

2.2.1 Europe Satellite Docking System Market (by End-User)

2.2.1.1 Commercial Space Operators

2.2.1.2 Government Space Agencies

2.2.1.3 Defense Organizations

2.2.1.4 Research and Academic Institutions

2.2.2 Europe Satellite Docking System Market (by Service Type)

2.2.2.1 Refueling

2.2.2.2 Inspection, Repair, and Replacement

2.2.2.3 De-Orbiting

2.2.2.4 Others

2.2.3 Europe Satellite Docking System Market (by Satellite Size)

2.2.3.1 Small Satellites (Less than 500 kg)

2.2.3.1.1 Pico Satellites (< 1 kg)

2.2.3.1.2 Nano Satellites (1 - 10 kg)

2.2.3.1.3 Micro Satellites (10 - 100 kg)

2.2.3.1.4 Mini Satellites (100 - 500 kg)

2.2.3.2 Medium Satellites (500 - 2,000 kg)

2.2.3.3 Large Satellites (2,000 - 6,000 kg)

2.2.3.4 Extra-Large Satellites and Orbital Platforms (>6,000 kg)

2.3 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market

2.3.1 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market (by Satellite Type)

2.3.1.1 Small Satellites and CubeSats

Note: Including Pico, Nano, Micro, and Mini Satellites primarily for commercial, scientific, and educational use.

2.3.1.2 Large Communication and Observation Satellites

Note: Including commercial and non-military/government satellites used for communication and earth observation.

2.3.1.3 Space Station Modules and Large Platforms

Note: Focused on commercial and scientific space station modules and large orbital platforms.

2.3.1.4 Military and Government Satellites

Note: Including defense, surveillance, and all government-owned or operated satellites.

2.3.2 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market (by End-User)

2.3.2.1 Commercial Satellite Operators

2.3.2.2 Government, Defense, and Space Agencies

2.4 Europe In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market

2.4.1 Europe In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market (by Satellite Type)

2.4.1.1 Small Satellites and CubeSats

Note: Including Pico, Nano, Micro, and Mini Satellites primarily for commercial, scientific, and educational use.

2.4.1.2 Large Communication and Observation Satellites

Note: Including commercial and non-military/government satellites used for communication and earth observation.

2.4.1.3 Space Station Modules and Large Platforms

Note: Focused on commercial and scientific space station modules and large orbital platforms.

2.4.1.4 Military and Government Satellites

Note: Including defense, surveillance, and all government-owned or operated satellites.



3. Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market (by Products)

3.1 Product Segment Summary

3.2 Europe Satellite Docking System Market

3.2.1 Europe Satellite Docking System Market (by Spacecraft Type (by Component))

3.2.1.1 Target Satellites

3.2.1.1.1 Docking Plate

3.2.1.1.2 Sensor Unit

3.2.1.1.3 Refueling Port

3.2.1.1.4 On-board Computer

3.2.1.1.5 Other Interfaces

3.2.1.2 Service Satellites

3.2.1.2.1 Robotic Arm

3.2.1.2.2 Refueling Port

3.2.1.2.3 On-board Computer

3.2.1.2.4 Electromagnet Attachment Mechanism

3.2.1.2.5 Rotational Alignment Guides

3.2.1.2.6 Sensor Unit

3.2.1.2.7 Other Interfaces

3.2.2 Europe Satellite Docking System Market (by Technology Type)

3.2.2.1 Mechanical Docking Systems

3.2.2.2 Magnetic Docking Systems

3.2.2.3 Robotic Docking Systems

3.2.2.4 Optical Docking Systems

3.3 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market

3.3.1 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market (by Refueling Fluid Type)

3.3.1.1 Chemical Propellants

3.3.1.1.1 Hydrazine-Based Fluids

3.3.1.1.2 Nitrogen Tetroxide (NTO)

3.3.1.1.3 Others

3.3.1.2 Cryogenic Fluids

3.3.1.2.1 Liquid Hydrogen

3.3.1.2.2 Liquid Oxygen

3.3.1.3 Green and Alternative Propellants

3.3.2 Europe In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market (by Service Type)

3.3.2.1 In-Orbit Refueling Services

3.3.2.2 Propellant Tank Maintenance and Replacement Services

3.3.2.3 Others

3.4 Europe In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market

3.4.1 Europe In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market (by Tank Type)

3.4.1.1 High-Pressure Tanks

3.4.1.1.1 Cryogenic Tanks

3.4.1.1.2 Non-Cryogenic Tanks

3.4.1.2 Low-Pressure Tanks

3.4.1.2.1 Cryogenic Tanks

3.4.1.2.2 Non-Cryogenic Tanks

3.4.2 Europe In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market (by Material Type)

3.4.2.1 Metallic Tanks

3.4.2.2 Composite Material Tanks



4. Europe Satellite Docking System & Refueling Market (by Region)

4.1 Europe (By Country)

4.1.1 Germany

4.1.1.1 Satellite Docking System Market

4.1.1.1.1 Applications

4.1.1.1.2 Products

4.1.1.2 In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids Market

4.1.1.2.1 Applications

4.1.1.2.2 Products

4.1.1.3 In-Orbit Propellant Tank Market

4.1.1.3.1 Applications

4.1.1.3.2 Products

4.1.2 France

4.1.3 U.K.

4.1.4 Italy

4.1.5 Spain

4.1.6 Rest-of-Europe



5. Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles

5.1 Next Frontiers

5.2 Geographic Assessment

5.3 Startup Landscape

5.3.1 Key Startups in the Ecosystem

5.3.2 Funding and Investment Analysis

5.3.3 Challenges and Barriers for Startups

5.3.4 Analysis on Collaborations between Startups and Established Players

5.4 Company Profiles

5.4.1 In-Orbit Refueling and Fluids

5.4.1.1 Orbit Fab, Inc.

5.4.1.1.1 Overview

5.4.1.1.2 Top Products/Product Portfolio

5.4.1.1.3 Top Competitors

5.4.1.1.4 Target Customers

5.4.1.1.5 Key Personnel

5.4.1.1.6 Analyst View

5.4.1.1.7 Market Share

5.4.1.2 Astroscale

5.4.1.3 Voyager Space Holdings

5.4.1.4 D-Orbit S.p.A.

5.4.1.5 ClearSpace

5.4.1.6 Companies Selected for European Space Agency (ESA) In-Space Proof-of-Concept 2 (InSPoC-2): In-Space Cryogenic Propellant Storage & In-Orbit Refilling

5.4.1.7 Other Key Players

5.4.2 In-Orbit Propellant Tank

5.4.2.1 ArianeGroup GmbH

5.4.2.2 IHI AEROSPACE Co. Ltd.

5.4.2.3 Nammo AS

5.4.2.4 Holscot

5.4.2.5 Moog Inc.

5.4.2.6 Other Key Players

5.4.3 Satellite Docking System

5.4.3.1 Sierra Space Corporation

5.4.3.2 Northrop Grumman

5.4.3.3 Lockheed Martin

5.4.3.4 Starfish Space

5.4.3.5 Maxar Technologies

5.4.3.6 Other Key Players



6. Research Methodology



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hzpp2q

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.
Los Angeles, California, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When Gennady Grinblat, vice president of SERVPRO Global West Coast DRT, heard about Los Angeles County Fire Captain Alek Edwards braving the wildfires in the midst of his family losing their home, he did not hesitate to pledge $10,000 on behalf of his company to help provide emergency relief assistance.

Whatever would be meaningful, sign us up, Grinblat said. We want to do our part to help those who put their lives on the line for our community.

As the franchise helped coordinate relief efforts with the First Responders Childrens Foundation , an owner of the same SERVPRO franchise group, Manny Corral, amazed the team with more generosity. My wife and I would also like to donate $10,000 for these first responder families, he shared with a smile on his face, eager to make a real difference.

Corral and Grinblat brought their friend, actor Morris Chestnut, to surprise Captain Edwards when the First Responders Childrens Foundation and SERVPRO awarded the grant to his family. Learn more about Edwards's bravery and the day here .

This SERVPRO teams outreach did not end with contributing to the SERVPRO Disaster Relief Fund . They played a critical role in hosting the First Responder Family Appreciation Day at Dodger Stadium on February 25. The team provided dozens of volunteers who stored, transported, unloaded, and distributed thousands of essential items and toys for the event, as well as set up and cleaned up the site.

SERVPRO Global West Coast DRT worked alongside six other franchise groups to make the First Responder Family Appreciation Day a special eventTeam Jeffries Global, Team Lingurar, Team Sussman/Katz, Team Brogdon, Team Barlow/Bridges, and Team Ramos.

SERVPRO can do special things when we come together as one brand, one organization, all working together for the common good of these communities, said Brett Ponton, CEO of SERVPRO Headquarters, at the event. Its honestly very humbling, and I have a tremendous sense of gratitude to each and every one of them for the contributions they made.

With the help of donors like SERVPRO, FRCF has given out more than $160,000 in grants to L.A.-area first responders who were impacted by the fires, in addition to the thousands of toys, shoes, and other necessities provided during the First Responder Family Appreciation Day event.

Since 2023, SERVPRO has donated more than $360,000 for grants for hundreds of first responder families, in addition to supporting many other programs of the First Responders Childrens Foundation. To partner with SERVPRO in giving back to the first responder community, make a donation to the SERVPRO Disaster Relief Fund today.

--

About SERVPRO

For more than 55 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPROs professional services network of more than 2,300 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small  from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to make it Like it never even happened.

About First Responders Childrens Foundation

First Responders Childrens Foundation is a national foundation that provides programs and resources that address the specific needs of first responders and their families. The Foundation focuses on four key areas: Scholarships, Financial Assistance Grants, a Mental Health Resilience Program, and Community Engagement. The Foundation was founded 23 years ago in response to 9/11 when 800 children lost a first responder parent. More information about FRCF and how to support their mission can be found at www.1stRCF.org and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @1strcf.

Attachments
SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Javelin Strategy & Research today released its inaugural Digital Issuance Provider Scorecard, highlighting digital issuance of debit cards as a key differentiator that helps financial institutions stay ahead and meet rising consumer demand for seamless digital payments. The scorecard evaluates and ranks eight digital issuance vendors' products based on 25 criteria across Features & Functionality, Technology, and Customer Supportcritical factors in digital issuance success.

Consumers are increasingly making debit payments without a physical card, pushing demand for digital issuance higher than ever," said Elisa Tavilla, Director of the Debit Payments Practice at Javelin. "With 52% of consumers using debit cards and 54% using credit cards in mobile wallets, issuers must prioritize seamless digital issuance to keep pace with evolving payment preferences and remain top-of-wallet.

Galileos Digital First product claimed the top spot in Javelins scorecard, recognized for its flexibility, security, and scalability in driving innovation across payments and financial services. Thales and FIS ranked as Overall Leaders, standing out for their dynamic digital issuance capabilities, including robust security, seamless integration, and broad functionality.

With 50% of issuers planning to expand digital issuance capabilities, the technology is increasingly a competitive necessity. Digital issuance reduces friction in account setup and card replacement, ensuring customers can access new credentials instantly. It also helps issuers retain transactions by preventing delays that could lead consumers to switch payment methods. Many financial institutions support digital provisioning, allowing customers to add their cards to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other mobile wallets immediately.

As digital payments become the norm, financial institutions must invest in digital issuance to differentiate themselves and meet customer expectations. "Success depends on finding the right partnersthose that continuously innovate and offer flexible, secure, and scalable solutions backed by strong customer support," said Tavilla.

About Javelin Strategy & Research

Javelin Strategy & Research, part of the Escalent Group, helps its clients make informed decisions in a digital financial world. It provides strategic insights to financial institutions including banks, credit unions, brokerages and insurers, as well as payments companies, technology providers, fintechs and government agencies. Javelins independent insights result from a rigorous research process that assesses consumers, businesses, providers, and the transactions ecosystem. It conducts in-depth primary research studies to pinpoint dynamic risks and opportunities in digital banking, payments, fraud & security, lending, and wealth management. Learn more at javelinstrategy.com.

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Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses In e.l.f. Beauty To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options

If you purchased or acquired securities in e.l.f. Beauty between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

[You may also click here for additional information]





NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (e.l.f. Beauty or the Company) (NYSE: ELF) and reminds investors of the May 5, 2025 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company.

Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com.

As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that: (1) contrary to its representations to investors, the Company was experiencing rising inventory levels as a consequence of flagging sales; (2) Elf falsely attributed the rising inventory levels to, among other things, changes in its sourcing practices; (3) to maintain investor confidence, Elf reported inflated revenue, profits, and inventory over several quarters; (4) accordingly. the Companys business and/or financial prospects were overstated; (5) all of the foregoing, once revealed, would likely have a material negative impact on the Company; and (6) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant time

On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research (Muddy Waters) published a report entitled e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. A Revenue and Inventory Mystery (the Muddy Waters Report), alleging that Elf had materially overstated revenue over the past three quarters, and that in Q2 FY24, ELF management realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built. It appears that ELF then began reporting inflated revenue and profits. Its reported inventory also appears materially inflated as a result - i.e., to account for cash that has not really come in. Further, Muddy Waters accused the Company of concealing its inventory challenges from investors by falsely attributing its rising inventory levels to supposed changes in its sourcing practices rather than the true causeinsufficient sales.

After the Class Period ended, on February 6, 2025, Elf released its fiscal Q3 2024 results and provided its fiscal 2025 outlook. Specifically, Elf revealed that it expected full-year fiscal 2025 net sales growth to be 27%-28%, down from the previous guidance of 28-30%, and also revised its adjusted EBITDA guidance to $289-293 million, down from $304-308 million, resulting in part from the updated sales outlook and a $7 million foreign currency loss. Further, the Company stated that it anticipated net sales growth was lowered to -1% to +2%, with management explaining that this reflected prudence amid softer consumption trends, challenging category conditions, and slower-than-expected new product performance

The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not.

Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding e.l.f. Beautys conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others.

To learn more about the e.l.f. Beauty class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/ELF or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310).

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, on X, or on Facebook.

Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP (www.faruqilaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4c96193e-9e8a-4e5d-878a-3e41b441e24a
SINGAPORE, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BexBack, a rapidly growing cryptocurrency exchange, is revolutionizing the trading landscape with the launch of its 100x leverage futures trading and an exclusive 100% deposit bonus. Designed for both novice and professional traders, these features offer unparalleled opportunities to maximize profits while maintaining complete anonymity. With its commitment to transparency, low fees, and user-friendly experience, BexBack is redefining the way traders engage with digital assets.

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Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "2025 Agriculture Equipment Industry Players Strategy Playbook: Deere & Co., AGCO Corporation, CLAAS Group, Kubota Corporation, SDF Group, CNH Industrial" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This 2025 Agriculture Equipment Strategy Playbook Bundle provides an in-depth analysis of leading industry players' strategies as they navigate a challenging global landscape marked by geopolitical tensions, volatile farm economics, climate-related disruptions, and evolving trade policies. With farm incomes under pressure and subdued equipment demand, these reports break down how major OEMs are positioning themselves for resilience and growth through digitalization, automation, and sustainability-driven innovations. Each report includes financial insights, SWOT analysis, key industry trends, force field analysis, and market forecasts - making it an essential resource for decision-makers, investors, and stakeholders in the global agriculture equipment industry.

The major agriculture equipment market players analyzed are:

Deere & Co.

AGCO Corporation

CLAAS Group

Kubota Corporation

SDF Group

CNH Industrial

The global agriculture equipment market is likely to register a slight decrease in year-on-year deliveries for 2025 with subdued demand for new agriculture equipment across segments and categories as market headwinds continue to impact production rates across industry OEMs and the inventory levels maintained by them across their respective dealer networks. The equipment sales registered significant decreases across most key markets in 2024 and are likely to remain on the softer side through 2025 due to continued pressure on farm incomes and a relatively low average age for the in-service fleet across traditional markets. The industry, however, continues to facilitate transition towards sustainability with the ramped-up production of electric and other, sustainable fuels-powered equipment integrated with digital, autonomous and precision capabilities delivering significantly enhanced efficiencies.

The report also incorporates analysis & review of key market, technology & industry trends along with issues & challenges which are likely to impact and shape industry's future over near to medium term. The report also identifies key driving & restraining forces for the industry & assesses their potential degree of impact through a force field analysis. The report concludes by providing a comprehensive outlook & demand forecast on the Global Agriculture Equipment market for the near to medium term.

Relevance & Usefulness: The report provides insights & inputs to be incorporated into the broader strategic planning & decision making processes and will be essential from a competitive analysis standpoint as well.

For Whom: Key Decision-Makers across the Industry Value Chain

The report will be essential & a key resource for those associated with and having strategic interest in the Global Agriculture Equipment Market.

The report will be especially useful for:

Key Decision-Makers

Fleet Owners, Operators and Managers

Top Management of Industry Players & Other Companies

Industry OEMs

Suppliers, Vendors, Technology & MRO Services Providers and other Key Players in the Industry Value Chain

Existing & potential Investors

Industry & Company Analysts

M&A Advisory Firms

Strategy & Management Consulting Firms

PE Firms, Venture Capitalists and Financing & Leasing Companies

Researchers, Industry Analysts and all those associated with the industry in general

Educators, B-School Students and Other Academicians

Key Topics Covered:

Section 1: Business Structure & Snapshot

Founded

Headquartered

Business Segments

Employees

Product Portfolio - Major Product Platforms, Programs and Key Competitors

Market Capitalization/Ownership Structure

Key Executives

Shareholding/Ownership Pattern & Structure

Section 2: Financial Performance Analysis - Charts & Analysis: Based on Latest Available Financial Results

Revenue Base & Growth Trend

Revenues Split by Key Segments

Revenues Split by Key Geographic Markets & Regions

Gross Earnings & Margin Trend

Operating Earnings & Operating Margin Trend

Return on Sales Trend

Profitability Growth Trend

Cash Flow from Operations

R&D Expenditure Trend

CAPEX Trend

Order Intake & Deliveries Trend

Order Backlog Position

Section 3: SWOT Analysis

Sources of Strengths which could be Leveraged

Weaknesses to Overcome & Offset

Opportunities to Capitalize Upon

Threats to Mitigate

Section 4: Strategic Focus & Priorities - Key Focus Areas for 2025

Section 5: Key Strategies & Plans

Product Portfolio Strategies & Plans

Service Level Strategies & Plans

Technological and R&D Strategies & Plans

Market Specific Strategies & Plans - Traditional & Emerging Markets

Corporate Strategies & Plans

Sales, Marketing & Branding Strategies and Plans

Manufacturing/Production Strategies & Plans

Business Growth Strategies & Plans - Organic & Inorganic

Financial Strategies & Plans

Acquisitions, Strategic Alliances & JVs

Other Strategies & Strategic Initiatives

Section 6: Global Agriculture Equipment Market - Force Field Analysis - Analysis of Driving & Restraining Forces and their Overall Dynamics

Driving Forces

Restraining Forces

Section 7: Key Trends

Industry Trends

Market Trends

Technology Trends

Section 8: Key Issues, Challenges & Risk Factors

Section 9: Business Outlook for 2025

Section 10: Global Agriculture Equipment Market - Strategic Market Outlook

Analysis of Emerging Market Scenario for Agriculture Equipment

Global Demand Outlook for Agriculture Equipment - Forecast for 2025

Demand Projections & Forecast for Key Geographic Markets & Regions

Companies Featured

AGCO Corporation

CLAAS Group

CNH Industrial

Deere & Co.

Kubota Corporation

SDF Group

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b5cm6p

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.
VAIL, Colo., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Matthew T. Provencher, a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon specializing in complex knee and shoulder surgeries at The Steadman Clinic since his arrival in Vail nine years ago, has been awarded the esteemed 2025 Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award. The honor was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in San Diego on March 12.

Dr. Provencher was the lead investigator on a panel of 10 physicians that produced a groundbreaking study entitled, Advancement in Care Through Applied Translational and Clinical Research in Anterior Shoulder Instability: Military Contribution over 25 Years.

In recognizing their work, the AAOS praised the research for its worldwide impact on treatment options, indications and surgical techniques, leading to what is now considered by many to be a gold-standard technique for arthroscopic shoulder stabilization. These contributions have guided clinical and surgical decision-making while enhancing patient care.

I'm extremely humbled and honored by this award, said Dr. Provencher. It has got to be one of the most prestigious awards out there in our field of orthopaedics, and our entire team is incredibly honored to have the opportunity to win a Kappa Delta.

Dr. Provencher, a retired Captain in the United States Navy, began this project with members of his team nearly 25 years ago while serving in the military. His research sought to optimize care for shoulder dislocations and instabilitya condition prevalent among active-duty military personnel.

Although we had started this while we were all in the military, said Dr. Provencher, many of us have continued during our civilian careers to finish up this project. We were trying to optimize outcomes of shoulder dislocations or shoulder instability. In essence, this was a 25-year broad project of lessons learned, trying to figure out how to diagnose, examine, image and then eventually treat patients with shoulder dislocations.

I want to thank everyone at Steadman Philippon Research Institute (SPRI), continued Dr. Provencher, because so much of the longer-term clinical studies and the biomechanical studies were performed in conjunction with SPRI. That was super helpful to bring the whole project together.

This distinguished Kappa Delta Award is so well deserved for Dr. Provencher and his fellow military surgeons that endeavored so long to complete this project, said Marc J. Philippon, M.D., managing partner of The Steadman Clinic and chairman of SPRI. Dr. Provenchers tireless work on improving surgical methods and care for our military and veterans certainly makes him stand out among the finest orthopaedic surgeons that have worked in our field. Everyone at The Steadman Clinic and SPRI shares in the excitement of him receiving this distinctive award.

The research teams persistence over two decades highlights the significance of their discoveries. It speaks to the dedication of improving this condition for individuals that have chosen to serve our country, noted Dr. Provencher. We feel there is no better way to give back than trying to advance the science in treating shoulder instability, which has a much higher percentage among our active-duty military population. We knew we had to do better for our patients who chose to serve in the military.

Many of the projects team of investigators began collaborating while on active duty in San Diego over two decades ago. Receiving the award at a ceremony in San Diego is fitting.

Having this award presented to all of us in San Diego is special since that is where so much of this work was started, commented Dr. Provencher. It truly has been a global effort, from starting in San Diego to SPRI in Vail, to Walter Reed, to Bethesda, to San Antonio and among so many other military institutions. It just feels right that the recognition comes where it all started in a ceremony in San Diego.

The team of investigators includes nine other doctors, all with distinguished service in the military. The group includes COL Jon Dickens, M.D.; Eoghan Hurley, M.D., Ph.D.; COL John Tokish, M.D.; COL Brett Owens, M.D.; CAPT Lance LeClere, M.D.; LTC Andrew Sheean, M.D.; COL Jeanne Patzkowski, M.D.; CAPT Robert Waltz, M.D.; and LTC Stephen Parada, M.D.

This is truly an outstanding collection of physicians and a special group of friends and colleagues that have worked so hard on this project, said Dr. Provencher. We've deployed together. We've worked in military hospitals together. We've helped innovate in multiple societies together. That's been a key part of this whole process. It is the collaboration, the teamwork, the esprit de corps, and it all resulted in a passion for all of us to get this important work done.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CCFC Business Services Inc., a distinguished organization known for its commitment to community awareness and advocacy, is raising the alarm over the introduction of Senate Bill 86 by the 136th Session of the Ohio Senate as well as newly proposed House Bill 160. This proposed legislation seeks to roll back current legislation and increase taxes on intoxicating hemp and drinkable cannabinoid products by prohibiting currently permitted sales by businesses that do not have a regulated dispensary license. This move could significantly impact small businesses all over Ohio as well as the individual freedoms of Ohio voters.





The Conversation Starts Here...

The bill, which aims to increase taxes, limit freedoms, create monopolies, and overturn voters' rights, has sparked concern among various stakeholders. CCFC Business Services Inc. is at the forefront of this issue, urging voters to voice their opposition to what they perceive as an overreach of government power.

"This legislation represents a significant threat to the entrepreneurial spirit and the democratic rights of Ohio's citizens," said Liam Pete Christopher, Founder of CCFC Business Services Inc. "We must stand together to protect our freedoms and ensure that our voices are heard in opposition to this bill."

CCFC Business Services Inc. emphasizes the importance of community involvement and awareness in legislative matters. The company, through its podcast, The4thC.live, continues to educate and inform the public about policies, regulations, and challenges facing small businesses and the communities they serve.

As the debate over SB 86 & HB 160 unfolds, CCFC Business Services Inc. encourages all Ohio residents to engage with their local representatives and participate in the democratic process. The company believes that active civic engagement is crucial in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of individuals and businesses alike.

For more information on how to get involved and voice opposition to SB 86 & HB 160, CCFC Business Services Inc. recommends visiting www.The4thC.live/advocacy to learn more about the bills and their implications.





"The People Have Already Spoken."

About CCFC Business Services Inc

The 4thC is a community awareness cooperative podcast that focuses on policies, regulations, challenges & rewards facing small business & the communities they serve.

Press inquiries

CCFC Business Services Inc

https://the4thc.live

Liam Pete Christopher

liampete@fundingamerica.us

(855) 788-3130

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at



https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea2bf81f-7df8-4531-ae37-db980ae91ee2

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f95c499-eef7-4b40-b539-7d0924991a58

A video accompanying this announcement is available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fde34f2c-b0ef-4af1-aafe-c5bad916131f
NEW ORLEANS, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until May 5, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against e.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (ELF or the Company) (NYSE: ELF), if they purchased the Companys securities between November 1, 2023 and November 19, 2024, inclusive (the Class Period). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Get Help

ELF investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nyse-elf/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

About the Lawsuit

ELF and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

On November 20, 2024, Muddy Waters Research reported that the Company had materially overstated revenue over the past three quarters; that in Q2 FY24, it realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built; that it then began reporting inflated revenue and profits resulting in its reported inventory also appearing materially inflated; and that the Company concealed its inventory challenges from investors by falsely attributing its rising inventory levels to supposed changes in its sourcing practices rather than the true cause insufficient sales.

On this news, the price of ELFs shares fell $2.71 per share, or 2.23%, to close at $119.00 per share on November 20, 2024.

On February 6, 2025, the Company released its fiscal Q3 2025 results and provided fiscal 2025 outlook that confirmed the weaknesses identified in the report previously issued by Muddy Waters, including softer consumption trends and slower new product launches. On this news, Elfs stock price fell $17.36 per share, or 19.62%, to close at $71.13 per share on February 7, 2025.

The case is Rottman v. e.l.f. Beauty, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-2316.

About ClaimsFiler

ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.
One fatality and seven injuries resulted from the poisonous gas exposure

TORONTO, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brighton-based propane distributor, Gerow Propane Ltd., pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of an offence under the Technical Standards and Safety Act. The offence involved a fatal carbon monoxide exposure at a property in the Township of Hamilton, Ontario. The Ontario Court of Justice ordered Gerow Propane to pay a fine of $80,000, plus a 25 per cent victim surcharge.

Between December 16, 2020, and February 14, 2022, Gerow Propane supplied propane to fuel a boiler installed in the propertys garage for heating purposes. On February 14, 2022, a 57-year-old relative of the property owner was found deceased in the garage from carbon monoxide exposure. Additionally, seven other individuals at the scene, including five firefighters and two heating contractors, were injured by the poisonous gas and were hospitalized.

TSSAs investigations revealed that the boiler released carbon monoxide into the indoor space, causing the poisonous exposure. The boiler had been built for use with natural gas but was found operating on propane as its fuel source. Without undergoing the necessary conversion, including the installation of a new orifice suited for propane, the boiler allowed products of combustion to leak.

Despite delivering propane to the property on seven occasions, Gerow Propane failed to comply with Ontario Regulation 211/01 prescribed under the Act, which requires propane suppliers to inspect appliances connected to propane to ensure their safe operation and attach a label confirming compliance with safety codes and requirements.

Owen Kennedy, Director of Fuels at the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA), said, This is a tragic event caused by a serious non-compliance. Propane suppliers have a legal responsibility to ensure that fuel-burning devices are installed in compliance with the applicable codes and can be used safely. Any failure to verify this can lead to harmful consequences such as fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, and other hazards.

Mr. Kennedy added, For consumers, after installing a fuel-burning device in any indoor area, including those separate from your primary living space, its best to install a carbon monoxide alarm and have the heating equipment regularly inspected by a qualified fuel contractor. These precautions are important safeguards and could have been life-saving in this case.

About TSSA

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) is one of Ontarios public safety regulators mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce provincial safety regulations and enhance public safety. Throughout Ontario, TSSA regulates the safety of amusement devices, boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, fuels, operating engineers, and ski lifts. Its range of safety services include public education and consumer information, certification, licensing and registration, engineering design review, inspections, investigations, safety management consultation, compliance support and enforcement and prosecution activities. The organizations vision is to be a valued advocate and recognized authority in public safety.

For more information, please contact:

Alexandra Campbell

Vice President, Communications, Stakeholder Engagement

and Customer Service

Technical Standards and Safety Authority

Telephone: 416-734-6227

Email: media@tssa.org
CHARLESTON, S.C., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Water Center (GWC) is launching a groundbreaking project to improve access to safely managed water across East Africa, with the initial phase supported by $1.1 million in grants from the Grundfos Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation. The project focuses on skills development in the rural water sector in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda while creating a scalable model to address the critical shortage of water professionals worldwide.

During the first phase of the project, GWC will use the grants to undertake a gap analysis to identify the most urgent vocational training needs, initiate course design, and launch a government technical assistance program. Safe and reliable water access is a cornerstone in securing livelihoods, health, and social progress in rural areas. It takes both knowledge and skill to maintain modern water systems, and we want to assist governments in building capacity in the water sector to bring essential services to their citizens, says Kim Nhr Skibsted, CEO, Grundfos Foundation.





The recent Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) report noted a severe shortage of skilled professionals needed for the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of water and sanitation systems in Africa. Many countries in the region have less than 50% of the necessary workforce, posing a significant risk to sustainable access to safe water and consequently, the health and well-being of communities.

This project seeks to fill the human resources gap through sustainable, scalable capacity development in the following ways: 1) Partnering with global and local stakeholders to help ensure the project is not only innovative but also deeply rooted in local contexts. 2) Including climate adaptation strategies to protect water systems against environmental challenges. 3) Equipping local governments and professionals with technical skills to enable them to sustain and expand water services in the long term.

"The initiatives we support aim to build resilience and improve water security in local communities. This work in East Africa takes a thoughtful, local approach to invest in water innovation and in the skills needed to strengthen the local infrastructure now and for the long term, said Carlos Pagoaga, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation.

While this US $1.1 million in grants is essential for launching the first phase, completing all three phases of the project will require continued collaboration and additional support. We are immensely grateful for the launch funds and invite others to collaborate with us to catalyze these systemic changes, said Thomas Johnston, CEO of GWC. Together, we can help provide rural communities across East Africaand eventually beyond access to safe, reliable water.

About Global Water Center

Global Water Center believes everyone deserves access to safely managed water. Our three-pronged approach of capacity development, technical assistance, and collaboration focuses on making rural water projects more sustainable. As the go-to resource for the rural water sector, our safe water resources have reached people in 131 countries. In addition to capacity development, we also provide technical assistance to make water projects more effective and reliable. All of our efforts are rooted in collaboration with nonprofits, governments, and other entities. Together, we are solving the global water crisis.

About The Coca-Cola Foundation

The Coca-Cola Foundations mission is to make a difference in communities around the world where The Coca-Cola Company operates and where its employees live and work. It supports transformative ideas and institutions that address complex global challenges and leave a measurable and lasting impact. Since its inception in 1984, The Coca-Cola Foundation has awarded $1.6 billion+ in grants in service of its mandate to strengthen communities across the world.

About the Grundfos Foundation

The Grundfos Foundation (Poul Due Jensen Foundation) is a Danish commercial foundation. Grundfos founder, Poul Due Jensen, created the Foundation on 19 May 1975. With 88% of the shares, the Foundation is the majority shareholder in Grundfos, a world leader in pumps, water solutions and services.

This year, the Grundfos Foundation has pledged DKK 250m to philanthropic purposes within three strategic areas: Water, Research and Inclusion. Find out more about the Grundfos Foundation.

Alyson Rockhold

Director of Global Engagement

Global Water Center

+1 346.273.9148

arockhold@globalwatercenter.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3444ca6d-9489-44ac-9db1-75231126336b
Toronto, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- York University and ventureLAB signed a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand their collaboration in talent development, research, and industry-driven innovation. This agreement reinforces their commitment to bridging academia and industry, creating opportunities for students, researchers, and entrepreneurs to drive growth in Canadas technology sector.

As a leading innovation hub, ventureLABs mission is to power hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canadas knowledge-based economy, making this partnership a natural extension of its work in fostering a globally competitive technology ecosystem.

York University has long been a valued partner with ventureLAB, and this enhanced collaboration advances our shared goal of not only fostering tech talent in the region but giving that talent the platform to turn their learning and research into commercial success, said Sophia Chan-Combrink, VP, external relations.

The MOU establishes a strong talent pipeline, connecting York Universitys distinguished professors and researchers with ventureLABs influential network of founders. It also provides York University students with hands-on internship opportunities, equipping them with real-world experience in the hardtech, semiconductor, AI and medtech industries.

With the launch of York Universitys new Markham Campus, this partnership is expanding to create even greater opportunities for students, faculty, and industry professionals. Located near the new campus, ventureLAB will serve as a key hub for experiential learning, giving students direct access to its state-of-the-art Innovation Centre and resources. This collaboration will drive new joint programming initiatives and strengthen the synergy between York Universitys STEM, management, and business programs and ventureLABs dynamic innovation ecosystem. By fostering cutting-edge research, commercialization, and talent acceleration, York University and ventureLAB are shaping the future of Canadas technology sector.

For decades, York University researchers have been at the forefront of groundbreaking discoveries that drive meaningful change and improve lives. As the worlds largest markets compete for top talent in fields such as medical technology, digital innovation, and semiconductors, York is committed to ensuring our research translates into tangible, real-world impact, said Amir Asif, vice president, research and innovation at York University.

To achieve sustainable, lasting outcomes, York University continues to cultivate strategic partnerships that amplify the reach and influence of its research. Through collaboration with ventureLAB, York is advancing the MedTech, digital technologies and semiconductor innovation ecosystems by harnessing the expertise of York Universitys Lassonde School of Engineering researchers. This collaboration will accelerate the creation of intellectual property and highly skilled talent, fuelling growth in critical industrial sectors.

York University continues to be a valuable partner in ventureLABs flagship programs, including the Hardware Catalyst Initiative and Accelerate AI. As part of this renewed agreement, York University professors will now have direct access to ventureLABs leading-edge hardware lab, enabling groundbreaking research and industry collaborations that will drive advancements in Canadas semiconductor, AI, and deep-tech industries.

This renewed partnership underscores the transformative potential of collaboration between academia and industry, creating a stronger pipeline of talent and innovation that will shape the future of Canadas tech sector. As York University and ventureLAB continue to strengthen their alliance, they remain dedicated to fostering technological advancements, supporting high-impact research, and equipping the next generation of leaders with the tools to thrive.



About ventureLAB

ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies in Canada. Located at the heart of Ontarios innovation corridor in York Region, ventureLAB is part of one of the biggest and most diverse tech communities in Canada. Our initiatives focused on raising capital, talent retention, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition have enabled thousands of companies to create over 7,200 jobs and raise more than $420 million in investment capital. ventureLAB is powering hardtech founders to build and scale globally competitive ventures that advance Canadas knowledge-based economy.

About York University

York is a leading international teaching and research university, and a driving force for positive change. Empowered by a welcoming and diverse community with a uniquely global perspective, we are preparing our students for their long-term careers and personal success.

Home to one of the largest and most diverse student bodies in Canada, our 53,450+ students from 178 countries, 375,000+ alumni and leading professors are working with 350+ university, industry and NGO partners to tackle pressing issues such as AIs impact on society, disaster and emergency management and more. Recognized as a global leader for five consecutive years in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, and number one in global joint research publications in Ontario, York is positioned to take on the challenges that matter most.

Across our multiple campuses in the Toronto area, including Keele, bilingual Glendon and Markham, and globally in Hyderabad, India, and Costa Rica, we continue to innovate. This brings success to our students in our top-ranked Schulich School of Business and Osgoode Hall Law School, and our new School of Medicine (opening 2028) as well as in the liberal arts, creative and performing arts, professional studies, health, engineering, education and sciences.

We value collaboration, diversity and inclusivity. Together, we can make things right for ourselves, our communities, our planet and our future.

To learn more, visit yorku.ca.

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Mountain View, California, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In partnership with Google, the Computer History Museum (CHM), the leading museum exploring the history of computing and its impact on the human experience, today announced the public release and long-term preservation of the source code for AlexNet, the neural network that kickstarted todays prevailing approach to AI.

Google is delighted to contribute the source code for the groundbreaking AlexNet work to the Computer History Museum, said Jeff Dean, chief scientist, Google DeepMind and Google Research. This code underlies the landmark paper ImageNet Classification with Deep Convolutional Neural Networks, by Alex Krizhevsky, Ilya Sutskever, and Geoffrey Hinton, which revolutionized the field of computer vision and is one of the most cited papers of all time.

For more information about the release of this historic source code, visit CHMs blog post here.

By the late 2000s, Hintons graduate students at the University of Toronto were beginning to use graphics processing units (GPUs) to train neural networks for image recognition tasks, and their success suggested that deep learning could be a solution to general-purpose AI. Sutskever, one of the students, believed that the performance of neural networks would scale with the amount of data available, and the arrival of ImageNet provided the opportunity. Completed in 2009, ImageNet was a dataset of images developed by Stanford professor Fei-Fei Li that was larger than any previous image dataset by several orders of magnitude.

In 2011, Sutskever persuaded Krizhevsky, a fellow graduate student, to train a neural network for ImageNet. With Hinton serving as faculty advisor, Krizhevsky did so on a computer with two NVIDIA cards. Over the course of the next year, he continuously refined and retrained the network until it achieved performance superior to its competitors. The network would ultimately be named AlexNet, after Krizhevsky. In describing the AlexNet project, Hinton told CHM, Ilya thought we should do it, Alex made it work, and I got the Nobel Prize.

Before AlexNet, very few machine learning researchers used neural networks. After it, almost all of them would. Google eventually acquired the company started by Hinton, Krizhevsky and Sutskever, and a Google team led by David Bieber worked with CHM for five years to secure its release to the public.

About CHM Software Source Code

The Computer History Museum has the worlds most diverse archive of software and related material. The stories of softwares origins and impact on the world provide inspiration and lessons for the future to global audiencesincluding young coders and entrepreneurs. The Museum has released other historic source code such as APPLE II DOS, IBM APL, Apple MacPaint and QuickDraw, Apple Lisa, and Adobe Photoshop. Visit our website to learn more.

About CHM

The Computer History Museums mission is to decode technologythe computing past, digital present, and future impact on humanity. From the heart of Silicon Valley, we share insights gleaned from our research, our events, and our incomparable collection of computing artifacts and oral histories to convene, inform, and empower people to shape a better future.
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Edge Data Center Market - A Global and Regional Analysis: Focus on Product, Application, and Country Analysis - Analysis and Forecast, 2025-2034" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global edge data center market, valued at $20.62 billion in 2024, is expected to reach $109.78 billion by 2034, exhibiting a robust CAGR of 17.63% during the forecast period 2025-2034. One of the primary drivers for the growth of the edge data center market is the increasing demand for low-latency data processing and real-time computing.

This growth is further fueled by the rapid expansion of 5G networks, the increasing adoption of IoT applications, and the need for decentralized computing infrastructure to support emerging digital technologies.



Additionally, advancements in modular data center architecture and AI-driven automation enable more efficient deployment and management of edge data centers. Government policies promoting energy-efficient data centers and investments in smart city initiatives are also contributing to the expansion of the edge data center market. As businesses continue to prioritize scalability, security, and operational efficiency, the demand for edge data centers is expected to surge significantly over the coming years.





Industrial Impact



The edge data center market is significantly impacting various industries, particularly in IT and Telecom, banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI), healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and retail. In the IT and Telecom sector, edge data centers are revolutionizing network infrastructure by enabling low-latency data processing, reducing congestion in core networks, and supporting the expansion of 5G and IoT ecosystems. This shift enhances real-time computing capabilities, improves data security, and enables faster content delivery, making operations more efficient and scalable.



In the BFSI industry, edge data centers play a vital role in ensuring secure and real-time financial transactions. They reduce data transmission delays, improve fraud detection mechanisms, and support automated banking services, making digital financial operations more reliable and efficient. The healthcare sector is also experiencing transformation through edge computing, which facilitates real-time patient monitoring, AI-driven diagnostics, and remote healthcare services, ultimately enhancing patient care and medical data security.



The manufacturing and automotive industries benefit from edge data centers by supporting smart factory automation, AI-driven predictive maintenance, and autonomous vehicle technologies. These improvements drive operational efficiency, reduce downtime, and optimize supply chain processes. In the retail sector, edge data centers enable personalized shopping experiences, real-time inventory management, and enhanced cybersecurity, allowing businesses to improve customer engagement and operational efficiency.



Overall, the edge data center market has been reshaping digital infrastructure across multiple industries, fostering innovation, scalability, and real-time data processing, ultimately improving efficiency, security, and connectivity in the evolving digital landscape.



In 2023, the global edge data center market reached a valuation of $16.7 billion. Over the forecast period, the market is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 17.63%, reaching $109.78 billion by 2034. The surge in demand for edge data centers is driven by the increasing need for low-latency computing, real-time data processing, and decentralized infrastructure. The growing adoption of 5G technology, IoT applications, and AI-driven analytics is further accelerating market expansion.



Additionally, industries such as IT and telecom, BFSI, healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and retail are increasingly leveraging edge computing solutions to enhance network performance, reduce data transmission costs, and ensure data security. Stricter government regulations on data privacy and energy efficiency, along with rising investments in smart city projects and digital transformation, are fueling the adoption of edge data centers. Businesses across various sectors are recognizing the operational, financial, and technological advantages of edge computing, contributing to the rapid growth of the edge data center market.

Recent Developments in the Global Edge Data Center Market

In June 2023, SBA Communications, a tower firm, launched a new edge data center at a tower location in the Dallas Fort Worth area of Texas, U.S.

In October 2023, Edge Centers, one of the frontrunners in the edge data center sector in the U.S., celebrated the inauguration of its fifth cutting-edge facility. This achievement marks a significant industry milestone, also demonstrating the infrastructural expansion of the edge data centers in the U.S.

In December 2023, Cologix, a leading hyperscale edge data center provider, successfully finalized the acquisition of two Cyxtera data center colocation provider facilities located in Vancouver and Montreal, Canada.

In December 2023, Arcus, an independent infrastructure fund management company, announced the establishment of Portus Data Centers, a new edge data center platform for the Germany edge data center market. Moreover, in December 2023, Arcus also acquired IPHH Internet Port Hamburg, a prominent regional data center operator and internet service provider, providing significant growth in the edge data center market.

In November 2023, Rakuten Mobile, Inc. announced that its research and development (R&D) project into advanced edge cloud technologies for next-generation communications has been selected by Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). The objective of this project for the company is to enhance the functionalities of the edge platform and provide robust services within the edge cloud to meet the escalating communication demands anticipated in the post-5G era. This initiative aims to contribute to the expansion of the edge data center market.

Demand Drivers, Challenges and Opportunities

Minimizing Latency and Bandwidth Usage

Minimizing latency and bandwidth usage is a key driver of the edge data center market, as businesses demand real-time data processing for applications such as video streaming, IoT, and AI-driven analytics. Traditional cloud data centers often suffer from high latency due to long transmission distances, impacting performance. Edge data centers, strategically located near end users, enable faster data processing, reduced congestion, and improved service reliability. Studies show that 55% of users can access edge servers with under 10 ms latency, rising to 82% at 20 ms latency, compared to centralized cloud solutions. This shift toward edge computing transforms digital infrastructure, optimizing network efficiency and driving technological advancements across industries.

Lack of Consideration of Security-by-Design

One of the major challenges hindering the widespread adoption of edge data centers is the lack of security by design in their infrastructure. As edge computing prioritizes performance and agility for applications such as IoT, smart cities, and autonomous systems, security is often overlooked during design. This increases exposure to cyber threats, data breaches, and network vulnerabilities, making edge data centers more susceptible to attacks. Without robust security frameworks, businesses face higher data integrity and privacy risks, creating a significant challenge for the edge data center market. Addressing this requires integrated cybersecurity measures from the initial design phase to ensure resilient and secure edge computing environments.

Surge in Investment by Data Center Providers

The edge data center market has been witnessing a surge in investment from data center providers, driven by the growing demand for localized data processing, reduced latency, and support for IoT, AI, and 5G technologies. This shift toward decentralized computing is enhancing connectivity, data sovereignty, and user experience across digital services. For example, in February 2024, Azora and Core Capital announced a $530 million investment in constructing six edge data centers across Spain and Portugal, totaling 60MW capacity. Similarly, in May 2023, CTRLS Datacenters Ltd. invested $18.1 million in an edge data center in Odisha, India, reinforcing the rising demand for localized infrastructure. These strategic investments highlight the expanding role of edge data centers in scaling digital ecosystems and driving future technological advancements.

Key Market Players and Competition Synopsis



The companies profiled in the edge data center market have been selected based on inputs gathered from primary experts and through an analysis of company coverage, product portfolio, application, and market penetration. The edge data center market is characterized by the presence of companies developing advanced data center infrastructure and offering innovative solutions to enhance decentralized computing. The edge data center market has been witnessing significant growth, driven by the increasing adoption of IoT, real-time data processing needs, and the expansion of 5G networks.



Major edge data center market players include AtlasEdge Data Centres, ATC TRS V LLC, Cologix, Vapor IO, DartPoints, Digital Realty, Edge Centres, and EdgeConneX. These companies focus on deploying modular and scalable data centers, optimizing energy efficiency, and integrating AI-driven solutions to improve operational performance. The edge data center market attracts substantial investment as businesses seek to reduce latency, enhance network reliability, and support emerging digital applications.



Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 116 Forecast Period 2025 - 2034 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $25.46 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034 $109.78 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 17.6% Regions Covered Global





Key Topics Covered:



1 Markets

1.1 Trends: Current and Future Impact Assessment

1.1.1 Trends Shaping Edge Data Center Market

1.1.2 5G Network Deployment

1.1.3 Proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

1.1.4 Adoption of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) Technology

1.2 Supply Chain Overview

1.3 Research and Development Review

1.4 Technological Analysis

1.5 Implications for Investors, Operators, and Enterprises

1.6 Regulatory Landscape

1.7 Use Cases

1.8 Market Dynamics Overview

1.8.1 Market Drivers

1.8.1.1 Minimizing Latency and Bandwidth Usage

1.8.1.1.1 Case Study: Comparing Edge Servers and Cloud Locations for Enhanced User Experience

1.8.1.2 Increasing Focus on Providing Personalized AI Services

1.8.2 Market Restraints

1.8.2.1 Lack of Consideration of Security-by-Design

1.8.2.2 Non-Migratability of Security Frameworks

1.8.3 Market Opportunities

1.8.3.1 Surge in Investment by Data Center Providers

1.8.3.2 Increase in Data Generation



2 Application

2.1 Application Segmentation

2.2 Application Summary

2.3 Global Edge Data Center Market (by Application)

2.3.1 IT and Telecom

2.3.2 Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI)

2.3.3 Government and Public Sector

2.3.4 Healthcare

2.3.5 Manufacturing

2.3.6 Automotive

2.3.7 Retail

2.3.8 Others



3 Products

3.1 Product Segmentation

3.2 Product Summary

3.3 Global Edge Data Center Market (by Type)

3.3.1 On-Premise Edge

3.3.2 Network Edge

3.3.3 Regional Edge



4 Regions

4.1 Regional Summary

4.2 North America

4.3 Europe

4.4 Asia-Pacific

4.5 Rest-of-the-World



5 Markets - Competitive Benchmarking & Company Profiles

5.1 Competitive Landscape

5.2 Company Profiles

AtlasEdge Data Centres

ATC TRS V LLC

Cologix

Vapor IO

DartPoints

Digital Realty

Edge Centres

EdgeConneX

Ubiquity Management

Leading Edge Data Centres

Proximity Data Centres

Switch

Vertiv Group Corp

Evoque Data Center Solutions

Flexential

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/7hob32

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "France Gift Card and Incentive Card Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook) - Q1 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides a detailed data-centric analysis of the gift card sector in France, covering market opportunities and risks across consumer segments (retail and corporate); product categories; retail sectors; and store formats. With over 100+ KPIs at the country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of gift card market dynamics.



It offers a comprehensive analysis of market dynamics in the gift card sector, segmented by digital and e-gift card sales, distribution channels, key occasions, demographic trends, and market share statistics of leading retailers. In addition, it provides a snapshot of consumer behaviour and retail spending dynamics. KPIs in both value and volume terms help in getting an in-depth understanding of end market dynamics.

The gift card market in France is expected to grow by 6.8% on annual basis to reach US$9.35 billion in 2025. France's gift card market experienced robust growth during 2020-2024, achieving a CAGR of 7.4%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% during 2025-2029. By the end of 2029, the gift card sector is projected to expand from its 2024 value of USD 8.76 billion to approximately USD 11.71 billion.





Key Insights



The French gift card market is experiencing rapid transformation, driven by digital adoption, strategic retail collaborations, and increased corporate utilization. The growing preference for digital gift cards, fueled by e-commerce expansion and smartphone penetration, is reshaping consumer behavior and encouraging businesses to enhance their digital offerings. Additionally, partnerships between retailers and gift card providers are expanding market accessibility, ensuring that gift cards are more widely available through multiple channels. As corporate gifting gains traction, companies leverage gift cards to enhance employee engagement and customer loyalty, further driving market growth.



Regulatory changes aimed at consumer protection also influence the market, ensuring greater transparency and standardization in gift card usage. Addressing the issue of unredeemed balances through policy reforms and innovative redemption solutions will be key to maintaining consumer trust. Over the next two to four years, the competitive landscape will continue to evolve, with businesses focusing on compliance, personalization, and digital integration. Companies that adapt to these market shifts and align with regulatory developments will be well-positioned to capitalize on France's expanding gift card industry.

Competitive Landscape of the French Gift Card Market



The French gift card market is on a strong growth trajectory, supported by increasing digital adoption, expanding e-commerce, and strategic partnerships among key industry players. Companies such as Air France and WISHCARDT drive innovation, while new entrants such as Givex and InComm Payments enhance digital engagement through retailer collaborations. As the market moves towards greater personalization and integration across multiple retail channels, competition is expected to intensify, creating new opportunities for businesses to differentiate themselves through technological advancements and customer-centric offerings.



Looking ahead, regulatory changes aimed at consumer protection will shape the market landscape, requiring businesses to ensure compliance with evolving standards. While these regulations may introduce higher operational costs, they are also expected to enhance consumer trust, ultimately driving higher adoption rates. Companies that invest in compliance, innovation, and strategic expansion will be well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for digital and experiential gift card solutions in France.



Current Market Dynamics

The market's expansion is further supported by innovative offerings from companies such as Air France, which introduced the Paperplane gift card, allowing customers to gift travel experiences. Such initiatives reflect a broader trend towards personalized and experiential gifting options in the French market.

Key Players and Market Share

Prominent players in France's gift card market include Air France with its Paperplane gift card and WISHCARDT, which offers customizable gift card products. These companies have enhanced their offerings through strategic partnerships to broaden distribution and appeal.

New entrants such as Givex and InComm Payments have partnered with retailers to enhance digital adoption and customer engagement. These collaborations aim to integrate gift card solutions into multiple retail channels, both online and offline, increasing accessibility for consumers.

Recent Launches and Partnerships

The French gift card market has seen strategic partnerships to expand market reach in recent years. For instance, WISHCARDT has collaborated with various retailers to offer customizable gift card products, enhancing consumer convenience.

While the available sources do not detail specific recent mergers and acquisitions within France, the global trend indicates a movement towards consolidation, with companies seeking to strengthen their positions through strategic alliances and acquisitions.

Anticipated Market Evolution (Next 2-4 Years)

Over the next 2-4 years, the French gift card market is expected to become more dynamic, with increased competition from established players and new entrants. Companies will likely focus on technological innovations, personalized offerings, and strategic partnerships to maintain and enhance their market positions.

Staying abreast of regulatory changes and ensuring compliance will be crucial for sustaining consumer trust and achieving long-term success. As the market evolves, businesses prioritizing innovation and customer-centric strategies will be better positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities.

Regulatory Changes

The French government has implemented regulations to increase consumer protection in the gift card market. Key measures include restrictions on expiry dates and fees associated with gift cards, designed to ensure greater fairness and transparency in the industry.

These regulatory changes require businesses to align their gift card policies accordingly, potentially increasing operational costs and enhancing consumer trust. Compliance with these regulations is essential for companies to maintain their reputation and customer loyalty in the evolving market landscape.

Companies Featured

E.Leclerc

Intermarche Super

Carrefour Market

Super U

Carrefour Hypermarket

Auchan

Lidl

Leroy Merlin

Amazon

Cora

Reasons to buy

Comprehensive comprehension of the dynamics of the gift card and incentive card markets: Recognise the opportunities in the market, the main drivers and trends, and the five-year projection for gift and incentive cards in France.

Create strategies tailored to the market: To create your gift card strategy, identify growth categories and target particular opportunities across consumer segments and occasions; evaluate important trends and risks unique to your market.

Learn about the attitudes and behaviours of consumers in France: Increase ROI by understanding how consumer attitudes and behaviours are evolving. With gift cards, you may obtain comprehensive information about retail spending for both corporate and retail customers.

Six key performance indicators (KPIs) provide a comprehensive view: the quantity of cards in circulation, load value, unused value, average purchase value, average value per transaction, and transaction value.

Distribution channel insights: Recognise the differences in gift card sales across online and offline channels as well as between first-party and third-party sales.

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 325 Forecast Period 2025 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $9.35 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $11.71 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 5.8% Regions Covered France

Report Scope



This report provides in-depth, data-centric analysis of gift card industry in France through 100+ tables and 280+ charts. Below is a summary of key market segments.

France Total Spend on Gifts

France Gift Card Market Size by KPIs across Consumer Segments

France Gift Card Market Size by Consumer Segment

France Digital Gift Card Market Size

France Gift Card Market Size by Retail Consumer

France Gift Card Spend by Consumer Behavior and Demographics

France Gift Card Market Size by Corporate Consumer

France Gift Spend by Product Categories (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

France Gift Card Spend by Retail Sector (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

France Gift Card Spend by Distribution Channel (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

France Gift Card Purchase by Payment Method

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/aod2vg

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment
Dublin, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Japan Gift Card and Incentive Card Market Intelligence and Future Growth Dynamics (Databook) - Q1 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The gift card market in Japan is expected to grow by 8.2% on annual basis to reach US$25.12 billion in 2025. Japan's gift card market experienced robust growth during 2020-2024, achieving a CAGR of 9.6%. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 7.3% during 2025-2029. By the end of 2029, the gift card sector is projected to expand from its 2024 value of USD 23.22 billion to approximately USD 33.32 billion.





This report provides a detailed data-centric analysis of the gift card sector in Japan, covering market opportunities and risks across consumer segments (retail and corporate); product categories; retail sectors; and store formats. With over 100+ KPIs at the country level, this report provides a comprehensive understanding of gift card market dynamics.



It offers a comprehensive analysis of market dynamics in the gift card sector, segmented by digital and e-gift card sales, distribution channels, key occasions, demographic trends, and market share statistics of leading retailers. In addition, it provides a snapshot of consumer behaviour and retail spending dynamics. KPIs in both value and volume terms help in getting an in-depth understanding of end market dynamics.



Key Insights



The Japanese gift card market is transforming significantly, fueled by digital adoption, corporate engagement, and increased retail collaborations. The expansion of e-commerce and advancements in payment technologies have accelerated the shift toward digital gift cards, making them a preferred choice among consumers. Additionally, corporate adoption of gift cards as employee incentives and customer loyalty tools is expected to drive market growth, with companies exploring new ways to integrate gift cards into their business strategies.

Regulatory changes aimed at consumer protection and market standardization will shape the competitive landscape over the next few years. While businesses will face compliance-related costs, these regulations are expected to enhance consumer trust and encourage greater adoption of gift cards. Companies focusing on seamless digital experiences, strategic partnerships, and consumer-centric innovations will be well-positioned to capitalize on Japan's expanding gift card sector.



Digital Transformation in Gift Card Offerings

The Japanese gift card market is undergoing a major digital transformation as consumers increasingly favor electronic gift cards over traditional physical formats. The rise of digital payment solutions and the seamless integration of gift cards with e-commerce platforms have contributed to this shift. Major retailers and online platforms now offer digital gift cards that can be easily purchased and redeemed through mobile apps, improving accessibility and convenience for consumers.

The rapid expansion of Japan's e-commerce sector and advancements in digital payment technologies are key drivers of this trend. Consumers prefer digital gift cards due to their instant availability, ease of storage, and security features. Additionally, the increasing reliance on smartphones and mobile wallets has made digital gift cards a more attractive option, allowing users to buy, store, and redeem them effortlessly.

Businesses will likely invest in more personalized and feature-rich digital gift card offerings, integrating them with loyalty programs and e-commerce platforms to enhance customer engagement. As digital gifting continues to evolve, companies focusing on seamless user experiences and technological innovation will gain a competitive edge in the market.

Strategic Collaborations Between Retailers and Gift Card Providers

Retailers in Japan are increasingly forming strategic partnerships with gift card providers to expand their distribution and enhance consumer accessibility. These collaborations allow gift cards to seamlessly integrate into multiple retail channels, including physical stores, e-commerce platforms, and digital wallets. Companies such as 7-Eleven Japan have expanded their digital gift card offerings, reflecting the rising consumer demand for convenient, flexible gifting solutions.

The key drivers behind this trend include growing market demand and advancements in payment technologies. Consumers actively seek more versatile gifting options, prompting retailers to incorporate gift cards into their product portfolios. At the same time, technological advancements in digital payments have enabled the seamless integration of gift card systems into existing retail infrastructures, making them easier for businesses to manage and for consumers to use.

Over the next two to four years, these partnerships are expected to significantly expand the availability of gift cards across Japan's retail ecosystem. As more retailers integrate gift card solutions into their business models, the overall market size is expected to grow, with greater consumer adoption and increased transaction volumes. Companies that invest in innovative and frictionless gift card solutions will be well-positioned to benefit from this evolving trend.

Corporate Utilization of Gift Cards

Japanese businesses are increasingly leveraging gift cards as a key tool for employee recognition, customer loyalty, and promotional strategies. Gift cards offer a flexible alternative to traditional rewards, allowing companies to personalize incentives while maintaining cost efficiency. This trend is particularly evident in retail, hospitality, and e-commerce industries, where businesses use gift cards to enhance engagement and drive repeat transactions.

The growing emphasis on employee engagement and customer retention fuels the corporate adoption of gift cards. Companies use them as performance-based incentives to recognize and motivate employees, fostering a positive workplace culture. Similarly, businesses are integrating gift cards into loyalty programs, effectively attracting and retaining customers while offering added value through discounts and promotional rewards.

Over the next two to four years, corporate gift card utilization is expected to contribute significantly to the expansion of Japan's gift card market. As demand rises, companies may introduce tailored corporate gift card solutions, such as reloadable cards, co-branded options, and integrations with employee benefit programs. This diversification will drive market growth while offering businesses a more customizable and scalable approach to incentive management.

Addressing Unused Gift Card Balances

A significant portion of gift card balances in Japan remains unredeemed, creating a substantial amount of unused value in the market. Consumers often fail to use the full balance of their gift cards, either due to small leftover amounts that are difficult to spend or because they forget about their cards altogether. This results in lost consumer value and allows businesses to develop strategies that encourage full utilization.

The main reasons behind unused gift card balances include challenges utilizing low remaining amounts and consumer forgetfulness. Many consumers find it inconvenient to use small leftover balances, especially when minimum transaction requirements apply. Physical and digital gift cards are often misplaced or overlooked, leading to a significant percentage of unredeemed funds.

Over the next two to four years, businesses and regulators may implement measures to address this issue and enhance consumer protection. Policy changes could mandate more transparent balance tracking and extended validity periods. Companies may also introduce innovative solutions such as automated reminders, balance consolidation options, or the ability to donate small remaining amounts, improving consumer engagement and maximizing the value of gift cards.

Navigating Regulatory Changes in the Gift Card Industry

The Japanese government is implementing new regulations to improve consumer protection and increase transparency in the gift card market. These measures aim to prevent unfair practices, such as hidden fees and unclear expiration policies, and ensure that consumers receive the full value of their purchases. Standardizing the industry will create a more predictable and reliable consumer experience, ultimately fostering trust in gift card use.

The need for greater consumer protection and market standardization drives the regulatory push. As gift cards become more prevalent in retail and corporate sectors, there is increasing pressure to ensure that customers fully understand the terms and conditions associated with their use. By enforcing stricter guidelines, regulators aim to create a fairer environment where businesses must communicate the validity periods, usage limitations, and any applicable fees.

Over the next two to four years, these regulatory changes will likely increase compliance costs for businesses as they adapt their gift card policies. However, these changes are also expected to improve consumer confidence, encouraging wider adoption of gift cards as a preferred payment and gifting method. Companies proactively aligning with these new regulations while maintaining competitive and consumer-friendly offerings will be better positioned for long-term success in the evolving market landscape.

Competitive Landscape of the Japan Gift Card Market



Japan's gift card market is set for continued expansion, supported by strong e-commerce growth, digital payment adoption, and evolving consumer preferences. Established players such as Amazon Japan and Rakuten and fintech firms such as Infcurion are shaping the competitive landscape by offering innovative and diversified gift card solutions. Additionally, regulatory measures introduced by the Financial Services Agency (FSA) aim to enhance transparency and consumer protection, further strengthening market trust.



Over the next two to four years, increased competition from new entrants and strategic collaborations will drive further market development. Businesses that invest in technological advancements and personalized gift card solutions will gain a competitive edge in meeting consumer demand. As the regulatory environment evolves, companies must ensure compliance while maintaining flexibility in their offerings to sustain long-term growth in Japan's dynamic gift card sector.

Key Players and Market Share

The Japanese gift card market features established players such as Amazon Japan, Rakuten, and Apple, which offer a variety of gift card options to consumers. These companies have a significant presence in physical and digital gift card segments, catering to diverse consumer preferences.

New entrants, including fintech firms such as Infcurion, are entering the market with innovative payment solutions. Infcurion, for instance, provides technology for digital wallets and credit cards and has plans for an initial public offering in Tokyo in 2025 to support its growth and potential mergers and acquisitions.

Anticipated Market Evolution (Next 2-4 Years)

The competitive landscape of Japan's gift card market is anticipated to become more dynamic, with increased participation from both established companies and new entrants. The focus will be on digital innovation, personalized offerings, and strategic partnerships to meet evolving consumer demands.

Companies investing in technology and forming strategic alliances will likely strengthen their market positions. Additionally, adherence to regulatory changes will be crucial for maintaining consumer trust and ensuring sustainable growth in the competitive landscape.

Companies Featured

Infcurion

Amazon Japan

Rakuten

7-Eleven Japan

Lawson

FamilyMart

AEON Retail

Ito-Yokado

Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores

Yodobashi Camera

Uniqlo

Foodpanda

Qwikcilver

Key Attributes:





Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 325 Forecast Period 2025 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2025 $25.12 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $33.32 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.3% Regions Covered Japan

Report Scope



This report provides in-depth, data-centric analysis of gift card industry in Japan through 100+ tables and 280+ charts. Below is a summary of key market segments.

Japan Total Spend on Gifts

Japan Gift Card Market Size by KPIs across Consumer Segments

Japan Gift Card Market Size by Consumer Segment

Japan Digital Gift Card Market Size

Japan Gift Card Market Size by Retail Consumer

Japan Gift Card Spend by Consumer Behavior and Demographics

Japan Gift Card Market Size by Corporate Consumer

Japan Gift Spend by Product Categories (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

Japan Gift Card Spend by Retail Sector (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

Japan Gift Card Spend by Distribution Channel (Split by Retail and Corporate Consumers)

Japan Gift Card Purchase by Payment Method

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kj15lf

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment




Image by Viyona Fintech

HYDERABAD, India, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- D. Sridhar Babu, Telangana's Minister for Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, Industries & Commerce, and Legislative Affairs, inaugurated GraamPay at Viyona Fintechs headquarters. The new platform aims to improve digital financial access for rural communities by providing secure and efficient digital payment solutions.

GraamPay connects rural users with secure digital payment options, helping local businesses integrate into the digital economy. With over 65% of India's population residing in rural areas, access to financial services remains a challenge. GraamPay seeks to address this by enabling fast, reliable, and secure transactions that comply with banking standards. The platform empowers rural entrepreneurs, small traders, and farmers by reducing cash dependency and enhancing financial security.

During the launch, IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu emphasized the importance of technology in expanding financial access. "GraamPay is an important initiative that aligns with Indias vision for digital and financial inclusion. It ensures financial access is a right for all, not just a privilege," he stated.

GraamPay operates through a Village-Level Entrepreneur (VLE) model, where trained individuals assist their communities by promoting digital payments and onboarding rural merchants. These local entrepreneurs educate users on secure transactions, fostering financial literacy and digital adoption. The platform supports QR code payments, UPI transactions, and mobile-based financial solutions, making digital payments more accessible.

Ravindranath Yarlagadda, Chairman of Viyona Fintech , reiterated the company's commitment to bridging the financial gap. "At Viyona Fintech, we are dedicated to advancing financial inclusion through innovative solutions. GraamPay is more than a payment platform; it is a step toward a digitally empowered rural economy," he said.

GraamPay will play a key role in supporting India's transition to a cashless economy by integrating digital commerce with secure financial services. The platform offers e-commerce integration, fast payment processing, and compliance with banking regulations, ensuring scalability in rural areas. Through partnerships with banks and financial institutions, GraamPay establishes a reliable digital financial ecosystem tailored to the needs of rural communities.

As digital adoption grows, platforms like GraamPay are set to transform rural business operations and financial transactions. By removing economic barriers, enabling secure payments, and promoting digital literacy, GraamPay contributes to a stronger and more inclusive rural economy. The platform is now available for rural entrepreneurs, merchants, and consumers, encouraging widespread participation in Indias digital transformation.

Media Contact:

Rama Krishna Kolli

Viyona Fintech

+91 40-69950643

info@viyonafintech.com

https://viyonafintech.com/

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/78023a96-7d30-4143-978f-c496a652f9ec
LAPORTE, Ind., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Indianas organic waste management landscape is ready to transform with the groundbreaking of the Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex . The project, privately funded and operated by leading waste-to-value infrastructure developer Nexus W2V, is poised to deliver significant economic and environmental benefits to Northwest Indiana and the greater Chicago area, including increased American domestic production of natural gas from food waste.

Today marks a pivotal moment for Indiana as we solidify our position as a national leader in domestic energy production and waste management, said State Sen. Mike Bohacek (R-Michiana Shores). The Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex is not just a facility; it demonstrates our commitment to energy independence, job creation and a more sustainable future for all Hoosiers.

The facility is part of a $140 million planned investment by W2V and will process 200 tons of organic waste daily, such as food scraps and processing byproducts, to convert them into renewable natural gas. This will help minimize costs and waste, as more than 40% of food produced in the U.S. (nearly 915 pounds per person) is discarded, costing Americans an average of $1,500 per person annually to collect and landfill. By diverting this waste from landfills, the facility will significantly reduce this inefficiency, create American-made energy and jobs, and contribute to a more sustainable waste management ecosystem.

We are pleased to see growth in the energy sector and opportunities for jobs and development at Kingsbury Industrial Park, said local resident and La Porte County Council President Adam Koronka.

The Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex will be a major economic engine for Northwest Indiana. At peak construction, it will generate 50-60 well-paying jobs, followed by dozens of long-term positions once operations begin. By investing in local talent and infrastructure, Nexus W2V aims to actively contribute to the region economically while creating a more efficient solution for organic waste in and around the area.

The Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex represents an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on the environment and create a more circular economy. Were thrilled to partner with Indiana on this landmark project, said Roshan Vani, CEO of Nexus W2V. This is a decisive step toward a future where waste is transformed into a valuable resource.

The project is projected to avoid 4 million tons of carbon over 20 yearsand its natural gas production will be equivalent to powering 45,700 homes. The site will process approximately 2 million tons of organic waste in its lifetime, increasing the lifespan of existing landfills and producing sustainable soil products to support agricultural and environmental health. The facility also addresses todays critical environmental challenges of providing an alternative to traditional waste disposal methods for large cities in the region and generating multiple revenue streams for the local community from waste transformation.

The project's strategic location capitalizes on the region's unique advantages. The complex is well positioned to serve local and regional waste management needs across multiple interstates, has access to the rail network, and is in close proximity to Chicago's robust food production industry, giving waste haulers an environmentally responsible alternative to traditional landfill disposal.

Indiana continues to lead the nation in attracting forward-thinking investments in energy and waste management solutions, said State Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie). With our strong infrastructure, skilled workforce, and commitment to business-friendly policies, we are the perfect location for projects like the Kingsbury Bioenergy Complex. As a bonus, Indiana is setting an example for the rest of the country on how to balance economic growth with efficiency.

The facility recently broke ground and is scheduled for completion in late 2026.

About Nexus W2V

Nexus W2V is a leading developer of waste-to-value infrastructure projects, providing waste remediation to haulers, producers and utilities across North America. The company's integrated business model offers end-to-end services, including organic waste diversion to RNG, food waste and green waste to compost, wood and agriculture waste to biochar and full-scale municipal solid waste sorting and recovery systems. To learn more, visit nexusw2v.com.

About Nexus Holdings

Nexus Holdings is a Greenville, South Carolina-based investment and advisory firm that supports the development and execution of low-carbon infrastructure projects. For over a decade, Nexus has supported the development and execution of more than $35 billion in low-carbon infrastructure projects and collaborated with investment firms to manage more than $1 trillion in assets. The company leverages the offerings of its three wholly owned subsidiaries to provide support and services throughout the lifecycle of low-carbon projects, including Nexus PMG, an infrastructure advisory firm; Pathway Energy, a sustainable aviation fuel producer; and Nexus W2V, a developer of waste-to-value infrastructure projects.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b8da5543-1ab1-4612-8077-8fb0fbb9370b
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Momentum continues to build around the Inaugural ClimateTech Connect Conference, which will be held in Washington, DC from April 15th to 16th. The next wave of speakers has just been announced.

Peter Miller, President and CEO of the Institutes and host of the Predict & Prevent podcast, will join Dan Reed, Managing Director and President of American Family Ventures , to open ClimateTech Connect with a Fireside Chat Keynote moderated by Francis Bouchard, Managing Director, Climate for Marsh McLennan .

Joining the keynote lineup is Dr. Sarah Kapnick, Global Head of Climate Advisory at J.P. Morgan , who will engage in a Fireside Chat moderated by Raghuveer Vinukollu, Head of Climate Insights and Advisory at Munich Reinsurance America , Inc.

Melissa Hoffer, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts's Chief Climate Office , the first to hold a seat of this kind in the country, is a recent addition to the Main Stage. "Massachusetts is home to a dynamic innovation ecosystem with expertise in the commercialization of new technologies and is already a recognized leader in ClimateTech," said Melissa.

"In 2024, Governor Healey signed the Mass Leads Act, securing an unprecedented $1 billion, 10-year investment in ClimateTech, including resilience technologies. Massachusetts understands that we can have a thriving economy, clean energy, and community resilienceand ClimateTech is the key to unlocking this future. Im thrilled to be joining ClimateTech Connect this year to learn from other professionals in this space and see whats possible," she added.

Moderating the session titled The Role of Technology and Innovation to Advance Climate Resilience Across Our Cities, States, and Communities, Charlie Sidoti, Executive Director of Innsure , will explore how public-private collaboration can drive meaningful progress in climate resilience.

Expressing his enthusiasm about the conference, Charlie said, I am honored to participate in ClimateTech Connect. The need for collaboration across traditional boundaries has never been greater. The design of CTC programming is exciting because it will amplify and accelerate the random collisions of the money, ideas and talent necessary to catalyze new ideas, new solutions, and better results.

The esteemed ClimateTech Connect speaker roster continues to expand, showcasing the urgency and innovation required to address climate resilience at scale. This gathering of thought leaders and innovators reflects the conferences mission to drive meaningful solutions through collaboration across industries, sectors, and disciplines.

As the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters continue to escalate, the conversations at ClimateTech Connect will shape strategies and inspire actionable solutions for the future. Attendees will leave equipped with new insights, partnerships, and technologies aimed at creating a more resilient world.

Below is the complete list of speakers:

About ClimateTech Connect

ClimateTech Connect is where thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, and industry experts will gather to advance climate adaptation and resilience strategies at scale. The conference brings together technological, engineering, and scientific innovations to mitigate the risk of and recover from increasingly frequent extreme climate events. The inaugural event is situated in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, strategically located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. USA. Join us for two days of inspiring keynotes, panel discussions, a product expo and experiential networking as we delve into the latest advancements and solutions in climate resilience. For event details, registration, and sponsorship, please visit our website .

Click here to secure your spot

Book your hotel

Sponsorship Opportunities

Press contact:

Girish Jaggi

The MicDrop Agency

girish@themicdropagency.com

+1 (289) 623 3627
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Volatus Aerospace Inc. (TSXV: FLT) (OTCQX: TAKOF) (Frankfurt: A3DP5Y) ("Volatus" or "the Company"), a leading provider of aerial solutions, is excited to announce a new strategic partnership with RigiTech, a Swiss-based drone technology company. This collaboration aims to integrate RigiTechs Eiger long-range delivery drone into Volatus' expanding drone delivery network, significantly enhancing its medical delivery capabilities across Canada and beyond.

The Eiger drone is known for its robust, tested design capable of carrying 3 kg payloads for up to 100 km. Equipped with advanced avionics and a safety recovery parachute, the Eiger is ideally suited for the longer-range delivery requirements of Volatus' medical delivery services.

"Integrating RigiTechs Eiger drone into our operations enables us to extend our delivery distances opening up additional avenues for medical and rural delivery," said Glen Lynch, CEO of Volatus Aerospace. "The Eigers long-range delivery capacity and reliability perfectly complement our existing local delivery RPAS, the Canary, enabling us to meet the growing demand for timely and critical medical deliveries over extended distances. RigiTech is a great addition to our partner ecosystem."

Volatus currently operates two remotely operated drone delivery servicesone in the Greater Toronto region and another in Edmonton, Albertawith all flights managed remotely from its Operations Control Center in Vaughan. The addition of the Eiger drone will allow Volatus to broaden its service offering, adding range and catering to more remote and underserved locations across Canada and other developing markets.

"This collaboration with Volatus represents a significant step forward in our mission to transform logistics through drone technology," said Adam Klaptocz, CEO of RigiTech. "Volatus' extensive remote operating experience and sophisticated Operations Control Center provide the ideal infrastructure to showcase the Eigers capabilities on a large scale."

Learn More:

Volatus Aerospace will host an exclusive webinar titled:

"Navigating Geopolitical Shifts & Strategic Partnerships for Future Growth"

Date: March 25, 2025

Time: 11:00 AM ET

Location: Online (Registration required)

During the session, CEO Glen Lynch will discuss the strategic importance of strategic partnerships like these to strengthen Volatus position in the market and navigating geopolitical shifts. Investors, media, and industry professionals are invited to attend.

Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hmZ130HBSu2nT55vAj3spw

About Volatus Aerospace:

Volatus Aerospace is a leader in innovative global aerial solutions for intelligence and cargo. With a strong foundation of over 100 years of combined institutional knowledge in aviation, Volatus provides comprehensive solutions using both piloted and remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). We serve industries such as oil and gas, utilities, healthcare, and public safety. Our mission is to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability through cutting-edge, real-world solutions.

About RigiTech

Based in Switzerland, RigiTech is at the forefront of drone technology development, specializing in drones designed for logistics and delivery. The company focuses on creating drones that are not only efficient but also tailored to meet the specific needs of their clients, enhancing logistical operations worldwide.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs, and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" (or other variations of the foregoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or come to pass. Forward-looking information includes information regarding: (i) the anticipated benefits of, and estimated revenue to be generated by, the master service agreement; (ii) the business plans and expectations of the Company; and (iii) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Forward-looking information is based on currently available competitive, financial, and economic data and operating plans, strategies, or beliefs of management as of the date of this news release, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors may be based on information currently available to the Company, including information obtained from third-party industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on management's current expectations or beliefs. Any and all forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Forward-looking information and forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to it and on assumptions it believes to be not unreasonable in light of all of the circumstances. In some instances, material factors or assumptions are discussed in this news release in connection with statements containing forward-looking information. Such material factors and assumptions include, but are not limited to: the anticipated benefits and revenues of the master service agreement to the Company; the commercialization of drone flights beyond visual line of sight and potential benefits to the Company; meeting the continued listing requirements of the TSXV; and including, but not limited to, those factors set forth in the Company's Annual Information Form under the section "Risk Factors". Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and, other than as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

TSXV: FLT.V

Media Contact

Danielle Gagne

Head of Marketing and Communications

Volatus Aerospace Inc.

+1 833-865-2887

danielle.gagne@volatusaerospace.com
MARBLEHEAD, Mass., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) is pleased to announce the election of a new Chairman of the Board, as well as the addition of new members to its Board of Directors. At the WPRCs Annual Board Meeting in December, Mr. Markin Dornan, Managing Director of National Safety Apparels Military, Law Enforcement, and Government Business Unit, was elected as the new Chairman of the Board. Mr. David Milgrom, CEO of Bernard Cap LLC, was elected as Secretary, and Ms. Katrina Gendell, Program Development Director of Brookwood Companies, was elected as Treasurer. New additions to the Board include Mr. William (Bill) Jarvis, President of Goldbelt Security; Mr. Bryon Robinson, Senior Manager at YKK; Mr. Mark Smith, Defense BD at DuPont; and Mr. Brandon Cates, CEO of Ametrine Inc. These new appointments bring significant expertise and leadership to the Coalition, further strengthening its mission to support the protection and readiness of military, law enforcement, and first responders.

This past week, the Warrior Protection and Readiness Coalition (WPRC) hosted its 16th annual Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C., bringing together more than 100 industry leaders from domestic manufacturing companies that support the uniform and equipment needs of the warfighter. During this event, the WPRC announced that Senator Tammy Duckworth and U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL) have been awarded the 2025 WPRC Sentinel Award. This accolade recognizes their outstanding legislative work to bolster the U.S. domestic defense industrial base, which plays a crucial role in supporting U.S. servicemembers and homeland security personnel.

The Sentinel Award is annually bestowed upon members of Congress who have made significant efforts to ensure the federal government has access to high-quality, American-made helmets, body armor, uniforms, footwear, textiles and equipment, securing the best value for taxpayers.

Senator Duckworth and the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers, have consistently demonstrated their unwavering support for the combat effectiveness of American servicemembers, said David Costello, Executive Director of the WPRC. Their commitment towards ensuring that the United States maintains a healthy domestic supply chain for uniforms, textiles, combat boots, ballistic helmets, armor and related items deserves to be recognized, as properly outfitting American warfighters is foundational to the readiness of the armed services. The WPRC is honored to recognize both Senator Duckworths and Chairman Rogers commitment to this enduring effort.

The 2025 Legislative Summit included a speaking program featuring U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Paul Gillikin, Program Manager, Combat Support Systems (CSS); U.S. Army Colonel Tony Lindh, Project Manager, Soldier Survivability, Program Executive Office  Soldier; and Mr. Matt Beebe, the Director of Acquisition, Defense Logistics Agency. This was an opportunity for WPRC members to hear directly from Department of Defense (DoD) and congressional leadership regarding the nations defense industrial base priorities. The WPRC continues to lead advocacy initiatives on Capitol Hill to ensure U.S. service members are appropriately equipped to carry out their missions safely, with American-made gear and equipment.

This year the WPRC is actively supporting report language that encourages Army leadership to leverage existing programs to expand the Transformation in Contact operational testing program. Additionally, the WPRC is advocating for service branches to strengthen war reserve inventories through improved scalability and uniform item commonality. Finally, our work on our signature initiative, the immediate Executive Branch approval of a Defense Production Act Title III Presidential Waiver for the domestic clothing, textile and individual equipment industrial base continues to advance and gain support through our engagement with the Department of Defense and Capitol Hill.

CONTACT: David Costello

617-875-2492

david.costello@warriorprotection.net

U.S. Representative Mike Rogers (R-AL) accepts the 2025 Sentinel Award

presented by WPRC Board Chairman Markin Dornan and Executive Director David Costello





U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) accepts the 2025 Sentinel Award

presented by WPRC Board Chairman Markin Dornan and Executive Director David Costello





United States Army Colonel Tony Lindh, Project Manager,

Soldier Survivability, Program Executive Office Soldier, addresses WPRC members





U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Paul Gillikin, Program Manager,

Combat Support Systems (CSS) addresses the WPRC members





Mr. Matt Beebe, the Director of Acquisition, Defense Logistics Agency,

addresses the audience of WPRC members

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb963e30-1a0b-42f7-a657-e0e1cf419ac0

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/21808732-3c76-45d4-8d88-86d00c9ba017

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8be3fead-fccb-4e13-930c-a6666b7437df

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5610e020-32b1-4a48-b971-bf741345b716

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b536d514-15d2-49af-8959-9f2abaa3c0d0
Claremont, Calif., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pitzer College announces the selection of distinguished mathematician, administrator, and artist Chawne Kimber as Pitzers Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty. Her term begins July 1.

Dr. Kimber brings a wealth of experience in higher education leadership and a deep commitment to academic excellence, social responsibility, and intercultural understandingvalues at the core of Pitzers mission, said Pitzer College President Strom Thacker and Pitzer Faculty Executive Committee Chair Carina Johnson in an announcement to the Pitzer community.

Kimber comes to Pitzer from Washington and Lee University, where she served as the dean of the College, overseeing 21 departments and 13 interdisciplinary programs. Previously she was a professor and head of the Mathematics Department at Lafayette College, where she helped foster a culture of inclusivity and innovation in STEM education. Kimber also co-founded the Summer Program to Advance Leadership in STEM, an initiative supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

A native of Kentucky, Kimber started her academic journey at the University of Florida, where she initially pursued engineering before transitioning to mathematics. She earned her masters degree from the University of North Carolina in 1995 and completed her PhD in 1999 at the University of Florida.

Her research in mathematics bridges abstract algebra and functional analysis, and she is also known for integrating social justice themes into her teaching, which aligns with Pitzers emphasis on interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

In addition to these professional distinctions, Kimber is also an internationally recognized quilter whose works explore themes of race, identity, and activism. Influenced by her family's legacy of quilting in Alabama, she has exhibited her work at prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her quilts, described as both contemporary and deeply rooted in historical traditions, have received acclaim for their thought-provoking narratives and bold artistic expression.

Its a quiet way, at first, during the making, to deal with issues. But then, out there in the world, my quilts sort of speak for me, Kimber said in a 2020 Washington Post interview.

In a Washington and Lee University announcement about Kimbers selection, Provost Lena Hill commended Kimber for her impact on the university.

Chawne has accomplished a great deal as dean of the College, Hill said. She combined her impressive administrative sensibility with her dedication to mentoring faculty and staff to implement important processes throughout the College.  She will be a terrific vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty, and Pitzer College is fortunate to have her. I thank Chawne for her service to W & L, and I congratulate President Thacker and the Pitzer faculty on an excellent choice.

###

About Pitzer College: Founded in 1963, Pitzer College is a leading liberal arts and sciences college and has been consistently ranked among the nations top higher education institutions by The Princeton Review. The College emphasizes environmental and interdisciplinary studies, the arts, humanities, and social, behavioral, and natural sciences. With 1,200 students, Pitzer College is a member of The Claremont Colleges, a unique group in U.S. higher education that consists of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. At Pitzer, students have access to all the resources of a major university while enjoying the benefits of a small liberal arts college experience and its personalized approach to education. Learn more about Pitzer College.

Attachment
Toronto, March 19, 2025 - Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSXV: PX) (OTC Pink: PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") announces an extension to the timeline for the completion of the Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for the Manfo Project. This extension follows the recent strategic agreement with FJ Minerals Limited ("FJ") for the option to acquire up to an 83% interest in the adjacent Nkosuo Project.

Pending the due diligence period, the Nkosuo Project is expected to become an integral part of a larger Manfo-Nkosuo combined project. The Company has determined that additional time will be required to incorporate the newly available property and historical data into the updated MRE.

The dataset, which includes historical drilling results, artisanal mining information, and structural continuity analysis between the Manfo and Nkosuo Projects, will allow for a more comprehensive and accurate assessment of the mineralization potential across the combined property.

Key Considerations for the MRE Update:

Drilled targets on the boundary of Manfo and Nkosuo may be modelled and included in a 43-101 compliant resource estimate.

A review of the structural interpretation of the 4.4km mineralized corridor extending from Manfo into the Nkosuo to evaluate new Exploration Targets.

A more comprehensive MRE that will allow for a more robust Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on a Manfo-Nkosuo combined project.

"The integration of the Nkosuo Project is a pivotal moment for Pelangio," commented Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO of Pelangio. "By taking the necessary time to update the MRE, we are ensuring to fully assess and establish the right foundations for future development."

Pelangio remains committed to transparency and technical diligence in its resource modeling efforts. The updated MRE is now expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025, aligning with a broader exploration and development timeline of the Manfo-Nkosuo combined project currently being established.

Qualified Person

Mr. Kevin Thomson, P.Geo. (Ontario, #0191), Senior Vice-President, Exploration and Director, is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Thomson approved the technical data disclosed in this release.

About Pelangio

Pelangio acquires and explores prospective land packages located in world-class gold belts in Ghana, West Africa and Canada. In Ghana, the Company is focused on its two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km2 Manfo property, the site of eight near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km2 Obuasi property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine1, as well as the Dankran property located adjacent to its Obuasi property. See www.pelangio.com for further details on all Pelangio's properties.

Forward-Looking Statements/ Cautionary Language

1 Neighbouring properties' deposits do not necessarily apply to the adjoining properties. See Anglo-Gold Ashanti Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserve Report at 31 December 2023.

Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's ability to complete the acquisition of the Nkosuo Project, the planned work programs, the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, the Company's plans to follow-up on previous work, and the Company's exploration plans. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions, including assumptions about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, inability to obtain necessary approvals or permits in Ghana including a forest entry permit, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana, and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/245301
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Hartwick, who previously served as the CEO of Ontario Power Generation ('OPG'), to its Board of Directors (the 'Board'). Mr. Hartwick's appointment comes following the retirement of Brian Edgar from the Board, after having served as a Director of Denison and its predecessors for over 20 years. Additionally, Denison reports the appointment of Mr. Jinsu Baik to the Board, replacing Mr. Jong Ho Hong as Korea Hydro Nuclear Power's ('KHNP') nominated appointee to the Board. View PDF version

Jennifer Traub, Chair of the Board, commented, "We are very pleased to welcome Ken Hartwick and Jinsu Baik to the Board. Both bring unique skills and extensive experience from holding senior roles at globally recognized utilities that are leaders in nuclear power generation. We expect Mr. Hartwick and Mr. Baik to bolster the breadth of nuclear industry and commercial knowledge on our Board and enhance the Board's oversight during the critical process of Phoenix project execution and marketing of future uranium production.

On behalf of the Board, I also express our sincere gratitude to Brian Edgar for his many years of service and the extensive support he has always provided to the Board and to Denison, having made countless contributions to the strategic direction and governance of the Company, including in his recently held roles as Denison's Lead Director, Chair of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee, and member of the Audit Committee."

Mr. Ken Hartwick

Mr. Hartwick joined the Board effective March 19, 2025. Mr. Hartwick has over 40 years of experience in a variety of fields such as finance, investment, corporate leadership and governance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement, with 35 years in the finance and energy sectors.

In 2024, Mr. Hartwick retired from the position of President and CEO of OPG, one of North America's largest and most diverse electricity generators, which is also recognized as a clean energy technology innovator. Under Mr. Hartwick's tenure at OPG, spanning nearly 9 years, OPG released its first Climate Change Plan, advanced Ontario's electrification efforts through the development of the Ivy charging network and OPG's PowerON fleet electrification subsidiary, launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan, and took a global leadership position in the deployment of Small Modular Reactors ('SMRs') with the advancement of plans to deploy four SMRs at OPG's Darlington site. Mr. Hartwick is a Chartered Professional Accountant with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Trent University.

Mr. Jinsu Baik

Mr. Baik joined the Board effective March 13, 2025, having replaced KHNP's previous board nominee Mr. Hong. Mr. Baik is currently General Manager of the Nuclear Fuel Cyle Management Section of KHNP, which is the national hydro and nuclear power utility in South Korea. Mr. Baik has substantial professional expertise developed through working in the nuclear industry and has held various positions at KHNP, including his prior positions as General Manager in the Safety Engineering Section and Senior Manager in the Nuclear Fuel Supply Section. Mr. Baik holds a degree in Nuclear Engineering from HanYang University. Denison and KHNP Canada Energy Ltd. ('KHNP Canada') (which is a subsidiary of KHNP) are parties to a Strategic Relationship Agreement, which provides for a long-term collaborative business relationship between the parties and includes a right of KHNP Canada to nominate one representative to the Board provided it holds at least 5% of Denison's shares (currently holding ~6.5%).

About Denison

Denison is a leading uranium mining, development, and exploration company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Denison has an effective 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. In mid-2023, the Phoenix feasibility study was completed for the Phoenix deposit as an ISR mining operation, and an update to the previously prepared 2018 Pre-Feasibility Study ('PFS') was completed for Wheeler River's Gryphon deposit as a conventional underground mining operation. Based on the respective studies, both deposits have the potential to be competitive with the lowest cost uranium mining operations in the world. Permitting efforts for the planned Phoenix ISR operation commenced in 2019 and several notable milestones were achieved in 2024 with the submission of federal licensing documents and the acceptance of the final form of the project's Environmental Impact Statement by the Province of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture ('MLJV'), which includes unmined uranium deposits (planned for extraction via the MLJV's SABRE mining method starting in 2025) and the McClean Lake uranium mill (currently utilizing a portion of its licensed capacity to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement), plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Joint Venture Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, and a 70.32% interest in the Tthe Heldeth Tue ('THT') and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake Property. The Midwest Main, Midwest A, THT and Huskie deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Taken together, Denison has direct ownership interests in properties covering ~384,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region.

Additionally, through its 50% ownership of JCU (Canada) Exploration Company, Limited ('JCU'), Denison holds interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada, including the Millennium project (JCU, 30.099%), the Kiggavik project (JCU, 33.8118) and Christie Lake (JCU, 34.4508%).

In 2024, Denison celebrated its 70th year in uranium mining, exploration, and development, which began in 1954 with Denison's first acquisition of mining claims in the Elliot Lake region of northern Ontario.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes 'forward-looking information', within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will be taken', 'occur', 'be achieved' or 'has the potential to'. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: Denison's development plans for Wheeler River and the proposed ISR operation for the Phoenix deposit; expectations regarding Denison's commercial activities; expectations regarding Denison's joint venture ownership interests; and expectations regarding the objectives and continuity of its agreements with third parties.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For example, the results of the Hearing may not be as anticipated. In addition, Denison may decide or otherwise be required to discontinue development work if it is unable to maintain or otherwise secure the necessary approvals or resources (such as testing facilities, capital funding, etc.). Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the heading 'Risk Factors'. These factors are not, and should not be, construed as being exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/denison-announces-appointment-of-former-opg-ceo-ken-hartwick-to-its-board-of-directors-302406797.html

SOURCE Denison Mines Corp.
VANCOUVER, March 20, 2025 - North Shore Uranium Ltd. (TSXV:NSU) ("North Shore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has executed an exploration agreement with the English River First Nation ("ERFN") in Saskatchewan ("the Agreement"). The Agreement outlines a number of areas of collaboration between the ERFN and the Company at its Falcon property ("Falcon" or the "Property") at the eastern margin of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan.

The ERFN is a First Nation with its main reserve Wapachewunak Saskatchewan, located approximately 200 km southwest of Falcon. ERFN's ancestral territory covers approximately 75,000 km2 of north-central Saskatchewan. Traditionally, people of the ERFN are known as the "People of the Great River", referencing the Churchill River. The ERFN prides itself on being guided by ancestral traditions and the knowledge of their Elders while being a partner with industry and governments. More information on the ERFN can be found on the ERFN's website.

About Falcon

To date, North Shore has identified 36 uranium targets at Falcon. These targets are associated with electromagnetic ("EM") conductor anomalies which are often upgraded by other favourable geophysical and structural features. They were selected based on the analysis and interpretation of multiple datasets by North Shore and its consultants. As reported on May 16, 2024, the Company discovered near-surface uranium mineralization at two drill targets, P03 and P08 in an area that had never seen drilling (Figure 1). In a February 27, 2025, news release, North Shore stated that its near-term priority is to assess the potential for an economic uranium deposit in the southeastern portion of the property by evaluating priority near-surface EM targets in the South Priority and South Walker Areas (Figure 1).

Falcon is located approximately 30 km east of the active Key Lake uranium mill and former mine at the eastern margin of the Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan. The mill processes uranium ore from the McArthur River Mine, one of two producing uranium mines in Canada. Between 1983 and 2002, Key Lake Mine produced a total of 209.9 million lbs. of U 3 O 8 at an average grade of over 2.0%1. The uranium discovery potential at Falcon is significant and includes shallow basement-hosted unconformity-style and pegmatite-hosted mineralization. The Property has seen limited modern exploration programs and there are a number of unexplained uranium occurrences.

Mr. Brooke Clements, President and CEO of North Shore stated: "We believe that Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin is the best jurisdiction in the world for uranium exploration and development. North Shore places a priority on establishing positive relationships with communities near its activities. We are proud to establish an alliance with the English River First Nation and look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship."

Geologic information from the Saskatchewan database, EM conductors from Saskatchewan database and North Shore

interpretation, targets from North Shore interpretation, claim acquired by the Company in March 2025 outlined in red.

Figure 1: Map showing Falcon exploration targets and priority zones.

NEXT STEPS

North Shore will continue prioritizing targets at Falcon in pursuit of maximizing the chances of encountering economic uranium mineralization in its next drill program. As currently planned, that drill program would initially focus on several targets in the South Priority Area of Zone 1 and the South Walker Area of Zone 2. Additional updates on the Company's target prioritization efforts will be provided on an ongoing basis.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Falcon consists of 15 mineral claims; four of the claims comprising 12,791 hectares are 100 percent-owned by the Company and the remaining 11 claims totaling 36,258 hectares are subject to an option agreement with Skyharbour Resources Ltd. Under the terms of the option agreement, North Shore has the option to earn up to a 100% interest in the claims by completing certain payments, exploration work and other commitments by October 2026.

ABOUT NORTH SHORE URANIUM

The nuclear power industry is in growth mode as more nuclear power will be required to meet the world's ambitious CO 2 emission-reduction goals and the needs of new power-intensive technologies like AI. In this environment, new discoveries of economic uranium deposits will be very valuable, especially in established uranium-producing areas like Saskatchewan. The near-term business objective of North Shore is to become a major force in exploration for economic uranium deposits in North America with emphasis on the eastern margin of Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin, a tier-one jurisdiction for discovering new mineable high-grade uranium deposits. The Company is working to achieve this goal by conducting exploration programs at its Falcon and West Bear properties and by evaluating opportunities to complement its portfolio of uranium properties. North Shore went public in November 2023 and its experienced team includes uranium experts and mining industry professionals.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Mr. Brooke Clements, MSc, P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and the President and CEO of North Shore, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this press release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Brooke Clements,

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

For further information:

Please contact: Brooke Clements, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Telephone: 604.536.2711

Email: b.clements@northshoreuranium.com

www.northshoreuranium.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Company's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "project", "appear", "interpret", "coincident", "potential", "confirm", "suggest", "evaluate", "encourage", "likely", "anomaly", "continuous" and variations of these words as well as other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "could", "may", "should", "would" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current and planned exploration activities including the potential for the definition of a mineral deposit of potential economic value within Falcon; that drilling results, geophysical survey results and/or interpretations thereof are defining potentially mineralized corridors; results from future exploration programs including drilling; interpretation and meaning of completed and future geophysical surveys; conclusions of future economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in grades of mineralization and/or future actual recovery rates; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; the availability of sufficient funding on terms acceptable to the Company to complete the planned work programs; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

1Source: Government of Saskatchewan - Mineral Deposit Query (https://mineraldeposits.saskatchewan.ca/Home/Viewdetails/1130). There is no guarantee that a uranium deposit similar to Key Lake will be discovered on the Falcon Property. SOURCE: North Shore Uranium Ltd.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 - Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE: CNL) (TSX: CNL) ("Collective" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.'s ("Agnico Eagle") investment in Collective pursuant to which Agnico Eagle subscribed for 4,741,984 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Shares") at a price of C$11.00 per Share for aggregate consideration of approximately C$52.1 million (the "Offering"). Concurrently with the closing of the Offering, Agnico Eagle exercised all of the common share purchase warrants of Collective (each, a "Warrant") it held to acquire an additional 2,250,000 Shares at a price of C$5.01 per Share for aggregate consideration of C$11,272,500. On closing of the Offering and following exercise of the Warrants, Agnico Eagle's ownership interest in the Shares increased to approximately 14.99%.

The proceeds from the Offering and exercise of the Warrants are expected to be used for exploration on the Company's properties in Colombia and for general working capital purposes.

In connection with its initial investment in Collective on February 24, 2024, Agnico Eagle and Collective entered into an investor rights agreement (the "Investor Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which Agnico Eagle was granted certain rights, provided Agnico Eagle maintained certain ownership thresholds in Collective, including: (a) the right to participate in equity financings and top-up its holdings in relation to dilutive issuances in order to maintain its pro rata ownership in Collective at the time of such financing or acquire up to a 9.99% ownership interest, on a partially-diluted basis, in Collective; and (b) the right to nominate one individual (and in the case of an increase in the size of the board of directors of Collective to eight or more directors, two individuals) to the board of directors of Collective. On closing of the Offering, the Investor Rights Agreement was amended and restated (the "A&R Investor Rights Agreement") to increase the ownership interest ceiling in the participation right and top-up right described in (a) above from 9.99% to 14.99%, on a partially-diluted basis, to match Agnico Eagle's ownership level at closing. The A&R Investor Rights Agreement is available under Collective's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

PowerOne Capital Markets Limited acted as an advisor to Collective in connection with the Offering.

About Collective Mining Ltd.

To see our latest corporate presentation and related information, please visit www.collectivemining.com.

Founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, Collective is a gold, silver, copper and tungsten exploration company with projects in Caldas, Colombia. The Company has options to acquire 100% interests in two projects located directly within an established mining camp with ten fully permitted and operating mines.

The Company's flagship project, Guayabales, is anchored by the Apollo system, which hosts the large-scale, bulk-tonnage and high-grade gold-silver-copper-tungsten Apollo system. The Company's objectives are to improve the overall grade of the Apollo system by systematically drill testing newly modeled potentially high-grade sub-zones, expand the Apollo system by stepping out along strike to the north and expanding the newly discovered high-grade Ramp Zone along strike and to depth, expand the Trap system and drill a series of newly generated targets including Tower and X.

Management insiders own approximately 33.4% of the outstanding shares of the Company and as a result, are fully aligned with shareholders. The Company is listed on the NYSE American and TSX under the trading symbol "CNL" and on the FSE under the trading symbol "GG1".

Information Contact:

Follow Executive Chairman Ari Sussman (@Ariski73) on X

Follow Collective Mining (@CollectiveMini1) on X, (Collective Mining) on LinkedIn, and (@collectivemining) on Instagram

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering and the exercise of Warrants; the anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future recovery metal recovery rates; future growth potential of Collective; and future development plans.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding future events including the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: planed use of proceeds from the Offering and the exercise of the Warrants; risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business; the Company's formative stage of development; the Company's financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, precious and base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in 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 (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the annual information form of the Company dated March 27, 2024. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/collective-mining-announces-closing-of-investment-and-early-exercise-of-warrants-for-gross-proceeds-of-c63-4-million-302407092.html

SOURCE Collective Mining Ltd.
VANCOUVER, March 20, 2025 - Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd. (TSXV: SCZ) (OTCQB: SCZMF) (FSE: 1SZ) ("Santacruz" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has structured and implemented a plan to exercise its Acceleration Option to satisfy the Base Purchase Price owed to Glencore, by making payments on a schedule that aligns the accelerated timing whilst meeting the Company's commitment to financial discipline and a strong balance sheet. The plan's primary objective is to save the Company US$40 million.

The Company successfully completed the first component of this plan, an initial payment to Glencore of USD$10 million, on March 20, 2025. Moving forward under the plan, Santacruz will make bi-monthly payments of USD$7.5 million commencing in May 2025 until reaching a total of USD$40 million, with all payments scheduled to be completed by October 31, 2025. This structured plan reflects the Company's commitment to fulfilling its obligations and achieving cost savings while maintaining financial discipline and strong cash reserves over time.

Arturo Prestamo, Executive Chairman and CEO of Santacruz, commented: "This accelerated payment to Glencore highlights our strong financial discipline and commitment to seeking out and capitalizing on opportunities to enhance shareholder value. This payment plan is structured to preserve an optimal level of working capital while further strengthening the Company's ability to achieve long-term growth and value creation objectives."

Mr. Prestamo added: "We sincerely appreciate Glencore's continuous support. Glencore's professionalism and collaborative approach have been key to maintaining an exceptional business relationship, which has greatly contributed to our current success. We look forward to continuing this strong partnership in the future."

Please refer to the Company's October 3, 2024, and April 4, 2024 news releases for details on the payment structure for the Bolivian assets acquisition.

About Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.

Santacruz Silver is engaged in the operation, acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Latin America. The Bolivian operations comprise the Bolivar, Porco and the Caballo Blanco Group, which consists of the Tres Amigos and Colquechaquita mines. The Soracaya exploration project and San Lucas ore sourcing and trading business are also in Bolivia. The Zimapan mine is in Mexico.

'signed'

Arturo Prestamo Elizondo,

Executive Chairman and CEO

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.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends", "expects" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or will "potentially" or "likely" occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forwardlooking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding the Company's payment of funds and exercise of the Acceleration Option.

These forwardlooking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, risks that the Company may not have sufficient funds to make payments in accordance with the Company's plan or may fail to exercise the Acceleration Option, risks related to changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets, changes in applicable laws, and compliance with extensive government regulation, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's disclosure documents filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedarplus.ca.

In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, the assumption that the Company will that Company will have sufficient funds to exercise the Acceleration Option prior to the end of October, 2025.

There can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information or statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE Santacruz Silver Mining Ltd.
Sponsor says Perez was no longer comfortable

Sergio Perez "no longer felt comfortable" at Red Bull, but he could return to Formula 1.

Sergio Perez, Austrian GP 2024

 Red Bull

That is the claim of Jimmy Morales, head of the Carlos Slim-founded sponsorship program Escuderia Telmex Telcel, which was instrumental in funding the Mexican driver's career.

Telmex-related Latin American brands are now missing from Red Bull's livery after the team replaced him with Liam Lawson - although 'Claro' has just re-emerged on the Audi-owned Sauber car.

Morales, like Perez's father Antonio Perez Garibay, is hinting at a potential F1 comeback.

Checo doesn't need to return to racing - he's already done what he should have done in his career, he told Formula de 2 podcast.

But if he does go back, it will be because he feels like it, because he wants to, and because he's hungry for success.

Morales explains that by the time Red Bull finally reached its split agreement with Perez, 35, there were no race seats left.

We're always trying to negotiate, but the truth is that they caught us at the very end, he said.

However, Morales says Perez no longer felt comfortable at Red Bull anyway.

There are a lot of interests, he said. "Whether it's fair or not, there are internal pressures, the Red Bull board - too many things, and our driver no longer felt comfortable there.

He started to say, 'If they are going to give me a car to fight for last place, what's the point?'

(GMM)
Next article: Creatives must think beyond borders  Caveman Watches CEO

Bank of Ghana denies licensing MTN Ghana for cross-border transactions

GraphicOnline Business News Mar - 20 - 2025 , 15:42

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has dismissed reports suggesting that MTN Ghana has been granted a license to facilitate cross-border transactions with MTN Nigeria.

In a statement, the central bank made it clear that MobileMoney Limited, the provider of MTN MoMo, has not been authorized to conduct international money transfers.

The clarification follows widespread media reports that incorrectly implied MTN Ghana had secured regulatory approval for such operations.

However, the BoG explained that the only cross-border transaction pilot currently under its supervision is BrijX, a Business-to-Business (B2B) currency swap platform developed by Brij Fintech Ghana, a licensed Payment Service Provider (PSP).

BrijX, which is part of BoGs regulatory sandbox initiative, enables direct currency swaps between the Ghanaian Cedi and the Nigerian Naira.

Unlike conventional international transfers, this platform does not require forex or the physical movement of funds across borders. The pilot began live testing in February 2025, initially with MTN MoMo customers and later expected to include G-Money users.

BoG assured the public that the pilot is being conducted under strict regulatory controls, including transaction limits, a restricted number of participants, and compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols. The central bank will evaluate the results of the trial before determining any policy direction.

The Bank of Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring secure, efficient, and affordable cross-border payments in Africa, emphasizing that MTN Ghanas MoMo remains limited to domestic transactions until further notice.
Creatives must think beyond borders  Caveman Watches CEO

Delali Sika Business News Mar - 20 - 2025 , 14:28

The CEO of Caveman Watches, Anthony Dzamefe, has urged creatives to think beyond borders and focus on building world-class brands.

Speaking at the Leaders Without Borders International Economic Development & Investment Business Summit in the UK, where he was honoured as one of the Top 100 Influential Global Voices 2025, Dzamefe emphasised the potential of African entrepreneurs to make a global impact.

We have everything it takes to create world-class brands right here in Africa, he stated after receiving his award at the Palace of Westminster, House of Lords.

Dzamefe, who established Ghanas first high-end watch brand, highlighted the importance of African entrepreneurs telling their own stories through their craft.

Luxury is not defined by geography. It is defined by excellence, and we have that in abundance, he added.

Caveman Watches has gained international recognition for its ability to integrate African history and heritage into its designs. The brands unique storytelling approach has attracted global attention, with celebrities and high-profile individuals endorsing its timepieces.

Reflecting on his journey from a self-taught watchmaker to a globally recognised entrepreneur, Dzamefe encouraged creatives to take bold steps and embrace global opportunities.

We need to move past limitations and see ourselves as global players. The world is ready for African innovation, he stated.
Previous article: Jubed drops new single Ruwa, a tribute to the beauty and worth of women

Respect underground artistes Nutty Rankin to event organisers

Delali Sika Showbiz News Mar - 20 - 2025 , 11:00 3 minutes read

FOR budding Dancehall artiste, Nutty Rankin, if the Ghana music industry is really serious about growth, event organisers should give hard-working underground acts a fair chance to shine.

Among others, he believes event organisers should offer them proper slots to open shows, feature on event flyers, and promote them just as it is done for mainstream acts, instead of merely bundling them together under and many more.

In an exclusive interview with Graphic Showbiz, Nutty Rankin highlighted the struggles underground artistes face in gaining recognition despite their hard work and dedication.

According to him, many talented musicians are constantly sidelined, making it difficult for them to break into mainstream music industry.

There are so many hardworking underground artistes in Ghana who deserve better. They spend their own money on recording, promoting, and even transporting themselves to events, yet when its time for shows, they are either added last minute, perform at odd hours when patrons are trickling in or simply lumped under and many more on flyers, he said.

Nutty Rankin, who is currently promoting his latest single, Tiaa Loo, emphasised that underground artistes bring fresh energy to the industry and should not be overlooked.

Every big artiste today started from somewhere. If the industry is truly serious about growth, then the new crop of musicians should be given the right platforms. Let them open shows properly, mention their names in promotions, and give them the exposure they need, he added.

Beyond the lack of promotion, he pointed out other challenges underground artistes face, such as limited media exposure and difficulty securing collaborations with established artistes.

Unless they have strong industry connections or money to push their work, most underground artistes struggle to get their songs played on radio and TV. The media should support upcoming talents and not only the established names, he stressed.

He also noted that mainstream artistes rarely extend a helping hand to rising musicians. Many top artistes refuse to collaborate with underground acts unless there is a big budget involved. Even getting a simple feature or industry advice is a struggle. It shouldnt be this way, he said.

Another major concern he raised was financial constraints. Unlike mainstream artistes who have record label support or sponsorship deals, most underground acts fund their entire careers on their own.

Recording, music videos, promotions and performances all cost money. Some of these guys use all they have, their last pesewa to push their dreams. The industry needs to create structures that make it easier for underground artistes to survive and grow, he added.

Despite these challenges, Nutty Rankin believes underground artists should remain focused and continue pushing their craft.

The journey is tough, but persistence is key. The fans will recognise the hard work, and when the time is right, the breakthrough will come. Until then, we need to keep making great music and demand the respect we deserve, he encouraged.
TGMA26 Big 5 nominees: Hits and misses

Edith Mensah Showbiz News Mar - 20 - 2025 , 07:00 2 minutes read

ON the night of Saturday, March 15, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) played host to unveiling of nominees for the Big 5 categories of the 26th Telecel Ghana Music Awards (TGMA).

The Big 5 categories represent the pinnacle of achievement in the Ghanaian music industry and they are Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Telecel Most Popular Song of the Year, New Artiste of the Year and Artiste of the Year

Prior to that, Charterhouse, organisers of TGMA, had announced the other categories hourly on social media.

The night which was graced by Ghanaian music industry stakeholders, and fans was laced with performances from some musicians.

Rapper Lyrical Joe thrilled with an amazing act, Gospel sensation Mavis Asante uplifted spirits with gospel vibes and Hiplife musician Ayisi kept the energy alive with his dynamic stage presence.

The event which forms part of activities marking the 26th edition of TGMA was a mix of excitement, disbelief and celebration as the list of nominees sparked cheers, sighs and heated debates among patrons.

Between performances, guests took the opportunity to engage in conversations, make industry connections and speculate about potential winners of this years awards.

One of the most discussed moments of the night was the unveiling of the Artiste of the Year category. For some, it was a moment of pride as their favourite artistes secured a spot, while others expressed disappointment their picks didnt make the cut.

Kofi Kinaata and Empress Gifty who some fans believed deserved a spot on the ultimate prize list missed out.

How did Kofi Kinaata not make the list? This is shocking," one patron shouted at the event.

Also, Sarkodies absence from the list generated some conversation. The rapper has for the past five years or so always been nominated in the Artiste of the year category.

The battle for the ultimate crown, Artiste of the Year is among King Promise, Black Sherif, Stonebwoy, Kweku Smoke, King Paluta, Team Eternity and Joe Mettle.
Living with endometriosis: Talatas story of pain, strength and advocacy

Gloria Apprey Life Mar - 20 - 2025 , 18:53 6 minutes read

Behind the smile of Helen Talata Akongzirigo Azitariga, Upper East Region representative of Ghanas Most Beautiful (GMB) 2017, lies a 17-year-old battle with endometriosis and adenomyosis, two incurable gynecological health conditions.

In an interview with The Mirror in Accra last Tuesday, she explained that both conditions affecting women of reproductive age, happen when cells similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the womb, often in the pelvic region but sometimes in other parts of the body, including the eyes, nose, chest, palm and other organs (endometriosis) or within the womb itself (adenomyosis).

This, she added, could result in abnormal menstrual pain, heavy daily bleeding, vomiting, anaemia, random fainting and sometimes infertility.

"Mine started when I had my first menstrual period at 14. It lasted three days and didnt return until a year later. Then the problems began. I didnt know what was wrong with me. Everyone dismissed my pain, saying I was being dramatic.

Take painkillers, youll be fine, they said, until I decided to seek answers," she recalled.

Seventeen years down the line, Miss Azitariga has undergone 16 surgeries and her only hope of having biological children has to be through surrogacy as she has lost her womb and cervix to the condition. For someone who loves children, this was a big blow.

I even attempted suicide by overdosing on painkillers because death felt like the only solution. Few years ago, whenever I heard of a young person passing away, people would cry, but I would ask God: Why? I am ready to go, yet you are taking others, she said.

 Miss Azitariga so far, has undergone 16 surgeries so far

Now 31 years old, she is telling her story to let other women who suffer in silence, are teased, dismissed, or told they are being dramatic, know they are not alone.

"Too many people dont even know about this disease. We need more awareness, more empathy and better treatment options," she said at the recently held Stronger Together Womens Health Conference, a womens health event hosted by Communication Consultant, Adwoa Amofa Osei, on Saturday, March 8, in Accra.

Search for answers

Born to Mr Akongzirigo Azitariga and Mrs Vivian Azitariga, the Zorkor native said she began actively searching for answers in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown.

"I had already gone through so much, yet there were no results. I was in pain, my joints, bones, head would all ache non-stop. I was on tramadol, morphine, contraceptive pills, including IUDs, tranexamic acid, all to reduce pain and bleeding. I sometimes had to be injected with epidural in order to numb my lower body so I dont feel pain, she said.

The baker and owner of Just Bake added that sometimes she had to be hospitalised and given blood transfusions and painkillers to keep her from collapsing. I would vomit randomly, feel nauseous, experience hot flushes and bleed almost every day. I used about 15 pads daily, and they still werent enough," she explained.

Frustrated by the lack of answers, she began researching her symptoms and found several possible conditions, including fibroids and ovarian cysts.

"In 2020, I started visiting gynecologists, and thats when the misdiagnoses started. One said I had fibroids, another said I had ovarian cysts or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). They all tried different treatments, but nothing worked, she said.

Another doctor diagnosed endometrial polyps and recommended surgery to remove them, which she underwent. "I thought that was the end, but no, the bleeding and pain returned just two weeks later," she said.

It wasnt until October 2020, at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, that she finally got the right diagnosis; endometriosis with adenomyosis.

"I had already researched so much about it, so I wasnt surprised, the diagnosis was confirmed through a laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure," she added.

Seeking solutions: Medical menopause

Finding treatment was another challenge for Miss Azitariga. Doctors recommended medical menopause, which came with its own difficulties.

"This is where a very expensive hormone drug called Lupron is injected into you at least every three months to trick your body into thinking it has reached menopause. This means lowered estrogen production, no egg production and other hormonal changes, she explained.

She added that the treatment came with typical menopausal symptoms such as hair loss, mood swings and fatigue.

"Your body now thinks it is old, so it starts acting like an old person." Realising it wasnt helping, she took matters into her own hands.

"Against all opposition from family and friends, I made the hardest decision of my life, to undergo a hysterectomy, the removal of my womb. I felt if the bleeding could stop, then I had only the pain to deal with. I was 29 years old then, she said.

 Miss Azitarigas parents, Mr Akongzirigo Azitariga and Mrs Vivian Azitariga

Womb and cervix removal

For a young woman, the decision to remove her womb meant infertility and a possible future without biological children. But as the only daughter among three siblings, her parents were willing to do whatever it took to help her feel better.

I had a subtotal hysterectomy, which removed my womb but left my ovaries. After the surgery, I felt a sense of relief. The heavy bleeding reduced and for the first time in years, I thought I could sleep peacefully. But the journey was far from over, she explained.

When that didnt help much, she noted that, doctors advised her to undergo another surgery to remove her cervix, all in a bid to reduce the bleeding.

That was my last surgery, four weeks ago. The bleeding has reduced significantly, but I cannot fully be happy yet because you never know, she said.

Since the onset of her condition, she estimated that over GH400,000 have been spent on treatment, including sanitary pads, tampons, medications and surgeries.

Reduced quality of life

The lover of cooking noted how endometriosis has affected her quality of life. She explained that the constant pain and fatigue often left her too weak to go out, forcing her to cancel plans or leave events early.

Many people misunderstand her struggles, thinking she is making excuses. Even during her time in the GMB house, she battled pain, dizziness and nausea, though her fellow contestants offered support.

Romantic relationships have also been difficult, especially due to infertility, she added. Not everyone is willing to be with someone who may never have biological children and that has ended some relationships, she said.

Miss Azitariga has lost some weight due to the health condition

Turning pain into purpose

After years of misdiagnosis, emotional distress and financial struggles, Miss Azitariga has turned her pain into purpose. She now advocates endometriosis awareness in Ghana, using her story to educate women and push for better health care.

"Too many women suffer in silence, dismissed by doctors who dont understand or oftentimes havent even heard of the term before. We need more awareness, more empathy and better treatment options," she said.

Even though shell continue to battle with the lifelong condition, her focus remains on advocacy, hoping her story will encourage more women to seek answers and refuse to suffer in silence.

writer's email: appreygloria@gmail.com
New Inspector General of Schools embarks on familiarisation tour

NaSIA Education Mar - 20 - 2025 , 15:57 3 minutes read

The newly appointed leadership of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) has embarked on a familiarization and stakeholder engagement tour in selected regions to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders in Ghana's private education sector.

Led by the Inspector General of Schools (IGS), Prof. Salifu Tahiru Azeko, PhD, the tour took place in the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Northern Regions respectively.

The purpose of the tour was to introduce the new management of NaSIA, strengthen relationships with private school associations, and reiterate NaSIAs commitment to improving education standards across the country.

The engagements brought together representatives from key private pre-tertiary educational bodies such as the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS), and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS). The interactions provided a platform to share ideas, discuss sector challenges, and explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration.

During the engagements, Prof. Azeko, Salifu Tahiru emphasized the importance of private schools in Ghanas education landscape and called for strengthened partnerships to ensure compliance with established standards and regulatory requirements. He reiterated NaSIAs dedication to supporting private institutions in achieving excellence through regular school inspections and capacity development initiatives.

Regional Directors of NaSIA in the respective regions delivered a presentation outlining the Authoritys mandate and core functions. The presentations served to realign and reaffirm NaSIAs commitment to fulfilling its objects which are to develop, publish, promote and enforce the highest quality standards and guidelines for quality education in public and private pre-tertiary schools.

During the tour, private school stakeholders shared key concerns affecting their operations. Among the major issues raised is the unfair placement of learners into senior high schools under the Free SHS policy. According to these stakeholders the current system gives priority to learners from public schools in the placement of learners into category A senior high schools, a measure which has impacted on private school operations negatively over the years. Additional concerns included the high cost of regulatory fees, and the limited access to training and capacity-building opportunities as compared to the public schools. In response, NaSIAs leadership acknowledged these challenges and reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement to mitigate the challenges. The Authority also pledged to advocate for policy reforms and liaise with appropriate agencies to provide targeted support to help private schools meet regulatory standards.

The associations welcomed NaSIAs responsiveness and proposed the institutionalization of regular stakeholder forums to foster continuous engagement and partnership.

NaSIA reaffirmed its dedication to listening to stakeholders and incorporating their feedback into future policies and interventions aimed at enhancing educational quality across the country.
Next article: President Mahama begins 'Thank You Tour' in Upper East, Northern Regions

Energy sector debt hit GH80 billion  Jinapor raises alarm over escalating energy sector debt

Mohammed Ali Mar - 20 - 2025 , 09:56 2 minutes read

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has raised concerns over the rapidly increasing debt within Ghanas energy sector, warning that urgent action is needed to prevent a financial collapse.

Speaking at a meeting with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on March 18, 2025, Mr Jinapor disclosed that the sectors liabilities have reached GH80 billion, with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) alone accounting for over GH60 billion.

He described the situation as unsustainable and called for immediate measures to address the financial strain.

The rate at which debts are piling up in the energy sector makes it imperative to take drastic measures. If we do not act now, we risk a major crisis, Mr. Jinapor stated.

He identified financing as a major challenge and urged CSOs to contribute ideas and proposals to help restructure the sectors financial obligations.

His remarks echo recent warnings from Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who, at a national economic dialogue on March 3, 2025, cautioned that Ghanas energy sector debt could reach $9 billion (GH126 billion) by 2027 if urgent steps are not taken.

Dr Forson stressed the need for structural reforms to prevent the situation from worsening.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has also flagged Ghanas energy sector as a major financial risk, reporting that legacy debts stood at $2.1 billion (GH29.4 billion), or 2.8% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as of December 2023.

With these growing concerns, Mr. Jinapor assured CSOs that the government is committed to finding sustainable solutions to stabilise the sector.

He reiterated that transparency and broad stakeholder engagement will be key in tackling the countrys energy challenges.
Indonesia Honorary Consul woos investors to Akrofu okra production

Severious Kale-Dery Mar - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 3 minutes read

The Honorary Consul of Indonesia in Ghana, Paskal A.B. Rois, is wooing Indonesian investors to invest in commercial okra production at Akrofu in the Volta Region.

Akrofu is known for its quality okra production, making the vegetable from the area a highly sought-after commodity in the local market.

Mr Rois said the time had come for mechanised commercial production of okra in the area to bring back the glory days at Akrofu.

He gave an assurance that there was sufficient land for interested investors willing to venture into commercial production of okra in the area.

Mr Rois, a native of Akrofu, was speaking to journalists ahead of the arrival of Indonesian officials in the country.

"There are opportunities in mechanised and commercial production of okra in my area," he said, adding that it would provide more sustainable benefits and development for the people of Akrofu.

Mr Rois explained that the objective was to create long-term economic growth within Akrofu and its environs.

Developmental needs

In addition to promoting agriculture development, Mr Rois also advocated the restoration and improvement of vital infrastructure at Akrofu.

One of the key concerns is the deteriorating condition of the only clinic which serves as the primary health facility for the community, he said.

He, therefore, appealed to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to step in and assist with the rehabilitation of the clinic, which was in dire need of repairs and additional resources to provide adequate health care to the residents.

On education, Mr Rois said Akrofus educational system needed attention, adding that the only school lacked the necessary facilities and resources.

He, therefore, appealed to the government and other stakeholders to ensure that the children of Akrofu had access to quality education in an environment conducive for learning.

Roads

Touching on roads and mobile connectivity situation in the area, he said despite the presence of electricity and potable water, infrastructure such as roads and mobile network connectivity remained inadequate.

Mr Rois said the roads connecting Akrofu to Ho, the regional capital, were in poor condition and the mobile network was so weak that making and receiving calls often became a strenuous task.

He made a specific appeal to the Minister of Roads, Kwame Agbodza, and the Minister of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, to help address those pressing issues.

A properly functioning road network and enhanced mobile connectivity will not only ease daily activities for the people of Akrofu but also facilitate economic development by improving access to markets, services and information, the honorary consul stressed.

Festivals

On festivals, Mr Rois said 2025 would be the turn of Akrofu to celebrate the SASA Festival, which was celebrated rotationally among four related towns - Sovie, Akrofu, Saviewofe and Alavanyo.

As a royal of the Buoh Alorsor Clan of Akrofu, I am encouraging the chiefs and the people of Akrofu to smoke the peace pipe to enable the development of the town to the benefit of everyone. Unity is key for every development," Mr Rois said.
Labour Ministry, YEA launch Work Abroad Programme

Justice Agbenorsi Mar - 20 - 2025 , 12:01 3 minutes read

The Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has launched an initiative to migrate Ghanas skilled labour force to work abroad.

The Work Abroad Programme is an initiative of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) which has been designed to create a legal pathway for artisans and workers in the hospitality, transportation, agriculture, construction sectors, among others, to work abroad.

Under the initiative, applicants will be screened through an online portal which will be advertised.

Companies recruiting Ghanaian workers will then be required to sign formal agreements with both the destination country and Ghana, the labour exporting country, to protect the rights of Ghanaian workers who travel through the initiative.

Workers selected will undergo pre-departure training on their rights, cultural adaptation and professional skills to enhance their competitiveness in the global market while navigating the international work environment.

Launch

The Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, who launched the initiative in Accra last Tuesday, said the programme formed part of the governments efforts to reduce the number of unemployed youth, as promised during the 2024 election campaign.

As a result, this initiative reaffirms our unwavering commitment to empowering Ghanas youth by expanding access to global opportunities and fostering a structured and sustainable framework for labour migration, he said.

The initiative, he explained, was aimed at curbing irregular migration, ensuring fair recruitment practices and maximising the economic benefits of remittances to contribute to the countrys economic development.

Welfare

Dr Pelpuo further vowed to ensure respect for Ghanaian workers abroad and to eliminate situations where they were punished for working overseas.

In my period as a minister, we will not tolerate any situation where Ghanaian workers will go abroad to work and be punished for going there to work.

We want to see absolute respect for the Ghanaian youth who goes out there to explore the world and commits himself or herself to the country they are working for, he added.

Describing the programme as an enterprise that required the collective efforts of all, the minister called on stakeholders to support the programme and to contribute to its success.

Labour hub

The Chief Executive Officer of YEA, Malik Basintale, said the programme was a ground-breaking initiative that held the potential to transform the lives of Ghanaian youth and strategically position Ghana as a hub for skilled and ethical labour experts.

He announced that YEA would launch an inter-ministerial working committee in the coming days to oversee the smooth administration and sustainability of the programme.

Our vision is clear; we aspire to see Ghanaian workers become the benchmark of excellence across the international labour markets with structured partnerships, he stressed.

The YEA, Mr Basintale said, had developed a robust system, including legal aid, psychosocial support, and reintegration services to ensure that no Ghanaian worker was left vulnerable.

I extend a call to action to all stakehdolers, both in public and private sectors, to join hands with the YEA as we roll out this transformative programme, he added.

The Chairperson of the Work Abroad Programme, Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, who is also the Chairman of the Special Groups of Companies, commended the ministry for designing the initiative.

He said the initiative would offer the youth an opportunity to earn decent incomes, expose them internationally, and enable them to return home to create opportunities for others.
Next article: Ghanaians advocate for the Reparations Project

Meteorological Agency receives ISO certification for safety, disaster preparedness

Joshua Bediako Koomson Mar - 20 - 2025 , 10:34 3 minutes read

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet) has secured the international standard organisations quality certification, (ISO) 9001:2015, reinforcing its credibility in safety and disaster preparedness.

The certification, a global benchmark for quality, competence and continuous improvement, affirms the agencys commitment to maintaining a robust quality management system that consistently meets stakeholder expectations.

A quality, safety and environmental consulting service, Gibson Safety Consult, together with an international certification group in the UK, conducted the necessary checks and inspections of the agency, in compliance with international standards.

Significance

The certification brings significant benefits across various sectors, including aviation, agriculture, disaster management and policymaking.

Airlines, farmers and emergency response agencies can now rely on GMets meteorological data and forecasts with greater confidence and in line with international standards.

Additionally, the structured quality system enables proactive risk management and improved safety in weather-related decision-making.

The Director-General of GMet, Eric Asuman, described the certification as a testament to the agencys unwavering commitment to delivering quality meteorological services.

It reflects our collective effort to maintain excellence, transparency and trust for all stakeholders, including aviation partners, government agencies, private sector clients and the general public.

This certification is not just a piece of paper, it represents our promise to deliver accurate, timely and high-quality meteorological products and services that meet the needs of national and international stakeholders.

From aviation safety to disaster preparedness, our work is critical, and today, we reinforce our dedication to excellence, he added.

Programmes

Mr Asuman said that GMet planned to expand its calibration laboratory capacity to serve more regional and international clients.

The agency, he said, was also working on renovating one of its old blocks to transform it into a world-class research facility equipped with state-of-the-art meteorological tools.

To strengthen digital infrastructure, Mr Asuman said they were also collaborating with Leeds University in the UK to introduce a Forecasting African Storms app (FASTA), which would vastly improve location-specific forecasts, particularly for nowcasting.

Additionally, he said the agency had partnered the Danish Meteorological Institute to develop a Climate Atlas to provide climate projections for Ghana, spanning the next 50 to 100 years.

Even as we celebrate this ISO certification, we remain focused on innovation and progress.

We are also working towards securing an ISO 17025:2017 certification, which focuses on the competence of testing and calibration laboratories to ensure that our methods, measurements, and results meet the highest levels of accuracy and reliability, Mr Asuman said.

Milestone

The Consultant and Auditor at Gibson Safety Consult, Dean Moriarty, said it was crucial for an organisation like GMet working with international partners and suppliers, to have the right processes and certifications in place to effectively deliver its services.

Achieving ISO 9001 certification, he said, was an incredible milestone, as the audit process was rigorous with very little flexibility in meeting certification standards.

I am delighted to officially award the ISO 9001 certification to the agency. However, certification is not a one-time event.

We will return each year for re-audits to ensure ongoing compliance with legal, regulatory, client and supplier requirements, he added.
Restoring degraded lands: 2 Million initiative rolled out in Upper East, Northern regions

Mohammed Fugu Mar - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 2 minutes read

A 2 million initiative aimed at restoring degraded lands, promoting sustainable land management practices and community resilience to climate change in the Upper East and Northern regions has been launched in Tamale.

Dubbed: "Re-greening Africa Programme", it seeks to scale up re-greening practices and support smallholder farmers and pastoral households to adopt agroforestry, while promoting effective soil and water conservation techniques.

It is being implemented by the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with World Vision Ghana, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), CARE, Sahel Eco and Agronomes and Veterinaires Sans Frontieres (AVSF), with funding from the European Union (EU).

Overview

Giving an overview of the project, the Lead of the Re-greening Africa Programme at CIFOR-ICRAF, Mieke Bourne Ochieng, said the overall goal of the project was to restore degraded landscapes, improve food and nutrition security, and strengthen climate resilience across Ghana, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal and Niger.

He explained that in Ghana, it would be implemented in the Upper East and Northern regions where the vegetation cover was fast depleting.

He indicated that the project, which was in its second phase, was building on the success of the first phase, which supported over 600,000 households and restored nearly one million hectares of land across eight African countries.

As we begin the second phase of re-greening Africa in Ghana and other selected African countries, we will focus on expanding proven practices from the first phase while addressing identified gaps.

These include better matching of re-greening practices to local contexts, improved access to quality tree-planting materials, enhancing livelihoods through re-greening-linked value chains, and fostering an enabling policy environment, he stated.

Land degradation

For his part, the Food Security and Resilience Technical Programme Manager at World Vision Ghana, Maxwell Amedi, emphasised that land degradation in Africa had led to declining agricultural productivity, increased food insecurity, and weakened community resilience to climate change.

He said: The time to act is now. We must reverse land degradation and restore productivity. This programme is not just about planting trees  its about restoring hope, ecosystems, and creating a sustainable future for generations to come."

The Programme Director of Agriculture, Livelihood and Landscape at CRS, Edward Anaba Akunyagra, stated that an estimated 65 per cent of Africas productive land was currently degraded.

Writer's email: [email protected]
Goldbod to take over small-scale gold exports  Sammy Gyamfi explains new policy

Mohammed Ali Mar - 20 - 2025 , 10:31 3 minutes read

The government has announced a policy shift that will make Goldbod the sole exporter of gold from Ghanas small-scale mining sector, effectively barring licensed traders and bullion dealers from exporting gold directly.

The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), Sammy Gyamfi disclosed the new directive in an interview on Joy FM on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, he stated that the government aims to improve foreign exchange tracking and ensure that all forex earnings from gold exports are properly accounted for.

The licensed traders cannot export again. The bullion traders cannot export. Goldbod will be the sole exporter of all gold from the small-scale sector, Mr Gyamfi confirmed.

Traders to buy for Goldbod

Under the new arrangement, traders will still be allowed to operate but only as aggregators or licensed buyers, meaning they can purchase gold but must operate under Goldbods buying policy. However, they will no longer be able to export gold independently.

Additionally, exporters with international buyers will be required to channel payments through Goldbod, which will receive the foreign currency, convert it into cedis for the traders, and then handle the exports on their behalf.

Concerns over past policies

Mr Gyamfi noted that the new system seeks to correct problems caused by previous government policies.

He recalled that in November 2022, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government suspended all export licences, making the Bank of Ghana and PMMC the sole exporters of small-scale gold.

That decision was taken unilaterally without legal backing under the pretext of implementing the Gold for Oil policy, he stated.

He further alleged that while export licences were suspended, the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources selectively granted exemptions to certain exporters, creating an unfair system that benefited only a few.

Instead of applying the rule fairly, the then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources granted exemptions to some exporters. This created an unfair system that favoured a few, he added.

Government aims to boost forex repatriation

A key reason for the policy change, according to Mr Gyamfi, is to address forex retention challenges in Ghanas gold sector.

He argued that under the previous system, traders often failed to return foreign currency earned from gold sales, which affected Ghanas forex reserves.

The reason why we need this change is so that we can track the forex and bring it back. We entrusted traders with this responsibility, but we had issues with forex retention and repatriation, he explained.

By centralising gold exports, the government believes it will tighten control over forex inflows, which it argues will benefit the economy.

Awaiting Parliamentary approval

The Goldbod Bill, which is currently before Parliament, is expected to provide the legal framework for the new gold export system.

If passed, the bill will cement Goldbods role as the sole exporter of gold from the small-scale sector, while allowing existing traders to operate as aggregators or partner with the state for exports.
Next article: New Gold Board to inject $250 million weekly into Ghanas economy  PMMC acting MD

Why former Bank of Ghana governors home was raided  Deputy Attorney-General explains

Mohammed Ali Mar - 20 - 2025 , 14:10 1 minute read

The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has confirmed that a search was conducted at the private residence of the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged misappropriation of state assets.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews on Thursday, March 20, 2025, Dr Srem-Sai stated that the operation, which took place on Wednesday, was carried out legally with a valid warrant.

We take full responsibility for these searches, and I can confirm they were conducted in accordance with legal procedures, he said.

The operation has stirred public debate, with some questioning the governments approach.

While some critics argue that the Attorney-Generals office is acting too aggressively, others believe it is not moving swiftly enough.

Dr Srem-Sai defended the governments actions, stating that investigations are being conducted thoroughly to prevent wrongful prosecutions.

We will not take anyone to court and then ask for time to gather evidence. We will only prosecute when we have sufficient evidence, he stressed.

He further explained that the search at the former central bank governors home is part of a wider anti-corruption effort, with the Attorney-Generals office working alongside other state institutions to recover state funds and assets.
Previous article: PHOTOS: COP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah full of smiles as she reports for duty at Interior Ministry

James Barnors legacy celebrated in nationwide photography exhibition tour

GraphicOnline Mar - 20 - 2025 , 18:00 2 minutes read

A landmark photography exhibition, Someone Somewhere Beyond, will tour six regions of Ghana in 2025, celebrating the enduring legacy of James Barnor, Ghanas pioneering photographer.

The exhibition, originally commissioned for the James Barnor 95 Festival in 2024, pairs Barnors revolutionary approach with the works of 16 emerging photographers, each representing one of Ghanas regions.

The nationwide tour, organized in partnership with The French Embassy in Ghana and Alliance Francaise, will kick off on March 29 at Red Clay Studios in Tamale, owned by renowned artist Ibrahim Mahama, before making stops in Kumasi, Bolgatanga, Busua, Cape Coast, and Accra.

Curated by cultural historian Menenaba, the exhibition explores everyday Ghanaian life through contemporary lenses influenced by Barnors human-centered storytelling. From vibrant market scenes to intimate cultural rituals, the images reflect a blend of regional diversity and national identity.

James Barnor didnt just document history; he taught us to see the extraordinary in ordinary lives, Menenaba remarked. These photographerswhether consciously or notembody his belief that every Ghanaians story deserves a spotlight. Their work is a living dialogue between past and present.

Beyond the exhibition, the tour seeks to democratize access to art, with planned artist talks and workshops at universities and community spaces. The initiative also arrives at a significant moment in Ghanaian history, as the nation approaches its 70th independence anniversary, reinforcing Barnors impact on national identity and contemporary Ghanaian photography.

The tour will run until October 2025, with guided tours for students and seniors available at all venues. Organizers encourage the public to engage with this traveling showcase that bridges generations and highlights Ghanas evolving visual storytelling landscape.

For more information, media inquiries, and high-resolution images, contact Barima OwusuNyantekyi at [email protected] or [email protected].
Most energy sector SOEs struggling financially  SIGA Boss

Jemima Okang Addae Mar - 20 - 2025 , 12:19 1 minute read

The Acting Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has revealed that most State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) in the energy sector are facing severe financial challenges and operating at a loss.

Speaking on Channel One TV, he noted that only Bui Power Authority and Ghana Gas have managed to stay financially stable, attributing their success to strict compliance and operational efficiency.

Apart from Bui Power Authority and Ghana Gas, the rest are really struggling, literally, he stated.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte explained that the financial struggles of these SOEs are hindering their ability to expand operations and create employment opportunities. He stressed that many of the reported losses result from poor decision-making rather than external factors.

The losses we report are losses emanating out of human decisions, he said.

He also highlighted President John Dramani Mahamas firm stance on improving the performance of SOEs, making it clear that underperforming leaders will be removed if they fail to meet efficiency and financial accountability standards.

I am quite confident that President Mahama is going to put boards in place that will manage the CEOs and the heads of entities in a manner that will keep everybody in check with a clear target in mind, he added.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte reaffirmed SIGAs commitment to enforcing compliance and ensuring that state enterprises operate efficiently to prevent further financial losses.
New Gold Board to inject $250 million weekly into Ghanas economy  PMMC acting MD

Mohammed Ali Mar - 20 - 2025 , 14:08 3 minutes read

Ghanas new Gold Board could inject up to $250 million into the economy every week, according to Sammy Gyamfi, Acting Managing Director of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC).

In an interview with Accra-based Joy FM on Thursday, March 20 2025, Mr Gyamfi revealed that the Finance Ministry has committed to providing approximately GH4 billion weekly to purchase three tonnes of gold from small-scale miners.

If we are able to buy these three tonnes, it means that every week, the Gold Board will be able to bring into the country a minimum of $250 million. Imagine what that would do for our economy, he said.

The initiative is part of government efforts to stabilise the national currency and boost foreign exchange reserves.

According to Mr Gyamfi, the Gold Board will ensure that 100% of foreign exchange earnings from gold exports return to Ghana within three to four days, rather than the current 30-day window, which many traders fail to honour.

He described the existing system as chaotic, with multiple agencies, including the Bank of Ghana, the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), and private exporters mostly foreign-owned competing in the market.

What we have currently is a chaotic system, and that is what fuels the smuggling, he said, adding that Ghana exported $11.5 billion worth of gold in 2024, but a significant portion of the foreign exchange earnings never returned to the country.

Under the new system, the Gold Board will be the sole exporter of gold from small-scale mining operations. Licensed Ghanaian agents will buy directly from miners using funds advanced by the Gold Board.

No foreigner and I repeat, no foreigner, whether Indian or Chinese will, after the Gold Board begins operations, have the right to buy gold from a miner, Mr Gyamfi declared.

He added that the 61 current export licence holders, most of whom are foreign nationals, would no longer be permitted to export directly.

He also disclosed that the Gold Board would push for value addition to Ghanas gold exports, which are currently shipped primarily as dore bars without refinement.

It is sad that as a country that was once known as the Gold Coast and is currently the leading gold exporter in Africa, we cant sell gold from small-scale mining to the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association). We only sell to India and Dubai at discounts, he said.

The Gold Board Bill, currently before Parliament, will establish a regulatory structure with stricter enforcement powers, including inspectors with the authority to seize smuggled gold and conduct searches.

Meanwhile, the government has already scrapped the 1.5% withholding tax on gold exports, a move President Mahamas administration believes will make the new system more competitive against smugglers.

Industry analysts believe the Gold Board could reshape Ghanas gold trade and strengthen the cedi while reducing reliance on foreign imports.
Next article: Harry Yamson: New Acting DACF Administrator confident in oversight role

Oliver Barker-Vormawor freed over treason charge

GNA Mar - 20 - 2025 , 17:43 1 minute read

Oliver Barker-Vormawor, a lawyer and social activist, who was being held for treason, has been discharged by an Accra High Court.

At the court on Monday Barker-Vormawor and his counsel were absent when the matter was called.

However, prosecution, led by Esi Dentaa Yankah, the Principal State Attorney, informed the court that the state had filed a Nolle Prosequi discontinuing the matter.

The trial judge said the court was aware of the Nolle Prosequi filed by the state, hence discharged Barker-Vormawor.

The accused was facing treason felony, which started in 2022.

He was nabbed by security personnel for threatening a coup should Parliament pass the then E-Levy Bill into law.
PHOTOS: COP Tiwaa Addo-Danquah full of smiles as she reports for duty at Interior Ministry

GraphicOnline Mar - 20 - 2025 , 19:14 2 minutes read

Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah has officially assumed her new role as Technical Advisor to the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak.

Photographs from her first day at the Ministry captured her beaming with smiles as she engaged with the Minister and other officials.

Muntaka warmly welcomed her and emphasized the importance of collaboration in achieving the Ministrys mandate. He added that looked forward to working together to achieve the mandate of the Ministry.

COP Addo-Danquah, in response, expressed her appreciation for the warm reception and pledged her commitment to supporting the Ministrys objectives.

Swift reassignment

Her move to the Interior Ministry comes barely a day after she was initially named Director-General of Research & Planning at the Ghana Police Service. In a sudden turn of events, a directive from the Presidency reassigned her to the new role, effective immediately.

A letter signed by Callistus Mahama, Secretary to the President, confirmed the decision.

"In line with this directive, you are hereby reassigned from your current position to the Ministry of the Interior, where you will serve as the Technical Advisor to the Honorable Minister. This reassignment takes immediate effect, and you are expected to liaise with the relevant authorities to ensure a smooth transition into your new role," the statement read.

The letter further acknowledged her service, stating: "His Excellency the President recognizes and deeply appreciates your unwavering dedication, professionalism, and invaluable contributions to the nation. It is his firm belief that your expertise and commitment will continue to serve the country effectively in your new capacity."

COP Addo-Danquahs reassignment is part of a broader restructuring within the Ghana Police Service under the leadership of new Inspector-General of Police (IGP) COP Christian Tetteh Yohuno. The latest shake-up is aimed at strengthening leadership and improving operational efficiency within the Police Management Board (POMAB).

Prior to this development, COP Addo-Danquah had returned to the Police Service after a tenure as Executive Director of the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), where she spearheaded efforts to combat financial crimes and corruption. She also previously served as Director-General of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), playing a key role in high-profile investigations.

In her new position at the Interior Ministry, she is expected to work closely with key stakeholders to enhance security policies and strategies aimed at improving law enforcement operations in Ghana.
Next article: Painter denied bail after allegedly stealing cables worth GH1million from Bank of Ghana

PHOTOS: Minority leader Afenyo-Markin visits former BoG Governor after security raid

GraphicOnline Mar - 20 - 2025 , 06:50 1 minute read

The Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, on Wednesday visited Dr. Ernest Addison, the former Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), following a raid on his residence at Roman Ridge in Accra allegedly by operatives of the National Security.

The Effutu Member of Parliament reportedly expressed outrage over the raid and consoled Dr. Addison and his family, assuring them that he would demand answers from the government regarding the incident.

The raid, which occurred on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, was conducted by armed men, some wearing balaclavas and wielding guns.

The operatives were reportedly led by a Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat.

The raid on Dr. Addisons residence is the second such operation allegedly by the National Security on former high-ranking officials of the President Akufo-Addo administration since President John Mahama took office on January 7, 2025.

The first occurred on Monday, February 10, 2025, when armed men raided the home of Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghanas longest-serving Finance Minister, in Labone, Accra. That operation was captured on CCTV cameras, with footage later leaked to the public.
Next article: Kaizen Aid marks International Womens Day with deaf learners in Cape Coast

President Mahama begins 'Thank You Tour' in Upper East, Northern Regions

Graphic.com.gh Mar - 20 - 2025 , 09:34 1 minute read

President John Dramani Mahama will today, March 20, 2025, begin a thank-you tour of the Upper East and Northern Regions to express his appreciation to the Chiefs and people for their overwhelming support in the 2024 general elections.

His first stop will be Jubilee Park in Bolgatanga at 2pm, after which he will head to the Northern Region for a similar gathering at Jubilee Park in Tamale on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 2pm.

The tour forms part of a series of engagements aimed at strengthening relations with traditional leaders and the wider public.

President Mahama is expected to discuss ongoing and future development projects in both regions.

This visit follows his recent trip to the Volta Region on March 6, 2025, where he assessed the impact of tidal waves that devastated coastal communities, including Salakope and Agavedzi in the Ketu South Municipality.

During that visit, he criticised the suitability of a designated resettlement site for displaced residents, describing it as inadequate for long-term habitation.

He assured affected communities that the government would take steps to address their concerns and provide a lasting solution.

Todays trip marks President Mahamas first official visit to the Upper East and Northern Regions since assuming office.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson defends National Security raids on former officials

Graphic.com.gh Mar - 20 - 2025 , 11:32 3 minutes read

The Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Shamima Muslim, has defended the recent National Security raids on the homes of former officials of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, including the recent operation at the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr Ernest Addison.

Speaking on TV3s New Day on Thursday, March 20, 2025, Muslim stated that the actions were part of an ongoing investigation and information-gathering process.

Her remarks come amid reports that National Security operatives raided Dr Addisons home on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. This follows a similar incident on February 11, 2025, when the home of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta was also searched.

While Muslim admitted that she had yet to receive a full briefing on the specifics of the raid on Dr Addisons residence, she justified the operation, stating that those involved are persons of interest in ongoing investigations.

Im yet to get to the office to receive a full briefing on the matter, but what I can say is that there are some actions going on, there are some investigations ongoing, and there are persons of interest who will be now and again invited to help the investigation process, she said.

She further explained that visiting the homes of these individuals was a necessary step in gathering intelligence.

There are means of gathering information, and one of the means is to visit the homes of these persons of interest, she added.

Call for Due Process Amid Minority Criticism

Despite defending the raids, Muslim stressed that all actions should be carried out in line with the law.

I will just say that we should execute these processes with due recourse to due process, and once we are doing that, we should have no problem, she stated.

Her comments come as Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin and other NPP executives strongly condemned the raid on Dr Addisons home and the arrest of Okatakyie, calling it an attack on democracy and human rights.

In response, Muslim dismissed the NPPs criticism, arguing that the Minoritys reaction was an attempt to avoid accountability and discredit the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

She contended that the NDC government remains more committed to ensuring accountability than the previous NPP government, recalling the treatment of NDC officials in 2017 when former President Akufo-Addo took office.

However, we should also be mindful of how the minority would always deliberately position themselves to be averse to any action that government takes in its quest to demand audit and accountability of the outgone government sometimes exaggerating the issue and trying to deliberately misrepresent the action that is being taken.

She further described the NPPs response as "misplaced propaganda and mischief", claiming that their agenda was to undermine the government.

Misplaced propaganda and mischief which is obvious because their intention is to entrench themselves within the system so they can leverage to sabotage. It is their grand agenda, she asserted.
SIGA boss highlights persistent financial losses in State-Owned Enterprises

Jemima Okang Addae Mar - 20 - 2025 , 11:59 2 minutes read

The Acting Director-General of the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has expressed concern over the persistent financial losses recorded by several State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) over the years.

Speaking on Channel One TV, he identified Ghana Water Company Limited, Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited, Tema Oil Refinery, Intercity STC, Ghana Highway Authority, and Metro Mass Transport as some of the institutions struggling financially.

Professor Kpessa-Whyte attributed these losses to poor decision-making, weak governance structures, and inadequate financial auditing. He explained that many SOEs consistently exceed their budgets and fail to generate enough internal revenue, making them financially unsustainable.

Discussing the challenges facing Ghana Water Company Limited, he pointed to illegal mining (galamsey) as a major factor driving up the companys operational costs.

He noted that the contamination of water bodies has significantly increased the cost of water treatment, as more chemicals are required to make the water safe for consumption.

Im sure if you speak to them, they will tell you that over the years, their operational cost has gone up. Largely because of galamsey, they have had to spend more in acquiring the chemicals they need to treat the water into our homes, he stated.

Addressing the challenges of Other State Enterprises (OSEs) such as the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the Ghana Highway Authority, he observed that their financial struggles stem from excessive spending beyond budget allocations and an inability to generate sufficient Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

He stressed that while these institutions are vital to national development, urgent financial restructuring is needed to enhance their efficiency and sustainability.

"Clearly, they are spending more than they have budgeted for over the years. By their very nature, they are not able to generate enough Internally Generated Funds (IGF) to meet their operational costs. And some of these are very important agencies," he added.
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Reviewing the Free-SHS Policy: Balancing access, quality, infrastructure needs

Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa Politics Mar - 20 - 2025 , 09:57 4 minutes read

Since its introduction in 2017, Ghanas Free Senior High School (SHS) policy has significantly expanded access to education, removing financial barriers for countless students.

Under the leadership of former President Akufo-Addo, this landmark initiative has increased enrolment, providing opportunities for many young Ghanaians who would otherwise have been excluded from secondary education.

While the policys impact in broadening access is undeniable, there is growing consensus that it requires a thorough review to address the emerging challenges related to the quality of education and infrastructure.

President Mahama and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, have raised critical concerns about the sustainability of the Free-SHS programme.

Their concerns extend beyond the financial feasibility of the policy, pointing to the physical and logistical challenges that schools across the country face due to the influx of students.

Otumfuos intervention has been particularly noteworthy.

He has drawn attention to the practical difficulties that schools are experiencing due to overcrowding.

Issues such as congested dormitories, inadequate teaching facilities, food shortages, and a general strain on resources have been highlighted.

Otumfuo has called for a more targeted approach, advocating a system where those who can afford to pay for education contribute to ease the financial burden on the state.

This proposal is not a rejection of Free SHS but rather a call for its recalibration to ensure that it continues to serve those who need it most while ensuring that the policy remains sustainable in the long term.

President Mahama has called for a review to ensure that the Free-SHS remains and that it focuses on providing education for the underprivileged while safeguarding the quality of education for all students.

President Mahamas perspective aligns with the broader national conversation on balancing access to education with the need for quality and efficiency.

Infrastructure

A central issue in this debate is the state of infrastructure in schools. With the increasing number of students, existing facilities are under pressure and many schools are struggling to keep up.

Although efforts have been made under the previous government to build new classrooms, science laboratories, and dormitories, the rate of construction has not kept pace with the surge in student numbers.

Consequently, there is an urgent need for more significant investment in educational infrastructure to accommodate the growing student population.

One area that needs particular attention is the state of washroom facilities in schools. Reports from across the country reveal that many schools lack adequate and well-maintained sanitation facilities.

In some instances, students are forced to resort to unsanitary alternatives, such as using bushes, due to the poor state of washrooms.

This situation is not only unacceptable but also poses serious health risks, which ultimately affect students ability to focus on their education.

The government must allocate significant resources towards the construction and renovation of washroom facilities designed to cater to the needs of all students, including those with disabilities in public schools.

Hygiene and maintenance should be top priorities, with regular cleaning schedules, the provision of necessary supplies, and dedicated staff to ensure that washrooms are kept in good condition.

Furthermore, ensuring access to clean water, soap and hand-washing facilities should be a fundamental aspect of the policy, as poor hygiene can lead to the spread of diseases, impacting students health and attendance.

It is also crucial to provide gender-specific washroom facilities that cater to the needs of male and female students separately.

For female students, these facilities must be equipped to handle menstrual hygiene, with adequate privacy and dignity, especially as the government is rolling out free sanitary pads initiatives at the primary and secondary levels.

To ensure the sustainability of these improvements, the government must engage local communities and sanitation experts in developing robust waste management systems. Community involvement in the upkeep and maintenance of school facilities is also essential, as it fosters a sense of shared responsibility.

The government should work closely with local stakeholders to ensure that schools are adequately resourced and that sanitation standards are consistently met.

Comprehensive approach

In conclusion, the review of the Free-SHS policy should not merely focus on financial aspects but adopt a comprehensive approach that addresses infrastructure deficits, quality of education and the need for adequate sanitation facilities.

The concerns raised by President Mahama and Otumfuo highlight the necessity of recalibrating the policy to balance access with quality and sustainability.

By prioritising infrastructure improvements, particularly regarding washroom facilities, the government can ensure that all students, regardless of background, have access to a healthy and conducive learning environment.

Incorporating these considerations into the policy review will enable Ghana to build on the successes of the Free-SHS programme while ensuring that it meets the evolving needs of students and the broader educational system.

The writer is a Political Scientist
Minority accuses National Security of stealing GH10,000 and jewellery in raid on former BoG Governors home

Gertrude Ankah Politics Mar - 20 - 2025 , 13:19 2 minutes read

The Minority in Parliament has accused National Security operatives of making away with GH10,000 in cash and valuable jewellery belonging to the wife of former Bank of Ghana (BoG) Governor, Dr Ernest Addison, during a raid on his residence.

The operation, which took place on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, was reportedly conducted by armed National Security operatives, some of whom were masked and wielding guns. Witnesses say the operatives overpowered private security personnel before conducting a search of the property.

Addressing the media on Thursday, March 20, Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin condemned the security operation, describing it as lawless and an act of intimidation against former appointees of ex-President Nana Akufo-Addos administration.

This is the first time in our countrys history that a governor of the central bank has been subjected to such treatment. Unfortunately, GH10,000 placed on his bed went missing after the raid, Afenyo-Markin alleged. The governors wifes earrings and necklaces were also taken.

He further suggested that some operatives might be underpaid and using such raids as opportunities to loot valuables.

The Minority Leader called on President John Dramani Mahama to put an end to what he described as a pattern of intimidation targeting political opponents after a change in government.

Your Excellency, President John Dramani Mahama, let this be a turning point. End this cycle of intimidation and abuse of power, he urged.

The Minority also criticised the recent arrest of former radio and television host, Okatakyie Afrifa Mensah, by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), describing it as another example of political harassment.
Next article: Minority accuses National Security of stealing GH10,000 and jewellery in raid on former BoG Governors home

NPP directs members to cease media discussions that cause disaffection

GraphicOnline Politics Mar - 20 - 2025 , 15:04 2 minutes read

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a firm directive to its members, instructing them to refrain from discussing internal party issues in the media that could cause disunity and tarnish the partys image.

The directive, signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong, comes in response to increasing public expressions of frustration by party members following the NPPs defeat in the recent elections.

In a statement released on Thursday, March 20, Mr Frimpong acknowledged the emotional distress among party faithful but urged calm and restraint to maintain party unity.

Many of us, as party members, have, on several platforms, expressed our anger, disappointment, and frustration. However, we humbly ask that all party faithful remain calm so that cooler heads may prevail at this time, the statement read.

The General Secretary cited Article 10(7)(5) of the NPP Constitution, which mandates the coordination of party activities, to justify the call for members to immediately cease discussions that create unrest, negativity, and disaffection in the media and other public platforms.

Additionally, the statement reminded members of Article 3(5), which enjoins all party members to promote and defend the good name of the NPP.

To ensure compliance, the party leadership at the national, regional, and constituency levels has been instructed to refer any violators of the directive to the appropriate disciplinary committees.

The statement concluded with a rallying call for unity: Let us uphold the values of the NPP and work together to rebuild a stronger party for the future.
A chorus of both cheers and boos echoed in the Small Hall at the Sweetwater Events Complex last Saturday afternoon when U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman stood up in front of the crowd. The mixed responses continued as she addressed the hundreds of people who gathered for her town hall event, with supporters praising her work and cheering her words while protestors raised signs and yelled out disagreement.

"I'm perfectly happy to have all of you here, but you're not going to do heckler speech to stop me from engaging with the people who came to hear me," Hageman told the protesters at the beginning of the town hall as they began to yell out reactions while she spoke.

Throughout the event, however, the strong response from the crowd continued, with Hageman at one point telling a protester they should just yell when the supporters in the audience cheered, and later telling protesters that she would answer their question, adding "but you have to shut up." Audience members also yelled at one another throughout the event, including telling each other to "shut up," and complained of not being able to hear what Hageman was saying.

During the town hall, Rep. Hageman also asked Joe Barbuto, the Wyoming Democratic Party Chair, to join her at the podium for a moment. She noted that she's worked with him before even though they disagree, and she thinks he's "doing a good job leading the Democratic Party," but she asked him for support in being able to speak.

"I'm going to ask you to show me some respect and to show all the other people in this room some respect as to why I'm here," Hageman said. "I came here to talk to people about what is going on."

"Madame Representative, the miscalculation I think you're making is that the people upset with you here are only Democrats. That's not true," Barbuto replied. "We can have a respectful dialogue.... We want to hear what you have to say. We want to hear what you're working on. We don't need the rhetoric.... Tell us where you stand on the issues, tell us what you're going to do, and then give us plenty of time to ask questions."

Some of the topics Hageman addressed during the town hall included praising the Laken Riley Act for being the first bill signed into law by President Donald Trump, explaining the budget resolution being worked on by Congress, sharing which committees and subcommittees she's part of, and describing some of the bills she's introduced and supported, such as the Seventh Amendment Restoration Act. Hageman also discussed specific issues she's been working on. She said she has been "championing legislation that is specific to Wyoming," including addressing the coal moratorium and pushing back against the Rock Springs and Buffalo Resource Management Plans. Having met with local elected officials earlier in the day, Hageman said they had a good conversation and that things are moving in a "great direction" in order to protect industries, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, recreation and wildlife. She also addressed her efforts to ensure that the U.S. Postal Service maintains rural delivery and keep a processing and distribution center in Wyoming.

During the question and answer portion of the town hall, some of the questions asked related to local mine safety, the impact of trade wars on prices, cuts to services for veterans, support for school lunch programs, the future of the Department of Education, funding for mental health support, concerns about social security, accountability for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), support for railroad workers, and the future of recreation and public lands.

For many people's concerns, Hageman explained that things they are worried about aren't actually happening, such as saying that 83,000 Veterans Affairs employees aren't being laid off and social security is not being cut.

"I'm telling you the truth," Hageman responded when audience members accused her of lying.

Many in the audience were not satisfied with Hageman's responses, including Marshal Cummings, the union president of United Steelworkers Local 13214. During the town hall, Cummings asked Hageman about the plan for DOGE to cut the Mine Safety and Health Administration Green River Field Office. Hageman responded that the process to remove the Green River Field Office started under the last administration and was not done by DOGE. Cummings, however, said he has spoken to both the Green River Field Office and the Denver Field Office, and they were unaware of the cut until recently. The cut is also listed on the DOGE website as a effort to save over $45,000 a year.

With a mixture of support and frustration, the town hall discussion ended after an hour, with many protesters staying to hold their signs as people dispersed.

"I think everywhere she's gone in the state so far, she's run into something similar, as far as demonstrations about what's happening," Joe Barbuto commented about Hageman's town hall events. "And I hope that does have an effect," he added.

Barbuto commented that the town halls shouldn't just be a "victory lap" for Hageman to hear from supporters.

"She doesn't only represent people who agree with her view," he said. "She represents everyone in the state of Wyoming. We're all her constituents, and so she needs to make sure she sees what we have to say and hears what we have to say at events like this."

Some local elected officials, however, expressed frustration over the way people acted during the town hall, including Commissioner Island Richards, who attended the event.

"I would like to remind people that there are time, place, and manner restrictions on the first amendment rights to petition their government," Richards said. "It doesn't give you the unlimited right to disrupt or interfere with either official or unofficial proceedings and to prevent others from having their voices heard."
Burdick Nelson Seminole Sr., 59, of Riverton, Wyoming, was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and causing death with a firearm during a crime of violence, each count to run concurrently; plus, an additional 10 years imprisonment for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Feb. 27 in Casper. The court also ordered Seminole to pay $4,521.09 in restitution and a $300 special assessment.

Seminole was convicted of first-degree murder after a four-day trial on Nov. 15, 2024. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in the early morning of Aug. 8, 2023, Seminole drove to the victims residence, entered the residence without permission, and confronted the victim. An argument ensued and Seminole left the residence to retrieve a pistol and reentered the residence, where he continued to argue with the victim, who was sitting in his wheelchair. Seminole pistol-whipped the victim and shot him three times. In response, another resident shot at Seminole, hitting him in the back of the neck, causing him to flee. Seminole drove himself to the hospital and was diagnosed with a minor flesh wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs Wind River Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy, strengthening PSN on the basis of these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
School administration pledges to comply with investigation and eliminate all programs that promote differential treatment

The University of Wyoming has cut ties with a project that landed it on a list of 45 universities under federal investigation for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs, the school announced Friday.

The announcement came hours after the U.S. Department of Education said it had launched the investigations amid allegations that these institutions have violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act . by partnering with The Ph.D. Project. The federal agency described the project as an organization that purports to provide doctoral students with insights into obtaining a Ph.D. and networking opportunities, but limits eligibility based on the race of participants.

The Department of Education launched the investigations a month after it issued a Dear Colleague letter giving institutions a two-week deadline to comply with the Trump administrations interpretation of civil rights law. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has taken broad steps to eliminate diversity and inclusion efforts from government and public institutions.

The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nations educational institutions, the letter stated. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.

The university will comply with the investigation and was already looking into the Ph.D Projects alleged race-exclusionary approach, UW spokesperson Chad Baldwin wrote in a statement.

The universitys College of Business has been a partner in the program as a way to increase its pipeline of graduate students, Baldwin wrote.

When the Wyoming Legislature passed a law prohibiting the university from engaging in diversity, equity and inclusion programs, Baldwin wrote that UW in May 2024 eliminated its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and began a comprehensive review of university practices to eliminate those that promote differential treatment of individuals or classify people on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity or national origin.

That review flagged the Ph.D. Project and led UW to discontinue that relationship, Baldwin said.

Political response

That was deeply disappointing to UW alumna Karlee Provenza, a Democrat who represents Laramie in the Wyoming House.

My education at the University of Wyoming was incredible, and I benefited from being around all different kinds of people, said Provenza, who got her Ph.D in social psychology with an emphasis on psychology and the law.

Theyre creating a boogeyman, and theyre setting up hysteria and manufactured rage to try and take down public education, Provenza said of the Trump-directed investigation. So when the government comes to dismantle education, the University of Wyoming shows its colors by saying, okay, thats fine, instead of standing up and saying, We have done a damn good job here, and were going to continue to do a good job, and you can rip our education out from our cold, dead hands.

Thats what leadership would look like. But theres apparently no leadership at the University of Wyoming.

Republican state lawmakers have been pushing the university to roll back its diversity initiatives, barring the school from spending state dollars on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Last year, administrators closed UWs Office of Multicultural Affairs, which has existed for 30 years, replacing it with the Pokes Center for Community Resources. Officials also closed UWs DEI office, though some of its programs were moved to other areas of the university.

Lawmakers werent convinced that went far enough, and they passed multiple bills during the recently completed session intended to combat DEI programs. Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed one bill that sought to enact restrictions on curriculum requirements at UW and Wyomings community colleges while also barring DEI-related activity within government. The governor said the measure introduces ill-defined and overly broad restrictions, creates significant legal ambiguities and risks unintended consequences that could negatively impact Wyomings higher education institutions and workforce development. He signed a second measure, House Bill 147, that bars government agencies from participating in DEI programs, the Sheridan Press reported.

Governor Gordon is pleased that the University is cooperating with the investigation and that it has already taken steps to identify and review its programs that may involve race-exclusionary practices, the governors spokesman Michael Pearlman told WyoFile in a statement Friday. The Governor is confident that the University will make every effort to ensure full compliance with both federal and state laws, including this years House Bill 147 when it goes into effect on July 1.

Among the other 44 schools being investigated by the Trump administration are Boise State University, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Montana State University-Bozeman.

Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. We will not yield on this commitment.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
7/11/1966 - 3/17/25

Allen Tuttle, 58, a beloved member of the Green River community, passed away peacefully Monday, March 17, 2025 at Mission as Castle Rock Rehabilitation in Green River, Wyoming. He was a resident of Green River for the last 49 years.

Mr. Tuttle was born on July 11, 1966, in Ogden, Utah; the son of Norman Tuttle and Maryellen Barnes. Allen brought joy and kindness to all who knew him throughout his life.

Allen's early years were spent in Wyoming, where he attended local schools and graduated from Green River High School in 1985.

His career included ten dedicated years as an Operator at OCI and eight years in maintenance for Sweetwater County School District #2, where he left a lasting impact with his work ethic and comradery.

A true outdoorsman, Allen had a passion for hunting, fishing, and riding his Harley. He found joy in watching western movies and cherished every moment spent with children, bringing smiles and laughter to their lives.

Allen is survived by his loving wife, Dawn Renae Tuttle, of Idaho Falls, Idaho; his devoted father, Norman Tuttle, of Elko, Nevada; and his cherished son, Trevor Tuttle, and wife Michelle of Rock Springs, Wyoming. He also leaves behind his step-son, Bradly Draper, and his step-daughter, Tenisha Wood, and husband Justin, both of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Allen was a proud grandfather to Zefene, Xavier, Gabriel, Trenton, and Luna, who brought immense happiness to his life. Allen shared a special bond with his siblings: brothers Joe Tuttle and wife Scarlett of Elko, Nevada; Kevin Tuttle and wife Shelly of Spring Creek, Nevada; and sisters Marianne Stacey and husband Rod of Green River, Wyoming; and Heather Booth and husband Jim of Spring Creek, Nevada. He is also survived by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews who will remember him fondly.

Preceded in death by his mother, his maternal and paternal grandparents, and two uncles, Allen now joins them in eternal peace.

Graveside Services and Interment will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 24, 2025 at Riverview Cemetery, Green River, Wyoming.

The Tuttle family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Allen's memory be sent to Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation, 1445 Uinta Drive, Green River, Wyoming, 82935.

Condolences may be shared with the family online at http://www.vasefuneralhomes.com.

Allen's warmth, love, and friendly spirit will be dearly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His legacy of kindness and generosity will continue to inspire and guide those he leaves behind.
5/5/1987 - 3/12/25

Cameron James Elkin, a loving husband, devoted family man, and cherished friend, passed away tragically on March 12, 2025, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, following an accidental fall at home, he passed away later at the hospital. He was born on May 5, 1987, in Raton, New Mexico. His personality was as vibrant as the day he was born on Cinco de Mayo, a day marked by celebrations of resilience and adaptability, which resonated beautifully with his own outlook on life, perfectly mirroring the spirit he brought to every aspect of his life.

He leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the hearts of many. Cameron was married to his adoring wife, Erin, for ten beautiful years, a relationship that flourished over their 20 plus years together. Their connection was a remarkable testament to love's power, filled with laughter, commitment, and adventure. Cameron was recognized not only for his unwavering support of Erin but also for the genuine joy he shared with family and friends. Cameron loved being a BIG brother to Kevin. They had a very special bond, that included Cameron's role as playmate, protector and fun brother. They were always there for each other. His boundless energy and ability to connect with those around him made every gathering brighter, and every moment shared more meaningful.

Cameron dedicated his professional life to E-commerce Fraud Prevention as a Supervisor, where his diligence, fairness, empathy and consistency earned the respect and appreciation of his colleagues. With a Bachelor's degree in Business and Marketing from the University of Wyoming. He navigated his career with intellect and poise, ever committed to helping others.

An avid outdoorsman, Cameron's weekends were often spent exploring the Vedauwoo Recreation Area, where hiking was but one of the many joys he experienced alongside beloved family and friends. He loved pheasant hunting with his dog, Scout, and relished quiet moments fishing, especially fly fishing alongside his father, where the whispers of the water and the thrill of the catch forged deeper bonds. Cameron embraced the wonders of nature and his passion for the great outdoors was infectious. He enjoyed hunting elk, deer, and antelope across the rugged beauty of Wyoming. Snowboarding with Erin and friends added another layer of excitement to his adventurous spirit. Cameron and Erin loved traveling together to so many places. Together they painted their world with love and laughter. Cameron adored spending time with Erin, whether it was snowboarding down the slopes, hiking the scenic trails, or simply enjoying each other's company in quiet moments. They were partners in life, and their bond was a testament to enduring love.

His vibrant personality was a blend of kindness, intelligence, and strength; he was a man with a warm smile, ever ready for an interesting conversation or for a spontaneous adventure. Those who were fortunate enough to know him will remember his joyful disposition, his talent and interest in many sports. Whether reminiscing with family, or striking up a conversation with anyone, he had an unparalleled gift for making people feel welcome and cherished. He was more than a friend; he was a confidant, a mentor, and someone who helped others see the beauty in life's little moments. He had a love of playing all types of games with his family and friends. He enjoyed trying new recipes and cooking, especially all types of spicy foods, he had the ability to tolerate and enjoy the hottest flavors.

Cameron is survived by his devoted wife, Erin Elkin; his parents, John and Ailene Elkin; his brother, Kevin Elkin; his mother-in-law, Julie Toman; his Uncle and Aunt, Harry and Sherri Elkin; his Uncle's Clinton Bugg and Jeff Nucey; Uncle and Aunt, Paul and Cindy Berry; Great Uncle and Aunt, Clifford and Mary Madison; Great Aunt, Barbara Cast; numerous cousins and lifelong friends each touched by his love, kindness and warmth.

He joins the beloved family members who have departed; Grandparents, Harry and Betty Elkin (Marakis); Grandparents, Jim and Doris Bugg (Foote); Aunt, Gerrie Perry (Elkin). While their absence is deeply felt, their spirts live on as guardians of Cameron's legacy.

Cameron James Elkin was a wonderful baby, child, teenager, and adult, he was a pleasure to raise and be with as he became a remarkable man. His laughter, kindness and passion for life transcended everyday moments and cultivated bonds that will endure eternally. He filled our lives with laughter, joy and fun. His life was a tapestry woven from love, adventure, and laughter, and while we mourn his passing, we celebrate the vibrant spirt he radiated and the indelible marks he left on our hearts.

DEAR CAMERON, YOU WILL BE PROFOUNDLY MISSED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN.

Please join us for an informal Celebration of Life on Saturday June 14, 2025, at the Expedition Island Pavillion in Green River Wyoming from 1:00pm to 9:00pm. The family will have food provided and refreshments will be available. A Dj will be providing music. Please come celebrate Cameron's life and share your memories.

The family respectfully request donations be made in Camerons memory to Cheyenne or Green River Wyoming Animal Shelter or Humane Society; Cameron loved all animals, especially his beloved dogs.

Please also plant a tree or something and as it grows and thrives to remember Cameron.

In the gentle shadows of sadness that accompany his passing, we take solace in the vibrant memory of Cameron-an individual whose love and laughter painted the canvas of countless lives, whose spirit of adventure ignited inspiration in others, and whose legacy will forever resonate in the hearts of those he left behind. As we remember Cameron James Elkin, we celebrate a life so well-lived, a spirit so brightly shone, and a love that will remain everlasting.
Local medical professionals volunteer in Jamaica

Green River Registered Nurse Cornellie Squires, Dentist Bryce Castillon, Dental Assistant Ashley Castillon, and Volunteer Myron Kippen recently completed a medical mission trip in conjunction with the organization Joshua Mission in Negril, Jamaica.

The trip, lasting seven days, consisted of four and a half clinic days and a day and a half to set up and tear down.

Squires, who was on her third trip with Joshua Mission, primarily assisted with wellness exams to acute injuries. In four days, the medical unit saw 492 patients with a variety of illnesses.

"Medical wise, we see that there are many people who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or blood sugar issues," Squires explained. "It's not uncommon to see a person in their early 20s who has already had a stroke. We do tests for all as well as ekgs for heart issues. Joshua Mission brings prescription medication that is given out by health care providers. This year we had one orthopedist, one internal medicine, and five nurse practitioners and one mental health counselor. Other staff consisted of nurses, EMTs, as well as other help."

When asked what the biggest challenge they faced while working in the clinic, Squires said there never seems to be enough volunteers to help the people.

"Such an underserved area with little access to health care, let alone free health care," she said.

Squires noted significant differences in health practices compared to our healthcare here in the United States.

"It's hard for people to get specialty care or testing," she said. "Patients have no money for physician visits or follow up. They wait for us to come back the next year to access help. Patients line up for hours before we open to get care."

Squires said the most surprising thing she learned about the local culture was that religion is a huge part of their culture. As an example, it's rare to find someone who smokes because it is against their religion.

Squires also noted that while most Jamaicans speak English, there were some individuals who are deaf, so it would be helpful to have someone who knows sign language.

Squires said she had many memorable interactions with patients.

"This is my third year going," she explained. "They remember you and your name and seek you out to tell you how grateful they are for the care. They are so proud to show you how much they have improved."

Squires also mentioned that the most rewarding part of connecting with the local people was the gratitude they showed.

"It's such a humbling experience to see so many grateful people," she added. "Most rely on rainwater in their homes, no running water or inside bathrooms. Yet they are very clean and dressed in their best clothing to be seen. In Jamaica lingo, they say 'No problem' when it takes hours to be seen."

Reflecting on the overall experience, Squires said that serving a medical mission makes her want to learn more about different cultures and medicine to help better understand people and their needs. She also discussed how important education was as part of the trip.

"Education is huge, teaching people about how to control their disease process when they run out of medication," she explained. "The Joshua Mission gives them about three month's supply of medication, and they figure out a way to make this last until next year."

Green River Resident Myron Kippen also attended the trip for a second time, volunteering to set up and tear down, and acting as a runner to get supplies. Squires stressed how important Kippen is to the mission overall.

"Most important, he is the greeter outside that encourages people to come inside," she explained. "We could never do this without him."

On the dental side of Joshua Mission, Dr. Bryce Castillon and Dental Assistant Ashley Castillon spoke about the primary needs of the patient they saw.

"Their primary dental needs were extractions," they explained. "Patients had toothaches and abscessed teeth. Many of the elderly patients needed their necrotic teeth extracted so that they could get dentures in the future."

Ashley Castillon said the dental clinic saw 150 patients and extracted nearly 300 teeth in four days. Three of the four days they worked approximately eight hours, and then had a fourth day of 11 hours.

"There were 35-40 patients each day," she said. "People would be lined up before we even arrived, and some would wait all day in hopes that we would have time to squeeze more patients in. We typically saw the children first so that they could get to school."

As for qualifications, Ashley explained that dentists and hygienists had to be vetted and cleared by the Jamaican government, submitting the necessary documentation months in advance.

The Castillons also said that it was important for the Joshua Mission volunteers to support the local economy.

"As a volunteer group we supported local restaurants, walked along the beaches, had locals who would drive the bus for us and who also worked at the clinics," Ashely said. "We were able to experience Jamaican cuisine and music. Upon completion of the week, the Joshua Mission provided the group with a dinner/reception where they shared the accomplishments of the week with the medical and dental teams. There was also a Rotary Club group with us who were able to paint a local medical clinic throughout the week and help reorganize the clinic."

Ashley also explained how the Joshua Mission tries to ensure the sustainability of the dental care provided beyond the mission trip, but that it can be difficult.

"The dental hygiene team returns to the clinic three to four times a year," she said. "We can't continue to follow up with the patients once we are gone. Many do not have phones or ways for us to get in touch with them. However, as the patients would leave antibiotics and pain medication were provided as needed."

When asked about the long-term goals of Joshua Mission in Jamaica, Ashley replied that main goal of the program is to assist the Negril locals with basic medical and dental care, also explaining that this was the first year that dental teams had joined, and the need was great.

"The goal is to care for patients who are unable to afford care with their local providers," she explained. "Next door to where we were housed for the week was a free clinic for wound care, basic primary physician needs, etc., and every day there was a line of people waiting to be seen."

One of the ways that the Castillons were able to make a lasting impact was by providing other dentists with information on how to make things more efficient not only in Jamaica, but on dental mission trips as a whole. They were also able to work with the Rotary Club to donate the Joshua Mission group some money to buy a handheld x-ray unit. Dr. Castillon was also able to assist with purchasing of the unit and getting it to Jamaica.

Anyone interested in more information on the Joshua Mission can visit thejoshuamissioninc.org.
University of Guam SEAS Island Alliance students have returned home with new experiences, stories, and connections after attending a three-day Island Summit in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The event brought together over 90 students, mentors, and staff from Guahan, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, providing a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss their journeys in science, technology, engineering and math, STEM.

This year, five students from Guahan studying biology, ethnobotany, marine biology, and engineering attended the Island Summit in the U.S. Virgin Islands, together with their faculty mentors.

The National Science Foundation, NSF, SEAS Islands Alliance advances STEM education and workforce development across diverse, ocean-connected communities. This Alliance fosters island-specific research, strengthens cultural identity, and promotes environmental and biocultural preservation and restoration.

A unique aspect of SEAS is its diverse STEM pathways with programs serving high school, community college students from our region, and undergraduate students at our university, with support to Ph.D and early career, while ensuring a variety of support in their academic journey.

Mentorship

Each student works with a UOG faculty research mentor. In addition, students interact with a near-peer mentor, Cheryl Sangueza, PhD, a professor in education, who prepares undergraduate students to mentor high school students in the summer, fostering a cycle of support and leadership.

This layered mentoring ensures continuous support.

Taking care of each other and paying it forward becomes natural for us through this experience, Cyril Concepcion, an engineering student, said.

Students engage in research and attend conferences like the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, and the Conference on Island Sustainability in Guahan, gaining exposure to STEM fields and science communication skills.

Island Summit

The 2025 Island Summit allowed students to reflect on how SEAS has shaped their academic and personal growth, strengthening their connection to science and their island heritage.

Through SEAS, students engaged in ocean and environmental science, rooted in Indigenous epistemology. The students shared this place-based learning experience and created a space where they felt rooted in their culture and empowered to contribute to island-specific solutions.

Building connections with other islanders who face similar environmental and political island specific challenges, motivated students to continue their journey.

During this trip, I went to dinner with a friend from the U.S Virgin Islands whom I met at the SEAS Bridge to PhD program, said Anela Duenas, a biology student, highlighting the programs ability to build lasting personal and professional connections.

Science communication

Science communicators play a crucial role in documenting student journeys, while also helping students build confidence by sharing their experiences.

Sharing my experience in front of a bigger audience and summarizing our groups brainstorm session felt empowering, Mak Dela Cruz, a biology student, said. It helps me see the value of our perspectives and contributions, while also strengthening my ability to communicate science effectively.

Dela Cruz was my mentee and interned at our UOG Island Conservation Lab. Seeing her grow in her academic career while weaving in her passion for art, plants, and people has been truly inspiring.

The third day of the Island Summit provided a unique opportunity for faculty and leadership to engage in meaningful, in-person discussions about the future of research across our island communities.

Conversations focused on the importance of continued, island-connected research, and led to concrete research areas ideas across the three island communities.

These discussions highlighted a clear path forward for building stronger partnerships and collaborations. We are excited to move forward with these initiatives and look forward to working together to address regional challenges. This collaborative spirit will undoubtedly foster the growth of innovative solutions that benefit our entire island community.

Students visited the coral and mangrove labs and nurseries at the University of the Virgin Islands, and visited coastal habitats in St. Thomas, the main island. One evening, we all took a ferry to the island St. John to enjoy some local food.

Lasting Impact

Over the last five years, SEAS has impacted hundreds of students, providing them with the mentorship, opportunities, and support needed for success in STEM. This years Island Summit demonstrated SEAS commitment to developing future island scientists and leaders.

We want to thank Kristin Wilson Grimes, PhD, and the U.S. Virgin Island SEAS team for their hospitality.

Special thanks and acknowledgement to the UOG Grant Leadership, Austin Shelton, PhD (PI), Cheryl Sangueza, PhD (Co-PI), and Else Demeulenaere, PhD (Co-PI), along with the Capacity Building Team, for their dedication to the program and continuous support for our students.
Sister Francis Marie Blas, who served with the Sisters of Mercy on Guam for 75 years, died on March 13, according to the Archdiocese of Agana. She was 91.

"She returns to our loving Creator as the Universal Church celebrates the Jubilee Year of Hope. May Jesus receive her soul and present her to the God she served so faithfully and with so much love throughout all her religious life," the archdiocese said in a release sent on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy.

Blas was the fourth of 13 children born to Atanacio Albino Blas and Concepcion Lujan Toves Blas.

"She was a prayerful person and was rarely seen without her rosary beads in her hands. She knelt or sat for long periods of time in the chapel, honoring and praising her God, and saying her favorite novenas. She loved her Sisters in community, working with the little children in the schools, and treasured her prayer life," the archdiocese said.

Blas and her companions began their journey with the Sisters of Mercy on July 2, 1950. She took on the name Sister Francis Marie at her reception on Aug. 14, 1951.

She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1977 from the University of Guam. She spent a year of spiritual renewal from 1992 to 93 at Wholistic Growth Resources in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Blas served as a teacher for 10 years at Santa Barbara School in Dededo, another 10 years at Cathedral Grade School in Hagatna, prior to its merger with Bishop Baumgartner Catholic School, three years at San Francisco de Borja School in Rota, and a shorter time at St. Anthony School in Tamuning.

She also ministered to youngsters at Infant of Prague Nursery in Tai for a number of years.

She also taught CCD in Asan, Hagatna, Dededo, Inalahan, Mongmong, Toto, Tamuning, Tumon, Piti, Maina, Yigo, Rota and Wake Island.

Most recently, she was engaged in the Prayer Ministry while residing at the Mercy Care Center in Oka, Tamuning.

Mass and Rosary are being said at St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church until March 21. Rosary, followed by the Stations of the Cross, begins at 5:15 p.m. Weekday Mass is at 6 p.m.

Last respects may be paid on Wednesday, March 26, at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica in Hagatna.

Visitation is from 8:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. in the Conference Center; Mass of Christian Burial is at 11:30 a.m. in the main church of the Cathedral-Basilica.

Interment will be at Pigo Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 27.
Defense attorney David Lujan on Thursday asked for a pause in a federal bingo proceeds case so he could travel to get surgery.

Defendants Michael Marasigan, Jose Arthur D. Chan and Christine C. Chan are accused of various conspiracy charges, including fraud and 61 counts of money laundering. Federal agents alleged that from March 2015 to December 2021, the defendants conspired to operate an illegal gambling business involving bingo games sponsored by the Guam Shrine Club.

District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood was apprised of Lujans medical condition Thursday. Lujan represents Marasigan and is the lead counsel of the four defense attorneys in the case.

Lujan said he had been putting off a procedure for some time but can no longer bear the pain. He asked the court for an indefinite continuance of the trial so he could meet with his doctors and get treatment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marivic David objected. The court indicated that Michael Phillips, co-counsel for Marasigan, was able and competent. But Phillips said that Lujan would cross-examine the governments star witness, and would also deliver closing arguments in the trial.

Tydingco-Gatewood, who has pushed for trial efficiency, instructed attorneys to file briefs citing case law where facts are similar to this one. She told attorneys William Gavras and Joseph Razzano, representing Christine Chan and Arthur Chan, respectively, to also file briefs in support of maintaining Lujan as lead counsel for Marasigan.

She issued a demanding schedule for the rest of the day and night: defense briefs by 2:30 p.m., government response by 6:30 p.m. and replies by 9 p.m. She said she would issue a decision on Friday.

Alfredo Leon Guerrero, the first of the defendants to sign a plea agreement, is expected to testify for the government. Other former co-defendants who signed plea deals  Minda San Nicolas and Juanita Capulong  are also expected to testify.

Phillips asked for a one-week continuance, based on tentative plans for Lujan to leave on Monday and return in time to restart the trial March 31.

The jurors were excused and instructed to return at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Phillips also filed a motion for a mistrial on Thursday.

He cited structural error in the trial, and alluded to it when the judge announced the courts plans for jury selection. She planned to fill the court with half the jury prospects the first day and the second half the second day. He asked her to reserve a few seats for the public and media who wished to attend; the judge declined and said a TV monitor broadcasting the proceedings would be running in an adjacent room.

Phillips argued in his motion that a monitor next door was not good enough. While the court may close criminal proceedings in rare circumstances to protect individuals other than the accused, he said those circumstances are not present in this case involving bingo operations.
Hundreds of pages of documents were admitted into evidence on Wednesday in the bingo proceeds case involving Michael L. Marasigan, Jose Arthur D. Chan, Jr. and Christine C. Chan in federal court.

It was an uneventful Day 2 of the trial as Assistant U.S. Attorney Marivic David has yet to address the elements of the alleged crime.

The trio stands accused of various conspiracy charges, including money laundering and fraud.

Instead, the government spent Day 2 of the trial calling various witnesses to the stand and getting various documents, certificates and bank statements admitted into court.

Witness Jennifer Untalan from the Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation picked up where she left off on Tuesday, then spent the next two and a half hours discussing bingo, fundraising and raffle/lottery permits.

David called two more witnesses before lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon establishing business documents for the Guam Shrine Club, and entering into evidence tax forms for the Guam Shrine Club from 2015 to 2021.

The last witness to take the stand, Aurora Pimentel from BankPacific, was shown two binders, and asked to identify the documents contained within. The first binder had 333 pages of signature cards, checks and statements. The second binder had 447 pages.

District Court Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood was ready to call it a day right before 4 p.m. and David said she had one more witness, one she thought could be done in six minutes, so the judge allowed it.

While doing so, defense attorney Joseph Razzano, representing Jose Arthur Chan offered, "Unless we stipulate?" meaning the defense accepts what the witness would present. A quick discussion with the rest of the defense team and it was settled.

Day 3 of the trial starts at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
A former Department of Public Health and Social Services employee who stole more than $100,000 in federal food stamp benefits signed a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's office.

Natasha Peredo Vitug agreed to plead guilty to theft concerning a program receiving federal funds.

Her charge is a class C felony that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail, $250,000 fine and no more than three years supervised release.

Vitug, while employed at Public Health as an eligibility specialist, used her special access to the DPHSS system to unlawfully re-apply for benefits in the names of program beneficiaries who had left Guam or otherwise terminated their participation in the programs.

She had done so without the beneficiaries knowledge or consent, according to the indictment.

As part of the agreement, the government agrees to recommend that Vitug be sentenced at the low end of the guidelines for her offense. She may also be sentenced to pay restitution, which the attorneys have agreed would be $149,993.

The U.S. also agrees to move to dismiss other counts in the case, including wire fraud, unauthorized use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, benefits, and use of identification in furtherance of fraud.

Vitug is accused of obtaining fraudulent benefits between February 2013 and November 2019.

She was indicted in December 2018 on charges of impersonation identity theft, unauthorized use of benefits, fraudulent use of public assistance, and official misconduct.

She pleaded guilty in October 2019 and was sentenced to three years in jail, although all of that time was suspended. As part of the deal, the prosecution agreed not to charge Vitug for other cases involving two co-defendants.

The indictment said that Vitug periodically re-applied for SNAP benefits and re-affirmed false representations in the name of former program participants.

As part of the scheme, Vitug manipulated accounts in order to increase the amount of benefits issued, and obtained those benefits for her own use.

She used the names and personal information of others to carry out her scheme, said the indictment, violating more federal laws.

She was arrested July 2, 2024 and the following day, she pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Attorney Thomas Tom Fisher, with one term as senator and over 30 years of legal practice under his belt, confirmed he will run for attorney general in 2026.

Fisher said he started his legal career in public service, serving as a Navy judge advocate and then a local prosecutor before moving into private practice.

As I come to the end of the career, I just want to continue in public service, he told the Pacific Daily News Wednesday.

Fisher served one term as a Republican senator in the 37th Guam Legislature, but came in 20th in a 2024 reelection bid.

He distanced himself from the Republican caucus in December, ahead of the announcement of his run for the nonpartisan AGs office.

He now has a Fisher for Guam 2026 sign riding in the bed of his truck.

Fisher will face off with at least one opponent in 2026, attorney Peter Santos with the Alternate Public Defender. Santos ran as a write-in in 2022, and announced plans to run again as early as 2023.

Incumbent Attorney General Douglas Moylan has yet to firm up any plans for a reelection bid.

Beef up prosecution

Fisher on Wednesday said the obvious target for him to hit, if elected, is to beef up the Office of the Attorney Generals prosecution division.

The prosecution division right now...the turnover is just extraordinary over there. And, as a result, its lost what used to be almost an incubator for litigators. This is where you learn your chops, Fisher said. I want to see it returned to a place in which the prosecutors are proud of the work theyre doing. Also the prosecutors will feel free to make mistakes.

He said he also wants to make the idea of methamphetamine use revolting for the public.

Besides treatment courts, punishment should be assured for those who use the drug.

You have to make people afraid that if theyre caught with crystal methamphetamine, if its simple possession, its zero to three years. Well, you have to count on the fact that you are going to do one year in jail, Fisher said.

But the former prosecutor also belies that judges can make the call on whether defendants, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty, should be allowed back out on the street before trial.

Are we just going to drop the presumption and just lock them up until their trial, always? I dont think that that serves the community, Fisher said.

He added that the conditions at the Department of Corrections are easily one of the worst in the nation, and that the AG should enforce the law and ensure those locked up are treated humanely.

Civil litigation, corruption

Fisher said he also wants to see a bigger push for the AGs office to pursue civil litigation to enforce Guams laws and recover public money thats been misused.

Why doesnt the attorney general act on these findings and recommendations of the Office of Public Accountability? Fisher asked.

But the AGs office should be more vigorous about advising agencies and getting involved in procurement ahead of time, to ensure that the law is followed, he added, instead of pouncing on every case as a matter of corruption.

Does it happen on certain levels? Yes. Where it gets discovered? We prosecute, Fisher said.

On the Mangilao hospital project, Fisher said he does not see the alleged illegalities in the project now raised by AG Moylan in a federal court lawsuit.

Fisher said the AGs office should be supporting the hospital project, given the islands needs, not hindering it.

The idea of eminent domain and land condemnation, governments do that all the time because there is a generalized good in using this piece of land. We all need it Fisher said.

Abortion, child support

If elected, Fisher said he would not try to enforce the 1990 abortion ban set out on Guam law, which has been tied up in federal courts since the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization rolled back constitutional protections for abortion.

Meddling in personal decisions is not one of the things I would be involved in, Fisher said.

He said he also wants to bring the child support division at the AGs office out of the cold.

I want to see it operating in a way that inspires competence in the men and women who are anticipating child support, he said.
Residents are asked to conserve power use and be on the lookout for possible load shedding as of Thursday, March 20, with emergency repairs still ongoing with several of Guam Power Authoritys aging generators, according to GPA.

GPA acknowledges that these outages are an inconvenience and thanks the community for its continued patience and understanding during these challenging times, the utility stated in a news release.

GPA reported pockets of load shedding on several days last week, with several generators offline for repairs or running at limited capacity.

This week, residents in Yigo and Dededo reported outages in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

GPA in a Thursday news release advised that the island will remain vulnerable to load shedding until the new 198-megawatt Ukudu power plant comes fully online in September.

Residents may see power go at at the top of the hour in line with GPAs load shedding schedule, as a last resort.

As of Wednesday, some generators that went out last week are back up, but others went down for repairs, according to GPAs release.

Heres the latest, as of March 19, according to GPA:

Baseload unit Cabras 2, out last week, returned to service on Saturday, March 15.

Piti 9, which saw limited capacity last week, is now offline to address high liner temperature issues. Repairs are expected to take a few days, then the unit goes through a running-in period before it could clear for full load.

Piti 7 is back online after going down last week, but is still operating at a limited capacity. The unit will be offline for preventative maintenance once Piti 9 repairs have been completed.

Piti 8 has completed repairs, and is going through a running-in process. The unit is expected to be cleared for full load.

To increase capacity and assist with generation shortfall, GPA is working with its battery operators to shift up to 16 MWh of Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), GPA stated.

GPA is also requesting assistance from our U.S. Navy partners to help with additional capacity during peak hours. Guam Ukudu Power (GUP), GPAs partner for the Ukudu Power Plant provides limited support during peak hours when testing, it stated.

GPA continues to encourage its customers to conserve power from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and implement conservation measures such as turning off water heaters and limiting full usage of air conditioning at their homes and offices.

Enacting conservation plans reduces the demand for energy and can mitigate the need for outages, the utility stated.
If every household on the island is required to sign up for trash services, monthly trash rates could go down from $30 to $22.50, Guam Solid Waste Authority General Manager Irvin Slike told senators on Thursday.

A push to mandate that every Guam household sign up for trash collection services is back on the table at the 38th Guam Legislature, with a hearing on Sen. Sabina Perez Bill 30-38.

There are about 41,500 households that are eligible for trash pickup services, but only about 21,0000 households are actually enrolled, Slike said.

Whats happening with that is whats known in the industry as bin sharing, which is a form of theft of service. In other words, one or two families are sharing one bin, he said.

Solid Waste wants to get every household signed up so that it can help cover its expenses, including a capital equipment fund thats not been fully funded, according to Slike.

In the past, GSWA did not save for replacement of garbage trucks, leading to issues with breakdowns and repairs.

And if every household signs up, GSWA will be able to spread costs around and reduce residential rates from $30 a month to $22.50.

Slike had previously put forth a $27 a month proposal with $15 a month for low-income ratepayers.

But he said Thursday that under that model, GSWA would only be able to provide subsidies for about 8,000 households, exclusively Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, customers.

He told lawmakers that if the government wanted to subsidize low-income trash customers, it should not be at the cost of other ratepayers. Slike said some funding source should be identified for the project.

Slike also noted that customers can already get help with their trash bill through the federally funded Emergency Rental Assistance program.

In January, 25 people were taking full advantage of the program, he said. As of February, 14 people were.

We feel that the $22.50, if that was implemented, should not be a substantial burden on people, he said.

Low-income customers

The measure is similar to a bill that Perez introduced and senators passed last year.

But this new bill also addresses some of the concerns about low- and fixed-income residents that Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero raised when she vetoed the initial measure last year.

Bill 30-38 would create a Low-Income Customer Assistance Program that provides eligible customers a subsidized rate of either $15 or half of the standard residential rate, whichever is higher.

Those who would qualify are those eligible to receive any of the following:

SNAP or food stamps or Medicaid

Supplemental Security Income, SSI

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, WIC, benefits

Participate in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program

Is enrolled in a school that offers free breakfast or lunch through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility Provisions, or

Received a federal Pell Grant during the current award year

Like legislation passed last term, Bill 30-38 would allow the GSWA to identify households required to sign up using Guam Waterworks Authority billing information.

GSWA will be left to determine penalties for failing to sign up.

Households and residential units with private customers will be exempted.

238 solid waste complaints

Written testimony from Guam Environmental Protection Agency Director Michelle Lastimoza noted that Guam EPA responded to 238 solid waste complaints last year.

Of that number, about half had to deal with household waste accumulation.

Lastimoza stated that 80% of Guams EPA emergency responses with Guam Fire Department were related to illegal dump fires on public and private properties with excess trash accumulation.

Unemployed and low-income families often prioritize other expenses over trash disposal, she said.

Provisions for low-income customers in the bill would help deal with trash accumulation and prevent burning of household waste, she stated.

Slike added that putting a trash bin in front of every house on Guam would likely reduce illegal dumping.

Public Utilities Commission administrative law judge Fred Horecky, providing testimony for PUC Chairman Jeffrey Johnson, said it will be a benefit to all ratepayers on the island.

The establishment of such a plan will greatly assist the Guam Solid Waste Authority in meeting its financial obligations. It needs additional revenue, Horecky told lawmakers.

Right now, we have one group, the rate payers for solid waste that are paying for the entire collection in the system, but those that arent participating arent helping. And since utility service is something that benefits all the citizens of Guam, the cost should be borne by everyone, he said.

Horecky did comment that lawmakers should not mandate a trash collection plan, but leave it up to the PUC and Solid Waste to work it out, in accordance with current law.

Slike noted that GSWA will need another $4 million to buy 40,000 trash carts for islandwide collection.

Some $4 million in American Rescue Plan money meant for the purchase had to be used up last year, after the governor vetoed mandatory collection, he said. GSWA instead spent the funds on equipment and trucks.

If lawmakers dont provide the $4 million, the standard residential rate will have to stay at $30 for another two years to pay for the bins, Slike said.

Solid Waste may borrow from a $6 million fund that the receiver for the Ordot dump is holding on to, to cover the upfront cost.
Superior Court of Guam Magistrate Judge Jonathan R. Quan on Wednesday dismissed a nearly year-old eviction lawsuit filed against Science is Fun and Awesome, SIFA, Learning Academy Charter School by landlord Eagle Land Holdings LLC.

The Court finds...that Eagle Land Holdings failed to prove that it properly served SIFA with the statutorily required summons and therefore the Court hereby grants SIFAs Motion to Dismiss, Quan said in a March 19 order.

Quan, in his order, said he will not dismiss the case over the two other grounds that SIFA raised: statutory immunity, and insufficient pre-suit notice.

Eagle Land Holdings filed the complaint on April 25, 2024, seeking to evict SIFA from its property and to recover about $1.6 million in unpaid rent.

Since its inception in 2018, SIFA has had a contract to occupy the property where their school campus sits. Even though the contract expired on June 30, 2023, the school continues to operate and occupy the land.

It has been on a month-to-month arrangement since, against the landlords wishes.

We are happy with the decision to dismiss the case based on (Quans) insight. We are pleased with that, said Anthony J. Sunga, CEO of the academy. Our focus is how do we move forward into the next school year and in the years ahead, again, hoping to move past the litigation phase.

What started as an unlawful detainer or eviction case was interrupted by other factors.

SIFA attorney Michael Phillips first argued that SIFA was a government entity and therefore any claims had to follow the established Government Claims Act. Quan issued a decision that stated otherwise.

The eviction proceedings remained on the back burner as issues of jurisdiction arose, as well as a pending judgement on another motion by the defense to dismiss the case entirely.

Phillips based his motion on three grounds: statutory immunity from lawsuit, invalid pre-trial notice of its arrears and lastly, a failure to properly serve SIFA with a summons as required by law.

Quan shot down the first two arguments, the second one plausible because the landlord demanded more than one years rent, which would render the notice invalid.

But Quan said the law did not apply in this case, and in his research, actually fortified the landlords claim that SIFA was guilty of unlawful detainer.

In the end, it came down to a mystery signature.

The landlord said it had properly served a summons on the school, showing a signature on the date it was served. It further argued that since SIFA had attended every hearing, then the message was certainly conveyed.

But school officials could not recognize the signature. A proof of service filed with the court does not exist, Phillips argued.

Jon Ramos, attorney for the landlord, had a copy of the signed summons but not a proof of service filed within the court.

Ramos said at the time his client was prepared to deal with the courts decision, however it decides.

The plaintiffs...theyve been prejudiced. And they just want some kind of resolution in this matter, your honor, Ramos said.

Eagle Land Holdings originally operated not only as the schools landlord, but also as a vendor, providing various services such as meals, internet, equipment, and maintenance, according to a copy of the lease agreement.

The school has since absorbed those operations.

On the issue of back rent, Sunga said the school has yet to receive an invoice, which is required for the school to seek reimbursement from the Government of Guam. He said he is actively trying to negotiate with the landlord to determine what is owed and what is requested.

SIFA continues the current academic school year with an enrollment of about 500 middle school students, plus a waiting list of students who want to enroll. The school employs 52 people, half of whom are faculty teachers.

While the school continues to operate its curriculum focused on science, technology, engineering, art and math, STEAM, it has recognized areas where it needs improvement and change. The school is addressing a growing need to develop social emotional development for the student body, he said.
A federal judge has determined that American President Lines failed to show that Matson Navigation engaged in anticompetitive actions to achieve a monopoly on container shipping between the U.S. mainland and Guam.

U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia Christopher R. Cooper granted a summary judgment to Matson last week in an antitrust lawsuit filed by competitor APL.

Matson and APL are the only two companies that provide container shipping services between the mainland and Guam.

In 2011, Matson became the sole company providing this service with the departure of Horizon Lines. APL entered the market in 2015.

Matson is the dominant company in the market, handling roughly 70% of shipping volumes, according to court documents.

Matson attributes its leadership position to the companys superior service and business model. Matsons rates tend to be higher than APLs, but the record confirms that its service is usually faster and its delivery times are more reliable, court documents state.

In 2021, APL filed a lawsuit against Matson, saying the company wasnt dominant because of its service but because of its anticompetitive conduct that constitutes an attempt to achieve and to maintain its monopoly power.

Specifically, APL alleged that Matson:

 disparaged APL with customers, telling them that APL would soon lose Maritime Security Program subsidies and have to leave the market.

 created customer loyalty programs that forced shippers to use Matson.

 created restrictive long-term contracts with customers.

 ended long-running partnerships the two companies had in Alaska after APL entered the Guam market

 lobbied Congress to end Maritime Security Program payments for APL.

 offered APL capacity on its U.S.-Guam vessels to try to force APL out of the Guam market.

Matson asked for a summary judgment on APLs claims.

The court found that of the six allegations against Matson, APL has not produced sufficient evidence to show that any of this alleged conduct was exclusionary, court documents state.

In his 62-page decision, Cooper examines all six allegations and explains why APL failed to show that they caused harm to competition.

Because APL has not created a genuine issue of material fact regarding anticompetitive conduct, Matson is entitled to summary judgment on APLs monopolization claim, he wrote.
Congratulations to the leaders of the Freely Associated States on achieving a major milestone in the Compact of Free Association, COFA, agreement. Its commendable that they successfully negotiated substantial financial assistance from the United States.

Meanwhile, as U.S. citizens, we on Guam continue to face livelihood challenges with no similar negotiations on our behalf.

To my understanding, the FAS did not support Guams request to be included in the COFA negotiations. Instead, the new agreement provides nearly $400 million per year to the FAS, distributed as follows:

 Federated States of Micronesia: $3.3 billion

 Republic of the Marshall Islands: $2.3 billion

 Republic of Palau: $889 million

 Additional postal service allowance: $634 million

 Other supplemental assistance (amount to be determined)

This enhanced financial support underscores the United States ongoing commitment to its relationships with the FAS, aiming to promote long-term economic self-sufficiency across key sectors, including the environment, health, education, private sector development, and infrastructure.

And yet, Guam gets nothing. Zero. Instead, we are given CIFA, which applies only to FAS migrants, leaving Guam to shoulder the burden without direct compensation.

While millions flow to the FAS, our local government struggles with the overwhelming costs of health care, education, public safety, and social services tied to migration.

This will be my last post on this subject, until it becomes a hot issue again during election time. And we all know it will.




Haiti - Insecurity : Viv Ansanm multiplies attacks against Haitian media





In a memo, the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH) expresses its particular concern about the increase in armed attacks perpetrated by the terrorist organization "Viv Ansanm" against Haitian media outlets and journalists.



The RNDDH highlights that between March 12 and 16, 2025, at least three media outlets were attacked :



"During the night of March 12 to 13, 2025, in Port-au-Prince, the offices of Radiotelevision Caraibes (RTVC) on Chavannes Street were set on fire after being looted by armed bandits https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44471-haiti-flash-the-premises-of-rtvc-in-ruelle-chavannes-burned.html ; During the same night, still in Port-au-Prince, Radio Melodie F.M. was vandalized https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44477-haiti-news-zapping.html ;



During the night of March 15-16, 2025, in Delmas, the offices of Tele Pluriel were set on fire by individuals who, to gain entry, first broke through the TV station's main gate. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44498-haiti-news-zapping.html



The RNDDH recalls that since February 28, 2024, the terrorist organization "Viv Ansanm" has been sowing terror in the country, particularly in the West and Artibonite departments; and has been attacking the spoken, written, and televised media with impunity. "In one year, the offices of at least four media outlets have been vandalized, destroyed, and/or set on fire. At least two journalists have been killed, seven others have been shot and wounded, and one more has been kidnapped and held for ransom by armed bandits, all members of "Viv Ansanm."



On the afternoon of March 18, 2024, in Petion-Ville, journalist Lucien Jura, former Spokesperson for the Presidency, was kidnapped. He was not released until March 21, 2024. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41948-haiti-news-zapping.html ;



On the night of April 18-19, 2024, in Port-au-Prince, armed bandits began looting the offices of the newspaper Le Nouvelliste. They spent several days committing their crime, without any concern;



On December 24, 2024, journalists Marckenzy NATHOUX and Jimmy JEAN were killed by armed bandits as they were preparing to cover the reopening of the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH). Seven (7) other journalists were shot and injured that same day. They are: Robens PETION, Reginald BALTAZAR, Velondie MIRACLE, Florise DERONVIL, Jean-Jack ASPEGES, Jocelyn JUSTIN and Rosemond VERNET. They had all been invited by the then Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Duckenson Lorthe BLEMA, to attend the HUEH reopening ceremony, planned for the occasion https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-43918-haiti-flash-bloody-inauguration-at-the-general-hospital-videos.html



The RNDDH recalls that in October 2024, in a video, gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue, clearly threatened to attack the press and journalists, "promising to judge them for all the harm they do to the country." He then invited his criminal partners and henchmen to systematically attack the media, going so far as to name certain journalists.



"If no measures are immediately adopted by the transitional authorities to end the terror of the armed gangs, the rest of the West Department will fall into the hands of armed bandits [...]"



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Environment : Training on the processing and recovery of used tires





The Department of Environmental Education (DERE) of the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) launched a three-day training session (March 18, 19, and 20, 2025) on transforming used tires into useful objects. This initiative is part of the Ministry's efforts to raise awareness, educate, and train students, community organizations, support staff, and employees to encourage waste recovery.



Moise Fils Jean Pierre, the Minister of the Environment, opened the workshop, attended by Ministry employees, a representative from the Ministry of National Education, the consultant, and the DIY enthusiast responsible for the training, among others.



In his speech, the Minister emphasized the importance of this training, which aims to equip participants with the skills needed to transform tire waste into useful objects such as chairs, tables, trash cans, belts, and other practical accessories. According to the Minister, this initiative will help change the perception of used tires, which will no longer be considered bulky waste, but rather as a resource to be recovered.



Rony Horat, Director of DERE, emphasized the importance of environmental education in raising civic awareness about environmental degradation. He announced that this training will gradually be extended to NS4 students (formerly Retho and Philo) throughout the country, starting in the municipalities of Delmas, Tabarre, and Petion-ville. These young people, a key target in promoting eco-responsible behavior, will not only learn how to transform used tires into flower pots, planters, and other useful items, but also understand the principles of the circular economy.



During this workshop, Barsabbas Chery, program consultant, and Hugues Termius, a handyman, presented a classification of different types of waste, including organic, household, industrial, agricultural, and final waste. The artisan also presented his past projects and the practical work planned with the participants.



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





Haiti : Aruba Airlines Flights Temporarily Suspended

"On behalf of the team of Aruba Airlines, we would like to inform all our passengers traveling to Port au Prince that : Based on continued challenges in flying out of Port au Prince (PAP), unfortunately, the result will be the temporary suspension of flights out of Port au Prince until these challenges is remedied. We will continue to seek resolution as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we will be issuing FULL REFUNDS to our ticketed passengers. The REFUND process will begin March 18th, 2025." Aruba Airlines Management.



PNH : 5 to 10 explosive kamikaze drones...

On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, the Haitian National Police (HNP) used between 5 and 10 explosive kamikaze drones in its fight against armed gangs in the 3rd precinct of Port-au-Prince, including Fort-Mercredi, Grand-Ravine, and Village de Dieu. No figures are available.



Anti-CPT and PM demonstration

On Wednesday, March 19, 2025, a large number of demonstrators from various neighborhoods, including Canape-Vert, Debussy, Pacot, and Christ Roi, hostile to the Presidential Transitional Council and the Prime Minister, whose departure they are demanding, marched through the streets of Port-au-Prince protesting against insecurity. The demonstration, which was scheduled to end in front of the Villa d'Accueil in Musseau, did not reach its destination; it was dispersed beforehand by the police, who used heavy use of tear gas.



Good news, Haiti Post

Good news ! The Haiti Post Office informs other Universal Postal Union (UPU) member countries and their designated operators that mail transport operations to and from Haiti have resumed, but are currently only provided by Amerijet International Airlines. All necessary precautions have been taken to ensure the security and confidentiality of mail arriving at Port-au-Prince International Airport.



"Izo" faces life imprisonment in the U.S.

U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Brett Skiles, Acting Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced on March 18, 2025, that Johnson Andre, aka "Izo," leader of the "5 Secondes" gang operating in Village de Dieu, is accused of taking a U.S. citizen hostage in Haiti in March 2023. If convicted, Johnson Andre faces life imprisonment.



Miami Open Tennis : Good Start for Naomi Osaka

On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at the Miami Open, Haitian-born Japanese Naomi Osaka (27 years old, WTA world number 61) got off to a good start against Ukrainian Yulia Starodubtseva (25 years old, AT world number 108), winning in three sets after losing in the first set [3-6, 6-4, 6-3]. In her next match, she will face Russian Liudmila Samsonova (26 years old, WTA world number 21) this Thursday, March 20, 2025. As a reminder, Liudmila Samsonova defeated Naomi Osaka in the second round (Madrid 2024) [6-2, 4-6, 7-5].



HL/ HaitiLibre


















In a way, it is a lifetime achievement award: Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies at Apple, is being honored by the Belgian research association Imec with this year's Innovation Award. The award is intended to recognize Srouji's pioneering contribution to the semiconductor industry and his central role in the development of the Apple Silicon. Srouji will receive the award in Antwerp in May, the association announced in a press release.

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Srouji has been involved in Apple's in-house chip development from the very beginning. After joining the company in 2008, he took the lead in the development of the A4 chip, which made Apple independent of other chip manufacturers and initiated the further development of Apple Silicon. Before Apple, Srouji had held management positions at Intel and IBM.

Several milestones set

In 2013, Apple launched the world's first 64-bit mobile processor with the A7 chip in the iPhone 5s. In 2020, the leap to the Mac followed: in November 2020, the M1 made its debut in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini, dispelling doubts that the performance of smartphone processors could not be easily transferred to the Mac. With the M1 Pro, M1 Max and the M1 Ultra, further processors for higher requirements quickly followed.

At the same time, Srouji and his teams also developed customized chips for the AirPods (H1 and H2), the S-Chips for the Apple Watch and, most recently, Apple's first mobile modem, the C1.

Revolution driven forward

One focus of the award is on Apple's recent efforts to support AI: "Johny's vision of using semiconductor technologies with high scalability to achieve this is driving the next wave of chip architectures that will revolutionize consumer electronics and edge computing," says Imec CEO Luc Van den hove. Founded in 1984, Imec is the world's largest independent research and innovation center for nanoelectronics and digital technology.

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(mki)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Spectrum is allowed to fly: The German space company Isar Aerospace has received approval for the first launch.

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The rocket is allowed to take off from Andya Spaceport on the island of the same name in the north of the country, according to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority Luftfartstilsynet. The launch permit is valid for the period from March 20 to 31, 2025, and Isar Aerospace says it is planning the launch on March 20.

The first launch of the Spectrum will also be the first flight of an orbital launch vehicle from continental Europe. For Luftfartstilsynet, this is "a historic milestone for the space industry in Norway".

Europe to regain access to space

"We are approaching the most important moment of our journey so far," said Daniel Metzler, CEO and founder of the company. "In the current geopolitical situation, our first test flight is about much more than just a rocket launch: space is one of the most important platforms for our security, our resilience and our technological progress." With the first flight of the rocket, the company wants to contribute to Europe regaining "much-needed, independent and competitive access to space."

The two-stage Spectrum rocket is 28 meters high and has a diameter of 2 meters. The Munich-based company developed it completely in-house, including the Aquila engines.

The rocket will be able to carry 1000 kilograms of payload into a low earth orbit (LEO) or 700 kilograms into a sun-synchronous orbit (SSO). The first stage has nine engines, the second has one. Isar Aerospace uses liquid oxygen and propane as fuel.

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Isar Aerospace carried out a test of the first stage engine in mid-February. The second-stage engine was successfully ignited at the end of last year.

400 million euros raised

Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 by three graduates of the Technical University of Munich. The company has raised 400 million euros in several rounds of financing, making it the best-funded German aerospace start-up.

In addition to Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), HyImpulse and the Gaia Aerospace association are also developing rockets in Germany. RFA wants to launch from the SaxaVord rocket launch site on the Shetland Islands. However, the RFA One rocket exploded last August during engine testing.

(wpl)

Don't miss any news  follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.
Nine water utilities supply drinking water in these areas, with the largest provider being Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY). Several smaller water cooperatives also operate in Espoo and Kirkkonummi, though they do not produce or treat water themselves.

The quality of tap water in Espoo, Kauniainen, and Kirkkonummi was excellent in 2024, according to monitoring by Espoo Regional Environmental Health.

Water quality is assessed based on microbiological and chemical criteria set by law. These include testing for bacteria, metals, and other compounds.

All samples taken in 2024 met the required microbiological and chemical safety standards. However, two samples exceeded the guideline limits for bacterial colony counts, and two others had slightly elevated iron levels. These deviations were not considered a health risk.

Authorities test tap water based on supply volume and risk assessments. Larger suppliers, such as HSY, undergo frequent testing, with samples taken almost weekly. Smaller water cooperatives are tested annually. In 2024, more than 200 official water samples were collected.

There were 12 water quality incidents recorded last year. In nine cases, restrictions were placed on water use until additional testing confirmed safety. Environmental health authorities worked closely with water suppliers to manage these situations.

Tap water testing results from utilities serving at least 50 people or supplying 10 cubic metres per day are available at vesi.fi.

Espoo Regional Environmental Health advises residents to flush tap water before use, especially for drinking or cooking. Running the tap improves quality by ensuring fresh water from the mains. Water is ready for use once it feels cool and stable in temperature. If a tap has not been used for a long period, flushing for several minutes may be necessary.

HT
The project is a joint investment between Beijing Easpring Material Technology, which holds a 70% stake, and Finnish Minerals Group, which owns 30%.

Construction of Finlands first cathode active material (CAM) plant will begin in April 2025 in Kotka. The facility, developed by Easpring Finland New Materials Oy, will supply materials for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and energy storage.

The total investment is valued at approximately 800 million. The Finnish government will support the project by capitalising Finnish Minerals Group with 100 million.

The plants first-stage production capacity is set at 60,000 tonnes of cathode active material per year, with potential for future expansion. When fully operational, it could supply battery materials for around 750,000 electric vehicles annually.

During peak construction, the site will employ up to 800 workers. Once operational, it is expected to provide around 270 permanent jobs.

Easpring Finland CEO Jashon Guan highlighted the significance of the project for European battery production. "This investment marks a major milestone for Easpring as we establish localised production in Europe to serve the local market from Kotka," he said.

Finnish Minerals Group CEO Matti Hietanen described the plant as a key development for Finlands battery value chain. "Even on a European scale, this is a spearhead project for the industry," he said.

The plant received its environmental permit in December 2024 under a priority procedure for green transition projects. In January 2025, a lease agreement was signed for 27.8 hectares of land in the Keltakallio industrial area.

The goal is to start commercial production in 2027.

HT
New policy to ensure food quality and safety

14:06, March 20, 2025 By YAN DONGJIE ( China Daily

China has announced a new comprehensive guideline aimed at strengthening oversight across the entire food supply chain, from farms to consumer tables.

The policy, jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet, outlines stricter controls and enforcement measures to enhance public health protection and ensure food quality.

The new guideline emphasizes greater coordination between regulatory bodies and a focus on improving food safety at every stage of production, distribution and sale. A key component of the reforms includes the establishment of a traceability system for agricultural products, enabling better monitoring from farms to markets. This is intended to prevent unsafe products from entering the food supply while allowing authorities to respond quickly to any safety issues that might arise.

The policy also tightens regulations surrounding food production and business licensing. Producers and distributors will now face more stringent checks before receiving licenses, and compliance will be rigorously enforced at both the provincial and local levels.

Traditional food producers will be required to meet modern safety standards while preserving cultural practices.

In addition to improving food production standards, the policy addresses food storage and transportation. New safety protocols for warehouses and logistics companies aim to ensure that food is stored and transported under controlled conditions, preventing contamination or spoilage.

As online food sales continue to grow, the document emphasizes the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms and livestreaming hosts in selling food products online. It calls for "ensuring the accountability of online food sales entities and strengthening the collaborative governance of food safety issues in online sales" to improve regulation of the emerging sector. Furthermore, it requires the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory mechanism for food service.

For imported food products, the policy introduces a risk management framework to ensure that all foreign foods entering China meet domestic safety standards. This includes additional oversight of food sold through cross-border e-commerce channels.

In January, data from the Ministry of Public Security showed that 12,000 cases of food safety crimes were solved last year.

Last week, a reporter from The Beijing News conducted undercover visits to several Yangmingyu Braised Chicken and Rice franchise stores in Henan province. They observed kitchens using spoiled mushrooms and processing overnight darkened beef with coloring agents for reuse. They also witnessed leftover food from customers being recycled and reprocessed.

This year's CCTV 3.15 Gala also exposed the issue of excessive phosphate levels in water-injected shrimp sold on various online platforms though advertisements for these shrimp frequently featured claims of "zero additives" and "zero moisture retention agents".

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
The report, supported by the UN, ranks countries based on how citizens rate their own lives on a scale from 0 to 10. The results are averaged over three years to produce a final ranking.

Finland has been named the worlds happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, according to the latest World Happiness Report . The ranking, based on a global survey measuring life satisfaction, shows Finland widening its lead over Denmark, which placed second.

The top ten countries include Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway, along with Costa Rica and Mexico, which entered the list for the first time. The United States dropped to its lowest position ever, ranking 24th, while Afghanistan remained at the bottom.

Researchers attribute Finlands high ranking to strong social support, institutional trust, economic stability, and a well-functioning welfare system.

Jennifer De Paola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, said Finlands success is linked to its societal structure.

Trust in institutions, equality, and social security contribute to life satisfaction, she said. These factors make it understandable why Finns rate their lives so highly.

She also noted that flexibility in Finnish society plays a role.

The system allows for major life changes, such as returning to education later in life, and workplaces have relatively flat hierarchies. These contribute to a sense of control and security. Additionally, the system promotes personal freedoms and choices in anything from the choice of lifestyle to entertainment or hobbies that other countries might look down upon, such as hunting, gambling, or video games.

Despite the rankings, De Paola and other experts argue that the survey measures life satisfaction rather than happiness in an emotional sense.

The survey doesnt ask about feelings of happiness, such as how often people experience joy or sadness, she said. The term happiness is used because it attracts attention, but it might be misleading.

Markku Ojanen, a happiness researcher, echoed this view.

Its somewhat amusing that the project is called the World Happiness Report when it doesnt directly measure happiness, he said.

The methodology relies on self-reported life evaluations, with additional analysis using factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceived corruption.

Costa Rican economist Mariano Rojas, one of the reports contributors, explained that happiness in this context refers to how people assess their overall life situation rather than momentary emotions.

The word happiness is used as an umbrella term, he said. Its important to understand that it refers to life evaluation rather than emotional states.

The report also highlights regional trends. Countries such as Lithuania, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic have steadily risen in rankings, suggesting a convergence in life satisfaction levels across Eastern, Central, and Western Europe.

As discussions on the meaning of happiness continue, Finland remains at the top of the rankings, reinforcing its reputation as a country where citizens consistently report high life satisfaction.

HT
A MAN employed by Waitrose in Henley claims that his right to free speech has been impeded after he was suspended for posts shared on social media.

Ben Woods, 41, who works as a wine specialist at the supermarket off Kings Road, said he is facing losing his job over about 30 posts on X, that were flagged by his employer. He said these tweets included a Daily Telegraph cartoon he posted in which a teacher at parents evening tells a students parents that their son is falling behind in sex education as he could only name 47 of the 100 different genders.



Another post included a poll in which he asked his followers If a referendum was held tomorrow, would you vote to close the borders?



Mr Woods, who lives in Henley, has worked at the store since he was 15 years old and has said he is now the subject of an internal investigation and disciplinary process. He describes himself as a passionate patriot, royalist and advocate for conservative values and has set up a fundraiser on the website Crowd Justice, where he is seeking 15,000 to cover legal fees. Mr Woods has received more than 9,700 so far and he says many of the donations have come from American supporters.



He is being represented by London-based lawyers, Branch Austin McCormick. In the case that he loses his job, Mr Woods has said the funds will be used to challenge the decision on the grounds of unfair dismissal,citing discrimination of his protected beliefs. He has argued that his posts are expression of his values.



Speaking to the Henley Standard Mr Woods claimed that he did not share his personal opinions on his account but posted political questions to encourage discussion. He said: I ask engaging questions to raise debates. I think its really important to debate whats going on in politics. I talk about political things that are current in the news. I dont give personal opinions. Just because a question is difficult does that mean it shouldnt be asked?



A post on Mr Woods account seen in January includes a picture of conservative politician Enoch Powell with the caption Enoch Powell was RIGHT all those years ago! which he denies is inciting hatred. Mr Woods has argued that his X account is unrelated to his work. He said: Its a private account that has nothing to do with Waitrose. Its my own thing that I do as a hobby. The question I would ask is would I have been disciplined and suspended with the threat of sack if it was leftwing views or liberal views? I think thats an important question.



To quote Voltaire, I disagree with what you say but I fight to the death for your right to say it. Whether youre left centre or right, what you believe is your personal opinion in your own private time. You shouldnt have to change who you vote for or what you believe in when you work for a company. So everyone who works with Waitrose now can't be a Conservative? This is now bigger than me. Its a threat to our freedom of speech and our democracy. 



A post on Mr Woods account from 2015 shows him in his Waitrose uniform alongside Phillip Schofield. When put to Mr Woods, he said: That was nearly 10 years ago. You are going to hold me to account for being excited to meet a celebrity and having a photo taken? The important thing was the account wasnt set up for Waitrose.



Mr Woods said he was deeply upset by the disciplinary proceedings. My whole life has been destroyed by this, he said. I love Waitrose. Its the very essence of my being. I did love the company and I loved what it stood for. It stood for the people who worked in it. It stood for its partners and partners rights and beliefs.

I started there when I was at school. Ive given them the best years of my life. I feel Ive been thrown to the wolves, so to speak. Mr Woods, who described himself as a Henley boy, attended the former Harpsden Primary School and Gillotts secondary school. He said he wanted to thank those in the community who had supported him. The support from my loyal customers has been very humbling, he said. From people in Henley, it has all been support. Even one customer said: Look, Ben, I dont agree with your politics but I agree with your right to say it.



Mr Woods added he would like to thank the campaign group, The Free Speech Union, which he said had championed his case and was providing him with legal advice and wellbeing assistance. Waitrose declined to comment but a spokeswoman for the John Lewis Partnership, which owns the shop, said: We would never discuss individuals so we are not making any comment.
(JNS)  Despite an expected cut of 10 percent to his ministrys budget, Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer remains hopeful about the future of immigration to Israel.

Aliyah is incredibly important to the future of Israel, and overall we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of immigration files opened since the Swords of Iron War began from many countries, Sofer told JNS. Aliyah builds the next chapter of our nations history, helps define our identity, and improves our national resiliency. We will continue to encourage and promote aliyah in any way that we can for whoever is...
(JNS)  Two Israeli pizzerias made the Top 50 Pizza list in the Asia-Pacific region for 2025, the influential guide recently revealed.

The pizza industry guide, which divides its rankings into several categories, such as Europe, America and Asia, held an awards ceremony at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura in Tokyo on Monday.

The New Entry of the Year 2025Solania Award went to NeoPolitan in Haifa, ranked at 25th place.

Piedra from Jerusalem made the 37th place in the Asia-Pacific list and was awarded the best kosher pizza in the world.

I am thrilled by the honor and the impressive event, s...
(JNS)  Before discovering the story of Joseph and Rebecca Bau, who married secretly in the Plaszow concentration camp during the Holocaust, Deborah Smerecnik never imagined that she would make a film.

It was the love story that drew me in and the fact that there were so many miracles, she told JNS. Im very much a believer in miracles, and I wanted to tell a redemptive story that encourages people to hold on and persevere.

Smerecnik, who wrote the 2024 film Bau: Artist at War, devoted some 15 years to the project, which she admits she nearly abandoned multiple times. The dream and the...
(JTA) - Isaac Henrion makes and sells bagels for a living. But when he spent Sunday afternoon at the local Jewish food festival in Durham, North Carolina, he didn't bring any of his own fare.

It's not that he hadn't signed up as a vendor. It's that he had abruptly pulled out his store, Isaac's Bagels, after facing criticism over his cooperation with the festival organizer, a Jewish group that supports Israel.

Then, that decision set off another round of criticism from Jewish customers and supporters, as well as from influencer Jessica Seinfeld - prompting him to apologize.

Now he was on a list...
The oldest and largest Reform congregation in Central Florida, Congregation of Reform Judaism will celebrate Decades & Diamonds, its 75th anniversary, on April 5, at 7 p.m.

The congregation hasnt always been known as the Congregation of Reform Judaism, in the fall of 1948, it was named Liberal Jewish Fellowship and was formed and headed by Dr. Clarence and Bobbie Bernstein and Mr. and Mrs. Ed Morse. The Holy Day Services were held in the vestry room at Congregation Ohev Shalom. Rabbi Emeritus Israel Kaplan of Jacksonville came once a month to lead a service.

In February 1950, Liberal Jewish...
(JNS)  Omer Wenkert, 23, described the brutal abuse he endured in the Gaza Strip at the hands of his Hamas captors.

They just hit you like crazy with everything they can find, whether its hitting your legs with the barrel of the gun, punching your face, kicking you all over. With each punch you pass out and the next one wakes you up, said Wenkert in a televised interview with Israels Channel 12 News.

On his birthday his captor had opened the door and awakened him in a state of complete madness, insanely aggressively, he recalled. That was my birthday. [It] was my birthday gift  I was...
(JNS)  The wave of impending U.S. government layoffs has touched cities, suburbs and rural areas across the country. One demographic, in particular, is bracing for impact: Jewish day schools in and around Washington, D.C.

Jewish Insider reported that local schools, synagogues and social-service agencies are making plans to support laid-off community members and their families, and wrestling with how fewer students and dues-paying members will upend their bottom lines.

Its day schools, its camps, its early childhood, JCC memberships, Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater W...
(JNS)  The Israel Defense Forces Military Rabbinate distributed almost half a million hamantaschen, or oznei Haman (Hamans ears) cookies, the army said ahead of the holiday of Purim, which starts Thursday night.

Approximately 460,000 hamantaschen in the flavors of chocolate, poppy seed and date arrived at army bases across the country, according to the IDF announcement. Vegan and gluten-free options are also provided. Around 5,000 Purim gift baskets were distributed to various units.

In keeping with the religious commandment of hearing Megillat Esther (the biblical Scroll of Esther) twice...
(JNS)  A group of Judea and Samaria leaders made history last week by visiting Abu Dhabi on the first-ever organized trip by the Yesha Council to a Muslim country, the umbrella organization announced Thursday.

Yesha Council chief Israel Ganz and CEO Omer Rahamim, as well as Hebron Hills Regional Council head Eliram Azulay, returned on Wednesday from their first visit to the United Arab Emirates. They were accompanied by Rabbi Matanya Yedid, who heads the Sifra Institute.

During the visit, the three met government officials, business leaders, influencers and the Jewish states envoy to the cou...
(JTA)  The case of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian protester arrested by ICE officers at Columbia University over the weekend, has divided Jewish groups: Right-wing pro-Israel voices are praising the arrest as a blow to a terrorist sympathizer, while a range of liberal and progressive Jewish groups are slamming it as authoritarian and unconstitutional.

On Monday, one more Jewish voice said Khalil should not be deported, at least for the time being: Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York.

Furman, on the bench at a federal district court in Manhattan, issued an order Monday blo...
(JNS)  A new study from the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass., highlights the impact of Birthright Israel across the generations, revealing how the effects extend beyond participants to their children as opposed to those who applied to the program but did not go.

The study, which tracks long-term outcomes of Birthright participants, found that children of participants are more likely to be raised as Jews, more likely to have had a Jewish circumcision or a baby-naming ceremony, and more likely to be enrolled in formal and informal Jewish education...
(JNS)  A Spanish-language documentary on the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, told through the eyes of Latino immigrants who were targeted in the countrys south that day, premiered in Los Angeles in February.

The four-part series, 7/O: Testigos del Terror (10/7: Witnesses of Terror), tells the story of the largest single-day attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust by focusing on Latin Americans living in kibbutzim and other farming villages on the border with Gaza, the largest immigrant group that came under attack.

In Spanish with English subtitles, episode...
(JTA)  The World Zionist Congress election, which runs from March 10 to May 4, determines how $5 billion will be spent in Israel  and is seen as a referendum on the future of the country.

Jews in the United States can choose among 21 lists of candidates, or slates, each with a specific agenda and profile. There are options by denomination, demographics and outlook on Israel.

Here are the slates on the ballot for U.S. voters and what they stand for.

Achdut Israel  Founded in response to the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, Achdut Israel is focused on supporting Israeli troops and land settlemen...
(JNS)  U.S. President Donald Trump revealed on Friday that he sent a letter to Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urging him to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Washington or face possible military action.

I said: I hope youre going to negotiate, because its going to be a lot better for Iran, Trump said in an interview with the Fox Business Network channel. The missive was sent on Thursday, he added.

I think they want to get that letter, Trump said. The other alternative is you have to do something, because Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

The Islamic Republic has sig...
(JNS)  A group of American Christian leaders are publicly reaffirming the Jewish peoples right to the biblical heartland of Israel, ahead of a key U.S. decision on Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

The move comes weeks before U.S. President Donald Trump is slated to announce whether or not he supports the Israeli annexation of Judea and Samariaa goal backed by many evangelicals including some administration officialsamid international plans to rebuild post-war Gaza.

The declaration will be made public on Tuesday at the annual National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas, an i...
(JTA)  Voting March 10 in an election that gives American Jews a rare chance to directly shape Israels future.

The U.S. election for seats in the 39th World Zionist Congress will help determine the balance of power in the legislative authority of a Zionist organization founded by Theodore Herzl 128 years ago.

Influence over $5 billion in funding for Jewish causes is at stake, as is authority over quasi-governmental institutions such as the Jewish Agency, which plays a central role in immigration to Israel, and the Jewish National Fund, which owns 13 percent of Israeli land.

Any Jewish adult...
Some Columbia classes reportedly canceled in solidarity with anti-Israel activist

By Izzy Salant

(JNS)  The Washington Free Beacon reported on Monday that at least three professors at Columbia University canceled in-person classes in solidarity with the anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil, whom federal agents arrested on March 8.

Given that the college and Columbia University has neither issued a public statement with any clear explanations as to why or how this arrest was allowed nor offered any serious reassurances for international students who might be targeted further, many professors f...
(JNS) - "When I stood at the Gama junction next to Re'im, the first place whereas Israelis we could see the trucks with the coffins pass, it was very emotional. I understood why they had to come back," Daniel Lifshitz told JNS.

The remains of his grandfather Oded Lifshitz were returned to Israel from the Gaza Strip last month as part of a ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terrorist organization.

Oded was laid to rest in Kibbutz Nir Oz on Feb. 25.

"It would have been like a very strong voice in my head that could have stayed forever if my grandfather had not come back," he added.

On Oct. 7, fi...
(JNS)  When Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, known as the father of modern Hebrew, worked to revive the language as a spoken one, he believed it would be a tool to rapidly foster a sense of unity among olim, Jewish immigrants to the land of Israel.

His success at making it accessible for day-to-day use continues to provide a common thread across Israeli society. For many secular Jewish Israelis, speaking Hebrew (Ivrit) and serving in the military are some of the most important cultural aspects of their Jewish identities.

Unfortunately, few Diaspora Jews attain proficiency, and many are not exposed to th...
(JNS)  For years, Ive heard the complaint that non-Jews dont stand up against systemic antisemitism. And I agree. But do you know whats even more confusing? When Jewish organizations actively oppose measures that combat systemic antisemitism.

Im not naive. People are people. Unity is a utopian fantasy. Apparently, so is expecting universal agreement on a basic legal principle: If you violate the terms of your visa, you can be deported. Actions have consequences. Why is it such a complex concept?

I dedicate a significant part of my life to bridging communities: Jews and non-Jews. Educating...
(JNS)  The Trump administration seeks to expand the Abraham Accords, first and foremost with Saudi Arabia, however, the current reality on the ground does not encourage such moves in the near future. Saudi Arabia has declared that it will not establish relations with Israel without significant political progress with the Palestiniansan unacceptable demand from Israels perspective. While moderate Arab leaders do recognize Hamas as a terrorist organization, they still harshly condemn Israel for its war in Gaza, portraying it as a war criminal, and the majority of the Arab public, influenced b...
Tough action taken against data theft

14:11, March 20, 2025 By WANG QINGYUN ( China Daily

Chinese police cracked more than 7,000 cases involving personal information security violations last year, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday, urging strict legal compliance in handling such data.

Authorities took tough measures against such crimes last year, dismantling multiple platforms that traded personal data, the ministry said in a statement. It also disclosed 10 typical cases police solved in 2024, in which suspects obtained personal data through technical means, fraud or other methods.

In one case, a suspected criminal organization led by a person surnamed Liu allegedly developed Trojan malware to steal data, according to the ministry. Members of the group would take jobs at companies offering training services and implant the malware in company computers to access client information, the ministry said.

In September, the police of Beijing's Haidian district arrested eight suspects and helped 17 companies remove the malware from their computers.

In another case, police in Changchun, Jilin province, dismantled a suspected criminal organization led by an individual surnamed Wang that allegedly faked business licenses to trick jobseekers into sending resumes, which were then sold to telecommunications fraud gangs. In June, police arrested 27 suspects and seized more than 1,000 fake business licenses.

A separate case involved collusion between an alleged criminal group and employees in the courier industry. The organization has been accused of stealing personal information from delivery orders and selling it. Police in Zhangye, Gansu province, arrested 18 suspects.

The ministry urged companies and individuals handling personal information to comply with the law and enhance security measures. It also advised the public to store and use their personal data carefully and report suspected leaks to authorities.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
2025 Zhongguancun Forum to be held in late March

Xinhua) 15:32, March 20, 2025

This photo taken on April 25, 2024 shows an exterior view of the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center, venue for the 2024 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Conference, in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ren Chao)

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The 2025 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) is scheduled to be held in Beijing from March 27 to 31, focusing on cutting-edge fields from large AI models to quantum technology, an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology said Thursday.

Lin Xin, vice minister of science and technology, made the remarks at a press conference.

Themed "New Quality Productive Forces and Global Technology Cooperation," this year's annual conference of the forum comprises five major sections, including meetings and technology trading.

It will provide new ideas and insights for global innovative development in large AI models, embodied intelligence, quantum technology, biomedicine, 6G, brain-computer interfaces, and other frontier areas in 128 events, Lin said.

Founded in 2007, the forum, with its enduring focus on innovation and development, has evolved into a national-level open innovation platform and an international forum over the years.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
President Donald Trump on Monday revoked Secret Service protection for Hunter Biden and Ashley Biden, the children of former President Joe Biden.

"Please be advised that, effective immediately, Hunter Biden will no longer receive Secret Service protection," Trump posted on Truth Social. He added that Ashley Biden also "will be taken off the list."

Trump had objected to what he called the large number of agents assigned to Hunter Biden during his trip, citing 18 agents on his protective detail, which the President said is "ridiculous." The Republican leader also stated that Ashley Biden, who had 13 agents assigned to her protection, would also lose her security detail.

"We are aware of the President's decision to terminate protection for Hunter and Ashley Biden," Associated Press quoted the agency's statement. "The Secret Service will comply and is actively working with the protective details and the White House to ensure compliance as soon as possible."

Earlier in the day, Trump told reporters that he would review the situation, saying, "That will be something I'll look at this afternoon," when asked about removing Hunter Biden's security detail following the latter's recent trip to South Africa.

Federal Law On Security

Under U.S. law, former presidents and their spouses are entitled to Secret Service protection for life unless they opt out. The Secret Service is also authorized to provide security for former presidents' children until they turn 16, but protections for adult children are determined by the sitting president, CNBC reported.

Hunter Biden, 55, and Ashley Biden, 43, are both adults, and it is within the discretion of the current president to decide on their security status.

It is common for the adult children of former presidents to receive Secret Service protection for a limited time after their parent's term ends. Former presidents' children typically receive protection for up to six months, depending on the current president's decision.

Before leaving office, Biden extended security for his adult children until July. Similarly, after President Trump's first term ended, Biden had continued providing security for Trump's children for six months.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush also extended protection for their families for a set period after leaving office.

Since the beginning of his second term, Trump has removed security for other individuals, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, who led the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and John Bolton, a former national security adviser who publicly criticized President Trump in his book.

Originally published on IBTimes
The Trump administration, for the first time, has confirmed that nearly 25,000 newly hired federal workers were fired as part of a workforce reduction in recent months. This revelation, made through court filings, comes after a judge ruled that these terminations were likely illegal. Efforts are now underway to reinstate these workers.

The filings, submitted Monday in Baltimore, Maryland, showed that 18 federal agencies terminated probationary employees. Following a ruling by U.S. District Judge James Bredar, steps are being taken to restore their positions, Reuters reported.

The court filings are an acknowledgment of the mass firings, which had been widely reported but not officially detailed till now.

Judge Bredar ruled on March 13 that the dismissals were likely illegal and ordered the affected workers to be reinstated. He noted in the Tuesday order that agencies "have made meaningful progress toward compliance" with his ruling, while instructing them to update him on the reinstatement progress and expected "substantial compliance."

Court Rules Firing Process As Illegal

The ruling, however, did not prevent agencies from firing workers, but raised concerns about how the mass layoffs were carried out. The court stated that agencies should have adhered to proper procedures for handling such large-scale terminations.

While workers will not immediately return to their jobs, many will be placed on administrative leave at several agencies, including the Department of Education and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Former probationary employees from agencies such as the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, the IRS, and the General Services Administration (GSA) have received emails informing them of their reinstatement, with full pay, although they are on administrative leave.

One worker reinstated at the GSA, which manages government real estate, expressed that while they were back on pay and benefits, they still anticipated being fired in the long run, viewing the reinstatement as a temporary reprieve.

"My family has health insurance and gives me a little bit of runway to find what's next," he said.

The Trump administration has appealed Judge Bredar's decision, seeking a pause on the ruling. A hearing is scheduled for March 26 to determine if the reinstatements will continue as the case moves forward.

Additionally, a separate federal judge in San Francisco ordered the reinstatement of probationary workers at six agencies, including the Department of Defense. The Trump administration has also appealed this ruling.

Reinstatement Breakdown Across Agencies

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A total of 419 probationary employees were dismissed, but all received notifications that their terminations were reversed. Most of these workers have returned to their positions on paid administrative leave, reported CBS.

Department of Energy

About 555 employees were let go, and by March 17, 319 had their terminations rescinded and were placed on retroactive administrative leave. The rest of the affected workers were reinstated shortly thereafter.

Department of Commerce

At least 791 probationary workers were fired, with 27 reinstated for operational needs. The remaining 764 received notifications of their reinstatement.

Department of Health and Human Services

All 3,248 dismissed probationary employees were reinstated, with notices sent via email or letter.

Department of Homeland Security

At least 313 employees were fired. Reinstatement efforts are underway, with one worker declining the offer and another being placed in a different department. One worker is rejoining under a deferred resignation program.

Department of Transportation

At least 775 probationary workers were fired, but all have since been informed that their terminations were rescinded.

Department of Education

About 65 probationary employees were terminated, but all have been reinstated and placed on paid administrative leave.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

At least 312 workers were fired. 13 have been fully reinstated, and reinstatement actions for the remaining workers are in progress, according to HUD's declaration.

Department of the Interior

About 1,712 employees were let go. Around 90% of those fired have been rehired, with exclusions for a few workers under the court's temporary restraining order.

Department of Labor

About 170 employees were dismissed, but all have been reinstated after termination notices were canceled.

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

About 117 workers were terminated, and all have been reinstated and placed on administrative leave.

Small Business Administration

About 304 employees were fired. Six workers were reinstated earlier in February, and the remaining 298 received notifications that their terminations were reversed.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

About 156 probationary workers were fired, but all have been reinstated.

U.S. Agency for International Development

About 270 employees were let go, but all received notifications that their terminations were rescinded and they are now on administrative leave.

General Services Administration

About 366 employees were dismissed, but all have been rehired, with two workers opting not to return.

Treasury Department

At least 7,613 workers were fired. Notifications of reinstatement were sent to various divisions, including 6,387 IRS employees and 48 workers from the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

Department of Agriculture

About 5,714 workers were fired, but were all reinstated by March 12 following proceedings before the Merit Systems Protection Board.

Department of Veterans Affairs

About 1,683 workers were fired, but all have been reinstated.

Originally published on IBTimes
Elon Musk has sparked controversy by claiming the Biden administration refused SpaceX's offer to bring astronauts, including Sunita Williams, back from the International Space Station ahead of schedule.

Musk alleges the decision was politically motivated.

Musk Claims Biden Team Rejected SpaceX's Offer

In an interview with Fox News, Musk stated that SpaceX had offered to return the two astronauts earlier, but the proposal was "rejected for political reasons." He added, "We definitely offered to return the astronauts earlier."

.@elonmusk reveals the Biden administration turned down his offer to get the stranded astronauts home sooner: It was rejected for political reasons."  pic.twitter.com/hN4pPk3YN1  Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) March 19, 2025

"There is no question about that. The astronauts were only supposed to be there for eight days and they have been there for almost 10 months. Obvioulsy, that doesn't make any sense. SpaceX could have brought the astronauts after a few months at most and we made that offer to Biden administration. It was rejected for political reasons and that's just a fact," Musk said.

Musk claims the Biden administration turned down SpaceX's offer to help train Williams. The business magnate further says this rejection highlights a broader issue of political interference in space exploration.

Trump's Request For Expedited Return

Musk disclosed in January that Trump had asked him to facilitate the quickest possible return of the two Boeing Starliner astronauts, who have been aboard the space station since June 2024. The SpaceX CEO disapproved, stating it was "terrible" that the Biden administration 'left them there so long.'

"The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so," Musk said in a post on X in January.

Trump confirmed the discussion in a post on his social media platform, TruthSocial. He stated he had asked Elon Musk and SpaceX to "go get" the two brave astronauts, "who have been virtually abandoned in space by the Biden Administration."

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are back on Earth, concluding their more than nine-month stay at the International Space Station (ISS). NASA's Crew-9, using SpaceX's Dragon capsule, landed in the water off Florida's coast at 9:57 pm London time.

Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO, congratulated the SpaceX and NASA teams for "another safe astronaut return." Musk further acknowledged the support of his friend, President Donald Trump, for prioritizing the mission.

"Congratulations to the @SpaceX and @NASA teams for another safe astronaut return! Thank you to @POTUS for prioritising this mission!" the 53-year-old billionaire wrote in an X post.

Sunita Williams' Space Voyage

Williams and Wilmore embarked on their journey to space aboard NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test on 5 June 2024. The astronauts were set for an eight-day mission to the ISS, but on 6 June, as Starliner neared the space station, NASA and Boeing discovered helium leaks and problems with the spacecraft's reaction control thrusters. Consequently, Starliner was returned to Earth without the crew.

What a sight! The parachutes on @SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft have deployed; #Crew9 will shortly splash down off the coast of Florida near Tallahassee. pic.twitter.com/UcQBVR7q03  NASA (@NASA) March 18, 2025

In August, it was determined that the two astronauts would join SpaceX's Crew-9 mission. This reduced the crew from four to two, with NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, originally designated as crewmates, removed to make room for Ms. Williams and Mr. Wilmore.

NASA astronaut Nick Hague, serving as commander, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, serving as a mission specialist, traveled to the space station on a two-person SpaceX Dragon flight. After more than nine months, the Crew-9 team returned to Earth on 19 March.

Medical Checks And Fresh Food Await Crew

Following a 17-hour journey, the spacecraft deployed its parachute and splashed down in the ocean off the Florida coast. A NASA team opened the hatch and assisted the astronauts with mobility aids.

Williams waved and gave a thumbs-up as she exited the capsule. In response to an X user's question about a celebratory meal, NASA stated that Crew-9 would first undergo a comprehensive medical examination, with fresh food to follow shortly. 'A meal on the ship is not normally very extravagant. They are still adjusting to gravity, too. Fresh food coming soon!'

Originally published on IBTimes UK
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner announced on Wednesday that he will be stepping down from his position to "ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration."

His decision follows comments from Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), who recently suggested that both the U.S. Postal Service and Amtrak should be privatized.

Gardner, who became Amtrak's CEO in 2022, has worked for the company for 16 years. He was the 13th executive to lead the federally chartered corporation since its creation in 1971.

In a statement, the Amtrak board expressed its commitment to working with President Trump and Secretary Duffy, as the company seeks to build a "world-class passenger rail system this country deserves."

Musk, a Trump ally, recently shared his views on U.S. passenger rail during a speech at the Morgan Stanley Technology Media & Telecom conference. He criticized the state of Amtrak, describing it as "kind of embarrassing" compared to the rail systems in other countries. Musk argued that privatizing Amtrak would create a "feedback loop for improvement," emphasizing that "something's got to have some chance of going bankrupt or there's not a good feedback loop for improvement."

As a federally chartered corporation, Amtrak is majority-owned by the federal government, with its board of directorsincluding the U.S. Transportation Secretaryappointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Under Gardner's leadership, Amtrak saw a significant recovery after the pandemic, carrying a record 32.8 million passengers in fiscal year 2024, a 15% increase from the previous year. Ticket revenue also reached a record $2.5 billion, though the company still posted an operating loss of $635 million.

Despite this loss, Amtrak pushed back on Musk's privatization proposal. In a memo released in March, the company argued that criticisms of its financial performance were based on "a false premise," highlighting that profitability was never its main mission. Amtrak was originally created to support freight railroads, which were losing money on passenger service. The company also pointed out that heavily subsidized national railroads in other countries are not expected to be profitable either.

Amtrak further explained that Congress has mandated it to continue long-distance service to rural communities, which contributes to its operating losses. The company also cited decades of inadequate federal funding, which has left it with aging infrastructure that is costly to maintain.

Currently, Amtrak operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 states, Washington, D.C., and two Canadian provinces, covering more than 21,400 miles of routes. As of the end of fiscal 2024, the company employed over 22,000 people.
K-pop girl group TWICE will headline the 2025 Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago, marking their debut at the event.

The group will join the festival's star-studded line-up, which includes Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Rocky, Luke Combs, and Korn. The festival will take place at Grant Park from July 31 to August 3.

Other K-pop groups are also set to perform at the 2025 Lollapalooza, including BOYNEXTDOOR, KATSEYE, KickFlip, and wave to earth.

TWICE's inclusion as a headliner is historic. They will be the first female K-pop group to lead the Chicago edition of the festival, and fans have expressed excitement online.

"TWICE headlining Lolla? K-pop keeps making history," one user wrote.

"TWICE at Lollapalooza? Get ready for the most legendary performance of the year! Let's go!" another user commented.

The festival will feature over 170 artists across eight stages, making it one of the most diverse lineups in Lollapalooza's history. Olivia Rodrigo, who will make her Lollapalooza debut, is another major highlight of the lineup. Sabrina Carpenter, who previously performed at the festival in 2023, returns as a headliner, while Tyler, the Creator, takes the stage after withdrawing from last year's event. Luke Combs will also make history as the first country artist to close the festival, and Korn will perform for the first time since 1997.

Tickets for Lollapalooza 2025 will go on sale on March 20. Four-day passes will be available during a special one-hour presale at 10 a.m. CT. Festivalgoers must pre-register on the Festival's official website.

The festival will also offer single-day passes at a later date. Until then, hopeful buyers can sign up for the 2025 Lollapalooza SMS list to receive notifications when tickets go on sale.

Originally published on Kpop Starz
North Korea's military has ordered soldiers to stop picking up discarded cigarette butts from the streets. The order comes as commanders continue to withhold portions of their cigarette rations, Radio Free Asia (RFA) reported, citing members of the country's armed forces.

The issue was raised during a March 14 video conference of the General Political Bureau of the army, a soldier in the northern province of Ryanggang told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

"The meeting very seriously discussed the issue of lax discipline among commanders and soldiers," the military member said, noting that desertion and theft were also cited as examples of poor discipline.

"At this meeting, soldiers were strongly warned against picking up cigarette butts," he added. "It was officially declared that any soldier caught picking up cigarette butts on the street would be punished with revolutionary labor for at least three months." Revolutionary labor assignments typically involve grueling chores as punishment.

The soldier said that scavenging cigarette butts is a relatively new problem, but military officials see it as a breach of decorum.

"Each soldier is provided with 15 packs of cigarettes per month, but the commanders take them all up. So, the soldiers are left picking up the butts because they don't have any cigarettes to smoke," he said.

"In the past, it was just the lower-ranked soldiers who looked for butts, but now even the higher-ranked soldiers are doing it too."

Another military source from the same province, who also requested anonymity, told RFA that cigarette rations have decreased significantly.

"In the case of the border guards, each soldier used to be supplied with 15 packs of Baekseung-brand cigarettes per month, but since last fall, they have only been supplied with 10 packs," he said.

"After the commanders skim off the top, the soldiers are left only seven packs per month," he added.

The source said that every afternoon, border guard leaders assign two soldiers to collect cigarette butts because there is a shortage of cigarettes within the units.

"Even the border guard units, which are supposedly well-supplied, are in this state, and situations are much worse with other infantry units," he said. "What is more troubling is that this year, even female soldiers have been spotted out on the streets, picking up cigarette butts."

While male soldiers seek tobacco remnants, female soldiers are more interested in cigarette filters, which contain cotton that can be repurposed for clothing or ceremonial wedding blankets, a traditional gift for newlyweds.

"The womenwho aren't allowed to smoke at alltrade the tobacco they collect in exchange for the filters that the men collect," the source explained. "With the money they get for selling the filters, they buy food for their unit."

He added that the situation is dire, with soldiers now selling cigarette butts just to afford food.

"The supply chain for soldiers is in such a sad state that soldiers are selling cigarette butts for food," he said. "I wonder if threats like revolutionary labor can even work against these soldiers."
Joined by Event Co-Host Actabl, the Three-Day Townsquare Event Empowers Brand Leaders, Consultants and Tech Innovators to Tackle Topics Including the Need for Greater Technology Collaboration, the Fight Against Human Trafficking, and the Establishment of Women Leaders in Hospitality

Visual Matrix, a leading provider of advanced technology solutions for the hospitality industry, celebrated its annual Townsquare event in Fort Worth, Texas, February 17  20, 2025, where more than 70 attendees strategized ways to expand collaboration between technology providers and hoteliers, shared tips to combat human trafficking and more. Those in attendance joined as Visual Matrix shared insight and perspective on the current state of hospitality, technology and safety while also gathering valuable feedback on how to increase collaboration across the industry.

Attendees included leaders from Sonesta, Best Western, Westmont Hospitality Company, Hospitality Technology Consulting, Canary Technologies, RockCheetah and Shift4.

Brought together with key support from Actabl, the hotel industrys leading platform for maximizing profitability through operational efficiency and data-driven decision-making, Visual Matrixs 2025 Townsquare took place at the Hotel Drover in Fort Worths historic Stockyards, and was attended by more than 70 hotel owners, operators, franchisees, technology providers and consultants.

Speakers at the event included:

Georgine Muntz , CEO of Visual Matrix

, CEO of Visual Matrix Sarah Grover , Director of Communications, Polaris Program & Inspiration4 , Principal, Sarah Grover, Inc.

, Director of Communications, Polaris Program & Inspiration4 , Principal, Sarah Grover, Inc. Lindsey Goedeker , Senior Vice President of Sales, Actabl

, Senior Vice President of Sales, Actabl Melissa Ice, Founder and Executive Director of The Net Fort Worth and co-founder of the Worthy Co

Founder and Executive Director of The Net Fort Worth and co-founder of the Worthy Co Wade Myers , General Partner at Eagle Ventures

, General Partner at Eagle Ventures Glenn Haussman, Host of No Vacancy Podcast

We are thrilled with the turnout at our recent Consultants Townsquare in Fort Worth, where our attendees were united in collaboration, innovation and inspiration as they shared novel approaches to improving hospitality from all angles, said Georgine Muntz, CEO of Visual Matrix. Looking back at the discussions that took place, which ranged from musings on the current state of hotel technology partnerships to actionable ways to reduce human trafficking across our industry, I find a renewed excitement for the future of hospitality and how we can work together to continue making a difference.

The program began with a collaborative panel discussion on ways individuals can help improve technology innovation, and how our industry can remove barriers to new integrations and partnerships. The panel addressed several major questions, including whether the industry is falling short of technology adoption goals, when AI will begin to have an impact on hotel operations and more.

We are honored to partner with Visual Matrix for the latest Consultants Townsquare in Fort Worth, said Lindsey Goedeker, SVP of Sales at Actabl. The hotel industry is constantly evolving with new technologies and strategies, but its critical to optimize existing resourcesensuring hotels maximize profitability while maintaining the right staffing levels to enhance operations and reduce turnover. There is no silver bullet for improving our industry, but conversations like these can help shift the conversation toward positive change.

Key attendees shared observations on the event:

There is a lot of change happening across the industry and in the midst of that there are huge opportunities. People are looking for a new generation of PMS with the right combination of price and functionality.  John Burns, President of Hospitality Technology Consulting

Relationships are, and have always been, a key part of success in hospitality. While I am not currently a customer of Visual Matrix, I was happy to attend the Townsquare and am happy to partner with the organization as it manages and builds industry relationships.  Dorraine Lallani, Senior Director of Asset Management at Westmont Hospitality Group.

One thing our industry has struggled with overcoming, is overlooking a vendors core technology when a new shiny object comes out. Today, AI is the new shiny object, and vendors can lose focus and forget their core competencies, and they get outdated. We also must improve our approach to training for technology, as in-person training has a significant impact on hotelier success, but we arent doing much of it today.  Erica Penley-Claycomb, Owner and CEO of EPiC Specialists

Human trafficking awareness is everyones responsibility in hospitality. We commit to providing training and awareness programs alongside the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and partner with Visual Matrix to provide panic buttons to all employees through MOP. We must also empower our staff to reach out to managers to assist with issues they may be uncomfortable addressing. Hotel leaders and frontline staff members are in this together.  Casey Martin, COO at Helm Hotels Group

Integrations are at the top of everyone's mind in hospitality today. We have partnered with Visual Matrix for 20-plus years, and what we like about their system is their approach to integrations. Everything from locks to TVs are all integrated into our PMS, and we use it for every facet of our stay experience.  Tony Cota, General Manager, Best Western Tulare, Calif.

Walking the Walk

The final day of the conference began with a panel discussion on human trafficking and how hoteliers can make an impact in the fight against this practice. The group was joined by Melissa Ice, Founder and Executive Director of The Net Fort Worth and co-founder of the Worthy Co., organizations built with a focus on reducing the spread of human trafficking throughout Texas and supporting survivors in their recovery process. Her suggestions and feedback for hotel consultants were met with an undercurrent of support from industry leaders who are using technology such as cameras, heat maps and more to overcome stigmas associated with spotting and combatting human trafficking in practice.

The event ended with a meeting of the Hospitality Womens Innovation Council. The discussion not only continued to examine opportunities to overcome human trafficking in hospitality, but also addressed the need to uplift women across hospitality and break through the glass ceiling that still exists. Attendees were urged to remain vulnerable and honest while delivering their message to the industry.

For more information on Visual Matrix, visit www.visualmatrix.com. For more information on the Hospitality Womens Innovation Council, visit visualmatrix.com/women-hospitality-innovation-council.

More than 3,000 properties in 30+ countries worldwide choose the Visual Matrix hospitality operating platform to optimize hotel operations and serve guests from reservation to return stay. Our system includes a game-changing PMS and housekeeping & maintenance app (MOP) for use with Visual Matrix and most other PMS systems. Our PMS offers powerful features and key integrations that are easy to use, like revenue management with automated rate/discount tiering, a fully integrated channel manager, and a mobile app for tracking performance on the go. MOP automates routine tasks and streamlines communication to keep the front desk, housekeeping, and maintenance staff focused on guests. It also includes a built-in panic button as an Emergency Safety Device to help keep hotel staff from harm. For more information, visit visualmatrix.com.
HBX Group (HBX.SM), a leading independent B2B travel technology marketplace, shares a first glimpse into MarketHub Europe 2025, scheduled from April 1 to 4, 2025, in the Algarve, Portugal. Hosted at Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Algarve Resort, part of Minor Hotels, this invitation-only event will convene industry leaders for discussions, insights, and networking opportunities that will shape the future of travel and tourism.

Carlos Munoz, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO of HBX Group, will provide a comprehensive update on industry trends and HBX Group's initiatives. He will highlight the key forces shaping the future of travel and how HBX Group is leading innovation to create new opportunities across the sector.

The luxury travel segment will be addressed by David Amsellem, CEO of The Luxurist, who will delve into the evolution of high-end travel. His session will examine how shifting traveller expectations, personalisation, and sustainability are redefining luxury for todays discerning guests.

Additionally, representatives from organisations such as WTTC, AWS, Mastercard, and Minor Hotels will discuss emerging industry trends, including AI-driven travel solutions, evolving payment ecosystems, and the future of hospitality and sustainability.

MarketHub Europe 2025 is about looking aheadexploring how technology, sustainability, and collaboration are shaping the future of travel. Hosting this years event in Portugal is particularly exciting, as the Algarve is not only an exceptional destination but also a growing hub for tourism and innovation. It provides the perfect setting for conversations that will drive the industry forward. Carlos Munoz, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy CEO at HBX Group

According to Turismo de Portugal, the countrys tourism sector reached record highs in 2024, with 31.6 million guests and 78.27 million overnight stays between January and Octobermarking a 5.2% increase from the previous year. The Algarve remains one of Europes most sought-after destinations, welcoming over 5 million visitors annually, thanks to its renowned hospitality sector, world-class resorts, and commitment to sustainable tourism.

MarketHub Europe 2025 is supported by the hosting destination Visit Algarve, hosting partner Minor Hotels, and its platinum sponsors, including Accor, HotelRunner, Disney Destinations, Clermont Hotel Group, Visit Qatar, Experience Abu Dhabi and Rixos Hotels. These partners play a vital role in shaping the future of travel and ensuring the success of HBX Groups flagship event.

With a curated programme designed to blend insightful discussions with immersive cultural experiences, MarketHub Europe 2025 promises to be an enriching and collaborative event for all attendees.
London, UK  IHG Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in hospitality, today announces the addition of four European hotels to its Low Carbon Pioneer programme, which brings together energy efficient hotels that have no fossil fuels combusted on-site* and are backed by renewable energy.

This group of low operational carbon hotels is the first community of its kind in the industry and will help IHG test, learn and share findings on sustainability measures. The four new Europe properties join the three hotels in the same market that formed the launch of this programme in July 2024  demonstrating the effective adoption of carbon reduction practices across IHGs brand portfolio:

Luxury & Lifestyle: Kimpton BEM Budapest, Hungary

Premium: voco Marylebone, UK (new), voco Milan, Italy (new)

Essentials: Holiday Inn Express Madrid Airport, Spain, Holiday Inn Express Almere, Netherlands (new)

Suites: Staybridge Suites Malaga, Spain (new)

Exclusive partners: Iberostar Cristina Waves, Spain

In addition, Holiday Inn Express Asuncion Aviadores in Paraguay joins the Low Carbon Pioneers community, marking the first in the Americas and the first outside of Europe.

Each Low Carbon Pioneer hotel features sustainable solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps for heating and hot water generation, as well as fully electric kitchens. Every property also has an operational sustainability certification.**

Karin Sheppard, SVP and MD Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts said: It is fantastic to see this group of hotels leading the way in our Low Carbon Pioneers programme across different parts of our brand portfolio. It demonstrates the opportunity that exists here in Europe to drive sustainability progress across the industry and allows us to inspire other properties to join the programme and encourage the wider adoption of carbon reduction practices.

Guests seeking more sustainable stays will find these hotels marketed as low carbon across our channels and for our hotel owners, the Low Carbon Pioneers programme can play an important role in future-proofing their businesses. From driving preference amongst corporate clients looking to meet sustainable travel commitments and greater alignment with environmental regulatory changes, to better access to green finance for new projects  collectively we believe these benefits should lead to stronger property valuations in future.

IHG Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices within their operations. Guiding this is a Journey to Tomorrow responsible business plan to care for its people, communities and the planet, which brings colleagues, hotel owners and partners together to be a force for good. IHG is developing solutions to help measure, manage and minimise the environmental impact of its thousands of hotels, from energy conservation measures as brand standards in areas such as lighting, heating and ventilation, to sourcing renewable energy and installing EV chargers.

Find out more about the carbon reduction practices at each hotel here.

The full criteria for a Low Carbon Pioneer hotel is available here.

*Except for backup generators that fall below 5% of the hotels total annual energy consumption.

**New hotels will have 12 months to certify from when they open.

Tieran Bhuhi-Siva

Senior Corporate Communications Manager, Europe

+44 (0) 7976 178 485

IHG
NEW YORK  Infor, the industry cloud company, today announced that Coast Hotels Limited, one of North Americas fastest-growing and one of Canadas largest hotel brands, will implement cloud-based Infor Hospitality applications to better meet and exceed its modern guest expectations. Coast Hotels, a fully owned subsidiary of APA Hotel Canada, Inc. owns, manages, and franchises properties in cities large and small, as well as in resort destinations throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, Alaska, Washington State, California, and Hawaii.

As our organization continues to grow, we knew we needed a solid technology framework and partner to help us be more agile and scale at the right pace, said Takamasa Machiura, President & CEO of Coast Hotels. With Infor, we know their team will be committed to helping us streamline operations, maximize profitability, and ultimately deliver great guest experiences. By adopting more cloud-based software and keeping our systems modern, we are better supporting our teams to make more informed business decisions in real-time that will support our expansion plans and allow us to compete globally today and in the future in a very competitive market.

Infor HMS is a hotel Property Management System (PMS) built in the cloud that provides hospitality organizations with a reliable hub for operations, tools to create clarity around business data, and the ability to establish a solid foundation to consistently deliver an outstanding guest experience. In addition, cloud-based Infor SCS Sales and Event Management automates the entire lifecycle of an organizations events, enabling the creation of memorable experiences efficiently and goals.

The hospitality industry is continuing to adopt modern technology solutions to help optimize operations, deliver a superior guest experience, and meet the challenges of a constantly evolving hospitality space, said Joe Vargas, senior vice president and general manager, Infor Hospitality. Dozens of global hotel and resort brands leverage Infors powerful hospitality cloud solutions to unify and refine hotel operations, deliver superior guest experiences and implement intelligent strategies. We are excited to partner with Coast Hotels on their new modernization and expansion path.

About Coast Hotels

Each Coast Hotel property is as unique as the destinations they are located in, yet they all have something in common: friendly service and our always pleasant amenities. Coast Hotels offers properties throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Washington State in cities large and small. As one of North Americas fastest-growing hotel brands, Coast Hotels owes its continued expansion to its friendly service, prime locations, value, and guest satisfaction. Coast Hotels owns and franchises hotels under the Coast Hotels brand and manages hotels on both a Coast Hotels branded and independent basis.

About Infor

Infor is a global leader in business cloud software specialized by industry. Providing mission-critical enterprise applications to 65,000 customers in more than 175 countries, Infor software is designed to deliver more value and less risk, with more sustainable operational advantages. We empower our 17,000 employees to leverage their deep industry expertise and use data-driven insights to create, learn and adapt quickly to solve emerging business and industry challenges. Infor is committed to providing our customers with modern tools to transform their business and accelerate their own path to innovation. To learn more, please visit www.infor.com.

This announcement reflects the direction Infor may take with regard to the specific product(s) described herein, all of which is subject to change by Infor in its sole discretion, with or without notice to you. This announcement is not a commitment to you in any way and you should not rely on this document or any of its content in making any decision. Infor is not committing to develop or deliver any specified enhancement, upgrade, product or functionality, even if such is described in this announcement and even if such description is accompanied by words such as anticipate, believe, expect, intend, may, plan, project, predict, should, will, and/or similar expressions. Many factors can affect Infors product development plans and the nature, content and timing of future product releases, all of which remain in the sole discretion of Infor. This announcement, in whole or in part, may not be incorporated into any contractual agreement with Infor or its subsidiaries or affiliates. Infor expressly disclaims any liability with respect to this announcement.

Luis Gustavo Peccicacco

+55 11 99531-0930
It goes without saying that for the past few years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been the hot topic in the world of technology, and its hard to spend even a few minutes on LinkedIn or at a conference without encountering conversations on how it is going to change the world. However, for all of the times Ive encountered the term AI in passing, mentions of Citizen Data Science pale in comparison. I believe that understanding and embracing Citizen Data Science will be essential for industries like hospitality as they work to successfully integrate AI and leverage it for effective business decision-making.

We at Revenue Generation have spent the past year engaged with a portfolio of five independent hotels, assisting them with their Citizen Data Science journey. Weve developed fully automated tools to organize and synthesize their data, recreate manual reports, and develop analysis that quickly delivers insights in a repeatable fashion. Weve empowered team members within their commercial organization to be data citizens, pairing their business expertise with these analytical tools to address their most important problems. Crucially, theyve been able to leverage their current technological and statistical skillsets to accomplish this, without the need for more training. While its journey is still ongoing, this organization has focused on incorporating data-driven decision making into its culture, and it shows in the results.

Citizen Data Science Defined

So what is Citizen Data Science, or similarly, a Citizen Data Scientist? There are various definitions floating out there, but the one I like the best comes from Gartner, the global research and advisory firm: a person who creates or generates models that leverage predictive or prescriptive analytics, but whose primary job function is outside the field of statistics and analytics. This person likely still needs to possess a high comfort level with technology, a decent understanding of mathematical and statistical concepts, and certainly (and arguably, most importantly) the appropriate subject-matter expertise. An advanced degree in a quantitative field is not required, and this distinction may be what sets the Citizen Data Scientist apart from their professional counterparts.

The Citizen Data Scientist sits at the important intersection between information technology and operations, which has historically been occupied by business managers, analysts, engineers, product designers, professional data scientists, or some combination of the above. Many industries face the ever-growing challenge of keeping pace with rapidly expanding data, while making business decisions at an exponentially faster rate and greater scale; remember the three Vs of Big Data from that conference you attended ten years ago  volume, velocity, and variety.

The human capital to support this massive effort inevitably falls short given the difficulty and expense associated with finding and/or acquiring employees with the correct skills and education. Fortunately, many advancements have been made in AI-based technological tools that bridge this knowledge and experience gap, in the form of large language models (LLMs, like ChatGPT) and automated machine learning (AutoML). LLMs, in this context, enable business users to build and support tools and applications, and AutoML helps to synthesize datasets into predictive and prescriptive insights that drive decision-making, neither requiring coding skills or knowledge. These tools have been made increasingly easier to use by less technically savvy users. Coupled with finding the right Citizen Data Scientists to deploy them toward addressing the right business problems, they help to overcome these challenges.

Citizen Data Science in the Hospitality Industry

As innovative yet practical as it may sound, Citizen Data Science is not the proper fit for every vertical. Removing or reducing the reliance on professional data science expertise can result in lack of proper oversight, data quality issues, and ultimately incorrect or poor decision making that can have very adverse consequences. So why might it be just the right fit for the hospitality industry, which is not typically known for advanced, data-driven decision making? I believe it boils down to three things:

The opportunity that more basic data analytics and automation provide

The current and future career trajectory of team members tasked with supporting data-driven decision making

The lower risk nature of the decisions themselves

First, there are two potential precursors to true Citizen Data Science that are immensely valuable by themselves and can form a basis for gradual evolution into Citizen Data Science. In his book All Hands on Tech, Tom Davenport describes Citizen Data Analysis and Citizen Automation, concepts that are within the realm of Citizen Data Science but are a step less sophisticated and dont come with all of the same caveats. Citizen Data Analysis, often known historically as Business Intelligence, equips and empowers business users with the ability to synthesize available data into KPIs, dashboards, reports, and simple predictive models, often within a self-service paradigm. Business users can quickly derive actionable insights from the data, allowing data analysis professionals to focus their time on other activities aside from development, including scaling existing efforts. Similarly, Citizen Automation tackles routine, time-consuming, and hard-to-scale business processes by using accessible, user-friendly technology.

I work closely with Commercial Strategy teams within hospitality, including Sales, Marketing, and Revenue Management, and see firsthand how much time is spent just gathering and compiling data into reports, then distributing them to stakeholders on a regular basis. Likewise, strategy meetings require hours to prepare for, and this effort increases linearly with the number of properties that need to be covered. Recent industry surveys have revealed that these teams tend to spend over half of their time on such manual tasks, and all of this occurs before even a single insight is discovered, a decision is made, or a revenue opportunity identified. Through the combination of automation and Citizen Data Analytics, commercial teams in hospitality can reduce manual data preparation efforts, empower stakeholders to quickly find and act on insights, and more easily scale their efforts as their organizations grow.

Citizen Data Science also meets the needs of the hospitality industry given the personas of the individuals that would engage in these initiatives. Earlier I mentioned that an aptitude with technology and a familiarity with math and statistics are prerequisites, but not formal training in data science, programming, or computer science. A Citizen Data Scientist should also possess an intimate knowledge of the business problems that need to be addressed in the organization, and should have the motivation to solve these problems. I think again about Commercial teams and the types of problems that need solving  segmentation, targeted marketing, offers, and promotions, forecasting, pricing, CRM, personalization, and so forth. The nature of these problems and the ability to address them through quantitative methods forms the right foundation upon which teams can build their technological and quantitative skill sets. So, even if team members dont currently check all of the required boxes, there is a natural career progression that begins with business expertise and, with the help of the right Citizen-facing tools, can guarantee professional growth and success for both the individual and the organization.

Finally, Citizen Data Science is most appropriate for industries where the outcomes of decisions are not life-or-death. In All Hands-on Tech, Davenport cites failures at a nuclear energy plant, potentially adverse medical implications, cybersecurity-related matters, and outcomes with substantial financial impact as those that would require the more scrupulous attention of trained data scientists. Hospitality does not involve such outcomes, and short of a calamitous and sudden emptying of occupied hotel rooms and/or a massive shift in strategy, the financial risk is relatively small, and usually outweighed by the upside potential. Of course, in all applications of Citizen Data Science, when indeed there are more significant consequences on the line, consultation with a trained data scientist is essential.

Steps Toward Adoption

Like all technological growth, adoption of Citizen Data Science and the corresponding organizational change cannot and should not happen overnight. An organization should implement basic tools and processes that drive immediate value, and then iterate, refine, and evolve. Hospitality organizations can take a few practical steps in parallel as they embark on their journey.

The first step is educating team members. This might include upskilling on tools, understanding available data, improving the ability to frame questions, and for those with less quantitative backgrounds, incorporating foundational statistics. Given different learning styles, this can take a variety of forms from online training classes to hands-on learning by doing. I have found that anyone that is well-versed with Microsoft Excel is likely ready to expand their knowledge to some of the common Citizen Data Analysis and Data Science tools. There are many excellent sources for learning statistics that are tailored more closely for a business audience.

Second, organizations need to evaluate their available data, ensuring that the right citizen analysts have access to the right data elements at the right times. This includes careful evaluation of the business processes that typically produce data internally for an organization, as poor processes often result in poor data. Metrics need to be well-defined and consistent, to strive for a single source of truth. For example, if Operations calculates occupancy based on physical rooms, while Revenue Management excludes rooms out-of-order from the denominator, two conflicting figures will emerge, both claiming to represent the same metric. This disparity can lead to confusion and skepticism from stakeholders. As commercial organizations in hospitality continue to centralize, the risks associated with siloed and inconsistent data are mitigated. I would personally advocate for a focused, centralized data and analytics effort to accompany these coordinated Commercial Strategy initiatives, including a single, central data model accessible by all Citizen Data stakeholders.

Finally, hospitality organizations adopting the Citizen Data Science paradigm need to establish and foster a culture of data-driven decision making. As is the case with most corporate culture, this should be championed by senior management and should focus on consistent use of data towards decision making at all levels of the organization. Much more could be written on the topic of building a data-driven culture, but technology has set the stage for exciting opportunities for career advancement, greater efficiency, greater job satisfaction and a slew of other intrinsic and extrinsic benefits. Energizing teams around the concepts of Citizen Data Science should prove easier than ever.

In summary, the implementation of Citizen Data Science in the hospitality industry offers remarkable opportunities for empowering business users, enhancing efficiency, and fostering a data-driven culture. By equipping team members with the necessary tools and knowledge, organizations can streamline manual data preparation and enable stakeholders to derive rapid insights, ultimately driving better decision-making and growth. The focus on Citizen Data Science is particularly suited for hospitality, where the impact of decisions is significant, yet manageable and relatively low-risk. With gradual adoption and strong support from senior management, hospitality organizations can seamlessly integrate Citizen Data Science into their operations, ensuring a future marked by professional development, improved performance, and innovative problem-solving.
Baymont by Wyndham Houston/Westchase Hotel - Image Credit Wyndham



HVS Brokerage & Advisory has announced the successful sale of the 61-key Baymont by Wyndham Houston/Westchase Hotel to Nagin Investments LLC, marking another successful transaction for the brokerage firm.

HVS Brokerage & Advisory has announced the successful sale of Baymont by Wyndham Houston/Westchase, a 61-key hotel located at 2950 West Sam Houston Parkway South, Houston, Texas 77042. Nagin Investments LLC, based in Houston, Texas, purchased the property from American Liberty Hospitality.

Constructed in 1995, the Baymont by Wyndham Houston/Westchase hotel is considered a legacy asset for American Liberty Hospitality. Nicholas Massad Jr., President of American Liberty Hospitality, expressed satisfaction with the sale, highlighting HVS's strategic approach in the successful transaction. The sale marks the third transaction between HVS and American Liberty Hospitality, establishing a strong partnership between the two entities.

Baymont by Wyndham Houston/Westchase benefits from an excellent location within the historically robust Westchase submarket along the Sam Houston Tollway frontage road. The densely developed Westheimer Road that extends from the Galleria area to Katy, featuring numerous retail shopping centers, restaurants, and office buildings, adds to the property's value. Its proximity to significant demand drivers such as National Oilwell Varco (NOV), Jacobs Engineering, Viridien, Phillips 66, BMC Software, Hermann Memorial City Medical Center, West Oaks Mall, Town & Country Village, Houston Chinatown, Memorial City Mall, and CityCentre further enhances its strategic location.

James Rebullida, Senior Vice President of HVS Brokerage & Advisory, mentioned the importance of securing a buyer who could successfully transact despite the hotel's challenging historical performance. The team managed to source a well-qualified, local investor who moved quickly to go under contract before the asset was officially taken to the market. The new ownership is expected to undertake renovations, ensuring a bright future for the hotel.

The HVS Brokerage & Advisory team included Eric Guerrero, James Rebullida, Kyle Peterek, Fadi Rawashdeh, and Daneen Godinet, demonstrating the company's deep industry expertise and strong network.
Image Credit TTRW

American pop star Lady Gaga is set to return to Singapore after 13 years to perform four shows there this Maythe only Asian stop on her latest world tour.

The latest search data from Booking.com revealed a 14% increase in accommodation searches for Singapore following the announcement of Lady Gagas tour stop in Singapore.

The increase in interest is mainly driven by travelers within the APAC region, except the UK, coming in 4th across all markets globally.

Visitors from Australia showed the largest increase in accommodation searches (around 14%) as compared to 2024.

This effect is not limited to international visitors. Singaporeans also contributed to a close to 10% increase in accommodation searches during this period.

Top 5 global markets that searched for Singapore as a destination during Lady Gagas world tour in Singapore (16-26 May 2025)

Click here to read complete article at TTRW.
Music Tech takes center stage in Miami

The first Miami MusicTech Summit is set for next Tuesday, March 25. The gathering will bring together global music tech leaders while showcasing the citys exploding music tech and innovation scene.



The Miami MusicTech Summit is an offshoot of the legendary SF MusicTech Summit that ran from 2009  2017. SFMT founders Brian and Shoshana Zisk moved from San Francisco to Miami and are restarting the conference to showcase what they found in their new home city.

Its not too late to register and join this important event.

The one day summit at the Silverspot Cinema in Downtown Miami will be packed with actionable content and networking, but there are a few special sessions involving Hypebot family and friends worth highlighting.

Miami MusicTech Summit Highlights

Fireside Chat with Fabrice Sergent & Matias Solari [10:30 AM  10:50 AM]

Fabrice Sergent, co-founder and CEO of Bandsintown sits down with Matias Solari, manager of rising Latin superstar Rauw Alejandro.

Startup Challenge Winners Showcase [1:30 PM  02:15 PM]

The Miami Music Tech Startup Challenge (sponsored by Strm) is a startup competition to spotlight and promote early stage music tech companies while connecting them with our vibrant musictech community. 

Thiago Lobao

Gregg Stein

Brian Zisk

Rishi Patel

Name, Image and Legacy: Crafting a Lasting Identity in Music [2:30 PM -03:30 PM]

What does it take to build a timeless music career? From brand development to nostalgic storytelling, lasting success requires strategy, vision, and adaptability. This panel of industry experts share insights

Hisham Dahud  ArtistPro, Creative Strategist, Electronic Artist (RIZIK)

Building Communities [4:00 PM  5:00 PM]

In todays digital and live music landscape, community is everything. Whether its uniting young musicians, connecting festival-goers, or helping artists build lasting relationships with their fans, engagement-driven platforms are shaping

Romina Groot  Groot PR

 Groot PR Sammy Gonzales Zeira  Young Musicians Unite, Founder & CEO

 Young Musicians Unite, Founder & CEO Philip Butler  Radiate, Founder & CEO

 Radiate, Founder & CEO Ritesh Patel  Ticket Fairy, CEO

 Ticket Fairy, CEO Fabrice Sergent  Bandsintown, Co-founder and Managing Partner

Bandsintown, Co-founder and Managing Partner Zach Walker  Shotgun, VP of Strategic Partnerships

Bruce Houghton

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Southern Berkshire County Resource Guide Released

LEE, Mass.  A collaboration between the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative, Families Like Ours Inc., and the Tri-Town Health Department has resulted in the release of the Southern Berkshire County Resource Guide.

The Southern Berkshire County Resource Guide is designed to connect individuals and families with essential services. It helps to navigate services such as food access, housing support, mental health support, special needs services, and transportation options.

Additional sections are being developed for future printings of the guide, and the Resource Guide will be regularly updated online throughout the year.

The Southern Berkshire County Resource Guide is available in both print and digital formats. The printed version will be distributed in March 2025 to first responders, town clerks, libraries, boards of health, and council on aging offices.

Online versions are available at https://southernberkshirehealth.com/southern-berkshire-county-resource-guide/ or familieslikeoursinc.com

Suggested changes or additions or requests for printed copies can be directed to Rania Markham at Rania@familieslikeoursinc.com . This resource is free of charge.

Jayne Smith of SBPHC stated that the guide was initially developed for first responders, public health officials, and service providers, but is a valuable tool for everyone.

The Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative is a shared services arrangement providing support to the local boards of health in its 12 member towns, including Alford, Great Barrington, Lee, Lenox, Monterey, Mount Washington, New Marlborough, Otis, Sandisfield, Sheffield, Stockbridge, and Tyringham. Services provided by SBPHC to member towns include public health nursing, inspectional and health agent services, car seat fittings, sharps disposal, and community collaboration.

Families Like Ours is a non-profit organization that supports families of individuals with special needs in Berkshire County.

Tri-Town Health Department is a regional health department providing public health services to Lee, Lenox, and Stockbridge. Tri-Town, through the Town of Lee, is the fiscal host for the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative.
A protester holds up a sign on Tuesday at Park Square. If a proposed ordinance goes through, 'loitering' at the popular protest spot could be illegal. About three dozen protestors hold signs at Park Square. Arguments against the ordinance were that it would violate people's right to assembly and speech and target a marginalized group. Margot Page, president of Berkshire Interfaith Organizing, which facilitated the protest, talks to the crowd. Michael Hitchcock, co-director of Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc. PreviousNext

Pittsfielders Protest 'Median Safety' Rule at Park Square

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Passion was high at Park Square on Tuesday as several dozen community members protested a proposed ordinance that would ban "loitering" in medians.

Mayor Peter Marchetti is asking that the council approve the " Median Safety and Pedestrian Regulation in Public Roadways " ordinance that would make loitering in a median strip illegal as a public safety measure.

"The city of Pittsfield has experienced an increase in public safety issues relating to pedestrian use of and entry into the public roadways," the mayor's office said in a statement.

There have been numerous complaints about panhandling in medians, especially in the Allendale intersection, and Marchetti had first floated the idea as a councilor in 2023.

Protesters say the ordinance may be framed as a public safety ordinance, but actually targets poor and vulnerable community members. And that criminalizing activities such as panhandling and protesting infringes on First Amendment rights and freedom of speech.

"I'm passionate that those without voices are going to be even more silenced. Those who are marginalized are going to be more marginalized. We can do better in Pittsfield than making the folks that make us uncomfortable go away. So I'm here for that. This ordinance is deliberately making it hard to do life," said Margot Page, Berkshire Interfaith Organizing president.

The ordinance states that every pedestrian has the right to use public ways in the city except where pedestrian travel is expressly or prohibited by law, regulation, signage, road closure, or other safety or emergency factors.

This is applicable within 100 yards of the intersection of West Street and Center Street, East Street and First Street, South Street and East Housatonic Street, and all of the intersections at Allendale Shopping Center and Park Square  where Tuesday's protesters were gathered. Any person found to violate this section would be subject to criminal and noncriminal penalties, which could be fines anywhere from $50 to $300.

"These intersections are identified based upon the number of accidents that have occurred over a period. We understand that members of our community may not agree with this proposal, but the Mayor's intention is to be proactive in preventing injuries or additional harm between people and cars," the mayor's office said.

"The city has had many situations in which we have been more reactive, and the safety improvements were made after an incident occurred. This proposed ordinance is one way to take a more proactive approach based upon the data collected for accidents in the identified intersections."

The Ordinance & Rules subcommittee will take up the matter Monday at 6 p.m. City Hall.

Berkshire Interfaith Organizing planned the protest, which brought in a diverse group of people, including business owners, panhandlers, and people who do not usually participate in social activism efforts, several protesters said.

"Like many other members of the community, I'm alarmed and disappointed at the proposed ordinance that's currently being considered in Pittsfield. It's being framed as a public safety ordinance relating to street medians, important intersections like those around which we are today at Park Square. And, I'm not opposed to measures that improve public safety, but that's not really what this is about, said Sean Manion, the organization's director.

The ordinance targets poor and vulnerable community members who are out just asking for help, he said.

Rather than making it illegal to panhandle in medians, the city should instead address the root causes of poverty and homelessness in the community, such as investing in solutions to the housing crisis and supporting programming that helps people, Manion said.

"I know the city is already doing a lot about that, but I think we can always do more. I think supporting models like transitional housing, supportive housing, really combining that housing resource with other resources that help people get away from substance abuse or substance misuse, resources that help people get jobs that they might not otherwise be able to get," he said.

"I think we can do more to de-stigmatize the circumstances that people are coming out of so that an employer, for example, would be more willing and more likely to hire somebody that maybe they wouldn't consider without that encouragement."

Protestor Uriel Rizzuti highlighted the importance of free speech and assembly, particularly in the context of protests, which are often under threat.

The ordnance doesn't just impact the homeless and vulnerable community members. It also prevents activists from being able to stand on the medians to spread the word about their cause, whether it's saving the bees, ending the war, or employees fighting to form a union. It also prevents business owners from advertising in the median, Manion said.

Ephraim Alexander Schwartz, leadership team member, said the ordinance worsens the situation for homeless and vulnerable individuals by creating additional obstacles for them to escape life on the streets, as having a criminal record can severely limit their opportunities.

"We're going to expect more people lashing out in more unpredictable ways, and we're expecting to see a rise in all kinds of mental health problems, and all of the comorbidities of poverty would increase, which includes interpersonal violence and displacement," said Michael Hitchcock, co-director of Roots & Dreams and Mustard Seeds Inc.

"And once people start getting in that criminal record, as we already know, it becomes harder to access any of the services they need. So we would see this intensifying a problem that already exists and still leaving the basic problem unsolved."

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year has resulted in the criminalization of homelessness, leading to encampments being dismantled, individuals losing their belongings, and some being imprisoned for being in public spaces, protester Theo Dimin said.

In Grants Pass v. Johnson, the court found that criminally punishing unsheltered people is not "cruel and unusual" punishment. Grants Pass, Ore., had passed an ordinance making it illegal for homeless people to camp or sleep in its public parks.

"They are being placed in prisons for the crime of existing in public as if we don't have the right to life in this nation," said Dimin.

"And that will spread here if we let it, and it will affect real human lives that it will tear apart. It will harm families. It will harm individuals. It will make it harder for people who are in trouble and struggling to get help. It's no way forward."
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MF Husains Untitled (Gram Yatra), a 14ft masterpiece depicting vignettes of Indias rural life, has become the most expensive work of modern Indian art ever sold at a public auction.

The 1954 mural-sized painting fetched $13.8m (10.6m) at Christies in New York on 19 March, nearly quadrupling its expected price of $3.5m and setting a new benchmark for South Asian modern art.

The previous record was held by Amrita Sher-Gils The Story Teller (1937), which sold in Mumbai last year for $7.4m.

It is now the second-highest price ever fetched by a South Asian artwork, surpassed only by the $24.6m sale of a 12th-century black stone bodhisattva sculpture at Christies New York in 2017.

Originally acquired by Norwegian surgeon and art collector Leon Elias Volodarsky in 1954 while leading a WHO team in Delhi, Untitled (Gram Yatra) remained largely unseen for over 70 years in a private corridor of Oslo University Hospital, where it was donated by Volodarskys estate in 1964.

Now known as The Volodarsky Husain, the painting was consigned for auction by Oslo University Hospital, with the proceeds intended to fund a medical training centre.

The record-breaking artwork saw competitive bidding from five contenders before being acquired by an undisclosed institution through Nishad Avari, Christies head of South Asian Modern and contemporary art.

open image in gallery Untitled (Gram Yatra) by MF Husain has become the most expensive work of modern Indian art ever sold at a public auction ( Christie's )

Journalist and author John Elliot, in his blog Riding the Elephant, writes that Indian art collector and philanthropist Kiran Nadar is believed to have won the work for her famous New Delhi art museum known as KNMA.

The Independent has reached out to the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art for confirmation.

We are thrilled to have been a part of setting a new benchmark value for the work of Maqbool Fida Husain and the entire category. This is a landmark moment and continues the extraordinary upward trajectory of the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art market, he said.

It comprises of 13 separate vignettes of village life in India, which is really important, because this is five years after Indian independence, and Husain and all his colleagues are trying to figure out at the time what it means to be a modern Indian artist, Mr Avari said of Untitled (Gram Yatra).

According to a note accompanying the work, Untitled (Gram Yatra), meaning village pilgrimage, is not only one of the largest, but perhaps the most significant painting by the artist from the 1950s. This monumental painting is Husains magnum opus, a cornerstone of his oeuvre celebrating the diversity and dynamism of a newly independent nation. As such, Gram Yatra is an exemplar of nation-building through art.

Describing it as by far one of the most significant works he has seen in his career, Mr Avari told ArtNews that the process of acquiring the painting was a 13-year process, which involved getting permission from the Oslo University Hospitals board when the institution decided to sell.

MF Husain, dubbed the Picasso of India, is one of the most celebrated figures in modern Indian art. A founding member of the Bombay Progressive Artists Group, he played a key role in shaping Indian modernism in the 1940s, blending influences from classical Indian art with Western expressionist techniques.

His distinctive style explored themes ranging from mythology and history to rural and urban India.

open image in gallery MF Husain, dubbed the Picasso of India, is one of the most celebrated figures in modern Indian art ( EPA )

While his works, including series on Gandhi, Mother Teresa and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata, gained widespread acclaim, some of his later paintings sparked controversy for their nude depictions of Hindu deities. Facing legal battles and threats, Husain lived in self-imposed exile in London until his death in 2011, aged 95.

Earlier this year, a court in India ordered the seizure of two paintings by Husain over a lawyers complaint that they were allegedly offensive and hurt religious sentiments.

The paintings  featuring Hindu deities Ganesha and Hanuman alongside nude female figures  were being displayed at DAG, New Delhi, formerly Delhi Art Gallery.

The court later dismissed the lawyers petition seeking a case to be registered against the gallery on charges of deliberately and maliciously outraging religious feelings.

Given its implicit belief in artistic freedom, the DAG denies any wrongdoing as alleged by the complainant who has publicly claimed to be principally driven by a religious agenda, the gallery said in a statement to The Independent.
No question: something is rotten in the state of Denmark when one of Britains redtops splashes on its front page with WOKEO & JULIET in 60-point caps. Whats going on? Ostensibly against trigger warnings at the Globe, this broadside comes in the contemporary context of a wider and more bitter row about William Shakespeares canon. For some years now, theres been a steady drumbeat within education for a refocusing of the curriculum, to teach Shakespeare differently. Or, in the weasel words of one teacher, to teach students, through literature, to challenge the status quo.

This week, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, a well-meaning research and promotional institute, announced that it was to decolonise its museum collections to tackle the claim that the playwrights legacy promotes white supremacy.

It feels something like Wokes Last Stand. Mind-to-mind combat between the crusty, tosh-spouting defenders of a hallowed literary tradition versus (as they see it) the doctrinaire enemies of Shakespeare, the universal genius, led by Helen Hopkins of Birmingham University who wrote the latest decolonisation report. All this is  as the poet himself might have put it  hot ice and wondrous strange snow.

Adventures first; explanations second. Shakespeare himself would view this brouhaha with a sceptical, slightly mystified expression. As the most famous and successful playwright of Elizabethan England, hes the most semi-detached author imaginable, certainly by 21st-century standards, never troubled by book prizes, literary festivals or X (Twitter). Not that he was any kind of slacker.

Every day of his adult working life must have been devoted either to running the Globe, and writing two or more plays a year, together with poetry such as his Sugard Sonnets for his aristocratic and royal patrons.

Nevertheless, it was not until he was well into the second decade of his career that he paid much attention to the printed editions of his work. These quartos, in turn, were slow to identify W Shakspere. As Stephen Greenblatt, author of Will in the World, has put it, Shakespeare always wrote as if he thought there were more interesting (or at least more dramatic) things in life to do than write plays.

There is, however, no getting away from Shakespeares absolute supremacy as a poet and playwright. Even Ben Jonson, his most assiduous rival, was forced to concede, on the publication of the First Folio in 1623, that his great contemporary was the soul of the age.

Later, it would be the high Victorian poet Matthew Arnold who pronounced that Others abide our question, thou art free. Sorry, but at the Birthplace Trust, hes not. And heres the thing: this is not new, not by a long chalk. He has been cabined, cribbed, confined before, always vulnerable to the whirligig of time.

The first 200 years of his afterlife are marked by successive outbreaks of interference, first from the Puritan revolution which drove his works underground and next from another generation of prudes and bowdlerisers for whom the perceived coarse vulgarity of his work was offensive. In mood, if not in substance, the latest woke chapters of Birmingham University would find lots to discuss with Nahum Tate, an Irish poet and playwright who, notoriously, devised a happy ending for King Lear in which Cordelia gets married to Edgar. Nor was Tate alone. The poet laureate John Dryden also conceived The Enchanted Island as a comedy version of The Tempest.

open image in gallery Reinterpreting and reframing the playwrights works through a progressive lens is nothing new ( PA )

In this context, the decolonisers merely want to view these plays through a narrow lens. Its inevitable that some of their more untethered comments will provoke the rage of middle England. But to Professor James Shapiro, the bestselling American Shakespeare scholar, these disrupted times mark a season of intense and timely renewal. Shakespeare is being embraced. Whats happening is exciting. Right now were going through a period where race matters, he says. To those who are complaining, and are disturbed by the current focus, Id give it 10 years.

Indeed, on the London stage, some of the so-called decolonisers concerns have already been addressed by innovative young directors. In 2024, the sell-out Donmar production of Macbeth starred Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth, with colour-blind casting throughout the ensemble. The Globe never misses an opportunity to reinterpret and reframe his works through a progressive lens. But considering Shakespeares honoured place before audiences in China and Japan, the Middle East, North and South America, and most of Europe, its hard not to conclude that there is a distressingly little England tenor to some of the decolonisers arguments.

open image in gallery Shakespeare took an oath of loyalty to his calling and its craft. He would never perjure that vow ( Getty )

Further, the strictures of identity politics towards some RSC and NT productions ignore the degree to which non-English audiences revere some of our productions precisely because they are so quintessentially English. The poet WH Auden used to say that it was the business of our writers to commune with the dead, to engage in a dialogue with the creative past. Shakespeare himself communed with Spenser and Marlowe; followed by Milton, Johnson, Pope, Keats, and Coleridge all in thrall to Shakespeare. Its a trend thats gone on to the present day. Once we cease to treasure a dialogue with the dead, we run the risk of finding ourselves in a morgue.

To my mind, theres something well meaning, but misguided, about this decolonisation initiative that is fundamentally at odds with who and what William Shakespeare was as an artist. He was a very clever man and a writer of genius (not necessarily the same thing) who was very lucky. Despite some perilous politics, he was never racked, or seriously threatened. Besides, no one could ever ask him to withdraw from, or betray, his own self because no one knew where to find it  and he wasnt saying.

Always the zen master of negligent ambiguity, Iagos demand me nothing hints at the fiery solitude of the poets mind for whom close personal scrutiny was no laughing matter. He remained a writer and a true artist, never in thrall to one kind of politics, identity or otherwise. Instead, he ingested the enthralling variety of the world around him. His spirit as an omnivore makes him uniquely seductive, and innately slippery: witty, sophisticated, wise and  from page to page  the most wonderful company.

He would have been mystified by these decolonisers. His immense gifts were part of himself, and that self was never mortgaged, banged up, or bankrupted. Its as if, very early, Will Shakespeare took an oath of loyalty to his calling and its craft. He would never perjure that vow. He did not have to: his commitment to that precious gift, his imagination and its free traffic, made him a free man, in a very English way.

Robert McCrum is the author of Shakespearean: On Life & Language in Times of Disruption published by Picador
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Cate Blanchett has made a strong case for award shows to stop being televised and go back to the policy of no phones, where no one cared what anyone did.

During an appearance on Matt Rogers and Bowen Yangs Las Culturistas podcast, the two-time Oscar winner said that people were more present back when there were few to no chances of someone recording you.

Theres so few spaces that you can go now, where you are private. Thats what I loved about the late 80s, going to all of the dance parties in Sydney for Mardi Gras. People were just there. They were so present, you know, they were just together, collectively, having a great time, the Black Bag star said.

It was non-aggressive. No one was being recorded. No one cared what anyone did.

The Academy Awards, which were first held in 1929, have been televised since the 25th ceremony in 1953.

open image in gallery Cate Blanchett attends the 95th Annual Academy Awards in March 2023 ( Getty Images )

The hosts went on to talk about the treacherous trend of lip readers on TikTok taking a video of two celebrities speaking to each other at an awards show and releasing their version of what they think was said.

But now it feels like that chasm between that kind of event, that ideal, is widening from the thing thats very common now at, like, an awards show where youve got lip readers, youre being photographed, Yang said .

Blanchett interjected: Lip readers?

And it looks like it could be exactly what theyre saying, in a way thats a little bit odd, added Rogers.

Lip reader reveals what sweet Prince Louis was really shouting from coronation carriage

Blanchett urged a return to non-televised award shows in favour of a great party where people can just let go, adding that people would find out which celebrity wore which outfit and won which award at the end anyway.

I mean, I say, I know its blasphemy, go back to the day when it wasnt televised. Bring that back and just have a great party where people can just let go. I mean, the industry is so scattered and at such a point of which I think potentially could be exciting or could really be depressing, but its at a pivot point, and so we need to gather together and celebrate what it is that we do, without it having to have any public-facing.

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I mean, the fashion is great, and all of that stuff. Well find out in the end who won or who didnt win. But it would be so nice that that happened behind closed doors. Absolutely a very different evening.

Blanchett specified she wasnt asking to get rid award shows, but for them to celebrate films in a way that doesnt make one sick of them.

Its so great that peoples work is celebrated and in that way, she said. I think theres a sense that, because this is the thing  all these films are amazing  so many amazing films and performances, and all of the craft awards, cinematography.

You want to celebrate them, of course, but you can get sick of those films because they all get whittled down, as they must. I dont want to get sick of any of those films because theyre brilliant.

In 2023, after being named best actress in a drama at the Critics Choice Awards for her role in Tar, Blanchett called for an end to the televised horse race saying: Its like, what is this patriarchal pyramid where someone stands up here?

Why dont we just say theres a whole raft of female performances that are in concert and in dialogue with one another, and stop the televised horse race of it at all?

Because can I tell you, every single woman  whether its television, film, advertising, tampon commercials, whatever  youre all out there doing amazing work that is inspiring me continually.

open image in gallery Cate Blanchett in 'The Seagull' ( Marc Brenner )

Blanchett is currently on stage in London in The Barbicans production of The Seagull, receiving rave reviews for her performance. In a four-star review, The Independents Alice Saville wrote: Blanchetts Arkadina is wonderfully, hilariously crass, blinding the front row with her glittery jeans then nonplussing the whole audience by tapdancing into splits. Yet underneath the performative silliness, Blanchett conveys a sense of a cavernous emptiness  a detachment from her own emotions that means she can only express herself in a hammy karaoke of borrowed lines.
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Robert De Niro does double duty in Barry Levinsons new film The Alto Knights, but the mob drama is already being projected to become one of the years biggest flops.

Warner Bros. is releasing the film, which stars De Niro as rival crime bosses Vito Genovese and Frank Costello and reportedly cost $45 million to make.

However, Variety reports that the film is expected to make back just $2-3 million when it opens at 2,800 cinemas in the US this weekend.

The film is not short of cinematic pedigree. It comes from a script by Nicholas Pileggi, the former journalist who adapted his own non-fiction books into the films Goodfellas (1990) and Casino (1995).

Levinson has his own gangster pedigree, having made Diner (1982) and Bugsy (1991), while the films cinematographer is Heats Dante Spinotti.

Along with the two De Niros, the cast is filled out by Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci and Michael Rispoli.

Robert De Niro and Robert De Niro in The Alto Knights ( Warner Bros )

The Independent critic Clarisse Loughrey handed The Alto Knights a two-star review, writing: The Alto Knights is built around its own take on the famous diner scene in Michael Manns Heat: two titans, two ends of the moral spectrum, sit across from each other in a booth, like generals engaged in a tete-a-tete in no mans land. The twist is that, this time, both men are Robert De Niro.

Yet that headline scene, in reality, slips by without much incident. De Niro plays both Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, key figures in New York crime history, whose friendship-turned-rivalry led Genovese to order a hit on Costello. The men were not twins, relations, or individuals famously known to bear a physical resemblance (theyre played by two different actors in flashback).

Instead, De Niros doubled presence would imply a metaphorical link  the impulsive Genovese, quick to dip his toes into the risky world of narcotics, represents the Jungian shadow, the ugly desires repressed by Costellos stoic, more honourable brand of criminal.

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But De Niro, as mighty as he may be, cant distinguish these two men in a way that justifies the stunt. Costello sees the actor in a mode of affable nonchalance, describing corruption and bullet-riddled bodies as if they were no less a part of working life as filing paperwork.

Genovese, however, doesnt come across as especially volatile. Hes the same with a squeakier voice (theres a touch of his Goodfellas co-star Joe Pesci) and prosthetics that make it look like hes wearing an inside-out latex mask of Robert Duvall.
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A Netflix director has been accused of spending the $11 million he was given to complete a Sci-Fi series on divorce lawyers, luxury hotels, cars, and antique furniture.

Police arrested Carl Erik Rinsch, 47, in West Hollywood on Tuesday. Hes facing fraud and money laundering charges after prosecutors say he engaged in a scheme to defraud Netflix.

Rinsch pitched the Sci-Fi show, White Horse, to the streaming platform in 2018, court documents viewed by The Independent showed. He had already filmed six episodes and a trailer thanks to funding from his mentor, Keanu Reeves.

To acquire the show  also known as Conquest  from Rinsch and for production of the first season, Netflix agreed to invest $44 million. An initial 2019 filming schedule called for shoots in Kenya, Mexico, Romania, Berlin, Hungary and Uruguay.

Not long after Rinsch began filming in Brazil did exceeded his budget and asked Netflix for additional funding. He informed Netflix that he would only be able to finish one episode with the funding provided, despite his promise to deliver an additional seven episodes.

Production came to a halt in Hungary in December 2019.

In March 2020, Netflix sent Rinsch $11 million, according to court documents. But he allegedly quickly transferred those funds to personal accounts. Within two months, Rinsch lost most of the $11 million through speculation on the stock market, having made extremely risky purchases, according to court documents.

Meanwhile, Rinsch told Netflix that production on White Horse was awesome and moving forward really well, court documents stated.

The filmmaker then dumped the rest of the money into the cryptocurrency market, which proved to be a profitable move, with Rinsch eventually transferring the earnings into a personal bank account, according to an indictment.

The court documents detailed Rinschs spending spree, which allegedly included about $3 million on credit card bills, lawyers to sue Netflix, and attorneys related to his divorce.

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Rinsch also spent lavishly on a stay at the Four Seasons hotel and other luxury properties, according to the court documents. In addition, the director used nearly $4 million to purchase furniture and antiques, $652,000 on watches and clothing, $638,000 on mattresses, and another $295,000 on luxury bedding, according to the indictment.

Rinsch also allegedly bought five Rolls-Royces and one Ferrari for a total of about $2.4 million.

Production on White Horse was never completed, and Rinsch did not return the funds to Netflix. His indictment was filed in New York.

Netflix declined to comment when approached by The Independent.

Additional reporting by the Associated Press
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The viral red carpet incident between Hilaria and Alec Baldwin has gained so much traction that even Donald Trump Jr. is taking notice.

Millions have seen the moment Hilaria, 41, shuts down Alec, 66, after he interrupted her while answering questions about their new reality series, The Baldwins, as the couple hosted the Planet Hollywood Times Square re-opening party in New York.

The couple were being asked about whether they were on board for a second season when Alec took advantage of Hilarias hesitation to answer. He interjected, The Hilaria Show.

She quickly brushed him off and responded, I think were gonna see. I think were gonna see how it feels to be out there. Again, Alec interrupted his wife and said, Its gonna be great! Youre a winner. Thats when Hilaria turned to him and snapped, Oh my god. When Im talking, youre not talking. When Im talking, youre not talking.

She quickly recovered and laughed it off. This is why, yes. Well have to just cut him out of the show, she said.

Now, Donald Trump Jr. has weighed in on the video, offering up sympathy for Alec.

open image in gallery Donald Trump Jr. has weighed in on the viral Hilaria and Alec Baldwin red carpet moment ( AFP via Getty Images )

Never thought Id feel bad for Alec Baldwin but here we are. No wonder hes always so miserable, Trump Jr. captioned a reshare of the moment on X.

Just a few years ago, Trump Jr. was hawking t-shirts mocking Alecs fatal on-set shooting while filming Rust. Alec, the films lead actor and co-producer, pointed a prop gun toward cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during an October 2021 rehearsal. The gun, loaded with a real bullet, went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Alec was hit with involuntary manslaughter charges and faced up to 18 months in prison if convicted. The manslaughter case was closed in December 2024, though several civil suits remain active in New Mexico court.

open image in gallery Hilaria and Alec Baldwin were on the red carpet answering questions about their family reality show 'The Baldwins' ( ExtraTV/TikTok )

Trump Jr. was publicly critical of Baldwin as the Rust case was unfolding. Instead of offering Alec support following the shooting, Trump Jr. was selling shirts in multiple colors that said Guns Dont Kill People, Alec Baldwin Kills People. The shirts were being sold through his online store and were reportedly retailing for $27.99. Then, in early 2023 after Alec was charged in the shooting, Trump Jr. tweeted: Maybe Alec Baldwin will be lucky enough to share a cell with Michael Avenatti, referring to the disgraced attorney serving 14 years behind bars for embezzling.

Meanwhile, the Baldwins  married since 2012 with seven young children  have since broken their silence on the red carpet spat. Hilaria posted a video Wednesday night on Instagram of her and Alec reenacting the now-viral moment but with the roles reversed. Then she asked Alec what the word of the day was, to which he responded after a brief hesitation, Man-terrupting. Alec then admitted, after another lengthy pause, to having correctile dysfunction.

The whole point is that we interrupt each other all the time, she said. The couples video was then interrupted by one of their children. Hilaria and Alec then ended the video with a kiss to show the world they were on good terms. Oh I m so happy you kissed me, Alec said.

The video comes after Hilaria received intense backlash for the caught-on-camera spat.

Definitely not a good look for either one of them, one person wrote on X.

Wow! That was incredibly rude, she just showed her true colors, another commented on TikTok.
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Canada has strongly condemned the execution of four Canadians despite urging clemency over drug-smuggling charges, in the latest case that has sparked diplomatic tension between the two countries.

Foreign minister Melanie Joly said the four people had dual citizenship and were facing "charges linked to criminal activities, according to China, linked to drugs".

They were executed earlier this year, she said.

There are four Canadians that have been executed and therefore we are strongly condemning what happened, she said. "I asked personally for leniency ... They were all dual citizens."

She said she and the former prime minister Justin Trudeau personally intervened in the cases of four citizens and added that she could not provide more details as the families requested privacy.

"Of course, our hearts and minds are with the families," she said.

Global Affairs spokesperson Charlotte MacLeod said they are providing consular assistance to the families and requested that the media respect their privacy.

Canada "remains steadfast in its opposition to the use of the death penalty in all cases, everywhere, she added.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa defended the executions and said they do not recognise dual citizenship. "China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said.

"The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient."

The embassy said the four cases were handled "in strict accordance with the law" and that the rights and interests of the Canadians were "fully guaranteed".

China-Canada relations have been strained in recent years, particularly since December 2018 when Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the US. In apparent retaliation, China detained two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, accusing them of espionage. This episode, often termed hostage diplomacy, severely damaged diplomatic ties.

File Michael Kovrig, centre, embraces his wife Vina Nadjibulla, left, and sister Ariana Botha after arriving at Pearson International Airport in Toronto in September 2021

The Michaels were released in 2021, however, the ongoing disputes over trade, human rights, and espionage allegations continue to keep Canada-China ties fragile.

Amnesty International condemned the latest executions and noted that China executed thousands of people in 2023.

"These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada," the group's head for English-speaking Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi, said Wednesday in a statement.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, though the total is a state secret. Executions are traditionally carried out by gunshot, though lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.
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Taiwan has identified 2027 as a potential timeframe for a full-scale Chinese invasion in its largest annual defence drills amid worsening tensions in cross-strait ties.

Taiwan claims the timeline aligns with the modernisation goals set by Chinese president Xi Jinping, who has repeatedly vowed to achieve "reunification" with Taiwan, by force if necessary.

The warning of a potential Chinese invasion in the next two years came amid Taiwans ongoing five-day "rapid response exercise" and its start coincided with China dispatching 59 military planes and other warships to areas near Taiwan.

China dubbed the surprise exercise as a "punishment" for Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te's continued promotion of "separatism".

The Taiwanese defence ministry unveiled the timeline in documents released on Tuesday when lawmakers and officials were briefed on the upcoming largest war games simulating an attack by the Chinese military on the annual calendar of Taiwanese forces.

The Han Kuang exercise conducted every summer to practice defence against Chinese invasion has been doubled in length to 10 days, highlighting increased military preparedness this year.

open image in gallery This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force F-16V, shows a Chinese CAIG Wing Loong II drone near Taiwan, Monday, March 17, 2025 ( AP )

The 2025 exercises will be held from 9-10 July.

Submitting a report to parliament on Wednesday, the ministry said this year's scenarios would focus on grey-zone harassment designed to test and exhaust Taiwan's armed forces or any "possible actions of the Chinese Communist military's invasion of Taiwan in 2027".

"For the People's Liberation Army, turning drills into an attack doesn't take as much time as we imagined in the past," defence minister Wellington Koo told parliament in answer to lawmakers' questions.

"(We) must be able to gather crucial signs of alerts and prepare for the worst from the enemy."

The ministry's rapid-response exercise would be based on its intelligence and threat assessments, Mr Koo added.

Taiwan held a five-day "rapid response exercise" from Monday which the defence ministry said was to boost "readiness and response capabilities".

open image in gallery This photograph released by Taiwan Ministry of National Defense taken from a Taiwan Air Force P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, shows a Chinese Cloud Shadow WZ-10 drone near Taiwan ( AP )

This drill will be held twice a year at "unscheduled" times based on their assessment of "the intensity" of China's military exercises, Mr Koo told parliament.

"This is part of realistic combat training, sharpening commanders' decision-making and unit capabilities," Mr Koo said.

Beijing on Monday warned Taiwan against "its own destruction" as 54 Chinese military planes and drones were spotted near the island.

Taiwan's security officials said Beijing is attempting to normalise drills near Taiwan as it has been carrying out such patrols near the island every 7-10 days on average.

It came after President Lai labelled China a "foreign hostile force" and said Taipei had "no choice but to take even more proactive measures".

He then announced a series of new national security measures, including the reinstatement of a military court system and stricter residency criteria for individuals from China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Mr Lai said Taiwan would restore the military court system to "allow military judges to return to the frontline... to handle criminal cases involving active-duty military personnel" in a bid to stop China from attacking the island.

Chinese authorities responded by calling Mr Lai a "destroyer of cross-straits peace" and a "creator of crisis".
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A French woman on pilgrimage in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu was allegedly sexually assaulted by a local tourist guide who took her to a secluded spot for meditation.

According to the police, a 42-year-old man named Venkatesan from Tiruvannamalai was arrested near the Arunachaleswara temple after an investigation.

The man is accused of taking the woman, believed to be in her forties, to a secluded and restricted area on the Arunachala Hills in Tiruvannamalai under the pretext of meditation and then sexually assaulting her. Tiruvannamalai, a historic town in Tamil Nadu, about 190km southwest of capital Chennai, is renowned for the Arunachaleswara temple, dedicated to the Hindu deity Lord Shiva and the sacred Arunachala Hill.

Police reported that the woman, who arrived in Tiruvannamalai in January this year and was staying at a private lodge, encountered Venkatesan while exploring different ashrams and pilgrimage spots.

On Monday, he allegedly led her to a restricted section of the hill overseen by the state forest department, falsely presenting it as a perfect meditation spot. It was there that the assault reportedly took place.

The woman raised the alarm, drawing the attention of devotees and passers-by on the Girivalam path, a popular circular route around the sacred hill, according to The Indian Express.

The victims name has not been revealed to the public to protect her privacy.

Tiruvannamalais superintendent of police, M Sudhakar, said: We formed special teams to identify the suspect. There were multiple witnesses who reported seeing the victim climbing the hills with a local man.

We narrowed down the probe to five individuals who usually work as tourist guides, including the accused. The victim identified him as Venkatesan when he was paraded before her.

Walking past a temple in the pilgrimage town of Tiruvannamalai ( AFP via Getty )

He added: Venkatesan is in police custody and we are probing if he engaged in similar crimes in the past.

The woman has since been admitted to a district hospital for medical check-ups and a police probe is underway.

In 2018, a 21-year-old Russian tourist was drugged and gang-raped in a service apartment in Tiruvannamalai.

The French womans sexual assault comes just weeks after a 36-year-old British tourist was allegedly raped and molested at a hotel in Delhis Mahipalpur area. Police arrested two people, one who reportedly befriended the woman on Instagram and was accused of rape, and another, a hotel staff member charged with molestation.

The alleged assault on the British tourist occurred just days after a 27-year-old Israeli traveller and her Indian homestay operator were gang-raped near a Unesco World Heritage site in Karnataka.
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A British couple imprisoned in Afghanistan by the Taliban will face a court hearing on Thursday, more than a month after their arrest, their family members have said.

Peter Reynolds, 79 and his wife Barbie Reynolds, 75, were detained by Taliban authorities on 1 February while they were returning to their home in central Afghanistans Bamyan province. The couple, who married in 1970 in Kabul and have been living inside Afghanistan for the past 18 years, were running several education and training programmes for girls and women.

According to their family members, Barbie was allowed a brief phone call from a payphone on Wednesday from inside the Pul-e-Charki prison in Kabul. They have been informed that their case is scheduled for court tomorrow. They have not been informed of any charges having been filed against them, the couples daughter Sarah Entwistle told The Independent.

The reason for the court hearing for the British couple remains unclear.

The couple was arrested last month along with an American friend, Faye Hall, who had rented a plane to travel with them, their organisation Rebuilds employees said. An Afghan translator working with them was also arrested.

Ms Entwistle said the interpreter has been detained by the Taliban as a suspect without any charges specified against him. He will no longer be allowed to translate for them, and is also due to be produced in court, together with them, tomorrow, she said amid fears that her parents might face breach of their rights under unfair representation.

Mum is obviously extremely concerned that without a competent interpreter, their case cannot be accurately or fairly represented and will not be able to properly follow or engage in the proceedings, in serious breach of their rights, Ms Entwistle said.

open image in gallery Peter Reynolds, 79, and his wife Barbie, 75, were detained while travelling to their home in the Bamyan province ( Family handout/ The Independent )

On Sunday, the couples condition inside the prison was denounced by their children who said the detention of Reynoldss is unjust and cruel. In a shocking escalation, they were moved to a maximum security prison after being separated. Mr Reynolds is in immense pain after he was beaten and shackled by the Taliban, according to his family members.

His health has significantly deteriorated. We hear he now has a chest infection; a double eye infection, and serious digestive issues due to poor nutrition. Without immediate access to necessary medication, his life is in serious danger, his daughter said.

open image in gallery Peter Reynolds seen talking a walk in Afghanistan ( Family handouts/ The Independent )

open image in gallery Peter Reynolds and Barbie Reynolds married in Kabul in 1970 ( Family handout/ The Independent )

The Taliban authorities have also denied urgent medical care to Mr Reynolds, causing his condition to significantly deteriorate, his daughter said, calling on the de facto rulers to observe kindness in the month of Ramadan and release her father.

She added that her mother Barbie is also being starved in the prison as a female prisoner is only fed once a day.

Despite prison regulations that permit outside family visits, mum and dad have been denied access to see each other for the past ten days, she said, detailing the separation imposed by the prison authorities on her parents. She added that her mother has submitted a formal application to visit him but has been misled.

Again, we ask the Taliban to release Dad, Mum, Faye, and the interpreter as a gesture of goodwill during this season of Ramadan, their daughter said in an appeal to the Taliban.

open image in gallery Peter and Barbie Reynolds outside the British embassy in Kabul on the day of their wedding in 1970 ( Family handout/ The Independent )

Taliban official Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed the detention of the couple last month and said: A series of considerations is being taken into account, and after evaluation, we will endeavour to release them as soon as possible.

In their previous appeal to the Taliban, the children said: We sincerely hope that this request will be embraced as a compassionate gesture during the sacred month of Ramadan, a time when the principles of mercy and compassion are especially valued in Islam.

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.
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Indonesias Parliament unanimously voted to pass a controversial revision of its military law on Thursday that will allow military officers to serve in more government posts without resigning from the armed forces, despite growing opposition from pro-democracy and rights groups who see it as a threat to the countrys young democracy.

In a plenary session, all eight political parties represented in Parliament backed the bill. The House of Representatives is largely controlled by parties supporting president Prabowo Subianto, a former army general with ties to the countrys dictatorial past.

Currently, active military officers can only serve in ministries or state institutions related to security, defense or intelligence under a landmark 2004 law that reduced the militarys role in civil affairs.

open image in gallery Indonesia Military ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

What is at stake in Indonesia's new military law?

The amendment to the 2004 Law on the Indonesian Armed Forces introduces several changes that aim to broaden the military's role beyond defense.

Once in force, the new law will allow active officers to take civilian positions without having to retire or resign from service in four more bodies, including the Attorney Generals Office, the Supreme Court and the Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs.

Under current law, military personnel are permitted to serve in only 10 ministries and state institutions, including the Ministry of Defense, the National Intelligence Agency and the Search and Rescue Agency. But that number will now be expanded to 14 for non-combat military functions.

A new clause also grants the president the authority to appoint military personnel to other ministries as needed, according to the draft.

open image in gallery Indonesia Military ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Why is the new law controversial?

The revision has raised concerns among pro-democracy activists and students who fear that expanding the military in civilian roles would restore the dual function of the armed services that they had in the era under the dictator Suharto.

At that time, seats in the legislature were reserved for the military, and officers occupied thousands of civilian roles from district chiefs to Cabinet ministers. The dual-function system effectively turned the armed forces into a tool for Suharto when he later became president to crush his political opponents.

Al Araf, the director of Indonesian rights group Imparsial, said Thursday the new law is inconsistent with the spirit of the reforms that followed the end of more than three decades of rule by Suharto in 1998 and returned the military to the barracks.

The move has the potential to restore the authoritarian system, Araf said.

Another major criticisms of the law is the way it has been discussed: behind closed doors, with little public input and in a fast-tracked process.

open image in gallery Indonesia Military ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The latest draft was introduced less than a month ago, following a letter to the House from Subianto endorsing the bill. Pro-democracy activists discovered that lawmakers and government officials met in secret to discuss draft revisions at a five-star hotel in South Jakarta on 15 March.

Dominique Nicky Fahrizal, a researcher at Indonesias Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said Thursday the way in which the law was drafted could prompt backlash.

Autocratic legalism will damage the foundations of constitutional democracy because it exploits loopholes in the construction of legal thought, he said.

open image in gallery Indonesia Military ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

What does the government say?

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, a former three-star army general, defended the new law, saying that lawmakers considered it properly and it will make the military more effective.

In a speech after the parliament passed the bill into law, he said the amendments were necessary because the geopolitical changes and global technology require the military to transform to face conventional and non-conventional conflicts.

We will never disappoint the Indonesian people in maintaining the sovereignty of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia," he said.
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The Malaysian government has formally approved a new search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a decade after the aircraft vanished in one of the worlds greatest aviation mysteries.

The search will be conducted by UK-based exploration firm Ocean Infinity under a "no find, no fee" agreement, meaning the company will only be paid if it locates the wreckage.

Transport minister Anthony Loke confirmed that Ocean Infinity will receive $70m (56m) if successful. The search will cover a 15,000sqkm area in the southern Indian Ocean, identified using updated satellite and ocean drift analysis.

The final terms of the agreement were approved by Malaysias cabinet on 19 March, allowing the search to proceed.

Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 plane carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Its sudden loss of communication and deviation from its flight path led to years of speculation and numerous theories about its fate.

Despite extensive multinational search efforts, including a $150m (120m) underwater search by Malaysia, Australia and China, no confirmed wreckage has been found within the designated search area.

open image in gallery Relatives in Beijing mark 11th anniversary of Malaysia Airlines MH370 disappearance ( EPA )

Ocean Infinity previously conducted a three-month search in 2018 under similar terms, but that mission ended without success.

However, in the years since, analysts have refined their estimates of where the aircraft might have gone down. A search vessel was already deployed to the target zone in February, even before the deal was officially signed.

The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the MH370 passengers, Mr Loke said.

open image in gallery Police look on as relatives of passengers of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 take part in a demonstration outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing on 8 March 2025 ( AFP via Getty )

The renewed search has reignited both hope and frustration among the families of those on board. Earlier this month, on the 11th anniversary of the disappearance, grieving relatives gathered outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing, chanting: Give us back our loved ones!

Many have expressed disappointment over the lack of direct communication from Malaysian authorities, with some only learning about the search approval through news reports.

In an earlier investigation published in 2018, officials concluded the plane's controls were likely deliberately manipulated to divert it from its intended path, though they stopped short of identifying a culprit or motive. The lack of conclusive evidence has fuelled various conspiracy theories, ranging from pilot suicide to foreign military involvement.

Investigators have long maintained that only the discovery of the wreckage can provide definitive answers.
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The Thai government is considering hosting a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Bangkok from 2028, with prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra confirming plans for a feasibility study into the proposal.

It marks Thailands latest effort to establish itself as a premier destination for global sporting events and attract high-spending tourists.

Ms Shinawatra met with Formula 1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali on Tuesday at Government House in Bangkok, where they discussed the countrys potential to hold a race on a street circuit in the capital.

Following the meeting, she announced that the government would examine the investment required, assess possible race routes, and evaluate the economic benefits for Thailand.

"We had the opportunity to discuss the opportunity of Thailand to host the Formula 1 race, which is a great sport with a worldwide following," Ms Shinawatra posted on X.

"The government confirmed that it will study this joint investment, including the study of the race route, the investment budget, and the value for Thailand to receive from hosting the race."

Although Thailand already has an FIA-accredited circuit  the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, which hosts MotoGP races  the focus is on holding a Formula 1 street race in Bangkok.

The citys traffic congestion is notorious, and Ms Shinawatra believes the event could serve as an impetus to upgrade infrastructure.

"I believe that all Thai people will benefit from organising this event, whether it is large-scale infrastructure investment, job creation, new income generation, and importing new technologies and innovations," she said.

"I am confident that this project will be successful. It is another important opportunity for the country to organise a world-class event."

Mr Domenicali also expressed optimism, calling Thailands plans "impressive" and stating that he looked forward to continuing discussions in the coming months.

Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali meets Thai PM for talks on potential race in Bangkok ( EPA )

If successful, Thailand would join an increasingly crowded Formula 1 calendar, which currently features 24 races worldwide.

A third of the scheduled events for 2025 will be held on street or hybrid circuits, including the Singapore Grand Prix, which takes place on the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

Formula 1 has had two Thai drivers in its history: Alex Albon, who races for the British Formula One team Williams Racing under the Thai flag, and Prince Birabongse Bhanudej, who competed in the sports early years from 1950 to 1955.

While Thailand has expressed interest in hosting an F1 race before, this latest push builds on previous efforts to position the country as a hub for major international events.

The government has actively sought to host concerts and festivals, aiming to capitalise on its tourism-driven economy.

The feasibility study will determine whether Bangkok can meet the logistical and financial demands of hosting a Grand Prix, as Formula 1 continues to evaluate new venues amid surging global interest in the sport.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Climate activists have criticised a North Dakota jurys decision ordering Greenpeace to pay over $660m (508m) in damages to an oil company, calling it a dangerous precedent that threatens the future of environmental activism and the right to protest in the US.

Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), accused Greenpeace of defamation, trespassing and conspiracy, and claimed the environmental group spread misinformation and orchestrated illegal activities during the 2016-2017 pipeline protests  one of the largest anti-fossil fuel protests in US history.

After two days of deliberation, a jury on Wednesday held the environmental group guilty on almost all counts and ordered that Greenpeace USA pay nearly $404m (311m) to the oil company. Greenpeace Fund Inc and Greenpeace International were ordered to pay roughly $131m (100m) each.

Energy Transfer framed the verdict as a victory against what it called lawless activism.

This win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace, the company said.

Its attorney, Trey Cox, argued the case proved Greenpeace had abused the right to protest.

open image in gallery Protestors demonstrating against the expansion of the Dakota Access Pipeline wade in cold creek waters confronting local police near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, in 2016 ( AP )

Greenpeace denied the allegations, calling the lawsuit a blatant attempt to bankrupt environmental defenders and silence dissent.

The group said the ruling was part of a broader corporate effort to erode free speech and stifle environmental movements.

Big Oil bullies around the world will continue to try to silence free speech and peaceful protest, but the fight against Energy Transfers meritless SLAPP lawsuit is not over, the organisation said.

Interim executive director Sushma Raman called the case an attack on fundamental rights and a threat to any group that dared challenge powerful corporations.

We should all be concerned about the future of the First Amendment, and lawsuits like this aimed at destroying our rights to peaceful protest and free speech, she said.

Although Greenpeace vowed to appeal the judgement, the organisation had said last month it could be forced into bankruptcy because of the case, ending over 50 years of activism. Many activists saw the ruling as a strategic attempt to silence dissent, setting a dangerous precedent for protest rights in the US.

Marty Garbus, a veteran trial attorney, called the proceedings one of the most unfair trials he had witnessed in his six-decade career. The law that comes down in this case can affect any demonstration, religious or political. Its far bigger than the environmental movement, he said.

It's far bigger than the environmental movement.

open image in gallery Greenpeace representatives speak with reporters outside the Morton County Courthouse in Mandan, North Dakota, on Wednesday ( AP )

Oscar Soria, co-CEO of The Common Initiative and a former Greenpeace leader, told The Independent the verdict was a dangerous precedent that threatens the fundamental right to peaceful protest in America.

This outrageous verdict is nothing short of corporate tyranny masquerading as justice, he said.

Harjeet Singh, climate activist and founding director of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, called the ruling a major setback for climate and social justice movements fighting to protect the rights of people and our planet.

This ruling attempts to silence those who stand against the destructive power of fossil fuel corporations. However, this struggle will not end, and we will not be intimidated, he told The Independent.

The responsibility for environmental destruction and the escalating climate crisis lies squarely with fossil fuel companies, and we must continue to hold them accountable. They cannot litigate away their culpability.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, which led the protests against DAPL, denounced the lawsuit as an attempt to rewrite history.

Energy Transfer is frivolously alleging defamation and seeking money damages, designed to shut down all voices supporting Standing Rock, Standing Rock Sioux tribal chairperson Janet Alkire said.

The tribe has long argued that the pipeline crosses Sioux Nation treaty land and poses a threat to their water resources and community.

Ms Alkire said the protests were called and organised by the tribe, with Greenpeace and other environmental groups acting as allies.

The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will not be silenced, she said.

Greenpeaces legal team also criticised the lawsuit for erasing Indigenous leadership in the movement.

What we saw over these three weeks was Energy Transfers blatant disregard for the voices of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, said Deepa Padmanabha, senior legal advisor, Greenpeace USA.

Kelcy Warren, Energy Transfers billionaire founder and a major donor to Donald Trump, admitted in a video deposition that his company had offered financial incentives  including money, luxury ranch, and a new school  to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to end the protests, according to trial monitors who observed the proceedings.

They said the tribe refused the offer, with Standing Rock leadership maintaining that their opposition to the pipeline was based on protecting their land and water.

Offers such as this one are emblematic of the strategies often employed by extractive industries to secure compliance or mitigate opposition from affected communities, the group wrote.

Natali Segovia, executive director of the water protector Legal Collective, argued that the lawsuit was not about justice but about controlling the narrative. This case was a deliberate orchestration by a pipeline company not only to silence dissent, but to carefully shape a corporate narrative that demonises the environmental justice and Indigenous rights movements, she said.

With Greenpeace set to appeal the decision, legal experts said the case could ultimately reach the US Supreme Court and set a direction for future environmental and rights movements.

At a time when the world needs people to stand up against an obvious erosion of rights in this country, we must recognise the verdict against Greenpeace is designed to instil fear and discourage people from exercising their constitutional right to protest, Jeanne Mirer, president of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, said.

The ruling also raises concerns about the financial sustainability of rights organisations like Greenpeace. Experts say most organisations are unlikely to be able to bear massive legal costs.

However, a petition by Greenpeaces French chapter asking people to show support against the oil companys gag order had accumulated over 290,000 signatures by Thursday morning.

Mads Christensen, executive director of Greenpeace International, said: We are witnessing a disastrous return to the reckless behaviour that fuelled the climate crisis, deepened environmental racism, and put fossil fuel profits over public health and a liveable planet.
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There could be billions more people living on Earth than currently thought, according to a new study which claims rural figures worldwide could be vastly underestimated.

Currently, the UN estimates the world population to be about 8.2 billion, which is projected to peak at over 10 billion by the mid-2080.

However, research, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that rural populations in these estimates could be undercounted anywhere between 53 per cent to 84 per cent over the study period between 1975 and 2010.

This is remarkable, as countless studies have employed these datasets without questioning their accuracy in the rural domain, scientists write.

People hold umbrellas as they walk under the rain in a street ( AFP via Getty Images )

Scientists say the lack of proper reference data has prevented attempts at comprehensively gauging the accuracy of global population datasets.

They warn that there are fundamental limitations with national population censuses, especially while gauging rural populations.

Communities in remote locations or impacted by conflict and violence are difficult to access, and census enumerators often face language barriers and resistance to participation, researchers write.

Citing an example, they say the 2012 census in Paraguay may have missed a quarter of the population.

"For the first time, our study provides evidence that a significant proportion of the rural population may be missing from global population datasets," said Josias Lang-Ritter, a co-author of the study from Aalto University.

The results are remarkable, as these datasets have been used in thousands of studies and extensively support decision-making, yet their accuracy has not been systematically evaluated," Dr Lang-Ritter said.

US migrant population hits record high amid labor demand

Researchers assessed the five most widely used global population datasets that map the planet into evenly spaced, high-resolution grid cells with population counts based on census data.

They then compared these numbers with resettlement data from over 300 rural dam projects across 35 countries.

Such resettlement data can provide independently gathered comparison points of peoples movement between rural and urban areas, scientists say.

This relocation data is usually precise, they say, since dam companies pay compensation to those affected.

Researchers particularly focussed on maps from 1975 to 2010 due to a lack of dam data from later years.

Datasets from 2010 had the least bias, according to the study, missing between one-third to three-quarters of the rural population.

However, researchers say there is strong reason to believe even the latest data misses part of the global population.

"While our study shows accuracy has somewhat improved over decades, the trend is clear: global population datasets miss a significant portion of the rural population," Dr Lang-Ritter said.

The study stops short of offering a new global population estimate, but says even in the most accurate dataset, the rural population is underestimated by half compared to reported figures.

Born abroad, living in the EU: How migration shapes the EUs population

Even if the most recent population maps are closer to reality, researchers caution that earlier datasets have influenced decision-making for decades and may provide a distorted picture of peoples movement from the countryside to cities.

While the undercounting appeared systemic worldwide, researchers found the discrepancies particularly noticeable in China, Brazil, Australia, Poland and Colombia where information was more readily available.

The latest findings have far-reaching consequences, according to researchers, as current estimates suggest over 40 per cent of the world's 8.2 billion people live in rural areas.

They caution that the needs of rural residents could be under-represented in decision-making globally.

For instance, scientists say the currently used data may contribute to insufficient health care and transport resources being allocated for rural regions by policymakers.

"To provide rural communities with equal access to services and other resources, we need to have a critical discussion about the past and future applications of these population maps, Dr Lang-Ritter said.

Scientists call for much more strengthened population censuses, alternative population counts, and a more balanced calibration of population models to rectify inaccuracies identified in the study.
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Details of Tommy Robinsons life behind bars have been revealed at the High Court amid his legal challenge over his segregation from other prisoners.

Robinson, a political activist whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently serving an 18-month sentence for contempt of court in HMP Woodhill, a mens high-security prison.

A High Court hearing on Thursday heard that Robinson had been placed into solitary confinement shortly after his arrival at the institution.

Robinsons lawyers argued that was unwarranted, while the Ministry of Justice maintained it was necessary for his safety, citing concerns he had a mark on his head and would be killed by a lifer.

The ministrys legal team said that his segregation was substantively more permissive than standard regimes.

They detailed his access to a laptop and emails, several hours of daily exercise, and four hours of social phone calls each day.

Tom Cross, representing the ministry, noted that 120 people had been authorised to visit Robinson, with more than 80 visits already conducted.

open image in gallery Robinson is serving an 18-month sentence at HMP Woodhill ( PA Wire )

Additionally, 13 "non-family visits" were approved up to March 30, and Robinson could request to see other prisoners.

His visiting schedule includes two hours of social visits, four days a week, exceeding the minimum requirements for unconvicted prisoners.

Mr Cross said that the governor of the prison had said he had significantly more visits time than any other prisoner at HMP Woodhill.

He said that Robinson could access a telephone for four hours a day to speak to family and friends since March 11, after a request for increased phone use was approved.

In court, Mr Cross said: Since November 1, he (Robinson) has made more than 1,250 social telephone calls.

He continued: In his cell, he has access to various personal possessions, (such as) TV, laptop  notebook, CD player, DVD player.

Mr Cross said Robinson used his laptop to send and receive emails, which he had done in their hundreds.

Other aspects of his incarceration include a daily visit from a member of the prisons chaplaincy team, a daily visit from an NHS doctor or registered nurse, and two and three quarter hours of work painting and decorating, three days a week.

open image in gallery Robinson is being held at HMP Woodhill ( PA Archive )

In written submissions, Mr Cross said: The claimants regime does not amount to total solitary confinement. It has been and will continue to be modified as conditions have permitted.

The claimant has been permitted extensive and regular communications with other people.

Robinson was jailed in October 2024 by Mr Justice Johnson, after admitting 10 breaches of a High Court order made in 2021.

The order barred him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

He will be released from HMP Woodhill on July 26.

Alisdair Williamson KC, for Robinson, said: We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him.

He added: It is clear, we submit, that the distress he is suffering goes beyond that which is inherent in incarceration.

Mr Williamson also said that Robinson disputed parts of the ministrys claims about his life in prison.

He said: He (Robinson) disagrees that he has been working three times a week. In fact he has the opportunity of working for one and a half hours, on a Wednesday.

He wanted to work with other people. He is working cleaning cells, on his own.

When he goes to the gym, he is locked in, on his own.

He continued: The comparators that are provided (with other prisoners), we respectfully submit, do not assist.

Mr Justice Chamberlain will hand down his decision in writing at a later date.
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A "boy-positive" learning environment needs to be fostered in schools and a dedicated Minister for Men appointed to address gender disparities in education, a report says.

The paper by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), sponsored by Ulster University, argues that a dedicated strategy is crucial to boys underachievement at school, calling it "one of the most egregious issues" facing education and society.

The report warns of the potential societal consequences of male underachievement, suggesting a risk of "under-educated men veering towards the political extremes" if the issue remains unaddressed.

Hepi estimates that half a million young men have missed out on higher education opportunities in the past decade.

Co-authored by male inclusion adviser Mark Brooks, the report urges greater scrutiny of gender disparities within the educational workforce through Ofsted inspections and university access plans.

It emphasises the perceived benefit of more male teachers, suggesting their presence "normalises learning as a suitable activity for men and can positively influence children lacking positive male role models at home.

The report also recommends the Government draw parallels from successful initiatives to increase female representation in STEM fields, applying similar strategies to encourage men into teaching, care, and nursing professions where they are currently underrepresented.

It added that the majority of universities still do not formally recognise men as a disadvantaged group in respect to university entry.

open image in gallery Boys need more male teachers, the report says ( PA Archive )

In 2024/25, around 44,000 fewer young male residents of the UK accepted a place at a UK higher education institution than women.

That is according to data which looks at Ucas applicants aged 19 and under.

If young women and young men went to higher education at the same rate, there would actually be more male students, as more boys than girls are born each year, according to the report.

The gap between what currently happens and full equity stands at around 55,000 missing men each year  which the think tank said equates to around half a million missing men over the past decade.

The Government could appoint a junior Minister for Men and Boys or a named minister specifically tasked with addressing the educational underachievement of male pupils and students, the report said.

The paper has called for grassroots initiatives aimed at raising the standard of boys education to be evaluated and expanded  such as Lads Need Dads, which runs a reading mentoring scheme in schools.

It added: It is worth noting that some specific changes aimed at a boy-positive environment could be cheap and straightforward to deliver  such as marking International Mens Day.

In April 2024, just months before the election, the Commons Education Select Committee launched an inquiry into why boys consistently underperform compared with girls in educational attainment.

It came after a report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Issues Affecting Men and Boys called on schools to tell parents what their child was being taught about toxic masculinity.

Mary Curnock Cook, a former Ucas chief executive, highlighted figures in the think tanks report which suggested that around a quarter of parents think that boys in their childs school are made to feel ashamed of being male.

In her foreword to the Hepi report, Ms Curnock Cook wrote that ignoring the worsening gulf between boys and girls in education is no longer an option.

Boys were growing up with few male teachers and their doctors, vets and lawyers were also increasingly likely to be female, she wrote.

Is it any wonder they look to social media for their icons and heroes and are drawn too often to highly toxic versions of masculinity?

Nick Hillman, director of the Hepi and co-author of the report, said: Education holds the key to unlocking more equal opportunities across our society but boys and men currently fall behind girls and women at each stage of education, from infant class to PhDs.

The resolute focus that is generally put on educational differences by class and ethnicity is generally missing when it comes to the sex of learners.

That must change if we are to tackle one of the most egregious issues affecting education as well as society.

We need a cross-government strategy to address the problem. It wasnt until 2022 that we had a dedicated health strategy for women and we are still waiting for a dedicated education strategy for men.

For any new strategy to be truly effective, it will need clear ministerial oversight, including  if necessary  a new Minister for Men and Boys to oversee it.
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The RSPCA has said cat cafes should not be operating in the UK over concerns the felines are stressed by their environment.

The animal welfare charity and Cats Protection are calling for the cafes, which allow customers to pet cats as they enjoy a coffee, to be phased out across the country.

The two charities fear it is almost impossible for these cafes to meet the welfare needs of cats, with limited opportunity to hide or escape and no outdoor access to roam and express their natural behaviour within the settings.

We adore cats and so we understand the appeal of cat cafes, RSPCA cat welfare expert Alice Potter said.

However, whilst cats, cake and coffee might be a happy combination for people, for the cats living 24/7 in these cafes its likely to be a very different story.

We dont believe these environments can consistently provide cats with a good quality of life and are hugely concerned that many cats will be unhappy as a result.

There has been a surge in openings of cat cafes over the last year (John Stillwell/PA)

The charities said cats were likely to be stressed by the close proximity to other cats and strangers stroking them, and that there was also a risk that competition for resources could lead to some cats not eating enough or not being able to use the litter area.

It follows a surge in these establishments opening across the country. A recent freedom of information request found that there are currently more than 30 cat cafes licensed in England, with 44 per cent of those licences granted in the last financial year.

However, it is possible more cat cafes are operating without oversight or regulation due to of unclear legislation.

The charities are urging local authorities to reject new exhibition licences or renew existing licences, to eventually phase-out of the cafes.

One cat cafe owner in Bethnal Green, east London welcomed regulation and scrutiny but did not agree they should be phased out entirely.

I believe it is appropriate that the RSPCA and Cats Protection raise concerns, but I dont agree that cat cafes should be phased out entirely, Lauren Pears, the owner of Lady Dinahs Cat Emporium, which opened in 2014, said.

They should be monitored and nationwide welfare standards should be set and upheld.
China Writers Association holds meetings of presidium, national committee

Xinhua) 15:38, March 20, 2025

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The China Writers Association held meetings of its presidium and national committee on Thursday in Beijing.

Tie Ning, vice chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, presided over the meeting.

The meeting emphasized that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, writers and literary workers have consciously taken on the cultural missions of the new era.

They have adhered to a people-centered approach, fostered innovation, pursued progress, and strived to promote the high-quality development of literature in the new era, contributing to building China into a country with a strong culture, according to the meeting.

The meeting also underscored the need to implement the Party's policies on literature and art, adhere to the principles of serving the people and socialism, uphold the policy of "letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend," and focus on innovative transformation and creative development.

It called for a steadfast commitment to the socialist path of cultural advancement with Chinese characteristics and the pursuit of a new pinnacle of Chinese culture.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
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One person has died and 15 people rescued while trying to cross the English Channel overnight in an overloaded small boat  marking the second such fatality as many days.

French authorities said the boat initially set off close to the port of Dunkirk at 11:30pm on Wednesday, with around 40 people on board.

But more than three hours later, at around 3:30am, the same boat then picked up a further group of people on the Gravelines coast, which lies some 12 miles to the west of Dunkirk and 35 miles from the port of Dover.

Three people were rescued from the water and a group of 12 others on board the dinghy asked to be evacuated, the French coastguard said.

One person rescued was unconscious and was declared dead despite medical treatment, after being airlifted by a Navy helicopter onto the state-chartered vessel which had been monitoring the dinghy throughout its journey.

The 14 others rescued were taken back to the French shoreline on a patrol boat, where they received medical treatment. An investigation has been opened by the Dunkirk public prosecutors office.

French authorities said in their statement on Thursday morning that they were still monitoring the dinghy as it continued to travel towards the UK, with around 80 people still on board.

It was one of several boats reported to have set off from the French coastline overnight on Wednesday, authorities said. The previous day, five boats arrived in Britain carrying a total of 289 people, after more than a week of zero crossings.

open image in gallery Confiscated small boats and outboard motors used to cross the Channel from France at a warehouse facility in Dover ( Gareth Fuller/PA )

Two people were pulled from the water on Wednesday after reports that a group of people tried to board a dinghy and got into difficulty in the Equihen-Plage area shortly after 9am.

One was suffering from hypothermia while the other was in cardiac arrest and did not survive, authorities said.

At least eight people have now died in 2025 while trying to make the perilous journey across the Channel  one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes, traversed by more than 600 commercial vessels every day.

The UNs International Organisation for Migration estimates that at least 78 people died in 2024, making it the deadliest year on record. At least 225 migrants have lost their lives since such crossings first began to be detected in 2018, after increasingly stringent security measures at ports and the Eurotunnel succeeded in preventing stowaways on lorries and trains bound for the UK.

The small dinghies which cross the strait are frequently dangerously packed with far more people than is safe to carry, with a father describing to the BBC last May how his seven-year-old daughter was fatally crushed aboard a boat carrying 110 people.

The latest Home Office figures show that at least 4,684 have crossed the Channel so far this year. Last year, 36,816 people were detected making the crossing  down from a peak of 45,755 in 2022.

Stopping such perilous crossings has become a political priority in the UK. While it has scrapped the previous Tory governments controversial scheme to send migrants to Rwanda as a deterrent, Sir Keir Starmers government has vowed to smash the gangs of people-smugglers facilitating the route and to step up deportations.

The Home Office published data in February showing it had smashed its target by carrying out nearly 19,000 deportations under Labour  more than in any year since 2018.

The government has ignored calls for more safe and legal routes to seek asylum in the UK as a means of reducing perilous Channel crossings.
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It started as a joke. In December 2024, Donald Trump glibly told Justin Trudeau that Canada should become the 51st state. Three months later, the joke seems to have become an American foreign policy goal for the second Trump administration.

Canadian Parliament has been unanimous in its response: Canada is not for sale. But Canadas head of state, King Charles, has remained largely silent on the matter  until recently.

Over the last several weeks, observers have started to pick up on subtle signs of support for Canadians from the King. But many people have no doubt been wondering why theres not been a direct statement of support from King Charles.

The answer to that question isnt as simple as many people might think.

King of Canada

Since 1689, Britain has been a constitutional monarchy. The sovereign is the head of state, but the prime minister leads the government. As such, the King cant interfere with politics. He is supposed to remain neutral and be the embodiment of the nation.

This crucial separation between palace and Parliament was solidified in Canada and throughout the Commonwealth in 1931 with the Statute of Westminster. In 1954, the Royal Styles and Titles Act separated the British Crown from the other Commonwealth realms. Queen Elizabeth became the first sovereign to ever be called Queen of Canada.

As a constitutional monarch, King Charles is bound by parliamentary limitations on his authority. He cannot act without taking advice from the prime ministers in his various realms.

open image in gallery King Charles with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier this year ( PA )

This means King Charles cant make a political statement about the ongoing tensions between Canada and the U.S. without the green light from Ottawa. When asked about the situation in January, a palace official said simply that this is not something we would comment on.

As former Alberta premier Jason Kenney later explained on social media: For Canadians disappointed that King Charles has not commented on President Trumps threats to annex Canada: in his capacity as King of Canada, he can only act on the advice of his Canadian first minister, i.e. Justin Trudeau.

Or, at this moment, Mark Carney.

Signs of support

The King met with Trudeau at Sandringham, the royal familys private estate in Norfolk, England, on March 3. This meeting seems to have prompted a series of symbolic gestures demonstrating the monarchys solidarity with Canadians.

The next day, the King conducted an inspection of the British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in his capacity as head of the Armed Forces. Canadian medals and honours adorned his naval dress uniform during the inspection.

A week later, the King planted a red maple tree at Buckingham Palace to honour Queen Elizabeths commitment to the preservation of forests and the bonds among Commonwealth nations.

On March 12, the King met with representatives from the Canadian Senate.

He presented a ceremonial sword to Gregory Peters, the Usher of the Black Rod (one of the Senates chief protocol officers). Raymonde Gagne, the speaker of the Senate, was also present for that meeting.

And on March 17, the King met with Carney as part of the new prime ministers whirlwind diplomatic tour of western Europe.

Some observers even pointed to the Princess of Waless red dress at the Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration on March 10 as yet another nod of recognition for Canada.

Soft power and the Royal Family

These sorts of gestures are examples of what is known as soft power. Unlike the hard power of military and economic force used by governments, soft power describes any number of ways that people or groups can influence others through culture, personal diplomacy and even fashion.

As one Buckingham Palace source remarked: The King knows that seemingly small gestures can send a reassuring sign of recognition about what is going on around the world.

One of the best known forms of the monarchy wielding soft power is through the use of state visits. At the British prime ministers request, world leaders are invited to London by the sovereign. The red carpet is rolled out for them, theyre wined and dined in lavish dinners at Buckingham Palace and they often make a speech to Parliament.

These state visits are a way for the Royal Family to use its soft power to positively influence diplomatic relations.

In February, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented Trump with an invitation from the King for a second state visit to the U.K.. So far, no date for the trip has been announced, but the Kings meetings with Trudeau and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy reportedly irritated Trump.

It remains to be seen how King Charles navigates his constitutional role as both king of the United Kingdom and of Canada. Will Trumps state visit only be about British interests? Or will Charles use it as a chance to address the concerns of his Canadian subjects?

Justin Vovk is a Royal Historian at McMaster University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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British teenage boys are being blackmailed by Nigerian crime gangs posing as young women in a surge of online sexual extortion, the National Crime Agency has warned.

Officials warned that criminals are targeting boys as young as 14 over Snapchat and Instagram  tricking them into sending explicit images before demanding payments of around 100.

While most victims of child sexual exploitation are female, 90% of sextortion victims are boys aged 14 to 17.

If they refuse to pay, the gangs threaten to share the compromising pictures with parents, friends, and schools.

Along with Nigeria, fraudsters often come from the Ivory Coast and the Philippines, the NCA said.

Marie Smith, a senior manager at the NCAs child exploitation and online protection command (CEOP), described the abuse as extremely disturbing.

The majority of offenders we see are from West African countries, she said.

They use fake profiles of young women, persuading boys to send indecent images by promising explicit pictures in return.

Once they have the images, they pressure the victim to pay quickly  sometimes giving them just minutes before threatening to expose them.

While teenagers are the primary targets, adults as old as 30 have also fallen victim to scams, the NCA said.

In some cases, victims have taken their own lives out of fear that the images will be shared.

The NCA has launched an awareness campaign, urging victims not to panic or pay the blackmailers.

Ms Smith said: Do not pay  stay calm. We can help. If you pay once, they will just demand more.

She added that the NCA is working with enforcement officers in Nigeria to crack down on the gangs.

She said: Were working internationally with our Nigerian counterparts, which is where were seeing most of this abuse happening.

Nothing is off the cards and we hope to hold these criminals accountable.

The campaign, launching on Thursday, will reach boys aged 15 to 17 through social media platforms such as Instagram, Reddit, and Snapchat.

It will warn them about sextortion tactics and how to report incidents safely.

NCA director of threat leadership Alex Murray said: Sextortion is unimaginably cruel and can have devastating consequences for victims.

This campaign will help empower young boys, giving them the knowledge to spot the dangers posed by this crime type and how to report it.

It supports them to understand that if it does happen, it is never their fault.

It will also take the advantage away from the criminals responsible, whose only motivation is financial gain.

Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of sextortion, which has been a major factor behind launching this campaign.

The NCAs CEOP safety centre received 380 sextortion reports in 2024 alone.

Meanwhile, UK police recorded an average of 117 monthly reports involving under-18s in the first five months of the same year.

In the United States, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 28,000 sextortion reports globally in 2024  up from 26,718 the previous year.

Research commissioned by the NCA ahead of the campaign found that 74% of boys surveyed did not fully understand sextortion, while a similar proportion failed to recognise requests for nude images as a warning sign.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) did not know how to report the crime, and only 12% believed they could be at risk.

The NCA has also issued guidance for parents and carers on how to recognise sextortion risks, talk to their children about the dangers, and support victims.

The campaign follows an unprecedented NCA alert to teachers last April, which reached an estimated two-thirds of UK teaching staff.

Teachers reported feeling better equipped to recognise and respond to cases of sextortion as a result.

The campaign comes amid rising concerns about child sexual abuse, with recent figures revealing that nearly 40,000 such offences were committed by children in 2023.

Analysis of data from 44 police forces in England and Wales found that more than half of the 115,489 child sexual abuse and exploitation offences recorded last year were committed by offenders aged 10 to 17.
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A top academic has said she is living in fear of being deported from the UK after being told she had spent too many days out of the country for research work.

Manikarnika Dutta, 37, had been conducting research as part of her academic commitments to the University of Oxford, which required access to archives stored in India.

Her research meant she spent 691 days outside the UK, exceeding the Home Offices limit of 548 days abroad during a 10-year period before applying for indefinite leave to stay.

Ms Dutta, assistant professor of history at University College Dublin, and her husband Souvik Naha, a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow, applied last October for indefinite leave to remain in the UK based on long-term residency. While his application was approved, hers was rejected.

Despite being married and living in the UK for more than a decade, the Home Office also ruled she lacked sufficient family ties to Britain.

I was broken, Ms Dutta told the Independent.

open image in gallery Manikarnika Dutta with her husband, Souvik Naha ( Manikarnika Dutta )

She hit out at the out of touch Home Office, arguing that the immigration rules cited by the department didnt accommodate the demands of academic research, especially for international scholars.

Your first priority and your first commitment is towards your academics and the best research that you can produce, Ms Dutta said. So whatever is needed for that, you do it. It is not about counting those number of days. It is your research.

Ms Duttas immigration status means she is concerned that if she leaves the UK, it could be difficult  or even impossible  for her to return.

I have been living with that fear, she told The Independent.

Ms Dutta asked for an administrative review, but the Home Office upheld its decision and instructed her to leave the UK or face a 10-year re-entry ban and possible prosecution for overstaying.

She has since launched a legal challenge against the decision.

The Home Office has agreed to reconsider its decision within the next three months, though it may still uphold the original ruling.

Until then, Ms Dutta has been left in limbo. She tells The Independent that every time I took the flight from London, Gatwick to Dublin, she was scared and while coming back every single time, I literally have to explain my situation, because in my share code, what was really written is that my decision is pending.

The emotional toll the situation has taken is even heavier. Ms Dutta says that this has impacted not just her and her husband but their parents in Kolkatta, India as well. Ms Duttas mother, who was unaware of the full extent of the problem, is now distressed. She had intentionally kept her family in the dark to avoid causing them unnecessary worry, she says. However, the recent media coverage has made it difficult to shield them from the situation.

My mother for the last two days, it was very difficult, she says.

Her husband, Souvik Naha tells The Independent: We strongly believe that the Home Office made a clinical error in this. He says: I am fortunate enough to be able to travel to India, but she can't, and that is really psychologically very damaging that she is kind of been considered as a persona non grata, who cannot really have any protection under the UK law or international law when it comes to travelling.

The couple got married in January 2015 in India and live together in south London. However, both commute for work: Ms Dutta travels to Dublin and Mr Naha travels to Glasgow for work two to three days a week and then returns to London to spend the weekends and the first half of the week with her.

Ms Dutta first came to the UK in September 2012 on a student visa. Later, she obtained a spouse visa as a dependant of her husband, who had a visa under the global talent route.

Ms Dutta tells The Independent that there is a need for better communication between educational institutions and the Home Office. She says that the UK immigration system doesnt recognise PhD research as professional work experience, despite its demanding nature and contributions to academia. Rules really need to be flexible. They need to be human.

She says: Ive done two postdocs, first in Oxford, the second in Bristol... you have to pay taxes to work in the UK for five years, and then that counts. So with your PhD years, it really doesnt count (for visa and residency purposes).

Mr Naha, meanwhile, says: Its very difficult for us to get in touch with the Home Office. Nobody picks up calls, nobody responds to emails.

In the past, several academics have been asked by the Home Office to leave Britain for similar reasons. In 2015, Dr Miwa Hirono, a renowned Japanese academic and government adviser, was forced to leave the UK due to strict immigration rules. In 2019, more than 1,000 academics signed an open letter protesting the UK Home Offices decision to deny Cambridge research fellow Asiya Islam indefinite leave to remain. The rejection was based on her exceeding the permitted number of days abroad, even though her time abroad was necessary for her PhD research on gender and class in urban India.

The Independent has contacted the Home Office for comment.
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Environmental organisations have warned that there is a race against time to clear up plastic pellets that are washing up on various beaches on Englands east coast following the North Sea collision, as they could harm seabirds and wildlife.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution spotted the pellets made of plastic resin, known as nurdles, which have started to wash up in melted clumps on beaches in Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

They are believed to have entered the water when the Solong container ship crashed into an oil tanker, known as Stena Immaculate, carrying jet fuel for the US military on 10 March.

Both vessels caught fire after several explosions and 36 crew members were rescued from them, with one man dead. The captain of the cargo ship was arrested and charged with gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision.

open image in gallery Clumps of pellets have shown up on beaches in Norfolk ( RSPB )

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Area Manager for Titchwell Marsh, Steve Rowland, confirmed that pellets the size of lentils had been spotted along miles and miles of Norfolk coast.

He warned there were only a few days to get them off the beaches before rising tides disperse the debris and it washes back into the food chain: this is a real race against time.

Some are loose and some are clumped together, they are charred and smell of kerosene. We believe they are from last week's tragic ship collision in the North Sea, he said.

open image in gallery Steve Rowland said of the pellets: 'Some are loose and some are clumped together, they are charred and smell of kerosene. ( RSPB )

We are deeply concerned... this whole area, part of our East Coast Wetlands, is internationally important for birds and wildlife.

Its a crucial migration route at this time of year, a vital feeding place for seabirds, and soon the nesting site for rare and threatened terns and wading birds. This is a much-loved living coast, and we know people will be very concerned.

Head of Conservation at Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, Tammy Smalley, warned that if seabirds ate nurdles they could die from choking or starvation.

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, she said.

open image in gallery Nurdles are made from plastic resin ( Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust )

Nurdles are one of the largest sources of microplastic pollution at sea, according to the Trust. Once released into the waves, they become hard to clear up. The risk posed by nurdles increases when other pollutants become stuck to them.

We already have a huge problem with plastic pollution along the coast of the North Sea and our volunteers spend hours dealing with this laborious task, Ms Smalley said.

We urge members of the public to report nurdle sightings but to avoid touching them as they may have toxic pollutants stuck to them.

open image in gallery Nurdle pollution in Norfolk ( FIDRA )

HM Coastguard confirmed they were assisting in a counter pollution retrieval operation, supporting local authorities who were leading the onshore response in both Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

FIDRA, an environmental charity tackling plastic waste, attended the Norfolk coastline for research purposes.

They said: We have been to visit affected areas along the Norfolk coastline to see firsthand the extent of nurdle pollution that is unfolding.

It is devastating to see these plastic pellets appearing in some of the UKs most ecologically important environments, especially for birdlife.

The charity estimates that 445,970 tonnes of pellets are lost to the environment every year globally during the production of plastic products  thats 22.4 trillion pellets, enough to cover the area of Barcelona and all its beaches.
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The Prince of Wales has arrived in Estonia for the start of a two-day visit to bolster ties with Tallinn and show support for UK troops guarding Natos border with Russia.

Prince William began his trip on Thursday by sitting down for talks in the capital Tallinn with Estonias president, Alar Karis, who has been prominent among those giving military equipment and political support to Ukraine.

William is travelling to Estonia predominantly in his role as colonel-in-chief of the Mercian Regiment  which is taking over Nato defence duties in the country from the Royal Dragoon Guards.

open image in gallery The Prince of Wales met Estonian president Alar Karis at the Estonian presidential office in Tallinn ( REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/Pool )

On the second day of his visit, the royal will travel to attend a handover ceremony at the Tapa army base, which houses the UKs largest permanent overseas deployment. There are around 800 British service personnel in total in Estonia.

William will meet both soldiers from his regiment and Estonian troops based at Tapa, where forces are stationed ready to defend Natos eastern flank.

British forces are deployed to Estonia and Poland under Operation Cabrit, the UKs contribution to Natos Forward Land Forces in the two countries. During a visit to Tapa in March 2022  just days after Russias invasion of Ukraine  then prime minister Boris Johnson told British troops that their deployment was fundamental to Natos safety.

Estonias defence minister Hanno Pevkur told ITV News on Wednesday: The reality is we cannot change our neighbour  our neighbour is very hostile towards its neighbours. This is our response to how Russia is acting at the moment.

Williams visit comes as Europes major nations  including the UK  prepare to step up spending on their armed forces in response to the changing world order ushered in by US president Donald Trump.

open image in gallery Boris Johnson and Estonias then prime minister Kaja Kallas  now the EUs foreign policy chief  met Nato troops at Tapa just days after Russias invasion of Ukraine ( Leon Neal/PA )

Vladimir Putins Russia is seen as a growing threat in the region following its three-year long invasion of Ukraine, and the Baltic states bordering Russia  Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia  appear increasingly concerned by their neighbour.

Following his talks with Mr Karis on Thursday, Prince William will also visit a school founded in May 2022 by the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia to respond to the war in Ukraine.

He will meet teachers from Ukraine to hear about their experiences at the school, and how they have helped students settle in Tallinn and looked after their mental wellbeing.

The prince founded his Earthshot Prize to help recognise and scale up solutions to repair the planet, and he will also attend an event to learn about renewable energy startups.

open image in gallery William met Estonian schoolchildren during his trip to Tallinn ( Aaron Chown/PA )

A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: This will be an important meeting for the prince to highlight the strong bilateral relationship between the United Kingdom and Estonia.

The meeting also allows His Royal Highness the opportunity to applaud Estonias strong support for Ukraine since the conflict with Russia.

It is also yet another example of the Prince of Wales representing the United Kingdom at the highest level on the global stage.

Additional reporting by PA
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A woman who was adopted by a London couple has been reunited with her Hong Kong birth family 60 years after being abandoned on a hillside.

Rachel Rollinson, 61, was found by a policeman on the outskirts of Hong Kong when she was 10 months old, with no indication of who her parents were.

After years wondering why she had been left there, Rachel decided to undergo a DNA test with MyHeritage, eventually helping her to reconnect with her lost parents and eight siblings, who she does not wish to name, decades later.

She discovered her birth parents had consulted a Taoist priest as she was unwell as a baby, who told them as the first girl born after three sons she was a bad omen for the family, so advised them to give her up.

Although her father had died, she was able to spend precious time with her mother before her death in October 2023, just six months after Rachel was reunited with her.

open image in gallery Rachel was given up by her mother who believed she was a 'bad omen' ( MyHeritage/PA Real Life )

(My abandonment was) all to do with religious reasons and superstition, Rachel, who now lives in Boston, Lincolnshire, said.

Its been a rollercoaster.

I knew that there could be rejection so I had tried not to keep my hopes too high  but my mums eyes lit up seeing us.

open image in gallery Rachel was able to spend precious time with her mother before she died ( MyHeritage/PA Real Life )

The early 1960s had seen a mass exodus of Chinese refugees to Hong Kong and at the time, Rachel said, it was not uncommon for struggling refugees to leave their babies in busy places where they knew they would be found and cared for.

After her discovery on a hillside in 1964, Rachel left Hong Kong when she was two-and-a-half years old with little more than a jacket and bag and was adopted by Kenneth and Pamela Goldsmith  an English couple living in London.

It was a strict family but a good upbringing, she said.

Knowing she had been adopted, Rachel added: You have times when youre thinking, Did I see my birth parents? Have I got family?'

Her adoptive father Kenneth had always wanted to go to Hong Kong with Rachel and her sister, who was adopted from the same childrens home in Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, Kenneth died from a brain tumour in 1976, leaving Rachels mum to take the pair to Hong Kong in 1979.

After training and working as a nurse in Brighton, Rachel met her husband Pete through a holiday romance in Ibiza  and after four years of travelling they settled down with their three children, Zoe, Katie and Lucy, in Lincolnshire.

open image in gallery Rachel met her husband Pete through a 'holiday romance in Ibiza' ( MyHeritage/PA Real Life )

In 2012, Rachel and her sister decided to take part in a study by Julia Feast, a renowned adoption scholar and social worker, on Chinese adoptees from Hong Kong  joining a group of Hong Kong-born adoptees who would meet twice a year.

Eventually, after trips to Hong Kong and conversations with international social services, Rachel was able to obtain her Hong Kong adoption files and learned how she was found.

However, since the file had no names, no addresses, nothing, Rachel was no closer to finding her birth parents so tried DNA testing.

I got loads of fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh cousins, which obviously didnt mean anything to me, she said.

Then, in 2022, she had a breakthrough  finding a first cousin after uploading third-party DNA data to MyHeritage.

Her cousin, Chris, was looking for his aunt and Rachel agreed to help him through contacts she had made in Hong Kong.

When she showed her family a young photo of the aunt they mistook it for a photo of Rachel herself and the cogs started to go

Rachel realised this really could be her mother, proven conclusively once one of the womans sons took a DNA test that confirmed he and Rachel were full siblings in January 2023.

It was just one excitement after the other, with all my siblings contacting me, Rachel said.

They were sending pictures of my nieces and nephews, and then I did a FaceTime with them in March, and saw my mum for the first time, and she was like a kid in a candy shop.

Were the same height, same hair, same nose.

In April 2023, Rachel flew out to meet her family, along with her husband and children.

open image in gallery Rachel's daughter, Lucy, wearing the jacket Rachel wore when she flew to the UK to be adopted ( MyHeritage/PA Real Life )

We met them near to where my mum lived and had a massive meal, she said.

They all welcomed us just like that. No malice, no anger  it was just a brilliant week. It went so quickly.

Rachel learned her mother had worked on a farm before moving to Hong Kong and becoming a plasterer.

Her father, who died in 2014, had been an engineer and her parents met on the building site of the University of Hong Kong.

Not long after Rachel was born, she became ill.

As a result a Taoist priest advised them to give Rachel up, both for their sake and her own.

From the start I said I was not angry, theres no resentment, its just the way life is, Rachel said.

Whatever comes, you just take it on the chin.

She was able to visit her birth parents Hong Kong flat, where they had lived for 60 years.

That was amazing, just to see where I could have been brought up, she said.

I think it would be completely different to the lifestyle I have now  I dont know what I would have done, if I had been out there.

Unfortunately, on the way home, Rachels younger sister informed her that their mother was unwell  and she passed away that October at the age of 87.

It was almost as if she was waiting to see me, Rachel said.

We went over in November for her Taoist-style ceremony.

It lasted two days, it was lovely to be asked to come.

Moving forward, Rachel plans to continue visit her Hong Kong family once a year.

Ive got two lots of different lives now, she said.

Naama Lanski, a researcher at MyHeritage, said: We rejoice in Rachels joy at the closure she received after decades of unsuccessful efforts to find her family.
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Boys are being targeted by an unimaginably cruel wave of online sexual extortion, the National Crime Agency (NCA) has warned.

While girls are typically the majority of victims in cases of child sexual exploitation and abuse, a disturbing 90 per cent of "sextortion" victims are male, aged between 14 and 17.

The alarming trend is driven by organised crime groups operating overseas, the NCA reports. These criminals manipulate and blackmail young boys into giving them money, threatening to release intimate images online if they refuse. The NCA has identified Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and the Philippines as the primary locations of these perpetrators.

Growing concerns about the devastating impact of sextortion, including victims driven to suicide, have prompted the NCA to launch a major campaign to raise awareness among young boys about the dangers they face online.

The campaign, launched on Thursday, will target boys aged 15 to 17 on social media platforms including Instagram, Reddit and Snapchat.

It aims to educate teenagers on how sextortion works, the tactics offenders use, and how to report incidents.

What is sextortion?

open image in gallery Image from the NCAs new campaign ( National Crime Agency (NCA)/PA Wire )

Sextortion typically involves offenders coercing victims into sending nude or semi-nude photos  or manipulating existing images  before threatening to expose them unless they pay money.

In some cases, blackmail has occurred within an hour of first contact.

NCA director of threat leadership Alex Murray said the crime has driven some victims to take their own lives.

He said: Sextortion is unimaginably cruel and can have devastating consequences for victims.

This campaign will help empower young boys, giving them the knowledge to spot the dangers posed by this crime type and how to report it.

Sadly, teenagers in the UK and around the world have taken their own lives because of sextortion, which has been a major factor behind launching this campaign.

The NCAs CEOP Safety Centre received 380 sextortion reports in 2024 alone.

Meanwhile, UK police recorded an average of 117 monthly reports involving under-18s in the first five months of the same year.

In the United States, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 28,000 sextortion reports globally in 2024  up from 26,718 the previous year.

Research commissioned by the NCA ahead of the campaign found that 74% of boys surveyed did not fully understand sextortion, while a similar proportion failed to recognise requests for nude images as a warning sign.

Nearly three-quarters did not know how to report the crime, and only 12% believed they could be at risk.

Alongside the campaign, the NCA has issued guidance for parents and carers on how to recognise sextortion risks, talk to their children about the dangers, and support victims.

The campaign follows an unprecedented NCA alert to teachers last April, which reached an estimated two-thirds of UK teaching staff.

Teachers reported feeling better equipped to recognise and respond to cases of sextortion as a result.

The campaign comes amid rising concerns about child sexual abuse, with recent figures revealing that nearly 40,000 such offences were committed by children in 2023.

Analysis of data from 44 police forces in England and Wales found that more than half of the 115,489 child sexual abuse and exploitation offences recorded last year were committed by offenders aged 10 to 17.
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Labours plans to cut the welfare bill do not go nearly far enough, the former minister who brought in the biggest reform of benefits since the 1940s has warned.

In a week where Sir Keir Starmers government announced plans to remove disability benefits from an estimated 1 million claimants, former Tory work and pensions secretary Sir Iain Duncan Smith said more must be done to stop a tsunami of so-called fit notes signing people off work forever.

Writing exclusively for The Independent, Sir Iain also raised problems with a culture where young people leave school and go straight to their sick beds.

open image in gallery Conservative former leader Iain Duncan Smith ( PA Wire )

Sir Iain warned: We must end the tsunami of so-called fit notes that sign people off work forever, instead encouraging GPs to use the maybe fit for work option. And we need to enlist employers and schools if we are to halt the number of young people moving directly from education to their sick beds.

He pointed out that in an increasingly dangerous world where the UK is under pressure to invest more in defence, the burgeoning welfare bill is now unsustainable.

He said: When I resigned as the secretary of state for work and pensions [in 2016] from David Camerons government, welfare stood at 61.6bn. Yet by the end of this parliament, it is projected to be 108.7bn. Sickness benefit alone which was 19bn in 2016 is set to rise to 32bn. So it is with disability benefit, set to rise from 11bn to some 31bn.

With the fifth anniversary of the start of the Covid lockdown coming up this weekend, Sir Iain partially blamed the pandemic response for the ballooning of the welfare budget.

The rise in sickness benefit claims poses a challenge to the government, particularly because some 60 per cent of claims since Covid are from mental health issues. The majority of these are for depression and anxiety. The health department has declared that the best treatment for depression and anxiety is going back to work. That is why, as sickness benefit moves into universal credit, the possibility of large-scale reform opens up for the government.

But while the current Labour work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall tackled disability benefit by raising the threshold at which people can claim it, she did little to tackle the rise in sickness benefit claims.

Sir Iain complained that when the minister spoke to the Commons he could see big reform was not there, instead they narrowly changed a few things just to obtain a saving of 5bn. This money seems to be set to help the chancellor out of the bind of breaking her own fiscal rule as she goes to the spring statement, not to reform the system.

Sir Iains think tank, the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), which shaped the reforms in the Cameron government to make work pay, has recently published its How to Get Britain Working report with a 16-step action plan to reverse economic inactivity and generate as much as 13bn for the public purse.

open image in gallery Liz Kendalls reforms do not go far enough to tackle Britains sick note culture, Duncan Smith said ( Getty )

Research by the CSJ revealed that more than 80 per cent of GPs agree that societys approach to mental health has led to the normal ups and downs of life being seen as medical problems, too often prescribing when non-pharmaceutical interventions would be more suitable, medicalising things they would prefer not to.

Sir Iain called for reform of the judge-led tribunal system and the finding answers to the underlying questions of how we function as a society, which leave too many without aspiration or hope.

He noted that the CSJs recent Lost Boys report, led by former Tory MP Miriam Cates, highlighted the number of young men who are not in education, employment or training (Neet) has increased since the pandemic by a staggering 40 per cent.

But he added that the recent hike in national insurance contributions for employers in last autumns Budget has made things very difficult for the current work and pensions secretary.

He said: I have some sympathy for Liz Kendall as just when she sets out to get people back into the work, the chancellors damaging rise in national insurance just made that route out of benefits a lot tougher.
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Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of waging war on the countryside after the government quietly scrapped a grant that helped local groups buy closure-threatened pubs.

The Community Ownership Fund, which launched 2021 with the aim of handing out 150m worth of grants by the end of 2025, was cancelled early with 135m having been allocated to date.

As the number of pubs in England and Wales sits at a record low, with more than 400 closing their doors for good in 2024 alone, there is growing concern in rural areas that the cancellation of the fund just days before Christmas will damage communities across the country.

open image in gallery The Fox Inn, Ryton, benefitted from the fund ( Supplied )

Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance told The Independent: In the countryside, pubs are more than just a place to have a pint and packet of crisps: they are community hubs that are on the frontline of preventing social isolation in some of the most remote parts of the country.

It is widely understood that pubs are part of the rural fabric and must be protected.

Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake, shadow communities secretary, accused Labour of pushing pubs to the brink of extinction and waging war on the countryside.

It comes amid growing discontent in rural areas after the government extended inheritance tax to cover agricultural properties at last years budget, with thousands of farmers warning they will have to sell off family-owned farms to afford the tax.

And last week, Labour was accused of treating farmers with contempt after it scrapped the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), a scheme that pays farmers in England for environmental practices.

The COF, which ran from 2021 to 2024, awarded 135 million to 409 projects across the UK, including pubs, youth centres, lidos and hospices.

As rural pubs battle the impact of the national insurance hike announced in October, Mr Metcalf-Fisher said the project was a vital lifeline to those rural communities wanting to band together to save these precious institutions.

It is incredibly disappointing that the government quietly announced the closure of the fund just before Christmas, particularly in the context of a breakdown in relations between the countryside and Whitehall following the family farm tax., he said.

It is vital that the government communicate how they intend to roadmap a way forward on community funding, offering hope for the future of precious rural pubs. Every pub that shuts is a further gutting of our precious countryside.

One community group, which is purchasing The Fox Inn in Ryton after receiving a grant of 299,300 - believes the fund is critical to support local pubs and the communities they serve.

The pub was closed two years ago but the grant has allowed them to cover half of the costs of purchase and renovation.

open image in gallery Farmers protest in Westminster over changes to inheritance tax rules (Jonathan Brady/PA) ( PA Wire )

The groups secretary, Helen May, told The Independent: Local pubs are often the heart of the community, providing a space for people of all backgrounds and ages to meet, socialise and have company.

In areas such as Ryton in Shropshire, they are critical to combat rural isolation.

The money, she said, will also provide vital working capital to help fund the operating costs in the first 12 months, mitigating cash flow challenges that new businesses have.

While the government has promised to introduce a Community Right to Buy scheme, handing local communities the right to purchase empty shops, pubs and community spaces, they have been urged to go further and provide funding to support the scheme.

People love their local. It is a symbol of local pride and a place where people can come together and connect with others, at a time when people often feel lonely and isolated, said Josh Westerling of Power to Change, a group campaigning on community businesses.

The government knows this, which is why its introducing a Community Right to Buy to help local people save places they care about like local pubs. But for this to work effectively, we need new community ownership funding so every place can take advantage of this new power.

Mr Hollinrake added: Pubs are the beating heart of Britains towns and villages, especially in the countryside.

Not content with hiking taxes to record levels, raising business rates and axing the takeaway pint, this will see pub closures across the countryside rocket. The Conservatives campaign to Save the Local from this dreadful Labour Government is now more important than ever.

Pushing pubs to the brink of extinction is the latest bright idea from city-centric lefties determined to wage war on the countryside.

The government has been approached for comment.
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Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt has hit out at Brexiteers who inflated the economic benefits of the UKs departure from the European Union.

Mr Hunt, who voted Remain in 2016, criticised what he described as some of the "more hyperbolic claims of some Brexits backers - who included former Tory PM Boris Johnson.

But in a foreword to a new report, Mr Hunt also said he believed "many claims about the negative impact of Brexit on the economy were overly exaggerated" and the UKs departure had "much less impact on British exports to the EU".

Jeremy Hunt has hit out at Brexiteers who inflated the economic benefits of the UKs departure from the European Union. (PA) ( PA Wire )

The report, by the Policy Exchange think tank, said that analysis of Brexit's impact had only looked at the fall in the volume of exports, and had not considered its value. As an example it said while the number of vehicle exports are down 28 per cent compared with 2019, the value of exports has only decreased by 2 per cent in the same period.

Mr Hunt called on the official Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to scrutinise the findings when they next update their models.

But experts have urged caution on the report, saying it was cherry picking data.

Trade expert David Henig said it was very selective picking of a few examples to try to make a broader case in contradiction to all of the serious studies. He added: The aggregate numbers have been clear on the trade impacts, which are as the economics predicts. This study doesn't change that.

The OBR, the UKs independent financial watchdog, has warned that Brexit is on course to cut UK trade by 15 per cent.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain which campaigns for closer EU-UK ties said: The former chancellor might quibble about the extent of the damage his party caused to British businesses but no one credible now argues that Brexit has been anything but a disaster, certainly not those who export.

What matters now is fixing the problems Brexit has created and independent research shows that greater alignment with the EU can boost the UK economy by up to 2.2%.

Sir Nick Harvey, a former minister in the coalition government and the chief executive of the pro-EU European Movement UK group said: "This report from Policy Exchange does exactly what it accuses others of doing: trying to relitigate the Brexit debate.

"Their narrow focus on trade, particularly the distinction they draw between volume and value of trade, overlooks the wider economic damage of the catastrophic 2016 decision, the hiatus and chaos which followed, and the disastrous investment and growth impacts which have resulted.

"Like all their reports, this is worth serious attention and of course everyone wants to see high value exports. But volume also matters  it is a measure of economic activity, with consequent social impacts.

"There is a whopping hole in the British economy as a result of Brexit, as many studies have shown. Glorious opportunities around the world have not opened up in the ways which were promised. Given that there is no possibility of rejoining the single market any time soon, it is important for the Government in its reset with the EU to focus on friction at our borders."

Meanwhile, the Government is being urged to push for a new settlement with the EU to help businesses expand and drive growth, in a call from the British Chambers of Commerce.

Director general Shevaun Haviland will also highlight the importance of strengthening UK/US trading relations.
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The UK Technology Secretary will set out plans to turn areas of industrial wasteland into hotbeds for AI development in a pitch to American investors during a visit to the US.

Speaking at a business summit in San Jose, Peter Kyle will detail how relics of economic eras past will be transformed into so-called growth zones dedicated to attracting investment through advances in computing.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has set out an AI action plan to drastically expand use of the technology with the aim of helping to revolutionise creaking public services and turn around Britains economy.

The measures include development of a series of growth zones around the country to build infrastructure such as data centres and improve access to the energy grid.

The Government wants these to be located in areas with existing power connections or a clear path to securing them and deindustrialised regions with land and infrastructure suitable for redevelopment.

Mr Kyle is expected to offer further detail about the sites as he addresses business chiefs and developers at the Nvidia annual conference on Thursday.

In empty factories and abandoned mines, in derelict sites and unused power supplies, I see the places where we can begin to build a new economic model, the minister will say.

A model completely rewired around the immense power of artificial intelligence.

Where, faced with that power, the state is neither a blocker nor a shirker  but an agile, proactive partner.

The Technology Secretary is expected to say that states owe it to their citizens to support AI initiatives, not through diktat or directive, but through partnership.

The UKs AI sector is valued at 92 billion dollars (71 billion) and projected to surpass one trillion dollars by 2035, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

As part of the visit, Mr Kyle will also meet representatives from tech companies including Open AI, Anthropic, Nvidia and Vantage, the DSIT said.
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Sir Keir Starmer has said that Vladimir Putin fears Britains nuclear weapons, saying that Trident continues to be a crucial deterrent as Russia resists efforts for peace in Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of a visit to Barrow on Thursday  where he will lay the keel for the next generation of Britains nuclear deterrent submarines  the prime minister said it has proven incredibly effective since its introduction in the 1990s.

Speaking about Russia, Sir Keir said: I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability.

open image in gallery The PM will lay the keel for the next generation of submarines ( Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street )

He agreed that it is right for Putin to respect Britains nuclear deterrent, adding: And thats why the UK is within Europe as one of the leading nations on defence and security, because weve got our independent deterrent and were committed to Nato.

The PMs remarks come ahead of a crucial meeting of military figures taking place in the UK on Thursday as planning for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine moves into an operational phase.

Sir Keir is expected to meet with defence planners after he announced at the weekend that military chiefs would gather to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraines future security.

He has been trying to assemble a coalition of nations that would be willing to help enforce any peace deal that could be reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the visit to Barrow, he said: It has been an incredibly effective deterrent for decades and we must not take that for granted. Which is why its good that were going to the Dreadnought class.

The last few years and certainly the last few months have been a reminder, across the country and across Europe, how important that first duty of defence and security really is.

The prime minister argues his pledge to boost defence spending will help fulfil his mission to grow the UK economy.

Defence spending here is supporting highly skilled jobs, driving opportunities for young people and delivering world class capabilities to keep us all safe, but its also crucially putting money in the pockets of hardworking people, he said.

It comes just days after he secretly joined a crew of submariners as they returned home to their families for the first time in months, making him the first prime minister to join a so-called day zero since 2013.

open image in gallery The PM met with submariners and their families as they returned to shore after months at sea ( Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street )

open image in gallery Keir Starmer on a submarine in Barrow ( Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street )

Diplomatic efforts on securing a ceasefire in Ukraine continued on Wednesday, with the call between the US and Ukrainian leaders coming a day after Mr Trump spoke to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Volodymyr Zelensky said he had a positive, very substantive and frank conversation with Mr Trump, and said that Ukraine was ready to implement the ending of strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

But Putin has been accused of using delay tactics to stall the negotiations, causing Sir Keir Starmer to warn the Kremlin leader will have to come to the table sooner or later.

The Ukrainian president is also expected to address European leaders on Thursday when he dials in to the European Council meeting via video link.

So far, the prime minister has not confirmed which nations have made concrete commitments to a peacekeeping force, but said that what action they could take would be a subject of discussion in the meeting.
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The family of a Boeing whistleblower who died by suicide has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer, alleging that the company subjected him to a concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation.

Boeing did its best to discourage, discredit, and humiliate John Barnett, as he worked to document and remedy defects and uphold standards at the company, according to the suit, obtained by The Independent.

The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March 2024. A coroner later ruled that he died by suicide. At the time, he was testifying in a lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday in South Carolina Supreme Court said Barnett had been proud of his job and was initially proud of Boeing.

open image in gallery Boeing has been accused of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation and abuse against former employee John Barnett ( Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

He took his role seriously in protecting the flying public, and he believed that he had a personal, legal, and moral obligation to ensure, to the best of his ability, that every possible defect was identified, documented, and remedied.

When John tried to do his job, Boeing Management pressured him to not document defects or to not properly document the aircraft build record in order to avoid production delays.

When John persisted, Management embarked on a concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation intended to discourage, discredit, and humiliate him until he would either give up or be discredited.

An autopsy report previously stated that a review of Barnetts medical records and interviews with his family showed he was suffering from chronic stress brought on by the lawsuit, as well as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of his death.

In their lawsuit, his family claimed that in one instance in 2016, a senior manager had called Barnett 19 times within an eight-hour period, and then 21 times over the same period of time a few days later.

The manager allegedly told Barnett, Im going to push you until you break, the lawsuit claimed.

open image in gallery The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March ( Netflix )

After leaving Boeing, John repeatedly tried to move on with his life. However, on March 9, 2024, the weight of years of harassment, abuse, and humiliation became too much for John to bear, and he took his own life Boeing had threatened to break John and break him it did, it stated.

The suit also included part of an email sent by Barnett in 2021 in which he said he was trying to figure out what it would take to make me whole again, and detailed some of his struggles with anxiety and depression as well as PTSD.

Excerpts from a note left by Barnett prior to his death, previously shared by Charleston police, were also included. I pray Boeing pays, the note said, though it added: Family and friends, I love you I found my purpose! Im at peace!

Wednesdays filing claims for wrongful death, abuse of process and retaliation.

Barnetts family are seeking damages for pecuniary loss, mental suffering and grief, as well as punitive damages and funeral and burial expenses, per the lawsuit. They have requested a jury trial.

In a statement shared with The Independent, a Boeing spokesperson said: We are saddened by John Barnetts death and extend our condolences to his family.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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European and Canadian officials have started eyeing alternatives to expensive U.S. weaponry, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, as they rethink the strategic decision of tying their defense to U.S.-made systems.

In less than two months, President Donald Trump has upended decades of U.S. foreign policy - at the same time, Pete Hegseth, Trump's defense secretary, last month told a gathering of European defense ministers that stark strategic realities prevent the U.S. from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.

Trump has left NATO members questioning whether the U.S. will honor the alliance's commitment to defend each other if other European countries are attacked by Russia. He's also made repeat overtures to Russia and suspended most U.S. foreign aid.

That could impact foreign sales of the Lockheed Martin-produced F-35 and other advanced U.S. jets like the F-16. As the war in Ukraine continues into its fourth year, it's become clear that Eastern European NATO members still have vast stores of Soviet-era weapons in their stockpiles that were not interoperable with Western weaponry.

There was a long term plan to standardize NATO weaponry by replacing Soviet-era jets with Western models, like the F-16 and F-35, however, alternatives, such as the Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Rafale, are now being considered as potential replacements for aging fleets.

Angering an F-35 partner

In Canada, where Trump has launched a trade war and has threatened economic coercion to make it the 51st American state, new Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked Defense Minister Bill Blair to review its purchase of F-35s. Canada has been a partner with the U.S. in developing the F-35.

Blair will see if there are other options given the changing environment, a defense spokesman said.

And in Portugal, the outgoing defense minister said in an interview with a Portuguese newspaper published last week that recent positions taken by the U.S. compelled a rethink about the purchase of F-35s because the U.S. has become unpredictable. Portugal is considering various options to replace its F-16s.

U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft F-35 ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Youre not just buying an airplane, youre buying a relationship with the United States, said Winslow T. Wheeler, a longtime government watchdog who spent 30 years in the U.S. Congress working for Democrats and Republicans on national security and defense issues. People in the past have not just welcomed but craved that kind of relationship.

The Netherlands and Norway have voiced recent support for the F-35 program in comments to the media.

The F-35 is a vital component of our national defense capability, and the cooperation and dialogue with the United States continues to support the development and use of this high-end platform," Norwegian State Secretary Andreas Flam said in a statement. We expect this constructive cooperation to continue into the future."

The F-35 and a kill switch

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was designed to combine stealth, maneuverability and attack capabilities in a single aircraft. Each jet costs about $85 million (78 million euros), and the price jumps to $100 million (91 million euros) to $150 million (137 million euros) when supporting infrastructure and spare parts are included. About 1,100 have been produced to date for 16 military services across the globe.

The F-35B, a variant that can take off from ship decks vertically, is the latest model. It's the most expensive weapons system the U.S. has ever produced, with estimated lifetime costs now expected to top $1.7 trillion. One of the ways the program was counting on reducing those costs was by selling more aircraft to international customers.

But the Trump administration's recent pause on providing intelligence to Ukraine to force the country to negotiate with Russia has fueled fears that the U.S. may have similar ways to coerce them in a future fight  such as by embedding a hypothetical kill switch in the F-35's millions of lines of programming.

In a statement, the Pentagon's F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office on Tuesday vehemently rejected any notion that jets sold to allies could be remotely disabled.

There is no kill switch. The F-35 was conceived, developed, and continues to be operated and sustained as a joint/coalition platform, built on strong partnerships with U.S. allies and partner nations across the globe, the office said in a statement. The strength of the F-35 program lies in its global partnership, and we remain committed to providing all users with the full functionality and support they require.

But that's not the only way to impact an ally's program, Wheeler said. The F-35 requires constant U.S.-controlled tech upgrades to operate in combat. If a relationship with the U.S. soured and updates were delayed, it could make a jet, or even a fleet, inoperable, he said.

Lockheed Martin, in a statement Tuesday, said the company is committed to helping its customers strengthen their airpower and security with the F-35.

As part of our government contracts, we deliver all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to sustain the aircraft, the defense contractor said. We remain committed to providing affordable and reliable sustainment services to our customers that enable them to complete their missions and come home safely.

European jet alternatives

The Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale could see an increase in sales if other countries decide to forgo their F-35 purchases. But none of them have the stealth capabilities of the F-35.

The Swedish-made Saab Gripen is used by the militaries of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa,Brazil and Thailand. Conventional defense industry wisdom says it's significantly cheaper than the F-35, Wheeler said.

The Eurofighter Typhoon, a swing-role combat aircraft, is part of the British, German, Spanish and Italian forces. It's manufactured by a consortium of defense companies: Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.

The French-built Dassault Rafale twin-jet fighter is used by the French Navy and the French Air and Space Force. The governments of Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia have all signed contracts for Rafales.

David Jordan, a senior lecturer in defense studies at Kings College London and co-director of the Freeman Air and Space Institute, said that previously, European leaders felt it was easier and more cost-effective to lean on the U.S. defense industry  and American taxpayers  to get access to advanced weaponry. But the Trump administration's move away from Europe could be the turning point, Jordan said.

It would require the continent to pool its money and resources  often a sticking point among the countries  into research and development, manufacturing and logistics, but Jordan said it's possible within five to 10 years.

The European defense industry is more than capable of building what it needs, Jordan said.

French President Emmanuel Macron is already ramping up his efforts to persuade Frances allies to switch to European defense contractors and weapons systems, including French-built Rafale fighters.

Those who buy the F-35 should be offered the Rafale. Thats how well increase the pace, La Depeche du Midi quoted Macron as saying during a press briefing Friday to journalists from regional French newspapers.

If the Europeans increase their production, it would greatly affect the bottom lines of Lockheed Martin and other U.S. defense companies. Jordan said U.S. defense contractors are likely concerned about Trumps next move.

At what point will they say we dont like this, were talking about risking billions of dollars here, Jordan said.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
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A French scientist was refused entry to the U.S. after airport immigration officers found messages on his phone criticizing the Trump administration, the French government said.

I learned with concern that a French researcher had traveled to the U.S. this month on assignment for the National Center for Scientific Research but was denied entry to the United States before being expelled, Philippe Baptiste, Frances higher education and research minister, said in a statement to Agence France-Presse, Le Monde reported. The scientist, a space researcher, has not been publicly identified.

"This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher's phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy, Baptiste added.

The incident occurred on March 9, after the space researcher had traveled to Texas for a conference near Houston, a diplomatic source told AFP.

On arrival, the researcher was subjected to a random check, including a search of his work computer and personal phone. Officers had found messages discussing the Trump administrations treatment of scientists, the source added.

open image in gallery A French scientist has been denied entry to the US over messages with hatred for Trump found on his phone by border officicals ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The researcher was reportedly accused of writing messages that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism, and his equipment was confiscated before he was put on a plane back to Europe the following day.

Baptiste defended the researchers right to hold a personal opinion.

Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values that we will continue to proudly uphold. I will defend the right of all French researchers to be faithful to them while respecting the law, he told AFP.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Le Monde that the U.S. has sovereign decisions on who can enter its country. However, the ministry added that it deplores the situation and that the French government was committed to academic and scientific cooperation and emphasized its desire to promote freedom of expression.

The same day that the French scientist was denied entry to the U.S., Baptiste issued a statement offering terminated workers to research in France. "Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States, he said. "We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them."

Since taking office in January, Donald Trump has enacted sweeping changes to scientific research funding.

open image in gallery There have been rallies around the U.S. protesting the Trump administrations approach to science and research ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will fire more than 1,000 researchers, including chemists, biologists, and toxicologists, as part of the widespread reduction of force layoffs planned by the Trump Administration, according to documents reviewed by Democratic staff on the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.

Last month, the National Institutes of Health said it would cut grants for indirect costs, including buildings and equipment, to save $4 billion, the BBC reported. Many universities and hospitals have said they might need to reduce medical or scientific research to fill the funding gaps.

Scientists have held major rallies in protest of the mass layoffs and research funding cuts.

If ever there were a time to stand up for science, it is now, Dr. Michael E. Mann, the director of the Center for Science, Sustainability & the Media at the University of Pennsylvania, previously told The Independent.
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An American man who was abducted by the Taliban more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan was released as part of a deal struck by the Trump administration, the State Department said.

George Glezmann, a 66-year-old airline mechanic from Atlanta, was on his way back to the United States on Thursday morning after being held by the Taliban since December 2022, when he was seized while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist.

He is the third American to be released by the Taliban since January. His release is the result of negotiations that were brokered with help from the Qatari government. No one was released in exchange for Glezmann, a U.S. official told CNN.

George Glezmann was captured by the Taliban in 2022 while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist ( Foley Foundation )

George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now hes on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Welcome home, George!

Glezmann was accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatars capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trumps administration.

Qatar has hosted negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over the years.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the normalization of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

Most countries still dont recognize the Talibans rule.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world, Rubio said.

Glezmanns release follows a separate deal, arranged in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The two were exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmanns release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had been meeting on hostage issues with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Habibi.

U.S. officials believe the Taliban is holding Habibi, but the Taliban has denied it.

---

Additional reporting by AP.
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Greenpeace has been ordered to pay more than $660 million in damages to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline after the environmental group was found to have defamed the company and its protestors incited illegal behavior.

The nine-person jury at the Morton County courthouse in Mandan, North Dakota, delivered Wednesday's verdict in favor of Enegery Transfer, a Texas-based oil giant.

Greenpeace was found liable for defamation, trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy, among other acts, in an attempt to prevent the construction of the pipeline more than eight years ago. The group previously warned that it could face bankruptcy if it lost this case.

The activist group accused Energy Transfer of taking aggressive action against protestors and desecrating Native American burial grounds; the oil company claimed that Greenpeace was engaged in a vast, malicious publicity campaign against them in an attempt to tarnish its relationships with banks funding the pipeline.

In the wake of the verdict, Greenpeace International Executive Director Mad Christensen pointed fingers at the Trump administration, writing: We are witnessing a disastrous return to the reckless behavior that fuelled the climate crisis, deepened environmental racism, and put fossil fuel profits over public health and a liveable planet.

The previous Trump administration spent four years dismantling protections for clean air, water, and Indigenous sovereignty, and now along with its allies wants to finish the job by silencing protest.

open image in gallery Greenpeace representatives talk with reporters on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, outside the Morton County Courthouse ( AP Photo/Jack Dura )

These are the facts, not the fake news of the Greenpeace propaganda machine, Trey Cox, the lead attorney representing Energy Transfer, said in a press conference outside the courthouse.

The company also touted the verdict as a win for Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law.

It marked a colossal financial blow for the organization, which could now face bankruptcy. According to the latest records, Greenpeace had roughly $40 million in revenue and 191 employees in 2023.

Greenpeace said it intends to appeal the decision, and its senior legal adviser, Deepa Padmanabha, pledged that the organization's work is never going to stop.

open image in gallery Protestors demonstrating against the expansion of the Dakota Access Pipeline near Cannon Ball in November 2016 ( Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The case centered on Greenpeaces involvement in protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The $3.78 billion project began in June 2016 and was completed in April 2017.

The 1,172-mile-long underground pipeline runs between Bakken in the northwest of the state and Patoka, Illinois, pumping out hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil per day.

The standoff started in early 2016 with dozens of members from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe forming water protector camps, viewing Energy Transfers project as a pollution threat and imposition onto Indigenous land.

The camps swelled to as many as 10,000 people at their peak, with protesters stationed for months north of the Standing Rock Reservation, near where the pipeline crosses below the Missouri River in Morton County.

Greenpeace maintains that it only supported activists at the Indigenous-led protests. Some of those who attended the protests testified that the campaign group was not perceived as a leader at the camps.

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer applauded the decision Wednesday, with the Republican noting that Greenpeace and its radical environmentalist buddies can think twice now about doing it again.
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A constipated New Jersey man flying home from Mexico claims the cabin crew became upset that he was monopolising the planes lavatory, prompting an enraged pilot to break down the bathroom door, yank the pantsless traveler off the toilet, and dress him down in a shocking antisemitic tirade while nearby passengers gawked.

Upon landing, Yisroel Liebb, an Orthodox Jew clad in religious garb, was pulled off the United Airlines 737-800 and arrested by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents who allegedly told him, You have no rights here, according to a federal lawsuit obtained by The Independent.

Liebb, 20, contends he was subjected to physical injuries, extreme emotional distress, and anxiety, and says in his complaint that he feels sexually violated and embarrassed after having been publicly exposed in the nude.

In an email on Thursday, a United spokesperson said, We dont have anything to share. CBP acknowledged The Independents request for comment but did not follow up by the time of publication.

open image in gallery After 20 minutes on the toilet, Yisroel Liebb became the target of furious crew members, according to a newly filed federal lawsuit ( Getty )

The flight in question took off from the Riviera Maya resort town of Tulum at 430pm on 28 January and was headed for Houston, Texas, where Liebb was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to New York, according to his complaint. About half an hour into the journey, it says Liebb got up from his seat and headed to the toilet in the rear of the aircraft.

Roughly 20 minutes later, when he hadnt returned, a flight attendant woke up Liebbs neighbor, identified in the complaint as Jacob Sebbag, and asked him to make sure Liebb was alright. When Sebbag, 21, knocked on the restroom door, Liebb replied that everything was fine, but that he was experiencing constipation, and said he would be out shortly.

Sebbag relayed this to the stewardess and returned to his seat, the complaint states.

Around 10 minutes after that, the pilot approached Sebbag and requested that he accompany him to the restroom to once again try and get Liebb out, the complaint goes on. Once there, the pilot began yelling loudly at Liebb, demanding he leave the bathroom immediately, then turned to Sebbag and began loudly demanding he force Liebb out of the bathroom, according to the complaint.

It says Liebb responded immediately, telling the pilot through the door that he was okay, that he was finishing up, and that he would be out momentarily.

open image in gallery The flight in question was headed from Tulum, Mexico to Houston, Texas, where Yisroel Liebb was planning to catch a connecting flight home to New York ( AFP via Getty )

At this point, according to the complaint, The pilot became visibly enraged, broke the lock on the door and forced the door to the bathroom open, pulling Liebb out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles, exposing his genitalia to Sebbag, several flight attendants, and the nearby passengers on the plane.

Liebb quickly pulled his pants back to his waist after being allowed to set his feet, the complaint states, which says he injured his head and legs when they smacked into the restrooms door frame.

With Sebbag leading Liebb, the pilot proceeded to repeatedly push the [two] back to their seats while making threats of getting [them] arrested and making scathing remarks about their Judaism, and how Jews act, according to the complaint.

Upon arrival in Houston, five to seven CBP officers boarded the plane and instructed all passengers to remain seated, the complaint says. They then approached Liebb and Sebbag, handcuffed them, and took them to a detention facility inside the terminal, the complaint alleges.

While being escorted from the plane, Liebb stated that the [two of them] have a legal right to know why they are being detained, according to the complaint. The CBP agents responded that this isnt county or state, we are Homeland [Security], you have no rights here.

open image in gallery Upon landing, Yisroel Liebb claims he and an acquaintance were wrongfully detained by US Customs and Border Protection ( AFP via Getty )

Apparently annoyed with Liebbs questions, one of the CBP officers tightened his cuffs to the point that he verbally spoke out against the pain, the complaint states. It says Liebb pleaded with the officer, pointing out that he was cooperating fully and insisting he was not a threat.

But, the complaint alleges, Liebb and Sebbag were instead thrown into separate cells and handcuffed to tables, while they, and their luggage, were subjected to intrusive, unconsented, unwarranted and unreasonable searches.

Liebb and Sebbag were released without charges, but missed their connecting flight home, which took off for New York while they were still detained, the complaint states. They were rebooked, for free, on a flight leaving the next day, according to the complaint. However, it says, the pair had to incur additional charges for hotel and food during the delay, essentially negating the price of the complimentary flight.

Liebb and Sebbag both claim the too-tight handcuffs caused severe wrist pain, which they say persisted for days afterward.

The entire situation, the complaint alleges, was further worsened by [the United pilots] antisemitic rhetoric, and says he only escalated the encounter with Liebb because he is Jewish.

Liebb and Sebbag are demanding damages in an amount to be determined at trial, plus attorneys fees.
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Billionaire Elon Musks repeated attacks on Social Security are reportedly causing disquiet among Republicans, who fear any cuts to the welfare service by his Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, will lead to disruption and inspire an angry backlash from their constituents.

DOGE is working to streamline the federal bureaucracy on behalf of President Donald Trump, and Musk has pledged to cut the Social Security Administrations workforce by 12 percent as part of that mission, also assigning at least 10 staffers to comb through a huge database of citizens personal information in pursuit of fraudulent claimants.

Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time, he declared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this month, insisting that scam claims are rife and that checks are routinely sent out to millions of long-dead Americans.

This week, during another guest spot on Texas Senator Ted Cruzs podcast, Musk claimed, without evidence, that entitlement fraud is common among undocumented immigrants in particular and is being encouraged by Democrats to secure their votes, a pronouncement that followed his suggestion to Larry Kudlow on Fox Business that slashing waste from such programs could save taxpayers as much as $500bn to $700bn a year.

Now, according to The Hill, Republican senators are expressing unease over his rhetoric, warning that Social Security reform is considered a third rail on Capitol Hill, meaning an issue that is sure to zap the party that tampers with it once Election Day rolls around.

open image in gallery Elon Musk sporting a DOGE T-shirt at the White House ( AP )

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, for one, has blasted Musk for targeting a service he clearly has no experience of using, given his vast personal wealth.

It worries Americans all over the country, she said of the prospect of cuts being made to benefits that millions of Americans rely on.

This is why Social Security has been kind of viewed as the untouchable from a political perspective and why the president made it very clear were not dealing with Social Security.

Murkowski added that Musks Ponzi scheme sneer doesnt do anything to calm the anxiety of people who are already anxious about whats going on with some of the safety-net programs.

A second Republican senator quoted by The Hill said of the DOGE leader: He should zip it on that. Its not helpful.

It plays right into Democrats hands; they want to talk about Social Security cuts, Medicare cuts, Medicaid cuts. We dont.

The president does not want to talk about that. Hes against all those things.

A third added: I guess Elon Musk is talking for Elon Musk, because hes not talking for people in the Congress who have something to do with the future of Social Security.

Its part of our country and society, here to stay.

open image in gallery Elon Musks actions as part of the Trump administration have inspired an angry backlash from the American public ( AP )

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already capitalized on Musks brash comments.

Elon Musk is saying it plainly: Republicans big goal is to eliminate, his words, Social Security and Medicare benefits, Schumer said on the Senate floor last week.

Are Senate Republicans fine with the terrible things Elon Musk and DOGE are doing to Social Security? Do they agree with Mr Musk that its one giant scam?

The White House has been forced to respond by downplaying Musks statements, saying emphatically: The Trump administration will not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits.

In a further undermining of his ambitions, the tech boss has been forced to U-turn on his plans to eradicate a phone line used by millions of people to make claims, which DOGE insisted was being exploited by fraudsters, after it was met with a public outcry.

Had the line been removed, it would have forced elderly Americans and those with disabilities to rely only on the internet and in-person appointments.

Going after 90-year-old grandmas who cant drive and dont have a computer? Thats just low, New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded on Musks own X platform.

The tycoons decision to throw in with Trump in the middle of last years presidential campaign has caused upheaval ever since, with the billionaires Tesla electric car brand increasingly being targeted by vandals and arsonists and its stock price sinking as his personal popularity wanes in reaction to DOGEs actions, which many have complained has meant federal jobs and vital programs being scrapped in a chaotic, reckless and callous fashion.

The presidents decision to outsource such power to an unelected official is also causing Republicans to face angry scenes at community town halls, with voters making their unhappiness abundantly clear.
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The Trump administration has been accused by another judge of failing to comply with his court order  in this case to reinstate federal employees fired during Elon Musks DOGE purges.

Six federal agencies  the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury  were ordered by Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for Northern California to rehire all fired probationary employees.

But the Trump administration had responded by putting the fired workers on paid administrative leave.

The court has read news reports that, in at least one agency, probationary workers are being rehired, but then placed on leave en masse, Alsup said in an order late Monday. This is not allowed by the preliminary injunction, for it would not restore the services the preliminary injunction intends to restore," he added.

The case appeared to be the second instance of the Trump administration dodging direct court orders, triggering fears that Donald Trump is creating a constitutional crisis by ignoring the ultimate arbiter of law, the courts, as established in the Constitution.

Last Saturday the Trump administration appeared to openly defy U.S. District Judge James Boasbergs order blocking the deportation of Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador, and to turn around any planes already on their way.

Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk both responded by calling for the impeachment of judges whose rulings they dont like.

In a rare rebuke, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts said Monday that such an action is an inappropriate response to a disagreement over a judicial decision that goes against more than two centuries of American history.

In the latest apparent court-order dodge, Alsup demanded an update from the Trump administration on the status of the employees by Tuesday afternoon. Department of Justice lawyers claimed they were not defying Alsups order, but that putting the employees on paid administrative leave was an "intermediate measure taken by a number of the agencies in order to return probationary employees to full duty status."

Rulings from U.S. District Court judges are forcing the Trump administration to rehire federal employees unlawfully fired in Elon Musks DOGE cuts ( Getty Images )

It is unclear if the Trump administration provided a specific timeline for when those employees will be fully restored to their positions.

If the agencies involved follow the judge's orders, some 24,000 federal employees should return to work.

Another ruling, by Judge Hames Bredar in Maryland, ruled that another 13 agencies had unlawfully fired their workers, and demanded that they be reinstated.

All of the agencies involved in Bredar's ruling issued updates on Tuesday saying they were working to restore the workers to their jobs, and in most cases provided evidence that they had notified workers about their reinstatement.

However, those notices said their jobs were only guaranteed until March 27, which is when Bredar's order is set to expire. Bredar has warned the agencies he is prepared to extend his order if necessary.

One agency appeared to be taking active steps to bring back its workers: The Department of Transportation. It told its 757 impacted workers that they would be reinstated in full by Thursday.

Several hundred of the Transportation Department employees fired in the initial purge worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as maintenance mechanics, environmental protection specialists, aviation safety assistants, and management and program assistants.

Trump and Musk's attempts to dissolve huge swathes of the federal bureaucracy have been largely ruled as illegal firings when tested in the courts.

On Tuesday another federal judge blocked Trump and Musk's attempts to shut down and scrap USAID, which carries international development, aid and influence work on behalf of the U.S. government.
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Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick used an appearance on Fox News to encourage viewers to buy stock in Tesla, as the company struggles amid Elon Musks involvement in the Trump administration.

Although cabinet secretaries traditionally do not endorse individual stocks, Lutnick told viewers of Jesse Watters Primetime that Musk  a special government employee of President Donald Trump  was the best person to bet on and that Teslas stock will never be this cheap again.

I think if you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla, Lutnick said. Its unbelievable that this guys stock is this cheap. Itll never be this cheap again.

open image in gallery Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick boasted about Elon Musk on Fox News on Wednesday evening ( Fox News )

Lutnicks remarks come as some Americans are boycotting the electric vehicle maker in response to Musk, the CEO of Tesla, taking on a wide-ranging role in the White House despite not being elected by the public or confirmed by Congress.

Teslas stock has dropped more than 30 percentage points over the last month.

Since Trump took office in January, Musk has been elevated to what lawyers describe as a senior adviser role to the president. However, his vast authority has led to the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency  an unofficial team within the Executive Office  which has overseen slash-and-burn cuts to the federal workforce

The publics anger over Musks role has even led some people to vandalize Tesla vehicles.

Lutnick called those actions outrageous and defended Musk saying he is the best technologist, the best leader of any set of companies in America and the best entrepreneur.

open image in gallery President Donald Trump stood with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, and several Tesla vehicles outside of the White House to promote the electric vehicle maker ( AP )

I mean who wouldnt invest in Elon Musk? Lutnick exclaimed.

Lutnicks role as secretary of commerce has been subject to scrutiny by some who raised concerns that his deep ties to Wall Street would interfere with his ability to execute his job without conflicts of interest.

In a financial disclosure and ethical disclosure form, Lutnick said he would follow legal requirements and resign from his positions that could create a conflict of interest such as serving as chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald and the brokerage firm BGC.

Part of his agreement also includes not participating in government matters that he, his wife, his minor children or close business partners have a direct financial interest in.

However, it is unclear how closely tied Teslas stock is to any assets that those individuals hold.

Lutnick reminded viewers that he is not allowed to buy stocks but said he wished he could purchase Tesla stock.

Trump himself promoted Tesla at the White House alongside Musk last week, with the president buying a deep red Model S, with a price tag starting just shy of $80,000.
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Jesse Watters has been widely ridiculed after listing his five rules for men, - a list that includes no milkshakes and no soup.

The Fox News host was responding to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walzs claim on Gavin Newsoms podcast that MAGA focused on his masculinity obsessively during the 2024 presidential election.

I have rules for men, Watters began on WednesdaysThe Five. Theyre just funny, theyre not that serious. Like, you don't eat soup in public. You don't cross your legs. And you don't drink from a straw. And one of the reasons you dont drink from a straw is the way your lips purse. Its very effeminate.

Referring to Walz, he said: His excuse was, well I was drinking a milkshake. Again, you shouldnt be drinking a milkshake. Milkshakes are for kids.

Watters also claimed that real men dont wave simultaneously with two hands.

We wave with one hand, not both hands at the same time, he said.

open image in gallery Jesse Watters set out his list of rules for real mean on Fox News show The Five. The list, prompted by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, includes no drinking from a straw and no eating soup in public. A photo of Watters drinking from a straw resurfaced on social media as viewers mocked the Fox News host ( Fox News )

Viewers made fun of Watters on social media and a photo of the MAGA host drinking from a straw also resurfaced. Others suggested that his list for men represented a deeper insecurity within the Fox presenter.

The insecurity LMAO, one person commented on X. Just drink the milkshake, Jesse. Nobody cares.

Watters masculinity is so fragile, even a milkshake threatens it. Maybe he should focus less on straws and more on growing a spine, another added.

Can Watters be any more insecure? a poster asked on X. If I want a god**** milkshake, I'm buying a milkshake.

Others also shared a photo of President Donald Trump, who Watters often backs, drinking from a straw in 2016.

open image in gallery People shared photos of President Donald Trump, who Watters greatly admires, drinking from a straw. Watters said that one of the reasons you dont drink from a straw is the way your lips purse. ( AFP via Getty Images )

Watters was triggered after Walz appeared on theThis is Gavin Newsom podcast his week, where he claimed that MAGA voters are scared of his masculinity.

No, Im serious, because they know I can fix a truck, they know Im not bull****ing on this, Walz told Newsom, who laughed initially.

It just baffled me how much time they spent trying to attack me, that I was not masculine enough in their vision, Walz added.

The former Democratic vice presidential candidate was often attacked by Watters during the election campaign.

Watters was outraged when Walz had a milkshake at a campaign stop in September and railed about it on his show.

Women love masculinity, and women do not love Tim Walz, so that should just tell you about how masculine Tim Walz is. The other day you saw him with a vanilla ice cream shake. Had a straw in it, Watters said. Again, that tells you everything.
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A startling line in a court filing Wednesday by Attorney General Pam Bondi and other Trump administration lawyers tells the federal judge who ordered a stop to the deportations of Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador to be more respectful.

It also flatly states that the court has no authority in the matter.

The Court has no basis to intrude into the conduct of foreign affairs of the Government, and a more deliberative and respectful approach is warranted, scolds the filing.

The Courts actions represent grave usurpations of the Presidents power, the document added.

The language was the latest assault by the Trump administration on the power of the courts, which some have called a constitutional crisis as President Donald Trump battles to secure more power in the executive branch.

Donald Trump led the high-profile figures speaking out against a judge who went against the administrations deportation plans ( PA Wire )

The insistence on respect and deference to Trump was included in a motion to stay federal U.S. District Judge James Boasbergs order to stop the deportations of Venezuelans.

The motion denigrated the courts involvement in the issue as a picayune dispute over the micromanagement of immaterial fact-finding.

In response, Boasberg gave the administration 24 more hours to comply with his demand for information linked to federal officials apparent defiance of his previous order to halt the deportations.

Three planes carrying the Venezuelan migrants landed in El Salvador on Saturday night, hours after Boasberg had ordered the administration to immediately stop or turn the planes carrying them around.

Following the judicial confrontation both Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk then called for the impeachment of the judge.

In a rare rebuke, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts said calling for impeachment because of a disagreement about a ruling was inappropriate and flies in the face of more than two centuries of American history.
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Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee lashed out at Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski after she alleged that her GOP colleagues were afraid to challenge President Donald Trump and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

I dont know a single Republican senator who feels that way. Not even one, Lee wrote on X at around midnight Wednesday evening.

Murkowski, speaking to reporters Tuesday at the Alaska State Capitol in Juneau, described a culture of fear now present within federal departments.

I get criticized for what I say, and everybody else is like, How come nobody else is saying anything? Well, figure it out because theyre looking at how many things are being thrown at me, and its like, Maybe I should just duck and cover, Murkowski said.

She said that the purging of federal departments under DOGE is a hit to the morale of the federal workforce.

Lees response on X elicited a response from Musk, who appeared to endorse the Utah senators comments by posting two American flag emojis underneath the message.

The Utah Senator recently called for the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations, arguing that doing so would restore national sovereignty and fiscal accountability.

Since Musk's DOGE started slashing federal jobs, at least 100,000 employees have been terminated across various federal agencies and departments. Tens of thousands of probationary employees have also been let go.

open image in gallery Elon Musk agreed with Utah Senator Mike Lee in denying Alaska Senato Lisa Murkowskis assertions about DOGE ( Getty Images )

Nobody knows, for sure, if they are secure in their federal position, Murkowski told reporters.

Thats why youve got everybody just like, zip lip, not saying a word because theyre afraid theyre going to be taken down.

Theyre going to be primaried. Theyre going to be given names in the media.

However, she added, We cannot be cowed into not speaking up.

Her comments came an hour after she made her annual joint address to Alaskas legislature, during which she attacked DOGEs treatment of federal workers and Trumps orders to freeze federal spending.

Despite being critical of Trump, Murkowski insisted that she would have to find ways to work harmoniously alongside the President.

open image in gallery Sen. Mike Lee supported U.S. disengagement from the United Nations in February by introducing the DEFUND Act in the Senate  a move that would effectively cut ties with the organization for the first time since its inception in 1945 ( Getty Images )

She said, I am not going to be in a position and a place where I just take the strategy that I am going to tear down, at every opportunity, the President of the United States. Thats not constructive.

Murkowski went on to say that she would now have to figure out where I can work with them, stiffen [her] spine, and take the slings and arrows when people say, Why arent you a better Republican? And if youre not, get out of the party.

Murkowski formerly voted for President Donald Trump to be convicted for his actions on January 6 and voted against the confirmation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel. Yet, she approved some of Trump's nominees, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr to lead the Department of Health and Human Services and Tulsi Gabbard as director of National Intelligence.
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Sen. Michael Bennet stopped just short of saying that Chuck Schumer should no longer lead the Senate Democratic caucus, but he did say the senator should know when its time to step away.

Bennet held a town hall with Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado in Golden, where he was asked about Schumers decision to support a continuing resolution that House Republicans shoved through in order to avoid a government shutdown.

One attendee asked about Bennet reportedly yelling at Schumer during a Senate Democratic luncheon leading up to the vote for the stopgap spending bill and whether he felt Schumer should be replaced.

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado is the latest Democrat to chastise Senate leadership. ( Getty Images )

I would say, maybe not yelling at him, Bennet said to laughs. Bennet said that Democrats needed to better explain the devastating consequences of Donald Trumps actions in his second term, and Elon Musks slashing of government spending through his Department of Government Efficiency.

I think we're going to have another opportunity very soon to make it very clear this fight around Medicaid, he said. This fight that Elon Musk and the rest of these social media knuckleheads are having to make sure that they can give their stocks for free to their nepo children and to preserve their tax benefits.

Many Democratic voters have expressed anger at Schumer in the wake of his decision to support the bill and prevent a shutdown, calling for him to step aside from his perch as minority leader. Only 10 Democrats voted for the stopgap spending bill that will keep the government open until the end of September.

I do think on the leadership question, it's always better to, you know, examine whether folks are in the right place, and we're certainly going to have that conversation, Bennet said.

He pointed out how he was the first Democratic senator to say that former President Joe Biden would lose to Trump after Bidens poor debate performance in late June.

The View hosts butt heads over Chuck Schumer voting to avoid government shutdown

And in dodging your question, let me just say it's important for people to know you know when it's time to to go, he said. But Bennet stopped short of calling for Schumer to step aside.

I think in the case of Joe Biden, and we're going to have conversations, I'm sure, in the foreseeable future, about about all the Democratic leadership.

Schumers decision caused significant pushback among both House and Senate Democrats. Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who worked with Schumer during Trumps first presidency and during the first two years of Bidens presidency, said she would have handled the negotiations differently.

I myself dont give away anything for nothing, she said during a Tuesday press conference. I think thats what happened the other day.

The New York Democratic leader has conducted a media blitz in promoting his book about antisemitism. But he had to cancel in-person book events for fear of protests.
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Democratic senator Elissa Slotkin faced the heat at a Michigan town hall when she was asked by a constituent how she is standing up to the Trump administration and Elon Musk in the way progressives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are.

Slotkin responded by saying that her job is to be more than just an AOC and more than just an activist.

Her response comes as the Democratic Partys popularity has hit a record new low and some supporters are angry over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers decision to back last weeks Republican spending bill. Musk, working at the behest of President Donald Trump to slash the federal budget, has faced little pushback from Congress as he fires employees and trims programs.

At the town hall Wednesday evening in Flint, Michigan, Slotkin and Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet addressed sweeping cuts by Musks Department of Government Efficiency and fears over what it could mean for Medicaid.

Constituent Kristin Fellows, 62, asked the Democrats how they are pushing back against Musk and President Donald Trump.

We know that you are against these current awful happenings going on in the world, but it is simply not enough for you to repeatedly tell us that you are, Fellows said, according to the Associated Press, and the question was met with a round of applause from the audience.

open image in gallery A constituent asked Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin what she was doing to push back against Elon Musks sweeping DOGE cuts. Her response at the Michigan town hall was that her job is to be more than just an AOC ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images )

My job is to be more than just an activist. It is to answer the call when theres an immigration raid and we need to figure out where our people are, Slotkin said. All of those things require me to be more than just an AOC.

The senator noted that she also serves Trump voters of Michigan - a battleground state that went to Trump in 2024 - and that she is working to respond to the needs of all residents who are impacted by the administrations executive orders.

I cant do what she does because we live in a purple state, and Im a pragmatist, she said, according to CNN. Her response was also met with applause.

open image in gallery Constituents voiced concerns at the town hall about Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency. The town hall with Slotkin was to address those fears. Slotkin said that yelling would only get the Democrats so far

Slotkin, who gave the Democratic response to Trumps address to Congress earlier this month, said that yelling at the Trump administration will only get them so far.

I get it that it makes people feel good to see people yelling, Slotkin told the audience. But not one of those words is stopping the actual things that Donald Trump is doing, and I am about action, not words, and I will stand by that as long as I live.

Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, is about to join Sanders on tour to rail against the Trump administration. The Vermont Independent and the New York Rep. will campaign at college campuses in Arizona, Nevada and Colorado.

The progressive congresswoman was a leading critic against Schumer last week. There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal, Ocasio-Cortez said, referring to Schumers spending bill decision. And this is not just about progressive Democrats. This is across the board  the entire party.

Ocasio-Cortez best reflects the core values of the Democratic Party, a CNN poll of voters recently found.
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An early investor in Tesla has called for Elon Musk to leave his post as the companys CEO if he doesnt depart from his current job focusing on cutting down the federal government.

Ross Gerber told Sky News that Musk has lost his focus and that hes now too divisive, pointing to Musks leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency. Musks slashing of federal agencies has prompted outrage and protests against Tesla, with owners being urged to sell their vehicles.

I think Tesla needs a new CEO, and I decided today I was going to start saying it, and so this is the first show that I'm saying it on, Gerber told Sky.

It's time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long, he added. There are too many important things Tesla is doing, so either Elon should come back to Tesla and be the CEO of Tesla and give up his other jobs, or he should focus on the government and keep doing what he is doing but find a suitable CEO of Tesla.

The investor said the company is in crisis and that he has sold off a significant number of shares in the last few months. Its market value has dropped more than $800 billion since December, and it was down another 4 percent in Tuesday stock trading.

The demand for electric cars appears to have reached its zenith in several Western markets amid steeper competition from cheaper Chinese alternatives. Concerns from investors also come as President Donald Trumps ongoing trade wars will likely lead to higher costs.

open image in gallery An investor in Tesla is calling for Elon Musk to leave as CEO as he is dedicating his time to helping President Donald Trump cut the federal budget ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

Gerber argued that Musk has been spread too thin since his purchase of Twitter in 2022 and that his work for Trump, along with his posts on social media, have brought negative attention to the company.

The company's reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk, said Gerber. Sales are plummeting so, yeah, it's a crisis. You literally cant sell the best product in the marketplace because the CEO is so divisive.

This comes as one of the companys biggest supporters has said that Musk has to cut back on his government work to limit the damage as the company is in the middle of a brand tornado crisis moment, The Guardian reported.

The managing director at the financial company Wedbush, Dan Ives, who has called himself a Tesla core bull, wrote in a note to investors that The brand damage started off as limited in our view based on our initial survey work  but now has spread globally over the last few weeks into what we would characterize as a brand tornado crisis moment for Musk and Tesla.

On Thursday, Tesla announced a recall of 46,000 Cybertrucks to correct a panel that may detach when driving.

Protesters said Wednesday that they were planning their largest day of action to date, with 500 protests set to take place at Tesla showrooms across the world on March 29. The Vancouver International Auto Show blocked Tesla from the event because of security concerns.

open image in gallery It's time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long, investor Ross Gerber said ( Getty Images )

The Vancouver International Auto Show has removed Tesla as a participant in this weeks event after the automaker was provided multiple opportunities to voluntarily withdraw, the shows executive director, Eric Nicholl, said in a statement. The Vancouver Auto Shows primary concern is the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. This decision will ensure all attendees can be solely focused on enjoying the many positive elements of the event.

More than 375,000 people in Canada have signed a petition started in late February to remove Musks Canadian citizenship amid Trumps trade war with the neighbor to the north and the presidents continued talk of making Canada the 51st state.

Musk told Fox News this week that those protesting Tesla are deranged.

They basically want to kill me because Im stopping their fraud, and they want to hurt Tesla because were stopping this terrible waste and corruption in the government, said Musk.

Tesla and Musk are facing a defining chapter in their future, and how Musk handles this next few months will be pivotal to the long-term growth trajectory of Tesla in our view, Ives told investors. Tesla is Musk and Musk is Tesla  they are synonymous and attached together and cannot be separated.

Investors need to see Musk take a step back and balance his Doge and Tesla CEO roles, he added.
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By invoking a wartime law linked to one of Americas most shameful legacies, Donald Trump found himself poised for a historic battle with the judiciary.

After a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan noncitizens the government alleges are members of a criminal gang under the Alien Enemies Act, the president balked. Two planes carrying people alleged by Trump officials to be members of Tren de Aragua remained en route to their destination, in apparent defiance of the courts order.

Were that not sufficient to provoke the courts rebuke, allies of the Republican president including members of Congress are now directly calling for Judge James Boasberg to be impeached. Removal of a judge through the congressional impeachment process is part of the Constitutions proscribed checks and balances for the federal government, but doing so on purely political grounds is unheard of.

Trump himself echoed those calls for Boasbergs impeachment on Wednesday during a primetime interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News  though he stopped short of endorsing them directly, as hed done on social media.

I think at a certain point, you have to look at what do you do when you have a rogue judge, was all Trump could suggest to Ingraham in terms of a threat.

Donald Trump's escalating feud with a federal judge over deportation flights could have political consequences on Capitol Hill while also provoking a larger war with the judiciary. ( REUTERS )

Even so, a line has been crossed. The chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, issued a rare condemnation of the furor over Boasbergs ruling this week, though the president continued to attack the Bush-appointed judge as a radical leftist during his interview and in social media postings.

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, Roberts said on Tuesday.

Federal attorneys are seeking the cases removal from Boasbergs courtroom, and may in the end avoid a conflict with a little judge-shopping. But if they dont succeed, growing efforts to punish a judge who refuses to bend to the administration will almost certainly preclude further pushback from the Supreme Court.

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? legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance wrote this week. We are inevitably headed, whether its in this case or another, to a confrontation between a president who has rejected the rule of law and a judge sworn to enforce it. We are in an exceedingly dangerous moment for democracy.

An actual impeachment push in Congress would put moderate Republicans in a familiar but impossibly tough position ahead of the midterms. Many, especially in the Senate, will be wary of the possibility that any attempt to interfere with the judiciary could open the door to future efforts by Democrats to reform the court system to their liking, including expansion of the Supreme Court bench.

Republicans, crucially, also do not control two-thirds of the Senate. No Democrat would sign on to an effort to impeach a federal judge over defiance of the Trump administration  if Mike Johnson or John Thune would even be willing to hold a vote, which they likely would not.

More than anything else, this latest debacle is an example of Trumps ability to guide the GOP into unwinnable arguments, where the partys moderate wing is politically squeezed and existing fractures within the House and Senate caucuses are stressed. The general rule on Capitol Hill is to never hand your opponents an issue with which they can divide your party. Trump has just done exactly that.

Leadership in the two chambers has so far avoided commenting on calls for an impeachment inquiry  but if the White House keeps up the pressure, that will change.
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Donald Trumps administration is reportedly mulling cuts to a public health program that accounts for nearly all federal spending on HIV prevention efforts, reaching thousands of people a year.

With no other programs to replace them, cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions HIV Prevention Division could jeopardize progress in addressing the nations HIV epidemic and potentially cost lives, according to public health experts and LGBT+ advocacy groups.

More than $1 billion was appropriated for HIV prevention efforts this year, and the agency spent roughly $1.3 billion on the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted infections within the previous fiscal year. About three-quarters of that spending supports state and local health departments and nonprofit groups working to prevent HIV in their communities.

In 2022, more than 22 million HIV tests were performed by 60 CDC-funded state and local health departments and community organizations, which connected roughly 8,000 people newly diagnosed with HIV to healthcare they may have otherwise not received.

CDC support is extremely significant in terms of funding efforts for HIV prevention, according to Lindsey Dawson, associate director of HIV policy and director of LGBTQ health policy with nonprofit health research and news organization KFF.

open image in gallery The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, is reportedly mulling cuts to a domestic HIV prevention program despite Trumps ambitious plan to end the epidemic by 2030 ( AFP via Getty Images )

The role of the CDC prevention funding is to provide states, local jurisdictions and community-based orgs with funding to do surveillance [and] HIV testing to help shore up prevention  including linking people to care, she told The Independent.

Threats to that funding follow declining numbers of new infections in the United States, which saw a 12 percent drop between 2018 and 2022. Those declines were even more dramatic in jurisdictions that received additional federal funding.

Eliminating those funds will jeopardize continued success and potentially lead to an increase in new infections, Dawson told The Independent.

During his first term in office, Trump announced an initiative that sought to end the nations HIV epidemic by focusing resources in the 57 jurisdictions where theyre needed most.

The presidents target date for Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. was set for 2030.

Eliminating funding to combat the epidemic would make that virtually impossible.

The success of the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative is in peril, according to Colleen Kelley, chair of the HIV Medicine Associations board of directors.

Not only will we not end the HIV epidemic with the current administrations policies, we could reverse these gains and go back to the dark days of the 80s when people died from HIV every day, she said in a statement.

LGBT+ advocacy groups fear those impacts would be particularly acute among LGBT+ Americans.

An effort to defund HIV prevention by this administration would set us back decades, cost innocent people their lives and cost taxpayers millions, according to Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nations largest LGBT+ civil rights group.

open image in gallery In 2022, the CDC supported 60 local health departments and community groups that connected roughly 8,000 people newly diagnosed with HIV to healthcare they may have otherwise not received ( REUTERS )

This is not just a policy debate  it is a direct assault on the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States and countless others who are vulnerable to HIV, she said. The LGBTQ+ community still carries the scars of the government negligence and mass death of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We should be doubling down on our investment to end the HIV epidemic once and for all, not regressing to the days of funeral services and a virus running rampant.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services  now under the direction of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr  stressed to The Independent that a final decision on the CDCs HIV prevention efforts has not been made, and a timeline for a decision is unclear.

HHS is following the Administrations guidance and taking a careful look at all divisions to see where there is overlap that could be streamlined to support the Presidents broader efforts to restructure the federal government, deputy press secretary Emily G. Hilliard told The Independent.

This is to ensure that HHS better serves the American people at the highest and most efficient standard, she said. No final decision on streamlining CDCs HIV Prevention Division has been made.

If HHS does cut the program, that work would be continued elsewhere within the agency, according to a statement from an HHS official speaking on background about the administrations plans.

But its unclear where the agency could continue that work, and other agencies and programs focused on HIV are statutorily obligated to administer other forms of medical care, not prevention efforts, according to KFF.

If that funding is wholly eliminated, the burden for prevention efforts would fall on state and local governments and cash-strapped community groups facing their own budget constraints against a shrinking pool of federal grant opportunities, forcing public health officials across the U.S. to make difficult decisions.
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The White House on Wednesday said Americas intelligence community would continue to share information with the Ukrainian government to bolster Kyivs defensive efforts after President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky had a Wednesday phone call.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a daily press briefing that Trump had fully briefed Zelensky on his 90-minute conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin and relayed the key issues discussed during that Tuesday morning conversation.

She also said the two leaders had agreed that their respective countries would continue working together to bring about a real end to the three-year-old war which started with Russias unprovoked invasion in February 2022.

They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, and President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe, Leavitt said.

Leavitt told reporters that Trump and Zelensky had also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy and said negotiating teams would soon meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss expanding that effort to encompass the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire.

She added that Zelensky and Trump discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants and suggested that the United States could take ownership of Ukraines energy infrastructure as a way of providing what she called best protection going forward.

The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible, she said.

( Associated Press )

The White House readout of the conversation came just hours after Trump described it as a very good telephone call in a post on his Truth Social website.

Trump said the conversation, which started at approximately 10:38 a.m. ET, lasted approximately one hour and consisted of a discussion with Zelensky that he said was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs.

We are very much on track, Trump added.

Trumps call with Zelensky comes as Kyiv continues to weather attacks on energy infrastructure despite Russian leader Vladimir Putins claim to have ordered a halt to such attacks following his phone call with Trump.

On Tuesday, the Kremlin said Putin had agreed to stop strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for the next month, and a separate readout issued from Moscow said the two leaders had a "detailed and frank exchange of views" on Ukraine, with Putin stressing that any resolution to the conflict must be "comprehensive, sustainable and long-term and take into account Russia's own security interests.

It was emphasized that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv, the Kremlin added.

But despite Putins promise to Trump to halt attacking Kyivs energy grid, Russian forces continued to pound Ukrainian infrastructure overnight and continuing into Wednesday, with Ukrainian military officials blaming an overnight Russian missile attack for leaving part of Slovyansk city without electricity.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities said Ukraine attacked an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya.

The call between Trump and Zelensky is the first direct contact between the two leaders since Trump administration officials threw Zelensky out of the White House after what was supposed to be a triumphant visit by the Ukrainian leader to mark the signing of a mineral rights deal devolved into an Oval Office shouting match that ended with a vulgar, grievance-filled rant from President Donald Trump and taunts about Zelenskys supposed lack of gratitude from Vice President JD Vance.

Zelensky left the White House roughly an hour after the emotional eruption, cutting short talks that were supposed to cement an economic relationship between Washington and Kyiv and create a mechanism to repay the billions in American military aid that has been sent to Ukraine since 2022.
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Exactly 11 years ago, on March 18, 2014, Russia's seizure of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, was quick and bloodless.

It also marked a turning point in Moscow's relations with the West, triggering a downward spiral unseen since the Cold War and setting the stage for Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, during which it annexed more land from the war-torn country.

The strategically important diamond-shaped peninsula in the Black Sea highlights the long-standing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

From valuable naval bases to the desirable coastline, heres a look at why Crimea is so coveted.

Why is Crimea important?

Crimeas unique location makes it a strategically important asset, and Russia has spent centuries fighting for it.

Crimea was home to Turkic-speaking Tatars when the Russian empire first annexed it in the 18th century. It briefly regained independence as a Tatar republic two centuries later before being swallowed by the Soviet Union.

In 1944, Soviet dictator Josef Stalin deported nearly 200,000 Tatars, or about a third of Crimeas population, to Central Asia, 3,200 kilometers (2,000 miles) to the east. Stalin had accused them of collaborating with Nazi Germany  a claim widely dismissed by historians. An estimated half of them died in the next 18 months of hunger and harsh conditions.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev transferred the peninsula from Russia to Ukraine in 1954, when both were part of the USSR, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the unification of Moscow and Kyiv. In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the peninsula became part of newly independent Ukraine.

Russia kept a foot in the door, however: Its Black Sea Fleet had a base in the city of Sevastopol, and Crimea  as part of Ukraine  continued to host it.

Sevastopol also was a preferred holiday destination for Nicholas II, the last Russian czar. The southern town of Yalta was a prime holiday destination in Soviet times, with many sanatoriums there. It drew worldwide renown when Stalin, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill met there in 1945 to discuss the fate of Germany and Europe after World War II.

open image in gallery Russia has spent centuries fighting for Crimea ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

For Kyiv, Crimea had been a strategic asset, too. By the time Russia annexed it in 2014, it had been a part of Ukraine for 60 years and had become part of the countrys identity.

Leonid Kravchuk, the first president of independent Ukraine, said Kyiv had invested some $100 billion into the peninsula between 1991 and 2014.

From a security perspective, Ukraine needs Crimea in order to have control over activities in the Black Sea.

How did Russia seize Crimea?

In 2014, a massive popular uprising in Ukraine forced pro-Moscow President Victor Yanukovich from office.

Putin responded by sending troops to overrun Crimea  they initially appeared on the peninsula in uniforms without insignia  and calling a plebiscite on joining Russia, which Ukraine and the West dismissed as illegal.

Russia's annexation of Crimea was recognised internationally only by countries such as North Korea and Sudan. In Russia, it touched off a wave of patriotism, and Krym nash!  or Crimea is ours!  became a rallying cry.

This move sent Putins popularity soaring. His approval rating, which had declined to 65 per cent in January 2014, shot to 86 per cent in June, according to the Levada Center, an independent Russian pollster.

What happened after the annexation?

Putin has called Crimea a sacred place, and has prosecuted those who publicly argue it is part of Ukraine. Repressions against the Crimean Tatars continued under Putin, despite Moscows denials of discrimination. They strongly opposed the annexation, and an estimated 30,000 of them fled the peninsula between 2014 and 2021.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed to retake it and said that Russia wont be able to steal the peninsula.

Russias relations with the West plummeted to new lows. The United States, the European Union and other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and its officials.

open image in gallery A Russian military landing ship sails near Kerch, Crimea in 2023 ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Weeks after the annexation, fighting broke out in eastern Ukraine between pro-Kremlin militias and Kyivs forces. Moscow threw its weight behind the insurgents, even though the Kremlin denied supporting them with troops and weapons. There was abundant evidence to the contrary, including a Dutch courts finding that a Russia-supplied air defence system shot down a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet over eastern Ukraine in July 2014, killing all 298 people aboard.

Russian hard-liners later criticised Putin for failing to capture all of Ukraine that year, arguing it was easily possible at a time when the government in Kyiv was in disarray and its military in shambles.

The fighting in eastern Ukraine continued, on and off, until February 2022, when Putin recognised the two war-torn Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states and several days later launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

What role does Crimea play in Russias war in Ukraine?

In its assault on Ukraine, Moscow deployed troops and weapons to Crimea, allowing Russian forces to quickly seize large parts of southern Ukraine in the first weeks of the war.

A top Russian military official later said that securing a land corridor to Crimea by holding the occupied parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions was among the key goals of what the Kremlin insisted on calling its special military operation in Ukraine.

Before the invasion, Zelensky focused on diplomatic efforts to get Crimea back, but after Russian troops rolled across the border, Kyiv started publicly contemplating retaking the peninsula by force.

The peninsula soon became a battleground, with Ukraine launching drone attacks and bombing it to try to dislodge Moscows hold on the territory.

The attacks targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet there, as well as ammunition depots, air fields and Putins prized asset  the Kerch Bridge linking Crimea to Russia, which was struck in October 2022 and again in July 2023.
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Funeral services are being held across North Macedonia for dozens of victims of last weekends devastating nightclub fire.

The March 16 blaze claimed 59 lives, mostly young people, including several members of the pop band DNA, who were performing when flames engulfed the venue in the eastern town of Kocani.

Authorities have set up cordons around burial sites to provide privacy for mourning families.

In Kocani, where 43 victims are being laid to rest, hundreds of black-clad mourners walked solemnly along dirt paths to freshly dug graves marked with paper signs.

Many carried baskets of white flowers or clutched photographs of their loved ones.

open image in gallery A person carries a bouquet of flowers as mourners hold a funeral for singer Andrej Gjorgieski who died in a nightclub fire in Kocani, in Skopje, North Macedonia ( Reuters )

A religious service at the city cemetery was led by clergy from the countrys Orthodox Church, while Red Cross and emergency personnel were present to support grieving families.

Ahead of the funerals, the countrys spiritual leader, Orthodox Archbishop Stefan, called for national unity in prayer for the victims and their families.

We pray constantly for the salvation of the innocent victims, holding memorial services for the deceased and offering prayers for the healing of the injured, as well as for the comfort of their families and loved ones, he said.

National solidarity and unity are most needed in such difficult times, he added. We call on all the faithful to preserve peace within ourselves and peace among ourselves, and, praying diligently, to mourn with dignity.

open image in gallery A police car leads a convoy of vehicles ahead of a funeral in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

Separate funeral services took place in the capital, Skopje, and five other towns, where many local businesses closed as a sign of respect.

Meanwhile, the investigation into the tragedy continues to widen. Seven police officers are among more than 20 people detained as authorities probe the lack of fire safety measures at the Pulse nightclub, as well as allegations that the clubs permits had been obtained illegally.

Health Minister Arben Taravari said 72 people remain hospitalised across the country, while 101 patients are receiving treatment abroad.

He described the condition of those being treated for burns, smoke inhalation, and trampling injuries as stable or improved, easing earlier concerns that the death toll could rise further.
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Russia launched a mass drone attack on Ukraine's energy grid mere hours after Vladimir Putin agreed with Donald Trump to halt such strikes  although the US president has claimed efforts to secure a ceasefire are "very much on track".

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the overnight barrage proved Mr Putin's word was "very much at odds with reality" before holding his own call with Mr Trump on Wednesday, a call the US president said had been "very good" and had helped to "align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs".

"We are very much on track," Mr Trump said on the Truth Social platform straight after the call  the first time he had spoken to Mr Zelensky since a public bust-up between the two at the White House last month.

Lasting an hour, the call was significantly shorter than the one held with Mr Putin the previous day, but was called fantastic by the White House.

The strikes launched by Russia highlight just how big a gap Washington must bridge over a peace deal, with Mr Putin having refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire already agreed by Kyiv.

Mr Zelensky said the drone strikes had knocked out the electricity for parts of the city of Slovyansk in eastern Ukraine, and had hit other civilian infrastructure, including two hospitals and more than 20 houses. Ukraine's state railway company said that part of the network was hit both in the early strikes and later on Wednesday afternoon.

"Even last night, after Putin's conversation with... Trump, when Putin said that he was allegedly giving orders to stop strikes on Ukrainian energy, there were 150 drones launched overnight, including on energy facilities," Mr Zelensky said at a news conference in Helsinki with the Finnish president Alexander Stubb, before his call with Mr Trump.

Mr Zelensky said that "words of a ceasefire" were not enough. "If the Russians don't hit our facilities, we definitely won't hit theirs," he added.

Other European nations also expressed their scepticism over Mr Putins actions. "Attacks on civilian infrastructure in the first night after this supposedly pivotal and great phone call have not abated," Germany's defence minister, Boris Pistorius, told the German broadcaster ZDF. "Putin is playing a game here."

The offer to temporarily stop attacking Ukrainian energy facilities counted for nothing and Mr Trump would have to win greater concessions, he added.

In response to Mr Zelensky's comments on the drone attack, the Kremlin claimed it had called off planned attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, and had shot down seven of its own drones that were heading towards Ukraine.

It accused Kyiv of failing to call off its attacks in what it called an attempt to sabotage the agreement. Officials in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar said a Ukrainian drone attack started a small fire at an oil depot.

Mr Zelensky struck a more positive tone in his statement after the call with Mr Trump. He called it a positive, very substantive and frank conversation and said that under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year. He said that Kyiv stood ready to implement the limited ceasefire, which would halt strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure.

Ukraine and Russia also announced they had carried out an exchange of 175 prisoners each in a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates. Russia said it also freed an additional 22 wounded Ukrainians as a goodwill gesture. Such exchanges have happened throughout Russia's invasion, but this was one of the largest.

However, there are few signs that Mr Putin is planning to budge on demands that would be red lines for Kyiv when it comes to a peace deal, not least that to agree to a full ceasefire Moscow would require all Western military aid to Ukraine to cease.

Following the spat at the White House between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky, the US paused military aid for a time, spooking European allies to up their support for Kyiv. They would be deeply wary of any such agreement.

Indeed, Mr Zelensky used his call with Mr Trump to push for additional air defence systems, particularly US-made Patriots, to protect from Russian aerial assaults. The White House said Mr Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, but added the caveat that would be "particularly in Europe.

Trump administration officials have sought to play up the progress on a ceasefire, with US envoy Steve Witkoff saying on Wednesday that Mr Trump and Mr Putin are likely to meet, given that "they have a great rapport together".

"I tend to believe that President Putin is operating in good faith. He said that he was going to be operating in good faith to the president yesterday, and I take him at his word," Mr Witkoff told Bloomberg, striking a different tone to some European allies.

Attention now turns to talks between the US and Russia which are expected to take place in Saudi Arabia this Sunday, to see just how serious Russia is.
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Vladimir Putin has declared a Easter truce in Ukraine, ordering his forces to end hostilities at 6pm on Saturday until the end of Sunday.

The Russian Defence Ministry said it had given instructions on the ceasefire to all group commanders in the area of the "special military operation", which is the Kremlin's term for the war.

However, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian air defence units had hours earlier repelled an attack by Russian drones saying this showed Moscow's true attitude to Easter and the lives of people.

The Russian president has an extensive history of breaking peace agreements. Last month, Mr Putin broke an energy infrastructure ceasefire hours after telling Mr Trump his forces would stop attacks.

Earlier this year, Mr Zelensky handed a document to Mr Trumps Ukraine envoy detailing what he said were the 25 ceasefires Russia had violated since the start of its aggression in 2014. .

Below, we look at some of those agreements and how exactly these previous ceasefires broke down.

The Minsk Agreements

open image in gallery Talks between Vladimir Putin, Francois Hollande, Angela Merkel and Petro Poroshenko lasted through the night in 2015 ( Retuers )

After pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in 2014 following the Euromaidan revolution, Mr Putin sent plainclothes Russian soldiers into the southern Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, and then into the eastern Ukrainian regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Fighting quickly broke out as Russia denied involvement. Moscow claimed it was Ukrainian separatist forces.

Nonetheless, by September of that year, Ukraine, Russia and the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) convened for the first of what would be many peace talks. They were brokered by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

On 5 September, the first of two agreements was signed in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.

Its provisions included prisoner exchanges, the delivery of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

But a day later, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council announced that Russian troops had fired at Ukrainian positions at least 10 times. The ceasefire failed to materialise into anything substantive.

By the turn of the year, fighting had intensified. Pro-Russian insurgents attacked Ukrainian positions at Debaltseve, a transport hub near the administrative line between Donetsk and Luhansk, eventually forcing a Ukrainian withdrawal by mid-February.

At that point, a second agreement was underway in Minsk, this time overseen by German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande.

The agreement came into effect on 15 February but lasted only a few minutes, as Russian units fired on a Ukrainian checkpoint near Zolote in Luhansk Oblast, according to Ukraine's military.

Easter and Christmas ceasefires

open image in gallery Pro-Russian fighters patrol the streets of Makiivka, in the suburbs of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk in 2015 ( AFP/Getty )

For the next four years, Russia and Ukraine agreed to several ceasefires a year, often timed with Christmas, Easter or the harvest, around June/July.

Not a single one held for very long.

On several occasions, the OSCE helped broker agreements, but skirmishes broke out quickly. Neither side believed a truce could hold.

Soldiers would fire at one another within hours of the supposed start of a ceasefire. The OSCE said both sides would also deny them access to inspect military equipment, though they said the Russian-backed rebels were typically guilty of the more serious violations of ceasefire agreements.

Back in 2022, just a few months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a ceasefire was proposed to take place between 21 and 25 April.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres put forward the idea, aiming to "open a series of humanitarian corridors" and allow for the "safe exit of all civilians wishing to leave areas of confrontation".

But the plan never came to fruition.

While Ukraine expressed support for the proposal, Russia rejected it, saying it did not want to give Kyivs forces a chance to rest.

Russias deputy permanent representative to the UN, Mr Dmitry Polyansky, called the proposal insincere and claimed it would give Ukrainian troops more time to regroup and receive weapons.

Zelenskys 2019 and 2020 attempts

open image in gallery Ukrainian soldiers ride an armoured vehicle to Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine, Donetsk region ( AFP/Getty )

It was just two months after the comedian-turned-politician Mr Zelensky assumed his role as the president of Ukraine that he found himself opposite Mr Putin for the latest round of peace talks.

Ms Merkel and the new French president Emmanuel Macron oversaw the talks.

In a written statement, the countries agreed to the release and exchange of all conflict-related detainees by the end of 2019.

They also pledged to disengage military forces in three additional regions of Ukraine by the end of March 2020, without specifying which regions would be affected.

But it was a deal that was doomed to fail.

We saw differences today, Mr Macron admitted at the time. We didn't find the miracle solution, but we have advanced on it.

The following July, another agreement was struck, one that did reduce the level of fighting but never quite stopped it completely.

2025 energy infrastructure ceasefire

Mr Putin broke his promise to Mr Trump to stop attacking Ukraines energy infrastructure just hours after his agreement with the US president.

In a readout of a call between the two leaders in March, the Kremlin said Mr Trump had requested that Russia refrain from striking energy infrastructure. It added that Mr Putin had responded positively to this request and had immediately given the Russian military the corresponding command.

But Russia fired several ballistic missiles and nearly 150 drones across Ukraine a few hours later, cutting off electricity in the eastern city of Slovyansk, damaging two medical facilities in the northeast Sumy region, and wounding people in the capital of Kyiv.

Russian state media then claimed that Ukrainian drones had hit an oil facility in the Krasnodar Krai region, sparking a small fire at an oil depot located near the village of Kavkazskaya. Russian site Shot posted a video of a fire in what seemed like an industrial area, but it was unclear if this was of the actual attack. Ukrainian governmental and local authorities posted extensive footage of Russias attacks.
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Donald Trump has floated the idea of taking control of Ukraines nuclear power plants, in a phone call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The conversation on Wednesday was described as positive by both sides and was mainly aimed at securing a truce between Ukraine and Russia on aerial attacks against one anothers energy infrastructure.

Mr Zelensky suggested the call had focused on the US takeover of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which is under Russian control.

open image in gallery A Russian serviceman patrols the territory of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in Energodar on May 1, 2022 ( AFP via Getty Images )

But a statement from the White House, penned by Mr Trumps secretary of state Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, spoke of the potential American acquisition of multiple stations, including Ukraines electric supply and nuclear power plants.

The unexpected request follows an ongoing conversation between the two countries to facilitate the US purchase of critical Ukrainian mineral resources, estimated to be worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Those talks broke down after a public feud between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky at the White House last month.

Mr Zelensky also said after the call that a halt on energy strikes in the war with Russia could be established quickly but warned Ukraine would respond in kind if Moscow violated the terms of the limited ceasefire. I understand that until we agree (with Russia), until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly, Mr Zelensky said, referring to drones and missiles.

Just hours after Vladimir Putin agreed to immediately order his army to halt strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in a call with Mr Trump on Tuesday, Russian missiles and drones pummeled Ukrainian cities, underscoring the difficulties in securing a ceasefire that will hold.

Russian drones knocked out the electricity for parts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk on Tuesday night before Moscow proceeded to fire around 150 missiles and drones at targets across Ukraine overnight, hitting civilian homes and medical facilities.

Moscow accused Ukraine of doing the same after state media reports suggested Ukrainian drones had hit an oil facility in the Russian region of Krasnodar. The Independent could not verify this claim nor the footage provided by state media purporting to show the aftermath of the attack.

The two sides have been exchanging aerial attacks on energy infrastructure for more than a year.

Ukraine started striking deep into mainland Russia at the beginning of 2024 in an attempt to disrupt Moscows Russian oil and gas flows and the revenue it derives from sales of energy abroad. Russia, meanwhile, has been bombing Ukraines energy infrastructure since October 2022.

The Kremlins primary aim, experts say, is to destroy Ukrainian morale and cripple Kyivs economy. The rate of strikes often jumps during the winter months as Russia literally tries to force Ukrainians into the cold.

Between March and September last year, Russia launched nine long-range attacks on Ukraines electric power system, according to United Nations estimates. The strikes had reverberating effects causing harm to the civilian population, the UN wrote.

The largest of those attacks, on 26 August, killed seven people and left dozens more wounded. Russia fired 127 missiles and 109 drones, around half of which were destroyed. More than half of Ukraine was hit, with swathes of the country plunged into blackouts.

A year earlier, in December 2023, Russia unleashed one of its most devastating air attacks of the war on Ukraine, killing 31 civilians, wounding more than 160 others and hitting cities and infrastructure across the country.

In early June 2023, the Russians blew up and completely destroyed the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, causing the Dnipro Rivers banks to burst. Thousands of homes were flooded. Damages from the dams destruction are currently estimated at $586 million.

These attacks have extended to nuclear sites. In February, a Russian drone struck the former nuclear power plant at Chernobyl.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UNs nuclear watchdog, said that its team at the site heard a large explosion shortly before 2am local time.

While radiation levels were kept under control, experts cautioned that Russia was acting recklessly.

Were getting closer and closer to possible disaster, Serhii Plokhy, who tells the story of the occupation of Chernboyl in his 2024 book Chernobyl Roulette, told The Independent later that month.

Citywide blackouts across Ukraine have left civilians without access to electricity for significant chunks of the day.

open image in gallery Houses are seen underwater in the flooded town of Oleshky, Ukraine, after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed ( Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

In a paper published last month, the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), estimated that the total damages to Ukraines energy sector after three years of Russias full-scale invasion is $14.6 billion (11.3 bn).

All the countrys coal-fired power plants and hydroelectric plants under Ukrainian control have been damaged since February 2022. At least 20 combined heat and power plants have been hit.

At least nine thermal power plant units have been damaged, and one of them was completely destroyed as a result of a direct Russian missile hit.

KSE writes that the costs of restoring these facilities are likely to significantly exceed the estimated damages due to significant physical wear and tear and technological obsolescence of damaged and destroyed equipment.
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Large parts of Spain are set to be hit by 70mph winds as the country is struck by the fourth named storm in less than two weeks.

Storm Martinho is expected to bring more strong winds and heavy rain to much of the country, with widespread warnings from the nations forecaster Aemet. It comes after two people lost their lives in flooding caused by Storm Laurence earlier this week. Dozens of roads across Spain have been closed due to storm damage, with trains and flights also cancelled according to local news reports.

And it is not just the mainland that is affected; the Canary Islands government advised residents against unnecessary travel ahead of fierce winds forecast in the archipelago.

open image in gallery Yellow and orange weather warnings have been issued by Spain's weather bureau for large parts of the country for Thursday ( Aemet )

The Canaries are under a yellow alert for powerful wind gusts of up to 43mph, less than a week after major flooding in Tenerife and Gran Canaria caused widespread damage . La Palma remains under a yellow alert for Thursday with gusty westerly winds.

Storm Martinho will bring more bad weather to close out the week, following storms Jana, Konrad and Laurence.

A day of instability is expected across the Iberian Peninsula due to the passage of a front associated with Storm Martinho, the weather bureau said.

Orange weather alerts have been issued for Asturias, Cantabria and Galicia primarily for strong winds across Thursday, with gusts of up to 68mph forecast for Asturias.

open image in gallery The Spanish weather bureau has issued a warning for strong gusty winds on La Palma on Thursday ( Aemet )

In Galicia, on the west coast, winds of up to 54mph are forecast with strong gusts, and sea swells of up to seven metres.

The bureau has also issued yellow weather warnings for large parts of the country for Thursday. Wind gusts of between 43mph and 55mph are expected particularly in the north west.

In the south, Aemet forecasts Storm Martinho will bring heavy rainfalls from Thursday, with some regions in the south around Seville expected to get up to 40mm of rainfall in a day.

Aemet said rain and thunderstorms will be locally heavy and persistent in the west of Andalucia on Thursday and through to Friday.

open image in gallery A van swept away by the flooding in Casasola, Malaga, on Tuesday ( AP )

Dramatic footage of Storm Laurence shows cars being swept away in flood waters in Murcia with roads turned into rivers as the region was hit by torrential rain on Tuesday.

Video from Telemadrid showed vehicles piling up in a river while murky water ran through the streets as bad weather continues to lash Spain, with Barcelona forecast to get up to 100mm of rain on Wednesday.

In Aguilas, nine people were rescued from vehicles according to local media reports after the storm hit the town on Tuesday morning. La Razon reported the coastal town got about 70 litres of rain per square metre in the space of an hour.

open image in gallery Residents clear mud from the streets after heavy rains in Campanillas, Malaga ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The mayor of Aguilas, Maria del Carmen Moreno called for calm, La Razon reported her saying, "Losing a car doesn't matter; losing a human life does, as emergency services responded to more than 70 incidents across the region.

In Malaga, heavy rains and flooding forced hundreds of evacuations on Monday evening and dozens of rescues on Tuesday in particularly badly hit towns, El Pais reported, with rainfall of up to 100 litres per square metre recorded in parts of Andalusia.

Separately, emergency services in Seville have found the bodies of a man and a woman whose vehicle had been swept away in flooding on Tuesday, El Pais reports. The body of a man was found underneath the vehicle on Wednesday morning, while the womans body was found on Tuesday afternoon.

The body of a 70-year-old cyclist was also found on a riverbank after he went missing on Monday in Anora, and El Pais reported investigators were working to determine whether he was also killed by the storm.

A British familys overseas home in Alicante, near Murcia, was hit by a tornado last week, flinging debris across the property and causing extensive damage, the Daily Mail reported.
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Seizing the opportunity to drive a wedge between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, Ukraines president has moved swiftly to usher the American president back towards his corner.

By respecting, vocally, Trumps efforts to get a ceasefire with Russia, Ukraine has exposed Putins deep reluctance to agree to any lowering of hostilities until he can be sure of permanently mangling Ukraines sovereignty.

According to a briefing on a call between Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, the US president has calmed down, stopped calling him a dictator, and come up with an agreement to supply some badly needed air defences for Ukraine.

Trump suspended military aid and intelligence sharing to drive Zelensky to talks on a 30-day ceasefire.

President Zelensky thanked President Trump for a productive start  President Zelensky thanked President Trump for the support of the United States, especially the Javelin missiles that President Trump was first to provide and his efforts towards peace," the White House said.

Zelensky did a lot of thanking and got some of what he needs back by carefully echoing what the White House was saying.

President Zelensky asked for additional air defence systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems, and President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe."

open image in gallery Putins rejection of US ceasefire terms is likely to have stung for Trump ( AP )

Zelensky knows that Putins rejection of the terms that the US and Ukraine agreed for a ceasefire will have smarted for Trump. Putins sudden additional demand that all foreign military and intelligence assistance be suspended to Kyiv must have especially stung Trump, who wanted to see Moscow sign up to his pre-cooked plan.

So now the US and Ukrainian presidents reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defence staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.

Ukraines forces have dug in on high ground in Russian territory along their border, and concentrated forces there, to try to stop the advance that drove them out of the rest of the salient they captured from Moscow last year.

The high ground allows them to protect routes into Ukraines Sumy province. This week Zelensky said that Putin was massing troops on Ukraines northern border for what looked like a renewed invasion.

Now Zelensky has got Trumps ear he is trying to make sure that the US president has a vested interest in what happens in Kursk. A regular feed of Ukrainian intelligence will flatter the US president and give him a sense of personal investment in what happens there.

Zelensky, who was one of Ukraine and Russias most celebrated comic and straight actors, is starting to understand his new American audience.

The White House went on: "The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire [of attacks] against energy [infrastructure].

Smart Ukrainian move. Both Kyiv and Moscow ignored the Kremlins announcement of a partial ceasefire to protect both nations energy systems the previous night  with Ukraine enjoying a successful drone attack on a Siberian oil refinery in Kemerovo.

open image in gallery Now Zelensky has Trumps ear, he will be keen to make sure the president feels a personal investment in the conflict ( PA )

But Zelensky said he was keen on the Russian proposal.

One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it," he said after the Trump call.

The White House wants credit for Trumps initiative. Zelensky is smart enough to give it in church-like call-and-response exchanges.

They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security. President Zelensky was grateful for the president's leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire, the Oval Office said.

Zelensky echoed: We instructed our teams to resolve technical issues related to implementing and expanding the partial ceasefire. Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace:.

To add some financial incentives Zelensky headed off previous speculation that Putin might be somehow allowed to hang on to Europes biggest nuclear power plant at Zaporizhzhia, instead suggesting America could own it. Trump liked that idea.

The White House said: President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise, American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

The Trump administration has undermined the prosecution of Putin for alleged war crimes at the International Criminal Court and efforts to find and repatriate up to 35,000 children who may have been abducted from Ukraine into Russia. The State Department shut down the project tracking them and building a case against Putin  and deleted the evidence.

Zelensky has made the return of the missing children a central demand in any peace talks. The White House is now echoing his views.

President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home, Washington said.

Major gaps still exist between the US and Ukraine. First is that Trumps administration will not acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine. The White House has agreed with Russia that Ukraine will have to concede territory it has lost to Moscow. And Ukraines request for US military support to guarantee its security after any peace deal is signed remains off the table, as far as Trump is concerned.

But Putin may fear that the unison he has enjoyed with the White House is now discordant as Kyiv and Washington start singing a few lines together.
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Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump have agreed to shackle Ukraine after hours of talking on the telephone over ceasefire terms, which wont work but are intended to further divide Ukraine and Europe from the White House.

The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace, the White House said in a statement about the call.

The Kremlin added: It was emphasised that the key condition for preventing the escalation of the conflict and working towards its resolution by political and diplomatic means should be a complete cessation of foreign military assistance and the provision of intelligence information to Kyiv.

So there has not been a Russian agreement to a ceasefire. But if there is to be one, then all foreign military and intelligence assistance has to stop.

That means the Anglo-French efforts to create a coalition of the willing to back Ukraine and support a long-term peace with military muscle must stop. US assistance must stop, again. All intelligence sharing, by both the US and other Nato members, must also be ended. Ukraine, Russia has demanded, must be hog-tied, muzzled and blinded before substantial talks can begin.

The terms set out by the conversation will lead to talks being started almost immediately in the Middle East.

Neither the White House nor the Kremlin has mentioned any concessions on the part of Russia ( Reuters )

Who will attend them is a tricky question to answer as Ukraine cannot accept the Kremlins demands. And Europe has already set about dividing itself from the American security structures after Trumps infidelity to Americas allies.

In what initially looks like an olive leaf, the Kremlin said that Putin had immediately issued orders to his forces to end attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure. Kyiv, Washington and Moscow may believe, should do the same.

This suits the Kremlin tactically. Ukraine has been staggeringly effective in attacking the energy infrastructure of Russias military. A pause in those long-range assaults on gas lines, pool refineries and other energy nodes is essential for Russia while it sets about reinforcing its efforts to continue to plough into Ukraine.

Neither the White House nor the Kremlin has mentioned any concessions on the part of Russia.

Worse still, from Ukraines point of view, is continued talks  between Russia and the US  on a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.

Ukraine has largely won the battle for the Black Sea. It sunk the Moskva, Russias greatest battleship, and has driven its fleet out of the area where it skulks in Russian ports. A ceasefire in the Black Sea will give Russia time to manoeuvre its fleet into an attacking formation, without fear.

Ukraine and Europe will reject the results of these talks but welcome the continued process. Its nothing but a distraction and will buy time for Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia and much of the civilised world to put together enough support for Ukraine to allow Kyiv to continue to defend democracy in the West  without America.
 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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Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky has insisted that all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine after reports that his US counterpart Donald Trump said an American takeover of the countrys nuclear power would offer the best protection for it.

In their first conversation since Mr Trump verbally attacked Mr Zelensky in the White House and had him thrown out, the US president reportedly suggested Washington take ownership of Ukraines energy infrastructure.

But Kyiv says the discussions referred only to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian occupation.

open image in gallery Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and Norway's prime minister Jonas Gahr Store ( EPA )

All nuclear power plants in Ukraine are state-owned and belong to Kyiv, he insisted.

The temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia [nuclear power plant] belongs to Ukraine, everybody acknowledges it and recognises it, he said.

Mr Zelensky denied discussing with Mr Trump the possibility of US ownership of the Zaporizhzhia plant, but said they did discuss how to find the solution from the situation and take the station from the Russians.

They also talked about potential US investment in the plant, the Ukrainian leader said.

But he added: The issue with property we definitely did not discuss with Mr Trump.

Addressing EU leaders virtually from Norway, the Ukrainian leader said Russias president, Vladimir Putin, should stop unnecessary demands while warning that nothing had changed after Russia attacked his countrys energy infrastructure on Wednesday, despite Mr Putins pledge to halt such strikes.

Top military officers from countries across Europe and beyond met on Thursday to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said steps were being made in the right direction towards a ceasefire as a coalition of the willing led by Britain and France moved into an operational phase.

open image in gallery Sir Keir Starmer visited a military base to meet military planners mapping out next steps in the coalition of the willing ( Alistair Grant/PA )

Were further forward this week than we were last week, and we are further forward last week than we were the week before, he said. I hope, I want, those talks to succeed. What I do know is if they do succeed, then we need to be able to defend the deal.

The timetable for the peacekeeping force was now coming into focus following talks between the US and Russia, Sir Keir said.

But he warned that Mr Putin would breach any peace deal without anything behind it.

Last weekend and two weekends before that, we had groupings of international political leaders coming together to provide the political alignment and the collective agreement that we need to work together to ensure that any deal that is put in place is defended, he said.

Whats happening here is turning that political intention into reality, the concept into plans.

Sir Keir added: It is vitally important we do that work because we know one thing for certain, which is a deal without anything behind it is something that Putin will breach.

We know that because it happened before. Im absolutely clear in my mind it will happen again.

Ukraine and Russia have agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire, although Mr Putin rebuffed Mr Trumps push for a full 30-day ceasefire.

President Zelensky said he was committed to working with the US to stop arms being directed at Russian power production and civilian facilities.

I raised this issue with President Trump and said that our side would identify what we consider to be civilian infrastructure, Mr Zelensky said. I dont want there to be any misunderstanding about what the sides are agreeing on.

Negotiators from Moscow and the US will meet on Monday in Saudi Arabia, Mr Putins foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov told Russian news agencies.

Sir Keir said Mr Putin was afraid of Britains nuclear weapons, and that Trident was a crucial deterrent.

Before visiting Barrow on Thursday, where he laid the keel for the next generation of Britains nuclear deterrent submarines, the prime minister said Trident had proven incredibly effective since its introduction in the 1990s.

Of Russia, the prime minister said: I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability.

Ukraine launched a major drone assault on Thursday on a Russian airbase that is key to the relentless missile attacks against Ukrainian cities.

The strike on the Soviet-era Engels airfield, which houses a number of Russias nuclear-capable heavy bombers and stores of cruise missiles, sparked a huge explosion and numerous fires.

A state of emergency was declared in the area, about 450 miles from Moscow. Ukraine has repeatedly sought to hit the Engels base, across the three years of Russias invasion.

Mr Zelensky said Mr Trump had not raised the issue of Russia-occupied Crimea, after reports that the US president was willing to formally recognise Ukraines Crimea as Russian territory.
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At least 58 Palestinians have been killed in fresh Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip overnight, local health officials said on Thursday, taking the death toll to over 500 since a ceasefire was shattered earlier this week.

The series of strikes on Thursday morning struck houses and buildings in Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza and the northern town of Beit Lahiya, officials in the Hamas-run Strip said.

Health officials at various hospitals told the Associated Press they had confirmed 58 deaths so far, while a pro-Hamas news outlet put the toll at more than 70.

Hamas said talks with mediators were underway on Thursday to halt Israels renewed offensive on Gaza, where many returned in their homes during the ceasefire to celebrate Ramadan, the holiest month for Muslims.

The latest casualties add to the deaths of over 400 Palestinians earlier this week in a major bombardment of Gaza by Israel, the first since the collapse of talks aimed at extending a ceasefire deal.

The death toll in the airstrikes could not be immediately confirmed and the Israeli military is yet to comment on the latest bombardment. Israel says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it is deeply embedded in residential areas.

open image in gallery An Israeli tank takes position on the Gaza Strip border in southern Israel, Wednesday, 19 March 2025 ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved )

In Rafah, the European Hospital confirmed that 26 people, mostly women and children, have died there in strikes on two homes.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said it received the bodies of seven people killed overnight in an attack on a home.

Seven people died in the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza after strikes in a home in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border.

Thursday mornings strikes came after the Israeli military said it had resumed targeted ground activities in central and southern Gaza to retake part of the strategic Netzarim corridor, an area that cuts the besieged territory in half.

It marked one of the deadliest days in the 17-month conflict as at least 130 children were among 430 killed in just two days, according to estimates.

On Wednesday, Israel escalated the violence as its troops pushed deeper into Gaza, with Israeli defence minister Israel Katz issuing a final warning to the people in Gaza that unless the hostages were returned and the Hamas militant group eliminated, the alternative is complete destruction and devastation.

The renewed airstrikes and ground operations in Gaza have intensified concerns over the fate of approximately two dozen hostages still believed to be alive. Thousands of Israelis participated in anti-government protests in Jerusalem, with many demanding a deal to secure the captives release.

open image in gallery Displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza City set up their tents in the city center after evacuation orders were issued by the Israeli occupation army for the northern areas of the city, in Gaza City ( EPA )

They also raised concerns of Palestinian families in the north and east of the strip as they were forced to flee their homes again after Israeli quadcopters dropped leaflets telling them to evacuate.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanou said the moves by ground forces in Gaza were a clear sign that Israel had backed out of the truce and was reimposing a "blockade".

There have been no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas since Tuesday's bombardment.

The latest strikes coincided with Yemens Houthi group taking responsibility for a missile attack on Israel which was intercepted on Thursday.

The ballistic missile was launched towards Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, the group's military spokesperson said in a televised statement.

The Israeli Defence Forces said sirens sounded in several areas but no one was injured as the attack was thwarted.

The Houthi group has vowed to retaliate, including targeting Israel, following deadly US strikes against them in recent days.
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Israel has launched a ground incursion into central Gaza, shattering hopes of a renewed truce, as the countrys defence minister warned they would step up attacks with an intensity not seen before.

The Israeli military said it had resumed targeted ground activities in central and southern Gaza to retake part of the strategic Netzarim corridor, an area that cuts the besieged territory in half.

This came a day after its air force launched an intense wave of strikes, shattering a ceasefire and killing more than 400 people, including at least 130 children according to estimates, in one of the deadliest days in the 17-month conflict.

On Wednesday, Israel escalated the violence as its troops pushed deeper into Gaza, with Israeli defence minister Israel Katz issuing a final warning to the people in Gazans that unless the hostages were returned and the Hamas militant group eliminated, the alternative is complete destruction and devastation.

Palestinian families in the north and east of the strip told The Independent they were forced to flee their homes again, after Israeli quadcopters dropped leaflets telling them to evacuate.

In a sign of the spiralling violence, also on Wednesday, the United Nations said a foreign staffer was killed and four others wounded when an explosive device was dropped on one of its headquarters in the centre of the strip despite the location being known to all parties involved in the conflict.

The Israeli military denied involvement in a statement to The Independent.

Defence minister Katz warned that increase in military activity was just the first step.

open image in gallery The city of Khan Younis is hit by an IDF airstrike on Wednesday ( Reuters )

The rest will be much more difficult, and you will pay the full price. If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza, Israel will act with an intensity you have never seen before, he said in a bleak warning.

Take the advice of the US president: return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you, including going to other places in the world for those who wish.

"The alternative is complete destruction and devastation."

Israel launched a devastating offensive on Gaza in October 2023 in the wake of a bloody attack by Hamas on southern Israel, during which 1,200 people were killed and 250 hostages taken, according to Israeli estimates.

Since then, Israels ferocious bombardment has killed more than 49,000 people in the besieged strip, according to Palestinian health authorities, and caused a humanitarian crisis with shortages of food, fuel, and water.

In January, the US, Qatar, and Egypt negotiated a three-phased ceasefire offering respite for Gaza's 2.3 million residents after 17 months of war that has reduced the enclave to rubble and forced most of its population to evacuate multiple times.

The first phase, which expired two weeks ago, saw Hamas hand over 25 living hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinians.

Phase two, which is yet to be fully negotiated, was supposed to pave the way for a long-term ceasefire, a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the return of the remaining hostages.

But Israel accused Hamas of violating the terms of the deal and imposed a full blockade on aid two weeks ago. On Tuesday they launched a surprise wave of airstrikes, so intense they were described by international medics on the ground as an armageddon.

Doctors in three different hospitals in the strip told The Independent of emergency rooms flooded with injuries, including children with severed limbs. Palestinian surgeon Khaled al-Ser at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis described picking through the melted remains of civilians at the morgue, only to find the body of his nine-year-old cousin.

open image in gallery Dr Khaled al-Ser next to Nasser Hospital before it was destroyed in February 2024 ( Supplied )

Dr Ser described the horror of what he saw in such gruesome detail that The Independent has decided not to publish the graphic scenes.

Dr Mohamed Abu al-Salmiya, the director of Shifa hospital, which until intense Israeli bombardment was Gazas largest medical centre, said they were struggling to treat children with severe burns because they lacked medicines, painkillers, and anaesthesia.

At Ahli hospital also in Gaza City, Muhammad Abuafash, director of Palestinian Medical Relief, said they were having to amputate childrens limbs despite lacking basic surgical supplies because of the aid restrictions.

In Israel, meanwhile, families of the hostages still held by militants, in desperation, took to the streets demanding that Israel halt the offensive, fearing their loved ones would be killed in the fighting.

We must stop the fighting and immediately return to the negotiation table to reach a comprehensive agreement for the return of all hostages.
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The European Space Agency has released the first data from its Euclid space telescope, which hopes to understand the mystery of dark energy and dark matter.

The first tranche of data shows three patches of the sky, each of which shows an array of galaxies. It shows a part of the sky that is more than 300 times the size of the Moon when it is seen from Earth.

Eventually, Euclid hopes to map a full atlas of the universe, scanning more than a third of the sky.

Euclid, launched from Florida in 2023 on a planned six-year mission, is an orbiting observatory gathering data on how the universe has expanded and how its structure has formed over time and amassing information about the nature of dark energy and dark matter and the role of gravity on large scales.

The survey areas disclosed on Wednesday account for only about half a percent of the mission's eventual goal. The data represents just one week of observations including one scan of each of the three regions, but it covers 26 million galaxies up to 10.5 billion light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

The Big Bang event roughly 13.8 billion years ago initiated the universe, which has been expanding ever since.

The universe's contents include ordinary matter as well as dark matter and dark energy. Ordinary matter - stars, planets, gas, dust and all the familiar stuff on Earth - represents perhaps 5% of the contents. Dark matter is invisible material that may make up about 27% of the cosmos. Dark energy, an enigmatic component thought to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the universe, may account for 68%.

The newly released Euclid images hint at the large-scale organization of galaxies in what is known as the cosmic web, essentially the backbone of the universe. In this web, there are concentrations of galaxies with voids of space in between, as if the galaxies were sitting on vast empty bubbles.

The cosmic web's structure offers clues about dark matter and dark energy, according to the researchers.

Astrophysicist Carole Mundell, the European Space Agency's director of science, called Euclid a "dark detective."

"We now understand about 5% of the universe," Mundell said. "The other 95% is dark and is unknown."

Euclid measures the various shapes and the distribution of galaxies with its high-resolution imaging visible instrument, or VIS, while its near-infrared instrument, or NISP, determines galaxy distances and masses. Euclid eventually is expected to obtain images of more than 1.5 billion galaxies.

"It is exploring more distant objects in the universe with a greater amount of sky explored than any survey before for objects so far away," astrophysicist Chris Duffy of Lancaster University in England, one of the scientists involved in the research, said of Euclid.

Duffy's part of the Euclid research focuses upon transient objects - ones that appear only briefly - such as stellar explosions called supernovae seen in the observations.

A first detailed catalog of more than 380,000 galaxies of various shapes and sizes, classified according to features such as spiral arms and central bars as well as traits that indicate a galactic merger, was released on Wednesday.

This represents "the first chunk of what will be the largest-ever catalog of the detailed appearance of galaxies," said University of Toronto astrophysicist Mike Walmsley, one of the Euclid scientists.

Light traveling toward Earth from faraway galaxies is bent and distorted by normal matter and dark matter in the foreground in an effect called gravitational lensing. It is one of the tools used by Euclid to study how dark matter is distributed. Researchers have been sifting through the Euclid data to identify strong gravitational lenses, and have identified about 500 such candidates.

"The invisible dark matter in massive galaxies warps space, bending light rays like a magnifying glass. This magnifies and distorts the galaxies behind them into arcs and rings, and measuring the distortion lets us measure the invisible dark matter. But the galaxies must be very precisely aligned, so this strong lensing effect is very rare," Walmsley said.

"Euclid is the best instrument ever built for finding these, because it can take an exceptionally sharp image of wide patches of sky AAA while telescopes like Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope are designed to look at much smaller patches," Walmsley added.

The next Euclid data release, planned for October 2026, will cover an area 30 times larger than Wednesday's release.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Wrapped in warm coats and woolly hats, hundreds of Russians have queued in Moscow's chilly spring weather, seeking Japanese visas.

With travel to much of Europe restricted and Japan offering visa-free entry, Russians are turning to new holiday destinations.

This shift is facilitated by a strengthening rouble and rising real wages, a byproduct of Moscow's increased wartime spending amid its invasion of Ukraine.

While direct flights between Russia and Japan are currently unavailable, the Japanese embassy in Moscow has confirmed a rise in Russian visitors, coinciding with increased availability of connecting flights.

Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Russian union of the tourism industry, said the number of Russian tourists in Japan is projected to double this year, from approximately 100,000 in 2024.

open image in gallery People queue to apply for visas at the Japanese embassy in Moscow ( REUTERS )

He noted that the long queues at the embassy are understandable, given the allure of Japan's renowned cherry blossoms in spring.

"The most important thing is that there are no complicated visa formalities and there is an affordable flight," he said.

In November, Japan stopped requiring Russian visitors to submit documents in advance to confirm they had paid for hotels for their stay. Return tickets, often with connections in China, start from around 40,000 roubles (364), Gorin said.

Elizaveta, who Reuters spoke to as she queued for her appointment at the Japanese embassy in Moscow, said the simpler visa process had encouraged her to buy tickets.

"We've wanted to go for a long time," she said. "Nowadays, it's more difficult to get to Europe. It only takes four to five days to get a visa to Japan, so we decided to go."

open image in gallery ( REUTERS )

Before Moscow launched the war in Ukraine in February 2022, millions of Russians travelled to Europe every year.

Those trips, via indirect routes since most European airspace is closed to Russian carriers, have become more expensive. Current annual visitor numbers of around 300,000 people are about 90 per cent below 2019 levels, according to Gorin.

Russia's economy contracted briefly under the weight of sanctions, but has since rebounded and soaring consumer demand, including on air travel, has contributed to overheating.

But the rouble's sharp appreciation this year - on hopes that improving ties between Washington and Moscow could lead to some kind of conflict resolution in Ukraine - has only helped Russians heading to Japan, and elsewhere.

International travel has mostly pivoted to countries that have not imposed sanctions on Moscow.

"The rouble's strengthening directly affects the cost of tours and consumer interest in holidays abroad," said Lyubov Voronina, head of international projects at tourism comparison site sletat.ru.

Depending on what they plan to do on their trip, tourists can currently save between 10% and 30%, Voronina said.

The combination of a higher disposable income and lower prices has come at the perfect time for some.

"It's been a long time dream for me, ever since I was a child," said Nikita at the embassy. "Now I have the money to come and decided to do. Moreover, the prices have now dropped."

The one obstacle for Russians is that long queue, but Anton, asked if he was worried he might run out of time to submit his application that day, simply said: "Well, I'll come tomorrow then."
Sir Keir Starmer made a rare secret visit to one of Britain's nuclear submarines ahead of a crucial meeting of military figures in the UK to discuss peacekeeping in Ukraine.

The prime minister maintains that Vladimir Putin fears Britains nuclear weapons, saying that Trident continues to be a crucial deterrent as Russia resists efforts for peace in Ukraine.

Sir Keir secretly joined submariners returning home to loved ones, boarding the boat as it returned to UK waters in what is known as "a Day Zero." He is the first Prime Minister to do so in more than a decade.
Multiple Tesla vehicles parked outside a facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, were set on fire in the early hours of Tuesday, 18 March.

Authorities said Molotov cocktails and a firearm were used to conduct the attack, and at least three rounds were fired into vehicles.

Witnesses reported seeing a suspect in black clothing setting multiple vehicles on fire, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said.

It appeared to be a targeted attack, they added.

There have been several attacks targeting Elon Musk's car company since president Donald Trump took office and empowered the billionaire to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that is slashing government spending.

In response, Mr Musk said: This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong.
Scenes of joy and celebration broke out outside a hospital in Ukraine as families reunited with prisoners of war returning home.

On Wednesday (March 19), Russia and Ukraine swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges of the war, following Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskys call for an all-for-all exchange.

Footage from Ukraines northern Chernihiv region showed the prisoners, frail and visibly exhausted, as they greeted their loved ones.

Among them was 28-year-old Aliona Skuibida, who brought balloons and a cake to celebrate her fiances return and his 27th birthday, which had been the day before.

I did a post on social media in which I wrote to him, 'I'm sorry it's already your fourth birthday in captivity,' but now his fourth birthday will be at home, she said.
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
Ill be in London next weekend so will miss the festivities marking 25 years of the Franco-Irish Literary Festival. Across March 28/29, in the Alliance Francaise and Dublin Castle, an array of writers, poets, translators, publishers and academics will discuss themes of family, memory and time.
Several animal rights NGOs have expressed concerns after the French operator announced it is to resume live animal exports from Rosslare Europort to Cherbourg this month

Brittany Ferries are being criticised for their decision to resume live animal exports between Rosslare Europort and Cherbourg.

Dame Joanna Lumley and Father Ted and Shameless star Pauline McLynn are just two of the names listed on an open letter to Brittany Ferries urging them to reverse a decision to resume transporting livestock from Ireland to France via Rosslare Europort this month.

The French ferry operator is to resume transporting livestock after some 30 years and will do so on board the MV Contentin travelling between Rosslare Europort and Cherbourg.

In a statement, Brittany Ferries said that the decision "follows 18 months of close engagement with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and relevant authorities to ensure that the highest animal welfare standards are prioritised at every stage of the journey.

"Animal welfare is of paramount importance to Brittany Ferries, the statement continued. The Cotentin has been specifically selected for this service, as it is oriented towards freight transport and equipped to provide the best possible care for animals during transit.

It is important to note that Brittany Ferries will not transport animals destined for slaughter. All livestock carried on board will be transported in accordance with strict regulatory guidelines, ensuring their health and wellbeing are protected.

We remain committed to working closely with relevant authorities and our partners to uphold the highest animal welfare standards, reflecting our deep-rooted agricultural heritage and dedication to responsible transport practices.

Despite this, several animal welfare NGOs have expressed concerns, including Compassion in World Farming, Ethical Farming Ireland, Eyes on Animals and L214.

In a combined effort, the groups sent an open letter to Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu and Chairman Jean Marc Roue calling for an immediate reversal of the decision. Among the more than 100 signatories were actors Joanna Lumley and Pauline McLynn, TV Presenter Chris Packham, vet Pete Wedderburn and musicians Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy and Cathy Davey, along with several other broadcasters, activists and MEPs.

Having previously protested in Rosslare against Stena Lines transportation of livestock to the continent, Ethical Farming Ireland say that they are planning another protest at the port in the coming weeks.

Ethical Farming Ireland protesting at Rosslare Europort last year.

Brittany Ferries has stated it will not transport animals destined for slaughter, but where do they think these animals will end up? Caroline Rowley, director of Ethical Farming Ireland asks. Whether going for fattening, breeding or to a dairy farm these animals will all end up in a slaughterhouse.

"Furthermore, our investigations have shown that unweaned calves exported to Spain and Romania have ended up in shipments to Libya and Israel when older. Not only does this involve long sea journeys, but these are countries known to have appalling animal welfare standards, particularly at slaughter, plus of course Israel is a country at war.

Pauline McLynn.

At previous protests in Rosslare, Ms Rowley says they have audibly heard trucks filled with bawling calves pass them, waiting for some four hours to board and then spending 18 hours on the crossing.

"Scientific evidence shows that journeys over eight hours are detrimental to an animals health and wellbeing and they may suffer extremes of temperature, thirst, hunger and exhaustion, she claimed.

"Unweaned calves are at particular risk because they have under developed immune systems, they are prone to illness and have no body fat to keep them going during the long, stressful journey. This is worsened by the fact they cannot be fed whilst stuck in a truck, and investigations conducted by Ethical Farming Ireland and Eyes on Animals have shown these animals can go without feed for 30 hours during the journey from assembly centre in Ireland to the feeding station in France. That is not an acceptable way to treat a 15 day old calf.

Ms Rowley said that Ethical Farming Ireland has been engaging with Brittany Ferries since 2023, when they first heard rumours that the company planned to reintroduce live exports.

"We sent them the audit report by the European Commission that concluded these journeys breach legislation because calves are not being fed after the maximum 19 hour limit, she said.

A calf on board a trailer.

Im really surprised that a company that prides itself on its animal welfare policy has done an about turn. It is rather ironic that the companys latest marketing campaign promises customers an unforgettable experience.

Brittany Ferries will now join Irish Ferries and Stena Line in the transportation of live animals to mainland Europe.

Chief Political Adviser at Compassion in World Farming Peter Stevenson took a dim view of the decision.

For 30 years Brittany Ferries has been doing the right thing, he said. Expressing his view strongly, he added: Now it seems it has decided to prioritise profits over the welfare of sentient animals. This policy change will expose thousands of animals to tremendous suffering on long journeys.

The companys own customers will certainly be appalled at this decision, and will not want to travel with suffering animals. We will do all we can to persuade Brittany Ferries to reverse this terrible decision and to stop this inhumane trade in live animals.
How Im making the best of a bad job with my decimated ash plantation

My new Finnish machine fits on to my excavator and clamps onto the tree, saws it, fells it, de-limbs it and logs it into required lengths

Tom Tierney in his 40ac forest on his farm at Ballinafagh, Prosperous, Co Kildare. Photo: Damien Eagers

Tom Tierney Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 07:32

The dry days in the winter months were spent clear-fell harvesting forestry. My ash plantation, like many others, had been decimated by dieback so it has been harvested and is destined for replanting under the Ash Dieback Scheme.
Man who stabbed former partner multiple times to walk free from prison after 10 years

Following news of his release, Womens Aid said it is imperative that authorities carry out a risk assessment before Leahys release.

Denis Leahy

Emma McMenamy Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 07:40

A man who stabbed a woman multiple times in a savage attack is set to walk free from prison today after serving 10 years in prison for the knife attack.
Ahead of Daffodil Day, Mary Woods is encouraging others to give what they can to the charity

Two time cancer survivor Mary Woods on her journey and 20 years of fundraising

A woman who survived two types of cancer has told how she fundraised for the Irish Cancer Society for over 20 years without ever thinking she would be on the receiving side of it.

Ahead of Daffodil Day on March 28, Mary Woods (68) spoke to the Irish Independent from her home in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, about her cancer journey and her experience as a Daffodil Day seller and organiser for the charity.

Every three minutes someone in Ireland hears the life-changing words youve got cancer. Its predicted that half of us will hear that news in our lifetime. And Ms Woods heard this twice.

She was initially diagnosed with womb cancer in March 2020.

I was in tears and felt I couldnt function because I didnt know what was ahead of me, Ms Woods said. You think, is this going to be a blip thats curable or is it going to turn into something more serious for me?

Ms Woods added that it was a disorientating experience for her as she did not feel unwell when she received her diagnosis.

Its an unreality because you dont feel sick, she said. With a sore throat you can recognise it immediately, you feel this soreness. But when you get this message and you dont see that sickness in your body, its very frightening.

Ms Woods then underwent surgery and afterwards had successful radiotherapy in the cancer unit at University Hospital Limerick over a number of weeks.

Ms Woods points out that the most challenging aspect of this was the impact of Covid. Restrictions meant the waiting room in the unit was closed and instead of waiting inside the hospital, she had to wait in her car for 30 minutes before each session.

She lives on her own and found this challenging, but notes the empathy and support she received from the units staff.

They were very understanding of what people are going through because theyre used to dealing with people with a cancer diagnosis, Ms Woods said. They understood without you telling them to know how you were feeling.

However, Ms Woodss cancer story was not over.

In June 2021, just over a year after her first diagnosis and after being hospitalised within three months, she was told she had bowel cancer.

She was told on a Monday that she would need an operation that Thursday or it could become an emergency situation.

Daffodil Day will be held next week

It all happened very quickly, I had no time to adjust, Ms Woods said. I also had to wrap my head around the fact that I was going to have a stoma bag permanently after the operation.

With time you get used to it but in the beginning, youre afraid for your life that people would know.

After the operation, Ms Woods received chemotherapy which successfully killed any remaining cancer cells, and she has been clear of cancer since.

Following her first diagnosis, Ms Woods approached the Irish Cancer Society to access its counselling service and reached out again following her second diagnosis.

First of all, when you speak to one of their counsellors you know they have been trained to understand what people are going through, she said.

It was great to do something normal that you had done previously, getting back to your normal life

You can also talk to them, I suppose, a bit more openly than you would to your family or friends. It was a relief to me to have someone to speak to without any limitations.

Ms Woods did not want to place all responsibility on her brother for looking out for her well-being and so, along with the safety net her friends gave her, counselling was transformative.

The charity has also helped her adjust to life both with and after cancer through information sessions delivered from one of their local centres.

Ms Woods describes how she finished chemotherapy in January 2022 and on St Patricks Day, she did the 15km Cliffs of Moher walk out of pure stubbornness.

It was great to do something normal that you had done previously, getting back to your normal life. Its a huge step in recovery, she said.

She also marked her recovery by holding a tea party in her home to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.

Ms Woods has been a Daffodil Day seller in Newmarket-on-Fergus for over 20 years, since she first got involved working with a group of volunteers to raise thousands of euro.

She then took over the organising of the group five years ago.

I got involved because it was a fundraiser where you saw that so many people you had connections with were being impacted by cancer, she said.

I knew the benefit of raising money, be it in the service they provide or the research they do.

Coming up to this years Daffodil Day, Ms Woods is encouraging the public to give what they can to the charity.

Every bit helps them. It will help somebody somewhere along the line. Be it a child, an adolescent, an adult, or their family. I think its important as well that the family of the person with cancer receives support, Ms Woods said.

Their work in research is also critical. The more support they receive the better chance of more and more advances in the cancer treatment area.

The Irish Cancer Societys Daffodil Day takes place Friday March 28, 2025. Visit cancer.ie to donate today
How Dublin school was plunged into acrimony by claims one of its teachers was behind infamous GAA Catfish controversy

Niamh Farrell says she was falsely accused and has secured a High Court injunction

The Two Johnnies. Photo: Ruth Medjber

Ellen Coyne and Tim Healy Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30

One south Dublin secondary school has been plunged into acrimony, threats of protests from parents, secret filming and a legal row after it was claimed online that one of its teachers is the woman behind the infamous GAA Catfish controversy.
Neil More O'Ferrall had been badly injured after he was struck by a black Ford Everest SUV

An Irish man who was tragically killed after being hit by a vehicle in Thailand on Monday has been named locally as 54-year-old Neil More O'Ferrall.

He had been badly injured after he was struck by a black Ford Everest SUV as he crossed the road in the town of Khao Lak in Phang Nga province, 500 miles south of Bangkok, at around 9pm yesterday evening.

It has been reported that he suffered critical injuries to his neck and was rushed to Khao Lak Medical Centre, where he passed away.

Police who had quickly arrived at the scene, which is close to the Sangsawan Palace Resort, found the black Ford parked in the right lane near the median strip. The driver remained at the scene and fully cooperated with officers.

An investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing.

Neil More O'Ferrall

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 20th

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed to that it is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance.

Khao Lak Police Captain Noppawat Engtheaw, said: "It has been accepted for investigation as a traffic case and an autopsy case, and we will proceed further."

Police have yet to confirm whether the SUV driver will be charged in relation to the incident.

Khao Lak officers have, however, reported it to the Phang Nga Provincial Police, describing the incident as "serious and shocking".

It has been reported that Mr More O'Ferrall was on holiday in Thailand at the time.
The father of Co Cork student Cameron Blair has said his family is really, really disappointed after the young man convicted of his murder won the right to remain anonymous following a court challenge.

Last week, the Supreme Court overruled a Court of Appeal judgement permitting the naming of the young man, who was 17 when he pleaded to Mr Blairs murder on the Bandon Road in Cork on January 16, 2020.

Speaking to Oliver Callan on RTE Radio 1, Noel Blair said the ruling is a very, very sore point for the family.

"I personally think it was a great opportunity for the justice system, for the country. They run the roost anyway, the criminal justice system works in favour of them, he said.

"This individual cant be named, but every member of our family from the youngest child till the great grandmother, theres no anonymity there. Everybody is out in the open. Theyve done nothing, theyre innocent.

Mr Blair called for parents to be held more responsible if their child commits a crime.

"If you dont send a 14-year-old child to school, you will go to jail as parents. But the 14-year-old child can go out and he can assault your neighbour, he can burn your neighbour's car. He can do whatever he wants. But then all of a sudden, the parents aren't responsible for their child.

He said that in a meeting with former Minister Heather Humphreys, the family suggested making parents attend counselling instead of putting a lot of resources into schools.

Mr Blair said there should be a one-year mandatory sentence for the first offence for possession of a knife or a harmful weapon with no mitigating circumstances at all.

Tougher sentencing introduced last year increased the maximum penalty for possession of a knife with the intention of unlawfully intimidating or injuring another person from five years in prison to seven years.

Asked about that change, Mr Blair said: Why change something thats already there?. Why go from give years to the eight years or seven years whenever theyre not even enforcing five years?

"If a person goes in front of the judge now, they play system for months and possibly years before they even go to court.

"Then on the day they go to court, they plead innocent up to the day they go to court, then they plead guilty, then the judge gives them a big reduction just because they pleaded guilty, even though it may be 12 months, 18 months later.

Mr Blair said his son, who was 20, was just starting to move forward in life when he was murdered.

"Cameron enjoyed everything. He was a nice lad, enjoyed a bit of craic, enjoyed the fun but could also be very serious.

"A very compassionate fella in one sense, just by looking out for people that might have been weaker than himself and possibly not up to speed in the education system or getting bullied or anything like that.

"That came to light after his death, that he had helped quite a few people in that respect.
Anne Rabbitte  who lost her seat at the general election  promised immediate 3.6m in emergency funding, but not one red cent has been provided, Tanaiste Simon Harris admits

Jack Donaghey with then Minister for Disability Anne Rabbitte at the June 2024 event. Photo: Clive Wasson.

A child with cerebral palsy was used as a prop for a ministerial announcement two days before the local and European elections last year, the Dail has been told.

The mother of the child was contacted and asked to attend with her son as then-disability minister Anne Rabbitte announced 3.6m in emergency funding for children with special needs.

However, none of the money was ever provided, according to Sinn Feins finance spokesman Pearse Doherty. Not one red cent, he said.

Tanaiste Simon Harris accepted it was true that no money was provided.

Current Disability Minister Norma Foley said: I understand the HSE had intended to fund the initiative from expected once-off savings in relation to childrens services which, however, did not materialise.

I am engaging with the department to look at the options available to resolve the funding issues.

She added: Due to the sheer volume of applications and the additional administrative work involved in co-ordinating and collating the proposals, the HSE has had to revise the anticipated timeframe for the multi-criteria assessment process in relation to the applications received for consideration.

The evaluation process confirmed that projects with a cost of about 8m met the criteria under the Childrens Disability Services Grant Fund, she said.

This meant a number of the larger projects would be funded over a three-year cycle.

The HSE will engage with successful applicants again to outline the process of engagement around the drawdown of funding, Ms Foley added.

Ms Rabbitte, who lost her seat in last Novembers general election, told the Irish Independent: This announcement was made in good faith.

The cash was being provided from one-off savings being made by the department. I deeply regret that it has not come to fruition sooner.

My focus was on securing critical support for disability services. I am deeply disappointed that this funding has yet to materialise.

Mr Harris told Mr Doherty yesterday: Im not going to stand up and defend something that cannot be defended.

It was extraordinarily disappointing that the money had not been provided, and he would act with Taoiseach Micheal Martin to resolve the issue as a priority, he said.

Mr Doherty replied:

This was cruel what was done. This mother feels that her child was used as a prop. How could a minister do that?

We now have another scandal where money to fund therapies for children promised by the Government 17 months ago was never released.

For years, parents have been forced to go it alone, crying out to the Government to get their act together, to ramp up service provision for these children.

Then in October 2023 they thought their pleas for help were heard. The minister, Anne Rabbitte, announced the Childrens Disability Service Grant, supposedly an emergency stopgap to urgently provide services and therapies for children with special needs throughout the State.

One parent who was delighted to listen with the news was Denise McGahern. Her nine-year-old son Jack Donaghy, has cerebral palsy. Hes permanently in a wheelchair.

The money was to be allocated within weeks of the ministers announcement of the fund being set up, with 52 organisations set to benefit, Mr Doherty said.

But months later, nothing had happened. Then in June 2024, two days before the local elections, Minister Rabbitte travelled with Charlie McConalogue to Letterkenny to announce the immediate allocation of 3.6m in funding to provide essential therapies to four organisations in Donegal.

Denise was contacted. She was asked if she and her son Jack would attend the announcement. They were included in the photos and with the minister.

They listened to Anne Rabbitte when she told the media that the money would be, I quote, an absolute game-changer for children in Donegal. They could finally see a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel.

He told the Tanaiste, however, that 17 months after the announcement, that light has vanished, because none of this money has been released, not one red cent, not in Donegal, not anywhere in the country.

Mr Doherty said he had sought answers on behalf of families, and had been told by the department that not only is there no money, but that this money was never there at all.

He had told Ms McGahern the scandalous truth on Wednesday, he said.

Shes devastated, honestly. She feels betrayed, he added.

She feels that her son Jack was used by the Government as a prop in a photo opportunity.

Parents were children with special needs, all over Ireland, feel the same way.

Mr Harris replied:  This money should be released. And you asked me, What am I going to do? Im going to make sure its released.

Im going to make sure its provided, and I have spoken to the Taoiseach about this matter. I really think this issue needs to be resolved.

That fund needs to be provided. And I regret that it has taken so long.

*This article was amended on March 20, 2025, to correct two mis-spellings of former minister Anne Rabbittes name
Aontus Peadar Toibin said the House had sat for only 17 days since being elected

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has threatened to use "plenary measures" to get legislation through the Dail in a new warning amid the worsening row over speaking rights.

It would mean the Government using its in-built majority to pass packaged bills through the Dail, with no pre-legislative scrutiny and guillotined debate.

The Coalition is to bring forward a proposed change to standing orders next Wednesday.

But there were new pledges of resistance to the move, with the Dail hearing claims it was being done to accommodate the "Lowry lads".

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the Dail was "in cold storage" because the Government was concerned to placate Michael Lowry and his Regional Independent Group.

This is a legislature that cannot legislate

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said the Ceann Comhairle had already ruled on the "Lowry lads", that they were not opposition TDs under current rules, which was why the Government was now seeking to change standing orders.

Aontu leader Peadar Toibin said it was 110 days since the general election, and the House had sat for only 17 days. It was not at work for 85pc of that time, he said.

"This is a legislature that cannot legislate," he added, referring to the failure to establish Dail committees as a result of the speaking-rights row. There has thus been no pre-legislative scrutiny because no bills can be presented in the normal way.

Aontu's Peadar Toibin

But the Taoiseach said Mr Toibin was being disingenuous, because much of the time had been spent in negotiating government formation - and it had been formed much more quickly than the last time, in 2020.

He suggested "that the deputies opposite would agree to the formation of committees and not get in the way by stopping them from being formed.

"Government is getting on with it. We're going to continue to do what we have to do, in respect of decisions," he said.

"We have a parliamentary system here. We have a legislative chamber. We should be passing legislation.

"We can do that by plenary session here if we have to  and we will, in terms of legislation that will come forward.

"We will pass it through the House.

"If you don't want to form committees and you want to be a barrier to the formation of committees, that's your business, but actually, we will get legislation done by plenary measures."

Taoiseach Micheal Martin (PA)

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 20th

All party whips had agreed the Dail calendar, and now there were "empty soundbites" coming up about it only meeting so many times since November, he said. "So let's not denigrate politicians."

Ms McDonald said the Government should desist from its proposed course of action on standing orders to show that it respects the role of the opposition.

"Allow us to get on with our work, and dare I suggest it, you get on with yours," she said.

Ms Bacik said: "I think many of us in opposition are very concerned to hear you suggesting that we are somehow delaying the formation of committees.

"It's your Government that is seeking to change standing orders. Our whips have not seen the detail of the changes you're proposing.

"Apparently it will be pushed through by your Government through a vote next week."

Michael Collins, of Independent Ireland, said he agreed the row over speaking rights "needs to get resolved, because business needs to be done".
Family question accuracy of National Educational Psychological Service evaluations

The mother of a young woman with Down syndrome has criticised the assessments of her daughter during her time in school, and has called for more relevant and flexible testing of children with intellectual disabilities.
Restaurant review: Bargain steak frites is hit-or-miss  and the veggie toastie is underwhelming

Our critic has varying experiences over two visits to a hip Dublin pub with friendly vibes

Pumpkin and cheese toastie

Katy McGuinness Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30

You dont really expect an Irish pub to have a mid-century aesthetic and shelves stacked with books on contemporary art and architecture, but Caribou is not much like other Irish pubs.
Pol O Conghaile: Taking the car to France? Irish holidaymakers may need this sticker  or face a fine of 68

From 2025, all French cities with over 150,000 inhabitants are required to introduce the system  so if you plan on driving, its best to have a sticker.

FRANCE - 2022/07/20: In this photo illustration, a man holds a Crit'Air anti-pollution vehicle sticker between his fingers. (Photo Illustration by Gerard Bottino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Pol O Conghaile Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30

Taking the car by ferry to France? Its a time-honoured holiday for many Irish families, with tens of thousands of journeys expected this summer.
Since the launch of the scheme, over 256m has been paid to over 22,500 hosts in respect of 51,000 Ukrainian refugees

A tax-free payment for homeowners who provide accommodation to people fleeing the war in Ukraine is expected to be cut by 200.

While a final decision on the future of the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) has not been made yet, it is understood that the scheme will be extended, though not at the current rate, when it expires on March 31.

The 800 monthly payment is made to those hosting Ukrainian refugees. It was initially introduced at a rate of 400 in July 2022.

However, as need to accommodate refugees from Ukraine increased, the payment was upped to 800 a month.

The scheme was extended by 12 months, until March this year, after the extension of the EU Temporary Protection Directive, which supports EU countries that provide immediate support to those fleeing Ukraine.

With the scheme set to expire at the end of the month, there has been concern within the Ukrainian refugee community here that some will lose their accommodation.

The Irish Independent understands that the payment will be reduced by 200 and be offered at a rate of 600 going forward.

The responsibility of the scheme currently lies with the Department of Children and Integration, though the Integration office is set to transfer over to the Department of Justice in a shake-up the Cabinet announced earlier this year.

Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Photo: Tom Burke

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 20th

While the department is in a transition period, there is a collective approach being taken between the two departments, government sources said, with both Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan and Childrens Minister Norma Foley engaging on the future of the scheme.

A motion by the Government has been presented to the Dail in relation to extending the scheme. There is also no date on when it will be discussed in the Dail.

Since the launch of the scheme in July 2022, over 256m has been paid to over 22,500 hosts across the country, in respect of 51,000 Ukrainian refugees.

The payment does not prevent homeowners from asking those refugees being given accommodation to contribute further to the payment, something which Ms Foley said the legislation is silent on.

My department has been informed of anecdotal evidence of additional payments by a [Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection] to an ARP applicant. The legislation is silent in relation to such matters. If such payments are being made, that is a matter between the parties concerned, Ms Foley said in response to a parliamentary question from Sinn Feins Matt Carthy.

The Sinn Fein TD has been vocal in his partys opposition to the ARP, which he has said is creating serious problems of unfairness in the private rented sector.

While initially this scheme was an emergency measure to support those who opened up their own homes, it is increasingly benefiting landlords in the private rented sector availing of the ARP because it is financially advantageous to them compared to renting to other potential tenants, he said.
Bel Trew: Benjamin Netanyahu has chosen domestic politics over safe return of hostages

Israels bombardment of Gaza has killed more than 400 people, shattering hopes of long-term peace

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Reuters

Bel Trew UK Independent Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30

In the early hours of Tuesday, families in Gaza were shaken awake by the return of ferocious bombardment from the air and land. The tense calm of a fragile ceasefire  brokered by the US, Qatar and Egypt and in place since January  had been shattered.
Buckingham Palace considers Charles and Camillas planned meeting with Pope Francis the greatest move forward in Anglican-Catholic relations since the Reformation

What?! A divorcee at the Vatican? Pardon me  a *royal* divorcee sharing a religious service with the Pope in the Sistine Chapel.

That is the schedule for next month when the queen of England  we may have to remind ourselves this is Camilla, not Elizabeth  enjoys a state visit to the Holy See with her husband, Charles.
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meet in 2018 during the US president's first term of office. Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Imagine your next-door neighbour started shooting at you and said he planned to wipe you out of existence. Then, imagine, someone from a bigger house and with greater resources did a deal with the bad neighbour on your behalf.

They wont stop shooting entirely; they just wont fire at your fuel tank. In return for this partial ceasing of hostilities, a good deal of your home will no longer be yours.

Such is the surreal position Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky and his nation now find themselves in. Were they to raise their voices, or kick up a fuss, they would be rounded on for being arrogant ingrates.

At the same time, Russian president Vladimir Putin gets a free pass to play ducks and drakes with global stability and is even richly rewarded for his mischief.

When asked by US president Donald Trump to agree to a ceasefire, Putin answered: Yes, no, maybe...

Further talks on Ukraine between the US and Russia will be held in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Kyivs involvement is far from clear. An end to the war, which Mr Trump had promised swiftly upon his election, is still nowhere in sight.

Putins words are very much at odds with reality, Mr Zelensky said. It is not hard to see his point.

On the plus side, Mr Trump said he had a very good phone conversation with the Ukrainian leader. We are very much on track, the US president added.

Despite all the activity, it is difficult to see significant movement towards a concrete settlement.

The fact that Russia and Ukraine have yet to sit down together, or that Washington has only managed to get each side to agree to different ceasefire terms, is no great sign of progress.

Meanwhile, European allies are left completely in the dark. The Kremlins somewhat smug analysis of the situation is hardly reassuring.

It refers to the special responsibility of Russia and the United States for global security and the prospects for mutually beneficial co-operation.

Everyone wants the process to work, but trusting it will work is another matter. Accepting Moscows good intentions without guarantees would be a mistake.

Little wonder European leaders are working frantically to come up with a way to fortify Ukraines defences. As Kaja Kallas, the EUs foreign policy chief, has said: The stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are behind the negotiating table.

Mr Zelensky might take heart from the fact that a White House that has been so hostile reached out. Whether thats to take or to give remains to be seen.

According to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War  a Washington-based think tank  Putins demands during his call with Mr Trump on Tuesday would amount to Ukrainian capitulation.

In Kyiv, scepticism towards Moscow is rooted in experience. Like the rest of us, they are not sure of all that is happening behind the scenes.

Yet, as the late novelist William S Burroughs put it: A paranoid is someone who knows a little of whats going on.
What happens when agitation, defiance, and digital strategy collide? Enter Irelands most controversial evangelical family.

It was a new stage, but a familiar site, as the Burkes hit the headlines last week by storming a high-profile St Patricks Day gala in Washington. But their reach didnt stop at the dining-room doors. A new investigation by the Sunday Independent has revealed just how much the Burkes have spent on social media ads, ensuring their confrontations spread far and wide to screens across the globe.

Back in Ireland, the courts are tightening their grip on family talisman Enoch Burke.

A receiver has been appointed to collect the salary of the former Wilsons Hospital schoolteacher, to meet around 80,000 in fines for contempt of court. An order of garnishee  effectively freezing funds in his bank account so fines totalling 79,100 can be deducted from it  was also granted on a conditional basis by Mr Justice David Nolan.

But will financial penalties make any difference?

Today on The Indo Daily, Kevin Doyle is joined by Shane Phelan, legal affairs editor with the Irish Independent, and Maeve Sheehan, senior correspondent with the Sunday Independent. They ask if the Burkes time in the spotlight has run out of road  or is it just another chapter in their ongoing crusade?
Councillors outraged as Lord Mayor postpones Uisce Eireann meeting while residents report tap water "that looks like Tanora" amid two-year manganese crisis on northside

Residents say they have been dealing with discoloured water for over two years

Councillors have been left angry and frustrated at the decision by the Lord Mayor to postpone a meeting scheduled between local representatives and Uisce Eireann.

A statement from Cork City Council last night advised that the meeting, which the water service provider had initially declined to attend, was now being postponed at the behest of the citys first citizen.

The HSE and EPA were also due to attend the meeting, following repeated breaches of manganese levels in a number of testing sites, particularly across the northside of the city, where flushing works continue, causing households to be without clean running water.

Meeting with executives but not elected officials branded "a disgrace"

Councillors have branded the decision that Uisce Eireann would meet Council executives but not local representatives, for now, a disgrace which shows total disrespect to the city, while others have said that the move betrays a lack of accountability.

Speaking to the Irish Independent this morning, Lord Mayor Dan Boyle explained the reasoning behind postponing the meeting.

Todays meeting of Cork City Council to discuss Uisce Eireann has been deferred, at the request of the executive of the City Council. Yesterday, a meeting was held - a long-awaited meeting - between the executive of Cork City Council and Uisce Eireann officials.

The Chief Executive has asked for time to be allowed to submit a detailed report on that meeting for the elected members of Cork City Council.

As Lord Mayor, I have decided to defer that meeting to some other time in the next 10 days to look at the detail in that report and discuss the next steps that as elected members we should be taking in relation to Uisce Eireann, and the quality of the service that has been provided.

Meeting with executives but not elected officials branded "a disgrace"

However, councillors have been left angry that Uisce Eireann officials havent decided to meet face-to-face with elected members and face questions regarding the water quality affecting those in their ward.

Its a disgrace, said Sinn Fein Councillor Michelle Gould, who says she herself has had to deal with what she has described as sludge coming from her taps over recent months.

I just think its so disrespectful to the constituents in my area, and all of Cork City, where some people have been plagued with it. Weve residents there that have water coming out of their tap that looks like Tanora (a tangerine, rust-coloured soft drink thats local to Cork).

The fact that Uisce Eireann are dismissing city officials, TDs, Councillors, and they seem to be getting away with it, I cant understand why the government parties havent stepped in yet. This has been going on for over two and a half years.

Its a disgrace, its the height of disrespect. Our hands are tied now, we want to work with people for a solution. Where do we go from here, if Irish Water have that much disrespect and disregard for us? What does that say for the people struggling everyday with water issues?

Residents say they have been dealing with discoloured water for over two years

Gould described the reasoning behind the decision to postpone the meeting, for a report to be made up by city officials, as waffle.

Its the City Councillors they should be meeting, she said. Were the people on the ground, and they know that when they meet us it will be the hard conversations, thats what theyre trying to avoid.

Green Party councillor Oliver Moran sits on the citys environment subcommittee, and he says that the decision to suspend the meeting came as a surprise.

Our officials had sought it over a range of concerns including that lack of water services may hold up housing, he said last night. The meeting between councillors and Uisce Eireann was planned to follow it.

There was a relatively lengthy discussion this evening (last night) at the Environment committee on the need for a detailed report and discussion on particular issues. These included staffing arrangements and the framework for funding of water and drainage in the city now that these are split from Cork City Council.

The news that the special meeting was cancelled came in the middle of that and was a surprise. The intention was that officials would meet Uisce Eireann today and councillors tomorrow. The idea was that the two meetings would inform each other.

In a statement provided today, the Environmental Protection Agency said that the decision to postpone the meeting is at the discretion of Cork City Council.

The HSE is the statutory authority with remit for issuing health advice, and the EPA does not have a role in this process. Any queries relating to health advice should be directed to the HSE. Uisce Eireann confirmed that consultation has taken place with the HSE in relation to public health advice associated with the manganese levels in Cork city. Uisce Eireann has incorporated the health advice into their public communications. Uisce Eireann is required to notify the EPA of any exceedances of the parameters listed in the Drinking Water Regulations and to consult with the HSE in relation to any risk to public health.

The EPA has an open investigation file which is tracking the progress of works in relation to the Cork City public water supply. The EPA receives regular updates from Uisce Eireann in relation to the progress of works for the Cork City public water supply.

Uisce Eireann, in their latest response to the EPA, stated that they have installed a manganese treatment system in January 2025 and works to install the alkalinity treatment systems are ongoing and are due for completion in June 2025. In addition, they are carrying out several flushing programmes in various parts of the city, both planned and reactive in nature, and they are progressing the rehabilitation of the network through the replacement of the old cast iron mains.

Accountability concerns growing as communication "runs aground"

Independent Councillor Kieran McCarthy says the lack of communication stems from an issue earlier this year, when raw sewage flooded the Atlantic Pond for two days. McCarthy says he is still trying to ascertain the report on the issue, which he believes is being glossed over.

Im trying to get the report on how much contamination there actually was because its being downplayed, said McCarthy on the issue, which saw the closure of the Monahan and Centre Park roads in the area.

I have serious concerns, and I need to see the information, and with businesses like the Marina Market down there, you dont want it to happen again. But again, everything seems to be a secret. Everything big to do with Uisce Eireann, its very hard to get any information.

I think for the Council, they want the big issue of the contamination fixed, but its accountability as well. We cant get a high ranking official or Chief Executive before the Council to outline what theyre doing.

Somewhere over the last few weeks, arising from the Atlantic Pond incident, I get the personal feeling that accountability has broken down a little bit, and certainly communications has ran aground.

Theres that sense that theyre dismissing the Councillors and just saying that well deal with the Executive. Its easy to get Councillors backs up that way.

A statement, issued by Uisce Eireann, says that a briefing, as recently as 14th February, was held between National Head of Water Operations, Margaret Attridge, and elected representatives.

Uisce Eireann would like to stress that it has always been and remains committed to open dialogue with Cork City Councillors in relation to water discolouration in Cork City the statement reads.

As part of our dedication to transparency, we have held six engagements with elected representatives including Councillors, Senators and TDs. These engagements are because we acknowledge the impact that discolouration has on affected households and businesses in the city, as well as the importance of keeping Oireachtas members and Councillors informed as public representatives. Elected representatives are also encouraged to submit queries directly to Uisce Eireann.

Uisce Eireann established a Water Quality Taskforce in January 2024 to implement measures to specifically address discolouration. These measures include a targeted flushing programme, additional proactive sampling and testing at a number of locations, watermains rehabilitation and replacement works as well as initiatives at the Lee Road Water Treatment Plant.

As part of the Taskforces willingness to engage with elected representatives, it along with senior Uisce Eireann management, have held six briefings to date: three for Oireachtas members, and three for Councillors. All 31 City Councillors were invited to each of the Councillor sessions. The briefings were aimed at updating elected representatives on the measures being undertaken to help address discolouration. The dates of the dedicated briefing sessions are outlined below:

03 May 2024  in person  TDs and Senators;

09 May 2024  online  Councillors  5 Councillors attended;

06 September 2024  in person  TDs and Senators;

12 September 2024  online  Councillors  9 councillors attended;

14 February 2025  in person  TDs;

19 February 2025  in person  3 Councillors attended.

Separately, Uisce Eireann was due to hold a Council workshop with Cork City Councillors on Thursday, 20 March, 2025 as part of a national initiative with Councils across the country. A lot of planning goes into these workshops as they are comprehensive and cover an extensive range of topics related to water and wastewater services. Cork City Council opted to cancel yesterdays workshop and hold a special meeting of the Council instead. Due to the format of these workshops, it would not be possible to integrate them into the format of a special council meeting. We are currently waiting on Cork City Council to confirm a rescheduled date for their dedicated workshop.

To reiterate, Uisce Eireann remains dedicated to engaging with elected representatives and values their commitment to the communities they represent Uisce Eireanns statement closes.
Pictured at the launch were the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll, Jillian Connolly, CEO CoAction, West Cork CLG and Helen O'Driscoll, CEO, Cancer Connect, Transport to Cork Hospitals. Pic: Brian Lougheed

Cancer Connect and CoAction West Cork have been selected as the charities that will benefit from this years County Mayors Charity Gala.

The charity gala which will be held at the West Cork Hotel, on Saturday, May 3 will raise vital funds for the two charities chosen by Mayor Carroll, Cancer Connect and CoAction West Cork.

Tickets are now on sale for the event which includes a drinks reception, three-course dinner, special guests including comedian Chris Kent, music, dancing and a charity raffle with fantastic prizes.

Cancer Connect provides complimentary, flexible, and confidential transportation for cancer treatments at hospitals in Cork. Its dedicated team of over 500 volunteer drivers offer reliable transport to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and other cancer-related services for everyone in County Cork.

CoAction was founded by a group of parents in West Cork in 1974 to enable their children with disabilities to be supported within their local community.

Today it provides a wide range of services for children and adults across West Cork.

This includes day services, respite, residential, home supports, home share and multidisciplinary supports for adults with an intellectual disability.

Children with an intellectual disability can access respite, home supports, Saturday clubs and summer camps.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said: The annual County Mayors Charity Gala is a highlight of the year and I am honoured that it will be taking place in Skibbereen this May Bank Holiday Weekend.

The County Mayor continued: It is an opportunity to celebrate and to showcase West Cork, but more importantly it is an opportunity to support the incredible work of two charities who are making a huge difference to the lives of the people they support.

Cancer Connect provide so much more than a spin to hospital, their volunteers bring compassion, friendship and community support. CoActions dedication to helping each person to reach their full potential and live the life that they choose is truly remarkable. I am inviting everyone to join us for a fantastic evening and help to raise funds for two very worthy causes, he added.

Helen ODriscoll, Manager of Cancer Connect said: As a donations-based initiative, we depend on community support to maintain and enhance our services, ensuring that transportation remains accessible to all. In 2024, we experienced a 20% increase in demand for our transportation services, highlighting the urgent need for additional funding to meet this growth.

It is an honour to be nominated as beneficiaries, said Jillian Connolly, CEO of CoAction. The continued success and growth of CoAction over the past 50 years is thanks to the support of the West Cork Community and beyond. Fundraisers like this help us to broaden the services we provide to individuals and their families and enhance the lives of the children and adults we support.

We are currently planning for their 2025 summer camps for children and the proceeds of this wonderful event will greatly assist in our ability to ensure the children have a great time this summer.

Tickets for the Cork County Mayor's Charity Gala are now on sale, priced at 100 each, and can be purchased online by visiting www.CorkCoCo.ie.

Dress code is semi-formal and 100% of proceeds will be distributed equally between Cancer Connect and CoAction West Cork.
January and February both had record numbers of overcrowding nationally

INMO Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha says patients are being placed in inappropriate settings

Over 4,000 patients have waited for beds in Cork hospitals since the beginning of the year.

Figures by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, show that of those, 702 patients were on trolleys at the Mercy University Hospital in Accident and Emergency, while 2,695 were spent at Cork University Hospital A&E since January 1, 2025.

Over 1,300 of those at the CUH A&E were spent on trolleys last month alone, which the INMO has called the worst February for hospital overcrowding on record nationally, and the second month in a row with record overcrowding.

In January, the citys largest hospital saw 1,573 patients seen on trolleys, while at the Mercy University Hospital, 497 spent time on trolleys, either in Accident and Emergency or elsewhere.

194 patients at Bantry General Hospital have also been left waiting for a bed on the ward.

It adds up to 3,397 patients on trolleys in A&E departments, while 828 were elsewhere on the ward, combining for a total of 4,225 patients waiting for a bed across the city and county since the year began.

This month to date (March 20), 513 patients have been left waiting for a bed in Cork University Hospital, 150 at the Mercy University Hospital, and 37 in Bantry General Hospital.

Last month, the organisation released the results of their first Behind the Trolley survey completed by nurses in the countrys acute hospitals on their experiences of treating patients on trolleys or in hospital corridors.

The survey was targeted not only at nurses treating patients in Emergency Departments, but also those working in hospital wards where patients are being treated without an appropriate bed. The survey was carried out from 19th January  31st January, a period when over 6,395 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed.

According to the union, 84.37% of respondents have cared for patients in inappropriate settings like Emergency Department corridors, waiting rooms, ward porches, treatment rooms and other inappropriate areas within the last year, and 85.28% of these respondents believe that patient care and safety were compromised in these settings.

71.94% of respondents have observed patient safety incidents directly related to inappropriate care settings, such as falls, medication and treatment delays. Respondents highlighted those patients endured a complete lack of privacy and dignity while being treated on a trolley.

The vast majority of respondents stated that increasing bed capacity (83.33%) and recruiting more nursing staff (80.48%) were key to addressing the issue of hospital overcrowding.

This situation is avoidable, but it has been allowed to worsen year and year at the expense of the health and safety of staff and patients alike, said INMO Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha about the results of the survey.

This is simply inexcusable. Nurses have voiced serious apprehensions about the suitability of some patient care areas, yet these warnings continue to be disregarded by the Health Service Executive.

INMO members are reporting that there are huge ethical concerns with the constant placing of patients in inappropriate settings across such as window bays and waiting rooms. Many patients do not have access to call bells, oxygen points, or suction, appropriate toilet facilities, proper beds, hoists, or pressure-relieving mattresses.

Patients with infectious diseases, dementia, or mental health conditions are being placed in inappropriate settings, increasing risks for both staff and other patients.

The new government has an opportunity to turn this situation around with a radical plan to staff hospitals, introduce plans to retain existing staff and increase capacity across acute and community services over the coming year, including the fast-tracking of elective-only hospitals.

Anything short of this will continue to put lives in danger.
Fr. John Lalor administered humanitarian aid during the bloody Battle of Manila

Earlier this month marked the 80th anniversary of one of the most gruesome battles in World War II history, and you might not have even heard of it.

Fought in the closing months of the war, the Battle of Manila was an attempt by Allied forces to liberate the city from Japanese occupation and turned into one of the most destructive of the entire war.

Dubbed the Stalingrad of Asia, the battle saw over 250,000 killed, with over 100,000 of those civilians, mass murdered by Japanese forces, while many were also killed by American firepower. The battle caused the Filipino capital to become one of the most devastated in the course of the Great War.

Among those killed was Cork man Fr. John Lalor.

Born in Shandon on the August 9, 1897, Lalor was educated in Mungret College before going to Dalgan College in County Meath to begin his education as a Columban priest. Having been ordained in 1924, Lalor embarked on missionary work in 1926, when he travelled to Hanyang in China.

In 1928, Fr. John was kidnapped by Communists who demanded that he write a ransom note requesting money. When he refused, they forced a lump of raw opium down his throat and left him for dead. Fortunately, a young man found him and brought him to the nearest Catholic village. When he recovered, he was reassigned to the Philippines.

Lalor arrived in the Philippines in 1934, almost a decade before the major military campaign would take place. The following year, the Commonwealth of the Philippines would take shape, as a transitional administration between US occupancy, and full Philippine independence.

However, ten hours after the Japanese attack in Pearl Harbour in December 1941, the Empire invaded the country, causing significant damage to American aircraft during the initial attack. By January 2, 1942, Japanese soldiers had entered the city of Manila, beginning a three-year occupation of the island which many Filipinos still look back on with pain.

By March 1942, Japanese forces had achieved significant territorial gains. To deny them the propaganda coup of capturing one of America's most famous military leaders, General Douglas MacArthur was evacuated to Australia. His promise to return served as a beacon of hope for the next three years.

Bataan fell on April 18th, followed by the island of Corregidor on May 6th. Subsequently, about 60,000 Filipino and 10,000 U.S. 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. Many of those who survived the march were transported to Japan while others faced death from disease, dysentery and starvation in local prisoner-of-war camps, where conditions were inhumane and minor or imaginary infractions resulted in death by bullet, bayonet or beating.

From the outset, the Columban order was involved in delivering humanitarian aid to the prisoners of war in the Bilibid and Cabanatuan camps. Their parish house in Malate 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 of war by Filipino resistance agents.

Fr. Lalor ran a store outside the harsh Nichols Field work camp, where he provided the starving and overworked prisoners with food, medicine and clothing. He was a vital link between the underground and the prisoners of war and internees.

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 2.

In June 1942, the Irish men took over a temporary hospital established by the Philippine Red Cross at their Catholic School in Malate. 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. 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.

1943 saw food and medicines become scarce, while Fr. Lalor lost confrere, Fr. Frank Douglas, a New Zealander, to Japanese forces, as the priests began to fear for their safety.

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.

While a few days before Christmas of that year, Fr. Lalor was arrested along with two other Irish Columban priests. Tortured and brutally beaten, the three priests were eventually released. Undeterred but more vigilant, they continued their humanitarian work.

The Corkonian was lucky to escape death early into the following year, when, on February 7th, the Japanese looted and set fire to Malate church and presbytery.

Fathers John Henaghan (Mayo), Patrick Kelly (Offaly), Petr Fallon (Galway), and Joseph Monaghan (Down) 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 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.

Father Lalor was working that day and managed to escape arrest, but no more than a week later he was dead, ironically at the hands of the American liberators, albeit accidentally.

Aged 47, he was killed along with 200 others on February 13th when American troops shelled the hospital.

He had been sitting outside with his back against a wall when a shell struck the wall a meter or two above him. The resulting concussion caused his death.

What remained of the beautiful city of Manila, once known as the Pearl of the Orient, was eventually 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.

Afterwards, letters of gratitude from survivors commending their courage and devotion flooded into the Columban headquarters at Dalgan Park, Navan.

In recognition of their commitment to the American prisoners-of-war, the US Marines bestowed the honorary title of Leatherneck of God on Fathers Lalor, Kelly and Henaghan, Leatherneck being slang for a U.S. 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.

"Father John Lalor, Citizen of Ireland. For meritorious service which has aided the United States in the prosecution of the war against Japan in the Southwest Pacific Area, from 1942 to February 1945, the award reads.

During the Japanese occupation of the Philippine Islands, Father Lalor was an important link in the underground that supplied food, medicine, clothing and messages to prisoners of war and internees.

He, with other priests of his order, operated a hospital in their school building and were able to feed and give medical care to many. While operating a store outside Nichols Field, he was able to give the prisoners much extra food and necessities, at great risk to his life. He was arrested by the Japanese, later released, and died in the battle of Manila in February 1945.

By his outstanding bravery, resourcefulness, and devotion to duty, Father Lalor made a distinct contribution to the cause of freedom."

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.

With thanks to Mairead OBrien
Pictured are members of An Garda Siochana, National Ambulance Service, Fermoy Fire Service with Caroline Casey, Cork County Council along with guest speakers Mark Dalton and Leo Lieghio. Pic: Brian Lougheed

More than 400 students from five secondary schools in County Cork recently attended a road safety event in Fermoy.

At the event the secondary school students heard from two people whose lives were changed forever following road traffic collisions.

The event was the first in a series of talks organised by Cork County Council in collaboration with Cork County Fire Service, National Ambulance Service, An Garda Siochana and road safety advocates.

The transition and fifth year students heard personal stories from Mark Dalton, a 23-year-old man who suffered serious life-changing injuries after a crash and Leo Lieghio, a father whose daughter was killed in a road traffic incident.

Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll said: With 60 of the 174 people tragically lost on Irish roads last year under the age of 25, it is vital that we keep the road safety message out there for the youth in our communities.

I would like to thank both Mark and Leo for telling their stories which Im sure resonated with and will have a lasting impact upon all present. The road safety message is simple. I am appealing to everyone to belt up, slow down and avoid all distractions in the car, especially the mobile phone, he added.

An interview with fire crews from Cork County Fire Service in Fermoy gave insights into what happens when the pager goes off and how the team responds to road traffic incidents and their aftermath.

The event also included an outdoor demonstration showing what happens at the scene of a road traffic collision with all services working together, including Cork County Fire Service using cutting equipment and the National Ambulance Service showing students how a casualty is extracted from a vehicle using a spinal board.

Inspector Jason Wallace, Fermoy Garda Station hailed the initiative as very worthwhile. This was an exceptionally worthwhile initiative in the ongoing effort to reduce the unacceptable number of road deaths and injuries on our roads and the impact on families.

The co-ordination between Cork County Council, Cork County Fire Service, National Ambulance Service and An Garda Siochana was an example of a really positive collaboration between agencies who have a common goal. There is no doubt that this event will have made a difference, he added.

This event is the first in a series of Cork County Council countywide multi-school workshops with the next one planned for Mallow in May 2025.
30 new social housing apartments are also being opened today by Cork City Council

Niall Walley, on behalf of DWP & Lyonshall Ltd.; Des Riordan, Clancy Construction; Chief Executive Valerie O'Sullivan, Cork City Council; The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Dan Boyle; Assistant Chief Executive Brian Geaney, Cork City Council; Kelly O'Brien, Tuath Housing pictured at the formal opening of 30 A-rated social housing apartments at Carraig View, Blackrock, Cork. Photo by Alison Miles/OSM PHOTO

Another 133 social homes are closer to delivery having had the sod turned on them by Cork City Council.

The homes are being built at different locations, on the Model Farm Road, and in Mahon.

In Mahon, a 90-home development will have its sod turned, at Clover Hill Court on the Bessboro Road. Clancy Project Management Limited will oversee the construction of 28 one-bedroom apartments, 56 two-bedroom apartments and six three-bedroom two storey houses.

The scheme provides an excellent example of an urban infill development on lands zoned for residential development in the Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028, and is supported by Cork City Council and funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

In the west of the city, 43 new apartments are set to be built at Westside Court on the Model Farm Road. Located near Munster Technological University (MTU), this development includes 17 one-bedroom apartments and 26 two-bedroom apartments. The development will be delivered by Clancy Project Management Limited.

The latest development comes as 30 new A-rated social housing apartments are opened in Blackrock, meanwhile.

Lord Mayor Dan Boyle officiated at the formal opening of the apartments at Carraig View in Blackrock. The Church Road scheme contains a mix of six one-bedroom apartments and 24 two-bedroom apartments. The scheme was developed by Lyonshall Ltd and built by Clancy Construction through Cork City Councils Competitive Dialogue procurement process, and is being managed by Tuath Housing Association on behalf of Cork City Council.

Chief Commercial and Development Officer of Tuath Housing Association, Martin Loughran said: Tuath Housing is proud to be working with Cork City Council to manage these 30 new homes at Carraig View in Blackrock.

We look forward to our continued partnership with the Council to provide secure, quality housing to the people of Cork.

Im exceptionally proud to officially open and break ground on three unique developments which will provide a further 163 new social homes for the people of Cork, said the Lord Mayor.

I must acknowledge Cork City Councils employment of a variety of mechanisms to achieve housing delivery, one of its key priorities. I would also like to acknowledge the significant ongoing work of all those involved in housing delivery. My wish is that these properties provide all the security and comfort of a home to their new tenants and that they participate fully in their respective new communities.

All three sites are being developed by development groups, with Sinn Fein Councillor Michelle Gould last week calling on the council to employ direct labour to build social homes. Gould said last week that the rate of house building is not keeping up with additions to the housing list.

The Clover Hill and Westside schemes are being developed using what the council call modern methods of construction, which aims for efficient construction using modular methods which will provide better quality of structures as greater percentage of build will be constructed off-site, ensuring better quality management and less disruption for the surrounding community.

Cork City Council believes that it will benefit from a fast, cost-efficient and effective process with environmentally friendly materials as part of the construction of the scheme.
Emma McSweeney (L) from Banteer in Cork and Sarah O'Sullivan (R) from Ballyduff in Kerry.

Two college friends from Cork and Kerry, Emma McSweeney and Sarah OSullivan, are preparing for a unique summer volunteer experience with Cork-based charity SERVE in India, working with the Association of People with Disabilities (APD).

Emma McSweeney, from Banteer in Cork and Sarah OSullivan, from Ballyduff are set to volunteer this summer with SERVE, a Cork-based charity focused on community development in India. Both students are excited to contribute their skills to work with people with special needs, through APD which focuses on supporting people with disabilities.

Emma, currently studying Plant Biology at University College Cork (UCC), has always been passionate about scientific research and journaling. Inspired by her mother, a physiotherapist, she has developed a keen interest in working with individuals with disabilities. Sarah, studying Biotechnology, has a particular interest in prosthetics and is eager to work with amputees during her volunteer experience.

Weve both wanted to go to India for a long time, and when we learned about the SERVE opportunity, it felt like the perfect fit, said Emma.

Indias culture, food, and environment are completely new to us, and were excited to learn from the people there while making a meaningful impact.

Both students are actively preparing for their summer journey through joint fundraising efforts, including a climb of Carrauntoohil, Irelands highest peak, to raise funds for their volunteer work. Emmas parents, both experienced mountaineers, are fully supporting the initiative.

With the opportunity to help those in need while learning about a new culture, Emma and Sarah said that they are both excited to embark on this journey and apply their unique skills to assist individuals with disabilities in India.

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.

Inspired by the belief that Solidarity in Action can improve the lives of the most vulnerable, SERVE works in partnership with local communities and organisations to offer high-quality vocational and educational learning opportunities.

For more information about SERVEs work and the volunteer projects, visit www.serve.ie while the link to the two girls fundraiser can be found here.
Dawn McLarnon decided that she wanted to become a member of An Garda Siochana at a very young age

Newly sworn member of An Garda Siochana, Dawn McLarnon, pictured with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim OCallaghan, at the Passing Out Ceremony earlier this month.

Newly sworn member of An Garda Siochana Dawn McLarnon pictured at the passing out ceremony in Templemore Garda Training College earlier this month.

A young Kerry woman achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a Garda when she was sworn in as a member of the force earlier this month.

Dawn McLarnon (22), a former student of Mercy Mounthawk in Tralee, decided that she wanted to join the Gardai at a young age because it would allow her to pursue her passion for helping other people.

After completing her Leaving Certificate in 2022, Dawn enrolled in Kerry Colleges Pre-Garda (Legal Studies) course.

Now, less than three years after leaving school, she has achieved her goal of becoming a member of An Garda Siochana after attesting at a passing out ceremony in Templemore on March 7.

Its amazing to think that less than a year ago, I was working in retail and in the middle of the Garda application process. And now I am a fully sworn member of An Garda Siochana, she said.

Dawn is now stationed in Dublin as a probationary Garda and is looking forward to progressing in her new career.

The unpredictable nature of the job means that every single shift presents new challenges and opportunities to assist people in different ways, she explained.

There are also so many opportunities within the force, joining An Garda Siochana gives me the chance to develop my skills and explore different areas of policing.

Newly sworn member of An Garda Siochana, Dawn McLarnon, pictured with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim OCallaghan, at the Passing Out Ceremony earlier this month.

Dawn credits the Pre-Garda course she studied at the Clash Road campus of Kerry College with giving her a strong insight into her future role.

I had no prior experience with any part of the job, so this course gave me the opportunity to explore it in depth while also building my confidence before applying, she said.

The course provided Dawn with a foundation in legal studies, procedures, and real-world applications of the law. It also included unique experiences, such as visits to the Garda College and Limerick Prison, which left an impression on her.

Newly sworn member of An Garda Siochana Dawn McLarnon pictured at the passing out ceremony in Templemore Garda Training College earlier this month.

Today's News in 90 Seconds - March 22nd

Kerry College principal, Stephen Goulding, congratulated Dawn on her achievement.

Dawns success is a fantastic example of how the Pre-Garda course can help students transition seamlessly into careers in law enforcement. As a school leaver, she made an excellent decision to pursue further education and training to gain insight and experience for career choice, Mr Goulding said.

Her hard work, dedication, and passion for public service is truly inspiring, and we are incredibly proud of her.
Emma McSweeney (L) from Banteer in Cork and Sarah O'Sullivan (R) from Ballyduff here in Kerry.

Two college friends from Cork and Kerry, Emma McSweeney and Sarah OSullivan, are preparing for a unique summer volunteer experience with Cork-based charity SERVE in India, working with the Association of People with Disabilities (APD).

Emma McSweeney, from Banteer in Cork and Sarah OSullivan, from Ballyduff are set to volunteer this summer with SERVE, a Cork-based charity focused on community development in India. Both students are excited to contribute their skills to work with people with special needs, through APD which focuses on supporting people with disabilities.

Emma, currently studying Plant Biology at University College Cork (UCC), has always been passionate about scientific research and journaling. Inspired by her mother, a physiotherapist, she has developed a keen interest in working with individuals with disabilities. Sarah, studying Biotechnology, has a particular interest in prosthetics and is eager to work with amputees during her volunteer experience.

Weve both wanted to go to India for a long time, and when we learned about the SERVE opportunity, it felt like the perfect fit, said Emma.

Indias culture, food, and environment are completely new to us, and were excited to learn from the people there while making a meaningful impact.

Both students are actively preparing for their summer journey through joint fundraising efforts, including a climb of Carrauntoohil, Irelands highest peak, to raise funds for their volunteer work. Emmas parents, both experienced mountaineers, are fully supporting the initiative.

With the opportunity to help those in need while learning about a new culture, Emma and Sarah said that they are both excited to embark on this journey and apply their unique skills to assist individuals with disabilities in India.

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.

Inspired by the belief that Solidarity in Action can improve the lives of the most vulnerable, SERVE works in partnership with local communities and organisations to offer high-quality vocational and educational learning opportunities.

For more information about SERVEs work and the volunteer projects, visit www.serve.ie while the link to the two girls fundraiser can be found here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/summit-for-serve-in-solidarity?attribution_id=sl:0d772d1d-cf19-4c29-aef8-a07f5f087deb&lang=en_IE&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp13_t1-amp14_t1&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
A man has appeared at Sligo District Court on foot of a European Arrest Warrant having been arrested in Germany for an offence of sexual assault alleged to have taken place in 2014.

Judge Sandra Murphy imposed a prohibition order preventing the naming of the defendant (45) who appeared before the court in custody.

Sergeant John Walsh gave evidence of arresting the defendant, who is not an Irish national, on foot of a European Arrest Warrant at Dublin Airport on March 18th at 12.25pm. He said the defendant was transferred to Sligo Garda Station and later to Sligo University Hospital before returning to the station where he was subsequently charged with the offence of sexual assault of a woman at a Sligo pub on October 27th 2014.

Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor (defending) said the defendant was not in a position to make a bail application as he didnt have an address here but should be able to address this matter at the court this Thursday. The defendant was consenting to be remanded in custody for one week.

Sergeant Walsh said the DPP had directed summary disposal of the matter in the District Court.

Mr MacSharry was granted Legal Aid. He said the defendant had no means in the State.

Judge Murphy remanded the defendant in custody to appear again at Sligo District Court on Thursday where the issue of bail and jurisdiction will be dealt with.
With Co Wexford subjected to the whims of elaborately named storms with increasing frequency, concerns have been raised over the resilience of power supply across the Model County.

The issue was first raised by Independent councillor Leonard Kelly at the most recent meeting of Wexford County Council where he questioned whether any kind of assessment had been carried out of the vulnerability of the ESB network in the face of more frequent weather events.

He suggested it would be helpful to catalogue areas where an issue might occur, such as remote areas or where there are a lot of trees in close proximity to power lines.

Chief Executive Eddie Taaffe said that he was due to meet with representatives from the ESB the following day and would certainly raise the matter with them.

At this point, Aontu councillor Jim Codds hand shot up.

"While youre at it could you mention persistent issues in Bannow to them, he asked. I know we had an issue previously where birds causing problems with the lines was resulting in power outages in Rathangan.

"Well it seems at the moment, if a pigeon flaps its wings in Bannow, the electricity goes out. Could we look at getting that sorted too?
Tara Butler-Frey with Granda Willie by a pupil from Bridgetown College; Elemental by a pupil from St. John of God School; The Rainbow Sugar Rush by a pupil from St Fintan's National School, Taghmon.

Young Wexford artists who submitted entries to this years Texaco Childrens Art Competition are currently having their works evaluated as the judging process gets under way.

Adjudicator Tara Butler-Frey has been evaluating work submitted from Bridgetown College, St. John of God School, and St. Fintan's National School in Taghmon among others as the difficult process of selecting this years winners continues.

Winners in six age categories, plus one category reserved exclusively for young artists with additional needs, will be announced in mid-April.

Now celebrating its 71st year, the Texaco Childrens Art Competition is the longest-running art sponsorship in Ireland. First held in 1955, it is hosted by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited  the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand.
Acne, Hobbs, Reese and Kos also feature at the pre-loved clothing store run in aid of Vision Ireland

Vision Ireland said the reaction of the community of Greystones, County Wicklow to the opening of its first concept store in Ireland has been very warm and welcoming, as it brings its innovative retail venture to the town.

Located on Hillside Road, Greystones, the new retail space, called Reloved, marks something of a step forward in reimagining the typical charity retail offering, with a large selection of premium, pre-loved fashion in a space that has been carefully designed to suit its environment.

Vision Irelands retail regional manager, Siobhan Miller, said the charity is essentially trying to elevate what the charity shop is and to elevate the charity shopping experience, from the stereotypical stores that dot the main streets of so many towns around the country.

I suppose what we're trying to do is bring the customers some really high quality, pre-loved fashion. And it's in the most beautiful space, Siobhan said.

So I think the shop unit itself looks really different to our normal stores. It's designed and curated to really give you that feeling that it's an elevated kind of shopping experience.

Asked whether the charity met with any resistance from the fastidious residents of the town, Siobhan said the reception was actually quite the opposite.

The people have been so warm and welcoming, she said. You know, we've had people dropping in to volunteer, to donate, and dying to shop in the store. We go out and engage with the community when we start thinking we're going to come into a market. You know, we get out and we talk to people and we tell them what we're about. So we haven't met any resistance so far. In fact, it's been the opposite.

"Everybody that's popped in their head, they're either looking to see if they can volunteer with us, they're looking to see if they can shop with us, or just, you know, even donate stock. I've had so many people popping their heads in to see if we can take some stock for them, you know, so no, they've been very, very welcoming.

While Siobhan said the new store, which hopes to raise the bar of the typical charity shop product and aim more for brands and labels than handbags and glad rags, the charity still absolutely depends on donations.

"But we have some fantastic designer brands in store, some really big names, like Victoria Beckham, we have Acne, we have Diane von Furstenberg, and we have premium stock, like Hobbs, Reese and Kos, really good quality pieces at a decent price.

A lot of the stock is donated by customers and has been cherry-picked for Greystones, but Vision Ireland has also cultivated a lot of corporate partnerships and is guaranteed quality clothing.

We have a business development team, and they would source stock, so they would go out and make a corporate partnership. So for example, we have a partnership with A Sorted Affair, so they will have a rail in our store. They are two girls that declutter houses, so they'll go in and declutter and send us donations in. But also we have corporate partnerships with someone like Mountain Warehouse, so we will get the seconds or maybe, some of the slightly defective clothing, but still fantastic quality.

So it kind of comes from every angle, to be really honest, we get amazing donations, amazing premium stock donations, but also we're working hard to try to build those relationships with different businesses.

We're very, very excited, Siobhan said. I suppose for us, we feel like it's the beginning. We do think there's more to come. We do think there's definitely a market there for those premium pieces. We sell a lot of designer pieces online on our e-commerce business as well. And we see fantastic uplift for those sorts of pieces as well. And people are really looking for them, you know, going out of their way to look for those pieces.

Vision Ireland  formerly the National Council for the Blind  is the countrys leading sight loss charity, serving the nearly 300,000 people across Ireland living with vision impairment. The opening of Reloved in Greystones hopefully will pave the way for more concept stores.

As a charity, and as retail continues to evolve, the organisation said it is committed to offering a unique, stylish, and sustainable shopping experience while still supporting its essential services.

Chief commercial officer at Vision Ireland Retail, Beverley Scallan, said: "We are delighted to bring the Reloved by Vision Ireland concept to life with the opening of our first store in Greystones. This marks a new chapter for charity retail, where sustainability meets style in a truly elevated shopping experience. We want to offer fashion-conscious shoppers a genuine alternative to high street retailers, proving that preloved fashion can be premium, stylish, and accessible."

The store, which officially openede its doors on Thursday, March 20, is expected to be a big draw for the town and wider area of north Wicklow.

Store manager Sandra Fernandes added: "We are so proud to be the first Reloved by Vision Ireland store in Ireland. The response from the local community has already been fantastic, and we cant wait to welcome shoppers to experience our new concept. This store will undoubtedly become a go-to fashion destination for Greystones and beyond."
Sarah Caden asks Jeff Rosevear, head of research and development at Trinny London, all about at-home microneedling

'Its very important to use the correct technique to prevent damaging the skin,' says Jeff Rosevear of Trinny London. Image: Getty

Five years ago now, the pandemic lockdowns saw a lot of us embrace habits that might have come with the hashtag Dont try this at home. Think cutting ones own hair, schooling ones own children, growing ones own sourdough starter in the hot press. Another was attempting salon-level skincare in the absence of actual salons and professionals.

With this, sales of at-home skincare devices exploded and, unlike sales of eyebrow trimmers and bread-proofing baskets, this market has continued strongly since. Thats not to say a home device can ever achieve salon-level results. However, if you accept that a home device is both different in price and impact, then some are worth a go and microneedling is a case in point.

Microneedling is a skin treatment that uses a series of tiny needles to create micro-tears in the skin, says Jeff Rosevear, head of research and development at Trinny London. In a salon, professional microneedling is normally performed with a motorised device called a Dermapen, using needles at least 1mm in length. At home, you would use a roller tool.

What does an at-home roller do exactly and how is it different to what they use in a salon?

When microneedling creates micro-tears in the skin, the body reacts as it would to any wound and goes into healing mode. That means a boosted production of collagen, the protein that diminishes as we age and loss of which makes skin thinner, less elastic and more lined.

At-home microneedles are shorter and only target the very top layer of skin, and vary from .25mm to .5mm, says Rosevear. This length of needle is safe to use at home. They do not penetrate as deeply as professional devices, but can still target overall skin tone and texture, while enhancing serum penetration for better results, thanks to those imperceptible micro-channels.

Is microneedling at home safe and how do I do it right?

Microneedling is safe for use at home, but its very important to use the correct technique to prevent damaging the skin, Rosevear explains. The technique we recommend focuses on small sections of the face, using featherlight motions with no applied pressure.

Featherlight is the key word here. You are not trying to break the skin to the point that you bleed, nor should you be left with tracks on your face like you were ploughing a field.

Its recommended that you run the roller vertically, then horizontally and then diagonally over each section of the face, and each direction twice over. Lightly, we repeat, lightly.

Microneedling is suitable for most people, but its not suitable for anyone who has active acne, as it can increase inflammation, or very sensitive skin, advises Rosevear. Its also best to avoid treatments such as waxing, peels and injectables for a week before microneedling.

Also, cleanliness is key. Thoroughly clean the skin before microneedling and after use, clean the device with a sterilising spray. The head of the tool should be replaced after approximately 24 uses, as it will be blunt.

How often should I use a microneedling dermaroller to see results and what products work well with it? Start slowly  just once a week  and only increase if and when your skin is happy and comfortable, says Rosevear. That can be increased to up to three times a week, he says. Over time and with consistent use, Rosevear says you can expect to see improvement in fine lines, skin quality and texture.

In terms of products, think about watering a plant and how the effect is so much greater if you allow the water to sink further than the surface. Its the same with your skin, so use a hydrating serum and allow the micro-channels to drink it a bit deeper.

Avoid using products containing retinoids, alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), and vitamin C for at least 24 hours after microneedling, Rosevear says. And, it almost goes without saying, dont forget the sun protection.

Trinny London Plump Up Microneedle, 0.5mm, 62; 0.3mm, 55, see trinnylondon.com or Brown Thomas, brownthomas.com

Trinny London Plump Up Microneedle, 0.5mm, 62; 0.3mm, 55, see trinnylondon.com or Brown Thomas

Different length needles give different depths of penetration and Trinnys new .3mm needle is better suited to sensitive skin or beginners. Trinny also recommends a one-month break after every eight weeks of use. Each device comes with an 8ml cleaning spray.

Geske MicroNeedle Face Roller 9 in 1, 59.95, selected pharmacies nationwide, or see beauty.com; beautyfeatures.ie

Geske MicroNeedle Face Roller 9 in 1, 59.95, selected pharmacies nationwide, or see beauty.com; beautyfeatures.ie

With a wide head, this device can be used all over the body as well as the face. It also pulsates, which they say helps clear the skin, and emits red light during use. With three interchangeable heads  rose quartz, .3mm needles, and a cooling roller.

Genosys Moisture Replenishing Hyaluronic Serum, 51, selected salons nationwide, or see genosys.ie

Genosys Moisture Replenishing Hyaluronic Serum, 51, selected salons nationwide, or see genosys.ie

Treatments using this South Korean brand have been available for a while, but now Ireland has the products too. Hyaluronic acid functions to lubricate and plump skin cells and the smaller the molecule the deeper it can go. This serum has 11 different types of hyaluronic, which microneedling will help channel in to the skin better.
Rivals star Danny Dyer has said his surprise best actor win at the Broadcasting Press Guild (BPG) Awards 2025 was a revelation to him.

The 47-year-old won the award at Thursdays ceremony in London for his role as Freddie Jones in the Disney+ drama, which is adapted from a novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, and depicts the ruthless world of independent television in 1986.

Speaking about winning the gong, Dyer, who played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in EastEnders between 2013 and 2022, told the PA news agency: Well, for me personally as an actor, its a surprise.

I watched it as a viewer as well, because as much as Fred (his character) is in it, and hes an important part of it, there was a lot when hes not.

So when I watched the whole series, I was so proud, choked up, to be part of something so brilliant and surrounded by such incredible actors.

Honestly, I was taken away by it, so to be nominated, as a good actor in it, is a revelation to me. Ive been around a long time.

The shows producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins joked to PA that Dyer was not a bad actor.

He said: Hes incredible, and whats been brilliant is bringing Dan in to a whole new audience.

We all knew how wonderful he is, but its been really special, and Rivals, Ive been trying to put Rivals on the television for years, and to create a show that people are re-watching and re-watching.

I spoke to someone the other day and shed rewatched it 14 times.

Dyer Dyer, who has said former EastEnders producer Treadwell-Collins took a risk hiring him for the soap, said: Well TikTok has gone crazy for it, really going into it on a very deep level.

Im not on TikTok, Im pushing 50, but my daughter is, she shows me a lot of stuff and this has really tapped into a lot of young Americans, women, that are so dying for season two.

The actor also spoke about the impact of Netflix series Adolescence, which examines so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture, which has led to misogyny online and bullying using social media.

Dyer said of the show: I think this is something we need to tap into, and I think this has maybe done it.

We need to find out whats going on with our young boys, and weirdly, television is the platform, because it aint going to be politicians, lets have it right.

Mr Bates Vs The Post Offices Gwyneth Hughes took home best writer for the dramatisation of the Horizon IT scandal.

Speaking about the award, she told PA: It means huge amounts to me, especially as the writer.

Because accolades are lovely coming from anywhere, but if it comes from a whole bunch of people who actually know what its like to sit in a darkened room, in front of an empty screen, thats really nice, so Im absolutely thrilled.

The awards, which have been running for more than 50 years, also saw Baby Reindeer actress Jessica Gunning win best actress, Wallace And Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl win best drama or miniseries, and Gavin & Stacey: The Finale win best comedy.
Tanya Sweeney: Why Meryl Streep and Martin Short are everyones favourite new Hollywood couple  including mine

Meryl Streep and Martin Short falling in love in their seventies proves its never too late to find a love match that makes you giddy and excited

Meryl Streep and Martin Short are reportedly dating. Photo: Getty Images

Tanya Sweeney Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30

Make way, everyone, for my new favourite celebrity pairing  Maryl. After a year of speculation, Page Six appears to have confirmed that Meryl Streep and Martin Short, who have co-starred together on Only Murders in the Building, have been dating.
Gaddafi regime responsible for Lockerbie bombing deaths, new book claims

270 people were killed after plane was brought down over Scottish village in 1988

Rescue personnel carry a body away from the site of the crash in Lockerbie on December 22, 1988. Photo: File

Mark Macaskill Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 03:30







Muammar Gaddafis regime was responsible for the murders of 270 people in the Lockerbie bombing, a new book claims.
Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to accept President Donald Trumps offer for a full 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine after their much vaunted call. The Kremlin nonetheless extolled the trust between the two leaders as ushering in a new world order. Mr Putin instead offered Trump a partial ceasefire - ending attacks on the Russian energy infrastructure being targeted by Ukraines long-range drones, as well as Moscows strikes on Ukraines power grid - with the other issues delegated to working groups. This deal would create the likelihood that peace efforts could become bogged down for months as Russia continues pushing into Ukraine three years after Moscows full-scale invasion. Mr Trumps conversation with Putin appeared to signal Russias re-emergence as one of a handful of great powers deciding the fates of smaller nations, recognizing a role for Moscow in resolving global conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. It continued a theme of making major decisions affecting Ukraine when Kyiv is absent from the table.
Attorney general claims remains found at suspected extermination camp not tested

A woman places a candle during a vigil for the victims of the clandestine mass grave recently found in Teuchitlan, Mexico. Photo: Reuters

Mexicos top prosecutor said yesterday there had been flaws in the investigation of a ranch in the western state of Jalisco, which activists have called a cartel-run extermination camp, and vowed to uncover the truth of what happened there.
High time for G7 to reassess its misleading approach

15:39, March 20, 2025 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily Online

The recent joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting and their declaration not only distorts facts and disregards China's solemn position but also grossly interferes in China's internal affairs. From the Taiwan question to the South China Sea and the East China Sea issues, and even the industrial capacity, the G7 has chosen to blatantly tarnish China's image. The statements are filled with arrogance and prejudice, with a malicious intent to suppress and attack China.

Bloc politics and exclusionary alliances are not the solutions to global peace or stability. Attempts to suppress and attack China cannot resolve internal divisions within the G7 itself.

The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference. Yet the G7's latest statement deliberately omits any mention of the one-China principle while advocating for Taiwan's so-called "international participation." This exposes its professed commitment to "peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" as little more than a diplomatic facade.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the one-China principle, concerning China's core interests, is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender have all explicitly affirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan.

The adoption of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 with an overwhelming majority further cemented this understanding by restoring all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the UN while expelling representatives of Taiwan authorities from the organization and all its affiliated agencies.

The resolution resolved once and for all the question of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN, and confirmed the global consensus on the one-China principle. Over 180 countries and international organizations have openly reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle so far.

Taiwan's participation in international organizations must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. Any attempt to distort or hollow out this established understanding is doomed to fail.

Meanwhile, the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea is generally stable. The South China Sea is one of the safest and freest maritime routes in the world, where freedom of navigation and overflight has never been an issue.

The G7's so-called "deep concerns" over the situation in these waters and its repeated claims of "coercion" and "freedom of navigation and overflight" are worn-out cliches designed to advance self-serving geopolitical interests at the expense of the welfare of the people in the Asia-Pacific.

The Asia-Pacific is a region of peace and development, not an arena for geopolitical rivalry. The G7 should earnestly respect regional countries' efforts for peace and stability, abandon the Cold War mentality, stop creating bloc confrontation and stop fueling tensions in the region.

Regarding the Ukraine crisis, China's position has been consistent - political settlement through dialogue and negotiation. The G7's allegations that China is "a decisive enabler" of the crisis are completely unfounded. China did not create the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to the crisis. It has never provided lethal weapons to any party of the conflict and exercised strict export control over dual-use articles.

China's responsible approach and active mediation efforts have been widely recognized and supported by the international community. This fully demonstrates that China's position is objective, fair, and consistent with the aspirations of most countries. By fueling the flames of conflict and falsely smearing China, the G7 reveals itself as the real instigator of instability and an opponent of peace in the region.

China remains committed to the path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. China's defense spending is necessary for safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests, which is open, transparent, reasonable and appropriate.

As a nuclear-armed country, China has shown maximum transparency regarding its nuclear policy and strategic intentions. The country always maintains its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and adheres to the no-first-use nuclear policy. It does not engage in nuclear arms races with any other country, does not provide nuclear umbrella to other countries, and does not deploy nuclear weapons in other countries. Its nuclear policy aims to uphold strategic security and contribute to world peace and stability.

By contrast, the G7 has abandoned fundamental principles of maintaining global strategic stability and undermined the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Yet, it turns around and falsely accuses China's nuclear policy, further exacerbating confrontation and conflicts, and hindering the progress of international nuclear disarmament.

The G7 once claimed that it does not seek to "decouple" or turn inward and acknowledged China's importance in global trade, yet it fabricated accusations of "overcapacity" and "market distortions." In reality, these claims are nothing more than excuses to politicize and weaponize economic and trade ties. The so-called "overcapacity" narrative has been proved to be a false proposition.

China actively promotes a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, upholds the multilateral trading system, and continues to open its markets, sharing the opportunities of Chinese modernization with the world.

The G7 has been advocating "decoupling and severing supply chains," hyping up "de-risking," and building "small yard with high fences" to fuel protectionism and unilateralism. It is the G7, not China, that is undermining the international economic order, destabilizing global markets, and threatening the stability of global industrial and supply chains. Suppressing other countries' development will not solve its own problems. It is high time for the G7 to reassess its misleading approach.

The problems facing the world are intricate and complex, and cooperation for mutual benefit is the right path forward. The G7's relentless efforts to vilify China are only a misallocation of resources. It should discard the Cold War mentality and ideological biases, stop stoking division and confrontation, and follow the trend of history and the world. Instead of sowing discord, it should do more things that are conducive to international solidarity and cooperation.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
Trump to order closure of US Education Department

President Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology

Donald Trump signs an executive order. Photo: Reuters

Colin Binkley and Chris Megerian Thu 20 Mar 2025 at 08:41







President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order on Thursday calling for the shutdown of the US Education Department, according to a White House official.
Livermore, CA (94550)

Today

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 81F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 51F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Asur Season 3 OTT Release Update: The wait for this crime thriller getting harder by the day! With its perfect mix of crime, mythology, and psychological mind games, Asur has become one of the most loved thriller series in India. Fans are eager to know if the battle between good and evil will continue. So, is Asur Season 3 happening? And if yes, when and where can you watch it? Read on!

When and where to expect Asur Season 3?

There is no official release date yet for Asur 3, but the good news isits happening! In a recent interview with India Today, lead actor Barun Sobti hinted that the writers are working on the script, and the show should be back by late 2025 or early 2026. Season 1 of Asur was released on Voot, but for Season 2, the makers shifted to JioCinema. Considering the recent merger, its very likely that Asur 3 will be streaming exclusively on JioHotstar.

What to expect from Asur Season 3?

Season 2 ended with Shubhs death, but his chilling last words hinted that evil doesnt die, it just finds a new face. This means Asur Season 3 will likely introduce a new mastermind, someone even more dangerous, ready to continue Shubhs twisted vision. One major clue? Vrinda Shrivastavthe blind artist whose eerie paintings of Kali looked just like Shubhs. She mysteriously vanished, leaving fans wondering if shes connected to whats coming next.

Meanwhile, Nikhils decision to kill Shubh wasnt just an act of justice but it might have changed him forever. Will he be able to return to his old life, or is he on the verge of becoming the very thing he fought against? And with DJ still hunting for answers, Asur 3 promises more mind games, deeper mythology, and a new villain who could take the battle between good and evil to another level.

Starring Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti in the lead, the Asur franchise also features Anupriya Goenka, Riddhi Dogra, Vishesh Bansal, Amey Wagh, Pawan Chopra and Gaurav Arora in key roles. Excited about Asur Season 3? Drop your thoughts @indiatimes.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Criminal Justice Season 4 OTT Release Update: The wait is soon going to be over! One of Indias most thrilling legal dramas is set to return for a fourth season, and fans are eager to see what new challenges lie ahead for Madhav Mishra (Pankaj Tripathi). With its mix of crime and courtroom battles, the series has become a favourite in the OTT space. But when exactly is Criminal Justice Season 4 dropping, and what can we expect this time? Heres everything we know so far.

When and where to expect Criminal Justice Season 4?

JioHotstar has confirmed Season 4, but the official release date is still under wraps. If we go by the shows previous seasons, it usually takes around a year and a half between each instalment. Since Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach (Season 3) came out in August 2022, we can expect Season 4 to be released around May 2025.

What to expect from Criminal Justice Season 4?

Every season of Criminal Justice has brought a new courtroom battle, and this time will be no different. Pankaj Tripathis character has defended the innocent before, but this season, hes rumoured to take on one of the most difficult cases of his career. Whether hes defending or prosecuting, one things certainit wont be an open-and-shut case. While Vikrant Massey has been highly anticipated to make a return, there's no official confirmation on the same.

What we know so far is, this season, an ensemble including Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Surveen Chawla, Mita Vashisht, Asha Negi, Shweta Basu Prasad, Khushboo Atre and Barkha Singh has been onboarded. Based on the 2008 British television series of the same name, Criminal Justice Season 4 will be directed by Rohan Sippy and produced by Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Mr. Housekeeping OTT Release Date: Hari Bhaskars latest cinematic outing has been awaiting a digital debut for a long time. Despite being announced once, it was indefinitely postponed. But it is now finally ready for your phone screens. Mr. Housekeeping will be streaming on Tentkotta starting March 25, 2025. Written and directed by Arun Ravichandran, this Tamil film earned Rs 1.84 crore globally.

Mr. Housekeepings cast and crew

Released theatrically on 24th January, Mr. Housekeeping also stars Losliya Mariyanesan, Rayan, Ilavarasu, Jawahar Sakthi, Shah Ra, Uma Ramachandran, M. J. Shriram, Nithin Manohar, Bava Lakshmanan, Hello Kandasamy, Mahima, VJ Ashiq, Lakshmi Priya, Harii Muniyappan, Gaayathri Krishnan and Mageshwaran among others. Produced by N Ramasamy and Nithin Manohar, this Osho Venkat musical is cinematographed by Kulothungavarman R and edited by Rama Subbu.

Mr. Housekeepings review

The Times of India rated the movie 2.5 out of 5 and a part of their review read, The confusion and conflicts that 'love', 'live-in' and 'situationship' create for a few characters are entertainingly narrated. Though Mr House Keeping has some decent twists and turns, the predictability in the third act is a letdown. It seemed to have been rushed for that generic climax that the audience had been anticipating. An innovative third act or a surprise towards the end would have been more appealing.

Mr. Housekeepings plot summary

Honest Raj (Hari) and Isai (Losliya) ended things in college when she rejected him. Four years later, Honest, still struggling, takes a housekeeping job at a villa, only to discover its owned by Isai. They reconnect, and Honest hides his job from his family, pretending to work at an IT company. As they grow closer, Honest calls off his engagement to Priya, thinking Isai loves him, but Isai starts dating Harish (Rayan).

Despite Honests efforts to win her over, Isai eventually realizes she misjudged his feelings and breaks up with Harish. Months later, Isai, now realizing her love for Honest, proposes to him, and they finally end up together.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Sabdham OTT Release Date: Aadhi Pinisetty and Lakshmi Menons latest cinematic outing has been running successfully in the theatres for quite some time now. Released theatrically on February 28 this year, the Tamil saga is finally ready for its digital debut. According to Pinkvilla, Sabdham will be streaming on Prime Video starting March 28, 2025. However, an official confirmation is awaited.

Sabdhams plot summary

The story follows Ruben (Aadhi), a paranormal investigator from Mumbai, who is called to look into a series of deaths at a medical college in Munnar. At first, the deaths appear to be suicides, but rumours suggest something supernatural is at play. As he investigates, he starts to see a link between the deaths and Avanthika (Lakshmi), a house surgeon and lecturer at the college.

The twist is that Avanthika doesn't believe in ghosts, which creates a conflict with Ruben's scientific approach to solving the mystery. This clash of beliefs drives the story forward. Written and directed by Arivazhagan Venkatachalam, Sabdham is jointly produced by Siva and S. Banupriya Siva under 7G Films and AAlpha Frames. This S. Thaman musical is cinematographed by Arun Bathmanaban.

Sabdhams review

The Times of India rated the film 2.5 out of 5 and a part of their review read, Sabdham remains intriguing until the first half when along with its protagonist, we, too, remain puzzled about what's happening. Visually, too, we are in a world of heavily blurred frames and tacky visual effects that might have been apt in the Aranmanai or Kanchana universes. Given that it is from a filmmaker who delivered one of the sickest-looking horror films, it feels underwhelming.

Did you watch Sabdham? Drop your review @indiatimes.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Touch Me Not OTT Release Date: Kannada star Dheekshith Shetty is all set to make his Telugu debut with this upcoming thriller series ready to give you chills. Starring alongside Navdeep, this psychometry-based show has been making for a long and has finally found a digital home. Get ready for an edge-of-the-seat experience as Touch Me Not will be streaming on JioHotstar starting April 4, 2025.

Touch Me Nots plot summary

Touch Me Not is a crime thriller with a mysterious twist. The story centres around a dangerous case where anyone who tries to uncover the truth ends up facing deadly consequences. The series' title hints at the danger involved in digging too deep into this case. In the show, a teenager named Rishi, played by Dheekshith Shetty, has a special ability called psychometry.

This means he can learn details about a person or event just by touching objects connected to them. The trailer shows Rishi helping others solve a chilling serial killer case, creating suspenseful, nail-biting moments. This seven-episodic series is an official adaptation of the 2019 Korean drama He is Psychometric.

Touch Me Nots cast and crew

Directed by Ramana Teja, known for his previous film Aswathama, Touch Me Not is created by Guru Films and Sunitha Tati with Chaarvi Murari adapting its screenplay. The technical crew includes Gokul Bharathi as the cinematographer, Anwar Ali as the editor and Kiran Kumar Manne as the art director. Venkatesh Nimmalapudi is the Telugu dialogue writer of this Mahati Swara Sagar musical.

Touch Me Not also stars Babloo Prithiveeraj, Komalee Prasad, Sanchitha Poonacha, Harsha Vardhan, Devi Prasad, Pramodini, Raja Ravindra, Seshidhar, Shiva Reddy, Pradeep Reddy, Anish Kuruvilla, Kriti Chug, Tiala, Umadevi, Komidi Vishveswar, Kranthi, Sanvitha, Sameer, Viharsh, Mahi Reddy, Anish Ram, Sujatha, Geetha Reddy, Srinivas Bhogireddy and Sathya Prakash among others.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
There are two types of anime watchers: those who prefer shorter series with fewer episodes and those who dedicate themselves to watching anime with hundreds or even thousands of episodes. If you fall into the latter category, this discussion is for you! Recently, a Reddit user asked fellow anime fans to suggest long-running series to watch excluding Naruto and One Piece. The responses poured in, with many recommendations, but weve narrowed it down to the top five most commonly mentioned anime.

Check out the thread here:

5 lengthy anime to watch

Gintama

Gintama centers on the eccentric samurai Gintoki Sakata in an alternate Edo-period Japan where the use of swords has been outlawed by aliens known as Amanto. It skillfully combines ridiculous scenarios, slapstick humor, and more. From 2003 until 2019, it was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump.

Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Hunter X Hunter

In order to track down his long-lost father, the renowned Hunter Ging Freecss, the narrative centers on 12-year-old Gon Freecss, who aspires to be a Hunter. As of September 2024, its chapters have been compiled into 38 tankobon volumes.

Where to watch: Crunchyroll

Bleach

Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student with ghost-seeing skill sets, is the focus of Bleach. He meets Rukia Kuchiki one day, a Shinigami Soul Reaper who defends the living world against cruel Hollow souls. It is based on the original Bleach manga series by Tite Kubo. Pierrot produced it, and Noriyuki Abe directed it.

Where to watch: JioHotstar

JoJos Bizarre Adventure

The Joestar family, a clan of warriors who fight otherworldly threats for generations, is the focus of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. A new protagonist with the nickname "JoJo" is the focus of each of the nine story arcs that make up the series.

Where to watch: Crunchyroll

FairyTail

Hiro Mashima is the author and illustrator of the Japanese comic series Fairy Tail. From August 2006 to July 2017, it was published in serial form in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine. The narrative traces the exploits of Natsu Dragneel, a member of the well-known wizard guild Fairy Tail, as he looks for the dragon Igneel in the made-up planet of Earth-land.

Where to watch: Netflix

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Khakee: The Bengal Chapter became an instant hit within hours of its release on Netflix. The buzz around the show started even before it went live, with excited fans asking Elon Musks AI: Grok when they could start watching the series. Once it dropped, social media was flooded with reactions, with many users posting screenshots of their laptop screens as they tuned in.

Hey @grok What time will Khakee: The Bengal Chapter be released on Netflix?  Shubham Singh (@SHUBHAM67632608) March 19, 2025

One fan couldn't wait any longer and tweeted: "Watching Khakee: The Bengal Chapter! I have been waiting for a long time to watch Jeet Da on Netflix." Another wrote, "As a die-hard Jeet fan, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is the only reason I needed to subscribe to Netflix. Prepare for a dedicated viewer."

What is Khakee: The Bengal Chapter about?

The crime drama revolves around IPS officer Arjun Maitra, played by Jeet, who is assigned to Kolkata. To clean up a city tangled in crime, politics, and gangsters. The story starts when a police officer, played by Mimoh Chakraborty, arrests his own colleague, setting off a chain of events that leads to a violent clash between law enforcement and criminals.

Saswata Chatterjee plays Bagha, a feared gangster ruling the city, while DCP Parambrata Chatterjee attempts to take him down. But the real action begins when Arjun Maitra enters the picture. As the battle between the police, politicians, and criminals start, the question remainswho really controls the city?

Khakee: The Bengal Chapter: What works & what doesnt

Credit: X

The series, directed by Debatma Mandal, follows a classic cops-vs-gangsters formula but adds a unique Bengali touch. While the storyline isnt entirely new, what makes Khakee: The Bengal Chapter stand out is its execution.

One of the most striking lines in the show comes from Arjun Maitra, who says:

If every corrupt politician were punished, there wouldnt be enough space in jail for the real criminals. So Im choosing the lesser evil.

Jeets role & The standout performances

Though Jeet plays the sharp IPS officer, it takes him nearly the entire season to turn the tide in his favor. The struggle between politicians, police, and criminals unfolds slowly, but once it picks up, the action is intense.

On the other ground, Ritwik Bhowmik and Aadil Zafar Khan steal the show as Sagore Talukdar and Ranjit Thakur, two criminals rising through the ranks. Their journey from street thugs to feared gangsters shows classic crime drama.

And then theres Prosenjit Chatterjee as Barun Roy: a character who operates like the ultimate kingmaker, flipping the traditional power hierarchy upside down.

What are fans saying about Khakee: The Bengal Chapter?

While the show has sparked massive excitement, opinions are divided. Fans of gangster dramas are loving it, while some feel the pacing could have been tighter.

One viewer called it a mix of exciting and routine gangster drama ideas, like a pulp fiction novel, suggesting it will appeal to fans of the genre.

Another user shared, The dynamic between Jeet Da and Prosenjit Chatterjee is electric. Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is a masterclass in acting.

The dynamic between Jeet Da and Prosenjit Chatterjee is electric. 'Khakee: The Bengal Chapter' is a masterclass in acting. #IndianWebSeries  Soumajit Chakraborty (@soumajit_choco) March 20, 2025

Meanwhile, others had mixed opinions about the shows pace. One user said, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter impresses with stellar performances but is hampered by a sluggish pace, affecting viewer engagement.

Despite the debates over pacing, the overall audience reaction is overwhelmingly positive, with many already calling for a second season.

If you enjoy crime thrillers packed with political drama, gang wars, and power struggles, Khakee: The Bengal Chapter is definitely worth a watch. The performances are strong, the storytelling is gripping, and the depiction of Kolkata adds to the shows appeal.
Once one of South Korea's most beloved and highest-paid actors, Kim Soo-hyun is now at the center of a scandal that has shaken his career and public image. The controversy erupted following allegations that he had a past relationship with actress Kim Sae-ron when she was just 15 years old, while he was 27.

Kim Sae-ron, who died by suicide on his birthday last month, was reportedly involved with Kim Soo-hyun at a very young age and allegedly owed him a significant amount of money. In the wake of these claims, the actor is facing intense public backlash, with several major brands cutting ties with him.

Another brand drops Kim Soo-hyung

On March 18, 2025, Cuckoo China released an official statement announcing the suspension of all promotional activities featuring the actor.

"We will immediately suspend all promotional activities related to Kim Soo-hyun and replace all image materials featuring him on official platforms. All marketing plans involving him will be halted, and a special task force will be formed to monitor the situation."

The brand has since removed all advertisements featuring the actor from its official platforms, including WeChat, Weibo, and its website. Additionally, reports suggest that Cuckoo is considering legal action against the actor.

Kim Soo-hyun's history with Cuckoo

Kim Soo-hyun was appointed as the brand's model for China, Vietnam, and Indonesia on March 1, 2025, amid rising expectations of the potential lifting of the Korean Wave ban. However, just 17 days later, his endorsements were abruptly halted due to ongoing personal controversies.

Cuckoo's partnership with Kim Soo-hyun went beyond China, as they reappointed him as their ambassador in Malaysia on November 16, 2024, after a decade. The collaboration aimed to promote healthier living and strengthen the brands connection with Malaysian consumers.

Cuckoo Chinas swift decision to cut ties raises questions about whether other branches will follow suit. Several brands, including Prada, vegan beauty brand Dinto, South Korean bakery franchise Tous les Jours, athleisure company K2 Korea, Shinhan Bank, Eider, and Aekyung Group, have already ended their partnerships with the actor.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Authorities in the US have detained an Indian national for "spreading Hamas propaganda" and "having close connections to a known or suspected terrorist."

Badar Khan Suri, a research fellow at Georgetown University, was detained on Monday night outside his home in the Rosslyn neighbourhood of Arlington, Virginia, and now faces deportation.

CREDIT: Georgetown University

Who is Badar Khan Suri

Suri, who has a PhD in peace and conflict studies from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, was in the US on a student visa. He is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Georgetown University and was also teaching a course on Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia.

According to his family and lawyer, Suri was arrested by masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security, who also informed him that his visa had been revoked.

'Targeted for wife's Palestinian heritage'

His lawyer stated that Suri has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime. He also noted that Suri was targeted by the Trump administration due to his wife  a US citizen of Palestinian origin.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Suri is married to Mapheze Saleh, a graduate student at Georgetown University and the daughter of Hamas senior adviser Ahmed Yousef.

.@CAMERAonCampus reveals that Mapheze Saleh, a graduate student at @Georgetown is the daughter of a Hamas senior adviser.



Her student biography, since deleted from the university's website, states that she has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza: also known as pic.twitter.com/vMxXzVrPL9  Embassy of Israel to the USA (@IsraelinUSA) February 13, 2025

What Department of Homeland Security said

The Department of Homeland Security has accused Suri of having ties to Hamas and said he had spread propaganda of the Palestinian militant group and antisemitism on social media, according to a statement it shared with Fox News.

According to DHS, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has determined that Suri's activities "rendered him deportable."

"Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior adviser to Hamas," Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on X.

A university spokesperson said the institution has not received a reason for Suri's detention and was unaware of his engagement in alleged illegal activities.

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Following the breakdown of the ceasefire deal with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Israel has resumed ground operations in the Gaza Strip. The "limited ground operation" was launched on Wednesday, a day after the IDF carried out airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, killing over 400 Palestinians.

CREDIT: REUTERS

'Last warning to people of Gaza'

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that its troops began targeted ground activities in the central and southern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone and to create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.

On Wednesday, Israel also issued what it called a "last warning" to residents of the Palestinian territory to return hostages and remove Hamas from power.

Addressing the "residents of Gaza", Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a video: "This is the last warning."

CREDIT: REUTERS

"Take the advice of the president of the United States. Return the hostages and remove Hamas, and other options will open up for you -- including the possibility of leaving for other places in the world for those who want to."

Trump's warning to Gaza residents

Earlier, US President Trump had also issued a similar warning to the residents of Gaza, saying that if the Israeli hostages are not released, death awaits them.

"To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD!," Trump had said.

CREDIT: REUTERS

Israel-Hamas war's impact on Gaza

The Gaza Strip, which is spread across 365 sq km and is home to more than 2 million Palestinians, including many who have been displaced by the Israeli occupation of their villages, has faced the brunt of the ongoing conflict.

The Gaza Strip has been ruled by Hamas since 2007, and more than 50 of the 251 Israelis taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group on October 7, 2023, are still held there.

CREDIT: REUTERS

While Israel and the US have demanded the immediate release of all the remaining hostages, there is a growing fear among the loved ones of those still in captivity that the recent escalations and strikes by the IDF would be counterproductive for their safe return.

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Controversial YouTuber Lee Jin Ho has sparked outrage again by releasing a recorded phone call that alleges the late actress Kim Sae Ron suffered abuse at the hands of her alleged husband. This move comes on the heels of widespread criticism over a previous leaked call, which many deemed fabricated. In the previously leaked call, Lee made sensational claims about Kim Sae Ron's personal life, including marriage, pregnancy, and abortion.

Lee Jin Ho releases new phone recording between Kim Sae Ron's manager and her close friend

YouTuber Lee Jin Ho has released a recorded phone call between Kim Sae Ron's manager and a close friend, revealing allegations of abuse and distressing circumstances the late actress may have faced in her alleged marriage.

Kim Sae Ron with her alleged boyfriend| Credit: X

As per the friend presumed to be Kim's close friend, she was a victim of domestic abuse. The friend claims that the late actress' husband, whom she met in the US, was physically abusive to her, stating, "He hit her and caused trouble. I have photos of the assault." The friend also mentioned that Kim Sae Ron had seemed fine when they met just days before her passing.

The friend shared additional details, alleging that Kim Sae Ron's husband sent abusive messages and threats to them. The friend chose not to respond, but the husband reportedly contacted them from another number and continued to curse at them. According to the friend, Kim Sae Ron had apologised to them for her husband's behaviour.

The friend further alleged that Kim Sae Ron's husband was responsible for a scar on her neck, claiming to have a photo as evidence. The friend expressed suspicion that Kim Sae Ron's death may be linked to her husband's alleged abuse, stating, "It's not official, but we suspect she passed away because of him. He continuously verbally attacked and threatened her."

Lee Jin Ho's previous claims about Kim Sae Ron's life

On March 19th, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho claimed Kim Sae Ron was married and pregnant before her passing. He shared a voice recording where Kim Sae Ron admitted to having a new boyfriend who was not Kim Soo Hyun, getting married due to an unplanned pregnancy and later aborting the child.

Credit: X

In the voice recording, the woman alleged to be Kim Sae Ron, explained, "I met my ex-boyfriend, broke up, and told him I had a new boyfriend. I wasnt going to get married, but I got pregnant." She added, I got rid of the baby. He threatened me with the baby, so I got married." Kim Sae Ron also revealed that her husband was a Korean-American working at a big corporation in the United States, whom she met through a friend. Reports suggest her trip to the U.S. earlier this year was for wedding preparations."

Kim Sae Ron's family denies YouTuber Lee Jin Ho's claims

Kim Sae Ron's family has denied YouTuber Lee Jin Ho's claims that she was married and had an abortion, stating they had "no idea" about these allegations.

Kim Se Hui, the head of the Garosero Research Institute, who represents the opinions of Kim Sae Ron's bereaved family, said, "Kim Sae Ron's bereaved family has never hidden it and had no idea, so it is ridiculous how they make such a claim."

Kim Soo Hyun files a criminal lawsuit against Kim Sae Ron's family

In other developments related to the case, Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, has taken legal action against individuals who shared an explicit photo of him, filing a lawsuit against YouTube channel Garosero and a person claiming to be Kim Sae Ron's aunt.

Meanwhile, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho is facing backlash from netizens for repeatedly sharing unverified information about Kim Sae Ron's private life. Many are criticising Lee for disrespecting the late actress's dignity and are urging him to stop.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
YouTuber Lee Jin Ho recently shared an alleged audio recording involving the late actress Kim Sae Ron and an ex-staff member of her agency. The audio contained a woman, believed to be Kim Sae Ron, admitting that she married her boyfriend after discovering she was pregnant and later aborted the baby.

This video came amid ongoing allegations involving Kim Soo Hyun, with claims that he had been in a relationship with Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor. Kim Sae Ron's father has since held Lee Jin Ho's video responsible for exacerbating the stress that contributed to his daughter's tragic death.

Following the release of the audio, Kim Soo Hyun's fans began launching harsh attacks on the deceased actress, questioning her character and morals. However, Chinese netizens have now discovered that the audios shared by Lee Jin Ho were fabricated.

Chinese netizens dig up Lee Jin Ho's audio, calling it fabricated

Chinese netizens have played a key role in uncovering the Kim Soo Hyun scandal with their keen investigative skills. After discovering photos of an alleged date between Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Sae Ron from 2015, they have now shared evidence proving that the audio posted by Lee Jin Ho was fabricated.

A post from a Chinese netizen, which claimed that the video shared by Lee Jin Ho was manipulated, recently went viral on X (formerly known as Twitter). The post, which has since been translated into Korean and English, stated that "the analysis is solely on the audio waveform from Lee Jin Ho's YouTube, without any judgement on the authenticity of the content." It also pointed out that "there are many editing traces between Kim Sae Ron's sentences and silences," suggesting that the audio was tampered with.

"When zoomed in, it's very clear that the cuts between Kim Saeron's sentences are extremely frequent." The post further added that "In the audio of Lee Jinho speaking, there's no pure silence even during pauses."

"The audio of Lee Jinho speaking, even with pauses, cannot possibly have pure silence at 0 dB."

Credit: X

Fans slam Lee Jin Ho over 'false' claims

Fans are now slamming Lee Jin Ho for 'fabricating' lies to malign the late actress's image to protect Kim Soo Hyun's image.

Chinese netizens have discovered that the leaked recording about Kim Sae ron and Kim Soo hyun, which was revealed by Lee Jinho, was fabricated. https://t.co/AIQtkEyuBA  Translating misogyny in Korea (@translatingsk) March 19, 2025

One user wrote, "Gold medallists are grasping at straws to divert attention from the fact that Kim Soo-hyun is a pedo, a groomer and a heartless narcissist. You all dont fall for this."

Gold medalist are grasping at straws at divert attention from the fact the kin soo hyun is a pedo, a groomer and a heartless narcissist. Yall dont fall for this. https://t.co/fY8eNXERqQ  Nicesigh (@Nicesigh1) March 19, 2025

Another user wrote, "You could always count on the cnetz to expose a cheater, paedophile and male whores."

Chinese netizens have discovered that the leaked recording about Kim Sae ron and Kim Soo hyun, which was revealed by Lee Jinho, was fabricated. https://t.co/AIQtkEyuBA  Translating misogyny in Korea (@translatingsk) March 19, 2025

A third person wrote, "I knew it didn't sound like her; it was pretty similar, though. Good job, I guess! But the reason why I know is because I've been binge-watching her K-dramas these days, and I could tell. Oh well, still, her marrying doesn't change the fact KSH groomed her. POINT STILL STANDS."

I knew it didn't sound like her  it was pretty similar tho good job i guess! but the reason why i know is bcs I've been binge watching her kdramas these days and I could tell. Oh well still her marrying doesn't change the fact KSH groomed her. POINT STILL STANDS. https://t.co/6SxeV24C1c  MMMOO ABS  (@moomoostard) March 19, 2025

A fourth mentioned, "Isn't it sus to people how this guy has this recording and the pictures of Saeron with her partner, like Isn't all this private? So how did he get access to it?"

Isn't it sus to ppl how this guy has this recording and the pictures of saeron with her partner like Isn't all this private so how he got access to it? https://t.co/BdxXU9ODEw   (@evaichig0) March 19, 2025

Kim Sae Ron's family files a lawsuit against Lee Jin Ho

Kim Sae Ron's family has taken legal action against YouTuber Lee Jin Ho for spreading false information about their late daughter. On March 17, they held a press conference at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, where they announced their lawsuit and demanded a public apology from Kim Soo Hyun.

The family's legal representative, Bu Ji Seok, was joined by Kwon Young Chan, director of the Korea Celebrity Suicide Prevention Association, and Kim Se Eui, head of the Garosero Research Institute.

Kim Se Eui stated that this lawsuit marks the beginning of their legal action, and they will continue to pursue justice.

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Despite growing backlash, the government has remained resolute in its position.

The Greek governments decision to sideline a parliamentary pre-investigative committee examining former Deputy Minister Christos Triantopoulos has ignited a political firestorm. Opposition parties, legal experts, and families of the victims of the Tempi train disaster have condemned the move, accusing the government

of orchestrating a political cover-up to shield high-ranking officials from scrutiny. The governments handling of the case has been described as a calculated maneuver to control the political damage stemming from the tragedy

Despite growing backlash, the government has remained resolute in its position. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis defended the move, calling Triantopoulos request to bypass the committee a brave decision. He insisted that the governments stance was legally sound, arguing that the pre-investigative committee would still vote on the request. However, critics have pointed out that given the governments parliamentary majority, the outcome is effectively predetermined.

The opposition has responded with fierce criticism. The PASOK party, through spokesman Kostas Tsoukalas, accused Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his ruling New Democracy party of manipulating democratic institutions to serve their own interests. Tsoukalas referenced Mitsotakis' statements in 2018, questioning, How many times will Mr. Mitsotakis contradict himself? How many times will he insult the intelligence of Greek citizens? He denounced the prime ministers arrogance and deception, warning that constitutional processes should not be molded to fit political and communication needs.

The left-wing SYRIZA party went further, accusing the government of an outright escape maneuver designed to protect Mitsotakis and his ministers from testifying. In a statement on March 19, SYRIZA condemned the governments refusal to submit case files to Parliament, its efforts to block the expansion of charges against Triantopoulos, and what it called yet another attempt to bury the truth about the Tempi disaster. The party vowed to resist any effort to obstruct justice, arguing that accountability must reach the highest levels of government.

Zoe Konstantopoulou, leader of the Plefsi Eleftherias (Course of Freedom) party, issued an even harsher denunciation, describing the government as rotten and in its final days. She accused the prime minister of manipulating the judiciary to ensure that a judicial panel, rather than a parliamentary inquiry, would determine accountability. She called on the prime minister and his ministers to declare their readiness to stand trial and resign. Drawing comparisons to recent political consequences in Serbia and North Macedonia, where officials resigned or were imprisoned following scandals, she stated, Only in Greece do those with blood on their hands walk around like lords.

The controversy deepened when SYRIZA MP Efi Achtsioglou accused the government of avoiding a proper pre-investigative process to keep the Tempi tragedy out of the public spotlight. She questioned whether the constitutional authority responsible for criminal prosecution could be bypassed, warning that failing to conduct a parliamentary inquiry could lead to a legal loophole allowing Triantopoulos to escape justice.

Beyond the political battle, constitutional law experts have strongly criticized the governments approach, overwhelmingly condemning it as unconstitutional and legally dubious. One of the most vocal critics, Professor Nikos Papaspirou, described the governments move as highly problematic, emphasizing that a parliamentary inquiry is a constitutional obligation, not a choice. He warned that bypassing this stage could undermine the legitimacy of any final judicial ruling, stating that excluding Parliament from investigating ministerial crimes distorts transparency and weakens institutional checks and balances.

Legal scholar Xenophon Kontiadis dismissed the claim that Triantopoulos request was an act of courage, instead calling it deceptive and naive. He warned that allowing Parliament to be sidelined would mean that crucial evidence that could emerge from a thorough investigation would remain hidden. Similarly, constitutional expert Akritas Kaidatzis called the request outrageous and blatantly deceptive, arguing that it effectively asks Parliament to press charges without conducting a pre-investigation, which could render any eventual prosecution invalid. If the case were to reach Greeces Special Court under these conditions, he predicted it would be thrown out for failing to follow constitutional procedures.

Prominent legal expert Charalambos Tsiliotis also condemned the move as blatantly unconstitutional and suspicious, emphasizing that under Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, Parliament serves as the prosecutorial body responsible for conducting a pre-investigation before deciding on prosecution. He stressed that Parliament cannot abandon this duty any more than a public prosecutor could refuse to conduct an investigation.

The only major constitutional scholar to support the governments stance was Nikos Alivizatos, who argued that referring the case directly to the judiciary would help judicialize the process, ensuring that ministerial responsibilities are properly examined in court. However, his view remains a minority position among Greek legal experts.

With tensions running high, the pre-investigative committeedominated by New Democracy lawmakersis expected to swiftly conclude its proceedings, possibly as soon as Thursday. Once its findings are presented, Parliament is expected to approve them, officially triggering the judicial process.

The next step involves the formation of a judicial panel, selected through a parliamentary lottery within five days. A judge from Greeces Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) will act as the lead investigator, summoning witnesses, reviewing case files, and questioning former minister Triantopoulos. Once the investigation is completed, the case will be forwarded to a prosecutor, who will decide whether Triantopoulos should stand trial. The final decision rests with the judicial panel, which will determine whether the case proceeds to the Special Court.

#_
A central focus of the reforms is the expansion of digital tax services.

Greece is set to implement major reforms in its tax administration in 2025, focusing on digital transformation, transparency, and efficiency. The countrys Independent

Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) has unveiled an Operational Plan aimed at simplifying tax processes, improving public services, and enhancing compliance while cracking down on corruption.

A key initiative in this plan is the introduction of an Integrated Information System for Monitoring Key Performance Indicators, designed to strengthen tax oversight, enhance transparency, and improve overall efficiency. The plan also includes upgrades to laboratory inspections carried out by the General Chemical State Laboratory, which is responsible for ensuring product and food safety. In addition, the anti-corruption strategy launched in 2022 is set for completion, reinforcing integrity in the public sector.

A central focus of the reforms is the expansion of digital tax services, making it easier for individuals and businesses to manage their tax obligations. One of the most anticipated developments is the launch of the myDATA app, which will allow taxpayers to issue invoices and shipping documents directly from their mobile devices.

Further digital advancements include a new online platform for maritime businesses to submit fees related to tugboat and fishing vessel operations. Additionally, notaries will be able to electronically submit property tax declarations (E9) for deceased individuals, reducing bureaucratic hurdles in real estate transactions.

Another major reform involves the full digitalization of vehicle tax exemptions for people with disabilities, eliminating the need for physical paperwork and streamlining the process for those eligible. These changes are part of a broader e-government strategy aimed at reducing administrative burdens and modernizing interactions between taxpayers and the state.

The new tax administration plan also seeks to improve efficiency in public services. A significant step forward is the automatic updating of taxpayer records, made possible through integration with Greeces General Business Registry (GEMI). This will ensure real-time updates for businesses and minimize the need for manual data submissions.

To enhance taxpayer assistance, a new Taxpayer Service Center (KEFODE) is being established in Thessaloniki, aimed at improving support for individuals and businesses. Additionally, the introduction of a digital shipping document system, combined with improved monitoring of goods movement, is expected to combat tax evasion and improve supply chain transparency.

Greeces tax administration reforms also focus on strengthening tax compliance and ensuring fair tax collection. Among the key measures is the digitalization of the tax representative appointment process, which will make it easier for businesses and individuals to manage tax matters remotely.

Another efficiency-driven initiative is the automatic inclusion of heirs in taxpayer records, leveraging data interoperability to simplify estate management. Additionally, the establishment of the Large Taxpayer Audit Center (KEMEF) will enable authorities to closely monitor major corporations and high-income taxpayers, ensuring that tax obligations are met fairly and efficiently.

To prevent financial discrepancies, Greece is also launching a new digital platform in collaboration with financial institutions to eliminate overcharges and unjustified tax withholdings, ensuring greater accuracy in tax and fee payments.

Greeces 2025 tax reforms mark a significant step toward modernizing and streamlining its tax administration. By investing in digital services, automation, and stronger compliance mechanisms, the country aims to create a more efficient and transparent tax system that meets the needs of both domestic and international businesses, foreign investors, and Greek taxpayers alike.

#TAX #AADE
Public discontent has been further fueled by allegations that the government attempted to obstruct a parliamentary investigation into the Tempi tragedy and the role of former government official Christos Triantopoulos.

Two new opinion polls have delivered a significant blow

to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his ruling New Democracy party , reflecting growing public dissatisfaction over governance, transparency, and the government's handling of recent crises. The findings highlight deep frustration, particularly in the aftermath of the Tempi train disaster, one of Greeces deadliest railway accidents, which has become a symbol of public distrust in state institutions.

Public discontent has been further fueled by allegations that the government attempted to obstruct a parliamentary investigation into the Tempi tragedy and the role of former government official Christos Triantopoulos. As protests demanding accountability continue, the latest surveys indicate that many Greeks believe the government has failed to listen to their concerns.

A new Alco poll, conducted for Alpha TV, and presented on Wednesday reveals that only one in three respondents believes the government has genuinely acknowledged the concerns expressed in mass protests over the Tempi rail disaster. In contrast, nearly 60% say the government has ignored the public outcry.

More strikingly, a majority of respondents believe the government deliberately tampered with the crash site rather than the changes being a result of procedural errors. When asked whether the removal of debris at the accident scene was an official directive or an operational mistake, 54% of respondents said they believed it was done on orders from the government, while only 30% considered it an error.

Concerns over rail safety remain high, with two-thirds of respondents stating they do not feel safe traveling by train in Greece. The public is also deeply skeptical about the effectiveness of the governments recent cabinet reshuffle, with a similar percentage doubting that it will bring meaningful change.

The impact of these concerns has been reflected in widespread civic engagement. Nearly half of those surveyed said they had personally participated in demonstrations or public gatherings marking the two-year anniversary of the Tempi disaster, further highlighting the depth of public frustration.

A separate survey by Opinion Poll, conducted for Action 24, paints an equally troubling picture for the Mitsotakis administration. According to the findings, an overwhelming 80% of respondents believe the government has not done enough to ensure full transparency in the investigation into the Tempi rail disaster.

Public frustration extends beyond the government to Greeces judicial system, with 76% of respondents stating that the courts have failed to properly investigate the tragedy. The cabinet reshuffle has also been met with widespread skepticism72.5% say they do not believe it will improve governance, and 62.1% doubt that the appointment of a Deputy Minister for Transport will lead to tangible improvements in rail safety and public transportation.

The Tempi tragedy, in which 57 people lost their lives, remains one of the most pressing concerns for Greek voters. According to the poll, securing justice for the victims and punishing those responsible is now the second most important national issue, following concerns over rising living costs that have put enormous strain on Greek households.

Beyond the governments declining approval ratings, the surveys reveal a dramatic shift in Greeces political landscape. Public trust in New Democracy has plummeted, with the party polling at just 23.6% of the valid vote.

In a significant development, the Freedom Sailing Party, led by former parliamentary speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou, has surged to second place, securing 13.3% support. This marks a major political shift, as PASOK, traditionally one of Greeces dominant parties, has fallen to third place with 12%, trailing Freedom Sailing by over one percentage point.

Konstantopoulous growing political influence is further reflected in leadership preference polls. While Prime Minister Mitsotakis remains the most preferred leader, she now ranks secondahead of other opposition figures. However, the most striking result is that "None of the Above" remains the most popular choice among Greek voters, highlighting the widespread disillusionment with the countrys political class.

#OPINION_POLL #POLL #GREEK_GOVERNMENT
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun has commiserated with the victims of a rainstorm that destroyed the classrooms of Mayigi Community Comprehensive High School, Ilase, Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that a 14-year-old JSS3 student, identified as Timothy Amosun, lost his life in the incident, while five other learners, two teachers, a food vendor, and her seven-month-old child were injured.

In a statement by Special Adviser and Strategy to the Governor, Kayode Akinmade on Wednesday, described the incident as a shock and very painful to bear.

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Akinmade also prayed to God to grant the family of the deceased fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

The statement reads: The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has commiserated with the victims of a rainstorm that destroyed the classrooms of Mayigi Community Comprehensive High School, Ilase, in the Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

A 14-year-old Junior Secondary School Three learner, Timothy Amosun, died in the incident, while five other learners, two teachers, a food vendor, and her seven-month-old child were injured.

READ MORE: Missing Young Farmer Found Dead By Hanging In Ogun Village

Governor Abiodun described the incident as a rude shock and very pathetic to bear, praying to God to give the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

The Governor said the government would be responsible for the medical bills of the injured, adding that he had directed concerned agencies to move the victims who are in critical condition to specialist hospitals within and outside the state, where they are currently receiving maximum medical attention.

He also stated that he has directed the Commissioner for Education to visit the families of the victims and the school to take inventory of what needs to be done to rebuild the damaged school.
Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu will secure re-election in 2027.

According to Ganduje, no political gang-up or opposition can hinder Tinubus re-election bid. He emphasised the APCs strong foundation and Tinubus impressive performance, which will earn him another term in office.

In a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Enlightenment, Oliver Okpala, he reiterated this to the public: Tinubu will surely emerge victorious because of his untrammelled performance since he assumed office as President of Nigeria.

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Forget the recent political gatherings and rantings from some politicians who presently do not have any identifiable political base.

Their gathering from the Labour Party, PDP SDP and others are people with different political ideologies and selfish political interests that can never agree on any issue politically.

The gathering is an assemblage of people with divergent political interests. No amount of political arrangement or gang up can stop the good people of Nigeria from re  electing Tinubu as President in 2027.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has made a bold declaration regarding the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock, implying that the current administration will retain power.

Okpebholo expressed skepticism about new political parties emerging, stating that they lack the capacity to govern Nigeria effectively.

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In a statement on Wednesday, Okpebholo disclosed: There is no vacancy in 2027 in Abuja. Those forming a political party now cant rule us. They governed their states, and the people suffered from kidnapping, but since they left office, their states are now free. Such people cant rule Nigeria,

2027 is a reality in Edo State, as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will continue in office. I charge the 17 of you today that the campaign for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu has started here today.

Go back to your various local governments and erect his billboards to drive home the message of re-electing President Tinubu,

He predicted a landslide victory for President Tinubu in 2027 and assured him of Edo States support. The governor expressed confidence in the APCs continued leadership of the country.

If youre looking for more information on this topic, you might want to try a search engine for the latest updates.
The Oyo State Government has dismissed all charges against Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The three individuals were initially subjected to legal action following the devastating stampede at a childrens event in December 2024, which resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children.

After Thursdays court session, the defendants were seen visibly relieved, smiling, and exchanging pleasantries, clearly indicating that the charges had been dropped.

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READ MORE: I Acted Out Of Temper  Portable Apologises To Saheed Osupa Over Copyright Dispute

Abiodun Aikomo, the Oyo State Attorney General, confirmed the development and explained why the court made the decision.

He said, It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. And you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course. So the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.

In the course of doing that, we actually wanted to prosecute but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion. And as far as human beings can do, they try to persuade the feelings of the affected parties. And the circumstance, we felt, the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them.

It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, and that is what happened today. So we withdrew the charge and it was struck out by the court. There is no charge against them again, so they are free.
Peoples Democratic Party has berated ruling All Progressive Congress for the deadly tanker explosion that claimed many lives along Karu Bridge, Abuja.

Recall that many residents and travelers were severely injured and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in the incident.

In a statement by Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Departments Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, disclosed that no fewer than eight persons have been confirmed dead.

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She said: Five people were taken dead from the scene yesterday. Out of the people that were injured, one died, making six.

Then this morning, when I asked my people to go round, they discovered that two had already died again, making eight. Four of them from yesterday were burnt beyond recognition.

READ MORE: Vehicles Burnt, Motorists Feared Dead In Abuja Tanker Explosion

Reacting to the unfortunate development in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba on Thursday, PDP blamed President Bola Tinubus administration, saying bad government and poor infrastructures led to the death of innocent citizens.

Ologunagba said: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) laments the tragic tanker explosion that resulted in the death of several Nigerians, with many more injured and property destroyed at the Karu Bridge in Abuja on the night of Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

The Abuja explosion adds to the scary upsurge of disastrous incidences that have persistently befallen our country due the worsened state of infrastructure under the current insensitive and inept All Progressives Congress (APC) administration which continues to demonstrate utter disdain for the safety and wellbeing of Nigerians.

This avoidable heartrending incident in Abuja, Nigerias Federal Capital sadly points to the general poor management of urban infrastructure and heightened insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory under the current APC government.

Our Party is saddened that due to the misgovernance of the APC administration, innocent Nigerians continue to perish with families in peril, anguish and devastation over the death of their breadwinners and loved one.

The PDP calls on the Federal Government to institute a system-wide investigation into the Abuja explosion and similar incidences in other parts of the country and take urgent steps to ensure safer roads in our nation.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued Sambo Labibo, a Burkina Faso national, from a notorious kidnapping syndicate operating in the Durumi Internally Displaced Persons Camp.

Labibo was kidnapped on March 14, and his captors compelled him to contact an associate, demanding a ransom of N15 million.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday by FCT Command spokesperson Josephine Adeh, after receiving a distress complaint on Tuesday, officers from the Durumi Divisional Headquarters quickly mobilised and conducted a tactical operation to obtain his release.

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READ MORE: Tanker Loaded With 45,000 Litres Of Petrol Crashes Into Ditch In Oyo

Adeh mentioned that, with careful coordination and teamwork with the victims associate, the operatives were able to set a trap for the kidnappers.

She highlighted that when the suspects reached the designated ransom collection point, they were quickly captured before they had a chance to flee.

Adeh said, The relentless efforts of the FCT Police Command in combating crime and ensuring the safety of all residents have once again yielded significant success. In a well-coordinated operation, police operatives from the Durumi Division have rescued Sambo Umar Labibo, a citizen of Burkina Faso, from the clutches of a notorious kidnap syndicate operating within the Durumi IDP Camp.

On March 18, 2025, at about 3:05 PM, the Durumi Divisional Headquarters received an urgent report that Sambo Umar Labibo had been kidnapped since March 14, 2025. His abductors forced him to call a close associate, demanding a ransom of N15m.

Upon receiving this intelligence, police operatives swiftly mobilised and launched a meticulous operation. With strategic planning and close collaboration with the victims associate, the operatives tactically set a trap for the kidnappers. As the suspects arrived at the designated ransom collection point, they were swiftly apprehended before they could escape.

The arrested suspects include: Ibrahim Umar, Hamza Buba, Muktar Mohammed, Masaud Abdullahi and Moses Idoko  the gangs medical director, responsible for providing medical care to both suspects and victims.

She revealed that after their arrest, the suspects took the police operatives to their hideout in the Durumi IDP Camp, where the victim was located and rescued without injury.

Adeh stated that efforts were underway to apprehend other members of the syndicate who had fled.
President Bola Tinubu addressed the National Assembly, reaffirming his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.

He believes this measure will restore stability, save lives, and secure critical infrastructure. The President commended the National Assembly for ratifying the proclamation, citing the crisiss threat to vital oil and gas installations and its impact on the national economy.

Tinubu stated on Thursday, The declaration of emergency rule is a critical step to restoring stability after a protracted political crisis that paralysed governance in the state and endangered national economic security for over 15 months. He also commended the National Assemblys leadership for prioritizing the security and welfare of Rivers State people.

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While disclosing this to the Assembly, Tinubu noted, The crisis in Rivers State was at a perilous tipping point, threatening the security of vital oil and gas installations and undermining the national economy and the significant progress we have made in the reforms initiated since our administration commenced in May 2023.

Tinubu emphasised, As I detailed in my address to the nation on 18 March, the near-total collapse of governance, threats to federal economic assets, and the risk of widespread violence left no room for hesitation. This emergency measure is a lifeline to safeguard livelihoods, secure critical infrastructure, and restore democratic accountability.

He concluded, Todays decision exemplifies what our nation can achieve when unity of purpose and patriotism guide the action of leaders. We remain steadfast in pursuing a safer, more prosperous Nigeria one where every citizens potential is safeguarded and nurtured.
No fewer than 84 kidnapped victims have been rescued from suspected terrorists in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.

It was gathered that the abducted persons gained their freedom, following a joint military operation conducted by troops of the 17 Brigade in conjunction with Air Component Operation Forest Sanity on Tuesday.

INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that three terrorists were neutralized during a gun battle with security agents and the criminal elements.

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In a statement on Thursday, by Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasiru Danmusa, noted that the victims include; seven males, 23 females, and 54 children.

READ MORE: Katsina Police Foil Bandits Kidnap Attempt, Rescue 30 Victims

He said: At approximately 15:09 hours, the security forces arrived at the camp of Sanusi Dutsin-Ma and engaged in a firefight until about 1630 hours.

Consequently, the security forces successfully rescued 84 captives comprising seven males, 23 females, and 54 children who had been held in terrorist camps.

Pairs of camouflage uniforms and other suspicious items were also destroyed.

The rescued individuals were provided immediate food assistance before being handed over to local government authorities for further care and reunification with their families.
The Broadway musical "& Juliet" is at the Academy of Music March 25 to April 6. Its choreographer, Jennifer Weber, is a 2000 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. Read more

The University of Pennsylvania does not have a dance department. But Penn was still a major catalyst that launched choreographer Jennifer Webers career.

Weber, 46, graduated from Penn in 2000 with a degree in communications, and is the choreographer of the Broadway musical & Juliet, which is coming to the Academy of Music March 25 to April 6. The jukebox musical, which considers what wouldve happened if Juliet said no to Romeo and lived out her life from there, is on a national tour after its Broadway success.

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Webers path to success may have seemed unlikely.

I definitely started dancing when I was a kid by watching music videos on television and watching shows that had dance, she said. She would record performances from the Tonys to teach herself choreography but when she started taking dance classes, she ended up being that kid in the back line of the dance recital.

So in my freshman year at Penn, I auditioned for all the dance companies that were on campus, and I was famously rejected by all of them, she said. Rather than leave her dejected, it fired her up.

She started her own company on campus  Strictly Funk, which still exists.

I literally just hung up fliers around campus, like Strictly Funk is having auditions, and just appointed myself director and choreographer of this imaginary company. That, Weber said, was the beginning of my career as a director and choreographer.

Being on a university campus meant she didnt have to pay for rehearsal space or dancers. During Webers junior year, Strictly Funk performed to a sold-out crowd at the Annenberg Centers Zellerbach Theatre. The company also performed in nightclubs and experimented with immersive art, which Weber continues to create.

I am much tied to Philadelphia and Penn and those experiences as my formative years, she said.

After graduation, Weber moved to New York and assumed she could reproduce her Penn success. She quickly learned that everything would be far more expensive and much harder, especially in a pricey city that is a major dance center.

Eventually, she started the all-women hip-hop troupe called Decadancetheatre, which she ran for many years. There she was a one-woman show, doing everything from designing costumes and lighting to accounting and booking flights. Plus, of course, choreograph. Her work blew up when she conceived, directed, and choreographed The Hip-Hop Nutcracker. That show has been touring for 10 years and Disney turned it into a film.

The Hip-Hop Nutcracker got her meetings and introduced her to the world of theater.

Webers first two musicals opened on Broadway the same week. KPOP, about the Korean pop-music industry, was short-lived. & Juliet is going strong, with four companies performing simultaneously: Broadway, the U.S. tour, a United Kingdom tour, and a production in Hamburg, Germany. A fifth one is in the works for Toronto.

But & Juliet is no longer a full-time job for Weber. This year, she opened a show in Japan and has a new version of the ballroom dance movie Take the Lead opening at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J., in April. A new version of the cheerleader musical Bring It On will be opening in St. Louis this summer.

In 2023, & Juliet received nine Tony nominations, and the cast performed the musicals Roar during the awards ceremony. Choreographed to the Katy Perry song, the segment features a magical costume change onstage, which is one of the things Weber is most proud of in the show.

Watching that performance, she said, was wild.

Some kid is gonna watch that and start doing the moves. And its going to be my choreo.

& Juliet, March 25-April 6, Academy of Music, $21-$169, 215-893-1999 or ensembleartsphilly.org
Frank Burkhauser of Woodbury displays the legal marijuana purchase he made at Cannabist in Deptford, N.J., on April 21, 2022  the first day of legal weed sales in New Jersey. Pennsylvania does not have a regulated adult-use marijuana market, but some state lawmakers are working to change that in 2025. Read more

Despite increasing pressure on Pennsylvania lawmakers to legalize recreational marijuana, adult residents likely wont be purchasing cannabis without a medical card anytime soon.

Each year, legislators in the Pennsylvania House and Senate introduce bills to legalize marijuana for adults 21 and over. Proposals range from regulating and taxing adult-use cannabis similarly to neighboring states, such as New Jersey, to selling marijuana through state-run liquor stores. However, none have gained significant traction, largely due to Republican opposition  particularly in the GOP-controlled Senate.

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Since taking office in 2023, Gov. Josh Shapiro has included tax revenue from adult-use cannabis in every state budget in case lawmakers pass legalization. During his annual budget address in January, Shapiro urged lawmakers once again to approve legalization as Pennsylvania faces a projected $4.5 billion budget shortfall. According to his administrations estimates, a legal marijuana industry could generate $1.3 billion in tax revenue within its first five years.

Will marijuana be legalized in Pa. this year?

It remains uncertain  as in previous years. Even if lawmakers legalize recreational marijuana in 2025, sales likely wouldnt begin until at least 2026.

While some Democrats insist there is broad support within their party for legalization, Pennsylvania Republicans continue to indicate they are not ready to move forward.

Two bills are expected to be introduced in the Pennsylvania House and Senate in the coming months. The Senate bill would legalize recreational marijuana under a model similar to those in neighboring states, while the House bill would incorporate the states existing network of state-run liquor stores.

Philadelphia State Rep. Rick Krajewski and Pittsburgh State Rep. Dan Frankel announced plans to introduce their bill in a December 2024 memo. Their proposal largely mirrors legalization models in other states, with one key exception: retail sales. Under their bill, adult-use cannabis sales would be overseen by Pennsylvanias Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores, with provisions allowing for smaller retail operations to include consumption areas similar to Amsterdam-style cafes, Krajewski said in an interview.

Krajewski acknowledged that many Pennsylvanians are frustrated with the state-run liquor store system  more than half of voters oppose it  but argued that private retail markets in other states have favored well-funded, multistate cannabis companies over small-business owners.

In New York, for instance, many cannabis entrepreneurs told the New York Times that they fell into a debt trap after the state touted affordable loans, which one New York lawmaker later described as predatory. Of the 150 operators enrolled in New Yorks Cannabis Social Equity Investment Fund, only 22 have opened dispensaries. Many are struggling with high-interest loans, while the state has begun scaling back financial support, the Times reported.

Its an extremely difficult market to compete in, particularly if youve been directly impacted by the war on drugs, Krajewski said. Many people are told this kind of pipe dream that, Youre going to make it big, open a dispensary, and then smaller operators fall into cycles of debt or theyre bought out by big investors who can withstand the turbulence of a newly legalized market.

The Senates approach to legalization

The Senate bill, cosponsored by Sens. Dan Laughlin and Sharif Street, continues the lawmakers yearslong push for legalization under a model similar to New Jerseys. This is the third time they have introduced a version of the bill, which includes provisions for record expungement of marijuana convictions, social equity funding for small businesses, and tax structures aimed at preventing an overly burdensome tax rate.

There are both Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate who support our approach, said Street, who has been pushing legalization even before his cosponsorship with Laughlin. I think were closer than weve ever been and it is a very real possibility for this year  Im cautiously optimistic.

How long does it take from legalization to sales?

Even if Pennsylvania lawmakers legalize marijuana in 2025, recreational sales likely wouldnt begin until 2026 or even 2027.

Other states have taken months or years to establish regulatory agencies, licensing processes, and sales infrastructure:

New Jersey: 14 months from legalization on Feb. 22, 2021, to legal sales beginning on April 21, 2022. New York: 21 months from legalization on March 31, 2021, to legal sales beginning on Dec. 29, 2022. Delaware: 22 months and counting since legalization on April 23, 2023, with sales expected in spring 2025. However, license holders have expressed frustration over delays and a lack of a clear timeline, WHYY reported.

What are the concerns about legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania?

Republican lawmakers and other stakeholders cite logistical concerns over rolling out an adult-use cannabis market, especially after Spotlight PA investigations revealed issues with Pennsylvanias medical marijuana program, including a lack of transparency, inadequate doctor oversight, and inconsistent patient care.

In Pennsylvania we already have a medical marijuana program in place which was not implemented well and could benefit from potential changes to make that program more airtight, efficient, and productive, said Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman.

Concerns over impaired driving also play a role. Attorney General Dave Sunday has cited potential harms from marijuana use, particularly its impact on driving under the influence.

Studies offer mixed conclusions on whether legalization increases impaired driving. However, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that more Americans are driving with marijuana in their system. Meanwhile, alcohol-related impaired driving has steadily declined for decades. In 2022, daily marijuana users in the U.S. outnumbered daily drinkers for the first time.

Within the Republican caucus, there is no consensus on how to proceed with legalization, Pittman said. My obligation as Senate majority leader is to try to make sure I understand where the prevailing view of our caucus is with our 28 members, and currently I do not see a prevailing view for legalization of recreational marijuana within our caucus.

How much money would recreational marijuana bring to Pennsylvania?

Shapiro estimates that a regulated, taxed cannabis market could generate $535.6 million in revenue in its first year, primarily from licensing fees and sales taxes. By year five, total revenue could reach $1.3 billion.

For comparison, New Jersey and New York each surpassed $1 billion in total sales revenue within two years of legalizing recreational cannabis.

According to The Inquirers reporting, Shapiros 2025 estimate represents a 3,000% increase from his previous budget projections in 2024. After discussions with officials in New Jersey and New York  where first-year adult-use cannabis sales generated $555.6 million and more than $150 million, respectively  Shapiro revised his projections upward. The Inquirer has a full breakdown of how other states marijuana revenue could stack up against Pennsylvania.

However, under Shapiros tax proposals, Pennsylvania could have some of the highest cannabis prices in the region, with a 20% tax on adult-use products. The states medical marijuana program already has some of the nations highest cannabis prices.
A nanny whose inattentiveness led to the drowning death of a 3-year-old boy in her care at a park in Tredyffrin Township pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter.

Imani Lewis, 28, was sentenced to 11 to 23 months in jail, but was released on time served after spending 188 days in custody since her September arrest. The negotiated plea was made with the blessing of the boys family, who said in a letter to Chester County Court Judge Anne Marie Wheatcraft that they had forgiven Lewis and do not blame her for what happened.

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They said they wanted to move past the tragedy of their loss and resolve the case without the trauma of a trial.

Since I got that fateful call, my entire existence has fallen apart, and I have struggled with every emotion that any human, any mother can ever imagine when their worst nightmare comes to pass, the boys mother wrote in her letter. But what I want to communicate is that in the midst of all this, in my core, I still truly believe that Imani wanted to help and made an awful mistake.

Wheatcraft, in handing down the sentence, told Lewis she could see the nanny was remorseful and wished her well.

Because of her conviction, Lewis, a Jamaican national who came to America on a student visa, has a detainer for deportation from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to evidence presented in court Thursday.

Lewis attorney, Christopher Nelson, said he hoped the sentencing in what he described as a tragic case would begin to bring closure for everyone involved.

In an interview Thursday, Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe said he was relieved Lewis accepted responsibility by pleading guilty. She was sentenced, he said, along the wishes of the family.

Obviously were not just obligated under the law, but also obligated morally, to seek the input of victims of crime, he said. Now, were hoping they can do what they need to do to heal going forward. No one should ever have to lose a child like this.

Tredyffrin Township police responded to Wilson Farm Park on Sept. 2 after Lewis called 911 to report that the 3-year-old, nonverbal boy in her care was missing, according to the affidavit of probable cause for her arrest.

She told police she last saw the child near a playground and had gone to pick up his shoes, which he had removed. When she returned to the nearby bench she had been sitting on, she could no longer see the boy, the affidavit said.

Officers found the boy unresponsive and floating face up in a 16-inch-deep stormwater retention pond a few hundred feet from the playground. He was taken to Childrens Hospital of Philadelphias King of Prussia campus, where he was pronounced dead.

Surveillance video from the park recorded the child walking off the playground and climbing through a split-rail fence surrounding the pond, the affidavit said. Lewis, on a bench about 90 feet away, did not appear to notice.

The boy is seen running downhill toward the pond, and out of the cameras view about a minute later. Moments later, Lewis looked up, noticed the child was missing, and began walking around the playground area while using her cell phone, according to the affidavit.

Lewis did not call 911 until about 50 minutes after the child climbed through the fence, police said.

From the time she arrived at the park until she made that call, Lewis was on her cell phone, making calls, sending texts, and browsing the internet, according to the affidavit.

Tredyffrin Detective Michael Cermignano wrote in the court filing that the child required reasonable and vigilant supervision while at the park because of his developmental ability, and that Lewis had a legal obligation to protect him.
A man trying to steal copper wire from a transformer in Northeast Philadelphia severely burned himself and caused a temporary power outage for more than 1,000 people Wednesday night, police and Peco officials said.

Around 10:25 p.m. Wednesday, the would-be thief broke into a ground-mounted transformer on the 9300 block of Roosevelt Boulevard, police said. The man, whom police did not identify but described as between 40 and 50 years old, used some sort of cutting tool, likely a knife, and when it came into contact with the wires, he was electrocuted and suffered severe burns to his face, shoulders, and hands, Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore said. He was rushed to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital and placed in critical condition, and later airlifted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for further treatment, Vanore said.

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A fire broke out next to the transformer, which is owned by Peco, but firefighters arrived shortly after to extinguish the blaze..

The attempted theft caused an outage to more than 1,100 Peco customers, said Greg Smore, a company spokesperson. There were 1,075 customers who experienced outages of a few minutes, while 47 customers had to wait around an hour for their power to be restored, he said.

As of Thursday morning, power was completely restored to all customers and crews were working on the transformer, said Smore, who denounced the attempted theft.

The theft of equipment like this is not only illegal, its dangerous, he said.

It was the second time in three days that an attempted theft of copper components led to a power outage, officials said.

Early Tuesday morning, firefighters responded to the 4000 block of Frankford Avenue and found burn marks on a Peco-owned pole, police said. Around 2:45 a.m., Smore said, two people cut into power lines at the Peco pole, causing an outage for 1,700 customers.

Around 1,300 customers experienced an outage for a few minutes, while 450 customers were without power for 52 minutes, he said.

Thieves often sell pilfered copper to scrapyards. The price of copper has gone up, Vanore said, likely leading to increased thefts.
Philadelphia police officer at left point to area in the grass near two police vehicles during investigation of an officer involved shooting at Friends Hospital compound off of Roosevelt Blvd near Adams Avenue on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Officer was injured and taken to the hospital. Read more

A man who grabbed a Philadelphia police officers gun and then shot him with it was killed by the officers partner Thursday afternoon outside a hospital in the citys Crescentville section, police said.

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The officers were taking the man to Friends Hospital for a voluntary psychiatric commitment when he shot one of the officers about a quarter inch from the bottom of his tactical vest, which protected him, said Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel. The officer, a 30-year-old who has been on the force for six years, was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was doing well, Bethel said.

The officers had encountered the 36-year-old man, whom police did not identify, shortly before 12:30 p.m., when they found him running through traffic on the 5000 block of Torresdale Avenue, Bethel said. The man agreed to be voluntarily committed for psychiatric evaluation at the hospital, and was transported without handcuffs in the back of a police van, Bethel said.

As they arrived at the hospital on the 4600 block of Roosevelt Boulevard and were getting out of the police van, the man attacked the officers and a struggle ensued, Bethel said. At some point during the scuffle, after one of the officers unsuccessfully tried to use a Taser, the man grabbed the 30-year-old officers gun from his holster and shot him just above his waist, he said.

The officers partner fired back and shot his partners assailant, he said. The man was taken to Jefferson Einstein Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterward, he said.

The officers partner, described as 37 years old with 10 years on the force, will be placed on required administrative duty during the departments internal investigation of the shooting.

At least six Philadelphia police vehicles were on the scene Thursday afternoon. People visiting Friends Hospital, a psychiatric hospital that is one of the nations oldest, were being turned away on a road leading to the area where the shooting occurred, which police had blocked with their vehicles.

The incident happened outside the entrance to the hospital. The shooting scene was quiet later Thursday afternoon, with some hospital staff seen casually walking across the leafy, cloistered grounds as news helicopters buzzed overhead.

A person who answered the phone at the hospital said that there was police activity outside, and that all patients and staff were safe, but declined to comment further, referring questions to Philadelphia police.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker praised the bravery of the officers involved in the shooting and expressed relief that the wounded officer was going to be OK because he was shot in his vest.

But for an inch, we could be here under a very different set of facts, Parker said in a statement. As I often say in these difficult moments, I strongly support our Philadelphia Police Officers who are on the front lines, every day, protecting and serving Philadelphians.

In a statement, Roosevelt Poplar, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, the police union, commended the officers for their bravery and echoed Parkers gratitude that the injured officers tactical vest protected him from more serious injury. Our injured officer and his partner represent the very best of the Philadelphia police department and were thankful for their bravery, integrity, and commitment to serve our great city with the utmost professionalism, Poplar said.

In a statement, City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents the 7th Council District, said that her office was monitoring the shooting investigation and that she was saddened and concerned by the incident.

I commend them for their bravery in the midst of this chaotic situation, she said of the officers. I am praying for them, their family, friends, and fellow officers. I am incredibly grateful for the bravery of this and every officer in our city and thank them for upholding their commitment to protecting our community.

It was the second day in a row a city police officer shot someone. On Wednesday in South Philadelphia, an officer shot a man who was armed with a rifle.

Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.
After slashing its staff by nearly half, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to further dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

Describing the breathtaking failures of the countrys education system, the president said Thursday his order would begin eliminating the federal department.

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Were going to be returning education back to the states, where it belongs, Trump said during an event at the White House, where he was joined by students and several Republican governors, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Earlier in the day, Trumps press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters the administration was greatly reducing the size and scale of the department.

Actually eliminating the department  which is responsible for administering billions of dollars in funding to schools  would require congressional approval, and experts say it is an unlikely scenario. Trump is also likely to face legal challenges, with the American Federation of Teachers union promising a lawsuit.

For local schools, we really dont know how impactful this will be, said Steven Ludwig, an attorney with the Fox Rothschild law firm, which provides legal services to schools across the Philadelphia region. But, he said, it could be incredibly severe.

Heres what to know about Trumps order, and what happens next:

What does the order say?

The order directs the education secretary, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education. It also calls for ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

The order also reiterates the focus of past Trump orders  calling for the education secretary to ensure that federal education funding complies with law and administration policy, including the requirement that any program or activity receiving Federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label diversity, equity, and inclusion or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.

Can Trump actually close the DOE?

Trump said Thursday that his administration would close the department: Were going to shut it down, and shut it down as quickly as possible.

Though conservatives have long called for abolishing the Department of Education, which was created in 1979, it has not happened yet. Experts say it is unlikely congressional Republicans would be able to succeed now.

Trump would have to get through a Senate filibuster, and he wont have the Democratic votes for that, said Jon Valant, director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution think tank.

While promising to close the department, Trump  who said Education Secretary Linda McMahon would hopefully be the last in her role  appeared to acknowledge the congressional hurdle. The Democrats know its right, and I hope theyre going to be voting for it, he said.

What happens to funding for schools?

While most funding for K-12 schools comes from local and state taxes, federal funding also plays a role. In Pennsylvania, federal money accounted for 6.5% of school district budgets in 2022-23; the share varies by district, with poorer communities generally relying more on federal money.

Much of the funding administered by the Department of Education is dictated by law, including its two biggest funding streams: Title I, which directs money to schools with high concentrations of students in poverty, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which authorizes grants for special education services.

Trump said Thursday that the departments useful functions  he named Title I, resources for children with special needs, and Pell Grants issued by the department to low-income college students  would be preserved and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them. He did not mention the departments Office for Civil Rights, which his administration has slashed, including closing its Philadelphia office, while also opening new investigations into alleged antisemitism on college campuses.

But most of the offices in the Department of Education are named in the authorizing statute and cannot be wiped out by executive order, said Michael Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank that promotes school choice. He said Trump could not unilaterally transfer funding streams to other departments.

Most of these changes are not going to be noticeable by most people at the local level, Petrilli said, adding: That assumes the money keeps flowing.

How could local schools be affected?

But not everyone is convinced federal funding will be preserved.

Youre looking at that through a prism of normalcy and adherence to the rule of law, Ludwig said, noting Trump actions abruptly terminating grants in other areas, and threats to cut funding to schools over DEI initiatives.

In a letter last week responding to the federal DOE layoffs, acting Pennsylvania Education Secretary Carrie Rowe advised school administrators that your awareness of how federal funds are allocated and utilized within your local schools will be critical in preparing for and responding to any disruptions.

Philadelphia Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. said Thursday that the recent layoffs and the departments anticipated dismantling are understandably raising concern about impacts on the educational landscape across the country, including the School District of Philadelphia. He said the district was actively monitoring the rapidly evolving developments and would provide periodic updates during these uncertain times.

Even if current funding is preserved, federal changes could affect local schools, Valant said. In administering IDEA money, for instance, the Education Department is supposed to ensure that districts use it for special education services.

When you undercut the departments ability to run these programs  youre opening up a lot of ability for misuse and fraud, Valant said.

He also predicted longer-term impacts, including from cuts to the departments research arm that collects data on student performance and teaching practices. We are going to be in the dark about making decisions about what to teach and how to invest resources, Valant said.

And while Trump officials may not plan immediate cuts to Title I or IDEA, public education advocates worry those programs are still vulnerable. Any cuts there will be felt very directly by schools, Valant said.

Petrilli said he does not think major education funding streams are in jeopardy.

He noted that federal oversight in education had already been scaled back by the Every Student Succeeds Act, passed in 2015 under President Barack Obama, which repealed President George W. Bush-era No Child Left Behind requirements and gave states more flexibility in how to intervene in failing schools.

But by gutting the Education Departments staff, it may be harder for a future administration to resume a federal leadership role in education, Petrilli said.

How are Pennsylvania and New Jersey politicians reacting?

Pennsylvania Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R., Indiana), in a statement Thursday, voiced support for Trumps order and said eliminating bureaucracy is a good thing.

Allowing more dollars to flow directly to local communities, with their ability to use them flexibly, would be an overall benefit to providing educational opportunities for all children, Pittman added.

Democrats were quick to condemn Trumps order. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called it unconscionable and unconstitutional. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro did not immediately issue a statement Thursday evening.

State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D., Philadelphia) said it was a slap in the face to students, teachers, and parents.

Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of Education Law Center-PA, which represented school districts and parents in a lawsuit that led to Pennsylvanias school funding system being declared unconstitutional, said gutting the Department of Education would put the most needy students at risk of losing critical funding. She noted the federal government provides more than $4.6 billion annually for public education in Pennsylvania.

We urge Congress to stop the abuse of executive authority, ensure that the federal funding our schools depend on continues to flow, and restore the federal commitment to equal access to education, Gordon Klehr said.
Picas Restaurant, serving its cheese-on-the-bottom, sauce-on-top pan pizza in Upper Darby since 1956, announced Thursday that it would close this summer and would relocate and downsize elsewhere in Delaware County.

The Facebook announcement was light on details, including the closing date or the new location, which appears to be in the planning stages. The Picas location in West Chester, which opened in 2017, will remain unchanged, the family said.

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The square pizza at the old-school Italian restaurant on West Chester Pike has its admirers. For a 2014 Yahoo Travel article, James Beard Award-winning chef Greg Vernick, for whom Picas is a family Thanksgiving tradition, said it would be his choice for his last meal. In a 2017 review, Inquirer critic Craig LaBan found what he called a unique character to the crusty edges of this pan-baked dough, which is pleasantly chewy without being heavy like a deeper dish pie, and is ideal beneath the sauce-topped cheese and heat-charred crumbles of sausage with fresh mushrooms.

Picas  say it PEA-kahs, not like the unit of measurement  got national attention in March 2014 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. While Tina Fey, his former Saturday Night Live castmate and a Delco native, sat in the guests chair plugging her role in the movie Muppets Most Wanted, Fallon reached down and pulled out a pizza box to surprise her.

Picas is 5 minutes from Feys alma mater, Upper Darby High School, and 10 minutes from her childhood home in Upper Darbys Drexel Hill section.

This pizza is the best, Fey squealed. Picking up a slice, she lapsed into Full Delco Mode to explain, Your sauce  gravy  is on da top. (The connection: Tonight Show writer Luke Cunningham, an Upper Darby native, had mentioned in a Philadelphia magazine article that he and Fey had talked about the pizza. The story mentioned that Fey would be a guest and included the words Hint to Picas: SEND PIZZA.)

 READ MORE: Watch Tina Fey dig into Pica's pizza on 'Tonight'

Reaction online to the Picas news was predictably heart-tugging, as customers recounted baby showers, wedding showers, parties, and even weddings.

The future of the property  whose site at 7803 West Chester Pike in the 19th century was Howard House, a onetime stop on the Underground Railroad  is not known.

A Pica family history said Frank Pica Sr. was born in Fumone, Italy, in 1903, and immigrated to the United States at 18. After spending a few years in Chicago, he moved to Philadelphia, where he had a bread delivery route.

In 1941, Pica opened Franks Pizzeria, a shop with a brick oven and a counter, at 62nd and Race Streets in West Philadelphia. Pica and his son Frank Jr. moved to Upper Darby, where it grew into a full-service restaurant and banquet hall. Frank Pica Jr., who ran it with his wife, Camille, died in 2019, and the business is run by their children.
The bar was buzzing at East Passyunks newest hotspot and the drink of choice was wine, mostly imported. As patrons grazed on picture-perfect Comte ravioles and herb-flecked lentil salad, they ponied up to the bar and counters at Superette on Saturday and sipped on Slovenian pet-nat, an Italian white blend, and muscadet and Syrah from France  all for $16 a glass or less. On the shelves by the cheese-and-meat case, the collection of retail bottles hails from Portugal, Austria, Spain, and beyond, with price points ranging from $22 to $85. (Theres some American and South American representation, too, of course.)

How would this scene change if President Donald Trump levies the 200% tariff on European wine he first floated last week? Its too soon to tell, according to Superettes Chloe Grigri, who also co-owns Superfolie, the Good King Tavern, and Le Caveau  all wonderful, wine-forward bars in Philly. (Grigris dad and business partner, Bernard, is originally from France, and her travels there have influenced all of the above bars.)

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I think anything that comes out of Donald Trumps mouth is performative and exaggerative, so I dont think we know quite enough right this second to say exactly what those tariffs will look like, Grigri said in an interview last Friday.

Grigri has a point of reference from 2019, though, when the Trump administration imposed a 25% on wine from France, Germany, Spain, and Britain, as well as many other imported specialties from the European Union (think olive oil, cheese, Scotch, etc.). We took a hit, she said, adding that she had been building up inventory for then-newly opened Le Caveau, which helped mitigate the immediate financial impact at the time. Many importers and distributors who had been planning ahead did the same, controlling costs for their customers. Her first thought when she heard about the 200% tariff proposal  a response to a 50% tariff on American whiskey thats slated to go into effect in the EU on April 1  was, Here we go again.

I gotta say, though, now that Im in more of a retail game with Superette open, its much harder to keep wine on the shelves, so its a little bit scarier for us right now, Grigri said. Its already a challenge in the state of Pennsylvania to offer things at an affordable price point. So I dont have a clear answer as to how we would tackle it, honestly. But theres no question that the cost of the wine sitting on the shelves, the price would go up.

Superette sells American wine  a glass of vidal blanc from Virginias Early Mountain Vineyards goes for $15 a glass  but overhauling the menu to be geared toward domestic wine wouldnt be an easy solution. Though Grigri said that American wineries are doing great work, its not like youre saving a ton of money by choosing to work with domestic producers. Switching Superettes focus to American wine would also result in a completely different animal than the casual cave a manger-meets-epicerie that Grigri and partner Vincent Stipo have created: Our whole ethos is kind of grounded in French wine, so it would be a matter of flipping the entire concept on its head.

American wine importers and distributors have warned that the tariffs could have drastic effects  wiping some of them out entirely  at a time when American winemakers are facing hardships of their own (falling sales, an oversupply of grapes, and climate change among them). Meanwhile, some Canadian liquor stores have been removing American whiskey, wine, and more from their shelves following the escalation of a tariff war with one of the countrys largest trading partner.

This would not be a positive thing for anybody, Grigri said. At the end of the day, winemakers are going to sell their wine wherever they can, and there are other parts of the world that would buy their wine. Its going to hit the American people. Its going to hit wine drinkers, because wine is going to become inaccessible.  It will change the way that any restaurant or wine retailer does business. It will destroy importers and distributors in this country, and it will eventually lead to a lot of American people not having jobs anymore. Its totally unacceptable.

Grigri plans on calling her local representatives to urge against imposing the tariffs. Shes encouraging her colleagues to do the same. She said that shes been meditating on a quote frequently attributed to Karl Marx. Be careful to trust the person who does not like wine.
A bankruptcy judge pressured the Foundation for Delaware County to provide $13 million to keep Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital open until a new owner can take over from Prospect Medical Holdings, which filed for bankruptcy protection Jan. 11. Crozer-Chester had a fire and flooding in late December that prompted patient evacuations. Read more

Mounting financial pressure and legal obstacles in the effort to keep Crozer Healths hospitals in Delaware County open prompted an emergency court hearing Thursday.

The judge overseeing the bankruptcy of Crozer owner Prospect Medical Holdings called the meeting to address a local court ruling late Wednesday that blocked the Foundation for Delaware County from providing more money to support Prospect or any related entity.

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The judge pressured the foundations general counsel to commit to turning over $13 million to keep Crozer-Keystone Medical Center and Taylor Hospital open.

When the foundations attorney, Rocco P. Imperatrice III, said only the foundations board could do that, the bankruptcy judge ordered its representatives to a meeting in Harrisburg with the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office, Prospect, and others to hammer out a deal. The meeting is supposed to happen before noon Monday.

This is the second such meeting ordered by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan. The first one occurred March 9 and resulted in a $7 million contribution from the independent foundation to meet a payroll that the for-profit Prospect no longer wanted to fund.

A follow-up hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon.

The foundation, an independent nonprofit designed to support local community health needs, has a target on its back because it received $55 million from the 2016 sale of the nonprofit Crozer-Keystone Health System to California-based Prospect. Its rare for such a foundation to be tapped for funds in a situation like this, according to experts.

Crozer is Delaware Countys largest health system and one of its largest employers, with 3,200 workers. Prospect has already closed two of Crozers hospitals, but the remaining facilities, Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, serve a low-income population with few other easily accessible options for health-care services.

Discussions with Penn Medicine

For the first time in weeks of court hearings about the fate of Crozers hospitals, the University of Pennsylvania Health System was mentioned as being in talks with the attorney general and Prospect about finding a way to preserve health-care services in this area of Delaware County.

However, Penn has no plans to act solo at Crozer, according to a statement Thursday:

For more than a year as Prospect Medicals financial situation has deteriorated, Penn Medicine has advocated to form a consortium of nonprofit hospitals, foundations, and county and state officials to ensure continued health care for patients in southern Delaware County.

This is crucial work which can only be accomplished through a collective plan with financial and operational support from numerous partners. We remain committed to working toward potential solutions in partnership with others, Penns statement said.

Prospect had announced in late January that it was selling Crozer to a not-for-profit consortium, but no such arrangement has materialized. The consortium turned out not to exist, according to multiple sources in Delaware County, and it is unclear how close a deal is seven weeks later.

Main Line Health, which owns nearby Riddle Hospital in Media, could be hard hit by the closure of Crozer.

We have navigated other hospital closures in the region, but the additional patient volume from Crozer will present a major challenge for Riddle Hospital, our closest campus, and our other hospitals, all of which consistently have been at or above capacity, especially over the past several months, Main Line CEO Jack Lynch said in a LinkedIn post a week ago.

The nonprofit said in January that it is not participating in a nonprofit health-care consortium to acquire Crozer Health at this time, responding at the time to Prospects deal announcement.

The system had nothing new to share Thursday, a spokesperson said.

What prompted the emergency hearing

A Delaware County judge issued an injunction Wednesday blocking the foundation from providing any more money to Prospect or any related entity for the operation of any hospital or hospital services.

That ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Delaware County Court of Common Pleas by Swarthmore resident Donald Delson seeking to block further transfers from the foundation. Delson is a retired investment banker, an outgoing foundation board member, and donor to the foundation, according to his complaint.

Jernigan called Thursdays emergency hearing because she suspected that the Common Pleas Court activities likely violate the automatic stay that blocks action against Prospect and its bankrupt entities, according to an email posted on the bankruptcy court docket.

Typically in bankruptcy proceedings, the automatic stay blocks legal action against the bankrupt entity. The foundation is not part of the bankruptcy, other than being a creditor.

The judge was not satisfied when foundation attorney Imperatrice said the foundation had agreed to ask Judge George Pagano in Delaware County to dissolve the injunction blocking it from providing more money to Crozer, especially after she heard from Prospects lawyer and from the Attorney Generals Office that the injunction had caused a potential long-term solution to fall apart.

We had spent weeks  our office, the debtors, FTI, the receiver, the governors office, and various other parties  to find a long-term plan, Melissa Van Eck, Pennsylvanias chief deputy attorney general, told the judge. And it was this Foundations actions yesterday that terminated that plan, the partner that we had and the plan that we had, theyve walked away. It no longer exists.

A challenge for the AG and Prospect is a Friday deadline for coming up with a long-term solution for the Crozer hospitals, which Prospect has been on the verge of closing since the bankruptcy started Jan. 11. That deadline was built into the foundations agreement to provide $7 million.

The agreement included a provision that the foundation would consider providing an additional $13 million to subsidize a new nonprofit operator, according to statements in court. However, no sale agreement exists.
A Delaware County judge issued an injunction blocking the Foundation for Delaware County from providing any more money to keep Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and other Crozer facilities open during the bankruptcy of owner Prospect Medical Holdings. Read more

Editors note: Read more about the latest developments following an emergency court hearing Thursday to address this ruling and the future Crozer Health.

A Delaware County judge issued a permanent injunction Wednesday blocking the Foundation for Delaware County from providing any more money to Crozer Healths owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, or any related entity for the operation of any hospital or hospital services.

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The significant ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed Wednesdayin Delaware County Court of Common Pleas by Swarthmore resident Donald Delson seeking to block further transfers from the foundation. Delson is a retired investment banker, an outgoing foundation board member, and donor to the foundation, according to his complaint.

Delsons lawyer was another foundation board member, Robert N. Speare, of Speare & Hughey in Media. Speares family was a significant supporter of the nonprofit Crozer-Keystone Health System before it was sold to Prospect in 2016. Crozers burn center carrys the familys name. Delsons lawsuit was filed at 10:20 a.m. The foundations response admitting to everything in the lawsuit hit the docket at 10:30 a.m.

The ruling in Delaware County elicited a quick response in bankruptcy court. The court-appointed patient-care ombudsman for Prospects hospitals nationwide filed a motion for an emergency status conference on Crozers hospitals because of concern that the hospitals are at risk of closure in the very near term.

Prospect, the Pennsylvania attorney generals office, and FTI Consulting joined that motion. FTI is a consulting firm working at Crozer on behalf of the attorney general. As of 9:50 a.m. Thursday, a judges ruling on the motion for a conference was not on the docket.

Foundation support for Crozer

The foundation, which is an independent entity designed to support local community health needs, provided $7 million last week to cover a two-week payroll at Crozer amid Prospects bankruptcy. At the end of June, the foundation had $64 million in unrestricted investments.

Delsons lawsuit argued that the foundations payment to keep Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park open violated Delsons intent when he donated money to the foundation. It did not say how much money he donated.

The ruling could be significant. During a hearing Wednesday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan asked if the foundation was still involved in securing a long-term solution for Crozer.

An attorney for Prospect and a representative from the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office told her that the foundation was still at the table and ready to help pay for a long-term solution that could be announced as soon as next week.

There is an agreement for additional funds once we confirm our long-term plan, Melissa Van Eck, from the AGs office said, referring to the foundation.

The foundations agreement with the attorney general to provide $7 million made specific reference to the possibility of an additional substantial payment by the foundation after the expiration of the two-week period, according to Delsons complaint. Thats not the same as having an agreement to provide more money.

The AGs office did not respond to a request for comment about the injunction issued by Judge George Pagano. Prospect also did not respond to a request for comment.

The impact of Crozers bankruptcy on the foundation

Foundation president Frances Sheehan said in a statement that the foundations donors and board members understand the importance of Crozer Health.

They recognized the importance of the foundations assistance so that the attorney general could pursue a final search for a genuine buyer for Crozer. But they also believe deeply in the foundations work over the past eight years and know that the foundation cannot save the health system, she said.

The foundation received $55 million in proceeds from of the nonprofit Crozer-Keystone Health System to Prospect, a for-profit company based in California, a model that is common when for-profit buys a nonprofit health system.

The foundation employs 80 people who provide maternal outreach services at four locations in Delaware County. It also makes grants available to nonprofits that work to improve social factors that impact health, such as jobs, food security, and housing.

The foundation has said it is facing a potential $30 million liability for leases on buildings Prospect uses in Springfield.

Crozer is Delaware Countys largest health-care system. It operates a trauma center, as well as a burn unit, and provides maternity services and behavioral health care. The next closest hospitals are Main Line Healths Riddle Hospital near Media and Trinity Health Mercy Fitzgerald in Darby, both nearly 10 miles away by car.

Prospect filed for bankruptcy protection Jan. 11, with plans to keep paying workers at Crozer only through the end of that month. Officials from Gov. Josh Shapiros administration, and the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office have worked for more than a year on a plan to get Crozer into the hands of a new nonprofit.

Those efforts have faltered because of a lack of funding to absorb Crozers substantial operating losses and pay for upgrades of outdated buildings and equipment.

Editors note: This story was updated with additional information.
Attorney General Dave Sunday was elected as part of a "red wave" in the November 2024 election, in which Republicans swept all three statewide row offices, the U.S. Senate race, and the presidency. He says he wants to be a "boring AG." Read more

Pennsylvanias new attorney general, Dave Sunday, has a desire that few top prosecutors would ever say out loud in todays hyperpolarized political environment: He wants to be boring.

Attorneys general have played an increasingly important role in national politics in recent years. They have become the first line of defense against new federal policies, challenging each presidential administration  from Republican attorneys general thwarting former President Joe Bidens student debt relief plan to Democratic attorneys general filing lawsuit after lawsuit in President Donald Trumps first two months in office to challenge Trumps many executive orders.

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So Sunday, a Republican elected as part of Novembers red wave election  where the GOP in Pennsylvania swept all three statewide row offices, the presidency, and the open U.S. Senate seat  has a noteworthy ambition to avoid the limelight and politicking.

Too much in society, people are desperate for a social media hit. Theyre desperate to get a bit of attention that day, Sunday said last week in an interview in the attorney generals Philadelphia office in Center City. I want to be a boring AG. Im focusing on my job and what Im supposed to be doing.

In the interview about his approach to his job and Trump, Sunday said he has no plans to use his office for political reasons or to become an activist attorney general.

A behind-the-scenes approach to Trump  and the job

Sunday has faced criticism from some Democrats for declining to challenge the Trump administration thus far in his tenure as the states top prosecutor, most notably when he chose not to challenge Trumps federal funding freeze that caused chaos in Pennsylvania and across the country. Pennsylvanias attorney general has wide-ranging powers to represent the states interests nationally in civil court in lawsuits against both the federal government and major corporations. Unlike Democratic attorneys general, including New Jerseys Matthew Platkin, who have repeatedly sued Trump, Sunday has declined to legally challenge any of the presidents policies.

Sunday made this clear in the Inquirer interview: You wont see him sue Trump.

For one, Democratic attorneys general  who in the last two months have led the charge in filing lawsuits against the Trump administration on issues ranging from the dismantling of the Department of Education to the firing of federal workers  traditionally do not allow their Republican counterparts to join their suits, and vice versa, Sunday said. Not that he would want to join Democrats suits anyway, for a million reasons, he added.

Sunday, 49, is towering in stature, and the light in the Center City conference room bounces off his bald head as he restlessly bobs around in his seat. The former York County district attorney and central Pennsylvania native cannot sit still, and lasts only a few moments in his suit jacket before rolling up his dress shirt sleeves.

The federal government has a right to cut fraud, waste, and abuse, Sunday said about Trumps dizzying first few months in office. They have every right to do that. And whether we agree with how its being done or not, thats their right, and thats my position.

 READ MORE: Republicans now lead all three of Pa.s row offices, as Dave Sunday is sworn in as state attorney general

You wont see him join suits filed by Republican attorneys general from other states, either, declining so far to join lawsuits such as one against a New York climate law.

Thats not his style, he said, adding that lawsuits should be a prosecutors last resort and that he has found working behind the scenes to negotiate more successful. He is focused on the core competencies of the office: protecting seniors and consumers from scams; ensuring public safety; and a personal desire to expand the addiction, mental health, and reentry initiatives that he worked on as a career prosecutor in York County to smaller, under-resourced counties across Pennsylvania.

There will be times where I agree with my Republican colleagues  and well do things together, Sunday said. There will be times where I agree with my Democrat colleagues. Theres times, I hope, where we all can come together and do things.

When Sunday declined to sue Trump last month after more than $2.1 billion in federal funds already approved by Congress were frozen or placed in an indefinite review process, Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat and former state attorney general himself, stepped over Sunday to file a federal lawsuit against the administration in his capacity as governor. Those funds were unfrozen less than two weeks after Shapiros suit was filed  in part due to his visit to the White House last month, Shapiro said  but the lawsuit is still pending.

 READ MORE: All of Pa.s federal funding is now unfrozen by the Trump administration, Gov. Josh Shapiro says

Sundays view: Lawmakers make  and change  the laws. He was elected to enforce them. Its not up to him to try to change the law through lawsuits, Sunday said; its up to the legislators. He made the same assertion on the campaign trail.

He has been concerned, though, by some of Trumps actions, even though he believes them to be legal. In those instances, Sunday said, he has chosen to work behind the scenes, rather than wield his legal powers.

For example, Sunday said, he has spent significant time speaking with the top leaders of Pennsylvanias research universities to understand the impact of federal cuts to the National Institutes of Health on each of them. He has gathered that information and shared it with Pennsylvanias U.S. senators so they can use it in their advocacy for the schools when addressing the Trump administration.

I understand the critical nature of medical research, I understand the critical nature of clinical trials. I understand the impact of it, how important it is, Sunday said. And I also understand that there are some things that the executive branch can do that even we may disagree with it, but they can still do it. Its that simple.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Democratic attorneys general, including New Jerseys Platkin, approached the federal cuts to NIH by successfully suing to temporarily block the funding cuts in their states.

Learning a new job

Pennsylvanias attorney general is tasked with investigating corruption and enforcing the states laws, among other duties. The position is also seen as a springboard to higher office, with two of the states last three governors, including Shapiro, having previously served as attorney general.

For now, Sunday has no desire for higher office, already ruling out a run for governor in 2026. Rather, he said, he is focused on his new job as attorney general.

He says he will meet with anyone who asks  he was in Philadelphia earlier this month for Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers annual budget address to City Council, after she invited him  and has been trying to build relationships with every single person as humanly possible thatll work with me to achieve public safety goals, to achieve behavioral health outcomes, to work on addiction.

The career prosecutor climbed the ladder from assistant district attorney to assistant U.S. attorney to York County district attorney before his election as attorney general in November. On the campaign trail, Sunday boasted of a 36% reduction in gun violence in 2023 over 2022 in York, a small city 45 minutes north of Baltimore, and an 80% drop in gang-related violence that officials credit to a gang violence intervention program under Sunday.

Pennsylvanias attorney general is also the states chief law enforcement officer, responsible for overseeing consumer protections, drug investigations, charities and nonprofits, and the impaneling of grand juries, among other things.

Sunday stepped into that role quickly after taking office, thrown into the battle over the potential closing or sale of Crozer Health, whose private equity owner, Prospect Medical Holdings, is in bankruptcy. He has been involved in negotiations to try to keep its two Delaware County hospitals open, as they serve as a critical safety net in one of Pennsylvanias most populous counties, with the countys only trauma center, burn unit, and inpatient psychiatric center. Those negotiations are ongoing, and Prospect Medical Holdings is to announce whether it will sell Crozer Health at a bankruptcy hearing next week.

This has been a tale of keeping hospitals open, Sunday said. I got a crash course in areas of the law surrounding health care, operations of hospitals, understanding the dynamic with hospitals, and understanding the impact of private equity.

He also spent his first few weeks familiarizing himself with how the attorney generals office works. He went line by line through his offices budget ahead of testifying at budget hearings before the state House and Senate earlier this month.

He said he has been impressed by the work of the joint city-state Gun Violence Task Force and wants to see its continued support from the state.

Sunday also said he would like to shore up his offices consumer protections and resources for seniors at risk of falling for scams as artificial intelligence makes such unscrupulous efforts more sophisticated and harder to identify.

I will fight to the end of days for crime victims, for citizens being scammed, Sunday said. I will operate within the confines of my job duties and I will put my heart and soul, literally every day, into doing that.
Donald Trump continues to trample the Constitution with reckless abandon, while sadly most other Republican and Democratic leaders do nothing.

So it was heartening  for a day, at least  to see Chief Justice John Roberts rebuke Trumps call to impeach a federal judge who issued an order blocking the deportation of hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants without any due process.

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But is Roberts pushback too little, too late? After all, he and other conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices helped to create the Frankensteins monster in the Oval Office by delaying Trumps criminal prosecution and issuing a precedent-busting ruling that presidents are largely above the law.

Trump, who was convicted once, impeached twice, and indicted three other times, has taken that ruling to extremes.

He ignored U.S. District Judge James E. Boasbergs order to turn around two flights containing more than 200 Venezuelans who the administration alleges are gang members, and invoked an 18th-century law that allows presidents to deport noncitizens from a country the U.S. is at war with.

But America is not at war, and Trump officials have not disclosed any evidence to show all the deportees belonged to a gang, or if they were afforded any due process  a cherished cornerstone of our legal system that ensures people are accorded a fair hearing.

 READ MORE: Callously deporting longtime U.S. residents is yet another failure of Trumps immigration reform efforts | Editorial

Instead, Trump essentially applied extraordinary rendition, shipping the Venezuelans to a prison in El Salvador that is notorious for its inhumane treatment of prisoners. In return, Trump paid the Salvadoran government $6 million to take the suspects.

The Central American country is run by a dictator who suspended key civil rights and locked up 85,000 Salvadorans, holding many for years without trial and without their families knowing if they were alive.

For decades, U.S. presidents rightly preached freedom and democracy in such dark corners. Now Trump is getting cozy with dictators and war criminals.

And Trump has made it safe for other world leaders to laugh at the U.S. and its once-respected rule of law. After the judge ordered the planes carrying the Venezuelans turned around, El Salvadors president, Nayib Bukele, mocked the ruling by posting on social media: Oopsie Too late.

By defying the judges ruling, Trump has effectively created the constitutional crisis legal experts have long feared. But what comes next? Is anyone going to stop Trump? Or can he just continue to ignore the law?

Other abuses abound.

A Brown University medical professor with a valid U.S. work visa was deported, despite a judges order blocking her immediate removal from the country.

Federal prosecutors alleged the professor, a physician who specializes in kidney transplants, had sympathetic photos and videos on her cell phone of prominent Hezbollah figures. The professor said she attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom she supported from a religious perspective.

A former Columbia University student was arrested, despite being a permanent legal resident and married to a U.S. citizen.

The student, Mahmoud Khalil, has not been charged with any crime, yet he was shipped to an immigration prison in Louisiana and faces deportation for his role in organizing protests on the Columbia campus last year over the Israeli military campaign in Gaza. A federal judge temporarily blocked his expulsion.

 READ MORE: Trumps tariffs augur economic disaster | Editorial

Trump claims an obscure provision gives him the power to deport someone if their presence in the country is deemed to have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

But what about the First Amendment right to free speech and peaceful assembly?

Nothing is more American than free speech. But if legal residents are going to get arrested for speaking out, protesting, or offending the dear leader, then no one is safe.

Judges remain the lone safeguard in the system of checks and balances the founders created when they designed the three, coequal branches of government.

A federal judge in Maryland ruled the Trump administration likely violated the Constitution in multiple ways when it effectively shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The ruling found only Congress has the authority to dissolve an agency it created. That power, the judge found, is certainly not held by Elon Musk, an unelected and unaccountable adviser, effectively running a made-up agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

If Trump continues to defy judges, and Congress remains pliant, then our constitutional form of government is essentially meaningless. It is not a stretch to wonder if the American dictatorship Trump promised on Day One is becoming a reality.
John Fetterman at left by Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer and at right, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Oct. 28, 2023. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP, File) Read more

Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.) and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged gifts Wednesday evening during the senators second visit to Israel. One was inspired by exploding pagers in Lebanon, and the other was a photograph from Philadelphia.

Netanyahu gave Fetterman a silver pager inspired by Israels September attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon that exploded pagers used by members of the insurgent group. The operation killed at least 12 people, including two young children, and wounded thousands, according to the Associated Press. A similar attack the next day played out, exploding walkie-talkies.

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This is a silver-plated beeper, Netanyahu told Fetterman. The real beeper is like one-tenth the weight, its nothing, but it changes history.

Fetterman said that when the story of the pagers broke, he was like, oh, I love it.

Fetterman gave Netanyahu a framed 1986 newspaper article with a photograph of the prime minister at the dedication of a memorial for his brother Jonathan Netanyahu in Philadelphia. Netanyahus office said the prime minister was moved by the gift.

The Pennsylvania Democrat and his wife, Giselle Fetterman, met with both the prime minister and his wife, Sara Netanyahu. Fetterman wore a black Carhartt hoodie while meeting with the suited prime minister. The two couples sat at a table with a flower arrangement, an American flag, and an Israel flag.

Fetterman, a fierce supporter of Israel and its war in Gaza, visited the country for the first time last June. He wore a Nova Music Festival wristband given to him by a family of a victim of Hamas Oct. 7 attack on Israel during that visit, and Netanyahu called him Israels best friend.

Fetterman, who is not Jewish, has been criticized by progressives for his staunch advocacy and embraced by supporters of Israel as an appreciated ally.

 READ MORE: Netanyahu called John Fetterman Israels best friend during the senators first visit to the country

Last May, he was honored with the Presidential Medallion at Yeshiva Universitys commencement, a high honor that was previously given to the creator of Israels Iron Dome missile defense system. Fetterman removed his Harvard University hood at the Orthodox Jewish universitys ceremony in protest of the Ivy League schools handling of antisemitism.

In September, he received the Defender of Israel award from the Zionist Organization of America, a pro-Israel group that has also honored President Donald Trump.
TSA worker Kelly Ashlee Johnson at the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia on March 19, 2025. Johnson, who was a union steward, said knowing she could call on the union for support had brought her a sense of peace." Read more

LaShanda Palmer was helping two TSA officers in Philadelphia file grievances at their union office earlier this month when she received an unexpected message.

We had to vacate, said Palmer, president of the union that represents Transportation Security Administration officers at Philadelphia International Airport.

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She learned from an email on March 7 that the Department of Homeland Security had stripped TSA employees of their union representation and collective bargaining rights. Soon after that, said Palmer, the president of Local 333 AFGE, TSA told the union to return its equipment and leave its office at PHL within days.

DHS had suddenly ended the unions contract, which was ratified in May 2024 and set to expire in 2031, in an unprecedented decision.

It was a big ask, Palmer said, noting the stacks of confidential documents, bank filings, and other important paperwork in the office, which the union had occupied since October 2023. Palmer had to acquire a U-Haul and transfer the contents of the unions basement office and cubicles to a storage unit before March 14.

In interviews, AFGE leaders and employees at PHL, where 750 transportation safety officers are union members, said they are concerned about how this decision could change their workplace environment. Morale has plummeted, they say.

I had officers crying, said Palmer, who is also a lead officer at PHL. I have shed tears. Its very detrimental as a government agency that something like this can actually happen to government employees and have all our rights and hard work stripped away.

The union is pushing back. AFGE has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging the stripping of union protections is illegal.

TSA employees said they did not believe the removal of union representation would affect travelers at PHL.

The airport has not seen an impact and cannot speculate on the future, said Christine Ottow, a spokesperson for PHL.

TSA contends that the new determination will eliminate the undue influence of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), streamline TSA operations, enhance efficiency and productivity, and ensure that TSOs can focus solely on their core mission of protecting the transportation system within the airport, a TSA spokesperson said via email.

TSA employees can continue raising concerns or complaints, noted the spokesperson, adding that processes have not changed.

While she is no longer technically able to represent her members, Palmer says, she plans to continue assisting employees who come to her with issues.

Im committed to the fight, she said.

A real partnership no more?

Congress created the TSA in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks in an effort to prevent similar attacks.

Today, travelers boarding flights must interact with TSA, which has roughly 47,000 security officers nationwide.

At PHL, the agency screened about 33,400 people on average each day as of last June. From January to early March this year, six firearms were confiscated at PHLs TSA checkpoints. Last year, TSA employees prevented 40 firearms from going through security at the airport.

By taking away officers union representation, DHS wanted to remove the constraints of collective bargaining, TSA Senior Official Adam Stahl wrote in the March 7 email to staff, obtained by The Inquirer.

The change came at the direction of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Stahl wrote, saying the decision aligns with the [Trump] administrations vision of maximizing government productivity and efficiency and ensuring that our workforce can respond swiftly and effectively to evolving threats.

The verdict was also made with ensuring employee inclusivity and restoring meritocracy to the workforce in mind, Stahl wrote.

It remained unclear whether this move was connected to the Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk, President Donald Trumps billionaire adviser, and tasked with streamlining government and cutting spending

DHSs decision is ironic to Palmer, who has worked at PHL for almost 23 years and also represents Wilmington Airport. She said she just recently received a partnership award from TSA for her collaboration with management.

I thought this was a real partnership, but just again, clearly, no sooner than the button was pushed to send an email, everything was done, Palmer said.

Walking on eggshells

Devone Calloway, 39, had been working full-time for the union for the last year, but since the contract was quashed, he and other union leaders have been transitioning back to nonunion work.

As a lead transportation security officer for TSA at PHL, Calloway ensures lanes are running smoothly and watches over pat-downs at the security checkpoint.

He said he was shocked to learn TSA employees were losing union representation when other federal workers were not. It now feels like colleagues are walking on eggshells because they dont know whats coming next, he said.

It hurt me a lot, and it still hurts to this day, Calloway said.

Calloway is a military veteran and has worked at TSA at the Philadelphia and Wilmington airports since 2022.

This is one of the ways I could give back, Calloway said.

In losing their contract, workers lost the ability to call out sick for up to three days without a doctors note, Calloway said, as well as protections from schedule changes.

In Congress, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa) and U.S. Rep Brian Fitzpatrick (R., Pa) are cosponsoring the reintroduction of the Rights for the TSA Workforce Act, which would bolster protections for employees.

Calloway, for his part, says officers can continue reaching out to him if they have any issues.

We are still here for you, he said. Were not giving up.

DHS: Certain union procedures are bureaucratic hurdles

Union leaders at PHL disapprovingly recalled what working at the airport was like in the early 2000s, before President Barack Obamas administration authorized agency employees to unionize in 2011.

Management lacked accountability. Shifts and PTO approvals were inconsistent, discipline was unchecked, and employees perceived favoritism in promotions, Palmer said.

Maggie Sabatino, executive vice president of Local 333, said she is concerned that a lack of union protections could force officers  many of whom have never served the agency without a contract  to leave, potentially creating a larger workload for officers that stay.

They can go somewhere else and make the same amount of money and not have to have all these things that are negatively impact[ing] their job every day, Sabatino said.

A DHS spokesperson described some union contract terms as bureaucratic hurdles.

The spokesperson said that employees now can go straight to their supervisor without dealing with a third party and that poor performers will no longer get in the way of TSOs doing their jobs to safeguard our transportation systems and keep Americans safe.

The TSA spokesperson also said at many airports, TSA employees were spending more time on union work than screening functions. Tim Kauffman, an AFGE spokesperson, called that an intentionally misleading claim.

Out of 47,000 TSA employees, 193 are dedicated exclusively to performing union duties, Kauffman said.

Kelly Ashlee Johnson, 39, a transportation security officer at PHL and former union chief steward, said she was horrified to learn union representation was ending. Knowing that she could call on the unions support in the past brought her a sense of peace, she said.

Johnson, a 14-year TSA employee who remembers a time before union representation, says the collective bargaining agreement is what makes TSA click and work together with management and supervisors.

That was our Bible, she said.
Chadds Ford Township, the North American Land Trust (NALT), and others have worked for more than a year to raise enough money to buy and preserve a 16-acre property where some of the 1777 Battle of Brandywine occurred, and where artist N.C. Wyeth once lived and worked.

Their efforts just got a major boost.

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On Tuesday, the National Park Service announced a $1.8 million grant that came as other Philly-area grants have gotten cut or frozen by the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

It really made things uncertain and unpredictable there for a while, NALT president Steve Carter said of the wait to see if the grant would survive. It was a milestone moment for us to actually receive the award announcement. It was a big day. A great day for us.

How the grant helps

The federal grant is equal to about half the $3.6 million NALT needs to acquire what is known as the Joseph Davis tract off Baltimore Pike in Chadds Ford and to open the property to the public as a preserve. The property is near the Brandywine Battlefield Park.

Carter said that, with the new federal grant and previous money raised, the group has about 95% of the funding needed to close the deal. He thinks the rest can be raised soon.

NALT has so far worked with the township, the state, and historic conservation groups to raise funds.

Chadds Ford Township has given $250,000 toward the purchase through its open space program. The state has kicked in $200,000. Meanwhile, NALT received several other grants. One partner, the American Battlefield Trust, previously helped NALT acquire Brinton Run Preserve in 2021.

NALT reached an agreement in June to acquire the tract from Wayne Megill, preventing it from being developed. Megill had hoped to build as many as 46 housing units on the property.

 READ MORE: House where artist N.C. Wyeth once lived is for sale in Chadds Ford

Now, Carter said, the land will be preserved intact with plans to offer historical and cultural programs, develop hiking trails, and create a pollinator habitat. Eventually, NALT plans to move its headquarters from a nearby location to the Joseph Davis House, the first floor of which could open to the public. NALT would use the second and third floor as offices.

Historic house

Carter said the propertys history stretches back hundreds of years.

Soldiers fought on it during one of the largest battles of the American Revolution.

In 1777, Gen. George Washington took a position along Brandywine Creek in an attempt to keep 15,000 British and Hessian troops commanded by Gen. William Howe from capturing Philadelphia.

The ensuing Battle for the Brandywine was fought along 35,000 acres in Chester and Delaware Counties, including what is now the 50-acre Brandywine Battlefield Park, administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Washington lost the battle and Howe took the city but failed to crush the Continental Army, which continued to fight.

Part of the battle was fought on what later became known as the Joseph Davis tract, named after a family that had lived there for generations.

Carter said Wyeth sketched his famous illustrations for Treasure Island in a barn on the property between 1908 and 1911.

Its kind of where Wyeth cut his teeth, Carter said.

A separate $260,000 state grant will go toward converting the lawn into a pollinator habitat and planting warm-season grasses.

Carter said it is likely the property, originally land used by the Lenni-Lenape, can be traced back to John Chads, who, during the 1730s and 1740s, owned a ferry service to usher people across Brandywine Creek that eventually became known as Chadds Ford.

We believe based on evidence and readings that this was the site of the original Chads tavern, Carter said. The house itself has been built upon many times over the past 300 years, but there is an original portion of it that has bricking that says 1755. And we have come to understand that might be an original piece to Chads tavern.
On Thursday, Councilmember Jeffery Jay Young passed a zoning bill he first introduced last May as part of his furious reaction to Mayor Cherelle L. Parkers effort to establish a 90-bed homeless shelter in his district in Fairmount.

The legislation would alter an arcane section of the zoning code governing nonconforming uses in a way that Youngs critics believe will sow confusion and have unintended consequences. But Youngs initial proposal was so unpopular that it sat unapproved on Councils calendar for almost a year.

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Last month, Young attempted to soften his bill with an amendment that he hoped would get enough of his colleagues on board to ensure passage. Instead, almost all of the district Council members made him exempt their sections of the city from the legislation, further complicating Philadelphias patchwork of hyperlocal zoning rules.

Others have a right to their opinion as to if this bill should become law in our city, Young said in an email before Thursdays vote. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and the administration on matters to improve the quality-of-life for the 5th District.

The bill passed 15-2, an unusual split vote in a chamber that normally approves legislation unanimously. After most of the district Council members exempted themselves, all of Council voted for the legislation except Anthony Phillips and Rue Landau.

 READ MORE: Philly begins the process of repealing the downtown Sixers arena legislation | City Council roundup

The new law would apply only to Brian ONeills district in Far Northeast, Cindy Bass Northwest Philly district, and Youngs district that spans much of North Philadelphia  if Parker signs it.

But the purpose, and perils, of Youngs bill will take some explaining.

What does Youngs bill do?

Last May, Parkers administration sought to address the opioid crisis in Kensington, in part, by expanding capacity at a homeless shelter at 2100 W. Girard Ave. so it could house people in addiction. Young lashed out against the plan, arguing that because the neighborhood for the proposed shelter is in his district that he should have been consulted.

Young threatened to subpoena the mayor to appear before Council and attempted to block the citys lease of the shelter building. He also introduced an earlier version of the bill passed this week in a bid to close what he described as a loophole that allowed the project to move forward: an obscure element of the zoning code on nonconforming uses.

The property at 2100 W. Girard Ave. is zoned for multifamily residential development, which Young said he believed meant the shelter use wouldnt normally be allowed under the propertys zoning. But Parkers plans for the facility were allowed to move forward because the buildings use had been grandfathered in. It was previously used as a nursing home and then a homeless shelter.

Thats because zoning law in Philadelphia, like most other cities in Pennsylvania, allows for properties that predate existing land use laws to be allowed to operate as their current or similar uses. They revert to existing zoning laws only if the old use is abandoned for three years.

Because 2100 W. Girard had operated as a nursing home, the operators were able to reuse it as a homeless shelter under the old zoning laws. But Young didnt think that was fair: Once the nursing home closed, he believed the new zoning should have taken effect immediately.

In that event where you abandon your nursing home use and you use it as a shelter use, then under this legislation, you will be prohibited from trying to come back and say, You know what? Were going to still use it as some kind of medical facility, Young said in a City Council hearing last year.

The problem, Youngs critics said, was that there are tens of thousands of properties in Philadelphia that dont strictly conform to existing zoning. They feared his bill would add a huge burden to anyone who, say, inherited a nonconforming property from a family member.

It would also flood the already overburdened zoning board with new cases and complicate operations for everyone from big developers to small-business owners. It would burden property owners who dont have the resources to navigate the city bureaucracy.

What we are doing with this bill is creating a citywide problem, Rachael J. Pritzker, a zoning lawyer and board member of the Building Industry Alliance, said at a City Council hearing in June. It is those in our city who cannot hire lawyers ... that we hurt.

Youngs bill was unpopular with the administration, city planners, developers, and much of City Council. It received so much pushback that Young never got it passed  until now.

An 11th Hour Amendment

In February, Young circulated a tweak to his legislation called Nonconforming Use Bill (Re-up) 11th Hour Amendment.

Under the new language, the bill would no longer frustrate an effort like Parkers shelter. Instead, Young said his new bill would apply only to property owners who sought to make changes illegally, without permits.

Currently, if a property owner decides to change a grandfathered use, and L&I issues a violation, they still have a right to last permitted use, Young said in an email. This bill takes that ability away when a change occurs illegally.

Young describes this as a punishment for bad actors, adding delay and inconvenience for those caught making changes illegally. Under current law, the property of bad actors could already be fined, but Youngs bill would add another level of pain.

Youngs critics still believe the bill is written in a confusing and potentially damaging fashion. In a best-case scenario, where the amended bill does act as he intended, it will still be difficult to enforce because the citys Department of Licenses and Inspections is already overburdened. If the new law is enforced, it could swamp Philadelphias zoning board and add to already lengthy delays.

I always appreciate Councilman Youngs thoughtfulness about zoning issues; however, I would be cautious as [the city] tries to add 30,000 new units of housing to do anything that would overly increase the already full schedule of the zoning board, said Lauren Vidas, a government affairs consultant with Enact Strategies.

Such concerns are why most district City Council members opted their districts out of Youngs bill. The Parker administration declined to comment on the legislation, although its opposition is widely known in City Hall.

It now heads to her desk for approval, although it is unknown if she will sign it. Parker has never vetoed a piece of legislation.

When asked why he voted against the bill, Phillips would only comment: I support the mayor of the city of Philadelphia.
Work continues on the windows at Fairmount Park's Sweetbriar Mansion. Andrew Staples of the Fairmount Park Conservancy climbs a ladder to prime a new windowsill. Read more

For Wendy Ney Manley and Tim Manley, fixing up their centuries-old Pottstown farmhouse has taken over two decades and counting. People who restore old homes are a rare breed, Wendy said.

The house may date back to the late 1700s. When they bought it, some sections were down to the studs from earlier renovations, Wendy said.

The work it needed was complex enough that just getting started was tough. After several false starts, a hiatus of several years, and a lucky word-of-mouth tip, the Manleys found West Chester-based R&B Restoration Carpentry.

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So far R&B partners James Breen and Matthew Roberson, along with their crew members, have spent over 300 hours restoring 40-some decaying original windows on the Manleys home. And were not done yet, Breen said.

Their work included, for example, rebuilding original details from over 200 years ago, and to do that with care takes time.

Part of it is knowing where the suppliers are, said Roberson, who was a planning consultant before he became a carpenter.

Since Breen and Roberson joined forces in 2018, the companys projects have included restorations of a log house in Elverson, Chester County; the cupola of the town hall in Old New Castle, Del.; cornice and dormer repairs at a historical home in Bryn Mawr designed by architect Horace Trumbauer; and restoration work at the Wilmington Friends Meeting House.

Their team doesnt just make cosmetic fixes to the properties they work on, instead they aim to find the cause of the problem, Breen said.

It will just rot again if the cause isnt identified and corrected, Breen explained. We dont want to get a call to repair something we installed.

High demand for skilled workers

For companies like R&B, the demand for work is high, and the supply of contractors that can do it right is low.

Of an estimated 96 million buildings in the United States, just over 40% are more than 50 years old, according to a 2022 workforce report commissioned by the Campaign for Historic Trades, an organization that aims to raise the profile of the historic trades.

Meanwhile, restoration proposals for properties like this have gotten more inventive.

Megan McNish, eastern region community preservation coordinator for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, said commercial spaces were in greater demand about five years ago, but lately residential projects have increased. Those kinds of projects include The Battery, a vacant power station in Fishtown thats becoming apartments.

 READ MORE: Transforming two of Phillys industrial relics proves empty offices can live again

Repurposing religious properties is also an increasingly popular undertaking. Perhaps the best-known is the conversion of the Zion Baptist Church annex in North Philadelphia, vacant since the early 2000s, to the Rev. Leon H. Sullivan Community Impact Center.

Each year over the next decade, there will be more than 10,000 job openings in the historic trades, a Campaign for Historic Trades report states. This deficiency of an appropriately trained workforce puts the built heritage of the United States at risk.

Breen, 45, has seen that firsthand. He said its a challenge to find crew members who can pick up the needed skills quickly  not many younger people are going into restoration work, he said. He expressed particular concern about the retirement of traditional tradespeople such as plasterers and blacksmiths.

The Campaign for Historic Trades, launched in Maryland in 2019, seeks to highlight solutions to skilled workforce shortages.

Natalie Henshaw, director of historic trades, said that the agency is working on curriculum development and that within about a year, it hopes to have a formal apprenticeship program registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. Shoring up the preservation workforce serves a larger purpose, she says.

Historic structures are much more emblematic of people and place than modern construction, Henshaw said. Theyre built to be sustainable. They tell more of a story.

An abundance of restoration work

By 2030, as many as 462,000 buildings will be added to the National Register of Historic Places, the Campaigns 2022 report said.

It identified 10 specific job categories and the shortages of appropriately skilled craftspeople in each, ranging from a shortfall of 1,620 glaziers to a deficit of 36,000 plumbers and electricians.

The causes of worker shortage are multiple, the report states, including a disinclination of young people to enter the field and the small size of most firms specializing in it. Insurance challenges are also a factor, Manley noted.

One upside, the report stated, is how workers who get training in historic preservation can usually make more money than craftspeople without that skill set.

There are a lot of pathways for people to get trained, Henshaw said. While her organization is looking to establish an apprenticeship program, some opportunities already exist.

R&B, for its part, has instituted its own apprenticeship program to help fill the talent gap.

And at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, the Preservation Trades Center, working with building trade unions, has offered apprenticeship programs in masonry and carpentry. Through this program, which looks to connect with aspiring tradespeople in underrepresented communities, apprentices learn through their work on the penitentiary structure, built in 1829.

Bucks County Community College also offers a two-year associate degree program in historic preservation.

Bringing storied structures back to life

Andrew Staples, 35, got his start in working on older buildings through his fathers plumbing and heating business in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and now hes a restoration carpenter for the Fairmount Park Conservancy.

He hasnt seen many other young people going into the trades, he said. But the work is plentiful.

The conservancys five-person conservation staff concentrates on carpentry, masonry, and plastering. Most recently, Staples has been restoring original windows on the Sweetbriar Mansion, a Federal-style structure built in 1797.

The conservancys other restoration projects have included FDR Parks welcome center, stables, a guard house from 1916, and decorative urns. They have also helped restore a trolley bridge.

One of the more unusual projects was replacing a door on the Chamounix Mansion after the 1802 structure was hit by a car.

Tara Rasheed, the groups senior director of capital projects, said this work has become a bit of a boutique trade requiring knowledge of traditional building methods.

While budding apprenticeship programs are aiming to pull more young people into restoration, Rasheed also notes that restoration craftspeople often enter the niche by way of a different field. R&B Restoration Carpentrys Roberson, as a former planning consultant, is one example.

A lot of our people are artists, she said, drawn to the opportunity to help beautiful old structures find new life, using the methods that worked for generations.

This is the way we used to build things, she said. The Pantheon, the pyramids.
(From left) Jessica, Scout, and Parker Stanhagen in their home Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in West Chester, Pa. Their home was built in 1873 and had a challenging layout. The Stanhagens wanted to make the house more livable for their family, while staying true to the homes original architectural style. Read more

When Winston Clement bought a 3-story Society Hill townhouse built in 1802, he appreciated its rich history. But the homes disjointed layout wasnt conducive to raising a family.

He spent six months renovating the home inside and out, but faced many challenges.

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Renovating historic homes, like Clements, presents greater challenges and higher costs than the typical remodel. Maintaining the integrity of the original architecture  sometimes nonnegotiable under historic property designations  requires research on the homes origins. And while families today want larger kitchens and bathrooms, more closets and storage space, the homes built a century ago reflected vastly different necessities.

For Clements home, the design was a reminder of norms more than 200 years old.

There was no indoor plumbing at the time the house was built, and people had a lot fewer possessions, said Clement. There also was no central heat, and air-conditioning didnt exist.

Previous owners had installed indoor plumbing, but the bathrooms needed updating. Over more than a century, the homes exterior had sustained damages and needed repairs.

The Clements gutted and replaced the bathrooms and kitchen, reconfigured the bedrooms to increase closet space, and installed an HVAC system. Exterior work included replacing the windows, roof, downspout, and gutters.

The house is designated historic, so all changes to the exterior required approval from the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

We saved time by working directly with a design-build firm so we didnt have a separate design phase with an architect, and we intentionally hired a contractor who had a lot of experience renovating historically designated Philadelphia rowhouses, said Clement, who spent about $350,000 working with Buckminster Green, based in Kensington, to renovate the home, inside and out.

Historic designation

More than 27,000 Philadelphia properties are listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, according to Allyson Mehley, historic preservation planner supervisor for the Philadelphia Historical Commission.

When renovating an old home, the first step is to find out if it is on a historic registry, such as the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Property owners in the suburbs should check with their local municipality.

The age of a building is not the only criteria for designation. It could be associated with a significant historical event, or have cultural importance, among other criteria. The Secretary of the Interiors Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties is a useful guide.

Houses with a historic designation will need approval on most exterior work, including repointing brick, replacing shutters, windows, and the roof. Maintenance items such as painting and cleaning do not need to be reviewed.

Planning

Most reviews are quick, Mehley said, with 95% of responses coming from her office within five days. But be prepared to present the required paperwork for approvals.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania provides information on how the home was originally constructed. It uses an array of records, including maps, atlases, wills, deeds, and fire insurance and tax records.

Fire insurance records, when it comes to understanding the character of a home, are crucial, said Anthony DiGiovanni, director of cataloging and reference services for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. These records often have drawings or a narrative that includes the materials used, the size, layout, and other characteristics of the house.

DiGiovanni also recommends How to Research the History of a House" from the Free Library of Philadelphia.

No matter how well you plan, historic homes will present surprises.

These houses were laid out and constructed in a time when people lived differently than they do now, said Kenny Grono, president of Buckminster Green.

Kitchens were likely smaller and may have been in the basement, so finding space for a larger kitchen with an island is tricky. Renovating means prioritizing. In a rowhouse, do you take space from the living room or sacrifice outdoor space to bump out the house?

Old homes may not have been built with bathrooms, and those added by previous owners may be lacking. Is there room for a large shower or bidet?

You are always going to be working with some limitations, Grono said. Depending on the width of the house, you might not be able to have an island or you might need a thinner one without cabinets. Its about creative design.

The older the home, the more likely it reflects a hodgepodge of styles from previous owners projects, said Chris Payson, president of the West Chester-based remodeling firm COCOON. Perhaps many different contractors, plumbers, and electricians were involved, using different construction methods or materials.

Previous owners may have deferred maintenance. Hire a contractor with experience working on historic homes, who understands how to navigate the approvals process.

Its an adventure, said Payson. Be prepared for more time and costs to remodel.

Maintaining the character of a historic home

Parker and Jessica Stanhagens Federal-style West Chester home isnt on a historic registry, but when renovating the twin house, they were determined to maintain its historic integrity.

Built in 1873, its layout wasnt ideal for a young family. Previous homeowners have added bathrooms and other features over time.

It had a funky layout, said Parker.

Over 2 months in 2020, COCOON Remodeling redefined the layout of the three-story home, gutted the second floor, and replaced floors, walls, and ceilings.

When you start opening up walls, you dont know what youre going to find, said Parker.

Luckily, they were thrilled with their finds  exposed ceiling beams, exposed brick walls hidden behind plaster, and an old gas line that serviced the gas lamps throughout the original house. In many rooms, only the knob from those lamps remained.

We didnt know what they were until we pulled the wall out, said Jessica.

They kept the beams and knobs and matched new moldings and woodwork to the original time period. The new floors were hand-cut and stained to match the original floors, and half-lite doors were custom-made with wood at the bottom and textured glass on top.

Youre trying to keep the budget affordable but you also have to maintain the same quality, said Jessica of the $150,000 renovation.

The Stanhagens are thrilled with their new design. Their best advice: plan ahead.

Before we started the process, we had architects and engineers come in and do plans, said Parker. But you still dont know exactly whats going to be there.
This 125-year-old house on Elliott Avenue in the Bryn Mawr neighborhood of Lower Merion Township was designed by the esteemed architect William Lightfoot Price. Read more

A distinctive house in Bryn Mawr is inspiring a lively public conversation about property rights, historic preservation, and the character of Lower Merion Township.

Designed in 1900 by esteemed Philadelphia architect William Lightfoot Price, the house at 17 Elliott Ave. is raising concerns due to its deteriorating exterior and its owners opposition to the township classifying his home as historic.

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The house  a noteworthy presence on a block where some other vintage structures have been razed  is widely seen as architecturally significant, notwithstanding the fading paint, decaying eaves, and windows in obvious need of replacement. The house is not currently for sale.

Preservation advocates Arielle Harris and Jillian Galle are leading a grassroots campaign to include the three-story, five-bedroom house on Lower Merions Historic Resource Inventory as Class 1, meaning worthy of the strongest protection. The application was prepared by Harris and Galles late husband, Aaron Wunsch, and submitted to the township in July 2024.

Doing so would require a vote by the township commission. If approved, placing a building on the inventory with a Class 1 designation would bolster the townships authority over exterior renovation and demolition.

The Lower Merion Historical Commission has recommended that the township include the house on the inventory.

But the township commissions building and planning committee voted March 12 to pause the legislative process until May because of qualms about designating the house against the wishes of its owner, Thomas J. Roberts.

Lower Merions 25-year-old preservation ordinance does not explicitly bar the township from going ahead without an owners consent, but township officials said they believe this has occurred only with commercial, not residential, buildings.

It would be a win-win if the township could preserve the house and collaborate with preservation advocates to assist the owner by identifying funding and incentive programs to pay for certain repairs, said township commissioner and building committee chair Joshua L. Grimes.

Roberts did not answer the door at his home and did not respond to email messages. But the 70-year-old lawyer did send the township a multipage letter of unequivocal opposition to a designation.

I want to make sure the township received his letter  and digested the 10 points he makes, Carol Kelley, who lives on the same block, told the committee at the March 12 meeting.

His primary assets are within his house, she said. He is concerned that a historic classification would hamper him [if] he decided to sell  and he is not in a position to apply for grants should he need to make repairs.

Preservation advocate Harris, interviewed after the meeting, said the postponement means we have more opportunities to solicit comment from the public.

The word is still spreading about this really special house, and if the commission votes against preservation, I fear it would send a message that the township doesnt really care about historic preservation, she said.

A Bryn Mawr story

Named by Welsh Quakers who settled in what is now Lower Merion in the 1600s, Bryn Mawr began growing in the 19th century as railroads opened up former agricultural lands to residential development for prosperous commuters who worked in Center City.

A late 1880s real estate boom saw even more development, including on Elliott Avenue, which was then, as now, in walking distance of a train station and handy to the commercial district along Lancaster Avenue.

Price, the architect, was a prominent Philadelphia figure in the Arts and Crafts movement; he is described as the founder of the Rose Valley community in Delaware County.

The Elliott Avenue house is considered a significant example of Arts and Crafts architecture. It is also noteworthy because it features a very early version of what would become a staple of American suburbia: an attached garage believed to be among the first of its kind on the Main Line.

Price was commissioned to build the Elliott Avenue house by Helen Sleeper Pearson, a Bryn Mawr College graduate who taught mathematics and shared her home for 40 years with research scientist Helen Dean King, who also attended Bryn Mawr.

Helen Sleeper Pearson was a pioneering educator at local secondary schools for young girls and one of Smith Colleges first graduate students, and her long-term housemate, Dr. Helen Dean King, was a groundbreaking biologist, said Hanna Stark, director of communications at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Preservation isnt just about buildings, Galle said.

Said township historic preservation planner Greg Prichard: A lot of our historic buildings have stories that deserve to be told.

A classic American struggle

Galles mother-in-law, Lydia Vickers, eventually owned 17 Elliott Ave., and in 1983 sold it to Roberts and his wife, Patricia Anne Roberts, who has since died. The deed to the property includes covenants by Vickers that Galle characterized as prohibiting demolition of the house by successive owners in perpetuity.

Lower Merion is not obligated to designate any property as historic, township solicitor Gilbert P. High Jr. told the planning committee March 12.

When an owner has objected, it has been my experience that the [township] has heard what the owner had to say, High said, noting that some properties were removed upon request when the inventory was first proposed.

In this particular case, the right of enforcement is given to specific people, [and] one could read and view it as only [Vickers] is entitled to enforce the covenants, High said.

Lower Merion is not responsible for enforcing such covenants.

But if 17 Elliott Ave. is placed on the inventory, the township commissioners would have the ability to approve or deny an application to make exterior renovations, or for an application to permit demolition of the property.

The larger question, according to Galle, is whether owners can do whatever they want to do with their properties, and government cant tell them otherwise. Or are owners the stewards of their properties [in order to preserve them] for future generations?

This is a classic American struggle between property rights and the larger public good, and the public good may have more importance when a historic property is at stake, she said.

Not a cookie-cutter suburb

Committee members on both sides of the ownership issue were in agreement that 17 Elliott Ave. ought not be demolished. Nor should it be allowed to undergo demolition by neglect, a process that violates the municipal building code and can result in enforcement actions.

The letter from the owner is heartbreaking, committee member Andrew S. Gavrin said. Its a beautiful historic home that I believe without the designation will be lost. Its an amazing property in a very desirable area, and I believe there is a buyer out there who will be preservation-minded.

Said Grimes: If we let these historic properties go and be replaced one by one with plain vanilla buildings  at some point Lower Merion will become just another cookie-cutter suburb.
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In a decision issued on March 14, 2025, the Arizona Court of Appeals reversed a lower courts ruling in favor of Date Street Capital, LLC, a lienholder and loss payee on the policy. The court held that Date Street, while entitled to receive insurance proceeds as specified in the policy, has no contractual right to demand a third-party appraisal to contest the valuation of the loss.
At the heart of one dispute, Chevron sought access to documents from two high-profile insurance cases involving similar exclusions: Merck & Co., Inc. v. Ace American Insurance Co. and Mondelez Int'l, Inc. v. Zurich Am. Ins. Co.. Both cases revolved around coverage denials based on hostile or warlike action policy language.
The only way for AI to be successful in the organization, beyond being a tool that people use to write things and query, is if you prepare for it, Schreiber said. AI, like people, needs to be trained. It needs feedback. It needs to be managed. It needs people looking over its shoulder and saying yes and no. If you build that platform, AI adoption will come.
This post is part of a series sponsored by Darkhorse Insurance.

Getting appointed means that you can sell their insurance products to your clients and earn commissions. It also gives you access to more options and better rates, which can help you grow your business and satisfy your customers.

But getting appointed is not easy, especially if you are doing it on your own. You have to meet the requirements of each insurance company, which may vary depending on the type of insurance you want to sell, such as life insurance, auto insurance, or property insurance and casualty. You also have to compete with other independent agencies and agents who are vying for the same appointments.

We can help you navigate the appointment process and get appointed with the best insurance companies for your niche in this post. Well cover the following topics:

How to research and choose the right insurance companies for your market

How to prepare and submit your application and supporting documents

How to follow up and negotiate with the insurance company representatives

How to maintain and renew your appointments once you get them

By following these steps, you will be able to get appointed with the insurance companies that suit your needs and goals and offer the best insurance products for your clients.

Understanding the Insurance Landscape

If you want to become an independent insurance agent, you need to know the different types of insurance companies that you can work with. There are three main types of insurance companies: mutual, stock, and independent groups.

Mutual insurance companies are owned by their policyholders, who share the profits and losses of the company. Mutual insurance companies tend to offer lower premiums and higher dividends to their customers, but they may have less financial stability and flexibility than other types of companies.

Stock insurance companies are owned by shareholders, who benefit from the profits and growth of the company. Stock insurance companies tend to offer more products and services, as well as more innovation and technology, but they may also charge higher premiums and fees to their customers.

Independent groups are associations of independent insurance agencies that pool their resources and negotiate contracts with insurance carriers. Independent groups offer their members access to a variety of insurance products and carriers, as well as support and training. Still, they may also charge fees and commissions to their members.

As an independent insurance agent, you need to find the best insurance companies for your niche and expertise. Whether you specialize in life insurance, auto insurance, personal lines, or other types of insurance, you need to research the carriers that offer the best products, prices, and services for your target market.

The Best vs. The Right Fit

When considering insurance companies to work with as an independent agent, its crucial to recognize that the best choice may not necessarily be the most popular or well-known but rather the one that aligns with your unique business goals and values. Several factors warrant careful consideration in making this decision:

Quality and Diversity of Insurance Products

Independent agents should assess the insurance companies based on the quality and diversity of the insurance products they offer. This involves looking into various coverage options such as casualty insurance, property and casualty insurance, car insurance coverage, and even specialized policies like manufactured home insurance or customized policies for equine businesses.

Commission Rates and Payment Terms

Evaluate the commission rates and payment terms provided by insurance companies. This consideration ensures that your compensation aligns with your financial expectations and requirements.

Underwriting and Claims Processes

A seamless and efficient underwriting process, coupled with a straightforward claims process, is essential. It ensures that you can provide your clients with responsive service and reliable insurance coverage.

Training and Support

The level of training and support offered by the insurance provider is crucial for the success of independent agents. Look for companies that invest in the development of their agents through training programs and ongoing support.

Reputation and Financial Strength

Consider the reputation and financial strength of the insurance companies. A reputable and financially stable company is more likely to honor its commitments and provide a solid foundation for your business.

The best companies for independent insurance agents are those that offer a comprehensive range of insurance options, maintain a strong financial standing, and support their agents with training and assistance. Its about finding the right fit that complements your business objectives.

Some examples of best insurance companies for independent agents are:

National General Insurance: A leading provider of personal and commercial auto insurance, as well as specialty insurance products such as RV, motorcycle, and flood insurance.

A leading provider of personal and commercial auto insurance, as well as specialty insurance products such as RV, motorcycle, and flood insurance. Safeco Insurance: It specializes in property and casualty coverage, providing various personal insurance options. They tailor coverage to customers needs, including homes, vehicles, and renters insurance. Safeco also offers customized coverage and discounts for competitive value.

It specializes in property and casualty coverage, providing various personal insurance options. They tailor coverage to customers needs, including homes, vehicles, and renters insurance. Safeco also offers customized coverage and discounts for competitive value. Travelers Insurance: A property and casualty insurer that specializes in business, personal, and specialty insurance solutions. It helps customers protect their assets, manage risks, and recover from losses. Travelers Insurance also offers innovative tools and resources to help customers prevent accidents and save money.

A property and casualty insurer that specializes in business, personal, and specialty insurance solutions. It helps customers protect their assets, manage risks, and recover from losses. Travelers Insurance also offers innovative tools and resources to help customers prevent accidents and save money. Berkshire Hathaway: A notable subsidiary, excels as a property and casualty insurer. They provide a comprehensive array of insurance products to businesses, including commercial and auto insurance, workers compensation, and liability coverage. Their focus is on delivering outstanding service and value.

Researching Your Options

To find the best insurance companies for independent agents, you need to do your homework. You can use online tools such as websites, blogs, forums, reviews, and ratings to compare different carriers and their products. You can also network with other independent agents and ask for referrals and recommendations. You can also contact the carriers directly and ask for quotes, proposals, and contracts.

Becoming an appointed agent with an insurance carrier is not easy. You need to meet their requirements, such as having a license, experience, education, background check, etc. You also need to prove your value proposition, such as having a niche market, a loyal customer base, a strong sales record, etc. You also need to follow their rules and regulations, such as complying with their underwriting guidelines, reporting procedures, ethical standards, etc.

However, becoming an appointed agent with an insurance carrier can also be rewarding. You can enjoy the benefits of working with a reputable and reliable partner who can help you grow your business and serve your customers better.

Building Your Appointment Arsenal to Get to the Best Insurance Companies

If you want to get insurance carrier appointments on your own, you need to have a strong arsenal of qualifications, value propositions, and relationships. In this section, we will discuss how to prepare yourself for the appointment process and impress the carriers with your professionalism and potential.

Qualifications and Credentials

The first step to getting insurance carrier appointments is to meet the basic requirements that most carriers have for their agents. These include having relevant experience in selling insurance policies, especially in the lines of insurance that you want to represent; having a formal education in insurance or a related field, or completing continuing education courses to keep your knowledge up to date; and having the necessary licenses and certifications to operate as an independent agent in your state.

Carriers want to work with agents who are competent, knowledgeable, and compliant with the laws and regulations of the insurance industry. Having these qualifications and credentials will show them that you are a professional who can handle their products and services.

Demonstrating Value: Crafting a Compelling Appointment Letter

The next step to getting insurance carrier appointments is to convince the carriers that you are a valuable partner who can help them grow their business and reach new customers. To do this, you need to craft a compelling appointment letter that showcases your track record, business plan, and growth potential.

Your track record should highlight your achievements and successes as an agent, such as your sales volume, retention rate, customer satisfaction, and awards or recognition. Your business plan should outline your goals and strategies for selling the carriers products, such as your target market, marketing channels, value proposition, and competitive advantage. Your growth potential should demonstrate your ability and willingness to expand your business and increase your market share, such as your projected sales growth, geographic coverage, staff size, and technology investments.

Your appointment letter should be clear, concise, and persuasive. It should explain why you want to work with the carrier, what you can offer them, and how you can benefit them. It should also include relevant documents that support your claims, such as your resume, portfolio, references, financial statements, and business plan.

Networking and Relationships: Building Bridges with Underwriters and Decision-makers

The final step to getting insurance carrier appointments is to establish and maintain positive relationships with the underwriters and decision-makers of the carriers. These are the people who will review your appointment letter, evaluate your qualifications and value, and decide whether to grant you an appointment or not.

To build rapport with them, you need to network effectively and communicate frequently. You can network with them by attending industry events, joining professional associations, asking for referrals from existing agents or carriers, or reaching out directly via phone or email. You can communicate with them by following up on your appointment letter, providing updates on your progress, asking for feedback or advice, or expressing appreciation or interest.

Your goal is to make yourself stand out from the crowd of other agents who are seeking appointments. You want to show them that you are reliable, trustworthy, and eager to work with them. You want to create a lasting impression that will make them remember you and choose you over others.

Decoding the Appointment Process

One of the most challenging aspects of becoming an independent agent is getting appointments with the best insurance companies to work with. Appointments are agreements that allow you to sell the insurance products of a carrier to your clients. They are essential for building your insurance brand and offering quality insurance products to your customers.

But how do you get appointments on your own? What are the steps involved, and what are the best practices to follow? We will decode the appointment process and give you some tips on how to get insurance carrier appointments on your own.

The appointment process typically involves four stages: initial contact, application and submission, underwriting review, and the final answer. Lets look at each stage in detail.

Initial Contact: Making that first impression

The first step is to contact the insurance carrier that you want to work with and express your interest in getting an appointment. You can do this by phone, email, or through their website. The goal of this stage is to make a good first impression and establish a rapport with the carrier representative.

Tips for making a successful initial contact are:

Do your research. Before you reach out to a carrier, make sure you know their products, target market, commission structure, and requirements for appointments. This will show that you are serious and prepared.

Before you reach out to a carrier, make sure you know their products, target market, commission structure, and requirements for appointments. This will show that you are serious and prepared. Be professional and courteous. Use a formal tone and address the representative by their name. Introduce yourself and your agency, and explain why you want to work with them.

Use a formal tone and address the representative by their name. Introduce yourself and your agency, and explain why you want to work with them. Highlight your value proposition. What makes you different from other agents? What can you offer to the carrier and its customers? How can you help them grow their business?

What makes you different from other agents? What can you offer to the carrier and its customers? How can you help them grow their business? Ask for the next steps. Dont end the conversation without knowing what to do next. Ask for the application process, the timeline, and the contact information of the person who will handle your case.

Application and Submission: Filling out the paperwork with confidence

The second step is to fill out and submit the application form and any other documents that the carrier requires. The application form is usually available on the carriers website or can be sent to you by email. The documents may include your resume, business plan, financial statements, licenses, E&O insurance, references, etc.

Key components when filling out and applying are:

Follow the instructions carefully. Make sure you fill out all the required fields, attach all the necessary documents, and sign where needed. Dont leave anything blank or incomplete.

Make sure you fill out all the required fields, attach all the necessary documents, and sign where needed. Dont leave anything blank or incomplete. Be honest and accurate. Provide factual information that reflects your experience, qualifications, and performance. Dont exaggerate or lie about anything.

Provide factual information that reflects your experience, qualifications, and performance. Dont exaggerate or lie about anything. Be clear and concise. Use simple and direct language that is easy to understand. Avoid jargon, slang, or abbreviations. Keep your answers short and relevant.

Use simple and direct language that is easy to understand. Avoid jargon, slang, or abbreviations. Keep your answers short and relevant. Proofread and review. Check your application for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. Make sure it looks neat and professional.

Check your application for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. Make sure it looks neat and professional. Submit on time. Dont wait until the last minute to send your application. Submit it as soon as possible or before the deadline.

Underwriting Review: Understanding the evaluation process and potential roadblocks

The third step is to wait for the underwriting review of your application. This is when the carrier evaluates your suitability for an appointment based on various criteria such as your background, experience, financial stability, market potential, and many more.

To ace the underwriting review process, you need to:

Be patient and cooperative. Remember, securing appointments can take longer than you might expect. While underwriting reviews typically range from weeks to months, the overall timeline from initial contact to securing an appointment can stretch from 3 to 6 months and, in rare cases, even years. Patience is key here. Dont pressure the carrier, but be responsive and polite if they have questions.

Remember, securing appointments can take longer than you might expect. While underwriting reviews typically range from weeks to months, the overall timeline from initial contact to securing an appointment can stretch from 3 to 6 months and, in rare cases, even years. Patience is key here. Dont pressure the carrier, but be responsive and polite if they have questions. Be ready to provide additional information or clarification. The carrier may ask you for more details or evidence to support your application. For example, they may ask you for proof of your E&O insurance coverage, copies of your licenses, or samples of your marketing materials.

The carrier may ask you for more details or evidence to support your application. For example, they may ask you for proof of your E&O insurance coverage, copies of your licenses, or samples of your marketing materials. Be prepared for possible rejections or counteroffers. The carrier may reject your application if they find that you dont meet their standards or expectations. Alternatively, they may offer you a conditional appointment with certain terms or restrictions, such as a lower commission rate, a higher premium volume requirement, or a limited product line.

The Final Answer: Landing the appointment and negotiating terms

The final step is to receive the final answer from the carrier regarding your appointment status. If you are approved, congratulations! You have successfully landed an appointment with one of the best insurance companies to work with.

Some key points when accepting and negotiating the appointment term:

Review the contract carefully. Before you sign anything, make sure you read and understand the contract that outlines the terms and conditions of your appointment. Pay attention to details such as commission rates, premium volume requirements, product availability, cancellation policies, etc. Negotiate if necessary. If you are not satisfied with some aspects of the contract, dont be afraid to negotiate for better terms. For example, you can ask for a higher commission rate, a lower premium volume requirement, or access to more products. However, be realistic and respectful in your negotiations. Dont demand or expect too much from the carrier. Celebrate and get started. Once you have agreed and signed the contract, celebrate your achievement and get ready to sell the insurance products of your new carrier. Start by familiarizing yourself with their products, policies, and procedures. Then, update your website, marketing materials, and insurance quotes with their information. Finally, reach out to your existing and potential clients and let them know about the new insurance offers that you have for them.

How Dark Horse Insurance Brokers Can Help You Land Your First Appointment

One of the challenges that independent agents face is getting appointments with the best insurance companies to work with. Insurance offers vary widely in terms of quality, commission, and support. You want to partner with one of the best insurance brands that can provide you with quality insurance products, competitive insurance quotes, and excellent service.

Thats where Dark Horse Insurance Brokers can help you. We have established relationships with some of the best companies to work within the property insurance industry. We can guide you through the process of applying for appointments, preparing your business plan, and following the best practices to impress the carriers.

Conclusion

As an independent agent, you have learned how to secure insurance carrier appointments on your own. This is a vital step in growing your business and providing your clients with quality insurance products. You have discovered the best insurance companies to partner with, the requirements and expectations they have, and the best practices to follow. You have also learned how to present yourself as a professional and trustworthy insurance brand.

Acquiring insurance carrier appointments is not easy, but it is achievable. You must be tenacious, proactive, and patient. Conduct market research, network with other agents, and show your value proposition. Submit applications to multiple carriers, follow up with them, and negotiate the terms of your contract.

You are not alone in this journey. There are numerous resources and support available for independent agents. You can use tools to streamline your workflow, access carrier information, and manage your appointments. Discover online communities, attend webinars, and read blogs to learn from the experiences and insights of other agents.

You have what it takes to secure insurance carrier appointments on your own. You just need to take action and make it happen. Good luck!

Sources:

https://www.everquote.com/agents/blog/how-to-get-appointed-with-insurance-companies/

https://www.agencyequity.com/insurance-agent-resources/101-how-to-get-insurance-carrier-appointments

https://www.insurancejournal.com/magazines/mag-features/2015/01/05/351312.htm

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/011316/how-get-insurance-appointment.asp

Topics Carriers
Soundview Transportation faces a series of penalties and payments totaling $350,000 over a November 2022 oil tanker accident in Norfolk, Connnecticut, announced state Attorney General William Tong.

In addition to the penalties, Soundview has take responsibility for the ongoing remediation and clean-up of the site, whici is expected to cost millions of dollars.

Tong said the spill was the largest gasoline spill in Connecticut history.

The settlement also addresses two smaller spills, one in Milford on March 2023 and the other at the Gateway Montville terminal on September 2023. Both of those spills have been remediated.

Tong said the Norfolk tanker accident caused severe disruption to neighbors and significant environmental harm.

Soundview has taken responsibility for the ongoing remediation.

In the early morning of November 5, 2022, a tanker truck leased and operated by Soundview hit a utility pole and a fire hydrant on Route 44 in Norfolk, in the vicinity of 97 Greenwoods Road East. The truck rolled over and slid several hundred feet down the road, emitting sparks and spilling gasoline through a breach in the tank. The trucks full cargo of 8,200 gallons of gasoline spilled out, contaminating the yards of nearby residences and traveling through the towns stormwater sewer system into nearby surface and groundwaters.

State environmental protection personnel and the Norfolk volunteer firefighters responded to the spill, ultimately with the assistance of 20 other mutual aid companies. Concern over the threat of an explosion, Norfolk declared a local state of emergency, Eversource shut off power to the area, and Aquarion was contacted to ensure adequate water pressure to supply any firefighting efforts.

The concentration of toxic and potentially explosive gasoline chemicals, including volatile organic compounds, led authorities to immediately evacuate all nearby residents  at least six residences.

The initial response to the spill, and ongoing remediation efforts, required substantial removal of contaminated material. The ground within the two nearest properties was saturated by gasoline and had to be excavated 9 feet deep, resulting in the removal of approximately 600 tons of contaminated soil. Vacuum trucks have removed approximately 90 thousand gallons of contaminated water.

In addition to responsibility for that ongoing cleanup and remediation, the settlement requires Soundview to pay $350,000 to the state, including a $100,000 civil penalty, a $200,000 payment to compensate the state for costs associated with overseeing remediation, and a $50,000 payment to the attorney generals consumer fund to support state enforcement actions on behalf of Connecticut consumers.

Topics Energy Oil Gas Connecticut
A grand jury for Baltimore County has handed down an indictment charging Michael C. Okolo, of Parkville, Maryland, with theft of property valued at $100,000 or more.

This is the third time since September 2024 that Okolo has been indicted in connection with his former business as an insurance agent and purported financial advisor, Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown said in announcing yesterdays indictment.

According to prosecutors, In September 2024, Okolo was charged with theft and insurance fraud. In the first case, a client gave Okolo two partially blank checks to pay for premiums on the clients two insurance policies. Okolo is alleged to have made the checks payable to his business, deposited the checks in his business account, and spent the money on his own personal and business expenses, rather than using them for the clients insurance policies.

In the second case, Okolo was charged with acting as an insurance agent without a license, for allegedly continuing to solicit and sell insurance products after the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA) revoked his license in 2019.

While investigating Okolo for theft and insurance fraud, investigators from the MIA said they discovered that another client had issued a check to Okolo in October 2021 for $100,000 for a real estate investment. Okolo is alleged to have cashed the check and spent the funds on personal and business expenses that had nothing to do with real estate.

When interviewed, the client reported that he had asked Okolo, the clients long-time insurance agent and financial advisor, about potential investment opportunities. Okolo suggested a commercial real estate partnership in which the client would put up the money and Okolo would provide his alleged real estate expertise. In late 2023, the client became suspicious about what Okolo had done with his money when Okolo could not come up with $32,000 needed for closing costs on a real estate deal. When the client asked Okolo where his money was, Okolo told him the money was in an escrow account. But Okolo refused to provide a copy of a bank statement to prove that the clients money was in an escrow or bank account, despite the clients numerous requests to do so.

Okolos first two cases are scheduled for trial on June 12, 2025, in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. An initial appearance has been scheduled for April 14, 2025, in the third case.

A criminal indictment is merely an accusation of wrongdoing, and Okolo is presumed innocent until the state proves him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Topics Agencies
Delaware lawmakers are expected to vote as soon as next week to overhaul the states corporate law to protect its business-friendly reputation, but opponents have called the bill a giveaway to billionaires.

The bill makes it hard for investors to sue over certain transactions involving controlling shareholders, such as buying a controlling shareholders business, if the deal follows certain steps. It also applies to deals with board members and executives, but will not impact existing rules for a takeover of the company by the controlling shareholder.

The proposed legislation has politicized the normally sleepy annual process of tweaking the states corporate code. Attorneys who represent shareholders have dubbed it the billionaires bill and have launched a public campaign against it.

Opponents had expected a vote on Thursday, although the leadership of Delawares House of Representatives had not committed to a schedule. A spokesperson for the House Democrats, who control the chamber, said a vote is now likely on Tuesday but could change, and sources said both sides were trying to line up support. Two-thirds of House members must approve the bill for it to pass. Delawares Senate approved the bill last week and Governor Matt Meyer has said he will sign it.

The bill, known as SB 21, is being considered amid concerns of a DExit stampede by companies from one of the countrys smallest and least populated states. While other states are trying to attract incorporations, Delaware still remains home to most large public companies and related fees generate 20% of its budget revenue.

Delaware Aims to Remain Top US Corporate Home; Texas Marshals a Challenge

Several companies, mostly with controlling shareholders, have said they might or will leave Delaware, including Dropbox DBX.O, Meta PlatformsMETA.O, TripadvisorTRIP.O and President Donald Trumps media company.

Amy Simmerman, a corporate lawyer in Wilmington, told the Delaware House Judiciary Committee, which approved the bill on Wednesday, that she has 15 significant corporate clients that were considering leaving the state. This is serious, said Simmerman, who declined to identify the clients. I dont think its just bluffing.

THIS IS APPALLING

Under the proposed bill, if a deal is approved by a board committee that has a majority of independent directors or by a vote by public shareholders, investors cannot challenge it in court. Currently, litigation can only be avoided if both steps are used and the committee must be entirely made up of independent directors.

The bill also makes it harder to challenge whether a director is independent. It defines controlling shareholder and limits records available to shareholders who want to investigate a deal for conflicts.

At the committee hearing on Wednesday, lawmakers focused largely on the risk of companies leaving Delaware. Witnesses included corporate lawyers, law professors and a former judge on the states Court of Chancery, its business court, and mostly spoke in support of the bill.

Public comment was dominated by opposition from attorneys for shareholders who said they were excluded from the drafting process. They described the changes as radical, rushed and corrupt.

Joel Fleming, a lawyer who represents shareholders, told lawmakers the bill was a result of lobbying by Meta Platforms and would protect its CEO and controlling shareholder Mark Zuckerberg from potential liability that shareholders are currently investigating. CNBC published documents on Wednesday which it obtained from an open records request showing that Meyer, a Democrat, met with Meta officials in the weeks leading up to proposal of the bill.

Those claims may now be dead, Fleming told the lawmakers. This is appalling.

Meyers spokesperson Mila Myles said the governor met with Meta representatives to discuss corporate law but noted that the company did not lobby for the bill. She said the governor has been meeting with everyone to ensure the state remains a global leader.

Meta declined to comment.

Corporate leaders have expressed frustration in recent years over court rulings that upset certain expectations about the states law. Tech billionaire Elon Musk fueled the debate last year by urging companies to follow Tesla TSLA.O and leave the state after a Delaware judge rescinded his $56 billion pay package as CEO of the electric car maker.

(Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware;Editing by Noeleen Walder, Diane Craft and Paul Simao)
Finlands unbroken streak as the worlds happiest country continued for an eighth year while the US fell to 24th place, its lowest-ever level in the global ranking.

Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and the Netherlands rounded out the top five in the rankings, which are based solely on the answers people give when asked to rate the quality of their own lives, according to researchers.

Finns happiness is perhaps surprising given the countrys proximity to Russia, its main adversary, which is in its fourth year of waging full-scale war in Ukraine. As tensions with Russia have increased, Finland, along with other European countries, has seen an increasing frequency of incidents, such as cyberattacks against banks and GPS jamming affecting aircraft. Around the Baltic Sea, critical undersea infrastructure has been damaged in acts of suspected sabotage, though no link to Russia has been established.

The study was published on Thursday by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, and compiled in partnership with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

New findings from the report include that belief in the kindness of others is much more closely tied to happiness than previously thought, the researchers said, citing the importance of social trust.

Believing that others are willing to return your lost wallet is also shown to be a strong predictor of population happiness: Nordic nations once again top the ranking of the worlds happiest countries, but they also rank among the top places for expected and actual return of lost wallets, according to the report.

The US, which dropped below the top 20 for the first time last year, fell an additional notch. Its best ranking in the past decade was 13, achieved in 2016. The UK hit its lowest level this year since 2017.

Country rankings are based on a three-year average of a populations self-assessment of its quality of life. Variations have been explained by factors such as gross domestic product per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on, a sense of freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.

Over the longer term, the biggest shifts have not been seen between countries, according to researchers, but rather within individual countries.

Happiness inequality within countries has increased by about one-quarter over the past two decades, while happiness inequality between countries has remained roughly constant, they said.

Photograph: A couple admires the polar day sunrise at Yllastunturi in Kolari, northern Finland. Photo credit: Aku Harynen/AFP/Getty Images

Copyright 2025 Bloomberg.

Topics USA
Approximately 170,000 properties were potentially impacted by the severe outbreak across the Midwest and Mississippi Valley, in addition to wildfires and dust storms across the Southern Plains, CoreLogic said.

The early season tornado outbreak over March 13-16 spawned at least 98 tornadoes in the central and southern U.S. CoreLogic estimates that properties with a total reconstruction cost value of nearly $33 billion were potentially within the tornado paths.

More than 50,000 properties in Missouri were in the path of tornadoes, CoreLogic said. Of these properties, approximately 10,700 have a 50-70% probability of tornadic damage. Mississippi had the next most properties potentially within the tornado paths (31,000), followed by Alabama (20,000) and Illinois (16,000).

Dry, windy conditions contributed to the rapid spread of wildfires in Oklahoma and Texas. Wildfires have destroyed more than 400 homes in Oklahoma and burned at least 170,000 acres in the state.

A severe dust storm in western Kansas on March 14 contributed to a 71-car pileup on Interstate 70. On the same day, a dust storm near Amarillo, Texas led to multiple vehicle accidents. Wind gusts reached up to 85 mph in parts of Texas.

The U.S. is experiencing a weak La Nina, which can enhance severe convective storm conditions earlier in the year than usual.

Photo: People work through the debris of the Cave City Auto Parts store on Saturday, March 15, 2025 after a severe weather storm Friday night in Cave City, Ark. (Staci Vandagriff/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP)

Topics Windstorm
Major automakers and tech groups on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to take steps to speed deployment of self-driving cars, citing a number of regulatory hurdles.

The Alliance For Automotive Innovation, a group representing nearly all major automakers, in a letter seen by Reuters called on Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to quickly implement a national performance-based framework and assert the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations role as sole regulator of self-driving vehicle hardware, software and operation. The Consumer Technology Association, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association and other groups also signed the letter.

If the federal government fails to act to advance sensible AV policies we will cede our leadership in this economically crucial sector to China, the letter said. Multiple agencies and state regulatory regimes create inconsistent rules, risking safety gaps and eroding public trust.

The groups want the U.S. Transportation Department to not require human drivers to operate self-driving commercial motor vehicles and allow self-driving trucks to use cab-mounted warning beacons instead of devices requiring drivers to physically deploy them.

USDOT did not immediately comment.

NHTSA should clarify no manually operated driving controls are required in self-driving vehicles and ensure a drivers license is not required to ride in an AV, the letter added.

The industry faces scrutiny after a pedestrian was seriously injured in October 2023 by a General Motors GM.N Cruise vehicle.

NHTSA opened investigations into self-driving vehicles operated by Cruise, Google-owned Waymo and Amazon.com-owned Zoox. In November, Cruise admitted to submitting a false report to influence NHTSAs investigation and paid a $500,000 criminal fine.

In December, USDOT proposed streamlining reviews of petitions to deploy self-driving vehicles without human controls like steering wheels or brake pedals.

Efforts in Congress to make it easier to deploy robotaxis on U.S. roads without human controls have been stymied for years.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is leading Trumps effort to shrink the federal government, told investors in January Tesla would roll out autonomous ride-hailing for money by June in Texas.

Tuesdays letter is the latest push for more action by regulators.

Autonomous vehicle companies in January urged USDOT to assert its responsibility over the design, construction, and performance of autonomous vehicles and increase its efforts in key areas.

In December 2023, automakers and the Chamber of Commerce called on USDOT under then-President Joe Biden to do more for self-driving vehicle deployment.

(Reporting by David ShepardsonEditing by Bill Berkrot)

Topics InsurTech Auto Personal Auto Tech
A federal judge on Monday declined to force the Trump administration to immediately reimburse dozens of public broadcasting stations for upgrades to the nations emergency alert system.

The nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued the Federal Emergency Management Agency last Thursday, claiming the agency had unlawfully held up nearly $2 million in grant money for modernizing the alert system. The lawsuit says the delay in reimbursements is hampering the ability of federal, state and local authorities to issue real-time emergency alerts.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly denied a request for a court order and ruled that the CPB failed to carry its legal burden for showing how it has been irreparably harmed. The corporation hasnt demonstrated that the alert system will stop working if the grant funding doesnt start flowing right away, Kelly concluded as he rejected the CPBs request for a temporary restraining order.

This circuit has set a high standard for irreparable injury, Kelly said. I dont think CPB has satisfied that high standard on the record here.

The lawsuit is one of several cases in which Trumps administration has been accused of illegally withholding funds for a host of programs and services.

The national Emergency Alert System helps government officials issue alerts about disasters, including flash floods, blizzards, tornados and hurricanes. The CPB, which is the federal governments steward of funding for hundreds of public radio and television stations, says FEMA is pretending that it isnt holding onto the grant money.

The CPB says the Feb. 18 hold prevents it from submitting requests for reimbursement under the $40 million grant program for the Next Generation Warning System. The grants help pay for public media stations to upgrade their emergency alerting equipment. The program has over 40 grant recipients.

Government lawyers deny that FEMA is withholding any program funding.

Rather, the Agency has modified its process for the review of payment requests  a process that is consistent with its authority to protect the public fisc and ensure grant programs are free from waste, fraud, and abuse, they wrote in a court filing.

The CPBs attorneys say FEMA has presented no evidence of waste, fraud or abuse in the program.

For close to three years, FEMA has been intimately involved every step of the way in terms of the specific sites receiving new emergency broadcast equipment, creating a FEMA pre-approved equipment list, receiving monthly and quarterly reports on the expenses incurred and the progress of the grant, they wrote.

Congress created the CPB in 1967. The private corporation says it distributes over 70% of its funding to more than 1,500 public radio and television stations.

President Donald Trump nominated Kelly to the bench during his first term.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics USA Legislation FEMA
Florida insurers, often on the receiving end of insureds complaints  in the courts and in the news media  may take heart from a new ruling by a Florida appeals court, which draws a bold line under insureds responsibilities after a loss.

The 1st District Court of Appeals on Wednesday overturned a $541,257 jury award against Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Co., noting that the Perdido Key homeowners did not give proper notice on part of the claim in 2020. Thomas and Rebecca Clark also offered no proof of the loss of rental value, did little to protect the home from further damage after the storm, and did not show how the insurer failed to pay actual cash value on the claim, the court said.

We reverse because the Clarks failed to present sufficient evidence that the insurance company did not adjust the actual cash value of the insured loss or the replacement cost of the damaged property, Judge Thomas Winokur wrote in the March 19 opinion.

Lawyers for Tampa-based Homeowners Choice could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But another Florida insurance defense attorney said the ruling underscores the fact that an insurance policy is indeed a contract, and insureds are often obligated to comply if they want payment on a claim.

The focus of the courts decision is really on whether the insureds breaches of the post-loss conditions were material, which the court obviously did find the breaches to be material, Fort Lauderdale attorney Michael Packer, of the Marshall Dennehey law firm, said in an email.

And, according to the decision, there were a number of failures by the insured to comply with their post-loss duties, said Packer, who was not involved in the case.

The case began in 2020, after Hurricane Sally, a Category 2 storm, blew through northwest Florida. The Clarks quickly notified Homeowners Choice of the Coverage A damage to the vacation house, including a roof that was torn off, missing siding, and water damage inside.

Homeowners Choice, part of the HCI Group and sister company to TypTap Insurance, Tailrow, CORE, and other companies, responded within two days, reminding the Clarks that they must make reasonable repairs to protect the property from further damage and must list personal items that were compromised, the court explained. Within a month, the insurer sent an adjuster, who estimated the loss at $76,634. That was considered actual cash value (replacement value minus depreciation). HCI sent a check for $59,656 (the incurred loss minus the depreciation and the deductible).

The Clarks cashed the check, used the money to pay for roof and siding repairs  but never provided receipts or invoices as required by the policy, the court noted.

The residents then decided to hire a public adjuster, who claimed a $440,000 loss for the dwelling. The estimate, which came 10 months after the storm, gave the same figure for ACV and RCV, with no depreciation amount. The public adjuster also estimated a nearly $58,000 loss on contents and, again, did not distinguish between ACV and RCV. He then claimed a $43,000 loss for the period when the property was unavailable to rent out.

Perhaps to be sure, HCI hired a well-known engineering firm to re-inspect everything. Still, the parties never reached an agreement on the total loss, an appraisal panel was not summoned, and the Clarks filed suit for breach of contract. HCI asked the trial court for a directed verdict on the grounds that the family had failed to provide evidence that the loss was greater than what the insurer had provided. The trial judge declined, and after a trial, the jury granted the half-million-dollar award based largely on the public adjusters estimates.

On appeal, the appellate judges reversed and sided with the insurers lawyers on almost all points. The court pointed out that the Clarks tarped the roof after the storm but waited six months to hire a contractor to make the roof and siding repairs, a delay that worsened mold problems inside the home. The public adjusters reports came 10 months after the storm, which was not a very prompt notice, the court suggested.

The Clarks provided no evidence to show that a delay in prompt notice did not prejudice the insurance company. On the claimed loss of personal belongings, the homeowners claimed a heavy amount but produced no receipts to back up the claim. The claim included more than $9,700 for bed linens. The public adjuster also claimed the loss of the couples washing machine but later admitted that it was fully functional, the court explained.

A claim for the loss of the rental income was based on a gross revenue estimate, not the fair rental value that was required by the policy, the judges noted. In addition, the trial court had impermissibly allowed the jury to consider evidence of estimated but not-yet-incurred repair costs, the appeal court judges wrote.

The judges also delved into the ACV versus RCV question. In short, the court found that HCI did not breach the contract. The insurer paid the ACV for the roof and siding repair. But the policyholders did not perform other work, which could have allowed for further reimbursement from the carrier under the policy.

Accordingly, there was insufficient evidence presented at trial for a reasonable jury to conclude that Homeowners Choice breached a term of the policy when the Clarks could notand did notshow that Homeowners Choice was liable for the RCV of the damage caused by the hurricane, thus directed verdict should have been granted, the appeals court concluded. It remanded the case to the trial court for further proceedings.

The outcome provides some lessons for policyholders and their attorneys.

I suspect that had the public adjusters estimate included an ACV amount that was in excess of the carriers ACV estimate and payment, there may have been a different outcome, Packer said.

But, as the court explained, the insureds never contended that the ACV payment was incorrect. Had they disputed the ACV payment with a competing ACV damage estimate  more than the Homeowners Choice estimate  the jury then could have been in a position to determine whether the carrier breached the policy, he said.

The lawyer for the Clarks could not be reached for comment. The appeals court opinion can be seen here.

Top photo: The famous sign at Souvenir City, not far from the Clarks home, damaged by Hurricane Sally in 2020. (Sophia Germer/The Advocate via AP)

Topics Profit Loss Florida Homeowners
The California Department of Industrial Relations made available $25 million in funding for the California Workplace Outreach Project to support 89 community-based organizations across the state.

This initiative is intended to promote workplace safety and educate workers about their rights.

CWOP emphasizes supporting workers in high-risk industries, including those involved in fire debris removal and rebuilding efforts from the Los Angeles wildfires.

There are 21 community groups in the Los Angeles region set to receive nearly $6 million in funding to support the outreach efforts. This funding is designed to be used to educate and assist workers on issues such as health and safety, hazard prevention, immigrant worker protections and wage theft.

This funding is also earmarked to support workers involved in the cleanup and rebuilding efforts following the devastating fires.

CWOP is an initiative of the DIR. The funding marks the first phase of a two-year funding cycle, set to provide $49 million.

Topics California Louisiana
RiverStone International has signed an agreement with Lyft subsidiary Pacific Valley Insurance Co. to provide a loss portfolio transfer reinsurance for a commercial auto liability portfolio.

The deal is effective from Jan. 1, 2025.

Guy Carpenter was the broker of record.

RiverStone International is an acquirer and reinsurer of legacy and discontinued insurance business operating in the U.K. company and Lloyds of London markets, Bermuda, U.S. and Europe.

Pacific Valley Insurance is based in California.

Topics Profit Loss Sharing Economy
Location

Ballyfin Demesne is a destination address. A handy hour and 20 minutes drive from Dublin, and easily accessible from the M7, the impressive 614-acre estate sits serenely into the rolling countryside, its house overlooking Irelands largest private manmade lake. The fact that it is 10 minutes from Portlaoise is moot; if it were located in the furthest corners of the planet wed still recommend making your way there just as soon as you can.
Ford Ireland has begun contacting owners of certain hybrid vehicles warning them against charging their car, as to do so risks causing a fire.

The company has written to owners of newer Ford Kuga plug-in hybrids to inform them of the potential for the high-voltage battery in the car to short circuit. Ford said that it had discovered the issue as a result of its monitoring vehicles in operation.

In the event of a high voltage battery cell internal short circuit, you will experience a Stop Safely Now message and warning icon, the letter from the company states.

You may also experience a loss of motive power, increasing the risk of an accident, it said. You may also experience battery thermal venting potentially resulting in a vehicle fire, increasing the risk of injury.

The letter added that should the car lose propulsive power while in motion, the driver will still continue to have 12-volt accessories, steering, and braking control however.

The Ford Kuga hybrid model typically retails for about 45,000 when new.

The company said that its engineers are currently developing new software to remedy" the potential short circuit issue.

However, until that process is complete, Ford advised owners of the Kuga models in question to not plug in their vehicles to charge the battery, and instead to use the Auto EV mode when driving the car only.

That mode sees the car operate as a petrol-powered vehicle only, with EV mode kicking in only in certain situations, such as when the car is being driven downhill.

Not charging the car will prevent the potential issue from occurring while charging or driving, Fords letter said.

It said that when the remedy for the situation is available, Ford will contact the vehicle owner by post once more to schedule an appointment for a software update, but that in the meantime Ford has not issued instructions to stop driving your vehicle.

However, until that fix is available, the letter requested of drivers who do experience a Stop Safely Now message that they please do follow the advice and exit the vehicle as soon as it can be brought to a safe stop.

The Irish Examiner asked Ford if the issue with the Kuga models is guaranteed not to occur if the car is driven in petrol-mode only without being plugged in.

It was also asked why a software fix is seen as a remedy when the issue is physically with the cars battery; how many customers have been affected; and whether compensation will be paid to owners for the loss of their vehicles functionality while a fix is prepared.

A response was not received at the time of publication.

One Kuga owner who spoke to the Irish Examiner noted that the hybrid was probably the best car they had ever driven and that no issues had previously been noted with it.

They added, however, that when they consulted with the dealership from which they bought the car as to what was going on, the dealer had heard nothing about the issue.
The UN special rapporteur on Palestine has called on the Irish Government to take additional "concrete actions" against Israel.

Francesca Albanese has warned that Israel is "acting to finish the job" of "erasing Palestinians from Palestine" through a fresh wave of bombardment and ground offensives in Gaza in recent days.

Speaking in Dublin, Ms Albanese said: "I implore the Irish government, the media, and the public to act in accordance with the gravity of the violations of international law that are taking place.

"I've commended the Irish Government for taking important steps recently, finally, after 30 years of peace process, recognising the state of Palestine, and Ireland has sought with Spain a review of the EU Israel Association Agreement, which must be rescinded, because it's clear that Israel is acting in violation of human rights.

"It's great that Ireland has joined South Africa in the genocide case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It's very important that Ireland has provided financial and political support for UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).

"It's very important that Ireland has started divesting State funds from Israeli banks but still, there are concrete actions that have to be taken," she said.

She said there is an "obligation" on governments to prevent genocide and it makes "no sense" to wait for a court ruling in relation to Israel's actions in Palestine before taking actions.

While she acknowledged that the Government has been one of the most vocal in condemning the actions of Israel, which have killed tens of thousands of women and children, she said the threshold in Europe is "very low".

In the Dail, the Government was accused of "colluding with genocide" in speaking "sweet words" but taking little action.

Calling for an end to the military use of Shannon Airport and an enacting of the Occupied Territories Bill, Catherine Connolly said that since the the ceasefire was ended unilaterally by Israel, bombs have been dropped on defenceless civilians.

"We are openly informed that they are back to finish the job, back to ensure that no Palestinians will be left on Palestinian land.

The people who are there are surviving amongst dead bodies of their families and their people. There is no water, no energy, no hospitals and they are being starved to death, and we talk.

Addressing Tanaiste Simon Harris, she asked: "What is Ireland doing? Along with our sweet words, we are actively colluding with genocide and with the slaughter of innocent people."

However, Mr Harris said he was "so sick and tired " of being misrepresented and pointed to five separate measures that the Government is taking.

Referencing Ireland's involvement in the ICJ case, Mr Harris said that used to be a "demand" of the Opposition.

"At a time when international courts are coming under attack from others, we are proudly standing with the international courts and speaking up for international law. That is something I am proud we are doing. That is an action. That is not sweet words."

Mr Harris said the Government is also providing significant humanitarian aid with trucks currently in Jordan carrying enough aid for 6,000 people in Gaza.

"The third thing we are doing is supporting UNRWA. Talk to the director general of UNRWA and ask him how supportive this Government has been. Not only have we provided 38m at a time when others have walked away and walked off the pitch from UNRWA, we have provided 38m on behalf of the people of this country."

Mr Harris continued that the coalition is working with Arab countries to support the Arab plan for reconstruction.
A 38-year-old man accused of assault causing harm to his 82-year-old grandmother, who died in hospital two days later, appeared in court by video link from prison on Thursday.

Defence solicitor Shane Collins-Daly told Judge Miriam Walsh an appeal of the refusal of his bail was pending at the High Court in Dublin.

Brian Nnamdi Ogbo is charged him that on February 23, at 17 Garrydhu Drive, Kilmoney Road, Carrigaline, Co Cork, he assaulted Stella Nnamdi, causing her harm.

Detective Garda Tom Delaney testified during the objection to bail previously this was a charge of assaulting his maternal grandmother causing her harm, who later died.

Det Garda Delaney said family members informed gardai that Brian Ogbo suffers from schizophrenia and that he allegedly produced a knife during the assault.

It was alleged that he broke into the upstairs bathroom where his grandmother was located and that he dragged her out of the bathroom. He dragged her downstairs. She was off her feet and being dragged headfirst down the stairs and pushed out of the house.

Nobody required hospitalisation at the time of the occurrence. However, Stella Nnamdi deteriorated and was subsequently taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital on Tuesday February 25, and died later that afternoon, Det Garda Delaney said.

During his application for bail, the accused agreed he did need a system of support and he received help from his family in relation to the taking of medication for his conditions, which include schizophrenia, depression and epilepsy.

Mr Collins-Daly reminded the accused that if he was successful in his High Court bail application, he would be required to appear in person at Cork District Court on the next occasion.

On the application of Sergeant Aisling Murphy, Judge Walsh remanded the accused in custody until April 3 to allow time for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Taoiseach has refused to confirm whether he was made aware of a report from the Department of Finance which revealed the Government would not reach its 40,000 housing targets, days before the general election was called.

The Dail was told on Wednesday that analysis produced by the Department of Finance confirmed that Government would not reach the purported 40,000 housing target.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin came under pressure to reveal whether he was passed this information by then-finance minister Jack Chambers.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the report was handed to the minister days before the general election was called in early November last year.

Senior government figures have been criticised for claiming during the election campaign that close to 40,000 new homes would be built in 2024, which would have been far in excess of its own targets.

This was despite the Central Bank projecting in its September Quarterly Bulletin that completions would hit around 32,000.

Data published by the Central Statistics Office earlier this year revealed that only a total of 30,330 new homes were completed last year  below the target in the 'Housing for All' plan of 33,450 new-builds in 2024.

Opposition parties have continuously accused the Government of misleading the public on its housing figures.

Ms McDonald said: The government knew in advance of the general election that you hadnt a hope of hitting 40,000 new homes for 2024.

Just days before the general election was called, then-finance minister and Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers was handed an important report by the Department of Finance, and that report laid out in black and white that 40,000 homes would not be delivered.

Nobody could seriously believe that the minister would have kept that information from government on the eve of an election.

It was too important, so I assume he shared it with you.

What I know is that minister Chambers did not tell the public. On the contrary, two days after receiving this report, with the general election under way, he made the claim that government was on course to deliver 40,000 homes. And this untruth was repeated by you, by (Tanaiste) Simon Harris, by (former housing minister) Darragh OBrien, again and again throughout the campaign.

There's now a mountain of evidence that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael deliberately misrepresented housing delivery figures during the election.

Social Democrat deputy leader Cian OCallaghan called on the Taoiseach to confirm whether or not the former finance minister shared the analysis from the department with ministers.

Theres now a mountain of evidence that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael deliberately misrepresented housing delivery figures during the election, Mr OCallaghan told the Dail.

You cannot continue to deny it. This is a comical alley routine that youre playing in terms of pretending this is somehow an honest mistake. Not content with massaging last years figures, targets for this year are now being clearly reverse engineered.

He accused Mr Martin of refusing to give an answer when asked about this years housing targets.

Defending the Governments position on the housing targets, Mr Martin said there were a number of projections throughout 2024 regarding housing completions.

Weve exceeded targets, and particularly in 2022 and 2023, we exceeded Central Bank targets. We exceeded other targets who felt we would come in lower. Thats the position, Mr Martin added.

The first quarter of the following year is when the statistics come in, and there are a variety of publications. Data was published in September by Central Bank and others. But the Central Bank had come in lower in previous years.

It was extremely disappointing that we didnt make those targets in 2024. The overall 'Housing for All' targets were exceeded in that three-year period. But thats not enough. We have to build more houses and build them faster.

Meanwhile, Mr Martin also defended comments he made in the White House about Irelands housing crisis.

It came after the crisis was described as a good problem to have by US president Donald Trump during their meeting last week, claiming it was because the country was doing so well.

In response, Mr Martin told Mr Trump that it was a pretty good answer.

Ms McDonald said Mr Martin was in the Oval Office laughing about Irelands housing crisis.

She added: The American president stated that the housing crisis is because Ireland is doing so well, that its a good problem.

You replied, thats a pretty good answer, Mr President. But Taoiseach, do you think its a pretty good answer for people locked out of home ownership, for renters crucified with rip-off rents, for young people unable to get a start in life, choosing between staying at home with their parents or going to Australia.

Do you think its a good answer for mothers and fathers forced into homelessness, for children being raised in B&Bs and in hotel rooms.

Your sniggering interaction hurt a lot of people. Taoiseach, you made light of their suffering, so government misleads people on housing at home and then laughs at them while rubbing shoulders with the powerful abroad.

Mr Martin rejected the accusations, and described Ms McDonalds comments as pathetic.

You accuse me of spoofing. I mean, get off the stage. Come off the stage, he added.

No one was sniggering at any housing problem. You know that. Its pathetic, the protestations and your attempt to exploit that particular moment and so forth, and completely oblivious and refusing to reference the actual substance in terms of what I said.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik was also critical of the Taoieachs remarks at the White House.

I think we were all surprised to learn that, in fact, these systemic failures were not the root causes of the housing crisis, the spiralling rents, unaffordable house prices and shamefully, rising record figures in homelessness. This apparently is because were doing so well in Ireland, she said.

Its a good problem, not a bad problem. The words of president Trump, you might clarify if its a view you share Taoiseach, because in reply, you said, thats a very good answer, President.

Im sure thats not the response you would give the Irish people today. And in fairness, Taoiseach, and I acknowledge this, you did continue on to elaborate that we do have to build more houses, and we do have to build them more quickly.

I think we all agree with that, but what were not seeing from your Government is any sign of the necessary urgency or ambition, or any new ideas that would actually enable us to build more homes more quickly.
If one of the reasons we elect a government is to bring us greater happiness and wellbeing, then recent Irish governments deserve praise for a job well done. Ireland has today been named the 15th-happiest country in the world in the 2025 World Happiness Report, rising two places since last year.

The report follows on from research by the European Commission in which 98% of us said we were fairly or very satisfied with our lives. This is the most satisfied we have been in the 50 years since this was first measured.

Contrary to perceived wisdom, we are doing well as a country. But the World Happiness Report, published by the University of Oxford and the United Nations with polling company Gallup, reveals what more we need to do to join the worlds most happy nations.

Finland is named the worlds happiest nation for the eighth year in a row. Britain ranks 23rd, and the United States drops to 24th  its lowest-ever position. Afghanistan retains the dubious distinction of being the worlds least happy place.

The authors identify six factors that explain what makes one country happier than another: a strong economy, long life expectancy, low levels of corruption, a high level of generosity, freedom to make life choices, and having someone to count on. Ireland does well on all of these.

Our economy is one of the strongest in the world for a country of our size. With a life expectancy averaging 83 years, we live only two years less than the worlds longest livers: the Japanese. Transparency International considers Ireland to be the 10th least corrupt nation. And the Human Freedom Index ranks us as the fourth freest people in the world.

The report also highlights the importance of caring and sharing. Acting benevolently towards others  for example by donating money, volunteering time, or helping strangers  has been demonstrated not only to increase the happiness of the person receiving but also to increase the happiness of the giver.

The Irish are a relatively generous lot: 65% of us donated to charity in the past month  the seventh-highest figure in the world. However, we cannot take for granted that this will continue to be the case. Benevolent behaviour in high-income countries, including Ireland, has declined over the past two decades, posing a risk to our future happiness.

A new finding in the report is that people who eat frequently with others are a lot happier than those who dont. Sharing meals turns out to have as great a bearing on your well-being as your income or your employment status.

The average Irish person shares nine meals a week  a fairly typical number for Europeans. However, the researchers demonstrated that growth in the number of people eating alone in the United States was one of the reasons for declining happiness there.

Irish policymakers and charities should consider what they can do to encourage meal sharing at all stages of life, from school through to older adults who live alone. It is a cost-effective way to improve the lives of many.

Life satisfaction and voting behaviour

There is good reason for our politicians to be invested in our happiness. Life satisfaction has been found to be more closely linked to voting behaviour than economic growth. Unhappy people have less faith in political parties, are more likely to reject incumbents, and to agree with authoritarian ideas.

The reports authors conclude that the growth of populism can be largely accounted for by growing unhappiness. Whether voters turn to populists on the left or the right depends on trust: those who trust others veer to the left, those who do not veer to the right.

Thankfully, Ireland has comparatively high levels of trust in others. Within the European Union, only the Finns, Poles, and Romanians are more trusting. And there is no evidence of a decline here, explaining why the far right has gained little at the ballot box.

High levels of trust and a strong sense of community are an underpinning of Irelands success. The narrative of fairness pervades our political discourse and is a touchstone for our politicians and public servants.

This has ensured that as our country prospered so the gains have been widely shared: income inequality here is comparatively low and in decline.

Community development

Again, we cannot assume this will continue forever. We must invest in growing kindness, co-operation, and trust. Policies that support community development and community-led initiatives, including local businesses, will improve the well-being of many.

Increased housing provision has an important role to play. Improved mental health services are critical. And lets deploy our fiscal windfall to reduce misery through greater support for those that need it the most  as Finland does.

It is time for our political leaders to gauge progress not by increases in GDP but rather by the happiness of our citizens. Our government should set annual targets for national well-being and publish an action plan for improvement.

That would be fulfilling the very reason that we elect them  and increasing their prospects of re-election too.

Read More Deirdre Garvey: Kindness and compassion are a mainstay of Irish identity
Hungary slid further into authoritarian rule this week when the government of prime minister Viktor Orban delivered yet another flagrant assault on LGBTI+ rights and democratic norms.

By banning Pride and allowing police to use facial recognition technology to identify people defying that ban, Hungary has turned its back on the very accession criteria necessary to be a part of the EU in terms of rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities.

The move flies in the face of Hungarys obligations to protect fundamental rights and prohibit discrimination under treaties it has ratified, notably the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.

It also shows reckless disregard for European law, including Article 21 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which explicitly prohibits discrimination based upon sexual orientation; and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, which limits police use of facial recognition technology.

Little wonder then that, in a grim coincidence, the legislative change happened on the very same day a new report published concluded: Democratic standards [in Hungary] have degraded to such a degree that it would not gain access to the EU today.

That it came two years after Orban declared Hungary as an incubator where experiments are done on the future of conservative policies and a place where we didnt just talk about defeating the progressives and liberals and causing a conservative Christian political turn, but we actually did it is, frankly, chilling.

The future is grim

Because, amid rising conservatism, if Hungary is the experimental zone right-wing politicians look to for inspiration on how to destroy hard-won fundamental rights and silence dissent with dangerous and discriminatory technology, the future is grim  for everyone.

As Europes International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association warned last month, these attacks against LGBTI+ people are increasingly serving as a testing ground for laws that erode democracy itself.

As we contemplate that future, its useful to consider the trajectory of Hungarys democratic demise through a series of legislative changes around the right to protest, LGBTI+ rights, and its use of facial recognition technology.

An LGBTI+ rights demonstration in front of the Hungarian parliament building in Budapest. Picture: AP/Bela Szandelszky

In 2018, the Hungarian parliament restricted the right to protest by granting police broader discretion to ban protests, and banned the wearing of face coverings during public events, including protests.

In response to covid, Orban passed a bill to allow him to rule indefinitely by decree, with individuals who publicised facts deemed "untrue or distorted" facing jail. In April 2020, a 64-year-old man was taken into police custody after he published a Facebook post in which he criticised Orbans covid policy.

Also in 2020, Hungarys parliament ended legal recognition for trans people, and adopted anti-LGBTI+ laws, including a de facto ban on adoption by same-sex couples.

In 2021, the parliament passed a law banning gay people from featuring in school educational materials or TV shows for under-18s, and banned protests in support of Palestinians in 2023.

Orbans Hungary has also been ahead of most EU member states when it comes to law enforcement use of facial recognition technology.

In 2021, an EU-wide study showed how, since 2019, Hungary had been operating a single centralised searchable system, allowing police to identify any citizen from their face, as part of its Dragonfly Project, a system which collects, stores and searches, in real-time, video surveillance footage from 35,000 CCTV cameras.

Additionally, during covid, Hungary introduced a mandatory home quarantine app which used facial recognition technology to verify that people were at the location they were supposed to be. People would be randomly prompted to send police a selfie and with that, together with the persons location data, the police could determine if the person was where they were supposed to be.

Olga Cronin: 'Once dangerous police surveillance infrastructure such as facial recognition technology is in place, its initial stated purpose to combat crime can be easily swayed by the winds of political change and used against us.'

The use of facial recognition technology to identify or frighten protestors, in the manner Orban envisages, has been documented elsewhere  in Minnesota after the death of George Floyd; in India, Hong Kong, Colombia and Chile.

But with this move on European soil, its a cautionary reminder of several things.

Democracy is fragile

Democracy is fragile and we cannot take for granted our fundamental rights, free and fair elections, an independent judiciary, and a free press. If we are not vigilant about our rights, they will be slowly eroded.

On top of that, once dangerous police surveillance infrastructure such as facial recognition technology is in place, its initial stated purpose to combat crime can be easily swayed by the winds of political change and used against us.

Although no stalwart for human rights, consider Russia. It introduced facial recognition technology to "ensure visitor safety for the 2018 Fifa World Cup"; then, like Hungary, expanded it to monitor covid quarantine compliance; and then it was used to crack down on protestors demonstrating against the invasion of Ukraine.

Protest movements provide the means for a population to come together, voice their dissent and demand change. The right to do so relatively anonymously has been fundamental to that.

But if the deployment of surveillance tools, such as facial recognition technology, and the passing of bans on face coverings at protests threaten that right, measures which the Irish Government plans to implement, we risk chilling that fundamental right and damaging democratic participation and public trust. The Irish Government should take note.

We cannot assume those in power in our country will always strive to protect and fulfil our human rights. We must protect our rights, push back against the embedding of a dangerous surveillance infrastructure, resist efforts to limit our privacy and our freedoms, and guard against future mission creep.
An Bord Pleanala has given the green light for a new residential development in Cork City.

Dwellings Developments Blackrock Road Ltd got the green light from Cork City Council in April last year for the construction of two new apartment blocks at Ashton Place and Ashton Rock on Blackrock Road, ranging from five to six storeys in height, containing 44 apartments in total.

The units comprised one studio apartment, nine one-bedroom apartments, 29 two-bedroom apartments, and five three-bedroom apartments, all to be served by open spaces in the form of balconies or ground-floor terraces.

The development included the construction of four three-storey, four-bed mew houses, with site access coming from an entrance off Ashton Park.

The proposal also included improvement works on the junction between Ashton Park and Blackrock Road and the provision of a controlled pedestrian crossing on Blackrock Road to the north.

However, the decision was appealed to An Bord Pleanala following several objections from local residents, with concerns including the diminution of surrounding amenities, overdevelopment of the area, increased traffic and its lack of necessity given the number of large-scale residential developments that have already been approved in the area.

However, An Bord Pleanala upheld the councils decision, granting Dwellings Developments Blackrock Road Ltd permission to proceed with the project.

Meanwhile, permission has been sought to build almost 30 new homes in a popular Kerry tourist town.

Developers AGC Ventures LTD T/A Atlantic Golf Construction has sought permission from Kerry County Council for the construction of 27 homes at Church Road, Ballybunion.

The proposed development would comprise six one-bed homes, two two-bed homes, 15 three-bed homes and four four-bed homes, with new connections to the public foul, surface water and water mains with all necessary ancillary services at Church Road.
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order on Thursday calling for the shutdown of the US Education Department, according to a White House official.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement which will advance a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that has been a long-time target of conservatives.

Mr Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology, but finalising its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

President Donald Trump talks with reporters (Pool/AP)

The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

This isnt fixing education. Its making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And were not about to let that happen without a fight, the National Parents Union said in a statement.

The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, Mrs McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be a better functioning Department of Education.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees 1.6tn (1.23tn) in federal student loans.

Much of the agencys work revolves around managing money  both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programmes for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

People rally at the University of California, Berkeley campus to protest the Trump administration in California (Godofredo A Vasquez/AP)

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programmes for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento programme for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Republicans have talked about closing the education department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents groups demand more authority over their childrens schooling.

Mr Trump promised to close the department and send it back to the states, where it belongs. He has cast the department as a hotbed of radicals, zealots and Marxists who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.

At the same time, the president has leaned on the education department to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education funding to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in womens sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.

Even some of Mr Trumps allies have questioned his power to close the agency without action from Congress, and there are doubts about its political popularity. The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

During Mr Trumps first term, former education secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agencys budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. It was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.
A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for more than 880 days has been freed and is back home, as is another French citizen held under house arrest in Tehran, French officials have said.

The pairs liberation came as France and the rest of Europe are trying to jump-start talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations.

Mr Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support of Yemens Houthi rebels as the American military has launched an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group.

You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another

French President Emmanuel Macron announced online that Frenchman Olivier Grondeau had been freed.

The French Foreign Ministry said another French citizen who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months had been released on Wednesday night. He had asked not to be publicly identified, the ministry said.

The release came ahead of Nowruz, the Persian new year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past.

In January, Mr Grondeau spoke to a French broadcaster from prison, alluding at the time to the politics at play in his imprisonment.

You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another, he said.

His lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said he had returned to Paris on Monday.

Hes in good hands. Hes recovering, the lawyer told The Associated Press.

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote online that Mr Grondeau had been freed (Michael Kappeler/dpa via AP)

An Iranian court had sentenced Mr Grondeau, a backpacker and world traveller, to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied.

French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France did not provide anything in exchange for Mr Grondeaus liberation.

Mr Barrot told French broadcaster TF1 on Thursday that he had initially discussed the situation with Irans foreign minister but when those discussions failed to secure a release, it was via different means that we obtained this result. He did not elaborate.

Releases of westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately acknowledge Mr Grondeaus release.

Earlier this week, Irans foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case.

An image was circulated of Mr Grondeau, who was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz, on a private jet flying home.

Although the exact details of what sparked Mr Grondeaus arrest remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained for not wearing Irans mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities.

United Nations investigators later said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Ms Aminis death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country.

72 The number of days Olivier Grondeau was held in solitary confinement

Most of the questions were, Did you take part in a demonstration, List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip, Why did you come to Iran? Youre not a tourist, Mr Grondeau said in the January phone call with French broadcaster France 2.

One day you think youre going to be freed very quickly, the next you think youll die here, he added.

He described lights being shone on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with more than a dozen prisoners.

Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: If you look for bruises on my body you wont find any, because they are not that stupid.

Mr Grondeau was held at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, which holds westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

Mr Barrot said that France was keeping up pressure on Iran to release two other French citizens held in Iran, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

Mr Macron also posted about the two, writing: All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.

Mr Grondeaus lawyer said the news about his release was tempered by the continued detention of the two others.

Were only half-relieved, she said.
China has executed four Canadians in recent months, Canadas foreign affairs minister has said.

Melanie Joly said she and former prime minister Justin Trudeau had asked for clemency in the drug-related accusations involving the dual citizens.

Beijings embassy in Ottawa said the executions were due to drug crimes and noted that China does not recognise dual citizenship.

We strongly condemn the executions, Ms Joly told reporters in Ottawa.

I asked personally for leniency  They were all dual citizens.

Ms Joly said Canada consistently asks for clemency for Canadians facing the death penalty abroad. She said the families had asked the government to withhold details of the identity of the four individuals.

Global Affairs spokeswoman Charlotte MacLeod said they continued to provide consular assistance to families and requested that the media respect their privacy.

She said Ottawa continued to advocate for clemency for Robert Schellenberg, a Canadian who was sentenced to death for drug smuggling.

China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy said.

The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient.

China is believed to execute more prisoners each year than the rest of the world combined, the total is a state secret. Executions are traditionally carried out by gunshot, although lethal injections have been introduced in recent years.

The embassy spokesperson said Beijing fully guaranteed the rights and interests of the Canadian nationals concerned, and urged Canadas government to stop making irresponsible remarks.

The two countries have some tensions. China imposed retaliatory tariffs on some Canadian farm and food imports earlier this month, after Canada imposed duties in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EV) and steel and aluminium products. The tariffs add to global trade tensions amid rounds of tariff announcements by the United States, China, Canada and Mexico.

China is sending us a message that we have to take steps if we want to see an improvement in the relationship, said a former Canadian ambassador to China, Guy Saint-Jacques.

Ian Brodie, a former chief of staff to ex-Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, posted on social media that it turns out agricultural tariffs werent the worst part of the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) response to EV tariffs.

And opposition Conservative politician Michael Chong said executing a number of Canadians in short order is unprecedented, and is clearly a sign that Beijing has no intention of improving relations with Canada.

China is Canadas second-largest trading partner, but relations have been bad since Canadian authorities arrested a former Huawei executive in 2018 who the US had charged with fraud.

China jailed two Canadians shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the companys founder, on a US extradition request. They were sent back to Canada in 2021, the same day Ms Meng returned to China after reaching a deal with US authorities in her case.

Many countries called Chinas action hostage politics, while China described the charges against Huawei and Ms Meng as a politically motivated attempt to hold back Chinas economic and technological development.

Amnesty International condemned the executions and noted that China executed thousands of people in 2023.

These shocking and inhumane executions of Canadian citizens by Chinese authorities should be a wake-up call for Canada, the groups head for English-speaking Canada, Ketty Nivyabandi, said in a statement.
At his bar in Bukavu  a city in eastern Congo overrun by Rwandan-backed rebels last month  Adolphe Amani dipped into his dwindling stock of beer to serve a table of thirsty customers watching a recent Sunday football match on his television.

But with his main supplier  the nearby Heineken-owned Bralima brewery  shuttered, he expects to close his doors within the week.

"We can't hold out any longer," said Amani, as match commentary blared through the nearly empty bar. "We can't pay the rent, electricity, water or our taxes."

Congo's Tutsi-led M23 rebels  supported by Rwandan soldiers and weapons, according to UN investigators  have carried out their most successful offensive in over a decade this year, seizing eastern Congo's largest city Goma in January before turning south and taking Bukavu.

The push has triggered a flurry of condemnations and sanctions against Rwanda, which denies supporting the rebels, as well as efforts to broker an end to the fighting. But with peace elusive, businesses and residents in M23-held areas are digging in against the economic fallout.

Prices for food and essential goods are sky-rocketing. Farmers displaced by fighting cannot harvest their crops. Banks are shut and supplies of cash are under strain.

"We can no longer access our fields or our bank accounts. The economy is blocked and paralysed," said Bukavu resident Merci Kalimbiro.

The economic impact has hit large and small business alike.

Days of looting and a prison break preceded the rebels' arrival in the city of over a million people after the withdrawal of government troops and their Burundian allies left behind a security vacuum.

Like many businesses, Heineken said its facilities were hit, with looters raiding beverage depots, entering the brewery and severely damaging its control room.

Days later, soldiers and militia fighters looted a Bralima depot in the city of Uvira, around 100km (62 miles) further south.

"It will take some time to assess the damage," a Heineken spokesperson told Reuters. "Businesses urgently need to see an end to the conflict and violence and a start to a meaningful peace process."

Trickle-down economic pain

Bralima's woes illustrate the broader economic knock-on effects of the conflict.

Nearly 14% of Heineken's total revenues come from its businesses in the Middle East and Africa, where Congo, with its population of over 100 million, is a large market.

The Dutch beverages giant owns four breweries in Congo, producing Heineken beer as well as other popular brands like Primus and Amstel. The Bukavu facilities employ around 1,000 people both directly and indirectly, it said.

Goma, Bukavu and Uvira had together previously accounted for roughly a third of Heineken's business in Congo.

We can no longer access our fields or our bank accounts. The economy is blocked and paralysed

Heineken told Reuters that operations in the three cities would remain suspended until it was safe to reopen.

In the meantime, Adolphe Amani said the Bralima shutdown and the broader consequences of the conflict have forced him to furlough more than 30 employees at his bar and hotel.

Other trickle-down impacts are both surprising and, in at least one case, potentially deadly.

Bralima's water consumption accounts for around 40% of state water utility Regideso's revenues in South Kivu province, where Bukavu is located, the utility said.

"Bralima is not functioning. We are really struggling," said Regideso commercial service manager Jean de Dieu Kwibuka Babwine, adding that the revenue shortfall had caused a shortage of chemicals for water purification.

When those chemicals run out, he said the utility would be forced to halt operations.

"That would be a disaster," he said.

For Amani and his bar business, there is a solution, one that some of his competitors have already opted for: bringing in beer from neighbouring Burundi or Rwanda.

Heineken also operates a subsidiary in Rwanda, called Bralirwa, that produces its own versions of some of Bralima's most popular brands.

For now at least, Amani's patriotism is winning out.

"We need to wait for Bralima to re-open and deliver stock," he said. "I cannot consume products that come from Rwanda. They are our enemy."

 Reuters
EU leaders  apart from Hungarys Viktor Orban  say they are ready to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions, as summit talks exposed a geographical divide on rearming Europe.

Meeting in Brussels, the bloc agreed it was ready to levy further sanctions on Russia and strengthen existing measures after talks with Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who joined by video link.

The show of unity was marred by Orban refusing to support an EU text declaring support for Ukraine, which stated: The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war. The Hungarian prime minister similarly declined to support the EU position two weeks ago.

Orbans growing confidence in diverging from the EU on Ukraine raises questions about the blocs ability to impose new sanctions and renew existing ones, although diplomats take comfort from the fact Hungary has always acceded to the plans in the end.

Addressing EU leaders at the European Council via video link, Mr Zelenskyy said: Please do not ease pressure on Russia over the war sanctions are very, very necessary. Sanctions must remain in place until Russia starts withdrawing from our land and fully compensates for damage caused by its aggression.

I urge you to keep fighting against sanctions evasion schemes and Russia attempts to finance its war efforts.

Ongoing diplomatic efforts do not mean that Russia should face less pressure. Thats crucial to reducing the chances of Russia hoax. We know how easily Moscow disregards its promises. One moment they give their word and a few hours later it means absolutely nothing.

Thats why we must keep pushing Russia towards peace together with you, of course United States and other partners. We can do this.

He said that there is also a need for pressure within Europe to ensure that promises made regarding EU accession talks are kept.

Its simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon, Mr Zelenskyy said, in a veiled attack on Hungarian president Viktor Orban's efforts to stymie Ukraine's EU accession talks.

The Ukrainian president said that Europe must always be at the table during negotiations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, and members of his entourage, pose for a family photo with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, center right, and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, right, at the prime minister's residence, on the occasion of their meeting, in Oslo, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB Scanpix via AP)

During his address, Mr Zelenskyy sought a further 5bn in military aid for Ukraine while also calling for an increase in both EU and Ukrainian weapons production capabilities.

Mr Zelenskyy said that nothing has changed with Russian president Vladimir Putin, despite talks between the US and Russia.

He said that Ukraine would support a ceasefire on energy and infrastructure, as well as a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea.

We continue to support these efforts. Our teams will also work towards achieving unconditional full ceasefire on land.

Mr Zelenskyy said that Mr Putin must stop making unnecessary demands as these only serve to prolong the war.

Meanwhile, Jens Stoltenberg, the former Nato secretary-general who last month re-entered the Norwegian government as finance minister, said that uncertainty over US commitment to the transatlantic alliance was not a reason to give up Nato, but a motivation for European countries and Canada to increase their contributions.

Stoltenberg said that whether or not the US decided to reduce its Nato contributions, it was crucial for other Nato members to stand together and step up.

We need to all do what we can to ensure that Nato remains a strong alliance between North America and Europe that has helped to keep us safe for more than 75 years. There have been differences and disagreements before but we have been able to overcome them by realising we are all safer when we stand together, he said speaking from Copenhagen shortly before Zelenskyy touched down in Norway on Thursday.

If the US should decide to reduce their contributions to Nato, it is even more important that we stand together the rest of us in Nato and step up, as European allies now do. And not least the United Kingdom, being the second largest military power in Nato after the United States.

He added: I cannot rule out that the US will reduce their contributions to the Nato command structures, to the Nato forces, but I expect the United States to remain a Nato ally. The answer to that is not to give up Nato but to strengthen the European and Canadian contributions to Nato.

European reaction

Despite an EU agreement to urgently step up efforts to aid Ukraines defence, a 40bn EU military aid plan has fizzled out after it failed to win support from larger member states, including France, Spain and Italy.

Kaja Kallas, the EUs foreign policy chief, who led the initiative, is now calling on member states to provide 2 million shells worth 5bn, a downgrade on her original plan that envisaged every country contributing military aid based on the size of its economy.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas arrives for an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Ms Kallas acknowledged the plan had not won universal support: For every country it is the domestic politics, also the understanding of the public of what needs to be done and that is different in every member state. EU talks on an 800bn plan to ensure Europe can deter any potential invaders by 2030, are exposing the geographical fault lines over rearming Europe.

Polands prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the EU summit was about finalising the first stage of perhaps the most important project in decades: making Europe safe, armed and united against the Russian threat.

Lithuanias president, Gitanas Nauseda, said Europe was facing a strategic choice that recalled the years before the second world war.

We have to rearm ourselves because otherwise we will be the second, next victim of Russian aggression.

Spain and Italy, which both spend below the 2% Nato target on defence, say Europe cannot overlook other threats to security. Spain is urging a wider definition of defence spending to encompass cybersecurity, anti-terrorism and efforts to combat the climate crisis.

Its prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, said he did not like the term rearm, which the European Commission has used repeatedly in its drive to increase defence spending. It was important, he said, to take into account that the challenges that we face in the southern neighbourhood are a bit different to the ones the eastern flank face.

Earlier this month the commission outlined a 800bn plan that included a 150bn loans package and flexibility on EU fiscal rules that would allow countries to take on 650bn in additional debt. EU leaders have endorsed the big picture, but some countries are reluctant to deepen their debts and are seeking EU grants.

The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said the EU needed a more serious discussion on the provision of grants to European member states in order to make the important investments that they need to do. The Netherlands and Germany oppose any common debt that would be used to create such grants.

Mr Stoltenberg said it was valid and fair of Trump to ask other Nato members to do more, adding: The good news is that Europeans are doing more.

Speaking at the conclusion of the European Council summit, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that improvements in EU defence is "no longer a nice to have", but a must.

European Council president Antonio Costa told reporters that defence and strength of the EU economy were both sides of the same coin and that the European Union needed to work on both "hand in hand".

Asked about the opposition taken by Hungary over the proposals, Mr Costas said that there is a need to accept differences within the EU. However, he said that it was much easier to agree a joint proposal of 26, with just one opposition voice.

- Additional reporting from The Guardian
Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025 (12:02 am) - Score 11,040

In recent months weve been reporting on how Rochdale-base ISP Zen Internet has expanded the reach of their full fibre (FTTP) broadband network by signing wholesale access agreements with a number of alternative network providers, such as Trooli and Freedom Fibre. But their ambitions arent limited to retail packages.

Zen previously only supplied services to homes and businesses using broadband products from Openreach (BT) and CityFibre, but as above theyve been busily expanding that range of networks. However, the provider has also spoken of its aspirations to become the UKs alt-net aggregator of choice, which could provide an alternative choice to the likes of PXC (TalkTalk Wholesale), AllPoints Fibre and others in the wholesale space for rival ISPs (partners) to harness.

In keeping with this, Zen has this week announced that it will be making its entire full fibre footprint available to its channel partners via their soon to launch Fibre Hub platform (not a router). Zens CEO, Richard Tang, has hinted about doing this before (December), but its now becoming a reality.

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Zen also confirmed the unsurprising news that they were currently in discussions with several other alt-nets, including those focused on the B2B market, to help further expand the range of options available to partners.

Richard Tang said: There are about 100 companies building full fibre networks in the UK at the moment. One of these is Openreach, and of the others, there are about 20 or so scale players. We want to offer our partners access to as many of those alt-nets as possible. The alt-nets are leading the best free market infrastructure competition since the internet began. Thats great news for Zen and its great news for our partners in terms of choice and competitive pricing. Were not stopping with the deals weve made. Were talking to a number of other alt-nets already.

The provider added that theyre currently expecting to make CityFibres full fibre footprints available to partners in April 2025, while Trooli will follow later this summer and Freedom Fibre are due to be introduced into their Partner Portal soon.

The new Fibre Hub itself will launch to existing Zen Partners towards the end of April, offering a one-stop shop for full fibre residential and business availability, said Zen. Sales and marketing campaign data and materials will also be integrated, helping Zen Partners to seize the opportunity.
Thursday, Mar 20th, 2025 (2:36 pm) - Score 7,680

Telecoms and broadband giant BT has confirmed to ISPreview that, as part of their ongoing UK programme to modernise and consolidate the number of offices they have, theyve decided to close their Contact Centres in Leeds and Exeter over the coming months. The move is expected to impact hundreds of jobs, but many will be consolidated into more modern sites.

In terms of BTs Exeter site at Exbridge House, the operator is proposing to relocate workers to their Plymouth office, which has benefitted from a huge upgrade. This is deemed to be a better approach than spending big to bring their existing site in Exeter up to the right standard.

BT believes the Plymouth office is within a commutable distance of the current office in Exeter, although inevitably some staff members will disagree with that. BT has thus pledged to work with those individuals on other available options, or to help cover some of their travel costs if eligible.

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A BT Group spokesperson told ISPreview: Were consulting with colleagues and trade unions on our proposals to relocate colleagues at our Exeter contact centre to our Plymouth office, which benefited from a multi-million-pound upgrade in 2022. Around 900 colleagues are already based at our Plymouth office. By relocating our colleagues to Plymouth we can ensure they can work from a state of the art workplace and have greater career opportunities within a larger location, which arent available today. BT Group continues to make record investments in the South Wests infrastructure helping to transform and futureproof the regions digital economy, including investing in Openreachs full fibre network and EEs 5G mobile network.

The situation at one of BTs Leeds offices on Marlborough Street is very similar to the one in Exeter. The plan here is to relocate colleagues into either their refurbished Doncaster office or their brand-new Sheffield office, both of which are already home to thousands of colleagues. None of this will impact BTs other Leeds office in Sovereign Street.

A BT Group spokesperson told ISPreview: Were consulting on proposals to relocate colleagues based at one of our Leeds offices (Marlborough Street) to other offices in the area. This includes moving to our refurbished Doncaster office or our brand-new Sheffield office, both home to thousands of colleagues. By relocating our colleagues to other state of the art workplaces, we will be able to offer better career opportunities and modern facilities within a larger location, which arent available today. BT Group continues to make record investments, as well as in our offices, in infrastructure in the region, helping to transform and futureproof the areas digital economy.

BT said there would be no impact to customers from either of these proposals. Credits to one of our readers (Ed) for spotting the change.
CIIE regional investment promotional event held in Hubei

People's Daily Online) 15:57, March 20, 2025

A meeting promoting the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event is held in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Ren Fengtao)

On March 18, 2025, the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event was launched in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province.

Themed "To Boost Dual Circulation by Introducing More Foreign Investment," and co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the People's Government of Hubei Province, it marked the first stop of the "CIIE entering local areas" series.

Photo shows a view of a meeting promoting the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Weng Qiyu)

The event featured a themed promotion conference, industry matchmaking sessions, and on-site visits. Focusing on Hubei's key industriessuch as healthcare, consumer goods retail, and automotive and equipment manufacturingthe event brought together 116 CIIE exhibitors, investment promotion agencies, and multinational corporations, including 80 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders.

More than 300 entities from Hubei participated in the event, including municipal governments, industrial parks, relevant industry regulators, well-known local enterprises, and business associations.

Photo shows attendees of a meeting promoting the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Weng Qiyu)

During the on-site visits, exhibitors and representatives of multinational corporations traveled to Wuhan, Xiangyang, and Yichang based on their areas of interest to gain deeper insights into the local industrial landscape and explore cooperation opportunities.

The "CIIE entering local areas" series was launched by the CIIE Bureau in 2021 to amplify the spillover effects of the CIIE. The initiative aims to "turn exhibits into commodities" and "turn exhibitors into investors," thereby driving regional economic growth.

Photo shows a stand at a meeting promoting the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Ren Fengtao)

A matchmaking activity for the healthcare industry is held during a meeting promoting the "China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Hubei" event in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 18, 2025. (People's Daily Online/Ren Fengtao)

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)


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The European Commission is set to release its long-anticipated White Paper on Defence, a collection of ambitious proposals aimed at enhancing Europes security and defence capabilities due to Russias invasion of Ukraine and former US President Donald Trumps threats to withdraw from NATO.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has indicated that the EU might consider collective arms purchases, enabling individual member states to restock their inventories depleted by support for Ukraine.

This development comes as EU leaders have reacted cautiously to the outcome of yesterdays phone call between Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin concerning the cessation of Russias war against Ukraine.

During the conversation, Mr. Putin consented to Mr. Trumps suggestion for a month-long suspension of strikes against energy infrastructure in Ukraine, a limited ceasefire that Ukraine promptly stated it would be open to examining.

European leaders have concluded that Russia poses a threat not only to Ukraines survival but also to the EU as a whole.

This conclusion stems from years of Moscows intimidation of neighboring nationsincluding the invasion of Ukraineand its hybrid activities, cybersecurity threats, and even sabotage against certain member states.

Europes military assistance to Ukraine has both drained some of the EUs military reserves and revealed areas where there is a significant over-reliance on the US, particularly in air defence, artillery shells, and long-range precision missiles.

The prospect of Mr. Trump returning to the White House has intensified concerns that Europe, which has depended on the US security umbrella for decades and reduced defence spending post-Cold War, is perilously vulnerable.

The upcoming White Paper will indicate that the possibility of an attack on an EU member state cannot be dismissed.

It will also propose the establishment of a central procurement agency that member states could rely on to replenish their weapons stockpiles.

Furthermore, the document will suggest methods to incentivize Europes defence industry to produce the necessary capabilities at scale and at reduced costs through joint procurement initiatives.

The Irish Government is believed to support these proposals; however, officials have indicated that Ireland has expressed concerns that any initiatives should be voluntary in nature.
The Israeli military announced that its forces have recommenced ground operations in central and southern Gaza, coinciding with a second day of airstrikes that resulted in the deaths of at least 38 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

This renewed ground assault follows a day when over 400 Palestinians lost their lives in airstrikes, marking one of the deadliest periods since the onset of the conflict in October 2023, effectively ending a ceasefire that had been mostly upheld since January.

As per the Israeli military, the operations aim to expand Israels control over the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza, and represent a focused effort to establish a partial buffer zone between the northern and southern parts of the enclave.

The United Nations reported that an Israeli airstrike resulted in the death of a foreign staff member and injuries to five others at a UN headquarters situated in central Gaza City. However, Israel refuted this, claiming the strike targeted a Hamas site where preparations for attacks on Israeli territory were detected.

Palestinian medics at a UN vehicle outside Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital transporting injured UN staff.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a thorough investigation and condemned all attacks on UN personnel. In a statement, he noted that the strike raised the death toll of UN colleagues in Gaza to at least 280 since October 7, 2023.

In Sofia, the foreign ministry reported that a Bulgarian working for the UN had died in Gaza, according to preliminary information. It was not immediately confirmed whether this Bulgarian was the UN staff member killed in Gaza.

Israel, which has committed to eliminating Hamas, stated that its latest offensive is just the beginning.

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During the latest outbreak of violence, local health workers reported that an Israeli airstrike killed four people and injured ten others in a residence in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, where the military had previously issued evacuation orders to residents.

In Beit Lahiya, another Israeli airstrike resulted in the deaths of 14 individuals at a mourning tent, according to medical sources.

Both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the truce, which had provided a temporary relief for Gazas 2.3 million inhabitants after 17 months of conflict that has devastated the enclave and compelled most of its population to evacuate multiple times.

Live updates: At least 436 people killed since Israel resumed Gaza strikes  civil defence

Palestinian health authorities report that the Israeli campaign has claimed the lives of over 49,000 people in Gaza and has precipitated a humanitarian crisis characterized by severe shortages of food, fuel, and water.

Israel has accused Hamas of using Palestinian civilians as human shields. Hamas denies this accusation and contends that Israel is conducting indiscriminate bombings.

This war, the most destructive chapter in the long-standing Israel-Palestinian conflict, was ignited by a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, during which gunmen killed approximately 1,200 people and took around 250 hostages, based on Israeli estimates.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus decision to recommence bombardments has sparked protests within Israel, as 59 hostages remain held in Gaza, with 24 of them believed to be alive.

A coalition of hostage families and demonstrators opposing Mr. Netanyahus actions against the judiciary and security establishments has regrouped, accusing the prime minister of leveraging the war for political purposes.

A young woman raises a placard during a protest against Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.

Palestinian medics reported that Israeli tank shelling along the main north-south Salahuddin Road resulted in one Palestinian casualty and multiple injuries.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua informed Reuters that the closure of the Salahuddin Road constituted a total coup against the ceasefire agreement and a tightening of the blockade on Gaza.

He reiterated his groups willingness to finalize the proposed three-phased ceasefire agreement, welcoming any proposal as long as it is based on initiating negotiations for the second phase and a complete end to the war in Gaza.

Previously, the Israeli army disseminated leaflets in northern and southern Gaza, once again instructing residents to evacuate their homes.

Palestinians leave Beit Hanun in northern Gaza with their belongings.

Defence Minister Israel Katz released a video statement advising Gaza residents that evacuations from combat zones would commence shortly.

He indicated that airstrikes were only the first step, and if the hostages were not freed, Israel will act with force you have not yet seen.

The resurgence of violence has drawn condemnation from Western nations, including France and Germany, as well as from Qatar and Egypt, who have been facilitating ceasefire negotiations.

Israel and Western powers are aligned in opposing any role for Hamas in the region post-conflict.

An Israeli tank takes position near the border with Gaza.

Arab nations formulated a peace and reconstruction plan for Gaza following a proposal from US President Donald Trump to resettle Palestinians and transform the region into a Riviera of the Middle East, a suggestion that was met with outrage across the region. However, this plan has not gained traction.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that she told Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar that the situation in Gaza was unacceptable.

Jordans King Abdullah called for the restoration of the ceasefire and the resumption of aid flows.

Israels resumption of attacks on Gaza is an extremely dangerous step that exacerbates an already dire humanitarian situation, he stated during a visit to Paris for discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.

However, Dorothy Shea, acting US ambassador to the United Nations, remarked that the accountability for the resumption of hostilities rests solely with Hamas.
Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Claim Lives of Over 70, According to Health Officials

According to a Gaza health official, at least 70 individuals lost their lives and many others were injured in Israeli airstrikes throughout Gaza, following the resumption of Israels bombing campaign on the enclave.

Medics reported that Israeli strikes hit several homes in both northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip.

No immediate response from Israel was available.

Yesterday, the Israeli military announced that its forces had restarted ground operations in central and southern Gaza after a ceasefire, which had largely held since January, came to an end.

A health official informed Reuters that airstrikes have resulted in 510 fatalities since Tuesday.

The Israeli military stated that its operations aimed to extend Israels control over the Netzarim Corridor, which divides Gaza, and were a focused maneuver intended to establish a partial buffer zone between the northern and southern areas of the enclave.

The Palestinian militant organization Hamas described the ground operation and incursion into the Netzarim Corridor as a new and dangerous violation of the two-month-old ceasefire agreement.

In a statement, the group reaffirmed its commitment to the agreement and urged mediators to assume their responsibilities.

A Hamas official told Reuters that mediators had intensified their efforts, though no breakthrough has yet been made.

The group has not issued any explicit threats of retaliation.

Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza and accelerated its ground operations.

After Israel encouraged civilians to evacuate areas it labeled as combat zones, families with young children flooded the roads leading out of northern Gaza.

Fred Oola, senior medical officer at the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah, stated that the renewed strikes disrupted the relative calm experienced over the last two months.

Now, we can feel the panic in the air and we can see the pain and devastation on the faces of those we are assisting, he remarked.

Addressing the residents of Gaza, governed by Hamas since 2007, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz stated in a video: This is the last warning.

Heed the advice of the president of the United States. Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you  including the chance to leave for other places in the world for those who wish to.

This was a reference to an earlier warning from US President Donald Trump, who remarked: To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are dead!

Out of the 251 hostages taken during Hamass attack on October 7, 2023, 58 remain in the hands of Gaza militants, with the Israeli military claiming that 34 are dead.

Hamas has indicated a willingness to negotiate and has called on the international community to act to conclude the conflict.

However, a representative from the group dismissed Israeli demands to renegotiate the three-stage agreement reached with Egyptian, Qatari, and US mediators.

Hamas has not closed the door on negotiations, but we insist there is no need for new agreements, stated Taher al-Nunu.

Discussions have stalled on how to advance the ceasefire after the initial phase came to an end in early March.

Israel and the United States have sought to alter the terms of the agreement by extending the first phase.

Hamas advocates for negotiations regarding the second phase, which aims to establish a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in exchange for the remaining hostages for Palestinian prisoners.

Israel and Washington have characterized Hamass refusal to extend the first phase as a rejection of releasing additional hostages.

The renewed Israeli airstrikes have resulted in a surge of new casualties being transported to the limited hospitals still operating in Gaza.

A UN Office for Project Services employee was killed and at least five others injured when a UN building in the central city of Deir el-Balah was struck by explosive ordnance, the agency reported.

This was not an accident, stated UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva, adding that attacks against humanitarian premises constitute a breach of international law.

According to the UN chief, at least 280 UN employees have died since the onset of the conflict.

In Jerusalem, thousands of Israeli protesters gathered, blaming Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for resuming airstrikes on Gaza without regard for the safety of the remaining hostages.

We want him to understand that the most pressing issue is to bring the hostages back, said 67-year-old Nehama Krysler.

Earlier yesterday, Yemens Iran-backed Huthi rebels, who have conducted attacks in solidarity with Palestinians, announced that they fired a missile at Israel, which the military claimed was intercepted.
By Rachel Rosen, UCL and Mai Abu Moghli, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

(The Conversation)  A fresh round of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza which has killed more than 400 Palestinians has destroyed any hope that the ceasefire negotiated in January would hold. A statement from the child rights group Defence for Children Palestine claimed that 174 children had been killed in the bombing, claiming: Today is one of the deadliest days for Palestinian Children in history.

The renewed bombing follows repeated violations of the ceasefire terms by Israel and comes days after a report commissioned by the United Nations said Israel is deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians as a group. The March 13 report from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory examines what it calls Israels systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence

since 7 October 2023.

The report alleges deliberate acts have been aimed against mothers and children, including the destruction of Gazas main fertility clinic, Basma IVF clinic, which it said amounted to a genocidal act under the Rome Statute and Genocide Convention. It concluded that this was done with the intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza as a group, in whole or in part, and that this is the only inference that could reasonably be drawn from the acts in question.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has yet to rule on a case brought by South Africa in December 2023 accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. In January 2024 it issued a ruling saying that Palestinians in Gaza had plausible rights to protection from genocide and set out provisional measures that Israel should follow to prevent genocide. There is no evidence that Israel has heeded this advice.

Addressing the UN human rights committee in October 2024, special rapporteur Francesca Albanese said she believed it is important to call a genocide as a genocide. While noting the legal position according to the ICJ, we agree with her on the grounds that a post-hoc judgement of genocide does nothing to prevent it from occurring.

The commissions report is not the first time that international organisations and lawmakers have called attention to Israels violence against Palestinian mothers and children. In March 2024, Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the UN agency Unrwa, wrote on X: This is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future. The numbers are staggering he said. More children had been killed in Gaza in four months than in all global conflicts in the previous four years.

This has continued throughout Israels assault on Gaza. Between October 7 2023 and January 15 2025, children made up at least 18,000 of the 46,707 Palestinians killed in Gaza, according to data collected by the Gaza health ministry. Both figures are likely to be underestimates, as so many bodies remain buried under the rubble.

Most children have been killed by direct military strikes. Israel has dropped an estimated 85,000 tonnes of explosives on Gaza, killing Palestinians through direct hits, building collapses, fires and inhalation of toxic substances. Doctors have also reported evidence of children being killed in drone attacks and by snipers, including by shots to the head and chest.

On March 2 Israel blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, using starvation and dehydration as military strategy. On March 15 a Unicef report claimed that 31% of children under two years of age in the north of the Strip were acutely malnourished. There has also been a dramatic increase in child deaths due to acute malnutrition.

Israels destruction of medical and other infrastructure in the strip has resulted in indirect deaths by communicable illness and noncommunicable conditions. In April 2024, a report published in science journal Frontiers found that more than 90% of children in Gaza were affected by infectious diseases. There have also been multiple infant deaths from hypothermia as displaced families attempt to survive winter conditions.

Killing the future

The abnormally high child death rate is partly down to demographics. About 47% of Gazas population was under 18 years of age at the end of 2022. Children are generally more susceptible to dehydration, diarrhoea, disease, and malnutrition according to Unicef which says the nutritional needs for infants under 23 months are greater per kilogram of bodyweight than at any other time of life.



Children 2, Digital, Midjourney / Clip2Comic, 2025

But the problem with these arguments is that they make child mortality rates in Gaza appear as a simple reflection of natural factors. They are not. They are a direct consequence of Israels military aggression in Gaza.

Israel has systematically used powerful explosives in densely populated areas and, through AI tracking systems such as Wheres Daddy?, deliberately targeted Palestinians in their family homes. Given the deep evidence base about childhood health, the logical outcome of using starvation as a method of war, actively denying aid, and destroying infrastructures that enable life is that children will die disproportionately.

Palestinian children are being killed by design. This has been explicitly articulated by the Israeli state.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was this week reappointed to the Netanyahu government as police minister, has publicly defended the armys open-fire directive declaring: We cannot have women and children getting close to the border  anyone who gets near must get a bullet in the head. In January, MP and deputy speaker of the Knesset, Nissim Vaturi, said every child born in Gaza is already a terrorist, from the moment of his birth.

But children represent their communitys dreams for their futures. Killing large number of children in Gaza is not simply forcible depopulation. It is an effort to destabilise communities and crush their hopes for liberation and the right of return as mandated by the UN.

Palestinian children in Gaza have been telling their stories to a global audience. The killing, injury and starvation they are testifying to has proved a powerful counternarrative to the idea that Israel is simply defending itself. International humanitarian law states that: Children affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protection.

But in Gaza, children are being killed in their thousands.

Rachel Rosen, Professor of Sociology, UCL and Mai Abu Moghli, Assistant Professor, Doha Institute for Graduate Studies

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Peter Beinart in conversation with Juan Cole on Beinarts book, Being Jewish after the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning; Program in Arab and Muslim American Studies, Department of American Culture, University of Michigan, March 10, 2025.

Excerpt from auto-generated transcript (caveat emptor):

Juan Cole:  I havent lost my interest in Middle Eastern spirituality, and one thing I think may escape some readers is the way your book begins - it refers to some Hasidic stories and stories of the Jewish sages about dialogue with people you dont agree with, even those you think are heretical. Id like to provoke you a little here because were going to be talking about conflict with a couple of quotesone from the Quran and one from the Jerusalem Talmud.

The Quran, 5:32, saysthis is speaking in the voice of GodWe ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a single soul, except for executing a murderer or a highway robber in the land, it is as though that person had killed the whole world; and whoever saves a soul, it is as though that person saved the whole world.

This is the Quran talking about what we would call innocent civilians, non-combatants. Obviously, you kill people in war, but its addressing murder or the killing of innocent civilians in war, which is forbidden in Islamic law. But the Quran has a footnoteGod is citing Jewish lore. This comes from the Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4:5, from the Jerusalem Talmud: Whoever destroys a single soul is regarded as though he destroyed a complete world, and whoever saves a single soul is regarded as though he saved a complete world.

The sage who wrote this, and those who believe this is biblical wisdom being distilled rather than something they made up, say that God ordained it so that one man should not say, My father was greater than thine. Underlying all of this is the notion that we are all descended from Adam. If someone had killed Adam, none of us would exista whole world would have died.

So, thats the Jewish and Muslim thinking about killing innocent civilians. Its not very much like the real world, is it?

Peter Beinart: Thats the question?

Its funny you should bring that text up. As some of you may know, the Jerusalem Talmud is actually considered less normative than the Babylonian Talmud, which was redacted later. Interestingly, the Talmud that was not written in the land of Israel is actually the one considered more authoritative under Jewish law . . .

And its particularly strange that youre citing Tractate Sanhedrin, because Im actually in the midst of studying it. I do something called Daf Yomi, where, if you study a page of Talmud every day, you finish the Talmud in seven and a half years. Im about five years in, and were currently on Tractate Sanhedrin. I can say with some authoritybecause I just studied it last nightthat there are many aspects of Sanhedrin that are far less ethically uplifting than that. Some of it sounds a lot more like the real world.

This just makes the point that religious traditions are vast, speaking in many voices and representing different aspects of human charactersome beautiful, emphasizing the infinite dignity of all people, and others sectarian, violent, and extremely troubling.

Thats why Im reluctant to ever say that people like me represent Jewish values, just as Id be reluctant to say that my politics represent American values. Martin Luther King represented American values; Andrew Jackson represented a different set of American values.

So, in a religious tradition - just as in a national tradition - one must make a choice about which particular strands to identify with. There is extremely disturbing material in Jewish tradition, just as there is extremely uplifting material.

To me, the question comes back to the point you made at the beginning: the Torah does not start with Jews. The story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob begins partway into Genesis, but the first humans created according to the Torah are not Jewsthey are universal human beings. That is, to me, an undeniable and profound truth about the value of all human life.

Whats happened in much Jewish discourse - though this is not unique to Jews  is that a kind of ethno-nationalism, a form of tribalism, has swallowed much of the public discourse. That ethno-nationalism does not come from nowhere; one can find citations and sources to support it. But it erases the other voicethe universalistic voice.

This is how we end up in a situation where, in many Jewish institutions, the test of being a good Jew is allegiance to the state of Israel. Similarly, for many of Donald Trumps evangelical supporters, the only thing that seems to matter is whether someone has an American passportif they dont, they are seen as worthless. Ethno-nationalism subsumes the complexity of religious tradition and turns the state into God. That, I worry, has happened in much of mainstream Jewish discourse . . .



Peter Beinart, On Being Jewish after the Destruction of Gaza: A Reckoning. Click here to Buy.

Juan Cole: We are discussing Gaza at a time when, I believe, the U.S. government is attempting to make mentioning Gaza a criminal offense. One reason for this is that the crisis in Gaza, and what I think of as surely a genocide, was kicked off by an atrocity. The Hamas party-militia, which has a militant wingthe Qassam Brigades  in alliance with Palestinian Islamic Jihad and some smaller groups, crossed into Israel proper, some using hang gliders. They attacked military bases, killed some 400 Israeli military personnel, and even took over a base.

Then, perhaps not as part of their original plan, they discovered the Nova music festival nearby and attacked it. They took hostages and shot down people. Survivors describe hiding behind garbage bins at Nova, cowering as gunmen hunted them down.

Kibbutzim were invaded  ironically, these were often peace activists who wanted coexistence with Palestinians. A dear friend of mine, Joel Beinin, a prominent historian of the modern Middle East and professor emeritus at Stanford, had a niece, her husband, and their two children kidnapped from a kibbutz. The niece and children were thankfully released in the first pause; the husband was killed. Joel has spent his life advocating for Palestinians. This is a very difficult thing for him - for all of us.

There are elements on the right, in more than one culture, attempting to frame any criticism of the total war on Gaza and its civilians as support for Hamas. They use this tactic to make opposition to the war taboo.

Peter, in your book, you discuss your heartfelt reactions to October 7th and your response as the war unfolded. Could you tell us more about that?

Peter Beinart: I appreciate the way you started. It seems to me that, going back to the Jerusalem Talmud quote, the fundamental basis for understanding Israel-Palestine - and more broadly - is the sanctity of life. People do not surrender that sanctity just because they are part of a state that commits oppression or one built on mass ethnic cleansing. Indeed, this statethe U.S.was, as well.

That doesnt mean the lives of people here in this room, living on stolen land, are not precious. It doesnt mean the distinction between a combatant and a civilian doesnt matter. That distinction is central to international law and to my moral framework. Thats why, like you, I believe October 7th was an atrocity, a war crime, a series of war crimes.

At the same time, I worry about the dehumanization of Israeli Jews, as if the only thing to know about them is that they are settler-colonists. But even more profoundly, there is a powerful, long-standing dehumanization of Palestinians. This dehumanization enables the destruction of nearly all of Gazaits hospitals, schools, agriculture, bakeriesand yet most American politicians barely react. They say things like, They had it coming.

This kind of rhetoric is only possible because of a deep-rooted dehumanization of Palestinians in American and American Jewish discourse.

One thing I wrestle with is: what does it take to unlock peoples ability to see Palestinians as fully human? Because if you do, you cannot help but be revolted by what is happening.

The forces seeking to dehumanize Palestinians are ascendant in both Israel and the U.S. Its tied to a broader backlash - because truly seeing Palestinians challenges American founding myths. Israels founding myths and Americas founding myths are strikingly similar. This is why we see such a fierce crackdown on pro-Palestinian activismit threatens those in power who are brutally hostile to any questioning of Americas founding myths.
Highlights

Expansion of Land Holdings: New Age Metals (NAM) has successfully map-staked an additional 42 mineral claims, making up two mineral licenses, and covering 1,050 hectares of crown land in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Strategic Location: These newly acquired properties are situated along the same geological trend as the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine, Canadas only primary antimony producer, and in close proximity to New Found Gold Corp.'s Queensway South Project

Total Land Position: The latest acquisitions increase NAMs total staked land package in Newfoundland to 19,125 hectares (47,266 acres) across eight non-contiguous properties, reinforcing the companys position for new critical mineral discoveries in areas historically dominated by precious and base metal exploration

Market Opportunity: Au prices are at historic highs of ~US$3,000/ounce, whereas Sb prices markedly increased from early 2024 to ~US$50,000/tonne and should continue to rise as North America scrambles for sources of this critical metal after China stopped exporting antimony in late-20241

Go Forward Plan: The Companys technical consultants are actively compiling and interpreting geological, geochemical, and geophysical datasets to define high-priority target areas for field follow-up in summer 2025.

March 20, 2025  TheNewswire - New Age Metals Inc. (TSX.V: NAM | OTCQB: NMTLF | FSE: P7J) (NAM or the Company) is pleased to announce the successful map-staking of two new prospective gold-antimony (Au-Sb) properties in north-central Newfoundland. These two properties are in addition to one previously staked property along strike of the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine in north-central Newfoundland and five previously staked properties adjacent to and along strike of known Au-Sb occurrences in the St. Albans area of south-central Newfoundland1.

Harry Barr, Chairman and CEO commented, NAM is delighted to secure this additional ground over such a highly prospective area, strategically located along trend from the Beaver Brook Sb Mine and adjacent to the Queensway South Au Project. Our technical team is diligently reviewing existing data, refining target selections, and planning for an aggressive fieldwork program across all eight of our new Au-Sb properties in the summer of 2025. With historically high prices for both gold and antimony, we are eager to advance exploration efforts on our entire land package. The Fastness and Palisade Properties will be top priorities for our 2025 summer exploration program, given their strategic location and geological setting.

Two New Properties on the Under-Explored Beaver Brook Sb (Au) Trend

Fastness Property(Figures 1 and 2)

NAM has strategically staked 29 claims covering 725 ha, naming it the Fastness Property.

This property is located 2 km east of NAMs previously staked Sentinel Property, positioned between the past-producing Beaver Brook Sb Mine (~4 km north) and New Found Gold Corp.s Queensway South Gold Project (~3 km south) (Figure 2). Fastness is also situated

~2 km from New Found Golds Aztec, Hornet, and Greenwood Pond Targets, where numerous rock samples have returned values ranging from 3 g/t to >10 g/t Au3.

Geologically, Fastness lies along the southern extension of the Beaver Brook Mine lithostructural trend, an area recognized for its highly prospective structural extensions of known high-grade gold and antimony mineralization.

Palisade Property (Figures 1 and 2)

Approximately 5 km to the west, NAM has staked 13 claims covering 325 ha and named it the Palisade Property. This Property is situated 2 km along trend to the northeast from NAMs previously staked Sentinel Property (Figure 2). Generally, Palisade occurs along the southwest extension of the Beaver Brook Mine lithostructural trend and targets extensions of known high-grade Sb (Au) mineralization.

Regional Significance

The Beaver Brook Sb Mine was Canadas only primary antimony producer, with a historical resource of 2.2 Mt grading 3.99% Sb at a 1.5% cut-off grade (Sandeman et al., 2018)2.

The Queensway South Gold Project is the ~80 km long southern extension of the highly gold mineralized trend at Queensway North3. The project has seen a marked increase in exploration efforts over the past 3 years (2022 to 2024) totalling 19,980 metres of diamond drilling in 89 holes, 1,200 rock samples, and 9,900 soil samples. Recent highlights include:

Astronaut Zone: 19.0 g/t Au over 3.15 metres in drill hole NFGC-QS-22-20

Nebula Zone: 4.92 g/t Au over 3.05 metres in drill hole NFGC-QS-22-25

Camp Zone: 1.2 g/t Au over 16.80 metres in drill hole NFGC-QS-24-89 and a 479 g/t Au grab sample from surface.

NAMs current portfolio of eight non-contiguous Au-Sb exploration properties totalling 19,125 ha in north-central and south-central Newfoundland is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 1. Location of NAMs newly map-staked Fastness and Palisade Au-Sb Properties in south-central Newfoundland. Note that the staking of the Sentinel Au-Sb Property was previously announced in a Company press released dated February 27, 2025.

Figure 2. Location of NAMs new Fastness and Palisade Au-Sb Properties in the Beaver Brook Antimony Mine Area of north-central Newfoundland. Note the close proximity of all three NAMs Properties here, particularly Fastness, to New Found Gold Corp.s Queensway South Gold Project.

Moving Forward

The addition of the Fastness and Palisade Properties to NAMs exploration property portfolio presents a significant opportunity for gold-antimony (Au-Sb) discoveries. The Companys technical consultants are actively compiling and interpreting geological, geochemical, and geophysical datasets to define high-priority target areas for field follow-up in summer 2025.

In addition to these recently staked properties, NAM is aggressively assessing more properties in Newfoundland and elsewhere in Canada for future acquisitions.

Qualified Person

Dr. William Stone, Ph.D., P.Geo., NAMs Lead Geoscience Consultant and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by NI 43-101 has reviewed, prepared and approved all the scientific and technical information disclosed in this press release.

About NAM

New Age Metals is a junior mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery, exploration, and development of green metal projects in North America. The Company has two divisions: a Platinum Group Element division and a Lithium/Rare Element division.

The PGE Division includes the 100% owned, multi-million-ounce, district-scale River Valley Project, one of North Americas largest undeveloped Platinum Group Element Projects, situated 100 km by road east of Sudbury, Ontario. In addition to River Valley, NAM owns 100% of the Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Property in Alaska.

The Companys Lithium Division is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Winnipeg River Pegmatite Field, where the Company is exploring for hard rock lithium and various rare elements such as tantalum, rubidium, and cesium. NAM is developing its lithium division in conjunction with its Farm-in/Joint Venture agreement with Mineral Resources Ltd. (MinRes), one of the worlds largest lithium producers. A budget for May 2025 to April 2026 will be submitted to Mineral Resources Ltd (MRL, ASX: MIN) for approval. On June 17th, 2024, NAM announced the participation in the University of Manitobas sustainable mineral exploration grant for $1.5 million, which will be shared equally with Grid Metals. The University of Manitoba researchers are poised to unlock more sustainable ways to extract mineral resources, thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). By harnessing the collective expertise of academia, industry, and government, the complex challenges facing the critical minerals industry can be addressed to create sustainable solutions for the future.

Management is currently aggressively seeking new mineral acquisition opportunities on an international scale. Our philosophy is to be a project generator with the objective of optioning our projects with major and junior mining companies through to production.

The Company is actively seeking an option/joint venture partner for its River Valley Palladium Project and its road-accessible Genesis PGE-Cu-Ni Property in Alaska.

Investors are invited to visit the New Age Metals website at www.newagemetals.com where they can review the company and its corporate activities. Any questions or comments can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Harry Barr at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Farid Mammadov at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613 659 2773.

Opt-in List

If you have not done so already, we encourage you to sign up on our website (www.newagemetals.com) to receive our updated news.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Harry Barr

Harry G. Barr

Chairman and CEO

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements may differ materially from actual future events or results and are based on current expectations or beliefs. For this purpose, statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements include statements in which the Company uses words such as continue, efforts, expect, believe, anticipate, confident, intend, strategy, plan, will, estimate, project, goal, target, prospects, optimistic or similar expressions. These statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others, the Companys ability and continuation of efforts to timely and completely make available adequate current public information, additional or different regulatory and legal requirements and restrictions that may be imposed, and other factors as may be discussed in the documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com), including the most recent reports that identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to review or confirm analysts expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

1New Age Metals (2025). New Age Metals Inc. Stakes New Gold-Antimony Properties in Newfoundland and Labrador. Company press release dated February 27, 2025. Available at: https://newagemetals.com/category/press/.

2Sandeman et al. (2018). Beaver Brook Antimony Mine Revised: An update on operations and new structural and geological observations. Current Research Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Natural resources. Geological Survey Report 18-1, p. 123-152.

3New Found Gold Corp. Website (March 2025). Available at: https://newfoundgold.ca/project/queensway-project/
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Denarius Metals Corp. (Cboe CA: DMET) (OTCQX: DNRSF) ("Denarius Metals" or the "Company") announced today that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"), issuing a total of 13,138,000 Units at CA$0.50 per Unit for gross proceeds of CA$6,569,000. Each Unit consisted of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. Each warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of CA$0.60 per common share at any time on or before March 20, 2028. This brings the Company's issued and outstanding common shares as of the current date to 106,975,066 common shares.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to fund its projects in Spain, including the advancement of scoping and other studies and site administration costs at its Lomero and Toral Projects, capital contributions related to certain restart activities and site administration costs at the Aguablanca Project, and for general corporate and administrative costs of the Company.

In connection with the Offering, Mr. Serafino Iacono (Executive Chairman), an insider of the Company, acquired 3,452,000 Units. As a result of closing the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owns and controls 22,078,355 common shares (which represents approximately 20.64% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares), 900,000 stock options, 7,784,650 unlisted warrants, CA$1,901,280 senior unsecured convertible debentures due 2029 and CA$6,426,000 unsecured convertible debentures due 2030. Prior to closing the Offering, Mr. Iacono beneficially owned and controlled 18,626,355 common shares, representing approximately 19.85% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. Assuming full exercise of his stock options, unlisted warrants and senior unsecured convertible debentures, Mr. Iacono would have control and direction over 45,698,071 common shares, representing 34.99% of the then outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis.

In addition, Aton Ventures Fund Ltd. ("Aton Ventures"), a European-based investment fund, acquired 6,500,000 Units through the Offering. As a result, Aton Ventures beneficially owns and controls 13,041,385 common shares (which represents approximately 12.19% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares), 13,919,092 unlisted warrants and CA$500,000 senior unsecured convertible debentures due 2029. Prior to closing the Offering, Aton Ventures beneficially owned and controlled 6,541,385 common shares, representing approximately 6.97% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. Assuming full exercise of unlisted warrants and senior unsecured convertible debentures, Aton Ventures would have control and direction over 28,071,588 common shares, representing 23.01% of the then outstanding common shares on a partially diluted basis. Aton Ventures has acquired the securities for investment purposes only, and depending on market and other conditions, may from time to time in the future increase or decrease its ownership, control or direction over securities the Company, through market transactions, private agreements, or otherwise. In satisfaction of the requirements of National Instrument 62-104 - Take-Over Bids and Issuer Bids ("NI 62-104") and National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, Aton Ventures will be filing an early warning report respecting the acquisition of securities, containing additional information omitted from this news release, under Denarius Metals' SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. A copy of the report filed by Aton Ventures may be obtained from Amanda Fullerton, General Counsel and Secretary, telephone number (416) 360-4653, or via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Participation of insiders in the Offering constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under National Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("NI 61-101"). The Offering is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of NI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of securities being issued to insiders nor the consideration being paid by insiders exceeds or will exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Company did not file a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the Offering as the details of the participation of insiders had not been confirmed at that time. Further to the Company's press release dated March 11, 2025, the Company has satisfied Cboe Canada's shareholder approval requirement and obtained written consent of at least 50% of the holders entitled to vote.

The common shares and warrants issued in the Offering are subject to a hold period in Canada ending June 21, 2025. In conjunction with the Offering, the Company paid a total of CA$41,400 of fees in cash to certain arm's length agents and brokers who acted as finders.

No U.S. Offering or Registration

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction, including the United States, other than the provinces and territories of Canada. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States. Such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, any U.S. Person (as defined in Regulation S of the US Securities Act) or person in the United States except in a transaction exempt from or not subject to the registration requirements of the US Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

About Denarius Metals

Denarius Metals is a Canadian junior company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and eventual operation of polymetallic mining projects in high-grade districts. Denarius Metals is commencing production from its Zancudo Project in Colombia in the first quarter of 2025 and expects to commence operations in the next 12 months at the Aguablanca Project in Spain.

In Spain, Denarius Metals owns a 100% interest in the Lomero Project, a polymetallic deposit located on the Spanish side of the prolific copper rich Iberian Pyrite Belt, and a 21% interest in Rio Narcea Recursos, S.L., which owns a 5,000 tonnes per day processing plant and has the rights to exploit the historic producing Aguablanca nickel-copper mine, located in Monesterio, Extremadura, Spain, approximately 88 km northeast of the Lomero Project. Denarius Metals also owns a 100% interest in the Toral Project, a high-grade zinc-lead-silver deposit located in the Leon Province, Northern Spain.

In Colombia, Denarius Metals is commencing operations at its 100%-owned Zancudo Project, a high-grade gold-silver deposit, which includes the historic producing Independencia mine, located in the Cauca Belt, about 30 km SW of Medellin.

Additional information on Denarius Metals can be found on its website at www.denariusmetals.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to anticipated business plans or strategies, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Denarius Metals to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements are described under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form dated April 25, 2024 which is available for view on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and Denarius Metals disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Goldshore Resources Inc. (TSXV: GSHR) (OTCQB: GSHRF) (FSE: 8X00) ("Goldshore" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce its latest assay results from its ongoing 15,000-meter drill program and results from the Southwest Zone of the Moss Gold Project in Northwest Ontario, Canada (the "Moss Gold Project").

Michael Henrichsen, CEO of Goldshore commented, "We are pleased with the continued success of our 15,000-meter winter drill program. Drilling at the Southwest Zone continues to demonstrate the upside of the Moss Gold Deposit, where results to date have brought mineralized shears toward surface, effectively converting waste to ore. Additionally, mineralization has been extended beneath the conceptual open pit, highlighting the potential for significant resource growth with additional drilling. Our focus is to continue demonstrating upside within the deposit, with the drill rigs currently following up on the Superion discovery at shallow depths at the northeast region of the deposit. We look forward to reporting continued accretive drill results over the coming weeks."

Highlights

Results from five drill holes continued to extend mineralized shears toward surface at the Southwest Zone with best intercepts of: 25.0m of 0.68 g/t Au from 133m in MMD-25-140 25.5m of 0.71 g/t Au from 270.5m in MMD-25-142, including 3.1m of 3.92 g/t Au from 281m 5.15m of 2.68g/t Au from 135.65m in MMD-25-147, including 2.35m of 5.19 g/t Au from 135.65m

Two holes drilling through previously defined lower grade material of the Southwest Zone have intercepted higher than anticipated grades in comparison to the current MRE with best intercepts of: 8.0m of 2.53 g/t Au from 125m in MMD-25-142, including 4.2m of 4.57 g/t Au from 127m 33.9m of 0.83 g/t Au from 192m, including 0.65m of 23.8 g/t Au from 201.45m 25.89m of 1.15 g/t Au from 84.91m in MMD-25-147, including 3.17m of 6.8 g/t Au from 107.63m 1.18m of 15.8 g/t Au from 109.62m

Two holes were extended to test mineralized shears beneath the current open pit design with best intercepts of: 15.0m of 1.68 g/t Au from 456m in MMD-25-140, including 1.0m of 11.6 g/t Au from 470m 25.5m of 0.71 g/t Au from 270.5m in MMD-25-142, including 3.10m of 3.92 g/t Au from 281.0m



Technical Overview

Figure 1 shows the location of the drill holes being reported with respect to the planned winter drill program, while Figure 2 illustrates a cross section through drill holes MMD-24-137 and MMD-25-147 that demonstrates the potential to extend the mineralized shears zones of the Southwest zone to surface and at depth. Tables 1 & 2 summarize significant intercepts and drill hole locations, respectively.

Figure 1: Illustrates the 2025 ongoing winter drill program targeting resource expansion within the conceptual open pit outlined in grey. Drill holes being reported are highlighted in red.

Figure 2: Drill section through MMD-25-147 and MMD-25-147 illustrating the discovery of higher than expected gold grades in near surface shears at the Southwest Zone. The section also shows how the current pit shell is constrained at depth by the resource model that can be extended at depth with additional drilling.

Drilling at the Southwest Zone continues to focus on adding to the mineral resource by infilling gaps within the current model created by sparse drilling. Drilling at shallow depths of 100 to 200 meters will allow for mineralized shear zones to be extended to the surface. Drilling at depths of 200 to 400 meters will allow the expansion of the open pit resource to a similar depth as the Main-QES pit (~500 meters).

Hole MMD-24-137 collared into a sequence of andesitic and dacitic volcanic rocks with a swarm of narrow to epidote-chlorite altered diorite dykes until intersecting sheared sedimentary rocks containing a mineralized exhalative horizon at 188m. The exhalative horizon returned elevated gold and copper values including the intercept of 14.0m of 0.62 g/t Au and 0.41% Cu from 196.0m, including 3.0m of 1.58 g/t Au and 1.19% Cu from 204.05m (Figure 3). While the exhalative horizon does not appear to extend for any significant strike length, the new intersection highlights the potential for additional deposit styles and amplifies the potential of numerous untested conductors across the Moss claim package that correspond to known VMS mineralization. Further desktop work is underway to evaluate similarities between the new horizon and the historic North Coldstream Cu-Au VMS mine. The hole was terminated after it entered the Southwest Zone diorite package that hosts mineralized shears tested by previous drillholes.

Hole MMD-25-141 collared into the northern dacite volcanic package before intersecting the centre of the Southwest Zone between high grade lenses. The hole intersected a weakly sheared, wide alternating silica-sericite and epidote-chlorite altered diorite intrusion package yielding several narrow lower grade intercepts such as 12.2m of 0.61 g/t Au from 163.0m and 13.0m of 0.61 g/t Au from 332m. The area had been previously modelled as having dominantly lower grades, which was confirmed by the infill drilling.

Hole MMD-25-140 and MMD-25-142 targeted the western end of the Southwest Zone aiming to both extend shears to surface near the collar and extend the core high grade shears below the current conceptual pit. Both holes collared into the andesitic and dacitic volcanic rocks before both drilling into the typical altered and locally sheared diorite package. Both holes extended existing mineralized shears towards surface with intercepts such as 25.0m of 0.68 g/t Au from 133.0m, including 3.2m of 1.19 g/t Au from 138.0m and 3.5m of 1.53 g/t Au from 154.5m, in MMD-25-140 and 6.5m of 1.11 g/t Au from 57.0m in MMD-25-142. Additionally, each hole extended mineralization beneath the conceptual open pit with intercepts of 15.0m of 1.68 g/t Au from 456m, including 3.0m of 3.19 g/t Au from 458.0m in MMD-25-140 and 25.5m of 0.71 g/t Au from 270.5m, including 3.1m of 3.92 g/t Au from 281.0m.

Hole MMD-24-147 was collared into the Southwest Zone targeting the upward extension of several mineralized shears below Snodgrass Lake. The hole collared into the typical altered and locally sheared diorite- and granodiorite-hosted mineralization and drilled through to the volcanic package at 241m, shortly after which the hole was stopped. The hole intersected higher than predicted grades in comparison to the current MRE yielding an intercept of 25.89m of 1.15 g/t Au from 84.91m, including 3.17m of 6.8 g/t Au from 107.63m (Figure 4). The hole additionally confirmed the extension of several mineralized shears towards surface with intercepts of 5.15m of 2.68 g/t Au from 135.65m and 7.29m of 1.03g/t g/t Au from 216.14m.

Figure 3: Hole MMD-24-137: Sheared and mineralized sedimentary unit containing exhalative sulphides (VMS) returning 14.0m of 0.62 g/t Au & 0.41% Cu from 196m.

Figure 4: Hole MMD-25-147: Sheared, sericite-silica-hematite altered granodiorite returning 25.89m of 1.15 g/t Au from 84.91m at the Southwest Zone.

Table 1: Significant intercepts

HOLE ID FROM TO LENGTH

(m) TRUE

WIDTH

(m) CUT

GRADE

(g/t Au) UNCUT

GRADE

(g/t Au) MMD-24-137 163.00 168.35 5.35 4.0 0.41 0.41 181.00 183.00 2.00 1.5 1.93 1.93 189.00 192.00 3.00 2.3 0.31 0.31 196.00 210.00 14.00 10.7 0.62 0.62 incl 204.05 207.05 3.00 2.3 1.58 1.58 MMD-25-140 56.00 58.00 2.00 1.3 0.34 0.34 133.00 158.00 25.00 17.3 0.68 0.68 incl 138.00 141.20 3.20 2.2 1.19 1.19 and 154.50 158.00 3.50 2.4 1.53 1.53 166.00 168.00 2.00 1.4 0.35 0.35 222.00 225.50 3.50 2.5 0.42 0.42 294.00 304.25 10.25 7.4 0.48 0.48 314.00 316.00 2.00 1.5 0.73 0.73 323.00 329.35 6.35 4.6 0.56 0.56 359.00 362.45 3.45 2.5 0.37 0.37 370.50 394.00 23.50 17.5 0.38 0.38 406.00 411.95 5.95 4.5 0.34 0.34 435.40 443.35 7.95 6.0 0.35 0.35 456.00 471.00 15.00 11.4 1.68 1.68 incl 458.00 461.00 3.00 2.3 3.19 3.19 incl 458.00 458.40 0.40 0.4 13.6 13.6 and 470.00 471.00 1.00 1.0 11.6 11.6 489.75 504.15 14.40 11.1 0.59 0.59 incl 490.90 494.50 3.60 2.8 1.59 1.59 512.00 514.00 2.00 1.5 0.36 0.36 535.00 537.00 2.00 1.6 0.46 0.46 MMD-25-141 50.96 54.00 3.04 1.8 0.39 0.39 63.00 72.00 9.00 5.4 0.36 0.36 121.40 124.00 2.60 1.6 0.44 0.44 129.00 134.00 5.00 3.0 0.37 0.37 143.00 145.00 2.00 1.2 1.00 1.00 153.00 157.00 4.00 2.4 0.47 0.47 163.00 175.20 12.20 7.5 0.61 0.61 203.00 208.25 5.25 3.3 0.71 0.71 276.00 279.00 3.00 1.9 0.32 0.32 332.00 345.00 13.00 8.3 0.61 0.61 incl 339.40 339.75 0.35 0.2 8.28 8.28 397.15 402.15 5.00 3.3 0.31 0.31 442.00 456.00 14.00 9.2 0.57 0.57 incl 448.00 449.00 1.00 0.7 5.42 5.42 482.60 496.00 13.40 8.9 0.51 0.51 546.00 552.00 6.00 4.1 0.70 0.70 MMD-25-142 47.00 50.00 3.00 2.2 0.57 0.57 57.00 66.00 9.00 6.5 1.11 1.11 83.50 87.90 4.40 3.2 0.36 0.36 94.00 96.00 2.00 1.5 0.50 0.50 113.00 117.00 4.00 2.9 0.57 0.57 125.00 133.00 8.00 5.9 2.53 2.53 incl 127.00 131.20 4.20 3.1 4.57 4.57 incl 127.00 128.00 1.00 0.7 9.06 9.06 and 129.15 130.20 1.05 0.8 6.32 6.32 146.00 148.00 2.00 1.5 0.45 0.45 158.35 165.05 6.70 5.0 1.19 1.19 incl 158.35 159.25 0.90 0.7 5.48 5.48 192.00 225.90 33.90 25.7 0.83 0.83 incl 201.45 202.10 0.65 0.5 23.8 23.8 240.85 246.00 5.15 3.9 0.48 0.48 270.50 296.00 25.50 19.7 0.71 0.71 incl 281.00 284.10 3.10 2.4 3.92 3.92 incl 283.00 284.10 1.10 0.8 8.48 8.48 334.00 344.40 10.40 8.1 0.61 0.61 MMD-25-147 5.60 12.26 6.66 4.8 1.20 1.20 incl 6.60 8.90 2.30 1.6 2.42 2.42 57.16 65.25 8.09 5.8 0.44 0.44 84.91 110.80 25.89 18.8 1.15 1.43 incl 107.63 110.80 3.17 2.3 6.80 9.11 incl 107.63 108.00 0.37 0.3 5.43 5.43 and 109.62 110.80 1.18 0.9 15.8 22.0 116.00 123.55 7.55 5.5 0.38 0.38 135.65 140.80 5.15 3.8 2.68 2.68 135.65 138.00 2.35 1.7 5.19 5.19 incl 135.65 136.58 0.93 0.7 9.67 9.67 147.44 153.33 5.89 4.3 0.32 0.32 157.75 168.00 10.25 7.6 0.34 0.34 178.00 180.48 2.48 1.8 0.50 0.50 216.14 223.43 7.29 5.5 1.03 1.03 incl 220.70 223.43 2.73 2.0 2.11 2.11 236.00 241.00 5.00 3.8 0.57 0.57 252.00 264.70 12.70 9.6 0.59 0.59 incl 261.50 264.70 3.20 2.4 1.23 1.23 Intersections calculated above a 0.3 g/t Au cut off with a top cut of 30 g/t Au and a maximum internal waste interval of 5 metres. Shaded intervals are intersections calculated above a 1.0 g/t Au cut off. Intervals in bold are those with a grade thickness factor exceeding 20 gram x metres / tonne gold. True widths are approximate and assume a subvertical body.

Table 2: Drill Collars

HOLE EAST NORTH RL AZIMUTH DIP EOH MMD-24-137 668,651 5,378,014 428 321 -45 219.0 MMD-25-140 668,434 5,377,857 429 318 -49 552.0 MMD-25-141 668,350 5,378,283 445 132 -55 555.0 MMD-25-142 668,357 5,377,944 427 321 -46 375.0 MMD-25-147 668,462 5,378,236 436 130 -45 279.0

Analytical and QA/QC Procedures

All samples were sent to ALS Geochemistry in Thunder Bay for preparation and analysis was performed in the ALS Vancouver analytical facility. ALS is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) for the Accreditation of Mineral Analysis Testing Laboratories and CAN-P-4E ISO/IEC 17025. Samples were analysed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish ("Au-AA23") and 48 pathfinder elements via ICP-MS after four-acid digestion ("ME-MS61"). Samples that assayed over 10 ppm Au were re-run via fire assay with a gravimetric finish ("Au-GRA21").

In addition to ALS quality assurance / quality control ("QA/QC") protocols, Goldshore has implemented a quality control program for all samples collected through the drilling program. The quality control program was designed by a qualified and independent third party, with a focus on the quality of analytical results for gold. Analytical results are received, imported to our secure on-line database and evaluated to meet our established guidelines to ensure that all sample batches pass industry best practice for analytical quality control. Certified reference materials are considered acceptable if values returned are within three standard deviations of the certified value reported by the manufacture of the material. In addition to the certified reference material, certified blank material is included in the sample stream to monitor contamination during sample preparation. Blank material results are assessed based on the returned gold result being less than ten times the quoted lower detection limit of the analytical method. The results of the on-going analytical quality control program are evaluated and reported to Goldshore by Orix Geoscience Inc.

Qualified Person

Peter Flindell, PGeo, MAusIMM, MAIG, Vice-President, Exploration, of the Company, and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

Mr. Flindell has verified the data disclosed. To verify the information related to the winter drill program at the Moss Gold Project, Mr. Flindell has visited the property several times; discussed and reviewed logging, sampling, bulk density, core cutting and sample shipping processes with responsible site staff; discussed and reviewed assay and QA/QC results with responsible personnel; and reviewed supporting documentation, including drill hole location and orientation and significant assay interval calculations. He has also overseen the Company's health and safety policies in the field to ensure full compliance, and consulted with the Project's host indigenous communities on the planning and implementation of the drill program, particularly with respect to its impact on the environment and the Company's remediation protocols.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no guarantee that all or any part of the mineral resource will be converted into a mineral reserve. An estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environment, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.

About Goldshore

Goldshore is a growth-oriented gold company focused on delivering long-term shareholder and stakeholder value through the acquisition and advancement of primary gold assets in tier-one jurisdictions. It is led by the ex-global head of structural geology for the world's largest gold company and backed by one of Canada's pre-eminent private equity firms. The Company's current focus is the advanced stage 100% owned Moss Gold Project which is positioned in Ontario, Canada, with direct access from the Trans-Canada Highway, hydroelectric power near site, supportive local communities and skilled workforce. The Company has invested over $60 million of new capital and completed approximately 80,000 meters of drilling on the Moss Gold Project, which, in aggregate, has had over 235,000 meters of drilling. The 2024 updated NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate ("MRE") has expanded to 1.54 million ounces of Indicated gold resources at 1.23 g/t Au and 5.20 million ounces of Inferred gold resources at 1.11 g/t Au. The MRE only encompasses 3.6 kilometers of the 35+ kilometer mineralized trend, remains open at depth and along strike and is one of the few remaining major Canadian gold deposits positioned for development in this cycle. Please see NI 43-101 technical report titled: "Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Moss Gold Project, Ontario, Canada," dated March 20, 2024 with an effective date of January 31, 2024 available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. For more information, please visit SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) and the Company's website (www.goldshoreresources.com).

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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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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 the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the exploration and development of the Moss Gold Project; the potential mineralization at the Moss Gold Project based on the winter drill program, including the potential for additional mineral resources through additional drilling; the enhancement of the Moss Gold Project; statements regarding the Company's future drill plans, including the expected benefits and results thereof; the expectation that the results have the potential to significantly impact the economic performance of the deposit moving forward; the potential for a much larger mineralized system and that it will be pursued in the near future through additional drilling; and other statements that are not historical facts.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: uncertainty and variation in the estimation of mineral resources; risks related to exploration, development, and operation activities; exploration and development of the Moss Gold Project will not be undertaken as anticipated and drilling results will not be accretive as anticipated; the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; the economic performance of the deposit may not be consistent with management's expectations; the Company's exploration work may not deliver the results expected; the fluctuating price of gold; unknown liabilities in connection with acquisitions; compliance with extensive government regulation; delays in obtaining or failure to obtain governmental permits, or non-compliance with permits; environmental and other regulatory requirements; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; risks related to natural disasters, terrorist acts, health crises, and other disruptions and dislocations; global financial conditions; uninsured risks; climate change risks; competition from other companies and individuals; conflicts of interest; risks related to compliance with anti-corruption laws; the Company's limited operating history; intervention by non-governmental organizations; outside contractor risks; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance; the Superion target may not add to the current mineral resource; and other risks associated with executing the Company's objectives and strategies as well as those risk factors discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

The forward-looking information in this news release is based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this news release. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements were made, including without limitation, assumptions regarding: the future price of gold; anticipated costs and the Company's ability to fund its programs; the Company's ability to carry on exploration, development and mining activities; prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services; the timing and results of drilling programs; mineral resource estimates and the assumptions on which they are based; the discovery of mineral resources and mineral reserves on the Company's mineral properties; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the Company's ability to operate in a safe, efficient, and effective manner; the Company's ability to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms; that the Company's activities will be in accordance with the Company's public statements and stated goals; that the Superion target will add to the current mineral resource; that the Company's exploration work will deliver the results expected; and that there will be no material adverse change or disruptions affecting the Company or its properties.

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, is subject to change after such date. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
MEDELLIN, Colombia / Mar 19, 2025 / Business Wire / Mineros S.A. (TSX:MSA, MINEROS:CB) (Mineros or the Company) announces that the acceptance period of the public offer to purchase between 0.00000033% and 26% of the issued and subscribed ordinary shares of Mineros (Mineros Shares) made by Sun Valley Investments AG (Sun Valley) by way of a public tender offer (Oferta Publica de Adquisicion, or OPA) through the facilities of the Colombia Stock Exchange (BVC) at an offering price of Colombian Peso $5,500 per share, payable in cash in Colombian pesos or U.S. dollars (the Amended Sun Valley Offer) ended on March 18, 2025. The Amended Sun Valley Offer amended the terms of an OPA initially made by Sun Valley on February 14, 2025 (the Initial Sun Valley Offer).

According to bulletin No. 053 dated March 19, 2025, issued by the BVC, the number of Mineros Shares tendered to the Amended Sun Valley Offer exceeded the maximum offer. A total of 77,931,725 Mineros Shares that were tendered, representing 26% of the issued and subscribed Mineros Shares, have been allocated for purchase by Sun Valley at a price of COP$5,500. Closing is expected to take place on March 25, 2025.

Immediately prior to the Initial Sun Valley Offer, Sun Valley owned 92,477,823 Mineros Shares representing 30,85% of the Mineros Shares. Upon closing of the Amended Sun Valley Offer as described above, Sun Valley reports that it expects to own and exercise control over 170,409,548 Mineros Shares, representing approximately 56,85% of the issued and subscribed Mineros Shares.

ABOUT MINEROS S.A.

Mineros is a Latin American gold mining company headquartered in Medellin, Colombia. The Company has a diversified asset base, with mines in Colombia and Nicaragua, and a pipeline of development and exploration projects.

The board of directors and management of Mineros have extensive experience in mining, corporate development, finance, and sustainability. Mineros has a long track record of maximizing shareholder value and delivering solid annual dividends. For almost 50 years Mineros has operated with a focus on safety and sustainability at all its operations.

Mineros common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MSA, and on the Colombia Stock Exchange under the symbol MINEROS.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains forward looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward looking information includes statements that use forward looking terminology such as may, could, would, will, should, intend, target, plan, expect, budget, estimate, forecast, schedule, anticipate, believe, continue, potential, view or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology. Such forward looking information includes, without limitation, closing of the Amended Sun Valley Offer; Sun Valleys ownership of or control or direction over Mineros Shares; the Companys planned exploration, development and production activities; and any other statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future plans, intentions, levels of activity, results, performance or achievements.

Forward looking information is based upon estimates and assumptions of management in light of managements experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, as of the date of this news release. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable, the assumptions are inherently subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward looking information. Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.

For further information of these and other risk factors, please see the Risk Factors section of the Companys annual information form dated March 25, 2024, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

The Company cautions that the foregoing lists of important assumptions and factors are not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward looking information contained herein. There can be no assurance that forward looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking information.

Forward looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as and to the extent required by applicable securities laws.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - March 20, 2025) - Cosa Resources Corp. (TSXV: COSA) (OTCQB: COSAF) (FSE: SSKU) ("Cosa" or the "Company") is pleased to report the inaugural drill program has confirmed that the Murphy Lake North Uranium Project contains up to 2 kilometres strike length of the extension of geology underpinning the Hurricane deposit. Murphy Lake North ("MLN" or the "Property") is a joint venture (the "Joint Venture") between Cosa and Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) and is located in the eastern Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. Cosa is the project operator and holds a 70% interest with Denison holding a 30% interest.

Highlights

Located and defined the Hurricane trend extension within Murphy Lake North, the primary objective of the inaugural drilling campaign

Final drill hole intersected a significant zone of sandstone-hosted alteration and structure, overshooting optimal target by 25 metres; zone is open along strike in both directions and up to two kilometres of untested Hurricane trend strike length is interpreted within Murphy Lake North

Plans are in development for a fully funded summer drill program to follow up winter drilling results

Keith Bodnarchuk, Cosa President and CEO, commented: "The results of our inaugural drill program at the Murphy Lake North Joint Venture have exceeded our expectations and have confirmed our thesis that MLN hosts the same geology underpinning the Hurricane deposit only a few kilometres away. These initial results require immediate follow up, leading to the decision to leave the drill and equipment on-site to ensure a seamless summer start-up and significant cost savings. Having recently closed our C$6 million oversubscribed private placement, we are fully funded for the foreseeable future and intend to meet with our Joint Venture partner and largest shareholder, Denison Mines, as soon as possible to develop plans for an exciting follow up drill program."

Andy Carmichael, Cosa VP Exploration, commented: "The key objective of winter drilling at MLN was to locate and define the extension of Hurricane trend basement rocks and structures within the Property. In addition to meeting that objective, the final hole of the winter program, MLN25-004, intersected a sandstone-hosted hydrothermal alteration zone cored by structure on the southern side of the trend and is interpreted to have overshot the optimal target by 25 metres. As only one drill hole at MLN has targeted this side of the trend, the alteration zone is wide open along strike to the east and west, indicating that MLN may host up to two kilometres of entirely untested Hurricane stratigraphy. We eagerly await analytical results which will be instrumental in prioritizing this zone for follow up among the abundant drill targets on this shallow, prospective project."

Murphy Lake North

Murphy Lake North covers a portion of the Larocque Lake trend and is located 2.7 kilometres east of the Hurricane deposit (Figures 1 & 2). Hurricane is the world's highest-grade Indicated Uranium Resource and was discovered and delineated for IsoEnergy Ltd. by current members of Cosa's management, board of directors, and advisors from 2018 through 2022. The Larocque Lake trend also hosts the Larocque Lake Zone, Yelka Prospect, and Alligator Lake Zone.

MLN also contains approximately six kilometres of conductive strike length oriented sub-parallel to conductive features associated with the Hurricane deposit (Figure 2). Limited historical drilling on MLN intersected weak uranium mineralization in the basement and zones of alteration and structure in the sandstone and basement. Historical drilling, completed before the discovery of Hurricane, focused on the western extremity of the Property and left most of the conductive strike length untested. Abundant drill targets exist at MLN. The depth to the unconformity at MLN varies from approximately 170 to 250 metres.

Per the completed Acquisition Agreement between Cosa and Denison (see Cosa's news release dated January 14, 2025), Cosa sole funded this initial MLN drill program as part of the Company's obligation to fund 100% of the first $1.5 million of exploration expenditures at the Project by December 31st, 2027.

Winter Drill Program

A four-hole drill program totalling 1,739 metres was completed from mid-February through early March (Figures 2 through 4). The primary objectives of the program were to locate and define the interpreted strike extension of the Hurricane (CH1) trend and follow up historical intersections of weak uranium mineralization on the parallel Cyclone (CH2) trend to the south. Drill holes were collared at inclinations between -55 and -67 and true vertical depths are less than the down hole depths referred to herein.

Hurricane (CH1) Trend

Three drill holes completed on the CH1 trend succeeded in locating graphitic basement rocks and structures interpreted as the extension of those underpinning the Hurricane deposit. Sandstones in all three drill holes were anomalous, with each hole containing widespread bleached zones. MLN25-004, the final hole of the winter program and the southernmost on the trend, intersected the strongest sandstone alteration on the Project to date (Figures 3 & 4).

From 197 metres to the unconformity at 274 metres, MLN25-004 intersected a broad zone of moderate to strong hydrothermal alteration. The zone contained a broad interval of fracturing, faulting, and desilicification from 223.5 to 260 metres where core loss averaged 20% and hydrothermal hematite was locally present. Fracturing and associated desilicification decreased in the 14 metres immediately above the unconformity though the sandstone remained strongly bleached and contained patches of hydrothermal hematite. Basement rocks in MLN25-004 were strongly graphitic and pyritic from 390 metres to the end of hole and with a significant fault zone from 393.7 to 397.0 metres that includes cataclasite. Like at Hurricane, this prospective structure is located at the contact between graphitic and non-graphitic rocks.

MLN25-004 is interpreted to have overshot the optimal target by approximately 25 metres where basement faulting is inferred to root the altered structural zone in the sandstone (Figure 4). As MLN25-004 is the only drill hole on the Project to target this portion of the Hurricane trend, the alteration zone is open along strike to the east and west (Figure 3).

MLN25-001 tested the up-dip projection of basement structures intersected by historical drill hole CRK-143. MLN25-001 intersected broad, weakly to moderately bleached zones through most of the sandstone and a strongly bleached, moderately desilicified zone in the basal 3 metres of sandstone. Strongly graphitic and pyritic basement rocks were intersected as well as a hematite-altered breccia 16 metres below the unconformity.

MLN25-003 targeted the hematitic structure 140 metres northeast of MLN25-001. Below broad, weakly to moderately bleached zones in the sandstone, MLN25-003 intersected primarily non-graphitic, non-pyritic basement rocks. MLN25-003 is interpreted to have been collared too far to the north to intersect Hurricane trend basement geology.

Additional work is warranted on the Hurricane (CH1) trend to:

Follow up the zone of alteration and structure intersected in the lower sandstone by MLN25-004 Follow up the prospective cataclasite intersected in the basement by MLN25-004 Continue testing the approximately 2 kilometres of Hurricane trend within MLN

Cyclone (CH2) Trend

Drill hole MLN25-002 was completed to follow up weak basement hosted mineralization intersected by historical drill hole CRK-144 on the CH2 trend (Figures 2 & 3), now referred to as the Cyclone trend by Cosa. MLN25-002 intersected broad, pervasively bleached zones and intervals of silicification throughout the sandstone as well as clay alteration in the lower sandstone, suggesting the presence of a significant hydrothermal alteration zone in the area. Graphitic rocks were not intersected in the basement, indicating the drill hole was not optimally targeted and the area remains prospective.

The widespread alteration in the sandstone of MLN25-002 and the historical intersections of weak uranium mineralization in the basement of CRK-144 emphasize the prospectivity of the CH2 trend. Drilling to date has targeted the western portion of MLN, leaving 90% of this five-kilometre-long conductive trend undrilled.

Additional work is warranted along the CH2 trend to:

Follow up historical drilling results, including sandstone alteration and structure with anomalous lead (Pb) in historical hole CRK-145 Drill test the 4.5 kilometres of untested conductive strike east of existing drilling

Next Steps

Planning is underway for a fully funded summer drill program. The focus of summer drilling is expected to be following up the MLN25-004 alteration zone along strike. Winter assay results are pending and will influence summer drilling, including whether to follow up MLN25-004 on section.

The drill rig and support equipment remain on site to minimize costs and increase efficiency for the planned summer drilling program.

Figure 1 - Cosa's Eastern Athabasca Uranium Projects with Joint Venture Projects

Figure 2 - Nearby Historical Drilling Results and 2025 Winter Drilling

Figure 3 - Close up of Winter 2025 Drilling Area Showing Interpreted Geology

Figure 4 - Cross Section 0600E Showing Interpreted Hurricane Trend (CH1) Geology and Zone of Alteration and Structural Intersected by MLN25-004

About Cosa Resources Corp.

Cosa Resources is a Canadian uranium exploration company operating in northern Saskatchewan. The portfolio comprises roughly 237,000 ha across multiple 100% owned and Cosa-operated Joint Venture projects in the Athabasca Basin region, all of which are underexplored, and the majority reside within or adjacent to established uranium corridors.

In January of 2025, the Company entered a transformative strategic collaboration with Denison Mines that has secured Cosa access into several additional highly prospective eastern Athabasca uranium exploration projects. As Cosa's largest shareholder, Denison gains exposure to Cosa's potential for exploration success and its pipeline of uranium projects.

Cosa's award-winning management team has a long track record of success in Saskatchewan. In 2022, members of the Cosa team were awarded the AME Colin Spence Award for their previous involvement in discovering IsoEnergy's Hurricane deposit. Prior to Hurricane, Cosa personnel led teams or had integral roles in the discovery of Denison's Gryphon deposit and 92 Energy's GMZ zone and held key roles in the founding of both NexGen and IsoEnergy.

The Company's core focus throughout 2025 is drilling at the Murphy Lake North Joint Venture. Murphy Lake North is a 70/30 Joint Venture between Cosa and Denison respectively and is located at the northern end of the Larocque Lake trend. The Project is within three kilometres of and on trend with the Hurricane deposit. Initial drilling completed by Cosa during winter 2025 intersected broad zones of hydrothermal alteration of the sandstone, associated with prospective basement structures interpreted as the strike extension of those controlling the Hurricane deposit. An expanded follow up campaign is currently in planning for the summer season.

Technical Disclosure

Historical drilling and geophysical results for Murphy Lake North and adjacent projects were sourced from the Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Database (SMAD). SMAD sources for the Murphy Lake North Project include file numbers 74I-0060, 74I09-0057, 74I09-0064, 74I09-0066, 74I09-0077, 74I09-0098, and MAW00510.

SMAD sources for drilling and geophysical results proximal to Murphy Lake North include 64L05-0161, 64L05-0180, 74I-0066, 74I-0067, 74I01-0114, 74I08-0056, 74I09-0053, 74I09-0061, 74I09-0064, 74I09-0071, 74I09-0079, 74I09-0087, 74I09-0088, 74I09-0090, 74I09-0091, 74I09-0092, MAW01939, MAW02327, MAW02599, and MAW02395.

Drill hole collar locations for Murphy Lake North and relevant along-strike drill holes were verified from air photos. The collar locations of Murphy Lake North drill holes CRK-144 and CRK-145 were verified on the ground using a handheld GPS and determined to be within 20 metres of the locations derived from air photos. Segments of drill core from CRK-143 and CRK-144 were reviewed in the field; further review was hampered by the deteriorated condition of core boxes.

Verification of historical geophysical results included confirming the locations of geophysical survey grids from air photos, compiling data from geophysical surveys completed post year 2000, engaging a consultant to re-interpret historical survey data, and evaluating whether interpreted geophysical results could be reasonably explained by historical drilling results.

Qualified Person

The Company's disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Andy Carmichael, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Cosa. Mr. Carmichael is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101. This news release refers to neighbouring properties in which the Company has no interest. Mineralization on those neighbouring properties does not necessarily indicate mineralization on the Company's properties.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, plans, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to anticipated exploration, development and/or expansion activities, including exploration of the Company's current Projects; the collaboration with Denison, including the Joint Venture, and the anticipated benefits thereof; and the outlook regarding Cosa's business plans and objectives.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the cost of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct Cosa's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by Cosa in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: Cosa may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with its contractual obligations with third parties; Cosa may not be able to maintain compliance with extensive government regulation applicable to its operations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect Cosa's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of Cosa's securities, regardless of its operating performance; the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, and other risk factors set out in Cosa's public disclosure documents.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Cosa as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. Cosa does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
CALGARY, AB  TheNewswire - March 20, 2025  Ashley Gold Corp. (CSE: ASHL) (the "Company" or "Ashley") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a purchase agreement (the Agreement) with Pegasus Resources Inc. [TSXv:PEGA] ("Pegasus") for the sale of the Icefield Property, located in British Columbia (the "Property"). This Agreement was signed on March 19, 2025, and no finders fees are associated with the transaction.

CEO Darcy J. Christian; It is with great enthusiasm that I announce the integration of Pegasus Resources' exciting high-grade copper, gold, and silver projects into our portfolio. Combined with our existing high-grade gold properties in Ontario, which remain a cornerstone of our value proposition, this acquisition elevates our asset base to new heights.

We are now uniquely positioned with a diversified suite of exploration properties that underscores our growth trajectory and reinforces our commitment to delivering value to our shareholders.

We remain committed to delivering exploration results as we plot a path forward, working across two premier mining and exploration jurisdictions in Canada.

Mr. Noah Komavli's pending addition to the team will strengthen our leadership as we capitalize on these assets and chart the course ahead for a stronger, more dynamic company.

Pegasus Director Noah Komavli added, "I am honored with the opportunity to join the board of Ashley Gold Corp. in the near future, and will represent Pegasus interest. In tandem, I look forward to aligning myself with Ashley shareholders, especially with the number of catalysts on the horizon, augmented by the macro environment for gold.

The acquisition of Pegasus Icefield Project represents a transformative step forward, significantly enhancing Ashleys optionality.

Ashleys strengthened asset base, combined with a clear vision for development and value creation, sets the stage for unlocking shareholder value in the near term. I look forward to contributing to this exciting chapter of growth and delivering on the potential of this revitalized company.

Agreement Highlights

Purchase Terms:

1. In accordance with the terms of the Agreement, Pegasus will receive 8,000,000 common shares of Ashley Gold (the Shares) as follows:

(i) 6,000,000 Shares of Ashley Gold upon signing the Agreement, subject to Ashley Golds filing requirements with the Canadian Securities Exchange.

All 6,000,000 Shares have the usual statutory four month and a day hold period, plus agreed contractual hold periods as follows:

a) 2,000,000 Shares with a contractual restriction of four (4) months from the date of issuance;

b) 2,000,000 Shares with a contractual restriction of eight (8) months from the date of issuance;

c) 2,000,000 Shares with a contractual restriction of twelve (12) months from the date of issuance; and

(ii) 2,000,000 Shares within 60 days of receiving drill permits for the Property.

2. Ashley Gold will grant Pegasus:

(i) a seat on Ashley Golds Board of Directors, ensuring direct influence and oversight of the Propertys progress; and

(ii) the right to participate in future Ashley Gold financings to maintain a minimum of a 10% equity stake in Ashley Gold.

3. Royalty Provisions: Ashley Gold shall assume the entirety of the royalty obligations of Pegasus under its original option agreement and royalty agreement with DG Resource Management Ltd., the original vendor of the Property to Pegasus in 2020.

About the Icefield Property

Gold Mountain Highlights

Location: Early-stage gold-silver property ~50 km NW of Golden, BC, covering 1,863 ha.

Historical Results:

North Showing: Grab sample returned 4.87 g/t Au, 710 g/t Ag, and 1.89% Cu (Allen, 1982)



South Showing: Peak values of 30.3 g/t Au, 13,301 g/t Ag, and 32.54% Cu (Allen, 1982)



1984 Drilling (Parr, 1984): Notable intervals include:



4.14 m - 57.62 g/t Au, 7,349.5 g/t Ag, 16.5% Cu, and 8.74% Pb (Drillhole A)



4.85 m - 29.99 g/t Au, 6,711.3 g/t Ag, 11.0% Cu, and 14.53% Pb (Drillhole B)

2020-2021 Exploration: The Ag-Au-Pb-Zn-Cu-Sb mineralized system at Gold Mountain described in a prior news release (see January 13, 2021 and January 4, 2022 news release) Five samples returning 1,000 to 6,670 g/t Ag



Eight samples returning 1,260 to 8,220 ppm Sb

Seven samples returning 1.55 to 13.1% Zn

Vertebrae Ridge Highlights

Location: Early-stage copper-polymetallic property ~80 km NW of Golden, BC, covering 5,324 ha.

Crest Zone: 4,000+ m strike, peak assays of 29% Cu, 28.6% Pb, 7.77% Zn, and 360 g/t Ag. Barrel Zone: 1,500+ m strike, average 0.87% Cu, peak assay of 5.06% Cu. Barrel Zone North: 650+ m strike, average 5.3% Cu and 8.1 g/t Ag, peak values of 35.5% Cu and 96.7 g/t Ag. Cannon Zone: 500 m width by 1,100+ m strike, average 1.03% Cu with peaks of 3.55% Cu and 4.22 g/t Au.

Geology: The polymetallic mineralization at Vertebrae Ridge is associated with quartz-carbonate veins that cross-cut altered limestones and dolostones. The widespread high-grade copper and silver assays, along with anomalous concentrations of associated elements such as arsenic, mercury, and antimony, suggest a geologically complex system with significant exploration upside.

Punch Bowl Highlights

Location: Early-stage gold property ~90 km NW of Gold Mountain, covering 1163 ha.

Historical Results:

Historic assays up to 80 oz/t Au (1960s).



Numerous high-grade veins confirmed during 1987/1989 exploration.



2021 Exploration (see January 4, 2022 news release):

Discovered a new copper-mineralized zone approximately 2.5 km southeast of the main gold zone. 37 samples were collected, with six samples returning copper values greater than 0.1% and up to 1.68% Cu.



2023 Exploration Program (see December 7, 2023 news release):

Conducted an abbreviated late-fall program due to forest fire activity across Canada.

25 rock samples collected, with the following results: Seven samples returned greater than 0.13 g/t Au. Three standout gold values: 4.70 g/t Au, 3.87 g/t Au, and 1.61 g/t Au.

Extended the strike length of a gold-bearing quartz vein set to approximately 200 meters.

Identified previously unsampled mineralized quartz veins on McGillivray Ridge.

Targeted pyrite-bearing quartz veins within recessive phyllitic lenses, historically returning up to 573.7 g/t Au (Shaw, 1989).

NI 43-101 Disclosure

The technical information in this news release was prepared and/or reviewed by Nathan Schmidt., P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Schmidt is registered as a Professional Geoscientist with Engineers Geoscientists of British Columbia (#48336) and an employee of Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd. (Permit to Practice #1003035).

Some results discussed in this document are historical. Pegasus Resources nor the qualified person have performed sufficient work or data verification of the historical data. Historical Ag and Au results from Gold Mountain were presented in original documentation as troy oz/short ton and were converted to g/t using conversion of 34.28. Although the historical results may not be reliable, the Company nevertheless believes that they provide an indication of the 'Project's potential and are relevant for any future exploration program.

Qualified Person

The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Darcy Christian, P.Geo., President of Ashley, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.

Some results discussed in this document are historical. Pegasus Resources nor the qualified person have performed sufficient work or data verification of the historical data. Although the historical results may not be reliable, the Company nevertheless believes that they provide an indication of the 'Project's potential and are relevant for any future exploration program.

About Ashley Gold Corp.

Ashley Gold Corp. is dedicated to discovering the next multi-million-ounce gold deposit through efficient and innovative exploration. Operating in mining-friendly and politically stable jurisdictions, Ashley focuses on regions with proven neighboring success stories, creating a clear path toward value generation.

As one of the first movers in the highly coveted Dryden area of Northwest Ontario, Ashley is strategically positioned to leverage the regions rich geological potential. Our mission is to deliver substantive, long-term value for shareholders by uncovering and advancing world-class gold deposits in one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions globally.

For further information, please contact:

Mr. Darcy Christian, P.Geo, President and CEO

(587) 777-9072 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://x.com/AshleyGoldCorp www.ashleygoldcorp.com

Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Ashley Gold Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet managements expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Companys documents filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca). Undue reliance should not be placed on forward looking statements.
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Denison Mines Corp. ("Denison" or the "Company") (TSX: DML) (NYSE American: DNN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ken Hartwick, who previously served as the CEO of Ontario Power Generation ('OPG'), to its Board of Directors (the 'Board'). Mr. Hartwick's appointment comes following the retirement of Brian Edgar from the Board, after having served as a Director of Denison and its predecessors for over 20 years. Additionally, Denison reports the appointment of Mr. Jinsu Baik to the Board, replacing Mr. Jong Ho Hong as Korea Hydro Nuclear Power's ('KHNP') nominated appointee to the Board.

Jennifer Traub, Chair of the Board, commented, "We are very pleased to welcome Ken Hartwick and Jinsu Baik to the Board. Both bring unique skills and extensive experience from holding senior roles at globally recognized utilities that are leaders in nuclear power generation. We expect Mr. Hartwick and Mr. Baik to bolster the breadth of nuclear industry and commercial knowledge on our Board and enhance the Board's oversight during the critical process of Phoenix project execution and marketing of future uranium production.

On behalf of the Board, I also express our sincere gratitude to Brian Edgar for his many years of service and the extensive support he has always provided to the Board and to Denison, having made countless contributions to the strategic direction and governance of the Company, including in his recently held roles as Denison's Lead Director, Chair of the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee, and member of the Audit Committee."

Mr. Ken Hartwick

Mr. Hartwick joined the Board effective March 19, 2025. Mr. Hartwick has over 40 years of experience in a variety of fields such as finance, investment, corporate leadership and governance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement, with 35 years in the finance and energy sectors.

In 2024, Mr. Hartwick retired from the position of President and CEO of OPG, one of North America's largest and most diverse electricity generators, which is also recognized as a clean energy technology innovator. Under Mr. Hartwick's tenure at OPG, spanning nearly 9 years, OPG released its first Climate Change Plan, advanced Ontario's electrification efforts through the development of the Ivy charging network and OPG's PowerON fleet electrification subsidiary, launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan, and took a global leadership position in the deployment of Small Modular Reactors ('SMRs') with the advancement of plans to deploy four SMRs at OPG's Darlington site. Mr. Hartwick is a Chartered Professional Accountant with an Honours Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Trent University.

Mr. Jinsu Baik

Mr. Baik joined the Board effective March 13, 2025, having replaced KHNP's previous board nominee Mr. Hong. Mr. Baik is currently General Manager of the Nuclear Fuel Cyle Management Section of KHNP, which is the national hydro and nuclear power utility in South Korea. Mr. Baik has substantial professional expertise developed through working in the nuclear industry and has held various positions at KHNP, including his prior positions as General Manager in the Safety Engineering Section and Senior Manager in the Nuclear Fuel Supply Section. Mr. Baik holds a degree in Nuclear Engineering from HanYang University. Denison and KHNP Canada Energy Ltd. ('KHNP Canada') (which is a subsidiary of KHNP) are parties to a Strategic Relationship Agreement, which provides for a long-term collaborative business relationship between the parties and includes a right of KHNP Canada to nominate one representative to the Board provided it holds at least 5% of Denison's shares (currently holding ~6.5%).

About Denison

Denison is a leading uranium mining, development, and exploration company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Denison has an effective 95% interest in its flagship Wheeler River Uranium Project, which is the largest undeveloped uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan. In mid-2023, the Phoenix feasibility study was completed for the Phoenix deposit as an ISR mining operation, and an update to the previously prepared 2018 Pre-Feasibility Study ('PFS') was completed for Wheeler River's Gryphon deposit as a conventional underground mining operation. Based on the respective studies, both deposits have the potential to be competitive with the lowest cost uranium mining operations in the world. Permitting efforts for the planned Phoenix ISR operation commenced in 2019 and several notable milestones were achieved in 2024 with the submission of federal licensing documents and the acceptance of the final form of the project's Environmental Impact Statement by the Province of Saskatchewan and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Denison's interests in Saskatchewan also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake Joint Venture ('MLJV'), which includes unmined uranium deposits (planned for extraction via the MLJV's SABRE mining method starting in 2025) and the McClean Lake uranium mill (currently utilizing a portion of its licensed capacity to process the ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement), plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest Joint Venture Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, and a 70.32% interest in the Tthe Heldeth Tue ('THT') and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake Property. The Midwest Main, Midwest A, THT and Huskie deposits are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill. Taken together, Denison has direct ownership interests in properties covering ~384,000 hectares in the Athabasca Basin region.

Additionally, through its 50% ownership of JCU (Canada) Exploration Company, Limited ('JCU'), Denison holds interests in various uranium project joint ventures in Canada, including the Millennium project (JCU, 30.099%), the Kiggavik project (JCU, 33.8118) and Christie Lake (JCU, 34.4508%).

In 2024, Denison celebrated its 70th year in uranium mining, exploration, and development, which began in 1954 with Denison's first acquisition of mining claims in the Elliot Lake region of northern Ontario.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes 'forward-looking information', within the meaning of the applicable United States and Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison. Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as 'plans', 'expects', 'budget', 'scheduled', 'estimates', 'forecasts', 'intends', 'anticipates', or 'believes', or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results 'may', 'could', 'would', 'might' or 'will be taken', 'occur', 'be achieved' or 'has the potential to'. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: Denison's development plans for Wheeler River and the proposed ISR operation for the Phoenix deposit; expectations regarding Denison's commercial activities; expectations regarding Denison's joint venture ownership interests; and expectations regarding the objectives and continuity of its agreements with third parties.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For example, the results of the Hearing may not be as anticipated. In addition, Denison may decide or otherwise be required to discontinue development work if it is unable to maintain or otherwise secure the necessary approvals or resources (such as testing facilities, capital funding, etc.). Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and results may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in the Company's Management's Discussion & Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024 under the heading 'Risk Factors'. These factors are not, and should not be, construed as being exhaustive.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE: CNL) (TSX: CNL) ("Collective" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited's ("Agnico Eagle") investment in Collective pursuant to which Agnico Eagle subscribed for 4,741,984 common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Shares") at a price of C$11.00 per Share for aggregate consideration of approximately C$52.1 million (the "Offering"). Concurrently with the closing of the Offering, Agnico Eagle exercised all of the common share purchase warrants of Collective (each, a "Warrant") it held to acquire an additional 2,250,000 Shares at a price of C$5.01 per Share for aggregate consideration of C$11,272,500. On closing of the Offering and following exercise of the Warrants, Agnico Eagle's ownership interest in the Shares increased to approximately 14.99%.

The proceeds from the Offering and exercise of the Warrants are expected to be used for exploration on the Company's properties in Colombia and for general working capital purposes.

In connection with its initial investment in Collective on February 24, 2024, Agnico Eagle and Collective entered into an investor rights agreement (the "Investor Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which Agnico Eagle was granted certain rights, provided Agnico Eagle maintained certain ownership thresholds in Collective, including: (a) the right to participate in equity financings and top-up its holdings in relation to dilutive issuances in order to maintain its pro rata ownership in Collective at the time of such financing or acquire up to a 9.99% ownership interest, on a partially-diluted basis, in Collective; and (b) the right to nominate one individual (and in the case of an increase in the size of the board of directors of Collective to eight or more directors, two individuals) to the board of directors of Collective. On closing of the Offering, the Investor Rights Agreement was amended and restated (the "A&R Investor Rights Agreement") to increase the ownership interest ceiling in the participation right and top-up right described in (a) above from 9.99% to 14.99%, on a partially-diluted basis, to match Agnico Eagle's ownership level at closing. The A&R Investor Rights Agreement is available under Collective's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

PowerOne Capital Markets Limited acted as an advisor to Collective in connection with the Offering.

About Collective Mining Ltd.

To see our latest corporate presentation and related information, please visit www.collectivemining.com.

Founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, Collective is a gold, silver, copper and tungsten exploration company with projects in Caldas, Colombia. The Company has options to acquire 100% interests in two projects located directly within an established mining camp with ten fully permitted and operating mines.

The Company's flagship project, Guayabales, is anchored by the Apollo system, which hosts the large-scale, bulk-tonnage and high-grade gold-silver-copper-tungsten Apollo system. The Company's objectives are to improve the overall grade of the Apollo system by systematically drill testing newly modeled potentially high-grade sub-zones, expand the Apollo system by stepping out along strike to the north and expanding the newly discovered high-grade Ramp Zone along strike and to depth, expand the Trap system and drill a series of newly generated targets including Tower and X.

Management insiders own approximately 33.4% of the outstanding shares of the Company and as a result, are fully aligned with shareholders. The Company is listed on the NYSE American and TSX under the trading symbol "CNL" and on the FSE under the trading symbol "GG1".

Information Contact:

Follow Executive Chairman Ari Sussman (@Ariski73) on X

Follow Collective Mining (@CollectiveMini1) on X, (Collective Mining) on LinkedIn, and (@collectivemining) on Instagram

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering and the exercise of Warrants; the anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future recovery metal recovery rates; future growth potential of Collective; and future development plans.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding future events including the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: planed use of proceeds from the Offering and the exercise of the Warrants; risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business; the Company's formative stage of development; the Company's financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, precious and base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in 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 (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the annual information form of the Company dated March 27, 2024. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Hamas on Thursday called on Arab and Muslim nations to take urgent action to halt Israel's renewed offensive on Gaza, saying they had a "direct moral and political responsibility" to "end the genocide".

Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes, shattering a relative calm that had pervaded in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory since a ceasefire took hold on January 19.

On Thursday, the military said that troops had resumed ground operations in the southern area of Rafah, while continuing activity in other parts of the territory.

Gaza's civil defence agency said 504 people had been killed since Israeli air strikes began, including more than 190 under the age of 18.

The toll is among the highest since the war started more than 17 months ago with Hamas's attack on Israel.

In a statement, Hamas said the "continued massacres... place direct political and moral responsibility on the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to end the genocide carried out in full view of the entire world."

"We call on the Arab and Islamic countries to take urgent action in the international forums, particularly the UN's Security Council, and implement immediate measures to halt the aggression," it added.

Israel's renewed offensive after talks on extending the truce reached an impasse has drawn widespread international condemnation.

The first stage of the ceasefire, under which Israeli hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, expired early this month.

Israel rejected negotiations for a second stage, demanding the return of all remaining hostages under an extended first stage. Hamas insisted on engaging in talks for phase two.
New Orleans is a vibrant city known for its rich culture, historic architecture, and lively festivals. However, like any major urban area, accidents and injuries are common. Whether due to negligent drivers, unsafe property conditions, or defective products, victims often face significant physical, emotional, and financial hardships. Understanding the most common personal injury cases in New Orleans and the legal solutions available can help individuals navigate the complexities of seeking compensation.

Common Types of Personal Injury Cases

1. Car Accidents

Car accidents are among the most frequent personal injury cases in New Orleans. With heavy traffic, frequent tourists unfamiliar with local roads, and occasional reckless driving, collisions are inevitable. Victims may sustain severe injuries such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord damage, and fractures.

Legal solutions for car accident victims typically involve proving negligence. Louisiana follows a comparative fault rule, meaning compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to the injured party. Seeking legal guidance can help victims maximize their claims. Learn more about what constitutes a personal injury case here.

2. Slip and Fall Accidents

Property owners have a legal duty to maintain safe premises. When they fail to do so, visitors may suffer injuries due to hazardous conditions like wet floors, uneven sidewalks, or inadequate lighting. Slip and fall cases fall under premises liability law, requiring victims to prove that the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition but failed to address it.

Legal solutions include filing a premises liability claim, gathering evidence such as surveillance footage, and obtaining witness statements. Compensation may cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

3. Workplace Injuries

Work-related injuries are prevalent across various industries, from construction and maritime work to office settings. Common workplace injuries include falls, equipment-related accidents, and exposure to harmful substances.

Workers compensation is typically available for employees injured on the job, covering medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. However, if an employers negligence or a third partys actions contributed to the injury, the victim may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

4. Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are expected to provide a certain standard of care. When they fail to do so, resulting in injury or death, victims can pursue medical malpractice claims. Examples include surgical errors, misdiagnoses, birth injuries, and medication mistakes.

Medical malpractice claims require expert testimony and thorough documentation to establish negligence. Louisiana also has strict filing deadlines, making timely legal action essential.

5. Product Liability

Defective products can cause significant harm to consumers. From faulty car parts to dangerous pharmaceutical drugs, product liability cases hold manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable for injuries caused by their products.

Victims must prove that the product was defective and that the defect directly caused their injury. Legal claims may fall under strict liability, negligence, or breach of warranty.

Legal Solutions for Personal Injury Victims

Seeking Legal Representation

Navigating personal injury claims can be complex, especially when dealing with insurance companies and legal deadlines. Hiring an experienced attorney ensures that victims understand their rights and receive proper compensation. Top legal professionals have extensive experience handling personal injury cases and fighting for clients rights.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim

The process of filing a personal injury claim involves several key steps:

Gathering Evidence  Collect medical records, accident reports, and witness statements to support the case. Determining Liability  Establish who is responsible for the injury and the extent of their negligence. Negotiating with Insurance Companies  Insurers often attempt to minimize payouts, making legal representation crucial. Taking the Case to Court  If a fair settlement cannot be reached, pursuing litigation may be necessary.

When to Hire a Lawyer

Not all personal injury cases require legal representation, but certain circumstances make hiring an attorney beneficial. Victims should seek legal help if they suffered severe injuries, the insurance company is disputing liability, or settlement offers are inadequate. Find out more about when legal assistance is necessary here.

Understanding Louisianas Statute of Limitations

Louisiana law imposes strict time limits for filing personal injury claims. In most cases, victims have one year from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. Missing this deadline can result in losing the right to seek compensation.

Conclusion

Personal injury cases in New Orleans arise from a variety of circumstances, including car accidents, slip and falls, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and defective products. Victims have legal options to seek compensation, whether through negotiations with insurance companies or courtroom litigation. For those seeking experienced legal guidance, Poolson Oden provides dedicated advocacy to help victims secure the compensation they deserve.
Understanding Custody Disputes in Connecticut

Child custody disputes can be one of the most challenging aspects of family law. When parents separate or divorce, determining who will have custody of the children often leads to conflict. Connecticut family law provides guidelines on how custody is determined, prioritizing the best interests of the child. Understanding how a family law attorney can assist in these disputes is crucial for parents seeking the most favorable outcome for their children.

Types of Child Custody in Connecticut

Before delving into how an attorney can help, it is important to understand the different types of custody arrangements recognized in Connecticut.

Legal Custody

Legal custody refers to the right of a parent to make important decisions about the childs upbringing, including education, healthcare, and religious instruction. Courts typically prefer joint legal custody, allowing both parents to have a say in these decisions unless one parent is deemed unfit.

Physical Custody

Physical custody determines where the child will reside. Sole physical custody means the child lives primarily with one parent, while the other parent may have visitation rights. Joint physical custody allows the child to spend substantial time with both parents, requiring cooperation between both parties.

Sole vs. Joint Custody

Courts generally prefer arrangements that allow both parents to remain involved in their childs life. However, if one parent poses a risk to the childs well-being, sole custody may be granted to the other parent.

How a Family Law Attorney Can Help

A family law attorney provides critical legal support in custody disputes. From negotiations to courtroom representation, having an experienced attorney increases the chances of securing a favorable arrangement.

Navigating Connecticut Custody Laws

Connecticut has specific laws and guidelines that influence custody decisions. A knowledgeable attorney understands the intricacies of these laws and can help clients navigate the legal system effectively. Parents involved in disputes can benefit from the expertise of an attorney familiar with family law.

Mediation and Negotiation

Many custody disputes can be resolved outside of court through mediation. Attorneys help facilitate negotiations between parents, aiming for a custody arrangement that serves the childs best interests while minimizing conflict. This approach often results in a more amicable agreement and avoids the stress and expense of litigation.

Representation in Court

If an agreement cannot be reached through mediation, the case may go to court. A family law attorney will present a compelling case on behalf of their client, providing evidence and legal arguments to support their clients position. The attorney will advocate for the best interests of the child while ensuring their clients parental rights are protected.

Modifying Custody Agreements

Circumstances can change after a custody arrangement is established. A parent may need to relocate, or one party may no longer be fit to care for the child. Attorneys assist in filing for modifications to existing custody agreements to reflect new circumstances that impact the childs well-being.

Factors Considered in Custody Decisions

Connecticut courts consider various factors when determining custody arrangements. Understanding these factors can help parents build a strong case with the assistance of their attorney.

Best Interests of the Child

The primary consideration in custody cases is the best interests of the child. Courts evaluate factors such as:

The childs emotional bonds with each parent

The ability of each parent to provide a stable environment

The childs preferences, depending on age and maturity

Any history of abuse or neglect

The willingness of each parent to facilitate a relationship between the child and the other parent

Parental Fitness

A parents ability to provide a safe, nurturing environment is a key factor in custody decisions. If one parent has a history of substance abuse, domestic violence, or neglect, the court may limit their custody rights.

Co-Parenting Ability

Courts favor arrangements where both parents can cooperate in raising their child. Demonstrating a willingness to communicate and collaborate with the other parent can positively impact a custody case.

The Role of a Guardian ad Litem

In some custody cases, the court appoints a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) to represent the childs best interests. The GAL investigates the family situation, interviews parents and the child, and provides recommendations to the court. An attorney can help a client navigate interactions with a GAL and ensure their perspective is fairly represented.

Addressing Parental Alienation

Parental alienation occurs when one parent manipulates a child to reject the other parent. This behavior can negatively impact custody decisions. A family law attorney can present evidence of alienation and advocate for corrective measures to protect the childs relationship with both parents.

Enforcing Custody Orders

If a parent violates a custody order, legal action may be necessary. Attorneys assist in filing motions to enforce custody agreements and ensure compliance with court orders. In extreme cases, failure to comply with custody arrangements can result in legal consequences for the non-compliant parent.

Seeking Legal Assistance

Custody disputes can be emotionally and legally complex. Parents facing these challenges should seek experienced legal representation to protect their rights and their childs best interests. Consulting with a trusted family law attorney can provide clarity and guidance during this difficult time.

For parents looking for a reputable legal team, Rich Rochlin Law offers dedicated assistance in navigating Connecticut custody disputes.

Additional Resources

For those seeking more information about custody disputes and legal representation, there are various sources available. Legal directories, such as this one, provide insight into experienced attorneys who can help with family law cases. Additionally, reports such as this article offer perspectives on legal proceedings and custody-related issues.

Conclusion

Navigating a custody dispute in Connecticut requires legal knowledge, negotiation skills, and courtroom advocacy. A family law attorney plays a crucial role in ensuring parents receive fair treatment while prioritizing the best interests of the child. From mediation to litigation, legal professionals provide invaluable support in securing the best possible outcome for families in custody disputes.
Car accidents in Maryland can lead to serious injuries, financial burdens, and emotional distress. If you have been injured in a car crash due to another drivers negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. However, proving negligence in a Maryland car accident case requires thorough evidence and legal knowledge. This guide outlines the essential elements of negligence and the steps you need to take to build a strong case.

Understanding Negligence in Maryland Car Accident Cases

Negligence occurs when a driver fails to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another person. To succeed in a personal injury claim, you must prove the following four elements:

Duty of Care  The at-fault driver had a legal responsibility to drive safely and follow traffic laws. Breach of Duty  The driver failed to uphold their duty, such as by speeding, texting while driving, or running a red light. Causation  The breach of duty directly caused the accident and your injuries. Damages  You suffered actual losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, or pain and suffering.

Maryland follows a strict contributory negligence rule, which means that if you are found even 1% at fault for the accident, you may be barred from recovering compensation. This makes proving negligence a crucial aspect of your case.

Steps to Prove Negligence in a Maryland Car Accident Case

1. Gather Evidence at the Scene

Collecting evidence immediately after an accident can significantly strengthen your case. Consider taking the following steps:

Take photos and videos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and road conditions.

Obtain contact information from witnesses who saw the crash.

Request a copy of the police report, as it often contains valuable information about the at-fault drivers actions.

Document any traffic signals, signs, or hazardous conditions that may have contributed to the accident.

2. Obtain Medical Documentation

Seeking medical attention is essential for your health and your legal claim. Even if you feel fine after the crash, some injuries may not be immediately apparent. A doctors report provides crucial evidence linking your injuries to the accident. Be sure to keep records of:

Emergency room visits and hospital stays

Prescriptions and treatments

Physical therapy sessions

Any recommendations for ongoing medical care

3. Establish the Other Drivers Liability

To hold the other driver accountable, you need proof that their actions were negligent. Some common causes of negligent driving include:

Distracted driving (e.g., texting or eating while driving)

Drunk or impaired driving

Speeding or reckless driving

Running stop signs or red lights

Failing to yield the right-of-way

Accident reconstruction experts and witness testimony can help establish the sequence of events and prove fault.

4. Use Expert Testimony

Expert witnesses can provide valuable insight into how the accident occurred and the extent of your injuries. Common experts in car accident cases include:

Medical experts who explain the severity of your injuries and future medical needs.

who explain the severity of your injuries and future medical needs. Accident reconstruction specialists who analyze vehicle damage, skid marks, and road conditions to determine fault.

who analyze vehicle damage, skid marks, and road conditions to determine fault. Economists who assess financial losses, such as lost wages and future earning capacity.

5. Review Traffic Laws and Violations

Maryland traffic laws can play a key role in proving negligence. If the at-fault driver violated any laws, such as speeding or driving under the influence, it strengthens your claim. Resources like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provide valuable statistics and information on traffic safety regulations.

6. Calculate and Document Your Damages

To recover compensation, you must demonstrate the financial impact of the accident. This includes:

Economic damages such as medical expenses, property damage, and lost income.

such as medical expenses, property damage, and lost income. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Keeping detailed records of your expenses and how the accident has affected your daily life will support your claim.

7. Work with an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer

Navigating Marylands personal injury laws can be challenging, especially with the strict contributory negligence rule. A skilled attorney can help you build a strong case, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in court if necessary. If you need legal assistance, consider consulting a professional car accident lawyer in Maryland to protect your rights.

Challenges in Proving Negligence

Marylands Contributory Negligence Rule

Unlike most states, Maryland follows a pure contributory negligence system. This means that if you share even a small portion of fault, you may be denied compensation entirely. Insurance companies often use this rule to avoid payouts, making legal representation crucial.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

Insurance adjusters may try to minimize your claim or shift blame onto you. It is essential to:

Avoid making recorded statements without consulting an attorney.

Stick to the facts when speaking with adjusters.

Let your lawyer handle negotiations to ensure you receive a fair settlement.

Statute of Limitations

In Maryland, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Failing to meet this deadline may result in losing your right to compensation.

Conclusion

Proving negligence in a Maryland car accident case requires careful documentation, expert testimony, and a deep understanding of state laws. Gathering strong evidence, obtaining medical records, and working with an experienced attorney can significantly improve your chances of securing compensation. If you or a loved one has been injured due to another drivers negligence, seeking legal guidance can make all the difference. To learn more about how a car accident lawyer can fight for your rights, visit this informational resource.

For dedicated legal representation in Maryland, consider reaching out to Adam M. Smallow for experienced guidance in handling your car accident claim.
Car accidents can be life-altering events, leaving victims with physical injuries, emotional distress, and financial burdens. If youve been involved in a car accident in Fall River, understanding your legal rights and options is crucial. This guide provides essential information on filing car accident claims, dealing with insurance companies, and seeking legal representation to maximize your compensation.

Understanding Car Accident Claims in Fall River

Filing a car accident claim in Fall River involves several legal and procedural steps. To ensure you receive fair compensation, it is essential to understand how these claims work and what evidence you need to support your case.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

Car accidents occur for various reasons, many of which involve negligence. The most common causes include:

Distracted driving

Speeding

Drunk or impaired driving

Reckless or aggressive driving

Poor road conditions

Mechanical failures

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides valuable statistics and guidelines to help improve road safety and prevent accidents.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

If you are involved in a car accident in Fall River, following these steps can help protect your legal rights and strengthen your claim:

Call 911  Report the accident and request medical assistance if needed. Gather Evidence  Take photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and any visible injuries. Obtain Contact Information  Exchange details with the other driver, including insurance information. Speak with Witnesses  Collect statements and contact details from any witnesses. Seek Medical Attention  Even if you feel fine, get a medical evaluation to document any injuries. Notify Your Insurance Company  Report the accident to your insurer as soon as possible. Consult a Lawyer  Seeking legal advice can help you navigate the claims process effectively.

Dealing with Insurance Companies

Insurance companies often prioritize their profits over your best interests. Heres what you need to know when negotiating with insurers.

What to Expect from the Insurance Adjuster

After filing a claim, an insurance adjuster will assess your case. Their primary objective is to minimize the payout, so they may:

Offer a low initial settlement

Dispute liability

Question the severity of your injuries

Delay processing your claim

How to Protect Your Rights

To strengthen your case against insurance companies:

Do not accept the first settlement offer.

Avoid providing recorded statements without legal representation.

Keep all medical records and receipts.

Consult an attorney to negotiate on your behalf.

Legal Options for Car Accident Victims

If youve suffered injuries or property damage in a car accident, pursuing legal action may be necessary to recover full compensation.

When to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

Hiring a lawyer is advisable if:

The insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation.

You have severe injuries requiring long-term care.

Liability is disputed.

You lost a loved one due to a negligent driver.

A qualified attorney can help gather evidence, negotiate with insurers, and represent you in court if needed. If you need legal guidance, you can find experienced attorneys through this directory.

Types of Compensation Available

Victims of car accidents may be entitled to compensation for:

Medical expenses

Lost wages

Pain and suffering

Property damage

Emotional distress

Understanding Massachusetts Car Accident Laws

Massachusetts follows a no-fault insurance system, meaning drivers must first seek compensation from their own insurance policies. However, victims can file a lawsuit if their injuries meet certain thresholds.

No-Fault Insurance Rules

Under Massachusetts law, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) covers:

Up to $8,000 in medical expenses and lost wages

Additional benefits depending on the policy limits

When You Can File a Lawsuit

You can step outside the no-fault system and file a lawsuit if:

Your medical expenses exceed $2,000.

You suffered severe or permanent injuries, such as disfigurement or loss of bodily function.

For further insights into when to seek legal assistance, this article provides valuable guidance.

How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

A skilled car accident lawyer can be instrumental in building a strong case and securing the compensation you deserve.

Investigating the Accident

Your attorney will gather crucial evidence such as:

Police reports

Witness statements

Surveillance footage

Expert testimony

Negotiating a Settlement

Most car accident cases settle out of court. Your lawyer will handle negotiations to ensure you receive a fair settlement covering all your losses.

Representing You in Court

If negotiations fail, your lawyer will take your case to court and fight for your rights before a judge and jury.

For trusted legal representation in Fall River, consider consulting Jason Stone Injury Lawyers.

Conclusion

Car accident claims can be complex, but knowing your rights and options can make the process more manageable. If youve been injured in a car accident in Fall River, taking the right steps and seeking legal assistance can significantly impact the outcome of your case. Whether negotiating with insurance companies or pursuing legal action, having an experienced attorney on your side can help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Car accidents in Goodyear, Arizona, can be overwhelming, and dealing with insurance companies afterward often adds another layer of stress. Understanding how to navigate the claims process effectively is essential to ensure you receive fair compensation for your damages and injuries. This guide will provide crucial insights into handling insurance negotiations, common pitfalls to avoid, and when to seek legal assistance.

Understanding the Role of Insurance Companies

Insurance companies operate as for-profit businesses, meaning their goal is to minimize payouts while still adhering to legal obligations. After a car accident, they may employ various tactics to reduce the compensation they owe you. Being aware of their strategies and knowing your rights can help you protect your claim.

Common Insurance Company Tactics

Delaying the Claims Process : Insurers may take longer than necessary to process your claim, hoping you will accept a lower settlement out of frustration.

: Insurers may take longer than necessary to process your claim, hoping you will accept a lower settlement out of frustration. Offering Quick, Low Settlements : Early settlement offers are often much lower than what you are entitled to, leaving you with insufficient compensation for medical bills and vehicle repairs.

: Early settlement offers are often much lower than what you are entitled to, leaving you with insufficient compensation for medical bills and vehicle repairs. Using Your Statements Against You : Anything you say to an insurance adjuster can be used to devalue your claim. Its best to provide only essential information and avoid speculation about fault.

: Anything you say to an insurance adjuster can be used to devalue your claim. Its best to provide only essential information and avoid speculation about fault. Disputing Liability: The insurer may argue that you were partially or fully responsible for the accident to reduce their payout.

Steps to Take When Dealing With Insurance After an Accident

1. Document Everything

Proper documentation is crucial in proving your claim. Ensure you gather the following evidence:

Photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and visible injuries.

Police reports, which provide an objective account of the accident.

Witness statements from those who saw the incident.

Medical records detailing your injuries and treatment plan.

2. Report the Accident Promptly

Notify your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. Most policies require prompt reporting, and delays could jeopardize your claim. However, avoid discussing details with the at-fault drivers insurance without legal counsel.

3. Be Cautious When Speaking with Insurance Adjusters

When speaking with an insurance adjuster:

Stick to the facts and avoid admitting fault.

Do not provide a recorded statement unless required by your insurer.

Do not accept the first settlement offer without reviewing it thoroughly.

When to Involve a Legal Professional

While minor accidents with no injuries may be settled without legal help, there are situations where hiring an attorney is beneficial.

Signs You Need a Lawyer

You sustained serious injuries requiring extensive medical treatment.

The insurance company is denying or undervaluing your claim.

Liability is being disputed.

You are facing financial hardships due to the accident.

A car accident lawyer from Suzuki Law can negotiate on your behalf, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Understanding Arizonas Car Accident Laws

Arizona follows a comparative negligence system, meaning your compensation can be reduced based on your percentage of fault in the accident. This makes it even more critical to present a strong case with solid evidence.

Additionally, Arizona has a two-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims. Failing to file within this timeframe may result in losing your right to seek compensation.

Resources for Car Accident Victims

If youve been involved in a Goodyear car accident, the following resources can provide additional guidance:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers safety regulations and accident statistics.

You can find more information about experienced legal professionals through this attorney directory.

Learn more about the importance of hiring legal representation from this legal news source.

Conclusion

Dealing with insurance companies after a car accident in Goodyear can be challenging, but being prepared and knowing your rights can help you secure a fair settlement. By documenting evidence, being cautious in your communications with insurers, and seeking legal assistance when necessary, you can navigate the claims process more effectively. If you face difficulties, consulting an experienced attorney can make a significant difference in achieving the compensation you deserve.
Losing a loved one is a tragic experience, and when that loss occurs due to someone elses negligence, it can be even more devastating. In such cases, the deceaseds family may have the right to file a wrongful death lawsuit. This guide outlines the essential steps involved in filing a wrongful death claim in Sacramento, California.

Understanding Wrongful Death Claims

What Constitutes a Wrongful Death?

A wrongful death occurs when an individual dies due to the negligence, recklessness, or intentional act of another party. These cases commonly arise from car accidents, medical malpractice, workplace incidents, and defective products.

Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?

In California, the following individuals are generally eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit:

The deceased persons surviving spouse or domestic partner

Children of the deceased

Other dependents, such as stepchildren or parents, in certain circumstances

For more detailed legal information on wrongful death cases, you can refer to this resource.

Steps to Filing a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Sacramento

Step 1: Determine Eligibility to File

Before initiating a lawsuit, it is crucial to confirm that you have the legal right to file. Consulting an experienced attorney can help clarify eligibility and determine the best course of action.

Step 2: Gather Essential Evidence

To build a strong case, you need substantial evidence, including:

Death certificate of the deceased

Medical records and autopsy reports

Police reports (if applicable)

Witness statements

Financial records to demonstrate the economic impact of the loss

Step 3: Identify the Responsible Party

The lawsuit must clearly establish liability. This could be an individual, a corporation, a medical professional, or another entity. Establishing fault is a crucial component of a successful claim.

Step 4: Calculate Damages

Damages in a wrongful death lawsuit can include:

Medical expenses incurred before death

Funeral and burial costs

Loss of financial support

Loss of companionship and emotional suffering

For more information on the process, visit this page.

Step 5: File the Lawsuit Within the Statute of Limitations

California law sets a strict time limit for filing a wrongful death claim. Generally, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the persons death. Missing this deadline can result in losing the right to seek compensation.

Step 6: Engage in Settlement Negotiations

Many wrongful death cases are settled out of court. Negotiations with insurance companies or the responsible party can lead to fair compensation without the need for a trial. However, if a settlement cannot be reached, the case may proceed to court.

Step 7: Proceed to Trial if Necessary

If settlement negotiations fail, the case moves to trial. During the trial, attorneys present evidence, witnesses testify, and a judge or jury determines the outcome of the case.

Why Legal Representation Matters

Wrongful death cases can be complex, requiring knowledge of personal injury law, court procedures, and negotiation tactics. Seeking professional legal assistance from a Sacramento wrongful death lawyer can significantly improve your chances of obtaining fair compensation.

Emotional and Financial Support for Families

Grieving families not only face emotional turmoil but also financial difficulties. Seeking professional guidance and support groups can help during this challenging time. If you are looking for emotional and legal support, you can read more about how others have navigated similar situations here.

Conclusion

Filing a wrongful death lawsuit in Sacramento can be a daunting process, but understanding the steps involved can help families seek justice and financial stability. Whether through settlement negotiations or court proceedings, a well-prepared case can hold the responsible parties accountable and provide closure to grieving families.






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Dutch King Willem-Alexanders official visit to Kenya took an unexpected turn when he revealed a little-known chapter of his past.

Speaking at a State banquet in his honor on Tuesday, the King revealed he once worked for the Kenyan Government as a pilot for the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), assisting in anti-poaching missions.

I personally became familiar with this part of Africa, and Kenya in particular, in the 1980s and 1990s, he shared.

First as a pilot for AMREF Flying Doctors and later as a pilot for the Kenya Wildlife Service, where my work included protecting elephants from poachers in Meru National Park.

As if that wasnt surprising enough, the King delighted guests with an unexpected revelation - his first and only pilots license was Kenyan, not Dutch.

If I think back, the only pilots licence I ever had was not a Dutch license but a Kenyan one.

The number was Y2294-PL, issued to me by Gladys, who had an office on the first floor, first office on the left, in 1989, he recalled.

The King and Queen Maxima arrived in Kenya for a three-day visit that began on March 18th, aimed at strengthening diplomatic ties.

However, the trip sparked controversy, with some Kenyans petitioning for its postponement in protest over kidnappings and arrests of critics of Rutos Government by suspected State agents.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Government officials in Muranga County on Wednesday skipped the handover ceremony of an administrative office initiated by Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro, signalling a lack of State endorsement for the project.

The event, held in Mjini area within Kiharu Constituency, was meant to mark the launch of the Assistant County Commissioner's office.

However, the County Commissioner, Assistant County Commissioners, and Chiefs were notably absent, with police officers from the area also refraining from attending.

Reports indicate that Muranga leaders had warned local administrators against attending the event, exposing the deep-seated wrangles that have continued to define political realignments in Mt Kenya region, particularly in relation to Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro, whose recent removal from the Budget and Appropriations Committee has sparked speculation about his dwindling influence within the Kenya Kwanza regime and his political standing in President William Rutos inner circle.

Nyoro, who had previously enjoyed close proximity to the President, revealed that he has not spoken to Ruto since October last year, a revelation that comes at a time when he is facing accusations of skewed resource allocation in favour of his constituency, allegations that were raised in Parliament last week and which he declined to address directly, instead choosing to focus on clarifying what he described as misinformation regarding his tenure as the chairperson of the powerful budget committee.

Even with senior Government officials steering clear of the event, Nyoro pressed on, met by an enthusiastic crowd that turned up in large numbers.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Phancy Ogeto, a man in his early twenties, is being pursued by the police after he hired a Toyota Prado in Kisumu and vanished.

He used a fake identity card and driving license when hiring the vehicle before disabling the tracker.

He is nowhere to be seen.

The owner has reported the matter to the police and circulated photos of the missing vehicle on social media.










Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Kakamega Senator Dr. Bonny Khalwale has sparked a heated debate on X (formerly Twitter) after sharing a startling list of Kenyan women arrested in various international airports over the past decade for drug trafficking.

This comes following the sentencing of Margaret Nduta Macharia, a 37-year-old from Muranga County, who now faces the death penalty in Vietnam after being caught with 2kgs of cocaine in her luggage.

Khalwale raised alarm bells, suggesting that Kenyans are increasingly under scrutiny at global airports for drug-related offenses.

While the vocal Senator aimed to shed light on drug trafficking, it quickly took a different turn.

Some Kenyans were not impressed, pointing out that all the names he listed belonged to Kikuyu women.

Critics accused him of unfairly profiling one community, while others questioned whether his intentions were to raise awareness or push a different agenda.

See the post and reactions below.






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Police Officers based at Naivasha Police Station have arrested 30-year-old Bethwel Matu and seized two rounds of ammunition in his possession, following a crucial tip-off.

Acting on an intelligence report pinpointing an individual carrying illegal ammunition at Nyama Choma Zone Bar in Kinamba, officers sprang into action.

They descended on the location and apprehended the suspect.

A thorough search revealed one 7.62mm special round and one 9mm calibre bullet in Matus possession.

The suspect was promptly escorted to Naivasha Police Station, where he is currently being processed ahead of his arraignment.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - First Lady Mama Rachel Ruto is facing criticism from netizens over her outfit while hosting the Dutch King and Queen at State House.

A trending photo of her alongside Queen Maxima has sparked debate, with Kenyans questioning her fashion sense ahead of the royal couples four-day state visit.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Popular comedian and content creator Crazy Kennar has once again set social media on fire with his latest skit, leaving fans in stitches.

Known for his relatable and hilarious takes on everyday Kenyan life, Kennars newest skit, Which Ladies Have I Been Dating? hilariously captures dating norms in Kenya.

In the skit, Kennar goes on a date with a woman who not only pays for her own ride but also offers to split the bill - something unheard of in typical Kenyan dating culture.

To add to the shock, she casually reveals that her hobbies include skydiving, leaving Kennar bewildered as he jokes about women usually preferring TikTok and naps.

The skit has gone viral, resonating with many Kenyan men and leaving them wondering - where exactly are such ladies found?

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Muranga Senator Joe Nyutu has dismissed claims that Kiharu MP, Ndindi Nyoro, is President William Ruto's political project in the Mount Kenya region.

Speaking in an interview with TV47 on Wednesday, March 19th, Nyutu revealed that Nyoros relationship with Ruto soured last year after he refused to support the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

According to the Senator, this move permanently strained Nyoros ties with the President.

"William Ruto will never forgive anyone who either voted against or abstained from Gachaguas impeachment.

Ndindi Nyoro abstained, and that was his biggest mistake," Nyutu stated.

He described Nyoro as an independent, intelligent, and principled leader who prioritizes Mount Kenyas interests over political loyalty.

"He is not anyones project - that would go against his character.

If he allows himself to be used by Ruto, I will be shocked," he added.

Nyoro, who was recently ousted as the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee in the National Assembly, revealed that he was never given an explanation for his removal.

He stated that he only learned about his dismissal through the media.

"No one in our coalition has ever reached out to me about the position. I genuinely do not know why I was replaced," Nyoro said.Bottom of Form

The Kenyan DAILY POST
A man who stole a bottle of wine and drank it before leaving the shop had a bench warrant issued for him when he failed to show up in court last week.

Thomas McGarry (65), with an address at Marina Court, Athy, was due in the local district court to face a single charge of theft from Pettitts SuperValu in the town centre on 26 May last year.

He took an 8 bottle of wine and drank it there, said the investigating garda.

Where? asked a very curious Judge Desmond Zaidan.

He just sat down behind the cans and left, said a deadpan garda.

He sat down and drank it in Pettitts? asked the judge.

Well, judge, there was no seating area there, explained the garda matter-of-factly.

And he was able to walk? the judge shook his head, before issuing the bench warrant when Sergeant Dave Hanrahan confirmed McGarrys continued absence.
Thr extension of bus links for college students in Castledermot was a topic up for debate at the most recent Athy Municipal District meeting.

Cllr Vera-Louise Behan brought the motion before the council asking that it writes to JJ Kavanagh and Sons requesting its Carlow to Maynooth bus to stop in Castledermot to facilitate students from Athy MD who need to commute to Maynooth University.

We should encourage this, she said.

Cllr Behan explained that with the lack of student accommodation, public transport is very important for commuters.

It would be very helpful for students in the area. The demand is there for this, she said.

Cllr Brian Dooley suggested getting in touch with local link and said: We know how successful local link has been in the last few years. We should look to incorporate our local link.

Cllr Ivan Keatley added: Its an opportunity for us to work with private operators and public operators. Write to JJ Kavanagh and local link and see how we can coordinate this better.
A 65-year-old man described as a kind person who would help people died from traumatic head injuries suffered during an attack by a then 19-year-old man who had come to live with him, a murder trial jury has heard.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Paul J Carroll SC, told the commencement of the trial of Brian Ibe (24), who is charged with the murder of Peter Kennedy in Co Kildare five years ago, that there "isnt any contest" that the defendant carried out an attack on Mr Kennedy, who died as a result.

Mr Ibe, of no fixed abode and formerly of Moore Park, Newbridge, has pleaded not (NOT) guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Mr Kennedy between 28 April and 12 May 2020, both dates inclusive, in Newbridge.

He also pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to assault causing harm to Garda Brendan ODonnell at Newbridge Garda Station on or about 29 April 2020.

In his opening speech at the Central Criminal Court on Wednesday, Mr Carroll said that for the verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the jury had to be satisfied that the accused was suffering at the time from a mental disorder and that he did not know the nature or quality of the act, or did not know that what he was doing was wrong, or could not refrain from the act.

In those circumstances, he said the jury could return a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Mr Carroll said that the law goes on to say that if the jury were not satisfied of those matters, they could further consider a verdict of diminished responsibility.

For this verdict to be returned, the jury had to find that the accused was suffering from a mental disorder, which diminished his responsibility for the act. He said that in these circumstances, the jury should find him guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

There isnt any contest that he carried out an attack on the deceased and the deceased died as a result of that attack, said Mr Carroll, going on to tell the jury that the burden of proof in this case rested on the defence to convince the jury that these special verdicts of not guilty were open to them.

He said it is the prosecutions contention that the jury should not return these verdicts, as on the basis of psychiatric evidence available to the prosecution, the accused was not within the ingredients of not guilty by reason of insanity or diminished responsibility.

Outlining the proposed evidence and factual matters of the case, Mr Carroll said that the deceased man, who had just turned 65 and was retired from the probation services, was a kind person who would help people.

The mother of the accused, Martha Ibe, had an issue with homelessness and came to live with Mr Kennedy, with her son also moving into Mr Kennedys home around September 2019, when he was 19.

Mr Carroll said that problems arose prior to Christmas of 2019, with disputes between Mr Kennedy and the accused, so Mr Ibe left the house and came to Dublin, where he resided at a hostel run by the Peter McVerry Trust in Walkinstown.

Counsel said that on 28 April 2020, the accused left the hostel and got a taxi to Newbridge, where he entered Mr Kennedys house through the rear after smashing a window.

Mr Carroll said that the accuseds mother, who was present at the time, would give evidence that the accused attacked Mr Kennedy with what she believed was a knife, making jabbing motions.

She left to get assistance, and when gardai arrived they found Mr Kennedy on the floor upstairs with serious head injuries lying in a pool of blood. He was brought to Beaumont Hospital but died from his injuries on May 12, 2020.

Mr Carroll said that State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers found significant blunt force had been used to the side of Mr Kennedys head, which was the result of kicking or the use of a blunt object, with the cause of death being traumatic head injuries.

The jury also viewed CCTV footage of the accuseds movements on the day, which was shown by Garda Declan Murphy of Newbridge Garda Station.

Garda Murphy gave evidence to Mr Carroll that a portion of the footage showed the accused at the hostel in Walkinstown picking up an object from a kitchen drawer that appeared to be a knife.

Garda Murphy confirmed that a later portion of the CCTV footage obtained from a residence at Moore Park contained audio of the sound of breaking glass.

The trial continues tomorrow Thursday before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury of six men and six women.
Niamh O'Donoghue

A danger to society, who was spending 600 a week on drugs, has been jailed for a further two years for headbutting a graveyard flower seller.

Alan Melia (31) of Cherry Orchard Avenue, Ballyfermot pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm on December 15th, 2020.

Melia, who was on bail at the time of the offence, has 113 previous convictions and is serving a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for a robbery in 2020, the court heard.

Detective Garda Jack Walsh told the court the injured party was selling flowers at Palmerstown Cemetery as he had done for 40 years without incident when two men approached him.

He told Emer Delargy BL, prosecuting, that Melias co-accused asked the seller for a number of bunches of flowers for six euro and he said he would rob him if he didnt give them to him. The court heard the co-accused was unidentifiable.

Melia headbutted the injured party as he turned to leave and the force caused his glasses to break. The man also sustained a cut on his nose.

Melia's co-accused said you shouldnt have wound him up". The injured partys nose was not broken but he required stitches when he attended St James Hospital.

Sentence

Judge Orla Crowe set a headline sentence of three years and suspended the final year of it on strict conditions. She directed the two year sentence is to run consecutive to the sentence Melia is currently serving.

This was a horrible assault on a man who for 40 years had a flower stand outside a cemetery, said the judge. That is a really important and sensitive role that this man was doing in society, she added.

The judge noted Melia and his co-accused set upon him on broad daylight and went through his pockets and headbutted him after he had turned away.

Victim impact statement

Having read the victim impact statement, the judge said the assault had a profound impact and she had seen the photo of the blood-stained glasses and his stitches.

The judge said the most serious part was the psychological impact it had saying there was only one victim here and that is the injured party".

The judge said she had read a psychological report which outlined Melia had a very happy home life but spent most of his adulthood in prison.

The judge noted Melias remorse and said she would like to put some structure into his life into the future.

She said she had to take account of the profound impact on the victim. She noted Melia was on bail for two incidents at the time of the offence. The injured party also had to spend 900 on new glasses, she noted.

Judge Crowe said the injured party was utterly blameless selling flowers in broad daylight and that the threshold for a custodial sentence had been reached.

The sentence for the robbery matter will expire in May 2026 and any other sentence would have to be consecutive, she added.

'Danger to society'

This has to be marked with a consecutive custodial sentence the judge said adding he is a danger to society if he does not get some sort of help while in custody. She said Melia is to remain under the supervision of the Probation Services for two years post-release.

Keith Spencer BL, defending, said Melia had entered a plea on his trial date. He has one child and his partner was present in court to support him.

Drug use was the reason for Melia's offending, said Mr Spencer. He had problems with school and learning difficulties but did achieve his junior certificate. He was diagnosed belatedly with Aspergers and ADHD, but it was too late in terms of his education.

Counsel said Melia began to hang around with the wrong crowd and was spending 600 a week on heroin and medications. He said his client was doing quite well in Mountjoy Prison but wants to get help for his drug addiction with Melia saying Im sick of being in here".

Mr Spencer said at the time of the assault, Melia was dysregulated and unable to manage his emotions. Melia does feel regulated when he uses the gym, counsel added.

He was tested by the psychologist, who said his cognitive ability was below average and he requires therapeutic care and addiction counselling. Mr Spencer said Melia needed some community-based recovery and psychoeducational intervention as well as transitional integration.

Mr Spencer said Melia was a young man who didnt get the educational intervention he needed and was hanging around with wrong crowd and was easily led. He said Melia offered an apology to the injured party and he is attuned to the impact it has had.
One of Kilkennys most successful climate entrepreneurs is making waves on the global stage with his company, Climeaction set to grow its workforce substantially over the next two years.

Paul Murphy is collaborating with BVP to deploy 25 million in Green Transition Finance to accelerate industrial decarbonisation in Ireland. Mr Murphy, a native of Cuffesgrange and past pupil of Callan CBS, has also led Climeaction in securing 500,000 in Enterprise Ireland RD&D innovation funding to revolutionise agricultural sustainability through digital engagement.

Through a strategic collaboration with Business Venture Partners (BVP), Climeaction is deploying 25 million from BVPs SBCI-backed Green Transition Finance, ensuring that Irish manufacturers can access fully funded energy efficiency and renewable energy projects without capital constraints.



Paul Murphy presents Minister Peter Burke with a pair of Boston Socks to align with VP Vances diplomacy approach

The initiative will support: Industrial Heat Pumps & Electric Boilers  replacing fossil-fuel heating systems for cleaner, more efficient alternatives. Large-Scale Solar PV (>1MW)  enabling factories to generate their own clean electricity and reduce grid reliance.

By overseeing design, project management, and delivery, Climeaction is eliminating financial and technical barriers, with an expected reduction of 25,000 tonnes of emissions and the creation of 25 new jobs in Ireland over the next two years.

Many companies are eager to decarbonise, but financial hurdles hold them back. With this fund, were removing those obstacles and enabling industry to act now, said Mr Murphy.

Elliot Griffin, Managing Director of BVP, added: Climeaction is leading the way in industrial decarbonisation, and were confident in their ability to deploy this funding effectively. Reducing dependence on fossil fuels will improve the competitiveness of Irish business.

Climeaction is tackling another critical challenge  engaging farmers and supply chains in emissions reductions. With 500,000 in funding from Enterprise Ireland, Climeaction is developing VSAG, a new digital platform to transform farm-level engagement in sustainability efforts.

Many industriessuch as dairy, coffee, oils, soya, and cottonstruggle with low participation in sustainability programs, making it difficult to collect accurate environmental data. VSAG will provide an intuitive, mobile-based solution to simplify data collection, improve engagement, and cut auditing costs and enable data collection in regions globally where literacy rates are low.

Minster Peter Burke and Enterprise Ireland visit Climeactions Boston office to officially open it. Pictured L  R: Paul Murphy, CEO Climeaction, Minister Peter Burke, Jennifer Melia, Exec Director Enterprise Ireland, Sara Dart, Enterprise Ireland and Brendan Place  Operations Lead, Climeaction

The current system is broken. Its expensive, inefficient, and doesnt work for farmers and for manufacturers. This funding allows us to change that and create a tool that delivers real impact right across the supply chain from the farm producers, through to the primary manufacturers and their customers, Mr Murphy explained.

The innovation fund will help Climeaction create 70 new jobs in Ireland by 2027, expanding its digital, consulting, and project teams and a further 50 jobs in the United States .

Enterprise Ireland has been a fantastic partner in our expansion, their approval of this RD&D funding demonstrates their commitment to Irish Business and innovation for decarbonisation and Im incredibly proud that Climeaction is helping create jobs while tackling emissions at scale, Mr Murphy said.

Scaling Impact: Expanding into the US Market

Following its success in Ireland, Climeaction is now expanding into the United States, where a it plans to develop another $50 million Climate Transition Fund for large industrial manufacturers in the New England States to deploy similar technology.

Mr Murphy highlighted the urgency of this expansion, particularly as Massachusetts recently cut $500 million in state energy efficiency funding, leaving many businesses struggling to transition to cleaner energy.

This is exactly why were stepping in, Murphy said. Businesses shouldnt have to delay emissions reductions because of technical challenges or policy setbacks. Were bringing solutions that are plug and play, based on years of our technical expertise in Ireland a hoping to bring a funding model that worksone that enables action today.

Kilkennys Role in Global Climate Leadership

Paul Murphys roots in Cuffesgrange and Callan have shaped his journey from Kilkenny to the global stage, where he is now leading one of the most impactful climate action businesses in Ireland. Currently employing 35 people from its Cork and Boston offices, it has seen significant growth since 2021 when it was founded, raising 2.3 million in funding for expansion in December 2023.

READ NEXT: ILLINOIS MARCHING BAND SHAM-ROCKS KILKENNY STREETS
Kilkenny woman Caitriona Carey has been before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on money laundering charges.

The 46-year-old, with an address at Rochford Manor, Graiguecullen, County Carlow, is charged with three offences contrary to Section 7 of the Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) Act 2010, one over a 12-month period in 2019, one in 2020 and one in 2021.

It is alleged that in each case, she engaged in converting/transferring/ handling/acquiring/possessing/ using the proceeds of criminal conduct. All three counts related to funds in a bank account in the name, Careysfort Asset Estates Ltd at Wise Europe SA.

FOR MORE KILKENNY CRIME & COURT NEWS, CLICK HERE

Ms Careys case was called before Judge Sarah Berkeley today (Thursday), when her barrister, Kevin Roche BL, asked for an arraignment date for his client. The judge listed the case for Monday, June 30, when Ms Carey will be formally asked how she pleads to the charges.

Her two co-accused were also before the court. John Steadmond, 48, of Rossminogue, Craanford, Gorey, County Wexford, and Paddy Maher, 57, of Glenmalure Gun Club, Glenmalure, County Wicklow are each charged with 17 related charges, including that they unlawfully acted as solicitors when not qualified to do so.

The bulk of the other charges against the two men related to inducing a number of people to pay deposits, having falsely represented that Careysfort Asset Estates Ltd was in a position to secure finance for distressed mortgage holders, with the intention of making gains for themselves or others, or causing loss to another.

Mr Steadmond and Mr Maher were given the same date for their arraignments.

FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS, CLICK HERE
Shenandoah, IA (51601)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. 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.
China issues regulations on resolving foreign-related IP disputes

Xinhua) 16:00, March 20, 2025

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling a set of regulations on resolving foreign-related intellectual property (IP) disputes.

The regulations clarify that relevant government departments should strengthen overseas IP information inquiry and warning services, offering guidance and IP right protection assistance to individuals and organizations.

Consisting of 18 articles, the regulations underscore the role of enterprises, calling for enterprises to enhance their awareness of the rule of law and step up efforts on building the IP talent pool. In addition, relevant government departments are required to provide training for enterprises in key areas of foreign-related IP disputes, sharing experiences and practices through typical case studies.

The regulations specify that the service of documents, as well as investigation and evidence collection in China, should be carried out in accordance with the international treaties to which China is a party or has acceded.

Countermeasures against unfair treatment are also emphasized. According to the regulations, if foreign entities fail to grant national treatment to Chinese citizens and organizations or fail to provide adequate and effective IP protection, the commercial departments under the State Council can conduct investigations and take necessary measures in accordance with the law.

When foreign countries use IP disputes as a pretext to constrain or suppress China, or impose discriminatory and restrictive measures on Chinese citizens and organizations, the relevant departments of the State Council can take appropriate countermeasures and restrictive measures in response, the regulations noted.

The administrative regulations will take effect on May 1, 2025.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Hongyu)
American detained by Taliban in Afghanistan is freed in deal mediated by Qatar
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Inheritor dedicated to repairing ancient Chinese books in SW China's Sichuan

People's Daily Online) 10:40, March 20, 2025

At the ancient book restoration center of the Sichuan Provincial Library, Yuan Dongjue carefully takes out a restoration sample she has made from the flattening machine, places it on the repair table, and gently flips open one of the pages. "Look, this is 'butterfly binding.' This binding style allows an entire illustration to be viewed on a single page, preserving the integrity of the image."

Under the light, the pages appear smooth and flat. Except for the slightly yellowed color of the paper, there are almost no traces of the book's long history. This is all thanks to Yuan's skilled hands.

Yuan Dongjue (left), a provincial-level representative inheritor of ancient book restoration techniques in southwest China's Sichuan Province, instructs an apprentice. (Photo/Song Haoxin)

Yuan is a provincial-level representative inheritor of ancient book restoration techniques in southwest China's Sichuan Province and was named a national exemplary individual in the protection of intangible cultural heritage in 2024.

Yuan has been dedicated to repairing ancient books for 40 years. Now in her late 70s, she is still full of dynamism and vitality.

She has demonstrated through her actions that ancient book restoration is her passion. Yuan's connection with ancient book restoration began in the early 1980s. At that time, restoration work in most parts of China had stalled for years and needed to be restarted. In 1983, while working in the book repair department at the Sichuan Provincial Library, she was recommended to attend an ancient book restoration training program.

"After returning, I knew this was what I wanted to do," she recalled. A year of systematic training made her fall in love with ancient book restoration. In 1984, she began establishing an ancient book restoration workshop at the Sichuan Provincial Library.

Through Yuan's efforts, the workshop took shape with a full array of tools and materials, as well as standardized restoration processes. For the next 18 years, she single-handedly managed the library's ancient book restoration work.

According to statistics, she has restored 355 types of precious ancient books, paintings, and archival materials, totaling 4,088 volumes. Among these, 25 types and 190 volumes have been included in the catalogs of national precious ancient books.

Yuan also derives satisfaction from mentoring professional talents. To date, she has formally accepted 38 apprentices and taught over 1,000 students through various forms. Two of her apprentices, Luo Hanqi and Wu Shiyu, have become key figures in Sichuan's ancient book restoration.

Today, Yuan continues to be passionate about ancient book restoration. "Restoring ancient books keeps me feeling young," she said.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Alison O'Riordan

Father-of-one Jordan Davis was warned by a drug dealer  "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang"  19 days before he was shot to death as he pushed a pram carrying his four-month-old son in a laneway on Dublin's northside, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

A detective has previously given evidence that drug "tick lists" found at two addresses linked to drug dealer Robert "Roo" Redmond had contained the name "Jordo"  the same nickname Jordan Davis was known by  with amounts up to 153,000 recorded as owing.

The prosecution contend that Robert Redmond is the older brother of accused woman Rachel Redmond (34), who is accused of driving the alleged shooter  her then partner Wayne Cooney  away from the scene and later checking him into a hotel in an effort to help him evade prosecution.

It is also the State's case that Robert Redmond was engaged "in some acrimony" with 22-year-old drug dealer Jordan Davis, who was murdered in broad daylight by a lone gunman on a distinctive orange bike at 4pm on May 22nd, 2019.

Giving evidence on Thursday, Detective Garda Kevin Farrell told Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting, that he examined an iPhone and two Nokia devices in May 2019, which were found on the body of Jordan Davis.

The detective said he used the software 'Cellebrite' to extract data from the iPhone and had found a thread of WhatsApp messages exchanged between Mr Davis' phone and a phone number saved on the deceased's handset as 'Rew', which ended in the numbers 858.

Det Gda Farrell agreed with the prosecutor that the message exchange took place on May 3rd, 2019  19 days before Mr Davis was murdered.

A series of messages were sent from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis' phone at 9.49am on the morning of May 3rd beginning with: "How much you give him in total about 3k".

Another message sent a minute late from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis said: "You haven't gave him anymore than 10K you owed 70K so thats how you owe 60K or over" [sic].

Mr Davis sent a message at 1.29pm saying: "3K get your facts right to you even talk to him pal".

The number saved as 'Rew' says at 1.34pm "they didn't add anything on" followed by "someone be onto you today".

Mr Davis replies: "classic Robert" to which 'Rew' asked "you on the gear or something".

At 1.36pm 'Rew' says to Mr Davis: "Lad who you trying to be".

A minute later 'Rew' sent a message to Mr Davis' phone saying: "Fucking clown that can't pay bills trying to be a big man. I heard a lot about you trust me I'll get you soon".

'Rew' also says in a message: "I'm on your case mate it won't be long" followed by a series of 13 or 14 laughing emojis.

The next message sent from 'Rew' to Mr Davis at 1.38pm says: "Get off me phone soon, very soon bang bang" to which Mr Davis replies: "Nice one mate".

Ashling McNally previously told the jury that she had been going out with Rachel Redmond's brother Robert Redmond, of Streamville Road in Donaghmede, for about three years in May 2019 before the relationship fell apart. Ms McNally said she referred to him as Robert but others called him "Roo".

Ms McNally agreed with the prosecution that she had told gardai in May 2019 that Robert Redmond had used a number ending in 858.

The jury has also been told that Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in May 2013 to the possession of heroin worth almost 37,000 and was jailed for five years.

Ms Redmond, from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Co Antrim, is charged on two counts that on or about May 22nd, 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution.

Ms Redmond has pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

The jury have been told that the prosecution have to establish that Ms Redmond, who was in a relationship with Mr Cooney at the time, knew or believed he had committed the murder.

The trial continues on Friday before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury of three men and nine women.
AN IMPRESSIVE architects image of the planned new fire station in Stradbally has been released by Laois County Council, as the 3.2m project gets a welcome green light to go to tender.

The council announced today that it has received approval to invite tenders for the construction of a new, state-of-the-art, two-bay fire station in the Electric Picnic town.

In a statement, council officials said they were 'delighted to announce' that the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, has given approval for the invitation of tenders.

Elected members of Laois County Council previously agreed Part 8 development proposals for the new station, which will be located at the junction of Main Street and the Abbeyleix Road. The development has been designed by a multi-disciplinary team led by Dublin-based NODE Architecture.

The new building will replace the small old fire station on Main Street, which was built in 1954. According to the council, overall costs for the new fire station are estimated at 'in or around' 3.2m.

The second busiest of the county's eight fire stations, Stradbally was mobilised to 157 incidents last year.

Laois Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Declan Power said: This development will be of huge benefit to the firefighters of Stradbally. In addition to the two-bay unit, the development provides additional facilities for training which, in turn, supports enhancements in the emergency response capacity available to the citizens of Laois, together with those visiting and passing through the county."

Welcoming what he described as a significant investment, council cathaoirleach Cllr Padraig Fleming said: "Fire and emergency services play a critical role in our communities and it is important that the facilities available to those services are to the appropriate standard."

Laois County Council chief executive Michael Rainey commented: "The new fire station will be a modern, fit for purpose facility that will serve the community of Stradbally and its hinterlands for many years to come.

The local authority added that Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) is a key design principle that will feature in the new fire station, in keeping with Laois County Councils Climate Action Plan. The works will introduce environmentally-friendly features, including the installation of PV panels, air-to water heating systems, together with insulation of doors, windows, roof, floor and walls.

The design also incorporates a training yard with drill tower, lecture room, canteen and staff facilities for 12 firefighters, with individual changing areas for each crew member.
With starters disconnected and finishes polished, a dizzying array of automotive technology awaits visitors to the 2025 Lehigh Valley Auto Show.

This years show, returning to Lehigh Universitys Murray H. Goodman Campus in Bethlehem, opens Thursday and continues through Sunday.

Spanning three venues totaling 140,000 square feet, this years show features a theme of Ignite Your Imagination.

Ahead of opening day, the show organized by the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers Association put on a preview gala Wednesday night to benefit Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital Pediatric Unit.

According to the dealers association, proceeds from the auto show contribute around $150,000 annually to Lehigh Valley region nonprofits.

Automakers displaying at the show include Acura, Audi, Buick-GMC-Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge-Jeep, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Ineos, Kia, Lamborghini, Lincoln, Mazda, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, Toyota and Volvo.

Highlights include a special guest appearance by NASCAR Xfinity Series driver and Nazareth native Sage Karam from 5-8 p.m. Friday in the Domestic Pavilion at Rauch Fieldhouse. This is part of the shows NASCAR Weekend that includes a Pit Crew Challenge, where racing fans can test their speed and skills for bragging rights and gift certificates from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Sunday.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are slated to be on hand to mingle and take photos with show attendees, and various automotive clubs add to the excitement of the weekend. These are announced as:

Thunderbird Club, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

Corvette Club, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Shiftin2Gear Tuner Show, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Mustang Club, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

On Thursday, the auto dealers association is hosting Community Days, offering free admission to first responders, medical personnel, and veterans as a token of appreciation for their service.

Subaru of America is once again hosting a pet adoption event within the Lehigh Valley Auto Show, where guests can visit the exhibit and consider adopting a local pet or making a donation to help pets in our community. All donations go directly to help animals at local partner shelters, organizers say.

Show hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, March 20-22 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 23.

Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for ages 6-14 and 55 and older. Children 5 and younger are free. Tickets are valid for any single day, ThursdaySunday. They can be purchased online at lehighvalleyautoshow.org or at the door. Parking is free and available throughout the Lehighs Goodman Campus.

Visit lehighvalleyautoshow.org for additional details.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.
"Well, allllll right!" Here are some of the best places to stay in and around the Happiest Place on Earth. Canva/Disneyland/Danielle Halibey

Planning a trip to Disneyland is always an exciting adventure, whether youre a parent, a family, or a Disney adult.

One of the key factors that can make or break your Disneyland experience, though, is where you stay  and being at a hotel within walking distance of Disneyland offers a host of benefits that can level up your trip.

The Villas at The Disneyland Hotel Prices starting at $390/night Buy Now

Why stay close to the action?

For convenience and flexibility. Staying within walking distance means you can easily pop back to your hotel for a midday break, a quick nap, or to drop off souvenirs  because those popcorn buckets get pretty hefty when youre buying in bulk.

The flexibility is especially valuable for families with young children who may need downtime or splash time (pool or water park breaks can course change/mediate even the biggest toddler meltdowns) between park adventures.

For the cost savings. By walking to the park, you can avoid parking fees and the sheer nightmare of finding a spot in a crowded lot. Plus, youll save time that would otherwise be spent waiting for shuttles, navigating traffic, or paying for and tipping your Lyft drivers.

For the full-stop Disney delights. Being close to Disneyland lets you lean into the magic of a vacation in the Happiest Place on Earth. You can enjoy the park from opening to closing without worrying about long commutes. The proximity also bodes well for catching the nighttime fireworks and parades without the stress of a late drive back to your hotel.

And when you lay your head down at night, theres a good chance youll slip into a Disney-dream-filled slumber, what with all the Disney theming your room or suite might be furnished with.

Can you stay at a Disneyland Resort?

Yes, you can  youll just have much fewer options to stay on property or directly adjacent to Disneyland attractions than you would at Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

Disneys Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the 4-star Pixar Place Hotel are on the property, which makes them the closest to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.

But you can also stay at The Disneyland Hotel, and its newest addition, The Villas, which are just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the monorail that can take you to Disneyland Park within minutes.

Can you stay off-site and still get to the parks without a far walk?

Yes, you can certainly stay off-property and still be within 10 to 15-minute walking distance from Downtown Disney and Disneylands two theme parks.

If youre not well-versed in the greater Anaheim, California area, you can check out Disneyland Resorts Good Neighbor hotels. These hotels have Disneys stamp of approval (the Mickey Mouse thumbs up, so to speak!) and feature accommodations that appeal to every budget  theyre usually lighter on the wallet than Disney-owned digs  and family/group of travelers.

Disney can help take the guesswork out of securing your reservations with filters you can use to narrow down your search  using mileage away from the Disneyland Resort, room type/required amenities, etc.

14 Top Good Neighbor Hotels

Here are 14 other hotels or inns that check the boxes for accommodations across the street or less than half a mile from the Disneyland Resort.

Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn

Best Western Plus Park Place Inn & Mini-Suites

Camelot Inn & Suites

Candy Cane Inn

Castle Inn & Suites

Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

Fairfield Inn by Marriott Anaheim Resort

Grand Legacy at the Park

Hilton Garden Inn Anaheim Resort

Holiday Inn & Suites Anaheim

Home2Suites by Hilton Anaheim

Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel and Water Playground

The Anaheim Hotel

Tropicana Inn and Suites

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Flames ignited just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in the 100 block of North 13th Street. The fire originated in the center, three-floor home, Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams said. Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

A fast-moving blaze broke out and torched a series of row homes in Allentown, injuring four people, including two firefighters, a city fire official said.

Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams said flames ignited just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of North 13th Street. The fire originated in the center, three-floor home.

Crews immediately entered the building and determined someone was trapped on the main level. That person was rescued by firefighters and taken to an area hospital for treatment of an injury, Williams said.

Firefighters continued an aggressive interior attack on the fire, while conducting search-and-rescue efforts throughout the interior, the deputy fire chief said.

The blaze went to three alarms for additional manpower and to help prevent flames from spreading to neighboring row homes.

It took crews two hours to get the flames under control, Williams said.

Two people in the homes were injured and taken to an area hospital for treatment. Two firefighters were injured when two others fell through a hole on the second floor, according to Williams and a WFMZ-69 News report.

The two injured firefighters also were taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Flames ignited just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in the 100 block of North 13th Street. The fire originated in the center, three-floor home, Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams said. Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

Williams told lehighvalleylive.com Thursday morning the two firefighters have since been released from the hospital. The two civilians are suffering from non-life-threatening injuries, he said.

In the end, the center home the blaze originated in had fire damage with two adjoining homes sustaining water and smoke damage.

Fire officials have deemed at least one of the homes uninhabitable. Two people have been displaced, with the Pennsylvania Rivers Chapter of the American Red Cross helping those folks, Williams said.

The cause of Wednesdays fire remains under investigation by city fire officials. Also assisting city firefighters was the Woodlawn Fire Company; Greenawalds Fire Company; and the Eastern Salisbury Fire Department.

Flames ignited just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, 2025 in the 100 block of North 13th Street. The fire originated in the center, three-floor home, Allentown Deputy Fire Chief Christian Williams said. Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
Convicted serial killer Keith Jesperson, a.k.a. the Happy Face Killer, is the subject of the Paramount+ series ""Happy Face." ASSOCIATED PRESS

In the new Paramount+ series Happy Face, Dennis Quaid plays real-life serial killer Keith Hunter Jesperson.

Jesperson became known as the Happy Face Killer because he drew smiley faces on the anonymous letters he wrote to media outlets and police departments confessing to his crimes. He murdered at least eight women between 1990 and 1995 but has claimed responsibility for as many as 160 murders.

Jespersons preferred method of killing was strangulation, and his killing spree took place over several states: California, Florida, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

In March 1995, Jesperson turned himself in for the murder of Julie Winningham. He was later found guilty of seven additional murders. He is currently incarcerated at Oregon State Penitentiary where he is serving four consecutive life sentences.

Jesperson, who is now 69 years old, received his fourth life sentence in 2010 for the murder of a woman whose body was found in the desert near Blythe, California.

In December 2024, the convicted killer called in to The Lighter Side of True Crime With Keith Rovere podcast to promote his book, Happy Face: A Family of Monsters (Straight from a Serial Killer), which hit shelves in January. A description for the book describes it as giving unparalleled access to a serial killers mind.

Jesperson told Rovere that the title is a spinoff of the Lifetime TV series Monster in My Family, which his daughter Melissa G. Moore appeared on in 2015.

Moore was 16 when Jesperson was arrested for murder. She has since spoken openly about her experience realizing that her father was a serial killer. She penned a book of her own, Shattered Silence: The Untold Story of a Serial Killers Daughter, which was released in 2009.

Moore is estranged from Jesperson. During a 2021 appearance on 20/20, Moore said that she doesnt want her children to have a relationship with him. They visited Jesperson in prison when they were young, but have no memory of meeting him.

READ MORE: Where is Natalia Grace now? An update on the woman who inspired Good American Family

I dont want my dad to get into the psyche of my children and hurt them in any way because he is manipulative. He is a psychopath. He has the potential, still, to hurt, even if not with physical violence or murder, but with his words, she said.

Moore also believes that if Jesperson were to be released from prison, he would kill again.

Dennis Quaid as Keith Jesperson and Annaleigh Ashford as his daughter Melissa in "Happy Face." Victoria Will/Paramount+

I believe he would be killing more women [if he were free], she said.

Annaleigh Ashford portrays Moore in Happy Face, which premiered on Paramount+ on Thursday, March 20. She had an opportunity to talk to Moore while preparing for the role.

She was incredibly helpful in helping us not only understand her life, but also her relationship with her father, Ashford told People in an interview published on Wednesday, March 19. What surprises me the most is how open Melissa continues to be about this tragedy that is her family history, because she knows how helpful it can be to people. Im continually shocked by her strength.

The first two episodes of Happy Face are available to stream on Paramount+. New episodes drop every Thursday.

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Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips/.
Laois has moved another step closer to opening a domestic abuse shelter for families fleeing violence.

The county is one of nine in Ireland without a safe refuge for women and children escaping abusive partners and fathers.

A property was bought in November 2023 in Portlaoise by Laois County Council on behalf of Laois Domestic Abuse Service (LDAS). Its exact location cannot be made public to protect its vulnerable future residents.

LDAS does have an office in Portlaoise where it gives advice and support. Read their advice to abused women

The property site was however deemed to be too small for the needs of a Laois centre, leaving the project stalled.

An update came at the March 2025 meeting of Laois County Council, following a motion by Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

It states that the site is now accepted as being big enough.

Another stumbling block still stands in the way, however.

Director of Services Donal Brennan explained what has to happen before they can apply for money to rebuild the premises.

"In order to advance the development of a refuge, LDAS are required to partner with an Approved Housing Body (AHB). Once that partnership is established, Laois County Council will support an application to the Department of Housing, under the Capital Assistance Scheme.

"The acquired site is currently accepted as sufficient for the project to proceed.

"The council is acutely aware of the urgent need for the delivery of a refuge within Laois and continues to work closely with LDAS, the housing agency, CUAN (Department of Justice) and the Department of Housing on plans to construct a refuge, includding advice on funding such as the development through the Dept of Housing's Capital Assistance Scheme.

"The council continue to meet regularly with relevant parties, including attending two multi-party meetings over the past two months," Mr Brennan stated.

Cllr Dwane Stanley said "I welcome this at last".

"We have a facility purchased since 2023, and when we bought it I was absolutely delighted, we have been lobbying for this for years. We have victims of domestic violence who have to leave the county, children who are taken away from their schools, doctors, families, friends.

"Initially a view was that this site might not be big enough but I know there is a new design now and the site is adequate.

"This needs to happen. The committee has to sign up with a housing body. The council has done their part. We don't have any council representatives on the board of directors of LDAS, but down through the years we had. It's important that we should have representatives," Cllr Dwane Stanley said.

PHOTOS: Dazzling Portlaoise on St Patrick's Day

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald seconded the motion.

"I'm just disappointed that it's taking so long, when you see that LDAS has not formed that partnership yet. It's a vital service. I thing we can go back in a few months and ask again about progress," she said.

The Director of Services Simon Walton said the council is waiting for the partnership to be formed so they can again offer help.

"This falls to LDAS to partner with an AHB. Once that progresses, it will be supported on an ongoing basis by Laois County Council," he said.

"At least it's going in the right direction," the Cathaoirleach Cllr Paddy Buggy said.

Laois Domestic Abuse Centre does not work with men who have suffered domestic abuse. Men subjected to domestic abuse can contact Men's Aid Ireland on their National Confidential Helpline  01 554 3811

See more about Laois Domestic Abuse Service.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has plans to invest an estimated 600,000 of the public's money in new dogs for jails in Portlaoise and elsewhere.

The service has invited bids for scent detection and special purpose dogs to help Prison Officers guard criminals jailed in Laois and elsewhere. It says the dogs will be in service in Portlaoise Prison, the Midlands Prison and 11 other jails in Ireland, either to work or for training. Supplied dogs will enter the IPS training program and will be accepted onto courses either green or part-trained.

The dogs must be trained to handler level, be in good health certified by a veterinarian, and the supplier must follow all Irish and EU regulations for the supply of Detections Dogs.

The IPS tender documents seen by the Leinster Express / Laois Live give some context for the investment.

"Prison dogs are a huge asset to the Prison Service. Dogs have been used to detect various types of contraband in the IPS since 2008.

"Scent detection canines will search persons and areas while general purpose dogs will be scent capable and carry out a wide

variety of prison functions," said the general tender description.

The tender specifies three breeds: Belgian Shepherds (Malinois), Labrador and Spaniels. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

The services says the Belgian Malinois will serve as general-purpose canines. They must aged 12 to 24 months be of a bold, confident and forward disposition, no nerve and civil.

The IPS wants these dogs to be social with other dogs, family and children but can be aggressive thereafter. The dog must be environmentally stable and tolerant of the stressors associated with the prison setting.

Supplied Malinois should have a level of obedience and handler protection training as a minimum but should be suitable candidates for further training within the prison setting.

The estimated spend is 300,000 on this breed over the lifetime of the contract.

The Labrador, or other such breed of suitable size and temperament, must be aged 12 to 18 months and be of a confident disposition, not nervy and not overly submissive.

They must be social with humans and approach them voluntarily without issue as well as being social with other dogs while tolerant of the usual stressors associated with the prison setting.

They will serve as single-purpose detection dogs with an estimated 200,000 expected to be spent during the contract. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

The special purpose canine breed will be a Springer Spaniel, or other such breed of suitable size and temperament.

Aged 12 to 18 months, such dogs must also be confident, not nervy nor overly submissive. They must also be social with humans and approach them voluntarily without issue.

The cost of the special purposes dogs will be 100,000 over the lifetime of the contract.

READ ALSO: ARREST AFTER ST PATRICK'S DAY PARADE

The tender documents published on etenders.ie say the IPS estimates that the aggregate expenditure may amount to some 600,000 over a maximum of four years. It adds that tenderers should note that there is no guaranteed level of expenditure under this agreement by the IPS and the Service is under no obligation to purchase a minimum value of dogs under the framework agreement.

The tender will remain open for bids in April 7.
Drivers zoom into Ballylinan Village from the Kilkenny direction, a councillor said at a recent meeting.

Fianna Fail Cllr Padraig Fleming made the comment when calling for speed safety measures at the village

He asked in a motion that Laois County Council in association with TII(Transport Infrastructure Ireland) provide improved pedestrian crossing facilities / slow down measures in Ballylinan Village in the interest of improved road safety for all.

He told a meeting of Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District that traffic speeds into the village from the Kilkenny side.

What measures can we put in place to slow down traffic from the Kilkenny road side because they zoom in there, he said.

Cllr Fleming suggested a ramp or two and acknowledged the fact that the TII would need to be consulted.

There is four or five estates before you get into the village, Cllr Fleming pointed out.

In a written response to the motion, Senior Engineer, Road Design Office, Paul McLoughlin stated that: Road Design will engage with the TII and assess the current measures in place in Ballylinan Village from a Road Safety perspective. Any potential additional safety measures will be subject to a funding application to the TII.

READ ALSO: Shocking dumping on Laois road

The motion was seconded by Fine Gael Cllr Vivienne Phelan.
The CEO of Laois County Council has given his word that anyone who complains about anti-social council tenants will not have their name revealed, even in court.

Chief Executive Michael Rainey gave the assurance after a councillor claimed that people do not complain, out of fear of being identified.

The issue arose at the council's February meeting held in county hall, Portlaoise.

"We need to be really careful with the messaging. If people are experiencing anti social behaviour, we encourage them to make written complaint to the local authority. I assure you it's treated in full confidence, it does not go any further," the CEO said.

See Laois property stories here.

"The whole estate management of anti social behaviour response by this council is dependent on people having the confidence to make those submissions," Mr Rainey said.

He was speaking to Cllr Aisling Moran who said anti-social behaviour by some council tenants is going unreported.

Cllr Moran said to him that "I was told under a judge's order they can be disclosed".

Mr Rainey dispelled her assertion.

"Never in 10 years working in housing did I come across a situation where a judge gave that order. If people have issues they should be making complaints to the housing department," he insisted.

Cllr Moran wants people who cause trouble for neighbours to be evicted and kept off the housing waiting list for years.

"There is anti social behaviour where people are afraid to make a complaint and the council can't act on it unless it's in writing. I understand that but people are afraid to put it in writing.

"People are coming to me who say they have been told the council can't take a complaint unless it is in writing. They don't want to, they are afraid the neighbour will find out their identity. A judge can rule on it.

Read also: Flood fear over construction of new Portlaoise social housing estate

"The council can't throw them out because there are no complaints. Three strikes and they are out but then the people are declared homeless and are back on the housing list. They should be taken off and not allowed back for a number of years," Cllr Moran had said.

There are 1,574 people qualified and on Laois County Council's waiting list for low-rent Laois social homes. Two in five are receiving a Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) towards the cost of their private rent payments while they wait.
The Late Late Show returns this Friday night with some fresh and familiar faces joining host Patrick Kielty in studio.

Comedian, actress and talk show host Rosie O'Donnell will sit down with Kielty on Friday night for her first exclusive Irish TV interview since moving to Ireland. The American celebrity's big move to Ireland came up during the Taoiseach's recent visit to the White House and she will be chatting to Kielty about Trump's reaction to this.

She will also speak about next month's Same Chance Walk for Autism with AsIAm which she will be taking part in.

Then one of Ireland's most beloved country music stars Daniel O'Donnell will join Kielty in the studio to talk about his upcoming tour around the country this year. The music legend will also chat about trips with his family, touring and the lengths he has gone to for his fans throughout his 40 year career.

READ NEXT: Garda dad and daughter share special St Patricks Day 18 years after 'adorable' photo

Another comedian and actress will also be in studio on Friday night, with Roisin Conaty coming on to talk about her new series LOL: Last One Laughing UK with Jimmy Carr. Conaty is well known for her roles in Game Face and After Life and will be chatting about growing up in London with Irish parents and spending her summers in Kerry.



Following another great year for Irish jockeys at Cheltenham, Rachel Blackmore and Paul Townend will also join Kielty in studio. Jockey Paul Townend, a four-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and leading jockey at this years festival with four winners, and Rachel Blackmore, Cheltenham 2025 double winner and the only female jockey ever to win a Grand National, will review this year's week in racing.

You can catch this week's episode of the Late Late Show on Friday night at 9.35pm on RTE One and RTE Player.
A Leitrim community is mourning the loss of Annie McMorrow (nee Stankard), who passed away peacefully on March 15 at the age of 87.

Surrounded by her devoted family, Annies passing has left a deep void among those who knew and loved her.

Annie, formerly of Shivdillagh, Drumkeerin, and Omagh, Co. Tyrone, has been remembered for her warm nature and kind spirit. She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Michael, her parents, Martin and Kathleen, and her brothers, Martin and John.

She is survived by her children Michael, Mary, Josie, Gerry, Frances, Paddy, and Desmond, along with her many grandchildren, siblings, extended family, and a wide circle of friends and neighbours.

Tributes have been pouring in on RIP.ie, with many remembering Annie as a woman with a heart of gold.

Our deepest condolences to the McMorow family on the passing of Annie. Annie had a heart of pure gold, may she rest in heavenly peace.

Deepest sympathy to the McMorrow family on the sad passing of Annie. She was a lovely lady always had a warm smile. May her gentle soul rest in peace, one condolence read.

Another heartfelt tribute described her as a warm and positive lady - lucky to have gotten to know.

Her loss has been deeply felt, with another mourner offering their sympathies to her family: Deepest condolences Michael, Mary, Josie, Gerry, Frances, Paddy, Desmond & all your family on the passing of your beloved mum. Your mum was a pure lady. May Annies gentle soul rest in peace.

Annies Funeral Mass took place at 12pm on Wednesday, March 19, at St Brigids Church, Creevelea, followed by burial in Drumkeerin Cemetery.

READ MORE | Fundraiser for Leitrim family following heartbreaking losses
A nine-year-old child with cerebral palsy was used as a prop for a photo opportunity by the Government during last years local and European elections, the Dail has been told.

The mother of Jack Donaghey, who is from Donegal and uses a wheelchair permanently, was contacted in June last year and asked to attend the announcement of 3.6 million euro in funding for children with special needs.

Then minister for disability Anne Rabbitte and former minister for agriculture Charlie McConalogue went to Donegal to make the announcement.

However, Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty said that none of the money has been released to community groups or families.

Jack, 9, has Cerebral Palsy. A Fianna Fail Minister promised funding for disability organisations, assuring his mother it would change Jacks life. 17 months later, his family are left feeling like a cruel election prop. Government must release funding now. pic.twitter.com/937xJRpIqd  Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) March 20, 2025

The parents of children with special needs must battle the state every single day for vital services that their children need, Mr Doherty added.

Its a battle that they shouldnt have to fight. My own county of Donegal has become a black spot for supports for children with special needs.

Then in October 2023, they thought their pleas for help were heard.

The minister Anne Rabbitte announced the Childrens Disability Service grant, supposedly an emergency stock government fund to urgently provide services and therapies for children with special needs throughout the state.

One parent who was delighted with the news was Denise McGahern.

Her nine-year-old son, Jack Donaghey, has cerebral palsy and is permanently in a wheelchair.

Denise has been fighting for physio and speech and language therapy that he so desperately needs, and this money was to be allocated within weeks of the ministers announcement of the fund being set up.

Fifty-two organisations across the state were to benefit from it. But months later, nothing happened.

Mr Doherty said that 17 months after a second announcement was made in June 2024, not one red cent has been released in Donegal or across the country.

I went and sought answers on behalf of these families, and have now been told by the department that not only is there no money, but that this money was never there at all. This is scandalous, he added.

I spoke to Denise yesterday. Shes devastated. She feels betrayed. She feels that her son Jack was used by the government in a prop and a photo opportunity during an election campaign.

Tanaiste Simon Harris said he will make sure the funding is released.

Mr Harris said he spoke to Taoiseach Micheal Martin and the cabinet committee on disability about it recently.

That fund needs to be provided, and I regret that its gone on as long as it has, he added.

Mr Harris said that after the evaluation process, the HSE said that projects with a cost of about eight million euro met the criteria for that fund.

This now needs to be provided, he added.

The scheme was announced, was announced in good faith. People applied, and the funding now needs to be provided. And the HSE has a level of funding that is almost eye-watering.

The idea that that eight million euro that could make a fundamental difference to the lives of so many children, including in their own county, and hasnt yet been provided, is extraordinarily frustrating.
Transparency is crucial for building trust in the government and its institutions, said Naymote Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo. The Legislatures failure to maintain public records on voting history and to enforce budget accountability poses a serious risk to Liberias democratic progress. This is an urgent issue that requires immediate attention from lawmakers.
The Temple of Justice, the seat of the Supreme Court
A PAEDOPHILE and monster who sexually abused his daughter and his sister-in-law has been jailed for a total of nine years at Limerick Criminal Circuit Court this Thursday.

Judge Sinead McMullan, presiding, said the court had heard very eloquent and distressing evidence from both victims in their victim impact statements.

"It is undoubtedly the case that these little girls, as they were at the time, were subjected to huge suffering. This court hopes the strength and resilience they have shown in making the victim impact statements will help them to begin to heal into the future," said Judge McMullan.

The accused - Christopher OMahony, aged 67, of Kerrykyle, Ardagh, County Limerick had pleaded guilty to 11 sample indecent assaults on his sister-in-law, and seven sample counts of sexual assault on his daughter. There were a total of 54 counts on the indictment.

Las Friday, the court heard of his controlling, manipulative and mental abuse including rationing toilet paper - one sheet for when his daughters were urinating and two sheets for when they were going to the toilet properly.

The emergence of the sexual abuse has caused civil war and complete fracture within the family.

Judge McMullan said the court hopes the rift may heal in time.

The judge imposed a total of nine-years imprisonment on Mr O'Mahony who showed no emotion when the judge delivered her sentence.

OMahony can be named after his daughter Emma OShaughnessy, now aged 42, and sister-in-law Helen Costelloe, now aged 51, waived their anonymity.

Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, outlined the evidence last Friday with the assistance of Detective Garda James Muldowney, of the Limerick Divisional Protective Services Unit.

Ms Buckley said OMahony entered Ms Costelloes life after he married her sister and came to live in the family home in Ballyhahill while he built a house in Ardagh.

There is a 12-year age gap between Ms Costelloe and her sister who married OMahony.

Ms Buckley said the abuse started in 1983 when Ms Costelloe was nine and continued until 1989 when she was 15. OMahony told Ms Costelloe, This would be our secret and Youre my girl.

Ms Costelloe called a family meeting in July 2021 after telling a number of family members of the sexual abuse.

Her niece Ms OShaughnessy was at the meeting and obviously became aware that her auntie had been abused by her father (OMahony). Ms OShaughnessy announced at this meeting that she too had been abused as a child by her father.

READ MORE: 'My innocence as a child was robbed': Sister-in-law of Limerick 'paedophile'

Despite all the evidence emerging from the two victims, some members of the family struggled to accept the truth, said Ms Buckley.

Det Garda Muldowney said there is a split in the family.

There must be some hope that the truth acknowledged by the accused will help other family members see that truth and the terrible abuse perpetrated on their family members, said Ms Buckley.

The prosecuting barrister then outlined the physical, mental and sexual abuse suffered by OMahonys daughter Ms OShaughnessy which began in 1993 when she was 10 and ended in 1996 when she was 13.

READ MORE: Instead of trying to be a parent to me, he became a monster: Daughter of Limerick 'monster'

Ms Buckley said Ms OShaughnessy had a rash on her back, with her father saying it was a holy show and began acting as her physician. He used this as an excuse to bring her into the bathroom and sexually assault her.

Both Ms Costelloe and Ms OShaughnessy read out their own victim impact statements, while their abuser sat emotionless a few feet away.

OMahony handed himself into Henry Street garda station three days after the family meeting and the investigation commenced.

He now begins a nine-year sentence and is placed on the sex offenders register.
OVER 130 children have had surgery at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) under a new national model of care for general paediatric surgery.

Under this new model of care, which saw UHL become the first centre in Ireland to welcome a visiting Consultant Paediatric Surgeon from Childrens Health Ireland, the majority of children who need common elective surgeries can now have certain procedures done in Limerick.

Paediatric endoscopy lists and outpatient clinics are also being run in UHL and Ennis Hospital, with over 500 OPD attendances to date.

The new model aims to improve access for children and families and to bring surgical care as close to home as possible.

READ ALSO: New UL initiative to raise awareness of students with caring responsibilities

Professor Tara Connelly, consultant general surgeon with a special interest in paediatric surgery, has updated attendees at the annual Sylvester OHalloran Perioperative Symposium 2025 on the development of UHL as a regional paediatric surgical centre.

For the first time, children who need surgeries including hernia repair, endoscopy, skin lesions and undescended testis fixation, can have their treatments carried out in the Mid-West.

In addition to Prof Connellys appointment, UHL also became the first centre in Ireland to welcome a visiting Consultant Paediatric Surgeon from Childrens Health Ireland, Ms Nicola Brindley.

Delivering the annual Thomas Myles lecture at the conference, Prof Connelly said: I am proud to be part of a team in Limerick that is leading the way in transforming how we deliver specialist care.

Most importantly for our young patients and their families, it means they have access to surgical care as close to home as possible.

This is already making a huge difference to families who until now have faced the long journey to Dublin for their procedures.

Prof Connelly added she had every expectation the volume of general paediatric surgery at UHL would continue to grow as the national model of care was implemented, supported through the appointment of more consultants and specialist nursing staff as well as designated theatre time and paediatric day surgery beds over time.

The early development of these services has been made possible by working closely with colleagues in Childrens Health Ireland and the HSE to build up regional services as part of a national network for paediatric healthcare, Prof Connelly concluded.
A BELOVED son, brother, uncle, gifted journalist and cherished friend.

The words on a plaque which will be unveiled in memory of Joe Drennan next month.

The University of Limerick student lost his life after being knocked down at a bus stop on Dublin Road, as he was waiting to go home following his shift at a nearby restaurant.

Gangland criminal Kieran Fogarty has been before the courts, with the Director of Public Prosecutions reviewing the severity of the sentence handed down.

PICTURES: Fun and smiles at the Broadford St Patrick's Day parade

In the wake of this, City East Fianna Fail councillor Catherine Slattery was contacted by Joes uncle Richard, who requested the memorial on behalf of the Drennan family who live in Co Laois.

Across Limerick and further beyond, people donated to an online appeal she set up.

Now, Cllr Slattery has received the custom-made plaque, and plans to install it at Dublin Road later this month.

Forever 21 years young, it reads.

May you rest in peace on your journey home.

A picture of talented journalist Joe smiling is also emblazoned on the plaque, which his family provided the wording for.

Cllr Slattery said: The plaque is beautiful it is very suitable in memory of Joe. It is distinctive and striking just like Joe was. I'm delighted I was able to do this for Joe's family as a memorial. It needed to be done for Joe's family and friends in Limerick. It will be a place to go and remember him.

The plaque cost around 700, but Cllr Slattery raised significantly more than this through the online donation page.

The balance will go to Joes grieving family to do with it as they wish.

Its expected they will be back down in Limerick to witness the unveiling.
A month after Zomato Ltd renamed its parent company as Eternal, CK Birla Groups flagship company HIL Ltd has rechristened itself as BirlaNu Ltd, joining a growing roster of Indian companies going for cosmetic makeovers.

This is not the first time the building materials company has changed its name. Formerly known as Hyderabad Industries Ltd, the company renamed itself as HIL in 2012. The latest rebranding may be the companys attempt to reposition itself as a more contemporary player in the roofing solutions sector, said experts.

Separately, Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla on Thursday unveiled a new brand identity for Hindalco Industries Ltd, India's largest aluminium producer.

Speaking at an event to unveil a new brand identity for Hindalco, Birla said the company wants to be a force for good and affirmed the country's largest aluminium producer's commitment towards it.

When the younger generation starts taking the reins of their family businesses, they often want to introduce a sense of refreshment which aligns with their vision for the businesses," Bharadwaj Jaishankar, partner at IndusLaw, told Mint.

Next-generation entrepreneurs incorporating modern technology in their business want to signal the shift by adopting a new name that can create a savvy perception, but also want to capitalise on an established brand by retaining it in some capacity, added Jaishankar.

BirlaNu and Birla Opus are the most recent examples of such a rebranding exercise.

A deeper desire

Companies change their identity for various reasons, from mergers and acquisitions to evolving business strategies, tarnished reputations, or to attract a new audience. Sometimes, they would change names to gain media attention as well," Jaishankar said.

The merger of Vodafone India Ltd and Idea Cellular Ltd in 2017 created a telecommunications giant called Vodafone Idea, exemplifying a name change driven by consolidation. DB Realtys new identity, Valor Estate, reflects a strategic shift to craft a more trusted brand image associated with innovation, sustainability, and customer focus.

This trend of identity transformations is significant, with over 1,100 Indian companies adopting new names in the past two decades. These changes range from minor tweaks, like dropping a word, to complete overhauls or even changing the colour schemes of their logos to target a particular class of customers.

View Full Image Aditya Birla Group chairperson Kumar Mangalam Birla and Hindalco Industries managing director Satish Pai during the launch of a new logo for India's largest aluminium producer, on Thursday. (ANI)

A striking trend

While recent years have seen a steady pace of around 70 name changes annually, 2010 witnessed a peak of 101 such transitions, showed a Mint analysis of Capitaline data.

In terms of sector representation, companies in the banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector accounted for the largest share of name changes (about 16%), showed the analysis. Construction and real estate companies followed with 8.4% share, while the information technology sector represented 7.4%. The power and oil and gas sectors had the lowest share, at only 1%.

While identity changes are a familiar corporate manoeuvre, a striking trend is emerging in the public market: a significant number of newly listed companies are swiftly revamping their brand identities.

Is the intense pressure to differentiate themselves in the crowded marketplace the primary driver? Mints analysis suggests this could be one of the factors, revealing that over a third of companies change their identities within five years of their initial public offering (IPO).

Zomatos name change, for instance, came after less than four years of the company listing on the bourses.

Mints analysis also revealed that name changes arent limited to the immediate post-IPO period. Around 7% of firms opted for a new name between six and 10 years after listing, while another 10% did so between 11 and 15 years. This data indicates that brand evolution remains a relevant consideration for companies even as they mature in the public market.

At the end of day rebranding is an exercise, for amongst other reasons, to stay relevant and known. Mature companies keep refreshing their logos every now and then for this reason," Jaishankar said. Even though it is a cosmetic makeover on the surface, it signifies a strategic shift underneath which involves months of preparation and approval from stakeholders."

Interestingly, identity transformation isnt always a reaction to public listing; it can also be a proactive pre-listing strategy. Swiggys name change from Bundl Technologies Pvt. Ltd to Swiggy Pvt Ltd, undertaken before its IPO, for brand proximity, exemplifies this trend.

However, no matter what a companys motivations are, stock prices have traditionally reacted positively to rebranding, the analysis showed. In 2024, stocks of 30 companies offered positive median returns on and after the day of their name changes.

HILs shares ended Thursday 0.83% higher at 1,825.00 apiece on NSE, slower than the benchmark Nifty 50s 1.24% rise.

Experts, though, pointed out that there was hardly any correlation between a companys rebranding and its stock price movement. Usually, stocks react only if there is any value proposition for the investors in the rebranding. Like if the company is launching a new sub-brand or going for a merger or acquisition," said Raghav Manohar Narsalay, partner and leader at research and insights hub at PwC India.
A laser-sharp focus on the US market in a world being reshaped by artificial intelligence has cast shadows over three Indian tech services companies catering to healthcare and life sciences companies.

Lack of diversified businesses, policy uncertainty in the Donald Trump era, and the challenges of GenAI pose major risks for Sagility Ltd, Indegene Ltd, and Inventurus Knowledge Solutions Ltd, all of which listed on the stock exchanges in the past year, analysts said. Most of their revenue comes from offering customer and software services to clients in the US healthcare sector.

At least three experts are circumspect about the prospects of these companies because most of their revenue comes from offering customer and software services to clients in the US healthcare sector.

Hyper-specialized outsourcing firms such as Sagility and IKS Health present investors with a dilemma. On the one hand, they allow them to play a single theme  large and underpenetrated US healthcare operational spend. On the other hand, risks of a potential downturn are unmitigated," JM Financial analysts Abhishek Kumar and Nandan Arekal said in a note dated 9 March, estimating the US healthcare market at about $200 billion.

Queries emailed to all three companies remained unanswered at the time of publishing.

Bengaluru-based Sagility ended with $574 million in revenue last year, all of it from North America. Mumbai-based IKS, backed by the Jhunjhunwala family, got almost 98% of its $220 million revenue last year from North America. Indegene, which ended with $313 million in revenue, got 69% of it from the continent.

Also Read | Why the world's biggest VC believes Indian IT is facing a risk

Indegene listed on the stock exchanges in May 2024, Sagility in November 2024 and IKS in December 2024. Since the start of the year, their shares have fallen 12.53%, 21.25%, and 12.99%, respectively.

Shares of Indias mid-cap information technology (IT) services companies declined 24.52% in this time, while those of large-cap IT outsourcers dropped 15.14% on average.

Insurance risk

Pureplay healthcare firms also face competition from Indias largest IT outsourcers, including Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Infosys Ltd, HCL Technologies Ltd, and Wipro Ltd, which together got $1.4-2 billion in revenue from their healthcare and life sciences verticals.

While hyper-specialisation is a concern, the other risk lies in the US health insurance market.

There is a regulatory risk if President Trump holds back spending on Medicare and Medicaid," a Mumbai-based analyst said on the condition of anonymity. Fewer people insured will translate to lower health insurance claims being processed and this will lead to less hospital visits because people will not be insured."

In the US, the healthcare sector has two primary stakeholders  the healthcare providers and the healthcare payers. Healthcare providers include hospitals and physicians, whereas healthcare payers include health insurance companies that cover the cost of treatments.

Sagility gets 89.3% of its revenue from healthcare payers and 10.7% from services offered to healthcare providers. IKS gets all of its revenue from healthcare providers.

US healthcare payers spent more on tech at $138 billion compared to $63 billion by healthcare providers as of 2023, according to the JM Financial note.

Sagility was incorporated as Berkmeer India Pvt Ltd by the Hinduja Groups healthcare arm in July 2021. The company was acquired by private equity firm Baring Private Equity Asia for $1 billion in 2021. EQT bought Baring in the following year and is now the parent of Sagility BV, which owns 82.39% of Sagility.

Sagility manages core operations such as claims, ensuring timely payments and other clinical services for insurance companies. It offers revenue cycle management for healthcare providers.

It has long-standing customer relationships, with an average tenure of 17 years for its five largest clients. The company saves costs by stationing the bulk of its 39,595 employees in non-client locations such as India, the Philippines, and Jamaica.

Bunched-up solutions

IKS was incorporated in 2006 and was listed in Indias stock markets in December last year. Today, the Jhunjhunwala family and family-owned trusts own 49.54% of the company.

IKS provides software platforms to hospitals and physicians. Its offerings include solutions like revenue cycle management, clinical documentation, patient engagement, care coordination, data management, and analytics. It has about 13,149 employees in Canada, India, the US, and Australia.

The companys specialty is its ability to sell a platform with a bunch of solutions rather than single offerings. Like Sagility, it has long-term client relationships with an average tenure of eight years for its top five clients.

Over these last 18 years, IKS has built a business model where 95% plus of our revenue is recurring in nature. We have very low client attrition; it's a sticky business model. Our top 10 clients and our top five clients are all having average vintages of five-plus years," said Sachin Gupta, chief executive of IKS, as part of his prepared comments in the companys post-earnings interaction with analysts on 6 February.

Bengaluru-based Indegene, founded in 1998, provides services and consulting in pharmaceutical marketing, clinical trials, medical and regulatory affairs. It gets almost 94% of its revenue from biopharma firms and has 4,880 employees. The company is owned almost entirely by public shareholders. Manish Gupta, its chief executive officer, owns 8.97% of the companys shares.

These companies have a high client concentration. Almost a third of IKS's business comes from its top five clients, whereas 68% of Sagilitys business comes from its top three clients.

JM Financial said the sector is ripe for consolidation as larger health systems are more likely to use market-dominant vendors. About 60% of the US health insurance market, which Sagility services, is covered by the top 10 companies.

AI challenge

The third key risk for these companies is the emergence of generative AI, analysts said.

A lot of the work that Sagility does can be automated. A lot of the work, including claims processing, which is its bread and butter, can also be eaten up by Gen AI, apart from much of the human-facing work," said the Mumbai-based analyst.

The long-term challenge is how comfortable US companies will be with BPO vs full automation and AI with software. Sagility and IKS are working hard to add automation and AI capabilities, but these functions can be fully automated in the future without BPOs," said R Ray" Wang, founder of California-based Constellation Research.

AI is also expected to impact IKS Health.

The rapid advancement of AI and machine learning requires continuous updates to IKS' offerings Emerging technologies, particularly in areas like virtual scribing, pose a risk of reducing the utility of IKS' current products. This is evident with the recent launch of Dragon Co-pilot, the industrys first AI assistant for clinical workflow," the JM Financial analysts said.
Narayana Health is ramping up its oncology offerings with a new chain of cancer care centres, taking the treatment to patients and keeping them out of hospitals as the disease burden rises in India.

The multispecialty hospital chain launched Everhope Oncology, a joint venture with healthtech-focused venture capital firm W Health Ventures and venture studio 2070 Health, with a seed investment of $10 million. Everhope will set up day-care centres across the country, starting with metro cities.

Were used to a very hospital-centric way of thinking about our businesswe provide services in very intensive care settings with huge amounts of investment and infrastructure," Viren Shetty, vice chairman at Narayana Health, told Mint in an interview. But what ends up happening is the entire experience of getting cancer treatment becomes very intimidating."

Cancer is becoming so widespread that people are scared to even take the leap of coming to a hospital for treatment," Shetty said. What were trying with this is to separate it out from the hospital."

Read more: India must adopt a policy framework for early cancer detection

The joint venture will establish medical and surgical cancer care facilities in Delhi and Mumbai, and plans to expand to 10 cities in the next three years. These centres, which will have 10-20 beds on an average, will provide diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care for cancer patients, including chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and palliative care.

Rising cancer incidence

Indias rising cancer burden is a cause for concern, with an estimated 8 million people living with the disease in the country. According to a study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research, one in nine Indians are likely to develop cancer in their lifetime. The study projected the incidence of cancer cases to rise about 12.8% in 2025 compared to 2020.

The countrys healthcare infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. We're not prepared as a healthcare system, we're not prepared as a society," Pankaj Jethwani, managing partner at W Health Ventures, said.

There is a significant opportunity for the expansion of dedicated cancer facilities. This growth is driven by rising patient volumes, the strong economic viability of single-specialty oncology centres, increasing entrepreneurial ambitions among oncologists, and greater awarenessenabling patients to seek the best treatment options upon diagnosis, Jethwani said.

Infra gap

The country needs 25,000 more surgical beds and 10,000-15,000 more daycare beds to address the growing cancer burden, according to estimates. Additionally, India is woefully short on talent. The country has only around 2,500 oncologists, just half of what is required given the disease burden, according to estimates by EY.

In this year's Union Budget, the central government announced that it would set up 200 cancer care centres in district hospitals to address this. Mint reported earlier how this initiative, though promising, needs more intervention for infrastructure, technology and skilling.

Everhope Oncology aims to address the gaps by leveraging Narayana Health's oncology expertise with technology, therapies and doctors.

Right now, the biggest problem were trying to solve is accesswe do not have enough doctors, but even for the doctors we have, there are huge barriers for patients coming to them," Jethwani said.

What we're continuing to build is making it very simple for medical oncologists to practice at the top of their licence within the confines of the daycare centre and get the support they need from senior medical oncologists that may be sitting next to them," he said.

Read more: Why cancer patients can hope for affordable drugs in India

Reaching patients outside of the hospital is a natural shift for Narayana Health. Coming with a very hospital-centric worldview, our thinkingis oriented around the worst possible scenarios," Shetty said.

As a large institution, we're not agile enough to recognize that there are different business models out there. But we're seeing the customers tell us [their preferences]. And weve already started doing a lot of this with our investment in clinics, with insurance, and with diagnostic centres," he said. A lot of hospitals are recognising that we have to cater to what the future customers will want."
Thailand-based Minor International Plc, which runs Minor Hotels and brands like Anantara Hotels Resorts & Spas, Avani Hotels & Resorts, NH Hotels, and NH Collection is looking to have a strong presence in India in the next decade with a target of 50 hotels by 2035. The company's group CEO, Dillip Rajakarier who is visiting India and spoke exclusively to Mint said the company has now established its presence in India with the recent launch of its 150-room Anantara Jewel Bagh hotel in Jaipur. Three of the company's Anantara properties in Thailand were featured on the recent hit HBO show, The White Lotus , which has led to a huge demand for these hotels.

In India, the company is signing agreements with hotel owners in tier I and II cities. "India's domestic connectivity is becoming more simplistic. Your country is opening 10-12 airports a year and the country is now standing out because of its economy and attention from global investors. Your fundamentals are quite strong as you are becoming more business friendly. This will help drive a lot of demand. We now see a significant chunk of our international outbound travellers to be Indians, from short to long haul travel, the country offers great opportunity, " he said.

"In Asia, other than Thailand, we have two of the biggest economies sitting at our doorstep, India and China. In China, we now have our presence established and a big pipeline building up there. In India, we want to do the same and make sure that we have a strong footprint, mainly because of the growing potential of your outbound travellers who are now well-versed with our brands," he said.

Indians rush to Europe

Minor at a group level has seen that Indians travelling to its properties in the last few years has increased exponentially and now make up 15% of all its travellers to European hotels, and about 35% into Asia, including Thailand. The company's core portfolio-level revenue in 2024 was up 16% to five billion baht ($151 million). This year, he expects to grow further than that, on the back of not just revenues but growth in occupancy, he said.

The company has about eight brands and intends to add two new brands to its portfolio. These brands will also likely make their way to India. While Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is more of a 5-star chain, Avani Hotels & Resorts is an upscale lifestyle hotel brand. The company also co-owns a hotel in Bodhgaya which is branded under its 'Oaks' brand. It also has other brands like Elewana, Nhow, Tivoli and Hesperia elsewhere in the world.

The company's worldwide occupancy rose to 68% in 2024, up two percentage points, with Thailand leading at 70%. The average daily rate (ADR), which measures the average revenue earned per occupied room, grew 6% year-on-year, while revenue per available room (RevPar), a key hotel performance metric, increased 9%. Thailands 30 properties saw a 17% RevPar surge, driven by new airline routes and targeted marketing that drew high-spending travellers from North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

By the end of 2027, Minor expects to have about 850 hotels in its portfolio, up from its current 560. About 70% of its current hotels are owned or leased by the company, down from a portfolio mix of 85% owned hotels within the 530 hotels two years ago. About 90% of the next 300 hotels it will add to its portfolio, will be managed hotels.

"Once we get to know the optics of a country better, then we start to invest in building our assets or hotels there. We are looking to invest wherever we get the highest returns and are open to deploying equity, even in India in the future. But at present our strategy is becoming more asset light or "asset right" because a lot of our hotel brands have a lot of equity of their own now," he added. Along with India, the company is also adding other new regions to its portfolio including Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and others.

Globe-trotting to continue

Travellers and travel patterns now, he said, are changing around the world, with a little less predictability coming in. A lot of travellers don't mind travelling economy and staying at a luxury hotel or travelling business and staying in a premium or mid-market hotel. Rajakarier, however, is not concerned with any geopolitical uncertainties world over and said travel is still resilient and growing well with many new travellers joining the bandwagon to explore the world, compared to pre-covid, "This will continue because of the growing middle class," he added.

According to hospitality consultancy Hotelivate's most recent data from June 2024, India had about 200,000 branded hotel rooms of the entire 24.8 lakh operational lodging rooms, including guest houses and homestays. This total is expected to rise to 31 lakh by 2029 with branded rooms accounting for about 300,000. The branded sector has rebounded with new signings and openings and with tourism recovering, the industry expects to surpass pre-pandemic levels this year and sustain long-term growth.
Nvidia announced its plans to construct a quantum computing research center on Tuesday, with the chip maker pledging to solve some of the fields most challenging problems" by coupling quantum hardware with supercomputers.

The Nvidia Accelerated Quantum Research Center, or NVAQC, will pave the way for accelerated quantum supercomputing," the company said.

Nvidia isnt the first to propose merging quantum systems with the most advanced traditional computers. Researchers at the Julich Supercomputing Centre in Germany are at work integrating an Advantage system from D-Wave Quantum with Europes first exascale supercomputer, following the centers purchase of the quantum computer last month.

Integration enhances the efficiency of both types of systems, which build upon each others strengths. Quantum technology can help supercomputers overcome limitations on the types of calculations they can perform.

Researchers at the NVAQC will tackle some of quantums most pressing issues, Nvidia said. This includes qubit noise, or disturbances that cause quantum computers to bungle computations and have hindered their adoption on a commercial scale.

Partners on the project include Quantinuum, the software company founded through the merger of Cambridge Quantum and Honeywell Quantum Solutions in 2021, as well as Quantum Machines and QuEra Computing, two private companies each at work developing their own quantum solutions.

The collaborators will use Nvidia GB200 NVL72 rack-scale systems, artificial-intelligence supercomputers that Nvidia has dubbed the most powerful hardware ever deployed for quantum computing applications." The systems are designed to train large language models and support otherwise demanding workloads.

Nvidia plans to construct the NVAQC in Boston, where it will recruit researchers from quantum groups at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The company is still in the early innings of quantum development. Nvidia has developed a cloud-based platform on which users can build and test quantum algorithms, but has expressed no intention of building its own quantum processors.

In a way, the NVAQC signals its foray into the sector. Nvidia has built a reputation on its AI prowess as the largest semiconductor company in the world by market capitalization. When it comes to quantum, however, Nvidias efforts pale in comparison to those of quantum pure plays and established giants like IBM.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang caused a stir in January when he remarked that useful" quantum computers were decades away, stirring up speculation that the development of systems could disrupt Nvidias stronghold on the AI market.

Researchers and financial professionals alike generally accept that quantum and AI are synergistic, with quantum technology helping AI algorithms run more efficiently, which in turn would reduce their strain on data centers.

Quantinuum published a blog post earlier this year in which it touted quantum as a more sustainable, efficient, and high-performance solution" that would fundamentally reshape AI."

It has yet to be seen whether Nvidia will emerge as a front-runner in this space once the NVAQC becomes operational. The company is targeting a launch later this year and is expected to share more about its plans for quantum computing during its Quantum Day on March 21 as part of the Nvidia GTC conference.

Write to Mackenzie Tatananni at mackenzie.tatananni@barrons.com
The Trump administration on Tuesday released more than 30,000 pages of previously classified or censored documents relating to the death of former President John F. Kennedy, providing insight into some of the Central Intelligence Agencys most sensitive operations over decades. The documents are digitized paper documents going back to the 1960s, with faded typewritten text and handwritten notes.

The Warren Commission in 1964 found that Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, who acted alone. In the years since, a raft of alternate theories have bubbled up, fueled in part by the CIAs own secrecy in the investigation.

Here are five takeaways from the new documents:

The CIA had reasons to resist the release of the documents for decades.

The inquiry into Kennedys assassination swept up thousands of documents about CIA operations globally, and officials weighed the potential explosive fallout to spy programs around the world from some potential revelations. In one 1995 assessment, for example, a CIA official argued that acknowledging a CIA station in Tunisia would hurt the country vis-a-vis its neighbor.

The CIA spent years probing whether Fidel Castro was involved.

More than a decade after the Kennedy assassination, the CIA conducted a multiyear investigation into whether Cuban leader Fidel Castro was involved. The probe found no definitive proof that the Castro regime was implicated," but a newly released document lists in granular detail a yearslong campaign of CIA-sponsored sabotage and assassination attempts targeting Castro. The Cuban leader was enraged when he learned of CIA-backed efforts to attack the sugarcane industry and set-off bombs in the sewage system during one of his speeches. CIA operatives with the help of the American Mafia also agreed to attempt to kill Castro for $100,000.

The Mexican president was secretly close to the CIA.

One document describes President Lyndon Johnson being briefed on the close personal relationship between the CIAs station chief in Mexico and Mexican President Adolfo Lopez Mateos, who was the best man at the spys wedding. (Johnson was told not to mention this to Mateos.) Mateos was publicly outspoken against Washingtons intervention in Cuba, but was quietly involved in CIA telephone surveillance operations in Mexico City and had previously told the station chief, Win Scott, that he was delighted that a decision had now been made to get rid of Castro," according to another document.

The CIA bugged a meeting RFK was likely to attend.

In 1963, the CIA set up eavesdropping equipment on a house in a wooded area of Bethesda, Md., where two Cuban exiles were set to meet with American officials"probably" including then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

Memos describing the operation show the human side of espionage, with details about equipment failure, navigating payments and paperwork, and handling unexpected changes to surveillance targets. It included concealing a tape recorder in the attic, basement or garage," with electronics running more than $28,000 at todays prices. (A single battery for the operation cost almost $6.) The first test [] from the safehouse to the listening post was a failure." At one point, a vendor accused the agency of reneging on payment. But the equipment appeared to work satisfactorily" by the end of June.

The CIA in Mexico asked Washington to keep quiet about the Oswald recordings.

Much of the remaining mystery around Kennedys killing involves Oswalds time in Mexico City in the months before the shooting, and his meetings there at the Cuban and Soviet missions. The CIA recorded Oswalds phone conversations with officials from both of those countries but claimed to have later destroyed them, according to a 1998 document. Four years earlier, however, the CIAs station in Mexico City asked for the agency to avoid releasing information about the Oswald wiretaps, arguing they could force Mexico to reassess its U.S. relationship. Do whatever is possible to keep the lid on the box re previous joint ops with the Mexicans," the CIA Mexico station told headquarters.

Write to Joel Schectman at joel.schectman@wsj.com, Jack Gillum at jack.gillum@wsj.com and Brian Whitton at brian.whitton@wsj.com
In fashion, creative directors are royalty. Like kings and queens, theyre idolized for their successes and blamed for their failures, while always being gossiped about. The all-time greatslike Karl Lagerfeld, Phoebe Philo, Hedi Slimanehave the power to shape every aspect of a luxury brand, from its collections to its store designs (Slimane even put his stamp on the branded bottled water served at Celines stores). But what happens when a creative director leaves (or dies), and their successor has yet to be named?

In a period of extraordinary turnover at the top of design houses, many brands have found themselves without a creative leader for months and even years. Chanel will have shown seven collections between Virginie Viards departure in June 2024 and Matthieu Blazys first collection for the house this fall. Givenchy survived without a creative-director-designed collection for over a year until Sarah Burton presented her debut this month. Demna, just announced as the next artistic director of Gucci, wont begin until July. Balenciaga, Fendi, Loewe and Bally have yet to announce new creative directors after recent departures.

During these rudderless in-between times, luxury brands collections are typically designed in-house by the studio," either as a democratic collective or under a designated head of design. Some designers see it as a time to take long lunches; others take the opportunity to hustle. Labels usually lean on tried-and-true hits to buoy sales during this time, like archival bags and shoes. However, that doesnt always work.

Demna, just announced as the next artistic director of Gucci, wont begin until July.

It typically leads to a hit on the top line," said luxury analyst Achim Berg of the independent think tank FashionSights.

In a luxury climate defined by an uncertain economy and a declining Chinese market, brands are swapping creative directors in a frantic bid for success. Berg said, There was typically a reason for the change, which means it wasnt selling that well in the first place."

If a creative director isnt panning out, multibillion-dollar companies tend to have plans in place. Floriane de Saint Pierre, the founder of an advisory and executive search firm for major luxury brands, emphasized that creative leadership is a key driver of value creation for large, influential brands." She said that boards and chief executives had succession strategies cued up at all times, which are reexamined regularly.

Despite these contingency plans, brands are often left in flux. But its not as bad as it sounds.

Look at the case of Chanel. Recent couture and ready-to-wear shows were well-received by critics and front-row regulars. The fall collection had moments of wearable creativity, like long black tulle skirts layered over suits. The brand has kept up its momentum on the red carpet, dressing stars including Margaret Qualley and Penelope Cruz for the 2025 Oscars.

All-time-great creative directors like Phoebe Philo have the power to shape every aspect of a luxury brand.

After last weeks show in Paris, the store was as busy as its been in recent years, with gaggles of women gathering around piles of quilted handbags. The true grails at Chanel, from purses to costume jewelry to black tweed suits, have remained constant since the 1920s.

What we typically see is the momentum that was driven by an outgoing creative director continues, and studios in large part continue designing within that same design language," said Sam Lobban, executive vice president and general merchandising manager of Nordstrom. So its still familiar to the customer."

Lobban said that Nordstrom did not tend to reduce its spending on designers it carried during in-between seasons. He said most customers were not aware of personnel changes at brands. Savvy shoppers will try to buy pieces from the last collection of a special creative director, or the first collection from a new one. But he said people typically bought into the long-term vision of the brand and its quality level, even between creative directors.

At Chanel, recent couture and ready-to-wear shows were well-received by critics and front-row regulars.

Transition periods are opportunities to truck out house signatures. For example, Gucci can lean on its classic bamboo-handle bags and Jackie-O-era silk scarves, and Bottega Veneta will highlight tried-and-true products like its intrecciato woven accessories. Merchandising departments, which are tasked with liaising between design and sales departments, often muscle in and request reliable styles that have sold in the past.

That doesnt necessarily sit well with the designers on staff. Nina Christen, who worked at Saint Laurent and Celine in the mid-2000s through multiple transitions, described it as, basically the worst ground for anything creative to happen."

There are opportunities for go-getters in this period, she said, though They need enough willpower and authority to impose themselves, which then can also create tensions in the teams and make creative output more difficult." Christen said she had designed some of her best, most personal shoes during the period at Celine between Philo and Slimane, such as a pair of boots with leather pompoms on the toes.

Transition periods are opportunities to truck out house signatures. For example, Gucci can lean on its classic Jackie-O-era silk scarves.

While these periods can be stableand even surprisingly fruitfulthey cannot go on too long. Lobban cautioned that while an outgoing creative director can provide momentum that a brand can ride for some time, longer than a season or two can be damaging.

Whats more, the transition period doesnt endpouf!when the new creative director arrives. The analyst Berg said not to underestimate what he calls the time lapse" of a new arrival. It typically takes two or three collections until theyve managed to really touch the different product categories. And if they are asked to even introduce new categories, it might take even longer."

Its not just about clothes. A good creative director sets the tone for the entire marketing of a successful collection, too, from ad campaigns to social media to celebrity partnershipsall of which needs to stay fresh and surprising. Lobban said, If youre standing still too long in an overall industry and ecosystem thats constantly putting out new messages, it becomes noticeable."

Write to Rory Satran at rory.satran@wsj.com
India is witnessing an early heatwave this year, with west-coast temperatures soaring. This is being attributed to a rain-deficient winter season, among other reasons. Climate change is no longer just an environmental concernit is impacting public health in significant ways. Rising temperatures and air pollution are contributing to the spread of vector-borne diseases, heat-related illnesses and respiratory conditions. The World Health Organization estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause an additional 250,000 deaths annually on account of malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

Healthcare systems in India are already grappling with increasing costs of care and insufficient state funding. As the climate crisis intensifies, they will face mounting challenges, including an increased burden of climate-sensitive diseases, heightened demand for emergency and preventive care, and a need for resilient healthcare infrastructure. Addressing the health risks posed by climate change will require stronger systems to capture climate-health data.

Strengthening climate resilience in the health system requires mechanisms to track climate-related changes using multi-sectoral data. However, administrative data-sets on climate and health are fragmented across agencies and government levels, with frequently incompatible standards and formats a problem. For instance, temperature data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) is not easy to integrate with health data from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) or state-level health departments. These silos make it difficult to identify critical linkages.

Beyond integration challenges, we also lack localized data on the effects of climate change on health outcomes. Indias diverse topography results in varying levels of vulnerability across states. Coastal regions face heightened risks of waterborne diseases due to flooding, while northern and central states endure more severe heatwaves. Without granular data, states cannot develop early warning systems or targeted intervention strategies, leaving communities exposed to climate-driven health risks.

Vulnerable populations will bear a disproportionate burden of climate-related health harm. Construction workers are vulnerable to extreme heat. Pregnant women are at higher risk of pre-term births during heatwaves. But much of the information on these groups comes from media reports. The absence of official data prevents the development of strategies to ensure that the vulnerable are not left behind in our climate resilience efforts.

At CoP-29, health was discussed for the first time alongside climate change, an acknowledgment that climate risks are also public health risks. Yet, while global initiatives are advancing the climate-health agenda, India lacks the data infrastructure and institutional collaboration necessary to address these challenges.

First, India needs to build the requisite infrastructure to strengthen data. While the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW), through the NCDC, has launched the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health, the policy does not focus on strengthening data infrastructure.

The aforementioned national programme should take two key steps.

First, it must ensure that all states, especially the most vulnerable, develop high-quality climate and health data-sets. It should also establish a national climate-health data repository that consolidates state-level data, integrating meteorological trends with disease surveillance. This will improve risk assessment as well as early warning systems and lead to better targeted adaptation efforts.

Second, inter-ministerial data sharing must be strengthened while ensuring citizen privacy and data security, given the sensitivity of health information.

The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission acknowledges that health data (such as epidemiological disease patterns) is critical for informed decision-making. The National Data Governance Framework Policy enables the use of anonymized and non-personal data for research, offering a boost to data-driven decision-making. Building on this, India needs a secure and interoperable climate-health data framework, enabling ministries and departments to share data while maintaining strong privacy safeguards.

Also Read: India must institute a robust framework for climate governance

India needs to enhance coordination across ministries, the private sector and civil society. For this, an inter-ministerial task force should be established, bringing together key agencies such as the IMD, ministry of earth sciences, MoHFW, Indian Council of Medical Research, NCDC and the ministry of environment, forest and climate change. Strengthening Centre-state collaboration is also critical. Further, engaging the private sector and civil society will facilitate technical expertise, funding and community-driven solutions. This can be facilitated through structured public-private partnerships, multi-stakeholder forums and data-sharing agreements that drive innovation.

A data-driven approach to public health is becoming increasingly important. By focusing on improving climate-health data infrastructure, India can safeguard public health against climate risks. This will also allow India to play a bigger role in developing the global climate-health agenda.

The authors are, respectively, program manager at Artha Global and principal, Center for Technology & Innovation at Artha Global.
New Delhi: Indias standards watchdog for drug manufacturing will start random checks of small drug companies plants by the end of this year, according to two officials aware of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), headed by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), will do the checks to review the compliance status of MSME drug firms good manufacturing practices (GMP), the people added.

Right now, DCGI is still getting applications as the deadline is open," the first official said. Only after the deadline, the government will conduct random checks at these MSME drug makers to verify whether they are meeting GMP requirement or not. Strict actions including notices and cancellation of the licence will be taken against the manufacturers found non-compliant."

This exercise would be done at the end of this year, but how this plan would be executed is yet to be designed," the second official cited above said. State governments may be roped in."

Also read | India now produces key drug ingredients under PLI scheme

Notably, this January, the Centre extended the deadline to 31 December 2025 for MSME companies to upgrade their facilities, with the previous deadline ending on 31 December 2024.

The stringent action is meant to prevent criticism of quality of drugs produced in the country and to prevent any non-tariff barriers to Indian drug exports. Entities found to be non-compliant will face strict action including closure of their factories.

The first official added that MSME drug firms that want an extension to upgrade their plants have to do a gap analysis in areas like lab equipment, utilities, technical staff, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. The companies will also have to justify why they need extension," this person said.

Industry sources said that less than 10 MSME drug firms have filed applications before the DCGI seeking extension in the timeline to upgrade their plants.

Also read | Narco plan in the works to track and trace abused drugs

According to government estimates, only 2,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing units in India have the GMP certification, mostly comprising large companies (with revenue more than 250 crore), and with a sprinkling of MSMEs.

The remaining drug makers, which add up to 8,500 MSMEs, are yet to upgrade their plants to standards set by the WHO (World Health Organization). To be sure, the MSME drug manufacturing units comprise more than 80% of the market by volume in India.

Queries sent to the union health ministry spokesperson remained unanswered.

Right now, MSME drug firms, which have annual turnover of 250 crore or less, are under the radar of the government to comply with the GMP rules.

Also read | Central drug regulator creating guidelines for gene therapies, biosimilars: DCGI

Harish Jain, president of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (FOPE), an association of MSME drug firms said, At FOPE, we are motivating our member companies to upgrade their facilities, which is the opportunity to upgrade our business. We are educating them on how to file the application. With our efforts, we got the extension for one year and on 16 March, we organized a workshop with the drug companies to motivate them to register for GMP compliance."

What is GMP?

Good manufacturing practices or GMP are being implemented in the country to bring quality into products by way of control on materials, methods, machines, processes, personnel and facility or environment. In 2023, the government notified revised Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, which prescribes GMP standards for drug firms.

In the first phase, drugmakers with an annual turnover of 250 crore and above were to compulsorily follow GMP within six months from the date of notification, while the smaller firms were given a year to comply.

Also read | DCGI seeks post-market surveillance data on 2 combination drugs within 3 months

India drug making hubs include Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Hyderabad, Maharashtra and Gujarat, which fall under the regulatory radar of the State and the Central Drug Licensing Authority.

According to the department of pharmaceuticals, India is the worlds largest supplier of generic medicines. The country manufactures about 60,000 generic drugs across 60 therapeutic categories, accounting for 20% of the global supply of generic drugs.

Earlier Mint reported that under the DoPs Revamped Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme (RPTUAS), around 103 applications from MSME drug firms have been sanctioned for total financial support amounting to 105 crore on reimbursement basis.
The Trump administration is crafting plans to reorganize the U.S. Agency for International Development, which had been dismantled by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, according to a memo detailing the plans.

The agency would be renamed the U.S. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance and fall under the control of the State Department to help enhance national security and counter adversaries like China, according to the memo, viewed by The Wall Street Journal. USAID had long operated as an independent agency with its own administrator.

During its first few weeks, the Trump administration, aided by DOGE, effectively took apart the 10,000-person agency and the thousands of people in nonprofits and other groups who work with it. In the process, the agencys headquarters were closed, its name taken off the building and most of its staff put on paid leave.

It is unclear whether a federal judges ruling earlier this week that DOGEs dismantling of USAID was unconstitutional will have an impact on the administrations new plans. The order from Judge Theodore D. Chuang in Maryland directed DOGE to halt its work to shutter the agency and reinstate access to electronic systems for employees and contractors who were shut out.

The judge also took aim at Musk himself, spending pages wading through White House comments and social-media posts about the role played by the billionaire, an adviser and close ally of President Trump.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was named the acting administrator of the agency, told lawmakers in early February that he intended to work with Congress to reorganize USAID rather than eliminate it. The Department of State and other pertinent entities will be consulting with Congress and the appropriate committees to reorganize and absorb certain bureaus, offices, and missions of USAID," Rubio wrote to lawmakers.

The memo provides some of the earliest clues of the administrations vision for USAIDs next chapter. Details of the memo were earlier reported by Politico.

Any changes to the structure of USAID will be done in consultation with Congress and will be subject to congressional notification," a State Department spokesperson said.

USAIDs name has been painted over on signage in front of a building in downtown Washington, D.C., that houses offices for federal agencies.

USAIDs mission had become too broad and created disincentives in certain countries to invest in their own reforms, the memo stated. High-cost programs that dont provide strong returns to U.S. taxpayers should be eliminated, and programs shouldnt be solely philanthropic but should advance American national security, strategic and commercial interests, the memo said.

The proposed new structure aims to project American soft power and enhance national security, with a focus on countering competitors such as China. Multiple USAID bureaus, including those for Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East would be eliminated, according to the memo.

Politically oriented programs, including the promotion of democracy, empowering women, religious freedom and combating human trafficking, will be redirected to other sections of the State Department, according to the memo.

The proposed USAID overhaul is poised to elevate some officials with relatively little experience overseeing teams of foreign-aid workers.

Marcus Thornton, the new deputy chief of staff, according to an internal email viewed by the Journal, had previously worked as a human resources officer at the U.S. Embassy in Honduras, before being promoted to help organize the return of USAID workers overseas under the Trump administration.

Thornton is still listed online as the president and co-founder of Feds For Freedom, a group that challenged the federal governments previous Covid-19 vaccine mandates.

Thornton said in a video posted on social media in July 2023 that he had been pushed out of his earlier post in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as a consequence of exercising my constitutional rights" and alleging the State Department was retaliating against him after his group sued the agency over the vaccine mandate.

Write to Scott Patterson at scott.patterson@wsj.com and Kristina Peterson at kristina.peterson@wsj.com
Why did Williams spend such a long time in space?

Williams and fellow Nasa astronaut Butch Wilmores mission aboard a Boeing spacecraft has finally ended and they are safely back on Earth. A leaking propulsion tank and faulty thrusters in the Boeing Starliner threw return plans off schedule. A subsequent human spaceflight had to be dedicatedly planned for the stranded astronauts, which took time due to natural scheduling challenges. Elon Musk, who runs SpaceX, claimed that he had offered to bring Williams back" more than six months ago, but Nasa administrator Bill Nelson has denied this. Amid this political slugfest and engineering failure, Williams and Wilmore ended up spending over nine months in space. Eventually, SpaceXs Crew Dragon flew Williams and Wilmore back to earth safelya feat that underlined how far the safety of space missions has evolved in the past two decades.

Has Williams broken the record for a human in space?

No. Russian spacefarer Valeri Polyakov spent a total of 437 days aboard the now-crashed Mir Space Station, built in the Soviet era of the first space race, between 1994 and 1995. For the US, astronaut Frank Rubio spent 371 days in space from September 2022making him the longest-residing American in space. Williams, along with Wilmore, are now the joint sixth-longest space residents for the USand among 10 of the worlds longest space residents of all time. Veteran Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has the longest space duration cumulativelyspending 1,111 days of his life in space. Very long tenures are typically avoided by space agencies, since a long-duration stay impacts the functioning of body and brain, causing muscle loss and change in vision.

Is India on track with its human mission?

Yes. This year, the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro)s Gaganyaan mission is expected to conduct its first unmanned trial mission with its indigenous crew module, in an effort to validate Indias own space technology. By 2026, four Indian astronauts are expected to fly aboard Indias own spacecraft and from Indian terraina feat managed by only the Soviet Union, the US and China. A moon landing is planned by 2040.

Is space travel that difficult for us?

Despite nearly 64 years since Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarins first spaceflight in April 1961, human missions remain challenging. Errors and oversights can lead to tragedies such as Nasas 1986 mission Challenger that exploded after takeoff, and the 2003 mission aboard Columbia that exploded when attempting to landkilling Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian-origin woman in space. Human spaceflights require fail-safes to handle the immense forces on space shuttles, and work in zero-gravity, zero-oxygen conditions. At the same time, space tourism is picking pace.

Also read | Chagos: Why India supports a cause forgotten by the world

Whats at stake for nations?

Control over space is a geopolitical race. Sending humans to space would also give nations capability to carry out space reconnaissance and engineering activities for defence forces and research. China has used its space programme to cement its place in the global pecking order. With Russia placed precariously, Indias Gaganyaan can increase its weight as an ally for the West in Asia. However, sending humans to space, alongside engineering challenges, is also expensive. All this, while missions get more ambitious by the day. Gaganyaan can put one more feather in Indias space cap.
Georgia lawmakers are trying to reignite a centuries-old dispute over land in Tennessee at the border with the peach state. Now, we're hearing local reactions about the proposal.
Tennesseans have shown incredible resilience in the face of numerous weather-related catastrophes in recent years, including the devastation experienced last fall in Northeast Tennessee brought by flooding from Hurricane Helene and the generational flooding that occurred in West Tennessee in April, said TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island Published: March 19 2025

Police responded to a Seaman Neck Road home at approximately 7:25 a.m. after a 911 caller reported a man hiding in their shed.

Suffolk County Police arrested a Dix Hills man for shooting his father to death in their home this morning.

Police responded to a Seaman Neck Road home at approximately 7:25 a.m. after a 911 caller reported a man hiding in their shed. When police arrived, it was determined the man, Christopher Miller, had been injured in a motor vehicle crash earlier this week and had been recently released from an area hospital.

Officers escorted Miller back to his home, located at 27 Bruno Lane, where they found he had shot his father, John Jack Miller, 75, to death before he fled the scene.

Christopher Miller, 43, was charged with Murder 2nd Degree. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the previous car crash and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 20 2025

Designation from Legislator Bontempi for programs in Northport, NY.

Legislator Bontempi, center, visits with People's Arc of Suffolk employees and program participants at the Performing Arts Center in Northport. Credit: People's Arc of Suffolk

Peoples Arc of Suffolk was recently cited by Suffolk County Legislator Stephanie Bontempi as the 2025 "Champions of Diversity" for the 18th Legislative District, for its new and innovative Performing Arts Center located in Northport, NY. This accolade celebrates the center's unwavering commitment to promoting diversity, inclusion, and cultural appreciation through the arts.

During her visit to the Performing Arts Center recently, Legislator Bontempi experienced firsthand the center's dynamic programs that integrate arts into the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through Program Without Walls community inclusion opportunities.

Located at 51 Scudder Avenue in Northport, NY, the People's Arc Performing Arts Center offers a variety of programs, including TheatreAbility, MusicAbility, DanceAbility, and ARC TV, all designed to foster self-expression and community integration.

"The People's Arc Performing Arts Center exemplifies how artistic expression can unite communities and celebrate diverse voices," said Legislator Bontempi. "Their dedication to creating an equitable and integrated community is truly commendable."

The official recognition ceremony will take place at the Suffolk County Legislatures General Meeting on April 8th at 9:30 AM in Riverhead.

Were grateful to Legislator Bontempi and her support of our programs that are truly life-changing for the people we support, said John McGuigan, CEO of Peoples Arc of Suffolk. Demonstrating the impact of what we do is essential to securing continued support and funding from the public and private sectors.

Their innovative services promote inclusion and self-expression, enriching the cultural fabric of the community.

About People's Arc of Suffolk

Formerly known as AHRC Suffolk, People's Arc of Suffolk is dedicated to creating communities where people of all ages and abilities can enjoy life to its fullest. The organization provides a wide array of services, including employment opportunities, education programs, and community engagement, all aimed at fostering an equitable and integrated community for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Follow Peoples Arc of Suffolk on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Local News

By Chris Boyle Published: March 20 2025

Dr. James McDonald Highlighted Healthcare and Public Health Proposals in Governor Kathy Hochuls FY 2025 Executive Budget.

The New York State Commissioner of Health Dr. James McDonald today discussed health care and public health proposals in Governor Kathy Hochuls FY 2025 Executive Budget at a public event held in partnership with the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island at the State University of New York at Old Westbury.

"This presentation on Governor Hochuls budget gave me an opportunity to outline her new initiatives to make New York the most affordable place to start a family, while giving Long Island residents the chance to provide valuable input and ask us questions about critical issues that impact their families, State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. We are committed to ensuring that all New Yorkers have the support, programs and services they need to live an affordable, healthy and quality life.

The FY 2025 Executive Budget makes targeted investments in initiatives to strengthen efforts to keep New Yorkers healthy and safe.

During his presentation, Commissioner McDonald outlined New York's priorities for children and families, such as Universal School Meals and free diapers.

We appreciate the New York State Department of Health for collaborating with Health and Welfare Council of Long Island to provide an in-depth briefing of the New York State fiscal year budget, Health and Welfare Council of Long Island President and CEO Vanessa Baird-Streeter said. Commissioner McDonald provided keen insight into budget initiatives and expanded upon programmatic elements in an effort to provide a comprehensive understanding of Governor Hochuls priorities for New York State residents. Offering Long Island health and human services organizations the opportunity to engage directly with state leadership demonstrates the commitment of the Governor to educate the public on new policies and initiatives for 2025 and beyond.

In January, Governor Hochul announced on Long Island a historic initiative to ensure every single one of New Yorks over 2.7 million students can receive breakfast and lunch for free at school. The program will help save parents money, address food insecurity among New York kids, and create more opportunities for students to succeed. Free school meals are estimated to save families $165 per child in monthly grocery spending support learning, boost test scores, and improve attendance and classroom behavior.

Governor Hochul announced new initiatives to make New York the most affordable place to start a family. She will partner with Baby2Baby  a national nonprofit that provides essential items to one million children living in poverty annually  to provide maternal health and newborn supply boxes to all expectant mothers enrolled in Medicaid and those reached through community-based organizations and hospitals serving lower-income areas. The boxes will provide resources, educational materials, self-care products, and diapers. This proposal is estimated to reach the families of approximately 100,000 babies at full implementation.

In addition, during his presentation, Dr. McDonald also highlighted nutrition assistance programs, maternal and women's health, minimum wage increases, and upcoming health projects.

To meet growing needs, Governor Hochul will expand the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program to reach 475,000 people, ensuring they receive nutritious foods and essential services. These investments will improve the health and well-being of tens of thousands more New Yorkers and make significant progress toward the States goal of becoming a national leader in WIC enrollment.

Governor Hochul will also introduce new legislation to provide coverage for fertility preservation services for Medicaid members undergoing medical treatments that may lead to infertility, and to broaden eligibility for the State's Infertility Reimbursement Program, ensuring that more New Yorkers can pursue their dreams of starting a family, regardless of their income or medical background.

Commissioner McDonald also updated attendees on the Departments ongoing efforts to control avian influenza and measles.

The 2025 State of the State Executive Budget Book can be found here.
Syrian soldiers patrolling the Lebanon-Syria border. (Sanajel on X)

On January 29, Syrias new leadership announced the dissolution of the Assad regimes Syrian Arab Army and launched a unification process to integrate various armed militias into a single national force. As part of this effort, militia leaders from the civil war were appointed to key military positions, with some overseeing regional commands and others leading operational divisions such as the air force, armored units, and artillery.

According to the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, top positions, particularly military division commands, were awarded to figures close to Syrias transitional authorityindividuals who had worked with the new leadership in the years leading up to the fall of the ousted Bashar al Assad regime.



FDDs Long War Journal has identified and profiled several of these figures:





Commander of the Republican Guard: Abdul Rahman Hussein al Khatib, foreign fighter

Khatib, a Jordanian national, has been appointed to lead the newly formed Syrian Republican Guard. Reports indicate that Khatibs first mission involved sweeping villages in Al Qusayr, Homs Governorate, over the past few weeks. His objective was to capture wanted individuals, seize weapons, and dismantle Captagon production sites along the Lebanon-Syria border.

Operating under the alias Abu Hussein al Urduni, Khatib joined Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), a US-designated terrorist group, in 2013, when it was still known as Jabhat al Nusrah, Al Qaedas affiliate in Syria. He rose through the ranks to become one of HTSs top commanders and gained significant trust within the group after the death of Abu Omar Saraqeb in 2016.

According to Independent Arabia, Khatib studied medicine in Jordan and was previously arrested by Jordanian authorities for his Salafist-jihadist ideology. His face remains hidden in all available images. Khatib appears in multiple photos with Ahmed al Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al Jolani, the former HTS commander and interim president of Syria, dating back to at least 2020.





Commander of The Damascus Division: Omar Mohammed Jaftashi (Mukhtar al Turki), foreign fighter

Jaftashi, a Turkish national, was appointed to lead the Damascus Military Division, also known as the Protector of Damascus. Before the fall of the Assad regime, he operated under the alias Mukhtar al Turki and was a secretive figure within HTS. Little is known about his movements, except for his unwavering loyalty to Abu Mohammad al Jolani.

Reports suggest that Jaftashi plays a key role in coordinating efforts between HTS and Turkish intelligence. Despite being a wanted individual in Turkey, he has maintained a close relationship with Turkish intelligence services.





Commander of the Hama Division (62nd Division): Mohammad al Jasem (Abu Amsha), Syrian

Mohammad al Jasem had no formal military background before the Syrian war. He worked as a tractor driver until the conflict erupted. Jasem first joined the Khat al Nar group before establishing the Khat al Nar Brigade in northern Hama in 2012. He later integrated into larger factions, including the Syrian Revolutionaries Front and the Sham Front.

Jasem also led the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, also called Amshat, which became part of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. He is also under US sanctions, along with several other militia leaders, for human rights abuses against the Kurdish population in northern Syria.

On February 2, 2025, Jasem was promoted to brigadier general and appointed commander of the Hama Division.

Jasems forces were accused of committing violations against the Alawite community in the events near the Syrian coast in March 2025.





Commander of the Homs Division (103rd Division): Haytham al Ali (Abu Moslem Afs), Syrian

Haytham al Ali, the former commander of the Ali bin Abi Talib Brigade, was a prominent military figure within Hayat Tahrir al Sham.

Ali was arrested by HTS in December 2023 on charges of conspiring with Abu Ahmad Zakur to overthrow Jolani. According to security sources, his arrest stemmed from his refusal to engage in conflict against Zakur and factions aligned with Abu Maria al Qahtani, an HTS commander who was accused of treason but later released and killed by an Islamic State suicide bomber. Due to widespread protests in Idlib against his and many others arrests and a lack of evidence proving he was a traitor, Ali was ultimately released.

Before his detention, Ali had been tasked with mobilizing his brigade to enforce a security crackdown on the city of Binnish, where Jolanis forces were suppressing protests and detaining demonstrators under dubious pretexts.





Commander of the Idlib Division: Mohammad Gharib (Abu Usayd Huran), Syrian

Mohammad Gharib, known by his nom de guerre Abu Usayd, was the commander of the Idlib sector within the Sham Legion (Faylaq al Sham) and a member of its Military Council. He also served as the commander of the Operations Room of the National Liberation Front. Additionally, Gharib was a member of the tripartite committee alongside Murhef Abu Qasra, the current minister of defense.

In his new position, Gharib will be responsible for securing the highways and the railway line in Idlib province, as well as preventing ISIS elements from infiltrating deep into the governorate.





Commander of the Daraa Division: Ahmad Binian al Hariri, Syrian

Hariri defected from the Syrian regimes forces in 2011 at the onset of the revolution. He later joined the Muhajireen wal Ansar Brigade, founded in February 2013, and played a key role in establishing Ahrar al Sham in southern Syria.

Following the reconciliation agreement between the regime and the rebels in 2018, Hariri relocated to northern Syria, where he continued to fight as a military commander with Ahrar al Sham. In September 2022, he graduated from the military academy associated with the HTS-led Syrian Salvation Government in Idlib.

Hariri played a pivotal role in the Deterrence of Aggression operation that led to the fall of the Assad regime on December 8, 2024. Serving as a field commander within Ahrar al Sham under the Military Operations Directorate, his leadership was instrumental in shaping the battlefield. In December 2024, Hariri was promoted to colonel in the new Syrian army.





Commander of the 74th Division: Jamil al Saleh, Syrian

Jamil al Saleh was the commander of Jaysh al Izza and currently holds the rank of colonel in the Syrian Administration. He began his military leadership career by founding the Martyrs of Latamneh Brigade, affiliated with the Free Syrian Army in Jabal al Zawiya. Saleh expanded his efforts by merging various groups and battalions to form the Gathering of Glory Battalions and Brigades, which later evolved into Jaysh al Izza in 2015.

Under Salehs leadership, Jaysh al Izza became one of the most significant factions operating in the northern Hama countryside. He led the group in numerous battles against the Assad regime in Hama and Latakia. Most recently, under his command, Jaysh al Izza played a central role in the HTS-led offensive in November 2024, serving as a key force on the frontlines of southern Idlib and northern Hama during the campaigns military operations.





Commander of the 82nd Division: Khaled al Halabi (Abu Khattab), Syrian

Halabi was promoted to the position of brigadier general and appointed as the commander of the 82nd Special Forces Division in the Syrian army. It has been claimed that Halabi was one of the main engineers of the HTS-led campaign that toppled Assad.

Abu Khattab was the commander of Ansar al Tawhid and formerly led Jund al Aqsa, succeeding Abu Abdul Aziz al Qatari. A key militant figure, he played a central role in the evolution of jihadist factions in Syria. His predecessor, Abu Abdul Aziz al Qatari, was a Palestinian veteran of Al Qaeda, having fought in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria alongside figures like Abdullah Azzam and Osama bin Laden.





Commander of the Aleppo Division (80th Division): Ahmad Rezeq, Syrian

As the commander of the Nour al Din al Zenki Movement, Ahmad Rezq played a pivotal role in military operations, particularly in western Aleppo. The Zenki Movement faced allegations of human rights abuses, including a notorious incident in 2016 where a child was beheaded. Reports suggest that this incident prompted President Donald Trump to cease backing Syrian rebel groups during his first term.

Ahmad Sharawi is a research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies focused on Iranian intervention in Arab affairs and the levant.
Luxembourg is one of the ten happiest places in the world, according to the latest World Happiness Report, published on Thursday in honour of the International Day of Happiness, with Finland keeping its top spot in the ranking among the Nordics Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.

The report, published by researchers from the University of Oxford, evaluates countries based on factors such as GDP per capita, life satisfaction, economic performance, healthy life expectancy, freedom and social support. The rankings are based on subjective assessments from citizens across the world.

Luxembourg ranks ninth out of 147 countries in the latest edition, dropping one spot from the previous year. Among individuals under 30, the country holds sixth place, while for those aged 60 and above, it falls outside the top 10, ranking 12th.

Among Luxembourgs neighbouring countries, Belgium improved by two places to 14th, while Germany climbed to 22nd. France, however, dropped five spots to 33rd. The Netherlands, Luxembourgs partner in the Benelux union, placed fifth.

Highest quality of life for Finns

Finlands top ranking is attributed to its strong welfare system, low corruption and deep connection to nature. Democracy is functioning well, we have free elections, free speech, low levels of corruption, and all of these have shown to predict higher levels of national well-being, Frank Martela, a wellbeing researcher at Aalto University, told AFP.

Finnish people also benefit from a high quality of life, supported by strong social safety nets, including universal healthcare and generous parental leave.

Luxembourgs GDP per capita was the biggest contributor to its ranking, followed by social support, freedoms and life expectancy. Last years ranking in eighth place marked the highest for the Grand Duchy ever since the survey began in 2012. Its lowest ranking was 20th place.

Also read: Luxembourg: boring and expensive or just misunderstood?

US faces increased isolation

The United States fell to 24th place in the ranking from, marking its lowest ever score. It had previously plummeted from 15th place in 2022 to 23rd last year.

The US is one of the few countries in the ranking to have seen a rise in so-called deaths of despair, suicides and deaths related to substance abuse. Researchers also noted that more Americans dined alone, a number that has increased by 53% over the past 20 years and contributed negatively to the overall score.

In general, happiness researchers have observed that the unequal distribution of happiness within countries has increased over the past 15 years.

It ranges from the happy Finns, with a happiness score of just under 7.74, to Afghanistan, which ranks last at 1.36. For women in the country ruled by the radical Islamic Taliban, the score is even lower at 1.16.
Private sector employees and pensioners in Luxembourg will lose 35 from their monthly income at the end of this month, as an annual fee is deducted to fund the activities of the lobby group for employees, Chambre des Salaries (CSL).



The end of March sees the amount taken by employers from the incomes of private sector workers and pensioners, regardless of whether they are residents or not.

In total, the body that campaigns for the rights of workers and pensioners is expected to receive around 20 million from the contribution.



As a general rule, the amount collected varies every year according to the number of contributors. In 2024, it was 20.7 million, in 2023 20.4 million and in 2022 19.5 million, Nermin Plavsic, a CSL board member told Contacto, with the sum representing the largest portion of the organisations annual budget.

Also read: Half of Luxembourg employees report high levels of mental distress

But where do these millions go? The money raised is used to finance the functioning and different missions of the CSL, Plavsic explained.



Examples of these missions are the defence of citizens' rights and interests, by representing them before state advisory bodies or social security organisations. The CSL also plays an active role in legislative procedures, drawing up opinions on bills and Grand-Ducal regulations.

Also read: One in seven Luxembourg employees is working poor

Another of the organisation's missions is to raise awareness among citizens. The CSL organises workshops and conferences accessible to the general public and makes available, free of charge, publications and newsletters to inform workers about their rights, safety at work, the economy, career management etc, he explained.

The CSL also promotes training for adults, through the Luxembourg Lifelong Learning Centre (LLLC), and hosts a range of other sessions, including trade union courses for delegates. The organisation also supports cultural projects in Luxembourg.

Also read: Luxembourg sees largest employment increase in the EU during Q4 of 2024

Myths surrounding the fee

Despite the information available, the purpose of the annual contribution of 35 to the CSL is not widely known, with myths surrounding the fee, such as the idea that the amount is used to finance the fireworks on 23 June, Luxembourgs national day.



As the CSL is a more or less unique institution in Europe (an organisation still little known to many newcomers), it's true that there can be misunderstandings about the contribution, the CSL said, adding that it carries out information campaigns to raise awareness about how the fee is used.

The last time the amount of the contribution was increased was back in 2022, when it went up from 31 to the current charge of 35.

However, not all taxpayers pay the same amount. Apprentices are charged four euros, while citizens with an income of less than 300 pay just 10. Despite these differences, the CSL emphasises that the payment covers all workers. No category of workers is excluded, it said.

(This article was originally published by Contacto. Translation, editing and adaptation by Lucrezia Reale)
On Tuesday, a Danish politician used social media to speculate about how President Donald Trumps administration might demand Greenland.

Rasmus Jarlov, a member of Denmarks Folketing, also known as parliament, for the Conservative Peoples Party, said he regretted helping approve the countrys recent purchase of F-35 fighter jets from the United States.

In the social media post written on X Jarlov said he can easily imagine a situation where the USA will demand Greenland from Denmark and will threaten to deactivate our weapons and let Russia attack us when we refuse (which we will even in that situation).

The official X account for the F-35 fighter jet manufacturer emphasized that the Pentagon denies being able to remotely disable the jets. However, Jarlov believes the United States may still be able to leverage the situation.

The USA can certainly disable the planes by simple stopping the supply of spare parts, Jarlov wrote on X. They want to strengthen Russia and weaken Europa and are showing that they are willing to do tremendous damage to peaceful and loyal allies like Canada just because they insist on existing as a country.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous island located in the Arctic, currently governed by Denmark.

President Trump had previously promised to acquire Greenland one way or another. He reiterated this during his joint address to Congress on March 4 .

Greenland is recognized for its natural resources and minerals. However, President Trump has shown no interest in the countrys mining opportunities. In his March address to Congress, he noted that Greenland is vital for national security and international security.
Demonstrators gather outside of the Edward A. Garmatz United States District Courthouse in Baltimore, on Friday, March 14, 2025, before a hearing regarding the Department of Government Efficiency's access to Social Security data. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) AP

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Elon Musk s Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security Administration systems that hold personal data on millions of Americans.

The decision from U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland also requires the team to delete any personally identifiable data they may have. It comes after labor unions and retirees asked for an emergency order limiting DOGE access to the agency and its vast troves of personal data.

They said DOGEs nearly unlimited access violates privacy laws and presents massive information security risks. A recently departed Social Security official who saw the DOGE team sweep into the agency said she is deeply worried about sensitive information being exposed.

The Trump administration says DOGE has a 10-person team of federal employees at the Social Security Administration, seven of whom have been granted read-only access to agency systems or personally identifiable information.

The administration has said DOGE is targeting waste and fraud in the federal government.

Hollander, though, found that the ends may not justify the means.

The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion, she wrote.

Attorneys for the government argued the DOGE access doesnt deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees are routinely allowed to search its databases. But attorneys for the plaintiffs called the access unprecedented.

DOGE has gotten at least some access to other government databases, including at the Treasury Department and IRS.

At SSA, DOGE staffers swept into the agency days after Trumps inauguration and pressed for a software engineer to quickly get access to data systems that are normally carefully restricted even within the government, a former official said in court documents.

The team appeared to be searching for fraud based on inaccuracies and misunderstandings, according to Tiffany Flick, the former acting chief of staff to the acting commissioner.

Hollander, who is based in Baltimore and was nominated by President Barack Obama, is the latest judge to consider a DOGE related case. The team has drawn nearly two dozen lawsuits, some of which have shed light on staffing and operations that have largely been kept under wraps.

Several judges have raised questions about DOGEs sweeping cost-cutting efforts, but they have not always agreed that the risks are imminent enough to block the team from government systems.
Karen Read and attorney David Yannetti during her trial in Norfolk Superior Court in 2024.

The prosecutor in the Karen Read case criticized her lawyers for using names randomly to support their theory that Read was not responsible for the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John OKeefe.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan is seeking to bar Reads defense from offering a third-party culprit defense during her second trial, slated to start on April 1.
The 26-year-old former leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios gang pleaded guilty to racketeering charges on Wednesday, the U.S. District Attorneys Office announced.

Aaron Diaz Liranzo, also known as Sosa, pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy, or conspiring to participate in criminal operations in a pattern of illegal activity.

Diaz Liranzo was arrested and charged in February when authorities said he was the leader of the Lynn Chapter of the Trinitarios gang. He will be sentenced on June 25.

He was one of at least 22 active gang members who were charged with state or federal crimes last month. He is the sixth gang member charged to plead guilty, the office said.

The charges stem from a slew of organized criminal activities in Massachusetts over the past decade, including the murders of six people and the attempted killings of 11 others. In February, officials called the indictments a significant blow to the criminal enterprise.

Diaz Liranzo was the leader of the Lynn Chapter from at least 2021 until 2025, called the Primera or Number One, according to the U.S. District Attorneys Office.

The 26-year-old admitted to participating in a shooting outside of a Lynn nightclub in March 2019, where he shot at three people inside a car, the office said. Two people were severely injured, though both survived.

The shooting was planned to target rival gang members and the victims were lured there by another gang member who posed as a woman who needed a ride, the office said.

Diaz Liranzo could face a life sentence in prison for his charge of RICO conspiracy and a $250,000 fine, according to the office.

Massachusetts Trinitarios have committed multiple homicides in Essex County over the past decade and are believed to be responsible for numerous attempted murders, shootings, kidnappings and robberies, the office said.
A man who held a Massachusetts Super 8 Motel receptionist at gunpoint, binding her hands and feet with black zip ties, was granted parole on Wednesday. But instead of walking free, hes being taken to a Pennsylvania prison.

On the afternoon of Dec. 14, 2006, David Jefferson used the employee entrance to ask about weekly motel rates at the Greenfield Super 8 Motel. The 19-year-old woman at the front desk recognized him from previous visits and asked him to come around to the front of the reception counter.

Instead, Jefferson pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. He then asked the woman for the money in the drawer and took $190.

He demanded more money and the woman opened a lockbox and gave him $250.

The man then took the 19-year-old to the laundry room and bound her hands and one of her legs with black zip ties. The woman was later found by another clerk scheduled to relieve her.

Police learned Jefferson had been released from prison in Philadelphia on Aug. 28, 2006 after serving sentences for armed robberies in 2001 where he also tied up victims at motels. He had failed to report to a halfway house and was wanted on a parole violation.

Jefferson was a suspect in a home investigation committed on Dec. 6, 2006 and had a stolen red Chevy Cavalier.

On Dec. 19, 2006, Greenfield police saw a red Chevy Cavalier parked in the lot of the Super 8 Motel. The next day, officers arrested Jefferson as he attempted to enter the car. A package of black plastic zip ties and a black metal handgun were found under the drivers seat.

On Sept. 21, 2009, Jefferson was convicted of armed robbery after a jury trial in Franklin County Superior Court. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. He was also convicted of kidnapping and sentenced to a concurrent term of 9 to 10 years in state prison.

More than a decade later, Jefferson first appeared before the parole board for an initial hearing.

The man admitted that he was ashamed of the person he was on the day of the robbery. He said he had a troubling childhood and was exposed to substance abuse at an early age. He started drinking alcohol at age 10 and using heroin at age 13.

His first heroin overdose occurred that same year, the parole board decision states.

He spent time in numerous foster homes and halfway houses. He eventually became homeless and began stealing cars to sleep in.

He also spoke about other crimes, including stabbing another teen when he was 14-years-old and breaking into a house and binding and robbing a woman.

He told the parole board that he thinks about the Super 8 Motel receptionist often and would like the opportunity to apologize to her.

However, his time in prison was also fueled by his addition.

He admitted to using drugs every day he was in prison until 2017. In 2019, Suboxone was found concealed in his mail. Jefferson admitted that it was sent to him by a former inmate, so he could sell the drugs to pay off a debt. Officials said he earned several thousand dollars selling suboxone in the prison.

He also admitted he had previously never really thought about the victims of his crimes before because he was only concerned with getting high. The Correctional Recovery Academy helped him learn to empathize, he said. He also got a job in the prisons library, where he taught himself to read and write.

The Northwestern District Attorneys Office opposed his parole.

And in 2022, the parole board decided to deny his parole.

The Board is of the opinion that David Jefferson has not demonstrated a level of rehabilitative progress that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society, the parole board wrote in 2022. He needs to exhibit a longer period of positive adjustment.

Jefferson, now 64, had another review hearing on Nov. 7, 2024.

The board said he has continued to maintain his sobriety and has invested in further rehabilitation. He has also completed programming to address his addiction and has completed programs to address violence, emotional healing, vocational skills and victim empathy.

On Wednesday, he was granted parole but is required to complete an additional 3 year sentence in Pennsylvania.

Jefferson provided the parole board with a long-term release plan following the end of his sentence. And, the board said, he has a support system in Pennsylvania, where he intends to live.
Bunker Hill Community College has suspended its upcoming study abroad programs due to federal immigration policy and enforcement.

President Pam Eddinger told MassLive that there are students in the study abroad programs who are not citizens. The institutions primary worry is that there would be a hiccup and students wouldnt be allowed back into the U.S.

Even if all of them go and they have a great time, they learn a lot, if one of them cant come back  it would kill me, Eddinger said.

The Trump administration has drafted a travel ban that could impact people from 41 countries and a list of 11 countries whose citizens would be barred from entering the United States, according to The New York Times.

While the study abroad program is on pause, a space for those students will be kept for next years program. Students were notified on Friday by email.

The study abroad programs are one to two weeks with up to 60 students who travel with faculty experts and explore the environment, culture, history and contemporary scholarship of their destination country, spokesperson Brendan Hughes said.

The locations include Kenya, Ghana, Japan, Costa Rica and Panama.

In Fall 2024, Bunker Hill had 724 international students from 94 countries, according to the institutions website.
Federal authorities seized over 100 firearms as part of a year-long federal investigation into illegal firearm sales across Massachusetts. Courtesy of the Office of United States Attorney Leah B. Foley

Federal authorities charged 18 Brazilian nationals in connection with federal firearms offenses and seized over 100 firearms as part of a year-long federal investigation into illegal gun sales across the commonwealth.

Twelve of the people facing charges have no legal status and are living in the U.S. without documentation, according to U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. They range in age from 21 to 50. They lived in Marlborough, Malden, Weymouth and Chelsea, Framingham, Revere, Boston, Yarmouth, West Yarmouth, Barnstable, Plymouth and Everett.

As alleged, these defendants  most of whom have no legal status in the United States  played a role in bringing deadly weapons into Massachusetts, some as traffickers and others as unlawful possessors. This kind of lawlessness fuels violent crime and empowers transnational criminal organizations that profit from chaos and fear. It puts American lives at risk, Foley said in a statement. This case is a testament to the strength of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships in keeping our communities safe and upholding the rule of law.

Some of the guns were tied to gang-related activities involving Primeiro Comando da Capital, one of the largest criminal organizations in Brazil and Latin America, Foley said. Smaller street gangs such as Tropa de Sete and Trem Bala were involved with the firearms as well.

Members of Primeiro Comando da Capital and their associates are known to commit violent offenses, including murder, armed robberies, kidnappings and drug trafficking, Foley said.

Authorities seized about 110 firearms, fentanyl and ammunition throughout the investigation, which started in 2024, Foley said. Some of the firearms were handguns, rifles, short-barreled rifles and shotguns that were trafficked from areas in Florida and South Carolina into Massachusetts.

The charges of dealing firearms without a license provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison with three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, Foley said.

Possession of a firearm by an undocumented person provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison with three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, Foley said.

The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed, Foley said.
A potato chip brand recalled in February just received a new health risk level update from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

On Feb. 27, Coyote Valley Sour Cream & Onion Chips were recalled due to higher sodium amounts than stated on the bags label, according to the FDA. The agency received 3,005 cases with 20 bags of chips per case, which prompted the recall of 60,100 bags of chips in total.

The health risk was updated on March 12, when the FDA classified the recall as a Class II. This classification means the product may have caused temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences, the agency stated on its website.

Class II recalls also mean that the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.

Bags of Coyote Valley Sour Cream & Onion Chips were distributed to Texas, Ohio and Nevada.

Uncle Rays, LLC, based in Montgomery City, Missouri, is the named recalling firm, while the chip brand is distributed by Food Express USA in Dallas, Texas.

Product details include:
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that begins the efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The potential for the order was first reported earlier this month by The Wall Street Journal.

Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country, and were going to take care of our teachers, he said prior to the signing. And I dont care if theyre in the union or not in the union, that doesnt matter.

He reaffirmed that the departments useful function such as the oversight of Pell Grants and Title I funding would be preserved.

Trump said during the speech that he hopes United States Education Secretary Linda McMahon wont be there too long and added that the administration will find something else for her.

McMahon said in a statement that education is fundamentally a state responsibility and that the administration is empowering them to implement what is best for students, families and educators.

Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on themwe will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers and others who rely on essential programs, McMahon said. Were going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working through Congress to ensure a lawful and orderly transition.

The American Federation of Teachers in Massachusetts called the order the latest in a string of illegal orders that would cause irreparable harm to children across the country.

President Trump and Linda McMahon have no problem using children as collateral in their efforts to fund massive tax credits for the wealthiest Americans, said American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. At the end of the day, the White House is not just illegally dismantling a department  theyre dismantling the futures of millions of children across the country.

Congress will still need to create a bill and pass it with a minimum of 60 votes in the Senate to abolish the agency.

However, despite needing Congressional intervention, Will Ragland at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, told MassLive that the Trump administration can effectively shut the department down by stripping it back until it barely has anyone working there and cant operate.

The executive order comes after more than 1,300 employees were fired as part of President Donald Trumps plan to dismantle the agency. That includes all employees at the Education Departments regional Boston office.

Shutting down an agency that provides financial aid to families, funds afterschool programs and enforces our nations civil rights laws doesnt help our students learn and doesnt make our country better. If you send your kids to public school, Trump is sending you a clear message: he doesnt care about you, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren in response to the cuts.

Ragland said the message that the Department would be able to retain its key functions following the cuts was utter horse crap.

There is no way that they can ensure that this funding reaches its intended targets without half of their staff there to do it, said Ragland, who was a former employee at the Department of Education.

Joseph, the former Office of Civil Rights chief of staff, said key functions cant happen with a reduction in force.

When you cut staff to the point where ... its impossible to actually deliver on the mission of the organization, its hard to make the claim that you havent effectively abolished the department, Joseph said.

McMahon has said she wanted to reduce bloat to be able to send more money to local education authorities.

So many of the programs are really excellent, so we need to make sure the money goes to the states, McMahon said in an interview on Fox News.

In a letter, entitled Our Departments Final Mission, McMahon describes an overhaul of the federal agency to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy which will have profound impacts on staff, budgets and agency operations here at the Department.

Millions of young Americans are trapped in failing schools, subjected to radical anti-American ideology, or saddled with college debt for a degree that has not provided a meaningful return on their investment, she said. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves after just a few years  and citing red tape as one of their primary reasons.

How it will impact Mass.

The dismantling of the Department of Education is pretty terrifying and has the potential to have larger impacts on learning outcomes than the pandemic, according to Vatsady Sivongxay, executive director of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance.

Its incomprehensible as to why they would want to do it because the damage is so big, Sivongxay said.

Theyre taking on these decisions and moving forward with that ... without thinking about the collateral damage that can happen right now and way later in the future, she said.

While the Trump administration has said the money saved through eliminating the Department of Education would be passed on to the states, the conservative playbook of Project 2025 has laid out reasons to believe the money may not support public education.

Chapter 11 of the plan states that school funding should be sent to states. The first page of the chapter highlights and encourages a state plan where that money would be used on education options such as private school tuition, online courses and tutoring rather than on public school education.

During Trumps presidential campaign, he denied his involvement in Project 2025. However, his aim to significantly cut the federal agency is in line with what is stated in the conservative blueprint.

Massachusetts receives over $2 billion in federal education funding per year  a number that the state cant fully replace, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.

The funding goes toward teacher salaries and benefits, school counselors, homeless liaisons, helping low- and middle-income students go to college and supporting special education, Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw said in a statement.

Most students go to public schools in Massachusetts and 95% of students with disabilities in the United States in 2022 attended public schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

As such, defunding programs has the potential to have damaging impacts on every student, especially those who are already disadvantaged, Sivongxay said.

As a parent of a child in the Cambridge Public Schools, Sivongxay said she is particularly worried about the potential cuts to teacher salaries and support because there is already a shortage in the state. She is also concerned about the potential cuts to summer programming.

If there is disruption in the summer programs, all the hard work that the student and the teacher did during this school year is going to be lost, she said.

I want every student and every child in our community to have access to those, because ... my child is going to have a better future when his peers have the same opportunities as he does, she said.

Jorge Fanjul, Massachusetts executive director of Latinos for Education, agreed. He said it is difficult to see how the cut to the Department of Education wouldnt disproportionately impact communities that are already facing barriers in K-12 learning, like Latino students.

It is hard for me to imagine that a change like this, such a drastic change, a different change, a change in direction wont have an impact on our most vulnerable communities, he said.

If funding was pulled from states, the dismantling of the federal department would result in bigger class sizes, fewer reading specialists and support for students with IEPs, less funding for poorer and rural school districts and an end to after school programs, according to Gov. Maura Healey.

Massachusetts is home to the first public school in the United States, and we have the #1 schools in the country, Healey said.

What Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Linda McMahon are doing is bad for children, bad for schools and bad for our communities. Congress cannot let this happen, Healey said.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that begins the efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The potential for the order was first reported earlier this month by The Wall Street Journal.

Massachusetts officials have discussed what ending the Department of Education would do in the state, with potential dangers including endangering the states new free community college program.

Congress will still need to create a bill and pass it with a minimum of 60 votes in the Senate to abolish the agency.

Read the executive order below:

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to enable parents, teachers, and communities to best ensure student success, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1 . Purpose and Policy . Our Nations bright future relies on empowered families, engaged communities, and excellent educational opportunities for every child. Unfortunately, the experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars  and the unaccountable bureaucracy those programs and dollars support  has plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families.

Taxpayers spent around $200 billion at the Federal level on schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, on top of the more than $60 billion they spend annually on Federal school funding. This money is largely distributed by one of the newest Cabinet agencies, the Department of Education, which has existed for less than one fifth of our Nations history. The Congress created the Department of Education in 1979 at the urging of President Jimmy Carter, who received a first-ever Presidential endorsement from the countrys largest teachers union shortly after pledging to the union his support for a separate Department of Education. Since then, the Department of Education has entrenched the education bureaucracy and sought to convince America that Federal control over education is beneficial. While the Department of Education does not educate anyone, it maintains a public relations office that includes over 80 staffers at a cost of more than $10 million per year.

Closing the Department of Education would provide children and their families the opportunity to escape a system that is failing them. Today, American reading and math scores are near historical lows. This years National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in math. The Federal education bureaucracy is not working.

Closure of the Department of Education would drastically improve program implementation in higher education. The Department of Education currently manages a student loan debt portfolio of more than $1.6 trillion. This means the Federal student aid program is roughly the size of one of the Nations largest banks, Wells Fargo. But although Wells Fargo has more than 200,000 employees, the Department of Education has fewer than 1,500 in its Office of Federal Student Aid. The Department of Education is not a bank, and it must return bank functions to an entity equipped to serve Americas students.

Ultimately, the Department of Educations main functions can, and should, be returned to the States.

Sec . 2 . Closing the Department of Education and Returning Authority to the States . (a) The Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

(b) Consistent with the Department of Educations authorities, the Secretary of Education shall ensure that the allocation of any Federal Department of Education funds is subject to rigorous compliance with Federal law and Administration policy, including the requirement that any program or activity receiving Federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label diversity, equity, and inclusion or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.

Sec . 3 . General Provisions . (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
A commuter walks past the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Eduction, which were ordered closed for the day for what officials described as security reasons amid large-scale layoffs, Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) AP

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that begins the efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.

For a state like Massachusetts, which is known for its higher education and education system, the impact of eliminating the department would be a direct hit to Massachusetts economic future, according to Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao.

Our states innovation economy  driven by world-class universities, a highly skilled workforce and cutting-edge industries  depends on strong federal investment in education, Hao said. Gutting that support threatens the pipeline of talent that fuels our businesses, weakens workforce development programs that help residents build careers and creates uncertainty for employers looking to grow here. Massachusetts succeeds when education and economic opportunity go hand in hand, and this move puts both at risk.

Finalizing the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

However, despite needing Congressional intervention, Will Ragland at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, told MassLive that the Trump administration can effectively shut the department down by stripping it back until it barely has anyone working there and cant operate.

The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

All those at the regional Boston office of the U.S. Education Department were fired.

How much federal funding Mass. receives

Massachusetts receives over $2 billion in federal education funding per year  a number that the state cant fully replace, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.

The funding goes toward teacher salaries and benefits, school counselors, homeless liaisons, helping low- and middle-income students go to college and supporting special education, Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw said in a statement.

A risk for continued free community college?

Programs like the newly implemented free community college are based upon federal funding distributed through Pell Grants, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega told MassLive.

Ortega said the state believes in maintaining the commitment to programs like free community college but is also banking on the fact that it would take tremendous effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and Congressional involvement.

The cuts to the U.S. Department of Education are going to jeopardize a lot of the ground that states have made in increasing post-secondary access for a number of students, Ortega said.

Learning outcomes

The dismantling of the Department of Education is pretty terrifying and has the potential to have larger impacts on learning outcomes than the pandemic, according to Vatsady Sivongxay, executive director of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance.

Its incomprehensible as to why they would want to do it because the damage is so big, Sivongxay said.

Theyre taking on these decisions and moving forward with that ... without thinking about the collateral damage that can happen right now and way later in the future, she said.

The Trump administration wrote in a Thursday article that over $3 trillion has been spent by the U.S. Department of Education since 1979 and that it has virtually nothing to show for it with low math and reading test scores and difficulty in reading proficiency.

Instead of maintaining the status quo that is failing American students, the Trump Administrations bold plan will return education where it belongs  with individual states, which are best positioned to administer effective programs and services that benefit their own unique populations and needs," the administration wrote.

Public school funding

While the Trump administration has said the money saved through eliminating the Department of Education would be passed on to the states, the conservative playbook of Project 2025 has laid out reasons to believe the money may not support public education.

Chapter 11 of the plan states that school funding should be sent to states. The first page of the chapter highlights and encourages a state plan where that money would be used on education options such as private school tuition, online courses and tutoring rather than on public school education.

During Trumps presidential campaign, he denied his involvement in Project 2025. However, his aim to significantly cut the federal agency is in line with what is stated in the conservative blueprint.

Most students go to public schools in Massachusetts and 95% of students with disabilities in the United States in 2022 attended public schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

As such, defunding programs has the potential to have damaging impacts on every student, especially those who are already disadvantaged, Sivongxay said.

As a parent of a child in the Cambridge Public Schools, Sivongxay said she is particularly worried about the potential cuts to teacher salaries and support because there is already a shortage in the state. She is also concerned about the potential cuts to summer programming.

If there is disruption in the summer programs, all the hard work that the student and the teacher did during this school year is going to be lost, she said.

I want every student and every child in our community to have access to those, because ... my child is going to have a better future when his peers have the same opportunities as he does, she said.

The impact on marginalized students in Mass.

Jorge Fanjul, Massachusetts executive director of Latinos for Education, agreed. He said it is difficult to see how the cut to the Department of Education wouldnt disproportionately impact communities that are already facing barriers in K-12 learning, like Latino students.

It is hard for me to imagine that a change like this, such a drastic change, a different change, a change in direction wont have an impact on our most vulnerable communities, he said.

If funding was pulled from states, the dismantling of the federal department would result in bigger class sizes, fewer reading specialists and support for students with IEPs, less funding for poorer and rural school districts and an end to after school programs, according to Gov. Maura Healey.

Massachusetts is home to the first public school in the United States, and we have the #1 schools in the country, Healey said.

What Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Linda McMahon are doing is bad for children, bad for schools and bad for our communities. Congress cannot let this happen, Healey said.

Ongoing investigations

At the same time the executive order and cuts are being made, higher education is also under a heavy load of investigations  in particular institutions in Massachusetts.

MIT and the New England College of Optometry are among over 50 institutions under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination.

Six Massachusetts colleges and universities are among dozens being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for not protecting Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination and harassment.

Harvard is 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 Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, to discuss how they responded to antisemitic incidents at schools and college campuses over the last two years.
President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency thats been a longtime target of conservatives.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement. The likelihood of an executive order was first reported at the beginning of March.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs and benefits on which Americans rely.

Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, finalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

Despite needing Congressional intervention, Will Ragland at the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank, told MassLive that the Trump administration can effectively shut the department down by stripping it back until it barely has anyone working there and cant operate.

The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

All those at the regional Boston office of the U.S. Education Department were fired.

The Boston office was largely made up of around 30 people who work with the Office for Civil Rights, which protects students from discrimination, Katy Joseph, former Office of Civil Rights chief of staff, told MassLive.

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

This isnt fixing education. Its making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And were not about to let that happen without a fight, the National Parents Union said in a statement.

Massachusetts is dependent on federal money, receiving over $2 billion in federal education funding per year  a number that the state cant fully replace, according to the Healey-Driscoll administration.

Programs like the newly implemented free community college are based upon federal funding distributed through Pell Grants, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega told MassLive.

Ortega said the state believes in maintaining the commitment to programs like free community college but is also banking on the fact that it would take tremendous effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and Congressional involvement.

The cuts to the U.S. Department of Education are going to jeopardize a lot of the ground that states have made in increasing post-secondary access for a number of students, Ortega said.

The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be a better functioning Department of Education.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans.

Currently, much of the agencys work revolves around managing money  both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

The Trump administration has already pulled $400 million in funding from Columbia University and $175 million from the University of Pennsylvania.

The administration also has arrested two student protesters at Columbia University and 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.

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools. The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents groups demand more authority over their childrens schooling.

In his platform, Trump promised to close the department and send it back to the states, where it belongs. Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of radicals, zealots and Marxists who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation.

At the same time, Trump has leaned on the Education Department to promote elements of his agenda. He has used investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of withdrawing federal education funding to target schools and colleges that run afoul of his orders on transgender athletes participating in womens sports, pro-Palestinian activism and diversity programs.

MIT and the New England College of Optometry are among over 50 institutions on Friday under federal investigation for alleged racial discrimination.

Six Massachusetts colleges and universities are among dozens being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education for not protecting Jewish students from antisemitic discrimination and harassment.

Harvard is among 10 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 Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, to discuss how they responded to antisemitic incidents at schools and college campuses over the last two years.
A Chelsea man with several outstanding warrants was arrested after a three-hour standoff at an apartment complex on Wednesday, Chelsea police said.

Police arrested Douglas Chin, 29, a resident of the apartment building, following a violent altercation in the hallway, destroying property and threatening onsite staff, the police department said in a statement on Thursday.

Chin has several outstanding warrants out of Cambridge District Court, including several assault charges with some involving police, the department said. He was arraigned in Chelsea District Court on Thursday.

At around 6:45 p.m., Chelsea police were notified of a disturbance at the apartment complex, police said. When officers arrived, they found Chin in a hallway. He went back into his apartment and did not comply with police commands.

Officers believed he might have been armed with a knife, the statement read. Chin became increasingly hostile, barricading himself inside his unit and making continued threats.

Residents on the floor were evacuated as a crisis negotiator was called to the scene, police said.

After three hours of the negotiator communicating with Chin, Chelsea police asked the Massachusetts State Police Tactical STOP Team to assist in breaking into the apartment, the statement read.

At around 10:20 p.m., the State Police team went into the apartment and arrested Chin, police said. He was then taken to Cambridge Health Alliance in Everett for medical evaluation, then he was booked at the Chelsea Police Headquarters.
People whove had their prescriptions filled at Walgreens may be entitled to a share of a $100 million settlement.

According to court records , Walgreens has agreed to pay $100 million after the pharmacy chain was accused of overcharging for generic prescription drugs. The parties representing Walgreens emphasized the settlement is not an admission of fault or wrongdoing.

The class action lawsuit alleged that the pharmacy company unlawfully required insured customers to pay more for generic drugs than those in Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, which shut down on Aug. 31, 2024.

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club allowed members who pay an annual fee to receive generic drugs at fixed prices without the need for insurance, according to the class action lawsuits website .

The Settling Parties know that further prosecution and defense of the Action would be protracted and expensive, the court document read. Having taken into account the uncertainty and risks inherent in any such litigation, have determined that it is desirable to compromise and settle all claims in the Action.

Individuals who filled prescriptions at Walgreens from Jan. 1, 2007, to Nov. 18, 2024 and utilized prescription insurance benefits for their purchases might be eligible to join the lawsuit.

The amount a person receives from the settlement depends on several factors, including the number of prescriptions filled during the time period and the total amount paid.
A West Stockbridge man was sentenced Tuesday in a federal court in Albany, New York, after he admitted to sexually abusing a teenager, federal authorities said.

Frank Twing Sr., 33, was sentenced to 25 years in prison with 25 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III of the Northern District of New York said in a statement.

Twing admitted that he sexually abused a 15-year-old child, during which he created sexually explicit videos, according to federal authorities. He also admitted to traveling from his home in Massachusetts to New York with plans of sexually abusing a 12-year-old child.

Twing will also have to forfeit the property he used to commit the crimes to the federal government, according to federal authorities. Hell also have to pay special assessments and register as a sex offender after he gets out of prison.
Mayo TD and Minister for Rural and Community Development, Dara Calleary launched the 2025 Town and Village Renewal Scheme which will make funding available to acquire derelict buildings.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is designed to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland and to build greater resilience into our town centres through regeneration projects.

The Department of Rural and Community Development say the 2025 scheme will focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town centres with funding of up to 500,000 per local authority available for the acquisition of vacant or derelict buildings or lands for town regeneration purposes.

READ: Fresh plans submitted to demolish derelict west Mayo pub building

Funding will also be available for the pre-development costs associated with projects to help communities develop applications for future funding calls. This years call for proposals will allow one additional application for one larger scale project (up to 300,000 category) for those local authorities with an inhabited offshore island and/or Gaeltacht areas.

Launching the 2025 Scheme, Minister Calleary said the fund will support projects throughout Ireland with a focus on stimulating town centre economic and social regeneration through sustainable employment creation.

Im delighted today to launch the 2025 Town and Village Renewal Scheme which will provide funds to develop projects in every corner of the country, said Minister Calleary.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme continues to have a hugely positive impact in Irelands rural towns and villages and this investment will further strengthen this work.

Rural development continues to be a key priority for the Government and we will continue to support the revitalisation and resilience of rural Ireland, transforming our towns and villages  creating better places to live, work and participate in their local community, he said.

Three funding streams are available under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme; the Main Scheme, the Project Development Measure and the Building or Land Acquisition Measure.

Projects will align with the objectives of the Government policies of Our Rural Future, Town Centre First and Our Living Islands with a focus on driving town centre regeneration; supporting town or village centre plaza development; development of green spaces or recreational amenities in town or village centres; the enhancement of our streetscapes; supporting town or village centre markets; upgrading or refurbishing community centres; bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use as multi-purpose community spaces; supporting vibrant and sustainable Gaeltacht communities and island communities on Irelands inhabited offshore islands.

Minister Calleary continued: The Project Development Measure has been hugely successful in providing an opportunity to develop a pipeline of significant, well developed projects therefore will be funded under the TVRS again this year.

In response to the continuing demand to revitalise our towns and villages, the Building or Land Acquisition Measure will provide up to 500,000 per local authority to purchase up to three vacant or derelict buildings or lands for regeneration purposes.

I am strongly encouraging local authorities to work closely with communities to put forward projects that are ambitious and will make a positive difference.
As you might be aware, May is Come Home to Mayo Month, when all with a connection to this most beautiful county are encouraged to drop back for a look at the home place. We can be sure there will be plenty to keep those who do come busy while they are here.

Among the foremost events being planned is the annual Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival, which will take place on Saturday, May 10. Traditionally a three-day cross-country 64k hike from the town of Balla to Murrisk, post-Covid this has become a one-day, 20k jaunt from Aughagower to Murrisk. Those with pneumatic knees and hawsers for hamstrings who harken for the dubious pleasure of the old days must wait a year or two for the full course to be run again (which it likely will be).

For now, 20k must be enough. But what 20k these are! If there exist anywhere such varied surroundings and conditions underfoot in a distance so short we would like to know where it is. A bold claim? Perhaps. But to be certain, you must sign up for the day and see for yourself.

Walking with reason

This walking festival has always had the primary aim of raising funds for one worthwhile cause or another, and this year it is the Mayo-Roscommon Hospice that will benefit. Most of us are aware of the sterling work accomplished by this well-established charity, but what is not as well known is the hospices plan to expand and provide locally available, dedicated care for children and young adults enduring cancer, who must presently travel to Dublin to avail of suitable services.

All proceeds (apart from essential expenses) will be going directly to support that project.

But what lies in store for those who register and share in the day?

For a start, morning bus transport has been kindly provided by Declan Kennedy of locally based Kennedy Travel. Walkers will be able to leave their cars parked at Murrisk and take the bus to the registration point in the historical village of Aughagower.

Aughagower itself has become famous for many things. Legend tells us that it was here that St Patrick established a church and ordained bishops from among the local population, saying There will be good bishops here, and from their seed blessed people will come forth forever in this See. So taken was Patrick with Achad Fobuir, as the village was then known, he further said I would choose to remain on a little land here, after faring around churches and waters.

As we would expect, the history of Saint Patricks visit here has been preserved. A walk around the village will reveal the ruined Church of the Teeth, which Patrick himself is said to have founded. Close by is Patricks Vat, where baptisms are reputed to have taken place, and less than a stones throw away we can find Patricks Bed, where the saint must have lain to recover from his exertions. Is the ruined (and leaning!) Round Tower really from the 7th century? We think it must be later, but there is no doubt the monastic surround is of that date.

Today it is the warm hospitality offered by the local community that draws people, and as our walkers enjoy complimentary morning coffee and homemade cake they will think of their kind-hearted hosts who dragged themselves out of bed to make sure the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival gets a great send off.

We should mention the registration process. While advance registration is available through Eventbrite, walkers can also pay their registration fee on the day. Whichever option is chosen, the organisers ask that everyone sign in that morning, and sign out when they get back to Murrisk at the end of the trail. This is so they know everyone is alive and well and that there are no walkers left on the hill, lost and alone, at the end of the day.

But we are only setting out. While the walk is guided, all are free to choose their own pace. Some will get their heads down and step out, while others will take a more relaxed view of things and want to look around them, learning as they go.

Heritage aplenty

And there is plenty to be seen. The first off road section is a wildflower haven, with high banks lined with primrose, both yellow and scarlet pimpernel, saxifrage and more. These flowers are the same that grew here when pilgrims took this ancient route to their holy mountain, and the songbirds that fill the morning air with riches are likely direct descendants of those Patrick himself no doubt enjoyed. It would be a shame to hurry through and not to see, and take your time, for there is tarmac ahead.

Even so, the little roads and boreens that lead us west rarely see much traffic. On either side we have the small fields typical of rural west Mayo, with little sign of the intensive farming evidenced elsewhere. We get the feeling that the world has slowed a little, and an inkling that we should do the same.

Up hill and down we go, over tiny, near-hidden bridges and through the remains of ancient woodland as we take the steep climb to Lankill, where a visual spectacle awaits as David Hughes gives a demonstration of road-bowling, a uniquely Irish sport with its roots in the 17th century. Road bowling involves hurling a 7 inch, 28 ounce iron sphere up the road as far as can be done, avoiding both ditches and (hopefully) onlookers. It is a remarkable and eye-widening sport, not least for the way wary shins are lifted smartly out of the way of that unpredictably bouncing projectile.

After safe negotiation of the playing field, winding lanes take us past the world-famous Boheh Stone and on to Brackloon School, where light refreshments await. Ancient Brackloon Wood is next, then its up the hill to Prospect where we first catch sight of the sea.

Wild country

And that is the last we see of the road, for stony mountain tracks lead us up toward the Skeilp, the shoulder of Croagh Patrick. Now the whole of Clew Bay comes into view, the many islands coloured hues of green and gold, depending on the day.

This is wild country, with raven, wheatear and wild mountain sheep for company. It seems the favourite part of the journey for most, for the expansive views are certainly worth those last few miles of effort. Weve put in the work, now we get the reward!

But as steep as we found the climb, so the descent is equally so. Care is needed as we follow the Deerpark wall toward the sea, yet even should we slip the bog is soft if wet. (The rocks are not so soft. Take care!)

While this stretch over blanket bog is scenic, it also feels quite long and it is with grateful eyes we suddenly find ourselves at the downhill path leading to Campbells Pub and the afternoon barbecue that awaits. Perhaps it is the sound of traditional music that spurs us on, or the smell of burgers and black pudding, or the lure of a pint or two, but before we know it we are home and dry with 20 marvellous and memorable kilometres behind us.

Past walkers consistently compliment the organisation, the route, the guides, their fellow trekkers. The organisers look forward to complimenting those who come along to share the experience and thanking all those who give so generously to this event year after year.

And as the dust is settling at the end of the day, those in need of hospice care will be ever grateful for the support they receive through their troubled time.

Go raibh maith agat. See you on the tenth!

 For more, visit cpht.ie, call 0949360891, email info@cpht.ie or follow the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail on Facebook.
Second-generation entrepreneurs bring new life to family businesses

People's Daily Online) 14:39, March 20, 2025

Last year, China's total import and export volume reached 43.85 trillion yuan (about $6.07 trillion), with cross-border e-commerce accounting for 2.63 trillion yuanan increase of 1 trillion yuan compared to 2020. Nearly 700,000 entities were involved in foreign trade.

Meanwhile, a new wave of succession is underway in China's private enterprises, as the next generationoften referred to as "factory successors"takes over. According to recent research by Alibaba's wholesale marketplace 1688.com, nearly 80 percent of the second-generation entrepreneurs are post-90s, post-95s, and post-00s. Over half have studied abroad, and 54 percent have been managing factory operations independently for over three years.

Bringing fresh ideas and energy, how are these factory successors shaping the manufacturing industry? How does their approach to expanding overseas differ from that of their predecessors? And how do they establish a competitive edge in an era of increasing external uncertainties?

To find out, several of them shared their experiences and perspectives on taking over the family business.

Huang Yuxiang, young head of a garment factory

In January 2023, Huang Yuxiang's father asked her to resign and return home immediately. She rushed back to her home in Tongxiang city, east China's Zhejiang Province, and found the company in dire straits.

Photo shows Huang Yuxiang (first from right). (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

After graduating with a degree in accounting in 2020, Huang, born after 1995, worked as a purchasing and sales manager in internet and cross-border e-commerce companies. Little did she know, those early career experiences would soon become the key to saving her family's factory.

Huang took over her father's cashmere clothing factory and quickly steered it toward online retail to boost cash flow. By selling cashmere and blended coats on live-streaming platforms, Huang steadily turned inventory into profit.

The business began showing new trends. For instance, the customer base, once focused on educated women over 40, is now younger, with more flexible styles. Additionally, small-batch customization via online platforms allowed faster market responses and the ability to embrace fashion trends.

During the 2025 Spring Festival, Huang and her family visited Europe, touring garment and wholesale markets in France, Italy, and Switzerland. They found that most Chinese-made women's clothing was stuck in the lower-end market, and high-quality products like cashmere and silk had yet to truly go global.

"This year, we must focus on overseas markets, especially on TikTok, and seize the opportunity," she said.

Dong Fanming returns from the U.S. to oversee food factory operations in Shanghai

"I was a software engineer in Silicon Valley, the U.S., involved in multi-million-dollar projects. Now, I'm working with 3-yuan or 0.3-yuan cakes," Dong Fanming said, joking about taking over his family business.

Dong, born after 1990, is now general manager of Shanghai Xinmai Food Industry Co., Ltd. in Shanghai.

Photo shows Dong Fanming (right). (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

While he proactively took over, the challenges were unexpected. "At the time, a major client canceled our contract, and their orders made up 60 percent of our sales. It was a huge challenge," he recalled.

Seeing the offline business grow stagnant, Dong quickly pivoted to the online market, tapping into China's supply chain and product advantages. "When we shipped products to major overseas supermarket chains, feedback that once took a month now arrives in a week, and many of our products are reaching foreign markets," he said.

Having lived in the U.S. for 10 years, Dong naturally turned his focus to overseas markets as the company stabilized.

"The European and American markets are large, and product updates happen much slower than in China. That's where our opportunity lies," he said.

Over the past two years, the company has dedicated more resources to expanding overseas, with new business agreements steadily progressing. Dong hopes that by the end of this year, cross-border transactions will account for about 30 percent of the company's business.

"With China's complete supply chain, great products, and competitive prices, there is a huge market overseas. Our good products need to go global," Dong expressed.

Xiang Guowei plans to reach $4 million in cross-border sales for his company

Xiang Guowei, born after 1995, is general manager of Zhejiang Wanle Packaging Technology Co., Ltd., located in Wenzhou of Zhejiang.

Xiang is determined to make a big change this year. Through his research into foreign trade, he discovered that many overseas buyers prefer manufacturers that offer more flexibility, which is now his focus.

After taking over the factory, Xiang's first move was to push for small-batch customization. However, the existing equipment couldn't support this vision, requiring a significant investment in new machinery.

Photo shows Xiang Guowei. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

In the first six months of adopting small-batch customization, Xiang received around 500,000 yuan in return orders, along with a barrage of customer complaints.

What really frustrated Xiang was that when he first took over the business, employees would say, "He's the boss's sonlet him do whatever he wants." Few were willing to take his ideas seriously.

"I had to roll up my sleeves and get involved in the production process to prove myself. Once we found solutions that worked, people started to follow my lead," he said.

Small-batch customization turned out to be a worthwhile path. After tackling technical challenges, the model started drawing steady customers, with some early clients who started with small orders eventually going on to place larger ones. As a result, the factory's sales increased threefold.

Xiang said the company has built the platform, assembled the team, and mapped out a strategy for cross-border e-commerce. Unlike his predecessors, who focused on individual markets, he views it as a global venture, targeting Europe, the U.S., and Southeast Asia.

The factory's cross-border business has gained some traction, and this year, Xiang is aiming to hit $4 million in sales.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, March 20, 2025

Global tech company XR will integrate advanced carbon emissions data directly into its platform through a partnership with Scope3, which focuses on decarbonizing media and advertising.

The XR and Scope3 partnership embeds carbon emissions tracking directly into creative workflows, giving brands real-time insights to measure, manage, and reduce their ad-related environmental impact.

AI powers the tracking by analyzing emissions data, optimizing workflows, and automating sustainability decisions, helping brands to cut waste and align with environmental key performance indicators (KPIs). This shift moves sustainability from a reporting exercise to an integrated, proactive strategy across digital and soon, will expand to linear TV.

Brands now have the ability to analyze emissions by campaign, platform and geography to meet environmental key performance indicators (KPIs). This also aligns with the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF).

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Google earlier this month released a project called Carbon Footprint for Google Ads in Europe, which will become widely available in the future.

The calculation follows the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the global standard for carbon accounting. It also provides information on how to integrate Google emissions data estimates into a companys emissions reports.
by Fern Siegel , March 20, 2025



72andSunny has expanded its European operations.

The agency just opened Strategy Studio in Europe, building on the success of its L.A.-based counterpart. The modern consultancy is run out of 72andSunny's Amsterdam office.

The European Strategy Studio has a dedicated team that can leverage the resources of the agency. It can utilize expertise with existing clients, such as e.l.f. cosmetics, Indeed and TikTok.

Clients for the Strategy Studio include guiding Zurichs global brand strategy and creating a Gen-Z focused media platform for Mediahaus.

The European Strategy Studio is led by Rui Ferreira, deputy head of strategy. Pauline Stickel, senior strategist, and Masaya Kochi, design director.

The Strategy Studio will offer various services  building brand foundations, creating partnership strategies and designing brand worlds.

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Ferreira said: The Strategy Studio caters to clients in need of upstream thinking. Strategy has become overly formalized, often crafted for the boardroom, but detached from real-world application. We combine strategic rigor with simplicity, delivering immediately actionable insights and recommendations.

Chris Kay, 72andSunny's president international, added: We found client partners wanting that intersection of rigor, imagination, optimism and possibility, but felt they were underserved by the traditional model. Its super energizing to watch the impact the team are bringing with this new strategic and design capability to current and prospective partners.

72andSunny was founded in 2004 in Los Angeles and Amsterdam.

(Photo L-R: Rui Ferreira, Pauline Stickel, Masaya Kochi)
by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, March 19, 2025

More than two dozen Democratic senators urged President Donald Trump to rescind his decision to fire Federal Trade Commissioners Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya.

The ouster contradicts long standing Supreme Court precedent, undermines Congresss constitutional authority to create bipartisan, independent commissions, and upends more than 110 years of work at the FTC to protect consumers from deceptive practices and monopoly power, Senators Maria Cantwell (Washington), Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota) and others said Wednesday in a letter to Trump.

When establishing the FTC, Congress lawfully exercised its power to establish a bipartisan, multi-member, expert commission and to shield that commission from political pressure by allowing commissioners to serve 7-year terms and limiting the Presidents power to remove commissioners only 'for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office,' the lawmakers write.

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As Commissioners duly appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya must be allowed to continue their work at the Commission, the senators add.

The letter comes one day after Trump fired the Democratic commissioners, leaving the FTC with just two members, both Republican.

Bedoya and Slaughter have said they plan to challenge the firings in court.

The statute that governs the FTC is very clear that commissioners can only be removed for cause -- for neglect, malfeasance or inefficiency -- and the President did not allege any of those things on my part or Commissioner Bedoya's part, Slaughter said Wednesday in an interview with CNBC.

The Supreme Court was faced with a similar situation in 1935, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to fire an FTC commissioner. The court unanimously ruled in that case that the president could only oust a commissioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
by Colin Kirkland , March 20, 2025

Elon Musk's X is now valued at $32 billion due to an additional $1 billion the social-media company has raised in new equity from unidentified investors.

The funding was first reported by Bloomberg, which says X is likely to use a portion of the money to pay down its debt.

Musk himself was an investor, putting more of his own money into the platform, along with Darsana Capital Partners, which bought some of X's debt earlier this year.

Still, with new funding, the current valuation of the company is significantly lower than the $44 billion Musk paid for the platform -- previously known as Twitter -- in 2022. When Musk privatized the platform, he also took on at least $12.5 billion in debt.

Based on data that X shared with potential investors in January, however, the company is close to breaking even -- stating that the app made $2.6 billion in total net revenue for 2024.

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While X generated much more money prior to Musk's takeover -- $5 billion in 2021 -- the billionaire's significant cost cuts, especially with regard to the elimination of 80% of the company's staff, even out its monetary losses.

Due to controversial staff cuts, the proliferation of harmful content and threats aimed at advertisers, Fidelity Investments -- which contributed over $300 million in Musk's takeover -- marked its stake in the company down 71% compared to when Musk acquired X, valuing it at just $12.5 billion in early January.

In February, Bloomberg reported that X's talks with investors would help the company reclaim its original valuation of $44 billion.

Although this has not materialized, the platform has regained some advertising dollars, as Musk uses his newfound political power and a major lawsuit to threaten major brands to return to X.
Doctors spot warning signs early for Ugandan teens who struggle to take their HIV medicine, allowing them to step in and offer better support, guided by AI.

  Trusted Source

HIV in adolescents



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Did You Know?

AI can predict which adolescents with HIV may stop treatment! #aiinhealthcare #hivawareness #hivprevention #publichealth #aidstreatment

AI can predict which adolescents with HIV may stop treatment! #aiinhealthcare #hivawareness #hivprevention #publichealth #aidstreatment

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AI & Machine Learning for HIV Treatment Adherence

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Key Risk Factors for Nonadherence

Future Implications & Healthcare Interventions

HIV in adolescents - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8013187/)

HIV treatment adherence among adolescents remains a global challenge, especially in resource-limited areas. But what if AI could predict which teens are at risk of stopping their treatment? A groundbreaking study merges machine learning with global health to create a tool that can identify at-risk youthgiving doctors a chance to step in before its too late ().Claire Najjuuko, a student at Washington University, saw how hard it was for Ugandan teens to take their HIV medicine regularly. With help from her professors, she created an AI tool to predict which teens might stop taking their medication. This helps doctors give support early and improve their health.Najjuuko used data from 39 clinics in Uganda to train an AI model that predicts which teens might stop taking their HIV medicine. The model is 80% accurate and considers social and economic factors , like poverty and family support. By reducing false alarms, it helps doctors focus on those who need help the most. Adolescents often struggle with treatment due to stigma and a desire for independence. HIV patients with a savings account were more likely to take their medications, as it gave them hope for the future, according to the study. Many struggle with treatment because the medicine must be taken with food and can cause nausea. Lack of food or transportation makes it even harder. Experts believe AI can help create better support plans based on these challenges.Source-Washington University in St. Louis
Lassa virus is primarily spread by rodents but can also be transmitted from person to person.

Did You Know?

An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 people are infected with the Lassa virus each year, leading to about 5,000 deaths. #LassaVirus #medindia

An estimated 100,000 to 300,000 people are infected with the Lassa virus each year, leading to about 5,000 deaths. #LassaVirus #medindia

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Still No Vaccine for Lassa Virus

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Rabies Vaccine Offers New Hope Against Lassa Virus

Lassa Virus: A Deadly Rodent-Borne Disease

A Phase 1 clinical trial for a Lassa virus (LASV) vaccine has been developed by a team of researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, in collaboration with the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), at the Center of Vaccine Development and Global Health, UMB.Currently, there are no approved vaccines against the Lassa virus . The clinical study is a dose-ranging study that will assess the safety and immunogenicity of the candidate vaccine for both the rabies virus and LASV.The experimental vaccine is based on an attenuated and killed rabies virus vaccine similar to current rabies vaccines and has an additional LASV protein. Rabies vaccines are safe for all people, including pregnant women and children , and have been administered to millions of people worldwide with few side effects.Lassa virus causes a viral hemorrhagic disease that can be fatal and causes permanent hearing loss in 30% of survivors. Lassa virus is endemic in West Africa, and it has a reservoir in rodents. There are an estimated 100,000 to 300,000 human infections yearly, which cause about 5,000 deaths. In addition, person-to-person transmission of LASV has been described.Notably, on October 28, 2024, a middle-aged resident of Iowa succumbed to the LASV-induced disease after returning from a trip to West Africa. This was the 9th case in the U.S since 1969.The trial is currently enrolling healthy volunteers.The candidate vaccine development is supported by a contract award from the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases HHSN272201700082C.Source-Thomas Jefferson University
A clip is going viral on social media where Jaya Bachchan is seen mocking the title of Akshay Kumars 2017 film Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and even called it a flop. It so happened that the veteran actress recently attended the India TV She Conclave and was asked about some of the recent Hindi films that align with ruling political partys agendas and social issues. Jaya Bachchan initially called those propaganda films but when the host pointed out Akshay Kumars Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman, she replied, Just look at the title of the film; I would never go to watch a film with such a name. Yeh, koi naam hai? (Is that really a name?)

 Viacom 18 Motion Pictures She then turned to the audiences and asked them if theyd like to watch a film with that kind of a title and when a few hands went up, she jokingly responded, Among so many people, hardly four people want to watch the film; it's very sad. Yeh toh flop hai. (It is a flop.) The actress and politician then turned to the host and added, In todays day and age, even political parties are making films, and to discuss all that, we need a lot of time. Check out the clip below:

A lot of people on social media slammed Jaya Bachchan for her statement criticising the Akshay starrer and wrongly terming it a flop. One user said, Jaya Bachchan says nobody will watch movies with name like Toilet Ek Prem Katha, Padman. Collections: Toilet ek prem katha- 216 crore Padman- 191 crores Much more than movies of Abhishek. Btw Amitabh Bachchan made a movie Piku where all he talked about was Toilet.

 YouTube/India TV Another user commented, She is the most arrogant celebrity I have ever seen. Her present version is absolutely the complete opposite of what she used to be during her acting days. A third user reacted, She is right. We have to bring the audiences to the level of the movies. And not end up in the toilet. Check out some of the responses below:
My oppa is the best. Saranghaeyo! For years, weve said this to our favourite K-drama male leads through our screens, secretly hoping they hear us. K-Drama heroes have been sold as the ultimate green flag boyfriends  emotionally available, fiercely loyal, and, of course, willing to run through the streets in the rain just to confess their love. But as Kim Soo-hyuns recent scandal proves, reality isnt scripted, and the men playing these dreamy characters dont always live up to the fantasy. With allegations swirling and brands dropping him like a bad plot twist, the veil has finally lifted on the industrys obsession with crafting 'perfect' male leads  while letting their real-life counterparts get away with almost anything. The Illusion of a Green Flag Hero

 Netflix K-Drama thrives on selling men as both soft and strong  tough in a suit, but ready to melt into a puddle over their one true love. Kim Soo-hyun, arguably one of the biggest names in the industry, has played the doting, misunderstood, yet respectful hero time and time again. And fans ate it up. However, things arent always so dreamy off-screen. Fans have been nursing a heartbreak since it was revealed that Kim Soo-hyun has been accused of being in a romantic relationship with Kim Sae-ron when she was underage. Despite the weight of these allegations, his agency, Gold Medalist, has scrambled to deny them, claiming he was merely an unfortunate target. Yet, inconsistencies in statements, resurfaced photos, and an industry notorious for sweeping things under the rug have only fueled scepticism.

Meanwhile, brands like Prada and Dinto wasted no time cutting ties, showing that corporate cancel culture moves faster than the legal system. Fans Blind Support

 Instagram/Kim Sae-ron The most baffling part of it all are the die-hard fans who refuse to believe their oppa could do anything wrong. While many Kim Soo-hyun fans have closed their fan accounts with lakhs of followers, some continue to defend him despite damning evidence. These fans are blaming the media, conspiracy theories, or even worse  Kim Sae-ron herself.

Its a tired script weve seen before. When a beloved male celebrity is accused of wrongdoing, his fanbase either plays defense lawyer or victim-blamer, conveniently ignoring facts. The Industrys Silent Approval

 Instagram/Disney Plus Korea The problem isnt just the fans; its an industry that prioritises image over accountability. PR teams work overtime to scrub scandals, pushing narratives of redemption arcs rather than addressing the real issue. Even now, theres talk of how Kim Soo-hyun could make a comeback with his Hotstar show, Knock-Off, as if this scandal is just a minor career detour. Meanwhile, female actors caught in scandals  often for far less  face career-ending consequences. Like how Seo Ye-ji had to take a career hiatus after rumours alleged she was involved in school bullying and violence, and gaslighting her boyfriend. Or worse, how the constant cyberbullying led to Kim Sae-ron and Sulli taking their own lives. Crumbling Illusion Due to Resurfaced Interviews

 Instagram/Disney Plus Korea As if the ongoing scandal wasnt enough, resurfaced interviews are giving fans a harsh reality check about their favourite stars. Kim Soo-hyuns old comments about wanting to marry a 21-year-old when he turns 41 have sparked backlash, with many saying how the media ignored these signs for so many years.

Similarly, Park Seo-jun faced criticism for an old interview where he described his ideal woman as someone who would quit her job and focus on raising children. Adding to the list, Kim Young-kwang's 2013 remark in Vogue about hating women who "look pathetic" and have "thick calves" also came under fire, exposing how some of these so-called perfect men have long held problematic views. The internet, with its unforgiving memory, is now making sure these statements dont get buried under glossy magazine covers and romantic OSTs. The Death of the Perfect Boyfriend Fantasy

 Instagram/Kim Sae-ron FC Kim Soo-hyuns fall from grace isnt just about one man  its about an entire system that has spent decades manufacturing perfect male leads while ignoring the reality of the men playing them. If this scandal proves anything, its that the green flag label should be earned, not assumed just because a man looks good in a tailored coat and knows how to cry on cue. Maybe its time we stop looking for the 'perfect man' in K-Dramas and start expecting better from the ones in real life. Interestingly, social media has been flooded with reels of devastated fans claiming theyll give up on K-Dramas entirely if other favorites like Yoo Yeon-seok, Jung Hae-in, or Park Seo-jun turn out to have dark pasts.
The survey reveals that 36,000 more HGV drivers were employed in the last quarter of 2024

The number of HGV drivers in employment may have risen in the last quarter of 2024, according to the latest data from the Labour Force Survey.

But business group Logistics UK is warning the sector against complacency that employment issues are over for the industry.

The survey reveals that 36,000 more HGV drivers were employed in the last quarter of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023, demonstrating an increase in activity across the economy: 30,000 of the new drivers employed were from the UK.

But while the news indicates an improvement in the logistics market, as Bethany Windsor, Head of Skills Policy at Logistics UK indicates, the issues facing employers in the industry have not yet been resolved.

Todays figures are encouraging news for our sector, she says, indicating as they do an uptick in employment prospects for drivers and other logistics workers.

"But perennial challenges for our sector, like an ageing workforce and limited new entrants to the profession, persist.

"As a profession, we still need to do more to attract the next generation of talent, while retaining those who have already chosen to join the logistics workforce.

Almost half (48.7%) of HGV drivers currently employed in the UK are aged 50 or older, posing real risks of future shortages as retirements increase.

And while salaries advertised for drivers rose almost 4% in the final quarter of 2024, compared to the previous year, vacancies rose by more than 33%.

The number of HGV tests taken in the year to November 2024 dropped by more than 20% year on year, meaning that businesses must do more to appeal to future generations of drivers.

Skills shortages have blighted our sector for many years, continues Ms Windsor, but the encouraging news is that attitudes are starting to change.

"The work conducted by the Generation Logistics campaign is starting to change the perceptions of our sector for the better among 13-24 year olds.

"In its first two years, Generation Logistics focused campaign has improved the way young people think about careers in logistics by 212% and raised awareness of our profession as a whole by 37%.

"The campaigns dedicated website www.generationlogistics.org has recorded more than 1.37 million hits, while its social media messages have been interacted with over 6.9 million times.

These are obviously impressive numbers for a campaign only two years into its life, continues Ms Windsor.

"But we need to remember that, until two years ago, negligible numbers of people outside logistics had any idea what the sector is all about.

"Behavioural change takes time and focus, and it is up to all of us to keep the Generation Logistics message growing, despite the threat of future economic pressures, to ensure that our sector is able to draw on the skilled workforce it needs in future years.
BRUSSELS  Russian President Vladimir Putins key peace demand that Western allies stop providing military aid and intelligence to Ukraine is quietly being ignored by the European Union.

As U.S.-led talks with Russia and Ukraine progress, without the Europeans at the table, the 27-nation bloc is pressing ahead with a steel porcupine strategy aimed at building the Ukrainian armed forces, and the countrys defense industry, into an even more formidable opponent.

At an EU summit on Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that its central that Ukraine should remain an independent democratic nation that can continue its journey toward EU membership and that it also has a strong army of its own after a peace agreement.

For us, it will be important to continue to support Ukraine significantly  as the European Union as a whole, as allies and friends and as individual countries, Scholz told reporters in Brussels.

A few hours after he spoke, Scholz's EU counterparts  with the exception of Hungary, which opposes the bloc's peace through strength stance  called on member countries to urgently step up efforts to address Ukraines pressing military and defence needs.

Mindful of Russian deception in the past  the little green men  who annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, or the troop buildup in 2021 that Moscow denied would lead to any invasion  the Europeans are deeply skeptical about Putins intentions and whether he would accept any peace terms.

With the U.K. and other partners, some European countries are working on a deterrence force to police any future peace. At the same time, Ukraines best security guarantee, apart from the NATO membership that the U.S. refuses, is that its own army is strong and well supplied.

In a defense blueprint unveiled on Wednesday, the European Commission set out how it plans to meet Ukraines security needs, with EU money available to help bolster its defense industry, which produces arms and ammunition more cheaply and closer to the battlefield.

Ukraine is currently the front line of European defense, resisting a war of aggression driven by the single greatest threat to our common security, the document says. The outcome of that war will be a determinative factor in our collective future for decades ahead.

At the heart of the EUs strategy is a commitment to provide air defense systems and missiles  including long-range precision warheads. In groups, countries would jointly purchase the equipment and financially back Ukraines own effort to obtain them.

Drones are a major advantage on the battlefield, and the EU intends to back Ukraines procurement of them and help it build its own production capacity, including through joint ventures between European and Ukrainian industries.

Another aim is to provide at least 2 million rounds of large-caliber artillery shells each year, and to continue a training effort that has helped to prepare more than 75,000 Ukrainian troops so far. In return, European troops will learn from Ukraines front-line experience.

Ukraine would also be able to take part in the EUs space program, with access to the services provided by national governments in the area of global positioning, navigation, surveillance and communications.

Financially, and beyond the estimated 138 billion euros ($150 billion) already provided to Ukraine, the government in Kyiv would be able to secure cheap loans for defense purposes  as can EU countries and Norway  from a new fund worth 150 billion euros ($162 billion).
This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter.

It was horrifying every time it happened, every time Kylie Briests father choked on his food and started to turn blue, every time her mom, Jenny, sprang out of her own dinner chair to attempt the Heimlich maneuver on her husband.

Kylie lost count of the number of times shed called 911, making quick explanations to the operator while her mind was spinning in the background: wondering if her dad would survive this night, hoping the neighbors were home so she could send her little brother, Connor, over. That way Kylie could shield him from the things she had to see, and do, and wonder.

Kylie was only 3 when a roadside bomb in Iraq left her father, Corey, with injuries so severe they told Jenny to plan his funeral. So this version of himthe version that cant always swallow properly, or see, or walk on his own, or speak clearlyis all shes known.

Shes grown up at his bedside, from the time she was a toddler helping the nurses add Daddys medication to his feeding tube to helping carry his wheelchair up the stairs of her sorority house at the University of South Dakota so he wouldnt miss out on parent visitation day.

This is just life for us, Kylie said. This is what we do.

The experience felt isolating, especially when she was younger. Kids at school look at you differently just because your dad shows up to things differently than their dad shows up, she said.

But Kylie wasnt as alone as she thought. About 2.3 million American kids are living with a disabled veteran in their homea number researchers said is likely an undercount.

These injured service members and veterans are often called wounded warriors; their caregivers more recently earned the nickname hidden heroes.

And their children? The ones who babysit siblings during VA appointments; the ones who comfort their parents, saying everything will be OK; the ones who clean the house or tiptoe around it while someone is sleeping, or medicated, or in a PTSD-triggered ragethey are what the Elizabeth Dole Foundation calls hidden helpers.

Despite their numbers, military caregiving kids are often left out of the conversation on how our country takes care of those who served. They are rarely studied and often excluded from support programs. There are few platforms designed to connect or inform them.

Kylie Briest, right, and her brother, Connor, left, grew up helping their mom, Jenny, care for their father, Corey, who was severely injured by a roadside bomb during a deployment in Iraq. (Photo by Jessica Nelson, JD Photography)

Now, President Donald Trumps campaign to slash federal spending is raising alarm over long-held veterans services and benefitsdampening the prospects for disabled veterans families already left behind.

The War Horse set out to tell the stories of three of those families. The Briests live in Yankton, South Dakota. Sisters Kimmy Fix and Delany White live in North Carolina. And Rachel, Charlie, Mark, Michael, and Molly are in Northern Virginia.

They wanted to share their stories as a comfort to other hidden helpers and their families: to show them theyre not alone and to hopefully make a difference for the ones who come next.

All that we can do, Kylie said, is continue to try to make our stories and voices heard.

Unseen, Unrecognized, Unsupported

Kylie doesnt feel cheated or robbed by fate. She loves her family and her dad just the way he is. My dad has never been a burden, she says. He never will be.

But she recognizes that growing up, her path could have been made smoother. It would have been helpful to have been provided with counseling, she said, and some respite care that didnt require admitting Corey to the VA an hour away for the day. A way to connect with kids in similar situations.

If I would have had these connections sooner, I think that would have made me a stronger person, Kylie said.

Hidden helpers provide services that are unseen, unrecognized and unsupported, according to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, one of the few organizations to focus on children and young siblings of wounded veterans.

It partnered with the research consultant Mathematica on a 2021 study that found these children want more support and have trouble getting it.

The lack of formal support and connection comes at a social, emotional, and psychological cost, the limited research into military caregiving kids found.

Child caregivers sometimes feel stigmatized and isolated, have fewer social opportunities, experience difficulties expressing emotion and learning in school, and have more health problems such as stress, burnout, and fatigue.

The stress of navigating multiple, complex systems and bureaucracies to get care for a spouse trickles down to kids in the household, taking a toll on their own mental health and ability to focus and perform in school, the report found.

There has been a slow culture shift within the VA of acknowledging the role of the family in caring for a wounded veteran, experts say. Support, once focused entirely on the service member, is now more likely to incorporate a caregiving spouse or other primary caregiver. But children in the household remain largely overlooked.

I would say when we started [VA support] was veteran only, like, there was no care in the world for family at all, said Jenny Briest. Its taken time but they are [now] including the caregiver.

The kids? No. None. Nothing.

Kylie was only 3 when she started helping care for her father. (Photo courtesy of Briest family)

Second Place Sibling

Children who are also caregivers are sometimes forced to grow up much faster, for better or worse. The experience of caring for a parent builds them into stronger, more responsible people. But it can chip away at childhood.

I do think sometimes we paint over the challenges by saying ... its going to make them resilient, so therefore everythings OK, said Steven Malick, one of the Mathematica researchers who contributed to the report. As if the experience of trauma is somehow virtuous.

Consider Delany White, an eighth grader who lives near Raleigh, North Carolina. At 14, shes one of nine kids, but as the youngest by far, she feels like an only child. Except for Kimmy.

Kimmy Fix is 22 years older than her youngest sister, but their roles can feel reversed. When they get ready for church together, Delany does Kimmys hair and makeup. Delany also runs over an extra pair of pants if Kimmy needs them changed, holds her hand if shes getting too aggravated, and helps her transfer in and out of her wheelchair.

Kimmy, a medical corps services captain in the Army, was injured in a highway accident on her way home from a Hail and Farewell, shortly after returning from a deployment to Afghanistan. She was in a coma for over a year and emerged gradually, axon by axon it seemed to her large family.

That was almost 11 years ago, when Delany was a toddler. Shes grown up helping to take care of her eldest sister.

There were times Delany went to school exhausted because Kimmys oxygen levels had dipped overnight and theyd all been up, watchful and worried. Sometimes she didnt make it to school at all, because her parents needed to attend to Kimmy and there would have been no one to pick her up.

I feel like having more understanding teachers or understanding admin in my school, but also having connections with other kids who go through the same stuff, who maybe have the same worries or the same responsibilities, that would have made it a lot easier, Delany said.

Delany knew it wasnt true, but sometimes she felt like she was in second place when it came to their parents attention. But she understood. Kimmy needed them more.

The Coin-Toss Dad

Rachel and Charlie in 2010 after one of his deployments. (Family photo)

For much of their childhoods, Mark and his half-brother Michael didnt understand the difference in Charlie. The way he treated them, the way he yelled, the unpredictabilityit just felt unfair.

It was always a flip of a coin as to which dad would show up that day. The one that spent hours having a catch in the backyard could at any moment be replaced by the dad who sunk into the beer-sticky funk of the basement couch for days at a time, chucking empty cans into an overflowing trash bin.

Charlie had been an active duty Marine, a multisport athlete, a bodybuilding champion at the University of South Carolina, a lawyer in two states, a firefighter, and an adrenaline junkie who rode bulls for fun.

But tours in Afghanistan and Iraq left him with a traumatic brain injury, severe PTSD, and a busted spine that caused chronic pain. Back in Virginia, Charlie had sunk into alcohol abuse and depression.

Going out in public was like navigating a minefield. Any misperceived comment, any sudden movement, and Charlie could explode. Charlies family requested their last names not be published to protect their privacy.

It took a lot of a mental toll on him, in my opinion, not being able to be the man that he was, said his stepson Mark, now 26.

It fell on Mark, he said, to keep the house up to Charlies exacting standards. Mark remembered being in elementary school and not being allowed to go to bed until he finished the dishes, so he just lay down underneath the dining room tablea sort of exhausted protest.

As he got older, Michael, who just turned 18, taught himself to cook beef and broccoli, butter chicken, and curries so the family wouldnt have to eat Dominos on days when his dad was too dispirited or couldnt muster the energy to make a meal.

And as both boys got bigger, they learned how to protect Charlie from himself. Along with their sister Molly they learned how to talk him down, distract him, lead him away, or make themselves barriers between Charlie and whatever threat he perceived.

The enemy may have existed only in Charlies mind. But his kids grew up learning how to fight it.

Caring for Invisible Wounds

Young caregivers said they wished they had better information about their parents injuries, especially when it comes to invisible wounds like the ones Charlie struggles with that can affect behavior, cognition, and emotions.

Michael said having a better understanding of PTSD and traumatic brain injuries would have helped him be more understanding and empathetic. Now he thinks Charlie and veterans like him are trying to grip the version of themselves they used to begrasping at themselves but always closing their fists around shadows.

Those invisible wounds require a whole different type of caregiving that I dont think people are really recognized for yet, said their mom, Rachel.

In fact, when she applied to enroll in VAs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, targeted toward veterans who need significant help with self-care, she was denied.

I dont give him a bath, I dont put on his socks, but I do safety and protection and they discounted it completely, she said. I think the VA needs to step up and take care of their families.

Bipartisan Bill Still Faces Uphill Battle

Neither of VAs caregiver support programs include children. A VA spokesperson wrote in January that there are no plans to expand their offerings to reach hidden helpers, but pointed out that a proposed federal rule modifying the program Rachel had applied to was open for public comment.

Military caregiving families did not weigh in en masse for inclusion of children; by the time the public comment period closed, only a few of the rules 842 public comments made mention of minors.

Hidden helpers do have some muscle behind them. Sens. Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, and John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican, reintroduced the Helping Heroes Act in late February, which would establish a family support program, designate family coordinators at every VA medical center, and help connect military caregiving families with resources.

The act would also require the VA to collect data on these families experiences, the better to understand and respond to their needs. So far, long-term data doesnt exist.

A spokesperson for the Elizabeth Dole Foundation said the act would be a huge deal, requiring the VA, for the first time, to target military caregiving families with programs and services.

There is bipartisan agreement that the VA can help connect these families with programs and networks that provide exactly this type of assistance and break down barriers for these hidden helpers, Boozman said in an email to The War Horse.

But with VA entangled in a massive downsizing, there is skepticism over the fate of a bill that is being introduced this session for a third time.

Connor and Corey celebrate graduation from basic training at Fort Jackson in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Briest family)

Shaped Me for the Better

Despite the many hardships of young caregivers, they say their experiences have made them strong, compassionate, and selfless.

Kylie Briest has made a profession of caregiving. She graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2023 and works as a NICU nurse. Shes not just good with the tiny babies who need her help. She knows how to take care of the whole family.

Her brother, Connor Briest, just joined the same National Guard unit their father was in. Hes seen Dad sacrifice everything, he knows the cost, and for him to still sign up to be in the same unit and to carry out that oath ... I think its pretty awesome, said their mom, Jenny.

Delany in North Carolina said taking care of Kimmy has made her kinder, more empathetic, and more observantalways primed to notice if someone needs help. I definitely think its shaped me for the better, she said, able to see that kind of struggle and also have the courage to help.

In Virginia, Michael started a club at his school for kids like him, who care for wounded warrior parents. He wants them to know theyre not alone.

Michael has been deeply affected by the power of stories hes heard from military veterans like his dad, and he wants to play a role in keeping them alive. Maybe hell teach military history, maybe hell join the fight himself. Hes thinking of enlisting in the Navy.

Someone has to do it, he said.

Thats a motto hes taken from caregiving. There is dinner to cook, and dishes to wash. There are stories to remember and tell. There are people to take care of. Someone has to do it.

TELL US YOUR STORY: If you have a story to share about a young family member helping care for a disabled veteran, wed like to hear it. We may use it in an upcoming feature. Send us an email at contactus@thewarhorse.org

This War Horse story was reported by Jennifer Brookland, edited by Mike Frankel, fact-checked by Jess Rohan, and copy-edited by Mitchell Hansen-Dewar. Hrisanthi Pickett wrote the headlines
The U.S. military wants to keep training at Pohakuloa, so it's ready to quickly send troops to Asia and the Pacific.
U.S. military strikes against Yemen's Houthi rebels continued into their sixth day on Thursday, as the Pentagon and Trump administration had yet to fully explain what prompted the resumption of operations against the Iranian-backed rebel group after months of relative quiet in the Red Sea.

Officials said the new round of strikes in Yemen may last for weeks and that they are now less worried about casualties. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday claimed the renewed military operation is necessary due to attacks on Navy ships and shipping, telling Maria Bartiromo on Fox News that "ships haven't been able to go through for over a year without being shot at."

However, as leaders like Hegseth demand the Houthis halt their attacks as a condition of ending the strikes, multiple officials at the Pentagon, who spoke on condition of anonymity to more freely discuss the current situation, told Military.com that the last Houthi attack they were aware of occurred in December -- months ago and before President Donald Trump even took office.

Read Next: Deadline Nears for Troops to Sign Up for Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts

In his Fox News appearance, Hegseth said that, around that time frame, "we sent a ship through, it was shot at 17 times," but he didn't offer any further details about whether it was a U.S. warship or merchant ship.

U.S. Central Command did announce two attacks against U.S. warships and merchant ships that month, but the munitions used didn't appear to add up to 17.

The latest round of Houthi attacks began in October 2023 when the destroyer USS Carney first shot down a Houthi barrage of missiles and drones headed for Israel. Since then, Navy ships in the area have engaged in a steady stream of missile and drone interceptions aimed at them and merchant ships. At least seven Navy ships have been awarded the prestigious Combat Action Ribbon as a result.

The Houthi rebels began targeting merchant ships in the region following the outbreak of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The rebels warned this month that any Israeli vessel traveling in those waters is a target due to the continuing siege of Gaza, though they have also attacked merchant ships with no ties to Israel.

Military.com reached out to the White House and the National Security Council for more clarity on what prompted the strikes now.

The White House didn't respond, and an official from the NSC referred Military.com to "statements made by the president, the secretary of defense, the secretary of state, [the White House spokeswoman,] and many others."

The Trump administration's military operations against the Houthis began Saturday with a strike that hit "over 30 targets at multiple locations," Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the joint staff's planning boss, told reporters Monday.

"These included terrorist training sites, unmanned aerial vehicle infrastructure, weapons manufacturing capabilities and weapon storage facilities," Grynkewich said, adding that the targets "also included a number of command-and-control centers, including a terrorist compound where we know several senior Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located."

Since Saturday, Grynkewich said strikes have continued; posts on the U.S. Central Command and Defense Department social media pages show that jets from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman were flying as late as Thursday.

Grynkewich wouldn't say how many targets were hit on subsequent days, but several defense officials told Military.com that the number of targets was lower than the total reported Saturday.

One official described the ensuing several days of strikes as bringing the number of targets to about 60, or about twice as many as were struck in the initial wave last weekend.

The military strikes are not unique to the Trump administration.

In January 2024, the Biden administration began a series of strikes, with the first one hitting more than 60 targets at 16 locations controlled by the Iranian-backed militants, and immediately followed those initial strikes by attacking 12 other locations.

One of the last strikes under the Biden administration happened Dec. 21.

According to Grynkewich, the difference in the Trump administration's operations in Yemen is a "much broader set of targets ... and the other key difference is the delegation of authorities from the president through Secretary Hegseth down to the operational commander."

That means the head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Erik Kurilla, is able to make more strikes with less oversight, which according to Grynkewich "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."

Two defense officials told Military.com that there is also less reluctance to hold off striking targets based on the casualties that may result.

Trump, posting Wednesday on his social network Truth Social, called the Houthis "barbarians" and said they would be "completely annihilated" by U.S. military strikes.

The defense officials who spoke with Military.com said they expected the strikes to go on for about a month or so.

The Pentagon's top spokesman, Sean Parnell, said Monday that "there's going to be ... a very clear end state to this." But neither he nor Grynkewich would go into detail about what specific aims they were trying to achieve.

"Just know that there is a design to the operation," Grynkewich said Monday. "There's specific targets that have been selected and approaches that we're taking in order to achieve the president's end state."

Parnell said the rebels "could stop this tomorrow if they said 'we're going to stop shooting at your people.'" He didn't offer any examples more recent than what Hegseth offered to Fox News.

Related: Navy's Fight in Red Sea Used 220 Missiles, But Officials Say That's Changing
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.  NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams arent the first to run late in space, and their 9 -month mission falls short of any endurance record.

But never before has a quick trip morphed into such a long haul.

The pair launched last June on a test flight of Boeings new Starliner crew capsule, figuring to be gone eight days. By the time they splashed down with SpaceX on Tuesday, they had spent 286 days off the planet  36 times longer than anticipated.

If you look at it mathematically, by percentage of the original planned mission, this is the largest percentage extension," NASAs space operations chief Ken Bowersox.

A former astronaut, Bowersox saw his own space station mission abruptly prolonged. He was up there with Don Pettit, whos currently aboard the orbiting lab, when shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry in 2003, killing all seven on board and grounding the shuttle fleet for more than two years.

The reasons were terrible that we stayed longer on our mission," said Bowersox, whose planned four-month stay clocked in at more than five months.

Heres a look at some others who found themselves stuck in space  by choice or not  along with some cool spaceflight statistics.

Longest U.S. spaceflight

NASA astronaut Frank Rubio saw his mission doubled in length  from 6 months to 12 months  after his assigned Russian Soyuz capsule took a micrometeorite hit while docked to the space station and leaked all its coolant. A replacement capsule was launched to bring Rubio and his two Russian crewmates home in 2023. His 371-day spaceflight is the longest by an American. NASA's first year-in-space astronaut was Scott Kelly; he logged 340 days at the space station in 2015 and 2016. His identical twin brother, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, also served as a NASA astronaut on short shuttle flights.

World's longest spaceflight

Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov spent 14  months aboard the Mir space station in the mid-1990s. He volunteered for it. As a physician, he wanted to observe the changes in the human body and mind after a prolonged period of weightlessness. His 437-day spaceflight remains a world record. Polyakov died in 2022 at age 80.

Longest spaceflight by a woman

NASAs Christina Koch holds the title with her 328-day space station mission in 2019 and 2020. During that same flight, she performed the first all-female spacewalk alongside Jessica Meir. Koch is currently assigned to NASAs first Artemis crew, which will fly around the moon and back as early as next year.

Most experience in space

Russian Oleg Kononenko last year became the first person to crack 1,000 days in space over the course of a career. By the time he returned from the space station last fall, he'd logged an incredible 1,111 days aloft over five spaceflights  a combined total of more than three years. Former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson is America's most experienced space flier with 675 days over three long station stints and one short private trip for Axiom Space. She's due to lead another Axiom crew to the space station later this spring. Because of her delayed homecoming, Williams moved into the No. 2 spot with 608 days in space over three missions.

Female spacewalking records

Williams became the most experienced female spacewalker in the world, thanks to her prolonged mission. She ventured out twice earlier this year for station repairs and maintenance, bringing her spacewalking career total to 62 hours. Over three space station missions, she performed nine spacewalks, one less than Whitson. But Whitsons spacewalks were shorter, totaling 60 hours.

Overall spacewalking records

Retired Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev holds the overall record with 16 spacewalks totaling around 80 hours. NASAs spacewalking champ is retired astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria with 10 spacewalks for a total of 67 hours.

Number of space travelers

A NASA tally shows 721 people have flown in space, including tourists on short hops and military X-15 pilots. Of that total, 102 are women. The first person in space was the Soviet Unions Yuri Gagarin on April 12, 1961. The first American, Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, followed on May 5, 1961. The first woman in space was the Soviet Unions Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983. Of those four, only Tereshkova is still alive.

Number of current NASA astronauts

NASA counts 47 on its active astronaut list. Twenty are women. That doesn't include several astronauts who have moved over to management roles at the space agency.

___

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.
Harnessing the Breeze: Everyday Heroes Fueling the Wind Energy Revolution







(Community Action: How Can Individuals Support Wind Power Development?)

Picture this: a landscape dotted with sleek, spinning turbines, their blades slicing through the air like giant pinwheels of progress. Wind energy isnt just the futureits here, and its thriving. But while governments and corporations often steal the spotlight in the clean energy transition, theres a quieter, equally powerful force at play: *you*. Yes, youthe neighbor, the student, the parent, the dreamercan be a catalyst for wind powers rise. Lets dive into how everyday people are stepping up to catch the wind and steer us toward a greener tomorrow.

**Be the Voice That Turns the Tide**

Wind farms dont sprout overnight. They need public backing to cut through red tape and skepticism. Ever attended a town hall meeting? Thats your stage. Local projects often face pushback from folks worried about aesthetics or wildlife. But heres the twist: studies show well-planned wind farms have minimal ecological impact compared to fossil fuels. Arm yourself with facts, share success stories (look at Denmarks wind-powered wonders or Texass turbine boom), and rally your community. A single passionate speech or social media thread can sway opinionsor even votes.

**Rooftop Revolutionaries: Think Small, Dream Big**

Not every hero wears a cape; some install rooftop wind turbines. While solar panels hog the residential spotlight, small-scale wind systems are gaining traction. Sure, theyre not for every backyardyoull need space and steady breezebut for rural homes or farms, theyre golden. Companies like Bergey WindPower offer plug-and-play systems that slash energy bills. Even if you cant host a turbine, you can still opt for wind-powered electricity through your utility provider. Green energy plans let you vote with your wallet, telling the grid: More wind, please!

**Invest in the Invisible**

Money talks, and when it whispers renewables, investors listen. Crowdfunding platforms like Energy4All let you chip in as little as $50 to fund community wind projects. Imagine owning a slice of a turbine that powers schools, hospitals, or your favorite coffee shop. These projects arent just about kilowattstheyre about solidarity. In Scotland, community-owned wind farms have funded everything from bike paths to scholarships, proving that clean energy can fuel both homes and hope.

**Spread the Gust Er, Gospel**

Ever converted a friend to a Netflix show? Do the same for wind energy. Host a documentary night (cue *The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind*), or geek out over turbine tech at your next BBQ. Kids love sciencebuild a mini windmill with popsicle sticks and watch their eyes light up. Knowledge is contagious, and the more people grasp wind powers potential, the faster itll blow past fossil fuels.

**The Ripple Effect of Everyday Choices**

Your impact isnt limited to grand gestures. Simple acts matter: reducing home energy use (so wind power covers a bigger slice of the grid), advocating for workplace sustainability, or even stargazing. Wait, stargazing? Yepdark skies thrive when we ditch fossil fuels. Every watt saved or green policy pushed creates space for wind to soar.

**Final Whispers on the Wind**







(Community Action: How Can Individuals Support Wind Power Development?)

The beauty of wind energy? Its a team sport. No single turbine can power a city, but together, theyre unstoppablejust like us. Whether youre signing petitions, hosting turbine trivia, or just cheering louder for renewables, youre part of the gust thats reshaping our world. So next time you feel the breeze, remember: thats not just air. Its momentum. And youre helping it grow. Lets keep those blades spinningand the revolution rolling. 

Inquiry us

if you want to want to know more, please feel free to contact us. ([email protected])
The Braves announced that they have returned Rule 5 pick Christian Cairo to the Guardians. Atlantas 40-man roster count drops to 37 but Cairo does not need to take up a roster spot with Cleveland. Atlanta also officially announced that their other Rule 5 pick, Anderson Pilar, was returned to the Marlins. The Pilar news was reported earlier today.

Cairo, 24 in June, was a fourth-round pick of Clevelands in 2019. His profile has been fairly consistent. Hes never hit a lot of home runs but has always drawn plenty of walks. In 1,390 minor league plate appearances, he has just 15 homers but has earned free passes at a 15.6% clip. He also stole 72 bases in 89 tries while playing all four infield positions and some left field.

Perhaps Atlanta felt Cairo was ready to jump to the big leagues and serve as a utility guy, so they grabbed him in the Rule 5. Unfortunately, he didnt do much to impress in camp, producing a tepid .179/.294/.250 batting line.

Per the parameters of the Rule 5 draft, selected players cannot be optioned to the minors. In order to keep him, Atlanta would have had to carry Cairo on the active roster. They clearly werent willing to do so and let him go. Rule 5 players have to be put on waivers if they are not kept. Other clubs could claim them but would be bound by the same roster rules. Now that Cairo has been returned to the Guardians, he can provide them with some non-roster depth and try to earn his way to the big leagues the traditional way.
Cherry Republic's nearly $3 million expansion project aims to add 16,000 square feet of dry and cold storage to its 20,000 square foot fulfillment and distribution center in Empire, Michigan. Pictured here is the newly renovated Cherry Republic wine bar and retail store in Ann Arbor. Jacob Hamilton/MLive.com

EMPIRE, MI -- In its pursuit to make every cherry skeptic a cherry lover, Cherry Republic will be buying an additional one million pounds of Michigan cherries annually.

The Up North cherry empire is expanding its fulfillment and distribution center in Empire by 16,000 square feet, including a new freezer storage space.

The nearly $3 million project has been in the works for some time as the business outgrew its current 20,000 square-foot space after pandemic mail-orders soared, said Roni Hazelton, Senior Vice President of Fulfillment for Cherry Republic, Inc.

With more dry and cold storage space, the business can now purchase an additional million pounds of cherries from Michigan farmers.

That also means more sweet and tart products are on their way.

This [expansion] allows us to be more intentional with purchasing and affords us the ability to be innovative with how we use those cherries, Hazelton said.

In three decades, Cherry Republic has grown from its small town headquarters in Glen Arbor to a Pure Michigan staple.

This spring, Cherry Republic will open its seventh retail store in Mackinaw City.

The business turns three million pounds of Michigans Montmorency Tart Cherry into more than 200 cherry-based products.

The product list includes chocolate-covered cherries, BBQ sauces, jams, jellies, salsas, ice cream toppings, nut mixes, baked goods, soda, wine, beer, and condiments.

RELATED: Cherry Republics full-size wine bar is now open in downtown Ann Arbor

Cherry crops are part of the beating heart of Michigans agricultural scene, but they also come with heartbreak.

Michigan cherry farmers are coming off one of their worst seasons.

A whiplash winter last year presented one struggle after another from pests to fungi.

Federal agriculture officials authorized disaster protections for Michigans cherry growers who lost 30% to 75% of their crop in 2024.

Now cherry growers can receive low-interest emergency loans for up to 100% of their weather-related crop losses.

The tart cherry crops survived marginally better, which is what Cherry Republic uses for the majority of its products.

RELATED: Federal disaster declared for this years ruined Michigan cherry harvest

By streamlining its transportation and storage, Cherry Republic will have a renewed effort to get fresh, wholesale sweet cherries to its Northern Michigan retail locations so customers can taste Michigans iconic crop.

Were looking to make sure that full cherry experience is there, Hazelton said. [We want] people to understand all the different uses of the fruit, the different variances of it and help support all of the hard work these farmers do.

Cherry Republics longstanding mission statement of Life, Liberty, Beaches & Pie applies to its farmers as much as its customers.

Theyre the reason we continue to do what we do, Hazelton said.

Each product sold at a retail location carries a slice for farmers tariff of 1%, typically 25 cents, that is donated to agricultural programs in northern Michigan.

The business also donates 1% of its profit to local environmental and community groups.

In 20 years, Cherry Republic has donated $2 million dollars to groups protecting Michigan land, air and water, according to its website.

RELATED: Consumers Energy buys hundreds of acres of farmland once used for cherries, other crops

The Michigan Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development is supporting Cherry Republics expansion with a $150,000 Food and Agriculture Investment Program grant.

In addition to the added revenue stream for farmers, the facility expansion will create 20 new jobs, further showing that Michigan is the place to be for food and agriculture, MDARD Director Tim Boring said.

The construction on the Empire facility is already underway and set to be complete by late August.

This will be Cherry Republics largest expansion to date. But there is still room for growth at the Empire campus, Hazelton said.

The business recently bought a parcel of land adjacent to its 16,000 square-foot manufacturing facility.

This isnt it for us, she said.
THOMPSONVILLE, MI - A distillery known for its award-winning pours and as a scenic farm-to-bottle destination, Iron Fish Distillery is hosting a very special release party this weekend.

A limited number of bottles of its Arctic Grayling Rye Whiskey - aged more than six years - are being released in a tasting room event on Saturday, March 22.

Reintroducing the Arctic Grayling to Michigan waters is an environmental cause that Iron Fish owners have put their funding, and their whiskey, into supporting. The distillery owners established the Iron Fish Arctic Grayling Research fund, which supports research at Michigan State University and covers costs for the reintroduction effort.

Want an update on how the grayling initiative is going? There will be sessions at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the distillery on Saturday, lead by reps from the DNR and the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. There will be coffee and non-alcoholic beverages provided. Then a happy hour will follow the sessions. The event is free, but RSVPs are requested.

RELATED: 400,000 Arctic grayling eggs to be planted in Michigan waters 89 years after local extinction

Iron Fish is Michigans first farm-based distillery. It recently underwent a $2 million expansion to not only its production side, but its taproom and guest areas as well.

The owners started their journey to support the reintroduction of the Arctic Grayling into Michigan waters in 2018, when they put aside a few barrels of their estate farm-grown rye whiskey. It was later bottled with a sleek grayling label designed by Michigan artist Dani Knoph.

Ready to claim your bottle? Theyll be available at the distillery on Saturday and until they sell out. Bottle sales begin at noon.

You can reserve your bottle on a first come, first serve basis in person by showing proof of donation to the Iron Fish Arctic Grayling Research Fund. Donations will also be accepted on-site," distillery staff said.

 Bottles are sold on a first come, first served basis.

 Limit 2 bottles per person ($100 per bottle + tax)

 Iron Fish Distillery makes charitable donations to the Iron Fish Arctic Grayling Fund, managed by the Manistee County Community Foundation.

 Must be over 21 years of age to purchase.

 For more information, visit https://ironfishdistillery.com/arcticgrayling/
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks with construction workers. Whitmer recently announced 16 recipients of a grant program aimed at assisting smaller communities with road funding. Zachary Clingenpeel | ZClingenpeel@mlive.com

Sixteen Michigan communities with 10,000 or fewer residents have secured grant funding for road projects.

Projects were selected across 14 counties to receive between $50,000 and $250,000 for road improvements. Funding comes from the Community Service Infrastructure Fund.
MONROE COUNTY, MI  A man from Honduras was arrested in Monroe County after deputies discovered he was wanted for an Indiana murder.

The Monroe County Sheriffs Office said Thursday that the 43-year-old man was arrested after a traffic stop that occurred just before 2 a.m. near Summerfield Road and Dorr Street in Bedford Township.
TROY, MI -- Police say there is no active threat to the community following a shooting that took place Thursday morning at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. Initial reports suggested an active shooter situation was unfolding at the hospital, but police now say the alleged attack was a targeted incident.

An investigation is ongoing, but Troy Police Chief Josh Jones provided an update Thursday afternoon on how the ordeal unfolded and what will come next in the case.

Police were dispatched to the hospital at 7:08 a.m. for reports of an active shooter event in the parking garage of the hospital. Shortly thereafter, the 25-year-old victim was reported being treated in the emergency entrance to the hospital.

Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene based on the active shooter reports. The hospital was placed under lockdown, and nearby schools and daycares were also locked down.

The first priority was securing and making sure that the staff of the hospital was safe, the patients were safe, Jones said. That was where every bit of resource started going at first.

Law enforcement began sweeping a pair of buildings and the parking garage in hopes of finding the suspect.

Police eventually determined the shooting was a targeted incident involving two employees at the hospital who had a personal relationship. However, Jones said he does not know what led to the shooting, saying that the men recently had a falling out.

Jones said the victim, who is from Troy, pulled into the parking garage and was followed shortly thereafter by the suspect.

The suspect fired at least five shots at the victim from a handgun, with the victim being struck twice in the arm. The victims vehicle was also struck in the shooting. Jones said investigators now believe the suspect fled from the garage shortly after shooting.

Although police believed the suspect had fled the scene, law enforcement continued to search the buildings while hospital staff and patients were locked down.

The victim was able to ID the suspect and provide information that helped police locate the suspect. The victim is reportedly in stable condition.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m., police arrested the suspect at a home in Macomb Township. Police were able to convince the man to surrender after speaking with him on the phone. The man was arrested without further incident.

Theres no reason for (the) public to be concerned of a continuing incident, Jones said. Right now, the suspect is in custody We very much believe that the community is safe, the hospital is safe.

The case will now be turned over to the Oakland County Prosecutors Office for consideration of charges. Jones declined to name the suspect, pending formal arraignment on charges. Jones said he did not think an arraignment would take place today, but believes it will happen in the next 24-to-48 hours.

Moving forward, Jones said resources will be made available to those in the hospital and the community who may have been impacted by the situation.
Police respond to the scene of a shooting at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital, Thursday, March 20, 2025 in Troy, Mich. (WXYZ-TV via AP) AP

Editors note: Troy Police confirmed at 9:44 a.m. that the suspect is now in custody.

TROY, MI -- Police have confirmed a shooting took place Thursday morning at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. The suspect in the shooting has not been taken into custody and police are advising people to avoid the area around the hospital.

Related story: Shooting at Troy hospital involved 2 employees, police call it a targeted incident

The Troy Police Department did not say how many potential victims were involved, but did say the shooting appears to be an isolated incident. A police dispatcher told the Associated Press they could not provide further information.

Multiple law enforcement agencies have responded to the scene and are searching for the suspect.

Corewell Health issued a statement confirming at least one person has been shot.

We are working with local law enforcement. Out of an abundance of caution, the hospital is on lockdown. One victim is in the emergency department for medical treatment. Patients with services scheduled should not come to the hospital at this time. Patients may call the department where they were scheduled for service directly. No other information is available at this time, reads the statement.

Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital is located at 44201 Dequindre Rd.
MLive file photo of Chanda Perry, a nurse in the emergency department, poses at the University of Michigan North Campus Administrative Complex in Ann Arbor on Nov. 12, 2021. Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com

ANN ARBOR, MI - University of Michigans School of Nursing has received a grant that will bring scholarships to more than 140 of its undergraduate students over the next four years.

The $2 million grant is from the Bedford Falls Foundation-DAF and will create the Bill and Joanne Conway EPIC Scholarship, which will provide partial scholarships, stipends and certification preparation materials for undergraduate nursing students in financial need.

The grant will also fund peer tutoring and faculty-led academic support for any students seeking those resources, university officials said in a Thursday, March 20 release.

School of Nursing Dean Patricia Hurn said the program is deeply grateful for the support from the Bedford Falls Foundation, and that this partnership opens doors for its students.

Their investment is a commitment to our students and a catalyst for expanding access to education, bolstering academic success and empowering the next generation of nurses, she said in a statement.

The Bedford Falls Foundation was started by Bill Conway Jr. and his late wife, Joanne. The foundations goal is to help remove barriers and provide high-quality nursing education.

Our partnership with University of Michigan School of Nursing amplifies their impact, allowing them to reach more nursing students who need support becoming the great nurses our nation needs, Conway said in a statement.

The foundation has donated more than $325.6 million to support nursing schools across the United States since 2013. The School of Nursing is the first foundation awardee in Michigan, officials said.

If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.
The 50th-annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor on March, 24, 2024. (Ryan Stanton | MLive.com) Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Another weekend in Ann Arbor means theres another new list of events taking place across Washtenaw County.

Here are a few fun things happening during the weekend of Friday, March 21, to Sunday, March 23.

51st Dance for Mother Earth Powwow

The 51st annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow is happening March 22-23 at Skyline High School, 2552 N. Maple Road.

The event, a partnership between the University of Michigans Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives and the Native American Student Association, is 10 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. Saturday, March 22, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, March 23.

The annual powwow serves as a way to honor Native American heritage and history. Attendees can expect to experience Native dances and drum contests, and to shop from Native artists and craftspeople. Learn more online.

All-Ages Mario Kart Tournament

Mario Kart fans are in for a treat because the Ann Arbor District Library is hosting a tournament from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 23.

The tournament for Mario Kart 8 is open to all ages and will be happening at the librarys downtown branch, 343 S. Fifth Ave. Learn more online.

Annual Flea Market

Ann Arbor City Club is hosting its annual flea market from March 22-23.

The nonprofit organization will be selling all kinds of items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 22, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 23, at 1830 Washtenaw Ave. Everything will be half off on Sunday, according to its website.

The flea market will have a variety of items, including antiques, collectibles, jewelry, linens, art, houseware, rugs, tools, lamps, toys, games and more.

Cash, check and credit card payments will be accepted. Learn more online.

Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter.
BURTON, MI  Burton is ending its three-year contract with a company it hired in 2023 to help attract new retail businesses to the city.

During its meeting on Monday, March 17, the Burton City Council voted 4-3 to deny a request to approve the final of three annual $50,000 contract payments to Retail Strategies Inc., an Alabama-based retail consultant.

I think it was a noble effort on our side to try to market our city, but it just hasnt worked, Councilmember Vaughn Smith said before voting against a motion to approve the payment.

In addition to Smith, Council Vice President Greg Hull, Councilmember Gary Wines, and Council President Gregory Fenner voted against the motion, while councilmembers Steve Heffner, Candice Miller, and Christina Hickson voted to approve the payment.

Before voting against the motion, Hull argued that terminating the contract would have no impact on any businesss decision to come to the city.

Theyve done nothing, Hull said. I think we should take the $50,000 and give $10,000 to five startup businesses in our town.

The city initially approved its contract with Retail Strategies during a meeting in February 2023. At the time, Fenner, who currently serves as the councils president, was the only member of the council to vote against authorizing the contract.

We love the city of Burton. Theres a lot of opportunities to be had, Clay Craft, Retail Strategies Vice President of Client Services, said in an interview on Tuesday, March 25. We think the mayors got a great plan and vision for the city, and we wish Burton nothing but the best of luck.

During the councils March 17 meeting, Heffner said Retail Strategies is recruiting at least two businesses for the city, though the specific businesses were not identified.

Like any business, we cant disclose it. The business has to disclose it, so thats all I know, Heffner said.

While the company is actively recruiting businesses, many of the businesses Retail Strategies has told the city it would work to bring to the area either already had locations in the city or already planned to come there, Mayor Duane Haskins said.

These businesses include Harbor Freight, Five Below, and Ross Dress for Less, all of which have opened locations in Burton since the council approved the contract.

They didnt seem to be abreast of what actually has already come to Burton and whats transpiring with Burton, Haskins said during the councils March 17 meeting.

Although Retail Strategies has yet to bring a new business to Burton, Haskins noted that the company said the city likely wouldnt see significant results from their recruiting efforts for at least two to three years.

If you guys want to continue it and see if anything comes to fruition, thats up to you, he said to members of the council.

Heffner told fellow council members he wants to see the contract through, citing the recent progress Retail Strategies has been making with its recruiting efforts.

I think we should stay the course. You also got to remember last years economy was horrible, he said.

Additionally, Craft said Retail Strategies is very confident that the businesses it has been working to recruit will eventually open in Burton but, like Haskins, noted that this could take some time.

The timelines for national retailers, they dont always line up with the timelines of our contract, he said. And its just the case that happened here, but were very proud of the work that we did.

There is no fee to terminate the contract, but the city will have to provide Retail Strategies with a 30-day notice regarding its decision, Haskins said.

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A billboard paid for by the Committee to Elect Beverly Biggs-Leavy to the Flint City Council is shown on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Ron Fonger | The Flint Journal

Note: This story has been updated.

FLINT, MI -- A candidate to fill a vacancy on the Flint City Council is asking voters to re-elect her even though shes never held the 3rd Ward council seat shes running for.

Candidate Beverly Biggs-Leavys campaign committee made the incumbency claim in a red banner across the top of a billboard advertisement on Carpenter Road near Dort Highway.

Biggs-Leavy is one of four candidates on the ballot in the May 6 primary election ballot to complete the term of the late Quincy Murphy, who died on Sept. 29.

Two other candidates in the primary election -- A.C. Dumas and LaShawn Johnson -- said on Wednesday, March 19, that Biggs-Leavys incumbency claim is false and should have consequences.

In Michigan, state law makes it a misdemeanor for a candidate to advertise that they are the incumbent when they are not.

A Michigan Secretary of State spokeswoman told MLive-The Flint Journal on Wednesday that the office had not received a complaint concerning advertising in the Flint council race.

The Journal could not immediately reach a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Attorney General to determine if that office had received a complaint about the advertising.

In the 2022 Flint mayoral election, the attorney generals Criminal Trials and Appeals Division told former Mayor Karen Weaver that her campaign could not continue asking voters to re-elect her on campaign signs because she no longer held the office.

Weaver served as Flints mayor from 2016 until 2019 before she was defeated in her re-election bid by current Mayor Sheldon Neeley.

Weaver campaigned to retake the office in 2022 but was defeated a second time by Neeley.

The Journal couldnt reach Biggs-Leavy for comment on Wednesday but Johnson said shes disheartened by her opponents advertising claim.

I want to run a clean campaign, said Johnson. It is disheartening when youre trying to run an honest campaign and you have people doing what they want to do ... disregarding the law.

Biggs-Leavy has contended she was rightfully elected to represent the 3rd Ward in a Nov. 5 recall election that targeted Murphy for removal.

Despite receiving more votes than any other candidate in that election, Biggs-Leavy was never seated because the recall vote was never certified by the Genesee County Board of Canvassers.

Election officials said in advance of the election that the results would be voided because even though ballots had been printed, Murphy ceased to be a public official and wasnt subject to recall when he died weeks before Nov. 5.

Biggs-Leavy has also claimed in a Genesee Circuit Court motion that she was elected by the Flint City Council in February to fill the 3rd Ward seat on a short-term basis when she received five of the eight votes necessary.

Biggs-Leavy was not sworn into office in that case after 1st Ward Councilman Leon El-Alamin was allowed to change his vote from Biggs-Leavy to former council member Kerry Nelson.

Dumas said Wednesday that state officials have a duty to act on Biggs-Leavys claim that shes seeking re-election regardless of whether a complaint has been filed.

The Journal could not reach Richard Jones, also a candidate in the May 5 primary, for comment on Wednesday.

Although the city charter calls for the City Council to fill council vacancies with a short-term replacement within 30 days, members havent been able to agree on a replacement for Murphy until the special primary and general elections are completed.

The two top vote-getters from the May 6 primary will advance to a general election for the seat on Aug. 5 with the winner completing Murphys term, which runs through 2026.
SPARTA, MI  Farmers could face billions of dollars of loss if the U.S. becomes embroiled in a retaliatory trade war with Canada and Mexico, Democratic U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin warned Thursday.

The thing that I keep reminding people is all the research says that Michigan is the single most impacted state, Slotkin said, speaking to reporters after meeting with farmers outside of Grand Rapids. It would be one thing if we had just farming or just manufacturing but we have both.

President Donald Trump imposed a 20% tariff on imports from China in February. He also imposed 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico earlier this month but abruptly suspended them days later.

The president is implementing the tariffs to hold the countries accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country, according to a White House fact sheet.

Speaking to about 50 people at May Farms in Sparta, Slotkin said Trump is expected to decide whether to reinstate the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on April 2.

If he does so, those tariffs would have a dramatic effect, because Canada is Michigans biggest agriculture market, she said.

I had soybean producers and food producers tell me if those tariffs go into place, Im out of business, she said. We dont want to be putting anyone out of business. So its pretty extreme for some of our farmers.

Michigans agriculture industry contributes more than $104.7 billion annually to the states economy, according to a 2023 report by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Dairy products, corn, soybeans, apples, asparagus, potatoes and cherries are among the states biggest crops.

Slotkin, who grew up on her familys farm in northern Oakland County, is a former member of the U.S. House, and is serving her first term in the U.S. Senate after narrowly defeating Republican Mike Rogers in November.

In addition to tariffs, she also spoke about efforts to pass an updated farm bill, which is supposed to be done every five years but is now overdue, and how the Trump administrations budget cuts are affecting the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Trump administration is seeking to cut $6 trillion in federal spending, Slotkin said. As part of that, 6,000 USDA employees have been told theyre being laid off. She noted agricultural grants connected to Michigan State University have also been axed.

However, there have been investments, Slotkin said.

She pointed to $1 billion being pumped by USDA into the effort to combat bird flu.

Thats for helping farmers who are looking for ways to protect themselves and keep their facilities clean and free of disease, Slotkin said. Thats for research into vaccines and prevention.

As of March 20, H5 bird flu has infected 168 million poultry across the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus has led to millions of chickens dying, infected 978 dairy herds and sickened dozens of people across the country. The CDC says the public health risk from bird flu is low.

Thursdays event also featured remarks from Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

He said the prospect of tariffs is causing uncertainty.

This cloud of uncertainty is a significant barrier to economic activity in Michigan, Boring said, speaking after the event. Were at the start of the production season, and so growers and companies need to have some certainty around the market.

Slotkin ended her remarks to the farmers in attendance with an appeal to bipartisanship.

Its no secret that Im a Democrat, she said. But I am a Democrat who believes in being a pro-farmer legislator. So if theres something that is good for you that helps you do your job, please come to us and let us fight for that.
Gateway Mission launched the Spoon in October 2023 to generate revenue for the organization and to train students in Gateways culinary arts program. Photo by Ehren Wynder

HOLLAND, MI  A cafe supporting a local nonprofit has shut its doors after just 15 months of business.

Gateway Mission in a statement said it chose to close the Spoon at 633 E. 24th St. in Holland while it re-evaluates the best use for the space. The restaurants last day of business was Sunday, March 16.

We are currently exploring opportunities for how this space can continue to serve our neighbors and customers but do not have a firm timeline for reopening, the statement read.

While were sad to close our doors, were proud of the successes our business created for students of the culinary arts program at Gateway Mission who put in the hours and hard work to learn at our restaurant. Graduates of the program have gone on to successful careers in dining, and were excited to see where life takes them next.

Gateway Mission launched the Spoon, formerly the Gateway Spoon, in October 2023. The cafe served breakfast and lunch to generate revenue for the organization and to train students in Gateways culinary arts program.

The faith-based nonprofit provides services for people and families experiencing homelessness, unemployment and addiction.

The Spoons shutdown follows the closure of another Holland cafe. The Good Earth Cafe at the Towers on River closed earlier this month after less than a year under new ownership.

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Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney speaks at the 2025 State of the City Address on March 19, 2025. (Mitchell Kukulka | MLive.com) Mitchell Kukulka | Mkukulka@mlive.com

JACKSON, MI - As a crowd filled the newly-renovated City Center for his annual address, Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney knew precisely what was on everyones minds.

I know exactly what youre thinking right now: what the hell was city council thinking messing around with the parking downtown, Mahoney said in the opening moments of his speech.
A Traverse City man was arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase where he rammed a stolen vehicle into a patrol car.

SOUTH HAVEN, MI  A Traverse City man was arrested after ramming a stolen vehicle into a patrol car during a high-speed police chase.

The 49-year-old suspect is facing multiple charges, including fleeing and eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle, assault on a law enforcement officer and reckless driving, according to a news release from the South Haven Police Department.
The Greekshore food truck during the Burning Foot Beer Festival at Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon, Mich. on Saturday, August 24, 2024. Charlie Nick | MLive.com Charlie Nick | MLive.com

MUSKEGON, MI - A beloved Greek restaurant in Muskegons Lakeside neighborhood closed its doors last month.

Greekshore opened in the summer of 2023 at 1845 Lakeshore Drive, right in the Lakeside Business District.

Their last weekend in business at the location was the first week of February.

We closed our lakeside location this past weekend, Greekshore said on its Facebook page on Feb. 3. We are grateful for our customers we have met over the past 2 years.

The post went on to say that the restaurant leaders will focus efforts on their existing food truck, selling the same food items.

Items on the menu include:

Greek Burger

Pitas - Chicken, Lamb/Beef and Falafel

Souvlaki Kebabs - Pork or Chicken

Greek fries

Baklava

Stay tuned for updates on the Greekshore Facebook page.

Greekshore offers an array of authentic Greek menu items, including baklava, spinach pie, pork souvlaki and various gyros. Submitted by George Moulatsiotis Submitted by George Moulatsiotis

Roosevelt Park native George Moulatsiotis opened the restaurant in July 2023 with the intention of bringing a little taste of Greece to the streets of Muskegon.

Raised in a Greek family, Moulatsiotis said that when he was younger, he would tag alongside his grandpa to visit family in Greece. He said that his grandfather emigrated to Michigan when he was 21.

I just love the food so much, and I wanted to share it with my hometown, he said. In Greece, they use pork on their gyros instead of beef and lamb, so we started making our own here, too.

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FRANKENMUTH, MI  After much anticipation, Bavarian Blast Waterpark, Michigans largest indoor waterpark and family fun center, is ready to welcome its first guests with a soft opening on Friday, March 21.

Hotel overnight guests and a limited number of day pass holders will be among the first to experience the $80 million expansion at the Bavarian Inn Lodge.

The massive new attraction features 16 waterslides, a giant wave pool, a not-so-lazy river, and Michigans first swim-up barpromising thrills and fun for visitors of all ages, according to company officials. The opening marks a significant milestone for the Bavarian Inn Lodge, which has been a staple of Frankenmuths hospitality and tourism industry for decades.

This project is a true testament to our commitment to creating enjoyable experiences for all ages, and now its time to make a splash! Bavarian Blast officials said in a Facebook announcement.

Beyond the Bavarian Blast Waterpark, guests can explore the expanded Family Fun Center inside which now includes a three-story rope course, rock climbing walls, mini-bowling, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Laser Tag, and an expanded arcade with more than 180 games, according to a press release.

First announced in 2023, the Bavarian Blast Waterpark represents a major investment in Frankenmuths tourism scene.

The project is expected to create 80 new jobs, including lifeguards, food and beverage staff and retail associates, according to officials.

The soft opening will allow guests a first look at the state-of-the-art facility, with a full grand opening expected later this year.

More information can be found at www.bavarianinn.com.

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The Gratiot County Sheriff's Office responded to a fatal stabbing on Wednesday, March 19. MLive File Photo

ALMA, MI  A 48-year-old man died in a stabbing at a mid-Michigan nail salon on Wednesday, March 19.

Deputies were dispatched at 12:59 p.m. on reports of a felonious assault at LA Nails, located in the 7400 block of North Alger Road in Pine River Township, according to a news release from the Gratiot County Sheriffs Office.

Police arrived at the scene and found a 48-year-old man who had died with multiple stab wounds, the release said.

A 30-year-old Alma man was arrested in connection with the stabbing and is being lodged without bond at the Gratiot County Jail, the sheriffs office said.

The sheriffs office is withholding the names of the suspect and the victim until an arraignment takes place in the 65B District Court in Ithaca.

There is no threat to the public, deputies said.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the stabbing to contact the Gratiot County Sheriffs Office at 989-875-5211 or Silent Observer.

Sheriffs deputies were assisted in the investigation by Alma Police Department, Alma District Rescue, St. Louis Police Department, Mobile Medical Response, Michigan State Police, Breckenridge Police Department, Gratiot County Central Dispatch, Genesee County Medical Examiners Office.
The AuSable River Queen is shown after having been pulled from the river on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Photo provided by Laurie J. Ferguson

OSCODA TWP, MI -- An AuSable River paddleboat thats offered scenic tours for decades has been rescued from the water eight days after it started sinking.

Oscoda Township Superintendent Thomas Chatel said the AuSable River Queen was towed to dry land on Wednesday, March 19.

Were pleased with the high level of cooperation from agencies that responded to the incident, Chatel said on Thursday, March 20. The township is looking forward to the vessel being removed as soon as possible.

Agencies including the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency responded to the area where the River Queen had been partially submerged since March 11.

Absorbent booms were used to surround the paddleboat in an effort to protect the surrounding water from any leaks of oils and gas, an EGLE spokesman told MLive-The Flint Journal last week.

Laurie Rice Bell, one of the paddleboats owners, wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday that Michigan State Police divers and area towing and excavating companies protected the River Queen through a difficult rescue.

We found no obvious reason for her sinking, Rice Bell wrote. No damage to the hull so now we are baffled as to why she sank.

Earlier this week, Rice Bell wrote in another post that owners of the riverboat are still hopeful it can be returned to service.

For now Im going to remain steadfast to the idea that we will succeed in pulling her up safely and (bringing) her back to her pride and glory ..., she said. Please pray for the queen of the Ausable River.

Rice Bell said in a GoFundMe post in November that her aim was to remove the paddleboat this spring for an inspection of its bottom -- a process she expected to cost more than $15,000.

The fundraising effort had raised $9,657 from 66 donors as of Thursday morning, March 20.

A story published by the Associated Press in 2003 said the River Queen was designed after a Mississippi paddle boat, stretching 65 feet in length and 24 feet wide.

The boat is approximately 58 years old and initially featured an enclosed top with no windows on the lower level. It was modified more than 20 years ago to have an open top and windows on the sides for all-weather outings.

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SAGINAW, MI  Dave Schmidt was among dozens of people standing outside the Aleda E. Lutz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center on Thursday, March 20, as sleet and snow poured down.

Some protesters held signs outside the hospital at 1500 Weiss St. in Saginaw, which provides primary care and other health services to veterans, while others were there for support. But they all had one common message to the federal government: Stop your cuts on the VA.

I live at the VA, basically, said Schmidt, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1994-98. Im here all the time.

Schmidt was stationed on the U.S.S. Shiloh while serving in the Navy and was injured overseas. He said he was terrified when he began learning of the cuts.

How are we going to get better service with less employees? he said. Thats what I cant figure out. And nobody can answer that question.

On Feb. 13, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the dismissal of more than 1,000 employees. That was followed by the dismissal of 1,400 additional employees just 10 days later.

The moves were part of larger federal cuts by the Trump administration, which the president has claimed is part of an effort to make agencies more efficient, effective and responsive to the American people.

Those who lost their jobs were non-bargaining unit probationary employees who had served less than a year with the VA.

The administration has touted the cuts at the VA alone as saving the department more than $177 million.

The two mass firings affected VA medical centers based in Ann Arbor and Detroit, where the terminations of probationary employees left impacted VA employees confused and scrambling.

We regret when anyone loses their job, and its extraordinarily difficult for department leaders to make those types of decisions, said VA press secretary Pete Kasperowicz. But the federal government does not exist to employ people. It exists to serve people.

At VA, we are focused on serving veterans better than ever before, and doing so requires changing and improving the organization.

Upset with what they were seeing or experiencing, about three dozen people lined the sidewalk outside the Aleda E. Lutz VA facility in Saginaw. Using megaphones, protesters called out messages of disdain for the cuts to passersby.

There were chants: The constitution matters, This is what democracy looks like, and Save our veterans.

That last message was part of what prompted Kim Rowan to begin organizing the protests. She said she formed several throughout February and has continued them into March.

The mother of a veteran, she said the federal cuts are personal.

Our veterans have served and lost lives and given their time, theyve been away from their family, Rowan said. Its a cold day, but how many cold days, how many hot days have our veterans had to stand outside and fought for our freedom? We can come out and support them when some of their services might be in jeopardy.

Michigan has five VA hospitalsAnn Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, Iron Mountain and Saginawmeaning each one serves more than just the city it is in but works more as a regional hub. Rowan said that shows the importance of having the hospitals, which are already in such demand.

We have this here, it services a lot of people, and we need to stand up for our veterans, she said.

Tony Hall, a veteran who lives in Breckenridge, traveled down M-46 to make his way to Saginaw. ts not much of a trek for the former Coast Guard member, as hes used to making the trip; he has been receiving services at the VA hospital in Saginaw for 15 years.

I get all my medical here, he said. If I lose that, Im done. These guys take care of me.

Ive made a lot of friends here, and to see the worried look on their faces because of these things happeningweve got to stop this.

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LANSING, MI  This is not normal.

A Democratic Congresswoman from New Mexico held a sign with those words in a silent protest during President Donald Trumps address to Congress on March 4.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel feels that deeply.

In a half-hour interview with MLive last week, Michigans top law enforcement officer, a twice-elected Democrat, expressed deep reservation over attempts to find common ground with Trump  diverging from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who recently visited the White House for a productive meeting on March 13 and has publicly stated her goal to find areas of mutual agreement and interest with the Republican president.

Nessel did not sharply criticize Whitmer, but made clear that she thinks efforts to break bread with Trump are futile and send the wrong message to the public.

Trump, she said, wants to be king.

I think that when we treat him like he is a normal president and by normalizing his activities and saying, Well, hes just somebody that we have to do business with, I think it sends the wrong message to the American people, Nessel said. And I hate for our elected leaders to be sending the message that, like, this is just a normal presidency and, you know we can negotiate with him and he will keep his word to the American people, or really, to anybody that he gives it to. Its concerning to me.

Since Trump took office, Nessel has joined multiple federal lawsuits by a coalition of Democratic attorneys general challenging efforts to slash the federal workforce and freeze grants and spending that doesnt align with Trumps agenda.

Nessel credited restraining orders resulting from those cases as softening the blow of federal actions in Michigan but warned that it is only a matter of time before Michiganders will directly feel the impact of Trumps efforts, if they havent already.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Ellison: After the State of the State, you expressed concerns about normalizing Trump. Could you elaborate on that?

Nessel: I think its understandable to have people who want to be able to break bread with the president. And, in theory, there would be nothing wrong with that under, really, any other presidency; to have people of the opposing party or even to have people of the same party who are either in support of the president or, you know, want to negotiate as you as you normally would for the benefit of the people that you serve. But this is not a normal presidency and if weve learned nothing from just these last several weeks, its that theres no law that Trump will not break. Theres no constitutional right upon which he will not trample. Theres no depth to which he will not sink. And he wraps himself in the flag, but hes really the least patriotic person Ive ever seen and he cares nothing for Americas global reputation or the health, safety and welfare of the American people. And he has broken norm after norm after norm, and he seems to be, you know, a dictator. He doesnt want to be president. Hes not interested in being president. He wants to be king. And hes shown us that time and time again.

I think when you have a person who engages in the kind of behavior he already has (), I mean, January 6 pardons and people like Eric Adams and the Silk Road guy, Ross Ulbricht  the fact that you can literally exchange favors with him in exchange for a pardon. I mean firing the prosecutors that worked on his cases or the January 6 cases, talking about taking Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada by force, turning his back on our allies and Ukraine, NATO, in order to form alliances with our enemies, as Vladimir Putin is, rallying behind dictatorial regimes. I mean, its terrifying. I think that when we treat him like he is a normal president and by normalizing his activities and saying, Well, hes just somebody that we have to do business with, I think it sends the wrong message to the American people. And I hate for our elected leaders to be sending the message that, like, this is just a normal presidency and, you know we can negotiate with him and he will keep his word to the American people, or really, to anybody that he gives it to. Its concerning to me.

Ellison: I take that to mean you are not on board with trying to find common ground with Trump in the way that Governor Whitmer has said shes trying to do.

Nessel: I mean, common ground in what way? Common ground in racism? In sexism? In xenophobia? Common ground in destroying our federal system of government? Common ground in disparaging public servants? Common ground in destroying the environment? I dont know where to find common ground with President Trump. His actions are antithetical to everything that I have worked my entire life to support. So, if he would stop destroying our state and trying to destroy our country, then maybe I could find common ground with him. But for the time being, what I believe is best for the people of our state is to litigate his actions when he, firstly, violates the law, and secondly, injures or creates a specific harm to Michiganders. And thats what Ive been doing and thats what Im going to continue to do. And I think that history will support my handling of my office during this critical time in American history.

Ellison: Have you spoken to the governor about this? After the State of the State, you faulted her for not recognizing Trump as an existential threat. She hasnt said a whole lot about Trump beyond some criticism of tariffs and she also just visited the White House. Have you had a conversation with her about strategy? Are the phone lines open there?

Nessel: Yeah. They always have been and I believe they always will be. Look, Gretchen Whitmer won the governors office in two consecutive elections by 10 points or more, which is unheard of in Michigan. I mean, not for a very long time. Shes a very popular governor for good reason and she has a lot of support. And she, Im sure, has her reasons for reacting to this president the way that she does, but were independently elected office holders. And she doesnt tell me how to do my job. I dont tell her how to do hers. But I am telling you, and I have said this repeatedly to essentially anyone who will speak to me about it, what I recognize in President Trump is an existential threat to each and every part of our American life. He is dismantling all the hard-fought rights that so many of us have worked for generations to achieve. And to say that its greatly disturbing to me is really the understatement of the century.

If you look at our at our litigation, if you look at our lawsuits, I dont know how you can criticize these lawsuits if you care about the people of Michigan, whether youre talking about the billions and billions of dollars in federal funding that on a dime was upended in essential programming to our states. You know, Medicaid and Head Start and Meals On Wheels and FEMA and SNAP and, you know, the list goes on and on. I mean, were talking about billions of dollars in essential programming that was frozen and it would have been devastating to our state. Or, the NIH lawsuit, where in a single day Michigan was set to lose $266 million in funding for critical grants that have been carefully negotiated by these universities and treatment centers. I could go on case by case by case, but the fact of the matter is, whether you are a Democrat or an Independent or a Republican, had we not received injunctive relief, our TROs in many of these cases, I cant imagine what the state of affairs would be for Michigan right now.

I mean, he is a man who seems hell bent on destroying not just Michigan, but all of the United States. And I know that might sound like hyperbole, but I dont know what else to call it. Hes dismantling the federal government and hes exposing us in a very significant way in terms of not just all of our personal information that is held with the federal government, but all of our government secrets. I mean, we know what DOGE is doing. Theyre accessing data through insecure means. Theyre copying that data onto unprotected servers. Theyre using it to train AI, and in some cases theyre modifying government systems in ways that have never been tested before. And I dont understand why anyone, even the most ardent Trump supporters  like why are they OK with their personal information being utilized that way? Why are they OK with government confidential secrets, including those held by our military, being utilized that way? I dont understand it now and I dont know that Ill ever understand it.

Ellison: Is Michigan prepared to deal with an administration like this, in terms of its ability to respond to the chaos caused by job cuts and spending freezes, or its ability to step into the gap of federal roles and services that may go away?

Nessel: If everythings going to be so decentralized that every state has the sole responsibility, including funding, for all of this programming, theres just absolutely no way that you can have (programs like) Social Security or Medicare or Medicaid. I mean, were supposed to have 50 different unique systems for all of that? It makes no sense. You have to have a functional federal government. And I will say this as somebody who is the top law enforcement officer of the state of Michigan: Yes, we work so closely with local authorities and we work so closely with the Michigan State Police, but there are so many different things that, if we dont have the participation of the FBI and we dont have the participation of Homeland Security, we cant properly protect people in this state. Because obviously, what happens in Michigan doesnt always start in Michigan, end of Michigan or stay in Michigan. Irrespective of what area were talking about, whether youre talking about the EPA and environmental issues, whether youre talking about the Department of Education and educational issues, we rely upon a coordinated system with the federal government. And just to be abolishing federal agencies wholesale without congressional authorization is incredibly damaging to our state. Even for people who say, Oh, well the state can step in and fulfill some of those responsibilities, Ive not seen a plan to do it. And to do this in a way that just upends the system without a new plan in place? Its just outrageous for people to say we dont really need to have that agency exist, especially when, like, wheres all the money that we paid in taxes that goes to the DOE that then gets distributed to the states? I didnt see that money come into the state treasury when the announcement was made that they were going to lay off half of the staff at DOE. Anyway, its very disturbing.

I will say that we have a number of cases that were just abruptly upended because we were working with some federal agency, and then, all of a sudden, we cant get people on the phone. Emails seemingly go into a black hole and we dont even know if the contact that we had with the federal government still works there anymore. They dont even advise our state agencies, Look, that person no longer works at this agency. Heres the new person that you are to work with. I mean, its the most disorganized method, or just its utter chaos and its no way to run any government, let alone the federal government of the United States of America.

Ellison: Could you elaborate on that? I have struggled to get specific information out of state agencies about federal impacts to their funding and operations. I get tossed around in a circle or pointed in different directions when asking about frozen grants.

Nessel: We just had a case the other day that we were working on. There was one of our anti-robocalling lawsuits and the FTC or the FCC  Im trying to think which one  () and we were just in the cusp of negotiating a settlement in this case, and just all of a sudden, out of nowhere, our assistant AG couldnt get a hold of anybody and now we have no idea whats going on. At least in state government, if somebody leaves you get a bounce back message and itll say the name of the employee, they no longer are employed by the department, but heres who you can contact. Or, what we do is just reach out to whoever that individual was working with and try to make sure that they know who is now going to be handling that case if that persons not there anymore. I mean, youre not even getting that with the federal government. Its like these people just disappeared and nobody knows where they went or what happened to them  or if they still work there. And they might have been working on some incredibly important and impactful cases; cases sometimes that span the course of years and years. And now theyve just been disappeared. Its so dysfunctional. If it hasnt directly impacted peoples lives, yet, for each and every person in our state, it will eventually impact them. It is literally only a matter of time.

Ellison: Do you see any connection between the Trump and federal posture and actions happening in the Michigan Legislature?

Nessel: Obviously, Im waiting to see what this weaponization of state government committee looks like. Its unfortunate to me, because we could be spending time working together passing really important and impactful legislation. And I look at the legislation that Ive been championing that hasnt passed yet  the guardianship and conservatorship reforms and human trafficking bills that still have not ever seen the governors desk, and consumer protection work and anti-robocalling. I mean, the list goes on and on. Its upsetting that our tax dollars are going towards investigating political opponents instead of collaborating on trying to pass meaningful legislation, but I do think that that is what that committee is about. And I have no issue defending any of the work thats been done at the Michigan Department of Attorney General since I was sworn into office, January 1, 2019, and I stand by all of my actions. But to think that were going to be utilizing state government in that fashion is, yeah, its upsetting for me.

Ellison: What about thematic connection between actions in the legislature and the posture and actions of the federal government, such as with this standoff over the nine bills not being sent over from lame duck? That seems unprecedented, but were now dealing with a lot of unprecedented things at the federal level.

Nessel: It seems like anythings possible. Ive been asked many times about, you know, are we in a constitutional crisis? And Ive said for a while, well, not yet. Because so far, the Trump administration has mostly  not entirely, but mostly  complied with court orders. And I just saw a video of the presidents press secretary, essentially saying that they were not going to abide by orders that were issued by district court federal judges  as though somehow the executive is exempt until you get to the Supreme Court. I mean, these are members of the federal judiciary. Like all the other federal judges, they were appointed by the president. They were confirmed by majorities in the United States Senate. And they have the initials H-O-N in front of their names. In every sense of the word, they are judges and the executive (branch), including the president, must abide by their orders. To be in a time where you have the presidents press secretary saying, openly and defiantly we will not abide by federal court orders should terrify each and every American. Its unprecedented. Ive not seen anything that flagrant. Have I seen the federal government at times defy court orders? Yes, but not so brazenly  in a way in which there would be some sort of excuse for it, or if there was a show cause, youd have some sort of explanation and then an attempt to comport with the court order. But not just were not doing it. I mean, we have three co-equal branches of government. If theres no accountability by the executive to the judiciary branch, then you might as well throw out our entire system of government, because thats what its based on.

Ellison: What do you think happens if there is a Supreme Court ruling that the Trump administration refuses to comply with? What then?

Nessel: I think its end of our democracy. Its the end of this marvelous experiment thats lasted as long as it has, as imperfect as its been.

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26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana again files request with US Chief Justice to stop extradition to India

Pragya Trivedi

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After Quad, India to be part of 'Squad' to counter 'common enemy' China in Indo-Pacific

Sonalee Borgohain

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Anti-Romeo squads in Delhi: BJP govts bid for Shishtachar takes leaf out of Yogi playbook

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India may not get reciprocal tariff relief as Trump reiterates April 2 deadline

Surabhi Pandey

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Jagan Mohan Reddy thought he was Andhras Saddam Hussein: Nara Lokesh blasts former CM over Rushikonda Sheeshmahal

Smriti Mishra

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Shashi Tharoor embarrasses Congress again: Is the man with 'options' ready to shift loyalties?

Parimal Peeyush

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Strict MCOCA laws would be invoked against cow smugglers, says Devendra Fadnavis

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With Dalit face as president, Congress hopes to turn new leaf in poll-bound Bihar

Parimal Peeyush

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Navigating Growth Without Funding: When and how to raise capital in a bootstrapped startup

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Venezuelas happier than India  Maybe, chaos is the key to happiness

Aurobindo Das

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Dr M Muneer is a global expert columnist and managing director of CustomerLab Solutions, an innovative consulting firm delivering measurable results to clients.

Namrata Agarwal

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Karnataka student gives PG 1-star review on Google over insects in food, gets beaten up by owner

Ankita Sengupta

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Researchers discover world's largest living anaconda species in Amazon jungle  how long is it?

MC Science Desk Read the latest and trending science newsstay updated on NASA, ISRO, space missions, planets, asteroids, black holes, AI, quantum physics, galaxy discoveries, and more exciting breakthroughs.

Sheetal Kumari

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Arindam Roy

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Elon Musk's X sues India over 'unlawful' censorship via Sahyog Portal and IT Act

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Aihik Sur

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Google makes Gemini AI smarter with Canvas, Audio Overview features: What it means for users

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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Aabhas Sharma

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Lower UPI subsidy an indication that MDR on UPI is around the corner, say bankers

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Anand J

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Nvidia, Alphabet and Google join forces to announce new initiatives for advance AI: All the details

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Alex Mulligan has been fishing in the Northern Territory of Australia for more than a decade, and never previously seen one.

An Aussie fisherman has shared the moment he ensnared a "rare" green sawfish at the end of his fishing line, desperately rushing to unhook the unique creature and release it back into the wild.

Alex Mulligan was fishing for stingrays at Buffalo Creek in Darwin when he had the unlikely encounter last week. Reeling in the fish, he spotted the distinctive saw, known as its rostrum, peak out of the water.

"The green sawfish came along and took the bait. It was a bycatch but it's a pretty amazing bycatch," he told Yahoo News, explaining he released it as soon as he could.

"I've been fishing up here in the Northern Territory for nearly 13 years and its the first time I've ever seen or caught one... they're definitely one of a kind."

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To see a green sawfish, never mind catching one, is exceptionally rare as there is estimated to only be between 200 and 5,000 left in the world. It's believe the one Alex caught was either a juvenile or a female, as it was only "1.8 metres long"  with mature male sawfish able to grow over seven metres long.

"I was over the moon when I realised what it was. I was absolutely ecstatic as soon as I saw its nose poke up out of the water. It was an indescribable feeling knowing I was about to see one up close and personal," Alex told Yahoo.

Green sawfish are a 'super endangered species'

Sawfish are classified as stingrays as their gills are positioned underneath them, and even though that's exactly what Alex was fishing for on the day, he was required by law to immediately release it as they are a "super endangered species".

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"I was concerned about its well-being. As gently as I could I held its nose up and took the hook out so I was handling it over as little time as possible. I know how rare and endangered this species is," he said.

In fact when sharing the moment online, some were particularly surprised. "I thought green sawfish were extinct in the wild," one follower commented.

"Not extinct yet but they are critically endangered," Alex replied.

Sawfish are critically endangered worldwide. Source: Fisheries of Australia

There are five species of sawfish and over half of their habitat has been destroyed worldwide, with areas of the Northern Territory acting as a lifeboat for four of the species thanks to its remoteness and mostly untouched coastlines, according to the Australian Marine Conservation.

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Their saws are a blessing and a curse, with their most distinctive feature making them a target for trophy fishing and often getting tangled in fishing nets. An increase in coastal development has also disrupted the migration of juvenile sawfish, making it difficult for reproduction.

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WhatsApp is just a Cheap Imitation, says Telegrams Pavel Durov as messaging app hits 1 billion active users

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From Ranveer Singh to ZNMD, Yas Island banks on Bollywood magic to keep India as top source market

Maryam Farooqui is Senior Correspondent at Moneycontrol covering media and entertainment, travel and hospitality. She has 11 years of experience in reporting.

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Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing, is in hot water over his company's Panama Ports deal

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Malaysia greenlights renewed search for Flight MH370: A relook at what exactly happened on that fateful day

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Pradeep Tripathi

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Trump administration due to respond on deportations as judge weighs possible violations

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Trump, Zelenskiy pledge in phone call to work for end to war in Ukraine

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Experts are scouring tens of thousands of images, searching for the more evidence of the unique animal.

The echidna photographed on Lungtalanana could be an undescribed subspecies. Source: Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre

Evidence of a unique animal has been captured by motion-sensor cameras placed on a remote, windswept island in Bass Strait. Two grainy stills show what could be an undescribed subspecies of echidna, sparking excitement among wildlife experts.

It had been decades since an echidna had been spotted on the island of Lungtalanana, northeast of Tasmania. Not much was known about the population that once lived there, and there was little hope of ever seeing one again because a fire scorched most of the landscape in 2014.

Jesse Williams from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre told Yahoo News it was a great feeling finding that the echidna, known locally as trimanya, had survived.

Indigenous ranger Kulai Sculthorpe described the discovery as monumental. We the Pakana Rangers were so excited to discover the island still had trimanya, he said.

Why is the island's echidna likely unique?

At 82 square kilometres, Lungtalanana is the third largest of the Furneaux Group of islands and has been cut off from the rest of Tasmania since the last ice age, allowing unique wildlife to develop.

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There are five known subspecies of short-beaked echidna in Australia, including one unique to Tasmania with thick, longer hair to help it survive in the cold. Its possible those on Lungtalanana developed their own unique characteristics, but without finding the echidna and examining its appearance and genetics it will be impossible to know. And scientists have been contacted to help with the investigation.

Related: Long-lost outback creature makes 1,500km journey home

There was excitement after two images from 2023 clearly showed an echidna on the island. Source: Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre

Rangers are working to discover whether its the only surviving echidna on Lungtalanana by scouring through tens of thousands of images. The images of the echidna were snapped in 2023, and there is a backlog of data to examine.

Weve been searching through our SD cards trying to see if its still in the area. Wed like to put some sort of identification on it to see if theres more than one, Williams said.

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Why was the island decimated by fire?

Fire experts and rangers from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre are working to mitigate the chances of fire devastating Lungtalanana again. Theres evidence of cultural burning on the island for more than 41,000 years, and it's believed resuming the practice will help make the island safer.

Much of the island's wildlife was killed off and the landscape became ecologically unbalanced after land was cleared for farming, and cats we introduced.

Pakana Ranger Kulai Sculthorpe has been working to heal Lungtalanana. Source: WWF-Australia/Chris Crerar

World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF-Australia) is providing support to meticulously restore the island by resuming cultural burning. Once the island has been healed, there are plans to return locally extinct species including the Bennetts wallaby, long-nosed potoroo, and Bass Strait Islands wombat.

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WWF-Australia program manager Rob Brewster explained that animals like echidnas play an important role in keeping the island healthy. By digging, echidnas push leaves and seeds underground, enriching soil  they can turn over about seven tonnes a year, he said.

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US reacts after Dhaka slams Gabbard's 'Caliphate' remark: 'Condemn any violence toward members of minority

Priyanjali Ghose

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Who is Badar Khan Suri? Indian scholar facing deportation from US

Pradeep Tripathi

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A major player in Tasmania's salmon farming industry has lost its humane certification from the nation's peak animal welfare body.

After Huon workers were filmed appearing to place live and dead salmon in the same containers, the RSPCA withdrew certification. Source: Bob Brown Foundation

Tasmanias salmon farming industry has had a terrible four weeks. And today it got worse, with the RSPCA announcing its permanently cutting ties with one of the countrys biggest producers, Huon.

After a bacterial outbreak killed over 1 million salmon across the state, workers for Huon, which is a subsidiary of Brazils largest meat producer JBS, were caught on camera throwing writhing live and dead salmon into the same containers and sealing them shut. In response, the RSPCA initially suspended its accreditation for 14 days, citing concerns about the inhumane handling of live, sick or injured fish which it said was unacceptable.

RSPCA Australia CEO Richard Mussell acknowledged its decision was made after a single incident, but he said certified producers need to meet standards that go well above the minimum legal requirements.

The decision to withdraw a certification reflects how seriously we take incidents like this that compromise animal welfare, he said. Fish, including those farmed for human consumption, are sentient beings and, like other animals, can experience pain and suffering. When theyre farmed for food, the welfare of fish must be front of mind.

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Related: Brutal claim about one of the world's most popular meats in court challenge

Masses of dead rotting fish were photographed in salmon pens in the Huon Channel. Source: Bob Brown Foundation

Local media reported Huon was "incredibly disappointed" by the decision and said the incident occurred during an "unprecedented, challenging period". Yahoo News has reached out to peak body Salmon Tasmania for comment.

Conservation group Bob Brown Foundation accused the industry of being "completely out of control" and congratulated the RSPCA on its decision.

"The RSPCA should have never taken money from these factory farms in the first place, which was a clear compromise of their standards. We thank the RSPCA for returning to upholding their values and morals in this instance," spokesperson Alistair Allan said.

PM backs salmon industry amid mounting controversies

The salmon farming industry has faced growing pressure to reform its operations, which critics say is harming the clean, green reputation of food produced on the island state.

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Beaches in Tasmania have been inundated with foul-smelling chunks of dead salmon that have died from disease, sparking large protests. And one major food delivery app, Box Divvy, has cut ties with the industry and switched to New Zealand produce.

Despite the controversy, major political figures including the states premier Jeremy Rockliff and federal opposition leader Peter Dutton have stuck by the international salmon farming multinationals that operate in Tasmanias waters. And Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed his government will push through legislation guaranteeing the industrys future.

His government's measure is designed to counter legal battles the industry faces over its impact on the Maugean skate, a native fish thats been pushed to near extinction due to poor water quality in its only habitat, Macquarie Harbour.

While the RSPCA had previously accredited products farmed by Huon, it had refused to allow its label to be used on salmon farmed in Macquarie Harbour. Both Coles and Woolworths controversially sell salmon from the region as sustainable.

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Demonstrators carry signs demanding contract changes from United Airlines in front of the A.B. Won Pat International Airport in Tiyan on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
Zaldy Dandan is a recipient of the Best Editorial Writer Award of the Society of Professional Journalists, and the CNMI Humanities Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism. His four books are available on amazon.com/.
Alvarado-Gil AG Day flyer View Photo

Sacramento, CA District 4 Mother Lode State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson) touts her bill to extend the Farm to Food Bank Tax Credit to farmers in recognition of California Agriculture Day today.

The flow of tax credits to farmers ensures easier access to healthy food for families. This bill protects that vital cycle. As Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all those who keep us fed. Happy Ag Day!, said Senator Alvarado-Gil, Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

As we reported last month, Alvarado-Gil announced bills she was authoring, including Senate Bill 353 (SB 353) to extend the Farm to Food Bank Tax Credit. It gives a 15 percent tax credit to incentivize farmers for their donation of fresh food to local food banks. The credit will end in 2027.

If its on your plate, its California-grown! Today, we celebrate the hardworking farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers who nourish our communities and fuel our economy. But under Democrat policies, too many families are struggling to afford groceries. Many seniors, veterans, and pregnant women rely on food banks. Extending this tax credit means supporting our farmers, strengthening those vital food banks, and feeding Californias most vulnerable, concluded Senator Alvarado-Gil.

In 2023, $8.2 million worth of food was contributed by California farmers, while $769,499 in tax credits were given out. The food banks throughout the state, particularly those in Senate District 4, have benefited greatly from these gifts. Increasing this tax credit would further solidify the relationship between farmers, food banks, and families, since Californias agriculture sector contributes $50 billion to the states economy each year, with Senate District 4 accounting for $10 billion of that total.
Biking at Pinecrest Lake View Photo

Pinecrest, CA  The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors voted to approve increased fines around Pinecrest Lake and, then some board members got into a heated debate about whether it was also the right time to discuss other proposals related to the popular recreation spot.

District Three Supervisor Anaiah Kirk has been pushing to increase the penalties for parking violations around the lake from the current $35, up to $100 for the first offense and $200 for the second. The board voted 5-0 to waive the required first reading of the ordinance and pass the second reading. A final required third vote/reading will occur at a meeting next month. Supervisor Steve Griefer, a former CHP Officer, argued that the increase to $100 is too low, and said he would like to see it go to $250, and others agreed. However, the County Counsels office indicated that there may be legal issues in the county rules about increasing it past $100 for the first offense. That item will be reviewed in the coming weeks before the final vote of the supervisors.

At the meeting, during public comment, the increase in penalties was endorsed by both Sheriff David Vasquez and Heidi Lupo with the Pinecrest Lake Resort.

Immediately after the vote, Supervisor Kirk then requested the board discuss having county staff also investigate things (and report back) on possible changes to fire lanes, a toll booth and/or fees for parking in the day-use areas, and a shuttle service to and from Dodge Ridge (to help with overcrowding).

Supervisors Jaron Brandon and Ryan Campbell raised questions about pushing those items forward, given that Pinecrest is not something on the boards designated current priority list, and the potential large amount of time it would take staff to look into and implement those changes. Brandon noted that other board members also have priority projects in their district and this was not the way the board had previously decided to move those types of things forward.

Kirk said he has been lobbying for changes at Pinecrest for six years and argued that it ties into issues like fire and public safety, which are board priorities. Kirk would like to see changes ahead of Memorial Day and the upcoming fire season.

Supervisors Mike Holland and Steve Griefer supported having the conversation, while Campbell and Brandon took issue with it. Brandon added that he wasnt necessarily opposed to the proposals, like parking fees, but the process of doing it this way (not earlier included on the board priority list). Kirk and Campbell then got into a heated back-and-forth debate that spanned several minutes. As it continued on, Kirk argued that they could have already finished the discussion during the amount of time they had spent arguing.

Campbell said Kirk was shoehorning in a fairly major issue.

The dynamics of the new board came into view.

Kirk, seeming to allude to a possible alliance between him, Griefer and Holland, following the recent election, stated, I know you are not used to being the minority, Ryan, but get used to it.

Campbell responded, Oh, I am used to being a minority.

Bradon then said, Thats not what this is about.

Campbell replied to Kirk, The fact that you think in those terms is part of the problem.

Kirk then said, You guys, this is so simple (support for moving it forward).

Kirk asked County Counsel Sarah Carrillo if the discussion he proposed having was legal under Brown Act rules, and she responded that it was, in relation to giving board direction at this time. No final decisions were being made.

A short presentation was delivered, and Kirk gained support from Griefer and Holland to direct staff to come back at a later meeting, for more discussion on Pinecrest, about fire lanes, message signs/communications, and a potential fee-based plan (toll booths for parking in lots).
Beijing (Gasgoo)- Dongfeng Motor's Central Asia regional marketing center under its commercial vehicle overseas sales department recently held an inauguration ceremony for a new 4S store in Kyrgyzstan, the company announced on WeChat on March 19.

Photo credit: Dongfeng Motor

The grand opening saw the signing of an order for 15 Dongfeng Motor's commercial vehicles. The Minister of Economy of Kyrgyzstan highly praised the cooperation, emphasizing its significance under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The opening of this 4S store marks a key breakthrough in Dongfeng Motor's strategic expansion along the BRI markets. As a crucial service hub in the region, the facility integrates vehicle sales, parts warehousing, smart diagnostics, and technical training, covering not only Kyrgyzstan but also neighboring markets such as Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

From cross-border transport fleets in the Pamir Plateau to agricultural supply trucks in Chuy Valley, Dongfeng Motor's localized operations and technical expertise are set to enhance regional logistics efficiency, helping Kyrgyzstan integrate further into the Eurasian transport network.

Since the launch of the BRI in 2013, Dongfeng Motor has evolved from a mere vehicle exporter to a full-value-chain provider. It has established a KD assembly plant in Kazakhstan, introduced new energy light-duty trucks in Pakistan, and developed a digital service cloud platform in the UAE.
Harare  Zimbabwes political landscape has taken a dramatic turn as tensions escalate within the ruling Zanu PF party. A shadowy organisation known as the General Chiwenga Voluntary Supporters Association (GCVSA), aligned with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has made explosive claims that mercenaries have been contracted to assassinate the former army commander.

These sensational allegations come amidst a backdrop of intensifying factionalism within Zanu PF, with the power struggle between Chiwenga and President Emmerson Mnangagwa now playing out in the open.

The GCVSAs claims arrive as expelled Zanu PF Central Committee member and militant war veteran Blessed Bombshell Geza has reignited political tensions in Zimbabwe with a series of explosive allegations against President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration.

Geza, who disappeared after previous press briefings that led to the arrest of journalist Blessed Mhlanga, has resurfaced, accusing Mnangagwa of attempting to poison Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, engaging in widespread corruption, and betraying the principles of the liberation struggle.

In a statement shared with New Zimbabwe, the GCVSA asserted they were privy to a plot not only to eliminate Chiwenga but also to target anyone participating in a planned demonstration slated for March 31st.

We pre-empt and categorically expose the treasonous move to deploy mercenaries imported from Sierra Leone, assigned with the heinous mission of eliminating General Chiwenga, declared Ntokozo Msipha, the organisations secretary general.

This foreign interference in our national affairs is an act of war! We warn those involved your names are known, your movements tracked, and your betrayal of Zimbabwe will be met with full consequences.

The allegations of an assassination plot come against a backdrop of open hostility between factions within Zanu PF. Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa, a staunch supporter of Mnangagwas continued rule beyond his constitutionally mandated term in 2028, recently described Chiwenga as cruel, unintelligent, and unelectable in a recorded call that was leaked last week. Despite Chiwengas reported demand for action against Mutsvangwa, no disciplinary measures have been taken.

Chiwenga is seen as challenging Mnangagwas stay in power beyond 2028. The latters supporters, mainly from Masvingo province where he hails, are campaigning that he hangs on to 2030.

Clad in visibly new military garb, Geza warned Mnangagwa that his time in office is up, reminding him of the support he received from Chiwenga during the 2017 military coup that ousted the late President Robert Mugabe. Mnangagwas expulsion as Vice President on November 6, 2017, was the spark that ignited Operation Restore Legacy, led by General Chiwenga.

You poisoned General Chiwenga, who assisted you when you had run away. Mugabe wanted to give power to Chiwenga, but he refused. But today you are going after Chiwenga. Are you sure? What exactly did you do during the liberation struggle? fumed Geza.

Geza alleges that Mnangagwa was involved in Chiwengas poisoning, referring to the VPs medical treatment in China in 2020. Mnangagwa was 100 per cent involved in the poisoning of General Chiwenga. I have the evidence from his brother, called Joseph Rera. When Mnangagwa was asked by Rera how General Chiwenga was coping with his health while in China, Mnangagwa, you said Chiwenga was a goner, and that he would return to Zimbabwe in a coffin, Geza claimed.

He further alleged that Mnangagwa had a hand in the deaths of scores of military generals, especially during the Covid-19 era.

War veterans, led by Blessed Geza have vowed to lead a protest on March 31 against cronyism they say now characterises Mnangagwas regime.

Msipha added: We stand firm in full support of the peoples call to action on March 31, 2025. This is not a day of recklessness, but a day of decisive movement by Zimbabweans who refuse to be ruled by fear, deceit, and treachery. The time for tyranny is over, the hour for accountability is now!

The enemy is shaken. We are fully aware of the Home Affairs Ministrys planned press conference, an attempt to intimidate the people with hollow threats, lawfare, and brute force. Let it be clear: the people will not be intimidated by recycled rhetoric or empty posturing. No force on earth can stop a determined people!

To the police and military personnel, remember your oath is to Zimbabwe-not to a rogue regime. Any orders to harm unarmed civilians on March 31 are unlawful and will not be forgotten.

The regimes days are numbered, and those who think they can rule through poisoning, mercenaries, and violence will soon face the peoples judgment!

A press conference by war veteran Ethan Mathibela to announce the protest was disturbed by unidentified men in Bulawayo earlier this week.

As Zimbabwe braces for potential unrest, the allegations of an assassination plot and the planned protests on March 31st have created a volatile atmosphere, raising serious questions about the stability of the nation and the future of Zanu PF.

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Harare  A pall of grief hangs over Dzivarasekwa following Wednesdays horrific accident at the Dzivarasekwa turn-off, near Thuli Service Station, which claimed the lives of seven people and left eight others injured.

The collision, involving a Toyota Hiace commuter omnibus (kombi), a haulage truck, and a UD truck, has once again shone a spotlight on the dangers of unregulated public transport and the perilous conditions at what locals are calling a notorious black spot.

Adding to the heartbreak, it has been revealed that one of the victims was an innocent bystander, caught in the crossfire of the deadly crash. The incident occurred along the Harare-Bulawayo Road, a stretch known for its dangerous road conditions and often referred to as Pamagetsi.

Transport Minister Felix Mhona has laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of the kombi driver, stating that the accident was caused by his reckless failure to give way at a traffic light-controlled junction.

It is concerning to note that the commuter omnibus was not certified to be road worthy and not authorized to carry passengers, and the driver did not have the requisite competencies to drive a passenger service vehicle, Minister Mhona said in a statement released late Wednesday. The failure by the commuter omnibus driver to give way was reckless and thus a blatant violation of our road traffic rules and regulations.

The Minister has promised stringent measures to safeguard lives from further road carnage, declaring, I wish to remind and warn all transport operators, motorists, and members of the public that the Ministry will take stern measures to preserve the safety and security of the commuting public.

However, for many, these words offer little comfort in the face of such devastating loss.

Adding a shocking twist to the tragedy, H-Metro, a local daily tabloid, has reported that the kombi driver, identified as 27-year-old Guylord Hunda, was actually a conductor and did not possess a valid drivers license. Hunda was allegedly supposed to hand over the Toyota Hiace to the licensed driver of the daily Mbare-Dzivarasekwa route, who was waiting at the Warren Park turn-off.

According to reports, Hunda, who sustained head injuries in the crash, was actively seeking passengers when the incident occurred. He already had 17 passengers on board when he reversed the kombi, leading to the fatal collision with the UD truck, which then crashed into a broken-down van.

Police reports indicate that the kombi failed to stop at a traffic light-controlled intersection, leading to the initial collision with the haulage truck. At the scene, Hunda was unable to produce a drivers license when traffic police conducted their investigation. The haulage truck was driven by 37-year-old Munyaradzi Mapuranga.

The commuter omnibus itself was also found wanting, lacking a permit for its route and deemed unfit to carry passengers.

Hebert Karimazondo, a Dzivarasekwa resident who narrowly avoided becoming a victim himself, has called on authorities to install speed humps at the accident black spot. Karimazondo had been chasing the kombi in Dzivarasekwa, hoping to catch a ride, but the driver failed to notice him.

I cannot believe that I survived the tragedy because I was supposed to be among the victims, said Karimazondo. The driver failed to stop when I waved and shouted for him to wait for me as the kombi left Dzivarasekwa 3. Some people actually thought I got into the kombi, including my neighbour, Mai Alice who was calling my name when she arrived at the scene, thinking I was among the victims.

Karimazondo witnessed the tragedy unfold. He believes the UD truck driver was speeding along Bulawayo Road and ended up hitting the kombi, which had reversed to pick up a passenger after trying to switch lanes.

The whole tragedy happened in my sight, he said. The Kombi driver reversed to pick a passenger, and I waited for him to return. Just after picking the passenger, the kombi was hit from behind by the speeding UD truck and, in the process, injured a woman who was carrying day-old chicks. All but one of the chicks died while the woman was rushed to hospital.

Karimazondo is adamant that urgent action is needed to prevent further loss of life at the turn-off. What I can say is that the place is now a black spot and there is need for speed humps, he said. The traffic lights have not been working and will not make the drivers reduce speed, so speed humps are necessary. This is the third accident that has claimed lives at the same spot within a space of five months.

The accident has reignited public anger over the lack of regulation in the commuter omnibus sector. Social media is abuzz with criticism of the traffic police and government for their apparent complacency towards kombi operators, many of whom lack the required documentation to operate legally.

A week ago, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Commissioner Paul Nyathi, revealed that only 3,000 out of the approximately 16,000 kombis operating in the capital, Harare, are officially registered. This leaves a staggering 13,000 vehicles unaccounted for, effectively driving under the radar.

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Yves here. For those living in Asia and other parts of the world where big cities generally = bad to dangerously bad air, the idea of putting more stuff in the atmosphere because global warming sounds like an intuitively bad idea. That is before getting to the fact that there is no meaningful regulation of geoengineering, that there are serious questions as to whether the effects of any operations can be contained, and the standards for determining effectiveness versus harm. This like GMOs is on its way to become a great experiment upon the general public without consents or controls.

On top of that, the Israeli angle gives me the willies. Since this is a commercial operation, if any of its experiments actually do prove to be harmful, the odds seem high that those approaches would be repurposed as weapons. In fact, its almost certain that these applications would produce faster and greater profits than the climate-change-combatting geoengineering sort.

By Ramin Skibba (@raminskibba), an astrophysicist turned science writer and freelance journalist who has written for WIRED, The Atlantic, Slate, Scientific American, and Nature, among other publications. Originally published at Undark

In July 2012, a renegade American businessman, Russ George, took a ship off the coast of British Columbia and dumped 100 tons of iron sulfate dust into the Pacific Ocean. He had unilaterally, and some suggest illegally, decided to trigger an algae bloom to absorb some carbon dioxide from the atmosphere  an attempt at geoengineering, a tech-based approach to combating climate change. It was a one-off, the largest known geoengineering experiment at the time, and a harbinger for more to come.

Now a startup called Stardust seeks something more ambitious: developing proprietary geoengineering technology that would help block sun rays from reaching the planet. Stardust formed in 2023 and is based in Israel, but incorporated in the United States.

Its approach is novel: Most geoengineering research today is led by scientists in the U.S. at universities and federal agencies, and the work they are doing is more or less accessible to public scrutiny. Stardust is at the forefront of an alternative path: One in which private companies drive the development, and perhaps deployment, of technologies that experts say could have profound consequences for the planet.

Geoengineering projects, even those led by climate scientists at major universities, have previously drawn the ire of environmentalists and other groups. Such a deliberate transformation of the atmosphere has never been done, and many uncertainties remain. If a geoengineering project went awry, for example, it could contribute to air pollution and ozone loss, or have dramatic effects on weather patterns, such as disrupting monsoons in populous South and East Asia.

But as global temperatures rise, public and scientific sentiments are shifting. If those temperature trends continue, governments or private entities may ultimately use geoengineering to alleviate or avoid the worst impacts of extreme weather, including deadly heat waves, firestorms, and hurricanes. And whoever deploys the technology will need to keep it up for decades while pent-up greenhouse gases gradually dissipate or are removed.

Few outsiders have gotten a glimpse of Stardusts plans, and the company has not publicly released details about its technology, its business model, or exactly who works at its company. But the company appears to be positioning itself to develop and sell a proprietary geoengineering technology to governments that are considering making modifications to the global climate  acting like a kind of defense contractor for climate alteration.

Stardust is moving ahead amid few national and international rules and oversight, and a recent report by the companys former climate governance consultant, Janos Pasztor, called for the company to increase its transparency, engagement, and communication with outsiders. The report provides rare insight into the so-far reticent company. But, so far, Pasztor told Undark, the company has not met all of his requests. Stardust still needs to implement his recommendations, and be as transparent as possible, be available proactively to respond to questions people may have, and also to engage with other actors, he said, because they do not, or not yet, have a social license for geoengineering activities.

The company is led by CEO and cofounder Yanai Yedvab, a former deputy chief scientist at the Israel Atomic Energy Commission, which oversees the countrys clandestine nuclear program. Through Eli Zupnick, a communications officer hired by the company, Yedvab never accepted Undarks many requests for an interview. But in an emailed statement to Undark sent via Zupnick, Yedvab wrote: Stardust is a startup focused on researching and developing technologies that may potentially stop global warming in the short term. The company, he continued, is studying and developing a safe, responsible, and controllable solar radiation modification and our goal is to enable informed and responsible decision making of the international community and governments.

Despite Stardusts low profile, the company rejects being referred to as secretive. Publishing all the products of our research without any exception is critical, Yedvab wrote, adding that the company is unwaveringly committed to publishing results as one of the measures to gain public trust. Stardust has not published any of its research at this time, but Yedvab stressed they will do so once scientific validation is concluded on all of their results.

For decades, researchers have explored a variety of approaches to hacking the climate. Today, the most common approach is a type of solar geoengineering that involves flying high-altitude aircraft or balloons to release reflective particles in the high atmosphere, well above the flight paths of commercial planes. The technique, known as stratospheric aerosol injection, requires deploying tiny, carefully- chosen particles in precise amounts. In order to work well, the particles need to be periodically replenished.

Scientists have accumulated evidence for this approach by studying natural events that have flung small particles into the atmosphere. For instance, after an eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide hung in the atmosphere and measurably cooled the planet for more than a year.

Thanks to studies of that volcanic activity, some scientists argue that the environmental risks of deliberately strewing sulfates in the atmosphere are well understood. Although there are potential health risks from the approach, they say, they are small in comparison to the health risks from climate change. We know that sulfuric acid air pollution causes mortality, and we roughly know how much. Theres more than a century of studies. Were very unlikely to be wrong about that, said David Keith, head of the Climate Systems Engineering initiative at the University of Chicago and an advocate of geoengineering research. In a new study, Keith and his colleagues argue that the health risks of sulfate particulates in the atmosphere are heavily outweighed by the potential impacts of not deploying geoengineering technologies.

Stardust plans a similar approach, but with a proprietary aerosol particle thats less well understood, in Keiths view. The company plans to distribute the particles through a machine mounted on an aircraft, according to Pasztor, a veteran climate diplomat and policy expert at the United Nations and elsewhere. According to Pasztors report, which he published on LinkedIn in September 2024, the company is engineering the particle and a prototype of the aircraft mount, as well as developing a system for modeling and monitoring the climatic effects. Over the coming year, Pasztor wrote, the company is planning on advancing those technologies and testing those particles in the stratosphere.

Yedvab confirmed that they are working on the technologies, saying in a statement to Undark that any such experiment would be done in a contained, non-dispersive manner, meaning that its particles would not be strewn over a wide area. It also committed to publishing information about any such outdoor geoengineering tests. Yedvab said that the company has not performed any such outdoor experiments yet, but it has done a few outdoor aerial checks. That meant that they have tested their dispersal system under flight conditions, but they havent yet scattered their aerosols in the atmosphere.

Those experimental particles do not appear to involve sulfates, meaning there is little data showing how well they might work. It might be better in some respects, but on the other hand its going to be much harder to be confident about knowing what its risks are, Keith said.

In his emailed statement, Yedvab confirmed the company is testing non-sulfate particles: The ability to tailor particle properties to meet a broad set of requirements  safety, effectiveness, cost, and dispersibility  is a key advantage of our approach, giving it a distinct edge over sulfates and other candidate particles.

As Stardust continues its research and development, it has drawn scrutiny, including from Pasztor. After retiring as a veteran climate diplomat, Pasztor agreed to work with Stardust in 2024 as an independent consultant. Rather than keep the remuneration for his work, he instead donated the entirety of it to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, or UNRWA, he told Undark.

The aim of Pasztors project was to highlight the need for clear international rules and oversight for geoengineering. He also wanted to make recommendations for Stardust  and for any other such geoengineering company  about how to ethically develop and deploy its technology.

Right now, there are no international rules or treaties that put obvious limits on this kind of work. As a result, an individual company or government can take dramatic gambles with the climate, in ways that could affect billions of lives, and it doesnt have to get permission from anyone to do it.

According to Pasztors report, there should be rules that allow more people to be involved in that decision before it happens. Failing that, he said, Stardust should voluntarily tell the public what its doing and make sure its getting input from lots of different groups of people before it tinkers with the planetary thermostat.

Theres one big area, transparency and outreach, to engage with the rest of the world, to the extent that the IP process allows, he told Undark. Building trust through a strategy of maximum transparency should become a priority for them, he recommended in the report.

In September 2024, Stardusts former climate governance consultant, Janos Pasztor, published his report on the company via LinkedIn. Pasztors report, which includes several recommendation sections like the one shown here, calls for the company to increase its transparency, engagement, and communication with outsiders.

Stardust agreed to publish a public website, including providing a copy of Pasztors report, and to develop a voluntary code of conduct, he said. That would publicly lay out how they intend to conduct their research and development, including agreeing not to be involved in large-scale implementation, which would instead be under the purview of government agencies. Pasztor expected Stardust to publish this information last September or soon afterward .

For a while, though, no website appeared. They were going to publish all of that on their website. Now they are delayed, he said during a conversation in January. Come on guys, this is getting embarrassing.

In early February, while Undark was reporting this article, Stardust published a bare-bones website. The site links to Pasztors report and lists seven principles, including prioritizing safety and scientific integrity, publishing unfavorable results as well as favorable ones, and supporting comprehensive regulation of this emerging field.

The site doesnt describe who works for the company, but a statement provided to Undark by Zupnick noted that Stardust has 25 physicists, chemists, and engineers on the team and listed some of the companys leadership: Yedvab, the CEO; chief product officer Amyad Spector, a physicist and a former employee of the Israeli governments nuclear research program; and lead scientist Eli Waxman, an astrophysicist at the Weizmann Institute of Science who formerly served as Spectors academic supervisor.

Stardust has not yet released a code of conduct, which the company described to Undark as guiding principles that represent a set of voluntary commitments we have adopted in the absence of a dedicated regulatory framework. In an email sent to Undark by Zupnick, Yedvab stressed that the company complies with all applicable governmental and international regulations.

Some groups, however, like the Center for International Environmental Law, say that Stardusts efforts could violate the Convention on Biological Diversitys de facto moratorium on geoengineering activities. By developing and planning to commercialize solar geoengineering technology, Stardust is accelerating a reckless race and potentially violating agreements of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said CIELs geoengineering campaign manager, Mary Church, in a statement in February. Any deployment of the technology, Church wrote, would likely be controlled by a handful of major powers and corporations.

Stardusts prospective clients seem to be governments: As countries consider geoengineering, Stardust could be poised to sell them tools to meet those goals, several experts said. In an emailed answer to questions about its business model, Yedvab described the companys approach as founded on the premise that solar geoengineering will play a critical role in addressing global warming in the coming decades.

The companys portfolio of technologies, Yedvab added, could be deployed following decisions by the U.S. government and international community.

The company is attempting to patent its geoengineering technology. We anticipate that as U.S.-led [geoengineering] research and development programs advance, the value of Stardusts technological portfolio will grow accordingly, Yedvab wrote. Pasztors report adds that if governments decide not to pursue geoengineering, investors risk not receiving a return on their investment.

The prospect of proprietary, privately held geoengineering technology worries some experts. Pasztor recommends that Stardust work with its investors to explore ways to give away their intellectual property, akin to how Volvo made its patented three-point seatbelt design freely available to other manufacturers 60 years ago. Alternatively, Stardust could work with governments to purchase the full rights to the IP, who can then make the technology freely available themselves.

In any case, Pasztor argues, Stardust can only proceed in an ethical manner if they do so with full transparency and independent oversight: They are operating in a vacuum, in the sense that there is no social license to do what they are trying to do.

Other experts have also questioned Stardusts conduct so far. When it comes to principles of governance, like transparency and public engagement, theyre not adhering to any of them, said Shuchi Talati, founder of The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit. Pasztors report is the only public thing we know about them, she added. Stardust did not do any public consultation for its outdoor field tests, nor has it released any data or other information about them, Talati said. And that lack of transparency could come with consequences for the company, she argued, as Stardusts approach may spark conspiracy theories about what a secret Israeli company is doing, and down the road, it will be much harder for people to trust Stardust.

A better approach, Talati argued in a paper published in January, is for Stardust to be communicative and build trust as early as possible, disclosing what its doing and with whom its engaging. The companys funders, she argued, should disclose the scope of the work theyre funding as well.

People at Friends of the Earth, an environmental group that has long dismissed geoengineering as a dangerous distraction, echo Talatis concerns and go further with their critiques of Stardust. I dont think its compatible to have venture capital funding and to be committed to scientific ideals, said Benjamin Day, FOEs senior campaigner on geoengineering. The problem, in his view, is that Stardusts engineers have a vested interest in finding that stratospheric geoengineering can and should be done.

If governments choose to use geoengineering, they may become heavily dependent on Stardust if theyre ahead of the competition  of which there currently is none, Day said. Theres no private market for geoengineering technologies. Theyre only going to make money if its deployed by governments, and at that point theyre kind of trying to hold governments hostage with technology patents.

If any geoengineering technology goes live, it will affect the whole world. The U.S. federal government is even developing an early warning system that could detect geoengineering in the stratosphere. Furthermore, deploying geoengineering means using and monitoring it for as long as a century, while any abrupt adjustment or end of that deployment could be disruptive, with termination shock triggering dangerous global warming within months.

Geoengineering research has long been entangled with national defense, said Kevin Surprise, a professor of environmental studies at Mount Holyoke College who studies the economics and geopolitics of geoengineering. Some of the first geoengineering papers in the late 1990s came from institutions with Pentagon ties, like Lawrence Livermore National Lab and the Hoover Institution. High-profile geoengineering meetings with the George W. Bush administration and the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as a mention in a Department of Defense report soon followed, and the CIA reportedly funded the first geoengineering report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Because of the longstanding connections between geoengineering research and development, the military, and Silicon Valley, Surprise argues, Stardust shouldnt be viewed as a rogue actor. This isnt out of the blue, he said.

In Stardusts case, theyve received an estimated $15 million in venture capital funding, primarily from Awz Ventures, Canadian-Israeli VC firm, in addition to a small investment from SolarEdge, an Israeli energy company. Neither company responded to Undarks requests for comment.

Stardust said that it receives no funding from the Israeli Defense Ministry, and made clear to Pasztor that it has no connection to the Israeli government. Awzs partners and strategic advisers have strong ties to Israeli military and intelligence agencies, including former senior directors of agencies like the Mossad, Shin Bet, and Unit 8200, as well as of the CIA and FBI, according to its website. Awz also invests in AI-based surveillance and security tech in Israel, such as through the company Corsight, which has provided facial recognition tech for Israels war in Gaza.

Defense scholars and security experts dont see geoengineering technology as a potential weapon, but they do view it as something a government might use for its advantage, and as something that would disrupt international relations, said Duncan McLaren, a researcher with the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University. McLaren suspects the company is following a standard procurement model of the defense industry, where governments get military technology from a few monopolistic companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin that develop it mostly in secret.

That tends to be a space in which public involvement in decisions is utterly sidelined, McLaren said, and there is the potential for this to be a highly undemocratic process of moving us down a slippery slope to solar geoengineering. If humanity needed this technology, he added, I definitely want it to be controlled democratically.
Yves here. Note that this account is unabashedly anti-Iranian, and needs to be taken with a fistful of salt, in light of tidbits like the claim that Irans new SIGINT ship, the Zagros, launched on January 15, was sunk:

Reports claiming that Irans advanced spy vessel Zagros was targeted and sunk by the US in the Red Sea are false. The ship remains safe and operational, currently sailing in international waters. pic.twitter.com/3ZXlnLuOet  Current Report (@Currentreport1) March 18, 2025

 #Irans @PressTV posts this introduction to the Zagros video just days after rumors began circulating online re: the Zagros reconnaissance ship having been targeted and sunk by the US navy (which even the US now seems to be denying). #oott pic.twitter.com/5SzwoywS3q  Nader Itayim |   (@ncitayim) March 19, 2025

Nevertheless, this article is a useful sighting of Trump escalatory moves toward Iran and related scapegoating. But one has to note it starts with unlikely premise, per its headline, that the US would win in a hot war with Iran.

By Dr. Cyril Widdershoven, a long-time observer of the global energy market. Presently he works as Director of Energy Security and Supply Chains, at Strategy International Cyprus. Originally published at OilPrice

Escalating tensions between Israel, Iran, and regional militiasincluding Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthisare pushing the Middle East toward a potential large-scale conflict.

The U.S. has intensified military actions against Iranian-backed forces.

Oil markets remain complacent despite growing risks.

The energy markets could be on the verge of a Black Swan Bull Market, signaling potential volatility and major geopolitical shifts.

After a brief lull in military confrontations in the Middle East, tensions are once again escalating between Israel and its adversariesHezbollah, Hamas, Iran, and the Houthis. Recent attention has focused on developments in Syria, where a newly emerging Islamist extremist regime, led by self-proclaimed President Al Jolani, is struggling to maintain control. His forces are engaged in a sectarian war against opposition groups such as the Kurds, former Assad loyalists, and Hezbollah fighters.

The situation remains fluid, especially following sectarian massacres in Alawite and Christian regions by Al Jolani-backed militias. At the same time, Iran and Hezbollah are actively working to destabilize parts of the country. In a significant escalation, Syrian army units have reportedly crossed into Lebanon, potentially igniting a conflict with the Lebanese Armed Forces. Israel has made it clear that it will not support or allow the stabilization of the Al Jolani-led, Turkish-backed government, while simultaneously seeking to expand its influence in Druze-controlled areas near its borders.

Meanwhile, Israel has resumed military operations against Hamas in Gaza and intensified its activities in the West Bank. The IDF is also actively striking Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, increasing the risk of a renewed confrontation. Irans deep involvement in all these flashpointsboth militarily and through strategic coordinationsuggests a broader regional power play, aimed at challenging Israel and reasserting Tehrans influence.

Escalation Beyond Israel and Iran

The regions volatility is further amplified by third-party military actions, particularly U.S. airstrikes against Houthi forces in Yemen and broader U.S. foreign policy moves. The Trump administrations stance on Ukraine and Russia is fueling geopolitical instability, indirectly influencing the Middle Easts fragile balance.

As Washington escalates its approach toward Iran, recent reports indicate that the U.S. military has targeted and disabled Irans most advanced SIGINT vessel, the Zagros. This marks a major blow to Tehrans naval intelligence capabilities. The attack comes amid Houthi claims of launching a third assault on U.S. warships in the Red Sea, allegedly targeting the USS Harry S. Truman with missiles and drones.

In response, the Trump administration has declared that as long as threats to commercial vessels in the Red Sea-Gulf of Aden corridor persist, decisive action will be taken against the Houthis. Notably, the U.S. has now expanded its targets to include Iranian assets in Yemen, making it clear that Tehran itself is now in Washingtons crosshairs.

A Shift in U.S. and Israeli strategy

For Israel, the message is equally clear. Trumps recent approval of renewed military action against Hamas suggests that Washington may have given Israel the green light for a potential final showdown with Iran. With global media focused on Trumps One-Day plan for ending the Ukraine war, the situation could provide cover for joint U.S.-Israeli military action against Iran. Trump has already accused Tehran of orchestrating the Houthi attacks, warning:

Let nobody be fooled! The hundreds of attacks being made by the Houthithese sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemenare all orchestrated by IRAN.

So far, Iran has dismissed these threats, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei asserting that Trumps bullying will have no impact. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a stark warning:

Iran does not seek war, but if anyone threatens us, we will respond with appropriate, decisive, and conclusive action.  IRGC General Hossein Salami

A Full-Scale War: Not if, but When?

A full-scale confrontation between Israel (and potentially the U.S.) and Iran no longer seems a question of ifbut when. Some analysts argue that this clash should have already occurred, but the Netanyahu-Trump alliance has faced internal pressure. Washingtons backdoor negotiations with Hamas have limited Netanyahus room to maneuver.

Meanwhile, a growing Moscow-Tehran-Beijing alliance has also complicated matters. Recent joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Omaninvolving Russia, China, and Iransuggest that an attack on Iranian assets could risk triggering Chinese and Russian intervention. Despite these risks, Middle East tensions could soon explode into a full-blown conflict. With global media fixated on Ukraine, NATO, and Trumps tariff wars, the Middle East is being largely ignoredcreating the perfect storm for an unexpected escalation.

Energy Markets Are Blind to the Risk

Oil and gas markets appear bearish, driven by commodity trader algorithms and price pressures. But this complacency could be a critical mistake. A peace deal in Ukraine is nowhere in sight, and Trumps fragile relationship with Putin could collapse if Moscow continues to push its maximalist demands. A resumption of hostilities in Ukraine would increase energy demand, especially as the EUs military rearmament efforts gain momentum.

However, the true game-changer remains a potential U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Tehrans response would be complex and far-reachingtargeting not only Israel and the U.S. but also Gulf Arab states, with Iraqi militias joining the fight. Syria and Yemen would likely become further battlegrounds, escalating regional instability.

For decades, analysts have debated the possibility of a war with Iran, but today, all indicators point to an imminent conflict. Any military action against Iran will go beyond its nuclear facilities, likely targeting the IRGC and Tehrans energy infrastructure. In retaliation, Iran could strike at U.S. allies in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, or Jordan.

The economic consequences would be severe. Irans oil and gas exports would be wiped off the market, triggering a supply shock. With OPEC+ struggling to compensate Iranian barrels in the short term, energy prices could soar overnight.

The world may be on the brink of a historic geopolitical shift. As attention remains fixed on Ukraine, NATO, and U.S.-China tensions, a potential Middle East conflict is rapidly unfolding behind the scenes. With all signs pointing toward a direct confrontation between Israel, the U.S., and Iran, the Endgame may already be in motion.

The next few weeks could prove decisive.
State, Metro clash over home rule at court of appeals

Three-judge panel hears arguments over state law which would slash the size of Metro Council
With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information.

Pre-sale of Lynk & Co 900 to kick off on March 25

At Geely's 2024 annual financial results conference, An Conghui, President of Geely Holding Group and CEO of ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Holding Limited, announced that Lynk & Co's flagship six-seat SUV, the Lynk & Co 900, will begin presales on March 25 and officially hit the market in late April.

Photo credit: Lynk & Co

Li Auto to release refresherd Li MEGA with upgraded intelligent driving tech on March 21

Li Xiang, CEO of Li Auto, stated on his personal Weibo account that the updated Li MEGA with enhanced intelligent driving features will be rolled out on the company's official website at 10 a.m. on March 21.

AITO puts new M5 Ultra model onto market, priced from 229,800 yuan

At the Huawei Pura product launch event, AITO officially released the upgraded M5 Ultra SUV model onto the market. The new model starts at 229,800 yuan.

DeepRoute.ai unveils RoadAGI strategy, AI Spark platform at NVIDIA GTC

On March 18, 2025 (Beijing time), Chinese autonomous driving solution developer DeepRoute.ai showcased its latest strategic initiative, RoadAGI, and introduced its new road-based general AI platform, AI Spark, at the NVIDIA GTC 2025.

FAW Jiefang begins construction of mini commercial vehicle project in Qingdao

FAW Group's commercial vehicle arm FAW Jiefang has officially commenced construction of its mini commercial vehicle project in Qingdao, Shandong Province, according to the company's announcement on March 20.

Dongfeng Motor opens commercial vehicle 4S store in Kyrgyzstan

Dongfeng Motor's Central Asia regional marketing center under its commercial vehicle overseas sales department recently held an inauguration ceremony for a new 4S store in Kyrgyzstan, the company announced on WeChat on March 19.

Geely Automobile posts record-high annual revenue in 2024

On March 20, Geely Automobile Holdings Limited ("Geely Automobile") released its 2024 financial results, reporting record-breaking revenue.

MG's first global-oriented model for 2025 named MG4 EV

On March 19, SAIC Motor-owned MG announced that its first global-oriented model for 2025 has been officially named the MG4 EV.

EVE Energy to issue 5-billion-yuan convertible bonds to expand cylindrical LFP battery production

On March 20, EVE Energy Co., Ltd. announced plans to issue RMB 5 billion in convertible bonds to unspecified investors.

GAC's GOVY, Dassault Systemes forge strategic partnership to drive digital innovation in urban air mobility

On March 19, Guangzhou-based urban air mobility startup GOVY, incubated by GAC Group, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with global industrial software leader Dassault Systemes, according to a post on GAC Group's WeChat account. The partnership aims to accelerate digital innovation in the low-altitude transportation sector and develop cutting-edge solutions for future urban air mobility networks.
This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Nashville Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. Visit nashvillebanner.com for more information.

A three-judge panel of the Tennessee Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in a case that could determine the future size of the Metro Council.

In April 2023, a three-judge panel temporarily enjoined a law passed by the Tennessee General Assembly that would cut the size of the Metro Council from 40 seats to 20, writing that Metro was likely to win its lawsuit and that the law could cause upheaval in the election process that was underway at the time. In July 2024, the three-judge panel made the injunction permanent, writing that the law was unconstitutional because of the state constitutions Home Rule amendment, which outlaws legislation that specifically targets one local government.

The state quickly appealed that ruling, and on Wednesday, Judge Steven Stafford, Judge Carma McGee and Judge Kenny Armstrong heard from Metro and the state over the bill.

What Are the Arguments?

Metro Legal associate director Allison Bussell argued on behalf of Metro. She contended that the judges need not delve into the law's constitutionality and can make a ruling that Metro doesnt have to cut the council in half based on the law's plain language. While section 1(a) of the law imposed a 20-member cap on metropolitan councils, section 1(b) imposed requirements specifically on Metro Nashville on what it had to do to cut the Metro Council in half in time for the 2023 Metro elections.

Metro Wins Suit Against Governor Over Law to Reduce Council Size Three-judge panel rules act mandating city to cut number of members is unconstitutional in 2-1 judgment

It is undisputed that section 1(b) of the act is no longer enforceable, Bussell said. So if section 1(a) does not force Metro Nashville to reduce the size of its council without section 1(b), then there is no live issue for this court to decide, and that's because Metro Nashville, from a procedural perspective, sought a permanent injunction through the summary judgment process of 1(a)s cap on the size of legislative bodies as implemented through 1(b) of the act. So if those two provisions must be read together to force Metro Nashville to reduce its legislative body size, then there is no live requirement that Metro Nashville do that.

Bussell argued that if the bill's plain language was not enough for the judges to deny the state's appeal, there are two separate constitutional arguments. The first is the Home Rule argument, which is that while the law as a whole may technically apply to all metros and municipalities in the state, Nashville is the only government that would have to take action to adhere to the law, making it a targeted bill. The second argument is that the law breaches the exemption clause of the state constitution.

Said Bussell: [Article Seven] Section One says a county legislative body shall not exceed 25 members, and then it says consolidated governments shall be exempt from having a county executive and a county legislative body  as described in this paragraph  shall be exempt from having those things, not shall be exempt from having those things, unless the General Assembly decides otherwise.

Tennessee Solicitor General Philip Hammersley argued on behalf of the state. He said the law applied to all local governments in Tennessee, and Metros claim that it shouldnt apply to Nashville flew in the face of the Home Rule amendment.

+3 State vs. Metro: Can the City/State Relationship Be Repaired? Analysis: From drag bans to slashing the Metro Council, this legislative session has seen a slate of bills aimed at Davidson County

They want to be the one local legislative body in this state that does not have to comply with that 20-member cap, Hammersley said. And if you imagine that  imagine that law was passed by the General Assembly, everyone has to comply, except for Metro Nashville  that would be a local legislation problem. So the position that Metro Nashville is advocating here has really turned the local legislation clause upside-down.

Additionally, Hammersley argued that even if the judges uphold the injunction on the section of the law instructing Nashville on how to cut its council in half, it must reverse the injunction on the 20-member cap.

The effect of the order is to prevent section 1(a) from applying to Metro Nashville, to Moore County and to Trousdale County, Hammersley said. And that matters because even if it is true that this case is moot with respect to Metro Nashville, it's certainly not moot with respect to Moore and Trousdale counties because the law would impose legally binding consequences on them to prevent them from changing their local legislative body size, and that means that the state has a continuing interest in making our merits argument that that decision was incorrect insofar as the injunction applies to Section 1(a).

What Are the Judges Saying?

The judges were largely silent, only asking each lawyer two questions during their arguments. But an interesting moment came during Hammersleys rebuttal, when Armstrong questioned whether the state legislature had the constitutional authority to pass this law in the first place.

So [the constitution] allows a local legislative body to have 25 members, Armstrong said. So how do you get around that? Can you do it by the legislature just enacting an act?

Hammersley responded that the state does not believe a constitutional amendment would be required to impose a cap.

I mean, the constitutional provision allows  it doesn't prohibit, Hammersley said. That is not the same as saying that the General Assembly is forbidden from imposing caps that go below [25].

Another question came over a piece of case law Bussell cited in her argument. In Leech v. Wayne County, the Court of Appeals ruled that the General Assembly had breached the Home Rule amendment by making a law that affected nearly 90 counties different for two of those counties based on a population bracket. McGee questioned whether that case law was applicable in this situation.

Wasnt that statute set up in such a way that it was so narrowly drafted  by very narrow population designation  wasn't it set up in such a way that is different from the way this legislation is set up, because if I understand, there are only three governments in the state of Tennessee choosing to follow a metropolitan form of government at this time, but who's to say it couldn't apply to 100 if they chose to become metropolitan areas?

Bussell responded that while the situations may differ, the concept is the same because the law was so narrowly tailored that it only affects Nashville.

Whats Next?

The judges did not indicate when a ruling would be published. With the next Metro elections happening in 2027, the judges have time to consider their decision.

This article first appeared on Nashville Banner and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Biden-appointed judge blocks Trumps transgender military ban

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes temporarily blocked Trumps ban on transgender individuals serving in the military, citing potential constitutional violations.

The ruling challenges Trumps executive order, which cited concerns over military readiness, medical costs, and morale.

Critics argue the decision represents judicial overreach, encroaching on presidential authority as commander-in-chief.

The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed by transgender service members and advocacy groups, claiming the ban violates equal protection rights.

The legal battle highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary and executive branch over military policy and social issues.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, a Biden appointee, has temporarily halted President Donald Trumps executive order banning transgender individuals from serving in the U.S. military. The preliminary injunction, issued in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, blocks the Pentagon from enforcing the ban, which Trump signed on January 27, citing concerns over military readiness, medical costs, and morale. The ruling marks another instance of the judiciary challenging Trump administration policies, despite longstanding deference to the executive branch on military matters.

Judge Reyes decision comes as part of a broader trend of federal judges intervening in Trump administration policies, particularly those related to social issues. In her 79-page ruling, Reyes argued that the ban likely violates the constitutional rights of transgender service members under the Fifth Amendments equal protection clause. She also invoked a quote from the musical Hamilton to underscore her point, writing, Women were included in the sequel when passage of the Nineteenth Amendment granted them the right to vote in 1920.

Critics, however, argue that Reyes ruling represents judicial overreach, encroaching on the Presidents constitutional authority as commander-in-chief. District court judges have now decided they are in command of the Armed Forcesis there no end to this madness? wrote Stephen Miller, Trumps deputy chief of staff, on X.

Military readiness and morale at stake

Trumps executive order emphasized that expressing a false gender identity divergent from an individuals sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service. The order cited concerns about the impact of hormone treatments, surgeries, and recovery periods on military readiness, as well as the potential for increased medical costs and disruptions to unit cohesion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reinforced these concerns in a February policy, stating that individuals with gender dysphoria are incompatible with the high mental and physical standards necessary for military service.

Supporters of the ban argue that the militarys primary mission is to defend the nation, not to serve as a platform for social experimentation, and accommodating transgender service members could divert resources and attention away from core military objectives.

A contentious legal battle

The injunction stems from a lawsuit filed by six active-duty transgender service members and two individuals seeking to enlist, represented by advocacy groups such as the National Center for Lesbian Rights and GLAD Law. The plaintiffs argue that the ban stigmatizes transgender individuals and denies them equal protection under the law.

Government lawyers, however, maintain that military officials have broad discretion to determine personnel policies without judicial interference. They point to a 2016 Department of Defense policy under President Obama that allowed transgender individuals to serve openly, which was later reversed during Trumps presidency. The Supreme Court permitted the ban to take effect in 2019, but President Biden rescinded it upon taking office in 2021.

Judge Reyes ruling highlights the ongoing tension between the judiciary and the executive branch, particularly in matters of military policy. While she acknowledged the importance of checks and balances, her decision undermines the Presidents constitutional authority and sets a dangerous precedent for judicial activism.

As the legal battle continues, the debate over transgender military service remains deeply polarizing. For now, the injunction allows transgender individuals to continue serving, but the broader questions about military readiness, executive authority, and the role of the judiciary remain unresolved.

Sources for this article include:

TheNationalPulse.com

FoxNews.com

ZeroHedge.com
Congressman Michael Cloud discusses DOGE subcommittee investigations and federal overreach in exclusive interview with Mike Adams

Congressman Michael Cloud revealed the DOGE subcommittee's mission to expose federal waste, fraud, and abuse, describing it as a critical effort to tackle systemic corruption and taxpayer-funded misuse.

Cloud highlighted a complex network of shell organizations allegedly funneling taxpayer dollars to support Marxist ideologies, censorship, border crises, and controversial COVID-19 policies.

Advanced AI tools, deployed during the Trump administration, have uncovered shocking practices like "magic money computers" and improper payments, accelerating investigations into federal corruption.

Cloud criticized federal bureaucrats for obstructing investigations and emphasized the need for nonpartisan reforms to address misuse of taxpayer funds and restore government accountability.

The DOGE subcommittee's work is tied to preserving American freedom, with Cloud advocating for a "right-sized government" and urging public support to restore integrity to federal institutions.

In a revealing interview on Brighteon.com, Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX) shed light on the critical work of the newly formed DOGE subcommittee, a specialized investigative body tasked with uncovering federal waste, fraud, and abuse. Cloud, a staunch advocate for transparency and accountability, emphasized the urgency of addressing what he described as "the world's largest money laundering scheme," where taxpayer dollars are allegedly funneled through shell agencies to fund leftist NGOs and ideologies.

Unmasking the "World's Largest Money Laundering Scheme"

Congressman Cloud detailed how the DOGE subcommittee is working to expose systemic corruption within federal agencies. He pointed to a complex network of shell organizations that redirect taxpayer funds to support Marxist ideologies both domestically and internationally. Cloud highlighted the role of these funds in controversial initiatives, including censorship regimes, border crises, and COVID-19-related policies.

The congressman also referenced the Trump administration's deployment of advanced AI tools to map out corruption, a move that has reportedly caught many federal agencies off guard. These tools have allegedly uncovered shocking practices, such as the existence of "magic money computers" that generate billions of dollars without any tangible backing. Cloud warned that the left is attempting to "manage the clock" by delaying investigations, but stressed the importance of acting within the current 18-month window to enact meaningful reforms.

The Role of Technology in Exposing Corruption

Cloud praised the Trump administration's innovative use of AI and data aggregation tools to accelerate investigations. He noted that these technologies have allowed investigators to quickly identify patterns of waste and fraud, such as improper payments and overlapping databases that reveal fraudulent activities. For example, cross-referencing Social Security records with Small Business Administration data uncovered thousands of individuals receiving both benefits and loans simultaneouslya clear indicator of abuse.

The congressman also criticized the slow-walking tactics employed by federal bureaucrats, particularly Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs), who he claimed actively impede investigations. Cloud emphasized the need for a nonpartisan approach to addressing these issues, as the misuse of taxpayer dollars transcends political divides.

The Fight for Accountability and Freedom

Cloud underscored the broader implications of the DOGE subcommittee's work, linking it to the preservation of American freedom. He argued that the current system of federal overreach and corruption undermines the nation's foundational principles, enabling unelected bureaucrats to wield unchecked power. The congressman called for a "right-sized government" that prioritizes transparency and accountability, while empowering citizens to take responsibility for their communities.

In closing, Cloud expressed optimism about the future, citing the Trump administration's commitment to reform and the growing public awareness of federal corruption. He urged Americans to remain vigilant and support efforts to restore integrity to government institutions.

As the DOGE subcommittee continues its investigations, the stakes could not be higher. With a limited window to enact change, Congressman Cloud and his colleagues are racing against time to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable. The fight for transparency, accountability, and freedom is far from over, but with leaders like Cloud at the helm, there is hope for a brighter future.

Watch the full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Congressman Michael Cloud as they talk about cutting the size of government, and the Texas golden age of energy and AI data centers.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Texas grid faces AI-driven energy crunch: 99GW demand surge sparks debate on fossil fuels, nuclear and renewables

Mike Adams and David Morgan explored the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics on the global economy

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Sources include:

Brighteon.com

Cloudforcongress.com
Far-left hackers publish Tesla owners personal data with Molotov cocktail cursor, issue threats

Far-left hackers launched "Dogequest," a website doxing Tesla owners' personal information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers, with a Molotov cocktail cursor symbolizing violence.

The site demands proof of selling a Tesla to remove personal data, drawing condemnation from Elon Musk, who called it "extreme domestic terrorism."

Anti-Tesla activism has surged, targeting Tesla dealerships, charging stations, and DOGE employees, fueled by opposition to Elon Musk's government efficiency efforts.

A wave of vandalism and arson has hit Tesla dealerships and vehicles, with incidents including Molotov cocktails, gunfire, and hate symbols like swastikas.

The FBI and cybersecurity experts are investigating Dogequest, while Tesla owners are urged to monitor their personal information and report suspicious activity.

In a disturbing escalation of political intimidation tactics, far-left hackers have launched a website called Dogequest, which publishes the personal information of Tesla owners across the United States.

The site, which features an interactive map displaying names, addresses, and phone numbers, uses a Molotov cocktail as its cursora chilling symbol that appears to encourage violence against Tesla drivers. This alarming development comes amid a wave of vandalism and arson targeting Tesla dealerships and vehicles, raising concerns about the dangerous lengths to which radical activists will go to silence dissent and punish those who support Elon Musks government efficiency efforts.

The websites operators claim they will only remove a Tesla owners information if they provide proof that they have sold their vehicle, effectively holding their privacy hostage. Absolutely! Just provide us with proof that youve sold your Tesla, the site states under a section titled I want my information removed. This brazen act of doxingpublishing private information without consenthas drawn widespread condemnation, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk labeling it extreme domestic terrorism.

A dangerous escalation in political intimidation

The creation of Dogequest coincides with a surge in anti-Tesla activism, fueled by Musks role as head of the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musks efforts to streamline federal spending and reduce government waste have made him a target for radical leftists who oppose his policies. The website not only targets Tesla owners but also lists the locations of Tesla dealerships, charging stations, and even the alleged addresses of DOGE employees.

The sites operators frame their actions as a form of protest, stating, If youre on the hunt for a Tesla to unleash your artistic flair with a spray can, just step outside  no map needed! At DOGEQUEST, we believe in empowering creative expressions of protest that you can execute from the comfort of your own home. However, this rhetoric has been met with outrage, as it appears to incite violence against individuals simply for their consumer choices.

Vandalism and arson targeting Tesla

The publication of Tesla owners personal data has been accompanied by a troubling wave of vandalism and arson. In Loveland, Colorado, a woman was arrested for attacking a Tesla dealership with an incendiary device. In Las Vegas, an arsonist used Molotov cocktails to set fire to five Tesla vehicles at a dealership, with the word RESIST spray-painted on the facilitys door. Similar incidents have been reported in Oregon, where at least two Tesla dealerships were targeted by gunfire.

Even Teslas recently released Cybertruck has not been spared. Owners have reported harassment, including obscene gestures and verbal insults, while some vehicles have been defaced with swastikas and other symbols of hate. These acts of violence and intimidation underscore the lengths to which radical activists are willing to go to express their opposition to Musk and his policies.

A broader pattern of leftist violence

The targeting of Tesla owners and dealerships is part of a broader pattern of leftist violence that has emerged in response to Democrats' political losses. From the fiery protests outside Tesla showrooms to the coordinated attacks on federal property, these actions represent a dangerous departure from peaceful dissent.

The FBI and cybersecurity experts are now working to determine the source of the leaked data and whether legal action can be taken against Dogequests operators. In the meantime, Tesla owners are being advised to monitor their personal information and report any suspicious activity to authorities.

The publication of Tesla owners personal data and the accompanying wave of vandalism and arson represent a dangerous escalation in political intimidation tactics by radical leftists. By targeting individuals for their consumer choices and inciting violence against them, these activists are undermining the principles of free expression and peaceful dissent. The lefts resort to violence when it loses political power is a threat to the safety and security of all Americans.

Sources for this article include:

NYPost.com

DailyMail.co.uk

Newsweek.com
Russia proposes joint Mars mission with Elon Musk

Russia proposes a joint manned Mars mission with SpaceX by 2029, announced by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

The proposal follows SpaceXs recent Dragon mission, which showcased U.S.-Russia collaboration in space despite political tensions.

Dmitriev praised Elon Musk as a visionary leader and referenced the historic 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission as inspiration for renewed cooperation.

SpaceXs Starship, set for a Mars mission in 2026, aligns with Russias efforts to develop Mars-specific space technology.

While geopolitical tensions and sanctions complicate the proposal, Dmitriev sees space exploration as a potential diplomatic bridge.

Russia has proposed collaborating with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on a joint manned mission to Mars by 2029. The proposal, announced by Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, comes at a time when private sector innovation in space exploration is increasingly seen as a bridge for international cooperation.

The timing of the announcement coincides with the recent successful SpaceX Dragon mission, which carried both American and Russian astronauts back to Earth, underscoring the potential for collaboration despite political differences.

Dmitriev, a key figure in Russian diplomacy and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, praised Musk as a unique leader focused on advancing humanity. We believe that Musk is a unique leader who is focused on humanity moving forward together, Dmitriev said during a business forum in Moscow. His focus is on the fact that we must move forward creativelyof course, we see this, and he is one of the greatest leaders of our time.

A history of space collaboration

The proposal harkens back to the historic Apollo-Soyuz Test Project of 1975, the first joint U.S.-Soviet space mission, which marked a rare moment of cooperation during the Cold War. Dmitriev referenced this milestone in a public message, asking, Will 2029 be the year of a joint U.S.-Russian mission to Mars, Elon Musk? Our minds and technologies must serve for the benefit of humanity, not for its destruction.

The announcement also aligns with recent developments in Russias space program, including reports of efforts to develop a specialized Mars space suit. Russian media have framed these initiatives as part of a broader push to position the country as a willing partner in future space exploration endeavors.

SpaceXs role in international diplomacy

Elon Musks SpaceX has become a cornerstone of modern space exploration, with NASA relying heavily on the company for missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and beyond. The recent SpaceX Dragon mission, which safely returned American and Russian astronauts to Earth, serves as a tangible example of how private sector innovation can facilitate international cooperation.

Musk has long championed the idea of making humanity a multiplanetary species, with Mars as a key destination. Earlier this year, he confirmed that SpaceXs Starship  the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed  is set to head to Mars in 2026, carrying Teslas humanoid robot, Optimus. Musk has also suggested that humans could reach Mars by 2029, though he acknowledged that 2031 is a more realistic target.

While the proposal for a joint Mars mission is ambitious, it remains unclear whether Musk will entertain the idea. SpaceX has not publicly commented on Dmitrievs remarks, and the geopolitical landscape between the U.S. and Russia remains filled with tension. Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine led to the suspension of joint space projects with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Dmitriev himself remains under U.S. sanctions.

However, Dmitrievs overture highlights the potential for space exploration to serve as a diplomatic tool. I think that there will undoubtedly be a discussion with Musk [about Mars flights] in the near future, he said, emphasizing Russias desire to strengthen its space agency, Roscosmos, through collaboration with SpaceX.

As SpaceXs Starship prepare for its maiden voyage to Mars, Russias proposal for a joint mission underscores the transformative power of private sector innovation in bridging international divides. While political tensions between the U.S. and Russia persist, the shared goal of exploring the cosmos offers a rare opportunity for collaboration. Whether this olive branch leads to a historic partnership remains to be seen, but perhaps the stars hold the key to thawing even the iciest of earthly rivalries.

Sources for this article include:

YourNews.com

Reuters.com

TheGuardian.com

FoxNews.com
Tesla owners targeted in alleged doxxing campaign as anti-Musk sentiment escalates

A coordinated doxxing campaign has exposed Tesla owners' personal information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers, on an online map marked with Molotov cocktail symbols, raising fears of violence.

The campaign reflects growing hostility toward Elon Musk, fueled by his political alignment, anti-corruption efforts, and exposure of fraudulent activities, leading to backlash from opposing groups.

Beyond doxxing, Tesla vehicles have been set on fire at dealerships, with some attributing these attacks to anti-Musk sentiment, further endangering owners and employees.

Mike Adams and others label the doxxing and arson as "left-wing terrorism," urging federal authorities to investigate and address the escalating threats against Tesla and its stakeholders.

The attacks target not only Tesla owners but also the broader movement toward sustainable energy and technological progress, highlighting the dangers of political polarization and extremism.

In a shocking escalation of anti-Elon Musk sentiment, Tesla owners across the United States are reportedly being targeted in a coordinated doxxing campaign. An online map has allegedly been published, displaying the names, addresses, and locations of Tesla owners, complete with Molotov cocktail symbols over their home addresses. The campaign, described as "totally insane and probably an act of terrorism" by Mike Adams, founder of NaturalNews.com and host of Brighton Broadcast News, appears to be linked to growing hostility toward Musk and his companies.

The doxxing campaign comes amid a wave of anti-Tesla actions, including arson attacks on Tesla vehicles at dealerships. Adams warns that this could signal a dangerous escalation in political tensions, calling for federal intervention to address what he labels as "left-wing terrorism."

The Doxxing Campaign: A New Low

The alleged doxxing campaign was first brought to light by Mike Adams during a recent broadcast. According to Adams, an online map has been created, listing the personal information of Tesla owners across the U.S. The map reportedly includes Molotov cocktail symbols over the home addresses of Tesla owners, a chilling implication that has raised concerns about potential violence.

"This is mass doxxing of all Tesla owners," Adams said. "It's publishing their names, their addresses, and their phone numbers. Clearly, if there is an FBI, the FBI should be finding out who's publishing this website and should be giving them a visit, if not an arrest."

The campaign appears to be part of a broader backlash against Elon Musk, who has become a polarizing figure due to his outspoken political views and his efforts to expose government corruption. Musk's recent alignment with the Trump administration and his deployment of AI tools to uncover fraudulent activities within federal agencies have made him a target for those who oppose his actions.

Anti-Musk Sentiment Turns Violent

The doxxing campaign is not an isolated incident. In recent months, there have been reports of Tesla vehicles being set on fire at dealerships, with some attributing the attacks to anti-Musk sentiment. Adams described these acts as "crazy insane leftists" lashing out against Musk for "cutting off all their fraudulent slush fund money."

Elon Musk himself has addressed the growing hostility, stating in a recent interview, "When you take away people's money that they are receiving fraudulently, they get very upset. And they basically want to kill me because I'm stopping their fraud."

The situation has raised concerns about the safety of Tesla owners and employees. Musk has warned that the attacks on Tesla dealerships and vehicles could harm workers and disrupt the company's operations. "The people that they may end up hurting are the people that work in your dealerships that may risk losing their jobs," Musk said.

A Call for Federal Intervention

Mike Adams has called for federal intervention to address the escalating situation, labeling the doxxing campaign and arson attacks as acts of terrorism. "This seems like terrorism," Adams said. "It is terrorism. This is left-wing terrorism that's intended to terrorize Tesla owners in order to economically harm the Tesla company."

Adams also warned that the campaign could be part of a larger trend toward radicalization and political violence. "This also points to the acceleration towards a radical left-wing armed revolt in America, which is probably coming," he said.

The alleged doxxing campaign has sparked outrage among Tesla owners and supporters, many of whom are calling for swift action to protect their privacy and safety. As the situation continues to unfold, the question remains: will federal authorities step in to address what appears to be a dangerous and coordinated campaign against Tesla and its owners?

The Broader Implications

The targeting of Tesla owners is not just an attack on individuals; it is an attack on the broader movement toward sustainable energy and technological innovation. Tesla has been at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution, and Elon Musk's efforts to expose corruption and promote transparency have made him a lightning rod for controversy.

As the doxxing campaign and arson attacks demonstrate, the backlash against Musk and his companies is becoming increasingly violent. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of political polarization and the lengths to which some will go to silence those they oppose.

In the meantime, Tesla owners are left to wonder: will they be the next target? And what steps can be taken to protect them from this alarming new threat?

For now, the call for federal intervention grows louder, as the nation watches to see how this disturbing chapter in the ongoing saga of anti-Musk sentiment will unfold.

Watch the March 19 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about left-wing terrorists target Tesla.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump to purchase a new Tesla Model S in support of Musk following a 15% stock price drop

SWEET DANGER: Study reveals alarming levels of added sugar in U.S. infant formulas

Most U.S. infant formulas are loaded with added sugars, putting babies at risk

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

APnews.com
Texas health officials reject doctors plea to recommend budesonide and vitamin A  prioritizing vaccine propaganda over life-saving TREATMENTS

A Texas doctor successfully treated measles patients with budesonide and vitamin A, but state health officials refused to share this information, citing the MMR vaccine as the only recommendation.

The CDC and Texas DSHS focus solely on measles prevention, ignoring potential treatments, even as measles outbreaks cause severe respiratory distress in some children.

Doctors advocating for alternative treatments face systemic censorship, as medical boards and health authorities prioritize vaccine promotion over real patient care.

The message from state medical boards is clear: get all the vaccines we tell you to get, or when your child gets sick, we will make sure they don't get properly treated, and we will let them die to punish you for not getting them vaccinated.

The vaccine industrys stranglehold on medicine

In a shocking display of bureaucratic rigidity, Texas health officials have rejected a doctors plea to recommend budesonide as a treatment for measles, opting instead to promote the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine as the sole solution. Dr. Ben Edwards, a Texas physician who successfully treated measles patients with budesonide and vitamin A, sought to share his findings with local and regional clinics, hospitals, and doctors offices. However, his request was denied by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), which claimed that the state could only endorse the MMR vaccine for measles prevention.

This decision comes in the wake of a measles outbreak in West Texas, where a 6-year-old child tragically died from a rare case of pneumonia after being sedated and ventilated in the hospital awhile testing positive for measles. The childs parents revealed to Childrens Health Defense (CHD) that their four other children recovered quickly from measles after receiving cod liver oil (a source of vitamin A) and budesonide. The child who died did not receive these treatments, and was sedated in the hospital, raising questions about whether her life could have been saved.

The refusal of Texas health officials to acknowledge efficacious treatments for measles is emblematic of a larger issue: the vaccine industrys monopolistic control over public health policy. Despite evidence that budesonide can alleviate respiratory distress caused by measles, state medical boards and health authorities continue to suppress such information, ensuring that vaccines remain the only sanctioned approach to infectious disease.

Dr. Edwards recounted his conversation with Dr. Scott Milton, the DSHS Public Health Region 1 medical director, who stated that higher authorities would not go for promoting budesonide. This admission reveals a disturbing truth: medical boards are not guided by patient outcomes but by an ideological commitment to the vaccine industry.

The CDCs webpage on measles offers no mention of treatments, only prevention through the MMR vaccine. However, the vaccine is not recommended for individuals already sick with a fevera common symptom of measles. This leaves patients, particularly children, with no clear path to recovery.

Budesonide: a proven treatment suppressed

Budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid traditionally used for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, has shown promise in treating respiratory inflammation caused by viral infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline doctors and researchers, including those at Oxford University, found budesonide effective in mitigating respiratory distress.

Dr. Richard Bartlett, a West Texas emergency room physician with over 30 years of experience, has been a vocal advocate for budesonide. His website, Budesonide Works, highlights numerous studies demonstrating the steroids effectiveness. Bartlett and other doctors are now pushing for legislation to make nebulized budesonide and nebulizer machines available over-the-counter.

I am aware of four children who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at the Covenant Childrens Hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and received nebulized budesonide, Bartlett told The Defender. All were discharged from the ICU straight to home after receiving budesonide treatments.

Despite these successes, the medical establishment continues to ignore budesonides potential, prioritizing vaccine promotion over patient care.

CDC's measles advice centers on vaccination and controversial immunoglobulin therapy

While the CDC does not list treatments for measles, it does recommend two forms of prophylaxis for unvaccinated individuals exposed to the virus: the MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure or immunoglobulin within six days. Immunoglobulin, an antibody therapy, has been administered to babies as young as three days old in response to measles exposure.

However, critics argue that immunoglobulin therapy may interfere with the bodys natural immune response. Dr. Suzanne Humphries, co-author of Dissolving Illusions: Disease, Vaccines, and The Forgotten History, warned that immunoglobulin is a set-up for causing an incomplete immunologic response to the infection, which can set the person up for chronic diseases. Brian Hooker, Ph.D., CHDs chief scientific officer, echoed this concern, stating that immunoglobulin therapy will dampen the innate immune response.

The refusal of Texas health officials to endorse budesonide as a measles treatment is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of censorship and suppression. By prioritizing vaccines over all other treatments, medical boards and health authorities are complicit in a system that discriminates against patients and stifles medical innovation. This leads to mass iatrogenic error in hospitals, as patients (who could be helped) are denied basic respiratory relief, oxygen, nutrients, and hydration, while being drugged up, sedated, and put on mechanical ventilators that can do more damage to the lungs and spreads pneumonia and other super bug infections.

As measles outbreaks continue and hospitals remain ill-equipped to treat people right, the question remains: how many more lives will be lost before the medical establishment acknowledges the value of efficacious anti-inflammatory and nutritive treatments? In the words of Dr. Edwards, We were seeing some good results [with budesonide]. Why not share that information? The answer lies in the vaccine industrys stranglehold on medicinea system that prioritizes profit over patients and ideology over innovation. Until this system is dismantled, countless lives will remain at risk.

Sources include:

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Pubmed.gov

CDC.gov
Trump admin being pushed to DEANNEX Puerto Rico

A draft EO proposes transitioning Puerto Rico to independence over 21 months, ending birthright citizenship post-2026 and providing a $36 billion annual fund for 20 years. The move could save the U.S. $617.8 billion over 50 years compared to $1.37 trillion in projected federal spending if Puerto Rico remains a territory.

The draft, circulated among officials but not formally endorsed, aligns with Trump's past remarks and contrasts with a 2024 referendum showing 58 percent support for statehood.

Puerto Rico, acquired in 1898, has a distinct identity with its own legal system, Spanish language and cultural ties to Latin America despite U.S. citizenship for residents.

Critics call the proposal undemocratic, emphasizing Puerto Rico's future  statehood, independence or continued territorial status  must reflect its people's will.

Amid talk of President Donald Trump's prior remarks about annexing Greenland, his second administration is reportedly being lobbied to let go of Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory.

This push to "deannex" the island came in the form of a draft executive order (EO) that the Daily Mail obtained a copy of. It outlines a plan to transition Puerto Rico to independence over a period of 21 months. The draft also ends birthright citizenship for those born on the island after Dec. 31, 2026.

The EO also earmarks a $36 billion annual transition fund for 20 years, ostensibly to provide Puerto Rico with the resources it needs to become economically self-sufficient. It argues that letting go of the island would save Washington $617.8 billion over the next 50 years, compared to the projected $1.37 trillion in federal spending if Puerto Rico remains a U.S. territory.

"Rather than perpetuating indefinite territorial dependence, this approach eliminates wasteful spending, establishes a clear exit strategy and redirects federal resources toward national priorities and domestic programs," the document states.

According to the Mail, the White House has not formally endorsed the draft EO. However, it has reportedly circulated among congressional offices and key Trump administration officials  including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

While the draft EO's veracity has not yet been confirmed, it represents a clear effort to pressure the administration to reconsider Puerto Rico's status. It has also reignited long-standing debates about the territory's future. While 58 percent of Puerto Rican voters supported statehood in a 2024 non-binding referendum, only 11 percent favored independence.

From Greenland to Puerto Rico: The U.S. territorial debate heats up

The timing of the draft EO's release also coincides with Trump's earlier remarks about annexing Greenland, a territory currently held by Denmark. Given this, discussions about Puerto Rico's future under Washington have taken center stage. (Related: Greenland reignites push for INDEPENDENCE amid Trumps renewed interest in purchasing the territory from Denmark.)

Puerto Rico was acquired by the U.S.  alongside Cuba, Guam and the Philippines  through the 1898 Treaty of Paris that ended the Spanish-American War. Since then, the territory has long occupied a complex position within the U.S. framework.

While its residents are U.S. citizens, the island operates under a Roman legal system; uses Spanish as its primary language; and maintains cultural traditions that align more closely with Latin America than with the mainland United States. Despite its territorial status, Puerto Rico fields its own Olympic teams and beauty pageant contestants, underscoring its distinct national identity.

Critics of the de-annexation plan argue that it undermines the democratic will of Puerto Ricans, who have consistently expressed a preference for greater integration with the U.S. rather than separation. Juan Dalmau, secretary general of the Puerto Rico's Independence Party, called the draft an interesting development" but emphasized that any move toward sovereignty must be a democratic process.

Gabriella Boffelli, executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration, meanwhile dismissed the proposal as baseless. "Any insinuation about a secret plan to force Puerto Rico's independence is completely false," she stated.

As the debate unfolds, Puerto Rico's future remains uncertain. Whether the island will remain a U.S. territory, become a state or achieve independence, its unique cultural and historical ties to Latin America will continue to shape its identity. For now, the proposal to de-annex Puerto Rico serves as a reminder of the island's complex relationship with the United States.

Visit BigGovernment.news for more similar stories.

Watch the video about the 2021 cyberattack that crippled Puerto Rico's power supply.

This video is from the Hunter's Point channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

90% of Puerto Rico plunged into darkness on New Year's Eve.

Prepping saves lives: Life is hell in Puerto Rico as food, water remains "scarce" and power is nearly nonexistent.

Puerto Rico DIRECT HIT by Hurricane Maria interview with Dane Wigington reveals "weather weaponization" may be the culprit.

Sources include:

InfoWars.com

NewsBreak.com

History.State.gov

Brighteon.com
UNREDACTED TRUTH: Trump delivers on promise to release 80,000 pages of JFK assassination files

President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise by releasing 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The files, published without redactions, are now publicly accessible via the National Archives website, marking the largest single disclosure of JFK-related records since the 1990s.

The files, while confirming Lee Harvey Oswald as the primary suspect, provide new insights into Cold War-era CIA operations, Oswalds activities and long-standing conspiracy theories. Notable findings include Cuban diplomats suspicions of CIA involvement, a CIA misinformation campaign to implicate Cuba and claims by Gary Underhill, a CIA-linked figure, who alleged a CIA clique was responsible for the assassination before his suspicious death in 1964.

The release aims to restore public trust in government transparency, addressing decades of skepticism surrounding the Warren Commissions findings. It also sheds light on Cold War geopolitics, including CIA operations targeting Fidel Castro, and fulfills demands from the Kennedy family and historians for full disclosure.

The push for disclosure began with the 1992 JFK Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated full release by 2017. Delays by successive administrations, including President Joe Bidens partial release in 2022, drew criticism. Trumps 2025 executive order marked a turning point, releasing the majority of the promised files.

While the release is a significant milestone, approximately two-thirds of the promised files remain unreleased, including IRS and FBI records. Some documents are still under court seal or tied to grand jury proceedings.

In a historic move toward government transparency, President Donald Trump has fulfilled his campaign promise to release 80,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The files, published in full and without redactions, are now accessible to the public through the National Archives website.

The release, consisting of 1,123 PDF files, marks the largest single disclosure of JFK-related records since the 1990s. It comes after decades of public demand for full transparency surrounding one of the most pivotal and controversial events in American history.

People have been waiting for decades for this, and Ive instructed my people lots of different people, [Director of National Intelligence] Tulsi Gabbard, that they must be released tomorrow, Trump said during a visit to the Kennedy Center in Washington. You got a lot of reading. I dont believe were going to redact anything. I said, just dont redact, you cant redact.

The files, while still pointing to Lee Harvey Oswald as the primary suspect, shed new light on long-standing conspiracy theories and provide fresh insights into the CIAs operations, Oswalds activities and the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War era.

What the files reveal

The newly released documents include interviews with CIA, FBI and Secret Service agents, as well as previously classified intelligence reports. Among the most notable findings:

Cuban diplomats suspicions: Cuban officials initially believed the CIA orchestrated JFKs assassination as retribution for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. One diplomat reportedly stated, If the Yankees or CIA assassinated Kennedy to resume the assault on Cuba, then a third world war would start.

Cuban officials initially believed the CIA orchestrated JFKs assassination as retribution for the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. One diplomat reportedly stated, If the Yankees or CIA assassinated Kennedy to resume the assault on Cuba, then a third world war would start. CIA misinformation campaign: American intelligence operatives revealed that CIA assets spread false claims implicating Cuba in the assassination immediately after JFKs death. This misinformation campaign aimed to deflect attention from other potential culprits.

American intelligence operatives revealed that CIA assets spread false claims implicating Cuba in the assassination immediately after JFKs death. This misinformation campaign aimed to deflect attention from other potential culprits. Gary Underhills claims: A 1967 issue of Ramparts magazine featured a claim by Gary Underhill, a former military affairs expert with CIA ties, who alleged that a small clique within the CIA was responsible for the assassination.

Underhill, who expressed fear for his life after making these claims, was found dead in 1964 under suspicious circumstances.

Historical context: Why this matters

The assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, remains one of the most scrutinized events in American history. The Warren Commissions conclusion that Oswald acted alone has been met with widespread skepticism, fueling countless conspiracy theories.

The release of these files is significant for several reasons:

Public trust in government: For decades, the withholding of JFK records has fueled distrust in federal agencies, particularly the CIA and FBI. By releasing these documents unredacted, the Trump administration aims to restore faith in government transparency. Cold War intrigue: The files provide a window into the high-stakes geopolitics of the Cold War, including CIA operations targeting Fidel Castro and the Soviet Unions potential involvement in the assassination. Legacy of the Kennedy family: The release fulfills a long-standing demand from the Kennedy family and historians for full disclosure. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trumps Secretary of Health and Human Services, has been a vocal advocate for transparency, citing the CIAs potential role in both his uncles and fathers assassinations.

The road to transparency

The push for full disclosure of JFK records began in 1992 with the passage of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act, which mandated the release of all related documents by 2017. However, successive administrations delayed the process, citing national security concerns.

In 2022, President Joe Biden released 13,000 documents but withheld approximately 4,700 records, citing potential harm to national security. This decision drew criticism from historians and transparency advocates, including Jefferson Morley of the Mary Ferrell Foundation, who argued, This is about our history and our right to know it.

Trumps executive order in January 2025 marked a turning point. More than 50 years after these assassinations, the victims families and the American people deserve the truth, Trump declared.

Whats next?

While the release of 80,000 pages is a significant step, questions remain. Approximately two-thirds of the promised files, including 500-plus IRS records and 2,400 recently discovered FBI files, have yet to be released. Additionally, some records remain under court seal or are tied to grand jury proceedings, pending expedited review.

For now, the public can access the newly released documents at archives.gov/fjfk. As historians and researchers pore over the files, the hope is that this unprecedented transparency will bring us closer to understanding the truth behind one of historys most enduring mysteries.

Conclusion

President Trumps decision to release the JFK files unredacted represents a landmark moment in the pursuit of government transparency. While the documents may not definitively answer all questions surrounding JFKs assassination, they provide a wealth of new information for historians, researchers and the public to analyze.

As Jefferson Morley aptly noted, This is most positive news on the declassification of JFK files since the 1990s. For a nation still grappling with the legacy of November 22, 1963, the release of these files is a step toward closureand a reminder of the enduring importance of truth in a democracy.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

YourNews.com

NationalArchives.gov

NBCNews.com
JUDICIAL COUP: How activist judges are overriding the will of the American people

Unelected, activist judges are undermining the will of the American people and creating a constitutional crisis by overstepping their authority and blocking executive actions.

Specific cases, such as Judge James Boasberg blocking President Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act and Judge Theodore Chuang ruling against the Department of Government Efficiency, illustrate a pattern of judges inserting themselves into executive matters and overriding constitutional authority.

The judiciary is accused of prioritizing ideological agendas over national interests, as seen in Judge Ana C. Reyes injunction against the Trump administrations transgender military policy, which critics argue compromises military readiness.

Congress is urged to rein in the judiciary by limiting its power, such as restricting nationwide injunctions, holding hearings to expose judicial overreach, and considering impeachment for biased judges.

The United States is facing an unprecedented crisisone that threatens to unravel the very fabric of the democracy. A judicial coup, led by unelected, activist judges, is underway, and its time to call it what it is: a direct assault on the will of the American people. The 2024 election was a resounding mandate for change, but federal judges, emboldened by their unchecked power, are working tirelessly to undermine the clear wishes of the electorate. This is not just a political disagreement; its a full-blown constitutional crisis.

The judiciarys war on democracy

The evidence of this judicial overreach is everywhere. Take, for instance, the recent actions of Obama-appointed Judge James Boasberg, who issued a temporary restraining order blocking President Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. This 227-year-old law, designed to protect the nation during times of war or invasion, has been invoked only three times in U.S. history. Yet, Judge Boasberg, in his infinite wisdom, decided that the presidents authority to defend the nation against foreign threats should be curtailed.

This isnt just about immigration policy; its about power. The judiciary, led by partisan actors like Boasberg, is systematically stripping the executive branch of its constitutional authority. As Texas Congressman Brandon Gill aptly stated on The Matt Gaetz Show, If the Chief Justice wants to maintain the credibility that our courts have enjoyed for 200 years, then he needs to step in and overturn this quickly. The American people are NOT going to sit around and wait for a long, lengthy court process to give the President the power he already has!

A pattern of judicial overreach

This isnt an isolated incident. Across the country, federal judges are inserting themselves into matters far beyond their purview. Consider Judge Theodore Chuangs recent ruling against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sought to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Chuang, another Obama appointee, declared that DOGEs actions likely violated the Constitutions Appointments Clause and the principle of Separation of Powers.

While the courts decision may sound reasonable on the surface, its part of a broader trend of judicial activism. Judges like Chuang are using their positions to block executive actions they personally disagree with, effectively placing themselves above the elected branches of government. This is not how our system is supposed to work. As one insightful post on X noted, The inferior courts do not work for or report to the Supreme Court. CONGRESS creates the inferior courts and as such, Congress can eliminate courts, add courts and control funding of the courts.

The weaponization of the judiciary

Perhaps the most egregious example of judicial overreach is the ongoing battle over transgender military service. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes recently issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administrations policy to remove transgender troops from the military. In her ruling, Reyes claimed the ban violated the constitutional rights of transgender service members, dismissing concerns about military readiness as mere pretext.

This decision is emblematic of a judiciary that has lost its way. Judges like Reyes are prioritizing ideological agendas over national security, ignoring the fact that the militarys primary mission is to defend the nation, not to serve as a laboratory for social experimentation. As President Trump rightly pointed out during his campaign, the Armed Forces have been afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness and unit cohesion.

What must be done

The American people are fed up. They voted for change in 2024, and they expect their elected leaders to deliver. But as long as activist judges continue to wield unchecked power, the will of the people will be thwarted. Its time for Congress to step up and rein in the judiciary.

One potential solution is to descope the federal court system, limiting its ability to issue nationwide injunctions and other overreaching orders. As The Last Refuge pointed out, A hearings process that subpoenas Federal district court judges to testify before Congress would cast a lot of sunlight on the corrupt Judicial-Lawfare-Complex.

Impeachment should also be on the table. Judges like Boasberg, who openly flaunt their partisan biases, have no place on the bench. While a 2/3 Senate vote may be difficult to achieve, the mere threat of impeachment could serve as a powerful deterrent against future overreach.

Conclusion

The judiciary was designed to be the weakest branch of government, yet it has become the most tyrannical. Unelected judges, emboldened by their lifetime appointments, are overriding the will of the people and undermining the constitutional order. This is not just a political problem; its an existential threat to our republic.

The American people deserve better. They deserve a government that respects their votes and their voices. Its time to hold these activist judges accountable and restore the balance of power.

Sources include:

Revolver.news

TheGuardian.com

YourNews.com

NPR.org
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 19, Guangzhou-based urban air mobility startup GOVY, incubated by GAC Group, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with global industrial software leader Dassault Systemes, according to a post on GAC Group's WeChat account. The partnership aims to accelerate digital innovation in the low-altitude transportation sector and develop cutting-edge solutions for future urban air mobility networks.

Photo credit: GOVY

GOVY focuses on the research, development, production, sales, and servicing of flying cars and related ecosystem products. The company is committed to delivering integrated solutions that span both products and platforms, creating a seamless and reliable smart low-altitude travel ecosystem.

The company has already introduced the GOVY AirCar, a multi-rotor flying vehicle designed for short-haul urban trips within 20 kilometers, and the GOVY AirJet, a fixed-wing flying car catering to intercity travel within 200 kilometers in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It plans to initiate airworthiness certification, establish production lines, and open pre-orders for its flying cars in 2025, accelerating the commercialization of urban air mobility.

Under the agreement, GOVY and Dassault Systemes will leverage their respective industry expertise and technological strengths to advance digitalization in flying car virtual R&D and manufacturing. The collaboration will encompass talent cultivation for digital domain, alongside the exploration of innovative applications in low-altitude transportation.

As part of the partnership, Dassault Systemes will provide GOVY with full-process digital support across design, simulation, engineering, and manufacturing. Notably, its 3DEXPERIENCE platform, widely adopted by aerospace giants such as Boeing and Airbus, adheres to rigorous safety standards, ensuring the highest levels of reliability in aviation.

With this digital framework, GOVY will be able to conduct comprehensive safety simulations and tests during the product design phase, significantly enhancing the reliability of its flying vehicles. Dassault Systemes' model-based system engineering and airworthiness certification support will help GOVY meet stringent safety regulations, offering consumers a safer and more seamless urban air travel experience.
Far-left activists escalate violence against Tesla, prompting AG Bondi to declare attacks as domestic terrorism

Far-left activists' attacks on Tesla properties were labeled as "domestic terrorism" by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, with the latest incident in Las Vegas involving arson and vandalism.

Attacks target Tesla due to Elon Musks collaboration with the Trump administration, with perpetrators facing mandatory minimum sentences of five years.

A doxxing website published personal information of Tesla owners, using a Molotov cocktail cursor and claiming to "empower creative protest."

The Las Vegas attack involved Molotov cocktails and a firearm, posing environmental and safety risks due to toxic EV battery fires.

Democratic leaders remain silent, while Musk condemns the violence, and the Justice Department investigates potential foreign influence and funding behind the attacks.

Far-left activists have launched a series of coordinated attacks on Tesla properties, prompting U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to officially label the incidents as "domestic terrorism." The latest attack occurred early Tuesday morning at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas, where multiple vehicles were set ablaze and the word "Resist" was spray-painted on the building. The Justice Department has vowed to pursue severe consequences for those involved, including financial backers and organizers.

The attacks, which have targeted Tesla showrooms, service centers, and Supercharger networks, appear to be driven by opposition to Tesla CEO Elon Musks collaboration with the Trump administration. Musk has been a key figure in the administrations efforts to streamline government efficiency, a move that has drawn ire from far-left groups. Bondis declaration underscores the severity of the situation, with perpetrators facing mandatory minimum sentences of five years in prison.

Meanwhile, a new website called DogeQuest has reportedly published personal information of Tesla vehicle owners online, stating its aim is to "empower creative expressions of protest". The doxxing site claims to have collected data on thousands of Tesla owners, including names, home addresses, and vehicle identification numbers and uses a Molotov cocktail as its cursor.

A dangerous trend with toxic consequences

The Las Vegas attack is just the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting Tesla. According to local authorities, the suspect used Molotov cocktails and a firearm to set fire to several vehicles, leaving two fully engulfed in flames. The fires, while contained before reaching the vehicles' battery compartments, posed a significant risk to firefighters and the environment. EV battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish and release toxic fumes, making these attacks not only destructive but also environmentally hazardous.

Violent acts like this are unacceptable, regardless of where they occur, said FBI Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans during a press conference. Its a federal crime. We will come after you. We will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.

The political motivation behind the attacks is undeniable. The spray-painted message Resist at the Las Vegas site echoes the rhetoric of far-left groups opposed to Musks role in the Trump administration. These attacks expose the hypocrisy of Democrats, who have remained conspicuously silent about the violence committed by their supporters.

Democrats silence speaks volumes

The silence from Democratic leaders has been deafening. While far-left activists claim to champion environmental causes, their actions are anything but green. The fires they set not only endanger lives but also release harmful pollutants into the air.

Musk himself condemned the violence, calling it insane and deeply wrong. In a post on X, he wrote, Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.

The Justice Departments investigation into these attacks must go beyond identifying the perpetrators. There is a growing concern that foreign actors may be influencing or funding these anti-American acts. Bondi has pledged to uncover the financial and organizational networks behind the violence, ensuring that those who fund and coordinate these crimes face justice.The Justice Departments commitment to pursuing these cases as domestic terrorism sends a strong message that such violence will not be tolerated.

The coordinated attacks on Tesla properties are a disturbing reminder of the lengths to which far-left activists will go to silence dissent. By targeting an American company simply because of its CEOs political affiliations, these extremists have crossed a line. Attorney General Bondis declaration of these acts as domestic terrorism is a necessary step in holding perpetrators accountable. As the investigation continues, it is imperative that all Americansregardless of political affiliation  condemn this violence and stand united against those who seek to undermine our nations values.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

FoxNews.com

USAToday.com

APNews.com

FoxBusiness.com
Bird flu depopulation programs are designed to destroy the food supply and introduce genetic experiments into animals

In the name of biosecurity, governments worldwide are normalizing the mass culling of poultry , employing inhumane killing methods that defy ethical standards and scientific reasoning. This systematic depopulation of birds under the guise of disease control raises critical questions about transparency, humanity, and the true motives behind these policies.

Key Points:

Governments are using cruel methods like ventilation shutdown (VSD) and foam suffocation to kill millions of birds under bird flu programs.

These methods, banned for other livestock, are not protected under humane slaughter laws for poultry.

The USDA and other agencies continue to justify these actions despite evidence that bird flu cannot be eradicated through mass culling.

No human cases of bird flu have been linked to consuming poultry, eggs, or milk, yet the food supply is disrupted.

The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) condemns these practices, calling for more humane alternatives.

The normalization of animal genocide

The bird flu program, spearheaded by government agencies like the USDA, has become a chilling example of how animal genocide is being normalized under the guise of public health. Since February 2022, over 50 million birds have been slaughtered in the U.S. alone, often using methods that are not only inhumane but also scientifically questionable. Methods like ventilation shutdown (VSD), which involves sealing off airflow and raising temperatures until animals die of heatstroke, have been widely employed. In 2022, VSD+Heat was used to depopulate laying hens affected by avian influenza, despite widespread condemnation from animal welfare organizations.

The HSVMA has been vocal in its opposition to these practices, stating, VSD+Heat causes prolonged suffering and distress, and its use should be reclassified as not recommended. Yet, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) continues to permit these methods under constrained circumstances, leaving animals to endure unimaginable suffering.

The hypocrisy of humane slaughter laws

While laws like the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act (HMSA) exist to protect livestock, poultry are conspicuously excluded. The Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) claims to ensure humane slaughter, but it only applies to birds destined for human consumption. Birds culled under bird flu programs are not protected, allowing agencies to use methods like cervical dislocation (breaking necks) and foam suffocation without consequence. This legal loophole raises troubling questions about the ethical standards governing animal welfare.

The bird flu program is not only cruel but also scientifically flawed. Avian influenza is widespread in wild bird populations, which rarely show symptoms but can transmit the virus to domestic flocks. Mass culling does little to stop the spread, as the virus continues to circulate in the environment. Moreover, no human cases of bird flu have been linked to consuming poultry, eggs, or milk, despite these products entering the food chain.

This raises the question: Why are governments prioritizing mass culling over strategies that promote natural immunity and long-term flock health? Proper nutrition, ventilation, and biosecurity measures could strengthen flocks, allowing them to develop resistance to circulating pathogens. Instead, the current approach ensures that flocks remain vulnerable to increasingly virulent strains of the virus.

The bird flu program is a stark reminder of how easily ethical boundaries can be eroded in the name of public health. As governments continue to expand their authority over animal populations, the line between biosecurity and biological warfare becomes increasingly blurred.

Can we trust these agencies to act in the best interest of both animals and humans? Or are we witnessing the rise of a biosecurity mafia that prioritizes control over compassion? Is the intentional depopulation of animals an open door for globalists to conduct mass genetic experiments on animal flocks and herds? Is the intentional genocide of animals a ploy to manufacture a crisis so genetic experiments can be conducted en masse for "saving the animal's lives" and "saving the food supply?"

Sources include:

Brownstone.org

FederalRegister.gov

NaturalNews.com
Universities scrap DEI programs amid federal pressure, even in California

The Trump administrations executive order banning race-based initiatives and the Department of Educations guidance have forced universities to dismantle Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs to retain federal funding.

Universities across the U.S., including the University of Florida, Colorado State University and the University of Iowa, are overhauling or eliminating DEI programs. Critics argue these initiatives have shifted from addressing systemic inequities to promoting ideological agendas, leading to legal and public backlash.

DEI initiatives face scrutiny for alleged bias against white and Asian American students and inefficacy in achieving genuine equality. The Department of Education has emphasized enforcing equal treatment under the law, prompting universities to rebrand or eliminate DEI efforts to comply.

USC has taken swift action to comply with federal guidelines, removing DEI references and restructuring its Office of Inclusion and Diversity.

In a seismic shift for higher education, even California universities  long considered bastions of progressive ideology  are dismantling Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. This move comes as the Trump administration tightens its grip on federal funding, demanding an end to race-based initiatives in education. The University of Southern California (USC) is among the latest to scrub DEI references from its websites, rename faculty positions and restructure its diversity offices.

The DEI crackdown: A nationwide trend

The Trump administrations recent executive order banning DEI programs in federal contracts and its accompanying guidance from the Department of Education have sent shockwaves through academia. The directive, which labels race-based programs as discriminatory, has forced universities to choose between federal funding and their commitment to DEI initiatives. USC, one of Californias most diverse institutions, has responded by removing DEI mission statements, renaming faculty titles and deleting references to scholarships aimed at Black and Indigenous students.

This trend is not isolated to California. The University of Florida recently laid off all DEI staff and reallocated $50 million earmarked for such programs. Colorado State University and the University of Cincinnati have also announced plans to overhaul their race-related programs to comply with federal guidelines. Even the University of Iowa has decided to end dorm communities for Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ students. These actions reflect a broader national reckoning with DEI programs, which critics argue have become vehicles for ideological indoctrination rather than tools for genuine equality.

The rise and fall of DEI

The push for DEI programs gained momentum in the wake of the civil rights movement, with the goal of addressing systemic inequities in education and employment. However, over time, these initiatives have morphed into bureaucratic behemoths that prioritize identity politics over individual merit. The 1996 passage of Californias Proposition 209, which banned affirmative action in public institutions, was an early warning sign that such programs could face legal and public backlash.

Today, DEI programs are under fire for their proven bias and inefficacy. Critics argue that they often discriminate against white and Asian American students, as highlighted in the Department of Educations recent letter. The letter stated that the government would vigorously enforce the law on equal terms and no longer tolerate overt and covert racial discrimination. This has left universities scrambling to comply, with many opting to rebrand or eliminate DEI initiatives altogether.

USCs response: Pragmatism or capitulation?

At USC, the response has been swift and strategic. The university has removed DEI references from websites, renamed faculty positions and restructured its Office of Inclusion and Diversity. In a campuswide message, USC President Carol Folt stated that the university would continue to review our programs and practices to ensure both that their direct relationship to our academic mission is clear, and that we comply fully with evolving legal requirements.

However, not everyone is convinced that these changes are merely cosmetic. Howard Rodman, a professor at USCs School of Cinematic Arts, criticized the universitys approach, calling it a capitulation to political pressure. Everything I know about authoritarianism is that small compliances only lead to larger compliances, until one is left with neither ones mission nor ones dignity, he said.

Similarly, Amelia Jones, a professor at USCs Roski School of Art and Design, described the scrubbing of DEI references as a capitulation. She questioned whether universities should stand up to federal overreach or quietly comply to avoid scrutiny. If nobody is going to stand up to this, what are we doing here at a university anyway? she asked.

The future of DEI

While the dismantling of DEI programs has been met with resistance from some faculty and students, others see it as an opportunity to refocus on merit-based principles. Jerry Kang, a former UCLA vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion, noted that universities often engage in risk-averse overcompliance in response to political whims. However, he emphasized the need for institutions to articulate a muscular conception of what they stand for in the realm of diversity and inclusion.

As universities navigate this new landscape, the debate over DEI programs is far from over. Some institutions, like Apple, have chosen to retain their DEI initiatives despite external pressure. Others, like USC, are opting for a more cautious approach, rebranding their efforts to avoid federal scrutiny. Regardless of the path they choose, the ultimate goal should be to ensure equal treatment under the law while fostering an environment where all students can thrive based on their abilities and achievements.

In the end, the dismantling of DEI programs may serve as a wake-up call for universities to reevaluate their priorities and focus on creating a truly inclusive environmentone that values diversity of thought as much as diversity of identity. As the nation grapples with these complex issues, one thing is clear: the pursuit of equality must be rooted in fairness, not favoritism.

Sources include:

TheNationalPulse.com

LATimes.com

CampusReform.org
Europe goes full totalitarian and puts the entire Western world at risk

Its happening again. Europe is once again going totalitarian and this time theres a decidedly familiar communist stench. The outcome was predictable for many of us in the alternative media and the situation is only going to get worse in the next few years, but what does this mean for the rest of the world? With the European elites casting off their humanist masks and going outright Orwellian, what kind of chaos can we expect to unfold?

(Article by Brandon Smith republished from Alt-Market.us)

First and foremost I want to point out a key piece of irony here  For decades in the US we heard the tiresome argument that our 2nd Amendment gun rights are meaningless because they are unnecessary in maintaining our freedoms. Anti-gun rights activists and politicians commonly used Europe as their sterling example:

If gun rights are so important for freedom, then what about the Europeans? They have strict gun laws and theyre not losing their rights

As Americans who understand what it means to fight a rebellion against tyranny and win, our response to this claim has always been the same: Just give it time

Of course, we were right and they were wrong. Im sure a large number of people among the 95% of EU and UK citizens that are disarmed are probably wishing desperately for firearms right about now. The reasons why are numerous and horrifying.

The Downward Spiral Into 1984

In the EU and UK there has been a slow burn on censorship the past ten years which has recently exploded into a California Palisades level inferno of speech restrictions. Door to door enforcement has increased as the public speaks out against multicultural polities. The excuse is always the same  Native Europeans are not allowed to criticize third world integration because it might hurt peoples feelings. Any opposition to mass immigration is labeled hate speech.

Movements for national identity and border security are regularly attacked in the media. In France and Germany globalist officials are attempting to make it impossible for conservative leaning political parties to participate in elections.

In Romania they have succeeded in disrupting the normal voting process, arresting populist candidate Calin Georgescu after he won the first round of presidential elections. EU controlled authorities have ruled that he will not be allowed to run again. And for those that think he was blocked due to Russian interference, well, they just blocked the candidacy of another conservative candidate simply because she criticized the EU. Romania is also tightening rules for online speech in an effort to silence public dissent.

In true dystopian fashion, the powers-that-be call this protecting democracy.

An even more disturbing trend is Europes rising war rhetoric against Russia, with UK and French officials threatening the deployment of troops to Ukraine. Ukraine is losing the war badly and globalists are hellbent on cutting an artery and fomenting a world war. They insist that Ukraine must get back all captured territory and be allowed eventual NATO membership. In other words, a Russian victory cannot be allowed even if it means global conflagration.

As I predicted in April of last year in my article World War III Is Now Inevitable  Heres Why It Cant Be Avoided, the establishment is seeking to stage a domino effect in which greater Europe and the US are drawn into the Ukraine conflict. Even with a tentative peace deal being negotiated with the Russians right now, NATO members have promised to escalate tensions in Ukraine with boots on the ground and increase troop presence in Poland on the Russian border.

Because of this development European officials are actively and openly entertaining ideas of forced conscription and the propaganda is starting to spread. Its important to note that the war rhetoric is gaining momentum in tandem with mass immigration programs and censorship enforcement. This is not a coincidence; this is a directed and coordinated conspiracy.

The establishment is going for broke in light of the growing public shift away from progressive (socialist) ideology. Its clear that the elites are afraid of a large scale reformation: A return to nationalism, conservatism, meritocracy and moral fortitude. Western culture is valued again and people are acting to defend it. The movement will soon be impossible to stop and the time of the globalists is running out.

Because of online discourse and the alternative media, dominating the information space is no longer possible. So the elites are turning to physical force and imprisonment to silence their opponents.

For now Britain is the worst perpetrator with citizens receiving intimidation visits from police and suffering arrests for posting offensive words and memes. Some are even being arrested for flying their national flag in the sight of migrants. Movements in support of populism are demonized and painted as racist or xenophobic, but these accusations are meant to distract from the very real cultural replacement being perpetrated in greater Europe.

The Hidden Purpose Behind Cultural Replacement

Mass immigration and cultural replacement is a strategy the globalists have been trying in the US for decades and were very familiar with the process. That said, I would suggest that Europes invasion (which launched around 2014) is an even greater threat due to the religious zealotry of the migrants involved.

Armies of third world invaders, largely from Islamic nations, have flooded into the EU and UK and threaten to completely displace the native born population. Muslims view the west as a cultural and spiritual enemy that needs to be brought under their control. Fundamentalists (around 70% of Muslims globally) believe that the entire world must one day submit to Islam and Sharia Law. They revel in the invasion and see Europeans as cattle ripe for subjugation.

Theres no intent to assimilate, no hope for coexistence. Thats not the goal. The elites are well aware of this dynamic and they welcome it. But why?

Western civilization has been scheduled for demolition and the establishment is using elements of third-world alien cultures to do the grunt work of tearing that civilization down. I predicted the results of this program in my article Britain Is Proof: Globalists Plan To Use Migrants As A Mercenary Army Against The West, published in August of 2024.

In that article I noted:

If western populations are unified in opposing the globalist ideology then the task of deconstruction becomes impossible for them. So, they simply destroy the west from within by introducing millions of people that will NEVER assimilate or unify

In other words, my argument was that migrants from the third-world are not merely being used as unwitting tools for cultural saturation of the west. Theyre not being shipped in by the millions to simply live off the fruits of our labor and our ancestors labors. I believe they are being brought into the US, the UK and Europe as enforcers for the establishment.

I went on to explain the greater purpose of western government using third-world mercenaries:

Keir Starmer and other government officials have been meeting with Muslim groups to reassure them that the government is on their side. The migrants are now emboldened to do as they please while the Brits face the reality that if they fight back, the government will put them in prison. The migrants are now, in the most basic sense, a mercenary wing of the UK government

I would go even further and say that in the event of war with Russia native born citizens will be rounded up for conscription while most migrants are left behind to run the streets of London, Paris and Berlin. I believe the migrants are enforcers to keep any potentially defiant Europeans in line. Many empires and monarchs throughout history have used foreign mercenaries as muscle to prevent local rebellion. The politicians in the EU and UK are following a similar strategy.

What Happens Next?

If we track these patterns to their natural conclusion I think its clear that Europe is about to become a nexus for global change. They will either destroy the west with instability and authoritarianism or their tyranny will inspire a modern day crusade to save free civilization. In either case, theyre about to create a mess.

First, I think there will definitely be forced conscription, but I suspect there will be a lot more opposition and protests against this policy than the elites understand. No one in the west wants to die for Ukraine. There is no unifying moral imperative to enter into a war with Russia. People will resist.

Second, theres going to be a heightened focus on speech controls and arrests unless the populace presents a unified response. This counter-movement will have to be prepared for violence because theres a good chance they will need to defend themselves.

Third, governments will try to use economic leverage to silence dissent and punish people who refuse to comply. Its not a coincidence that the EU just announced that they will be introducing CBDC programs at the retail level by the end of 2025. Theyre going to push for a cashless system because this will give them total control over peoples economic access.

Unless Trump pulls off some kind of diplomatic miracle the deployment of EU and UK troops to Ukraine is predetermined. Anything to spark a volatile escalation, possibly to lure the US back into the fray under security obligations. Again, the globalists want WWIII as a catalyst for a new world order.

Fifth, Ukraine will fall to Russia regardless. This is already happening but the media is trying to gloss over troop movements and geo-location data showing increasing territorial gains for Russia. Theyre also refusing to acknowledge the steep decline in Ukrainian conscripts under the age of 40. Without a Trump deal, Ukraine will implode. Europe does not have the troops or the training to fight Russia in a near-peer attrition-based conflict. Their involvement would only prolong the inevitable or trigger a nuclear exchange.

Sixth, theres going to be severe diplomatic isolation between the US and Europe. It has already started with NATO potentially breaking apart and the response from our allies has been nothing but hostile. EU officials act as if theyre entitled to American money and protection, but the question they need to address is WHY?

The leadership of Europe is deeply socialist and they are utterly opposed to any conservative appeal to national and cultural identity. They hate borders, they hate western culture, they hate meritocracy, they hate individual liberty, they hate Christianity and they hate Americans in general. I dont think we have much in common with them anymore and it doesnt make sense to be allies with people who would happily tear down everything we believe in.

The US and EU alliance is dead. After their latest authoritarian actions its time to cut ties, or, remove the globalists in power and change the dynamic. From my observations there are millions of Europeans across the Atlantic hoping and praying right now that Americans intervene and remove these tyrants from their bureaucratic throne. While a breaking of ties is almost guaranteed, there is also a chance that a war between the US and the European oligarchy is brewing.

Read more at: Alt-Market.us
Federal judges overreach: Orders full USAID reinstatement, challenging Trumps executive authority to streamline government

An Obama-appointed federal judge, Theodore Chuang, issued an injunction preventing DOGE from dismantling USAID, citing potential constitutional violations, including breaches of the Appointments Clause and Separation of Powers.

The ruling has sparked sharp criticism from Trump and Musk supporters, who view it as judicial overreach undermining the executive branchs authority to streamline government operations and eliminate wasteful spending. Critics argue the decision obstructs Trumps agenda to prioritize American taxpayers.

The closure of USAID was central to Trumps second-term agenda and Elon Musks leadership at DOGE, which identified the agency as a symbol of bureaucratic inefficiency and questionable foreign aid spending, including funds linked to controversial projects abroad.

Elon Musk publicly criticized the ruling on social media, echoing conservative frustrations with judicial interference. The Trump administration vowed to appeal the decision, with the case likely heading to the Supreme Court, where supporters expect a favorable outcome.

The ruling has galvanized calls from conservatives for Congress to curb judicial activism and uphold executive authority. The case highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary and Trumps efforts to reform government, with supporters framing it as a constitutional battle over accountability and efficiency.

In a controversial decision that has drawn sharp criticism from supporters of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, an Obama-appointed federal judge has blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from dismantling the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Judge Theodore Chuang, a 2014 appointee of former President Barack Obama, issued a sweeping injunction against DOGE, claiming that its actions likely violated the U.S. Constitution.

The ruling, which orders the full reinstatement of USAIDs functionality, has been widely condemned as judicial overreach by Trump and Musk supporters, who argue that the decision undermines the executive branchs authority to streamline government operations and eliminate wasteful spending.

Judge Chuangs controversial ruling

In a 68-page opinion, Judge Chuang asserted that DOGEs decision to shutter USAID likely breached the Constitutions Appointments Clause and the principle of Separation of Powers. He claimed that the actions deprived Congress of its constitutional role in determining the fate of federal agencies.

For the foregoing reasons, the Court finds that Defendants actions taken to shut down USAID on an accelerated basis, including its apparent decision to permanently close USAID headquarters without the approval of a duly appointed USAID Officer, likely violate the United States Constitution in multiple ways, Chuang wrote.

The judges decision has been met with fierce backlash from conservatives, who argue that Chuangs ruling is a blatant attempt to obstruct President Trumps efforts to reduce government bloat and prioritize American taxpayers. Critics have pointed out that Chuang, an unelected activist judge, has no constitutional basis to challenge the executive branchs authority to reorganize federal agencies.

Trump and Musks vision for government efficiency

The closure of USAID was a cornerstone of President Trumps second-term agenda to eliminate wasteful spending and refocus federal resources on domestic priorities. Under the leadership of Elon Musk, DOGE had identified USAID as a prime example of bureaucratic inefficiency, with billions of taxpayer dollars being funneled into questionable foreign aid programs.

Supporters of Trump and Musk argue that USAID has long been a vehicle for liberal agendas, funding projects that do little to benefit American citizens. Examples of questionable spending include 900,000 to a Gaza?based organization linked to terrorism and 1.5 million to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in Serbia.

The American people elected President Trump to drain the swamp and put America first, said a spokesperson for the Trump administration. This ruling is a slap in the face to every taxpayer who is tired of seeing their hard-earned money wasted on foreign aid programs that do nothing to strengthen our nation.

Judicial overreach and the attack on executive authority

Judge Chuangs decision has sparked outrage among conservatives, who view it as yet another example of judicial activism aimed at undermining President Trumps agenda. By ordering the reinstatement of USAID and barring further actions against the agency, Chuang has effectively usurped the executive branchs authority to manage federal agencies.

This is a clear case of an unelected judge overstepping his bounds, said a senior advisor to the Trump administration. President Trump and Elon Musk are working tirelessly to make government more efficient and accountable to the American people. Judge Chuangs ruling is an affront to the Constitution and the will of the voters.

Musk fires back

Elon Musk, who has been a key figure in DOGEs efforts to streamline government operations, took to social media to express his frustration with the ruling. Amplifying a post by conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Musk wrote, Indeed, in response to Kirks critique of the decision.

Kirks post read: The only two clauses of the lefts constitution are thou shalt have open borders and all American money will be sent abroad. Musks response resonated with his 220 million followers, many of whom share his frustration with the judicial systems interference in executive decision-making.

A call to action

The ruling has galvanized Trump and Musk supporters, who are calling on Congress to rein in activist judges and uphold the executive branchs authority to manage federal agencies. House conservatives have already begun rallying behind Trump and Musk, vowing to fight back against what they see as an unconstitutional power grab by the judiciary.

This is not just about USAID, said a prominent conservative lawmaker. This is about protecting the Constitution and ensuring that the executive branch has the authority to carry out the will of the people. We will not stand idly by while unelected judges undermine President Trumps efforts to make government work for the American people.

Looking ahead

The Trump administration is expected to appeal Judge Chuangs decision, with the case likely heading to the Supreme Court. Supporters of Trump and Musk remain confident that the high court will uphold the executive branchs authority to reorganize federal agencies and eliminate wasteful spending.

In the meantime, the ruling serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing President Trump and Elon Musk as they work to deliver on their promise of a more efficient and accountable government. Despite the setback, their supporters remain steadfast in their belief that the fight to drain the swamp is far from over.

This is just the beginning, said a Trump campaign official. President Trump and Elon Musk are committed to putting America first, and no activist judge is going to stand in their way.

Sources include:

YourNews.com

FoxNews.com

NYPost.com
Herbal Defense: A holistic blueprint for overcoming illness and aging through natures pharmacy

The book "Herbal Defense" by Robyn Landis and Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa promotes herbal medicine as a holistic, proactive approach to combat chronic illness and aging, challenging conventional medical practices that rely on pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments.

Landis shares her journey from chronic illness to vitality through herbal remedies, while Khalsa contributes Ayurvedic wisdom. The book combines ancient traditions, scientific research and practical guidance to rejuvenate the body's natural resilience.

The authors argue that herbs like turmeric, milk thistle and ginkgo biloba address root causes of health issues, boosting immunity, slowing aging and enhancing mental clarity, rather than merely treating symptoms.

While acknowledging modern medicine's strengths in emergencies, the book critiques its handling of chronic conditions, highlighting the side effects of pharmaceuticals and advocating for herbs' gentler, cost-effective and accessible alternatives.

The book emphasizes Ayurvedic principles, such as doshas and tailored herbal treatments and stresses the importance of understanding herb mechanisms, proper dosing and avoiding interactions with medications for safe and effective use.

In an era where chronic illness and aging are often met with costly pharmaceuticals and invasive treatments, a growing number of individuals are turning to nature's oldest remedies for answers. "Herbal Defense: Positioning Yourself to Triumph Over Illness and Aging," co-authored by health advocate Robyn Landis and Ayurvedic expert Karta Purkh Singh Khalsa, challenges conventional medical paradigms by advocating herbal medicine as a proactive, holistic defense against modern health crises.

Drawing from centuries-old traditions, scientific research and personal transformation, the book offers a roadmap for harnessing plants' healing power  not merely to treat symptoms but to rejuvenate the body's innate resilience. Landis' journey from chronic illness to vitality, paired with Khalsa's Ayurvedic wisdom, positions this work as both a manifesto and manual for those seeking autonomy over their well-being.

Landis' foray into herbal medicine began out of necessity. Plagued by food allergies, recurrent infections and hormonal imbalances in her 20s, she cycled through doctors and medications with little relief.

"I was stuck in a loop of temporary fixes," she writes, describing years of frustration. Her turning point came upon discovering herbs, which addressed root causes rather than masking symptoms. Incorporating adaptogens like ashwagandha and immune-boosting echinacea, Landis reports a dramatic shift: fewer infections, balanced hormones and sustained energy. Her story anchors the book's premise  that herbs, when paired with lifestyle shifts, can catalyze profound healing.

Central to "Herbal Defense" is the argument that herbs transcend basic disease prevention. Instead, they "elevate health to an optimal state," Landis asserts, boosting immunity, slowing aging and enhancing mental clarity. The authors detail how herbs like turmeric (anti-inflammatory), milk thistle (liver detoxification) and ginkgo biloba (cognitive support) combat underlying imbalances that predispose individuals to chronic conditions. This proactive approach, they contend, contrasts with a medical system often reactive to crisis.

While acknowledging modern medicine's strengths in emergency care, the authors critique its handling of chronic issues like diabetes, arthritis and anxiety. Pharmaceuticals, they argue, frequently carry side effects that exacerbate problems  a stark contrast to herbs' gentler, synergistic actions. For example, valerian root alleviates insomnia without next-day drowsiness and ginger soothes digestion minus the laxative dependency risks. Cost and accessibility further bolster their case: herbs are affordable, globally available and self-administered, democratizing health care.

Khalsa's contributions illuminate Ayurveda, India's 5,000-year-old healing system, which views health as harmony between body, mind and environment. The book explores doshas (metabolic types) and personalized herbal protocols  such as cooling peppermint for fiery pitta types or stimulating cayenne for sluggish kapha constitutions. This tailored approach, Khalsa explains, prevents a one-size-fits-all pitfall, fostering sustainable wellness.

A chapter titled "Navigating the Herbal Landscape" urges discernment amid market hype. Landis stresses education: "Understanding an herb's mechanism, contraindications and proper dosing is non-negotiable." Readers learn to identify reputable brands, consult certified herbalists and avoid interactions with medications  a nuanced take often absent from wellness literature.

"Herbal Defense" arrives as a timely antidote to industrialized health care's shortcomings. By framing herbalism not as a rejection of modern science but as its complement, Landis and Khalsa empower readers to reclaim agency. Their message is clear: Health is not passive endurance but active cultivation  a philosophy as ancient as the herbs they champion. For those weary of quick fixes, this book offers a radical yet grounded alternative: nature's wisdom, harnessed with intention, can indeed triumph over illness and time.

Watch the video below to learn more about "Herbal Defense."

This video is from the BrightLearn channel on Brighteon.com.

Sources include:

Brighteon.ai

Brighteon.com
Israel resumes ground offensive in Gaza, sparking protests and humanitarian crisis

Israel launched a new ground offensive in Gaza, ending a two-month ceasefire and causing widespread chaos.

Over 510 Palestinians, including 183 children, have been killed in three days, overwhelming hospitals and depleting medical supplies.

The IDF expanded control over the Netzarim Corridor, reversing ceasefire progress and leaving civilians with no safe evacuation routes.

International outcry has grown, with the UN condemning attacks on humanitarian sites and protests erupting in Israel against Netanyahus policies.

Gaza faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, with famine looming and vital infrastructure destroyed.

Israel has launched a new ground offensive in Gaza, shattering a fragile two-month ceasefire and plunging the besieged enclave into chaos.

The operation, which began Wednesday, has already claimed the lives of at least 70 Palestinians in airstrikes and ground assaults, according to Gaza health officials. The renewed military campaign, described by Israeli officials as just the beginning, has drawn widespread international condemnation and reignited protests both in Gaza and Israel.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced they had expanded their control over the Netzarim Corridor, a key buffer zone dividing northern and southern Gaza. This move effectively reverses the limited progress made during the ceasefire, which had allowed some Palestinians to return to their devastated homes. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Gaza residents to evacuate battle zones, but with the Egyptian border closed and humanitarian aid blocked, hundreds of thousands of civilians have nowhere to flee.

Death and destruction mount

The toll of Israels renewed assault is staggering. Over the past three days, more than 510 Palestinians have been killed, including at least 183 children, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Hospitals, already overwhelmed, are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that medical supplies are critically low, and staff are unable to manage the sharp increase in injuries.

Due to the recent suspension of humanitarian aid into Gaza, stocks of medical supplies have dropped significantly, the ICRC said in a statement. Hospital staff are struggling to manage the sharp increase of casualties.

The IDFs ground operations have also targeted vital infrastructure, including the Salahuddin Road, the main north-south route in Gaza. Witnesses reported Israeli tanks and bulldozers advancing along the road, firing on vehicles and forcing residents to flee. Bulldozers protected by some tanks were heading to the west coming from the areas where they are stationed near the fence east of the Salahuddin road, one taxi driver told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.

International outcry and protests

The resumption of hostilities has sparked outrage globally. The United Nations condemned an attack on a UN guesthouse in central Gaza that killed a foreign aid worker and injured five others. UN officials called for a full investigation, emphasizing that attacks on humanitarian premises violate international law.

In Israel, thousands of protesters gathered outside the Knesset, accusing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using the war to bolster his political standing. Critics argue that Netanyahus refusal to negotiate a lasting ceasefire has prolonged the conflict and endangered the lives of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.

Hamas, for its part, has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire agreement and called on mediators to intervene. The ground operation and the incursion into the Netzarim Corridor were a new and dangerous violation, the group said in a statement.

A humanitarian catastrophe

The renewed violence has exacerbated an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The enclave, home to 2.3 million people, has been reduced to rubble after 17 months of war. Food, water, and medical supplies are scarce, and the blockade imposed by Israel has left residents with no means of escape.

We are on the brink of famine threatening the residents of the Gaza Strip, warned Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson for Gazas Civil Defense.

As the death toll rises and international condemnation grows, the prospects for peace appear increasingly bleak. Israels determination to eradicate Hamas has come at an unimaginable cost to Palestinian civilians.

Sources for this article include:

ZeroHedge.com

Reuters.com

CNN.com

Reuters.com
If unhinged Leftists continue to threaten violence against the Right, the Civil War that follows wont be won by the gun control support crowd, itll be won by those supporting the Second Amendment and are locked and loaded

In an article about leftist terrorism we are seeing across the country by Michael Snyder from End Of The American Dream, he documented the literal definition of terrorism and the few and far between "media" stories informing the public.

(Article by Susan Duclos republished from AllNewsPipeline.com)

Of course the MSM refuses to call it terrorism when liberals run around destroying businesses, lighting Telsa vehicles on fire and shooting up dealerships.

The examples of the violence by the "anti-Trump Resistance" are detailed in the above link, so in this article I would like the focus on a couple of other points.

Such as the MSM, Democrats, and RINOs (Republican In Name Only) treating a protest on January 6, 2021,by conservatives at the capitol as an "insurrection," when in reality there are conflicting reports as to undercover FBI sources acting like protesters, and the capital police guiding said protesters into the capitol building.

But the inspector general revealed that the Department of Justice had 26 confidential human sources working for the FBI in Washington, D.C., during the protests. [...] Four of the confidential human sources entered the Capitol building, 13 of them entered the restricted area around the Capitol.

Also the refusal of the congressional leadership, which at the time was Democrats, to call in the national guard for the protest as was suggested by President Trump at the time, and the arrest of more than a thousand people that attended the protest, some jailed without due process for more than a year, by the Biden regime.

Those same groups now are ignoring or downplaying actual terrorism by liberals.

THE LEFT PUSHING FOR CIVIL WAR.....

According to Newweek, in an article with a definite liberal bias, they quote New York Representative Yvette Clarke saying to reporters "It is very clear that what Donald Trump is doing right now is violently impacting the communities that we represent. Whether that ultimately ends in a civil war remains to be seen."

Democrat Representative Maxine Waters, known for encouraging the left to confront trump administration officials during his first term, is now claiming it is Donald Trump wants a civil war, saying "I'm worried that Trump is on the edge of creating a civil war."

Never mind the fact that President Trump is only doing exactly what Republicans elected him to do, such as weeding out fraud and abuse in government spending, getting control of the border, and deporting violent criminals and terrorist supporting foreigners, to name just a few issues.

"This president is putting us in a position where hungry people are going to be on the street," Waters told reporters. "Where nonprofits, who were waiting for their checks, are not going to get them. Where seniors waiting for their Social Security check will not get it. Where poor families with children will not get what they believe the government has agreed to do."

Waters is trying to imply that by enacting the policies that he was elected to implement he would be "forcing" Democrats to take the fight to the streets, yet it is the Democrat leaders making those types of inaccurate, in fact false, statements that is deliberately meant to incite violence and fear into their supporters.

DEMOCRATS INCITING VIOLENCE.....

Elon Musk, who agreed to help President Trump weed out the fraud and waste built into agencies and federal spending, expressed his shock at the violence that has been aimed at him and his company Telsa.

Musk spoke out against the "deranged" attacks, suggesting "there's some kind of mental illness thing going on here because this doesn't make any sense." The billionaire even alluded to "larger forces" potentially behind the attacks that have sprung up across the nation.

Larger forces. Yes, such as Democrat leaders and groups funded by Democrat donors, one of which was funded by George Soros.

Via the New York Post:

George Soros gave $7.6 million to one of five groups accused of targeting Elon Musks Tesla company, The Post has learned. Tesla cars, Cybertrucks, dealerships and charging stations have been set on fire, shot at and sprayed with graffiti across the nation in acts of politically charged vandalism since Musks new Department of Government Efficiency started making government cuts. While the motives behind individual attacks vary, Musk has identified certain groups who organized protests against him and his company. An investigation has found 5 ActBlue-funded groups responsible for Tesla protests: Troublemakers, Disruption Project, Rise & Resist, Indivisible Project and Democratic Socialists of America, he said in a recent X post.

Musk also named specific Democrat donors behind the terrorism we are seeing across the nation.

"ActBlue funders include George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Herbert Sandler, Patricia Bauman, and Leah Hunt-Hendrix," he wrote. "If you know anything about this, please post in replies. Thanks, Elon," he added.

Just imagine the response from the media if conservatives had started firebombing and shooting up businesses of those working in conjunction with the Biden regime in the four years he occupied the White House.

Democrats once adored billionaire Elon Musk, until he left the party, bought Twitter, turned it into X, and stopped banning conservatives, and then backed Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Now, thanks to the rhetoric from Democrats, deliberately trying to incite violence against the Trump administration and MAGA supporters, unhinged liberals are threatening even more violence if President Trump isn't ejected from the White House.

MRC has been keeping tabs on the leftist lunatics.

Leftists - the same leftists who accuse conservatives of inciting violence and threatening democracy with their rhetoric - are openly threatening violence if Trump, who was elected by a majority of American voters in November, is not forcibly removed from office. Which might just be the definition of being self-unawarenot that leftists care about, or even realize, their own hypocrisy. After weeks of liberals targeting Tesla dealerships with Molotov cocktails and spray paint while others shill for Venezuelan gang members and Islamic terrorism sympathizers, protesters in D.C. are now openly promising violence if Trump isn't ejected from the White House.

 Get this man out of here now! one unhinged liberal screamed into a microphone to a cheering audience of lemmings during an anti-Trump protest outside the White House this week. But if that doesnt happen - and were not promoting it for one second - but if that doesnt happen, there will be violence, and these people have the opportunity to stop it, she rambled on.

It isn't only President Trump and Doge leader Elon Musk either, the violent rhetoric by Democrat leaders, along with their puppets in the media, has also created a "Part Deux" of Trump's first term where trump supporters are now being kicked out of bars, one threatened with a bat.

Then we have other unhinged liberals posting about how they woke and chose violence against the "red hats" today, and would choose violence against them every day, and then in an act of lunacy when speaking of violence against others, she flashes a peace sign.

These are types of things that happen when one party, the Democrats, encourages mental illness, those deranged individuals will end up violent.

Then a popular leftist YouTube personality called "Vaush," has issued a call for violence against President Trump and his supporters.

Left-wing YouTuber Vaush has issued a borderline call to take up arms against the Trump regime and its supporters, labelling MAGA voters a plague to this country and saying that life in prison for members of the Trump admin would be generous. In a recent video, Vaushreal name Ian Anthony Kochinskicalls for a wave of militancy leading to a de-MAGA-fication of the US like Reconstruction after the Civil War or de-Nazification in post-War Germany. The video also features a series of chilling threats that suggest a genuine desire to see physical harm inflicted against members of the Trump administration and ordinary Trump supporters. We need to get militant and fast. Theyre going to start disappearing US citizens, there are going to be bodies washing up on the shore. Theyre going to build the camps. Theyre going to try to do everything they can. The whole thing is like a loot-and-burn experiment.

These crazed individuals have no clue what they are asking for.

THE RIGHT IS READY FOR CIVIL WAR IF THE LEFT KEEPS PUSHING.....

The bottom line here is simple. You have a leftist party that supports gun control, treats Americans that supports the second amendment as potentials mass shooters, threatening the those that are armed to the teeth in this country.

Seriously, are they so unhinged that they actually believe that threatening, and in some casing acting those threats out, will result in anything but their own annihilation?

We don't call them the party of crazy for nothing.

Quick newsflash for those leftists threaten the right with violence, what watch you ask for because the "right" is sick and tired of being threatened, and if the left continues to increase said threats and violence, the right can and will decimated.

Self-Defense is legal in America.

Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com
StilachiRAT: Microsoft sounds alarm on stealthy malware targeting crypto wallets and credentials

Microsoft uncovered a sophisticated remote access trojan (RAT) named StilachiRAT, designed to steal sensitive data, including credentials and cryptocurrency wallet information. It targets 20 popular Chrome wallet extensions like MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet.

StilachiRAT uses a DLL module ("WWStartupCtrl64.dll") to steal Chrome credentials, monitor clipboard activity and extract data from targeted crypto wallets. It also gathers system information and employs advanced evasion techniques, such as clearing event logs and detecting sandbox environments.

The malware highlights the increasing sophistication of crypto-related cybercrime, with illicit transactions reaching $51 billion in 2025. StilachiRAT exemplifies the evolving threat landscape, targeting wallet extensions and siphoning digital assets.

Microsoft advises robust cybersecurity measures, including antivirus software, cloud-based anti-malware tools and regular system updates. Crypto users are urged to avoid browser-based wallets, use hardware wallets and refrain from copying sensitive information like private keys.

StilachiRAT is part of a larger trend of advanced malware targeting the crypto industry. Microsoft emphasizes the importance of vigilance and proactive defenses as cybercriminals continue to innovate and escalate their tactics.

In a stark warning to cryptocurrency users and organizations, Microsoft has uncovered a sophisticated remote access trojan (RAT) dubbed StilachiRAT, designed to steal sensitive data, including credentials and cryptocurrency wallet information. The malware, first detected in November 2024, targets 20 popular cryptocurrency wallet extensions for Google Chrome, such as MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet and Trust Wallet. Microsofts Incident Response Team revealed the discovery in a March 17 blog post, emphasizing the malwares advanced evasion techniques and potential to cause significant financial harm.

The disclosure comes amid a surge in crypto-related cybercrime, with losses from scams, exploits and hacks reaching nearly $1.53 billion in February 2025 alone, according to blockchain security firm CertiK. As the crypto ecosystem grows, so too does the sophistication of cybercriminals, with StilachiRAT exemplifying the evolving threat landscape.

How StilachiRAT operates

StilachiRAT is no ordinary malware. Its capabilities extend far beyond simple data theft. According to Microsoft, the malwares core functionality resides in a DLL module named "WWStartupCtrl64.dll," which enables it to steal credentials stored in Google Chrome, monitor clipboard activity for sensitive information like passwords and crypto keys, and extract data from 20 targeted cryptocurrency wallet extensions.

Analysis of the StilachiRATs WWStartupCtrl64.dll module revealed the use of various methods to steal information from the target system, Microsoft said. The malware can also gather extensive system information, including hardware identifiers, active Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions and running applications.

One of StilachiRATs most concerning features is its ability to evade detection. The malware clears event logs and checks for signs its running in a sandbox environment, a common tool used by cybersecurity researchers to analyze malicious software. This anti-forensic behavior makes it particularly difficult to detect and analyze.

A growing threat to crypto users

The rise of StilachiRAT underscores the increasing professionalization of crypto-related cybercrime. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis reported in its 2025 Crypto Crime Report that illicit transaction volume reached $51 billion in the past year, driven by AI-driven scams, stablecoin laundering and efficient cyber syndicates.

StilachiRATs ability to target cryptocurrency wallets is particularly alarming. The malware scans devices for the presence of 20 specific wallet extensions, including MetaMask, Trust Wallet and OKX Wallet. Once installed, it can siphon off digital assets by extracting wallet data and monitoring clipboard activity for crypto keys.

Microsoft has not yet attributed StilachiRAT to any specific threat actor or geographic region, and its distribution appears to be limited for now. However, the tech giant warns that the malwares stealth capabilities and versatility make it a significant threat. Based on Microsofts current visibility, the malware does not exhibit widespread distribution at this time, the company said. However, due to its stealth capabilities and the rapid changes within the malware ecosystem, we are sharing these findings as part of our ongoing efforts to monitor, analyze and report on the evolving threat landscape.

Protecting against StilachiRAT and similar threats

To mitigate the risk of falling victim to StilachiRAT and similar malware, Microsoft recommends implementing robust cybersecurity measures. These include using antivirus software, cloud-based anti-phishing and anti-malware components, and regularly updating systems to patch vulnerabilities.

For cryptocurrency users, additional precautions are essential. Experts advise against storing large amounts of crypto in browser-based wallets, opting instead for hardware wallets that are less susceptible to remote attacks. Users should also avoid copying and pasting sensitive information like private keys, as StilachiRAT actively monitors clipboard activity.

A broader trend in cybercrime

StilachiRAT is part of a broader trend of increasingly sophisticated malware targeting cryptocurrency users. Earlier this year, Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 detailed three unusual malware samples, including a passive Internet Information Services (IIS) backdoor and a bootkit that installs a GRUB 2 bootloader. These discoveries highlight the growing creativity and technical prowess of cybercriminals.

As the crypto industry continues to expand, so too will the threats it faces. Microsofts disclosure of StilachiRAT serves as a timely reminder of the importance of vigilance and proactive cybersecurity measures. For now, the battle against cybercrime remains a cat-and-mouse game, with attackers constantly innovating and defenders racing to keep up.

In the words of Microsofts Incident Response Team, We are sharing these findings as part of our ongoing efforts to monitor, analyze and report on the evolving threat landscape. For cryptocurrency users and organizations alike, staying informed and prepared is the best defense against the next StilachiRAT.

Sources include:

CoinTelegraph.com

TheRecord.com

TheHackerNews.com
Poland to deploy up to 1 million anti-personnel mines along eastern border amid rising Russian threats

Poland plans to deploy up to one million anti-personnel mines along its eastern border as part of the "East Shield" defense initiative.

Poland and Baltic allies withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, citing escalating threats from Russia and Belarus.

The country will produce the mines domestically, with production potentially reaching one million units within nine months.

Polish officials demand Europes inclusion in U.S.-Russia diplomatic talks, emphasizing Ukraines direct impact on European security.

Poland is modernizing its military, including tank acquisitions and drone production, while critics warn of humanitarian and financial risks.

Poland is preparing to deploy up to one million anti-personnel mines along its eastern border as part of its newly announced "East Shield" defense initiative.

The decision, announced by Deputy Defense Minister Pawe? Bejda, comes as Poland and its Baltic alliesLithuania, Latvia, and Estoniawithdraw from the Ottawa Convention, a treaty banning the use, production, and transfer of such mines. This strategic shift underscores the regions growing concerns over Russian aggression and its commitment to prioritizing sovereignty and defense over international agreements.

A strategic withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention

The Ottawa Convention, ratified by over 160 nations, has long been a cornerstone of global efforts to eliminate anti-personnel mines. However, Poland and its Baltic neighbors argue that the treaty no longer serves their security interests in the face of escalating threats from Russia and Belarus. In a joint statement, the defense ministries of the four NATO member states emphasized the need for "flexibility and freedom of choice" to defend the Alliances vulnerable eastern flank.

"We have no choice. The situation at the border is very serious. Mines will be one of the elements of the East Shield," Bejda stated in an interview with RMF FM. He revealed that Poland plans to produce the mines domestically through the state-owned PGZ Group, with production potentially reaching up to one million units. The withdrawal process from the Ottawa Treaty is expected to take up to nine months, after which Poland will begin stockpiling the mines.

Europe demands a seat at the diplomatic table

Amid these defensive preparations, Polish officials are also pushing back against unilateral diplomatic discussions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Bejda stressed that Europe must be included in any negotiations concerning Ukraine, given the continents direct security interests.

"We are working together in Europe. I think that Europe has woken up and realized that Ukraine is on our continent. European leaders strive to be equal partners and to sit at the negotiating table. It cannot be that only President Trump talks to Putinwithout the presence of Europe," Bejda said.

This call for inclusion reflects broader concerns among European nations about being sidelined in critical security discussions, particularly as the war in Ukraine continues to destabilize the region.

Modernizing Polands military capabilities

In addition to the mine deployment, Poland is aggressively modernizing its military hardware. The country has already contracted 180 K2 tanks and is negotiating for an additional 180, with plans to integrate advanced technology and produce components domestically. Bejda also highlighted efforts to "dronize" the Polish Army, with specialized training programs and 3D printing technology being explored to accelerate drone production.

While these measures signal Polands commitment to bolstering its defenses, critics warn that reintroducing anti-personnel mines could have long-term humanitarian and financial consequences. Charles Bechara of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines cautioned that such a move could divert resources from more modern and effective defense measures.

A clear message to adversaries

Polands decision to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention and deploy anti-personnel mines sends a clear message that the nation is prepared to take every necessary measure to defend its territory and sovereignty. As Deputy Defense Minister Bejda put it, "Our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our territory and freedom."

This bold stance reflects a broader trend among Eastern European nations to prioritize security over international agreements in the face of growing threats. While the move has sparked debate, it underscores the regions determination to safeguard its borders and assert its role in shaping Europes security landscape.

Sources for this article include:

RMX.news

Reuters.com

BBC.com
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 20, EVE Energy Co., Ltd. announced plans to issue RMB 5 billion in convertible bonds to unspecified investors.

The proceeds will fund the company's 23GWh cylindrical lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery project, primarily targeting passenger vehicles and residential energy storage applications. Upon completion, the project is expected to add approximately 21GWh of 46-series large cylindrical battery capacity.

According to EVE Energy, as of the end of September 2024, its cylindrical LFP battery products had accumulated intentional demand of approximately 81GWh over the next five years. Meanwhile, its ternary large cylindrical batteries had secured future demand of approximately 483GWh over the same period.

Photo credit: EVE Energy

The company attributes its capacity expansion plans to the production requirements of downstream customers. It noted that intentional demand generally falls into two categories: non-written agreements, which arise during business negotiations, and formal agreements, which include signed cooperation contracts, supplier nomination letters, project documents, requests for quotations, etc.

EVE Energy's expectations for the absorption of new production capacity are based on several key assumptions:

 Continued robust growth in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market with no major adverse factors affecting the industry.

 Stable sales performance of customers' end products, ensuring that both written and non-written demand projections remain intact.

 Downstream customers meeting their own sales forecasts, aligning with EVE Energy's internal assessments of demand.

 Successful acquisition of supplier nomination letters from certain customers who have not yet issued them, enabling the company to proceed with product development and mass production as planned.

 Sustained market share among key customers, ensuring no significant drop in supply volume.

Among the 81GWh of intentional demand for cylindrical LFP batteries, 31GWh is based on written commitments, while 50GWh is from non-written agreements. For ternary large cylindrical batteries, 341GWh of demand is documented in formal agreements, including 187GWh from customers already in mass production or supplier nomination stages, while 142GWh remains informal.
Sen. Schumer: Trump not doing enough for Jews

New York Senator Chuck Schumer lambasted President Trump on Tuesday for not doing enough for Jews and being too tolerant of "anti-Semitism."

(Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com)

During an appearance on MSNBC, the Democratic Senate Minority Leader said that Trump "has far too often tolerated all kinds of anti-Semitic things."

"He regards the Jews as sort of transactional. So, money -- the Jews. Votes -- the Jews. But no real understanding of who we are," Schumer lamented.

Sen. Chuck Schumer says Trump is not doing enough for Jews and is too tolerant of "anti-Semitism." Trump has "no real understanding of who we are," he laments. "He sits down with a known bigoted anti-Semite @NickJFuentes." pic.twitter.com/9WrHAbI6qI  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 19, 2025

"Look at the things he's done ... He sits down with a known bigoted anti-Semite Nick Fuentes, he has a lot of people in his administration who believe in this great replacement replacement theory -- which is an anti-Semitic troll-- er, not troll, philosophy-- dangerous thinking," he continued.

"And he cut off all the money -- we worked very hard for this -- called non-profit security grant, money for synagogues that have been accosted by anti-Semitic activities," he said.

Schumer then plugged his new book "Anti-Semitism in America" and urged Trump to read it, insisting "he might learn something."

Schumer ignored Trump's move to outlaw criticism of Jews and Israel as a form of illegal "discrimination," ban "illegal" protests against Israel's genocide in Gaza and his unprecedented decision to arrest and deport critics of Israel for their political views.

Schumer's claim that Trump "cut off" security grants to Jewish centers was also a load of crap.

This is the source of Schumer's claim Trump cut off security grants to Jewish centers. They admit in the article they expect the funds will be "reimbursed eventually" but claim it's "necessary" that they get more money than ever for security. pic.twitter.com/hekwmgaqEU  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 19, 2025

Schumer has pushed to expand these "security grants" for years and despite the funding being higher than ever it's never enough. pic.twitter.com/QnZn6bfdtA  Chris Menahan ?? (@infolibnews) March 19, 2025

As we all saw last week, Schumer joined with Republicans and Trump to pass their six-month government funding bill because the GOP agenda and the Democrat agenda is one and the same.

Schumer's only complaint with Trump is he's not doing enough for Jews -- all while he literally rounds up critics of Israel and sends billions of dollars worth of military aid to the Jewish state to facilitate a genocide!

Schumer on Tuesday also went on The View to justify the genocide by pushing the debunked lie that Hamas beheaded 40 babies and committed mass rape on October 7th.

No, @SenSchumer. Precisely zero little babies had their heads chopped off. And there is no forensic (DNA, autopsy, etc.) or photographic/video evidence, nor any victims or legal complainants over 16 months after October 7 to prove a single woman was raped by Palestinian https://t.co/bpkQ2GTXCu  Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 19, 2025

Schumer's bill the "Antisemitism Awareness Act" is a mirror image of Trump's executive orders to crackdown on criticism of Jews and Israel as "discriminatory" and illegal so-called "hate" speech.

Read more at: InformationLiberation.com
Shocking discovery: Giza pyramids revealed as Tip of the Iceberg with massive underground structure extending 2 kilometers deep

Advanced radar technology has revealed a massive underground structure beneath the Giza pyramids, extending two kilometers deep, challenging traditional views of ancient Egyptian engineering and history.

The structure includes chambers, pathways, cylindrical wells, and massive cubic formations, suggesting a highly sophisticated purpose beyond mere tombs or monuments.

Theories range from energy generation and planetary defense to communication hubs, with some researchers linking the design to advanced physics and lost technologies.

The discovery questions mainstream Egyptology, hinting at an advanced pre-historic civilization or extraterrestrial involvement, given the precision and scale of the engineering.

The Khafre Project aims to excavate the site, though resistance is expected, as the findings could redefine our understanding of human history and ancient civilizations.

In a revelation that could rewrite the history books, a groundbreaking discovery beneath the Giza pyramid complex has stunned archaeologists and historians worldwide. Advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology has unveiled a colossal underground structure extending up to two kilometers deep, far beyond the visible pyramids. This discovery, published in a 2022 study, suggests that the iconic pyramids are merely the surface of a highly sophisticated, ancient engineering marvel. The findings challenge mainstream Egyptology and raise profound questions about the existence of an advanced pre-historic civilizationor even extraterrestrial intervention in Earth's history.

The Hidden Depths of Giza

The study, led by researchers from the University of Pisa and the University of Strathclyde, utilized cutting-edge SAR technology to peer beneath the surface of the Giza Plateau. The radar data revealed a labyrinthine network of chambers, pathways, and cylindrical structures descending to depths previously unimaginable. Near the base of the Khafre pyramid, five identical structures were discovered, connected by geometric pathways. Below these, eight cylindrical wells, each surrounded by descending spiral staircases, plunge to a depth of 648 meters, where they converge into two massive cubic structures measuring approximately 80 meters per side. The entire subterranean complex extends an astonishing two kilometers beneath the surface.

"This is not just a tomb or a monumentit's a machine," said Filippo Biondi, one of the lead researchers. "The precision and scale of this structure suggest a purpose far beyond what weve traditionally attributed to the ancient Egyptians."

A Machine of Unknown Purpose

The discovery has ignited a firestorm of speculation about the function of this underground marvel. Mainstream Egyptology has long maintained that the pyramids were tombs for pharaohs, built around 2500 BCE using rudimentary tools and techniques. However, the intricate mathematics embedded in their constructionincluding references to pi, the golden ratio, and even the speed of lighthint at a level of sophistication that defies conventional explanations.

Theories about the structure's purpose range from the plausible to the extraordinary. Some researchers propose that it could have served as an energy-generating device, harnessing Earth's natural frequencies. Nikola Tesla, the visionary inventor, once speculated that the pyramids could function as wireless energy transmitters. Others suggest the structure might have been a planetary defense system or a communication hub, capable of transmitting signals across vast distances.

Christopher Dunn, author of The Giza Power Plant, has long argued that the Great Pyramid was a machine designed to convert mechanical stress into electricity. Joseph Farrell, in his book The Giza Death Star, posits that the pyramid was a weapon of mass destruction, using advanced physics to focus energy as a scalar weapon. The newly discovered cylindrical wells and cubic structures could align with these theories, potentially serving as conduits for energy or sound waves.

Challenging the Narrative of Human History

The implications of this discovery are seismic. If the Giza complex was indeed a machine of such complexity, it challenges the prevailing narrative of human history. The construction of such a structure would require knowledge and technology far beyond what is believed to have existed in ancient Egyptor even in modern times. This has led some researchers to speculate about the involvement of an advanced pre-historic civilization or extraterrestrial beings.

"The pressure at these depths, the precision of the engineeringits not something that could have been achieved with primitive tools," said one geologist involved in the study. "This suggests the existence of a civilization that was far more advanced than weve ever imagined."

The discovery also aligns with alternative theories about lost civilizations, such as Tartaria, a supposed advanced society that some believe was wiped from historical records. The idea that Earth may have been home to multiple advanced civilizations, each destroyed by cataclysmic events, is gaining traction among researchers.

What Lies Ahead?

The Khafre Project, the team behind the discovery, hopes to secure approval for an excavation to explore the underground structures further. However, history shows that such endeavors are often met with resistance, particularly when they challenge established narratives.

As the world grapples with the implications of this discovery, one thing is clear: the Giza pyramids are no longer just ancient tombs. They are the gateway to a hidden world, a testament to a civilizationor civilizationsthat may have been far more advanced than we ever dared to imagine. The secrets of Giza are only beginning to be uncovered, and the truth may be stranger than fiction.

Watch the March 20 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about Giza pyramids sub-structure, Tartaria, ancient civilizations and hidden technology.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

30-foot-long secret corridor discovered in Great Pyramid of Giza

Ancient catastrophes and lost civilizations: Maverick researcher Randall Carlson reveals hidden histories of humanity

Ancient Ruins and Archaeology takes readers on a tour of some of the greatest historical ruins in the world

Sources include:

Brighteon.com
Texas congressman Brandon Gill moves to IMPEACH Obama-appointed judge for blocking Trumps deportation of Venezuelan gang members

 Texas Republican Rep. Brandon Gill announces impeachment proceedings against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg for obstructing President Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Tren de Aragua gang members.

 Boasberg, an Obama appointee, issued a 14-day restraining order to halt deportations, demanding planes carrying gang members return to the U.S.

 The Trump Administration defied the order, citing international waters and executive authority over foreign affairs and national security.

 Tren de Aragua, classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, is linked to heinous crimes, including kidnapping, sexual abuse of children, and aggravated assault.

 Deported gang members are being held in El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center under an agreement with President Nayib Bukele.

Judicial activists must be impeached to restore a blind and impartial rule of law

In a bold move to uphold the rule of law and protect national security, Texas Republican Congressman Brandon Gill has announced plans to file articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. The Obama-appointed judge issued a restraining order to block President Donald Trumps use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which was invoked to deport members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, recently classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The clash between the judiciary and the executive branch has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with critics accusing Boasberg of judicial activism and overreach. The judges order, issued in the early hours of Saturday, demanded that planes carrying Tren de Aragua members be returned to the U.S., even as deportations were already underway.

Judge Boasbergs decision to intercede in matters of foreign policy and immigration, areas constitutionally reserved for the executive branch, has drawn sharp criticism from lawmakers and legal experts alike. Rep. Gill, in a post on X, declared, Ill be filing Articles of Impeachment against activist judge James Boasberg this week. He emphasized that the individuals in question are foreign gangbangers guilty of crimes including kidnapping, sexual abuse of children, aggravated assault, and robbery.

The Trump Administration, however, refused to comply with Boasbergs order, citing the flights location over international waters at the time of the ruling. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated, If the Democrats want to argue in favor of turning a plane full of rapists, murderers, and gangsters back to the United States, that's a fight we are more than happy to take.

Leavitt further clarified that the administrations actions were consistent with the Supreme Courts precedent, which upholds the Presidents authority over foreign affairs and the removal of foreign alien terrorists. 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.

Tren de Aragua: a threat to national security

Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization, has been linked to a wave of violent crimes across the U.S., prompting its classification as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The Trump Administrations decision to deport 238 gang members to El Salvadors Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) marks a significant step in addressing the threat posed by this transnational criminal network.

El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele shared footage of the prisoner transfer on X, writing, 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). Bukele noted that the U.S. would pay a nominal fee for the arrangement, which aligns with his administrations efforts to make the prison system self-sustainable through inmate labor programs.

In addition to the Tren de Aragua members, 21 MS-13 gang members were also deported to the Salvadoran facility. Border Czar Tom Homan praised the move, stating, Under President Trumps leadership, this country is becoming safer every day.

The impeachment proceedings against Judge Boasberg highlight a growing tension between the judiciary and the executive branch, raising critical questions about the limits of judicial power and the preservation of constitutional authority and national security.

Sources include:

LawEnforementToday.com

NYPost.com

Axios.com
Medical review of Texas measles death finds MEDICAL MALPRACTICE as the cause of death

A Texas childs death, initially reported as a measles fatality, was caused by medical malpractice, not the virus.

Hospital records reveal the child died due to improper antibiotic treatment for a secondary pneumonia infection.

The child was sedated and ventilated after being isolated from the parents.

The case raises alarming questions about whether the death was exploited to push vaccine agendas.

Experts call for investigations into the hospitals handling of the case, citing "grievous" medical errors.

A preventable death: How medical errors and vaccine dogma led to tragedy

In a shocking revelation, a Texas childs death, widely reported as the first pediatric measles fatality in decades, has been exposed as a tragic case of medical malpractice, covered up by a litany of propaganda. According to hospital records obtained by Childrens Health Defense, the child did not die from measles but from Mycoplasma pneumonia that was improperly treated by medical staff. The case has sparked outrage among medical professionals and raised disturbing questions about whether the death was exploited to advance vaccine industry narratives or if it was the result of gross incompetence.

The child, described as otherwise healthy, was admitted to the hospital with measles, which was reportedly resolving on its own. However, she developed a secondary bacterial pneumonia infection, a common complication of most viral illnesses. According to Dr. Pierre Kory, a critical care specialist who reviewed the case, the hospital failed to administer the appropriate antibiotics in a timely manner, leading to her rapid decline and eventual death.

This is like medicine 101, said Dr. Kory in an exclusive interview. When you admit someone to the hospital for pneumonia, you treat empirically with antibiotics that cover the most common organisms. This child was given an insufficient antibiotic, and when the error was finally recognized, it took 10 hours to administer the correct treatment. By then, she was already on a ventilator, and less than 24 hours later, she died catastrophically.

Dr. Kory emphasized that the childs death was not due to measles but to a grievous medical error. She died because she got an inappropriate antibiotic. This was an otherwise healthy child who could have been saved with proper care, he added.

This error led to a string of further errors, as doctors denied the mother access to her child, and denied the mother the ability to give her child water. Afterward, the child was sedated and ventilated, which caused further harm, as proper treatments like budesonide and vitamin A could have opened up the childs airways and given her immune system what it needed to conquer the pneumonia.

A pattern of exploitation: Child's wrongful death was used to push an agenda

The case has ignited a firestorm of controversy, with some questioning whether the hospitals handling of the situation was influenced by ulterior motives. The death was quickly seized upon by the media and public health officials as evidence of the dangers of measles and the importance of vaccination. However, the revelation that the child died from medical malpractice, not measles, has cast doubt on the narrative.

This story was used to attack Secretary Kennedy as soon as he took office and to scuttle the nomination of David Weldon to head the CDC, said a source familiar with the case. Again, there was no measles death. So now the question is, were these errors that took the girls life, or did they let her die because they needed to report a measles death?

The vaccine industry has long used rare cases of measles complications to justify aggressive vaccination campaigns. This case appears to have been manipulated to create the illusion of a measles-related fatality, despite evidence to the contrary.

A call for accountability: investigations and lawsuits needed asap

The tragedy has prompted calls for investigations and potential lawsuits against the hospital. Dr. Ben Edwards, who has been treating the Mennonite community affected by the outbreak, described the death as a tragic mistake and emphasized the need for accountability.

This was, at best, a medical error. At worst, it was a deliberate act to create a narrative, said Dr. Edwards. Either way, the hospital failed this child and her family.

The case also raises broader concerns about the integrity of the medical system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals were accused of prioritizing financial incentives over patient care, leading to unnecessary deaths. Some fear that similar motives may have played a role in this case.

Hospitals got paid to kill thousands and thousands of COVID patients, said one critic. Did they simply follow the same playbook here so that they could have a story to promote their agenda, or did the hospital not follow basic protocols because they are incompetent?

Another question to ask is, "Were the child's organs procured?" In some wrongful death cases, the victim is sedated so their organs can be harvested and sold.

The death of this Texas child is a chilling reminder of the stakes involved in medical care and public health narratives. Was this a tragic error, or was it something more sinister? As investigations unfold, one thing is clear: The truth must be uncovered, and those responsible must be held accountable.

In the words of Dr. Kory, This was an otherwise healthy child who came in with a common pneumonia. A routine, appropriate antibiotic would have, I believe, changed that trajectory from what it unfortunately and tragically became.

Source include:

X.com

ChildrensHealthDefense.org

Pubmed.gov

Substack.com
Trump administration explores military options to reclaim Panama Canal, citing concerns over growing Chinese influence

The Trump administration is directing the U.S. military to develop strategies to increase its presence in Panama, to counter China's influence and potentially "reclaiming" control of the Panama Canal. Options range from closer collaboration with Panamanian forces to the unlikely use of military force.

The Panama Canal, a symbol of U.S. strategic power, was transferred to Panamanian control in 1999 under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Trump has criticized this as a "giveaway" and claims the agreement has been violated, framing his efforts as a move to enhance national security.

The administration views China's investments in Latin America, including near the canal, as a strategic threat. U.S. officials argue that China's presence could disrupt American shipping and provide military advantages in the region.

The U.S. is considering options such as securing safe passage for U.S. ships, building new ports and potentially restoring total U.S. ownership of the canal. These efforts have faced pushback from Panama and China, with Panama emphasizing the canal's neutrality and China accusing the U.S. of coercion.

The Panama Canal is a critical global trade route, with most cargo linked to the United States. Disruption of its operations could force ships to take longer, costlier routes, significantly impacting global commerce.

The Trump administration has directed the U.S. military to develop strategies to increase its presence in Panama, with the ultimate goal of "reclaiming" the Panama Canal, according to a new report.

Two U.S. officials familiar with the planning told NBC News that the administration is exploring options ranging from closer collaboration with Panamanian security forces to the unlikely use of military force to seize control of the canal. The move is part of President Donald Trump's broader effort to counter China's growing influence over the critical waterway, which serves as a vital artery for global trade. (Related: Trump's bold gambit: Military options for the Panama Canal and the Shadow of Chinese Influence.)

The Panama Canal, a 50-mile engineering marvel completed by the United States in 1914, has long been a symbol of American ingenuity and strategic power. However, its transfer to Panamanian control in 1999 under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter has become a focal point of Trump's critique of past U.S. foreign policy. In a joint address to Congress last week, Trump declared, "To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal, and we've already started doing it."

The administration's efforts come amid rising tensions between the U.S. and China, which has invested heavily in infrastructure projects across Latin America as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. U.S. officials argue that China's presence near the canal poses a strategic threat, potentially allowing Beijing to disrupt American shipping in the event of a conflict.

The Panama Canal's history is deeply intertwined with U.S. foreign policy. Constructed at the cost of thousands of lives and billions of dollars, the canal was a cornerstone of American economic and military strategy for much of the 20th century. However, its control became a source of contention as Panamanians demanded sovereignty over the waterway. In 1977, Carter signed the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which transferred control of the canal to Panama by the end of 1999.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the agreement, calling it a "giveaway" and claiming it was "violated very severely." In his address to Congress, he asserted, "It was given away by the Carter administration for $1, but that agreement has been violated very severely. We didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back."

The administration's current focus is on increasing the U.S. military presence in Panama, which currently includes over 200 troops, including Special Forces units. Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command, presented draft strategies to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth this week, ahead of Hegseth's planned visit to Panama next month.

Potential strategies and regional tensions

According to officials, the administration is considering a range of options to achieve its goals. These include securing safe passage for U.S. ships through the canal, building new ports in Panama, and even having the Army Corps of Engineers operate the canal's locks. More ambitious plans involve restoring total U.S. ownership of the canal, though officials stress that military force is unlikely unless Panama's security forces refuse to cooperate.

The administration's efforts have sparked pushback from both Panama and China. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has denied ceding control of the canal to China, stating that the waterway is administered solely by Panama. Meanwhile, Chinese officials have accused the U.S. of using "coercion" to pressure Panama into blocking Chinese infrastructure projects.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a recent visit to Panama, told Mulino that "the status quo is unacceptable" regarding China's presence in the region. However, Mulino reiterated that Panama's Constitution enshrines the canal's neutrality, ensuring it remains open to all nations.

The Panama Canal remains one of the world's most critical trade routes, with the majority of its cargo originating in or destined for the United States. A disruption to its operations would force ships to take longer, costlier routes around South America, significantly impacting global commerce.

Trump.news contains more stories related to this.

Watch the video below that talks about China's growing influence in the Panama Canal region.

This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Trump signals willingness to use force to retake Panama Canal, Greenland.

Trump warns U.S. could take over Panama Canal if Panama continues to impose "rip-off" passage fees on American ships.

Russia enters the fray: Trump's Panama Canal claims threaten global trade neutrality.

Sources include:

AmericanMilitaryNews.com

NBCNews.com

X.com

Brighteon.com
Screen grab: ESPN

Stephen A. Smith wants to debate President Donald Trump and/or members of his administration regarding their stance on DEI.

Smiths comments came one day after the Department of Defense temporarily deactivated an article on its website regarding Jackie Robinsons Army career. The Pentagon later restored the article, but declined to tell ESPNs Jeff Passan  who had publicly called attention to the article being pulled  whether its temporary removal had been deliberate.

Discussing the topic on Thursdays episode of First Take, Smith expressed his belief that it was, noting the Trump administrations anti-DEI efforts. After running through a list of Robinsons accomplishments as a civil rights hero, the ESPN star then criticized Republicans anti-DEI rhetoric, specifically noting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis comments regarding slavery.

Smith then turned his attention toward Trump, publicly calling out the president on the matter, noting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseths own qualifications in his role.

Nobody is calling out the President, Donald Trump. I will, Smith said. Im not gonna call him names and all this stuff like stupid folks on the left are doing. Engaging in incendiary rhetoric. Its unnecessary, its immature and its uncalled for. Hes the President of the United States. Treat him with the respect that he deserves. But in the same breath, call him to the carpet for stuff that hes doing.

When you look at the actions of this administration and youre talking about DEI  diversity, equity and inclusion  and youre equating that with Black people and youre using words like unqualified Pete Hegseth is the head of the Defense Department. He has served our country with honor. I am not trying to knock him or denigrate him in any way how is he not DEI? He was a soldier and then he was a a host on Fox News on the weekends and he goes from that to being the head of a Defense Department that oversees more than 3.5 million people.

As host Molly Qerim attempted to end the segment, Smith made it clear he wasnt finished, publicly issuing a challenge to Trump and his administration.

President Trump, Im happy to sit down with you to have that conversation, sir. Id love for you to try to defend it, he said. Vice President Vance, you too. Pete Hegseth, you too. Stephen A. Smith is calling you out on national television. Id love for you to sit down with the cameras rolling and try to defend this. Its ridiculous.

Stephen A. Smith challenges President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to publicly debate the administrations stance on DEI. Stephen A. Smith is calling you out on national television. Id love for you to sit down with the cameras pic.twitter.com/aWAK2cM3Gx  Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 20, 2025

Of course, a part of the backdrop to all of this is Smiths repeated flirtation with the idea of making his own run for president in 2028. But while his new $100 million contract at ESPN appeared to put that conversation on hold, Thursday mornings segment may have already reignited it  especially in the unlikely scenario that Donald Trump takes him up on his challenge.
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The non-x86 growth is largely being fueled by high demand for Nvidia Blackwell chips, Fernandez explained, as well as moves by the Chinese government to support local manufacturers such as Huawei, which is now one of the main suppliers of ARM processors for the Chinese market.

Were thinking the ARM pipeline will continue growing, because the appetite for adopting Blackwell chips that are ARM-based and have GPUs embedded in them is really high, said Fernandez.

Longer-lasting infrastructure

GPUs that could be embedded in servers became more broadly available in 2024, contributing to the market growth. Most of that inventory has so far been consumed by cloud service providers (CSPs) and large hyperscalers, which means availability will open up for other enterprises in 2025, Fernandez noted.

We can probably expect 2025 to be a year of strong investment, she said, adding that access to supply is getting much better.

At the beginning of 2024, the wait time for GPUs was a lengthy 36 weeks. But, she pointed out, the largest buyers in the world already have their infrastructure, so theres going to be more availability.

However, the industry will come to a point where it begins to digest all the infrastructure thats been acquired, so investment will likely begin to slow in 2026, she said. Enterprises are beginning to move into different phases of AI deployment that dont require as many resources. Initial model training, for instance, requires a good deal of infrastructure investment up front, but that infrastructure can be repurposed for later inferencing and fine-tuning steps.
There is also the fact that many people working with AI are not IT professionals, such as professors, biochemists, scientists, doctors, clinicians, and they dont have a traditional enterprise department or a data center. Its run by people that wouldnt really know, nor want to know, what storage is, he said.

While the new AI Data Server is a Dell design, PEAK:AIO has worked with Lenovo, Supermicro, and HPE as well as Dell over the past four years, offering to convert their off the shelf storage servers into hyper fast, very AI-specific, cheap, specific storage servers that work with all the protocols at Nvidia, like NVLink, along with NFS and NVMe over Fabric.

It also greatly increased storage capacity by going with 61TB drives from Solidigm. SSDs from the major server vendors typically maxed out at 15TB, according to the vendor.

PEAK:AIO competes with VAST, WekaIO, NetApp, Pure Storage and many others in the growing AI workload storage arena.

PEAK:AIOs AI Data Server is available now.
Mar 8, 2025; Avondale, AZ, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Katherine Legge (78) during practice for the Shrines Childrens 500 at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Its been almost two weeks since Katherine Legge arrived at Phoenix Raceway to make her NASCAR Cup Series debut, yet the fallout from her tough outing is still making news.

Legges status as the first woman driver in the series since 2018 brought a wave of attention on race weekend. Unfortunately for Legge, that story had a bad ending. She spun twice and failed to finish the event. One of those spins collected frontrunner Daniel Suarez.

Perhaps surprisingly, Suarez did not blame Legge, but instead pointed the finger at NASCAR for not ensuring the 44-year-old racing veteran had enough stock-car racing experience. And others in the NASCAR world concurred, including broadcasters Kevin Harvick ad Dale Earnhardt Jr. Harvick said Legge was thrown to the wolves.

Legge addressed the controversy in an interview with Racer.com last week, apologizing and thanking those who had supported her. With any other inexperienced driver who struggled in a debut, this issue would have faded away by now. But Legges status as the first woman to compete in the NASCAR Cup racing since 2018 has kept the story in the limelight.

CNN spoke with Legge this week, and while she hit all the angles already covered by the racing media, she also had some interesting thoughts on being held up by the media as a role model for women in racing.

I never set out to be the representative for women in motorsports. I think that each and every one of us are individuals and we should all be judged on our own individual merit, Legge said. But it comes with a responsibility, and so I try to do the very best job with that that I can.

I see videos of young girls watching the race and thinking they can be anything they want to be when they grow up because they see a girl driving a race car and thats what makes it worthwhile, making an impact on those lives is really special and means the world to me.

Legge pointed out the real role models for women in racing competed long ago.

Back in the day, the Janet Guthries and the Lyn St. James of the world, they were the ones who were really breaking barriers, Legge said. There was no female restroom in the pits back then. Right now, Im just trying to be a racecar driver. Its not like I feel like Im any different.

Still, Legge realizes young girls and women have been following her exploits. She reposted a video of girls watching her race on social media.

After the tough race at Phoenix, followed by the media analysis, Legge just wants to get back to racing. She still believes she can make it in NASCARs elite series.

I didnt showcase the talent that I feel that I have, and I wish it had gone differently, Legge said. I think the naysayers are wrong, so Im definitely going to go back and try again. I love the NASCAR paddock, and I see a future there  and anyway I need redemption now, right?
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New magnetic nanoparticles in the shape of a cube sandwiched between two pyramids represent a breakthrough for treating ovarian tumors and possibly other types of cancer, according to the Oregon State University researchers who developed them.

The scientists say the study underscores the importance of shape in magnetic nanoparticle design and that the findings will potentially revolutionize treatments that use heat to damage or kill cancer cells.

Made of iron oxide and doped with cobalt, the nanoparticles show exceptional heating efficiency when exposed to an alternating magnetic field. Doping refers to adding something as a means of tailoring characteristics.

When the particles accumulate in cancerous tissue after intravenous injection, they're able to quickly rise to temperatures that weaken or destroy cancer cells.

The mouse model study, published in Advanced Functional Materials, is part of ongoing nanomedicine research by scientists in the OSU College of Pharmacy.

Nanoparticles are bits of matter as tiny as one-billionth of a meter that have special properties because of their small size and high ratio of surface area to volume.

Magnetic nanoparticles have shown anticancer potential for years, the scientists say, but at present, magnetic hyperthermia can typically only be used for patients whose tumors are accessible by a hypodermic needle  that is, if the particles can be injected right into the cancer.

With currently available magnetic nanoparticles, the required therapeutic temperatures  above 44 degrees Celsius  can only be achieved by direct injection. And those nanoparticles have only moderate heating efficiency, which means you need a high concentration of them in the tumor  higher than systemic administration can usually achieve  to generate enough heat." Oleh Taratula, professor of pharmaceutical sciences, Oregon State University

Taratula and collaborators at Oregon State, Oregon Health & Science University and the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi used a novel thermal decomposition method  a two-step process they call seed and growth  to make cobalt-doped iron oxide nanoparticles in a cubical bipyramid form. Their paper is the first report of that type of nanoparticle with that specific shape.

"These nanoparticles exhibit a remarkable ability to heat up fast, raising temperatures by 3.73 degrees Celsius per second under an alternating magnetic field," said Prem Singh, a postdoctoral researcher in the College of Pharmacy. "That's double the heating performance of our previously published cobalt-doped iron oxide nanoparticles."

That means an ovarian cancer patient could receive an intravenous injection and have her tumor stop growing following one 30-minute, non-invasive magnetic field session. Short treatment sessions enhance patient comfort and compliance, the researchers note.

A cancer-targeting peptide helps the nanoparticles accumulate in the tumor, and because the particles' heating efficiency is so strong, the necessary concentration of nanoparticles can be achieved without a high dosage, limiting toxicity and side effects.

"This is the first time systemically injected nanoparticles have been shown to heat tumors beyond 50 C, significantly surpassing the therapeutic threshold of 44 C for effective treatment at a clinically relevant dose," said Olena Taratula, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at OSU. "There is now a lot of potential for expanding the application of magnetic hyperthermia to a variety of hard-to-reach tumors, making the treatment more versatile and widely used."

Oregon State's Karthickraja Duraisamy, Constanze Raitmayr, Shitaljit Sharma, Tetiana Korzun, Abraham Moses, Vladislav Grigoriev, Ananiya Demessie, Youngrong Park, Yoon Tae Goo, Babak Mamnoon and Ana Paula Mesquita Souza also contributed to the study.

The National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development supported this research.
Integration of the NVIDIA BioNeMo platform enhances AI capabilities across the drug discovery lifecycle.

Image Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com

Sapio Sciences, the science-aware lab informatics platform, today announced the integration of the NVIDIA BioNeMo platform into the Sapio Lab Informatics Platform. This integration brings AI-driven computational drug discovery directly into Sapio ELN (Electronic Lab Notebook), helping to streamline workflows and improve decision-making in drug discovery. With the BioNeMo platform, researchers can accelerate drug discovery by leveraging science-specific AI frameworks, pre-trained models, and generative AI tools to streamline the identification of potential drug candidates and improve target selection accuracy. NVIDIA BioNeMo provides scientists with a framework for training and deploying large biomolecular language models at supercomputing scale.

The integration of BioNeMo into the Sapio Platform provides scientists with embedded in silico tools, enabling them to, for example, generate novel candidate molecules early in the research process and test their docking with a target protein. With AI-driven molecular simulations available within a single, unified workflow, researchers can streamline their processes, enhance innovation, and accelerate the transition from discovery to development.

Within Sapio ELN, researchers can access BioNeMo NIM microservices to rapidly identify and optimize drug candidates using AI-driven molecular modeling, including AlphaFold2 NIM for predicting accurate 3D protein structures; MoIMIM NIM to enable the design and optimization of small molecules; and DiffDock NIM, an AI-powered docking model developed by MIT. These models provide scientists with easy access to AI-driven tools without extensive setup, ensuring faster, more efficient research workflows.

AI innovation is advancing rapidly, but scientists are often forced to navigate fragmented tools with complex interfaces, slowing down research. Our integration of NVIDIAs powerful AI-driven tools directly into the Sapio Platform enables researchers to apply AI seamlessly into their experiments. Through this work, we are removing inefficiencies and equipping scientists with the tools to rapidly generate, analyze, and visualize both chemical and biological results." Kevin Cramer, Founder, CEO & CTO, Sapio Sciences

Kevin continued: We are working with NVIDIA to equip scientists and researchers with the most advanced AI tools to drive innovation in life sciences. This collaboration is a major step toward making AI an integral part of the drug discovery process, helping researchers make faster, data-driven decisions and improve research outcomes.

Anthony Costa, Director, Digital Biology at NVIDIA, commented: Integrating BioNeMo into Sapios AI-driven research platform gives scientists access to advanced generative AI models for drug discovery. With AlphaFold2, MoIMIM, and DiffDock NIMs, researchers can predict, optimize, and validate drug candidates with greater speed and accuracy. This work underscores AIs growing role in transforming pharmaceutical research and accelerating the path to breakthrough treatments.

Integrating NVIDIA technologies into the Sapio Platform is one of the many ways Sapio Sciences is helping to improve and accelerate biopharma discovery, clinical diagnostics, and drug manufacturing.
Between April 2020 and December 2022, over 535,000 people in Germany downloaded and activated the Corona Data Donation App (CDA). Of these, more than 120,000 voluntarily shared daily data from their smartwatches and fitness trackers with researchers, providing insights into vital functions such as resting heart rate and step count.

These high-resolution data served as the starting point for our study. We were able to compare vital signs in 15-minute intervals before, during, and after a SARS-CoV-2 infection." Katharina Ledebur, CSH researcher

Higher resting heart rate and 3,000 fewer steps

People with persistent symptoms showed significant differences in activity levels and resting heart rate compared to others. "In the three weeks before infection, patients who later reported persistent symptoms took an average of just 5,075 steps per day-about 3,030 fewer than SARS-CoV-2 patients who recovered without persistent symptoms," says Ledebur.

Resting heart rates also showed differences before infection. Those who later developed persistent symptoms had a resting heart rate 2.37 beats per minute higher than individuals who recovered without lingering effects. Additionally, they exhibited a more pronounced and prolonged phase of slowed resting heart rate-known as bradycardia-lasting up to 18 days after infection.

"What was surprising was that, for both groups, heart rate and step count eventually returned to pre-infection levels," Ledebur notes. "Despite ongoing shortness of breath and/or fatigue, affected individuals took as many steps as they did before infection," says Ledebur.

Two persistent symptoms

For the study, researchers divided smartwatch and fitness tracker data into four phases: before infection, during the acute infection (0 to 4 weeks after a positive test), the subacute phase (5 to 12 weeks after a positive test), and the post-acute phase (beyond 12 weeks).

Participants also completed monthly and weekly surveys about Covid-19 tests, their subjective well-being, and ongoing symptoms.

"Using these symptom reports, we found that among 11 symptoms analyzed, only shortness of breath and fatigue persisted beyond the acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Other symptoms, such as cough, headache, or fever, showed no long-term effects," Ledebur explains.

Overall, 2.6% of all SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals reported prolonged shortness of breath, 10.4% experienced long-lasting fatigue, and 1.8% had both symptoms.

Raising awareness and protecting at-risk individuals

The findings of this study suggest that persistent symptoms may be linked to lower fitness levels or preexisting health conditions.

"However, this does not mean that a higher resting heart rate, lower step count, or preexisting conditions alone are responsible for these symptoms," Ledebur emphasizes. "Rather, they highlight the need for special attention and protective measures for affected individuals," says Ledebur, who is also a PhD candidate at the Medical University of Vienna.

Exceptional data quality

Thanks to the high-resolution smartwatch data from the Corona Data Donation App (CDA), researchers were able to compare not only different patients but also individual changes over time. "If you examine people after they have been infected, you cannot assess individual changes because you lack baseline information," explains Peter Klimek from CSH and the Medical University of Vienna.

"Despite the advantages of such data, there are limitations: Men are overrepresented, while both adolescents and individuals over 65-who have a higher risk-are underrepresented," Ledebur notes. Additionally, people who wear smartwatches or fitness trackers may generally be more health-conscious.

"Nevertheless, the study highlights the enormous potential of smartwatches to provide valuable, objective insights into the physiological and behavioral effects of an infection and to help identify individuals at higher risk," the researchers conclude.

The CDA was launched by the Robert Koch Institute under the leadership of Dirk Brockmann, CSH external faculty member and professor at TU Dresden.
Pakistan Set To Legalise Cryptocurrency To Attract Foreign Investment; Details Here

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:32 IST

Pakistan aims to devise a clear regulatory framework for governing digital-asset activities to boost the local ecosystem, Bilal bin Saqib, CEO at Pakistan Crypto Council, tells Bloomberg TV in an interview.

On March 14, 2025, Pakistan officially launched the national crypto council to regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets into the country's financial system. (Shutterstock)

At a time when the countrys economy is crippling with massive debt, Pakistan is planning to legalise cryptocurrency in order to attract international investments. According to a Bloomberg report, Pakistan aims to create a legal framework for cryptocurrency trading.

The country aims to devise a clear regulatory framework for governing digital-asset activities to boost the local ecosystem," Bilal bin Saqib, chief executive officer at Pakistan Crypto Council, told Bloomberg TV in an interview.

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He said Pakistan is no longer standing idly by. We hope to attract international investment because Pakistan is a low-cost, high-growth market with 60% of the population under 30 years old. We have a local workforce ready to build Web3."

Trump is making cryptocurrency a national priority, and every country, including Pakistan, will have to follow suit," Saqib added.

Pakistan Crypto Council To Manage Crypto Assets

On March 14, 2025, Pakistan officially launched the national crypto council to regulate and integrate blockchain technology and digital assets into the countrys financial system. It came after Saqib was appointed as chief advisor to Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb for the management of digital assets.

Chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC) would regulate, promote, and incorporate blockchain and cryptocurrency innovations into Pakistans economic framework.

The councils leadership includes key figures such as the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), and the Federal Law and IT Secretaries.

A statement from the Finance Division on Friday described the councils formation as a significant step in the countrys efforts to adopt digital finance, positioning it as a key player in the global shift towards blockchain technology.

Pakistans Cryptocurrency Market Size

Currently, there are around 15 million to 20 million cryptocurrency users in Pakistan, said Saqib.

According to Chainalysis, the South Asian country is the ninth in the world in terms of cryptocurrency adoption.

What Is The Legal Status Of Cryptocurrency In India?

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Currently, cryptocurrencies in India are not recognised as legal tender, but trading and investment in digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum are legally permitted. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had imposed a banking ban on cryptocurrency transactions in 2018, which was overturned by the Supreme Court in March 2020, allowing banks to provide services to cryptocurrency exchanges. The Ministry of Finance has introduced a 30% tax on income from cryptocurrency transactions, along with a 1% Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) on transactions exceeding Rs 50,000 annually.

However, reports suggest that India is reviewing its approach to cryptocurrency regulation. A senior government official told Reuters in February that shifting global attitudes, including policies from US leaders, may influence Indias next steps. This reassessment could delay the release of a long-anticipated discussion paper on cryptocurrency, which was originally expected in September 2024.

About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, we cover al... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 12:31 IST
Kotak Mutual Fund Launches 'Choti SIP' With Rs. 250 Minimum To Attract Investors

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:57 IST

Kotak Mutual Fund launched "Choti SIP," allowing new investors to start with Rs. 250, aiming to make mutual fund investments more accessible, especially for first-time investors.

Kotak Mutual Fund launches Choti SIP

Kotak Mutual Fund today announced the launch of the Choti SIP" facility. Choti SIP will be available for all eligible schemes of Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund. SEBI and AMFI recently introduced the Choti SIP (Small Ticket SIP), offering an excellent opportunity to bring more Indians into the wealth creation journey.

Nilesh Shah, Managing Director, KMAMC, said, Only about 5.4 crore unique investors of Indias population are mutual fund investorsleaving a massive, untapped opportunity for penetration and bringing the Indian saver closer to financial freedom. Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs) have been an excellent way to bring new investors and kick-start their mutual fund journey. With the launch of Choti SIP, a new investor can begin their wealth creation journey with a minimum amount of Rs. 250. We can call it Choti Rakam  Bada Kadam."

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This initiative enables new investors to invest via SIP with a minimum amount of Rs. 250. The rationale behind Choti SIP" (small Systematic Investment Plan) is to make mutual fund investments more accessible to a wider audience, particularly first-time investors, by lowering the entry barrier. The investor must not have previously invested in mutual funds (SIP or Lumpsum) at the industry level.

The investor must invest in the Growth Option and commit to a minimum of 60 instalments on a monthly basis. The payment of instalments should be made through NACH or UPI auto-pay only. Investors should consult their financial experts and tax advisors if in doubt about whether the plan is suitable for them. Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited (KMAMC) does not guarantee or promise any returns/futuristic returns.

About Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co. Ltd.

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Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited (KMAMC)  a wholly owned subsidiary of Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (Kotak), is the Asset Manager for Kotak Mahindra Mutual Fund (KMF). KMAMC started operations in December 1998 and as of 31st December 2024, has over 70.43 Lakh unique folios in various schemes. KMF offers schemes catering to investors with varying risk  return profiles and was the first fund house in the country to launch a dedicated gilt scheme investing only in government securities.

The company is present in 96 cities and has 104 branches as of 31st December 2024.

About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Inst... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 09:57 IST
Delhi School Admission 2025-26: DoE Warns Parents Against Fake Admissions, Donations And Capitation Fees, Issues Advisory

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:03 IST

Delhi School Admission 2025: The DoE cautioned parents and schools about false guaranteed admission claims.

The Delhi Directorate of Education warned schools against charging donation or capitation fees for admissions. (Representative Image/File)

Delhi School Admission 2025: The Directorate of Education, Delhi on Wednesday issued a strict warning against the practice of charging donation, capitation, consultancy, or facilitation fees for securing school admissions. DoE reminded the parents and schools that the practice of giving or accepting donations or capitation fees is prohibited in educational institutions.

In the circular dated March 19, 2025, the Directorate cautioned both parents and schools to avoid engaging with individuals, organisations, or consulting firms making false claims about influencing or guaranteeing admissions.

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The circular highlights concerns about illegal entities that have been misleading parents by promising guaranteed admissions in exchange for hefty fees. The Directorate has urged the general public to be wary of such claims and refrain from availing services from these unauthorized agents, websites, or applications.

It is being observed that some individuals /organizations /institutions are falsely claiming to influence or guarantee the parents for securing the admissions in schools. The general public is hereby informed that such claims are misleading and cautioned against engaging with or availing services from such illegal entities," the official notice stated.

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The DoE further cautioned the management and heads of all private and government-aided schools to ensure that they do not engage in any official or unofficial association with admission-related consulting agencies or agents. It

The DoE stated that it is fully committed to curbing the commercialization of education in any form. It warned that any instances of connivance or violation of the regulations would result in strict action, as deemed applicable, against those involved.

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 20, 2025, 13:55 IST
DU Admissions 2025: CUET Subjects Must Match Class 12, Says Delhi University

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:08 IST

DU Admission 2025: Delhi University stated that for CUET UG 2025, students must select subjects from their Class 12 curriculum.

DU Admission 2025: UG admissions will be based solely on CUET scores, with Class 12 results confirming eligibility. (File Photo)

DU Admission 2025: The University of Delhi on Wednesday clarified that the students who are seeking admission to DU must choose the same subject they studied in Class 12th while filling out the CUET UG 2025 application form. The University hosted a comprehensive webinar providing crucial information to students and parents about the undergraduate admissions process for the upcoming academic session.

The webinar was led by DUs Dean of Admissions, Haneet Gandhi, and Joint Dean Anand Sonkar, who offered detailed guidance on the admission procedure. They emphasised the significance of carefully filling out the application forms, ensuring the accuracy of details such as names, parents names, categories, photographs, and digital signatures.

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Gandhi specifically addressed concerns about the CUET application, stressing that errors made during the application process could not be corrected later. From this year, students can select up to five subjects in CUET, which covers 37 subjects, including a General Aptitude Test. It is crucial to choose CUET subjects that match those studied in Class 12," she said.

One common query from students involved the eligibility for various programmes based on their Class 12 subjects. Addressing a question from a science student aspiring to pursue a commerce degree, Gandhi clarified that for BCom (Hons.), students must have studied either Mathematics or Accountancy in Class 12. Those without these subjects are ineligible for B.Com (Hons.) but can apply for the B.Com programme," she added.

Also Read- DU Admission 2025: UG Admission Bulletin Released, Check Admission Process And More

DU Admission 2025: CUET UG Mandatory

DU recently released the information brochure for undergraduate (UG) course admissions for the academic session 2025-26. As per the announcement, DU UG admissions for 2025 will be solely based on the scores obtained in the CUET (UG) 2025 exam. The university has clarified that Only the scores obtained in CUET (UG)  2025 will be considered for admissions to the academic year 2025-26."

DU officials reiterated that the CUET is mandatory for all undergraduate aspirants. However, they clarified that Class 12 board results will only play a role in confirming eligibility, with the CUET score being the deciding factor for admission. They also advised students to rely solely on the official DU website for all updates, cautioning against external sources of information.

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DU currently offers 79 undergraduate programmes across its 69 affiliated colleges, and all of them require CUET scores for admission.

(With PTI inputs)

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 20, 2025, 12:08 IST
IISD Scholarship Programme: A Golden Opportunity For UG & PG Students In Sustainable Development Projects

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:42 IST

IISD Internship Programme: IISD offers students internship opprtunities in environmental sustainability, with flexible duration.

IISD Internship Programme: The scheme provides undergraduates and postgraduates with 30-180 days of hands-on experience in environmental sustainability projects.

IISD Internship Programme: The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) India offers unique opportunities to young individuals pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate programmes to gain hands-on experience while contributing to critical global projects related to environmental sustainability. Students can apply for the IISD Internship Programme around the year.

IISD is an Independent Public Policy Think Tank and Scientific Research Institute. It focuses on leadership development and encourages frank and open dialogue on the most important issues facing Indian society today, to help foster its transformation.

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IIS Internship Programme Duration

The IISD India Internship Programme offers flexible internship durations, ranging from a minimum of 30 days to up to 180 days. Interns are needed throughout the year, making it an excellent opportunity for students and recent graduates looking to gain practical experience.

IIS Internship Programme: What Will You Get?

While the internship is unpaid, those who complete their tenure with dedication and professionalism will be awarded an Internship Certificate. Additionally, interns who go above and beyond will receive a Letter of Appreciation from the Director General, recognizing their extraordinary contributions.

Also Read- MEA Internship Programme: Eligibility, Selection Process And Key Details You Need To Know

IIS Internship Programme: Internship Roles

Interns will not only support various projects at IISD India but also gain essential skills such as leadership, self-confidence, and professionalism. The programme is designed to give interns the tools they need to succeed in their future careers while contributing meaningfully to the mission of environmental protection.

IIS Internship Programme: Eligibility Criteria

IISD India is looking for motivated interns with a variety of academic backgrounds. The programme is open to students pursuing Masters or Bachelors degrees in fields such as:

Science

Engineering

Commerce

Public Policy

Political Science

Economics

History

Law

Journalism and Communication

Also Read- UNICEF Internship: Great Opportunity For College Students, Check Eligibility, Stipend And More

Ideal candidates should have strong communication and organizational skills, be resourceful, and be able to work independently. Familiarity with Microsoft Office, design software, and analytical tools like SPSS or Econometrics is a plus, along with experience in video editing, Photoshop, and banner creation.

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How To Apply For IIS Internship Programme?

Candidates interested in the internship programme can apply by sending their CV/Bio Profile, a recent photograph, a Letter of Recommendation (if applicable), and a brief essay (no more than 2500 words) on why they wish to intern at IISD India. Applications should be submitted via email to jobs@iisdindia.in and sustainableinstitute@gmail.com.

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 20, 2025, 11:42 IST
The recent joint statement of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting and their declaration not only distorts facts and disregards China's solemn position but also grossly interferes in China's internal affairs. From the Taiwan question to the South China Sea and the East China Sea issues, and even the industrial capacity, the G7 has chosen to blatantly tarnish China's image. The statements are filled with arrogance and prejudice, with a malicious intent to suppress and attack China.

Bloc politics and exclusionary alliances are not the solutions to global peace or stability. Attempts to suppress and attack China cannot resolve internal divisions within the G7 itself.

The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China, which brooks no external interference. Yet the G7's latest statement deliberately omits any mention of the one-China principle while advocating for Taiwan's so-called "international participation." This exposes its professed commitment to "peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait" as little more than a diplomatic facade.

Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and the one-China principle, concerning China's core interests, is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender have all explicitly affirmed China's sovereignty over Taiwan.

The adoption of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 2758 in 1971 with an overwhelming majority further cemented this understanding by restoring all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the UN while expelling representatives of Taiwan authorities from the organization and all its affiliated agencies.

The resolution resolved once and for all the question of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN, and confirmed the global consensus on the one-China principle. Over 180 countries and international organizations have openly reiterated their commitment to the one-China principle so far.

Taiwan's participation in international organizations must be handled in accordance with the one-China principle. Any attempt to distort or hollow out this established understanding is doomed to fail.

Meanwhile, the situation in the East China Sea and the South China Sea is generally stable. The South China Sea is one of the safest and freest maritime routes in the world, where freedom of navigation and overflight has never been an issue.

The G7's so-called "deep concerns" over the situation in these waters and its repeated claims of "coercion" and "freedom of navigation and overflight" are worn-out cliches designed to advance self-serving geopolitical interests at the expense of the welfare of the people in the Asia-Pacific.

The Asia-Pacific is a region of peace and development, not an arena for geopolitical rivalry. The G7 should earnestly respect regional countries' efforts for peace and stability, abandon the Cold War mentality, stop creating bloc confrontation and stop fueling tensions in the region.

Regarding the Ukraine crisis, China's position has been consistent - political settlement through dialogue and negotiation. The G7's allegations that China is "a decisive enabler" of the crisis are completely unfounded. China did not create the Ukraine crisis, nor is it a party to the crisis. It has never provided lethal weapons to any party of the conflict and exercised strict export control over dual-use articles.

China's responsible approach and active mediation efforts have been widely recognized and supported by the international community. This fully demonstrates that China's position is objective, fair, and consistent with the aspirations of most countries. By fueling the flames of conflict and falsely smearing China, the G7 reveals itself as the real instigator of instability and an opponent of peace in the region.

China remains committed to the path of peaceful development and pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. China's defense spending is necessary for safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests, which is open, transparent, reasonable and appropriate.

As a nuclear-armed country, China has shown maximum transparency regarding its nuclear policy and strategic intentions. The country always maintains its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and adheres to the no-first-use nuclear policy. It does not engage in nuclear arms races with any other country, does not provide nuclear umbrella to other countries, and does not deploy nuclear weapons in other countries. Its nuclear policy aims to uphold strategic security and contribute to world peace and stability.

By contrast, the G7 has abandoned fundamental principles of maintaining global strategic stability and undermined the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Yet, it turns around and falsely accuses China's nuclear policy, further exacerbating confrontation and conflicts, and hindering the progress of international nuclear disarmament.

The G7 once claimed that it does not seek to "decouple" or turn inward and acknowledged China's importance in global trade, yet it fabricated accusations of "overcapacity" and "market distortions." In reality, these claims are nothing more than excuses to politicize and weaponize economic and trade ties. The so-called "overcapacity" narrative has been proved to be a false proposition.

China actively promotes a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, upholds the multilateral trading system, and continues to open its markets, sharing the opportunities of Chinese modernization with the world.

The G7 has been advocating "decoupling and severing supply chains," hyping up "de-risking," and building "small yard with high fences" to fuel protectionism and unilateralism. It is the G7, not China, that is undermining the international economic order, destabilizing global markets, and threatening the stability of global industrial and supply chains. Suppressing other countries' development will not solve its own problems. It is high time for the G7 to reassess its misleading approach.

The problems facing the world are intricate and complex, and cooperation for mutual benefit is the right path forward. The G7's relentless efforts to vilify China are only a misallocation of resources. It should discard the Cold War mentality and ideological biases, stop stoking division and confrontation, and follow the trend of history and the world. Instead of sowing discord, it should do more things that are conducive to international solidarity and cooperation.
Kerala SET Result 2025 Declared At lbsedp.lbscentre.in, How To Download?

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:12 IST

To check their scores, candidates must log in using their roll number. The Kerala SET 2025 was held on February 2, 2025.

Kerala SET Result 2025: Candidates who participated in the examination can now view their results on the official website, lbsedp.lbscentre.in.

The Directorate of General Education, Kerala has declared the results of the State Eligibility Test (SET) 2025 today, March 20. Candidates who participated in the examination can now view their results on the official website, lbsedp.lbscentre.in. To check their scores, candidates must log in using their roll number. The Kerala SET 2025 was held on February 2, 2025.

Steps to Check Kerala SET Result 2025:

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Step 1  Visit the official website at lbsedp.lbscentre.in

Step 2  On the homepage, find and click on the link for the Kerala SET 2025 results

Step 3  Enter your SET roll number in the designated field and submit the details

Step 4  Your result will appear on the screen. Candidates are advised to download and save a copy for future reference.

Candidates are encouraged to verify their results promptly and keep a printed copy for documentation. They must cross-check all the details on the scorecards including spellings of their name, whether their roll number is correctly mentioned or not, subject names, etc. In case of any discrepancies or issues while accessing the results, applicants can contact the Directorate of General Education, Kerala, for assistance.

The Kerala SET is a vital examination for individuals aspiring to secure teaching positions in colleges and universities across the state. The test assesses candidates knowledge and aptitude in their chosen subjects, ensuring they meet the required standards for academic roles.

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The SET  January 2025 consisted of two papers. Paper I was common for all candidates and was divided into two sections: Part A, focused on general knowledge, and Part B assessed aptitude in teaching. Paper II was based on the candidates subject specialisation at the Post Graduate (PG) level.

To qualify for the KSET, candidates must also hold a masters degree in the relevant subjects with at least 50 per cent marks or an equivalent grade. They must also possess a B.Ed. degree in any discipline, either from Kerala University or an equivalent institution.

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 20, 2025, 17:56 IST
Mumbai University Reschedules March-April Summer Exams Due To MHT CET 2025

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:06 IST

The University of Mumbai rescheduled Summer 2025 exams to avoid a clash with MAH-CET 2025. Science exams start April 4, Commerce and Management on April 5, and Arts on April 5.

Mumbai University rescheduled its Summer 2025 exams to avoid a clash with MAH-CET 2025. (Image: Getty)

MU Summer Exams 2025: The University of Mumbai (MU) has rescheduled its Summer 2025 exams, adjusting the dates to avoid a clash with the Maharashtra State Common Entrance Test (MAH-CET) 2025. This change affects students across the science and technology, commerce and management, and arts streams. Originally set to take place from March 23 to April 1, the Science and Technology exams will now begin on April 4.

Key courses such as TYBSc Data Science, Computer Science, Biotechnology, and Information Technology will kick off with this revised date. The Commerce and Management exams, initially planned for March 24 to April 3, have now been moved to April 5 to April 16, while the Arts examsoriginally scheduled to start on March 26have been rescheduled to run from April 5 to April 23.

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A reference is invited to Programme Exam code 1802816, 1800146, 1800136, 1800156, 1800196, 1800166, 1800256 relating to the Science & Technology examination which was scheduled from March 26 and April 1 the head, university of various Department and Directors, principals of the affiliated institute, colleges in science are hereby informed that the said examination is rescheduled due to State Common Entrance Test in Maharashtra State and will be held as per revised timetable," MU stated in official notice.

MU Summer Exam 2025: Schedule For Commerce And Management Stream

Previous Date New Exam Date March 24 April 5 March 25 April 7 March 26 April 8 March 27 April 9 March 28 April 11 April 2 April 15 April 3 April 16

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MU Summer Exam 2025: Schedule For Art Stream

Previous Date New Exam Date March 26 April 5 March 27 April 19 March 28 April 21 April 2 April 22 April 3 April 23

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 20, 2025, 08:06 IST
Top IITs In India: Ranking, Courses, Admission Criteria And Fees

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:30 IST

A look at the top 10 IITs in India, their courses, admission criteria, and fee structures to help students make an informed choice.

IIT Madras consistently ranks as the top-ranked Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in both the overall and engineering categories in NIRF rankings.

There are numerous engineering colleges across the country, but most aspiring candidates strive for admission into the top IITs. These institutes vary in the courses and degrees they offer, making it essential for students to choose based on their field of study. Here is a list of the top 10 IITs and their admission criteria to help you make an informed decision.

1. IIT Madras

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IIT Madras is consistently ranked as the top engineering institute in India. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across various disciplines, including Engineering, Management, and Science. Admission to BTech, MTech, MSc, and BSc courses at IIT Madras is entirely based on entrance exams. Admission to most disciplines at IIT Madras is through national-level entrance tests such as JEE Main, JEE Advanced, IIT JAM, and GATE, among others. The fees for most courses range between Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.

2. IIT Delhi

IIT Delhi, one of Indias premier engineering institutes, offers a diverse range of programmes in Science, Engineering, and Design. Its flagship BTech programme, available in 14 specialisations, admits students based on JEE Advanced, followed by JoSAA counselling. For postgraduate programmes, MTech admissions are through GATE, MSc through IIT JAM, and MDes via CEED. The tuition fees for various courses range between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, depending on the programme and student category.

3. IIT Bombay

IIT Bombay offers admission to its BTech programme based on JEE Main, followed by JEE Advanced. The institute provides approximately 86 courses at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels across disciplines such as Technology, Science, and Management. In addition to degree programmes, IIT Bombay also offers short-term online certificate courses, including Object-Oriented Programming and Programming Basics. The tuition fees range between Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 20 lakh, depending on the course.

4. IIT Kanpur

Admission to all courses is determined by the scores obtained in entrance exams such as GATE, IIT JAM, CEED, and CAT. Aside from its flagship BTech courses, the institute offers BSc, BS, MTech, MSc, MDes, MBA, and a few Dual Degree programmes. The fee range can go up to Rs 8 lakh.

5. IIT Kharagpur

Admission to the institutes flagship BTech programme is based on JEE Advanced scores. Candidates must first qualify JEE Main before appearing for JEE Advanced. Apart from its flagship programme, IIT Kharagpur offers BSc/BS, Integrated MTech, Integrated MSc, LLM, MBA, and Executive MBA, along with PhD programmes. Depending on the course, the fee structure ranges between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

6. IIT Roorkee

Students are selected through JEE and other national-level tests. IIT Roorkee offers UG and PG degrees in Engineering, Science, Architecture, Management, and Social Sciences. The institute has also introduced two new postgraduate programmesa Master in Design (Industrial Design) and a Master in Innovation Management (MIM). The fees at this institute go up to Rs 10 lakh.

7. IIT Guwahati

Admissions are conducted through national-level entrance exams such as JEE, GATE, and others. The institute offers a diverse range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across disciplines like Engineering, Science, Architecture, and Pharmacy. The fee structure varies, with BTech courses costing up to Rs 8 lakh, while MSc programmes can go up to Rs 20 lakh.

8. IIT Hyderabad

Admissions are completely entrance-based, except for the MA programme. The institute considers JEE Main and JEE Advanced scores for BTech courses, while GATE scores are accepted for MTech admissions. The fee structure goes up to Rs 8 lakh.

ALSO READ: Top Private Engineering Colleges In India As Per NIRF Ranking 2024

9. IIT Varanasi

The institute operates under Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and awards degree programmes such as BTech, BTech-MTech (Dual Degree), BArch, BPharma, MTech, MPharma, MSc, and PhD. Admissions are strictly entrance-based, and the fees can go up to Rs 10 lakh, depending on the course chosen.

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10. IIT Dhanbad

IIT Dhanbad offers various undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across multiple specialisations and is strictly entrance-based. To gain admission to any course at the institute, students must first register on the official website of the subject-specific exam and then on the official website of IIT Dhanbad. The fees range between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.

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 20, 2025, 11:29 IST
What The New Kennedy Assassination Files Reveal About Oswald, CIA | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 16:19 IST

Besides stating that former US Marine Lee Harvey Oswald visited Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City before killing JFK, the new files explore a theory that a CIA 'clique was involved in the assassination

In this November 22, 1963 file photo, President John F. Kennedy rides in a motorcade with his wife Jacqueline moments before he was shot and killed in Dallas. (AP File Photo)

Many have been waiting for the release of the tens of thousands of files on US President John F Kennedys assassination. But to their disappointment, the documents dont answer the lingering questions about the event  that was one of the turning points in Americas history.

Trump announced the release of documents on Monday while visiting the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, saying his administration would be releasing about 80,000 pages.

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A US government investigation concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald, a former US Marine who at one point defected to the then Soviet Union, acted alone when he shot at Kennedys motorcade from a nearby building.

What Did The Documents Say On Lee Harvey Oswald?

Many of the new documents have been released before  but now more complete versions are available.

The documents throw light on the Central Intelligence Agencys (CIA) strong surveillance of Oswald, the extent of which has only become clear in the last few years.

Philip Shenon, who wrote a 2013 book about the assassination, told the Associated Press that previously released documents described a trip Oswald took to Mexico City in September 1963, months before the assassination.

The CIA was monitoring him at that time, he said, according to the AP. Theres reason to believe he talked openly about killing Kennedy in Mexico City and that people overheard him say that."

In a previously released April 1975 memo, the CIA downplayed what it knew about Oswalds trip to Mexico City, the AP reported. The CIA recorded three phone calls between Oswald and a guard at the Soviet embassy, it said, but Oswald only identified himself in one.

Files in the new release included a memo from the CIAs St. Petersburg station from November 1991 saying that earlier that month, a CIA official befriended a US professor there who told the official about a friend who worked for the KGB. The memo said the KGB official had reviewed five thick volumes" of files on Oswald and was confident that Oswald was at no time an agent controlled by the KGB."

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, on a visit to Dallas, when his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown and shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building.

Was CIA Involved?

The documents also contain one file exploring a theory that a small clique" in the CIA was involved in the assassination of Kennedy.

A June 1967 memo details how a former US Army intelligence officer, Gary Underhill, fled Washington, DC, very agitated" the day after Kennedy was shot  and claimed to a friend that a small clique within the CIA" was behind the assassination, the New York Post reported.

The day after the assassination, Gary Underhill left Washington in a hurry. Late in the evening, he showed up at the home of a friend in New Jersey," reads the memo, quoting from a story in the contemporary left-wing magazine Ramparts.

Underhill was a Harvard graduate and former US Army captain who worked as a journalist and intelligence officer during World War II. He was said to be on a first-name basis with many of the top brass in the Pentagon" and on intimate terms with a number of high-ranking CIA officials."

The friends whom Underhill visited say he was sober but badly shook. They say he attributed the Kennedy murder to a CIA clique which was carrying on a lucrative racket in gun-running, narcotics, and other contraband," the Ramparts passage reads.

It noted that the CIA clique" allegedly killed Kennedy because he caught wind" of their business and was killed before he could blow the whistle."

Another one of the files in the new batch, which was also labelled secret," showed how the agency tracked an Italian newspaper article that alleged that the CIA itself was behind the assassination of the 35th president.

The Involvement Of Second Shooter?

Ballistic reports and witness testimonies in the documents refer to the third shot. According to the files, a shot might have been fired from the Grassy Knoll", which was an elevated area ahead of JFKs motorcade. This contradicts the belief that there was only one gunman involved.

In 1979, the US House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded that based on acoustic evidence there was a high probability" of a second shooter.

Was There A Warning?

The files also reveal a correspondence from Sergyj Czornonoh, who claims that in August 1963, he warned the American vice-consul in the Bulgarian capital Sofia about the plan to assassinate Kennedy, according to the Washington Times.

Czornonoh was given information about Oswald by Wasilev Consul, who worked in the Soviet embassy in Bulgaria. He said Consuls girlfriend came to my room and repeated that Mr Lee Harvey Oswald is [sic] assassin. He will kill President Kennedy."

Czornonoh said he had warned a US State Department official on August 19, 1963, three months before the killing, that Oswald had a weapon and he should go see him. The official did not pay heed to the warning, the memo claims.

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Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had said he would allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files continued to be released during President Joe Bidens administration, some remained unseen.

Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said that the National Archives and Records Administration was working with the Department of Justice to expedite the unsealing of these records". She also said that the publication of the papers was an example of the Trump White House ushering in a new era of maximum transparency".

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 20, 2025, 16:13 IST
What Is Trump Derangement Syndrome? All You Need To Know About The Mental Illness | Explained

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:12 IST

Republican legislators have proposed to classify paranoid and hysteric reactions to Trump and his policies as a new mental illness, dubbed Trump derangement syndrome

The proposal describes TDS condition as 'verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Donald J. Trump'. (Reuters File)

A bill has been introduced by US Republican lawmakers to officially define Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) as a mental illness. The bill would add the syndrome TDS, as President Trump and his supporters frequently refer to it, to the states definition of mental illness.

The term Trump derangement syndrome" has long been used by President Donald Trump and his supporters to hit back at his critics.

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What Is TDS?

Republican legislators in Minnesota have proposed to classify paranoid and hysteric" reactions to Trump and his policies as a new mental illness, dubbed Trump derangement syndrome".

The proposal was introduced to the state Senate on Monday, suggesting the addition of Trump derangement syndrome" to the states list of recognised mental health disorders. The bill characterises the disorder as acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump, according to Express News. Symptoms may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trumps behavior."

It describes the condition as verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Donald J. Trump" and overt acts of aggression and violence against anyone supporting President Donald J. Trump or anything that symbolizes President Donald J. Trump."

The bill was co-authored and introduced by state Sens. Eric Lucero, Steve Drazkowski, Nathan Wesenberg, Justin D. Eichorn and Glenn H. Gruenhagen.

Who Coined The Term?

In the early stages of the 2024 presidential campaign, when former President Joe Biden accused Trump of using language that echoed Nazi propaganda, Trumps campaign called it a sign of Trump derangement syndrome"  a term Trump also used against former Vice President Kamala Harris along the 2024 campaign trail.

As per USA Today, Trump derangement syndrome" iterates on an earlier version of the term coined by prominent conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer: the Bush derangement syndrome".

Krauthammer, before his death in 2018, wrote a column describing the evolution of the term for Trump as having not just general hysteria about the subject, but additionally the inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences on the one hand and signs of psychic pathology on the other".

How Trump And His Critics Have Used The Bill

In 2018, Trump deployed the term after his controversial Russia-United States summit in Helsinki, stating: Some people HATE the fact that I got along well with President Putin of Russia. They would rather go to war than see this. Its called Trump Derangement Syndrome!"

The phrase resurfaced in 2024 as Trump prepared for his return to the White House. His former attorney Alina Habba told Fox News that jurors in his hush money trial should have been sequestered to prevent them from catching TDS and forgetting all sense of reality."

Trump dismissed his former chief of staff, John Kelly, as having TDS in October after Kelly called him a fascist and claimed he had a disturbing admiration for Adolf Hitler.

Billionaire and DOGE head Elon Musk, during an interview with Fox News, claimed he used to be adored by the left" until they were infected with TDS."

Criticism Against The Bill

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The contentious bill, which is not anticipated to pass in the divided legislature, was criticised by an opposition party, the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party. 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 US state.

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 DFL spokesperson said in a statement emailed to USA Today.

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 20, 2025, 08:30 IST
2-3 Lakh Recruitments In Bengal Once OBC Issue Sorted Out: Mamata

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:34 IST

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee announced recruitment for 2-3 lakh state vacancies after a survey on OBC reservation is approved. She blamed opposition for stalling it via court cases.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said recruitment to fill at least two to three lakh vacancies in various state government departments could proceed once the ongoing survey to assess community backwardnessand thereby include more groups under the OBC category for reservationis completed and receives approval.

Speaking in the Assembly, Banerjee lamented that recruitment had been stalled due to court cases filed by opposition parties, urging them not to play games" that hinder the process of filling vacancies.

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She expressed satisfaction at the Supreme Court allowing the states plea to conduct a fresh assessment of community backwardness for OBC categorisation and reservation, aiming to complete it within three months.

Those against OBC recruitment have moved court, thereby blocking the recruitments. Yesterday, there was a hearing at the Supreme Court and it was good. I think the matter will be sorted out soon," she said.

They have not stopped our survey, so we will continue it. I think once the survey gets the necessary go-ahead, recruitments could be initiated," Banerjee added.

She noted that the stalled recruitmentsaffecting departments such as primary and higher secondary education, health, and policewere directly linked to the ongoing OBC reservation dispute.

I will urge them (those opposing the ruling TMC party) not to play any game, instead go for some exercise which would do good to your health," she remarked.

The West Bengal government on Tuesday informed the apex court of its decision to conduct a fresh survey to identify OBCs in the state.

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A bench of Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih was hearing a petition by the Trinamool Congress government against an order of the Calcutta High Court quashing the classification of 77 communities, majority of them Muslims, under the OBC category. In Mat 2024, the HC had canceled all OBC certificates issued in the state since 2010.

The bench had also struck down several portions of the West Bengal Backward Classes Act, 2012.

First Published: March 20, 2025, 15:34 IST
77 Violent Attacks On Indian Students Abroad In Last 5 Years, Germany & Canada Top The List: MEA

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 20:33 IST

The ministry of external affairs told the Rajya Sabha that out of the 77 violent attacks faced by Indian students in the last five years, 40  the highest number  took place in 2024

The MEA said there have been 77 violent attacks involving Indian students abroad over the past five years  40 (2024), 28 (2023), 4 (2022), 2 (2021) and 3 (2020). (Image: PTI/File)

A total of 77 Indian students have faced violent attacks while studying abroad in the last five years, of which 40  the highest number  took place in 2024. The most incidents were reported from Germany and Canada, the ministry of external affairs told Parliament on Thursday.

According to data shared by Minister of State (MoS) Kirti Vardhan Singh, there have been 77 violent attacks involving Indian students abroad over the past five years  40 (2024), 28 (2023), 4 (2022), 2 (2021) and 3 (2020).

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Ministry data showed that these attacks have been reported from 10 popular student destinations, including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, Russia, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Iran, and Philippines. In Germany, 11 such incidents were recorded in 2024 alone. Canada reported nine attacks in 2024, one each in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

Last year, too, there were four attacks each in the UK and US; three each in Italy, Ireland and Philippines; two in Russia; and one in Australia, as per the data. In 2023, 12 attacks were recorded in Russia, seven in the UK, four in the US and two in Australia.

Singh, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, said 7,60,073 Indian students went abroad in 2024; 8,94,783 in 2023; and 7,52,111 in 2022. He said the number of foreign nationals entering India with student visa in 2024 were

56,538; 49,437 in 2023; and 39,202 in 2022.

The Bureau of Immigration maintains the data of students who leave India for educational purposes as they exit India through the airports/land ports Bureau of Immigration, the number of students who disclosed their purpose of visit as study abroad," he said.

He further said providing safety and security to Indian students abroad is a priority of the central government. Indian missions/posts abroad maintain regular contacts with the students enrolled in universities abroad, he added.

The minister said new Indian students, enrolled in foreign universities, are invited where possible to take part in welcome ceremonies organised by Indian missions/posts. He said they also hold orientation programmes and brief them on challenges as well as threats, if any, that they may face during their stay and how to take counteractive measures.

He also said heads of Indian missions/posts and other senior embassy officials visit foreign universities and educational institutions to interact with Indian students and their associations. Indian missions/posts encourage Indian students travelling abroad for higher studies to register with them as also on the MADAD portal so that their grievances and outstanding issues can be addressed, he added.

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The reply stated that Indian students are urged to remain connected on a regular basis so that missions/posts can respond to the outstanding issues they face on priority. Student grievances are dealt with in a timely manner through telephone calls, walk-ins, emails, social media, 24-hour emergency helplines, open houses, and MADAD portal.

Complaints received from the Indian students abroad are taken up with the concerned university/institution and the host government for requisite action. Cases of untoward incidents are also immediately taken up by the Indian missions/posts abroad with the concerned authorities of the host country to ensure that they are properly investigated, and the perpetrators are punished. During emergencies or crisis situations, Indian missions/posts abroad proactively help distressed/stranded Indian students overseas by providing them food, shelter, medicines and ensure their return/evacuation to India as soon as possible," Singh said.

About the Author Vatsala Shrangi Vatsala Shrangi, Assistant Editor at News18, reports on the HRD, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, and social sector. She has covered the Delhi government, education, transport, environment and various ... Read More Vatsala Shrangi, Assistant Editor at News18, reports on the HRD, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, and social sector. She has covered the Delhi government, education, transport, environment and various ... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 20:32 IST
After Quad, India May Become Part Of 'Squad' Group Focusing On South China Sea

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:40 IST

The 'Squad' comprises the Philippines and India's Quad partners - Japan, Australia and the US - which focus on security in the South China Sea to counter Beijing's aggression in the region.

Philippines Armed Forces Chief General Romeo Brawner said India could be part of the alliance in the South China Sea amid tensions with Beijing. (Reuters)

India is already part of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) comprising the United States, Australia and Japan to oversee maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. Now, it is likely to become part of another multilateral alliance, known as the Squad group, that focuses on security in the South China Sea.

The Squad comprises the Philippines and Indias Quad partners  Japan, Australia and the US  and they are trying to expand the military alliance by including India and South Korea amid growing tensions with Chinas increasing aggression in the South China Sea.

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At the Raisina Dialogue 2025 in Delhi, Philippines Armed Forces Chief General Romeo Brawner said his country was making efforts to enhance its capabilities to deter Chinas expansionist activities by working with partners in the Squad, according to The Philippine Star.

Together with Japan and our partners we are trying to expand the Squad to include India and probably South Korea," he said during a panel discussion with his Japanese counterpart, the chief of the Indian Navy, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command and Australias chief of Joint Operations.

What Is The Squad?

Brawner described the Squad group as an informal collaboration between the four countries on military aspects, intelligence sharing, and joint exercises and operations. Their defence forces have been conducting joint maritime activities in the Philippines exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea since last year.

The Philippines openly described the Squad as a counter to Chinas aggressive activities on the South China Sea. Both Japan and the Philippines have experienced tensions with China over territorial claims in the region, particularly Manila as it has had a series of escalating confrontations in disputed waters.

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, putting it at odds with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated Chinas expansive claim but Beijing does not recognise the decision.

Why Indias Role Is Important?

We find commonality with India because we have a common enemy. And Im not afraid to say that China is our common enemy. So, its important that we collaborate together, maybe exchange intelligence," Brawner told reporters after the Raisina Dialogue, saying that his country already has a partnership with the Indian military.

The Philippines Chief of Army also said he would open up the potential for Indias Squad membership in a meeting with Indias Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan. A senior Indian defence officer told Reuters said the meeting had happened but it is unclear if this issue was discussed.

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The Philippines has had a series of escalating confrontations with China over disputed waters in the South China Sea. Manila has accused Chinese coast guard ships and fishing vessels of switching off their location-transmitting devices to avoid detection and surveillance.

Meanwhile, Brawner also said the Philippines is looking at the possibility of procuring more missile systems from India. " We already have the BrahMos system and we are waiting for the delivery of more components. So far we are very happy and this is creating a very good deterrent effect in the South China scene," he told news agency PTI.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 08:40 IST
After Tahawwur Rana, Will Trump Deliver Good News On Sikhs For Justice? India Remains Hopeful

Written By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:57 IST

Overall, the establishment in North and South Blocks is upbeat that America First and India First approaches may complement each other on the issues of security but is wary that Trumps insistence on imposing tariffs may prove to be an X factor

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard talks to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during a delegation-level meeting. (PTI)

The top spy chiefs of the world had recently congregated in New Delhi amidst global uncertainties, including the Donald Trump administrations America First approach. However, it appears the DNI chief has left the Indian establishment with a sense of positivity about future cooperation.

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Agenda

On the discussion table, as the chiefs of intelligence bureaus of US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand met, were issues of intelligence sharing, emerging technological threats, security in the Indo-Pacific region, and money laundering.

However, Indias big concerns were the two issues that defence minister Rajnath Singh mentioned to the visitors.

Ban Sikhs For Justice (SFJ)

Singh asked for a ban on Sikhs For Justice (SFJ), which has openly advocated acts of violence against India, when he met Gabbard.

SFJ chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun has been charge-sheeted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), declared a proclaimed offender and his properties attached. Yet, the Canadian- American citizen continues to get a free run.

An indictment under the Joe Biden administration, for alleged involvement of Indian operatives in Pannuns assassination attempt, has embarrassed India. As the United States demanded action, India completed an enquiry and acknowledged the concerns of the Biden administration. However, in public, the onus seemed to be on Vikas Yadav, who was named by US in its indictment and who is facing trial in India in a separate criminal case.

A committee set up by India chose to assuage American concerns by recommending corrective steps". But the entire episode was seen as a big setback in Indias efforts to hold Pakistan-backed Khalistani sympathisers accountable.

Now, with a regime change in US, the Indian security establishment is hopeful. By announcing 26/11 accused Tahawwur Ranas extradition, the American President has hit the right notes vis-a-vis Indias concerns.

Gabbard, during her meeting with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and the chiefs of IB and RAW, heard Indias concerns about Khalistan but chose to keep the focus on the Indo-Pacific region in her public speech. Reports described the Doval-Gabbard meeting as a good discussion" on intelligence sharing and security collaboration, aligning with the India-US strategic partnership.

At the Raisina Dialogue, Gabbard said she had heard about Indias very serious concerns" about its security but did not make any mention of SFJ or threats from Khalistani groups. Her focus remained on the Indo-Pacific region and the need to boost cooperation. Indo-Pacific is the geopolitical centre for the 21st century and ensuring peace and stability in this area is essential to our collective security objective," she said.

A senior official in the intelligence establishment pointed out that an issue faced by Indian agencies vis-a-vis Khalistanis in USA is the difference in legal thresholds in the two countries. Under Indian laws, disrespecting the Constitution and burning the flag are crimes. There is a Flag Code that governs how the tricolour has to be treated. But American laws are different and, in the past, they have failed to appreciate Indias concern when Pannun and others burnt our flag or tore our Constitution in America because it wasnt a crime under their law," the official explained.

However, now Pannun and NIA are accused of things far more serious. In December 2020, NIA charge-sheeted Pannun and nine others for acts of violence, arson, online and offline propaganda against India. Pannun, specifically, was accused of using social media platforms to radicalise youngsters and further propagate secessionist sentiments against India.

The NIA dossier shared with USA also highlighted how a Human Rights advocacy group, with its offices in the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia etc, was a frontal organisation of Khalistan terrorist outfits operating from foreign soils including Pakistan". The agency said: SFJ has been attempting to undermine the security of the Indian State by instigating Sikh personnel in the Indian army to rise up in mutiny against India".

Dossiers and evidence aside, the catch for India was that Pannun was an American national. The Headley-Rana case showed that while for a non-American (Rana), America was ready to cooperate fully with India, for American citizens (Headley), the yardsticks are different.

Extradition may be a long haul for Pannun but a message may be sent that SFJ will no longer get a free run in USA. The level of tolerance for terrorism and violence is going down," an official said.

Besides Gabbard, the conference was attended by Canadian intelligence head Daniel Rogers, UK NSA Jonathan Powell, and intelligence chiefs from Australia, Germany, New Zealand and others. The US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand constitute the Five Eye intelligence group. In four of these countries  US, UK, Canada, Australia  Khalistan supporters are a cause of concern for India.

The killing of India-designated terrorist Hardeep Nijjar led to a breakdown in diplomatic ties between India and Canada. A regime change from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney in Canada is also being seen with hope by the Indian establishment. India firmly believes that from Nijjar, Pannun to gangsters like Goldy Brar, all are tools being used by Pakistan against India.

Pakistan

The other big takeaway for Indias security grid this week is Pakistan. Rajnath Singh, as per sources, told his Netherlands counterpart in a meeting that aiding Indias western neighbours with arms and ammunitions was unacceptable to India.

Equipping Pakistan with defence equipment and technology undermines regional security and stability in South Asia," Singh reportedly told his Netherlands counterpart as per Indian government sources.

India suspects that Pakistan might use the recent train hijack incident in Balochistan to up the ante in Kashmir once again. High-level meetings have been carried out internally in Jammu and Kashmir to prepare for a hot summer". NIA has also continued its crackdown against those aiding infiltrators. On Wednesday, 12 locations were raided in this connection.

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ISI, to save face, could look to attack India. But internationally, support for them is going down," an official said.

Overall, the establishment in North and South Blocks is upbeat that America First and India First approaches may complement each other on the issues of security. However, given Trumps insistence on imposing tariffs, they also concede that markets might be a crucial factor.

About the Author Arunima Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero ... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 15:57 IST
Angered By Mistreatment, Pune Bus Driver Planned Murder Of Firm Employees, Staged It As Fire Tragedy

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 23:26 IST

According to the police, the driver used benzene solution and a matchbox to ignite the flames. As the fire spread, he jumped off the moving vehicle

A tempo traveller catches fire while it was ferrying some employees of a company to their office, at Hinjewadi, near Pune. (PTI photo)

Pune police on Thursday revealed that the minibus fire, which killed four employees of a private firm, was not an accident but a pre-planned murder carried out by the driver.

The driver confessed to the crime after persistent questioning during the investigation, admitting that he deliberately set the company minibus on fire.

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According to the police, the driver used benzene solution and a matchbox to ignite the flames. As the fire spread, he jumped off the moving vehicle, which continued for around 200 metres before crashing into a tree. The driver also stated that he planned the act after enduring repeated mistreatment from the daily office-goers who used the minibus.

Initially, authorities suspected a short-circuit might have caused the fire, however, this theory was debunked following the drivers confession.

The incident took place around 7:45 am on Wednesday in the Hinjewadi area of Pune, within the Pimpri Chinchwad municipal limits.

The tempo travellerwas ferrying employees of a local graphics design startup when it caught fire on its way to the office. At first, it appeared to be an accident, but police grew suspicious due to the drivers contradictory statements.

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Four employees of Vyoma Graphics, a graphic design firm, lost their lives in the blaze. The victims were identified as Shankar Shinde (63), Rajan Chavan (42), Gurudas Lokare (45), and Subhash Bhosale (44), all residents of different Pune areas. They held various roles within the company, such as supervisor, printing machine operator, courier, and paper cutting operator.

The ten survivors, who had been sitting near the front, were able to escape, while those in the rear of the vehicle were trapped in the raging inferno. The minibus, owned by Vyoma Graphics, was carrying 14 employees at the time of the incident.

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 20, 2025, 20:47 IST
'Attempts Being Made To Tarnish My Reputation': Aaditya Thackeray On Disha Salian Death Case

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:07 IST

Aaditya Thackeray affirmed his intention to address any legal proceedings in court.

Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said on Thursday that there were attempts to tarnish his reputation, his first reaction to reports that the family of Disha Salian, former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has approached the Bombay High Court for a fresh probe into her death.

If the matter is in court, I will respond in court. My fight will continue for the betterment of this country," he said amidst a political debate spurred by the new legal development, adding that efforts had been made over the past five years to show him in a bad light.

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Disha Salian died in June 2020, falling off a high-rise in Mumbai. It was registered as an accidental death. A week later, actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment. While the city police initially attributed his death to suicide, the case was eventually transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Disha Salians father, Satish Salian, questioned the cause of his daughters death in a TV interview on Wednesday, and reportedly approached the Bombay High Court seeking a probe. This development has led to heightened security outside his residence and sparked reactions from various political leaders.

According to news agency PTI, Satish Salian said on Wednesday that his petition to the court requested a first information report (FIR) against Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Uddhav Thackeray, and a CBI investigation into his daughters death. However, his lawyer clarified that the petition was still being finalised.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) rallied behind Aaditya Thackeray, questioning the timing of the probe demand and stressing that it was an attempt to shift focus from the Nagpur riots earlier this week.

We dont know what is there in their petition, but the timing of the petition is crucial. It seems some power is behind the petitioner, and its an attempt to sideline the Aurangzeb issue and Nagpur violence issue by focusing on Disha Salian case," party leader Sanjay Raut said. On March 17, stone-pelters ran amok in Nagpur after a protest against the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and amid rumours of the desecration of a holy book.

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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said, I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Dishas father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We dont need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer."

On the other side of the political spectrum, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat said Disha Salians death was suspicious and those found guilty in this case will be sent to jail. Yogesh Kadam, Maharashtras junior home minister, said: The honourable courts orders will be followed."

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 20, 2025, 13:07 IST
Indian Student Facing Deportation From US To Be Questioned On 'Hamas Links' When He Returns: Sources | Exclusive

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 22:06 IST

Sources said Badar Khan Suri was under surveillance for his links to numerous international organisations, who allegedly propagate "anti-India" sentiments

Badar Khan Suri is a foreign exchange and postdoctoral Indian student at Georgetown University. (Image: X/Reuters)

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian postdoctoral student in the US facing deportation due to alleged Hamas links, will be questioned on arrival about the Palestinian militant group.

According to highly placed sources, Suri was under surveillance for his association to numerous international organisations, who allegedly propagate anti-India" sentiments. He, however, does not have a criminal record, they said.

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Federal authorities in the US have said he was spreading Hamas propaganda" and has close connections to a suspected terrorist", who is a senior adviser to the group. He is facing deportation and his visa has been revoked under a rarely used clause of threat to foreign policy, they said.

The sources told CNN-News18 that the postdoctoral student will be deported to India. We will also question him on his arrival to know his links with Hamas. We want to know if these links are restricted to only online propaganda or if hes involved in any military support to Hamas," they said.

They said they want to know about his source of funding and his association with any other group under Indias scanner or threatens the countrys security. He will also be questioned on his associates in India and to what extent he has worked for the same cause or if he has been involved in any anti-India" activity, they added.

His anti-India and anti-establishment statements are always a cause of worry, especially when he was using international forum to speak," they said.

The sources further said Suris father-in-law, Ahmed Yusuf, is a well-known political figure and was Palestinian leader Ismail Haniyehs adviser in 2006-2007. Yusuf has been a member of the Muslim Brotherhood for the past 45 years and his academic work is against western countries.

WHO IS BADAR KHAN SURI?

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, DC. A senior Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the foreign exchange student at Georgetown University was actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media".

Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior adviser to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025, that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable," the spokesperson said.

A report in Politico said Suri was detained by federal immigration authorities amid the Trump administrations crackdown on student activists whom the government accuses of opposing American foreign policy". The report said masked agents" arrested him from outside his home in Virginia late on Monday (March 17).

He is married to Mapheze Saleh, a woman of Palestinian heritage, who is a US citizen. According to his profile on the website of Georgetown University, he completed his PhD in Peace & Conflict Studies from Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 2020.

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Suri wrote his thesis on Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq in which he underlined the complexities involved in introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies; as well as challenges to project state building.

He has travelled extensively in the conflict zones of India, Pakistan, Balochistan in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Kurdish Areas in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and its southern region, Egypt and Palestine. He is an interdisciplinary scholar whose areas of interest are religion, violence and peace; ethnic conflicts and peace processes in Middle East and South Asia. He is working on a project that looks into potential causes that hinder cooperation among religiously diverse societies and possibilities to overcome those hindrances," the profile said.

About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18

First Published: March 20, 2025, 22:06 IST
Gurez Faqeer, BJP Leader And Former J&K Legislator, Shoots Himself Dead

Published By :

PTI

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 21:43 IST

BJP leader and former Gurez MLA, Faqeer Mohammad Khan, allegedly committed suicide with a security rifle in Srinagar. He joined BJP in 2020 and contested last year's polls.

News18

BJP leader and former Independent MLA from Jammu and Kashmirs Gurez, Faqeer Mohammad Khan, on Thursday allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself, party officials said.

Khan (62) shot himself using his security personnels SLR rifle inside his official accommodation in the Tulsibagh government quarters here, they said.

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BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur, while confirming the incident, said the former MLA has died due to suicide.

It was not immediately known as to why Khan took the extreme step.

Khan, who was elected to the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in 1996 as an Independent candidate, had joined BJP in 2020 and unsuccessfully contested the assembly polls on the party ticket last year.

Police, in a statement, said it has taken cognizance of the incident and launched legal proceedings.

An incident of firearm discharge was reported today in the Tulsibagh area of Srinagar, resulting in the death of former legislator Faqeer Mohammad Khan, son of Jumma Khan, a resident of Gurez. Police have taken cognizance of the matter, and legal proceedings under section 194 of the BNSS have been initiated at Police Station Shergarhi," Srinagar Police said in a statement.

Initial findings suggest the incident to be a case of suicide. Further investigation is ongoing, considering all aspects, it added.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the death of the former MLA.

Deeply saddened by the passing of former legislator Faqeer Mohammad Khan. He was a true grassroots leader. My heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace. The House observed a two-minute silence in his honour," Abdullah posted from the official X handle of J-K Chief Minister.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also condoled the demise of former Member of Legislative Assembly Faqeer Mohammad Khan.

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Faqeer Mohammad Khans contribution to the development of Gurez is immense and he touched and improved thousands of lives. On this extremely sad occasion, I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and followers. I pray for his soul," the LG said.

This news piece may be triggering. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Srinagar, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 17:08 IST
Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda Among 25 Actors Booked Over Betting Apps Promotion In Telangana

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 13:44 IST

Actors Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda are among other celebrities named in an FIR for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps in Telangana.

Rana Daggubati (R), Vijay Devarkonda (L) (Photos: Social Media)

The Telangana Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 actors and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu, for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps.

The FIR was registered at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad on March 19, based on a petition filed by Phanindra Sarma, a 32-year-old businessman.

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According to the details, the FIR also named actors Pranitha Subhash, Ananya Nagalla, Siri Hanumanth, Sreemukhi, and Varshini Sounderajan among others.

The complainant alleged that during a conversation with youth in his community on March 16, he discovered many individuals had been influenced to invest their money in gambling apps, which were heavily advertised by social media personalities.

He further mentioned these celebrities were allegedly accepting large sums of money to promote various betting platforms, which encourage users to gamble their hard-earned money.

Sarma, in the complaint, mentioned he too was on the verge of investing in one of these platforms but refrained after his family warned him about the potential financial dangers.

The complainant alleged that such apps and platforms were causing widespread financial harm, particularly among lower and middle-class families who are being lured into the false promise of easy money.

Based on the complaint, a case against the actors and influencers has been filed under multiple sections of the TS Gaming Act and the IT Act, including Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, which deals with cheating and identity theft.

The FIR also includes sections that address the promotion of illegal betting activities.

The case against the top celebrities in the Telugu cinema is likely to raise a storm, especially because it comes months after the Telangana Police arrested actor Allu Arjun.

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The actor was arrested in December after a woman died in the chaos at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule at a cinema hall in Hyderabad.

Allu Arjun had attended the premiere and the crowd got out of control to catch a glimpse of him. Police had contended the actors appearance at the premiere was unscheduled and no security arrangements were made to handle the rush.

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 20, 2025, 12:31 IST
Elon Musk's X Sues India Over 'Censorship' Via Sahyog Portal, IT Act: Report

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:06 IST

X has argued that the Indian government is misusing Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to impose content takedowns while ignoring the requirements stipulated by Section 69A.

Elon Musk | File Image/X

Elon Musks X platform (formerly Twitter) has reportedly filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court against the Indian government, claiming that its usage of the IT Act and the Sahyog Portal constitutes an unlawful and unregulated" censorship mechanism that is in violation of statutory safeguards.

The social media platform has argued that the Indian government was misusing Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to issue takedown orders that do not adhere to the procedures under Section 69A, which the Supreme Court recognised as the only valid legal framework for blocking online content, according to its petition.

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During a recent initial hearing, the Indian government stated that no action had been taken against X for not joining the Sahyog Portal, according to Moneycontrol, which has seen a copy of the petition. The court also allowed X to approach the court if the government takes any preemptive measures against them on this matter.

The IT Act states that online platforms X can lose their legal protection if they do not remove or block content as specified by government authorities. However, X argues that the section does not give the government powers to block content and that authorities are setting up an illegal system to block content online.

The next hearing has been set for March 27. Notably, this is not the first time that X has taken legal action against the Indian government. In 2022, the platform challenged takedown orders issued under Section 69A, arguing that the governments directives violated free speech protections and lacked transparency.

What Has X Alleged?

In its petition seen by Moneycontrol, X Corp has argued that Indian government authorities are invoking Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act as a means to impose content takedowns while sidestepping the procedural requirements set forth in Section 69A.

These requirements comprise recording reasons in writing, providing a pre-decisional hearing, and allowing for legal challenges, all of which are being ignored, says the company. The law mandates that information blocking can only be carried out under Section 69A, which provides for judicial scrutiny. By using Section 79(3)(b) as an alternative mechanism, the government is effectively nullifying the Supreme Courts directives," said Xs petition.

The company has also taken issue with the Sahyog Portal, an online system introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to enable police and government departments to issue takedown requests directly. X argues this portal does not adhere to the due process under Section 69A.

X claims the portal has created a parallel framework for content censorship, allowing thousands of officials to order content removals without transparency or oversight. The Indian government has increasingly pushed for social media platforms to join Sahyog, which has sparked concerns among US-based platforms.

Elon Musks company has sought urgent judicial intervention to invalidate all content takedown orders under Section 79(3)(b) and restrict the enforcement of orders from the Sahyog Portal until a final decision is reached.

During the first hearing, the government said it has taken no punitive steps against X for refusing to join the Sahyog portal, which the company called a censorship portal". The court has also granted liberty to X to move the court if the government takes any preemptive action against X regarding the matter, according to the report.

Centre Flags Concerns Over Xs AI Chatbot

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This development came after the central government on Wednesday raised concerns with Elon Musk-owned social media platform X over its AI chatbot, Grok, and the controversial responses it has been generating.

Grok, a powerful AI chatbot on X, has recently gained popularity in India for its unfiltered and often erratic responses to users on the microblogging platform. According to a CNBC-TV18 report, the government has sought an explanation from X regarding the responses generated by Grok, which were laden with abuses and regional slang, and the data used to train the chatbot.

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 14:07 IST
'Fair' Game: UP's Sambhal Back In Spotlight, This Time Over Legacy Of Muslim Invader Salar Masud Ghazi

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 20:52 IST

On March 17, the Sambhal administration categorically refused to allow the Neja Mela event, held to commemorate Syed Salar Masud Ghazi, citing objections from members of the Hindu community and concerns over public order

The administration went further by sealing a site traditionally used to mark the melas inauguration, filling the ceremonial flagpole pit with cement. File image

Sambhal district in Uttar Pradesh has once again found itself at the centre of a major controversy with the state governments decision to deny permission for the annual Neja Melathe fair, traditionally held a week after Holi, to commemorate Syed Salar Masud Ghazi, the nephew of Mahmud of Ghazni, a medieval invader infamous for plundering Hindu temples, including the Somnath temple in Gujarat. Some political analysts have called it an attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to counter the opposition Samajwadi Partys PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) formula.

On March 17, the Sambhal administration categorically refused to allow the event, citing objections from members of the Hindu community and concerns over public order. Additional superintendent of police (ASP) Shirish Chandra spearheaded the decision, labelling the practice of celebrating an invader as an evil tradition". The administration went further by sealing a site traditionally used to mark the melas inauguration, filling the ceremonial flagpole pit with cement.

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ASP Chandras firm stance was echoed by sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Dr Vandana Mishra, who had previously rejected requests from the Neja Committee. In an earlier attempt at reconciliation, officials proposed renaming the event Sadbhavna Mela" to promote communal harmony, but committee members insisted on maintaining the original name and format. The administration, however, refused to relent.

Tradition of Neja Mela

The Neja Mela has been a significant event in Sambhals cultural and religious history for centuries. Traditionally held a week after Holi, the fair begins with the planting of a Neja (javelin) in the ground, marking the start of week-long festivities. Over the years, the mela has served as a platform for social and cultural exchanges, with both Hindu and Muslim communities participating in its various events.

The fair includes processions, musical performances, and community feasts, fostering a sense of unity and heritage. Despite political debates surrounding its origins, local residents have long viewed the mela as a tradition that brings people together.

The Neja Mela organising committee has strongly opposed the administrations decision to ban the event. Committee chairman Chaudhary Shahid Ali expressed disappointment, stating, The fair has been held for generations without any communal disturbances. It is not just a religious event but a symbol of social and cultural harmony. We even proposed renaming it as Sadbhavna Mela to emphasise unity, but the administration remains adamant."

Ali further emphasised that the fair should not be politicised, as its primary purpose has always been to unite communities rather than divide them.

Political fallout

The controversy quickly took a political turn, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Samajwadi Party (SP) engaging in a war of words. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of stoking communal tensions and attempting to erase a long-standing tradition that symbolised Uttar Pradeshs syncretic culture, or Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. Melas have always been a space for harmony where both communities interact. The BJP government is destroying this essence of brotherhood," Yadav asserted.

BJP leaders, however, justified the ban by framing it as a step towards reclaiming cultural pride. Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar emphasised that the state should be celebrating Maharaja Suheldev, the OBC warrior king who defeated Salar Masud in the 11th century. Rather than glorifying an invader, we should be highlighting the heroism of Suheldev, who defended our culture and land," he said.

UP minister Anil Rajbhar echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the BJP governments initiatives to honour Suheldev. Over the years, the government has named a train after the medieval king, unveiled a statue of him in Bahraich, and launched projects to commemorate his legacy. Union home minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have also paid tributes to Suheldev, viewing him as a key figure in consolidating OBC support for the BJP.

Historical context

The Neja Mela controversy is deeply rooted in history, bringing back to public discourse the 11th-century conflict between Salar Masud and Maharaja Suheldev.

According to historical accounts, including Mirat-i-Masudi, Salar Masud was a commander in Mahmud of Ghaznis army, involved in invasions that led to mass killings and temple destructions across north India. His expansionist ambitions were ultimately halted by Suheldev, who, with an alliance of local kings, defeated and killed Masud in Bahraich.

Political analysts said that the BJP has successfully leveraged this historical narrative in past elections, particularly to consolidate support among OBC and Dalit communities. The Rajbhar, Maurya, Kushwaha, and Nishad communities, who form a significant portion of the BJPs voter base in eastern and central Uttar Pradesh, have been mobilised around Suheldevs legacy. By portraying the Neja Mela as a celebration of an invader", the BJP is attempting to deepen its outreach among these communities, countering the oppositions PDA (Pichda, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) formula.

Road to 2027

With the next Uttar Pradesh assembly elections scheduled for 2027, the Neja Mela controversy serves as a litmus test for the BJPs polarising strategies. The party, still recovering from its weaker-than-expected performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, is keen on consolidating its base. The governments firm stance against the mela is being seen as a calculated move to reinforce Hindu nationalist sentiments while countering the SP-led INDIA blocs influence among backward classes and minorities.

Meanwhile, the opposition is attempting to position the BJP as an anti-minority force. By emphasising the fairs long-standing tradition, SP and other opposition leaders are portraying the crackdown as an attack on religious freedom and cultural heritage. However, the BJP has countered this by highlighting the need to reject past invaders and celebrate indigenous heroes instead.

Ground reality in Sambhal

On the ground, the situation remains tense. Heavy police deployment, including PAC (Provincial Armed Constabulary) and RAF (Rapid Action Force) personnel, is in place to prevent any unrest. Drone surveillance is also being used to monitor the situation. While the administrations firm stance has prevented any immediate flare-up, the underlying tensions remain palpable.

Community leaders from both sides have called for calm, but the wounds of history, now amplified by political manoeuvring, make reconciliation difficult. The BJPs efforts to push the Suheldev narrative further indicate that the controversy is far from over.

The Neja Mela dispute in Sambhal is more than just a cultural debate; it reflects the larger political and ideological battle shaping Uttar Pradeshs future. While the BJP aims to deepen its outreach among OBC and Dalit voters by invoking Maharaja Suheldevs victory over Salar Masud, the SP-led opposition is positioning itself as the defender of minorities.

Recent controversies in Sambhal

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Sambhal has frequently found itself in the midst of communal and political controversies in recent years. The district was previously in the spotlight over issues related to illegal slaughterhouses, disputes over religious processions, and tensions surrounding land encroachments linked to religious sites. The recent Neja Mela controversy has only added to the tensions, with the administrations firm stance against commemorating Syed Salar Masud Ghazi drawing sharp reactions from political and religious groups.

Additionally, past incidents of communal clashes and protests over government policies have kept Sambhal at the centre of Uttar Pradeshs socio-political debates, making it a focal point in the states charged electoral landscape.

First Published: March 20, 2025, 20:52 IST
Frustrated With Military Ambush & LeT Operatives Killing, ISI Planning Attacks In J&K, Forces Told | Exclusive

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:01 IST

The security of vital installations, vulnerable areas, high-value targets, and minority pickets guarded by the CRPF will also be strengthened, an official said

CRPF, BSF, and other security forces have alerted their troops about potential lone-wolf and hit-and-run attacks targeting security personnel. (PTI)

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have been alerted following the latest intelligence input hinting at fresh attacks after two major incidents in Pakistan. The input has claimed that to hide its frustration, Pakistans ISI, along with terror outfits, is planning attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, a top official told News18.

According to the official, CRPF, BSF, and other security forces have alerted their troops about potential lone-wolf and hit-and-run attacks targeting security personnel.

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In Noshki, Balochistan, a Pakistani military convoy was ambushed. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that they targeted a convoy of eight vehicles. The BLA has reported a significantly higher number of fatalities than Pakistani authorities. The attack involved a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) and subsequent gunfire," an official aware of the intelligence input said.

They added: Another incident is the killing of Abu Qatal, a key LeT operative, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan on March 15, 2025. He was the main handler of the terror outfit involved in planning various attacks in the Poonch-Rajouri region." Agencies believe the incidents may impact the law-and-order situation in J&K.

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Another official from a central security force said: It is fairly evident that in an attempt to hide its frustration, ISI may blame others, and repercussions on the security scenario in the Kashmir Valley cannot be ruled out. In light of this, we have reiterated that troops deployed for ROP, Naka, and other duties must remain alert and vigilant."

The official added: The security of vital installations, vulnerable areas, high-value targets, and minority pickets guarded by the CRPF will also be strengthened to thwart any nefarious designs of adversaries. All possible proactive and preventive measures will be implemented with close supervision at all levels."

About the Author Ankur Sharma With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, paramilitar... Read More With over 15 years of journalistic experience, Ankur Sharma, Associate Editor, specializes in internal security and is tasked with providing comprehensive coverage from the Ministry of Home Affairs, paramilitar... Read More

Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 09:01 IST
Grabbing Victim's Breasts, Breaking Pyjama String Not Attempt To Rape: Allahabad HC

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 10:34 IST

A single-judge bench made the observation while hearing the case of two accused, Pawan and Akash, who were accused of attempt to rape of an 11-year-old girl.

Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra made a distinction between the "preparation" and an "actual attempt"(Image for representation)

The Allahabad High Court, in a significant observation, ruled that grabbing a womans breasts, breaking the string of her pyjama and attempting to drag her beneath the culvert is not enough to charge a perpetrator with the offence of rape, or an attempt to rape.

During the hearing, a single judge comprising Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra made a distinction between the preparation" and an actual attempt", while modifying the charges slapped by a lower court against two men accused of rape.

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The two accused, Pawan and Akash, were summoned by a Kasganj court to face trial under Section 376 (Rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 of the POCSO Act for allegedly raping an 11-year-old girl. Akash reportedly broke the string of her pyjama and tried to drag her beneath a culvert.

However, passersby intervened and the accused were forced to flee from the spot, leaving the victim behind. A trial court found the case to be an attempt to rape within the purview of the POCSO Act as well as Section 376 of the IPC. However, the accused challenged the order and moved the Allahabad High Court.

The allegations levelled against the accused Pawan and Akash and facts of the case hardly constitute an offence of attempt to rape in the case. In order to bring out a charge of attempt to rape the prosecution must establish that it had gone beyond the stage of preparation. The difference between preparation and actual attempt to commit an offence consists chiefly in the greater degree of determination," said Justice Mishra during trial.

The court also altered the charges against the two accused to the minor charge of Section 354-B of the IPC (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe) and Sections 9/10 of the POCSO Act (aggravated sexual assault).

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The judge also said there was no material on record that provided proof that the accused had determined to commit rape on the victim. It is also not stated by witnesses that due to this act of the accused, the victim got naked or got undressed. There is no allegation that the accused tried to commit penetrative sexual assault against the victim," the judge noted.

The bench observed that the allegations levelled against the accused and the facts hardly constituted an offence of attempt to rape.

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 : Prayagraj, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 10:34 IST
IT Professional Falls To Death From Kolkata Office, Cops Probe Suicide Angle

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:58 IST

Police are interviewing Dwaipayan Bhattacharyas colleagues to determine his demeanour on the day of the fall and if he was experiencing any personal difficulties

Sources say Bhattacharya was a successful professional from an affluent family and held memberships in several prominent Kolkata clubs. (News18)

A 50-year-old IT professional, Dwaipayan Bhattacharya, died after falling from the sixth floor of his office building in Newtown, Kolkata, on Wednesday afternoon. Bhattacharya was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fall, which occurred shortly after lunchtime. While suicide is being considered, investigators are exploring all possibilities.

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Sources say Bhattacharya was a successful professional from an affluent family and held memberships in several prominent Kolkata clubs. Police are interviewing colleagues to determine his demeanour on Wednesday and are investigating whether he may have been experiencing any personal difficulties.

The sources added that the IT professional was going through depression and was on medication for the same. Police are looking into his laptop, phone and other gadgets to piece together evidence as well as probe if financial or family issues could have been behind the step.

Bhattacharyas wife is also an IT professional. His background includes prestigious institutions like Don Bosco and Presidency College, where he was reportedly a meritorious student.

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The incident, which took place around 2.30pm in a busy IT office area, has sent shockwaves through the community. The body has been sent for a post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)

About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More Kamalika Sengupta, Editor, Digital East of News18, is a multilingual journalist with 16 years of experience in covering the northeast, with specialisation in politics and defence. She has won UNICEF Laadli Awar... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 08:58 IST
Karnataka Minister Alleges 48 MLAs Honey-Trapped, Probe Ordered

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 22:06 IST

Karnataka Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna admitted in the Assembly that at least 48 people have fallen victim to "honey traps" in the state and their obscene videos have been circulated.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara speaks during the state Assembly session. (PTI file photo)

Legislators across the party lines on Thursday alleged that honey-trap" attempts were being made on at least 48 MLAs in Karnataka to achieve political goals.

Karnataka Cooperative Minister KN Rajanna admitted in the Assembly that at least 48 people have fallen victim to honey traps" in the state and their obscene videos have been circulated.

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People say that there is a CD (compact disk) and pen drive factory in Karnataka. I have come to know that there are CDs and pen drives of 48 people available in the state. This network is spread across India and even several union ministers have been trapped," Rajanna said.

Earlier today, State Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi alleged that a cabinet colleague faced two unsuccessful honey trap" attempts.

Yes, there was an attempt at honey trapping a minister, and it happened twice. However, the attempts were not successful. Honey trapping in Karnataka is not something new. There is no need for such activities in politics, but a few are using this as their investment. This must come to an end," Jarkiholi said.

Condemning the incident, he said politics should not involve such tactics. Some people exploit such situations for political gains, and it should be stopped.

We have asked the minister concerned to file a complaint, only then can the police act and launch an investigation," he added.

Jarkiholi emphasised that those behind it should be brought to justice.

We will speak to the Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) have already discussed it with the Home Minister (G Parameshwara). If there is a complaint, it will help the investigation," he said.

Stressing the need for a non-partisan fight against honey trapping, the Minister said politicians cutting across all parties have been victims of it.

In the earlier governments too there were victims of honey trapping, some names were heard, now our peoples (Congress) names are heard, if it happens in the future too, it wont be surprising. This must end," he added.

State Home Minister G Parameshwara stressed the need to curb such tendencies.

Parameshwara said he will order a high-level probe into the honey trap" cases in the state. He insisted that there is a need to put an end to such tendencies. If we have to preserve the dignity of our members, we have to put an end to such incidents. Its a serious issue. I will order a high-level probe into it," he said.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar too backed the call for a police complaint in the matter. Let a complaint be given to the police station first, lets get it investigated," he said.

Leader of Opposition R Ashoka demanded that the case be investigated by a sitting judge and urged the government to take the matter seriously. Let a honey trap case be investigated by a sitting judge. We need to take it seriously. Let the Home Minister announce what kind of investigation he will conduct," he said.

Senior BJP leader and MLC CT Ravi also called for a special investigation into the matter.

During the house proceedings, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal claimed that blackmail tactics were used to eliminate political rivals. Another MLA V Sunil Kumar echoed the concern, saying those who could not defeat their opponents have resorted to blackmailing to achieve their political goals.

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The situation is grim when a minister makes such a statement. We will conclude that the government is involved if it did not take action and give a proper reply on it," Kumar said.

(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 20, 2025, 18:08 IST
Kerala Man Held For Sexually Assaulting Minor Daughters Of Live-In Partner

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 23:05 IST

A senior police official said the accused is alleged to have molested the girls, aged 12 and 10, for approximately three years.

The accused had also shown interest in one of the elder girls female friends and attempted to entice her into their home. (Representative Image)

A 38-year-old man was arrested on Thursday in Thuruthy near here for "sexually assaulting" two minor girls, who are the daughters of his live-in partner.

Dhanesh, a resident of Ayyampuzha in this south Kerala district, was taken into custody by the Kuruppampady police, who subsequently charged him under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and BNS, police said.

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A senior police official said the accused is alleged to have molested the girls, aged 12 and 10, for approximately three years.

The girls biological father had passed away three years ago. Following this, Dhanesh, a taxi driver, entered into a live-in relationship with their mother, despite having a family with children in Ayyampuzha.

It was during this relationship that he reportedly began molesting the elder girl, who is currently in the sixth standard, and later abused the younger girl as well, who is in the fourth standard, they added.

The accused had also shown interest in one of the elder girls female friends and attempted to entice her into their home, police said.

Subsequently, the elder girl wrote a letter detailing her own traumatic experiences to warn and protect her friend, they added.

However, another friend discovered this letter and shared it with her mother, who is a teacher at the same school, leading to the incident coming to light.

The teaching staff acted swiftly by reporting the matter to the police.

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Upon receiving the complaint, authorities took immediate action and arrested the suspect.

According to the police, based on the initial inquiry, there is no evidence indicating the mothers involvement in the alleged molestation. However, the police are conducting a thorough investigation into this angle as well.

Location : Kerala, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 23:05 IST
Meerut Navy Officer Murder: 'Killer' Wife Showed Signs Of Distress, Skipped Food On Frist Night In Jail

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 19:31 IST

While jail sources said that Muskan cried throughout the night, the jail superintendent declined to comment on this

Police take away Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput's wife Muskan and her lover Sahil Shukla after they were arrested in connection with his murder in Meerut. (PTI photo)

Muskan Rastogi, who with her lover Sahil Shukla confessed to murdering and dismembering her husband, Saurabh Rajput, spent a restless night in Chaudhary Charan Singh district jail here, showing signs of extreme distress, jail officials confirmed.

Viresh Raj Sharma, senior jail superintendent, said, Muskan and her lover, Sahil Shukla, were brought to the jail around 6 pm on Wednesday. Muskan was placed in the womens barrack (barrack number 12), while Sahil was assigned to the mens barrack (barrack number 18)." Muskan remained silent and did not interact with anyone. She also did not eat the provided food," he added.

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While jail sources said that Muskan cried throughout the night, the jail superintendent declined to comment on this.

The sources further claimed that Muskan and Sahil asked to be placed in adjacent barracks.

On Wednesday, the duo was presented in the court of the chief judicial magistrate and remanded to 14-day judicial custody. Outside the court, they were attacked by a group of lawyers, who physically assaulted them. Sahils clothes were torn during the altercation, and police had to intervene to ensure their safety.

Rajputs body, which was dismembered and encased in a cement-filled drum, was brought home after a post-mortem examination.

The body was cremated late Wednesday evening.

The investigation revealed that Muskan and Sahil were childhood acquaintances, having studied together from class one to class eight.

They reconnected through a WhatsApp group created by a mutual classmate, leading to a rekindled relationship in 2019, three years after Muskan and Saurabhs marriage.

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The two met in person for the first time since school at a party organised by the WhatsApp group at a mall in Meerut, where their love affair started.

Police have claimed that the duo planned and killed Saurabh because they considered him to be an obstacle in their relationship.

Location : Meerut, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 19:31 IST
Nagpur Riots: Maharashtra Cyber Department Cracks Down On Provocative Social Media Accounts

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:53 IST

The Maharashtra Cyber Department acted against online accounts sharing inflammatory content about Nagpur riots, identifying over 140 posts and issuing takedown notices to curb tensions.

Image from the Nagpur violence site (Credits: PTI)

In a swift move to curb the spread of inflammatory content on social media, the Maharashtra State Cyber Department has taken strict action against multiple online accounts found sharing objectionable material linked to the recent riots in Nagpur. The authorities have identified over 140 instances of posts, videos, and messages across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, which were allegedly designed to incite communal tensions.

According to officials, these posts were deliberately created to provoke religious sentiments, escalate unrest, and disrupt social harmony. The riots in Nagpur have already resulted in significant damage to public property, and tragically, several individuals, including police officers, have lost their lives. The spread of misinformation and provocative content online has further fuelled the tense situation.

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The Maharashtra Cyber Department, in collaboration with the Nagpur City Cyber Police, has issued takedown notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, to ensure the immediate removal of such content. Additionally, notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, have been issued to trace the real identities of those operating these accounts.

A senior officer from Maharashtra Cyber stated, Social media is being misused to spread hatred and misinformation. We are closely monitoring platforms to ensure that communal harmony is not disturbed further. Strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for spreading provocative content."

Authorities have urged people to be cautious while sharing information online. They have also requested citizens to verify content before forwarding it, as spreading unverified news can lead to severe consequences.

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The Maharashtra Cyber Department remains committed to ensuring a safe digital environment and preventing the misuse of social media platforms for inciting violence. Officials have assured that those found guilty of using the internet to disrupt peace will face legal action.

As the situation in Nagpur remains peaceful but sensitive, the crackdown on digital misinformation plays a crucial role in preventing further unrest. The police have also appealed to the public to report any suspicious or provocative content they come across, ensuring that social media is used responsibly and not as a tool for division.

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 20, 2025, 08:53 IST
News18 Afternoon Digest: Updates On Merchant Navy Officer's Murder, Farmers' Protests And Other Top Stories

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:28 IST

News18 Afternoon Digest: We are covering Merchant Navy officer's murder, farmers' protests and other top stories.

Saurabh Rajput/The drum in which his body parts were stuffed (Photos: Social Media)

In todays Afternoon Digest, News18 brings the latest updates on Merchant Navy officers murder, farmers protests and other top stories.

Papa Is In The Drum: What Meerut Merchant Navy Officers Daughter Told Neighbours Soon After Murder

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The murder case of Meerut Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput has sent shockwaves across the country. The accused in the case, Saurabhs wife Muskan (27) and Sahil (25) were sent to a 14-day judicial custody after they confessed to the crime. And now, Saurabhs mother has revealed that her six-year-old granddaughter may have seen the crime. Read more

Attempts Being Made To Tarnish My Reputation: Aaditya Thackeray On Disha Salian Death Case

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said on Thursday that there were attempts to tarnish his reputation, his first reaction to reports that the family of Disha Salian, former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has approached the Bombay High Court for a fresh probe into her death. Read more

Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda Among 25 Actors Booked Over Betting Apps Promotion In Telangana

The Telangana Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 actors and influencers, including Rana Daggubati, Prakash Raj, Vijay Devarakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu, for allegedly promoting illegal betting apps. Read more

Union Ministers Had No Clue About Punjab Polices Crackdown On Farmer Leaders: Sources

The three Union Ministers who attended a meeting with farmer leaders and Punjab ministers in Chandigarh on Wednesday had no inkling that the farmer leaders would be detained or arrested after the meeting. Read more

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Trump Says He Believes India Will Be Lowering Tariffs On US Substantially

US President Donald Trump has said that he believes India will probably be lowering the tariffs it imposes on American goods. Read more

Location : Delhi, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 14:28 IST
Once Part Of Pakistan, This Village Became Indias After 1971 War Thanks To A Colonel

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:06 IST

This village in Ladakh with a unique blend of Tibetan and Islamic influences, was once a Silk Route hub connecting India to empires like Rome and Persia

Once isolated, the village has now become a popular tourist destination, known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. (PTI File)

India successfully captured Turtuk village from Pakistan during the 1971 war, marking a pivotal moment in the regions history.

At the time of Indias Independence in 1947, Sir Cyril Radcliffe, a British lawyer, was tasked with demarcating the border between India and Pakistan. As chairman of the Border Commission, Radcliffe had the monumental responsibility of dividing 450,000 square kilometers housing 88 million people. Post-partition, both nations staked claims on various territories.

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Turtuk, located in the Baltistan area of Jammu and Kashmir, had been under Pakistani control since the partition until India seized it during the 1971 conflict. Due to its strategic location, the village remained isolated from the world, with restricted entry. Alongside Turtuk, the Indian Army also took control of Tyakshi, Chalunka, and Thang, integrating these areas into India.

Colonel Rinchen played a crucial role in this transition. After the partition, Turtuk residents were apprehensive about joining India. During the 1971 war, Colonel Rinchen, a native of a nearby village, visited Turtuk and reassured the locals about the benefits of joining India. Trusted by the people, Rinchens persuasion led the villagers to embrace the Indian Army with celebrations.

During the war, Turtuk, then part of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, bore witness to the India-Pakistan conflict. Women and children sought refuge in village mosques to escape the fighting. At the time, the village lacked basic amenities.

However, post-integration, infrastructure development began, leading to the construction of roads, schools, and hospitals. Previously, residents traveled to Pakistani cities for education and employment. After integration, families were divided, with some members remaining in Pakistan. However, they can now visit each other using a visa.

Historically, Baltistan was an independent state before merging with Jammu and Kashmir, ruled by the Yagbu dynasty from 800 to the 16th century. The Yagbu rulers, originating from Central Asia, significantly promoted art and literature in Baltistan. Many of their buildings still stand in Turtuk and have been converted into museums. Despite the political tensions between India and Pakistan, the regions natural beauty and cultural heritage remained largely overlooked.

Turtuk, located in the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, was historically connected to the Silk Route, facilitating trade with India, China, Rome, and Persia. Today, Turtuk is part of Ladakh with a predominantly Muslim population influenced by Tibetan culture and Buddhism. The locals, believed to be descendants of Indo-Aryans, speak the Balti language.

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The Shyok River, historically known as the Death River during the Silk Route era, flows near Turtuk. The village, which consists of about 300 households, primarily cultivates barley and apricots. Although some infrastructure has been developed post-integration, Turtuk remains underdeveloped.

Once isolated, the village has now become a popular tourist destination, known for its natural beauty and cultural heritage. Remnants of ancient Buddhist culture can still be found, making Turtuk a unique example of Buddhist-Muslim cultural integration.

Location : Ladakh, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 18:06 IST
Ranya Rao Gold Smuggling Case: Exclusive Bail Order Reveals Why Court Rejected Tarun Rajus Plea

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 16:48 IST

Despite Telugu actor Tarun Rajus claims of being falsely implicated, the court found that forensic evidence and statements recorded under the Customs Act pointed to his role in assisting the prime accused, Ranya Rao.

Ranya Rao and Tarun Raju. File images/X

A special Bengaluru court on Wednesday denied bail to Telugu actor Tarun Raju, the second accused in the gold smuggling case involving Kannada actor Ranya Rao, stating that investigations have revealed his active involvement in smuggling gold into India through Dubai.

Despite Rajus claims of being falsely implicated, the court found that forensic evidence and statements recorded under the Customs Act pointed to his role in assisting the prime accused.

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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru, has alleged that Raju played a key role in facilitating the illegal import of gold into India. According to the complaint filed by the Senior Intelligence Officer, Raju actively assisted in smuggling gold worth over Rs 12.56 crore and evading customs duty amounting to Rs 4.83 crore.

News18 has accessed the bail order and the reasons for denying his plea.

Courts Decision: Serious Economic Offence

After hearing both sides, the court denied Rajus bail plea, citing the seriousness of the charges and the ongoing investigation into international links. It noted that prima facie evidence indicated his involvement in a planned smuggling network.

The nature of the offence is such that it endangers the economic security of the country and affects genuine traders," the court observed, adding that smuggling networks like these jeopardise legal trade and revenue collection.

The court ruled that granting bail at this stage could hamper the probe, given the international scope of the case. With evidence pointing to a larger syndicate, releasing Raju at this juncture could allow the destruction of crucial links in the investigation," it said.

The court also considered Rajus US citizenship and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status, along with his frequent international travel, as a flight risk.

The accused No.2 being a US citizen and possessing an OCI Card, along with his travel history, raises a serious apprehension of absconding from the courts jurisdiction. This is another justifiable ground raised by the complainant agency, which does not incline the court to extend the discretionary relief of granting bail," the order stated.

Rajus Defence: Falsely Implicated

Raju, who was arrested on 9 March 2025, had filed for bail, arguing that he was being wrongly framed based on a delayed voluntary statement by the prime accused. He claimed to have exited Vira Diamonds, the company allegedly linked to the smuggling racket, in December 2024months before the gold was smuggled. His counsel argued that this demonstrated his innocence.

His lawyers further contended that the gold in question was not a prohibited item under Section 104(4)(a) of the Customs Act. The allegations against him are baseless. The gold was dutiable, not contraband, and his name has been dragged in solely due to his past association with the company," they argued.

Rajus legal team insisted that there was no evidence of the gold being in his possession or under his control, making the charges under Sections 135(1)(a) and (b) of the Act inapplicable to him.

Additionally, his lawyers claimed that his arrest was carried out without proper compliance with Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), citing Supreme Court rulings in Satender Kumar Antil vs. CBI and Arnesh Kumar vs. State of Bihar to argue procedural lapses.

They also dismissed concerns about his US citizenship and OCI status, stating that his familyhis widowed mother and younger brotherare permanent residents of Bengaluru. He has deep roots in society, has no past criminal record, and is fully cooperating with the investigation," his counsel argued, adding that Raju was willing to abide by any bail conditions imposed by the court.

Explaining their modus operandi, DRI sources said they moved money through hawala from India to Dubai and had influential contacts and suppliers in Geneva and Bangkok.

According to investigators, the smuggling operation was allegedly led by Ranya Rao, the prime accused in the case. Rao would purchase gold from wholesalers in Tarun Rajus name, as he held a US passport and did not require a separate visa. This made it easier to declare the goods at Dubai customs.

Rao, whose bail application was rejected on March 14, has once again appealed to the court seeking bail. She is currently under judicial custody after being arrested by the DRI on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru for allegedly smuggling 14.8 kilograms of gold from Dubai.

Prosecution: Key Facilitator In Smuggling Network

The prosecution vehemently opposed the bail plea, presenting forensic evidence that allegedly proved Rajus role in smuggling gold into India. They claimed Raju actively assisted the prime accused by collecting a bag of gold in Dubai and arranging for its illegal clearance.

Investigators revealed that Raju and his associates used fraudulent export declarations, claiming the gold was being sent to Geneva or Bangkok when, in reality, it was smuggled into India. The forensic examination of digital evidence from the prime accused has uncovered Rajus direct involvement," the prosecution stated in court.

Officials also argued that Raju was part of a sophisticated operation that misused a State Police Protocol Officer to bypass security checks, further indicating a larger international smuggling syndicate. The investigation is ongoing, and crucial international links are being examined. Rajus role in assisting the prime accused has already been unearthed," the prosecution argued.

The court was told that Rajus arrest had followed due process, with a detailed arrest memo listing the reasons and circumstances, in accordance with Supreme Court directives and CBIC guidelines. The prosecution further pointed out that statements recorded under Section 108 of the Customs Act were legally admissible as evidence.

The offence is cognisable and non-bailable, carrying a maximum punishment of seven years. It is not just a case of tax evasion but a serious offence affecting the countrys economy and legal gold trade," the prosecution asserted, urging the court to reject bail.

Gold Smuggling Operation And Rajus Role

As per the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Tarun Raju and the prime accused had jointly established a Dubai-based precious metals and diamond trading firm, Vira Diamonds, in 2023. Although Raju claimed to have exited the partnership in December 2024, the agency alleged that he continued to be involved in gold dealings with the prime accused.

The DRI complaint states that on 8 March 2025, when Raju was summoned, he admitted that his recent visit to Dubai on 3 March 2025 was specifically to collect gold from a contact and hand it over to the prime accused. Flight tickets for this trip were allegedly booked using money deposited by the prime accused into Rajus bank account, further linking him to the operation.

Investigators also claimed that Raju misused his US citizenship to facilitate the smuggling process. Being a US citizen, he faced no travel restrictions to Geneva and Bangkok. This loophole was exploited to declare the gold as being exported to these destinations when, in reality, it was handed over to the prime accused after clearing Dubai Customs," the complaint stated.

According to the DRI, this was not the first instance of Raju assisting in gold smuggling. The agency claimed he had previously helped in at least two similar operations. The current case involves the illegal import of 14,213.05 grams of gold into India, in direct violation of Section 135(1)(a) and (b) of the Customs Act, 1962.

Risk Of Flight, Threat To Economic Security

A major concern raised by the prosecution was the possibility of Raju fleeing the country if released on bail. His travel history, which includes 25 trips to Dubai with the co-accused, further raised concerns about his ability to abscond.

The accused is part of an international smuggling syndicate. The investigation is ongoing, and larger links are yet to be examined. His release at this stage could jeopardise the case," the counsel submitted.

The prosecution also framed the case as a matter of national economic security, arguing that gold smuggling has a severe impact on Indias financial system. This is not just a case of tax evasionit threatens the economic fabric of the country," the counsel stated, urging the court to deny bail.

Five Statements Confirm Rajus Role

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The prosecution emphasised that Raju had given five statements under Section 108 of the Customs Act, which confirm his involvement in the crime. The counsel argued that Rajus direct participation in the smuggling operation is evident from his travel to Dubai on 3 March 2025, where he allegedly collected the gold and handed it over to the co-accused before returning to Hyderabad the same day. The flight tickets, funded by the co-accused, further establish his complicity.

The court order denying bail stated: The claim of the accused No. 2 that he was neither carrier, owner, beneficial owner, nor involved in selling or purchasing the subject matter, and therefore cannot be brought within the ambit of Section 135(1)(a) & (b) of the Customs Act, is untenable. Pursuant to the said provisions, any person is contemplated as involved who, in any other manner, deals with goods, which he knows or has reason to believe are liable to confiscation under Section 111 or Section 113, as the case may be. This aspect, at this stage of proceedings, is sufficient to establish that the aforesaid provisions of the Customs Act are applicable to the accused No. 2, who is alleged to have abetted or assisted the accused No. 1 in the commission of the offence."

About the Author Rohini Swamy Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More Rohini Swamy, Associate Editor at News18, has been a journalist for nearly two decades in the television and digital space. She covers south India for News18s digital platform. She has previously worked with t... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 16:48 IST
At Least 30 Maoists Killed In Two Separate Encounters In Chhattisgarh

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 17:02 IST

While 26 Naxalites were killed in Bijapur district, four Maoists were gunned down in Kanker

A jawan from the DRG unit was also killed in the gunfight in Bijapur.

Security forces killed at least 30 members of the banned CPI (Maoists) in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarhs Bastar region on Thursday. While 26 Naxalites were killed in Bijapur district, four Maoists were gunned down in Kanker.

The operation was carried out by a joint team of the BSF and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel of the state police. A jawan from the DRG unit was also killed in the gunfight in Bijapur.

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In the Bijapur encounter, a joint team launched an anti-Naxalite operation in the Gangalur police station area, where a gunfight broke out between the Naxalites and security forces at 7:00 am. Security personnel recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition.

In Kanker district, four Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces near Koroskodo village in the Chhotebethiya police station area.

Amit Shah Stresses Zero-Tolerance Approach

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the success of the security forces and hailed it as a big step towards Naxal-Mukt India.

The Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach against Naxalites and is adopting a zero-tolerance policy against those Naxalites who are not surrendering despite all the facilities ranging from surrender to inclusion. The country is going to be Naxal-free before 31 March next year," Shah wrote on X.

                           2 -   22                      Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 20, 2025

With these latest operations, at least 113 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in the state so far this year. Of these, 97 were eliminated in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts, such as Bijapur and Kanker.

Earlier, a team of security forces had a narrow escape when Naxalites detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarhs Narayanpur district on Thursday. No serious harm was reported in the blast but two policemen were evacuated from the area for treatment.

The incident took place at around 3 am in Abujhmaad area when a joint team of the Chhattisgarh Polices DRG unit and Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police official said.

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Prior to this, three Naxalites surrendered before security personnel in the Sukma district on Tuesday, two of them carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 4 lakh. Madkam Erra Babu (26), Sodi Deva (35) and Madkam Hadma (41) turned themselves in before security personnel, citing inhuman and hollow" Maoist ideology, an official said.

(with PTI inputs)

About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international... Read More

Location : Bijapur, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 13:55 IST
Union Minister Nityanand Rais Nephew Shot Dead In Bihar, Sisters Condition Critical

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:56 IST

Union Minister Nityanand Rai's nephew was shot dead in Bhagalpur, Bihar amid a family feud. Rai's sister was critically injured. The incident involved a gunfight between Rai's nephews.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai.

Union Minister Nityanand Rais nephew has been shot dead in Bihars Bhagalpur amid a family feud, police said. The central ministers sister has also sustained critical injuries.

According to the police, Rais nephews engaged in a gunfight over a dispute and one brother ended up shooting another dead.

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SP Navgachiya Prerna Kumar said, We received information today that there was firing between two brothers in Jagatpur village. SHO reached the spot as soon as he got the information. One person died in the incident, one is undergoing treatment."

In the midst of the incident, the mother of both the brothers is also reported to have been shot. Her treatment is also going on. There was a fight between both the parties over the tap," he said.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Bhagalpur, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 12:56 IST
Union Ministers Had No Clue About Punjab Polices Crackdown On Farmer Leaders: Sources

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Karishma Jain



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:09 IST

Government sources say the Union Ministers were surprised to see huge police deployment when they came out of the meeting and only learnt of the detentions upon reaching Chandigarh airport for their flight to Delhi.

Chandigarh: Farmer leaders come out after a meeting with Central ministers at Mahatma Gandhi State of Public Administration Punjab, Sector 26, in Chandigarh, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (PTI Photo)

The three Union Ministers who attended a meeting with farmer leaders and Punjab ministers in Chandigarh on Wednesday had no inkling that the farmer leaders would be detained or arrested after the meeting. Government sources say the Union Ministers were surprised to see a huge police deployment when they came out of the meeting and only learnt of the detentions upon reaching Chandigarh airport for their flight to Delhi.

Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Piyush Goyal, and Prahlad Joshi were in Chandigarh on Wednesday for the talks. Following the meeting, Chouhan had in fact stated that discussions with the farmer leaders would continue, with the next meeting scheduled for 4 May.

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The Union Ministers had no clue that the two farmer leaders, Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, would be detained after the meeting by the Punjab Police. AAP ministers were present in the meeting but did not provide any such information," a top government source said.

Congress MP and senior leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa accused Bhagwant Mann of betraying the farmers by first calling them to Chandigarh for a meeting and then having them arrested. Randhawa said that this was despite farmer unions backing the AAP in the last Punjab elections and even allowing Mann to share their stage.

AAP MP from Punjab, Sandeep Pathak, said farmers should protest at the correct place", which is Delhi, since their grouse is with the Centre.

The AAP government in Punjab seems to have planned the operation, moving water cannons and police to both borders two days back. But it seems they didnt want to arrest the two farmer leaders, Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, at the protest site, figuring it could cause a law-and-order problem.

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Instead, the Punjab government waited for an opportunity, which came on Wednesday when both farmer leaders travelled to Chandigarh for a meeting with Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Prahlad Joshi over their demands. The meeting was inconclusive, but Punjab Police tailed the two farmer leaders as they left for Shambu, They were detained as soon as they entered the Punjab border before they could reach Shambhu.

Simultaneously, Punjab Police swooped down on the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, detaining other farmers who had been camping at the sites. The temporary structures put up by the farmers at both protest sites were also swiftly cleared with the help of JCB machines. By late night, both protest sites were clear of all blockades over a year after the farmers had first laid siege to the area.

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 20, 2025, 12:09 IST
UP Woman Asks Boyfriend To Meet On Holi Night, She And Her New Lover Shoot Him Dead

Curated By :

News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 00:00 IST

The police said the woman and her new boyfriend planned the murder a month before Holi. On the night of the festival, they called the victim outside a house and shot him in the chest

Police said they have arrested the prime suspects for the murder, and another woman involved in the crime. (Image for representation: News18)

In a tale of a twisted love triangle, a woman and her new lover allegedly shot her boyfriend dead on the night of Holi after asking him to meet up with her. She had promised to marry him, but he was unaware of her other relationship.

The incident took place in Uttar Pradeshs Varanasi on March 14 and the whole murder was captured on CCTV cameras. While News18 does not have access to the footage, the police said they have arrested the prime suspects for the murder of Diljeet, and another woman involved in the murder.

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According to a report published by NDTV, the police said the woman and her new boyfriend planned the murder a month before Holi. On the night of the festival, they called Diljeet outside a house and shot him in the chest.

Police said the accused was captured on CCTV cameras chasing the victim on motorcycle, his face covered with a black helmet. The victim is seen on another two-wheeler while being chased at gunpoint. He was later shot in the chest, they said.

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They further said later the accused can be spotted parked behind a tempo with a bag and later fled the spot around midnight. Both the accused were on the run for several days, leading to an uproar, they added.

Special teams were formed, who identified the accused using the CCTV footage, police said. Another woman involved in the murder was also arrested once Diljeets girlfriend was questioned. The weapon used by the accused is yet to be recovered, they added.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Varanasi, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 00:00 IST
Enhancing Indian Brands' Presence in the Global Fashion Arena through Moscow Fashion Week

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:52 IST

This season, Moscow Fashion Week showcased a remarkable array of styles, countries, and fashion brands, effectively encapsulating their respective regions, traditions, and cultural nuances

Samant Chauhan held significant prominence in the Indian fashion industry, while his brand had garnered international acclaim for its intricate and exquisite silk embroidery

The recently concluded Moscow Fashion Week, held in the Russian capital from March 13 to 18, reaffirmed its prominent position in shaping new global trends within the fashion industry. This esteemed international showcase consistently served as a platform for emerging brands, offering them extensive support, while also attracting renowned designers whose participation not only validated their status but also solidified their achievements within Moscow Fashion Week.

The Moscow Fashion Week program featured over 200 brands and 90 shows, presenting designers from various countries, including Russia, India, China, the USA, South Africa, Ethiopia, and more. This diversity made Moscow Fashion Week a dynamic platform for nurturing the fashion ecosystem, fostering knowledge sharing, and encouraging collaborations that propelled the industry forward. Renowned Indian designer Samant Chauhan, whose collection at Moscow Fashion Week garnered immense attention and was embraced with enthusiasm by fashion experts, aligned with this sentiment.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by FDCI (@fdciofficial)

Major fashion weeks serve as powerful platforms to gain international exposure. Through runway shows, media coverage, and industry networking, our brand can reach new audiences, establish collaborations, and strengthen its presence in the global fashion landscape. Moscow Fashion Week, in particular, allows us to engage with a dynamic market and create meaningful connections," shared Samant Chauhan.

Samant Chauhan held significant prominence in the Indian fashion industry, while his brand had garnered international acclaim for its intricate and exquisite silk embroidery. Another Indian brand, CoEK  Khadi India, made a successful debut at Moscow Fashion Week, emphasizing the quality of materials and embodying the ethos of deliberate, sustainable fashion, which held considerable significance in the rapidly evolving South Asian countries. The collective showcase of brands presented by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) emerged as a standout feature of Moscow Fashion Week.

Russian brand Grushevaya unveiled a collection titled Sepia," inspired by the look of old sepia-toned photographs. This enchanting showcase incorporated native Russian motifs, elegantly woven into billowy sleeves and dresses, along with blouses that featured distinctive draping across the chest and wide triangular cutouts at the necklines. The subdued color palettefeaturing shades of chocolate, beige, and sandy tonesconveyed a weathered charm, reminiscent of vintage albums that preserve faded memories.

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The Moscow brand Alpe Cashmere drew inspiration from the Arctic, reflecting the regions cozy flowing silhouettes and a diverse array of textures that evoked the captivating landscapes of this cold yet breathtakingly beautiful area. The brands collection integrated high-quality cashmere seamlessly with lightweight fabrics, creating an exquisite fusion. From long knitted cardigans to wool bombers and snug cashmere suits, the designs were crafted in the trendiest hues, including milk, gray, and burgundy.

This season, Moscow Fashion Week showcased a remarkable array of styles, countries, and fashion brands, effectively encapsulating their respective regions, traditions, and cultural nuances. The collections presented by Indian designers emerged as the standout feature of the event, unveiling fresh dimensions of the Indian fashion industry to a global audience and reinforcing its foothold in the international fashion landscape.

About the Author Lifestyle Desk Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More Our life needs a bit of style to get the perfect zing in the daily routine. News18 Lifestyle is one-stop destination for everything you need to know about the world of fashion, food, health, travel, relationshi... Read More

fashion, travel, The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health food , and culture  with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!

First Published: March 20, 2025, 08:52 IST
Google Doodle Marks Nowruz 2025: Celebrating The Persian New Year

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:03 IST

Google marked Nowruz 2025 with a special Doodle. Nowruz, celebrated for over 3,000 years, marks the Persian New Year and the first day of spring, symbolising renewal and hope.

Google Doodle today highlights the essence of Nowruz. (Screenshot: Google.com)

Google Doodle Today Nowruz 2025: Google today on Thursday, March 20, marked the arrival of Nowruz 2025 with a special Doodle illustrated by guest artist Pendar Yousefi. This vibrant artwork highlights the essence of Nowruz, a festival that has been celebrated for over 3,000 years, originating in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) and spreading to many regions across the world, including Central Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and even parts of South Asia and Europe.

ALSO READ: Happy Nowruz 2025 Wishes, Images And Quotes: Best Persian New Year Messages, WhatsApp Status Photos And Greetings To Share

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Nowruz, which translates to New Day in Persian, marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the Persian New Year. The festival is deeply rooted in Zoroastrian traditions, symbolising renewal, hope, and the triumph of light over darkness. It is observed by millions of people worldwide, with celebrations often lasting for 13 days.

One of the most cherished traditions of Nowruz is setting up the Haft-Sin table. This special arrangement consists of seven symbolic items, all beginning with the Persian letter S"

Sabzeh (sprouts or wheatgrass)  Symbolising rebirth and renewal

Samanu (sweet wheat pudding)  Representing strength and prosperity

Senjed (dried oleaster fruit  Signifying love and wisdom

Seer (garlic)  Representing health and protection

Seeb (apple)  Symbolizing beauty and good health

Somaq (sumac berries)  Representing the sunrise and patience

Serkeh (vinegar)  A symbol of wisdom and the passage of time

Families also include decorated eggs, representing fertility, along with mirrors, goldfish, and candles to bring light and positivity into the new year.

Traditions And Festivities

In preparation for Nowruz, families participate in spring cleaning (Khane-takani), believed to clear out negative energy and make way for fresh beginnings. Another lively tradition is Chaharshanbe Suri, the fire-jumping festival held on the last Wednesday before Nowruz.

People leap over bonfires, chanting phrases to cleanse the past years misfortunes and invite health and vitality.

The celebrations continue with visiting family and friends, exchanging gifts, and enjoying traditional foods such as Sabzi Polo ba Mahi (herbed rice with fish) and Ash Reshteh (a thick noodle soup). The festival ends with Sizdeh Bedar, a day spent outdoors to connect with nature and embrace the arrival of spring.

About Guest Artist Pendar Yousefi

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Pendar Yousefi, the artist behind todays Google Doodle, is a California-based UX designer leading the design team at Google Translate. His work focuses on breaking language barriers and creating more inclusive digital experiences. Alongside his career in UX design, Yousefi is also passionate about printmaking, illustration, and storytelling  he recently published his first childrens book.

With its deep cultural roots and joyful traditions, Nowruz continues to be a symbol of unity and renewal, bringing people together across different cultures and generations. Happy Nowruz 2025!

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 20, 2025, 08:03 IST
Nowruz 2025: When And How To Celebrate The Parsi New Year Today?

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 13:39 IST

Nowruz is widely celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and other parts of Central Asia. Around 300 million people worldwide observe this day with unique customs and traditions, symbolising renewal, hope, and prosperity

Nowruz coincides with the spring equinox, when day and night are of equal length, marking the beginning of the Persian New Year. (News18 Hindi)

Nowruz is not just a festival marking the beginning of a new year; it is a celebration of nature, rebirth, and renewal. The traditional Persian New Year, Nowruz, is being observed today, March 20, 2025. The word Nowruz means new day and is associated with the arrival of spring.

This festival is celebrated not only by Persian communities but also by many others around the world. Heres everything you need to know about Nowruz 2025 and what makes this celebration special.

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Nowruz 2025: Date and Time

Nowruz 2025 is being celebrated on March 20 at 5:01 AM (EST) and 2:31 PM (IST). The festival coincides with the spring equinox, when day and night are of equal length, marking the beginning of the Persian New Year.

Nowruz is widely celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, and other parts of Central Asia. Around 300 million people worldwide observe this day with unique customs and traditions, symbolising renewal, hope, and prosperity.

Significance

Nowruz is more than just a new year celebration; it is a cultural heritage recognised by UNESCO. It marks the beginning of the new year in the Persian calendar and highlights the deep connection between human life and nature. The festival symbolises renewal, hope, and prosperity, offering a chance to embrace new beginnings while leaving past sorrows behind. In essence, Nowruz represents the start of a fresh chapter in life.

Traditions and Customs

In preparation for Nowruz, families clean their homes in a tradition known as Khaneh Takani (house cleaning). Several customs make this day special, one of the most significant being the setting up of the Haft Sin table. This table features seven symbolic items, each beginning with the Persian letter S, representing different virtues and well-wishes for the new year.

The main items placed on the Haft Sin table include:

Apple (Seeb): Symbol of health and beauty Mustard Oil (Seer): Symbol of health and protection Water (Serkeh): Symbol of patience and wisdom Curd (Samanu): Symbol of growth and renewal Fennel (Senjed): Symbol of love and care Walnut (Somaq): Symbol of patience and perseverance Water and a goldfish in a bowl: Symbol of life and abundance

Nowruz is celebrated with traditional music, dance, games, and group activities that foster a sense of community and joy. Families and friends gather to exchange good wishes and spend time together. The festival lasts for approximately 13 days, culminating in Sizdah Bedar, a tradition observed on the 13th day, where people spend time outdoors to embrace nature and rid themselves of negativity. Traditional sweets and special dishes are also prepared, adding to the festive atmosphere.

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How to Celebrate Nowruz?

To take part in Nowruz, you can set up a Haft Sin table with your family, clean your home, and enjoy traditional Persian foods. If you know people from the Persian community, sharing this day with them is a great way to learn about their customs and traditions.

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 20, 2025, 13:39 IST
Arjun Kapoor Touches Salim Khan's Feet, Abhishek Bachchan Hugs Him At Showsha Reel Awards | Watch

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 21, 2025, 03:04 IST

Arjun, who once shared a close bond with Salman Khan, Salim Khans eldest son, sought blessings from the legendary writer post his acceptance speech.

Abhishek Bachcha, Salim Khan, Arjun Kapoor at News18 Showsha Reel Awards 2025.

The News18 Showsha Reel Awards 2025 witnessed some unforgettable moments as Bollywoods biggest stars came together to celebrate cinematic excellence. From Abhishek Bachchan finally bagging his first-ever Best Actor award to Ravi Kishans emotional win after 34 years in the industry, the night was full of memorable highlights.

One such heartwarming moment was when Arjun Kapoor touched Salim Khans feet after the veteran screenwriter was honoured with the Reel Legend Award for his invaluable contribution to Indian cinema. Arjun, who once shared a close bond with Salman Khan, Salim Khans eldest son, sought blessings from the legendary writer post his acceptance speech. Though Arjun and Salmans relationship has reportedly been strained over the years, this respectful gesture by Arjun spoke volumes.

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For the unversed, Boney Kapoor, Arjuns father, had earlier acknowledged Salmans influence on Arjuns career. In a previous interview with News18, Boney revealed, Salman took it upon himself to help Arjun lose weight and pushed him toward acting. At that time, Arjun was a very healthy child, and Salman made sure he transformed."

Boney had also mentioned that despite their fallout, Salman played a key role in shaping Arjuns acting career and introducing him to the importance of maintaining a good physique. Maybe theyre not on good terms today, but Salman gave his best for Arjuns growth," Boney added.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Bachchan was also seen greeting Salim Khan with a warm hug. The actor, who won Best Actor (Jury) for his stellar performance in I Want To Talk, was spotted exchanging pleasantries with the senior writer during the ceremony. Abhishek, who delivered an emotionally charged acceptance speech, later shared how special this win was for him as it marked his first Best Actor award in his two-decade-long career.

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: March 21, 2025, 03:04 IST
Disha Salian Death Case: Sushant Singh Rajputs Ex-Managers Father Demands Fresh Probe After 5 Years

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 10:24 IST

Nearly four years after Disha Salians death, her family has moved the Bombay High Court, demanding a fresh investigation and alleging political interference in the case.

Sushant Singh Rajput's ex-manager Disha Salians family approaches Bombay High Court, seeking a fresh probe into her 2020 death.

Almost four years after the tragic death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, her family has approached the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh investigation into the case. Disha died on June 8, 2020, after allegedly falling from the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad, Mumbai. At the time, Mumbai Police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR), concluding no foul play. However, her family is now questioning the earlier probes credibility.

According to news agency PTI, Dishas father, Satish Salian, has filed a petition urging the court to order the registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. The plea further seeks the transfer of the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging a politically motivated cover-up in the case.

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Satish Salians lawyer, Nilesh Ojha, confirmed they are in the process of filing the petition and will have it numbered at the High Court registry soon. The petition claims that Disha was raped and murdered, and alleges that the Mumbai Police prematurely closed the case without thoroughly examining key forensic evidence, circumstantial details, or eyewitness testimonies. The family initially believed the investigation was genuine but now suspects political interference shielded influential individuals.

Reacting to the development, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Kishori Pednekar expressed skepticism about the timing of the plea. How come this matter is being revived after more than four years? Someone is behind itthere is clearly a conspiracy. The CID had already conducted an inquiry, and an SIT was formed to probe it," Pednekar stated.

Dishas death has long been linked, in public discourse, to Sushant Singh Rajputs death, which occurred six days later on June 14, 2020. While Sushants case was handed over to the CBI, Dishas case was not. With fresh allegations now surfacing, the case once again finds itself under intense public and legal scrutiny.

About the Author Yatamanyu Narain Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More Yatamanyu Narain is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for all things entertainment. Whether he's breaking the latest Bollywood news or chatting with rising stars in the OTT world, hes always on the hun... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 10:19 IST
Kim Soo Hyuns Agency Investigating Circumstances Surrounding Kim Sae Rons Death

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:12 IST

Kim Soo Hyuns agency, which also formerly represented Kim Sae Ron, is actively gathering information to shed light on her struggles before her death.

Kim Sae Ron passed away in February 2025. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

South Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun has been at the centre of a massive controversy following the untimely demise of actress Kim Sae Ron and the shocking revelations made by the latters aunt. Following the immense backlash and outrage, a new update by Korean media has revealed that the Queen of Tears actors agency, Gold Medalist, is trying to piece together the circumstances which led to Kim Sae Rons tragic death.

According to industry insiders, the company, which was also the late actress former agency, is trying their best to gather information and data that could shed light on the struggles of Sae Ron before her death. Gold Medalist is doing this to challenge the notion that the financial burden related to her debt repayment to the agency was the sole reason behind her death. Additionally, the agency is trying to meet with her work acquaintances and persuade them to hold a press conference.

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It appears that Gold Medalist has been checking up on certain materials and data through various channels over the past few months leading up to Kim Sae Rons death, which could provide insight into her schedule and state of mind," said an insider, as quoted by Koreaboo.

The source further added, I also understand that they have met several people who supported this information, and they are currently persuading one or two key individuals to come forward for interviews or a press conference."

Gold Medalist is trying its best to control damage on various fronts. They are reportedly engaging on three fronts to handle the crisis. Firstly, the company has appointed a law firm to oversee legal reviews. Next, they have dedicated a management team to monitor media and advertisements.

Lastly, Gold Medalist has set up a crisis management unit comprising internal and external experts, which is actively meeting with Sae Rons acquaintances and former agency officials to backtrack the steps that led to her untimely death. This step by the company comes after Kim Soo Hyun faced several repercussions due to the controversy, from losing major brand deals to uncertainty about his future projects.

The Its Okay to Not Be Okay actor was removed as a brand ambassador for the global luxury brand Prada. The controversy also resulted in the removal of his advertisements for Eider and the vegan beauty company Dinto, as well as the bakery chain Tous les Jours, also distanced them from Soo Hyun. On the other hand, his upcoming K-drama Knock-Off is likely to get cancelled.

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 12:12 IST
Kim Soo-hyuns May Lose Millions If His Taiwan Event Gets Cancelled

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:04 IST

Before the issue surfaced online, Kim Soo-hyun was confirmed to attend the 2025 Sakura Festival in Taiwan, along with a fan meeting on March 30.

After Kim Sae-rons tragic passing, her aunt blamed Kim Soo-hyun for her death. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Kim Soo-hyun is at the center of a controversy related to his connection with the late Kim Sae-ron. Before the issue surfaced online, the Queen of Tears star was confirmed to attend the 2025 Sakura Festival in Taiwan, along with a fan meeting where lucky fans had already been selected for a meet and greet. Due to the ongoing scandal, the event is now at the risk of being cancelled. As of now, the festival is still scheduled to go ahead, but if Kim Soo-hyuns appearance gets cancelled for some reason, reports suggest that he could face a hefty penalty of around 30 million New Taiwan dollars (approximately Rs 7 crore).

A representative of the event told local media ET Today, We are currently proceeding with the event under the original contract. If there are any changes in the future, we will respond immediately and handle them appropriately considering the rights and interests of consumers."

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Kim Soo-hyun, along with top stars from Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong, is set to attend the Kaohsiung Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of this month. Hes expected to attend for around 40 minutes on the final day, March 30, which is considered the festivals main highlight. However, with recent controversy surrounding him, there are concerns about whether his appearance will proceed as planned. Fans are eagerly waiting for further updates on the event.

Similarly, Kim Soo-hyuns participation in G-Dragons Good Day was also uncertain last week due to the controversy. However, he ended up filming for the show, but only for a limited time instead of shooting for the entire episode.

After Kim Sae-rons tragic passing in February, her aunt blamed Kim Soo-hyun for her death. She also claimed that he dated the actress when she was just 15, while the actor was 27-years-old. In response, his agency, GOLD MEDALIST stated that Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron were in a relationship, starting from 2019, after she became a legal adult. The agency denied the claim that he was involved with her when she was a minor.

About the Author Shrishti Negi Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More Shrishti Negi is a journalist with over eight years of experience in the media industry. She leads the Entertainment desk at News18.com. She writes breaking news stories, generates feature ideas, edits copies, ... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 12:04 IST
Rachel Zegler Hopes To Find A Sister In Hollywood Despite The Competition

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:43 IST

Snow White star Rachel Zegler believes that women in Hollywood should not view each other as competitors.

Rachel Zegler is set to share the screen with Gal Gadot in Snow White. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

Rachel Zegler, set to play Snow White in Disneys live-action remake, recently opened up about the challenges of forming genuine friendships in Hollywood. In a candid interview, she expressed her hope of finding a sister" in the industry, emphasising that women should uplift each other rather than view one another as competition. While she continues her search for meaningful connections, Zegler shared that she has received support from several women in the industry, including Jameela Jamil, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Ariana Grande.

Speaking with Allure, the actress said, All Im ever really looking for in this business is a sister and theyre not always easy to find. Were often told that other women have to be your competition and I dont subscribe to that. I really do believe in championing your friends and championing your coworkers, whether youre close with them or not."

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So the second that theres any intimidation or competition, just put on Girl, so confusing by Charli XCX and talk it out. Ive come to know that in the last couple of years, in search of female friendship in the industry, there is room for all of us no matter what anybody else will have you think," Rachel Zegler added.

She has found support from several women in the industry. She considers Jameela Jamil like a big sister and admires her confidence. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, her co-stars from Shazam: Fury of the Gods, have also been there for her, and made her feel safe and supported. Ariana Grande reached out to her unexpectedly and offered help if needed. Zegler appreciates Arianas kindness and respects how she has stayed strong despite facing many challenges.

Rachel Zeglers recent comments come amid rumours about tension between her and Snow White co-star, Gal Gadot, due to their differing political views. According to People, the two actresses are very different from each other. The source also mentioned that Gadot is frustrated by the controversy surrounding the film. While she enjoyed working on the project, her relationship with Zegler was strictly professional and they did not form a friendship.

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 20, 2025, 15:43 IST
Shah Rukh Khan Was 'Shooed Away' From Mannat During Yes Boss Shoot, Said 'Kharid Loon Kya?'

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 10:40 IST

Shah Rukh Khan joked about buying Mannat during the early days of his career.

Shah Rukh Khan to move out of Mannat.

Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khans Mumbai home, Mannat, is reportedly about to become grander. As per reports, Mannat is likely to get two new floors added to its tall frame. Mannat is an iconic landmark and tourist spot in Mumbai. It is an extravagant bungalow with a net worth of Rs 200 crore. Amid this, choreographer Ahmad Khan recalled how SRK joked about buying Mannat during the shoot of Yes Boss.

In a chat with Lehren Retro, Ahmed recalled, We were shooting Chand Taare outside Mannat and the watchman shooed us away. Theres a shot of a Parsi couple driving and Shah Rukh jumps on the car. We took that shot and the watchman shooed us."

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Shah Rukh jokingly said, Khareed lu kya? Fir shot lenge. (Shall I buy it? Well able to shoot then.) He told the entire unit, Yeh khareed lu kya? (Shall I buy it?) It wasnt called Mannat then. He said let me buy this and then we will be able to do our shot. He said it jokingly but his words came true. And he bought that place," Ahmed shared.

Reports suggest that in May, SRK and his family will temporarily move out to a property in Bandra for nearly 3 years while the construction takes place. Shah Rukh Khan has been living in the palatial Mannat for more than 20 years now, and his move to an apartment complex means that the superstar will likely have neighbors for the first time in two decades. Shah Rukh Khan has rented two luxurious duplex apartments in Puja Casa in Bandras Pali Hill on a three-year lease.

These properties belong to Vashu Bhagnani, with one apartment owned by Jackky Bhagnani and Deepshikha Deshmukh, leased to Shah Rukh for Rs 11.54 lakh per month, alongside a security deposit of Rs 32.97 lakh. The second apartment, owned by producer Vashu Bhagnani, is rented at Rs 12.61 lakh per month, requiring a Rs 36 lakh deposit.

This move comes shortly after Gauri Khan applied for permission from the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) to expand their iconic home, Mannat. The proposal aims to add two more floors to the six-storey annexe, increasing its built-up area by 616.02 square meters.

About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More Kashvi Raj Singh is a News Trainee at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentary in lon... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 10:40 IST
Global Watch | How Pakistan Deep State Targeted Afghan Taliban, And It Is Payback Time Now

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:09 IST

Bilateral relations between the Pakistani establishment and the Afghan Taliban have rapidly deteriorated in recent years, primarily due to Islamabads accusations that Kabul shelters the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

People inspect damage, at the site of a suicide bomber attack, on the day of Friday prayers, at an Islamic seminary in Akora Khattak, Pakistan February 28, 2025. (Reuters)

In the wake of the Jaffar Express hijack incident, which was a huge embarrassment for the Pakistani establishment, and a rise in attacks on Pakistani security forces in both Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan has been trying to project itself as a victim of terrorist groups backed by the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. But the fact is that it is Pakistans deep state that has targeted Afghanistan, leading to the payback from the latter.

On 28 February 2025, Pakistan witnessed a further demonstration of its ongoing struggle with terrorism, as a suicide bombing resulted in six fatalities and left 20 others injured. What sets this attack apart, however, is its location and the targeted individual, within the broader context of insurgent violence and Pakistans regional policy stance. The suicide bombing targeted Maulana Hamidul Haq, the Vice Chancellor and leader of Jamia Darul Uloom Haqqania, who was killed in the attack. The lack of an immediate claim of responsibility from any terrorist or sectarian group has prompted speculation about the potential involvement of Pakistans deep state. This becomes particularly significant in light of the growing rift between the Pakistani establishment and the Afghan Taliban.

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However, why would such speculation regarding the possible involvement of Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in this high-profile assassination arise in the first place? The conjecture is rooted in the long-standing and historically symbiotic relationship between Darul Uloom Haqqania and the jihadist networks that have supported Pakistans strategic depth doctrine since the 1980s. The ideological and operational links of the Haq family, particularly in nurturing terrorist networks, can be traced back to the Afghan jihad against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, during which Pakistan, under President General Zia-ul-Haq, took on the role of the principal architect of an anti-communist insurgency framed within the rhetoric of jihad.

Founded in 1974 by Maulana Abdul Haq in Akora Khattak, a town in Pakistans north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Darul Uloom Haqqania adheres to the Hanafi-Deobandi school of thought, which enjoys substantial support among the Pashtun population across the Durand Line. During the 1980s, the seminary became a prominent hub for the religious indoctrination of Afghan refugees as well as hundreds of foreign terrorists, aligning closely with Pakistans geostrategic objective of fostering and weaponising jihadist proxies. The institutions crucial role in sustaining this terrorist network led to its reputation as the University of Jihad. This role continued well after the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, as Pakistan redirected its battle-hardened terrorist assets to other insurgency theatres, most notably Kashmir, to combat India.

The seminarys alumni include some of the most prominent terrorist figures, such as key leaders of the Afghan Taliban, including Amir Khan Muttaqi, Abdul Latif Mansoor, Maulvi Ahmad Jan, Mullah Jalaluddin Haqqani, Maulvi Qalamuddin, Arifullah Arif, Mullah Khairullah Khairkhwa, and Zabiullah Mujahid, among others. Of particular importance is the seminarys profound ideological and operational influence on the Haqqani Network, one of the most powerful factions within the Afghan Taliban. The current leadership, headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, who serves as the Interior Minister of the Afghan Taliban government and one of the three deputies to its Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada since the group regained power in August 2021, was raised within the influence of this seminary. This ongoing pattern of jihadist support, deeply ingrained within Pakistans security strategy, makes the growing rifts between the Pakistani establishment and the Taliban movement a crucial lens through which the targeted assassination of Maulana Hamidul Haq should be examined.

It is worth noting that Hamidul Haq, a former parliamentarian and current leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S) political faction, assumed leadership of the family-run Darul Uloom Haqqania in 2018 following the assassination of his father, Maulana Sami-Ul-Haq. The elder Haq, a prominent jihadi ideologue, influential religious figure, and political leader who had served in Pakistans parliament, was fatally stabbed at his residence in Bahria Town, Rawalpindia high-security area housing the Pakistan Armys headquarters and other critical defence infrastructure. Sami-Ul-Haq was instrumental in the ideological radicalisation of Darul Uloom Haqqania and its role as a breeding ground for jihadist militancy; he was often referred to as the Father of the Taliban".

Remarkably, the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear, even years later, as Pakistani investigative authorities have been unable to identify the perpetrators or establish responsibility. This notable lack of progress has sparked speculation about the potential involvement of state-aligned actors, considering Sami-ul-Haqs undeniable role as a crucial intermediary between the Pakistani establishment and the jihadist network, particularly in relation to the Afghan Taliban.

In addition to taking over the leadership of Jamia Haqqania, Hamidul Haq also inherited his fathers politico-religious roles, establishing himself as a pivotal intermediary in Pakistans intricate dealings with the Afghan Taliban. In this role, he led a delegation of Pakistani religious scholars in high-level discussions with the Taliban leadership in February 2024, ostensibly to address the mistrust" amid the rising geopolitical tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Bilateral relations between the Pakistani establishment and the Afghan Taliban have rapidly deteriorated in recent years, primarily due to Islamabads accusations that Kabul shelters the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a Pakistani terror group ideologically aligned with the Taliban that has carried out numerous high-casualty attacks on Pakistans security forces. Against the backdrop of a resurgent insurgency spanning from Balochistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistani state has adopted an increasingly aggressive stance towards Afghanistan, exemplified by recent cross-border airstrikes, an interventionist action strongly condemned by both the Taliban regime and their Pakistani sympathisers. In contrast to Islamabads coercive military approach, Jamia Haqqania has denounced the securitisation of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, instead advocating for diplomatic rapprochement and conflict de-escalation.

As hostilities between the Pakistani establishment and the Afghan Taliban intensified, figures such as Maulana Hamidul Haq strongly condemned Islamabads coercive actions. In his final Friday sermon before his assassination, he delivered a direct condemnation of the Pakistani military and its intelligence agencies, accusing them of orchestrating a coordinated disinformation campaign against the Taliban. As demonstrated in widely circulated footage, he addressed his congregation of thousands with steadfast defiance, declaring: We do not fear martyrdom. We are fully aware of your malicious intentions against us. If Hamid is martyred, he will regard it as a great honour before Allah and His Prophet (PBUH)." He further issued a scathing critique of the Pakistani state, stating: I will never forgive the blood of our children shed by the Pakistani Army and its intelligence agenciesjust as I will never forgive the assassination of Maulana Samiul Haq."

The provocative nature of these statements, made just moments before his assassination, lends support to the theory that his killing may have been an inside job orchestrated by elements within the Pakistani military establishment, possibly intended as a coercive tactic to apply pressure on the Taliban and force strategic compliance. This hypothesis has been implicitly supported by the Afghan Talibans official condemnation of Hamidul Haqs assassination. Their statement suggests that the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), which has become a significant security threat to the Talibans interim government, seemed to have been used as a proxy by Pakistans security apparatus to carry out the suicide attack.

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In this context, by orchestrating such an attack, Islamabad may have aimed to destabilise and demoralise the Taliban movement, further exacerbating the already precarious dynamics that characterise Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. This incident also highlights how the Pakistani military establishment has strategically utilised religious institutions and figures to serve its broader regional objectives.

The writer is an author and a columnist. His X handle is @ArunAnandLive. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 20, 2025, 18:09 IST
Opinion | Congress Empty Coffers and Emptier Promises

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 19, 2025, 16:09 IST

The Congress, strapped for cash, has seemingly forgotten its loyal staff amidst the flurry of its headquarters move. These workers, some of whom have served the party faithfully for decades, are now left wondering what will become of them  no word on jobs, no promises kept

AICC karamcharis see Rahul Gandhi as a sensitive person with a strong ethical compass, inclined to support their cause. (AP Photo)

Every time visuals of Rahul Gandhi interacting with coolies, cobblers, truck drivers, vegetable vendors, and others are broadcast across TV channels and social media, scores of karamcharis [secretarial staff] at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters at 24, Akbar Road watch with interest, enthusiasm, and a lingering question on their lips: Rahul ji hamare paas kab aayenge?" [When will Rahul Gandhi pay a visit to them?]

Over 100 AICC staffersfull-timers, re-employed personnel, and temporary workersare facing an uncertain future following the Indian National Congresss decision to shift its headquarters from 24, Akbar Road to Indira Bhawan, Kotla Marg, New Delhi. While party officials, ranging from AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to numerous general secretaries, secretaries, and departmental heads, have moved a mere 4.4 kilometres from Akbar Road to Kotla Marg, a significant psychological detachment has emerged between the top leadership and the workforce that has served the party since January 1978.

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These karamcharis, who performed clerical duties and were attached to various AICC functionaries, offices, and departments, have not been asked to report to work at the new Indira Bhawan premises since 15 January 2025. There is no sign of a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS), golden handshake, or any monetary compensation.

Some of these karamcharis, having worked with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Sitaram Kesri, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, sense that the grand old party, facing a severe financial crisis, has little or nothing to offer them. They fear being left completely high and dry. The lack of communication has only deepened their anxiety. The Congress leadership, otherwise known for its attentiveness and care towards them, remains unavailable for any serious discussion or structured dialogue.

Against this backdrop, their expectations of Rahul Gandhi are somewhat paradoxical. Some secretarial staff, having blind faith in the Gandhi trio of Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka, believe that the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha will take up their cause and fight for their rights. AICC karamcharis see Rahul as a sensitive person with a strong ethical compass, inclined to support their cause.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a veteran AICC karamchari said, Rahul ji has always been attentive to the plight of daily wage earners, farmers, industrial workers, truck drivers, and cobblers. He will certainly secure us a good deal. He and his family recognise our modest contribution to the Congress since 1978, when the party was out of power and faced similar uncertainty."

According to informed sources, beyond the ambiguity surrounding their jobs and work profiles, AICC karamcharis are also set to lose their houses and residential quarters once 24, Akbar Road is handed back to the Union Urban Development Ministry.

24, Akbar Road, essentially a Type VIII bungalow in Edwin Lutyens Delhi, currently has numerous outhouses and low-roof structures that house party karamcharis and their families. Each of these homes is now equipped with an electricity meter, a satellite dish, a refrigerator, and either an air-conditioner or an air cooler. Most of these constructions were unauthorised from the outset, but successive political regimes turned a blind eye. In fact, each time the Congress-ruled Delhi, the urban development or housing minister would make a point of proving their loyalty by bending and flouting rules further, allowing 24, Akbar Road to expand from within.

The AICCs secretarial staff has witnessed many highs and lows. When Digvijaya Singh returned to power in 1998 as Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, he gifted an expensive dinner set to every AICC karamchari. Each time the son or daughter of an AICC karamchari got married, Sonia Gandhi would generously gift expensive sarees from her own collection of handloom and silk. The vast lawn of 24, Akbar Road was also offered to them free of charge to host wedding receptions.

Most of these AICC karamcharis have countless tales and anecdotes to share, having worked closely with Indira, Sanjay, Rajiv, Sonia, and Rahul Gandhi, as well as Narasimha Rao, Sitaram Kesri, and stalwarts such as Ahmed Patel, Jitendra Prasada, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mohsina Kidwai, Ambika Soni, Pranab Mukherjee, Dr Karan Singh, Natwar Singh, Manmohan Singh, Motilal Vora, and Madhavrao Scindia. Some recall how one of their colleagues, Shoban Singh (now deceased), was the first to enter 24, Akbar Road when the bungalow was converted into the party headquarters on 1 January 1978.

A. R. Antulay, Buta Singh, A. P. Singh, B. P. Maurya, and treasurer Pranab Mukherjee converted the largest room, which had previously served as a living and dining hall, into the Congress presidents office. A cane chair and a small table were arranged, but the walls remained bare. There was no carpetnot even a doormat. Buta Singh took over one of the bedrooms and began conducting interviews for office staff.

Shoban Singh, who by 2009 had completed 52 years of uninterrupted service with the Congress, once recalled, Buta Singhji said the party was not in a position to pay me the salary of eight hundred rupees a month that I had been receiving. I said I would work without a salary."

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In March 2025, AICC karamcharis lament that so far, nobody has come forward to inform them that the party has little to offer. Some remain hopeful for a VRS, while others believe that no file at the new party office can move without them!

The author is a Visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. A well-known political analyst, he has written several books, including 24 Akbar Road and Sonia: A Biography. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

About the Author Rasheed Kidwai Rasheed Kidwai is a journalist, author, columnist and political analyst. He is a visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). Formerly, Associate Editor of The Telegraph, Kidwai tracks government,... Read More Rasheed Kidwai is a journalist, author, columnist and political analyst. He is a visiting Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF). Formerly, Associate Editor of The Telegraph, Kidwai tracks government,... Read More

First Published: March 19, 2025, 16:09 IST
Opinion | Delimitation Drama: DMK Exploits, Congress Obfuscates

Written By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:36 IST

DMK cries foul on delimitation, exploiting anxieties despite BJP assurances, while Congress adds fuel to the fire with blatant hypocrisy. A cynical power play is unfolding, raising suspicions: is this about genuine concern for the South or just pre-election manoeuvring?

DMK MPs wearing t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan - Fair Delimitation, Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win - protest during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, March 20, 2025. (PTI Photo)

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) meeting, scheduled to be organised by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on 22 March to discuss the issue of delimitation of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, seems like a divided house of hypocrisy. Two things stand out markedlythe Congress partys bizarre duplicitous stand and the DMKs conspicuous timing in raising the issue of delimitation.

With invitations extended to seven Chief Ministers and 29 political parties, the core agenda of the JAC is to oppose delimitation based on population, arguing that it would deny the Southern states their rights and punish them for effectively controlling population growth. In the context of delimitation, nothing could contradict the JACs position more than Rahul Gandhis vehement advocacy of Jitni Abadi, Utna Haqrights proportional to population.

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Slamming this refrain of Rahul Gandhi as discriminatory, PM Modi had forewarned in October 2023 that the Congress was cheating the Southern states and doing them a disservice, as it did not want more parliamentary seats to be allocated to them after delimitation.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge recently remarked that population-based delimitation amounts to social injustice for the people of the South. Rahul Gandhi and the Congress partys mutually conflicting stance is shocking and exposes their politics of opportunism. This JAC would be a befitting forum for the DMK and other parties to question this blatant contradiction within the Congress.

Rahul Gandhi proclaims Daro Matdo not fear. The DMK should not hesitate to ask him to categorically clarify his stance on rights proportional to population in the context of delimitation.

During the Emergency in 1976, the Congress government, through the 42nd Amendment to the Constitution, froze the number of Lok Sabha seats and deferred delimitation for 25 years until the 2001 Census, citing family planning policies. Subsequently, in 2002, the Vajpayee-led NDA government, of which the DMK was a part, passed the 84th Constitutional Amendment, further freezing the number of Lok Sabha seats and postponing delimitation until the first Census conducted after 2026.

With the Caste Census set to begin only after 2026, the DMKs sudden attempt to stoke fears of delimitationframing it within a contentious north-south narrativeappears politically motivated, particularly with elections due in Tamil Nadu next year.

With reference to population control and delimitation, senior DMK minister Duraimurugans denigrating remark about North Indiansthose people give birth to 10 children like pigs do"was reprehensible. Such divisive narratives for political gain weaken cooperative federalism.

Immediately after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin began brandishing the paper sword of delimitation, claiming the denial of rights to Southern states, Home Minister Amit Shah unequivocally stated in the Lok Sabha that under the Modi-led government, not a single seat from any Southern state would be reduced after delimitation on a pro-rata basis. He reaffirmed that Prime Minister Modi would safeguard the interests of the Southern states, ensuring they benefit from an increase in seats accordingly.

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The Central government addressing the genuine apprehensions of state governments aligns with the true spirit of cooperative federalism. However, rabble-rousing through false strawman arguments and fabricating fictitious north-south fault lines for political gain promotes divisive federalism.

C.R. Kesavan is a National Spokesperson of the BJP. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views.

First Published: March 20, 2025, 14:36 IST
Father's Demand For Probe Into Sushant Singhs Ex-Manager Disha Salians Death Sparks Row

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:23 IST

Disha Salian death case: Satish, father of Disha Salian, said he moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the mysterious circumstances under which his daughter was found dead in June 2020

Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad.

Demand for a fresh probe into the death of Disha Salian, former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has stirred a political row in Maharashtra, close to five years after she died after falling off a high-rise building.

Disha Salians father, Satish, has questioned the cause of death in a TV interview and is believed to have approached the Bombay High Court for an investigation into the sensitive case. This development has prompted authorities to increase security outside his residence and drawn a flurry of reactions from leaders across party lines. While Maharashtra ministers said the guilty should be punished, the Shiv Sena (UBT) maintained that it was an attempt to shift focus from the recent violence in Nagpur, where clashes between two groups erupted earlier this week.

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According to news agency PTI, Satish Salian said on Wednesday he moved the Bombay High Court for a probe into the circumstances under which his daughter was found dead in June 2020. The petition, he said, urged a First Information Report against (FIR) Aaditya Thackeraythe son of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, and transfer of the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). His lawyer Nilesh Ojha, however, said they were still in the process of filing the petition. At the time of the filing of this report.

News18 couldnt independently verify if the petition had already been filed.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) questioned the timing of the probe demand and claimed that it was an attempt to shift focus from the events in Nagpur, where stone-pelters ran amok on March 17 after a protest against the tomb of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and amid rumours of the desecration of a holy book.

We dont know what is there in their petition, but the timing of the petition is crucial. It seems some power is behind the petitioner, and its an attempt to sideline the Aurangzeb issue and Nagpur violence issue by focusing on Disha Salian case," party leader Sanjay Raut said.

Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad said, The CID report shows that there isnt a political angle in this case. The police do not have solid proof of murder or rape in this case. I request all political parties not to indulge in such dirty politics."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said, I think this matter has gone to the court. We have no idea what he (Dishas father) has said, but Aaditya Thackeray is a mature leader, a young leader. The Bharatiya Janata Party is conspiring to defame him by putting pressure on him. We dont need to answer to this conspiracy. The court will answer."

Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister Sanjay Shirsat said, Her death was suspicious. Today, her father has openly spoken. He has now approached the High Court. Those found guilty in this case will be sent to jail."

Yogesh Kadam, Maharashtras junior home minister, said: The honourable courts order will be followed."

Rohit Pawar, a legislator from the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar and an ally of the Shiv Sena-UBT, said: If a person has tried to seek justice for his daughter or woman, we wish they get justice. But what really happened should be known. She died four years ago. The BJP (ruling Bharatiya Janata Party) is doing politics. Politics was done on Sushant Singh Rajput in Bihar for elections. What happened to the special probe team that was formed should also be told."

Former state home minister and Rohit Pawars party colleague, Anil Deshmukh, said: I am taking information on the plea filed by Disha Salinas father. All this now looks like a part of a conspiracy."

Dishas Death

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Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after what is known to be a fall off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. The city police had then registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. Within a week, Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14, 2020. While the city police initially said it was a case of suicide, the case was handed over to the CBI later.

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 20, 2025, 11:02 IST
DJs, LED-Lit Lord Ram Idols, Processions: Sangh Groups Prepare For Grand Ram Navami In Bengal Before 2026 Polls

Reported By :

News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:01 IST

Adding to its significance, April 6 also marks the foundation day of the BJP, commemorating the birth of the party in 1980, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee assuming the mantle of its first President.

Devotees during a procession on the occasion of the 'Ram Navami' festival at Ranaghat, in Nadia district of West Bengal in April, last year. (Image: PTI)

April 6 of this year holds significant weight in the realm of West Bengal politics. As the last Ram Navami celebration before the states upcoming elections in 2026, it serves as a crucial stage for the intense political battle between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the primary opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Adding to its significance, April 6 also marks the foundation day of the BJP, commemorating the birth of the party in 1980, with Atal Bihari Vajpayee assuming the mantle of its first President. This confluence of events has amplified the importance of April 6, prompting extensive preparations to orchestrate the grandest Ram Navami celebration West Bengal has ever witnessed.

Interestingly, while the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has never spearheaded Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal, its key affiliates, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal, and Durga Bahini, have played a pivotal role in driving numerous successful Ram Navami events across the state in recent years. Their impactful celebrations even prompted the TMC to follow suit.

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However, this year marks a departure from tradition, as these Sangh affiliates have been advised to take a step back. This strategic move stems from the desire to avoid the perception of Ram Navami being managed by a select group. Drawing inspiration from the success of the G-20 summit, which witnessed substantial societal participation, the directive encourages a broader, more inclusive approach. The aim is to foster wider mass participation, transcending caste and political affiliations, reflecting the growing discourse surrounding Hindu unity.

In the absence of direct leadership from Sangh outfits, volunteers affiliated with the saffron ecosystem have taken the initiative, forming umbrella organisations like the Jai Shri Ram Committee and Ram Navami Udjapan Samiti to steer the celebrations. However, the lack of top-down directives has resulted in a degree of ambiguity regarding the celebrations direction.

DJ, LORD RAM IDOL WITH LED, RATHS ET AL

Within Kolkata, known for its sophisticated urban populace, many of whom are yet to fully embrace the annual religious extravaganza, the celebrations are poised to be grand yet restrained. The city will resonate with the sounds of open cymbals and the iconic Dhak drum, an indispensable element of Durga Puja festivities. Long processions will wind through the city, led by individuals adorned in saffron, with saffron flags fluttering prominently.

Venturing beyond Kolkatas boundaries reveals a different picture, where Ram Navami celebrations are being planned with unprecedented zeal. Organisers report an overwhelming demand for multiple DJs across major subdivisions, particularly in areas like Barasat, Kharagpur, and Birbhum. This surge in enthusiasm has sparked a sense of competition, with organisers vying to outdo each other in terms of procession length and grandeur.

The preparations extend beyond just music, with plans to illuminate roads leading up to the event and incorporate LED-lit idols of Lord Ram into the processions. Some organisers are opting for traditional chariots, from which flower petals will be showered upon the crowds.

HINDU UNITY AHEAD OF BENGAL POLL?

This years Ram Navami arrives at a sensitive juncture in West Bengals political landscape. The BJP has alleged a series of temple desecrations, a claim vehemently denied by the ruling TMC. Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees comparison between Maha Kumbh and Mrityu Kumbh further fueled the fire, prompting the Bengal BJP to accuse her government of appeasement. With an estimated 20,000 Ram Navami events anticipated across Bengal, according to Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, the BJP aims to leverage the occasion to propagate a message of Hindu Unity in the lead-up to next years assembly elections.

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However, Trinamool Congresss Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay, views these developments as a calculated attempt at polarisation. When there is failure everywhere, a party does not have anything else, they play the religion card. BJP is now playing the religion card and resorting to religious polarisation. We have grown up here and never seen such hue and cry over Ram Navami," Chattopadhyay said.

Suvendu Adhikari, on the other hand, remains resolute in his objective: to generate a saffron wave this Ram Navami, a perceived necessity for the BJPs path to victory in the 2026 elections. The situation in the state will be similar to that of Bangladesh if Mamata Banerjee remains in power. The days of her rule are numbered. Hindus will not accept her blatant appeasement of one community and attempts to crush Ram Navami celebrations anymore," Adhikari said.

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 20, 2025, 12:01 IST
Honey Trap Allegations Rock Karnataka, Here's What Makes Political Chronology Interesting

Reported By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 28, 2025, 15:55 IST

Senior Congress leader KN Rajanna alleged a honey trap attempt during the Karnataka Assembly session. BJP MLA Yatnal called for an investigation. A high-level probe is assured.

Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna. (File photo/PTI)

The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday was rocked by serious allegations made by senior Congress leader and cabinet minister KN Rajanna, who claimed to have been targeted in a honey trap attempt.

The accusations came during the budget session when BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal alleged that someone was trying to trap State Cooperation Minister Rajanna in a honey trap.

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In the past two days, News18 Kannada had exclusively reported on the honey trap attempt on the senior minister from Tumkuru, although the name of the minister was withheld due to the sensitivity of the issue. However, during a media interaction, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi confirmed the allegations.

Its true that someone is trying attempted honey trap on Minister KN Rajanna and I have suggested him to bring it to Home Minister notice for further action," Jarkiholi said.

The case took a interesting turn when Yatnal raised the issue during the session. Yatnal named Rajanna specifically and called for an investigation into the matter, requesting Speaker UT Khaders intervention. Karnataka is good cultured developed state. But, according to few media reports honey trap on cooperative minister attempted. I request home minister and Chief minister to investigate the matter," the BJP MLA stated.

Shocking Revelations By Rajanna

Following Yatnals remarks, Rajanna took the floor to give a detailed response, revealing some shocking information about the honey trap industry. He said, Karnataka has become a factory for pen drives and CDs. Im not the only one saying this; people are murmuring about it. Ive been informed that 48 people have been affected by this."

There are many leaders who have brought stay order from court to not publish it. Those guys are sitting this side and that side also," he stated, referring to leaders from both the ruling and opposition parties.

Rajanna further claimed that this issue extended beyond the state level. This is not limited to our state alone. This includes pen drives of many national-level party leaders. In this regard I request to the Home Minister that, I will file a written complaint. Based on that complaint, he should get an investigation done."

Calls For Transparency

Rajanna demanded a deeper investigation and urged the authorities to reveal the names of those involved in the honey trap operations. Who are the producers? Who are the directors? Let all this come out in public. Who are the actors? Let everyone know," he stated.

The senior Congress leader also mentioned that there were 48 pen drives in total, revealing, Not only at the state level but also at the national level, there are leaders of all the parties. This is a plague. Everyone in the public arena should be respected. In that regard, I am urging the Home Minister, I will file a written complaint, and on that basis, he should get an investigation done."

Rajanna further expressed his empathy towards the family of HD Revanna, stating, Its a shame that Revannas family have all come under attack. Now I have evidence that they have attempted to honey trap me too. In this regard, I demand that the Home Minister conduct a special investigation and reveal all the details of who they are."

State Home Minister Assures High-Level Probe

Both ruling and opposition party members showed their support for Rajanna and called for an investigation. In response, Karnataka Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar assured the assembly that a high-level investigation would be carried out once Rajanna files a written complaint.

He stated, We have to put full stop to it. Karnataka legislature have great respect in the country. Even My father was a member of upper house. Many great personalities had been members of this house. They have given great contribution. To keep pride of the house we have to finish this menace. Now Rajanna said that he will give written complaint. Once we receive the complaint, I will order for the high-level investigation."

Rajannas Son Also Allegedly Targeted

Meanwhile, Rajannas son, Rajendra, who is a Member of the Legislative Council, spoke exclusively to News18 about his own experiences with honey trap attempts. Its not just my father, even there are numerous attempts happening to trap me. In the last 6 months some trying to honey trap me. I am getting messages, video calls continuously. I will also give complaint," he stated.

I dont know whether our party people or opposition people doing it. But whats happening is not good for the politics. Thorough investigation should be done" Rajendra added.

Why Chronology Matters?

According to sources, the honey trap allegations made by the minister and his son seem credible, but the timing of Rajannas decision to bring the issue to light during the session raises suspicions.

As many sense that all is not well within the ruling party in the state, these developments have only strengthened suspicions of an ongoing power struggle. Rajanna is known to be a staunch supporter of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Recently, he also faced corruption charges in the MUDA case.

Another interesting aspect is that, even before Rajanna spoke in the session, Siddaramaiah supporter and influential minister Satish Jarkiholi had already spoken about the honey trap case and suggested that Rajanna file a complaint.

Interestingly, during the previous BJP government, Satish Jarkiholis brother, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was a minister at the time, also resigned following allegations of a honey trap and sexual assault case.

Even in the house, Rajanna did not raise the issue voluntarily. As the discussion on the budget was underway, BJP MLA Yatnal brought up the matter at the end of his speech. Currently, in Karnataka, rebel MLA Yatnal often receives support from Ramesh Jarkiholi.

Is There A Political Agenda?

The public disclosure of the honey trap issue has raised several questions: Who is the enemy? Or rather, who is the common enemy? Who is behind the honey trap? What do they stand to gain? Why target Rajanna? And why did he bring this issue to public attention in the session, especially in the absence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah?

In the last decade, Karnataka politics has been marred by corruption charges, sex scandals, Operation Kamala, Operation Hasta, and more. However, honey trapping for political gain marks a new low. The people of Karnataka are calling for an end to this. Now is the time for action.

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Even as State Home Minister Dr G Parameshwar promised a high-level investigation, the question remains: Will the truth come out? Will the culprits face the punishment they deserve? The entire state of Karnataka is waiting for the outcome.

ALSO READ: Karnataka Minister Alleges 48 MLAs Honey-Trapped, Probe Ordered

Location : Karnataka, India, India

First Published: March 21, 2025, 00:02 IST
'PM Modi Needs New Haters As...': BJP Teases Congress After Shashi Tharoor's U-Turn On Russia-Ukraine War Stance

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:15 IST

Responding to Tharoor's praise of PM Modi's policies on Russia-Ukraine war, BJP took a jibe at the Congress leaders and said, "The Prime Minister 'needs new haters' as the old one are 'becoming his fans'."

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor (PTI Image)

Shashi Tharoors praise of the governments handling of the Russia-Ukraine war has now became a talking point between the BJP and the Congress party, with the saffron camp taunting the grand old party saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs new haters" as the old one are becoming his fans".

Sharing the video clip of Tharoor where he can be seen praising PM Modi-led government for its policy on the Russia-Ukraine war, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya wrote, Prime Minister Modi needs new hatersOld ones are turning into his fans."

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Prime Minister Modi needs new haters Old ones are turning into his fans. pic.twitter.com/emtQToK4Tc Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) March 19, 2025

The BJP on Wednesday even projected Congress leader Shashi Tharoors praise of the governments move regarding the Russia-Ukraine war as an endorsement of Indias deft diplomacy under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership.

Former Union minister and Lok Sabha MP Ravi Shankar Prasad also described Tharoors acknowledgement that he has been proved incorrect in his early criticism of the government for not speaking out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a case of better late then never."

The way Shashi Tharoor has accepted it, if other Congress leaders would also acknowledge it, then it will be good," he added.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said the governments diplomatic skills are clear to everyone who understands foreign affairs and noted that Modi met the presidents of the two warring countries and drew similar warmth from both of them.

Tharoors Egg On My Face Remark

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor admitted that he was left with an egg on his face" in opposing Indias stance when the Russia-Ukraine war broke out and said due to the policy that was adopted, the country is now in a position where it can make a difference for lasting peace.

He stated that the policy adopted by India following the outbreak of the conflict means that the country actually has a Prime Minister who can hug both the presidents of Ukraine and Russia two weeks apart and be accepted in both places.

I am still wiping the egg off my face because I am one person in the parliamentary debate who actually criticised the Indian position at the time back in February 2022," the Congress leader said.

Tharoor justified his changed stand on Wednesday and said he voiced his opinion as an Indian and does not see politics in that.

BJP Asks Congress Leaders To Learn From Tharoor

Responding to Tharoors statement, BJP MP and national spokesperson Sambit Patra said all Congress leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi, as well as the other leaders of the INDIA opposition bloc should learn from Tharoor and appreciate him for his stand.

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They should also appreciate Indias unique diplomatic position" under Modis leadership, he said, adding, Tharoor understands diplomacy. He has worked for a long time in the United Nations. Today, he has appreciated the Prime Ministers decision," Patra said.

(With agency inputs)

About the Author Mahima Joshi Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More Mahima Joshi, Sub-Editor at News18.com, works with the India and Breaking team. Covering national stories and bringing breaking news to the table are her forte. She is deeply interested in Indian politics and a... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 09:14 IST
Shashi Tharoor, Shama Mohamed & More: Congress Struggles On Tightrope Between Dissent & Freedom Of Speech

Reported By :

CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra



Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 07:31 IST

The Congress wants to show its different but it also faces an issue when some of their own speak words that embolden the BJP

Shashi Tharoor, for many Congress leaders, is a habitual offender. But such is his profile that suspending him is an option which is unthinkable. (PTI)

It has been over 24 hours and the Congress is silent on senior leader Shashi Tharoors egg on my face" comment. The silence reveals the dilemma in the party  how to curb the tongue of some of their leaders, yet look democratic and tolerant. After all, Rahul Gandhi and the Grand Old Party keep accusing the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of muzzling dissent.

The irony is that today, Congress is facing dissent of a different kind. Those who remain within the party, show no inclination to leave the Congress. Yet, they want to speak their mind. But each time they have done so, it has left the party squirming and frowning. The interesting part is the pattern. Most of these outspoken leaders of the Congress are also ones who dont depend on the party for their profile or image. But the Congress is also facing a situation where its being forced to maintain a distance. Take recent examples.

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Shama Mohamed, despite her clarification and deletion of tweet on Rohit Sharma, more or else stuck to her stand where she explained why she said what she did. Tharoor, for many Congress leaders, is a habitual offender. But such is his profile that suspending him is an option which is unthinkable. Or look at Karti Chidambaram. The Congress in Tamil Nadu had issued a show-cause notice against him in 2015 for some of his comments on state leaders. But it couldnt deny him the Lok Sabha ticket as he has the potential to win. Or when the party had to distance itself from his comment that there was a high command culture" in the Congress.

The Congress wants to show its different but it also faces an issue when some of their own speak words that embolden the BJP. Balancing party discipline with freedom of speech is getting challenging. As also the BJPs barb that no one can stand up to the Gandhis and still be a part of the party.

About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 07:31 IST
'You Became The CM When...': Nitish Kumar Spars With Rabri Devi In Bihar Legislative Council

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 16:03 IST

As the house proceedings began, the opposition MLCs stood up and raised the issue of rising crime in the state. The opposition members reached the well of the house creating a ruckus.

The Bihar Legislative Council witnessed an unprecedented spat between Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his predecessor Rabri Devi. (File)

The Bihar Legislative Council on Thursday witnessed a ruckus after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD MLC Rabri Devi had a spar during the proceedings.

As the house proceedings began, the opposition MLCs stood up and raised the issue of rising crime in the state. The opposition members reached the well of the house creating a ruckus. They even started sloganeering against the government.

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Meanwhile, the Chief Minister stood up and tried to calm down the opposition MLCs.

He said, I request you all to sit down. If someone has been murdered somewhere, then it will definitely be investigated. We will ask about it today itself."

#WATCH | Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and RJD MLA & former CM Rabri Devi had a verbal altercation in the State Assembly in Patna today(Video source: Bihar Assembly) pic.twitter.com/orMFyKjCDr  ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

Pointing towards former CM Rabri Devi, Kumar took a swipe and said that it was her husbands (Lalu Prasad Yadavs) government and later she was made to sit.

What was the situation when her husband was in power? No work was done in Bihar. If any incident has happened, then there will be an investigation. When her husband was in power, was any investigation done? Was any work done?" he said.

Kumar further hit out at RJD and Rabri Devi saying that she was made the CM when her husband was removed. He also accused the RJD of igniting fights between Hindus and Muslims.

Read More: High On Cannabis: Rabri Devi Alleges After Spat With Nitish, Tejashwi Calls For His Resignation

There used to be so much fighting between Hindus and Muslims. We have done all the work. There is no point in saying all this. All the work was done after I came. These people just want publicity. These people have not done any work. There used to be only fighting between Hindus and Muslims. What did you become the CM for? You became the CM when your husband was removed," he said.

Rabri Devi also hit back at Nitish Kumar. She said, Incidents of murder, rape, theft happen every day. Such incidents are happening all over Bihar. These people cannot handle law and order. How many murders happened on Holi too. The government does not listen to anyone. The government is running only on paper. There is jungle raj in Bihar.

Rabri Devi further targeted Ashok Chaudhary and accused him of taking ransom. She said, Ashok Chaudhary first looted in Congress and now he is looting in JDU.

After a huge uproar in the House, the Speaker ordered the opposition members to go out till the first session.

Earlier today, CM Nitish criticised an opposition MLA for bringing a mobile phone inside the assembly, asserting that the excessive use of electronic gadgets could destroy the Earth in 10 years".

Kumars comments came during the Question Hour when RJDs Suday Yadav took out his phone to look for facts and figures in support of his submission.

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The JD(U) supremo turned towards Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav and said: When mobile phones are not allowed inside the House, how is this member carrying his handset with him? You must ensure that whoever enters the House with his phone, is made to leave".

(With inputs from agencies)

About the Author Shobhit Gupta Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ... Read More

First Published: March 20, 2025, 16:03 IST
'Not Censorship But Regulation': Govt Underscores Grok, ChatGPT Must Follow India's Laws

Reported By :

CNN-News18

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:26 IST

The government is concerned about the potential for misuse of social media platforms and AI tools, given their popularity. Hence, a need for regulation. Platform X has responded by taking legal action, filing a lawsuit against the government in the Karnataka court, alleging censorship under the IT Act

The logo of Grok, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot developed by US artificial intelligence company xAI. (AFP Photo)

The government has shown the rulebook to social media platforms and AI search engines like Grok and ChatGPT. High-ranking government sources have informed News18 that all platforms and AI search engines must adhere to the countrys laws. This has reignited the debate surrounding freedom of expression versus censorship. However, the government has refuted any such allegations, emphasising the importance of self-regulation for both OTT platforms and social media companies.

Grok has recently drawn considerable attention, with opposition parties seizing the opportunity to criticise the Prime Minister and the BJP while portraying Rahul Gandhi as a true leader of the people. The government has engaged with platform X, seeking clarification on the random use of Hindi slang on Grok. The government maintains that it has no intention of suppressing Grok or any other platform, stating, They have the freedom to operate, but within the Lakshman Rekha (boundaries)."

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The Prime Minister has acknowledged the enduring presence of AI on multiple occasions. However, he has also highlighted the inherent complexity of the system, drawing an analogy to the right hand being unaware of the left hands actions. Nevertheless, he maintains that a certain degree of regulation is necessary.

The government is concerned about the potential for misuse of these platforms, given their popularity, particularly among young and impressionable users. Hence, a need for regulation.

Platform X has responded by taking legal action, filing a lawsuit against the government in the Karnataka court, alleging censorship under the IT Act. The act empowers the government to regulate content deemed abusive, sexually harassing, or threatening to national security.

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OTT platforms have also faced government scrutiny in the past, along with YouTube content creators like Ranveer Allahabadia, whose work recently drew criticism. The ministry issued a warning to YouTube, demanding the removal of the content and sending a clear message that all platforms must comply.

The government is facing opposition backlash, with accusations of attempting to silence dissent. However, the government has firmly stated that there will be no compromise on regulations, asserting that self-regulation and freedom of expression are not mutually exclusive.

About the Author Pallavi Ghosh Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... Read More Pallavi Ghosh has covered politics and Parliament for 15 years, and has reported extensively on Congress, UPA-I and UPA-II, and has now included the Finance Ministry and Niti Aayog in her reportage. She has als... 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!

First Published: March 20, 2025, 18:13 IST
MTV Roadies XX Promo: Neha Dhupia And Rhea Chakraborty Engage In Fiery Clash

Published By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:35 IST

In the latest promo of MTV Roadies XX, gang leaders Neha Dhupia and Rhea Chakraborty engage in a heated argument.

Neha Dhupia and Rhea Chakraborty end up in a clash. (Photo Credits: Instagram)

MTV Roadies XX continues to keep audiences hooked as contestants and gang leaders double-cross each other. The popular adventure reality show offers the perfect mix of intense drama, challenging tasks, and heated rivalries. In a recent promo, host Rannvijay Singha announces a shocking challenge. The gang leaders are locked inside cages while contestants take on a task.

As the clip begins, Rhea Chakraborty and Neha Dhupia are seen in a heated argument, adding to the high-voltage drama of the vote-out round.

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Rannvijay explains that the gang leaders must remain in their cages throughout the challenge. Meanwhile, they instruct their contestants, trying to guide them from behind bars. Neha Dhupia and Elvish Yadav grow frustrated with their teams, scolding them for losing focus.

Tensions escalate when contestant Yogesh Rawat accuses Neha Dhupia of manipulation during the vote-out. He remarks, Sabko pata hai Neha maam yahi karti hai." (Everyone knows Neha maam does this). The comment infuriates Neha, who retorts, This is my game, Yogesh. Say thank you."

The makers of the show teased the promo with a dramatic caption:

Gang leaders lock-up mein, contestants alag confidence mein! Iss hafte hogi dhokhe aur action ki bauchaar itni, ki rukengi dil ki dhadkane!! Catch the live action this weekend on MTV India and JioHotstar!"

Watch the Roadies XX teaser here:

Further tension arises when Rhea yells at her gang member. She demands, What did you do, Rohit?" Looking disappointed with her team, she adds, Inse vote waste kara rahe the, khud kya kar rahe the?" (You were wasting their votes, what were you doing?)

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In another heated moment during the vote-out round, Neha Dhupia and Rhea Chakraborty ended up in a clash. As Neha speaks, Rhea interrupts, prompting Neha to say, You are not listening." Rhea sharply responds, Dont talk to me right now. I dont want to talk to you, Neha."

MTV Roadies XX Double Cross features Neha Dhupia, Rhea Chakraborty, Prince Narula and Elvish Yadav as the four gang leaders. Hosted by Rannvijay Singha, the reality show airs every Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 PM.

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 20, 2025, 15:35 IST
Artist Narrates The Story Of Sunita Williams's Epic Return To Earth In Stunning Mithila Painting

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:38 IST

Bihar artist Kundan Roy imaginatively portrays a SpaceJet aircraft shaped like a fish, symbolising the extraordinary journey undertaken by the astronauts. The painting showcases four astronauts, including Sunita Williams, returning to Earth from space

This creative representation has garnered considerable attention and praise for its artistry on social media. (Local18)

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore safely returned to Earth on Tuesday, splashing down off the coast of Florida. Their return marked the end of a 17-hour journey and a nearly 10-month stay aboard the International Space Station.

Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, the astronauts launched on June 5, 2024. However, their stay was extended to an unexpected 286 days due to unforeseen technical challenges.

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Mithila Painting Depicts Sunita Williams Return

An artist from Samastipur has commemorated this significant event for NASA and the scientific community with a unique Mithila painting depicting Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams return.

Kundan Kumar Roy imaginatively portrays a SpaceJet aircraft shaped like a fish, symbolising the extraordinary journey undertaken by the astronauts. The painting showcases four astronauts returning to Earth from space. This creative representation has garnered considerable attention and praise for its artistry on social media.

Speaking to Local18, Kundan Kumar Roy explained his inspiration, stating, I have always used Mithila painting to spread awareness. Sunita Williams has become an inspiration for people worldwide. Her nine-month-long space mission, her research, and her triumphant return to Earth are truly remarkable and praiseworthy. Seeing her struggle and journey, I felt compelled to depict it through Mithila painting."

Took One-and-a-Half Days to Complete

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When asked about the time invested in creating the painting, Kundan revealed that it took him approximately one-and-a-half days to complete. He explained, Mithila painting demands intricate detailing and patience, which naturally takes time."

Reflecting on his artistic journey, he shared, I inherited this art from my mother, who was also a Mithila painting artist. I learned this craft from her and have dedicated my life to preserving and practising this beautiful tradition."

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 : Samastipur, India, India

First Published: March 20, 2025, 11:38 IST
Bengaluru Bride Lands In Hospital Bed After Colour Bomb Explodes In Wrong Direction

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:19 IST

Colour bombs are devices designed to release coloured smoke when ignited, which create dramatic backdrops in weddings and photo shoots.

Vicky and Piya had travelled to Bengaluru from Canada. (Photo Credit: Instagram)

An Indian-origin couples wedding celebration turned into a nightmare when a colour bomb injured the bride. Colour bombs are devices designed to release coloured smoke when ignited. They are often used to create dramatic backdrops in weddings and photo shoots. Vicky and Piya, who live in Canada, had travelled to Bengaluru for their wedding celebrations, Hindustan Times reported.

The distressing incident was captured on camera and shared by the couple on their joint Instagram account. In the video, as Vicky lifted Piya for a shot, the bomb hit the bride directly instead of creating the intended effect. The misfire caused Piya injuries including a burn on her back and singed hair. She required immediate medical attention.

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In the caption, they wrote, The plan was to have these beautiful colour bombs go off in the background for an epic shot, but it malfunctioned and shot at us. We were also about to hold our baby with us."

Take a look at the video here:

In the comment section, many social media users criticized the couple for their proximity to the colour bomb.

One user pointed out, Thats scary but also, you are standing right next to it." Another added, Evil eye okay but this is also a common-sense thing not to stand next to fireworks. Like, come on."

Common sense and devil eyes both are different actually. Have a speedy recovery," remarked an individual.

Someone else shared, Thats scary, hope you heal up soon. But evil eye? Seriously? Its your stupidity standing that close to fireworks. Theyre just fire and explosives. Maybe next time, keep a safe distance instead of looking for supernatural excuses."

Wait, evil eyes? Its just the result of poor planning and a little show-off," read another comment.

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A wedding planner also shared their perspective, writing, As a wedding planner, I want to emphasize the importance of safety when using colour smoke bombs in ceremonies. These are pyrotechnics and can be risky if not handled properly. Keeping a safe distance (5-10 ft. from the mandap) ensures not only safety but also better smoke dispersion for a natural look. All event professionals must prioritize safety by following proper guidelines when using pyrotechnics."

In a similar incident last year in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, a man was seen bursting firecrackers from a car sunroof. While using a gun to shoot the crackers, the device somehow caught the fire. This caused the crackers in his hands to explode and the sparks fell on the car which eventually caught fire.

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 20, 2025, 18:19 IST
Bengaluru Man Claims Wife Demanded Rs 5,000 Daily To Stay Together, Rs 45 Lakh For Divorce

Curated By :

Translation Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 18:45 IST

A Bengaluru software engineer filed a police complaint against his wife, alleging she demanded Rs 5,000 daily to stay with him.

The man also claimed that his wife demanded Rs 45 lakh as divorce settlement. (AI-generated Image for representation)

In an unsual turn of events, a software engineer from Bengaluru has filed a police complaint against his wife, alleging that she demanded Rs 5,000 per day as a condition to continue living with him. The case sparked widespread debate on social media after the husband, identified as Srikant, posted a video of his wife allegedly making the demand.

The video, which quickly went viral, showed Srikants wife openly stating her demand for daily payments. The incident drew sharp reactions online, with many questioning the nature of the relationship and the underlying tensions between the couple.

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Srikant further claimed that his wifes demands extended beyond money. According to him, she refused to have biological children, citing concerns that pregnancy would affect her physical appearance. Instead, she insisted on adopting children, a proposal that Srikant rejected. This disagreement reportedly escalated into frequent disputes, adding to the strain on their marriage.

Srikant alleged that ever since they got married in 2022, his wife had been difficult to live with. He claimed that she frequently quarreled with him and, instead of supporting him, mentally and physically tormented him with the backing of her family.

The troubled relationship extended into Srikants professional life as well. He accused his wife of deliberately creating disturbances while he worked from home. According to him, she would dance during his online meetings and play loud music, causing disruptions that affected his work performance.

The situation reportedly worsened when Srikant raised the prospect of divorce. He claimed that his wife demanded Rs 45 lakh as a settlement to agree to the separation. He further alleged that she threatened to harm herself if he did not comply, and even physically assaulted him on multiple occasions.

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An audio clip reportedly capturing a heated conversation between the couple has also surfaced online. In addition, Srikant shared a video where his wife can be seen demanding Rs 5,000 daily. When approached by the media, Srikants wife denied all the allegations, claiming that her husband was trying to defame her with false accusations. She insisted that the case was fabricated and that Srikant was attempting to manipulate public opinion.

Srikant initially lodged the complaint at the Vyalikaval police station, where it was recorded as a non-cognisable report (NCR). The case was subsequently transferred to the Sadashivnagar police station for further investigation. However, the police clarified that Srikants written complaint did not mention the Rs 5,000 daily demand, raising questions about the consistency of his claims.

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 20, 2025, 18:45 IST
'I Bought This Before Elon Musk Was Crazy': Tesla Owners Fight Back With Stickers

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:55 IST

Several pictures and videos of Tesla cars are going viral on the internet, showing owners putting up stickers to evade the ongoing vandalism.

Several Tesla cars have been vandalised across the US. (Photo Credits: X)

Instances of multiple Tesla vehicles being torched continue to unfold across the US as a part of the ongoing anti-Elon Musk protests over his contentious role in the Donald Trump administration. Several individuals have taken to social media platforms and reported arson attacks on their Tesla cars, Cybertrucks, and even charging stations. Things further escalated with violent protests and gunshots across the country. Amid the situation, a section of Tesla owners has now resorted to a unique approach to stay safe from the attack by putting stickers on their cars.

A picture of a Tesla car is going viral on the internet with the sticker that reads, I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy." The user captioned the post, I took this recently, Tesla driving in front of me near Seattle, east side by Microsoft."

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"I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy" bumper sticker. I took this recently, Tesla driving in front of me near Seattle, east side by Microsoft pic.twitter.com/Cp3DZYw9sZ luna (@xaotica) March 19, 2025

Well, this is not the only post about such Tesla stickers. A user shared a picture of his car, explaining how a stranger put up a sticker on the Tesla. Just returned from lunch in downtown Elgin, TX (30 minutes outside of Austin), and someone decided to put this lovely sticker on my Tesla. I didnt have sentry mode on so I dont have video, but Ive filed a police report so hopefully we can find the idiot!"

Just returned from lunch in downtown Elgin, TX (30 minutes outside of Austin) and someone decided to put this lovely sticker on my Tesla.I didnt have sentry mode on so I dont have video but Ive filed a police report so hopefully we can find the idiot! pic.twitter.com/tjWjodGvvr  Steven Cutbirth (@SvenC) March 19, 2025

Social media users even joked about putting up stickers on the Tesla cars, with one of them wanting to be on the Tesla owner list.

Heres my new Tesla stickers. I really want to be added to the Tesla owner list. pic.twitter.com/wdTxJaQaix Mr. Kotter (@Pogo881) March 19, 2025

Recently, several Tesla vehicles were set on fire at a Las Vegas service centre, resulting in at least five cars being damaged. The matter is currently being investigated by the FBI, which has dubbed it as some of the hallmarks" of terrorism. This was a targeted attack against a Tesla facility. Officers discovered several vehicles on fire as well as the word Resist spray-painted on the front doors of the business," said the police in a press conference.

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This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks. https://t.co/Fh1rcfsJPh  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2025

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also condemned the attack, stating, This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks." Likewise, Trump has also condemned such vandalism of cars.

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 20, 2025, 12:55 IST
Indian Man Slams 'Desi' US Neighbours For Gutkha Spitting Habit: 'No Civic Sense'

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 16:51 IST

An Indian man in the United States accused his Desi neighbours of spitting gutka, making a commotion, and chatting loudly.

Man said he had to put up with anti-Indian jokes because of this family's actions. (Representative Image)

An Indian man in the United States criticised a Desi neighbour for being rude and lacking in basic civic etiquette. He added that because of this familys disruptive attitude, he had to put up with his American neighbours anti-Indian jests. Some people from India have 0 civic sense," the man titled his post on Reddit, adding that his message on the social platform is a rant.

Ive lived in this building in the USA for the past six years and never had an issue like this. The building here is made of wood, not concrete, so people have to be mindful about talking, walking, and running at the place," the Indian mans lengthy post reads.

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Recently, a couple with their son and daughter moved in downstairs, and since then, the entire buildings life has become a hellhole. They walk and stomp around their place like crazy, shaking the whole building, including other neighbours TVs and furniture. This starts the moment they wake up and continues until sunset," he added.

In his post, the man goes on to tell how he tried to talk to them and explain the problem, but it all came to nothing. My other neighbours, who are American, tried talking to them, but these people have zero English skills and dont understand basic English. So, all these neighbours started coming to me for help. Ive tried talking to them four times," he claimed.

The man also gave an example of how one day he had to call the police on them. One day, the husband came to my place and started shouting in Gujarati. I said, Please speak English; no one here understands that." It ended with me calling the police. My poor neighbour who works the night shift hasnt been able to sleep for weeks because these people talk so loudly and stomp all over the place. Its gotten so bad that other neighbours have started calling the police too," he added in his long post.

Explaining more about the culture in the United States and basic civic decorum, the man says Keep in mind that here in the USA, its a civilized countryyou cant do much beyond talking, understanding, and being mindful of each other unless rules or laws are being broken."

Even after speaking nicely 4-5 times and involving the police, these people still dont get it. They talk so loudly that my wife, who is Gujarati, says she can hear their conversations about how much money they owe others," the post also reads.

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In the subsequent sentences, the man accused the family of also spitting gutkha and leaving stains all over the building. One day, the South Indian family living downstairs told me that the new neighbours were spitting some red substance (paan and gukha, vimal) onto their balcony. It smells awful and could be a public health issue. Even their little daughter complained that these new people constantly spit red onto their balcony. Ive seen the guy spitting a few times myself," the man states.

My American neighbours jokingly told me theyre mad at me because these are my people." I said, Im sorry, dude, I tried talking to them, but they wont understandthey have no civic sense," the mans lengthy post concludes.

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 20, 2025, 16:48 IST
US Deports French Scientist After Finding Anti-Trump Messages On His Devices

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:38 IST

The French government has strongly condemned the auction by the US authorities while slamming the Trump administration for interfering with the freedom of foreign travellers.

The scientist had travelled to Texas. (Photo Credits: X)

A French scientist was denied entry into the United States for his alleged involvement in crucial discussions regarding the Trump administration. The man reportedly touched down on American soil on March 9. During the mandatory security check at an airport near Houston, Texas, the US authorities searched his electronic devices and found private chats related to the countrys research policies. With the officials claiming those exchanges to be critical of President Donald Trump, the space researcher was sent back to France the next day.

Upon accessing his personal phone and work computer, the security personnel accused the French man of spreading hateful and conspiratorial messages" about the US government. Initially, he was informed that the case would be handed over to the FBI but ultimately, no charges were registered against him. The authorities, however, seized the electronic devices.

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The scientist had travelled to Texas to attend a conference at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), a diplomatic source revealed to news agency AFP. The French government has strongly condemned the auction by the US authorities while slamming the Trump administration for interfering with the freedom of foreign travellers.

Philippe Baptiste, Frances Minister of Higher Education and Research, expressed his discontent in a statement shared with AFP. I learned with concern that a French researcher was denied entry to the United States before being expelled," he wrote, as quoted by French newspaper Le Monde.

This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researchers phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administrations research policy," Baptiste added.

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Freedom of opinion, free research and academic freedom are values that we will continue to proudly uphold. I will defend the right of all French researchers to be faithful to them while respecting the law," Baptiste said.

Baptiste has openly criticised the Trump administration for its deep cuts to scientific research. Since returning to the White House, Trump has grabbed headlines with sweeping budget reductions, limitations on certain research areas and efforts to dismantle key scientific programs.

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 20, 2025, 15:38 IST
US Turns To Lithuania For Eggs After Finlands Rejection, Internet Calls It Door-to-Door Begging

Curated By :

Trending Desk

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:07 IST

The H5N1 strain has affected over 166 million birds, leading to a significant decline in egg production across the US.

The bird flu outbreak has severely affected the US poultry industry. (Photo credits: Reddit)

The United States is now seeking assistance from Lithuania as its egg shortage worsens due to a bird flu outbreak that has severely impacted poultry farms, driving egg prices higher. Previously, the US approached Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands for egg imports, as reported by Danish magazine AgriWatch. While the responses from most countries remain unclear, Finland has declined the request, citing a lack of market access agreements. With limited options, the US has now turned its attention to Lithuania.

According to a report in LRT, the US embassy in Warsaw contacted Lithuanian poultry producers about exporting eggs. Gytis Kauzonas, head of the Lithuanian Poultry Association, confirmed that embassy officials met with Lithuanian company heads to discuss the idea.

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We have provided the requested information, but we have not yet received a reply," Kauzonas told Verslo Zinios, as quoted by LRT.

As the US literally scrambles for eggs, Reddit users wasted no time in mocking the situation with one user calling it door-to-door begging." Many pointed out the irony given past tensions between the US and Europe when President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and dismissed European allies.

A person said, This is just top-notch, isnt it. First, insult your bordering allies, threaten to annex Canada, then threaten your overseas allies with annexing Greenland, then insult them saying they exist solely to screw the US, then start the most ridiculous trade war the world has yet seenand then beg for eggs because the shortage is getting out of hand."

Someone else said, The greatest country in the world doesnt have affordable eggs."

Nothing says Make America Great Again than begging other countries for some eggs," joked an individual

My god theyre really just going around with their hands held out arent they?" another user commented.

The bird flu outbreak has severely affected the US poultry industry. As per LRT, the H5N1 strain has been found in over 166 million birds which has caused a major drop in egg production.

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Trump had promised to bring down egg prices on his first day in office. However, in February, the first full month of his administration, prices actually went up by 59% compared to the previous year, Reuters reported.

By early March, the average wholesale price for a dozen eggs had hit a record high of over $8 (around Rs 700), according to Newsweek. Prices have come down slightly since then now around $6 (around Rs 520), as per Trading Economics. But they are still much higher than before.

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 20, 2025, 14:07 IST
'Moved To Bengaluru From Noida, Regret It': Corporate Worker's Post After 30k Hike Is Viral

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 14:33 IST

A corporate workers viral Reddit post detailed his regret over moving from Noida to Bengaluru for a hike. The professional cited bad roads, traffic, poor infrastructure, and "north vs south" divide.

Photos show Bengaluru airport (L)/Noida city (R) (Getty)

A corporate workers post on his experiences after moving from Noida to Bengaluru has caught the attention of netizens. In his post, the professional stated how deciding to move base to Bengaluru for a 30k per month hike proved to be wrong because of the citys traffic, less private space," and more.

According to the professionals post, he worked in Noida for more than a year but decided to move to Bengaluru after he bagged a better job offer.

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He added that Bengaluru greeted him with bad roads, worst traffic, bad water, less private space per individual", and added that the city was dirty.

The professional also stressed that they could sense a north vs south difference" on an everyday basis.

The corporate workers Reddit post, titled Moved to Bangalore from Noida and I regret it", read, After completing my graduation I worked in Noida for more than a year and I really loved the city because of the citys infrastructure and its diversity and many more. I planned to switch company looking at opportunities only in NCR at first but later I realized that I am losing many opportunities because of filtering the region."

Later I shifted and moved to Bangalore four months ago for a 30k/month hike compared to my previous compensation (told you the exact figure because its not worth moving for that hike), (sic)," he wrote.

Now here in Bangalore, the city is dirty, not organised, had bad roads, worst traffic, bad water, less private space per individual and on top of all that the north vs south thing can be seen every day. Never in Noida I found dense populated places, Bangalore is completely opposite to that," the professional wrote.

I really regret moving out of Noida . So to people who are planning to shift from Noida to Bangalore, give your selves some time and think Does it really worth moving". IMO Noida is the best tier-1 city to work in (ignoring the pollution)," the post read.

I am a South Indian," a post script note read.

Other Reddit users were quick to respond to the post.

One of them wrote, I did the opposite, moved from Bangalore to Noida because I wanted to stay near my parents. I think the only thing I miss are my friends in Bangalore else I feel moving to noida was the best decision I took Saved a lot of money and stress. People say noida is unsafe but I feel much safer in Noida as compared to Bangalore."

Another one wrote, I swear i did the same tbh it is soo much convenient cause I dont have to wait for 50-60mins to reach places just 6-7km away."

I did my graduation and initial job in Delhi NCR during 2010 to 2017, the security and safety have increased many times as compared to early years. In fact particularly bangalore has become unsafe in recent years. Mumbai or Hyderabad or ahemdabad are very safe if we are comparing with delhi NCR," a third one wrote.

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Another user credited the Yogi Adityanath government for making Noida and Greater Noida safe, saying, The credit goes to the Yogi government else you just cant think of visiting any area after Pari Chowk after dark. Those were the days when the crime was at peak."

Meanwhile, the Greater Noida authority is all set to strengthen public safety and traffic management in the city by installing 2,700 surveillance cameras as part of the Safe City and Integrated Safety and Traffic Management System (ISTMS) project, media reports have suggested.

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.

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First Published: March 20, 2025, 11:54 IST
26/11 Accused Tahawwur Rana Files Another Request With US Top Court To Stop His Extradition To India

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:47 IST

Tahawwur Rana asked US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to stop his extradition to India after Justice Elena Kagan rejected his review petition, citing health issues and torture fears.

Tahawwur Rana is seeking a stay of his extradition to India after the US Supreme Court rejected his emergency bid. (File photo)

26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana has filed a request with US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to stop his extradition to India, citing health concerns. This comes days after the US Supreme Court Judge Elena Kagan rejected his review petition.

The application has been distributed to the Supreme Court judges for a conference scheduled for April 4, 2025, according to information published on the US Supreme Court website. Rana has renewed his application, seeking a stay on his extradition to India.

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Petitioner Tahawwar Rana has renewed his Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, which was previously addressed to Justice Kagan, and requests that the renewed application be directed to Chief Justice Roberts," his appeal stated, as per the order published on the US Supreme Courts website.

Earlier this month, Justice Elena Kagan denied Ranas request for a stay on his extradition to India. In his application, Rana argued that he would not survive long enough to be tried in India due to various health-related reasons.

In his appeal, Rana stated, If a stay is not granted, there will be no review at all, and the US courts will lose jurisdiction, leaving the petitioner in imminent danger of death."

The accused in the 26/11 terror attacks claimed that if extradited to India, there is a high likelihood he would be subjected to torture due to his Muslim faith and Pakistani origin. He argued that because of his religion, his ethnicity, his past association with the Pakistani Army, the nature of the charges related to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and his chronic health conditions, he is particularly vulnerable to torture, which could result in his death in a short period.

In addition to these concerns, Rana highlighted his deteriorating health, which includes a 3.5 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm at immediate risk of rupture, Parkinsons disease with cognitive decline, and a mass suggestive of bladder cancer.

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He contended that he cannot be sent into a hornets nest", where he will be targeted due to national, religious, and cultural animosities. Earlier in February, US President Donald Trump announced the extradition of Tahawwur Rana to India, stating that he would face justice. This announcement was made during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their bilateral meeting.

Tahawwur Rana is a known associate of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators behind the November 26 attacks in Mumbai in 2008. A Pakistani-origin businessman, physician, and immigration entrepreneur, Rana is alleged to have connections with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Ranas alleged role in facilitating the attacks has remained a contentious issue between India and the United States for years.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 20, 2025, 09:37 IST
Badar Khan Suri, Indian Academic In US, Faces Deportation For Alleged Hamas Ties

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 09:31 IST

Badar Khan Suri Deportation: Badar Khan Suri, who was studying and teaching on a student visa, is pursuing his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan

Badar Khan Suri Deportation: Badar Khan Suri has been detained by immigration authorities in the US over alleged ties to Hamas.

A Georgetown University researcher- Badar Khan Suri- has been detained by immigration authorities in the United States over alleged ties to Hamas. This comes as the Donald Trump administration continues its crackdown on activists across college campuses in the country.

What Are The Allegations Against Badar Khan Suri

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Badar Khan Suri is said to have close connections to a known or suspected terrorist", Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary Department of Homeland Security said.

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media," Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X, adding, Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i)."

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a https://t.co/gU02gLAlX1  Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) March 20, 2025

What Georgetown University Said On Badar Khan Suris Detention

The Indian national and postdoctoral fellow- who was studying and teaching on a student visa- is pursuing his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan", as per a statement from Georgetown University spokesperson.

The statement added, We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly."

What Badar Khan Suris Lawyer Said

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Badar Khan Suri, who is married to an American citizen, is awaiting a date in the immigration court, his lawyer said. His plea said that he has no criminal record and that he was being targeted because of his wifes Palestinian origins, Politico reported.

This follows the controversial arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and green card holder, who was involved in the 2024 pro-Palestinian campus protests- marking the first publicly known deportation effort related to pro-Palestine activism under Donald Trump.

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 20, 2025, 08:57 IST
'Exposing Their Attitude': Zelenskyy Says Russia Struck Ukraine With 200 Drones Despite Trump Talks

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:24 IST

Ukraine President Zelenskyy condemned Russia's attacks, revealing their stance on peace. Despite talks with Trump, Russia launched 200 drones, wounding 10.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (AFP File Image)

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has condemned Russias continuous attacks on his country and said it is exposing their attitude towards peace". He said Russia had launched 200 new drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Ukraine, leaving 10, including four children, wounded and destroying property despite peace talks with US President Donald Trump.

He took to X stating, Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims. Every day and every night, nearly a hundred or more drones are launched, along with ongoing missile attacks. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace."

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Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims. Every day and every night, nearly a hundred or more drones are launched, along with ongoing missile attacks. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace.Yet pic.twitter.com/BmkIwQtGoh  Volodymyr Zelenskyy /   (@ZelenskyyUa) March 20, 2025

The Ukrainian leader thanked emergency service personnel, police officers, medics and others who provide service to the war-torn nation relentlessly.

Yet alwayseven under the most difficult conditionsour people can count on the immediate support of the State Emergency Service personnel, police officers, medics, utility workers, and all those who help to clear the rubble, extinguish fires, restore the destroyed, and most importantly, save and protect lives," he said.

Last night, the Russians launched nearly 200 Shahed" drones and decoy UAVs. A massive attack on the Kirovohrad region left 10 people wounded, including four children, and caused damage to homes, a church, and infrastructure," he said."

I thank everyone who works on the ground and helps to eliminate the consequences of Russian terror. We thank those who are always on duty, at the forefront of saving lives. Everyone whose work is a pillar of strength for all of us, something that allows us to continue fighting and living, no matter what," he added.

Phone call with Trump

In a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday said that he has accepted the unconditional ceasefire proposal as proposed by the US.

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The Ukrainian President further said that Kyiv is ready to pause strikes on Russian energy and civilian infrastructure.

One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it. Our teams discussed this step in Jeddah. The American side also proposed an unconditional ceasefire on the frontline, and Ukraine accepted this proposal as well. We will continue working to make this happen," Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

First Published: March 20, 2025, 15:24 IST
Former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif Gets New Job In Daughter Maryam Nawaz's Punjab Govt

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 15:59 IST

The Punjab administration has notified the elder Sharif as patron-in-chief of LAHR. He will oversee the restoration of the old city of Lahore

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, center, and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, right. (AP file photo)

Pakistans former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has got a new job in the government of his daughter Maryam Nawaz in Punjab province. From three-time former prime minister to patron-in-chief of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival (LAHR), Nawaz will now look after the restoration of scores of colonial-era buildings in Lahore.

The Punjab administration has notified the elder Sharif as patron-in-chief of LAHR. He will oversee the restoration of the old city of Lahore.

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Jailed former premier Imran Khans party was quick to mock the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz president, congratulating him for getting a government job".

Nawaz Sharif was living a retired life after the humiliating defeat of his party in the 2024 elections. Imran Khans mandate was stolen and given to Nawaz and Zardari parties  PMLN and PPP. Now, Nawazs daughter Punjab Chief Minister Maryam gave him some work to do. It will be better for Nawazs health to keep himself busy in some work like restoration of old buildings as a retired politician," opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senior leader Shaukat Basra told PTI on Thursday.

He said Nawaz had returned from London in 2023 to become prime minister for the fourth time, but the military establishment chose his younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, as a perfect puppet" for the job, leaving the elder Sharif to lick his wounds.

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Now, Nawaz Sharif will be seen monitoring the old buildings of the walled city of Lahore," Basra said sarcastically.

The government has classified over 100 buildings as historical heritage sites". Nawaz has sought a comprehensive plan for the restoration of Lahores heritage from the Walled City Authority Lahore. Old Lahore is incredibly beautiful and must be restored to its original form. Preserving our lost heritage is a national duty," Sharif said.

Location : Pakistan

First Published: March 20, 2025, 15:59 IST
H-1B Visa Applications To Be Deleted From March 20: How Will This Impact Indian Workers

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 07:42 IST

The H1-B visa programme will undergo significant changes as all records older than five years will be deleted from the system as the Trump administration will introduce a revised system.

All records of H1-B visa applications older than five years will be deleted from Thursday. (Representative Image)

The H1-B Visa programme in the United States will be undergoing significant changes from March 20 (Thursday) as the Foreign Labour Access Gateway (FLAG) will start deleting old applications from today to pave the way for a new system implemented by the Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The H-1B visa, which is a non-immigrant visa, allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Nearly 70 per cent of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued every year are used by Indian professionals.

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However, the Donald Trump administration seeks to make the process even more transparent and effective by making these changes. Trump and his close ally Elon Musk are strong supporters of the H1-B visa scheme despite some criticism from the Presidents MAGA supporters.

What Changes Will Be Made?

According to a report by the Financial Times, any H1-B record older than five years will be deleted from the system and the employers have been asked to download any case older than five years by March 19. All temporary labour condition applications will be eliminated from the FLAG process on Thursday.

The USCIS will launch a new application process for employees which is deemed to be more fair and equal for all applicants. While employers could file applications for a single individual under the previous system, this would be replaced by a revised system that aims to give all applicants an equal chance, regardless of how many employers file for them.

Under the new system, USCIS will select beneficiaries rather than applications for prospective employees, preventing multiple entries and reducing the advantage of larger firms. It also implements a mandatory online registration to complete an H1-B petition to expedite the application process.

The registration fee for this process has also been hiked significantly, from $10 to $215 per entry.

How Will This Impact Workers?

All temporary labour condition applications such as H1-B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, E-3 and Permanent Labour Certification Applications (PERM) will be affected by this change as older records will be eliminated from the FLAG system.

The new system is expected to ensure that all applicants will have an equal chance of getting selected by reducing the advantage of larger corporations who flood applications for a single individual.

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The new system will also increase expenses for employers, which means that businesses will have to choose their employees more carefully. The revised system also promises more efficient application processing by making the process online, eliminating paperwork and reducing time.

The debate over H-1B visas reignited this year as Trumps fiercest supporters criticised the scheme as being inconsistent with his America First policy and said it was helping in replacing American workers.

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 20, 2025, 07:42 IST
Our Technical Teams Will Meet: Zelenskyy Says US, Ukrainian Officials Will Meet In Saudi

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AFP

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 21:39 IST

Zelenskyy said there will be a separate meeting between Russian and American officials as well.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store (R) shake hands during their meeting at the Prime Minister's residence in Oslo, Norway. (IMAGE: AFP)

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukrainian and US officials would meet in Saudi Arabia next Monday to make progress on a proposed halt in Russian and Ukrainian strikes on energy facilities.

His announcement came shortly after the Kremlin confirmed that Russian officials would also hold talks with the United States in Saudi Arabia on Monday.

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The latest round of talks in Saudi Arabia build on efforts led by US President Donald Trump to secure a speedy end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now grinding through its fourth year.

Our technical teams will be there," Zelenskyy said during a press conference in Norway, referring to meetings between Ukrainian and American representatives.

Zelenskyy said that there would be separate meetings between Russian and American officials at the same time, with the aim of agreeing on the terms of a ceasefire involving a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure.

President Vladimir Putins aide Yuri Ushakov said earlier that Moscow would be represented by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Senates committee on international affairs, and Sergei Beseda, an advisor to the head of the FSB security service.

Ushakov said he had confirmed this after talks with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Both agreed to send expert groups" for the talks, he added.

The delegations are due to discuss initiatives" that Putin and Trump spoke about regarding the Black Sea.

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The Russian FSB in 2014 admitted that Beseda was in Kyiv during a bloody crackdown on the Ukrainian capital in the midst of the countrys pro-EU revolution.

He has been under Western sanctions since 2014. Karasin is a career diplomat.

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 : Oslo, Norway

First Published: March 20, 2025, 21:39 IST
Over 70,000 South African White People Express Interest In Trumps Plan To Give Them Refugee Status

Published By :

AFP

Last Updated: March 21, 2025, 00:00 IST

The US Embassy in South Africa got a list of nearly 70,000 white South Africans seeking refugee status under Trump's plan, including Afrikaners facing racial discrimination.

White South Africans demonstrate in support of US President Donald Trump in front of the US embassy in Pretoria, South Africa. (IMAGE: AP PHOTO)

The United States Embassy in South Africa said Thursday it received a list of nearly 70,000 people interested in refugee status in the US under President Donald Trumps plan to relocate members of a white minority group he claims are victims of racial discrimination by their Black-led government.

The list was given to the embassy by the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US, which said it became a point of contact for white South Africans asking about the program announced by the Trump administration last month.

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The chamber said the list does not constitute official applications.

Trump issued an executive order on Feb. 7 cutting US funding to South Africa and citing government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners."

Trumps executive order specifically referred to Afrikaners, a white minority group who are descendants of mainly Dutch and French colonial settlers who first came to South Africa in the 17th century.

The order directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to prioritize humanitarian relief to Afrikaners who are victims of unjust racial discrimination" and resettle them in the US under the refugee program.

There are approximately 2.7 million Afrikaners in South Africa, which has a population of 62 million.

Trumps decision to offer some white South Africans refugee status went against his larger policy to halt the US refugee resettlement program.

The South African government has said that Trumps allegations that it is targeting Afrikaners through a land expropriation law are inaccurate and largely driven by misinformation.

Trump has posted on his Truth Social platform that Afrikaners were having their farmland seized, when no land has been taken under the new law.

The executive order also criticized South Africas foreign policy, specifically its decision to accuse Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a case at the United Nations top court.

The Trump administration has accused South Africa of supporting the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran and taking an anti-American stance.

The US has also expelled the South African ambassador, accusing him of being anti-America and anti-Trump.

An official at the US Embassy in the South African capital, Pretoria, confirmed receipt of the list of names from the South African Chamber of Commerce in the US but gave no more detail.

Neil Diamond, the president of the chamber, said the list contains 67,042 names. Most were people between 25 and 45 years old and had children.

He told the Newzroom Afrika television channel that his organization had been inundated with requests for more information since Trumps order and had contacted the State Department and the embassy in Pretoria to indicate that we would like them to make a channel available for South Africans that would like to get more information and register for refugee status."

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That cannot be the responsibility of the chamber," he said.

Diamond said only US authorities could officially register applications for resettlement in the US. The US Embassy in South Africa said it is awaiting further instructions on the implementation of Trumps order.

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 : Cape Town, South Africa

First Published: March 20, 2025, 23:49 IST
Trump Says He Believes India Will Be Lowering Tariffs On US Substantially

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 12:27 IST

President Trump believes India will lower tariffs on US goods. He announced retaliatory tariffs starting April 2 against countries with high duties on US products

US President Donald Trump addresses US Congress | Reuters Image

US President Donald Trump has said that he believes India will probably be lowering the tariffs it imposes on American goods.

I believe theyre going to probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us," he was quoted as saying by Breitbart News.

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Earlier, Trump announced that retaliatory tariffs would be implemented starting April 2 against countries that impose high duties on American goods. This announcement came just days after Trump claimed that India had agreed to reduce tariffs, stating, Somebody is finally exposing them for what theyve done."

India imposes huge tariffs on usmassive. You cant even sell anything there But theyve agreed to cut them down significantly because somebody is finally exposing them for what theyve done," he added.

Trump had previously called India a tariff king" and a big abuser" during a White House press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing the difficulties of selling to India. He also pointed out the nearly $100 billion trade deficit with India and announced plans for negotiations to address these trade imbalances.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticized India during a press briefing, stating that the country imposes a 150 percent tariff on American alcohol and a 100 percent tariff on agricultural products.

I have a handy-dandy chart here that shows not just Canada, but tariffs across the board. For example, American cheese and butter face nearly a 300 percent tariff in Canada. Meanwhile, in India, theres a 150 percent tariff on American alcohol. Do you think thats helping Kentucky bourbon get exported to India? I dont think so. They also impose a 100 percent tariff on agricultural products," she said.

About the Author Poulami Kundu Poulami Kundu is a senior copy editor with News 18's general news desk. She hails from Guwahati and has over six years of experience in print and digital media. Poulami is a voracious reader, hodophile, and an ... Read More Poulami Kundu is a senior copy editor with News 18's general news desk. She hails from Guwahati and has over six years of experience in print and digital media. Poulami is a voracious reader, hodophile, and an ... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 20, 2025, 12:27 IST
Ukraine Targets Russias Nuke-Bomber Airfield With 'Massive' Drone Attack | Video

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 17:58 IST

Ukraine struck Russia's Engels strategic bomber base on Thursday with drones, triggering a major blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian officials and media reported.

Video verified by Reuters based on the position and shape of buildings showed a plume of smoke rising above damaged cottages. (X)

Ukraine struck Russias Engels strategic bomber base on Thursday with drones, triggering a major blast and fire about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines of the war, Russian officials and media reported.

Unverified video on Russian Telegram channels showed a major blast spreading out from the airfield, wrecking nearby cottages. Russias defence ministry said air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions.

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Video verified by Reuters based on the position and shape of buildings showed a plume of smoke rising above damaged cottages.

The base in Engels, which dates back to early Soviet times, hosts Russias Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers, known unofficially as White Swans.

The Russian military airbase Engels doesnt fall under any agreements. Ammo and fuel depots have been detonating all morning.If Russians love war so much, they better love inhaling toxic fumes and listening to explosions too. pic.twitter.com/EZeLNRRWye  Victoria (@victoriaslog) March 20, 2025

Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Engels that had left an airfield on fire, and that nearby residents had been evacuated. He did not specifically mention the Engels base, but it is the main airfield in the area.

Engels district head Maxim Leonov said that a local state of emergency had been declared but gave few details. Reuters was unable to independently confirm what had taken place at the airfield.

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Ukraine has conducted previous attacks on the Engels air base dating back to December 2022. In January it claimed to have struck an oil depot serving the base, causing a huge fire that took five days to put out.

A Ukrainian security source said at the time that a drone attack had struck a storage facility holding guided bombs and missiles at the Engels base.

Location : Moscow, Russia

First Published: March 20, 2025, 17:40 IST
US Responds After Bangladesh Slams Tulsi Gabbards Remarks On Minority Persecution

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Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:00 IST

Tulsi Gabbard earlier said that the violence against minorities in Bangladesh was rooted in the "ideology and objective to rule and govern with an Islamist Caliphate".

US DNI Tulsi Gabbard (AP Image)

Following US spy chief Tulsi Gabbards remarks on violence against minorities in Bangladesh, the White House said that the Donald Trump administration has welcomed measures taken by the interim government of Dhaka to ensure safety and security for all".

Spokesperson for the US Department of State Tammy Bruce said that the US condemns any instances of violence or intolerance towards minorities in any country. She said, We condemn any instances of violence or intolerance directed towards members of minority communities in any country and have welcomed measures taken by Bangladeshs interim government to ensure safety and security for all in Bangladesh. Thats what were watching. Thats what we expect. And that will be what continues."

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#WATCH | We condemn any instances of violence or intolerance directed toward members of minority communities in any country and have welcomed measures taken by Bangladeshs interim government to ensure safety and security for all in Bangladesh. Thats what were watching. Thats pic.twitter.com/oxXgIL6BBW ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

What Tulsi Gabbard Said On Bangladesh

This comes after Tulsi Gabbard said that the violence against minorities in Bangladesh was rooted in the ideology and objective to rule and govern with an Islamist Caliphate".

The matter of Islamic terrorism continues to be a central focus of concern", she said.

The US spy chief said, that 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. The talks are just beginning between President Trumps new cabinet coming in and the Government of Bangladesh, but this continues to remain a central focus area of concern."

Bangladesh Slams Tulsi Gabbards Remarks

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Bangladeshs interim government of Muhammad Yunus refuted the remarks as it said that groundlessly linking Bangladesh to the idea of an Islamist caliphate" undermined the hard work of countless Bangladeshis and their friends and partners around the world who were committed to peace, stability, and progress.

Bangladesh strongly condemns any efforts to link the country to any form of Islamist caliphate", Muhammad Yunus office said, adding, 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."

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 20, 2025, 08:00 IST
Cheetah Conservationist Vincent Van Der Merwe Found Dead In Saudi Arabia With Head Injury

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 07:23 IST

Vincent van der Merwe, South African conservationist, was found dead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, reportedly after a fall in his apartment building.

A photo of Vincent van der Merwe (Facebook)

South African conservationist Vincent van der Merwe has been found dead in Saudi Arabias Riyadh, several posts by his family and friends on Facebook suggested.

It is with a heavy heart that I share the loss of my dear friend and colleague, Vincent Van Der Merwe. Your work with the cheetah Metapopulation was truly remarkable, and it was an honor to collaborate with you. We had so many plans, so many dreams, and now Im left wondering how to move forward without you. Rest in peace, my Vin. You will be profoundly missed," one of the messages read.

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According to a report with TOI, Vincents body was found Sunday evening in the hallway of his apartment building.

He also bore a head injury, the report states.

As the CCTV videos were scanned, it was believed Vincent fell and struck his head on the floor, the report quoted sources.

An official confirmation on the same was awaited.

Vincent van der Merwe was a Cheetah Metapopulation Manager of The Metapopulation Initiative and the worlds foremost cheetah expert.

In 2024, Vincent visited India to monitor the translocation project.

Vincent was believed to be a key person behind the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis Project Cheetah in Madhya Pradesh, along with local officers.

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He was also internationally recognised for his role in cheetah conservation and reintroduction projects in Africa and Asia.

The report states Vincent had extended his contract for another year in Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

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 20, 2025, 07:23 IST
'Never Been Closer To Peace': US Focuses On Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal, Says 'We're Looking At Lasting Ceasefire'

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News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 08:18 IST

White House said it has moved beyond the previously negotiated US-Ukraine minerals and natural resources deal and is focused on peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy meets Donald Trump at White House. (Image: AP)

The White House said on Wednesday it has moved beyond the previously negotiated US-Ukraine minerals and natural resources deal and is focused on peace between Ukraine and Russia. The United States stated that the country is now working towards a lasting ceasefire and said, We have never been closer to peace than we are today."

We are now focused on a long-term peace agreement," said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. Weve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework."

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Addressing the media, the White House spokeswoman said, In that meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Trump (in the Oval Office), the Ukrainian President at the time wasnt talking about a greater peace deal. We are now at that place where we are talking about that."

#WATCH | Washington, DC | White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says, In that meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Trump (in the Oval Office), the Ukrainian President at the time wasnt talking about a greater peace deal. We are now at that place where we https://t.co/WbVoAYAPd8 pic.twitter.com/5m0vNF6cvy ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

So weve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework, and were looking at a lasting ceasefire. Right now, were at a partial ceasefire. But again, the President is sending his highly skilled, intelligent and experienced team to Saudi Arabia later this week to continue fighting for peace in this conflict. And I would just reiterate one more time: we have never been closer to peace than we are today," she added.

Trump Speaks To Putin On Ukraine War

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday spoke to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and the two leaders agreed for an immediate ceasefire" on all energy and infrastructure in Ukraine.

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After the call, Trump said that they also discussed many elements" of a contract for peace and the US and Russia will be working on a complete ceasefire soon.

The two leaders during their 90-minutes telephonic conversation held discussions over a range of issues  the primary one being the Ukraine war and a ceasefire.

About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d... Read More

Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)

First Published: March 20, 2025, 07:23 IST
The Senate Ethics Committee charged with investigating a senators controversial state-funded contract wrapped up its work Wednesday, signing off on a 22-page report of its findings.

The Senate voted to convene the committee after Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, obtained a contract for his longtime friend using leftover state money that he had control of when he was formerly Senate president. The contract, which was canceled before money changed hands, improperly skipped the public bidding process required by state rules. The Legislative Audit Division released a memo concluding that the business deal was a waste of state resources and an abuse of Ellsworths government position.

The Department of Justice is also investigating any criminal wrongdoing in connection with the contract following a referral from the Legislative Audit Division.

The ethics committee, which is made up of two Democrats and two Republicans, chose to narrowly tailor its work: The lawmakers were adamant that their investigation was solely a fact-finding endeavor, and they chose not to look at any possible criminal wrongdoing nor to make a recommendation to the full Senate on any punishment. The panel used a section of Montana law pertaining to ethics standards for legislators to guide its work.

To form its final report, the committee and its staff cross-examined multiple witnesses, subpoenaed countless documents and hired an outside attorney. Ellsworth did not appear as a witness in the hearings and his friend and former business associate he contracted, Bryce Eggleston, submitted a pre-recorded video that was not cross-examined.

The report confirmed the Montana State News Bureau's reporting that Ellsworth sent two nearly identical contracts to legislative staff with invoices that were due upon receipt. Those contracts were ultimately combined into one and a pay plan was implemented.

The document, which includes a timeline dating back to 2014, explains that Ellsworth approved payment on the first invoice, but the contract was canceled before money was sent to Eggleston. The report also includes testimony from Eggleston that Ellsworth did not have a financial stake in Egglestons company that was contracted to do the work, something that Ellsworth previously told the press.

"Sen. Ellsworth's actions bound the state, and there was not much the state could do to unwind this contract," Department of Administration Director Misty Ann Giles said during an ethics hearing, adding that Ellsworth "short-circuited" the typical procurement process.

Testimony from Giles and three legislative staffers said that Ellsworth did not declare a "potential conflict of interest" when communicating with them about the business deal. Ellsworth went as far as to tell Giles that the Special Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform, which was home to the leftover money funding the contract, "had signed off on hiring someone from outside" to provide the bill implementation services, the report explains.

"Regardless of the Department of Administration's efforts to 're-form' the Agile contract, Director Giles agreed that 'no one can contract their way around ethics,'" the report reads.

Central to the saga is that the contracts were originally submitted to staff by Ellsworth as two documents for amounts below $100,000, but when taken together totaled $170,100. According to state rules, contracts for below $100,000 are not subject to the same scrutiny or public bidding process.

A section of the report pertaining to the divided contracts sparked debate Wednesday among Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, and others on the committee. Smith was hesitant to include a quote from the Legislative Audit Division's report which stated the contracts were "artificially" split and that constituted a waste of state resources.

"I really struggle with this idea that we would include someone else's conclusion about the facts, and I think this blurs the line between the questions of fact and the questions of law and conclusion," Smith said. "I just have concerns about including legal conclusions."

In a rare moment of pushback from the committees special counsel, Adam Duerk, he said the auditors memo speaks to the ethical statute that the committee was using to guide its investigation.

"Here are just a few things to consider: The legislative auditor's memo and the legislative auditors investigation in this case are both facts," Duerk said. "Both of those things occurred. The memo itself is a fact."

The committee did not include a quote from the audit memo, but compromised on language referencing the audit memo:

"Legislative Auditor and Division Director Angus Maciver testified that his office substantiated the allegations involving Senator Ellsworth's actions related to the Agile Report of the contracts as instances of waste and abuse, and there was 'an artificial division of the contract, contrary to state law,'" the document reads.

The report will be distributed among the other 46 senators not on the committee, and the full Senate will take up discussion on how to address Ellsworths actions. Senate leaders from both parties this week said they expected that to happen soon but did not have an exact timeline.

When the Senate previously debated how to address Ellsworth's actions, the chamber broke into fierce debate. Should it pursue punishing Ellsworth, that could range from taking no action against the Hamilton Republican  who has been absent from the Capitol building due to health issues, according to his attorney  to expelling him from office.

The ethics committee often seemed like a thorn in the side of legislators and staff. As the chair of the committee struck his gavel and adjourned the meeting for the final time Wednesday, an air of relief hung in the room.
'Targeted Because Of Wife's Palestinian Heritage': Badar Suri, Indian Researcher Facing Deportation From US

Curated By :

News18.com

Last Updated: March 20, 2025, 11:52 IST

Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow, was detained by masked agents outside his home in the Rosslyn neighbourhood of Arlington, Virginia, on Monday, over his alleged ties with Hamas.

Badar Khan Suri is facing deportation from the US for his wife's alleged ties to Hamas. (X/Reuters)

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian researcher at Georgetown University, is the latest to face deportation in the United States over alleged ties to Palestinian militant group Hamas amid the Donald Trump administrations crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists who staged protests across US campuses last year.

Suri, an Indian postdoctoral fellow, was detained by masked agents affiliated with the Department of Homeland Security outside his home in the Rosslyn neighbourhood of Arlington, Virginia, on Monday night and was told that his visa had been revoked over his alleged Hamas ties, according to reports.

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Suris petition for release says he was put in deportation proceedings under the provision of immigration that has been used by the government to arrest and try to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student and green card holder, who was involved in the 2024 pro-Palestinian campus protests.

Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a determination on Saturday that Suris visa should be cancelled for foreign policy reasons. Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media," McLaughlin said on X.

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a https://t.co/gU02gLAlX1  Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) March 20, 2025

The Homeland Security Department also claimed that Suri had close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. His detention is the latest in a string of immigration-latest arrests targeting alleged terrorist sympathisers" and people engaging in anti-Semitic, anti-American activity.

Who Is Badar Khan Suri?

Suri is an Indian national and is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. Before this, he had completed his PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia in 2020.

He is an interdisciplinary scholar whose areas of interest lie in religion, violence and peace, ethnic conflicts and peace processes in the Middle East and South Asia, according to Georgetown University. The information on the website has now been made private.

Suri wrote his thesis on Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq", where he focused on the complicated process of introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies.

Suris wife is Mapheze Saleh, a Gaza-born US citizen who is also a student at Georgetown University. Suris lawyer Hassan Ahmed claims that he is being punished because of the Palestinian heritage of his wife as the government suspects that they oppose US foreign policy towards Israel.

Suris Alleged Ties With Hamas

The Indian researchers petition says that the couple has long been doxed and smeared" on far-right websites due to their outspoken support for Palestinian rights. Suris wife Saleh has alleged ties with Hamas and once worked for Al Jazeera, a pro-Palestinian news outlet.

According to a 2018 report by the Hindustan Times, Mapheze Salehs father, Ahmed Yousef, was a senior political advisor to the Hamas leadership in Gaza. She met Suri when he was part of an international humanitarian convoy to Gaza in 2011. The couple was supposed to get married in Gaza in 2013 but could not do so due to the volatile situation in Egypt, through which they could enter the Strip.

Salehs father was a former deputy foreign minister in Hamas government in Gaza, who left the government after its five-year term ended and began heading the House of Wisdom Institute (HoW) for conflict resolution, which provides courses in humanitarian law and governance, as per the report. Saleh has often been invited to seminars and conferences to speak on the Israel-Palestine conflict

Where Is Badar Khan Suri Now?

Suris petition said he was taken to a facility in Virginia and expected to be transferred soon to a detention centre in Texas, according to Politico. On Wednesday evening, an online locator for immigration detainees showed him at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staging" centre at the Alexandria, Louisiana, airport.

A judge is yet to be assigned to Suris case. His lawyer claims that he has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime. This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil," his lawyer said.

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The Indian national and postdoctoral fellow- who was studying and teaching on a student visa- is pursuing his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan", as per a statement from Georgetown University spokesperson.

The statement added, We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly."

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 20, 2025, 11:52 IST
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said the police would not tolerate any breach of the law.

We want to remind the public that any form of protest must be conducted within the confines of the law, Nyathi told NewsDay.

We will not tolerate any acts of violence, destruction of property or disruption of peace. Those who incite violence or participate in illegal activities will face the full wrath of the law.

We urge citizens to remain peaceful and not to be misled by individuals.

Newsday yesterday established that one of the conveners of the protest leader of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association Andreas Mathibela has since been placed on a watch-list.

A leaked letter to Plumtree regional immigration officer from the Presidents Department officer-in-charge Plumtree read: Ref: Request for watch-list for persons of security interest. The above matter refers; This office kindly requests that you watch list the following person of security interest who is a Zimbabwean national: Ethan Mathibela.

Should same present themselves at Plumtree, Maitengwe or Mphoengs border posts, may your office deny him exit and inform the President Department.

Your usual co-operation is greatly appreciated.

Mathibela confirmed that he was aware that he had been placed on the watch-list.

Indeed, this is what we have gathered and it is obviously of concern to me and my family in case some characters attempt to kidnap me, he said.

I am making arrangements to secure the safety of my family.

Amid the political tensions, Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) yesterday called for a nationwide teachers strike on March 28.

In a statement, the union expressed frustration over governments failure to review civil servants salaries despite the rising cost of living.

Artuz is demanding a minimum salary of US$1 260 for teachers.

The rural teachers criticised the government for undermining genuine collective bargaining by negotiating through the National Joint Negotiating Council.

Artuz urges all teachers to bypass these compromised unions and confront the employer directly through mass action, their statement read.

The March 28 strike is an opportunity for teachers to unite and demand fair wages without interference. Newsday
A 67-year-old Chirumanzu man has been jailed for 20 years after he raped his two minor daughters aged 5 and 11.

The man appeared before Gweru Magistrates Court, where he was convicted of rape.

He committed the crimes on various occasions in 2024.

He threatened to harm the complainants if they disclosed the matter to anyone.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the matter came to light when the girls mother noticed unfamiliar behaviour in the victims.

A report was lodged with police, leading to his arrest. H Metro
Tucked deep into a Republican-backed bill to revise state water laws is a one-sentence section that would require the state to sell isolated school trust lands, and the lands water right, to the lessee.

I rented a piece of state land up until about five years ago that was landlocked, said House Speaker Brandon Ler, R-Savage, sponsor of House Bill 676.

He was speaking during the bills first hearing before the House Judiciary Committee in March.

I offered to buy that state land for roughly $80,000, and you know what I paid for that land every year? $200," he said. "So I would have given them a check for 400 years of money in one year to buy that state land when it was landlocked.

Thanks to HB 676 the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, which manages state lands, has identified 1.25 million acres spread across more than 3,200 parcels of similar publicly inaccessible state land leased for agriculture or grazing that would qualify under Lers bill.

The bill passed through committee and the full House solely on Republican votes  despite opposition from Gov. Greg Gianfortes administration, the Montana Stockgrowers Association and the Montana Farm Bureau.

Consequently, the measure has raised several issues.

Explaining the Enabling act

In 1889 under the Enabling Act, 5.2 million acres of school trust lands were given to the state by the federal government when Montana was admitted to the union. Sections 16 and 36 in every township in the state were provided to generate revenue to support schools, or for schools to be built upon. If those sections were already occupied, other sections were awarded to the state.

Thirteen other educational and state institutions also benefit from the funds.

The Enabling Act requires that any sale of state trust lands be conducted in a public sale, Shawn Thomas, Forestry and Trust Lands Division administrator for DNRC, told the House Appropriations Committee.

The bill specifies that the land board must sell those parcels to the lessee, Thomas said. So that would seem to indicate that there won't be a public sale. It would be a captive sale. And the question would be, how do you set the full market value of that in a noncompetitive environment?

Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras, spoke in opposition to the bill during its first hearing, testifying in part, The Montana Supreme Court has consistently upheld the land boards obligation to defend ownership on behalf of our school children of the water rights that are appurtenant (belonging) to school trust lands.

Nicole Rolf, of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, said the bill defies the states current process for trust land sales.

We have law in place that talks about land banking, how land can be sold, and this seems to go in contrast with how that process currently works, she said.

Administrative costs

The cost of overseeing the sales is a duty that would fall to the Forestry and Trust Lands Division of DNRC. The bills fiscal note estimated the cost of administering the sales at $20,000 each to cover the closing and appraisal fees.

In addition, DNRC estimated it would need to hire two people to oversee the sales at a cost of about $1.8 million a year for four years. This is based on 80 sales a year.

Although the sales could generate millions, depending on the appraisal price per acre, the state would also see a loss of an estimated $5 million to $7 million a year from leasing the lands.

Earnings from land sales

Rancher Jocelyn Cahill, representing the Senior Ag Water Rights Alliance, said the bills fiscal note ignores the income that would be generated by selling the state parcels.

House Appropriations Committee member Rep. Terry Falk, R-Kalispell, estimated the state would net $560 million after transaction costs if the land sold for $500 an acre. If that amount was invested and earned 3% a year it would generate $16 million, he said.

If we sell it for $1,000 an acre, then we net $35 million based on the 3% because now we have a billion dollars to play with, Falk said. So we more than compensate for that revenue.

Even if all the acreage was sold, Cahill said the state would still have its other 4 million acres earning lease fees.

Once sold, these parcels would generate additional ongoing property tax revenue, further increasing the financial benefit, Cahill said.

Raylee Honeycutt, executive vice president of the Montana Stockgrowers Association, said the lands could also be sold again, taking them out of agricultural production.

Working lands in Montana need to stay working, she said.

It would be pretty tough for somebody to buy a piece of ground in the middle of my place and be able to get on to it, so I think that they would stay working, Ler said.

Where would the money go?

One question raised in the House Appropriations Committee was where the money raised would go.

According to Thomas, the money would funnel into the states permanent fund to benefit the trust land beneficiaries. Funds raised through sales could not be used to purchase other lands, he added.

Public land access advocates have also voiced concern about the loss of state lands.

We're not talking about selling off the land that's public access right next to the road, Ler told House Appropriations. We're talking about selling off the land that is landlocked within a parcel of land privately owned that the public doesn't have access to anyway.

The bills other impacts

Ler's bill is one of several making its way through the Legislature that seek to make changes to groundwater allowances, exempt wells, the timeline for water rights adjudication and the water court. Lawmakers from both parties have said they expect it to take much of the rest of the 38 remaining days of the session for resolutions to be reached among the competing proposals.

HB 676s main focus is to eliminate the state water court in five years as well as bar the state from claiming water rights for water used on leased state lands.

When a producer drills the well, the state doesn't own the pump, the casing, the sand screen; they don't have any of the cost into that well, Ler said. So this bill reaches out to say that the state land board cannot take any private water right that is, you know, the water that is being used on the state land. That is private water.

The bill is a response to a 2020 ruling by the Montana Supreme Court in a case between the Elk Grove Development Co. and Four Corners County Water and Sewer District in Gallatin County.

Rep. Alanah Griffith, D-Big Sky, was one of the attorneys involved in the lawsuit. During debate over HB 676 on the House floor, she noted the Supreme Court emphasized, The water is owned by the state.

She called HB 676 unconstitutional for trying to get around state law. The measure passed the full House on third reading 56-43.

The bill gets its first hearing in the Senate at the Judiciary Committee on Friday, March 21, at 8 a.m.

 Lee State Bureau news editor Blair Miller contributed to this story.
UPDATE

Mar 19, 2025 5:50 PM CDT

A jury found a woman prosecutors say was the ringleader of the nation's largest COVID-19 relief fraud case guilty on all counts Wednesday. Federal officials say Aimee Bock's scheme stole $250 million from a program meant to feed children in need. Salim Ahmed Said, a co-defendant, also was convicted in Minnesota, per the AP. The judge ordered them held without bail until sentencing, which was not scheduled. "During COVID, while so many were trying to be helpers, Bock and Said were thieves," acting US Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick said after the verdict. The defendants are being tried in several groups; 37 have pleaded guilty, and five in one group were convicted.

Sep 20, 2022 3:29 PM CDT

Federal prosecutors indicted 47 individuals in Minnesota on Tuesday in a sprawling $250 million scheme described as the largest pandemic-related fraud case to date. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Minnesota-based nonprofit Feeding Our Future "was at the center of each indictment," which included charges of wire fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and bribery. Prosecutors say the organization and its web of partners and shell companies were reimbursed by the USDA's child nutrition programs for about 125 million meals that were never actually served. Instead, the defendants allegedly enriched themselves.
A West Virginia couple received the maximum sentences of decades in prison Wednesday for abusing their adopted children. The abuse of the five children included heavy labor, locking them in bedrooms, forcing some to sleep on concrete floors, and making them stand for hours with their hands on their heads, the AP reports.

Jeanne Kay Whitefeather received up to 215 years in prison and her husband, Donald Lantz, got a term of up to 160 years. A Kanawha County jury on Jan. 29 found the pair guilty on multiple counts of forced labor, human trafficking, and child abuse and neglect. Whitefeather also was convicted of civil rights violations based on race. Whitefeather will be eligible for parole after serving 40 years and Lantz after 30.

The judge waived $2.4 million in potential fines so the couple could pay each of the children $280,000 in restitution, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports.
UPDATE

May 19, 2025 1:38 PM CDT

DOGE has at least temporarily lost a fight to dismantle a DC agency. A federal judge on Monday found that the Department of Government Efficiency acted illegally with its March takeover of the Institute of Peace, a think tank created by Congress decades ago to function in nonpartisan fashion, reports NBC News and CNN. DOGE's actions to remove USIP's leadershipwhich led to a dramatic showdown two months agowere "unlawful" and are thus "null and void," ruled US District Judge Beryl Howell. The group's former board members and president sued after being ousted.

Mar 19, 2025 6:51 PM CDT

A federal judge declined on Wednesday to stop Department of Government Efficiency's takeover of the US Institute of Peace, despite declaring herself offended by the heavy-handed approach of Elon Musk's aides. The independent nonprofit asked the judge to act in a lawsuit that described an illegal "takeover by force" of its headquarters building that involved the FBI, the Justice Department, and District of Columbia police, NBC News reports. US District Judge Beryl Howell called parts of the suit "a stretch," per the Hill, in ruling the think tank doesn't qualify for emergency relief.
Video has emerged showing the moments when a Connecticut woman accused of holding her stepson captive for decades alerts first responders to his presence. "My stepson is in here!" Kimberly Sullivan says in Feb. 17 bodycam footage shown by CNN and released by local police after they'd rushed to her burning Waterbury home, reportedly set ablaze by the victim.

Video: In the clip, Sullivan, 56, is also heard informing rescuers that she has two cats. Sullivan's 32-year-old stepson, who hasn't been named, told police he set the fire on purpose so that someone would find him, alleging he'd been kept prisoner by Sullivan since he was 11. First responders can also be seen in the video carrying off what seems to be the victim, who was reportedly found in "severely emaciated condition," according to policereports say the 5-foot-9 man weighed just 68 pounds, per USA Today.
Canada's foreign affairs minister says China executed four Canadian citizens earlier this year despite the intervention of herself and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Melanie Joly said the four Canadians were dual citizens and faced "charges linked to criminal activities, according to China, linked to drugs," the CBC reports. "We strongly condemn the executions," Joly said. "I asked personally for leniency." China's embassy accused the Canadian government of making "irresponsible remarks," saying, "whoever violates the law of China must be held accountable in accordance with the law."

"China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a 'zero tolerance' attitude towards the drug problem," the embassy said, per Reuters, adding that Canada should "respect the rule of law and China's judicial sovereignty." The executions follow years of tensions between Ottawa and Beijing. After Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was arrested in Canada in 2018 at the request of the Trump administration, China detained Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor on nebulous national security charges and changed drug smuggler Robert Schellenberg's sentence from 15 years in prison to the death penalty. Authorities say Schellenberg was not among the four Canadians executed this year.

"These wrongful deaths are a result of a highly politicized justice system, as the response to the 2018 arrest of Meng Wanzhou demonstrated with the detentions of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and the change in sentencing for Robert Schellenberg from prison to death penalty," Conservative Party foreign affairs spokesman Michael Chong said in a post on X. "Executing a number of Canadians in short order is unprecedented, and is clearly a sign that Beijing has no intention of improving relations with Canada." Earlier this month, China imposed tariffs on Canadian food and farm imports to retaliate for Canadian tariffs on electric vehicles and steel and aluminum products, the AP reports.
President Trump plans to sign an executive order on Thursday designed to eliminate the Department of Education, White House officials said. A ceremony is scheduled in the East Room of the White House with Republican governors and state education commissioners, USA Today reports. Trump will instruct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states." A White House summary says the order also mandates "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."

The action would fulfill a Trump campaign promise while almost certainly prompting legal challenges. Wiping out the department completely would take action from Congress, which created it as a Cabinet-level agency in 1979. The administration had already begun sweeping job cuts in the department, affecting lawyers, student aid workers, and civil rights office staff members, per Politico. Republicans have called for closing the Education Department for decades, charging that it wastes money and steps into decision-making that should be left to states and schools, per the AP.

The executive order "will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students," a White House press secretary said in a statement. The Washington Post reports it's not clear that a shutdown would have those effects. The department does not set curriculum or otherwise determine most school policies, and state and local governments provide 90% of school funding. McMahon is among the Trump administration officials who have conceded that closing the Education Department would require congressional action.
Greenpeace warned it could face bankruptcy if the civil battle between the eco-activist group and a pipeline company didn't go its wayand the trial definitely did not go Greenpeace's way. Energy Transfer, a Texas-based energy company, sued the environmental group over the 2016-17 protests over the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in North Dakota, alleging harm to its financing prospects, damage to its equipment, trespass, defamation, conspiracy, and more. It claimed $300 million in damages, claiming that's how much Greenpeace's efforts raised the cost of construction, NPR reports. But on Wednesday, a jury in the conservative state awarded the energy company much more, ordering Greenpeace to pay out more than $660 million, the New York Times reports. Responses from the two sides:
A former Georgia warehouse worker for the Augusta National Golf Club was sentenced to one year in prison Wednesday for transporting millions of dollars' worth of stolen Masters tournament memorabilia, including one of the late Arnold Palmer's iconic green jackets. Richard Globensky, 40, pleaded guilty last year to one count of transporting stolen goods across state lines. He appeared Wednesday in Chicago federal court and apologized for his actions before US District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman handed down the sentence, per the AP .

"I deeply regret the decision that led me to this moment," he said, his voice breaking. "I have taken full responsibility for my actions and remain committed to doing everything in my power to make amends." Globensky took items from the warehouse for sellers in Florida, who then sold them online at a markup, according to prosecutors. Globensky was paid through an LLC set up in his wife's name, among other ways. The scheme lasted for more than a decade, earning him more than $5 million. "The violation of trust was very serious and ongoing," Brian Hayes, an assistant US attorney, said in court.

Still, Hayes noted how Globensky cooperated in the ongoing investigation, providing text messages between him and a third-party. The items, which were stolen between 2009 and 2022, included such historic memorabilia as tickets to Masters tournaments in the 1930s, as well as T-shirts, mugs, and chairs, according to prosecutors. Among the stolen legendary green jackets were those won by Palmer, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen.

story continues below

Prosecutors say the money was used to fund a luxurious lifestyle, including $370,000 to buy vehicles and a boat, $160,000 for Disney-themed vacations, and $32,000 for items at Louis Vuitton, according to court documents. In court, Globensky's attorney said it wasn't uncommon for employees to occasionally take items from the warehouse, and that his client had expressed remorse and wasn't a danger to the public. Under the sentence, Globensky will also have to pay more than $3 million in restitution and face one year of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had sought a 16-month sentence, while defense attorneys wanted probation. More here.
The Malaysian government has approved a new search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 to be carried out by Ocean Infinity, a Texas-based marine robotics company. The search will target a new 5,800-square-mile site in the southern Indian Ocean, where the flight is believed to have crashed in 2014. The operation will be conducted under a "no-find, no-fee" contract, meaning Ocean Infinity stands to earn $70 million only if the firm finds the wreckage, the AP reports. The flight, with 239 people aboard, disappeared shortly after taking off from Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur on its way to Beijing. Debris later washed ashore on islands in the Indian Ocean as well as the east African coast, but the plane was never found, despite a $150 million search involving Malaysia, Australia, and China, the BBC reports.
The lead investigator in Karen Read's murder case was fired Wednesday for sending vulgar texts about the suspect. Defense lawyers referred to the texts at Read's 2024 trial, which ended with a hung jury, saying they showed Michael Proctor was biased against their client and singled her out while ignoring other suspects in the murder of Boston police officer John O'Keefe. Massachusetts State Police later launched an internal affairs investigation, suspending the state trooper without pay. On Wednesday, Superintendent Col. Geoffrey Noble said he'd accepted a disciplinary board's recommendation that Proctor be fired, per the AP .

Proctor sent texts calling Read a "wack job c---" and saying he wished she would "kill herself," per WGBH. The State Police Trial Board said Proctor not only sent "derogatory, defamatory and disparaging and/ or inappropriate text messages" about Read but also provided confidential information about the case to people outside of law enforcement and operated his cruiser after consuming alcohol on the job, per NBC News. Noble said he moved to terminate Proctor after considering "the nature of the offenses, their impact on our investigative integrity, and the importance of safeguarding the reputations of our dedicated women and men in the State Police."

Proctor's family blasted the police decision in a statement, per the AP, saying it "lacks precedent, and unfairly exploits and scapegoats one of their own." They stressed the text messages had been found on Proctor's personal phone and only prove Proctor "is humannot corrupt, not incompetent in his role as a homicide detective, and certainly not unfit to continue to be a Massachusetts State Trooper." Read, to be retried for murder beginning April 1, is accused of drunkenly striking O'Keefe with her vehicle outside the home of another police officer in January 2022. Her lawyers have suggested O'Keefe was instead killed in a fight with fellow officers.
Elon Musk has been dipping his toes into what NBC News calls "one of the most politically dangerous arenas in America"Social Security payments. And multiple Republican senators want very much for him to butt out, reports the Hill.

"He should zip it on that. It's not helpful," one GOP senator who asked to remain anonymous tells the outlet. "It plays right into Democrats' hands; they want to talk about Social Security cuts, Medicare cuts, Medicaid cuts. We don't. The president does not want to talk about that. He's against all those things."

Another GOP senator, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, went public with her complaints. "It doesn't help the president when you have somebody who clearly is not worried about whether or not Social Security benefits are going to be there for him" talking about cuts at the Social Security Administration, she says, referring to Musk's status as the world's richest person. The Hill says it spoke with "several" senators voicing the same sentiment.
Cosmologists say new findings about a mysterious force called dark energy have upended their predictions about the eventual fate of the universe. For decades, researchers believed that the force powering the expansion of the universe was a "cosmological constant" that did not change over time, Nature reports. Scientists with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic InstrumentDESIsurvey, however, say their observations suggest that the force has been weakening for billions of years, since the universe was around 70% of its current age. The findings suggest the "rate of expansion is still accelerating, but that dark energy is gently lifting its foot off the pedal," the Guardian reports. Researchers believe the force is now 10% weaker than it was a few billion years ago.

At a meeting of the American Physical Society on Wednesday, DESI researchers said there is not enough evidence yet to raise the findings on "evolving dark energy" to the level of a discovery, but they are growing more confident that it's not just a "blip" in the data, the BBC reports. "It is a dramatic moment," says Ofer Lahav, one of hundreds of researchers on the DESI team. "We may be witnessing a paradigm shift in our understanding of the universe." The team has mapped almost 15 million galaxies and quasars and aims to bring the total to 60 million by the end of next year.

Researchers still have many more questions than answers about the true nature of dark energy, but the findings raise multiple possibilities about the eventual fate of the universe. Constant expansion would lead to a "Big Freeze" and a cold, lifeless universe trillions of years in the future, but the new findings suggest that if dark energy fades over time, the universe will eventually collapse on itself in a "Big Crunch," the AP reports. "Now, there is the possibility that everything comes to an end," says DESI team member Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki. "Would we consider that a good or bad thing? I don't know." The Washington Post notes that it's also possible that expansion will speed up againor that "the universe will settle down into a serene maturity, never in a rush, imperturbable."
As rescuers dug through the remains of a collapsed apartment building in Gaza's Khan Younis on Thursday, they could hear the cries of a baby from underneath the rubble. Suddenly, calls of "God is great!" rang out. A man sprinted out of the wreckage carrying a living infant swaddled in a blanket and handed her to a waiting ambulance crew. The baby girl stirred fitfully as paramedics checked her over. Her parents and brother were dead in the overnight Israeli airstrike, per the AP . The girl was identified as Ella Osama Abu Dagga, born 25 days earlier, in the midst of a tenuous ceasefire that many Palestinians in Gaza had hoped would mark the end of a war that has devastated the enclave, killed tens of thousands, and displaced nearly its entire population.

Only the girl's grandparents survived the attack. Killed were her brother, mother, and father, along with another family that included a father and his seven children. Rescuers digging through the rubble could be seen pulling out the small body of a child sprawled on the mattress where he'd been sleeping. It wasn't immediately clear who would take the rescued infant girl in. The strike that destroyed the infant's home hit the village of Abasan al-Kabira, located near the border with Israel, killing at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. It was inside an area the Israeli military ordered evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering the truce that had facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages. Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal for the second phase of the ceasefire that departed from their signed agreement, which was mediated by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. Nearly 600 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including more than 400 on Tuesday alone, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Health officials said most of the victims were women and children.
An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal brokered by US and Qatari negotiators, the State Department said Thursday. George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since January, reports the AP . He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the US government as wrongfully detained the following year. He was being accompanied back to the US, through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Trump's administration. Qatar has hosted negotiations between the US and the Taliban over the years.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the "normalization" of ties between the US and Afghanistan following the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Most countries still don't recognize the Taliban's rule. Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty. The Taliban's Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two US citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under US narco-terrorism laws. Unlike in that arrangement, the US didn't give up any prisoner to secure Glezmann's release, which was seen as a goodwill gesture.

The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had been meeting on hostage issues with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. President Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But Biden told families during a call in January that he wouldn't support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Habibi. US officials believe the Taliban is holding Habibi, but the Taliban has denied it.
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Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn resigned on Thursday, less than an hour before colleagues could vote on expelling him. Lawmakers from both parties said they were ready to expel the Republican, who was arrested in an underage prostitution sting on Monday, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, a Republican, said the charge "is so severe" and the charging documents "so damning" that an unprecedented expulsion from the chamber was warranted, MPR News reports. According to federal charging documents, Eichorn communicated with an undercover detective he believed was a 17-year-old girlinitial reports said 16and said her age was not an issue.

Charging documents state that the 40-year-old lawmaker, who is married with four children, contacted a number in an online ad that undercover detectives had placed in an operation targeting attempted sexual exploitation of minors, MPR News reports. The documents state that Eichorn asked about prices and sexual servicesand asked for explicit photos. When the undercover detective texted: "I am 17  like I said don't want any drama but wanna be upfront cause one guy got hella mad at me," Eichorn allegedly replied: "Why was he so mad? I think age of consent is 17 when do ya turn 18?" He was arrested after he arranged a meetup in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis.

Eichorn, who has been jailed since his arrest, was charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor on Wednesday, the Guardian reports. On Thursday, a judge ordered his release to a halfway house with GPS monitoring when a space opens up. His access to the internet will be restricted, and he will not be allowed to have unsupervised contact with minors. In a resignation letter to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz read in the Senate chamber Thursday, Eichorn said, "I must focus on personal matters at this time." On Monday, hours before his arrest, Eichorn was one of five Republicans who introduced a bill to classify "Trump derangement syndrome" as a mental illness.
TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrains governorates at Sakhir Palace, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The gathering underscored His Majestys commitment to engaging with the people of Bahrain during the holy month of Ramadan.

The event commenced with a recitation from the Holy Quran, followed by a speech delivered by His Majesty the King. Extending warm greetings on the occasion of the last ten days of Ramadan, His Majesty expressed wishes for divine blessings and prosperity for the Arab and Islamic nations.

During his address, His Majesty reflected on Bahrains numerous blessings, highlighting the nations security, stability, and unity as key pillars of its progress. He reiterated Bahrains unwavering dedication to prosperity, tolerance, and coexistence, reaffirming national pride in the Kingdoms achievements.

His Majesty also celebrated the successful launch of the Bahraini satellite Al Munther, recognizing it as a milestone in the Kingdoms scientific advancements and a testament to the capabilities of Bahraini youth. He encouraged continued investment in young talent and urged institutions to support innovation and technological progress.

Further emphasizing national development, His Majesty underscored the importance of sustaining progress in key sectors, particularly education and healthcare. He directed the acceleration of housing projects to deliver 50,000 new units and called for enhanced public services to meet citizens needs effectively.

Addressing Bahrains role in promoting regional and global stability, His Majesty reaffirmed the Kingdoms commitment to conflict resolution, Arab unity, and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. He emphasized the need for a world built on understanding, cooperation, and peace.

Concluding his address, His Majesty prayed for national unity, divine acceptance of good deeds, and continued success in serving the Kingdom and its people.

Following His Majestys speech, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior, delivered a statement expressing gratitude to His Majesty the King. He emphasized the deep commitment of the Bahraini people to the leadership and praised His Majestys governance, which fosters national unity and strengthens the bond between the leadership and citizens.

The event also featured a poem recited by poet Mohammed Hadi Al Halwaji. Additionally, Bahrains governors presented commemorative gifts to His Majesty as a token of appreciation.

Well-wishers had the honour of greeting His Majesty, extending their congratulations on Ramadan and the approaching final ten days of the holy month. They expressed their appreciation for His Majestys continued care for citizens and his commitment to their well-being.

Attendees also praised His Majestys directives, which have led to key developmental initiatives across Bahrains governorates, particularly in housing, education, and healthcare. They highlighted His Majestys steadfast dedication to maintaining close ties with the people of Bahrain, particularly during this sacred month, reinforcing the strong bond between the leadership and the nations citizens.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW)  Christians celebrated a saint with some special significance locally on Wednesday.

Lent coincides with the feast day of St. Joseph on March 19. In the Catholic Church, the two occasions illustrate different aspects of religious customs that are complementary, said Cathedral of St. Josephs pastor, The Rev. Stephen Hansen.

Lent, its a time of preparation for Easter, recognition of our sinfulness and gratefulness for gods mercy, St. Joseph Seminarian Xavier Schmidt said. But St. Josephs feast day is kind of right in the midst of it is just a reminder, like, OK, its not all drab and mourning and weeping and ashes. Its actually quite delightful. And the lord surprises us very often with his mercy and his gifts, and he wants to shower those upon us kind of unexpectedly.

The feast honors Joseph, the husband to Mary and the earthly father who watched over Jesus.

In a special way, St. Joseph could be considered a kind of a model for Lent, The Rev. Hansen, said. Lent is a time to adjust ourselves by following Jesus more closely. Joseph raised Jesus, he protected him. But theres not a lot written about him. We could say that the silence was both exterior and interior so that we can hear our Lord speaking to our hearts.

The feast day is significant historically to the city. The towns founder, Joseph Robidoux, was a Catholic fur trader, who founded the first settlement here in 1826, which originally was known as Black Snake Hills.

The name of the town was supposed to be changed to Robidoux but was instead named St. Joseph in 1846 to honor the saint.

In later years, the city added the church which is now known as the Cathedral of St. Joseph.

Back in 1868, Pope Pius the Ninth created what is now the diocese will create the Diocese of St. Joseph, Hansen said. And its first bishop was John Joseph Hogan, who bought the land which is now Cathedral Hill. So we the church came from the lower side.

The church hosted a St. Josephs Feast on Wednesday night in honor of the day.
On March 19, as temperatures gradually rise, the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of spring. Along the banks of the Jianghuai Canal in Feixi County, Hefei, thousands of acres of canola flowers are in full bloom. The golden sea of flowers beautifully contrasts with the rippling waters of the canal, creating a stunning springtime scene. This golden flower sea not only attracts numerous tourists but has also become a "golden engine" driving the tourism economy in Feixi County. In recent years, Feixi County has leveraged the unique natural resources of the Jianghuai Canal to vigorously develop a "flower appreciation economy," establishing a new model of rural tourism that integrates sightseeing, leisure, and experiential activities. While promoting this "flower appreciation economy," Feixi County remains committed to the principles of ecological priority and green development, emphasizing the protection of the ecological environment along the Jianghuai Canal. Through scientific planning and rational layout, the planting of canola flowers has been organically combined with ecological protection of the canal, creating a demonstration zone for rural revitalization that encompasses ecological, economic, and social benefits. Source: anhuinews.com
TORONTO, March 20, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)'s Business Barometer long-term index crashed to an all-time low in March, dropping 24.8 index points to 25.0. The small business confidence indicator reached a lower mark than it did at any time during the 2020 pandemic, 2008 financial crisis or 9/11.

"Small business owners are feeling pessimistic about their business's perspectives for the next few months or even beyond. It's hard to make critical decisions for the long, medium or short term when so much can change within a matter of hours," said Simon Gaudreault, CFIB's chief economist and vice-president of research. "No one knows when the tariff war will end, and businesses are worried the worst is yet to come."

To recoup the losses caused by tariffs and the ongoing financial struggles, small businesses plan to raise prices by an average of 3.7%, an increase from 3.0% in February  the largest month-over-month spike in price increase intentions since the pandemic. Average wage increase plans dropped to 1.9% from 2.2% last month.

Weak small business optimism is also translating into lower hiring plans, with 19% of small firms planning to lay off in the next few months (up from 13% in February), and only 11% looking to hire.

Insufficient demand has been steadily trending upwards since November 2024, reaching a new historical high of 59% of affected small firms in March, eclipsing the pandemic high mark of 53% for this indicator.

Confidence among all sectors also fell, with hospitality (17.0), manufacturing (18.6), transportation (21.0), and agriculture (21.3) at the bottom of the scale. In addition to U.S. tariffs, agriculture businesses are also facing 100% tariffs from China on canola oil, peas and oil cakes as well as 25% tariffs on pork and aquatic products such as lobsters.

"Chinese tariffs are coming at the worst possible time given the ongoing uncertainty in our trading relationship with the United States," Gaudreault added.

All provinces registered a drop in optimism, with the three largest provinces among the most pessimistic: Ontario (23.4), Alberta (24.1) and Quebec (24.9).

"Business confidence is at abysmal levels. If this doesn't send a strong warning signal to policymakers that businesses urgently need all the help they can get to weather this storm, including a much-improved business environment here in Canada, then I'm not sure what will," said Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice-President of Advocacy at CFIB. "Now is the time to show strong support to small businesses. Taking proactive actions, such as making carbon tax rebates for small businesses tax free, adopting full mutual recognition right across Canada, increasing the lifetime capital gains exemption, and ensuring there are supports that are accessible to small businesses to help them through this challenging ordeal would significantly boost confidence at a time when small businesses need it the most."

Methodology

March Business Barometer: March findings are based on 1,065 responses from a stratified random sample of CFIB members, to a controlled-access web survey. Data reflects responses received from March 5 to 7. Findings are statistically accurate to +/- 3.0 per cent, 19 times in 20. Every new month, the entire series of indicators is recalculated for the previous month to include all survey responses received in that previous month. Measured on a scale between 0 and 100, an index below 50 means owners expecting their business's performance to be weaker over the next three or 12 months outnumber those expecting stronger performance.

About CFIB

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca .

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business

For media enquiries or interviews, please contact: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB, 647-464-2814, [email protected]
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.
Ha Jin's ``A Map of Betrayal'' garnered 3.8 out 5 on goodread, less than

stellar, but I did not read their reviews. Neither did I care about ornate

styles. Simple prose that narrates a plausible plot was just fine. More

important to me, a fellow Chinese expat more than one generation younger than

the author, was that I could relate to his stories. I picked up the book from

the library and finished it in one weekend.

The life of a communist mole, Gary Shang, in the CIA and the tale of his

America-born daughter, Lilian, connecting with her father's other family in his

native land form the two parallel storylines of the 280-page novel.

Gary left his wife and parents in Shangdong and followed the Americans as a

translator since 1949 from Shanghai to Okinawa and then to the States where he

settled, married again, and raised a daughter before being exposed and commiting

suicide in jail in 1980.

Teaching Asian American History for one semester in Beijing, Lilian traced the

descendants of her father and his first wife. Upon returning to the States, she

met with her nephew, Ben, a businessman and Chinese spy on the East Coast, and

was able to persuade him to choose freedom.

Every novelist is a moralist, I have heard. The author obviously embraces

American values, especially its idea of the relationship between the state and

the individual. He has Lilian saying to Ben: ``It's unreasonable to deify a

country and it's insane to let it lord over you. We must ask this question: On

what basis should a country be raised above the citizens who created it?''

Ben was in his twenties but some seasoned Chinese official might respond: ``A

country is nothing but a story made up to foster collaboration among its

citizens, to better protect themselves, for example. It is at once a goddess

that bestows blessings and a monster that exacts sacrifice. (Is there an

exception?) It is thus deified just as all the gods and Gods. From this point of

view, the individual's rights against the state can be a way of saying: `I want

the safety and glory for which someone else spills guts.'''

Gary failed to convince the court that he was a patriot of both countries. Ha

Jin might thought of himself such a patriot, although he seems to have no

illusion that, when push comes to shove, such an individual is pardoned by

neither, just as Gary was convicted in the States and forsaken by China.

While the author does not demonize China, it is hard to find a page in the 2014

novel where he praises its cultural strengths that have contributed to its

staying power. Lilian could not stomach the salmon fillet in a Shangdong

restaurant because its cheap price suggested that the fish was raised in

polluted water and full of antibiotics yet she failed to mention that her

store-bought dumplings on Ben's first visit to her Maryland home were likely

stuffed with fillings of industrial pork and shrimp.

The sentences could be shorter to help the reader, Gary's playing a hand in

every major Sino-American affair through three eventful decades felt repetitive,

and Lilian, a history professor who had taught altogether two terms in Beijing

decades apart (the first was in 1988), seemed remarkably with-it on her

ancestral land and quick to judge.
Princeton University plans to pause most hirings and institute other measures in a new effort to save money in light of the federal government revoking other schools funding for allegedly not protecting their Jewish students.

In a memo sent to the university community Wednesday, officials said they were taking a number of steps in the coming months to cut costs and restrain spending.

They include avoiding staff growth outside of mission-critical circumstances, postponing early-stage faculty searches and changing the annual employee merit increase pool to its pre-pandemic state.

However, a university spokeswoman said the new measures do not constitute a hiring freeze.

Beyond staffing, officials will also evaluate capital planning projects, reconsidering the scale and schedule of major university projects in the early stages, according to the memo.

Like many institutions of U.S. higher education, Princeton Universitys operating model relies on a longstanding compact with the federal government, which partners with universities and colleges to produce research, training, and education for the benefit of the country and society, said university provost Jennifer Rexford and executive vice president Katie Callow-Wright.

That model is under profound stress now, as the federal government re-evaluates and pares back its research funding priorities, considers expanding the endowment tax, and steps up scrutiny and restrictions on higher education, they said in the memo.

University officials have been planning for the possibility of revoked federal funding, according to Rexford and Callow-Wright.

Against this backdrop, University leadership has for several months been conducting contingency planning to help us protect our core mission of research, teaching, and service at a time of considerable uncertainty and risk, they said.

Officials also warned more cost-cutting measures might be on the way, while urging all community members to participate in the effort.

On that front, we need everyones help, the memo said. Please look for ways big and small to restrain non-critical spending, which will give us flexibility down the road.

The Ivy League university in Mercer County is already one of 60 universities and colleges  including Rutgers University  under federal investigation for potential civil rights violations of Title VI. Federal education officials have warned the schools they must do more to protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination, or face potential federal penalties.

The expected fiscal changes at Princeton come as President Donald Trumps administration has already canceled one Ivy League universitys federal funding, accusing it of tolerating antisemitism on campus.

Earlier this month, the federal government announced it was canceling $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University, alleging the university had not complied with federal anti-discrimination laws amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Federal agencies also announced they were considering stop-work orders on $51 million in contracts with the New York City university and reviewing its eligibility for more than $5 billion in federal grants moving forward, according to the Associated Press.

In a recent piece for The Atlantic, Princeton Universitys president denounced the Trump administrations targeting of Columbia University and said the government can respond to legitimate concerns about antisemitism without infringing on academic freedom.

The attack on Columbia is a radical threat to scholarly excellence and to Americas leadership in research, wrote Christopher L. Eisgruber, the universitys president. Universities and their leaders should speak up and litigate forcefully to protect their rights.

The universities cannot, however, prevail alone.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.

Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com.
An Amish grilled cheese sandwich with sweet potato fries is photographed at My Father's Place, inside the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market, at 2 Cassidy Court, off State Route 49 in Bridgeton, New Jersey. Meredith Winner /Mer Made Photography

Editors note: This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and Front Runner New Jersey. You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (or X).

My Fathers Place, the quaint family-owned restaurant that sits inside the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market, works like a magnet when one first walks in the door with the aroma of freshly made soups and the serving of mouth-watering dishes.

My Fathers Place, owned by Chris and Lillian Stolzfus, has become the primary reason for some to visit the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market, at 2 Cassidy Court, off State Route 49.

Front Runner New Jersey.com Dine-In experienced My Fathers Places atmosphere - cozy, comfortable and relaxing - while serving up meals that are fresh and delicious.

Depending on when you arrive, lines for My Fathers Place can stretch to near the markets entrance, but the staff keeps it moving, and any wait is worth it.

You will find My Fathers Place entwined among the hustle and bustle of market shoppers. Yet the atmosphere remains homey, regardless of whether it is in the middle of a busy holiday weekend or a quiet Thursday afternoon.

During our recent Dine-In review, dishes served included grilled cheese with freshly sliced tomatoes adorned with sweet potato fries and a pickle, tasty homemade chicken corn soup, big delectable onion rings and a hardy chefs salad.

Although it was close to closing time, the staff made accommodations to ensure the dishes were freshly prepared and served without delay. The portions were very generous  the simplicity in the presentation afforded time to savor the home-cooked cuisine.

When visiting My Fathers Place, consistency of the food and service is a top priority. The restaurant accommodates about 130 people. The hours coincide roughly with the rest of the market. Its Thursday and Friday hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Stoltzfus purchased the restaurant from Lillians parents, Jonas and Kathryn King.

The name honors Lillians father and their religious faith. My Fathers Place has been operating at the Amish Market for 13 years.

Actually, the restaurant is part of the Stoltzfus' love story. Chris started working at the restaurant, trying to impress the Kings, when he fell for their daughter, who also worked there. Retelling the story of love that happened between food orders and dishwashing still brings a smile to Chris' face.

The Kings had previously owned and operated another restaurant, but when they came across the last of the spaces in the market, they decided it was the perfect spot to start My Fathers Place.

Signage with the Bible verse John 1:14 can be spotted at the restaurant in recognition of its name. The verse reads: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Family-inspired and managed, Lillian Stolzfus said her mother still makes all the restaurants soups from scratch, with her recipes of love and devotion delighting customers' taste buds. Chris added that his mother-in-laws soups have become so popular that they are the most profitable dishes at the restaurant, particularly during the slower winter months.

Kathryn Kings is a fan favorite on the restaurants buffet, which was introduced about 18 months ago. Chris Stolzfus said the effort to keep the soup containers full requires a bit of work, but the customers love them so much and keep coming back for more.

Some of the most popular items include breakfast and lunch sandwiches and wraps, large egg omelets, pancakes, waffles, homemade jams and spreads, and paninis. Fountain drinks, juices, milk, tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available.

Chris Stoltzfus said he wants people to know that everything is made fresh with prep starting when they arrive from Lancaster every Thursday.

We get the job done right, and we want to satisfy our customers, Chris Stoltzfus said.

Lillian talked about how much they love the area and the people who visit regularly. Its like family, she said, adding that the customers are so friendly.

Traveling from Lancaster on Thursday, Friday and Saturday begins at 3 a.m. when the workers are picked up for the roughly two-hour drive to Bridgeton. They arrive at about 5 a.m. on Thursdays and 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The dedication of My Fathers Places crew is evident in the dishes they serve, assuring them repeat customers. In the Amish culture, the large meal of the day comes around noon and is called dinner, while the evening meal is called supper.

Come on out to the Greater Bridgeton Amish Farm Market with plans to visit My Fathers Place, where you will experience Amish hospitality and can have the meal of your choice.

Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom and on Facebook at MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom.
At the Feb. 27 meeting of the New York State EMS Council, Robert McCartin spoke about how delayed grant funding from the state Health Department was affecting his organizations ability to assist emergency medical services providers in Western New York.

If contract award letters are not issued soon, we risk further reductions in services, something no program agency director wants to see, said McCartin, director of UBMD EMS Program Agency.

Not quite three weeks later, McCartin shared a message Monday with the EMS community: UBMD EMS Program Agency was closing, effectively immediately.

The closure comes after more than two decades of providing administrative support to local EMS agencies. While the Program Agency did not provide emergency medical services, its work under the expired state grant included reviewing agency renewals, protocols, licensing and patient care documentation.

UBMD did not respond to a question about how many jobs were cut by the program agencys closure. But the UBMD Emergency Medicine website shows two administrative staff members, and local EMS officials said two jobs were dedicated to the program agency.

Those two jobs supported hundreds of people in the local EMS community, noted Bryan Brauner, CEO of Twin City Ambulance.

Other program agencies across the state also are working under lapsed contracts, and Brauner and others are concerned more closures will follow. AMR Regional Director Timothy Frost said he thinks UBMD could be maybe that first domino in wider program agency closures. And many local EMS officials see this as another example of the state underfunding emergency medical services.

This is an absolute failure for New York State to live up to its promises, and thats the bigger issue for us, said Brauner, chair-elect of the Wyoming-Erie Regional EMS Council.

State Health Department spokesperson Marissa Crary said program agency contracts are under review, and there are no updates at this time.

Brauner and other EMS leaders said they have struggled to get answers out of the state about why the funding is delayed.

The Olean-based Southern Tier Health Care System is the EMS program agency for Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties, and provides support to EMS agencies, ensures regulatory compliance, facilitates training and fosters collaboration between first responders and hospitals.

However, our ability to continue this critical work is now in jeopardy due to a contract delay that has left us without necessary funding for nearly nine months, said Donna Kahm, president and CEO of Southern Tier Health Care System. The contract, which was supposed to begin on July 1, 2024, remains in limbo.

Without a contract, Kahm said that affects the EMS training, oversight and support services that the region relies on daily. In addition, Kahm said the program agency has decided to forgo attendance at the upcoming State EMS Council meeting because it cannot take on travel costs, given the instability of the program and the contract delay. That means the challenges and viewpoints of rural EMS agencies in those three counties will not be represented at the state level.

We urge state officials to resolve this contract delay immediately, so we can continue ensuring that Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties have the EMS infrastructure needed to save lives, Kahm said.

Uncertainty over federal funding could mean 'world of trouble' for NY Medicaid Gov. Kathy Hochul and some of the state's most powerful lawmakers are openly concerned that cuts at the federal level could leave New York at a loss. House Republicans in Congress have advanced the framework of a budget plan last that proposed a $2 trillion cut in spending. They have said the proposal would not impact Medicaid funding, but Democrats are extremely skeptical.

For Wyoming-Erie Regional EMS Council, Brauner said he believes the council will be able to absorb the majority of what the UBMD EMS Program Agency did, though it will mean more work for some of the councils subcommittees. In addition, the council had funding earmarked through the program agency contract for paramedics scholarships, which are now jeopardized.

Other regions across the state, Brauner said, would be devastated if their program agency closed. Many small, volunteer agencies, for instance, rely on the program agency staff for policy guidance, training and credentialing.

When the UBMD EMS Program Agency news came out, it quickly spread through the EMS community.

Jon Smith, chief and CEO of Pittsford Volunteer Ambulance near Rochester, and chair of the Monroe County EMS Chiefs Association, said the closure represents a loss of bandwidth to support the EMS community. Without contracts, he noted other program agencies are also at risk of closure at some point.

At the Monroe-Livingston Regional EMS Council, where Smith is vice chair, the council has helped the University of Rochester carry out the program agency work for more than 30 years. The program agency, for instance, supports the public access defibrillation program, which ensures that automated external defibrillators are available in public spaces where large numbers of people gather.

As our program agencies are underfunded, or at risk, not only are the EMS services somewhat at risk for being able to meet some of their statutory obligations, but also, you have community programs that are inherent in every community that are also at risk of not having the appropriate support, Smith said.

Without a contract, Smith worries how long organizations, such as UBMD or the University of Rochester, will be able or willing to donate their time and resources without the promised state funding coming in.

I think what were seeing is that each of these organizations is evaluating, on a regular basis, what commitment they can uphold without creating harm for themselves, Smith said.
Hey there New Jersey! Heres your audio update highlighting the states school funding challenges, a rare health alert that was issued at a local high school, and a New Jersey gun manufacturer thats planning to move more than 140 jobs to the Midwest.

Plus, well tell you about a large school district in Monmouth County thats considering closing two schools.

Listen by clicking the play button above.

This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result.

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A former investigator for a state office created to help crime victims has been indicted on charges he sent sexually explicit messages to victims he was supposed to be assisting, authorities said Thursday.

Guilherme H. Jamarino, 47, of Point Pleasant, was indicted on six counts of second-degree official misconduct and one count of second-degree pattern of official misconduct, according to a statement from the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office.

Jamarino was an investigator for the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office, which falls under the oversight of the Attorney General.

The office provides financial assistance to victims, their families, and victim-service providers to help alleviate the economic and emotional burdens, authorities said.

Jamarinos responsibilities included helping vulnerable crime victims obtain financial reimbursement, authorities said.

However, investigators said Jamarino took advantage of the access his position gave him to the contact information of female victims he was assigned to assist.

He sent sexually-suggestive and inappropriate messages to the six women between December 2019 and July 2022, authorities said

Jamarino messages with the women included discussions about claims with his office, interspersed with nude or partially nude photographs of himself and invitations to meet in person, authorities said.

Several of the women filed civil lawsuits against Jamarino, but the status of their cases was not immediately clear.

Jamarino was fired July 25, 2022, and was charged with second-degree official misconduct by the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office in April 2024.

We allege that although this defendant worked for an office that helps crime victims, he instead subjected them to further injustice, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said in a statement. His alleged behavior exploited his professional relationship with the victims and further eroded the trust of these victims when they needed support and reassurance.

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Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com.
Former Paramus firefighter Shawn Kelly apologizes for leaving the scene of the Labor Day 2016 boating accident on Greenwood Lake. The collision injured four people, one of whom, Edwin Lane, died a month later. Richard Cowen/NJ Advance Media for NJ.Com

A former Paramus firefighter was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison for leaving the scene of a Labor Day 2016 boat collision on Greenwood Lake that injured four people  one of whom died a month later.

Shawn Kelly, 50, briefly apologized to the wife, family and friends of Edwin Lane, the pilot of the other boat who was knocked unconscious in the collision and died 33 days later.

I apologize to the family, Kelly said in Superior Court in Paterson before Judge Justine A. Niccollai handed down a three-year sentence as part of a plea bargain.

The former firefighter also apologized to his own parents  his mother came to the courtroom in a wheelchair  and thanked the judge for her patience in the case.

Defense attorney Patrick Jennings asked for probation, citing Kellys clean criminal record and his service as a volunteer firefighter in Paramus from 2002 to 2012. But the judge said Kellys true test of character was on the night of Sept. 5, 2016, when he rammed into a boat piloted by Lane, and didnt stop.

He could have called 9-1-1, the judge said. He could have reached out to help.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tim Kerrigan asked the judge to sentence Shawn Kelly to the 3 years in prison under a plea deal. Kelly was about to go on trial last month when he pled guilty to leaving the scene of the Labor Day 2016 boating accident on Greenwood Lake that injured four people, one of whom, Edwin Lane, died 33 days later. Richard Cowen/NJ Advance Media for NJ.Com

Kelly was ordered to surrender on Thursday, but could be eligible for parole in nine months, his attorney, Patrick Jennings said.

Kelly was about to stand trial last month on a charge of leaving the scene of a boating accident that resulted in death  a second-degree offense that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The jury had already been selected when he pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a boating accident resulting in serious bodily injury in exchange for a maximum three-year sentence.

The guilty plea ended a case that began on the evening of Sept. 5, 2016, more than eight years ago. Edwin Lane, 72, of West Milford, climbed aboard his 18-foot Bayliner with his wife, Mary, and two friends, Robert and Eileen Roon, for an evening cruise to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.

After stopping for dinner at a restaurant on Greenwood Lake, the Bayliner was struck while skipping across the water by a 20-foot Wellcraft piloted by Kelly, the prosecution says.

Kellys boat went airborne and then he left the scene, leaving an unconscious Edwin Lane and his three injured passengers to fend for themselves, the prosecution contends.

Edwin Lane and Robert Roon were both hospitalized that night; their wives were treated and released. Lane died a month later, and the prosecution maintained the West Milford man died from the injuries he sustained in the accident.

Kelly was questioned by New Jersey State Police five days after the accident. But he wasnt charged until August of 2018  nearly two years later  after investigators painstakingly reconstructed the accident scene. Hes been wearing an electronic ankle bracelet and living with his elderly parents in Paramus ever since.

In court on Wednesday, Jennings asked the judge for probation, citing his clients spotless criminal record and his 10 years as a volunteer firefighter in Paramus, from 2002 and 2012.

His parents need him on a day-to-day basis, Jennings told the judge.

Lanes wife and children told the judge they miss their father everyday.

One of the last things my husband said to me that night was, I like being with you, Mary Lane recalled of the drive to the marina on the night of the fateful cruise.

After dinner at a waterfront restaurant, the couples set off across the lake with Edwin behind the wheel. Mary was seated with Eileen in the bow when she was hit with a sudden wall of water, she said.

The windshield shattered and both men were knocked unconscious. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Tim Kerrigan said Mary grabbed the steering wheel, and with shards of glass embedded in her hand, managed to steer the boat and dial 9-1-1 for help.

I was left in the darkness with two unconscious men, Lane told the judge, adding that she has recurrent nightmares. He (Kelly) left us in the dark on a damaged boat. He offered no assistance.

Kerrigan said Kelly sped away, then docked and went to sleep for six hours. He rejected Jennings' calls for leniency, and said as a volunteer firefighter, Kelly should have known better.

Being a volunteer firefighter is admirable, Kerrigan said. But he didnt charge into the danger. He didnt try to help. He fled.

Mary Lane said her husband was a robust 250 pounds when he was flown to the hospital that night with head trauma. Doctors induced a coma for 10 days to stop the bleeding on his brain, but he never fully recovered. He was down to around 180 pounds when died 33 days later at St. Barnabas Medical Center, she said.

I buried my husband on our 49th wedding anniversary, she said. We used to do everything together. Now I have no one."

Lanes children, Allen Lane and Sharon Magner, remembered their father as a kind man, a Coast Guard veteran who loved to sail and help people in need.

My father was the most altruistic man I ever knew, his son said. He was my role model, how to be a good father, a good husband, and how to help others.

Had the trial happened, Jennings was expected to challenge the cause of death, which the medical examiner determined was a heart attack prompted by traumatic injuries in the accident. Rather than risk a not guilty verdict, the prosecution offered a plea deal to the lesser charge.

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Richard Cowen may be reached at rcowen@njadvancemedia.com.
A man has been sentenced to prison in the gunpoint robberies of two North Jersey businesses that occurred during the summer of 2022.

Kareem Powell, 32, of Willingboro, faces 10 years in federal prison sentence, the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Jersey said in a statement.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Powell and two other men entered a bodega in Passaic on Aug. 22, 2022, armed with guns and wearing face masks, authorities said. They ordered customers to the ground and threatened an employee before running off with thousands of dollars, federal prosecutors said.

Later that night, the men robbed another business in the neighboring city of Paterson of thousands in cash, officials said.

Carlos Diaz and Edward Porter have pleaded guilty in the robberies as well as in two additional armed robberies that happened in the area the next day. They both await sentencing.

As part of Powells sentence, he will have to pay restitution to the businesses and is subject to three years of supervised release.

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Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com.
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

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick begged Americans on Wednesday night to help Elon Musk by purchasing Tesla stock.

Lutnick told Fox News Jesse Watters that it was outrageous to see Americans vandalizing Tesla vehicles as protests opposing Musk continue to take place across the country. This comes as Tesla stock continues to plummet, just one week after President Donald Trump touted the electric vehicle outside the White House.

I think if you want to learn something on this show tonight, buy Tesla! Lutnick said. Its unbelievable that this guys stock is this cheap, itll never be this cheap again. When people understand the things hes building, the robots hes building, the technology hes building  people will be dreaming of today and Jesse Watters and thinking, Gosh, I should have bought Elon Musks stock!

I mean, who wouldnt invest in Elon Musk? You gotta be kidding, he added.

Lutnick continued to fawn over Musk in his interview with Watters and predicted that everyone will be buying $30,000 robots built by the tech billionaire in the future.

Elon Musk is the best entrepreneur and technologist in America and Id bet on him  I wish I was allowed, but Im not allowed to buy any stock! he added.

Lutnick: We are all going to be buying robots. They are going to cost around $30,000, youre going to be buying a Tesla robot and anybody who does not buy a Tesla robot is going to be silly. pic.twitter.com/f5coSJZPaY  Acyn (@Acyn) March 20, 2025

The comments sparked some backlash on social media, with many users questioning whether Lutnick committed an ethics violation by promoting Tesla.

Why on earth are Cabinet officials promoting a companys stock? And the stock of a senior government employee at that? This is through the looking glass of ethics violations, Dan Shapiro, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, wrote on social media platform X.

If this cabinet secretary himself owns any of the stock hes touting on TV, hes probably committed a serious ethics offense. If he doesnt own the stock himself, then he probably hasnt broken any laws, but is engaged in a shameful breach of trust with the audience watching, David Frum, a staff wrtier at The Atlantic, wrote on X.

The Bulwarks Sam Stein wrote: When Kellyanne Conway encouraged Fox viewers to buy Ivanka Trumps clothing line, the top Oversight REPUBLICAN called it wrong and asked the U.S. Office of Government Ethics to look into it. Tonight, the Commerce Secretary on Fox encouraged people to buy Tesla stock.

Tesla has been plagued by a number of issues since Trump took office earlier this year, including plummeting stock prices, issues with its vehicles and fewer deliveries. More than 46,000 Cybertrucks were recalled this week due to a panel that can fly off the vehicle while it is in motion.
Elon Musk listens during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

President Donald Trump himself and a long list of his supporters have attempted to come to the aide of worlds richest man Elon Musk in recent days as his companys stocks and Tesla sales have slumped here and in Europe.

The president recently touted how great the vehicles were as they were on display outside of the White House and his own Commerce Secretary was on Fox News Wednesday night urging people to buy Tesla stock, for example.
Jimmy Kimmel arrives for a special screening of the film "Saturday Night" at the Vista Theater, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP) Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

President Donald Trump confidant and popular Fox News host Sean Hannity has a long record of criticizing cancel culture.

But he appeared to take a swing at it Wednesday night against late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! has repeatedly mocked billionaire Elon Musk over his Tesla shares falling and even joked about the recent violence at Tesla dealerships where vandals have lit vehicles on fire.

Well, let me see if I can explain it for you, Kimmel said to Musk during a recent show, When you pull out a chainsaw to celebrate firing thousands of people, they get mad.

Hannity and other Trump supporters blasted the comic and all but called for him to be pulled off the air.

Hannity on Wednesday:

Jimmy Kimmels show is owned and run by ABC Disney, and Disneys run by a guy by the name of Bob Iger. Bob, are you OK with this seeming glorification of violence? Is this the inclusive woke, DEI? The ABC Disney brand?

Now think about it, Jimmy. He sobs, he weeps, when an election doesnt go his way. He demands compassion if hes having problems in his personal life. But yet, ABC Disney, Bob Iger allow a host, in my opinion, to be celebrating what has been happening to Tesla? Against regular Americans that drive Teslas? Making jokes about it all?

Bob Iger, youre the CEO of Disney. Are you proud of this? Jimmy Kimmel is an unhinged loser.

Hannity: Kimmels show is run by Disney. Disney is run by Bob Iger. Bob, are you okay with this? Is this the inclusive woke, the ABC Disney brand? Bob Iger, are you proud of this? Jimmy Kimmel is an unhinged loser. pic.twitter.com/h4kMe2PjEH  Acyn (@Acyn) March 20, 2025

Numerous auto industry analysts have also pointed to Musks close association with Trump and with far-right causes globally. Tesla showrooms in the U.S. have been besieged by protesters and its vehicles vandalized on the street. Tesla owners, perhaps in a bid to avoid being targeted, have placed bumper stickers on their cars with messages like, I bought it before Elon went nuts.

Shares have plummeted 45% in 2025 and tumbled more than 15% to $222.15 earlier this month, the lowest since late October, reflecting newfound pessimism as sales crater around the globe.

Musk pumped $270 million into Trumps campaign heading into the 2024 election, appeared on stage with him and cheered Trumps victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Elon Musk listens during an event in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP

Billionaire Mark Cuban trolled Tesla owner Elon Musk over his plan to slash the size of the federal government and cut massive amounts of spending.

Early Thursday morning, Musk shared a 2017 video of Cuban discussing the need to reduce the size of the government , captioning it Good idea. President Donald Trump tapped Musk to spearhead the so-called Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) efforts to cut government spending earlier this year.

Cuban mocked Musk in response to his post, writing that he was happy to help.

He then shared advice for reducing government size while minimizing harm to local businesses and federal employees.

I am all for cutting gov costs, then and now. Im even more for efficiency, Cuban wrote on X. I would have a plan. Ready Fire Aim is not a plan. Cutting programs without knowing if they would have saved taxpayers more than they cost, or saved lives, is a mistake.

Tariffs, cutting programs, agencies and employees ALL AT ONCE, without doing an analysis of the impact on city, towns and states they impact, is going to backfire big time, he added.

Cuban then suggested Musks approach was a huge mistake.

What do you think the economic impact on their tax base is ? What do you think happens to home values ? What services will they have to end ? What about the local businesses ? How many people will lose their jobs and homes because this was done ALL AT ONCE, he said.

Cut federal government bloat in an organized fashion and its great. Ready Fire Aim and the uncertainty it creates is a huge mistake, he added.

In the 2017 video, Cuban suggested that the federal government could reduce its workforce by at least one-third. He said that he wanted to make government more efficient, noting that reductions in the size of the government could help fund programs to help Americans who need them.

Cuban responded to the 2017 video of him on Thursday, defending his earlier stance on government spending cuts.

Your listening skills are lacking. You left out the part where the reductions I mentioned, would allow more money to be passed through to those who need it, he said. Cut layers , increase funding to the people who need it most.
Social media users quickly railed against a top economic adviser for President Donald Trump over claims that egg prices are dropping.

Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, told reporters on Wednesday that egg prices are down $2.50 a dozen as consumers continue to report skyrocketing egg prices in recent weeks. Prices for a dozen of eggs in the U.S. hit a record-high last month amid the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

Theyre down $2.50 a dozen. And I went to the grocery store, as I do every Saturday, because Im the one who likes to shop at my family because I get to see all the prices. And the egg prices in DC were actually down quite a bit more than $2.50 a dozen, Hassett told reporters.

Eggs prices are "down $2.50 a dozen. And I went to the grocery store as I do every Saturday ... and the eggs prices in DC were actually down quite a bit more than $2.50...It's astonishing how many chickens were killed in the last 2 months of Biden administration"



- Kevin Hassett pic.twitter.com/ScR7Otr1T5  Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) March 19, 2025

Wholesale egg prices which are what retailers pay to acquire the eggshave dropped since the beginning of March, according to a report from The New York Times. The national average for wholesale egg prices is a little more than $4 a dozen, which is down from the peak of more than $8 a dozen at the end of February, according to the report.

Consumers still may not see lower egg prices at the grocery store for weeks despite lower wholesale prices.

When asked about the difference between wholesale egg prices and the prices Americans see at the grocery store, Hasset claimed that eggs are $2.50 a dozen.

Go to the grocery store. I literally just went to the grocery store and bought the same eggs I always buy. They were way down. Its $2.50 a dozen for the whole country, he told reporters.

Social media users quickly criticized Hassett and suggested his analysis on egg prices was inaccurate. Many users posted screenshots of grocery store prices of eggs located near them, with some noting that egg prices are more than $10 per dozen in their area.

One user said that in Michigan, a dozen of eggs was between $5.75 and $7.00.

A Dozen EGGS TODAY in Michigan at Meijer's, Walmart & Krogers:



- Between $5.75 and $7.00



They are STRAIGHT FACE LIYING to ALL of YOU! pic.twitter.com/ueVYzIDgLZ  Uncle Chad (@GIGACHAD2021) March 20, 2025

The latest monthly Consumer Price Index showed a dozen Grade A eggs cost an average of $5.90 in U.S. cities in February, up 10.4% from a year ago. That eclipsed Januarys record-high price of $4.95.

Avian flu has forced farmers to slaughter more than 166 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens. Just since the start of the year, more than 30 million egg layers have been killed.

If prices remain high, it will be third year in a row consumers have faced sticker shock ahead of Easter on April 20 and Passover, which starts on the evening of April 12, both occasions in which eggs play prominent roles.

The price had consistently been below $2 a dozen for decades before the disease struck. The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects egg prices to rise 41% this year over last years average of $3.17 per dozen.

But there may be light at the end of the tunnel. The USDA reported last week that egg shortages are easing and wholesale prices are dropping, which might provide relief on the retail side before this years late Easter, which is three weeks later than last year. It said there had been no major bird flu outbreak for two weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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

Republicans still strongly support him. Democrats vigorously dislike him.

Thats according to the latest Fox News poll that shows 49% approve of the job hes doing compared to 51% who disapprove.
As most anyone can remember, felons released from federal prison could count on being locked back up immediately if a probation officer found they violated a major rule of their supervised release.

Like, for instance, headbutting a police officer while resisting arrest.

When Julian Wade first appeared earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Buffalo, accused of doing just that, the prosecutor asked the magistrate judge to keep him in custody until a district judge could hold a violation hearing.

But this time, the magistrate judge said no.

I had always believed that the court has the authority to detain an individual charged with violating the conditions of supervised release, pending a violation hearing before a district judge, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy said in a March 12 decision. Until last week, no one had ever argued to me that the court lacks that authority. Now, however, Julian Wade has made that argument. Having considered the parties submissions and heard oral argument ... I reluctantly agree with him.

McCarthy is the latest to weigh in on the legal issue with a view he says upends decades of settled practice. A federal judges ruling earlier this year in Connecticut is considered the first instance in which a court held it lacked statutory authority to detain a defendant who has been charged with violating a condition of supervised release. But other judges see it differently, including U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca in Rochester, who last month rejected the Connecticut judges reasoning when she granted prehearing detention in a case she handled.

McCarthy acknowledged the potential effect of his decision, if other judges follow him in applying the same reasoning to deny prehearing detention in other cases.

I do not do so lightly, McCarthy said of releasing Wade, adding that his stance risks destabilizing the post-arrest supervision system that has been in effect for decades.

McCarthy granted a five-day stay to his release order to give prosecutors time to appeal, which they did, so Wade remained in custody. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Lawrence Vilardo extended the stay until Friday, when he will hear an oral argument over McCarthys ruling.

McCarthy said he took into account a recent ruling in a Connecticut case when reaching his decision. McCarthy called the Connecticut ruling the first instance in which a court held it lacked statutory authority to detain a defendant who has been charged with violating a condition of supervised release.

Wade, 41, was sentenced in March 2012 to 15 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for his convictions on drug and gun possession charges. A search of his East Ferry Street home led to the discovery of a firearm and crack cocaine. He was released from prison in July 2019, and his term of supervised release is scheduled to expire in June.

On March 4, a U.S. Probation officer issued a violation petition after Wade allegedly headbutted a Rochester police officer who was arresting him on March 3. Wades criminal charges include unlawful imprisonment, assault, harassment and resisting arrest.

At Wades initial appearance before McCarthy on March 5, the government asked for detention. But the attorney representing Wade objected, arguing McCarthy lacked the statutory authority to detain Wade, citing the Connecticut judges ruling.

Mr. Wade is not guilty of an offense, for one, simply because he is alleged to have committed a new law offense that remains pending in state court, Assistant Federal Public Defender John J. Morrissey wrote in a court filing. Mr. Wade has not pled guilty to that violation, nor has this court found him guilty of it.

Morrissey said the section of federal law in dispute authorizes detention only of persons found guilty of an offense.

Procedural rules alone cannot authorize prehearing detention, but the authority must be found in the statute to which the rules refer, McCarthy said in his ruling.

One section of the law that prosecutors have invoked does not provide the prehearing detention authority, McCarthy said. And another statute that addresses supervised release allows it to be revoked if the court first finds a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant violated a condition of supervised release, McCarthy said in his ruling.

McCarthy rejected the notion that a judge has the inherent power to detain individuals to enforce orders before a hearing.

Original conviction applies

Vacca, the federal judge in Rochester, rejected the Connecticut cases reasoning last month when she granted prehearing detention for a child porn defendant accused of violating his supervised release conditions.

In that case, Christopher Malta was forbidden to have deliberate contact with any child under 18 after his release from prison in February 2017 unless approved by his probation officer. His probation officer said Malta had befriended two women living in his apartment complex, one of whom has a 6-year-old daughter and the other a 16-year-old daughter. Malta was cited for unapproved contact with the 6-year-old child numerous times, which included her frequently sitting on Maltas lap.

In a written opinion, Vacca said she considered the Connecticut case ruling, as well as the text of the statutes and related Supreme Court and 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rulings.

She concluded the disputed section of federal law allows a judge to detain a defendant pending a revocation hearing.

To begin with, binding Supreme Court and Second Circuit precedent holds that sanctions for violations of supervised release are attributable to the defendants original conviction, Vacca ruled.

The Connecticut courts conclusion that detention could be authorized only if a defendant was found guilty of a new offense seems to be inconsistent with this precedent, she said.

Multiple courts across the country have found that detention is authorized because the defendant is not facing a new criminal prosecution  but simply an additional sanction authorized by the original sentence, she said.

McCarthys other cases

Two other defendants accused of violating their release conditions appeared before McCarthy on Monday.

McCarthy released Dewayne Gray, 40, whom prosecutors said led the LRGP gang selling cocaine between 2009 and 2012 in the Broadway Fillmore neighborhood. Gray was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison and released in September.

Gray was back in court because he tested positive for cocaine use. Given Grays criminal history, this is not just a drug-use determination the court has in front of it, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler told the judge.

Assistant Federal Public Defender Jeffrey T. Bagley said Gray has a job and has sought drug counseling.

McCarthy said in court that he did not base his decision to release Gray on whether he had the authority to detain him. He found Gray did not pose a danger to the community and was not a flight risk.

McCarthy warned Gray that if he did not show up to his hearing, things are not going to go well for you.

In the other case, McCarthy kept Eli Clark, 34, detained through an oral order from the bench.

Clark was sentenced to 10 years in prison in January 2020 on a cocaine conviction. He was released in December. The government requested he be detained after he was released from another court Monday on state charges.

Hes here based on allegations of a longtime girlfriend, Bagley said, noting details of what happened were not clear.

McCarthy did not issue a release order for Clark and then put a stay on it, the way he did for Wade. But the judge restated in court his belief he does not have the authority to impose prehearing detention.

My conclusion draws contrary to long-standing practice, McCarthy said from the bench. Nevertheless, I think Im right.
President Donald Trump, from left, speaks while signing an executive order as Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick, Rupert Murdoch and Larry Ellison, chairman and chief technology officer of Oracle Corporation, listen in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) AP

Wall Street executives are reportedly asking President Donald Trump to keep Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick off television.

The Telegraph reported that Trumps banking allies are growing frustrated with Lutnick amid growing economic uncertainty. This comes after Trump has implemented and paused costly tariffs on some of the U.S.s closest trading partners, including Mexico, Canada and the European Union.

Lutnick is in one of two places, hes either on TV or he is in the Oval Office. Trumps friends on Wall Street have called him directly and said Lutnick should definitely not be talking about the economy, get him off TV, a source close to the Trump administration told The Telegraph.

The stock market has been on a roller coaster for weeks after Trump threatened to escalate a trade war with Canada and other allies of the U.S. The stock market plummeted earlier this month, essentially erasing all the gains it made since Trumps election in November.

Lutnick has repeatedly defended Trumps unpopular tariff policies during media appearances. Other news outlets also reported there was frustration with Lutnicks public stances. CNN reported earlier this week that Lutnick privately said he is not thrilled with Trumps approach to ramp up tariffs.

Hes got a bit of a curse, one Wall Street executive told CNN. Hes got to be the guy out there advocating for Trump, even if he doesnt own the policy design.

Someone close to the Trump administration told Politico that Lutnick is constantly auditioning for Trumps approval.

Hes trying to be a mini-Trump. I dont think he got the memo that only Trump gets to be Trump, the person told Politico. It just reinforces that he doesnt really know how to do the job.

The comments come amid conflicting messages from Lutnick and the White House. Lutnick said in an interview on NBCs Meet the Press that Americans should absolutely not brace for a recession while Trump suggested on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures that there could be a period of transition.

The Telegraph reported that Wall Street wants Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to increase his media appearances, according to one source.

They [Wall Street] want Scott Bessent, that is why he is doing so much media, the source told The Telegraph. Its not the appearances that avert Trump, its these guys saying the market needs to be steadied, its Bessent they want.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer walks near the Senate chamber, as the Senate works to avert a partial government shutdown ahead of the midnight deadline, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, March 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) AP

Is Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumers time up?

Since Democrats have been sniping at each other in public since Schumer helped pass a Republican spending bill that prevented a government shutdown, once of the long-time lawmakers colleagues all but said its time to pass the torch.

I do think on the leadership question, its always better to examine whether folks are in the right place, and were certainly going to have that conversation, Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said at a town hall in his home state, according to NPR.

And in dodging your question, let me just say its important for people to know when its time to go, he said. Were going to have conversations, Im sure, in the foreseeable future, about all the Democratic leadership.

Schumer, meanwhile, canceled his book tour last week amid widespread criticism from the partys liberal base over his vote.

Schumer said the spending bill was terrible but that a shutdown would have been far worse, and difficult to end, as President Donald Trump has already slashed jobs and funding for agencies across the government. A shutdown would have given Trump even more power to make cuts, Schumer said, and so many programs would be lost.

Critics blasted him for caving to the new president and not putting up more of a fight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A man who participated in multiple financial schemes, including using stolen mail to create counterfeit checks, has been sentenced to prison.

Dezhon McCrae, 25, a former resident of Penns Grove, was sentenced on Thursday to nine years and three months in federal prison, the U.S. Attorneys Office for New Jersey said in a statement.

He pleaded guilty last year to possession of a stolen postal key, possession of stolen mail, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and two counts of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Two members of the Clark Police Department, Andrew Medeiros and Michael Ciaccio, were promoted to new positions within the department during a public meeting on March 17. Medeiros was promoted to sergeant, while Ciaccio was elevated to detective sergeant. The officers took their oaths in front of the Town Council and their families.

Stepping into the role of Sergeant means not only leading by example but also guiding and mentoring others, fostering teamwork, and ensuring that the values of justice, fairness, and accountability remain at the core of everything we do, said Captain Miguel Acabou. We have no doubt that Sergeants Mederios and Ciaccio will continue to serve with honor and distinction, inspiring those around them with their strength of character and steadfast dedication.

Medeiros graduated from Rider University in 2009 with a bachelors degree in finance. In 2013, he graduated from the State of New Jersey Police Training Commission in Somerset County. Sergeant Medeiros was hired by the Middlesex County Sheriffs Office where he served from June 2013 until March 2015.

In April 2015, Medeiros was hired by the Clark Police Department where he was assigned to the Patrol Division. In 2018, Medeiros was detailed to the Union County Prosecutors Office as a Detective with the Homicide Task Force until 2019.

Medeiros returned to the Patrol Division for about one year until 2021 and was then appointed as a Traffic Detective with the Clark Police Departments Traffic Bureau from 2021 until 2024.

During his service, Medeiros is the recipient of the Honorable Service Award in 2015, a Life Saving Award in 2018 and a Platoon Award in 2023. Medeiros is a certified Traffic Safety Specialist among other Traffic Specialty certifications, he attended the New Jersey State Police 26th Annual Advanced Homicide Investigations Course and Federal Bureau of Investigations in Crisis Negotiations.

Ciaccio served in the United States Marine Corps from 2005 until 2009. Sergeant Ciaccio was deployed to Iraq in 2005 and in 2007, where he participated in the Anbar Awakening in Al An Anbar Providence.

Following his service in the Marine Corps, he enrolled in John Jay College of Criminal Justice and graduated in 2010 with a bachelors degree.

Ciaccio wanted to further his education, enrolling in Fairleigh Dickinson University and graduating in 2012 with a masters degree. He started his career in law enforcement when he was hired by the Middlesex County Sheriffs Office in June 2013.

In April 2015, Ciaccio was hired by the Clark Police Department, where he was assigned to the Patrol Division. Ciaccio was then appointed to the Criminal Investigations Bureau from 2018 until 2021. Ciaccio was then promoted to patrol sergeant and was assigned back to the Patrol Division. In the course of his service, Ciaccio has been the recipient of two Platoon Awards.

* * *

Submit Union County community news to union@njadvancemedia.com.



Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story, which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff.
Up to a half-inch of rain is expected in New Jersey Thursday evening and through the overnight. AccuWeather.com

The first official day of spring will be cloudy and at times rainy and windy in New Jersey, forecasters say.

Patchy fog will dissipate by mid-morning, leaving the state with an overcast day and high temperatures a bit above normal.

By mid-afternoon highs will be in the 50s, with western parts of the state making it into the low 60s.

Normal highs this time of year are in the low 50s.

Dry conditions should continue at least into the late afternoon before light to moderate rain falls through the evening and into the overnight, the National Weather Service said in its morning forecast discussion.

Highs in New Jersey on Thursday will range from the low 50s to mid 60s. National Weather Service

Winds of 10 to 20 mph are expected with gusts up to 30 mph, especially along the Jersey Shore.

We should wind up with a half-inch or less of rain.

Overnight lows will be in the 30s.

The weather services New York office, which covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties, is calling for the main batch of wet weather to fall between midnight and 5 a.m.

Friday and Saturday should be mainly dry, with a just a chance of showers on Saturday evening in North Jersey.

Expect mostly sunny and windy conditions on Friday with highs in the 50s. Saturday should be slightly milder and less breezy.

Temperatures will cool on Sunday, with highs struggling to reach 50, again under sunny skies.

Spring officially started at 5:01 a.m. Thursday.

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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
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On Wednesday, Erie County issued a memo that would have prevented any of the roughly 2,000 state correction officers fired for failing to return to work after an unsanctioned three-week strike from taking any civil service job in local government, including jobs within the county, towns, villages and school districts.

But one day later, in the face of criticism, county officials took it back, saying the directive has been suspended.

In a news release issued Thursday, Erie County Personnel Commissioner Brian Bray said because of pending lawsuits, the countys previous memo on its Disqualification Policy was temporarily paused, until the issue is taken up by the courts.

During this period, no employment decisions will be made solely based on the criteria set forth in the original policy. The Department of Personnel will continue to monitor legal developments and provide further guidance once the judicial process has concluded, the most recent news release from Erie County said.

DOCCS says strike is over, announces termination of 2,000 employees who walked out The head of New York's state prison system on Monday evening declared the end of a three-week unsanctioned correction officer strike  along with the termination of more than 2,000 employees who walked off the job.

The earlier memo from Bray this week outlined the countys legal understanding of the recent executive order signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Essentially, correction officers who did not return to work were fired for misconduct, due to their involvement in an illegal strike, and are no longer in good standing for any position that falls under the umbrella of state civil service rules. That means they are disqualified from appointment to any civil service position.

The Erie County Department of Personnel follows the guidance of New York State Civil Service in these matters, said Peter Anderson, spokesman for the county administration. If the state amends its guidance in the future, Erie County will adopt that amended guidance.

Multiple county leaders, facing critical shortages in their local jails, have objected to this provision in Hochuls March 10 executive order, which not only bars the fired state correction officers from being considered for employment in other state agencies, but states, This prohibition applies to all appointments in the classified service of the State, as well as any hires in the unclassified service where Civil Service Law provisions apply.

Some, such as Republican-led Oneida and Chemung counties, have threatened to sue the state over the executive order, and others, such as Rensselaer County, have threatened to simply ignore the order and fill needed county jail positions. It wasnt immediately clear if any county or other party had filed a lawsuit challenging Hochuls order yet, or if Erie County was acting in anticipation of such lawsuits to pause their new policy.

The position of Hochul and her administration is that the conduct of illegally striking officers, who refused to return to work after three weeks, undermined the public trust, demonstrated lack of respect for the law and disrupted public services, making them not suitable for public service roles. Correction officers walked off the job to protest what they recounted as long-standing, dangerous and inhumane working conditions, with critically understaffed shifts that posed serious dangers to both officers and inmates.

Hochul also said in response to recent questions about barring these people from working at the county level that her executive order remains in effect only until April 9. She suggested that the fired officers may attempt to maintain or regain their peace officer status, which is necessary for them to work in any jail. But she also, again, accused the fired officers of abdicating their responsibility to public safety and leaving lives at risk, and cautioned others about being eager to hire them.

The communities at large could have been in danger, she said. Thats what we had to deal with for 22 days. And to say that were going to, oh, forget? I will never forget that. Theyre not ever working for the state of New York.

The New York State Sheriffs Association has advocated for fired officers to be rehired elsewhere to address personnel shortages.

Erie County is not currently in dire need of more correction officers or jail deputies, so the issue for the county is not as pressing, Sheriff John Garcia said on Wednesday. He said the county jail positions are currently fully staffed, with an academy class of 25 officers completing their field training by the end of June.

At this point, we have zero positions open, he said.

In addition, the county has an active state civil service list to hire from, so the immediate need to hire striking correction officers isnt as pressing here as it is elsewhere. He did, however, express concern for those working in the difficult conditions in the state prison system.

If officers fired for cause are considered to have lost their peace officer certification, they would need to rejoin police academy training to get it reinstated. Assuming fired officers maintain or regain their certification as peace officers, Garcia said, he would like clarification on whether they are free to be hired in the future.

Were going to need a legal opinion on that, he said.

Of greater concern to Garcia is the fact that since the strike occurred, the state prison system has not been accepting any inmates who are ready to transfer out of the county jails and into the state prisons. That amounts to 78 people right now, he said. Other county jails are in a similar position. The state pays the county $85 per day for every day state prisoners are not picked up after the first 10 days, but Garcia said he is not eager to see his jail population rise, because it puts a strain on jail staffing and personnel.

The hold on transfers is effective through the end of March, though Garcia said he is worried that the hold may be extended.

Well see where this goes, he said.

Meanwhile, Republican legislators submitted a resolution Tuesday calling on Hochul to rescind her executive order, and calling on Bray, the county personnel commissioner, to retract his guidance memo to other local governments. The resolution also calls on Erie County to join other counties in suing the state over Hochuls executive order. The likelihood of that happening is low, given the Legislatures 7-4 Democratic majority.

Other local government leaders in the county also objected Thursday to the memo.

Corrections officers are crying out for help, said Legislator Lindsay-Lorigo, R-West Seneca. They dont have humane working conditions. They beg the state for attention, and the countys position is that you cant work for the county now in our local government? Its ridiculous. We should be supporting them. We should be welcoming them with open arms.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) disbursed ZWG 4.7 billion (US$224.9 million) to local authorities in 2024 for road maintenance, accounting for 88 percent of its total collections.In a statement on Thursday, ZINARA revealed that for the first time, it also provided 1,942,480 litres of diesel to councils to help address critical operational challenges.ZINARA reported that it increased the maintained road network from 23,000km in 2023 to 37,000km in 2024, a significant improvement in infrastructure coverage."For 2024, road authorities accessed about 90 percent of their budget allocation, a first in many years," said ZINARA CEO Nkosinathi Ncube."We increased support to local authorities to enable them to utilise their equipment and increase operational efficiencies by providing 1,942,480 litres of diesel."ZINARA has proven that it is possible to be a transparent and financially stable state entity that contributes positively to national projects."However, despite the improved funding, many local authorities continue to struggle with deteriorating road conditions. ZINARA data shows that some councils failed to fully utilise their allocations. Only 63 out of 94 local authorities exhausted their funding, while others left significant portions unspent.Chinhoyi, for example, was allocated ZWG 3.86 million but had only used ZWG 346,373 by the end of December, reflecting a low utilisation rate of 9 percent. Chegutu (33 percent), Bikita (38 percent), and Ruwa (51 percent) also failed to utilise their full allocations.By contrast, local authorities in Manicaland and Mashonaland East achieved a 100 percent utilisation rate, while Harare used 95 percent of its funds, Bulawayo 71 percent, Gweru 55 percent, and Masvingo 71 percent.ZINARA has set an ambitious target to disburse ZWG 11.6 billion for road maintenance in 2025, almost doubling the 2024 allocation.The agency's revenue streams in 2024 were dominated by toll fees, which generated ZWG 2.8 billion, followed by vehicle licensing fees (ZWG 2.3 billion), fuel levies (ZWG 727 million), and transit fees (ZWG 552 million). ZINARA attributed its increased collectionstotaling ZWG 6.6 billion (US$346.3 million)to "improved operational efficiency."Despite these positive developments, concerns remain over the state of Zimbabwe's road infrastructure, with calls for greater accountability in how funds are used to ensure tangible improvements on the ground.
Finland, with people gathered here in Helsinki, is ranked the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row. - Julia Kivel/Visit Finland

Finland, with people gathered here in Helsinki, is ranked the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row. - Julia Kivel/Visit Finland

The worlds happiest country has managed to keep its No. 1 ranking for eight years running. The picture in the United States isnt so rosy.

While Finland once again tops the World Happiness Reports rankings, the United States  at No. 24  earned its lowest ranking yet in the 2025 report. The 13th edition of the annual report marks the United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20.

In the United States and parts of Europe, declining happiness and social trust have contributed significantly to the rise of political polarization and votes against the system, the report finds.

But in brighter news, global research shows that people are much kinder than we expect.

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Peoples fellow citizens are better than they think they are, and to realize that will make you happier, of course, but itll also change the way you think about your neighbors, said John Helliwell, a founding editor of the World Happiness Report.

And so youre more inclined to think of a stranger in the street as simply a friend you havent met and not somebody who poses a threat to you, said Helliwell, who is an economics professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia.

Theres room for improvement, Helliwell said, in believing that were all part of a larger group that looks out for each other. Its an important source of happiness that we havent properly tapped, he said.

The report draws on Gallup World Poll data from people in more than 140 countries. Countries are ranked on happiness based on their average life evaluations over the three preceding years, in this case 2022 to 2024. The report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an editorial board.

The survey asks each participant to score their life as a whole and rankings are based on those life evaluations. The report then looks at six key variables to help explain life evaluations: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.

The happiest countries

Finland, with people gathered here in Helsinki, is ranked the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row. - Julia Kivel/Visit Finland

When it comes to happiness, the Nordic countries are clearly doing a lot of things right. For the eighth year in a row, Finland is the worlds happiest country, with its neighbors clustered close behind.

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Nordic countries like Finland continue to benefit from universally available and high-quality health, education and social support systems. Inequality of wellbeing is also low, said Ilana Ron-Levey, managing director at Gallup.

Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden  the top four  remain in the same order as 2024. And Norway is again No. 7.

While social support systems that look out for residents welfare are important to Finlands No. 1 ranking, the people play a role too, according to Helliwell.

Having a welfare state doesnt find lost wallets and return them to the owners, said Helliwell, a longtime lost-wallet researcher, referring to data showing that Nordic nations rank among the top places for the expected and actual return of lost wallets. Those are individuals caring about the people with whom they live.

Other factors likely contribute to Finlands strong performance as well. Helliwell said some Finnish experts point to the unity and trust that came out of the Winter War in 1939-40, also known as the Russo-Finnish War.

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They didnt win that war, but what they did is they came together and realized even against overwhelming power they could do remarkably well  Sometimes the challenge posed externally can bring you together.

A less materialistic mindset may also work in Finlands favor, Helliwell said.

And these days, to focus on the personal rather than the material is of ever-increasing importance.

Two Latin American countries  Costa Rica at No. 6 and Mexico at No. 10  both enter the top 10 for the first time in the 2025 report.

Both countries residents have strong social networks and strong perceptions about the direction of their economy and confidence in leaders and institutions, Ron-Levey said.

The Netherlands (No. 5), Israel (No. 8) and Luxembourg (No. 9) fill out the top 10.

Lowest ranking yet for the United States

After dropping out of the top 20 for the first time last year, the US ranks No. 24 in the latest World Happiness Report.

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The decline in the U.S. in 2024 was at least partly attributable to Americans younger than age 30 feeling worse about their lives, said Ron-Levey. Todays young people report feeling less supported by friends and family, less free to make life choices and less optimistic about their living standards.

Last years report paid special attention to happiness among different age groups, highlighting declines among the young in numerous countries.

The US isnt the only English-speaking country with happiness challenges. At No. 23, the United Kingdom reported its lowest average life evaluation since 2017. Canada, which has seen happiness declines over the last decade, remained in the top 20 at No. 18.

While the variables that help explain life evaluations are complex, there is one balm thats within everyones reach, Helliwell said.

Look seriously at the people with whom you are working, with whom you are living, who are on your streets, and put on a rosier set of glasses when youre dealing with them. And thatll change your behavior in traffic. Itll change your behavior in political discussions. Itll change everything, Helliwell said.

Talking less and listening more helps with attitude shifts that can lead to more cooperation.

Negativity is poisonous to happiness, he said.

The Netherlands comes in at No. 5 in the 2025 rankings, right after four Nordic nations. Amsterdam is pictured. - Koen Smilde/I Am Amsterdam

Worlds 20 happiest countries in 2025

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Netherlands

6. Costa Rica

7. Norway

8. Israel

9. Luxembourg

10. Mexico

11. Australia

12. New Zealand

13. Switzerland

14. Belgium

15. Ireland

16. Lithuania

17. Austria

18. Canada

19. Slovenia

20. Czech Republic

At the bottom of the list

Afghanistan (No. 147) is once again last on the list. Sierra Leone (No. 146), Lebanon (No. 145), Malawi (No. 144) and Zimbabwe (No. 143) make up the rest of the bottom five for happiness.

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Data centers have been spilling over from Chicago into Northwest Indiana and are likely to continue to come to the Region, according to the real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle.

The firm forecasts that several more major data center projects will come to the Region and that the public will become more welcoming once they are more familiar with data centers. Valparaiso just pulled the plug on a potential data center off Indiana 49 after residents in a neighboring subdivision objected.

"As we look at Indiana, what we see broadly for the AI developments is people chasing power and power availability and chasing areas that have strong power generation, as well as robust utility teams that can execute on large-scale deployments on 500 MW data centers," JLL Executive Managing Director Andy Cvengros said. "What you see generally is that core markets like Ashburn, Virginia, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Northern California and Hillsborough by Portland are completely tapped on power for the next couple years here."

There's a backlog of requests for power loads for 30 GW to 100 GW of power. ComEd in Illinois has handled a peak of 22 GW at one time but there are now requests for an additional 30 GW to 40 GW.

"What you see people doing is jumping to other areas like Northwest Indiana or Southeast Wisconsin," Cvengros said. "You've seen robust growth because of power delays in some of these core markets. Northwest Indiana has been a paramount location for a number of reasons. It sits along the main fiber that goes from Chicago to Ashburn on the East Coast. There's robust fiber going back and forth. There's been a few massive projects that have been announced for hyperscale facilities where they're building their own facilities and investing heavily in the state."

The sales tax exemption on data centers that was passed in Indiana was on par with Illinois and other states. Theres no sales tax on the servers, software, networking equipment or other IT gear.

Those are considered a barrier to entry for the hyperscalers, he said. Theyre generally not going to go to any state that does not have them.

The facility still generates a lot of tax revenue, utility fees, jobs and infrastructure investment, he said.

NIPSCO has been aggressive about attracting such companies but still uses fossil fuels to generate electricity, which many data center users shun, Cvengros said. They want 100% green energy or nuclear power.

All that being said, Indiana continues to see new projects come to the forefront, he said. An additional thing that has been pushing that is Illinois has the Biometric Information Privacy Act, which precludes hyperscalers from storing images of individuals that dont give prior consent. Its acted as a barrier for growth for AI in Illinois. As a result youve seen anywhere from $10 billion to $30 billion worth of growth go outside of the state just over the border, to service the same growth but just over the state line. Illinois has really missed out of significant investment because of it while Indiana has really benefited from it.

Most projects are two to four years away because NIPSCO and other utilities do not currently have the capacity to handle such large loads.

The investment is still happening significantly and will continue to happen for the foreseeable future, he said.

Residents have expressed concerns about noise, vibrations, property values and energy and water consumption.

Some residential pushback has been taking place partly because people are unfamiliar with data centers and partly because the boom has attracted less experienced developers who do not go about it in the most friendly way, he said.

Developers are likely to take pains to win over residents, such as by building office park-like campuses and shrouding the buildings in shrubs and trees, he said.

Theyre not experienced data center developers. Theyre just trying to get land zoned for data centers and flip it out to somebody for a site thats fully zoned and ready and has the power going to it, he said. Theyre not necessarily going about it the right way the way more advanced and experienced developers would go about it. We fully expect that will change and people will be more accustomed to what data centers provide. You see this in any market that hasnt had data centers. Its just a maturity factor and understanding of what they are, how theyre built, and what benefits they provide. All said it should be significant growth going forward but not without challenges.

Indiana shifted its economic plan in 2021 to focus on building a high-tech, high-growth economy of the future. That pivot worked in Indianas favor as it coincided with the boom in data center development, Executive Vice President Danny Scheidler said.

Capital investment in Indiana grew by 250% from 2021 to 2022, with a record $22 billion in investment. That grew to another record $29 billion in 2023.

Just with holistic strategy, from an economic development standpoint, weve really seen some of the fruits of that thoughtful strategy, he said.
MERRILLVILLE | An unceasing river of brown cardboard packages flows along conveyor belts in Amazon's new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center, which is believed to be the largest single building ever constructed in Northwest Indiana to date.

Lasers scan the boxes, determining the weight and size. A pneumatic arm slaps on a packaging sticker. An automated system scans each parcel and uploads the information into the cloud so Amazon can track its exact whereabouts at any given moment.

Workers sort the packages, prep the products if necessary such as to keep liquids from spilling and load them into the back of semi-trucks bound for Amazon distribution centers all over the country.

Amazon PPO4, named after an airport code for easy identification, can process up to hundreds of thousands of packages weekly at 9850 Mississippi St. in the new Silos at Sanders Farm business park in Merrillville. The recently opened facility already employs more than 500 workers and is still hiring, Amazon spokesman Andre Woodson said.

It's paying workers at least $20.50 an hour to receive orders from Amazon sellers from across the country and ship them off to the warehouses that help fill the orders customers make online.

"(We've) received tremendous support and enthusiasm from the community and elected officials who have helped make this facility a reality," Amazon PPO4 Site Leader Mary Beth Klippel said. "Today, we proudly showcase our newest fulfillment center. This building is operated by your neighbors, your friends and our employees who receive, sort and process inventory. They represent every corner of our local community."

Amazon held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with elected officials, the chamber of commerce and other dignitaries Wednesday. It also operates a last-mile distribution center in the AmeriPlex at the Crossroads business park just on the other side of Interstate 65. It gave a $10,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana.

"Amazon's impact in Merrillville extends far beyond this community," Klippel said. "Since launching in Indiana, we've grown to employ 26,000 full-time and part-time employees across the Hoosier State with more growth ahead. Our $25.5 billion investment in state infrastructure and employee compensation has contributed to the Indiana's economy and generated nearly 30,000 indirect jobs in construction, logistics and personal and professional services."

The new Merrillville fulfillment center is part of Amazon's intricate nationwide logistics network that makes it possible for a one-click purchase to end up on one's doorstep in 48 hours. It moves packages around the country while its sibling facility that opened a few years earlier across the highway is the last stop packages make before delivery vans take them to one's doorstep.

"Our Merrillville facility serves a crucial role in our fulfillment network," she said. "Here, we receive and consolidate inventory from independent sellers, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, before distributing to nearby fulfillment centers for customer delivery. More than 60% of the items sold in our store come from small- and medium-sized businesses, including many right here in Merrillville. We're proud to support nearly 1 million selling partners globally with 5,500 of these independent sellers based in Indiana."

The new Amazon fulfillment center receives products from all over the country and ships them to two distribution centers in Indiana, one in Tennessee, one in California and one in New Jersey. Workers load tens of semi-trucks a day of outbound goods.

"Indiana is a great state to do business and provides a strategic location, a dedicated and talented workforce and a robust public infrastructure," she said.

Dallas-based Crow Holdings, which developed a few buildings across Interstate 65 in AmeriPlex at the Crossroads, built the 1 million square foot building on spec, later signing Amazon to a long-term lease. Councilman Shawn Pettit got a text at 9:30 p.m. on a Friday night last March letting him know Amazon signed a lease.

"You are now in the epicenter of economic development in Lake County. The amount of money that has gone into this development and Silos at Sanders Farms is astronomic, something none of us have seen in the 50-plus-year history of Merrillville," Pettit said.

Merrillville widened Mississippi Street with federal funds. Two months later, Crow Holdings started developing a new business park just off I-65.

"The old adage from 'Field of Dreams' is if you build it, they will come," he said. "I got a phone call from a young man, Sean Andrews with Crow Holdings. He said, 'Shawn, we just bought the farm.' We chuckled. We just bought the Sanders Farm, 195 acres for $15 million."

Crow Holdings developed four massive buildings in Silos at Sanders Farm. The Amazon building's shell cost $67 million to build and Amazon has since spent $25 million on the interior remodeling.

"One of our best developers in town is Crow Holdings," Pettit said. "Anything they touch, they turn to gold."

The developer spent $350,000 to buy the fire department new radios, he said. Merrillville's economic development team also deserves credit for doing yeoman's work to make it happen, he said.

"We have the best economic development team in Lake County and maybe the state," he said. "This is the kind of economic development we want to see in Merrillville. To quote the late Bruce White, this is a multigenerational facility that we have. This part, Silos at Sanders Farm, is multigenerational and will last us for decades to come."

The gargantuan warehouse offers training for employees, including safety training on how to ergonomically lift the packages of up to 50 lbs. that come in. After passing through the entrance gates, workers pass through a wellness zone where they stretch out before lifting and moving around packages.

No inventory is stored there. Most packages move through in fewer than three days. Some packages can pass through in as little as half an hour.

Workers sort packages to send them on their way to their destinations, such as if they're ultimately heads to Indianapolis, Fort Wayne or Memphis, Klippel said. They wrap products to make sure they don't break or leak liquids. They for instance will put a top seal on to make sure the top of a container doesn't pop off, resulting in people getting a gross or sticky package.

A vendor might send 50 phone cases to the fulfillment center. Workers would divide it up and send 10 phone cases to different warehouses around the country to ensure they're as close as possible to the customers in order to optimize delivery time.

"That's what enables our two-day shipping," she said.

Workers stuff thousands of containers into each semi-trailer every single day.

"Just imagine playing Tetris with a bunch of different boxes, some very small boxes, some very large boxes," she said. "They're loading them in there to maximize the space but also to keep everything safe. It's easy for a load to have issues on the way. If we're doing that job properly, it will make sure at the next facility, when they open that trailer up, everything will be exactly where it's supposed to be, so nothing falls."

The facility likely will hire more temporary staff to help during busy periods, including Prime Day, Cyber Monday and the holiday season.

The jobs and wages are a significant addition to Merrillville, Interim Town Manager Michael Griffin said.

"Look at the amount of investment this has brought. It's the first million-square-foot facility in Northwest Indiana. We're very proud of that," he said. "The 500 jobs they have are considerable. This is 500 jobs that we're here before that pay $20 an hour. That's significant for all of Lake County."
New vending machines are hitting Garys common areas around town. But theyll be dispensing an item much more important than candy, chips or soda.

In the next few weeks, the City of Gary will debut three vending machines designed to distribute naloxone to help address the opioid epidemic that has disproportionately impacted Lake County  and, in recent years, LaPorte County  compared to the state of Indiana and the United States.

The medicine, known more commonly by the brand name Narcan, is an opioid antagonist that can temporarily reverse the effects of an overdose from opioids, including fentanyl, heroin and even prescription opioids. Most often a nasal spray, Narcan can restore an overdose victim's breathing within minutes, giving first responders more time to rush the patient to a hospital to receive full medical care.

On Feb. 7, Janet Seabrook, commissioner for the Gary Health and Human Services Department, said the vending machines would be located at the following three locations, strategically placed to be easily accessible to as many people as possible, Seabrook said. The doses will be available free of charge.

4101 Washington St.  a warming and cooling center that opened in the summer of 2024 in Garys Glen Park neighborhood.

Adam Benjamin Metro Center  a local hotspot for bus and train transportation and a location where transient people often frequent.

Gary fire station No. 7, 380 S. Grand Blvd., in Garys Miller Beach community.

On Wednesday, City of Gary spokesperson Erika Blackwell said the city will place the first machine in the metro center by early April but clarified that the health department was still finalizing the locations for the remaining machines.

The city purchased a fourth machine, Seabrook said, and is storing it as a backup in case any of the three dispensers have issues. The Gary Health and Human Services Department is working closely with fire and police officials to locate a fourth location in the citys Westside neighborhood.

In 2022, Gary was awarded nearly $1.3 million in restricted funds and $400,000 in unrestricted funds to be used for public safety initiatives over a 16-year period from the settlement money local governments across the U.S. received from companies that made, distributed or sold prescription opioid painkillers. The city is using a portion of those dollars to fund the vending machine project.

The impetus, of course, was the funding, Seabrook said. And then, where can it best be used throughout the city to help benefit those that may be visiting or who live here?

To date, there is just one vending machine located in the Region. Its located outside Griffith fire station No. 3, 1601 N. Indiana St.  off Ridge Road just east of Cline Avenue. It has been in operation since 2022 and is restocked monthly by Sounds of Sarah  a nonprofit founded by Patty Stovall, whose daughter, Sarah, suffered an overdose and died at age 33  through Overdose Lifeline, another statewide nonprofit providing resources and education for substance abuse.

Stovall, who restocks the machine herself, along with the 10 naloxone boxes located in common areas throughout Lake County, founded Sounds of Sarah in October 2022 to honor her daughter's life and the lives of those who have died from drug overdoses. The organization provides education on the dangers of opioid use and illicit fentanyl and offers harm-reduction services throughout Lake County.

Seabrook called the opioid epidemic explosive, not just in Gary, but across the rest of the state, too.

When you think about this explosive kind of situation weve been in with people having substance use disorder problems, from the public health perspective, we wanted to look at what the Gary Health Department could do to help combat some of that, Seabrook said.

The health departments research led them to a relatively new idea in Indiana that could continue to gain more regional traction if it succeeds like Griffiths machine.

Just 15 Narcan vending machines are in operation in Indiana, according to Overdose Lifelines Narcan availability map. After the machine in Griffith, the next closest is South Bend, followed by one in Lafayette.

We looked at accessibility, Seabrook said. Where can we get the most bang for these dollars? And how can people access something, get it 24/7, without needing the health department open to dispense this product.

Seabrook said it was also important that the scheme tried to reduce the stigma around drug use she and other experts believe contributes to more overdoses and fewer available resources to prevent them.

Hopefully it will be as commonplace as a soda dispenser or candy dispenser, that people wont get freaked out when they see a Narcan dispenser in their community, she said. It also empowers bystanders Heres something that the everyday citizen can do.

Overdose deaths in NWI

Garys initiative is the latest effort in the Region to address what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have in the last decade identified as an opioid epidemic only intensifying.

The number of deaths involving opioids has increased nationwide in the 21st century as new waves of different types of drugs have become more common, according to the CDC. Synthetic drugs, like fentanyl, have saturated the supply of illegal drugs since 2013.

Porter County Coroner Cyndi Dykes told The Times she first saw fentanyl showing up in her offices toxicology reports of overdose victims around 2015. It became the main cause of overdose deaths in the county in 2018.

In 2022, an average of 224 people in the U.S. died daily from an opioid overdose, according to data published by the CDC.

Of all 50 states, Indiana recorded the 15th-highest drug overdose mortality rate from 2018 to 2023, data shows, with drugs killing 34 of every 100,000 people and 13,704 people over those six years.

Porter County drug-induced deaths are occurring at a lower clip than the state and national averages, but Lake and LaPorte counties have seen consistently higher rates since 2020.

From 2018 to 2023, an annual average of 36 of every 100,000 Lake County residents suffered a drug-induced death, according to data published by the CDC. The rate was even higher in LaPorte County, with 38 of every 100,000 people dying from drugs yearly.

Porter Countys numbers were more positive over that time period, with approximately 26 people for every 100,000 people each year.

The Lake County Coroners Office said a total of 156 people died of a drug overdose in the county in 2024, fewer deaths than the previous year for the third consecutive year.

Of the countys 2024 numbers, 98 people tested positive for traces of fentanyl in their system, 38 for cocaine, 20 for methamphetamine and/or amphetamines, seven for Xylazine and two for heroin, the coroners office reported.

The Porter County Coroners Office said a total of 28 people died of a drug overdose in 2024, tying its lowest self-reported total since 2015  the same year fentanyl first appeared in the countys toxicology reports.

I truly believe the Narcan availability has contributed to the decrease in (overdose) deaths, Dykes said.

Porter County hasnt seen fewer than 20 overdose deaths in one year since 2013, when 19 people were killed from a drug overdose, according to data obtained by The Times.

The LaPorte County Coroners Office said a total of 31 people died of a drug overdose in 2024, tying its lowest reported total since at least 2021.

First responders aren't always first

Police officers, firefighters and EMTs play a critical role in responding to possible overdoses  but they can only do so much.

The Hobart Fire Department responded to 51 opioid overdose calls in 2024 in which it administered Narcan, Chief Enrique Lopez said. Twenty-one of the victims experienced immediate reversal of symptoms  where the patient recovered within 10 minutes of one dose of the recovery drug.

In Highland, police administered just four doses of Narcan to overdose victims in 2024, public information officer John Banasiak said.

Hobart police reported two instances in 2024 where its officers gave overdosing patients Narcan, Chief Garrett Ciszewski said, adding that there were at least a couple of cases where a good Samaritan had administered Narcan before police or medics had arrived at the scene  potentially saving lives.

Ciszewski said he believes the assistance of non-governmental organizations, like Overdose Lifeline and Sounds of Sarah, have been critical to getting ordinary people connected to Narcan.

Every on-duty police officer in Northwest Indiana carries at least one dose of naloxone on their person or in their squad car at all times, police sources told The Times. Most fire departments keep Narcan in their engines, and many police departments told The Times they are automatically dispatched to any EMS call for a potential overdose.

Still, police departments and nonprofits recommend that people stock up on the overdose reversal drug themselves, whether they think they are at risk or not. However, many communities in Northwest Indiana dont have Narcan available for free.

We as a town department do not give out Narcan to the public, Banasiak said. I would suggest they contact a pharmacy to obtain some.

The Michigan City Police Department doesn't distribute Narcan, either, spokesperson Steve Westphal said. According to Overdose Lifelines naloxone map, there are zero free Narcan options within a 10-mile radius of Michigan City, the largest city in LaPorte County  a county with a higher death rate from overdoses than the state and national averages, and higher than Lake and Porter counties rates.

Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in March 2023 approved naloxone nasal spray as an over-the-counter drug, its availability in stores like Walgreens, Walmart, CVS and Meijer, while overall a positive step toward fighting the opioid crisis, can become cost-prohibitive when the only convenient option is to pay for the life-saving drug.

Nonprofits are bridging the availability gap

The Griffith Narcan vending machine, which began distributing naloxone in 2022, holds about 300 doses of Narcan, Stovall said. She refills anywhere from 160 to 200 doses each month. Including the 10 naloxone boxes operated through Sounds of Sarah around Lake County, Stovall estimates she restocks 500 to 600 total doses monthly.

In the last year, Stovall estimates she has distributed somewhere between 10,000 to 12,000 doses of Narcan throughout Lake County.

The boxes are also in common areas around the county, including the Cedar Lake and Lake Station fire stations, the Lake County Coroners Office and the Mosley Motel in Gary.

Its so important that everybody has it, Stovall said. You can use it on a pet, you can use it on a newborn all the way up to a senior its not something that is just for someone who is an addict, because we are losing people from one-time use. Young people will take something, they wont know whats in it and it could be laced with fentanyl, Xylazine and it could take their life.

Stovall knows thousands of families across the United States who experienced the same loss she did  a loved one who took one pill laced with fentanyl and died almost instantly.

Our job is to make sure were educating our families and our youth, so they understand (the dangers of opioids), Stovall said. And also, to make sure that were getting the resources to all families, to everyone, and to help those who are struggling with mental health issues.

Stovall said she believes the availability of resources to prevent drug overdoses in Lake County has improved since Sarahs death. Garys initiative, while not entirely a new idea, has the potential to continue to destigmatize who and how people come into contact with opioids while making it easier for people to react to  or even prepare for  a possible overdose.

As Gary prepares to unveil the Region's latest effort to quell the epidemic that has swept the country in the last decade and killed thousands of people in Northwest Indiana, Seabrook said she wants people to be open-minded and "not critical of something that they may not understand." She sees the move as an opportunity for harm reduction practices and a chance to get people into treatment and recovery.

People need to understand that theyre not alone, Stovall said. Never say, It could never happen to me. Because you just never know. You just never know today.
Heres What the Rise of Clean Energy Looks Like From Space

A constellation of satellites orbiting 250 miles above Earths surface shows how solar and wind have taken off in recent years:

Heres what renewable energy sites looked like eight years ago. 2017 Solar Wind Since then, U.S. solar and wind capacity has nearly tripled. 2024 Solar Wind China has built more than 120,000 wind turbines, nearly a third of the world total, and 1.5 million acres of utility-scale solar. 2024 Solar Wind And emerging economies like Turkey are starting to tap their vast solar potential. 2024 Solar Wind Source: Global Renewables Watch Note: Includes onshore wind and utility-scale solar installations.

A new analysis shared with The New York Times shows how countries around the world are rapidly adding solar and wind capacity, now cheaper and more reliable than ever.

To track these changes, researchers created Global Renewables Watch, which maps all onshore wind and every large-scale solar farm in the world by using artificial intelligence and detailed satellite imagery to create a living atlas.

The collaboration  between The Nature Conservancy, Planet, and Microsofts AI for Good Lab  is designed to track the spread of wind and solar over time, so that planners can better understand where and how to build new clean-energy projects, large and small.

Choosing the right location is important because electric grids cant always handle new sources of energy or carry electricity from sunny and windy locations to the population centers where it is needed. Where open land is limited, energy projects frequently involve tradeoffs with farmland and natural habitat. And often, many of the best spots are already taken.

A lot of the development has grabbed the low-hanging fruit, said Joseph Kiesecker, a lead scientist at The Nature Conservancy who has contributed to Global Renewables Watch since the work began two years ago.

The data offer a snapshot of existing clean-energy capacity on land, and where theres room to grow, in every country. (It does not include rooftop solar.)

The biggest carbon emitters are scaling up clean energy Source: Global Renewables Watch Note: Capacity estimates were derived by multiplying solar farm area and wind turbine count by a simple capacity factor.

China leads the world in installed solar and wind capacity by a wide and growing margin. The pace has rapidly increased, with sprawling projects marching across the countrys interior. But in China and many other developing nations, the use of coal and gas is also still rising.

In the United States, electricity from solar and wind combined surpassed coal for the first time last year. Solar alone accounted for more than 80 percent of new capacity added in 2024, a third of which was installed in Texas. And in California, the addition of utility-scale battery storage helped to extend solar power after dark and to stabilize nearby grids.

In the European Union, solar and wind generated nearly a third of the regions electricity, more than all fossil fuels combined. The blustery coasts of northern Europe are well suited to wind power, which accounted for nearly 60 percent of Denmarks electricity in 2024. But solar has ramped up quickly as well, much of it at the household scale, as people turn to inexpensive Chinese-made panels.

The costs of solar panels have come down so drastically over the past 10 years, said Dave Jones, global insight director at Ember, an energy research organization. Combined with high gas prices since Russias invasion of Ukraine, that makes a really compelling business case for installing large amounts of solar power.

Plunging solar and battery prices unlock potential Solar Batteries $100 per watt $400 per kwh $200 $50 $80 $0.30 2023 2013 2024 1975 Solar Batteries $100 per watt $400 per kwh $200 $50 $80 $0.30 2023 2013 2024 1975 Solar Batteries $100 per watt $400 per kwh $200 $50 $80 $0.30 2023 2013 2024 1975 Sources: IRENA (2024), Nemet (2009), Farmer and Lafond (2016) via Our World in Data; BloombergNEF. Note: Prices are inflation-adjusted.

Those low prices are largely attributable to enormous manufacturing advances in China, which supplies around 80 percent of the international market for solar panels. After the Netherlands, the top importers of Chinese panels last year were Brazil, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and India.

Improved battery technology is another factor in solars spread. Cheaper, better storage makes it possible to power homes after the sun has set and people are home cooking, doing laundry or watching TV.

While wind projects face growing obstacles, solar has emerged as the more viable option to add capacity quickly, cheaply and at nearly any scale.

Solar takes off faster than wind

Source: Global Renewables Watch Note: Capacity estimates were derived by multiplying solar farm area and wind turbine count by a simple capacity factor.

Ambitious plans to stop adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere by 2050, along with an influx of government money, have added enough solar to Australias grid that the sun now generates a quarter of the countrys electricity. In Brazil, major investments in solar and wind have helped offset fluctuations in its vast hydropower system caused by drought.

Across many emerging economies  like Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam  solar energy has expanded faster than wind farms.

Global Renewables Watch shows utility-size solar projects and not the small-scale solar found in many developing countries that are trying to expand access to electricity. Pakistan, for instance, was the third-largest importer of Chinese solar panels last year, but people installed nearly all of it on rooftops or near local farms and factories to avoid high electricity bills and blackouts.

The recent growth in solar and wind energy doesnt mean renewables are inevitable. Somalias solar electricity generation, for example, went from zero to 17 percent in the past decade but Power Africa, the USAID program that supported that growth, was largely dismantled by the Trump administration last month. Development in Vietnam accelerated after the government guaranteed it would pay premium prices to developers for solar electricity, but a proposal to retroactively end the policy now threatens billions in investment. And in the United States, the Trump administration is promoting fossil fuels and working to slow the transition to renewables.

The worlds reliance on fossil fuels continues to grow, and global temperatures continue to climb. The amount of renewable projects added each year would need to double to meet the most ambitious goal set under the Paris climate agreement, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Researchers say they hope that making their data and model available to the public will help improve the planning and installation of that new capacity. We want to see renewable energy get built, Dr. Kiesecker said. We want to see the transition happen as rapidly as possible.

The pace of solar and wind growth around the world Charts are in order of combined solar and wind capacity. Each chart is on its own scale. To compare all the regions on the same scale, click the shared scale button. INDIVIDUAL SCALE SHARED SCALE Source: Global Renewables Watch Note: Capacity estimates were derived by multiplying solar farm area and wind turbine count by a simple capacity factor.
Garlic is probably the worlds most popular seasoning, but most of us hate pealing it about as much as we love to eat it. Having to go through over a dozen clovers per garlic bulb is just not fun, but what if I told you there was such a thing as single-clover garlic?

If you live in China, Germany or Northern Europe, youre probably wondering why youre reading about a vegetable you regularly see at your local supermarket on a blog about oddities, but the fact is that most of the world is oblivious to the existence of this holy grail of garlic. I myself only recently found out about it after seeing a photo of what looked like an onion labeled as solo garlic on Reddit. What I thought was a digitally altered photo turned out to be a real thing that has been around for decades and that is apparently very popular in some parts of the world.

So what is solo garlic? Well, its literally in the name, its a garlic bulb that consists of a single clover, instead of about a dozen or so. All you have to do is peel the outer skin and you are left with one giant clove that you can mince, grate, or just use whole. Its the stuff dreams are made of!

A single clove the size of a garlic bulb sounds like an anomaly or the result of shady genetic manipulation, right? Well, no, solo garlic can be obtained from any variety of garlic, as long as certain environmental conditions are met. According to Mel Magazine, too-warm temperatures during the early stages of growth can prevent garlic from developing into multiple cloves, resulting in one giant clove.

Solo garlic is believed to have originated in Yunnan, a mountainous region of China where garlic farmers figured out that weather played a huge factor in the development of garlic cloves. To this day, China remains the largest producer of solo and regular garlic in the world.

How does solo garlic compare to regular garlic in terms of taste, you ask? Some claim that its milder, with a stronger flavor, but the main advantage of single clover garlic over the conventional varieties is the ease of peeling.



As mentioned above, solo garlic is common in China, as well as in European countries like Germany, Sweden or Denmark, but it is still largely unknown in the US and most of Europe, which is a shame, because this looks like the kind of garlic we should all be using to save time.

For more unusual foods you probably didnt know existed, check out albino cucumbers, pink pineapple, and pepquinos.
Peter Costiglio

Peter Costiglio, a top corporate communications executive for more than 40 years, died March 17 after a long-battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. He was 76.

The Manhattan-born executive did a 16-year stint at Time Inc, where he rose to the VP-communications post.

Costiglio, who was known for his sense of humor and mentoring skills, worked ten years at Prudential-Bache Securities as senior VP-communications, handled press relations at Grumman, and served as communications director at the Rockefeller Foundation.

He retired from Lexis/Nexis in 2014 as director, communications for research & litigation solutions.

Costiglio was a passionate supporter of Catholic education, especially for his Jesuit alma maters: College of the Holy Cross, Xavier High School and St. Ignatius Loyola.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Barbara; three children, and nine grandchildren.

Costiglio is being waked March 21 from 2pm until 8pm at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel located at 1076 Madison Ave. A funeral mass is set March 22 at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola located at 980 Park Ave.

The family requests that donations in Costiglios name be made to Catholic Health Good Shepherd Hospice (Farmingdale, NY) where he spent his final days.
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Drivers preparing to present their cars for an NCT in the coming weeks are being urged to carry out a simple test on their brakes.

NCT testers posted an update on social media warning that 132,000 cars failed an NCT in 2024 due to "dangerous defects," including with tyres and brakes.

They said: "Don't risk ittyres, corrosion & brake line issues can be spotted easily and before your journey by conducting a simple walkaround check of the vehicle."

Brake wear can be spotted with worn brake pads or while driving if braking feels sticky or spongey in the pedal. Squeaking is also a telltale sign that you have serious brake damage. You can see a range of suggested checks and tests you can carry out on your car prior to an NCT below.

READ NEXT: 'That is very unusual' - NCT baffled by driver's odd complaint over booking test

Irish drivers were also recently reminded of little-known rules when presenting their car for an NCT around the country.

Most motorists dread attending for an NCT and recent figures revealed why half of all cars fail the minimum standard test for roadworthiness.

Most of us are familiar with the big ticket items that will see our cars returned with that 'failed' report; tyres, brakes, suspension, steering and so on, but some smaller rules could see your car refused at a centre.

We also know the main rules of presenting our car in a clean state, but there is another rule most people are completely unaware of. It won't result in your car failing but it could see your car refused a test.

One of the items on a checklist to run through before presenting your car for an NCT is the glove box. The advice states that you must ensure "your glove compartment is unlocked & clear of personal belongings, this is to allow for OBD testing."

On-board diagnostics testing system (OBD) is used during an NCT inspection to check for information and faults. The plug-in computer scans your vehicle for its vehicle identification number, the odometer reading, the electronic braking system and the anti-lock braking system.

Elsewhere, NCT Ireland recently revealed a number of other little known visual reasons your car could fail the NCT.

The NCT says: "Taking a few minutes to check some of the visual items below and ensuring they are all working in advance of your NCT could potentially save you valuable time and money."

One of the more obscure items that you could easily forget to check is the little bulbs on your registration plates. It is a legal requirement that your registration is visible at all times and if these bulbs aren't working, it cannot be seen at night.

Your car could fail its NCT if its registration plate lamps are "not working, faulty or not fitted; not white in colour; or if the lens is missing or broken." You can check these bulbs by turning your car on and checking the bulbs are on front and rear before the test.

You can see the full NCT visual checklist below:

Windscreen Wipers and Washers

Reasons for failure:

Missing

Not cleaning windscreen effectively

Wiped areas less than sufficient to give the driver an adequate view

Washer, not working, no water or incorrectly aimed

Seat Belts

Reasons for failure:

Belts cut, badly frayed or repaired

Belts not operating properly

Tyre Condition

Reasons for failure:

tread worn, distorted or damaged

tread depth of less than 1.6mm

Incorrectly seated on wheel rim

Valve Damaged

Registration Plate Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Not working, faulty or not fitted

Not white in colour.

Lens missing or broken.

Stop Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Missing or not clearly visible.

Not working or faulty.

Not brighter than tail lights.

Not red in colour

Insecurely mounted

Contains water/moisture

Lens missing or broken

Switch does not operate correctly

Indicator/Tell Tales

Reasons for failure:

Missing, not working or faulty

Insecurely mounted

Lens broken or missing

Contains water/moisture

Not amber in colour

Horn

Reasons for failure:

Control insecure

Horn insecurely mounted

Not working correctly

Not working or not fitted

Registration Plates Front and Rear

Reasons for failure:

One or both plates missing, insecure or not clearly visible.

Numbers or letters missing or illegible or incorrect size

Numbers, letter or background of incorrect colour

Side Lamps

Reasons for failure:

Missing or not clearly visible.

Not working or faulty.

Not white in colour

Insecurely mounted

Contains water/moisture

Lens missing or broken
A county Longford man who stole a television from his sister's house has been ordered to pay 500 to a charity of her choice.

Daniel Purkis (32) of Kelleter, Killoe pleaded guilty at Longford District Court recently to the burglary offence at Beehive Cottages in Ballinalee on September 14, 2024.

Sergeant Mark Mahon said Gardai received a report that a television had been taken off the complainant's wall and they attended the scene and spoke to the woman about the incident.

"The injured party suspected the defendant straight away who was her brother," the prosecuting officer added.

Sergeant Mahon said Mr Purkis sent his sister a message where he admitted entering the house and taking the television.

"This was given to Gardai and it was translated, he was cooperative in relation to it," the officer added.

The court heard Gardai obtained and executed a search warrant where the TV was recovered and returned to the injured party.

Mr Purkis was subsequently arrested and during interview he admitted entering the room as a trespasser and committing the offence.

The defendant had one previous conviction.

Solicitor Brid Mimnagh addressed Judge Bernadette Owens and said her client is now employed at an engineering factory but at the time he was studying at the University of Galway and he was 'completely burnt out'.

"He had a disagreement with his sister and you will see in the Garda statement immediately after he did it he contacted his aunt and told her what he had done," she said.

Ms Mimnagh said when her client was 10 years of age he moved from England to Ireland.

"This (incident) should not have happened and he completely accepts that judge," she added.

Judge Bernadette Owens requested a restorative justice report and she asked Sgt Mahon to contact the injured party to ascertain if she wanted to submit a victim impact statement.

The case was then adjourned until May 20, 2025.
Offaly Sinn Fein councillor Aoife Masterson has taken up a new role with Front Bench Spokesperson on Children, Disability, and Equality Deputy Claire Kerrane.

Cllr Masterson said: I am delighted to take up this new role as policy advisor to Deputy Claire Kerrane, Sinn Fein spokesperson for Children, Disability, and Equality.

This is an incredibly important issue for families in Offaly  every week my office is filled with people worried about what the future holds for them.

It is one of the many areas that the government has abjectly failed on over many years and there is a huge amount of work that needs to be done in order to hold them to account.

Just last week, Childrens Rights Alliance published their latest annual report card.

READ NEXT: Offaly TDs get 4,000 each in expenses for month in which Dail sat for one day

Disappointingly in half of all areas examined, there was a deterioration of the grades on the year previous.

Even more worryingly, there was a doubling in the number of areas receiving an E or unacceptable grade, while almost one in three of all the areas examined have experienced a deterioration from their 2021 grade.

Ireland is a wealthy country, but too many of our children and young people do not feel the benefit of this.

We have a budget surplus of 8bn, yet child poverty and homeless figures continue to soar, children continue to languish on waiting lists for essential therapies, and countless more children cannot access the basic supports they need to ensure a happy and safe childhood  something no child should miss out on.

The experiences of childhood last a lifetime, and it is simply unacceptable that already vulnerable children and young people have been marginalised by the lack of government ambition.

READ NEXT: Offaly driver with clean licence told they have penalty points by insurance company

Sadly, the situation is no better for people with disabilities, their workers, and their carers.

There are serious and ongoing issues, particularly in Offaly, with access to assessments of needs, as well as access to therapies and supports.

This report card must serve as a wakeup call for government.

They must learn from the mistakes that have got them here, prioritise true opportunity and equality for all, and quickly match election promises with action

I am looking forward to working with Deputy Kerrane and doing my best to deliver on the things that actually matter to people in Offaly.

While taking on this new role, I will continue to be based in Offaly and available to all my constituents. My Tullamore office will remain open Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm, while my Birr office will remain by appointment.
A retired farmer who works voluntarily for the Embrace Farm safety organisation was fined 300 after Tullamore District Court heard how he was driving an untaxed tractor when he was stopped on his way to a repair centre to get seven tyres on a trailer replaced.

A RETIRED farmer was on his way to get tyres replaced on a trailer when he was stopped by a garda on the Tullamore-Portlaoise road.

Daniel Lynam (72), Dromore, Castletown-Geoghegan, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was summonsed for being the user of a tyre with a lump, bulge, tear or partial failure on the N80 at Cloncon, Co Offaly on September 4 last year.

Garda Stephen O'Hanlon, Portlaoise Garda Station, told Tullamore District Court that at 10.39am on that date he saw a red and black 2006 registered Case tractor being driven on the N80 with its tax out for over 2,000 days.

The tyres on its trailer appeared to be in very poor condition and the driver said he was going to a tyre repair centre when he was stopped.

Garda O'Hanlon said the distance to the tyre repair centre would be 20km door to door.

The garda added that while a fixed charge penalty notice for the road tax offence had been paid, another for the offence involving the tyre had not.

Garda O'Hanlon also said he refused a request for a cancellation of the tyre offence. A photograph of a tyre, which was completely disintegrated was handed in to Judge Andrew Cody.

READ NEXT: https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/local-news/1757710/night-time-car-chase-at-over-110kph-on-country-roads-in-offaly-and-kildare.html

Mr Lynam told the court he had previously been in a farm accident and he was not able to change the wheels on the trailer himself, hence his journey to Hinch's for the repair.

He knew he needed seven new tyres and he got them put on. He also said he made an effort to pay the fixed charge penalty notice but the system was down in Streamstown post office.

He said he had been only one or two miles away from Hinch's when he was stopped.

Mr Lynam further explained that he was a retired dairy farmer who now worked on his son's farm.

He also did a lot of voluntary work talking to students in colleges about farm safety for the Embrace Farm organisation.

It may be contradictory, added Mr Lynam.

Judge Cody responded: There's a slight contradiction when you look at that tyre.

The judge fined the man 300 and gave him three months to pay it.
KUNMING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected the city of Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Wednesday afternoon.

He visited a modern flower industry park and the Old Town of Lijiang to learn about local efforts to develop specialized agriculture based on regional conditions, enhance the protection and utilization of historical and cultural heritage, and foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
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Although the nations of the world have pledged to respect a system of international law and global responsibility, the recent behavior of several countries provides a sharp challenge to this arrangement.

For over three years, the Russian government has conducted a brutal military invasion, occupation, and annexation of Ukraine-- the largest and most devastating military operation in Europe since World War II. Defying Russia's international obligations-- including a peace treaty it signed with Ukraine, a ruling by the International Court of Justice demanding Russia halt its military operations in Ukraine, the UN Charter, and repeated UN General Assembly condemnations of Russian behavior by an overwhelming majority of the world's nations-- the Putin regime has stubbornly persisted with Russia's imperialist aggression against its smaller, weaker neighbor.

The consequences have been horrific. Russian and Ukrainian military forces are estimated to have suffered a total of roughly a million deaths or injuries. Moreover, the war has taken a severe toll on Ukraine's civilian population, with some 42,000 civilians killed or injured and over 10 million more fleeing the country or internally displaced. In July 2024, it was estimated that, thanks to the Russian military's indiscriminate bombing and shelling of civilian infrastructure, Russia had damaged more than 1,600 Ukrainian medical centers and destroyed over 200 hospitals. In the first year-and-a-half of the war, Human Rights Watch reported, the Russian invasion "devastated schools and kindergartens throughout the country," with "over 3,790 educational facilities... damaged or destroyed". A more recent study by this leading human rights organization noted that, in areas of Ukraine that Russian forces occupy, they have "committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. These include torture and killings of civilians, sexual violence, enforced disappearances, and forcible transfers and unlawful deportations of Ukrainians" to Russia.

For its part, the Israeli government has long been at odds with the United Nations over Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians and, particularly, its refusal to end its military occupation of the Palestinian territory it conquered during the 1967 Mideast war. Committed to building a Greater Israel, right-wing Israeli government officials have seized Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank and flooded it with about 700,000 heavily-subsidized Israeli settlers. In turn, the UN General Assembly, by an overwhelming vote, has called upon Israel to comply with international law and withdraw its military forces, cease new settlement activity, and evacuate its settlers from the West Bank.

The simmering Israeli-Palestinian conflict erupted once again in October 2023, when, in response to an Hamas terrorist attack, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, launched a full-scale military invasion of Gaza with a colossal humanitarian impact. An estimated 46,788 Palestinians have been killed, most of them civilians, and 110,453 have been injured. According to the United Nations, 1.9 million people (90 percent of the population) have been internally displaced thanks to the Israeli bombing campaign, 69 percent of all structures have been destroyed (including 50 percent of hospitals, with the rest just partially functional), and about 1,060 medical workers have been killed. Thanks to the Israeli government's blockade of food and water supplies, an estimated 91 percent of the population have faced severe levels of hunger.

Although only recently restored to the White House, Donald Trump has already embarked on an ambitious program of scrapping U.S. international commitments and proceeding, instead, with U.S. empire-building. Ordering U.S. sanctions on the International Criminal Court, as well as a U.S. pullout from two key UN agencies (the World Health Organization and the Human Rights Council), he has also chosen a U.S. ambassador to the UN, Representative Elise Stefanik, who has promised to bring the world organization into line with Trump's "America First" priorities. In sharp contrast to the severe cuts in domestic social spending that Trump is implementing, he has called for increased military spending, potentially raising the annual U.S. military expenditure from $842 billion to over $1 trillion. This enhanced military power should prove useful, for since returning to office he has championed seizing the Panama Canal and Greenland, taking over Gaza, and making Canada the 51st American state.

In all three cases, the reckless pursuit of narrowly-defined national interests has taken precedence over the shared interests of the world community.

Nor is this an accident, for Putin, Netanyahu, and Trump are caught up in overheated nationalist dreams quite out of touch with global reality. Today, as human survival is threatened by climate catastrophe, a renewed nuclear arms race, disease pandemics, and widespread poverty-- crises that cry out for global solutions-- these government officials and their right-wing counterparts in other lands are driven by nationalist fantasies. Putin is enamored with Russian imperial glory, Netanyahu is obsessed with visions of Greater Israel, and Trump is intoxicated with America First. And, in their respective fantasies, each of them takes on heroic stature as the Supreme Leader.

Unfortunately, we have seen this phenomenon, along with its catastrophic consequences, many times before.

Fortunately, however, multitudes of people realize that things need not be this way. Indeed, Putin, Netanyahu, and Trump are out of line with the views of many national leaders and social movements that have recognized, and continue to recognize, that the reckless pursuit of narrow national interests is a recipe for disaster. To avoid this disaster, our far-sighted predecessors created the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and other international institutions. That is also why these institutions must be strengthened, for without the enforcement of world law, national irresponsibility will thrive.

Indeed, if humanity is to survive in coming decades, it is imperative that reckless competition and conflict among nations give way to cooperation and collective action. War must be replaced by peace, privilege by equality, and the rule of force with the force of law.

Above all, no nation can go it alone, for we are all part of one world and must act accordingly.

Lawrence S. Wittner (https://www.lawrenceswittner.com/ ) is Professor of History Emeritus at SUNY/Albany and the author of Confronting the Bomb (Stanford University Press).
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Shock and Awe

Making (Non)Sense of Donald Trump, or the Success of Failure

By Tom Engelhardt

Yes, "shock and awe" is back in the second age of Donald Trump. His border czar, Tom Homan, used that very phrase to describe border policy from day one of the new administration and, whether the president has actually said it or not, it's now regularly in headlines, op-eds, and so much else. If you remember, it was the phrase used, in all its glory, to describe America's massive bombing and invasion of Iraq in 2003. (You remember! The country that supposedly threatened us with nuclear weapons but, in fact, didn't have any!)

We Americans were, of course, going to shock and awe them. But from that moment on (if not from the moment, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, when, rather than simply going after Osama bin Laden and crew, President George W. Bush launched a full-scale invasion of Afghanistan), you could say that it was we who were truly shocked and awed. After all, in their own disastrous fashion, our post-9/11 wars prepared the way for" yes!" Donald Trump to take the White House the first time around (shock and awe!) -- and then blame the final disastrous retreat of the American military from Afghanistan in 2021 on the Biden administration. ("Kamala Harris, Joe Biden -- the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world.") And of course, four years later, his reelection on a functional platform of Trump First, Americans Last, was distinctly a double shock and awe!

And if you'll excuse my being thoroughly repetitious, that was -- or at least should have been seen as -- the true definition of shock and awe. Donald Trump! Twice! Even now, can you truly take it in? In fact, more or less every moment since his reelection victory in November 2024 has been -- pardon me for the turn of phrase -- a first-class S&A experience.

And -- shock, if not awe -- I haven't even mentioned Elon Musk yet, have I? I mean, who can take him in either? The richest man on Planet Earth (S&A!) and, at least until President Trump levied those massive tariffs on our three major trading partners (only to partially back off soon after), still making money hand over fist (wrist, pissed?) -- about $224 billion extra dollars (S&A!) just between the November 2024 election victory of Donald Trump and the moment he actually took power again in January 2025 -- at the expense of the rest of us. Meanwhile, he's been more or less running this country (into the ground) hand in glove with Donald Trump, who, by the way, is already talking about a possible third term in office! ("They say I can't run again; that's the expression" Then somebody said, I don't think you can. Oh.") Now, wouldn't that be an all-American S&A first (or do I mean last?)!

An MMMW World

Phew, I'm already out of breath and exclamation points! No surprise there, of course, given the awesomely shocking and shockingly Trumpified (or do I mean Muskratted?) world we're now living in and dealing with.

After all, we once again have a president who himself is (or may be -- since you never know with him) a multi-billionaire and has at his side the DOGE-y man with a totally made-up position and an organization that nonetheless seems to have the power to dismantle whole parts of our government. (Science, Medicine? Who needs them? Veterans, who cares?) He could evidently even purchase Mars (and donate his sperm to help colonize that planet). And imagine this: despite all the dough they and their billionaire pals possess -- there are at least 13 of them in his administration, worth something like $460 billion -- Elon and he seem intent on shoving through Congress a plan that would make his tax cuts for billionaires a permanent feature of American life (whatever it may cost the rest of us).

Don't try to tell me that we're not in a mad, mad, mad world (MMMW, if you prefer). And hey, the man who only recently set a record by spending more than an hour and 40 minutes giving the longest State of the (Dis)Union speech or speech of any sort ever to a joint session of Congress has done a remarkable job of foisting his version of an America First (Foist? Last?) policy on the rest of us and this world -- a world that distinctly isn't ours, but his. Think of us as now living in a Trump First World, or TFW. Of course, his version of America First includes those recent tariffs (some but not all of which have been delayed again) that, though officially levied against Canada, China, and Mexico, were actually being foisted on the rest of us. Count on one thing: in the end, we will undoubtedly pay through the nose for them. So, no question about it, we have certainly entered a distinctly S&A era.

The Double D of Donald

In truth, the 45th and 47th ( and 48th and 49th?) president of the United States is a genuinely remarkable figure. Truly historic -- or do I mean hysteric? After all, who can't bring some image of him to mind at any moment? That face, that stare, that glare, that red tie, that wave in his hair. Need I say more?

In his own remarkable fashion, he should be given full credit and a double capital D -- for both Donald and Decline. Or just think of him as PD (for President Decline). And it is remarkable that a single figure, one man who once oversaw the bankruptcy of six different companies he had launched, could become responsible for potentially the greatest bankruptcy of all -- the ending of the American Century (as we once knew it) and even, after a fashion, humanity's centuries on Planet Earth.

I mean, who can even remember anymore the time in a distant century -- the year was 1991, to be exact, the very moment when Donald Trump filed for bankruptcy for the Trump Taj Mahal and the year before he did the same for the Trump Plaza Hotel -- when the Soviet Union went into the garbage pail, China had not yet truly risen, and this country was left alone as not just a great power but The Great Power or TGP, the only one left on Planet Earth? That, in retrospect, was a truly shock-and-awe moment. And isn't it no less shock-and-awing to think that a mere 34 years later, that same country is now led by a raging maniac on an America First platform that could, in effect, prove to be an America Last one? In a mere two terms in office, he will have taken what was once known as the planet's "sole superpower" into a world of chaos and, ultimately, disaster of a sort we still can't really grasp. He will have been the monarch -- and yes, that's the appropriate word, not president -- from hell. (In fact, the White House digital strategy team all too appropriately produced a portrait of President Trump with a golden crown and the phrase "LONG LIVE THE KING"!)

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"Then they came for--

Such is the refrain of Pastor Martin Niemoller's iconic Holocaust poem, "First They Came".

Mahmoud Khalil is a name that should be on the tip of the tongues of all Americans who value the sacrosanct first amendment. If you aren't yet familiar with him, be prepared to be outraged by the time you finish reading, because this Columbia University graduate student is only the first victim of the Trump regime's evisceration of Americans' right to peaceably assembly and redress our grievances.

There will be more.

We are all Mahmoud Kahlil, or we will be in short order.

Mahmoud Khalil is a Syrian-born Palestinian activist who helped lead non-violent student protests last year at Columbia University against the Israeli genocide of Gazans. He is a legal U.S. resident with a green card and is not affiliated with any terrorist organization, like Hamas. His wife, eight-months' pregnant, is an American citizen.

By dint of his being a student negotiator for protests--which occurred on other campuses in addition to Columbia--he is the target of Columbia's new disciplinary body concentrating on harassment and discrimination complaints.

No wonder he is also now in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana--notorious for severe medical neglect, physical, and sexual abuse--after ICE agents forced their way into Khalil's apartment on March 8, without a judicial warrant, claiming his green card and student visa had been "revoked", and they were there to deport him. The only reason he hasn't been yet is due to a federal judge's order to keep Khalil in the United States while the constitutionality surrounding his arrest and detention are litigated.

om/DHSgov/status/1898908955675357314

As reported in The Nation:

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Inside Trump's call with Vladimir Putin President Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin held a call Tuesday about the war in Ukraine amid continued fighting there.

(Image by YouTube, Channel: CBS News) Details DMCA



US President Donald Trump juxtaposed with Russian President Vladimir Putin

As we know this past Tuesday President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a two and a half hour phone call where they agreed on a 30-day energy and infrastructure cease fire in Ukraine. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky was not on the call.

Within hours of that agreement Ukraine sent drones attacking an oil transfer facility in southern Russia and yesterday Ukraine sent drones attacking a hospital in central Russia.

Meanwhile Russia shot down seven of its own drones which were intended to hit Ukrainian energy infrastructure after Putin had given the order to halt all such attacks as he had agreed with Trump.

What is noteworthy one week before the Trump Putin phone call US and Ukraine delegations met in Saudi Arabia agreeing on a 30 day cease fire in the war.

So what are we to gather from Zelensky at this point? Was he piqued about not being a part of the Trump Putin call? So that's why he sent drones attacking a Russian energy facility and a hospital in Russia?

It's hard to know. However, what will Putin do now that his 30 day agreement with Trump has been broken by Zelensky? "The Russian Defense Ministry called the strikes premeditated provocations by the Kiev regime aimed at derailing the US presidents initiative."

US and Russian high level delegations are scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss further ending the war in Ukraine.

Though the EU has said it continues to support Zelensky in the war they alone can't continue without US assistance. Their weapons inventory has already been depleted and production of new weapons is a distant undertaking. So they'll have to come to their senses and agree to take part in peace negotiations by sending its representatives along with a Ukraine delegation. Both Trump and Putin have indicated they want the EU and Ukraine involved in the negotiations.

That being said what should be clearly understood is Russia is winning the war. They are in the driver's seat and as the victor will likely get the final results in its favor. And Trump and his diplomats know it.

Here is an assessment of what the final agreements will look like ending the war:

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Jamon P. Fritsch, 48, was sentenced to in life prison with the chance of parole in 25 years during a hearing Wed., March 19, 2025. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian

After working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon and California, traveling respiratory therapist Kara Taylor hit a rough patch in her own life  and sought safe harbor in a colleagues home.

Instead, Jamon Fristch strangled the 49-year-old to death and then hacked her body into pieces on July 25, 2023, as Taylors daughter was elsewhere in the Jefferson Street house in Oregon City.

Taylors family gathered Wednesday as Fritsch was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 25 years.

The 48-year-old claimed Taylor had run off unexpectedly and reported her missing that July 27, but then spent the next two days gathering tarps, trash bags, plastic totes and cleaning supplies before dumping her body in Coffin Butte Landfill in Corvallis.

Her body was found only after a lengthy search of the property.

This is whats left of her, said Taylors brother, Marcus Sanders, holding aloft a black velvet bag as he addressed Clackamas County Circuit Judge Michael Wetzel.

Oregon City police arrested Fritsch in early August once he confessed to a detective in an email, indicating that the killing was a twisted attempt to prevent Taylor from reporting him for domestic violence.

In court, Sanders estimated what had been stolen from his sister: Three hundred and thirty one million breaths, he calculated.

Kara Taylor is shown here in an undated family photo.

The youngest of three siblings, Taylor and her brothers grew up in the Bellingham, Washington area, but moved frequently as their divorced parents battled over custody issues, with Taylor finishing school in Dallas, Oregon.

She studied at the Pima Medical Institute, graduating with honors in 2013 with a degree in respiratory therapy.

Kara absolutely loved helping her patients breathe better and took it personally whenever she lost one, Sanders said. I was proud of my sister.

When not working, Taylor also was a dedicated caregiver to her daughter, Nicole, who has autism and requires support.

The traveling therapist met her husband, Dennis Taylor, while working at a Hermiston hospital. The two moved to Pasco, Washington, in 2022, but marital difficulties prompted Taylor to move out soon into the marriage.

Dennis Taylor said his wife was a registered organ donor and wanted to give back after she was gone. It was just one more thing Fritsch stole from her.

Jamon Fritsch, you took away Karas body, but you never took away her soul, he said. You are the epitome of evil.

The killer spent most of the hearing looking straight ahead as the family members stood behind him and testified from the gallery. Finally, he rose to speak.

I promise to take every antipsychotic medication that the prison will give me while I wait to die in solitary, he said.

Zane Sparling covers breaking news and courts for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-319-7083, zsparling@oregonian.com or @pdxzane.

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With spring break just around the corner, Oregon lawmakers are still wrestling over requirements for summer learning programs that will kick off in just over three months.

The Democratic co-chairs of the budget subcommittee that focuses on education drafted a bill that in its current form limits funding to programs with a heavy emphasis on literacy development geared to measurable outcomes.
An Oregon town known for its scenic beauty has also been singled out for its "charming" downtown, according to an HGTV article. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Oregon has a way of turning up on lists of the best this or that, and thanks to the folks at the website for HGTV, the popular TV channel and media brand, our state boasts something else worthy of national attention.

You might recall that HGTV has already found Oregon just filled with charm, thanks to the southern Oregon community of Jacksonville winning a spot on an HGTV list compiling 50 of the Most Charming Small Towns in America.

And that wasnt the end of Oregons charm offensive. Another HGTV list, this one a rundown of 83 of the Most Charming Homes From Across the U.S., included two houses in the Portland area.

Turns out theres no end to Oregon charm, apparently, as weve got a mention on yet another HGTV list, this one designating The 40 Most Charming Small-Town Downtowns in America.

As usual, theres an introduction that sets the tone for the listicle that follows.

Nothing charms like a small downtown that beckons visitors with historic architecture and boutique shops or local culture and tree-lined streets, as the article says. Many small-town downtowns are located in beautiful settings or have stunning views. Others welcome visitors with lively festivals, delicious foods or a nostalgic atmosphere.

To come up with the list of irresistible small-town downtowns across America (and it was tough to narrow this list to 40), we looked for vibrant towns that invite you in and encourage you to stay and explore, the article goes on.

Now, you might think that since Jacksonville earned HGTV kudos for its charmingness, that it might be featured on this list of charming small-town downtowns.

But no. The Oregon community that earned a nod on this particular HGTV honor roll is Bend, the central Oregon destination that has a tendency to appear on these sorts of lists.

Heres what HGTV has to say about the lovely town of Bend: Known far and wide for its craft brews, Bend, Oregon, with its Bend Ale Trail, invites you to sample the best of the best from over two dozen breweries. Thats not to mention the distilleries, wineries, cideries and kombucha brewers that make up the craft beverage scene in this charming small-town downtown. Beyond a booming beer scene, Bend is a picture-perfect, walkable town with tree-lined streets and cobblestone walkways. The Deschutes River runs through Bend, making tubing, kayaking and SUPing (an acronym for stand-up paddleboarding) perfect summertime diversions. Bend is also home to the last Blockbuster video rental store in the United States. Ah, the nostalgia.

Other small towns with charming downtowns that made the HGTV cut include Lake Placid, New York; Virginia City, Nevada; Carmel-by-the-Sea, California; Ketchum, Idaho; Abilene, Kansas; Taos, New Mexico; and Bar Harbor, Maine.

 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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Architects' rendering of the Portland Art Museum's new Mark Rothko Pavilion showing the new community passageway and new West Plaza with Ugo Rondinone's 2018 sculpture "the sun," one of nearly 300 newly acquired artworks that will be on view when PAM's transformed campus opens November 20, 2025. Hennebery Eddy Architects and Vinci Hamp Architects

After two years of careful curation and construction, the Portland Art Museum will debut its newly transformed campus this November.

The $111 million expansion project  which includes 95,000 square feet of new or upgraded space, restructured galleries and nearly 300 never-before-seen pieces of art  has been in the works since 2023.

PAM is an essential cultural lifeline for our region, museum director Brian Ferriso said in a Thursday morning press release. The new PAM will create a dynamic destination for the arts, reinvigorating our city and offering expanded opportunities to engage audiences with art from around Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, and the world.

Beginning Nov. 20, this new Portland Art Museum will no longer exist solely in headlines and renderings. The transformed institution will celebrate its public unveiling with four days of festivities and free museum entry.

The centerpiece of the project is the Mark Rothko Pavilion, a 22,000-square foot, multi-story passageway that connects the museums Main Building and neighboring Mark Building.

An artist's rendition of the Rothko Pavilion at the Portland Art Museum

Visitors will be able to enter from either the west or east plaza, and once inside, travel easily between the two buildings four floors of gallery space. Clad in semi-transparent glass, the pavilion will offer passersby glimpses of the art and activity within during the day and act as a glowing beacon for the arts downtown when illuminated at night, according to the release.

The pavilion is named for Latvian-born painter Mark Rothko, who took classes at the museums art school after his family relocated to Portland.

And the Portland Art Museum exterior isnt the only area unveiling a noticeable makeover  come fall, even dedicated patrons may have to relearn their way around the buildings.

Museumgoers can expect entirely reimagined permanent galleries; new, more intuitive pathways to encounter art; and increased visibility for PAMs Native American and contemporary art collections, according to an October press release.

Rather than time period or region, collections will instead be organized based on thematic similarities  allowing for a more cross-departmental approach to curation.

View of the Portland Art Museums Community Passageway between Southwest Park Avenue and Southwest 10th Avenue, looking into the Museum's newly announced Black Art and Experiences Gallery in the Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art. Hennebery Eddy Architects and Vinci Hamp Architects

This will include a gallery dedicated to showcasing work by Black artists, the first permanent space of its kind at the museum. The Black Art and Experiences Gallery will be visible 24/7 through the Rothko Pavilions glass walls.

Its not put in the back or the corner someplace, Director of Community Philanthropy John Goodwin told The Oregonian/Oregon Live in February. Its a significant space, and were so pleased with that.

The revamped layout will feature hundreds of new acquisitions across collections ranging from Native American art to modern art to photography.

Patrons observe the newly restored "Waterlilies" painting by Claude Monet at the Portland Art Museum on Friday, March 7, 2025. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

Some reinstalled galleries will open to the public ahead of November, offering patrons a small glimpse at the big changes to come. (Art lovers may have already stopped by to see Claude Monets Waterlilies, which spent the last six months undergoing a meticulous restoration process in the museums brand new conservation studio. The oil painting is back on display through August.)

The museums new cafe and expanded gift store will reopen in late August.

 Veronica Nocera covers life and culture. You can reach her at vnocera@oregonian.com, 503-221-8111 or @vernocera
I hope common sense will prevail in the Oregon Legislature and Senate Bill 916 will go the way of the dodo bird, (Editorial: Democrats tee up a gift for donors at publics expense, March 9).

As a lifelong Democrat and a former union member, I wholeheartedly support the rights of union workers. But Senate Bill 916 would tip the balance too far in favor of striking employees by providing them with unemployment benefits. Those are intended for people who lose their jobs: not employees who have opted to strike.

Striking employees are not unemployed. They do not receive pay while on strike, but many do receive funds from their union. This is the sacrifice they make when they walk out of their jobs in pursuit of better pay or working conditions. During strikes, employers and striking workers both face pressures that force them to the bargaining table to resolve their issues.

If taxpayers fund unemployment for striking employees, where is the pressure on those employees to bargain in good faith to negotiate a resolution with their employer? This bill would destabilize labor disagreements. It is likely to lead to longer and more frequent strikes at taxpayer expense. And unemployment benefits may not be there when they are needed by the truly unemployed.

Mike Pullen, Portland

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
The interest payments on the U.S. debt are now more than a trillion dollars each year. If we did not have this debt (and if we had a balanced budget), we could fund most of the social projects that all of us would want. However, we continue to run a deficit budget. These debt payments decrease the funds available to support those who are less fortunate. They are not sustainable. All past administrations have just kicked the can down the road, and most have increased the debt.

To stop this, there needs to be either a reduction in expenditures or increase in taxes. The top 10% of individual earners today provide around 76% of the income tax revenue from individuals. Increasing their tax will only result in those earners leaving the country (as is now happening with high income Californians moving to other states).

There is fraud, waste and abuse. It must be addressed. It may or may not balance the budget, but action is essential and has been supported by both political parties in the past. Americans and the media should be encouraging this effort. Will those who have gained from the fraud, waste and abuse complain about these cuts? Of course. So, look carefully at those who complain to see if they really want it to continue for their own benefit (either financially or politically).

John Todd, Corvallis

To read more letters to the editor, go to oregonlive.com/opinion.
Entrepreneurs from Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Gabon, Mali, and Niger pose with Bob's Red Mill founder Bob Moore, in an undated photo. They visited Oregon through a State Department-funded exchange program, one of several now paused by a Trump administration funding freeze. Courtesy of WorldOregon

International exchange programs that brought up-and-coming leaders from around the world to Oregon are on hold indefinitely, as grant funding from the U.S. State Department remains frozen weeks after it was supposed to resume.

Portland nonprofit WorldOregon already had to cancel a planned visit to the state this spring by Latin American entrepreneurs who were selected as fellows in a State Department leadership program, said Derrick Olsen, the organizations president. Its unclear if planned visits to Oregon by young leaders from Southeast Asia and high school youth from Algeria will be able to proceed this spring and summer.

The funding freeze has also halted visits to Oregon by international participants in the State Departments premier professional exchange program, which is an international visitor leadership program designed to help current and emerging leaders better understand the United States and support its foreign policy goals.

Its trying to bring people who havent had the opportunity to learn as much from the United States, give them that exposure and have them see the real America, Olsen said. The program was started early in the Cold War, to advance American foreign policy interests, he said.

Other exchanges run by WorldOregon, also known as the World Affairs Council of Oregon, are also tailored to support U.S. interests. For example, Olsen said the Oregon visit by Latin American entrepreneurs could support business development in participants home countries, which in turn could help ease some of the economic conditions that drive illegal immigration to the U.S.

In mid-February, the State Department paused grant payments for initiatives including the international leadership and entrepreneurial programs, but recipients were told it would resume at the end of the month, according to Global Ties, an international exchange program that receives grants from the State Department and works with smaller entities including WorldOregon to carry out the work. However, it never restarted.

The State Department did not respond by deadline to a question about when the agency will unfreeze funding for the exchange programs.

Olsen said WorldOregon typically receives $250,000 to $300,000 annually in State Department grants to host international visitors, which has accounted for about a quarter of the nonprofits budget in recent years. The organizations most recent tax filing, for the fiscal year ending June 2024, shows it received $900,000 in revenue.

So far this year, it has missed out on $75,000 of that funding due to the freeze. Some of the money is owed to WorldOregon for work it already completed, Olsen said.

Entrepreneurs from Latin America and the Carribean who were participating in a State Department leadership program are pictured during their visit to Oregon. Longtime WorldOregon volunteer Jeff Renfro and his family hosted the group for a meal at their home. Courtesy of WorldOregon

Almost all of the money from the international visitor program is spent in the United States, in this case at hotels, restaurants, transportation companies and other businesses in Oregon, Olsen said.

Olsen said grant recipients are speaking out about the impact of the ongoing funding freeze, since there is no end in sight. WorldOregon is hoping to bolster its budget through its annual fundraiser April 30, where New York Times columnist and 2022 Oregon gubernatorial candidate Nicholas Kristof will deliver remarks.

Participants in the State Department programs are selected by staff at U.S. embassies around the world, according to Olsen, who worked for years in the foreign service. The exchange programs are adapted to line up with the foreign policy goals of different presidential administrations, Olson said. We believe what we do is part of implementing American foreign policy through these exchanges.

 Hillary Borrud is an investigative reporter. Reach her at 503-294-4034 or hborrud@oregonian.com.
Over 1,000 county employees are currently using AI in their day-to-day work. Austin De Dios/The Oregonian

In November 2022, when ChatGPT had just gone public and artificial intelligence programs of its ilk started receiving sweeping interest, Multnomah Countys Deputy Chief Information Officer Sim Ogle said he could sense the potential  and the threat.

We figured, from a risk perspective and from an innovation perspective, we need to get on top of this immediately, he told The Oregonian/OregonLive.

The county is spending about $358,000 on AI licenses for programs like Googles Gemini and Microsofts medical-focused assistant this fiscal year, which concludes June 30. Some of those costs should come down next year due to changes in the countys workplace software, officials said. Over 1,000 employees are actively using those programs in their day-to-day work, according to Ogle.

And that access is about to expand to the countys entire 6,000-person workforce.

What were doing right now is planning how were going to roll that out to the rest of the organization, Ogle said. Its quite a bit of work to train people.

Multnomah is among governments, companies and schools nationwide contemplating the complicated software as it becomes more prevalent. Artificial intelligence programs are not infallible, and frequently return misinformed responses or biased results. Local governments, like Portland and the state, are moving more slowly to adopt AI in the workplace compared to Multnomah County.

Its a decision the county is not making lightly, Ogle said. The roll out of these programs comes after years of research and pilot testing to establish AI guidelines, learn how to protect sensitive data and train employees on best practices. Ogle said he expects the county to roll out AI programs to its entire workforce before July.

County employees are using these programs to help with research for proposals, technical assistance and project management, Ogle said. On the health care side, Microsofts DAX Copilot records medical visits and compiles a transcript and notes for doctors to review after a visit. Employees are required to ask if their patient is comfortable with the program before turning it on during an appointment, Ogle said.

Health Officer and physician Richard Bruno said he uses the software regularly to transcribe and take notes during medical visits. The program sorts the notes and summarizes the visit, which saves the countys health workers hours of time charting medical symptoms and going back over their appointments after the workday, Bruno said. The AI software can also compile medical instructions and education materials, he said.

But he emphasized that none of this is done without health employees reviewing it for accuracy.

We want to augment the work that were doing with public health staff and providers, but not replace that critical judgment or expertise, he said.

Ogle started the countys AI research with a group of 70 employees in 2022. It led to a pilot program of 150 staff using a suite of different generative artificial intelligence programs, like ChatGPT, in May 2023. They were surveyed every two months and were instructed not to put any sensitive information, like health data, into the programs, Ogle said.

The county convened a team to monitor and guide AI use, and Chair Jessica Vega Pederson signed off on official protocols for using the technology for county work in December 2023. Ogle said they shifted to using Googles Gemini last April because it offered full privacy protection.

The countys legal agreement with Google includes a privacy protection clause that prevents any county data from leaking into the companys broader servers, according to Ogle. That, paired with a requirement for all staff to complete a training on AI before being given access, should mitigate some of the risks of the software, he said.

Our searches and our data are never made public, he said.

Under county policy, employees using AI need to get approval from the oversight group if theyre using it for data analysis that will impact the public or to make any important decisions or recommendations. Each employee must check any work done by an AI software, Ogle said.

We have a philosophy, Ogle said. Protect privacy, verify results and a human always reviews the Generative AI product.

The county has also barred employees from using any other AI assistants or software unless its been approved ahead of time. Every employee is required to take the countys training course before getting access to Gemini or the copilot features.

Multnomah County is leading the charge in rolling out artificial intelligence in the region, officials said. Portland allows its employees to use AI on a very limited basis. Spokesperson Alison Perkins said the citys Bureau of Technology Services will draft clearer policies on AI use, establish training and develop a standardized toolset in the future.

Gov. Tina Kotek launched an artificial intelligence council to guide the technologys implementation into state government work in November 2023. That advisory group published a recommended action plan last month, which called on the state to develop guidelines for AI use that ensures human-in-the-loop oversight, address any privacy concerns and security issues and develop protocols for any AI-related incidents, among other things, the document shows.

As budget cuts loom for the Multnomah County, Ogle said artificial intelligence might help ease the workload for overburdened employees whose teams might be shrinking, including his. While the budget prospects improved this week, the county is grappling with a $15.5 million deficit to its projected $758 million general fund, and a $70 million shortfall in its homeless services department.

Google told the county it will be rolling out Gemini as part of its workspace licenses, which the county uses as its primary business platform, Ogle said. For now, that will come at no extra cost, Ogle said, and the county is in talks with Google to recoup some or all of the $130,000 it spent on the AI licenses this year.

But despite the software being widely available, Ogle said the county has no plans to replace the human beings doing the countys public work.

We see it as an assistive technology, Ogle told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Its there to help you with your job. That human in the loop piece, I dont see that ever going away.

 Austin De Dios covers Multnomah County politics, programs and more. Reach him at 503-319-9744, adedios@oregonian.com or @AustinDeDios.

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Mark Hatfield in 1990. The Oregon statesman served as governor and U.S. senator  and helped form the U.S. Institute of Peace, which President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have targeted for closure. Oregonian/OregonLive file photo

U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, is decrying one of the latest cost-cutting measures by President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk due, in part, to its Oregon connection.

The Trump administration this week fired most of the board of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which launched in 1984 as an an independent, nonprofit, national institute to serve the American people and the federal government to promote international peace and the resolution of conflicts among the nations and peoples of the world without recourse to violence, according to a peace institute website that has since been taken down.

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Hatfield, R-Oregon, who also served as Oregons governor from 1959 to 1967, helped form the peace institute under then-President Ronald Reagan.

On Wednesday, board members of the peace institute filed a lawsuit seeking to halt what they called an illegal takeover, saying the Trump administration had stepped on congressional power.

Merkley has a special affinity for Hatfield. He served as an intern for the Oregon Republican when he was a teenager.

On Threads on Thursday, Merkley blasted the move by Trump and Musk to break up the peace institute.

Trump and Musk are expanding their attacks, targeting the U.S. Institute of Peacean independent nonprofit, Merkley wrote on Threads. Oregons Senator Mark Hatfield was key in establishing USIP to prevent conflicts around the worldit cant be dismantled with a stroke of a pen."

 The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in in February. He has criticized judges and called for one to be impeached. (Pool photo via AP) AP

Democrats, Republicans and independents overwhelmingly found something all agree on: President Donald Trump shouldnt run afoul of court rulings.

Thats according to the latest polling breakdown from CNNs Harry Enten after Trump and some of his supporters have called for the impeachment of a judge who ruled against his deportation plans.

The American people do not, do not want Trump to defy court rulings, all right? You rarely see numbers like this, Enten said on air.

Should Trump follow court rulings? Look at this, 84% all adults. Thats near uniformity in this day and age you rarely ever see, 92% of Democrats, 82% of independents, 79% of Republicans (rarely) agree on anything  but they do agree on this, he said. They may disagree over Donald Trump, but they all agree that he must follow court rulings, to cross that Rubicon is a big no-no in the eyes of the American public."

"To cross that rubicon [of defying court rulings] is a big 'no, no'" for Americans. This court issue is a big loser for Trump.



The belief that Trump must follow court orders is more popular than Mother Teresa: 84% of all adults, 92% of Dems, 82% of Indies & 79% of the GOP. pic.twitter.com/viRxH66YUO  (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) March 19, 2025

On Tuesday, the nations most powerful judge issued an extraordinarily rare statement after Trump called for the impeachment of a Radical Left Lunatic judge.

The move marked an extraordinary display of conflict between the executive and judiciary branches and came shortly after Trumps statement on his social media website.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

In a Tuesday morning social media post, Trump described U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg as an unelected troublemaker and agitator. Boasberg recently issued an order blocking deportation flights under wartime authorities from an 18th-century law that Trump invoked to carry out his plans.

HE DIDNT WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Im just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!

Trumps post escalated his conflict with a judiciary thats been one of the few restraints on his administrations aggressive agenda.

Among Trumps most high-profile supporters to also call for the impeachment of judges who get in the way of the presidents agenda is worlds richest man Elon Musk.

For more than two centuries, there has never such extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges. Impeach them, Musk, a billionaire originally from South Africa, posted to X Wednesday.

For more than two centuries, there has never such extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges.



Impeach them. https://t.co/YXu9lsqGH8  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 19, 2025

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Workers and supporters picket outside Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland in what turned out to be the state's longest health care strike. Several nurses have testified in support of a bill that would grant unemployment to striking workers as they fight for better working conditions. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian

A bill to allow striking workers to access unemployment benefits squeaked through the Senate, Thursday on a vote of 16 to 12, advancing despite the no votes of two Democrats who joined Republican colleagues in voting against the bill.

Democrats Janeen Sollman of Hillsboro and Jeff Golden of Ashland voted no.

Passing the bill would make Oregon the first state in the nation to allow public employees to collect unemployment benefits while on strike. The bill was introduced by Democrats at the request of the AFL-CIO, a federation of labor unions. It prompted hours of passionate testimony and drew hundreds of letters from workers and employers both in favor and against.

Proponents argue that the bill will help level the playing field between striking workers and employers, ensuring workers can feed themselves and their children while exercising their right to strike for better wages and working conditions.

The bill would barely impact the states unemployment fund, they say: The Oregon Employment Department estimated that if striking workers had received unemployment benefits in the last 10 years, it would have cost the fund just $4.4 million. The average unemployment check is about $500 per week, Senate Democrats said in a news release.

We cannot expect Oregonians working in unsafe conditions for inadequate pay to do nothing, Sen. Kathleen Taylor of Portland said in a statement. We have to ensure they can keep food on the table while they fight for change.

Opponents argue the bill will increase the frequency of strikes and create a burden for public employers including cities and school districts that have to pay back unemployment benefits.

Unemployment benefits were never meant to bankroll labor strikes, Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham of The Dalles said in a statement. This bill rewrites the rules to reward political allies at the direct expense of small businesses, health care facilities and schools, many of which are already struggling with workforce shortages and rising costs.

The Legislative Fiscal Office estimates that public employers would have paid $2.1 million to cover benefits for workers on strike in the current budget cycle, and could pay $3.2 million for the next budget cycle. This is probably less than what those employers would have otherwise paid striking workers in wages, the office said, but it is an added burden for employers who have to hire temporary workers during a strike.

Golden told his colleagues on Thursday that he values organized labor as a counterweight to increasingly concentrated corporate power. He agreed with proponents of the bill that large private employers have the means to starve workers into bad deals, he said.

But that same dynamic doesnt always apply to public sector employers, Golden argued. Cities and counties cant sit back and bide their time during a strike without letting services collapse, he said. He wasnt willing to support the proposal at a time when many municipalities are already wobbling in a way that is truly frightening for our future.

I want to say this to my long time friends in organized labor: We need you. You are key to moving Oregon to a fairer economy, a place where people who work hard on the line and in the trenches have a realistic shot at a secure and stable life, Golden said. We have to move in that direction, but please dont ask us to do that on the backs of our municipalities.

The bill requires workers who collect back pay after a strike to reimburse the unemployment fund. It also specifies that teachers unions can deduct the unemployment benefits that striking teachers received, ensuring that teachers dont receive more than 100% of what districts agreed to pay them.

Sollman, a former school board member, told her colleagues on the Senate floor that shes long supported the work of public employees and classroom teachers. But she said Senate Bill 916 would threaten the stability of cities grappling with tight budgets and school districts facing the possibility of losing federal funding from the Trump administration.

If I believed that Senate Bill 916 would help Oregon classroom teachers in lighting fires in our students, then it would have my support, Sollman said. But rather than helping Oregons schools and teachers, I believe Senate Bill 916 will have the opposite effect.

Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, a Corvallis Democrat, argued that federal uncertainty makes the bill more urgent. A year ago, she would have said that workers had protections to stand on a level playing field with their employers, she said. Now she worries those employees could lose support from federal agencies that investigate workplace safety, wage theft, fair pay, civil rights violation and discrimination complaints.

We have to stand up for the people that are serving us, she said. I do not believe that this will lead to multiple strikes or longer strikes, but I do believe that at a time when safety is what our workers are telling us they need most, that it will give a little bit more safety to advocate for safety.

Sami Edge covers higher education and politics for The Oregonian. You can reach her at sedge@oregonian.com or (503) 260-3430.
Almost 200,000 cans of green beans were recalled by Del Monte due to an undisclosed contamination. Getty Images/Tetra images RF

California-based Del Monte Foods Inc. recalled more than 8,000 cases of its Target brand Good & Gather Cut Green Beans due to possible contamination.

Cans were sold at Target stores in 21 states, including Oregon and California, in 24-pack cases. Those included in the recall were marked with a Best if Used By date of Oct. 28, 2026, and the universal product code 0 85239-11628 9.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Class II recall March 13, though Del Monte Foods Inc. initiated a voluntary recall Feb. 12. The FDA defines a Class II recall as a situation in which the use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.

The recall notice says the cans might be contaminated with a foreign object but do not specify what the object may be.

 Veronica Nocera covers life and culture. You can reach her at vnocera@oregonian.com, 503-221-8111 or @vernocera
I would like to call your attention to an upcoming conference, on Abraham and His Family in Scripture, History, and Tradition. It will be convened on the campus of Brigham Young University on two successive Saturdays, 3 May 2025 and 10 May 2025. Please see the poster above and, for further details (e.g., on presenters, program and abstracts, location, times, and the conference poster itself), click on this link.

Through Abrahams faithfulness, he merited the stunningly universal promise of God that in [him] shall all families of the earth be blessed (Genesis 12:3). Latter-day Saints, in common with those in many other religious traditions, rejoice in the ongoing fulfillment of that promise. However, though the blessings patiently, and sometimes painfully, secured by his family through unwavering faith in the face of trial and heartache are well-documented in scripture, the wealth of insights that ancient and modern scholarship can shed on these scriptural accounts is generally underappreciated. This two-day conference will gather scholars from Latter-day Saint and other traditions to discuss the enduring legacy of Abraham and his immediate family in scripture, history, and tradition. A primary focus of the conference will be focus on covenant- and temple-related themes that have been deeply woven into relevant accounts in the Bible, the Quran, and other religious texts. In addition, believing that authentic history sits behind modern scripture, special emphasis will be given to ancient threads relating to Abrahamic material in the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Book of Abraham.

You may have noticed a relatively new story in the news media about a considerable number of sex-abuse cases that have recently been filed against the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is sad and regrettable on every level, regardless of the eventual legal outcomes and regardless, even, of the precise facts involved. Christopher D. Cunningham has written a helpful article that will help to provide at least some framework for evaluating for the story: Understanding the California Sex Abuse Lawsuit: The Churchs Response in Context

Im delighted to see that this is actually going forward. I just hope that what comes out of the facility will be worthy of my adopted home state and its great natural beauty  and (its Hollywood, so one must be realistic) not too terribly discordant with the values of the faith (my faith) that founded the state: Kevin Costners movie studio is ready for business in Washington County

Flying for thousands of miles over the Pacific Ocean today, I couldnt help but think of an entry that Ive always liked in The Devils Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce (born 1842; disappeared sometime in 1914), It reads as follows:

Ocean, n. A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made for man  who has no gills.

An avowed agnostic, a cynic, and a vocal denier of the deity of Christ, Bierce was, of course, poking a finger in the eye of the Christians who surrounded him.

Its a funny line, but, if the contemporary Christian apologist Hugh Ross is to be believed, Bierces cynicism may perhaps have been misplaced and misconceived. Before devoting himself to apologetics, by the way, Ross completed a doctorate at the University of Toronto in astrophysics and did postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology, or Caltech. Here are a couple of brief reflections from him on the question of terrestrial water:

Where Did Earth Get Its Fine-Tuned Supply of Water? Such fine-tuning is guaranteed to generate even more philosophical disquiet among Moon-formation modelers seeking strictly naturalistic explanations. For Christian theists, however, it will be cause for rejoicing and celebration.

A Planets Surface Ocean Formation Requires Fine-Tuning: Without surface liquid water there is no possibility for the existence of physical life.

And here is a relevant item from Dr. Jonathan McLatchie, who holds a bachelors degree in forensic biology from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, a masters degree (M.Res) degree in evolutionary biology from the University of Glasgow, a second masters degree (in medical and molecular bioscience) from Newcastle University, and a PhD in evolutionary biology from Newcastle University. Before becoming a fellow of the Center for Science and Culture and its resident biologist, he was an assistant professor of biology at Sattler College in Boston, Massachusetts: The Properties of Water Point to Intelligent Design

Just some thoughts to consider while chuckling along with Ambrose Bierce.

It can be wearisome to try to chronicle the many horrors inflicted upon humankind by theism and theists. But Im here for you. I do at least some of the work so that you dont have to. Heres something, for example, from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File: Through JustServe and WelcomeNST, families welcome others to their communities: Thats how Gods work gets done, says WelcomeNST founder

And this extraordinarily interesting and important article was located in at least the general vicinity of the Hitchens File: Perspective: Progressives are starting to come around on the importance of marriage and fatherhood: Its getting harder to ignore the data that show men fare better when they have the positive pressure of caring for a family

Posted from Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii
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.

***

It is hardly necessary to say that the Roman division of sins into mortal and venial, has no warrant in the Word of God. . . . there is no . . . passage that gives even the slightest countenance to the Roman distinction. All sin repented of, even the most aggravated, is venial; all sin unrepented of, even the least aggravated, is mortal. There is a difference in the punishment of slight and of heinous sins, but it is a difference of intensity, not of duration; sin repented of hath full and free forgiveness; sin unrepented of hath never forgiveness. (p. 224)

Once again, Rev. Stearns is grossly, scandalously unfamiliar with the Bible that Protestants as a matter of course assume they know and understand so much better than Catholics do.

Some non-Catholic Christians (like Rev. Stearns) think that all sins are exactly alike in the eyes of God: everything from a white lie or a child stealing a cookie to mass murder. They believe this not out of common sense, but because they erroneously think that the Bible teaches it. But this mistaken notion is decisively refuted by many biblical passages. Scripture states that there are differences in the seriousness of sin:

1 John 5:16-17 If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is a sin which is not mortal. James 1:14-15 but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. [15] Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death. (cf. 5:20) Matthew 5:22 But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, You fool! shall be liable to the hell of fire. Matthew 12:32 And whoever says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (cf. Lk 12:10) John 19:11 . . . he who delivered me to you has the greater sin. Romans 6:16, 23 . . . sin, which leads to death . . . [23] For the wages of sin is death, . . . (cf. 7:11)

The Bible also teaches about differences in subjective guiltiness of sin (which is one of the keys as to whether a sin is mortal or venial). People are not always completely aware that certain acts or thoughts are sinful. In Catholic theology, in order to commit a grave, or mortal sin, where one ceases to be in a state of grace and is literally in potential, but real danger of hellfire, three requirements are necessary: 1) it must be a very serious matter, 2) the sinner has to have sufficiently reflected on, or had adequate knowledge of the sin, and 3) he must have fully consented in his will.

The biblical and Catholic distinction is between unwitting sin or error committed by a person who does not know is distinguished from sin with a high hand (Num 15:30 below): done by person who reviles the LORD, and has despised the word of the LORD. This scenario is precisely analogous to the Catholic notion, insofar as the more serious sin caused the person to be cut off from the congregation of Israel: the usual OT concrete expression of what in Catholicism is understood in the spiritual sense as being cut off from Gods grace and communion with Him (and possibly from salvation and heaven in the long run).

Scripture provides many indications of this difference in seriousness of sin, and in subjective guiltiness for it:

Leviticus 5:17-18 If any one sins, doing any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity. [18] He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued by you at the price for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the error which he committed unwittingly, and he shall be forgiven. (cf. 4:2, 13, 22, 27; Lev 5:15, 18; 22:14) Numbers 15:27-31 If one person sins unwittingly, he shall offer a female goat a year old for a sin offering. [28] And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the person who commits an error, when he sins unwittingly, to make atonement for him; and he shall be forgiven. [29] You shall have one law for him who does anything unwittingly, for him who is native among the people of Israel, and for the stranger who sojourns among them. [30] But the person who does anything with a high hand, whether he is native or a sojourner, reviles the LORD, and that person shall be cut off from among his people. [31] Because he has despised the word of the LORD, and has broken his commandment, that person shall be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. (cf. 15:24, 27-29; Josh 20:3, 5; Tobit 3:3)

These lesser, venial sins were forgiven (Lev 4:20, 26, 31, 35; 5:10, 16, 18; Num 15:25-26, 28) through the usual processes of priestly sacrifice and atonement, based on the Law of Moses.

Ezekiel 45:20 You shall do the same on the seventh day of the month for any one who has sinned through error or ignorance; . . . Luke 12:47-48 And that servant who knew his masters will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more. Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. . . . John 9:41 Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, We see, your guilt remains. Acts 3:17 And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. Acts 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, Romans 3:25 . . . This was to show Gods righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins; Romans 10:2-3 I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but it is not enlightened. [3] For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to Gods righteousness. 1 Timothy 1:13 though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief. Hebrews 10:26: For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness. 1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,

And the Bible refers to (mortal) sins which  if not repented of  will exclude one from heaven:

Leviticus 18:26, 29 But you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and do none of these abominations, . . . [29] For whoever shall do any of these abominations, the persons that do them shall be cut off from among their people. Ezekiel 18:5-13 If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right  [6] if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbors wife or approach a woman in her time of impurity, [7] does not oppress any one, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, [8] does not lend at interest or take any increase, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between man and man, [9] walks in my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances  he is righteous, he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD. [10] If he begets a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, [11] who does none of these duties, but eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbors wife, [12] oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, [13] lends at interest, and takes increase; shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

The prophet continues in the same vein in 18:14-23. This is not one sin; its a host of sins, a lifestyle: a life given over to wanton wickedness and unrighteousness. Then in 18:26 he reiterates: When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die. If that werent clear enough, he refers again to all the transgressions (18:28, 31) and all your transgressions (18:30).

Matthew 5:28-30 But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. [29] If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. (cf. Mk 9:47-48) Matthew 15:18-20 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. [20] These are what defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sexual perverts, [10] nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, [20] idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, [21] envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Ephesians 5:3-6 But fornication and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is fitting among saints. [4] Let there be no filthiness, nor silly talk, nor levity, which are not fitting; but instead let there be thanksgiving. [5] Be sure of this, that no fornicator or impure man, or one who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. [6] Let no one deceive you with empty words, for it is because of these things that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Colossians 3:5-6 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. Revelation 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death. Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and idolaters, and every one who loves and practices falsehood.

Martin Luther, the founder of Protestantism, his successor Philip Melanchthon (in the Apology for the Augsburg Confession), and prominent early Lutheran theologian Martin Chemnitz, all maintained the distinction between mortal and venial sins.

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Photo credit: The Woman Taken in Adultery (1620s) by Guercino (1591-1666) [public domain / picryl]

Summary: Anglican apologist Edward Josiah Stearns claimed there was no scriptural support at all for mortal and venial sins. I produced 31 passages and many cross-references as well.
Including the Biblical Case for Icons

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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It is noteworthy that the Archbishop does not cite a single passage of Scripture in proof of image-worship. (p. 213)

Hes clearly asserting that there is no such passage. I can think of at least three:

Exodus 33:9-10 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. [10] And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, every man at his tent door. [worship of God through a cloud] 2 Chronicles 7:3-4 When all the children of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the earth on the pavement, and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, For he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever. [4] Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. [worship of God through fire] 1 Chronicles 16:4 Moreover he appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel.

One might retort that the ark of the covenant didnt represent God, so how could this passage refer to image-worship? Its because God was present above the ark in a visible cloud between the carved cherubim on its lid: what was called the mercy seat:

Leviticus 16:2 and the LORD said to Moses, Tell Aaron your brother not to come at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is upon the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Numbers 16:42 (the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared) and Deuteronomy 31:15 (And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud), prove, in their use of appear in relation to a cloud that this is also the case in Leviticus 16:2. God doesnt just say that He will be present, but that He will appear in this cloud. Therefore, its a third instance of God being worshiped through an image.

1 Samuel 4:4 . . . the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim . . . Exodus 25:22 There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are upon the ark of the testimony . . . (cf. 30:6) Numbers 7:89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him

The burning bush proves that God Himself was there in the bush that Moses saw. In other words, worshiping it was the same as worshiping God (which is the fundamental idea involved in icons, though they are venerated  not worshiped or adored  when creatures are involved):

Exodus 3:4-6 When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here am I. [5] Then he said, Do not come near; put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. [6] And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

The same idea is reiterated in references to face to face and the pillars:

Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire . . . Exodus 33:11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. . . . Numbers 12:5 And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. (cf. Ps 99:7) Numbers 14:14 . . . thou, O LORD, art seen face to face, and thy cloud stands over them and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. (cf. Neh 9:12) Deuteronomy 5:4 The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the midst of the fire, Deuteronomy 31:15 And the LORD appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud . . . Deuteronomy 34:10 And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, Sirach 24:4 I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.

Rev. Stearns cites  in disagreement  Catholics explaining these teachings:

St. Thomas Aquinas . . . says, The same reverence is to be given unto the image of Christ and to Christ himself: and by consequence, seeing Christ is adored with the adoration of latria (the highest kind of worship), his image is to be adored with the adoration of latria also, . . .  Summ. part 3, q. 25, art. 3. And Azorius says, It is the constant judgment of theologians that the image is to be honored and worshipped with the same honor and worship wherewith that is worshipped whereof it is an image. . . . Jo. Azor. Institut. Moral,, t. i. 1. 9, c. 6 . . .

Such is the image-worship taught and practised in the Roman Church. (p. 206)

Image-worship is a superstition of the heart, not of the head; hence its danger. (p. 211)

I have just provided the biblical rationale: none of which Rev. Stearns seems to be familiar with. Live and learn . . . As usual, the Protestant contra-Catholic argument is insufficiently biblical to an alarming extent.

I didnt even get in to highly related topics such as the fascinating biblical data regarding the angel of the Lord and theophanies or christophanies.

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Photo credit: The Ark and the Mercy Seat, illustration in Treasures of the Bible by Henry Davenport Northrop, published by International Publishing Company, 1894 [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

Summary: Anglican apologist Edward Josiah Stearns claimed that image-worship of God is unbiblical. I produce three biblical passages / passage-clusters that prove otherwise.
Look just about anywhere, and youll see news of tariffs. A trade war has broken out between the U.S. and select countriesthe American government is now imposing an increasing number of taxes on goods arriving other countries, including those from China, Taiwan, Vietnam. Specific materials have been hit too, like steel and aluminum.

But while the headlines spout flat numbers like a now staggering 54 percent on Chinese imports and 25 percent on steel, the tariffs effect on tech gear isnt as clear cut. To understand the whole situation, I spoke with industry insiders. What they said is a sobering warning to consumers: Were about to get hit hard.

You can read our full rundown on the tech tariffs to understand the deeper details, but if you only have time for the highlights, read on. Youll get up to speed quicker, so you know how to plan your tech purchases for the coming weeks and beyond.

Spoiler: A bumpy ride is headed our way. Buckle up.

Tariffs keep going up

TSMC

First announced on February 1, the tariff on goods arriving from China began at 10 percent on February 4. Then on February 27, the U.S. government announced a raise to 20 percent, effective March 4th.

Meanwhile on March 12, tariffs of 25 percent started on all steel and aluminum imports. This move increased the tax on aluminum from 10 percent. No exemptions are allowed.

On April 2, a number of additional tariffs became public, with an additional 34 percent laid upon Chinese goods on that day (for a total of 54 percent). Starting April 5, imports worldwide face a potential 10 percent tariff minimum. Additional taxes have also been applied to specific countries, with particularly hefty ones dropped on countries that produce most tech items. Importers of Vietnamese-made items must pay a 46 percent tax; Taiwanese-made 34 percent (but with an exception for semiconductors); and Japanese-made 24 percent. Exactly how they will be levied remains to be seen.

Furthermore, the U.S. government has stated its intent to continue with future tariffs, along with increases. For example, in mid-February, President Trump proposed a 25 percent tariff upon semiconductors starting April 2, with the possibility of raising them much higher over time. It wasnt imposed this time, but that possibility still looms.

These tariffs can stackfor example, any steel and aluminum imports from China were first taxed at a 45 percent rate. However, due to exceptions, the customs dues on these materials will not rise further even with the new increased tariffs on Chinese goods.

Buy soon to avoid paying higher prices

Companies dont make a lot of money on tech products. Think 6 to 15 percenta stark contrast to software, which has profit margins as high as 70 to 80 percent. Because of this reality, businesses that import goods from their factories in China cant absorb this sudden tax hike. Its too big.

Retailers also cant cushion the blow, as evidenced by Best Buy and Target telling shoppers to expect immediate price increases when the tariffs first went into effect.

For some devices, you can still find them at lower priceseither reflecting just the effect of the original 10 percent tariff, or even the pre-tariff cost. Your luck will depend on how much stock was brought over before the March tariffs took effect.

The more popular the product, the more likely a constant stream of units come from China, rather than one big shipment. Its price will go up faster. For items that sell more slowly or have a bigger sitting inventory, the tariffs will have a more delayed impact.

The short version: Currently, the sooner you buy a new device, the cheaper itll be.

All tech devices are affected

Matthew Smith / IDG

During the first Trump administration, tariffs were applied selectively. This time, these taxes apply across the board on all imports from Chinathe primary source for most electronics produced in the world.

So whether a laptop or a cheap printer, if its produced in China, its subject to this tax. Same goes for even the smallest of accessories, like adapters and cables.

Manufacturers have already begun looking into moving production (or more of their production) to other countries, like Vietnam and India. However, the process is slow. Building up factories capable of complex production demands takes time  months, if not years, depending on the product. And as weve just seen, moving production is no guarantee of price protection. A 46 percent tariff now applies to Vietnamese-made goods.

Expect ongoing price chaos

Nobody knows whats going to happen nextwhich is why the tariffs keep appearing in the news. And businesses are scrambling to keep up. Your favorite companies cant give a straight answer on what to expect because theyre still figuring that out for themselves.

Any predictions they made for the year (forecasts) have to now be redone. However, the task is hard to do when the tariffs keep rising and spreading, and more may still come. Companies have to pay upfront for tariffs in order to pass customs. This unexpected cost cant be deferred; the duties must be paid for the product to enter the U.S.

When I spoke with industry insiders, many said they were still talking with their partners (like distributors and retailers) about what comes next. But even when that gets worked out now, it will likely change as U.S. government policy changes.

Overall, any price shifts will be unpredictableeven on a downward trajectory. Even if tariffs suddenly went away, costs will drift down based on how stable U.S. fiscal policy is, and how much remaining stock was brought into the country during the levies.

People outside the U.S. will feel the hit, too

Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry

Economists view tariffs as problematicin the country that enacts them, they can slow the economy, hurt local industries, and spike costs for consumers. But a trade war can hurt more than just the country that starts them. Most vendors think globally when setting up their production, and thats reflected in their logistics.

So for example, when Canadians buying from a store that utilizes a U.S-based fulfillment center, theyll feel the pinch of the U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, too.

But most tech vendors sell worldwideso the impact of higher production costs will still ripple outward to buyers across the globe, in a couple of different ways. (Read on.)

MSRPs will be even more meaningless

Manufacturers give list prices so consumers know what to expect at retail. But as vendors absorb more production costs (like scaling up factory output in countries outside of China) and scale back on the amount of product available (because demand drops as prices rise), we may be in for another round of highly inflated street prices.

Multiple industry insiders say they dont want to be caught with too many parts or products on hand that they cant sell. Other ancillary costs may go up as well as companies scramble to comply with tariff demandsmore hours must be spent on figuring out new logistics, as well as the full letter of the law.

If Nvidia, AMD, or Intel launch a new GPU at $200, but partners rising costs limit their ability to shave their margin thinner or even produce as many cards, that means demand may cause street prices to shoot way beyond the expected list price.

Innovation may slow

Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry

Industry insiders have hinted that without a stable economic environment, investment in new products may become more limited. The size of the company and how diverse its product lineup will influence the ability to commit.

On store shelves, that may result in fewer choices for available models, or less push on evolving standard features. Announced specs like Wi-Fi 7 and PCIe 7.0 might become an even further point in the distance.

You should read reviews carefully

As someone who writes reviews, I always want to think people read every word. But realistically, most people dontand if youre looking for high value from your purchases, you could end up disappointed. With prices changing unpredictably, the final opinions in tech reviews may become outdated by the time you read them.

So in this uncertain market, dig into a reviews details. Find out what user experience to expect, the level of performance, and what quirks exist.

Since street prices could end up notably different than the MSRP quoted to the reviewer, youll need to decide for yourself if the actual price is worth the experience. For someone else, paying an additional $300 for a niche laptop may be worth it. For you, maybe not.
Far be it from me to tell the most valuable company on the planet what to do. But Nvidia, you do realize that your whole schtick is graphics cards, right? You know, GeForce, those chunky go-fast gadgets youve been selling for 25 years or so, to let people play video games? Because based on some recent news, they dont seem to be the companys biggest focus.

New Nvidia-designed Arm desktops

After a couple of months of graphics card launches that have been frustrating at best and a complete retail disaster at worst, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took to the stage at the companys self-branded GPU Technology Conference. Now, to set the proper tone for a bit of admittedly entitled whinging, Nvidia has rebranded the initial portion of this yearly event as an AI conference, so its hardly surprising that AI computing is the lions share of the two-hour keynote talk.

Even so, I cant help but feel a little miffed that Huang fawned over new Nvidia-branded desktop computers itll be selling directly to the AI industry and individuals. The DGX Spark mini-PC and DGX Station desktop are based on the new Grace Blackwell AI-focused GPUs. This sort of setup was previously available only in datacenter hardware. The specs for the larger DGX Station arent available yet, but the Blackwell GPU in the smaller Spark (previously revealed as Project DIGITS) will be paired to a custom Arm CPU.

Nvidia

Despite being loaded with up to 128GB of memory and 4TB of storage, this thing isnt going to make a good fit as a conventional desktop  and at a $3000 pre-order price, it wouldnt find many buyers anyway. Nvidia is positioning both the DGX Spark and DGX Station as all-in-one solutions for running local AI models, along with a token mention of researchers, data scientists, robotics developers, and students. Nvidia will be partnering with Asus, Boxx, Dell, HP, Lambda, and Supermicro to manufacture and sell both desktops later this year.

Didnt Nvidia use to sell graphics cards?

Again, its not as if its illegal or even distasteful to for Nvidia to branch out into other markets beyond gaming chips for PCs, or even beyond gaming entirely (remember that Nvidia powers the Nintendo Switch with Tegra mobile chips, after abandoning the smartphone market over a decade ago). And Nvidia hardware is in a lot of things you might not expect, including connected cars, medical devices, and other industrial hardware.

But as a PC gamer myself and an advocate for other gamers, I cant help but feel a little betrayed. While retailers, AIB partners, and scalpers are eating good on the scarcity of new GeForce cards, Nvidia is preparing entirely new product lines for the AI industry. And not just the big iron hardware thats made it an unstoppable juggernaut of tech over the last few years, relatively small, targetted devices for individual users.

Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry

Nvidia can make both, of coursebut even a big green giant only has so much chip production capacity. I dont have any empirical evidence to prove it, but Im not the only one who feels like the woefully inadequate supply of new RTX 50-series graphics cards has something to do with all these new industrial chips and brand new Arm processors being made for customers with even deeper pockets. It doesnt help that Nvidia has been evasive, if not entirely deceptive, in addressing its supply issues as RTX cards vanish from shelves the second they arrive.

Nvidia jumped from one peak to the next by riding the crypto boom right into the AI boom. And while recent developments have caused it to look more like a bubble, Nvidia stock is still more than double what it was at the beginning of 2024. The cold calculus of profit suggests that the company is far more concerned with AI, for the present if not the future, than it is with PC gaming. As my grandpa used to say, make hay while the sun shines.

Opportunities for AMD and Intel

But that focus cant help but alienate PC gamers, and it sure doesnt help that Nvidia seems to be making a lot of money off of that, too. It creates an opportunity for the competition. If AMD cant make infinite money off the AI industry, it can sure sell some graphics cards, especially to the large chunk of PC gamers who cant afford four figures for a new GPU. While Nvidia still dominates to the point of monopoly for discrete graphics, recent sales data indicates that AMD is clawing back some market share, especially in markets like Japan and Taiwan. And if AMD is making a play for the mid-range, newcomer Intel is doing the same thing for the budget space with its second generation of Arc cards.

Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry

Nvidia announcing new AI PCs isnt necessarily at the expense of its ability to deliver gaming GPUs. But it isnt happening in a vacuum, eitherand Nvidia is failing to deliver gaming GPUs. If youre considering an upgrade or a new purchase, maybe give the competition a try. Its not as if Nvidia even needs a desktop GPU monopoly anymore.

And if the AI bubble bursts, and the company is no longer flush with casha little ego bruising might be good for it when it decides that it wants to sell graphics cards to PC gamers after all.
WILLIAMSPORT  A California man has been accused of flying cross-country to meet a 14-year-old Lycoming County girl and then sexually assaulting her multiple times.

Marvin Isaac Dagoc, 27, of Lakeside, was arraigned Wednesday on state police charges that include statutory sexual assault and jailed without bail. He had been arrested at Philadelphia International Airport awaiting a flight back home.

The investigation began Monday evening when the girls mother reported her missing and told a trooper she believed she was with a 28-year-old male with whom she had been communicating online.
Dolly Parton has opened up about the loss of her husband just two weeks after his passing. In this photo, Parton performs during an event celebrating the Kansas statewide expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, in Overland Park, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File) AP

Dolly Parton, who lost her husband, Carl Dean, on March 3, has recently opened up about how she is doing following his death. Dean was 82.

The Jolene singer spoke with Knox News at Dollywood while celebrating the 40th anniversary of the park. This was her first public appearance since her husbands passing.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., returned to Israel to demand the release of hostages and reiterated his strong support for the Jewish state. AP

Sen. John Fetterman during his second visit to Israel this week demanded the release of hostages and reiterated his strong support for the Jewish state.

Hamas does not want peace, Fetterman, D- Pa., posted on X. I unapologetically, 100% stand with Israel, and demand the release of all remaining hostages.
A harness driver is in critical condition after an accident at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in Washington on Wednesday.

Hunter Myers, 27, was injured in an accident on the track involving six horses during the 11th race of the day.

Myers was driving a horse named Always B Royalty when he was thrown from his bike after another horse made a break and triggered a chain reaction, Daily Racing Form reported. The other horses and riders involved in the accident were not seriously injured.

Track announcer Roger Huston said that Myers was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital by helicopter.

The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association later announced on social media that it was canceling its scheduled races for the rest of the week.
A harness driver who was injured in an accident at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows in Washington County has died.

Hunter Myers, 27, of Ohio was injured in a race Wednesday in a chain-reaction incident that involved six other horses. The other horses and riders involved in the accident were not seriously injured.

Myers was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital by helicopter where he later died.

Tributes to Myers came quickly following the news of his death.

Hollywood Casino at The Meadows and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association would like to pass along our most sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers to the family and friends of Hunter Myers, who passed away early this morning after a tragic racing accident at The Meadows yesterday afternoon, the casino said in a statement sent to WPXI. Our thoughts and sympathy are with his fiancee, Chloe Fisher, and son, Hayden Myers during this time.

Hunter was a rising star in our industry, the statement said. The Meadows racing community, and the entire harness racing industry, are deeply saddened by this tragic event.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Hunter Myers, and send our thoughts and prayers to the entire Western Pennsylvania and Ohio harness racing communities as they navigate this tragic loss, the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame said in a Facebook post.

Photographer and friend Chris Gooden penned a touching tribute to Myers on Instagram, writing, I know the risks that come with this sport, and I know accidents can happen, but I never imagined it would be like this, especially not with Hunter.

Over the last three years, Ive had the privilege of spending so much time with him  working together, creating, laughing, and getting to know his unique, wild soul. Its almost impossible to believe that this is the reality were facing today. Gone far too soon."

Hunter was one of the most genuine, fun-loving, free spirits Ive ever known. He had a passion for harness racing, a love for horses, and above all, he treasured his family and friends," he said. Every time I asked him to make something or be a part of something, he never said no. He just brought his energy and his heart to it. Rest in peace, my friend. Youll never be forgotten. Until we meet again.

The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association also announced on social media that it was canceling its scheduled races for the rest of the week as a result of the incident.
WILLIAMSPORT  The mother who implicated her son in a Lycoming County homicide has been released from jail on $250,000 unsecured bail with conditions that include GPS monitoring.

Johneice Francine Legare, 37, had been in jail without bail since her arrest in Philadelphia on March 6, 2024, on charges that included conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Judge Nancy L. Butts on Tuesday set bail at the request of District Attorney Thomas A. Marino who noted Legare has agreed to testify against her son at trial.
Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink battles Michigan's Beau Mantanona during their pound match at the Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 7, 2025. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com

Its going to be a wild three days of wrestling in Philadelphia. PennLive has you covered.

Cael Sandersons Penn State powerhouse, coming off an unbeaten regular season and a first-place showing in the Big Ten tournament, has a full field of 10 competitors entered in the NCAA tournament in Philadelphia, which begins today at noon at Wells Fargo Center.
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to wait for an answer from Aaron Rodgers. This week, Rodgers and the Steelers have opened a line of communication that is continuing, meaning that a resolution or clarity should at least be there in the Steelers organization.

However, even with the Minnesota Vikings pulling out of the sweepstakes, it does seem Rodgers is in a rush. Adam Schefter of ESPN says there is no firm timeline on when Rodgers could make a decision, and while the Steelers and New York Giants are the potential landing spots, Rodgers could decide to retire.

Nothing related to Minnesota has altered Aaron Rodgers timeline. One source monitoring Rodgers potential decision about the 2025 season said this morning that the free-agent QB still is in no rush at all, Schefter wrote.

Rodgers has two clear landing spots, but if he does not like any of those spots, the 41-year-old does not have to keep playing. That can not be ruled out, but the Steelers seem content in waiting Rodgers out at this point.

The Giants' offer is said to be more lucrative, but that does not mean he will jump at their offer. For the Steelers, they are recruiting Rodgers, but have backup plans in the case he does not sign with them, including the idea that Mason Rudolph could start.
It's too soon to tell if the previously classified records related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy released Tuesday include any blockbuster revelations.

It will take "weeks and months" to go through all 2,182 documents, totaling more than 63,000 pages, according to Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics and author of the New York Times bestseller "The Kennedy Half-Century." Sabato said that any news outlet or other organization that claims to have examined them all is lying.

Sabato said he and his research team's examination of the documents has found some "nuggets" about CIA behavior in the decades around the assassination, but the details they have uncovered thus far have revealed more about the hasty 2025 release of the records and less about the 1963 assassination itself.

"We're not even at 20%," Sabato told The Daily Progress on Wednesday. "You have to take each page and go back to the original document, if that is available, to check it. You've got to go to the original sources."

The National Archives released the documents Tuesday at the order of President Donald Trump. Much of the information released Tuesday had already been released by the prior Trump administration and following Biden administration. What new information Sabato's team has discovered indicates that the second Trump administration clearly rushed the documents' release, he said.

Some of the newly released files examined so far include Social Security numbers in violation of the law, Sabato said.

"This tells me [the release] was a rush job," he said, adding that the documents did not appear to be organized with historical research in mind. "They didn't have nearly enough time to do this properly. This was hurried, and this was sloppy. It would have been nice to have an index and a table of contents."

"History is always messy, and this particular exercise is very messy," he added. "I heard Trump say, 'No redactions.' There are plenty of those."

The files Sabato's team has examined and cross-checked so far have offered what he called interesting "nuggets" about international CIA activities in the decades around Kennedy's assassination while visiting Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, but Sabato said chances are slim that there will be any earthshaking revelations that would change what is known about the president's death.

An FBI investigation and congressional review found Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald, an "emotionally disturbed" man who had defected to the Soviet Union before returning to the U.S. a year before the assassination. Oswald was taken into custody the day of the killing but was shot and killed on live television two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in an act of retaliation.

Before his death, Oswald told authorities he was merely a "patsy."

"I don't want to draw any conclusions" this early in the process, Sabato said, but "there is no list of co-conspirators." Over the decades, plenty of such information, if it even existed, may have been removed or destroyed.

Sabato said Trump may have ordered the release of the documents to please Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Kennedy's nephew and Trump's new secretary of health and human services.

The documents released Tuesday also have succeeded in diverting media attention from more current events that are damaging Trump's popularity, including Russia's war in Ukraine, tariffs on Canadian imports and a burgeoning feud with the U.S. Supreme Court over the impeachment of judges.

Call it a weapon of mass distraction.

"Sure enough, it's taking a lot of press time," Sabato said. "It's a shiny object."

He said the Trump administration is "flooding the zone" to call attention away from other concerns. And so far, it seems to be working.

"There is so much going on that no one can keep on top of it," Sabato said.
Cheyenne, Wyoming  In light of Tuesday's announcement that the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) would be gutted by more than 50%, the WEA felt it vital to issue a statement on its support of students and public education.

We dont yet fully know the exact implications of the dismantling of the federal Department of Education, WEA President Kim Amen said. What we do know is that Wyoming depends on the current resources provided by the DOE. Without that, it will absolutely harm and create havoc for Wyomings students, schools, and families.

The statement is as follows:

The Wyoming Educati...
$350K Gtd Sunday Storm Arrives at PokerStars on March 23

Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link

With clocks springing forward for many countries this weekend, marking the start of summertime, it's quite ironic that a major storm is about to hit the online poker landscape. However, you will be pleased to know that this particular storm is bringing a $350,000 guaranteed prize pool ashore instead of dark clouds and turbulent weather.

The 14th Anniversary Edition of the Sunday Storm explodes into action at 6:05 p.m. BST on March 23; that is this coming Sunday! Despite only costing $11 to enter, this special edition Sunday Storm has a prize pool that PokerStars promises will tip the scales at not a cent less than $350,000!

You don't even have to navigate to the money places to get your hands on some of that cash because this event has a progressive knockout format, meaning you win cash prizes for each and every opponent you send to the sidelines.

Sunday Storm 14th Anniversary Edition Key Facts

Date: Sunday 23 March

Time: 6:05 p.m. BST

Buy-in: $11

Guarantee: $350,000

Late registration: 4 hours 55 mins

Re-entries: Unlimited

Day 1 ends: After Level 26

Day 2 commences: 6:05 p.m. BST on March 24

Enter the Sunday Storm for $11, or win your way in for mere cents, and you'll receive 10,000 chips to begin your quest for glory. Levels span 20 minutes for the first 12 levels before reducing to 10 minutes thereafter. This two-day event breaks after the 26th level before resuming at 6:05 p.m. BST on March 24, playing until a champion is crowned.

Progressive bounties are in play from the dealing of the first cards. Each entrant starts with a $5 on their head. Eliminating a foe sees half of their bounty land in your PokerStars as a cash payment, with the remaining half added to your bounty, which makes you a more attractive target for your opponents. When you progress deeper into the tournament, those bounties can become substantial and worth thousands of dollars!

PokerStars Ambassadors Face Off in the Shamrock Showdown at the 2025 Irish Open Learn more

Satellite Your Way Into the 14th Anniversary Sunday Storm

Although the $11 buy-in pitches the 14th Anniversary Edition of the Sunday Storm at the more affordable end of the scale, PokerStars is running dozens of satellites for this event. Those satellites range from $0.50 to $2.20, guaranteeing between two and 200 seats in this $350,000 guaranteed affair.

The satellite awarding at least 200x Sunday Storm seats are as follows:

Date Time (WET) Buy-in Thu 20 Mar 4:30 p.m. $1.10 5:30 p.m. $0.50 6:30 p.m. $1.10 Fri 21 Mar 4:30 p.m. $1.10 5:30 p.m. $0.50 6:30 p.m. $1.10 Sat 22 Mar 4:30 p.m. $1.10 5:30 p.m. $0.50 6:30 p.m. $1.10 Sun 23 Mar 5:30 p.m. $0.50

Other Stellar PokerStars Events on March 23

Parker Talbot hosts a trio of Terminator events on March 23

The 14th Anniversary Sunday Storm is not the only major tournament PokerStars is hosting on March 23 because the Sunday Million Season is in full swing.

If you love PKO tournaments, look out for the trio of Terminator events that Parker "tonkaaaa" Talbot is hosting from 3:05 p.m. They come with buy-ins of $11, $55, and $215 and have guarantees of $100,000, $150,000, and $125,000, respectively.

A few hours later, at 5:05 p.m., the latest $109 buy-in, $1 million guaranteed Sunday Million PKO shuffles up and deals. This is the penultimate Sunday Million before the massive $6 million guarantees 19th Anniversary edition on April 6! Good luck.

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DOJ Requests More Time to Indict Michigan Poker Player in FBI Fraud Case

Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

The US Department of Justice asked for a deadline extension for the indictment against George Janssen, a Michigan poker player who last month was accused of fraud by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

On Feb. 25, the FBI filed a complaint in the US District Court Eastern District of Michigan accusing Janssen of running a multi-million dollar auto loan scheme.

Ordinarily, prosecutors must file an indictment within 30 days of when the defendant was arrested (Feb. 28). But the DOJ asked US Magistrate Judge Patricia T. Morris for an extension to May 28 in a joint motion with Janssen, arguing that "the ends of justice served by this continuance outweigh the best interests of the defendant and the public in a speedy indictment."

They also requested that a preliminary hearing scheduled for March 20 be pushed back to May 28 "because both parties need additional time to analyze the discovery and prepare for the preliminary hearing."

Judge Morris approved both requests and ordered a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 28 at 2 p.m. Eastern and for the government to file an indictment by the same date.

Poker Player Who Alleged Kidnapping Now Facing FBI Fraud Investigation

Complaint Against Janssen

Janssen, four-time World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring winner and Mid-States Poker Tour (MSPT) Main Event champion, went missing in November 2023 and claimed to have been held captive as part of a years-spanning extortion scheme.

The FBI alleges that Janssen, a former used car dealer, obtained millions in fraudulent car loans from various financial institutions and directed friends and family members to take out fraudulent loans on his behalf.

George Janssen

Collectively, the group obtained more than $3.93 million from various banks and credit unions.

In the weeks before he went missing, prosecutors say Janssen lost his license to sell cars in Michigan for a five-year period and allegedly deposited $1.4 million in bad checks.

While he was missing, the FBI and other agencies were notified of "several loans which had gone unpaid" taken out by close associates of Janssen. The FBI said multiple friends of Janssen approached law enforcement "to clear their name and express concern they had been defrauded by Janssen, who convinced them to take out multiple vehicle loans."

Janssen had an initial court appearance on Feb. 28 and was released on bail. No charges are currently filed against him.

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Shawn Daniels Wins WPT Rolling Thunder for $257,600

Jon Sofen Senior Editor U.S. Copy link

There's a new member of the WPT Champions Club after California poker pro Shawn Daniels defeated Harvey Castro on Wednesday to win $257,600 and the World Poker Tour (WPT) Rolling Thunder title.

The $3,500 buy-in no-limit hold'em tournament, which attracted 404 entrants, played down to just six on Tuesday. Those still standing returned to action a day later at the Thunder Valley Poker Room in Northern California for the final table, which was livestreamed on the WPT's YouTube channel.

Afriat Comes Up Short Again

Eric Afriat

No one was playing for more at the final table than Eric Afriat. That is because the Canadian poker pro, with three Main Tour titles, was just one win away from tying Darren Elias with the record of four WPT wins.

Afriat entered the final table third in chips and would do some laddering up after Benjamin Primus busted in sixth place ($53,000), David Ha went out in fifth place ($69,000), and Paul Richardson was eliminated in fourth place ($91,000). But the end of the road was nearing for the record-typing hopeful as his stack had dwindled down to less than 10 big blinds.

WPT Rolling Thunder Final Table Results

Place Player Prize 1 Shawn Daniels $257,600 2 Harvey Castro $165,000 3 Eric Afriat $122,000 4 Paul Richardson $91,000 5 David Ha $69,000 6 Benjamin Primus $53,000

Afriat went out in the same position he began the day in  third place. It paid $122,000, bringing live tournament earnings to nearly $6 million, according to The Hendon Mob. The deep run was his third top three finish in a World Poker Tour event the past year. He remains one shy of Elias.

Afriat's elimination led to a heads-up match between Daniels and Csstro, both seeking their first WPT title. Castro, the chip leader at the start of the day, held better than a 2-1 chip advantage when play began. But it took little time for the pendulum to swing the other way.

Things got even worse for Castro, who is just 23 years old, when his opponent check-raised a full house on the river, setting the trap for Castro who obliged with a massive bet  about one-third his entire stack  with king-high. The lead had grown to over 5-1 in favor of Daniels.

On the following hand, Daniels limped with AK, again setting the trap for Castro, who had J7, to move all in. Daniels snap-called and the board ran out J96410, and just like that the start-of-day chip leader was back in business, albeit still trailing by a sizable amount.

The match would continue for quite some time as Castro battled back to even up the score. They'd get it all in preflop with Castro holding Q10 against A5. The board came 57867, a monster pot for Harvey, which left his opponent with just seven big blinds.

Castro would then suck out to double up back to around 15 big blinds, trailing only 2-1 in chips. Moments later, Castro jammed from the button with J9 and was looked up by A6. The young poker player would suck out once again as the community cards came out 575Q9, and he had taken over the chip lead.

The luck reversed directions on the next hand when Daniels hit a straight against two pair. A full double-up would occur, and the chip lead once again changed. They'd get it all in shortly after, and the hand ended up in a chop. It was getting to a point where it seemed like the match might never end even though less than 40 big blinds were in play.

Daniels, a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner, would finally put him away, however, when he turned trips to beat queen-high. Castro received $165,000 for second place, and the new member of the WPT Champions Club earned $257,600, bringing his career live tournament earnings over $3 million.

Casey Sandretto Wins 2024 WPT Rolling Thunder Championship

*Images courtesy of the World Poker Tour.

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Dmitri Dudakov was the last man standing after yesterdays opening flight. Now a new crop of players will try to join him when Day 1b of the 888 888poker Live Glasgow Main Event begins at 1 p.m. local time.

The Estonian native wiped out the rest of the field yesterday and was the only one to advance out of eight total entries, amassing all of the 240,000 in play. While he has a few days off to sit on his chip lead, players will once again descend on the Grosvenor Casino Merchant City to do battle on the second of six starting flights.

Day 1a Chip Counts

Rank Player Country Chip Count Big Blinds 1 Dmitri Dudakov Estonia 240,000 60

Players begin with a 30,000 starting stack and will play 14 40-minute levels. There is a 15-minute break after every three levels. Unlimited reentries are allowed throughout the day, with late registration open until the start of Day 2 on March 22 at 5 p.m. This also isnt the only opportunity to jump into the field today. The turbo Day 1c flight, with 20-minute levels, begins later tonight at 9 p.m. There are two more opening flights tomorrow, as well as another turbo Day 1f on March 22 at 11 a.m.

Remaining event schedule

Date Flight Time Levels March 20 Day 1b 1 p.m. 40 minutes March 20 Day 1c 9 p.m. 20 minutes March 21 Day 1d 12 p.m. 40 minutes March 21 Day 1e 8 p.m. 20 minutes March 22 Day 1f 11 a.m. 20 minutes March 22 Day 2 5 p.m. 40 minutes March 23 Day 3 1 p.m. 60 minutes

Day 2 of the High Roller is also taking place today, with 17 players out of 60 total entries still alive. British pro Andrew Hulme, who has nearly $4 million in live earnings and is coming off a victory in the UK Open in Coventry a few weeks ago, built up a massive chip lead with 1,046,000. Other players still in contention include Jack Hardcastle (594,000), Matthew Davenport (212,000), and Robbie Bull (128,000) as late registration remains open until the start of the day at noon.

Today's field should be significantly larger than yesterday's. The 888poker team has arrived in Glasgow, with Ian Simpson, Vivian Saliba, and Lucia Navarro among those in town and sure to take a shot at the title over the coming days. Stay tuned as PokerNews provides all the action from Day 1b of the inaugural 888poker Live Glasgow Main Event.
Aiken Standard reporter

Matthew Christian is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. He covers the Savannah River Site, city of Aiken, politics and public safety and courts.

Matthew previously covered government and politics for the Morning News in Florence. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia.

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Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain diminishing to a few showers this afternoon. High around 85F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 74F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
The city of Columbia is interested in rolling delivery robots as a proposed bill allowing the devices to travel on Richland County roadways makes its way through the Legislature.
Reporter

Conor Hughes covers Greenville County for The Post and Courier. He has been reporting on South Carolina's Upstate for close to a decade, writing about everything from crime, to development, to politics during that time.
Greenville Water commissioned "Water Blessing," a statue honoring the Cherokee "going to water" ceremony. It was unveiled in 2017 at the southwest corner of the Butler Avenue and West Washington Street intersection.
Mount Pleasant, SC (29464)

Today

Tropical storm conditions possible. Rain, heavy at times early, diminishing to a few showers this afternoon. High 84F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Tropical storm conditions possible. Showers this evening then scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 74F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
KUNMING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- For travel enthusiast Miao Pengzhuo, who has explored countless destinations, the idea of settling down in one place never crossed his mind, until he discovered a village in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

"Here, the sunsets never lose their magic, and life unfolds in its purest form, drawing me in with an irresistible charm," said Miao, a Sichuan native who has lived in Haiyan, a centuries-old fishing village by Dianchi Lake, for five years.

The village's rich fishery culture, poetic landscapes, and tranquil lifestyle have kept him rooted, replacing his once-restless pursuit of new destinations with a deep sense of belonging.

Some 600 km away, atop Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er City, engineer Jiang Cheng, from the southern economic powerhouse of Shenzhen, has also found his own sanctuary.

Each morning, he opens his laptop in a traditional Blang ethnic village, working against a "backdrop" of a rolling sea of clouds. The rhythmic tapping of his keyboard blends with the distant melody of tea pickers singing in the fields.

Two years ago, he rented an old house to be his base as he worked remotely.

Miao and Jiang are among a growing number of travelers choosing to stay longer in Yunnan, immersing themselves in local life rather than rushing from one attraction to another.

Industrial insiders believe that this shift from whirlwind sightseeing to extended stays reflects a transformation in China's travel consumption.

Data shows that in 2024, nearly 4 million long-term travelers settled in Yunnan, drawn by the opportunity to have a slower, more immersive experience in the province's ancient villages and terraced fields.

Keenly recognizing this trend, Yunnan embarked on a shift toward a more diversified, experience-based tourism model from its current site-seeing approach.

"The biggest shift in tourism today is that people are no longer looking for destinations, they are seeking lifestyles," said Dai Bin, president of China Tourism Academy.

"Long-term stays are not just about travel or residence, they represent a deeper cultural engagement and a way of life," he added.

To meet this growing demand, Yunnan has launched an ambitious three-year plan to develop its long-stay tourism sector. The initiative includes establishing at least 3,000 designated villages tailored for travelers seeking wellness retreats, cultural immersion, educational programs, and senior living opportunities.

This shift is also revitalizing rural communities, creating new economic opportunities for lesser-known towns.

For instance, Yuanjiang County, which lacks any major tourist landmark, attracted 35,000 long-term visitors during this year's Spring Festival -- nearly half the population of the county's urban area -- thanks to its warm winter climate.

By 2025, Yunnan has set an ambitious goal of attracting 6 million long-stay visitors.

"Yunnan holds great potential for the long-stay tourism industry," said Lu Xuewei, from a cultural tourism investment company.

Yunnan's tourism sector has evolved from sightseeing to vacationing and now to long-term stays, with visitors extending their stays from a few days to several months, some even longer. This shift has significantly boosted the local economy while also placing higher demands on service quality, product offerings, and industry innovation, Lu added.
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A Celebratory Win for Women in AI, Recognizing Myra's Outstanding Impact on AI Innovation and LeadershipLAS VEGAS, NEVADA / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Myra Roldan, renowned AI Engineer and CEO of UnDesto AI, has been named the winner of Womelle's Visionary of the Year award at the 2025 Female Voice Awards. This award celebrates a woman who has introduced new ideas or approaches that have positively influenced her field or industry. The Awards ceremony will take place on March 22, 2025, at The LINQ Hotel + Experience in Las Vegas, NV, alongside the Womelle Summit 2025. The day will begin with the summit, She's Possible, and conclude with the Female Voice Awards Gala. This special occasion coincides with Women's History Month and promises to be a landmark event. Myra Roldan  Visionary of the Year, 2025 Female Voice Awards A professional portrait of Myra Roldan, renowned AI engineer, entrepreneur, and CEO of UnDesto AI, proudly recognized as the 2025 Visionary of the Year at Womelles Female Voice Awards.The Female Voice Awards is a prestigious recognition program dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the voices and achievements of outstanding women across various fields and industries. Established by WomELLE, a dynamic platform that empowers and supports women worldwide, these awards shine a spotlight on the remarkable contributions of women who have made a significant impact in their respective domains.Myra Roldan is a pioneering AI engineer, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and thought leader dedicated to advancing ethical and accessible artificial intelligence. As the founder of UnDesto AI, she has been at the forefront of developing responsible AI frameworks that empower enterprise organizations to implement technology sustainably and strategically. As a Latina leader in technology, Myra Roldan embodies innovation with purpose, ensuring that AI remains ethical, inclusive, and transformative for all. Her work is shaping the future of AI by fostering responsible development and empowering the next generation of AI leaders.Recently honored with two Silver Stevie Awards-Woman of the Year - Technology and Most Innovative Woman of the Year - Technology-Roldan's influence in AI extends far beyond business success. In 2024 alone, she collaborated with over 50 U.S. colleges to educate more than 1,000 adult learners on AI literacy. Additionally, her decade-long commitment to the Technovation Challenge has helped young girls worldwide harness AI to solve real-world problems.About UnDesto AI Founded in 2023 by Myra Roldan, UnDesto AI is a leader in B2B AI consulting and implementation, offering innovative solutions that help enterprise organizations adopt AI strategically, ethically, and impactfully. Trusted by industry leaders, UnDesto AI guides organizations through every stage of AI adoption, from strategy to implementation, ensuring that AI initiatives are not only effective but also secure, compliant, and aligned with business goals to minimize risk. UnDesto AI has played a pivotal role in shaping frameworks embraced by organizations and institutions worldwide through their focus on innovation and responsible AI practices.Contact InformationAndrew Rabitaandrew@ undesto.ai SOURCE: UnDesto AI
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / The Arizona CDFI Network, launched on February 13, 2025, has appointed Andre T. Whittington, CEO of Growth Partners Arizona, and Amber Cordoba, Senior Director of External Affairs at Prestamos CDFI, as Co-Chairs to lead the initiative in expanding business lending and investment opportunities across the state.The Arizona CDFI Network brings together six financial organizations-Clearinghouse CDFI, Growth Partners Arizona, Hustle PHX, Native Community Capital, Prestamos CDFI, and Raza Development Fund-focused on increasing access to capital, strengthening businesses, and driving investment in Arizona's economy."The Arizona CDFI Network is focused on action," said Andre T. Whittington, Co-Chair and Executive Director of Growth Partners Arizona. "By working together, we are creating a financial ecosystem that empowers businesses, strengthens communities, and attracts strategic investments that will drive economic mobility across Arizona." The February 13 launch event in Phoenix convened state legislators, financial institutions, business leaders, and industry experts to discuss the role of CDFIs in strengthening Arizona's economy. Attendees participated in discussions on business financing, investment strategies, and how mission-driven lenders provide tailored financial solutions to businesses seeking to expand operations.Amber Cordoba, Co-Chair and Senior Director of External Affairs at Prestamos CDFI, highlighted the network's role in supporting business growth. "The Arizona CDFI Network is committed to ensuring that businesses and organizations across the state have access to the financial resources they need. By aligning our efforts, we can better serve business owners and organizations looking to expand, invest, and succeed." With the leadership of its newly appointed Co-Chairs and the support of key stakeholders, the Arizona CDFI Network will focus on increasing investment, improving lending opportunities, and ensuring businesses and organizations have the capital needed to grow and thrive.About the Arizona CDFI NetworkThe Arizona CDFI Network is a coalition of Arizona-based CDFIs dedicated to expanding access to capital and strengthening business investment across the state. Through collaboration and innovation, the network supports financing solutions that help businesses grow and contribute to Arizona's economic success. Learn more at azcdfi.org Contact InformationAndre Whittington Executive Directorandre@ growthpartnersaz.org SOURCE: Growth Partners Arizona
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Leading securities law firm Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP announces 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 Shikowitzross@ bfalaw.com212-789-3619 Why 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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PARIS, FR / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / CGI and Tribun Health have won their second multi-site regional project in Denmark, expanding their successful partnership in digital pathology. Following their initial victory in Region Sjlland, the duo has now secured a major contract in Region Nordjylland, further strengthening their position in Denmark's healthcare digitalization efforts. Pathologist Using CaloPix Pathologist Utilizing CaloPix for Advanced Digital Pathology WorkflowAs the prime integrator, CGI is leading the project while Tribun Health provides its CaloPix solution - a fully DICOM-compliant image management system designed to enhance pathology workflows, interoperability, and multi-site collaboration."Winning a second regional project in Denmark reaffirms the strength of our partnership with CGI and the trust placed in our solutions," said Jean-Francois Pomerol, CEO of Tribun Health. "With CaloPix, we are enabling seamless integration within hospital ecosystems, boosting efficiency, and enhancing diagnostic precision across multiple sites." CGI and Tribun Health Strengthen Their Presence in Danish HealthcareThe new deployment in Region Nordjylland underscores the growing demand for scalable, interoperable digital pathology solutions. By implementing CaloPix IMS, healthcare pathologists across the region will benefit from standardized imaging, enhanced remote collaboration, and optimized workflows.Henrik Mejlgaard, Vice President of CGI's Health Solutions in Denmark, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. "Our continued success in Denmark with Tribun Health highlights the critical role of digital transformation in pathology. Region Nordjylland's investment in advanced imaging and interoperability through CaloPix IMS will enable more efficient diagnostics and better patient outcomes. We look forward to supporting the region in its transition to a fully digital pathology workflow." Driving Innovation in Scandinavian HealthcareWith two major regional wins in Denmark, CGI and Tribun Health are well-positioned to drive further innovation and efficiency in pathology across Denmark and beyond. This expansion reinforces their commitment to providing state-of-the-art digital pathology solutions that empower pathologists and healthcare institutions with precision, scalability, and AI-driven insights.About Tribun HealthTribun Health is a global leader in digital pathology, delivering award-winning solutions that enhance workflow efficiency, and diagnostic precision. We empower hospitals and laboratories transitioning from glass slide pathology to fully digital solutions, leveraging AI and data-driven technology to improve accuracy and reduce turnaround times. Our mission is simple: to ensure every cancer patient receives a timely, informed diagnosis - because every moment matters. By advancing pathology with cutting-edge innovation, we are shaping the future of cancer care. Follow us on LinkedIn and X.About CGIFounded in 1976, CGI is among the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world. With 91,500 consultants and professionals across the globe, CGI delivers an end-to-end portfolio of capabilities, from strategic IT and business consulting to systems integration, managed IT and business process services and intellectual property solutions. CGI works with clients through a local relationship model complemented by a global delivery network that helps clients digitally transform their organizations and accelerate results. CGI Fiscal 2023 reported revenue is $14.30 billion and CGI shares are listed on the TSX ( GIB.A) and the NYSE (GIB). Learn more at cgi.com Contact InformationAndreia BeyerVP, Global Marketing & Managing Director, North Americaabeyer@ tribun.health +1 (416) 565-0474Peter SandMarketing & Communications Business Partner, CGI Denmarkpeter.sand@cgi.com +45 29 48 11 12SOURCE: Tribun Health
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LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 /Citrus America, a leader in fresh juice solutions for the foodservice industry, is set to showcase its game-changing commercial juicing solutions at Bar & Restaurant Expo 2025, taking place March 24-26, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Hospitality professionals can visit Booth #521 to sample fresh-squeezed juice and discover how Citrus America's innovative solutions help elevate beverage programs, boost efficiency, and drive profitability.From mimosas and margaritas to daiquiris, sour mixes, and tiki-bar cocktails, fresh citrus juice is an essential ingredient for crafting premium drinks that stand out on any menu. By using high-performance juicing solutions from Citrus America, bars and restaurants can develop signature cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages that enhance guest experiences and increase revenue.Squeezing fresh citrus manually is not only time-consuming but also labor-intensive, requiring staff to spend hours cutting and pressing fruit. Citrus America's juicing equipment reduces labor demands significantly, allowing teams to focus on mixology instead of manual prep work.Additionally, by minimizing repetitive cutting and squeezing motions, the company's solutions help prevent injuries and improve workplace safety for bartenders and kitchen staff.Citrus America's cutting-edge juicing equipment ensures that freshly squeezed juice delivers vibrant flavor and natural sweetness, eliminating the need for artificial sweeteners or premixed alternatives. Fresh juice programs drive profitability by providing high-margin, in-demand offerings that attract customers and enhance menu appeal.For over a decade, Citrus America has helped businesses, including restaurants, bars, hotels, casinos, and grocery retailers, differentiate their beverage and fresh produce programs. The company is committed to delivering unmatched juice quality, taste, efficiency, and hygiene, offering comprehensive support, training, and long-term maintenance to ensure customers maximize their investment.With more than 13,000 hospitality professionals expected to attend, the Bar & Restaurant Expo is the premier gathering of bar and restaurant owners, operators, equipment manufacturers and distributors, mixologists, chefs, and industry pioneers. This year's event will feature cutting-edge trends, expert speakers, interactive activations, and a showcase of top-tier suppliers helping hospitality businesses thrive in an evolving market.Visit Booth #521 to meet Jacob Framson, Miriam Framson (VP of Operations), and Jay Gardner (VP of National Sales), and experience how Citrus America's juicing solutions can transform your beverage program.Citrus America has also been at the forefront of helping grocery retailers differentiate their perimeter programs, driving fresh produce sales and increasing department revenues by 2-4%. With a strong emphasis on high-end commercial juicing solutions, the company enables retailers to build customer loyalty, boost engagement, and enhance their brand image with signature fresh programs. Citrus America has proven that fresh juice is not just a trend but a high-margin, customer-attracting product.For more information about Citrus America and its offerings, visit www.citrusamerica.com About Citrus America Citrus America specializes in high-performance commercial juicing equipment designed to help grocery retailers and foodservice operations differentiate their offerings with fresh, high-quality products. With a focus on safety, efficiency, and innovation, Citrus America empowers businesses to create signature fresh programs that drive revenue, increase customer engagement, and enhance brand value.About Bar & Restaurant Expo The Bar & Restaurant Expo is the largest and most influential event for hospitality professionals in the U.S., drawing thousands of industry leaders from bars, restaurants, hotels, casinos, and more. Last year's event saw over 12,000 attendees, an 8% increase from the previous year, with an expanded expo floor and record-breaking participation. The 2025 Expo promises even more networking, educational sessions, and supplier showcases tailored to help businesses increase profitability and stay ahead of industry trends.###From L-R: The Citrus America team of Jacob Framson, Jay Gardner, and Sandy BoschCONTACT: Steven Le VineGrapevine PR & Consulting+1-323-229-1888SOURCE: Citrus America
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 17:16:10

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / College Hospital Costa Mesa recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to College Hospital Costa Mesa.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On September 17, 2024, College Hospital Costa Mesa became aware of a security incident that disrupted the operations of some of its IT systems. Upon detection, College Hospital Costa Mesa 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 accessed some files on its systems between August 14, 2024, and September 17, 2024. College Hospital Costa Mesa conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. On January 31, 2025, College Hospital Costa Mesa determined that these files contained sensitive personal information.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised:name, Social Security number, and driver's license number.On March 10, 2025, College Hospital Costa Mesa filed a notice with the Attorney General of California and started the process of notifying impacted individuals.Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY YOU 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 College Hospital Costa Mesa, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 17:16:01

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 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 YOU 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 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
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 18:00:51

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European Military Airworthiness Regulator Approves GA-ASI Application Approval Will Make Subsequent Certifications EasierSAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a world leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), has received the prestigious EMAR/FR 145 Maintenance Organization Approval for component maintenance from the French Military Continuing Airworthiness Authority, DSAE. This approval underscores GA-ASI's commitment to the highest standards of safety, compliance, and operational excellence in military aviation.The EMAR framework is a set of regulations developed from commercial aerospace standards (FAA/EASA) that are designed to ensure airworthiness for European military aircraft. It establishes a common airworthiness framework recognized by military airworthiness authorities worldwide. EMAR/FR 145 certification authorizes maintenance organizations to perform critical maintenance tasks while ensuring strict adherence to safety, reliability, and documentation requirements.GA-ASI's EMAR/FR 145 approval allows the company to issue EMAR Form 1s (Return to Service forms) for components serviced by the approved maintenance organization, confirming the safety and airworthiness of the equipment. This recognition applies to GA-ASI's maintenance activities at its Poway and Adelanto, California, facilities and covers CAT C (component maintenance) services."This approval is a significant achievement for GA-ASI, positioning the company to better serve international customers, especially military users of our MQ-9A and MQ-9B UAS platforms," said Sam Richardson, GA-ASI vice president of Sustainment. "The ability to leverage the EMAR/FR 145 certification streamlines the company's processes, reduces costs, and accelerates future airworthiness pursuits, as many future customers will recognize this certification rather than requiring a full, independent certification process." By obtaining EMAR/FR 145 approval, GA-ASI further demonstrates its ability to meet the stringent demands of the global defense market. The framework's widespread recognition ensures that GA-ASI can expand operations and offer high-quality, compliant maintenance services to international customers, ultimately driving company growth in global markets.This certification offers significant operational and financial benefits for both GA-ASI and its customers. For GA-ASI, the approval reduces future oversight costs by leveraging the DSAE Audit Team's oversight activities, ensuring a more efficient and cost-effective certification process for future non-French EMAR customers. For customers, the EMAR/FR 145 approval provides a framework recognized internationally, offering a streamlined maintenance certification process. The recognition agreements between EMAR and non-EMAR countries allow future customers to leverage GA-ASI's French approval, saving time and resources compared to a full certification effort.About GA-ASIGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle 25M, MQ-20 Avenger, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.For more information, visit www.ga-asi.com Avenger, EagleEye, Gray Eagle, Lynx, Predator, Reaper, SeaGuardian, and SkyGuardian are trademarks of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., registered in the United States and/or other countries.# # #Contact InformationGA-ASI Media Relationsasi-mediarelations@ ga-asi.com (858) 524-8101SOURCE: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 17:44:37

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Innovative Remodel Launches New Standard in Client-Centered Wellness ExperiencesCHANDLER, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 /iFlex Stretch Studios, the premier franchise for professional assisted stretch therapy, today announced the completion of an extensive remodel at its Chandler, Arizona location. This renovation is part of a broader initiative, with additional studio locations across Indiana, Texas and Florida scheduled to undergo similar enhancements. These updates reflect the brand's commitment to delivering superior client experiences through modern, inviting spaces designed to maximize comfort and therapeutic effectiveness.The Chandler studio transformation involved comprehensive updates, including new flooring, vibrant color schemes, ultra-modern white stretch tables and an entirely revamped interior that is both functional and purposeful, designed by Leonid Minkovski of LM Design Group Inc. This contemporary environment maximizes space and enhances client comfort, promoting relaxation and optimizing the therapeutic experience. Key studio features now include:Six sleek stretching stations with white stretch-assist tables, cylindrical black headrests and built-in personal storage that help clients relax and stretch more effectivelyRetractable white privacy screens featuring geometric lattice patterns for personalized comfortBright, naturally illuminated spaces complemented by recessed lighting that enhance clients' sense of calm and relaxationA stylish minimalist reception area designed for efficiency, making it faster and easier to check in and outA distinctive mirrored back wall creates a sense of depth and openness while the fresh modern interiors with a minimalist aesthetic, emphasizing white with subtle black, green and yellow accents, helps clients feel welcomeThe Chandler franchise is a model for iFlex Stretch Studio's continued commitment to excellence and innovation across its network of studios. To celebrate the studio's exciting transformation, iFlex Stretch Studios invites clients and community members to its Chandler Grand Reopening Celebration March 27-30. Attendees can experience complimentary 25-minute assisted stretch sessions, explore the newly redesigned space and enjoy exclusive reopening promotions and special offerings. To reserve your complimentary session at the Chandler location in the Casa Paloma Shopping Center, call 602-835-6777 or email 0001@ iflexstretchstudios.com iFlex Stretch Studios locations include:Arizona - 7131 W. Ray Road, Suite 38, Chandler, Arizona 85226Indiana - 11170 East 146th Street, Suite 110, Noblesville, Indiana 46060Texas - 3529 Heritage Trace Parkway, Suite 111, Fort Worth, Texas 76244Florida - 9128 Strada Place, Suite 10112, Naples, Florida 34108To learn more or to schedule a session, visit https://www.iflexstretchstudios.com . For franchise opportunities, visit https://iflexfranchise.com ###ABOUT IFLEX STRETCH STUDIOSiFlex Stretch Studios is a premier wellness franchise offering professional assisted stretch therapy dedicated to empowering individuals to unlock their full range of motion and enhance their active lifestyles. Combining visionary design with state-of-the-art functionality, iFlex provides personalized therapy sessions delivered by iFlex-certified stretch therapists. Each session begins and ends with comprehensive flexibility assessments, customized to help clients achieve their unique mobility goals. Featuring innovative studio environments inspired by sleek, modern aesthetics, iFlex ensures every visit promotes relaxation, comfort and wellness. The company operates franchise studios in Arizona, Indiana, Texas and Florida with additional franchise opportunities available nationwide.MEDIA CONTACTS Jo TrizilaTrizCom PR on behalf of iFlex Stretch Studioso: 214-242-9282c: 214-232-0078e: Jo@ TrizCom.com Tammy CancelaTrizCom PR on behalf of iFlex Stretch Studioso: 214-242-9282c: 972-898-8413e: Tammy@ TrizCom.com SOURCE: iFlex Stretch Studios
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 16:01:02

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New Integration Empowers Brands With AI-Generated Content Compliance Capabilities to Help Speed Up AI-Generated Content ReviewsLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / IntelligenceBank, the leading intelligent content operations platform, today announced an integration with Adobe GenStudio for Performance Marketing, combining Adobe's excellence in AI-first content creation with AI-powered marketing content compliance by IntelligenceBank. This partnership streamlines creative production while helping marketing teams produce content at speed and scale. IntelligenceBank Content Risk Reviews for Adobe GenStudio Screenshot of the IntelligenceBank Content Risk Reviews Add-On for Adobe GenStudio for Performance MarketingWith GenStudio for Performance Marketing, brands and agencies can harness the power of AI to generate high-quality, on-brand creative assets - from emails to social posts and digital ads - faster than ever before. As this innovation scales the production of content, brand, legal, and compliance teams will play an important role in accelerating reviews and approvals of materials.IntelligenceBank's integration will enable brands to automate reviews of content created in GenStudio for Performance Marketing and implement legal and compliance guardrails in their review. Leveraging AI, industry-based risk rules such as FINRA, Retail Banking, Medicare and other advertising guidelines, and customizable risk detection capabilities, the integration will help teams identify potentially non-compliant content directly within GenStudio for Performance Marketing.IntelligenceBank's AI-powered solution helps compliance and marketing teams find regulatory and brand risks and errors across nearly every type of content - up to 30X faster than a traditional manual review - giving companies the ability to scale their compliance programs without adding headcount.This seamless workflow intends to help marketing teams launch campaigns faster while reducing the risk of regulatory breaches and brand damage."Speed is everything in marketing today, but if compliance slows you down, you're already behind," said Tessa Court, CEO of IntelligenceBank. "That's why we're elated to team up with Adobe to bring IntelligenceBank's AI-powered content risk reviews to Adobe GenStudio for Performance Marketing. Together, we're making it faster and easier for Adobe customers to create, approve, and launch campaigns - without the compliance headaches. Managing speed and marketing compliance at the same time is the future of marketing: fast, smart, and always in control." The partnership marks a significant step forward in AI-powered marketing workflows, offering unprecedented efficiency and security for brands operating in highly regulated industries like financial services, insurance, healthcare, and government.About IntelligenceBankIntelligenceBank is the leading intelligent content operations platform, accelerating the creation, management, and distribution of approved content for marketing, legal, and compliance teams. The end-to-end platform features digital asset management, brand portals, marketing work management and content workflow that uses AI and automation to ensure legal and brand compliance both during content production and after it has gone live. Loved by customers in 55 countries, IntelligenceBank has operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K. For more information, visit http://www.intelligencebank.com Contact InformationWilliam TyreeChief Marketing Officermarketing@ intelligencebank.com SOURCE: IntelligenceBank
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 17:32:44

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 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 YOU 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
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 01:59:31

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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 19, 2025 / If you suffered a loss on your Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) investment and want to learn about a potential recovery under the federal securities laws, follow the link below for more information:or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. via email at jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com or call (212) 363-7500 to speak to our team of experienced shareholder advocates.THE LAWSUIT: This lawsuit is on behalf of all shareholders that purchased stock pursuant and/or traceable to Venture's registration statement for the initial public offering held on or about January 24, 2025.CASE DETAILS: According to the complaint, Venture completed its initial public offering on January 27, 2025, selling 70 million shares at $24.00 per share. On February 5, 2025, TotalEnergies, an energy company that was a target customer of Venture, rejected opportunities to become a long-term customer of Venture, citing lack of trust. In particular, TotalEnergies CEO, stated that he was approached by Venture to see if the company would be interested in a long-term supply contract for liquefied natural gas from the Calcasieu Pass terminal in Louisiana, but he rejected the offer "because of what they are doing." Venture is currently facing legal challenges from existing large clients, such as BP and Shell, due to delays in supply contracts as Venture commissions its projects. Given the fact that defendants ability to deliver liquefied natural gas (LNG) to the world and to continue development of Venture's five natural gas liquefication and export projects depends on customer contracts, defendants' failure to account for and address these issues caused statements in Venture's registration statement to be false and/or materially misleading at the time of the initial public offering.WHAT'S NEXT? If you suffered a loss in Venture stock during the relevant time frame - even if you still hold your shares - go to https://zlk.com/pslra-1/venture-global-inc-lawsuit-submission-form?prid=137306&wire=1 to learn about your rights to seek a recovery. There is no cost or obligation to participate.WHY LEVI & KORSINSKY: Over the past 20 years, Levi & Korsinsky LLP has established itself as a nationally-recognized securities litigation firm that has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders and built a track record of winning high-stakes cases. The firm has extensive expertise representing investors in complex securities litigation and a team of over 70 employees to serve our clients. For seven years in a row, Levi & Korsinsky has ranked in ISS Securities Class Action Services' Top 50 Report as one of the top securities litigation firms in the United States. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 08:00:29

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PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Bioz, Inc. , the leader in AI-powered scientific product validation, is excited to announce a new collaboration withIROA Technologies , a pioneer in metabolomics solutions. This partnership highlights the recent Nature Communications publication, Ion Suppression Correction and Normalization for Non-Targeted Metabolomics, published on January 27, 2025, which features IROA's TruQuant Workflow as a key innovation in the field. Bioz Prime Badge Bioz Prime Badge on the IROA WebsiteWith the integration ofBioz Badges , this landmark publication is now prominently displayed on IROA Technologies' TruQuant Workflow webpage, ensuring that researchers can easily access peer-reviewed validation of IROA's cutting-edge technology. Additionally, using Bioz's newly launched "Pinning Articles" feature, this influential study will remain at the top of the webpage, reinforcing the impact of IROA's products.Felice de Jong , Co-Founder and CEO of IROA Technologies and co-author of the publication, emphasized the significance of this integration: "This publication in Nature Communications is a milestone for metabolomics research, demonstrating the power of our IROA TruQuant Workflow in addressing critical challenges like ion suppression correction and normalization. By leveraging Bioz's technology, we're ensuring that this key study remains visible to our users, providing immediate access to scientific validation that strengthens confidence in our solutions." The publication discusses a significant challenge in clinical metabolomics-the issue of reproducibility and accurate quantitation in complex biological samples. Variability in matrix effects, instrumental variability, sample variability, and batch effects make reliable and reproducible quantitation difficult, especially in clinical settings. These obstacles hinder the identification of reliable biomarkers crucial for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. IROA Technologies has addressed these challenges with the TruQuant Workflow, which incorporates unique stable isotopic standards to mitigate variability in mass spectrometry-based metabolomics.By incorporating Bioz's AI-powered citation tools, IROA Technologies is making it easier for researchers to explore real-world applications of their products in high-impact scientific literature. This enhanced visibility not only boosts brand awareness and engagement but also simplifies the purchasing process by offering direct access to peer-reviewed data."This collaboration exemplifies the power of Bioz's AI-driven solutions in supporting scientific companies like IROA Technologies," saidDr. Karin Lachmi , Chief Revenue Officer and Co-Founder of Bioz. "By showcasing key scientific publications directly on supplier websites, we help researchers make more informed purchasing decisions while reinforcing the credibility of cutting-edge technologies." With Bioz Badges and the new Pinning Articles feature, IROA Technologies is at the forefront of scientific transparency and digital marketing innovation, ensuring that researchers worldwide can access the latest and most impactful data supporting their metabolomics workflows.About Bioz Bioz is the world's most advanced AI search engine for scientific research, offering evidence-based product ratings and recommendations to guide scientists toward the most validated products for their discoveries. Bioz's solutions for suppliers include Bioz Badges and Content Hubs, web-based widgets that enhance user engagement and increase sales conversion.About IROA TechnologiesIROA Technologies is a leading provider of metabolomics solutions, specializing in technologies that improve data accuracy, reproducibility, and quantification in complex biological samples. Their TruQuant Workflow enables precise and reliable metabolomics research, helping scientists uncover new biological insights with confidence. By addressing key challenges such as ion suppression correction and normalization, IROA's solutions empower researchers with more accurate, standardized data for biomarker discovery, drug development, and systems biology researchHelpful LinksBiozBioz BadgesBioz StarsIROA TechnologiesFor more information on Bioz solutions for suppliers, please reach out toinfo@ bioz.com Contact InformationDaniel LevittCEOpr@ bioz.com SOURCE: Bioz, Inc.
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 17:31:41

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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Chicago Public Schools recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to Chicago Public Schools.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On February 8, 2025, became aware of a security incident involving Cleo, a third-party vendor that contains current and former CPS students' information on one of its servers. Upon detection, CPS 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 a server used by Cleo to store student data. This breach affected both current and former students dating back to the 2017-2018 school year. CPS conducted a comprehensive review of the impacted data to determine what information was compromised and identified affected individuals. On March 7, 2025, CPS identified persons whose sensitive data was included in the impacted data.Upon information and belief, the following types of sensitive personal information may have been compromised: students' names, dates of birth, genders, Chicago public Schools student ID numbers, medicaid ID numbers, and dates of medicaid program eligibility. On March 10, 2025, Chicago Public Schools filed a notice with the Attorney General of California and started the process of notifying impacted individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY YOU 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 Chicago Public Schools, you are likely affected. Follow the link below to find out if you may be eligible for compensation.Levi Korsinsky, LLP is investigating whether affected individuals are entitled to compensation. If you have received a notice about the data breach, you may be entitled to compensation. There is no cost or obligation to participate. Follow the link below to find out:Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized consumer advocacy law firm that has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars against large corporations. The firm's team of over 70 extraordinary attorneys and professionals have a winning track record going against the most powerful defense attorneys in the world and know how to maximize your compensation. The firm is a 100% contingency firm - we don't get paid unless you get paid! Please visit us at www.zlk.com for more information. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.CONTACT: Levi & Korsinsky, LLPJoseph E. Levi, Esq.Ed Korsinsky, Esq.33 Whitehall Street, 17th FloorNew York, NY 10004 jlevi@ levikorsinsky.com Tel: (212) 363-7500Fax: (212) 363-7171 https://zlk.com/ SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
PR-Inside.com: 2025-03-20 18:00:58

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GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 /XVIVO Perfusion AB (STO:XVIVO)(LSE:0RKL)(FRA:3XV) (publ) (the "Company"), reg. no. 556561-0424, with its registered office in Molndal, gives notice of the Annual General Meeting to be held on Friday 25 April 2025 at 1:00 PM, at The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre (Sw. Svenska Massan) (conference room J2), at Massans gata 24 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Registration starts at 12:30 PM.NOTIFICATION, ETC.Notification Shareholders who wish to participate at the Annual General Meeting shall: firstly, be entered in the share register maintained by Euroclear Sweden AB no later than on Tuesday 15 April 2025 (for nominee-registered shares, also see "Nominee-registered shares" below), secondly, notify the Company of their intention to participate at the Annual General Meeting no later than on Thursday 17 April 2025, by mail to XVIVO Perfusion AB (publ), AGM 2024, c/o Advokatfirman Vinge KB, Box 110 25, SE-404 21 Gothenburg, Sweden or by e-mail to xvivoperfusion@ vinge.se The shareholders shall in their notice to attend state name, personal identification number or company registration number, shareholding, address, phone number and, as applicable, information about any advisors (maximum two), proxies or representatives. Information delivered upon notice to attend will be processed and used only for the Annual General Meeting. See below for further information on processing of personal data.Nominee-registered shares To be entitled to participate in the Annual General Meeting, a shareholder whose shares are held in the name of a nominee must, in addition to providing notification of participation, register its shares in its own name so that the shareholder is recorded in the share register relating to the circumstances on Tuesday 15 April 2025. Such registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested from the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures and in such time in advance as the nominee determines. Voting right registrations completed by the nominee not later than Thursday 17 April 2025are taken into account when preparing the share register.Proxy, etc. Shareholders who intend to be represented by proxy shall issue a dated power of attorney for the proxy. If the power of attorney is executed by a legal person a certified copy of the certificate of registration or equivalent should be attached. The power of attorney may not be older than one year, however, it may be older provided that the power of attorney according to its wording is valid for a longer period, although, not more than five years from its issuance. The certificate of registration must not have been issued earlier than one year before. The power of attorney in original and, where applicable, the certificate of registration should be submitted to the Company to the address set forth above well in advance of the Annual General Meeting. A proxy form is available on the Company's website, www.xvivogroup.com PROPOSED AGENDA 1. Opening of the Annual General Meeting.2. Election of Chairman at the Annual General Meeting.3. Preparation and approval of the voting list.4. Approval of the agenda.5. Election of one or two persons to approve the minutes.6. Determination as to whether the Annual General Meeting has been duly convened.7. Submission of the annual report and the auditors' report and the consolidated financial statements and the auditors' report for the group. In connection thereto, a presentation by the Chief Executive Officer.8. Resolution regardinga. adoption of the income statement and the balance sheet and the consolidated income statement and the consolidated balance sheet,b. allocation of the company's profits or losses in accordance with the adopted balance sheet,c. discharge of the members of the Board of Directors and the CEO from liability.9. Determination of the number of members of the Board of Directors, deputies, auditors, and deputy auditors.10 . Election of members of the Board of Directors. The nomination committee's proposal: a) Gosta Johannesson (re-election)b) Camilla Oberg (re-election)c) Lena Hoglund (re-election)d) Lars Henriksson (re-election)e) Goran Dellgren (re-election)f) Erik Stromqvist (re-election)g) Paul Marcun (new election)11. Election of the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The nomination committee's proposal: a) Gosta Johannesson (re-election)12. Election of the auditor.13 . Determination of fees for members of the Board of Directors and auditor.14 . Principles for the appointment of the members of the nomination committee.15 . Submission and approval of the Board's remuneration report.16 . Resolution to adopt guidelines for remuneration to the executive management.17 . Resolution to resolve on a bonus issue.18 . Resolution to amend the articles of association.19 . Resolution to resolve on a share split.20 . Resolution to adopt an incentive programme in the form of performance-based share option rights for the group management and key individuals within the XVIVO group and directed issue of warrants.21 . Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to resolve on new share issues.22 . Resolution to authorise the Board of Directors to resolve on acquisition of the Company's own shares.23 . Closing of the Annual General Meeting.THE NOMINATION COMMITTEE'S PROPOSALS UNDER ITEMS 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 AND 14 The Nomination Committee, consisting of Henrik Blomquist (appointed by Bure Equity AB), Chairman, Thomas Ehlin (appointed by Fjarde AP-fonden), Martin Lewin (appointed by Eccenovo AB) and Gosta Johannesson (Chairman of the Board of Directors, convening), has submitted the following proposals.Item 2 - Election of Chairman of the Annual General Meeting The Nomination Committee proposes that Anders Strid, lawyer at Advokatfirman Vinge, is appointed Chairman at the Annual General Meeting.Item 9 - Determination of the number of Board members and deputies, auditors and deputy auditors The Nomination Committee proposes that the Board shall consist of seven (7) ordinary members without deputies.The Nomination Committee proposes that a registered accounting firm is to be appointed as auditor.Item 10 - Election of Board members The Nomination Committee proposes that Gosta Johannesson, Camilla Oberg, Lena Hoglund, Lars Henriksson, Goran Dellgren and Erik Stromqvist are re-elected, and that Paul Marcun is elected as new, members of the Board of Directors. All elections for the period until the end of the next Annual General Meeting.Information regarding the proposed new Board member Paul Marcun, born 1966Background: Leading positions at multiple global medical device companies. Most recently Executive
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Company Announces ERPA for Philippine Climate-Smart Agriculture Project, Provides BC OBPS Compliance Support, and Highlights Quadra Island Forest ProjectVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Ostrom Climate Solutions Inc. ("Ostrom" or the "Company") (TSX-V:COO)(Frankfurt:9EAA), a leading provider of carbon project development and climate solutions, is pleased to provide a corporate update covering key milestones in its global carbon project portfolio. This includes the signing of an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) for its flagship Climate-Smart Agriculture project in the Philippines, an overview of British Columbia's Output-Based Pricing System (BC OBPS) and Ostrom Climate's role in supporting compliance, and the Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project's contribution to high-quality carbon offset supply for the BC OBPS.Ostrom Signs Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement for Climate-Smart Agriculture Project in the PhilippinesOstrom entered into an Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement (ERPA) with a Fortune Global 500 corporation for the Upper Pampanga River Climate-Smart Agriculture Rice Project (UPRIIS) in the Philippines. This agreement includes an advance payment for carbon credits to fund project development costs, which helps reinforce Ostrom's ability to assess risks, mitigate them, and execute this high-integrity carbon project. The ERPA relates to the purchase of Verified Emissions Reductions (VERs), which are independently verified carbon credits representing the reduction of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The first payment under this ERPA has been received as a prepayment against future VERs and becomes repayable if the Company is unable to deliver the credits under the terms of the ERPA. Due to confidentiality agreements, further details cannot be disclosed at this time.UPRIIS has the potential to span over 100,000 hectares in Central Luzon, and is expected to generate high-quality carbon credits over its planned 21-year term, with compliance potential under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Proceeds from carbon credit sales will directly benefit local partners, including the local irrigation authorities and rice farmers.Tejinder Virk, CEO of Ostrom stated, "We are excited to partner with a leading global corporation as a strategic buyer on this transformative project. The UPRIIS initiative is a critical step in advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture and achieving significant methane reductions. This agreement underscores our commitment to delivering high-quality carbon projects that drive substantial environmental and socio-economic benefits." Rice production is one of the largest agricultural sources of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas over 28 times more effective at trapping heat than CO over a 100-year period. According to the World Bank, methane from rice fields accounts for approximately 12% of global agricultural methane emissions. The Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) methodology used in this project can reduce methane emissions by up to 48% per hectare according to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), while also improving water efficiency and crop resilience. The Project Design Description (PDD) is currently under development and will align with updates to global rice methane crediting methodologies. The Company recently applauded Verra, a leading global standards organization that certifies greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction projects through the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), for releasing VCS Methodology VM0051 Improved Management in Rice Production Systems, v1.0. This methodology replaced the previous CDM AMS-III.AU ., expanding eligible project activities, enhancing monitoring techniques, and strengthening baseline calculations.Ostrom Supports BC Industry with Output-Based Pricing System (BC OBPS) ComplianceBritish Columbia (BC) pioneered carbon pricing by introducing Canada's first greenhouse gas (GHG) tax in 2008. Over time, the province adapted its carbon pricing framework to balance emissions reductions with industrial competitiveness. The BC OBPS, which came into effect on April 1, 2024, replaces the CleanBC Industrial Incentive Program (CIIP) and introduces a more flexible, performance-based approach to industrial emissions regulation. The system allows companies to comply based on their emissions intensity rather than facing a blanket carbon tax.According to the BC Government's B.C. OBPS Program and Reporting Guidance, which was released in January 2025, the BC OBPS applies to industrial facilities emitting 10,000 tCO2e or more annually. Instead of paying a fixed carbon tax, regulated emitters receive a facility-specific emissions limit that becomes progressively more stringent over time. Facilities that reduce emissions below their assigned limit can generate compliance credits, while those exceeding their limit must either purchase credits or pay a carbon price, which starts at $80/tCO2e in 2024 and increases by $15 per year until reaching $170/tCO2e by 2030.Ostrom supports the British Columbia industry by providing GHG quantification, regulatory compliance advisory services, and access to verified BC OBPS-compliant carbon offsets. As industrial operators adjust to the new regulatory landscape, Ostrom's expertise will ensure businesses can optimize their emissions management strategies while remaining competitive. The BC OBPS allows emitters to use high-quality offset credits to meet their obligations, which management believes will position Ostrom as a key provider of credible offset solutions for industrial facilities.Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project: One of the Few BC OBPS-Compliant Offset Projects AvailableOstrom has had an exclusive carbon offset marketing and sales agreement in place since 2016 with the Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project, a significant environmental initiative that preserves over 400 hectares of at-risk forestland in British Columbia. Without carbon offset funding, this land would have been subject to logging and development. Instead, it has been permanently protected and is now managed by BC Parks, contributing to long-term climate resilience and biodiversity protection.This conservation project was validated under the BC Forest Carbon Offset Protocol (BC FCOP) and verified by KPMG Performance Registrar Inc., ensuring the highest standards of environmental integrity. Over its 25-year lifespan, the project is expected to generate over 90,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) in BC offset units. In addition to its climate benefits, the project protects second-growth Coastal Western Hemlock forests, maintains wildlife corridors, and safeguards cultural heritage sites, including an Aboriginal portage route.Managem
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NICOSIA, CY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / PU Prime, a global leader in online trading, has clinched three prestigious awards fromBrands Review Magazine (BRM)in 2025, underscoring its commitment to excellence and innovation for Canadian traders.Presented by Brands Review Magazine (BRM), a respected London-based authority in recognizing outstanding brands across industries, these awards affirm PU Prime's leadership in delivering tailored, high-quality trading solutions. BRM's acknowledgment highlights PU Prime's growing influence and dedication to excellence in the competitive financial trading landscape.Top Performing CFD Broker Canada 2025PU Prime's recognition as Top Performing CFD Broker Canada 2025 showcases its superior trading experience, driven by competitive spreads, transparent pricing, and lightning-fast execution. With a diverse range ofCFD productsand a no-dealing-desk model, the broker continues to set the standard for reliability in the Canadian market.Best Forex Broker Canada 2025Earning the title of Best Forex Broker Canada 2025 , PU Prime empowers traders with access to nearly 100currency pairs, cutting-edge platforms likeMetaTrader 4andMetaTrader 5, and 24/7 multilingual customer support. This award highlights its blend of low costs and robust tools, making it a top choice for enthusiasts who are interested inforex trading.Best Copy Trading Platform Canada 2025The Best Copy Trading Platform Canada 2025 award celebrates PU Prime App's innovativecopy trading feature, which allows users to effortlessly replicate expert strategies. This accolade reflects the broker's mission to make trading accessible and user-friendly, resonating strongly with Canadian clients.Continued Leadership in Trading ExcellenceWith this triple victory,PU Primereinforces its position as a trusted leader in the CFD and forex markets. The company remains dedicated to delivering exceptional, cutting-edge solutions, meeting the evolving needs of traders in Canada and across the globe.For media inquiries, contact:media@ puprime.com About PU PrimeFounded in 2015,PU Primeis a leading global fintech company providing innovative online trading solutions. Today, we offer regulated financial products across various asset classes, including forex, commodities, indices, and shares. Committed to providing advanced technology and educational resources, PU Prime supports traders and investors at every stage, from beginner to professional. With a presence in over 120 countries and exceeding 40 million app downloads, PU Prime is dedicated to enabling financial success and fostering a global community of empowered traders. Discover PU Prime's latest promotions and join us for a fruitful trading journey today.Company InformationOrganization: PU PrimeContact Person Name: Qianyi HongWebsite: https://www.puprime.com/ Email: media@ puprime.com SOURCE: PU Prime
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VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 /Rio Grande Resources Ltd. (CSE:RGR)(OTC:RGRFL) ("Rio Grande" or "RIO" the "Company"), an emerging North American gold and silver exploration company, today announced that its common shares have received approval to be cross listed on the OTC Pink Market in the United States under the symbol RGRFL, effective as of March 19, 2025. The Company's common shares will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "RGR".The OTC Pink Market is for companies that provide ongoing financial disclosure and a management certification, and verify their company profile for US investors, brokers and regulators.Jason Barnard, Chief Executive Officer of Rio Grande, comments: "The approval to cross list on the OTC Markets is a significant capital markets milestone for Rio Grande. We believe this listing will serve to expand our potential US shareholder base, improve liquidity and elevate our public profile in the industry. We look forward to growing our global investor base through our listings in Canada and the U.S. as we proceed into an exciting period for our new company." Real-time quotes and market information for Rio Grande can be accessed on the OTC Markets' website at https://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/RGRLF/profile About Rio Grande ResourcesRio Grande Resources (CSE:RGR)(OTC:RGRFL) is a burgeoning mineral exploration company focused on unlocking the high-grade gold and silver potential within its 3,000-acre drill-ready property in the Black Range of Sierra County, New Mexico. The company holds 100% interest in the Winston project group, which includes the 2 patented historic Ivanhoe & Emporia Claims, and Little Granite mines, all known for their past production of high-grade precious metals. Rio Grande Resources is led by a team of experienced professionals with expertise in mineral exploration and development, who are targeting large-scale precious metal discoveries within the property's well-documented low-sulfidation epithermal setting. To view the company fact sheet and corporate presentation please visit our website atwww.riogranderesources.ca Contact and InformationCompany Jason Barnard, CEO and Director(604) 767-6598 jason.barnard@riogranderesources.ca Investor Relations Lucas A. ZimmermanManaging DirectorMZ Group - MZ North America(949) 259-4987RGR@ mzgroup.uswww.mzgroup.us Follow us or contact us on social media:X:https://x.com/RioGrandeRGRLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rio-grande-resources-ltd/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572800435230 Forward-Looking StatementsExcept for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company are or may constitute "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws and including, without limitation, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, for which the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward looking statements. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited CSE and the proposed benefits of the Arrangement. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected," "anticipates" or "does not anticipate," "plans," "estimates" or "intends," or stating that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, continuity of agreements with third parties, the satisfaction of the conditions to the Arrangement, risks and uncertainties associated with the environment and delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results 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. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings on SEDAR+. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Please refer to the Company's most recent filings under its profile at on SEDAR+ atwww.sedarplus.cafor further information respecting the risks affecting the Company and its business.The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.SOURCE: Rio Grande Resources
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DALLAS, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Sendero , a full-service management consulting firm, has earned the 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplaces award, issued byEnergage . This is the third consecutive year that the firm's workplace culture has been recognized at a national level.Sendero Consulting Named a 2025 USA TODAY Top Workplaces Award WinnerUSA TODAY Top Workplaces celebrates organizations with 150 or more employees that have built great cultures. Over 42,000 organizations were invited to participate in the USA TODAY Top Workplaces survey this year. The winners were selected based solely onemployee feedback , which was analyzed by comparing responses to the survey's research-based statements and industry benchmarks."We're proud to cultivate a workplace that prioritizes employee engagement, belonging, and growth," said Sendero COORuth Farrar . "It's an honor to be named to the USA TODAY Top Workplaces list, particularly because this award is a true reflection of our company's collective feedback about Sendero." Sendero employees consistently point to the firm's leadership development opportunities, numerous feedback channels, andcommitment to their core valuesas reasons for the outstanding company culture. In the past year, Sendero has been recognized by Top Workplaces as aNational Culture Awardwinner, certified byGreat Place To Work , and named to the2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Serviceslist. In addition, the firm boasts anaward-winning philanthropy program ."Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees," said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. "That's something to be proud of. In today's market, leaders must ensure they're allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That's paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends." About Sendero Sendero is a full-service management consulting firm focused on one thing: empowering rapid, significant, and measurable results. Sendero's experts provide guidance in strategic planning, digital transformation, and organizational effectiveness across a variety of industries to enable large and mid-sized companies to implement fundamental transformation. Since its founding in 2004, Sendero has routinely been recognized as a best place to work by employees, Top Workplaces, and the Dallas Morning News. With offices in Austin, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Nashville, and Phoenix, Sendero is focused on making an impact for its clients and community.Contact InformationLauren WellsMarketing Senior Managerpress@ senderoconsulting.com (972) 388-5806SOURCE: Sendero Consulting
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For over 30 years, Joseph Dedvukaj has been exclusively dedicated to representing car accident victims, fighting insurance companies to secure maximum compensation for his clients. The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. continues to expand its services to ensure crash victims receive the justice and financial recovery they deserve.BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Joseph Dedvukaj, founder of The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C., has spent more than three decades as a relentless advocate for car accident victims, handling thousands of cases and securing multi-million-dollar settlements for his clients. His firm specializes exclusively in car accident cases, helping injured drivers and passengers navigate complex insurance disputes, claim denials, and unfair settlement offers.With insurance companies prioritizing profits over people, Dedvukaj has built his reputation on fighting aggressively for victims' rights, ensuring they receive the full and fair compensation they are entitled to.Decades of Experience Fighting for Car Accident VictimsJoseph Dedvukaj has spent his entire legal career specializing in car accident cases, making him one of the most experienced and effective attorneys in Michigan in this field. He knows the strategies insurers use to minimize payouts and has successfully fought against them for decades."Many people accept lowball settlements because they don't realize how much their claim is worth," said Joseph Dedvukaj. "I've spent over 30 years ensuring that accident victims get every dollar they deserve. Insurance companies have teams of lawyers-so should you." What to Do After a Car Accident to Strengthen Your ClaimNavigating the car accident claims process requires careful action. Victims should:File a police report immediately.Gather evidence at the scene, including photos and witness statements.Seek medical attention-even if injuries don't seem serious.Avoid giving recorded statements to insurance adjusters without legal representation.Consult an attorney before accepting any settlement offer."One of the biggest mistakes people make is delaying medical treatment," Dedvukaj warns. "Insurance companies use gaps in medical care as an excuse to deny claims. Seeking immediate treatment strengthens your case." Maximizing Compensation for Car Accident VictimsCar accident victims may be eligible for significant compensation, including:Medical expenses (current & future)Lost wages and loss of earning capacityPain and sufferingVehicle repairs or replacementRehabilitation and long-term care costsInsurance companies routinely undervalue claims and use tactics to pay victims less than they deserve. With over three decades of experience exclusively handling car accident cases, Joseph Dedvukaj ensures that every client receives aggressive legal representation and the highest possible settlement.Free Consultations and No Upfront Fees - You Don't Pay Unless You WinThe Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay nothing unless their case is won.No upfront costsNo hidden fees100% risk-free representationAbout The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C.For over 30 years, The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. has been Michigan's leading car accident law firm, fighting exclusively for crash victims. The firm is known for its multi-million-dollar verdicts, aggressive litigation style, and commitment to getting clients maximum compensation.Contact The Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C. Today If You Have Any QuestionsIf you've been injured in a car accident, don't settle for less. Call the personal law firm that only handles car accident cases and wins big.Corporate Office: 1277 West Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 Telephone: (248) 352-2110 or 866-HIRE-JOEWebsite: www.1866HIREJOE.comFacebook:m.facebook.com/1866HIREJOELinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/joseph-dedvukaj-a03b4413 SOURCE: Joseph Dedvukaj Firm, P.C.
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The Wall Street Journal deliberately misled the public to cover up Chief Justice John Roberts' illegal use of executive power and Judge James Boasberg's fabrication of 15 unlawful "minute" orders - including 9 rushed, instant orders over the weekend.ST. JOHNS, FL / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / The Wall Street Journal continues to lie to suppress the truth about the weaponization of the judiciary against President Donald J. Trump, this time by falsely portraying Chief Justice John Roberts as a defender of judicial independence while ignoring his leadership role in coordinating judicial misconduct.Manuel P. Asensio, Chairman of St. Johns GOP, said, "I used the expression "false and untrue" instead of lie as the nation's Pioneer of Activist Short Selling on Wall Street, but I have never seen a bigger lie than that told by The Wall Street Journal in their latest anti-Trump propaganda piece, Chief Justice Roberts Criticizes Trump's Call to Impeach Judges." Asensio has pioneered information arbitrage in financial and political investigations, ensuring the truth reaches the public despite media suppression.The WSJ deliberately lied the public to shield Roberts from accountability while discrediting President Trump. Rather than addressing the systemic judicial misconduct that Trump has exposed, the WSJ lied to falsely reduces the issue to a procedural dispute over legal rulings.The idea that this is about legal rulings is a lie.The truth is that this is a power struggle between two branches of government, with Roberts hiding behind his judicial role while wielding unchecked executive power at the U.S. Judicial Conference. The real issue is not Trump's criticism of the courts but Roberts' ability to fabricate judicial policies, protect corrupt judges, and manufacture rulings designed to entrap Trump in perpetual legal warfare.What the Wall Street Journal Lied About:Judge James Boasberg's Record of Judicial MisconductBoasberg was handpicked by Roberts for the FISA Court, where he upheld fraudulent surveillance warrants used against Trump's campaign.Boasberg works as an executive policy maker with Roberts at the US Judicial Conference.Boasberg was the subject of a Judicial Conduct Complaint in an election-related case, which was summarily dismissed by his subordinates without any real review.Boasberg also presided over cases tied to the Mueller probe, where he protected Democrat-aligned entities and helped block full transparency into the FBI and DOJ's handling of the Russia collusion investigations.Chief Justice Roberts' Role in the Judicial War Against TrumpRoberts controls judicial policymaking at the U.S. Judicial Conference, where he enforces fabricated legal doctrines that ensure anti-Trump rulings at every level of the judiciary.By declaring that Trump should simply appeal Boasberg's barrage weekend bombing, Roberts is attempting to eliminate all avenues of judicial accountability while keeping Trump trapped in a process that he and his judicial allies control.Roberts has shielded judges like Boasberg, who have engaged in misconduct that directly impacted Trump's presidency, campaign, and legal defense.Despite Having Evidence, The Wall Street Journal's 14 Reporters Chose to LieDespite being provided with evidence directly by our team, including documented proof of Boasberg's misconduct, a team of 14 WSJ reporters refused to acknowledge the facts and instead published a pack of lies in an article deliberately designed to mislead the public and protect Roberts.Instead of investigating or reporting on the documented corruption within the U.S. Judicial Conference, they ignored clear evidence and framed Trump's entire fight as nothing more than an attack on judicial independence-a narrative crafted to deceive the public while protecting the entrenched power structure.Trump Must Challenge Roberts' Abuse of Power at the U.S. Judicial ConferencePresident Trump is being misled by the legal establishment into believing that his only recourse is to appeal case-by-case. This is a trap. The courts have already been stacked with judges who follow Roberts' judicial policies rather than neutral constitutional principles.Yesterday, we published our letter to White House Chief of Staff showing that we have done the work and have the information Trump needs to deal with Chief Justice John Roberts for his role in weaponizing the judiciary against him. His unchecked executive authority at the U.S. Judicial Conference must be exposed and dismantled.The Wall Street Journal had access to this information and refused to report on it. Their reporters were provided with the evidence, yet they chose to ignore it in favor of protecting Roberts and Boasberg.We Demand AccountabilityThe WSJ article appeared a day after we published our first letter to Trump's Chief of Staff. Yesterday we published on www.stjohnsgop.org a second letter to the White House Chief of Staff dealing with the WSJ's and Roberts's conduct. A copy is directly available at St. Johns GOP's website.We are calling on President Trump to stop treating these cases as legitimate legal disputes and instead address the true source of judicial corruption-Roberts use of executive power at the U.S. Judicial Conference.For media inquiries, interviews, or access to our full report, please contact:St. Johns Republican Presidential Executive Committee5122 A1A SouthSt. Augustine, Florida 32080(561) 946-1000 info@ stjohnsgop.org SOURCE: St. Johns Republican Presidential Executive Committee
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 20, 2025 / Western Alliance Bank recently disclosed that it suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal information entrusted to Western Alliance Bank.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?On January 27, 2025, Western Alliance became aware of a security incident related to a vulnerability in a third-party vendor's secure file transfer software. The vulnerable application exploited in the attack, which the firm did not name, is a Cleo file transfer tool. A third-party vendor's secure file transfer software used by Western Alliance and numerous other organizations had an unknown vulnerability. In October 2024, an unauthorized actor began exploiting this unknown vulnerability in the third-party software, allowing them to gain access to a limited portion of Western Alliance's systems and obtain copies of files from those systems. Western Alliance learned that an unauthorized actor had potentially accessed some of Western Alliance's data on January 27, 2025. The investigation determined that the unauthorized actor acquired certain files from the systems from October 12, 2024, to October 24, 2024. Western 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 information may have been compromised: name, Social Security number, date of birth, financial account number, driver's license number, tax identification number, and passport information (if provided to western alliance).On March 14, 2025, Western Alliance filed a notice with the Maine Attorney General and began notifying impacted individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who received notice that their personal information was compromised.WHY YOU 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 Western Alliance Bank, 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
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative dubbed Customs Cares, pledging long-term support for education, healthcare, environmental sustainability, and social investments across its operational areas.

The initiative, formally unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, will be funded by 4 per cent of the services annual wage bill, equivalent to half of each officers one-month salary.

In a statement, the service said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubus Renewed Hope Agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, reaffirmed this commitment, emphasising its role in fostering sustainable development across Nigeria.

He also said that the programme would be implemented in phases, beginning with the education sector.

Developing human capital is fundamental to Nigerias long-term growth. Our commitment to education goes beyond one-off interventionswe are adopting schools across the country, rehabilitating infrastructure, providing learning materials, and offering scholarships to ensure that financial constraints do not hinder academic excellence, the Comptroller-General said.

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The launch event saw the installation of CCTV cameras and solar-powered streetlights at the host school, alongside a pledge to renovate the schools auditorium and distribute educational materials.

The NCS has also announced plans to adopt at least one school per local government area in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before extending the initiative nationwide.

Approach

Beyond education, the Customs Cares initiative will focus on healthcare interventions, including medical outreach programmes, mobile clinics, and anti-malaria campaigns.

The service has begun discussions with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stakeholders to ensure effective implementation, particularly in border communities where healthcare access remains limited.

In addition, the initiative will support water and electricity projects, skills acquisition programmes, and environmental sustainability efforts.

Also, the NCS is partnering with local entrepreneurs to recycle used tyres into school bags, footwear, and construction materials, creating a circular economy model that integrates waste management with social development.

Funding

To ensure transparency and sustainability, a dedicated CSR unit has been established within the Office of the Comptroller-General, led by a senior officer.

The NCS also announced that the first-ever head of this unit is a woman, underscoring the agencys commitment to gender inclusivity in leadership roles.

Funding for the programme will be sourced from the services internal allocations, with voluntary contributions from customs officers complementing the 4 per cent wage bill allocation.

Mr Adeniyi reaffirmed that the initiative would not rely on external funding to maintain financial independence and accountability.

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Nollywood actor Yomi Fabiyi has revealed why Adura, Mohbads younger brother, was arrested on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES obtained a viral video of Mohbads mother, Abosede Olumiyi, accusing Mr Fabiyi of orchestrating the abduction of her son at the premises of the Magistrates Court in Ogba, Lagos.

She alleged that unidentified men believed to be police officers abducted Adura and pleaded with Nigerians for help in securing his release.

She said Mr Fabiyi played a role in the arrest, insisting that Adura was innocent of the allegations the actor made against him.

However, Mr Fabiyi, in a statement sent to this newspaper on Thursday signed by his foundation, Break The Silence Public Relations Officer (PRO) Gloria Ladeji, dismissed the allegations as baseless and defamatory.

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He stated that the allegations were an attempt to mislead the public, interfere with police investigations, and obstruct the pursuit of justice.

Mr Fabiyi said: Adura Aloba, Damola Ayinde Habeeb and Damilare Koleosho were persons of interest in an ongoing homicide investigation and fact-finding by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG ZONE 2 Police Command) via a petition and evidence from our Human Rights NGO. They were duly invited and served invitation letters on three different occasions, which they refused to honour.

They were called many times, and the Adura Aloba and Damola Ayinde Habeeb duo remained indifferent to the invitation. Meanwhile, Damilare Ibrahim Koleosho had several banters via WhatsApp chat with the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) about why he would never honour the invitation. His other accomplices are still at large.

Arrest

The actor further revealed that the police apprehended Adura after securing a court-issued arrest warrant.

He emphasised that the arrest followed due legal process.

The Police from the Zonal Headquarters approached the court, obtained a warrant of arrest and laid ambush outside the court to pick them up on Wednesday.

This was professionally carried out without moving anywhere inside the court or its premises. Adura Aloba used the court as a shield for hours. He eventually gave in, and upon arrest, Aduras mother and lawyer, who were with him, were again told the destination and allowed to drive behind the police vehicle.

He urged the public to ignore Mohbads mothers claims, stating that his legal team would pursue legal action against Mrs Olumiyi in court.

Background

Since Mohbads passing on 12 September 2023, his family has been entangled in controversies.

Key among them are disputes over the paternity of his son, Liam, ownership of his assets, and the battle over his final resting place.

The former Marlian Music signee died under mysterious circumstances, sparking allegations against his former label boss, Naira Marley, music promoter Sam Larry, childhood friend Prime Boy, and ex-manager.

Authorities arrested the accused on charges of bullying and harassment, but they were later released on bail in November 2023.

On 26 February, the Yaba Magistrate Court dismissed any direct links between them and Mohbads death.

However, the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ruled that the auxiliary nurse who treated him, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, and an associate, Ayobami Sadiq, would be prosecuted.

The DPP stated that both individuals would face charges for reckless and negligent acts under Section 251(e) of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015.

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Hamas has responded to Israels renewed offensive attack on the Gaza Strip with three M29 rockets that targeted Tel Aviv, a city which plays a central role in Israels economy.

The projectiles were fired on Thursday, destroying occupied territories deep inside the city, according to the Hamas military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

The rockets are the first to be fired from Gaza since Israel broke the two-month-old ceasefire agreement with Hamas on Tuesday by launching an attack that killed 404 Palestinians and left 562 others injured.

The strikes are considered the deadliest since the ceasefire deal took effect in January.

It affected multiple parts of the strip; Khan Younis and Rafah City in the south, Gaza City in the north, and central regions, including Deir el-Balah.

According to Gazas Ministry of Health, more than 200 children have been killed in the last three days.

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Hamas described Israels attacks as a unilateral cancellation of the ceasefire that began on 19 January.

Netanyahu and his extremist government are making a decision to overturn the ceasefire agreement, exposing prisoners in Gaza to an unknown fate, Hamas said in a statement on Tuesday.

The group called on people in Arab and Islamic nations, along with the free people of the world, to take to the streets to protest the assault.

World leaders react

The deadly strikes on Gaza drew global condemnation, with world leaders calling them a violation of international law.

Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Mao Ning, said the country was highly concerned about the situation and urged Israel and Hamas to prevent escalation.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said the strikes were part of deliberate efforts to make the Gaza Strip uninhabitable and force the Palestinians into displacement.

Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and Turkey condemned the violence. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was shocked by the renewed strikes.

The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, also described the strikes on the Gaza Strip as horrifying. Similarly, Britain and France called for an end to the renewed hostilities.

Israel blames attack on Hamas

However, Israel said it plans to expand its military campaign against Hamas.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, accused Hamas of rejecting efforts by the US to extend the ceasefire and secure a deal for the release of the remaining hostages still held by Hamas.

He claimed Hamass refusal necessitated the renewed military attack on the strip.

Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength, the Prime Ministers Office said in a statement.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect on the eve of Mr Trumps inauguration.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the phase saw Hamas return 25 living Israeli hostages and the remains of eight others in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel as well as five living Thai hostages.

The phase ended on 1 March, and negotiations for the second phase began afterwards.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Israel had consulted with United States President Donald Trump about the strikes.

As President Donald Trump has made it clear, Hamas, the Houthis, Iran, all those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but also the United States of America will see a price to pay. All hell will break loose, she said.

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public about the sale of mislabelled Chlorpheniramine and Dexamethasone injection ampoules in Nigeria.

In a public alert (No. 06/2025) posted on the agencys website, NAFDAC revealed that these injections were repacked and mislabelled as Noristerat Injection 200mg.

It stated that samples of the counterfeit product had been found in Niger State, Bauchi State, and especially at the Coordinated Wholesale Centre (CWC) in Kano State.

NAFDAC also stated that the counterfeiters have been tracked and arrested for further investigation and regulatory enforcement.

The agency clarified that genuine Noristerat 200mg is a contraceptive injection that provided eight weeks of pregnancy protection and is a short-term birth control method.

NAFDAC directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to monitor and remove the falsified products from circulation within their zones and states.

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The agency urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and caregivers to be vigilant in the supply chain to prevent the entry of counterfeit products.

NAFDAC emphasised that medical products should only be obtained from authorised or licensed suppliers, and the authenticity and physical condition of products should be carefully checked.

The agency encouraged healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicions of substandard or falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, or through the NAFDAC helpline at 0800-162-3322, or via email at [email protected].

It also urged healthcare professionals and patients to report any adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices through the nearest NAFDAC office.

READ ALSO: NAFDAC nabs man allegedly defrauding foreign companies

It said the public could also report negative drug effects using the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website (www.nafdac.gov.ng) or through the Med-Safety app, available on Android and iOS stores, or via email at [email protected]

NAFDAC said that the falsified injection alert would also be uploaded to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS).

(NAN)

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The two chambers of the Nigerian National Assembly used voice votes to approve President Bola Tinubus State of Emergency in Rivers despite a constitutional provision that mandates two-thirds majority votes by each chamber for such approval.

Section 305 (6b) of the Nigerian constitution mandates that a state of emergency in any part of Nigeria proclaimed by the president must be supported by a two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly.

Many Nigerians had, thus, hoped that the Senate and House of Representatives would adopt proper debate and voting procedures so Nigerians would know the actual number of lawmakers that supported the presidents declaration, who they were and whether or not the constitutional requirement was met.

With 109 senators and 360 rep members, this means at least 73 senators and 240 representatives must vote in favour of the emergency rule.

However, instead of conducting an official roll-call vote in which each lawmakers stance is recorded, both chambers of the National Assembly adopted a voice vote, a method where lawmakers simply shout aye or nay, and the presiding officer subjectively determines which side has the majority.

The approval process

In the Senate, lawmakers first held a closed-door meeting for one-hour and twenty minutes, where they agreed to support the proclamation.

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After returning to the plenary, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, read a prepared resolution and put it to a voice vote. There was no open debate, and PREMIUM TIMES observed that no senator was heard opposing the motion when it was put to a voice vote.

Similarly, in the House of Representatives, the proclamation was put to a voice vote, and the majority supported it, without an official count of individual votes.

Nigerians speak

A two-thirds majority cannot be achieved via a voice vote. Members voting for or against the resolution to ratify the Presidents emergency actions must identify themselves and cast their votes individually, banker Atedo Peterside wrote on X before Thursdays meetings of the lawmakers.

The view was shared by many other Nigerians including activist Dele Farotimi, who argued that a voice vote cannot substitute for a recorded two-thirds majority vote required by the Constitution.

It is interesting that Uncle Atedo is raising this point. @Senator_Akpabio must not resort to a voice vote in determining the 2/3 majority demanded by the Constitution. The vote must be clearly counted, and the numbers clearly determined. A voice vote will not suffice, Mr Farotimi wrote before the sitting.

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Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral and former chief of naval staff, has taken over as sole administrator of Rivers State.

Mr Ibas arrived at Port Harcourt, the state capital, at about 11:25 a.m. on Thursday, an official confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES.

His arrival occurred almost the same time Nigerias House of Representatives approved the declaration of a state of emergency in the south-southern state.

The Senate would later follow suit, approving the emergency rule with minor changes.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the South-southern state on Tuesday.

Mr Tinubu also suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all the House of Assembly members for an initial six months.

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The president consequently appointed Mr Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.

He cited the disturbing incidents in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state, as the basis for the emergency rule.

Arrival, take over

Mr Ibas was accompanied by the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju and the assistant inspector general of police, Zone 16.

The sole administrator was immediately conducted around the Rivers State Government House by officials of the suspended state government.

He subsequently held a closed-door meeting with senior security officers, a federal government delegation, and some state officials.

Details of the closed-door meeting were unknown as of press time.

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The Police Command in Abia State has announced the dismissal of Kufre Moses, with force number AP/NO 338736, effective from 21 February.

The commands spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, disclosed this in a press release on Wednesday night in Umuahia.

Ms Chinaka, a deputy superintendent of police, said Mr Moses, an inspector, was previously assigned as a security guard at UBA Bank in Aba, Abias commercial hub, before his dismissal.

He has also been de-kitted, and all police accoutrements have been retrieved from him.

This action follows administrative disciplinary measures taken against him by the command for discreditable conduct and offences against discipline, she said.

Ms Chinaka said the Commissioner of Police in Abia, Danladi Isa, reaffirmed the commands zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct.

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She quoted the police commissioner as reassuring the public that the command would not condone misconduct within the force.

Under his leadership, the command remains committed to the Inspector General of Polices vision of ensuring a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant, and people-friendly police force, she added.

(NAN)

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A Nigerian entrepreneur, Atedo Peterside, has urged the National Assembly not to use voice votes in their resolution to ratify or reject President Bola Tinubus declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

The Senate and the House of Representatives are expected to pass a resolution on the matter today, Thursday, 20 February.

On the Rivers State Crisis, all eyes are on the National Assembly, Mr Peterside said on X, Wednesday morning.

A two-thirds majority cannot be achieved via a voice vote. Members voting for or against the resolution to ratify the Presidents emergency actions must identify themselves and cast their votes individually, he said.

Mr Peterside is the founder of the Stanbic IBTC Bank in Nigeria.

Dele Farotomi, a lawyer, political activist and author of the controversial book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, tweeted in support of Mr Petersides post.

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It is interesting that Uncle Atedo is raising this point. @Senator_Akpabio must not resort to a voice vote in determining the 2/3 majority demanded by the Constitution. The vote must be clearly counted, and the numbers clearly determined. A voice vote will not suffice, he said on the microblogging platform.

In a Tuesday night broadcast, Mr Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the State Assembly for six months.

He appointed and swore in Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, as the Rivers administrator.

The presidents action is a fallout of the protracted political crisis in Rivers and the recent bombing of an oil pipeline in the state. However, there has been nationwide outrage against the removal of the governor, his deputy, and the state lawmakers, with many saying it is unconstitutional.

Some Nigerians believe the National Assembly may not get a two-thirds majority, as required by the constitution, to ratify Mr Tinubus declaration because of the presidents unpopularity.

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More than a month after filing an 18-count criminal case against Naomi Silekunola, ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, along with broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat and school principal Fasasi Abdullahi, the Oyo State Government has dropped the charges.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the charges were filed against the trio following a stampede at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan, during a childrens funfair on 18 December 2024.

However, in a video seen by this newspaper on Thursday, Oyo State Attorney General Abiodun Aikomo announced that the case had been dismissed.

Addressing journalists after the court session, where the defendants appeared in high spirits while exiting the courtroom, Mr Aikomo stated that the decision to drop the charges was made in the interest of justice.

BREAKING: The Oyo State government has withdrawn criminal charges against Oriyomi Hamzat, Prophetess Naomi, and school principal over Ibadan stampede pic.twitter.com/qwiBKLUWBK  Prince DML (@Demola320) March 20, 2025

He said: It was an unfortunate incident in December that led to the death of some children, and you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course. So, the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.

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And in doing that, we wanted to prosecute, but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion. And as far as human beings can do, they try to persuade the feelings of the affected parties.

He emphasised that prosecuting the trio was the governments most appropriate action rather than considering any alternative.

And the circumstance, we felt, the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them.

It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, which is what happened today. So we withdrew the charge, and the court struck it out. There is no charge against them again, so they are free, he said.

Background

This newspaper reported that the state Police Command confirmed the deaths of 35 minors following a tragic stampede in Ibadan.

The Police spokesperson, Adewale Osifeso, announced the arrest of eight suspects concerning the incident.

The case was subsequently handed over to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

The trio were later arraigned at the Iyaganku Chief Magistrates Court in Ibadan.

Presiding over the case, Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi declined to take their plea, citing a lack of jurisdiction.

She ordered their remand at the Agodi Correctional Centre pending further legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the state government accused the defendants of failing to ensure proper security, crowd control, and medical preparedness at the event where the tragedy occurred.

The government initially filed charges against them at the Oyo State High Court but later withdrew the case.

The charges marked I/05C/2025 were based on Sections 308 and 344 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

Eventually, the defendants were granted bail set at N10 million each, which they successfully fulfilled.

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Unidentified armed persons on Wednesday killed the chairperson of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Muhammad Adamu, in Barikin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The chairperson of the Fulani socio-cultural organisation in the state, Ibrahim Babayo, disclosed the incident to reporters in Jos. He said the deceased was attacked at his residence in Barikin Ladi town after the Ramadan iftar.

The group condemned the incident and called on the security agencies to investigate the alleged targeted killing of its leaders and arrest the killers.

Another leader of the group in the area, Danjuma Ibrahim, said the remains of Mr Adamu had been deposited at the Barikin Ladi General Hospital ahead of the burial scheduled for Thursday.

Mr Danjuma said the deceased had fallen to the assassins bullets after three previous unsuccessful attempts to kill him.

The police spokesperson in the state, Alabo Alfred, could not be reached immediately to comment on the incident.

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The killing of Mr Adamu follows that of another Miyyetti Allah leader in Kwara State, Idris Sakaina.

Mr Sakaina was shot dead on 9 March by assailants who accosted him in front of his residence in Oke Ose, Ilorin.

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The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has sympathised with the victims of the motor vehicle accident that occurred on Wednesday evening in Karu, Abuja.

He has also offered to pay the medical bills for the casualties.

The minister, who described the accident as avoidable, expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and directed the continuation of treatments for those who sustained injuries.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the FCT minister said when he heard about the accident, he immediately directed the Mandate Secretary on Health and Environment, Adedolapo Fasawe, to ensure prompt treatment of the injured, which she did.

On my directive, the Mandate Secretary on Health and Environment, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe was in Asokoro District Hospital, till todays morning and she was among the medical personnel who attended to the 17 casualties brought to the hospital.

She briefed me that after initial stabilisation, seven of the 17 casualties received were referred to National Hospital, six with minor injuries were treated successfully, three with severe burns and inhalation and crush injuries are currently receiving treatment. However, one of the casualties with third-degree burns passed away while being resuscitated, he said.

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Calling on road users, especially heavy-duty vehicle drivers, to always be cautious and adhere strictly to speed limits while driving, Mr Wike said it was painful that precious lives were lost and vehicles were destroyed in an accident that could have been avoided.

He called on the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other agencies saddled with the responsibility of ensuring safe usage of the roads to intensify efforts to maintain strict compliance with traffic rules.

Lere Olayinka

Senior Special Assistant

Public Communications and Social Media

March 20, 2025

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The House of Representatives Chairpersons on Police Affairs and Army have expressed their willingness to amend the law guiding private security operations in Nigeria.

The lawmakers made the pledge on Tuesday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of a workshop on Private Security Governance and Legislative Oversight in Nigeria.

The Private Guard Companies Act, 1986, is the primary law regulating private security companies in the country.

Experts say the law needs to be amended to reflect the current private security landscape in the country and with consideration for emerging threats.

The workshop, which drew participants from security agencies and relevant committees of the national assembly, was organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies(NILDS) in conjunction with the African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) and the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF).

The Chairperson of the Committee on Army, Aminu Balele (APC-Katsina), represented by David Ogewu (APC-Benue), said that every Nigerian had a role to play in the security of the country.

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Mr Ogewu said the national assembly had been very committed to security matters, as seen in the budgetary allocation to the sector.

The lawmaker said the committee was looking forward to the outcome of the workshop as its own contribution to legislative and policy formulation

There is need for effective oversight of private security companies- NILDS DG

Meanwhile, in his opening remarks at the workshop, Abubakar Sulaiman, director-general, National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), called for an effective oversight of private security companies in the country.

Mr Sulaiman, a professor, said the role of the private security sector in Nigeria had become increasingly crucial in augmenting public security and ensuring the safety of lives and property.

He said that the private security industry in the country has witnessed exponential growth in recent years, with well over 1,500 registered companies providing sundry security services to organisations and private individuals

Beyond traditional guarding, Mr Abubakar said private security companies now provide technical services like private surveillance and investigative services.

He said that while the growth presented opportunities to improve national security and job creation, it also gave rise to a new set of governance challenges, which required effective oversight by the legislature.

Mr Sulaiman said that with the evolving security landscape, driven by complex and emerging threats such as insurgency, banditry, cyber threats and transnational crimes, it was imperative to strengthen the governance and oversight of private security operations in the country.

As chairmen and clerks of security-related committees, your roles in enacting effective legislation and ensuring diligent oversight cannot be overstated.

Robust legislative oversight is fundamental to ensuring that the private security sector operates within the framework of national laws, adheres to international best practices and complements the efforts of state security agencies in maintaining peace and order, he said.

The director-general stressed the need to urgently amend the Private Guard Companies Act, 1986, which is the primary law regulating private security companies in the country.

He said the law was crafted without consideration to the current private security landscape or evolving threats.

In her remarks, the Programme Manager of DCAF, Gabrielle Prinklopilova, said the centre, established in 2000, was an initiative of the Swiss Government.

READ ALSO: Tinubu commends NASS for approving emergency rule in Rivers

Ms Prinklopilova also said the organisation, governed by a foundation council of 40 member-states, offered support to states, international organisations and civil society organisations to build effective, inclusive and accountable security institutions guided by international norms and practices.

We help states regulate private military and security companies and ensure that the operations align with legal standards, human rights and public security needs.

We also develop national regulatory frameworks and we are here with our esteemed partner, to work with them to strengthen regulatory frameworks in Nigeria, she said.

(NAN)

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Uruguay-headquartered payment platform dLocal, which connects global merchants to emerging markets, has announced a strategic partnership with fintech Belmoney, the first remittance-as-a-service (RaaS) provider in Europe.

Through this partnership, dLocal says it enables Belmoney to facilitate cross-border payouts, leveraging over 900 local and alternative payment methods such as credit and debit cards, bank transfers, and instant transactions in Bangladesh, Ecuador, Peru and Pakistan  along with digital wallets like OPay in Nigeria and GCash in the Philippines.

This integration, it says, significantly improves processing speeds, service reliability, and cost efficiency, ensuring that users receive their funds quickly and securely.

Leveraging dLocals expertise, Belmoney says it is expanding into fast-growing markets like China and advancing innovation with its RaaS platform. By reinforcing payment infrastructure, the platform helps money transfer operators to scale efficiently, streamline transaction processing, and enhance compliance for seamless cross-border operations.

As dLocal points out, the global remittance industry remains burdened with high fees and slow transaction speeds. According to the IMF, it says, transfers under US$200 incur average fees of 10%, reaching up to 20% in smaller migration corridors. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals call for a reduction in remittance costs to 3%, yet the current average sits at 6.5%.

Thus, says Martin Sapiurka, Head of Remittances at dLocal, his company is committed to simplifying global payments in emerging markets. He continues: The collaboration with Belmoney ensures that more people in underserved regions have access to fast, reliable, and cost-effective cross-border payments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
A group, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for declaring a state of emergency and suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.

The group is a coalition of over 70 civil society organisations working in support of credible elections and governance in Nigeria.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the South-southern state on Tuesday.

The president suspended Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu, and all the House of Assembly members for an initial six months.

He cited the disturbing incidents in the state in the last 24 hours, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state, as the basis for his action.

Its illegal,- group kicks

Yunusa Yau, the groups convener, said in a statement on Wednesday that Mr Tinubus suspension of the elected governor, his deputy and the state assembly was illegal.

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These actions constitute an egregious assault on Nigerias constitutional democracy and a dangerous threat to Constitutional rule in Nigeria, that must not be allowed to stand, Mr Zakara Yau said.

The convener stressed that the presidents reliance on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as a justification for such a draconian move is a blatant misinterpretation of the constitution.

While the Constitution provides for the declaration of a State of Emergency under specific and extreme circumstances, it does not grant the president the power to unilaterally sack elected officials or dissolve democratic institutions.

The removal of a governor and state legislators is a grave violation of the principles of separation of powers and the democratic rights of the people of Rivers State, who freely elected their leaders, he said.

This is a point underpinned by the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Rivers State issue which was ironically referenced by the President himself in his address last night (Tuesday).

Political situation in Rivers not enough for emergency rule

Mr Yau argued that the political situation in Rivers State did not meet circumstances for which an emergency rule should be declared in the south-south state.

Citing Section 305 of the Constitution, the convener maintained that emergency rule can only be declared in the event of war, external aggression, breakdown of public order and public safety, or threat to the government.

He accused Mr Tinubu of prioritising political battles and suppressing dissent over effective governance, rather than pressing economic and security challenges that the government urgently needs to address.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room categorically rejects this unconstitutional usurpation of power and calls on the National Assembly to refuse to approve this illegal declaration.

The Senate and the House of Representatives must uphold their constitutional duty to check executive excesses and defend Nigerias democratic institutions, he said.

We urge lawmakers to immediately reject this unconstitutional overreach by the Presidency, thereby preventing an authoritarian drift that threatens the stability of our nation.

Televise Senate voting on emergency rule

Earlier on Wednesday, the Senate postponed debate on the emergency rule in Rivers State to Thursday.

Mr Yau, in the statement, demanded that Senate voting on the emergency rule should be televised nationally to check possible manipulation.

The constitution is very clear that what is required for this emergency declaration to pass is two-third of votes of the 360 members of the House of Representatives and the 109 votes of members of the Senate.

Meaning that no less than 240 members of the House of Representatives and 72 Senators must vote in support of the declaration of the state of emergency for it to stand, he said.

Otherwise, the declaration must fail, and the governor and the state legislators be returned to office immediately.

Judiciary, United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS should take note

The group asked the judiciary and international community and bodies including the United Nations, the African Union, ECOWAS and other democratic nations, to take note of this constitutional breach and exert diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian government to reverse these illegal actions.

It stated, Any attempt to override the electoral mandate of the people of Rivers State is a direct affront to the sovereignty of the Nigerian people and must be resisted by all democratic forces.

We call on all Nigerians to stand in solidarity against this dangerous precedent and demand the full restoration of constitutional governance in Rivers State.

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The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has warned about a potential Meningococcal meningitis outbreak in Northern Nigeria, citing worsening weather conditions as a major risk factor.

In its Meningitis Watch issued on Wednesday, NiMet stated that dust particles in suspension, coupled with high heat and humidity, are expected to increase over the next three days.

Although residents have complained about intense heat across Nigeria, NiMet warned that the situation is more dire in the northern part of the country, which is on average hotter than the southern part.

The agency explained that the weather conditions have increased the prospects of the outbreak of Meningococcal meningitis over the northern part of the country.

According to NiMet, the states most vulnerable to an outbreak include Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, and Borno.

It warned the most vulnerable groups include infants, young children, the aged, those with weak immune systems and people with head injuries.

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Outbreak in Kebbi

PREMIUM TIMES reports that NiMets warning comes amid a rising outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Kebbi State, where the death toll has now reached 55.

The outbreak has affected Aliero, Gwandu, and Jega local government areas of the state.

The Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Yunusa Musa-Ismaila, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Shehu Nuhu-Koko, disclosed the death toll at a press briefing in Birnin Kebbi.

The outbreak, which initially recorded 26 deaths, has escalated sharply, raising concerns among health officials.

On Tuesday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced plans to deploy a rapid response team to contain the outbreak.

About Meningitis, prevention

According to NCDC, meningitis is an inflammation of the meninges, a thin layer of the connective tissue that covers the brain and the spinal cord.

This inflammation can be caused by infection with organisms like bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Injuries and certain drugs can also cause such inflammation.

On transmission, NCDC said meningitis is transmitted from direct person-to-person contact, including droplets from the nose and throat of infected persons; and close and prolonged contact with an infected individual.

CSM initially presents as fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, photophobia (pain on looking at bright lights), neck stiffness, and altered conscious levels. It may be more difficult to observe these signs in younger children, but irritability, poor feeding, and inactivity are common, NCDC noted.

To reduce the risk of infection, NiMet has advised residents to get vaccinated, maintain good hygiene by washing hands regularly, and avoid close contact with infected individuals.

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A 14-year-old boy, Timothy Amosun, in Junior Secondary School 3, has died after a rainstorm destroyed Mayigi Community Comprehensive High School in Ilase, Ogun State.

The Ogun government confirmed the incident on Wednesday through a statement by Lekan Adeniran, chief press secretary to Gov. Dapo Abiodun.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five other pupils, two teachers, a food vendor, and her seven-month-old child sustained injuries during the tragic incident.

The governor sympathised with the victims of the rainstorm, which caused the collapse of the school building in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state.

He described the incident as a rude shock and a painful tragedy for the affected families and the community.

We pray God grants the family of the deceased the strength to endure this irreplaceable loss, the governor said.

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He assured the public that the state government would cover the medical expenses of those injured in the rainstorm.

ALSO READ: Rainstorm throws Ekiti communities into darkness

The governor also directed that victims in critical condition be transferred to specialist hospitals within and outside Ogun for comprehensive medical care.

Additionally, Mr Abiodun instructed the Commissioner for Education to visit the victims families and assess the damage to facilitate the schools reconstruction.

(NAN)

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At least one UN staffer has been killed and five others injured following an explosion at two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Wednesday.

Several of the injured staffers are reported to be very severely hurt, though further details on their conditions have not yet been provided

The UN is verifying and confirming the details, including the circumstances that led to the incident at the compound.

However, it was not due to any action that was being taken by UN personnel to remove unexploded ordinance, the head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) said during a press conference in Brussels.

The UN officials statement clarifies that the incident did not involve any activities related to the removal of unexploded ordinance by UN personnel, and further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause and context of the event.

According to media reports, the Israeli military  which has resumed deadly strikes in the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds since Monday  has denied attacking the compound.

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These premises were well known by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and they were deconflicted, UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva, said, explaining that everyone knew who was working inside the premises  it was UN personnel, UNOPS personnel.

This was not an accident, this was an incident, he told journalists, adding that additional information is being collected.

What we do know is that an explosive ordnance was dropped or fired at the infrastructure and detonated inside the building, he said, adding it was unclear if it had been due to air-drop weapons, artillery or rocket fire.

Mr Silva stressed that attacks against humanitarian premises are a breach of international law.

UN personnel and its premises must be protected by all sides. The civilian population relies on the UN for lifesaving assistance, they are an essential lifeline at the time of utter tragedy and devastation, he said.

The incident took place around 11:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. It followed strikes on Tuesday that resulted in some damage, and a near miss on Monday, Mr Silva said.

The UN buildings are situated in an isolated area in Dier al Balah.

As investigations continue into the incident, the top priority is the evacuation of injured staff members, Mr Silva said.

We have stayed and delivered for the people in Gaza in the last year and a half. This was not the first time a colleague from UNOPS lost their life, he added.

He noted that a staffer who drove aid trucks was killed around a year ago in the line of duty.

It is very difficult to operate in Gazawe have been challenged by the fact that international humanitarian law has not been respected, he said.

UNOPS teams in Gaza have been carrying out critical humanitarian work, supporting hundreds of thousands of civilians severely affected by the conflict.

Their efforts include delivering essential supplies such as fuel and assisting in demining and explosive removal.

Additionally, the agency manages the so-called UN 2720 Mechanism for Gaza, which was mandated by the Security Council to accelerate humanitarian aid into the enclave.

In a related development, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed that all parties to the conflict have a legal obligation to protect UN premises, which must remain inviolable.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief strongly condemned the attacks and called for a full investigation.

Todays deadly strike brings the number of UN colleagues killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 to at least 280, the statement noted.

Mr Guterres emphasised that all military operations must respect and prioritise civilian protection.

The Secretary-General stresses the need for the ceasefire to be respected to bring an end to the suffering of the people.

Humanitarian aid must reach all people in need. The hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally, he said.

(NAN)

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A coalition of some political leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on the National Assembly to vote against President Bola Tinubus suspension of elected officials in Rivers State.

The coalition also urged the judiciary to swiftly strike down Mr Tinubus pronouncement, noting that it sets a dangerous precedent that could be used to arbitrarily remove any governor in the future.

It also called on all Nigerians, civil society organisations and political groups to reject the move.

Addressing a press conference on behalf of the coalition on Thursday,, Atiku described Mr Tinubus actions as illegal and a violation of the countrys constitution.

The coalition accused Mr Tinubu of failing to follow due process and misusing Section 305 of the 1999 constitution to declare a state of emergency.

Flanked by Mr El-Rufai,the spokesperson of the Labour Party, Yunusa Tanko, and a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Atiku said Mr Tinubu failed to meet the criteria for the declaration of a state of emergency.

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Section 305 of the Constitution allows the President to declare a State of Emergency only in extreme cases where public safety, national security, or Nigerias sovereignty is at serious risk. However, it does not grant him the power to suspend elected officials or to demolish democratic structures as he has brazenly done, he said.

This action is not only unlawful but also a clear subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government. We strongly condemn this development and call on all Nigerians of good conscience to resist this brazen assault on the constitution of our country and the institutions of our democracy.

Even if an emergency declaration were valid (which it is not), it would still require a two-thirds majority approval of all members of the National Assembly-that is, at least, 72 Senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives. If this approval is not secured, the proclamation must automatically cease to have effect.

Background

Mr Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency on Rivers State and suspended elected officials including the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and all elected lawmakers of the state House of Assembly for an initial period of six months.

Mr Tinubu also appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral and former chief of naval staff, as the administrator of the state for the next six months.

The president cited as the basis for his action the disturbing violence in the state, including explosions and vandalisation of petroleum pipelines linked to the political crises in the state.

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The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubus request to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State despite not meeting the constitutional requirement.

The lower chamber granted approval during Thursdays plenary session, making some minor amendments.

During the session, presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the House resolved that the National Assembly would serve as the legislative arm for the state while the state of emergency lasts.

It said rather than approaching the Federal Executive Council, the sole administrator of Rivers State should make recourse to the National Assembly in accordance with Section (11) of the Constitution for approval of regulations he may have to formulate and actions to be taken to deliver on his assignment.

The lawmakers also resolved that a National Peace and Reconciliation Committee be constituted with members drawn from the Federal Executive Council, the National Assembly and other eminent Nigerians to foster sustainable peace and harmony amongst the warring factions in Rivers State.

The House further resolved that President Tinubu should consider lifting the suspension of the governor and the Assembly members any moment that peace is deemed to have been satisfactorily achieved between the warring factions in Rivers before the expiration of the blanket period of six months.

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The plenary was attended by 243 out of the 360 members of the House.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state, a controversial decision that has raised concerns among many Nigerians.

The president also suspended the governor, Siminilayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the states lawmakers for six months. He also appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, and a former chief of naval staff, as the administrator of the oil-rich state for six months.

Mr Tinubu gave different reasons for his action including the political impasse in the state, the implications of a recent Supreme Court judgement and the wilful destruction of oil pipelines by militants allegedly sympathetic to Mr Fubara in his feud with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

However, many have asked the president to rescind the decision, stating that it is undemocratic.

Constitution requirements

At the start of the deliberations, several lawmakers raised constitutional points of order.

Obi Aguocha, a member from Abia State, raised a point of order, stating that the constitutional procedures must be followed as stipulated in Section 305 and that a headcount should be taken.

He said section 305 of the constitution mandates that the presidents request must be approved by a two-thirds majority of House members.

But some lawmakers interrupted him, shouting, Sit down!.

Section 305(6) stipulates that: Proclamation issued by the President under this section shall cease to have effect (b) if it affects the Federation or any part thereof and within two days when the National Assembly is in session, or within ten days when the National Assembly is not in session, after its publication, there is no resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the proclamation

A two-thirds majority in the House is 240 members.

However, Fred Agbedi, a PDP member from Bayelsa State, supported Mr Aguochas argument, emphasising that, in the interest of transparency, the quorum should be announced to assure Nigerians of their commitment to openness.

But former Deputy Speaker Idris Wase (APC, Plateau) urged his colleagues to allow debate on the issue before raising concerns about the constitutional threshold.

Mr Wase stated that most of the issues had been resolved during a closed-door session, adding that there was a strong economic reason to approve the presidents request.

The speaker noted that they would rely on the attendance register outside.

While coordinating the debate, Mr Tajudeen, relying on a list, allowed some members to speak on the request. Interestingly, none of the lawmakers granted permission to speak opposed the request. Instead, each of them proposed amendments, all of which were approved.

Taking over the functions of the Rivers State Assembly

Etanabene Benedict from Delta State, citing Section 11 of the 1999 Constitution, argued that the National Assembly should take over the functions of the Rivers State Assembly during the state of emergency, adding that the administrator should report to the House.

Section 11(4) of the Constitution states:

At any time when any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that State with respect to matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or expedient until such time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions; and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the House of Assembly of the State.

Mr Benedicts amendment was unanimously adopted by the House.

National Committee to intervene

In his contribution, the Deputy Spokesperson of the House, Philip Agbese, moved an amendment for the creation of a national committee comprising representatives of the executive, the legislature, and respected elders to intervene.

He argued that the committee should mediate to resolve the political crisis in the state.

When the amended request was put to a vote by the presiding officer, the lawmaker unanimously voted in support.

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in collaboration with Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and UK International Development, on Wednesday organised an inter-agency consultative workshop on the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) for the promotion and protection of human rights.

The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, emphasised that the NAP was a vital document and a strategic roadmap for integrating human rights into governance, policy-making, and institutional frameworks.

Its focus is to address gaps, promote, protect and enforce human rights in compliance with national and global human rights standards. The NAP stands out as a comprehensive policy document with transformative goals for advancing human rights in Nigeria, balancing past challenges with future aspirations,

The NAP is a policy document developed under the recommendations of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action (1993), which charges countries to develop a National Action Plan for the advancement of human rights.

The NAP contains civil and political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, the right to peace, protected environment and sustainable development, the rights of women and children, and other areas of rights.

Some of the aims of the workshop outlined by the NHRC boss include the introduction of the NAP to implementing partners and agencies, creating inter-agency collaboration, identifying challenges and opportunities to advance human rights and strengthening partnerships with development partners.

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Mr Onukwu also emphasised the need for partnership in implementing the NAP in all sectors of society.

The chairperson, Committee on Human Rights, House of Representatives, Abiola Makinde, represented by the vice chairperson, Mudashiru Lukman, acknowledged the need for the implementation of the NAP due to the enduring battle to safeguard human rights in Nigeria.

He said, There are several Nigerians that still face discrimination, inequality, and injustice. There is a need for us all to continue to speak up and support those who are denying their fundamental human rights.

I believe that with the cooperation among government agencies, institutions, NGOs, civil society, organisations that are represented here today, will help improve, strengthen, protect, and promote human rights in Nigeria.

Overview of the NAP and step-by-step implementation strategy

While giving an overview of the NAP, the Senior Adviser to the NHRC, Hilary Ogbonna, said that the document is a framework for sustained and coordinated ways to promote human rights.

Mr Ogbonna said that during the development of the NAP, the challenges of human rights violations were factored in.

The NAP captures the roles of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), national and state houses of assemblies, federal and state ministries, and government agencies need to play in advancing human rights in Nigeria.

The workshop, designed to facilitate the implementation of the NAP 2024-2028, featured a step-by-step guide to institutional implementation. Mr Ojukwu led the session.

The step-by-step implementation of the NAP includes communicating with and mobilizing stakeholders, sustainable financing process, localization and inclusivity, integrating and mainstreaming the NAP into all sectors of society, and partnership.

Mr Ojukwu reiterated that The NAP is not just a policy document, its a national obligation for all Nigeria and its people.

Mr Ojukwu sought partnership from stakeholders at the workshop to achieve the objectives of the NAP which has a lifespan of 5 years.

We are aiming for support, we are looking for partnerships because we know the challenges in government, we believe in our limitations, and thats why we are relying on our partnerships to make sure that we can achieve the objectives of NAP, he said.

British High Commission lauds NHRC and offers support

Commending the NHRC, the Deputy High Commissioner, British High Commission, Gill Lever, informed the participants at the workshop that the United Kingdom is ready to work with stakeholders towards the implementation of the NAP.

She said, The range of rights captured in the plan, from civil and political rights to economic, social and cultural rights and other third generation thematic rights reflects a commendable, holistic approach to upholding human rights standards in Nigeria. And we stand ready as the UK to work with stakeholders towards implementing the plan.

We recognise that while challenges persist, that we value dialogue and partnership across all areas of social protection and human rights. And the National Action Plan sets out clear strategies to respond to these issues, strengthen institutions and promote accountability at all levels.

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The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in Abuja, has rejected the additional proof of evidence brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bolster its corruption case against former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The additional proof of evidence sought to introduce two new prosecution witnesses with fresh documents relevant to their anticipated testimonies in court.

The extra-judicial statements of the two proposed prosecution witnesses  Tommy Odama John and Ifeanyi Omeke  meant to be part of the additional proof of evidence, were made in August 2024.

The request, filed by EFCC on 15 October 2024, came about one and a half years after the charges were filed in court. As of early February this year, the prosecution already called 10 witnesses.

Delivering ruling on Thursday on a motion on notice filed by Mr Emefiele to object to the request of the EFCC, judge Hamza Muazu held that the anti-graft agency had on 12 February 2024, first filed additional proof of evidence against the former CBN governor to accommodate the evidence of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and one Bamayi Haruna Mairiga.

He also noted that the charges against Mr Emefiele were filed on 14 August 2023 and his plea taken on 16 November 2023.

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He said that the action of the EFCC appeared like a push for a denial of fair trial because the former governor of CBN was not confronted with the new evidence during investigation as required by law.

Mr Muazu added the action of the prosecution is akin to trial by ambush and a clear case of fishing for evidence in the trial that commenced since 28 November 2023.

In the ruling, the judge agreed that allowing the additional proof of evidence after the charge had been amended severally was prejudicial to the defendant, as his right to fair hearing is being breached.

Mr Muazu held that the position of the law is that a charge is filed upon the completion of investigation.

However, the judge declined to strike out the charge for being a product of incomplete or ongoing investigation and therefore speculative as claimed by Mr Emefiele.

Mr Muazu further noted that the charge cannot be struck out because both the defendant and the prosecution had joined issues with each other and the trial almost completed.

He noted that having gone so far, justice would be served if the trial is completed on its merit and final judgment delivered in the matter.

He also declined to expunge the evidence of former SGF Boss Mustapha and Bamayi Mairiga from the court records as requested by Mr Emefiele, who argued that the evidence of the two witnesses offended Section 36 (2) of the Nigerian constitution on fair hearing.

Mr Emefiele had in the motion argued by his lead counsel, Mathew Burkaa a Senior Advocate if Nigeria complained that the evidence of Mr Mustapha and Mr Mairiga were brought to court by EFCC without confronting him with their extra judicial statements made long after the trial had commenced.

Mr Muazu fixed 3 June for continuation of trial.

Charges

Mr Emefiele is facing amended six counts filed by the EFCC, which includes allegations of criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences, and corruption during his tenure as CBN governor.

The prosecution accused the former CBN governor of conferring corrupt advantages on two companiesApril 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd.

A count in the indictment accuses Mr Emefiele of using his position as CBN governor to confer a corrupt advantage on Saadatu Ramallan-Yaro, a staff member of CBN, by awarding to her company, April 1616 Investment Limited, a contract for the supply of 37 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N854.7 million.

The alleged corrupt transactions took place between 2018 and 2020, according to the charges.

EFCC initially arraigned Mrs Ramalan-Yaro alongside Mr Emefiele as a co-defendant. However, an amendment to the case last year discharged her from trial, while the number of charges against Mr Emefiele was reduced from 20 to six.

Among the remaining charges, one alleges that Mr Emefiele forged a document titled Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions, dated 26 January 2023, with reference number SGF.43/L.01/201. The document was purportedly misrepresented as originating from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Mr Emefiele, who was removed as the CBN governor in 2023, is also facing corruption charges before another judge of the FCT High Court in Abuja and a High Court in Lagos.

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The Bayelsa West senator, Seriake Dickson, walked out of the Senate chamber shortly before the state of emergency in Rivers State was approved by the upper chamber on Thursday.

The Senate approved the state of emergency proclamation during the plenary on Thursday, after a closed-door session that lasted for one hour and twenty minutes.

At about 1:40 p.m., just as senators returned from the closed-door meeting, Mr Dickson, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Bayelsa State governor, was seen walking out of the chamber, visibly angry.

Although he did not publicly state the reason for his sudden exit from the chamber, it was apparent that he was not comfortable with the agreement reached at the closed-door session.

Issues before the closed-door

There was a minor disagreement between Mr Dickson and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, before the senators moved into the closed-door session.

The dispute occurred when Mr Dickson raised a point of order, citing Order 135 of the Senate Rules, which requires the President of Nigeria to brief the Senate in a closed-door session on the circumstances necessitating a state of emergency.

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Mr Akpabio immediately interjected, arguing that he had watched Mr Dickson on national television criticising the emergency rule even before the Senate deliberated on it.

I watched you on television. Listen to me; lets not argue. If we argue, it wont be good for any of us. We are all distinguished people. Youre a former governor and I am a former governor, please off the mic, please be seated, he told Mr Dickson.

Mr Dickson complied and then took his seat as directed.

Thereafter, the senate president accused Mr Dickson of making up his mind before hearing the Senates position.

I watched you on television and you said no matter what the Senate does, the Senate will never go with you. The Senate will not go with you You said no matter what the Senate does, the Senate will not have your vote, that was what you said on the television.

I am saying that if youve already made up your mind to talk on television when the Senate has not considered this issue. I am not arguing with you, please allow me to preside, he added.

The point of order

Despite the senate presidents comment, Mr Dickson proceeded to formally raise his point of order and urged his colleagues to adhere to Senate rules.

He emphasised the importance of respecting procedural guidelines and reminded his colleagues that the Senate operates based on two key documents which are Nigerias constitution and the Senate Standing Rules.

We must have national respect for all our colleagues and for you, particularly our presiding officer and it should be reciprocal. The point of order is to draw the attention of the presiding officer and our colleagues to the specific provisions of our rules. Each one of us is guided by two documents, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and rules that govern our proceedings.

The proclamation has been read to us and I want to draw your attention, Mr President, respectfully and the attention of all our colleagues to the specific provisions of our rules, Order 135. It is very exhaustive. Once theres a state of emergency declaration, there is a procedure, he said.

Mr Akpabio later upheld Mr Dicksons point of order but explained that the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, had already intended to move for a closed-door session before Mr Dickson raised his concern.

Following this, the Senate proceeded into a closed-door meeting, where the emergency rule was discussed and unanimously approved.

What does the Senate order say?

Order 135 of the Senate states that, The President shall, in a closed-door session, brief the Senate on the circumstances of the proclamation of a state of emergency.

Governors reject emergency rule

The South-south Governors Forum earlier opposed the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers.

The chairperson of the forum, Douye Diri, who is also the governor of Bayelsa State, said the political situation in Rivers did not deteriorate to a point where it required an emergency rule, considering the provisions of Section 305(3) of the Nigerian Constitution.

Mr Diri said Section 305(3) stipulated that such a declaration should be considered under specific conditions, such as war, external aggression, and imminent invasion.

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President Bola Tinubu has directed a thorough investigation into the tanker explosion that resulted in multiple accidents and loss of lives in Karu, Abuja, on Wednesday night.

This is contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday in Abuja.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the explosion claimed six lives while dozens were injured.

President Tinubu condoled with family members who lost loved ones in the inferno, which happened at the peak hour.

He also ordered priority treatment of the injured in various medical facilities in the capital city.

The president directed security agencies, particularly those concerned with road safety, to pay closer attention to traffic around the capital citys entry and exit points.

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President Tinubu prayed for the souls of the departed and the grace of the Almighty God to comfort families that have lost their loved ones.

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Nigerian Breweries, the local unit of Heineken N.V., bought a further 20 per cent stake in Distell Wines and Spirits Nigeria Limited, enabling it to take full ownership of the company.

Last June, the brewer declared it had bought 80 per cent of the shareholding of Distell Wines and Spirits after South Africas Reserve Bank approved the deal, paving the way for Nigerian Breweries to purchase the shares of Heineken Beverages Holdings Limited in Distell Nigeria.

The approval also cleared the way for the brewing giant to take over the import business of Distell International Limited in Nigeria.

The full acquisition follows the execution of a sale and purchase agreement with the DWSN minority shareholders, Ekulo International Limited and Next International Nigeria Limited, which each held a 10% stake in the company, Nigerian Breweries disclosed in a statement Thursday.

The company said the acquisition will help to reduce complexities and speed up its decision-making process as it seeks to diversify away from beer, hoping that adding wines to its broad product mix will boost its drive to unlock more value in the local beverage industry.

Nigerian Breweries has relocated its manufacturing operations from its rented facility to its own plant, a move it believes will help ramp up the production capacity of Distell Wines and Spirits Nigeria brands.

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It was noted that the decision will allow Distell Wines and Spirits Nigeria to leverage the economies of scale available in Nigerian Breweries plans.

CEO Hans Essaadi said last June the acquisition is part of efforts to provide access to a complementary multi-category portfolio of fast-growing brands of wines and spirits market segment and capture significant growth opportunities in the wines and spirits segment of the brewing industry.

READ ALSO: Naira depreciation leaves Nigerian Breweries reporting highest annual loss ever

Among the notable brands produced by Distell Wines and Spirits Nigeria are Chamdor, Hunters Dry, 4th Street and Savanna. Nigerian Breweries imported wines and spirits brands comprise Drosty Hoff and Nederburg wines, Amarula Cream Liqueur and Bains Whisky.

Nigerian Breweries reported a record net loss of N145 billion last year after taking a hit from a sharp naira devaluation. Total assets stood at N1.14 trillion at the end of 2024, compared to N1.13 trillion a year earlier.

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The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department (FEMD) says the death toll from Wednesdays Karu multiple explosions has increased to 10.

Acting Director-General of the department, Abdulrahman Mohammed, disclosed this while giving an update in Abuja on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the driver of a truck lost control around Karu Bridge on his way to Nyanya on the Abuja-Keffi expressway and rammed into vehicles in traffic.

NAN also reports that the collision led to a massive explosion involving several vehicles.

Mr Mohammed said that five victims were taken from the scene dead, with four burnt beyond recognition, while another victim died at the hospital while receiving treatment on Wednesday.

This morning, when I asked my officials to go round, they discovered that four others had died in the hospital. This brings the death toll to 10, he said.

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The director-general appealed to motorists to drive safely by adhering to traffic rules and regulations and desist from reckless driving, dangerous overtaking and poor vehicle maintenance.

Also, the Head, Forecasting Response and Mitigation, FEMD, Mark Nyam, said that eight bodies were deposited at the Karu Hospital morgue and one at Asokoro District Hospital Morgue.

READ ALSO: Wike to pay medical bills of Abuja tanker explosion victims

Mr Nyam added that another body was deposited at the National Hospital, Abuja.

He also said that more than 30 victims who suffered various degrees of burns were receiving treatment at various health facilities.

(NAN)

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Another year around the sun is always a milestone to celebrate. And when an outstanding personality, a unique leader, completes this existential course, there is even more reason to revel and give thanks to the Almighty Father. Incidentally, a personality who cares little for mundane revelry achieved this milestone today.

He is unassuming. Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, the immediate past governor of Enugu State, born on March 20, 1964, clocks 61 today.

Your Excellency, as governor, you were intentional in your sheer dexterity and vision to positively touch the lives of the people and give them a sense of belonging.

These folks were mostly the ordinary citizens in the rural areas, the long-neglected and underprivileged, who you describe as the true heroes of democracy.

They came out en masse and stood patiently under the sun and in the rain to cast their votes for your overwhelming election and re-election in 2015 and 2019, respectively.

In actualising this vision, you were focused, strategic and radical in deploying government services towards creating fair and equal opportunity for every willing citizen to make a living and create wealth, educate our children, and enjoy life in a peaceful and secure environment.

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You were also intentional, bold, and resolute in your declaratory inaugural address in 2015. You made it clear that Enugu State, under your watch, will pay special attention to rural development. You justified your stance on the glaring fact that the majority of our people live in the rural areas. The driving force was all about your passion for the peoples wellbeing.

As a grassroots/people-oriented leader with milk of human kindness, you never deviated from your vision to alleviate the sufferings of the people and bring democracy dividends to their doorsteps, irrespective of their social status or remote locations.

Riding on unswerving integrity, you gave Enugu State peace, security, and good governance, notwithstanding the avalanche of challenges your administration encountered.

The fact remains that you stepped into the big shoes of leadership at the wrong time. You became governor of Enugu State in 2015 when Enugus purse grew leaner and Nigerias economy was in recession as federal allocations dwindled to an all-time low.

The resultant effect of the harsh economic realities was a 30 per cent drastic reduction of what used to come in, as federal allocations, to the coffers of the state government before you assumed office.

As one of the few governors, under the then President Muhammadu Buharis administration, who were able to pay workers salaries when 27 states could not pay, one appreciates your firm commitment to the wellbeing of the people, in view of the fact that Enugu is a civil service state-oriented economy.

You paid the N30,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustment to the states workforce when many of your colleagues could not pay.

You exempted market traders in the state from paying Personal Income Tax and Market Tax and went ahead to launch a novel traders empowerment scheme, which assisted them to grow their businesses.

One equally applauds the leadership prowess you deployed in keeping the wheels of government moving and ensuring that Enugu became one of the safest states in the country.

Apart from the two cycles of economic recession within five years, we are all witnesses to other unforeseen challenges that confronted your administration, which ate deep into the lean resources of the state. These include the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (which brought a major setback to the entire world in terms of development and growth), the #EndSARS protests, and the herder/farmer clashes, among other national security challenges.

More worrisome is the fact that the socio-economic and security policies of the then federal government were not far-reaching to surmount the nations challenges or guarantee sustainable platforms for the then governors to actualise their visions fully.

For instance, the monthly federal allocations to the states under President Buharis administration have doubled substantially, if not tripled, since the inception of the administration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu  a major breakthrough that has enabled the present governors to carry out sundry infrastructural projects with ease in their various states.

At various fora, in recent times, President Tinubu made it clear that present governors now receive enough funds from the federation account to work.

As governor and an ardent promoter of national unity and principles of equity, justice and fairness, you played national politics to the peak alongside your colleagues in the G5 family, which saw the emergence of a Southerner, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, as Nigerias President, today.

Your Excellency, one recalls that in your inaugural address in 2015, you made a disclosure that a political associate recently told me that this is not the best of times to be the Governor of Enugu State.

You went further to state that the then outgoing Governor, Sullivan Chime, pointed out during the thanksgiving Mass to mark the end of his successful administration that Enugus purse is growing leaner as federal allocations dwindle to an all-time low.

Not only that you were the only governor in the history of Enugu State to witness two national economic recessions within the space of five years in the life of your administration, including other ravaging challenges, you were equally the first governor since 1999 to govern Enugu on the political platform (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) that is in opposition to the ruling party at the national level (All Progressives Congress, APC). This also came with its inherent challenges and setbacks in terms of federal patronages and considerations.

Despite all these issues that barked at you as governor, you remained undaunted, focused, and visionary. You never deviated from your commitment to the peoples well-being. You ensured that you judiciously utilised the states meagre resources at your disposal in impacting lives positively, transforming the rural areas and entrenching peace, security, and good governance while running a government with a human face.

Your rare striking traits of humility, godliness, peaceful disposition, compassion, benevolence, kindness, openness, simplicity, vision, hard work and inclusion were the pillars that protected the people, guided your administration throughout the stormy years and ensured the successes it recorded.

Besides being among the few governors who paid the then N30,000 minimum wage and its consequential adjustment to the civil servants regularly, the preponderance of states pensioners comprising those from other South East states who served the old states with Enugu as their capital, also received their pensions and other benefits under your watch. What a huge financial obligation that ate deep into the states lean resources!

In fulfilment of your promises in your inaugural address to pay special attention to rural development, and to equip and modernise Nsukka  a university town founded over half a century ago and second largest town in Enugu State, your administration executed most of its development projects in Nsukka zone, and in the rural areas, while also deploying the states meager resources to execute and maintain new and existing facilities in Enugu urban respectively.

Though the rural development drive did not go down well with some Enugu urban residents, your passion for the wellbeing of Enugu indigenes living in rural communities, the long-neglected, the lowly and underprivileged, etc, was unprecedented and responsible for that great impact you made in the rural areas.

The feats were propelled by your conscience, your dint of love and compassion for the people and your gravitas to strike a balance and build the Enugu State of the founding fathers dream, where every indigene of the state, irrespective of class, religion or political affliction is given equal rights and access to dividends of democracy, and lives in a peaceful and secure environment.

Today, through your administrations peace and grassroots development initiatives, you made it possible that communities in Enugu State that had not experienced democracy dividends before did so.

In ensuring speedy rural development drive, human empowerment, and brighter future for younger generation and those yet unborn, you initiated, established, and nurtured the State University of Medical and Applied Sciences (SUMAS), Igbo-Eno, Enugu State, located in Nsukka zone.

This milestone has inscribed your name in the annals of history as the second leader, after Zik of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, to bring a university to Nsukka land. The Great Zik of blessed memory attracted the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) to Nsukka.

Again, in your foresightedness towards the importance of education and its powers of transforming and galvanising generational change, positively, you went further to attract a federal polytechnic to Nsukka zone, in Ohodo, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, known as the Federal Polytechnic Ohodo.

These higher institutions are doing exceedingly great and have provided Enugu State indigenes veritable platforms to explore, harness, and mould the future academically.

SUMAS, in particular, has provided the teeming youths of Enugu State the platform for increased access to quality university education in professional courses such as medicine.

These milestones are among those people-centered achievements of yours that will outlive you, and history will remain kind to you for deeming it necessary to invest heavily in the future of the people, especially the younger generation and those yet unborn.

While Enugu was battling with survival instinct following the adverse effects of the nations economic meltdown and states dwindling resources, you were able to initiate and execute people-oriented policies, run friendly tax regime and create favourable business environment for the people. You equally entrenched peace and security, ran inclusive governance, and still executed numerous projects in the state.

These projects, too numerous to mention, include: The reconstructed and remodeled 11km ancient, historic and undulating Enugu Milliken Hill-Ngwo-9th Mile road  the states roller coaster; the constructed 12km Opi-Nsukka dual carriageway  a state-of-the-art road with underground drainage system fitted with street and traffic lights up to the UNN gate.

Other projects include, the first flyover bridge by Enugu State Government located at T-junction, Nike Lake Road, Enugu; the 31-kilometre Udenu Ring Road constructed with two bridges; a befitting State Secretariat Annex at Nsukka with an ultra-modern Conference Centre adjacent to it; the 5,000-seat township stadium; the ultra-modern Banquet Hall at the Old Government Lodge, GRA, Enugu also remodelled with the construction of Annex, 10 units of executive guest house (Duplex) and 24 units of guest flats, including recreational facilities, etc.

Others include, the 13-kilometre Nike Lake junction-Harmony Estate-Amorji Nike-Adoration Pilgrimage Centre-Orie Emene road linking the ever-busy Abakpa Nike with Emene satellite town in Enugu East LGA; the Nike Lake Road and Abakpa Nike Road in Enugu East LGA; the Airport Roundabout/Orie-Emene/St Patricks College/Eke-Obinagu Road in Enugu East LGA; different roads rehabilitated in Enugu City, and in the university town of Nsukka to give the area a major facelift, etc.

In opening up the rural areas, your administration constructed numerous roads and other amenities. These include the 8.8-kilometre Nkalagu-Eha Amufu road in Isi-Uzo LGA, neglected for over 35 years, the 26.66-kilometre Ukpabi-Nimbo-Ugbene -Ajima-Eziani road in Uzo-Uwani LGA (RAMP-2); the 22.443-kilometre Neke-Mbu-Ogbodu Aba-Obollo Etiti inter-community road linking Isi-Uzo and Udenu LGAs (RAMP-2); the 8.2-kilometre Inyi-Akpugoeze road in Oji River LGA; Type 3 Healthcare Centres constructed and equipped across the three senatorial zones; massive Amenity Ward Facility located at the upgraded Ogrute General Hospital, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North LGA; numerous educational facilities across the state, such as classroom blocks, school furniture, etc.

One of your greatest achievements for Nsukka zone was the stepping down of 30MVA in Nsukka from the 132KV Makurdi Feeder by National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), which you facilitated. This milestone has effectively improved the quality of electricity supply to the area and has also enhanced the growth of business activities.

On security, which is fundamental to the peoples safety and wellbeing, in spite of the states lean resources, your administration purchased and donated 100 units of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) patrol vans with communication gadgets to the security agencies to aid their operations, employed 1,700 forest guards (first in the Southeast zone), repositioned the Vigilante/Neighbourhood Watch groups, and purchased over 260 security vehicles for their community policing operations, and constructed the 76 Police Mobile Force Squadron facility at Ekwegbe, Nsukka, etc.

Many other feats were recorded in education, health, security, judiciary, agriculture, sports, fire service, rural development, empowerment and scholarship schemes, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), housing development, investment promotion vis-a-vis Enugus fame and outstanding ratings on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, under your watch.

You are the man behind the listing of Enugu as an oil producing state.

You ensured an unprecedented, harmonious working relationship with the other two arms of government (legislature and judiciary), the state workforce and the leaders of the organised labour from the inception of your administration in 2015 to the end, in 2023.

As a unique, humble, and God-fearing leader, you still maintain a peaceful relationship with your predecessors, successor, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, and other leaders and members of political, religious, and traditional institutions.

Your superb inter-human relationship with the people, the high and the low, despite the betrayals during the 2023 general elections by those you assisted and empowered, is exemplary.

The world is aware of your philanthropic gestures, especially the rural-based medical programme, that renders free medical services to underprivileged patients with surgical conditions but lack funds for treatments, among others.

This noiseless free medical programme, according to the last records, has successfully saved the life of over 3,000 people through the Gburugburu Free Surgery Programme. Thank you for this life-saving initiative.

Today, it is all about a worthy celebration in honour of a good man, peacemaker, phenomenal and visionary leader, nationalist and bridge-builder with unique leadership qualities and rich wealth of political experience, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Your Excellency, as you clock 61 today, bear in mind that your good deeds have always and will always gain you divine favour before God. Also, bear in mind that those 680 indigent engineering students of Institute of Management and Technology, (IMT), Enugu and Enugu State Polytechnic, Iwollo, who your administration offered scholarships to; the 22 post-secondary school indigent students your administration sent to study at Mewar University, India; the 40 Enugu State students your administration secured fully funded postgraduate scholarships to study in various parts of Europe, America, Australia and Asia, through the Mentorship Masterclass of Enugu State Scholarship Scheme and Loans Board valued at over N3 billion; grateful individuals, families, groups, institutions and communities you touched their lives privately and publicly, etc, will continue to pray for you fervently and wish you peace, joy, good health, long life and many more years of selfless service to your people, our great country Nigeria and humanity.

Todays occasion, therefore goes a long way to place you on a pedestal of greatness as one who has found amazing favour in Gods goodness and mercy.

Happy 61st Birthday, Your Excellency, and remain blessed!

Louis Amoke, the senior special assistant (SSA) to Enugu State Governor on Media (2015-2023), writes from Enugu.

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Popular media has framed Fubara as the victim of a grasping, unforgiving godfather, which suits his comportment. But during this inconvenient pause, it might be helpful for the governor to reflect on what he might have done differently, something that pressure by those egging him on for their narrow, selfish reasons might not have given him the space to do.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubus proclamation of emergency rule in Rivers State on Tuesday surprised me for reasons different from those for which he has been severely criticised.

The mildest criticism is that Tinubus failure to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to order was responsible for the crisis. The more severe criticisms range from accusations that the president has subverted constitutional rule to charges of potential destabilisation at the behest of Wike.

A common point of agreement is that a civilian president should never have to declare emergency rule. That is the ideal. But Rivers State before Tuesday presented a dire and complicated situation that stretched idealism to its elastic limits.

Chaos In Slow Motion

Its convenient, especially for those who promoted and profited from the crisis, to pretend otherwise. Still, after the 27 state lawmakers loyal to Wike issued an impeachment notice, the outcome, if Governor Siminalayi Fubara had been impeached, might have been far worse for the state than can be contemplated under emergency rule. The proclamation was an unsolicited stitch in time.

If oil pipelines were already being blown up and militants deploying, as the impeachment notice reached Fubara, what would have happened if the process had been carried through? Rivers State has been chaos in slow motion for nearly two years, the only thriving business in the state being the politics of those who support Fubara and those who are against Wike.

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The Supreme Courts judgment invalidated the budget passed by Fubara and nullified the local government election. It affirmed the position of the 27 lawmakers, making Fubaras government a lame duck. Emergency rule saved the governor from gunpoint, created a pause for the people to get their lives back, and made room for Wike and Fubara to stop and reflect. Its a messy situation, but the counterfactual could have been worse.

Between Wike and Fubara

Popular media has framed Fubara as the victim of a grasping, unforgiving godfather, which suits his comportment. But during this inconvenient pause, it might be helpful for the governor to reflect on what he might have done differently, something that pressure by those egging him on for their narrow, selfish reasons might not have given him the space to do.

In the public imagination, control of the states political structure is at the heart of the dispute between Fubara and Wike. Whether that is so, whether its about who the authentic party leader is, or it is more than what the public knows, Fubara and Wike know. We can only guess. But they both know.

Open War

The open war started after Fubaras swearing-in when the governor wanted to install his candidate as speaker in the House of Assembly but failed. What was the point of demolishing the State House of Assembly complex built with hundreds of millions of naira of taxpayers money in December 2023 simply on the suspicion that the lawmakers were planning to impeach him there? Why did the governor think it was right to convene four of 31 lawmakers in his office to present the appropriation bill and then go on to implement it?

And why, after the peace deal brokered in Abuja, was it difficult for him to be his own man, free himself as the hostage of opportunistic local politicians and self-appointed opinion leaders and implement the decisions reached, instead of caving into busybodies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose primary interest is to continue the unfinished war of the 2022 Convention by other means?

Atiku could not have forgotten that when his boss did it again in Ekiti State two years later, it was mainly to facilitate Obasanjos hijack of the state for his political convenience, after lawmakers claimed to have impeached the governor. Fayose had become a thorn in his side, and he vowed to remove him by all means, fair and foul Atiku may argue that he had been estranged from the government then and could not bear vicarious liability. However, he remained a part of the government until the end and must endure its glory and shame.

Atiku No 2.

The PDP leadership and their cousins in Labour have never forgiven Wike for supporting Tinubus election. They have been quite loud in condemning the state of emergency. Thats their job as opposition. However, if the PDP is letting its testosterone rush get into its head and impair memory, we may need to remind the party how we got here.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been quite vocal in condemning emergency rule in Rivers State. In his earnestness, he has forgotten that the government in which he was the Number Two man had a shambolic record of infidelity to constitutional rule. And that is saying it nicely.

One can argue that President Olusegun Obasanjos proclamation of emergency rule in Plateau State in 2004, though controversial, was inevitable because of the horrific deaths caused by the sectarian violence, which led to reprisals in other states. Yet, former Governor Joshua Dariyes suspected links to the crisis made his suspension inevitable.

Bayelsa Playbook

Atiku could not have forgotten that when his boss did it again in Ekiti State two years later, it was mainly to facilitate Obasanjos hijack of the state for his political convenience, after lawmakers claimed to have impeached the governor. Fayose had become a thorn in his side, and he vowed to remove him by all means, fair and foul.

Atiku may argue that he had been estranged from the government then and could not bear vicarious liability. However, he remained a part of the government until the end and must endure its glory and shame.

Or perhaps he would have preferred the impeachment of Fubara from Obasanjos Bayelsa playbook? In that case, instead of an emergency rule, Tinubu would have provided a haven where the majority 27 lawmakers would have met under heavy security protection to remove the governor, as Obasanjo did under slightly different circumstances, in the case of former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Amaechis Forgotten Diary

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, a longstanding foe of Wike, also weighed in, condemning the power grabs illegality. He has a right to intervene and speak his mind. However, since he called the proclamation an affront to the rule of law and a power grab, it might be helpful to remind him of a typical, but by no means isolated, example from his record as governor.

The underlying currents may be similar  local politics gone rogue  but the consequences or potential consequences are not. Constitutional lawyers can debate the legal triggers because of the lack of clarity in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, compared with the 1960 Constitution, a pre-Republican document that gave the prime minister more expansive powers.

In 2013, when the position of chief judge in Rivers State was vacant, Amaechi appointed and swore in the president of the Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Peter Agumagu, against decency and the provisions of law. He joined issues with the National Judicial Commission (NJC), which was at its wits end to restrain him and keep him on the path of common sense. The state judiciary reeled under Amaechis blatant affront for one year, which he now conveniently forgets.

Apples and Oranges

Parallels have been drawn between the state of emergency in Rivers State and the one in 1962 during the Western Region crisis, especially as the latter was believed to have led the country down the slippery slope that eventually ended in the removal of the Tafawa Balewa government and the Civil War.

The underlying currents may be similar  local politics gone rogue  but the consequences or potential consequences are not. Constitutional lawyers can debate the legal triggers because of the lack of clarity in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, compared with the 1960 Constitution, a pre-Republican document that gave the prime minister more expansive powers.

While the emergency rule in the Western Region was mainly an opportunistic intervention by the federal government to undermine the Obafemi Awolowo-led opposition, the emergency in Rivers State was an inevitable step to prevent a potential descent into chaos, where the governor was not an innocent bystander.

Water in the Coconut

Since 1999, two administrations  Muhammadu Buharis and Umaru YarAduas being the only exceptions  have proclaimed emergency rule. Apart from 2013, when President Goodluck Jonathan left the governors of the three affected states in place because they had no link to the crises in their states, complicity has affected the scope of the application of emergency rule.

When Obasanjo threatened an emergency in Lagos, Tinubu said it was unacceptable because he was doing his best as governor to tackle the sectarian clashes in a small part of the state then. In Rivers, the governor is a part of the problem.

Those opposed to the proclamation should say how to leave Fubara in place and extract the water of peace from the coconut of Rivers State without breaking the shell on the head of the people.

Azu Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the new book, Writing for Media and Monetising It.

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For a long time, affiliate marketing has been viewed as an excellent place for prospective online entrepreneurs to get their feet wet. However, to execute this concept, the affiliate networks  the middlemen that connect businesses (brands) and marketing partners (publishers) act as the key to reducing the overhead of activation. This model has grown violently in Vietnam, but so too have the multiple conflicts of interest exposed, leaving many parties skittish and ill at ease.

From Explosion to Potential Pitfalls

AdFlex was considered the first adopter of how the affiliate network should be done in Vietnam with MasOffer later in 20112012. A major turning point occurred in 2015 with the birth of AccessTrade. E-commerce platforms were competing to burn the maximum amount of money to acquire market share; at that same time, most other businesses (brands) were equally keen on jumping on the online sales bandwagon.

In the initial stages, affiliate networks were the ideal model of satisfaction and win-win from all sides. The network platforms acting as intermediaries provided the technology infrastructure, and they received a fee (typically performance-based). Brands have professional tools, technology, and management resources, while publishers can easily pick brands from multiple campaign providers.

Trading Quantity for Quality  The Nightmare of Junk Traffic

While the affiliate network model had proven strong for over ten years, it quickly exposed a massive flaw in conflict of interest between those involved. Far behind the glossy numbers of networks such as, We have hundreds of thousands of publishers, the real question mark is if the traffic these media are going to deliver will convert customers into sales.

An example in the global market is the LinkShare (Rakuten Advertising) files scandal. The GoldenLink Award-winning publisher was nothing but a perpetrator of deep fraud, causing significant harm to the brand and the reputations of all in the network. This brings us to this incident: does a flashy publisher count translate into a matchless real-life value?

Vietnam is hardly an exception. While affiliate networks love to brag about their number of publishers, they never tell you how much that will put you in the pocket with those working honestly.

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When Revenue Outweighs Business Ethics

Its nothing new, but most affiliate networks in Vietnam work under the same heroic mode: performance makes performance pay (CPA  Cost Per Action). While this seems like a perfectly reasonable approach, it encourages fraud from some unscrupulous publishers.

Above all, Network Affiliate Managers (AMs) work at these networks under the gun, with revenue pressure from the VP+ level, causing an emphasis on quantity.

However, it is just unnecessary to chase rapid revenue campaigns in place of sustainable strategies; non-transparent traffic is unaware and quickly gets swept under the rug. Unsurprisingly, the more conversions that can be made, the better it is for the network. But are these conversions worth it to the brand in the long run?

Elsewhere in Vietnam, new brands to affiliate marketing have complained about getting paid the commissions initially but receiving only junk traffic with no real value in return.

Unsurprisingly, this leads many brands to rule out affiliate marketing as a failed strategy prematurely. But the reality is that networks manage the quality of both publishers and the traffic.

A Call for a Fundamental Shift in Mindset and Ethics in Vietnams Affiliate Marketing

If nothing else, this indicates that affiliate marketing is hardly a failed concept. And for it to continue to thrive sustainably, more transparency and accountability from the affiliate networks is needed. Decision makers from these networks must overcome the fear of missing out on immediate gains and put together educative discussions, workshops, and webinars to inform stakeholders of the underlying potential fraud risks and help pave the way for better understanding and awareness for brands and publishers.

Brands, on their end, should also be working to gain a broader understanding of how affiliate marketing works in practice. Instead of giving over 100% control to the network, brands should use the network to vet and measure real-life campaign outcomes, possibly developing internal teams to monitor the success of campaigns more closely.

Permate and Its Vision to Transform the Market

Permate is a new generation of affiliate platform that allows brands to publish their campaigns at their convenience, set their commission rates, manage the performance of their campaigns, and communicate with the publishers without any limitations, which differentiates Permate from traditional affiliate networks. Armed with this breakthrough model, Permate can solve the critical problems of the traditional affiliate marketing ecosystem  transparency, paid clicks, and conflicts of interest to carve out a more transparent and efficient marketplace for both brands and marketing partners.

Permate was born at the right moment when Vietnam affiliate marketing needed a paradigm shift in a new mindset and culture regarding operation. Without this kind of significant overhaul, the industry could find itself trapped in a self-perpetuating loop of substandard traffic driven by dubious processes and figures as having no substance and unresolved conflicts of interest.

And let us wait to see how much more the Vietnamese affiliate market will grow since then!

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The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Balarabe has assured that Governor Uba Sani is focused on making Kaduna State a beacon of technological innovation and business excellence by fostering partnerships and gender inclusivity. Mrs Balarabe, who disclosed this at the Arewa Ladies 4Tech Alumni Hangout which held at Kaduna on Wednesday, noted that Governor Sanis efforts have not gone unnoticed.

She said Mr Sani is also deepening the penetration of broadband and other infrastructure in order to make Kaduna State a major IT hub of ideas that will give birth to innovations.

Only a few weeks ago, our governor and State received the Broadband Infrastructure Excellence Award for pioneering broadband friendly policies from the National Broadband Alliance of Nigeria (NBAN), she disclosed.

While emphasising the critical role of technology, the deputy governor stressed that the digital revolution is no longer a distant dream; it is our current reality, and it is a reality that we must embrace whole-heartedly.

Mrs Balarabe commended ArewaLadies4Tech partners for empowering women in technology, adding that your determination and resilience are not only transforming individual lives but are also significantly contributing to the technological advancement of Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole.

She further said that Kaduna State is also striving to promote women empowerment and gender equality because women play a vital role in driving economic growth and development.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

According to her, the Governor Sanis administration is committed to providing women with the necessary support and resources that will enable them to succeed.

We are committed to providing the necessary resources, infrastructure, and policies that will facilitate innovation, inclusive growth, and global competitiveness, she promised.

In her opening remarks, the Commissioner of Business Innovation and Technology, Mrs Patience Fakai, said that the event is not just the celebration of the over 5000 participants that benefited from the Arewa Ladies4Tech Project, but the collective progress in advancing technology and innovation in Kaduna State.

The commissioner commended the Data Science Nigeria (DSN) and Google.org as well as all other stakeholders that are empowering women in technology for making the ArewaLadies4Tech initiative possible.

Your commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and inclusivity is ground breaking and immensely vital for our societys advancement. You are not only shaping the future of technology but also inspiring countless young women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), she added.

Mrs Fakai pointed out that technology is now the cornerstone of economic development and social transformation, adding that Governor Sani has been very deliberate in tech-inclusion, especially as it pertains women.

According to her, Kaduna State is committed to fostering an enabling environment that supports innovation and entrepreneurship.

We believe that through strategic collaboration with initiatives like ArewaLadies4Tech, we can bridge the gender gap in technology, enhance digital literacy, and empower more women to become leaders in this field, she stated.

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Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has disassociated himself from the South-South Governors Forums rejection of the emergency rule in Rivers.

Because of the protracted political crisis and the bombing of an oil pipeline in Rivers, President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state. He also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and member of the Rivers assembly, for six months.

The South-South Governors Forum, through their Chairperson, Douye Diri, issued a statement on Thursday, stating their opposition to the emergency rule.

Mr Diri, the governor of Bayelsa State, stated that the political situation in Rivers did not deteriorate to the point where an emergency rule was required.

He said Section 305(3) stipulated that such a declaration should be considered under specific conditions, such as war, external aggression, and imminent invasion.

He added that the conditions also included the breakdown of public order, existential threats to Nigeria, natural disasters, or other significant public dangers.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

According to him, it is also worth noting that the constitution outlines specific procedures for the removal of a governor and deputy governor, as detailed in Section 188, and that President Tinubu did not follow the procedure.

As a path forward to reduce tensions and establish a foundation for enduring peace, the South-South Governors Forum proposes the rescission of the State of Emergency, Mr Diri added.

Count me out  Okpebholo

However, Governor Okpebholo has disassociated himself from the position of the South-South Governors Forum.

According to a statement on Thursday from his spokesperson, Fred Itua, Mr Okpebholo said the forums statement did not receive his approval and that he was neither consulted nor informed about it.

While Governor Monday Okpebholo acknowledges the right of other Governors in the South-South geopolitical zone to take a position, he, however dissociates himself from any statement that opposes the declaration of a State of Emergency in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, understands the issues at stake.

Governor Okpebholo supports actions so far taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that will bring lasting solutions and peace to Rivers State and the South-South geopolitical zone, the statement added.

The suspended governor of Rivers, Mr Fubara is a member of the PDP.

Apart from Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River and Governor Okpebholo of Edo, who are APC members, all the other governors in the South-south, including Mr Diri, are PDP members.

Mr Otu is currently on vacation outside the country. His spokesperson, Nsa Gill, told PREMIUM TIMES, Thursday afternoon, he could not reach the governor to find out if he endorsed the statement or not.

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Vast majority of hospitals utilizing Force Therapeutics patient engagement platform on track to satisfy CMS THA/TKA PRO-PM mandate, avoiding millions in financial penalties

NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Force Therapeutics, the leading surgical episode of care management platform, is proud to announce that 84% of hospitals where Force is deployed are already on track to satisfy the requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Patient-Reported Outcome - Performance Measure ( THA/TKA PRO-PM ) ahead of the first mandatory reporting deadline in September 2025.

84% of hospitals using patient engagement tool are on track to meet CMS THA/TKA PRO-PM, avoiding millions in penalties Post this What is the CMS THA/TKA PRO-PM? Force Therapeutics CEO Explains in 2 Minutes Hospitals failing to meet the threshold will be subject to a 25% reduction in the annual payment update to their Medicare reimbursement, representing a substantial financial penalty.

Driving Quality in Orthopedic Care

The THA/TKA PRO-PM was introduced by CMS to capture and measure improvements in pain and function following surgery as assessed by patients themselves. With THAs and TKAs being some of the most common elective procedures for Medicare beneficiaries, CMS is measuring this data to address variations and disparities in outcomes and clinical practice that ultimately incur unnecessary costs on the healthcare ecosystem. As such, this measure is aligned with the ongoing CMS shift away from fee-for-service (FFS) and toward value-based care models (VBC), which directly tie reimbursement and incentives with patient outcomes.

The requirement for hospitals under mandatory reporting is to collect and report a complete set of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and other data elements, including risk variables and matching variables. These data points must be collected both pre-operatively (up to 90 days before surgery) and 1 year post-operatively for at least 50% of all eligible patients. Beyond necessitating efficient workflows to ensure effective collection and reporting processes, this mandate also requires hospitals to keep patients engaged up to 1 year following surgerya particularly challenging task for most hospitals.

Hospitals that fail to meet this requirement will be deemed out of compliance with the requirements of the CMS Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program, which would incur a 25% reduction in the Annual Payment Update (APU) for all of the hospital's Medicare FFS Part A claims, including non-orthopedic claims; moreover, the hospital would be disqualified from participating in CMS value-based purchasing programs.

"By leveraging the Force Therapeutics platform, we've not only safeguarded our PROs compliance with CMS regulations. We've also prevented millions in potential penalties," says one Orthopedic Chair at a large health system in Connecticut. "It's more than just compliance; it's a strategic advantage that's saving our organization millions."

Enhancing Patient Engagement and Operational Efficiency with Force Therapeutics

Achieving consistently high PROMs collection rates, particularly 1 year after surgery, requires sustained and extensive patient engagement. This requires pre-operative education and optimization, including virtual joint classes, and post-operative education, exercise videos, virtual PT, care instructions, virtual check-ins, PROMs completion, and more.

"At Force Therapeutics, we don't just help our clients meet current regulatory mandates;" says Force Therapeutics CEO Bronwyn Spira, "we equip them with expert clinical guidance to stay ahead of upcoming regulations. In that way, Force becomes a safeguard against shifting regulations and reimbursement policies."

With Force Therapeutics, hospitals keep patients engaged through:

End-to-end patient education: Prepare patients to submit forms by engaging them throughout their journey, increasing survey completion rates and boosting satisfaction scores.





Prepare patients to submit forms by engaging them throughout their journey, increasing survey completion rates and boosting satisfaction scores. Patient-centric gamification: Motivate patients in their treatment plan by empowering them to set recovery goals and earn rewards upon completion, making their recovery more engaging.





Motivate patients in their treatment plan by empowering them to set recovery goals and earn rewards upon completion, making their recovery more engaging. Automated Forms and Reminders: Send time-based outcome forms, personalized check-ins, and reminders to patients, ensuring they stay engaged without experiencing notification fatigue.





Send time-based outcome forms, personalized check-ins, and reminders to patients, ensuring they stay engaged without experiencing notification fatigue. EHR Integration and Reporting: Generate real-time data reports through seamless EHR-integrated PROMs to streamline submissions to registries and CMS quality reporting programs.

To gain insights from top-performing Force Therapeutics users as they discuss first-hand experience with THA/TKA PRO-PM voluntary reporting, access this panel featuring quality specialists and coordinators.

About Force Therapeutics

Force Therapeutics is a surgical episode of care management solution for patients undergoing specialty procedures. Force improves patient engagement, satisfaction, and outcomes by delivering high-quality, clinically validated remote care while empowering providers with data-driven tools and automated workflows that reduce variation and improve the operational efficiency of hospitals, ASCs, and health systems.

SOURCE Force Therapeutics
DALLAS, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Board of Trial Advocates endorses the rare statement issued by United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts rebuking the calls for impeachment of judges who have ruled against the orders of the current administration. His succinct statement was as follows:

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose."

Comprised of members who are committed to the rule of law and judicial independence, ABOTA stands in solidarity with the judges who work tirelessly to promote and defend the Constitution of the United States.

About the American Board of Trial Advocates

ABOTA is an invitation-only national association of highly experienced trial lawyers and judges dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Seventh Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees the right to civil jury trials. With over 7,000 members across all 50 States, ABOTA ensures justice is delivered in civil courtrooms across America. ABOTA's core missions are to educate the American public about the history and value of the right to trial by jury in civil cases, to preserve a fair and independent judiciary, and to uphold the Rule of Law. ABOTA is dedicated to elevating the standards of professionalism, integrity, honor, civility and courtesy in the legal profession.

For more information contact:

Brian Tyson at (800) 932-2682

[email protected]

SOURCE American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Compact AI Supercomputer Enables Advanced Image, Signal, and Edge Processing for Object Detection, Autonomous Operations, and Debris Identification in LEO

CHATSWORTH, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aitech today announced a significant milestone in AI technology with the S-A2300 COTS AI supercomputer. Leveraging NVIDIA's GPGPU Orin architecture, the new groundbreaking AI supercomputer is specifically designed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions and integrates exceptional computational power with advanced AI functionalities, promising to revolutionize data processing and analysis in the demanding conditions of outer space.

Aitech is showcasing the new S-A2300 COTS AI supercomputer at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado in booth #612 from April 7-10.

Aitech announces new S-A2300 COTS AI supercomputer for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions Post this

"This milestone changes the way today's space-based infrastructure uses AI to augment military defense, public safety initiatives, and scientific research," said Pratish Shah, general manager. "By harnessing the immense power of NVIDIA's Orin GPGPU technology, Aitech's new S-A2300 AI supercomputer enables space missions to operate smarter, faster, and more sustainably than ever before."

Designed with NVIDIA's advanced Orin architecture at its core, the S-A2300 AI supercomputer is engineered to address the unique needs of LEO operations. From real-time image processing and autonomous navigation to advanced climate monitoring and space debris tracking, the system's exceptional performance offers unmatched potential for innovation and efficiency in space technology. The S-A2300 provides up to 2048 CUDA cores and 64 Tensor cores that reach up to 248 TOPS. The system also features two scalable, highly configurable, dedicated NVDLA (NVIDIA Deep-Learning Accelerator) engines that simplify integration and portability, as well as promote a standard way to design deep learning inference accelerators.

Key features of the S-A2300 AI supercomputer include:

High-Performance Computing (HPC) : Accelerated data processing speeds with NVIDIA's cutting-edge AI and deep learning technologies

: Accelerated data processing speeds with NVIDIA's cutting-edge AI and deep learning technologies Small Form Factor Size : Designed for use on 6U Cubesats or larger satellite or payload platforms

: Designed for use on 6U Cubesats or larger satellite or payload platforms Radiation Tolerant for LEO use: The watchdog and Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) mechanisms are implemented for Single Event Effect (SEE) mitigation; radiation-tolerant and automotive-grade components are selected to ensure reliable operation in LEO environment

The watchdog and Error Detection and Correction (EDAC) mechanisms are implemented for Single Event Effect (SEE) mitigation; radiation-tolerant and automotive-grade components are selected to ensure reliable operation in LEO environment Power and Performance Flexible : Supports multiple power and performance options to meet a broad range of power and mission needs

: Supports multiple power and performance options to meet a broad range of power and mission needs Robust Durability : Designed to withstand harsh space environments, including extreme temperatures and radiation

: Designed to withstand harsh space environments, including extreme temperatures and radiation Adaptability: Seamlessly integrates with multiple mission profiles, from Earth observation to scientific research and satellite operations

The S-A2300 adds to Aitech's AI-enabled space computer offerings, including the proven S-A1760 Venus with NVIDIA Jetson TX2i SoM. The S-A2300 will be available in Q3 2025 for mission development and ready for NEO and LEO flight by Q1 2026. Radiation test reports of total ionizing dose (TID) and proton SEE for the S-A2300 will be available on request in Q3 2025.

For more information, visit www.aitechsystems.com.

About Aitech:

Leveraging four decades of experience providing reliable, rugged embedded systems for use in military, aerospace, and space platforms, Aitech is the world's first independent, open systems architecture, COTS/MOTS innovator offering customized boards as building blocks for integrated computing and networking subsystems. Offering customization services for rugged and severe environment military, aerospace, and space applications, Aitech delivers mission-optimized and proven system solutions across Sea, Land, Air, and Space domains. Aitech solutions are used by industry leaders like Airbus, BAE Systems, Boeing, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Rafael, and Virgin Galactic.

Aitech is supporting a better tomorrow with highly reliable, cost-effective, and proven rugged embedded solutions designed to meet your mission and platform requirements. For more information, please visit www.aitechsystems.com.

SOURCE Aitech
The Scott brothers strongly align with the Andersen brand, given their strong relationship with Habitat for Humanity and their advocacy for affordable housing, clean energy, and sustainability mirror Andersen's dedication to these important causes.

The campaign introduces Andersen's new tagline, "Trust Your Home to Andersen," emphasizing the brand's dedication to being a trusted resource for homeowners. Airing from March 20 to April 7 and featuring 30-second, 15-second, and 6-second spots, "Nice Windows" highlights the reliability and quality of Andersen products by integrating relatable, lighthearted moments with the Scott brothers.

"Our 'Nice Windows' campaign with the Scott brothers, underscores our unwavering commitment to quality craftsmanship and trust, inviting homeowners to 'Trust Your Home to Andersen,'" said Heather Teskey, vice president of marketing at Andersen Corporation. "Spring is the most popular time for home renovations, with nearly 60 percent of homeowners planning projects during this season. The mild weather and longer daylight hours make it ideal for both indoor and outdoor improvements, enabling families to enjoy their space for the summer months. This campaign puts Andersen top of mind for homeowners as they plan their renovations."

Trust has been a foundation of Andersen's 121-year legacy. Andersen was recently honored as one of Newsweek's Most Trusted Companies 2024, identifying the brand as a leader among construction brands. Additionally, in a 2024 Andersen brand survey, homeowners, contractors, architects, and builders agree that Andersen is the #1 trusted window and door brand.* These accolades underscore Andersen's commitment to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted partner in the industry.

About Andersen Corporation

Andersen was founded in 1903 on the philosophy of working "all together" to deliver on its promise to its customers. Every day, the company's more than 13,000 employees are empowered to imagine what's possible and do what's right. Andersen delivers products for the way people live, unmatched performance for the comfort and security homeowners desire, and endless design options to achieve any style.

Headquartered in Bayport, Minn., Andersen Corporation and its subsidiaries manufacture and market window and door products under the Andersen, Renewal by Andersen, EMCO and MQ brands. Andersen, a privately held company, operates manufacturing sites across North America and Europe. Andersen has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2024 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year  Sustained Excellence Award. Visit us at andersenwindows.com.

* 2024 Andersen brand surveys of U.S. contractors, builders, architects & homeowners

SOURCE Andersen Windows
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Angelalign Technology Inc. ("Angelalign Technology" or the "Company") (6699.HK) released its financial results for fiscal year 2024. Driven by rapid expansion in global markets and continued innovation in digital orthodontics, the Company delivered a robust global performance despite complex global market challenges.

In 2024, Angelalign Technology's global clear aligner case volume grew to approximately 359,400 cases from 245,000 cases the previous year, a 46.7% year-over-year increase. Non-China global markets contributed approximately 140,700 cases, representing 39.1% of the Company's total annual case volume. This highlights the Company's growth in these regions. The Company reported a year-over-year total revenue increase of 28.2% to US$268.8 million, with gross profit rising by 28.7% to US$168.2 million and net profit growing by 46.6% to US$10.0 million. Angelalign Technology also maintains a strong balance sheet with US$227.1 million in cash and cash equivalents, enhancing its ability to invest in long-term business growth.

Founded in 2003 by a team of progressive orthodontists, Angelalign Technology has grown into a trusted industry leader with more than one million patients treated. Recognized as a leader in China -- the world's second-largest clear aligner market and a market known for case complexity -- the Company stands out in market share and product superiority. Angelalign Technology was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2021. In 2023, Angelalign Technology accelerated its global expansion and formalized its "glocalization" strategy. It now has highly specialized teams in EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. By adopting a customer-centric approach, high-quality treatment plans, differentiated product portfolio and features, fast turnaround times, and steady delivery, the Company continues to provide premium products and services to customers worldwide.

Angelalign Technology's global business spans 50 countries in Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. In March 2025, the Company announced plans to build a new 52,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Equipped with highly automated proprietary 3D printing technology, the facility will become one of the most advanced clear aligner manufacturing centers in the world. The Company is also expanding treatment planning capacity and aligner production in Brazil, which further strengthens its commitment to localized manufacturing in the Americas.

In 2024, Angelalign Technology attended major international orthodontic conferences in Europe, North America, and the Americas. The Company also launched the Angel Aligner Education App. Angelalign Technology strongly supports KOL-led research publications in international journals to showcase clinical applications and data-driven results of Angel Aligner's products and medical technology solutions.

While expanding its global presence, Angelalign Technology remains committed to digital innovation by continuously introducing advanced digital tools to enhance high-quality treatment planning, streamline workflow efficiency, and improve clinical outcomes. These advancements reinforce its fast turnaround times and steady delivery.

Fox Hu, CEO of Angelalign Technology, stated: "Our relentless focus on digitalization- and globalization-driven strategies have enabled us to achieve sustained and robust growth. We remain committed to innovation, ever-better clinical outcomes, improved patient experience, and expanded global offerings."

For more information, please contact Head of Marketing, [email protected].

SOURCE Angelalign Technology Inc.
Company Proudly Expands Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Management and Critical Care Solutions Portfolio Along with Receiving Flinn Foundation Grant

Company Supporting Global and Local Initiatives Reducing the Impact of Hydrocephalus

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Anuncia Medical, Inc. ("Anuncia"), a pioneering company in CSF management and neurocritical care, has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the FDA for its ReFlow EVD, an innovative solution for external ventricular drains (EVDs) used to manage brain swelling and elevated intracranial pressure. This milestone expands Anuncia's breakthrough portfolio, complementing the ReFlow System Mini, a first-generation device with up to six years of clinical success, and the ReFlow Mini Flusher, already transforming hydrocephalus care in its early U.S. rollout by enabling noninvasive, at-home CSF flow maintenance and reducing the need for costly revision surgeries. With ReFlow EVD, Anuncia is advancing both acute and long-term CSF management, driving innovation, and expanding strategic opportunities in neurocritical care.

ReFlow EVD: Advancing ICU Care and Patient Outcomes

EVDs are placed in more than 100,000 cases annually in the U.S. to relieve elevated intracranial pressure. The ReFlow EVD is the first device of its kind to provide a noninvasive, manual flushing mechanism designed to restore and maintain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. By reducing the risk of occlusions, it helps prevent prolonged ICU stays, additional neurosurgical procedures, and costly EVD replacements. Unlike traditional flushing methods that require a neurosurgeon, ReFlow EVD can be operated by nurses noninvasively during routine patient checks, seamlessly integrating into existing workflows to improve efficiency and reduce costs.

"This regulatory milestone highlights the broader impact of our ReFlow innovation beyond hydrocephalus management," said Elsa Chi Abruzzo, CEO and President of Anuncia Medical. "We continue to hear from neurosurgeons, nurses, patients, and families that ReFlow's simple, seconds-long manual flush helps prevent blockagesimproving outcomes and providing peace of mind. Expanding our ReFlow portfolio reinforces our commitment to advancing neurocritical care and patient well-being."

Driving Innovation in Hydrocephalus Treatment

The Flinn Foundation has awarded Anuncia a meaningful grant through its Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program to support post-FDA clearance studies of the ReFlow Mini Flusher. Led by Dr. Jason Hauptman (Phoenix Children's Hospital) and Dr. Anthony Avellino (HonorHealth Medical Group), the research aims to improve care and generate clinical evidence for hydrocephalus patients at high risk for shunt occlusion, including those affected by Coccidioidomycosis (Cocci) Meningitis, a serious complication of Valley Fever and regional health concern.

"This grant allows us to generate the high-quality, prospective clinical data needed for broader commercial adoption, further cementing Arizona as a leader in neurosurgical excellence," said Dr. Anthony M. Avellino, neurosurgeon and Chief Medical Officer of HonorHealth Medical Group  Specialty Care. "By partnering with Dr. Jason Hauptman, Chief of Neurosurgery at Phoenix Children's, we are advancing hydrocephalus care while showcasing Arizona's world-class institutions as a national model."

While demand for CSF management technologies is high in developed nations, access to hydrocephalus care in low-resource settings remains a far greater challenge. In Sub-Saharan Africa, bacterial meningitis often leads to post-infectious hydrocephalus, yet many children lack access to life-saving treatment. To help bridge this gap, Anuncia has partnered with NeuroKids.org, founded by pioneering neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Warf of Boston Children's Hospital and led by CEO Derek Johnson, to expand hydrocephalus care in Zambia, Kenya, and Uganda.

"Anuncia Medical's revolutionary ReFlow device has the power to provide peace of mind to parents and patients living with hydrocephalus," said Derek Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of NeuroKids.org. "NeuroKids is proud to partner with Anuncia Medical to bring this technology to some of the most vulnerable populations living in Africa."

The need for improved neurosurgical care extends beyond Africa, as patients in rural U.S. communities and underserved regions also face significant barriers. With an estimated 30 million people worldwide affected by hydrocephalus, access to effective treatment remains a critical challenge. Early data from its U.S. commercial rollout suggest ReFlow may help prevent catheter blockages, potentially reducing emergency surgeriesan especially critical benefit where neurosurgical care is limited. Through partnerships and innovation, Anuncia is building a strong body of clinical evidence to support additional regulatory claims and expanded reimbursement, driving broader adoption and integration of ReFlow into the standard of care for hydrocephalus treatment.

About Anuncia Medical, Inc.

Anuncia Medical is an early-stage commercial company redefining CSF management and neurocritical care with innovative therapeutic and monitoring solutionsfrom hospital to home. Our Breakthrough Device Designated technologies, including the ReFlow EVD and ReFlow Mini Flusher, provide noninvasive, cost-effective solutions to restore CSF flow and reduce complications in hydrocephalus and neurocritical care patients. We are also developing remote monitoring systems to improve real-time patient management and long-term outcomes, driving the next generation of lifesaving neurocritical innovations.

For more information, visit www.AnunciaMedical.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram. Our Scottsdale, Arizona headquarters can be reached at (978) 942-5600.

SOURCE Anuncia Medical, Inc.
Company announcement

No. 03/2025

Aquaporin A/S

Nymllevej 78

DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby

aquaporin.com

Company registration no.: DK28315694

KONGENS LYNGBY, Denmark, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aquaporin A/S (CSE: AQP) ("Aquaporin" or the "Company"), an innovative water technology company dedicated to rethinking water filtration with biotechnology, today announces the Annual Report for the period January 1 to December 31, 2024.

"Notwithstanding the change in guidance published on October 8 last year, 2024 was a pivotal year for Aquaporin as we advanced our mission to commercialize biotechnology-driven water purification solutions. We made tangible progress in product development, streamlined operations for efficiency, and expanded key business partnerships that position us for long-term growth," says Matt Boczkowski, Chief Executive Officer at Aquaporin A/S.

"In 2024, revenue decreased by 32% due to unexpected change in demand and the delay of a project. Strong cost control ensured improved EBIT (before special items) for the year, which allows Aquaporin to maintain a lower cost base and supports the journey to profitability," says Klaus Juhl Wulff, Chief Financial Officer at Aquaporin A/S.

Business highlights

Entered into strategic partnership with distributor Brenntag in APAC, Turkey , and China , strengthening Aquaporin's position to deliver advanced and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions.

, and , strengthening Aquaporin's position to deliver advanced and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions. Announced initial laboratory results for Aquaporin Inside  Generation 2, showing promising progress in membrane performance, ahead of pilot testing and scale up.

Generation 2, showing promising progress in membrane performance, ahead of pilot testing and scale up. Launched Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis CLEAR Series, designed to increase energy-efficiency for industry, municipalities, and businesses, in China .

. Secured new Brackish Water membrane orders in various geographies, including a milestone contract valued at USD 300,000 for municipal drinking water treatment plant project in Central Asia with CLEAR elements

for municipal drinking water treatment plant project in with CLEAR elements Repeat sales of Forward Osmosis Essence-GO systems to various accounts.

Launched water purifier, Rafine PRO, with leading technology company, Vestel, in Turkey , offering high water contamination reduction rates with high-quality at-home purifier.

, offering high water contamination reduction rates with high-quality at-home purifier. Completed successful Rights Issue raising gross proceeds of DKK 172 million .

Financial highlights

For the full year 2024, total revenue decreased by 32% to DKK 40.6 million vs. DKK 59.5 million in 2023. The decrease was mainly driven by an unexpected change in demand from Aquaporin's largest key account in Drinking Water and a change in timing of a Forward Osmosis project.

vs. in 2023. The decrease was mainly driven by an unexpected change in demand from Aquaporin's largest key account in Drinking Water and a change in timing of a Forward Osmosis project. In Industrial Water, revenue increased significantly by 192% to DKK 10.5 million , while Drinking Water decreased by 55% to DKK 18 million and Forward Osmosis Market Development decreased by 27% to DKK 12 million .

, while Drinking Water decreased by 55% to and Forward Osmosis Market Development decreased by 27% to . Gross profit margin amounted to 31% in 2024 (32% in 2023).

Operating costs totaled DKK 95.6 million , a decrease of DKK 17.3 million compared to 2023. The cost decrease relates to organizational restructuring initiated in 2024, continued strong cost management focus, and actions taken to simplify the organization at an overall lower cost base.

, a decrease of compared to 2023. The cost decrease relates to organizational restructuring initiated in 2024, continued strong cost management focus, and actions taken to simplify the organization at an overall lower cost base. EBIT (before special items) amounted to a loss of DKK (83) million , compared to a loss of DKK (90) million in 2023.

, compared to a loss of in 2023. Cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2024 amounted to DKK 77.3 million compared to DKK 2.8 million at year-end 2023.

Guidance 2025

For the full year 2025, we expect revenue in the range of DKK 60-80 million. For EBITDA (before special items), we expect a loss of DKK (45)-(55) million. For further details, please refer to Annual Report 2024 (attached).

Webcast

On March 20, 2025, at 11.00 AM CET, Aquaporin's Chief Executive Officer, Matt Boczkowski, and Chief Financial Officer, Klaus Juhl Wulff, will host an earnings webcast. Please go to our website for details on how to access the event: https://investors.aquaporin.com/investors/Events/default.aspx

For further information, please contact:

Matt Boczkowski, Chief Executive Officer

Klaus Juhl Wulff, Chief Financial Officer

+45 53 55 55 19, [email protected]

About Aquaporin

Aquaporin is an innovative water technology company with operations in Denmark (HQ), Singapore, Turkey, the United States, and China. We are committed to rethinking water filtration with biotechnology to solve global water challenges. By combining three disciplines from the world of natural sciences: biology, chemistry, and physics, we have created the unique, nature-inspired Aquaporin Inside technology which we embed into all our membranes and solutions. Our technology is based on Nobel Prize-winning research and is used to clean and reuse water in industries, in our homes, and even by NASA in space. We work with customers and partners around the globe to responsibly treat industrial wastewater, concentrate food and beverage products in a natural way, and enhance drinking water quality and accessibility.

Forward-looking statements

Matters discussed in this report may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and that can be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "will", "may", "continue", "should", and similar expressions, as well as other statements regarding future events or prospects. Specifically, this report includes information with respect to projections, estimates, and targets that also constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this report are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other important factors which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control. Such risks, uncertainties, and other important factors include, among others: Limited experience in commercialization of the Company's products, failure to successfully implement strategies, dependence on third parties for manufacturing certain product components and the supply of certain raw materials, manufacturing disruptions, strategic collaboration, protection of the Company's intellectual property rights and other risks disclosed in Aquaporin's annual reports and company announcements. Such risks, uncertainties, contingencies, and other important factors could cause actual events to differ materially from the expectations, projections, estimates, and targets expressed or implied in this report by such forward-looking statements. The information, opinions, and forward-looking statements contained in this report speak only as at its date and are subject to change without notice. Aquaporin expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/aquaporin-a-s/r/aquaporin-announces-full-year-2024-results,c4121540

The following files are available for download:

https://mb.cision.com/Main/22362/4121540/3331713.pdf 03-2025 Aquaporin announces full-year 2024 results https://mb.cision.com/Main/22362/4121540/3331714.zip 894500AW5ZWMYUZN1V70-2024-12-31-0-en.zip https://news.cision.com/aquaporin-a-s/i/aquaporin-ar2024-cover-no-text,c3388681 Aquaporin AR2024 Cover no text https://mb.cision.com/Public/22362/4121540/be35a0cc57b5b685.pdf Annual Report 2024 https://mb.cision.com/Public/22362/4121540/baa5da2f04d5048a.pdf Remuneration Report 2024

SOURCE Aquaporin A/S
Leading predictive procurement platform expands Executive Advisor Board to shape the company's strategic direction

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arkestro , the premier Predictive Procurement Platform accelerating enterprise spend transformation, announces two newly appointed industry leaders to its Executive Advisory Board. Arkestro's executive advisors provide strategic guidance and foster ongoing innovation throughout the company. As supply chains and procurement grow increasingly complex in the face of global challenges, the Executive Advisory Board serves to ensure Arkestro remains strategically positioned and innovative in an evolving market.

Arkestro's new advisors include:

Their decades of experience and deep industry expertise will be instrumental as we continue to expand our global impact Post this

Alan Turfe : Chairman, Managing Partner and Chief Finance Officer at Zoom Home Lending

: Chairman, Managing Partner and Chief Finance Officer at Zoom Home Lending Edwin Bennett : Former Chief Operating Officer of Ernst & Young (EY)

"Alan and Edwin are two accomplished business leaders who will make incredible additions to Arkestro's Executive Advisory Board," said Rob DeSantis, CEO and Co-Founder of Arkestro. "Their decades of experience and deep industry expertise will be instrumental as we continue to expand our global impact using predictive procurement. I look forward to driving dramatic value together as we continue our mission to help enterprises unlock trapped savings, mitigate supply chain risk and drive operational efficiencies."

Alan Turfe is the Chairman, Managing Partner and Chief Finance Officer at Zoom Home Lending, an independent brokerage firm based in Michigan. He is an experienced executive with a longstanding career spanning multiple industries, including automotive, e-commerce, metals, medical devices, biotechnology, life sciences, and pharmacy. Alan has previously held leadership roles in finance, operations, procurement, supply chain, and sales, directing high-performance teams through strategic planning and expansion. As the former Chairman, President, and CEO of J M Smith Corporation, he led the fourth-largest pharmaceutical distribution and technology company in the U.S., with $3.0 billion in revenue.

"Serving on Arkestro's Board of Executive Advisors has been an incredible experience and now I'm excited to join its Executive Advisory Board to help further the impact of Arkestro's game changing technology," shares Alan Turfe, Chairman, Managing Partner and Chief Finance Officer at Zoom Home Lending. "The team's innovative AI solutions are delivering measurable and quantifiable results for their customers, driving efficiency and value in procurement and supply chain management. I'm proud to be part of an organization that is setting the gold standard of excellence in the industry."

Edwin Bennett brings four decades of experience in governance and operational leadership to Arkestro, serving as a Partner and Senior Business Leader at EY. Prior to his retirement, Edwin served as EY's Americas Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer, where he skillfully navigated EY's $15+ billion Americas business through economic challenges while driving significant growth. He is best known for transforming EY's Consulting arm into a global leader. Edwin serves on the Board of Atmus Filtration Technologies, Inc. and previously served on the Global Advisory Council for ServiceNow, a leading SaaS provider for technical management support.

"I am excited to join Arkestro's Executive Advisory Board at a pivotal time for the procurement and supply chain industry," said Edwin Bennett, recently appointed Arkestro Executive Advisory Board member. "Organizations worldwide are seeking faster ways to optimize sourcing and mitigate risk, yet traditional procurement processes remain a bottleneck. Arkestro is redefining what's possible, transforming procurement into a strategic function that accelerates enterprise-wide efficiency and resilience rather than a cost center. I look forward to collaborating with the rest of the leadership team to support Arkestro's continued success."

Arkestro's Predictive Procurement Platform uses AI, behavioral science and game theory to

maximize shareholder value by driving a measurable impact on earnings per share through hard savings and transformational improvements in performance. With the power of Arkestro's platform, companies experience 60% faster cycle times and can manage three times more spend with the same resources. To learn more about Arkestro's Executive Advisory Board, please visit www.arkestro.com/executive-advisors .

About Arkestro:

Arkestro's Predictive Procurement Platform accelerates enterprise spend transformation to unlock trapped savings and reduce risk, enabling teams to influence significantly more spend. By combining AI and game theory with Arkestro's patented three science technology, Negotiation Science, Supplier Science, and Process Science, procurement teams can improve win rates while strengthening supply chain agility. Trusted by Fortune 500 companies across industries, Arkestro shifts traditional procurement to become a proactive, results-driven functioneliminating inefficiencies, optimizing negotiations, and enhancing supplier collaboration.

Arkestro has been recognized for its industry leadership, including being named a Sample Vendor for Autonomous Sourcing, Autonomous Procurement, and Supplier Discovery in Gartner's 2024 Hype Cycle, and a Top Tech  Sourcing provider in the Fall 2024 SolutionMap. Learn more at www.arkestro.com .

Arkestro Media Contact:

Fight or Flight PR

Tiffani Lee-Zhang

[email protected]

SOURCE Arkestro
Seedlab Australia has launched Bootcamp 11, a six-week sprint to shape the next wave of FMCG stars, and wellness-focused startups are stealing the spotlight. With Australians spending $5.2 billion on health foods last year, this cohortpacking hangover cures and superfood snackscould crack a booming market, backed by Woolworths muscle.

The six-week intensive program is designed to equip founders with the core business skills, strategic insights, and a strong support network needed to refine their offerings and prepare for scalable success. Kenna MacTavish, Seedlab Australias Chief Operating Officer, points out that many first-to-market products are emerging in Bootcamp 11, reflecting the dynamic shift in consumer demand. Were seeing an exciting rise in locally manufactured, innovative products hitting the market, which poses both opportunities and challenges for emerging brands. Bootcamp is designed to help these businesses sharpen their value propositions and set themselves up for long-term success, said Kenna.

One notable trend in the latest cohort is the rise of wellness-focused brands. From snack bar company Bar None and protein-packed gym supplements Crayv, to superfood-based chocolate alternative, Crunchiothese businesses are reshaping nutrition with bioactive, plant-based formulations. Functional beverages like hangover-fighting Dodge and non-alcoholic botanical drinks Purple Universe are also gaining traction, providing science-backed solutions for hydration and recovery. Were seeing more FMCG trends from overseas making their way into Australian and New Zealand marketsfrom flavoured beef jerky to creatine supplements and brain-boosting drinks. The growing wellness focus presents both opportunities and challenges, especially when it comes to scaling sustainably while maintaining product effectiveness, Kenna added.

Seedlab Australia continues to evolve its approach, ensuring Bootcamp participants are well-prepared for Cultivate, the next phase of Seedlabs accelerator program. The latest Bootcamp iteration places a stronger emphasis on communication and customer journey mapping, helping founders shift focus from product development to market engagement. Early-stage businesses often experience those a-ha moments in Bootcamp, realising the importance of strengthening their business structure and intellectual property. By focusing on communication and customer experience, we help them think beyond the product and build lasting customer loyalty, said Kenna.

Bootcamp is not only about business strategyits about connection. Participants gain access to a community of over 550 like-minded FMCG entrepreneurs, offering real-world advice from peers and alumni whove faced similar challenges. Past graduates like Sheet Yeah and Sobhnas have gone on to secure major retail partnerships and continue to support fellow entrepreneurs within the Seedlab network. As Bootcamp 11 begins, applications for Bootcamp 12 are now open, offering another opportunity for FMCG businesses to access the support they need to scale. Applications close on 23rd May at 5pm AEST.

For more information about Bootcamp and Seedlab Australia, visit https://seedlabaustralia.com.au/.

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GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ash Creek Renewables ("Ash Creek" or the "Company"), a platform dedicated to developing renewable fuel feedstock solutions and a portfolio company of Tailwater Capital LLC ("Tailwater"), today announced it has secured exclusive licensing rights from Montana State University for a new high-performance Camelina seed variety. Camelina is a low-carbon crop that grows with minimal inputs, supports soil health, and provides farmers with an additional revenue stream while integrating into existing agricultural systems. It is increasingly sought after as feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biomass-based diesel, offering a scalable solution to meet the growing demand for renewable fuels. This breakthrough marks a significant step forward in Ash Creek's "Forks and Fuels" initiative, which advances the use of Camelina as a scalable, low-carbon feedstock for renewable fuels and biodegradable materials.

With the new seed license, Ash Creek is expanding its Montana-based growing operations in 2025 following its success in 2024. The company has also expanded internationally, launching Camelina planting efforts in Argentina with its partner Elementa Foods while exploring additional low-carbon feedstock opportunities.

"This license is a game-changer for Ash Creek," said John Cusick, CEO of Ash Creek. "It enables us to scale production while driving innovation in sustainable agriculture and the circular economy."

Ash Creek is also expanding its Camelina processing operations and establishing an office in Montana through a strategic collaboration with Ag Processing Solutions, Inc. This facility will support increased production of Camelina meal and oil, accelerating Ash Creek's ability to deliver high-quality feedstock for biofuels and sustainable bioplastics.

As part of its biodegradable solutions initiative, Ash Creek has developed proprietary formulations to convert Camelina meal into bioplastics, offering industries, such as aviation, cruise lines, and food service, an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional single-use plastics.

"Airlines are highly focused on common sense sustainability, and Ash Creek provides scalable solutions for airlines' fuel and plasticware challenges," said Cusick.

Ash Creek's "Forks and Fuels" initiative embodies its broader vision for sustainability, demonstrating how a single crop, Camelina, can power multiple industries.

Camelina oil is a scalable, low-carbon-intensity feedstock for renewable fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), reinforcing the aviation sector's efforts to reduce emissions.

Camelina meal is transformed into compostable bioplastics, reducing single-use plastic waste and creating a closed-loop system that benefits both industry and the environment.

With these advancements, Ash Creek is reshaping the future of renewable feedstocks, reinforcing its commitment to scalability, innovation, and sustainability across agriculture, energy, and industrial materials.

About Ash Creek Renewables

Ash Creek Renewables is a platform dedicated to developing renewable fuel feedstock solutions to meet the demands of the growing renewable fuels market. The company serves North American renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel producers through its feedstock marketing, distribution, pretreatment and logistics operations. For more information, please visit www.ashcreekrenewables.com .

About Tailwater Capital

Dallas-based Tailwater Capital is an energy and environmental infrastructure private equity firm with a well-established track record of working constructively with proven management teams to deliver value-added solutions. Tailwater has raised more than $4.9 billion in committed capital since inception, and the team has executed more than 235 transactions representing over $26 billion in value. For more information, please visit www.tailwatercapital.com .

Contact

Jill McMillan

Managing Director, Communications & Public Affairs

Phone: 214-489-7047

Email: [email protected]

John Schaufele

Managing Director, Investor Relations & Fundraising

Phone: 214-489-7043

Email: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

Includes non-Tailwater controlled capital pursuant to the Tailwater-led management buyout processes for which Tailwater provides management-related services.

SOURCE Tailwater Capital
NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a remarkable victory for an injured worker, attorney Michael Zisser of Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP, secured a $4 million settlement for a 56-year-old union steamfitter who fell several feet from a ladder while performing HVAC work at a hospital. Despite facing several liability challenges in the case, Zisser's persistence and innovative legal strategies led to a favorable outcome for his client.

Attorney Michael Zisser of Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP

The ladder accident occurred while the plaintiff was performing HVAC installation in a hospital. While on a ladder, the steamfitter fell several feet, sustaining severe neck and spine injuries. His injuries required a multi-level cervical fusion surgery, and the plaintiff was unable to return to work afterward, severely impacting his livelihood.

Overcoming Liability Challenges

From the beginning, Zisser faced multiple liability issues with the case. The defense sought to argue that the plaintiff's actions were the "sole proximate cause" of the accident and that his delay in seeking medical treatment undermined the severity of his injuries, complicating the case further. However, Zisser's meticulous preparation, expert use of deposition testimony, and creative legal arguments ultimately secured a summary judgment in favor of his client on his Labor Law 240(1) claim.

"My goal in every case is to ensure that my clients receive justice," Zisser said. "This case was particularly complex, but with hard work and a commitment to my client, we were able to reach a settlement that will make a significant difference in his life. It's a testament to the importance of fighting for injured workers."

Zisser's success in securing this settlement underscores his reputation as an advocate for injured workers, particularly in high-risk industries such as construction. His expertise in navigating complex legal issues and leveraging creative strategies allowed him to overcome significant hurdles in this case and achieve a result that provides vital support for his client's future.

An Advocate for Workers' Rights

Zisser, who has been with Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP since 2008, is known for his commitment to advocating for injured individuals. He specializes in personal injury and construction accident cases, representing clients who have suffered injuries in various types of accidents. As a seasoned litigator, Zisser has a history of securing successful verdicts and settlements, with a track record of achieving significant compensation for his clients.

His practice focuses on fighting for the rights of injured workers and individuals who have been harmed due to the negligence of others. With his extensive experience, Zisser has developed a reputation for handling complex cases and delivering favorable results, even in challenging circumstances.

"Each case is personal to me," Zisser said. "I take pride in not only helping clients recover compensation but in ensuring that they have the resources they need to heal and move forward with their lives. This settlement is a reminder that justice can be achieved, no matter the obstacles."

A Life-Altering Injury

As a result of the accident, the plaintiff suffered severe injuries to his cervical spine, requiring surgery and ongoing medical care. He also faced a permanent disability that prevented him from returning to his job. The $4 million settlement will provide the plaintiff with compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering, allowing him to focus on recovery and adjust to his new circumstances.

Additionally, the case is significant not just because of the settlement amount but because of the message it sends to workers in high-risk industries. This case demonstrates that even in the face of challenging legal issues, workers who suffer injuries on the job are entitled to compensation and justice, regardless of the hurdles involved.

A Skilled Litigator Who Goes the Extra Mile

Michael Zisser's legal approach is rooted in a deep commitment to his clients, a thorough understanding of the law, and a proven ability to negotiate with both plaintiffs and defendants. He has built a reputation for being a tenacious litigator, always striving to achieve the best possible outcome for those he represents.

In addition to his work securing successful results for his clients, Zisser has been recognized for his contributions to the legal field. He is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice, two organizations dedicated to promoting justice and protecting the rights of individuals injured due to the negligence of others.

"I believe that every worker deserves the best legal representation, and that's what I strive to provide. It's not just about securing a settlementit's about securing a future for those who are hurt on the job," Zisser added.

Looking Forward: A Better Future for the Injured Worker

While the settlement provides vital financial support for the plaintiff, the true impact lies in the relief and hope it offers the injured worker as he navigates a challenging future. The compensation will assist with ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and lost wages, allowing him to focus on recovery and rebuilding his life.

"This case isn't just about the money; it's about securing a better future for someone who has been hurt while doing hard work to provide for his family," said Zisser.

As Zisser continues to advocate for injured workers, this case stands as a powerful reminder of the importance of having an experienced attorney in high-stakes situations. Whether dealing with complex legal issues or defending workers' rights in difficult cases, Michael Zisser remains committed to fighting for justice, no matter the odds.

For Zisser, the ultimate reward is knowing that his client will now have the financial resources and support needed to heal and move forward with their life after a devastating accident.

About Michael Zisser

Michael Zisser is a highly skilled personal injury attorney at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP. With over a decade of experience, Zisser has built a reputation for his unwavering commitment to representing clients in construction accidents, personal injury claims, and complex litigation cases. He has secured multi-million-dollar settlements for workers who have been injured on the job, and his approach to each case combines detailed preparation, strategic negotiation, and a deep dedication to client advocacy.

Zisser's legal work has earned him a well-deserved reputation in New York, and he continues to fight for justice for injured workers throughout the region.

Read more: https://www.wrshlaw.com/verdicts-settlements/union-steamfitter.html

For more information, contact the law office of Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP:

420 Lexington Ave Suite 2700, New York, NY 10170

Phone: (212) 986-7353

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.wrshlaw.com

SOURCE Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Baldrige Foundation announced today that after more than a decade of service as President and CEO, Al Faber will retire April 1, 2025. The Board of Directors has named Josh Racette, the Foundation's Vice President of National Programs and Development as the next President and CEO.

Al Faber

During his tenure, Faber led the Foundation's successful efforts to re-establish the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program in the Federal Budget and the President's Budget; create the Foundation's Institute for Performance Excellence; and amend Public Law 100-107 to make "Community" the 7th Category of the Baldrige Awards. These and other initiatives including the Foundation's individual leadership excellence awards which have grown to more than 30 granted each year, have transformed the Baldrige Foundation, and laid the groundwork to meet the challenges of the future.

"It has been the honor of my life to lead the Baldrige Foundation and to be part of a team that serves thousands of organizations across the nation and internationally. The extraordinary dedication, passion, and skill I have seen in all our stakeholders humbles me every single day," said Faber. "I could not be prouder of our accomplishments and how the entire organization stepped up to address the challenges of our time."

Faber has served the Baldrige community for more than 15 years as President and CEO of the Baldrige Foundation and The Partnership for Excellence (TPE), a state-based Baldrige program serving Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia during his tenure. Prior to his Baldrige service, Al served for more than 33 years in the U.S. Army as an Instructor Pilot, Test Pilot, National Security Fellow at Harvard University, and commanded units at the company, battalion, and brigade levels. He retired in 2011 at the rank of Colonel.

"Al's leadership to re-establish Baldrige in the Federal Budget, guide the Foundation through the COVID-19 Pandemic and economic recovery, and Baldrige program re-design, has been instrumental to navigating these turbulent times while continuing to transform the Baldrige Foundation to address resiliently these challenges and strategically prepare for the future," said Kay Eggleston, the Foundation's Board Chair.

"Through a pre-determined process, the Foundation's Board of Directors unanimously approved Josh Racette as President and CEO upon Al's retirement," added Eggleston.

"As Vice President for National Programs and Development, Josh Racette has done an outstanding job as the architect of the Foundation's Institute, collaborating with our strategic partners to grow participation and programs across the Baldrige community and internationally. Josh has been integral to our progress and success, and I have complete confidence in his ability to assume the role of President and CEO of the Foundation," said Faber.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the 36th Quest for Excellence conference in Baltimore, Maryland, from March 30  April 2, 2025. For more information on the conference and to register, follow this link: https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/qe

For more information contact: Mark Wayda, 614-600-0432 or [email protected]

About The Foundation for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Inc.

The Baldrige Foundation was created as the private partner to the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program in 1988. Its mission is to ensure the long-term financial viability of the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program and to support organizational performance excellence throughout the United States and the world. The Baldrige Program, located at NIST within the U.S. Department of Commerce, is a separate entity and is solely responsible for managing and administering the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. For more information on the Baldrige Award process please visit: https://www.nist.gov/baldrige/baldrige-award.

SOURCE Malcolm Baldrige Foundation
Enhancing Precision and Innovation in Neurosurgical Robotics Across China

ZHUBEI, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brain Navi Biotechnology, a leading innovator in neurosurgical robotics, has announced a strategic partnership with BenQ Medical Technology to introduce and commercialize the NaoTrac neurosurgical navigation robot in the Chinese market. This collaboration aligns with Brain Navi's 2025 globalization strategy, prioritizing localized partnerships to accelerate market entry and enhance clinical adoption.

Brain Navi Biotechnology and BenQ Medical Technology signed a strategic cooperation memorandum for the China market. (PRNewsfoto/Brain Navi) This is the first showcase of NaoTrac, Brain Navi in AANS 2025 in Boston at booth no. 443. Come and join us to save more lives.

China's surgical robotics industry is experiencing rapid growth. According to Frost& Sullivan market research, the surgical robot market size is projected to exceed USD 3 billion by 2026 and reach USD 9.5 billion by 2030. As the demand for neurosurgical precision and automation increases, Brain Navi's NaoTrac, a cutting-edge AI-powered navigation system, will play a crucial role in enhancing patient outcomes in neurosurgery.

Through this partnership, BenQ Medical Technology will leverage its extensive hospital network across China to facilitate NaoTrac's clinical deployment. This collaboration is further supported by China's 14th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Medical Equipment Industry, which aims to foster domestic innovation and promote intelligent medical solutions.

"This collaboration marks BenQ Medical Technology as a key step in integrating surgical robots and expanding applications in smart operating rooms," said Michael Kuan, the President of BenQ Medical Technology. "With the rapid advancements in AI and robotic technology, intelligent healthcare is the future. Working with Brain Navi, we are committed to driving the adoption of surgical robotics in China, providing patients with precise, safe, and innovative solutions."

Dr. Jerry Chen, CEO of Brain Navi, emphasized the importance of regional partnerships, stating, "NaoTrac has been used in some medical centers across Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Partnering with BenQ Medical Technology gives us a robust gateway into the Chinese market, where localization is key to success. By combining our AI-driven surgical technology with BenQ Medical Technology's strong market presence, we are confident in accelerating the adoption of neurosurgical robotics in China."

As part of its 2025 strategy, Brain Navi continues to expand its global footprint, with current key focus areas in EMEA, the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America. The company is committed to providing localized support through distributor empowerment, hospital collaborations, and advanced training programs tailored to the needs of neurosurgeons worldwide. By fostering strong alliances with distributors and hospital networks, the company ensures the seamless integration of neurosurgical robotics into regional healthcare systems.

Brain Navi will present NaoTrac at the AANS (American Association of Neurological Surgeons) Annual Meeting, scheduled for April 2528, 2025, in Boston, MA. This event will offer distributors, hospitals, and neurosurgeons a chance to experience the future of neurosurgical robotics firsthand.

About BenQ Medical Technology

BenQ Medical Technology, a subsidiary of BenQ Group, is a leading provider of advanced medical devices and healthcare solutions. Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Taiwan, the company specializes in surgical equipment, imaging systems, and patient care solutions. With global certifications like ISO 13485 and ISO 9001, BenQ Medical ensures high-quality standards in medical technology. Through innovation and strategic partnerships, the company continues to expand its footprint, delivering intelligent healthcare solutions that enhance patient care and surgical precision worldwide. For more information, visit www.benqmedicaltech.com

About Brain Navi:

Brain Navi Biotechnology, a leading Taiwanese surgical robotic company, specializes in designing and developing innovative navigation and robotic surgery technologies. Their proprietary Surface Mapping Auto-Registration Technology (SMART) represents a significant surgical breakthrough, integrating machine vision, robotics, and AI for streamlined surgical procedures and real-time imaging, ensuring minimal invasive outcomes. NaoTrac's swift patient registration and automatic surgical instrument registration enable surgeons to plan trajectories effortlessly, and the robot ensures precise autonomous navigation toward the desired target.

SOURCE Brain Navi
NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Block O'Toole & Murphy (BOM) obtained a $10,100,000 settlement after a long and complex legal fight for a construction laborer who suffered an above-the-knee amputation in 2017. The ensuing seven-year legal battle involved a series of challenges from the property owner, general contractor, and insurance company.

"This case was like a law school fact pattern; it had so many moving parts," said Partner Scott Occhiogrosso, one of the lead attorneys on the case. "It was a blessing to have the quality of lawyers that we have here, who know these different areas so well."

The accident occurred on a Friday, while the plaintiff was flagging traffic for a nearby construction site. While our client paused to let cars pass, one vehicle suddenly sped down the street, striking Plaintiff and pinning him to a parked car. He was rushed to the hospital, but his right leg had been crushed by the impact, and doctors were forced to amputate it.

Despite never flagging before, Plaintiff was thrown into the task with minimal explanation  take an orange flag, the general contractor said, and control traffic at the busy street corner. The New York Industrial Code, however, establishes that property owners and general contractors must instruct employees on the proper safety procedures for flagging traffic. This regulation  meant to protect employees in dangerous lines of work  became the basis for Occhiogrosso's argument.

"[Our client] didn't know where to stand, when he was supposed to flag, when he was supposed to stop, or where he was supposed to stand when he's not flagging," Occhiogrosso explained.

Together with BOM Partner Daniel O'Toole, Occhiogrosso filed a claim against the property owner under New York Labor Law 241(6). Under this law, property owners and general contractors can be held responsible for any accidents that occur due to violations of the New York Industrial Code.

The property owner named the general contractor, Plaintiff's employer, as a third-party defendant in the case, and both filed a motion to dismiss. This was the first major hurdle for the attorneys: defeating the motion and keeping the case alive long enough to settle or go to trial.

"We needed [the court] to understand how dangerous the work was, and the fact that [Plaintiff] had absolutely no training and no instruction for it," O'Toole said. "That's what we were hoping would get us past a motion to dismiss, and ultimately, it did."

But the fight didn't end there. The general contractor's insurance company, which should have covered Plaintiff, attempted to disclaim coverage under the assertion that the contractor had violated the terms of their contract. Now, to even have a chance to recover money for their client, the attorneys had to win a declaratory judgment action.

A declaratory judgment is an official ruling from a court that decides how a written agreement should be interpreted. In this case, a judge would look at the language of the insurance company's contract with the general contractor and decide if it had truly been breached.

The insurance company's argument was based on the claim that the general contractor misrepresented the type of work it performed. According to the insurance company, the contractor originally said it only hired other subcontractors, rather than doing any on-site work itself. If the insurance company had known about the on-site work, it said, it would have never written the policy.

To counter these claims, our attorneys managed to find a report from the insurance company's investigator, who had looked into the general contractor before any contract was signed. The investigator's report directly stated that the general contractor was likely doing more hands-on work than it claimed.

"When we found the investigator's report, we were able to say, wait a minute, you knew about [the additional work] before you ever wrote the policy," said O'Toole. "Your own investigator said, 'I think they're doing work on site.' And yet you didn't do any further investigation."

This crucial discovery ultimately helped resolve the case. A mere 48 hours before the trial was set to begin, the insurance company agreed to extend coverage to the plaintiff, and the defendants offered to settle.

Through these challenges, the attorneys agreed that their driving force remained the same  their client. After their client survived such a traumatic accident, our attorneys knew they would fight tirelessly to get him the compensation he deserved.

"[Our client] through it all just stayed so strong," said Occhiogrosso. "He continued to believe that ultimately things would break his way, and justice was going to be served."

About Block O'Toole & Murphy:

Block O'Toole & Murphy is a top personal injury law firm serving victims who have been hurt because of another party's negligence. The firm has recovered over $2 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients hurt in car crashes, construction accidents, and other personal injury cases. For a free consultation, call 212-736-5300 or visit https://www.blockotoole.com/

SOURCE Block O'Toole & Murphy
ARLINGTON, Va., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomberg Law today announced its participation in Legalweek, which will be held March 2427, 2025, in New York. Bloomberg Law will highlight its ongoing commitment to enhancing legal professionals' efficiency and effectiveness through cutting-edge AI-powered solutions.

Attendees at Legalweek can explore the latest innovations and tools from Bloomberg Law, built by attorneys for attorneys and designed to empower legal professionals to excel in a rapidly evolving legal and technological landscape. Bloomberg Law will feature its latest advancements in artificial intelligence to help legal professionals make informed decisions, provide confident guidance, and deliver superior results.

The Bloomberg Law booth will showcase its comprehensive and forward-thinking legal technology, including:

AI powered legal intelligence solutions : Newly released tools such as Complaint Summaries, Clause Adviser, Bloomberg Law Answers, and AI Assistant exemplify Bloomberg Law's ongoing commitment to leveraging AI to deliver unmatched efficiency and value to legal professionals. These tools are designed to help attorneys streamline analysis, enhance accuracy, and reduce time spent on routine tasks.

: Newly released tools such as Complaint Summaries, Clause Adviser, Bloomberg Law Answers, and AI Assistant exemplify ongoing commitment to leveraging AI to deliver unmatched efficiency and value to legal professionals. These tools are designed to help attorneys streamline analysis, enhance accuracy, and reduce time spent on routine tasks. Legal project management and collaboration tools : Dashboard Legal by Bloomberg Law is a project management and collaboration application that empowers attorneys to stay organized and manage matters more effectively through bird's-eye visibility, real-time communication tools, and integration with Outlook and popular document management systems.

: Dashboard Legal by is a project management and collaboration application that empowers attorneys to stay organized and manage matters more effectively through bird's-eye visibility, real-time communication tools, and integration with Outlook and popular document management systems. Intelligent legal document drafting tools: AI-powered document drafting tools empower transactional attorneys to deliver faster, more favorable contract outcomes directly in MS Word, the tool they already use every day. By integrating AI-powered productivity tools into their existing workflows, Bloomberg Law Contract Solutions enables legal teams to draft, negotiate, and review contracts more efficiently than ever before.

"At Bloomberg Law, we remain committed to our mission to empower legal professionals with the most comprehensive legal solutions available," said Bobby Puglia, chief product officer, Bloomberg Industry Group. "We are proud to offer legal intelligence and workflow tools that are not only transparent and trustworthy but also consistently updated to address the evolving needs and challenges faced by legal professionals such as Legalweek attendees. We look forward to engaging with conference attendees to showcase our impactful solutions that are designed to tackle real-world legal issues head on."

For more information about Bloomberg Law or to request a demo, visit https://aboutblaw.com/bhAZ.

About Bloomberg Law

Bloomberg Law combines the latest in legal technology with workflow tools, comprehensive primary and secondary sources, trusted news, expert analysis, and business intelligence. For more than a decade, Bloomberg Law has been a trailblazer in its application of AI and machine learning. Bloomberg Law's deep expertise and commitment to innovation provide a competitive edge to help improve attorney productivity and efficiency. For more information, visit Bloomberg Law.

SOURCE Bloomberg Law
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Collaborative Community Housing Initiative is excited to announce its recent acquisition of a former memory care community in Highland Park, Illinois. This purchase marks a significant step forward in CCHI's mission to create an inclusive living environment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

CCHI Acquires Former Senior Housing Community to Create Inclusive Living Spaces in Highland Park (PRNewsfoto/The Collaborative Community Housing Initiative,Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors) Learn More About CCHI's Vision for the Future

Founded in 2019, CCHI has long sought a property that could be transformed into a sustainable, welcoming community where individuals with disabilities can live independently, engage socially, and thrive. The vision became a reality with the recent acquisition, facilitated by Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors, a leading real estate advisory firm specializing in the seniors housing and behavioral healthcare space. The transition was further supported by Highland Park friends and partners, including Michael Weiss and HODC, who played a key role in the process.

CCHI will transform the former senior housing property into a 45- to 50-unit co-living space that will provide adults with the opportunity to live, work, and socialize together in an environment designed for inclusion and independence. Their team has worked tirelessly to engage with community partners and stakeholders to bring this acquisition to fruition.

"We are thrilled to bring this vision to life in Highland Park," said Laurie Williams, Founding Member of CCHI. "This property will allow us to offer a supportive, vibrant community for adults with disabilities, where they can build relationships, pursue activities they enjoy, and live as independently as possible."

"Blueprint is incredibly proud to have played a part in this meaningful transaction and to help bring CCHI's vision for inclusive living to life," said Blueprint's CEO Ben Firestone. "We look forward to seeing the lasting impact this project will have on residents and the Highland Park communitya place my family and I call home."

CCHI is deeply committed to ensuring that all people have access to opportunities for community engagement and independent living. The transformation of this property will provide a much-needed home for residents while fostering a supportive environment where they can flourish.

For more information about CCHI's mission or to learn how you can support this important initiative, please visit https://thecchi.org/.

For inquiries on Blueprint's behavioral health platform or to explore conversion opportunities, please contact Head of Behavioral Healthcare, Andrew Sfreddo at [email protected].

For more information, please contact Eileen Gehring ([email protected]) or Laurie Williams ([email protected]).

Chicago-based Blueprint was founded in 2013 with a mission to elevate healthcare real estate advisory through collaboration and data. Blueprint is now the most active advisory firm in seniors housing and skilled nursing, as well as a market leader within other healthcare real estate subsegments. With a proven track record of $13.8 billion in transaction volume, the Blueprint model rests on the unique combination of broad market coverage and unrivaled analytics. Blueprint has comprehensive industry expertise in skilled nursing, seniors housing, medical properties, and behavioral healthcare.

SOURCE Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors; The Collaborative Community Housing Initiative
University of Oxford spinout accelerates commercial expansion in the US of its innovative stroke AI imaging solution, with its demonstrated impact on vital treatments

Funding will also support clinical uptake of its breakthrough solution in lung fibrosis

OXFORD, England and CHICAGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Brainomix, a company pioneering AI-powered imaging tools in stroke and lung fibrosis, today announced the completion of a 14M ($18M) Series C investment round. The round is co-led by prominent healthtech investors that include existing investors, Parkwalk Advisors, the UK's largest growth EIS fund manager, and the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), along with new investor Hostplus via the IP Group Hostplus Innovation Fund. Hostplus is a leading Australian industry superannuation (pension) fund with over AUD$120 billion in funds under management. The round was supported by LifeSci Capital.

Brainomix Series C Funding - Dr Michalis Papadakis Caption: Dr Michalis Papadakis, CEO and Co-Founder at Brainomix Copyright: Brainomix Ltd

A spinout from the University of Oxford, Brainomix now operates in more than 20 countries globally, including the US. It has pioneered the development of an AI platform, Brainomix 360 Stroke, that automates validated imaging biomarkers to improve both diagnosis and treatment decisions. Brainomix is the established European market leader, with a NICE-endorsed technology that has been deployed to more than 300 hospitals, having benefitted more than 1.5M patients.

The company has demonstrated a unique ability to impact treatment rates, with results showing that Brainomix 360 Stroke was associated with an additional 50% increase in the number of patients receiving mechanical thrombectomy, a life-changing stroke treatment reducing disability.

This new investment will enable Brainomix to accelerate its commercial expansion into the US, where the company has recently secured ten FDA clearances. Fresh funding will also support Brainomix to advance its portfolio of AI-powered technology in new areas, facilitating faster diagnosis and increasing access to life-saving treatments. Having grown to a company of more than 75 staff, Brainomix plans to expand both its Oxford-based operations and global commercial team.

Brainomix has applied its AI expertise to lung fibrosis, with the development and FDA clearance of its Brainomix 360 e-Lung technology to accurately predict the progression of the disease. The company has an ongoing partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, the global leader in lung fibrosis treatments, to evaluate the real-world impact of e-Lung to improve the identification and access to treatment for people with progressive lung fibrosis.

Dr Michalis Papadakis, CEO and Co-Founder at Brainomix, said: "We would like to thank all the investors that participated, including Parkwalk and Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund for their continued support, and welcome Hostplus, all of whom recognize the transformative impact that our technology can have on treatment for stroke and lung fibrosis patients. We will continue to harness our position and experience as a European market leader to achieve broad success in the US, helping improve patient care and access to life-changing therapies."

John Pearson, Chief Investment Officer at Parkwalk, said: "The potential for AI-powered platforms in healthcare to revolutionise diagnosis and treatment decisions is clear. Brainomix has successfully demonstrated its platform imaging software is able to deliver both significant societal impact and strong growth for investors. Parkwalk is excited to continue supporting a company that is creating comprehensive solutions to critical needs and implementing them at scale."

Dr Oliver Reuss, Investment Manager of the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF) and Director of the Brainomix Board, said: "Brainomix has demonstrated an unparalleled track record of successfully delivering AI solutions into stroke clinical practice, and they are now doing it again in lung fibrosis. As a strategic investor with a shared vision to enhance care for lung disease, we believe Brainomix has the potential to improve the identification and access to treatment for people with lung fibrosis."

Please watch our video here Brainomix Series C Funding - Dr Michalis Papadakis on Vimeo

Notes to Editors

About Brainomix

Brainomix specializes in the creation of AI-powered software solutions to enable precision medicine for better treatment decisions in stroke and lung fibrosis. With origins as a spinout from the University of Oxford, Brainomix is an expanding commercial-stage company with offices in the UK, Ireland and the USA, and operations in more than 20 countries. A private company, backed by leading healthtech investors, Brainomix has innovated award-winning imaging biomarkers and software solutions that have been clinically adopted in hundreds of hospitals worldwide. Its first product, the Brainomix 360 stroke platform, provides clinicians with the most comprehensive stroke imaging solution, driving increased treatment rates and improving functional independence for patients.

To learn more about Brainomix and its technology visit www.brainomix.com, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Contacts

Jeff Wyrtzen, Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer

[email protected]

M +44 (0)7927 164210

T +44 (0)1865 582730

Media Enquiries

Charles Consultants

Christopher Gardner

[email protected]

M +44 (0)7956 031077

About Parkwalk

Parkwalk is the largest growth EIS fund manager, backing world-changing technologies emerging from the UK's leading universities and research institutions. With 500m of assets under management, it has invested in over 180 companies across its award-winning Parkwalk Opportunities and Knowledge Intensive EIS Funds, as well as the enterprise and innovation funds Parkwalk manages for the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Bristol and Imperial College.

For further information visit: parkwalkadvisors.com

Media Enquiries

Portland

Pauline Guenot

[email protected]

+44 (0)7841 196889

About IP Group Hostplus Innovation Fund

IP Group is the leading investor in university originated deep-tech companies in Australia and the UK. The Group pioneered a unique approach to developing intellectual property into valuable deep-tech companies.

In Australia and New Zealand, IP Group manages the $435m IP Group Hostplus Innovation Fund. IP Group works in close partnership with major universities to identify ground-breaking technologies which have the most promising commercial potential. IP Group, which is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol IPO, has a strong track record of success and its portfolio comprises holdings in early stage to mature businesses across life sciences and technology. https://www.ipgroupanz.com/

Media contact:

Craig Regan, Primary Communication on +61 (0) 408 448 527 or [email protected]

About Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund GmbH

The Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), established in 2010, is dedicated to investing in groundbreaking biotechnology companies that are at the forefront of therapeutic and digital innovations, aiming to advance biomedical research. With a commitment to revolutionizing the standard of care, the BIVF fosters long-term partnerships with scientists and entrepreneurs. The BIVF's focus is on nurturing disease-modifying therapeutic concepts and facilitating their clinical application. The BIVF prioritizes the translation of first-in-class concepts that address significant medical needs in fields such as oncology, immunology, regenerative medicine, neurodegeneration, infectious diseases, and digital health technologies. These innovative concepts often encompass novel platform technologies designed to tackle targets and diseases that were previously considered untreatable.

With a fund volume of EUR 350 million, the BIVF operates as an evergreen fund, continually reinvesting to fuel its mission. The partners of the BIVF gain from the fund's deep expertise in drug discovery & development, translational science, and management, along with access to a network of experts within the Boehringer Ingelheim organization. Currently, the BIVF supports a diverse portfolio of over 40 companies, leveraging its extensive experience to drive progress in healthcare.

For additional information, please visit boehringer-ingelheim-venture.com.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiujKeHvwzU

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2645475/MichalisPapadakis_CEO_Brainomix.jpg

SOURCE Brainomix
Comprehensive Analysis Exposes Severe Lung Diseases from Artificial Stone Dust Exposure

NOVATO, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new medical review published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology has uncovered a troubling rise in accelerated silicosis and other serious lung diseases among artificial stone workers. The analysis, led by Dr. Jane C. Fazio and colleagues Dr. Karoly Viragh, Dr. Jenny Houlroyd and Dr. Sheiphali A. Gandhi, highlights the health risks associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and other toxic dust, which is released during the fabrication of high-silica artificial stone countertops.

Silicosis is a progressive and incurable lung disease that occurs when inhaled silica dust causes lung scarring. Traditionally, silicosis was seen in industries such as mining and construction, where workers were exposed to silica over decades. However, this study found that artificial stone fabricatorswho work with materials containing more than 90% silicaare developing accelerated and acute forms of silicosis in as little as two to ten years of exposure.

Comprehensive Analysis Exposes Severe Lung Diseases from Artificial Stone Dust Exposure Post this

With no known cure and limited treatment options, accelerated silicosis leads to severe disability and, in advanced cases, the need for lung transplantation. This study provides critical new anlysis on the impact of artificial stone fabrication and the serious health risks facing workers in this industry.

Key Findings from the Study

Sharp Increase in Severe Silicosis Cases

Artificial stone workers have a significantly higher risk of developing advanced silicosis compared to other silica-exposed industries.

Up to 40% of artificial stone workers in some regions have been diagnosed with progressive massive fibrosis (PMF), the most severe form of silicosis.

PMF leads to extensive lung scarring, respiratory failure, and a significantly reduced life expectancy.

Rapid Disease Progression

Unlike chronic silicosis, which typically develops after decades of exposure, artificial stone workers are experiencing accelerated forms of the disease within just a few years.

Some cases of acute silicosiscaused by high levels of silica exposure in a short timehave developed within months.

Many workers with PMF are experiencing severe respiratory decline and are being evaluated for lung transplants.

Additional Health Risks

In addition to silicosis, artificial stone workers are facing increased rates of:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)



Lung cancer



Autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), and lupus



Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and renal failure

The study also notes that misdiagnosis is common. Many cases of accelerated silicosis have initially been mistaken for sarcoidosis or tuberculosis, delaying proper treatment.

Understanding the Health Impacts of Silica Exposure

The high silica content in artificial stone and the fabrication processparticularly cutting, grinding, and polishinggenerate enormous amounts of nano-sized particles of silica dust. When inhaled, these tiny particles embed deep into the lungs, causing inflammation, fibrosis, and irreversible lung damage.

While traditional silicosis progresses slowly over decades, artificial stone workers experience much higher exposure levels, leading to faster and more severe disease progression. In many cases, the disease continues to worsen even after exposure stops, making early detection critical.

Because silicosis is a progressive disease with no cure, treatment is limited to symptom management, oxygen therapy, and lung transplantation for end-stage cases. Early diagnosis can help slow progression and improve outcomes, but many workers are diagnosed too late to prevent serious complications.

To view the full study, please visit https://braytonlaw.com/engineered-stone-silicosis-medical-journal-articles/

Legal and Medical Considerations for Affected Workers

As awareness of this growing health crisis increases, artificial stone workers diagnosed with silicosis, lung cancer, or other silica-related illnesses may be entitled to compensation. Workers were not adequately warned about the risks of artificial stone dust exposure by manufacturers or suppliers.

Brayton Purcell LLP has spent decades advocating for workers suffering from occupational lung diseases. Our experienced attorneys are committed to helping artificial stone workers and their families seek justice. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with silicosis, lung cancer, or another silica-related condition, you may be eligible for significant financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.

Early diagnosis is critical. Get the legal support you need today.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation-- (800) 598-0314

PR Contact

[email protected]

415-898-1555

SOURCE Brayton Purcell LLP
BURLINGTON, ON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The expert team from Brigade will be demonstrating its range of commercial vehicle safety solutions at the Good Roads Conference 2025 in Toronto, Ontario between March 30th and April 2nd. Since 1874, municipal association Good Roads has been concerned with the quality and design of roads in Ontario, a remit which includes transport and infrastructure.

Brigade to showcase vehicle safety solutions at Good Roads Conference 2025

According to 2021 statistics from the International Transport Forum*, there were 1,768 fatalities on Canada's roads, of which 307 were pedestrians, and 277 were riding bicycles, mopeds or motorbikes. In addition, there were 83,590 incidents which led to someone being injured.

As increasing numbers of Canadian cities and provinces sign up to the Vision Zero road safety plan, accident reduction will be an important issue at this year's Good Roads Conference. Vision Zero is a global road traffic safety project which aims to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries involving road traffic.

At Good Roads, the experts from Brigade will be available to discuss all aspects of commercial vehicle safety and demonstrate a wide range of products which prevent collisions and safeguard both drivers and vulnerable road users.

These include the bestselling Backeye360AI camera system which utilizes the latest technology to aid visibility in elevated driver positions.

Its Sidescan Predict system uses algorithms to predict if a collision is likely by differentiating between static objects like road furniture and moving objects, whether the vehicle is turning or intending to turn, and the speed, position and direction of a vulnerable road user.

Brigade's AI cameras are the new generation of active blind-spot detection. Using artificial intelligence, the cameras detect and recognize pedestrians within a pre-defined detection zone and reliably warn the driver visually and/or audibly before a possible collision occurs. Image processing is built in to the camera, meaning no other hardware is required.

Brigade's latest product, a driver safety camera, will also be on show. This aims to reduce incidents caused by driver fatigue or lack of concentration. Built-in AI analyzes signals, such as unusual yawning, and provides audible alerts to the driver. Erratic steering and unusual vehicle positioning can also trigger an alarm, and there is the option of alerting the fleet manager too. Distracted driving, when the driver's attention is diverted by activities such as talking on the phone or messaging, is one of the leading contributing factors in fatal and serious injury road accidents in Canada, and driver safety cameras can play a major part in preventing these.

Warren Di Marco, CEO of Brigade Canada, said:

"Our mission since 1976 has been to prevent collisions and save lives, and our products contribute extensively to Vision Zero objectives."

"We will be available throughout the Good Roads Conference to provide our expert advice to any operator looking for recommendations for the best safety solutions for their vehicles. Do drop by our stand and find out how we can help improve your fleet's safety  we look forward to welcoming you."

*ITF (2024), "Canada: Road Safety Country Profile 2023", OECD Publishing, Paris.

Brigade Electronics will be attending the Good Roads Conference 2025 from March 30th to April 2nd in Toronto, Ontario, and exhibiting its range of commercial transport safety systems. Find them at Stand 314.

Brigade is a global market leader and award-winning provider of commercial and machinery vehicle safety solutions. The company's mission is to save lives, protect vulnerable road users and assist drivers to manoeuvre safely by creating high-quality products that reduce the risk of collisions and eliminate vehicle blind spots.

Founded in 1976 by Chris Hanson-Abbott OBE, Brigade introduced the very first back up alarm to Europe and has been at the forefront of championing vehicle and machinery safety ever since. The company is renowned for pioneering industry-compliant products as well as developing and patenting new and innovative technology.

Brigade's product portfolio offers a range of devices suitable for OEM and aftermarket customers. These include the very latest AI-enhanced 360-degree camera systems, camera monitor systems, White Sound back up alarms, radar and ultrasonic sensors, enhanced with AI capabilities, as well as video recording devices and dashcams which are compatible with various telematics platforms, including Brigade Telematics. Brigade's products can be integrated to suit a broad range of applications and requirements. All devices come with generous warranty periods (some lifetime), technical support and expert aftercare.

https://brigade-electronics.com/en-ca/

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646555/Brigade_GoodRoads_Conference.jpg

SOURCE Brigade Electronics
The Rung Sac Road spans over 36 kilometers from the Binh Khanh ferry port to downtown Can Gio, September 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, owned by billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, has proposed to build a $4 billion metro line linking District 7 with Can Gio District in Ho Chi Minh City, boosting the city's transportation infrastructure.

According to documents submitted to the HCMC Peoples Committee and the Department of Transport, the proposed metro would stretch over 48.5 kilometers, running from Nguyen Van Linh Avenue in bustling District 7 to the coastal district of Can Gio, renowned for its tourism potential and lush mangrove forests.

The project includes two depots, one in District 7 and another in Can Gio. Once operational, the metro line is expected to handle up to 40,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

The total cost of the project is estimated at around VND102.37 trillion ($4.09 billion).

Vingroup intends to finance the metro through a public-private partnership (PPP) and a build-own-operate (BOO) model, leveraging its own capital alongside other funding sources.

Preparatory work, including the pre-feasibility study and urban planning integration, is expected to begin this year. Construction could commence in 2026, with trial operations expected by 2028.

Can Gio District, approximately 50 kilometers from downtown HCMC, features over 71,300 hectares of land, including expansive mangrove forests, rivers and beaches along its 23-kilometer coastline. The metro project aligns with the city's vision to transform Can Gio into a premier tourism hub.

HCMC is targeting the completion of seven metro lines totaling 355 km by 2035, with plans for three additional lines by 2045. The total projected investment for these 10 lines is approximately $67 billion.
VALENCIA, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cars2Charities is thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Tunnels to Towers Foundation aimed at providing crucial support for Gold Star families, veterans, and first responders. This significant collaboration embodies a shared commitment to honor and assist those who have made tremendous sacrifices for the country, ensuring their legacies live on through actionable support. By joining forces, both organizations aim to create lasting change and more significant community impact, empowering individuals to contribute to the well-being of those who have served. This partnership amplifies their missions and brings together a network of donors dedicated to making a difference in the lives of America's heroes.

Through this exciting partnership, Cars2Charities will facilitate vehicle donations that directly benefit the Tunnels to Towers Foundation's initiatives, such as building mortgage-free homes for the families of fallen heroes and providing smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans. Every vehicle donated to Cars2Charities funds these vital projects, ultimately helping families find stability during trying times. Donating a car to Cars2Charities is a fast, easy, and free way to make a meaningful contribution while receiving a tax deduction. Vehicle owners can feel the satisfaction of giving back, knowing that their old cars can profoundly impact the lives of those who need them most.

Anyone interested in supporting this cause can learn more and donate their vehicle by visiting www.Cars2Charities.org .

Cars2Charities streamlines the vehicle donation process, allowing donors to part with their unwanted vehicles in minutes. Whether it's a car, truck, RV, or even a motorcycle, Cars2Charities accepts all vehicle types, running or not, and handles all the paperwork. Best of all, donors can select which charity they wish to support when they donate.

About Cars2Charities

Cars2Charities is a Valencia, CA-based organization dedicated to simplifying the vehicle donation process while maximizing the benefits for donors and their chosen charities. With a straightforward three-step process, Cars2Charities has made donating vehicles an efficient, hassle-free experience. Since its inception, the organization has assisted countless charities, ensuring every donation goes toward impactful causes. For more information about Cars2Charities and to donate, visit www.Cars2Charities.org .

Cars2Charities and Tunnels to Towers Foundation are set to create lasting change with this partnership. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit www.Cars2Charities.org to participate in this exciting initiative and help support America's heroes today!

Contact Information

Name: Lauren Doll

Email: [email protected]

Phone Number: (855) 520-2100

https://www.cars2charities.org/contact-us/

SOURCE Cars2Charities
ANAHEIM, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Centaurus Financial, Inc. has been recognized as one of the top 10 U.S. independent broker/dealers with the highest percentage of female registered representatives, according to financial industry news service Financial Planning. On its 2024 list of independent broker/dealer "Elites," Financial Planning ranked Centaurus as tied for No. 6, with 21% of its registered representatives being female.

Vickie Intriago, CFP, of Torrance, California, is a member of that 21 percent. One of the reasons she's thrilled about being a Centaurus representative is the annual workshops put on by the broker/dealer.

In the spring, the BDD Quantum Leap Workshop, sponsored by Brokerage Design & Development, brings together representatives to learn from one another. Attending the workshops  Intriago has been at every one since joining the firm in 2017  is a key to her business growth and competency, she said.

Michelle Anthony, representative from Tucson, Arizona, who's been with Centaurus since 2014, also appreciates the workshops and other conferences put on by the firm. "Centaurus offers many different educational training opportunities and programs," she said. "Before I joined Centaurus, I was not a fan of conferences, because most conferences were all about the company." Centaurus's conferences, she said, "are all about YOU, the representative. They care about you. It's about networking and about learning from others."

At Centaurus, she adds, "You have this amazing support system. It's a support system that I've never felt or enjoyed anywhere else."

Centaurus encourages its representatives to support one another and network with each other. Several of the female representatives have taken networking a step further, creating a group that meets online monthly via Zoom.

Intriago was instrumental in starting the Centaurus Women's Virtual Advisor Group. "The virtual format allows advisors from coast to coast to connect and share valuable insights," she said. "Success stories are a cornerstone of the group, as members celebrate each other's achievements and learn from shared experiences."

Although the financial services industry has long been dominated by men, firms like Centaurus  which consistently is in the top 10 of firms with the most female representatives  are making a big difference.

About Centaurus Financial

Headquartered in Anaheim, California, Centaurus Financial, Inc. is a national independent financial services company registered and licensed to offer securities, investment advisory services and insurance products. Centaurus Financial is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). Centaurus Financial is registered as a broker/dealer and Registered Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). For more information about Centaurus Financial, please visit centaurusfinancial.com.

Media contact:

Maryanne Dell

714-456-1790

[email protected]

SOURCE Centaurus Financial, Inc.
LANSING, Mich., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CompWest Insurance Company has awarded Hub International Limited (HUB), a leading global insurance brokerage and financial services firm, the honor of Agency of the Year for strong premium performance, new business growth, retention and more during 2024.

CompWest (PRNewsfoto/CompWest Insurance Company)

"We are excited to recognize HUB as CompWest's Agency of the Year," said Mike Valiante, senior vice president of Small Commercial Market, AF Group. "They're a strong partner for not only CompWest, but across our entire organization. They've shown their dedication to consistently winning new business and working hard to retain accounts by providing value and building trust with our mutual policyholders. I'm excited to continue this partnership and succeed together."

"We are honored to be named CompWest's Agency of the Year," said Andrew Forchelli, executive vice president, HUB California. "Our continued success is made possible by outstanding partners like CompWest and our shared commitment to the insurance industry and in protecting what matters most to clients."

About HUB International

Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, HUB International Limited is a leading full-service global insurance broker and financial services firm providing risk management, insurance, employee benefits, retirement and wealth management products and services. With more than 19,000 employees in offices located throughout North America, HUB's vast network of specialists brings clarity to a changing world with tailored solutions and unrelenting advocacy, so clients are ready for tomorrow. For more information, visit HUB Media Center.

About CompWest

CompWest is a dynamic provider of workers' compensation, offering leading strategies and innovative insurance solutions to employers in California and select Western states. CompWest is a division of AF Group. All policies are underwritten by a licensed insurer subsidiary. For more information, visit afgroup.com.  AF Group.

Contact:

Marissa Sura

(517) 896-3707

[email protected]

AFGroup.com

SOURCE CompWest
DALLAS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers can cross off more of their to-do lists with a trip to the PX or BX as the Exchange and Amazon announced that Amazon customers can now take advantage of package pickup and label-free, box-free returns at more than 90 Army, Air Force and Space Force Exchange locations in the continental U.S.

The new pickup and return options will make shopping at Exchange stores even more convenient for customers and reduces the need for additional shipping boxes, with customers able to simply return the item in the original manufacturer's packaging.

"This collaboration with Amazon adds so much convenience for service members, families, civilians, retirees and other authorized shoppers," said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rich Martinez, the Exchange's senior enlisted advisor. "The Exchange is already a community hub. Now Exchange shoppers don't have to make a separate trip off-installationthey can take care of their Amazon returns and pickups at the Exchange."

Shoppers will be able to select their local Exchange as a pickup or return option if their address is on or near the installation. For pickup, once the parcel arrives, customers will receive an e-mail notification with the information needed to retrieve it.

If a return is needed for an order, Amazon customers can drop-off returns after generating a QR code by visiting the Amazon "Your Orders" page online or in the Amazon Shopping app, clicking "Return or Replace Items", and following the prompts. Customers then bring eligible items to the drop-off location in the original manufacturer's packaging, for it to be packed and shipped at no extra cost.

Amazon returns and pickups can be completed at the Exchange main store customer service desk.

Shoppers can find participating Exchange locations here.

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 Chris Ward, 214-312-3861 or [email protected].

Follow the Exchange:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange

Instagram: @shopmyexchange

EXCHANGE MEDIA CONTACT: CHRIS WARD  [email protected]

SOURCE Army & Air Force Exchange Service
SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Copia Wealth Studios today announced the launch of "Copia - Clarity," an advanced wealth management platform designed specifically for sophisticated allocators managing diverse investment portfolios. The new solution addresses the growing complexity faced by successful entrepreneurs and family offices who manage multiple alternative investments across fragmented investor portals.

Copia Clarity - The wealth management platform for the worlds most sophisticated allocators.

"Today's ultra-high-net-worth investors, particularly those who have recently exited businesses, face huge challenges making sense of their expanding investment portfolios," said Michael Sikorsky, CEO of Copia Wealth Studios. "Clarity eliminates this pain by adding AI-powered intelligence and automation to wealth management, giving our clients complete visibility and control over their entire portfolio."

The launch comes at a time when AI adoption in wealth management is accelerating rapidly. Recent industry research indicates that 90% of investors believe AI can effectively assist in researching financial products and services, while 80% see its potential in enhancing portfolio management.

Key Features of Copia Clarity

Clarity introduces several groundbreaking capabilities designed specifically for sophisticated investors:

Contextually-Aware AI Assistant : Provides intelligent insights and answers questions based on complete understanding of the user's portfolio documents, assets, and investment managers

: Provides intelligent insights and answers questions based on complete understanding of the user's portfolio documents, assets, and investment managers Automated Document Acquisition : Connects directly to multiple investor portals to collect documents automatically, freeing users from administrative tasks

: Connects directly to multiple investor portals to collect documents automatically, freeing users from administrative tasks Comprehensive Alternative Asset Tracking : Offers unified visibility across traditional and alternative investments, including early-stage startups and private equity funds

: Offers unified visibility across traditional and alternative investments, including early-stage startups and private equity funds Data Extraction & Normalization : Transforms documents into structured data, creating consistent, comparable metrics across diverse investments

: Transforms documents into structured data, creating consistent, comparable metrics across diverse investments Discrepancy Detection: Identifies inconsistencies in financial records to prevent costly oversights and maintain data integrity

"What sets Clarity apart is its ability to unify the fragmented world of alternative investments," said Mark Yams, Product VP at Copia Wealth Studios. "Our clients no longer need to juggle multiple logins, manually compile data, or worry about missing critical information. Everything they need is accessible through a single source."

Early adopter Chris, who recently sold his technology company and now manages investments across multiple asset classes, reports: "Before Clarity, I spent hours each week just gathering documents and trying to make sense of my portfolio. Now, I can see everything in one place, and the AI assistant helps me understand exactly what's happening with my investments. It's transformed how I manage my wealth."

Availability

Copia - Clarity is available immediately for investors and family offices. For more information or to schedule a demonstration, visit https://copiawealthstudios.com/product/copia-clarity or contact [email protected].

About Copia Wealth Studios

Copia Wealth Studios builds wealth management software for the world's most sophisticated allocators. Our solutions empower executives, entrepreneurs, and family offices to make informed investment decisions through intelligent automation and data-driven insights. Founded in 2021, Copia Wealth Studios serves clients globally from its headquarters in San Diego.

Media Contact:

Phil Wheaton

403 618 9097

[email protected]

www.copiawealthstudios.com

SOURCE Copia Wealth Studios
Veteran Operators Roll Out 23rd Truck, Expanding the Brand's New York Presence

ALBANY, N.Y., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cousins Maine Lobster (CML), the industry-leading fast-casual lobster roll brand is expanding its footprint in New York with the launch of a brand-new food truck in Albany. Led by seasoned franchisees and brothers Yunus and Thameem Shahul, this marks the duo's 23rd CML truck, bringing the irresistible flavors of Maine lobster directly to New York's capital. With a growing demand for high-quality seafood across New York, the Albany truck offers local seafood lovers fan-favorite Maine lobster rolls, mouthwatering lobster tacos, savory lobster quesadillas, and much more.

Yunus, Thameem, Jim, Sabin and the team.

Since starting operations in Manhattan in August 2018, the Shahul brothers have expanded CML's reach across New York City, Long Island, and Western and Central Connecticut. They've also spearheaded the brand's expansion in other major markets, including Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, Chicago, Miami, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale. As the brothers continue their growth in New York, the new truck in Albany will serve as an adjacent territory to their existing operations, further building brand recognition and expanding into new communities with the support of a local team.

"We're excited to announce that Cousins Maine Lobster will now serve the Albany community of lobster lovers," said Yunus Shahul. "The passion that we have for this brand is shared by our customers, and as we continue to grow with Cousins Maine Lobster, this expansion is a natural next step in the region. We can't wait to serve our signature Maine lobster to our new neighbors, provide new job opportunities and build lasting connections in this vibrant community."

Cousins Maine Lobster Albany will make its introduction on Thursday, March 22nd at KBC Beer, located at 4 N. Main St. in Mayfield from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The celebration will continue with a series of events across the market, giving communities the chance to experience the brand firsthand.

Check out more of the upcoming week's food truck events at Cousins Main Lobster Albany.

Specializing in wild-caught Maine lobster, Cousins Maine Lobster offers a gourmet fast-casual seafood experience through food trucks, brick-and-mortar locations, and a 'Shore-to-Door' e-commerce program that ships responsibly harvested menu items nationwide. Founded in 2012, the brand gained national recognition after appearing on Shark Tank and partnering with Barbara Corcoran. With rapid expansion underway, Cousins Maine Lobster has appeared on The Food Network, Good Morning America, Inc., and in Tasting Table, where it has won numerous awards and recognition.

Likewise, the brand's menu is growing right alongside its food truck fleet. Cousins Maine Lobster is launching a new Garlic Butter Lobster Roll, an indulgent twist on their classic roll featuring warm Maine lobster drizzled in rich, house-made garlic butter on a toasted New England-style bun.

"Yunus and Thameem are exemplary operators who have demonstrated incredible leadership and dedication to growing the Cousins Maine Lobster brand," said Angela Coppler, Head of Development at Cousins Maine Lobster. "Their passion for delivering an authentic Maine lobster experience has allowed them to expand across multiple regions, and we have no doubt their newest truck in Albany will have the same energy and commitment. We're proud to support their continued growth and introduce our brand to even more communities."

Cousins Maine Lobster of Albany is part of the brand's broader food truck growth strategy to reach new seafood fans right where they live, work, and play. With a growing number of new locations in major cities across the United States, the brand is on track to open 30 units in 2025. Cousins Maine Lobster is seeking operators who are passionate about delivering high-quality food and exceptional customer service. Ideal candidates have a strong business mindset, work ethic, and leadership skills, with a commitment to maintaining the brand's standards.

With a proven business model that offers flexibility, operators can launch food trucks in as little as three to six months. Low overhead and labor costs allow operators an efficient and cost-effective entry into each market. The brand is currently targeting markets with strong demand for high-quality, fast-casual seafood, including Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver and Spokane, Washington; Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; and areas across the Midwest, including St. Louis, Missouri; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

About Cousins Maine Lobster

Cousins Maine Lobster is a premier seafood franchise bringing authentic Maine lobster to communities nationwide through its fleet of food trucks and brick-and-mortar restaurants. Founded in 2012 by cousins Jim Tselikis and Sabin Lomac, the brand started as a passion project and quickly gained national recognition after securing an investment from Barbara Corcoran on Shark Tank. Since then, Cousins Maine Lobster has become a leading franchise, delivering high-quality, wild-caught Maine lobster with a commitment to consistency, hospitality, and an unforgettable guest experience. Whether serving seafood lovers from its iconic food trucks or expanding into new markets with restaurant locations, Cousins Maine Lobster continues to set the standard for premium lobster offerings.

To learn more about franchise opportunities with Cousins Maine Lobster, visit https://www.cousinsmainelobster.com/franchise. To find a location near you, visit www.cousinsmainelobster.com.

DISCLAIMER: This news is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy a franchise. Any actual offer or solicitation can only be made through a Franchise Disclosure Document. If you reside in California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, or Wisconsin, we may not be able to offer you a franchise until it has been registered in your state.

CONTACT: Cia Abulencia

All Points Public Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE Cousins Maine Lobster
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Crescent Real Estate LLC (Crescent) is pleased to announce the promotion of several key members of its team. These advancements are a testament to their commitment and exceptional performance that have driven Crescent's success.

Mike Bannon - Senior Vice President, Investments

Mike Bannon has been promoted to Senior Vice President and is based out of the Denver office. Since joining Crescent in 2018 as Vice President, Bannon has been pivotal in asset management for the firm's office portfolio. He has also been a significant contributor to several acquisitions, dispositions and developments. He notably led the asset management of Crescent's highly successful Colorado Springs portfolio and currently oversees investments in Boulder, Denver, and Cherry Creek. Mike's deep knowledge base and work ethic make him an invaluable member of the team. He holds a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College and an MBA from Georgetown University.

Kirsten Snyder - Senior Vice President, Investments

Kirsten Snyder has been promoted to Senior Vice President. Joining Crescent in June 2024 as Vice President, Hospitality, Snyder quickly established herself as a vital part of the team with her extensive knowledge and experience. She will continue to provide strategic direction to enhance investments and hospitality operations. She earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University.

Norman Brem - Vice President, Treasury

Norm Brem has been promoted to Vice President. Brem joined Crescent in July 2022 as Director of Treasury and has been instrumental in managing cash projection models, debt covenants, and improving banking platforms. His contributions have elevated Crescent's cash management and transaction controls. Brem's high level leadership qualities, willingness and desire to learn, and cultivation of strong working relationships with all team members has been evident. He holds a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and an MBA from Texas A&M University.

Michael Gober - Vice President, Information Technology

Michael Gober has been promoted to Vice President. Gober has been with Crescent since 2001, serving in various capacities in the IT department during that tenure, most recently as Director. He excelled in the Director role overseeing seamless IT integration during the pandemic, having heavy involvement in the planning and execution of several office buildouts/moves, implementing many technical efficiencies and improvements, and providing team leadership to the IT group. Michael leads the IT team with the expertise needed to help Crescent continue to advance in our technology strategy and strengthen our cybersecurity posture. His ability to build collaborative relationships with all departments across Crescent has ensured that the alignment of IT initiatives will continue to help Crescent to leverage technology to drive efficiency and growth. He holds a bachelor's degree from Columbia College of Missouri.

Travis Rieff - Vice President, Development

Travis Rieff has been promoted to Vice President. Since joining Crescent in August 2021 as Senior Construction Manager, Rieff has demonstrated exceptional project management skills. He played a major role in the successful development and delivery of The Crescent Fort Worth project. Rieff's skillset will be crucial in overseeing Crescent's current and future development projects. He holds a bachelor's degree from Texas Tech University.

These promotions underscore Crescent's commitment to recognizing and nurturing talent within the organization to drive continued success. "We are thrilled to announce these promotions, which reflect the exceptional contributions and leadership of these individuals. Their expertise and dedication are integral to our ongoing growth and success," said Conrad Suszynski, CEO.

ABOUT CRESCENT

Crescent Real Estate LLC (Crescent) is a real estate operating company and investment advisor, founded by Chairman John C. Goff, with assets under management, development, and investment capacity of more than $10 billion. Through the GP Invitation Funds, Crescent acquires, develops and operates all real estate asset classes alongside institutional investors and high net worth clients. Crescent's premier real estate portfolio consists of Class A, creative office and life sciences, multifamily, hospitality, industrial, and senior living assets located throughout the U.S., including The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas. For more information, visit www.crescent.com.

SOURCE Crescent Real Estate
Longest-serving Chief of Cyber for the U.S. Army assumes role as president for DataShapes AI's defense business.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DataShapes AI, Inc., a leading innovator in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), distributed AI agents and data-driven solutions for the electromagnetic spectrum, is pleased to announce that retired U.S. Army General Paul Craft has been named President-Defense.

"Paul's extensive experiencespanning more than 30 years in cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and next-generation technologybrings immense value to DataShapes AI as we push the boundaries of AI-driven spectrum intelligence," said Logan D. Selby, CEO of DataShapes AI. "As the longest-serving Chief of Cyber for the U.S. Army and the Commandant of the Army's Cyber and Electronic Warfare School, Paul possesses an unmatched depth of expertise in electronic warfare, cyber security, and spectrum superiority. His strategic vision and leadership perfectly align with our mission to deliver groundbreaking AI-powered solutions that redefine decision-making at the edge and beyond. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team."

As a senior leader at DataShapes AI, Mr. Craft will spearhead the company's defense business, guiding the team in advancing AI-driven solutions tailored for military and national security applications. His deep expertise will be instrumental in strengthening DataShapes AI's position in the defense sector, driving innovation and ensuring that the company's cutting-edge technology and products meet the critical mission needs of defense and government clients. Mr. Craft will also work closely with DataShapes AI's executive team to expand GlobalEdge, their flagship product suite, in both defense and commercial markets.

Uniquely Distinguished Resume Advances Company's Mission

A 1993 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Mr. Craft brings 31 years of extensive experience in technical and organizational leadership to DataShapes AI. He has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of groundbreaking technologies, including internet communications, satellite systems, and cybersecurity innovations. His robust academic foundation includes three master's degrees attained through both military and civilian institutions.

As the longest-serving Chief of Cyber for the U.S. Army, Craft spearheaded the recruitment and training of the Army's elite cyber forces. He also held pivotal leadership roles at the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) and U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), culminating his military career by directing cyber operations and defense for the Department of Defense's global network across three theaters.

Craft's extraordinary achievements have earned him prestigious accolades, including the Silver Order of Mercury for his work deploying ISR and communications systems in Afghanistan, the Gold Order of Thor for advancing defensive cybersecurity, and the Saint Barbara's Award for his contributions to offensive cyber operations. He also received an international IT award for developing a $9 billion IT system that remains integral to the Army's operations today.

About DataShapes AI

DataShapes AI delivers automated, real-time electromagnetic spectrum insights for commercial and government applications. Our software integrates seamlessly with any hardware, incorporating advanced analytics to extract actionable intelligence from signals and waveforms. Operating flexibly on devices without the need for costly infrastructure, we accelerate decision-making across land, sea, air, and space.

CONTACT:

Logan D. Selby, PhD

CEO, DataShapes AI

[email protected]

datashapesai.com

SOURCE DataShapes AI
Available for a limited time exclusively online

LOS ANGELES, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Don Francisco's Coffee, a leading family-crafted premium coffee brand, announces the launch of its new limited-edition flavor, Chocolate Raspberry, available today. As the latest addition to the brand's Savor Our Flavors collection, this irresistible blend features the velvety taste of chocolate and the bright sweetness of ripe raspberries, in a smooth, medium roast coffee made with 100% Arabica beans.

Don Francisco's Coffee debuts its new limited-edition Chocolate Raspberry flavor, available now exclusively online. Post this A sweet way to welcome spring! Don Franciscos Coffee debuts its new limited-edition Chocolate Raspberry flavorfeaturing the velvety richness of chocolate and the bright sweetness of raspberriesperfect for enjoying with your favorite treats. Available now exclusively online.

"At Don Francisco's Coffee, we're always innovating to bring coffee lovers high-quality coffee with delicious, popular flavors they can enjoy at homewhether savoring it on its own or experimenting with new recipes," said Lisette Gavina Lopez, fourth-generation roaster at Gavina Coffee Company. "Chocolate and raspberry are a timeless pairing, and this new coffee captures their bright, sweet, and indulgent tasteperfect for welcoming spring."

Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry coffee delivers a perfectly balanced, irresistible blend and is available in a 12-ounce ground bag at Donfranciscos.com/ChocolateRaspberry for $10.49 and a 20-ounce whole bean bag at Amazon.com/DonFranciscos for $18.99. And when the last cup is poured, consumers can recycle these and all Don Francisco's Coffee packaging for free through TerraCycle at www.terracycle.

Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry Coffee is made for those who love a little flair in their cup. To celebrate this irresistible new flavor, Don Francisco's has introduced two delicious recipesone a layered Neapolitan-inspired treat, the other a simple yet indulgent classic topped with whipped cream and syrup. Both bring together rich chocolate and tangy raspberry for a perfectly balanced, sweet sip.

Don Francisco's Neopolitan Coffee

Ingredients:

1 cup Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry coffee, brewed

Chocolate Raspberry coffee, brewed 2 Tbsp melted dark chocolate

 cup milk

3 tsp raspberry syrup

 cup sweetened condensed milk

Ice cubes

Directions:

1. Brew 1 cup of Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry coffee using your preferred method.

2. Pour hot coffee over melted dark chocolate until it fully dissolves and blends into the coffee. Let it cool.

3. Prepare the Cold Foam: In a separate container, froth the milk and raspberry syrup using a milk frother until it becomes foamy.

4. Fill two serving glasses with ice cubes.

5. Divide the sweetened condensed milk evenly between the two glasses. Using the back of a spoon, pour cooled chocolate coffee mixture into each glass. Top each with the raspberry cold foam. Enjoy!

Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry Coffee

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry Coffee

Chocolate Raspberry Coffee 16 oz hot water

Cream, to taste

Whipped cream, for topping

Raspberry sauce, for garnish

Chocolate shaved, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Add 4 Tbsp of Don Francisco's Chocolate Raspberry Coffee to a French press.

2. Pour 16 oz of hot water (just below boiling) over coffee grounds. Stir gently, place lid on, and let it steep for 4 minutes. Slowly press down the plunger to filter the coffee.

3. Pour freshly brewed Raspberry Chocolate Coffee into two mugs. Add desired amount of cream

4. Top each mug with whipped cream. Drizzle raspberry sauce over the whipped cream and garnish with a fresh raspberry and chocolate shavings.

For these and more Don Francisco's Coffee flavors and recipe inspiration, visit Don Francisco's Coffee at donfranciscos.com .

About Don Francisco's Coffee

Don Francisco's Coffee is the flagship premium brand of Gavina Coffee Company. A leading California retail brand, Don Francisco's Coffee is also available nationally via fine grocery retailers, donfranciscos.com, and Amazon. Don Francisco's includes a wide array of coffees and roast styles made for a variety of brewing methods, including single-serve pods and espresso capsules. To learn more about Don Francisco's Coffee, please visit www.donfranciscos.com.

About Gavina Coffee Company

Established in Vernon, California in 1967, Gavina Coffee Company is one of the largest family-owned coffee companies in America and the nation's largest privately held minority-owned coffee roaster. The family's unmatched coffee experience, as coffee growers and roasters, dates back more than 150 years to the family's humble beginnings in the rich coffee-bearing soil of Cuba and has a strong presence in wholesale and retail accounts across the country. The company makes the highest-quality, family-crafted coffee, including flagship premium brand Don Francisco's Coffee, popular Latin-style espresso Cafe La Llave, Jose's Gourmet Coffee, a premium coffee brand available exclusively at Costco, as well as Gavina Gourmet Coffee, their wholesale brand for foodservice, vending, and micro markets.

SOURCE Don Franciscos Coffee
GLEN COVE, N.Y., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas Scholarship for Future Doctors is now accepting applications from undergraduate students across the United States who are committed to pursuing careers in medicine. Established by Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas, this prestigious scholarship provides a one-time award of $1,000 to a deserving student who demonstrates academic excellence.

Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas has long been an advocate for advancing medical education and supporting the next generation of healthcare professionals. With an extensive background in medicine and healthcare administration, Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas understands the challenges aspiring doctors face in their academic and professional journeys. Through this scholarship, Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas aims to recognize and assist a student who exhibits both the passion and perseverance necessary to succeed in the medical field.

The Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas Scholarship for Future Doctors is open to undergraduate students currently enrolled at an accredited U.S. college or university. Eligible applicants must be pursuing a pre-medical track or a related major, with a clear intention of attending medical school.

Application and Selection Process

Students interested in applying for the Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas Scholarship for Future Doctors can submit their applications online at https://drkonstantinoszarkadasscholarship.com. Applications must include a well-crafted essay outlining the applicant's career aspirations, leadership experiences, and the impact they hope to make in the field of medicine.

About Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas

Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas has built a distinguished career in medicine, combining clinical expertise with leadership in healthcare management. As the Chief Medical Officer of Arch Sleep Apnea Solutions, Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas plays a pivotal role in improving patient care and access to treatment. His academic journey spans a psychology degree from Hunter College, medical training in the Dominican Republic, and a Master of Health Administration from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas has served diverse patient populations across New York, providing care in English, Greek, and Spanish. His dedication to healthcare extends beyond clinical practice, as he continually seeks to support future physicians through mentorship, education, and now, this scholarship opportunity.

Advancing the Future of Medicine

The Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas Scholarship for Future Doctors is more than just financial support; it is an investment in the future of medicine.

For more information about the scholarship and application details, visit https://drkonstantinoszarkadasscholarship.com.

SOURCE Dr. Konstantinos Zarkadas Scholarship
Southeast Asia's second largest economy may fall short of 2025 tourism target

Thailand, Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, could miss its target of welcoming 39 million foreign tourists this year due to safety concerns and growing regional competition, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

ATTA president Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn said foreign arrivals are expected to reach 37 million at most in 2025, The Nation reported.

Thailand recorded over 35 million international visitors last year, making it one of Southeast Asia's most popular destinations.

A key factor dampening this year's outlook is safety concerns among Chinese tourists following the high-profile kidnapping of Chinese actor Wang Xing, also known as Xing Xing, in January.

Chinese arrivals plummeted to 371,542 in February, the lowest in 15 months and a 44.9% year-on-year decline, according to ATTA.

ATTA highlighted increasing competition from destinations such as Japan and Vietnam, which are drawing more Chinese tourists.

China became the largest source of visitors to Vietnam in the first two months of this year, while Japan surpassed Thailand in Chinese arrivals last year.

The association now forecasts only seven million Chinese visitors for the year, lower than the previously expected nine million.

Sisdivachr urged the Thai government to prioritize restoring confidence in the country's safety and security.

He emphasized that clear and consistent law enforcement is crucial to ensuring a smooth experience for all international travelers.

As part of its measures to enhance security, Thailand plans to reduce the visa-free stay duration for eligible travelers from 60 days to 30 days, aiming to curb misuse of the scheme by individuals involved in illegal activities, Bangkok Post reported.
A total of 19 community colleges will receive $500,000 in grant awards

Additional $100,000 will support the Forward Fund to expand access to training opportunities for students

Duke Energy's ongoing commitment to workforce development totals more than $6.6 million over the last five years

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy Foundation today announced $500,000 to support 19 North Carolina community college programs that are creating a pipeline of skilled workers who will help meet the energy industry's growing workforce needs. A $100,000 grant will also support the Forward Fund to help students in Southeastern North Carolina attain high-wage employment opportunities.

As North Carolina continues to deploy modern energy infrastructure and meet the needs of a growing state, Duke Energy Foundation is investing in programs that will build the next generation workforce and create access to training and job skills that fit community needs. These grants are part of Duke Energy's ongoing commitment to workforce development, which totals more than $6.6 million over the last five years.

"As our state and industry continue to grow, North Carolina's community colleges are helping us meet the moment," said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy's North Carolina president. "As technologies change and we modernize our energy fleet, we want talent here in the state to help us support our communities and build a smarter energy future for customers."

Durham Technical Community College received a $25,000 grant to enhance its Electric Line Technician Training program.

"Duke Energy's continued commitment to Durham Tech ensures we are connecting skilled individuals to good jobs like electric line technicians," said Durham Technical Community College President J.B. Buxton. "We are proud to be one of the few locations in the state that offers a pathway to these in-demand positions that communities rely on to keep the lights on."

A full list of community colleges receiving funds, along with grant recipient quotes, can be viewed, here.

For the first time, Duke Energy Foundation is also making an investment in the Forward Fund (TFF). TFF provides zero-interest loans to cover essential life expenses like transportation and child care, allowing students to focus on school full time. TTF participants are enrolled in short-term training programs directly connected to regional employer demand and high-wage employment opportunities. Repayments begin after participants earn a minimum salary requirement and are cycled back into the fund for loans to future learners.

"The Forward Fund is thrilled to receive this grant from Duke Energy Foundation to expand access of our customized, student-centered financing to students enrolling in proven Electrical Lineworker programs in Southeastern North Carolina and across the state," said Meaghan Dennis, founder and chief executive officer. "Our zero-interest loans cover tuition, fees and life expenses for students during the program, removing the financial hurdles that may prevent them from enrolling or graduating. We're excited to be part of the workforce solution for high-wage energy careers in the state."

Duke Energy Foundation

Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. The company's electric utilities serve 8.4 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 54,800 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.

Duke Energy is executing an ambitious clean energy transition, keeping reliability, affordability and accessibility at the forefront as the company works toward net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions from electricity generation by 2050. The company is investing in major electric grid upgrades and cleaner generation, including expanded energy storage, renewables, natural gas and nuclear.

More information is available at duke-energy.com and the Duke Energy News Center. Follow Duke Energy on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook, and visit illumination for stories about the people and innovations powering our energy transition.

Contact: Garrett Poorman

24-hour media line: 800.559.3853

SOURCE Duke Energy
E Source experts and customers will share insights on reliability, asset management, and storm planning.

BOULDER, Colo., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- E Source, a utilities-focused consulting, research, and data science company, has announced its plans to exhibit and present at DISTRIBUTECH 2025, an annual event for professionals in the transmission and distribution (T&D) industry, from March 24-27 at the Kay Bailey Convention Center in Dallas.

A leading industry event, DISTRIBUTECH features over 800 exhibitors and 100 expert-level speakers for three days of showcasing the latest technologies and solutions in energy efficiency, grid modernization, distributed energy resource management systems, and more.

The company's presence at DISTRIBUTECH 2025 includes:

Speaking sessions, courses, and presentations featuring E Source and utility experts

An E Source lounge (#E1) in the DISTRIBUTECH lobby where attendees can meet E Source experts to explore the company's consulting and data science offerings

A happy hour co-hosted with GridX, an enterprise rate platform

E Source speakers and industry peers will present expert content on the following topics:

Monday, March 24 :

The asset management maturity journey: From reactive chaos to proactive excellence (Utility University course), 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Industry consultants and E Source experts will facilitate a 4-hour data asset management course for utility attendees focused on converting data into actionable intelligence.

Speakers:

Richard Wernsing, President, Wernsing Consultants

Darin Johnson , President, BIS Consulting

, President, BIS Consulting Kate Tancke, Director, Consulting, E Source

Pablo Narvaez, Director, Consulting, E Source

Tuesday, March 25 :

Impacts of major weather events on reliability and resilience at Texas IOUs, 11:00-11:50 a.m.

Jeremy Klingel, President, Consulting, E Source, and panelists from large investor-owned utilities will discuss how major weather events can impact utility reliability and resiliency.

Speakers:

Jeremy Klingel, President, Consulting, E Source

Jason Ryan , Executive Vice President, Regulatory Services & Government Affairs, CenterPoint Energy

, Executive Vice President, Regulatory Services & Government Affairs, CenterPoint Energy Chad Burnett, Vice President, Regulatory and Finance, AEP Texas

Matt Henry , Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, Oncor

, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary, Oncor Julio Romero Aguero, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Business Innovation, Quanta Technology

Building effective grid transformation strategies (Knowledge Hub session, booth #1051), 3:30-4:00 p.m.

Nicole Naassan, Senior Vice President of Delivery, E Source, will interview Eversource's Director of Grid Modernization Technology, Ryan West, to discuss how utilities can approach DER monitoring and control in their grid transformation strategies.

Speakers:

Nicole Naassan, Senior Vice President of Delivery, E Source

Ryan West , Director, Grid Modernization Technology, Eversource

Wednesday, March 26

Using data science for better storm planning (Knowledge Hub session, booth #1001), 1:15-1:45 p.m.

E Source data science experts and Angie Gibson, Vice President, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, will discuss how utilities can use advanced analytics to enhance storm preparedness and response.

Speakers:

Robin Sanders , Data Scientist, E Source

, Data Scientist, E Source Angie Gibson , Vice President, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

, Vice President, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Pacific Gas and Electric Company Devon Grodkiewicz, Sales Support Representative, E Source

Jeremy Klingel, President, Consulting, E Source, commented on the company's plans for DISTRIBUTECH 2025, saying, "Every year we look forward to DISTRIBUTECH because of the expansive cast of industry practitioners it brings together. Since the early days of grid modernization, this event has provided a forum for utilities to discuss how new technologies are being operationalized, what practical measures are being put in place to deal with the challenge of the day, and how peers are making strides to better serve their customers in the face of continued and unprecedented change. I cannot think of a better knowledge-sharing platform in our industry for exploring the future while learning about investments and solutions that are improving the present."

More information about E Source's consulting and data science offerings can be found on the company website.

About E Source

E Source combines industry-leading research, data science, and consulting to help utilities make and implement better data-driven decisions that positively impact their customers, their bottom line, and our planet. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, E Source has teams across the US and Canada. Learn more at www.esource.com.

Media contact:

Adarsh Nalam, Director, Solutions Marketing and Communications

[email protected]

SOURCE E Source Companies LLC
Marlene Summers, senior vice president of ECI's Global Customer Support, named a Silver 2025 Stevie Award winner for her leadership and proven operation model; ECI also won two Silver Stevie Awards for its transformative customer service support and front-line technology efforts

FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ECI Software Solutions, a global provider of cloud-based business management software and services, today announced it has won three Silver Stevie Awards at the 19th annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service . Marlene Summers, senior vice president of Global Customer Support for ECI, won a Silver Stevie Award in the "Customer Service Leader of the Year" category; and ECI's customer support team won two Silver Stevie Awards in the "Front-Line Customer Service Team of the Year  Technology Industries" and "Customer Service Transformation Award" categories.

In 2024, ECI transformed its global customer support strategy shifting away from a traditional tiered, call-center model to a more collaborative approach using product-specific support pods. This change transformed the daily experience of hundreds of team members across seven countries and 70 ECI products, enabling them to resolve customer requests in the shortest time possible. In less than one year, Summers and her team reduced the time to resolve customer service cases by 32%, improved phone channel resolution by 76%, and decreased case escalations by 76%. The new approach greatly enhanced the customer service experience as well as case efficiency.

"At ECI, our customers are at the heart of everything we do, and this recognition of three Stevie Awards is a true testament to our teams' unwavering commitment to customer success," said Riz Karim, chief customer officer at ECI. "We are incredibly proud of Marlene's leadership at the helm of global customer support, as well as the dedication of her team, which works tirelessly to listen and adapt to the evolving needs of our customers. Their efforts raise the bar as we continue to empower the entrepreneurial spirit on a global level."

More than 2,100 global nominations were considered in this year's competition. Winners are determined by the average scores of 176 professionals worldwide on seven specialized judging committees. Each entry is reviewed and rated by no fewer than five pre-qualified volunteer judges on a scale of 1-10.

"The outstanding scores awarded to this year's Stevie winners reflect the exceptional levels of achievement they demonstrate," said Maggie Miller, president of the Stevie Awards. "We proudly join the judges and the entire Stevie Awards community in congratulating and celebrating the winners on their accomplishments."

Winners will be celebrated during a gala event attended by more than 400 professionals at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on April 10.

A full list of winners is available on the Stevie Awards website. For more information about ECI, please visit the company website.

About ECI Software Solutions

ECI Software Solutions provides cloud-based business software for running small and mid-sized businesses end to end. Built by experts in manufacturing, residential construction, building supply, office technology and wholesale/retail distribution industries, ECI's industry-specific software connects businesses and customers, improving visibility, operational efficiency and profitability. With ECI, businesses seamlessly integrate sales and marketing, business intelligence, CRM, data and analytics, ecommerce, mobile apps and payment processing. With more than 30 years of industry leadership, ECI is trusted by 25,000 customers in more than 90 countries globally. Headquartered in Westlake, Texas, it has offices in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Australia. For more information, visit www.ECIsolutions.com.

About The Stevie Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, and the Stevie Awards for Women in Business. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 70 nations and territories. More than 1,000 professionals around the world participate in the Stevie Awards judging process each year. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com .

Media Contact:

Brittni Borrero

Gabriel Marketing Group (for ECI Software Solutions)

Phone: 248-931-3418

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE ECI Software Solutions
Global HR research and advisory firm McLean & Company's research highlights how enhancing pre-employment assessments significantly improves hiring success by aligning candidate evaluation with organizational needs and competencies.

TORONTO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Amid increasing pressure to secure quality hires and mitigate costly hiring mistakes, McLean & Company, a global HR research and advisory firm, has released a comprehensive resource titled Design Pre-Employment Assessments That Improve Hiring Success. The report addresses the critical need to move beyond traditional interviewing techniques to more effectively evaluate candidates' competencies and organizational fit.

McLean & Companys Design Pre-Employment Assessments That Improve Hiring Success research provides HR leaders with a structured approach to creating competency-based assessments that enhance hiring accuracy and candidate experience. By aligning assessments with core and functional competencies, organizations can improve quality of hire, reduce bias, and drive long-term talent success. (CNW Group/McLean & Company)

According to McLean & Company's report, poorly designed assessments do more harm than good, highlighting significant gaps in current candidate evaluation methods. The research provides HR professionals with strategies to design in-house, competency-based assessments tailored specifically to organizational culture and role requirements. The firm's research underlines the substantial financial and productivity implications of bad hires, citing that the cost of replacing an employee can be significant, depending on the position. McLean & Company stresses the critical need for precise and dependable hiring practices to avoid unnecessary costs and enhance organizational productivity.

"When organizations design pre-employment assessments thoughtfully and tailor them specifically to roles where they matter most, the benefits are significant. Not only do well-aligned assessments offer candidates a clearer and more authentic picture of their future role, enhancing their overall experience, but they also help hiring teams make confident, unbiased decisions." says Karen Mann, senior vice president, Human Resources Research, Learning & Advisory Services at McLean & Company. "Selecting assessment methods based on actual organizational needs  rather than following trends  along with adding engaging elements like gamification, ensures a hiring process that genuinely reflects the company's values and drives meaningful, lasting results."

The firm's resource outlines a structured, four-step approach for HR teams developing effective pre-employment assessments. The steps include:

Determine priority areas: Identify high-impact roles and competencies essential to organizational success, focusing on positions historically difficult to fill effectively.



Design in-house assessments: Create customized assessments that are directly aligned with the necessary competencies and clearly reflective of organizational culture and job realities.



Ensure validity and reliability: Employ rigorous testing and validation methods to confirm assessments accurately predict job performance, are unbiased, and consistently measure desired competencies.



Implement and evaluate: Integrate these assessments strategically into talent acquisition processes and continuously assess their effectiveness in improving hiring decisions and organizational outcomes.

McLean & Company highlights the strategic advantage of using multiple assessment methods, including interactive simulations, dynamic role-play scenarios, and realistic work samples, to gain deeper insight into a candidate's suitability for a role. The firm also suggests incorporating gamification techniques to create a more engaging, positive candidate experience that distinguishes an organization from its competitors, a strategy that is particularly relevant in today's highly competitive talent market. Beyond improved candidate evaluation, McLean & Company's resource demonstrates how competency-based assessments can significantly enhance candidate experiences by providing realistic job previews. The firm explains that this transparency not only boosts candidate engagement but also helps reduce early turnover by aligning candidate expectations with organizational reality.

As organizations navigate a rapidly evolving talent landscape marked by increased competition and changing workforce expectations, the need for precise, objective hiring methods has become paramount. McLean & Company's resource provides organizations with the tools and insights needed to stay competitive by attracting and retaining top talent effectively.

To access the full research resource, please visit Design Pre-Employment Assessments That Improve Hiring Success. For additional resources and to learn about accelerating talent acquisition initiatives through McLean & Company's specialized workshops, please visit the workshop page.

Media interested in connecting with McLean & Company analysts for exclusive, research-backed insights on hiring, HR priorities, and talent management trends can contact Communications Manager Katie Tame at [email protected].

About McLean & Company

McLean & Company pairs evidence-based research and immediately applicable tools with deep HR expertise to position organizations to meet today's needs and prepare for the future. The global HR research and advisory firm's member organizations enjoy comprehensive resources, full-service diagnostics, workshops, action plans, and advisory services for all levels of HR professionals, from executive leadership to HR leaders to HR team members, that help shape workplaces where everyone thrives.

McLean & Company is a division of Info-Tech Research Group.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].

SOURCE McLean & Company
RADNOR, Pa., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The law firm of Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP (www.ktmc.com) informs investors that a securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Edison International ("Edison") (NYSE: EIX) on behalf of those who purchased or otherwise acquired Edison securities between February 25, 2021, and February 6, 2025, inclusive (the "Class Period"). The lead plaintiff deadline is April 21, 2025.

CONTACT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP:

If you suffered Edison losses, you may CLICK HERE or copy and paste the following link into your browser: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/edison-international?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=eix&mktm=r

You can also contact attorney Jonathan Naji, Esq. by calling (484) 270-1453 or by email at [email protected].

DEFENDANTS' ALLEGED MISCONDUCT:

The complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Edison's claim that Southern California Edison Company used its Public Safety Power Shutoffs 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 times.

THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS:

Edison investors may, no later than April 21, 2025, seek to be appointed as a lead plaintiff representative of the class through Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP or other counsel, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. A lead plaintiff is a representative party who acts on behalf of all class members in directing the litigation. The lead plaintiff is usually the investor or small group of investors who have the largest financial interest and who are also adequate and typical of the proposed class of investors. The lead plaintiff selects counsel to represent the lead plaintiff and the class and these attorneys, if approved by the court, are lead or class counsel. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision of whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff.

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Edison investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE CASE OR GO TO: https://www.ktmc.com/new-cases/edison-international?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=eix&mktm=r

ABOUT KESSLER TOPAZ MELTZER & CHECK, LLP:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP prosecutes class actions in state and federal courts throughout the country and around the world. The firm has developed a global reputation for excellence and has recovered billions of dollars for victims of fraud and other corporate misconduct. All of our work is driven by a common goal: to protect investors, consumers, employees and others from fraud, abuse, misconduct and negligence by businesses and fiduciaries. The complaint in this action was not filed by Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. For more information about Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP please visit www.ktmc.com.

CONTACT:

Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP

Jonathan Naji, Esq.

(484) 270-1453

280 King of Prussia Road

Radnor, PA 19087

[email protected]

May be considered attorney advertising in certain jurisdictions. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.

SOURCE Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP
PHOENIX, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For nearly 40 years, the Goldwater Institute has been at the forefront of advancing the principles of limited government, economic freedom, and individual liberty across the United States. Today, the Institute is proud to announce the appointment of Arizona entrepreneur and community leader Tom Hatten as Chairman of its Board of Directors. A visionary business leader, Hatten brings a wealth of experience and his fresh vision to the Goldwater's growing efforts to champion the cause of freedom nationwide.

Entrepreneur Tom Hatten

A native of Arizona, Hatten founded Mountainside Fitness Centers in 1991, transforming it into one of the largest fitness companies in the country. Now he's bringing his experience as a business owner and passion for innovation to the chairmanship of the Goldwater Institute.

"The Goldwater Institute has become a national leader in the effort to preserve our constitutional freedoms and rights. This incredible team has tirelessly worked to defend our liberty at every turn. From challenging DEI mandates in education to advancing school choice and safeguarding the right to earn a living. The Goldwater Institute has secured victories in state capitals and courtrooms across the country," said Hatten. "As chairman my goal is simple, work diligently to ensure the Goldwater Institute continues to be the nation's leader in defending the American Dream."

President and CEO of the Goldwater Institute Victor Riches welcomed the news of Hatten's appointment, saying, "Goldwater has become a national powerhouse in advancing the principles of liberty, economic freedom, and property rights. I'm excited that Tom will help us continue delivering victories for individual freedom across the nation."

Hatten also serves as a board member for the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation and is a former chairman of Make-A-Wish Arizona. His career has been marked by numerous honors, including his recognition as Entrepreneur of the Year by USA Today . Tom was featured on AZ Newsmakers, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business, Telemundo, BBC and KTAR News.

. Tom was featured on AZ Newsmakers, CNN, Fox News, Fox Business, Telemundo, BBC and KTAR News. His leadership and vision have likewise earned him a place on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine and features in Forbes, U.S. News & World Report.

Hatten's term as chairman began on March 13, 2025, marking an exciting new chapter for the Goldwater Institute as it continues its mission across our nation.

Some Goldwater Institute factoids:

The Goldwater Institute is unique and doesn't sit around writing white papers and opining about the law. They enact laws in state after state  and we wage legal battles in courtroom after courtroom  to strengthen and defend individual liberty.





and doesn't sit around writing white papers and opining about the law. They enact laws in state after state  and we wage legal battles in courtroom after courtroom  to strengthen and defend individual liberty. In 2024, we enacted dozens of laws nationwide , including measures that expanded school choice, protected healthcare freedom (Right to Try 2.0), rolled back DEI in higher ed, and protected the right to earn a living. Already in 2025, Goldwater has introduced over 100 bills in 29 states.





, including measures that expanded school choice, protected healthcare freedom (Right to Try 2.0), rolled back DEI in higher ed, and protected the right to earn a living. We have improved lives, changed lives, and saved lives by freeing Americans from the restraints of government.





by freeing Americans from the restraints of government. We invented Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), which empower parents to choose the education that's best for their childreninstead of forcing them to be stuck in failing schools. Over two dozen states have adopted Goldwater's ESAs, and that number is growing.





(ESAs), which empower parents to choose the education that's best for their childreninstead of forcing them to be stuck in failing schools. Over two dozen states have adopted Goldwater's ESAs, and that number is growing. We created the Right to Try , which protects terminally ill patients' right to access potentially lifesaving treatmentswithout having to beg the government to give them permission. The Institute passed that law in 41 states and federally in 2018. Now, they are taking it to the next level to protect the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments.





, which protects terminally ill patients' right to access potentially lifesaving treatmentswithout having to beg the government to give them permission. The Institute passed that law in 41 states and federally in 2018. Now, they are taking it to the next level to protect the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments. We defend Americans' right to earn a living . More than 10,000 Arizonans are able to practice their professions under Goldwater's universal recognition law. The law allows already-licensed professionals to get to work when they move to the state without having to go again go through the costly licensing process. Goldwater has passed that law in another two dozen states.





. More than 10,000 Arizonans are able to practice their professions under Goldwater's universal recognition law. The law allows already-licensed professionals to get to work when they move to the state without having to go again go through the costly licensing process. Goldwater has passed that law in another two dozen states. Goldwater doesn't just pass laws. We defend our laws in court , and we ensure that constitutional rights are respected. Our attorneys sue the government on behalf individuals in state and federal courts across the United States , and we have hundreds of victories under our belt.





, and we ensure that constitutional rights are respected. Our attorneys sue the government on behalf individuals in state and federal courts across , and we have hundreds of victories under our belt. Goldwater attorneys are involved in over 60 lawsuits. The Institute also has over 1,000 attorneys in its American Freedom Network, the Institute's national network of volunteer attorneys in all 50 states, who defend Americans' constitutional rights.

For media inquiries please contact Jennifer Sturgeon at (480) 495-3806 or email [email protected].

Goldwater Institute talking points

The Goldwater Institute is unique . We don't just write white papers and opine about the law. We enact laws in state after state  unafraid to wage legal battles in courtroom after courtroom  to strengthen and defend individual liberty.





. We don't just write white papers and opine about the law. We enact laws in state after state  unafraid to wage legal battles in courtroom after courtroom  to strengthen and defend individual liberty. In 2024, Goldwater enacted dozens of laws nationwide , including measures that expanded school choice, protected healthcare freedom (Right to Try 2.0), rolled back DEI in higher ed, and protected the right to earn a living. Already in 2025, Goldwater has introduced over 100 bills in 29 states.





, including measures that expanded school choice, protected healthcare freedom (Right to Try 2.0), rolled back DEI in higher ed, and protected the right to earn a living. Goldwater has improved lives, changed lives, and saved lives by freeing Americans from the restraints of government.





We invented Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), which empower parents to choose the education that's best for their childreninstead of forcing them to be stuck in failing schools. Over a dozen states have adopted Goldwater's ESAs, and that number is growing.

(ESAs), which empower parents to choose the education that's best for their childreninstead of forcing them to be stuck in failing schools. Over a dozen states have adopted Goldwater's ESAs, and that number is growing.

We created the Right to Try , which protects terminally ill patients' right to access potentially lifesaving treatmentswithout having to beg the government to give them permission. We passed that law in 41 states and federally in 2018. Now, we're taking it to the next level to protect the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments.

, which protects terminally ill patients' right to access potentially lifesaving treatmentswithout having to beg the government to give them permission. We passed that law in 41 states and federally in 2018. Now, we're taking it to the next level to protect the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments.

We defend Americans' right to earn a living . More than 10,000 Arizonans are able to practice their professions under Goldwater's universal recognition law. The law allows already-licensed professionals to get to work when they move to the state without having to go again go through the costly licensing process. Goldwater has passed that law in another two dozen states.





. More than 10,000 Arizonans are able to practice their professions under Goldwater's universal recognition law. The law allows already-licensed professionals to get to work when they move to the state without having to go again go through the costly licensing process. Goldwater has passed that law in another two dozen states. Goldwater doesn't just pass laws. We defend our laws in court, and we ensure that constitutional rights are respected. Our attorneys sue the government on behalf individuals in state and federal courts across the United States , and we have hundreds of victories under our belt.

Currently, Goldwater attorneys are involved in over 60 lawsuits. The Institute also has over 1,000 attorneys in its American Freedom Network, the Institute's national network of volunteer attorneys in all 50 states, who defend Americans' constitutional rights.

SOURCE Goldwater Institute
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In the span of less than a year, Everstory Partners transformed its business from one that relied on historic paper maps and contracts to one built on world-class software. Now, its nearly 400 cemetery locations offer digitized contracts and services  the majority accompanied by aerial drone mapping  to all their families and customers.

This transformation is the fulfillment of an acute need that Lilly Donohue, CEO of Everstory, recognized upon joining the company in late 2022. "When I joined Everstory, our teams wrote paper contracts for in-ground burials and mausoleum interments based on paper maps that could be 50 or 100 years old. Our systems and processes had not evolved, and our families and employees deserve better than that. So, during 2024, we digitized services and contracts at all our cemetery locations. Now, every contract is digital and in most cases, accompanied by aerial drone mapping. This digitization will help protect families' end-of-life choices for generations to come," Donohue said.

"This digitization will help protect families' end-of-life choices for generations to come." -Lilly Donohue, CEO Everstory Partners Post this

To accomplish this extraordinary feat, Everstory partnered with PlotBox, an international cloud-based deathcare management software and mapping company based in Northern Ireland, with a team in the United States. "We are delighted to have reached this milestone in our ongoing partnership with Everstory. This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission, and through the integration of our innovative technology, we are poised to elevate industry standards across the board," Sean McAllister, CEO of PlotBox said.

The benefits of this partnership do not end at having cloud-protected contracts, digitized inventory, and aerial mapping. In fact, the technology interface means that Everstory can view inventory and write contracts from anywhere.

"What we've done here is reinforce our commitment to being the most customer-centric death care company. Our teams can reach families wherever they are: whether in their homes for pre-planning services, or in hospitals at or near the time of need," stated Michele Stone, Vice President of People Operations and Quality.

Stone continued: "Central to our culture at Everstory is caring about our families and equipping our team members with the tools they need to serve them. And, when we have made missteps in providing top-tier customer service  such as a double-sold plot or unordered memorial  it often has been because of internal systems inconsistencies or lack of transparency around customer information. With this new technology, all major internal customer systems  work orders, record management, account management  are housed in one place, meaning that team members work from the same data. The year we spent implementing this technology really was an investment in, and commitment to, our customers and our people."

Everstory's team members agree. Sales Counselor Kenneth Hayden was able to meet with a family at a hospital to plan end-of-life services, allowing the family to stay with their loved one. This personal touch made the planning process easier on the family: "I was so grateful to be able to lighten the load for this grieving family and gift them more time with their loved one," Hayden said.

Superintendent Jordan Arnold calls PlotBox a "game changer" for his park. "I can search one lot and pull up all the critical information that I need on a day-to-day basis."

Importantly, Everstory is not done leveraging technology for the benefit of its families. According to Donohue, "in 2025, we are bringing this same focus and attention to digitizing services at our nearly 100 funeral homes. And we will not stop there. We will continue pushing and advancing death care services to meet the changing needs of our families."

About Everstory Partners

Everstory Partners' mission is to create supportive spaces where individuals and families can find solace, meaning, and hope in the midst of loss. Since 1999, the company has grown to include 463 cemetery, funeral, and crematory locations serving more than 65,000 families a year across the United States (including Puerto Rico) on both a pre-need and at-need basis. Everstory is the brand promise, created in April 2023, to destigmatize death care with a unique blend of long-standing traditions of caring for the deceased with a fresh perspective that death is a natural and beautiful part of the human experience that should be planned and celebrated. Visit everstorypartners.com to learn more and memorialplanning.com for a list of properties and contact information.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Hilary Cullen

[email protected]

407-379-5551



SOURCE Everstory Partners
ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, President Donald Trump signed an executive order with the intention of dismantling the core functions of the U.S. Department of Education. National PTA President Yvonne Johnson issued the following statement on the executive action:

"Last week the Administration announced that nearly 50% of the positions in the U.S. Department of Education are being terminated. Today, the president signed an executive order with the intention of dismantling the core functions of the department. The U.S. Department of Education was created to ensure equal access to education for all Americansregardless of zip code, ability, race or economic circumstance. Programs and funding streams administered by the departmentincluding disbursement of Title I funding, grants through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Office of Civil Rightsserve students, families and schools that need it most. Dismantling and diminishing the capacity of the department breaks America's promise of education for all children and is a severe threat to ensuring every child has every opportunity to reach their full potential.

"Title I funding aids schools with high percentages of children from low-income families. Grants administered by the Department of Education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act hold states accountable for providing a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities. The Office of Civil Rights works to prevent hate and discrimination in schools. These programs are all essential to improving academic outcomes and student well-being and cannot be dismantled or diminished without having devastating impacts on the children, families and schools they serve.

"Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education isn't about government efficiency, it's about abandoning our collective responsibility to our children at a time when educational challenges require more, not fewer, resources. We all agree that we need to improve our nation's educational system. But to effectively meet the needs of our students, we must all work together to create lasting solutions, rather than weakening the educational safeguards designed to protect and support all children.

"As throughout our history, PTA remains steadfast in our commitment to advocate for investments in programs that promote educational equity and opportunity for all children so that every child's potential can become a reality."

National PTA calls on advocates everywhere to make their voices heard to defend public education. Join the association in sending an urgent message to your members of Congress to insist they oppose any effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and instead support a new congressional resolution championed by National PTA's 2023 Congressional Voice for Children Awardee Representative Suzanne Bonamici of Oregon.

About National PTA

National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

SOURCE National PTA
AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS UZO ADUBA NARRATES THE DOCUMENTARY

ON HISTORY, CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS OF CAREGIVING IN AMERICA

Fred Rogers Productions to Collaborate with Special Content

from Beloved Children's Series in Fall 2025

Latest Project from Well Beings Campaign Also Includes 18 Original Short Films and

"We Are Well Beings Storywall" for Caregiving Stories from the Public

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS and WETA Washington, D.C., today announced that Caregiving, the documentary created with executive producer Bradley Cooper highlighting the challenges and triumphs of caregiving in America, will premiere Tuesday, June 24, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), and on the PBS YouTube Channel. Caregiving will be available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS App beginning Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

Award-winning actress Uzo Aduba (The Residence, Painkiller, Orange is the New Black) was also announced as the film's narrator, bringing her own experience as a caregiver for her mother to the project.

The two-hour documentary is centered on the personal experiences of caregivers providing for loved ones, and the challenges and triumph they face each day. These stories are interwoven with the broader context of the cultural and economic conditions in the U.S., leading to a care system tipping into crisis. According to recent studies1, in addition to 5 million paid caregivers nationally, it is estimated that between 53 million to 105.6 million U.S. adults provide unpaid caregiving for ill, aging, or disabled family members and friends. In addition, an estimated 5.4 million children and adolescents in the U.S. are direct caregivers. Caregiving examines the historical and contemporary efforts to address this often unrecognized and rapidly increasing need. Caregiving is a production of Cooper's production company, Lea Pictures, and public media station WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media.

"The caregiving experience I had with my father inspired this documentary. During his battle with lung cancer, I came face to face with the overwhelming realities of taking care of a loved one," said Bradley Cooper, actor, producer, director and caregiver. "I was lucky enough that I was able to be there for my Dad. And I certainly benefited from the help we also got from others. Caregivers are heroic people. Their ability to focus and give all of themselves is something I stand in awe of. I came to appreciate how we need to care for caregivers better. It is my hope that Caregiving will provide affirmation and support for those who do this profoundly meaningful and increasingly vital work."

Bradley Cooper Invites the Public to Share Their Caregiving Story

Each story of caregiving is unique, and the public is invited to help share the complexity, delights and difficulties of caregiving via #ShareYourCaregivingStory on social media or the We Are Well Beings Storywall at wellbeings.org/share-your-story . There, Cooper invites the public in a #ShareYourCaregivingStory video to join him in sharing personal reflections, photos, videos and stories while building a community of understanding about caregiving.

The Documentary

A Caregiving 3-minute sizzle reel is available here: https://youtu.be/yGxDUqsCZPE .

Caregiving brings audiences into the daily experiences of six family and professional caregivers across the U.S. as they share the realities associated with providing care full-time and the often-complicated challenges and extraordinary moments, including joy, that are part of the care relationship. The film features Matthew (NY), a young father who became both his wife and son's primary caregiver overnight after his wife experienced cancer and a debilitating stroke; Jacob (FL), a 14-year-old who, along with his father, shares the role of caregiver for his mom; Tracy (CO), a young woman balancing the transition from daughter to caregiver for her father, who has dementia; and Zulma (NY), a paid home health aide who has become like family to Sherril, who has multiple sclerosis, after years of caring for her  while Zulma also has her own family to care for after long hours of commuting.

"Making this film has been an inspiring and humbling experience," said Chris Durrance, Director and Senior Producer. "Over the past twelve months, the production team and I have traveled throughout the country, spending time with family and professional caregivers of all ages and backgrounds. We have witnessed their tireless work on behalf of the people they love. We have witnessed the isolation so many caregivers feel and the struggles they face navigating complex systems of state and federal support. We have also seen the joy and rewards that come with the unique connection that caregivers experience. We have come to appreciate that every family has a care story and we hope that this film inspires viewers to share their own, building new communities of care that will bring us all closer together."

In Caregiving, these stories unfold alongside an examination of the creation and evolution of the care system and the social dynamics that shape our approach to caregiving today. The documentary examines how caregiving in the U.S. has been historically unnoticed and inadequately supported, while economic crises and war have impacted the care needs of the country and the caregiving industry. Caregiving traces the roots of America's social safety net to Frances Perkins, who, as U.S. Secretary of Labor under President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1945, led the creation of the Social Security Act in response to the Great Depression. The documentary also explores the evolution of social norms regarding caregiving through the decades. Caregiving further examines how the need to care for veterans intensified caregiving demands as those returning with physical and psychological injuries were often unable to rejoin the workforce, exposing critical gaps in support systems and driving reforms to better address long-term care needs.

Providing historical context, critical perspective and hope, experts featured in the documentary include Alison Gopnik, PhD, Professor, UC Berkeley; Paul Irving, Senior Advisor, Future of Aging, Milken Institute; Premilla Nadasen, PhD, Professor, Barnard College; Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director, Caring Across Generations; and Steve Schwab, CEO, Elizabeth Dole Foundation.

Caregiving Short Films

The Caregiving project also includes 18 short films that examine current caregiving experiences, programs and perspectives  at individual, family and community levels. The Caregiving short films began debuting in October 2024 and are premiering through May 2025, available on wellbeings.org and the Well Beings YouTube Channel . These poignant films include the story of a son who became unable to live on his own due to multiple chronic illnesses and the devoted father who cares for him; the heartfelt journey of a man who is a caregiver for his father, a veteran with dementia; community programs that provide church services for the differently abled and elderly; a group that provides respite care services for the unhoused; a program that offers a special camp for children whose family members have ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease); and many others. The Caregiving short films are also produced by Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media.

Collaboration with Fred Rogers Productions Engages Families and Children on Caregiving

In recognition of the impact of caregiving issues on entire families, particularly children, Fred Rogers Productions (FRP) is collaborating with Lea Pictures and WETA to create developmentally appropriate content for children ages 2 to 6. The content will support the film's commitment to education and will convey key messages about how caregiving is part of a loving family. Slated to debut in Fall 2025, the initiative will include video content from FRP-produced PBS KIDS series Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie and Alma's Way; curated activities; lesson plans; video clips for social media platforms; a Mister Rogers music video; and three short documentary stories featuring children and their families modeling some of the key caregiving messages.

Well Beings Campaign

Caregiving is part of Well Beings , the multiplatform campaign from WETA that launched in 2020 to address the critical health needs in America through original broadcast and digital content, civic engagement campaigns, and impactful local events. The Caregiving national outreach, education, and engagement campaign with Well Beings launched in Fall 2024 at the United Nations and seeks to spotlight the issues caregivers face, build awareness for community programs, and sustain caregivers at a time of unprecedented need.

A National Collection of Caregiving Partners

The ambitious project results from a large network of more than 30 committed partners, as well as PBS member stations and public radio stations, to produce in-person and virtual engagement events and provide resource guides and other tailored resources to meet the specific needs of their communities. National outreach and engagement partners for Caregiving include Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers; Grantmakers In Aging; Milken Institute | Future of Aging; Global Coalition on Aging; Elizabeth Dole Foundation; National Minority Health Association; Fred Rogers Productions; The Coalition to Transform Advanced Care; American Association of Caregiving Youth; Caring Across Generations; SHRM Foundation; National Alliance for Caregiving; Lutheran Services in America; Center to Advance Palliative Care; PEOPLE; and Forbes.com.

Generous underwriters committed to greater education about health and wellness have made this ambitious project possible. Support for Caregiving is made possible by Otsuka America Pharmaceutical Inc.; Comfort Keepers; Care.com; Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation; Richard King Mellon Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; Ford Foundation; Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation; NextFifty Initiative (Next50); National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI); PATH Foundation; Care for All with Respect and Equity (CARE) Fund; The John A. Hartford Foundation; and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The public can join the conversation by using #WellBeings and #CaregivingPBS, visiting wellbeings.org , or following @WellBeingsOrg on Instagram , Facebook , TikTok , YouTube or Threads .

Caregiving Production Team

Caregiving is a production of Lea Pictures and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Ark Media. For Ark Media, Chris Durrance serves as Director and Senior Producer; Barak Goodman is Series Producer; and Ruth Fertig is Producer. Executive Producers for Lea Pictures are Bradley Cooper and Weston Middleton. Executive Producers for WETA are John F. Wilson and Tom Chiodo. Producer for WETA is Kate Kelly. Production is managed for WETA by Jim Corbley. Consulting Producer is Paul Irving.

An electronic press kit for Caregiving is available on PBS PressRoom .

About Lea Pictures

Bradley Cooper created Lea Pictures in 2020 to create stories that inspire, motivate, and resonate as a producer, writer, actor, and director. Building off the critical and financial success of his producorial work on the Academy Award-nominated films Nightmare Alley, A Star Is Born, American Sniper, and Joker, Lea Pictures was formed to develop and produce commercially entertaining, and transformational feature films, television, documentary films, and digital content. Cooper's first film under Lea Pictures was Maestro, which he co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in. Maestro was nominated for seven Academy Awards, and the film was released by Netflix in December 2023. Cooper is currently co-writing, producing, and directing Is This Thing On? for Searchlight Pictures. The film stars Will Arnett and is in production now. Cooper is a 12-time Academy Award nominee whose passion for unique and personal storytelling has made him one of the most influential producers at this time. Additional projects under the Lea Pictures banner include Warner Bros' Bullitt with Steven Spielberg; Hyperion, also with Warner Bros' and Graham King; the History Channel's miniseries FDR; and the podcasts The Good Stuff and Finally! A Show currently on iHeartMedia. Lea Pictures executives include Weston Middleton, who heads up the film division; Rebecca Shapiro, creative executive in the film division; Kristen Barnett in television; and Anneliese Barron in social impact.

About WETA

WETA is the leading public broadcaster in the nation's capital, serving Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia with educational initiatives and high-quality programming on television, radio and digital. WETA Washington, D.C., is the second-largest producing station for public television, with news and public affairs programs including PBS News Hour, PBS News Weekend and Washington Week with The Atlantic; films by Ken Burns and Florentine Films, such as The American Buffalo and the forthcoming documentary The American Revolution; series and documentaries by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., including Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Great Migrations: A People on the Move; performance specials including National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth; and health content from Well Beings, a multiplatform campaign. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at weta.org . Visit facebook.com/wetatvfm on Facebook.

About Ark Media

Ark Media is one of the most prolific and honored non-fiction production companies in America, with over 25 years of experience producing premium documentary series that speak to a wide array of social, historical, and political themes. Founded in 1996 by filmmakers Barak Goodman and Rachel Dretzin and joined by fellow partner and filmmaker John Maggio in 2003, Ark produces both feature documentaries and over 30 hours of television/streaming content a year for such outlets as PBS, Participant, HBO, Netflix, MSNBC, and more. Ark's films have premiered at Sundance, Tribeca, DocNYC, and other major film festivals, the company's productions have been honored with five Emmy Awards, an Academy Award nomination, three duPont Columbia batons, and three George H. Foster Peabody Awards, among many other awards and accolades.

About PBS

PBS , with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV  including a PBS KIDS channel  and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app , games on the PBS KIDS Games app , and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org , one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook , Instagram , or through our apps for mobile and connected devices . Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X (formerly Twitter).

F1Statistics sourced from AARP, the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC), RAND, PHI and Caregiving Youth Research Collaborative (CYRC) via the American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY).

Sources:

Caregiving in the United States in 2020 (June 18, 2020) https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/caregiving-in-the-united-states/

Valuing the Invaluable 2023 Update: Strengthening Supports for Family Caregivers (March 8, 2023) https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/valuing-the-invaluable-2015-update/

America's Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows (September 24, 2024) https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA3212-1.html

Direct Care Workers in the United States: Key Facts 2023 (September 11, 2023) https://www.phinational.org/resource/direct-care-workers-in-the-united-states-key-facts-2023/

Report on Caregiving Youth in the U.S.: Progress and Opportunity (December 2023) https://aacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CY-White-Paper_Final-.pdf

SOURCE WETA
OKLAHOMA CITY, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Express Employment Professionals franchisees from around the globe recently convened in Dallas, Texas, to mark a year of outstanding sales and accomplishments at the 2025 International Leadership Conference (ILC). This annual event brought together leaders from the staffing giant to celebrate their successes and set the stage for another year of excellence.

The event featured EGOT actress Viola Davis and James Lawrence, a Guinness World Record holder known as the "Iron Cowboy," and networking and training for roughly 1,400 attendees.

Express Employment Professionals Franchisees of the Year Tina and Tom Williams

"ILC is more than just an annual event; it's an opportunity to connect with industry leaders and peers," noted Bill Stoller, CEO of Express Employment International. "The honor of exchanging knowledge and insights with such talented individuals propels Express to new heights, equipping us with the strategies and resources needed to excel this year and beyond."

The Employee of the Year award, the inspirational highlight of each year's conference, was presented to Darren Walton for his unwavering resilience and extraordinary dedication during challenging times.

Despite enduring a severe car accident that left him in a coma and an assault that hospitalized him just two days after starting his current job, his ability to rise above adversity and his steadfast devotion to his role have made him a beacon of inspiration for all.

"For nearly four years, Darrin has consistently gone above and beyond in his role," said Samantha Beaster, manager partner and director of operations for the west Indianapolis, Indiana, Express office. "He is the definition of dedication  working overtime to lend a helping hand, being a true team player and exemplifying everything we value in an Express associate. Employees like Darrin are why our local office is celebrating its 30th anniversary this April!"

Walton returned the praise, saying the experience showed him how the company values everyone and provides incredible growth opportunities.

"Express shows that everyone, from new workers to new franchisees, is a valued team member," he added. "I've given speeches and had people clap for me, but the support in that room, at that moment, showed me that this is a family. How has it impacted me? I want to grow within the company and be a part of Express' magic."

Express franchise owners Tina and Tom Williams were also recognized from the stage as this year's Franchisees of the Year for their exemplary demonstration of Express values  People, Teamwork, Built to Last and Integrity.

Their contributions to Express have been invaluable. From providing insights through franchisee focus groups to volunteering for Express Leadership Academy initiatives, Tina and Tom have played a crucial role in the growth and success of the organization. They even piloted an app, sharing key learnings and sparing other franchisees potential hassles.

The couple's advocacy work and involvement in state legislative efforts have helped numerous businesses remain competitive. This kind of dedication is rare and has earned them the respect and admiration of their peers.

"Tina and Tom's contributions have fundamentally strengthened our organization," Stoller added. "They exemplify the innovation and community engagement spirit that drives our success. Their ability to inspire and lead by example has elevated their own franchises and set a benchmark for others to follow."

Express boasts more than 870 franchise locations in five countries across the globe, garnering $3.7 billion in sales and employing 427,000 associates in 2024.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact [email protected], Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

About Bill Stoller

William H. "Bill" Stoller is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment International. Founded in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the international staffing franchisor supports the Express Employment Professionals franchise and related brands. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations in the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals

At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing 427,000 people globally in 2024 and more than 11 million since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

SOURCE Express Services dba Express Employment Professionals
WINNEMUCCA  Lithium Americas is building a big Workforce Hub in Winnemucca to house people who will work on the Thacker Pass Lithium Project, and on Tuesday U.S. Rep. Mark Amodei and Gov. Joe Lombardo visited the construction site to highlight the projects impact on the local and state economy.

Amodei, a Republican who represents Elko and other areas of Northern Nevada, and Lombardo joined leaders from Lithium Americas and local partners for a tour of the Workforce Hub and Thacker Pass.

The Workforce Hub, a modular full-service housing facility, will accommodate nearly 2,000 workers. The people living at the hub will work on the development of the Thacker Pass lithium mine and processing facility and related infrastructure projects.

Thacker Pass is an amazing project to have right here in Nevada, and it is the most significant opportunity to create a North American lithium battery supply chain, Amodei said.

Amodei noted less than 1% of the worlds lithium supply comes from the U.S., but Thacker Pass will change that. The only producing lithium mine in the U.S. today is Albemarles Silver Peak, a brine pond operation in west central Nevada. When phase 1 production begins at Thacker Pass, hopefully in late 2027, Lithium Americas expects to produce about eight times as much lithium as is currently produced at Silver Peak. Production is expected to increase in future phases of the mine.

Thacker Pass projected phase 1 production of around 40,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate per year will be enough to supply the batteries for about 800,000 electric vehicles.

Lithium Americas says Thacker Pass hosts the largest known measured lithium resource and reserve in the world.

It was great to get out and see the Workforce Hub firsthand and the progress being made on construction of Thacker Pass, which will generate more than $700 million in economic activity annually for our state, Amodei said. Its a win for our economy and for jobs, and a win for national security by significantly reducing the countrys dependency on foreign suppliers like China for this critical metal.

The Workforce Hub by Winnemucca is about 60 miles south of the Thacker Pass Project, which is in rural Humboldt County, south of the Oregon border.

Thacker Pass is a joint venture between Lithium Americas and General Motors. Lithium Americas holds a 62% interest and is the manager of the project, and General Motors holds a 38% interest.

The Thacker Pass Project will include a lithium mine, processing facilities and a sulfuric acid manufacturing plant. Lithium Americas began initial construction work at Thacker Pass in February 2023. The company recently announced that phase 1 of the project is now fully funded at both the project and corporate level for the duration of construction.

Many companies are working toward developing lithium mines in Nevada, but Thacker Pass is the most advanced project, with Lithium Americas now gearing up to begin major construction.

Nevada has the natural resources to be the world leader in lithium battery development, and the effort by Lithium Americas to advance their innovative project at Thacker Pass is helping us get there, Lombardo said. Im proud of all the work thats being done to invest in our states economy and create high-paying jobs for our communities and the next generation of Nevadas workforce.

Its exciting to see so many companies and leaders coming together to support jobs and build a world-class lithium operation right here in Nevada that has such a huge impact across the country, Lombardo said.

Its an honor to have Congressman Amodei and Governor Lombardo here to see the major progress we have made both at the Thacker Pass Project and the Workforce Hub, Jonathan Evans, president and chief executive of Lithium Americas, said.

Evans said the Workforce Hub will be ready for first occupancy later this year. He said that during peak construction in late 2026 to early 2027, the Thacker Pass construction team is expected to grow to about 2,000 workers, including 1,800 skilled tradespeople. When the construction of phase 1 is completed, the Thacker Pass mine is expected to sustain over 350 jobs.

Lithium Americas is working to support the state and local community while developing a U.S. critical mineral supply chain and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers, Evans said.

Im delighted to see the measures Lithium Americas has taken to ensure our tradespeople have safe and comfortable accommodations throughout the construction of the Thacker Pass Project, said Rob Benner of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada. Were happy to be partnered with Lithium Americas and are committed to working together to build exceptional facilities and a strong Nevada workforce.

Lithium Americas review of the history of Thacker Pass shows that lithium was discovered at the site in the 1970s through a permitted exploration effort by Chevron, which was looking for uranium. The uranium prospects were not advanced by Chevron, and the mineral claims were ultimately acquired by Western Lithium.

In the early 2000s, Western Lithium explored the area extensively for an economically viable lithium deposit. They also permitted and operated a small clay mining operation.

Lithium Americas merged with Western Lithium in 2015 and advanced the plans to permit and build a lithium mine and processing facility at Thacker Pass.

The company says the extensive stakeholder outreach they have engaged in through the year is ongoing.

The Thacker Pass Project is fully permitted for construction by the State of Nevada. The Bureau of Land Management issued a Record of Decision to proceed with construction in 2021.
New Line Produces 1,500 Cans Per Minute Generating 15M+ Cases of Supplemental Brewery Production Annually

ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FIFCO USA, parent company of the Genesee Brewery, celebrated the unveiling of its new $28 million can line today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The state-of-the-art line increases production capacity and creates packaging efficiency for flagship brands, including Genesee, Labatt USA, Seagram's Escapes, and Lipton Hard Iced Tea. With a goal of modernizing and ensuring future sustainability of the brewery, the new can line is an integral phase of the $50 million investment announced in 2024. Additionally, the line directly supports 10 of the 57 newly created jobs at the brewery added over the last year.

"We are thrilled to make this announcement which highlights the brewery's commitment to maintaining a sustainable, high-performing brewery in New York State," said Piotr Jurjewicz, CEO of FIFCO USA. "The new can line represents the largest single investment from the $50 million modernization initiative announced last year. It will enable the brewery to produce at a much faster rate, supporting our brands while attracting additional contract manufacturing from out of state."

Occupying 78 thousand sq. ft. of the brewery's roughly 27-acre campus, the new can line is now a centerpiece for productivity at the facility. Designed for high efficiency, the advanced line runs 1,500 12 oz. cans per minute, significantly boosting production capacity to 15 million+ cases per year on the new line alone. The versatile line can also produce and pack varying pack sizes of 7.5 oz. cans, 12 oz. slim cans, and 16 oz. cans.

Last year, New York State announced a $7 million capital grant through Empire State Development to support the project while the City of Rochester provided a $300 thousand grant which are included in the overall $50 million figure.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "The Genesee Brewery is a Rochester icon, and our investment in this significant expansion is already brewing top-quality job opportunities in the Finger Lakes region. New York's beverage industry continues to thrive thanks to Governor Hochul and to the commitment of companies like FIFCO USA that are dedicated to growing their highly skilled workforces and fueling economic growth statewide."

"For more than 125 years, the Genesee Brewery has been a cornerstone of Rochester's economy and community," said Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans. "Continued investments by FIFCO USA, supported by New York State and the City of Rochester, reflect our shared commitment to driving innovation and ensuring that Genesee remains a source of pride for generations to come. By strengthening the brewery's future, we are also reinforcing Rochester's position as a leader in the beverage industry."

"We are in a highly competitive landscape so strengthening our capabilities and maintaining a sustainable, high-performing brewery is essential," said Jurjewicz. "Speaking on behalf of our more than 750 dedicated employees across the U.S., we sincerely appreciate the ongoing support from state and local government in making this achievement possible."

Over the past 15 years, the Genesee Brewery has invested $250 million in modernization and upgrades, including the installation of a state-of-the-art brewing system in 2018. The can line project marks the next phase of the company's plan to modernize the brewery and strengthen its position for long-term growth in a competitive industry.

About FIFCO USA

FIFCO USA , headquartered in Rochester, New York, is among the top brewers in the U.S. FIFCO USA's portfolio includes Seagram's Escapes, Lipton Hard Iced Tea, Labatt USA and Genesee Brewing Company. FIFCO USA also brews beer and alcoholic beverages on behalf of other companies. For more information: https://www.fifcousa.com/

Always enjoy FIFCO USA beverages responsibly.

Media Contact

Carla M. Mancuso

585-317-9268

[email protected]

SOURCE Fifco
Integrating a payment option using USD Coin (USDC) helps meet Investor demand

CHICAGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GigaStar , a startup bringing YouTube Creators and Investors together, has announced that Investors now have the option to pay with USDC cryptocurrency when participating in Creators' offerings on its crowdfunding platform, GigaStar Market .*

By partnering with Cybrid, a leading digital payment technology provider, GigaStar expands Investors' payment method options via crypto onramp/offramp capabilities for USDC, a stablecoin cryptocurrency pegged 1:1 in price with the U.S. dollar.**

Investors can now pay for their investments with credit card and Automated Clearing House (ACH), and the inclusion of a USDC payment option adds versatility and aligns with the demands of a new generation of Investors.

"Enhancing the Investor experience supports our vision of a dynamic investment ecosystem", said Victor Glava, GigaStar's CTO. "Our collaboration with Cybrid expands Investor funding options and unlocks opportunities for Investors to participate in the Creator Economy."*

While this new payment option is initially available only to U.S. and Canadian Investors, GigaStar will expand this capability to additional countries in the coming months.

GigaStar Market , an SEC-registered funding portal, has launched 26 YouTube channel offerings, raising $4.2M for Creators with 20,600+ Investor accounts. To date, GigaStar has distributed over $504K+ in revenue to Investors.

*Investment offerings are speculative, illiquid, and involve risks, including the risk of loss of the entire investment.

**Stablecoins like USDC include risks for investors, including depegging from their reference price (e.g., $1), cybersecurity threats, and other associated risks.

About GigaStar

GigaStar fuels human creativity by bringing Creators and Investors together. GigaStar provides Creators with an intuitive platform to raise capital from thousands of Investors who share in the channel's potential future YouTube revenue while supporting a Creator's journey. Learn more at gigastar.io .

Creator Networks, Inc., (dba GigaStar) is the Parent Company of GigaStar Portal, LLC (dba GigaStar Market). GigaStar Market is an SEC-registered funding portal and a member of FINRA offering securities under Reg CF. Investment offerings are speculative, illiquid, and involve risks, including the risk of loss of the entire investment. The past performance of an offering, security, or channel is not a guarantee of future results. The content herein does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy security(ies).

SOURCE GigaStar
CHICAGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- International airport transportation service provider GO Airport Shuttle, (GOWithUs.com) announces it is now serving Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW) airports in London, England.

GO's London operation offers multiple transportation options including executive sedans, economy service and private vans for groups of seven, 10 and 14 passengers.

GO Airport Shuttle Now Serves London

"More than 20 million people visit London each year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world," says John McCarthy, president of The GO Group, LLC, GO Airport Shuttle's parent company. "We're providing reliable, convenient and affordable transportation choices for travelers and residents and accommodating different budgets and group sizes."

The GO Group LLC is one of the world's largest airport transportation providers, offering shared rides, private vehicles, charters and tours, serving airports and cities in the United States, plus Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, South America and England. Travelers also can book tours and attractions through GO's partnership with CitySights.com for exclusive discounts in popular destinations across the U.S. directly on GOwithUs.com.

Media contact:

Dyana Flanigan

Flanigan Communications, Inc.

(312) 213-6233

[email protected]

SOURCE The GO Group, LLC
MUNICH, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zoomlion Heavy Industry Science & Technology Co., Ltd. ("Zoomlion"; 1157.HK), a global leader in construction machinery, is bringing 67 premium construction machinery equipment to the bauma 2025 trade fair, the world's most influential construction machinery exhibition which will take place in Munich, Germany, from April 7 to 13. Zoomlion will be at booth FS.905 at the Messe Munchen to showcase its latest breakthroughs in green, intelligent, localized products and technologies as well as global development.

Themed "Greener Development, Brighter Future," Zoomlion's exhibition will cover an area of 3,840 square meters and showcase a comprehensive product lineup of concrete machinery, mobile cranes, tower cranes, earthmoving machinery, aerial work platforms and industrial vehicles.

Zoomlion's aerial work exhibition will showcase a range of advanced equipment, highlighting the ZT72J-V, the tallest straight-boom aerial work platform in Europe, which features intelligent obstacle avoidance and multifunctional accessories.

The earthmoving machinery section will showcase the latest ZE20G and ZE27GU excavators designed to operate in narrow spaces. The ZE20G has the largest market share in Europe while the ZE27GU features an all-new driver's cab. Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with the micro excavators through fun games like stacking wine glasses and bowling.

The tower crane exhibition will highlight Zoomlion's intelligent and unmanned construction capabilities, including demonstration of 5G remote operation. Zoomlion is also introducing the large tonnage R-series designed for the European market with CE Certification.

The concrete machinery section will feature the world's first carbon fiber tube and intelligent management system as well as an array of smart components, demonstrating the intelligent construction solutions with a sand table model while also engaging the visitors to experience active obstacle avoidance and alert systems through smart bracelets, signal box, iPad and more.

In addition, m-tec and CIFA of Zoomlion will exhibit locally manufactured products with innovations that meet the needs of customers in Europe. M-tec will also offer interactive VR activities to provide an intelligent and digital experience.

As the bellwether of the global construction machinery industry, Zoomlion will demonstrate its latest achievements in green and intelligent innovations to global customers through the platform and further integrate localization operations in the European market.

SOURCE Zoomlion
Recognition places Foothill Regional among top 5% in nation for patient safety

TUSTIN, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Foothill Regional Medical Center has been recognized as a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient by Healthgrades , the nation's leading resource Americans use when searching for a hospital or doctor. Foothill Regional has received the Patient Safety Excellence Award three consecutive years (2023-2025).

Foothill Regional Medical Center among top 5% in nation for patient safety Post this Foothill Regional Medical Center Healthgrades 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award

In addition to this patient safety recognition, Foothill Regional received Healthgrades 2025 Joint Replacement Excellence Award (superior clinical outcomes in knee and hip replacement) Five-Star Recipient for Gall Bladder Removal Surgery and Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Sepsis in the critical care service area. These achievements further underscore the organization's commitment to delivering compassionate, individualized care at every step of the patient journey.

"This significant recognition is a reflection of our dedication to patient safety," said Araceli Lonergan, CEO of Foothill Regional Medical Center. "We are proud of our hospital and staff who continue to strive for clinical excellence and compassionate patient care."

Foothill Regional's achievements are based on what matters most: patient outcomes. To determine the top-performing hospitals for patient safety, Healthgrades evaluated risk-adjusted complication and mortality rates for 4,500 hospitals nationwide. Healthgrades' analysis revealed significant performance gaps between the nation's highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, making it increasingly important for consumers to seek care at a hospital with top safety ratings. From 2021-2023, 173,280 preventable safety events occurred among Medicare patients in U.S. hospitals, with four patient safety indicators accounting for nearly 76% of these incidents.* The annual study found that patients treated in hospitals that received the 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award have a significantly lower chance of experiencing one of the four leading safety indicators than patients treated at non-recipient hospitals:

In-hospital falls resulting in fracture (54% less likely)

Collapsed lung due to a procedure or surgery in or around the chest (55% less likely)

Pressure sores or bed sores acquired in the hospital (69% less likely)

Catheter-related bloodstream infections acquired in the hospital (72% less likely)

"As a 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Award recipient, Foothill Regional Medical Center puts the well-being of their patients and staff at the forefront, setting a high standard for patient safety nationwide," said Debra Gradick, MD FACEP, senior physician consultant at Healthgrades. "We commend Foothill Regional for providing consistently exceptional care while preventing serious injuries, giving patients their best chance of a seamless recovery."

Where you're treated matters, which is why Healthgrades is committed to providing the most scientifically accurate information about doctors and hospitals, with data insights not available anywhere else. To learn more, visit healthgrades.com .

*Statistics are calculated from Healthgrades Patient Safety Ratings and Excellence Award methodology which is based primarily on AHRQ technical specifications (Version 2024.0.1) to MedPAR data from approximately 4,500 hospitals for years 2021 through 2023 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2025 Patient Safety Excellence Awards Methodology.

About Foothill Regional Medical Center:

Foothill Regional Medical Center is a general acute care hospital with 177 beds, including 42 pediatric subacute beds. Services include general and specialized surgery and robotics, orthopedics and spine program, nationally accredited weight-loss surgery program, paramedic-receiving emergency department, as well as an expanded range of quality medical programs and services. The hospital is centrally located in Orange County. Foothill Regional is part of Prospect Medical, which operates 16 hospitals in six states. To learn more, visit FoothillRegionalMedicalCenter.com or call (714) 619-7700.

About Healthgrades

Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering stronger and more meaningful connections between patients and their healthcare providers. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, Healthgrades helps millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.

SOURCE Foothill Regional Medical Center
Grant provides Native Veterans access to the Mobilized Native Intensive Clinical Program

TYSONS, Va., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The PenFed Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that supports Veterans in their transition from service to success, today announced it awarded a grant to Home Base, a national non-profit dedicated to healing the invisible wounds of war through direct clinical care, wellness, education and research. The grant supports the Mobile Native Intensive Clinical Program, which provides Native Veterans and Service Members and their Families gold standard mental health care programming, individual therapy, group therapy, mindful movement, physical-wellness training and nutrition to tribal communities in the Southwest United States.

Home Base Mobile Intensive Clinical Program staff pictured in Arizona.

"The PenFed Foundation is proud to support Home Base as the organization is addressing the unique needs of the Native American military community," said PenFed Foundation President Andrea McCarren. "We appreciate that this unprecedented program is available free of charge, so veterans can prioritize their healing."

The Mobile Native Intensive Clinical Program delivers a mobile version of Home Base's Native Intensive Clinical Programming directly to Native Veterans and Families in tribal communities. The innovative Native Intensive Clinical Program was built upon Home Base's flagship Intensive Clinical Program (ICP) through consultation with Native Veterans, tribal leaders and healthcare administrators. The ICP is an outpatient treatment program designed to treat Veterans and their Family Members who are struggling with invisible wounds with up to two years of treatment in a two-week program, combining evidence-based therapy with complementary and alternative medicine.

After completing the program, participants will be connected to veteran services near their communities.

"This program is more than just bringing care closer to homeit's about ensuring Native Veterans feel seen, heard, and valued," said Air Force Veteran Marcus Denetdale (Dine), Regional Associate Director of Southwest & Tribal Relations at Home Base. "Home Base is honored by the support organizations like PenFed Foundation provide especially in recognizing the mental health needs within our rural and tribal communities enabling us to deliver our gold standard care."

Native American veterans, service members and their families are eligible for all Home Base programing and have the option to attend culturally informed Indigenous programs. For more information, please visit: Native American Care | Home Base.

About PenFed Foundation

Founded in 2001, The PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that supports veterans in their transition from service to success. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has provided more than $55 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members and military families. PenFed Credit Union covers the salaries and administrative costs of The PenFed Foundation, so more of your donation goes right to our programs. To learn more, please visit www.penfedfoundation.org.

About Home Base

Home Base, a partnership between the Red Sox and MGH, operates the largest private-sector mental health and brain injury clinic in the nation focused on caring for Veterans, active-duty Service Members, Military-Connected Families and Families of the Fallen, healing from the invisible wounds of war. Home Base leverages the incredible medical resources of the MGH, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and the greater Harvard Medical School, to create innovative models of care. Since inception, Home Base has provided clinical care and support to more than 45,000 Veterans, Service Members and Families across the nation  all at no cost to them. For more information visit homebase.org.

SOURCE PenFed Foundation
Honda North Secures 17th President's Award from American Honda

DANVERS, Mass., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda North, a flagship member of the ICL family of dealerships, has proudly earned the prestigious President's Award for 2024 from American Honda Motor Co., Inc. This esteemed recognition, awarded to top-ranking Honda dealerships nationwide, marks the 17th time Honda North has achieved this honor over a span of 25 years!

The President's Award is Honda's highest dealership accolade, reflecting excellence in customer service, sales performance, training initiatives, and facility standards.

Honda North is part of the family of ICL dealerships located in Danvers, MA, and is the only Employee-Owned group of dealerships in New England! (PRNewsfoto/Honda North)

"We are deeply honored to receive the prestigious Honda President's Award," said General Manager Bryan Laskin. "Our team of dedicated employee owners strives to deliver the highest level of service, and we are thrilled to see our efforts recognized once again. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire Honda North team for their unwavering commitment to excellence every day, and to our incredibly supportive customers. This achievement would not have been possible without their continued trust in us!"

Honda North's 17th year of recognition places it among an elite group of Honda dealerships for its continued excellence with customer service. Only 10% of Honda dealers nationwide received this award and Honda North being the only dealership in the district to earn this honor!

"As CEO, I am very grateful for the team at Honda North; the employee owners are dedicated to serving customers as best as possible while making it look seamless," added President and CEO Joseph Hajjar.

The Honda President's Award Program aims to promote greater customer satisfaction each year by adjusting its objectives to match market dynamics. To further enhance the in-store experience, Honda North has vastly updated their facility including show room , service and customer areas with modern amenities.

"I could not be prouder of our team for not only the service they provide our Honda customers but also how they believe in giving back to the local community," said Dealer Principal Marshall Jespersen. "It is an honor to serve the public and their families and being recognized further supports our belief in being Employee Owned and Customer Focused!"

Honda North offers a complete lineup of Honda vehicles. To learn more about Honda North, please visit www.hondanorth.com.

About International Cars, Ltd:

International Cars, Ltd., is an employee-owned company comprised of nine New England area dealerships including Audi Stratham, Honda Stratham and Porsche Stratham, in Stratham, New Hampshire, Portsmouth Volkswagen in Greenland, New Hampshire, Dover Honda and Dover Chevrolet in Dover, New Hampshire, and 1 North Pre-Owned, Kia North Danvers & Honda North in Danvers, Massachusetts.

Honda North has been recognized as a 2024 Honda President's Award recipient for the 17th time in 25 years! Honda North has also previously advanced to the prestigious Master Circle. The Honda Masters Circle recognizes the top 50 dealerships in new vehicle sales nationally.

Dover Honda has also won Honda's President's Award eight times.

International Cars has won several industry awards, including the Audi Magna Society Award eight times. Also, Porsche Stratham has been recognized as past Porsche Premier Dealer.

Company-wide values focused on ownership, accountability, and high-level customer service and satisfaction are an integral part of employee ownership success. Together, International Cars earned several AACE (Annual Award for Communications Excellence) Awards through The National ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Association. For more information on International Cars, please email Michael Nadeau at [email protected] or visit www.iclautos.com.

Contact: Michael Nadeau

Honda North

(978) 539-5006

[email protected]

SOURCE Honda North
AUSTIN, Minn., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, announced today that Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of The Hormel Foundation, has been re-appointed to the Hormel Foods Board of Directors, effective March 21, 2025. The Hormel Foundation, an unaffiliated non-profit organization with a charitable mission, beneficially owns approximately 46% of Hormel Foods outstanding common stock. Ettinger previously served on the Hormel Foods Board of Directors and spent nearly three decades with the company, retiring in 2016 after a successful tenure as president and chief executive officer.

Jeffrey M. Ettinger

"We are happy to welcome Jeff Ettinger back to the Hormel Foods Board of Directors," said Bill Newlands, chairman of the Hormel Foods board. "During his tenure with the company and as chairman for our largest shareholder, Jeff has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to supporting Hormel Foods, our shareholders, and our hometown of Austin, Minnesota." He continued, "We are proud to continue to evolve and deepen our relationship with The Hormel Foundation, which was established more than 80 years ago by company founders George A. Hormel and his son Jay, to support the vibrancy and success of Hormel Foods for generations to come."

"Returning to the Hormel Foods Board of Directors is a privilege and honor," Ettinger said. "I look forward to representing The Hormel Foundation and all shareholders while working with the board and management to help shape the next chapter of growth for Hormel Foods, rooted in our Austin, Minnesota, community."

Ettinger will join the board's Governance Committee and CEO Search Committee.

About Jeff Ettinger

Ettinger currently is chairman of The Hormel Foundation, one of Minnesota's largest community foundations and grant makers. In this role, Ettinger oversees the distribution of millions of dollars in charitable donations to organizations in and around Austin, Minnesota, enhancing the quality of life in the community. Ettinger served as the interim president of the University of Minnesota from 2023 to 2024. Previously, he was president and chief executive officer of Hormel Foods from 2005 to 2016. He became Hormel Foods' chief executive officer after serving in roles including corporate attorney, treasurer, and president of Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc.

Ettinger is also an experienced independent public company director, previously serving on the boards of The Toro Company and Ecolab Inc., including serving as Ecolab's lead director for nearly six years.

Ettinger holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles.

About Hormel Foods  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include PLANTERS, SKIPPY, SPAM, HORMEL NATURAL CHOICE, APPLEGATE, JUSTIN'S, WHOLLY, HORMEL BLACK LABEL, COLUMBUS, JENNIE-O and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America's most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World's Best Companies and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit hormelfoods.com.

Contact: Media Relations

Hormel Foods

[email protected]

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation
BOSTON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Back-to-back deteriorations in the outlook for American consumers' future spending among both middle- and upper-income households since the end of last year indicate clouds continue to gather over US consumer prospects amid increased housing market risks and the stock market sell-off, according to the latest results of the Bain & Company/Dynata Consumer Health Indexes.

The Consumer Health Indexes (CHI) consumer outlook score for middle-income Americans fell for a third month in a row in March, while the CHI outlook gauge for the critical upper-income group, which accounts for more than 50% of US discretionary consumer spending also continued to trend down and dropped for a fourth consecutive month.

The combination of declining outlook readings for both groups cast a further shadow over the US consumer, the Bain/Dynata analysis suggests, following the rise in American's savings intentions highlighted in the CHI report for February which suggested consumers could revert to pre-pandemic norms of lower spending and higher savings.

The decline in the outlook score for middle-income Americans saw this fall by 1.3 points in March, leaving this at 100.4, down 2.7 points over three months. The Bain/Dynata report notes that this leaves the middle- income outlook gauge at a neutral level but concludes that three monthly falls in a row is a notable trend.

The findings pin the blame on worsening conditions in the US housing market. Price prospects for houses, typically middle-income Americans' primary asset, are the key driver of the Bain/Dynata assessment of their outlook as consumers.

Risks of a US housing downturn are increasing, the Bain/Dynata analysis cautions, citing reports that stocks of housing for sale are reaching record levels in some states while also building rapidly in many more.

"We suspect some middle-income earners are growing increasingly wary of the housing market in their metros  consistent with recent reports of inventories spiking in some markets ahead of the summer selling season. If the housing market falters in the coming months, the current downtrend in our middle-income outlook index could expand to middle-income spending, raising the prospect of a loss of demand in the broader economy," said Brian Stobie, senior director in Bain & Company's Macro Trends Group.

The consumer outlook score for upper-income Americans also remains in neutral territory in the CHI March survey results but nevertheless fell for a fourth straight month. While housing is the key outlook driver for the middle-income group, equity markets are the key factor for the upper-income group. But despite the ongoing correction is the US stock markets, the Bain/Dynata analysis reports that the current outlook gauge for upper-income Americans remains around the mid-range of levels during the last market correction between May 2022 and March 2023.

Stobie added: "Since the upper-income outlook is tied to perceptions of future portfolio performance, market developments in the coming weeks will be a critical determinant of how things unfold. Our data indicates that caution, rather than panic, has taken hold for upper-income earners who are waiting to see next developments in markets. If markets continue to sell-off, so that the outlook readings in our data fall further, then the upper-income group could easily scale back their spending. Given this group accounts for a disproportionate share of spending, such a shift could produce significant downward pressure on the wider US economy."

For more details and the full report (PDF), please click here or get in touch via the media contacts below.

Media contacts

To arrange an interview or for any questions, please contact:

Gary Duncan (London)  Email: [email protected]

Katie Ware (New York)  Email: [email protected]

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

About Dynata

Dynata is the world's largest first-party data company for insights, activation, and measurement. With a reach that encompasses 70 million consumers and business professionals globally and an extensive library of individual profile attributes collected through surveys, Dynata is the cornerstone for precise, trustworthy quality data. The company has built innovative data services and solutions around its robust first-party data offering to bring the voice of the customer to the entire marketing continuum  from uncovering insights to activating campaigns and measuring cross-channel marketing return on investment. Dynata serves more than 6,000 market research, media and advertising agencies, publishers, consulting and investment firms, and corporate customers in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Learn more at www.dynata.com

SOURCE Bain & Company
BALTIMORE, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Adults who were sexually abused by State of Maryland employees while in the care of the state's juvenile detention centers over the last five decades, gathered in front of Baltimore City Hall today to demand that the state stay true to its 2023 pledge to address their injuries.

Survivor after survivor stood on the podium, announced their name, and shared their story to the crowd and TV cameras assembled before them.

"My name is Nalisha Gibbs and I am a survivor," Gibbs told the crowd. "Today I stand before you as someone who was subjected to abuse while in the custody of the Maryland juvenile facility, a system that was meant to protect and rehabilitate young people like me."

Gibbs was just 13 years old when she was sent to a juvenile detention center after breaking curfew by 15 minutes.

"My detainment was only supposed to be for 30 days, but the ramifications lasted me a lifetime," said Gibbs. "This is a 35-year journey for me."

In 2023, the State of Maryland passed the Child Victims Act, which lifted the 20-year statute of limitations on sexual abuse lawsuits against public and private entities, including government agencies, allowing adults who suffered abuse as children to sue the state for justice. More than 4,000 adults who were children in those centers have pursued claims since the legislature's action in 2023.

"These cases aren't about a few 'bad apples' - they represent a massive systemic failure by the State of Maryland and Department of Juvenile Detention Services," Adam Slater, Founding & Managing Partner of Slater Slater Schulman LLP, stated. "For example, one state employee, Ronald Neverdon, is alleged to have abused 69 clients of my firm while they were residents at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Baltimore, and that's just a single person at one facility. Acknowledging this reality, the Maryland Supreme Court recently affirmed the constitutionality of the Child Victims Act, in recognition of the fact that childhood trauma doesn't conform to standard timeframes."

The Attorney General of the State of Maryland had been negotiating with plaintiffs until earlier this month, when his office filed a motion to dismiss one of the plaintiff's claims in Fredrick County. Along with the motion to dismiss, the Attorney General filed a motion for a protective order to prevent plaintiffs from seeking discovery while the motion to dismiss was being considered. The Attorney General also moved to delay the proceedings in the other cases, against the wishes of plaintiffs.

"We are calling on Attorney General Anthony Brown and the State of Maryland to accept responsibility and to stop applying a double standard when it comes to sexual abuse," said Jerome Block of Levy Konigsberg.

"In 2023, the Attorney General supported survivors who were sexually abused by the Catholic Church and issued a report documenting the abuse and cover-up. But now, when the State is the one that perpetrated sexual abuse on a mass scale in juvenile detention centers and covered it up, the Attorney General is not supporting these survivors and is accepting zero responsibility," noted Block. "The State is not above the law and must be held accountable."

"What happened to the survivors of the state's systemic abuse is not just a burden they must carry alone - it is a responsibility we all share," said Kristen Gibbons Feden of Anapol Weiss, co-counsel with Bailey Glasser. "A society that allows children to be abused in its own institutions and then abandons them when they seek justice is a society that is failing its own future."

"I refuse to let Maryland's leaders sweep this under the rug. I refuse to be silent," said Elexis Massey. "To the State of Maryland and to every official who has the power to do the right thing, the time is up. The delays stop here. The excuses stop here. Justice is not negotiable. You have the power to make this right, and if you don't, then you're just as complicit as the people who hurt us. I will not be another name on a forgotten list of victims. I am here. I'm speaking out, and I will not stop until a real change is made to every survivor who has felt unheard and unseen."

Feden, speaking directly into the collection of TV cameras lined up before her, closed the rally with a cry for action: "To the State of Maryland: The time for avoidance is over. The time for half-measures is done. It is time for these survivors to get the justice they have fought so long to receive."

About the Law Firms Representing Plaintiffs

Lev y Koni g sber g, Baile y Glasser , Anapol Weiss , Slater Slater Schulman .

MEDIA CONTACT:

Michelle Fishburne, 1 866-ESQUIRE, [email protected]

Joan Vollero, Allan Morancie / ICR, Inc.

[email protected]

SOURCE Levy Konigsberg; Bailey Glasser; Anapol Weiss; Slater Slater Schulman LLP
As reported by European Pravda, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawe Bejda announced this during an interview with RMF24.

His statement comes as Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland announced their intention on 18 March to withdraw from the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

"We have no other choice. The situation at the border is serious. I am referring to the Polish-belarusian and Polish-russian borders This will be one of the key elements of the East Shield," Bejda stated.

According to him, Poland currently does not possess anti-personnel mines, but it has the capability to produce them.

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

"Factories of the Polish Armaments Group will manufacture the mines, but I do not want to go into details. The order involves several hundred thousand units, and we could even be talking about a million," Bejda said.

Commenting on the Baltic States' and Poland's plan to withdraw from the treaty banning anti-personnel mines, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that "it is wrong to prohibit ourselves from using weapons that russia is ready to use against us."
Ligon brings the firm's total of NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists in workers' comp to 10.

DURHAM, N.C., March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin announced that attorney Elizabeth Ligon has been designated a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in workers' compensation law, a distinguished achievement that highlights her knowledge and experience representing injured workers.

NC State Bar Board Certification is an indication that the lawyer has intentionally focused their legal practice to improve the proficiency and quality of their legal services and to stay current in the specialty field. A lawyer who is certified as a specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization has satisfied a number of rigorous standards to achieve this rare honor.

Fewer than 4% of attorneys licensed to practice in North Carolina are NC State Bar Board Certified Specialists, and less than 1% hold this designation for workers' comp.*

Ligon brings a powerful perspective to workers' compensation law. In addition to this new designation, Ligon spent over a decade as a workers' compensation defense attorney before transitioning to advocate for injured workers.

"Elizabeth's experience litigating complex workers' compensation disputes on behalf of employers and insurance carriers helps her build strong cases for injured workers," said James S. Farrin, President of the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin. "NC State Bar Board Certification combined with her 'other side' experience makes her a formidable advocate for our clients."

ABOUT THE LAW OFFICES OF JAMES SCOTT FARRIN

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is one of the largest personal injury firms in North Carolina and has helped over 73,000 injured people since 1997. Operating from 14 offices in NC and one in SC, many of the firm's 60+ accomplished attorneys are recognized professionals in their fields. The firm focuses on providing quality legal services to as many people as possible in the following practice areas: personal injury, car accidents, workers' compensation, whistleblowing, defective products, eminent domain, mass torts, class actions, and Social Security Disability.

Contact Information:

David Chamberlin

555 S. Mangum Street

Suite 800

Durham, NC 27701

1-866-900-7078

https://www.farrin.com

Offices in Durham (main), Raleigh, Charlotte, Greensboro, NC, and Greenville,

SC. Attorney Michael Shepherd: 555 S. Mangum Street, Suite 800, Durham, NC

*Figures provided by NC State Bar as of Jan 2025.

SOURCE Law Offices of James Scott Farrin
DENVER, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Juricon, the premier platform connecting individuals and businesses with the right legal professionals, achieved significant growth in Q1 2025. With over 80,000 website visitors, a rapidly expanding social media presence, and a Google Ads click-through rate (CTR) exceeding 14%, Juricon continues proving its effectiveness in legal matchmaking.

"Our strong Q1 performance underscores the increasing demand for a smarter way to find legal representation," said Ryan Newburn, CEO of Juricon. "We're thrilled to see more people leveraging our platform to connect with qualified attorneys, saving time and effort in their legal search."

Driving Growth and Engagement

Juricon's marketing strategies have driven impressive engagement, reflecting the legal industry's growing recognition of digital matchmaking as a valuable tool. Key accomplishments include:

80,000+ website visitors  Since early 2025, the platform has seen a significant uptick in awareness and user adoption.

 Since early 2025, the platform has seen a significant uptick in awareness and user adoption. Google Ads Success  A standout Click-Through Rate (CTR) of over 14%, demonstrating strong ad performance and user interest.

 A standout Click-Through Rate (CTR) of over 14%, demonstrating strong ad performance and user interest. Social Media Expansion  Juricon's presence continues growing across platforms, fostering an active community of legal professionals and clients.

Standing with the ABA on Judicial Independence

Beyond business success, Juricon remains committed to upholding legal system integrity. In response to the American Bar Association's (ABA) recent statement emphasizing judicial independence, Juricon reaffirms its dedication to supporting legal professionals and ensuring individuals have access to qualified legal counsel.

"We stand with the ABA in protecting the rule of law and judicial independence," added Newburn. "Juricon was founded to empower people with access to the right legal expertise, and that mission is more important than ever."

Looking Ahead

As Juricon continues growing, the company remains focused on expanding its reach, refining its smart search capabilities, and strengthening its role as a trusted legal resource. By combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to legal integrity, Juricon is shaping the future of legal services.

For media inquiries, contact:

Sarah Grba

Juricon

[email protected]

www.juricon.ai

About Juricon

Juricon is a leading legal matchmaking platform connecting individuals and businesses with the ideal attorney. By leveraging innovative smart search tools, Juricon simplifies the legal search process, ensuring clients find lawyers based on expertise and experience. For more information, visit www.juricon.ai .

SOURCE Juricon
Karma Automotive's Next-Generation of Extended-Range Electric Vehicles (EREV) Breaks Cover with the Stunning Amaris 2-Door Coupe

IRVINE, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Karma Automotive today hosted Create Karma 2025, drawing together industry innovators, educators, civic and business leaders for an inspiring forum on the future of automotive technology and its transformative impact upon Southern California.

The company presented its strategy for creating career pathways for SoCal youth to develop the workforce of tomorrow Post this The stunning Karma Amaris EREV Performance Coupe World Premiere at Create Karma 2025

At Create Karma 2025, the company discussed its leadership role in advancing game-changing technologies including AI and SDV (Software-Defined Vehicles), and presented its strategy for creating career pathways for SoCal youth  in collaboration with partners assembled for Create Karma 2025  to develop the workforce of tomorrow. Further, the event featured the World Premiere of the stunning Karma Amaris, the company's next-generation EREV (Extended-Range Electric Vehicle) performance coupe.

"Create Karma is our platform to bring the industry, our partners, and our community together to tell our story, spark new ideas, and meaningfully contribute to the future of Southern California," says Marques McCammon, President, Karma Automotive. "This event is about more than just unveiling new products  it's about redefining what's possible in innovation and how that can create a better future for our communities and the broader industry."

Create Karma 2025 featured three chapters  Community, Technology, and Experience each highlighting a key aspect of Karma's vision for the future.

Community: Karma announced the newly-formed Clean Transportation Technology Collaborative, a partnership bringing together regional leaders in education, workforce development, business, and technology to accelerate career pathways and job creation in the automotive, software and clean energy sectors in Southern California. Karma Automotive's fellow members of the Collaborative include: CerraCap Venture, Inland Southern California United Way, Orange County Business Council, San Diego State University, Sustain SoCal, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside.

Technology: In partnership with Intel Automotive, Karma Automotive is developing Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) which will transform both the manufacturing process and driving experience with smarter, quicker-thinking, more power-efficient vehicles. At Create Karma 2025, the company demonstrated SDV's revolutionary impact, and how it unlocks AI's potential. This served as a continuation of the presentation by Karma Automotive and Intel Automotive at CES 2025, now focusing on the progress of the two company's joint development activities to bring concept to reality.

Experience: Karma Automotive World Premiered its next-generation EREV vehicle, the stunning Karma Amaris alongside its stablemates, the 3rd Generation Karma Revero and Revero Invictus; and spotlighted its upcoming ultra-luxury EVs including the Karma Kaveya super-coupe. Attendees were also given an exclusive look at the brand's desig philosophy, along with insights into the company's vision for performance and sustainability.

Announcing the Karma Amaris

The Karma Amaris will deliver a zero-comprises mix of exclusivity, high-performance and efficiency, and is anticipated for production in Q4/2026. Karma Automotive's first production 2-door coupe, Amaris will feature a more powerful evolution the company's proven EREV powertrain utilizing a larger, turbocharged 4-Cylinder ICE generator. Resulting acceleration from 0-60mph is estimated at less than 3.5 seconds, culminating with an estimated top speed of 165mph. The powerful yet timelessly elegant carbon fiber and aluminum body of the Amaris features the latest evolution of the Comet Line design language first established with the Karma Kaveya super-coupe. Pricing for Amaris will be announced at a later date.

www.karmaautomotive.com

About Karma Automotive

Karma Automotive is America's only full-line ultra-luxury vehicle manufacturer, and a pioneer of EREV (Extended-Range Electric) vehicles which it manufactures at its Karma Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) in Moreno Valley, CA. Its Executive, Product Development, and Design headquarters are located in nearby Irvine, CA. The Karma portfolio embodies California's spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial boldness, reflected by the signature Comet Line which is the central hallmark of Karma's new design language. Sales of the 3rd Generation Karma Revero sport sedan, the world's first luxury EREV plug-in hybrid, are now underway in the USA and EU, offering luxury balanced with conscientiousness delivered without compromise. Sales of Revero's ultra-exclusive, performance-tuned stablemate, Karma Invictus, will begin in Q2 2025, followed by the Gyesera EREV four-seater in Q4 2025, and the Amaris coupe in Q4 2026. The Karma Kaveya super-coupe, with up to 1,000HP and butterfly-doors, will arrive in 2027, and the Karma Ivara GT-UV will arrive in 2028: both EVs will incorporate SDVA (Software-Defined Vehicle Architecture) developed in collaboration with Intel Automotive. Further, Karma Automotive will provide Tier 1s and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with business-to-business SDVA solutions, as it does today with Karma Connect, its proprietary Vehicle Data Management and Over-the-Air services platform, which presently provides services to the world's second largest OEM. Karma Automotive's dealer network spans North America, Europe, South America and the Middle East. ( www.karmaautomotive.com )

Media Contact:

Joe Richardson, (917) 716-6617

[email protected]

SOURCE Karma Automotive
NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Katten announced today that Nathaniel Lalone, a partner in the firm's Financial Markets and Funds practice, is a newly elected member of the Futures Industry Association (FIA) Board of Directors. As such, Lalone will further represent the interest of the futures, options and derivatives markets and assist in guiding FIA's mission to support open, transparent and competitive markets and promote high standards of professional conduct globally.

Nathaniel Lalone, a partner in Katten's Financial Markets and Funds practice, has been elected to the Futures Industry Association (FIA) Board of Directors.

"We are beyond pleased that Nate will play a part in key policy discussions as the industry is experiencing significant developments across various sectors," said Lance Zinman, global chair of the Katten Financial Markets and Funds department. "I have no doubt that his keen insight and deep experience will serve him well and have a lasting impact."

FIA is the leading global trade body for futures, options and centrally cleared derivatives markets. To provide a voice for its member firms, FIA regularly publishes white papers, and sends letters and position papers to government agencies, regulatory authorities and politicians on issues of interest to the futures industry. It also convenes working groups dedicated to specific industry or regulatory issues and participates with other trade bodies in broader coalitions to address issues of common concern. Additionally, the organization actively promotes fair trade, works with exchanges, educates consumers, and protects members against fraud.

The board is responsible for FIA's financial planning and budget management, and for ensuring its financial stability and sustainability. The board collaborates with regional advisory boards in Asia and Europe, which provide valuable insights and perspectives from different regions of the world.

"I am honored and could not be more delighted to help guide the ongoing work of this essential organization," said Lalone, who focuses on providing cross-border regulatory and compliance counsel to market infrastructures as well as sell- and buy-side firms active in the cleared derivatives markets.

FIA has more than 350 corporate members, including futures commission merchants, exchanges, clearinghouses, trading firms and commodities specialists from more than 48 countries. The 29-member board comprises people in top posts at some of the world's largest banks and other companies as well as partners at top law firms.

Lalone, who is qualified in both England and New York, was announced as a two-year member of the board during the 2025 International Futures Industry Conference in Boca Raton, Florida, where industry participants who help shape the markets gather annually to connect, share insights and discuss key trends, products and companies that are transforming the business of cleared derivatives.

Katten is a full-service law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm's core areas of practice include corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, private credit and private wealth. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals.

For more information, visit katten.com .

SOURCE Katten
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP (NYSE: KRP) ("Kimbell"), a leading owner of oil and natural gas mineral and royalty interests in more than 130,000 gross wells across 28 states, today announced that it will release its first quarter 2025 financial results on Thursday, May 8, 2025, before the market opens. Kimbell will also declare its first quarter 2025 distribution concurrent with this release. In conjunction with the earnings release, Kimbell has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet the same day at 10:00 a.m. Central (11:00 a.m. Eastern).

By Phone: Dial 201-389-0869 at least 10 minutes before the call. A replay will be available through May 15th by dialing 201-612-7415 and using the conference ID: 13752275#.



By Webcast: Connect to the webcast via the Events and Presentations page of Kimbell's Investor Relations website at http://kimbellrp.investorroom.com/. Please log in at least 10 minutes in advance to register and download any necessary software. A replay will be available shortly after the call.

About Kimbell Royalty Partners

Kimbell (NYSE: KRP) is a leading oil and gas mineral and royalty company based in Fort Worth, Texas. Kimbell owns mineral and royalty interests in over 17 million gross acres in 28 states and in every major onshore basin in the continental United States, including ownership in more than 130,000 gross wells with over 51,000 wells in the Permian Basin. To learn more, visit http://www.kimbellrp.com.

Contact:

Rick Black

Dennard Lascar Investor Relations

[email protected]

(713) 529-6600

SOURCE Kimbell Royalty Partners, LP
LAS VEGAS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LaPour, in collaboration with Mar-Gulf Management Inc. ("Mar-Gulf") and MDI Capital, LLC ("MDI"), the international real estate subsidiaries of Kuwait Financial Centre ("Markaz"), announced today that The Performance Shift, LLC will be the second tenant at Creekside Centennial Tech Center (CCTC) located in Centennial, CO. Currently under construction, CCTC is scheduled to complete in April 2025. The Performance Shift will occupy 9,571 RSF of shallow bay industrial space bringing CCTC to 30% pre-leased.

Performance Shift

Brandon Langiewicz, SIOR represented the Tenant and Peter Beugg, Dominic DiOrio, Buzz Miller and Tyler Reed of Stream Realty represented the Landlord in this transaction. "CCTC is a unique project that meets the demand for tenants seeking high-quality, modern, shallow bay spaces. The pre-leasing activity is a clear indication of the market's appetite for this product, and we're pleased to see continued interest as the project nears completion," said Buzz Miller of Stream.

"We chose to move our business into CCTC to expand with the ever growing Centennial and Southeast Denver community where there is quick access for clients from the city and surrounding suburbs. The property is a beautiful, new space with lots of opportunity to create a customized experience for our clients, providers, and community!" said Alice Barnes, Owner of The Performance Shift.

CCTC is designed to meet the diverse needs of modern businesses, which are currently underserved in the industrial real estate market as project sizes have increased and are focused on much larger footprints for divisibility. CCTC is the only spec-construction, industrial project in south Denver that will provide tenants with space divisible to under 10,000 SF. Current vacancy rate for this product type is 2.8% in the Southeast Denver submarket.

This state-of-the-art, multitenant, shallow-bay industrial facility offers 24' clear heights across 63,271 square feet. The project provides flexible contiguous unit sizing from 6,900 square feet to 23,200 square feet. Spec suites will be delivered in April 2025 available for immediate occupancy. Conveniently located at 6403 S Uvalda St, CCTC provides immediate access to Arapahoe Road and quick access to I-25, E-470, and Hwy 83. Surrounded by a dense variety of restaurants, lifestyle amenities, retail outlets, and walkable trails.

The multi-tenant project boasts, 8 dock doors, 8 drive-in doors, 2,500 amps of power, and a generous parking ratio of 3 per 1,000 square feet. The functional design of CCTC aims to redefine industrial space in the region, setting a new benchmark and outshining competing projects in its vicinity.

"This lease, executed during construction, underscores the pent-up demand for shallow bay space divisible to less than 10,000sf and highlights the long-term potential of this location," said Lisa Chasteen, VP Leasing and Asset Management at LaPour. "We welcome Performance Shift to CCTC and are committed to delivering a modern, image conscious environment that aligns with our tenants' needs as well as the needs of the community."

For more information, visit lapour.com.

Brochure Link: https://publications.streamrealty.com/creekside-ctc_brochure/full-view.html

SOURCE LaPour
World-Renowned "Fibroid Slayer" Dr. Pierre Johnson Appointed as Lead OB/GYN Surgeon

CHICAGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Loretto Hospital is on a mission to keep addressing healthcare disparities and improving overall health outcomes specifically for women in the communities they serve. To advance this goal, the hospital is proud to unveil their new Women's Wellness Center, led by celebrated surgeon Dr. Pierre Johnson. Dr. Johnson's appointment further prioritizes Loretto Hospital's intentional commitment to female-focused healthcare through transformative investments in providers, facilities and service expansion. "We believe that access and investment are the antidote to communities in crisis. When women are well, it directly impacts the entire household, and communities thrive," said Loretto Hospital President and CEO Tesa Anewishki.

The new Women's Wellness Center will diagnose and treat a broad spectrum of conditions impacting women's gynecological health. In addition to offering essential gynecologic care and preventive health, the center will address conditions such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic pain, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), vaginal prolapse and abnormal uterine bleeding, among many others. For a more complete list of gynecologic services offered, visit Women's Wellness Center at Loretto Hospital.

"Opening a center that specifically focuses on the health and wellness of women has been our goal for several years," Anewishki said. "We want to reduce barriers to essential healthcare services for women who may face transportation, financial or cultural obstacles, and we are thrilled to welcome the esteemed Dr. Johnson to the Loretto Hospital family and advance the work of specialized, deserving care for women."

A board-certified OB/GYN specializing in high-risk obstetrics, gynecologic surgery and pelvic floor repair, Dr. Johnson is internationally known as the "Fibroid Slayer" due to his expertise in using laparoscopic techniques to treat fibroids. He also specializes in vaginal reconstruction and sexual health, addressing conditions like anorgasmia and dyspareunia.

Dr. Johnson's journey to becoming a physician was deeply personal. He was born at Chicago's Mercy Hospital and raised on the South Side. Growing up, he witnessed firsthand the negative impact of implicit bias on the health and well-being of underserved, under-resourced communities, fueling his passion for equitable care. Inspired by the Black OB/GYN who treated his mother, he pursued his dream to improve Black women's health and fight disparities in his city and across the globe.

"I believe every woman should have the option to protect and preserve her uterus," Dr. Johnson said. "Education and awareness are the keys to equitable healthcare. As the director of Loretto's Women's Wellness Center, I aim to increase awareness of our services and transform us into a world-class facility for gynecologic care by offering minimally invasive surgeries previously unavailable here. More than a doctor, I am an advocate for women and a partner in their healthcare journey."

A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Johnson completed his OB/GYN residency at Southern Illinois University and has worked at Mercy, Ingalls and Mount Sinai hospitals. His work has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times Magazine, WGN News, The Chicago Tribune, Sister Circle and Windy City LIVE. Co-author of Pulse of Perseverance: Three Black Doctors on Their Journey to Success, Dr. Johnson shares his story of resilience and mentors Black youth through the Pulse of Perseverance Foundation he and his partner authors founded.

In honor of this momentous occasion, Loretto Hospital will be hosting an open house of their Women's Wellness Center at 1:00pm on Saturday, March 22, 2025. For more information about Dr. Johnson's minimally invasive gynecologic procedures or to schedule an appointment at Loretto Hospital's Women's Wellness Center, please call (773) 854-1950.

ABOUT LORETTO HOSPITAL

Loretto Hospital is a safety-net hospital that serves more than 33,000 patients each year from Chicago's Austin and surrounding communities. Established in 1923 as a not-for-profit community-focused healthcare provider, Loretto offers its community a unique patient-centered healthcare delivery system that promotes general wellness and education. The hospital staff are committed to providing the best possible medical care in a holistic, safe and comfortable resident environment. By empowering patients with knowledge and resources, Loretto Hospital strives to cultivate a culture of proactive medical management within the community, with the goal of increasing the quality of life for patients and community residents.

Media Contact:

Laura Bissett, myWHY Agency

[email protected]

312-291-1099

SOURCE Loretto Hospital
The LRA established this program to build upon the promise already shown for engineered cell therapies in treating and potentially curing lupus, including a clinical trial showing complete remission (no clinical evidence of active disease) among participants treated with CD19 CAR T cells who had not responded to previous treatments.

The TRP-ECT provides funding for two types of studies: preclinical studies, including discovery and translational projects, each of which will be supported with up to $300,000 over two years, and ancillary studies to ongoing or completed clinical trials, which will each receive up to $600,000 over two years.

"The establishment of the TRP-ECT marks a significant milestone in our mission to advance innovative treatments for lupus," noted LRA Chief Scientific Officer Teodora Staeva, PhD. "By supporting cutting-edge research in engineered cell therapies, we are paving the way for breakthroughs that could significantly improve the lives of those affected by this challenging disease."

Below are the 2024 TRP-ECT awardees who will conduct a preclinical study:

Reuben Benjamin, MBBS, FRCPath, PhD, King's College London

Despite recent successes with CD19-targeted CAR T cell therapy, several barriers limit their widespread use, including high costs, lengthy manufacturing times, and the need to reduce a patient's medications (including steroids) prior to treatment. Dr. Benjamin, along with his collaborator Dr Chris Wincup, will test the effectiveness of a newly developed CAR T cell therapy that takes only three days to produce. His study could result in a quicker, safer, and more effective cell therapy option more widely available to people with lupus.

Vijay Bhoj, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine

While it appears to be a promising treatment option, one drawback to CD19-targeted CAR T cell therapy is its broad targeting of all B cells (including those that protect us from infections), potentially resulting in the individual becoming immunocompromised. Dr. Bhoj will develop a more selective approach that targets only age-associated B cells (ABCs), an autoreactive B cell population (that mistakenly recognizes the patient's own body), potentially inducing lasting remission (decrease or absence of symptoms) with minimal side effects.

Leslie Kean, MD, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are cells that suppress autoimmunity (autoimmunity occurs when a patient's immune system attacks their own cells and tissues). Phase 1 clinical studies have shown Treg therapies to have an excellent safety profile, highlighting their therapeutic potential. Dr. Kean has engineered Tregs with CARs that recognize OX40L, a molecule on the surface of immune cells in people with active lupus. She will now test these "OX40L-CAR-Tregs" in human cells and mouse models, potentially paving the way for rapid translation to the clinic for people with lupus.

Richard O'Neil, PhD, Medical University of South Carolina

CAR T cell therapy typically requires lymphodepletiona chemotherapy treatment that kills T cells and other immune cellsprior to treatment. This creates a "blank slate" that gives the CAR T cells more room to expand. However, lymphodepletion can cause severe side effects, including increasing the likelihood of infections. Dr. O'Neil will test a novel method that does not require lymphodepletion, potentially offering a safer and more effective process to simplify CAR T patient management.

Joshua Ooi, PhD, Monash University

Dr. Ooi previously engineered Tregs that specifically recognize a protein called Sm, which is a key target in lupus. These engineered Tregs (called Sm-Tregs) showed therapeutic promise, dampening the inflammatory response in blood from individuals with lupus and halting the progression of kidney injury in a mouse model. Dr. Ooi will now transfer the creation of Sm-Tregs from a small-scale to large-scale manufacturing process, potentially demonstrating that Sm-Tregs can be manufactured at a high enough quality to conduct a clinical trial.

Reshmi Parameswaran, PhD, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine

T cells are not the only white blood cells that can be leveraged to treat autoimmune diseases. Dr. Parameswaran will engineer natural killer (NK) cells, another type of white blood cell, to target three molecules on the surface of autoreactive B cells: BAFF-R, BCMA, and TACI. These "BAFF-CAR NK" cells will be generated from NK cells from healthy donors, making them a potentially less expensive and safer option that could be offered as an "off-the-shelf" therapy.

Stanley Riddell, MD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

While CAR T cell therapy has shown immense promise, it does not come without side effects, including fever, blood pressure changes, and the elimination of protective B cells that leave the patient at risk of infection. Dr. Riddell has designed new, sensitive receptors called chimeric T cell receptors (ChTCRs) that do not trigger the production of cytokines, which can cause toxicity after CAR T cell therapy. He will test this approach in an animal model to advance new concepts that could improve the safety and efficacy of T cell immunotherapy for lupus.

Mark Shlomchik, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Shlomchik is testing a novel CAR T cell therapy in lupus mouse models to selectively eliminate ABCs, a type of B cell that may be pathogenic in lupus and which is linked to lupus severity. His research aims to develop a precise and safer treatment for lupus by targeting these specific harmful B cells while sparing protective ones.

Below are the 2024 TRP-ECT awardees who will conduct an ancillary study to an ongoing or complete clinical trial:

Ricardo Grieshaber-Bouyer, MD, PhD, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg (FAU)

Since 2020, the team at FAU has successfully treated more than 15 patients with refractory lupus (for whom no other treatments have worked) with CD19 CAR T cells, all of whom reached drug-free remission. Dr. Grieshaber-Bouyer will perform a comprehensive study of the blood and tissue of treated individuals to determine the mechanisms by which CAR T cell therapy resets the immune system and leads to lasting, drug-free remission.

Shaun Jackson, MD, PhD, Seattle Children's Hospital

While C19 CAR T cell therapy has shown profound effects, it has only been tested in adults with lupus. The Reversing Autoimmunity through Cell Therapy (REACT-01) clinical trial is the first clinical trial in the U.S. evaluating the safety and feasibility of this treatment for children with lupus. Dr. Jackson's study will analyze samples from pediatric patients to understand which patients respond best to therapy and why they do or do not respond. This could inform future treatment strategies and revolutionize care for pediatric and young adult patients with SLE.

Ignacio Sanz, MD, Emory University

After B cells are eliminated by CAR T cell therapy, they eventually return, healthy and in a naive state (not yet exposed to their targets). This "resetting" of the B cells has been proposed as the main reason for the lasting efficacy of CAR T cell therapy. Dr. Sanz will conduct detailed analyses of CAR T cell-induced B cell depletion in patients treated at Emory University to understand what determines a successful response, helping to select patients more likely to respond for future studies.

For people living with lupus, innovative research in engineered cell therapies can open doors to treatments that were once unimaginable. These treatments aim to reset the immune system to restore balance and health, reducing the burden of lupus and improving quality of life.

About Lupus

Lupus is a chronic, complex autoimmune disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In lupus, the immune system, meant to defend against infections, produces autoantibodies that mistake the body's own cells as foreign, causing other immune cells to attack organs such as the kidneys, brain, heart, lungs and skin, as well as blood and joints. Ninety percent of people with lupus are women, most often diagnosed between the ages of 15-45. Black, Latinx, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander people are disproportionately affected by lupus and more likely to experience severe lupus symptoms.

About the Lupus Research Alliance

The Lupus Research Alliance is the largest non-governmental, non-profit funder of lupus research worldwide. The organization aims to transform treatment by funding the most innovative lupus research, fostering diverse scientific talent, and driving discovery toward better diagnostics, improved treatments and ultimately a cure for lupus. Because the Lupus Research Alliance's Board of Directors funds all administrative and fundraising costs, 100% of all donations goes to support lupus research programs. For more information or to donate to lupus research, visit the LRA at LupusResearch.org and on social media at: X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

SOURCE Lupus Research Alliance
Pennsylvania-based online auction company expands retail and warehouse footprint in San Antonio, creating more than 50 additional local jobs

PITTSBURGH, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Online retail liquidation company, MAC.BID , announced today the opening of a second warehouse and retail location in San Antonio, Texas. This expansion marks a significant milestone for the Pennsylvania-based company, further growing its presence in the Lone Star State. MAC.BID currently operates more than 24 locations across Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, and Texas.

MAC.BID buys returned and overstocked goods by the truckload from top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and Wayfair and resells the items individually through their proprietary online auction platform. All products are put up for auction with an opening bid of $1, and are sold to the highest bidder with no reserve price. Winning bidders can expect to save up to 80% off retail while having fun participating in the online auction.

"Since we launched our first Texas location in Schertz a year ago, we've felt the love and support from the community," said Kellen Campbell, co-founder and president at MAC.BID. "That success has enabled us to open a second location in San Antonio, providing more consumers with the opportunity to save money and stretch their hard-earned dollars further."

San Antonio Locations:

4666 U.S. 90 Access Rd, San Antonio, TX 78237 (New)

78237 (New) 17745 Lookout Rd Suite 400, Schertz, TX 78154

MAC.BID currently employs nearly 1,500 people across more than 2 million square feet of warehouse space. The new San Antonio location adds 50 new jobs to the area, offering opportunities across a variety of roles and specialties.

At the heart of MAC.BID's business is a deep commitment to providing second chancesnot just for products but also for people and the communities it serves.

MAC.BID's philosophy of second chances also extends to the spaces it occupies, with auction pickup locations often housed in repurposed big-box stores or aging warehouses, helping to revitalize underutilized commercial areas. The company's commitment to sustainability ensures that many returned and overstocked items, which might otherwise be discarded, find a new home through its marketplace.

In October, MAC.BID announced the company expanded its operations in the Southwest, opening five warehouse and retail locations across Arizona, Colorado and Nevada.

ABOUT MAC.BID

MAC.BID (formerly known as M@C Discount) is an online retail liquidation company that buys returned and overstocked goods by the truckload from top retailers like Amazon, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, and Wayfair and resells them individually through its proprietary online auction platform. Founded by Shawn Allen and Kellen Campbell in 2018, the Butler, Pennsylvania-based company operates 24 locations across the U.S.

For more information, visit https://www.mac.bid/how-it-works .

SOURCE MAC.BID
Conveniently situated at 5825 Landerbrook Drive, Suite #121, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, Exceptional Smiles at Landerbrook provides a comprehensive range of advanced dental treatments tailored to address the unique needs of each patient.

MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Exceptional Smiles at Landerbrook is thrilled to announce its recognition as a 2025 Top Patient Rated Dentist by Find Local Doctors, a respected online directory that highlights outstanding medical professionals based on their exemplary patient reviews and ratings. Led by Dr. Jason Schermer, the clinic continues to uphold its reputation for unparalleled dental services and cutting-edge technology, fostering lasting trust and loyalty among the community. From routine cleanings and general dentistry to restorative procedures, cosmetic enhancements, and emergency dental care, the practice is committed to delivering excellence at every level. Key services include Invisalign, dental implants, root canals, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, and more.

Exceptional Smiles of Landerbrook

Beyond its remarkable dental treatments, the practice prioritizes patient convenience and comfort. Same-day appointments, extended weekday hours, and flexible payment options underscore their mission to make high-quality oral healthcare accessible for all. The team is passionate about transforming apprehensions surrounding dental visits into positive and rewarding experiences. Patients frequently commend the practice not only for its professionalism and efficiency but also for its warm and attentive atmosphere. By blending modern technology, individualized treatment plans, and a compassionate approach, Exceptional Smiles at Landerbrook exemplifies the gold standard in dentistry.

"Our dedication remains unchanged: we strive to provide the highest quality dental care while ensuring our patients feel valued and cared for during every interaction," says Dr. Jason Schermer

More about Exceptional Smiles at Landerbrook:

Dr. Jason Schermer received his BA from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1995. He then attended Case Western University School of Dentistry. Dr. Schermer graduated in 2000 and completed a one-year general practice residency at the Cleveland Clinic. He has been in private practice ever since, providing his patients with quality care. Dr. Londono-Shishehbor graduated from Universidad de Antioquia and underwent a 2-year general dentistry residency at Western Reserve Care System in Youngstown, OH. Dr. Londono-Shishehbor then completed a 1-year fellowship in implants from the American Association in Implant Dentistry (AAID) at Rutgers University. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (440) 335-5930 or visit http://www.exceptionalsmiles.com.

Media Contact

Sarah Pyland, Exceptional Smiles at Landerbrook

(440) 335-5930,

[email protected]

https://www.exceptionalsmiles.com/

SOURCE Exceptional Smiles of Landerbrook
In the presence of Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Vitaliy Koval, Italian Ambassador to Ukraine Carlo Formosa signed an agreement on Thursday with the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies in Bari (CIHEAM) to launch the Pro.UKR project for EUR9 million.

As Interfax-Ukraine was informed by the Italian Embassy, the purpose of the agreement is to promote sustainable development of agriculture and food security in agricultural areas of Odesa region.

The project, which will strengthen the production, technical and organizational capacities of local agricultural producers, livestock enterprises and cooperatives, will be fully implemented in Odesa, a city under Italian patronage for reconstruction, demonstrating Italy's commitment to one of the regions most affected by the war. The program, developed jointly with the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine and technical specialists from Odesa region, will include the provision of tools for agricultural and zootechnical production, the introduction of new technologies and sustainable irrigation systems.

"The agro-food sector is one of the key components for Ukraine's economic recovery, in particular in agricultural areas where small businesses have been particularly hard hit by the conflict. Italy confirms its support through a concrete project aimed at strengthening food security and promoting sustainable agricultural development," said Ambassador Formosa.

The Pro.UKR program is part of a broader Italian effort to support the recovery of Ukraine and Odesa region, with the aim of contributing to the country's economic and social resilience in the current challenging circumstances.
ALTON, Ill., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A Chicago federal judge this week dismissed with prejudice a lawsuit by J-M Manufacturing Company, also known as J-MM and JM Eagle, against Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation's largest mesothelioma law firms, citing J-MM's failure to plead a basic requirement of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.

Laurence Nassif, Managing Partner at Simmons Hanly Conroy, shared the following statement on behalf of the firm:

In a decisive ruling, an Illinois federal judge put an end to J-M Manufacturing Company's baseless and retaliatory federal RICO lawsuit against Simmons Hanly Conroy and several of its attorneys and staff. The ruling not only vindicates Simmons Hanly Conroy's dedication to fighting for those harmed by asbestos manufacturers but also highlights J-MM's misuse of the federal RICO statute in an attempt to undermine Simmons Hanly Conroy's advocacy. Our firm will not be intimidated by unwarranted legal attacks designed to smear its reputation and derail its pursuit of justice for victims of asbestos exposure, and we look forward to continuing that pursuit with this distraction behind it.

For more information on the firm's history of mesothelioma cases, visit www.simmonsfirm.com/mesothelioma.

About Simmons Hanly Conroy LLP

Simmons Hanly Conroy, with over 175 employees and 100 attorneys practicing nationwide, is one of the country's largest plaintiff law firms dedicated to holding corporations responsible for wrongdoing. Primary areas of litigation include mesothelioma and asbestos, pharmaceutical and medical device injuries, consumer protection class actions, environmental injuries and protection, and complex personal injury. The firm's attorneys have been appointed to leadership in numerous national multidistrict litigations, including prescription opioids, Vioxx, Yaz, Toyota unintended acceleration, BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, DePuy Pinnacle, Uber Rideshare sexual assault, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Norfolk Southern East Palestine train derailment and the Volkswagen emission scandal. For over 25 years, the firm has successfully secured verdicts and settlements for thousands of clients nationwide and is a major supporter of asbestos-related cancer research. Offices are located in Alton, Illinois; Boston; Los Angeles; Miami; New York City; San Francisco; and St. Louis. Read more at www.simmonsfirm.com.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Simmons Hanly Conroy
Clinical Trials Expert Enhances Firm's Healthcare Advisory Services

NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MidCap Advisors, a premier middle-market investment banking firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions, is pleased to announce that Lisa Sonneborn, MA, LMHC has joined the firm as a Healthcare Senior Advisor, enhancing its healthcare advisory services.

Lisa Sonneborn, MA, LMHC

Ms. Sonneborn is a master's level clinician who began her career in clinical trials over a decade ago. Starting at a premier clinical trial site in Florida, she explored various roles before independently founding and overseeing the growth of Clarity Clinical Research in Upstate New York, a dedicated Alzheimer's and NASH clinical trial facility. Under her leadership, Clarity conducted clinical trials for some of the world's largest biotech and pharma companies, often out-enrolling some of the country's most prominent research facilities. In 2019, she was awarded the Health Care Innovator of the Year by the Central New York Business Journal for her work in establishing no-cost memory screening and preventative baseline cognitive testing for her community. In 2021, Clarity was acquired by the world's largest research site network.

"Lisa's extensive experience in clinical research operations and her entrepreneurial spirit make her a valuable addition to our healthcare advisory team," said Scott Yoder, Managing Director at MidCap Advisors. "Her unique perspective on the intricacies of clinical trials and her proven track record in scaling businesses will greatly benefit our clients in the healthcare sector."

At MidCap Advisors, Ms. Sonneborn will leverage her expertise to provide strategic guidance to healthcare organizations, particularly those involved in clinical research and trials. Her deep understanding of the operational challenges and opportunities within the clinical research landscape positions her to offer invaluable insights to clients seeking growth, optimization, and successful M&A opportunities.

"I am excited to join MidCap Advisors and contribute to their mission of delivering exceptional advisory services," said Ms. Sonneborn. "I look forward to leveraging my experience in clinical research to help clients navigate the complexities of the healthcare industry and achieve their strategic objectives."

Connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-sonneborn-ma-lmhc-17047a63/

MidCap Advisors Healthcare Group

MidCap Advisors' Healthcare Group specializes in providing strategic M&A and financial advisory services to physician practices, multi-location healthcare providers, and healthcare service organizations. The team has deep experience in fertility, behavioral health, specialty physician groups, and healthcare practice consolidations, advising clients on sell-side and buy-side transactions, recapitalizations, and private equity partnerships.

For more information, visit: https://www.midcapadvisors.com/healthcare-m-a

About MidCap Advisors, LLC

MidCap Advisors is a New York-based M&A advisory firm specializing in financial advisory and transaction services for privately held companies. With a proven track record in insurance M&A, MidCap helps business owners navigate complex transactions, optimize value, and achieve strategic growth.

For more information, visit www.midcapadvisors.com.

FROM: MidCap Advisors, LLC

675 Third Avenue, 28th Floor

New York, NY 10017

https://www.midcapadvisors.com

CONTACT: Scott Yoder

Managing Director

Email: [email protected]

Tel: (646) 442-8367

SOURCE MidCap Advisors
Expanded Services Made Possible by More Than $18 Million in Grant Funding

Awarded from the New York State Office of Mental Health

BRONX, N.Y., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Montefiore Health System is establishing seven new outpatient programs to better serve people with urgent and/or serious mental illness, pregnancy-related anxiety and depression, and eating disorders. More than $18 million from the New York State Office of Mental Health Behavioral Health Center of Excellence program administered by Fidelis Care, Healthfirst and MetroPlusHealth will support the supercharged outpatient care programs, increasing access to personalized care for Bronx residents.

Gaps in mental healthcare are problematic in the Bronx, a borough that has double the New York citywide rate for psychiatric hospitalizations, and most neighborhoods with high rates (40-76%) of people experiencing serious psychological distress without being connected to mental health treatment.

A Sample of Montefiore's New Programs

The Urgent Care and Bridge Clinic, one of the new programs, will offer walk-in care for individuals who might otherwise turn to the emergency room for treatment of rapidly worsening depression, anxiety, acute stress, or substance use problems. Beyond the initial urgent visit, the clinic will continue to support patients, bridging their care until they are connected (or reconnected) to long-term treatment through warm, supportive hand-offs. Last year at Montefiore's Henry & Lucy Moses Emergency Division, one of the busiest emergency departments in the country, approximately 4,500 patients--or 5 percent of all patients--sought care for mental or behavioral needs.

The Women's Mental Health Perinatal Intensive Outpatient Program will provide eight hours of programming per week for three months to people experiencing conditions such as anxiety or depression during and after pregnancy. Attendees will receive individual medication management and therapy, complimentary meals, group therapy, and parenting education. A nursery onsite will offer free, high-quality care for newborns, during program hours. As mother and baby interact, clinicians will gain insights to help tailor treatment goals.

Three new programs will provide support to patients with eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, bolstering Montefiore's current programming, through adding higher levels of care. For younger patients, the Partial Hospitalization Program for Adolescents and Young Adults will meet up to five times a week, offering group therapy as well as individual and family support and Kosher, Halal, and Caribbean meal options, reflecting the many cultures of the borough. As a middle option, an Intensive Outpatient Eating Disorder program will be offered for Adolescents and Young Adults who need consistent support but not hospitalization. The new Outpatient Adult Eating Disorders Program will be informed by evidence-based approaches to stress and anxiety surrounding nutrition and food scarcity.

The First Episode and Early Psychosis Program will allow a team of providers to support people experiencing new onset of symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, and paranoid thinking. The program will support patients through diagnosis and treatment and as they navigate challenges related to housing, careers, and relationships.

"All of healthcare is benefiting from a greater recognition of how our culture, combined with where we are born, and how we work and live, can valuably inform the treatment we receive," said Jonathan E. Alpert, M.D., Ph.D., professor and Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "By introducing these novel programs in communities like ours, we are developing the best interventions to improve care delivery in a meaningful way."

"Building on our already outstanding team, we anticipate hiring the equivalent of 50 full-time roles to serve patients with an anticipated 10,000 new annual visits," said Salimah Velji, MPH, MBA, Unified Executive Administrator, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Montefiore Health System. "Soon, patients with higher acuity will have the opportunity to receive care outside of the hospital but within our own system through intensive programs. Expanding our capacity to step-up and step-down care across the continuum will ensure patients receive the right level of care at the right time. We believe this will help reduce emergency department wait times, improve timely access to care, and provide truly tailored treatment for each patient population, enhancing the system for all."

Montefiore Behavioral Health Center, the Westchester Square Campus, and the Moses Child Outpatient Psychiatry Division are expected sites for the new programs. Additional services are still being developed. The aim is to provide patients with more robust local care options, including greater support in times of need while staying connected to Montefiore's network.

In 2024, Montefiore received a related grant from the New York State Office of Mental Health, which is funding the creation of a Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, an Adult Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program, and an additional Child Outpatient Mental Health Clinic serving the South Bronx.

SOURCE Montefiore Health System
Annex Brands, Inc. Supports Local Entrepreneurs in Sustaining Essential Shipping and Office Services

SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Annex Brands, Inc., a leading franchisor in the packing, shipping, and office services industries, is pleased to announce the successful transfer of ownership of an existing AIM Mail Center location in Laguna Niguel, CA, to new owner, Noel Natividad. This transition ensures the community will continue to benefit from the essential services provided by this AIM Mail Center, which has operated continuously for 27 years.

Located in Laguna Niguel Plaza at 30025 Alicia Pkwy., this AIM Mail Center remains committed to offering a comprehensive array of services, including shipping options with UPS, FedEx, and USPS, expert packing services, private mailbox rentals, notary public services, and office solutions such as printing and packaging supplies.

"I've always wanted to own a business that meets every day needs, and I'm excited to do that here," said Noel Natividad, owner of AIM Mail Center in Laguna Niguel, CA. "I know the community well and look forward to making a positive impact by providing essential services."

Annex Brands, the franchisor of AIM Mail Centers, has a long-standing reputation for excellence in the franchising industry.

"We're excited to see the continued success of this AIM Mail Center location under Noel's leadership," said Patrick Edd, Chief Executive Officer and President of Annex Brands. "Franchise ownership transfers like this reflect the strength of our business model and the lasting value of our locations in their communities. We look forward to seeing Noel build on this strong foundation."

Headquartered in San Diego, CA, Annex Brands has been providing business ownership opportunities since 1985 and now licenses and franchises over 850 locations across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Their brands, including AIM Mail Centers, PostalAnnex, Pak Mail, Parcel Plus, Sunshine Pack & Ship, Navis Pack & Ship, and Handle With Care Packaging Store, are synonymous with reliable and professional service.

For more information about AIM Mail Center #1035 located in Laguna Niguel Plaza at 30025 Alicia Pkwy., Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, and services offered, please visit www.aimmailcenters.com/35.

ABOUT COMPANY:

Annex Brands, Inc. licenses and franchises over 850 locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico under the brands PostalAnnex, Pak Mail, AIM Mail Centers, Parcel Plus, Sunshine Pack & Ship, Navis Pack & Ship and Handle With Care Packaging Store. Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., Annex Brands has been providing business ownership opportunities since 1985. Locations offer a range of shipping options from multiple carriers such as UPS, FedEx and USPS, as well as freight shipping for large, awkward, high-value, or fragile items. Additional offerings include packaging supplies and custom packing solutions for parcels and wooden crates, as well as mailbox services and other office services such as notary public services, copy and print services, and more. For more information, visit www.annexbrands.com.

Contact: Michelle McKee

Phone: (619) 563-4800

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Annex Brands, Inc.
PARAMUS, N.J., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SK Life Science, Inc., a U.S. pharmaceutical company developing treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and a subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., today announced the publication of a sponsored supplement to Epilepsia, the leading journal in the field, focused on improving outcomes for people with epilepsy. The articles, authored by several world-renowned epilepsy experts, provide an in-depth overview of the latest in epilepsy treatment, including XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV and data for these treatments on sustained seizure control, mortality and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) risk, and the impact XCOPRI has had with patients worldwide.

"Today, with the approval of newer medicines that have demonstrated impressive efficacy and safety, long-term seizure freedom is more possible than ever for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Yet, these medicines are underutilized or not introduced when they could have the greatest impact," said Patrick Kwan, PhD, FRACP, Professor of Neurology at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, who co-edited the Epilepsia supplement. "With some newer agents not yet included in professional treatment guidelines, this collection of articles provides clinicians with a comprehensive review of relevant data and practical strategies to proactively incorporate and manage innovative antiseizure medications earlier in treatment."

Key data and insights for XCOPRI include:

Sustained efficacy and tolerability in a range of vulnerable patients : Long-term open label extension data of adjunctive XCOPRI for 4 years in adults show up to 16.4% of patients achieved seizure freedom. Additionally, a post-hoc analysis of people with drug-resistant epilepsy treated with more than two antiseizure medications (ASMs) at baseline showed approximately 1 in 5 patients experienced seizure freedom during the maintenance phase in the 400 mg/day dose group.

Further, a post-hoc efficacy analysis of older adults with focal epilepsy from a Phase 3 safety trial showed 78.6% achieving seizure freedom with XCOPRI at months 21-24, and while rates of dizziness and falls occurred more commonly in older patients compared to the overall population, they were lower than observed in subgroup analyses of other ASMs.

: Long-term open label extension data of adjunctive XCOPRI for 4 years in adults show up to 16.4% of patients achieved seizure freedom. Additionally, a post-hoc analysis of people with drug-resistant epilepsy treated with more than two antiseizure medications (ASMs) at baseline showed approximately 1 in 5 patients experienced seizure freedom during the maintenance phase in the 400 mg/day dose group. Further, a post-hoc efficacy analysis of older adults with focal epilepsy from a Phase 3 safety trial showed 78.6% achieving seizure freedom with XCOPRI at months 21-24, and while rates of dizziness and falls occurred more commonly in older patients compared to the overall population, they were lower than observed in subgroup analyses of other ASMs. To reduce the risk of SUDEP in people with focal epilepsy, aggressive treatment strategies are needed to prevent high risk focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (FBTCS) : In a post-hoc analysis from a Phase 3 XCOPRI safety study, a 100% reduction in FBTC seizures was achieved by 35% of those patients who entered maintenance dosing with FBTC seizures. Moreover, a recent analysis of more than 2,100 patients in nine completed or ongoing Phase 2 or 3 trials showed that the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for XCOPRI patients was statistically indistinguishable from the SMR for the general population and from seizure-free patients.

: In a post-hoc analysis from a Phase 3 XCOPRI safety study, a 100% reduction in FBTC seizures was achieved by 35% of those patients who entered maintenance dosing with FBTC seizures. Moreover, a recent analysis of more than 2,100 patients in nine completed or ongoing Phase 2 or 3 trials showed that the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for XCOPRI patients was statistically indistinguishable from the SMR for the general population and from seizure-free patients. Flexible dosing, understanding potential drug-drug interactions and concomitant medication management can enhance tolerability: One-year retention rates with adjunctive XCOPRI in open-label clinical studies range from 73%-83%, with few discontinuing treatment due to tolerability. The benefit of titration allows for specific, individualized dosing and modifications to concomitant medications.

One-year retention rates with adjunctive XCOPRI in open-label clinical studies range from 73%-83%, with few discontinuing treatment due to tolerability. The benefit of titration allows for specific, individualized dosing and modifications to concomitant medications. Addressing common treatment barriers to adopting cenobamate and other new antiseizure medications: Prematurely discontinuing new ASMs like XCOPRI may lead to an inadequate assessment of efficacy. Employing strategies like reducing the number and doses of concomitant ASMs first should be considered to properly assess new treatment effectiveness and avoid improper labeling of drug-resistance.

"XCOPRI provides an alternative approach to the challenging and often complex treatment of partial-onset seizures, offering some patients the possibility of sustained seizure controlor even seizure freedom," said Louis Ferrari, BS, RPh, MBA, vice president, Medical Affairs at SK Life Science. "As of September 2024, more than 175,000, patients globally have been treated with XCOPRI, and there is a growing body of evidence supporting the profound impact it can have for others who continue to struggle with ongoing seizures."

The Epilepsia supplement is co-edited by Professor Martin Brodie, MD. Lead authors of the articles in the supplement are Pavel Klein, MD; Gregory L. Krauss, MD; William E. Rosenfeld, MD; and Michael R. Sperling, MD. To read the supplement please visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/15281167/2025/66/S1.

About SK Life Science, Inc. and SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

SK Life Science, Inc., with headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey, is a U.S. subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., a pioneering South Korean company in drug development and commercialization. Together, they are advancing innovative treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology, with eight compounds currently in development. Utilizing target-based drug discovery, high-throughput organic screening/high content screening, computer-aided drug design, and combinatorial chemistry, the companies drive R&D efforts in biology/discovery, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical development. For more information, visit www.SKLifeScienceInc.com.

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is part of SK Group, South Korea's second-largest conglomerate. SK Group is a collection of global industry-leading companies driving innovations in energy, advanced materials, biopharmaceuticals and digital business. Based in Seoul, SK invests in building sustainable businesses around the world with a shared commitment to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. SK companies combined have $151 billion in global annual revenue and employ more than 100,000 people worldwide. SK Group is one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2023. SK Inc., the parent company of SK Biopharmaceuticals, continues to enhance its portfolio value by executing long-term investments with a number of competitive subsidiaries in various business areas, including pharmaceuticals and life science, energy and chemicals, information and telecommunication, and semiconductors. In addition, SK Inc. is focused on reinforcing its growth foundations through profitable and practical management based on financial stability, while raising its enterprise value by investing in new future growth businesses. For more information about SK Inc., visit https://sk-inc.com/en/main/mainpage.aspx . For more information about SK Biopharmaceuticals, visit www.skbp.com/eng.

About XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV

Cenobamate is an antiseizure medication (ASM) discovered and developed by SK Biopharmaceuticals and SK Life Science. Cenobamate reduces neuronal excitability through a unique dual mechanism of action, preferentially inhibiting the persistent sodium current and enhancing GABAergic inhibition at the type A -aminobutyric acid (GABA A ) ion channel. The precise mechanism by which cenobamate exerts its therapeutic effect is unknown.

Cenobamate is marketed under the brand name XCOPRI in the U.S. by SK Life Science, Inc. Additionally, XCOPRI is commercialized in Canada and Israel by SK Biopharmaceuticals' partners, Paladin Labs Inc. and Dexcel Ltd. Cenobamate is marketed as ONTOZRY by Angelini Pharma S.p.A. in Europe, the UK, and Switzerland.

Cenobamate is also being developed for commercialization by SK Biopharmaceuticals' partners in many other countries to meet the needs of patients living with epilepsy, including Dong-A ST Co., Ltd., Eurofarma Laboratorios S.A., Hikma MENA FZE, Ignis Therapeutics, Inc. and ONO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND INDICATION FOR XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) CV

DO NOT TAKE XCOPRI IF YOU:

Are allergic to cenobamate or any of the other ingredients in XCOPRI.

Have a genetic problem (called Familial Short QT syndrome) that affects the electrical system of the heart.

XCOPRI CAN CAUSE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING:

Allergic reactions: XCOPRI can cause serious skin rash or other serious allergic reactions which may affect organs and other parts of your body like the liver or blood cells. You may or may not have a rash with these types of reactions. Call your healthcare provider right away and go to the nearest emergency room if you have any of the following: swelling of your face, eyes, lips, or tongue, trouble swallowing or breathing, a skin rash, hives, fever, swollen glands, or sore throat that does not go away or comes and goes, painful sores in the mouth or around your eyes, yellowing of your skin or eyes, unusual bruising or bleeding, severe fatigue or weakness, severe muscle pain, frequent infections, or infections that do not go away. Take XCOPRI exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. It is very important to increase your dose of XCOPRI slowly, as instructed by your healthcare provider.

QT shortening: XCOPRI may cause problems with the electrical system of the heart (QT shortening). Call your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of QT shortening including fast heartbeat (heart palpitations) that last a long time or fainting.

Suicidal behavior and ideation: Antiepileptic drugs, including XCOPRI, may cause suicidal thoughts or actions in a very small number of people, about 1 in 500. Call your health care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempting to commit suicide; new or worse depression, anxiety, or irritability; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping (insomnia); acting aggressive; being angry or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania); or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

Nervous system problems: XCOPRI may cause problems that affect your nervous system. Symptoms of nervous system problems include: dizziness, trouble walking or with coordination, feeling sleepy and tired, trouble concentrating, remembering, and thinking clearly, and vision problems. Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do other dangerous activities until you know how XCOPRI affects you.

Do not drink alcohol or take other medicines that can make you sleepy or dizzy while taking XCOPRI without first talking to your healthcare provider.

DISCONTINUATION:

Do not stop taking XCOPRI without first talking to your healthcare provider. Stopping XCOPRI suddenly can cause serious problems. Stopping seizure medicine suddenly in a patient who has epilepsy can cause seizures that will not stop (status epilepticus).

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

XCOPRI may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how XCOPRI works. Do not start or stop other medicines without talking to your healthcare provider. Tell healthcare providers about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:

XCOPRI may cause your birth control medicine to be less effective. Talk to your health care provider about the best birth control method to use.

Talk to your health care provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if XCOPRI will harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant while taking XCOPRI. You and your healthcare provider will decide if you should take XCOPRI while you are pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking XCOPRI, talk to your healthcare provider about registering with the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic medicine during pregnancy. You can enroll in this registry by calling 1-888-233-2334 or go to www.aedpregnancyregistry.org.

Talk to your health care provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if XCOPRI passes into breastmilk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby while taking XCOPRI.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS:

The most common side effects in patients taking XCOPRI include dizziness, sleepiness, headache, double vision, and feeling tired.

These are not all the possible side effects of XCOPRI. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

DRUG ABUSE:

XCOPRI is a federally controlled substance (CV) because it can be abused or lead to dependence. Keep XCOPRI in a safe place to prevent misuse and abuse. Selling or giving away XCOPRI may harm others and is against the law.

INDICATION:

XCOPRI is a prescription medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults 18 years of age and older. It is not known if XCOPRI is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.

Please see additional patient information in the Medication Guide. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your condition or your treatment.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder. There are approximately 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the United States, with 150,000 new cases each year in the country.1,2 Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. Having seizures and epilepsy can affect one's safety, relationships, work, driving, and much more.3,4 People with epilepsy are at risk for accidents and other health complications, including falling, drowning, depression and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).3,4 Despite the availability of many antiepileptic therapies, almost 40 percent of people with epilepsy are not able to achieve seizure freedom, meaning they have epilepsy that remains uncontrolled.5

XCOPRI and ONTOZRY are registered trademarks of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

References

Epilepsy Foundation. Who Can Get Epilepsy? https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/who-gets-epilepsy. Accessed April 2024 . Epilepsy Foundation. Facts & Statistics About Epilepsy. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/epilepsy-statistics. Accessed April 2024 . Epilepsy Foundation. Staying Safe. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe. Accessed April 2024 . Epilepsy Foundation. Complications and Risks. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/challenges-epilepsy. Accessed April 2024 . Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, Kwan P. Treatment outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with established and new antiepileptic drugs: a 30-year longitudinal cohort study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29279892. Published online December 26, 2017 .

SOURCE SK Life Science, Inc.
Special Guest Speakers Vivek Ramaswamy and Trump Pollster Jim McLaughlin

and Trump Pollster Jim McLaughlin 2025 Gov. Candidates Bramnick, Ciattarelli, Durr, Kranjac Featured

Educational Training Sessions for Candidates, Volunteers, Political Operatives

Networking, Social Events Fri. and Sat. at Caesars Atlantic City

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ --

Resurgence of GOP in NJ in Full Swing

New Jersey Republican Party -- 2025 Statewide Leadership Summit

- NJGOP funded and opened three Trump 2024 Election HQs to bolster volunteer enthusiasm for DJT.

- President Trump won popular vote in 12 of 21 counties, resulting in best performance for GOP Presidential candidate since 1992.

- President Trump wins NJ-09, putting the district in play for 2026.

- All three GOP Congressmen comfortably re-elected.

NJGOP Fueling State's GOP Resurgence

- Voter registration efforts have cut Dems' advantage by 250k votes, resulting in closest margin since 2016.

- Multi-year outreach efforts with Hispanic, Black, South Asian communities contributing to shift to Rs.

- Coordinated communications strategies enhancing collaboration with statewide candidates and Assembly, Senate GOP Leadership

- Spearheaded Election Integrity operation with National GOP organizations to ensure aggressive adherence to legal practices.

- Re-energized voter education programs, with emphasis on in-person early voting and vote-by-mail.

New Jersey is America's newest swing state, and we intend to capitalize on our momentum this November by electing a Republican Governor, flip State Assembly seats, and deliver GOP wins up and down the ballot.

There will be a media room available at the Summit to the press for interviews, etc.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Summit for a weekend of educational training sessions, networking opportunities, and special guest appearances. Let's Flip NJ Red!

Contact: Kenny Gonzalez, [email protected]

SOURCE New Jersey Republican State Committee
Bringing Science-Backed Skeletal Strengthening Technology to Orange County

SEAL BEACH, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- OsteoStrong, a global leader in skeletal strength conditioning, is expanding with a new location in Seal Beach, Calif., offering residents a cutting-edge, drug-free solution to enhance bone density, strength and overall skeletal health in just 10-minute sessions per week.

Unlike traditional exercise or medication-based treatments, OsteoStrong's osteogenic loading technology stimulates bone growth and structural strength through targeted movements on specialized musculoskeletal treatment devices. The system is designed for people of all ages and activity levels, offering a fast, effective and measurable way to enhance bone health.

As awareness of bone health and longevity continues to grow, OsteoStrong is expanding its reach to meet demand. The new Seal Beach location provides individuals with an accessible and research-backed approach to improving skeletal strength and overall well-being.

"Our goal is to provide people with an effective way to improve their bone health in a safe and accessible environment," said Kyle Zagrodzky, Founder and CEO of OsteoStrong. "We look forward to bringing this innovative system to Seal Beach and helping more individuals build strength and resilience."

With hundreds of locations worldwide, OsteoStrong remains committed to advancing musculoskeletal health and empowering individuals to improve their quality of life through proven, science-based methods.

"As OsteoStrong continues to expand globally, it highlights the remarkable strength of the brand and the dedication of our franchise owners and stakeholders," said Jimmy Youngblood, President of OsteoStrong. "By regularly bringing our technology to new markets, we will continue to make a significant impact on bone health."

If you'd like to know more about becoming an OsteoStrong franchise owner, visit: https://www.osteostrong.me/company/franchise/.

About OsteoStrong

OsteoStrong is a science-backed, technology-driven system designed to improve bone density, strength, and overall skeletal health. With locations worldwide, OsteoStrong helps people of all ages build stronger bones in a safe, efficient, and drug-free manner.

For more information about OsteoStrong, visit www.osteostrong.me.

Media Contact

Interdependence Public Relations

949-259-6377 x 225

[email protected]

SOURCE OsteoStrong
Come and See, Outreach Inc. and Gloo collaborate to connect churches to The Chosen preview footage and ministry resources

BOULDER, Colo., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Come and See , the organization behind the widely popular TV series The Chosen, is offering pastors access to resource kits featuring unreleased footage from The Chosen: Last Supper (Season 5) through its resource hub on Gloo. The newest season opens in theatres on March 28, 2025, and the hub enables leaders to engage their church communities with ministry tools like sermon resources and discussion guides across all five seasons.

Pastors Receive Exclusive Access to The Chosen Season 5 Sermon Kits to Guide Deeper Easter Engagement

As part of the collaboration, Come and See is working with Outreach, Inc. to offer free church kits ahead of Easter, which include one- or three-day sermon maps, curated video clips from the newest season, church graphics, countdown videos and more. Additional resources are also available for purchase.

The collaboration among Come and See, Outreach Inc. and Gloo highlights a shared commitment to equipping churches with engaging and transformative content.

"The Chosen is such an excellent portrayal of Jesus, and I really encourage our church members to watch it," said pastor James Pearl, St. Johns Lutheran Church in St. Johns, Michigan. "When I saw the resources available, I said let's go for it. We're excited to see if it will generate interest from people outside of our current membership."

The Chosen Season 5 will be available in theaters for a limited time starting Friday, March 28, followed by streaming on Amazon. Meanwhile, churches can already license Seasons 1-4 through Come and See.

For access to unreleased video clips from Season 5, visit The Chosen Hub on Gloo, and to download the free resource kit, visit outreach.com/TheChosenEaster25 .

Come and See is a faith-based nonprofit that exists to share the authentic Jesus with at least one billion people worldwide. Because of the generosity of supporters around the world, Come and See is able to ensure that all seven seasons of "The Chosen" are produced, translated into 600 languages, made globally accessible and free to all.

Outreach Founded in 1996 as a church plant initiative, Outreach Inc. has grown to serve over 163,000 churches nationwide. We are dedicated to helping churches reach their community affordably and effectively, fostering connections with the unchurched. Embracing digital innovation, we offer a range of products from sermon resources to movie licensing, backed by our commitment to quality and guaranteed low prices on direct maila cornerstone in community outreach.

Gloo is a technology platform connecting the faith ecosystem. Gloo connects ministry leaders to values-based AI, resources, insights and funding so their people and communities flourish and their organizations thrive. Gloo enables trusted exchange between organizations and people so they can collaborate with greater confidence. Gloo serves over 100,000 faith and ministry leaders. Gloo is based in Boulder, Colorado.

SOURCE Gloo
HOUSTON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PCCA, a leading FDA-registered supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients, excipients and consulting for the compounding industry, today announced Gus Bassani, PharmD, will become chief executive officer of its U.S. business unit on April 1, elevating a company veteran with extensive scientific leadership.

Bassani has been with PCCA since 2002. Most recently, he served as its chief scientific officer, leading the company's research and development, clinical services and formulation development teams. In addition, he has been highly active in business development for the company, as well as legislative, regulatory and public affairs efforts in the compounding pharmacy sector.

Former PCCA CEO David L. Sparks and former PCCA President Jim Smith will continue to serve PCCA in key full-time leadership roles. Sparks will become chairman of the board, and Smith will serve as executive advisor to the board of directors. Their decades of experience and insight will continue to provide leadership, strategy and governance across PCCA and its affiliated companies.

Smith, who has made significant contributions to PCCA during his 25-year tenure with the company, said that under Bassani, PCCA will maintain the company's commitment to delivering exceptional support to the 3,000 community pharmacies and health systems it serves.

"Having the privilege to serve as PCCA's president for 16 years is an honor I'll always cherish," Smith said. "Gus is a gifted leader who has been an integral part of PCCA's innovation, growth and success. His deep understanding of our industry, coupled with his experience as a pharmacist and his groundbreaking approach to compounding pharmacy, makes him the ideal CEO to guide PCCA into the future."

Bassani said PCCA will continue to press into the areas it has become known for: pioneering new developments; maintaining the robustness of its quality systems and supply chain; and empowering compounding pharmacies with high-quality products, clinical research and consultative services, ensuring they have the resources needed to deliver personalized care to their patients.

"I am honored to take on this new role, alongside our dynamic and talented team at PCCA," Bassani said. "Service to pharmacies in community and hospital settings and the safety and care of the patients they serve will always be the cornerstone of our mission."

Bassani said compounding pharmacists will play a key role in the advancement of personalized medicine, integrating innovations like pharmacogenomics, automation and cutting-edge formulation technologies to create precise therapies. He favors expanding research and strategic investments, including the development of new drug delivery technologies and formulations.

Before joining PCCA as a consultant pharmacist, Bassani was a formulation pharmacist in the pharmaceutical industry and worked in various pharmacy practice settings in Alaska, Iowa and Kansas. He also taught extemporaneous compounding principles at Drake University in Des Moines, where he earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree.

He has served multiple terms on the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Compounding Expert Committee. He is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC), American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

ABOUT PCCA

PCCA supports the creation of personalized medicine and innovative products that make a difference in patients' lives. As a complete resource for independent compounding pharmacies and health systems, PCCA provides high-quality products, education and support to more than 3,000 pharmacy members throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and other countries around the world. Incorporated in 1981 by a network of pharmacists, PCCA has supported pharmacy compounding for more than 40 years. Learn more at pccarx.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Kim Speairs, APR, MBA, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, PCCA, 817.729.5064, [email protected]

SOURCE PCCA
Renowned sleep medicine physician Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown announces the relocation of The Restful Sleep Place to a new office in Horsham, PA, beginning April 1, 2025. The move enhances patient care and supports her mission of improving sleep health for individuals and families.

PHILADELPHIA, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading sleep medicine physician and founder of The Restful Sleep Place, Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, is excited to announce the relocation of her practice to a new, state-of-the-art office in Horsham, PA. Beginning April 1, 2025, The Restful Sleep Place will welcome patients at its new address:

The Restful Sleep Place

200 Lakeside Drive, Suite 226

Horsham, PA 19044

The Restful Sleep Place

Dr. Afolabi-Brown is a PENN-trained, triple-board-certified sleep medicine physician with over a decade of experience specializing in adult and pediatric sleep health. Through her innovative, evidence-based approach, she has transformed the lives of countless patients struggling with sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, and behavioral sleep challenges in children.

"Our new office will allow us to better serve our patients by providing a welcoming and enhanced environment for consultations, evaluations, and sleep health education," said Dr. Afolabi-Brown. "Quality sleep is the foundation of overall well-being, and we remain dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve their best rest."

The Restful Sleep Place is known for its holistic and patient-centered approach to sleep health, addressing sleep issues with tailored strategies that go beyond medication. Dr. Afolabi-Brown is also an accomplished speaker, educator, and author of the bestselling book Beyond Tired, where she shares expert insights into overcoming sleep struggles. Her expertise has been featured on prominent media outlets, including ABC News and Forbes, further solidifying her reputation as a trusted leader in sleep medicine.

Patients can schedule appointments at the new location starting April 1, 2025. For more information about Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown and The Restful Sleep Place visit www.therestfulsleepplace.com .

Media Contact:

Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown

The Restful Sleep Place

(215) 607-8297

[email protected]

www.therestfulsleepplace.com

SOURCE The Restful Sleep Place
Air Force: 75 out of 171 enemy UAVs shot down overnight, 63 lost in location

Last night, units of the Defense Forces shot down 75 enemy UAVs, and 63 imitator drones were lost in location, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

"As of 08:30, the shooting down of 75 Shahed attack UAVs and drones of other types was confirmed in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions," the report said.

In particular, 63 enemy imitator drones were lost in location (without negative consequences).

It is noted that on the night of March 20 (from 19:00 on March 19), the enemy launched 171 Shahed attack UAVs and drones-simulators of various types from the directions: Orel, Shatalovo, Millerovo, Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia, and Chauda - Crimea.

The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups of the Air Force and Defense Forces of Ukraine.

As a result of the Russian attack, Kirovohrad, Sumy and Donetsk regions suffered.
Next-generation industrial building developer PNK Group has purchased a site in Connecticut.

NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Industrial developer PNK Group completed the acquisition of a 21.75-acre site in Windsor, CT near Hartford in February 2025. The company plans to construct a 218,000-square-foot industrial building on this site.

The Windsor site is less than five miles from I-91 (Exit 40) and is also in close proximity to Bradley International Airport. The convenient location makes the site perfect for both manufacturing and distribution centers, providing quick access to Massachusetts and the entire Tri-State Area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut).

PNK Windsor project, CT

The local industry cluster already includes Amazon, Dollar Tree, Ford, Honda, FedEx, Walgreens, Eversource and many others among its corporate users. In addition, the Hartford metropolitan area is home to more than 1.2 million people, making it much easier to find and hire staff.

The acquisition of the Windsor site is part of PNK Group's strategy to establish a foothold on the East Coast of the United States. Over the past half year, the company has increased its presence in PA, VA, CT, NJ by acquiring nearly 400 acres of land on which it will build several million square feet of industrial buildings.

PNK Group buildings are highly versatile and can be customized for various purposes - from production to distribution. The company uses technology that significantly speeds up the entire construction process compared to traditional methods. With standardized large-unit blocks produced at PNK's own factories in Georgia and Pennsylvania, the company constructs buildings efficiently and faster than the average market construction time.

As an engineering and manufacturing pioneer, PNK Group spearheads technological advancements in industrial construction. The company's construction methodology, utilizing large-unit blocks, streamlines building assembly through precise element production, minimizing the need for extensive labor and heavy machinery.

Contact Info:

Name: Mark Stiles

Website: https://pnk.group

Phone: +1 (646) 517 7915

Organization: PNK Group

Address: 17 State Street, Suite 3930, New York, NY 10004

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE PNK Group
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Porter Capital, a trusted leader in alternative financing, has provided a strategic $3 million credit facility to Dealer Alchemist, a rapidly growing automotive advertising technology firm based in Colorado. This firm, ranks in the top 3% of all Google advertising partners for 2025, specializes in dealership website creation, customer acquisition, and boosting website traffic for automotive dealers nationwide.

Despite its strong financial performance, excellent credit, and a growing client base, Dealer Alchemist faced unexpected funding challenges after acquiring another business. The acquisition altered the company's legal status, rendering it ineligible for its existing Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. The transition to mid-tier financing proved difficult, as many lenders viewed the firm as a risk despite its high credit rating, proven success and multiple placements on the Inc. 5000 list of America's fastest-growing private companies.

Porter Capital provides $3 million credit facility to Dealer Alchemist, a rapidly growing advertising firm. Post this

Recognizing the urgent need for short-term financing to bridge the gap between the SBA loan and a new bank line of credit, a banker from a top ten North American bank referred the company to Porter Capital. With extensive experience in tailored financing solutions, Porter Capital stepped in to provide the flexibility and speed needed to stabilize the company's cash flow.

"We were in a tough spotour business was thriving, yet securing financing on reasonable terms was far more difficult than we ever anticipated," said Dealer Alchemist's Founder and CEO, Shean Kirin. "Other lenders saw our situation as an opportunity to take advantage, offering high rates and unreasonable fees. Porter Capital was different. They listened, understood our position, and provided a fair and scalable solution when we needed it most."

One challenge Porter Capital identified was the firm's prebilling structure, a practice that most invoice factoring agreements don't accommodate. Rather than walking away, Porter Capital's team developed a customized funding solution, incorporating specific contract stipulations to mitigate risk while ensuring the client's continued growth.

The Founder and CEO, Shean Kirin added, "Porter Capital was there exactly when we needed them. We were incredibly stressed due to the unique circumstances surrounding our recent acquisition of another company and the growing need for receivables financing. The Porter team was professional, efficient, and proactive. The entire process was seamless. Everything was electronic, the documentation was simple, and their team worked on our schedule."

Porter Capital structured the credit facility to fuel the company's growth while ensuring a seamless transition back to traditional bank financing once the SBA loan was repaid and the business trajectory continued post-acquisition. This approach ensures businesses receive the capital they need now without compromising their future financial position.

"This deal highlights our ability to move fast, think creatively, and provide practical solutions where traditional financing falls short," said John Cox Miller, Senior Vice President, National Sales Manager of Porter Capital. "We take pride in not just funding businesses, but in supporting their long-term success. Many growing companies find themselves between banks and stuck in transition periods that can feel overwhelming. Porter Capital is here to bridge that gap with solutions tailored to their needs."

About Porter Capital

Porter Capital Corporation was founded in 1991 by brothers Marc and Donald Porter in Birmingham, AL. The company provides working capital solutions to businesses nationwide across various industries. As a direct lender and factoring company, Porter Capital has funded billions since its inception. It offers Invoice Factoring and Asset-Based Credit Lines of up to $25 million. The Porter businesses continue to grow by delivering working capital solutions with a focus on personalized, dedicated customer service, while maintaining speed and efficiency. To learn more about Porter Capital Corporation and how it can support your business, call 1-888-865-7678 , email [email protected] , or visit www.portercap.com .

CONTACT: Michelle Milhoan, [email protected]

SOURCE Porter Capital
SAN JOSE, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Quantum Rings today announced the integration of their quantum simulation technology with NVIDIA CUDA-Q , delivering GPU-accelerated quantum circuit simulation to researchers, developers, and enterprises worldwide. This integration brings together Quantum Rings' industry-leading quantum circuit simulation technology with NVIDIA's leadership in accelerated computing, enabling users to execute large-scale, highly complex quantum circuits faster than ever before.

NVIDIA

CUDA-Q users can now easily access Quantum Rings' high-performance quantum circuit simulation, leveraging NVIDIA accelerated computing to execute increasingly large quantum circuits with significantly reduced simulation times. Developers and researchers can test and refine quantum algorithms on consumer-grade GPUs for rapid iteration or scale seamlessly to high-performance computing (HPC) clusters for more advanced workloads.

"Advancing the application of quantum computing requires faster, more cost-effective iteration and experimentation," said Bob Wold, CEO of Quantum Rings. "With Quantum Rings, now available through CUDA-Q, developers can simulate and refine larger and more complex quantum algorithms at unprecedented speed using GPUspushing the limits of quantum research further in preparation for larger-scale fault-tolerant quantum hardware."

CUDA-Q is NVIDIA's open-source quantum-classical computing platform, designed to bridge the gap between quantum and classical computing. By including Quantum Rings as a standard simulator, NVIDIA is expanding access to high-performance quantum computing tools, helping researchers and enterprises develop, validate, and scale quantum applications faster and more cost-effectively.

"The role of simulations in quantum computing is only going to increase as we move into the era of large scale, error corrected systems," said Sam Stanwyck, Group Product Manager for quantum computing at NVIDIA. "Quantum Rings integration with the NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform helps bring accelerated simulations to an even wider range of users and challenges"

Quantum Rings is now available through CUDA-Q. To learn more, visit www.quantumrings.com/cudaq or explore CUDA-Q's latest advancements at NVIDIA GTC 2025.

Media Contact:

Bob Wold

CEO, Quantum Rings

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.quantumrings.com

SOURCE Quantum Rings, Inc.
SYDNEY, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Razor Labs (TASE: RZR), a leader in AI-driven predictive maintenance solutions, announces a webinar showcasing how AI Sensor Fusion is transforming predictive maintenance in mining. The session, titled Real-Life Examples of AI Sensor Fusion Predictive Maintenance, will be held on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM AEDT (11:00 AM AWST).

The webinar will be led by Michael Zolotov, Chief Technology Officer & Co-Founder of Razor Labs, and Andrew Kaushal, VP Sales Australia, who will explore real-world applications, tackle key industry challenges, and share insights tailored to the Australian mining sector. They will demonstrate how this cutting-edge technology is reducing unplanned downtime and extending asset lifespans across mining operations worldwide.

What Attendees Will Learn:

Predicting Critical Failures  Identifying hidden issues that traditional systems miss.

 Identifying hidden issues that traditional systems miss. AI Sensor Fusion in Action  Cutting through noise for highly accurate insights.

 Cutting through noise for highly accurate insights. Visual AI for Optimization  Enhancing processing efficiency and failure detection.

 Enhancing processing efficiency and failure detection. Proactive Mobile Fleet Maintenance  Ensuring optimal equipment performance.

 Ensuring optimal equipment performance. A Holistic Approach to Equipment Health  Implementing smarter asset management strategies.

What Attendees Will Learn:

Predicting Critical Failures  Identifying hidden issues that traditional systems miss.

 Identifying hidden issues that traditional systems miss. AI Sensor Fusion in Action  Cutting through noise for highly accurate insights.

 Cutting through noise for highly accurate insights. Visual AI for Optimization  Enhancing processing efficiency and failure detection.

 Enhancing processing efficiency and failure detection. Proactive Mobile Fleet Maintenance  Ensuring optimal equipment performance.

 Ensuring optimal equipment performance. A Holistic Approach to Equipment Health  Implementing smarter Asset Management strategies.

Meet the Speakers:

Michael Zolotov is a serial entrepreneur, co-founder, and CTO of Razor Labs, pioneering AI Sensor Fusion in the mining sector. He has successfully built, scaled, and led companies to both acquisition and IPO. Under his leadership, Razor Labs has expanded globally, delivering AI-driven industrial solutions that transform asset reliability and operational efficiency. His expertise spans AI, radar technology, and advanced analytics. Michael holds a master's degree, specializing in Deep Learning for medical applications.

Andrew Kaushal is the Vice President of Sales at Razor Labs, bringing over 20 years of experience in sales leadership and business development across the mining and technology sectors. Before joining Razor Labs, he led sales at an innovative mining technology company focused on digital transformation in mining. Prior to that, he spent over a decade at a leading global mining technology company, spearheading strategic initiatives and fostering key industry partnerships. At Razor Labs, Andrew helps mining companies leverage AI to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance decision-making.

Join us to explore how AI-driven predictive maintenance is reshaping mining operations. Reserve your spot today!

Event Details:

Title: Real-Life Examples of AI Sensor Fusion Predictive Maintenance

Real-Life Examples of AI Sensor Fusion Predictive Maintenance Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Time: 2:00 PM  3:00 PM AEDT / 11:00 AM  12:00 PM AWST

 AEDT /  AWST Platform: Zoom

Zoom Registration: https://bit.ly/41u3AHE

About Razor Labs

Razor Labs, a leader in the mining tech sector, specializes in predictive maintenance with its flagship product, DataMind AI. Our Sensor Fusion technology forecasts equipment failures, enhancing operational efficiency and safety. Publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, we have a strong presence in key mining regions, including Australia and South Africa, where our solutions have driven significant improvements. Discover how our predictive maintenance system can transform your operations by visiting our website and following us on social media.

Website: https://www.razor-labs.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/razor-technologies-inc

Media Inquiries: Ms. Liel Anisenko, Director of Marketing

Phone: +61.488.860.440

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Razor Labs
DALLAS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A state court in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, awarded $51.98 million to RM client Cardinal Midstream II, LLC in a long-running contract dispute with Energy Transfer, LP and related entities over an earnout payment owed to Cardinal.

The March 10, 2025 ruling by Hon. James J. Ross finds Energy Transfer liable for failing to pay a $33 million earnout to Cardinal as part of its purchase of a gathering system from Cardinal and its joint-venture partner in 2017. The court held that Energy Transfer breached its contractual obligations by connecting the gathering system directly into its own pipeline such that Energy Transfer could monopolize the gas flow to its own refinery instead of providing an additional route to a competitor's refinery. Finally, the ruling determined that Energy Transfer's negligent construction of its 40.5-mile Revolution Pipeline contributed to an explosion in Beaver County shortly after the earnout period began, rejecting Energy Transfer's force majeure defense.

"Energy Transfer's greed overcame legal requirements," the court found. "Defendants' choices/decisions left the gathering system with inadequate capacity to accept the requisite amount of gas to meet the earnout provisions of the purchase agreement once the Revolution Pipeline was not available during the earnout period."

The judgment follows an 18-day bench trial before Judge Ross between December 2024 and January 2025. The ruling awards Cardinal $33 million in damages and $18.98 million in prejudgment interest.

"Cardinal hired us just four months before trial in this long-running dispute with Energy Transfer, a company we've faced in multiple other cases," said Joel Reese, Cardinal's lead attorney at trial. "With over 1,500 designated exhibits, 65 potential witnesses, 262 admitted exhibits, 15 fact witnesses, and eight experts, the trial was an immense undertaking."

The court observed that a few key Energy Transfer executives appeared as "programmed witnesses who had standard or programmed answers when questioned on cross; whereas when called on direct by Energy Transfer their demeanor changed and they answered questions clearly and without hesitation." In particular, the court found that the testimony of Energy Transfer's vice president of crude oil was "very suspect and concerning"and that he "stonewalled" when answering important questions from Cardinal's counsel.

"The court's well-reasoned opinion clearly demonstrates our decisive victory," Reese said.

The RM team representing Cardinal at trial included partners Pete Marketos, Josh Russ, and Adam Sanderson; associate Whitney Wendel; and paralegal Dee Dee Carr.

Founded in 2011, Reese Marketos is a Dallas-based trial boutique that specializes in high-stakes commercial litigation ranging from tens-of-millions of dollars to bet-the-company cases. For more information, visit rm-firm.com.

SOURCE Reese Marketos LLP
NEWARK, N.J., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rutgers Business School finance and economics professor Morris Davis has been appointed to the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) as the nation's chief housing economist.

Rutgers Business School professor Morris Davis will advise the president on policies that will allow more housing units to be built and reduce regulations that restrict supply and drive-up costs.

As the Paul V. Profeta Chair of Real Estate and academic director of the Center for Real Estate, Davis has been educating students, conducting research that has both academic and industry relevance, and exchanging ideas at high impact events and conferences at Rutgers Business School since 2014. In his role at the CEA, Morris will be advising the president on policies that can help lead to lower housing costs and increased housing supply.

"We are ecstatic to have a talent like Professor Davis join us at the White House Council of Economic Advisers," said CEA Chairman Steve Miran in a statement to Rutgers. "Morris will play a pivotal role as we work to build more homes and make housing affordable again for American families, helping to usher in President Trump's economic Golden Age."

As an economist, Davis will provide advice to the president on policies that will allow more housing units to be built and reduce regulations that restrict supply and drive-up costs. "It's an honor to be asked to serve our country," said Davis. "My goal is to help the president make housing affordable for everyone."

With its strategic location in New Jersey, where 20% of the U.S. population lives within a four-hour drive of its borders, Rutgers Business School is deeply involved in research projects that have the potential to improve business practices everywhere. "Anything that is good for New Jersey, is good for the United States and the world," said Davis.

"Morris is a proven leader with innovative ideas that can positively affect real estate productivity and public policy today," said Lei Lei, dean of Rutgers Business School.

Established by Congress in 1946, the CEA has approximately 45 members who are charged with providing empirical research to support the president in setting the nation's economic policy. Davis's appointment runs through December 2025.

About Rutgers Business School

Rutgers Business School-Newark and New Brunswick is an integral part of one of the nation's oldest, largest, and most distinguished institutions of higher learning: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey  founded in 1766. Today, Rutgers Business School is educating approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students at two main campuses in New Jersey as well as satellite locations in Jersey City and Singapore. Steeped in academic excellence, with a distinguished faculty and over 60,000 alumni, Rutgers Business School is highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report, Financial Times, and Bloomberg Businessweek. For additional information, visit business.rutgers.edu.

About The Center for Real Estate at Rutgers Business School

The Center for Real Estate at Rutgers Business School was established in 2014 as an academic program positioned to transform and inspire the next generation of real estate leaders. The Center's Executive Committee, Advisory Board and Leaders Council are comprised of the most knowledgeable and successful real estate professionals, in both academic study and in real world practice, and all of them are dedicated to creating and cultivating a collaborative community of industry thought leaders. (realestate.business.rutgers.edu)

SOURCE Rutgers Business School
Antoine Zervudacki, Robert Bonds, Laura Alejandra Ballen, Christian Alvarez

BOGOTA, Colombia, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SALT Venture Partners (SALT VP) , a leading investment firm specializing in the Education and Healthcare sectors, today announced the opening of its new Global Operations Center in Bogota, Colombia. This strategic expansion underscores SALT VP's commitment to democratizing access to high-quality healthcare education and advancing the training of healthcare professionals across the United States and Latin America. The new office provides the company with space and resources to scale its operations and better serve its growing portfolio of investments and educational alliance partners.

Antoine Zervudacki, Robert Bonds, Laura Alejandra Ballen, Christian Alvarez

Strengthening Growth and Impact Across the Americas

The establishment of the Bogota Global Operations Center marks a significant milestone in SALT VP's mission to drive transformative growth in nursing and healthcare education. SALT VP has grown its team in Colombia to nearly 200 professionals, supporting a broad alliance network of more than 90 universities and colleges throughout the United States and Latin America.

"This journey began five years ago with our acquisition of CompuMed Vocational Careers (CMVC)," said Robert Bonds, Head of Education Portfolio at SALT VP and CEO of CMVC. "Today, we have evolved into a dynamic network of companies dedicated to expanding access to quality education. This new Global Operations Center strengthens our ability to empower institutions, helping them provide affordable, career-focused training to students in the nursing and healthcare fields."

The new facility will also advance the deployment of The SALT Plug & Scale Platform, an innovative framework designed to accelerate business growth through Strategic Capital, Growth Acceleration, Digital Transformation, and Business Optimization services. This platform enables educational institutions to expand their reach and impact with unmatched speed and precision. The Bogota center is poised to play a critical role in driving these initiatives forward, ensuring high-quality educational outcomes primarily for USA Hispanic students, breaking language barriers, and enhancing workforce readiness.

Investing in a Mission-Driven Future

SALT VP's expansion in Bogota reflects its long-standing commitment to creating meaningful social impact by partnering with mission-driven institutions. The company's work goes beyond traditional investment-it fosters transformative projects that open doors to career advancement and economic mobility for thousands of students.

"This new Global Operations Center represents far more than just a larger space-it signifies a leap toward the future of accessible, high-quality healthcare education across the Americas," said Pete Pizarro, Managing Director of SALT Venture Partners. "With the integration of AI-driven technologies into The SALT Plug & Scale Platform, we are poised to significantly scale our efforts, ensuring that more individuals gain access to affordable and impactful healthcare education."

About SALT Venture Partners

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, SALT Venture Partners (SALT VP) is an international investment firm dedicated to accelerating growth and creating meaningful social impact in the Healthcare and Education sectors. Partnering with visionary CEOs and founders, SALT VP provides strategic capital, operational expertise, and business optimization solutions to drive sustainable growth. To learn more, visit www.saltvp.com.

Media Contact: Antoine Zervudacki

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +52(1)5540809382

SOURCE SALT Venture Partners
OMAHA, Neb., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scooter's Coffee, one of the nation's fastest growing drive-thru coffee franchise companies, has hit the grounds running in 2025, ranking 10th on Yelp's 2025 Top 50 Fastest Growing Brands report. Over the last year, Scooter's Coffee opened 120 locations, including the company's 800th store in Louisville, KY. This expansion was part of a broader strategy to amplify the brand's presence across communities in the United States, thus making Scooter's Coffee more accessible to consumers.

"We're thrilled to be named one of the top 10 fastest growing brands for a second year in a row," said Joe Thornton, CEO of Scooter's Coffee. "This recognition is a huge win for our entire franchise system and would not be possible without the commitment of our franchise owners. Through dedication to their teams, customer service and the communities they serve, Scooter's Coffee truly has the opportunity to create an amazing experience for each life we touch. We're excited to continue building on this momentum and share our passion for coffee with new and returning customers nationwide."

Driven by the brand's core values of Integrity, LOVE, Humility, and Courage, the brand continues to brew success, striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation. With over 850 stores across 31 states, Scooter's Coffee is rapidly climbing the ranks, showcasing both its strength and the viability of the specialty coffee industry.

Since 2004, Yelp has become one of the leading sources of user-generated reviews and ratings for businesses. The online directory has been a key tool for consumers seeking local dining spots, including the best coffee shops. The 2025 rankings were based on Yelp's key metrics, such as net new business openings, consumer interest, and searches in the restaurant, food, and retail categories.

Scooter's Coffee is actively seeking qualified franchise operators to join the team across the U.S. For more information about franchising opportunities with Scooter's Coffee, interested candidates can visit franchising.scooterscoffee.com.

About Scooter's Coffee:

Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooter's Coffee uses only the finest coffee beans in the world, which are roasted by its affiliated company, Harvest Roasting, in Omaha, Nebraska. In over 25 years of business, the key to Scooter's Coffee's success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company's four core values, which are Integrity, Love, Humility and Courage. The Scooter's Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees, is: "Amazing People, Amazing Drinks Amazingly Fast!" It represents the company's business origins and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers.

Scooter's Coffee's network includes more than 850 stores in 31 states and is striving to become the #1 drive-thru specialty coffee franchise system in the nation. Scooter's Coffee ranks #35 on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list, #3 on Franchise Times' Fast & Serious list of the smartest-growing franchise brands, and #10 on Yelp's 2025 Fastest Growing Brands Report. As a leading coffee franchise, Scooter's Coffee is seeking to expand its footprint with candidates looking to join a reputable brand with a track record of success.

For more information, visit scooterscoffee.com or franchising.scooterscoffee.com. To connect with Scooter's Coffee, call 877-494-7004 or visit Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, or X and share your favorite moments by tagging @scooterscoffee using the hashtag #ScootOnAround.

Contact:

Nadia Caron

Fish 919

(954) 893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Scooter's Coffee
SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Helpers , the nation's premier provider of in-home senior care services, is the first private duty in-home care provider in the United States to be Age-Friendly Care at Home certified by Community Health Accreditation Partners ( CHAP ). On March 10, 2025, locally owned Senior Helpers East San Diego joined the list of Senior Helpers CHAP Age-Friendly Care at Home Certified locations.

"Senior Helpers' achievement as the pioneering Age-Friendly Care certified home care organization is truly remarkable. Their proactive approach in implementing numerous tools to enhance care for older adults, even before receiving the AFC certification, speaks volumes about their commitment to excellence," said Teresa Harbour, COO of CHAP. "Their use of LIFE Profile to reduce the risk of hospitalizations, their Senior Gems program for dementia care, and their Centers for Excellence for staff training and competency set them up for success, so adding the Age-Friendly Care at Home Certification was a logical next step."

Owners, Jung Yi, MD, RCFE, Cassia Yi, APRN, CNS-BC, MSN, CCRN, and Maureen Mostella, RCFE, stated, "Being certified in Age-Friendly Care is a testament to our commitment to providing the highest quality support for older adults. At Senior Helpers East San Diego, we take great pride in creating a compassionate, respectful, and empowering environment where aging with dignity is our priority. This certification reinforces our promise to serve with excellence, ensuring every client receives the thoughtful, personalized care they deserve."

What is Age-Friendly Care at Home?

The first-of-its-kind certification was created to help meet the demand for high-quality care for older adults and showcases companies that use all-encompassing, person-centered care to address the unique needs of every individual. The focus is on the 4Ms (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility), a research-backed and evidence-based approach to care . To receive the CHAP certification, Senior Helpers East San Diego worked to ensure that the 4Ms Framework is an integral part of operations and daily interactions with clients.

What Matters puts clients at the center of care and empowers them to be involved in goal-setting and preferences for their care. Medication should be used in an age-friendly way that does not interfere with What Matters to the client. Mentation focuses on preventing, identifying, treating, and managing depression and dementia. Mobility ensures older adults move safely and maintain function so they can do What Matters to them.

CHAP provides training, certification, and accreditation for senior care providers, ensuring quality and compliance with the highest standards of care using the 4M Framework and other guidelines.

Senior Helpers Elevates Care Standards for Seniors

In addition to the CHAP certification, Senior Helpers East San Diego elevates its care for clients through three key programs: the proprietary LIFE Profile assessment tool, the Senior Gems program, and the Center of Excellence training spaces.

LIFE Profile is a research-based technology tool that uses data to identify a client's risk of being hospitalized.

The Senior Gems program provides effective strategies for supporting and caring for loved ones from normal aging through late stage dementia, focusing on what is precious and unique about each senior at each stage.

The Senior Helpers Center of Excellence is a training space designed to simulate a client's home, allowing caregivers to learn and train in a real-world environment and demonstrate their ability to provide the highest quality of care in a client's home.

Senior Helpers East San Diego provides in-home care for seniors to help them age in place and live quality lives. They provide personalized care, including chronic disease care, Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's care, transportation, end-of-life care, and more.

To learn more about Senior Helpers East San Diego services, visit https://www.seniorhelpers.com/ca/san-diego-east/.

About Senior Helpers and Senior Helpers East San Diego

Senior Helpers is the nation's premier provider of in-home senior services ranging from specialized care for those with diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's to personal and companion care to help individuals looking for a little assistance with daily activities. Locally owned Senior Helpers East San Diego is proud to serve the needs of seniors and their families in the (insert area). Learn more by visiting https://www.seniorhelpers.com/ca/san-diego-east/.

About CHAP:

CHAP is an independent, nonprofit organization accrediting providers of home and community-based care. Founded in 1965, CHAP was the first to recognize the need for and value of home and community-based care standards and accreditation. As a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)approved accrediting organization, CHAP surveys organizations providing home health, hospice, and home medical equipment services to establish if Medicare Conditions of Participation and DMEPOS Quality Standard are met and recommend certification to CMS. CHAP's purpose is to partner with organizations nationwide to advance quality in the delivery of care and services in the home and community.

Media Contact:

Janet Berg

VP of Marketing & Communications

email: [email protected]

SOURCE Senior Helpers
BLOOMFIELD, NJ, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - SGS, the world's leading testing, inspection, and certification company has achieved accreditation by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health & Safety Management Systems. This accreditation enables SGS to deliver independent, third-party assessments to businesses seeking certification to ISO 45001, an international standard that creates a framework for organizations to manage and mitigate health and safety risks in the workplace.

"Accreditation by ANAB bolsters our certification portfolio and is important for our North American clients as it will facilitate integration with other SGS ANAB-accredited standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. SGS will maintain its UKAS and SAS accreditation for ISO 45001, enabling clients to receive an accredited certification wherever it is required," said Angela Garner, Vice President, Industrial and Mobility, SGS North America. "Delivering the ISO 45001 certification also aligns with SGS's Strategy 27 , which sets ambitious growth targets in North America. We are responding to megatrends in the TIC industry, particularly the demand across industries for greater health and safety standardization and assurance."

With its emphasis on health and safety in the workplace, ISO 45001 boosts an organization's reputation and retention. The standard is unique as it requires active worker participation beyond internal audits. It includes a specific clause, 5.4, Consultation and Participation of Workers, ensuring workers are involved in health and safety decisions and that there is a mechanism in place for feedback. It also aims to protect visitors to a business from accidents and illness.

Certification to this standard by an accreditation body, like SGS, ensures that an organization's management system is effective and in line with the requirements of the ISO 45001 standard and its associated best practices. ISO 45001-certified businesses achieve conformance to a single international benchmark, which is also beneficial for organizations with global trading partners or clients. "Organizations in every industry need to ensure that their offices, labs, or field sites are safe places for workers. We look forward to supporting organizations across North America in achieving a certification that demonstrates this commitment," commented Garner.

With over 145 years of established history and experience in delivering testing, inspection and certification services, SGS supports both public and private sector organizations with their regulatory compliance and quality assurance needs. Its services span many sectors including natural resources, consumer products, cosmetics and hygiene, pharmaceutical, food and agriculture, industrial manufacturing, and transportation. In fact, SGS holds the largest number of national accreditations globally to support customers in meeting their compliance needs and challenges.

The ISO certification series aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, supporting SGS's position as a leader in delivering sustainability solutions. It also supports SGS's IMPACT NOW for sustainability portfolio of services which are designed to address ever-changing market demands and the urgent needs of the planet. "With the ISO 45001 certification aligning to six of the 17 UN SDGs and supporting SGS's IMPACT NOW for sustainability services, we also look forward to helping clients strengthen their sustainability practices in the workplace," concluded Garner.

About SGS

SGS is the world's leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

Our brand promise  when you need to be sure  underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH0002497458, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).

SOURCE SGS
Number of victims in Kropyvnytsky increases to 10, incl four children

The number of victims in Kropyvnytsky has increased to 10, including four children, the press service of the National Police of Ukraine reports.

"As of 07:15, it is known that ten residents, including four children, were injured. All were promptly provided with medical assistance, several citizens were hospitalized," the report said.

Private houses in the residential sector and high-rise buildings were also damaged in the city.

Police and rescuers are working at the scene to provide citizens with the necessary assistance.

Also, a mobile unit has been deployed on Myru Street near the damaged high-rise building, where police psychologists and the State Emergency Service continue to work.

As reported, Kropyvnytsky survived the most massive attack by enemy UAVs, houses in the city were damaged, there are wounded, including a child.
SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shield AI, the deep-tech company building state-of-the-art AI-powered autonomy software products and defense aircraft, today announced a partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to accelerate development of AI pilots, a core technology for KAI's manned/unmanned teaming capabilities by utilizing Shield AI's AI-powered, modular and scalable autonomy software products.

Brandon Tseng, Shield AI president and co-founder (third from left), with senior Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Shield AI leaders at the IDEX trade show in Abu Dhabi in February 2025. KAI CEO Kang Goo-young (center) and KAI CTO Kim Jihong (second from right) stand among the delegation.

"KAI is pioneering the future of next-generation aerospace, driving advancements in AI-powered autonomy for defense aircraft," said Nathan Michael, Chief Technology Officer at Shield AI. "Developing autonomy is complex and costly, but Hivemind Enterprise eliminates these barrierssupercharging lean teams to build complex autonomy behaviors at rapid pace and production quality, helping them to get to flight in a record time. Hivemind Enterprise has been applied to the F-16, MQ-20, MQM-178, V-BATs and quadcopters. This partnership reflects the growing global demand for intelligent, mission-ready autonomy platform and marks a significant step toward a future where autonomous systems transform air, maritime and ground combat."

Hivemind Enterprise is an autonomy software suite for developers and organizations building, testing, evaluating, and deploying autonomy for intelligent machines. It accelerates autonomy development by delivering a multi-year head start with platform products, AI-powered toolsets, and leveraging Shield AI's proven edge autonomy work enabling unmanned systems to operate in GPS- and comms-denied environments. The Hivemind Enterprise product suite includes an integrated autonomy factory, industrial-grade production ready middleware, a rich autonomy catalog, and seamless mission control, empowering developers to build and own their mission-ready autonomy solutions with unprecedented speed and flexibility.

"KAI will rapidly verify its independently developed AI Pilot technologies through various methods and elevate them to a world-class level," said a KAI official.

Shield AI's exclusive technology partner in Korea, Quantum Aero, will support the integration effort, fostering collaboration between South Korean aerospace companies and advanced AI technologies.

About Shield AI

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent, autonomous systems. Its products include Hivemind EnterpriseEdgeOS, Pilot, Commander, and Forgeas well as V-BAT and Sentient Vision Systems (wide-area motion imaging software). With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI's technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide.

For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram.

Media Contact: Lily Hinz; [email protected]

About KAI

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is South Korea's sole aircraft system integrator and manufacturer. Since its establishment in October 1999, KAI has led the nation's aerospace industry with a diverse portfolio spanning fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, satellites, and launch vehicles. Its major clients include the Republic of Korea Air Force, Army, Navy, international military organizations, and global aerospace giants such as Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer. KAI operates across four key sectors: domestic projects, aerostructure manufacturing, space projects, and aircraft exports.

SOURCE Shield AI
Enabled by advanced clinical-grade wearable sensors, the ANNE One platform offers wireless monitoring of all vital signs for patients 12 years and older. This financing is timed to Sibel's newest FDA 510(k) clearance enabling alarms and alerts along with a powerful central station. "We are especially proud of the fact that our sensors are FDA-cleared under the IEEE SDC 11073 standard, which supports open and secure communication between medical devices replacing traditional proprietary networks. Interoperability is the future and our hospital partners are increasingly demanding it," notes Jong Yoon Lee, CTO and cofounder of Sibel Health. The ANNE One platform is one of the first medical devices to receive FDA-clearance following the IEEE SDC 11073 standard. "Without interoperability of medical devices, particularly vital signs monitors like ours, we cannot capture the broader care context and realize the full potential of AI to detect patient deterioration earlier," adds Steve Xu MD. Toni Schrofner, Chief Officer Medical Division at Drager and Sibel board member, says: "We are pleased to further strengthen the cooperation between Drager and Sibel through this investment. The possibility to integrate wireless, wearable sensors into the digital acute care ecosystem via the new connectivity standard ISO/IEEE 11073 SDC is an important milestone towards the future of patient monitoring along the entire patient care journey.

In early 2024, Sibel Health was awarded a $17.5 million dollar award grant from the Gates Foundation. Later in 2024, Sibel Health and Drager Denmark was selected by the Capital Region of Denmark to provide continuous wireless monitoring in multiple Copenhagen area hospitals. In March of 2025, Sibel Health, a spinout of Northwestern University, is proud to also announce that Northwestern Medicine has acquired ANNE One systems to evaluate improvements to both nursing workflow and patient sleep quality with wireless sensors.

About Sibel Health:

Sibel Health is an award-winning medical technology company with a mission to deliver Better Health Data for All. Based in Chicago with an international office in Seoul, South Korea, Sibel Health is a leading provider of advanced monitoring solutions for patients of all ages in the home or hospital. In addition, Sibel Health offers novel digital health technologies for the pharmaceutical and clinical research markets. For more information, please visit us at www.sibelhealth.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About Drager. Technology for Life

Drager is an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology. Our products protect, support, and save lives. Founded in 1889, Drager generated revenues of around  3,4 billion in 2024. The Drager Group is currently present in over 190 countries and has more than 16,000 employees worldwide. For more information, visit www.draeger.com.

About Steele Foundation for Hope:

Founded in 2021, the Steele Foundation for Hope strives to find and fund lasting solutions for some of humanity's hardest challenges, with a strong belief that advances found through technology and innovation are key to improving quality of life.

SOURCE Sibel Health
SHENZHEN, China, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SINEXCEL (300693.SZ), a global pioneer in power quality, energy storage and EV charging solutions, has been recognized by Wintelligence, a leading industrial research and consulting firm, as a Tier 1 Low-Voltage Power Quality Supplier in China. This recognition underscores SINEXCEL's product reliability and performance in ensuring stable power for AI data centers (AIDCs) and other mission-critical applications.

Pioneering Power Quality Industry

SINEXCEL Recognized as a Tier 1 Low-Voltage Power Quality Supplier

SINEXCEL has transformed the industry with two key breakthroughs. In 2017, it localized voltage sag protection, eliminating reliance on foreign solutions and introducing its advanced Active Voltage Conditioner-Real Time Series (AVC-RTS) technologydelivering precision control and industrial-grade reliability while replacing costly imports in semiconductor production.

The second breakthrough came with silicon carbide (SiC) integration in active harmonic filters, enhancing voltage endurance, thermal stability, and energy efficiencysetting new global benchmarks.

Comprehensive Power Quality Solutions

As the demand for uninterrupted, high-quality power grows, SINEXCEL provides a full spectrum of solutions to maintain power stability.

Current Quality Solutions: SINEXCEL pioneered world's first modular Active Harmonic Filters (AHF), setting a benchmark in power quality innovation. Its Active Harmonic Filters (AHF) and Static Var Generators (SVG) precisely detect and mitigate power pollutions in real-time. Designed with a multi-module parallel architecture, these solutions ensure uninterrupted system stability even in the event of individual module failures.

SINEXCEL pioneered modular Active Harmonic Filters (AHF), setting a benchmark in power quality innovation. Its and precisely detect and mitigate power pollutions in real-time. Designed with a multi-module parallel architecture, these solutions ensure uninterrupted system stability even in the event of individual module failures. Voltage Quality Solutions: SINEXCEL's Active Voltage Condition (AVC) and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems integrate redundant dual-backup control units and modular power designs, guaranteeing continuous operation and seamless power switchover.

These solutions are widely deployed across production facilities, AIDCs, and other critical infrastructure, delivering multi-layered stability while optimizing efficiency and reducing the risk of penalties and excessive operational costs.

Global Reach

With nearly 20 million amperes of AHF installed across 60+ countries, SINEXCEL's power quality solutions are driving reliability and efficiency worldwide.

As AI evolves, facilities like AIDCs require ever-greater power stability and energy storage capabilities. SINEXCEL remains committed to delivering high-performance solutions that support the world's most demanding applicationsaccelerating the transition to a smarter, more sustainable future.

About SINEXCEL

Founded in 2007, SINEXCEL is a leading pioneer of power quality, energy storage and EV charging solutions, backed by nearly two decades of expertise in power electronics. With 20,000 power quality projects, 12 GW of installed storage capacity and 140,000 EV charging systems deployments, SINEXCEL partners with industry leaders like EVE Energy and Schneider Electric to empower energy freedom.

Media Contact

[email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2646142/SINEXCEL_Recognized_a_Tier_1_Low_Voltage_Power_Quality_Supplier.jpg
Innovative platform eliminates endless scrolling and care dead-ends with smart triage, personalized care matching, and real-time provider availability

DALLAS, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Steer Health, a leader in AI-driven healthcare solutions, today announced the launch of SteerConnect, a high impact platform designed to empower how patients find and connect with the right care at the right time.

Combining advanced AI triage, personalized recommendations based on individual needs, and a comprehensive network of doctors and care venuesincluding emergency rooms, primary care, radiology diagnostics and specialty providersSteerConnect empowers users to bypass the frustration of endless online searches and appointment dead-ends.

Sridhar Yerramreddy, CEO of Steer Health, emphasized the platform's mission: "Patients shouldn't have to play detective to access care. Traditional tools force people to scroll through irrelevant options or book appointments only to discover the provider isn't the right fit. SteerConnect cuts through the noise. Our AI acts like a trusted guide, instantly matching patients to the care they need, when and where they need itwhether that's a primary care visit next week or an ER open tonight."

Dr. Farzad Massoudi, Neurosurgeon and Chief Medical Officer at Steer Health, highlighted the clinical impact: "As a physician, I've seen patients delayed for critical care because they went to the wrong facility or couldn't navigate fragmented systems. SteerConnect's triage engine changes that. It asks smart, symptom-driven questions to route users to the optimal care setting, avoiding unnecessary ER visits or wasted time. For someone with sudden back pain, it could mean connecting them directly to a spine specialist instead of an urgent care with no relevant expertise. This isn't just convenienceit's better medicine."

Key Features of SteerConnect:

AI-Powered Triage : A dynamic questionnaire assesses symptoms, medical history, and urgency to recommend the ideal care venue.

: A dynamic questionnaire assesses symptoms, medical history, and urgency to recommend the ideal care venue. Personalized Care Matching : Algorithms factor in insurance, location, provider expertise, and patient preferences (e.g., languages spoken, telehealth options).

: Algorithms factor in insurance, location, provider expertise, and patient preferences (e.g., languages spoken, telehealth options). Real-Time Availability : Instant booking with up-to-the-minute appointment slots and wait times at ERs, primary care, and specialty clinics.

: Instant booking with up-to-the-minute appointment slots and wait times at ERs, primary care, and specialty clinics. Comprehensive Network: Thousands of validated providers and facilities across specialties, with transparent ratings and reviews.

Avoiding the "Black Hole" of Care Access

Patients often face a maze of outdated directories, unclear insurance rules, and mismatched expertise. SteerConnect's AI simplifies this by learning from user behavior and outcomes. For example, a parent searching for pediatric ENT providers would see options ranked by proximity, same-day availability, and proven experience with ear infectionsnot just a generic list.

Yerramreddy added: "This is about democratizing healthcare intelligence. SteerConnect gives patients the same clarity providers have, so they can act confidently. No more guessing if a 'back pain specialist' actually treats spinal issues or just muscle strains."

Dr. Massoudi echoed: "The platform's precision reduces delays that worsen outcomes. A stroke patient routed to an ER with neurology coverage, or a senior guided to a Medicare-accepted geriatricianthat's the power of AI done right."

Availability

SteerConnect is now available to health systems, insurers, and employers nationwide. Patients can access the platform via web or mobile app.

About Steer Health

Steer Health is the first AI-fueled growth and automation platform for medical groups, hospitals and health systems. Steer Health is engineered to boost your revenue growth by streamlining patient acquisition and retention and driving substantial cost savings through the power of automation.

SOURCE Steer Health
WALLA WALLA, Wash., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- https://perca.net/ As industries and municipalities seek sustainable solutions for wastewater treatment, a remarkable and reliable natural ally is emergingearthworms. The study of worms for vermifiltration, a process that leverages their biological activity to purify water, is gaining traction as an eco-friendly alternative to conventional wastewater treatment methods. At the forefront of this research is the Vermitech Innovation Center, a pioneering facility owned and operated by Perca, Inc., dedicated to advancing vermifiltration technology and demonstrating its potential in real-world applications.

The Science Behind Vermifiltration

Vermifiltration harnesses the natural capabilities of earthworms and beneficial microbes to break down organic matter and remove contaminants from wastewater. This biological process not only treats water effectively but also significantly reduces energy consumption and the need for chemical additives. Compared to traditional wastewater treatment plants, which can be energy-intensive and costly, vermifiltration offers a low-carbon, low-maintenance, and cost-effective alternative.

"Earthworms act as nature's tiny engineers, processing organic waste, aerating filtration beds, and enhancing microbial diversity," explains Dr. George Damoff, Chief Science Officer at Perca. "Through continuous research and innovation, we are improving the efficiency of this process and scaling it for broader industrial and municipal applications."

The Role of the Vermitech Innovation Center

As a hub for research, development, and real-world implementation, the Vermitech Innovation Center is instrumental in refining vermifiltration techniques and promoting industry adoption. Located in Walla Walla, Washington, this state-of-the-art facility houses advanced and proprietary testing grounds and pilot systems designed to optimize worm-based filtration for diverse wastewater sources, including municipal sewage, agricultural byproducts, and industrial effluents.

Perca's commitment to sustainable water treatment solutions is evident in the Center's focus on scientific experimentation, performance validation, and commercial scaling. By collaborating with universities, environmental organizations, and industry partners, the VIC is actively driving the global transition toward nature-based wastewater treatment technologies.

"The research we conduct at the VIC is essential for demonstrating the real-world feasibility of vermifiltration," says Sierra Smith, Director of Research and Development at Perca. "We are constantly innovating and fine-tuning our systems to enhance water quality, improve efficiency, and make this technology accessible to industries and communities worldwide."

Key Benefits of Studying Worms for Vermifiltration

Sustainability & Carbon Reduction  Unlike conventional treatment methods that rely on high energy inputs and chemicals, vermifiltration is powered by biological processes, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.



Cost-Effectiveness  Vermifiltration requires minimal infrastructure and operational costs, making it an attractive option for rural and decentralized wastewater treatment systems.



Efficient Contaminant Removal  The combination of earthworms and microbial activity effectively removes even toxic chemicals such as pharmaceutical residues, pesticides, and heavy metals, organic matter, pathogens, nitrogen, and heavy metals, producing cleaner effluent water that can be safely discharged or reused.



No Sludge or Brine Production  Unlike traditional wastewater treatment that generates large amounts of sludge requiring disposal, vermifiltration produces no sludge or brine during the process, eliminating costly waste management concerns. Vermifiltration eliminates sludge accumulation, lowering waste management costs and environmental impact.



Biodiversity & Soil Health Benefits  The byproducts of vermifiltration, including nutrient-rich worm castings, can be repurposed as soil enhancers, supporting regenerative agriculture and reducing landfill waste.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Vermifiltration

With rising global demand for sustainable water management solutions, the Vermitech Innovation Center is positioning itself as a leader in advancing vermifiltration technology. Through continued research, pilot projects, and strategic partnerships, Perca aims to scale this natural wastewater treatment method to benefit industries, municipalities, and communities worldwide.

"We believe that engaging with nature, rather than working against it, is the key to solving our most pressing environmental challenges," says Russell Davis, President and CEO of Perca. "The research being conducted at the VIC is proof that solutions inspired by nature can drive real impact in wastewater management."

For more information about the Vermitech Innovation Center, its research initiatives, or partnership opportunities, please visit https://perca.net/contact-us/ or contact Nicky Ridler at [email protected].

About Perca

Perca is an industry leader in sustainable wastewater treatment solutions, specializing in innovative nature-based technologies. With a mission to transform wastewater management through eco-friendly and cost-effective approaches, Perca continues to drive impactful change across industries and communities.

SOURCE Perca, Inc.
SAN DIEGO, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Moms juggle careers, caregiving, and the invisible mental load of modern motherhoodyet their well-being is often the last priority. A recent study found that 90% of parents lose sleep due to stress, and nearly half feel overwhelmed. Despite this, self-care for moms is still treated as a luxury rather than a necessity.

A Caring for Mama self-care gift box arrives at the doorstep, bringing comfort and wellness to moms. This Mother's Day, Caring for Mama's Buy One, Give One initiative allows customers to send a curated self-care package to a loved one while also donating a "Share the Love" Gift Box to a mother in need through the Community Resource Center. A joyful unboxing moment-Caring for Mama's Mother's Day Glow Box brings self-care and wellness into the hands of busy moms. Thoughtfully curated with products from women-owned brands, this limited-edition gift box helps moms feel nourished, supported, and celebrated.

This Mother's Day, Caring for Mama, a San Diego-based, woman-founded wellness brand, is shifting the conversation around maternal well-being with the launch of its Mother's Day Glow Boxa limited-edition self-care package designed to help moms relax, recharge, and feel supported.

Through its Buy One, Give One (BOGO) program, customers can purchase a Glow Box while also donating a "Share the Love" Gift Box to a mother in need through Caring for Mama's partnership with the Community Resource Center's domestic violence program in North Coastal San Diego. This initiative allows customers to give back while celebrating moms in their own lives.

"Moms give endlessly, but too often, they're the last to receive care," said Kim Richards, founder and CEO of Caring for Mama. "This isn't just about giftingit's about creating a culture where moms feel supported and valued."

"The women in our program are navigating incredibly difficult situations, often with their children at their side," added Leticia Ortiz, program director at the Community Resource Center. "Through Caring for Mama's Buy One, Give One program, these moms receive not just essential care, but a tangible reminder that they are seen and supported."

How to Support:

Mother's Day Glow Box: A curated self-care experience with premium wellness products from women-owned brands.

Share the Love Gift Box: A donation-based care package providing comfort to moms in crisis.

Pre-orders are open through March 27, with final orders closing by April 24 to ensure Mother's Day delivery. More details at www.caringformama.co.

Corporate & Bulk Gifting

Caring for Mama offers bulk gifting options for companies supporting working parents, employee wellness, and client appreciation. For corporate gifting inquiries, visit https://caringformama.co/pages/corporate-gifting.

About Caring for Mama

Caring for Mama is on a mission to redefine self-care for mothersbecause when moms are nurtured, families and communities thrive. The company provides thoughtfully curated self-care gift boxes, corporate wellness gifting, and community-driven give-back initiatives to ensure maternal well-being is accessiblenot just a luxury.

Contact:

Kim Richards

Caring for Mama

619-431-0980

[email protected]

SOURCE Caring for Mama
NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Suzy Levian, the trailblazing designer who is reshaping the jewelry industry, has been honored with the prestigious Women's Designer of the Future Award, marking her 100th industry accolade. This recognition not only solidifies her reputation as a trendsetting designer but also celebrates her commitment to breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. Through her work, she continues to inspire women to embrace their inner strength, leaving a lasting impact for generations to come.

"This award is more than just a milestoneit's a testament to the journey I embarked on when I decided to create my own brand," said Suzy Levian. "Jewelry isn't just about beauty; it's about confidence, self-expression, and empowerment. I want every woman to feel strong, independent, and radiant when she wears my designs."

Suzy Levian's award-winning collections redefine jewelry and home decor with bold, innovative elegance. Post this

Born into a legacy of fine jewelry, Suzy Levian was immersed in the family business from a young age. She yearned to build something of her owna brand that not only showcased her design creativity but also championed women's independence and empowerment. With this vision, she founded Suzy Levian New York, a brand dedicated to making luxurious, high-quality jewelry and home decor accessible to all women.

Looking back on 20 years of award-winning accomplishments, here are a few highlights of Suzy's greatest honors:

Awards for Trendsetting Designs

Honoring Suzy Levian New York for its innovative approach to style and craftsmanship, these accolades recognize how her signature aestheticblending timeless elegance with modern sophisticationsets the standard for emerging trends. Designers around the world eagerly anticipate each new collection, which consistently forecasts the color palettes and design elements of future seasons.

Awards for Gemstones

Celebrating Suzy Levian's expertise in sourcing unique and rare gemstones, these awards underscores her deep understanding of each stone's storytelling potential. Her gem-intensive designs enhance the natural beauty of each stone, transforming them into extraordinary expressions of luxury and sophistication.

Awards for Jewelry Design

Recognizing her creativity in every unique design, these honors highlight Suzy Levian's ability to seamlessly merge classic designs with modern touches. Originally hand-sketched by Suzy herself, with pen and paper, each drawing is infused with inspiration from nature, personal experiences, and her travels around the world, resulting in designs that are both trendsetting and timeless.Her unparalleled attention to detail, mastery of gemstone combinations, and ability to transform precious materials into wearable works of art set her apart as an elite designer in the jewelry world.

Awards for Philanthropy

Celebrating her dedication to supporting female entrepreneurs, funding education, and giving back to charitable causes worldwide, these awards reflect Suzy Levian's commitment to making a meaningful impact. Beyond her commitment to the fashion industry, Suzy Levian actively supports organizations such as The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure, and The National Breast Cancer Foundation as well as children's hospitals around the globe. Her vision transcends jewelry, fostering a global movement of empowerment through education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.

Awards for Female Empowerment

Honoring Suzy Levian's relentless commitment to uplifting women, these awards highlight her role in driving social impact and pioneering initiatives like EmpowerHer. Through grants, scholarships, and mentorship opportunities, EmpowerHer provides the tools for women to pursue their dreams, furthering change in communities worldwide.

Awards for Global Excellence

Recognizing Suzy Levian New York for embodying excellence in jewelry design and home decor. These awards celebrate her new standard of craftsmanship, creativity, and innovation in the industry. Suzy Levian's collections reflect an extraordinary design aesthetic, blending heritage techniques with modern artistry. Each handcrafted piece is a testament to her meticulous attention to detail and the fusion of sophistication with wearability.

Awards for Leadership

Acknowledging her groundbreaking success as a woman in an industry historically dominated by men, these awards praise Suzy Levian for redefining leadership. By empowering women to embrace confidence, independence, and self-expression, she has positioned herself as a visionary and role model for the next generation of female leaders in luxury design.

Awards for Innovation

Honoring Suzy Levian's ability to bring fine jewelry within reach of all women without compromising on elegance, quality, or craftsmanship, this award celebrates her fusion of affordability and luxury. She pioneered a patented unique 925 sterling silver blendcombining 92.5% pure silver with a proprietary metal compositionto ensure exceptional durability, brilliant luster, and a luxurious finish. Suzy Levian utilizes a confidential precision cutting method with all her stones, enhancing brilliance and extraordinary sparklecreating a visible distinction from other designs.

Moreover, each innovative piece features The Secret Diamond, a hidden gemstone that embodies every woman's inner beauty, strength, and resilience.

While Suzy Levian's jewelry and home decor is known for its distinct aesthetic, her true mission has always been to inspire women to embrace their inner beauty. Each design is infused with purpose, passion, and a deep-rooted belief that every woman deserves to shineboth inside and out. Her collections consistently incorporate The Secret Diamond, symbolizing the hidden power and radiance that lies within every woman.

"The Secret Diamond hidden inside each piece of jewelry is more than just a design elementit's a symbol of the strength every woman carries within her," said Suzy Levian. "My goal has always been to create more than just jewelry; I want to build a movement that empowers women to own their confidence and celebrate their individuality."

From a brand that began with a single collection to a world-renowned name in designer jewelry and home decor, Suzy Levian continues to evolve, innovate, and inspire. As she accepts this latest award, her journey is far from over. With every dazzling creation, bold initiative, and philanthropic endeavor, she remains dedicated to uplifting women and redefining the world of luxury design.

When asked how it felt to receive her 100th award, Suzy Levian said, "It's been a dream come true but the journey is only just beginning."

About Suzy Levian

Born into a 500-year legacy of master jewelers, Suzy Levian became the first woman in her family to launch her own business. From sketching extraordinary jewelry designs for her father at a young age to building her own award-winning brand, Suzy Levian has redefined luxury jewelry and home decor with creativity and passion. Through courage, perseverance, and resilience, she has built her own legacy, establishing a brand that empowers women.

Her innovative designs feature The Secret Diamond, a hidden stone symbolizing the inner strength, power, and beauty of every woman. Just as a diamond sparkles with fire and elegance, Suzy Levian inspires women to embrace their femininity and shine from within.

Today, Suzy Levian New York is a household name available at top retailers and major department stores nationwide. With a focus on luxury jewelry and chic home decor, her brand continues to empower women and set trends in the world of design.

For media inquiries, collaborations, or to explore Suzy Levian's latest collections, visit www.suzylevian.com or contact [email protected].

SOURCE SUZY LEVIAN NEW YORK
ROSEVILLE, Minn., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tareen Dermatology, led by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mohiba Tareen and her staff, are dedicating their Saturdays during Ramadan to patients and local charities. Each Saturday, Dr. Tareen and her team offer cosmetic injections, including Botox and facial fillers, with all profits directed to local charities in which their clinic locations. This year, the clinic plans to contribute $5,000 to the Light of Hope Cancer Foundation and $5,000 to HealthFinders Collaborative, both based in Faribault.

Dr. Mohiba Tareen and her cosmetic team at a recent "Cosmetic Filler" charity event benefiting Light of Hope Cancer Foundation Dr. Mohiba Tareen, Founder and Medical Director of Tareen Dermatology

"We believe in looking good while doing good," said Dr. Tareen. "Giving back to our local community is important to us, and this event allows us to do so."

For over five years, Ramadan Charity Filler Saturdays at Tareen Dermatology have aimed to support partner charities. Patients participate each year, knowing their treatments support a greater cause. One patient shared, "I return annually for my treatment, and it makes me happy to give backplus, I can schedule on a Saturday."

Dr. Tareen's children join in these events, teaching them values of discipline, self-control, and service. "At least one of my kids joins each Saturday. They fast for Ramadan too, and working while fasting instills important life lessons. Plus, our patients that attend these events, really enjoy my kids interacting with them."

This year, in addition to supporting Faribault's Light of Hope Cancer Foundation and HealthFinders Collaborative, Tareen Dermatology is also contributing to Children's Surgery International, Roseville Schools, and the Open Door Pantry Food Bank in Eagan.

About Tareen Dermatology

Tareen Dermatology, under the guidance of Dr. Mohiba Tareen, is an independently owned dermatology practice in Minnesota, offering medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services. With nine locations across the stateRoseville, Maplewood, Monticello, Eagan, Faribault, Farmington, Hudson, Lakeville, and Lindstromthe practice focuses on patient-centric care based on evidence-based practices. Tareen Dermatology's team of 26 board-certified providers utilizes technology and personalized treatment plans to provide comprehensive and compassionate care. For more information, visit www.tareendermatology.com .

Media Contact: Yen Fostervold - [email protected] , Director of Marketing

SOURCE Tareen Dermatology
SCHOHARIE, N.Y., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tina Wellman announces the launch of the Tina Wellman Grant for Cancer Survivors, a $1,000 scholarship designed to support undergraduate students in the United States who have overcome cancer and are dedicated to pursuing careers in healthcare. The grant, accessible through tinawellmangrant.com, aims to alleviate financial burdens for resilient individuals committed to transforming the landscape of patient care.

The Tina Wellman Grant is open to undergraduate students enrolled at accredited colleges or universities in the U.S. Applicants must demonstrate a personal history of cancer, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, and be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. A core criterion involves a clear passion for healthcare-related fields, including but not limited to nursing, medicine, public health, and oncology.

Tina Wellman's career is marked by a trajectory of significant achievements within the healthcare sector. As the founder of a successful healthcare firm, she possesses extensive experience in driving growth and innovation. Her professional journey, which includes the successful sale of BrightDrive HCS LLC, underscores her dedication to impactful contributions within the industry. The Tina Wellman Grant represents her ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of healthcare leaders.

The Tina Wellman Grant focuses on providing tangible support to students who have demonstrated extraordinary strength in the face of adversity. By investing in their education, Tina Wellman aims to facilitate their ability to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of healthcare. The grant is a testament to Tina Wellman's belief in the power of resilience and the potential of individuals to drive positive change.

Tina Wellman underscores the importance of supporting cancer survivors who are pursuing healthcare careers. The grant serves as a platform to recognize and nurture their potential, enabling them to pursue their academic and professional aspirations without undue financial strain. The initiative reflects Tina Wellman's dedication to fostering a more compassionate and effective healthcare system.

The Tina Wellman Grant stands as a testament to the belief that personal challenges can be transformed into powerful catalysts for positive change. By providing financial assistance and recognition, Tina Wellman supports the development of future healthcare professionals who are uniquely equipped to address the needs of cancer patients and survivors.

SOURCE Tina Wellman Grant
NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jewish National Fund-USA proudly announces the appointment of Gary Engel as its new chief marketing officer, effective March 17, 2025. A dynamic leader with an outstanding background in strategic marketing and digital innovation, Engel will lead the organization's ambitious efforts to grow its partner (donor) community to one million supporters over the next decade while supporting its mission to attract 800,000 new residents to Israel's North and South.

Gary Engel Gary Engel in Israel

Engel joins Jewish National Fund-USA following an impressive career in senior leadership positions at top-tier media corporations, including Paramount, A+E Networks, and Warner Bros. Discovery. At A+E, he led the marketing analytics department, driving record-breaking audience engagement and growth through data-driven insights. Most recently, as chief marketing officer at FreeCast, he spearheaded unprecedented subscriber growth and engagement, solidifying the company's position in the competitive streaming landscape.

Engel takes over from outgoing CMO, Jodi Bodner, who will remain with the team in a new role supporting strategic marketing efforts from Israel. As a 20-year veteran of Jewish National Fund-USA, Bodner led the creation and growth of the philanthropy's award-winning marketing department.

Beyond his professional achievements, Engel has a profound personal connection to Israel and a deep passion for supporting the Jewish homeland. He and his wife, Julie, are proud parents to three daughters, including one who made aliyah in 2023 and currently serves as a combat medic in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) as a lone soldier.

Reflecting on his new role, Engel shared: "Throughout my career, my focus has been on using marketing to inspire people to tune in, subscribe, and engage with some of the world's biggest media brands. But no marketing effort compares to the opportunity to rally people around a cause as important as supporting our land and people of Israel. As a proud Jew and ardent Zionist, joining Jewish National Fund-USA is more than a career moveit's a deeply personal and purposeful journey."

Jewish National Fund-USA CEO Russell F. Robinson warmly welcomed Engel, stating: "Gary's extensive expertise in strategic marketing, digital communication, and brand development will significantly enhance our ability to connect with current supporters and inspire a new generation. But what truly sets him apart is his unwavering commitment to our ancestral soil and his passion for Zionist engagement."

As CMO, Engel will oversee Jewish National Fund-USA's global marketing and communications strategy, spanning a diverse range of initiatives, including Zionist education and engagement, community development in Israel's North and South, and world-class institutions such as the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, Galilee Culinary Institute, and the upcoming World Zionist Village.

At this pivotal moment for Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, the organization is proud to have Engel at the helm of its marketing and communications efforts, ensuring that Jewish National Fund-USA remains Your Voice in Israel.

About Jewish National Fund-USA

Jewish National Fund-USA builds a strong, vibrant future for the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives and Zionist education. As a leading philanthropic movement, the organization supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel's north and south as it develops new communities in the Negev and Galilee, connects the next generation to Israel, and creates infrastructure and programs that support ecology, people with disabilities, and heritage site preservation, all while running a fully accredited study abroad experience through its Alexander Muss High School in Israel. Learn more at jnf.org.

MEDIA CONTACT

Stefan Oberman: 212.879.9305 x 222 [email protected]

SOURCE Jewish National Fund-USA
Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes in a quick ceasefire, because for this purpose it is possible to put political pressure on the one who disrupts the truce and ultimately the war end.

"As for a quick ceasefire, I believe, yes, that it can be done quickly... The issue of a ceasefire for a month, for two months is a window of opportunity when you can make a plan and try to put pressure on anyone who disrupts it, but you can end the war," Zelenskyy said during a Zoom briefing for journalists.

The president clarified that thanks to a ceasefire, a certain phase of the war can be ended, for example, a "hot" one.

At the same time, according to the president, a ceasefire for years is a freezing of the conflict, not an end to the war.

Speaking about Vladimir Putin's position on a ceasefire, the president noted that he does not want a ceasefire, because he is not in a weak position on the battlefield.

"He has this situation in his hands [the advantage on the battlefield]. He does not want us to have even one soldier in Kursk region. He is accumulating troops to strike at us and to put more pressure. This is his understandable tactic in all directions - to scare people, to hit with missiles, to give himself better conditions in one or another format of ending the war," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader noted that it is possible to achieve a complete ceasefire on the front, because Putin has been saying all previous years that it is Ukraine that does not want a ceasefire and that Ukraine is breaking all agreements.

"Ukraine wants a ceasefire and Putin will have to find a way out in this situation, because the world will not understand him," Zelenskyy emphasized.
PHOENIX, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- March 20, 2025  Ubiik, a leading innovator in private LTE and IoT connectivity, today announced the launch of Maverick 220, a groundbreaking LTE-M/NB-IoT module designed specifically for utilities, private LTE (pLTE) networks, and industrial IoT applications. Offering an unprecedented transmit power of up to 28dBm for LTE-M and 30dBm for NB-IoT (Power Class 1), Maverick 220 breaks the industry-standard 23dBm power limitation, dramatically extending the range of LTE-enabled IoT devices.

"Maverick 220 is the latest innovation in communications from Ubiik, redefining the limits of long-range LTE connectivity," said TH Peng, CEO at Ubiik. "For too long, private LTE networks for utilities and IoT have been constrained by the 23dBm power limit imposed by traditional LTE modules. With Maverick 220, our goal was to eliminate that bottleneck for our customers, allowing IoT devices to transmit farther and more reliably than ever before."

Unlocking the True Potential of pLTE

3GPP defines different power classes for UEs. Traditional commercial networks operate in frequency bands often defined for Power Class 3, or 23dBm (200mW, +-2dB), and this results in these networks being typically uplink-limited  the ability of the device to be heard by the base station is the bottleneck. While this is acceptable for traditional consumer use cases where downlink throughput is the main criteria, most utility and IoT use cases are uplink-dominated. This is why frequency bands specifically introduced for private networks, public safety or utilities like Band 106 are defined to support High Power/Performance UEs (HPUEs) up to Power Class 1, or 28~31dBm.

Designed for the Future of Utilities and IoT

Committed to continuously bringing relevant innovation to its customers, Ubiik has therefore specifically engineered Maverick 220 to allow private network owners to leverage the full potential of 3GPP technologies. This is particularly relevant when the private network only offers a bandwidth of 5MHz or less (1, 1.4 or 3MHz), which is common with B54, B103 or B106, as such bandwidths do not necessarily allow using the full extent of LTE-M coverage enhancement. As such, Maverick 220 is the first LTE module designed with private LTE networks and industrial IoT in mind.

Key Features and Advantages of Maverick 220:

Unlike mainstream LTE module vendors focused on consumer applications, Ubiik has developed Maverick 220 specifically for utility, enterprise, and industrial markets.

28dBm for LTE-M , extending connectivity for long-range applications with moderate bandwidth requirements.

, extending connectivity for long-range applications with moderate bandwidth requirements. 30dBm for NB-IoT , ensuring reliable low-power wide-area coverage.

, ensuring reliable low-power wide-area coverage. TDD LTE-M support , bringing long-range capabilities to TDD spectrum owners, like Band 54.

bringing long-range capabilities to TDD spectrum owners, like Band 54. Extend the range by more than 50% over the current commercial LTE modules thanks to the additional 5 to 7dB of transmit power.

Supports license-free 902-928MHz LTE-M operation, making it an ideal companion of Ubiik's freeRAN Base Station when deploying hybrid LTE networks to best utilize licensed and license-free spectrum.

Ideal solution for utilities, smart grids, industrial automation, and remote IoT deployments .

. Ensures full compatibility with existing LTE-M and NB-IoT standards while enabling more link budget.

Pyxis High Power Edge Router with Maverick 220

Building on the success of its Pyxis edge router family, Ubiik is set to launch a new model featuring the Maverick 220 module later this year. This enhanced high transmit power router will provide unmatched range, security, and seamless connectivity for industrial and utility IoT applications. By expanding its router portfolio, Ubiik is reinforcing its commitment to accelerating the adoption of pLTE networks for utilities and mission-critical IoT deployments.

"With Maverick 220, we're not just launching a new LTE module  we're providing a true range extender for LTE-based IoT applications," added TH Peng. "As pLTE networks are now considered the best solution for smart grid telecom infrastructure, utilities are questioning how to achieve the long-range connectivity they require. Maverick 220 and Pyxis are the answer."

To learn more about Maverick 220, visit the Ubiik booth (#6215) at DistribuTECH or visit www.ubiik.com.

About Ubiik

Ubiik is a pioneering provider of private LTE solutions, IoT connectivity, and advanced wireless technologies for industrial and utility applications. With a strong track record in LTE-M/NB-IoT innovations, Ubiik continues to push the boundaries of connectivity to empower businesses with scalable, secure, and cost-effective solutions. Learn more at www.ubiik.com.

SOURCE Ubiik
WASHINGTON, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- American Postal Workers Union President Mark Dimondstein, National Association of Letter Carriers President Brian Renfroe and National Rural Letter Carriers' Association President Donald Maston will speak at a National Press Club Headliners Newsmaker on Tuesday, March 25 at 10 a.m.

This year, 2025, marks the 250th year of the public United States Postal Service, older than the country, mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, and since 1970 operated as an independent agency primarily funded through the sale of stamps and services.

President Trump has suggested transferring the USPS to the U.S. Department of Commerce, which could only be done through an act of Congress. Trump advisor and the head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, Elon Musk, earlier this month said, "I think we should privatize the Post Office."

While the USPS has been exempt from DOGE-directed cuts that have hit other parts of the federal government, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy recently signed an agreement for DOGE to provide assistance to the postal service. DeJoy also has launched his own 10-year plan to improve the efficiency of the USPS' operations called "Delivering for America."

Postal unions have reached voluntary early retirement agreements with DeJoy that would reduce the postal service's workforce by more than 10,000 workers.

Speakers at Tuesday's Newsmaker will address what's happening now and what proposed changes would mean for the price of stamps and packages, the frequency of mail delivery and other issues important to providing postal service to 169 million addresses six and sometimes seven times a week.

This Headliners event is open to credentialed media and Club members. Registration is essential. To submit questions in advance for the speaker, put MAIL on the subject line and email to [email protected] .

The National Press Club is located on the 13th Floor of the National Press Building at 529 14th St., NW, Washington, D.C.

PRESS CONTACT: Cecily Scott Martin for the National Press Club; [email protected]; (202) 662-7525

SOURCE National Press Club
Data revealed for the first time showcasing the company's revolutionary wearable hydration sensora minimally-invasive patch that accurately detects hydration levels, delivering results, and outperforming the needle-based 'gold standard'.

BRISBANE, Australia and NEW YORK, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WearOptimo, a healthcare technology company developing next-generation Microwearable sensors for hydration and biomarker monitoring, today presented for the first time its formal clinical trial data for its intelligent wearable hydration technology at the LSI USA '25 Emerging Medtech Summit in Dana Point, CA.

The data presented are part of a clinical research study which took place at Queensland University of Technology (under formal human ethics), and evaluated the ability of WearOptimo's Microwearable Hydration sensor to detect levels of hydration compared to existing clinical protocols for measuring hydration; such as, serum osmolarity (via needle-based blood draws), mass loss and specific gravity of urine. The study was intended to demonstrate that WearOptimo's hydration sensor is much better at detecting mild dehydration, compared to these existing tests. The clinical study was performed across 90 participant sessions. The data show that WearOptimo's Hydration Microwearable sensors outperformed the 'gold standard' of serum osmolality (achieved via blood draws), demonstrating significantly greater accuracy (i.e. sensitivity and selectivity) at the typically hard to measure levels of mild dehydration.

Furthermore, the Hydration Microwearables achieved this improvement with:

Pain-free and without any local skin interactions A newly established 'intelligent sensor', with our AI/machine learning and sensor technology stack generalizing to new participants.

A form function translatable to effective productization.

"The data observed with our Microwearable marks a significant breakthrough in hydration monitoring. To our knowledge, this is the only clinically proven wearable sensor capable of accurately monitoring hydration," said Dr. Mark Kendall, CEO and Founder of WearOptimo. "Through sophisticated engineering, we have developed a minimally-invasive wearable featuring microelectrodes that generate ultra-high-fidelity signals, amplified by advanced AI and data analytics. This technological breakthrough has allowed us to create the first clinical digital biomarker for hydration monitoring. The Microwearable sensor has significant potential to transform the way we address a multitude of 'mis-hydration' problems  including chronic mild dehydration, an often-overlooked health challenge linked to a 21% increase in mortality rates. Looking ahead, we are advancing our hydration Microwearable sensor for real-time, continuous monitoring, in a simple, user-friendly wearable product format. Doing so will be a step-change over the gold standard blood assay requiring a centralized laboratory, providing the results hours and days after the blood draws from a needle. Further, WearOptimo is positioned to make our sensor products at our state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing facility, with these results playing a key role in establishing a dominant market presence and reinforcing our position as a leader in wearable health technology."

About the Study

The Microwearable Hydration Sensor (the Microwearable) utilizes localized impedance measurements to monitor, in real-time, changes in hydration. The Microwearable has been designed on the hypothesis that mild hydration changes can be detected through changes in the impedance characteristics of the skin. By passing a small alternating current between microelectrodes that have been painlessly inserted into the uppermost layers of the skin, detection and notification of hydration status can be provided to the Microwearable user.

A key factor in assessing the Microwearable's feasibility is whether hydration at the systemic level would produce a corresponding pattern of changes in skin impedance that was consistent enough to support real-time hydration monitoring. To monitor contrasting levels of hydration, each participant in the study (45 participants in total) attended two trials with intervals of light exercise. In one session, participants were subjected to exercise in a hot and dry environment with continuous fluid replacement. In the other experimental session, participants were subjected to fluid restriction for 24-hours followed by exercising in a hot and dry environment. Several measures of hydration status (including changes in body weight, blood and urine samples) were recorded during the rest periods.

The primary endpoint was to evaluate the performance of the Microwearable for monitoring hydration.

Full details on the study can be found on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry here.

About WearOptimo

WearOptimo is a health technology company developing the next generation of wearable technology by leveraging AI to transform the way we approach hydration and biomarker monitoring. WearOptimo's Microwearable hydration monitor is an AI-enhanced, 'sticker-like' skin-patch containing sensors which measure data points that today's typical wearables cannot collect, in a minimally-invasive, pain-free format. The powerful technology platform works by microelectrodes reaching just a hair's width into the skin, directly detecting key body biosignals/biomarkers, which are then translated into real-time actionable wellness and health insights for the user. WearOptimo's technology is at the forefront of real-time tech-enabled health monitoring, with applications spanning elite sports, military, and industrial sectors where hydration is critical to performance and safety. WearOptimo is a world-class team, led by biomedical engineer Dr Mark Kendall  a pioneer of the field of microneedles and successful business builder in global healthcare  complemented by an exceptional Advisory Board, including: Dr Bob Langer (co-founder of Moderna).

Please visit https://wearoptimo.com/ for more information and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter (X).

Company Contact:

Dr. Mark Kendall

[email protected]

Media Contacts:

Rachelle Babb, Ph.D. or Sean Naughton, Ph.D.

Russo Partners, LLC

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE WearOptimo
MINNEAPOLIS, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- World Market, a national specialty home products retailer, named Ovative Group, an independent media, measurement, and creative firm, as its new Digital Marketing and Measurement Agency. Ovative will oversee World Market's paid search, paid social, video, and programmatic efforts.

"Ovative demonstrates leading expertise in driving sustainable, omnichannel growth. We believe their strategic approach to media investment, team of change-makers, and deep understanding of consumer behavior will drive our digital marketing efforts," said Eric Hunter, CEO at World Market.

World Market offers a unique blend of home goods, furniture, decor, and specialty gourmet foods and drinks. As today's consumers seamlessly switch between online and offline channels, World Market has prioritized an omnichannel approachenhancing its digital presence, optimizing in-store experiences, and integrating marketing efforts across all touchpoints. To accelerate this strategy, the retailer partnered with Ovative to refine its approach to media investment, customer engagement, and marketing activation, ensuring every dollar drives meaningful impact across channels.

Since 2009, Ovative has pursued measuring the holistic impact of media investment to drive sustainable growth through marketing. They developed a holistic metric, Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR), to do just that: providing brands with a north star for measuring the true value of their marketing efforts, including omnichannel sales.

Powered by EMR, Ovative's award-winning EMRge comprehensive marketing platform will enable World Market to drive profitable growth. With its integrated capabilities, EMRge empowers marketers to plan, buy, and measure more effectively. Ovative isn't just changing how marketers operate with EMRge, they're transforming it.

"We're thrilled to partner with World Market on their journey to drive more omnichannel impact. By bringing Ovative's EMRge platform into the mix, we're ready to help them uncover opportunities that'll drive significant growth for their business" said Shannon Kast, VP of Client Services at Ovative.

Ovative Group has outperformed peers in the agency space as its deep retail expertise and measurement capabilities drive marketing transformation for countless Fortune 500 brands. World Market joins a deep roster of brands partnering with Ovative including American Eagle, Dominos, Home Depot, Polaris, General Mills, Belk, Sun Country Airlines, Michael Kors, UnitedHealth Group, and more.

Today's news reflects Ovative's growth marked by key accomplishments, including:

Google Agency Excellence Award: Ovative won the Google Agency Excellence Award for Measurement Solutions for its forward-thinking marketing measurement approach.

Ovative won the Google Agency Excellence Award for Measurement Solutions for its forward-thinking marketing measurement approach. AdWeek Fastest Growing Agency: Ovative ranked on AdWeek's Fastest Growing Agencies list for the third year in a row.

Ovative ranked on AdWeek's Fastest Growing Agencies list for the third year in a row. Top Workplace: For the ninth consecutive year, Ovative was named a Top Workplace by the Star Tribune.

ABOUT OVATIVE GROUP

Ovative Group is an independent, full-funnel media, measurement, and creative firm. Leveraging our deep industry expertise, we help brands like Domino's, Facebook, The Home Depot, General Mills, Disney, and UnitedHealth Group transform their media and measurement programs. The result? Profitable growth that speaks for itself.

At Ovative, we don't just track data, we redefine success. How do we do it? Our proprietary MarTech platform, EMRge helps businesses transform marketing into a driver of sustainable growth. Powered by Enterprise Marketing Return (EMR), our differentiated approach to holistic media buying, planning, and measurement, EMRge is the first MarTech platform to measure businesses holistically. We're all about raising the bar every day, and it shows. Our work has been recognized by organizations like Digiday, Google, Inc. 5000, USA Today, and Search Engine Land. For more information about Ovative, visit our website or follow Ovative on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Media Contact:

Jasmin Stevens

Vice President, Marketing

Ovative Group

[email protected]

973.207.5948

SOURCE Ovative Group
Ameland of the Netherlands relies on Johnson Pump to supply essential water during peak tourism season

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson Pump (JP), a proven industrial pump brand of SPX FLOW, is playing a crucial role in keeping Ameland's fresh water supply flowing freely. One of the five Wadden Islands, Ameland depends on the JP CombiFlex Universal pump system to deliver fresh water for businesses, residents and visitors to the island. Through an underwater pipeline system in the North Sea, fresh water from the mainland is pumped to the popular island, especially needed in the spring and summer months to support an increase of tourists.

"Living on an island comes with unique challenges, and access to clean drinking water is one of them," says Peter Toppen, SPX FLOW Service Manager, Pump Solutions. "World Water Day reminds us that island communities often face greater challenges in securing a steady supply. This system helps bridge that gap, working tirelessly to maintain uninterrupted water pressure for both residents and visitors."

Watch this overview of how the CombiFlex Universal Pump works in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BalebvFsyf4. Its ATEX-certified pump design ensures safe and reliable operations. The closed impeller with back vanes reduces wear and the dry-shaft design prevents corrosiondelivering a clean, long-lasting water supply in applications like municipal systems.

PumpTech, a distributor for SPX FLOW, facilitates the installation of Johnson Pump solutions for the island customer. "For 52 years, I worked with Johnson Pump, and that confidence has stayed with me through my time now at Pumptech," says Lucas Wever, PumpTech Commercial Manager, Netherlands. "I have seen firsthand the reliability and durability of these Johnson Pump systems, and I have no doubt that this installation will operate seamlessly for decades to come."

With a commitment to sustainable and innovative fluid-handling solutions, SPX FLOW's Johnson Pump brand continues to support infrastructure that enhances everyday life. Discover even more SPX FLOW technologies supporting water and wastewater treatment needs around the world here: https://www.spxflow.com/industries/water-wastewater-treatment

About SPX FLOW, Inc.

Based in Charlotte, N.C., SPX FLOW, Inc. improves the world through innovative and sustainable solutions. The company's product offering is concentrated in process technologies that perform mixing, blending, fluid handling, separation, thermal heat transfer and other activities that are integral to processes performed across a wide variety of nutrition, health, and industrial markets. SPX FLOW has operations in more than 25 countries and sales in more than 140 countries. To learn more about SPX FLOW, please visit www.spxflow.com.

Media Contact:

Melissa Buscher, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE SPX FLOW, INC.
COSTA MESA, Calif., March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Z SUPPLY, the women's fashion brand known for its everyday essentials focused on comfort and effortless style, is excited to release its second collaboration with the iconic Diamond Cross Ranch.

Since 1912, Diamond Cross Ranch  nestled at the base of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyo.  has been an anchor in authentic Western culture. The breathtaking landscape and legendary horseback riding inspire the quintessential ranch details on clothing made from Z SUPPLY'S signature feel-good fabrics and fits.

Z SUPPLY x Diamond Cross Ranch 2025

"Z SUPPLY couldn't wait to collaborate with Diamond Cross Ranch again. The collection reflects the natural beauty and charm of the American West," said Z SUPPLY President Mandy Fry. "Our customers couldn't wait either, and we're so happy to launch these new styles that exude cowboy cool. It's been amazing to see such a strong response, and we're eager to continue this partnership with fresh, ranch-inspired designs."

For the second year in a row, Z SUPPLY x Diamond Cross Ranch features modern western-inspired pieces that pay homage to the ranch's legacy, all while maintaining the comfortable, high-quality fit and craftsmanship that Z SUPPLY is known for. This latest collection has grown into a larger coastal-country collaboration that includes graphic tees, sweatshirts, and jackets that capture the essence of ranch life in a playful way.

The limited-edition collection features the following key styles:

Cowboys Tourist Tee: For the cowgirl at heart, this tee features a fun and playful "I Heart Cowboys" graphic with a vibrant red heart for a pop of color and a touch of charm.

For the cowgirl at heart, this tee features a fun and playful "I Heart Cowboys" graphic with a vibrant red heart for a pop of color and a touch of charm. Cool It Tourist Tee: The washed black tee features a bold cowboy hat graphic along with playful text reading "Cool It Cowboy" for a fun, Western-inspired touch that is effortlessly cool.

The washed black tee features a bold cowboy hat graphic along with playful text reading "Cool It Cowboy" for a fun, Western-inspired touch that is effortlessly cool. Howdy SoCal Tee: Designed in a relaxed, oversized fit, the tee features a "Howdy" and bold bucking bronco on the front, while the back makes a statement with bold "Not My First Rodeo" lettering.

Designed in a relaxed, oversized fit, the tee features a "Howdy" and bold bucking bronco on the front, while the back makes a statement with bold "Not My First Rodeo" lettering. Keep Ridin SoCal Tee: Saddle up! This oversized tee features a black and white image of two beautiful horses photographed by Z SUPPLY at Diamond Cross Ranch.

Saddle up! This oversized tee features a black and white image of two beautiful horses photographed by Z SUPPLY at Diamond Cross Ranch. Jackson Sunday Sweatshirt: This is a comfortable sweatshirt with lettering on the front that reads, "You Had Me At Howdy," along with lettering down the sleeves.

This is a comfortable sweatshirt with lettering on the front that reads, "You Had Me At Howdy," along with lettering down the sleeves. Giddy Up Sunday Sweatshirt: A cozy sweatshirt that reads "Giddy Up" on the front, along with a cowboy and horse graphic. The ideal sweatshirt for cooler days on the ranch.

A cozy sweatshirt that reads "Giddy Up" on the front, along with a cowboy and horse graphic. The ideal sweatshirt for cooler days on the ranch. Rodeo Denim Jacket: This light-wash denim jacket offers a relaxed yet tailored fit, featuring "Howdy" on the front pocket, as well as on the back.

This light-wash denim jacket offers a relaxed yet tailored fit, featuring "Howdy" on the front pocket, as well as on the back. Rodeo Days Jacket: The new bomber jacket in a bold, satin red hue makes a statement with its Western-inspired embroidery on the back. This statement jacket is the perfect addition to an urban cowgirl's wardrobe.

"We're honored to partner with Z SUPPLY for a second collaboration. The quality and craftsmanship of their products is surpassed only by the caliber and character of their team," said Kirby Long, Co-CEO of Diamond Cross Ranch. "Beyond creating beautiful products, this partnership allows us to share our family's story: our more than 100-year ranching heritage, our deep respect for nature, and our commitment to preserving the land for future generations. For us, legacy isn't just a word  it's a promise."

This limited-edition collection ranges in price from $33 to $169 and is now available for purchase on www.ZSUPPLY.com and www.diamondcrossranch.com.

Hi-res imagery of the collection can be found HERE.

For more information about Z SUPPLY, visit www.ZSUPPLY.com and follow @zsupply.

ABOUT Z SUPPLY:

Z SUPPLY designs reflect the belief that simplicity, comfort and style should coexist in every closet. Featuring signature plush fabrics, timeless silhouettes, and versatile style, Z SUPPLY creates everyday essentials that can be worn by everyone. For more information and to view current collections, visit www.zsupplyclothing.com.

ABOUT DIAMOND CROSS RANCH:

The Diamond Cross Ranch family traces their Jackson Hole roots back to 1912 when Frederick and Caroline Feuz settled in the Valley. Diamond Cross Ranch remains family-owned and operated, with the family taking great pride in carrying on their family's legacy of stewarding the land for future generations. Known for its stunning Grand Teton views and rich heritage, the ranch has hosted events for high-profile guests like Sandra Day O'Connor, Josh Allen, Thomas and Lauren Rhett, Jack Ma, and Channing Tatum. Collaborations include private rodeos for Microsoft executives and a recent exclusive collection with Wrangler. The ranch embodies Western authenticity and a pioneering spirit, fueled by the Golliher family's unwavering love for the land and their cowboy way of life.

Press Contacts:

Shout Public Relations

Francesca Ressa / Erika Fabris

[email protected] / [email protected]

SOURCE Z SUPPLY
Additional F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

"Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine," he said during a video conference with journalists.

In addition, the president denied Russian claims about the alleged downing of an F-16.

"The Russians lied to us that they shot down an F-16. A lie. No one shot down an F-16," Zelenskyy added.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here
Mogadishu, March 20 : Somalia welcomed the mediation efforts that have facilitated the meeting between leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

The meeting held on Wednesday, between DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, mediated by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, aims to build the trust necessary to resolve the outstanding issues, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The trilateral meeting held in Doha marks an important step toward fostering peace and stability in the eastern DRC and the wider region," the Somalian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the country's capital.

The Somalian government commended the commitment of all parties to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire and expressed its full support for these diplomatic efforts, saying it stands in solidarity with the people of the DRC and Rwanda in their pursuit of lasting peace and prosperity.

"We extend our appreciation to the State of Qatar for its role in promoting constructive dialogue and mediation to resolve conflicts through peaceful means," the ministry said, adding that the discussions initiated in Doha serve as a crucial foundation for a sustainable resolution to the crisis.

The Doha meeting was the first time Kagame and Tshisekedi met since the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels intensified their offensive in the eastern DRC in recent months.

The rebel group advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma in January, followed by Bukavu in February.

The two leaders called for an "immediate cease-fire" on Tuesday after holding direct talks in Doha, but it was not immediately clear whether the M23 rebels who had canceled the peace talks in Angola would heed the cease-fire call.
Ukraine has received EUR 1 billion from the European Union under the ERA (Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration) initiative, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced.

"This marks the second tranche from the EU, funded by revenues generated from frozen Russian assets. The funds will be allocated to priority government budget expenditures. In total, under the G7-led initiative, our European partners have already provided Ukraine with EUR 4 billion," Shmyhal stated on Telegram on Thursday.

He emphasized that frozen Russian assets "must serve the interests of our country. We will continue working towards their full confiscation and redirecting them toward Ukraine's recovery efforts."
Paris, March 20 : French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza, calling it a dramatic step backward for peace efforts, urging an immediate cessation of hostilities.

"It is tragic for the Palestinians in Gaza, once again plunged into the terror of bombing. It is tragic for the hostages and their families ... It is tragic for the entire region, which is trying to recover after more than a year of war and upheaval," Macron said on Wednesday at a press conference with visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II.

Macron emphasised that hostilities must cease "immediately" and negotiations must resume "in good faith." He stressed that "no Israeli military solution, colonization, annexation, or forced displacement" would be accepted in Gaza, urging concerned parties to "find the path again" toward a political resolution, Xinhua news agency reported.

Echoing Macron's concerns, King Abdullah II warned that Israel's resumption of attacks on Gaza is "an extremely dangerous step that adds further devastation to an already dire humanitarian situation."

He called on the international community to act "immediately and collectively" to restore the ceasefire.

Israeli forces conducted air strikes across Gaza early on Tuesday, killing over 400 people, and vowed to escalate the offensive unless Hamas releases hostages held in the enclave.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said later in the day that Israel will escalate its renewed assault on the enclave and that "from now on, the negotiations (on Gaza ceasefire) will take place only under fire."

The strikes broke a cease-fire that had lasted nearly two months.
New Delhi, March 20 : The internet has been shut down at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Punjab following the detention of key farmer leaders, Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher.

The move comes after a meeting between the Centre and farmer representatives failed to yield a conclusive resolution, prompting the farmers to head towards the Shambhu border for further protests.

Farmer leaders were on their way to the Shambhu border after the inconclusive talks, but their convoy was intercepted by Punjab police in Mohali, where they were detained.

The Punjab Police began evicting protesting farmers from the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, which have been interrupted due to ongoing protests against farm laws and other issues.

The situation escalated later in the evening, as the police launched a forceful operation to clear the protest sites. By around 9:30 p.m., both the Khanauri and Shambhu sites were completely vacated.

In a bid to avoid confrontation, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, the DIG of the Patiala Range, addressed the remaining protesters, urging them to leave voluntarily. He stated, "We are over 3,000 strong, and you are only a few hundred. We have to clear these sites, come what may. Your leaders have already been detained in Chandigarh... we do not want to use force, so we request everyone to board the buses voluntarily."

The central government's recent engagement with the farmers saw a meeting with Union Ministers and Punjab Cabinet Ministers in Chandigarh, as part of their outreach efforts to address farmer concerns. However, the negotiations ended without any substantial breakthrough.

With the detentions of prominent leaders like Dallewal and Pandher, tensions are high. The next round of talks between the government and farmers is scheduled for May 4.

To control the escalating situation, authorities cut off the electricity supply and shut down the internet at key protest sites.
New York, March 20 : An Indian researcher at a US university has been arrested by immigration officers and is facing deportation, according to his lawyer.

Badar Khan Suri was taken on Monday outside his home in a Washington suburb in Virginia State by "masked" officers who told him that his student visa had been revoked, according to his lawyer quoted by Politico.

Suri, who has a PhD from Jamia Milia University in New Delhi, was a post-doctoral fellow at Georgetown University, where he was teaching a course on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia".

He is married to a US citizen, Maphaz Ahmad Yousef, the daughter of Ahmed Yousef, who was described in a Hindustan Time article quoted by Politico as "a senior political advisor to the Hamas leadership".

The lawyer Hassan Ahmad told Politico that a habeas corpus appeal has been filed in a federal court in Virginia.

Suri is the second Indian to face deportation over alleged involvement in the pro-Palestinian causes that swept the US campuses.

Earlier this month, Ranjani Srinivasan, a PhD student at Columbia University in New York fled to Canada, effectively self-deporting herself after an immigration officer came looking for her saying her student visa was cancelled.

Homeland Security Department accused her of being "involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organisation".

Unlike in Srinivasan's case and that of two others who have also been arrested over allegations of participating in campus protests and face deportation, President Donald Trump's administration has not said anything about Suri's arrest.

Politico reported that Ahmad said in his petition to the court that Suri was targeted because of his wife's Palestinian heritage and the government suspects that they both oppose support for Israel.

According to his lawyer, Suri does not have a criminal record.

It was not clear if he had participated in protests.

According to Georgetown University, a Catholic institution, Suri was with its Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the School of Foreign Service.

It said he was working "on a project that looks into potential causes that hinder cooperation among religiously diverse societies and possibilities to overcome those hindrances" and has travelled extensively in conflict zones including in India, Pakistan, and Balochistan in Iran.

Suri appears to be the latest academic to be swept up in the crackdown on pro-Palestinian activities or sentiments in campuses that the Trump administration views as pro-Hamas.

Defending the crackdown, Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X, "Coming to the United States on a visa is a privilege, not a right. The Trump Administration is determined to deny or revoke your visa if you're here to support terrorists".

A recent graduate of Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil was arrested this month and is in a Louisiana detention facility pending deportation despite having a green card

A judge has blocked his deportation pending the outcome of his appeal.

Another Columbia student, Leqaa Kordia, who is a Palestinian, has been arrested after she was accused of staying on after her student visa expired.

Rasha Alawieh, a doctor who is a professor at Brown University was denied re-entry to the US after she had gone to Lebanon and reportedly attended the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
Chandigarh, March 20 : After evicting farmers who had been staging a sit-in protest for over a year and had raised temporary structures on two crucial borders linking Punjab with Haryana, the police used bulldozers to remove the concrete barricades to restrict the movement of farmers.

In a major crackdown, after detaining several union leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, on Wednesday evening, the Punjab Police used mild force to disperse those gathered at the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border.

Late in the night, the Haryana Police removed preventive barricades. However, the highway on both the border points is still shut.

The police, who faced mild resistance, detained over 300 protesters, including the 28-member delegation, hours after the third round of talks with the Central government panel ended in Chandigarh.

At the meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reiterated the Centre's commitment to the welfare of farmers. The next meeting is scheduled for May 4.

The national highways had been blocked since February 13, 2024, for traffic. After whisking away the protesters, the police have been removing tractor-trailers parked both at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders.

While 200 farmers were detained at Khanauri, and over 100 were held at Shambhu. The Internet and electricity were temporarily shut in and around both protest sites.

Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh told the media on Wednesday that farmers had been protesting at Shambhu for a long time. "Today (March 19), in the presence of Duty Magistrates, the police cleared the area after they were given proper warning. A few people showed a willingness to go home. In addition, the structures and vehicles here are being moved. The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic."

BJP leader and Union Minister Ravneet Bittu spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini about clearing the route as the Punjab government removed farmers from the borders.

After meeting the farm leaders on Wednesday, Union Minister Chouhan told the media in Chandigarh that talks were held in a constructive manner and they will go on. The farmer leaders reiterated their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

The government and the farmers had a constructive and cordial discussion lasting more than three hours, during which various legal, economic and other dimensions of the farmers' demands were explored and highlighted, an official statement said.

Chouhan was joined by his Cabinet colleagues Pralhad Joshi and Piyush Goyal, while Punjab was represented by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. Farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were present.

Based on discussions, the government has decided to conduct consultations with farmer organisations across the country, as well as with governments of states and union territories, and other stakeholders including traders, exporters and the food processing industry.

It has been decided to continue the talks in a positive spirit after the stakeholder consultations.

Justifying the government action, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said the step was necessitated for the economic growth of the state.

"It is important that we fight against unemployment too," he added.

Also, before the police action, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malvinder Singh Kang called for a collaborative and constructive approach to resolve the ongoing issues faced by farmers.

He highlighted that Punjab's borders have been blocked for over a year, leading to significant economic losses, reduced investments, and a decline in tourism.

"The closure of Punjab's borders, particularly at Shambhu, has not only created economic hardships but also affected religious tourism. The number of devotees visiting sacred places like Darbar Sahib has declined. Furthermore, the biggest challenge is the lack of investment, which is directly tied to industrial growth and employment generation. This is a pressing issue as unemployment is one of the root causes of drug abuse in Punjab," he said.
Gaza, March 20 : Hamas said that the Israeli army's ground operation in the central Gaza Strip constitutes a "serious violation" of the ceasefire agreement, accusing the United States of providing cover for the military maneuvers.

Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, said in a press statement that "the advance of Israeli military vehicles toward the Netzarim Corridor, and the isolation of northern Gaza from the south undermines the ceasefire agreement with US support," calling on mediators to take responsibility for the situation.

He added that Hamas and other Palestinian factions "are prepared to respond to this move," hinting at the possibility of resuming attacks against Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

Regarding ongoing negotiations, Abu Zuhri stated that "there is no progress in contacts with mediators because the occupation refuses to engage in negotiations."

He reaffirmed that Hamas "will not release the Israeli prisoners unless the occupation commits to ending hostilities, fully withdraws from Gaza, and lifts the blockade on the Strip."

Israel has launched a "targeted ground operation" in central and southern Gaza, aiming to create a buffer zone between the northern and southern parts of the Palestinian enclave, the military said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the military, the operation was launched "in the past 24 hours," shortly after Israel ended a two-month ceasefire and resumed airstrikes.

The military said that during the operation, Israeli troops "took control and re-established their presence up to the center of the Netzarim Corridor," a military buffer zone established by Israeli soldiers in central Gaza during the war.
Miami, March 20 : Gael Monfils made history at the Miami Open as he became the second-oldest man to win a match at the ATP Masters 1000 event after Jimmy Connors.

ATP No. 1 Club member Connors is the oldest man to win a match in Miami, having done so at 39 in 1992.

The 38-year-old Frenchman overcame last yearas quarterfinalist Fabian Marozsan 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the second round in Florida after one hour and 44 minutes, ATP reports.

Monfils struck 38 winners and committed 18 unforced errors to clinch victory and set up a meeting with Jiri Lehecka.

"I hit some different angles and showed I could run and anticipate. I made it hard [for him]. I hit with a bit more depth in my shots and did not let him dictate and I think I did well," Monfils said.

Earlier, Alexander Bublik clinched his maiden tour-level win on outdoor courts in 2025. The 27-year-old overcame Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-4 to record his first victory in Miami since 2022.

Bublik, who advanced to the quarter-finals in Florida in 2021 will next meet Tommy Paul.

David Goffin eliminated Aleksandar Vukic 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to set a second-round clash with second seed Carlos Alcaraz. The 34-year-old Belgian is a former semi-finalist (2016) at the ATP Masters 1000.

Rinky Hijikata defeated Hamad Medjedovic 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 and will next take on Novak Djokovic. Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate cruised past American Ethan Quinn 6-0, 6-2 and will play Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round.

Italian Federico Cina won his first tour-level match at the Miami Open, where he defeated Argentine Francisco Comesana 7-6(4), 7-6(2).

The 17-year-old dug deep in the second set, battling through the tie-break after initially squandering a 5-2 lead in the set and a match point on return at 5-3. The wild card raised his arms aloft after sealing victory and he will next play Grigor Dimitrov, according to ATP.
Jerusalem, March 20 : Israel expressed "sorrow" over the death of a Bulgarian United Nations staff member in strikes on UN guesthouses in Gaza's Deir al-Balah but said an initial investigation found no Israeli involvement in the incident.

The United Nations said the staffer, employed by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), was killed when two UN facilities were hit. Five other personnel sustained serious injuries, Xinhua news agency reported.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said a preliminary inquiry "found no connection" between Israeli military operations and the strike.

"The circumstances of the incident are being investigated," he said, adding that Israel facilitated the evacuation of the victim's body and the wounded from the site.

The injured would receive treatment in Israeli hospitals, he said in a post on social media platform X.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack as a violation of international law. "All UN premises' locations are known to parties to the conflict, who are obligated to protect them," a UN spokesperson said in a statement.

Guterres extended condolences to the victim's family, noting that the death brought the number of UN staff killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023 to at least 280.

"These premises were well known by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and they were 'deconflicted'," UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva said, adding that it was clear UN personnel were inside at the time.

"This was not an accident, this was an incident," he told reporters, saying additional information was being gathered.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military denied targeting the compounds. "Contrary to reports, the IDF did not target a UN facility in Deir al-Balah," it said in a statement.

The incident occurred as Israel renewed military operations in Gaza, which officials say are aimed at Hamas militants. Gaza health authorities reported more than 400 Palestinian deaths since Tuesday, including at least 170 children and 80 women, after Israel resumed strikes following a weeks-long ceasefire that began on January 19.

Israel's military said the operations were intended to "eliminate Hamas threats" and would continue "until strategic objectives are achieved."
Mumbai, March 20 : The Maharashtra Cyber, a nodal agency for cybersecurity and cybercrime enforcement, has initiated action against social medical accounts spreading inflammatory content.

The Maharashtra Cyber, in coordination with the Nagpur City Cyber Police Station, has identified multiple social media accounts engaged in disseminating objectionable content in connection with the violence that erupted in Nagpur on March 17.

The cyber cell has also identified a Facebook account operated from Bangladesh, which threatened to incite large-scale riots in Nagpur, sources said on Thursday. The post is reported to have been made by a Bangladeshi who claimed it was a small incident and there will be bigger riots in future. The sources said the police have launched an investigation

"More than 140 instances of objectionable content across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have been identified and reported. In response, notices under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 have been issued to facilitate the immediate takedown of such content. Additionally, notices under Section 94 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 have been issued to uncover the real identities of the individuals operating these accounts. Strict legal action will be taken against those responsible for spreading such provocative content," said a media release issued late Wednesday night by the office of the Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra State Cyber Department.

"The content in question is deliberately designed to hurt the sentiments of a particular religious group, incite communal unrest, and further escalate the ongoing law and order situation in the state. By exploiting deeply held beliefs, such material seeks to provoke the public, create discord, and deepen divisions within communities. Such actions not only violate legal provisions but also pose a serious threat to peace and stability," said the department in a release.

"The Maharashtra Cyber Department remains steadfast in its commitment to identifying and prosecuting individuals who misuse digital platforms to disrupt communal harmony. Citizens are urged to exercise caution while sharing information online and to refrain from engaging with or amplifying unverified or objectionable content," said the department.

"Dedicated to maintaining a secure and lawful digital environment, the Maharashtra Cyber Department actively monitors online platforms, including social media, to identify and take action against objectionable content that threatens public order, social harmony, or national security," said the statement.

Maharashtra Cyber's move comes after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday told the state Assembly that "Maharashtra is a stable and progressive state and is known for peace and harmony. The government will take strict action if anyone disturbs the law and order in the state."

He assured that law and order will be maintained and make the state a 'safe and prosperous Maharashtra'.

"No one should disturb the peace in Maharashtra. If anyone tries to disturb it, he will not be spared," he warned.
Los Angeles, March 20 : Oscar winning-actress Cate Blanchett feels Hollywood's most glamorous award nights should go back to being not televised.

During an appearance on Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang's Las Culturistas podcast, the trio discussed the invasive nature of social media and phones.

Blanchett said of the issue, "There's so few spaces that you can go now, where you are private. That's what I loved about the late '80s, going to all of the dance parties in Sydney for Mardi Gras. People were just there."

"They were so present, you know, they were just together, collectively, having a great time. It was non-aggressive. No one was being recorded. No one cared what anyone did."

The conversation shifted to the litany of celebrity annoyances at award shows, like photographers and "lip readers," reports variety.com.

"Lip readers?" Blanchett questioned..

The hosts went on to explain that there is a segment of social media dedicated to reading stars' lips while they are having private conversations on red carpets.

"That's really, what? I mean, do something. Learn Ikebana or something, like a skill that's actually beautiful," Blanchett said.

"I mean, I say, I know it's blasphemy, go back to the day when it wasn't televised. Bring that back and just have a great party where people can just let go."

She continued, "I mean, the fashion is great, and all of that stuff. We'll find out in the end who won or who didn't win. But it would be so nice that that happened behind closed doors. Absolutely a very different evening."

Recently, the actress shared that doesn't have too many photos from her wedding to Andrew Upton, but she affirms that she has great memories.

Appearing on 'The Drew Barrymore Show' to discuss her upcoming thriller 'Black Bag', the 55-year-old actress revealed why there's only one photo in existence from her 1997 wedding, reports 'People' magazine.

"When I got married, which is a very long time ago, 27 years ago", Blanchett began before getting distracted by a more recent photo of herself and Upton, 59, that appeared on the studio screen.

The Australian actress continued, "I'm still married for 27 years. When we got married we had absolutely no money. We couldn't have a photographer and we had two friends who were photographers".

"One guy who got so drunk he forgot to load film in the camera and the other one had such a good time that he didn't take any pictures, and as a result, we have one picture of our wedding", the actress told Barrymore, 50.

She then described the one wedding photo they do have, which is "a blurry picture of the two of us getting in the car, but I really remember the night as a result".

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, March 20 : The National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Armed Forces Medical Services, to improve the mental well-being of the defense personnel, the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

The MoU will foster collaborative research and training that will enhance mental health support and care for the armed forces. The collaboration between AFMS and NIMHANS will focus on strengthening mental health services, and conducting specialised training for medical personnel.

It will also develop innovative programmes to address the mental health issues faced by soldiers, sailors, airmen, their families, and dependants, the Ministry said.

The key objectives of the MoU include collaborative research, faculty exchange, and academic activities. NIMHANS, with its expertise in neuropsychiatry, will provide help in research on advanced psychiatric care and support to military personnel, addressing common issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

"The mental health of our soldiers is as important as their physical health. This partnership with NIMHANS will ensure that our personnel receive the best possible support to cope with the challenges they face while serving our country," said Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, in a statement.

"It is an honor to collaborate with the Armed Forces Medical Services to bring the Institute's expertise in mental health care to the defence sector. The aim will be to provide world-class support to those who serve our nation, ensuring they receive the mental health care they deserve," added Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS.

This collaborative venture is a critical step in recognising the importance of mental health for armed forces personnel and is expected to set a benchmark for similar initiatives across the country.

Both organisations are committed to providing comprehensive mental health services that contribute to the overall welfare of the armed forces.
European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, and for Implementation and Simplification Valdis Dombrovskis announced his arrival in Ukraine on Thursday, March 20.

"Back in Kyiv for the EUs second payment to Ukraine under the G7-led ERA loans initiative worth EUR 1 billion. Ukrainians must be free to choose a future at the heart of Europe," he wrote on the social network X.

Dombrovskis assured that the EU will continue to support Ukraine.
Chennai, March 20 : Thirteen Tamil Nadu fishermen, including one who sustained gunshot injuries, arrived in Chennai after their release from Sri Lankan custody.

The fishermen were released late last night.

The fishermen, hailing from Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Karaikal, were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Coast Guard on January 27 for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line.

During the arrest, Senthamizh, a 27-year-old fisherman from Karaikal, suffered a gunshot wound when the Sri Lankan Navy opened fire. The bullets struck his right leg, and he received medical treatment in Sri Lanka before being repatriated.

Upon arrival at Chennai Airport, Senthamizh was immediately transported by ambulance to MGM Private Hospital in Aminjikarai for further medical care.

The remaining 12 fishermen were welcomed by Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department officials and provided transportation to their respective hometowns.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin had urged the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene and secure their release. This prompted Indian diplomats to negotiate with Sri Lankan authorities, leading to the fishermen's freedom.

Emergency travel documents were issued to facilitate their return to India.

Since 2025, a total of 119 Indian fishermen and 16 boats have been apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities, further escalating tensions between the two countries.

VP Sesuraja, a Tamil Nadu fishermen's leader, highlighted the severe financial burden on families of detained fishermen, who often struggle to pay hefty fines imposed by Sri Lanka.

The repeated arrests and boat seizures have instilled fear among Tamil Nadu's fishing communities, with many now hesitant to venture into the sea.

In response to the continued detentions, fishermen's associations across Tamil Nadu are planning massive protests.

Antony John, a leader from one such association, stated that all coastal districts would soon finalise a date for demonstrations against the ongoing arrests and boat confiscations.

He urged the Union government to take swift action to secure the release of all detained fishermen, retrieve impounded boats, and negotiate a bilateral agreement with Sri Lanka to prevent further incidents.

Fishermen's associations have also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding urgent diplomatic measures to prevent mid-sea arrests and protect the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Rajagopal C.M., a fishermen's leader from Thangachimadam, criticised the government's inaction, pointing out that many Indian fishermen remain in Sri Lankan prisons. He further noted that since 2018, around 270 trawlers have been impounded, severely affecting the fishermen's ability to earn a living.

Chief Minister Stalin reiterated the need for strong diplomatic intervention to prevent future arrests and ensure the safety of Tamil fishermen.

He emphasised that resolving this long-standing issue is crucial for the survival of the fishing community.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actor Kartik Aaryan says it was a "proud moment" for him after he was feted with the Maharashtrian of the Year 2025 honour in the Actor category for playing Murlikant Petkar in "Chandu Champion".

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Actor Kartik Aaryan says it was a "proud moment" for him after he was feted with the Maharashtrian of the Year 2025 honour in the Actor category for playing Murlikant Petkar in "Chandu Champion".

Kartik took to Instagram, where he shared a picture standing on the stage with state's Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, and Governor, CP Radhakrishnan.

He wrote: Maharashtrian Of The Year Thank you honourable Governor CP Radhakrishnan ji, Chief Minister @devendra_fadnavis ji and Deputy CM @mieknathshinde sir."

Upon receiving the award, Kartik expressed his gratitude, saying, "I am truly honored to receive the Maharashtrian of the Year 2025 award. This is a proud moment for me and my family."

Calling Mumbai his karmabhoomi, he added: "While I hail from Gwalior, Mumbai has been my karmabhoomithis city has given me my name, fame, home, and everything I have today. Since childhood, my dream was to become an actor and come to Mumbai, and that decision became the turning point of my life."

"As the Bhagavad Gita says, one should focus on their work without worrying about the results. Awards like the Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year are a testament to that belief, and I will continue to dedicate myself to my craft," he added.

"Chandu Champion" is directed by Kabir Khan. It stars Kartik Aaryan as India's first Paralympics gold medallist Murlikant Petkar. It told the story of an extraordinary man confronting relentless challenges with unwavering determination. His spirit and resilience propel him through adversity, ultimately forging a path to historic achievement.

On the work front, Kartik's next is with director Anurag Basu, where he will be seen sharing the screen with Sreeleela.

This yet-to-be-titled drama will be produced by Bhushan Kumar under the T-Series banner. While the name of the film has still not been announced, it is believed that the project could be an addition to the popular "Aashiqui" franchise, "Aashiqui 3". An official confirmation is still awaited.

The makers recently dropped a teaser clip from the forthcoming drama that showed Kartik singing "Tu Meri Zindagi" on stage.
Bengaluru, March 20 : The central intelligence agencies have arrested an Indian national, a Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) staffer, for spying for Pakistan in Bengaluru, sources said on Thursday. The operation was carried out jointly by the state, Central and Military Intelligence Agencies.

The arrested person has been identified as Deep Raj Chandra, who worked in the Product Development and Innovation Centre Division at Bharat Electronics Limited. The accused resided at Mattikere locality in Bengaluru.

Accused Deep Raj Chandra hailed from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh.

More information is yet to come out and the official statement by the Central agencies is awaited.

Bharat Electronics Limited is an Indian public sector aerospace and defence electronics company, headquartered in Bengaluru. It primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for ground and aerospace applications. BEL is one of 16 PSUs under the administration of the Ministry of Defence of India. It has been granted Navratna status by the Government of India.

On Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a junior works manager at the Kanpur Ordnance Factory for allegedly sharing classified and sensitive information with a suspected Pakistani intelligence operative.

The UP ATS on March 14 arrested an Ordnance Factory employee, identified as Ravindra Kumar, on charges of espionage for allegedly leaking classified information to a Pakistani intelligence handler. He was arrested from ATS headquarters in Lucknow.

On February 18, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths arrested two individuals in connection with the leaking of sensitive information regarding the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka to Pakistan, on February 18. The arrested individuals were identified as Vetana Tandel, a resident of Muduga village, and Akshay Naik, a resident of Halavalli in the Karwar district of Karnataka. A team from Hyderabad arrived in Karwar and took the accused into custody.

The NIA first questioned three individuals -- Vetana Tandel, Akshay Naik, and Sunil, a resident of Todur -- regarding the information leak in August 2024. At the time, all three were released, but the agency continued to monitor their activities. Sources at that time revealed that the authorities suspected the accused were trapped by Pakistani agencies through honey trapping. A female Pakistani agent allegedly used the accused to gather sensitive information.

The agent reportedly collected detailed information about the accused and sent them friend requests on Facebook in 2023. The accused allegedly sent photographs of the Karwar Naval Base along with details of naval movements to Pakistan in exchange for money. Their role in the espionage came to light following the arrest of one Deepak and others by the NIA in Hyderabad in 2023. Investigators have also discovered that money was deposited into the accused's bank accounts as payment for their 'services'.

Vetana and Akshay worked on a contract basis with Iron and Mercury, a company located in the Chandya region of Karwar. Sunil, who previously worked as a contract worker at the canteen at the Sea Bird Naval Base, was employed as a driver. The NIA has gathered further intelligence regarding their activities.

INS Kadamba or Naval Base Karwar or Project Seabird is an Indian Navy base located near Karwar in Karnataka. INS Kadamba is currently the third-largest Indian naval base and is set to become the largest naval base in the eastern hemisphere after the completion of expansion. Both the Navy's aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant are based at Karwar. The base also has the country's first sealift facility, a unique "shiplift" and transfer system for docking and undocking ships and submarines.
Sindh, March 20 : Several rallies were held across Pakistan's Sindh on Thursday as a part of the ongoing province-wide protest against the federal government's plan to construct six canals on the Indus River.

The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) organised a rally from the old campus of the University of Sindh to the Hyderabad Press Club, demanding that the federal government shelve the canal project.

Additionally, many political parties, activists, farmers,doctors, and students took out protest rallies in different parts of Sindh in protest against the construction of canals, local media reported on Thursday.

Reiterating their demands, the SCA participants on Wednesday stated that the federal government must immediately issue a notification to halt the execution of canal projects, including the Cholistan Canal and the Green Pakistan Initiative.

In his speech at the press club addressing a large number of farmers, SCA President Zainul Abideen Shah said that no canal, including the Cholistan Canal, was acceptable to growers and added that he believed this canal was aimed at rendering Sindh completely barren.

"The five million people of Sindh consider the Cholistan Canal and other such canal projects as a threat to their existence. This is because the country's reservoirs do not have enough water to sustain additional canals," the leading Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune, quoted Shah as saying.

Meanwhile, the Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) party organised a rally in Tandojam, Sindh to record protests against canals and corporate farming.

The party president Ayaz Latif Palijo, who led the rally, said that Sindh had been handed over to the land mafia. Cholistan and other canals would deprive Sindh of its water permanently as Sindh's survival was directly linked with the Indus.

Last month, during a protest against the canal projects, Palijo delivered a speech in which he argued that the new canals being constructed as part of the Cholistan project represent an attack on Sindh. He claimed that these canals would devastate the province's agricultural landscape, displace millions of people, and exacerbate poverty.

In Nawabshah city of Sindh Province, demonstrations were held by activists of Jeay Sindh Mahaz to register protests against the construction of canals. The protesters took out a procession and warned of blocking roads if the canals project was not cancelled, reports leading daily, Dawn reported

In recent weeks, the entire province of Sindh has been gripped with protest movements against Pakistan's federal government 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.

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 a "violation" of Sindh's rights.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actor Ishwak Singh, whose upcoming release is "Tumko Meri Kasam", has talked about how romance works best in cinema.

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Actor Ishwak Singh, whose upcoming release is "Tumko Meri Kasam", has talked about how romance works best in cinema.

Speaking about the film, Ishwak shared, "Romance in cinema works best when it feels real, and that's what we've aimed for in Tumko Meri Kasam."

He said that love is not just about grand gestures.

"It's about the silences, the stolen glances, the unspoken words. It's about the journey two people take together, filled with its highs and lows. The way this film explores love is what makes it truly special."

"Tumko Meri Kasam" revolves around love, destiny, and second chances, and has already created a buzz for its refreshing take on romance.

Ishwak added: "There's a depth to the emotions, and I believe audiences will connect with its honesty. We have tried to capture love in its purest, most organic form, making it feel like a story that belongs to all of us."

Adding to the film's charm is Adah, who brings a unique energy and warmth to her role. Her effortless chemistry with Ishwak makes their on-screen romance feel natural and spontaneous.

Speaking about their collaboration, Ishwak said: "Adah has an incredible way of making scenes feel real. We spent a lot of time discussing our characters, their chemistry, and the small moments that make love stories special. Working with her was a delight, and I think that translates beautifully on screen."

The film goes beyond the typical love story, delving into the emotional and practical aspects of relationships. It examines the dynamics of companionship, compatibility, and the role of fate in bringing two people together.

Mahesh Bhatt's "Tumko Meri Kasam," also stars Adah Sharma and Anupam Kher. The film talks about the challenges and societal stigmas that couples face when dealing with fertility issues.

The film is slated for release on 21st March.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, March 20 : India's coffee exports have recorded a robust 40 per cent rise during April-Feb in the current financial year to surpass the $1.54 billion mark compared with the corresponding figure of $1.10 billion for the same period of the previous year, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Commerce.

Overseas shipments of coffee went up by 22 per cent to $178.68 million in Feb, from $146.08 million in the same last year, official data showed.

In Rupee terms, the exports increased 43.37 per cent to Rs 13004.75 crore during April-Feb 2024-25 from Rs 9,070 crore in the same 11-month period last

The top export markets for Indian coffee are Italy, Germany Russia Belgium, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the US.

India is the seventh-largest producer and the fifth-largest exporter of coffee in the world. Prices of coffee are ruling at record levels following adverse weather-induced supply crunch in the largest producing countries of Brazil and Vietnam. India exports over two-thirds of the over 3.5 lakh tonnes produced in the country.

India's coffee exports have almost doubled in the last four years to touch $1.29 billion in FY 2023-24 from $719.42 million in 2020-21 with the country becoming the seventh-largest coffee producer globally, according to a statement released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Monday.

The country's coffee exports have grown significantly due to the increasing global demand for its rich and unique flavours. Approximately three-fourths of India's coffee production consists of Arabica and Robusta beans. These are primarily exported as unroasted beans. However, there is a growing demand for value-added products like roasted and instant coffee, further fuelling the export boom.

India's coffee is primarily grown in the ecologically rich Western and Eastern Ghats, areas famous for their biodiversity. Karnataka leads in production, contributing 248,020 MT in 2022-23, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These areas are home to shaded plantations that not only support the coffee industry but also play a vital role in preserving the natural environment, helping to maintain the ecological balance of these biodiversity hotspots.

Meanwhile, due to the rise of the cafe culture, higher disposable incomes and a growing preference for coffee over tea, coffee consumption in India is also steadily increasing. This trend has been observed particularly in both urban and rural areas. Domestic consumption has increased from 84,000 tonnes in 2012 to 91,000 tonnes in 2023.
Mumbai, March 20 : The political atmosphere in Maharashtra has intensified following a new petition in the Disha Salian case and an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aditya Thackeray.

Disha's father, Satish Salian, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into his daughter's death and has demanded an FIR against Aditya Thackeray.

Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice Sanjay Shirsat stated that Disha's death has always been suspicious.

Speaking to the reporters, he said, "Her father has come forward openly, stating that he can no longer bear the pain. He endured it for five years and claimed that an ex-mayor pressured him. Now, he has approached the High Court. Whatever decision the court takes will be appropriate, and if any accused are found, they will be jailed."

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar dismissed any links between Aditya Thackeray and the case.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "If a person is going to court to seek justice for his daughter, we must accept the court's decision. But Aditya Thackeray's name has been taken in this case, and there is no connection between him and this case."

"The issue of Sushant Singh's suicide surfaced four years ago. It became highly politicised, especially during the Bihar elections when various posters demanding justice for Sushant Singh were displayed. Political parties believed they could gain an advantage by leveraging his name. However, once the elections concluded, it seemed that everyone quickly forgot about Sushant Singh," he said.

"Now, after four years, what will the BJP do moving forward? They will likely engage in political manoeuvres, especially with the upcoming elections in Bihar. Their attempts to politicise the issue of Aurangzeb have not been effective so far, and even the RSS has distanced itself from them. If they continue to focus on this topic, I believe their true intentions will be revealed to the public," Pawar added.

Speaking to IANS, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad urged political parties not to exploit the case.

"For five years, it hasn't been clarified whether it was murder or accident. The CID thoroughly investigated all angles and ruled it an accident. If anyone now links it to a politician, it's clearly for political gain," he said.

"In my opinion, the allegations being made now are much like the allegations that were made five years ago. The police authorities worked on those same angles, but nothing came out of it. Therefore, her death was declared as an accidental death," the Shiv Sena MLA added.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar, however, defended the legal action, stating, "Everyone has the right to go to court. Disha's father moved the HC in his own wisdom. Let the court decide, and we will follow its directions."

"They have filed a petition. They have made some allegations also, and an investigation has taken place, but the investigation should be done in a certain direction," he told IANS.

He denied BJP's involvement, adding, "Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections have taken place, yet Disha's father did not approach the HC then. So, we have no connection with this case. In his own call that he went to the High Court, he filed PIL. So, let High Court decide."

Disha Salian, the former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, reportedly fell from a 14th-floor apartment in Malad on June 8, 2020. The Mumbai Police initially registered an Accidental Death Report.

However, six days later, on June 14, 2020, Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra residence, a case later handed over to the CBI.

Satish Salian's plea to the Bombay HC claims his daughter was brutally raped and murdered, alleging a political cover-up to protect influential figures.

He argues that the Mumbai Police hastily closed the case as suicide or accidental death without considering forensic evidence, circumstantial proof, or eyewitness testimonies. His petition seeks a fresh CBI investigation.
New Delhi, March 20 : A 40-year-old temple near Sanjay Lake in Mayur Vihar Phase 2, in the Patparganj Assembly constituency in East Delhi, was nearly demolished on Thursday morning. This action was carried out by a team following the directions of the High Court to clear encroachments on the green belt but was stopped.

The demolition team, led by the DDA (Delhi Development Authority), arrived at the site in the early hours, accompanied by a heavy police force, including the Additional DCP, ACP, and SHO.

However, the demolition was halted after intervention by BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi, who reached the site and immediately contacted the Chief Minister to prevent the demolition.

MLA Negi stated that the matter would now be taken to the Supreme Court for a stay.

Speaking to IANS, MLA Negi said, "As per the High Court's order, the green belt area was to be cleared of encroachments. Notices had been issued multiple times between 2015 and 2024. However, without prior notice, the demolition team, along with police personnel, arrived at the site around 3 a.m. last night."

Negi further clarified that the officials involved in the demolition did not provide prior notice to the temple management.

"After several discussions with the authorities, I contacted the Chief Minister, and she immediately intervened, urging the LG (Lieutenant Governor) to stop the demolition," Negi told IANS.

"The police and the officials returned after the intervention, and we are now planning to take the matter to court for a permanent resolution," he added.

Ravinder Singh Negi also shared his concerns about the larger pattern of targeting religious structures.

"Over the past ten years, whether it is temples or mosques, they have been targeted. Even along the banks of the Yamuna, several temples were demolished, and the authorities did not stop them. Some people donat want religious structures to remain, and they lodge complaints. Based on those complaints, the law takes its course," he stated.

He emphasised that the matter was now being taken to the Supreme Court to seek a stay on the High Court's order.

"We have filed a petition in the Supreme Court, and a hearing will take place on this. We are hopeful that the court will address this issue and halt the demolition permanently," MLA Negi said.
Mumbai, March 20 : Shiv Sena legislators on Thursday staged a silent protest in the Vidhan Bhavan demanding a CBI probe into the Disha Salian death case, saying that the former manager of the Bollywood star late Sushant Singh Rajput should get justice.

"Disha's father has expressed suspicion on some people alleging that his daughter was murdered. This is a very serious matter and Disha's family should get justice," the Shiv Sena leaders demanded during the protest.

"Disha Salian's father has approached the High Court. We say that Disha Salian should get justice. Former mayor Kishori Pednekar's name is coming up. An inquiry should be conducted to see if anyone harassed or pressured the Salian family," said Shiv Sena legislator Manisha Kayande.

"No political colour has been given to this matter. Disha Salian's father went to court after not getting justice for five years," she added.

She further said: "A person fell off the 14th floor, but still there was no injury on the body, not even on the head, so how can this happen? We need to think about this. Many questions have been raised and that needs to be investigated."

"We have not accused anyone, but Disha Salian's family has expressed suspicion about some people. There must be some definite reasons behind that. There must be some previous background. All we are saying is that the family should get justice. The case should be handed over to the CBI again and a fresh investigation should be conducted," she demanded.

Shiv Sena legislators demanded that former mayor Kishori Pednekar should also be investigated on whose instructions the "pressure was exerted" on the young woman's father, why as per the father's claim they were given false information and whether they were kept under surveillance.

"Disha's father has alleged in the petition that the police are not working to complete the investigation but to save someone and suppress the truth. A proper forensic investigation was not conducted, and an attempt was made to suppress the truth by hastily declaring the case a suicide. Not only this, the post-mortem report was also faked and medical evidence was destroyed, all these allegations have been recorded in this petition. If this is true, this is a very serious matter. A big question mark has been raised on the role of the police. Of course, there must be pressure from a person of equal stature for this, otherwise no one would dare to do such a thing," claimed Kayande.
Mumbai, March 20 : Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Thursday demanded a probe into the Bangladesh links of Nagpur violence mastermind Fahim Khan.

In a letter to Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal, he has also sought an investigation into Khan's connections to some scams which have been unearthed in Malegaon.

Somaiya's demand comes a day after the court sentenced Khan to police custody till March 21.

"Major scams at Malegaon have been exposed in the last four months. There has been a Malegaon Vote Jihad funding scam of Rs 22 crore and Bangladeshi birth certificate scams of 3,978 certificates. Khan has visited Malegaon during the Vidhan Sabha elections and had opened an office of the Minorities Democratic Party there," said Somaiya.

"There have been arrests of more than two dozen people in connection with possession of caste certificates by submitting fake documents. The probe should be conducted into Khan's links with Malegaon scam and also his links with political and terrorist organisations," he added.

He further said that he had come to know that the inflammatory post on social media was initiated from Bangladesh. Therefore, he demanded that the police should investigate Khan's Bangladesh connection.

According to the FIR lodged in the Ganesh Peth police station, the 38-year-old Faheem Khan has been accused of instigating the mob.

Incidentally, it was Fahim Khan who went to the police station to give a statement. He was the first to gather 30 to 40 people at 11 a.m. ahead of the protest by Bajrang Dal and VHP demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's grave.

He went to the police station to give a statement and accused VHP and Bajrang Dal of creating trouble by organising the protest. Thereafter, he mobilised the mob and instigated them. He was also accused of inciting the protesters by saying that the police belong to the Hindu community and do not help them.

Khan had contested the state Assembly elections but had lost miserably.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Norway on Thursday, March 20, the Norwegian government reports.

The website notes that Zelenskyy has just landed in Norway. He is welcomed by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre.

"I warmly welcome President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Norway stands with Ukraine," he said.

The Prime Minister stressed that Norway supports the work to achieve a lasting and just peace in Ukraine.

"I look forward to good discussions on how Norway can best help Ukraine, both in the short and long term," the Prime Minister said.

Zelenskyy and Stre have several meetings scheduled for Thursday. Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Defense Minister Tore Sandvik will also participate in the working meeting with Zelenskyy's delegation.

For security reasons, the government is not providing details about the president's program in Norway.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actress Parineeti Chopra took to social media to give a sneak peek into her shooting schedule in the picturesque Himachal Pradesh.

Sharing stunning visuals and behind-the-scenes moments, the actress offered a glimpse of her busy yet beautiful experience while filming in the serene hills. On Thursday, Parineeti took to her Instagram stories and shared a couple of pictures and short videos showcasing the serene beauty of Himachal Pradesh, with mountains and lush greenery forming the perfect backdrop to her shoo

The actress also shared a video of her winking at the camera. One of the photo reads, "Second schedule starts." She tagged the location Chail, Himachal Pradesh.

Last week, the 'Ishaqzaade' actress expressed pride in her husband and politician Raghav Chadha, calling herself a 'Harvard wife.' She shared pictures of her politician husband posing in front of Harvard. "My husband is a Harvard return," she captioned it. Sharing the same picture, Parineeti then humorously added, "Ahem. I'm a Harvard wife. Bye."

On the professional front, Parineeti has begun filming for her OTT debut series with streaming giant Netflix in February. Announcing the same, she shared a note that read, "Some mysteries don't just unfold - they pull you in, keep you guessing, and refuse to let go. A new mystery thriller series is in the making! Can't wait for you all to see this labour of love from Team Netflix and us, when it's ready! Shooting had begun .. Marking my OTT series debut!"

The upcoming OTT series, which also features Tahir Raj Bhasin, Anup Soni, Jennifer Winget, Chaitannya Choudhry, Harleen Sethi, and Soni Razdan, is set against the stunning hills of Shimla. This yet-to-be-titled project is produced by Siddharth P. Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra, the series is directed by Rensil D'Silva.

This marks Parineeti Chopra's fourth collaboration with Netflix. She had previously worked with the streaming giant on Ribhu Dasgupta's "The Girl on the Train," Imtiaz Ali's "Amar Singh Chamkila" alongside Diljit Dosanjh, and an upcoming romantic comedy directed by Dhruv Tripathi.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, March 20 : After farmers were forcefully evicted from protest sites in Punjab, the Congress has reacted strongly. Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on Thursday remarked that it was brutal action against farmers which he said reminded him of the Jallianwala Bagh incident.

Speaking to IANS, Tiwari remarked, "The governmentas actions in Punjab remind us of General Dyer of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where people were mercilessly treated, it was uncalled for. The sequence of events must be understood."

Tiwari criticised the Punjab government for its handling of the farmers' issue. He noted that the Chief Minister initially invited the farmers to his residence for talks but later humiliated them.

"The same Chief Minister then travelled to Delhi, where he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Perhaps he took advice on how to forcibly remove protestors from borders in Delhi," Tiwari told IANS.

According to Tiwari, this collaboration between the Punjab government and the central BJP government led to the deployment of thousands of police officers to remove a group of 700 farmers in the dead of the night using bulldozers and lathi charges.

"Among those evicted was Dallewal, who was on hunger strike and in a deteriorating condition. The police used excessive force, and this was not a peaceful or lawful way to handle the situation," he said.

Tiwari also questioned the motives behind the Punjab government's actions. "The government claims that this was necessary for the stateas trade and the free movement of people. While these are valid concerns, the brutal and inhumane manner in which this was carried out is unjustifiable," he stated.

"Why wasnat a peaceful dialogue initiated? Why wasnat there an effort to negotiate with the farmers during the day and offer them alternatives?"

The Congress leader emphasised that while violence should never be condoned, the cruelty used against the farmers was unacceptable.

"The Punjab government should have engaged in talks during the day, offering solutions instead of resorting to violence under the cover of night," he said.

Tiwari further stated that Congress stands firmly with the farmers and their legitimate demands. He expressed deep concern over the way the situation was handled, calling it a gross misuse of power against peaceful protestors. "Congress will continue to support the farmers and demand that their rightful concerns be addressed," he added.

The farmer leaders were detained after they met with the Centre on Wednesday, which failed to reach a conclusive resolution. They then moved towards the Shambhu border for further protests. However, as they proceeded, their convoy was intercepted by the Punjab Police in Mohali, where they were taken into custody.

Following this, the Punjab Police launched an operation to clear out protest sites at the Khanauri and Shambhu border points, where farmers have been demonstrating against farm laws and other issues. By 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, both sites were completely vacated.
Dhaka, March 20 : Bangladesh witnessed a surge in violence as a factional clash between the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) left several injured in Chittagong district.

The conflict, which occurred on Wednesday night, involved supporters of former BNP Parliamentarian Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury and Chittagong district north BNP Convener Golam Akbar Khondokar, local media reported.

During this, a local leader of the student wing of the party, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) was critically injured.

He later died while being transported to a Dhaka hospital on Wednesday night. It is reported that several others from both sides were also injured.

At an iftar party, tensions escalated when a group of people arrived and demanded that the event be stopped, leading to an argument. The situation led to a violent clash, leaving many injured. Locals said they heard gunshots during the clash, reports the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

"Before iftar, police dispersed both groups, but they clashed repeatedly after iftar. Our initial investigation suggests that the Golam Akbar group organised the iftar mahfil, but their rivals attempted to stop it, triggering the violence," said the officer-in-charge of the district Police Station.

Repeated factional clashes between BNP leaders have been witnessed in the last few months.

In a similar incident on Tuesday, at least eleven people were injured in a clash between two BNP factions over holding Iftar gatherings in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

After the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in early August last year, infighting within the BNP intensified with different groups attempting to show their strength.

The law enforcers and party insiders of the BNP told The Daily Star that the clashes took place due to rivalries over supremacy and extortion money.

The party insiders also stated that the recent spate of internal feuds stems from the confidence that the BNP will come to power winning the next general election and opportunist groups are now desperate to grab power.

Khaleda Zia's BNP was hand in glove with the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to overthrow the democratically elected government of Awami League.

It emerged as the largest political party in Bangladesh after the fall of the arch-rival Sheikh Hasina. However, since then BNP had a growing fissure within itself that led to violent clashes amongst them due to which many leaders were killed and several injured.
New Delhi, March 20 : The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, has recommended the extension of the term of three additional judges of the Chhattisgarh High Court for a year.

"The Supreme Court Collegium in its meeting held on 19th March 2025 has resolved to recommend that S/Shri Justices (i) Sachin Singh Rajput, (ii) Radhakishan Agrawal, and (iii) Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, be appointed as Additional Judges of High Court of Chhattisgarh for a fresh term of one year," said a statement uploaded on the official website of the apex court on Thursday.

In a separate statement, the SC Collegium approved the proposal for the appointment of Justices Sumeet Goel, Sudeepti Sharma, and Kirti Singh as permanent judges in the Punjab & Haryana High Court.

The Chief Justice and Judges of the High Courts are to be appointed by the President under clause (1) of Article 217 of the Constitution. Additional Judges can be appointed by the President under clause (1) of Article 224 of the Constitution.

The Chief Justice, while sending his recommendation for appointing an additional Judge as a permanent Judge, must, along with his recommendation, furnish statistics of month-wise disposal of cases and judgments rendered by the judge concerned as well as the number of cases reported in the Law Journal duly certified by them.

The information would also be furnished regarding the total number of working days, the number of days they actually attended the court and the days of their absence during the period for which the disposal statistics are sent.

As per the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) regulating the appointment of HC judges, the Chief Justice of the High Court should not make a recommendation for the appointment of an additional Judge when a vacancy for a permanent Judge is available.
Mumbai, March 20 : The Maharashtra government has intensified its scrutiny of Ola Electric stores over alleged trade violations, adding to the challenges faced by Bhavish Aggarwal-led electric vehicle (EV) maker

Officials from five regional transport offices inspected 26 Ola Electric stores in Mumbai and Pune to check for trade certificates, according to sources. As a result, authorities also confiscated a total of 36 Ola Electric scooters.

According to a report in NDTV Profit, until Tuesday, 10 Ola Electric stores in Mumbai were inspected and 10 scooters were impounded.

The latest action on Wednesday was taken following a complaint filed by Pritpal Singh and Associates, a Gurugram-based firm.

The complaint alleged that Ola Electric was setting up showrooms, stores, and service centres in Maharashtra using a single trade certificate, which is not permitted under the law.

An inspection report, signed by Deputy Transport Commissioner Ravi Gaekwad, confirmed the allegations, the report said.

Maharashtraas Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, has ordered immediate action on the complaint and asked for a report on the matter. Officials from four Mumbai RTOs and one Pune RTO carried out the inspections.

As per the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Rule 33 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, vehicle distributors and manufacturers must obtain a business certificate to register vehicles.

Additionally, Rule 35 states that each showroom, dealership, or establishment engaged in selling or displaying vehicles must have a separate business certificate.

Failure to comply with these rules can result in penalties under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. This crackdown comes at a time when Ola Electric is already facing financial and legal troubles.

Last week, vendors Rosmerta Digital Services Private Ltd and Rosmerta Safety Systems Private Ltd moved to initiate insolvency proceedings against an Ola Electric subsidiary over unpaid dues of around Rs 25 crore.

These vendors were responsible for processing vehicle registrations and manufacturing high-security number plates for Ola Electric scooters.

However, the company has informed the stock exchanges about only one petition filed with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in Bengaluru.

Ola Electric is also under scrutiny for its reported sales figures. In February, the company claimed to have sold 25,000 scooters, but registration data suggests that only about a third of them were actually registered.
Seoul, March 20 : South Korea's Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol offered a message of condolence to a man who was believed to be one of his supporters and died after setting himself on fire, the presidential office said on Thursday.

Yoon's aides delivered the message during their visit to the funeral service of the 79-year-old man, who staged a self-immolation action after scattering printouts about his support for Yoon in downtown Seoul on March 7, the office said in a statement.

The aides told the bereaved family that Yoon was heartbroken by the tragic news, according to the statement.

Yoon also sent a message to his supporters who are staging a hunger strike in protest against his impeachment, Yonhap news agency reported.

"No matter how important the result of the Constitutional Court's ruling is, it is not more precious than your lives. I plead with you to end the hunger strike and recover your health," Yoon was quoted as saying by Rep. Ihn Yo-han of the ruling People Power Party.

Earlier on Wednesday, South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee purportedly berated the Presidential Security Service (PSS) for failing to stop investigators from detaining Yoon in January, according to sources.

Kim's alleged remark was described in arrest warrants police sought for two senior PSS officials -- acting chief Kim Seong-hoon and bodyguard division chief Lee Kwang-woo -- on Monday on charges of obstructing investigators' first attempt to detain Yoon on January 3., according to the police and prosecution sources.

The warrants reportedly described the first lady as berating a PSS officer after investigators succeeded at their second detention attempt on January 15, stating, "What's the point of carrying a gun? You're supposed to stop something like that."

She also allegedly expressed her despair by claiming to want to "shoot Chairman Lee Jae-myung and then die myself," referring to the leader of the main opposition Democratic Party.

The PSS officer allegedly reported the incident to his superiors.

Yoon's office denied the First Lady's alleged remarks. "We do not believe it is true, but we will not respond," the presidential office said.

If Yoon is ousted, the country will be required to hold a snap presidential election within 60 days. If reinstated, he will serve out the remainder of his term till May 2027.
Abuja, March 20 : The death toll of an outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) across four local government areas in Nigeria's northwestern state of Kebbi has risen from 26 to 56, health authorities said.

Musa Ismaila, health commissioner in Kebbi, told the media in the state capital of Birnin Kebbi that the number of suspected cases has also risen to 653 from 248 reported over a week ago.

The outbreak, declared in late January, became more deadly in the past two weeks with a sudden rise in suspected cases, Ismaila said earlier.

"The public health department started receiving reports of people with symptoms of fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, and associated vomiting and dizziness, which in some of the cases resulted in deaths," the health official said, adding that drugs and other commodities have also been distributed to affected local government areas and communities, as the state government continues to work to contain the situation.

CSM outbreaks are mostly caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A. In Nigeria, these outbreaks typically occur during the dry season due to low humidity and dusty conditions and usually subside with the onset of the rainy season, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the World Health Organization, Meningitis is the inflammation of the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is usually caused by infection. It can be fatal and requires immediate medical care.

Meningitis can be caused by several species of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Most infections can be transmitted from person to person. Injuries, cancers and drugs cause a small number of cases.

Bacterial meningitis is the most common dangerous type of meningitis and can be fatal within 24 hours.

Meningitis can affect people of any age.

There are effective treatments and vaccines against some of the main bacterial causes of meningitis. However, meningitis remains a significant threat around the world.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actor-director Sudhanshu Rai has revealed that his upcoming sci-fi supernatural thriller "Baida" is inspired by his personal journey.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Rai said that his forthcoming film is based on a popular story from his personal journey, which has long been a favorite among his listeners. He explained that over time, his audience encouraged him to bring the tale to the big screen, and now, it has come to life in a thrilling sci-fi supernatural thriller.

Sudhanshu shared, "Baida' is a sci-fi supernatural thriller film releasing in cinemas on March 21. It tells the story of a former spy-turned-salesman who goes on a job-related trip to rural Uttar Pradesh. There, he becomes involved in a dimensional conspiracy after seeking refuge in a hut owned by a mysterious man. His fight for survival begins when he finds himself transported to British India, facing imminent execution. To escape and return to his own time, he must find a way to save himself."

He added, "What makes BAIDA unique is that it is the first-ever sci-fi supernatural thriller of its kind. It has consistently ranked among the most anticipated movies on IMDb. While the film features an intriguing plot centered around time travel, it also promises to incorporate elements of Bhojpuri culture and humor."

"The film is based on a popular story of mine, and my listeners have always said that we should bring it on screen. It is based on my personal journey, where I came across stories of a similar hut. It was difficult to figure out whether it was true or hearsay, but it came out beautifully in our story."

The director also opened up about his diverse explorations in various genres such as thriller, horror, and the supernatural. Rai mentioned, "As a storyteller, I have explored genres like thriller, horror, supernatural and even combined them to create horror comedies and romantic horrors. They have always done well with the audience. And I certainly think that the Indian audience is more than ready for any out-of-the-box concept. When I write stories, I live those characters. With Baida, I am now living these characters and reprising them on the big screen. And the process itself is amazing."

Sudhanshu Rai, who plays the role of Ram Babu, an international spy, in the film, concluded by stating, "Baida is specifically for that audience that wants content that is different from the regular masala doled out by Bollywood. We understand that our audience is intelligent, and they are ready for such films. With a strong storyline at the crux, Baida will surely change the way the audience perceives storytelling."

Directed by Puneet Sharma, "Baida" also stars Manisha Rai, Shobhit Sujay, Sourabh Raaj Jain, Hiten Tejwani, Tarun Khanna, Siddharth Banerjee, Deepak Wadhwa, Akhlaq Ahmad Azad, and Pradeep Kabra in pivotal roles.

The sci-fi supernatural thriller is slated to release in cinemas on March 21.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Jerusalem, March 20 : The Israeli military intercepted a missile launched by militants in Yemen, which triggered sirens across central and southern Israel, including Tel Aviv, early on Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Air Force intercepted the missile before it crossed into Israeli territory and that the sirens were sounded "in accordance with protocol," Xinhua news agency reported.

Houthi forces in Yemen resumed their attacks on Israel, which ended a two-month ceasefire in Gaza and killed more than 400 people in air strikes on the enclave.

On Tuesday, Houthi forces said they launched a ballistic missile toward a military base in southern Israel, which the Israeli military said was intercepted before crossing into the country.

Earlier Yemen's Houthi group had announced the resumption of attacks against Israeli ships in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV that the attacks were resumed to support the Palestinians and pressure Israel to reopen the border crossings for the entry of aid into Gaza.

Houthi leader Abdulmalik al-Houthi issued a four-day ultimatum to Israel, demanding the allowance of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, or his group would resume naval attacks.

Previously, al-Houthi had warned of resuming attacks on Israeli cities and Israeli-linked commercial vessels in the Red Sea if Israel continued to violate the Gaza ceasefire.

The Houthis had launched numerous drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli cities and commercial ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinians between November 2023 and January 19, 2025, when the Hamas-Israel ceasefire took effect.

The group also attacked US aircraft carriers and naval vessels, vowing to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait if the US continued military shipments to Israel.
Kabul, March 20 : Amid serious challenges faced by the Afghan refugees in Iran, the country transferred 149 Afghan inmates to the Taliban, according to media reports.

Iran's Deputy Minister of Justice for Human Rights and International Affairs, Askar Jalalian, announced that 149 Afghan prisoners have been transferred from Iran to Afghanistan.

He stated that these prisoners were handed over to the Taliban to serve the remainder of their sentences.

Meanwhile, the Taliban have not publicly commented on the fate of transferred prisoners or whether they will serve their full sentences under its rule. The exact number of Afghan prisoners in Iran remains unclear, but rights groups estimate that a significant number are imprisoned across the country, Afghan media outlet Amu TV reported.

According to a report by the Iran Human Rights Organization, 80 Afghan prisoners were executed in Iran in 2024, a number that tripled since 2023.

Afghan refugees in Iran time and again have reported instances of mistreatment and challenges faced due to the restrictions imposed by the Iranian government.

Last week, Nader Yarahmadi, director general of the Bureau for Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs at Iran's Ministry of Interior, announced that from March 21, 2025, undocumented Afghan migrants in Iran will be deprived of healthcare, education, and other services.

"The situation of migrants in Iran is dire. Anti-migrant sentiment has increased, and police officers arrest people under various pretexts, even those with legal visas and valid documents, and deport them," Marofeh Eshaqi, an Afghan migrant in Iran, told TOLO news.

Last year, several incidents were reported where several Afghan refugees were subjected to humiliation and abuse by Iranian police officials and citizens.

Videos were circulating in social media that showed harassment of Afghan migrants, along with anti-Afghan migrant slogans in Iran.

The Iranian government further imposed severe restrictions on Afghan refugees that created difficulty for them in earning a stable income.

"Unfortunately, the execution of defenceless and oppressed Afghans in Iran is increasing. This is intolerable for the people of Afghanistan and also violates international conventions and standards," Afghan Political analyst Fazl-ur-Rahman Oria said.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, refugees are the people fleeing conflict or persecution. They are defined and protected in international law and must not be expelled or returned to situations where their life and freedom are at risk.

However, Iran has been deporting the Afghan refugees despite growing uncertainties in Afghanistan. Fleeing from war and conflict in their country, migrants from Afghanistan have been taking refuge in Iran for decades now.

They are facing deportation and illegal detention despite holding valid legal documents. The refugees are also often subjected to harassment and abuse by the Iranian authorities.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/zelenskyy.official

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy coordinated positions and discussed key agenda issues ahead of Thursday's European Council meeting with its President Antonio Costa.

"I had a conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa ahead of tomorrow's European Council meeting and thanked him for the invitation to participate in it. We coordinated our positions and discussed key agenda issues," he wrote on the Telegram channel.

Zelenskyy noted that they also discussed Ukraine's participation in the initiative to rearm Europe under the ReArm Europe plan, financing the purchase of ammunition, as well as steps to accelerate our integration into the EU. "I count on support in unblocking the negotiation clusters," the Ukrainian leader emphasized.

In addition, Zelenskyy informed Costa about his constructive conversation with US President Donald Trump, during which the Ukrainian president confirmed Ukraine's readiness to implement the unconditional US offer of a ceasefire. "The Ukrainian people want peace more than anyone else, and we are ready to work for it. Thank you for your support," he noted.

In turn, Costa noted the conversation between Zelenskyy and Trump on his social network X and wrote about continuing discussions with Zelenskyy on Thursday at the European Council.

"Positive conversation with President Zelenskyy. I am encouraged by his substantive phone call with Donald Trump," he wrote.

Costa stressed that stopping attacks on energy and other civilian infrastructure would be an important and first real step towards ending the war. "We will continue our discussions with President Zelenskyy tomorrow at the European Council," the President of the European Council indicated.
Kolkata, March 20 : The proposal by Kolkata Police to set up a police outpost on the campus of Jadavpur University (JU) faces fresh uncertainty as a large section of the faculty has joined students in opposing the move.

The Jadavpur University Teachers Association (JUTA) on Thursday rejected the proposal, arguing it contradicts the institution's legacy. Echoing student concerns, JUTA claimed that the police outpost aims to maintain constant surveillance on campus.

Political observers believe that with faculty members siding with students, it will be difficult for the university administration to approve the proposal.

Earlier, the Students' Federation of India (SFI), the student wing of the CPI(M), vowed to resist the setting up of an outpost. "We believe the outpost is intended to perpetuate tension rather than resolve it. This is the true motive of the state administration," said SFI West Bengal state secretary Debanjan Dey.

What has created additional pressure on the administrative management of the university on this issue is a loaded statement by Governor C.V. Ananda Bose last week, when he clearly said that he would not remain silent if the police move violated the existing legal framework in the matter.

"It is for the university authorities to decide, but their decision must comply with existing rules. If irregularities occur, I will intervene as Chancellor of the university," he had said.

The proposal for a police outpost was mooted after a clash that broke out within the university campus in the first week of this month when the State Education Minister Bratya Basu's car was allegedly stopped after it entered the campus, and a scuffle followed.

The students were demanding immediate elections for the university's students' council.

The protesting students alleged that while Basu decided to leave the campus in the face of the protests, his vehicle deliberately hit two agitating students, in which they were severely injured and had to be hospitalized.

Amid the protests, the Minister received minor injuries. He was taken to the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital and was discharged later.
New Delhi, March 20 : State-owned renewable energy financier, Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), on Thursday announced that it has launched its first-ever perpetual bond to raise Rs 1,247 crore.

In a stock exchange filing, the agency stated that the bonds have been issued at an annual coupon rate of 8.4 per cent.

The company called this a significant step towards optimising its capital structure while taking advantage of favourable market conditions.

"This landmark initiative marks a major step in optimizing the company's capital structure while capitalising on the current supportive market conditions," IREDA said.

IREDA Chairman and Managing Director, Pradip Kumar Das, emphasised the importance of this move, saying that "strengthening the company's capital base through perpetual bonds will help scale up financing for renewable energy projects. "

"This, in turn, will accelerate India's transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future," he added.

The launch of the perpetual bonds comes shortly after IREDA's board decided to increase its borrowing limit for the financial year 2024-25.

The company raised its borrowing cap from Rs 24,200 crore to Rs 29,200 crore.

The additional funds will be raised through various financial instruments, including taxable bonds, perpetual debt instruments, bank loans, international credit lines, external commercial borrowings, and short-term loans.

Alongside the bond issuance, IREDA also announced that it received a tax refund of Rs 24.48 crore from the Income Tax Department on March 19.

This refund is linked to partial relief granted by the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) for the assessment year 2011-12.

The company added that it is still awaiting nearly Rs 195 crore in tax refunds for multiple assessment years, including 2010-11, 2012-13, 2013-14, and 2015-16 to 2018-19.

The announcement led to a slight increase in the company's stock during early trade on March 20. However, the gains were short-lived as the shares later trading flat at Rs 150.23.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actress Rashmika Mandanna, who is currently busy shooting for her upcoming film "Thama," shared a snapshot from a late-night shoot.

The 'Pushpa' actress took to her Instagram stories to share a candid photo of director Aditya A Sarpotdar, who was captured sitting on a plastic chair and closely monitoring the shoot on a screen. Alongside it, she wrote, "My director. Making me shoot night shoot every time. Ice bucket . Story of my life." The director was quick to take note of it as he reshared the photo, and wrote, "Where mortals fear the night, the vampires find their power."

Rashmika replied, "Wise words. Knows exactly how to make a Thama (vampire) happy!"

"Thama" tells the gripping tale of a determined historian who immerses himself in ancient manuscripts, uncovering dark secrets about local vampire myths as supernatural forces begin to stir. His journey not only reveals long-forgotten history but also sparks a fierce battle for the soul of the town.

The upcoming thriller, directed by 'Munjya' fame director Aditya Sarpotdar, marks the first collaboration between Ayushmann and Rashmika.

"Thama," produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik, the film is written by Niren Bhatt, Suresh Mathew, and Arun Fulara. Presented by Maddock Films, "Thama," which also stars Paresh Rawal and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, will release in theatres on Diwali 2025.

Expressing his excitement about becoming a part of the horror-comedy universe, Ayushmann had said in a statement, "I'm excited that Dinesh Vijan feels this is the best time for me to enter his blockbuster horror comedy universe in and as 'Thama'. After Stree 2 became the all-time biggest Bollywood film in the history of Hindi cinema, I am thrilled to be part of this universe's legacy as it moves forward and also feel responsible for giving audiences a theatrical experience that they will remember for years to come."

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Bhopal, March 20 : The Congress party on Thursday staged a walkout from the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, alleging government interference in the ongoing probe into the high-profile case of Saurabh Sharma, a transport department constable whose unexplained wealth has drawn national attention. It demanded the probe to be handed over to the CBI.

The opposition has insisted that the probe be conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court to ensure impartiality.

Leading the charge during a Call Attention Motion, moved by Congress members in the Legislative Assembly, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar delivered a scathing attack on the government's way of handling the case.

He accused the State Lokayukta police of failing to thoroughly investigate the gold and cash linked to the case, which, he claimed, had forced the Income Tax Department to intervene.

Singhar argued that the removal of Transport Commissioner D.P. Gupta on December 20, 2024, was a mere token gesture and called for stronger actions, including suspension and the filing of an FIR.

Congress, through its Call Attention Motion, pressed for answers on how Saurabh Sharma became the focal point of a multi-agency probe involving the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Income Tax Department (IT), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and the Lokayukta police? They also questioned the ownership of the 52 kilograms of gold and Rs 11 crore in cash recovered from the abandoned Innova in Mendori village near Bhopal in December 2024.

The debate intensified as Singhar raised concerns about the lack of consultation with the Additional Chief Secretary of the State Transport Department during the investigation. He pointed to critical evidence, including an abandoned Innova car, a farmhouse, gold, and cash, and demanded clarity on why the police had not disclosed ownership details.

Saurabh Sharma's troubles began with a December 2024 raid that uncovered assets worth nearly Rs 8 crore, including cash, jewellery, and property documents. The discovery of the abandoned Toyota Innova, laden with gold and cash, further deepened the controversy.

Singhar also highlighted the existence of a diary bearing the signature of Dashrath Patel, suggesting it could be a key piece of evidence. He questioned why Patel and Sanjay Srivastava, the former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the Transport Minister, had not been summoned for questioning.

If this involves the hard-earned money of the people, the truth must come out," he declared.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya defended the government, asserting that the Assembly's proceedings are governed by established protocols, not by the Supreme Court.

This remark drew sharp criticism from Singhar, who accused Vijayvargiya of disrespecting the judiciary. The debate escalated into a heated confrontation, with ruling and opposition MLAs clashing vocally.

Responding to the allegations, Minister Uday Pratap Singh dismissed claims of government interference. He clarified that no diary had been seized during the Lokayukta raid and emphasized that a competent agency was already investigating the matter.

Singh noted that several instances of corruption had been uncovered, with guilty individuals now behind bars.

"The investigation cannot be questioned," he stated.

Singh also addressed concerns regarding Saurabh Sharma, explaining that his voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) status excluded him from direct departmental action.

He assured the Assembly of the government's commitment to transparency, citing regular investigative checks on highways and other locations.

"We are implementing measures to monitor investigations from Bhopal," he added.

The debate underscored the growing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition, with the demand for a CBI probe remaining a contentious flashpoint. Congress MLA Hemant Katare further stoked the discussion by raising questions about fake appointments and unexplained wealth, keeping the Assembly on edge.
Patna, March 20 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday slammed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Kumar Krishna Mohan alias Suday Yadav for using mobile phones in the state Assembly, calling for strict enforcement of the ban.

During Question Hour, Yadav was seen using his mobile phone while asking a question regarding Public Distribution System dealers.

Upon noticing this, CM Nitish raised a strong objection, reminding the House that mobile phones are already banned inside the Assembly.

Addressing Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav, the CM demanded strict action, saying: "It is already banned in the House. I request you (Speaker) that whoever comes with a mobile phone should be thrown out of the House."

He further warned about the negative impact of excessive mobile phone use.

"Earlier, we used to see this a lot. We knew there would be trouble, so we stopped in 2019. If this continues, the world will end in the next 10 years," CM Nitish said.

"Why are you standing with a mobile phone? Speak on your own," the Chief Minister asked Suday Yadav.

Reacting to CM Nitish's remarks, RJD MLA Bhai Virendra told IANS: "We are not school students. We are MLAs and represent a section of people in the Bihar Assembly. Nitish Kumar is accusing us, but he should first stop his legislators and ministers who also use mobile phones to give answers inside the House."

He further claimed that this was not the first time CM Nitish lost his temper on RJD leaders in the Assembly.

Before the Assembly proceedings began, opposition MLAs, including those from RJD, staged a protest in the portico. They were demanding an increase in the honorarium of PDS shopkeepers to Rs 25,000.

On Thursday, demand for grants for five key departments including health, agriculture, social welfare, and disaster management, will be tabled in the House.
Abu Dhabi, March 20 : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced the success of mediation efforts in a new exchange of war captives between Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday, which included 175 Ukrainian captives and 175 Russian captives - 350 captives in total - bringing the overall number exchanged through UAE mediation efforts to 3,233.

"Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) expressed its appreciation to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Ukraine for their cooperation with the UAE's mediation endeavors. This reflects the appreciation of both countries for the UAEas role in supporting all efforts to resolve the crisis between the two nations," read a statement issued by the UAE Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry emphasised that the success of this mediation, the 13th, reflects the distinguished ties between the UAE and the two countries.

"Furthermore, the Ministry reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to ensuring the success of all efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, and mitigating the humanitarian impacts as a result of the crisis, including on refugees and captives," the statement added.

Since the outbreak of the crisis, the UAE has also contributed urgent relief supplies to those affected in Ukraine, including more than USD 100 million worth of humanitarian aid to Ukrainian civilians. The UAE had also launched an air bridge to deliver relief aid, essential food items, and medical supplies, along with electricity generators, ambulances, and other medical and educational equipment, dispatching planes carrying aid to Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries such as Poland, Moldova, and Bulgaria.
Mumbai, March 20 : Actress turned author Twinkle Khanna shared her ultimate Parisian indulgence with fans, revealing that for her, nothing beats the joy of eating macarons.

In a candid post, she invited her followers to share their own indulgences, giving a delightful glimpse into her love for this French treat. On Thursday, the Mela actress took to her Instagram handle and gave a glimpse into her Parisian getaway, sharing her love for the City of Lights. The actress traveled with her kids on the Eurostar, noting that Paris offers something for everyone, from the artistic to the adventurous.

In her post, Khanna mentioned how the rooms she stayed in came equipped with a guitar, offering a fun touch for those feeling musically inclinedor perhaps wanting to serenade a loved one or even the housekeeping staff. The actress also highlighted her indulgence in Parisian dining, where she enjoyed sushi so divine that it made her forget the city's traditional culinary offerings. However, when it comes to Twinkle Khanna's ultimate Parisian indulgence, it's undoubtedly macarons. A sweet delight she savors while fully embracing the vibrant energy and charm of Paris.

Sharing photos, the 'Barsaat' actress wrote, "The kids got onto the Eurostar with me because there is something for everyone to do in Paris! The rooms come with a guitar incase you feel like serenading your partner or even the housekeeping staff:) Bonus points if you have a child who plays! Early evenings I went to @lebarlong to write a bit. A perfect spot to ponder great literary ghosts (and whether you should order another martini). The art was as dazzling as the decor and as for my favourite @matsuhisaparis let's just say the food is so divine, you'll forgive yourself for eating sushi in Paris. What's your ultimate Parisian indulgence? Mine is clearly eating macarons."

Twinkle Khanna, the wife of Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar and the daughter of the legendary Rajesh Khanna, made a name for herself in the film industry during the 90s and early 2000s. After the failure of her ambitious film Mela, she chose to marry Akshay and transition into a new phase of her life.

Years later, she found her true calling as a writer, penning several successful books such as "Mrs Funnybones" and "Pyjamas are Forgiving," which garnered widespread acclaim for her witty and insightful writing.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Sydney, March 20 : Australia, once a global leader in vehicle safety, is now lagging behind Europe in adopting life-saving technologies, experts warn.

Australia's road toll hit a 12-year high in 2024, with 1300 deaths, up from 1258 in 2023, according to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

As road fatalities rise, calls for stronger safety regulations are growing, an article on the website of the Melbourne-based Australasian Fleet Management Association said on Wednesday.

Ingrid Johnston, CEO of the Australasian College of Road Safety, pointed out a concerning case where an Australian-sold vehicle lacked safety features included in its European counterpart, and that Australia's vehicle safety standards are falling well behind those in Europe.

"You might think that you've got an identical vehicle to what's being sold in Europe, but the Australian version is going to have had safety features removed. It's just not acceptable," the article quoted Johnston as saying, Xinhua news agency reported.

Europe has embraced advanced safety measures like 'eCall', which automatically alerts emergency services after a crash, and driver monitoring systems that detect drowsiness or distraction, she said, adding these technologies remain optional in Australia despite their proven effectiveness.

Automakers often exclude safety features in Australian models to cut costs since they are not legally required, said Johnston, calling for strengthening vehicle safety standards, enforcing smarter road policies, and implementing advanced safety technology.

In January, the government data revealed that Australia's road death toll had hit a 12-year-high with 1300 deaths on Australian roads in 2024.

The 12-year high comes after Australia's federal, state and territory governments in 2021 launched a 10-year national strategy to reduce the number of road deaths by half and the number of serious injuries by 30 per cent.

The National Road Safety Strategy set a target of gradually reducing road deaths from the 2018-20 annual average of 1,142 to fewer than 571 by 2030.

The BITRE report said the 2024 death toll was 127.7 per cent higher than the 2030 target.

Responding to the report, peak motoring body the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) said the national strategy is "wildly off-track".

"It is clear current road safety approaches are inadequate and that more action is required to save lives," AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley said in a statement.

Out of Australia's eight states and territories, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania reported fewer road deaths in 2024 than in 2023.

In New South Wales - the country's most populous state - the death toll was unchanged at 340 in both years, while Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory reported 79 more deaths combined in 2024 than in 2023.

November was the most dangerous month on Australian roads in 2024, with 131 deaths.
Mumbai, March 20 : Megastar Chiranjeevi expressed his gratitude and enthusiasm upon receiving the UK's Lifetime Achievement Award, stating that the recognition motivates him to continue his work with even greater vigor.

The actor took to his Instagram handle to pen a heartfelt note that read, "Heart filled with gratitude for the honour at the House of Commons - UK Parliament by so many Esteemed Members of Parliament, Ministers & Under Secretaries, Diplomats. Humbled by their kind words. Heartened by the Life Time Achievement Award by Team Bridge India."

Chiranjeevi added, "Words are not enough. But a heartfelt Thank You to each one of my wonderful loving fans, blood brothers , blood sisters, my film family well wishers , friends and all my family members and everyone who in every which way contributed to my journey and participated in the humanitarian causes I have been championing. This honor motivates me to continue my work with greater vigour. And Love to each one of you for your beautiful congratulatory messages."

Alongside it, he also shared his images of receiving the prestigious award.

Notably, Chiranjeevi made history as the first Indian celebrity to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the British government.

The award was presented to him at a special ceremony held at the UK Parliament in London on March 19. Chiranjeevi's brother, Pawan Kalyan, the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, extended his heartfelt congratulations on this remarkable accomplishment.

Pawan shared pictures of Chiranjeevi from the felicitation ceremony on his social media and expressed his immense pride in being the younger brother of the iconic Waltair Veerayya actor. He wrote, "I consider Chiranjeevi garu more like a father than an elder brother. He is the person who showed me the way when I was confused and did not know what to do in life. My elder brother Chiranjeevi garu is the hero of my life."

The event, which took place at the House of Commons, was graced by notable dignitaries, including Members of Parliament from the ruling Labour Party, such as Navendu Mishra (Stockport), Sojan Joseph, and Bob Blackman.

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
New Delhi, March 20 : 'Made in India' smartphone shipments grew 6 per cent (year-on-year) last year, driven by increasing exports from Apple and Samsung, a report said on Thursday.

Apple and Samsung alone accounted for around 94 per cent of India's smartphone exports in 2024, according to Counterpoint Research's 'Make in India' Service report.

Both the brands have significantly expanded their manufacturing in India to align with the country's objective of reducing reliance on imports and strengthening its presence in the global supply chains.

The government's PLI (production-linked incentive) scheme has encouraged global manufacturers to set up or expand their production facilities in the country. All this has resulted in increasing local manufacturing.

"India presents itself as a great manufacturing destination due to a huge local market, affordable labour costs and favourable schemes from the government focused on increasing local manufacturing," said senior research analyst Prachir Singh.

Smartphone manufacturing in India is expected to grow in double digits in 2025, along with increasing local value addition, he mentioned.

Foxconn Hon Hai's manufacturing volumes grew 19 per cent YoY in 2024, backed by Apple.

"Foxconn has plans to establish a smartphone display module assembly to enhance local manufacturing capabilities," said research analyst Tanvi Sharma.

Tata Electronics was the fastest growing manufacturer in 2024, registering 107 per cent YoY growth, with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 as the major volume contributors.

The company has expanded its iPhone assembly and has ventured into semiconductor fabrication with a new plant in Dholera, Gujarat.

In the overall mobile handset segment (smartphones and feature phones), Dixon emerged as the top manufacturer with strong shipments from Transsion brands and Motorola, the report mentioned.

In 2024, Samsung continued to solidify its position as a dominant player in India's electronics manufacturing, registering a growth of 7 per cent YoY driven by increasing exports.

The second spot was taken by Vivo, which grew 14 per cent to capture a 14 per cent shipment share due to the expansion in offline retail and strengthening of its distribution network.
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine - Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna considers Hungary's intention to put the issue of Ukraine's future membership in the European Union to a referendum only as a small obstacle that will not prevent the opening of all negotiation clusters on accession in 2025.

"This is not a referendum, a written survey of citizens. Such a written survey also took place before the European Council's decision in December 2023 to open the negotiation process. We have already gone through it. I think that the support of the citizens of Hungary is much more positive than the expectations of the Hungarian government," Stefanishyna told reporters on Thursday in Kyiv, answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine about Ukraine's position on Hungary's announcement of its intention to put the issue of Ukraine's future membership in the EU to a referendum.

She emphasized that Ukraine is confident that the issue of EU membership is a decision that has already been made, and "considers it as a small obstacle that will not prevent opening all negotiation clusters this year."

Earlier, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that the issue of Ukraine's membership in the European Union would be put to a vote within his country.

As reported, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos hopes to open the first three clusters of negotiations between Ukraine and the EU on joining the Union in the first half of this year - during the Polish presidency, and the remaining three by December.
Chennai, March 20 : The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday witnessed a fiery exchange between Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) over the state's law and order situation.

Chennai, March 20 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday witnessed a fiery exchange between Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) over the stateas law and order situation.

The confrontation arose after the opposition raised concerns about four consecutive murders that occurred in the state on a single day - March 19.

Palaniswami accused the government of failing to maintain law and order, demanding immediate answers. In response, Stalin acknowledged the incidents but emphasised that the government had taken prompt action.

"I am not denying that these incidents took place. The question is whether the government has acted, and we have," he asserted.

As the debate intensified, the Chief Minister challenged Palaniswami, who was preparing to stage a walkout, to stay and listen to his response "if he had the guts".

Following this, AIADMK members, led by Palaniswami, walked out in protest.

However, expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam did not join them.

Earlier, when Palaniswami sought to raise the issue after Question Hour, Speaker M. Appavu deferred the discussion, stating that it had been brought to his attention only in the morning. However, the Leader of the Opposition insisted on an immediate discussion, calling it a matter of urgency.

Leader of the House, Duraimurugan, supported the Speakeras stance, arguing that ministers needed adequate time to prepare their responses. However, Stalin intervened and urged the Speaker to allow Palaniswami to present his concerns.

While addressing the issue, Palaniswami also levelled allegations against the government and the Speaker and Duraimurugan reminded him to stay focused on the topic at hand.

Following this, the AIADMK MLAs staged a walkout, accusing the Speaker of suppressing their voices.

In his reply, Stalin countered Palaniswamias accusations by recalling past incidents of police excesses under the AIADMK regime, such as the Thoothukudi police firing, which claimed 14 lives, and the custodial deaths in Sathankulam.

"Mr Palaniswami is leaving now because he does not want to hear the details in my response," he remarked.

The Chief Minister argued that social media had amplified the perception of law and order deterioration, whereas official statistics showed a decline in crime rates since the DMK took office in 2021. Providing details on a recent murder in Erode, he stated that the victim, John alias Chanakya, was a history-sheeter who was killed as part of a revenge attack. Police identified the culprits and opened fire when the suspects attempted to attack officers. Four suspects sustained injuries and were receiving treatment at a Coimbatore hospital, he added.
Bengaluru, March 20 : The resolution passed by the Congress-led government in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly against the Centre's move to amend the Waqf Act has triggered a major political slugfest in the state with the BJP alleging that the move is to protect encroachments.

As the Congress demanded the withdrawal of the amendment, the BJP alleged that the ruling party in the state was trying to protect its leaders who had illegally acquired properties worth thousands of crores.

Commenting on the development, BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra stated on Thursday in Bengaluru, "Yesterday (March 19), the Congress government, headed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, passed a resolution forcefully opposing the amendment made by the Central government to the Waqf Act."

"One needs to understand the motive behind this move. It is quite clear. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is committed to bringing transparency and accountability to the Waqf Act, CM Siddaramaiah wants to protect land grabbers and the land mafia, who have looted lands belonging to farmers in the name of the Waqf Board," Vijayendra further said.

He alleged that many Congress leaders were involved in a Waqf scam and that the Siddaramaiah-led government was protecting them. "The BJP will expose the Congress-led government before the people of Karnataka," he announced.

"In the current tenure, CM Siddaramaiah and Congress leaders have misused the Waqf Act. Under the guise of the Waqf Board, a gang of Congress politicians is set to illegally acquire properties worth thousands of crores, and the Congress government is shielding them -- there is no doubt about it," he charged.

Vijayendra claimed that the resolution passed by the Karnataka government opposing the Waqf Act amendment was unconstitutional. "Siddaramaiah wants to protect those who have looted land under the Waqf Board in the state. The BJP strongly condemns this and will take this issue to the people," he reiterated.

He further attacked the Congress government, stating, "Unfortunately, CM Siddaramaiah's approach to minority appeasement politics is objectionable. During his previous tenure, it began with the Shaadi Bhagya scheme and ended with Tipu Jayanti. No other state in the country celebrated Tipu Jayanti -- only Karnataka did, and that was solely because of Siddaramaiah."

The BJP leader also alleged that in the current tenure, land grabbers were being protected by the Congress government. "Additionally, granting a 4 per cent reservation for Muslims is unfortunate. We will oppose both moves on the streets," he stated.

Responding to the allegations, Minister for Health Dinesh Gundu Rao, speaking to the media at Vidhana Soudha, maintained that opposing the Central government's Waqf Bill amendment was not an act of appeasement.

"The BJP is targeting minorities. They are using every possible means to discriminate against and harass them. This is blatant and deliberate," he said.

"The Waqf Act allows decisions to be made at the state level, but the Central government is now taking away these powers. This is not correct. Hence, we have expressed our serious reservations on the issue. The parliamentary commission at the Centre functioned in an undemocratic manner -- it was a one-party show. We cannot tolerate this dictatorial way of running the country," Rao stated.

"Hence, as representatives of the people, we have expressed our clear stance. The proposed amendment to the Waqf Act is blatantly incorrect, and the Government of India should withdraw it," he asserted.

When asked about alleged false claims on Hindu properties by the Waqf Board, Rao responded, "The Waqf property issue is an old one. Any dispute should be resolved legally. No one supports any illegality, including by the Waqf Board."

"If anyone is engaging in illegal activities, action should be taken. However, the government cannot usurp powers and act beyond the law. That is precisely what we have conveyed in our resolution," he added.

Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil also commented on the issue, stating that the agenda of the Central government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not inclusive. "They want to create mistrust among people and use this for political gains. There is a general perception that the amendment deliberately targets minorities, and in this context, we are opposing it," he said.
Patna, March 20 : A dispute over the tap water between two nephews of Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai turned violent leading to the death of one of them in Parbatta village of Bihar's Bhagalpur district on Thursday.

The incident occurred around 9 a.m.

Acting on information regarding the firing between two brothers, a police team rushed to the spot and launched an investigation.

Preliminary investigations found that Vishwajeet Yadav died on the spot while his brother Jayjeet Yadav was critically injured.

Vidhwajeet and Jayjeet are sons of Raghunandan Yadav, Nityanand Rai's brother-in-law.

Navgachiya SP Prerna Kumar confirmed that the brothers had a long-standing strained relationship, which escalated and led to the violent incident.

The argument intensified when Vishwajeet brought a gun from home to attack Jayjeet. Vishwajeet shot at Jayjeet but the latter managed to snatch the gun, leading to a violent scuffle.

Eventually, Jayjeet shot Vishwajeet in the head. The family members of Jayjeet rushed him to a private hospital in Bhagalpur.

Jayjeet sustained a gunshot injury in his stomach and his condition is said to be critical.

Vishwajeet's mother also sustained a gunshot injury on her hand.

An FIR has been registered at Parbatta police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

"We have recovered the body of Vishwajeet and sent it for the post-mortem at Jawahar Lal Nehru Medical College and Hospital. We have also deployed a police team in the village to prevent any escalations. We are also taking statements of eyewitnesses," Prerna said.

"Police are waiting for the recovery of Vishwajeet's mother. She will throw some more light on this incident," Prerna said.

Further details are awaited.
Mumbai, March 20 : Punjabi hip-hop artist Simiran Kaur Dhadli has managed to set the stage on fire with yet another banger, "Putt Jatt Da".

Mumbai, March 20 (IANS) Punjabi hip-hop artist Simiran Kaur Dhadli has managed to set the stage on fire with yet another banger, "Putt Jatt Da".

Blending old-school chivalry and modern-day defiance, this fierce and powerful track tells the story of strength, unwavering love, and swag that refuses to be shaken.

Produced by Desi Trap Music and sung and performed by Simiran, "Putt Jatt Da" is a story of a man who stands tall against the world. He fights, sacrifices, and refuses to back down.

Talking about "Putt Jatt Da", Simiran shared, "I'm thrilled to share 'Putt Jatt Da' with the world. It is raw, real, and unapologetic, which resonates with the way I live! It's about the love that demands respect! The energy, the attitude, and the storytelling in this track make it special. I enjoyed bringing this vision to life, and I hope my listeners feel the power behind every beat."

Back in August 2024, Simiran treated the fans with the track, "Time Hai Ni".

Speaking about the song, Simiran revealed, "This track Time Hai Ni, is a way of celebrating independence personally. It's a reminder to every woman out there to prioritize their own time without being apologetic. I wanted to create a song that makes every woman feel strong and unstoppable. This track is my way of saying, 'Your time is precious, and you deserve to own it'. I hope the audience experiences the same energy and power with Time Hai Ni."

Produced by Desi Trap Music, "Time Hai Ni" showcased a fusion of tradition and modernity. Blending powerful vocals with a contemporary edge.

Prior to this, Simiran has delivered numerous blockbuster tracks such as "Dupatta Drill", "Barood Wargi", "Lahu Di Awaaz", "Snakes & Ladders", "Notaan Wali Dhauns", and "Reality Check", to name just a few.
Dhaka, March 20 : Bangladesh's dependency on import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is facing a major disruption due to a liquidity crunch forcing the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to seek a US$ 350 million loan - equivalent to 42.70 billion Bangladeshi taka - for LNG purchases in the next fiscal due to persistent dollar shortages, local media reported on Thursday.

The government's Energy and Mineral Resources Division and Bangladesh Oil, Gas, and Mineral Resources Corporation (Petrobangla), revealed that the loan process has already begun with technical assistance from the World Bank, which will act as a guarantor, reported Bangladesh's leading Bengali daily Prothom Alo quoting sources.

As domestic gas production has been steadily declining, the interim government is relying on LNG imports. Meanwhile, the government owes a huge sum of money to foreign companies. The US company Chevron, Bangladesh's largest gas producer, is owed over US $150 million, while outstanding LNG payments have surpassed US$ 200 million. As arrears continue to mount, foreign suppliers are becoming reluctant to deliver LNG shipments. The ongoing dollar crisis has made it difficult to settle the import bills, several reports cited.

However, experts argue that prioritising LNG imports over domestic gas exploration has put Bangladesh's energy sector at risk. They warned that while borrowing may provide a short-term relief, it fails to address the root problem and will only create further financial strain. It stated that instead of relying on loans to pay for imports, the government must focus on sustainable energy solutions.

Bangladesh's Financial Express reported that the country will have to depend more on volatile spot market in 2025 and import costly LNG to feed mounting demands from industries, power plants and other gas-guzzling consumers as domestic natural gas output is on the wane.

A senior Petrobangla official said that it has been planned to import a total of 115 LNG cargoes -- 59 from spot market and 56 from long-term suppliers, which marks a 33.72 per cent increase compared to that of the previous year.

Last November, a report by Market Forces, Waterkeepers Bangladesh, and Dhoritri Rokkhay Amra (DHORA) had warned that Bangladesh's proposed LNG power projects and import terminals could cost the country's economy US$ 50 billion.

"The report highlights that of the US$ 50 billion allocated for LNG, US$ 36 billion could instead finance 62 gigawatts of renewable power generation, more than twice Bangladesh's current electricity capacity, making the country a potential clean energy leader," Bangladesh's Business Standard reported, last year.

It added that foreign interests, including major firms from US and Japan, continue to drive LNG expansion in Bangladesh, risking severe environmental harm.
New Delhi, March 20 : Proceedings in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were disrupted on Thursday after DMK MPs entered the Houses wearing T-shirts with slogans opposing delimitation, and the uproar led to repeated adjournments, ultimately leading to both houses being adjourned until Friday.

In the Rajya Sabha, proceedings were first adjourned until noon by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stated he would consult with floor leaders.

When the House reconvened, it was adjourned again for 15 minutes and later until 2 p.m. Persistent disruptions forced the House to be adjourned for the day without addressing scheduled business, including a debate on the Home Ministry's functioning.

Home Minister Amit Shah was expected to respond to the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, which had begun on Wednesday evening but remained incomplete.

A similar situation unfolded in the Lok Sabha. Speaker Om Birla expressed strong objections to the display of slogans and adjourned the House multiple times before finally suspending proceedings until Friday. The Chair objected to the DMK MPs T shirts which read a" aDelimitation - Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win".

The DMK MPs said the Central government has failed to explain the issue of delimitation, which might lead to a decline in the representation of the southern states.

Outside the chambers, DMK MPs staged a demonstration in the Parliament premises, holding banners against delimitation. The party has been vocal in its opposition to the process, arguing that it would disproportionately impact southern states.

The disruption also prevented the Rajya Sabha from conducting Zero Hour and Question Hour.

Earlier in the session, the House had discussed the functioning of key ministries, including Railways and Health, but Thursday's adjournment stalled further deliberations on the Home Ministryas functioning.

The repeated disruptions in both Houses have stalled legislative proceedings. This is the first time in the current Budget session that the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned without transacting any business.
Bengaluru, March 20 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday hit back at Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy who had accused him of "hatred politics" after a case of alleged encroachment was filed against him.

"Hatred politics is in his (Kumaraswamy's) DNA. The case regarding the alleged encroachment in Kethaganahalli near Bidadi, on the outskirts of Bengaluru against him has been filed by activist S.R. Hiremath. Officials acted as per the courtas order. How does that amount to hatred politics?" Shivakumar said in response to media queries at the Vidhana Soudha.

On the Union Minister's allegation that the action in the Kethaganahalli land issue was politically motivated, he said, "Did we file this case in court? It was S.R. Hiremath who filed it. He had also filed multiple cases against me. Based on his petition, the court directed officials, and they acted accordingly. Where is the hatred politics in this?"

Referring to the accusations against him by Kumaraswamy's family, Shivakumar said: "In Mysuru, Kumaraswamy made several statements against me. His father, former PM H. D. Deve Gowda had also spoken against me. Didnat they file cases against me, my wife, my sister, and my brother?"

"Even though I had no connection to Ballari, didnat they accuse me of iron ore theft? Wasnat there an investigation against me? Despite forming a government together in the past, we have remained silent. If Kumaraswamy maintains dignity, everything will be fine."

On the Central government rejecting the proposal of renaming of Ramanagara district, he said: "They are pressuring the Central government to prevent renaming Ramanagara district. We know the law. The Constitution does not require us to seek approval from anyone."

"We have sent a proposal with the necessary information. Some ministers in Delhi are conspiring against it, but we will not back down. We know how to rename a district and reorganise it. We will rename Ramanagara as Bengaluru South," Shivakumar announced.

On criticism that this renaming is intended for real estate benefits, he sarcastically responded: "Yes, we are doing it for real estate benefits. Shouldnat it benefit our people in Kanakapura, Ramanagara, Channapatna, and Magadi? Why did you move here? Our people are essentially Bengaluru residents. They need to survive. Their lands have lost value. We want to ensure their prosperity. Whatas wrong with that?"

Providing updates on the Union Jal Shakti Ministeras meeting, Shivakumar said: "The Central government scheduled a conciliation meeting between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on the Pennar River water issue, as per the courtas order."

"Initially, they set a date, but we requested a postponement due to the Belagavi session. Later, they invited us for a meeting on March 18. Rumours suggest Tamil Nadu refused to sit with Karnataka for discussions. However, the Union Minister officially informed me that the meeting has been postponed," he added.

"The Central ministers will hold separate discussions with Tamil Nadu, likely due to their political agenda. Before attending the meeting, I discussed Karnataka's stance with the cabinet," he said.

Asked about his meeting with Congress high command leaders, he said: "As it marks 100 years since Mahatma Gandhi assumed the Congress presidency, we are planning to construct 100 Congress offices across the state. I invited our high command leaders to finalize a date for the foundation stone laying ceremony."

Responding to BJP state President B. Y. Vijayendraas criticism of him addressing some Mandya leaders as aChhatria (not trustworthy), Shivakumar retorted: "If I am arrogant, let him bring me down. I will call my close associates whatever I wish, out of affection. Whatas his problem? Some people even call their close ones athief, my sona and other terms. These are personal bonds, and thereas no issue with that."

Asked if he discussed stepping down as Congress state President in a party meeting, he said: "The party will decide on that. I have fulfilled my responsibilities. No one is permanent here. My goal is to complete the Congress office construction during my tenure. We have other responsibilities to fulfil."

"Whenever the party decides, I will abide by it - whether today, tomorrow, five years, or ten years later. I am in no hurry. I am committed to the partyas decision," Shivakumar clarified.

Reacting to BJPas protest against the 4 per cent reservation for minorities in contracts, he said: "It is our duty to ensure justice for all communities. We treat everyone equally. The Congress government will work alongside marginalised communities and empower them."

Regarding BJP MLA N. Munirathnaas claim that there is a conspiracy to kill him, Shivakumar responded, "I will speak to the Speaker and request medical treatment for him."
Bhopal, March 20 : The Madhya Pradesh Congress members of the Assembly, on Wednesday, held a protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government, whistling and showcasing their gesture to express that they were awakening someone who is fast asleep.

Dinesh Jain , a Congress MLA from Mahidpur, one of the Assembly constituencies in Ujjain, lay down on ground at the Assembly premises, while his other party members sat in a circle surrounding him with whistles and pamphlets raising slogans against the BJP government.

Congress MLAs arrived to participate in the ongoing Budget Session of the Assembly, assembled near Mahatma Gandhi's statue outside the House and held their 'protest-cum-drama' in a way that they were awakening 'Kumbhkarna', one of the prominent characters of Hindu mythological epic 'Ramayana'.

During this satirical protest against Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh government, MLA Dinesh Jain, who performed Kumbhkarna's role, presented his dialogue, "Jitna bhrastachar hota hai, untna achha lagta hai. Mai sarkar hun, ahankari hun."

Later, talking to IANS, Congress MLA Jain said, "After winning the election, the Madhya Pradesh-led BJP government has gone fast to sleep like 'Kumbhkarna', which is why Congress members are whistling to awaken it."

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Assembly, Umang Singhar, said that more than a year has passed since the BJP formed the government in the state, but it failed to fulfill the promises it had made to the people during the last year's Assembly elections.

"Being the Opposition, it is our responsibility to keep the door knocking to awaken the government. Law and order situation of the state is in such a way that police personnel are being lynched by mobs. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has maintained silence on unemployment and other key public issues," Singhar alleged.

Congress MLAs performed a drama for this satirical protest a day after senior BJP leader and State Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya dressed as Falahari Baba of the Pitareshwar Dham, during a 'Rang Panchami' procession in Indore on Wednesday.
New Delhi, March 20 : Nearly 15.53 crore or 80.20 per cent of the country's rural households are reported to have tap water supply while eight states and three Union Territories have made the facility available to all their households, according to official data.

Minister of Jal Shakti C.R. Patil told Lok Sabha in a reply on Thursday that at the time of announcement of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in August 2019, 3.23 crore (16.71 per cent) rural households were reported to have tap water connections.

"So far, as reported by States/UTs as on March 18, 2025, around 12.29 crore additional rural households have been provided with tap water connections under the Mission. Thus, as on March 18, out of 19.36 crore rural households, approximately 15.53 crore (80.20 per cent) are reported to have tap water supply," he said.

He said eight states -- Goa, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, and three UTs -- Puducherry, Daman and Diu (D&D) and Dadra and Nagar Haveli (DNH), and Andaman and Nicobar Islands -- have become 'Har Ghar Jal' States/ UTs as all their households have tap water supply.

Responding to a question on river pollution, particularly in the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers, the Minister said the issue is being tackled primarily by CPCB under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and National Mission for Clean Ganga and other associated offices of Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in association with State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) /PCCs has established a National Water Quality Monitoring Network (NWMP) for assessment of water quality of aquatic bodies, including rivers in the country.

At present, the CPCB has Nationwide Water Quality Network comprising 4,736 locations spread in 28 states and 7 Union Territories across the country, which include 2,155 locations on various rivers.

Water quality of the Ganga and the Yamuna is assessed by CPCB at 112 locations (bi-monthly) and 33 locations (monthly), respectively, under National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with concerned SPCBs/ PCC, he said.

The Minister said the Ganga is monitored under NWMP, by the CPCB in association with 5 SPCBs, namely, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, which carry out manual water quality monitoring of the river at 112 locations on bimonthly basis.

Considering the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) concentration exceeding 3 mg/L, the CPCB has identified 351 polluted river stretches (PRS) during the year 2018 (based on water quality data of year 2016 and 2017) whereas 311 polluted river stretches (PRS) were identified in the year 2022 (based on water quality data of year 2109 and 2021).
Hazaribagh, March 20 : Armed criminals unleashed violence at Central Coalfields Limited's (CCL) New Birsa project in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh district, injuring a worker and causing extensive damage to heavy machinery. The incident occurred during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, spreading panic among workers and bringing operations to a standstill.

Hazaribagh, March 20 (IANS) Armed criminals unleashed violence at Central Coalfields Limitedas (CCL) New Birsa project in Jharkhandas Hazaribagh district, injuring a worker and causing extensive damage to heavy machinery. The incident occurred during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, spreading panic among workers and bringing operations to a standstill.

According to the police, a group of unidentified criminals stormed the New Birsa project site and fired several rounds to intimidate workers. During the attack, a CCL worker sustained a bullet injury to his leg and was immediately rushed to the hospital, where he is receiving treatment. The criminals also set fire to a payloader machine and vandalized vehicles.

Authorities believe the attack may be linked to an extortion attempt. Workers at the project site reported that the assailants fired five to six rounds before targeting the heavy machinery. Operations at CCLas Urimari and New Birsa projects have been completely disrupted.

In response to the attack, the local police have launched a large-scale search operation across the area. As of now, ten suspects have been detained for questioning. Senior police officials are monitoring the investigation closely and have intensified patrolling in and around the affected project sites.

In a related incident, a construction site on the Chotnar river in Giridih districtas Gawan block also came under attack by a group of approximately 14-15 armed criminals. The assailants allegedly targeted the site after the contractor refused to pay a demanded extortion amount of Rs 5 lakh.

During the assault, the criminals severely beat the siteas clerk and several workers, leaving four individuals -- Congress Yadav, Bablu Baski, Samel Murmu, and Dharmendra Kumar -- badly injured. All four victims have been admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

An FIR has been registered in connection with the attack, and police are pursuing leads to identify the assailants. Law enforcement agencies are investigating whether the two incidents are connected and whether the same criminal syndicate is involved.
Photo: president.gov.ua

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says that Berlin will increase funding for military aid to Ukraine to EUR 7 billion.

Arriving in Brussels on Thursday for a meeting of the European Council, Scholz, speaking to reporters, recalled that this week the German Bundestag adopted "a very comprehensive amendment to our constitution, which will allow us to finance what is necessary for the defense of our country, for cooperation in Europe on defense issues, as well as for the military assistance that we need to mobilize for Ukraine." "And tomorrow, I hope, probably, the Federal Council in Germany will also make this decision, so that we will now have the freedom of action to do everything we need as a major power in the heart of Europe. This will also include, by the way, that after the decisions are made, we will initiate a further increase in our military assistance to Ukraine. In total, it will be seven billion. Four are already planned, three more will be added. Therefore, this year, as last year, Germany is and will remain the biggest supporter of Ukraine in Europe," the German Chancellor said.

Scholz believes that "it is extremely important that Ukraine remains an independent, sovereign and democratic state, that it can continue on its path to membership in the European Union and that it has its own strong army even after a peace agreement." "These are things that we must ensure," he stressed.

Speaking about the talks initiated by US President Donald Trump, Scholz believes that "the first step towards the possibility of a ceasefire based on President Zelenskyy's proposals has now been taken, considering the results of the conversation between the Russian president and the US president." "But now this must become a reality, and it must end with a ceasefire that will actually last and meet these criteria. Therefore, it will be important for us to continue to provide significant support to Ukraine, as the European Union as a whole, as allies and friends, and as individual countries," the German Chancellor noted.
New Delhi, March 20 : Using 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) did not result in any major issues in vehicle performance, wear of engine components, or engine oil deterioration with E20 fuel, the government told the Parliament on Thursday, citing a panel finding.

Under the Ethanol Blended with Petrol (EBP) Programme, the government has fixed the target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol with petrol by 2025.

According to the aRoadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25a, prepared recently by an inter-ministerial committee, using 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) results in marginal reduction in fuel efficiency for four-wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20.

Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Suresh Gopi, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had informed the committee that with modifications in engine hardware and tuning, the efficiency loss due to blended fuel can be reduced.

"The committee report has also highlighted that no major issues were observed in vehicle performance, wear of engine components, or engine oil deterioration with E20 fuel," according to the minister.

The National Policy on Biofuelsa"2018, as amended in 2022, inter-alia advanced the target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 from 2030.

Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) achieved the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022, five months ahead of the target during ESY 2021-22.

Blending of ethanol further increased to 12.06 per cent in ESY 2022-23, 14.60 per cent in ESY 2023-24, and 17.98 per cent in ESY 2024-25 up to February 28, 2025.

So far, no decision has been taken by the government for increasing ethanol blending beyond 20 per cent, the minister informed.

The National Policy on Biofuels permits use of food grains during surplus phase as declared by the National Biofuel Coordination Committee.

This policy also promotes and encourages use of feedstock such as corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, damaged food grains like broken rice, food grains unfit for human consumption, maize, sugarcane juice and molasses, agriculture residues (rice straw, cotton stalk, corn cobs, saw dust, bagasse etc.).

Any diversion of sugarcane juice, its by-products, maize etc. for ethanol production is carefully calibrated in consultation with relevant stakeholders, according to the minister.
Kochi, March 20 : The Kerala High Court has directed the police to take action against a man accused of defaming a Hindu tradition by allegedly plucking hair from his private parts and placing it in a "Thulasithara".

A "Thulasithara" is a sacred structure commonly found in front of Hindu homes, where a basil (tulsi) plant is worshipped.

The matter came before the court when Sreeraj filed a bail plea after being arrested for sharing a video on Facebook and Instagram.

The video allegedly showed Abdul Hakkim insulting the Thulasithara. A case was registered against Sreeraj on the grounds that Hakkim, who is claimed to be mentally ill, was promoting religious enmity through the act.

The Court, however, noted that no action had been taken against Hakkim and expressed concern over the lack of a case against him.

"The Thulasithara is a sacred place in the Hindu religion. In the video, Abdul Hakkim can be seen plucking hairs from his private parts and placing them in the Thulasithara. This act undoubtedly offends the religious sentiments of Hindus. It appears that no case has been registered against Abdul Hakkim," the Court observed.

Sreeraj argued that he merely shared a video already available on social media and highlighted that no action had been initiated against the person who performed the act.

The High Court also raised questions about Hakkim's mental health status, as he owns a hotel near the Guruvayoor Temple and holds a valid driving license.

"If he is mentally ill, how is he allowed to operate a hotel within the premises of the Guruvayoor Temple? Furthermore, if he possesses a driving license, the investigating officer must also examine how a mentally ill person is permitted to drive," the Court stated.

The Court then granted bail to Sreeraj while instructing the police to take appropriate action against Hakkim in accordance with the law.
Olympia : , March 20 (IANS) Thomas Bach was elected Honorary President for Life of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), a position he will take up when his term of office as IOC President ends after June 23.

"The IOC Members accepted the proposal unanimously as they rose in a standing ovation after the proposal was made to the 144th IOC Session by IOC First Vice-President Nicole Hoevertsz on behalf of the IOC Executive Board (EB) in Olympia (Costa Navarino), Greece. Just before that, the IOC Session had heard about the tremendous success of the Olympic Agenda reforms, which defined the presidency of Thomas Bach," the IOC said in a statement.

Presenting the proposal, Hoevertsz said, aUnder President Bach's visionary leadership, Olympic Agenda was successfully implemented over the years which certainly has not been a small feat. By doing so, we could say that, in essence, President Thomas Bach played a crucial role in modernising the Olympic Movement and ensuring its relevance in the 21st century. Mr President and Executive Board colleagues, please allow me to direct myself to the IOC Members who are present at this 144th Session.

"I would like to first invite you to stand still for a moment and realise that while we are here, appropriately in Greece, the birthplace of the Olympic Games, we are more than simply finalising this IOC Session. It marks the end of an era, as we soon bid farewell to President Thomas Bach. I believe that it is the appropriate moment to present to you a proposal to appoint President Thomas Bach as Honorary President for Life of the International Olympic Committee. And please allow me to explain the reasons that have led to this proposal.

aThomas Bach has truly served our organisation, and he has done so as a Member for no less than 34 years. During this period of membership, he has served as a member of the Executive Board and as Vice-President. He was a member of several important commissions and is credited as being a member of the first IOC Athletesa Commission when it was created at the session in Baden-Baden in 1981," Hoevertsz continued.

The proposal received enormous support from several IOC Members including Spain, Italy, Belgium, Australia, the USA, Austria, South Africa, Germany and Israel among others.

Accepting the nomination, a visibly moved Bach said: aDear friends and colleagues, when I was elected as President 12 years ago, my first words were aoufa, and it's the same situation now. I'm really overwhelmed and indeed extremely grateful for all the words that you have expressed and for granting me this great honour of electing me as your honorary president.

aBut I do so with great humility and for two reasons. First of all, what I always said before, this is not what we have seen here, this is not the work of one man. This is the work and the achievements of all of us. Everyone. Every single one of you has contributed in their particular way to this success. And every one of you has contributed to this unity we finally had and without which we would not have achieved anything," he added.

Bach, the ninth IOC president, served for 12 years following his election in 2013 at the 125th Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He served a first eight-year term and was re-elected unopposed for a second four-year term in March 2021.
New Delhi/Raipur, March 20 : In a major victory against Maoist insurgents, security forces have successfully eliminated 22 Left Wing Extremists in two separate encounters across Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh.

This operation, part of the government's 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' (Naxal-Free India Campaign), also led to the recovery of a significant stockpile of weapons and ammunition.

However, success came at a heavy price, as one brave soldier tragically lost his life in the line of duty.

Meanwhile, search operations in the area remain active.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared the news on social media platform X, commending the unwavering dedication of the armed forces.

He stated: "Today, our soldiers achieved another major success as part of the 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'. Twenty-two Naxalites were killed in Bijapur and Kanker. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is adopting a ruthless approach with zero tolerance for Naxalites who refuse to surrender, despite the opportunities offered to them. By March 31 next year, the nation will be free of Naxalism."

The action in Bijapur started early Thursday morning, near the Gangalur police station area.

Security forces, conducting a joint operation near the Bijapur-Dantewada border, found themselves locked in an intense gun-battle with the Maoists.

The confrontation, which began around 7 a.m., sadly resulted in the loss of a District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel's life.

In Kanker, another encounter unfolded almost simultaneously, adding to the day's impactful outcomes.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai added to the conversation by praising the courage and tenacity of the security forces.

"Eighteen bodies were recovered from one site and four from another. We salute the strength and determination of our brave soldiers. At this pace, it won't be long before Bastar is known for its achievements and contributions, rather than for conflict," he said.

He also highlighted the efforts of what he described as the "double-engine government", crediting the seamless coordination between state and Central forces for such successes.

Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma also weighed in, recounting the timeline of the Bijapur operation. He confirmed that the encounter involved DRG personnel and other security teams, resulting in significant damage to the Maoist network.

He also mentioned the ongoing search operation, emphasizing that the forces are committed to ensuring the safety and security of the region. While the fight against Maoists is far from over, such decisive operations continue to bring the nation closer to its vision of an LWE-free future.
Bangkok, March 20 : Strengthening age-old civilizational ties based on Buddhism, a new Centre for Bharat Studies (CBS) was inaugurated at Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University, the oldest Buddhist university in Thailand, on Thursday.

The inauguration, marking yet another milestone in India-Thailand relations, was done jointly by Ambassador of India to Thailand Nagesh Singh and Phra Sitthivajrabundit who is an Assistant Professor and Vice Rector for Foreign Affairs in the iconic university.

Several venerable monks, distinguished scholars and academics from India, Thailand, and other countries were also present on the occasion.

"The centre seeks to foster greater understanding and scholarship in age-old civilizational ties based on Buddhism as well as India's role at the global stage in contemporary times. Ambassador Nagesh Singh in his keynote address highlighted the importance of greater academic exchanges between the Centre and the Indian universities to make it a vibrant hub of knowledge," the Indian Embassy posted on X.

Five such centres in Thailand are already functional at Chulalongkorn University, Silpakorn University, Thammasat University, Mahidol University and Chiang Mai University.

In addition to India Studies Centre, nine India Corners have also been set up in Thai universities -- at PridiBanomyong International College of Thammasat University, Chulalongkorn University, Mae Fah Luang University, Surat Thani Rajabhat University, Prince of Songkla University, Chiang Mai University, UbonRatchathani University, Srinakharinwirot University and also in National Library of Thailand.

The bilateral relations between India and Thailand are rooted in history, age-old social and cultural interactions and extensive people-to-people contacts. The shared link of Buddhism is reflected in regular pilgrimages to places of Buddhist interest in India by many in Thailand.

Last month, while addressing SAMVAD virtually, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the deep cultural ties between India and Thailand which have existed for over 2,000 years and underscored the role of Asian traditions in fostering peace and harmony.

The Prime Minister remarked that the Ramayana and Ramakien connect the two nations and that their shared reverence for Bhagwan Buddha unites them. He noted that when India sent holy relics of Bhagwan Buddha to Thailand last year, millions of devotees paid their respects. PM Modi emphasised the vibrant partnership across multiple sectors between India and Thailand, mentioning that Indiaas 'Act East' policy and Thailandas 'Act West' policy complement each other, promoting mutual progress and prosperity.

Prime Minister Modi also highlighted that the First Asian Buddhist Summit was recently held in India under the theme 'The Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia'. Earlier, India had hosted the First Global Buddhist Summit.
Kolkata, March 20 : The Calcutta High Court will hear, from next week, the plea of the parents of the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim questioning the progress of the probe into the crime.

With the Supreme Court, earlier this week, permitting a parallel hearing in the matter at Calcutta High Court, the counsel for the parents on Thursday approached the single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh again.

The matter will come up for a fresh hearing either on March 24 or the day next, court sources said. The petition on behalf of the victimas parents is in relation to the nature of the investigation so far in the matter by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Earlier, when the victimas parents approached Justice Ghoshas bench, the latter was not agreeable to hear the matter since already the matter was being heard at the apex court.

Justice Ghosh observed that without the consent of the apex court, it would not be possible to hear the matter.

However, now the apex court has cleared parallel hearings before it and the high court, besides the one already continuing at a special court in Kolkata.

The body of the junior woman doctor was recovered from a seminar hall within the premises of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital on the morning of August 9 last year.

The initial probe was being conducted by a special investigation team of Kolkata Police, whose members also arrested the sole convict in the case and civic volunteer Sanjay Roy. However, later, the probe was handed over to the CBI following an order of the Calcutta High Court.

Recently, a special court convicted Roy and sentenced him to life imprisonment. However, the CBI had already challenged this in the Calcutta High Court and demanded the death penalty for Roy.

Now, the CBI is carrying on the investigation in the angle of tampering with and altering the evidence during the initial phase of investigation by Kolkata Police and is expected to submit a supplementary charge sheet in the matter soon.
Patna, March 20 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Bihar from March 29 to 30, as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party's preparations for the upcoming state Assembly elections.

Dilip Jaiswal, the State BJP President, on Thursday, confirmed the Union Home Minister's visit.

He told IANS that Amit Shah would reach Patna at 8 p.m. on March 29.

"Upon his arrival in Patna on the evening of March 29, Amit Shah will hold a high-level meeting with BJP MPs, MLAs, and Ministers to discuss election strategies and gather feedback on the ground situation," BJP leader Jaiswal said.

On March 30, Amit Shah will participate in an event organised by the Ministry of Cooperation at the Bapu Auditorium in Patna.

Additionally, plans are underway for him to address a public rally in Gopalganj district before returning to Patna.

The BJP's state unit has initiated preparations for these events in both Patna and Gopalganj, underscoring the significance of Amit Shah's visit in bolstering the party's readiness for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The Union Home Minister's interaction with BJP leaders aims to refine campaign strategies and ensure alignment with the party's objectives.

Prior to Amit Shah's visit, the Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected to visit Bihar on March 25 to participate in an official event in Saharsa, indicating a series of high-profile engagements in the state in the run-up to the Assembly election.

These visits reflect the BJP's concerted efforts to strengthen its base in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bihar's Bhagalpur district and released the 19th installment to the farmers of the country under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

Besides PM Modi, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also visited Bihar twice to influence the farmers of the state.

The frequent visit by BJP leaders to Bihar is an indication of their serious approach towards the Bihar Assembly election scheduled to be held later this year.
Mumbai, March 20 : India to projected to drive 6 per cent of global trade growth in the next five years, securing third place worldwide behind the US and China, according to a new report released on Thursday.

In the next five years, India is anticipated to retain its third-place rank on the scale dimension as well as jump 15 spots to the 17th position on the speed dimension as its compound annual trade volume growth rate rises from 5.2 per cent to 7.2 per cent, according to the 'DHL Trade Atlas 2025'.

"Additionally, India may also deliver 6 per cent of the world's trade growth, behind China (12 per cent) and the United States (10 per cent)," the report mentioned.

DHL and the New York University Stern School of Business released the report, providing a comprehensive analysis of the most important trends in global trade.

Asia's trade outlook remains positive, mirroring global trade, which is forecast to grow faster over the next five years compared to the preceding decade.

In fact, a few countries in Asia  India, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines  are expected to see especially strong growth. The South Asia as well as Southeast Asia regions are also set to outperform other regions in terms of trade growth.

"As we look towards the future of trade in Asia, it's clear how trade growth has proven surprisingly resilient in the face of recent disruptions. With the ongoing diversification of supply chains that continues to reshape the commerce landscape, Asia has steadfastly emerged as a key player in the global market," said Ken Lee, CEO, Asia Pacific, DHL Express.

Commenting on India's growing role in global trade, R S Subramanian, SVP South Asia, DHL Express said, the report positions the country as a critical hub connecting the east and west.

"While we anticipate trade volume growth and an increase in global trade share, we remain cautiously optimistic about the future given the global economy's general volatility," he said.

The Trade Atlas also found that the centre of gravity of world trade has shifted. The shares of trade conducted by the world's major geographic regions has changed since 2000, with the most dramatic change observed in Asian economies.
New Delhi, March 20 : The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved eight proposals worth over Rs 54,000 crore that include the purchase of more powerful engines for the Army's T-20 tanks, anti-submarine torpedoes for the Navy, and Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems for the Air Force.

New Delhi, March 20 (IANS) The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved eight proposals worth over Rs 54,000 crore that include the purchase of more powerful engines for the Armyas T-20 tanks, anti-submarine torpedoes for the Navy, and Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems for the Air Force.

The council accorded aAcceptance of Necessitya (AoN) for the procurement of a 1350 HP engine to upgrade the present 1000 HP engine for the T-90 tanks. This will enhance the battlefield mobility of these tanks especially in high-altitude areas by increasing the power-to-weight ratio, according to a Defence Ministry statement.

Similarly, the Council gave its nod for the procurement of the indigenously-developed Varunastra Torpedoes (Combat) for the Indian Navy. The ship-launched anti-submarine torpedo has been developed by the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory. Induction of additional quantities of this torpedo would enhance the Navy's capability against adversaries' submarine threats.

The DAC also accorded AoN for Indian Air Forceas procurement of Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems which are capability enhancers that can change the complete spectrum of warfare and exponentially increase the combat potential of every other weapon system, the statement explained.

As a part of celebrating 2025 as aYear of Reformsa in the Ministry of Defence, the DAC also approved the guidelines for reducing the timelines at various stages of the Capital Acquisition Process for the defence services to make it faster, more effective and efficient, the Defence Ministry said.

The large orders being placed for India-made military hardware have also resulted in an increase in self-reliance in accordance with the governmentas Atmanirbhar goal.

Rajnath Singh has expressed confidence that defence production, having crossed the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in 2023-24, will exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26 while defence exports, which touched the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore, will surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the acquisition of the India-made Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) worth nearly Rs 7,000 crore, marking a major step towards the countryas self-reliance in the defence sector.
New Delhi, March 20 : A delegation of National Confederation of OBC (NCOBC) Employees' Welfare Associations met Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi in the national capital on Thursday.

During the meeting, the members of NCOBC delegation apprised the LoP about problems and challenges faced by about 30,000 OBC workers in Central government services and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

NCOBC highlighted the challenges of representation and recognition faced by OBC workers in public sector and PSUs and sought his assistance and support in addressing these challenges and constraints.

The meeting of the NCOBC with Congress MP comes in light of Rahul Gandhi's repeated assertions on redrawing the public representation in the Indian democracy and its several institutions, as per the population and strength of the particular community.

Recently, the Telangana Assembly passed two bills on Tuesday, to hike the reservation for other backward classes in education, employment and local bodies to 42 per cent, fulfilling a major campaign promise based on the recently concluded caste survey.

The move also triggered backlash as it breaches the standard limit of 50 per cent caste-based reservations, as outlined by the courts on multiple occasions.

However, Rahul Gandhi was also quick to laud the initiative and stated that the Congress government in Telangana was fulfilling its promise of increasing OBC reservation in the state.

"The actual number of OBC community obtained through scientific caste count in the state was accepted and a bill for 42 per cent reservation was passed in the Assembly to ensure their equal participation in education, employment and politics. This is indeed a revolutionary step towards social justice through which the wall of 50 per cent reservation in the state has also been demolished," said the Congress MP in a post on X.

"By analysing the social and economic conditions of each community using the caste survey data, policies will be formulated that will ensure the well-being of all. The Telangana government has also formed an independent expert group for this. I have been continuously saying that only through X-ray a" i.e. caste census a" backward and deprived communities can get their due rights," he added.

While admiring the Telangana government's developmental works, he asserted that Congress government has shown the model that the country should replicate.
Ukraine ready to open negotiation clusters on accession to EU both sequentially or all at the same time  Stefanishyna

Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine - Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna states that Ukraine is ready to open negotiation clusters on accession to the European Union both sequentially and within one intergovernmental conference, depending on the progress of negotiations with the Hungarian side.

"We are consulting with both the Hungarian side and the European Commission. Today we understand that the issue of blocking by Hungary goes far beyond this negotiation process," Stefanishyna told reporters on Thursday in Kyiv, answering a question from Interfax-Ukraine whether there is still a prospect of opening the first negotiation cluster in April 2025, given Hungary's position.

She emphasized that today the issue of opening all negotiation Clusters is on the side of the European Commission.

"Ukraine is ready to open clusters both sequentially and can open all clusters within one intergovernmental conference, depending on how the negotiations with the Hungarian side will be conducted," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Stefanishyna added that she constantly gives public signals to the Hungarian side, and the Ukrainian government remains ready for dialogue.

As reported, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos hopes to open the first three clusters of Ukraine's negotiations with the EU on joining the Union in the first half of this year - during the Polish presidency, and the remaining three by December.

The EU procedure defines 35 negotiation chapters. For these chapters, the European Commission first conducts an official screening of the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law. Some 33 of the 35 negotiating chapters are grouped into six thematic clusters, while chapters 34 Institutions and 35 Other issues will be considered separately.

The President and Prime Minister of Ukraine declare the task of completing the process of Ukraine's accession to the EU within approximately five years - by 2030.
Kolkata, March 20 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday assigned her select party leaders responsibilities for managing the affairs of the state government and Trinamool Congress during her visit to the United Kingdom.

Speaking to the newspersons here, the Chief Minister said during her absence, the state government's affairs will be managed by a five-member task force of her cabinet.

The task force includes West Bengal Minister of State in charge of finance (independent charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya, state Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim, state Power Minister Arup Biswas, state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Minister Sashi Panja and the state Fire Services Minister Sujit Bose.

During that time, the affairs of Trinamool Congress will be handled by the party general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee and the party's state president Subrata Bakshi, she said.

The Chief Minister said that even during her United Kingdom visit, she will be available on her mobile phone in case of any emergency.

"Chief Secretary Manoj Pant is also going along with me, and he will also be available on his mobile phone," the Chief Minister said.

However, she refused to make any direct comment on the Nagpur violence, saying that opposition leaders in Maharashtra like Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray would be better persons to comment on this issue.

"All I can say is that I never believe in violence. I never resorted to communal instigation. The impact of the Babri mosque demolition could be felt in West Bengal. But then I went to the state secretariat and asked the administration whether they would need any cooperation from my end. But since the violence occurred in Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray are better persons to give reactions in the matter," the Chief Minister said.

During her visit, the Chief Minister will deliver a lecture at a college affiliated with Oxford University. She is also supposed to attend some business meetings where she is expected to scout investments for the state.
New Delhi, March 20 : As many as 25 Indian nationals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and 11 in Saudi Arabia have been awarded death sentence but the judgement is yet to be implemented, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.

Citing the "informal information" available with the local Indian Mission, the government also detailed that no Indian national has been executed in the UAE between 2020-2024.

Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha on 'Indians languishing in prisons in foreign countries', Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written response that, as per the information available with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the number of Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign prisons at present stands at 10,152.

While revealing the country-wise list, the minister highlighted that, due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the

disclosure of such information. Even countries which share information do not generally provide detailed information about the foreign nationals imprisoned, he mentioned.

"The government attaches high priority to the safety, security and well-being of Indian nationals in foreign countries, including those in the foreign jails. Indian Missions/Posts abroad remain vigilant and closely monitor the incidents of Indian nationals being put in jail in foreign countries for violation/ alleged violation of local laws. As soon as the information about the detention/arrest of an Indian national is received by an Indian Mission/Post, it immediately gets in touch with the local Foreign Office and other concerned local authorities to get consular access to the detained/arrested Indian national to ascertain the facts of the case, confirm his/her Indian nationality and ensure his/her welfare," the minister informed.

According to the details submitted by the MEA, as many as seven Indian nationals - three each in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and one in Zimbabwe - were either executed or given capital punishment in 2024.

The number of Indian nationals who have been awarded death sentence but the judgement is yet to be implemented include 25 in UAE, 11 in Saudi Arabia, six in Malaysia, three in Kuwait and one each in Indonesia, Qatar, USA and Yemen.

"Indian Missions/Posts abroad provide all possible assistance to Indian nationals who have been sentenced, including with death sentences by the foreign courts. Indian Missions/Posts also provide consular access by visiting the jails and follows up their cases with courts, jails, public prosecutors and other concerned agencies. The jailed Indian nationals are also assisted in exploring various legal remedies including filing of appeal, mercy petition, etc," Singh noted in his reply.

While the issue of release and repatriation of Indian nationals in foreign prisons is regularly pursued by Indian Missions and Posts abroad with the local authorities concerned, the government also follows it up during consular and other consultations with other countries.

"In addition, the government, through its Missions/Posts abroad and during high level visits, also takes up and pursues grant of amnesty/commutation of sentences of Indian prisoners in foreign countries. India has also entered into prisoner transfer treaties with many nations that allow a person convicted of a crime to be transferred to his/her home country to serve the prison sentence," the minister detailed in his response.

The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) has also been set up in Indian Missions and Posts abroad for assisting overseas Indian nationals in distress situations on a means tested basis in deserving cases. The support extended under ICWF includes financial assistance to Indian prisoners for legal aid as well as travel documents/air tickets during repatriation.
New Delhi, March 20 : Several airlines have reported cases of GPS interference and spoofing while operating in and around Amritsar, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

The disruptions, which impact aircraft navigation systems, have been most frequent in the border regions of Amritsar and Jammu between November 2023 and February 2025.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told the Lok Sabha that a total of 465 incidents of GPS interference and spoofing have been reported during this period.

These incidents involve attempts to manipulate or block GPS signals, which could mislead navigation systems used by aircraft, he said.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a circular in November 2023, instructing airlines to report such interference cases.

The government has since taken steps to address the issue, including issuing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) in areas where GPS disruptions are frequent, the minister said.

Additionally, airlines have been following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to manage these challenges effectively, he added.

To counter such threats, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and European Union Safety Agency (EASA) guidelines have been implemented.

The government is also ensuring that ground-based navigation systems remain operational, allowing pilots to switch to alternative methods in case of GPS interference, the minister said.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI), responsible for managing air navigation services, has been continuously upgrading air traffic management systems to enhance aviation safety.

The DGCA's circular from November 2023 outlines a detailed action plan for pilots, aircraft operators, and air traffic controllers to deal with GPS-related disruptions.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu announced that the country will require around 30,000 pilots over the next 15 to 20 years as airlines continue to expand their fleets.

Currently, India has over 6,000 pilots, but with domestic airlines placing orders for more than 1,700 new aircraft, the need for skilled pilots is increasing rapidly.

The minister emphasised that India should become a hub for pilot training, ensuring that the country can meet this rising demand.
New Delhi, March 20 : Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based tools are being used for transcribing oral arguments in the Supreme Court, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

However, no AI and ML-based tools are being used by the Supreme Court of India in the decision-making process.

The new technological tools are being used in the transcribing of oral arguments in Constitution Bench matters and these can be accessed from the website of the Supreme Court, Minister of State of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

"The competent authority has directed to consider the transcribing of oral arguments on regular hearing days - Thursdays," said the MoS.

The Registry, Supreme Court of India, is also using AI and ML based tools in close coordination with National Informatics Centre (NIC), in translation of judgments from English language to 18 Indian languages - Assamese, Bengali, Garo, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Khasi, Konkani, Malayali, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Santali, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

The judgments can be accessed through the eSCR portal of the Supreme Court, he said.

The Registry, in close coordination with IIT, Madras, has developed and deployed AI and ML-based tools integrated with the electronic filing software of the Registry for the identification of defects, he said.

Recently, access to the proto-type has been granted to 200 Advocates-on-Record to use the same and share their feedback, to strengthen the right to access to justice and right to administration of justice, he said.

The Registry is also testing prototypes of AI and machine learning (ML) tools for curing defects, data, meta data extraction in collaboration with IIT, Madras.

This AI and ML based tool will be integrated with the electronic filing module and the case management software, namely, Integrated Case Management & Information System (ICMIS).

The AI-based tool, Supreme Court Portal Assistance in Court Efficiency (SUPACE), aimed at developing a module to understand the factual matrix of cases with an intelligent search of the precedents apart from identifying the cases, is in an experimental stage of development for its testing.

The use of SUPACE may be deployed after procurement and deployment of graphic processing unit(s) and other latest technology-based units such as Tensor Processing Unit, the MoS said.
Guwahati, March 20 : Amid the protests by some regional political parties, community-based bodies and the militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent), the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has cancelled its plan to celebrate 'Bihar Diwas' in Assam's Tinsukia district on March 22, a top party leader said on Thursday.

State BJP President Dilip Saikia said the party has decided not to celebrate the 'Bihar Diwas' in Tinsukia to avoid hurting local sentiments.

Saikia, also a Lok Sabha member from Darrang-Udalguri parliamentary constituency, added that many states, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Nagaland, have celebrated the 'Assam Diwas' on December 2 every year.

"The Bihar Diwas was to be celebrated as 'Sneh Milan Utsav' (festival of affection and togetherness) as part of the BJP's 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat' plan over the past few years to uphold togetherness and coexistence across the country. We have decided not to hold the 'Bihar Diwas' in Tinsukia on March 22 after certain sections of society have expressed their opposition about the event," the BJP leader told the media.

However, he said that the day would now be celebrated in other parts of Assam.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the 'oppositiona to celebrate the 'Bihar Diwas' showed 'communal hatred'.

He said that when 'Assam Day' can be observed in other states of the country, it should ideally reciprocate in Assam too.

"Such hostility and prejudice could put off investors," CM Sarma said, reminding people of the possible impact the display of "such mindset" could have on people from Assam studying, working and living in different parts of the country.

The ULFA (I) headed by Paresh Baruah on Wednesday in a statement warned the organisers of 'Bihar Diwas in Tinsukia on March 22 of dire consequences if they went ahead with the plan of celebrating a state that is one of the representatives of "Indian occupational forces".

Subsequently, local parties and indigenous communities such as Ahoms and Morans also expressed their opposition against celebration of the 'Bihar Diwas'.

Raijor Dal leader and party MLA Akhil Gogoi criticised the BJP for its bid to organise the 'Bihar Diwas' with an eye on the Hindi-speaking voters in Assam.

Another regional party, the Assam Jatiya Parishad, also slammed the BJP for "insulting the Assamese people" with its plan to "appease" people from Bihar.

Elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly are due in April-May 2026.
Patna, March 20 : The controversy surrounding the tragic death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has resurfaced. In a new twist, Sushant's cousin, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu, has urged the Maharashtra government to reopen the investigation into her demise, stating that it could unravel crucial details related to Sushant's death.

Patna, March 20 (IANS) The controversy surrounding the tragic death of Disha Salian, former manager of late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has resurfaced. In a new twist, Sushantas cousin, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu, has urged the Maharashtra government to reopen the investigation into her demise, stating that it could unravel crucial details related to Sushant's death.

This development comes five years after Disha Salian's death. Her father, Satish Salian, has approached the Bombay High Court, demanding an FIR be filed against Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and others. His lawyer confirmed that the petition will be processed by Thursday, marking a significant step in a case that has long been shrouded in mystery.

Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu spoke to IANS, sharing his concerns: "After all these years, this issue has come back into the spotlight. Dishaas death occurred just days before Sushant was found dead. Weave always believed thereas a connection. Disha was also murdered, but the police covered it up. Now, her father has come forward and confirmed what weave been saying for so long, that there was external pressure on him. We urge the current government to investigate this case thoroughly, because once the truth comes out about Disha's death, it will shed light on Sushant's case as well. The two are linked, and both cases need to be investigated together."

The petition by Disha's father seeking a CBI probe into her death has reignited political tensions. Maharashtra Minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane called for the arrest and interrogation of Aaditya Thackeray in connection with Dishaas death, intensifying the controversy.

On the other hand, Aaditya Thackeray has dismissed the renewed focus on Disha Salianas death as an orchestrated attempt to deflect attention from more pressing issues. Reacting to the petition, Thackeray stated on Thursday that the ongoing attempts to link him to the case were part of a long-running effort to defame him. He claimed that the timing of this revival was aimed at diverting the publicas focus, especially following recent statements by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on the relevance of Aurangzeb's tomb.

Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling from the 14th floor of a building in Malad suburb of Mumbai. Initially, the police filed an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and ruled out foul play. Just days later, on June 14, actor Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his Bandra apartment, sparking a nationwide debate. The police initially classified it as a suicide, but the case was later transferred to the CBI, given the public outcry and growing suspicions surrounding the circumstances of his death.
New Delhi, March 20 : Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait slammed the Punjab government on Thursday for creating "unnecessary issues" by detaining farmers instead of addressing their demands.

His statement came after the Punjab Police detained farmer leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal while they were returning from a meeting with a Central delegation. Simultaneously, police began evicting farmers who had been staging a sit-in protest for over a year at two crucial borders between Punjab and Haryana.

Tikait, speaking to IANS, accused the Punjab government of mishandling the situation.

"Instead of resolving the issues through discussions, the government is creating unnecessary problems. The detained farmers should be released immediately, and the Punjab government should hold talks with them regarding the roadblocks in the state," he said.

He also criticised the Centre for failing to address farmers' concerns.

"The central government wants Punjab and its farmers to remain in conflict. The Punjab CM should talk to the farmers and ensure coordination. The demands are with the Centre, but Punjab must act fast," he warned.

Tikait further cautioned that the agitation could intensify nationwide if the government failed to act. "The entire movement will shift to Punjab. If this continues, protests will erupt across the country. Meetings are already being held in Chhattisgarh and Odisha as part of the movement," he said.

In response to the detention of Pandher and Dallewal, farmers blocked National Highway 54 indefinitely, condemning the government's actions. Several protesters were later detained by the police.

Additionally, farmers attempting to block the Bathinda route in Sri Muktsar Sahib were also detained before they could stage a demonstration.

As a precautionary measure, internet services have been suspended in Sangrur and Patiala districts. Security has also been heightened at the Khanauri and Shambhu borders following the police crackdown on protesters.
New Delhi, March 20 : India's decision on international oil purchases is based on diverse factors, keeping in mind the country's national interests and priorities, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

In answer to a question on "whether it is a fact that the USA had asked India to stop unloading Russian oil tankers and has set a deadline for it," Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh said that, on January 14, the US Embassy in New Delhi shared with the Ministry of External Affairs information pertaining to U.S. Sanctions of January 10, 2025.

These sanctions were imposed by the US Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on over 400 Russian energy sector-related entities including oil majors and their subsidiaries, LNG terminals, insurance companies, oil traders and brokers, oil vessels and providers of oilfield services.

A 60-day winding down period was also announced after which the US shall designate all those that continue to deal with sanctioned parties in Russia's energy sector, the Minister said in a written reply.

The minister said that all necessary steps have already been taken to sensitise all the relevant stakeholders regarding any provisions that could impact Indian oil traders, oil field service providers, and insurance companies.

India has been buying substantial quantities of oil from Russia, despite US sanctions, as they were available at a discount. This has also helped to keep oil prices in the international market in check as India is the third-largest consumer of oil in the world.

However, with the US administration announcing more stringent measures, it is getting increasingly difficult to hire ships and get insurance cover for the movement of Russian oil.

Meanwhile, India has diversified its sources of purchasing oil and the US has also stepped up production which is expected to keep prices under control. India is likely to buy more oil from the US as well as part of this diversified policy to secure its energy needs.

Market analysts are also closely watching the US efforts to bring the Ukraine-Russia war to an end and negotiations are on for a peace settlement.
Chennai, March 20 : The Madras High Court on Thursday granted bail to a man accused of throwing mud at Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy during his visit to cyclone-hit areas in Villupuram.

Justice Sunder Mohan granted bail to the accused, Ramakrishnan from Iruvelpattu village in Villupuram, disposing of his bail petition.

Advocate A. Ashvathaman, representing Ramakrishnan, argued that the case against his client was fabricated. He pointed out that his client had been in custody for more than 20 days, despite the maximum punishment for the alleged offence being less than two years.

The advocate further contended that an arrest was unnecessary for such a minor charge.

The incident occurred on December 3, when Minister Ponmudy, accompanied by his son and Kallakurichi MP Gautham Sigamani, along with district officials, was visiting areas affected by Cyclone Fengal in Villupuram.

As the minister arrived at Iruvelpattu village, hundreds of residents staged a protest, accusing the government of failing to provide relief and rehabilitation. During the visit, as the minister attempted to console the protesters, unidentified individuals allegedly threw mud at him and other officials.

A video of the incident soon went viral on social media, sparking widespread political debate.

Earlier, the Madras High Court had refused to grant anticipatory bail to Ramakrishnan, citing allegations that the incident had political motivations. Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira had dismissed the plea after Government Advocate (Criminal Side) S. Santhosh argued that even the district Collector was not spared during the chaos.

The incident escalated further when area residents blocked the Tiruchi-Chennai National Highway in protest, demanding immediate relief measures.

Following the attack on the minister, Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai took to social media platform X to criticise the state government.

The case had drawn sharp reactions from both political camps, with opposition leaders using the incident to highlight alleged government negligence in disaster relief efforts.
Damoh, March 20 : A history-sheeter arrested under the charges of attempt to murder, opened fire at a police team when he was taken to the spot in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh, police said on Thursday.

The police added that the accused person identified as Kasim Kasai, who was wanted in connection with an attempt to murder case, was arrested from Kasai Mandi at a village early on Wednesday.

Following which, a police team was taking him for recovery of weapon he used during the crime committed few days ago at the Kaisai Mandi area.

Meanwhile, the accused opened fire at the police team, leaving one police officer injured.

"In the meantime, the accused pulled out a gun and opened fire at police party and tried to escape. Police team also responded and shot on his left leg and arrested him. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Anand Ahirwar has also received minor injury on his right hand," Damoh Superintendent of Police (SP), Shrutkirti Somvanshi, told IANS.

He said that the accused Kasai was taken to a hospital for treatment and has been discharged from the hospital and further investigation in the matter was underway.

ASI Ahirwar was also discharged from the hospital later.

"He (accused Kasim Kasai) was arrested in connection with an attempt to murder case and case was registered few days back. Investigation revealed that as many as 23 criminal cases are registered again him in different police stations in Damoh district, including cow smuggling and attempt to murder," Somvanshi added.

Later, enraged with the incident, Kasai's supporters held a protest and tried to block traffic on busy road, alleging that he was arrested in a fake case.

However, the police team took prompt action and detained them.

"Some people tried to block traffic on a road, however, police team reached there and situation was normalised. Damoh police is alert and those who will try to disrupt law and order will be punished," the Damoh SP added.
The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) is helping evacuate residents of border communities in Sumy region.

"Over the past 2 days, 57 residents have been evacuated from the village of Myropillia, near the border of Sumy region... Volunteers of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society rapid response unit in Sumy region managed to evacuate 31 people, two of whom are disabled," the URCS reported on Facebook on Thursday.

Despite massive shelling from Russia, the operation to evacuate civilians was carried out thanks to coordination with local authorities, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and the National Police.

The Sumy regional organization of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society helps with the free evacuation of people with disabilities and bedridden patients who need medical care from border communities. You can apply for evacuation by calling: +38 (050) 407 1043; +38 (050) 538 7786; +38 (068) 996 5249.
Canberra, March 20 : Record-breaking heat, mass coral bleaching, and biodiversity loss continue to threaten Australia's ecosystems, according to the latest Australia's Environment Report published on Thursday.

The report, produced annually by the Australian National University (ANU) and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) after analysing extensive satellite, station, and field data, said Australia's environment showed a slight improvement in 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of above-average conditions.

However, Australia experienced its second-hottest year on record after 2019, with sea surface temperatures reaching all-time highs, which led to the fifth mass bleaching event in the Great Barrier Reef in under a decade and severe bleaching in Western Australia's Ningaloo Reef, the report said.

Habitat destruction, invasive species, and climate change continue to endanger native ecosystems. While 41 species were added to the threatened species list in 2024, down from a record 130 in 2023, it remains well above the long-term average of 25 per year, it said.

The Threatened Species Index shows an average 58 per cent decline in threatened species populations since 2000. However, report co-author Tayla Lawrie from the TERN noted a slight recent improvement, suggesting possible stabilisation for some species, Xinhua news agency reported.

In 2024, Australia's environmental score reached 7.7 out of 10, a significant recovery from the disaster years of 2019 and 2020, when scores ranged from 0.4 to 2 after the Black Summer bushfires damaged the country's biodiversity, the report showed.

Despite favourable rainfall improving vegetation and soil health, ANU Prof. Albert Van Dijk, lead author of the report, warns the environmental improvements of the last four years do not negate long-term concerns.

As Australia's per capita greenhouse gas emissions remain among the highest in the world, Professor Van Dijk calls for investment in renewable energy, stronger land management policies, and enhanced biodiversity conservation efforts.
Tehran, March 20 : Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Thursday strongly condemned continuous US airstrikes on Yemen and intensified Israeli attacks in Gaza.

His remarks came after US airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen starting Saturday and intensified Israeli assaults on Gaza since early Tuesday.

Baghaei voiced deep sorrow over civilian casualties, including innocent women and children, and the destruction of vital infrastructure in Yemen caused by what he called US "military aggression."

He said the countries providing Israel with arms, financial and political support were accomplices in the Israeli "crimes."

The simultaneity of the US attacks on Yemen with the intensified genocide in Gaza left no doubt about the "joint US-Israeli conspiracy ... to eliminate any call for solidarity with and support for the oppressed Palestinian people," he said.

The United States launched a new round of airstrikes on Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, which, according to the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, wounded at least nine people, including seven women and two children, Xinhua news agency reported.

This marked the second US strike on the area since Saturday, when earlier raids killed 53 people and wounded 98, including many women and children.

In the Gaza Strip, an Israeli airstrike on a crowd of mourners in the north on Wednesday evening killed at least 16 Palestinians and injured over 30 others.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also condemned it and said that deadly US strikes on the Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen were a "crime that must be stopped."

"This attack on the people of Yemen, on Yemeni civilians, is... a crime that must be stopped," Khamenei said in a video published on his website.

Earlier on March 18, Iran had rejected and condemned "reckless and provocative" remarks by US officials, including President Donald Trump, over Tehran's alleged role in attacks by Yemen's Houthis, Iran's envoy to the United Nations said in a letter cited by state media.
Mumbai, March 20 : Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced in the Legislative Assembly that the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award for 2024, the state's highest civilian honour, will be conferred on veteran sculptor Ram Sutar.

"The award consists of a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, a citation, a plaque and a shawl. Ram Sutar is continuously working for sculpture even at the age of 100. He is currently working on the sculpture of the grand memorial of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, which is under construction at Indu Mill. Ram Sutar was selected for the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award at the selection committee meeting held on March 12 this year keeping in mind his unique contribution," said the Chief Minister.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde congratulated Ram Sutar, saying that he has given due glory to the country's identity symbol by creating the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. "He is a Bhishmacharya in the field of sculpture. Heartiest congratulations to Kalamaharshi Sutar, who has dedicated all his art and creativity to uplifting the prestige of Indian culture and traditions, for this award, and a hundredfold salute to his artistic achievements."

Lauding Ram Sutar, a senior sculptor of international fame who has achieved great achievements in the field of art, Shinde said: "The state government has decided to award Maharashtra Bhushan 2024 to Ram Sutar, who, despite reaching the age of 100, creates sculptures that literally seem alive from clay. Dedication, loyalty to work, hard work and determination to reach heights as high as the sky are the mantras of Ram Sutar's success. His work will continue to inspire many generations to come."

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar also congratulated the veteran sculptor after he was awarded the prestigious 'Maharashtra Bhushan'.

"His recognition is a symbol of pure admiration of the 13 crore people of Maharashtra. The honour is a glowing tribute to Maharashtra's rich history, art, and cultural heritage," he said.

"Sutar has made hundreds of sculptures across the world, each one a masterpiece of beauty and artistry. Through his sculptures of great personalities such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he has brought India's history to life," Pawar said.

"The 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in the Indian Parliament, the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Delhi, and the under-construction statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar at Chaityabhoomi in Dadareach of these sculptures not only showcases his artistic excellence but also reflects his deep respect and admiration for these great personalities," Pawar added.
Raipur, March 20 : In a decisive crackdown on Maoist insurgency, security forces in Chhattisgarh have gunned down 30 Maoists in two intense encounters that began on Thursday morning in the Bastar region.

The first operation started along the Bijapur-Dantewada border, while the second took place near the Kanker-Narayanpur border.

However, the success came with the loss of a District Reserve Guardas life who was martyred during the exchange of fire.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah applauded the security forces for their success earlier in the day and said they had successfully eliminated 22 Maoists on the two separate operations.

Also, state Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces for the crackdown on Maoists.

Home Minister Shah had said in a post on X that it was another major success as part of the 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan' as the country is poised to become anaxal-freea by March 31 next year.

A well-placed police source told IANS that 26 Maoists were killed in the Bijapur encounter, while four more were eliminated in Kanker. Tragically, he said, the operation in Bijapur also claimed the life of a brave District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan, who was martyred during the exchange of fire.

Heavy firing continued from both sides until Thursday afternoon. Security forces have recovered the bodies of the slain Maoists along with a cache of automatic weapons from the encounter sites, marking a significant blow to the insurgents.

In a separate incident, two jawans sustained injuries in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast in the Thulthuli area, located near the Narayanpur-Dantewada border. Both injured personnel are reported to be in stable condition and are receiving medical care.

The operations were launched following intelligence reports about a large gathering of Maoists in the Gangaloor area. Acting on this information, security forces initiated a joint operation along the Dantewada-Bijapur border.

The forces had already reached the Andri area on Wednesday, and the encounter began early Thursday morning. These coordinated efforts reflect the relentless determination of security forces to dismantle Maoist strongholds and restore peace in the affected areas.
Chennai, March 20 : In a major operation against drug trafficking, the Greater Chennai Police arrested two individuals and seized 102 kg of ganja, a Honda City car (KA 01 MD 2866), and two mobile phones, police said on Thursday.

The arrests were made following a tip-off from an informant in Andhra Pradesh.

Acting swiftly, the police intercepted the suspects near Maduravoyal Bypass Road in Anagaputhur.

The accused have been identified as Paraman (45) from Madurai district and Daniel Raja (34) from Usilampatti.

Paraman has a long history of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, theft, rioting, assault, and criminal intimidation.

He has been arrested multiple times in Madurai and nearby districts.

Daniel Raja was previously booked under the NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) Act in Thirumangalam earlier this year.

Investigations have unearted Paraman's deep involvement in an extensive interstate drug syndicate.

Fluent in Telugu due to his earlier murukku (snack) business in Andhra Pradesh, he allegedly turned to drug trafficking in 2019.

During the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections, he was arrested in Nellore district with 10 kg of ganja and jailed in Visakhapatnam.

There, he established connections with Andhra Pradesh-based drug suppliers, Nagaraj and Najeem, from Narasipattinam.

After his release in May 2024, he resumed his operations and partnered with Daniel Raja.

The duo procured a Honda City car from Tiruppur and made multiple trips to Narasipattinam to smuggle ganja.

Police said that the pair bought 52 kg of ganja (26 parcels) for Rs 2 lakh and sold it in the hilly terrains of Usilampatti.

According to the Chennai police, the duo purchased 90 kg (45 parcels) for Rs 4 lakh from Najeem for the Pongal season in January 2025.

Their latest purchase was 101 kg (51 parcels) for Rs 8 lakh, but they were intercepted en route to Chennai before completing their sale, police said.

A senior police officer said, "This syndicate exploited the Andhra Pradesh-Tamil Nadu Corridor, using remote hilly areas as storage hubs. Paraman's network expanded through his jail contacts, highlighting the organised nature of the operation."

Authorities are now working to track down upstream suppliers and local distributors involved in the network.

In a parallel effort, the Tamil Nadu Police have intensified their crackdown on the trafficking and use of methamphetamine, a highly addictive drug.

Special operations are underway across the state to curb its spread.

Recent arrests have shown that methamphetamine is being sold in urban and rural areas, with traffickers even targeting school students.

Taking strict action, Director General of Police (DGP) Sankar Jiwal has directed all district police superintendents to personally oversee special squads dedicated to dismantling drug networks.

Authorities are also monitoring gyms and health clubs, where methamphetamine use has reportedly increased among fitness enthusiasts looking to manage muscle pain from intense workouts.

Tamil Nadu has become a critical transit point for international drug syndicates, smuggling methamphetamine and its precursor, pseudoephedrine, to countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Australia, where demand is high.

In 2024 alone, the Narcotics Control Bureau and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence seized methamphetamine worth nearly Rs 380 crore.

With law enforcement ramping up efforts, authorities are determined to dismantle these drug networks and prevent further proliferation.
Damascus, March 20 : Germany has reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 13-year closure, Syrian media reported on Thursday, coinciding with a visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Baerbock's trip, her second to Syria since the collapse of former President Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024, saw the reopening of the diplomatic mission.

German media, citing Baerbock, reported that a small number of diplomats, fewer than 10, will be stationed at the reopened embassy.

During her visit, Baerbock held high-level meetings with Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa, foreign affairs chief Asaad Al-Shaibani, and representatives of Syrian civil society.

Baerbock also toured the heavily damaged Jobar neighbourhood in Damascus, a district that bore the brunt of the country's civil war.

Germany closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 when the country's brutal civil war began.

Several other European countries, such as Italy and Spain, have already reopened their embassies in the Syrian capital.

The reopening of Germany's diplomatic mission in Syria marks a significant shift, following the ousting of President al-Assad by a coalition of rebel forces led by his newly appointed successor, Ahmad al-Shara. The swift rebel offensive, which led to the end of more than five decades of Assad family rule, set the stage for this diplomatic move three months later.

However, the reopening comes at a time of intense violence, particularly along the Syrian coast, the heartland of the Alawite minority to which Assad belongs. Clashes between security forces loyal to the new government and those still backing the old regime have resulted in significant casualties. According to monitoring groups such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, hundreds of civilians, primarily Alawites, have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict.

Germany, a leading power within the European Union, joins a growing list of countries adjusting their diplomatic stance following the fall of Assad. Italy reopened its embassy last year, prior to Assad's fall, while Spain did so after his ouster. In December, the EU announced plans to reopen its mission in Syria, signalling its intent to engage with the country's new leadership.

In January, Hungary became another EU member to resume its diplomatic presence in Damascus, while Turkey and Qatar, key backers of the rebel forces now in power, were among the first nations to reopen their missions in Syria following the regime change. Spain followed suit shortly thereafter, reopening its embassy in January as well.
Kolkata, March 20 : Senior doctor Subarna Goswami, who became a face of the movement by the medical fraternity against the R.G. Kar rape and murder tragedy in August last year, has been transferred to Darjeeling - and in a lower ranked-post.

Goswami been transferred to a post which is one rank lower than his existing rank. As per the notification issued by the state Health & Family Welfare Department, Goswami, who is currently the deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH)-II of East Burdwan district has been transferred as the Superintendent of Darjeeling TB Hospital.

Giving his reactions to the development, Goswami said that although as a government servant, he has to accept any transfer, from the nature of the transfer, it is evident that it was a vindictive move.

"My next posting is a rank lower than my current post. Moreover, the hospital where I am being posted in Darjeeling does not have any scope for work. Hardly do patients get admitted there. This is the eighth time I have been transferred during the current Trinamool Congress regime. Again out of these eight transfers, five had been in the same rank," he said.

At the same time, he added, through this transfer, the state administration would not be able to break his morale to continue with the movement on the RG Kar issue.

"My fight will continue. Not just me but also others who were at the forefront of the movement on the R.G. Kar issue are being targeted. I have been questioned by police when the movement was at its peak. I am not scared," Goswami said.

Goswami and Kunal Sarkar, the two highly reputed senior doctors from the state, were summoned to the Kolkata Police headquarters last year when the movement was at its peak and questioned by the then city Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal.

Dr Utpal Banerjee from the Joint Platform of Doctors said that they believe that this transfer is an expression of extreme vendetta and hence the forum strongly condemns it and demands the immediate cancellation of this order.
New Delhi: Colonel : Miri Eisin, a veteran of Israeli intelligence with a distinguished career spanning two decades, has served in critical intelligence roles within the military to advising the country's Prime Minister during pivotal moments. Colonel Eisin brings an unparalleled depth of knowledge regarding Middle East and Counter-terrorism.

Currently a Fellow at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, a faculty at Reichman University, and a leading voice in global media on Middle Eastern affair, Colonel Eisin spoke with IANS in this exclusive interview on the events following October 7, 2023 in context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, offering her comprehensive and nuanced perspective.

Excerpts:

IANS. What is the anatomy of Hamas attack on Israel that took place on October 7, 2023? How it is different, from the earlier attacks?

Miri Eisin: When we talk about the Hamas terror attack on October 7, 2023, we're talking about something that Hamas prepared for a very long time, and I'm going to divide it into two different aspects -- the attack itself on October 7, meaning the infiltration into Israel, and that Hamas prepared for such a long time is what I'm going to call tiers of defence, levels of defence that were prepared physically, underground, above ground, years in advance to support the attack itself into Israeli territory. The terror attack into Israel was a unique one. We don't want any other terror organizations copying this modus operandi. But, the aspect of what they prepared in their tiers of defence is really where Israel, for the last year and four months, is finding the biggest challenges, because beyond that horrific terror attack of October 7, what they built inside the Gaza Strip as their defence system is an enormous underground sub terrain, an arena which is only for the use of Hamas, the terror army. This is something which is incredibly difficult for militaries to do anything with. And that's what Israel has been trying to destroy for over a year and four months. And you do it systematically, slowly. But there's no easy way to do so. It's built underneath the entire Gaza Strip, hundreds of kilometres of underground subterranean tunnels that interconnect, that are protected. That's where they put the hostages that they took. It's where they have their own defences. They want to pull the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) under underground. What it gives the terror army is the protection underground, and mobility. Mobility is a very military term. In the second level of defence, Hamas built an advanced underground subterranean arena they were building for two dozen years. This is something that they've been doing for such a long time. Above ground, it's taking the urban area. Think of the urban sprawl, a city sprawl anywhere in the world, in India or anywhere you're thinking of, and in the structures themselves, in the buildings where people live, that's where you are building all of the different positions. Assuming that the IDF are going to come in, you come into urban area, which is always a difficult military arena, and Hamas built into the children's room on the second floor and the third apartment; behind underneath their beds, they were having the RPG positions. Hamas also built the different structures and positions for the missiles, the rockets, the different type of projectiles that they have in the mosque, in the courtyard of the school, inside the classroom, let alone inside and underneath hospitals. And these are things where we say the term 'terror army'. No army does that. A 'terror army' does that. So you have things that were prepared years in advance, underground and above ground. But those are only two layers of defence that Hamas prepared in advance. They also took the hostages.

IANS: So was taking hostages also a part of this multi-tier strategy of Hamas?

Miri Eisin: Well, one of the main focus of the October 7 attack, when they came in from over 60 different sites simultaneously, where they overcame all of the different defences that we had and didn't have, they were coming in to murder, to terrorize, to brutalize by barbaric attacks in every way. I don't like expanding on it. It hurts me to even talk about it. But the focus was in coming in there, taking 250 different hostages from the age of nine months, where they brutally murdered a nine-month baby that they took alive and then murdered with bare hands afterwards. They killed people from some nine months to the age of 84, from different communities.

IANS: Why was Hamas focused on taking Israeli citizens as hostages?

Miri Eisin: The hostage taking is to terrorize, to scare us, to tear us apart as Israelis. That is their defence system; that they're tearing us apart, and also this hostage taking was to be used in a horrific way as a bargaining chip. So you already have here three tiers of defence that Hamas built over years. And the hostage situation was the target.

IANS: You mentioned about three levels of 'defence' built by Hamas, what were the other two levels?

Miri Eisin: Two additional levels of defence were built upfront by Hamas for over a very long time period. One is the international organisations, the UNRWA. The main employer inside the Gaza Strip, after the Hamas controlled government was the United Nations Organization agency called UNRWA. A lot of people have heard of it. The United Nations Relief and Welfare Agency for the Palestinian Refugees, who literally for the last 75 years from 1949-50 have been the ones who are supposed to give what it sounds like welfare, but they are the second largest employer. They are, by far, the largest education system. And they became also, in that sense, a cover for Hamas' defence. The Hamas built both sites and capabilities projectiles in different sites inside UNRWA schools, hospitals, and different facilities and then it is being made to appear as if the United Nations is being attacked by Israel, when literally Hamas is just deeply embedded inside that organisation. So, these are four levels of defence that were prepared in advance. The fifth level of defence is the one where Israel has had the biggest challenges. And that's the information warfare or the terror narrative, or the legitimising of a terror army. And in that one, on October 7, on that day of the attack, while they were attacking, while they were doing their barbaric acts in Israel, taking the hostages, murdering people, killing, sexual abuse, horrific, horrific things. At the same time, Hamas put out two different versions of the October 7 attack, and they filmed two different versions. And those two narratives have had an enormous impact because the one was to terrorize us, the Israelis, supporters of Israel, who saw the barbaric attacks that they did. It's to make us scared and change our lives and for the rest of the world. It was to show how these resistance fighters are humiliating the horrible occupiers. And that narrative has been expanded horrifically over the last 14 months because of the tiers of defence I described before. Because as soon as they took the hostages and went into these tiers of defence. Hamas immediately presented themselves as the victims, as civilians, as Israel, attacking them for no reason. And, here we are in 2025, with those five tiers of defence still standing, the underground subterranean has not been destroyed by Israel. The facilities or operations of Hamas above ground have been exposed, but again, it's an enormous amount to take care of. They're still holding hostages. The international organisations are vehemently anti-Israel, and in the information warfare, a large portion of the world has turned against Israel.

IANS: Right now, there is an exchange of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian prisoners many of which are terrorists and radical islamists, which is going on, how do you see this panning out? It seems to be too slow, why?

Miri Eisin: Issue of the hostages is a core part of the terror army attack on October 7. Hostages for Hamas are strategic bargaining chips of what they want to achieve. First of all, they want to legitimize themselves. One of the main things that they've tried to show over the last 16 months is that the hostages that they took from their homes in such a barbaric attack on October 7 are same as prisoners in Israel. The fact is that those were in Israeli prisons are mainly men that have been, participating actively in terror organisations and terror activities, who were arrested while they were doing these activities, who were put on trial, who were found guilty, who were put into prison, and who are serving prison sentences for terrorism. But Hamas has tried to project as if they are the same as the hostages who were taken and murdered at the age of nine months and 84 years and are held in that subterranean arena. That's the first thing that they're trying to achieve. And for Hamas, that means that they don't mind how long it takes, because, for them, it's a bargaining chip. What they want to achieve is to get as many prisoners out of jail. That is part of the bargaining chip, but they want it to be in the focus of the world. They want to show it because they want the world to not do the distinction between these hostages that were taken and between the prisoners that are inside Israel. This aspect of the negotiation is very, very difficult. There is no easy way if we don't let out the prisoners from jail, then we won't get back our Israeli and non Israeli citizens - mothers, grandparents, children. And, if you let out these horrific terrorists, they have blood on their hands. So, it's both a combination of, long term prisoners who have been in Israeli jails for acts of terrorism over the last 10, 20, 30, even 40 years and different Hamas terror fighters that were arrested by Israel in the fighting in the last 16 months. That is the horrific world of terrorism. You know that in India, that's not something unique here. That is part of what terrorism does. They take the hostages and then they want to be paid in prisoners who have been put on trial and found guilty in jail, in the stages of negotiations, Israel tried to get to the hostages in additional way. We managed to release, to free, some of the hostages. Not a large number through military actions, where we went into. We did military actions to bring back the, the dead bodies of some of the hostages. But at the end, what Hamas planned on October 7 was both to take them and to hold them in such a way where if we do our actions, they murdered six young people rather than have us get to them. We inadvertently, so erroneously, killed three hostages, not understanding who they were. They have done all of these actions. That's part of the terrorizing. So, when we get to the stage of negotiation, this isn't a happy stage. It's not a peace stage. There's no easy way. It isn't just an exchange. It's that you have to give up the prisoners. And, Israelis are willing to give up these terror prisoners for the hostages. But, it's with an understanding that you're letting go. Somebody who has killed somebody in Israel before or killed many people in Israel before. These prisoners who were let out, some of them, are from West Bank. Some of them are from like East Jerusalem. Some are from Gaza. And part of the negotiation and the devil is in the details is where were will these freed terror prisoners go to? And so that's why it takes so long. That's why it's so hard. We're letting out horrific terror prisoners, but we're doing it in exchange for our citizens. And what Hamas want to do is to prolong this, because every time they hold it, there in the eye of the world more. As I said, their defence system is mainly built on the narrative that they are the victims. And if they're the victims, who's the bad guy? Israel. So that the whole structure, even of the hostage situation, is about legitimizing for Hamas their own people and about the Hamas and Palestinians being the victims. And, I give all of this background because we're in a stage where we've managed to get out so many of the hostages, we've paid a high, high price. We brought in over 175 of the 250 that were taken, but there are still 59 hostages in the Gaza Strip. Of the 59, only 24 are alive, and I don't even know for sure all of those 24 are alive. But Hamas have held dead hostages for years, not just from this war. And I give all of that because that's where we are. It's like you have to negotiate it. You have to agree. It's never going to be easy. The devil in the detail is also how do you actually do the exchange? And in the five exchanges that happened in January and February, mainly in February of 2025, Hamas used it as a stage. I call this a 'Terror Theatre', where they are trying to show all sorts of different aspects that continue with that same horrific terror narrative that I described before. So I'm very, very challenged by the stage we're in. We've agreed to get to a certain stage. They still hold 59 Israelis, 24 of them hopefully still alive. And it's already been a year and four months. The ones that have come back have been in horrific shape. And Hamas has threatened that they will murder the hostages. They hold them as a bargaining chip. And they announced that they'll murder, though if we don't give up what they want. We're talking about a horrific situation. There's no easy way out. There's enormous public pressure inside Israel. And I understand it because it could be your kid. My kid, my mother. I mean, in that example, in that sense, people aren't aware that there are three bodies of women hostages that were taken and killed. There's a woman there in her 70s, and you say she's not alive, but if we don't get back those bodies, then again, Hamas use these as bargaining chips later on. So right now, what we're trying to get to is a deal that will bring back all 59, both the 24 who were alive and the rest of the bodies. Hamas is demanding a price which for Israel is very hard to think about at all. It's not just the release of horrific prisoners, Palestinian terror prisoners from jails. It's also a really meant that Israel would leave all of the Gaza Strip that we have been in different areas of since the beginning of this war, trying to get to our hostages, trying to destroy Hamas, and to do so when Hamas still has viable capabilities, we've degraded them horrifically. And that's excellent. But we have not destroyed their military capabilities. Certainly we never tried to destroy, the ideology. That's a really big challenge.
Mumbai, March 20 : Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday warned that those who are spreading lies in connection with the Disha Salian death case can also backfire on them.

He said this after he and his son Aaditya Thackeray were being targeted especially by the MahaYuti partners a day after Disha Salian's father filed a petition seeking CBI probe while naming Aaditya Thackeray.

The petitioner also claimed that Disha Salian was raped and murdered.

"Six-seven generations of our family are in front of the public. So there is no truth in these things. There is no truth in the Disha Salian case, there is no distant connection. I want to tell these people that if they spread lies, it will boomerang on them," said Thackeray.

"I was surprised that this issue did not come up in the last two legislative sessions. Every time the session comes, this issue is raised. Farmers' pyres are burning, who is responsible for that. What about their investigation? Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh was murdered, what about his murder? His children are demanding justice. What is the government's position on this? Hearing on Disha Salian's death case is taking place in the court. Therefore, whatever evidence there is, it should be given to the court. Whatever Disha Salian's lawyer says, he should tell it in court," he told reporters.

Commenting on the Nagpur violence, Thackeray said that the hands of the rioters who attacked women police personnel should be uprooted. Along with that, if anyone instigated the riot, he should also be shown the full force of the law. He thanked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for warning his leaders not to make provocative statements.

"The same poison that he tried to use to destroy the opposition is now killing the BJP," he claimed.

He also slammed the state government for Nagpur violence.

"I would like to thank the RSS because they buried the very people who raised the issue of Aurangzeb's grave. I am tired of talking about some old issue instead of talking about what is going on in the state and creating riots, so I thank the RSS," said Thackeray.

"Overall, there are a lot of those in power and only a handful of opposition parties. The handful of opposition parties is strongly taking on the ruling alliance. Just today, a delegation of all parties went to meet the Governor and brought his notice that work that is being carried out by the ruling alliance is trampling on the values of democracy," said Thackeray.
Bengaluru, March 20 : In a major development, Karnataka Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna claimed on Thursday, on the floor of the House, that an attempt to honey-trap him was made by political rivals and that the matter needs to be investigated.

Responding to the issue and the BJP's demand for an investigation, Home Minister G. Parameshwara announced that a high-level probe would be conducted. "This is a question of the honour of every member of this House. We must put an end to it," he emphasized.

The issue sparked a heated debate in the legislative Assembly, leading to dramatic developments as members became emotional while discussing the matter. Following this, state politics is expected to take a significant turn in the coming days.

The matter was raised by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal during his speech on the state Budget.

Yatnal stated: "The Home Minister has just arrived, and I want to present an important issue in the House. Karnataka politics is currently witnessing a disgraceful phase. Over the last 10 years, our elected representatives and ministers have been targeted. This is a black mark in the history of our state, which has always been known for its culture and high standards."

He further alleged: "An attempt has been made to honey-trap our Minister for Cooperation. This is not about political partiesit is a systematic attempt to honey-trap legislators. I urge the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to take action. Honey trapping is being used in the state as a tool for blackmailing politicians. It is being orchestrated by individuals who aspire to become ministers and secure positions for their family members."

"In Karnataka, certain people associated with specific political parties are resorting to such tactics to secure their future, their family's future, and even the position of Chief Minister. Today, an attempt has been made on Minister Rajanna. Tomorrow, it could be another politician," Yatnal warned.

Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna, who was present in the House, described the situation as serious.

"Since BJP MLA Yatnal has mentioned my name, I must clarify the matter. A wrong message should not go out, so I want to set the record straight. Many people say Karnataka has become a hub for the creation of CDs and pen drives. I am not the one saying this," he stated.

Minister Rajanna continued, "This is a serious allegation. There are reports that two ministers from Tumakuru have been involved in honey-trapping and have been caught. I am from Tumakuru, and Home Minister G. Parameshwara is also from Tumakuru.

"As far as the production of CDs and pen drives is concerned, there are about 48 individuals affectednot just one or twoincluding members of both the ruling and opposition parties. Many legislators have obtained court orders to prevent the broadcast of their footage. That is another matter," Rajanna added.

"This issue is not confined to our state; it is happening at the national level. I will not respond to the allegations against me here. I demand that Home Minister Parameshwara conduct an investigation based on a written complaint that I will file. He should identify those who are orchestrating thiswho are the 'directors' and 'producers' behind this scheme. The public also has the right to know who the 'actresses' involved are. Let the facts come to light."

He further stated, "There are pen drives involving around 48 individuals, including members from both the opposition and ruling parties. Even national-level leaders are involved. This has become a menace, and it must be addressed. Generalizing this issue will only cause further harm. Those in public life must be respected. In this context, I will file a written complaint and demand an investigation from the Home Minister. The truth must be brought before the public."

He also pointed out, "Earlier, Revanna (JD(S) MLA and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's son) and his family were targeted. There is evidence suggesting that attempts have been made against me as well. I will file a complaint, and I demand a special investigation to expose those responsible."

At this point, BJP MLA N. Munirathna stood up and declared, "I fold my hands before you. I have been a victim of this as well. The government can hand over my case to the CBI. If I am guilty, hang me. Let a CBI investigation take place. I want to say one thing: in the future, I warn all MLAs that all sorts of conspiracies are being planned to destroy us."

"They have already ruined my life. My children are grown up, and my grandchildren are 15 years old. How can they step outside with dignity? If I have done anything wrong, punish me as you see fit," Munirathna said, emotionally.

"Let those who have falsely accused me of rape take an oath before the gods. To destroy my life, they filed a rape case against me. They brought in someone from a distant place and lodged a case against me in Ramanagara at 2 a.m. Do they have to go to such extremes to ruin my life? What have I done to deserve this? Don't they have children and grandchildren of their own? Won't their families suffer too?" he asked.

"They destroyed the life of BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi. They destroyed Revanna's family. They have destroyed my family. How many more lives will they ruin? They will have to face a painful end," Munirathna cursed.

BJP MLA V. Sunil Kumar then stated, "A responsible minister has raised this issue in the House, and this House must condemn such acts. No one should have to endure such suffering. Political battles should be fought over ideologies, policies, and programsnot through such unethical means. Since a minister himself has brought up the issue of honey-trapping, the House cannot remain silent."

"Minister Rajanna has stated that 48 members have been honey-trapped. The Home Minister must answer in this session. If a minister from his own district is facing such a plight, what about the common people of the state? Who is behind this? Is the government involved, or is an individual facilitating it?" Sunil Kumar questioned.

"This cannot be tolerated. If politics descends to a level where anything goes, tomorrow, all of us could become victims. This is about dignity, not politics. Minister Rajanna spoke with emotion, and we must stand by anyone who faces such a crisis. How can such honey-trap schemes be allowed to continue? The Home Minister must not delay action. Let the House sit until midnight if needed," he urged.

Congress MLA H.C. Balakrishna questioned, "Let them explainwhat exactly a honey trap is? Why does it happen?"

Minister Rajanna reiterated that even central leaders and judges have fallen victim to such schemes.

Responding to the House, Home Minister Parameshwara stated, "BJP MLA Yatnal has raised a serious issue, and Munirathna has spoken with great anguish. This concerns every member of this House. It is not just one or two people falling victimthis needs to be stopped completely."

"Karnataka legislators have a reputation to uphold. My father was a member of the Upper House. Our elders have left behind their legacy. It is our responsibility to protect the dignity and honor of the members of this House. If we fail to address this, it will become a serious matter of reputation and integrity," he said.

"Minister Rajanna has stated that he will file a written complaint. Based on that, I will order a high-level inquiry. Let the truth come out. The facts must be known," Parameshwara concluded.
The printing house Factor-Druk (Kharkiv), which was destroyed in May 2024 as a result of Russian shelling, has been restored, First Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko reported.

"The printing house Factor-Druk has been restored," she wrote on her Facebook page, adding a photo of the printing house's shop after the shelling in May last year and its restored appearance.

She recalled that the government then turned to American billionaire Howard Buffett for help, whose foundation volunteered to help restore the printing house.

"Howard Buffett was the first to write, "We will restore." And today we have a photo of the restored workshop," the official wrote.

As reported, on May 23, 2024, the Kharkiv printing house Factor-Druk was damaged as a result of an enemy attack on the city.

According to the printing house's Facebook page, seven printing house employees were killed then, and 22 were injured.

The missile hit the center of the workshop, out of 4,000 sq m more than 1,000 sq m was destroyed, equipment was damaged, and more than 45,000 copies of books were destroyed.

"Previously, 750,000-900,000 books were printed here every month. There were several full-scale printing presses at Factor, which were no longer in Ukraine," the statement said after the destruction.

The Factor-Druk printing house, which, together with the Vivat publishing house and bookstores, is part of the Factor group of companies, is, according to its information, one of the largest full-cycle printing complexes in Eastern Europe, occupying 30% of the Ukrainian market.

Factor-Druk has been operating on the market since 1996. According to its website, its production capacity is 50 million books in hard and soft covers, 100 million magazines and 300 million newspapers per year.

The founder of the group of companies is businessman Serhiy Polituchy.

"Serhiy Polituchy, your resilience is impressive. Thank you for what you do. Thank you Howard Buffett  it is a great blessing for Ukraine to have such a friend," Svyrydenko wrote.

According to Opendatabot, Factor-Druk LLC in 2024 received UAH 287.2 million of net profit against UAH 40.5 million a year earlier, with a 43% drop in revenue to UAH 125.13 million.
Ranchi, March 20 : Senior Congress leader T.S. Singh Deo on Thursday strongly condemned the detention of Punjab farmers near the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, calling it an affront to democratic principles.

His remarks came after several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal - who had been on an indefinite hunger strike - were detained in Mohali while returning from a meeting with a central delegation.

Leaders like Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra, and Manjit Singh Rai were also reportedly detained during this crackdown.

Speaking with IANS, T.S. Singh Deo said: "In a democracy, as long as people do not take the law into their hands and express their views peacefully, no government should prevent them from protesting. What happened to these farmers is against the very values that democracy stands for."

Singh Deo further criticised the handling of law and order issues in Chhattisgarh, particularly after 30 Maoists were killed in two separate operations in Bijapur and Kanker districts.

"This issue falls under the jurisdiction of both the state and Central governments, as it pertains to law and order. Unfortunately, for decades, the governments have failed to address this matter effectively. We have been advocating for increased resources and force, and now, military presence in the area is at sufficient levels. Those who continue to push their agenda through violence, particularly those linked to Naxal (Maoist) ideologies, are now facing decisive action from the authorities."

The Congress leader also expressed his thoughts on the recent development in Karnataka, where the state Assembly passed a resolution opposing the Centreas proposed amendments to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Questioning the necessity of these amendments, he asked: "Why make amendments now? If any registered institution does something wrong, there are laws already in place to deal with that. But what the government is attempting to do now is create a mechanism to bring people of different religions into a religious institution's management, which could create unnecessary conflict."

He emphasised that while religious institutions should remain autonomous, any changes should be carefully considered to avoid stoking communal tensions.

He further suggested that if the government allows people from all religions to manage the affairs of religious trusts, it should apply equally across all religions.

The Congress leader further reacted to the ongoing controversy over the delimitation issue, which has sparked protests across the country.

"If delimitation results in an increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats in proportion to population growth, as the Constitution intends, there should be no objection. In Jharkhand, for instance, if the number of seats were to double, it would be fair. But if the stateas number of seats were to increase disproportionately, thatas where the concern lies," Singh Deo added.

The issue of delimitation took centre stage in Parliament on Thursday, as protests erupted in both Houses. DMK MPs wore identical T-shirts in protest against the proposed delimitation exercise, which is set to occur after the 2026 census unless Parliament chooses to extend the freeze on delimitation by amending the Constitution. The protests disrupted the proceedings, leading to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha within minutes of its session starting. Speaker Om Birla criticised the protesters' conduct, noting that wearing T-shirts in Parliament was disrespectful to the institutionas dignity. In the Rajya Sabha, Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar also adjourned the proceedings until noon after discussions on the matter.
Hyderabad, March 20 : Miss World Krystyna Pyszkova believes that diversity is the strength and power of India and that the entire world can learn from this.

The Miss World 2024 on Thursday addressed a news conference organised by the Telangana government to announce that the state will be hosting the 72nd Miss World in May this year.

"I would say diversity is the strength and power of India because you have so many nations, you have so many languages, you have so many ethnicities. Itas beautiful. You have the strength because it is the sense of unity that connects all of it and the whole world can learn from that," the Miss World said.

Pyszkova feels that Miss World has the same sense of unity. "We have a sense of unity where more than 180 contestants come from all around the world. We are different but we have the same vision and we are united. Thatas the beauty with a purpose. Thatas our mission and thatas what connects all of us," she said.

On the upcoming edition of Miss World in Telangana, she said: "I am sure this year in May we all will be connected and bring the best festival that celebrates womenas empowerment."

She stated that India has a special place not only in her heart but also in her journey as the Miss World as she began her journey here last year. She termed as unforgettable the atmosphere that she witnessed during the tour and was delighted to experience it again.

The Czech model was impressed with what she learned during her visit to Telangana. "India is inspiring. It is teaching all of us so many important things like understanding the spirits which I found out when I visited temples when I had a day to explore Telangana. You teach us values of understanding, gentleness of hearts and mainly the unifying love that represents diversity," she said.

Miss World Limited Chairperson and CEO Julia Morley said that Miss World has always been more than a beauty pageant as itas a platform for global goodwill, culture, and empowerment. "Telangana, with its breathtaking landscapes, deep-rooted traditions, and modern outlook, is the perfect host for this celebration of global unity. We are excited to bring the world to Telangana and create a lasting impact," she said.

Telanganaas Minister for Tourism and Culture Jupally Krishna Rao said it was a matter of pride that Hyderabad will be hosting Miss World 2025. Terming it a prestigious event, he said the state government was making all the arrangements for the event which would begin on May 7.

Tourism and Culture Secretary Smitha Sabharwal said the state was excited to host Miss World.

She said that Telangana has a robust infrastructure, excellent connectivity, safety and orderliness, secured water, health and sanitation infrastructure and is known as vaccine capital of the world.

Listing out the strengths of the state and its accomplishments in all sectors, she said the state government has unveiled a tourism policy that aims to attract Rs 15,000 crore investments in the coming five years.
Imphal, March 20 : The shutdown, as well as curfew, in Manipur's Churachandpur district badly affected normal life for the fourth day on Thursday even as no fresh incidents were reported in the tribal district, officials said.

Imphal, March 20 (IANS) The shutdown, as well as curfew, in Manipuras Churachandpur district badly affected normal life for the fourth day on Thursday even as no fresh incidents were reported in the tribal district, officials said.

The district administration has extended the curfew in the trouble-torn district while the security forces comprising both Manipur Police and central paramilitary forces intensified vigil to control the volatile situation.

The ethnic unrest, which erupted earlier this week between the Hmar and Zomi tribal communities, has led to heightened security measures, with authorities deploying additional forces and conducting flag marches to prevent further clashes.

The violence began on March 16 night following a severe assault on Hmar Inpui General Secretary, Richard Laltanpuia Hmar allegedly by rival group attackers. The incident triggered retaliation, culminating in the killing of 53-year-old Lalropui Pakhuangte from the Hmar community and injuries to several others on March 18.

Meanwhile, the Zomi Students Federation (ZSF), which called the shutdown on March 19, on Thursday relaxed the shutdown for two hours from 4 p.m. each day until further declaration.

The clashes erupted on March 18 night between two different groups belonging to the Zomi and Hmar tribes - though they and the Kukis are from the same ethnic group - in the district.

A police officer said the March 18 night, violence occurred hours after a peace settlement was reached on March 17 between the apex bodies of the two communities and the family members of two groups following the attacks on Hmar Inpui General Secretary.

The Hmar tribal organisation had first called for an indefinite shutdown in Churachandpur on March 17.

Six tribal MLAs and 12 tribal organisations separately appealed for peace in Churachandpur district on March 19. Making a joint appeal to maintain peace and communal harmony, the organisations belonging to the Hmar and Zomi communities, said that collective commitments would ensure restoring peace, healing wounds, and building a future where all communities of Churachandpur can co-exist with dignity and mutual respect.

To prevent the recurrence of such misunderstandings and to foster mutual trust and communal harmony in the district, a joint peace committee would be established to monitor the situation and address any misunderstandings that may arise between communities in the future, these organisations said in a joint statement.

District Magistrate Dharun Kumar S., in an appeal, said that attacks and counter-attacks have been reported and there is an urgent need to restore peace and maintain law and order.
Patna, March 20 : A heated exchange of words took place in the Bihar Legislative Council between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi on Thursday.

The confrontation arose during a debate on the state's law and order situation, with opposition party members, including Rabri Devi, vocally protesting and raising slogans in the well of the House.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attempted to address the concerns, urging opposition party members to return to their seats and assured that appropriate action would be taken against any incidents of crime in the state.

However, the Opposition's uproar persisted.

In response to Rabri Devi's criticism, CM Nitish Kumar retorted by referencing her ascent to the chief ministerial position in 1997, stating, "Her husband (Lalu Prasad) made her the Chief Minister when he was placed under suspension."

This comment alluded to Lalu Prasad's resignation following a CBI charge sheet in the fodder scam, after which Rabri Devi assumed charge as the Chief Minister.

This incident marks the third occasion during the current Assembly session where CM Nitish Kumar and Rabri Devi have engaged in verbal war of words within the State Legislative Council.

The Assembly session further escalated when Minister Ashok Choudhary accused senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders of involvement in kidnapping for ransom during their tenure.

This accusation prompted a vehement response from Rabri Devi, who reminded Choudhary of his past association with her Cabinet and accused him and his wife of involvement in such activities.

Amid the turmoil, Bihar Legislative Council Chairman, Awadhesh Narain Singh, admonished the Opposition for disrupting the Assembly proceedings and emphasised the importance of maintaining decorum within the House.

He expressed his dismay over derogatory remarks and urged legislative members to refrain from unparliamentary language to ensure the council's effective functioning. At one point, the Chairman asked the Opposition lawmakers to walk out of the House.

The Opposition, primarily RJD members, raised slogans against the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order.

While protesting, RJD leaders shouted slogans in the House. This led to strong objections from State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Chaudhary, who demanded that video footage of the session be reviewed.

Chaudhary insisted that if the Opposition used the word "sycophant" against the Assembly Speaker, it would be a serious parliamentary offence.

Reacting to Minister Vijay Chaudhary, RJD MLC Abdul Bari Siddiqui, asked, "How can such a word be used for the Chair?"

Siddiqui added that if the word 'sycophantism' was found offensive, regret was expressed for it.

Following the uproar, Opposition members briefly walked out of the House.
New Delhi, March 20 : India is all set to welcome its own web browser, taking another big step toward building an indigenous internet ecosystem, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways and Electronics and IT on Thursday.

Vaishnaw made the announcement while awarding the winners of the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC).

The top prize in the competition was won by Zoho Corporation, a software company founded by Sridhar Vembu.

The government had organised the challenge to encourage the development of an indigenous web browser.

Vaishnaw highlighted the government's vision of making India a "product nation" rather than just a service provider in the tech space.

"Earlier, product development was mostly limited to government institutions, but now, a more inclusive model is being adopted," he said.

He emphasised the need to speed up the journey from innovation to large-scale production, ensuring that indigenous solutions are widely adopted.

The minister also encouraged startups and industries to focus on developing secure and scalable technologies to make India more self-reliant in the digital world.

"Talent from all sectors must unite to drive progress across industries'', said Vaishnaw.

Having an indigenous web browser will provide several benefits, including better data security and compliance with India's Data Protection Act.

It will ensure that user data remains within the country, strengthening India's digital sovereignty, according to the official statement.

Additionally, the browser will be designed to work seamlessly across various platforms, including iOS, Windows, and Android, offering a secure and smooth user experience.

Vaishnaw also stressed the importance of transforming India into a product-driven nation. He acknowledged that the service sector remains crucial for the economy but emphasised that India must now focus on building and exporting its own technology products.

"The launch of an indigenous web browser is a significant step in this direction, marking progress in India's journey towards self-reliance in the digital space," the minister stated.

With its own certificate trust store and features such as digital signing, parental controls, and Web3 support, the browser aims to set new standards for secure online interactions in India.
Mumbai, March 20 : Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday announced that a committee of elected representatives headed by former Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will be formed before the conclusion of the ongoing budget session on March 26 to suggest measures to increase revenue through the state lottery.

In his reply to the debate on the Finance Departmentas proposals in the annual budget, DCM Pawar said: "The government is working at various levels to increase the state's revenue. Efforts are also being made through the Maharashtra State Lottery. A committee of public representatives will be formed to suggest measures along the lines of Kerala to increase the income through the Maharashtra State Lottery. The chairman of this committee will be Sudhir Mungantiwar. The committee will have to submit a report within one month of its formation."

He reiterated that the state finances are in good shape and the government has been quite serious about maintaining fiscal discipline. He claimed that the government has succeeded in maintaining the revenue deficit below one per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP) and the fiscal deficit below 3 per cent of the GSDP. He told the assembly that the GSDP is estimated to be at Rs 49.39 lakh crore in 2025-26 against Rs 12.80 lakh crore in 2011-12.

Ajit Pawar also refuted the oppositionas charge that the state's expenditure has been just 43 per cent saying that it has reached 77.26 per cent. The government's goal will be to collect 100 per cent revenue in the next year 2025-26, he added.

He also reiterated that the government is committed to providing monthly aid of Rs 2,100 to eligible women beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin Yojana after examining the status of state finances. Until then these beneficiaries will continue to get Rs 1,500 per month.

DCM Pawar said that the government stands firmly behind the paddy farmers of the state. He announced that a bonus of Rs 20,000 per hectare will be given to paddy farmers within the limit of two hectares. This bonus, which will benefit paddy farmers in East Vidarbha to a large extent, will be paid soon.

Regarding the procurement of paddy, the Deputy Chief Minister said that a meeting will be held in this regard by March 31. The government will take all possible measures to bring transparency in the procurement of paddy. Funds will be made available for the construction of Panand roads through the Rural Development Department. There will be no shortage of funds for this, he asserted.

In the budget for financial year 2025-26, budgetary demands of Rs 1,84,287 crore have been approved for the Finance Department.
Mumbai, March 20 : Recognizing his remarkable contribution to global cinema, Hollywood star Tom Cruise will be honored with the BFI Fellowship, the highest accolade from the British Film Institute.

The Fellowship will be presented to Cruise at the BFI Chair's Dinner in London on May 12th, 2025.

Talking about his latest honor, an excited Cruise shared, "I am truly honored by this acknowledgment. I've been making films in the U.K. for over 40 years and have no plans to stop. The U.K. is home to incredibly talented professionals  actors, directors, writers, and crews, as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world. I'm grateful for all the BFI has done to support U.K. filmmaking and this incredible art form we share."

BFI Chair, Jay Hunt added, "We are thrilled to be honoring Tom Cruise with a BFI Fellowship. Tom has brought so much to the UK as a producer by choosing to make many of his films on our shores, where he is welcomed by our crews who step up to help make his cinematic visions a reality. In doing so, he also supports our studios and puts our locations on a world stage, in the process creating jobs and inspiring the next generation of film talent. He is, of course, also simply one of the world's great actors and a true movie star, delighting audiences as the action hero and romantic lead and then surprising us with brave, leftfield roles where his versatility and talent shine through."

For the unversed, Alumni from the BFI Film Academy and BFI Future Skills Programme have worked on the latest two Mission: Impossible films featuring Cruise in the lead. Not just that, several Mission: Impossible films, including the latest, "Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning" have been shot in Britain.

The eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible film series will also star Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Vanessa Kirby, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Angela Bassett, and Rolf Saxon in prominent roles.

"Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning" is scheduled to release on May 23, 2025 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Gandhinagar, March 20 : During the Budget discussion in the Gujarat Assembly, State Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel said on Thursday that under the Smartphone Subsidy Scheme for farmers, Rs 65.62 crore has been disbursed to 1,532 farmers in Sabarkantha district over the last two years, as of December 31, 2024.

Considering the growing number of applications, the 2025-26 state Budget includes additional provisions to extend the scheme's benefits to more farmers across the state.

Minister Patel emphasised that the initiative, launched in 2021-22, aims to equip farmers with essential digital tools.

With access to smartphones, farmers can receive real-time updates on weather conditions, rainfall forecasts, potential crop diseases, modern farming techniques, pest control measures, and online application procedures for agricultural schemes and financial assistance, he said.

"Under this scheme, the Gujarat government covers 40 per cent of the cost of a smartphone or Rs 6,000, whichever is lower. This financial aid ensures that farmers can invest in technology without incurring a heavy financial burden," the Minister added.

Highlighting the scheme's impact, Minister Patel said that as of December 31, 2024, 2,665 applicants in Mehsana district have collectively received Rs 12.5 crore in subsidies, while 541 farmers in Narmada district have been granted Rs 2.33 crore in assistance.

"These figures, presented in a written response, showcase the state's commitment to empowering its agricultural community through digital inclusion," he added.

With an increased Budget allocation in 2025-26, the Gujarat government aims to expand the reach of the Smartphone Subsidy Scheme, ensuring that more farmers benefit from modern technology to enhance productivity and efficiency in the agricultural sector, the Minister said.

Gujarat has a vast agricultural sector, with nearly 52 lakh (5.2 million) farmers engaged in farming activities across the state, he added.

The state has a total cultivable land area of around 10 million hectares, with major crops including cotton, groundnut, wheat, rice, and various pulses, the Minister said.

Gujarat is also one of India's leading producers of milk, contributing significantly through the Amul cooperative network, he added.

The government has been actively supporting farmers through various schemes, including the Smartphone Subsidy Scheme, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, and irrigation support programs, the Minister said.

Over the past five years, the state has provided financial assistance to more than 15 lakh (1.5 million) farmers for purchasing agricultural equipment, seeds, and fertilisers, he added.

Additionally, Gujarat has made significant strides in organic farming and water conservation initiatives, ensuring long-term sustainability in the agricultural sector, the Minister said.
Jammu, March 20 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday greeted people on the festival of 'Nauroz' that heralds the arrival of spring season.

Jammu, March 20 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday greeted people on the festival of aNauroza that heralds the arrival of spring season.

Omar Abdullah extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the joyous occasion of Nauroz, a festival that marks the arrival of spring.

In his message, the Chief Minister emphasised the significance of Nauroz as a symbol of renewal, hope, and harmony, bringing new life to nature and inspiring people to embrace positivity, peace, and prosperity.

Highlighting the cultural and spiritual importance of Nauroz, he noted that the festival has been an integral part of Kashmiras rich heritage, celebrated with traditional enthusiasm and devotion.

CM Omar urged people to use this occasion to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, compassion and mutual respect, reinforcing the spirit of communal harmony.

Conveying his warm wishes, he hoped that this Nauroz would bring prosperity, happiness, and fulfillment to every household and reinforce the values of peace and co-existence among diverse society of Jammu and Kashmir.

Nauroz is the Iranian New Year or Persian New Year. Historically, it has been observed by Persians and other Iranian peoples, but is now celebrated by many ethnicities worldwide.

It is a festival based on the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox, which marks the first day of a new year on the Iranian calendar.

It usually coincides with a date between 19 March and 22 March on the Gregorian calendar.

For the Northern Hemisphere, Nauroz marks the beginning of spring. Customs for the festival include various fire and water rituals, celebratory dances, gift exchanges, and poetry recitations, among others; these observances differ between the cultures of the diverse communities that celebrate it.

Shia muslims in J&K celebrate Nauroz as a festival because of its connect with the roots of the Shia community in Iran.

Nauroz is observed as a holiday in J&K as government offices, educational institutions, banks and post offices remain closed.
Kolkata, March 20 : Amit Malviya, BJP's IT Cell Chief and the party's special observer for West Bengal, on Thursday, criticised the Mamata Banerjee-led state government for passing a Bill during the ongoing second round of the Budget Session of the Assembly, removing provisions in the Bengal Excise Act, 1909, that prohibited employment of women in ON-category liquor shops.

While 'Of' shops are outlets that sell liquor, at 'On' shops, consumption of liquor is allowed on the premises.

Although the state government claimed that the new Bill tends to remove discrimination which were prevalent in the existing Act, BJP leader Malviya had claimed that the logic put forward by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government is an expression of its dichotomy.

According to Amit Malviya, on one hand, amid the R.G. Kar rape and murder incident, the West Bengal government introduced a scheme called 'Ratri Sathi', which aimed to restrict women from working late at night.

While this was an implicit admission of the failure on the part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's administration to ensure women's safety, Malviya argued, the new bill allowing freedom to women as barmaids in bars, pubs and dance clubs under the guise of promoting equality was a dichotomy on part of the state government.

"So, what has changed? Has Bengal suddenly become safer? Or is this just another way for TMC hooligans to exploit women?" Malviya asked in a statement posted on his official X account on Thursday.

The BJP leader has also expressed doubts about whether the state government has considered some important aspects before taking the decision to allow women to work in bars.

"The first point was whether the state government and the Chief Minister considered whether adequate safety measures were in place for women working in such bars, many of which might not even have proper licenses," Malviya said.

He also questioned whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assessed the risk of women being coerced into night shifts for increased revenue, therefore, making them more vulnerable to harassment or the move was a way to push women into questionable avenues of employment after failing to deliver on her grand promise of "double-double" jobs.

"And most importantly -- Can Bengal afford the risk of another Jessica Lal case when Mamata Banerjee has made it abundantly clear that the state now thrives on lawlessness, where crimes against women are not just rampant but also shielded?" Malviya asked the state government in his statement.
The meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre began in Oslo, the website of the head of the Ukrainian state reported on Thursday.

We are grateful to Norway, to you, your team, and your Parliament for the great support  military, humanitarian, and energy support  which has been crucial over the past three difficult winters. I am deeply grateful, and we will never forget this. I would like to discuss the situation at the frontline, diplomacy with the United States, and security guarantees, the President noted.

In addition, the meeting will cover Norways participation in the efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace and in the development of a joint European plan.

In particular, the leaders will discuss steps to strengthen Ukraines defense capabilities, enhance air defense, supply F-16 aircraft, artillery systems and ammunition, and invest in Ukrainian weapons production.
Kolkata, March 20 : A special court here on Thursday granted bail to another accused in the multi- crore cash-for-school job case in West Bengal, Santanu Bandopadhyay.

He is an expelled Trinamool Congress leader from Hooghly district of West Bengal.

He is the sixth accused in the school-job case to be granted bail by different courts over a period of time.

On Thursday, the special court granted him bail against a security bond of Rs 1,00,000. The court also imposed a number of restrictions on his movements during his bail period.

First his movements will be restricted within his native district of Hooghly and three other adjacent districts. Secondly he will have to appear in front of the investigating officials whenever he is summoned. Finally, he will have to submit his personal mobile number to the investigating official and he should always be reachable there.

Like many, Bandopadhyay was initially arrested by the officials of Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the school-job case. Later he was also shown arrested by the sleuths of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had been conducting a parallel probe in the school job case.

A CBI counsel had claimed in the court a number of times that Bandopadhyayas involvement in the matter was established through his conversation in a number of voice clippings that the investigating officials secured during the course of investigation.

CBI even collected the vice samples of Bandopadhyay to match them with those audio clippings. The central agency counsel always opposed his bail pleas and claimed that being an influential leader of the stateas ruling party in Hooghly district, he might try to tamper with the evidence and influence the witnesses if granted bail.

Bandopadhyay was also employed with state-run power distribution utility West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL). However, in March 2023, after his arrested by ED officials, WBSEDCL suspended him, since as per rule any government is in custody (police or judicial) for 48 hours or more will have to be placed under suspension from the time he is taken in custody
Chennai, March 20 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at three locations in Tamil Nadu linked to the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) as part of a nationwide crackdown.

The raids took place on Thursday at Mettupalayam, Arcot, and Vellore.

According to the ED, similar searches were carried out in multiple states, including Rajasthanas Bhilwara and Kota, West Bengalas Kolkata, and Keralaas Kottayam and Palakkad.

SDPI is widely regarded as the political arm of the banned Islamist organisation, the Popular Front of India (PFI).

However, SDPI maintains that it operates independently and has no links to PFI.

The latest crackdown follows the recent arrest of SDPIas national president, M.K. Faizy, on March 3.

He was taken into custody in connection with an alleged money laundering case linked to PFI.

It may be recalled that two days after Faizyas arrest, the ED launched multiple raids across the country, including in Chennai, where searches were conducted at two locations, one of which was the SDPI state office.

The ED has accused SDPI of functioning as a political front for PFI, claiming that as national president, Faizy exercised control over the partyas activities, which included receiving and utilizing illicit funds.

According to the ED, SDPI has received Rs 4.07 crore in illicit funds, allegedly sourced from PFI as part of a larger criminal conspiracy.

The investigation is based on two cases registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with multiple FIRs filed by other law enforcement agencies.

Authorities allege that PFI leaders, members, and cadres raised funds both in India and abroad -- particularly from Gulf countries -- through legal banking channels and illegal hawala transactions.

These funds were allegedly used to finance terror-related activities across India.

The ED claims that SDPI shared members, cadres, and leaders with PFI, and that it relied on PFI for essential operations such as policymaking, selecting election candidates, and mobilizing cadres.

As part of the probe, investigators seized a document that reportedly details PFIas objectives. According to this document, PFI aimed to advance an Islamic movement in India and endorsed the principles of Jihad in all forms. It also suggested that PFI had established SDPI and several other front organizations to achieve its goals.

In connection with the PFI case, the ED has so far attached assets worth a61.72 crore, filed nine charge sheets, arrested 26 office-bearers and members, including PFIas chairman, general secretary, and members of its national and state executive councils.

Investigators discovered that PFI received over Rs 62 crore in 29 bank accounts between May 2009 and May 2022, with more than half of the amount deposited in cash.

The organisation allegedly maintained thousands of active members in Gulf countries, who helped raise funds through various means, including donations.

The ED continues to probe SDPIas financial transactions and organizational links as part of its broader investigation into PFI and its affiliates.
Jaipur, March 20 : Jaipur Police have arrested a fake IAS officer involved in a gang that defrauded 14 students of Rs 70 lakh by promising them jobs in the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat.

Acting on a complaint, the police conducted a raid in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and arrested the accused, an official said on Thursday.

DCP (West) Amit Kumar confirmed the arrest of Deepak Jain a.k.a. R.K. Agarwal (50), son of Jinendra Kumar Jain, a resident of Kamla Nagar, Agra.

The police acted on an informantas tip-off and apprehended the accused in Uttar Pradesh.

The two masterminds of the gang, Sunil Sharma alias Abhishek (44), a resident of Paramhans Colony, Murlipura, and Kamal Kishore Meena alias Montu Meena (47), a resident of Dadudayal Nagar, Mansarovar, were already arrested in May 2024 and are currently lodged in jail.

Investigations revealed that in 2021, the accused posed as an 'IAS officer' and held a meeting near Statue Circle, Jaipur, where they assured students of jobs in exchange for money.

According to SHO Virendra Kuril, the case came to light when Mansingh, a retired Indian Army personnel, filed an FIR at Murlipura police station in 2023.

In his complaint, he stated that his brother, who was preparing for competitive exams, came into contact with Anil Kumar Meena, who introduced him to his brother-in-law Kamal Kishore Meena alias Montu Meena and Abhishek alias Sunil Sharma.

The accused, pretending to be high-ranking officials, claimed there were vacancies in the Legislative Assembly and Secretariat.

They extorted Rs 70 lakh from 14 students, issuing fake call letters in the name of Vidhan Sabha to convince them of the job offers.

The gang hired fake IAS officers and doctors to conduct fraudulent interviews for these supposed government jobs.

Each student was asked to pay Rs 6 lakh as a "processing fee".

Victims were introduced to fake IAS officer Deepak Jain alias R.K. Agarwal and fake doctor Rajendra Kumar alias Ramlal Meena, further legitimizing the scam. The Jaipur Police have assured further investigations to track any additional accomplices and ensure strict action against those involved in the fraud.
Kolkata, March 20 : A special court here has approved the plea by Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of the former West Bengal education minister and ex-Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, for exemption from the list of "accused" in the multi-crore cash-for school-job case in West Bengal.

Kolkata, March 20 (IANS) A special court here has approved the plea by Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of the former West Bengal education minister and ex-Trinamool Congress secretary general Partha Chatterjee, for exemption from the list of "accused" in the multi-crore cash-for school-job case in West Bengal.

Bhattacharya, while expressing his willingness to turn "approver" in the school jobs case had also pleaded for exemption from the charges as an "accused" in the matter.

The court then observed that his exemption plea would be granted only if his "confidential statement" recorded in front of a judicial magistrate revealed some new information that will aid the investigation process.

Accordingly his "confidential statement" was recorded at the court of Calcutta Metropolitan Magistrate earlier this week. Now sources aware of the development said that after studying the contents of the "confidential statement", the special court has granted approval to his plea for exemption as an accused in the case.

Bhattacharya was a member of the trustee board in Babli Chatterjee Memorial Trust, named after the deceased wife of Partha Chatterjee.

The main charge against the trust is that proceeds in the school-job cases received in cash were shown as donations to the trust, and subsequently, the same proceeds were used to purchase property in the name of the trust.

Legal circles are of the opinion that while the development is surely a cause of relief for Bhattacharya, the same might become a cause of concern for his father-in-law, who is still languishing behind the bars since his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials in July 2022.

Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee were arrested then by the ED officials after recovery of huge cash and gold from the twin residences of the latter at that point of time. There were also charges against the duo that they floated a number of shell companies at that point of time to divert the proceeds of the alleged school- job scam.
Lucknow, March 20 : The Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday suspended senior IAS officer and Invest UP CEO Abhishek Prakash over allegations of corruption and irregularities in project approvals.

The action came after a complaint from a solar industry investor; who accused an intermediary, Nikant Jain, of demanding a commission to facilitate project clearances.

Prakash, a 2006-batch IAS officer, was promptly removed from his position, while Jain was arrested the same day near Shahid Path, in Gomti Nagar, the police said.

Prima facie, the act of Prakash; according to a government statement, is a violation of Rule-3 of All India Services (Conduct) Rules-1968.

Invest UP, under the stewardship of Prakash until his suspension, serves as the stateas dedicated investment promotion agency.

Jain, allegedly operating as a middleman, was arrested near Shahid Path in Lucknow. Charges brought against him include extortion under BNS Section 308(5) and sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Authorities have also uncovered a shadowed history of fraudulent activity tied to Jain, with pending cases across Meerut, Lucknow, and Etah.

The complaint detailed that Jain demanded a 5 per cent commission to facilitate approvals through bureaucratic channels, including the Empowered Committee and the state Cabinet.

According to the FIR, an industrial group had expressed intention to set up a solar manufacturing units in the state through Invest UP.

The FIR also indicates that refusal by the complainant resulted in deliberate delays designed by Jain to compel compliance. Investigations are now underway to determine Jain's involvement in similar activities and to identify any accomplices.

The government of Uttar Pradesh reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to eradicating corruption, highlighting its "zero tolerance" policy towards malpractices.

Officials assured the complainant that the investment project would proceed without impediment, underscoring their determination to cultivate a transparent and equitable environment for industrial growth.

Authorities remain steadfast in their mission to uphold integrity and foster investor confidence within the state. Investigations are ongoing to uncover any complicity among officials or other individuals linked to Jain.
Amaravati, March 20 : The Andhra Pradesh government has released Rs 13 crore for payment of honorariums to Christian pastors.

Minister for Law and Minority Welfare N. Md Farooq said on Thursday that Rs 5,000 monthly honorarium each will be paid to 8,427 pastors across the state.

The TDP-led NDA government released the funds for payment of arrears pending since May 2024.

The ruling alliance, which includes BJP and Jana Sena, had promised in the last yearas elections that the schemes for the welfare of minorities including honorarium for pastors would continue.

The minister said the government last month completed disbursement of six months honorarium to imams and muezzins. The government released Rs.45 crore for payment of honorariums to imams and muezzins.

The National Christian Council in December last year thanked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for confirming the resumption of honorarium payments to pastors.

The Council said that the Christian community has long awaited this development, along with the continuation of the subsidy scheme for pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

It was in 2019 that the then YSR Congress Party government headed by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had launched payment of honorarium to pastors as promised during the elections.

The BJP had then condemned the government move and accused Jagan Mohan Reddy of misusing government-paid village volunteers to identify pastors and pay a monthly stipend to them.

BJP leaders had said that the government can't align with one faith and make others feel like outsiders.

The YSRCP government had defended the move on the ground that it has been paying honorariums to Archakas or priests of Hindu temples, imams and muezzins.

Meanwhile, YSRCP leader and former deputy chief minister Amzad Basha flayed the coalition government for neglecting minorities and doing away with welfare measures for Haj pilgrims

Speaking to media on Thursday, said the coalition did not renew the embarkment facility at Gannavaram Airport a facility which was provided by the Centre with the hard efforts of former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Earlier, Haj pilgrims used to go to Hyderabad as there was no embarkment facility in Andhra Pradesh. Jagan Mohan Reddy's efforts paid off with the Centre agreeing to Gannavaram Airport as an embarkment point, he said.
Bhopal, March 20 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Thursday that "sages and saints are the backbone of Sanatan Dharma, which has always thrived under their guidance".

Chief Minister Yadav made this statement while addressing a religious event organised at Til Bhadeshwar Mahadev temple in Ujjain.

The programme was organised to mark the appointment of Mohan Bharti Maharaj as the Mahant of Shri Dashnam Juna Akhara located in Tarana town of Ujjain district.

During his address, the Chief Minister emphasised the importance of understanding the lives and experiences of sages and saints to truly grasp the essence of Sanatan Dharma.

Meanwhile, CM Yadav announced that the Tilbhadeshwar temple would be developed as a religious heritage site.

He said that the state government has made especial Budget allocation for developing religious places as pilgrimage sites in the state.

The Chief Minister, who belongs the Ujjain, said the state government is working towards establishing Lord Mahakal's city as a religious and cultural centre.

CM Yadav said that the state government has started preparation for Simhastha Kumbh Mela -- 2028.

He said that the separate ghats are being setup for all 13 Akharas of Naga Sadhus.

During the visit, CM Yadav offered prayers at the ancient Mahadev temple and honoured saints and sages at the events, touching their feet and receiving their blessings.

He paid floral tributes and offered a sacred cloth at the Samadhi of Brahmaleen Mahant Shri Prakashanand Ji Bharati.

He also offered 'Ahuti' (sacred offerings) in the Shri Maharudra Sahasra Chandi Mahayajna, praying for continued prosperity in the state.
Hyderabad, March 21 : Hours after Cyberabad police registered a FIR against them for allegedly promoting betting apps, Tollywood actors Rana Daggubati, Vijay Devarakonda and Prakash Raj on Thursday clarified that they are not promoting any illegal app.

While Rana Daggubati and Vijay Devarakonda stated that they endorsed only legally permitted online skill-based games, Prakash Raj said he did not renew a contract to promote an app in 2017 after realising that he should not have done it.

Rana and Vijay Devarakonda issued separate statements through their media teams while Prakash Raj posted a video on his 'X' handle to give his clarification.

According to a statement issued on behalf of Rana Daggubati, he entered into a contract with a company to act as a brand ambassador for skill-based games, which expired in 2017.

"His endorsement was strictly limited to regions where online skill-based games were legally permitted. Rana Daggubati's legal team thoroughly reviews all partnerships before any agreements are made. After a careful legal review, he agreed to endorse the platform, ensuring full compliance with the law," reads the statement.

It further clarified that Rana Daggubati's endorsement of a legal and skill-based gaming platform was fully compliant with the law. "It is essential to highlight these online games, have been recognized by the Supreme Court of India as distinct from gambling. The Court has ruled that these games are based on skill, not chance, and are therefore legally allowed," it added.

Earlier, Vijay Devarakaonda's team also issued a clarification.

The actor had officially entered into a contract with a company solely for the limited purpose of serving as a brand ambassador for skill-based games.

"His endorsement was strictly confined to regions and territories where online skill-based games are legally permitted. It is important to clarify that skill-based games, including online games such as rummy, have been repeatedly recognised by the Supreme Court of India as distinct from gambling or gaming. The court has upheld that such games involve skill rather than chance, making them legally permissible," reads the statement.

"Mr. Vijay Deverakonda's legal team and agencies carefully review all associations before entering into any agreements. After a thorough legal review, he had agreed to endorse the skill-based gaming platform A23, ensuring that his association aligned with the law standards. However, his endorsement term ended in 2023, and he is no longer associated with the brand. This press release is being issued to eliminate any misconceptions / misinformation and to emphasize that Mr. Vijay Deverakonda's past endorsement of a legally recognized skill-based gaming company was completely lawful."

Prakash Raj, in his video statement, said in June 2016 he did an advertisement for a gaming app. "But within a few months I realised it may be legal but it was not right. I couldn't have done anything because I have done it. I let it go. It was a year's contract and when they wanted to renew it I said no. My conscience does not accept and I don't want to continue. It happened 8-9 years ago. Since then I have not done any ads which promote online gambling," he said.

The actor said in 2021 when the company which might have been sold to someone else had put some snippets on social media he sent them a notice saying they can't illegally use them. He appealed to youngsters not to be victims of gambling because it ruins life.

Prakash Raj said that he has not received any notice from the police and if he receives anything he will reply.

Earlier, Cyberabad police registered a case against Rana Daggubati, Vijaya Devarakonda, Manchu Lakshmi, Nidhi Agarwal and others.

A case against six actors and 19 social media influencers has been registered at Miyapur Police Station of Cyberabad Commissionerate.

The First Information Report (FIR) has been registered under sections 318 (4), 112 r/w 49 of Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 3, 3 (A) and 4 of Telangana Gaming Act and 66D of Information Technology Act 2008.

The police registered a case on a complaint by one Phanidra Sharma, a resident of Miyapur, who stated that he found several celebrities and social media influencers actively promoting illegal betting apps, websites and other platforms. The complainant said promotion of betting apps was causing harm to individuals and society by encouraging this addictive short-term risky money-making behaviour leading to financial distress.
Bhubaneswar, March 21 : Odisha will get a Centre of Excellence in Skill Development aiming to equip the youth of the state with the skills required for emerging industries.

This was announced by Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary during his meeting with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan here on Thursday.

Thorough discussions were held on the implementation of various central schemes in Odisha during the meeting of Chaudhary and CM Majhi.

"During the meeting, the focus was on expanding skill development initiatives in Odisha, including the establishment of additional skill training centers. The Union Minister announced that as part of the current budget provisions, five Centres of Excellence in skill development will be set up across India, one of which will be in Odisha," said the state government in a press note on Thursday.

The Union Minister deliberated on the steps for strengthening Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the state, establishment of more World Skill Centres to enhance technical training, and setting up a Multi-Language Training Centre for skill development students.

It was also discussed during the meeting that the ITIs located in tribal-dominated regions will be integrated by expanding the PM-JANMAN Yojana for the enhancement of skills of youths in those areas.

Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary expressed a positive stance on these proposals and assured that necessary decisions would be taken soon to implement them.

It is pertinent here to mention that the union government had earlier announced to set up five National Centres of Excellence for skilling with global expertise, enhancing India's competitiveness and empowering the youths with world-class training in emerging sectors.

The union government also informed that world-class training will be offered at these centres in partnership with global experts. The government aims to boost India's competitiveness on the global stage through imparting world class skill training to youths.
Itanagar, March 21 : Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, on Thursday, highlighted the growing concern regarding China's massive 137 billion dollar hydroelectric dam project, which is set to produce 60,000 MW of electricity over the Yarlung Tsangpo river, in the upper reaches of Siang river in the neighbouring country China.

During his two-day visit to Siang and Upper Siang district, the Deputy Chief Minister addressed the people about the importance of the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project (USMP), being constructed by India.

While sharing some observations made by experts and research scholars on the environmental impact in the region of such a massive hydropower project over Tsangpo river, Deputy CM Mein said that if the China build the massive dam over Yarlung Tsangpo river and divert its water, it would dry up the Siang river.

He also added that the distributaries of Siang river affects the aquatic life of the river and the large population in the plains of Assam and Bangladesh, which depends on Brahmaputra river for the irrigation of their agricultural fields.

On the other hand, in case, if any conflict arises between the two nations in future, it may release a large volume of water from the dam, which would cause unpredicted flooding in the downstream areas in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam causing loss of lives and properties, Mein added.

He said that the implications of such a massive project over the Tsangpo river by the Chinese government cannot be ignored and asserted that in both the cases, the downstream people would be affected adversely.

The Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the Power and Non-Conventional Energy Resources Department portfolio, said that considering all these factors, the Union government has proposed the Upper Siang Multipurpose Project, a dam on the Siang river, which has the potential to generate up to 11,000 MW of electricity.

The project is a crucial initiative aimed at mitigating the impacts of downstream flooding in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Bangladesh and other environmental issues.

The main objective of the project is for the safety and security of the downstream people and to address other environmental issues, he said.

Noting that the power generation is secondary and would be a byproduct of the project, he added that during the lean period, the project would act as a storage for the rainwater that falls in the Indian territory preventing the river water in Siang from drying up.

In case of the release of large volume of water by China, the dam in the Siang river would act as a deterrent and release the water in a controlled way, thereby moderating flood in the downstream.

The Deputy Chief Minister also called upon the elite and educated section of the society to create massive awareness among the villagers about the benefits and positive impact of the USMP.

He also appealed to those who are against the construction of USMP, to rethink and come to the table for discussion and solution.

He said that the state government will not impose anything against the will and consent of the people.

However, he assured that the state government will properly rehabilitate the displaced people, come up with model villages with all basic facilities and construct double land roads on both sides of the Siang river and is also ready to provide adequate compensation for those affected, besides establishing hospitals and educational institutions.

Deputy CM Mein also said that the state government has already formed a dedicated committee to look into all queries, and discussions will continue to ensure that the people's concerns are taken into consideration.

He called upon the people to focus on the long-term socio-economic benefits that the dam will foster in the region and the state as a whole.
Photo: elements.envato.com

The leaders of the European Union reaffirm their unwavering support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and stress that they will pursue the approach of "peace through strength".

This was stated unanimously by the 26 leaders of the European Union, excluding Hungary, in a text attached to the conclusions of the European Council meeting, which is taking place in Brussels on Thursday.

Recalling its previous conclusions, the European Council reaffirms its continued and unwavering support for Ukraines independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. The European Union maintains its peace through strength approach, which requires Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position, with its own robust military and defence capabilities as an essential component. In line with this approach, the European Union remains committed, in coordination with like-minded partners and allies, to providing further comprehensive support to Ukraine and its people, as it exercises its inherent right to self-defence against Russias war of aggression, the EU leaders stated.

The European Council reiterates its support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law and welcomes all efforts towards achieving such a peace. The Council recalled that the principles to be respected in the peace negotiations were set out in the text adopted on 6 March during a special meeting of the European Council.
Bhopal, March 21 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Thursday that the ambitious task of delivering water to every farm through the river-linking project is progressing rapidly.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has gifted two major river-linking projects for Madhya Pradesh, which is a golden opportunity to expand irrigation area further in the state.

The Chief Minister made this statement addressing the inaugural ceremony of Narmada-Kshipra Multipurpose Micro Lift Irrigation Project of worth Rs 2,489.65 crore in Ujjain on Thursday.

Under this project, water will be lifted from the Omkareshwar reservoir near Barela village in Khandwa district, which is a significant step in irrigation, agriculture, and rural development in the region.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi resolved long-standing inter-state river disputes, paving the way for river-linking projects. The Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) project faced disputes between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for 20 years, but with the resolution, the project is now taking shape," Yadav said.

Similarly, work has commenced on the Ken-Betwa link project following agreements between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, Yadav said, adding that these projects aim to provide water to every farm in the state.

"It is a matter of pride for Madhya Pradesh that two major multipurpose river-linking projects, Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal, have been initiated. Today, with the Narmada-Kshipra Micro Lift Irrigation Project, Narmada water has reached Tarana in Ujjain," Yadav said.

He further stated that PM Modias aPer Drop More Cropa initiative will benefit farmers from sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, allowing maximum irrigation with minimal water usage.

This method eliminates the need for land levelling, ensuring efficient irrigation, increased productivity, and optimal water conservation.

He stated that the process to recruit one lakh candidates for government jobs within a year, including large-scale recruitment in the police and health departments has been started.
Guwahati, March 21 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that the state cabinet has expressed gratitude towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning a fertilizer factory in Assam's Namrup of capacity 12 lakh metric tonne in the latest Union Budget.

Sarma told reporters in Dibrugarh: "PM Modi took the initiative for sanctioning a fertiliser factory in Namrup. This will have a production capacity of 12 lakh MT and the central government will spend at least Rs 10,000 crore for establishing this project in Assam. We are deeply obliged towards the Prime Minister and the state cabinet has unanimously passed a resolution thanking PM Modi and the Union Cabinet for approving the Namrup Fertilizer Plant."

The CM also said that he is hopeful that PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of the proposed project when he visits Assam in October this year.

"I am optimistic that the Prime Minister will kickstart the setting up of the fertilizer plant in Namrup in October," Sarma said.

Meanwhile, the state Cabinet has also taken some other key decisions. In addition to infrastructure development, the CM announced measures to boost business activity in Assam.

During the Cabinet meeting, a decision was taken to allow shops in Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Silchar to remain open 24 hours a day.

In other urban areas, businesses can now operate until 2 a.m.

"Guwahati, Dibrugarh, and Silchar are municipal corporations, and the Cabinet has approved continuous business operations in these cities for 24 hours in a day. Previously, the state government mandated a weekly closing day for shops, but this restriction has now been lifted, allowing businesses to remain open throughout the week," Sarma said.

In rural areas, businesses will now be permitted to operate until 11 p.m.

Highlighting worker welfare, the Chief Minister emphasised that no business establishment can force employees to work beyond nine hours per day.

"Employees in small businesses cannot exceed 48 working hours per week, with shifts capped at nine hours per day. For shops operating 24 hours, owners must hire a minimum of three employees to manage three shifts, each lasting no more than eight or nine hours," Sarma explained.

This move, he added, aims to generate employment in small-scale businesses. Expressing optimism, Sarma said the new business-friendly measures would promote economic growth, especially during festive seasons.
Vadodara, March 21 : The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB) will conduct the Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 41 examination centres across Vadodara city.

To ensure a fair and smooth examination process, prevent any irregularities, and maintain law and order, the Vadodara City Police Commissioner issued a public order enforcing several restrictions.

As per the directive, strict regulations will be imposed at examination centres.

Candidates and visitors are strictly prohibited from carrying electronic devices such as mobile phones, walkie-talkies, cordless phones, wireless gadgets, or any other electronic equipment inside the exam halls.

Additionally, a gathering of four or more people within a 100-metre radius of the exam centres is not permitted during the exam hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To maintain a disturbance-free environment, the use of loudspeakers and xerox machines near the exam centres are strictly banned.

To prevent power disruptions, no digging or construction work is allowed during the examination period.

While these restrictions applied to the general public and students, authorised officials from the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board are permitted to use mobile phones for official duties during the exam.

Any violation of these rules could result in penal action, as said in the order issued by the Vadodara City Police Commissioner.

Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) will be held on March 23 this year.

This state-level entrance exam facilitates admissions to engineering and pharmacy courses across Gujarat.

In the previous year, 1,37,799 candidates registered for GUJCET, comprising 75,558 boys and 62,241 girls.

While the exact number of applicants for the 2025 exam has not been officially released, a similar turnout is anticipated.

The exam will be conducted in an offline (pen-and-paper) mode, spanning three hours.

It will encompass three sectionsa"Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematicsa"each containing 40 multiple-choice questions.

The medium of the question paper will be English, Hindi, and Gujarati.

Candidates will receive one mark for each correct answer, with a deduction of 0.25 marks for every incorrect response.

Aspiring candidates were required to register by December 31, 2024, with an application fee of Rs 350.
Barbara Marcus, one of the most prominent and influential figures in childrens book publishing for decades, will step down May 1 as president and publisher of Random House Childrens Books. She will be succeeded by Mallory Loehr, currently EVP and publisher of the Random House Books for Young Readers Group.

Marcus began her career in marketing and promotion at Bantam in 1973 and later worked at Berkley Books. She joined Scholastic in 1983 as VP of marketing and associate publisher, working with Scholastic publisher Dick Krinsley. By the time Krinsley retired in 1991, Scholastic had grown its trade program by a factor of 10. Once Marcus succeeded Krinsley, the veteran told PW that the 39-year-old Marcus was the best marketing person he had ever worked with.

While at Scholastic, Marcus, along with senior VP Jean Feiwel, developed the hugely popular Baby-Sitters Club and Goosebumps series, and went on to play a key role in the wild successes of the Harry Potter franchise, approving acquisitions of all seven Potter books and overseeing the huge marketing campaigns. Marcus left Scholastic in 2005 and, as a result of a non-compete clause, initially stayed away from childrens publishing, serving as an adviser to Penguin and Open Road Integrated Media. She got back in the childrens publishing world in 2012, when she was named to succeed Chip Gibson as president and publisher of Random House Childrens Books.

Throughout the course of her career, Marcus has been a fixture at major industry conferences, fairs, and events and involved in numerous industry charitable causes. In its 150th anniversary issue, PW named her one of publishings 25 change makers between 1997-2022.

Barbaras boundless curiosity, drive, and leadership have been a constant force in her extraordinary career, and propelled Random House Childrens Books to new heights, Penguin Random House CEO Nihar Malaviya wrote in a memo to employees on Thursday announcing Marcuss plans. In it, he credited her sharp eye for the market as leading to the launch of new imprints and growth in picture books, middle grade, nonfiction, graphic novels for young people, and young adult romance, as well as to an increase in focus on books by diverse authors. Malaviya also noted Marcuss role in developing franchises and brands with wide consumer appeal and acquiring, by leveraging her wide network of contacts, such major companies and properties as the Little Tiger Group, in 2019, and the Boxcar Children in 2023.

Marcus told PW, "I have had the most wonderful time, and experienced so many new and exciting accomplishments at Random House Childrens Books. It has been an amazing journey throughout my career. I will always love childrens books and I so admire what we do as an industry, but now is the right timethe division is in great shape, and the team is so strong."

Loehr has been with Random House Childrens Books for more than 30 years, leading editorial teams across a wide range of imprintsCrown, Doubleday, Little Golden Books, and Dr. Seuss among themand working with such authors as Mary Pope Osborne, creator of the blockbuster Magic Tree House series. In her new role, she will report directly to Malaviya, and will join the PRH leadership team.

Mallory has played a seminal role in the development of this business, Malaviya wrote in a separate memo to staff. She embodies creativity and open-mindedness and leads with an innate warmth that brings people together. He added: Shes a homegrown talent who truly believes in constantly evolving our approach to work in a way that can change cultures and thinking.
Ann Godoff, president and editor-in-chief at Penguin Press, has acquired U.S. rights to A Hymn to Life by Gisele Pelicot from Susanna Lea at Susanna Lea Associates. Stuart Williams, publishing director at The Bodley Head, took U.K. and Commonwealth rights, and Martha Kanya-Forstner at Knopf Canada took Canadian rights. The three editions will publish simultaneously on January 27, 2026, alongside the French edition from Editions Flammarion and in 20 other languages.

The book is the third in roughly as many months to be signed by an English-language publisher that focuses on the lawsuit filed by Pelicot last year against her husband, Dominique Pelicot, and the 50 men accused of her sexual assault. The suit, in which Pelicot waived her right to anonymity, ended with a guilty verdict on December 19, and Summit Books announced that day that it would publish Paris-based journalist and author Monique El-Faizys account of the trial, In This Dark Room: Secrets, Shame, and Reckoning at a French Trial. And in February, Sourcebooks announced its acquisition of a memoir by Pelicots daughter, Caroline Darian, called Ill Never Call Him Dad Again, which hit shelves this week.

I am immensely grateful for the extraordinary support I have received since the beginning of the trial. I now want to tell my story in my own words, Pelicot said, in a statement. Through this book, I hope to convey a message of strength and courage to all those who are subjected to difficult ordeals. May they never feel shame. And in time, may they even learn to savor life again and find peace.

A Hymn to Life, the publisher said, will tell Gisele Pelicots story in her words, offer solace and hope, and make a positive contribution to changing the conversation around shame and to changing the world. Godoff added: Gisele Pelicots story has captured the attention of so many around the world. She is a woman of grace, dignity and courage. A Hymn to Life is a unique document that will inspire and abide.
Were attempting to unravel the tangled web of literary influence by talking with the great writers of today about the writers of yesterday who influenced them. This month, we spoke with 2009 National Book Award recipient Colum McCann (Twist, Let the Great World Spin) about patriot of elsewhere John Berger, and with 2022 PEN/Hemingway Award winner Torrey Peters (Stag Dance, Detranstition, Baby) about the humor and empathy of Halldor Laxness.

Colum McCann on John Berger

Why did you want to discuss Berger?

I think John Berger was one of the great voices bridging the 20th and 21st centuries. He wrote about art and politics, but he also wrote about farmers and rural doctors and motorbiking. His work has a depth and a charm and an intelligence that was more or less unmatched in recent literature. I got to meet him in the late 1990s and we had a close relationship right up until his death. We wrote letters to one another and spent some time in Europe together hanging out. They were some of the best days of my literary life.

Were you familiar with what his writing process was like? I imagine he was exceptionally careful with his thoughts and words.

Well, let me tell you a story which perfectly illustrates not so much his writing process as his thinking process. We were together in Paris, and we'd had a long evening talking philosophy and writing and telling each other stories. We were also slightly overserved. So I asked John where he was from, and he replied that he was from Basingstoke in London. I knew that already and in my heightened state I asked him a rather frantic question: Yes, I know that, but where are you from from? Which is a terrible question at the best of times. And he sat back and took one of his silent moments and said, I am a citizen And then he paused for a long time. It was one of those wonderful moments when John was thinking of what he should and could say. And finally he said, No, no, and then he paused again and said, I am a patriot of elsewhere. Which is about the most wonderful phrase I have ever heard. He was not a citizen of elsewhere, but a patriot of elsewhere. Which is a phrase that I will bring to my grave. I think it suits him very much. And it's a story I return to again and again. I think the essence of John is therea patriot of elsewhere.

Which of his works most stands out to you?

His most famous book was probably Ways of Seeing, which is a seminal work that examines how we see art and photography. It's still mandatory reading in most art schools but also in political academies because John was a famous Marxist too. But behind all that he really cared about the ordinary man and woman. I just adore his very simple love story To The Wedding, which was published in the mid-1990s. It's told by a blind Greek marketman, a peddler, in a series of interlocking vignettes. It's romantic and tough all at the same time. It's also an AIDS story that will take your breath away. As love stories go, this is one of the most beautiful.

Reading his novel G, he strikes me as one of those writers who is far more about ideas than story. Would you agree with that?

I would agree with that up to a point. G is very much an ideas-driven project. And John certainly had his ideas and he cleaved to them. Yet he didn't discount the people who live in and around the ideas. He knew the human pulse as well as anyone.

It seems to me that he placed a lot of importance on the human and societal value of writing and art, as opposed to artists who view their work as a primarily creative endeavor.

I don't think he would make a distinction. I think he wanted to see and know artists who saw their creative endeavors as an essential part of their human and societal value. He knew, essentially, that writing mattered, but it only mattered if we were prepared to live our lives in a way that reflected our work. All of it was, and is, laced together. Language, image, humanity.

Torrey Peters on Halldor Laxness

Why did you choose Halldor Laxness?

I think Halldor Laxness wrote one of the great books of the 20th CenturyIndependent Peopleand I think his writing has become more relevant in this century. I feel that his great subject is the needs of the individual versus the needs of the collective, and that this subject often risks pulling writers towards preachiness, stiffness, and political absolutism. Yet Laxness doesnt just avoid those traps in Independent Peoplereading it you wouldnt even know those traps exist. Its just so funny and sharp and humane without ever being sentimental. You come to see what Laxness is saying through an emotional rather than intellectual resonance, and Id go so far as to name that resonance as love.

When did you first read Independent People?

I came upon it accidentally. I was living in the Dominican Republic and desperate for anything in English or translated into English, so I probably wouldnt have picked it up based on a description of it. The book opens with a grumpy sheep farmer dragging his poor bride out to some terrible field and then cursing a long-dead witch, then discussing with other sheep farmers the problem of piles in sheepdogs. I remember being like, what the hell is this book? And then suddenly, I kind of got on its wavelength and it grew both magical and funny to me. It seemed to anticipate the magical realism of Marquez, Faulkners haunted sense of place, and yet somehow was lighter than both of them. And thats before you even get to what Laxness is actually trying to communicate! Its this incredible father-daughter story, about the ugly stubbornness of trying to make it as an individual and how painful it can be to be dependent on others, especially when they let you down, either through their own mistakes or simply because of luck or poverty or exploitation. The farmer, Bjartur of Summerhouses, is the most pig-headed frustrating protagonist and yet I love him so tenderly. Meanwhile I literally tear up when I think of his daughter Asta-Sollilja. And god, the ruthlessness with which Laxness can treat these characters whom he teaches you to loveit is savage!

What do you enjoy about his work on the page level?

He can write a joke, he can write a gut punch, he can describe a landscape, he can do an epic legend, he can tell you about the fluctuating prices of commodities during the First World War, and he can do complex satire. I remember how in depicting the bailiffs wife, he sketched the smug self-congratulatory condescension of a do-gooder in the barest of sentences.

Laxness was imprisoned and ultimately expelled from the U.S. after writing critically of it. What do you think of his role as a socially conscious writer?

He was a socialist all his life and a Stalinist for a salient portion of it. He praised loudly and often the Soviet Union. He won the Nobel in 1955 at the height of the Cold War, and his reputation was defined by that moment in that era. I think it was a long time before his writing could be considered outside of that context. But I guess I would say that I dont really feel like praising or condemning his specific politics, which seem to me to be very much of his time and place, yet the sense of justice and ethics and empathy that you find in his fiction, well, that seems of the highest order to me.

What do you think writers should learn from Laxness?

I dont want to speak for other writers, but for myself, I would like to know how to write so truly epicallythe book is influenced by Icelandic sagasyet so lightly. I mean, come on: one poor sheep farm, one stubborn guy, and in it you have all of the sweep of capitalism, of family, of folklore, of nature's cruelty, of human gritand yet a reader laughs the whole time. Except when you are weeping over the murder of a beloved cow.
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The Norwegian-Finnish company NAMMO and one of the leading Ukrainian defense enterprises signed a joint statement on strategic cooperation in the Norwegian city of Raufoss, which includes an agreement to create a joint venture for the production of 155mm caliber ammunition in Ukraine, said Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine Herman Smetanin.

"Last year, Ukraine launched mass production of 155mm ammunition. Today, this is the main artillery caliber of the Ukrainian army and NATO member states. The domestic defense industry should increase their production. Today, we have significantly strengthened this direction," Smetanin wrote on Telegram on Thursday.

According to him, NAMMO is one of the largest ammunition manufacturers in Europe, and the signed statement deepens the cooperation that is already ongoing, with the support of the governments of Norway and Ukraine at the bilateral level.

"I am grateful to the company's management for its willingness to cooperate with Ukrainian manufacturers... Ukraine's defense capability is the foundation of security in Europe. We continue to build the Arsenal of the Free World in Ukraine and thank all partners who are involved in this process," Smetanin summed up.
RX, parent company of the London Book Fair, has announced Emma Lowe as the new director of the fair. She will succeed Adam Ridgway, who is retiring after a 36-year career in conferences and exhibitions. Lowe will be the fourth new director of the fair in the past five years.

Ridgway ran the fair for one year, having taken over from Gareth Rapley in April 2024. Rapley, who joined London Book Fair in September 2022 and ran two editions of the fair in 2023 and 2024, had succeeded Andy Ventris, who left in May 2022 after being appointed in November 2020. Ventris had replaced Jacks Thomas, who departed in 2020 following the cancellation of the fair due to Covid-19. Thomas now serves as director of BolognaBookPlus.

Lowe will assume her new position in July. In the interim, Rapley will return temporarily to oversee the fair as interim portfolio director for LBF at RX.

Lowe brings more than two decades of book industry experience to the role. She began her career at RX working on LBF, ultimately serving as head of sales. From 2014 to 2023, she worked as commercial director at the Bookseller magazine. Her recent positions include publishing account director at GlassBoxx and head of events at HarperCollins UK, where she managed internal and external corporate events, including the publisher's presence at both the London and Frankfurt book fairs.

"The London Book Fair was my runway into this wonderful world of books, and I'm delighted to be returning at such an important moment for in-person businesses," Lowe said in a statement. "We are an industry that thrives on face-to-face interaction and the moments when we come together are absolutely vital to our publishing ecosystem."

During her time at the Bookseller, Lowe managed events including the British Book Awards, FutureBook, and the magazine's annual Marketing and Publicity Conference. At GlassBoxx, she assisted the e-commerce solutions provider with its publishing industry collaborations.

Rapley expressed confidence in the appointment. "We're thrilled to have found someone who has the unique combination of experience of RX, knowledge of LBF and a well-rounded understanding of the book industry," he said. "The last few years have been a time of great change for the Fair, following the disruption caused by the pandemic and the ongoing reconstruction works at Olympia."

Lowe acknowledged her experience at HarperCollins while explaining her decision to accept the new role. "I've loved my year at HarperCollins. Being part of the dynamic team that organized the unveiling and celebration of the new warehouse at Robroyston was a particular highlight and honor," she said. "But opportunities like this don't come up very often and having gone from The Bookseller to a tech disruptor, to a big four publisher, I am hugely excited to be getting back to my roots at the centre of the trade, and reinforcing London as the natural home of the international rights business."

The 2026 London Book Fair is scheduled for March 10-12 at Olympia London.
Peacock is previewing Season 5 of Law & Order: Organized Crime.

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A trailer, released Wednesday, begins with Detective Elliot Stabler, who is portrayed by Christopher Meloni , in confession.

"I've promised people that I would save them," he says. "But I have not been keeping my word. I'm going to do everything I can to stop it, so I guess we should add prideful defiance to my list of sins."

The trailer culminates in a car crash that sends Stabler to the hospital.

According to an official synopsis, Stabler "returned to New York after a decade abroad to rebuild his life following a devastating personal loss."

Danielle Mone Truitt portrays Sergeant Ayanna Bell, who helms the organized crime control bureau that employs Stabler.

The upcoming chapter will examine "the dangerous worlds of cross-border smuggling, high-tech domestic terrorism and a crime family intent on repaying Stabler for the injury he did them in Rome," the official description continues.

Rick Gonzalez, Ainsley Seiger and Dean Norris also star.

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The first pair of episodes will premiere April 17 on Peacock, marking a switch from the show's previous home on NBC.
Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied discussing with U.S. President Donald Trump the issue of ownership of Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

"They [the United States officials] want to take it [Zaporizhia NPP] from the Russians and want to invest, modernize. This is a different issue. This is an open issue. We can talk about it. But we definitely did not discuss the issue of ownership with President Trump," he said during a press conference in Oslo during his visit to Norway on Thursday.

Zelenskyy said all nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine, and this is not private property.

"Yes, we have thermal generation, there is green energy, there is a private partner there, this is absolutely clear and correct. But all nuclear energy belongs to the state of Ukraine. And the temporarily occupied Zaporizhia region with the city of Enerhodar, where this occupied station is located, also belongs to the Ukrainian state. And everyone recognizes this. By the way, the IAEA recognizes it, various international institutions recognize it," the head of state said.

According to him, in a conversation with Trump, he also emphasized the illegality of resuming the operation of Zaporizhia NPP without returning it to Ukraine.

"President Trump asked me: 'What do you think about this station?' I told him that it will not work for anyone if it is not Ukrainian. This is illegal," the president said.

Zelenskyy also said he did not know whether U.S. representatives had discussed the conditions for the resumption of Zaporizhia NPP with the Russians.
With serialized fire control units like the ones found in the SIG P320/P365, Springfield Echelon, or Ruger RxM  Glock builds have lost favor as the flavor of the month with your favorite influencers. But that doesnt mean Glock-builds have gone anywhere.

As much as I love the new FCU trend, a good not-a-Glock-build still makes me happy. The new Strike Industry frame has some great features that caught my eye, and Strike was nice enough to not only send out a frame but a complete guns worth of parts for me to build out.

BUILD LIST

Frame: Strike Arms Pistol Compact Frame

Slide: LITESLIDE for GLOCK G19 GEN3

Barrel: Strike Barrel for GLOCK G19

Iron Sights: Strike Iron Sights  Suppressor Height

Completion Kit: Slide Completion Kit for GLOCK G19 GEN3

Magazines: Strike Magazine  Clear + Extended Magazine Plate

THE COMPLETE SLIDE

All of the parts of this build are Strike Industry, from the stripped LiteSlide, to the Slide Completion Kit, to the barrel  all of it is SI.

Assembly was as simple as any Glock-clone; the SI parts are well-made and fit together without an issue.

The problem came when it was time to shoot it. This would turn out to be a break-in period that worked itself out, but for the first couple of magazines it was hard to get more than 2 consecutive rounds off before a failure to feed. Ammo didnt matter, magazine didnt matter, the problem was universal for that first ~30 rounds.

After that, it happened once a mag for a few mags until it finally went away with about 100 rounds downrange. Since then, its been a couple hundred rounds of problem-free shooting.

Annoying? Yes, it was, but it was not a problem in the long run. Tighter tolerances and stacking tolerances often mean that sometimes a new gun needs to be run hard so it can settle in.

Outside of that little problem, this is a solid slide. Serrations are deeper than they look and provide a good amount of grip. Optic mounting was easy. And the Strike Iron Sights are really pleasant to use and provide a great co-witness to a red dot.

For a Glock clone, it is pretty decent.

Downside? This slide doesnt fit normal Glock holsters. Or barely does, depending on the holster. Of my Glock holsters, the only one the Strike slide kind of fits is a Dara Holsters G19. With every draw the SI slide shaves a small amount of polymer from the inside of the holster. Not a big deal and actually easy to solve with some sandpaper, but just shows how poorly the Strike slide fits.

Even with the retention screws loose, this is what happens drawing the pistol in and out of the holster a few times.

THE FRAME

This is the main star. While Strike Industries has offered Glock parts for a long time, the frame is rather new, released in 2024. This was the main part that caught my interest since what I hate most about Glock is the frame.

For me, for my hands, Strikes frame solves almost every point I dont like about a Glock frame.

The texture on the grip is aggressive without being painful to carry, its in helpful places, including the front and rear of the grip.

Strike has a deep undercut behind the trigger guard, helping the shooter get a solid grip. And while not a true double-undercut, the frame is at least shaped so that there is material on both sides of the support the hands knuckle, giving what almost feels like a double-undercut.

Instead of Glocks annoying single point of attachment under the dust cover, Strikes grip has a full 1913 Picactinny rail. Perfect for mounting a StreamLight TLR-1 HLX.

The bottom of the grip has a small flair to it giving your pinky somewhere to rest, but the grip is still G19 length, so there isnt much there for larger hands like mine. Normal for G19-sized grips.

The frame combined with any of my Glock-clone slides except the Strike Industry LiteSlide fit as expected in a wide range of holsters.

This has quickly become one of my favorite frames to shoot. Combined with a Radian Ramjet+Afterburner and this makes for a very capable compact pistol.

THE MAGS

Also made by Strike these clear mags have run wonderfully so far with zero issues. Impressive for clear polymer magazines!

The Strike Industry extended baseplates provide an extra 5 rounds per mag. While Ive only had these plates for a couple months, Ive actually been using Strike Industry extended base plates on my other Glock mags for years, and they are still going strong. My first CCW was a G19 and Strikes baseplates were the first ones I ever bought.

The main thing the Strike mags have going for them is the price. At $10 per mag in a pack of 5, these are easy to stock up on to keep you going at the range.

LOOSE ROUNDS

I dont really recommend the Strike LiteSlide because of the holster fitment issue. The Strike completion kit, iron sights, and springs are all good to go and come in at a reasonable price. If I build more Glock slides, I could see myself using these parts.

The barrel is what I suspect was the main culprit in the break-in period, and thats not ideal. If you pick one up, dont expect to shoot a match the next day.

The Strike Arms Pistol Compact Frame is the hero of the build. I really dig it. The texture is aggressive, undercut in the trigger guard deep and useful, and the true 1913 Picatinny out front is great. No complaints about it at all.

Trigger feels better than a stock Glock trigger but isnt as good as some of the nice aftermarket options. For $150 from Primary Arms, this is a solid deal for a good frame.

If Strike Industry comes out with a G17-sized version of this frame, Im almost positive Ill be building another not-a-Glock. Glock-pattern frames arent the new hotness these days, but a good frame goes a long way and Glock-clone builds wont go away anytime soon.
The clocks have jumped forward, giving us plenty of sunlight to reset, refocus and move with the new seasons energy. The shift in time and light might leave you feeling a little off balance, but its also the perfect opportunity to embrace change and set new intentions. See what the stars have planned for your week ahead.
Automobile giant Tata Motors shares were in demand on Wednesday as the stock rallied as much as 3.69 per cent to hit an intra-day high of Rs 671.80 per share, before settling 3.18 per cent higher at Rs 668.45.

By comparison, the BSE Sensex settled 0.10 per cent, or 72.56 points, lower at 74,029.76.

The northward move came after analysts said they were cautiously optimistic about the companys prospects, following recent discussions with its group chief financial officer, P B Balaji.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is well positioned to achieve its FY25 Ebit margin targets, which will contribute to a net cash-positive position by the end of FY25, said Balaji.

The brokerages noted that the companys luxury division JLR was on track to meet its earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) margin guidance of at least 8.5 per cent for FY25, supported by revenue projections of 29 billion pounds.

This will mark a major milestone, allowing JLR to turn net cash positive by the end of FY25.

However, analysts are cautious about JLRs performance in FY26, especially with the discontinuation of the Jaguar models and a weaker outlook in China.

JLRs strong performance in the US market is a key bright spot.

The top three models  Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Defender  are outperforming peers across regions, especially in the US, said Balaji.

EV launches to aid growth

JLR has several electric vehicle (EV) launches lined up that could drive growth.

The transition to EVs is the bedrock of the companys strategy, and Balaji is confident that it will meet its emissions targets despite the slower-than-expected customer adoption of EVs.

Our electric vehicle pipeline is strong, and we are confident in our ability to meet emissions targets, he said.

Cost strategy

Balaji said JLRs high warranty costs, particularly in the US, where more vehicles sold in recent years, have resulted in higher claims.

He said the company plans to reduce warranty costs to around 3 per cent from the current 5.9 per cent by FY25.

Analysts at Nuvama and Nomura are hopeful that these cost-saving measures will boost JLR's operational efficiency in the coming years.

They are upbeat about the companys passenger vehicle (PV) segment.

The upcoming launch of models like the Harrier EV, Sierra, and the repositioning of the Curvv model are expected to drive volume growth in FY26.

Tata Motors has delivered a steady performance in the commercial vehicle (CV) space, particularly in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle (MHCV) sector.

Despite the challenges, analysts are largely positive about Tata Motors' long-term prospects.

Nuvama revised its revenue and Ebitda CAGR estimates for FY2527 to 2 per cent, while maintaining a 'reduce' rating for an unchanged target price of Rs 720.

Nomura analysts maintain a 'buy' rating with an unchanged target price of Rs 861 based on a sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) valuation.

They expect JLRs Ebit margins to remain strong at 8.6 per cent in FY25, 8.1 per cent in FY26, and 8.9 per cent in FY27, and also see upside potential in Tata Motors' PV business, with estimated volume growth of 4 per cent in FY26 and 6 per cent in FY27.

Macquarie and CLSA have reportedly maintained outperform with target prices of Rs 826 and Rs 930, respectively.

While there are headwinds, particularly related to US tariffs and JLRs model transition, analysts believe Tata Motors is well-positioned to navigate these challenges.

With a focus on electrification, improved service offerings, and strategic product launches, the company is set to see steady growth in the coming years, supported by the ongoing transformation of its JLR division and its strong presence in the Indian market.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this article to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients.

Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.
US-based Citigroup is likely to allocate more global roles to India than to any other centre it operates in due to the countrys strong talent pool, said Jane Fraser, chief executive officer of Citigroup, on Wednesday in an interaction with CNBC-TV18.

Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters

Fraser also expressed confidence that India will remain the worlds fastest-growing economy.

She noted that while the China+1 advantage is an added benefit, India itself presents a real opportunity, given its strong domestic market and the positive steps taken by the government to boost economic growth.

The benefit of this country is that it has an extraordinary cadre of highly technical, hardworking, and creative individuals.

"That is where the countrys competitive advantage lies, and this should give confidence to the country and everybody, Fraser said.

I am expecting to put more global roles here than in other centres because of the talent, she added.

Commenting on the Indian economy, Fraser said, India is one of the worlds bright spots. This is Indias decade.

"There is direction in the economy from the government that makes most people bullish about India, she said, adding that China+1 is the icing, but India is the cake.

It is the domestic opportunities here  the investment the government has made in digitisation, the investment we are seeing in infrastructure, and developments in the green economy.

"All of this is making India one of the biggest and fastest-growing economies in the world. And I do not see that changing, Fraser emphasised.

In 2021, Citi announced that it would exit the consumer banking business in 13 countries, including Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In India, Citi sold its consumer banking business to Axis Bank  Indias third-largest private sector lender  for Rs 11,603 crore.

Globally, we have focused our strategies on clients who are institutions and individuals with cross-border needs.

"We made a major global shift by exiting our consumer businesses and placing them in the hands of strong owners to ensure our clients and employees are well taken care of. This also allowed us to focus on our core strength and competitive advantage, Fraser said.



I am proud that we are now larger in India than we were when we owned the consumer bank. It shows that our strategy is working.

"We generate more revenue now than we did when we had our consumer franchise, she said, adding that they have expanded their support for Indian companies operating globally and domestically, as well as for foreign investors who see India as a long-term bright spot.

Asked what makes Citi the largest global bank in the country, Fraser said, We have the benefit of having been here for over 120 years. It is the breadth and depth of our franchise.

We have our investment bank, corporate bank, commercial bank, trading businesses, custody services, cash management, and more.

"The depth and breadth of our capabilities are unmatched.

"We take great pride in the role we play  connecting the world to India and India to the world, as well as supporting the countrys strong entrepreneurial spirit, Fraser added.

On fears that the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution could put global capability centres (GCCs) in India at risk, Fraser said, We operate in about six different cities.

"These centres have evolved from being back-office support to developing our leading-edge critical capabilities in data and AI.

India is central to our firms transformation. These technologies will create new jobs and new industries.

"I dont think GCCs are in danger as long as they continue to adapt and evolve.
In 2023, the share of US electronics imports from India was a mere 1.9 per cent of the $520 billion they imported, while the total Indian electronics exports to the US was pegged at only $10 billion.

Kindly note the image has only been published for representational purposes. Photograph: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters

The electronics industry sees a big opportunity as the Indian government negotiates a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US for enhancing exports to the country in key areas, including mobile devices, air-conditioners, colour TVs, wearables and audio, which have been dominated by China, Vietnam and Mexico.

In 2023, the share of US electronics imports from India was a mere 1.9 per cent of the $520 billion they imported.

The total Indian electronics exports to the US was pegged at only $10 billion.

At another level, US total imports across all categories in 2023 was $3.1 trillion, and the share of India was just over 2.8 per cent.

According to a presentation to the commerce ministry by India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), Indias largest exports, based on Harmonised System (HS) codes, is smartphones led primarily by Apple Incs products.

Despite that, its total share of US imports of smartphones in 2023 was 8.3 per cent.

The US imported $60 billion in value of smartphones that year. However, Vietnam is bigger than India, with the US importing over $8 billion from that country.

The US imported smartphones worth $45 billion from China, which dominates the sweepstakes with a mindboggling 75 per cent share.

ICEA executives say that with a 20 per cent duty imposed on smartphones by the US recently, India will have a tariff advantage (Indian tariff is 16.5 per cent).

The association is pushing for allowing smartphone imports as part of the bilateral agreement at zero per cent as there are hardly any US manufacturers of phones.

Similarly, the 25 per cent duty imposed on Mexico, which was earlier under a free trade agreement (FTA), again provides an opportunity for India.

That is reflected in the fact that in many other areas of electronics, India has been an insignificant player.

For instance, in switching and routing systems, US imported over $51 billion in 2023, with Vietnam accounting for a fifth of the US imports followed by Mexico and China.

In desktops and servers, colour TVs, and air-conditioners, Mexico has reigned supreme by virtue of the FTA.

For instance, it accounted for 67 per cent of total US imports of desktops and servers, 76 per cent of colour TVs, and 48 per cent of refrigerators.

India in all these segments was an insignificant player. But now with the imposition of a 25 per cent duty on Mexico, it provides opportunity for India, provided it reduces or scraps its tariffs on products like colour TVs and air-conditioners.

China also dominates in two other areas -- laptops & tablets, and wearables & hearables.

The country accounted for 77 per cent of US imports of laptops & tablets, and 43 per cent of wearables & hearables imports in 2023.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff.com
Raymond Ltd chairman and managing director Gautam Singhania's estranged wife Nawaz Modi Singhania has resigned as a director on the board, according to a statement by the company on Wednesday.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Raymond Ltd has announced the resignation of Nawaz Modi Singhania as a director on the Board of the company.

The resignation is effective today, it said.

Commenting on the resignation, company CMD Gautam Singhania said, "We thank Ms Nawaz Modi Singhania for her services as a Board member over the years.

"As a company, we are committed to upholding the highest level of governance while continuing to navigate the evolving landscape of the industry."

In her resignation letter, shared on BSE by the company, Nawaz Modi Singhania said she was tendering her resignation as director with immediate effect due to personal reasons.

"I am thankful to the Board of Directors for the memorable association during my tenure and supporting me throughout my term," she wrote.

In 2023, Gautam Singhania announced his separation from his wife Nawaz, after 32 years of relationship. They have two children.
'The only solution is for the government to allow us to charge a low controlled MDR of 25 bps on UPI P2M transactions only for merchants with more than a Rs 40 lakh turnover.'

Kindly note the image has been posted only for representational purposes. Photograph: Kind courtesy SerenityArt/Pixabay.com and NPCI/wikipedia.org/Creative Commons

The Union Cabinet has approved a Rs 1,500 crore incentive for promoting low-value BHIM-UPI peer-to-peer merchant (P2M) transactions for 2024-2025.

The scheme is being rolled out to promote the BHIM-UPI platform to achieve target volumes of 200 billion in FY25.

This is the first time the Centre has defined small and large merchants in the context of outlining BHIM-UPI incentives.

The Centre has set an incentive rate of 0.15 per cent for a transaction value of up to Rs 2,000 made to small merchants, while large merchants in the same value bracket will receive no incentive.

For transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, there will be no incentive for anyone.

'The incentive scheme on promoting low value UPI transactions, which has been approved by the Cabinet today (Wednesday) will encourage digital payments and further 'Ease of Living',' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on social media X.

However, industry players are not happy with the allocation, with many raising concern about keeping up the growth momentum.

At present, banks and firms handling digital payments bear the cost of processing transactions on Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

The merchant discount rate (MDR) refers to a fee that merchants pay banks or companies processing payments for executing a transaction.

"With a zero MDR of UPI and the government allocating only Rs 1,500 crore for processing transactions of Rs 246.82 trillion in 2024 to the ecosystem is just not going to be enough. It will choke the entire ecosystem for funds for scaling and growth," said Vishwas Patel, joint managing director, Infibeam Avenues, and chairman, Payments Council of India (PCI).

According to industry estimates, incentives of Rs 4,000 crore to Rs 5,000 crore are required to cover the cost of processing UPI transactions, which continue to be MDR-free.

"We don't want to survive on government incentives. The only solution is for the government to allow us to charge a low controlled MDR of 25 bps (basis points) on UPI P2M transactions only for merchants with more than a Rs 40 lakh turnover," said Patel.

"The incentives can continue for smaller merchants by offering them zero MDR," Patel added.

Incentives for BHIM-UPI given by the government in FY24 were Rs 3,268 crore. They were Rs 1,802 crore and Rs 957 crore in FY23 and FY22, respectively.

About Rs 408 crore and Rs 432 crore were approved for promoting RuPay debit cards.

Patel said the outlay was insufficient for the sector because of there being a funding winter, rising costs of deploying payment-acceptance mechanisms, and increasing compliance costs.

"We welcome the Cabinet decision to incentivise low-value transactions of up to Rs 2,000 at the rate of 0.15 per cent for small merchants," said Jatinder Handoo, CEO, Digital Lenders Association of India (DLAI).

"We are hopeful that in the future a market-driven sustainable pricing framework (MDR regime) for low-value (P2M) transactions will evolve to incentivise all players," Handoo added.

The terms of the outlay state 80 per cent of the admitted claims by acquiring banks will be disbursed unconditionally.

However, the rest will depend on meeting conditions such as banks having a technical decline of less than 0.75 per cent and having a system uptime of more than 99.5 per cent.

The objective of the incentives includes promoting the BHIM-UPI platform and achieving the target of transaction volumes of Rs 20,000 crore in FY25, among others.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Do you have income tax-related queries?

Please ask your questions HERE and rediffGURU Mihir Tanna, associate director, S K Patodia and Associates, will answer them.

BHARAT: I don't have Income to be taxed at slab rate except STCG from DEBT MUTUAL FUNDS. I do have income from LTCG, DIVIDENDS, BANK INTEREST ETC. If I invest in ELSS whether IT DEPT will allow deduction under Section 80c against STCG FROM DEBT MUTUAL FUNDS in OLD TAX REGIME or they will first set off this income against Rs 3 Lakh income which is BASIC EXEMPTION LIMIT for Senior Citizens. Also, where to show STCG FROM DEBT MUTUAL FUNDS in ITR 3.

80C is not allowed against STCG taxable u/s 111A and LTCG taxable u/s 112 as well as 112A. Hence in your case STCG not covered in 111A will be adjusted against 80C.

Also for old regime Rs 2.5 lakh basic exemption limit will apply.

If ITR 3 is not notified for FY 24-25, but in FY 23-24 there was option at serial number 5 wherein you have to show short term capital gain not covered in previous 4 options.

Nk: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that there will be no income tax for those earning up to Rs 12 lakh. But in the same breath she said that... those earning up to Rs 4 lakh per annum will pay nil tax. Those earning between Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh will have to pay income tax of 5 per cent.

Those earning between Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh will have to pay income tax of 10 per cent. Those earning between Rs 12 lakh to Rs 16 lakh will have to pay income tax of 15 per cent.

Those earning between Rs 16 lakh to Rs 20 lakh will have to pay income tax of 20 per cent.

Those earning between Rs 20 lakh to Rs 24 lakh will have to pay income tax of 25 per cent, and those earning between Rs 24 lakh will have to pay income tax of 30 per cent.

Confused why one will have to pay tax at all if there is no income tax for those earning up to Rs 12 lakh per annum?

Technically there is no tax if taxable income up to 12 lakh (except special rate income), as you get rebate equivalent to tax charged. So you have to calculate tax as per slab rate first and reduce tax liability by way of rebate.

Sanjay: Hi Mihir my Salary is 19 Lakh. What is the actual income tax I will pay for 2025-26?

As per the amendment proposed for FY 25-26, under new tax regime you will pay tax of Rs 1,71,600 after taking benefit of Rs 75,000 of standard deduction.

Narsingh: Dear sir, I have been NRI since 1996, every year staying outside India for averaging 190 to 250 days. Salaried employee working with resident visa in Qatar. Now I want to retire.

This year my LTCG from sale of debt fund was 14,80,000. I may have around 45,000 dividends in India from shares. So, will cross 15 lakh Indian income. I have two questions: first if I do more than 120 days in India then I will become RNOR this year and can use my exemption limit of 3 lakh to offset LTCG of 2 lakh. Is it correct?

Second question is if I do less than 120 days in India, my status this year too will remain NRI. So, if I am an NRI for all 29 years, will it give me an extra year of RNOR status in India?

How to determine whether I will be RNOR for 2 years or three. 3 years RNOR gives me advantage to keep my most of money in RFC accounts to get tax free interest. Most of my savings are in FCNR accounts only. Suggest will I get 3 years RNOR after retirement or not by keeping NRI status this year or make this year RNOR and no loss.

1st yes: Minimum exemption limit available to RNOR also.

2nd: An individual who is a citizen of India who is not liable to tax in any other country will be deemed to be a resident in India, only if the total income (other than foreign sources) exceeds Rs 15 lakh and nil tax liability in other countries. So in your case, even if you are in for less than 120 days, you will be RNOR.

3rd: For FCNR account, please confirm with your Bank.

Anonymous: How much is tax on gratuity and superannuation and how to minimise the tax impact on retirement?

Gratuity is exempt as per prescribed formula which depends on last salary drawn: (Basic + DA) and subject to limit of Rs 20 lakh.

Superannuation is taxable.

To minimise tax, you can opt for old tax regime if you are paying substantial amount for eligible deductions exemptions.

You can ask rediffGURU Mihir Tanna your questions HERE.

Disclaimer: This article is meant for information purposes only. This article and information do not constitute a distribution, an endorsement, an investment advice, an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any securities/schemes or any other financial products/investment products mentioned in this QnA or an attempt to influence the opinion or behaviour of the investors/recipients.

Any use of the information/any investment and investment related decisions of the investors/recipients are at their sole discretion and risk. Any advice herein is made on a general basis and does not take into account the specific investment objectives of the specific person or group of persons. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.
By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman

A 10-horse field has assembled for Saturday's $1 million Louisiana Derby (G2) at Fair Grounds. The 1 3/16-mile Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifier has churned out a bevy of top-three Kentucky Derby (G1) finishers over the past 15 years, including winners Country House and Mandaloun.

There are plenty of viable win contenders in this year's Louisiana Derby field. Ultimately, I favor the chances of #6 Built (9-2), who has competed with aplomb in the first three Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifiers at Fair Grounds this meet.

Throughout his career, Built has kept good company. In his debut at Ellis Park, he rallied to finish fourth (upgraded to third via disqualification) against next-out Breeders' Futurity (G1) winner East Avenue. Then in a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland, Built defeated future Virginia Derby runner-up Render Judgment by 1 1/2 lengths.

Built made his two-turn debut in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds. After leading all the way through slow fractions, he kicked away through fast closing splits to defeat future Risen Star (G2) winner Magnitude by 6 3/4 lengths, with Render Judgment another 2 3/4 lengths back in third place.

In the Lecomte (G3) at Fair Grounds, Built encountered a sloppy, sealed track. Jockey Jareth Loveberry felt Built didn't relish the conditions, but nevertheless the bay colt gobbled up ground late to finish second by a neck.

This led to a start in the Risen Star. On a day when the Fair Grounds main track played in favor of inside runners, Built raced outside. He advanced into the teeth of a hot pace set by ground-saving winner Magnitude, then flattened out in the drive as Magnitude kicked clear to win by 9 3/4 lengths with a massive 108 Beyer Speed Figure.

Built did stay on for third place, beaten only a head by ground-saving runner-up #2 Chunk of Gold (8-1), who is back for the Louisiana Derby. Among the horses Built defeated were American Promise and Render Judgment, who returned to run 1-2 in the Virginia Derby.

Since the Risen Star was a fast race, Built earned a respectable 92 Beyer even in defeat. He's adding blinkers for the Louisiana Derby, which may sharpen his tactical speed and yield an improved performance. The addition of jockey Jose Ortiz is also encouraging, since Ortiz has been far and away the dominant jockey at Fair Grounds this meet, winning at a 29% rate.

Assuming the Fair Grounds main track comes up fair on Saturday, I believe we'll see Built rebound with a victory in the Louisiana Derby.

For second place, I like #1 John Hancock (7-2), the undefeated winner of the Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs last month. In the Sam F. Davis, John Hancock tenaciously led from the start to defeat next-out Tampa Bay Derby (G3) winner Owen Almighty by half a length, with last year's Remsen (G2) winner Poster another 2 1/4 lengths back in third place.

John Hancock campaigns for the hot jockey/trainer duo of Flavien Prat and Brad Cox, who teamed up to win the 2024 Louisiana Derby with Catching Freedom. From the rail post, I expect to see John Hancock come out running and take this field as far as he can on the front end.

John Hancock's stablemate #9 Instant Replay (6-1) is another logical contender after rallying to dominate a 1 1/16-mile $100,000 allowance optional claimer at Fair Grounds by five lengths with a 92 Beyer.

Also, don't leave longshot #7 Vassimo (12-1) out of your trifecta tickets. He may be one of the longest shots on the morning line, but this Todd Pletcher trainee won his first two starts in fine fashion before finishing a respectable fourth (ahead of American Promise and Render Judgment) in the Risen Star.

In the Risen Star, Vassimo found himself racing behind and in between horses, and I'm not sure he relished his position. He dropped back sharply around the final turn, but once steered to the far outside, he re-rallied with interest to finish fourth. Drawing post seven in the Risen Star should allow five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. to keep Vassimo out of traffic and guide the son of Nyquist to a stronger finish.

Selections

1st: Built

2nd: John Hancock

3rd: Vassimo

4th: Instant Replay

Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the Louisiana Derby?

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The Unlocking Winners Road to the Kentucky Derby Handicapping Challenge is back! Check out the special contest page to play along.

J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, videographer, voice actor, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite.
Technical teams from Ukraine and the United States will meet on Monday, March 24, in Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a press conference with the Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Stre.

"From what we discussed with President Trump, the meaning is the following: a ceasefire for the security of the energy systems of both countries ... I raised this issue with President Trump and said that then, in my opinion, our side will prepare civilian infrastructure facilities," Zelenskyy said.

He added that he does not want there to be a different understanding of what the parties will agree on.

"Or, let's say, God willing, the parties will agree at the next meeting, which will be in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Our technical teams will be there, as I understand it, the structure is such that the meeting will be between Ukraine and America," the president emphasized.

"And then America with Russia. Or these will be parallel meetings in one country on one topic, the one I mentioned," he added.
With its age-old fascination for education, southern states have done better than the North.

Start-ups, IT hubs, and industry majors setting up shop have changed the face of the South.

Nearly 79% of global offices set up by international conglomerates in India are in the South.

Almost 46% of tech unicorns are from the South.

The GDP per person in the South is 4.2 times higher than the North.

None of these indicators can be ignored by any central government, whatever the political compulsions, notes Ramesh Menon.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin presents a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

A simmering anger is building up among those in the southern states about what they call the Centre's distorted fiscal regime, where they are getting a lesser share of tax revenue than the northern states.

The latest controversy is over Narendra Modi's BJP-led government, withholding the Samagra Shikha funds of Rs 2,152 crore (Rs 21.52 billion) to Tamil Nadu as the state has refused to implement a three language formula in schools where Hindi is one of the languages.

Without these funds, Tamil Nadu will not be able to pay salaries of teachers, reimbursements for under privileged students, finance self-defence training for girls, ensure transport for students in remote areas and upgrade schools.

For decades, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language policy in schools that have Tamil and English.

The three-language policy is part of the Union government's National Education Policy.

It has been accepted by states like Uttar Pradesh but one cannot see any student studying Marathi, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu or Malayalam.

Why then are Tamilians forced to learn Hindi, is the argument that the state's leaders put forward.

Chief Minister M K Stalin is clear that he will not allow the imposition of Hindi even if the Centre gives a grant of Rs 10,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) saying that states should decide their education policy.

The DMK has said that the Modi government was using financial pressure to force compliance of Hindi.

It said that the Centre was setting a dangerous precedent for Indian federalism and was undermining the rights of states to shape its education policy.

India has 19 non-Hindi speaking states. Only nine states speak Hindi.

All Dravidian parties in the state have framed the Centre's stand as an 'existential battle over language and identity'.

The Dravidian movement was built on the principle of linguistic self determination.

For many months now, progressive southern states like Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have been pointing out how over the years, they have been getting lesser and lesser shares in the taxes they generate and pay to the Centre.

Ironically, states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, which fall behind many development parameters, get a larger share.

So, the feeling has been growing, especially in the southern states, that they are being punished for good performance.

As they do not get the money, they argue that they cannot follow the kind of development they want as the funds they deserve get diverted to mainly BJP-run states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Let us look at what states get for every rupee they contribute: Bihar gets Rs 7.06, Uttar Pradesh gets Rs 2.73, Rajasthan 1.33, Kerala gets 57 paise, Andhra - 49 paise, Telangana - 43 paise, Tamil Nadu - 29 paise and Karnataka - 15 paise.

The devolution formula works on different parameters like population, area, forest and ecology, equity, tax and fiscal efforts and demographic performance.

Political leaders from the South maintain that as Opposition parties in power, the Centre is depriving them of their rightful share in central taxes.

In the last 20 years, the share of the southern states in the divisible tax pool has considerably fallen.

It declined from 21.1 per cent during the 11th Finance Commission period of 2000-2005 to 15.8 per cent during 2021-2026, which is the the tenure of the 15th Finance Commission.

Karnataka itself pays around Rs 4 lakh crore in taxes to the Centre every year.

In February last year, Siddaramaiah, the chief minister of Karnataka, along with his entire cabinet and Congress MLAs, protested on the streets of Delhi against injustice to the state in the devolution of central funds.

Ministers from Kerala followed to protest the discriminatory policies of the central government. They were protesting against the devolution of taxes and grants-in-aid from the Centre to the states.

Grants-in-aid to the states have plummeted from Rs 195,000 crore in 2015-2016 to just Rs 165,000 crore in 2023-2024 when it should have been the other way around.

Karnataka says it has lost around Rs 187,867 crore in the last seven years because of unfair fiscal devolution by the Centre.

Though the 15th Finance Commission recommended a special grant of Rs 5,495 crore to offset the impact of the state's share in tax devolution from 4.71 per cent to 3.64 per cent, it did not get the money as the Centre chose to reject this recommendation.

Again, the Commission had recommended a grant of Rs 6,000 crore for a Ring Road in Bengaluru and to improve water bodies in and around the city as the water crisis looms.

But it has not been released. Instead, it asked the state to manage these projects with their own funds.

The protests by state leaders in Delhi embarrassed the central government as they showed that federalism was not working as it ideally should.

BJP leaders tried to play it down, with some even alleging that the leaders from the South were indulging in separatism.

That carried it too far, as none of the southern states have mouthed anything as drastic as this. All they did was to ask for a fair share.

The West Bengal government of Mamta Banerjee claimed that the Centre was holding back around Rs 1.16 lakh crore that had to come in to implement various welfare schemes.

She claimed that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) wages to the tune of Rs 6,911 crores had yet to be paid as the Centre had defaulted on it.

Her government claimed it had yet to receive MGNREGA funds since December 26, 2021.

The Centre hit back, saying that the funds were withheld as it suspected irregularities in the scheme and had invoked Section 27 of the MGNREGA, which gave it the power to stop releasing funds if improperly utilised.

IMAGE: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM D K Shivakumar along with Congress members stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, February 7, 2024, against the central government over the reduction in fund allocation. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Left Democratic Front government in Kerala says that the Modi government has pushed the state to its worst financial crisis.

The government says the state suffered a loss of Rs 57,000 crore because of the central government's discriminatory policies.

The Centre has substantially lowered the state's borrowing limits.

In a suit filed in the Supreme Court against the Centre, Kerala said that the Centre's policies had led to considerable arrears in the payment of social sec city pensions to the poor, allowances to pensioners, state employees and dues to state-run enterprises.

The court has asked the Centre to consider Kerala's plea and bail it out of its financial mess.

Kerala has the best development indices in India, and it is well-known.

Over 60 lakh people from vulnerable sections benefit from various state-run schemes.

Of late, many have not received any payments because of the crunch caused by the Centre not releasing funds.

Among the affected are healthcare schemes, which are now collapsing.

As the state refused to brand central schemes with the logo of the prime minister's photo, the Centre has reportedly withheld more than Rs 5,000 crores.

The Centre had directed the state to put up posters of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana with Modi's picture to be put up at 14,000 ration shops and also set up selfie points at around 550 such outlets.

Due to the cap on borrowings, as many as a thousand infrastructure projects in Kerala with an outlay of around Rs 74,000 crore lie stalled.

This should worry Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as it might affect the prospects of his government returning to power in the next assembly election.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman says that the Centre has withheld money as Kerala had mismanaged funds.

However, the state government has refuted that, saying that the state's revenue actually grew by 23.4 percent in the last year.

Earlier, the Planning Commission allowed the states to use their discretion to spend funds on what they felt was necessary.

However, with the Planning Commission abolished by Modi, discretion was taken away.

Various central governments have in the past tried to keep a significant share of the revenues from taxes without reasonably passing it on to the states.

Instead of addressing their concerns, Prime Minister Modi said these chief ministers from non-BJP ruled states were divisive as they wanted to divide India into the North and the South.

There is reason for these chief ministers to be wary.

Opposition leaders have been selectively targeted by central investigative agencies, charges filed against them, and an aggressive Centre has tried to rob them of a development narrative by controlling numerous schemes for which the state should be executing and taking credit.

Looking at the larger picture, the messaging is straightforward: To get funds, get a BJP government elected.

The GST regime that Modi introduced after opposing it when the Congress was in power affected the fiscal situation in the states.

Modi forced them to give up their right to impose taxes of their own, which was the case earlier.

IMAGE: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan leads the Left Democratic Front protest against the central government's alleged discrimination against Kerala at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, February 8, 2024. Photograph: Ayush Sharma/ANI Photo

When state governments in Delhi and Rajasthan offered welfare schemes to women, unemployed youth and people with low incomes, Modi said they were blowing up state resources just to win elections.

But when the Centre had a bevvy of schemes clearly designed to win the electorate before elections, it was termed as welfarist.

This has made Opposition-run states feel that federalism is being diluted and even challenged as they find the grip of the Centre suffocating.

C P Chandrasekhar, a senior research fellow at the Political Economy Research Institute, University of Massachusetts in the United States, says that it is now an open declaration in India to the citizens of the states that they will be privileged in central spending if they elected a BJP government.

Time and again, Modi and other BJP leaders have stressed the importance of having a 'double engine sarkar' so that it works in tandem and benefits.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman's Budget in February allocated to the five southern states only 88 per cent of the allocation that was made to Uttar Pradesh!

It is a fact that the southern states cannot wish away.

All the leaders who have spoken about the South getting the wrong end of the stick say that it is their right to get a rightful share.

Others argue that poorer states need to be helped by the richer ones. But that also is not happening.

IMAGE: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's student wing protests Hindi imposition in Chennai, February 25, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

With its age-old fascination for education, it is a fact that southern states had done better than the North. The start-ups, IT hubs, and industry majors setting up shop have changed the face of the South.

Nearly 79 per cent of the various global offices set up by international conglomerates in India to serve as backend offices were in the South.

Almost 46 per cent of tech unicorns are from the South. Eleven of the 14 Apple suppliers are based in the South.

Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai have emerged as major business hubs for both Indian and foreign companies.

All this has contributed to a better standard of life. Also, better standards of health lead to less infant mortality and longer life spans.

The GDP per person in the South is 4.2 times higher than the North. None of these indicators can be ignored by any central government, whatever the political compulsions.

As India's political culture plummets creating divisive and discriminatory policies, there is reason to worry.

Ramesh Menon, award-winning journalist, educator, documentary filmmaker and corporate trainer, is the author of Modi Demystified: The Making Of A Prime Minister.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
'Unsurprisingly, Trump shared Modi's podcast with Fridman on his Truth account.'

'The intentions of Trump, a transactional president, are never easy to tell.'

'We will know in the next fortnight if and when he unfolds reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, whether Modi's flattering words made any significant difference to Trump's compass,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi exchanges greetings with computer scientist and podcaster Lex Fridman during a podcast in New Delhi, March 16, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

As an avid follower of Lex Fridman's podcasts, I can say that his 3-hour interview with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been a fantastic media management success for the Indian establishment.

Fridman is something of a celebrity himself to celebrities like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Kanye West and Tucker Carlson.

Donald Trump interrupted his presidential campaign in September last year when it was on razor's edge -- in the middle of his two assassination attempts -- to give an interview to Fridman.

Fridman has a reputation for deep, authentic conversations and is the the antithesis of quick-click journalism of the sort that in Indian digital media space largely turns out to be performance presentations or fictional narratives.

Fridman lets his notable guests speak, and inspires the audience to come, listen and stay -- and, most important, he joins his audience, being himself a listener first. That distinguishes his uniqueness.

Therefore, an interview with Fridman is never a risky affair. The challenge of the celebrity actually lies in engaging his attention rather than sparring. Fridman is not in the least interested in oneupmanship.

What caught his imagination was the 'spirituality' of Modi, a poor boy from a Gujarati Hindu family of Other Backward Class background in Vadnagaman who made it big in Delhi, the citadel of the Brahmin-Baniya elites who rule India.

Reportedly, Fridman fasted for 45 hours in preparation to 'talk spiritually' with Modi!

Modi is very selective in giving interviews. The Indian media is, generally speaking, unfriendly (and unfair) towards him, including the toads who may flatter him in public.

But what must have attracted Modi would have been that through conversation and connection, Fridman's podcasts put the power back into the people.

Modi is reputed to harbour a sneering contempt toward the so-called intelligentsia but Fridman ended up showering praise on him later while posting the video on X and adding that 'It was one of the most moving & powerful conversations and experiences of my life.'

Now, that is a rare compliment because one can sense from Fridman's engaging conversations about the nature of intelligence, consciousness, love, power, etc -- and the range of topics he has covered in his podcasts and videos from human nature, Palestine/Israel conflict, investing, AI, Ukraine, lost civilisations, aliens, Judo and so on -- he stands out as a quintessential brooding Russian intellectual himself, belonging to the creme de la creme of the Soviet emigre community in the US, almost in the same league as, say, Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google (also, like Fridman, born in Moscow) who helped make America great.

However, it is difficult to describe what Fridman's podcasts are all about. Their intellectual content goes without saying.

His 3-hour conversation with Fiona Hill certainly added that extra something to the dozens of books I have read on Russia over decades, especially that spark when she drew comparison between the collapse of the Soviet Union and the current, real time, 'live' decline of the United States from the perspective of an English woman with working class background who found herself in Harvard and the White House National Security Council.

But that is one part of Fridman's profound contribution to journalism.

Basically, his interviews are about you. They're about us. You end up relating yourself to Fridman's conversations.

So, what left in me a poignant impression was when Fridman gently drew Modi out, to speak about his childhood.

I couldn't help relating Modi's narrative to my own childhood in almost similar background -- although from another corner of India.

After all, as Wordsworth wrote in his famous poem My Heart Leaps Up (also known as The Rainbow), 'The child is the father of the man.'

IMAGE: Modi and Fridman during the podcast. Photograph: ANI Photo

Modi had a happy childhood, although his family was poor and had struggled amidst want, deprivation and denial.

But his mother too, like mine, had that rare cognition to raise children by encouraging them to spend time talking with God, build a special relationship with Him and help lead the child towards a life of faith by understanding that it will face many choices in life and not all choices are good ones.

There is a beautiful passage in Modi's recollection of his life's journey where he touches on the mystique of fasting, its spiritual content, how he practises it during the period of Navaratri when he would consume for 11 days only warm water -- and once he had to dine with President Barack Obama.

Of course, anyone, like myself, who has practised fasting would know the massive accretion of inner strength that takes place during such periods.

It wells up surreptitiously drip by drip, takes shelter in the attic of the mind and comes up stealthily in times of trial and tribulations in day-to-day life.

But then, fasting is not about denying oneself to enjoy life but on the contrary, taking a pause to enjoy life even more.

Modi understands that. Look at his expensive clothes, shoes, wrist watch or fountain pen.

Donald Trump as alter-ego

However, at the end of the day, what is Modi sans politics?

Evidently, Modi anticipated the two tricky questions that Fridman was bound to toss at him -- Donald Trump and China. And he came prepared.

Modi lavished praise on Trump as a man of courage, borne out of his firm conviction that he has been chosen by God as a man of destiny.

Modi is attracted to Trump's 'America First' doctrine but seems unclear in his mind what it really means.

Thus, Modi equates Trump's doctrine with his own simplistic concept of 'Nation First'.

Modi said, 'I stand for India first and that's why we (he and Trump) connect so well.' But life is real.

Modi misses the point that America First goes far, far beyond what passes as pursuit of 'national interests' which is an inchoate concept anyway.

Manmohan Singh used to call it 'enlightened national interest' making out that he knew that extra something that we, the subalterns, didn't know.

'America First' is closer to mercantilism -- a repugnant variant of nationalism that is antithetical to Indian values tracing back to Mahavira and Buddha.

Unsurprisingly, Trump shared Modi's podcast with Fridman on his Truth account. The intentions of Trump, a transactional president, are never easy to tell.

Trump is an emotional man but also a mercurial and highly motivated personality.

We will know in the next fortnight if and when he unfolds reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods, whether Modi's flattering words made any significant difference to Trump's compass.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Cherry picking China's fruit bowl

Indeed, the highlight of Modi's interview was his thoughts on India's relations with China.

This has been Modi's most significant overture to Beijing through the past decade in power forcefully advocating an improvement of relations between the two countries.

Its salience lies in the thaw in the India-China relationship in the recent past and Modi's genuine desire for dialogue over discord.

Modi candidly acknowledged the tensions, but pointed out that 'we have seen a return to normalcy at the border ... (and) are working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020.'

But this was as far as Modi would go, knowing fully well that within his party and the Indian political spectrum on the whole, there is no consensus on India-China relations.

The Gordian knot of the 6-decade old Indian narrative still remains largely uncut.

The fact of the matter is that Modi is (re)positioning India taking into account the epochal transformation in the world order and the growing realisation in the West, including the US, that a containment strategy to prevent China's rise as a superpower is no longer viable.

Second, there is a dire necessity also for the Indian economy to normalise with China.

The Economic Survey of 2024 had revealed that 'India faces two choices to benefit from 'China plus one' strategy: it can integrate into China's supply chain or promote FDI from China. Among these choices, focusing on FDI from China seems more promising for boosting India's exports to the US, similar to how East Asian economies did in the past.'

Suffice to say, Modi's India is only cherrypicking. A paradigm shift in India's China policies is not to be expected in a near term.

Modi hinted that the two parallel tracks of competition and cooperation will run side by side.

In sum, all that Modi is doing is synchronising his Rolex watch with Trump's Patek Philippe Golden Ellipse, who according to latest reports, is looking for a summit meeting with Xi Jinping as early as next month.

IMAGE: Modi speaks during the podcast. Photograph: ANI Photo

The bottom line is, this is an interview that is meant for catching the attention of the global elite -- the small cosmopolitan group of the most influential businessmen, politicians, bureaucrats, and opinion-makers in the world capitals -- to Modi's attractive personae, the part of his character that he would like to reveal to other people.

India's mofussil politicians needn't get unduly excited over his alluring presentation of himself, which he is entitled to as the charismatic leader of a nation of 1,400 million people.

However, this interview does not concern India and Indians. At its core, Modi is treating himself to a big dollop of seductive self-indulgence, which operates on the principle of validation.

That is to say, when we receive compliments or praise, it triggers a release of dopamine in the brain, eliciting feelings of pleasure and reward.

This neurological response is deeply ingrained in human nature, driving us to seek approval and recognition from others.

However, it also poses a challenge to Modi. The challenge will be to make that desired perception relevant to his future work or personality.

Put differently, it must show results. Or else, it is only teflon coating that may provide a glossy finish but not durable, is not resistant to high temperatures in the Indian summer and can get damaged under extreme weather conditions in the landscape of current history.

Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar served the Indian Foreign Service for 29 years.

Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
When Saurabh Rajput (29), a former Merchant Navy officer, returned from London to his Meerut home on February 24 for his wife's birthday, little did he know that she had already plotted his murder with her lover.

IMAGE: Meerut murder accused Muskan Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla being taken to a court in Meerut. Photograph: X

Just over a week later, Saurabh, who was working in a bakery in London, became the victim of this chilling conspiracy -- his body dismembered and encased in cement inside a drum. The gruesome act was carried out by his wife Muskan Rastogi (27) and her lover Sahil Shukla (25).

The details of the crime began to unfold when Muskan and Sahil were arrested and presented to the media by the police on Wednesday. In a particularly haunting moment, Muskan stood in front of journalists wearing the traditional vermilion of a married woman, despite her husband's brutal death.

When asked about the contradiction, Muskan remained silent.

A court in Meerut has sent both the accused to 14-day judicial custody.

Muskan's parents, Kavita and Pramod Rastogi, expressed shock and disbelief over their daughter's involvement in the murder.

"I wish she was never born," Kavita told reporters.

Police officials claimed that from purchasing knives to obtaining sedatives and even scouting locations to dispose of the body, Muskan and Sahil meticulously planned the murder. The two had rekindled their relationship in 2019 via a school WhatsApp group, and what started as a friendship quickly blossomed into an affair.

This bond grew stronger due to the absence of Saurabh, who worked abroad. According to police, drugs may have played a significant role in bringing Muskan and Sahil closer together.

"According to her family members, Sahil used to take contraband drugs, which he also shared with Muskan. We are further investigating this aspect of the case," said Superintendent of Police (SP) Ayush Vikram Singh.

The affair eventually led to Muskan planning to leave Saurabh and marry Sahil instead. Police sources revealed that Muskan and Sahil saw Saurabh as an obstacle in their relationship and decided to kill him.

"Prima facie, it appears that Muskan and Sahil considered the husband a hindrance and plotted to murder him," said a police officer.

Muskan reportedly came up with the idea to kill Saurabh last November, and Sahil supported the plan. By February, when Saurabh was scheduled to return to India, the the two began preparations for executing the plan.

"Muskan purchased two knives with long blades, telling the shopkeeper she would use them to cut chicken. She also acted stressed to secure banned sedatives from a local drug store," a source said.

The duo's first attempt at the murder on February 25 failed. Saurabh, who had returned just a day earlier, ate sedative-laced food served to him but only slept deeply without falling unconscious.

But on March 4, Muskan drugged her husband's food again, rendering him unconscious. She then joined Sahil in stabbing Saurabh to death. Afterward, the pair dismembered his body in an attempt to conceal the crime. They had already sent Muskan's six-year-old daughter to her grandmother's house before the murder took place.

"The initial plan was to dispose of the body parts in a secluded location, but the duo eventually decided to keep it inside a large blue drum, filling it with cement and sand," said SP Singh.

The duo then travelled to Himachal Pradesh, attempting to cover their tracks, before returning to Meerut on March 17. The very next day, following a complaint from Saurabh's family, the police detained the pair on suspicion.

They were arrested after the blue drum containing Saurabh's dismembered body was recovered from the house.

After their court appearance, both Muskan and Sahil were remanded in 14-day judicial custody. However, their brief passage through the courthouse on Wednesday became the scene of a violent altercation. A group of lawyers surrounded the couple, attempting to strike them and grab hold of Sahil's clothes.

Amid the chaos, police officers struggled to maintain order and ensure the accused's safety.

The Rastogi family admitted that Muskan and Saurabh never had a harmonious relationship, but they placed the blame squarely on Sahil, claiming that he had introduced Muskan to drugs.

Pramod Rastogi, Muskan's father, was particularly vocal in his condemnation, demanding the death penalty for both Muskan and her lover.

"Saurabh left everything for Muskan, including his job and family. But she ended up taking his life," said Pramod, his voice filled with sorrow and anger.

"Muskan has lost the right to live. Such a person does not deserve to walk the earth.
The number of Indian nationals who have been awarded a death sentence in the UAE, but the judgement is yet to be implemented, stands at 25, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.

IMAGE: Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session of the Parliament, in New Delhi, March 20, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo/Sansad TV

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha.

The ministry of external affairs was asked whether many Indians are languishing in prison for years in foreign countries, as also details of Indians who are awaiting capital punishment in foreign countries, and efforts made by the Indian government to save their lives.

"As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign prisons at present is 10,152," he said.

The government attaches high priority to the safety, security and well-being of Indian nationals in foreign countries, including those in the foreign jails, the minister said.

Singh shared tabulated data pertaining to eight countries, and the number of Indian nationals who have been awarded death sentence, but the judgement is yet to be implemented.

According to data, the figures stand as 25 (UAE), 11 (Saudi Arabia), six (Malaysia), three (Kuwait), and one each for Indonesia, Qatar, the US, and Yemen.

"Indian Missions/Posts abroad provide all possible assistance to Indian nationals who have been sentenced, including with death sentences by the foreign courts. Indian Missions/Posts also provide consular access by visiting the jails and follows up their cases with courts, jails, public prosecutors and other concerned agencies. The jailed Indian nationals are also assisted in exploring various legal remedies including filing of appeal, mercy petition etc," the minister said.

The MEA was also asked whether any Indian has been executed or given capital punishment in foreign countries in the last five years.

The minister said such deaths were carried out in Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

The number of Indian citizens executed or given capital punishment in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia in 2024 stood at three each, while the corresponding figure for Zimbabwe was one.

In 2023, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia executed five Indians each, Malaysia one.

"No data available as the same is not shared by the UAE authorities. As per the

informal information available with the Mission, no Indians have been executed

from 2020 to 2024," data for UAE revealed.
A signboard of Akbar Road in Lutyens' Delhi was defaced on Thursday by individuals protesting against the alleged vandalism of Maharana Pratap's statue at Kashmiri Gate ISBT.

IMAGE: Protestors defaced Akbar Road signboard in Lutyens' Delhi. Photograph: ANI on X

The signboard, which falls under the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), was promptly cleaned by civic authorities. A senior NDMC official told PTI that an FIR will be filed after a probe into the matter.

Police have launched an investigation and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify those involved. "Law enforcement teams were dispatched immediately, and we are closely monitoring the area to prevent further vandalism," a senior police official said.

"India will not tolerate the insult of Maharana Pratap. The police administration and the Delhi government are trying to suppress the incident that happened at ISBT Kashmiri Gate. Those who are guilty should be arrested, and immediate action should be taken against them," Amit Rathore, one of the men who sprayed black paint on the signboard, told ANI.

Another man, Vijay said that they are continuously removing the signboards of invaders like Akbar, Babur and Humayun.

"We are continuously removing signboards of invaders like Akbar, Babur and Humayun, and we are trying to make the government open its eyes and take a decision... The attackers raped our sisters and mothers, hanged the from trees, demolished temples, destoyed the unity of India. The question is why are only we doing this, where are the other people of the society?" he said.

Authorities have urged citizens to maintain peace while efforts continue to trace the culprits.
On March 20, World Sparrow Day, the Dawoodi Bohra community has launched a nationwide 'Save Our Sparrows' campaign to raise awareness about the declining sparrow population.

Photographs: Kind courtesy Burhani Foundation

To boost the initiative, Dawoodi Bohra volunteers distributed around 50,000 bird feeders to households, schools, parks and community centres across the country.

In 2011, too, the Burhani Foundation set by Dawoodi Bohras set a world record by distributing 52,000 bird feeders in its efforts towards sparrow conservation.

The feeders are essential food sources for sparrows, which have been vanishing due to urbanisation and environmental degradation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in 2017 supported the 'Save Our Sparrows' initiative and in November 2024 spoke about the importance of saving sparrows.

'In childhood we had watch sparrows on our roofs, they play an important role in maintaining biodiversity. But nowadays, we can barely spot a sparrow in cities, due to increased urbanisation. There are many children of today's generation who have seen sparrows only in pictures or videos,' Modi said in his Mann Ki Baat programme in November 2024.

'Ramzan is a time of reflection, compassion and generosity,' a Dawoodi Bohra spokesperson said. "In this holy month, we come together as a community to extend our kindness not only to one another but also to the small creatures that share our world."

"Through this collective initiative, we aim to nourish our sparrows and safeguard their habitats, reminding ourselves that every act of care contributed to the harmony our ecosystem."

According to the Press Information Bureau (external link), 'Several factors contributed to the decline in sparrows, known by various names such as goraiya in Hindi, kuruvi in Tamil and chirya in Urdu.

'The use of unleaded petrol has led to toxic compounds that harm the insects that sparrows depend on for food. Urbanisation has also taken away their natural nesting spaces. Modern buildings lack the spaces sparrows need for nesting, reducing places to raise their young.'

'Sparrows are not just any birds, they are indicators of our ecosystem's health,' said Taha Bawahir, a teacher at the MSB Educational Institute in Godhra. 'Their decline is a warning sign that we must act quickly to preserve our biodiversity.'
Following the eviction of protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, Haryana security personnel on Thursday started removing cemented barricades, which were erected to prevent the Punjab farmers from heading to Delhi.

IMAGE: The Punjab police demolish tents erected by farmers at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border, March 19, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

At the Shambhu and Khanauri borders, earthmoving machines and other machines have been deployed to remove the concrete blocks to clear the Shambhu-Ambala and Sangrur-Jind roads, which remained closed for over a year after the protesting farmers camped there.

The Haryana security officials had fortified the state borders with Punjab with cement blocks, iron nails and barbed wire to scuttle any attempt by the farmers to move towards the capital as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' programme.

The Punjab police also resumed its operation to dismantle the remaining temporary structures on the Punjab side of the Shambhu and the Khanauri border points on Thursday to clear the roads.

Patiala senior superintendent of police, Nanak Singh, said all the trolleys and semi-permanent structures will be removed from the road at the Shambhu border.

"Hopefully, the road will be opened for traffic in the next 3-4 hours," he said.

The Haryana officials were also taking parallel action for opening the road, the SSP added.

Sibash Kabiraj, inspector general of police (Ambala Range), said the barricades on the Haryana side will be removed by Thursday evening and road traffic could be restored thereafter.

Meanwhile, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Thursday announced to hold dharnas outside the offices of deputy commissioners in protest against the Punjab Police crackdown.

Both the bodies, which spearheaded the farmers' stir at Shambhu and Khanauri border points, slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for evicting the protesters and detaining farmer leaders on Wednesday.

To condemn the police action, a group of farmers held a protest at Gidderbaha in Muktsar district, while another group that included women scuffled with policemen in Moga district when they were going to stage a protest outside the deputy commissioner's office.

Punjab Police detained several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali on Wednesday as they were returning after a meeting with a central delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.

At the meeting in Chandigarh, the seventh round of talks between the two sides, the central delegation was also represented by Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.

The meeting discussed the various demands of the farmers, especially a law guaranteeing minimum support price (MSP) for crops.

As the departing farmers entered Mohali after the meeting, they were met with heavy barricading.

Facing flak from certain quarters over the police crackdown, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said the AAP government is committed to generate employment for the youth by attracting industries to the state.

"Punjab's trade has been hit hard because of the closure of the two key highways at Shambhu and Khanauri border points for more than a year," Cheema said.

"We want to tell the farmers that we stand by them. Their demands concern the Centre. You (farmers) hold any protest against the Centre, and we are with you. But do not destroy Punjab and do not shut the state's highways," he appealed.

The minister also said that at a time when Punjab is waging a war against drugs, providing employment to the youth is essential for winning the fight.

"Employment can only be generated if industries come to Punjab. But the Shambhu and Khanauri borders were closed for more than a year, causing losses to Punjab.

"In 2003, Punjab made the maximum contributions to the country's GDP. But today, Punjab has dropped to the 19th place, as industries are not coming to the state," Cheema said.

Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee leader Satnam Singh Pannu also condemned the police action, and accused the Punjab government of being "hand-in-glove" with the Centre in launching the crackdown on the protesting farmers.

"It was the murder of democratic rights. The farmers wanted to go to Delhi but the Haryana government barricaded the roads at the Centre's behest," Pannu alleged.

"The governments led by Bhagwant Mann and the BJP at the Centre will face the consequences," he warned.

Pannu also said the two farmer bodies -- Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- will hold dharnas against the police action outside the offices of the deputy commissioners in Punjab and other states.

"Thousands of farmers, including women, will take part in the dharnas. We will intensify our agitation in support of our demands," Pannu said.

Condemning the police action against the farmers, KMSC leader Sukhwinder Singh said, "Farmers did not block the roads. The Centre did. Even today we want to go to Delhi as our demands concern the Centre."

"Punjab Chief Minister Mann showed his 'loyalty' to the BJP government at the Centre by initiating the police action," he alleged.

Meanwhile, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast since November 26 last year, was taken to the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences in Jalandhar. Later, he was taken to some other place.

On Wednesday, farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjit Singh Rai were among the detainees alongside Pandher and Dallewal.

The protesting farmers -- led by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- were camping at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year, when their march to Delhi was thwarted by security forces.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday belittled his predecessor Rabri Devi, asserting that she was appointed to the seat of power by her husband Lalu Prasad upon "suspension".

IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar felicitates Sixteenth Finance Commission Chairman Arvind Panagariya during the 16th Finance Commission meeting, at Samvad, in Patna, March 20, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

Kumar referred to the Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo's resignation in 1997 after a Central Bureau of Investigation charge sheet in the fodder scam, while intervening during a debate inside the state legislative council.

A heated exchange was witnessed on the floor of the legislative council where members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance and the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan traded charges on the worsening law and order situation.

Kumar said, "We look into any incident of crime that takes place and bring the guilty to justice. But these people, who did nothing worthwhile in power and were unable to handle Hindu-Muslim tensions, are after publicity".

Rabri Devi, a homemaker turned politician who is now the leader of the opposition in the Council, rose to register her protest, asserting that she could speak of achievements of her eight-year-long tenure as the chief minister.

Kumar ticked her off with the Magahi phrase chhoda na tohra kuchh maloom hai (you stay out of this. You know nothing about these matters.

The Janata Dal-United supremo, thereafter, resumed in Hindi and said, "Her husband made her the chief minister when he was placed under suspension (sic). It all remained in the family. They did nothing while in power. Their propensity for mischief led me to snap ties".

Kumar had tied up with the RJD in 2022, when he had dumped the Bharatiya Janata Party, vowing to dislodge the saffron party from power at the Centre.

However, just a few months ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he returned to the NDA, stripping the RJD of power and Rabri Devi's sons Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav of their Cabinet berths.

Notably, it was the third occasion during the ongoing session for Kumar to engage in a verbal duel with Rabri Devi.

Although Kumar sat down after a few minutes of fulminations, the House witnessed more mudslinging, with minister Ashok Choudhary alleging that when the RJD ruled Bihar, its senior leaders were involved in kidnapping for ransom.

This infuriated Rabri Devi, who got up to remind Choudhary that as a former Congress leader, he had served in her cabinet and accused him and his wife of involvement in firauti (the business of demanding ransom).

Choudhary, who had crossed over to Janata Dal-United in 2017, broke into sobs, challenging Rabri Devi to come up with proof, even as RJD members slammed him for engaging in "flattery" (chamchagiri) of his current political bosses)".

Chairman Awadhesh Narain Singh rose and admonished the Opposition for not allowing the House to run and told them that they could leave if they could not behave.

He also remarked with disgust: "It is my fourth tenure as the chairman and never have I been accused of partisanship. But today a derogatory term like chamchagiri has been hurled at me".

The opposition legislators protested, pointing out that the chairman was mistakenly taking offence at a remark not aimed at him but at another member.

Parliamentary affairs minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary requested the chairman that "unparliamentary words" uttered from any side be expunged from the records.
An Indian student enrolled as a postdoctoral fellow in the US faces deportation after federal authorities said he was "spreading Hamas propaganda" and has "close connections to a "suspected terrorist", who is a senior advisor to the group.

Badar Khan Suri is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.

IMAGE:. Badar Khan Suri.

Photograph: Courtesy Badar Khan Suri/Faceboook.

A senior department of homeland security spokesperson said that Suri, a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University, was "actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media".

"Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The secretary of state issued a determination on March 15, 2025, that Suri's activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable."

A report in Politico said that Suri, who was studying and teaching on a student visa, has been detained by federal immigration authorities amid the Trump administration's crackdown on student activists whom the government accuses of opposing American foreign policy.

The report said that masked agents arrested Suri from outside his home in Virginia Monday night.

A petition filed by his lawyer Hassan Ahmad said that he was taken to a facility in Virginia and is expected to be transferred soon to a detention centre in Texas.

Ahmad said in the petition that Suri is being punished because of the Palestinian heritage of his wife -- who is a US citizen -- and because the government suspects that he and his wife oppose US foreign policy toward Israel.

The petition says the couple has long been doxxed and smeared on anonymously run, far-right websites due to their support for Palestinian rights. The petition adds that Suri's wife Mapheze Saleh has been alleged to have ties with Hamas and once worked for Al Jazeera.

The Politico report cited a 2018 Indian newspaper article that said that Saleh's father, Ahamed Yousef, was a former deputy foreign minister in the Hamas government in Gaza. In the newspaper article, Suri is quoted as saying, 'My father-in-law left the Hamas government after its five-year term ended and there were no fresh elections.'

The incident comes less than a week after an Indian student at Columbia University, Ranjani Srinivasan, self-deported after her visa was revoked for allegedly advocating for violence and terrorism and involvement in activities supporting Hamas.

Srinivasan had entered the United States on an F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said. It added that Srinivasan was involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organisation.

The department of state had revoked her visa on March 5. The department of homeland security said it has obtained video footage of Srinivasan using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home App to self-deport on March 11.

The Politico report said that Suri's lawyer has filed a lawsuit for his immediate release.

The agents identified themselves as being with the department of homeland security and told him the government had revoked his visa, the lawsuit says, according to the Politico report.

The report added that according to Suri's petition, he was put in deportation proceedings under the same rarely used provision of immigration law that the government has invoked to try to deport Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate and legal permanent resident, arrested for his role in leading campus protests at Columbia against Israel.

The petition further notes that Suri has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime. Ahmad said he had not been able to contact Suri as of Wednesday evening.

"We're trying to speak with him. That hasn't happened yet," Ahmad said.

"This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil."

According to his profile on the website of Georgetown University, Suri completed his PhD in Peace & Conflict Studies from Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 2020.

He wrote his thesis on "Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq" in which he underlined the complexities involved in introducing democracy in ethnically diverse societies; as well as challenges to project state building.

He has travelled extensively in the conflict zones in India, Pakistan, Balochistan in Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Kurdish Areas in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and its southern region, Egypt and Palestine.

He is an interdisciplinary scholar whose areas of interest are religion, violence and peace; ethnic conflicts and peace processes in Middle East and South Asia. He is working on a project that looks into potential causes that hinder cooperation among religiously diverse societies and possibilities to overcome those hindrances, the profile said.

The Politico report quoted a statement from a Georgetown spokesperson as saying that Suri is an "Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly."
Legendary painter MF Husain's Untitled (Gram Yatra), billed as one of his most important and sizable works from the 1950s, went for USD 13.8 million (over Rs 118 crore) at an auction, setting a new record for the most expensive work of modern Indian art.

IMAGE: MF Husain's Untitled (Gram Yatra). Photograph: Courtesy, Christie's/X

The sale, which took place at a Christie's auction in New York on March 19, nearly doubles the previous record-holder, Amrita Sher-Gil's 1937 'The Story Teller', which fetched around USD 7.4 million (Rs 61.8 crore) at an auction in Mumbai in 2023.

Comprising 13 unique panels that occupy almost 14 feet across a single canvas, Gram Yatra, which means 'village pilgrimage', is widely regarded as a cornerstone of Husain's oeuvre, celebrating the diversity and dynamism of a newly independent nation.

"We are thrilled to have been a part of setting a new benchmark value for the work of Maqbool Fida Husain and the entire category. This is a landmark moment and continues the extraordinary upward trajectory of the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art market," Nishad Avari, head of Christie's South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art, said in a statement.

The 1954 painting, which left India the same year, remained largely unseen since its acquisition by the Ukrainian-born Norway-based doctor Leon Elias Volodarsky, who was in Delhi to establish a thoracic surgery training centre for the World Health Organization (WHO).

Volodarsky bequeathed the painting to Oslo University Hospital in 1964. The proceeds of the sale will support the training of future generations of doctors at the institution.

Previously, Husain's most expensive painting, Untitled (Reincarnation), was sold for USD 3.1 million (approximately Rs 25.7 crore) in London last year.

Born on September 17, 1915 in Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Husain remains one of India's most important and sought after artists whose oeuvre inspires art and conversations across the globe.

An avid reader of history and mythology and Indian culture, a large part of Husain's art includes paintings of gods and goddesses in the context of the politics of the time, works that put him in the crosshairs of controversy.

With FIRs and persistent death threats, Husain was forced into self-exile, staying in Dubai and travelling to New York and London, where he died on June 9, 2011 at the age of 95, leaving behind a prodigious body of work.
The European Council called on Member States to urgently step up efforts to meet Ukraine's urgent military and defence needs.

The European Council recalls the initiatives to enhance EU military support to Ukraine, notably that of the High Representative to coordinate increased support by Member States and other participating States, on a voluntary basis, notably on large-calibre artillery ammunition and missiles, as well as the military needs component of the G7 ERA initiative. It calls on Member States to urgently step up efforts to address Ukraines pressing military and defence needs, the text attached to the conclusions of the meeting, which was adopted unanimously by the 26 EU leaders, excluding Hungary, reads.

The EU leaders noted that the military support as well as security guarantees for Ukraine will be provided in full respect of the security and defence policy of certain Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States.

The European Council reaffirms the EUs strong commitment to ensuring full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russias war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the progress made on establishing a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, within the framework of the Council of Europe, is an important step, the text says.

EU leaders also assured that they continue to support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine in coordination with international partners. The Ukraine Recovery Conference in July 2025, hosted by Italy, will be important in that context, the text reads.

In addition, the European Council reiterated Ukraine's inalienable right to determine its own destiny on the basis of the UN Charter and international law. The European Council reiterates the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny, based on the UN Charter and international law. The European Union will intensify support for Ukraines reform efforts on its path towards EU membership. The European Council underlines the importance of progress in the negotiating process in line with the merit-based approach, opening clusters when the conditions are met, starting with the fundamentals cluster as soon as possible, the document reads.
Prime Minister Modi will visit RSS headquarters in Nagpur on March 30.

IMAGE: Paramilitary personnel keep a vigil as curfew remains in effect in 10 police station limits in Nagpur, March 19, 2025. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's forthcoming visit to its Reshim Bagh headquarters in Nagpur, scheduled for March 30, will not be the first by a sitting PM.

The group also condemned the recent violence in Nagpur, stating that it is harmful for society's health.

It added that the 17th-century Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was "not relevant" anymore.

The remarks by RSS Prachar Pramukh, or national publicity in-charge, Sunil Ambekar on the Mughal emperor were made at a press conference in Bengaluru.

The city will be the venue of the annual meeting of the RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), its highest decision making body, from March 21 to 23.

The meet will finalise plans for the RSS' centenary celebrations to be held from Vijayadashami 2025 to Vijayadashami 2026.

Ambekar's statement on the violence in Nagpur and on Aurangzeb has come in the context of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Maharashtra government trying to deal with the violence that broke out in that city on Monday.

The BJP-led coalition government's leaders, as well as those of organisations affiliated to the RSS -- such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) -- have demanded the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (earlier known as Aurangabad).

To a question on the violence in Nagpur, Ambekar said, "Any type of violence is not good for the health of the society and I think the police have taken cognisance of it. So, they will get into the details."

Asked whether Aurangzeb, who died 300 years ago (in 1707), was relevant today and if his tomb should be removed, Ambekar said, "I think (he is) not relevant."

On the PM's forthcoming visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Ambekar said he was "most welcome", but clarified that Modi will not be the first sitting PM to visit Reshim Bagh.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he said, visited the RSS headquarters during his tenure as PM.

Modi's visit to Reshim Bagh will be his first since 2014, and has become important in the context of the BJP trying to find a successor to its national president Jagat Prakash Nadda.

In recent weeks, the PM has twice acknowledged the contribution of the RSS in shaping him.

There was friction between the RSS and BJP during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, the RSS contributed to the BJP's wins in the subsequent assembly polls in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi.

Ambekar said the RSS meet will pass two resolutions, including one on the atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh and the other on its plans for centenary celebrations and the organisation's future vision for itself.

The presidents and general secretaries of 32 organisations affiliated to the RSS will also take part at the Bengaluru meeting, including Nadda and BJP General Secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh.

RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale will present a detailed synopsis of work done by the RSS and its future roadmap.

The regional heads will also present their works, programmes, roles and plans, which will be reviewed, Ambekar said.

On the situation in Bangladesh, Ambekar said, "Either in Bangladesh or anywhere in the world, the security of Hindus, their beliefs and sensitivities should be respected. So that's the main point," he said.

In the context of the centenary celebrations, the expansion of RSS shakhas, its future goals, and extensive outreach will be planned.

The meeting will also release a special statement to commemorate the 500 years of warrior queen Rani Abbakka, who was born in 1525 and hailed from Karnataka. The unparalleled contributions of Abbakka will also be discussed.

Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
United States President Donald Trump has said that he believes India will lower its tariffs on American goods, even as he reiterated his threat to impose reciprocal US tariffs on the country starting April 2.

IMAGE: United States President Donald Trump. Photograph: @WhiteHouse/X

In an interview with Breitbart News, an American news, opinion, and commentary website, Trump discussed the US' relationship with India.

Asked about his summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month, Trump said he has a very good relationship with India.

"But the only problem I have with India is they're one of the highest tariffing nations in the world, the website quoted Trump as saying.

I believe they're...probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us.

When asked about the India-Middle East-Europe-Economic Corridor (IMEC), a deal he signed the US onto during Modi's visit to the US, Trump did not mention China in particular but said it was a group of wonderful nations banding together countering other countries that look to hurt us on trade.

We have a powerful group of partners in trade, Trump said.

Again, we can't let those partners treat us badly, however. We do better in many ways frankly with our foes than we do with our friends," Trump was quoted as saying by the website.

"The ones that wouldn't be as friendly to us in some cases treat us better than the ones that are supposed to be friendly, like the European Union, which treats us terribly on trade," Trump said.

"India and everybody would think of them as an ally. I can say the same for others. But this is a group of wonderful nations that is countering other countries that look to hurt us on trade," he added.

Trump earlier this month said that India has agreed to cut its tariffs way down as he reiterated his claim that the country charges America massive tariffs that make it difficult to sell products there.

Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal, however told a Parliamentary panel in New Delhi on March 10 that negotiations are still on and no agreement on trade tariffs has been reached so far between India and the US.

Trump has been criticising the high tariffs charged by India.

In his address to the joint session of Congress on March 4, the first of his second term in the White House, Trump criticised the high tariffs charged by India and other countries and termed them very unfair.

In the past, Trump has called India a tariff king" and a "big abuser.

India had said it was looking at deepening trade ties with the US, including by reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers, under a bilateral trade agreement.

During Prime Minister Modi's visit to the US last month, both sides announced plans to negotiate a mutually beneficial, multi-sector Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
Karnataka Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi on Thursday claimed that two unsuccessful "honey trap" attempts were made on a senior minister in the state and called for a police investigation into the matter.

"... there were two attempts (on a minister), but they weren't successful. This is not the first honey trap incident in Karnataka," Jarkiholi told reporters in response to a question.

Condemning the incident, he said politics should not involve such tactics. Some people exploit such situations for political gains, and it should be stopped.

"We have asked the concerned minister to file a complaint, only then can the police act and launch an investigation," he added.

Jarkiholi emphasised that those behind it should be brought to justice.

"We will speak to the chief minister (Siddaramaiah)... have already discussed it with the home minister (G Parameshwara). If there is a complaint, it will help the investigation," he said.

Stressing the need for a non-partisan fight against honey trapping, the Minister said politicians cutting across all parties have been victims of it.

"In the earlier governments too there were victims of honey trapping, some names were heard, now our people's (Congress) names are heard, if it happens in the future too, it won't be surprising. This must end," he added.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar too backed the call for a police complaint in the matter.

"Let a complaint be given to the police station first, let's get it investigated," he told media.

Former BJP minister V Sunil Kumar had raised the issue in the assembly on Wednesday and accused the Congress government of running a "honey-trap factory", and demanded action from the Home department.
Will Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore get overtime for staying longer in space than planned? Not a chance.

IMAGE: Sunita Williams is helped out of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft onboard the SpaceX recovery ship Megan after she, NASA Astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov landed in the water off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Photograph: NASA Keegan Barber/Handout via Reuters

Williams and Wilmore, who returned to Earth on Tuesday after spending 286 days in space -- 278 days longer than anticipated after their spacecraft malfunctioned -- will not get any overtime for their unexpectedly long stay, according to NASA rules, the New York Times reported.

But they do get $5 a day for "incidentals", the paper added.

Despite their far-flung destination and the danger of space travel, when it comes to pay, astronauts are treated effectively "like any other government employee who takes a business trip...", the NYT said.

"While in space, NASA astronauts are on official travel orders as federal employees,

Jimi Russell, a spokesman for the agency's Space Operations Mission Directorate, told NYT via email.

Williams and Wilmore were essentially unable to leave their workplace for more than nine months. But astronauts aboard the International Space Station receive no overtime, holiday or weekend pay, Russell said.

Their transportation, meals and lodging are covered, and like other federal employees on work trips, they receive a daily incidentals

allowance, Russell said. This is a per diem payment given to employees in the place of reimbursements for travel expenses.

The incidental allowance for travel to any location is $5 per day, Russell said.

This means that in addition to their annual salary about $152,258, according to NASA. Wilmore and Williams received around $1,430 for their 286 days in space, the NYT said.

What incidental expenses might Wilmore and Williams have incurred while in orbit 250 miles above Earth? It's unclear. Usually, these are fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, hotel staff, and staff on ships, according to the US General Services Administration.

Williams and Wilmore did not exactly see their extended stay as a hardship.

"This is my happy place," Williams told reporters in September.

"I love being up here in space. It's just fun, you know?"

Still, if a $5 per diem seems low for a job that causes enough muscle and bone loss for you to need a gurney when you return to Earth, spare a thought for Clayton Anderson, the NASA astronaut who spent 152 days aboard the International Space Station in 2007, the NYT said.

Anderson said he received a per diem of only about $1.20, or $172 in total.

"Remember that for me - being an astronaut - was amazing, but it IS a government job with government pay. But that's okay too, it's a job I did because I dreamed of and loved it, not because of the money I could earn," he wrote on social media in 2022.
Cutbacks in funding and low ridership are forcing Southeast Vermont Transit (the Moover) to cut back on some of its routes.
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State Sen. Scott Beck, R, represents the Caledonia District and serves as Senate Minority Leader. The opinions expressed by columnists and op-ed writers do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media.
European Union leaders have called on Russia to show political will and end the war, while remaining prepared to increase pressure on the Russian Federation.

In a text added to the conclusions of the European Council meeting and supported by 26 member states, excluding Hungary, EU leaders welcomed the joint statement by Ukraine and the United States following their meeting in Saudi Arabia on 11 March 2025, including proposals for a ceasefire agreement, humanitarian efforts and the restoration of US intelligence sharing and security assistance.

The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war. A credible pathway to peace must include humanitarian relief efforts, notably the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilians and the return of all Ukrainian children and other civilians unlawfully deported and transferred to Russia and Belarus, the text reads.

At the same time, the leaders reassured that the European Union remains ready to increase pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions and enhanced implementation of existing measures, including further means and measures to counter their circumvention, to weaken its ability to continue to wage aggressive wars.

Subject to EU law, Russias assets should remain immobilised until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war, the EU leaders stated.

At the same time, the European Union and its Member States will contribute to the peace process and help secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, which is in the interest of both Ukraine and Europe as a whole.

A comprehensive peace agreement, which respects Ukraines independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, needs to be accompanied by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian aggression. The European Council welcomes the efforts that have started in this regard together with like-minded and NATO partners. The European Union and Member States are ready to contribute to security guarantees, in particular by supporting Ukraines ability to defend itself effectively, based on their respective competences and capabilities, in line with international law, the text reads.

The leaders also assured that the EU will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support. The European Council calls on the Commission to swiftly take all necessary measures to frontload financing under the Ukraine Facility and the G7 ERA initiative. It urges the Commission and Member States to use all options under the Ukraine Facility to increase financial support to Ukraine, noted the heads of state and government of the 26 EU member states.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang shared previously unreleased specifications for its Rubin graphics processing unit (GPU), due in 2026, the Rubin Ultra coming in 2027, and announced the addition of a new GPU called Feynman to the mix for 2028.

He provided the details during his keynote at the companys GTC AI developer conference, being held this week in San Jose, California.

Nvidia will ship the Vera Rubin NVL144 system in the second half of 2026, he said; it will be three times faster than the Blackwell Ultra NVL72 system which will ship in the second half of this year.

The Vera Rubin NVL144 will offer 3.6 exaflops of FP4 performance and 1.2 exaflops of FP8 performance. The system will include a new CPU called Vera, which succeeds the current Grace CPUs and will have 88 custom cores and 176 threads.

It will also include the new Rubin GPU, which will succeed the Blackwell GPU, and offer 50 petaflops of FP4 performance. The GPU will include 288GB of new HBM4 memory, a format that is considered important for AI.

The system will also include a faster NVLink 6 interconnect, with total data transfer speeds of 260TB/second, which is two times faster than the NVLink 5 in the Blackwell Ultra NVL72 systems.

In the second half of 2027, Nvidia will ship the Rubin Ultra NVL576, which will be close to four times faster than Vera Rubin NVL144 systems.

Its  extreme scale up. Each rack is 600 kilowatts, 2.5 million parts, and obviously a whole lot of GPUs, Huang said during the keynote.
European Union leaders are pledging to continue to support Ukraine militarily despite Russia's push to stop Western arms deliveries to Kyiv in the ongoing cease-fire talks.

The bloc's leaders are gathering in Brussels on March 20-21 and are expected to adopt summit conclusions stating that "the European Union maintains its 'peace through strength' approach, which requires Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position, with its own robust military and defense capabilities as an essential component."

The text, seen by RFE/RL, also notes that the group "remains committed, in coordination with like-minded partners and allies, to providing further comprehensive support to Ukraine and its people, as it exercises its inherent right to self-defence against Russias war of aggression."

The Brussels meeting comes two days after a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in which a 30-day pause on targeting energy infrastructure was agreed.

Only hours after the call, however, the state-owned Ukrainian Railways confirmed Russian drones had targeted energy infrastructure connected to the rail system in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

EU boots on the ground

The EU text would normally need to be agreed unanimously by its 27 EU member states, but EU diplomats speaking under the condition of unanimity said Hungary -- which has long proposed a more conciliatory tone toward the Kremlin -- will ask to opt out, similar to what happened at an EU summit earlier this month.

EU nations have so far been excluded from the negotiations about the war that have been taking place in Saudi Arabia, but the document underlines that "the European Union and its Member States will contribute to the peace process and help secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, which is in the interest of both Ukraine and Europe as a whole."

However, there is no mention of a designated EU envoy for the talks. There has been speculation in Brussels that former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and current Finnish President Alexander Stubb could be primed for such a role.



The text does not include any direct references to EU boots on the ground to oversee a potential peace deal, which is something French President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly pushed for but which Moscow so far has dismissed.

Brussels does maintain two other positions that the Trump administration seems to have put on the negotiation table in a bid to secure Moscow's commitment to a peace deal: a loosening of sanctions against the Kremlin and accountability for war crimes.

The bloc recently prolonged its visa bans and asset freezes on 2,400 companies and individuals -- including Putin -- that it has imposed since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine started three years ago. The EU "remains ready to step up pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions and by strengthening the enforcement of existing measures," it noted.

Approximately 200 billion euros worth of Russian assets remain frozen, mainly in Belgium. The funds should remain immobilized "until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war."

The member states added that they are pushing for "full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine."

This comes as Washington announced its intention to drop out of the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, a group formed by Western countries back in 2022 to gather evidence against those responsible for potential war crimes.
US citizen George Glezmann has been released from detention in Kabul following the first visit by a senior US official to Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in the wake of the withdrawal of international troops from the war-torn country in August 2021.

Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said in a post on X that after he and Adam Boehler, a senior adviser at the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, met with Taliban officials on March 20, the 66-year-old Glezmann was "on his way home to his family."

"We succeeded in obtaining the release of an American citizen, George Glezmann, after two years in detention in Kabul. The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to [President Donald Trump] and the American people," Khalilzad said.

Details of the negotiations were not revealed. The United States, like most countries, does not recognize the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.

No mention was made of another US citizen being held by the Taliban, George Mahmood Habibi, who also has been held in Afghanistan since 2022.

Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, was taken into custody by Taliban authorities while on a tourist visit to Afghanistan in December 2022 and had been deemed wrongfully detained by the US government.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed the release, calling it "a positive and constructive step" that was aided by officials in Qatar, which has often hosted negotiations between Washington and the Taliban.

"It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan," he added.

The release comes two months after two other Americans held in Afghanistan were exchanged for a Taliban man imprisoned for life in California on drug and terrorism charges.

Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were swapped for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 and was incarcerated in a US prison.

Aid worker Corbett, 40, and Habibi, 37 -- who led the Afghan Aviation Authority under the previous Afghan government -- were detained separately in August 2022.
North Macedonia was in deep mourning on March 20 as funerals were held in several towns and the capital, Skopje, for victims of a nightclub fire that left 59 people dead and sparked anti-corruption protests.

Grief and shock have gripped the Balkan country since the fire at the Pulse nightclub in the town of Kocani on the night March 16, which was caused by a pyrotechnics accident during a hip-hop concert.

The youngest of the fires victims was just 16, while the oldest was 48. Three other victims were 17.

The government is yet to release a full list of names of the victims.

Apart from Kocani, around 80 kilometers east of Skopje, funerals were held in Stip, Cesinovo-Oblesevo, and Skopje, and some smaller towns.

'All Of Macedonia Is Crying'

Reporters for RFE/RLs Balkan Service witnessed citizens form long lines in city squares to light candles and pay tribute to the deceased.

In Kocani, shops were shuttered, roads were closed, and residents appeared to be still reeling from the tragedy.

Authorities, who have come under pressure following the tragedy, published a protocol for the media and for the public attending the ceremonies, where hundreds of mostly black-clad mourners gathered.

Residents of Kocani, Skopje, and other North Macedonian cities staged protests in the aftermath of the disaster, demanding an end to the corruption that they say makes buildings across the country unfit for purpose.

"We expect our institutions to start working properly. We are overwhelmed. Ordinary people are suffering. Today Kocani is crying. All of Macedonia is crying," one protester told RFE/RL at a protest on March 18.

Protesters labeled the civic initiative Whos Next.

Police said 15 people were detained in connection with the fire, while Kocani authorities confirmed the nightclub was operating without a license.

More than 170 people were forced to seek treatment in hospitals in North Macedonia and abroad after suffering injuries in the blaze.

Health Minister Arben Taravari said on March 20 that of the 20 people previously stated as being in critical condition, 10 were still in a serious condition, but no longer faced a threat to their lives.

Dozens Killed At Nightclub Fire In North Macedonia No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:48 0:00

Foreign Minister Timco Mucunski in recent days has visited victims recuperating in Greece, Bulgaria, and Croatia, where he met with counterparts and thanked them for their support.

I am here as a representative of a state grieving for 59 lost lives. At this moment, there are no appropriate words that can be spoken, Mucunski told journalists in front of a medical clinic in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, on March 20.
Amid an attempt by US President Donald Trumps administration to halt congressionally allocated funding from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the broadcasters audiences in the countries it covers are voicing support and admiration for its journalism.

From Iran to Belarus, Afghanistan to Russia, Pakistan to Ukraine: Readers and listeners praised RFE/RL journalists for their brave, impartial, and honest reporting on the front lines of war and in some of the worlds most repressive political and media landscapes -- and expressed concern that it could vanish.

I live in a small village. We dont have satellite or reliable Internet. Your radio [is] giving me hope, one listener in Iran wrote in a Telegram message to Radio Farda, RFE/RLs Persian-language service.

Another listener from Iran posted on social media that Radio Farda is my main source of information because of its unbiased and professional reporting."

Losing it would be very difficult. I hope that day never comes, the listener wrote.

Trump on March 14 signed an executive order aiming to reduce seven federal agencies  including the US Agency for Global Media, which oversees RFE/RL and other US taxpayer-funded broadcasters like Voice of America (VOA).

After the executive order was published, Kari Lake, senior adviser to the agency's acting CEO, sent a letter saying the Congress-approved grant that funds RFE/RL had been terminated.

RFE/RL is nonetheless continuing its work and on March 18 filed a federal lawsuit to block USAGMs attempt to terminate the broadcaster's federal grant that provides funds necessary to operate.

Unlike VOA, which is a federal agency, RFE/RL is a private, nonprofit corporation, with corporate headquarters in Delaware and editorial headquarters in Prague.

Breaking Through 'The Darkness Of Lies'

In Ukraine, where RFE/RL has covered Russias full-scale invasion from the front lines since it was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in February 2022, reader Oleh Prozorov thanked RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service for its protection of political freedoms.

Sometimes you were like a ray of light that broke through the darkness of lies, Prozorov wrote on Facebook.

In a message to RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, reader Lesya Bondaruk expressed fear of losing a bastion of real freedom of speech and thought."

An attack on Radio Liberty is an attack on humanitys freedom of speech. This cannot be allowed, she wrote.

Readers and viewers of RFE/RLs Russian-language services expressed gratitude for their coverage of the country amid a steady decline in press freedoms during Putins 25 years in power that intensified following the Ukraine invasion.

I am in Russia, engulfed in the zombifying, villainous propaganda of the Kremlin. Current Time is the only Russian-language TV channel that can be trusted, with objective information and many documentary programs, wrote one viewer of RFE/RLs 24/7 Russian-language television channel.

I am endlessly amazed by your reporters who risk working in front-line areas, the professionalism of your anchors, and the high level of journalism, another Current Time viewer wrote in a message to the network.

'Ray Of Hope' In Afghanistan

Hundreds of messages and calls have poured in from RFE/RL listeners in Afghanistan and Pakistan expressing deep concern about the fate of the broadcasters Afghan Service, known locally as Radio Azadi, which broadcasts in the Dari and Pashto languages, and Radio Mashaal, a Pashto-language service in Pakistan.

Radio Azadi is very important for us. It keeps me informed about the world. I listen to it day and night, both on the radio and my phone, Radio Azadi listener Haji Khodaiberdi wrote in a WhatsApp message.

Radio Azadi is a ray of hope for countries that are often forgotten. Its programs connect people from small villages to the world. Living in a remote village with only one radio, I find its voice truly comforting. I hope your programs always remain strong and vibrant, listener Safa Mehr wrote.

Another listener, Nabiullah Zabuli from Afghanistans southern Zabul Province, urged Trump and everyone who can influence this decision to reconsider cutting funding for Radio Azadi.

Please do not betray your millions of loyal listeners. Keep this beacon of information alive, he wrote.

Heela Darkhast Ahmadzai, a Radio Azadi and Mashaal listener, said in a Pashto-language Facebook post that both channels are sources of enlightening our minds and thinking.

We Pashtun women learned a lot from those two radio stations, she wrote. And we came to know about our rights, education, and about the world from those two platforms.

Another Radio Mashaal listener, Ebadullah Khan from the Shangla district in northwestern Pakistan, said on Facebook that the broadcasters journalists did their job with courage and that their journalistic efforts in spreading awareness among the people are great.

'This Story Must Go On'

In Belarus, where the government of Belarusian autocrat Aleksandr Lukashenko has all but wiped out independent media, RFE/RLs Belarusian-language service is one of just a handful of news organizations continuing to report critically on authorities.

After Russias invasion of Ukraine, one reader, Zmitrok Siemieniuk, said that he immediately rushed to find out what was going on and came across Radio Svabodas YouTube channel.

There were millions of views, which helped me grasp what was really going on, and I still use Radio Svabodas channels, he wrote on Instagram. You provide news free of propaganda and hatred. I can learn about the most important events happening in the world. And, of course, here I can read the news in my native language.

Another reader, Tatsiana, said that Radio Svaboda is the only place in the world where I could truly feel like a citizen of a free, European Belarus.

In 2020, millions of Belarusians who took part in the peaceful revolution against Lukashenkos brutal authoritarianism embraced Radio Svabodas values, while it live-streamed these historic events in real time, she wrote in a private message.

Its mission remains unfinished today -- this story must go on.

Based on reporting by RFE/RLs Afghan Service, RFE/RLs Belarus Service, Current Time, RFE/RL's Radio Farda, RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, and RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service
Zelenskyy discusses support for Grain from Ukraine program with Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Norway

Crown Prince Regent of Norway Haakon and Crown Princess of Norway Mette-Marit held an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

We discussed strengthening cultural ties between our countries and further support for the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian initiative, Zelenskyy said on X Thursday.

All of us in Ukraine deeply appreciate Norways defense and humanitarian support, as well as its efforts in developing a European plan for achieving a just peace and reliable security guarantees, the resident noted.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a delegation from Kyiv will hold talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia next week amid intense diplomatic efforts to bring an end to Europe's largest and deadliest conflict since World War II.

During a visit to Norway on March 20, Zelenskyy said Ukraine would prepare a list of buildings and facilities to make clear what it considers to be civilian infrastructure after Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a partial cease-fire.

During a phone call with US President Donald Trump on March 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to halt strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, only to violate it hours later.

"I don't want to have a different understanding of what the parties would agree to," Zelenskyy said, adding the Ukrainian delegation would not hold face-to-face talks with a Russian group of officials who will also be in Saudi Arabia on March 24.

Trump and Zelenskyy spoke on March 19 to discuss the outcome of the US president's call a day earlier with Putin. Trump sought to get the Kremlin leader to agree to a 30-day cease-fire after having secured Zelenskyy's backing on condition that Russia do the same.

Putin rejected a full cease-fire but accepted a halt in strikes on Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure, according to a US readout of the call.

During his call with Zelenskyy, Trump promised to look into acquiring more Patriot air-defense missile systems for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy agreed not to target Russian energy assets for 30 days.

Ukraine has struggled to protect its cities from Russian attacks due to a lack of air defense, and Zelenskyy wrote that another wave of strikes overnight showed Putin's comments were just "propaganda."

"Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims. Every day and every night, nearly a hundred or more drones are launched, along with ongoing missile attacks. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace," Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X on March 20.

Ukraine's air force said on March 20 that its air defenses shot down 75 out of 171 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack, with 63 other drones redirected from their targets with the use of electronic warfare.

Ukraine's National Police said that at least 10 people were injured in an overnight air attack on the central Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskiy, including four children.

The strike damaged residential buildings and private homes. Several of the injured were hospitalized after receiving emergency medical care.

Russia, meanwhile, said that it had downed 132 Ukrainian drones overnight, with authorities in the Saratov region confirming that an airfield close to the town of Engels, which hosts a strategic bomber base, had been set on fire.

Ukraine's military confirmed it had launched an attack against the base.

Russia's aviation authority Rosaviatsia also said arrivals and departures at the Samara and Saratov airports had been temporarily suspended.

Zelenskyy arrived in Norway as the intensity of peace talks continues to gain momentum.

"Norway supports Ukraine in its fight to defend itself and is contributing to the effort to achieve a lasting, just peace in the country. I look forward to constructive discussions on how Norway can best provide assistance to Ukraine in both the short term and the long term," Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Store said at a press conference with Zelenskyy.

Trump suggested during his call with Zelenskyy that the United States take ownership of Ukraine's power plants as he seeks to bridge a wide divide between Moscow and Kyiv and secure a full cease-fire.

Trump told Zelenskyy that US ownership of Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants "would be the best protection for that infrastructure," according to a White House readout of the March 19 call.

The proposal reflects Trump's belief that US ownership of Ukrainian assets would effectively serve as a security guarantee for the embattled country because Russia would presumably refrain from targeting them out of fear of escalation with the United States.

Zelenskyy said he and Trump discussed the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine during the phone call. He said he told Trump that Kyiv would be ready to discuss US involvement in modernizing and investing in the plant if it is returned to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy, however, on March 20 dismissed the idea that the plant could be owned by the US, adding that the critical facility is officially a property of the Ukrainian people.

"If it's not under Ukrainian control, it wouldn't work for anybody. It's illegal [...] If the Americans want to take it from Russia, invest in it, and modernize it -- that's a different question," he told journalists in Norway.

Kyiv's demand for security guarantees lies at the heart of the shuttle diplomacy between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States to secure a peace deal. Zelenskyy wants any final peace deal to include Western security guarantees for Ukraine to deter Russia from invading again, but Trump has so far refused to commit the United States to the country's defense.

Zelenskyy Has 'Positive' Contact With Trump

Trump has made ending the war in Ukraine, which has killed or wounded more than a million people, a top priority for his administration.

However, Moscow and Kyiv remain so far apart on key issues -- such as land exchanges and security guarantees for Ukraine -- that the Trump administration will need to use various carrots and sticks if it hopes to bring them together.

In a social media post, Trump said the goal of his call with Zelenskyy was "to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs."

Putin has agreed to continue talks with the United States toward achieving a full cease-fire. US negotiators will meet with Ukrainian and Russian counterparts in the coming days to work on extending the partial cease-fire to the Black Sea.

In a show of good faith by both sides, Russia and Ukraine on March 19 each swapped 175 prisoners in one of the largest exchanges of the war.

Experts say that Putin has not given up on his goals of subjugating Ukraine and will seek to drag out the talks while his forces have the advantage on the battlefield. Russia wants to fully control the four regions of Ukraine it claims to have annexed in 2022. It would fall short of that goal were it to agree to a full-cease fire now.

Trump has threatened to impose tough sanctions and tariffs on Russia if it obstructs the path toward peace deal, but experts question whether the US president would come down hard on Russia considering he values his relationship with Putin.

Trump has shown that he can pressure Zelenskyy. Is he willing and able to pressure Putin? If not, then what is he going to do? Putin is making it clear that hes not changing his goals, Mark Katz, a Russia expert and professor emeritus of government and politics at George Mason University, told RFE/RL.

Russia has regularly targeted Ukraine's power infrastructure with missiles and drones in an attempt to break the will of the Ukrainian people by denying them light and heat in the winter.

Ukraine has often retaliated against the strikes on its power system by targeting Russian oil assets, such as refineries and storage facilities. Russia's war machine is heavily dependent on oil export revenues, which account for about a third of federal budget revenues.

Residents of Kyiv told RFE/RL that they did not put much faith in the agreement between Washington and Moscow.

Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready to send a team for further cease-fire discussions with the United States, while reiterating Kyiv will not recognize Russian sovereignty over any occupied Ukrainian territory -- a condition for any peace agreement that Putin has voiced several times.

With reporting by Reuters and AP
A man was arrested on Wednesday evening after gardai in Roscommon seized more than 33,000 worth of suspected drugs in Strokestown.

Shortly after 8,30 p.m. on Wednesday, Garda members attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit were on patrol when they stopped a vehicle on Main Street, Strokestown.

During a search of the vehicle, cannabis herb worth 28,000; cannabis resin worth 1,500; amphetamine worth 1,530; 'magic' mushrooms worth 1,750; LSD worth 230 and 260 worth of MDMA were discovered by gardai.

1,400 cash was also seized along with drug paraphernalia. The total value of the drugs seized is 33,270, subject to analysis.

The driver, a male in his 40s, was arrested at the scene for an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977-2016

He is currently detained at a Garda station in the North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

The drugs seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.

Investigations are ongoing.
Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'Environmentalists accuse Ministry of Environment of manipulating facts about protection of Markhalivka forest'

On Tuesday, March 25, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "Environmentalists accuse Ministry of Environment of manipulating facts about protection of Markhalivka forest."

Participants: resident of the village of Markhalivka, representative of NGO Markhalivka. Support Liudmyla Morozova; director of the Kyiv Ecological and Cultural Center Volodymyr Boreiko (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.
The Roscommon Branch of MS Ireland is delighted to announce that it will host an information morning for people living with or caring for someone with multiple sclerosis in the County of Roscommon.

The event will take place this Saturday morning , March 22nd, starting at 11am in Hannon's Hotel, Athlone Road, Roscommon Town. As part of the event, a guest speaker from the Citizens Information Centre will give a talk on, 'Carers and Entitlements for people living with disabilities'.

Please feel free to come along and join. This talk will be followed by the branch's AGM. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
Haryana Police lifts barricades as punjab police clears khanauri border

The Shambhu and Khanauri border points were closed for more than a year by farmers who were agitating for a legal assurance of MSP

Haryana Police lifts barricades as punjab police clears khanauri border latest news: Security was upped on the Haryana-Punjab border on Thursday morning after the Punjab police eviction of protesting farmers and detention of their leaders on Wednesday night. The action attracted sharp criticism from the BJP and other opposition parties, who called it a "cowardly act" by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The Shambhu and Khanauri border points were closed for more than a year by farmers who were agitating for a legal assurance of minimum support price (MSP). On Thursday morning, concrete barricades at the Shambhu border were also dismantled by Haryana police.

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On Wednesday, farmer leaders from Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha were received by a central delegation headed by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Chandigarh.

On the way back, a number of leaders, such as Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, were taken into custody in Mohali. Punjab police subsequently cleared protest camps, tearing down temporary tents and taking away trolleys and vehicles deployed on the border.

Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said he faced heavy barricading in Mohali. Pandher was arrested at the Zirakpur checkpoint and brought to the Bahadurgarh Commando Police Training Center in Patiala. Dallewal, who was in an ambulance, was also arrested, with the police reportedly removing the driver.

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At the Khanauri border, about 3,000 police officers were sent to vacate the area. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu asked farmers to vacate voluntarily, stressing that police "do not want any confrontation." Patiala Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh said that the area was vacated after giving "proper warnings." He further said that buildings and vehicles were being dismantled and Haryana police would do the same to restore highway movement.

Other Deputy Commissioner Sukhchain Singh also made declarations over a megaphone, requesting protesters to vacate the road within "10 minutes." Police then arrested the rest of the farmers and took them away in buses.

Videos on social media depicted police dismantling protest platforms at Shambhu and Khanauri. JCB machines were utilized to dismantle structures, while at Khanauri, the saroop of Guru Granth Sahib was shifted as per Sikh tradition.

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The atmosphere is still tense as the authorities make efforts to reopen the highways and deal with the aftermath of the eviction.

(For More News Apart Haryana Police lifts barricades as punjab police clears khanauri border stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Punjab Police clears Khannauri and Shambhu border, Roads to be open for traffic in 2-3 days

Temporary shelters built by the farmers were brought down with bulldozers, and cranes and recovery vans removed their belongings.

Punjab Police clears Khanauri and Shambhu border, Roads to be open for traffic in 2-3 days latest news: In a dramatic turn of events, Punjab Police arrested top farmer leaders, such as Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarwan Singh Pandher, upon their return from a meeting with central delegations in Chandigarh. The leaders were initially detained and later taken into police custody.

The police action included the clearance of protesting farmers from the Khanauri and Shambhu borders, where they had been rallying for more than a year. Temporary shelters built by the farmers were brought down with bulldozers, and cranes and recovery vans removed their belongings. Internet services in the area were also cut off as part of the operation.

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VIDEO | Khanauri border: Cranes and recovery vans are clearing out the belongings of the farmers who were protesting.



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/cfCr4AVyo1  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 20, 2025

The action has been condemned by all sides, with opposition parties and farmer bodies criticizing the crackdown. The protests, following demands for a legal assurance of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other factors, have been an ongoing affair since February last year. The situation is tense as the police continue to remove the protest sites.

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VIDEO | Shambhu Border: Bulldozers being used to remove temporary shelters used by protesting farmers.#ShambhuBorder #FarmersProtests



(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/wtbnM7LpOd  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 20, 2025

(For More News Apart Punjab Police clears Khannauri and Shambhu border, Roads to be open for traffic in 2-3 days stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Shambhu Border Re-opens for commuters

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha led the protests since February 2024

Shambhu Border Re-opens for commuters latest news: In a breakthrough, the Shambhu Border, which was shut for more than a year because of farmer protests, reopened today. Haryana security officials started removing the cemented barricades put up to stop Punjab farmers from marching towards Delhi as part of their 'Delhi Chalo' movement. JCB machines were used to remove the concrete blocks, bringing an end to a long standoff.

The resumption comes on the heels of eviction of protest farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri borders on Wednesday evening. Dozens of farmer leaders, such as Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on indefinite fast, and Sarvan Singh Pandher of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, were arrested by Punjab Police. The move has evoked strong condemnation from farmer leader and Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesman Rakesh Tikait, who criticized the Punjab government's action.

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The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha led the protests since February 2024. Eviction and re-opening of the border have instigated new protests, with farmers declaring dharnas in front of deputy commissioners' offices all over Punjab.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema justified the eviction, referring to the negative effect of the prolonged closure of the highway on business and commerce. He reiterated that the state government stood by farmers' legitimate concerns but requested that they target the central government.

The opening of the Shambhu border is expected to bring back normalcy in the area, but tensions persist as farmers keep expressing their dissent. The matter is being kept under close watch, with additional security at the border to check further escalations.

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(For More News Apart Shambhu Border Re-opens for commuters stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
Amritpal Singh's Seven Associates to Be Produced in Punjab Court Over Ajnala Police Station Attack

the Punjab government has not extended the National Security Act (NSA) on these persons.

Amritpal Singh's Seven Associates to Be Produced in Punjab Court Over 2023 latest news: Seven companions of Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh are being returned to Punjab today. Punjab Police's special team already left from Dibrugarh to Delhi with three of Amritpal Singh's aides on an IndiGo flight. The other four companions will be shifted from the Dibrugarh Police Station to Mohanbari Airport and will then be flown to Delhi.

After arriving at Delhi, the group will be transported to Amritsar, either by air or road. It is expected that the associates will be produced in Ajnala Court in Amritsar by late tonight or tomorrow morning. This action pertains to obtaining their remand in relation to the February 2023 attack on Ajnala Police Station.

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Significantly, the Punjab government has not extended the National Security Act (NSA) on these persons. Just four days ago, the Punjab Police team reached Dibrugarh to take the associates into custody. Meanwhile, Amritpal Singh, along with Pappalpreet Singh and Varinder Vicky, are languishing in Dibrugarh jail. Their next hearing of the NSA in the Punjab and Haryana High Court is on March 22, and then the government will finalize its next move.

This comes as another installment in the continuing legal process and investigative work associated with this high-profile case. If you'd like more information or a different take on this story, let me know.

(For More News Apart Amritpal Singh's Seven Associates to Be Produced in Punjab Court Over Ajnala Police Station Attack stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)
"Nagpur Riots: A Critical Look at Leadership and Responsibility"

Hindutva organizations have been taking out processions for the past few days demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb from Maharashtra.

Editorial: The communal riots that broke out in the Mahal area of aaNagpur (Maharashtra) and the political slander that has followed them are an unfortunate series. These riots started on March 17 with the burning of the mortal remains of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb by a procession of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists.

Hindutva organizations have been taking out processions for the past few days demanding the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb from Maharashtra. A rumour spread about their action in Nagpur that the procession had burnt a copy of the Quran. On this, Muslim extremists also came on the streets and the clash between the two communities turned violent.

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The police had to bear the brunt of the violence at the hands of the rioters. More than three dozen policemen, including four officers, were injured, about a dozen vehicles were burnt and the houses and business premises of political leaders and religious leaders were also targeted with arson and stone pelting. Although the administration brought the situation under control by imposing curfew within eight hours, the heat of the riots continues to hit Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' 'Mahayuti' government.

Its three allies - BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - have not been united over the entire development. Efforts to take political advantage of this are being made vigorously by the opposition, especially Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and Congress. Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray have said that Aurangzeb's tomb is three hundred years old.

For more than three centuries, Maharashtrians have been tolerating this. Why is its presence suddenly becoming unwelcome to a section of the Maharashtra population? Both the leaders claim that the Fadnavis government is fanning the issue of the tomb to divert people's attention from its own political and administrative failures and is bent on increasing communal divisions among the people of the state. A similar critical tone is also shared by the NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the Congress party.

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In response to such criticism, Devendra Fadnavis has accused the riots of being instigated under a calculated conspiracy. He has also blamed the Hindi film 'Chhawa' (Bangladesh Tiger's Child) for creating anger against the tomb of Aurangzeb. Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhosale's eldest son and the second Maratha emperor Sambhaji Maharaj was brutally killed by Aurangzeb in 1689 during his campaign to conquer the south.

The film 'Chhawa' is based on the Marathi historical novel 'Chhawa' written by Shivaji Sawant about the life struggle of Sambhaji. This novel presents a one-sided storyline in which Aurangzeb is the villain and Sambhaji is the hero. Fadnavis's argument is correct in its place, but BJP activists have also been doing their part to fan the flames of emotions generated by the film for the past few days, as have leaders of other political parties.

In such an environment, the responsibility of keeping the socio-religious temperature normal fell on the Fadnavis government. It failed in this task. This gave strength to the communal forces.

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Mughal Emperor Muhammad Mohiuddin Aurangzeb was a fanatic ruler; there are no two opinions about this. He was a cruel man by nature, as evidenced by the brutal murders of his three brothers (especially Dara Shikoh) and the imprisonment of his father Shah Jahan for more than eight years. He turned the majority of his empire against him by imposing jizya on Hindus from 1678 and encouraging forced conversions.

These same steps became the main reason for the collapse of the Mughal Empire after his death in 1707. Despite such shortcomings, he was not an entirely dark character. He also had his strengths.

In the context of the Marathas or Sambhaji Maharaj, it does not seem inappropriate to mention that his son Sahuji, who later became the fifth Chhatrapati Maratha Emperor, remained in Aurangzebs custody for 18 years. He was never mistreated, but his noble upbringing and education were given great care.

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After his release from detention in 1707 and his coronation as the Maratha Chhatrapati in 1708, Sahuji Pratham presented his faith by placing a green cloth on the tomb of Aurangzeb in Khuldadad (Ahmednagar).

Now those who are stirring up a movement to remove this tomb from Maharashtra have forgotten how much they are hurting the faith of Sahuji Maharaj, who ruled for 41 years and expanded the boundaries of the Maratha empire to the whole of Central India.
March 20, 2025

A roundup of local and world news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 20.03.2025, 13:55

LIST As of today, the list of candidates in the presidential election in May is definitive after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday turned down the last challenges submitted. There are eleven names, seven representing political groups whereas four are independent candidates. 12 candidates have been validated by the Central Electoral Office but Anamaria Gavrila, leader of the Young Peoples Party, has decided to withdraw from the electoral race. Their order on ballots is to be decided on Saturday.

VISIT Romanias interim president, Ilie Bolojan, is today participating in the European Councils proceedings and the Euro Summit held in an inclusive format. The White Paper for European Defence, the latest defence strategy presented by the European Commission, is to be voted upon with a view to limiting the reliance on US arms imports and increasing purchases from the European defence industry. The White Paper for European Defence is based upon five funding pillars, the most important being the credit guaranteed by the Commission of 150 billion Euros. The plan also relies on the readiness of the member states to increase budget expenses for defence up to 650 billion, thanks to the flexibility of budget deficit conditions. All the projects in the first pillar must envisage purchases from the European Defence Industry of 65%. Also high on the meetings agenda are ways of increasing the military support for Ukraine, new European Commission proposals for the repatriation of illegal migrants and also ways of achieving European competitiveness, with three main directions: simplified administrative procedures, a consolidated energy market and the union of economies and investment. The agenda also includes action plans for the car-making and metallurgical sectors as well as debates over the latest developments in the Middle East, especially in Gaza and Syria.

FAIR The city of Craiova, in southern Romania, on Wednesday saw the opening of the first book fair part of the Radio Romania Gaudeamus Caravan this year. The event brings together some of the most prestigious publishing houses in Romania, agencies of book distribution, university publishing houses as well as suppliers of music and educational games. This editions honorary president is the Romanian-French playwright, poet and journalist, Matei Visniec. The Radio Romania Gaudeamus Caravan will continue to other major Romanian cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Buzau, Brasov, Sibiu and Iasi. The aforementioned events will be culminating with the Radio Romania Gaudeamus Book Fair to be staged in Bucharest soon.

WEATHER The weather is getting warmer in most of the Romanian territory with highs ranging from 8 to 15 degrees Celsius. The sky is overcast and moderate wind has been reported. The noon reading in Bucharest stood at 13 degrees centigrade.

(bill)
March 20, 2025 UPDATE

A roundup of domestic and international news

Newsflash

Newsroom, 20.03.2025, 19:54

Elections. As of Thursday, the list of candidates in the presidential election due this May in Romania is definitive, after the Constitutional Court on Wednesday turned down the last challenges submitted. There are eleven names, seven representing political groups, and four independent candidates. 12 candidates have been validated by the Central Electoral Bureau, but Anamaria Gavrila, leader of the Young Peoples Party, has decided to withdraw from the electoral race. Their order on ballots is to be decided on Saturday.

Summit. The EU leaders attended a European summit in Brussels on Thursday. They reaffirmed their commitment to keep supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia and to keep up the pressure on the latter, but the declaration signed at the end of the summit did not mention the 40 billion euros in aid requested for Ukraine by the EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who participated in the discussions via videoconference, asked the European leaders to approve 5 billion euros in aid for shells for his army. The EU will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support, according to the summits conclusions, which Hungarian conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to sign. Romania was represented by acting President Ilie Bolojan, who is also attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on March 20-21. According to the Presidential Administration in Bucharest, on the sidelines of the event, a meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be organized, during which current global challenges will be discussed. A main point on the meetings agenda refers to ensuring European competitiveness, with three priority areas identified for debate: simplifying and reducing the administrative burden, consolidating the energy market and the union of economies and investments. At the same time, the latest developments regarding support for Ukraine will be addressed.

PNNR. The Romanian Government gathered on Thursday to analyze the measures meant to guarantee that the milestones set in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan are fully met, so that the entire amount allocated to Romania is disbursed. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced that he has started to visit construction sites, unannounced, especially where money from the NRRP is used, to see the status of the works. Also in Thursdays session, the executive approved a financial aid of 580 million euros for large energy-consuming companies, which will allow them to be competitive on the international market. The Government has also approved over 400 million euros for the 2025 edition of the Start-up Nation program. Each young entrepreneur who will be admitted to this program will receive 50,000 euros to start a business or to develop the one they already have.

Fraud. Several influencers who campaigned on TikTok and other social media for the independent presidential candidate Calin Georgescu are being investigated by prosecutors. On Thursday morning, searches were carried out at 17 addresses in Bucharest and nine counties. Prosecutors also came again to the home of Bogdan Peschir, about whom the Romanian Intelligence Service showed, in a document declassified by the Supreme Council of National Defense, that he financed Georgescus campaign on TikTok with over 380,000 euros. Members of the Pian clan were also targeted by the searches. They supported Georgescus campaign and received money on TikTok to promote the candidate with a pro-Russian and anti-Western speech. Declassified documents from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Intelligence Service showed that the influencers were involved in promoting and buying votes. Judicial activities aim to establish links between those targeted by the searches and other individuals who could be involved in fraud in the electoral process and determine how they were paid.



Gaudeamus. The city of Craiova, in southern Romania, on Wednesday saw the opening of the first book fair part of the Radio Romania Gaudeamus Caravan this year. The event brings together some of the most prestigious publishing houses in Romania, book distributors, university publishing houses as well as suppliers of music and educational games. This editions honorary president is the Romanian-French playwright, poet and journalist, Matei Visniec. The Radio Romania Gaudeamus Caravan will continue to other major Romanian cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Buzau, Brasov, Sibiu and Iasi. The aforementioned events will be culminating with the Radio Romania Gaudeamus Book Fair to be staged in Bucharest soon. (MI)
Mexico or Bulgaria? Turkey or Croatia? Spain or Zanzibar? Find your holiday option by the sea in the online catalogue of ANEX Tour travel agency. The company offers tours at no extra charge at prices (including promotions and hot tours) of the most reliable tour operators in the country.

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Prices, resorts, tour conditions, hotel information: in the online catalogue on the ANEX Tour travel agency website, it is easy to get acquainted with the current offers of holidays by sea. The most popular destinations are Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, the Balkan countries, and Spain. Tours with direct flights to Zanzibar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and resorts in Mexico and Cuba are available.

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The Australian market is extending its early gains in mid-market moves on Thursday, reversing the losses in the previous session, following the broadly positive cues from Wall Street overnight. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is moving above the 7,900 level, with gains across most sectors led by gold miners, financial and stocks.

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index is gaining 86.90 points or 1.11 percent to 7,915.20, after touching a high of 7,919.40 earlier. The broader All Ordinaries Index is up 89.30 points or 1.11 percent to 8,144.60. Australian stocks ended notably lower on Wednesday.

Among major miners, Rio Tinto and BHP Group are losing almost 1 percent each, while Fortescue Metals is losing more than 2 percent and Mineral Resources is down more than 1 percent.

Oil stocks are mixed. Santos and Origin Energy are gaining almost 1 percent each, while Beach energy is down more than 1 percent and Woodside Energy is losing almost 1 percent.

In the tech space, Afterpay owner Block is gaining more than 4 percent and WiseTech Global is rising more than 2 percent, while Xero and Appen are advancing more than 1 percent each. Zip is flat.

Among the big four banks, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ Banking are gaining almost 2 percent each, while National Australia Bank is adding 1.5 percent.



Among gold miners, Newmont and Resolute Mining are edging up 0.5 percent each, while Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining are advancing almost 3 percent each. Gold Road Resources is gaining almost 2 percent.

In corporate news, shares in Nanosonics are soaring more than 13 percent after US regulators approved its cleaning tool designed to clean endoscopes used in hospitals and reduce infection risk.

Share in TPG Telecom are surging almost 5 percent after the competition watchdog gave it a green light to proceed with its $5.25 billion sale of its fibre networks to Vocus Group.

Shares in Arafura Rare Earths are jumping almost 12 percent after it secured a binding five-year offtake agreement to supply 100 tonnes per year of neodymium-praseodymium oxide to Luxembourg-based metals and minerals trader Traxys Europe SA.

In economic news, the unemployment rate in Australia came in at a seasonally adjusted 4.1 percent in February, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday - in line with expectations and unchanged from the January reading.

But the Australian lost 52,800 jobs last month, the bureau said, well shy of expectations for an increase of 30,800 jobs following the addition of 44,000 in January. Full-time employment was down 35,700 jobs following the addition of 54,100 a month earlier.

The participation rate was 66.8 percent, again missing forecasts for 67.3 percent - which would have been unchanged from the previous month.

In the currency market, the Aussie dollar is trading at $0.634 on Thursday.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market Analysis
Switzerland's foreign trade surplus decreased in February from a month earlier as exports grew faster than imports, data from the Federal Customs Administration showed on Thursday.

The trade surplus rose to CHF 4.28 billion in February from CHF 4.07 billion in January.

In real terms, exports climbed 4.2 percent monthly, reversing a 3.9 percent decline in January. Imports also rebounded 3.3 after falling 1.4 percent in the prior month.

The growth in exports was largely driven by a 9.5 percent surge in shipments of chemical-pharmaceutical products.

In nominal terms, both exports and imports expanded by 6.6 percent and 7.0 percent, respectively.

According to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry, watch exports fell sharply by 8.2 percent year-on-year in February despite a favorable base effect. The decline was largely due to an 8.0 percent contraction in exports of steel watches.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Taiwan's export orders rebounded sharply in February, according to data released by the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Thursday.

Export orders jumped 31.1 percent year-over-year in February, reversing a 3.0 percent fall in January, which was the first contraction since March 2024. The expected growth was 21.7 percent.

Orders for electronic products grew the most by 48.6 percent, followed by information and communication products, which climbed by 31.8 percent.

Foreign orders for electrical machinery products rose markedly by 28.8 percent, while those for mineral products, the only segment, showed a contraction of 4.8 percent.

On a monthly basis, export orders rebounded 5.3 percent versus an 11.2 percent decline in January.

In New Taiwan dollar terms, export orders expanded 36.8 percent annually, and they increased by 5.0 percent monthly in February.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Technical teams from the United States and Ukraine will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea.

This was among a number of key points on which President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to during a phone call Wednesday.

Trump briefed his Ukrainian counterpart about his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day, and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved.

Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect civilians from Russian attacks, particularly Patriot missile systems. "Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe," US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz said in a statement after the call.

Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He expressed Washington's interest in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. In his opinion, "American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure".

Trump promised to Zelenskyy that he will work closely with both parties to help make sure the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted, returned home.

The Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire as quickly as possible.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
Mexican security officials have arrested Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, a fugitive on FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted' list.

FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the key senior leader of the criminal gang MS-13 was extradited to the U.S. to face charges in the country.

Roman-Bardales was wanted "for his alleged role in ordering numerous acts of violence against civilians and rival gang members, as well as his role in drug distribution and extortion schemes in the United States and El Salvador."

on Wednesday, the 47-year-old criminal gag leader was arraigned on a four-count indictment. Roman-Bardales, also known as Veterano de Tribus, was charged along with a dozen other high-ranking MS-13 leaders with directing the transnational criminal organization's unlawful activities in the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, and elsewhere over the past two decades.

The high-ranking leader of MS-13, also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, had been a fugitive for nearly three years and was added to the FBI's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List last month. He was arrested by Mexican authorities in the mountains of the Gulf coast state of Veracruz on Monday.

The El Salvadoran citizen will face charges in a court on Long Island, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release.

U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack ordered Roman-Bardales to be detained pending trial in the Eastern District of New York. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or the possibility of the death penalty.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York has prosecuted hundreds of MS-13 leaders, members and associates for carrying out more than 80 murders in the Eastern District of New York since 2009.

Drug trafficking was an important part of MS-13's moneymaking operation, especially in Mexico, and its leaders used the gang's large membership in the United States to generate financial support for terrorist activities in El Salvador.

Roman-Bardales is the third fugitive on FBI's Ten Most Wanted list to be arrested since President Donald Trump took office.

Donald Eugene Fields II, a fugitive wanted on child sex trafficking and child rape charges, was arrested on January 25.

Arnoldo Jimenez, a fugitive wanted on first-degree murder charges, was arrested on January 30.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
A report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on Thursday said regional manufacturing activity expanded overall but was less widespread in the month of March.

The Philly Fed said its diffusion index for current general activity slid to 12.5 in March after plunging to 18.1 in February, although a positive reading still indicates growth. Economists had expected the index to slump to 8.5.

The diffusion index for current general activity continued to give back ground after skyrocketing to its highest level since April 2021 in January.

The extended pullback by the headline index came amid steep drops by the new orders and shipments indexes, which fell sharply but remained positive.

The new orders index tumbled to 8.7 in March from 21.9 in February, while the shipments index plummeted to 2.0 in March from 26.3 in February.

Meanwhile, the report said the employment index surged to 19.7 in March from 5.3 in February, reaching its highest reading since October 2022.

The prices paid index also jumped to 48.3 in March from 40.5 in February, reaching its highest reading since July 2022, but the prices received index fell to 29.8 in March from 32.9 in February.

Looking ahead, the Philly Fed said the survey's future indicators suggest less widespread expectations for growth over the next six months.

The diffusion index for future general activity dove to 5.6 in March from 27.8 in February, slumping to its lowest reading since January 2024.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a separate 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.

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.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Governor of the US state of Maryland Wes Moore signed a proclamation on the occasion of the Nowruz holiday, Trend reports.

The proclamation emphasized that Novruz is an ancient and joyful holiday symbolizing the arrival of spring and the renewal of nature. It was noted that this holiday has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years and is known to millions of people. Novruz is characterized as a holiday that embodies peace, renewal and cultural unity.

"Like many countries around the world, Azerbaijani communities celebrate Novruz with unique traditions - ceremonies symbolizing the victory of good over evil, music, dance, festive meals, and cultural events. Maryland is proud to be home to diverse communities, including Azerbaijanis, who make significant contributions to the cultural, social, and economic life of our state. Celebrating Nowruz further strengthens our friendship with Azerbaijani-Americans and their communities. By recognizing and celebrating Nowruz, we show our respect for and promote the rich cultural heritage of Azerbaijan,: the proclamatiion says.
For the first time, Hero MotoCorp has entered the sporty and premium quarter-liter motorcycle segment. Were talking about the companys new Xtreme 250R which was launched in India at the grand stage of Auto Expo 2025. The company recently hosted a media drive event in Udaipur, Rajasthan. We sampled Xtreme 250R for around 200 km across multiple riding scenarios and heres what we think about Heros first 250cc motorcycle.

Hero Xtreme 250R First Ride Review

Where pricing is concerned, Hero Xtreme 250R costs Rs 1.8 lakh (Ex-sh) for one fully loaded variant with all the bells and whistles. Hero is offering three colours with Xtreme 250R  Firestorm Red, Stealth Black and Neon Shooting Star. Hero MotorCorp provided Rushlane with Neon Shooting Star colour, which grew on me quite a lot.

However, Firestorm Red is the launch colour and is probably the best looker of this bunch. Where design is concerned, Xtreme 250R has a lot going on, which might prove busy for some. Especially with the multi-layered appeal with different colourways and all the cuts and creases. However, it somehow looks cohesive on this motorcycle and it looks rather nice.

Most of the muscle is concentrated around its fuel tank. It looks chiseled and edgy, while the tank shrouds makes Xtreme 250R look a lot bigger than it is. Front section has a hunkered down execution seen with the positioning of its fuel tank and headlight. It gets USD telescopic front forks. These USD forks are 41mm units and lend an appeal similar to triceps of a predator.

Apart from the mass-forward design, rear section is quite appealing to look at as well. Xtreme 250R gets a split stepped seat and it aligns with the angle of its exhaust end can. Headlights, tail lights along with DRLs and turn indicators are all LEDs. Both front and rear disc brakes are at the exhaust side, making it the most photogenic angle.

Switchgear offers extensive controls to operate the new digital instrument cluster and cycle through various menus and functions. I consider Xtreme 250R to be one of the best-looking mainstream street fighter motorcycles sold in India. Speaking of, Xtreme 250R locks horns with other quarter-litre street fighters like KTM 250 Duke, Suzuki Gixxer 250 and Husqvarna Vitpilen 250. Xtreme 250R undercuts them all in terms of pricing.

Specs & Ergonomics

Xtreme 250R is the first motorcycle from Hero MotoCorp to feature the new 249cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine with a DOHC 4V/cyl head. This is the most powerful Hero MotoCorp product launched yet, generating 30 bhp of peak power at 9,250 RPM and 25 Nm of peak torque at 7,250 RPM.

This engine is mated to a slip and assist clutch along with a 6-speed gearbox. This engine is supposedly 20-25% more powerful and 10-14% more torquey than rivals. The liquid cooling setup works quite well in dissipating the heat away from rider. The fan does kick in frequently, but engine temperature reading on the new digital instrument cluster did not go above half of its threshold.

Ergonomics on Xtreme 250R are sporty, yet comfortable. Handlebar position commanded a slight lean for a tall guy like myself (182 cm). I could easily flat foot at both sides as seat heigh is manageable at 806 mm. This riding posture did not induce any fatigue in me even after riding it for a long time. ORVMs are decently wide and offer a great view of everything behind.

Fuel tank offered a great leverage for me to lock my thighs and grip the motorcycle. Seat cushioning is slightly on the firmer side, which created some discomfort after a long ride time on the saddle. While the step for the pillion is slightly on the higher side, it should provide better comfort for a longer period on the saddle when compared to flat seats that command a knees up position for pillions.

Dynamics & Performance

When on the move, Xtreme 250R masks its weight quite beautifully and feels very agile. For context, Xtreme 250R weighs 167.7 kg and is quite manageable while maneuvering in parking spaces or other situations. The 17-inch alloy wheels are wrapped with 110-section front tyre and 150-section rear tyre, helping to put down all that power.

Hero MotoCorp is promising 3.2s 0-60 km/h sprint and an 8.5s 0-100 km/h sprint with Xtreme 250R. It accelerates with a lot of vigour. 100 km/h comes up in 4th gear and then it screams towards the red line. Acceleration is fitting for a premium and sporty 250cc quarter-litre street fighter motorcycle, achieving quick progress to cut into city traffic.

The best aspect of Xtreme 250Rs dynamics is its handling. It is sharp and agile and feels very precise. The motorcycle allows rider to carry quite some speed into the corners and provides optimum confidence and composure at the same time. Wide handlebar also provides great leverage while cornering and the bike doesnt resist the rider to take it slow. Sharp handling does take a toll on rider comfort as the overall ride is quite firm. But nothing spine shattering, in any way.

The seat is spacious and accommodating, offering rider space to move around and lock on to the motorcycle. Footpegs positioning is quite neutral as well. Heros new 250cc engine is quite smooth across most operating speeds. However, vibrations do creep in at higher engine speeds and they can be particularly felt on handlebar, footpegs and fuel tank. Nothing major, but a tingling buzz.

Braking is one department where I would like some improvements. For starters, Hero is offering a 320 mm front and 230 mm rear disc rotors, mated with dual channel ABS. Despite the motorcycle having dual-channel ABS, the rear wheel locked up on multiple occasions. This ABS system gets Road and Race ABS modes that rider can cycle between that is optimized for both racing and stunts.

The instrument cluster gets automatic brightness adjustment based on an ambient light sensor. The same light sensor is used for automatic headlight features as well. This display is legible across multiple lighting scenarios. The trip computer is quite advanced showing twin trip metres along with stats for top speed, 0-60 km/h and 0-100 km/h sprints.

It also shows fuel efficiency, service due, date & time, menu for ABS modes, average speed and time consumed. Theres Bluetooth connectivity with Hero App integration allowing advanced functionalities like music control, notification alerts, smartphone stats and turn-by-turn navigation.

Some Reservations & Conclusion

1. Hero MotoCorp could have implemented dual horn with Xtreme 250R

2. The fully digital instrument cluster is the same one seen on Karizma XMR 210 and this system does not look as posh and sophisticated as the one seen on Xpulse 210.

3. Braking performance of this machine should be more sure footed.

4. Fuel tank is only 11.5L and a larger capacity could have been better.

5. Seat could have been more plush for better comfort.

These reservations are more of a nitpick and there are no deal breakers with Hero Xtreme 250R. The pricing of Xtreme 250R might go lower if the company decides to sell it via E-commerce platforms like Flipkart. At those lower prices, Hero Xtreme 250R makes a lot more sense than it already does.

It is by far the most appealing motorcycle Hero has designed and it also features the new 250cc engine, which is smooth and performant. It looks like Xtreme 250R has all the ingredients of a great quarter-liter street fighter. We would encourage all discerning buyers to test ride this motorcycle before zeroing in on its rivals.
Photo: Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Azerbaijani Army positions were shelled from the Keshishkand direction, Trend reports.

On March 19, from 19:00 to 19:10, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of Arpa settlement of Keshishkand region using small arms periodically subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. The red sun rises over East Asia  a timeless emblem of Chinese civilization. But this sunrise isnt ushering in a new day of peace. Instead, its crimson glow flickers cold and metallic, like the glint of steel on the horizon. A low, distant rumble is building  the unmistakable sound of a military juggernaut revving its engines. China, a colossus stirring from centuries of humiliation and defeat, is flexing its muscles  and the world is on edge.

Beijings announcement to jack up its 2025 defense budget to a staggering $249 billion hit the global stage like a clap of thunder before a storm. Western analysts rang the alarm bells, and politicians rushed to warn their allies. But inside China? No panic. No protests. Just quiet approval. For many Chinese citizens, a beefed-up military isnt seen as aggression  its viewed as insurance, a safeguard against a repeat of the bitter chapters in their national story.

To understand why, you have to dig deeper into China's past. The scars run deep  from the Opium Wars to the brutal Japanese occupation  scars that forged a powerful belief among Chinese citizens: weakness is a death sentence. The conviction that if youre weak, youre a target has become hardwired into the nations psyche.

Now, China finds itself at a crossroads. With its economic firepower surging, Beijing sees no choice but to build a military capable of matching its growing influence. The Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and a tense border with India  each flashpoint is seen in Beijing not just as a strategic concern but as a threat to Chinas sovereignty. In this light, the soaring defense budget isnt just about buying missiles and warships  its a message of defiance, a pledge that the humiliations of the past will never be repeated.

Yet unlike the chest-thumping bravado of some global powers, Beijings approach is calculated  a chess match played with cold precision. The strategy isnt about throwing haymakers; its about fortifying its position piece by piece. No reckless arms race, no saber-rattling theatrics  just steady, deliberate reinforcement of its military machine.

Still, Washington isnt buying the defensive posture narrative. In DC, Beijings military expansion is seen as a power play  a flex that threatens to tilt the balance in the Indo-Pacific. In Tokyo, new bases are sprouting up like mushrooms. In New Delhi, generals eye Chinas growing presence on their doorstep with unease.

But while the West frames China's military growth as a looming threat, the story inside China is far more complex. For ordinary citizens, the buildup isnt about conquest  its about never again being the victim. The tanks, warships, and fighter jets? Theyre symbols of national pride  and a shield against a past the Chinese refuse to relive.

As the world keeps watch, Beijing plays its hand like a master of Go  slow, deliberate, and calculated. Every move speaks not of aggression, but of patience  a quiet warning to potential adversaries: Dont test us.

In this game, Chinas message is clear: power isnt about pounding the table  its about ensuring your fist is strong enough that you never have to use it.

The Numbers Don't Lie: China's Military Spending on the Rise

Over the past two decades, China's defense budget has seen a steady and unmistakable climb. In 2000, Beijings military spending hovered at a modest $14.6 billion. By 2010, that figure had jumped to $76.5 billion, and by 2020, it had soared to a staggering $178 billion. In just two decades, China's defense spending had increased more than twelvefold.

From 2011 to 2024, China's defense budget surged by 76%. In 2023 alone, military spending hit 1.55 trillion yuan (roughly $224 billion), marking a 7.2% increase from the previous year. For 2024, Beijing bumped it up again to 1.67 trillion yuan (about $231 billion), maintaining the same 7.2% growth rate.

Despite this relentless expansion, Chinas military expenditure remains proportionally modest compared to the United States. In 2023, Beijing's defense spending accounted for roughly 1.7% of its GDP  far below Washingtons 3.5% slice, which totaled a colossal $916 billion.

Wheres the Money Going?

Chinas defense budget isnt just about bulking up  it's a calculated investment in modernization. Beijing has focused heavily on enhancing the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), with key spending priorities including:

High-Tech Weapons Development: Beijing is pouring cash into next-generation military tech  hypersonic missiles, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), and robust cybersecurity systems.

Naval Expansion: Chinas navy is surging ahead, investing heavily in aircraft carriers, destroyers, and nuclear-powered submarines to assert dominance in strategic waterways.

Space Power: Beijing is rapidly advancing its military space programs, with investments in satellite communications, surveillance systems, and orbital defense capabilities.

This military spending spree hasnt gone unnoticed. In the Asia-Pacific region, China's increasingly muscular armed forces have triggered alarm bells. Japan and India, in particular, have reacted by boosting their own military budgets in response to Beijing's expanding presence. Meanwhile, Washingtons defense circles continue to keep a close eye on Chinas rising influence, recognizing its potential impact on the global balance of power.

The Chinese Perspective: Defense or Dominance?

Inside China, this surge in military investment is widely seen as a defensive  not aggressive  measure. The countrys troubled history, marked by foreign invasions and colonial humiliations, has cemented a collective belief that weakness invites disaster. Memories of the Opium Wars, the brutal Japanese occupation, and the invasion of Beijing by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900 have left lasting scars. For many Chinese citizens, military expansion is less about ambition and more about ensuring that those painful chapters are never repeated.

Chinas social fabric further reinforces this mindset. Rooted in collectivist ideals, Chinese society often perceives the nation as one extended family  with the PLA serving as its protector. This sense of communal responsibility stands in stark contrast to Western individualism, where taxpayers frequently question military spending as excessive and wasteful.

Interestingly, the loudest voices calling for increased defense spending in China are often everyday citizens rather than political hardliners or military elites. In stark contrast to the United States  where public protests against military funding are common  Chinese citizens widely support a stronger army as a shield against potential foreign aggression.

The widening gap between U.S. and Chinese military spending underscores a broader strategic divide. While Washingtons military outlay remains far greater in absolute terms, Beijings calculated buildup reflects a distinct geopolitical mindset  one driven by a mix of historical trauma, modern ambition, and national pride.

For China, military spending isnt just about firepower  its about forging an unbreakable bulwark to protect a nation haunted by its past. In Beijing's eyes, weakness isnt just a vulnerability  its an invitation for disaster.

When it comes to military spending, the United States and China are locked in a high-stakes game  but they're playing with vastly different stacks of cash. In 2024, the Pentagon's budget clocked in at a staggering $842 billion, dwarfing China's $249 billion defense allocation by more than threefold. At first glance, this gap seems colossal  but it's crucial to understand the strategic differences that drive these numbers.

The United States isnt just arming itself  its maintaining a sprawling military empire that stretches across the globe. With over 750 military bases worldwide, Washingtons defense budget isn't just about building missiles  it's about funding logistics, personnel, and infrastructure in far-flung regions from Europe and the Middle East to East Asia and South America. This global presence demands enormous resources to sustain.

By contrast, Beijing's military spending is far more concentrated. Chinas defense ambitions largely revolve around the Asia-Pacific region, with limited military footprints abroad. While Beijing has steadily expanded its "Belt and Road" network of ports and trade routes, these developments prioritize economic influence rather than outright military presence. Unlike the U.S., China isnt trying to police the globe  it's building muscle closer to home.

Despite China's rapid military buildup, its defense spending remains relatively conservative in proportion to its economic might. In 2023, China's military budget accounted for 1.7% of GDP, while the U.S. spent around 3.5%. This undermines the Western narrative that paints Beijing as a runaway militarist power. Instead, China's calculated investment reflects a measured, long-term strategy rather than reckless expansion.

Why Is China Building Up?

Chinas defense spending spike isnt happening in a vacuum  it's a reaction to mounting geopolitical tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. Several key factors are fueling Beijings military buildup:

The Taiwan Flashpoint: The Taiwan Strait remains one of the most volatile geopolitical pressure points in the world. As the U.S. increases its military presence in the region, Beijing is steadily reinforcing its forces to prepare for any escalation.

The South China Sea Disputes: Beijings claims to strategic islands like the Paracels and Spratlys continue to clash with the interests of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and other nations. To cement its control, China is constructing airfields, radar systems, and garrisons in contested territories.

Border Tensions with India: The 2020 border skirmish in Ladakh underscored the need for Beijing to maintain a strong military presence along its rugged western front.

PLA Modernization Drive: Beijings long-term vision is to transform the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a cutting-edge force, equipped with next-generation technology, advanced missile systems, and a more powerful navy.

Despite its rising budget, Beijings approach to military expansion is marked by restraint. Since 2014, China's defense spending has grown at a stable rate of 6-8% annually  a steady build-up, not a runaway arms race. Key investments are focused on:

Personnel Development: Improved conditions for PLA troops and better training programs.

High-Tech Advancements: Beijing is doubling down on drone technology, hypersonic missiles, and missile defense systems.

Naval Power: The launch of Chinas third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, equipped with a state-of-the-art electromagnetic catapult system, underscores Beijings ambitions to compete with the U.S. Navy.

Expanded Military Drills: Chinese forces are increasingly conducting large-scale exercises, even in challenging weather conditions and remote locations.

In recent years, China has also sought to increase transparency in its defense spending. In Beijing's Defense White Paper, officials repeatedly stress that China's military growth is defensive in nature, aimed at regional stability rather than global dominance.

Despite Beijing's diplomatic reassurances, China's military expansion continues to rattle nerves across the region:

Japan has announced its largest defense budget in decades, committing over $50 billion in 2024 to counter Beijings growing influence.

India is heavily investing in modernizing its armed forces, particularly along its tense Himalayan border with China.

The United States and NATO are ramping up their presence in the Asia-Pacific, signaling a broader strategy to contain Beijing's influence.

A Delicate Balance of Power

The widening gap between U.S. and Chinese military spending reveals more than just raw numbers  it exposes stark differences in strategy and philosophy. While Washingtons defense budget is driven by its role as a global enforcer, Beijings build-up reflects a deeply rooted desire to avoid past humiliations and defend its newfound economic power.

For China, a stronger military isnt about conquest  it's about ensuring that no foreign power can dictate its future. Beijing isnt racing to start a war  it's methodically building the firepower to prevent one.

Chinas military buildup is no sudden burst of aggression  its a slow, deliberate march forward, like a drumbeat echoing through the shifting sands of geopolitics. As Beijing continues to expand its defense budget in the coming years, this steady climb in military spending will almost certainly fuel growing tensions, particularly in flashpoint regions like the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and its contested Himalayan border with India.

But to view Chinas military ambitions as mere saber-rattling misses the deeper narrative  one rooted in history, memory, and national identity.

China's story resembles a weathered bronze statue  solid, resilient, yet scarred by the passage of time. Decades of conflict, invasion, and foreign intervention have left deep marks on the Chinese psyche. Yet beneath the tarnished surface lies something unwavering  an unshakable will to endure, to rebuild, and to secure the nations place in the world.

For Beijing, its armed forces are more than just soldiers and steel  they are the coiled dragon, wrapped tightly around the nations borders, a guardian against the humiliations that once defined Chinas darkest chapters. The Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, and the rugged frontier with India  these are not merely strategic hotspots; they are seen in Beijing as vulnerabilities, cracks in the armor that must be reinforced.

Yet for all this buildup, Chinas posture remains calculated. Beijing isnt charging forward with reckless fury. Instead, its strategy resembles a tightrope walk  careful steps, measured moves, and unwavering focus. Every dollar poured into its military is like molten metal poured into armor  each drop reinforcing the shell designed not for conquest, but for deterrence.

To some in Washington, Tokyo, or New Delhi, China appears as a restless giant flexing its military muscle, positioning itself as a challenger to Americas dominance. But to many in Beijing, the buildup is less about expansion and more about survival  a defensive reflex shaped by memories of past subjugation and a resolve to ensure those humiliations are never repeated.

Still, Beijings leaders sharpen their military strength with the cold precision of a calligraphy master, each stroke calculated, each move intentional. For China, strength isnt about banging fists on the table  it's about ensuring that the fist is strong enough that no one dares to test it.

And perhaps therein lies Beijings ultimate message: power doesnt come from starting a war  it comes from being strong enough to never have to fight one.

Bakunetwork
For years, therapy dogs have ruled the world of animal-assisted services (AAS), offering stress relief to college students, hospital patients, and those in need of emotional support. But new research suggests that some cats might also have what it takes to join the ranks of therapy animals -- bringing their purrs, gentle headbutts, and calm demeanor to the field.

A study in the journal Animals co-authored by Washington State University professor Patricia Pendry, in collaboration with researchers in Belgium, found that therapy cats share specific behavioral traits that may make them well-suited for AAS programs. The research team surveyed hundreds of cat owners across Belgium using a standardized behavioral assessment. They identified key differences between cats participating in AAS and other cats in terms of feline behavior.

"There's this perception that cats just aren't suitable for this kind of work, but our study shows that some cats may thrive in these settings," Pendry said. "It turns out that cats chosen to engage in AAS seem to exhibit the same behavioral traits as therapy dogs -- like high sociability and a willingness to engage with people."

The study found that AAS cats tend to be more social with both humans and other cats, more attention-seeking, and more tolerant of being handled -- particularly when it comes to being picked up, a behavior many pet owners would describe as rare in the feline world.

While animal-assisted services have long been dominated by dogs, the study suggests that expanding these programs to include felines could make therapy more accessible to a wider range of people. Some individuals may find comfort in a cat's quiet presence rather than the enthusiastic energy of a dog. However, Pendry cautioned that not all cats are suited for the role, and unlike dogs, therapy cats are not typically trained for the job. Instead, certain cats appear to naturally possess the necessary personality traits. Pendry noted while some cat breeds, such as Ragdolls or Maine Coons, may be considered more sociable, the study did not examine differences in behavior based on breed. In fact, the research only examined individual differences in behavioral traits within groups of cats rather than between species or breed.

Currently, therapy cats appear to be more common in Europe than in the U.S., where the idea has been slower to catch on. In Belgium, where the study was conducted, cats are becoming a more common presence in AAS programs, demonstrating their potential in stress-relief settings. In contrast, American campuses and hospitals remain largely focused on therapy dogs.

Despite the study's promising findings, researchers stress that more work is needed before therapy cats become a mainstream option. Questions remain about whether these traits are innate or developed through experience, as well as how to ensure that therapy work does not negatively impact feline welfare.

For now, therapy cats remain an underutilized resource in the U.S., but with growing research and awareness, they may soon find themselves sitting side-by-side with their canine counterparts -- soaking up attention and offering comfort in their own uniquely feline way.

"The goal of the study isn't to suddenly promote cats into therapy work," Pendry said. "It's about recognizing that some cats may genuinely enjoy this kind of interaction and, in the right setting, can provide meaningful support to people who need it."

After all, she added, if any animal could turn lounging around and receiving affection into a legitimate career, it would be a cat.
The technology behind web search engines is useful for more than tracking down your long-lost buddy or discovering a delicious new recipe. Technology based on search engine algorithms might also help keep the lights on, the water running and the trains moving during an emergency.

Scientists at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have shown that the algorithms that underlie web searches can help protect facilities like the grid, water treatment plants, food processing facilities and hospitals.

"This is a resource for people who are trying to protect an important network from a threat such as a cyberattack, and they need to prioritize which structures are most important to safeguard," said mathematician Bill Kay, who led the work.

The new research, published recently in the journal Homeland Security Affairs, is built around Google's PageRank algorithm, designed to recommend the most relevant websites for people searching for information on the internet. To rank search results, the formula considers factors like how many influential websites point to a given page and then how many influential sites the page itself points to.

Kay's team applied the same principles to structures such as the electric grid to keep power flowing, treatment plants to keep our water clean and hospitals to treat the sick and injured. Researchers refer to this network of facilities as "critical infrastructure" -- structures that if damaged or destroyed could threaten public safety or national security.

Stopping a cascade of failure

The task for researchers like Kay: Among the tangle of tens of thousands of important facilities in a nation like the United States, help planners prioritize which structures are most significant to protect. What might be the most likely targets of an adversary? Which facilities are most likely to cascade a failure to other structures, and how can defenders stop the cascade as quickly as possible?

"Not all infrastructure assets are the same," said Kay. "If the failure is spreading, I want to know what will happen if a particular piece of equipment is taken out -- how broad will the impact be?

"The key here is to identify systems where influence goes both ways," said Kay, "identifying systems that are influenced by a lot of other systems but also influence many others. It's like knowing who are the so-called popular kids in high school and especially those who are popular among the other popular kids."

A lot can happen quickly. For example, if an errant squirrel takes out a power substation, the pumps at a water treatment plant might stop. That could threaten the water supply to a nearby hospital or to a nuclear plant that needs water for cooling. Of course, officials have robust backup systems, and part of their planning is knowing how to prevent such a cascade of failure as quickly as possible.

Kay's team began by adapting the existing PageRank algorithm: Instead of looking at interactions among web pages, the scientists analyzed interactions among structures. Which facilities would be most likely to be targeted or to fail? And which facilities would have a serious impact on other facilities if they did fail? Structures that met both criteria were deemed critical by the team.

"As failure propagates through a network, there are two things I'd want to know: which things are likely to fail, and which things, if they fail, are likely to propagate the failure forward," said Kay, who specializes in graph networks.

Layers of knowledge

The team didn't simply apply the PageRank formula but made modifications to weigh many streams of information simultaneously -- akin to performing dozens of related web searches at the same time and having all the searches communicate among themselves. The team refers to this as a multilayer approach.

"To think of a multilayer algorithm, think of a multilayer sandwich -- a club sandwich," said coauthor Patrick Mackey. "One layer might be the electric system. Another is transportation. Others might be oil pipelines or hospitals. Many people look at these aspects of infrastructure one at a time, in isolation; we're looking at them all together and how they affect each other, which helps identify which are most critical."

In several simulations, the team showed that its multilayer approach consistently stops failure faster, with fewer structures damaged, than other approaches, including a straight PageRank algorithm and another approach known as "outdegree." The team did not quantify exactly how much it would limit an attack compared to the other methods, instead treating the study as evidence that the approach is worth exploring.

"A good algorithm for this type of work doesn't always need to incorporate detailed dynamics of the various entities of interest. Oftentimes it's sufficient, as a start, to adequately understand the relationships between those entities," said Kay. "It provides a starting point and can become very useful once a human expert adds in knowledge about the domain in question."

The work is part of a project portfolio led by PNNL researcher Sam Chatterjee, principal investigator and chief data scientist. It was funded by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to enable consistent, repeatable and defensible analysis across a broad spectrum of potential failures.

"This work represents an excellent example of how network science methods can be adapted to address critical infrastructure risk and resilience challenges," said Chatterjee.

In addition to Chatterjee, Kay and Mackey, former intern Jacob Miller also contributed to the project.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air quality monitors are disproportionally located in predominately white neighborhoods, according to University of Utah research. The EPA's network consistently failed to capture air quality in communities of color across six major pollutants, particularly lead and sulfur dioxide, followed by ozone and carbon monoxide.

EPA regulatory monitors are the key data source driving decisions about pollution reduction, urban planning and public health initiatives. Without equal monitor distribution, the data may misrepresent pollution concentrations, leaving marginalized groups at risk.

"It's the question behind the question. Researchers, policymakers, we all use air quality data, but whose air is it measuring?" said Brenna Kelly, doctoral student at the U and lead author of the study. "Even though this data is of really high quality, that doesn't mean that it's high quality for everyone."

Research has shown that marginalized communities have the highest rates of exposure to air pollution, but the studies assumed that the data represented all neighborhoods equally. This study is the first to assess disparities in the monitors themselves for all U.S. Census groups, on a neighborhood scale. While disparities existed for all non-white groups, the largest were for Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, followed by American Indian and Alaska Native populations.

Air quality research and analysis often require artificial intelligence (AI) tools to process the massive volumes of data. While bias in AI algorithms is well-known, the study exemplifies another ethical issue for big-data users -- the chance that the datasets themselves are inherently biased.

"If there was a disparity for just one type of monitor, it could conceivably be accidental or just poor design," said coauthor Simon Brewer, associate professor of geography and executive committee member of the U's ONE-U Responsible AI Initiative. "The fact that it's a consistent pattern across all pollutants suggests that the decision-making process needs to be looked at carefully -- these monitors are not being distributed equitably."

The study was published in journal JAMA Network Open on Dec. 4, 2024.

Air quality is hyperlocal and can change dramatically from street to street. The authors mapped monitor locations and neighborhood demographics to the census-block level, one of the U.S. Census Bureau's smallest units for residential patterns. Using the EPA Air Quality System Regulatory Monitoring Repository, they identified monitors for six major air pollutants dangerous to human health -- lead, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. They used the 2022 American Community Survey Census to estimate the racial and ethnic composition for every census-block in the country. Adjusting for population size, the researchers found systemic monitoring disparities for each criteria pollutant. Relative to the white non-Hispanic population, all groups were associated with fewer lead, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter monitors.

Kelly got curious about the EPA's air quality monitoring network while pursuing her doctoral research in population health sciences, focusing on the risks of air pollution exposure to pregnant people. Epidemiology research identifies the factors that contribute to diseases within a population. Until now, there's been an underlying assumption that the data represents air quality problems everywhere equally, she explained.

"It's not just that we're missing one pollutant type for one group, it's that we understand less about everything for all these groups. That's concerning," Kelly said. "If I want to relate air pollution exposure to a disease, I need to measure it well. If I have a better understanding of air quality for one group of people, that's going to produce biased results."

Air quality and population health are just two of many fields grappling with the challenges of using big data and AI responsibly. The One-U Responsible AI Initiative is the U's recent effort to bring together experts to develop best practices.

"This study is particularly relevant in an increasingly data-driven society. One of the goals of the Responsible AI Initiative is to study the fair application of artificial intelligence methods," Brewer said. "Our results suggest that biases in the data may be as important to consider as any algorithmic bias."

Other authors include University of Utah researchers Tracy Onega of Population Health Sciences, Thomas Cova of the School of Environment, Society and Sustainability and Michelle Debbink of the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the study aimed to provide robust insights into adolescent mental health trajectories in two different cultural contexts by comparing large samples of 11 to 16 years olds in London and Tokyo over time. The two studies are the Tokyo Teen Cohort (TTC) and the Resilience Ethnicity and AdolesCent Mental Health (REACH) cohorts from South London. Both groups collected data in the period 2014 to 2020 and at three different time points as the teenagers grew older.

Researchers used the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ) to measure depressive symptoms.

In both groups there was a difference between teenage boys and girls in the average level of depressive symptoms and this difference widened year-on-year. In the London sample the gender difference started slightly earlier (evident by 11-12 years) than in the Tokyo sample where it emerged between 11 and 14 years, and the average rate of change in depressive symptoms per year in London girls was around four times greater than among girls in Tokyo. By the age of 16 the difference in depressive symptoms between boys and girls in London was around twice as large as in Tokyo. The average level of depressive symptoms in teenage boys in Tokyo declined between ages of 11 and 16, whereas for boys in London it increased slightly over time, following a similar trajectory to that of teenage girls in Tokyo.

First author, Dr Gemma Knowles, Lecturer in Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health at IoPPN, King's College London said " Our study suggests that from around early adolescence onwards girls have higher levels of depression than boys in both Tokyo and London, but the disparity is larger, starts a bit earlier, and increases at a faster rate in London. The trajectory for boys in London closely mirrors the trajectory for girls in Tokyo. These findings suggest we need to rethink and challenge popular narratives around gender differences in mental health -- for example, the idea that girls are naturally or inevitably more likely to struggle with their emotional health -- and to understand the contexts and conditions that enable teenage girls and young people to thrive."

Currently the Global Gender Gap Index (GGGI) -- an index designed to measure gender equality -- ranks UK 15th out of 149 countries while Japan is ranked 125th. However, insights from young co-researchers from both cities suggests there are social influences at play which are not captured in these indexes. For example, teenage girls may assume adult roles and responsibilities at a younger age in London and there are lower levels of violence and crime in Tokyo. There are also differences in socioeconomic and political trends between the two places that could contribute to differences, for example, the prolonged period of austerity in the UK.

Dr Knowles said: "This a complex area with a multitude of possible factors that may contribute to the difference between girls and boys and between the two places. We need to better understand the social contexts and experiences that give rise to gender inequalities in mental health and the conditions that support teenage girls to thrive. It's also important to understand how these social experiences interplay with young people's physical development at this age."

An important part of this study was to investigate the extent to which scores derived from the measure SMFQ can be meaningfully and appropriately compared across genders, ages, and contexts. While these tests are not perfect, they found no evidence of incomparable measurement, which suggests that any differences in SMFQ scores between groups are due to real differences in depressive symptoms rather than differences in reporting.

The study was funded by the Invitation Program for Foreign Researchers at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health, the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, and the European Research Council.
A new study led by the Center for Sepsis Epidemiology and Prevention Studies (SEPSIS) at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute raises critical questions about the effectiveness of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) sepsis quality measure, known as the Severe Sepsis/Septic Shock Management Bundle (SEP-1).

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition arising from dysregulated physiological response to infection, requires rapid treatment to improve survival. In 2015, CMS implemented SEP-1 to promote timely sepsis care. SEP-1 requires clinicians to complete a well-defined set of interventions within 3 hours of recognizing sepsis. These steps include measuring lactate levels, drawing blood cultures, administering antibiotics, and for some patients infusing large amounts of fluids. SEP was initially a pay-for-reporting measure but is now a pay-for-performance measure.

SEP-1 is controversial because of concern that its rigid protocol does not account for the complexity of patient presentations. Many illnesses can mimic the clinical presentation of sepsis so undue pressure on clinicians to treat sepsis rapidly and aggressively may lead to spillover treatment of uninfected patients which could be a source of harm.

CMS has presented data showing that patients who get SEP-1 compliant care have lower mortality rates than patients who do not get SEP-1 compliant care. It is not clear, though, whether lower mortality rates in patients who get SEP-1 compliant care is due to benefit from the SEP-1 bundle or whether it is because patients who get compliant care tend to be less sick and less complicated compared to patients who get non-compliant care.

In this study, published in JAMA Network Open and titled "Complex Sepsis Presentations, SEP-1 Bundle Compliance, and Outcomes," researchers from the SEPSIS Center at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute attempted to disentangle the impact of SEP-1 care vs differences in what kinds of patients get SEP-1-compliant care. The study team conducted detailed medical record reviews of 590 patients with sepsis from four academic hospitals between 2019 and 2022. The investigators rigorously catalogued and compared the characteristics of patients who did and did not receive SEP-1 compliant care. They put particular focus on identifying clinical factors that likely influence the care patients receive but have typically been overlooked in prior observational studies. Examples include patient's home language, mental status, need for urgent procedures, and level of concern for simultaneous non-infectious conditions.

The investigators found that patients who received SEP-1 compliant care were systematically different from those who received compliant care. Patients who received non-compliant care had more complex medical conditions, were more likely to present with unusual symptoms, were more likely to have concurrent non-infectious conditions, and were more likely to need urgent procedures. When the study team adjusted for these patient complexities, the observed association between SEP-1 compliance and lower mortality disappeared -- challenging the assumption that SEP-1 care is associated with better survival.

"Our study demonstrates that SEP-1 non-compliant care does not necessarily mean substandard care, but rather that it often reflects the complexity of sepsis presentations and competing clinical priorities," said Chanu Rhee, MD, MPH, lead author and Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Population Medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. "The lack of an association between SEP-1 compliance and mortality after adjusting for these factors raise concerns that CMS's decision to transition SEP-1 to a pay-for-performance measure may not catalyze meaningful gains in sepsis survival," Rhee added.

The findings support growing calls from leading professional societies, including the Infectious Diseases Society of America, to rethink process-based sepsis mandates like SEP-1 and instead adopt risk-adjusted outcome measures.

"These findings underscore the need for quality measures that incentivize hospitals to improve the full spectrum of sepsis care -- from early recognition to post-hospital recovery -- while allowing flexibility to adapt treatment based on clinical judgment," said Michael Klompas, MD, MPH, senior author of the study and Harvard Medical School Professor of Medicine and Population Medicine. "If we truly want to improve sepsis outcomes, we must move beyond simple admission bundles and focus on strategies that address the full spectrum of sepsis care."
Scientists have been testing how heat affects our hearts for years. But here's the thing: the most commonly used method might not provide much insight into what happens to the heart during heat waves.

A new study led by the University of Ottawa, Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit with researchers from Harvard University, University of Otago, Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, and the University of Portsmouth, has revealed critical insights into how we test extreme heat's impact on heart function. With rising global temperatures, understanding these effects is crucial for protecting public health, especially during heat waves.

The research, which analyzed data from over 400 laboratory studies involving more than 6,800 participants, highlights how different heating methods affect the heart's performance under heat stress. "Our study shows that exposure to encapsulated heating methods, like water-perfused suits or hot water immersion, can lead to significantly increased heart rates, blood pressures, and cardiac strain when compared to natural heat exposures, like those experienced during hot weather" says Robert Meade, who was a postdoctoral fellow at uOttawa's Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit and lead author of the study.

When exposed to heat, the body may struggle to function normally, potentially resulting in serious cardiovascular issues. To cool down, the body increases blood flow to the skin, leading to higher heart rates and increased cardiac workloads. The resultant increase in strain on the heart can pose a significant risk for vulnerable groups, including older adults and individuals with pre-existing heart conditions.

Glen Kenny, a full professor of physiology at uOttawa's Faculty of Health Sciences and Director of the Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, emphasizes the importance of these findings. "As temperatures continue to rise, we need to understand how heat affects heart health. This research helps us address the physiological challenges posed by heat and will inform how we protect individuals during extreme weather events."

The study revealed that the most common heating method, suits that perfuse large volumes of hot water directly over the skin, may result in rapid overheating and exacerbated increases in cardiac strain. In contrast, participants exposed to climate-controlled environments simulating hot weather or heat waves exhibited distinct cardiac responses that are likely more applicable to real-life scenarios. "Our research offers vital data that can be used to design laboratory-studies that will more easily translate to the real world to enhance public health strategies," notes Meade.

The researchers hope their findings will influence how health agencies develop strategies to protect people during extreme heat events.

Scientists are now heading back to the drawing board, ready to figure out what really happens when the mercury rises -- not in the lab, but in the real world where it matters most.
Existing research indicates that the accuracy of a Parkinson's disease diagnosis hovers between 55% and 78% in the first five years of assessment. That's partly because Parkinson's sibling movement disorders share similarities, sometimes making a definitive diagnosis initially difficult.

Although Parkinson's disease is a well-recognized illness, the term can refer to a variety of conditions, ranging from idiopathic Parkinson's, the most common type, to other movement disorders like multiple system atrophy Parkinsonian variant and progressive supranuclear palsy. Each shares motor and nonmotor features, like changes in gait -- but possess a distinct pathology and prognosis.

Roughly one in four patients, or even one in two patients, is misdiagnosed.

Now, researchers at the University of Florida and the UF Health Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases have developed a new kind of software that will help clinicians differentially diagnose Parkinson's disease and related conditions, reducing diagnostic time and increasing precision beyond 96%. The study was published recently in JAMA Neurology and was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

"In many cases, MRI manufacturers don't communicate with each other due to marketplace competition," said David Vaillancourt, Ph.D., chair and a professor in the UF Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology. "They all have their own software and their own sequences. Here, we've developed novel software that works across all of them."

Although there is no substitute for the human element of diagnosis, even the most experienced physicians who specialize in movement disorder diagnoses can benefit from a tool to increase diagnostic efficacy between different disorders, Vaillancourt said.

The software, Automated Imaging Differentiation for Parkinsonism, or AIDP, is an automated MRI processing and machine learning software that features a noninvasive biomarker technique. Using diffusion-weighted MRI, which measures how water molecules diffuse in the brain, the team can identify where neurodegeneration is occurring. Then, the machine learning algorithm, rigorously tested against in-person clinic diagnoses, analyzes the brain scan and provides the clinician with the results, indicating one of the different types of Parkinson's.

The study was conducted across 21 sites, 19 of them in the United States and two in Canada.

"This is an instance where the innovation between technology and artificial intelligence has been proven to enhance diagnostic precision, allowing us the opportunity to further improve treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease," said Michael Okun, M.D., medical adviser to the Parkinson's Foundation and director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health. "We look forward to seeing how this innovation can further impact the Parkinson's community and advance our shared goal of better outcomes for all."

The team's next step is obtaining approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"This effort truly highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration," said Angelos Barmpoutis, Ph.D., a professor at the Digital Worlds Institute at UF. "Thanks to the combined medical expertise, scientific expertise and technological expertise, we were able to accomplish a goal that will change the lives of countless individuals."

Vaillancourt and Barmpoutis are partial owners of a company called Neuropacs whose goal is to bring this software forward, improving both patient care and clinical trials where it might be used.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. On March 20, the leadership of the Defense Ministry visited the servicemen undergoing treatment in the Main Clinical Hospital, Trend reports via Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.

First, the leadership of the Ministry laid flowers at the monument to the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and paid tribute to his bright memory. The memory of the National Leader and Martyrs was honored with observing a minute of silence.

Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with a group of servicemen being treated in the hospital, inquired about their health, and wished them a speedy recovery and quick return to their places of service. Festive gifts were presented to servicemen.

Then, the Minister met with the medical staff, congratulated them on the occasion of the holiday, and instructed them on providing better quality service to servicemen undergoing examination and treatment.

Colonel General Z. Hasanov conveyed the congratulations of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev on the occasion of the Novruz holiday.

The staff of the Main Clinical Hospital and the treated servicemen expressed their deep gratitude to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense for the created conditions, as well as for the attention and care.

Then, the Acting Chief of the Medical Department of the Ministry of Defense Medical Service Colonel Anar Ismayilov presented a briefing on successful reforms carried out in the field of military medicine, innovations applied to provide better medical care to servicemen and their family members, including new practical approaches to treatment.

The Minister of Defense reported that all conditions were created for the examination and treatment of servicemen in the Main Clinical Hospital and that the medical staff is working with high professionalism and dedication.

In the end, the Minister of Defense got acquainted with the medical service's special vehicles which are equipped with modern equipment and designed for ambulatory services.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Armenia subjected Azerbaijani Army positions to fire, Trend reports referring to Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense.

"On March 20, from 12:30 to 15:15, units of the Armenian armed forces fired at positions of the Azerbaijani Army from positions located in the direction of the settlements of Khanazakh in the Gorus region and Zarkend in the Basarkechar region," the statement said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Today, Azerbaijan is celebrating the Novruz festival, an ancient holiday that welcomes the arrival of spring, symbolizing the awakening of nature and the start of the new year.

The Azerbaijani people begin preparations for Novruz a month ahead of the festival. In the lead-up to the holiday, the "Tuesdays of the Four Elements" are observed  Water Tuesday, Fire Tuesday, Wind Tuesday, and Earth Tuesday (also known as Yearend Tuesday).

Novruz embodies the spiritual values of the Azerbaijani people, and it is a celebration deeply rooted in cultural heritage.

Trend presents photos captured in the festive capital Baku.

Photo: Khanlar Alizade

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The search efforts for the Azerbaijani soldiers trapped in the avalanche are ongoing, according to Trend.

The Azerbaijani army, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and a contractor company from the State Agency for Automobile Roads of Azerbaijan have all been involved in the search and rescue operations, bringing in necessary personnel, equipment, and specialized machinery.

Below are photos of Ruslan Hamidov and Ali Imanov.
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Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant Even though I don't have a counter to sell dessert every day, I want to add something special for people to enjoysay on a Wednesday with sourdough, or Fridays with cupcakes, says Soo Bradley.

Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant A behind-the-scenes look at the Soolicious Cake kitchen.

Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant Bradley attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Sydney, Australia, where she started working in the pastry kitchen.

Photo Credit Courtney Jerome / Epicenter Mt. Pleasant

Courtesy Soo Bradley / Soolicious Cake Art Studio Soolicious offers elegant cakes and pastries in flavors and designs that suit their customers uniqueness and special occasions.
Joy Qiao, founder and chair of governors at Wellington College China, recently purchased the building at 99 Rhode Island St. to serve as the site of a new Chinese-English bilingual academy she hopes to launch by 2026.

A citizen of China who has lived and worked in England and Germany, Joy Qiao said that founding and running bilingual English-Chinese schools has become a calling and a higher purpose as a means of bringing people from disparate backgrounds together.

Qiao is currently poised to launch a new bilingual school for up to 470 students  the private, nonprofit Hiba Academy Bay Area  near San Franciscos Showplace Square, with classes slated to begin in the 2026-27 school year.

Im a firm believer of globalization, of breaking down barriers rather than putting up barriers, Qiao said during a recent visit from Shanghai, her hometown.

This is something that I live and breathe  cultural diversity, understanding differences, bridging different opinions, Qiao said. Thats my higher calling, and thats why I do what I do now, which is why Ive taken my bilingual school all the way here to America, to San Francisco.

Qiao, founder and chair of governors of Hiba parent Wellington College China, said that since 2009 she has launched six schools in four cities in China that today serve 5,300 students and employ 1,400 people.

The campuses are part of an international network of schools affiliated with Englands venerable Wellington College. Qiao said the Wellington College China organization provided financial backing to enable the purchase of the San Francisco school property, which cost about $23.5 million, according to city records.

Qiao said the timing was fortuitous for her school project because a few years ago, such a property would likely have been out of reach.

The new school will eventually serve students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in a three-story, roughly 60,000 square-foot commercial building at 99 Rhode Island St. that was built in 1948 and was once the headquarters of the vacation-rental website Airbnb. The Board of Supervisors and the mayor last month approved the school operating there.

The school  which has large windows, a nearly 10,000-square-foot parking lot that will become a play yard, and a large roof deck  will initially only have classes up to the first grade. Long term, Qiao has ambitions of serving middle- and high-school students in The City, as well.

Hiba also announced late last month that it had hired a founding head of school, Colette McWilliams, who has international experience and most recently was head of elementary for Trinity School in Menlo Park. Construction of the San Francisco school is slated to begin this summer, with classes starting in August of 2026.

Qiaos team visited nearly 60 potential sites around the Bay Area over a one-year period before settling on the Rhode Island Street property.

In the end, we decided that urban San Francisco is the place to be, Qiao said. Im from Shanghai. I personally like the urban feel of a metropolitan city.

The San Francisco venture is the latest step in an entrepreneurial journey that Qiao said has evolved into an encompassing mission as she has witnessed political and cultural divisions and seen the widespread inability of people to understand each other, particularly in China and the United States.

Theres not nearly enough non-Chinese who can speak fluent Chinese and understand the Chinese culture well and deeply enough to form a realistic opinion and perspective of China, she said. Chinese is very difficult to learn to speak as an adult, and there are far more Chinese people who are fluent English speakers than the other way around, she said.

Demonstrators wave the flags of the Peoples Republic of China and the U.S. outside the Hyatt Regency in San Francisco in 2023. Joy Qiao said she hopes the United States and China can maneuver peacefully around each other.

Qiao, who speaks fluent English with a British accent, said she grew up in Shanghai, attended public schools and started studying English at age 11. She said her father worked for an insurance company, and her mother was a senior government official.

Qiao said she studied at University of Oxford in England, where she got an undergraduate degree in computer science. She later worked for most of a decade as a marketing manager for semiconductor giant Intel, with posts in England, Germany and China.

Qiao said she also got an MBA from the China Europe International Business School, and married an Englishman, with whom she had two sons. One of them is currently at an East Coast college-preparatory boarding school, and the other is attending the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, she said.

Looking for a school for her son, Qiao said she saw an opportunity for herself to start one that could provide the kind of bilingual academic and cultural education she wanted. She said she was feeling a bit stagnant  though well-paid  inside a giant corporation, and so she started her own business.

I was an entrepreneur in spirit, Qiao said. My aim, I would say the first phase of my motivation, was running a successful business. You know: be in the drivers seat, be in control of my own destiny, compared to being a small cog in a very big company.

Qiao said that through a friend, she connected in 2009 with a real-estate development official, and her first school was included in a large project in Tianjin, China. Today, that campus accommodates about 600 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.

Qiao said she has been riding on the wave of the rapid economic development of China, where people have quickly been becoming more affluent, the middle class has been expanding hugely and many more people can afford a premium private education. All of her schools are very rigorous academically and highly ranked, she said.

Over time, Qiao said, she came to see providing top-quality bilingual education as a higher purpose, a way of helping bring people together across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Its probably my guiding principle for the next 10 to 20 years, she said.

I feel there is almost a reversal of globalization, Qiao said. The trend of the world coming closer together, more collaboration, doing business together, multinationals operating in all countries, was what enabled me to become more who I was.

Given the increasingly hostile rhetoric on the global stage of late, Qiao said she hopes the United States and China can maneuver peacefully around each other.

Qiao said she intends to operate in San Francisco for the long haul  which is why her organization bought a building  and she knows that fraught international relations could in theory pose potential complications.

Its a calculated risk, she said. In some ways, this relationship getting worse gives me more motivation to do what I do, because what are the alternatives? Are we just allowing the two sides to fall further apart and stop talking to each other?

I dont know whether Im going to be successful or not, she said. Either the Chinese government or the U.S. government could decide what Im doing is dangerous for them for some reason and shut me down. That might happen. I hope it doesnt.

Qiao said she has a way of communicating with the Chinese government to say that what Im doing in China and also in San Francisco is actually good for China. I believe the same for the U.S..

Im here with good will and good intention, Qaio said. There is no hidden agenda, apart from building a cultural bridge where there are more people being brought up being able to talk to each other and learn from each other and understand each other.
Tesla is recalling 46,096 Cybertrucks in the US, it emerged on Thursday, due to a defect that could cause exterior trim panels to detach while driving, creating a potential road hazard.

The issue affects the cant rail, a stainless-steel panel affixed with an adhesive that is susceptible to environmental embrittlement.

The recall, which applies to all Cybertrucks produced and sold in the first 15 months of availability, was disclosed in a report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Tesla pledged to replace the defective panels free of charge, though as of 18 March, it had not yet resolved the problem in production.

The latest recall marked the sixth for the Cybertruck since its launch in late 2023 and followed previous safety concerns, including trim pieces detaching from the truck bed.

While Tesla estimated that only 1% of the recalled vehicles had the defect, the issue underscored ongoing quality control challenges for the companys highly publicised electric pickup.

It also came amid broader turmoil for Tesla and CEO Elon Musk.

The companys stock had declined by 42% this year, reflecting investor concerns over both operational setbacks and Musks increasingly controversial role in the political sphere.

His leadership of the US governments Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under president Donald Trump had drawn scrutiny, with protests planned at Tesla showrooms around the world on 29 March.

Dan Ives, a longtime Tesla supporter and analyst at Wedbush, warned that the automaker was facing a brand tornado crisis moment, exacerbated by Musks political entanglements.

According to the Guardian, he had urged Musk to clarify his role at Tesla and to provide a roadmap for the release of lower-cost vehicles and full self-driving technology.

Despite the challenges, Musk had continued to defend the Cybertrucks durability, touting its safety ratings and dismissing critics.

However, consumer doubts persisted, fueled by online tests showing structural failures under stress.

At 0909 EDT (1309 GMT), shares in Tesla were down 1.56% in premarket trading in New York, at $232.19.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
Marianne Richmond

(photo: Shoott Photography)

Author and illustrator Marianne Richmond has published dozens of picture books and board books, centering on messages of encouragement and love for young children and their families. She and her husband, Jim, spent 16 years co-running a greeting card company focused on her designs. If You Were My Daughter: A Memoir of Healing an Unmothered Heart, her memoir, is her first book for adults. It will be published by Sourcebooks on March 18, 2025. Richmond lives in the Nashville area.

What was the inspiration for If You Were My Daughter?

This book has been about 15 years in the making. For all my children's books, the "why" behind creating them was to put loving messages into the world--to create these connections between parent and child that I felt like I didn't have. For many years, I was telling the story of my complicated relationship with my mother as part of my career. But it wasn't until I got into therapy, as my greeting card business was wrapping up, that I learned to name some of my experiences. I also wanted to take on the challenge of writing a nonfiction book that would stretch me as a writer, and force me to think differently about theme, structure, and dialogue.

You had a complex, even traumatic, relationship with your mother.

I had misdiagnosed epilepsy as a young child, and for years, adults were telling me that I wasn't telling the truth. The combination of that and having a mom who was parenting out of her own fear--it was not great. It upended me and hollowed me out. There was no internal safety, and no external safety. It's the ultimate in vulnerability to have your body lose control when you don't know what it will do. A lot of people can relate to that journey of misdiagnosis and being misunderstood in that medical capacity. For years, I was operating in fear and anxiety and hypervigilance. I was in fight or flight mode for decades.

My mother was the only link between me and any kind of meaningful help. But because of her own history with electroshock therapy [at a veterans' hospital], she didn't have the capacity to be there for me. We were living parallel lives, in a certain way. I kept thinking: Can't you see how I'm hurting? And that's what we're all looking for, to be witnessed. No one could witness her, and no one could witness me. It led to a sense of deep aloneness.

How did you try to address those emotions through your children's books?

My children's books are all about helping witness the deep emotions of life. A lot of them are about parenthood. For example, Be Brave, Little One, is about trying to live a courageous life. For me, it's been about understanding that courage is a choice. It can look really small and quiet, or it can look really big and loud.

My first books were aspirational: I was writing what my ideal experience of being loved by a parent would feel like. Now I have my own model with my children. I was giving my kids what I wanted them to know, but also what I wanted for myself. As a young mom, I think I was overcompensating. I thought, I'm just going to let them know they're the greatest, all the time. But the result of that is an exhausted, depleted mother. Because I was coming at it from a place of lack in my own soul, rather than coming from a place of wholeness.

How did you get to that place of wholeness?

Going to therapy was pivotal for me. This therapist was the first person who was able to name some of my experiences. I remember her saying, right off the bat, You've had some huge nurturing gaps in your life. She started to educate me about the natural attunement between parent and child. That's secure attachment, and it's what gives the child the inner safety to understand how to handle life. Understanding what didn't happen for me was very helpful. I remember the therapist talking about the goal of inner alignment: head, heart, body. I remember she said, When your soul feels heard, you can move forward.

What was it like to delve into this story and put it on the page in a more direct way?

I started writing pieces of this book long ago, but I was still so angry that it started to sound bitter. It took me a long time to figure out what story I was telling. I'd read so many things on how to write a memoir, and someone delivered this equation: This is a story of X, as told through Y. The X becomes your universal, as told through Y, which is your personal story. So: this is a mother-daughter story, of coming to terms with what you never got. And either letting that stay in you as bitterness or finding some sort of resolution and acceptance. I had to look back at my mom's story and get to a place where I could realize that we were looking for the same thing. I still wish my experience could have been different, but I got to a place of acceptance, and a little more understanding and compassion.

The subtitle mentions "healing an unmothered heart."

I specifically landed on that word unmothered. I think my mother thought she was doing a decent job: I was provided clothes and food and physical essentials. The unmothered heart gives voice to the fact that what she was able to give and what I needed were a mismatch--because of who I am, and because of who she was. I think my brothers got what they needed from her, because they didn't need her in the same way. The unmothered heart is such a personal experience that people can dismiss [it] as You were so sensitive. It comes back to validation--that it's okay to need and desire in certain ways. We're quick to dismiss and diminish ourselves and our valid needs. And it's okay to want. And it's okay to grieve that we didn't get it.

What do you hope readers gain from this story?

I recently got my master's in mental health counseling. I'm struck by this idea that we are all born into a story in progress, and that story is pivotal to what our journey becomes. And we have to choose: Do we carry this story forward--the pain, and the frustration--or are we actively trying to re-narrate what it becomes? The stories we're born into end up shaping the ones we tell about ourselves. As I sit in the counseling chair now, and hear people tell their stories, it's often negative about themselves. So often, it comes back to What's wrong with me? I want to give people an invitation to examine that story, and say, What am I carrying forward that I don't want to, or that's not even true?

In a lot of ways, the book is about choosing to re-author that narrative for ourselves. I think we could take the same plot points or material and mix and match them to tell a different story. You could tell a business story, or a marriage story, or a story in which I'm the victim. But I think it's an invitation. I think it's also for women who can relate to the unmothered heart. I want them to let this book be that healing witness. --Katie Noah Gibson
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. The amount of funds to be spent on voluntary medical insurance of employees of the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan ( Azercosmos) has become known, Trend reports.

According to the information, 240 employees of the Agency will use this insurance.

Thus, it is determined that the annual insurance amount per person will be not less than 10,000 manat ($5,882).

Azercosmos has now completed the relevant work and concluded a contract with the company that will insure the employees - Azrbaycan Snaye Insurance Open Joint Stock Company. According to the contract, the OJSC paid 71,760 manat ($42,211).
Building a portfolio that generates reliable income for decades to come requires careful planning and smart investment choices. Renowned investor Al Sollami has developed a set of powerful strategies for constructing a dividend growth portfolio designed to pay you for life. In this article, you'll discover Sollami's time-tested approach to selecting high-quality dividend stocks, determining optimal position sizes, and managing a portfolio for long-term income growth. Whether you're a novice investor or a seasoned pro, Sollami's methods can help you create a robust dividend machine to fund your financial goals and provide steady cash flow well into retirement. Read on to learn the key principles behind Sollami's lifetime dividend portfolio strategy.

Dividend Growth Investing

Dividend growth investing is a strategy that focuses on stocks from companies that consistently increase their dividend payouts. This investment method prioritizes steady cash flow over speculative gains, making it a preferred choice for long-term investors seeking passive income.

Building a Lifetime Dividend Growth Portfolio

To structure a reliable dividend growth portfolio requires careful strategy and smart decision-making. Here are some practical tips that can help investors create a stable income stream while maximizing long-term growth.

1. Focus on Quality Dividend Stocks

Al Sollami emphasizes the importance of investing in well-established companies with a strong history of dividend growth. These businesses often possess stable cash flows, solid financials, and a proven commitment to rewarding shareholders. Focus on companies in sectors like consumer staples, utilities, and healthcare that tend to perform well even during economic downturns.

2. Prioritize Companies with Strong Dividend Growth History

When selecting dividend stocks, look for companies with a track record of increasing payouts for at least five to ten consecutive years. Firms with strong dividend growth history are often financially stable and committed to rewarding investors. Such companies are less likely to cut their dividends during economic downturns, ensuring a more reliable income stream.

3. Diversify Across Sectors and Industries

Diversification helps minimize risk and protect your income stream. It has been recommended to spread out investments across multiple sectors to reduce exposure to industry-specific risks. For example, combining investments in consumer goods, energy, financials, and technology can create a more balanced and resilient portfolio.

4. Reinvest Dividends to Maximize Growth

Reinvesting dividends is a powerful strategy that enhances long-term wealth accumulation. Instead of spending your dividend income, use it to purchase additional shares. Over time, compounding accelerates your portfolio's growth, significantly increasing your income potential.

5. Monitor Dividend Payout Ratios

A healthy dividend payout ratio is crucial when selecting stocks for your portfolio. Companies that distribute excessive portions of their earnings may struggle to sustain dividends during economic challenges. Ideally, it is advised to choose stocks with payout ratios below 60% to ensure the business retains enough capital for reinvestment and growth.

6. Invest in Dividend ETFs for Simplicity

For investors seeking diversification with minimal effort, dividend-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer a practical solution. ETFs like Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) or Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) provide access to a broad range of dividend growth stocks, streamlining the investment process.

7. Evaluate Management Teams and Business Models

Companies with strong leadership and sound business models are more likely to deliver consistent returns. It is important to analyze the company fundamentals, including revenue growth, profit margins, and debt levels, to ensure they align with your investment goals.

8. Avoid Yield Traps

High dividend yields can sometimes be misleading. Companies offering unusually high payouts may face financial instability. Investors must prioritize sustainable growth over risky, high-yield stocks. A well-balanced portfolio focused on growth potential often outperforms portfolios concentrated solely on high-yield stocks.

Partnership with Investment Experts and Professionals

Auctus Fund Management is a prominent investment firm specializing in identifying high-potential growth opportunities. By leveraging professional insights from firms like Auctus Fund Management, investors can discover undervalued dividend stocks with long-term growth potential. Partnering with expert investment managers can help align your portfolio with evolving market trends and economic conditions.

Building a Long-Term Investment Mindset

Patience and consistency are key in dividend growth investing. Investors are encouraged to maintain a long-term outlook, allowing time for compounding to amplify portfolio returns. Focus on reinvesting dividends, staying disciplined during market fluctuations, and regularly reviewing your investment strategy to ensure alignment with financial goals.

Tracking and Adjusting Your Portfolio

Monitoring your portfolio's performance is vital to sustaining growth. Regularly assess dividend payouts, earnings reports, and industry trends to identify potential risks or opportunities. By staying informed and making strategic adjustments when needed, you can keep your portfolio aligned with your long-term income objectives.

Conclusion

Creating a dividend growth portfolio that pays you for life requires careful planning, strategic investments, and a focus on sustainable growth. By following Al Sollami's insights and incorporating strategies like diversification, reinvestment, and careful stock selection, you can build a resilient portfolio designed to deliver long-term financial stability. Consulting with experts like Auctus Fund Management can further enhance your investment decisions and secure your path to passive income success.
Professionals with the ability to connect technical execution with business requirements are extremely valuable in the healthcare IT industry. Experienced Business Systems Analyst (BSA) Vivek Yadav has proven to be a remarkable talent at converting intricate business procedures into creative IT solutions. His long history of working with big healthcare companies, such as Presbyterian Healthcare Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, and Cigna, has made him a vital contributor to the growth of healthcare technology's efficiency, compliance, and strategic decision-making.

Beginning with brief stints at Cigna and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Yadav's career path displays a strong dedication to excellence in healthcare IT. His effect was so apparent that Blue Cross extended his contract with him for another term because of his exceptional work. However, it was his long tenure at Presbyterian Healthcare Services that truly solidified his reputation. Over eight years, including six as a contractor before transitioning into a full-time role in May 2023, Yadav helped considerably the healthcare organization, which is the largest health plan and delivery system in New Mexico, USA. He worked to increase productivity, optimize business procedures, and ensure conformity to industry rules.

As a business process analyst, Yadav has been essential in turning business insights into practical IT plans. His knowledge of business processes has led him to spot inefficiencies and create creative solutions that have reduced costs and boosted productivity. His capacity to convert business needs into technical specifications, solution architectures, and data mappings has made it possible for IT teams and business stakeholders to communicate easily. Furthermore, his knowledge in compliance management has been significant in making sure that rules like HIPAA, ACA, and CMS requirements are followed, reducing risks, and preserving organizational integrity.

Among Yadavs outstanding projects, the Service Line Profitability stands out as a major achievement. This project focused on aligning the financial picture of Presbyterians health plan and delivery system, identifying profitable service areas, and identifying opportunities for business development. Through the examination of operational and financial data, this dashboard offered insightful information about the performance of the service line, the effects both upstream and downstream, and possible areas for expansion. This strategic tool allowed the leadership to make informed decisions about expansion, service acquisition, and overall financial health.

Another important project was the Referrals Initiative, which developed a comprehensive tracking solution for patient referrals within and outside Presbyterian. By categorizing outgoing, incoming, and internal referrals, the system provided visibility into patient movements, speciality requirements, and provider accessibility. This analytical approach allowed Presbyterian to optimize its referral network, reduce patient wait times, and make strategic decisions about adding or acquiring medical services.

Yadav also worked on CLARO, a project that aimed to enhance Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI). The project aimed to replace CLARO, a vendor solution, by building the capability in-house. This transition was achieved through a combination of Epic Clarity reporting, MedeAnalytics, and the 3M solution, enabling greater control, efficiency, and customization in data management and analytics. By using these advanced tools, the organization enhanced its reporting capabilities while reducing dependency on external vendors.

The scope of Yadav's projects' financial commitments highlights their importance; ranging from hundreds of thousands to multimillion-dollar endeavours, these projects have provided Presbyterian with real benefits. His ability to navigate system integration challenges, address compatibility issues, ensure data integrity, and overcome user resistance has been instrumental in the success of these initiatives.

More advancements in healthcare IT are anticipated in the future, according to Yadav, particularly in areas like data analytics, AI-powered decision support systems, and enhanced application interoperability. In order to match technological advancements with corporate objectives, his observations highlight the significance of strategic planning. By focusing on continuous improvement and adaptability, he believes that healthcare organizations can remain agile in an increasingly complex and technology-driven environment.

Business systems analysts play a fundamental role in contemporary healthcare organizations, as shown by Vivek Yadav's input into healthcare IT. His ability to merge business acumen with technical expertise has not only optimized operations at Presbyterian Healthcare Services but has also set a benchmark for innovative IT solutions in the healthcare industry. Healthcare experts like Yadav will definitely continue to be at the top of bringing forth significant change and making sure that healthcare organizations run effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with industry standards as technology continues to transform the sector.
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu has given away the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in a function organized in New Delhi.

In his address on the occasion, the President stated that the value of free and fair journalism to democracy cannot be overstated. If the citizens remain ill-informed, democratic processes lose their very purpose.

The President averred that a healthy newsroom buzzing with ideas is crucial for the business of news. She underlined the need for a research wing to ensure quality and accuracy of news. She asserted that news gathering, the lifeblood of journalism, should be beefed up. She appealed to media organisations to invest greater resources in fostering the culture of reporting from the ground.

The President explained that previously, papers and magazines wanted to provide qualitative reportage and analysis, and the readers purchased their copies. An adequate number of readers resulted in a decent platform for advertisements, which financed the expenses. She noted that during the recent decades, many models of hybrid ones have taken its place. She said their success should be assessed by measuring how they influenced the quality of journalism. She further added that there are just limited sources of finance, which could either be the State or companies or the reader. While the former two have their own strengths and weaknesses, the third option of keeping the reader in the middle is the best option. It has just one limitation: maintaining that model appears challenging.

Talking about the matter of content creation, the President was sure that we will soon arrive at a point where bad content will be eliminated and the so-called post-truth will lose popularity. She mentioned that technological devices are being used to achieve that purpose as well. She urged to expedite that process with pro-active campaigns to inform citizens of these traps. She explained that the threat of deep fakes and other forms of abuse of artificial intelligence force us to make all citizens aware of this important dimension of news. Young people in particular should be taught to identify the bias and the agenda in any piece of news report or analysis.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  Dramatic footage captured by a neighboring business security camera caught the moment a van careened into a laundromat in Mariners Harbor Tuesday night.

In the video, obtained by the Advance/SILive.com, a man can be seen stepping into the frame along the sidewalk, steps from the intersection of South Avenue and Arlington Place, just as an NYPD vehicle approaches the stop sign.

Seconds later, the white van speeds into the opposite, oncoming lane from the right side of the screen  nearly clipping the pedestrian  as it heads directly towards the laundromat.

The video then cuts to an alternate angle that shows the van slicing through and splintering a utility pole before slamming into and bouncing off the side of the building.

According to police, seven people were injured in the wake of the frightening scene that occurred at around 6:50 p.m., including the driver of the van, who was rushed by EMS in critical condition with severe body trauma, along with six other individuals who were in stable condition, to Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton.

Whether the other victims were inside the building, the van or on the street when then incident occurred still has not been disclosed by police.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the drivers condition has been upgraded to stable, while an investigation by the NYPDs Highway Collision Investigation Squad remains ongoing, police said.

Meanwhile, as business has resumed at 158 South Ave., the side entrance of the Corner Laundry laundromat has been boarded up and a segment of the split utility pole has been removed.

A board covers a damaged section of the Corner Laundry laundromat in Mariners Harbor a day after a van crashed into the side of the building. (Staten Island Advance/Scott R. Axelrod) Scott R. Axelrod

An employee declined to comment, but the inside of the building appeared relatively unscathed, while only the wooden board covering the damaged corner of the establishment and a length of caution tape could be seen.

A spokesman for the Department of Buildings told the Advance/SILive.com that inspectors were called to the location on Tuesday to conduct a structural stability inspection of the building, finding that the collision caused structural damage to a column at the front.

The property owners were ordered to hire an engineer to conduct a further assessment of the situation and consult with Buildings about needed repairs.
In a drive-through format, the Council of Jewish Organizations will offer meat, eggs, and other produce, bagged and in a drive-through format on April 2. Signups are mandatory. (Staten Island Advance/Priya Shahi) Priya Shahi

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  The Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO) of Staten Island says it will host the largest pre-Passover Kosher Food Distribution in the boroughs history, aiming to support the community amid rising food prices.

This initiative will provide essential assistance to seniors and families with young children, particularly in the growing Hasidic community in the mid-Island area.

COJOs Annual Pre-Passover Food Distribution event will take place at Aur Torah Sephardic Minyan in New Springville on Wednesday, April 2 at 5 p.m. The event will be conducted as a drive-through distribution, ensuring convenience and accessibility for all attendees. Participants must confirm their attendance by emailing ivacojosi@gmail.com.

For over 50 years, COJO Staten Island has represented more than 60 Jewish synagogues, organizations, and institutions. The organization has significantly expanded in recent years, now supporting 23 new Hasidic synagogues, two Ultra-Orthodox communities, and four yeshivas. COJO offers kosher pantry services in tandem with religious leaders.

Last year, COJO distributed over two million meals to families facing food insecurity. Their efforts extended beyond Passover, including a summer kosher meal distribution program that provided nutritious meals to out-of-school youth across Staten Island.
Staten Island, NY  The cast of the Sea View Playwrights Theatre are prepping for the presentation of Stop Kiss by Diana Son this weekend and next.

A play about hope, resilience, and love, Stop Kiss centers around two young women, Callie and Sara, who meet in New York City and begin to develop feelings for one another.

One evening, they share a kiss in the West Village, and it results in a hate crime, leaving Sara with life-altering injuries. (Note: he attack is not depicted on stage.)

The presentation follows a non-linear storyline, jumping from Sara and Callies first interaction to weeks after the attack.

However, the two women are very different: Sara has ideals she wants to fight harder for, while Callie prefers to conveniently coast along.

Stop Kiss was originally produced Off-Broadway in 1998 at The Public Theater in New York City.

The show is being directed by Craig Stoebling, who has been performing and directing on Staten Island for more than 40 years.

The cast features Staten Island actors Caroline Russell as Callie, Sophia Condon as Sara, Joey Caramanno as George, Frank Nigro as Detective Cole, Gabrielle Canci as Mrs. Winsley, and Ozzie Soto as Peter.

Craig is very grateful that Sea View Playwrights Theatre is not hesitant to do plays like Stop Kiss and for the opportunity to tell a highly relevant story in a time when some are trying to erase parts of society.

Stoebling added Theater, especially plays like Stop Kiss, remind us that is unacceptable and will never be allowed to happen.

Stop Kiss, will run on Saturday, March 22, Friday, March 28, and Saturday March 29 at 8 p.m. and Sundays, March 23 and March 30 at 2 p.m. at 460 Brielle Ave in Sea View.

Tickets may be purchased at https://our.show/svptstopkiss for $25 general admission or $22 for students and seniors.

Tickets are also available for purchase at the door, for the same prices (cash only).
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Azerenergy is finalizing the construction of a new 1,280-megawatt power plant, one of the largest projects undertaken in the country in recent years, with its foundation laid by the president in February 2023, Trend reports.

The project is set to become the largest power station built since Azerbaijan gained independence. This power facility, located at the Azerbaijan TPP site in Mingachevir, was originally scheduled for commissioning by the end of 2025, but work is progressing ahead of schedule. Currently, three of the four turbine and generator sets have been tested and are operational, with the fourth set expected to come online soon.

The turbines and generators for the new plant are supplied by Italys Ansaldo Energia, while the waste heat boilers are provided by Chinas Dongfang. Over the past two years, specialists from these companies have made multiple visits to Mingachevir, while Azerenergy experts have traveled to Italy and China for in-person training sessions.

The training program, aimed at ensuring the effective and reliable operation of the stations systems and equipment, continues as part of the "Training Program for the Waste Heat Boiler." The initiative focuses on enhancing the technical skills of the workers in the turbine, generator, and automation sectors.

Currently, Ansaldo Energia representatives are conducting the training for station employees, with over 130 Azerenergy employees participating. Earlier this year, Dongfang also conducted a similar training course, providing employees with specialized knowledge and skills.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Research suggests that couples who met as children and grew up together have a higher chance of staying together.

Glenn Korsnes and Tara Kovaleski, who were common law married for 30 years, were a real-life example that proved that theory. The couple first met when Tara was 5 and Glenn was 9. A few years later, Taras family moved into the apartment upstairs from Glenn.
Walgreens customers who fill prescriptions may be eligible for a refund from a $100 million class action settlement. (Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)

Walgreens will pay $100 million to settle claims it overcharged customers who used insurance benefits for prescription medications.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit that accused Walgreens of inflating its usual and customary drug prices for insured customers and not factoring in the prices from its now-discontinued Prescription Savings Club program, according to the lawsuit. As a result, insured customers ended up overpaying for their generic medications, the lawsuit claims.

Walgreens denies any wrongdoing but has agreed to pay $100 million to settle the lawsuit, according to the settlement website.

You may qualify for the settlement if you purchased prescription drugs from Walgreens between Jan. 1, 2007, and Nov. 18, 2024, using prescription insurance benefits, with compensation based on the amount you paid for eligible medications.

Those who did not use insurance benefits are not included in the settlement.

The deadline to file a claim is April 17, 2025. You can submit your claim at savingsclubsettlement.com or call 877-888-8396 for more information.
A Great White Shark similar to the that was caught and tagged before being released off the Jersey shore a few years back was recently reeled in from the shore line in North Carolina. (Courtesy of OCEARCH) Courtesy of OCEARCH

A pair of North Carolina fishermen recently reeled in a Great White Shark during a 30-minute encounter before releasing it with the help of several others in the Outer Banks, according to a newly released video.

Luke Beard and Jason Rosenfeld, who are best friends, enjoyed every moment of their big catch, but once they got it to shallow waters, they needed the help of approximately five others to push it back out to sea.

Beard believes the shark was between 12-13 feet long and weighed approximately 1,400-1,800 pounds.

I was about in tears after we released that fish because you never know if youre going to be able to do that in your lifetime, said Beard during a press conference.

For a look at the angles' attempts to set the shark free, please see the video below.
The chair for Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn, a Republican from Grand Rapids, sits empty in a Senate hearing room in the State Capitol complex in St. Paul on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, a day after his arrest in Bloomington for allegedly soliciting a minor for prostitution. (AP Photo/Steve Karnowski) AP

One of the authors of a bill looking to declare Trump derangement syndrome (DTS) an official mental illness has been charged with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

Minnesota Republican State Sen. Justin Eichorn was arrested for allegedly being involved in an undercover operation to target commercial sex involving juveniles, according to the Department of Justice.

The operation consisted of posting online advertisements offering commercial sex, in which members of law enforcement would reply to any messages sent in reference to the ads.

Among the respondents was the senator, who began to unknowingly message officers on March 11, 2025, the DOJ statement said. He allegedly said, I saw your post and [sic] chance you are still available tonight? and then later, Whats a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.

The alleged correspondence between Eichorn and the undercover operative lasted several days, in which the officer repeatedly said that she was not 18 but was, in fact, 17 years old.

Nevertheless, Eichorn proceeded to ask the undercover officer about pricing for various sex acts she might perform, and then Eichorn arranged an in-person meet-up to pay for commercial sex. Eichorn also requested that the undercover officerwhom he believed to be a 17-year-old minorsend him a naught[y] pic including one with lot less clothes. Eichorn arrived at the agreed-upon location to find law enforcement waiting to apprehend him. In his car, among other things, law enforcement found cash and a condom, the DOJ wrote.

Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick said the following on the matter, The U.S. Attorneys Office has no tolerance for public officials who violate federal lawparticularly those laws meant to protect children. I am grateful to the Bloomington Police Department, to the FBI, and to all law enforcement officers who use undercover operations to identify and arrest child sex predators to prevent them from abusing real children.

The bill Eichorn backed, called SF 2589, defines TDS 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 may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trumps behavior.

The bill goes on to classify symptoms as the following: verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Donald J. Trump in addition to overt acts of aggression and violence against anyone supporting President Donald J. Trump or anything that symbolizes President Donald J. Trump.
A new top federal prosecutor appointed by President Donald Trump in social media posts called former President Joe Biden a traitor and said that former President Barack Obama should be the first illegal alien deported.

Syracuse.com reported that John A. Sarcone III of Westchester County was sworn in Monday in Albany as the interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York.

The office handles criminal prosecutions across 32 counties in Upstate New York.

The outlet reported that Sarcone, who has no prosecutorial experience, hit out at Biden and Obama in social media posts.

Biden on New Years Eve 2022 tweeted that he was ready to get things done in the coming New Year.

Sarcone was among the thousands who replied, tweeting, Traitor should be tried for treason. Worst person to occupy the White House.

Sarcone had at another time tweeted that Obama should be the first illegal alien deported and also called for Hillary Clinton to be jailed for treason.

Sarcone was able to take the U.S. attorney position without needing U.S. Senate confirmation because of a loophole that allows presidents to make temporary appointments, Syracuse.com said.

David Driesen, a constitutional law professor at Syracuse University, said Sarcones interim appointment appears to be part of Trumps effort to avoid Senate scrutiny of unqualified candidates.

Putting in place acting officials is something Trump has done in the past to avoid the law, Driesen told Syracuse.com. This is a pretty militant appointment to take a guy with no prosecutorial experience, who has been a very partisan backer. Its very concerning. I think the U.S. attorney should have extensive criminal law experience.

Its unusual but not unprecedented for someone with so little experience to be appointed as one of the nations 93 U.S. attorneys, the top prosecutors who run Justice Department offices from coast to coast, legal experts told the outlet.

Within 24 hours of taking office in January, Trump appointed Ed Martin to serve as interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. Martin is a conservative activist with no prosecutorial experience.
In this file photo, a Social Security card is displayed Oct. 12, 2021, in Tigard, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File) AP

The Social Security Administration is seeking to mandate identity checks at in-person offices.

The new requirements will impact anyone who needs to verify their bank information with the agency, as well as families with children who receive Social Security benefits and cannot verify a childs information on the SSA website.

The checks are intended to combat fraud and waste within the system, which President Donald Trump and officials in his administration have claimed are widespread.

The SSA said that starting March 31, if recipients cannot verify their identity over the agencys my Social Security online service, they will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process.

The move comes after the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is set to close 47 Social Security offices nationwide.

So far, neither of the Staten Island offices are being closed, but three other New York-based field offices are set to lock their doors: White Plains, Horseheads and Poughkeepsie.

As reported by Advance/SILive.com sister site, Oregon Live, the following areas are set to see shuttered offices:

White Plains, NY

Logan, WV

Carlsbad, CA

Roanoke Rapids, NC

Batesville, AR

Columbus, OH

Okemos, MI

Nacogdoches, TX

Green Bay, WI

Las Vegas, NV

Rockford, IL

Missoula, MT

Grand Junction, CO

Kalispell, MT

Rock Springs, WY

Minot, ND

Horseheads, NY

Anniston, AL

Campbellsville, KY

Cullman, AL

Gadsden, AL

Jasper, AL

Columbus, GA

Gainesville, GA

Vidalia, GA

Brunswick, GA

Thomasville, GA

Grenada, MS

Greenwood, MS

Meridian, MS

Poughkeepsie, NY

Elizabeth City, NC

Hazard, KY

Greenwood, SC

Lawton, OK

Franklin, NC

Melbourne, FL

Abilene, TX

Greenville, NC

Forrest City, AR

Texarkana, AR

Houma, LA

Jonesboro, AR

Victoria, TX

Nashville, TN

Mansfield, OH

Wausau, WI

SSA needs to be transparent about its service changes and seek input from the older Americans who will be affected. Because any delay in Social Security caused by this change can mean real economic hardship, AARP Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer Nancy LeaMond said.

Associated Press reporting contributed to this piece.
Could the United States be facing the potential threat of World War III?

It could happen, warned President Donald Trump.

Appearing on The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, Trump said that the U.S. could be pulled into the Russia-Ukraine war if the conflict escalates into World War III.

We want to get it over with, Trump said, per the New York Post.

Trump has been trying to mediate a peace agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Trump suggested that he is seeking an end to hostilities in the hopes of keeping American troops out of a potentially larger conflict.

Look, were doing this  there are no Americans involved, the president said. There could be if you end up in World War III over this, which is so ridiculous.

But, you know, strange things happen, he said.

The president appeared on the show following his two-hour call on Tuesday with Putin.

Right now, you have a lot of guns pointing at each other and a cease-fire without going a little bit further would have been tough, Trump said.

Putin rejected Trumps call for a full cease-fire but agreed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure.

Russia has the advantage, as you know they have encircled about 2,500 [Ukrainian] soldiers, Trump said. Theyre nicely encircled and thats not good.

However, a Reuters story said that the Ukrainian forces were not encircled.

Trump said his call with Putin was great and that the two leaders talked about a lot of things toward getting it to peace. We talked about other things also.

Trump had a phone call with Zelenskyy on Wednesday.

It was the first time that the two men had spoken since their infamous blowup in the Oval Office, which led to Trump booting Zelenskyy from the White House.

(This story was updated correct that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to cease attacks on energy infrastructure. It also includes a link to a story refuting President Donald Trumps claims that Ukraine soldier were encircled by Russian forces.)
Talk about Sleepy Joe.

President Donald Trump has called President Joe Biden the worst chief executive in American history.

But theres an odd thing that Trump admired about his White House predecessor, the New York Post reported.

Appearing on The Ingraham Angle on Fox News, Trump said, The only thing I admired about sleepy Joe Biden is the following: Hed go to a beach, lay down on a cot  barely able to get his feet through the sand  hed lay down and within minutes hes sleeping and have cameras watching.

Trump said, I could never do that. I would never be able to sleep like that. Thats the only thing that I think that was wonderful. It was a disaster, this man was a disaster.

As for himself, Trump said, I dont sleep much. A lot of people that love what they are doing dont sleep much, I find. And so far its been OK.

During his first term in office, it was reported that Trump got by on four or five hours of sleep a night.

Biden frequently vacationed at Rehoboth Beach during his presidency and was occasionally photographed snoozing on the shore.

He goes to the beach all the time, Trump said during the 2024 presidential campaign. Somebody told him he looks great in a bathing suit. Typicallytypicallyan 82-year-old man does not look great in a bathing suit. There may be a couple, but Im not sure Ive ever seen it.

But not all is rosy with Trump and Biden.

Trump this week said that a number of last-minute pardons from Bidens final days in the White House were void because an autopen was used to sign the pardons.

Trump also removed Secret Service protection from two Biden family members.
A sign outside the New York Stock Exchange marks the intersection of Wall and Broad Streets on Jan. 27, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP

President Donald Trumps commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, encouraged viewers to purchase Tesla stock on Fox News Wednesday night.

Tesla has been in the spotlight in recent weeks  the stock tumbled from the grace of many investors, protesters have been Molotov cocktailing dealerships, and Trump hosted a mini showroom at the White House alongside Tesla owner Elon Musk.

Lutnicks commentary comes as a suggestion to combat attacks on the car company, The Hill reported.

Who wouldnt invest in Elon Musk? You got to be kidding, Lutnick said.

I think, if you want to learn something on this show tonight: Buy Tesla, Lutnick advocated. Its unbelievable that this guys stock is this cheap. Itll never be this cheap again.

The stock markets tumultuous rocking was induced primarily at the hand of Trump with his sweeping plans for tariffs, the Hill reported.

Telsa stock is down 42% in 2025 thus far, Axois said  and down 5% in just the previous five days.

Compared to December, when a share of Tesla stock hovered at $479.86, the embattled brand opened at $233.34 Thursday.

Daniel Ives of Wedbush Securities, a company dedicated to wealth management, offered his own perspective, Axios said.

Lets call it like it is: Tesla is going through a crisis and there is one person who can fix it....Musk, Ives penned Wednesday. As someone who is a core bull and believer in the Telsa long-term growth story.....I loudly urge Musk and the Board to step up, stop being silent, and help resolve this crisis forming at Tesla.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 21. The volume of trade operations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye amounted to $1 billion from January through February 2025.

The data obtained by Trend from the country's State Customs Committee shows that this is by $25 million, or 2.5 percent more than January-February 2024.

The trade turnover with Turkiye amounted to 11.28 percent of Azerbaijan's total trade turnover during the reporting period. As a result, Turkiye ranked as the second largest trading partner for Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan exported products worth $573.3 million to Turkiye from January through February 2025, which is $61.1 million, or 61.1 percent less than in the same period of 2024. Export operations with Turkiye for this period accounted for 12.03 percent of the country's total exports.

In the reporting month, Azerbaijan increased imports of products from Turkiye by $86 million, or 24.9 percent year-on-year, to $431.3 million.

In addition, Azerbaijan exported $7.4 million worth of crude oil and oil products derived from bituminous rocks to Turkiye in the first two months of this year. This marked a substantial decline of $28.6 million, or 79.4 percent, in value, and a decrease of 53,300 tons, or 78.3 percent, in volume, compared to the same period in 2024.

During the reporting period, Turkiye ranked 12th among Azerbaijan's top oil export destinations.

In parallel, Azerbaijan exported non-oil products worth $82.8 million to Turkiye from January through February 2025, marking a decrease of $14.5 million, or 14.9 percent, compared to the same period last year.

Non-oil exports to Turkiye accounted for 17.07 percent of Azerbaijan's total exports during the reporting period. As a result, Turkiye remained the second-largest importer of Azerbaijan's non-oil products, following Russia.

To note, the volume of foreign trade turnover of Azerbaijan for the reporting period amounted to $8.9 billion. This figure is $1.7 billion, or 23.2 percent more than in the same period last year.

Of the trade turnover, exports accounted for $4.8 billion and imports for $4.1 billion, which is $13 million (0.3 percent) less and $1.7 billion (69.2 percent) more than a year ago.

The foreign trade surplus amounted to $628 million, which is $1.7 billion, or 3.7 times less than a year ago.
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When Andrew Twiggy Forrest began US civil proceedings against Facebook owner Meta in 2021 to stop the social media group posting scam ads featuring his likeness, it is unlikely Mark Zuckerberg knew anything about the rambunctious Aussie billionaire.

He does now.

Andrew Forrests legal team say Metas automated ad systems play an active role in generating and targeting scam ads. Credit: Getty

Lets put aside the fact, revealed in court hearings this week, that Forrest featured in 230,000 fraudulent ads on Meta platforms like Facebook. And thats just since 2019.

What will now force Zuckerberg and his subordinates at 1 Hacker Way to take notice is the court order that will force them to reveal  for the first time  precisely what role Facebook plays in developing ads on its platforms and targeting them at users.
The statement made mention of sending a message based on these beliefs, the agent wrote. Some of the most prominent incidents have been reported in left-leaning cities in the Pacific Northwest, like Portland and Seattle, where anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment runs high. An Oregon man faces charges after allegedly throwing several Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store in Salem, then returning another day and shooting out windows. In the Portland suburb of Tigard, more than a dozen bullets were fired at a Tesla showroom last week, damaging vehicles and windows, the second time in a week that the store was targeted. Four Cybertrucks were set on fire in a Tesla lot in Seattle earlier this month. On Friday, witnesses reported a man poured petrol on an unoccupied Tesla Model S and started a fire on a Seattle street.

Loading In Las Vegas, several Tesla vehicles were set ablaze early Tuesday outside a Tesla service centre where the word resist was also painted in red across the buildings front doors. Authorities said at least one person threw Molotov cocktails  crude bombs filled with gasoline or another flammable liquid  and fired several rounds from a weapon into the vehicles. Was this terrorism? Was it something else? It certainly has some of the hallmarks that we might think  the writing on the wall, potential political agenda, an act of violence, Spencer Evans, the special agent in charge of the Las Vegas FBI office, said at a news conference. None of those factors are lost on us. Tesla becomes a target for the left

Tesla was once the darling of the left. Helped to viability by a $US465 million ($734 million) federal loan during the Obama administration, the company popularised electric vehicles and proved, despite their early reputation, that they didnt have to be small, stodgy, underpowered and limited in range. Donald Trump and Elon Musk speak to reporters with the red Model S Tesla at the White House. Credit: AP More recently, though, Musk has allied himself with the right. He bought the social network Twitter, renamed it X and erased restrictions that had infuriated conservatives. He spent an estimated $US250 million to boost Trumps 2024 Republican campaign, becoming by far his biggest benefactor. Musk continues to run Tesla  as well as X and the rocket manufacturer SpaceX  while also serving as Trumps adviser. Tesla stock doubled in value in the weeks after Trumps election but has since shed all those gains.

Trump gave a boost to the company when he turned the White House driveway into an electric-vehicle showroom. He promoted the vehicles and said he would purchase an $US80,000 ($125,984) Model S, eschewing his fierce past criticism of electric vehicles. Loading Tesla didnt respond to a request for comment. Musk briefly addressed the vandalism on Monday during an appearance on Senator Ted Cruzs podcast, saying at least some of it is organised and paid for by left-wing organisations in America, funded by left-wing billionaires, essentially. This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong, Musk wrote Tuesday on X, sharing a video of burning Teslas in Las Vegas. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks. The progressive group Indivisible, which published a guide for supporters to organise Musk Or Us protests around the country, said in a statement that all of its guidance is publicly available and it explicitly encourages peaceful protest and condemns any acts of violence or vandalism.

Some Tesla owners have resorted to cheeky bumper stickers to distance themselves from their vehicles new stigma and perhaps deter would-be vandals. They say things like I bought this before we knew Elon was crazy or I just wanted an electric car. Sorry guys. Prices for used Cybertrucks, Teslas most distinctive product, have dropped nearly 8 per cent since Trump took office, according to CarGurus, which aggregates used-car vehicle listings. The market as a whole remained steady over the period. In Las Vegas, several Tesla vehicles were set ablaze outside a Tesla service centre where the word resist was also painted in red across the buildings front doors. Credit: AP The White House vows a crackdown The White House has thrown its weight behind Musk, the highest-profile member of Trumps administration and a key donor to committees promoting Trumps political interests. Trump has said Tesla vandalism amounts to domestic terror, and Trump has threatened retribution, warning that those who target the company are going to go through hell.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said shed opened an investigation to see how is this being funded, who is behind this. If youre going to touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out because were coming after you, Bondi said on Friday on Fox Business Network. In a statement on Tuesday, she vowed to continue investigations that impose severe consequences, including for those operating behind the scenes to co-ordinate and fund these crimes. Loading Theresa Ramsdell is the president of the Tesla Owners of Washington state, a club for Tesla enthusiasts, and she and her husband owns three of them. Hate on Elon and Trump all you want  thats fine and dandy, its your choice, she said. It doesnt justify ruining somebodys property, vandalising it, destroying it, setting it on fire. Theres other ways to get your voice heard thats more effective.
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, March 20. Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, Ilkhomjon Umrzakov, held a meeting with representatives of the Kuwaiti Action Group Holdings to discuss expanding investment cooperation, Trend reports.

The discussions focused on the development of public-private partnership (PPP) projects and expanding investment cooperation. The prospects of implementing initiatives in energy, real estate, and social infrastructure were explored.

Representatives of Action Group Holdings, including Executive Committee Member Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sabah, highlighted the attractiveness of Uzbekistans investment climate, noting the dynamic development of infrastructure and cooperation with international financial institutions. The Kuwaiti delegation also expressed its readiness to consider participation in socially significant projects, including affordable housing construction and investments in renewable energy sources.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to intensify consultations and organize further negotiations to expand mutually beneficial cooperation.

Action Group Holdings is an international investment company founded in 1998 in Kuwait. It specializes in investments, real estate, the oil industry, IT, logistics, construction, education, consulting, and trade.
The company was attracted by the deposits size and prime location in Chiles vast 65-million-ounce Maricunga mineral belt. It also had untapped potential.

The orebody was discovered in 2010 by Canadian-listed Atacama Pacific, which eventually merged with Rio2 in 2018.

The path to production has not come without its challenges, however. The project was hampered by environmental permitting delays due to a change in government, then COVID-19 hit, further delaying the permitting process.

Every cloud has a silver lining and Rio2 now finds itself on the edge of production at a time when the gold price is testing all-time highs.

Fenix, which will be an open pit operation, sits at an impressive 4500-metre elevation and covers 2000 hectares in Chiles fabled but remote Maricunga gold belt.

The projects 2023 feasibility study has estimated a net present value after tax of US$210.3 million (A$333m) using a 5 per cent discount rate and an internal rate of return of 28.5 per cent using a gold price of US$1750 per ounce.

With gold prices currently trading at almost double the studys assumed level, there appears to be plenty of upside potential. Notably, Rio2s sensitivity calculations imply a net present value of US$546m (A$866m) and an internal rate of return of 64 per cent at a gold price of US$2250 per ounce.

The project also has an uber-low stripping ratio of 0.85:1, which is a key element of the projects robust economics. By minimising waste removal and operational costs, the remarkably low all-in-sustaining-cost (AISC) of production is expected to come in at just US$1250 per ounce.

The AISC also includes the cost of trucking the entire projects water supply from the regional capital, Copiapo, 160 kilometres southwest of the mine.

The water will be supplied by a Chilean-owned utility company, Aguas Chanar, which also provides desalinated water to the local community. Aguas will collect and treat industrial effluent wastewater to resell to Rio2 as a non-potable water source that will be suitable for heap leach irrigation.

Rio2 is conducting studies on a phase two expansion of the project to potentially scale up production to 250,000300,000 ounces of gold per year by pushing the processing rates up from 20,000 tonnes per day (tpd) to 80,000tpd.

To alleviate the water bottleneck, the company is in active discussions with Kinross Mining, which owns the neighbouring La Coipa mine, to share the infrastructure cost of building a direct water pipeline from Aguas Chanars facilities directly to the mine sites.

Rio2 is in the rare position of being fully funded for construction. In October 2024, the company secured a US$100m pre-pay financing package from United States-based Wheaten Precious Metals Investment.

The debt finance was complemented by US$49m in fresh equity from a capital raising to new and existing shareholders.

Rio2 also has access to US$25m of a US$50m gold stream loan  repaid at a rate of 15,000 ounces a year for seven years - and an extra US$20m as a standby loan facility, both arranged by Wheaten.

Management plans to allocate US$127m for construction capex and US$47m for additional infrastructure costs.

Earth moving equipment preparing the 20,000 tonnes per day heap leach pad at Rio2s Fenix gold project in Chile.

Blacks journey into mine development began in the late 1990s when he sold his Kalgoorlie-based pit design company.

After packing his bags to move to Lima in South America, Black was convinced by an old Perth-based finance pal to take the reins of a TSX-listed shell company, Chariot Resources.

Chariot spent the next couple of years testing the water on various exploration tenements in Peru before the mining junior landed its first big project, successfully acquiring full control of the Marcona copper project for US$45m. The company then brought Korean-based LG-Nikko Copper on board to fund a 30 per cent stake in that project.

Having developed up the 290mt copper resource, the Black-led Chariot received a 2010 takeover bid from China Sci-Tech Holdings for a handy US$170m ($A270m). The bid included Chariots 70 per cent holding in Marcona.

The Chinese-backed miner promptly sold its position to Peruvian-based Minsur in 2012 for US$505m, double its purchase price.

The Marcona mine eventually cost US$1.5b to build and was commissioned in 2021. It produces almost 160,000 tonnes of copper per annum.

By the time of the Chariot takeover, Black had decided to re-roll the dice and formed a new private exploration company, Rio Alto Mining.

Before too long, another Peruvian deal came knocking - this time in the shape of the undeveloped La Arena gold project that would eventually be held by Rio Alto.

By the end of 2010 and with the help of a US$20m capital raising and a US$50m pre-paid financing deal from the US-based Red Kite Resources fund, Rio Altos shovels were put to work.

La Arena was commissioned 12 months later, spitting out 200,000 ounces of gold a year to quickly become one of Perus lowest-cost gold producers.

After a $300m merger with Sulliden Gold Corporation the big boys came knocking and, in 2014, Rio Alto received a massive US$1.1 billion (A$1.75b) takeover bid from Canadian-based Tahoe Resources.

Fast forward to 2025 and Black is again on the verge of production with Rio2s Fenix.

With a fully funded phase one construction plan underway and a high-potential phase two expansion in the pipeline, the Fenix gold project is on track to become a major gold mine.

If Rio Alto could achieve such success with a similar looking deposit at La Arena during a time of depressed gold prices, the sky is the limit for Rio2 with the precious yellow metal hitting all-time highs.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
Club Tivoli The German communitys social club in Prahran has sold in a flash, just days after the expressions of interest campaign closed. A developer has snapped up Club Tivoli at 291-293 Dandenong Road for a price believed to be more than $18 million. Club Tivoli-Deutscher Verein  to give it its full name  was established in 1860, and has been operating in Prahran for more than 35 years. The German cultural group had originally planned to retain the club as part of an apartment development. Club Tivoli at 291-293 Dandenong Road, Prahran, has sold for more than $18 million.

Knight Franks Stephen Kelly, Tom Ryan and Nick Bisset ran the campaign with Colliers agents Jozef Dickinson, Alex Browne and Philip Heberling. They declined to comment on the price or the buyer. Loading The club is on a large 3085 sq m site on the corner of Chomley Street. The site has a permit for a six-level project with 56 apartments. Day hospital Fertility clinic owner BGH Capital has sold a day hospital in East Melbourne to an Asian-based investor group.

There were nine bidders for the 13-bed hospital at 23 Clarendon Street, which is situated on the edge of the medical precinct around the Epworth Freemasons Hospital, between Victoria Parade and Albert Street. The vacant 1549 sq m hospital fetched about $10 million  a bit of a haircut from the $12.35 million paid in 2023 by private equity group BGH after it acquired the hospital tenant, listed IVF-provider Virtus Health, in a $700 million deal. The day hospital at 23 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne, sold for about $10 million. CBREs Mark Granter, Sandro Peluso, Marcello Caspani-Muto and Kai Wang handled the transaction. The short-listed bidders were investors, with owner-occupiers trailing them, Caspani-Muto said.

The buyer is planning to re-let the medical building. Across the street, the majestic heritage-listed Clarendon Terrace is back on the market, now vacant and with a new lower price tag of $9.1 million to $10 million  down from $11 million to $12 million. The property, made up of three terraces, was recently home to the Menzies Foundation and Her Place Australian Womens Heritage and Museum. Kay & Burton agent Monique Depierre said the departure of the last remaining tenants would make the building more attractive to potential owner-occupiers. Clarendon Terrace at 208-212 Clarendon Street, East Melbourne Built in 1857, the property was designed by architect Osgood Pritchard and acquired by the National Trust in 1978 after its owners proposed demolition and redevelopment.

Strata office A clutch of strata offices in the CBDs prestigious east end have come up for sale, including level 11 of the classic mid-century modernist building at 100 Collins Street. The Australia Post-Tel Institute is also selling its half-floor office on level six of the former cinema complex at 140 Bourke Street. And level 13 of 41X in Exhibition Street has been relisted. Gilbert Court, built in Collins Street in the mid-1950s, is one of Melbourne's first "glass boxes". Credit: Joe Armao The API was established in 1918 for employees of the Postmaster-General, an organisation that became Australia Post and Telstra. It bought its 283 sq m office in 2013 for $1.34 million and it is now vacant.

Cushman & Wakefield agents Anthony Kirwan, Jeff Ha and Jack Cooper expect around $2.3 million, about $7800 a sq m. Ha said the last sale in the building was back in May 2024 when suite 4.04 fetched $1.75 million, a rate of $10,542 a sq m. They also have a 65 sq m suite in Alcaston House for sale for the first time since 1997, when its vendors paid $180,000. Its now for sale for about $1 million. The 212 sq m office on level 11 at 100 Collins Street is leased to a law firm for two years, which has cooled price expectations slightly. Recent deals in the building have hit the $4 million mark, but this one is expected to sell for about $3.5 million. Meanwhile, level 13 at 41 Exhibition is vacant and back on the market for more than $3.95 million.

The 280 sq m property last changed hands in 2013 for $2,095,000 million. CVAs Ian Angelico and Jarrod Moran have the listing. Flipping flats Seasoned property players are flipping a block of flats in Brighton less than a year after they settled on a $5.52 million deal. 467 New Street, Brighton The flats at 467 New Street are on a 1629 sq m site near Elsternwick Park and less than a kilometre from Elwood beach.

They were bought in 2023 by a joint venture between Michael Robinson and former Icon executives Nick Brown and Georgina Goldsworthy. The site comes with approvals for 10 luxury townhouses designed by Cera Stribley Architects. JLLs Jesse Radisich, Maddie Pizzey and Xander Yeo have the listing and are expecting north of $8 million. Ivanhoe shops A block of 30 apartments and two shops at 1065 Heidelberg Road in Ivanhoe has sold for $18.2 million to a passive investor. 1065 Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe.

The two and three-bedroom apartments were completed about seven years ago and replaced a strip of houses along the railway line. Raff De Luise director Gross Waddell ICR did the deal. The property fronts Darebin railway station at the entrance to the Ivanhoe village shopping strip, where a building with three shops and an office sold this week for $3.05 million, reflecting a tight yield of 3.7 per cent. The 475 sq m property at 173-177 Upper Heidelberg Road is on 540 sq m of land and was bought by the Proxima Investment Fund. We are not hesitant to purchase commercial properties on very low passing yields and have a strong appetite to take on properties with short-term leases, tenants in default or vacant possession, Proximas James Doherty said. Gross Waddell ICRs Alex Ham and Andrew Greenaway handled the expressions of interest campaign, which attracted three buyers.
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Exclusive Eating outRestaurant news Beloved inner west Spanish restaurant Bar Louise to close The team behind Porteno will hand over the keys for the eye-catching Enmore Road property to a top Italian chef. Scott Bolles March 20, 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

One of Sydneys inner west dining gems, the chefs hatted Bar Louise, will close within months after its owners sold its distinctive Enmore Road home to one of the citys top Italian chefs. The pink and purple facade of Enmores Marie-Louise Salon has survived 75 years of changing fashion, but what will happen to the exterior now that Italian chef Alessandro Pavoni has snapped the building up with plans to open a wine bar? The answer? Absolutely nothing. Its heritage listed, Pavoni said. Good Food can reveal Pavoni  the chef behind Ormeggio at The Spit, aMare and Postino Osteria  his wife Anna, and long-term business partner Bill Drakopoulos bought the building in recent days. (Drakopoulos also operates Sydney Restaurant Group, which runs Sails Lavender Bay and Ripples Little Manly). Pavoni said theyll get the keys to the property when the purchase settles in June. The heritage-listed facade of 135 Enmore Road. Edwina Pickles

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Anna Pavoni has looked into the history of the Enmore Road building and its slightly faded enamel facade. Every bit as much a Sydney shopfront icon as the Olympia Milk Bar on Parramatta Road Stanmore, Marie-Louise Salon is generally thought of as a product of the colourful 1950s. It was actually built around 1949, she said. She points to some late art deco curves. Its bright, smiley facade could be characterised as post-war optimism. The owners of Bar Louise did such a beautiful reno of the interior; its still new and shiny, she said. Bar Louise co-owner Joe Valore said the decision to sell one of the jewels of Enmore Road was motivated by his groups nearby expansion on Australia Street in Newtown, where Valore and his business partners have opened a number of venues, including Mister Grotto. The group also intends to focus more on core brands Porteno and Humble Bakery. Valore said Bar Louise would continue to trade until mid-June, and with the recent business expansion, there would be opportunities to relocate staff within the group.

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The interior soon after being reborn as Bar Louise. Wolter Peeters Were sad to see it go, he said of the building where Stanbuli traded before Bar Louise opened in 2022. The sale price wasnt revealed, but its new owners intend to continue to honour the heritage-listed name on the shopfront. The plan at this stage is to rename it Vineria Luisa, the Italian word for Louise, and open in late July, Alessandro Pavoni said. The buildings facade reminds the chef of mid-century architecture in the north of Italy, and one of its hot trends will be a cornerstone at Vineria Luisa. The gin and tonic will star alongside a large wine program and a sweeping food menu. Ginoterias have become really big in the past five or 10 years, Pavoni said. Pavoni is impressed by Italys ginoterias, particularly in Milan. Theyll stock 2025 gins in Enmore, predominantly from Italy and Australia, and 15 tonic waters. With all that gin on hand, there are also plans for martinis. And the food menu?

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Eating outBYO Sydneys best BYO restaurants (and the wines to bring) Theres no such thing as a cuisine that cant be wine matched, from Italian reds with pizza to something fizzy to drink with Thai. Billy De Luca March 20, 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

The great Australian tradition of bring-your-own wine can make any restaurant feel like one of the relaxed, unpretentious family meals in 90s classic The Castle  homely, easygoing and focused on food and company. But if youre at a loss about which wines to bring, a last-minute choice may miss the mark and fail to bolster that long lunch or quick dinner. Hopefully, the following wine suggestions across a range of cuisines can help make your BYO decision a little easier. Leftover fridge cab-sav wont cut it with a prawn har gow. Mamis owner Erendira Mercado with her mother, Lidia. Janie Barrett Mamis Bondi Corkage: $4 a person

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Mamis is a blue-fronted eatery with inviting energy, generous portions, quality ingredients and a Spanish-speaking crew with bountiful smiles. Mexican cuisine is bursting with freshness, so pair the tanginess of lime-spritzed meats with the dry and penetrating acid of an albarino. Meanwhile, gamay can cut through the spice of a beef burrito and nachos, steadying the richness with lighter fruits. This is a relaxed spot to eat, drink and feel at home. 286 Bondi Road, Bondi Manpuku Chatswood Corkage: $4.50 a person Manpuku serves soulful ramen and dumplings in Chatswood, Kingsford and Neutral Bay. Ramen can be seasonal and subjective, and go-to booze friends are crisp beer and ice-cold sake. To counterpoint the flavours, you could also try a zesty sancerre from the Loire Valley, its crisp acidity and length pair well with Manpukus signature Long Name pork and chicken broths. A skin-contact Friulian ribolla gialla (from north-east Italys Colli Orientali region) also works well, with savoury fruit and floral notes complementing a richer ramen.

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226 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood New Stars barbecue pork and vermicelli noodles. Edwina Pickles New Star Takeaway Corkage: Free Jelly-bean wallpaper, crispy chicken and rice, tissue boxes and dipping bowls of nuoc cham. The atmosphere is casual and intimate at this Balmain Village Arcade stalwart, where the Vietnamese-leaning menu also lists dishes from Thailand, Malaysia and China. Soave classico from Italy, with its stone fruit and citrus brightness, pairs well with crunchy sang choy bao, and cuts through a dense duck soup with shiitake mushrooms. A fragrant and textured chenin blanc complements fresh or fried spring rolls or a soy-drenched stir-fry.

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269-271 Darling Street, Balmain The Sultans Table Corkage: Free An unassuming Enmore institution open late on weekends, Sultans Table is a procession of Turkish deliciousness. The outdoor area is an interplay of mixed grills, dips, bread and chatter and an oasis for medium-bodied reds such as Italian sangiovese or Greek-Macedonian xinomavro. For the blistered eggplants and rotating doners, try Saumur-Champigny cabernet franc from the Loire. Also keep an eye out for wines with tart red fruit, pepper, spice and smoke  a grenache from Carinena, say, in Spains Zaragoza province. 179 Enmore Road, Enmore

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Bar Reggio is a BYO-friendly red-sauce sanctuary. Edwina Pickles Bar Reggio Corkage: $2.50 a person The grape and the grain go hand-in-hand at Darlinghursts Bar Reggio, an old-school, red-sauce sanctuary. Antipasti demands a snappy, dry, white Campanian falanghina for a heavenly moment which is all class, says sommelier and industry veteran Mon Ditbunjong. Later, crumbed cotoletta and anchovy-dappled pizza are both bolstered by Chianti or a hedonistic, red fruit-toned and tannic nebbiolo. (Find the great Barolo and Barbaresco producers, and drink their Langhe nebbiolo.) 135 Crown Street, Darlinghurst

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Bondi Road Seafoods Corkage: Free This long-standing seafood shop is popular for its fish, chips and salads (for health). Oysters, calamari and prawns go a long way with an off-dry riesling. Its a palate reset, says Jacqueline Turner, sommelier at The International in Martin Place. Refreshing mineral qualities, sherbet sugar tones and racing acid keep things crisp and zesty between bites of grilled octopus and battered John Dory. 279 Bondi Road, Bondi

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Yok Yor Thai Food Factory Corkage: $3.50 a person Thai plays with sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavours, and at Yok Yor that means tom yum and boat noodle soups, and khua kling pork ribs with kicking heat. Sauvignon blanc is one of the most common choices, but it might not always compete with the sweeter elements of Thai food. Gruner veltliner, however, has white florals and a leanness that levels the hot, tart and tangy. To escape the heat of a velvety soft-shell crab curry, a wine needs refreshing tones, and a vivacious champagne (either a blanc de blancs or blanc de noir) can deliver the goods. 6/323 Castlereagh Street. Haymarket The New Dong Dong Noodles

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In 2020, Australias legal world was reeling from the finding of an investigation into former High Court judge Dyson Heydon that he had sexually harassed six women, many of them his former associates. The combination of the findings of harassment and the power imbalance brought about by his position as a High Court justice over young, junior lawyers at the start of their careers was particularly disturbing. Some of these women have since abandoned promising careers in the law.

Then chief justice Susan Kiefel issued a public and heartfelt apology to the women. She said she was ashamed that this could have happened at the High Court of Australia.

Finding supporters among judges and lawyers: former High Court judge Dyson Heydon. Credit: AAP

In the days following the reporting of these findings, more than 500 women lawyers wrote to the Commonwealth attorney-general expressing their concern and seeking institutional changes, including to judicial appointments and complaints mechanisms. Courts and governments around the country conducted reviews. The Council of Chief Justices changed the Guide to Judicial Conduct to remind judges that such behaviour as bullying and sexual harassment was off-limits. In 2022, the attorney-general committed the government to implementing a federal judicial complaints commission, although that commitment has not yet materialised into any concrete reform.

Heydons long-term publisher, Thomson Reuters, ceased its relationship with him. Heydon resigned from the Order of Australia.
A man has been charged following a public appeal for information into a series of mysterious, random blazes lit around Sydneys eastern suburbs.

Just after 3am on Tuesday, March 18, locals on Reddy Street in Edgecliff woke to a car bursting into flames.

Police are hunting for a man they believe can assist their investigation into a Paddington firebug. Credit: NSW Police

Police and firefighters arrived to find a Mitsubishi SUV ablaze. The fire was extinguished, but the car was destroyed.

Just 10 minutes later police located a burnt chair at the intersection of Glenmore Road and Cascade Street in Paddington.
A man who previously threatened to blow up a hospital with a fake bomb strapped to his chest has been jailed for a four-day rampage of armed hold-ups.

Wayne Francis Wright, 49, faced Brisbane District Court on Thursday for sentencing after pleading guilty to three counts of armed robbery.

The crown prosecutor told Judge Ian Dearden that Wright had a criminal record dating back to 1993 in Queensland and the Northern Territory that included burglary, armed robbery, vehicle theft and the 2019 bomb hoax.

Wrights past crimes include a hospital bomb hoax and armed robberies. Credit: QPS

He was admitted to a psychiatric ward, the prosecutor said.
Todd McKenney is shaking up his life, and he couldnt be more excited.

The stage and screen performer has sold his suburban idyll in Sydney, bought a home in inner-city Melbourne and is ready for a new chapter.

Todd McKenney has bought a home in Melbourne. Credit: Jellis Craig, Jamie Brown

Hes moving to Fitzroy, where he has bought a chic warehouse conversion in a former factory. Public records show he paid $2,035,000.

The industrial-style home comes with three bedrooms, soaring ceilings, open-plan living, a courtyard and two parking spaces. Fitzroys median house price is $1,595,000, on Domain data.
Truly, I lack the words to describe just how depressing the resumption of bombings in Gaza is. By now, you will probably have read several analyses explaining how inevitable this moment was, how it was baked into the terms of the ceasefire. That is true, but ultimately not true enough; the inevitability was baked in long before that.

It was baked into Israels stated aims in responding to the October 7 attacks, which were contradictory and unrealisable. A war fought on such pretexts has no way of ending. It is, in its very design, a forever war.

Israeli forces resumed airstrikes in Gaza after the first phase of the ceasefire reached its end. Credit: Getty Images

Specifically, Israel has always said that it wants to retrieve all its hostages, and eliminate Hamas. On the surface, these may appear to be allied goals, but they are not. The easiest way to retrieve hostages is to strike a deal with Hamas  much as happened in the past two months. But if youre Hamas and Israel has said it will not stop until it eradicates you, what would returning those hostages ultimately get you? It cant be a lasting peace because Israel has said that cannot happen until youve been destroyed.

And since we can safely assume Hamas doesnt want to be destroyed, the whole logic of this approach  demanding Hamas release hostages while maintaining a policy that removes any incentive for it to do so  quickly falls apart. That leaves only the option remaining of bombing your way out of this contradiction. And here we are.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Testing and commissioning work at the renovated Julfa substation in Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan has been completed, the State Energy Service of Nakhchivan told Trend.

The Julfa substation with a capacity of 132/110/10 kV, built in 2004 in accordance with the electricity needs of that time, has been completely reconstructed, since the old equipment did not meet modern requirements and had exhausted its service life.

The installation of transformers purchased for the Julfa substation within the framework of the "State Program for the Socio-Economic Development of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic for 2023-2027" has been completed. The final testing and adjustment works of the relay protection and SCADA systems at the substation were carried out with the participation of specialists from the State Energy Service, the Open Joint Stock Company "Azerenergy" and the Turkish Europower Energy and Automation Technologies San. Tic. Anonim Sirketi company. The substation was connected to the automated dispatching system SCADA of JSC Azerenergy.

The substation was equipped with one new 132/110 kV 50 MVA transformer and two new 110/35/10 kV 16 MVA transformers, bringing the substation capacity to 82 MVA.

An open switchgear unit (OSU) of 110 kV was built at the substation, a cable well was constructed, an optical cable was laid, modern electrical equipment, electronic relay protection and automation systems that meet international standards were installed. To meet internal energy needs, solar panels and three 5-kilowatt inverters are installed on the roof of the building. The necessary working conditions have been created for the duty personnel, and appropriate service, maintenance and management premises have been built.

The construction of a 35-kilovolt closed switchgear at the substation and its connection to the grid will create a 35-kilovolt ring power supply circuit for the Julfa district, as well as ensure the stability and reliability of the power supply.

The reconstruction of the substation made it possible to change the connection schemes of 110 kV power transmission lines. Thus, the reliability of the 110 kV power supply scheme between the Bilava HPP and the 110/35/10 kV Cheshmebasar substation was increased, and the future connection to the 36 MW Ordubad HPP substation was taken into account.
In labs around the world, scientists are using AI to search among existing medicines for treatments that work for rare diseases. Drug repurposing, as its called, is not new, but the use of machine learning is speeding up the process  and could expand the treatment possibilities for people with rare diseases and few options. Loading Thanks to versions of the technology developed by Fajgenbaums team at Philadelphias University of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, drugs are being quickly repurposed for conditions including rare and aggressive cancers, fatal inflammatory disorders and complex neurological conditions. And often, theyre working. The handful of success stories so far have led researchers to ask: How many other cures are hiding in plain sight? There is a treasure trove of medicine that could be used for so many other diseases. We just didnt have a systematic way of looking at it, said Donald C. Lo, the former head of therapeutic development at the National Centre for Advancing Translational Sciences and a scientific lead at Remedi4All, a group focused on drug repurposing. Its essentially almost silly not to try this, because these drugs are already approved. You can already buy them at the pharmacy.

The National Institutes of Health defines rare diseases as those that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the US. But there are thousands of rare diseases, which altogether affect hundreds of millions of people around the world. And yet, more than 90 per cent of rare diseases have no approved treatments, and pharmaceutical giants dont commit many resources to try to find them. There isnt typically much money to be made developing a new drug for a small number of patients, said Christine Colvis, who heads drug development partnership programs at NCATS. I had this really clear realisation that I didnt have a billion dollars and 10 years to create some new drug from scratch. Dr David Fajgenbaum Thats what makes drug repurposing such an enticing alternative route to finding treatments for rare diseases, said Dr Marinka Zitnik, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who studies computer science applications in medical research. Zitniks Harvard lab has built another AI model for drug repurposing. Other laboratory discovery techniques have already put drug repurposing on the map, Lo said. AI just puts rocket boosters on that.

Finding clues in old research Repurposing is fairly common in pharmaceuticals: Minoxidil, developed as a blood pressure medication, has been repurposed to treat hair loss. Viagra, originally marketed to treat a cardiac condition, is now used as an erectile dysfunction drug. Semaglutide, a diabetes drug, has become best known for its ability to help people lose weight. The first time Fajgenbaum repurposed a drug, it was in an attempt to save his own life. At 25, while in medical school, he was diagnosed with a rare subtype of a disorder called Castleman disease, which led to an immune system reaction that landed him in the intensive care unit. There is no one way to treat Castleman disease and some people dont respond to any of the available treatments. Fajgenbaum was among them. Between hospitalisations and rounds of chemo that temporarily helped, Fajgenbaum spent weeks running tests on his own blood, poring over medical literature and trying unconventional treatments. Coates assumed he was going to die from a rare blood disorder before a doctor using an AI model found a lifesaving drug regimen. Credit: New York Times

I had this really clear realisation that I didnt have a billion dollars and 10 years to create some new drug from scratch, he said. The drug that saved Fajgenbaums life was a generic medication called sirolimus, typically given to kidney donation recipients to prevent rejection. The medication has kept Fajgenbaums Castleman disease in remission for more than a decade. Fajgenbaum went on to become a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and began seeking out other drugs with unknown uses. Existing research, he realised, was full of overlooked clues about potential links between drugs and the diseases they could treat, he said. If theyre just in the published literature, shouldnt someone be looking for these all day, every day? His lab had some early successes, including finding that a novel cancer drug helped another Castleman patient. But the process was laborious, requiring his team to examine one drug and one disease at a time, he said. Fajgenbaum decided he needed to speed up the project. In 2022, he established a nonprofit called Every Cure, aimed at using machine learning to compare thousands of drugs and diseases all at once. Work similar to Every Cures is taking place in other labs around the world, including at Penn State and Stanford University, as well as in Japan and China.

Loading In Birmingham, Alabama, an AI model suggested a 19-year-old patient debilitated by chronic vomiting try isopropyl alcohol, inhaled through the nose. Essentially, we ran a query that said, Show us every proposed treatment there has ever been in the history of medicine for nausea, said Matt Might, a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who leads the institute that developed the model. The alcohol popped to the top of our list, Might said, and it worked instantly. The model developed by Mights institute has successfully predicted other treatments, too: Amphetamines typically used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder relieved periodic paralysis in children with a rare genetic disorder. A Parkinsons drug helped patients with a neurological condition move and speak. A common blood pressure medicine called guanfacine drastically improved the mobility of a pediatric patient with a different neurological condition. Many drugs do more than one thing, Might said. Their additional features sometimes get characterised as side effects. If you comb through enough drugs, you eventually find the side effect youre looking for and then that becomes the main effect, he said.

At the University of Pennsylvania, Fajgenbaums platform compares about 4000 drugs against 18,500 diseases. For each disease, pharmaceuticals get a score based on the likelihood of efficacy. Once the predictions are made, a team of researchers combs through them to find promising ideas, then performs lab tests or connects with doctors willing to try the drugs on patients. Elsewhere, pharmaceutical companies are using AI to discover entirely new drugs, a pursuit that has the potential to streamline an enterprise already worth billions of dollars. But drug repurposing is not likely to prove lucrative for any one party. Many drug patents expire after a few decades, which means there is little incentive for drug companies to seek out additional uses for them, said Aiden Hollis, a professor of economics at the University of Calgary with a focus on medical commerce. Other laboratory discovery techniques have already put drug repurposing on the map. AI just puts rocket boosters on that. Dr Donald C. Lo Once a drug becomes one of the thousands of generics approved by the Food and Drug Administration, it typically faces stiff competition, driving down the price. If you use AI to come up with a new drug, you can make lots and lots of money off that new drug. If you use AI to find a new use for an old, inexpensive drug, no one makes any money off of it, Fajgenbaum said.

To fund the venture, Every Cure received more than $100 million in commitments last year from TEDs Audacious Project and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, an agency within the federal health department dedicated to supporting potential research breakthroughs. Fajgenbaum said that Every Cure would use the money, in part, to fund clinical trials of repurposed drugs. Loading This is one example of AI that we dont have to fear, that we can be really excited about, said Dr Grant Mitchell, another Every Cure co-founder and a medical school classmate of Fajgenbaum. This ones going to help a lot of people. Someone had to be the first to try Dr Luke Chen was sceptical when Fajgenbaums model suggested he treat a patient with Castleman disease using adalimumab, a medication typically used to treat arthritis, Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.

I didnt think it was going to work, because its kind of a wimpy drug, said Chen, a haematologist and professor at Dalhousie University and the University of British Columbia. But the patient had already undergone chemotherapy and a bone-marrow transplant and had tried drugs including the one that saved Fajgenbaums life. Nothing worked, and he was entering a hospice. We had basically given up, but I put in a last call to David [Fajgenbaum], Chen said. With no other options, Chen gave the patient the adalimumab. In a matter of weeks, the patient was in remission. The case was recently the subject of a paper in The New England Journal of Medicine. No model is infallible, Zitnik said. AI can sometimes make predictions based on evidence that isnt sufficiently strong.

Colvis said ranking potential treatments by likelihood of success can also prove difficult. Such issues make physician oversight crucial. Sometimes, a doctor would determine that a treatment suggestion was too risky to try, she said. But then there are instances where they will see something and say, OK, this looks like its reasonable, Colvis said. Loading When Fajgenbaum first suggested that Dr Wayne Gao, a haematologist and oncologist in Washington state, try a novel treatment on one of his patients, Gao had doubts. The patient was Coates, the Washington man headed for hospice, and the aggressive drug combination suggested by Fajgenbaums model seemed a little bit crazy, Gao said. In fact, he worried that the treatment might kill Coates faster. But Coates was a young man, and there were no other treatments to consider. And so, Gao said, someone had to be the first to try.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Omar Ottley has issued a strong call to the Government, urging immediate intervention to address what he describes as a "worsening crisis" at the St. Maarten Medical Centre (SMMC). Ottley warns that allegations of chronic mismanagement, deteriorating working conditions, and a troubling lack of transparency burden the island's healthcare workers and jeopardize the quality of patient care. The workers have been displaying their frustration by wearing black attire this week. According to reports from medical professionals, the situation at SMMC has reached an alarming state. Essential operating rooms remain in disrepair, financial mismanagement persists, and basic concerns such as cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and pension security through ENNIA remain unresolved.

Employees also claim that the Human Resources department neglects hospital operations in favor of external affairs. These grievances, compounded by allegations of lack of communication from hospital management, are cause for concern, especially since the overall situation has left many workers frustrated and afraid to voice their concerns due to fear of retaliation. MP Ottley said on Wednesday, "What troubles me the most is the deafening silence from the Minister of VSA in addressing these serious concerns."

"The situation at SMMC is no secret that it directly affects the quality of healthcare on our island. Yet, rather than tackling these issues head-on, we see last-minute meeting cancellations, continued reliance on external consultants, and questionable financial decisions." Ottley also raised questions about the role of the Minister of VSA and whether any action is being taken, as workers have indicated that no clear solutions have been provided to alleviate their struggles or to improve conditions at SMMC. "This is not about who fixes the problem. It's about getting it fixed," Ottley continued.

"The healthcare workers at SMMC should not have to beg for basic working conditions, proper leadership, or financial clarity. The lack of response from the Government is unacceptable." For almost a year, workers at SMMC have voiced their frustrations over financial mismanagement and a perceived lack of proper oversight in critical decision-making. One major concern is the hospital's continued expenditure on short-term fixes rather than long-term sustainable solutions. Additionally, despite persistent issues within the hospital, a team is being sent to the Netherlands to recruit foreign personnel, a move that Ottley views as contradictory, given that local professionals are reportedly being sidelined. "Why is local talent being overlooked while efforts are being made to hire from the Netherlands? Why are we seeing contracts with St. Maarteners being terminated, yet recruitment missions abroad are being prioritized?", Ottley questioned.

As minister I took the necessary steps to ensure that a local was placed at the helm of the hospital. Additionally, a lack of financial leadership within SMMC is raising red flags. Despite the hospital's financial struggles, the administration has yet to appoint an in-house Chief Financial Officer (CFO), leaving critical financial decision-making in the hands of external consultants rather than dedicated hospital leadership.

The MP went on to state, Our healthcare system and its workers deserve better. Ottley has made it clear that the Government is failing the healthcare workers and the people of St. Maarten by ignoring the workers' concerns. Should there be no immediate action, he is prepared to take further steps and call the Minister of VSA to the floor of Parliament.
MARIGOT:--- The Territorial Council of Saint Martin officially advanced its position towards associate membership in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) on March 19, 2025, marking a pivotal moment in the regions ongoing efforts toward greater integration and collaboration. The Opening Ceremony of the 76th Authority Meeting of the OECS and the Accession Ceremony of Saint Martin to the OECS was held at Secrets St. Martin Resort and Spa, and was filled with cultural vibrance and reminders of the successes, goals, and benefits of regional integration.

Saint Martin is now the 12th Member State of the OECS, joining the Protocol Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the Associate Member States of Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Martinique, and Guadeloupe. It is now the third French Overseas Territory with associate membership, highlighting their eagerness to strengthen connections in the region through diplomacy and development.

Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, and Chair of the OECS Authority, in his remarks on the occasion said,

"In keeping with the vision of our founding fathers to continue to organize ourselves into larger frameworks to respond to the challenges of our time, the accession of Saint Martin to the OECS marks an important moment in our regional journey. On behalf of the governments and peoples of this region, I welcome you wholeheartedly to the OECS family. Your membership is clear evidence that there continues to be a strong demand for deeper engagement with the OECS."

At the ceremony, the President of the Territorial Council of Saint Martin, Louis Mussington, expressed thankfulness that the moment of accession was finally happening.

He said: "I am not saying that this is the pinnacle. However, this ceremony of accession of Saint-Martin to OECS is definitely a key moment for Saint-Martin, an historical one. As Im looking to the audience I see cultural diversity, I see our young caribbean from Saint-Martin, the future of our Island involved as well in sharing this moment with us.

Today, through our membership of the OECS, we are establishing a formal inter-institutional dialogue. This closer relationship with our neighbors will be supported by strengthened and structured cooperation and initiatives in a variety of areas, such as health and medical services, SME growth, trade, and education, to name but a few. This quest for economic prosperity and human development for my fellow citizens makes all the more sense given that Saint-Martin, despite its small size, is geo-strategically positioned and belongs to two spheres of political influence: one immediate and Caribbean, the other more distant and European."

Commemorating the milestone of Saint Martins accession, a feat which has seen long-time engagement between the two parties, Dr. Didacus Jules, the Director General of the OECS, said:

"Saint Martins accession is another milestone in this unfolding story of the Eastern Caribbean. You join a community that enthusiastically embraces the French, English, and Kweyol voices that echo across these islands. Over the years, we have seen with Martinique and Guadeloupe that greater harmony in health, education, culture, trade, and environmental protection flows naturally when we open our arms to one another, mindful of the differences that shape us, yet rooted in the common Caribbean identity that calls us to unity.

"Saint Martin now stands poised to write its own chapter in this evolving narrative. Your experienceswhether in health services, tourism, bilingual education, or advanced digital solutionswill enrich the entire OECS, just as you will benefit from a wider circle of partners committed to standing with you in times of difficulty and celebrating your achievements in times of success.

In May 2024, President Mussington led a delegation to Saint Lucia for a series of high-level talks with Dr. Jules and the leadership team of the OECS Commission. These discussions highlighted the long-term benefits of Saint Martins accession to the OECS, which will help strengthen regional cooperation and allow Saint Martin to contribute meaningfully to key decisions affecting member states. President Mussington expressed Saint Martins readiness to participate in the priorities and goals of the OECS especially through education and health.

The announcement of Saint Martins accession has been met with widespread support, especially from the other Member States.
SoftBank to acquire US semiconductor firm Ampere for $6.5 billion



Tokyo, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



SoftBank Group said Wednesday that it had reached a deal to acquire US semiconductor firm Ampere for US $6.5 billion.

The deal, which comes as demand for chips has exploded thanks to the AI boom, is still subject to regulatory approval, SoftBank said in a statement.

Ampere Computing is a chip design firm "focused on high-performance, energy efficient, sustainable" AI technology, based on the ARM compute platform, the statement said.

SoftBank Group is already the majority shareholder in Arm Holdings, whose technology is used in 99 percent of smart phones.

The acquisition, which is expected to close in the second half of 2025, would reinforce SoftBank's aggressive push into AI.

In February, SoftBank Group and US tech giant OpenAI announced that they would form a joint venture to offer advanced artificial intelligence to businesses.

The two were already working together on the Stargate drive announced in January by US President Donald Trump to invest up to $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States.

bur-tym/pjm

SOFTBANK GROUP
Explosive Meta memoir tops US best-seller list



San Francisco, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



A scathing book about Facebook parent company Meta, whose author has been barred from promoting her work, entered at the top of the New York Times bestseller list after its first week of release in the United States.

The book also ranks fourth on Amazon's bestseller list, the platform showed on Thursday.

In "Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed and Lost Idealism," which was released on March 11, Sarah Wynn-Williams recounts working at the tech titan from 2011 to 2017.

Wynn-Williams's book includes claims of sexual harassment by longtime company executive Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican and ally of President Donald Trump who took over as head of Meta's global affairs team this year.

She also wrote of Meta, then known as Facebook, exploring the possibility of breaking into the lucrative Chinese market by appeasing government censors there.

Meta quickly took the matter to arbitration, contending the book violates a non-disparagement contract signed by Wynn-Williams when she worked with the company's global affairs team.

An arbitration court granted Meta's request to bar Wynn-Williams from promoting the book or making derogatory statements about the company.

She also must retract previous critical comments about Meta or its executives, according to the ruling, which remains in place until the dispute is settled in the private arbitration process.

"This ruling affirms that Sarah Wynn-Williams' false and defamatory book should never have been published," Meta communications director Andy Stone said at the time in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

Stone said Wynn-Williams was "fired for poor performance and toxic behavior," having made a series of unfounded allegations that the company investigated.

Another book that is highly critical of Meta, "The Anxious Generation," which paints a dark picture of social media's effect on children, is currently fourth on the Times best-seller list a year after its release.
Photo: Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan

BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Energy convened a collegial session under the leadership of Minister Parviz Shahbazov to discuss critical tasks and initiatives, Trend reports.

The hybrid-format meeting brought together key ministry officials, representatives from structural divisions, and affiliated agencies.

In his remarks, Shahbazov highlighted the Ministry's key responsibilities in line with the energy policy set by Azerbaijan's President, stressing the importance of executing these tasks in a timely and efficient manner. The session proceeded with the presentation of the agenda, followed by reports from various speakers.

One of the main topics of discussion was the implementation of tasks outlined in the regulatory framework for preparing, approving, and monitoring the countrys energy balance. Detailed reports were given on the collection, processing, and aggregation of energy data, as well as coordination efforts aimed at enhancing collaboration with relevant institutions.

The session also addressed the state of executive discipline, with a focus on the ministry's handling of public inquiries and its document management systems throughout the previous year. Additionally, the team reviewed progress on the execution of tasks stemming from presidential decrees and the ministry's work plan.

Following the meeting, Minister Shahbazov issued relevant directives to ensure the continued advancement of the discussed initiatives.

Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel
Gazans living through 'hell' Israel threatened for Hamas



Gaza City, Palestinian Territories, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2025



A man in tears struggled Wednesday to retrieve the body of a small boy from under the rubble of a building in Gaza City hit by a recent wave of Israeli air strikes.

One by one, relatives and neighbours used a sledgehammer to try to break apart the large chunks of concrete trapping the young boy.

His eyes closed and wearing a Spiderman sweater, the boy was visible but unreachable.

"The civil defence tried to retrieve people but couldn't get anyone out so they left," said Muhammad al-Deiri, a neighbour who had come to help.

Each strike of the sledgehammer echoed from the building's collapsed second floor through the eerily quiet surrounding streets of what was once a bustling city.

In the early hours of Tuesday, Israel launched its most intense air strikes since a ceasefire took hold in Gaza in January, killing more than 400 people according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Israel vowed to keep up the pressure until the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas releases the hostages still held in Gaza.

Of the 251 captives seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the war, 58 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.

Hamas says it is willing to negotiate and has called on the international community to act to bring the war to an end.



- 'Random bombings' -



In Gaza City's al-Sabra neighbourhood where the boy was trapped under rubble, surrounding buildings had also been damaged in the strikes.

Flattened floors lay atop one another.

"Random bombings started everywhere," said 21-year-old Sundus al-Imam.

"The Al-Hattab family's house -- our neighbours -- was hit, leaving some with minor injuries among us girls."

"Since (President Donald) Trump's time, the United States has been sending massive military aid to Israel, making it more powerful than before," she added.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have promised "hell" for Hamas if the remaining hostages held in Gaza are not immediately released.

As part of its escalating pressure, Israel first blocked the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza in early March, then cut the limited electricity supply to the territory's main water desalination plant.

Since then, humanitarian organisations operating on the ground have been reporting on the dire situation for the population.

Rafat Ramadan, another resident of al-Sabra, painfully remembered seeing "bodies hanging from the rubble, needing cranes to remove them".

Ramadan's own house was struck, trapping his daughters under concrete until he managed to free them with the help of his nephews.

They took the girls to Gaza City's Baptist Hospital, he said, only to find the facility overwhelmed.

"What we lived through was hell," said Ramadan, who says he lost his son in the war.



- 'Pray for your loved ones' -



After almost two months under the truce, Gazans are once again experiencing the panic of more than 15 months of war between Hamas and Israel.

In the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza's Deir al-Balah, dozens of men gathered in mourning next to white plastic body bags.

They said that four members of the same family were caught by overnight bombing while reciting a traditional Ramadan prayer.

"Remember Allah, pray for your loved ones, your heart will be in peace," read a poster near the bodies.

A young man cried in silence while the body bags were loaded into a truck for burial.

The Israeli military urged residents of several areas in Gaza's border areas to evacuate "combat zones", in particular Beit Hanun, in the territory's far north.

Residents took to the road, mainly by foot -- and for most of them, not for the first time -- in order to seek shelter in Gaza City.

Children pulled water jerrycans next to donkey carts loaded with cheap foam mattresses, plastic bowls and tents.

Residents carried only the most basic necessities for daily life, nearly a year and a half after the war started.

Around them stood bombed-out buildings, piles of rubble and mountains of waste, while Israeli planes roared and drones buzzed above their heads.
Zelensky says discussed with Trump US idea of owning occupied nuclear plant



Kyiv, Ukraine, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2025



Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said that he and US counterpart Donald Trump had discussed possible US ownership of the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine.

His comments to reporters came after Trump told Zelensky on Wednesday that the United States could own and run Ukraine's nuclear power plants as part of his latest bid to secure a ceasefire in Russia's invasion.

"We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation," Zelensky, who was on an official visit to Finland, said during an online briefing, referring to the plant in Zaporizhzhia.

The power station, Europe's largest, was captured by Russian forces early in their invasion launched in February 2022 and since has been a flashpoint of concerns over a possible nuclear incident.

Zelensky said that it could take more than two years for the plant to be made operational again, and that its generation capacity was needed by both Ukrainians and Europe.

"Do we need it? For people, yes, and for Europe, too. To join the European electronic network -- absolutely. We can do all this," he said.



- No 'pressure' from Trump -



Since taking office in January, Trump has sought a speedy resolution to the more than three years of brutal fighting between Russia's invading force and the Ukrainians.

Zelensky last week backed a US-led proposal for a complete and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, but the Kremlin refused and instead proposed a halt on strikes on energy infrastructure.

The Ukrainian leader told reporters from Finland that Putin was unlikely to agree to any ceasefire as long as Ukraine's troops were still fighting for control of Russia's Kursk region, where Kyiv launched an audacious but struggling offensive last year.

"He does not want a ceasefire while our troops are on the territory of the Kursk region," Zelensky said.

Russian forces have been making steady gains in the Kursk region for weeks, thwarting what Kyiv hoped would be a bargaining chip in talks with Moscow.

The Trump administration's speedy engagement with Russian officials, a sharp departure from the previous administration's approach, has raised fears in Ukraine that it could be forced to make unpopular concessions, like ceding territory to Russia.

But Zelensky told reporters that Trump had not mounted any pressure on Kyiv to capitulate to the Kremlin demands.

"I want to be frank, very frank. Today I did not feel any pressure from Trump, there was none. And this is a fact. You know that I am an open person. If it was, I would have told you frankly," he said.

His comments come just weeks after a shocking standoff between the two leaders in the White House which ended in the Ukrainian delegation, including Zelensky, leaving ahead of schedule.



- 'I'm not going to tell you' -



During the briefing with reporters, Zelensky said that he spoke with Emmanuel Macron on a daily basis, after the French leader called him unexpectedly during the press conference.

"Yes, I have just spoken to President Macron, to Emmanuel," Zelensky said after receiving a telephone call during the briefing. "We often talk a lot. Once a day. After our conversation, I will call him back."

Zelensky also announced that he would visit France next week, without elaborating.

The Ukrainian leader has urged his Western allies to step up aid even in the event of a ceasefire, and announced on Wednesday that his country had recently received "several" more F-16 fighter jets.

"I'm not going to tell you how many," Zelensky told reporters, without saying which country delivered them. Ukraine received its first deliveries of the US-made aircraft last year.
Trump floats US takeover of Ukraine nuclear plants



Washington, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2025



Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelensky Wednesday that the United States could own and run Ukraine's nuclear power plants as part of his latest bid to secure a ceasefire in Russia's invasion of its neighbor.

The Ukrainian president said following their call that Kyiv was "ready" to pause attacks on Russia's energy network and infrastructure, a day after Vladimir Putin agreed to halt similar strikes on Ukraine.

Zelensky also said he had discussed Trump's power plant takeover plan.

"We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation," Zelensky, who was on an official visit to Finland, said during an online briefing, referring to the plant in Zaporizhzhia.

He added that he had "not felt any pressure" from Trump to make concessions to Russia.

But a wider ceasefire remains elusive with the Kremlin leader insisting in his own call with Trump on Tuesday that the West first stop all military aid for Ukraine.

Republican Trump's tone was markedly more positive after the Zelensky call, with the White House describing it as "fantastic" -- despite the fact that the two men had a blazing televised row in the Oval Office recently.

Trump "discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants" and said Washington could be "very helpful" in running them," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a joint statement.

"American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure," it said.



- 'Ending the war' -



Trump also pledged to help Kyiv get more air defense equipment from Europe, and to find Ukrainian children "abducted" by Russia, the statement said.

The US president earlier said on his Truth Social network that efforts to reach a full truce were "very much on track."

Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials could meet in coming days for fresh talks in Saudi Arabia, where Russian and American teams are also due to meet early next week.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners, Moscow said Wednesday, which was planned as a goodwill gesture following the Trump-Putin call.

Kyiv and Moscow however accused each other of continuing attacks.

Ukraine's defense ministry said an overnight barrage of Russian missiles and drones struck the war-battered nation, killing one person and damaging two hospitals.

Ukraine's national railway service said the barrage had hit railway energy infrastructure in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.

Russia's defense ministry reported a "deliberate" Ukrainian attack overnight on an oil depot in the south of the country, which they said was aimed at "derailing" Trump's attempts to broker an end to the fighting.

"These attacks are countering our common efforts," added Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, referring to the US-Russian talks.



- 'Don't believe Putin' -



The major sticking point remains Putin's resistance to a full ceasefire -- something that Kyiv and some Western allies say underscores how the Russian leader cannot be trusted.

Putin insisted during his call with Trump on Tuesday that a full ceasefire was only possible if the West agrees to Moscow's long-standing demand to halt its billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine.

The Kremlin chief also demanded Ukraine must not be allowed to rearm and must halt mandatory mobilization.

Moscow and Washington were even at odds on the results of the call.

The Kremlin said they only discussed halting power plant attacks, but the White House insisted the talks covered both energy and other civilian infrastructure.

Trump's overtures to Putin, and indications Washington will no longer guarantee European security, have also spooked Kyiv and the United States's NATO allies.

"I don't believe Putin at all, not a single word. He only understands force," said Kyiv resident Lev Sholoudko, 32.

In Moscow, locals were more optimistic the talks could bring an end to the fighting -- to Russia's advantage.

"Definitely this is in our favor," said Moscow resident Larisa, 46. "There is no other way. What happened in 1945 will happen now," she added, referring to the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.
US appealing court ruling that suspended ban on trans troops



Washington, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



President Donald Trump's administration is appealing a court ruling that suspended the implementation of his ban on transgender people serving in the US military, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday.

Judge Ana C. Reyes issued a preliminary injunction the previous day and ordered that policy on trans troops should remain as it was prior to Trump's January 27 executive order, but delayed the implementation of her decision until Friday morning.

"We are appealing this decision, and we will win," Hegseth wrote on X, above an image of a headline reading: "Judge blocks Trump's transgender military ban."

In his executive order, Trump stated that "expressing a false 'gender identity' divergent from an individual's sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service."

The Pentagon followed that up with a memo issued in late February stating that it would remove transgender troops from the military unless they obtain a waiver on a case-by-case basis, as well as prevent others from joining.

If the ban goes into effect, it could affect thousands of currently serving troops.

The restrictions in the memo are aimed at those who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria -- of whom there were 4,240 serving in the military as of late last year, according to a senior defense official -- as well as those who have a history of it.

Reyes wrote in her opinion that the Trump administration's ban is unlikely to survive judicial review, and that the plaintiffs face irreparable harm in the form of a violation of their constitutional rights.

"The cruel irony is that thousands of transgender service members have sacrificed -- some risking their lives -- to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the military ban seeks to deny them," the judge wrote.

Transgender Americans have faced a roller coaster of changing policies on military service in recent years, with Democratic administrations seeking to permit them to serve openly, while Trump has repeatedly sought to keep them out of the ranks.
13 soldiers killed in jihadist attacks in Niger: army



Niamey, Niger, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Thirteen Nigerien soldiers were killed in two separate clashes with jihadist groups, the army said Wednesday.

During the first incident, at a gold mining site in the western Tillaberi region, "nine soldiers fell in combat" with Islamic State affiliates, the army said in an operations bulletin.

The March 15 attack involved reinforcements arriving from across the Burkina Faso border on around 100 motorcycles, the army statement added.

The neighbouring countries cooperated on an air and ground operation to quell the attack, killing 55 jihadists, according to the Nigerien side. Seven Nigerien soldiers were also wounded.

Two days later, a military outpost on the other side of the Sahel country was attacked "by a group of around 300 fighters" identified as belonging to Boko Haram.

The attackers "deployed booby-trapped vehicles" and explosives, and killed four soldiers, according to the army.

Landlocked Niger is governed by a junta that seized power in a July 2023 coup, vowing to restore stability and secure revenues from mining and oil resources.

Yet unrest persists, with a surge in militant activities, democratic backsliding, restriction of civil liberties and severe socio-economic consequences due to sanctions, according to the international conflict monitor ACLED.

Together with junta-led allies Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger is setting up a joint 5,000-strong force to tackle their overlapping security challenges, including jihadist insurgency, organised criminal gangs and human trafficking networks.
Trump floats US takeover of Ukraine nuclear plants



Washington, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Donald Trump has told Volodymyr Zelensky that the United States could own and run Ukraine's nuclear power plants as part of his latest bid to secure a ceasefire in Russia's invasion of its neighbor.

The offer comes as some 30 military chiefs from countries keen to help protect an eventual ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine prepared for talks in Britain on Thursday to discuss planning for a peacekeeping force.

EU leaders were also set to discuss the three-year war at a summit in Brussels on Thursday, as well as the bloc's defence capabilities as it grapples with an aggressive Russia.

Following the Wednesday call with Trump, Ukrainian President Zelensky said that Kyiv was "ready" to pause attacks on Russia's energy network and infrastructure, a day after Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed to halt similar strikes on Ukraine.

Zelensky also said he had discussed Trump's power plant takeover plan.

"We talked only about one power plant, which is under Russian occupation," Zelensky, who was on an official visit to Finland, said during an online briefing, referring to the plant in Zaporizhzhia.

He added that he had "not felt any pressure" from Trump to make concessions to Russia.

But a wider ceasefire remains elusive with the Kremlin leader insisting in his own call with Trump on Tuesday that the West first stop all military aid for Ukraine.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron have said they are willing to put British and French troops on the ground in Ukraine.

The UK government says a "significant number" of nations are prepared to do the same, but it is not clear exactly how many countries are keen.

Trump's tone on Wednesday was markedly more positive after the Zelensky call, with the White House describing it as "fantastic" -- despite the fact that the two men had a blazing televised row in the Oval Office recently.

Trump "discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants" and said Washington could be "very helpful" in running them," National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a joint statement.

"American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure," it said.



- 'Ending the war' -



Trump also pledged to help Kyiv get more air defense equipment from Europe, and to find Ukrainian children "abducted" by Russia, the statement said.

The US president earlier said on his Truth Social network that efforts to reach a full truce were "very much on track."

Zelensky said Ukrainian and US officials could meet in coming days for fresh talks in Saudi Arabia, where Russian and American teams are also due to meet early next week.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners, Moscow said Wednesday, which was planned as a goodwill gesture following the Trump-Putin call.

Kyiv and Moscow however have accused each other of continuing attacks.

Russia said it destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in overnight attacks in several regions throughout the country.

Ukrainian emergency services said on Thursday that an overnight Russian drone attack struck residential buildings in Kropyvnytsky in central Ukraine wounding eight people, including a child.



- 'Don't believe Putin' -



The major sticking point remains Putin's resistance to a full ceasefire -- something that Kyiv and some Western allies say underscores how the Russian leader cannot be trusted.

Putin insisted during his call with Trump on Tuesday that a full ceasefire was only possible if the West agree to Moscow's long-standing demand to halt its billions of dollars in military aid for Ukraine.

The Kremlin chief also demanded Ukraine must not be allowed to re-arm and must halt mandatory mobilization.

Moscow and Washington were even at odds on the results of the call.

The Kremlin said they only discussed halting power plant attacks, but the White House insisted the talks covered both energy and other civilian infrastructure.

Trump's overtures to Putin, and indications Washington will no longer guarantee European security, have also spooked Kyiv and the United States's NATO allies.

"I don't believe Putin at all, not a single word. He only understands force," said Kyiv resident Lev Sholoudko, 32.

In Moscow, locals were more optimistic the talks could bring an end to the fighting -- to Russia's advantage.

"Definitely this is in our favor," said Moscow resident Larisa, 46.

"There is no other way. What happened in 1945 will happen now," she added, referring to the Soviet Union's victory over Nazi Germany.
Europe shifts gears for the Trump era



Brussels, Belgium, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Barely a month ago, a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin sent an unmistakable message across the Atlantic: the United States may not be there forever to keep Europe safe from an aggressive Russia.

By the time the pair spoke again this week, a whirlwind of diplomacy had seen Europe juggle alliances and rewrite long-held rules -- with a show of assertiveness not always associated with the Old Continent.

"The advent of the Trump administration has given history a shove, and concentrated minds about what needs to be done," summed up Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund think tank.

Here is a look at the shifts taking place -- and what might lie ahead -- as the 27-nation European Union holds on Thursday its third summit in six weeks aimed at ramping up its defences.



- 'New actors' -



From Brussels to Paris to London and back to Brussels -- the frenzy of diplomacy sparked by Trump's outreach to Moscow over Ukraine has blurred a number of lines.

Back-to-back meetings have involved sub-groups of countries from in and outside the EU, and for the bloc's formal talks, "likeminded" partners from Britain to Canada have been kept in the loop, as they will be again this week.

More often than not, NATO's secretary general has joined in, intent on acting as a bridge with the new US administration.

The shifting formats highlight the challenge posed by Hungary's Viktor Orban, who is friendly to both Trump and Russia and has repeatedly held up unanimous EU action on Ukraine.

For the second time running, leaders expect to settle in Brussels on a 26-nation statement to sidestep what a senior EU official termed the "strategic divergence" with Orban over the conflict.

From big tent to close-knit huddle, the flexibility also reflects the shape of the "coalition of the willing" emerging around Ukraine, and the complexities of bolstering Europe's defences longer-term.

"It's clear that a Europe that takes defence, not just more seriously, but more autonomously, is going to want to include new actors including Britain, Norway but also Turkey," said Lesser, who also sees a chance of a "stronger European pole" within NATO emerging in times ahead.



- Old friends -



Britain's move back towards Europe is one of the most striking consequences of America's disengagement, even as a formal bid to rekindle ties post-Brexit showed signs of floundering.

Old gripes were bubbling up again between London and some European capitals accusing it of cherry-picking in its "reset" push -- and EU insiders still believe any broad agreement will be difficult.

But British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has emerged as a key player in European efforts to keep the United States engaged, secure a hoped-for ceasefire in Ukraine, and get serious about the continent's own security.

"This has really helped turn a page with the United Kingdom," said Camille Grand, policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Both sides are realising that, when it comes down to it, we can come together around the things that truly matter."

In the short term, Grand still predicts a tussle over "who gets access to Europe's cash for rearmament", with "buy European" provisions baked into a 150-billion-euro ($163-billion) loan programme presented this week.

But Britain could come in on the project if it signs a security deal with the EU.

And with Starmer and France's Emmanuel Macron working in lockstep on a Ukraine coalition, that bolsters the case of those seeking closer EU-UK cooperation on security at least.



- Rules be damned? -



The prospect of losing US security protection has also triggered a minor earthquake involving the EU's sacrosanct budget deficit rules.

Brussels now wants the fiscal rules put on hold for four years to unlock potential defence spending worth 650 billion euros, to nods from countries who would once have howled in protest.

Calls to go further and overhaul those same rules have emanated from historically reluctant spender Germany -- itself tearing up decades of precedent by backing a defence spending "bazooka" pushed by leader-in-waiting Friedrich Merz.

More radical still, Merz has called for talks with France and Britain on a shared nuclear deterrent, while Poland's Donald Tusk has shown interest in accessing atomic weapons.

"Many taboos have been shattered in recent weeks," said Lesser, on everything from deterrence to finance.

The caveat? Influential Germany and the Netherlands remain firmly opposed to bigger EU joint borrowing on the scale deployed to overcome the Covid pandemic.

"Right now, it's not there," the bloc's top diplomat Kaja Kallas acknowledged Wednesday. "But is it completely off the table? I don't think so."
Israel army bans traffic on Gaza's main north-south route



Jerusalem, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



The Israeli army banned traffic Thursday on Gaza's main north-to-south artery, a day after announcing renewed ground operations in the Palestinian territory.

"Over the past 24 hours, IDF soldiers have begun a targeted ground operation in the central and southern Gaza Strip in order to expand the security zone between the northern and southern parts," army spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

Movement along Salaheddin Road between the north and south of the Gaza Strip is prohibited "for your safety", he said.

"Instead, travel from northern Gaza to the south is possible via the Al-Rashid coastal road," Adraee added, without spelling out whether that meant movement from south to north was banned.

Asked by AFP for clarification, the army had no immediate comment.

An official from Gaza's Hamas-run interior ministry said the Israeli army had closed what it calls Netzarim Junction, on Salaheddin Road just south of Gaza City, on Wednesday evening.

The official said that Israeli tanks had deployed at the junction, where the road artery crosses Israel's main supply route, "following the withdrawal of American special security forces yesterday (Wednesday) morning".

He was referring to American private security contractors deployed in February after the pullback of Israeli forces under the terms of a January 19 ceasefire.

The first stage of the ceasefire expired early this month amid deadlock over next steps.

Israel rejected negotiations for a promised second stage, calling instead for the return of all of its remaining hostages under an extended first stage.

That would have meant delaying talks on a lasting ceasefire, and was rejected by Hamas as an attempt to renegotiate the original deal.

After weeks of stalemate, Israel resumed its air campaign in Gaza early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes that drew widespread international condemnation. On Wednesday, it announced it was resuming ground operations too.
Top EU diplomat hails Trump offer to help Ukraine get air defences



Brussels, Belgium, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



The EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas on Thursday welcomed US President Donald Trump's agreement to help Kyiv obtain additional air defence systems, including in Europe, as its fights Russia's three-year invasion.

"I very much welcome the announcement by President Trump that the US is trying to find additional air defences for Ukraine," Kallas told reporters upon arrival for talks by EU leaders in Brussels.

"This is extremely important," said Kallas, who is pushing EU member states to meet a Ukrainian request for two million shells, worth five billon euros ($5.4 billion) -- having scaled back a more ambitious proposal that included air defences and missiles.

Trump made the air defence commitment in a call with Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, in which the Ukrainian leader asked for help in sourcing "Patriot missile systems" in particular, according to a US readout.

"President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe," the readout said.

The offer was a rare signal from Trump that he could help bolster Ukraine's defences as he pushes for a peace deal with Russia.

Ukraine currently has seven US-made Patriot air defence systems, provided by the United States, Germany and Romania.

Officials say the system is the only one Kyiv possesses that can counter Russia's ballistic missiles.

In addition, for high-altitude interceptions, Ukraine has two European-made SAMP/T systems from Italy and France.

It has some similar systems of its own and has been provided with others for shorter-range interceptions.

Ukraine could also rely on fighter jets to intercept missiles: European allies have already given it F-16 and Mirage 2000-5 fighters.

Further Patriot systems could theoretically be available from elsewhere in Europe, but the countries hosting them have been reluctant to part with them for national security reasons.
German defence minister plans crisis meet on US-made arms: report



Frankfurt, Germany, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Germany's defence minister will consult with top military officials on security issues relating to US weapons systems, especially F-35 fighter jets, a national newspaper reported on Thursday.

Countries across Europe are re-examining their dependence on US weapons and technology, alarmed by US President Donald Trump's administration casting doubt on future transatlantic ties.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius will consult with leading generals, ministry experts and procurement officials, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung said.

The focus of the confidential talks would be on US weapons systems which Germany already operates or has ordered.

Germany's armed forces have ordered 35 F-35 fighter planes, but concerns have been raised that Washington could potentially exercise control over the jets.

Experts warn of the risk to spare parts supply, and some worry that a so-called "kill switch" could be embedded in the aircraft, giving Washington the final say over any use.

Carlo Masala, a political scientist at the Bundeswehr University in Munich, told the Sueddeutsche daily that the planes were a possible pressure point, regardless of any kill switch.

"The problem with the F-35 is more data transmission and the issue of spare parts," he said.

"If that's not available, the F-35 loses much of its functionality ... If that's cut off, that's a problem."



- 'Not a great idea' -



Earlier this month, the head of Airbus's defence division, Michael Schoellhorn, said that European militaries should avoid buying US-made weaponry.

"The Danes are seeing right now that this might not be such a great idea, if they ever needed to defend Greenland with their American F-35 jets," he said, referring to Trump's stated designs on the Danish territory.

Announcing a new 150 billion euro ($163 billion) defence fund on Wednesday, the EU said money should only go to firms that can be trusted.

"We have this opportunity to really build up the European defence industry," said Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat. "In crisis, your military really needs to have free hands."

Nevertheless, achieving greater independence from the United States will be hard.

Oliver Doerre, CEO of Hensoldt, a German defence electronics firm, told reporters this week that collaboration with the Americans for technology was "essential".

There are currently no technical alternatives to the F-35 for carrying plane-born US nuclear warheads stationed in Germany to their targets, he added.

A defence ministry spokesman declined to confirm Pistorius's meeting to the daily.

But he said that F-35 dependence went both ways, since the jet also includes parts made outside the United States.

vbw/fz
Israel says killed Hamas's internal security chief in Gaza strike



Jerusalem, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Israel's military said on Thursday it had killed the head of Hamas's internal security agency in an air strike on the Gaza Strip, the latest official targeted in recent days.

Israel resumed its air campaign early Tuesday with a wave of deadly strikes, shattering a relative calm that had pervaded in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory since a ceasefire took hold on January 19.

Israeli forces "in recent days... struck and eliminated the terrorist Rashid Jahjouh, head of the Hamas General Security Service, who assumed his position after the elimination of his predecessor, Sami Oudeh, in July 2024," military spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a post on X.

The internal security agency in Hamas-run Gaza is tasked with "combating espionage and providing information to the political leadership to support planning and decision-making", according to the Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance.

Adraee said that in a separate raid, Israeli forces had killed Ismail Abdel-Al who "was considered a prominent member of the Islamic Jihad's arms smuggling network", referring to a Palestinian militant group that has fought alongside Hamas in Gaza.

The territory's civil defence agency said Thursday that 504 people had been killed so far in the renewed Israeli assault, including more than 190 children.

Hamas on Tuesday named the head of its government in the Gaza Strip, Essam al-Dalis, and interior ministry head Mahmud Abu Watfa, among a list of officials it said were killed in a wave of Israeli strikes this week.

The Israeli military confirmed it had killed Dalis, a member of Hamas's political bureau who became the head of its administration in Gaza in June 2021.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Azerbaijan will take part in the Saudi FOOD SHOW 2025 exhibition, Trend reports.

The exhibition will be held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from May 12 through May 14 this year.

Nowadays, the Limited Liability Company (LLC) Construction and Supply Association of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan is in search of a company that will provide stand installation services in connection with Azerbaijan's participation in this exhibition.

The organization also declares its readiness to provide 405,377 manat ($238,457) to the company, which will perform these works.

Azerbaijan has been participating in the exhibition The Saudi Food Show since last year.
Although titled Will Trent, the show often highlights strong female characters. Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn) tasks Special Agents Faith Mitchell (Iantha Richardson) and Will Trent (Ramon Rodriguez) with investigating her friends missing teenage daughter. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) probes Belle Rose, described by Faith as Atlantas highest echelon of Black excellence, wealth, and exclusion.

Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams  WILL TRENT, Pictured: Briyana Guadalupe as Whitney McAdams. Photo: Daniel Delgado Jr./Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.





Faith and Will encounter varied responses at Belle Rose. Elijah Buckley (Darius Jordan Lee), a choreographer and early suspect, dismisses warnings not to leave town, asserting he goes where he pleases. Another interviewee, a girl with a high-profile internship, insists on taping her interview, citing her status as a Black minor without parental or legal representationexuding moxie.





Elijah clears his name, providing an alibi of teaching a dance class at Faiths studio. A mutual attraction sparks between Faith and Elijah, leading to a dance where he reveals Whitneys schoolgirl crush on him, which he shut down. He avoids the complicated dynamics of female friendships.



Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams  WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Darius Jordan Lee as Elijah Buckley and Iantha Richardson as Faith Mitchell. Photo: Daniel Delgado Jr./Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.





Detective Angie Polaski (Erika Christensen) leads the murder investigation of an AC repairman while her partner, Michael Ormewood (Jake McLaughlin), deals with his childrens poison ivy outbreak. Angie and Michael solve the crime remotely, relying on scant clues, including stomach contents relayed by coroner Pete (Kurt Yue).



Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams  WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Owen Trumbly as Max Ormewood, Erika Christensen as Angie Polaski, Jake McLaughlin as Michael Ormewood, and Jophielle Love as Cooper Ormewood. Photo: Daniel Delgado Jr./Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.





Will discovers Whitney McAdams (Briyana Gudalupe) is not just missing but dead. Her spirit guides him in unraveling her murder. Even Michaels daughter, Cooper (Jophielle Love), provides a critical cluea jingle for Jean and Tonys Burger Shack, located near the repairmans body.





Whitney emerges as a paradox: a prodigy bound for MIT yet deeply flawed. Her actionsflirting with older men, betraying friends, and blackmailing enemiespaint a complex portrait. Abandoned by her parents, Whitneys behavior reflects her circumstances. Through Wills eyes, she becomes a hero and an ethical guide, forcing him to confront his guilt over Jeremys role as a confidential informant in Rafaels organization.





Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams  WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Ramon Rodriguez as Will Trent, Briyana Guadalupe as Whitney McAdams. Photo: Wilford Harewood /Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.





Jeremy (Deion Smith) panics about spying on Rafael, and Will advises him to be smart, lay low, while directing him to gather evidencefurther endangering him. Whitneys presence catalyzes Wills emotional reckoning, highlighting his betrayal of Faith and fear of abandonment. Whitney warns, Secrets have a way of getting out.





The layered narrative intertwines murder investigations with detectives personal lives. Whitneys intrusive thoughts cut deep, positioning her as more than a victim. Shes an oracle. Her warnings urge Will to protect Jeremy or reveal the truth to his mother.





Earlier, Will and Faith interviewed Jayden Parker (Cristian Chase Jones), Whitneys potential hookup. Jayden claims Whitney was missing when he arrived, but police found a towel from her property in his car. He explains he used it to clean his shoes, unwilling to appear with dirty sneakers. Whitneys voicemail berating Jayden for being late leads Will and Marion Alba (Gina Rodriguez) back to Whitneys bedroom, where they uncover a box of secrets, including a sex tape implicating Tashas stepfather, Gavin (Gazelle Brown), and Lorraine Potts (Lartasha Rose).



Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams  WILL TRENT, Pictured (L-R): Ramon Rodriquez as Will Trent, Gina Rodriguez as Marion Alba. Photo: Wilford Harewood/Disney  2025 Disney. All rights reserved.





Tasha, set to inherit her mothers wealth, is murdered after uncovering her stepfather and Lorraines scheme to drug her and seize her money via a Britney Spears-type conservatorship. Determined to help her friend, Whitney tests the antipsychotic drugs used against Tasha, sealing her fate.





Regarding the Death of Whitney McAdams explores morality, redemption, and the gray areas of human character. Despite tonal inconsistencies, its a thought-provoking watch. Angie and Faiths auntie energy with Michaels kids adds warmth, but Wills secrecy threatens the groups closeness. Time will tell if Will reveals the truth about Jeremy.





What do you think Will should do? What do you think he will do? Let me know in the comments.

Overall Rating:

7:10
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
Pubs are a vital part of any music scene, whether its sitting in them plotting the next step, or being on stage performing, or watching gigs trying to find your next favourite band. Without them we lose our footing  they are our roots no matter where we end up.
Green spaces in the City of London are as rare as branches of Poundstretcher, but a notable exception is the rooftop lawn of this restaurant which takes up the postmodern prow of No 1 Poultry, jutting towards the Bank of England and Royal Exchange, seven floors below. Half a dozen gin and tonics are categorised by flavour (fruity, citrusy, herbal et al), there are another dozen in-house creations, plus the bartenders will mix together pretty much any classic cosmo or collins, martini or margarita. Theres a comprehensive, 37-page international wine list, too, and dont forget to eat something from the bar menu of French-accented finger food before negotiating the elevator back down to street level: prawns and mayo, sausages in red wine sauce, charcuterie and cornichons.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 20. Transport Minister of Kazakhstan Marat Karabayev and representatives of the World Bank have discussed the project for the reconstruction of the Zhezkazgan-Karaganda highway, Trend reports via the Kazakh ministry.

The sides discussed key areas of cooperation in the transport sector, including infrastructure development, the implementation of advanced technologies, and sustainable transportation solutions.

In the course of the meeting, World Bank representatives also expressed their readiness to consider promising projects in the fields of aviation and railways. Both parties emphasized the importance of strategic partnership and expressed their readiness for further cooperation to successfully implement the planned projects.

The Zhezkazgan-Karaganda road, which spans 513 km, is set to begin reconstruction in 2025. The project is expected to be completed by 2028.
As astronauts, CEOs and tech nerds took to the stage in the Austin Convention Centre, indie bands played at grassroots venues across the city. Tech and creativity are indelibly linked in the modern world; Spotify and Amazon Prime hosted events, and there were plenty of panel discussions about creativity in the digital age and how to reckon with AI. At the festivals innovation awards, Austin-based tech company BetterWay won the health and biotech prize. It has developed an affordable, efficient finger-prick blood test which starts from $15 and requires only a pea-sized amount of blood to screen, diagnose and monitor a range of diseases: a little like Elizabeth Holmess Theranos, had it worked.
I understand the shock and concern this incident will have on the Brixton community. My team are already working diligently to gather evidence and establish what led to this tragedy. I would ask any local residents with concerns to speak to officers at the scene, or to their local neighbourhood policing teams.
The relative quiet since last summers carnage might be the calm after the storm, or a lull before the next one. Few are sanguine that the Dalston shooting, for all the outrage provoked by a childs near death, signals anything resembling an end. Broughton is among the pessimists. I dont see an end to it, he says.
If you are going to the US for anything other than a standard holiday, I would write to the US embassy, tell them what visas you think you need and get them to write back to confirm yes or no, and then carry that letter with you.
On a visit to Norway, he also stated that Trump has not raised questions about the status of Russian-occupied Crimea during talks with him, when asked about reports that the US president is considering recognising the peninsula as part of Russia.
Scientists working with the Alma telescope in Chiles Atacama Desert said they were astonished by the detection of oxygen in Jades-GS-z14-0, the most distant confirmed galaxy ever found, as it suggests galaxies formed more rapidly after the Big Bang than previously thought.
What I love is (that) the Ukrainian resilience is everywhere. You all are very smiley and very strong and very spiritual people. And honestly that comes across everywhere. Even the Ukrainians Ive met in the UK are like that  very resilient and very strong about things.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 20. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and US Congresswoman Carol Miller have discussed areas of collaboration between their countries, Trend reports via Akorda.

President Tokayev noted that the meeting is crucial for giving a new momentum to bilateral relations. He highlighted that since Kazakhstan's independence, the US has been a reliable partner.

Kazakh leader noted the joint achievements in key areas, including regional and international security, nuclear non-proliferation, as well as trade, economic, and investment cooperation. He emphasized that trade between the two nations is showing steady growth, surpassing $4 billion.

In turn, Miller expressed gratitude to Tokayev for the warm welcome and reaffirmed the US interest in continuing fruitful dialogue with Kazakhstan.

The discussion covered priority issues in bilateral cooperation, with a focus on energy and infrastructure projects, the development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, and expanding transport and logistics ties between the two countries.

In addition, the sides exchanged views on topical regional and international issues.
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, March 20. Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to visit Kazakhstan within the year, Trend reports via Akorda.

The parties agreed on this during a telephone conversation with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. It is planned that the visit will contribute to further strengthening of ties between the countries.

During a phone call, Herzog extended his greetings to Tokayev ahead of the upcoming Nowruz holiday. The leaders discussed prospects for deepening trade and economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and Israel, reaffirming their commitment to maintaining strong bilateral relations.

Meanwhile, diplomatic relations between Israel and Kazakhstan were established on April 10, 1992. Israel opened its embassy in Kazakhstan in August 1992, and Kazakhstan followed by opening its embassy in Israel in May 1996.
The interim President of the Senate, Mircea Abrudean, highlighted, in Strasbourg, at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, that Romania is ready to support democracy in Europe.

"Romania is ready to stand with all of you to support democracy in Europe. To succeed, we must act decisively and, above all, remain united. Unity, cooperation and our commitment to democratic values make our countries stronger, more stable and more influential on the global stage. I call on all our partners to join forces to strengthen European cooperation in the fields of media education, cybersecurity and combating disinformation, creating a common front against those who try to weaken our democratic foundations," said Abrudean.

According to a post on the Senate's Facebook account, Mircea Abrudean stressed the importance of defending European democracy in a context marked by complex challenges, such as disinformation and foreign interference in electoral processes.

"Romania is firmly committed to promoting democratic values and the rule of law, as essential pillars of our security, economic growth and competitiveness. United, through cooperation and respect for democratic principles, we can build a more stable and stronger future for Europe," added Abrudean.

Mircea Abrudean stressed the measures adopted by Romania to combat disinformation, hate speech and extremism, mentioning legislative strategies and initiatives dedicated to civic education.
AGERPRES Special correspondent Florentina Peia reports: Interim President Ilie Bolojan met, Thursday, on the sidelines of the EPP summit, with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

A thorough exchange of views this morning with Prime Minister Mitsotakis regarding strengthening cooperation at the EU level and at the regional level to improve energy interconnectivity in our region. We discussed removing network bottlenecks as part of the broader effort to reduce energy prices and create a truly integrated energy market within the EU. Romania and Greece closely coordinate their actions and priorities within the EU and NATO, Bolojan wrote on Thursday on X.

Interim President Ilie Bolojan is going to attend the European Council meeting in Brussels.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 20. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Kyrgyz Ministry of Finance have signed two loan agreements worth 42.1 million euros, Trend reports via the EBRD.

The financing will facilitate enhancements in irrigation infrastructure across the Chui, Jalal-Abad, and Naryn regions, with the objective of optimizing water retention, minimizing energy consumption, and decreasing carbon dioxide output.

The agreements were signed during an official visit to Kyrgyzstan by EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Sikela. In addition to the loans, the EU will provide 13.6 million euros in grant funding through its Asia-Pacific Investment Facility.

The allocated capital will facilitate the revitalization of hydraulic conduits in the Ak-kup, Nichke-Sai, and Ala-Buga sectors, alongside the experimental automation and reconstruction of a segment of the Western Great Chuy Canal infrastructure.

As of January 31, 2025, the EBRD investments in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 1.046 billion euros for 257 projects. In 2024, the EBRD invested 52 million euros across 22 projects in Kyrgyzstan. Nearly 54 percent of the investments from the region's largest green lender, whose activities fully align with the Paris Agreement, were directed towards supporting green economy projects.
The candidate of the Romania Inainte [Romania Forward] Alliance in the May presidential elections, Crin Antonescu, on Thursday stated that he fully trusts the parties that back him and also his own ability to successfully complete and win this electoral campaign, while also mentioning that he won't keep his eyes on PSD (Social Democratic Party) and PNL (National Liberal Party) during this time, as his "job" has more to do "with the citizens of Romania."

"All candidates have a chance. This is the principle of any competition. I entered this race with confidence, with confidence in my chances, because otherwise I would not have entered. My confidence has increased, I have every chance, I am running in this campaign. We will see who will win," said Antonescu, in Parliament, when asked how he estimated his chances, after Calin Georgescu's candidacy got rejected and Anamaria Gavrila withdrew.

Antonescu said he had no complaints regarding the involvement of PSD and PNL mayors in the electoral campaign.

"The mayors, to the extent that they are convinced of my candidacy, can lend a helping hand, they also enter the campaign, but it is my campaign, it is between me and the citizens, it is not between me and the mayors. (...) I repeat, this is between me and the citizens of Romania and it is my duty to convince as many citizens of Romania as possible. I am not here to keep an eye on either the Social Democratic Party or the National Liberal Party. That is the job of others, if they want to do it," he added. AGERPRES
The president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud-Basso, is visiting Romania on March 20-21, where she will meet with a number of government officials and business representatives.

According to a press release of the international financial institution, the visit of the EBRD President comes at a time when the institution is preparing new five-year strategies for Romania and Bulgaria, which will go into public consultation at the end of this year.

EBRD investments in Bulgaria doubled last year, reaching 272 million euros, while in Romania they increased from 658 million euros to 707 million euros, the financial institution firmly supporting the transition to a green economy in both countries.

In Romania, Odile Renaud-Basso will meet with prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, finance minister Tanczos Barna, energy minister Sebastian Burduja, as well as business representatives, diplomats and civil society representatives. Odile Renaud-Basso will be accompanied by the EBRD director for Romania, Victoria Zinchuk.

"The EBRD is a key partner and a major institutional investor in both Bulgaria and Romania. This visit underlines the EBRD's commitment to supporting economic development," said Odile Renaud-Basso, quoted in the press release.

The EBRD is a major institutional investor in Romania, was the organization has invested over 11.6 billion euros in 560 projects. A significant share of its financing supports private sector development, sustainability and innovation. AGERPRES
Activists from the environmental organization Greenpeace are demanding the resignation of Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja, citing the fact that "it is unacceptable, in a democratic state, for the Energy minister to go public with messages asking the directors of state-owned companies to take NGOs that challenge controversial projects to court."

"We condemn the reaction of Minister Sebastian Burduja and consider that he committed an irreconcilable slippage from democratic principles and the obligations of the position he holds. By publicly instigating lawsuits against civil society, he demonstrated not only a dangerous misunderstanding of democracy, but also a deeply hostile attitude towards the fundamental right to free expression and public participation (...) Furthermore, it is unacceptable for someone in this position to provide false information that manipulates and distorts reality. For example, Greenpeace Romania, the regional offices and Greenpeace International have been actively involved both in protests against Russia and fossil gas imports, as well as in the response to the oil spill in the Black Sea, mentioned by the minister of Energy in his message. A simple internet search would have helped him find this information, if he were really interested in doing so. Through a statement that seems to have come straight from a political intimidation manual, the minister not only encourages reprisals against civil society, but also sends a clear warning: anyone who dares to criticize will pay dearly. And this is just the beginning", Greenpeace says in a press release sent on Thursday to AGERPRES.

According to the cited source, "this is no longer a simple government position, but a frontal attack on the fundamental right to public participation and justice".

On Thursday, the Minister of Energy, Sebastian Burduja, mentioned, in a post on his social media account, that an American court had decided that the NGO Greenpeace must pay 660 million dollars for the illegal blocking of a strategic energy project and requested all directors of national energy companies to seek damages in court in the maximum amount against organizations that bring actions in bad faith.

In this context, the official announced that the relevant ministry is working on a proposal for a regulatory act, for the first time, to unblock and accelerate projects that have been started, with a high degree of execution

"We are working on a proposal for a regulatory act, for the first time, to unblock and speedily accelerate the projects that have been started, with a high degree of execution. There are over ten hydropower plants, with a cumulative investment value of almost 12 billion RON, most of which has already been spent by the Romanian state. We are talking about over 700MW, with an execution stage of up to 98%. We will not stop! Let it be clear: whoever wants to keep Romania in the dark will be held accountable. Because that is moral and normal. (...) I publicly ask all the directors of national energy companies to seek damages in court in the maximum amount against NGOs that file actions in bad faith! Whoever makes a mistake pays. That is normal (...) Each artificial blockage costs Romania money, jobs and energy security. Energy patriotism means deeds, not words! It means moving to offensive measures to consolidate the production of electricity and heat, after years of delays, hesitations, blockages. Romania needs gas, hydroelectric power plants, coal, renewables, strategic investments. It needs everything," the dignitary said.
AGERPRES special correspondent Florentina Peia reports: Acting President Ilie Bolojan said on Thursday that the European Union, in order to be stronger, must be more economically competitive and stressed that at the national level, debureaucratization must be insisted on.

"As for competitiveness, the European Union, in order to be stronger, must be more economically competitive," said Bolojan, who participated in the European Council meeting on Thursday.
Minister of Development Cseke Attila announced on Thursday that the restoration of the Constanta Casino has been completed, and the impressive building can now be handed over to the Constanta City Hall and, by extension, to the public.

"The Constanta Casino has been restored, and we have completed the reception of the works. Soon, we will return this investment, this gem of Romania, to the local community, to the beneficiary - the City Hall of Constanta," Cseke Attila said in a video message.

The minister mentioned that the investment started in 2020 and was funded by the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration (MDLPA).

"We can now return to everyone, to all Romanians, to tourists, this architectural gem that is the Constanta Casino. It shows that when we all pull in the same direction, we are capable of wonderful things, and the Constanta Casino is a model in this regard. I hope everyone enjoys this gem, this architectural treasure, restored according to the original project, as our predecessors envisioned and built it. Let us all be proud of this value we have in Romania," the minister of Development concluded. AGERPRES
Romania's Minister of Education and Research Daniel David said on Thursday that he wants to expand the influence of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) in the country, in order to boost innovation to the benefit of people's well-being and to increase the country's competitiveness.

David had a meeting with the management of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, for the release of "EIT Community HUB Romania" in Romania, according to the ministry.

"I know the major role of the EIT in innovation and technology at European and international level, both as a scientist and as rector of the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, the university that already hosts the EIT Digital office for Romania. Now, from the position of minister, I want to extend the influence of the EIT in the country, to boost innovation to the benefit of people's well-being and to increase the country's competitiveness in an increasingly competitive world," the minister said.

According to him, there is agreement for a memorandum with two major objectives: the extension of the EIT's presence and the EIT innovation model in Romania, a highly-performing model that is based on ecosystems (made up of universities, institutes, companies, authorities, etc.) democratically and efficiently distributed around the education-research-innovation triad; promoting more specific aspects of innovation and technology in the country, related to EIT excellence, major international issues and the country's needs - for example, in the field of artificial intelligence, healthcare and energy. AGERPRES
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu on Thursday welcomed a delegation led by the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Odile Renaud Basso, on a visit to Bucharest for the preparation of the next EBRD Country Strategy for Romania.

Ciolacu commended EBRD for its readiness to support the implementation of structural reforms, according to a press statement released by the government.

"Romania continues to count on EBRD for support, including from the point of view of the essential role it plays in the implementation of programmes running on non-repayable European funds. We have a solid partnership, which is reflected in the significant investment that this financial organisation is making in Romania, which exceeded EUR 700 million in 2024, in a record number of 44 projects," the prime minister said.

During the meeting, they discussed Romania's efforts to develop a sustainable energy sector, by increasing energy efficiency in small and medium-sized enterprises and large enterprises, projects in the field of green energy (offshore wind and solar photovoltaic), strengthening the transport infrastructure on the vertical corridor (with Moldova and Bulgaria), construction of water-sewer infrastructure in partnership with local administrations, as well as supporting municipal infrastructure projects with significant social and economic benefits.

"Expressing the full availability of the Romanian side for the consultations that will follow within this process, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu commended EBRD for its willingness to support the implementation of structural reforms, in terms of the expertise it has in the field of public-private partnership and the essential role it plays in the implementation of programmes running on non-repayable European funds, through technical assistance, loans or other financial instruments for the implementation of major infrastructure, environment, energy, transport and digital transformation projects that Romania has undertaken under its National Recovery and Resilience Plan."

Also attending were Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacsu, Minister of Finance Tanczos Barna, Minister of Transport Sorin Grindeanu, Minister of European Investment and Projects Marcel Bolos, Minister of Energy Sebastian Burduja, Head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery Stefan-RaduOprea.

The EBRD delegation also included Charlotte Ruhe, Director-General for Central and South-Eastern Europe, Victoria Zinchuk, Director for Romania, and Mihaela Mihailescu, Deputy Director for Romania.
Police officers and prosecutors are carrying out, on Thursday morning, 17 home searches in Bucharest and in nine counties across the country, in a criminal case investigating the crime of voter bribery.

The investigation aims to document the criminal activities of the individuals involved.

"Police officers from the IGPR - Directorate for Investigating Economic Crime and the Prosecutor's Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice - Criminal Prosecution Section are coordinating the execution of 17 home searches in the municipality of Bucharest and the counties of Brasov, Botosani, Calarasi, Dolj, Galati, Giurgiu, Maramures, Mures and Timis, at the residences of individuals, in a criminal case where investigations are being carried out regarding the commission of the crime of voter bribery," informs the Press Office of the Romanian Police.

The operation involves police officers from the IGPR - Directorate for Investigating Economic Crime, with the support of the National Institute of Forensic Science, the "Vlad Tepes" Special Intervention Brigade of the Gendarmerie and the police inspectorates of Brasov, Botosani, Dolj, Galati, Maramures, Mures and Timis counties. AGERPRES
Bilateral relations between Romania and France are stronger than ever, and cooperation in the field of labor and social security is a priority under the strategic partnership between the two countries, mentions a press release issued by the Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity.

"March 20 is the International Day of La Francophonie. This date was chosen in reference to March 20, 1970, which marked the establishment in Niamey (Niger) of the Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT), which was to become the International Organization of La Francophonie," the ministry representatives say.

According to the cited source, La Francophonie does not only mean a common language and culture, but also values such as solidarity, diversity and collaboration.

"Romania is a flagship state of La Francophonie. We have common values, cultures that bring us closer and convergent strategic objectives. Strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in the field of labour and social security, is, therefore, essential to protect the rights of employees, to stimulate social inclusion and to build together a fairer and more sustainable economy and society," the Minister of Labour, Simona Bucura Oprescu, was quoted as saying in the press release.

According to her, protecting the rights of Romanian employees in France and French employees in Romania, developing the social economy and supporting vulnerable groups are essential objectives of the Strategic Partnership Roadmap.

"An eloquent example of the Romanian-French economic collaboration is the Dacia plant in Mioveni, an engine of the national economy and one of the largest employers in Romania. Under the umbrella of the Renault Group, Dacia has become a symbol of industrial performance and innovation in the automotive industry," the press release states.

According to the cited source, France is Romania's third economic partner. At the same time, Romanians represent the second largest labour force in France in construction and agriculture. Almost 10,000 Romanian doctors work in the French healthcare system, the ministry further specifies in the press release. AGERPRES
Romania's humanitarian support and assistance for foreign citizens or stateless persons from the area of the armed conflict in Ukraine will be extended until December 31, 2025.

An emergency ordinance in this regard was approved as a Thursday's meeting of the government.

"This piece of legislation extends until December 31, 2025, the provision of humanitarian support and assistance to foreign citizens or stateless persons from the area of the armed conflict in Ukraine who entered the soil of Romania before July 1, 2024, housed in the locations established by the county/municipality committees of Bucharest for emergencies," the Romanian government reported on Thursday.

The amount is granted in a differentiated amount: RON 500 /month for a single person and 1,500 lei/month for a family. The amount is settled monthly, from the budget of the General Inspectorate for Emergency Management and, as the case may be, from the budgets/budget of the county emergency management inspectorates/the Bucharest-Ilfov Emergency Management Inspectorate, to the unit that provides the accommodation, proportional to the number of days for which it is provided.

"This support measure can benefit people who prove, with documents issued by relevant authorities in Romania, that they are in certain vulnerable situations (for example: they are classified as disabled; temporarily unable to work or suffering from a temporary medical condition incompatible with employment; are women in the third trimester of pregnancy; suffers from serious medical conditions, etc.)."

The government also passed a decision clarifying the mechanism for granting lump sums. Thus, it is expressly specified the possibility of requesting the lump sum by foreign citizens or stateless persons from the area of armed conflict in Ukraine who obtained the temporary protection permit before July 1, 2024 and who have never submitted an application.

The amount is granted for three consecutive months, in a differentiated amount: RON 750 /month for a single person and 2,000 lei/month for a family.

Qualifying for this aid are people submitting an application to the local public administration authority of the administrative-territorial unit/subdivision in the area in which they choose to live and who cumulatively meet several conditions.

Thus, the applicant and his/her family members who meet the conditions to be employed in Romania must be registered with one of the county employment agencies or of the City of Bucharest or be employed on in Romania. At the same time, the applicant must also enrol the children who meet the conditions to attend a form of pre-university education, in study groups/classes/formations in pre-university education establishments.( EUR 1 = RON 4.97)
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 20. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan, Jeenbek Kulubayev, and the Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, discussed cooperation within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Trend reports via the Kyrgyz MFA.

The sides also discussed preparations for the informal summit of OTS heads of state, which will be held this year in Budapest.

During the conversation, the Hungarian Minister congratulated the Kyrgyz side on the successful signing of the State Border Agreement between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, emphasizing the importance of this event for strengthening security and stability in both Kyrgyzstan and the Central Asian region as a whole.

The ministers confirmed the strategic partnership between Kyrgyzstan and Hungary and expressed their readiness to further deepen cooperation in priority areas.

On November 5, 2024, the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Zhaparov, and the Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, signed a declaration on expanding the strategic partnership.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) processed approximately 80,000 work visa requests in 2024, an 11% increase compared to 2023, said Madalina-Gabriela Tarcan, Consular Officer at the Visa Monitoring and Coordination Directorate, National Visa Centre with the Foreign Ministry (MAE), at a Business Breakfast organised by the Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIB).

Of the work visa requests, 60,000 were issued (+20%), 19,000 were rejected (+12%), and 1,000 were canceled or revoked (five times fewer compared to the previous year). The majority of foreign workers with employment contracts in Romania come from Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The Bucharest Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a new event in the Business Breakfast series at the CCIB Palace, themed "Importing Labour and New Regulations in Labour Legislation," with over 80 entrepreneurs, managers and consultants in attendance.

"We organised this event, the second on this topic, at the request of the business community, in order to continue the dialogue with representatives of the authorities with responsibilities in the area, so that we can obtain valuable information on the particularities of the legal process for importing labour, in the context of Romania's full accession to the Schengen Area and the changes made to the legal framework. It is essential to understand the impact of these changes on our companies and identify effective solutions to adapt to the new realities, so that we can leverage this opportunity to address the chronic labour shortage issue," said Iuliu Stocklosa, president of CCIB, at the opening of the edition, as quoted in a CCIB statement.

The special guests included: Larisa Otilia Papp, Director of the Labour Relations Control Directorate, Labour Inspection, Ministry of Labour, Family, Youth and Social Solidarity (MMFTSS), Chief Commissioner Sorin Enache, Head of the Immigration Service for Ilfov County, General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI), and Madalina-Gabriela Tarcan (MAE), who discussed legal, technical and practical aspects regarding the import of labour.

The main topics addressed included: employment and secondment of foreigners in Romania, the procedure for issuing work permits, conditions under which a foreign worker can work based on multiple contracts, main obligations of employers working with labour from outside the European Union, documents verified by territorial labor inspectorates, including practical aspects of undeclared work, the employment regime for foreign students, legal framework for processing visa applications, contents of the visa application file, preparation for the consular interview and challenges generated by the phenomenon of illegal migration. The importance of correctly carrying out the recruitment process was emphasised, taking into account both the cultural particularities of the worker's home country and the specific nature of the work in the destination country.

An interesting alternative to solving the labour shortage issue was presented by Chief Commissioner Dr. Dan Halchin, General Director of the National Penitentiary Administration (ANP), who extensively discussed the advantages for entrepreneurs working with labour force from this sector, the press release also shows. AGERPRES
More than 40 citizens from the Gaza Strip were picked up on Wednesday from Israel and will be brought to Romania, where some of them will stay, while the others will be transferred to Norway and France.

On Wednesday, a C-130 Hercules aircraft of the Romanian Air Force carried out a medical evacuation mission of 13 Palestinian patients from the Gaza Strip, severely affected by the lack of access to adequate medical treatment, along with 34 family members, the Department for Emergency Situations said.

Thus, the aircraft belonging to the Ministry of National Defence (MApN) took off from Otopeni Airport at around 12:30, bound for Israel - Ilan and Asaf Ramon International Airport, where it landed at around 16:30, Romanian time.

After boarding the patients and their relatives, as well as carrying out the medical assessment, the plane took off from the airport in Israel at around 18:00, Romanian time, bound for Bucharest - Base 90 Air Transport - Otopeni, where it landed at around 22:00.

During transport, medical assistance was provided by a team of two doctors and two nurses from the UPU-SMURD of the Bucharest Emergency Hospital, a doctor and a nurse from MApN. Two liaison officers from the DSU were also on board the aircraft to ensure the mission went smoothly.

Seven patients, including 6 children - aged between 4 months and 11 years, and 1 adult aged 18 years (accompanied by 23 relatives), will receive specialized treatment at several hospitals in Bucharest.

Three adult patients (accompanied by 5 family members) are being transferred to Norway with an aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force.

Three other patients (with 6 family members) were transported to the French Republic with two aircraft provided by the Luxembourg authorities.

The mission was executed following requests received from the European Commission's Emergency Response Coordination Center (ERCC), through the CECIS, under the EU Union Civil Protection Mechanism.

The operation was carried out in close cooperation between the Ministry of Internal Affairs through the Department of Emergency Situations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a unit of the Ministry of Defence of Israel, Israel's national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service "Magen David Adom", the General Directorate of Social Welfare and Child Protection of the Bucharest City Hall, Habitat for Humanity and other authorities essential to ensure an efficient and safe deployment, the DSU specifies.

"Through this step, our country reconfirms its role as a reliable partner, involved in humanitarian assistance, transporting patients in serious condition and providing specialized medical treatment," the cited source further shows. AGERPRES
How do I review a restaurant like Pavilion, the new sushi experience from acclaimed Sado and Indo chef Nick Bognar? This isnt a rhetorical question, a critics navel-gazing about the futility of trying to capture a meteoric talent in deathless prose  though my mind might have strayed that way at a few points during my dinner here, like when Bognar torched sardines flown in from Japan the night before with a butane lighter sticking out of a velociraptors head.

Bognar served the blistered sardine on a piece of toasted brioche baked that morning by Sado pastry chef Sarah Osborn. The fish slathered this bread like freshly churned butter infused with the oceans brine and a smack like a rough wave of vinegar and yuzu.

The sardine fell roughly in the middle of dinner, 17 savory courses that began with masu (ocean trout) cured for 10 days in a glistening pool of coconut-curry laksa broth that paid tribute to the cooking of Bognars grandmother. It ended with foie gras served as a piece of nigiri sushi garnished with candied quinoa that crackled across the palate like Pop Rocks.

I assumed this foie gras was Bognars cheeky way of finishing dinner with dessert, but there was an 18th course, an actual dessert from Osborn.

Like, practically: How do I visit Pavilion multiple times  three dinners, ideally  within a reasonable period to evaluate it comprehensively and fairly? When Bognar launched Pavilion in December in its own enclosed structure at Sado on the Hill, it sat six diners at his sushi counter. Since then, he has added six more seats at two tables.

Bognar aims to increase the number of seatings per week, but as I write this in mid-March, Pavilion hosts two seatings of 12 per night on Friday and Saturday. Reservations become available at Resy at 11 a.m. two weeks before the day in question. They are snapped up immediately. I tried for several weeks before I scored a seat.

Now I would need to repeat that twice more. Which is to say nothing of the cost. For dinner for one, I paid $327.80, which includes soft drinks, tax and the automatic gratuity. Alcohol, either a la carte or the optional pairings, will raise the cost per person even higher. Here is the closest to a conventional review I will offer for Pavilion: if you can spend that kind of coin, and you want to spend it on a luxe omakase (chef-directed) sushi dinner, Bognars work here lives up to the expense.

Instead of a conventional review, consider this column a vital addendum to my 2023 review of Sado, which I rated Essential and named that years No. 2 new restaurant, behind only Mainlander. Sado bridges Bognars thrilling modern sushi with the fare of Nippon Tei, the restaurant his mother, Ann Bognar, operated from 2001 until just before Sado debuted. What it lacked, until now, was Pavilion.

I already knew what Bognar could do with tasting menus. When he opened his first restaurant, Indo, in 2019 in Botanical Heights, he featured an omakase dinner a few nights a week at its sushi counter. The evening I went, he served 27 courses, from exquisite nigiri sushi to playful dishes inspired by the casino buffet and the Cheesecake Factory.

At Pavilion, Bognar has focused his energy  and not simply in the reduced number of courses. By the end of my dinner at Indo, I was punch-drunk from unadulterated indulgence, a procession of uni, bluefin tuna, wagyu beef and foie gras.

He doesnt shy away from that here. The second half of dinner included a procession of tuna from lean akami to fattier chutoro to fattiest otoro. Ive already noted his playful take on foie gras, though, and for the course featuring A5 wagyu from Japan, he again sought inspiration from his grandmother with the bright flavors of Thai nam tok beef.

When it smells like grandmas kitchen, I know Im up to something good, he said as he plated this course.

The growth of Bognars talent is also evident in his dry-aging techniques. Six days aging yields a piece of nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch) as fatty and buttery as the chutoro.

He is also cultivating talent, even in Pavilions narrow space. His assistant, Reed Joern, took the lead on one of the evenings most memorable dishes, featuring tennen buri, or fully mature yellowtail, and bone marrow from the fishs spine smoked with apple wood.

I hesitate to share even this much about my Pavilion experience. Part of its magic is the singularity of the dinner: you and the other guests in this small space, watching the meal unfold before you from slicing to plating. I couldnt tell you with any confidence if the very next seating faintly resembled my dinner.

I can finally say my review of Sado is complete, two years later. Now even more than in 2023, this is an essential St. Louis restaurant.

If you go WHERE: 5201 Shaw Avenue MORE INFO: 314-390-2883; sado-stl.com MENU: Omakase (chef-directed) sushi dinner by prepaid reservation on resy.com HOURS: Check resy.com for current availability
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  A memorial service is planned April 5 for Dennis Coleman, who headed St. Louis County governments economic development efforts for 23 years and a regional development agency for two years after that.

Coleman, 75, died of cancer Feb. 26 in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he had lived in retirement in recent years.

As executive director and then CEO of the County Economic Council from 1990 to 2013, he played a key role in projects such as the transformation of the old National Lead site in Lemay into a casino and hotel development.

He also was involved in creating the Clayton-based World Trade Center, the North Park business park near St. Louis Lambert International Airport, the Danforth Plant Science Center in Creve Coeur and county business incubators. He also helped the area deal with the loss of defense and auto industry jobs.

From 2013 to 2015, he was chief executive of the new St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, which merged economic development efforts of the county and St. Louis.

Coleman, who earlier in his career had headed development agencies for the city, was a longtime advocate of consolidating the regions fragmented efforts to attract and retain business.

He believed in working collectively with the city, said former County Executive Charlie Dooley, who during his 11 years in office worked closely with Coleman. He believed in cooperation and regionalism.

Dooley praised Coleman for, among other things, working to develop the Metropolitan Education and Training (MET) Center in Wellston as a job training hub.

Coleman grew up in the Fox Park neighborhood in south St. Louis, went to St. Louis University High School and earned a bachelors degree in urban geography from St. Louis U.

After getting a masters in planning and urban development from the University of Wisconsin, he returned home to head the nonprofit DeSales Housing Corp. that worked to revitalize the Fox Park area.

Later he was a vice president with Mercantile Bank and then held major city development posts in the 1980s under Mayor Vincent Schoemehl, a Democrat. Earlier he was a member of the citys Civil Service Commission.

In 1990, Coleman moved to the County Economic Council job under then-County Executive H.C. Milford, a Republican. He stayed on under Democratic Executive Buzz Westfall, who defeated Milford in the 1990 election, and Dooley, also a Democrat.

In January 2015, shortly after Steve Stenger took over as executive following his defeat of Dooley in the 2014 Democratic primary, Coleman announced he would retire a few months later as head of the regional economic partnership.

In late 2018, he came out of retirement for about a year to work for the County Council-appointed County Port Authority while the council fought to wrest control of the agency from Stenger.

The memorial service for Coleman will be 10 a.m. April 5 at Ste. Genevieve du Bois Catholic Church in Warson Woods, where he and his wife, Bonnie, lived for years before moving to Colorado in 2021.

Among other survivors are a son, Michael Coleman of Fort Collins and a daughter, Emily Coughlin of Boise, Idaho.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect time for the memorial service
Joe Holleman | Post-Dispatch Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman | Post-Dispatch Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

Yet another piece of legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley keeps focus on working-class issues.

Missouris senior GOP senator is proposing a bill that would eliminate income taxes on overtime pay.

For decades, working Americans have been left behind by both parties, Hawley said in a statement, noting that corporations get richer and richer while workers struggle to get ahead and Washington turns a blind eye.

So far during this session of Congress, Hawley has introduced two other bills  both co-sponsored by Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey  that like the overtime bill, Hawley labels as being pro-worker and pro-family.

One bill would require companies to negotiate labor contracts quicker; and another would prohibit companies that use illegal child-labor practices from getting federal contracts.
BELLEVILLE  An Illinois State Police special agent has pleaded guilty to two traffic tickets after being accused of running a red light, crashing his unmarked SUV into a car driven by a teenage boy and leaving the scene of an accident while off duty in Shiloh in December.

As part of a plea agreement filed Tuesday in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Julian Feix, 30, of Fairview Heights, agreed to resign from his job, surrender his Illinois law-enforcement certification, serve two years probation and perform 100 hours of community service.

Feix also must pay court costs and probation fees, as well as restitution to the other driver, Atticus Slocum, 16, of Swansea. The restitution amount will depend on the outcome of a civil lawsuit filed by the teens mother, Melissa Slocum.

Failure to (resign and surrender certification) shall result in this plea being set aside and the defendant may face additional charges, including felony charges based upon his conduct, the agreement states.

The crash occurred at 4:11 p.m. Dec. 7 at the intersection of Hartman and Thouvenot lanes, where Thouvenot becomes Frank Scott Parkway.

Shiloh police issued Feix tickets for disregarding an official traffic-control device and leaving the scene.

Shiloh Sgt. Chris Flynn wrote in the police report he smelled alcohol on Feixs breath while interviewing him about 45 minutes after the accident.

Feix couldnt be reached for comment on Wednesday. His attorney, Travis Noble, who specializes in driving-while-intoxicated cases in Missouri, didnt respond to a request for information.

Feix read a statement at the hearing Tuesday before Associate Judge Dominic Kujawa at the Belleville courthouse.

"He did apologize, and I believe he was sincere," Slocum said, noting that Feix looked directly at Atticus while speaking. "He said, Please know that Ive thought about you every day since Dec. 7."

Feix was part of Illinois State Polices Public Safety Enforcement Group, a special investigations unit. He was driving an unmarked 2023 Ford Explorer at the time of the crash.

Melaney Arnold, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Police, verified Wednesday Feix had resigned from his job that morning. He had been on restricted duty with pay since Dec. 9.

"The Division of Internal Investigation is currently finishing its investigation so additional information is not available at this time," Arnold wrote in an email. "ISP cannot speak to any other investigations."

Slocum filed a civil lawsuit against Feix in February, alleging that Atticus had endured "significant physical pain, suffering, disability and mental anguish" and that his 2015 Honda Fit had been badly damaged.

On Wednesday, Slocum said in an interview that Atticus is undergoing physical therapy for back, neck and shoulder issues, and he has begun driving after taking a couple months off.

"I believe in giving people grace," she said. "(Feix) made a mistake. At the end of the day, my son is still with me. Thats what matters most. But there needs to be some accountability."

Slocum noted that Feix had charged through a busy intersection with emergency lights flashing, despite not being on official business.

Feix contacted his ISP supervisor after the 4:11 p.m. accident. She called Sgt. Flynn at 4:41 p.m. and gave him Feixs name and address, and they all met at his apartment for an interview at 4:52 p.m.

Feix told Flynn that his grandmother was sick, and he was headed to see her in west Belleville when he "tapped somebody" at the intersection, the police report stated. He maintained that he went back to the crash scene, but the other vehicle was already gone.

"While speaking with Feix at his patrol car, I could smell the odor of alcohol emitting from his breath," Flynn wrote in the Dec. 7 report. "Feix denied consuming any alcohol today.

"I asked Feix if it came down to it, would he be willing to submit to field sobriety test. Feix stated no. Feix did not appear to be unsteady on his feet nor did he sway back and forth."

Shilohs daily police blotter described the accident as a "hit and run." Feix wasnt charged with driving under the influence.

Flynn stated in another report that on Dec. 8 he watched Rainstorm Car Wash surveillance video, which showed that the Explorer crashed into the Fit at 4:11 p.m. and drove back through the intersection at 4:24 p.m.

By that time, Atticus already had moved his car from the road to the parking lot of a Circle K gas station, with help from witnesses, and he stayed with it for about two hours, his mother said at the time.

"He was alone (in the car)," Melissa Slocum said. "Hes 16. Hes only had a drivers license for three months, and he was as scared as anyone would be in this circumstance."
ST. LOUIS  The video begins with a guard and a handcuffed detainee walking the winding hallways of the downtown jail toward the medical unit.

But as they reach their destination, the inmate darts out in front of the guard, Direll Alexander. Alexander pepper-sprays the inmate twice and brings him to the ground. Alexander kneels on the inmates back until he goes still.

Alexander picks the inmate up and deposits him on a bench where the man lies still for a moment before rising to sit. Alexander continues to berate the inmate before getting him medical help.

During a two-day trial this week, federal prosecutors argued that Alexanders actions were a violation of the mans civil rights. The detainee was handcuffed and posed no risk to him, they said.

But Alexander, who has worked in city jails for nearly 20 years, said he did his job by trying to get control of a dangerous situation at a chronically understaffed jail where violence is common.

Jurors deliberated for more than two hours before finding Alexander not guilty.

Being a correctional officer is a tough job, and Mr. Alexander was trying to do his in the best of his ability, Alexanders lawyer, Robert Taaffe, said in an interview. In this case, I feel that justice was served by the verdict.

The City Justice Center on Tucker Boulevard has for years been the subject of scrutiny. Riots, hostage situations and detainee deaths drew attention from activists and public officials. Lawyers complained about inadequate health care services and a lack of access to their clients.

The city this year has pledged a turnaround, hiring a man widely credited with improving conditions at the St. Louis County jail as an interim director.

In June 2023, Alexander was indicted on a single charge of depriving a handcuffed inmates civil rights. He had previously appeared before an aldermanic committee to ask for hazard pay and better working conditions for corrections officers. And hed also been named in a lawsuit against the city from multiple inmates alleging systemic abuses of chemical agents and water shut-offs at the facility.

But Alexander kept working at the jail while his case was pending. He was on desk duty and prohibited from having contact with inmates.

Last fall, he was set to go to trial. Instead, he picked up more charges. Prosecutors accused him of editing witness statements in the jails computer and giving them to his attorney to use in his defense. Those charges were dismissed last week because one of Alexanders co-workers who was expected to testify for the prosecution changed her testimony at the last minute, court filings say.

Still, U.S. District Judge John Ross worried about Alexander talking to witnesses. His bond was revoked and he was sent to jail.

This week, jail commanders, sheriffs deputies, medical staff, the detainee and Alexander himself testified about what happened on March 5, 2023.

Alexander was working as a medical transport officer, taking inmates to and from the hospital or the jails medical unit. At some point, he heard an inmate banging on the walls and the window of a holding cell. The man claimed he was detoxing from drugs and needed medical attention, Alexander testified.

Alexander handcuffed the man behind his back and they headed toward the second-floor medical unit. But as they walked, the man swore at Alexander and spit on the floor, Alexander said. He tried to rush out in front of Alexander and get away.

At some point, the mans hand came loose from his handcuff. He jerked toward Alexanders face, the video showed, and other corrections staff came to help re-cuff him. Alexander and the detainee kept going on their way.

Just be cool, Alexander recalled telling the man during the walk. Im going to get you the help you need.

When they got to the medical unit, Alexander planned to take the man to an exam room. Instead, the man swore and tried to jerk away.

Alexander pulled out his pepper spray and issued one burst into the air, then another in the mans face. He took the man to the ground and got on top of him, balancing himself with his arm on a wall nearby. He grabbed the mans head and held it down because he was threatening to spit at him, Alexander said.

I cant breathe, the man said, according to Alexander. Alexander said then he lightened up on the mans back.

The detainee flailed for several seconds but eventually stopped moving.

Alexander, who weighs somewhere around 300 pounds, picked the short, wiry man up by his clothes and deposited him on a bench nearby. He continued to berate him for several seconds before picking him up and taking him to wash his eyes out from the pepper spray.

Prosecutors argued that Alexander meant to hurt the detainee because he was angry and wanted to retaliate against him. Alexander said he was just trying to follow department protocols and control the situation.

My entire intention, Alexander said, was to get him the detox help he requested.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 20. The Chairman of the State Customs Service, Almaz Saliev, and the Presidential Representative in the Osh region, Elchibek Dzhantaev, discussed the opening of the Intymak border checkpoint with Uzbekistan, Trend reports.

The sides supported the proposal to develop modern infrastructure for the Intymak checkpoint, including temporary storage areas and an electronic queue system. An agreement was reached to allocate land for these purposes.

Furthermore, alternative routes between the Irkeshtam and Intymak checkpoints were discussed to reduce travel distance and time, as well as to ease the load on the Irkeshtam-Osh road and the Dostuk border crossing.

Saliev also met with the personnel of the Batken Customs office, thanking them for their service in this strategically important region. To improve operational efficiency, he handed over the keys to a new Nissan service minibus to the customs team.
OLIVETTE  When the Animal Protective Association last summer pulled out of a contract with St. Louis County three years early, the organization said it had fulfilled its mission at the county animal shelter and wanted to focus its resources elsewhere.

But records show its departure also stemmed from expenses  specifically, the county rejecting invoices from the APA for items such as meals, team outings and dog training.

Neither the APA nor the county publicly acknowledged the disagreements over expenses until this week, after questions from the Post-Dispatch, which reviewed invoices and emails.

Starting in 2022, the county paid monthly invoices from the APA for supplies, veterinary care and payroll as part of a contract worth $3.2 million per year.

But in spring 2024, the county suddenly began denying some expenses. They included items such as gifts for staff appreciation, flowers, catering for parties and travel for conferences. In all, the county rejected about $99,000 in expenses in the second half of 2024, county records show. The APA expects that amount will rise after its January and February invoices are reviewed.

The head of the countys health department, Dr. Kanika Cunningham, decided those expenses were not covered under the contract, said spokeswoman Sara Dayley.

Elizabeth Eisele, a spokeswoman for County Executive Sam Page, said the expenses were reasonable but agreed they were not covered under the contract.

We want to be good stewards of taxpayer money, Eisele said.

But the APA believed those costs were covered by the agreement, which included money for volunteer programs and staff development, said CEO Sarah Javier. Staff appreciation and training are essential to retaining employees with challenging jobs, she said. It can be hard to find people for work that can be physically taxing and may include seeing animals die.

We have a compassionate and dedicated team to do this work, Javier said. We want them to feel appreciated and valued, and we have done this for years.

Javier confirmed that the expense disagreements contributed to the APAs contract termination, though she added that the organization also wants to focus on expanding its operations in North County. The APA plans to announce its expansion plans in coming months.

As we explore what our next steps are, we anticipate continued partnership with St. Louis County because we will be serving residents in that community, Javier said.

Expenses questioned

The APA, a nonprofit organization, runs a shelter in Brentwood. In December 2022, it contracted with St. Louis County to also run the countys animal shelter in Olivette, which had long been beset by euthanasia scandals, overpopulation, poor conditions and other problems. Under the agreement, the APA would pay for expenses up front and then invoice the county for reimbursement.

The APA was lauded for its work. It cleaned up the shelter, leveraged its volunteer and foster programs to improve animal wellbeing, and increased adoptions.

The APA began submitting invoices to the county in fall 2022, and only a few were questioned initially. In January 2023, for example, the county asked the APA about spending $140 for a happy hour with county staff at Chevys Mexican restaurant. The county doesnt allow taxpayer money to be spent on alcohol, according to emails between APA and county staff. The APA agreed to cover the expense.

Throughout 2023, the county paid for dozens of expenses that werent directly related to animal care: $100 for a gift card for a hospitalized APA employee; $39 for snacks for a Puppy Bowl party; $83 for cookies for Random Acts of Kindness Day; $386 for a massage recliner and side table with a charging station; $456 for T-shirts for volunteers; and $358 for a catered waffle breakfast to celebrate the APA being named a top workplace in the region.

Carole Baskin, director of the county health division responsible for the shelter, and Kate Donaldson, the deputy director, generally approved the monthly invoices, plus hundreds of thousands of dollars in operational costs, with few questions.

Then things changed last spring.

The invoice for April 2024, charging $261,990, wasnt approved quickly. Three months later, Cunningham, Baskins boss and the chief of the health department, approved paying about $255,700  roughly $6,300 less than what the APA requested. The invoice didnt indicate what costs were eliminated.

There are questions pending and APA is asking for a payout of the amount I approve, Cunningham wrote in a July 12 email to Mark Barry, the departments fiscal director.

It happened again for the May invoice. In July, Cunningham approved paying the APA $245,202 of the $271,441 invoiced  a difference of $26,239. The invoice shows the original amount crossed out in purple ink, with the new amount written beside it. The same thing happened for invoices dated June and July, and neither noted which costs werent covered.

Then, in August, the APA announced it would withdraw from the county contract three years before it was set to expire. Neither the APA nor the county publicly mentioned the expense disputes.

For every month from April through December 2024, invoices had outstanding balances ranging from $1,714 to $36,562. In all, the county did not pay more than $99,000 in submitted expenses.

At first, the monthly invoices showed totals that were crossed out, with the new and lower amounts written in.

Later in the year, starting in October, the county began crossing out line-item expenses it chose not to cover. They included a $10 gift card to Gioias Deli for a caregiver birthday; $188 in credit card processing fees; $59 for an APA staffers dinner at a conference; $750 in dog training fees; and $950 for a down payment for a holiday party at Dave & Busters.

Last month, an accountant questioned the health departments methods for altering the APA invoices. In an email dated Feb. 6, accountant Gregory Kremer said he was confused by the invoices. In one instance, the health department subtracted more from the invoice total than it crossed out. On another invoice, items were crossed out with no reduction to the total amount.

At the end of the day, I dont think it is good practice to adjust these invoices as we have been doing, Kremer wrote to a health department staffer. He suggested asking the APA for a revised invoice before paying. A week later, the health department fiscal director, Barry, reminded Cunningham and other department leaders to follow that practice.

Javier said the APA never received explanations for most of the rejected expenses.

On multiple occasions, we have requested information related to what items were not paid, why they were not paid and the total amount for the item that wasnt being paid, Javier said.

The APA handed shelter operations back to the county on Feb. 21.

Im confused

Last week, in a public hearing on various health department issues, St. Louis County Council members questioned Cunningham about the APAs departure.

Please tell me why we severed the relationship with the APA, Councilwoman Shalonda Webb asked.

Cunningham said the county was ready to take over operations and that the APA wanted to expand in North County.

Both teams were able to get to the point where we are, and it just made sense for us to separate ties, Cunningham said.

Councilman Mark Harder asked if the APA had another location lined up or how it planned to expand.

Im not sure of their operations and what their plan is to support North County, Cunningham responded.

Im confused, Harder said. If they didnt have a plan or a place to go to, why did they want to get out of this arrangement prematurely?

You would have to talk to them about their plans moving forward, Cunningham said.

The council chair, Rita Heard Days, asked if the health department had any kind of philosophical differences with the APA.

Yes, of course, Cunningham responded, pointing to the APAs role as an animal welfare organization and the countys obligation to fulfill a public health function.

We cant turn animals away  dogs, cats, roosters, servals. We cant turn any of that away, Cunningham said. We have a duty to serve St Louis County, all of St. Louis County, so there were some differences.

The topic of expenses never came up during the hearing.
ST. LOUIS  Dozens of U.S. Postal Service workers and supporters rallied in downtown St. Louis on Thursday against plans by President Donald Trump to cut thousands of workers and billions of dollars from the public services budget.

The protest came in response to plans by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to cut 10,000 workers, as well as comments by Trump that he could put the USPS under the control of the Commerce Department, in what would be an executive branch takeover.

The American Postal Workers Union, which represents about 1,500 local postal workers, said the cuts would undermine their workers rights and degrade mail delivery service across the country as part of an effort to ultimately privatize the historic public agency. USPS currently employs about 640,000 workers tasked with making deliveries from inner cities to rural areas and even far-flung islands.

The Postal Service has been around for 250 years, and we deliver to everyone with an address, Bill Brady, president of the St. Louis Gateway chapter of the APWU, said outside the regions main post office in downtown St. Louis. If they privatize the service, they will only deliver mail when it is profitable.

The protests are the latest in a series of local demonstrations in recent weeks against unprecedented cuts to federal public services by Trump, his billionaire advisor Elon Musk, and Musks task force, the Department of Government Efficiency. The Trump administration has said the cuts by DOGE are aimed at trimming government spending. But they have included the sudden dismissal of thousands of probationary employees, suspension of federal funding for research and welfare programs, and plans to fire tens of thousands more workers at several agencies.

Hundreds of researchers, doctors and students recently protested near Barnes-Jewish Hospital against Trump cuts to public funding for scientific and medical research. More than 200 federal workers with the AFGE and their supporters rallied in Florissant against planned mass layoffs they said would hurt public services and violate their workers rights. And last week, about 300 U.S. military veterans and supporters rallied outside the John J. Cochran Hospital in north St. Louis against a planned mass layoff of employees in the Veteran Affairs administration, which provides health care and other services to millions of military veterans.

The protest Thursday was visited by local Democratic politicians, including Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and Comptroller Darlene Green. The National Association of Letter Carriers, which represents about 1,600 local mail carriers, plans to hold another rally Sunday to protest against cuts to the USPS, said John McLaughlin president of the NALC St. Louis Branch 343.

The USPS in recent years has faced complaints over rate hikes and service delays amid challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, surges in mail-in election ballots and efforts by DeJoy to stem losses through cost and service cuts. DeJoy, a Republican donor who owned a logistics business, was appointed to lead USPS during Trumps first term in 2020. The agency cut 30,000 workers in 2021.

DeJoy now said the agency will cut 10,000 employees in the next 30 days through a voluntary early retirement program.

Robbie Robertson, an IT worker in the USPS for 17 years, said such cuts under DeJoy were to blame for mail delays in recent years. She said the agency needs more public support to retain workers and improve its services.

This is the peoples post office, Robertson, of west St. Louis County, said in an interview. It belongs to the community. It does not belong to the billioniares.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Photos: United States Postal Service workers hold protest over fears of privatization
ST. LOUIS  St. Louis officials will spend up to $125,000 for security for downtowns beleaguered Railway Exchange Building.

The board of the St. Louis Development Corp., the citys economic development agency, on Thursday approved the funding. The money will pay February and March invoices from security firm Citizens Investigation.

The company has provided 24/7 security since June, and SLDC officials say that has been key for reducing break-ins and other criminal activity at the building, at Sixth and Olive streets.

Its not quite 100% eliminated, but were working on that, said Neal Richardson, CEO of SLDC. We dont need a lapse in security or stabilization at this site.

The city has spent more than $500,000 in securing the vacant Railway Exchange, a historic, 21-story building that long served as the headquarters for May Department Stores. It has been vacant since 2014.

The building and its adjacent garage were targets for thieves and other criminal activity. Its absentee owner, Hudson Holdings of Florida, rarely hired security.

But the threat to public safety escalated: City officials condemned the building and are trying to seize the building through the courts.

SLDC officials said Thursday they anticipate security costs will go down because several security cameras were installed.
Questions are mounting in Canada and in Europe over whether big-ticket purchases of U.S. weaponry, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, are still a wise strategic choice for Western countries worried about their investment in U.S. defense technology.

In less than two months, U.S. President Donald Trump upended decades of foreign policy. He left NATO members questioning whether Washington will honor the alliance's defense commitment if Russia attacks other European countries. He also made overtures to Moscow and suspended most U.S. foreign aid.

That could impact foreign sales of the Lockheed Martin-produced F-35 and other advanced U.S. jets. As Russia's war in Ukraine grinds on, Eastern European NATO members still have vast stores of Soviet-era weapons in their stockpiles that weren't interoperable with Western weaponry.

A long-term plan to get all of NATO on similar platforms  by replacing old Soviet-era jets with Western ones, particularly the F-16 and in some cases, the F-35  gained momentum.

Some of the NATO countries are now rethinking tying their defense to U.S.-made systems and potentially considering European jets.

The European Union recently announced a new drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defense equipment in Europe. In recent years, the EU's 27 nations placed about two-thirds of their orders with U.S. defense companies.

Angering a partner

In Canada, where Trump launched a trade war and threatened economic coercion to make it the 51st American state, new Prime Minister Mark Carney asked Defense Minister Bill Blair to review its purchase of F-35s. Canada was a partner with the U.S. in developing the fighter.

Blair will see if there are other options "given the changing environment," a defense spokesman said.

Carney since announced an early warning radar system purchase from Australia worth $4.2 billion. Officials say it will have a smaller footprint than a similar U.S. system.

In Portugal, the outgoing defense minister told a Portuguese newspaper that "recent positions" taken by Washington compelled a rethink about the purchase of F-35s. Portugal is considering various options to replace its F-16s.

"You're not just buying an airplane, you're buying a relationship with the United States," said Winslow T. Wheeler, who spent three decades in Congress working for Democrats and Republicans on national security and defense issues. "People in the past have not just welcomed, but craved that kind of relationship."

The Netherlands and Norway, on the other hand, recently voiced support for the F-35 program.

F-35 'kill switch'?

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was designed to combine stealth, maneuverability and attack capabilities in a single aircraft. Each jet costs about $85 million, and the price jumps to as high as $150 million when supporting infrastructure and spare parts are included.

About 1,100 were produced to date for 16 military services across the globe.

The F-35B, which can take off from ship decks vertically, is the latest model. It's the most expensive weapons system the U.S. ever produced, with estimated lifetime costs now expected to top $1.7 trillion. One way the program was counting on reducing those costs was by selling more aircraft to international customers.

The Trump administration's recent stance on the Russia-Ukraine war fueled fears that Washington may have ways to coerce buyers in a future fight  such as by embedding a hypothetical "kill switch" in the F-35's programming.

The Pentagon's F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office vehemently rejected that notion. "There is no kill switch," it said.

The F-35 requires constant U.S.-controlled tech upgrades to operate in combat. If a relationship with the U.S. soured and updates were delayed, it could make a jet  or even a fleet  inoperable, Wheeler said.

Lockheed Martin said it delivers "all system infrastructure and data required for all F-35 customers to sustain the aircraft."

European jets

The Swedish-made Saab Gripen is used by the militaries of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa, Brazil and Thailand. Conventional defense industry wisdom says it's significantly cheaper than the F-35, Wheeler said.

The Eurofighter Typhoon, part of the British, German, Spanish and Italian forces, is manufactured by a consortium of defense companies: Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.

The French-built Dassault Rafale twin-jet fighter is used by some branches of France's armed forces. The governments of Egypt, India, Qatar, Greece, Croatia, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Indonesia signed contracts for Rafales.

All three could see an increase in sales if other countries decide to forgo their F-35 purchases, but none has the F-35's stealth capabilities.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  Israel said Wednesday its troops retook part of a corridor that bisects Gaza, and its defense minister warned that attacks would intensify until Hamas frees dozens of hostages and gives up control of the territory.

The military said it had retaken part of the Netzarim Corridor that divides northern Gaza from the south, and from where it had previously withdrawn as part of a ceasefire that began in January. That truce was shattered Tuesday by Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The advances on the ground by Israel on Wednesday  which included sending more troops to southern Gaza  threatened to drag the sides into all-out war again. The ceasefire had given war-weary Palestinians some respite, allowed a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza  and led to the release of dozens of hostages who had been held for more than 15 months.

Within Israel, the resumption of airstrikes and ground maneuvers has raised concerns about the fate of roughly two dozen hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive. Thousands of Israelis took part in anti-government demonstrations in Jerusalem, with many calling for a deal to bring the captives home.

A Hamas spokesman, Abdel-Latif al-Qanou, said the moves by ground forces in Gaza was a clear sign that Israel had backed out of the truce and was reimposing a blockade. There have been no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas since Tuesdays bombardment.

Also Wednesday, the United Nations said one of its employees was killed in Gaza and five others were wounded in an apparent strike on a guesthouse. It was not immediately clear who was behind the strike, the U.N. said.

Israel launches limited ground operations in Gaza

The military said its limited ground operation in Gaza would create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.

It wasnt immediately clear whether the move would entirely block Palestinians from traveling north or south through the Netzarim Corridor.

Israel used the roughly 4-mile (6-kilometer) corridor as a military zone during the war. It ran from the Israeli border to the coast, just south of Gaza City, the territorys largest metropolitan area.

Israel said airstrikes on Wednesday hit dozens of militants and militant sites, including the command center of a Hamas battalion. It denied Palestinian claims that it hit the U.N. guesthouse.

Fares Awad, an official in the Gaza Health Ministry, said an Israeli strike on a gathering of mourners in the northern town of Beit Lahiya killed 17 and wounded 30. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

Israel says it will order new evacuations for Palestinians in Gaza soon

Until Israel withdrew from Netzarim in January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had fled northern Gaza for the south were prevented from returning throughout the war. Many of them have since returned.

But Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, said the military would soon order Palestinians to evacuate from combat zones.

Katz said Tuesdays aerial bombardment was just the first step in Israels plan to ratchet up the pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages and give up control of Gaza. Until it does, Israel will attack with an intensity that you have not known.

A UN worker is killed in a strike

Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services, declined to say who carried out the strike in the central city of Deir al-Balah. He said the blast was not accidental or related to demining activity.

He did not provide the nationalities of those killed and wounded.

Moreira da Silva said strikes had hit near the compound on Monday and struck it directly on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike. Israel knew this was a U.N. premise, that people were living, staying and working there, he said.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, said the explosion was not caused by Israeli fire.

After the strike Wednesday, the wounded were rushed to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central city of Deir al-Balah. One man was carried inside on a blanket held up by medical workers. Another lay on a hospital bed, his knee bandaged.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in Israels new offensive

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 436 people, including 183 children and 94 women, have been killed since Israel launched the strikes early Tuesday. It said another 678 people have been wounded.

The military says it only strikes militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas.

The war has killed nearly 49,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced 90% of Gazas population. The Health Ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and militants but says over half of the dead have been women and children.

The war erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefires or other deals; 59 hostages remain, and more than half are believed to be dead.

Israelis protest against their government

Before this weeks attacks, Israel and Hamas were set to negotiate an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which lasted six weeks.

But those talk never got off the ground. Hamas has demanded that Israel stick to the terms of the initial ceasefire deal, including a full withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel, which has vowed to defeat Hamas, has put forward a new proposal that would extend the truce and free more hostages held by Hamas, without a commitment to end the war.

The breakdown of the ceasefire was met with anger in Israel, where many support the plight of the hostage families to free their loved ones.

Israels return to a military campaign came as Netanyahu faces mounting domestic pressure, with mass protests taking place over his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the head of Israels internal security agency. Demonstrators massed around Israels parliament on Wednesday and later marched near Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem, where police sprayed water to try to clear them.

Frankel reported from Jerusalem and Magdy from Cairo.
DEIR-AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  Israeli strikes killed at least 85 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip overnight and into Thursday, according to local health officials. Hours later, Hamas fired three rockets at Israel without causing casualties, in the first such attack since Israel broke their ceasefire.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering the truce that had facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages and brought relative calm since late January. Israeli bombardments in the past three days have killed at least 592 people, said Zaher al-Waheidi, the head of the records department at the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Israeli military said it was again enforcing a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City. Palestinians were not being ordered to leave northern Gaza but can no longer enter, the military said, and are only allowed to move south on foot using the coastal road. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had returned to what remains of their homes in the north during the ceasefire.

Early Friday, Israels Cabinet unanimously approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus request to fire the head of the countrys Shin Bet internal security service. The late-night decision to sack Ronen Bar deepens a power struggle focused largely over who bears responsibility for the Hamas attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

It also could set the stage for a crisis over the countrys division of powers. Israels attorney general has ruled that the Cabinet has no legal basis to dismiss Bar.

Israeli ground forces, meanwhile, are pushing into Gaza near the northern town of Beit Lahiya and the southern border city of Rafah, the military said Thursday. The operations come a day after Israel moved to split Gaza in two by retaking part of the strategic Netzarim corridor that divides Gaza's north from south.

The military ordered Palestinians to evacuate an area in central Gaza near the city of Khan Younis, saying it would operate there in response to Thursdays rocket fire from Hamas. The Palestinian militant group said it targeted Tel Aviv. One rocket was intercepted and two fell in open areas, according to the army.

Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels also launched two missiles at Israel, one early Thursday morning and another in the evening, the military said. Both were intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace, according to the army, and no injuries were reported. Air raid sirens rang out and exploding interceptor rockets were heard in Jerusalem. There have been three such attacks since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis earlier this week.

A bloody night for hard-hit Gaza

Gazas Health Ministry said overnight Israeli strikes killed at least 85 people, mostly women and children. The ministry's records do not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The Indonesian Hospital said it received 19 bodies after strikes in Beit Lahiya, near Gaza's northern border, which was heavily destroyed and largely depopulated earlier in the war.

It was a bloody night for the people of Beit Lahiya, said Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministrys emergency service in northern Gaza, adding that rescuers were still searching the rubble. The situation is catastrophic.

Israels military said Thursday its airstrikes in Gaza had killed the head of Hamas internal security apparatus and two other militant commanders. Israel has said it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas. A United Nations-backed group of human rights experts accused Israel last week of disproportionate violence against women and children during the war in Gaza.

One of the strikes early Thursday hit the Abu Daqa familys home in Abasan al-Kabira, a village outside Khan Younis near the border with Israel. It was in an area the Israeli military ordered evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

The strike killed at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead. Those killed included a father and his seven children, as well as the parents and brother of a month-old baby who survived along with her grandparents.

Another tough night, said Hani Awad, who was helping rescuers search for more survivors in the rubble. The house collapsed over the peoples heads.

War in Gaza has no end in sight

U.S. President Donald Trumps administration reiterated its support for Israel, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying, The president made it very clear to Hamas that if they did not release all of the hostages there would be all hell to pay.

Israel, which cut off the supply of food, fuel and humanitarian aid to Gaza's roughly 2 million Palestinians, has vowed to intensify its operations until Hamas releases the 59 hostages it holds  24 of whom are believed alive  and gives up control of the territory.

Hamas says it will only release the remaining hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as called for in the ceasefire agreement mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.

Hamas says it's willing to hand over power to the Western-backed Palestinian Authority or a committee of political independents but will not lay down its arms until Israel ends its decades-long occupation of lands the Palestinians want for a future state.

Shin Bet chief's dismissal deepens Israeli political turmoil

Netanyahu said Sunday he would seek Bars dismissal, saying he had lost faith in his security chief.

But critics say the move is a power grab by Netanyahu against an independent-minded civil servant.

Tens of thousands of Israelis have demonstrated across the country in recent days in support of Bar, including a mass gathering outside Netanyahus office late Thursday in the pouring rain.

A Shin Bet report into the Oct. 7 attack acknowledged failures by the security agency. But it also said that policies by Netanyahus government created the conditions for the attack.

Netanyahu is also upset that the Shin Bet has launched an investigation into connections between some of his close aides and the Gulf state of Qatar. His office said Bar's dismissal would take effect on April 10 or before then if a replacement is found.

Bar did not attend the meeting but sent a letter to the Cabinet ahead of time protesting the firing.

He said the dismissal was meant to hinder the agency from further investigating the failures of Oct. 7 and undermining the investigation into whether Qatar influenced the prime ministers office.

This is a direct danger to the security of the state of Israel, Bar wrote.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage. Most of the hostages have been freed in ceasefire agreements or other deals. Israeli forces have rescued eight living hostages and recovered the bodies of dozens more.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were militants, but says more than half of those killed were women and children. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.

The war at its height displaced around 90% of Gaza's population and has caused vast destruction across the territory.

Magdy reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed.
I'm glad Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is standing up to his own Republican Party in support of Medicaid ("Hawley keeps courting working-class voters in effort to reorient the GOP," March 12). Other Missouri elected officials should take note.

To truly care for the health of low-income Americans, I suggest Sen. Hawley also advocate for the protection of full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Access to medical care is critical for the health of the most vulnerable people in our country, and so is access to food.

Medicaid and SNAP play a critical role in helping tens of millions of Americans access health care and food. Most of the recipients are children, families, seniors and people with disabilities. In many cases, Medicaid and SNAP are their only options to see a doctor or afford groceries, especially in rural areas.

Helping low-income folks should not be a partisan issue. I urge all members of Congress of any party to protect our nations safety net programs for those who need them the most.

Cynthia Changyit Levin

Town and Country
Cadets assemble at the U.S. Air Force Academy's Acceptance Day parade, which celebrates the completion of basic cadet training, in August 2024. The academy is one of the bases where a team will visit to check on compliance with executive orders related to diversity initiatives. (Dylan Smith/U.S. Air Force)



Small teams are scheduled to fan out to nine Air Force and Space Force installations by the end of March to review compliance with executive orders related to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, service officials said this week.

The upcoming visits, scheduled through March 28, include U.S. locations only and were characterized as tentative. The U.S. Air Force Academy and the Special Operations Command will be evaluated, as will a handful of installations dedicated to training, recruiting and personnel administration.

Air Force officials at the Pentagon on Thursday did not say whether the visits would eventually expand overseas.

Teams of about five people will ensure diversity, inclusion and gender ideology are eliminated from all training and instruction, as well as from boards, councils and working groups, according to an Air Force statement.

Leaders with expertise in curriculum and promotion boards, among other areas, will be included on the teams, the service said. Theyll review documents and programs, speak with service members and civilians, and audit classrooms.

The review stems from an executive order aimed at abolishing diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives in the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth established a Restoring Americas Fighting Force task force on Jan. 29 charged with overseeing the departments efforts to comply with the presidents orders.

We will focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness, Hegseth said in establishing the task force. Providing service members an equal opportunity to excel will help us remain the strongest and most lethal fighting force the world has ever known.

The DOD task force directs priorities for compliance with the executive order, and those are the areas which the Air Force teams will look at during their visits, the service statement said.

Those goals include eliminating sex, race or ethnicity when considering personnel for promotion, command or special duty; and for use in setting goals or quotas in organizational composition, academic admission or career fields.

Training and academy instructors are prohibited from teaching or using curriculum with critical race theory, gender ideology and DEI.

The bases slated for review are: Peterson Space Force Base, the Air Force Academy and Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado; Randolph Air Force Base and Joint Base San Antonio in Texas; Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.; Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Fla.; Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.; and Robins Air Force Base, Ga.

The task force, which is directing the closure of DEI offices across the Pentagon and military services, has to provide a final report no later than June 1, DOD officials said.
Cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst participate in a live-fire platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday as part of the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory. The attack was supported by U.S. soldiers providing suppressing fire from a mounted .50-caliber machine gun. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



GRAFENWOEHR, Germany  U.S. soldiers provided direct fire support for British officer cadets during a live-fire exercise for the first time at Grafenwoehrs sprawling Army range on Wednesday, delivering suppressive rounds from a Humvee-mounted .50-caliber machine gun.

The firepower-enhanced Dynamic Victory is the final event for Royal Military Academy Sandhurst cadets before they commission as officers. The exercise, held in the hilly Bavarian terrain, tested their ability to conduct a platoon attack under realistic combat conditions.

Hearing (the machine gun) come overhead was pretty intense (and) made everything a little bit more real  so having that as an asset is super important and it makes everything  way better, said Officer Cadet Fergus Ruart of the academys 16th Platoon, E Company.

Cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst conduct live-fire platoon attacks at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday as part of the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory. This culminating exercise marks the final event before the cadets can earn their commissions. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet with Royal Military Academy Sandhurst prepares for a live-fire platoon attack as part of exercise Dynamic Victory at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday. This event is the first phase of the exercise, which is a culmination of their 44 weeks of training before the they can commission into the British army. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A Royal Military Academy Sandhurst cadet prepares for a live-fire platoon attack as part of exercise Dynamic Victory at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday. This event is the first phase of the exercise, which is a culmination of their 44 weeks of training before the they can commission. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



The collaboration marked a rare opportunity for Sandhurst cadets to train with international forces, said Maj. Neil Guerin, a senior planning officer with the academy. He added that the academy hopes for similar partnerships in future classes.

Its hugely important to train jointly out here in Grafenwoehr, Guerin said. There is plenty of experience and history of combined arms maneuver, not just within our own army  but also joint combined arms maneuver on operations with other nations.

A cadet from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst runs to the firing line during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday. The attack was supported by U.S. soldiers providing suppressing fire from a mounted .50-caliber machine gun. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst fires a machine gun during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday. The event marked the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory, the academy's culminating event for the cadets before they can commission into the British army. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst collects his remaining machine gun rounds during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday. The event, part of exercise Dynamic Victory, is the first phase before the cadets move to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst takes cover in a trench during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday as part of the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory. This exercise marks the final event before the cadets can commission into the British army. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

A cadet from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst takes cover in a trench during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday as part of the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory. This exercise marks the final event before the cadets can commission into the British army. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)

Cadets from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst take cover in a trench during a platoon attack at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on Wednesday as part of the first phase of exercise Dynamic Victory. The attack was supported by U.S. soldiers providing suppressing fire from a mounted .50-caliber machine gun, which marked the first time American forces integrated with the cadets for joint combined arms maneuvers. (Lydia Gordon/Stars and Stripes)



The cadets will continue live-fire exercises at Grafenwoehr before moving south to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels for the second phase of the exercise. There, they will face simulated combat against opposing forces from the U.S. Armys 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment.
Photo: Cabinet of the Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 20. A roadmap for the development of cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and Belarus for 2025-2027 has been signed, Trend reports.

The document aimed at strengthening Kyrgyz-Belarusian cooperation was signed by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Food Industry Bakyt Torobayev, and Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Anatoly Sivak during a videoconference.

Torobayev and Sivak emphasized the significance of the document, which covers all areas of bilateral interaction.

The sides noted that the roadmap will primarily unlock untapped potential in trade, industrial cooperation, agriculture, and the transport and logistics sector.

Furthermore, relevant government bodies in both Kyrgyzstan and Belarus have been tasked with ensuring the timely and effective implementation of the roadmap to further advance bilateral cooperation.
U.S Coast Guard officers set up pallets at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale that are part of 45,600 pounds of cocaine worth more than $517.5 million, confiscated during 14 interdictions by the U.S. Coast Guard. The agency held a press conference at Port Everglades on Thursday March 20, 2024. (Pedro Portal, Miami Herald via TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem took a trip to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday where a U.S Coast Guard cutter crew offloaded more than 45,000 pounds of cocaine, the largest amount seized during a single deployment.

In addition to the cocaine  roughly $515.5 million in street value, the Coast Guard said  the agency seized 50 pounds of marijuana during 14 interdictions by the crews of the U.S. Coast Guard cutters Stone and Mohawk in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

The cocaine amounts to roughly 20 metric tons, or equivalent to about 17 million doses, said Joint Interagency Task Force Deputy Director Rear Adm. Joshua Lasky.

Today is a historic day here at Port Everglades, Noem told reporters standing before the cutter Stone. Fewer families are going to be torn apart by addiction, that fewer lives are going to be lost to overdoses and that communities will be safer.

Secretary Noem declined to answer any questions related to immigration issues under the Trump administration.

Acting Commandant of the U.S Coast Guard Adm. Kevin Lunday said the Coast Guards work starts at the southern border with Mexico.

We are ensuring 100% operational control of the border, Lunday said. Our message to these cartels is this: We own the sea, not you.

Capt. Jonathan Carter, commanding officer of the Stone, highlighted his crews accomplishments.

In one exceptional case, the crew interdicted four narco-trafficking vessels in just 15 minutes, seizing nearly 11,000 pounds of cocaine, he said.

Ethan Di Egidio, who spent four months aboard the Stone, served as a boarding officer and Spanish interpreter, speaking with Spanish-speaking suspected drug smugglers. He said around 35 suspected smugglers were apprehended during the deployment.

We refer to ourselves as the Stone family, and I truly believe that we lift each other up, support each other and take care of each other, Di Egidio said. Thats what allows us to operate at such a high level and at such a fast pace for so long.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives for a press conference held at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, to discuss the confiscation of over 45,600 pounds of drugs worth more than $517.5 million, during 14 interdictions during 14 interdictions by the U.S. Coast Guard cutters Stone and Mohawk on Thursday March 20, 2024. (Pedro Portal, Miami Herald via TNS)

View of pallets part of 45,600 pounds of drugs worth more than $517.5 million Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday March 20, 2024. (Pedro Portal, Miami Herald via TNS)

U.S Coast Guard officers offload pallets at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, on Thursday March 20, 2024. (Pedro Portal, Miami Herald via TNS)



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U.S. Coast Guard members watch as the Cutter Munro returns to Alameda, Calif., on Nov. 25, 2024. The Munro deployed for two months on a counter-drug patrol in international waters off the coasts of Central and South America in the eastern Pacific Ocean. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Danish Khan/U.S. Coast Guard photo )



WASHINGTON  Coast Guard members who are a few years short of eligibility for retirement benefits would have their jobs protected under a new House bill introduced this week.

The legislation aims to ensure retirement parity between the Coast Guard, which operates under the Department of Homeland Security, and the rest of the armed forces, which operate under the Department of Defense.

Unlike other service members, members of the Coast Guard can be forced to leave the service a couple years shy of qualifying for retirement at 20 years of service if their enlistment expires and they are denied reenlistment.

The Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force and Air Force will retain enlisted members that have served a minimum of 18 years in such cases to ensure they can retire with full military benefits once they reach a 20-year retirement.

This is about fairness, recognizing the sacrifices of our Coast Guard and ensuring these service members are not forced out just before reaching retirement eligibility, said Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who introduced the legislation.

The bill requires the Coast Guard to keep enlisted members whose term of enlistment has expired and who are denied reinstatement if they are within two years of retirement. Kiggans, a Navy veteran, said the proposal would strengthen retention, morale and fairness.

Coast Guard members who are discharged from service for legal reasons would not be eligible for retainment under the legislation.

Several military and veterans organizations have praised the bill as a long overdue step toward correcting inequalities faced by Coast Guard members compared to other service members.

The legislation aligns their protections with other military branches, John Vick, the executive director of the nonprofit group Concerned Veterans for America, said in a statement. It guarantees them the same retirement for the same service.

Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, a co-sponsor of the bill, said it would allow Coast Guard members to fairly advocate for themselves, just as their fellow service members in the other service branches.

Every day, the Coast Guard stands ready to defend our country and assist mariners in need, and we must never forget to take care of them, too, she said.
U.S. Army soldiers from the East Africa Response Force participate in a readiness exercise in Libreville, Gabon, in September 2024. (Mark Davis/U.S. Army)



STUTTGART, Germany  U.S. Africa Command was in the political crosshairs even before it stood up 18 years ago in Germanys automotive capital.

From the outset, putting a four-star military headquarters focused on Africa in the hometown of Mercedes Benz and Porsche perplexed Stuttgart residents and outsiders alike.

Why isnt AFRICOM in Africa? Thats a question that has dogged the command since the beginning. Now, the Pentagon is asking whether AFRICOM should even exist on its own.

Republican lawmakers this week raised alarms about a reported Pentagon proposal to merge AFRICOM into the crosstown headquarters of U.S. European Command, among other high-level reorganizations.

However, the debate over combining high military commands is hardly new. Such concepts have been percolating among lawmakers, military officials and security analysts for years.

Back in 2015, former Sen. John McCain brought the idea up during a Senate hearing focused on streamlining the combatant command structure.

Retired Adm. James Stavridis, who served as the head of the Stuttgart-based EUCOM from 2009-2013, endorsed a consolidation of the two headquarters during testimony.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth talks to members of U.S. Africa Command at a town hall meeting in Stuttgart, Germany, Feb. 11, 2025. Some believe that AFRICOM should merge with U.S. European Command, also headquartered in the German city. Hegseth has said trimming military headquarters and reducing the number of four-star generals offer potential savings. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)



Such a move would mean returning responsibility for Africa back to EUCOM, where it had been prior to the inception of AFRICOM in 2007.

AFRICOM was a good experiment, but I think it is time to admit merging it back together, Stavridis said at the time, adding that a similar merger should be made between U.S. Southern and Northern commands.

Stavridis has shifted his position as the missions have expanded. On Tuesday, he told NBC News that consolidating EUCOM and AFRICOM would create a command too large for any single person to manage realistically.

Defense Priorities, a think tank that now has multiple associates serving in the Trump administration, has recommended a merger.

A subcommand under EUCOM should be sufficient to achieve U.S. aims in Africa, where there are limited U.S. military interests, Defense Priorities said in an October report dubbed Rethinking Africa Command.

The report argued that a three-star subcommand within EUCOM could handle Africa issues.

The unique relationship between AFRICOM and EUCOM  through which most of their component commands are shared  should enable a smooth transition from the current command arrangement to the proposed three-star subcommand, the report said.

AFRICOM backers, however, are likely to counter that the continents size, fast-growing population and increased competition with China for influence there merit a combatant command all its own.

AFRICOMs formation was a source of debate from the start, when former President George W. Bush announced it at the height of the Pentagons war on terrorism.

At the time, critics of the AFRICOM plan warned that the bureaucrat weight of a new four-star headquarters risked overmilitarizing the U.S. approach to foreign policy in Africa.

Ghana armed forces Capt. Emmanuel Oti Boateng and U.S. Army Spc. Danielle Soberanis assess a simulated casualty during an exercise at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy, Jan. 15, 2025. There is a Pentagon proposal to place U.S. Africa Command back under U.S. European Command, CNN reported this week. (Katherine Sibilla/U.S. Army)



The Pentagon sought to ease such concerns. AFRICOM was presented as a new kind of combatant command, one focused on soft power and distinct from the muscular Central Command approach.

Over the years, though, AFRICOMs effort to train militaries to handle their own counterterrorism operations morphed into something more robust.

High-profile incidents, such as the 2017 killing of four U.S. soldiers in Niger carrying out a counterterrorism mission and various other combat operations in Somalia, hardened AFRICOMs image.

All the while, questions about AFRICOMs position in Stuttgart persisted.

With Africa long off the table as a possible headquarters location, there was a push from various U.S. senators to get AFRICOM moved to their states in hopes of bringing jobs to their constituents.

Such ideas were bandied about for years but never came to fruition.

However, during President Donald Trumps first term, he ordered AFRICOM to look for alternative locations outside of Germany.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, has said trimming military headquarters and reducing the number of four-star generals offer potential savings.

CNN, in a report Wednesday, cited a Pentagon planning document that said the military could save around $330 million over five years through EUCOM-AFRICOM and NORTHCOM-SOUTHCOM consolidations.

The document acknowledged the changes could present a political risk and would increase the scope of control and operations for the combatant commander, CNN reported.
Experts say China's new bridge barges, seen here in an image circulating on Chinese social media, could play a key role an invasion of Taiwan. (Screenshot from X)



China has built at least six barges capable of forming a bridge hundreds of feet long, an ability that could play a key role in a potential invasion of Taiwan, according to defense experts.

The barges, first reported in January by Naval News citing undisclosed sources, are equipped with hydraulic pylons that allow them to rise out of the water.

Their ability to connect and form a bridge could enable China to move large numbers of troops or vehicles over unconventional terrain, including coastal roads or sea walls, according to naval analyst Thomas Shugart.

I did not see these things coming  that they were going to build something quite like this, Shugart, a senior adjunct fellow at the Center for a New American Security, said by phone Tuesday.

Taiwans Ministry of National Defense confirmed Chinas development of the barges and said the ministry was working to gather intelligence about its functions and limits, spokesperson John Chun-En Wang said by email Tuesday.

Adm. John Aquilino, the former head of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, said in March 2024 that Chinese President Xi Jinping had ordered his military to be prepared for a Taiwan invasion by 2027. China considers Taiwan a breakaway province that must be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Shugart, a retired Navy captain, said the construction of the barges suggests Beijing is moving forward with that timeline. He added that Chinas massive shipbuilding capability could allow for the production of significantly more barges soon.

Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the barges address a major challenge for amphibious forces: quickly moving equipment from ships to shore.

Being able to drive directly onto the beach speeds up the flow of equipment and allows the force ashore to expand rapidly and defend itself, he said by email Tuesday. They might also allow an invasion force to use shoreline that is otherwise unsuitable.

Cancian noted that the barges could serve other purposes, such as delivering supplies to islands in the South China Sea.

However, their usefulness in an invasion stands out, he wrote.

Tzu-yun Su, director of Taiwans Institute for National Defense and Security Research, described the barges as very innovative but also fragile.

Taiwan has prepared for various scenarios, including amphibious landings, and has positioned heavy artillery inland to defend its beaches, he said by email Tuesday.

Photos and video of the barges have circulated on social media in recent days, including footage that appears to show China testing them on a beach.

Cancian said he could not confirm the videos authenticity but expressed confidence that the barges exist and that verified imagery would surface sooner or later.

Shugart said independent satellite images show an assembly of vessels consistent with the video on the coast of southern China near Zhanjiang.
More than 204, 300 people ascended Mount Fuji during the 2024 climbing season, according to Japan's Ministry of the Environment. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)



TOKYO  Hikers planning to summit Mount Fuji  Japans highest mountain and a popular bucket-list destination  will pay more to access its most-used trails this year as prefectural governments raise fees.

The Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly on Monday imposed a 4,000-yen (nearly $27) trailhead access fee for the first time on the mountains south side.

On March 3, Yamanashi prefecture, which manages the mountains north side, doubled its fee to 4,000 yen for the most popular route to the 12,388-foot summit.

U.S. service members, Defense Department civilian employees, contractors and their families may see higher prices for outdoor recreation programs run by U.S. military bases.

Due to the increased entrance fee, we will need to adjust the price, especially nonrefundable entry fees, Martin Trost, outdoor recreation supervisor at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, said in an email Wednesday. However, at this moment we do not have the actual price yet.

Last year, Yokota Outdoor Recreation increased its Mount Fuji trip fare by $20 to a total of $90.

At Camp Zama, headquarters of U.S. Army Japan, outdoor recreation prices for Fuji trips are unlikely to change.

New fees and restrictions aim to reduce congestion on Mount Fuji and highlight the risks associated with the climb. (Juan King/Stars and Stripes)



The program only provides a safety briefing, transportation, and a guide, but it does not affect the price; individuals go directly to the Mt. Fuji official website to pay the fee for the climb, Miho Overly, a Morale, Welfare and Recreation program assistant, said by phone Wednesday.

The climbing season on the active volcano, about 60 miles southwest of Tokyo, usually runs from July to early September. The official dates will be released in mid-June, according to the prefectures spokespeople.

Four trails lead to the summit: the Yoshida Trail in Yamanashi and the Subashiri, Gotemba and Fujinomiya trails in Shizuoka, according to the Japan Ministry of the Environment.

Last season, 204,316 people climbed Mount Fuji, with 55%  or 114,857 hikers  taking the Yoshida Trail, according to the ministry.

Shizuoka has also introduced a new requirement that climbers complete an online course covering rules, etiquette, hiking safety and environmental protection before attempting the summit.

Last year, Yamanashi limited the number of hikers on the Yoshida Trail to 4,000 per day and closed the 5th Station gate from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m., except for hikers with reservations at mountain huts. This year, hikers without hut reservations will be restricted from entering between 2 p.m. and 3 a.m.

The new fees and restrictions aim to reduce congestion on the mountain and highlight the risks associated with the climb.

In June, authorities found the bodies of three missing climbers inside Mount Fujis crater. That same day, professional climber Keita Kurakami, 38, lost consciousness around 10,000 feet on the Yoshida Trail and later died at a nearby hospital.
A Taiwanese navy vessel launches a U.S.-made Standard missile during an exercise near Taiwan in July 2022. (Sam Yeh, AFP/Getty Images/TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  2027 is the year China could be ready to invade Taiwan. And now the date enters an official document of the island. In July, as part of the exercises held every year, Taiwans military will simulate the islands defense against a possible Chinese attack in 2027, the Taipei Defense Ministry confirmed in a report to Parliament, stating that this years scenarios will be based on incursions related to a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2027.

The island, de facto independent, claims its democracy, but Beijing considers it a rebel province and wants reunification without excluding the use of force. The report states that the objective of the military exercises is to counter the grey zone tactics often employed by China, which involve an act of hostile interference but are not considered open conflict.

Commanders at all operational and tactical levels will plan scenarios and situations from a practical point of view based on possible enemy actions, the text explains. Taiwan wants to verify at all levels the ability of the troops to follow the plans and thus build a military force capable of reacting quickly.

Pending the Han Kuang exercises, scheduled for mid-July, Taiwans military is engaged in five days of maneuvers, launched on Monday and designed to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities. The maneuvers coincided with Taiwans confirmation yesterday that it had detected the presence of 59 Chinese military aircraft around the island in 24 hours. Never before have so many been reported since last October.

A warning to separatist and pro-independence forces, according to the Beijing Foreign Ministry. Its not necessarily as long as we thought the time it would take China to move from exercises to combat, warned Taiwans Defense Minister Wellington Koo. If you want peace, prepare for war, reads one of his ministrys latest posts on X.

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks to Air Force senior leaders during the Department of the Air Force Summit at Joint Base Andrews, Md., March 19, 2025. (Madelyn Keech/U.S. Air Force)



SEOUL, South Korea  Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to stop in South Korea during his upcoming Indo-Pacific trip, a South Korean defense official said this week, as the country remains in political turmoil following the impeachment of its president.

Hegseth will leave Seoul off his itinerary due to a scheduling adjustment by the United States, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Jeon Ha Gyu said at a press conference Monday.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense did not immediately respond to an email Wednesday evening in Washington, D.C., requesting details on Hegseths itinerary and the countries he plans to visit.

U.S. defense secretaries have traditionally visited Seoul as part of their early engagements in Asia. Lloyd Austin, Hegseths predecessor, made stops in Hawaii, Japan, South Korea and India during his first overseas trip in March 2021.

Hegseths first foreign trip as defense chief took him to Europe, where he visited U.S. troops in Germany and Poland and met with NATO leaders in Brussels. Since his confirmation in January, he has spoken separately with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, pledging to strengthen military ties.

South Korea has been navigating a political crisis since December, when President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached following a short-lived martial law attempt on Dec. 3 that led to the resignation of his national defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun.

Yoons position is now held in an acting capacity by Choi Sang-mok, the minister of economy and finance. Vice Minister of National Defense Kim Seon-ho is serving as acting defense minister.

South Koreas Constitutional Court concluded Yoons impeachment trial on Feb. 25 but has yet to issue a ruling. If the court upholds the impeachment, the country must hold a presidential election within 60 days; if the decision is overturned, Yoon will resume his term, which runs through May 2027.

The decision to exclude South Korea from Hegseths itinerary may have been intended to avoid placing diplomatic pressure on Seoul ahead of the ruling, said Park Jae Jeok, an associate professor at Yonsei University in Seoul.

Austin also skipped South Korea during his last trip to the Indo-Pacific, meeting with Japanese leaders on Dec. 8, five days after Yoons martial law declaration.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea concluded an 11-day, biannual military exercise on Thursday.

Freedom Shield, which took place across South Korea, was essential for enhancing deterrence against adversaries, Choi said in a speech in Seongnam, according to a U.S. Forces Korea news release.

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all service members for their unwavering commitment to their duties, he said.
The European Union is delaying its proposed 50% tariff on American whiskey until mid-April, aligning it with broader countermeasures against U.S. steel and aluminum duties. Shown here is Knob Creeks distillery in Clermont, Ky. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)



The European Union is delaying its proposed 50% tariff on American whiskey until mid-April, aligning it with broader countermeasures against U.S. steel and aluminum duties.

The shift in the timing of the levy, originally set to take effect April 1, allows for more talks with U.S. officials, a spokesperson for the European Commission said Thursday.

American distillers have been rushing to prepare for the EUs tariffs, including some companies ferrying as much product as possible to Europe, one of the industrys biggest export markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened a 200% tariff on all alcoholic products imported from the EU in response.

The EU continues to be ready to engage in constructive dialogue with the U.S., in order to seek a solution that avoids unnecessary harm to both economies, the spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

The delay gives U.S. distillers a glimmer of hope that a devastating 50% tariff on American whiskey can be averted, said Chris Swonger, chief executive officer of Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the industrys top lobbying group.

Over the past three years that these EU tariffs have been suspended, American Whiskey exports to the EU have soared, supporting jobs at U.S. distilleries as well as local farms, he said.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, March 20. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov opened new brick and coal enrichment factories in the Osh region during a working visit to the area, Trend reports via administration of the president.

The new factories were built as part of an investment project worth over $9 million and will provide 250 jobs for residents of the Kara-Suy district. The plants are set to produce 50 million bricks and 600,000 tons of coal products annually.

Zhaparov noted that attracting investments, including private and bank funds, strengthens trust in the governments economic policies and signals that Kyrgyzstan is open to new industries. He stressed that regional industrial development is a strategic priority for the country.

These projects are expected to enhance economic stability, reduce reliance on imported construction materials, and create opportunities for further growth. Zhaparov also encouraged other entrepreneurs to follow this example and contribute to the development of the industrial sector.

The president highlighted that, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Kara-Kyrgyz Autonomous Region, 100 large industrial enterprises were launched across the country last year. He emphasized that the goal is to create jobs annually and contribute to the countrys economic development.
Ukrainian soldiers with the 33rd Separate Mechanized Brigade get training incase of a gas attack during military training on March 13, 2025, in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. Ukraine has agreed to a US-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, with Russia yet to issue an official response. (Paula Bronstein, Getty Images via TNS)



(Tribune News Service)  Russia and Ukraine exchanged mass drone attacks overnight, even as the two countries declared theyre ready to observe a moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure sought by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Russia sent 171 explosive-laden Shahed drones toward Ukraine, up from 145 and 137 in the previous two days, the Ukrainian Air Force command reported Thursday.

Russian strikes on Ukraine do not stop, despite their propaganda claims, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media platform X. With each such launch, the Russians expose to the world their true attitude towards peace.

While air defenses intercepted most of the drones, 10 people were hurt and several buildings were damaged in the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, Ukraines State Emergency Service said on Telegram.

Russia downed 132 Ukrainian drones over six regions of the country, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said on Telegram. They included 54 drones that targeted the Saratov region and the Engels military base that the local governor described as the largest attack of the war so far.

The mutual drone assaults continued after the leaders of Ukraine and Russia said theyre willing to abide by a 30-day truce preventing strikes on each others power infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin spurned Trumps bid for a 30-day full ceasefire in his war on Ukraine during a phone call on Tuesday.

Zelenskyy agreed to a mutual halt to strikes on energy assets after a call with Trump the next day, calling it an initial step to ending the war started by Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022. The Ukrainian leader has repeatedly said U.S. involvement is needed to monitor the ceasefire effectively.

The latest attacks occurred just hours after Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff said in an interview with Bloomberg Television that the partial truce on strikes against energy had come into effect, hailing it as a breakthrough that could end Moscows global isolation.

Russia targeted Kropyvnytskyi with 21 drones in the largest such attack on the city since the war began, regional Governor Andriy Raikovych said on Telegram. The citys rail infrastructure was damaged, disrupting train services, Ukrainian Railways said on Telegram.

Thats what Putins ceasefire looks like, Andriy Yermak, the Ukrainian presidents top aide, said on Telegram.

The Engels military airbase has been a frequent target for Ukraine as it seeks to limit Russias ability to use aircraft to carry out attacks. The overnight strike by Ukrainian drones resulted in a fire and triggered explosions of ammunition stored at the site, the Ukrainian General Staff said on X.

The governor of Russias Saratov region said that at least two people had been hurt and about 30 buildings damaged during a drone attack. A fire at the airfield triggered evacuation of nearby residents, Roman Busargin said on Telegram.

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Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear complex, occupied by Russian forces, is seen from across the Dnieper River in August 2022. (Heidi Levine for The Washington Post)



As the United States tries to broker a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia this week, an unexpected idea has emerged in the talks: potential U.S. control of a key Ukrainian nuclear power plant on the front line of the war with Russia.

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed American ownership of nuclear power plants in Ukraine in a phone call on Wednesday, the White House said. Zelenskyy offered a somewhat different account Thursday: He said that only one nuclear power plant had been discussed - the sprawling Zaporizhzhia plant, which is occupied by Russian forces - and that U.S. ownership was not on the table.

President Trump asked me: What do you think about this plant? I told him that if it does not remain Ukrainian, it wont function for anyone, Zelenskyy said at a news conference in Oslo.

It is illegal. It simply wont work.

The idea that the United States might assume control, if not ownership, of nuclear power plants in a country at war might seem far-fetched. But under the Trump administration, the United States has shown a keen interest in Ukraines industrial assets. Trump is pushing for a trillion-dollar deal for U.S. access to Ukraines critical minerals.

Alex Riabchyn, a former deputy minister for energy in Ukraine, said nuclear power infrastructure was not included in previous talks about a deal for U.S. access to critical minerals, and had taken many in Kyiv by surprise.

But he emphasized that the future of the Zaporizhzhia plant is a key issue in peace negotiations. This is super important, not only for Ukraine but for the European Union, Riabchyn said. We used to sell a lot of electricity to the European Union, helping them to function and decarbonize.

In theory, at least, U.S. control of the Zaporizhzhia plant could benefit Kyiv. It could free a portion of Ukrainian land from Russian occupation and potentially ease some of the countrys energy concerns amid the ongoing war.

American ownership of [Ukrainian nuclear plants] would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House national security adviser Michael Waltz said in a statement after Trumps call with Zelenskyy on Wednesday.

Despite rejecting the idea of U.S. ownership of the Zaporizhzhia plant, Zelenskyy said he was open to working with the United States on the issue. The U.S. wants to take it back from the Russians and invest in its modernization. That is a separate issue - one that remains open for discussion, he said Thursday. We can talk about that.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is the largest in Europe. Since March 2022, it has been under Russian occupation and has not been operational. The International Atomic Energy Agency and Ukraine have repeatedly warned that its proximity to the front line poses the risk of a nuclear catastrophe.

Ukraine has particular experience with nuclear catastrophe. Parts of the country are still recovering from the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where a reactor melted down in 1986 in what was then the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The country continues to maintain an extensive network of nuclear energy stations because of concerns about reliance on Russian energy imports. Ukraines entire nuclear energy sector is state-owned under the company Energoatom, which has partnered with international firms, including the U.S. company Westinghouse, in recent years.

Dmitry Gorchakov, a nuclear adviser with the Bellona Environmental Transparency Center, said that the best option would be for Russian President Vladimir Putin to return the Zaporizhzhia plant to Ukraine, but that he was unlikely to do so as there was nothing to gain.

He may be willing to hand it over to the United States, especially since the plant uses a lot of Western and American equipment and systems, and four of the six power units were already converted from Russian fuel to Westinghouse fuel before the war, Gorchakov said.

It is not clear if Trump discussed Zaporizhzhia or any other nuclear power plants in Ukraine during a call with Putin on Tuesday. Neither the U.S. nor the Russian readout mentioned the issue. The White House and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

It was also not immediately clear how controlling or even owning the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant would benefit the United States. Russia has indicated it is planning to bring the plant back online, but Ukrainian nuclear experts have warned that such a move could prove dangerous.

All six of the plants nuclear reactors are in a cold shutdown, and the destruction of the Kakhovka dam has left it without enough water to cool the reactors when they operate. Ukrainian officials have said it would take years to restart the reactors.

Even if Zelenskyys government was interested in selling at least part of the nuclear power plant, it would require parliamentary approval because of its state ownership and the nuclear industrys reliance on classified information. This is a complicated issue, politically, said Riabchyn, the former Ukrainian official.
Gen. Michael Langley, head of U.S. Africa Command, greets Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Kelley Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany, on Feb. 11, 2025. (Jason Johnston/U.S. Africa Command)



The Republican chairmen of the Senate and House Armed Services committees pushed back Wednesday on the Pentagons reported plans to consolidate some of the nations combatant commands and cancel a plan to modernize the structure of U.S. Forces Japan.

[W]e will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress, Rep. Mike Rogers and Sen. Roger Wicker said in a news release Wednesday.

Citing a Pentagon briefing document and an unnamed defense official, CNN reported Wednesday that the Pentagon is considering plans to shrink the U.S. military by consolidating combatant commands, eliminating a directorate overseeing joint force development and training.

The plans would also cancel the restructuring of command and control of USFJ to better integrate with Japans Self-Defense Forces.

The Defense Department maintains 11 combatant commands, which are composed of units from two or more service branches and are focused either on geographical area, such as U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, or function, as does the U.S. Transportation Command.

The plans call for the merging of European Command and Africa Command into a single command based in Stuttgart, Germany, CNN reported.

Closer to home, Northern and Southern commands would be consolidated into an entity called AMERICOM, the report said.

Africa Command became fully operational in 2007 and was created in response to Americas growing interest in the continent as China made serious economic and diplomatic inroads there.

Northern Command focuses on homeland defense and collaboration with Canada and Mexico.

Southern Command centers on the Caribbean and Central and South America.

The Pentagon briefing document said consolidating the four commands could save about $330 million over five years, CNN reported.

Rogers and Wicker questioned whether such small savings  in a defense budget that runs about $800 billion each year  are worth the risk.

U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear, they said in the news release. Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim DoD is considering unilateral changes on major strategic issues, including significant reductions to U.S. forces stationed abroad, absent coordination with the White House and Congress.

Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with Americas adversaries, they wrote.

President Donald Trump has given Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, wide latitude in slashing personnel and spending throughout the federal government, including DOD.

At the DOD, weve been working hand-in-hand with the DOGE team, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a video posted March 3 on the departments website.

The Pentagon is aiming to slash 50,000 to 60,000 civilian jobs in an opening salvo of budget cutting.

Halting USFJs planned expansion with added personnel and upgrades to command and control could save about $1.1 billion, according to the Pentagon document cited by CNN. Late last year, the Army and USFJ surveyed potential sites in central Tokyo for expansion as part of the proposed restructuring, including the compound that includes Hardy Barracks and Akasaka Press Center, the home of Stars and Stripes Pacific.

During a July 28 news briefing in Tokyo, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin touted the plans as the most significant change to U.S. Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years.

The overhaul is intended to upgrade the U.S. Forces Japan to a joint force headquarters with expanded missions and operational responsibilities, Austin told reporters.
Afghan refugees temporary housing at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, shown in August 2021. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)



As an Army company commander in Afghanistan in 2013, Andrew Sullivan struck a special relationship with his translator  an experienced interpreter who had been supporting U.S. forces across the country for nearly a decade.

Having Ahmadi  an interpreter who Sullivan would only identify by his surname  by his side was like having a second company commander, during his time leading a rifle company from the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Divisions 3rd Brigade Combat Team. It marked Sullivans third combat rotation after previously serving in Iraq, he said.

The pair worked together masterfully and forged a friendship, which sparked Sullivan to help Ahmadi in his quest to secure a Special Immigrant Visa to the United States under a program for Afghan and Iraqi translators and interpreters who worked for the U.S. military during the Global War on Terror.

Hed already worked for like five years [to receive an SIV] and it still took him another two years to get here, Sullivan said of Ahmadi, who immigrated to the United States in 2016 and settled in Seattle with his family. I think it just speaks to how kind of crazy the SIV system is, but, thankfully, he made it here.

Thousands of other Afghan translators who worked together with U.S. military personnel remain in Afghanistan or other countries waiting to receive their SIV or are awaiting travel even after having their visas approved. But federal funding cuts under a January executive order from President Donald Trump and an expected travel ban on Afghans have thrown the status of SIV holders into uncertainty, according to nongovernmental organizations and lawmakers who have worked to help translators come to the United States.

Sullivans relationship with Ahmadi led him to his current work as the executive director for No One Left Behind. He joined the group after leaving the Army in 2017 as a captain after nine years of military service and then pursued a masters degree and went into nonprofit work primarily on veterans issues. Sullivan joined No One Left Behind in 2023 and became its executive director in January.

Then Army Capt. Andrew Sullivan, who is now the executive director of the nonprofit No One Left Behind, is pictured in Afghanistan on a deployment with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in September 2013. Sullivans Afghan translator, Ahmadi, is pictured in the rear of the photo helping the Afghan National Army question villagers following an attack on U.S. and Afghan forces in the Arghandab District of Zabul Province. (Andrew Sullivan)



The nonprofit was founded in 2013 by Janis Shinwari, a former Afghan interpreter for American forces. It was the first nongovernmental organization dedicated solely to supporting former Afghan and Iraqi translators. The Virginia-based group of American veterans, Afghan and Iraqi SIV recipients, and volunteers are positioned throughout the United States to help translators navigate the bureaucratic SIV application process and establish new lives.

When SIV recipients flights were canceled earlier this year from locations including Pakistan, Qatar and Albania, No One Left Behind stepped in and secured more than 740 flights for SIV holders to come to the United States, Sullivan said. The SIV holders who are flown to the U.S. by No One Left Behind do not have to pay for their flights, he noted. The organization relies on donations to support SIV recipients. The organization reported last year in tax documents that it has about $12 million in assets  almost all via donations  after taking in between $2 million and $3 million in donations in recent years. Its donations spiked in 2021 amid the Afghanistan withdrawal crisis, when it reported receiving some $18 million.

Now Sullivan is focused on ensuring that the United States maintains its promise to accept former Afghan translators into the country, even under an administration taking a hard look at immigration policies, including a potential travel ban for citizens of certain countries, including Afghanistan. Sullivan said he is working to ensure the Trump administration will continue to accept Special Immigrant Visa holders, even if it bars travel to the U.S. from Afghanistan. The White House was expected to do so in the coming weeks, The New York Times reported last week citing draft documents.

We know that our SIVs are a special population, Sullivan said. There are voluminous records of their service to the U.S. There are incredible records on [their] counterintelligence screenings that happen to them, and they were just trusted day in and day out by U.S. service members. So, if there are changes coming to U.S. immigration, it shouldnt include them.

The United States first established the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghan and Iraqi translators to help them avoid risks  including threats to their lives from militant groups such as the Taliban and the Islamic State because of their work with the U.S. government. The program was designed to vet SIV applicants within two years but some applicants have waited for many years for visa approval, especially amid an influx of applications since the 2021 withdrawal.

No One Left Behind is just one of several veterans groups working and advocating for Afghan translators in their SIV pursuits and efforts to reach the United States.

The State Department has issued about 117,000 Special Immigrant Visas to Afghan translators since 2009, granting them permanent legal resident status in the United States, according to department statistics. Since 2021, No One Left Behind has helped more than 25,000 SIV holders reach the United States and settle in their new country, according to the organization.

Still, some 5,752 Special Immigrant Visa applicants and holders remain outside the United States, including in Afghanistan, according to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

Thousands of them have lived in limbo in Pakistan, Qatar, Albania and other countries since they were shuttled hastily out of Afghanistan during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country in 2021 as the Taliban retook control of Kabul. The pullout of U.S. forces after 20 years of war left thousands more SIV applicants and holders stranded in Afghanistan, where officials have said more than 300 have since been killed by the Taliban.

Marines help Afghan evacuees as they board a military plane at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in September 2021. (Kyle Jia/U.S. Marine Corps)



In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, Shaheen demanded Afghan translators be exempted from any halt of travel into the United States.

Should they return to Afghanistan, these individuals are at direct risk of reprisal from the Taliban for their service in support of the United States, the senator wrote. This grim reality has been borne out by the many who have been killed since August 2021. They risked their lives and died for us and in return, we promised to protect them and their families. We must stand by this promise.

She said ensuring the allies that helped American forces could enter the United States, as they were promised, was a matter of moral responsibility and a national security imperative because it would show that we stand by our commitments during the most challenging of moments.

The White House and State Department did not respond this week to requests for comment on the immigration status of SIV holders or on reported plans to implement a travel ban on individuals from more than 40 countries, including Afghanistan.

Other immigration-focused nonprofits have promised to fight any travel ban issued by Trump in court. The International Refugee Assistance Project said it would revamp its effort to block any travel ban, as it did when Trump issued a travel block on several Muslim-majority countries during his first term as president.

While we dont know exactly who will be affected by a potential travel ban, the International Refugee Assistance Project is closely following the situation, said Laurie Ball Cooper, the vice president for U.S. legal programs for the group. Recent reports indicate that most of our clients seeking safety in the United States could be affected by the expected ban, including Afghan allies. IRAP has been fighting tirelessly for years to uphold Americas promise to protect Afghan allies, and we will continue to do so regardless of what the administration does next.

Sullivan said this week that it was critical that SIV applicants and holders in Pakistan are moved soon into the United States, as the government in Islamabad has ramped up deportations of Afghans back to their home country.

There are folks there, thank God, who are still getting issued their visas, he said. And were going to continue to buy flights as we can from Islamabad, but thats one where I dont have a ton of fidelity on how many people we have there.

No One Left Behind is not currently looking at moving SIV applicants out of Pakistan to another third country, though group spokeswoman Amanda Kim said, nothing is off the table. For now, the nonprofit is focused on getting those who have their Special Immigrant Visas in hand into the United States as quickly as possible.

For now, many of them are living in fear that they will not be granted passage into the United States or they will be forced to return to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Theyre scared. Theyre nervous. Its the sense of just uncertainty. They feel like theyre in total limbo, and they have no idea whats going to come next, Sullivan said. A lot of them that already have their visas  its important to remember they have their visa foil actually affixed in their passports. If they cant come to the U.S., there is a good chance they could be sent back to Afghanistan.

Sullivan said he and dozens of employees and volunteers with No One Left Behind would keep working tirelessly to make certain that does not happen.

Im not unique in wanting to make sure that were keeping our promise to them, he said. I think its a matter of national honor, and it is really a veterans issue.
Dressed in a period civilian flight instructor uniform, Chuck Workman of Lakewood, California, at right, watches a B-25 Mitchell bomber that was part of a fly-in at Eagle Field in Dos Palos in June 2007. (Mark Crosse/Fresno Bee)



(Tribune News Service)  An airstrip once used to develop U.S. pilots during World War II in central California has been sold.

Located in western Fresno County about 10 miles south of Dos Palos and 15 miles north of Firebaugh, Eagle Field dates back to 1942 when construction of the airstrip got underway a few months after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and the United States entering World War II.

The airfield fulfilled a vital necessity for the war effort  training pilots  but it also offered amenities that other bases didnt have, said Eagle Field historian Jim Bertao, who helped run the World War II museum at Eagle Field, which opened in 1990.

Because pilots were getting killed very rapidly during the war, the United States had to keep training new men all the time and find those who wanted to become a pilot, Bertao said.

A lot of airstrips were built in California during World War II. What made Eagle Field stand out from others was that it was viewed as the country club of training bases. Being brand new and landscaped. Having a swimming pool. The rec room had a bowling alley. It was the facility to be at as a cadet who wanted to become a pilot.

Drag racing, parties

In more recent years dating to 2009, Eagle Field was used twice a year as a drag racing venue.

A variety of hot rods, street cars and old-school, drag racing vehicles that didnt necessarily meet all the strict and current NHRA requirements loudly revved their engines while blazing down an eighth-mile straightaway.

Thousands of fans, some coming from as far as Oregon, Nevada and Arizona, often would attend the races.

The airstrips fairly remote location helped keep down noise complaints.

On other occasions, the hangars at Eagle Field were used to turn up the music while being used annually for fly-in, dinner-and-dance parties.

It wasnt a perfect place for drag racing, but it was a lot of fun, said Chris Lopes, whose company was a sponsor for Eagle Field Drags and raced at Eagle Field for 15 years. A lot of great memories.

Proceeds from both the drag racing and the dinner dance helped fund the Eagle Field WWII museum.

Over the years, the museum expanded into a collection to include military artifacts beyond World War II, including a nonoperational bomber plane, helicopters and turrets.

Crew member Chuck Enoch sits in the pilots seat while a B-25 Mitchell bomber that was part of a fly-in at Eagle Field in Dos Palos is towed into position on the tarmac after landing in June 2007. (Mark Crosse/Fresno Bee)



Pilot training at Eagle Field

The real action at Eagle Field dates back to the 1940s when the facility served as the initial training grounds for would-be pilots.

Airbases like Eagle Field were built up and down California at the time for two primary reasons: To be located for the purposes of continental defense partly due to the fear of a Japanese attack on the West Coast, and because the state had desirable weather conditions that seldom curtailed flying, according to MilitaryMuseum.org.

Rigorous training at Eagle Field lasted about 10 weeks with cadets learning how to fly military trainer planes like the Ryan PT-22 and Stearman PT-17.

Those who passed got to move on to other airbases, including nearby Castle Air Force Base in Atwater (aka Merced Army Airfield), where pilots learned to fly bigger, more powerful planes.

Those who washed out of pilot training at Eagle Field often were assigned to other roles within the military, including the possibility of becoming a ground troop.

Talk about motivation, Bertao said.

In all, about 5,000 pilots graduated first-level pilot training at Eagle Field. But they still needed to pass two more levels of instruction elsewhere before being sent overseas for actual combat.

By December 1944, training at the Central Valley airstrip was halted as the United States and the rest of the Allies gained the upper hand in the war effort and enough student pilots were in the pipeline, Bertao wrote.

Actual operations at Eagle Field lasted 30 months. In that time, only three pilot-training deaths occurred at the Firebaugh-area airstrip.

Bertao said the ratio of roughly 5,000 pilots trained to three deaths over the course of 2 years was considered an excellent record.

Each cadet had to have about 100 hours of pilot training, Bertao said. The instructors really worked with the cadets to help them pass the proficiency part of training.

A specator checks out the bomb bay complete with dummy bombs in a B-25 Mitchell bomber that was part of a fly-in at Eagle Field in Dos Palos in June 2007. (Mark Crosse/Fresno Bee)



Post-World War II

Following the end of World War II, Eagle Field ceased all pilot training, but the facility continued to be used by the government for plane storage.

As the years went by, the airstrip mostly was used as a crop duster facility.

At one point, the city of Dos Palos was supposed to develop Eagle Field to become a municipal airport, but those efforts eventually failed, Bertao said.

The airstrip, as well as the large parcel of land that surrounded the runway and the hangars and administration building and barracks on the property, went onto become owned by Fresno resident Joe Davis, a World War II enthusiast.

Davis had visions of restoring the World War II airfield and eventually made it a home for vintage aircraft and vehicles.

Due to his recent health, Davis elected to put the airstrip and the surrounding 300 acres up for sale.

It was bought by Palo Alto entrepreneur Guy Kaplinsky, who is the CEO and co-founder of the flying car company AKSA.

The cost of the entire real estate transaction was not immediately known, though four acres of the land sold for $1.1 million last month, according to a property history report on realtor.com.

Kaplinsky said he has plans to renovate the World War II training facility but declined to go into extensive detail on the future use of Eagle Field.

The group that operated drag racing at Eagle Field, meanwhile, elected to move its events to Mendota Raceway Park due to the increased costs to insure races and improve safety measurements at the old World War II airstrip.

A lot of airstrips after the war got used for drag racing; these races gave these runways new life, Eagle Field Drags director Rocky Phillips said. There hadnt been races in Fresno County for 40 years until we got that started, so it was a great fit for many years. And we built a great racing family from it.

Its a sad deal that we couldnt come to terms with the new owner. Its emotional. But life moves on.

A 50-caliber machine gun and a navigators bomb site are housed in the nose of a B-25 Mitchell bomber that was part of a fly-in at Eagle Field in Dos Palos in June 2007. (Mark Crosse/Fresno Bee)



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The father-of-one was sent messages saying I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang"

Father-of-one Jordan Davis was warned by a drug dealer - "I'm on your case mate, it won't be long" and "soon, very soon bang bang" - 19 days before he was shot to death as he pushed a pram carrying his four-month-old son in a laneway on Dublin's northside, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

A detective has previously given evidence that drug "tick lists" found at two addresses linked to drug dealer Robert "Roo" Redmond had contained the name "Jordo" - the same nickname Jordan Davis was known by - with amounts up to 153,000 recorded as owing.

The prosecution contends that Robert Redmond is the older brother of accused woman Rachel Redmond (34), who is accused of driving the alleged shooter - her then partner Wayne Cooney - away from the scene and later checking him into a hotel in an effort to help him evade prosecution.

It is also the State's case that Robert Redmond was engaged "in some acrimony" with 22-year-old drug dealer Jordan Davis, who was murdered in broad daylight by a lone gunman on a distinctive orange bike at 4pm on May 22, 2019.

Robert Redmond

Giving evidence today, Detective Garda Kevin Farrell told Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, prosecuting, that he examined an iPhone and two Nokia devices in May 2019, which were found on the body of Jordan Davis.

The detective said he used the software 'Cellebrite' to extract data from the iPhone and had found a thread of 'WhatsApp' messages exchanged between Mr Davis' phone and a phone number saved on the deceased's handset as 'Rew', which ended in the numbers 858.

Det Gda Farrell agreed with the prosecutor that the message exchange took place on May 3, 2019 - 19 days before Mr Davis was murdered.

A series of messages were sent from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis' phone at 9.49am on the morning of May 3 beginning with: "How much you give him in total about 3k".

Another message sent a minute late from the number saved as 'Rew' to Mr Davis said: "You haven't gave him anymore than 10K you owed 70K so thats how you owe 60K or over" [sic].

Mr Davis sent a message at 1.29pm saying: "3K get your facts right to you even talk to him pal".

The number saved as 'Rew' says at 1.34pm "they didn't add anything on" followed by "someone be onto you today".

Mr Davis replies: "classic Robert" to which 'Rew' asked "you on the gear or something".

At 1.36pm 'Rew' says to Mr Davis: "Lad who you trying to be".

A minute later 'Rew' sent a message to Mr Davis' phone saying: "F**king clown that can't pay bills trying to be a big man. I heard a lot about you trust me I'll get you soon".

'Rew' also says in a message: "I'm on your case mate it won't be long" followed by a series of 13 or 14 laughing emojis.

The next message sent from 'Rew' to Mr Davis at 1.38pm says: "Get off me phone soon, very soon bang bang" to which Mr Davis replies: "Nice one mate".

Ashling McNally previously told the jury that she had been going out with Rachel Redmond's brother Robert Redmond, of Streamville Road in Donaghmede, for about three years in May 2019 before the relationship fell apart. Ms McNally said she referred to him as Robert but others called him "Roo".

Ms McNally agreed with the prosecution that she had told gardai in May 2019 that Robert Redmond had used a number ending in 858.

The jury has also been told that Robert Redmond pleaded guilty in May 2013 to the possession of heroin worth almost 37,000 and was jailed for five years.

Wayne Cooney, Jordan Davis and Rachel Redmond

Ms Redmond from Coolock but with an address at Clifdenville Road, Cliftonville Avenue, North Belfast, Antrim is charged on two counts that on or about May 22 2019, in the county of the City of Dublin, did knowingly or believing that another person, namely Wayne Cooney, committed an arrestable offence, to wit murder, without reasonable excuse did an act with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution.

Ms Redmond has pleaded not guilty to the two counts.

The jury have been told that the prosecution have to establish that Ms Redmond, who was in a relationship with Mr Cooney at the time, knew or believed he had committed the murder.

The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Paul Burns and a jury of three men and nine women.
Mr Ibe has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Mr Kennedy between April 28 and May 12, 2020, both dates inclusive, in Newbridge

A 65-year-old man described as a kind person who would help people died from traumatic head injuries suffered during an attack by a then 19-year-old man who had come to live with him, a murder trial jury has heard.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Paul J Carroll SC, told the commencement of the trial of Brian Ibe (24), who is charged with the murder of Peter Kennedy in Co Kildare five years ago, that there "isnt any contest" that the defendant carried out an attack on Mr Kennedy, who died as a result.

Mr Ibe, of no fixed abode and formerly of Moore Park, Newbridge, Co Kildare, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Mr Kennedy between April 28 and May 12, 2020, both dates inclusive, in Newbridge.

He also pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to assault causing harm to Garda Brendan ODonnell at Newbridge Garda Station on or about April 29, 2020.

In his opening speech at the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Mr Carroll said that for the verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity, the jury had to be satisfied that the accused was suffering at the time from a mental disorder and that he did not know the nature or quality of the act, or did not know that what he was doing was wrong, or could not refrain from the act. In those circumstances, he said the jury could return a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Mr Carroll said that the law goes on to say that if the jury were not satisfied of those matters, they could further consider a verdict of diminished responsibility. For this verdict to be returned, the jury had to find that the accused was suffering from a mental disorder, which diminished his responsibility for the act. He said that in these circumstances, the jury should find him guilty of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.

There isnt any contest that he carried out an attack on the deceased and the deceased died as a result of that attack, said Mr Carroll, going on to tell the jury that the burden of proof in this case rested on the defence to convince the jury that these special verdicts of not guilty were open to them.

He said that it is the prosecution contention that the jury should not return these verdicts, as on the basis of psychiatric evidence available to the prosecution, the accused was not within the ingredients of not guilty by reason of insanity or diminished responsibility.

Outlining the proposed evidence and factual matters of the case, Mr Carroll said that the deceased man, who had just turned 65 and was retired from the probation services, was a kind person who would help people. The mother of the accused, Martha Ibe, had an issue with homelessness and came to live with Mr Kennedy, with her son also moving into Mr Kennedys home around September 2019, when he was 19.

Mr Carroll said that problems arose prior to Christmas of 2019, with disputes between Mr Kennedy and the accused, so Mr Ibe left the house and came to Dublin, where he resided at a hostel run by the Peter McVerry Trust in Walkinstown. Counsel said that on April 28, 2020, the accused left the hostel and got a taxi to Newbridge, where he entered Mr Kennedys house through the rear after smashing a window.

Mr Carroll said that the accuseds mother, who was present at the time, would give evidence that the accused attacked Mr Kennedy with what she believed was a knife, making jabbing motions. She left to get assistance, and when gardai arrived they found Mr Kennedy on the floor upstairs with serious head injuries lying in a pool of blood. He was brought to Beaumont Hospital but died from his injuries on May 12, 2020.

Mr Carroll said that State pathologist Dr Heidi Okkers found significant blunt force had been used to the side of Mr Kennedys head, which was the result of kicking or the use of a blunt object, with the cause of death being traumatic head injuries.

The jury also viewed CCTV footage of the accuseds movements on the day, which was shown by Garda Declan Murphy of Newbridge Garda Station. Garda Murphy gave evidence to Mr Carroll that a portion of the footage showed the accused at the hostel in Walkinstown picking up an object from a kitchen drawer that appeared to be a knife.

Garda Murphy confirmed that a later portion of the CCTV footage obtained from a residence at Moore Park contained audio of the sound of breaking glass.

The trial continues today before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury of six men and six women.
Keith OBrien claimed he had been under complete duress and alleged he, his wife and children had been harassed, tracked and followed in supermarkets

An Irish employee accused of spying and corporate espionage by a multi-billion-dollar US software company has destroyed the phone at the centre of the claims against him.

Keith OBrien told the High Court yesterday that he destroyed the iPhone on Friday, just hours after the court made an order requiring him to preserve the device.

He claimed he had been under complete duress and alleged he, his wife and children had been harassed, tracked and followed in supermarkets.

Mr OBriens claims are disputed by his employer, San Francisco-headquartered HR software provider Rippling, which last week secured an ex-parte order allowing it to appoint a supervising solicitor and IT expert to inspect his devices and email accounts.

The application came amid claims by Rippling that Mr OBrien, the companys global payroll compliance manager, had been caught sharing trade secrets with a rival corporation, Deel Inc.

The allegations have been made in lawsuits filed in Dublin and California.

Deel, which is also based in San Francisco and worth billions of dollars, was once a customer of Rippling. However, there has been significant acrimony between the companies since 2022.

Mr OBrien is now facing a contempt of court application for destroying the phone. Last week the court heard he fled Ripplings office in Temple Bar, Dublin, after being served with legal papers in the case.

Michael Coonan, a McCann FitzGerald partner who was nominated as the supervising solicitor, gave evidence of informing Mr OBrien of the consequences of deleting any evidence he may have had on the phone.

Mr Coonan alleged Mr OBrien told him: Im willing to take that risk.

When the matter returned to court yesterday, Mr OBrien admitted destroying the phone later that afternoon.

I was unaware of the risk involved in it. I had a breakdown. I was concerned about my personal health and safety, he said.

Mr OBrien claimed he had initially thought the case related to alleged payments to sanctioned Russian companies. He asked the court to give him time to get legal representation before dealing with the matter.

Over the weekend there has been a witch-hunt against me. Journalists calling to my house, he claimed, before telling Mr Justice Mark Sanfey he was sorry for destroying the phone.

I understand what I done was wrong. I fully accept that. I apologise. I was under complete duress. The mental state of my mind over the last few days has been horrific.

Rippling has denied breaching any sanctions.

Marcus Dowling SC, for Rippling, said he did not accepted that Mr OBrien doesnt understand what this is about.

He added that Mr OBrien had made a number of quite wrong allegations, but he hasnt denied he supplied information to Deel. The barrister said Rippling had no wish for Mr OBrien to be imprisoned, but added that the executive would have to purge his contempt.

The obvious way to purge his contempt is to explain the substance of what he has put beyond reach of the court by his actions in destroying his phone, Mr Dowling said.

Adjourning the matter until next week, Mr Justice Sanfey said Mr OBrien was in a very serious situation and needed to get legal representation as soon as possible.

As of now, it appears to me you have breached the orders of this court, the judge said.

He said the attitude of the court would be greatly influenced by what Mr OBrien does next.

The case against Mr OBrien was filed by People Center Inc, trading as Rippling.

The company had filed separate corporate espionage proceedings against Deel Inc in San Francisco.

In an affidavit in the Irish proceedings, Rippling vice-president Christopher Campbell accused Mr OBrien of committing serious breaches of his contractual obligations to the company.

He alleged that based on evidence it had gathered to date, Mr OBrien had, at a minimum, unlawfully acquired, used and disclosed the companys trade secrets. Mr Campbell claimed the evidence suggested Mr OBriens actions were directed or influenced by Deel Inc.

The case was filed after Mr OBrien allegedly carried out at least two searches of Ripplings system in circumstances which appeared to show he was in contact with someone within or affiliated with Deel.

In the US proceedings, Rippling alleges: Deel cultivated a spy to systematically steal its competitors most sensitive business information and trade secrets.

This was not an isolated act of misconduct. It was a deliberate attack, perpetrated for over four months, designed to steal and weaponise critical competitive data, including a competitors sales leads, sales pipeline, and its entire playbook for pitching prospective clients.

These stolen goods appear intended to be deployed across the Deel organisation to gain an unfair market advantage.

Mr OBrien was not named in the US proceedings.

Deel has denied wrongdoing and has pledged to file a counterclaim.

According to Irish legal filings, Mr OBrien was from January to August last year responsible for the hiring, country launch and active payroll processing for about 15 countries in which Rippling offers payroll services. Since then, he has carried out a similar role focused on the Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Turkmenistan is an important partner for Romania in diversifying energy sources, Pavel-Casian Nitulescu, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Energy of Romania, told in an interview with Trend.

"In the context of the increasingly pressing need to consolidate the energy security of Romania and the EU as a whole, strengthening energy cooperation relations with energy-producing states such as Turkmenistan represents an important objective for the development of new projects, to diversify sources and routes of natural gas supply. Turkmenistan is an important partner in achieving this objective, and Romania reaffirms its interest in increasing the energy dialogue between the two countries, based on the long tradition and experience of specialists from Turkmenistan and Romania in the energy sector," he said.

According to Nitulescu, energy cooperation constitutes a strategic component of the bilateral dialogue between Romania and Turkmenistan.

"Given the existence of a real untapped potential for cooperation, direct dialogue with partners from Turkmenistan can allow the identification of new directions for cooperation in the energy sector. Romania, through its status as a member of the European Union, through its geographical position, and its participation in strategic regional energy projects, can offer long-term opportunities for access of Turkmen energy resources to the European market," the Secretary of State said.

He noted that Turkmenistan can make an important contribution among the natural gas suppliers for the Southern Gas Corridor and Vertical Gas Corridor projects.

"The plans to expand the Southern Gas Corridor are of strategic importance, as new gas suppliers are needed, especially for the Balkan and South-Eastern European countries. Romania supports the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor and believes that immediate action and concrete steps are needed to achieve this. With its significant gas resources, Turkmenistan could contribute to the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, if a viable transport route is identified," Nitulescu said.

Romania's Secretary of State added that Romania appreciates the fact that Turkmenistan has become a very active player in the international dialogue on energy security projects aimed at diversifying energy supply sources for Europe, in particular the country's desire to integrate its energy market into the international market and to engage as a competitive gas supplier for supplying the European market.

Therefore, developments regarding transport alternatives for Turkmen gas volumes, which would allow significant quantities of gas from Turkmenistan to reach the European market, are of interest, he said.

The official added that Romania attach great importance to the development of energy relations with Turkmenistan, given the long tradition in the oil and gas sector and the potential to capitalize on cooperation opportunities between our countries.

He noted that on February 13, 2025, he received the official visit Annamammet Annayev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Romania.

"The meeting is part of the series of meetings held by the two parties, following the 7th meeting of the Romanian-Turkmen Working Group on Energy Cooperation, held in Bucharest on October 10, 2023. During the meeting, a brief presentation of the energy sector in both countries took place and the following topics were addressed: the general framework in the field of energy, collaboration in the field of oil and natural gas, and mutual information on good practices in the field of energy," he said

Nitulescu also noted that the Neptun Deep project in the Black Sea is making very good progress, with work progressing according to schedule, with our goal of having first production in 2027. It is a project that will strengthen Romania's role as an energy player in the region. Romania will become the largest natural gas producer in the European Union.

"The Black Sea-Podisor Gas Transmission Pipeline project is one of the most important projects that the Romanian gas transmission operator Transgaz will implement to allow gas from the Black Sea to enter the National Gas Transmission System and, implicitly, the economic circuit. The Tuzla-Podisor gas pipeline is also necessary to be able to transport the potential volumes of natural gas that would come to Romania from the Caspian Sea area, from LNG terminals in Turkey and Greece or other sources," he said.

Secretary of State of Romania's energy ministry emphasized that Transgaz has ensured through significant investments the reverse flow capacity on the transit pipelines so that the conditions have been created on Romanian territory for the full exploitation of the Trans-Balkan Corridor and the takeover of the gas reserves necessary not only for Romania, but also for other states in the region.

"When it comes to exploiting the energy resources of the Black Sea, we mainly consider the Neptun Deep perimeter, but there are other concrete projects aimed at highlighting the huge opportunities in this area. The energy potential of the Black Sea gives it a significant geostrategic role for the European Union due to the estimated hydrocarbon reserves, but also from the perspective of the oil and natural gas reserves in the Caspian Sea region that could transit the Black Sea basin to exploit them on the European market," Nitulescu stressed.

According to him, the Black Sea region is therefore a production and distribution area of strategic importance for the EU's energy security, with a significant potential for diversifying energy supplies. Within this concept, in the regional dynamics, the potential offered by the Constanta Port area can be explored, as well as the activities and facilities offered by SC OIL TERMINAL SA and SC CONPET SA, which can constitute a complementary element for ensuring an oil transport corridor from the Black Sea region, further, to the center of Europe.

"Also in the Black Sea area, the Romanian company ROMGAZ is analyzing together with the Azerbaijani company SOCAR the opportunity to implement the project of a liquefied gas terminal," he said.

Nitulescu added that Romania is also involved in the project of a Green Energy Corridor, from Azerbaijan to Europe, through the Black Sea. In this regard, an Agreement was signed on December 17, 2022 between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary on the Strategic Partnership in the field of development and transport of green energy, which provides for the joint installation of a submarine power cable with a length of 1195 km and a capacity of 1 GW, through the Black Sea.

"According to preliminary estimates, the cable's capacity will make it possible to establish an annual supply of up to 4 GW of green electricity to Europe, which will represent another form of transport connectivity. This is a green energy corridor with high potential, taking into account the large wind and solar energy potential of Azerbaijan," he said.

The Secretary of State highlighted Romania's support for ensuring a secure supply of crude oil and petroleum products in the country and mentioned that Turkmenistan's interest in increasing its petroleum product exports to Romania could be strengthened through bilateral discussions

He added that during the 7th meeting of the Romanian-Turkmen Energy Cooperation Working Group, Turkmenistan proposed several areas for future collaboration with Romania, including academic cooperation between Romania's University of Oil and Gas in Ploiesti and Turkmenistan's International University of Oil and Gas in Ashgabat for training oil and gas specialists, joint efforts in electricity production, energy transport, and the provision of oil and gas equipment and services by Romanian companies in Turkmenistan.

Other identified areas for cooperation include exploring and exploiting hydrocarbon resources, gas storage, gas transportation system development, pipeline maintenance, climate change mitigation, and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system implementation

"Romania wants to actively contribute to the redefinition of European energy policies, to build a green and strong economy, but with the intelligent use of its resources, including natural gas. Our priorities are energy security, cheap energy, and then clean green energy, in that order," Nitulescu said.

He noted that both the works of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission and those of the Joint Working Group on Energy between Romania and Turkmenistan represent proof of the trust and interest that the two countries place in strengthening bilateral cooperation, especially in the energy field.

"A new meeting of the Joint Working Group on Energy Romania-Turkmenistan to be organized this year will represent a reconfirmation of the excellent cooperation relations between the two countries, and we are convinced that we will debate topics of particular interest to both parties, the development of new collaborations and concrete projects between the energy companies of our countries," he said.

As Nitulescu noted in a regional and global energy landscape still marked by numerous challenges and uncertainties, Romania places special importance on the development of energy relations with Turkmenistan.

"The Turkmen side also expressed interest in developing concrete cooperation projects in the energy field, with the involvement of Romanian companies, given the significant gas resources held by Turkmenistan, the desire to optimize the internal infrastructure for the exploitation and transportation of energy resources, as well as the experience in the natural gas field held by Romanian companies," he added.

Nitulescu informed that discussions are currently underway to establish the date for the 8th session of the Energy Working Group, with the Romanian and Turkmen parties expecting to meet in March or April 2025
Ionut Leonard Petriu (38) of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assisting the group.

A man who assisted a Romanian organised crime gang who used cars to ram raid commercial premises by allowing gang members to stay at his home has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that in one incident, a dummy car was rammed through the front window of a phone shop in Dublin city centre. A Vodafone shop in Newbridge was also targeted earlier that night.

Later that night, a car was rammed through the gates of a motor dealer on the Naas Road.

Ionut Leonard Petriu (38) of Middle Abbey Street, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to assisting the group.

The court heard he allowed his car to be used to transport members of the criminal gang to a burglary and also allowed others to stay at his home.

There is no evidence he participated in any burglary, the court was told.

Petriu's co-accused Ricardo Stancu (20) of North Circular Road Dublin and Daniel Murgea (31), also of North Circular Road, pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences.

Judge Orla Crowe sentenced Stancu last December to five years in prison with the final 12 months suspended. She noted that he was a younger man who had no previous convictions and said she would suspend part of the sentence to incentivise rehabilitation.

Judge Crowe said a headline sentence of eight years in prison was warranted for Murgea before she imposed a sentence of six years having taken into account his significant history of dishonesty  referring to Murgeas previous convictions in both France and Italy for offences involving theft.

Judge Crowe said Petriu played a different role to Murgea and Stancu and his culpability was the lowest of the three men. She had earlier directed the preparation of a probation report and adjourned Petriu's case to today/yesterday (THURSDAY) for finalisation.

Judge Crowe said Petriu had played a crucial role in facilitating the activities of the organisation, but noted the positive probation report, which assesses him at low risk of re-offending.

She imposed a three-year prison sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions for four years.

During the previous hearing, Judge Crowe said the offences before the court were inherently serious and said the crimes were committed over two days on three unoccupied commercial premises that had been deliberately targeted in an organised way.

She said it was A highly organised crime and extensive damage had been caused to the properties.

Judge Crowe acknowledged that Murgea and Stancu had been described as foot soldiers in the operation.

Each of the accused pleaded guilty on their trial date in October this year and further pleas were entered on Monday.

Detective Garda Tom McEvoy previously gave evidence that gardai received a call to attend the 3 Store in Henry Street after a car crashed into its front window. A silver Mercedes described as a dummy car was abandoned there, and extensive damage was done to the front of the shop. The gang left with nothing because the mobile phones were kept in a safe.

The "dummy car" - a stolen Silver Mercedeswas also used to smash through the front window of the Vodafone Shop at the Whitewater Shopping Centre in Newbridge just before 2:30 a.m. on July 3, 2023.

The next day, they rammed a car into Leinster Motors in Clondalkin. They used a Citroen C5 there to break through the gates, then stole a 5-series BMW at 12.30 am on July 4, which was later used for their next robbery as a getaway car.

At around 4am they used the dummy car - the stolen silver Mercedes - to ram the front window of the 3 Store on Henry Street. Gardai established the vehicle had been used at Whitewater Shopping Centre on July 3, 2023.

Four suspects were ultimately identified from CCTV using a 5-series BMW as a getaway car. Gardai established the car was stolen the same night from Leinster Motors, Clondalkin.

Stancu was not involved in the Leinster Motors incident but was involved in the Henry Street and Whitewater Centre offences.

Det Gda McEvoy told Garret McCormack BL, prosecuting, the total damage to the 3 Store was 49,459 and there was 1,051 worth of damage to stock but nothing was stolen. A further 7,000 was lost from lack of trading following the incident.

The court heard Murgea has no previous convictions in Ireland but has 13 in Italy and three in France for offences including theft, dealing in stolen goods and criminal association.

Stancu has one previous conviction. Petriu has one previous conviction which relates to paying someone else to do a driving theory test, the court heard.

The court heard that at the Whitewater Shopping Centre, a silver Mercedes Benz with two occupants wearing gloves approached the front of the shop.

There was extensive damage done to the shop and they broke into store with bags in hands and left with the store till. Apart from the till, no other items were taken in the course of that burglary as the phones were in a safe. 16,000 worth of damage was caused in that incident.

A BMW 5 Series was stolen from the car dealership in Clondalkin and over 4,000 worth of damage was caused to the gates of the dealership.

In the incident at Leinster Motors, damage to the front gate amounted to 1,753 and there was a further 2,700 in damage to the Citroen.

Fergal McMorrow BL, for Petriu, said his client has one previous conviction. He said the father-of-three and is working in a hotel.

He remains in gainful employment and has been promoted to a chef and was described as hard-working, diligent and focused. He came to live in Ireland in 2018 having left Romania 15 years ago.

Dean Kelly SC, for Stancu, said his client went back to Romania as a teenager before returning to Ireland. He was put in touch with people and was under pressure to take part.

He said his client was a foot soldier who was taking rather than giving orders. He said a significant amount of damage was caused at Henry Street and the Whitewater Shopping Centre shops plus loss of earnings.

Mr Kelly said a curious feature was that nothing was stolen as most of the phones were kept in a safe.

Seoirse ODunlaing SC, for Murgea, said his client had shown remorse. He said his client was a Romanian national who was facing a very substantial time in custody. Mr ODunlaing said there was evidence he was under the control of other people.

Mr ODunlaing said his client was working in the kitchen prison where he is on enhanced status since October 2023. He said a letter handed into court made reference to mental health problems and he is on disability benefit in relation to his depression.
First-time offender Bernadette Flood, 59, of Portland Row, D1, was convicted following a hearing at Dublin District Court

A "worked-up" Dublin mother who bit and "latched" onto the arm of a garda during a search operation has avoided jail.

First-time offender Bernadette Flood, 59, of Portland Row, D1, was convicted following a hearing at Dublin District Court.

Due to her lack of prior convictions, she was handed a three-month suspended sentence and a 1,000 fine.

She had denied assault and obstructing gardai from the Dublin Crime Response Team, who had obtained a warrant to search her home on May 6, 2024.

Judge John Hughes heard that gardai met with a "heightened situation. The court heard they entered, assembled the occupants in the living room, and tried to calm them down.

Garda Sergeant Eoin Grant said Flood was shouting, holding a cigarette, and waving it as she pushed the gardai. He feared she would burn an officer, and he put his hand out at which she "latched on" and bit down on his wrist.

She had to be restrained and removed from the house.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Ciara Murray, Sergeant Grant rejected the suggestion that her client had made a "biting gesture. "No, she bit my arm, and I felt her teeth on my wrist," the witness replied. He also said it left a mark.

Garda Joseph Melvin said he observed the accused bite his colleague and the incident, and a third garda witness also saw it happen.

Garda Melvin said that in the drive to the station, Flood told officers, "I'm so sorry for what happened to that guard. I should not have bit; I just got worked up."

He also testified that he had written down her comment, and she had signed his notebook.

In evidence, Flood said she was not violent but was concerned about one of the occupants in the house who had health issues and was bleeding and being pinched during the search, which garda witnesses denied.

The court heard she had health problems, and her husband was her carer.

She claimed gardai restrained her, and she made a biting gesture and did not accept she signed the notebook where Garda Melvin took down her comment about being sorry. She said the signature was like hers, but she claimed she did not write it.

Her husband, Stephen Flood, was in the house at the time. He told the hearing his wife "does not have a bad bone in her body", was terrified, and "she would have signed anything" to get out of the garda station.

He agreed his wife had the back to her during the incident and acknowledged he could not have seen what happened.

The defence argued that Flood was a small woman who reacted suddenly in a tense situation, and the force used by Gardai was not proportionate or reasonable.

Counsel also pointed out that the garda did not seek medical attention.

Judge Hughes did not believe the defence evidence and found her guilty.
Devon Hennessy is one of five people on remand in the jail after being charged with falsely imprisoning a man at a property in west Dublin.

The son of steakhouse murder victim Jason Hennessy Snr has gone on hunger strike in Portlaoise Prison.

Devon Hennessy is one of five people on remand in the jail after being charged with falsely imprisoning a man at a property in west Dublin.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Hennessy, his failed attempts to win bail, and the restrictions around him within the jail.

MORE EPISODES
The case captivating Britain has seen the conviction of Fred Doe, formerly Sines - whose millionaire father has been named as a close associate of the Kinahan Cartel.

A golden toilet worth almost 5.7 million is stolen during a daring five minute raid.

The 18 carat piece of art taken at Blenheim Palace is then melted down and sold into the market as cops struggle to catch up with the gang.

Now the case captivating Britain has seen the conviction of Fred Doe, formerly Sines - whose millionaire father has been named as a close associate of the Kinahan Cartel.

Nicola speaks with Niall Donald about Maurice Sines and his criminal son Fred and their links to the intriguing story of the golden jacks.

MORE EPISODES
It is understood that the two different familial networks work hand in hand in their crime network and are both based in the Crumlin area of the capital.

Gardai have seized vehicles worth almost 600,000 from one of the main gangs that have stepped into the void filled by the Kinahan cartel after its organisation was dismantled.

The gang who were the targets of a major garda raid today are led by a father and son who bizarrely are related to another father and son who are implicated in a major international drugs smuggling operation.

It is understood that the two different familial networks work hand in hand in their crime network and are both based in the Crumlin area of the capital.

They are strangely distinct from each other but yet work with each other when it suits them, a source told the Sunday World.

Some of the cars seized by Gardai

In the latest garda drive against the mob shocked onlookers watched as multiple high end vehicles were seized in a leafy south Dublin suburb as heavily armed gardai assisted officers from multiple garda districts.

In a statement gardai released details of their latest clampdown against the drug dealing mob from Crumlin who are also considered to be one of the main suppliers of drugs into the lucrative Co Wicklow market.

Gardai attached to Terenure Divisional Drugs Unit, supported by the Serious Crime units in Terenure, Crumlin and Sundrive Road and the Tallaght and Sundrive Road Divisional Drugs Units, assisted by the DMR South Scenes of Crime, Roads Policing Units and STOC conducted a number of searches in residential properties and business properties in Longford and Dublin targeting an organised crime group based in South Dublin.

A total of 29 vehicles were seized this morning, Thursday 20th March 2025 from a business in South County Dublin, as was evidence relating to drugs related money-laundering, and fraud offences. Further freezing orders have been placed on company accounts, freezing circa 200,000 suspected to be the proceeds of crime.

The estimated value of the vehicles seized is between 500,000 and 600,000.

Investigations are ongoing, a spokesperson said.

Garda Headquarters also pointed out that this was the fourth time the organised crime had been targeted in the past year.

Earlier this month we revealed how another father and son who are related to the gang led by this father and son were arrested in relation to an alleged massive drugs conspiracy off the coast of Co Cork.

The international criminal conspiracy was rumbled in March of last year. Its understood 840 kilos of cocaine worth over 58 million that was found washed up on beaches in Denmark was the drug haul that was destined for Ireland.

The father and son were later released without charge after being quizzed by detectives for over three days under organised crime legislation and a file will now be prepared for the DPP.

Sources say that gardai suspect the primary targets of todays raids had knowledge of this conspiracy but they have never been arrested in relation to it.

Detectives believe that the targeted crime group is led by a father and son, aged in their 60s and 30s, who are based in south Dublin and run one of the capitals largest drug networks.

This crew have become one of the bigger operations in Dublin recently, they operate relatively below the radar but are making plenty of money for the sale and supply of drugs, one source said.

The Sunday Word understands that the father comes from a well-known crime family in the city while his son has been investigated in the past for drug related crimes.

One of these incidents includes an alleged abduction in 2020, when a young man was taken from Wexford and brought to Dublin over a 15,000 drug debt.
The 60-year-old is still being questioned by gardai in the South East after his arrest for facilitating the activities of an organised crime gang.

A Del Boy style businessman who is nicknamed The Vet has been arrested by gardai investigating the seizure of 10.6m worth of cocaine.

The arrest operation happened at a service station in the Paulstown area of Co Kilkenny at 10am on Tuesday following a planned surveillance operation.

It is one of the largest seizures of cocaine this year in Ireland and The Vet was the driver of the truck in which the huge drugs haul was later found to be expertly concealed within a secret compartment.

The 60-year-old is still being questioned by gardai in the South East after his arrest for facilitating the activities of an organised crime gang.

Gardai have not yet established how the drugs came into the country but the use of high powered ribs from a so-called mothership has not been ruled out.

It is believed at this stage that the drugs had been in Ireland for at least a number of days.

Detectives believe the cocaine was controlled by the west Dublin gang known as The Family but believe not all the cocaine was destined for the Irish market.

This means that is often the case in these matters that a conglomerate of gangs including international groups were involved in organising the shipment, a senior source told the Irish Independent.

The man in custody is the owner of a number of businesses, some of which have been long established.

Two of these businesses and his home were raided on Monday as part of the investigation which is being led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB).

Sources say that gardai are very hopeful of getting serious charges in the case.

The main target of the operation was released from prison in recent years after serving around half of a jail sentence which was imposed on him in relation to an investigation into his business dealings.

He walked free from an open prison after earlier serving time in Cork Prison for the offence.

Investigators are unsure whether his time in Cork Prison meant he made contact with associates of The Family gang or if in fact he had a working relationship with them for some time, sources say.

The Vet has huge criminal contacts  he is not an IRA man but would have been on very friendly terms with big hitters in that organisation like Thomas Slab Murphy and Michael McKevitt through his involvement in fuel smuggling across the island, a senior source told the Sunday World.

He is a strange one  he was born into entitlement and at many crossroads in his life he had the opportunity to do the right thing but always went in the opposite direction.

Gardai who are familiar with him are in no way surprised that he has been caught up in this massive seizure, the source added.

The Sunday World can reveal that he has also been a major target for Revenue over the past 30 years and has had a number of close scrapes with customs officers including trying to obstruct them on occasions.

The Vet is also suspected of being one of the first criminals involved in the importation of angel dust (Clenbuterol) into Ireland decades ago.

The stimulant, used in the past by a small number of farmers, builds up muscle on average sized cattle, and has been banned throughout the EU because of health concerns including increased heart rate and tremors.

This individual certainly has his fingers in many pies but he may now be finally running out of runway. His arrest now means he really is in the big league and is surely facing far more time than he ever did before if he is convicted, a source said.

He has spent time living on the Border but his IRA contacts may be of limited use to him now. People are saying that he is just another businessman caught playing with fire in terms of dealing with international drugs trafficking gangs, the source added.

The drugs were so well concealed within the truck that was seized in Co Kilkenny on Monday morning that it required assistance by the Revenue Customs Service to x-ray it before members of the gardais Stolen Motor Vehicle Investigation Unit spent hours carefully dismantling the hidden compartment.

Following the operation, Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis, who is in charge of Organised and Serious Crime, said: This is a further example of An Garda Siochana's commitment to target the enablers and facilitators of organised crime.

The recently published European Union Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (EU-SOCTA 2025) highlights that serious and organised crime undermines the very foundations of political, economic and social cohesion and stability through illicit proceeds, the perpetuation of violence and the extension of corruption.

I thank the public for their support and encourage everybody to play their part.

Report suspicious activity in confidence to the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111.
Officers deploying high-end electric motorbike in bid to snare criminals

Gardai are again using high-end bait bikes in an attempt to catch thieves who target the often extremely expensive items.

There has been an increase in the theft of bikes and motorbikes across the country in recent years, especially in the capital.

The Sunday World has learnt that gardai in north Dublin have been using a high-end valuable electric motorbike in an attempt to snare would-be thieves in theft hotspots.

In one undercover operation in Clontarf earlier this month, the expensive bait bike was deployed at various locations and kept under surveillance.

During daylight hours, a suspect who was previously known to gardai for similar offences was watched as he interfered with the lock on the bike.

Bike theft is an issue that is causing great concern to the public

The male suspect was arrested and brought to the local garda station for questioning.

Sources said the bait-bike operation is in response to an increase in such thefts in that garda district.

The use of bait bikes is proving to be a successful tactic in tackling this growing problem, a source told the Sunday World.

Of course, surveillance operations involve the use of a lot of manpower, but it has been identified that bike theft is an issue that is causing great concern to the public.

Bike and motorbike theft more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, with the figure increasing again last year.

There were more than 140 incidents of motorbike theft in Ireland last year, compared with 128 in 2023 and 123 in 2022.

In general, these are not organised crimes, they are opportunistic by nature

Last September it was revealed that more than 25,000 bicycle thefts had been reported to gardai from 2019, but sources say that figure is just the tip of the iceberg as many victims do not report the crime.

In general, these are not organised crimes, they are opportunistic by nature and are often carried out by criminals with drug addiction problems and so on, a source said.

Spikes in bicycle thefts are commonly observed in the summer months, according to gardai, and most frequently occur between 12pm and 9pm, while one-quarter (26pc) occur between 3pm and 6pm.

Thieves have been using angle grinders to break chains. Stock image: Getty

The Sunday World revealed last November that motorbike thieves have been travelling around Dublin city centre with angle grinders to target motorbikes and e-scooters that are locked to lampposts and other points.

Sources say that in some cases the young criminals have been posting videos of their crimes on social media and the concern is that the thugs are becoming increasingly violent and emboldened.

Before the coronavirus pandemic the community policing unit at Pearse Street garda station ran a special investigation into bike thefts in Dublin city centre called Operation Chain.

Bikes were deliberately left in hot spot locations in the south city on 50 occasions under Operation Chain, with gardai monitoring them, ready to swoop if anyone tried to steal them.

As part of that operation, arrests were made in around a third of instances where bait bikes were deployed.
Following news of his release, Womens Aid said it is imperative that authorities carry out a risk assessment before Leahys release.

A MAN who stabbed a woman 22 times in a savage attack is set to walk free from prison today after serving just 10 years in prison for the frenzied knife attack.

One of the countrys most dangerous inmates Denis Leahy, who violently stabbed mother-of-one Rose Kenny in Dublin in September 2014, is set to be released from the Midlands Prison in Co Laois this morning despite being handed a 14 year sentence in July 2016 for her attempted murder.

He was moved to the tougher jail in 2023 after being caught with a mobile phone in his cell at Dublins Arbour Hill Prison.

Ms Kenny, 59, who spent seven weeks in St Jamess Hospital in Dublin fighting for her life, was lucky to survive the premeditated savage attack.

Following news of his release, Womens Aid said it is imperative that authorities carry out a risk assessment before Leahys release.

Speaking about what safe guards must be put in place, CEO of Womens Aid, Sarah Benson said: "Womens Aid is aware of the profound fear and anxiety any victim/survivor of violent assault by a current or former intimate partner experiences when the perpetrator is about to be released from custody.

Rose Kenny

This is a cause for even more concern when no remorse is expressed for the crimes committed.

It is vital that appropriate risk assessments are always carried out on such offenders and protections put in place, such as safety or restraining orders, to keep the perpetrator away from their victim.

We hope that probation and other relevant authorities are giving such consideration to risk and protection in this case also, as an absolute priority."

In 2016, Leahy, of Queen Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to the attack on Ms Kenny at School Street Flats, Dublin 8.

Her injuries included three stab wounds to her neck including one which cut through to her larynx and three stab wounds to her chest.

During the sentence hearing, Mr Justice Paul Butler said It was only thanks to the highly skilful medical intervention that Ms Kenny survived.

Justice Butler said the attack by Leahy was premeditated and had been planned for at least a day and also said there was a lack of remorse shown by the accused and that the court considered the offence to be at the higher end of the scale.

He sentenced Leahy to 14 years in prison which was back dated to September 23, 2014.

In interviews following his sentencing, Ms Kenny said she did not recognise Leahy on the morning of the attack.

She said at the time in 2016: I didnt recognise him on the morning. He pushed and fell on top of me and he said, You rang the cops on me.

I thought he was digging me. I closed my eyes. I didnt see the knife or anything. I told him he had the wrong person.

I had my arms up trying to protect myself. I then noticed the blood coming from my neck and looked down at my stomach and saw it too.

She added: I never lost consciousness. I knew if I did I would never wake up.

He cut my throat. I had done first aid and I could see bubbles in the blood so knew there was air in it. I was asking the police Please dont let me die.

Following his sentencing, it emerged that Leahy had allegedly butchered a prostitute in Thailand to death and reportedly bought his way out of jail in 2006.

At the time he was alleged to have knifed Bupha Tanchiangpin 22 times.

Ms Tanchiangpins mutilated body was found in his flat in the resort of Pattaya on November 20, 2006.

The 24-year-olds hands had been tied behind her back and she had stab wounds to her back, chest and neck.

Leahy, who was never convicted of the murder, was stopped by Thai cops on his way to the Cambodian border.

He was arrested after he fell asleep in a taxi and the driver recognised his face from a wanted poster.

However, he fled the country and returned to Ireland before carrying out the violent attack on Ms Kenny who he had been in a short relationship with years prior.
The kingpin, known as Dollarino, is regarded as a leading figure in the Italian mafia network in Lombardy,

Italys most wanted Mafia boss, Emanuele Gregorini has been arrested in Colombia.

The kingpin, known as Dollarino, is regarded as a leading figure in the Italian mafia network in Lombardy, where the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, and 'Ndrangheta mobs operate.

Gregorini, who was subject of a red notice, and wanted in 196 countries, was a top target of Interpols I-CAN, a department of the international organisation dedicated to distributing organised crime in Italy.

He is accused of trafficking drugs and arms, extortion, threats and mafia membership, and has reportedly lived openly in a suburb of Cartagena de Indias, one of the country's major shipping ports on the northern coast along the Caribbean Sea.

On the run since 2023, he was tracked down to an apartment in the picturesque seaside city.

The director of the National Police of Colombia, General Carlos Fernando Triana, stated: This decisive blow to transnational organized crime is the result of close cooperation between the National Police of Colombia and authorities from the United Kingdom, the Investigative Unit of the Carabinieri in Milan, and the International Cooperation Service of the Italian Ministry of the Interior.

Read more International drugs lord and key Kinahan Cartel ally arrested in Dubai

The director of the Colombian Police, Brigadier General Carlos Fernando Triana said Gregorini is the "leader of the Lombardo Mafia System, made up of the Camorra, Cosa Nostra and 'Ndrangheta mafias, responsible for sending large shipments of cocaine from Colombia, Panama and Brazil to Europe."

This invisible drug trafficker was wanted in 196 countries under a Red Notice, as a priority of the Interpol Corporation Against 'Ndrangheta (AICAN), he continued in a press statement.

This decisive blow to transnational organized crime is the result of the smooth cooperation between [Colombian Police] and authorities of the United Kingdom, the Investigative Unit of the Carabinieri of Milan, and the International Cooperation Service of the Italian Ministry of the Interior.

A video of Operacion Armagedon (Operation Armageddon) shows covert footage of Emanuele Gregorini as he goes about his daily life, unaware that authorities were on his tail.

It also shows armed police as they swarmed an apartment building to arrest him.

Gregorini is just one of a number of Italian mafiosos who have been nabbed in Colombia in recent months. Camorra fugitive Lugigi Belvedere, who was pictured posing beside Pablo Escobars grave, was arrested in October last year.

The fugitive, who served as an intermediary with Colombian drug gangs, was arrested after almost four years on the run.

Despite fleeing Europe to evade trafficking charges, he continued to be "active in the organisation of drug shipments from South America to Europe", police said.

Belvedere was on the Italian government's list of most dangerous fugitives, having worked with the Casalesi, who are part of the notorious Camorra mafia-type organisation.
Eurpol lays bare the inner workings of how Cartels like the Kinahan OCG collude with Russia

Russia is using criminal gangs to launder money in return for safe haven, a new report has claimed.

The 2025 EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (EU-SOCTA), which was published this week, warns that criminal organisations are colluding with hostile states to attack democracy and security.

The report lays out how states, such as Russia, outsource crimes such as cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and money laundering to criminal networks in return for offering them a safe haven free of fear from prosecution.

Eurpol describes these shadow alliances as mutually beneficial as both parties can leverage one anothers resources, expertise, and protection.

The outsourcing to multiple networks or actors might also be cost effective for state actors as criminal networks already have infrastructure in place and often have a global reach, the report reads.

Read more Son of Kinahan Cartel ally found guilty of 5.7 million golden toilet heist

The EU report also claims some countries are using crime gangs in a bid to destabilise the EU. The report does not specifically name Russia, however, a number of major publications across the continent has claimed it is being referred to by investigators.

Among the many forms of serious and organised crime, for some there is reason to believe that they are intended to destabilise the functioning of the EU and its Member States.

"This intent to destabilise may focus on democratic processes, social coherence within societies, the sense of security or the rule of law.

The report also claim crime gangs and rival foreign governments both have something to offer each other.

"Hybrid threat actors cooperate with criminal actors for mutual benefit, leveraging each others resources, expertise, and protection to achieve their objectives.

Financial gain is one of the primary motivations for criminals cooperating with hybrid threat actors, but the relationship is more complex and extends beyond just financial profit.

"Some states provide safe havens for criminals in exchange for their services, allowing them to operate freely without fear of prosecution

"It also allows these states to deny direct involvement by outsourcing certain crimes such as cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns or even money laundering to criminal networks, making attribution difficult.

The outsourcing to multiple networks or actors might also be cost effective for state actors as criminal networks already have infrastructure in place and often have a global reach.

Last year, two Russian money laundering networks supporting serious and organised crime around the world and used by the Kinahan cartel, were shut down following an international police operation.

They used their global reach to launder money for transnational crime groups such as the Kinahans. The notorious family-run crime syndicate, responsible for trafficking drugs and firearms into the UK and around the world, were sanctioned by the US in 2022, the NCA said.

Operation Destabilise uncovered a scheme whereby the networks collected funds in one country and made the equivalent value available in another, often by swapping cryptocurrency for cash.

The racket allowed for Russian oligarchs and elites to bypass sanctions which became widespread after the country launched its military attack on Ukraine in 2021.

The Sunday World previously revealed how the Kinahan cartel were embedded in a cocaine ring with the Russian and Iranian regimes by offering up their transport routes and South American cocaine suppliers in exchange for sanctuary.

The Soviet Military Intelligence wing, the GRU, are understood to be coordinating and supervising the transport of cocaine which is facilitated by the Kinahan organisation.

And with the noose tightening in Dubai - there have been reports that the Kinahans have cooked up a half-hatched contingency plan with the Russian mafia to relocate there at a moment's notice should they be tipped of that authorities will move against them.

Daniel, Christy Snr and Christy Jnr are wanted by the United States with a total $15 million reward for the arrest and conviction of all three.

Kinahan wanted

While they are not currently wanted by Irish authorities, Gardai have submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) outlining their case against the cartel - however a decision has not yet been made.

This week an inquest into the death of Eddie Hutch heard that the DPP is expected to decide within the next six months if Daniel Kinahan will be charged with his murder.

The Cartel will be seeking safe haven where they can find it - the dominoes began to fall last year with the arrest of Daniels right hand man Sean McGovern whos wanted for the murder of Noel Duck Egg Kirwin.

The patriarch of the family, Christopher Senior, not only speaks Russian but actively supported Putin and the Russian regime on social media before US sanctions were levelled against him.

In an X posting under the handle of @CVBizbroker, the Dapper Don wrote: I must say that Vladimir Putin puts up an absolutely compelling and coherent argument. It hasnt changed would be that some of our leaders would show themselves to be erudite and well educated in #statecraft #Russia #Ukraine #nato.

But Russian interest in Ireland goes beyond the Kinahans.

In 2021 the HSE was the victim of a cyber attack by Wizard Spider a gang based in Russia. The attack had a significant impact on the health service and was the most significant cyber attack in the history of the Irish state.

Last October, The Sunday Times broke the story that an Irish politician had been recruited by Russian intelligence but the alleged agent christened Cobalt was never publicly identified.

It was reported that the man was honey trapped with the purpose of undermining Brexit talks between Britain, Ireland and the EU.

At the time, Meath West TD Peadar Tobin then revealed that an Irish businesswoman had invited him to meet Russian president Vladamir Putin at the Kremlin in 2017, but turned down the offer.

It shouldnt come as any surprise to any of us that Russia seeks to influence public opinion, distort facts, and is active in relation to that across the world  Ireland is not immune, then Taoiseach Simon Harris said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 20. Russia has submitted proposals to Azerbaijan to resolve the situation with the "Russian House", said Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trend reports.

"Our proposals to resolve the current situation have been submitted to our partners. We hope to reach some kind of compromise solution as soon as possible," she said.

On February 3, 2025, Azerbaijan sent a diplomatic note to Russia requesting the closure of the "Russian House" after informing the Russian side that the Rossotrudnichestvo representative office in Azerbaijan, officially known as the Russian Information and Cultural Center, was not registered as a legal entity and was operating in violation of Azerbaijani law.
Members of the gang had been caught red-handed when police raided a house in Cardiff where they had been packaging two kilos of heroin ready for onward supply

A crime gang that had pictures of themselves printed onto a birthday cake were "gloating" at exploiting vulnerable children to carry out dealing on their behalf, a judge has declared.

Police who had been hunting the gang after finding children had been recruited to work as street dealers and couriers found a photograph on a phone showing a birthday cake with a picture of three gang members printed on it.

Images of Cameron Farrah, Chakeel Lovell, and Tyrese Jones along with champagne bottles and the name of the 'CC' drugs line were printed on the cake.

Members of the gang had been caught red-handed when police raided a house in Cardiff where they had been packaging two kilos of heroin ready for onward supply.

The gang's "money man" who had laundered 100,000 through the purchase of cryptocurrency was also snared.

According to a report on Wales Online, officers also found the incriminating photo during the investigation.

Newport Crown Court heard how Farrah and Jones who ran the drugs operation, were responsible for recruiting and directing vulnerable children.

Lower down in the hierarchy was trusted dealer Chakteel Lovell, while car dealer Joshua Dunbar was in charge of laundering the gang's money.

Farrah (25) of Pethybridge Road, Ely, Cardiff, was handed down an eight years and nine months prison sentence for conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine, possession of heroin with intent to supply, and two counts of human trafficking.

He has two previous convictions for four offences relating to the supply of crack cocaine, possession of heroin with intent to supply, and acquiring criminal property. He was on licence for these offences at the time of the conspiracy.

Jones (23) of Ronald Place, Ely, Cardiff, was sentenced to eight years and nine months for conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine, and two counts of human trafficking.

He has three previous convictions for four offences including possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis.

Chakeel Mark Anthony Lovell (23) of Doe Close, Penylan, Cardiff, was sentenced six years and four months in prison for conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine, and possession of heroin with intent to supply.

He has seven previous convictions for 10 offences including robbery, violent disorder, theft, vehicle interference, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, and wounding with intent.

Dunbar (28) of Panteg, Pentyrch, Cardiff, who has two previous convictions for three offences including drug-driving and being involved in the importation of a drug of Class B, was sentenced to 25 months in prison for money laundering.

South Wales Police detective inspector Tim Jones, the senior investigating officer in the case, described the exploitation of vulnerable children as despicable.

Exploitation and slavery have no place in our South Wales communities and we will do all we can to arrest those involved, he said.

South Wales Police is committed to identifying and safeguarding any young or vulnerable people in the community that are being exploited by organised crime groups such as this one.

We will look to place orders such as slavery and trafficking-prevention orders upon conviction on any offenders involved in this type of criminality."
Some of the things that have happened in the past to our president. We want to make sure were not leaving anything to chance

A Florida man who posted threats against Donald Trump on social media and challenged the president to fight me naked to the death has been arrested.

Kendal Aaron Todd (42) was charged on Monday in St Lucie County after he allegedly posted the threats online.

In a rambling, 80-second clip posted on social media he railed against the president, saying that because of him every single person in the world is cursed.

Donald Trump is the Antichrist, he declared in the since-deleted clip.

Donald Trump has personally made business decisions which have hurt so many different reincarnated Jesuses, he added.

St. Lucie County Sheriff Richard Del Torro said the threats were quickly flagged by the United States Secret Service

He just kept escalating his behaviour, Del Toro said. He got the attention obviously of the United States Secret Service  and that got our attention.

Del Torro said authorities had recently been keeping tabs on Todd over concerns for his mental health.

Neighbours told local news station WPBF theyd recently seen deputies at the home of the suspect, whod been acting strangely for some time.

The sheriff said a SWAT team moved in to apprehend him after he posted the disturbing video online, the sheriff said.

Todd had also challenged Trump to fight me naked to the death, according to authorities.

Its just very concerning for us, Del Torro added. Some of the things that have happened in the past to our president. We want to make sure were not leaving anything to chance.

Todd's bond was reportedly set at $500,000, according to WPBF.
In the footage shown in court, Mr Dwyer can be heard saying These are all foreign people telling me what I cant do in my own country

A judge has convicted prominent anti-immigrant activist, Philip Dwyer of trespass at a then new direct provision centre for International Protection (IP) applicants at Magowna House at Inch, Co Clare in May 2023.

Imposing a 500 fine for the trespass offence on Citizen Journalist Philip Dwyer at Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett said that words used by Mr Dwyer to others on the grounds at Magowna House were unkind and "quite unseemly".

After viewing Mr Dwyers video footage in court of what occurred at Magowna House on May 18th 2023 Judge Gabbett said: There was a certain undertone to the speech used.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Dwyer had told a Ukrainian man at the Magowna House site "you are Ukrainian - you are in my country or words to that effect and you can't tell me what to do in my country' isn't particularly pleasant to watch.

Philip Dwyer outside court. Photo: Collins

Mr Dwyer (56) of Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24 had denied the trespass charge and presented video footage of his interactions at Magowna House as part of his case and Judge Gabbett said that the footage was instead helpful to the States prosecution against Mr Dwyer.

The court was told at the time, there were protests at Magowna House where 29 International Protection applicants were being accommodated and there were blockades on local roads which were attracting media attention.

In evidence heard previously, Manager of Magowna House, Ahlam Salman told the court that Mr Dwyer was on the property on May 18th recording making me and my staff feel afraid and unsafe.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Dwyers footage corroborated the States evidence of Ms Salmans fear on the day.

Judge Gabbett said that Magowna House was no longer operating as a hotel and was private property.

In the footage shown in court, Mr Dwyer can be heard saying These are all foreign people telling me what I cant do in my own country.

Mr Dwyer can be seen addressing a Ukrainian man wearing a fluorescent jacket asking Do you think Irish people are stupid? Do you think we are all idiots? I wouldn't blame you to be honest with you.

He asks later: What is your problem? You are not in Ukraine, this is my countryWhat are you hiding? I am just asking questions on behalf of the people of Ireland. The people in this country are very concerned about this.

After seeing some men believed to be IP applicants staying at the centre, Mr Dwyer asks: Why are these people covering their faces.This is Ireland. This is my country."

He says later: The people of Ireland you can see what is happening in their country - stopping Irish men going they lawful business to do journalism.

The footage later shows Mr Dwyer saying: Philip Dwyer is my name. I am a Citizen Journalist. You are in Ireland now.

Of the Ukrainian man, Mr Dwyer said: He should be over in Ukraine fighting the war - he is here illegally.

After seeing an Irish Times reporter located outside the Magowna House perimeter, Mr Dwyer commented "look at the face of treason here lads".

Prior to Judge Gabbett imposing sentence, counsel for Mr Dwyer, Ann Doyle BL said her client does not accept the verdict of the court and had instructions not to give a very detailed plea in mitigation.

Ms Doyle said: "Mr Dwyer is someone who I believe is a person of integrity. He is a citizen journalist and he had no intention of creating a breach of the peace or invoking fear in anyone."

Ms Doyle confirmed that the conviction would be appealed to the circuit court.
Ryan was involved in serious traffic accident in Osaka when he was knocked off his motorbike on Saturday, February 15, and is now in critical care

Ryan Cullen was involved in serious traffic collision in Osaka, Japan, where he was knocked off his motorbike on February 15, and is now in ICU critical care

A Waterford family has launched a fundraising campaign to bring their son Ryan Cullen home, after he suffered devastating injuries in a road traffic collision in Japan.

Ryan was involved in serious traffic accident in Osaka when he was knocked off his motorbike on Saturday, February 15, and is now in critical care.

His mum Kathryn, brother Deanie, and all of Ryans family, have started a GoFundMe.com campaign which has gained over 5,000 in donations so far to pay for his medical costs and safe return home to Tramore this summer.

Ryan sustained multiple severe injuries, including dislocated hips, a significant fracture to his right hip, damage to his spleen, and a laceration to his bladder, which is leaking into his stomach.

Ryan underwent bladder surgery on Friday, February 21, followed by hip surgery on February 28. The hip procedure involved the insertion of a metal plate and pins to stabilise the fracture.

I am reaching out to you during what is undoubtedly the most challenging time of our lives, said Kathryn. Both the dislocation and fracture will require months of rehabilitation for recovery.

Ryan has suffered devastating injuries, that will drastically impact his quality of life. He requires two major operations, along with numerous X-rays and CT scans, and the doctors have informed us that he will need to remain in the hospital for over four weeks.

The costs for his hospital stay, food, and medical procedures are mounting rapidly, and they are far beyond what we can manage on our own. Ryan will also need rehabilitation, physio and full time care along with various medical equipment when he comes home to Ireland.

As if this ordeal isnt difficult enough, we have learned that navigating the legal system in Japan is essential for us with road traffic accidents. We will need to hire a solicitor or lawyer to help us through this process, as Ryan is considered a foreigner and is unfamiliar with the laws there.

We are reaching out to you, our community, for help. We are in desperate need of financial assistance to cover the overwhelming and drastically mounting costs of Ryan's medical care and to bring him home safely.

Every little bit helps, and your kindness can make all the difference in our familys journey to recovery. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support during this, added the family.

Ryan Cullen "would like to express his sincere gratitude for the kindness and support he has have received"

On Saturday, March 8, the fundraising team provided an update on Ryans progress, saying he would like to express his sincere gratitude for the kindness and support he has have received - it has truly been invaluable.

Ryan is making steady progress in his recovery, gaining strength and mobility each day. The encouragement from so many has been both unexpected and deeply motivating, inspiring Ryan to focus on his rehabilitation.

While words cannot fully capture Ryans appreciation, he looks forward to the opportunity to personally thank as many of you as possible upon his return.

Kathryn said that as a mother, you spend your whole life protecting your child, keeping them safe, and shielding them from harm. But some things are beyond our control. My son, Ryan, is my world. He is strong, adventurous, and full of life. But on February 15, that life changed forever, in a country so far from home, from family, from everything familiar.

The pain he has endured is something no mother should ever have to witness. The road ahead is long. Months of rehabilitation, physical therapy, and full-time care await him.

Deanie said that when Ryan had his accident in Osaka, Japan, both his world  and ours  changed forever. Nobody should have to go through as much as he has. Ryan isnt just my brother, hes my best friend. Hes the one who always knew how to make people laugh, the one who never hesitated to help someone in need. And now, hes the one who needs help.

Hes lying in a hospital bed, thousands of miles away from home, fighting through unimaginable pain. We need to bring him home to Ireland. We need to make sure he has the care, the equipment, the rehabilitation he needs.

Ryan is strong, but he shouldnt have to fight this alone. And I wont stop fighting for him. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for listening. For caring. For standing with us, added Deanie. Donations can be made at gofundme.com at a page called Bring Ryan Home.
Victims had waged an intense campaign for a sit-down meeting with ministers to discuss their calls for a public inquiry into the prolific sex abuse case

Retired surgeon Michael Shine arriving at the Dublin circuit criminal court in 2019 when he was sentenced for sexual abuse of patients. Photo: Damien Eagers

Victims of paedophile Michael Shine are to meet the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, it has been confirmed.

Victims had waged an intense campaign for a sit-down meeting with ministers to discuss their calls for a public inquiry into the prolific sex abuse case.

In a statement issued to The Journal last night, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said: The Minister for Health would be willing to meet with the Dignity4Patients support group.

She has asked her officials to engage with the group in this regard.

In January it was revealed that new lawsuits had been initiated over the activities of the convicted child abuser

Nine civil cases were filed shortly before Christmas against Shine and the religious order that ran the hospital where he once worked.

Much of the abuse is said to have occurred at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, where he was a consultant surgeon from 1964 until his retirement in 1995, and at private rooms he kept elsewhere.

Although he is feared to have abused hundreds of young males, Shine is a free man after serving just three years in prison for assaults on nine boys.

He is unlikely to face further criminal prosecution after the DPP decided two years ago not to press charges in relation to complaints made by 25 men.

That decision was made in the wake of a Court of Appeal ruling that it would be unjust for the 93-year-old to face a further trial due to his age and health.

The latest lawsuits were filed by nine clients of Dublin law firm Pearse Mehigan Solicitors LLP against Shine and a nominee of the Medical Missionaries of Mary, which previously ran the hospital.

Dignity4Patients, a support group, said it expected this number to grow in the coming months while other avenues to justice remain closed off at present.

The activities of Shine were previously the subject of two multi-million-euro civil settlements, involving more than 200 former patients, in 2012 and 2022.

Since the most recent settlement, victims have ramped up their campaign for a public inquiry or commission or investigation.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said last August that the Government would reflect on those calls, but a decision is still awaited. Mr Harris later said he had asked officials for a paper setting out options and outlining work that has been done to date.

Dignity4Patients chief executive Adrienne OReilly said Mr Harris should not issue a report about what should happen without first consulting with victims.

We are still in a position where those making decisions do not meet with the victims and statements are made about them without them. We are hoping that, post-election, going into the new government term, this will radically change.

Ms OReilly said then-Tanaiste Micheal Martin had given a pre-election commitment to meet victims in early course after the election.

The terms of the most recent settlements in 2022 were kept confidential.

However, sources familiar with the deal, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said individual awards largely ranged between 20,000 and 65,000.

Shine did not participate in the lawsuits, which were handled by the religious orders insurers.

The order ran the hospital until 1997, when ownership was transferred to the then North Eastern Health Board.

The first complaint against Shine, alleging indecent assault, was made by a former patient in 1994. He retired on a full pension less than a year later, but was struck off the medical register in 2008.

Last August a number of men spoke publicly about the abuse for the first time in a series of in-depth interviews with The Journal.

More than 360 men have reported being sexually abused by the now disgraced doctor while he worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda and his private surgery in the Louth town.

A once revered surgeon, Shine began working as a senior registrar in 1964 and was quickly promoted to consultant in 1968, staying at the hospital until 1995.

Survivors claim that Medical Missionaries of Mary were aware of the abuse and allowed it to continue for decades.

Support and advocacy organisation Dignity4Patients is campaigning for a Commission of Investigation on behalf of the victims.

Lawyer Diarmuid Brecknell of the Belfast-based firm Phoenix Law represents a number of the men who are pushing for a public inquiry.

Shines name has long been associated with legal battles about the many allegations against him.

He was first accused of abuse by a whistle-blower in 1995 and charged with indecent assault in 1996. His legal tactics delayed any trial relating to those charges from starting until 2003. He was then acquitted.

Two more trials, in 2017 and 2019, saw him found guilty of assaults against nine boys.

More charges led to another protracted legal saga, culminating in the Court of Appeal ruling that cumulative factors  including Shines age and health, and a misstep by the Director of Public Prosecutions  meant the case was in a wholly exceptional category where it would be unjust to put the appellant on trial.
Shame is not enough - fear must change sides. It is rapists who should be made feel afraid

Students at Trinity College Dublin have said it is rapists who should be made feel afraid as they unfurled a banner in support of survivors of sexual violence.

A Support Survivors Not Rapists banner was displayed from one of the windows at the front of the iconic building for thousands of St Patricks Day tourists to see.

In a statement, the Students Union said they took action as a response to multiple high profile cases of survivors speaking out publicly, including Nikita Hand, who won her civil rape case against Conor McGregor - a man hosted in the White House yesteday.

We call on all areas of society - in governments across the world, on our streets, and in our pubs - to denormalise sexual violence and those who perpetrate it, a spokesperson for the students said.

The banner on display at Trinity College

Current legal protections do not work and do not centre survivors, so we must. This extends into our college community, where bullying cases are brought about those who speak out against rapists.

We must ban the use of character references, they added. We must ban the use of counselling notes. Shame is not enough - fear must change sides. It is rapists who should be made feel afraid.

There has been a backlash against McGregors controversial appearance with President Donald Trump on Monday, with People Before Profit TD Ruth Coppinger describing it as two rapists met in the White House on St Patrick's Day.

The Dublin West deputy availed of Dail privilege to make the accusation against Donald Trump and Conor McGregor which she described as an insult to the country, and an insult to your Government, actually, because he slated you.

"So much for your diplomatic mission with Trump, she said in relation to Taoiseach Michal Martins earlier meeting with Trump.

What had happened was "an insult to women", she said.

"When you normalise genocide, when you normalise misogyny, this is what happens. I actually asked you, before you went, how you felt about dealing with a sexual predator like Donald Trump.

"And that was the insult that he delivered to your Government and to this people on St Patrick's Day. "Your visit was completely obliterated and overshadowed by the real Donald Trump.

The owner of Irish whiskey brand Clare Island Whiskey also asked Conor McGregor not to pretend to represent the Irish people.

I would only ask an Irish man or woman who remembers where they came from, and knows what they are talking about, to speak on my behalf. We have duly elected officials for that, Carl OGrady shared on Instagram.

The owner of the Westport-based alcohol brand said that he was once a supporter of Conor McGregor, but now takes a different view of the MMA fighter.

Conors words are the first salvo against our democracy and against our way of life by an oligarch fanboy.

The backlash comes after the Dubliner, who was found liable for raping a woman at a Dublin hotel in 2018 in a high-profile civil case, met with president of the United States Donald Trump in the White House on Monday to mark St. Patrick's Day.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington D.C McGregor said it was high time that America is made aware of what is going on in Ireland, before ranting about illegal immigration, a subject on which Donald Trump latched onto during both of his presidential campaigns.

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 has 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'll become a minority in one swoop. So issues need to be addressed.
A man approached a number of our students separately and took photographs

A South Dublin school has issued a warning to parents after reports several students were upskirted by a man on Tuesday.

An email was sent to parents of pupils at Alexandra College in Milltown informing them about the incident in which a man allegedly approached students separately before taking photographs up their skirts.

The incident, which occurred between 4.30 and 5pm near Palmerston Park, was reported to Gardai who say they are investigating.

There was a series of incidents after school between 4:30 and 5 pm near Palmerston Park where a man approached a number of our students separately and took photographs (upskirted the girls), the email reads.

The matter has been reported to An Garda Siochana.

Please make sure your daughters are aware of the need to ensure their safety as they walk to and from school. Students should ensure that they are aware of their surroundings, including not wearing headphones as they travel.

The private day and boarding school, which is one of the most expensive fee-paying schools in the country, has a junior and senior school for girls aged 3 to 19.

The principal said that students in the secondary school have been made aware of the situation.

Gardai told the Sunday World in a statement: Gardai are investigating a report of an alleged incident that occurred in Dublin 6 on Tuesday afternoon, 18th March 2025. Investigations are ongoing.

Upskirting is the act of taking a photograph or video under a person's clothing without their consent, and is an offence under the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, commonly known as Coco's Law.

The act was enacted to address online abuse, cyberbullying, and image-based sexual abuse, including acts like upskirting and revenge porn.

The law is named after Nicole 'Coco' Fox, a young woman from Dublin who tragically died by suicide in 2018 following online bullying and harassment.

Nicoles mother Jackie campaigned tirelessly for stronger legal protections following her daughter's death.

Her advocacy played a crucial role in pushing for legislative change and the creation of Coco's Law.

Jackie Fox, whose daughter Nicole died by suicide in January 2018. Photo: Paul Dillon

A review of the law in September 2024 found that there have been 99 prosecutions since the act came into effect on 10 February 2021.

If convicted, perpetrators can face an unlimited fine and up to seven years in prison.

Members of the public can anonymously report Intimate Image Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse Material and more via online portal, Hotline.ie.

A similar law came into effect in Northern Ireland in November 2023.

If convicted under the Sexual Offences and Trafficking Victims Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, perpetrators could face up to two years in prison.

If youve been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact Womens Aid on 1800 341 900, or Samaritans on 116 123.
Mama Tupou is a legend and pioneer of ASB Polyfest. Tupou Manapori,80, has been to every Polyfest event since it began in 1976 as the Auckland Secondary School Maori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival.

Mama Tupou was a founding member of Polyfest and continues to be an integral part of the event as the co-ordinator for the Cook Island Stage.

She explains how Polyfest has helped a generation of Maori and Pacific youth to find their identity.

I can still remember the first Polyfest. The year was 1976 and it started in pretty humble fashion.



A close-up look at one of the many traditional headpieces you can expect to see on the Cook Islands stage. Auckland Girls Grammar Cook Island Group 2023. Photo / Thomas Wandstraat

I was working at Hillary College at the time as a teacher  Hillary College (now Sir Edmund Hillary College), Mangere College, Aorere College and Seddon College (now Western Springs)  attended and performed. It cost 50 cents to attend.

We started small because we felt the importance of the event was for our children, the New Zealand-born Pasifika youth, to know about their culture, their identity and their language.

That was the purpose: to give our Pasifika and Maori youth an event they could build their identity around. That remains the purpose of Polyfest today.

We have come a long way since those days.

In 2025, we are anticipating close to 75 schools and 280 groups will perform. More than 10,000 Pasifika youth will take to the stage and around 100,000 people will attend with 200 stallholders.

Polyfest is now heralded as the biggest secondary school cultural dance festival in the world.

Everyone who has played a part in building this event should be proud of that.

ACC will be among the 200 stallholders. Alongside NZ Rugby League, they will be talking to our youth about preventing and managing concussion in sport. It is important work and I encourage our rangatahi to engage with the supporters of our event.

I am a proud Cook Islander and the 50th anniversary will be a special walk down memory lane.

In recent years we have had plenty to overcome  events like Covid-19, the Christchurch terror attack (which happened during the 2019 event) and the Auckland floods.

During this time our people have shown incredible resilience and strength.

I cant wait to connect with all the people who have made it special over the years and to keep building for our future.

The theme or kaupapa for the 2025 event is fitting. It is Legacy  A treasure handed down (He oha no tua, he taonga tuku iho!).



St Pauls College Niuean Group celebrates backstage in 2024. Photo / Thomas Wandstraat

I have seen my children and grandchildren grow up at this event.

There is no doubt that Polyfest has been a defining festival for shaping our next generation of Polynesian and Maori people.

It has helped our youth of tomorrow to showcase their cultural languages, their dances, and learn about leadership skills.

They were taught leadership, passion and pride in their culture, which helped in every aspect of their life.

It is very important that Pacific and Maori people dont forget our roots, and where we come from.

ASB Polyfest  The Auckland Secondary Schools Maori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival
In our tiredness, and overwhelm, we are thankful for all the support, say a Katikati family whose home was recently destroyed by a fire.

The Macfarlane family are reeling from a devastating fire which burned their home into a shell, destroyed most of their belongings, and the worse  it took the life of their beloved dog Billie.

The family are overwhelmed and getting their heads around all thats happened. The community has rallied with countless offers of help, and they have been offered a home to ground themselves for the next few months to heal and rebuild their lives.

Church minister

Jonathan Macfarlane is the minister in charge of St Peters Anglican Church. His family Lauren, Jack, Jemma, Louisa, Leo, and Loretta lived in the vicarage at the back of the church.

On March 10 at 7.15pm a fire took hold in one of the childrens bedrooms.

Lauren and Jack were on a bike ride and the others were watching television.



The fire has been classified as undetermined. Photo / Supplied

Jonathan said he smelled smoke which he assumed was from outside.

Then I saw smoke coming from a bedroom and the bed was on fire. I sent the four kids out the door to the church, and emptied a fire extinguisher into the bed, however I believe the walls had likely caught fire at that point.

I was coughing on smoke while clearly aware I had to prioritise my children. Grabbing only my wallet, keys, and wifes bag on the way out, I dialled 111 and I took the kids to the front the church.

Fire response

Three fire trucks from Katikati, as well as one each from Mayor View and Omokoroa, attended the fire. The first attending truck found the house well involved.

The fire was under control by around 7.55pm and extinguished a short time later after firefighters in breathing apparatus made access to the ceiling and roof. Crews remained on scene to dampen down hot spots until around 9.40pm, when the last crew left.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said a specialist fire investigator attended the next day and has classified the cause of the fire as undetermined.

The undetermined classification is used when a cause cannot be proven to an acceptable level of certainty.

The historic church was spared, with the garage and neighbours homes.

Unknown cause

Jonathan said firefighters know the origin of the fire was in the bedroom, but not the cause.

The side/bottom of the single bed base caught fire. They ruled out ground level electrical faults, and all other potential heat sources were accounted for as best as possible. No children had been in the room for 40 minutes. I was told theres a high chance its a freak accident such as an exploding lightbulb and we wont know why.

No evidence could be found of arson.

What I wanted most in the first 24 hours was answers, and indeterminate cause with known origin is all we have.



Four crews remained at the house to dampen down hot spots until around 9.40pm. Photo / Supplied

Now the family must go through the phase of insurance, liaising with parish and diocesan. They are so grateful to be offered the furnished house at Waihi Beach.

Wed like to extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported and cared. To St Peters Anglican Church, Bishop Philip Richardson and our Waikato Taranaki Diocese, Katikati Combined Churches, and Christian Foodbank, Katikati Stags Rugby Club, friends around the country including some who came from the Manawatu, and the town which weve been welcomed into - thank you.

I'd also like to extend our deepest gratitude and admiration to Katikati Fire Brigade and all the fire fighters who came to serve.
SIDNEY-- Wednesday, March 12, 2025 brought smiles and high-fives to Pole Creek Estates as preschoolers from Kid's Korner traveled to congregate for their monthly meeting at the Senior Care facility. Part of rehab services through Sidney Regional Medical Center and a partnership with the Cheyenne County Community Center, these two age groups are uniting to uplift spirits and kindle friendships.

"Do you guys want to start with bubbles?" Ally Benzel, head of Rehab Services asks the excited preschoolers. "Yeah!" An excited chorus echoes. Pat Meyer, a resident at Pole Creek, is passed the bubble ma...
Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6

Embarking on a second watchmaking journey Louis Vuitton is delighted to announce the second creation in its ongoing journey of collaborations with renowned independent watchmakers  a spectacular, travel-inspired piece designed and made in partnership with Master Watchmaker Kari Voutilainen.

Finnish-born Kari Voutilainens remarkable, hand- crafted timepieces have earned him a significant reputation among the collecting community for the exceptional level of craftsmanship that goes into each and every one of his rare watches.

By a fortunate coincidence, both Louis Vuitton and the Voutilainen workshop began their journeys to horological recognition in 2002  Louis Vuitton with the launch of the ground-breaking Tambour watch, and the Voutilainen workshop with the establishment of his independent Atelier in Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6  Louis Vuitton

The new LVKV-02 GMR 6 represents a unique and special blend of the Voutilainen workshops talents and those of the master craftspeople at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton.

With Kari Voutilainens participation in the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives as a member of the committee of experts, the proceeds of this exclusive collaboration will also contribute to supporting independent watchmaking and the Prize initiative itself  the cause that originally inspired the Louis cruises with. series.

A timepiece rooted in Louis Vuittons travel legacy

Based on the latest Escale design revealed in 2024, the 40.5mm LVKV-02 GMR 6 features a case crafted from pure tantalum in a process overseen by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, with the bezel, back, lugs, crown, and strap buckle all adorned in platinum.

The watchs name, Escale, meaning stopover in English, reflects Louis Vuittons rich heritage in the art of travel and unparalleled savoir-faire in trunkmaking. The lugs make continuous allusion to the Maisons iconic trunks, resembling the angled forms and riveted exterior of the brass brackets and corners that reinforce Louis Vuitton creations.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6  Louis Vuitton

The Escale case was the natural choice for the travel- oriented LVKV-02 GMR 6, especially since the model has catered to those with a passion for wanderlust ever since its original launch in 2014. The very first Escale, a World Time watch, featured a dial marked with 24 city locations that was decorated with miniature hand-painted versions of the colorful blazons, historically used to identify the owners of Louis Vuittons iconic trunks.

The tantalum and platinum case of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 boasts beautiful proportions, making it not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.

The lug polishing and satin finishing operations are performed entirely by hand, reflecting the highest craftsmanship that is the hallmark of Louis Vuitton. The angles are shaped through fine cabronnage, followed by polishing and sharpening the platinum for an impeccable finish.

It takes about an hour to process each lug, ensuring that every detail meets the highest standards of quality. The most demanding stage in the manufacture of this case is satin-finishing the tantalum case side.

This is carried out entirely by hand, requiring almost four hours of work per piece. This process enhances the natural radiance of tantalum, creating a striking contrast with the polished platinum components. The combination of matte and highly polished finishes further accentuates the sophisticated aesthetics of the watch.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6 tourbillon  Louis Vuitton

This perfect balance ensures that the watch is both a practical travel companion and a piece of art. The case back features the engraving Louis cruises with Kari, adding a unique touch to this exceptional timepiece. This engraving, which requires approximately 12 hours of meticulous work, symbolises the collaborative spirit and shared values of excellence, creativity, and craftsmanship between Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen.

In every detail, from the choice of materials to the intricate finishing touches, the LVKV-02 GMR 6 stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainens exceptional artistry. This timepiece is not only a celebration of their shared heritage, but also a true symbol of innovation and craftsmanship.

An exceptional dial: seamlessly blending the talents of both maisons

The dial of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 is a testament to the extraordinary craftsmanship of this artistic collaboration. Every element of the gold dial, which is manufactured in four parts, has been meticulously designed and crafted to reflect the unique heritage and expertise of both Maisons.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6  Louis Vuitton

The diamond-polished hour circle is a masterpiece of miniature painting, hand-decorated by Maryna Bossy, a skilled artisan at La Fabrique des Arts  the Metiers dArt workshop at La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. This intricate work involves the use of 28 different colours and requires 32 hours of meticulous painting as well as a total of eight hours of firing.

The center of the gold dial is exquisitely decorated in Voutilainens workshop with exceptional hand guilloche, an engraving technique consisting of removing material and creating an intricate pattern of curved or straight lines. This process, a nod to Louis Vuittons famous Damier motif, is entirely carried out using vintage machinery that dates back to the 18th century. This particularly demanding art form requires extreme dexterity, precision, passion, and an innate sense of aesthetics by fascinating and inspiring artisans who grace this watch with its timeless elegance.

The hour circle beneath the white gold Roman numerals has been adorned with a magnificent miniature painting and references the design of ancient stained-glass windows. This was executed by specialists at La Fabrique Des Arts Louis Vuitton. The Voutilainen workshop was responsible for the spectacular sun and moon imagery that serves as a day and night indicator on the second time zone subdial. Many hours were spent to first hand-engrave and then meticulously decorate the sun and moon- inspired day/night disc crafted in the iconic Louis Vuitton colours of saffron and blue. The enamel part on the day/night disc posed a significant challenge, as achieving the delicate gradient required an artists touch and an unwavering dedication to perfection. Upon close inspection, the pattern reveals the concealed shapes of Louis Vuittons famed Monogram flower.

Each element reminds us of the significance of the GMT function in relation to Louis Vuittons deep-rooted association with travel. The main dial is also distinctive in featuring a handset made by the Voutilainen workshop, and in the way the famous LV logo has been combined with the Voutilainen name, the second of the intertwined initials also serving as the first letter of Voutilainen.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6  Louis Vuitton

The dial of the LVKV-02 GMR 6 is not just a functional element  it is a canvas that showcases the exceptional talents of both Louis Vuitton and the Voutilainen workshop. It embodies the perfect fusion of artistic prowess and technical precision, making it a true masterpiece in the world of horology.

A caliber crafted with horological expertise for world explorers

The Voutilainen workshops renowned dedication to detail and relentless pursuit of perfection are vividly displayed in the exceptional handmade decoration of each movement used in the five individually-numbered examples of the LVKV-02 GMR 6.

The use of GMR 6 in the watchs name is a tribute to the second time zone function, a nod to Louis Vuittons historic legacy as a trunk maker for bold travelers. The R signifies the power reserve display, while the 6 denotes the location of the second time zone subdial. The GMT disc rotates in 24 hours and is designed to be set to home time, allowing the central hour hand to be easily adjusted to local time in the country being visited with a simple press of the crown. This thoughtful design ensures that the watch is a perfect ally for global exploration.

In addition, the watch features a retrograde power reserve display at 12 oclock. The open case back provides an unhindered view of the GMR 6 movement, allowing admirers to appreciate the intricate craftsmanship and beauty of the mechanism within.

The mechanism, whose main plate and bridges are made from German silver, was designed, built, fabricated, finished, and assembled within the Voutilainen workshop. Comprising 254 components, the LVOUTILAINEN movement features a very large balance wheel crafted in-house, allowing for perfect regulation of the watch within strict tolerances. To equip such a timepiece, a rare and unique balance-spring system has been employed. The exterior of the spring has a typical Phillips overcoil, while the internal curve utilizes the little-known Grossmann curve, further enhancing accuracy.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6 movement  Louis Vuitton

What makes this movement particularly remarkable is its two escapement wheels, which provide a direct impulse to the balance through the jewels. This innovative construction improves efficiency by requiring less energy than the Swiss lever escapement and offers notable benefits for everyday use, such as longevity, stability, and a longer power reserve.

The movement is further enhanced with traditional finishes such as artisanal Cotes de Geneve and perlage, showcasing the exquisite craftsmanship that both Louis Vuitton and the Voutilainen workshop are celebrated for. These finishing touches not only highlight the technical prowess of the watchmakers but also add a layer of elegance and sophistication to the timepiece.

Each movement is a unique work of art, adorned with a kaleidoscopic pattern of multi-colored miniature painting on the mainspring barrel cover, visible through the open case back. This intricate decoration was meticulously hand-applied at La Fabrique des Arts Louis Vuitton by the talented Maryna Bossy.

The ratchet applique, crafted from white gold, epitomizes the exceptional craftsmanship realized at La Fabrique des Arts Louis Vuitton. It took approximately 16 hours of meticulously painting the ratchet with 27 different colours. This detailed process involves 27 distinct operations, including around five kiln sessions and eight hours of firing to achieve the stunning final result.

In every detail, from the intricate hand-painted decorations to the masterful mechanical engineering, the LVKV-02 GMR 6 embodies the perfect fusion of horological expertise and the spirit of global adventure. This caliber is not just a testament to technical excellence but a celebration of the art of watchmaking, designed for those who appreciate the beauty and precision of a truly exceptional timepiece.

A trunk masterfully crafted in the heart of Louis Vuittons atelier

Each watch will be delivered in a bespoke Louis Vuitton travel trunk, meticulously crafted using traditional methods at the historic Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnieres. It is here, in the enchanting setting of the trunk-making workshops, where expertise and craftsmanship are passed down through generations. The Maison in Asnieres is more than just a workshop; it is the beating heart of Louis Vuitton, a place where tradition and innovation converge to create exceptional trunks.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6 and custom trunk  Louis Vuitton

The creation of each LVKV-02 GMR 6 trunk is a journey of craftsmanship and artistry. Once the structure is completed with the precision and expertise that only Louis Vuitton can provide, the trunk is handed over to a small team of artisans. These skilled craftsmen then hand-paint the trunk with a design that mirrors the intricate decoration and architecture of the watch dial, ensuring a harmonious and breathtaking presentation. The trunk also features the signature Louis cruises with Kari, reinforcing the uniqueness of this collaboration.

To further enhance its exclusivity, each trunk is adorned with the edition number corresponding to one of the five available LVKV-02 GMR 6 watches, making each set uniquely allocated. This exquisite trunk, a masterpiece in its own right, not only cradles the timepiece but also serves as a symbol of the timeless elegance and unparalleled craftsmanship that define Louis Vuitton and the Voutilainen workshop.

Louis Vuitton X Kari Voutilainen: LVKV-02 GMR 6 and custom trunk  Louis Vuitton

In this unique collaboration, Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen have redefined the art of horology. The LVKV-02 GMR 6 is not merely a watch; it is a symbol of unparalleled craftsmanship, innovation, and the timeless spirit of travel. Each element, from the meticulously crafted dial to the bespoke travel trunk, tells a story of dedication, artistry, and a shared passion for excellence. This timepiece stands as a singular celebration of the rich heritage and exceptional artistry of both Louis Vuitton and Kari Voutilainen, designed for those who seek the extraordinary in every moment of their journey. This exclusive creation marks a special moment in the history of both Maisons, embodying the pinnacle of watchmaking and the spirit of adventure.
SIDNEY--On March 11, 2025, the City of Sidney Council met for its regular meeting, and several items including the annual One & Six Year Street Improvement Plan report were on the agenda for discussion. All members of the council were present for the meeting.

The first agenda item was the unsealing of bids for the sale of the property at 1705 Illinois Street, the former Sidney Police Department building. There was only one bid, and it was for $71,000, put in by Uncertain Investments, LLC, represented by Matt Monheiser.

Next, Hank Radtke and Kyle Long of the City of Sidney Streets Department de...
Leslie Laverne Sweet (Les), 79, passed away on Feb. 23, 2025 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Les was born July 3, 1945, in Sidney, Nebraska, to Lloyed and Leola Sweet. He married Yvonne (Bonnie) Bauer Dec. 31, 1965. They made homes in Sidney as well as Ft. Morgan and Sterling, Colorado. He worked as a truck driver and in the oil fields before retiring, but his true passion lay in his work as a volunteer firefighter. He also loved scuba diving and hunting. He never met a stranger, always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone.

Les is survived by his two sons--Shawn of Grand Junction, Colorado, and Shane of Nebraska--as well as four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his wife Bonnie, parents, brothers Lowell and Otis, and sister Louise.

Services will be held at Greenfield Cemetery, Sidney, Nebraska, on Tuesday, March 25, at 10 am.
Jennie Rhodes Thursday, 20 March 2025, 16:37 Compartir

La Axarca, the beer brand made by the distributor La Domadora y el Leon, which is based in Frigiliana on the eastern side of Malaga province, has its first international collaboration.

Owners of La Domadora y el Leon, Charo Barco and Javier Leon, travelled to the city of Brotas in Sao Paolo state in Brazil, where they brewed the first Brazilian-style version of their Tropical Pale Ale.

They couple worked with Brotas Beer, the brewery run by Marcio Egea Secafin, a master brewer who has family connections with Frigiliana as his grandmother was born there.

Marcio and Javier first met in 2014 through their connections with the brewing industry and now the link has come full circle with Javier and Charo's visit to Brotas.

Marcio and Javier sample their new beer SUR

The couple explain that the 'Made in Brazil' La Axarca beer has been brewed using four hops, Citra, Mosaico, Amarillo and Cascade, the same as in the Spanish version, but three new types of barley ave been added to maintain "the colour, aroma and alcohol and thus get as close as possible to the original beer".

Zoom Javier Leon with a #MeGusta T-shirt SUR

It has been christened #MeGusta and the couple describe the new beer as made with "the same recipe as La Axarca" but "more tropical than ever". It will be available as a limited edition beer at La Domadora y El Leon craft beer shop in Frigiliana towards the end of April.
Javier Almellones Malaga Thursday, 20 March 2025, 22:30 Compartir

This circular route runs through the easternmost part of the Sierra de Mijas mountains and passes through the Jabalcuza peak in Alhaurin de la Torre, Palomas peak in Churriana and the Canada del Lobo in Torremolinos.

Route data

Area: Valle del Guadalhorce, Malaga and Costa del Sol

Municipalities: Alhaurin de la Torre, Malaga and Torremolinos

Difficulty level: Medium. Although the first part of the route, up to Jabalcuza, can be demanding, the rest is mainly flat. In the last few metres you descend along the same route you climbed at the beginning.

Type of route: Circular

Approximate duration: 3 hours and 45 minutes

Length: 11.9 kilometres.

Minimum altitude: 210 metres

Maximum altitude: 679 metres

Nearby places of interest: Puerto Canuto, Jabalcuza natural monument, Palomas peak, Blanquillo pass, Lobo and Madrono viewpoints and Calamorro peak.

Zoom Mirador del Lobo. J. Amellones

How to get to the starting point

The starting point for this route is in the upper part of the Los Manantiales residential area in Alhaurin de la Torre at the end of the Camino de las Vinas. You can get there by car through the Los Manantiales area. It is advisable to leave your car parked further down Calle Camino de las Vinas.

Route description

1This route is approved by the Andalusian mountaineering federation (SL-A50), also coincides for a good part of the route with stage 34 of the Gran Senda de Malaga between Benalmadena and Alhaurin de la Torre. The route climbs two emblematic peaks of this mountain range, Jabalcuza and Palomas. In the first few metres, the path runs along the Zambrano stream, which is usually dry or carries little water. After passing through an olive grove, the path enters among stone and Aleppo pines before it begins to climb. On several occasions the path crosses the Zambrano stream. After the first kilometre the ascent becomes slightly steeper, the path a little narrower and the vegetation a little more lush.

Zoom Signage at the beginning of the route. J. Amellones

2After almost two kilometres of climbing, you reach Puerto Canuto where you will find a crossroads. The one on the left goes towards the summit of Jabalcuza, while the one on the right heads towards the summit of Palomas (Malaga) and the one in the centre faces a descent towards Torremolinos. You should first take the one that goes towards Jabalcuza. Once you have taken the turning to the left, the first few metres of the climb are a little less steep. After that, you are almost 600 metres above sea level. There is only a little more than 70 metres of height difference left to overcome (Jabalcuza is 679 metres above sea level).

Zoom Crossroads at Puerto Canuto. J. Amellones

3The last stretch towards the viewpoint and the summit of Jabalcuza is the easiest part as not only does it not climb very steeply and even has a slight descent. In just over five minutes you reach the end of the climb, where you will see a panel indicating the panoramic views as well as information on the ecosystem of this mountain range. On clear days, there are excellent views of the bay of Malaga, the Guadalhorce Valley, the Montes de Malaga, the coastline from Torremolinos to Fuengirola and the main peaks of the Sierra de Mijas. From there you can also see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Tejeda among others. After enjoying the views, you will have to return a few metres along the same steps, but shortly afterwards you will have to take a narrow path that turns southwest to head towards the Palomas peak (this avoids going all the way down to Puerto Canuto). This path is not too steep except for the last few metres.

Zoom View of Alhaurin de la Torre and part of the Guadalhorce Valley from Jabalcuza. J. Amellones

4From Palomas peak, you must now take a path that heads towards Puerto Canuto, and then take the signposted path of the Gran Senda de Malaga that links this enclave with Benalmadena. After about four kilometres, along a relatively easy path without many slopes, you pass through Puerto Blanquillo and then arrive at the area known as Canada del Lobo. After passing the hostel and the refuge, you take a track to the left that turns towards the emblematic El Lobo viewpoint.

Zoom Pigeon Peak. J. Amellones

5After enjoying the views from the Lobo viewpoint, you can go to another very close one, the Madrono viewpoint. Afterwards, it is time to return along the same path to Puerto Canuto. Finally, from this crossroads, you will descend to the starting point along the same path along which you started the route. Special attention should be paid to loose stones and wet areas on the path, which can cause falls.

Zoom The return from Canada del Lobo is by the same route. J. Amellones

Wildlife

The ecosystem of the easternmost part of the Sierra de Mijas offers an abundance of both animal and plant species. In addition to the pines and olive trees, you can find very Mediterranean plants and shrubs such as palmetto, blackberry, thyme, rosemary and ivy. As far as animals are concerned, this is a refuge for certain large mammals, such as the mountain goat (particularly abundant), wild boar and foxes. Hedgehogs, weasels, genets and badgers have also been sighted. As for birds, golden eagles, peregrine falcons and kestrels sometimes fly over the peak. When the sun sets, owls, owlets and owls become the protagonists.
Jeremiah Huff, a sixth-grader at Gillette Road Middle School, was fatally shot on Monday March 17, 2025 in Syracuse. Provided photograph

Syracuse, N.Y.  Jeremiah Huffs mom says the 11-year-old boy was a friend to all who loved his father.

The sixth grader at Gillette Road Middle School loved to skateboard and fish, his mother, Samantha Gallup Peltier said.

He loved to snuggle on the couch and have a cup of coffee in the morning, Peltier said. He loved every animal, being outside and nature. And he loved his father.

His father, David M. Huff, 43, has been accused of killing his son, Jeremiah, and his girlfriend, Yeraldith Tschudy, 32, by shooting them multiple times with a shotgun Monday night in a home at 128 Roney Road.

Huff also shot at his father, but he was not injured, said Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick. It appears that Huff ran out of bullets, he said.

Huff was arraigned Wednesday morning on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

At his arraignment Wednesday morning, Jeremiahs family and other loved ones filed into the courtroom. As Huff walked in the room with his head hung, a few people yelled profanities and many were crying.

As David was led out of a Syracuse courtroom Wednesday, Jeremiahs mom and others screamed at him.

You killed your baby, Peltier yelled as she cried.

David Huff was arrested on March 18, 2025, in connection with the murder of his girlfriend and his 11-year-old son. Image is taken from body cam footage of the arrest. (Video image | Video courtesy New York State Police) Video still | NY State Police video

Outside the Syracuse City Courthouse Wednesday, Peltier, through tears, talked about her son.

She asked people to keep his memory alive by saying his name and never forgetting him.

Her voice breaking, she expressed comfort in knowing that his friends at school and those gathered at the arraignment would always remember him.

We will miss him every day, she said. My life is empty without him.

The North Syracuse Central School District superintendent Terry Ward sent a message to parents on Tuesday about Jeremiah and said he was described by his teachers as a friend to all and a lover of skiing and skateboarding.

Our school community is close knit, and we are deeply saddened by this loss, Ward said. In times of sorrow, we find strength in one another. Let us come together with compassion, kindness and support for those who need it most.

Jeremiah Huff, a sixth-grader at Gillette Road Middle School, was fatally shot on Monday March 17, 2025 in Syracuse. Facebook photograph

8 1 / 8 Double homicide in Syracuse leaves woman, 11-year-old boy dead
Syracuse, N.Y.  Syracuse firefighters Wednesday night fought back a wildfire with 30-foot flames and blowing burning embers in a scene that looked more like California than Central New York.

Around 6:57 p.m., fire crews got the call that there was a brush fire near Holden Street and Grand Avenue, near Rosamond Gifford Zoo and not far from some homes.

The Onondaga County 911 Center received dozens of calls about the fire as black smoke could be seen for miles. Firefighters rushing to the growing fire saw the large column of black smoke and requested additional units.

Flames reached up to 30 feet in the air and the burned area extends to within about 150 feet of the closest home, said District Chief Matthew Craner, a spokesperson for the Syracuse Fire Department.

Juanita Webster, a resident on De Palma Avenue, said she heard sirens and took a look outside her front window Wednesday night. She was shocked by what she saw.

I saw fire, the smoke, the blackness, Webster said. I looked outside the upstairs window and I could see the whole blaze and I said, Oh my gosh, it looks like California.

Webster said the sky was completely black with smoke. She said she could see the high flames and became worried the fire would spread and that the homes on De Palma Avenue would have to evacuate.

In addition to the homes on De Palma Ave, firefighters were concerned about the potential of flames or embers spreading further into areas like the hill leading up to Burnet Park, Craner said.

An officer came door to door in the neighborhood and made residents aware of the fire, just in case people were asked to evacuate, Cory Morton said. He was alerted to the fire by a neighbor who called 911 when they saw the flames driving home, he said.

Morton said the fire seemed to spread to three different areas, with one large patch near Velasko Road.

The flames shot high and the smoke was heavy, but Morton said firefighters were able to contain it and keep it from spreading quickly.

As firefighters arrived, they reported a large wildfire, rapidly spreading in a retention basin. Inside the basin were trees, shrubbery, and weeds that are up to 10 feet tall, firefighters said.

Fire crews had to cut padlocks on the gated service roads to get close to the basin and the fire.

Other firefighters fought the fire on streets that surrounded the basin. Firefighters took position on Grand Avenue, Burnet Park and the zoo just on the other side of the road, firefighters said.

Dry conditions on Wednesday caused the dry brush and shrubbery to burn easily.

Winds - gusting to 30 mph - fueled the fire, blowing embers hundreds of feet which caught a tree on fire on the zoo side of Grand Avenue, firefighters said. That fire was quickly extinguished.

Handlines and hoses capable of flowing thousands of gallons per minute were used to contain the spread of the fire, focusing on protecting houses in Skunk City.

Dozens of firefighters worked to put out the fire.

The Onondaga County Air1 helicopter and a drone from Syracuse police helped firefighters check on the spread of the fire.

Firefighters said 911 callers reported fires in the western area of Syracuse and in the County. One caller, mistaking the source of the smoke, reported that the Bank of America on Onondaga Boulevard was on fire, prompting a response from multiple county fire departments, they said.

It took firefighters two hours to fully extinguished the fire. The burned area was about four to five acres.

There were no injuries to firefighters or residents.

The fires cause and origin is under investigation, firefighters said.

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Have photos, video you would like to share with our readers? You can send them to Feedback@syracuse.com. Please include how you would like the photos and video credited. Thank you.

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Editors note: On Friday the fire department said the total 6.8 acres.

A total of 6.8 acres burned in a wildfire Wednesday night March 19, 2025 near Burnet Park in Syracuse. Teri Weaver | tweaver@syracuse.com

Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at dstevenson@syracuse.com
Yeraldith Tschudy was shot and killed by her boyfriend, David Huff, on March 17, 2025. Courtesy GoFundMe

Syracuse, N.Y.  A woman killed in a Syracuse double homicide was a mother of two and a social worker who worked with the mentally ill, a family member said.

Yeraldith Tschudy, 32, was shot and killed by her boyfriend around 9:30 p.m. Monday at 128 Roney Road, authorities said. The man, David M. Huff, also killed his son, Jeremiah, 11, they said.

Huff, 43, was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for their deaths, police said.

Tschudy, who lived in Rochester, worked as a social worker at Villa of Hope, a nonprofit organization that works with people struggling with chemical dependency, mental or behavioral health issues.

She was an unbelievable woman and beautiful mother, said James Tschudy, who said he and Yeraldith were separated but still legally married. They have two children together.

If Yeraldith wasnt at her job, she was with their children, he said. She often took them to local skateparks or watched them playing their video games, he said.

Yeraldith was born in Colombia and came to the Rochester area with her family at a young age, he said.

She attended Bryant and Stratton College in Greece and another college, he said. A Linkedin for Yeraldith Tschudy shows the other college was Roberts Wesleyan University.

She wanted to travel and live life to the fullest, he said. The pair traveled to Florida but she wanted to go to Paris and London, he said.

Yeraldith had only been dating Huff for six or seven months, he said.

A GoFundMe drive has been started to help her family with funeral expenses.

On Monday night, Huff shot Yeraldith with a shotgun multiple times, authorities said. Her body was so badly damaged that authorities at first struggled to identify her. Huff also shot his son multiple times, authorities said.

Huff is now being held in the Justice Center jail.

David Huff was arrested on March 18, 2025, in connection with the murder of his girlfriend and his 11-year-old son. Image is taken from body cam footage of the arrest. (Video image | Video courtesy New York State Police) Video still | NY State Police video

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.
The tractor pulling the trailer carrying Abu Mohammed Salouts family and their belongings stops. It has run out of fuel. They were trying to flee Khan Younis, a town in southern Gaza, after the Israeli army demanded the evacuation of residents on Tuesday, designating the area as a dangerous combat zone. Desperate, Salout, a 62-year-old mechanic, calls fuel sellers on the black market, hoping to get at least three liters of diesel, enough to reach the western part of the city with his children, grandchildren, and their few remaining belongings. But fuel is nowhere to be found. Until recently, the Bani Suhaila roundabout, where the tractor stopped, was packed with fuel sellers. Now, traders are stockpiling supplies, hoping prices will skyrocket as the war intensifies.

In the midst of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and approaching the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which marks the end of this pillar of Islam, many Gazans were trying to regain a sense of normalcy. But just as we were beginning to settle in, Israel forced us to flee again, Salout says. This is the eighth time weve been displaced since the war began.

This journey is just one in a series of forced displacements that began in December 2023. Salout has spent weeks shifting between shelters, sometimes near the cemetery in western Khan Younis, sometimes in the east, where his married children sought refuge. When the temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel came into effect two months ago, this family dared to return home. But now, after the wave of Israeli attacks that ended the truce on Tuesday, with more than 400 deaths in the Strip in a single day, the cycle of displacement for Salout and his family has resumed.

Evacuations

On Tuesday, the Israeli army issued new evacuation orders for the towns of Khuzaa, Abasan al-Kabira, and Abasan al-Jadida in the south, as well as Beit Hanoun in the north. According to the UN humanitarian agency OCHA, 19 neighborhoods were directly affected by the evacuation orders, 13 of which are in northern Gaza and six in eastern Khan Younis. Fearing an unexpected bombardment or ground incursion, Salout rushed to get his family to safety once again.

When shells rain down on people, displacement is the only possible way for civilians to escape. A brutal routine for the inhabitants of Gaza, logistically and financially exhausting, and psychologically devastating. War isn't just about bombs, Salout tells EL PAIS. Displacement is another kind of death. If they want to finish us off, let them drop a nuclear bomb so we can end this misery. Or leave us alone. But they won't.

Fleeing isnt easy. Even for those lucky enough to find transportation, the price is steep: $250 for a short trip within the city. Many families choose to move only a few miles, hoping to avoid having to start from scratch.

Abu Omar Mohieddin, a father of six, fled Rafah in southern Gaza to a nearby area in Khan Younis, transporting everything he could fit into a tuk tuk. He also traveled with a disabled relative, who remains wheelchair-bound. He did not live in an area affected by Israeli evacuation orders, but feared that waiting too long would mean being trapped under the bombardment. The last night in Rafah was hell, he says. The flames lit up the darkness, and explosions came from all directions. We thought we would be next.

For him, the agony of displacement is preferable to waiting for death. We dont want this war. We just want it to stop, no matter the cost, Mohieddin continues. Israel kills civilians without hesitation.

At the Al Barsh school, a UN-run shelter now overcrowded with displaced families, elderly couple Mohammed Asfour, 83, and his wife, Thuraya, 80, sit on an iron railing. They are exhausted. Asfour is blind and relies on his children for travel. His wife can barely walk. Their daughter, Halima, tries to reassure them, but fear is evident on their faces. Our neighborhood was attacked even during the 42-day ceasefire, but the last two nights were unbearable, Halima says. We had no choice but to flee.

A Palestinian inspects the damage caused by an Israeli attack on an area hosting displaced Gazans, this Wednesday in Khan Younis. Hatem Khaled (REUTERS)

She and her family had returned to their ruined homes three months earlier, pitching tents among the rubble. Now, theyre on the move again. Israel wants us to run until we have no will left, so that well give up and leave Gaza forever, Halima concludes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that all future negotiations regarding the Israeli hostages not yet released by Hamas  the reason he uses to justify the current offensive  will be conducted under fire. He blamed Hamas for rejecting ceasefire proposals and vowed to intensify military operations. Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of trying to dictate terms through violence.

According to analyst Thaer Abu Atiwa, with the escalating conflict and its toll on civilian lives, Israel is trying to pressure Hamas into accepting its conditions for a prisoner exchange. Netanyahu is also using the war to strengthen his political position, appeasing far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir to keep his fragile coalition intact, he explains.

Abu Atiwa doubts that Israel will launch an immediate ground invasion, but warns that a prolonged war could make it inevitable. If negotiations fail completely, a full-scale invasion could follow, the expert continues. If that happens, it will be the most devastating war Gaza has ever seen.

Although the truce allowed the entry of food into the Strip after more than seven months of the closure of the Rafah border crossing, through which most goods enter, human rights groups and Hamas have claimed that Israel was maintaining the blockade of vital basic goods. Abu Atiwa also fears that the repeated mass displacements are part of a deliberate strategy. The goal is to make life miserable, to push people into voluntary or forced migration, he says. As long as this cycle continues, the pressure to leave Gaza will only increase.

The people of Gaza have few options: continue moving in search of new shelters, rebuild their homes, or face the bombs wherever they are. This is not living. This is not life. This constant state of displacement is death itself, Salout concludes despairingly.

This article was published in collaboration with Egab.

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(L-R) Musicians Duff McKagan, Axl Rose, Frank Ferrer, Slash and Melissa Reese of Guns N' Roses perform onstage during the 2016 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 23, 2016 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella) Getty Images

An iconic rock band has replaced a longtime member ahead of a new tour.

Guns N' Roses revealed Thursday that Isaac Carpenter will be the groups new drummer, replacing longtime percussionist Frank Ferrer. Ferrier had been on drums since 2006, until GNR announced his amicable exit a day ago.

Carpenter may be best known to fans for his work with Guns N Roses bassist Duff McKagan in the hard rock band Loaded. According to a press release, Carpenter also co-founded the hard rock band Loudermilk and worked with artists like Awolnation, Adam Lambert, A Perfect Circle, Barbarians of California, Black Lab and as a film and TV session musician.

Carpenter has made a name for himself by uniquely blending versatility and groove with crushing force and technical skill, cementing his reputation as a multifaceted drummer in the industry, a rep said.

The lineup change comes a day after Guns N' Roses announced the amicable exit of Frank Ferrer, the longest-serving drummer in their storied run. Ferrer was part of the Axl Rose-led band for nearly two decades, longer than drummers Bryan Brain Mantia (2000-2006), Steven Adler (1985-1990) and Matt Sorum (1990-1997).

The band thanks Frank for his friendship, creativity and sturdy presence over the past 19 years, and they wish him success in the next chapter of his musical journey, Guns N' Roses said in a statement Wednesday.

Ferrer appeared on Guns N' Roses' most recent studio album, Chinese Democracy, and played with the reunion lineup of Rose, Slash and McKagan at their most recent live performances including at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Upstate New York and Mexicos Hell & Heaven Metal Fest in 2023. Ferrers career also includes work with The Beautiful, Love Spit Love, The Psychedelic Furs and PSSR.

Frank Ferrer; Slash; Axl Rose and Duff McKagan of Guns N Roses perform at the Download Festival at Donington Park on June 9, 2018 in Donington, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Getty Images ) Getty Images

Guns N' Roses is set to begin touring again May 1 with a series of concerts in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Tickets are available on StubHub and Vivid Seats.

Guns N' Roses is one of the best-selling rock bands of all time, known best for 80s and 90s hits like Sweet Child O Mine, November Rain, Paradise City, and Welcome to the Jungle. The group, including Rose, Slash, McKagan, Adler, Sorum, Izzy Stradlin, and Dizzy Reed, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Lil' Cease attends the Notorious B.I.G. Duets Remix video shoot November 18, 2005 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) Getty Images

Junior M.A.F.I.A. rapper Lil' Cease is coming to Syracuse for a concert celebrating Notorious B.I.G.

Lil' Cease & The Frank White Experience will perform at the Westcott Theater on Friday, May 16. Doors open at 7 p.m., music starts at 8.

Tickets are on sale for $42 at thewestcotttheater.com. Meet-and-greet packages are also available for $89.

Lil' Cease, whose real name is James Lloyd, and Notorious B.I.G., whose real name was Christopher Wallace, were both members of the Brooklyn hip-hop group Junior M.A.F.I.A. Their 1995 album, Conspiracy, featured hits Get Money and Players Anthem; Cease is also known for the Lil' Kim collaboration Crush On You.

The Frank White Experience is a Syracuse-based live tribute to Notorious B.I.G. that is currently touring Europe with Lil' Cease. The concerts are an opportunity to show the world that Biggies music still lives on, said Emanuel Washington, the bands drummer and musical director.

The Frank White Experience, a Syracuse-based tribute to Notorious B.I.G., features (L-R) bassist Mike Spadaro, DJ Bizznezz, rapper Skribe Da God, drummer and musical director Emanuel Washington, and guitarist Jay Lock. (Provided photo by Daniel Sterling) Daniel Sterling

The Notorious B.I.G. is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time thanks to classics like Hypnotize, Big Poppa, Juicy, and Mo Money Mo Problems. He was shot and killed at age 24 in 1997, but his music continues to be popular today; he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.

The Frank White Experience is named after another alias Wallace used, referring to Christopher Walkens character in the 1990 film King of New York. The group also performs as Grateful for Biggie, a live mashup of The Notorious B.I.G. and The Grateful Dead, playing songs like Hypnotize over Shakedown Street.

Washington told syracuse.com last month that he hopes to work with Biggies estate and create a Broadway-type show and other productions, maybe even in Las Vegas.

This is our duty to pay homage... and keep that legacy going, Washington said.
Bollywood music composer and singer AR Rahman arrives to attend the 23rd International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards In Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Saturday, May 27, 2023. AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili

A.R. Rahman, the internationally acclaimed composer, songwriter, and superstar recording artist best known for his work on Slumdog Millionaire, is set to embark on his The Wonderment Tour across North America in the summer of 2025.

The 16-date arena tour will begin on July 18 in Vancouver, BC, and will include stops in cities like Toronto, Hoffman Estates, Newark, and Boston.

A.R. Rahman The Wonderment Tour dates and tickets

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 28, at 10 a.m. ET, with presales starting on Tuesday, March 25 at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.

Tickets are also available through secondary market platforms such as Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and StubHub, which offer verified tickets with buyer guarantees.

These resale platforms may offer below-face-value pricing and availability for sold-out shows, depending on demand.

Fri, Jul 18  Vancouver, BC  Pacific Coliseum

Sun, Jul 20  Tacoma, WA  Tacoma Dome

Fri, Jul 25  Oakland, CA  Oakland Arena

Sat, Jul 26  Los Angeles, CA  Crypto.com Arena

Tue, Jul 29  Sugar Land, TX  Smart Financial Centre

Wed, Jul 30  Grand Prairie, TX  TTCU Theatre

Sat, Aug 2  Raleigh, NC  Lenovo Center

Sun, Aug 3  Fairfax, VA  EagleBank Arena

Tue, Aug 5  Duluth, GA  Gas South Arena

Thu, Aug 7  Hollywood, FL  Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood

Fri, Aug 8  Tampa, FL  Amalie Arena

Sun, Aug 10  Nashville, TN  Grand Ole Opry

Tue, Aug 12  Toronto, ON  Scotiabank Arena

Thu, Aug 14  Hoffman Estates, IL  NOW Arena

Sat, Aug 16  Newark, NJ  Prudential Center

Sun, Aug 17  Boston, MA  Agganis Arena

Who is A.R. Rahman?

Throughout his career, Rahman has scored more than 150 films and sold more than 200 million records globally. Hes worked on iconic film scores for movies like Lagaan, Guru, 127 Hours, and Slumdog Millionaire, for which he won two Academy Awards, two Grammys, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA.

He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, Indias third-highest civilian honor, and honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music and other prestigious institutions.

His biggest hits include Jai Ho and Chaiyya Chaiyya.
Troopers seized 33 firearms, numerous rounds of ammunition and other contraband from Guy Plumb and Timothy Plumb on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Provided photo

Watertown, N.Y.  A son and father in the North Country were arrested Tuesday and accused of illegally having dozens of weapons, troopers said.

The son, Guy J. Plumb, was also accused of shooting two dogs to death, according to Trooper Sgt. Jack Keller, a spokesperson for the State Police.
Brother and sister Rex, 15, (left) and Olive Reynolds, 12, (right) of Chippewa Bay, teamed up to take two turkeys on opening day of the 2024 spring turkey youth hunt. It was Olives first youth hunt and Rexs last. Rex Reynolds IV

New York State is looking for a few good huntersspecifically youth huntersto tag a few turkeys this spring.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is offering kids ages 12-15 the chance to hunt turkey with conservation police officers (ECOs) in its 16th annual Jefferson County Youth Turkey Hunt.

The two-day event starts with a classroom session held at the Sackets Harbor Sportsmans Club. The educational day is open to anyone interested in attending;

The turkey hunt happens the day after the classroom session. Only kids who completed the classroom session can hunt with ECOs.

What: Jefferson County Youth Turkey Hunt

When: Educational day, Friday, April 25, at 5:30 p.m.; hunting day, Saturday, April 26.

Where: Sackets Harbor Sportsmans Club, 17500 County Route 66, Sackets Harbor, NY

Cost: Free

To participate, youth hunters must also possess a New York State small game license and valid turkey tags. Equipment will be provided if necessary.

The hunt is hosted by the Sackets Harbor Sportsmans Club and sponsored by the National Wild Turkey Federation and the New York Conservation Officers Association

Signup sheets are available at the Sackets Harbor Sportsmans Club. For additional information or to register for the event please contact ECO Lt. Steve Bartoszewski by phone at 315-489-6984 or by email at steven.bartoszewski@dec.ny.gov

Anyone interested in participating in a sponsored turkey hunt or other mentored hunting opportunities can register for events in their area on the Hunt Fish NY Events page.

Mentored and sponsored hunts are added weekly, especially during the late summer, so interested parties are encouraged to check back frequently



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Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post-Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors.
A Trump administration official has threatened to withhold federal funding from New York City's mass transit system. Trains arrive and depart from a subway station in the Coney Island section of New York City, Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (Seth Wenig | AP Photo) Seth Wenig | AP Photo

New York  The Trump administration threatened to withhold funding from New York Citys mass transit system if the authority that runs it fails to respond to a series of demands about crime on subways and buses.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the citys transit system, asking for a long list of details about crime in the system, including spending on efforts to right it, according to The New York Times. Duffy threatened to withhold federal funding from the authority if it doesnt answer.

People traveling on the N.Y.C.T. system to reach their jobs, education, health care and other critical services need to feel secure and travel in a safe environment free of crime, Duffy wrote, referring to the division of the MTA that operates the subway and buses, according to the Times.

He added, I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter to avoid further consequences, up to and including redirecting or withholding funding.

Duffy also spoke about the matter in an interview on Fox & Friends on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

If you cant keep your subway safe, if people cant go to the subway and not be afraid of being stabbed or thrown in front of tracks or burnt ... were going to pull your money, he said, according to AP.

Transit systems in Chicago and Washington, D.C. must also clean up or face losing federal money, Duffy said.

New York officials said theyd be happy to discuss the issue.

The good news is numbers are moving in the right direction: crime is down 40% compared to the same period in 2020 right before the pandemic, and so far in 2025 there are fewer daily major crimes in transit than any non-pandemic year ever, John McCarthy, the MTAs chief of policy and external relations, said in a statement, according to AP.

Much of the data on crime in the subway system and efforts related to prevention is already publicly available, the Times noted.

The threat from Duffy comes as the Trump administration previously moved to end the MTAs congestion pricing toll program in Manhattan, according to Gothamist. The program, which charges drivers a new toll to enter certain busy areas of Manhattan, is meant to fund transit system improvements and help cut down on traffic problems.

Its now the subject of a court battle between the MTA and the federal government, Gothamist said.

The MTA relies on billions of dollars a year from the federal government. Its seeking $14 billion in federal funds in its next five-year capital budget, according to the Times.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598
Protestors gather during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Department of Education, Friday, March 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order today seeking to eliminate the Department of Education. Lawmakers and experts say the move could be detrimental to schools and colleges in central New York.

The department oversees major revenue streams, programs and research projects, many of which provide direct support to local school districts and colleges.

The Syracuse City School District receives about $60 million in federal funding through the department. That money goes toward special education programs, academic intervention, afterschool programs, professional development and more.

While it would take an act of Congress to fully shut down the department, Thursdays order will direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to dismantle the department and return its power to the states, according to reporting from USA Today.

Dismantling the department means the state could lose more than $5 billion in federal funding that it cant supplement, Gov. Kathy Hochul told reporters in a press conference earlier this month. That money supports children with disabilities, mental health programs and special support services, she said.

Heres how experts say the executive order could impact central New York students, teachers and families.

What happens to funding for local schools?

The Department of Education oversees two major sources of funding for K-12 schools  the Every Student Succeeds Act and the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act.

While schools likely wont lose funding overnight, the money could be distributed differently and eventually cut.

The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act  or IDEA  requires states to provide students who have disabilities with a free public education that includes necessary services.

It allocates money to states, which school districts can then use to implement special education programs, like individualized education plans, for students.

Syracuse city schools receive about $7.5 million of funding through IDEA. In 2023, 21% of New York students received support through the legislation.

Title I of the Every Student Succeeds Act provides money to schools with large numbers of low income students. The state allocates $19 million of the funding to Syracuse schools, where 86% of students are economically disadvantaged.

The money can be used to lower class sizes, provide reading intervention for students and create programs that poorer districts need to support students, said George Theoharis, an education professor at Syracuse University.

In Thursdays order, Trump directed McMahon to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

A lot could change in the next budget cycle, though, Theoharis said. Congress could decide to cut funding for either law, he said, which would have detrimental impacts on local schools.

Rep. John Mannion (D-Geddes) has said that dismantling the department will cause chaos for students in both urban and rural communities.

We love our public schools where Im from in central New York and the Mohawk Valley. Theyre the core of our communities, we trust our teachers, Mannion told CNN reporters on March 7. I believe this action is short-sighted and illegal.

The Education Department also controls federal Pell grant programs, which provide financial aid for students to attend college.

If Trump cuts those either with the Education Department or later on, it could be disastrous for students who are in college or considering going to college next year, Theoharis said.

What wont be affected?

While federal funding supports hundreds of local school programs, its not the primary source of education funding in New York state.

During the 2020 to 2021 school year, the most recent year for which federal data is available, federal dollars only made up about 4.6% of New Yorks public education funding. And it only makes up about 10% of the Syracuse city schools budget. The rest of the money comes from state aid and local taxes.

Federal dollars for free breakfast and lunch programs wouldnt be impacted since the Department of Agriculture runs the National School Lunch Program.

And early childhood education programs like Head Start and the Child Care Development Block Grant, which provide educational support for low income families with young children, are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

What else does the department do?

The Education Department conducts research on student demographics, graduation rates and test scores, Theoharis said. It helps inform experts and educators about the state of schools across the country and what programs should be prioritized, he said.

For instance, some of the research helps fund grants for SUs school of education to prepare special education teachers, Theoharis said.

It also helps educators understand student progress and learning. The department administers the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a test that measures student achievement in math, reading and science.

The department laid off more than 1,300 workers last week. Many conducted this research and have said that it cant continue without them.

Losing that information wont necessarily impact students enrolled in school today, Theoharis said, but it will keep schools from improving and providing resources to students in the future.

If we stop learning about our schools and we stop understanding how to do things better, that affects the kid in 10 years and the next generation, he said.

The department also controls the Office of Civil Rights. The office is responsible for investigating complaints that school districts, colleges or other educational institutions are discriminating against students based on their race, gender, disability, age or national origin.

In the past, the office has supported programs that help students from marginalized groups, Theoharis said. But the Trump administration has used it to target programs that the president argues are discriminatory against people they arent created for, he said.

Last month, the office released a dear colleague letter ordering schools and colleges to shut down any race-based activities. Any colleges that still offer those services could risk losing federal funding, the letter says.

Maggie Hicks covers education, including the Syracuse City School District and Syracuse University. She can be reached at mhicks@syracuse.com or follow her on X @maggie_hickss.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks, during a joint press conference with Finland's President Alexander Stubb, at the Presidential Palace, in Helsinki, Finland, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) AP

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Senior officers from countries across Europe and beyond were due to meet Thursday at a military headquarters on the outskirts of London to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the coalition of the willing plan, led by Britain and France, is moving into an operational phase. But its unclear how many countries are willing to send troops, or whether there will be any ceasefire to protect.

Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with the countries leaders this week, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack.

The tentative deal to partially rein in the three-year war came after Russian President Vladimir Putin rebuffed Trumps push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The difficulty in getting the combatants to agree not to target one anothers energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Trump will face in trying to fulfill his campaign pledge to quickly end to the war.

Despite the negotiations, hundreds of drone attacks were launched overnight by both sides, causing several injuries and damage to buildings.

Ukraine said Russia had launched 171 long-range drones and it shot down 75 while another 63 decoy drones disappeared from radar after likely being jammed. Russia said it destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in six Russian regions and the annexed Crimea.

If peace comes to Ukraine, the size of any force that might help enforce it is vague. Officials have cited figures of between 10,000 and 30,000 troops.

Only Britain and France have said they are willing to send troops, though countries including Australia, Canada, France and Finland say they are open to being involved in some way.

Around 30 leaders were involved in a video meeting on Saturday including Macron, Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, leaders from Australia, Canada and New Zealand and officials from NATO and the European Union.

Russia has said it will not accept any troops from NATO countries being based on Ukrainian soil. And Trump has given no sign the U.S. will guarantee reserve firepower in case of any breaches of a truce. Starmer says the plan wont work without that U.S. backstop.
Donald Trump has a new target in his sights: James E. Boasberg. On Friday night, Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the government to deport aliens from nations deemed a threat to the United States, to deport hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador.

The next day, the current Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, James E. Boasberg issued an order halting the deportations, and ordered the planes to turn back in mid-flight. However, the White House ignored the ruling, arguing that the flights were already in international airspace, outside the courts jurisdiction, and now Trump has hurled insults because of the judges requests.

Who is James E. Boasberg?

Born in San Francisco, California, in 1962, Boasberg began his career in the private sector and clerked for Judge Dorothy W. Nelson on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 1996, Boasberg moved into public service as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C., where he earned a reputation for handling some of the toughest homicide cases. In 2011, he was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by president Obama in 2011.

As a member, Boasberg was recognized for his fair and reasoned approach to complex legal matters. In 2023, he became chief justice of the court.

During his tenure on the court, the chief justice has presided over some high-profile cases, including a major ruling in 2020 on the Dakota Access pipeline. The judge ordered the pipeline to undergo a full environmental review, and highlighted potential risks that had not been adequately considered in previous studies.

In another important case, Boasberg ruled against Medicaid work requirements in several states, including Kentucky, Arkansas and New Hampshire. His decision was based on the argument that such requirements were inconsistent with Medicaids fundamental mission of providing health care to low-income individuals. His rulings were a direct challenge to the policies of the Trump administration, which had supported the expansion of such requirements.

Boasbergs conflict with Trump

The first clash between the U.S. president and the judge arose in 2021 because Boasberg played a key role in the investigation of the Jan. 6 riots on Capitol Hill. The judge ordered former vice president Mike Pence to testify before a grand jury about his actions and knowledge surrounding the events of that day.

Now, Boesberg is the target of Trumps ire after ruling against the current administrations policies on deportation flights for undocumented immigrants. The Trump administration sought to expedite the deportation of hundreds of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, but Boasberg demanded clarification from the Justice Department on the procedures used for such deportations.

Trump called the judge a lunatic and called for his removal, prompting a rare intervention by Chief Justice John Roberts, who defended judicial independence, stating that removing judges is not an appropriate response to judicial disagreements. The White House maintains its position that its decisions should not be challenged by judges, which could trigger a constitutional crisis, as the administration believes presidential authority is stronger than that of judicial oversight.

During a hearing on Monday, Boasberg expressed concern about the administrations challenge and asked the government to provide more details about the deportation flights. In its defense, the administration argued in court Tuesday that two of the deportation flights left U.S. territory before Boasbergs order was issued, which would exempt them from injunctive relief. On Wednesday, the Justice Department was supposed to respond to the petition, but did not. Boasberg gave them one more day to respond.

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Google still lists them as open, but the reality is that three clinics northwest of Houston, Texas were closed on Wednesday, just one day after local authorities arrested three individuals for performing abortions. The clinics  Clinica Waller Latinoamericana, Clinica Latinoamericana Telge, and Latinoamericana Medical Clinic  are located in Waller, Cypress, and Spring, respectively. Together, they form the so-called Latin American Clinic Network, which, according to investigations, was led until Tuesday by midwife Maria Margarita Rojas, the first person arrested.

Before the order, Wallers clinic and the other two locations were open daily, offering services such as ultrasounds, vaccinations, and laboratory tests. They also conducted the required medical exams for immigration procedures. According to its website, the network sold a Latin American Membership for an annual fee of $150, which included benefits such as $10 medical visits and a 5% discount on laboratory tests.

The arrest of Rojas, a 48-year-old woman known as Dr. Maria, was announced in a statement from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons office. The statement alleges that the clinics also employed unlicensed individuals who posed as licensed professionals to provide medical treatment.

In a new statement issued Tuesday, the Attorney Generals Office announced the arrest of two Cuban nationals as part of the investigation. The first, identified as 29-year-old Jose Manuel Cendan Ley, was arrested on March 17 and charged with performing an abortion and practicing medicine without a license. According to the statement, Ley performed illegal medical procedures as a medical assistant at Clinica Waller Latinoamericana in Waller, TX and assisted Maria Margarita Rojas in providing at least one illegal abortion.

The second detainee, 54-year-old Rubildo Labanino Matos, has been in custody since March 8. While Matos is a Cuban-trained nurse practitioner, his license is currently on probation. He faces charges of conspiracy to practice medicine without a license.

The three individuals are the first to be arrested since Texas passed a near-total abortion ban. Its incredible that these things are happening so close to here. We are against abortion, said the pastor of a nearby Baptist church.

The main defendant, Maria Margarita Rojas, was described as a devout Catholic by midwife Holly Sherman, who claims to have been her friend for several years. I dont believe it for one second, she told the Texas Tribune. Ive known her for eight years and Ive never heard her talk about anything like that.

According to court records cited by the Texas Tribune, the suspects allegedly attempted to perform an abortion on a woman identified by the initials E.G. on two separate occasions. E.G. reportedly agreed to take abortion pills from Dr. Maria after being told her pregnancy was likely non-viable. She later told authorities that she wanted to become a mother but trusted the medical advice after being warned of medical complications that would arise should she continue with the pregnancy.

The anonymous complaint that launched the investigation, filed in January, also accused Rojas of performing two other abortions in September 2023  one on a woman identified as K.P., who was three months pregnant, and another on D.V., who was eight weeks pregnant.

Individuals killing unborn babies by performing illegal abortions in Texas will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and I will not rest until justice is served, said Texas Attorney general stated. I will continue to fight to protect life and work to ensure that anyone guilty of violating our states pro-life laws is held accountable. Under the Texas Human Life Protection Act, abortion is classified as a second-degree felony, carrying penalties of two to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.

The Attorney Generals Health Program Enforcement Division requested a temporary restraining order to shut down Rojass clinics to prevent further illegal activity. The closures have already taken effect, but on Wednesday, no one passing through the Waller area seemed aware of them.

I only saw the police arrive, but until now, I didnt know why, said a worker at an auto repair shop across the street from one of the clinics. Not many people went in there, another added. The shop still had an Open sign displayed in one of its windows.

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Join Date: Feb 2025 Location: Chennai Posts: 39 Thanked: 201 Times

Re: Mahindra XEV 9e Review Quote: Jekyl87 Originally Posted by Similar story as others. Delivery now quoted for 20-21st. I got Vin number allocated and saw the car at the dealer's service center almost 45 days ago now. Very strange to have seen my particular car, matched Vin plates so long back and still not able to drive it home. Dealer asked for approval for loan disbursement and I told him he must be kidding, as that will happen only a few hours before delivery post a detailed pdi. He also didn't push it, and sounded exhausted himself, mentioning that everyone in his network is anxiously waiting for Mahindra to start invoicing to be able to start deliveries. I'm unfortunately out of town from 22-28th, so have told him that I would want delivery on 29/30th. Fingers crossed.



One thing I have noticed over the past few weeks in my conversations with my SA and CRM is that they too seem equally frustrated. It appears that M&M has been holding this up for much longer than expected, with new updates coming in every week. I honestly dont know whether to be happy or sad about this ; on one hand, it shows progress, but on the other, it just keeps dragging on and the vehicle is still uncertain with S/W updates going on, Key Fob replacement, etc.



As of my latest conversation yesterday, I was informed that the expected delivery dates are around the 20th or 21st with no fancy arrangements, but there is no strong commitment. I have a feeling that it will be pushed again towards the end of March or even the first week of April, making us lose the excitement we initially had. I can completely relate to your situation. The worst part for me is that I had already disbursed my loan amount to the dealership at the end of February and have even paid my first EMI. Yet, I am still waiting for my car. Its incredibly frustrating how they keep juggling the delivery dates.One thing I have noticed over the past few weeks in my conversations with my SA and CRM is that they too seem equally frustrated. It appears that M&M has been holding this up for much longer than expected, with new updates coming in every week. I honestly dont know whether to be happy or sad about this ; on one hand, it shows progress, but on the other, it just keeps dragging on and the vehicle is still uncertain with S/W updates going on, Key Fob replacement, etc.As of my latest conversation yesterday, I was informed that the expected delivery dates are around the 20th or 21st with no fancy arrangements, but there is no strong commitment. I have a feeling that it will be pushed again towards the end of March or even the first week of April, making us lose the excitement we initially had.
shankar.balan BANNED

Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 11,797 Thanked: 27,286 Times

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Infractions: 0/1 (4)

Re: Tribute to the original Suzuki Baleno sedan! It was underrated...very much so Quote: supremeBaleno Originally Posted by @Shreyfiesta, that's a detailed and well-written tribute to an awesome car. Not sure how I missed this thread.



The first time I noticed the Baleno was in the TV commercial where the guy misses his flight (or it's delayed ?) & he instead drives down from Delhi to Jaipur for the meeting.

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He is supposed to attend a meeting with his team who were supposed to make a presentation - Delhi to Jaipur or Delhi - Chandigarh or something. The team keeps seeing that the flight is delayed and typical of any young team is cheering that there will be no meeting Yay! And all.



Then this chap decides to just drive instead of fly and after a bit, clocks in at that office in Jaipur or Chandigarh and says Ready for the Presentation, Guys?, while the entire team is left gaping as to how did the boss man get there when the flight was cancelled

(Now Ill find that ad on Youtube and paste the link here)



https://youtu.be/8L5IL51xciE?si=tvu8XxLcxVnGA2G8 Absolutely right. Reciting from memory now. The smart fellow in the ad - some typical 1990s corporate exec type - nice shirt and tie and all.He is supposed to attend a meeting with his team who were supposed to make a presentation - Delhi to Jaipur or Delhi - Chandigarh or something. The team keeps seeing that the flight is delayed and typical of any young team is cheering that there will be no meeting Yay! And all.Then this chap decides to just drive instead of fly and after a bit, clocks in at that office in Jaipur or Chandigarh and says Ready for the Presentation, Guys?, while the entire team is left gaping as to how did the boss man get there when the flight was cancelled(Now Ill find that ad on Youtube and paste the link here) Last edited by Axe77 : 21st March 2025 at 06:21 .
Bottom line: The U.S. Department of Justice is ramping up its case against Google's alleged monopoly, suggesting the government could eventually force the company to sell its widely-used Chrome browser. The move is part of the DoJ's push to challenge Google's hold over the digital advertising and search engine markets.

The Justice Department's latest legal action accuses Google of engaging in anticompetitive behavior by unfairly using its dominance in search and advertising to prop up its other services, most notably Chrome. The government argues that Google's browser and vast data ecosystem have given the company an outsized advantage over competitors, stifling innovation and harming consumers. By bundling Chrome with its Android operating system, Google has built an extensive network that could limit consumer choice and make it difficult for smaller firms to compete.

"Google's illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that  no matter what occurs  Google always wins," said the DoJ in its filing.

It asks the DC District Court and Judge Amit P. Mehta to order Alphabet to immediately divest all assets pertaining to Chrome to a "vetted" buyer. In other words, Google would have to sell Chrome to a competitor. The government would vet prospective buyers to ensure they will not compromise National Security interests.

The DoJ secured a legal win last year against Google in its broader antitrust case concerning its search practices and anticompetitive deals with other companies to make its search engine the default on many devices. Now, with its sights on Chrome, the agency is seeking more drastic action. If the government succeeds in compelling Google to sell Chrome, the company may also face additional scrutiny over Android, the world's most widely used mobile operating system.

Many experts believe Android could follow Chrome and face a forced divestiture, as it plays a key role in Google's alleged monopolistic strategy. The proposed remedies, which the Justice Department revised earlier this month, include a provision to do just that.

While Google has yet to comment on the potential sale of Chrome, the company has vehemently denied accusations of monopolistic practices and is unsurprisingly against the forceful divestiture of any of its assets.

"DoJ's sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the Court's decision and would harm America's consumers, economy, and national security," a Google spokesperson said.

Google argues that its products, including Chrome, improve user experience and are offered to consumers free of charge, making it difficult to see how its services could be anticompetitive. However, the DoJ's case continues to build momentum, with government officials suggesting that the case may reach trial within the next year.

The outcome of this ongoing case could reshape the landscape of the internet as we know it. If Google is required to divest Chrome and possibly Android, it could open the door for new competitors in browser and mobile operating system markets. However, the long-term effects remain uncertain, with some fearing that breaking up Google's ecosystem could lead to a fragmented, less user-friendly internet experience.
What just happened? The European Space Agency's Euclid mission released its first batch of survey data this week, providing a glimpse of hundreds of thousands of galaxies in diverse shapes and sizes, as well as numerous galaxy clusters, active galactic nuclei, and transient phenomena like supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. The data covers a substantial area of the sky in three mosaics, showcasing the mission's capability to explore the large-scale organization of galaxies within the cosmic web.

"Euclid shows itself once again to be the ultimate discovery machine. It is surveying galaxies on the grandest scale, enabling us to explore our cosmic history and the invisible forces shaping our Universe," said ESA's Director of Science, Prof. Carole Mundell. She added that this data release unlocks a treasure trove of information for scientists to tackle some of the most intriguing questions in modern science.

In just one week of observations, Euclid has identified 26 million galaxies, the farthest located up to 10.5 billion light-years away. These deep fields also contain a small population of bright quasars, some of which are visible from even greater distances. Over the coming years, Euclid will revisit these regions tens of times, capturing many more distant galaxies and making these fields truly 'deep' by the end of the mission in 2030.

The initial glimpse of 63 square degrees of the sky previews the scale of Euclid's grand cosmic atlas, which will eventually cover one-third of the entire sky  14,000 square degrees  in high-quality detail.

"We will observe each deep field between 30 and 52 times over Euclid's six-year mission, each time improving the resolution of how we see those areas, and the number of objects we manage to observe," said Valeria Pettorino, ESA's Euclid project scientist. "Just think of the discoveries that await us."

Galaxies of various shapes captured by Euclid

Euclid's high-resolution Visible Imaging System (VIS) and near-infrared instrument (NISP) are crucial for measuring galaxy shapes and distances, respectively, providing insights into the large-scale organization of galaxies within the cosmic web. This is essential for understanding dark matter and dark energy, which comprise about 95 percent of the universe.

Euclid is expected to capture images of over 1.5 billion galaxies, generating around 100 GB of data daily. Combining AI algorithms and citizen science is vital when analyzing this vast dataset. "We're at a pivotal moment in terms of how we tackle large-scale surveys in astronomy," said Mike Walmsley, a Euclid Consortium scientist. "AI is a fundamental and necessary part of our process in order to fully exploit Euclid's vast dataset."

Strong gravitational lenses captured by Euclid

Euclid is also a powerful tool for studying gravitational lensing, a phenomenon where light from distant galaxies is distorted by foreground matter. The mission has already identified 500 strong lens candidates, most of which were previously unknown. Euclid aims to capture thousands more such lenses over its mission by combining AI models with citizen science and expert vetting.

The mission's first cosmology data will be released in October 2026.
What just happened? Pavel Durov, the founder and CEO of Telegram, has celebrated the communications platform hitting one billion monthly active users by calling rival WhatsApp a "cheap, watered down imitation." Durov recently returned to Dubai after spending several months in France due to a criminal investigation related to criminal activity on Telegram.

Durov revealed that Telegram had reached one billion monthly active users on his own personal channel. That marks an increase of 50 million users compared with last year. He also said that the company had recorded $547 million in profits in 2024.

The CEO also took a shot at rival WhatsApp, which has more than 2 billion monthly active users.

"Ahead of us stands WhatsApp  a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram. For years, they've desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and  unlike our competitor  retained its independence," Durov wrote.

In August 2024, Durov was arrested by the Air Transport Gendarmerie (GTA) on the tarmac of Le Bourget airport in France. He was apprehended shortly after stepping off his private jet following a flight from Azerbaijan.

French authorities said that Durov's arrest was part of an investigation into Telegram's failure to moderate alleged criminal activity on the app. Days after his arrest, Durov was charged with multiple offenses, including failing to curb CSAM and other extreme material, and released on bail.

He was placed under formal investigation and banned from leaving the country  the Russian-born billionaire became a French citizen in 2021 and also holds a United Arab Emirates passport.

French media reports indicate that a judge modified the conditions of Durov's bail several days ago and allowed him to leave France for several weeks. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that his judicial restrictions were relaxed from March 15 to April 7.

"The process is ongoing, but it feels great to be home," he said. "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."

Telegram has tried to pivot to a law-abiding platform since Durov's arrest. It is collaborating with US agencies to provide IP addresses, phone numbers, and other critical information for user identification, fulfilling hundreds of data requests impacting thousands of individuals.

Telegram also now has a team of moderators dedicated to identifying criminal activity on the platform, and the company joined the Internet Watch Foundation as part of its crackdown against CSAM.
In brief: A top US Space Force official says that China has been practicing coordinated satellite maneuvers in low Earth orbit, describing the actions as "dogfighting in space." He added that the capability gap between the US and its adversaries had significantly narrowed, warning that the service needed more resources to maintain space superiority.

The maneuvers, initially identified by commercial satellites, took place in 2024. They involved three Shiyan-24C experimental satellites and two Chinese experimental space objects, the Shijian-6 05A/B.

Speaking at the McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington this week, vice chief of space operations General Michael Guetlein said, "We observed five objects in space moving in and out and around each other in synchrony and in control."

"That's what we call dogfighting in space - they are practicing tactics, techniques and procedures to do in-orbit space operations from one satellite to another."

As reported by Breaking Defense, a representative of Colorado-based space tracking firm LeoLabs confirmed it had observed the Chinese demonstration of rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) using its network of ground-based radar. The rep said there was another, ongoing case involving Russian satellites.

"The Russians are right in the middle of a three-spacecraft RPO," the LeoLabs rep added.

Guetlein warned that China has a fleet of signal jammers in space. He highlighted other threats from the country and Russia, including anti-satellite weapons, satellites that can shadow US satellites, spoofing traffic, and satellites with grappling arms that can grab another satellite  something China is believed to have demonstrated in 2022. He also mentioned Russia's development of a space-based nuclear weapon.

"Unfortunately, our current adversaries are willing to go against international norms of behavior, go against that gentleman's agreement, and they're willing to do it in very unsafe and unprofessional manners," Guetlein said.

Space Force's second in command said that the capability gap between the US and its near peers used to be massive thanks to the technical advancements of the United States, but that gap has been narrowing considerably in recent times.

Guetlein said the US continuing its off-Earth dominance will require a mix of private and military expertise. He called for more resources, including offensive weapons, a change in Space Force's culture and training, and the purchase of new equipment.

News of the dogfighting satellites comes just as a short video briefly appeared on WeChat of China's barge-like Shuqiao ships (above). A beach test shows how the ships can rise up on pylons and connect to each other using drop-down bridges, creating a loading dock almost a kilometer (0.6 miles) out to sea. It's believed that this capability will help the People's Liberation Army overcome all difficult landing conditions during an invasion of Taiwan.
The big picture: The US telecom sector is not as competitive as it once was, but that does not mean the carriers have stopped rolling out offers, deals, and discounts to attract new users and win back disgruntled former customers. Verizon's current promo aims to lure back former customers who switched to T-Mobile.

Verizon is emailing former customers and offering them $500 in bill credit as an incentive to switch back. A Redditor, who claims to have received at least four messages over the past few weeks, says he called the carrier for more information, as the offer email did not have any terms or details.

The Verizon rep informed him the offer includes $500 in bill credits for eligible customers over 36 months  an approximate $14 discount per billing cycle. The rep also said he was eligible for a new free line if he switched back and bought a new phone. However, the Redditor declined the "horrible" offer as the monthly discount was too small.

Several former Verizon customers responded to the Reddit post, saying they were happy with their new carrier and would not switch even if it offered $1,000. Some cited poor customer service and pushy sales tactics as the main reasons for ending their relationship with Verizon, adding that they are much happier with T-Mobile.

If that does not do the trick, Verizon has a second promo to steal former clients from T-Mobile. Customers who switch back can claim four free iPhone 16. However, this deal is also falling flat, with some pointing out that Verizon just increased its prices a few weeks ago, and there is no guarantee that it will not hike prices again after they re-enroll.

Meanwhile, the Uncarrier is trying to placate customers following backlash for its latest price hikes. After users poured onto social media sites and internet message boards to vent their frustration, the company launched a limited-time deal, offering select customers a free voice line, which they can claim through the T-Life app.
The White House on Wednesday doubled down on its attacks on the independence of federal judges in a confrontation with dangerous consequences. In a bid to delegitimize the authority of courts with which they disagree, U.S. President Donald Trump, his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and tech oligarch Elon Musk have repeatedly lashed out at judges who have ruled against the wishes of the administration. This tendency has multiplied after U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg on Saturday barred the deportation of more than 200 Venezuelans under an 18th-century wartime law. The immigrants were nevertheless transferred to El Salvador.

If a President doesnt have the right to throw murderers, and other criminals, out of our Country because a Radical Left Lunatic Judge wants to assume the role of President, then our Country is in very big trouble, and destined to fail!, Trump wrote Wednesday on his social media platform, Truth, about Judge Boasberg.

It was the second attack against the judge in less than 24 hours. The first, calling for the judges impeachment, forced Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a man who normally avoids public pronouncements, to intervene. The head of the judiciary issued a statement in which, without naming names, he issued a reminder that the proper course of action when disagreeing with a courts decision is to appeal to a higher court, not to launch impeachment proceedings.

Roberts intervention doesnt appear to have had much effect. The White House is convinced that presidential power has very few limits, and that it shouldnt be a mere federal judge who imposes them. You cant have a democracy where individual district judges can assume the full powers of the commander in chief, Trumps deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, declared on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke in equally damning terms, accusing the judges of clearly acting as partisan activists and trying to paralyze the administrations program. Not only are they usurping the will of the president and the chief executive of our country, but they are undermining the will of the American public, she maintained at a press conference. The press secretary went further, calling on the Supreme Court to restrain these activist judges.

Meanwhile the Justice Department, for the third day in a row, resisted Boasbergs orders to provide data on the flights that carried more than 200 Venezuelans whom the Trump administration accuses of being violent criminals and members of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. According to government lawyers, the court must end its continuous intrusions into the executive branchs authority.

Boasberg has already asked the government three times to provide him with data on the flights that transported these immigrants, first to Honduras and then to El Salvador, to determine whether it acted in contempt of court.

In an urgent hearing, the judge had ordered Saturday that these detainees, whom the government wanted to expel without due process by applying the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, remain on U.S. soil. The judge demanded that if the flights had already taken off, they should turn around. But the planes did not return. The Justice Department maintains that they were already over international waters and the judge no longer had jurisdiction over them, so there was no contempt. Department lawyers have consistently refused to provide Boasberg with the information he requested. This Wednesday, they requested a further extension, and the judge granted an additional 24 hours.

Boasberg maintains that he is not hunting down the administration, as the lawyers accuse him of, but simply wants to establish the facts, to determine whether the government deliberately disobeyed his order to turn the planes around and, if so, what the consequences should be.

The case of the Venezuelan deportees is not the only one in which the U.S. government has suffered serious setbacks. Several courts have halted measures ranging from canceling birthright citizenship to the dismissal of tens of thousands of federal employees. Just this Tuesday, a Maryland court ordered the agency headed by Musk, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to stop dismantling the federal development aid agency (USAID). A judge in Washington also overturned the Pentagons ban on transgender people enlisting in the U.S. armed forces.

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WTF?! It's almost impossible to find an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 outside of auction sites right now, especially at MSRP  unless, that is, you happen to be an attendee at Nvidia's 2025 GPU Technology Conference, where they can be purchased for these prices from a food truck.

From 7AM to 12PM on Thursday and Friday (they were also sold on Wednesday), Nvidia is selling RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 cards at their $999 and $1,999 respective MSRPs from the Nvidia gear van at GTC park.

For obvious security reasons, the cards aren't all sitting in the van waiting to be handed out like hotdogs. Buyers must pick up their purchased cards from the South Hall main entrance the same day they're bought.

As Tom's Hardware notes, there are plenty of caveats with this deal, the biggest being that the cards will only be sold to holders of a conference pass ($1,145 for one day or $2,295 for five days) or an exhibit pass.

Moreover, there are only 2,000 cards up for grabs  1,000 RTX 5080s and 1,000 RTX 5090s. Unsurprisingly, sales are limited to one card per person. The event is expected to attract some 25,000 attendees this year.

According to on an official X post, Nvidia is selling the cards in bursts: it writes in one that 90 units are available for the next 30 minutes.

 GeForce RTX 5090s are available at the Gear Store in the park right now at #GTC25



90 units are available for the next 30 minutes, with more coming tomorrow. Come say hi! pic.twitter.com/oHdwMlp87r  NVIDIA AI Developer (@NVIDIAAIDev) March 19, 2025

These cards will end up in the hands of the software developers attending the conference, rather than everyday consumers, of course. Finding one from a retailer is pretty much a pipe dream right now, though you could always pay $6,000 for an in-stock pre-built PC from Best Buy (MSI MEG Visions X AI Gaming Desktop) that packs an Intel Ultra 9 285K and an RTX 5090  for the rock-bottom price of $6,000.

System builders such as PowerGPU have explained the high price of their Blackwell machines by highlighting how they are also paying a fortune for the RTX 5090/5080 cards. The fact Asus recently raised the prices of its RTX 5090 and AMD RX 9070 series has exacerbated the situation.

Elsewhere at GTC, Nvidia revealed its upcoming lineup of AI-accelerating GPUs, including Blackwell Ultra in 2025, Vera Rubin in 2026, Rubin Ultra in 2027, and Feynman in 2028.
Breaking milestones is part of Telegram's business vocabulary as the app surpassed $1 billion revenue in December. Three months later, the messaging platform managed to reach one billion active users, but CEO Pavel Durov is not done yet.

The Russian founder did not mince his words when he called Meta-owned WhatsApp a "cheap" knockoff of Telegram.

Durov Makes Jab at WhatsApp

In his celebratory announcement, Durov didn't shy away from his largest rival. As Business Insider reports, the tech executive called WhatsApp a "cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram."

The 40-year-old tech executive accused WhatsApp of attempting to replicate Telegram's features for years and using billions of dollars on lobbying and PR to hold back Telegram's expansion.

Regardless of their efforts, Durov stressed that Telegram not only expanded but became profitable as well while maintaining its autonomy.

Telegram Posts Huge Profit in 2024

It's important to note that it's been a long-held dream of Telegram to be one of the best messaging apps in this current generation. Facebook and X come to mind when we are talking about this kind of app. However, Durov wants the app to improve without compromising its values.

While Durov said that Telegram generated $547 million in profit in 2024, it's still a long way compared to Facebook's profit of $62.3 billion in the same year.

Durov Went to Dubai After Legal Battle

Durov's statement follows his recent return to Dubai after a long court battle in France.

The Telegram boss was arrested at an airport in Paris on August 24, 2024, after he arrived from his private plane. The French authorities said that Durov was accused of allowing Telegram to be a nest of drug trafficking, child abuse, fraud, and other crimes.

Denial of Allegations and Temporary Release

Durov rejected the accusations, describing them as both "surprising" and "misguided."

In a statement published on his Telegram channel in September 2024, he contended that it was unfair to hold him responsible for third-party crimes on the platform.

In the same month, it revealed it would begin disclosing IP addresses and phone numbers of perpetrators to law enforcement when the law needs it.

Telegram's Dedication to Policy Reforms

Since Durov's detention, Telegram has undertaken major policy reforms to cater to concerns of illegal content. The service partnered with the Internet Watch Foundation, an organization dedicated to finding and removing child sexual abuse material.

Telegram also started issuing transparency reports, reporting the amount of content that was taken down, which is common practice in the tech industry.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is proud to say that the company does not only thrive in selling chips. The Taiwanese-born American businessman said during the GTC conference in California on March 18 that Nvidia is now an "AI infrastructure company."

Nvidia Unveils Four GPU Architectures to Power Future AI

When we hear the word Nvidia, GPUs, computer accessories, and SoCs first come to mind. It's been a powerhouse company for this kind of tech productsand the go-to for PC enthusiasts. Soon, we will see their other products in the form of AI.

As PC Mag reports, Huang presented four GPU architectures to drive AI innovation up to 2026 and beyond during his keynote. Such a detailed road map is unprecedented in the industry. Truly, Nvidia is no longer operating as an electronics company.

Record Sales of AI GPUs to Cloud Providers

Huang highlighted Nvidia's growing dominance in AI by revealing that the company has sold 3.6 million Blackwell GPUs to the top four US-based cloud service providers in 2024. This is a massive jump from the 1.3 million Hopper-based GPUs sold last year.

To him, AI infrastructure is something that you can't buy and deploy tomorrow. It takes time, careful planning, and a multi-year investment.

AI Factories to Boost Customer Revenues

Nvidia's transformation into an AI factory translates to its products now having a direct effect on its customers' revenues.

"We're an AI factory now. What that means is a factory helps customers make money. Our factories directly translate to customers' revenues," Huang said.

Navigating Tariff Threats and Supply Chain Challenges

With the increasing US-China trade war, tariffs on Chinese imports now standing at 20%, fears have been expressed about the potential effect on Nvidia and buyers.

Huang, however, played down the near-term threats. He explained that they have a nimble supply network, suggesting that the distribution of components is not only limited to Taiwan or Mexico but all over parts of the world.
Apple has been working towards the concept of a portless iPhone 17 Air, projecting a future with charging solely using MagSafe or Qi-compatible wireless chargers.

Although an early rumor indicated European Union (EU) laws might keep such a product from being produced, the latest report suggests the Cupertino-based giant can actually roll out a portless iPhone without breaking any legislations.

EU Regulations Won't Stop a Portless iPhone

The European Union has been rigorous in enforcing uniform charging practices across devices, having compelled Apple to adopt USB-C ports for its entire product range in recent times. Several feared that a portless iPhone would be "anti-consumer" and attract regulatory penalties. But 9to5Mac reports that European Commission press officer Federica Miccoli attested that it is not forbidden to sell a portless iPhone.

As long as Apple steers clear of developing a proprietary charging techniquesuch as the recently retired Lightning portthe EU won't complain about a portless iPhone. This green light for Apple means it can continue with its plans to revolutionize the iPhone's charging tech.

MagSafe and Qi2 Wireless Charging Are Already Gaining Momentum

Apple has been gradually enhancing its wireless charging rates, and the concept of a portless iPhone has become more plausible. The iPhone 16 series supports up to 25W MagSafe wireless charging, while Qi2 wireless chargers offer up to 15W speeds. Although wired charging remains quicker, wireless charging convenience is gaining greater appeal to customers, Wccftech reports.

Moreover, the iPhone maker's MagSafe technology has been developed, offering a stable and convenient charging option. The increasing ubiquity of Qi-compatible chargers gives peace of mind for customers to not buy separate proprietary accessories.

Why a Portless iPhone Would Still Be Consumer-Friendly

One of the most important motivations behind the EU's push for the USB-C shift was the elimination of electronic waste and uniformity across devices.

Thankfully, a portless iPhone that's dependent on MagSafe and Qi wireless charging meets these objectives. Because Qi-enabled chargers support various smartphones, Apple's wireless solution would neither fragment the market nor compel people to purchase sole-accessory devices.

By adopting popular wireless standards, Apple will be able to deflect accusations of monopoly, thereby laying the ground for a successful introduction of a port-less iPhone.

Consumer Adoption: Are Users Prepared for a Portless iPhone?

Wireless charging has evolved, yet many users want the speed and consistency of a wired connection. Despite these reservations, Apple has had a history of driving mass adoption of new technology and pushing technology limits. The portless iPhone, of course, won't be appealing to all users because of differences in their preferences.

If Apple manages to speed up wireless charging and make batteries more efficient, a portless iPhone might be a mainstream reality sooner rather than later. Further, as wireless charging pads proliferate in public places, at home, and in cars, the convenience of going totally wireless may eventually surpass the inconvenience.
Donald Trump fulfilled another one of his campaign promises on Thursday. By signing an executive order from the Oval Office, the U.S. president intends to start dismantling the Department of Education to  fulfilling a long-standing Republican aspiration  distribute its functions among the states and return power to parents over their childrens education.

The text that Trump signed asks Linda McMahon, the newly appointed Secretary of Education, to begin dismantling the department, although this is not entirely within her control, as it requires congressional approval, specifically, 60 votes in the Senate, a highly unlikely outcome given that the Republicans, who control both chambers on Capitol Hill, only have 53 seats in the Senate. It is assumed that no member of the Democratic Party will support such a motion. Thus, Trumps decision partly adds to his repertoire of political theatrics that has become a feature of the White House since his return to power.

What McMahon can do instead is reduce the Department of Education to its minimum size and power within the bounds of the law; that is, strip it of some of its functions so that other parts of the administration can manage them, which will surely provoke a backlash in the courts. It will most likely replicate the measures taken in other government agencies by the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musks now-famous DOGE: deep cuts to staff, programs, and grants. In fact, the administration has already taken steps to reduce the departments workforce by almost half.

The Department of Educations powers are not as broad as those of similar European agencies. It does not decide on educational curricula  that is a matter for the states  nor does it tell teachers what to teach. Its leaders are responsible for federal funding of schools; they manage student loans, investigate discrimination complaints, and review national progress in reading and math skills. They also manage federal grants worth $18.4 billion and contribute to the funding of schools in low-income areas. They also have a program ($15.5 billion) to assist in the education of students with disabilities.

Effects on student loans

Perhaps the most serious consequences are the potential impact on the $1.6 trillion student loan program, which is provided in exchange for universities complying with the rules imposed on them to participate. Hundreds of thousands of students and alumni are unsure of what to expect with their outstanding debts, obligations that often weigh on them for decades.

Behind Trumps decision lies the notion that federal education management has been in the hands of progressive officials for too long. According to this theory, these bureaucrats have deprived conservatives of their decision-making power over how best to educate their children by focusing on issues within the woke agenda, such as promoting gender equality, teaching about the countrys racist past, or addressing the so-called gender ideology, which advocates for the rights of LGBTQ+ communities.

In a campaign video last summer, Trump claimed that public schools have been taken over by the lunatics of the Radical Left and that one of his priorities would be to give power back to American parents. In a subsequent message, he detailed how he planned to give American children the high-quality, pro-American education they deserve. Other promises were included to cut federal funding for any school or program pushing Critical Race Theory, gender ideology or other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children, keeping men out of womens sports (a reference to trans athletes), and ending the Marxism being preached in our schools, which is aggressively hostile to Judeo-Christian teachings.

The new Secretary of Education comes from the world of professional wrestling, where she made her considerable fortune, estimated at around $3.2 billion. Along with her husband, Vince McMahon, a longtime friend of Trump, she built a veritable wrestling empire in the 1980s and 1990s. She then served in Trumps first administration as head of the agency responsible for small business management, a position she held from 2017 to 2019. When her appointment was confirmed by the Senate a couple of weeks ago, there was the paradox of seeing her defend her suitability for a position whose main mission was to destroy the department she aspired to head.

Trump and the McMahons did business together in the 1980s, when they were building their professional wrestling empire, and the future president built a casino in Atlantic City that he used for the show. In 2007, Trump and Vince McMahon participated in a contest called Battle of the Billionaires, a game in which each player chose a wrestler to fight for them. The winner was entitled to shave the losers head, and thats how Trump shaved McMahons head live in a Detroit ring.

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Trump advances another LNG project, drawing environmentalist ire



New York, March 19 (AFP) Mar 19, 2025



President Donald Trump's administration advanced another major US natural gas export project on Wednesday, handing oil companies a win the same day as a White House meeting with industry executives.

The Energy Department approved an export authorization for the Venture Global CP2 liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, drawing praise from business groups and withering criticism from environmentalists.

The project is the fifth major LNG export venture progressed since Trump returned to the White House, the Department of Energy said in a news release.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright touted the project following the late-afternoon White House meeting, which included the CEOs of ExxonMobil, Chevron and other oil giants, according to US media.

"We want to bring low cost, affordable, reliable, secure energy to Americans and our allies around the world," said Wright, who slammed former president Joe Biden's administration for suspending LNG expansions over environmental concerns.

The White House meeting comes as uncertainty around Trump's trade tariffs and threats stokes concerns about the economy slowing.

The oil industry has kept a muted public stance on Trump's myriad tariff actions, while privately expressing misgivings about the policy.

Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told reporters that dialogue on tariffs was "ongoing," while downplaying the chances that there will be a significant economic impact.

Burgum and Wright said they were committed to streamlining permitting of new petroleum projects, addressing the industry's criticism about lengthy delays due to protests from environmental groups.

Environmentalists have attacked projects like the CP2 LNG venture because of the increased pollution affecting communities near such industrial sites, while slamming LNG as exacerbating climate change.

"The Trump administration's conditional approval of CP2 illustrates everything that's wrong with Trump's fossil fuel agenda," said Allie Rosenbluth, US campaign manager for Oil Change International.

"It comes on the same day as Trump welcomes oil and gas industry donors to the White House to brag about the favors he's done them -- clear evidence of who this administration actually serves."

Mahyar Sorour of the Sierra Club called the latest LNG project approval "a disaster for local communities devastated by pollution, American consumers who will face higher costs, and the global climate crisis that will be supercharged by the project's emissions."
'A tsunami of tears': N. Macedonia buries victims of deadly nightclub fire



Kocani, Republic of North Macedonia, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



Hundreds of people clutching red and white roses and wearing t-shirts with their loved ones' faces gathered in a small town in North Macedonia on Thursday to bury victims of a devastating nightclub fire.

Fifty-nine people were killed and nearly 200 others were injured in the blaze that ripped through Club Pulse in the eastern town of Kocani during a hip-hop concert last Sunday, in one of Europe's deadliest nightclub fires.

The incident was the worst loss of life in the Balkan country since 1993, and has prompted scrutiny of nightclubs and discotheques after it was found the club had been operating under a forged licence.

Large crowds gathered at Kocani cemetery under a clear blue sky from late morning. Mourners sobbed and broke down in tears while first aiders helped some who fainted, breaking the silence as the ceremony started.

The funeral services at the packed cemetery chapel were conducted by the country's highest-ranking cleric, Archbishop Stefan, head of the Orthodox Church of North Macedonia.

"There are no words strong enough to console the loss of such young children," the archbishop told the congregation. "What we can do is ensure that such accidents never happen again."

Of the 59 victims, six were aged under 18, the local prosecutor's office said on Thursday.



- Accountability -



In the centre of town, well-wishers filled a book of condolence and left flowers and candles in front of dozens of pictures of the victims.

"The loss, the grieving for the deceased, the river of tears -- it's not a river, it's a tsunami of tears," said one mourner, Nikola.

Kocani was a close-knit town but was now "dead" with the loss of "a whole generation of young people who were supposed to make this town proud", he added.

Nikola, in his twenties, called for a full investigation to find those responsible for the blaze and bring them to book.

"My friends are dead, some of my closest friends are dead. It's a very, very sad thing to witness... It's one of the saddest moments in the history of this town, this country."

Death announcements have been plastered across Kocani, including on tree trunks. Passers-by stop to read the names of the dead.

Funerals are also being held in the capital, Skopje, and five other towns.



- Corruption -



"What can I say?" said Mitko Petrusev, 65. "We're not in a position to speak now. Kocani is a dead town. It's a small town. We're all neighbours, friends, members of the same family," he added.

He accused the authorities of not doing their job for years. "Corruption is everywhere," he added before joining other residents at the funerals.

"How can I not go? Half of the dead boys are my cousins, my friends, my classmates. For us it's a difficult day," he said.

Petrusev voiced anger at those who have been "plundering Macedonia for 30 years". "Everyone who comes to power plunders, then another comes along, plunders and leaves. Nothing works as it should.

"This discotheque has been operating for years and everyone knows it."

Most of the Club Pulse victims were young people. Some 250 tickets were sold but according to North Macedonia's interior ministry 500 people were at the venue.

The fire appears to have broken out when sparks from fireworks ignited a flammable ceiling and spread to the roof, triggering a stampede, according to investigations.

The day after the fire, the authorities promised swift action to verify nightclub licences. More than 20 people are currently under investigation, including a former minister.
Separatist group presses boycott over 'ecocide' in Papua



Jakarta, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



More than 90 West Papuan tribes, political organisations and religious groups called on Thursday for a boycott of products allegedly implicated in the "ecocide" of the region, according to a separatist group.

West Papua has long been the site of a low-level separatist insurgency with Indonesian authorities accused of mass arrests to silence activists.

The tribes and groups called on people to boycott firms with products linked to palm oil sourced from Papua, a driver of deforestation in Indonesia, dubbing it ecological suicide or "ecocide".

"The boycott campaign has identified a number of target brands that are probably complicit in ecocide in West Papua," the Papuan group United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULWMP) said in a statement.

"All contain palm oil and are made by parent companies who source palm oil directly from West Papua," the ULWMP said.

Palm oil is a billion-dollar industry in Indonesia, which is the world's largest producer and exporter of the commodity used in everything from chocolate spreads to cosmetics.

Faizal Ramadhani, the head of a special unit formed to handle rebels in Papua, told AFP that the boycott was "propaganda".

A presidential spokesman did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment.

Papua, a former Dutch colony, declared independence in 1961, but neighbouring Indonesia took control two years later, promising a referendum.

In 1969, a thousand Papuans voted to integrate into Indonesia in a UN-backed vote.

Papuan independence activists regularly criticise the vote and call for fresh polls, but Jakarta says its sovereignty over Papua is supported by the UN.
Greenpeace's biggest operations



Paris, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



The environmental advocacy group Greenpeace, ordered by a US jury to pay more than $660 million in damages to an oil pipeline company, has built its reputation on often astonishing operations on land and at sea that captured headlines around the world.



- 1971: underground nuclear test -



Greenpeace was born with a bang on September 15, 1971 when a crew of 12 Canadians and Americans set out from Vancouver Island in an 80-foot boat called the Phyllis Cormack, which was renamed Greenpeace, with the aim of halting US nuclear tests.

Their mission was to steam to the Aleutian island of Amchitka and protest, or even prevent, the detonation of a test.

The boat didn't make it to Amchitka. US president Richard Nixon delayed the test and the crew were arrested in the Aleutian port of Akutan by the US Coastguard on a technicality. The following year Washington abandoned the site for nuclear testing.



- 1985: The Rainbow Warrior -



Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship was bombed by French agents in Auckland harbour on July 10, 1985.

The French secret service blew two holes in the Rainbow Warrior's hull, sinking the vessel and killing Greenpeace photographer Fernando Pereira.

Paris wanted to halt Greenpeace plans to disrupt French nuclear tests in Polynesia.

The sinking of the original Warrior is seen as a key event in Pacific history, leading to the end of nuclear testing on the islands.



- 1983: baby seals -



Greenpeace was a major player in the 1980s campaigns targeting Canada over the hunting of baby seals.

Its teams went to the ice floe in Newfoundland and tracked from a helicopter the icebreakers of baby seal hunters.

On March 2, 1983, the activists stopped before the bow of one of the ships carrying the youngest seals, whose white fur changes to grey-black after a few weeks.

The images worked: the then European Economic Community banned imports of the seal fur.



- 2013: board oil rig -



Greenpeace activists climbed onto the Prirazlomnaya oil rig in the Arctic on September 18, 2013 to protest against plans to drill for oil by Russian giant Gazprom in the region, which has particularly fragile ecosystems.

The 30 team members were detained in Russia. Only 100 days later were the foreign activists allowed to leave the country.



- 2017: break into nuclear plant -



Before dawn on October 12, 2017, Greenpeace activists broke into a French nuclear power plant and set off fireworks at the foot of a spent fuel pool -- where nuclear plants store highly radioactive fuel rods that are removed from reactors after their use.

The stunt at the plant in Cattenom, near the border with Luxembourg, was intended to show the facility's vulnerability to attack.

Since the 2000s, Greenpeace has carried out numerous break-ins. An activist flew in 2012 over the plant at Bugey southern France in an ultralight plane.

Greenpeace said that the Cattenom break-in resulted in the first prison sentences against its activists, which on appeal were amended to fines.

- 2019: refinery blocked -



Towards 6:00 am on October 29, 2019 around 50 Greenpeace activists wearing orange blocked the entrance to a refinery in La Mede in southern France, where oil giant Total used controversial palm oil to produce biofuel.

They placed two large orange containers in front of the entrance, with a protester chaining themselves to each.

lc-rap/jmy/yad
US refuses water request for Mexico in new battleline



Washington, March 20 (AFP) Mar 20, 2025



The United States said Thursday it refused a request by Mexico for water due to shortfalls in sharing by its southern neighbor, as President Donald Trump ramps up a battle on another front.

The State Department said it was the first time that the United States has rejected a request by Mexico for special delivery of water, which would have gone to the border city of Tijuana.

"Mexico's continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture-- particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley," the State Department's bureau handling Latin America said in a post on X.

The 1944 treaty, which governs water allocation from the Rio Grande and Colorado rivers, has come under growing strain in recent years due to the pressures of climate change and the burgeoning populations and agriculture in parched areas.

The treaty sets five-year cycles for water deliveries, with the latest set to end in October 2025.

US farmers and lawmakers complain that the neighboring country has waited until the end of each cycle in the past and has come up short in the latest period, as Mexico struggles with drought.

A year ago the last sugar mill in southern Texas shut down, blaming a lack of water deliveries from Mexico.

Lawmakers from Texas have urged consequences on Mexico, saying that the United States has lived up to its own obligations on water-sharing.

"Texas farmers are in crisis because of Mexico's noncompliance," Senator Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X, praising the State Department's water decision.

"I will work with the Trump administration to pressure Mexico into complying and to get water to Texas farmers."

The water dispute comes as Trump takes a tough approach to Latin American nations, especially on migration.

Trump on returning to office has vowed to end arrivals of undocumented migrants, who largely come from Central America and Venezuela but transit through Mexico.

Trump deployed troops to the border and announced painful tariffs on Mexico, although he has since put them on hold until April 2.
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As the fisherman aesthetic was predicted to be one of 2025s biggest trends, styling stripes is set to take a new approach this season.

With springs unpredictable weather, sticking to a tried-and-true formula becomes routine.

But having a formula doesnt mean boring. Whether youre sporting navy-and-white-striped Breton tees or taking inspiration from Guccis sorbet-coloured cardigans, fashion experts go through the best way to style stripes this season.

Invest in the staples

While some striped trends come and go, investing in staple stripes is essential for elevating your outfits year after year.

The classic navy and white combo is sported time and again by the likes of Sienna Miller and the Princess of Wales.

While a slim fit is timeless, more oversized styles are in this season, thanks to the fisherman aesthetic.

This influence of fisherman style means stripes are less polished and more effortless [this season], often paired with oversized silhouettes, half-tucked tops, and relaxed tailoring, explains fashion expert and celebrity stylist Oriona Robb.

M&S Pure Cotton Striped Rugby Top, 35

Hush Sloane Quilted Jacket, 230

Go big with colour

This season, designers are experimenting with a more maximalist approach to stripes, combining juxtaposing yellows and blues to statement pieces.

Colour-wise, its about playful combos, says Robb.

While nautical navy and whites are still in the mix, powder blue and butter yellow are big this season explains fashion expert Karine Laudort, along with sage green and cream.

Red and cream stripes are also having a major moment, says Robb, adding a Parisian-chic touch to any outfit.

You can channel this with a roll neck, barrel jeans and shades  or opt for a more preppy and polished look with a buttoned cardigan and pleated skirt.

Part Two Red and Cream Stripe Saya Jumper, 39 (was 69.95) Brand Alley

Zara Mid-Rise Baggy Balloon Jeans, 29.99

Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 Sneakers, 150

Pair with denim

Theres no greater match than stripes and denim, but this doesnt mean navy white and blue. Colourful stripes with ecru jeans  or muted stripes with khaki denim are great ways to mix print and texture.

If youre looking for something lighter than denim, then linen and cream tones are a perfect pairing.

A striped top with cream linen trousers or a beige blazer brings a chic and polished touch, says Laudort.

Otherwise for an edgier look, stripes contrast beautifully with the richness of a suede skirt or leather boots, balancing casual and luxe.

Urban Outfitters Dakota Stripe Knit Cardigan, 42

H&M Straight Regular Jeans, 37.99

Dont dismiss accessories

Suede continues to be big this season, and a slouchy suede bag or boat shoes can elevate any striped tee and denim jean combo.

If youre wanting to lean into colourful stripes, swap your white trainers out for metallic pumps to make the look that much more interesting.

If youre keeping it really simple with a one-and-done stripe  dont forget to play up the jewels with a chunky necklace and matching earrings.

Zara Asymmetric Soft Split Suede Bucket Bag, 89.99

Clarks Fawna Lily in Silver Leather, 24 (were 65)

D. Louise Vintage Pearl Bold Studs, 40 (was 50)
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We call this Scottish Haggis Toastie Jock Monsieur  our seasonal Scottish spin on a French classic, complete with haggis and velvety bechamel, say Patrick Dwyer and Carol Deeney, the husband-and-wife team behind Scottish street-food cafe Deeneys. Its delicious for Burns Night or any time you fancy an indulgent next-level toastie.

Serves: 2

Prep time: 5 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

13g butter, plus extra for spreading

13g plain flour

125ml milk

 tsp english mustard

50g haggis

2 slices sourdough

90g gruyere, grated

2 slices ham

Method:

1. For the bechamel, melt the 13g butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir continuously with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Cook for 2 mins, then gradually add the milk, stirring to a smooth sauce. Cook for 5-10 mins more, stirring, until thickened. Stir in the mustard, season to taste and set aside.

2. Heat the haggis  either microwave it on high for 30 secs or fry in a pan until crumbly and piping hot.

3. Butter the bread, then lay it butter-side down on a board. Spoon the haggis onto one slice, then top with two-thirds of the cheese and the ham. Top with the other slice of bread, butter-side up.

4. Preheat the grill to high. Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the sandwich and fry for 2 mins on each side, pressing down with a heavy saucepan to seal the filling, until melted and golden.

5. Smear a heaped tbsp of the bechamel over the sandwich, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and grill until bubbling. Slice in half and serve.

Recipe from Ocado.com
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Sarah Beenys ostentatious 3m mini-Downton Abbey home has been hit with a demolition order due to an unauthorised extension she documented in a Channel 4 show.

The 220-acre Somerset property has been at the centre of a fierce legal battle after Beeny substantially extended the building without permission, and then applied for the works retrospectively.

Initial permissions were given to construct a new home on the condition that the 1970s farmhouse included on the property, and its adjoining buildings, were torn down. Instead, Beeny decided to expand the existing structure instead, transforming it into beautiful parkland.

In May, the retroactive application was refused by the council and an appeal by the Channel 4 presenter and her husband Graham Swift has since been rejected.

According to The Sun, the extension has been ordered to be razed to the ground.

The property was the subject of Channel 4 series Sarah Beenys New Life in the Country, which saw her and Swift renovate the semi-derelict former dairy farm on primetime TV.

These works transformed the property into a modern stately home with two libraries, a treehouse, boathouse, greenhouse and an extensive boot room, as per documents released by Somerset Council.

open image in gallery The 3m mansion will now face a demolition after an appeal was rejected ( Channel 4 )

Its been furnished with rare antiques and carefully curated interior design, including sumptuous dark red wallpaper hand-selected by Beeny, who is an artist. It features a secret room, walk-in larder and a Shaker-style kitchen with two dishwashers.

In their Channel 4 series, the couple planted their own vineyard to create their own wine and turned a cloakroom into a cabinet of curiosities for family heirlooms. A mini clock tower complete with a bell and unique family flag was also added.

open image in gallery The dining room features high ceilings and dark red wallpaper ( Channel 4 )

Speaking about the renovation in 2024, Beeny told The Telegraph: The dining room is one of the most convincing new rooms, adorned with highly decorative and gilded plasterwork.

There are two libraries, a sitting room, a playroom and a music room for the boys, as well as a utility/boot room. When it came to the boys bedrooms, the kids were given free rein to decorate them as they wished.

One of our upstairs bathrooms has two baths because Graham found my bath too hot and I found his too cold.

open image in gallery The kitchen in the property features huge windows and kitchen island ( Channel 4 )

Beeny, who recently recovered from breast cancer, explained: Its an amalgamation of properties weve lived in, developments weve done and houses weve visited, but with the added benefit of a farm were turning into beautiful parkland.

She added: The manor house is classical at the front and back, although I do remember complaining to Graham that his original design was boring.

It just had a door in the middle and windows at either side. Unfazed, he said, Lets design a house that looks like it has evolved over time. You wouldnt have a fully Georgian house because the Victorians would have built an extension. So thats what we did.

open image in gallery Beenys extension is set to be demolished ( Photo by Kate Green/Getty Images )

The Independent has contacted Beenys representative for comment.
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This weeks podcasts are great examples of why we should listen to the stories people share  we can always learn something from them.

1. Hidden Histories with Nova Reid

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: History and culture

Throughout history, Black women have significantly contributed to civil rights and resistance movements. However, for activist and author Nova Reid, these acts of liberation have often been mythologised, unknown, or completely erased.

Its what led to the creation of her new Audible podcast, Hidden Histories with Nova Reid, where the work of unsung Black women who have created and shaped pivotal moments in world history, from the 18th to the 20th century, are brought to the forefront of our minds.

Reid was born in Britain, of Jamaican heritage, with lineage lost to slavery in West Africa, but admits that her relationship with Britain is complicated.

So the host starts the six-part series in Kingston, Jamaica, at a live music festival in a park, celebrating the 186th anniversary of Emancipation Day in Jamaica, on August 1.

Reid and her production team ask locals attending the celebration about the first Black woman being discussed in the podcast series, Queen Nanny, an early-18th-century freedom fighter and leader of the Jamaican Maroons  escaped slaves and the forerunners of Jamaican independence.

Using expert interviews, retracing the steps of Queen Nanny physically in Jamaica, and exploring her origin story, Reid gets closer to the heart of the extraordinary woman and why the work she did with the Jamaican Maroons is more significant than she remembered.

Hidden Histories with Nova Reid takes listeners on a journey of discovery and encourages listeners to think about the personal costs of being a pioneer.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

2. Science & Soul with Dr Kristen Holmes

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Health and wellbeing

When Dr Kristen Holmes, the global head of human performance and principal scientist at human performance company WHOOP, thinks about the current climate of the health and wellness industry, it doesnt feel quiet at times.

With her Flight Studio-produced podcast Science & Soul with Dr Kristen Holmes, she hopes to help listeners better understand how to apply their physical effort to pursue the things that make them happy and proud of their lives.

The podcast will also explore the intersection between performance science and the human spirit.

The first episode features Dr Judith Joseph, a psychiatrist and researcher, who unpacks the silent struggles we all face, including stress, anxiety and burnout.

But the second episode  a solo one with Holmes  debunks some of the misconceptions that come with the term performance  we often associate this with elite athletes  and shares her own definition, which is all about building capacity.

She goes on to share how we can take control back of our physical bodies, and live a life filled with joy and energy, the key factors of human performance and how to leverage it.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

3. Mel & Sue Should Know by Now

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Comedy

You probably already have a decent idea of how much youll enjoy the new Mel & Sue Should Know By Now podcast.

Surprisingly, its nine years since former The Great British Bake Off hosts and long-time double act Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins have co-presented a show, but their friendship has clearly endured.

The premise of the reunion is to take turns admitting to any blind spots in their knowledge theyre embarrassed not to have addressed sooner, while the other researches the topic and fills in the blanks.

The podcast is full of in-jokes, anecdotes and moments where neither can speak for laughing so hard at themselves. In the first episode, theres even a surprise cameo from former Bake Off judge Dame Mary Berry when Sue admits that, despite seven series in the tent with baking guru Paul Hollywood, she still doesnt understand the science of bread-making.

Cue jokes comparing how yeast works to two brothers with flatulence, and youll have a flavour of how the series plays out  nothing is off-limits.

If you love Mel and Sue, youll likely adore this podcast, although its intense, babbling and often surreal stream of consciousness may not be everyones cup of tea.

(By Amy Crowther)

4. Icebergs

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: Culture, comedy and society

Icebergs is the new podcast hosted by American comedian Kemah Bob about the endless journey to finding ourselves, and what it really means to have self-confidence, self-acceptance and self-love.

Throughout the podcast series, Bob will be exploring the inner workings of some of her favourite people, and speak to them about who they are, how they got that way and how they feel about it.

To get things started, Bob dedicates an entire episode to introducing herself to her new audience and explains the intentions behind Icebergs: to find herself, her friends and her chosen family.

Before Bob welcomes British comedian and writer Sophie Duker to the first episode, she talks about procrastination, determination, adulting, and recognising when we are the most productive.

Bob asked Duker to bring a photo of the moment when she was the most fu happy  she brought more than one  and they went on to discuss the impact of grief and heartbreak, what keeps her grounded when life gets really busy, and her limiting beliefs.

Bob also speaks to Duker about stand-up comedy, why its important to have ease and safety on stage, and what it was like attending Oxford University  Duker studied French and English at Wadham College.

(By Yolanthe Fawehinmi)

Spotlight on

5. Journey Through Time

Streaming platform: All streaming platforms

Genre: History
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A former Indiana teacher allegedly had sex with teenagers at her home after first putting her own children to bed, prosecutors have claimed.

Brittany Fortinberry, who taught in Morgan County, faces a string of sexual abuse charges, including child molestation and sexual conduct with a minor that allegedly go back to October 2023.

The 31-year-old was previously charged with multiple crimes last month, involving three of her students, one of whom was 15 at the time. The alleged incidents occurred in 2023 and 2024.

However, in court documents obtained by WTHR, prosecutors say that five new victims have since come forward and that some of the alleged victims were just 13 years old.

According to the documents, one of the victims accused Fortinberry of drugging him repeatedly and having sex with him when he was 13. The boy claimed she would invite him and his friends to her house where she would allegedly give them drugs and abuse them.

open image in gallery Brittany Fortinberry, a former teacher in Morgan County, faces a string of sexual abuse charges, including child molestation and sexual conduct with a minor that allegedly stretch back as far as October 2023 ( Morgan County Sheriff's Office )

Another victim told police that Fortinberry would put her children to bed and then try to have sex with the boys, according to WTHR. When the boys hesitated, she allegedly told them, Just let it happen, the outlet reported.

In another incident, prosecutors said that Fortinberry allegedly spent $600 on various items for a group of teenagers and then had sex with all of them, while making them wear the mask from the movie "Scream."

She allegedly told the teens if they reported anything, she would kill herself.

The documents allege that Fortinberry had sex with one teen she had asked to babysit her children, and another student claimed she had paid boys between $100 and $800 for photos of their genitals.

In turn, the teenagers alleged, Fortinberry would send them nude and explicit photos and videos on Snapchat and an app called "Session."

Prosecutors have now filed a motion to add 10 counts of child molestation, eight counts of dissemination of matter harmful to a minor, five counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of sexual misconduct with a minor.

Those charges are in addition to three counts of sexual misconduct, one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor that had previously been filed against Fortinberry.

open image in gallery Eminence High School in Indiana, where Brittany Fortinberry previously taught. She resigned from Eminence on August 23 2024, shortly after allegations against her first emerged ( Google Maps )

Fortinberry had worked first as a substitute for Martinsville schools before being fired on January 9, 2024. She later worked at Eminence High School in Morgan County where she taught several of her alleged victims.

She resigned from Eminence on August 23, 2024, shortly after allegations against her first emerged.

Per WTHR, the new charges were filed after a Department of Child Services investigation prompted many more parents of victims to contact police. Many did not know anything was wrong until they were contacted by the organization.

In addition, Fortinberry's husband, Nicholas Fortinberry, has been charged with intimidation and failure to report.

The Independent has reached out to the Morgan County Sheriffs Office for more information about the case.
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An eerie selfie of a smiling Bryan Kohberger giving a thumbs-up, snapped just hours after four University of Idaho students were brutally slain, was revealed in newly released court documents.

The never-before-seen photo was among a slew of potential evidence unsealed on Wednesday ahead of the former PhD students trial thats slated for August.

Kohberger, 30, is accused of fatally stabbing Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin at an off-campus home in Moscow, Idaho.

The slayings took place on the morning of November 13, 2022, between 4 a.m. and 4:25 a.m., investigators say. Six hours later, at 10:30 a.m., Kohberger snapped a selfie of himself in what appears to be a bathroom.

Wearing a white dress shirt buttoned up to the collar and what appear to be earbuds, he gives the camera a closed-mouth smile and a thumbs up, according to the photo, which was included in the documents viewed by The Independent.

open image in gallery Bryan Kohberger gives a thumbs-up in a selfie taken just six hours after the Idaho murders ( Latah County Prosecutors Office )

Prosecutors are hoping his bushy eyebrows, which are prominent in the photo, will help lead to a conviction. In the court filing, they asked to show that one of the two surviving roommates in the house during the murders saw a man with what she described as bushy eyebrows wearing a ski mask. Prosecutors said they would present the photo of Kohberger and let the jury decide whether or not he has bushy eyebrows.

Prosecutors also filed a motion asking a judge to allow them to present Kohbergers Amazon shopping activity as evidence during trial  claiming they have proof that he bought a knife and knife sheath online in the months before the killings.

Key evidence in the case is the DNA recovered on the button of the knife sheath that was found near one of the victims, which ultimately led authorities to Kohberger weeks after the murders.

open image in gallery Ethan Chapin, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, were killed on November 13, 2022 ( Instagram )

A defense attorney pushed to have the DNA evidence thrown out, but Judge Steven Hippler denied that request last month.

According to the court documents, the state obtained a search warrant for Kohbergers Amazon activity, which included knives and accessories, his payment methods and details of items he added and removed from his cart.

Prosecutors said that search warrant was narrowly tailored to March 20 to March 30, 2022, the time they said Kohberger was known to have bought a Ka-Bar knife with sheath and sharpener from Amazon, and between November 1 and December 6 that year, dates falling weeks before and after the killings.

open image in gallery An image of Kohbergers drivers license was released as part of the evidence on March 19, 2025 ( Latah County Prosecutors Office )

In arguing the judge should admit the evidence, prosecutors said Kohbergers Amazon activity showing the purchase of a Ka-Bar knife and sheath before the homicides made it more probable that the Ka-Bar sheath found at the crime scene was his.

Thousands of pages of court documents have been filed in the complicated case as attorneys on both sides attempt to set the ground rules for what will and wont be presented to jurors.

Kohbergers trial is scheduled to begin August 11 and is expected to last more than three months. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
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An alleged fake nurse was arrested for impersonating an at-home health worker after the patient died of natural causes and the family grew suspicious of his qualifications.

Julien Williams took care of an elderly man, later identified as retired U.S. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Kensworth Moody of Fleming Island, Florida, as a live-in nurse for about a month until his death on October 13.

After the mans passing, his family contacted local authorities, sparking an investigation that revealed Williams credentials had allegedly been falsified by his fiancee, Alexiea Irwin, an employee at BrightStar Care, an in-home care provider in Jacksonville.

Irwin began working for the company in September and allegedly used information from a former worker to falsify her boyfriends application, police said, noting the nursing qualifications led to higher pay. He had no prior medical experience or qualifications yet he matched with Moodys family to provide 24-hour care.

Julien Williams was not trained as a home health aide nor was he trained as a nurse. He was not licensed as a nurse, said Sheriff Michelle Cook in the video. Williams would work out of the familys home with the impression of legitimate, skilled nursing care, though he was not licensed or properly trained.

Now, the couple have been charged with 14 counts of practicing medicine without a license, one count of criminal use of personal identification information and one count of schemes to defraud, the Clay County Sheriffs Office announced in a Facebook video Tuesday.

Theres no evidence to suggest Williams employment contributed to Moodys death. Authorities said the marine died of natural causes. He was 69 and had been battling kidney disease, according to WTLV.

Williams and Irwin left the company shortly after the mans death. U.S. Marshals found them in Michigan on March 17. Theyre now waiting to be extradited to Florida.

Police are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the sheriffs office.
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After being told she couldnt take her dog on a plane, a Florida woman drowned the pet in an airport restroom, police allege.

The incident occurred December 16 at Orlando International Airport, where authorities responded after a report of a dead animal in the womens bathroom before security checkpoints, Orlando Police said in a statement.

An investigation led police to issue an arrest warrant for Alison Agatha Lawrence.

The 57-year-old was reportedly attempting to board a flight but lacked the required paperwork to allow a dog on board, sources told the WFTV. She then discarded the dogs remains in the trash after killing it in the restroom, police say. Airport cleaning staff made the disturbing discovery, the outlet reported.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, was accused of drowning her dog in a restroom at Orlando International Airport ( Lake County Sheriff's Office )

Her neighbors believed she owned a white poodle.

Someone that would do such things has got to be disturbed upstairs, one neighbor told WFTV.

Lawrences sister didnt know anything about the allegations, nor her sisters whereabouts, she told the outlet. She added that Lawrence didnt have a phone.

The Independent has reached out to Orland Police for more information.

Lawrence was arrested on Tuesday afternoon in Clermont and charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony.

Five hours after being booked into Lake County Jail, Lawrence was released on $5,000 bond, jail records show.

After hearing about the incident, State Sen. Tom Leek, who recently filed an animal cruelty offenses bill, told his colleagues on the Senate floor: This is yet another horrible example of why I filed [the bill] related to animal cruelty, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who do harm to innocent animals.

He said, according to ClickOrlando, It is my commitment to have this good bill pass the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives and sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for his signature.
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A dispute over a prize piece of bacon at a youth farming competition in West Virginia ended with one father being arrested and charged with theft.

Cody J. Lucey from Glen Easton was caught on surveillance footage allegedly switching tags on a piece of Grand Champion-rated bacon belonging to another student with that of his own child, according to the Marshall County Sheriffs Office.

A complaint filed in Marshall County Magistrate Court detailed the alleged theft, which was reported to officials by Principal Wyatt O'Neil of Cameron High School.

The investigation began when O'Neil learned that Student B had sold Student A's Grand Champion bacon during the West Virginia FFA State Ham, Bacon, and Egg show and sale at Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley on March 10.

Student A's Grand Champion bacon had been sold at the Marshall County Sale a week earlier on March 4 for $935.28 and was then returned to the school for cutting for the buyer.

open image in gallery Cody J. Lucey was caught on surveillance footage switching tags on a piece of Grand Champion-rated bacon belonging to another student with that of his own child ( Marshall County Sheriff's Office )

An agriculture teacher at the school had sorted through the bacon sold and found that two pieces were incorrectly tagged  as they had both come from the same side of the hog.

Further investigation led ONeil and Deputy D. Schrack to surveillance footage from March 7, which showed Lucey  student B's father  removing student A's Grand Champion bacon from the sold box and placing it on another table.

According to the complaint, he removed the tag from this bacon, selected a replacement from the meat lab, and attached student A's tag to the spare bacon after making a hole.

Lucey returned the swapped bacon to the sold box and, ensuring it was covered, then tagged student A's bacon with student B's tag.

Consequently, Student B Showed the swapped bacon at the State FFA Ham, Bacon, and Egg sale and won Grand Champion, later selling it at the auction for $2,100.

According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, Lucey now faces felony charges of obtaining money, property, and services by false pretenses and petit larceny.
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A 48-year-old mother admitted to stabbing her 11-year-old son to death inside of a Los Angeles-area hotel room, authorities allege.

The child was found dead inside a room in a La Quinta Inn close to John Wayne Airport around 9:30 am on Wednesday. The suspect called 911, Santa Ana Police Department Officer Natalie Garcia told the media.

During the 911 call, its believed that the mother stated that she had killed her son and that she had ingested some sort of substance, Officer Garcia said. The officer said that when police arrived at the room, they found the boy lying on a bed with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

One guest told KTLA what she heard just prior to the police arriving. We heard the banging and something hit the wall. It sounded like something hit the floor really hard, and we heard like a short yell but that was it, Alyssah Witherell said.

The mother was rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to Santa Ana jail. Garcia said that investigators believe she took nearly 25 over-the-counter pills in an attempt to take her own life. She was last reported to be in a stable condition.

open image in gallery The suspect and victim have not yet been named by authorities ( Google Maps )

Detectives have retrieved a murder weapon from the scene, Garcia added. A motive for the crime has not been revealed. The case is being described as a homicide investigation.

ABC Los Angeles reports that the mother and her son are both from Irvine, California, and had been living in the hotel for around a month. Her identity and the identity of her child have not been made public.

In a separate interview with the San Bernardino County Sun, Alyssah Witherall said that she initially didnt think anything of the yelling she heard.

We heard some banging and didnt think that was anything abnormal. Kids yell, and I didnt think anything of it, and I really wish I would have. They have so many children that stay here, Witherall said.

She said that the only surveillance cameras in the hotel are in the lobby.

The Suns report mentions that a makeshift memorial has been set up outside of the hotel featuring a white cross, flowers and a teddy bear in the center.

Anyone with information regarding the homicide is asked to contact the Santa Ana police at 714-245-8665.

The Independent contacted the Orange County Fire Authority and the Santa Ana Police Department for information.
A New Jersey Democratic mayor has been accused of DUI after she allegedly drove her toddler home from daycare drunk on St. Patricks Day, officials have said.

Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca, 45, was arrested and charged Monday evening with DUI, child endangerment and neglect, driving with an expired license, and other related offenses, according to a Lumberton Township police complaint. The small city is located 25 miles east of Philadelphia.

The mayor, who was sworn in to serve a second term as mayor in January 2025, was flagged to police by a bystander who recorded her driving her blue 2019 BMW erratically on video, swerving between lanes and almost striking a utility pole, the complaint said.

Police made contact with LaPlaca after viewing the video.

She then admitted to police that she had been drinking before she went to collect her two-year-old son from daycare, according to court documents seen by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Upon taking a sobriety test, LaPlaca reportedly "appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the offense," reports NBC Philadelphia.

The toddler was found strapped in a car seat in the rear passenger seat. An open container of an alcoholic beverage was also found inside her car, according to the complaint.

LaPlaca was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2023. Among her major projects is ending a homeless encampment in the area around Lumberton.

open image in gallery Earlier this month, LaPlaca was filmed being escorted by police out of a Mount Holly Fire Commissioners meeting after getting into a verbal spat with audience members critical of her husbands appointment as a firefighter ( Facebook/Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca )

In a statement posted on social media, LaPlacas husband, Jason Carty, who is a firefighter and political activist, claimed his wife had been grappling with addiction and is now getting the treatment she needs.

Millions of Americans struggle with addiction and never get help. Gina is someone who has struggled and is now getting the help she needs.

I ask that everyone keep her in their thoughts as she moves forward on her road to recovery. Please ignore the exaggerated political hyperbole and keep in mind her passion for helping others. This should not erase all the things she has accomplished for our community, he wrote on Facebook.

The incident follows a recent spat LaPlaca had on March 5 while in her other role as the Neptune Township business administrator  a job she has since resigned from, citing a "changing political environment," according to the Asbury Park Press.

In a video posted in a local Neptune Facebook group, LaPlaca was filmed being escorted by police out of a Mount Holly Fire Commissioners meeting after getting into a heated exchange with audience members who were critical of her husbands appointment as a firefighter.

In the clip, LaPlaca is heard shouting, "You have no idea what Ive been through," to someone in the audience as she walks away.

In 2023, while serving as deputy mayor, LaPlaca was arrested for assaulting her husband. Carty was also arrested but later accepted responsibility, and the charges against his wife were dropped, reports the New Jersey Globe.

In a statement, Lumberton Deputy Mayor Lori Faye said: "As a Committee, our priority is doing what is best for Lumberton.

As human beings, we care about our residents and each others wellbeing. The Committee supports Mayor LaPlacas decision to seek the help she believes she needs. Further, we wish her all the best in her next steps for self-help.

Faye added that the committee would respect the familys request for privacy.

LaPlaca is scheduled to appear in court on April 28.

The Independent contacted LaPlaca, Lumberton Township, and the Lumberton Police Department for comment.
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A woman was strangled to death while with her husband for a conjugal visit at his California prison and now her family is demanding answers on how it could happen.

Stephanie Dowells, 62, was at Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California, for an overnight unsupervised visit with her husband, David Brinson, 54, on November 13 when she was killed. Brinson has not been charged but the Amador County Coroner confirmed this week, four months after her death, that Dowells was strangled, KCRA 3 Investigations reports.

Prosecutors are waiting for police to finish their investigation before filing charges.

Dowellss heartbroken family is now asking why, given Brinsons criminal history of being a mass murderer.

How could they just let this happen? I just don't get it, Dowellss son Armand Torres told the news outlet. My mom was just left alone, and she called for help, I'm sure, and there's nothing she could do.

Given the history that this guy has, we kind of wanted to know how is it even possible for them to be unsupervised? Torres asked.

open image in gallery Stephanie Dowells, 62, was described as the cornerstone of her family and community. She was strangled to death while visiting her husband inside a prison ( Facebook )

The Independent has contacted the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and Amador County Sheriffs Office for comment.

That night at approximately 2 a.m., Brinson picked up the phone in the apartment-like visitor complex and told officers his wife passed out. Officials arrived and found her unresponsive. She was pronounced dead an hour later.

The family wants answers. Brinson was convicted of four murders in 1993 and is serving four consecutive life terms with an additional 20-years without the possibility of parole, KCRA reports.

Dowellss mom, Oveta Wilson, said her daughter was the most giving, kindhearted person who was always helping others.

Dowells, a mom-of-two and grandmother, was a hairstylist and ran her own business in Los Angeles. Her loved ones affectionately called her Stevi, a Gofundme page for her family said. She was described as a beacon of strength and love and the cornerstone of her family and community.

Her salon was more than just a place for beauty services; it was a space where community members felt heard and supported, the page reads. Stevi was a trusted friend to all her clients.

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement to KCRA that incarcerated persons must apply and meet strict eligibility criteria to be approved for a conjugal visit.

Only those who demonstrate sustained good behavior and meet specific program requirements are considered, the statement said. These visits are designed to support positive family connections and successful rehabilitation.
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A Washington, D.C. teenager mysteriously vanished after a police car chase in January. Now, months later, his mother is demanding the truth about what happened, and is accusing authorities of withholding information.

Nyair Raymond, 17, left a family home at around 5 p.m. on January 15 before he became involved in the car chase, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

Officers reportedly chased down a black Kia Sportage for a traffic violation. When the car finally pulled over, both the driver and the passenger fled on foot, according to police.

The 18-year-old driver of car was arrested at the scene, but the passenger  who is believed to be Raymond  escaped and hasnt been seen since. Raymond was listed as a missing person three days later.

His mother, Sharnell Ford, was told her son fled from the passenger side of a stolen vehicle during the police chase near the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, and was last spotted under the bridge.

Three days after Raymonds disappearance, Ford told Fox5 that her sons phone was recovered from the area.

His jacket was also recovered a week later, submerged in the Anacostia River  over an hour from where National Missing and Unidentified Persons reported that he was last seen.

A body was s found March 7 in that river, but police have not formally identified the remains, DC News Now reported.

Ford told Fox: "Its an African American male, about six feet tall. It all fits the criteria of my son.

Ford said she hasnt been allowed to see the body. Theyve had that body for over a week, and theyre telling me they wont let me see it, the mother explained.

"My son has been wronged somewhere," she added.

Ford suspects that the Metropolitan Police Department is hiding the truth, and shes demanding to see body camera footage taken on the evening of the car chase.

"I want to know what they did and what they didnt do," Ford told Fox5. Something happened under that bridge."

A GoFundMe page created by the family after Raymonds disappearance described the teen as a very outgoing young man with a promising future who adored his family. The family is trying to raise enough money to offer a reward for information on the teenager's whereabouts.

A police investigation is ongoing.

The Independent contacted Nyairs family and the Metropolitan Police Department for comment.
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Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Justice Department is bringing severe charges against three individuals accused of targeting Teslas with arson attacks, following the White Houses vow to treat such incidents as domestic terrorism.

The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended, she wrote in a statement on Thursday. Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.

The Justice Department announced charges against three individuals.

One person, Adam Matthew Lansky, 41, allegedly threw eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, while armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle.

Another, Lucy Grace Nelson, allegedly attempted to use Molotov cocktails to light Teslas on fire in Loveland, Colorado and was later found with materials that could be used to make incendiary weapons.

A third individual, Daniel Brendan Kurt Clarke-Pounder, allegedly wrote profane messages against President Trump and lit Tesla charging stations on fire in Charleston, South Carolina.

open image in gallery Charges come after hackers threatened Tesla owners and Tesla vehicles and charging stations have caught fire around the country ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. )

The Justice Department said each person could face up to 20 years in prison.

The events described by the Justice Department match some details of previously reported incidents.

Lansky, 41, was arrested for allegedly targeting a Salem dealership twice with attacks and was charged in federal court with illegally possessing an unregistered device, WBOY reports.

Nelson was arrested and given federal charges along with Cooper Jo Frederick, 24, for allegedly targeting a Tesla dealership in Loveland, Colorado, NBC 15 reports.

Frederick allegedly threw rocks as well as an incendiary device into the dealership near parked cars, starting a fire that was quickly extinguished. Hes reportedly charged with the use of incendiary devices in a felony, possession of such devices, second-degree arson, and criminal mischief.

Nelson, meanwhile, is accused of spray-painting the word Nazi on the dealerships front windows and was allegedly found by police to have a car with gasoline and Molotov cocktail materials inside. Nelson was reportedly charged with malicious destruction of property and released on bond.

In South Carolina, meanwhile, Clarke-Pounder, 24, was reportedly arrested last week and is facing federal arson charges for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla charging station in North Charleston.

Teslas, dealerships, and charging stations tied to Elon Musks electric automaker have been the target of suspected arson attacks around the country and across the world, from Las Vegas and Boston to France.

Anonymous individuals have also created a website purporting to show the locations of Tesla facilities and individuals tied to the Department of Government Efficiency, Elon Musks controversial program overseeing massive spending cuts inside the federal government. The cursor on the website is a Molotov cocktail.

open image in gallery The Trump administration has tried to rally support for Tesla as a company, as well as prosecute those attacking the cars in arson incidents ( AP )

The Trump administration has said itll prosecute Tesla arsonists as terrorists, though there is no federal law allowing the government to charge someone with the specific offense of domestic terrorism.

The FBIs joint terrorism task force has also joined in the investigation of a suspected arson attack at a Tesla repair facility in Las Vegas.

In addition to a focus from law enforcement officials on stopping violent incidents involving Teslas, the administration has taken some unusual steps to shore up customer support for Tesla as a company.

Donald Trump held an unusual event in front of the White House earlier this month with Musk with a suite of Tesla cars, where the president said he would be buying a Tesla in a show of solidarity with his billionaire adviser in the face of criticisms for working in the administration.

Im going to buy because number one, its a great product, Trump said at the event. As good as it gets. Number two, because [Elon Musk] has devoted his energy and his life to doing this, and I think he has been treated unfairly.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick also encouraged viewers during a recent Fox News interview to buy Teslas flagging stock.
TOKYO - Japan on Thursday marked the 30th anniversary of the nerve gas attack on the Tokyo subway system by the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult, with the relatives of the victims striving to keep alive the memory of the worst terrorist attack on Japanese soil.

At Kasumigaseki Station in the Japanese capital, officials observed a moment of silence at around 8 a.m., the time when the deadly sarin nerve agent was released in train cars on March 20, 1995.

Shizue Takahashi, 78, who lost her husband, a deputy stationmaster at Kasumigaseki Station, in the attack, laid flowers at the site, and said, "It was a long 30 years. I don't want people to forget about the incident."

Sarin was dispersed in five subway train cars during the morning rush hour on the instruction of cult founder Shoko Asahara, killing 14 people and injuring over 6,000.

While the group has been disbanded, and Asahara and 12 former senior members executed, successor groups are still active. Some survivors still suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and continuing health issues.

The attack caused havoc at the stations, including Kasumigaseki Station, located in an area with many government ministries and offices, and sent shock waves through a country that prided itself on safety.

Asahara, whose real name was Chizuo Matsumoto, was convicted of multiple murders including the 1995 attack and a 1994 sarin gas attack in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, which killed eight people and injured more than 100.

Cult members also murdered lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto, who was helping people break free of the cult, along with his wife and their baby son, in 1989.

AUM Shinrikyo went bankrupt in 1996 and three successor groups -- Aleph and two splinter groups -- have since emerged and continue to recruit new members.

The Public Security Intelligence Agency recently opened a digital archive featuring testimonies of victims' families and photos of the group's guru as part of efforts to warn people of the risks associated with the cult.

Related coverage:

Victims of 1995 AUM sarin attack struggling with PTSD, survey shows

Japan AUM cult web archive opens ahead of sarin attack's 30th anniv.
TOKYO - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to ask electronics giant Foxconn to produce its electric vehicles as part of efforts to cut production costs, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday, as the Taiwanese firm is seeking a foothold in the EV market amid competition with Chinese companies.

The Tokyo-based automaker is expected to announce its plan with Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., in the coming weeks at the earliest, the sources said.

Foxconn has been keen on partnerships with two other Japanese automakers -- Nissan Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. -- and attention is focused on how they will respond to the Taiwanese firm's move. Mitsubishi Motors is an alliance partner of Nissan.

Under the plan, Mitsubishi Motors, which has a strong presence in Southeast Asian markets, would sell Foxconn-produced cars under its own EV brand, though the specific models have yet to be finalized, the sources said.

Mitsubishi Motors will maintain its existing manufacturing bases while working with Foxconn to optimize its production capabilities, the sources said.

The deal is expected to shorten the development, production and delivery timeline while allowing the carmaker to allocate more funds to technology development by cutting production costs.

Mitsubishi Motors released a statement, saying the contents of the report were not issued by the company. "To achieve sustainable growth, we will continue to seek possible cooperation with a variety of partners," it said.

Mitsubishi Motors had considered joining recent merger talks between Nissan and Honda, which surfaced in December and collapsed in February.

Mitsubishi Motors later decided against joining, fearing a loss of autonomy, and instead pursued cooperation deals with other firms on EVs, including Foxconn.

It continues to hold talks with Honda and Nissan on EV software development.

Related coverage:

Honda, Nissan merger talks collapse over management structure

Honda, Nissan set to end merger talks next week

Nissan tells Honda it intends to end merger talks: source
Eventually, Donald Trump will back-pedal. Economists get plenty wrong, but one thing most believe  and get right  is that widespread tariffs are stupid. Why? Because they create more losers than winners.

Trump is smart enough to know this. But hell look to twist arms with his tariffs until some of his demands are met (seemingly at the top of his wish list: Mexico, Canada and China curbing illegal border crossings and drug cartels). Hes betting on this happening before Americans start to notice their living standards drifting into the gutter.

For Australia, nows the time to swing. Not at Trump, but towards the neighbours weve neglected. To its credit, the federal government isnt playing into the presidents games: as Treasurer Jim Chalmers said this week, the tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium are disappointing, but our response will not be to raise tariffs on the US in a race to the bottom.

One thing that has kept Australia in Trumps good books has been the fact we have a trade deficit with the US. Credit: Aresna Villanueva

Why? Because taxing imports backfires. Tariffs make imports more costly for consumers as well as businesses relying on imported fuel, ingredients or goods to make or sell their products. Sure, tariffs on steel might shield steel producers in the US, but it will stop those workers and resources from flowing to more efficient areas  and at the expense of Americans needing steel to build (and buy) machinery, houses and cars.
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 Jemma Sbeg still doesnt understand how her self-help podcast became one of the biggest in the world. She recalls her first meeting with Spotify after her show, The Psychology of Your 20s, suddenly blew up: This is incredibly rare. This is really bizarre, and we dont have an explanation, the streaming giants Australian reps told her. In 2024, three years after she independently launched her show, Sbeg signed with former US Spotify podcast boss Max Cutlers new media company PAVE Studios and will release her first book in April. Titled Person in Progress, the self-help book is receiving a global release, published by Penguin Random House in the US and by Hachette in Australia and Britain. Sbeg provided baklava at her Newtown home. Credit: Janie Barrett This success was built on the back of millions of young people around the world turning to Sbeg for answers in times of crisis. Heartbreak, loneliness, and mental health are among the topics covered in Sbegs science-backed guide to navigating your 20s. But when we first met for lunch at Newtowns Soulmate in July 2024, Sbeg had no idea that she was on the precipice of a crisis of her own. A very different profile of Sbegs meteoric rise was written and ready to print on the back of that interview when Jemma dropped an episode of her podcast that changed the story.

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I had a mental breakdown was the episodes title. After listening, I knew I had to re-interview Jemma. We meet again, and this time Sbeg invites me to her home, also in Newtown. Her cute terrace house is Sbeg personified, warm and inviting, full of cute and colourful knickknacks and overflowing with books. I offer to bring food to share, but she insists on picking up a selection of her favourite baklava from a local bakery. This is incredibly rare. This is really bizarre, and we really dont have an explanation. What Spotify representatives told Jemma of her podcasts success in their first meeting My first formal question to Jemma is to ask how she is. She responds that she is now well medicated, describing her wellbeing as a five out of 10. I would spend my whole life at a five out of 10, and Im totally okay. That means that nothing that bad is happening. Sbeg, 24, grew up in Melbourne, where she was raised by two high-flying parents. Her mother is Melinda Cilento, the chief executive of the prominent think tank, the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (better known as CEDA). Her dad, Bart, who primarily stayed home to care for Jemma and her two sisters in their youth, runs a not-for-profit called Dr Crankys that provides bikes to disadvantaged children. I knew of Sbeg before the podcast. We both studied at the Australian National University in Canberra and crossed paths while working at the student newspaper, Woroni, but had never properly met. And, yet, both our conversations felt like reconnecting with an old friend. Shes bubbly and personable, with the trustworthy energy of a stranger you meet at a house party and end up drunkenly revealing your deepest secrets to.

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She launched her podcast as a psychology student in the depths of the pandemic in 2021, inspired by a personal heartbreak and a knack for helping her friends understand their experiences. A career in consulting post-uni was put on hold when the success of the show meant Sbeg suddenly had the means to pursue her passion project full-time. Her mum was concerned when she announced her intention to quit her job to concentrate on the podcast, but Jemmas dad was fully on board. Who cares! Go for it, she recalls was his response. Spotifys list of top podcasts globally in 2023, with Jemma Sbegs The Psychology of Your 20s at No. 19. Credit: Spotify After years of strong growth, The Psychology of Your 20s had a breakout year. She landed on Spotifys 2023 end-of-year global top podcast list, placing the show within the top 25 in the world. The only Australian podcast featured on the list, Sbeg sat alongside household names like Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper, Dax Shepherd and Jordan Peterson. Soon after, she signed the deal for her first book. Its a pair of remarkable feats when you consider that Jemma launched the podcast independently, with no public profile, from the back seat of her car parked outside her university share house in Canberra. Each episode of The Psychology of Your 20s is structured around a single topic, with the vast majority featuring only Sbegs calming voice in extended monologues as she unpacks that weeks concept with academic research and studies, weaving her own experiences throughout.

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The risk of misinforming the masses on something as important as mental health is a responsibility Sbeg takes very seriously; no matter the topic, she ensures her content isnt opinion-based. Thats harmful, especially now that the platform is bigger. The Psychology of Your 20s podcast host Jemma Sbeg. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos I have a script. Here are my studies. Here are my concepts. This has been researched. This has been really thought about, Ive talked about this with people, she says of her approach. The show still sits in Spotifys top 10 in the health and fitness category in Australia, the UK and the US. In my original story, I noted Sbegs frankness and how I checked with her multiple times through our lunch that the details she disclosed were on the record, to which she happily responded that it was all fair game. Her willingness to be similarly open with her audience might explain why the podcast connected. There are plenty of podcasts about science and psychology and perhaps even more that give life and dating advice based on personal experience, but not many that effectively draw the two together. Detailing her own mental health crisis, however, was easily the most personal shed ever been with her audience. I basically had a mental breakdown. There it is; I said it out loud, she says at the start of the episode. Many of you are probably going through this as well, and when youre in it, you feel so completely, entirely alone.

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Sbegs specific experience was related to severe death anxiety. In the episode, she explains the debilitating experience of being immobilised by an intense fear of the death of her loved ones and herself. At the depth of her crisis, Sbeg couldnt stop crying for days and barely ate or slept. She spent a week essentially bed-bound with panic. Loading The decision to share something so inherently vulnerable wasnt a given. She explains that after an internal debate that continued until the morning she posted the episode, she ultimately decided that if she was willing to speak about breakups, grief, and her physical health, her mental health should be no different. The big hurdle I found with talking about mental health very explicitly, not just saying I have mental health struggles but saying I had a full mental breakdown, prolonged depressive episode, massive anxiety is that you do still recognise the stigma that is attached, she tells her audience. I ask Jemma what she would say to those who criticise Gen Z for its propensity to overshare. On this point, Sbeg is resolute: Its oversharing until its something that you need to hear, she says. Young people have witnessed how harmful bottling up mental health issues has been for their parents and their grandparents, she counters. Lets be completely utilitarian; the cost of not sharing is just immensely higher than the cost of sharing. And the cost is borne by me.

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Well, well, well. The good news is that Pete Evans new cookbook doesnt encourage parents to replace breastmilk or infant formula with bone broth. The bad news is that it warns readers not to use tap water (unless you have a well).

Chef and cookbook author Pete Evans. Credit: Instagram

Ten years ago, publisher Pan Macmillan said it would no longer publish the paleo diet book by the former My Kitchen Rules host that contained a baby formula based on liver and bone broth.

Back then the federal Health Department said the books recipes for home-made infant formula were not a suitable alternative to infant formula that complied with food standards.

Fast-forward to 2025. Evans is making hay in Donald Trumps America, much like former PM Scott Morrison, billionaire Gina Rinehart and nude golfer Greg Norman. In fact, the MAGA-hat enthusiast recently attended an evening with Trump and enthusiastic maker of children Elon Musk, at Mar-a-Lago.
Many tipping points such as the Greenland ice sheet have in-built feedback loops which actually accelerate the rate of climate damage. When ice is lost, less sunlight is reflected, leading to more global warming and even further loss of ice. There is a very real chance that breaching one or more of the well-documented tipping points could trigger irreversible, runaway climate change and an uninhabitable planet. While UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Frances President Emmanuel Macron are boldly assembling a coalition of the willing to save continental Europe, Albanese (and hopefully Dutton) should assemble a coalition of the willing to save the worlds climate. Even if America pursues a different approach, as appears likely, most of the worlds 197 COP counties countries could be expected to respect the science and continue the decades of essential work on climate mitigation. Rob Firth, Red Hill (ACT) Self-defence Ambrose Evans-Pritchards comment piece should be compulsory reading for all politicians (Trump has hurt one of Americas most lucrative industries, March 20). All around the world, governments are realising, with shock and awe, their enormous reliance on US defence industries and the need to rethink this, as in the future the good old US may not help anyone unless it is in their own interest. With Peter Dutton wanting (if elected) to buy more expensive F-35 jets from Donald, maybe it is time to look at French or other countries fighters. Forget AUKUS and go into drones undersea and aerial, built here. So many options and more bang for our tax buck. Robert Antill, Lake Conjola Dont shut out seniors

It would seem that among the minority of residents complaining about the proposed seniors housing project in Cremorne are those with entrenched ageist views (Locals battle to block seniors housing in north Sydney, March 19). Despite expert reports to the contrary, the potential influx of elderly residents is seen as clogging the roads, straining the infrastructure and making the area less vibrant. I can assure them, having just stayed at a similar but much higher (22-storey) mixed complex for seniors and some businesses (U City) in the centre of the Adelaide CBD, that the seniors there are thriving and delighting in the vibrant lifestyle that they are fortunate enough to be living in, while bringing extra income to the surrounding stores and eateries, including the Italian cafe and restaurant on the ground floor, which highlights the benefits of the mix of generations enjoying their morning coffees and convivial evening meals there. And rather than yet another seniors facility being exiled to the sticks, its great to see this initiative being situated in the accessible heart of Cremorne (and including bringing much-needed new business to the Cremorne Orpheum cinema), as one more step to what we should all be working towards: inclusive age-friendly communities. Anne Ring, Coogee The revised proposal for independent living units for seniors tops seven storeys on Gerard Street, Cremorne. Sounds like Sydney needs a vast new suburb named Somewhere Else. Tony Ilott, East Hills Up in smoke Australias extraordinarily high cigarette tax (Vaping and black market tobacco burn $31 billion hole in budget revenue, March 19) incentivises smokers to switch from costly legal cigarettes to much cheaper illegal cigarettes. Lower-risk vaping is theoretically another option for smokers, but the current pharmacy system is an almost insurmountable barrier for vapers who prefer to remain within the law. According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2022/23, 87 per cent of vaping supply was courtesy of the black market. The net result of these policies is that the sky-high cigarette taxes and severely restricted availability of vapes squeeze smokers, many of whom are on low incomes. Organised crime steps in to a low risk, high reward setting to provide supply and then start fighting among themselves to divide the spoils. When will it be time to acknowledge that Australias current cigarette tax and vaping policy is bankrupt? Alex Wodak, Darlinghurst

Unis narrow view Amid the clamour and chaos of the new world disorder, its most encouraging to read a thoughtful, measured and illuminating article on antisemitism (Unis get it wrong on antisemitism, March 20). The authors calmly lay bare the deficiencies, indeed the dangers, of Universities Australias new definition. Two crucial statements are at the heart of their exposition. One is that Zionism is not elemental to Jewish identity. The other is that questioning the legitimacy of the state of Israel in its present form grounded in historical, political or moral arguments is neither genocidal nor antisemitic. Its deeply disappointing that the governing bodies of Australias universities have ignored the validity of these fundamental truths. By failing their mission as forums of rigorous enquiry and open debate, the nations top academies have given the green light to the divisive distortions peddled by politicians and the commentariat. Its a relief to see such a sensible corrective in print. Tom Knowles Parkville (Vic) Tents set up at Deakin Universitys Burwood campus as part of a pro- Palestinian protest in May 2024. Credit: Eddie Jim I had to wait until the end of your opinion piece on antisemitism to read its most important statement; there should be the right to debate these matters openly, candidly and freely. When the universities chose disruptive, loud and intimidating campus protests instead of debate, academic legitimacy and finesse went out the window. Would discussion about definitions of behaviours and commissioning of reports be necessary if the universities had behaved like institutions of higher learning? Ben Basger, Bondi Junction It has never been axiomatic that to oppose Zionism is also to be antisemitic. Zionism was a late-19th century international political movement with the object of establishing a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Semite is a term now generally used as a synonym for Jewish, although its original meaning is linguistic and has no racial or religious implications. The sensitivity of many Jewish people to criticism of Israel and its policies is totally understandable. But their cause is not helped by assertions that to question a nations actions is equivalent to prejudice against anyone who shares that nations predominant religious faith or ethnicity. David Salter, Hunters Hill

Poor form I am so disappointed that justices Michael Kirby and Michael Lee took a public stance to support Dyson Heydon, a man disgraced for his behaviour against women (A kick in the guts for women: The legal professions re-embrace of a disgraced judge, March 20). The legal publication can achieve its own acclaim without this expression of support. Dorothy Kamaker, Whale Beach Houses not horses The NSW government must never cave into the racing industry and its lobby group (Will Minns really let a privileged few block 25,000 new homes?, March 20). It is a dying industry, with millions of people, particularly Millennials and Gen X, who see it as cruelty to horses to make money for rich trainers and owners. Why we need so many racecourses is beyond reason. The racing industry is ready to take taxpayers money with various schemes over the decades, but has no empathy for the housing crisis that is affecting more people than the tiny number of racegoers at Rosehill. The NSW government should pass legislation and take over the Rosehill racecourse. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill Dutton struggling

We have an election due in a matter of weeks and Australia is in the middle of a cost-of-living and housing crisis; Trump is wreaking geopolitical havoc (Dutton doubles down on referendum, March 20). And yet the most compelling issue for Peter Dutton is holding a referendum to take 20 million of us to the polls at a cost of $450 million to change the Constitution to allow him to deport a handful of dual citizens who have been convicted of serious crimes. A classic dog whistle from Dutton; he cries terrorists, paedophiles because he is flatlining in the polls and has yet to announce anything more than a nuclear industry proposal funded by taxpayers and delivered in three decades. Mr Dutton, you need to be a lot more substantive than that if you hope to become our new PM in just a few short weeks. Kamala Harris taught us that not being Trump wasnt good enough, and you really need to do better than dog whistles and not being Albo. Michael Clayton, Hunters Hill Peter Dutton wants a referendum to change the Constitution to allow him to deport dual citizens who commit crimes. Credit: Eamon Gallagher We are now witnessing the gradual implosion of Peter Duttons bid to become prime minister. His latest grab for a headline in proposing a referendum on the right to deport dual nationals, which followed his proposed citizenship question on antisemitism, is about as daft as they come. It is part of a pattern that has emerged whereby Dutton announces a provocative policy, get lots of publicity, then walks away from it as reaction goes against him. No doubt his aim is to present himself as a strong leader concerned about the safety of citizens, but the real result is he is starting to look desperate as well as flaky. Without policies that have real substance and address cost-of-living issues and the economy the Coalition is doomed. Duttons diversionary tactics are failing and people are noticing. David Tunny, Turramurra How can we have a test on antisemitism without one on anti-Muslim, anti-Asian or anti- any other minority group that can, from time to time, feel persecuted by the wider general community? I wonder what Australia may look like if all the Irish immigrants to this British colonial outpost during the 1800s were quizzed on any anti-English sentiment prior to being allowed to settle in the country. This is just a horrible, horrible idea. Joe Nethery, Vincentia

George Bernard Shaw once joked that racists dont change their minds, they simply rearrange their prejudices. Peter Dutton probably wouldnt get the joke, however. So the best Australians can hope for is that Dutton and his posse of Coalition ignoramuses educate themselves about the irrationality of racism in all its disguises. Social psychologists have long known that ethnocentrism is indiscriminately ignorant, and that people who claim to hate Jews also say they hate Arabs, Asians, and any other nominated national or ethnolinguistic group not their own. Many racists have been found to be equally prejudiced against Wallonians and Danerians, labels invented by researchers but referring to no actual nationalities. Philip Bell, Bronte Peter Dutton could learn the lesson from the (possibly apocryphal) story of the middle-aged Italian immigrant woman with limited English in New York in the early 1900s. When the immigration officer demanded Do you advocate the overthrow of the United States government by force or violence? she thought for a moment and nervously responded Violence? Daniel Flesch, Bellingen I went to a wonderful concert at the Great Synagogue in Sydney on Wednesday night. An extraordinary performance by a Palestinian violinist and a Jewish pianist, an appreciative audience, a few acceptable quips and very pleasant and appropriate security personnel. By contrast, Mr Duttons latest vote foray linking antisemitism to entry into Australia is, in my opinion, a de facto incitement to hate and social disruption. Anne Noonan, Mosman
Councillors then moved to raise the fee further to $5 per day, with only two voting against the motion. A Neuron spokeswoman slammed the decision for being made without proper consultation and said that despite follow-up discussions in which the company shared trip and financial data to demonstrate the impacts, no solution was reached, leaving it no choice but to withdraw. Unfortunately, the figures just dont add up, the spokeswoman said. Each e-scooter in Yarra generates around $9.50 per day, but with the new $5 per e-scooter per day council fee, the remainder isnt enough to cover staff wages, warehousing, recharging, maintenance, insurance, safety initiatives, rider education and ongoing technology upgrades.

It wouldnt be fair to pass such a steep cost onto riders. Our e-scooter programs are designed to provide a convenient, affordable alternative to cars, and a massive hike like this would significantly hurt rider adoption. Neurons spokeswoman said it was disappointing that some believed the company was making a profit in Yarra. City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly is confident other e-scooter companies will replace Neuron and Lime in the council area. Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui This is simply not the case. Since the City of Melbourne paused its e-scooter program for a reset, trip numbers have plummeted by around 85 per cent, and so has the revenue we generate from Greater Melbourne, the spokesperson said. We hope to return in the future, potentially as part of a Greater Melbourne contract, but for now, the fees make it impossible to continue.

Loading The councils increased fee was supposed to be in place until its contracts with the e-scooter operators ended in September. However, because the companies have rejected the amended terms, their contracts now expire in early April. Neuron will exit Yarra before its contract ends on April 4. Lime has decided to halt hiring out e-scooters in Yarra from next month and will attempt to negotiate a new contract this year. Limes e-bikes will remain in the municipality. The council has not raised fees on e-bikes.

Given the proposed changes to the shared e-scooter trial contract, Lime has decided to hold off on this extension, Lime regional director William Peters said. City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly said it was not the councils intention to force the companies out, and he said the new fee didnt go too far. If very successful, profitable international companies are trying to, with a serious face, tell us they can only survive if they get a subsidy from a small council, theyre dreaming, Jolly said. Its a shame. Theyve just cracked the sooks. The procurement process for new e-scooter contracts will begin in coming weeks, with new arrangements expected to be finalised by September.

Jolly said some residents would be disappointed by the companies sudden exit, but he was confident that hire e-scooters would return to Yarra this year. He said other businesses had expressed interest. E-scooters parked in Richmond. Credit: Wayne Taylor Were not going down the City of Melbourne route of just banning them. We think theyre an important part of active transport, he said. E-scooters will be back, whether its these companies or another. Yarra councillor Sophie Wade supported the original proposal of $3.20 a day, but not $5, and said the outcome was inevitable.

Loading It was obvious that jacking up fees by a completely random amount would lead to the e-scooter companies pulling out, Wade said. Now people in Yarra are going to be denied a cheap and sustainable transport option in a cost-of-living crisis. Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece said he stuck by his councils decision to scrap the e-scooter trial. I still have people stop me in the street and thank me for bringing it to an end, he said.

The Victorian government has been a supporter of e-scooter schemes to boost active transport, having initiated the trial of hire e-scooters in Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip councils in 2022. New laws were introduced in October to allow such schemes to run permanently, as well as to introduce new penalties for any unsafe riding. City of Port Phillip Mayor Louise Crawford said the previous council had agreed to proceed with a permanent shared e-scooter system and feedback would soon be sought from current councillors. We are continuing to monitor the situation, Crawford said. Councils including Merri-bek, Darebin and Moonee Valley have previously flagged interest in establishing an e-scooter hire scheme.
Volunteer groups restoring some of Melbournes best-known heritage vessels have been given the heave-ho from their headquarters to make way for 900 new apartments.

The not-for-profit restorers of boats like the 120-year-old tall ship Alma Doepel, said they will have nowhere to go after being evicted from North Wharf at Docklands.

Heritage views: Eden Alley-Porter on the replica schooner Enterprize, at North Wharf in Docklands. Credit: Jason South

An advocate accused Development Victoria, the government authority for Docklands, of showing a complete disregard for our maritime heritage.

The non-heritage listed Shed 2, the headquarters of the heritage fleet, will be razed by developer Lendlease in the latest phase of its Collins Wharf precinct, and replaced by three apartment towers, ranging from 16 to 28 storeys.
Thieves who broke into a car in Melbourne this week found themselves lumbered with exotic loot prone to loud squawking in the wrong hands: a century-old set of bagpipes belonging to a famed Scottish rock band.

The thief or thieves, apparently figuring there was a seriously limited market for such a distinctive item, dumped the pipes in a CBD alley, but kept a guitar, a computer and photographic equipment.

Scott Wood (right) playing his century-old bagpipes with bandmates Craig Espie (fiddle) and Jodie Bremaneson (bass). Credit: Jason Dargan

A tradie simply known as Tony found the bagpipes abandoned in the alleyway on Thursday morning.

He knew exactly what he was looking at.
Home owners in the City of Canning could be paid thousands of dollars each year simply by retaining large trees on their property in an attempt to protect Perths dwindling tree canopy.

The council on Tuesday voted 6-1 in favour of residents receiving $200 a year for each significant tree on their property they register, potentially netting big landowners thousands.

The new policy would incentivise landowners to retain large trees. Credit: iStock

City of Canning Mayor Patrick Hall told Radio 6PR that once a tree was on the register, it could not be knocked down without council approval.

Were incentivising people to preserve trees on their own private property, he said.
New West Coast coach Andrew McQualter insists his teams horror loss to Gold Coast wasnt down to a lack of trying, and hes backing Harley Reid and his midfield brigade to rebound against Brisbane.

The Eagles were uncompetitive from start to finish in their 87-point loss to the Suns, with Gold Coast dominating the contested possession count (145-102), inside-50s (67-34) and clearances (50-33) on the way to the biggest win in the clubs AFL history.

West Coasts midfield was particularly poor, with Tim Kelly (14 disposals, four clearances) and Reid (12 disposals, one clearance, one goal) clearly out of sorts.

Harley Reid. Credit: Getty Images

Matt Flynn (13 hitouts) copped a pasting in the ruck against Jarrod Witts (68 hitouts).

The task will be even more difficult for West Coast on Sunday when they confront defending premiers Brisbane at the Gabba.

McQualter said his teams contest work simply wasnt good enough against Gold Coast, and he is confident of a big turnaround this week.

The things I just spoke about, the things weve reviewed, were confident we can fix straight away, McQualter said.

Whether that means we win the game or the contest, it doesnt, but it gives us much more of a chance.

Weve got a midfield group that was beaten last week, and there are some proud guys in that group, so Im excited to see what theyre going to put out this week.

Reid has copped the heaviest criticism in the wake of last weeks loss, with his engagement in off-the-ball scraps and playing for free kicks raising questions about his focus.

Honestly, I dont read any of it (the criticism), McQualter said.

Theres so many opinions that are going around at the moment that its important we understand what we value.

He didnt have a great game, part of a midfield that didnt have a great game. Well get to work.

AAP
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is the part of Australias health system that deals with medicines. Its key purpose is making medicines affordable for everyone. There were 227 million scripts dispensed to Australians under the PBS last year.

This week, the Albanese government said it would make medicines even cheaper . The Coalition pledged to follow suit. But complaints from pharmaceutical companies in the United States have thrown a spotlight on our system for pricing medicines and whether it could be threatened by the Trump administration in its next round of tariffs.

Australians pay some of the lowest medicine prices in the world for a reason: our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme caps essential medicine costs for the individual, while the government is the main purchaser and negotiates the best price.

The scheme works by listing hundreds of medicines on the PBS schedule. Medicines on this list are then subsidised by the government. That means the government pays drug companies the full price of the medicine  which can sometimes be thousands of dollars  but Australians with a doctors prescription for that medicine only pay a flat fee for each script.

Currently, the flat fee for concession cardholders is $7.70. For everybody else with a Medicare card, the maximum cost for PBS medicines is $31.60 a script. However, that will be lowered to $25 next year, under an Albanese government election pledge this week that has been matched by the Coalition. There is also a PBS safety net of $277.20 for concession cardholders and $1,694 for general patients, which is the maximum any Australian will pay in one calendar year for their PBS medicines.

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There were 930 medicines across 5,164 brands listed on the scheme last financial year, with the government spending $17.7 billion on the supply of those medicines, or 91.6 per cent of the cost. Australian patients contributed $1.6 billion, or the remaining 8.4 per cent.

Drug companies must apply to be included on the scheme to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC)  the expert body that advises the government  with a package of evidence that demonstrates their products safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness compared to other treatments.
FUKUOKA - A new runway began operating at Fukuoka Airport on Thursday to address increasing congestion at the hub for flights connecting southwestern Japan and other parts of Asia.

With two runways, including the new 2,500-meter one, the airport has increased its takeoff and landing slots to 188,000 from 176,000 per year, amid Japan's inbound tourism boom. The new runway will be mainly used for international flight takeoffs.

The airport, located only around 3 kilometers from JR Hakata Station in central Fukuoka, handled around 25 million international and domestic flight passengers in fiscal 2023, the fourth-highest number in Japan, after Haneda in Tokyo, Narita in Chiba Prefecture and Kansai airport in Osaka Prefecture.

Chronic flight delays led the central government to commence construction of the new runway in fiscal 2015. A total of 164.3 billion yen ($1.1 billion) was spent on the project, including for building a new airport control tower.

The new runway runs parallel to the old one, which is 2,800 meters long. The runways cannot be used at the same time due to their proximity.
The Minns government would flip the 25-hectare Rosehill Racecourse site over a span of at least 15 years, as Premier Chris Minns denied it would be a drag on the states balance sheet.

The premier has also defended the proposal for taxpayers to buy the land for $5 billion, saying it would not be a major departure from the original plan for the site.

Australian Turf Club members will next month vote on whether to push ahead with the proposal to sell Rosehill Racecourse.

Rosehill Gardens at first light on Thursday. Credit: Nick Moir

The plan  which has proven bitterly divisive within the racing industry in NSW  was first floated by the Australian Turf Club and Minns in 2023 and would see the racecourse turned into a mini-city of 25,000 homes and a new metro station would be built at Rosehill.
Im visiting France for three weeks with my adult grandson and spending the first week in Paris, then three to four days in Marseille and Lyon. Any suggestions for the rest of the time and which direction to head first? Keen to see Annecy and Grasse and a French friend suggests skipping Marseille in favour of The Camargue.

K. Whittles, Brookvale NSW

Dont skip Marseille. Credit: Getty Images

That suggests an itinerary starting from Paris and visiting Lyon, followed by Marseilles and back to Paris. Grasse is rather far from Marseilles for a day trip, but you might consider staying somewhere close, such as Antibes, and exploring this gorgeous corner of southern France. Another town where you might stop for a few days is St-Remy-de-Provence, just to the south of Avignon, from where you could explore some of the glorious local towns including Les Baux, Gordes, Roussillon and LIsle-sur-la-Sorgue.

I would not skip Marseilles in favour of the Camargue, its essentially a giant salt marsh at the mouth of the Rhone River, famous for its wild horses and remarkable in its own untamed way, but hardly a place where you could profitably spend several days.

In August, we finish an Amsterdam to Bruges bike-barge tour and three days later we join a tour group in Copenhagen. We enjoyed a week in Bruges and Ghent in winter 15 years ago and will reacquaint ourselves with both on the ride. Any recommendations on where else to base ourselves for the three days before Copenhagen, reachable by train and close to an airport?

D. Dempsey, Oatley, NSW
TOKYO - The Japanese government did not approve a visit by former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen last July to attend a memorial service for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due to concerns over a backlash from China, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The Japanese government, at the time led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, was working to lift China's ban on imports of Japanese seafood, imposed in the wake of the release into the sea of treated wastewater from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and did not want to add to tensions, they said.

China views Taiwan, a self-ruled democratic island, as a renegade province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. It has previously criticized Japan for allowing visits by former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui, noting that Tokyo severed diplomatic ties with Taipei in 1972 and acknowledged Beijing's Communist-led government as China's "sole legal government" in a joint communique.

When Lee visited Japan for medical treatment in 2001, China reacted by postponing a visit by the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Abe, known for his conservative and hawkish security views, had built close ties with Taiwan, including with Tsai when she was serving as president, and continued to show support for the island even after he stepped down as prime minister in 2020.

Warning of the potential military threat posed by China, he said a contingency for Taiwan would be a contingency for Japan. Abe was gunned down during an election campaign speech in 2022.

The latest revelation may lead to criticism of the Japanese government for having shown excessive consideration to China.

Tsai's visit was arranged by a cross-party group of Japanese parliamentarians dedicated to strengthening Tokyo-Taipei relations, for which Abe served as an adviser.

During a delegation visit to Taiwan around the time of the presidential election in January last year, as well as on other occasions, the group repeatedly encouraged Tsai to visit Japan after she leaves office.

Tsai, who stepped down in May last year, planned to attend a memorial event in Tokyo for Abe in July that year, which would have marked her first post-retirement foreign trip.

The Japanese government, however, strongly urged ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Keiji Furuya, who heads the cross-party group, to call off the visit given that "Japan-China relations are at an important stage," according to the sources.

Tsai and Furuya agreed to rearrange the timing of her trip to Japan as a result, they said.

China imposed a blanket ban on Japanese seafood products immediately after Japan began discharging treated radioactive water from the Fukushima plant into the Pacific Ocean in August 2023.

In July last year, then Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, agreed to accelerate talks on the water discharge.

In September, the two countries said that China had agreed that seafood imports from Japan would gradually resume, contingent on Beijing's participation in activities to monitor the discharge.

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Senior citizens can cancel gift deed if their children fail to take care of them





CHENNAI :

SENIOR citizens can cancel the gift or settlement deeds executed in favour of their children or close relatives if they failed to take care of them, even if it was not explicitly mentioned in the conditions imposed in the deeds, the Madras High Court has ruled. A division bench comprising Justices S M Subramaniam and K Rajasekar dismissed an appeal filed by S Mala, daughter-in-law of deceased S Nagalakshmi, recently. Originally, Nagalakshmi executed a settlement deed in favour of her son Kesavan with a fond hope that he and her daughter-in-law will take care of her till her lifetime. But he failed to take care of her. Her daughter-in-law also neglected her after her son died. Therefore, she approached the RDO, Nagapattinam. After recording her statement that she executed the deed out of love and affection and for the future of her son, and after considering the statements of Mala, the RDO cancelled the settlement deed. Challenging this, Mala filed a petition and it was dismissed.

Hence, she filed the present appeal. The bench said section 23(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 was designed to protect senior citizens in situations, where they transfer their property, either through a gift or settlement, with the expectation that the transferee will provide for their basic amenities. If the transferee fails to meet these obligations, the senior citizen has the option to seek a declaration from the Tribunal to void the transfer, the bench added. The Act acknowledges that property transfers from senior citizens, especially to children or close relatives, were often motivated by love and affection. The senior citizens decision to transfer property was not merely a legal act but one made with the hope of being cared for in their old age. This love and affection become implied condition in the transaction, even if the transfer document itself does not explicitly state it. If the transferee does not provide the promised care, the senior citizen can invoke Section 23(1) to have the transfer annulled, the bench added.

The court futher said the facts established in the present case before the RDO under the Senior Citizens Act reveal that the aged woman, during the relevant point of time, was 87 years old and she was totally neglected by her daughter-in-law. The bench said the judgments analysed in its order amplify the legislative intention of the Parliament, indicating that an implied condition was sufficient, and factual inferences can be drawn based on the nature of the Settlement or Gift Deed executed. The circumstances under which the property was transferred were also to be taken into consideration. Thus, the implied condition would be sufficient for compliance with the condition stipulated under Section 23(1) of the Senior Citizens Act, empowering the competent authority to annul the Settlement or Gift Deed in such circumstances, the bench added. The bench said the legal position, in the context of the principles laid down by the Supreme Court of India and High Courts, makes it clear that the conditions under Section 23(1) of the Senior Citizens Act need not be explicit, but might be implied.

The love and affection being the consideration, which can be traced out in the Settlement Deed, would be sufficient to hold that such love and affection was an implied condition that the senior citizen will be taken care of by the beneficiary of the Settlement Deed or gift deed. In the event of neglecting the senior citizen, the deed of settlement or gift was liable to be annulled, the bench added. The bench said in the present case, the senior citizen, both in her complaint and before the RDO, categorically deposed that she was completely neglected by her son during his lifetime and by her daughter-in-law. The senior citizen has three daughters, but she executed the settlement deed in favour of her only son, denying equal property rights to her daughters. Therefore, it would be a natural expectation that her son and daughter-in-law would take care of her till her lifetime. Such a condition being implied under Section 23(1) of the Senior Citizens Act, the decision of the competent authority annulling the Settlement Deed was in consonance with the spirit and objectives of the Senior Citizens Act, the bench added.
18 spl teams tracking down rioters





Staff Reporter :

69 held so far 4 FIRs name 200 miscreants Curfew continues in sensitive areas! 8 VHP, Bajrang Dal leaders surrender, released on bail Rioters slapped with 57 Sections Proceedings in JMFC continue until 3 am

The Nagpur city police have formed 18 Special Investigation Teams (SITs) to track down and arrest those involved in the riots that took place on Monday. So far, the police have identified 200 people and are actively working to identify another 1,000 suspects. These accused were captured in CCTV footage during the riots. As of Wednesday, the police have arrested 19 more rioters taking the total number of arrests to 69. The police have filed four First Information Reports (FIRs) at the Ganeshpeth and Kotwali police stations on Monday in which 200 culprits have been named. Now, the cops are using the CCTV footage to identify more culprits who were involved in the riots. A police official stated that the special teams include personnel from the Ganeshpeth, Kotwali, and Tehsil police stations, along with the Crime Branch.

The teams are also working closely with the Cyber Cell to help identify the suspects. Among those identified as the main culprits is Fahim Khan Shamim Khan (38), a resident of Sanjay Bag Colony in Yashodhara Nagar. Khan is the President of the Nagpur unit of the Minorities Democratic Party (MDP). Police records show that Khan has been involved in multiple cases, including electricity theft and a protest in 2023-2024. Interestingly, Khan was one of those who lodged a complaint with the police and accused VHP and Bajrang Dal activists of offending religious sentiments by burning a chadar with verses from the Quran during the riots. On Wednesday, the police arrested 11 people from Chitnis Park and Bhaldarpura areas on charges related to the riots.

8 VHP, Bajrang Dal leaders surrender, released on bail

In another development, eight members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal surrendered to the police on Wednesday in connection with an FIR registered at the Kotwali police station. The case accuses them of hurting religious sentiments. The accused were presented in court, where they were granted bail. The accused have been identified as Amol Laxman Thakre (43), Mantri, VHP, Nagpur city; Lakhan Shankar Kuril (32), Goraksha Pramukh, Vidarbha Prant; Mukesh Wamanrao Barapatre (44), President of Central Nagpur, VHP; Rishabh Arkhel, Co-convenor of Bajrang Dal, Vidarbha; Shubham Rajesh Arkhel (30), Co-convenor of Bajrang Dal, Nagpur City; Sushil Chaurasiya, VHP worker; Dr Ramacharan Dindayal Dubey (56); and Kamal Haryani (42), Convenor of Bajrang Dal, Nagpur City. The accused surrendered at the Kotwali police station during the afternoon hours. Later, the police produced them in court, and the court released them on bail.

Curfew continues in sensitive areas!

Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal, held a meeting with senior police officials on Wednesday to assess the situation. It was reported that some members of different communities attempted to gather in the Hansapuri and Bhaldarpura areas during the night. However, the strong police presence prevented any large gatherings from taking place. After evaluating the situation, the Police Commissioner decided to extend the curfew in sensitive areas on Thursday. As a result, market areas in Central Nagpur remained closed for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. Police sources also revealed that they have activated their informants in sensitive areas to gather more information about those involved in the riots. Additionally, police patrolling has been intensified during the night to ensure the safety of residents and prevent further disturbances.

No chadar with verses from Quran burnt; rioters will be dug out from graves: CM

Staff Reporter :

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said contrary to rumours, no chadar with verses from Quran was burnt during the protest in Nagpur city, and vowed to dig out from their graves those who attacked police during the subsequent violence. Fadnavis was replying to a debate on the budgetary demands of the Home Department in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Rioters allegedly misbehaved with a woman constable and tried to disrobe her during the violence on Monday night. Mobs hurled stones and petrol bombs, injuring 33 police personnel, including three Deputy Commissioners of Police-rank officers. The violence had been planned to disturb social harmony, claimed Fadnavis.

Whatever happened two days ago was a planned incident by a few people. I am not blaming any community. We did not find any Ayat (Quranic verse) on the cloth that was burnt, said Fadnavis. Rumours about a chadar with Quranic verses being burnt during a protest led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad demanding removal of Mughal emperor Aurangzebs tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district triggered Mondays violence, as per the preliminary probe. We have verified this from all angles by magnifying videos and pictures of the protest, Fadnavis further said, Some people deliberately forwarded messages containing the false rumour to incite communal disturbance, Fadnavis alleged. Attacks on police personnel were unpardonable, the Chief Minister made it clear. Such people will be given the strictest possible punishment.

Those who have attacked police in Nagpur will be dug out from their graves. We will not spare them, Fadnavis said. Clarifying his stand over the incident where he had claimed that the attack was planned but Commissioner of Police made a statement with caution, Fadnavis said, The Nagpur Police Commissioner said the investigation would decide whether the violence was pre-planned. I havent said anything contradictory. No riot occurred in the city after 1992. The violence was planned by some people. Only a replica of Aurangzebs grave was burnt (during the VHPs protest). We have verified that no Ayat (verses from the Quran) was burnt. But rumours were spread deliberately, Fadnavis pointed out.

Those who intentionally circulated such rumours to disturb social harmony will be dealt with sternly, Fadnavis stressed. Opposition alleges Intelligence failure The Opposition parties on Wednesday questioned the Maharashtra Government over the law and order situation in the State, and said it could not prevent the violence in Nagpur due to its Intelligence failure. The Opposition slammed the ruling Mahayuti dispensation over the violence. Nagpur city witnessed violence on Monday night as stones were hurled at police amid rumours that the holy book of a community was burnt during a Vishwa Hindu Parishads agitation seeking the removal of Aurangzebs tomb located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar attacked the State Government on Intelligence. Earlier, BJP MLA Pravin Datke, who represents the Nagpur Central Assembly constituency, said through a point of information in the House that women constables were molested during the violence.
Audit Overdue

WHAT has been there for long in the collective consciousness of India and several countries of the Global South has found a solid expression in the statement of Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India. Speaking at a session in the Raisina Dialogue, Dr Jaishankar rightly pointed out the flaws with the existing World Order and has underlined the need for its long overdue audit. Since the World War-II, whatever is recognised as the World Order is a version of the world seen through glasses tinted with prominence to interests of the anglospheric countries. Hence, right from development discourse and invention of newer policy frameworks to self-bestowed policing rights and recognition of anglospheric notions as universal values, everything was shaped accordingly.

The indigenous frameworks and models based on cultural and historical heritage were denied their due by treating them as inferior to globally accepted norms. Even in academics, standard of education originating in anglospheric countries was treated as the sole set of guiding principles, and even the rich traditions of countries including India were taught to be looked down upon. This was implemented with consistency especially by the countries, which Dr. Jaishankar has described as culpable parties. These countries decided which things should be treated as globally accepted, and fall in the category of international rules-based order. Through consistency in practice of the flawed world order, they were successful in imposing upon the world a skewed geopolitical reality. They described the invaded and illegally occupied territory of Jammu and Kashmir as disputed one, thereby granting the terror-exporting and invading country like Pakistan a sanctity of being a party to the dispute.

In the process, India, which waited for signing of the legal document called the Instrument of Accession to intervene when Pakistani marauders plundered Jammu and Kashmir under Maharaja Hari Singh, continued to get a treatment it did not deserve. Dr. Jaishankar is right in saying that attacker Pakistan and victim India have been put on par in this faulty international system dictated by the so-called outdated World Order. This World Order and the institutions of its making -- particularly the United Nations (UN) -- have lost all respect and relevance due to practice of partisan approach and conversion of injustice into a tool of diplomacy tilting in favour of the anglosphere. The culpable parties like the UK, Canada, Belgium, Australia, and the US need to be questioned over devious design of such a World Order. They have not been used to truly fair frameworks.

Unfortunately, their insistence on treating their view as universally accepted worldview is preventing them from any reform. But, they are not realising that country after country are challenging their view. Within anglospheric countries also, voices against unfair approach are growing stronger. The Global South is rallying under the leadership of India to consolidate its presence as an important and hitherto-unrecognised pressure group. If the UN and such bodies as well as the anglospheric countries do not show openness for reforms, they are bound to be discarded by the rising powers. A new reality is shaping a new World Order, with due importance to multilateralism, pluralism, respect for diversity, united response against terrorism, action against attackers and support to victims, and considering humanity above economic interests of a few powers. Its time different conversations got deserving space and the decades-old rusted mechanism underwent audit. If there is no audit of the UN and the old World Order, this new World Order is bound to be a product of time.
Aurangzeb no longer relevant today, says RSS Sunil Ambekar





BENGALURU :

ABPS of RSS to pass resolutions on concerning developments in Bangladesh, and RSS 100-year journey and future plans

THE Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh, Sunil Ambekar, said on Wednesday that Mughal ruler Aurangzeb was no longer relevant today. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are relevant to us, not Aurangzeb, he said, adding to his statement later. Ambekar was addressing a press conference regarding the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS) meeting of RSS to be held from March 21 to 23 in Channenahalli in Bengaluru.

The meetings agenda includes a review of the organisations activities and discussions on future expansion. RSS Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat, along with Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale and other senior functionaries will participate in the meeting. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President J P Nadda also will attend it. RSS chief Dr Bhagwat will remain present at all the sessions. Hosabale will present the 2024-25 report. On the recent violence in Nagpur, Ambekar said, Violence is not good for well-being of the society. The police have taken cognisance of the incident and will get to the root. Asked whether Aurangzeb was relevant today and if his tomb should be relocated, the RSS leader said, I think Aurangzeb is no longer relevant.

Later in the evening, Ambekar added to his statement, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are relevant to us, not Aurangzeb.. To a question over Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs statement that RSS provoked violence, Ambekar replied, I have not seen the video of Siddaramaiahs statement. RSS has been involved in nation-building. We are doing our work peacefully, he said. On Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur on March 30, Ambekar said that former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee also had visited the RSS headquarters previously. During the ABPS meeting, the discussions will be held on five key transformations. Also, two resolutions will be adopted -- concerning developments in Bangladesh, and RSS 100-year journey and future plans.
AWWA celebrates achievements of women in special event





Staff Reporter :

Womans Day all over the world symbolises contribution of women to the society and our collective gratitude for their immense impact in shaping this world. Keeping the same in view, Army Wives Welfare Association of Headquarters Madhya Bharat Area have planned numerous welfare events to facilitate and uplift women from all walks of life addressing issues such as women rights, female foeticide, gender inequality, domestic violence, sexual harassment. In this series, a successful programme was organised with various activities in Batra Auditorium of Jabalpur Cantonment aimed at honouring the achievements of women and empowering them through knowledge and recognition, on Wednesday.

The event was graced by Rajlakshmi Shekhawat, Zonal President Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA), Madhya Bharat Area. The event was marked by insightful lectures, panel discussion by expert speakers, impactful activities and a heartfelt felicitation ceremony. A series of thought-provoking lectures, addressing various aspects of womens empowerment, domestic violence, societal perception, addressing sexual harassment and abuse of children and women, work life balance for mental well being, suicide and stress induced eating disorders and stories of rebuilding trust were conducted.

These sessions were designed to inspire and uplift the women, fostering an environment of learning and growth. The celebrations were also marked by a special Felicitation Ceremony to honour AWWA awardees and I-Create India for their significant dedication and contributions who serve as role models for others. Rajlakshmi Shekhawat, Zonal President, AWWA Madhya Bharat Area congratulated the women for their outstanding achievements in various fields and expressed her commitment to supporting and upliftment of women in every sphere of life.
TOKYO - Japan will provide up to about 13.7 billion yen ($90 million) in loans for a hydropower plant project in Bhutan as part of efforts to deepen ties with the landlocked nation sandwiched between India and China.

Japanese Ambassador to Bhutan Keiichi Ono, who doubles as the envoy to India, and his Bhutanese counterpart, Vetsop Namgyel, signed documents regarding the loan agreement in New Delhi in February, according to the Foreign Ministry.

The construction of three waterpower stations, one in the district of Samdrup Jongkhar and two in Samtse, both bordering India, is set to start in May and is scheduled to be completed in 2029, according to the government-backed Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Selling surplus hydro-energy to India during the rainy season from around June to October is one of Bhutan's major industries, accounting for approximately 40 percent of its annual exports in value terms, according to the ministry.

The small Himalayan kingdom almost exclusively relies on hydroelectricity and has difficulty in securing enough power in the dry season, with the country's energy demand expected to keep rising along with its economic growth, the ministry said.

One of the three facilities will be a "storage hydropower" plant that uses a dam to store water in a reservoir so that it can adjust the timing of electricity generation. A Japanese ministry official said it will help meet some of the demand for power during dry spells.

By helping Bhutan realize a stable energy supply and promote power exports in the wet period, Japan aims to "contribute to the country's economic and social development and decarbonization of the Southwest Asian region," the ministry said.

For Bhutan, it is the first hydraulic plant project supported by Japan, the official said. The mountainous state is heavily dependent on India economically, and has no diplomatic ties with its northern neighbor China.

Japan views Bhutan, which has a population of nearly 800,000 and is known for its emphasis on the Gross National Happiness index, as geopolitically important and has maintained amicable relations.

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Nuclear, renewables designated as Japan's main carbon-free energy
Bill Gates meets PM Modi; says impressed by Indias innovation





NEW DELHI :

MICROSOFT co-founder Bill Gates on Wednesday said he is impressed by how innovation in India is driving progress locally -- and globally, as he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed a host of subjects including technology, innovation and sustainability. Gates also met Union Health Minister J P Nadda when the collaboration between the government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in the healthcare sector was reviewed. The philanthropist also met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar who said they had a thoughtful conversation on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue. Discussed development challenges, the promise of innovation and the relevance of India, Jaishankar posted on X. Gates also had a meeting with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and they discussed leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to improve service delivery in the fields of healthcare, education, agriculture, and employment generation.

After meeting Modi, Gates said on X, I had a great discussion with Narendra Modi about Indias development, the path to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, and exciting advancements in health, agriculture, AI, and other sectors that are creating impact today. Its impressive to see how innovation in India is driving progress locally - and globally. The Prime Minister said, As always, an excellent meeting with Bill Gates. We spoke about diverse issues including tech, innovation and sustainability towards making a better future for the coming generations. In a post on X, Nadda highlighted the strides India has made in areas such as maternal health, immunisation, and sanitation with the support of the Gates Foundation. Met with Mr Bill Gates, founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, during his visit to India today. We discussed the remarkable progress India has achieved in healthcare, particularly in maternal health, immunisation, and sanitation, through our collaboration with the Foundation. I acknowledged the Foundations valuable support in strengthening health systems and driving impactful initiatives, Nadda said. We look forward to renewing our memorandum of cooperation, furthering our shared commitment to ensuring affordable, accessible and quality healthcare for all the citizens, he added.

After his meeting with Gates, Naidu in a post on X lauded the role of the Gates Foundation in realising the vision of Swarna Andhra Pradesh 2047 -- a long-term developmental goal of the state. We believe this partnership with the Gates Foundation will play a crucial role in empowering our people and achieving this goal, Naidu said. Gates also visited Parliament on Wednesday where the Budget Session is presently underway. On Monday, Gates met Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan who said their discussions covered a range of topics, including food security, rural development and the application of AI and Machine Learning in agriculture. The Gates Foundation has been working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and we are planning new areas of cooperation, Chauhan said in a statement.
Facebook post on Nagpur riot traced to Bangladesh





By Dheeraj Fartode :

Nagpur witnessed unprecedented riots on Monday and the news quickly spread across all news platforms in the country. The Cyber Cell of Nagpur Police has identified a Facebook account from Bangladesh that issued threats of large-scale riots in Nagpur in the future. Following the outbreak of the riots on Monday, the Cyber Cell launched an on-line operation to track down rumour-mongers and identify social media accounts spreading hate. During their investigation, the police found posts with threat messages on Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram from both sides of the conflict.

One of the most threatening posts was by a user named Nawaj Khan Pathan, who wrote that the riots on Monday were just a small incident and that a larger riot would take place in the future. After reading the threatening post, the Cyber Cell immediately took action and began investigating further. The investigation revealed that the person behind the account was a resident of Bangladesh and had posted the message from his hometown. The police took the matter seriously as the post was seen as a direct attempt to stir up more violence and disturb communal peace. The Cyber Cell contacted Facebook and requested them to block the account for inciting unrest.

Commissioner of Police (CP) Dr Ravinder Singal has warned that strict action will be taken against anyone found spreading hate on social media. He also urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information on social media. parts of the city. On Wednesday morning, a false claim that three police officers had been injured and taken to Mayo Hospital also circulated which caused unnecessary panic. The spread of unverified information on social media is leading to confusion and fear among the public and administration. The Cyber Cell is working to stop these rumours.

Social media turns into rumour-mongering platform

Social media is not being used as a tool for spreading hatred but also a platform for rumour-mongering. Over the past two days, several posts claimed that two people injured in the riots had died in the hospital, but no such reports were true. The Cyber Cell has identified 97 posts spreading false information. Rumours were also spread through WhatsApp, with messages claiming that a group of people gathered in different

4 FIRs registered by Cyber Cell

Four FIRs have been registered by the Cyber Cell for spreading hate on social media. A police official said that several individuals have been booked for spreading hate through the FIRs, and they will be arrested soon.
Father of Disha Salian, former manager of Sushant Singh Rajput, seeks probe into her 2020 death





MUMBAI :

SATISH Salian, father of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, on Wednesday said he has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the mysterious circumstances under which she was found dead in June 2020. The petition urges the HC to order registration of a First Information Report against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and transfer of the probe to the CBI, he said. His lawyer Nilesh Ojha, however, said they were still in the process of filing the petition, and would get it numbered at the HC registry department on Thursday. The plea alleged that Disha Salian was brutally raped and murdered, and subsequently there was a politically-orchestrated cover-up to protect certain influential persons.

The petitioner initially believed that the probe conducted by the city police was genuine, but has now learnt that it was a cover-up, it said. The Mumbai police hastily closed the death as a case of suicide or accidental death without taking into account forensic evidence, circumstantial proof and eyewitness testimonies, the plea said. Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. The city police had then registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra on June 14, 2020. While the city police initially said it was a case of suicide, the case was handed over to the CBI later. Reactions from Aaditya Thackeray or the Sena (UBT) were awaited.





BJP Minister Nitesh Rane, meanwhile, latched on to the development to target Aaditya, a former Maharashtra Minister. Aaditya Thackeray should speak the truth. He should resign as an MLA and face the probe, Rane told reporters. The Ranes and the Thackerays have been bitter enemies ever since Nitesh Ranes father and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane left the Shiv Sena after falling out with Uddhav Thackeray. Nitesh Rane, meanwhile, also reiterated his allegations that CCTV footage of Salians building was made to disappear and pages of the societys visitors register were torn off. I have been saying this from day one that Disha Salian was murdered, the Minister for port development and fisheries said. Yogesh Kadam, Minister of State in the Home Department, said Salians father should submit any proof that he has to the Home Department. We will follow whatever direction the High Court gives. There will be no party politics in the probe, he said.
No substitute for boots on the ground: CDS Gen Chauhan





NEW DELHI :

THERE is no substitute for boots on the ground as technology can only be an enabler which cannot replace people, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan said on Wednesday, highlighting ways to deal with new-age conflicts. In an address at the Raisina Dialogue, Indias flagship conference on geopolitics, Gen Chauhan described imparting appropriate training to military personnel to deal with hybrid warfare along with conventional war as a big challenge for the country. For a multicultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic country like India, disinformation and internal strife could be a major challenge, he observed. Disinformation is a battle of minds or cognitive warfare and it could be a major challenge, he argued. Gen Chauhan was speaking at a session titled Verses and Wars: Navigating Hybrid Theatres.

The chief of defence staff also identified cyber space, disinformation, and economic coercion as essential elements of contemporary warfare. I think the global security environment is marked by two challenges -- one is uncertainty and other is rapid amount of change, he said. The biggest challenge that we face is to train people for hybrid kinds of wars as well as conventional war, he said. Elaborating on it, Gen Chauhan cited the rapid pace of technological advancement and said to train people on technology absorption is a challenge. Delving into various national security challenges, the CDS said India has been facing the asymmetric threat. Though he did not name any adversary, his comments were seen as a reference to Pakistan.

We have always called it a sub conventional kind of a conflict. We invented this particular term much before the West invented terms like global war on terror or asymmetric warfare or fourth generation warfare or hyper conflicts, he said. We have called it conflict below the threshold of conventional conflict and the lesson is that there is no substitute for boots on the ground, he said. Gen Chauhan said technology can only be an enabler but it cannot replace people. I think that is very important. The CDS also talked about new-age combat zones. In conventional conflicts, you shape the battlefield with fire. Over here, we are looking at shaping the mindscape not the landscape. The battle of the mind becomes important as far as hybrid warfare is concerned, he said.
Significant improvement in tackling online gambling, betting: Vaishnaw





NEW DELHI :

THE Government on Wednesday said there has been a significant improvement in tackling online gambling and betting activities, with more than 1,000 betting and gambling websites banned in 2024. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, told the Lok Sabha that both state governments and the Centre have to work together to deal with such activities. Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, the minister asserted that whenever any instances of violations come to the notice of the central government, action is taken within the Constitutional framework. Various members raised concerns about online gambling activities and violent online games adversely impacting young people.

According to Vaishnaw, 1,097 betting and gambling websites were banned in 2024 and with coordination among various agencies handling cyber-related crimes, there has been a significant improvement in dealing with such activities. Railway tracks throughout the country are kept vacant for a few hours every day for maintenance keeping in mind the safety of train travel, Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. 7,971 stone pelting cases on trains including Vande Bharat reported since 2023; 4,549 people arrested: Govt: RAILWAY Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday said that 7,971 incidents of stone pelting on trains, including Vande Bharat, have been reported from 2023 till February 2025, with 4,549 people arrested in these cases. In the Lok Sabha, Dharmapuri Arvind, a BJP MP, raised the issue of stone pelting on trains and asked if the Government has sought a fact-finding report to track down the primary reason behind such incidents. During the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 (up to February), 7,971 incidents of stone pelting on trains including Vande Bharat trains have been reported. Each case is registered under legal provisions followed by proper enquiry of offenders and their prosecution.

In response to such incidents, 4,549 persons involved in stone pelting have been arrested, Vaishnaw said in his reply. House needs to deliberate on freebies: Dhankhar: VICE President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Wednesday opined that there should be a structured discussion on freebies and subsidies in the House as there is an urgent need for a national policy to help put all government investments to the larger good. Responding to the demand made by Samajwadi Partys Ram Gopal Yadav for increasing the funds, which Members of Parliament have at their disposal for developmental projects and schemes in their respective constituencies to Rs 20 crore a year from the current Rs 5 crore during the zero hour, Dhankhar said he would be open to a structured discussion on the issue if the government and the opposition agree. Electoral freebies, such as free electricity and water, subsidised cooking gas, and cash handouts to certain groups like farmers and women, have often been criticised as something that may lead to unsustainable financial burdens on the government, distort public resources, and undermine long-term development goals.

On placatory mechanisms, on appeasement, which is often known as freebies, this House needs to deliberate. I will be open to a structured discussion after consulting the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition, he said. The country can grow only if money is available for capital expenditure, he said. Capital expenditure or capex is expenditure for creating assets such as infrastructure that yield long-term returns for the economy. In contrast, freebies are revenue expenditures that do not contribute to the creation or acquisition of fixed assets. Electoral process is such that these have become electoral allurements and thereafter the governments that came in the saddle, found themselves very uncomfortable, so uncomfortable that they wanted to revisit their thoughts, he said.

There is an urgent need for a national policy so that all investments of the government in any form are used in a structured manner for the larger good. If the leaders of both sides agree, there can be a discussion, he said adding this is a very serious issue. The comments assume significance as many states faced challenges in funding electoral freebies, particularly due to the financial strain they place on state budgets. States like Punjab have faced financial constraints in meeting poll promises. Dhankhar then touched upon the issue of subsidies. Subsidies, if required in areas like the farm sector, should be direct. That is the practice in developed countries. I checked with the US mechanism. The US has 1/5th of farm households as our country but the average income of a US farm household is more than the general income of a US household, and that is because the subsidy to the farmer is direct, transparent, without intermediary, he said. This issue can also be discussed subject to the two sides agreeing, he said. In his zero hour submission, Yadav said MLAs in Uttar Pradesh get Rs 5 crore for constituency development and those in Delhi have Rs 10 crore at their disposal.

Five assembly constituencies make for one Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh which makes it a cumulative of Rs 25 crore available with the MLAs annually for their constituencies in comparison to Rs 5 crore provision in the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLAD), he said and went on to site how the cost of construction has risen in the last two decades, making the MPLAD funds inadequate to nurture constituencies. He demanded that MPLAD fund amount be raised to Rs 20 crore, it be exempt from GST and a technical cell be created for estimates and quality inspection of work done. If this is not possible, then MPLADs should be abolished, he said. Dhankhar remarked that the constitution does not provide for a uniform mechanism for pay and perks of MPs and MLAs. Some assemblies give members perks and salaries that are much more than what Members of Parliament (MPs) get. Even the pension variation for a former member of the assembly is on a scale of 1 to 10. If in one state, one is getting one rupee, in the other state the pension will be 10 times, he said.

He said in the Constituent Assembly debates, one of the distinguished members, Sidhwa, reflecting on the power of Parliament to remove the judges, said, It is very good to arrogate power without examining other elements. But trust me, he reflected, the number of judges will grow, we will not be able to fructify even one. In order to control these incidents, the Minister said, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) in coordination with the Government Railway Police (GRP)/district police and civil administration took several steps such as an awareness programme in inhabited areas adjacent to the railway track to sensitise people towards the menace of stone pelting and its consequences. Guidelines were issued regarding action to be taken to control incidents of stone pelting on moving trains and regular drives against anti-social elements like drunkards, mischievous elements etc. At the identified vulnerable spots. The train escorting parties have been sensitised to remain more vigilant in the vulnerable sections/spots, where incidents of vandalising on trains are frequently reported, Vaishnaw said.

He said, State Level Security Committee of Railways (SLSCR) have been constituted for all State and Union territories under the chairmanship of respective Director General of Police/Commissioner of States/Union territories for regular monitoring and review of security arrangements of the Railways. Gaganyaan astronauts kept out of public glare to ensure no distractions The four astronauts selected for Gaganyaan, Indias first human space flight mission, have been kept out of the public glare to ensure that there were no distractions, as they were undergoing certain acclimatisation and training programmes, the government said on Wednesday. Group Captain Prashanth Balakrishnan Nair, Angad Prathap, Ajit Krishnan and Shubanshu Shukla have been selected for the mission. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Jitendra Singh, told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, It was a view that giving too much exposure to the media and the public might cause a distraction which may not be in the compatible interest of all. Rural areas avail over 75 pc cancer treatments under PMJAY: Rural areas in the country have availed over 75 per cent cancer treatments under the Governments Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), Union Health Minister JP Nadda has informed. Nadda stated in the Parliament that the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme has enabled more than 68 lakh cancer treatments worth over Rs 13,000 crore across the country.
Sunita is back; her village over the Moon





School students during celebrations after NASA astronaut Sunita Williams safe return to Earth from the International Space Station (ISS), in Surat, Gujarat on Wednesday. (PTI)

MEHSANA :

A LARGE crowd, including students, gathered at a Government school in National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Sunita Williams ancestral village Jhulasan in Gujarats Mehsana district on Wednes day morning to begin a procession celebrating her safe return to Earth. As soon as a SpaceX capsule carrying Williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore splashed down near the Florida coast in the US, the villagers erupted in joy, bursting firecrackers, dancing and chanting Har Har Mahadev on a temple premises. The villagers had organised a yagna praying for Willaims safe return. Around 9.30 am, students gathered at the Government school to celebrate the occasion.

They performed garba, a traditional Gujarati folk dance, and lined up for a procession to the temple of goddess Dola Mata. They said the goddess heard their prayers and brought Williams home. The procession will be taken out to thank her for her blessings, they said. A large number of villagers also joined the students. When Sunita Willaims left for ISS (International Space Station) on June 5 last year and her mission was delayed, we lit up an Akhand Jyot here on June 27 and took out a procession carrying the eternal flame to the temple of Dola Mata, praying for her, said a teacher from the school. Now that the goddess has protected her and ensured her safe return, we will take out another procession today to the Dola Mata temple with music and colour to celebrate the occasion and to thank her for her blessings, he said. All eyes were on Williams safe return as the residents of Jhulasan gathered at the village temple to view the event live on a television screen. As soon as she landed, residents celebrated the moment by bursting firecrackers, dancing and chanting Har Har Mahadev.

Even as Williams was on her way back, the villagers performed a yagna at the temple and offered prayers. They said they had been performing a yagna and had kept the Akhand Jyot burning on the premises for her safe return. Jhulasan, known as the ancestral home of Williams father Deepak Pandya, was alive with excitement ever since the news of her proposed return, after a delayed stay at the ISS, trickled in. Navin Pandya, her cousin, said that the villagers have been praying for her safety, taking care of the Akhand Jyot that was lit up for her safe return soon after she went to space over nine months ago. He said the villagers are looking forward to inviting Williams to visit Jhulasan. Williams has visited India at least thrice, including in 2007 and 2013, soon after her space missions and has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2008.

Her father, originally from Jhulasan, migrated to the United States in 1957. Vishal Panchal, principal of the Jhulasan Primary School, said elaborate arrangements have been made for Wednesdays celebrations. Williams space mission was initially scheduled to last seven days but got extended due to a technical glitch. Her SpaceX capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday early morning. Chiranjeevi, R Madhavan and others hail her return: Welcome back home, actors Chiranjeevi and R Madhavan said on Wednesday as NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth after a nine-month space exploration mission.

In a post on social media platform X, Chiranjeevi hailed the duos return to Earth as both historic and heroic. WELCOME BACK TO EARTH. Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore!! HISTORIC & HEROIC HOME COMING!!! Went for 8 Days to Space & Returned after 286 Days, after an Astonishing 4577 orbits around earth ! Your Story is Unmatchably Dramatic, Utterly Nerve - Wracking , Unbelievably Nail Baiting Thriller & The Greatest Adventure Ever. A True Blue Blockbuster!! More Power To You!!! @Astro_Suni. Kudos to #SpaceXDragon #Crew9 for bringing them back ! #SunitaWilliams (sic), he wrote. Madhavan shared a video of Williams coming out of the SpaceX capsule and said the prayers of the whole world have been answered. Welcome back to Earth our Dear Dear Sunita Williams. #sunitawilliams ..Our prayers have been answered... So wonderful to see you safe and smiling. After more than 260 uncertain days in space this is all Gods grace and millions of praying souls prayers being answered .. Great Job all at #spacexfalcon9 #nasa AND the entire crew. God bless you, he said. Actor and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar said that she has always admired women like Williams. Moments like these define humanity! While we make attempts to advance our research and technology, our resilience during difficult times defines us... Welcome back!! she wrote on X. #splashdown, wrote actor Trisha Krishan on her Instagram Stories.

Mah passes resolution congratulating Sunita Williams

MAHARASHTRA Legislative Council on Wednesday passed a resolution congratulating National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Sunita Williams who returned to Earth after a nine-month mission aboard the ISS. The resolution was moved by House presiding officer Chitra Wagh. It was passed unanimously. Similarly, Puducherry Assembly on Wednesday hailed NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on her return to Earth after a nine-month-long space exploration mission. Speaker R Selvam, who paid glowing compliments to Williams and other astronauts in the House, referred to PM Narendra Modis appreciation of the bravery of the astronaut. bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
ZP Budget: Admin focusses on technology adoption in district





Staff Reporter :

Garment cluster for livelihood of women Agriculture drones to spray pesticides Modernisation of veterinary dispensaries District to get 6 smart Public Health Centres soon

In the absence of the elected body, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Administrator of Nagpur Zilla Parishad Vinayak Mahamuni, on Wednesday presented the Zilla Parishad budget of approximately Rs 46.55 crore for 2025-26, focusing on adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology in healthcare, education and social welfare. Interacting with mediapersons, Mahamuni claimed that it was the best Zilla Parishad budget so far which had given equal importance to all departments. There is no cut in budget of any department this year. This year, we prepared the budget, keeping the requirements of people in mind, said the CEO. The Zilla Parishad owes stamp fee of Rs 168 crore to the State Government in which Rs 27 crore will be paid by the Government and remaining will be borne by the Zilla Parishad.

The budget for the financial year 2024-25 was Rs 42.33 crore. The budget was presented by the then Finance Chairman Rajkumar Kusumbe. During COVID-19 period in 2021-22, Zilla Parishad Nagpur presented the lowest budget of Rs 18.28 crore. Whereas, in 2022-23 financial year, the budget was Rs 39.62 crore. In 2023-24, the budget was Rs 41.66 crore, and in 2024-25, the budget was Rs 42.33 crore. The administration is planning to establish AI-enabled interactive learning technology in 4-5 Aanganwadis in Nagpur district in this financial year. Under this pilot project, Zilla Parishad will procure Virtual Reality (VR) headsets for these Anganwadis in which students can get education with the help of AI.

The syllabus will be designed accordingly. The administration is currently identifying such Anganwadis which have proper facilities to adopt the technology, informed the CEO. Similarly, around 4 to 5 Zilla Parishad schools in the district will also get the AI-enabled interactive learning technique benefits in coming days. The Education Department will design the syllabus of Class 5 to 9 accordingly by keeping Bal Bharti books as syllabus. Garment cluster for livelihood of women Zilla Parishad will set up a garment cluster in which 80-85 women can manufacture school uniforms, NCC uniforms and other bulk garments for Government-run establishments in the district. Administration will establish this garment cluster in the Samaj Bhavan of Zilla Parishad in which all the machinery will be procured by the administration. This initiative will help in boosting the livelihood of women, who will work in this cluster and also raise earning of Zilla Parishad, said Mahamuni.

Agriculture drones to sprinkle pesticides Nagpur Zilla Parishad is planning to purchase five drones for sprinkling pesticides in agriculture fields. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will train farmers and farmer producer units to fly these drones. These drones are capable of sprinkling pesticide in one hectare land in just 7-8 minutes. It will help to save the labour cost of farmers. Modernisation of veterinary dispensaries Administration will modernise and renovate all 90-95 veterinary dispensaries in the district soon. Under this initiative, tables, chairs, lights, plumbing fittings, and other equipment will be purchased. For this initiative, administration is allocating a budget of Rs 1.60 crore to Animal Husbandry Department.

The budget will be utilised only for asset building and no fund will be utilised for other purposes, CEO added. District to get six smart Public Health Centres soon Keeping the man-animal conflict in mind, the district administration is going to establish six smart Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in the district soon. These PHCs will have state-of-the-art facilities for patients and for this, Zilla Parishad received a fund of Rs 15 crore. Around Rs 70 lakh will be utilised for construction of compound walls and other maintenance work of existing PHCs, whereas Rs 1.50 crore will be used for modular Operation Theatre (OT).
ISLAMABAD - Tens of thousands of female Afghan refugees face uncertain futures in Pakistan, caught between a homeland where the Taliban has deprived them of their human rights and the legal limbo of their temporary home, which is becoming increasingly hostile and threatens deportation.

Since the hardline Islamist Taliban regime's return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, it has issued edicts restricting women's opportunities in education, employment and public life. Many who had fought for women's rights, including activists, journalists and former government officials, were forced to flee.

The Afghan women, as well as their male allies, turned to Pakistan to provide refuge or a pathway to resettlement in a third country.

Around 1.35 million Afghan refugees were registered in Pakistan as of December, according to the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, while an equivalent or higher number are believed to be in the country illegally.

The refugees have faced myriad challenges in Pakistan, a non-signatory to the U.N.'s 1951 Refugee Convention.

Just one hurdle in their path is the decision by the administration of President Donald Trump that saw refugee admissions halted right after his inauguration in January, preventing Afghans from seeking asylum in the United States.

Farkhunda Muhibi fled to Pakistan in October 2023. She is among the Afghan refugees in the country who applied for resettlement in the United States but have seen those hopes dashed by Trump's return to the White House.

The 23-year-old, who had worked as a journalist in Afghanistan, lives with five family members near Islamabad and makes ends meet by working for a U.S.-based media outlet providing coverage of issues faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan, including demonstrations against the Taliban's denial of women's rights.

She recalled her work in her home country and said, "Female reporters like me were not allowed to sit in front seats at a press conference" after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

Muhibi said that in Afghanistan, she had been reporting on women's demonstrations against restrictions on their rights. However, she was forced to sign a pledge that she would not cover the protests again after being detained by police in December 2021.

"The Taliban still contact me through communication apps," Muhibi said, while defiantly adding, "Fear makes me stronger."

Yet she worries about deportation as Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in late February that Afghans not accepted for resettlement by the United States would be forcibly repatriated.

Many of the estimated 20,000 Afghans in Pakistan awaiting resettlement in the United States are former human rights activists or those who worked with U.S.-led international forces stationed in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021.

Pakistan lacks a formal framework to grant refugees legal protections, leaving many unable to access education, employment or even basic healthcare. Their undocumented status has exposed them to harassment and exploitation, according to local media reports.

Since 2023, Pakistan has been carrying out mass deportations of undocumented Afghans. Between Sept. 15, 2023, and Jan. 31 this year, around 824,200 were forced to return to Afghanistan, according to UNHCR.

For government employees like Humaira Alim, deportation means facing threats of persecution by the Taliban. The 35-year-old fled to Pakistan in December 2022 after the regime began detaining former government officials. She currently lives in Islamabad with her husband, two sons and mother-in-law.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan has reported cases of maltreatment and torture of former refugees forced to return to the country. The international community has repeatedly urged Pakistan to halt deportations.

Alim said her application for resettlement in the United States was rejected due to insufficient documentation.

"Please give us a chance to live," she said in an emotional call for Pakistani authorities not to deport her and her family. "All we ask for is a safe place to live."

On March 8, International Women's Day, a spokesman for the Taliban government said it assumes "full responsibility" for safeguarding the rights of Afghan women under Islamic Sharia law, adding the rights within the context of an Islamic and Afghan society differ from that of Western societies.

On the same day, the United Nations in Afghanistan called on the Taliban government to lift restrictions on Afghan women and girls, with Alison Davidian, Special Representative for U.N. Women Afghanistan, saying, "We cannot accept a future for Afghan women and girls that we would never tolerate for women anywhere else."

Related coverage:

Afghan opposition airs disappointment over Japan-Taliban meet

Japan asks Taliban to respect human rights during talks in Tokyo

Senior Taliban officials make 1st known visit to Japan since takeover
TOKYO - Cherry blossom lovers in Japan can now help protect the iconic trees by taking photos with smartphone cameras and tasking artificial intelligence with assessing their health.

The service called "Sakura AI Camera," launched by Kirin Brewery Co., determines the age and vitality of cherry trees via users' smartphone cameras. Local governments can check the data and use it in their efforts to preserve the trees.

The introduction of the service came ahead of the 2025 cherry blossom season in Japan, where many people will picnic under the blooms with their preferred drink in hand. The beer company said it hopes the service will contribute to the tradition continuing for years to come.

In the service, accessible for free via a web browser, users are directed how to take the photos. The technology then determines the age and health of the tree, rating it across five levels based on its shape and trunk thickness.

The uploaded images will help local government officials decide which trees require maintenance, including pest control and trimming, with many cherry trees nearing the end of their expected lifespan after being planted in the postwar reconstruction period, the company said.

"People can easily participate in conservation activities," a Kirin official said. "We want people to use this as an opportunity to learn about the current situation around cherry blossoms."

The service was developed after the company learned many local governments are unable to collect required data for cherry blossom preservation due to labor and budget shortages, Kirin said.

Related coverage:

Toyota, other major Japanese firms ban use of China's DeepSeek

Japan to outline steps for AI development, use amid DeepSeek rise

Human lifespans unlikely to radically extend in 21st century: study
Chinese premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Company Limited in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 19, 2025. Li made an inspection tour in Fujian Province from Tuesday to Thursday. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

XIAMEN, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for the stabilization of foreign trade with a pioneering and innovative spirit, and for the accelerated creation of new strengths in high-level opening-up.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour of southeast China's Fujian Province, which lasted from Tuesday to Thursday.

When visiting sportswear manufacturer ANTA in Quanzhou, he stressed the need to make greater efforts in research and development input, in brand building, and in winning market favor with better products.

At the Jinjiang dry port, the premier stressed the importance of improving the full-chain service functions of land ports, and of providing more robust support for foreign trade enterprises.

During his tour of Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Company Limited, Li said that China will expand the opening-up of its services sector, leverage the role of free trade pilot zones, create a more favorable business environment, and provide improved support for foreign-invested enterprises.

At a symposium held during the inspection tour, Li called for unswerving efforts to expand opening-up, for the vigorous development of diversified markets, and for active innovation in trade channels and approaches.

Noting that private enterprises are China's primary foreign trade entities, Li said governments at all levels must strive to provide improved policy support and a better development environment for private businesses. 

Chinese premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visits the Jinjiang dry port in Quanzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, March 18, 2025. Li made an inspection tour in Fujian Province from Tuesday to Thursday. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)
MOGADISHU, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) on Thursday condemned al-Shabab for its mortar attacks Wednesday on Aden Abdulle International Airport in the capital, Mogadishu, and nearby residential neighborhoods.

These indiscriminate attacks on innocent civilians underscore al-Shabab's blatant disregard for human life and expose the group's desperation in the face of relentless pressure from Somali security forces and international partners, said Sivuyile Bam, deputy special representative of the chairperson of the African Union Commission and acting head of AUSSOM, in a statement issued in Mogadishu.

"We stand firmly in solidarity with the government and people of Somalia in their pursuit of lasting peace and security," Bam said.

The AU mission did not say how many people were killed or wounded in the attacks. The airport was targeted before by al-Shabab.

Residents nearby said several rounds also hit the heavily fortified Halane base inside Aden Adde International Airport that houses AUSSOM headquarters, the United Nations and other international agencies.

AUSSOM extended its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and relatives of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.

Al-Shabab was driven out of Mogadishu in 2011, but the terror group is still capable of conducting attacks, targeting government installations, hotels, restaurants and public places. 
A parallel forum of the 2025 Global South Financiers Forum titled "Value Discovery: Technological Innovation Drives High-Quality Development of Capital Markets" is held at the National Financial Information Center in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Li He)

A parallel forum of the 2025 Global South Financiers Forum titled "Value Discovery: Technological Innovation Drives High-Quality Development of Capital Markets" is held at the National Financial Information Center in Beijing, capital of China, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Li He)
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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JOHANNESBURG, March 20 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Department of Health has called for vigilance against mpox after three new cases were detected in the country's Gauteng Province.

The total number of mpox cases recorded since the beginning of 2025 now stands at six, the department said in a statement issued late Wednesday.

The latest three cases increased the total cumulative number of positive cases from 28 to 31 since the outbreak in May 2024, the statement said, quoting Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale.

The newly detected cases are a 38-year-old man, a 33-year-old woman, and a 14-year-old boy. The latter two were in contact with another patient.

None of the patients have a history of travel, which means a possible "ongoing local transmission of the virus," Mohale said.

"The patients are currently self-isolating and receiving appropriate clinical management from the healthcare workers," he said.

Mohale emphasized the importance of contact tracing in managing mpox cases, highlighting its effectiveness in identifying these latest cases. 
People view the artworks during a painting exhibition in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, March 20, 2025. A group of Afghan female artists inaugurated a painting exhibition in Kabul on Thursday, showcasing 100 pieces of artworks in various styles. The exhibition was organized to celebrate the Afghan New Year (1404 in the Persian calendar) and to promote painting among Afghans. (Xinhua/Li Ang)

KABUL, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A group of Afghan female artists inaugurated a painting exhibition in Kabul on Thursday, showcasing 100 pieces of artworks in various styles.

The exhibition was organized to celebrate the Afghan New Year (1404 in the Persian calendar) and to promote painting among Afghans.

"This exhibition is voluntarily organized to encourage and highlight the artistic talents of young women," Zarmina Khaterzai, organizer of the exhibition, told Xinhua.

According to Khaterzai, around 200 people have visited the exhibition so far, most of them girls. She hoped to have more visitors by the end of the day.

Organized by female artists, this was the third painting exhibition in Kabul this year. 
March 2025 : A significant month so far Refusing to learn in 23 months

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March 2025 has been significant in many ways and will be an important footnote when the story of Manipur is told and retold ten or twenty years down the line. One is obviously the March 8, 2025 botched attempt to ensure that all the roads are open to all the people of Manipur and The Sangai Express has already had its say on the matter more than once. The ghost of March 8, 2025 will continue to haunt Manipur and her people for years to come and while the focus of Manipur was on National Highway-2 particularly with respect to the passenger bus that was flagged off from Imphal International Airport to proceed towards Senapati after crossing the Kuki dominated district of Kangpokpi and other Kuki settlements such as Gamgiphai, Motbung etc, that focus has now shifted to Churachandpur. This was the place from where violence started and the first match stick that put Manipur to flames was struck at Torbung to target Meitei settlements. This was back on May 3, 2023, the day violence first erupted in all its ugliness at Churachandpur and quickly spread to Kangpokpi and Moreh and later Imphal and more than 22 months down the line there is nothing to suggest that things have a turn for the better. In between, the Chief Minister was asked to step down and the State Assembly has been kept under suspended animation with nothing to show that anyone would be named the next Chief Minister and the Assembly would be revived. And even as Manipur marches towards the two year mark of violence and bloodshed, there is nothing much to suggest that the people have learnt anything of value. If March is going to be remembered for the botched bus journey on National Highway-2, it will also be remembered by many as the month in which yet another Meitei youngster has gone missing with many praying or his safe return. The last call from his mobile has been traced to a place somewhere at Joujangtek village, a Kuki inhabited place, a place where the last contact of two Meitei youths were traced back in July of 2023. The two youths, Phijam Hemanjit and Hijam Linthoingambi, are still to be traced, though pictures of them in captivity of Kuki militants and their bodies lying slumped went viral on the social media some time in September of 2023. Yet earlier there was a case of two Meitei youths who strayed into a Kuki dominated district sometime last year and while the two were fortunate to have been set free, after a deal was struck with the Government, there is nothing to suggest that any worthwhile lesson has been learnt in the past 23 months.

March 8, March 16 the day another Meitei boy went missing, March 20 a day on which the office of this newspaper has been buzzing with calls and inquiries of whether another two youths have crossed Gamgiphai and ventured into areas known to be unsafe for the Meiteis. This is the reality and if even after 23 months of violence, no lessons have been picked up, then one can only wonder what has gone wrong with some section of the youngsters. Earlier another live video coverage of two Meitei youths being turned back sternly by the security personnel after crossing Sekmai went viral on the social media. This is a worrying point which all elders of the family must seriously look into. And even as the madness continues to have a hold on some youngsters, Manipur is nowhere near coming anywhere near the understanding of normalcy what with some of the radical elements of the Kuki-Chin-Zo group continuing to stick to the one line slogan Solution first, peace later. The solution according to their mindset is a Separate Administration, a call that has already been rejected by none other than Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This is the reality, a reality which should have been clear to everyone since the evening of May 3, 2023, but extremely disturbing it is to see some youngsters moving into areas that are known to be unsafe for them.
ISLAMABAD, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A soldier was killed and 10 others injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeted a convoy of paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) troops in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province on Thursday, official sources said.

The attack occurred around 12:55 p.m. local time (0755 GMT) in Kech district, a region that has witnessed sporadic militant violence in recent years, security sources told Xinhua.

Security forces cordoned off the area following the explosion, and the injured were shifted to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but Balochistan has seen frequent attacks by separatist groups and insurgents targeting security personnel and government installations.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, the sources added. 
Unravelling the knot The issue of Separate Administration for Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmar in Manipur

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T Michael Lamjathang Haokip

Introduction

The issue of demanding and creating a Separate Administration (SA) or Union Territory (UT) for the Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmar people of Manipur is deeply tied to the ongoing insurgency and the complex ethnic dynamics in the State. For a better understanding, allow me to discuss three questions.

1. Is SA/UT equivalent to breaking away from Manipur ?

Ans : Yes, creating a Separate Administration (SA) or Union Territory (UT) for these communities would be akin to breaking away from the State of Manipur. This demand, which is part of an insurgency movement, calls for the creation of a Separate Administrative entity for these ethnic groups. However, it's crucial to note that the Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmar Insurgent groups under the SoO (Suspension of Operations) Agreement with the Government of India (GoI) and the Government of Manipur (GoM) have explicitly agreed to respect the territorial integrity of Manipur. Thus, these groups' demands do not include a complete separation from Manipur.

2. Is the SA/UT solution part of solving the insurgency issue in Manipur?

Ans: No, while the creation of a Separate Administration or Union Territory may seem like a solution for addressing the grievances of Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmar groups, it is unlikely to be a long-term inclusive solution for solving insurgency in Manipur. The insurgency problem is multi-faceted, involving different ethnic and insurgent groups, including the NSCN-IM (Naga), ZUF (Zeliangrong), and UNLF (Meitei), which are also presently in negotiations with the Government and have overlapping areas of influence with each other group. Therefore, focusing only on the Kuki-Zo, Zomi and Hmar insurgent groups (UPF & KNO) would never resolve the Manipur insurgency issue, as the underlying ethnic and territorial tensions involve other groups as well.

3. Is SA/UT feasible in the current context of communal conflict?

Ans: No, creating a Separate Administration or Union Territory for the Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar in the current communal conflict of Manipur Violence is not feasible. The competing demands of various ethnic communities (Kuki-Zo, Zomi, Hmar, Naga, Meitei & Zeliangrong) make it extremely difficult for any competent authority both the Central and State Governments to endorse such a drastic move. These groups have conflicting territorial boundaries, and any attempt to carve out separate entities would likely exacerbate the tensions rather than resolve them. The idea of bifurcating or trifurcating Manipur is unlikely to lead to peace and stability in the State given the current level of communal discord.

Conclusion

While the demand for a Separate Administration or Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo, Zomi, and Hmar people is tied to the State's insurgency issues, it is not a straightforward or feasible solution, especially considering the broader and more complex ethnic conflicts in Manipur.

The writer is a Spokesperson, BJP Manipur Pradesh. Views expressed are personal


The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of private promoter Ayan Sil in connection with the multi-crore municipalities recruitment case in West Bengal.

Sil, also an accused in the multi-crore cash-for-school job case in West Bengal, was recently granted bail by another bench of the High Court in the case. However, he had to continue behind bars because of the pending case registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the municipalities recruitment case.

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Thereafter, Sil moved the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Smita Das with a bail plea in the municipalities recruitment case.

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However, with the division bench rejecting the bail plea, the chances of Sil being freed have now faded out for the time being. On Wednesday, the CBI counsel argued in the court that the investigating officials have definite clues of Sil securing jobs in several municipalities to ineligible candidates securing money.

Since the investigation process in the matter is yet to be completed, it could be affected if Sill is granted bail now, the CBI counsel argued.

Sils counsel, in his counter-argument, pointed out that of the 17 municipalities that are under scanner, a charge sheet has been filed in the case of just one municipality, and hence there is no reason to keep his clients behind bars till the process is completed.

However, the division bench accepted the arguments of the CBI counsel and rejected the bail plea.

Sil was arrested by ED officials in the school jobs case in March 2023. In fact, during his arrest, the ED recovered several documents from his residence that for the first time threw light on the municipalities recruitment irregularities.

Later, he was shown as arrested by both the ED and the CBI in the municipalities recruitment irregularities cases. In this case, Sil was accused of arranging jobs in at least 17 municipalities in West Bengal against money. The total number of recruitments made illegally in these 17 municipalities stood at 1,821.

The total scam size in the municipalities recruitment irregularities cases, as estimated by the central agency officials, is around Rs 200 crore. Most of these 17 municipalities where such recruitment irregularities took place were from the North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) on Thursday released provisional payroll data for January 2025, revealing a net addition of 17.89 lakh members.

This marked an increase of 11.48% in net payroll addition in January as compared to December 2024.

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Furthermore, the year-on-year analysis reveals a growth of 11.67% in net payroll additions compared to January 2024, signifying increased employment opportunities and heightened awareness of employee benefits, bolstered by EPFOs effective outreach initiatives.

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New subscribers enrolled in January was around 8.23 lakh showing YoY growth of 1.87%.

This growth in new subscribers can be attributed to growing employment opportunities, increased awareness of employee benefits, and EPFOs successful outreach programmes, the Ministry of Labour & Employment said.

Of the total new subscribers added in January, around 2.17 lakhs are new female subscribers exhibiting a significant year-over-year growth of 6.01%.

Furthermore, the net female payroll addition during January stood at around 3.44 lakh, reflecting an increase of 13.48% compared to December.

It also depicts a significant year-over-year growth of 13.58% compared to January 2024.

State-wise analysis of payroll data denotes that the top five states/UTs constitute around 59.98 per cent of net payroll addition, adding a total of around 10.73 lakh net payroll during the month.

Of all the states, Maharashtra is leading by adding 22.77 per cent of net payroll during the month. The states/UTs of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Telangana individually added more than 5 per cent of the total net payroll during the month.

A noticeable aspect of the data is the dominance of the 18-25 age group, with 4.70 lakh new subscribers added in the 18-25 age group, constituting a significant 57.07% of the total new subscribers added in January 2025.

New subscribers in the 18-25 age group added in the month show a growth of 3.07% from the previous year in January 2024.

The net payroll addition for the age group 18-25 for January 2025 is approximately 7.27 lakh, reflecting an increase of 6.19% compared to the previous month of December 2024 and a growth of 8.15% from the previous year in January 2024.

In terms of the industry, of the total net payroll addition, around 39.86% addition is from expert services consisting of manpower suppliers, normal contractors, security services, miscellaneous activities, etc.
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Police have discovered and destroyed a drug lab in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province, provincial police spokesman Mullah Ezatullah Haqqani said Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, police raided a place in Nawmish area on Wednesday, smashing a drug lab and confiscating materials used in manufacturing heroin, the officer said.

All the illicit drugs and objects discovered from the site were burnt on the spot, the officer added.

Police also set on fire 7.5 tons of illicit drugs in the province on Monday.

The Afghan interim government has vowed to eliminate drug menace until the country becomes a drug-free nation. 
Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla officially announced Hindalco Industries Ltds plan to invest Rs 45,000 crore in copper and aluminium segments, on Thursday.

We are committing Rs 45,000 crore across the aluminium, copper, and specialty alumina businesses to deliver both upstream and next-gen high precision engineered products to our customers, he said at the launch of Hindalcos new brand identity.

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Birla said his company plans to provide solutions in new fields such as EV mobility, renewable energy, and semiconductors.

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We are taking solutions to the next level in electric vehicle mobility, renewable energy, energy storage, semiconductors, and high-end electronics. We are positioning ourselves as a provider of solutions and a co-creator, collaborating with customers to bring the future forward, he said.

He said the company is pioneering metals that will drive Indias electric vehicle (EV) revolution. In battery materials, we are pioneering the metals that will drive Indias EV revolution.

Our battery foil plant at Aditya and fabrication plant at Chakan will provide high-performance and sustainable alternatives to traditional automotive components especially for the EV industry. We are also setting up Indias first copper foil facility for electric vehicles, Birla said.

Hindalco Industries Ltd is the flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. It is a 26-billion dollar metals powerhouse and is the worlds largest aluminium company by revenue, as well as the worlds second-largest copper rods manufacturer, outside China.
A robbers duo was arrested for carrying out an armed robbery at a former Delhi University professors residence after the family members with torn bedsheets in the Ashok Vihar area of North West Delhi, the police said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Suraj and Sachin, are said to be repeat offenders with several cases, including armed robbery, and violation of Arms Act among others registered against them. Their arrest resulted in the recovery of a significant amount of the robbed items including a gold chain, silver coins, silver bowls, etc., said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Aditya Gautam.

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The incident took place on Monday when unknown intruders barged into the house of a retired DU professors house in broad daylight and robbed a significant amount of gold, silver jewelry, cash, mobile phones and car by tying the hands, feet of victims. They had also threatened to shoot the victims and had beaten them up.

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The DCP mentioned a breakthrough in the case after a CCTV analysis revealed that the robbers had abandoned the stolen car and hired a cab. Based on the information from the cab driver, the Crime Branch team zeroed in on Gautam Budh Nagar area and several raids were conducted at the possible hideouts of suspects and one of the suspects Suraj was held.

Based on the input of accused Suraj, the mastermind of this crime and desperate robber Sachin was subsequently apprehended from Gautam Budh Nagar, UP, he added.

The accused, Suraj, was found to be previously involved in 17 cases, while his accomplice, Sachin, was involved in 14 cases of robbery, attempt to murder, gambling and arms act among others, theft, of various police stations of NCR.
Police arrested actor Ajaz Khan in 2021 for his involvement in an alleged drug case. They stationed him in Mumbais Arthur Road Jail. At the same time, the cops took Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan into custody over the alleged drugs case. Moreover, Shilpa Shettys husband Raj Kundra was also in in the same jail for making pornographic content.

In a recent interaction, Ajaz Khan reflected on how jail is not safe for a young boy like Aryan Khan. He revealed that he had helped the budding director during his days in jail. Moreover, Ajaz also said that he helped Raj Kundra with necessities but the producer did not pay him back.

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Speaking to Hindi Rush, Ajaz Khan recalled helping Raj Kundra in Arthur Road jail. He shared, Raj Kundra used to send me messages every day. He was under strict surveillance. I had been in jail for seven months when Raj Kundra came. He didnt help me, but I helped him a lot. Be it a biscuit, a bisleri bottle or a cigarette, its a big deal to provide these things in a jail. He would ask me for water, bread and biscuit. Normal water was allowed, not bisleri, but he wouldnt drink it as he would fall sick.

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Continuing, Ajaz Khan stated that the businessman forgot all his favours, expressing disappointment. His movie (UT69) flopped because he showed lies. He said his story, but he didnt show things that he went through and humanity is going through. Neither did he show the hero who helped him in jail. I gave him water, bread, butter despite strict orders from superintendent of the jail. He never repaid my favours. He cut my role in his film and he never showed what all I did for him.

Ajaz added, The two months he spent with me is something he must have not even shared with his wife Shilpa Shetty. It was Corona time, there was a lot of sadness. He used to cry the whole time. I went against people to save him in jail. Yet, he never remembers me or invites me to his huge parties. He has forgotten his jail time.

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Moreover, as the conversation progressed, Ajaz talked about Aryan Khans time in jail. He revealed that the environment was not safe for a young boy like him. Moreover, Aryan was in the common barrack. The police took Aryan Khan into custody in connection with an alleged drug case. His arrest followed a raid conducted by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The operation took place on a luxury cruise ship that was destined for Goa. As per reports, a high-profile party was going on when the search was conducted. The case quickly gained widespread media attention and public interest, given his status as the son of Bollywood superstar SRK.

Talking about Aryan, Ajaz said, Shah Rukh Khans son, Aryan Khan too was in jail at that time. I have helped him too and have sent him water, cigarettes. This is all you can do for someone in jail. And yes, I also saved him from gundas and mafia. He was in danger, he was put in common barrack.

Also Read: Disha Salian case: Shocking new claims, link to Sushant Singh Rajput resurfaces!
Oscar-winning star Cate Blanchett wants to turn back time and stop the airing of glamorous award nights. Talking about it, the Carol actress iterated the old days when privacy was still a part of conversations. Recently, Blanchett made an appearance on the Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang podcast. During the conversation, she suggested that the Oscars should go back to the day when it was not on air on television.

The deliberation gained momentum when Cate Blanchett quipped that there are so few spaces that you can go now, where you are private. Her remark hints at the escalating trend of recording and clicking celebrities in public places on mobiles.

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Reflecting, she said, Thats what I loved about the late 80s [was] going to all of the dance parties in Sydney for Mardi Gras. People were just there. They were so present, you know, they were just together, collectively, having a great time. It was non-aggressive. No one was being recorded. No one cared what anyone did.

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Weighing in, Hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang noted how privacy is even more difficult in the era of TikTok. They emphasised the viral trend of lip readers decoding celebrity conversations during televised awards shows and other events. A confused Blanchett enquired about Lip Readers. Upon learning about it, she expressed amusement.

Commenting on it, she said, I mean, I say, I know its blasphemy. Go back to the day when it wasnt televised. Bring that back and just have a great party where people can just let go. I mean the industry is so scattered and at such a point Which I think potentially could be exciting or could really be depressing. But its at a pivot point, and so we need to gather together and celebrate what it is that we do, without it having to have any public-facing.

She continued, I mean, the fashion is great, and all of that stuff. Well find out in the end who won or who didnt win. But it would be so nice if that happened behind closed doors. [It would be] absolutely a very different evening.

Also Read: Azizam: Ed Sheeran teases Persian-inspired single from upcoming album!

Cate Blanchett boasts an illustrious career and has appeared in award shows. The actress won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2005 for her performance in The Aviator and Best Lead Actress in 2014 for Blue Jasmine. Moreover, she also boasts six other Oscar nominations.
Actor Ishaan Khatter took to social media to share a fun moment from his day as he rode an autorickshaw in Mumbai.

In his post, the actor also playfully questioned the ongoing trend of elevator selfies, asking, Are elevator selfies still a thing? Taking to his Instagram handle, the Dhadak actor shared a couple of his photos and videos from his autorickshaw ride. In the first selfie, Ishaan, clad in comfy clothes, could be seen posing in an elevator. In the next follow-up video, he could be seen traveling in an autorickshaw and smiling while looking at the camera.

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The third image shows Ishaan flaunting his toned body and washboard abs while posing shirtless. One of the videos features the actor working out in the gym.

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Meanwhile, Ishaan Khatter recently featured in the music video titled Pyaar Aata Hai with Tara Sutaria. The heartfelt song features vocals by Rito Riba and Shreya Ghoshal. Produced by Anshul Garg under Play DMF, the track was filmed against the stunning backdrop of Kashmirs picturesque landscapes.

Talking about the song, the Pippa actor stated, The moment I heard the song, I knew it was something beautiful. Rito has such a unique and heartfelt voice, and, of course, Shreya Maam brings a whole other level of magic to it. It was a joy working with Tara and shooting in Kashmirit truly elevates the emotions of the track.

Pyaar Aata Hai, which marked Ishaan and Taras first onscreen collaboration, was released on March 7.

Next, Ishaan Khatter is all set to star in the highly anticipated series The Royals, where he will share the screen with Bhumi Pednekar. Netflix recently unveiled the teaser for The Royals, which is slated to be a part of their 2025 release lineup.

In the teaser, Ishaan portrays Aviraaj Singh, the charismatic heir to the royal throne of Morpur. He crosses paths with Bhumis character, Sophia Kanmani Shekhar, a driven and no-nonsense CEO. The Royals marks the first collaboration between Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar.
Controversial rapper Kanye West has taken a break from his ranting on X, formerly Twitter, to release his new album Bully via different full-length versions of a film with editing and topography by famed visionary Hype Williams.

The rapper first tweeted a link to the film soundtracked by Bully, claiming that the album was not finished and half the vocals AI but wanted to test-run what listeners enjoyed, reports Variety.

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A few hours later, he tweeted out three iterations of the Bully film including a screening version, a post Hype version and a post post Hype version.

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As per Variety, in the films, the rappers son Saint is shown in a wrestling rink, using a mallet to fend off aggressors over the course of 30 minutes. Those wrestlers include YOH, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask and El Desperado from New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

The album itself is rich with soul samples spanning Cortexs Huit Octobre 1971 and the Supremes You Cant Hurry Love.

Bully was first announced in September 2024 during a performance at Wuyuan River Stadium in Haikou, China, where West premiered the song Beauty and the Beast. That song ended up on this test version of the album, which he released amid a flurry of inflammatory tweets that targeted Jay-Z and Beyonce and their children.

Kanye West explained that he released the album on his X account because he was trying to skirt the streaming system. He wrote, I may stop using DSPs cause streams are fake and the French and Jewish record labels treat artistse like prostitutes.

He also said that Donda 2 would arrive next, and asked his followers if they would prefer Vultures 3 or Donda 3. The rapper has been on a public spiral over the past month, targeting Jews and pulling a bait-and-switch to sell t-shirts bearing a swastika on his store.
Kim Soo Hyuns alleged relationship with late actress Kim Sae Ron has been making headlines for a while now. Several reports emerged that the two were in a relationship when Sae Ron was just 15 while Soo Hyun was 27. Following, this the actors agency released a statement claiming that Sae Ron was not a minor when they were together. Now, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho claims that Sae Rons family concealed her marital status and abortion.

In his video, Lee Jin Ho referred to Kim Sae Rons cryptic January 2025 Instagram post. In the post, she shared a series of photos with a mysterious man, appearing to be from a wedding. The accompanying caption read Marry. However, she deleted the post minutes later. As per reports, Kim Sae Rons representatives initially claimed the photos were part of a casual shoot with a friend. However, Lee Jin Ho claims she was married. He also released a voice note of the late actress, confirming the marriage.

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Lee Jin Ho released a voice recording between Kim Sae Ron and an agency representative, identified as Person A. In the recording, Sae Ron clarified that she did not upload the wedding pictures herself. On the other hand, her boyfriend did it. The agency official was concerned about media attention. The official asked, How can you get married when hes not the guy I saw at Christmas? Are you sure youre married?

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Subsequently, Sae Ron admitted, I met my ex-boyfriend, broke up, and told him I had a new boyfriend. I wasnt going to get married, but I got pregnant. I got rid of the baby. He threatened me with the baby, so I got married. Moreover, Sae Ron also stated that her husband was a Korean-American and he worked at a big US corporation.

Additionally, the voice recording revealed the actress decision to switch from KakaoTalk to Telegram. She explained that her boyfriend controlled her Instagram and KakaoTalk accounts. Until I started using Telegram and sending occasional texts, I was powerless. I ended up uploading that photo after my boyfriend argued with me about hiding our marriage.

Talking about her alleged partners temperament, the late actress revealed his aggressive nature after drinking. When he drinks, he suddenly gets insane. I didnt think I would marry someone like him either. But I swear hes normal but he gets a little like that when he drinks.

However, Lee Jin Ho refutes these claims. He states that it was actually her new boyfriend who imposed restrictions on her.

Also Read: Kim Soo Hyun issues another statement over allegations involving Kim Sae Ron
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is making it clear: online misogyny and youth violence are problems we cant ignore. His latest show of support? Netflixs hard-hitting drama Adolescence, a series thats getting people talkingand for all the right reasons.

Starring powerhouse actor Stephen Graham and co-written by acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne, Adolescence dives deep into the dark reality of how online subcultures, particularly incel culture, influence young minds. The story follows a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a teenage girl at his school, peeling back the layers of social medias impact on impressionable youth.

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And its not just critics who are hookedAdolescence has skyrocketed to the top of Netflixs global charts, proving that audiences are ready for this conversation.

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During Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs), Labour MP Anneliese Midgley put Starmer on the spot, asking if hed support calls for the show to be screened in schools and even Parliament. His response? A full-throated endorsement.

At home, we are watching Adolescence, Starmer shared, referencing his own teenage children. This violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem. Its abhorrent, and we have to tackle it.

His remarks struck a chord with many, highlighting the urgency of addressing online harms.

With the drama making waves, a group of around 25 Labour MPs has formed an informal alliance to push for tougher online safety laws. Their goal? To hold social media giants accountable for the harmful content thats reaching young users.

Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed that while theres no plan to ban smartphones for under-16s, the government is pressing forward with the Online Safety Act. This legislation aims to crack down on tech companies and force them to take real responsibility for young users safety.

But not everyone thinks thats enough. Some MPs are calling for even stricter rules, including raising the minimum social media age from 13 to 16a proposal that, unfortunately, lost steam due to lack of government backing.

Labour MP Johnathan Brash is among those pushing for Adolescence to be shown in schools. After watching the show, he was so shaken that he immediately hugged his son. Its powerful and distressing, he said, advocating for select scenes to be included in primary school discussions about social media dangers.

Co-writer Jack Thorne has also weighed in, openly criticizing the governments slow approach to tackling online threats. He believes the time for gentle nudges is overdecisive action is needed now.
Security forces in Chhattisgarh dealt a major blow to left-wing terrorism by eliminating 30 Maoists in twin encounters at the Dantewada-Bijapur border on Thursday.

The first encounter took place at the Dantewada-Bijapur border, resulting in the death of 26 Naxals.

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Acting on intelligence inputs regarding a significant Maoist presence in the Gangaloor region, joint forces launched an operation that led to a prolonged exchange of fire. The bodies of all slain Naxal insurgents have been recovered, while one District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan, Raju Oyami, was martyred.

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The encounter is ongoing, with intermittent gunfire reported from both sides. Bastar Inspector General Sundarraj P confirmed that security forces have penetrated deep into the Naxal stronghold, while Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav stated that the operation is progressing as planned. Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai reported that security personnel from Hiroli had advanced strategically to strengthen the siege.

In a parallel operation along the Kanker-Narayanpur border in southern Chhattisgarh, security forces have gunned down four Naxal insurgents in a fierce ongoing firefight, triggered by intelligence of a significant Naxal gathering. The jawans have encircled a large insurgent group, recovering four weapons, including an automatic SLR, from the encounter site, underscoring the clashs intensity.

As forces tighten their grip and press deeper into the area, authorities expect the Naxal insurgents death toll to rise, with the situation still unfolding and heavy exchanges of gunfire continuing unabated.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operations as a significant milestone in the Naxal-free India campaign. Our jawans have achieved another major success, eliminating 22 Naxalites in two separate operations, Shah stated, reaffirming the governments zero-tolerance policy toward insurgents who reject surrender and rehabilitation offers.

He expressed confidence in eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai echoed Shahs sentiments, praising the security forces for their relentless efforts. This is a crucial step toward freeing Bastar from the ruthless grip of Naxalism, Sai said, while mourning the martyrdom of DRG jawan Raju Oyami. He vowed to meet the 2026 deadline set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

These operation are part of a sustained crackdown on Naxal insurgency in Chhattisgarh. Since the beginning of 2025, security forces have neutralized 116 Naxals in the state, while in 2024, approximately 300 were eliminated in various encounters. The central and state governments have intensified efforts to dismantle Naxal networks, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah setting a target to make India Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.

Meanwhile, in the Thulthuli region along the Narayanpur-Dantewada border, an improvised explosive device (IED) blast injured two jawans. Both are reported to be in stable condition, while security forces continue search operations in the region. The persistent threat of IEDs highlights the challenges security personnel face in counterinsurgency operations.

The Chhattisgarh police, along with DRG and Special Task Force (STF) units, have launched relentless operations to dismantle Naxal strongholds. Among the most significant encounters this year was the killing of 31 Naxal insurgents in Bijapur National Park on February 9. On January 16, security forces eliminated 18 insurgents at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

On January 20-21, security forces neutralized 16 Naxal insurgents in Chhattisgarhs Gariyaband district. Earlier, on January 12, five Naxals, including two women, were killed in an operation in Bijapurs Madden area. The most devastating attack on security forces occurred on January 6, when an IED blast in Bijapur led to the martyrdom of eight personnel and one driver.

A large-scale operation in February along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border involved over 1,000 security personnel engaging in a fierce gunfight, resulting in the elimination of 31 Maoists in Bijapurs Indravati National Park area. One DRG and one STF jawan were martyred in that encounter, while two others sustained injuries and were airlifted to Raipur for treatment.

The Naxal insurgency has been a persistent challenge in Chhattisgarh, particularly in the Bastar region, where dense forests and difficult terrain provide cover for guerrilla warfare.

In response, the government has adopted a dual strategy, combining aggressive military action with developmental initiatives aimed at undermining Naxal influence. Security forces are establishing forward operating bases, expanding road and telecom infrastructure, and promoting welfare schemes such as PDS shops, anganwadis, and electrification projects to build trust among tribal communities.

Bastar IG Sundarraj P emphasized that targeting high-ranking Naxal cadres has significantly weakened their operational capacity, with improved intelligence playing a critical role in recent successes. The government is also encouraging Maoist surrenders as part of a broader strategy to restore peace in the region.

The March 20, 2025, encounter marks another significant step in the ongoing battle against left wing extremism. While security forces have made substantial gains, the loss of personnel and the continued use of IEDs by Naxal insurgents underscore the dangers faced by those on the front lines.

With the government setting a 2026 deadline for eradicating Naxal insurgency, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Chhattisgarh can dismantle Naxal networks and pave the way for long term stability and development.
Maharashtra assembly proceedings had to be adjourned for ten minutes on Thursday after BJP MLAs raised the issue of the Disha Salian case.

The issue was raised in both the houses a day after Dishas father, Satish Salian, moved the Bombay High Court on Wednesday, seeking registration of an FIR against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLA Aaditya Thackeray and others in connection with his daughters death.

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BJP MLA Ameet Satam asked in the assembly if Disha Salian, who was a former manager of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died or was killed on June 8, 2020. Satam raised the issue in the assembly, demanding an inquiry and action against those named by Dishas father, Satish Salian, in his petition before the Bombay High Court.

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Reminding the house that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) had been constituted in December 2022 to probe Dishas death, BJP MLA Ameet Satam asked, When will the inquiry be completed and taken to its logical conclusion?

BJP Minister Nitesh Rane supported Satam and called for the arrest of those named in Satish Salians petition, including Aaditya Thackeray, and this led to an uproar in the house, as BJP MLAs shouted slogans demanding action from the government. This led to Speaker Rahul Narwekar adjourning proceedings for ten minutes.

After the session resumed, the BJP MLAs persisted with their demands. Narwekar assured them that he would ask the concerned minister to address the issue but warned that further disruptions would not be tolerated.

Shortly thereafter, Minister of State for Home Yogesh Kadam told the assembly that the government would take appropriate action. No one will be spared, irrespective of their political affiliations. The government has also been made a party to the petition. Once we receive the details, action will be taken as per the courts directives, Kadam told the legislative assembly.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the legislative council, with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab taking on the ruling party. Aaditya Thackerays case has been going on in the court for the last 5 years. There have been investigations by the CBI, CID, and SIT. Why hasnt the SIT investigation report been presented in the House for one and a half years? Take action against the SIT officials. Are you doing all this just to stir up a stale issue in order to sideline all other issues, Parab asked.

Yesterday, ruckus was created about Aurangzebs grave. There is no other topic today. I have no objection to questioning Aaditya Thackeray, but a social activist had filed a petition in this matter. Its hearing on February 17 was postponed. There has been a demand to club the petition filed yesterday (Wednesday) with the previous petition. This is a copy-paste petition. Are we so stupid as not to know who is doing this? Dont we know what is going on? Let the court give a decision. How can you decide when the matter is sub judice, Parab asked.

Parab also attacked Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande. Manisha Kayande, who raised this proposal regarding Aaditya Thackeray, had tweeted when the CBI gave Aaditya Thackeray a clean chit. She had tweeted that people have realised that the CBI report has revealed that Disha Salian died in an accident. The accusers should now apologise to Aaditya Thackeray, she had tweeted, Anil Parab said, reading out Manisha Kayandes social media post.

But Manisha Kayande has changed her colour faster than a lizard and now she is eyeing the post of Deputy Speaker. These allegations are being made to please her superiors. Seeing all this, even lizards will feel ashamed. Whatever Aditya Thackeray has to do with this matter, the court will take care of it, Anil Parab said.

The ruling party is not talking about the cases of Sanjay Rathod and Jayakumar Gore. Their objectionable photos were brought to the house, but no one is talking about it. Is this being done on purpose? Is it necessary to suppress the opposition party because it is weak? Are you doing all this to hide your failures in governance? BJP leader Kirit Somaiyas wife was about to commit suicide. Her video was presented here. Why was there no investigation? Parab asked.
Opening ceremony of 2025 Wuxi International Month and International Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua)

NANJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- As the enchanting beauty of spring cherry blossoms graces the city of Wuxi in east China's Jiangsu Province, an international cherry blossom festival also opened there on Thursday, captivating visitors from around the world.

Government officials, corporate executives and guests from over 30 countries and regions attended the opening ceremony of the festival.

Originating from a Sino-Japanese friendship event in the 1980s, the festival has garnered international acclaim. Spanning over 850,000 square meters, Wuxi's iconic Yuantouzhu tourist spot boasts more than 30,000 cherry trees, making it a premier destination for cherry blossom enthusiasts.

During the week-long festival, Wuxi will host a cherry blossom-themed fair and decorate some of its subway trains accordingly, while also offering around 100 local food-tasting activities to deliver culinary delights to the public.

Notably, 2025 Wuxi International Month also opened on Thursday. It will see the city hosting dozens of international events -- including economic and trade exchange activities involving multinational corporations from Germany, France, Japan and the Republic of Korea. 

An economic and trade exchange activity "Cooperation and Exchange Forum with Multinationals", which is part of the 2025 Wuxi International Month, is held in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua)
Opposition Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP over Punjab Police action against protesting farmers, accusing both parties of being anti-farmer.

Late Wednesday night, the Punjab police used force to remove the protesting farmers from the Haryana-Punjab border. They detained farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha head Sarvan Singh Pandher.

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The police also used bulldozers to remove the tents and temporary structures erected by farmers near the Haryana border.

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Reacting to the police action, senior Congress leader and MP Pramod Tiwari said, Last night, when farmers were fast asleep, 3,000-4,000 armed policemen used force and bulldozers to remove them (from Haryana  Punjab Shambhu Border), and didnt even spare the elderly Dallewal who is on a hunger strike.

Alleging that the AAP and the BJP are anti-farmer, the Congress leader claimed that the action was part of a conspiracy between Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Now, understand the chronology hereFirst, Bhagwant Mann throws the farmers out of the CM house. Then he goes to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. Then, a conspiracy brews between the two which spills out as yesterdays oppressive act, he stated.

He further added: Both BJP and AAP are anti-farmer This was a suicidal step for both as they will drown in Punjab now

On Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittus remarks that the Punjab police action was aimed at derailing the talks between the Centre and farmers, the Congress leader said, Talks have been going on for four to five years. What happened to the MSP promise? A natural alliance has been formed between the two anti-farmer parties

Earlier, Bittu had condemned the action against farmers, saying They (the AAP government) did not want a solution to be found through talks between the central government and the farmers. You detained farmers just to win the Ludhiana West by-election.
Both the Houses were adjourned till 2 pm after pandemonium prevailed in Parliament on Thursday when DMK members entered the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha wearing T-shirts with slogans written on them to protest on the delimitation issue.

DMK members arrived in the Lower House wearing T-shirts with slogans displayed on them. Disapproving the same, Speaker Om Birla said that this was not acceptable and against Parliamentary rules and decorum. He adjourned the proceedings twice  once till 12 Noon and then again till 2 pm  over the issue.

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He said it was not right to wear T-shirts with slogans written on them. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi often comes to the House in a white T-shirt. The Lok Sabha Speaker also pointed towards the Congress leader.

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House functions with rules and procedures. Members have to maintain the dignity and honour of the House. But some MPs are not following the rules and violating the dignity which is not acceptable, Birla said when the House met at 11 am.

DMK members have been trying to raise the issue of delimitation in the Lok Sabha, but the Speaker has rejected their pleas. DMK Member T Siva arrived in Parliament wearing a T-shirt that said, Fair Delimitation, Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win.

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned thrice during the pre-lunch period over the same issue.

The Upper House was briefly adjourned shortly after proceedings began. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called a meeting of floor leaders at 11.30 a.m. to discuss what he has seen in the House a while ago without divulging any further details.

However, the deadlock over the issue continued and when the House reassembled at 12 Noon, Deputy Chairman Harivansh announced that the proceedings had been adjourned again for another 15 minutes.

At 12.15 pm, he again came and announced that the House stands adjourned till 2 PM, amid the deadlock.

The agenda for the Lok Sabha includes discussions and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Jal Shakti for 2025-26, as well as the continued consideration of cut motions moved on March 18, 2025. The House will also take up discussion and voting on the demands for grants under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for 2025-26.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha will resume the discussion on the working of the Home Ministry. The Upper House will further take up the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2024 for consideration.

Outside Parliament, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said, The drama being enacted by the DMK, whether on the issue of delimitation or imposition of Hindi, should be seen through the prism of the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections. It is being done to divert the attention of the people of Tamil Nadu from the real issues of lack of development and rampant corruption under the DMK rule. The Government of India and Home Minister Amit Shah have repeatedly assured the people of the country, especially all the southern states, that no southern state will suffer adversely due to delimitation. Despite these repeated assurances, the DMK is only trying to create a sense of fear to gain political benefits in the 2026 elections, people will reject their agenda.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has emphasised that all medical colleges should be linked to the telemedicine services of King George Medical University (KGMU), Ram Manohar Lohia(RML) and Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute (SGPGI) Lucknow under the hub-and-spoke model, enabling patients to consult specialist doctors with ease.

To support patients and their attendants, he also instructed an increase in the number of night shelters at RML, Lucknow. Additionally, he stressed the need to expand access to organ transplant services, ensuring timely treatment for those in need.

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The Chief Minister chaired a high-level review meeting of the Health Department on Wednesday evening, directing officials to further enhance health services across the state.

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He provided key instructions on various aspects, including telemedicine, fire safety in hospitals, organ transplants, the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, and ambulance services.

CM Adityanath directed Health Department officials to conduct regular district visits, inspect hospital facilities, and implement necessary improvements.

Reviewing hospital security measures, the Chief Minister emphasised the strict enforcement of fire safety protocols in all hospitals across the state to prevent any untoward incidents.

Furthermore, he issued clear instructions to ensure that hospitals registered under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme receive payments within 30 days, allowing patients to continue receiving uninterrupted healthcare services.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister instructed officials to ensure the mandatory presence of doctors in Primary Health Centres(PHCs), Community Health Centres (CHCs), and district hospitals so that patients receive timely medical care.

He emphasised the importance of collective efforts in making Prime Minister Narendra Modis TB-Free India campaign a success. He urged public representatives to adopt TB patients and support their treatment and rehabilitation.

The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure the availability of affordable and sufficient medicines in all hospitals and health centers across the state, ensuring that patients do not face any difficulties. Highlighting the need to enhance ambulance services, he instructed officials to further reduce response time, emphasising the critical role ambulances play in providing timely medical attention.

Additionally, he stressed the importance of maintaining quality and adhering to timelines in projects under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

Reflecting on the significant expansion and improvements in healthcare over the past eight years, the Chief Minister noted a 93 per cent reduction in the dengue mortality rate in 2024 compared to 2017. Similarly, cases of Japanese Encephalitis and acute encephalitis syndrome have decreased by 87 per cent and 76 per cent, respectively, while deaths due to these diseases have declined by 97 per cent and 98 per cent respectively. He attributed this progress to effective teamwork and strategic planning.

He further stated that Ayushman cards have been issued to 5.21 crore beneficiaries and emphasised the need to extend these benefits to other eligible individuals.
The Communist Party of India (MarxistLeninist) Liberation (CPIML) submitted a memorandum of eight suggestions and demands to the 16th Finance Commission, asserting that Bihars share in taxes and grants should be at least 15 per cent.

The party also demanded a special grant for Bihar, the Backward Area Grant Fund, and a special package for 95 lakh poor families that are forced to live on a monthly income of less than Rs 6,000.

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A 12-member team of the 16th Finance Commission, led by Chairman Arvind Panagariya, is currently on a three-day visit to Bihar.

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CPI(ML) State Secretary Kunal said, We have demanded special cooperation and grant for Bihar before the Finance Commission mainly in view of the problems of Bihars historical poverty, backwardness, homelessness, landlessness, and migration. The Backward Grant Area Grant Fund programme has become completely moribund under the BJP rule. The commission should seriously consider this.

He further said that under the recommendations of the Finance Commission, Bihars horizontal share in taxes has been continuously decreasing. This is worrying. Compared to 11.29 per cent in the 11th Finance Commission (2000-05), the percentage of Bihars share in the 15th Finance Commission (2020-2025) has come down to 10.058 per cent. It should be increased to 15 per cent.

According to a report of the Government of Indias NITI Aayog, Bihar has reached the lowest level in the country in the Sustainable Development Index today. The socio-economic survey conducted by the Bihar government has also revealed the problem of Bihars terrible poverty and historical backwardness.

He said, About 95 lakh families are forced to live on a monthly income of less than Rs 6,000. If Rs 10,000 monthly income is taken as the basis, then two-thirds of the states population is suffering from terrible poverty. Due to extremely limited employment opportunities, the state has become a migration zone providing cheap labour.
Cybercriminals are now using new tactics to target VIPs and ordinary people. Recently, there was an attempt to defraud in the name of Jharkhands Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), K. Ravi Kumar. The criminals created his WhatsApp profile and asked for money from his son and close associates. A complaint has been registered with the Cyber Crime Branch, and an investigation is underway.

The Chief Electoral Officer filed a complaint at the Ranchi Cyber Police Station, stating that criminals used his photo as their WhatsApp DP and sent messages to his acquaintances, demanding 50,000. The fraud attempt was revealed when some people contacted him directly. Following this, he immediately filed a complaint with the cyber police.

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The investigation revealed that the number used for the fraud attempt was a Sri Lankan number. However, cybercriminals often display fake international numbers through apps. The police are thoroughly investigating the matter and also looking into whether it is related to a larger cyber fraud gang.

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K. Ravi Kumar reported that his son and some close associates received messages asking for money from a fake WhatsApp account. When he learnt about this fraud, he immediately informed the Cyber Crime Branch and also provided screenshots of the messages sent by the fraudsters.

This case highlights the rise in cybercrime in Jharkhand, especially where criminals commit fraud by stealing the identity of VIPs. The police have appealed to the public to remain vigilant and always verify financial requests before complying. Do not send money on WhatsApp or social media without verification, and immediately report any fraudulent activity to the cyber police station.
The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has released provisional payroll data for January 2025, revealing a net addition of 17.89 lakh members.

An increase of 11.48 per cent has been registered in net payroll addition during the current month as compared to the previous month of December 2024, the Ministry of Labour and Employment said on Thursday.

Further, the year-on-year analysis reveals a growth of 11.67 per cent in net payroll additions compared to January 2024, signifying increased employment opportunities and heightened awareness of employee benefits, bolstered by EPFOs effective outreach initiatives.

According to key highlights of the EPFO Payroll Data (January 2025), the EPFO enrolled around 8.23 lakh new subscribers in January 2025.

The new subscribers addition shows year on year growth of 1.87 per cent from the previous year in January 2024. This growth in new subscribers can be attributed to growing employment opportunities, increased awareness of employee benefits, and EPFOs successful outreach programs.

A noticeable aspect of the data is the dominance of the 18-25 age group, 4.70 lakh new subscribers added in the 18-25 age group, constituting a significant 57.07% of the total new subscribers added in January 2025. New subscribers in the 18-25 age group added in the month shows a growth of 3.07 per cent from the previous year in January 2024.

Further, the net payroll addition for the age group 18-25 for January 2025 is approximately 7.27 lakh reflecting an increase of 6.19 per cent compared to the previous month of December 2024 and a growth of 8.15 per cent from the previous year in January 2024. This is in consonance with the earlier trend which indicates that most individuals joining the organized workforce are youth, primarily first-time job seekers.

The payroll data highlights that approximately 15.03 lakh members exited and subsequently rejoined EPFO. This figure depicts a significant year-over-year growth of 23.55 per cent compared to January 2024.

These members switched their jobs and re-joined the establishments covered under the ambit of EPFO and opted to transfer their accumulations instead of applying for final settlement thus safeguarding long-term financial well-being and extending their social security protection.

Gender-wise analysis of payroll data unveils that out of the total new subscribers added during the month, around 2.17 lakhs are new female subscribers. This figure exhibits significant year-over-year growth of 6.01 per cent compared to January 2024.

Further, the net female payroll addition during the month stood at around 3.44 lakh reflecting an increase of 13.48 per cent compared to the previous month of December 2024. It also depicts a significant year over year growth of 13.58 per cent compared to January 2024.

The growth in female member additions is indicative of a broader shift towards a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

State-wise analysis of payroll data denotes that the top five states/ UTs constitute around 59.98 per cent of net payroll addition, adding a total around 10.73 lakh net payroll during the month.

Of all the states, Maharashtra is leading by adding 22.77 per cent of net payroll during the month. The states/UTs of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana individually added more than 5 per cent of the total net payroll during the month.

From the month of April 2018, the EPFO has been releasing payroll data covering the period September 2017 onwards. In monthly payroll data, the count of members joining EPFO for the first time through Aadhaar validated Universal Account Number (UAN), existing members exiting from coverage of EPFO and those who exited but re-joined as members, is taken to arrive at net monthly payroll.

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The extradition of Jharkhands most wanted criminal, Mayank Singh alias Sunil Meena, from Azerbaijan to India has been approved. Currently held in Baku Jail, his return marks a significant victory for Jharkhand Police.

Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta confirmed that with the assistance of central agencies, all legal procedures for his extradition have been completed. The Jharkhand ATS provided strong evidence through Interpol, leading Azerbaijans court to recognise Mayank as a notorious criminal and approve his extradition. A lower court in Baku initially allowed his extradition, and the high court later upheld the decision.

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A team led by the Jharkhand ATS SP will soon travel to Azerbaijan to bring Mayank back, where he will be presented in court. The state governments final approval for the mission is awaited, but preparations are already underway.

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Indias extradition treaty with Azerbaijan played a crucial role in this case. Police officials view this as a major breakthrough in tackling criminals operating from abroad. They believe Mayanks return will not only aid Jharkhand Police but also assist other states in dismantling organised crime networks.

Mayank was closely associated with gangster Aman Sahu, who was recently killed in a police encounter. He managed Amans financial and arms network, and his interrogation is expected to provide crucial leads for further crackdowns on Amans associates.

Originally from Rajasthan, Mayank is the first criminal from Jharkhand to be arrested overseas and extradited. He gained notoriety for flaunting his lavish lifestyle and advanced weapons on social media. Following sustained efforts by Jharkhand Police, he was arrested in Baku last year.

For years, authorities were unaware of Mayanks true identity. The ATS later discovered that he was actually Sunil Meena from Rajasthan, running criminal operations in Jharkhand while living abroad. A Red Corner Notice was issued against him, leading to his arrest in Azerbaijan.

Mayank has a long criminal history and was a childhood friend of notorious gangster Lawrence. For the past two years, he worked closely with Aman Sahu, orchestrating extortion and other crimes in Jharkhand from Malaysia. Using internet calls, he frequently threatened businessmen and was highly active on social media, openly promoting his gang.

The Jharkhand ATS has filed multiple cases against Mayank across various police stations. After confirming his identity, they launched a crackdownissuing notices at his home in Rajasthan, investigating his illegal wealth, and seizing his properties. His passport was canceled, and legal measures were intensified to secure his capture.

With his extradition now approved, Jharkhand Police are preparing to bring him back and present him in court, marking a significant victory in the fight against organised crime.
Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day without transacting any business on Thursday amid a pandemonium created by DMK members after entering Parliament in T-shirts with anti-delimitation slogans displayed on them.

The DMK members arrived wearing the controversial T-shirts as soon as the Houses met for the day. Disapproving the same, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said it was not acceptable and against Parliamentary rules and decorum. He adjourned the proceedings thrice  once till 12 Noon, then again till 2 pm, and finally for the day  over the issue.

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He directed the members to leave and return in proper attire, stressing that however big a leader is, such undignified attire is not acceptable inside the House. He said it was not right to wear T-shirts with slogans written on them. Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi often comes to the House in a white T-shirt. The Lok Sabha Speaker also pointed towards the Congress leader.

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House functions with rules and procedures. Members have to maintain the dignity and honour of the House. But some MPs are not following the rules and violating the dignity which is not acceptable, Birla said when the House met at 11 am. The proceedings were then adjourned until noon.

The DMK members have been trying to raise the issue of delimitation in the Lok Sabha, but the Speaker has rejected their pleas. DMK Member T Siva arrived in Parliament wearing a T-shirt that said, Fair Delimitation, Tamil Nadu will fight, Tamil Nadu will win.

Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned four times before adjournment for the day over the issue.

The Upper House was briefly adjourned shortly after the proceedings began. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar called a meeting of floor leaders at 11.30 am to discuss what he has seen in the House a while ago without divulging any further details.

However, the deadlock over the issue continued, when the House was adjourned finally for the day.

While Dhankhar did not explicitly state the reason for the adjournment, sources indicated that the issue of DMK members T-shirts had been raised. He held discussions with party leaders, many of whom supported the smooth functioning of the House. Dhankhar had earlier announced his intention to meet with political leaders to address the disruptions.

The agenda for the Lok Sabha included discussions and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Jal Shakti for 2025-26, as well as the continued consideration of cut motions moved on March 18, 2025. Discussion and voting on the demands for grants under the control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for 2025-26 were also on the agenda.

Meanwhile, the agenda in the Rajya Sabha included a discussion on the working of the Home Ministry.
Condemning the Punjab polices crackdown on protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu alleged that the action was aimed at derailing the ongoing talks between farmer leaders and the Centre.

Bittu said that he spoke to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. They were also shocked to hear about the Punjab governments action as they had concluded the seventh round of talks with the farmers on a positive note, Minister Bittu stated.

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I was just having a conversation with Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Piyush Goyal, and they informed me that we concluded the seventh round of meeting with farmers on a positive note. However, they were shocked to hear what had happened, said Bittu.

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He further claimed that the move was aimed at sabotaging talks between farmers and the Centre, and an attempt to win the Ludhiana West by-election.

They (the AAP government) did not want a solution to be found through talks between the central government and the farmers. You detained farmers just to win the Ludhiana West by-election, the Union Minister said.

Launching a scathing attack on Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, he accused him of working on Kejriwals directions.

Tu (Mann) sirf Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda (You only do what Kejriwal says). You put the entire Punjab and farmers at stake just to remain in power. Youll see that nothing will happen to Kejriwal, but the people of Punjab will not allow you to enter any village, Bittu added.

Late Wednesday night, the Punjab police used force to remove the protesting farmers from the Haryana-Punjab border. They detained farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha head Sarvan Singh Pandher.
The soothing flow of the Ganga, the golden hues of sunset, the shimmering glow of thousands of lamps, and the divine resonance of Vedic and scriptural chantsHar Ki Pauri in Haridwar once again bore witness to the unparalleled grandeur of Indian culture.

Organized by the Central Sanskrit University, New Delhi, and hosted by Patanjali University, the 62nd Akhil Bharatiya Shastrotsav was a spectacular event that established Indias knowledge tradition on a global platform.

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This was not merely a spiritual gathering; it was a historic moment where thousands of scholars and devotees from across the country came together for collective Shastra Shravan (scriptural recitation) and participated in the Ganga Aarti, setting a world record.

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It felt as if this event was a direct manifestation of the penance and wisdom of Indias ancient sages.

As evening descended, the crimson sky, the gentle ripples of the Ganga reflecting the fading sun, and the vast congregation of devotees on the ghats created an atmosphere of divine festivity.

The first chime of the temple bells synchronized with the rivers rhythm, and as soon as the Vedic and scriptural recitations began, it seemed as if the entire universe swayed to the celestial melodies.

Hymns from the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda, verses from the Upanishads, teachings from the Bhagavad Gita, and profound words from the Yoga Sutras blended into a divine symphonyan embodiment of spirituality, philosophy, and devotion.

Following the Shastra Shravan, as the Ganga Aarti commenced, the entire atmosphere was spellbound. Scholars, saints, and Acharyas held grand lamp arrays, temple bells and conch shells resonated in unison, the chants of Har Har Gange filled the air, and thousands of floating lamps reflected in the rivers waters.

The sight was not merely a visual spectacle but an experience that touched the soul. It felt as if Mother Ganga herself was accepting the devotion of her worshippers.

This event was not just a festival but a step towards reconnecting with Indias ancient roots. It reaffirmed that Indian civilization, with its Vedic chants, yogic traditions, and Ayurvedic wisdom, continues to guide the world.

The grand celebration in Haridwar was not merely a one-day spiritual event but the dawn of a new cultural renaissance. As long as the Ganga flows and Vedic hymns resonate, this historic chapter of the All India Shastrotsav will be remembered.

Vedas are our past and present: Baba Ramdev

Speaking on the occasion, Patanjali University Chancellor and Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev emphasized that scriptures are not mere words but a nectar of wisdom.

He stated that as long as India embraces its Sanatan culture and traditions, the world will continue to experience peace and spirituality. Declaring his unwavering faith in Sanatan Dharma, he urged for a united and strong India. Ramdev further emphasized that the Vedas are not just history but also the present and the future of India.

Patanjali Universitys Vice-Chancellor and Ayurveda scholar Acharya Balkrishna described the Shastra Shravan and Ganga Aarti as a remarkable event, stressing the importance of integrating Sanatan Dharma into daily life.

He asserted that the Vedas and scriptures are not just religious texts but a way of life, encompassing science, medicine, and philosophy, with the potential to guide the world.

Prof. Srinivas Varakhedi, Vice-Chancellor of Central Sanskrit University, hailed Patanjali Universitys initiative as a world-record achievement. He highlighted that thousands of students recited scriptures in unison, setting a new global milestone. He also emphasized the need to revitalize Sanskrit, Vedas, and the Indian knowledge tradition.

Prof. Sadhvi Devpriya, Dean of Patanjali University, underscored the revival of Indian scriptures, stating that this event will serve as an inspiration for future generations and accelerate the propagation of Vedas, Upanishads, Ayurveda, and Yoga across the world.
TOKYO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Former Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida distributed gift vouchers to lawmakers from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) while in office, fueling speculation that gift-giving is a common practice among lawmakers in power, local media reported.

Kishida's staff delivered vouchers worth 100,000 yen (about 670 U.S. dollars) each to LDP lawmakers who, at the time, served as parliamentary vice ministers ahead of a meal gathering at the prime minister's official residence on Dec. 20, 2022, Kyodo News reported Wednesday, citing LDP sources.

Kishida's office told Kyodo News, "We always followed the law," without providing further details.

The revelation comes at a time when Kishida's successor, incumbent Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has been under fire for his own distribution of vouchers worth 100,000 yen each to new LDP lawmakers.

Ishiba reiterated Wednesday that the vouchers his office distributed ahead of a March 3 dinner meeting at the prime minister's official residence were intended as tokens of appreciation and not meant to support political activities, denying that the move was illegal.

Japan's political funds control law bans donations by individuals to politicians for the purpose of political activities.

Meanwhile, multiple LDP lawmakers and other sources said they also received vouchers worth 50,000 or 100,000 yen at meal gatherings during the tenure of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who had been in office from 2012 to 2020, following a brief term from 2006 to 2007, the report said.

The office of another former prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, Abe's immediate successor, said that "souvenirs" were distributed, but no laws were broken.

Opposition party lawmakers are turning up the heat on Ishiba and the LDP as those instances indicate that Japanese prime ministers have regularly distributed money and goods to LDP lawmakers.

Leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Yoshihiko Noda, who served as prime minister between 2011 and 2012, told reporters he had "never" given out vouchers.

"This looks to be an issue with the LDP's political culture. It is shaping up to be a deep-rooted structural one," Noda told reporters. 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stressed the need to develop villages of India to make the country developed.

Everyones effort is our greatest asset. To make India a developed India, we must develop our villages, PM Modi said while virtually addressing a programme of Bavaliyali Dham in Gujarat.

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He said Bavaliyali Dham is not only a religious place but also a symbolic land of faith, culture, and unity for many, including the Bharwad community.

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Later, in a post on X, the prime minister said, During my speech at the programme organized at Thakardham Bavaliyali, I expressed my expectation for their cooperation and contribution to realise the dream of a developed India and appealed for public awareness and participation in various efforts like preventing foot and mouth diseases through vaccination and increasing forest cover.

Inspired by the teachings of revered saints, gurus, and community elders, the prime minister said the Bharwad community has made excellent efforts in areas such as agriculture, dairying, environmental conservation, education, and animal husbandry.

With the help of technology, today I was able to interact with a large crowd present at Thakardham Bavaliyali. This place is a center of faith for the Bharwad community, he said.

I congratulate all the members of the community for organising the Tana Prana Pratishtha Mahotsav and the Shrimad Bhagavad Gyan Gop Gatha programme, the prime minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed his commitment to shaping a better future for the next generations after his meeting with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Responding to the social media post by Gates on platform X, PM Modi said, As always, an excellent meeting with Bill Gates. We spoke about diverse issues including tech, innovation, and sustainability towards making a better future for the coming generations.

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Gates is on his third visit to India in three years, engaging in high-level discussions about artificial intelligence, healthcare, agriculture, and digital transformation.

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His meeting with PM Modi was focused on Indias development vision, particularly the Viksit Bharat 2047 goal  an initiative aimed at making India a developed nation by its centenary year of Independence.

The discussions between Modi and Gates emphasised how AI and digital infrastructure can revolutionise healthcare, education, and agriculture.

I had a great discussion with @narendramodi about Indias development, the path to Viksit Bharat 2047, and exciting advancements in health, agriculture, AI, and other sectors that are creating impact today, Gates posted on X.

The India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation are expected to collaborate on several initiatives, leveraging technology to improve public services and create sustainable solutions.

Gates also met Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to explore new opportunities for agricultural development.

Their conversation revolved around climate-resistant crops, biofortification, and AI-driven farming techniques, which can help Indian farmers tackle climate change and boost productivity.

The Gates Foundation is already working with us, and today we discussed where we can expand that collaboration, Chouhan said after the meeting.

This visit holds special significance as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

For the first time, its Board of Trustees is convening in the Global South, with India chosen as the focal point of its global initiatives.
Keralas Left government appears to be standing at an ideological crossroads. After decades of championing the public sector and resisting privatisation, it is now cautiously opening the door to private investment in state-run enterprises. For a party whose national rhetoric often rails against privatisation and market liberalisation, this shift may seem surprising. But beneath the surface lies a pragmatic recalibration shaped by fiscal stress and political compulsion.

Public Sector Units (PSUs) have long been a source of pride for the Left, viewed as symbols of social justice and equitable development. In Kerala, where successive Left governments have built their image on safeguarding workers rights and state ownership, the public sector holds both economic and ideological significance. Yet, these same PSUs have been under strain for years, with many struggling to remain viable. Mounting losses, inefficiencies, and a lack of innovation have turned several of these enterprises into fiscal liabilities rather than engines of growth. Faced with financial pressures and dwindling resources, the Left-led government is now signalling openness to private partnerships.

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Party leaders maintain that this does not amount to an ideological retreat but is rather a strategic necessity. They argue that the goal is to revive loss-making PSUs, not to sell them off or surrender control. In other words, the state remains the majority stakeholder, and workers rights will be safeguarded. It is a nuanced position, designed to balance their ideological stance with the demands of economic governance. However, this approach is not without risk. Once the door to private capital is opened, questions inevitably arise about autonomy, accountability, and the long-term trajectory of these enterprises.

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Can the government maintain meaningful control while depending on private investors? Will efficiency gains come at the cost of job security and social welfare, both of which the Left has traditionally prioritised? These are not easy questions, and the answers will likely shape Keralas economic and political future. Interestingly, this shift also reflects the broader challenges facing opposition-ruled states in India. Many of them claim they are being economically side-lined by the Centre, facing reduced fiscal transfers and alleged discrimination in project approvals. For Kerala, whose finances are already stretched, inviting private investment into PSUs may be less about choice and more about survival. This move could also be part of a broader political calculation.

By attempting to make PSUs profitable and appealing to the aspirations of the middle class, the Left may be trying to broaden its support base ahead of critical elections next year. Whether this gamble pays off will have to be seen. In the end, Keralas Left government seems to be embracing an economic realism that acknowledges the complexities of governance in todays India. The challenge will be to navigate this new terrain without losing sight of its core principles.
US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Wednesday urged that Pakistan should immediately end the forced return and deportation of Afghan refugees.

Pakistan has set a March 31 deadline for the deportation of all Afghan refugees. However, much before the deadline, the Pakistani authorities have been accused of intensifying abusive tactics and other pressure on Afghan refugees to return to Afghanistan.

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Several reports revealed that Afghan refugees are facing massive harassment and abuse in Pakistan. Asking various human rights organisations to take action on their behalf, the Afghan refugees stated that despite holding valid legal documents, they are facing the threat of illegal detention, deportation, and discrimination.

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The deportation would pose serious risks to the refugees of persecution and economic hardship under Afghan Taliban rule.

Pakistani officials should immediately stop coercing Afghans to return home and give those facing expulsion the opportunity to seek protection, said Elaine Pearson, Asia Director at the Human Rights Watch.

According to the rights watchdog, Pakistani police have raided houses, beaten and arbitrarily detained people, confiscating their refugee documents, including residence permits. They have also demanded bribes to allow Afghans to remain in Pakistan.

The United Nations has reported that most Afghans who have returned to Afghanistan have cited fear of detention by Pakistani authorities as the reason they left.

Masood Rahmati, an Afghan journalist, said that even Afghans who are registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or who had valid residence cards were not safe in Pakistan.

We had PoR cards. But the police cut our cards and sent us to Afghanistan, an Afghan refugee stated.

Narrating their harrowing experience in Pakistan, Afghan refugees told HRW that Pakistani police raided their houses or neighbourhoods both during the day and at night and took them or relatives to police stations to extort money.

A 33-year-old Afghan woman living in Islamabad said the house raids in her area began at 4 am as if they were looking for criminals. Its a very traumatizing experience.

They brought trucks and arrested people. If you dont open the door, they will enter through the windows. They dont care about children or older people. I know of people with valid visas who had to pay between Rs 20,000 and 100,000 Pakistani rupees (US$70 to $400) not to be arrested, HRW quoted Zahra, an Afghan refugee who has lived in Pakistan since 2023, as saying.

A previous wave of deportations and expulsions from September 2023 through January 2024, drove over 800,000 Afghans  many born in Pakistan or living there for decades  to Afghanistan. Since November 2024, Pakistani authorities have renewed pressure to expel Afghans. More than 70 per cent of those returning have been women and children, including girls of secondary school age and women who will no longer have access to education.

Returning Afghan refugees have generally had to abandon property and savings in Pakistan, and have few livelihood opportunities or little land in Afghanistan, the HRW stated.

Last November, Pakistans Interior Ministry announced that Afghans could not stay in Islamabad after December 31. By the end of December, police had detained over 800 Afghans in Islamabad. Since then, Pakistani authorities have called again for the expulsion of all Afghan refugees, the advocacy group stated.
Russia on Wednesday labelled the Ukrainian attacks against power infrastructure in the Kuban region of the country as sabotage and an attempt to disrupt the peace initiatives announced by President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on the ongoing conflict.

Information has already been widely available about the command of the Russian President, the command of the Supreme Commander-in-chief of Russia about termination of strikes against Ukrainian power facilities for the period of 30 days at the moment of launching these attacks. The Kyiv regime did nothing to cancel them. Therefore, such actions definitely run counter to these common efforts, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told local media in Moscow on Wednesday.

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Meanwhile, Ukraine claimed that it will comply with the call to cease strikes on energy infrastructure facilities if a corresponding agreement is reached at the upcoming technical meeting with the United States in Saudi Arabia.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that energy facilities, infrastructure facilities should be included in the list of objects subject to the ceasefire.

Zelensky mentioned that Kyiv needs to work out a mechanism to monitor compliance regarding the ceasefire.

US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart on Tuesday held a telephonic conversation, highlighting the need for peace and a ceasefire to end the conflict with Ukraine.

Trump and Putin agreed that the movement to peace would begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire, and permanent peace. These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East, read a statement issued after the phone call.

However, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, Kyiv still continued to attack energy facilities in the Krasnodar Region with drones as a premeditated provocation aimed at undermining the peace initiatives.

We regret to note that, so far, there has been no reciprocity from the Kyiv regime. There have been attempts to attack our energy infrastructure facilities, as you are aware. Relevant information is available, said Peskov.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that while Kyiv seeks a ceasefire, it will not accept any territorial concessions to Russia.

Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelensky arrived in Finland on Tuesday afternoon for a one-day official visit, during which he met with Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

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At a joint press conference following their meeting on Wednesday, Zelensky emphasised that Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity remain non-negotiable when asked about the red lines in potential armistice talks.

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He stressed that a ceasefire would eventually be implemented, but Ukraine would not accept Russias territorial demands.

Zelensky declined to comment on details of a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Xinhua news agency reported. He said he would wait until speaking with Trump directly before making a statement.

In a telephone call on Tuesday, Putin and Trump discussed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and ways to restore bilateral ties.

While not ruling out future negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations, Zelensky insisted that talks could only proceed if Russia halted its attacks. He also reiterated Ukraines readiness to send a delegation to the United States for ceasefire discussions.

Stubb reiterated Finlands continued support for Ukraine, stressing that Ukraine must emerge from the war as an independent country.

Stubb underlined that besides the Ukrainian, Russian and US teams, there should also be a European team in the talks.

Kyiv on Wednesday also accused Russian forces of launching a drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight Wednesday, damaging energy and infrastructure facilities.

In its statement, the Ukrainian Air Force said the attack involved two Iskander-M missiles, four S-300 guided missiles, and 145 combat and imitation drones.

The attack has affected six regions in southern, northern and central Ukraine, it said.

According to Ukrainian authorities, the attack damaged a railway power grid in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, a hospital in the northeastern Sumy region, and an enterprise and agricultural machinery in the Chernihiv region.

Meanwhile, in the northern Kyiv region, two people were injured, and 18 private houses, 20 apartments, two shops and other civilian facilities were damaged
Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Wednesday that Ukraine wants peace and end of the war with Russia this year.

With the global support especially from India we could speak up and put up our side. We expect telephonic conversation between the Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump. We want just, long lasting and comprehensive peace. This Russian aggression is not just limited to Ukraine but about the world order, international principle and territorial integrity, Sybiha said at the conference on Ukraine India: From Comprehensive to Strategic Partnership organised by the World Trade Centre, All India Association of India and the Embassy of Ukraine.

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Ukraine has accepted the ceasefire, it is important, it is about overall opportunities as well as about business opportunities. We have accepted the ceasefire proposal unconditionally. We expect the Russian side accept this proposal unconditionally. I reiterate that the peace should be just, long lasting and comprehensive, the Minister added.

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The end of war will open up opportunities. There is a huge potential. Historically, India and Ukraine have got good ties. We want to develop bilateral relations, Indias role is quite crucial. We really hope to boost the bilateral relations, he said.

Foreign Minister Sybiha launched Ukraines Consulate in Mumbai.

He said: The opening of the Consulate in Mumbai is a step in right direction as it will help further boost bilateral relations and trade between India and Ukraine. It is not just a coincidence that today in Mumbai Harbour a consignment of apples from Ukraine arrived here. Despite war we managed to do this.

If we succeed to implement the ceasefire it will help restore freedom which is quite crucial for our bilateral trade. It will lead to freedom of navigation, he added.

According to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, reconstruction is a huge opportunity for Indian businesses and companies to participate.

Russians by their missiles have damaged our infrastructure, including schools and hospitals worth $600 billion. We will need support for reconstruction. There are ample opportunities for you (India) to participate in this huge project, Sybiha said.

The Minister claimed that with support from India, Ukraine will be able to achieve peace.

On Tuesday, during an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue held in Delhi the Ukrainian Foreign Minister said that although his country desires a peaceful resolution to the conflict, it will not compromise on its territorial integrity.

He also added that just and lasting peace is possible under President Trumps leadership.

He also said that it will be in global interest to achieve a long-lasting and just peace, saying that Ukraine is not opposed to the peace initiative as it has accepted the US proposal on a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.
Ukranian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has agreed to a partial ceasefire in the war against Russia that was discussed by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the White House said on Wednesday.

Trump briefed Zelensky on a phone call about his conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

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The two leaders agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy, Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson said from a readout of Trump and Zelenskys phone call to be issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

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Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the cease fire to the Black Sea on the way to a full cease fire, Levitt said further, adding, They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war in ensuring security.

While President Trump had earlier proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which was accepted by President Zelenskyy, he and President Putin agreed instead on a limited ceasefire regarding only the energy and infrastructure sectors.

Levitt described the Wednesday phone call between Trump and Zelensky as fantastic.

President Trump fully briefed President Zelensky on his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems. And President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe, Levitt said.

She added: President Zelensky was grateful for the Presidents leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire. President Trump also discussed Ukraines electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
MOSCOW, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The next Russia-U.S. talks, which Washington has said may be held on Sunday, are likely to take place early next week, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday.

"It may not be Sunday itself, now the last nuances are being agreed," Peskov said, adding that the meeting may happen in the next few days, possibly early next week.

Moscow and Washington will discuss the Ukraine settlement and the Black Sea initiative, which was covered during Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump's recent phone call, he said.

The Kremlin said after the phone call Tuesday that Putin and Trump agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of an agreement regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.

U.S. president's special envoy Steven Witkoff previously said that the United States and Russia are scheduled to hold talks on Sunday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 
The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and Moscow Fashion Week signed a partnership two years ago, wherein one designer from India showcases in Moscow, and one Russian designer presents a fashion show in India. As part of this exchange, last weeks Moscow Fashion Week saw Indian designer Samant Chauhan present an all-white collection, inspired by Fyodor Dostoevskys White Nights.





Additionally, FDCI head Sunil Sethi had roped in the Indian government to participate too. Khadi India  Centre of Excellence for Khadi (CoEK), established by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), the Ministry of MSME, was invited to collaborate.



I have been an advisor to the KVIC for over three years and hold a position on the advisory board of CEOK under the Ministry of MSME, Sethi says. For me, this is a natural alliance. Although it is a government enterprise, I see it as my duty to promote Khadi both in India and globally. This endeavour becomes even more seamless when working alongside officials from KVIC.

The Khadi India show at Moscow Fashion Week





Khadi, by definition, is hand spun and hand-woven textile. This means that both the fabric is woven by hand, and the yarn or the thread that makes the fabric is also spun by hand, making khadi the most organic and sustainable fabric in the world.



Most handloom companies only weave the fabric by hand whereas the yarn can be spun by machines. The government of India (under the KVIC) thus provides certification only for those companies that hand-spin and hand-weave, and only after the certification can a company call its products as khadi. The certification often takes several months to years to come by, hence the administrative problems at KVIC create more problems than solutions. KVIC seems interested in upping its game, and last weeks presentation is a welcome surprise.

The Khadi India show at Moscow Fashion Week





Put together by designer Nargis Zaidi, the collection featured a couple of saris as well as tunics, pants, jackets and shirts all worn in contemporary styles. The collection effortlessly merges modern silhouettes with pure khadi, celebrating the essence of Indian textiles in a contemporary context. Designed for comfort and versatility, these fusion wear pieces blend tradition with modernity, making them perfect for global lifestyles and diverse settings, Zaidi says.

Zaidi, an alumnus of NIFT Gandhinagar, leads the Apparel division at CoEK. Working in craft-rich Gujarat deepened her love for creativity and culture, she adds. Working with Khadi feels like a full-circle moment, as it brings together my love for fashion and my deep interest in Indian textiles and crafts. I am grateful to work with a talented team of fashion and textile designers. Each member brings their expertise and passion, and together, we are dedicated to reimagining Khadi for the modern world, she says.

Nargis Zaidi





The Khadi India show began with a video presentation by the ministry on what khadi means to India, ending with an image of Mahatma Gandhi on the spinning wheel, and then one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi behind the spinning wheel. Modi has begun to advocate for Indian textiles too.



The collection proved how modern khadi textile in everyday clothing can be. Cotton, wool, and eri silks were sourced from Khadi institutions from across India  Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.



Sustainability is at the heart of our process. We repurpose leftover fabrics to create new textiles and products, minimising waste and giving new life to materials that might otherwise go unusedstaying true to Khadis core philosophy of conscious craftsmanship, Zaidi adds.



Showcasing at Moscow is an important move for Khadi India as it seeks to redefine its place globally. It especially shows traditional weaving techniques intrinsic to India as forward-thinking, versatile material with limitless potential in Western wear.



Several international journalists were introduced to khadi, especially its hand-spinning for the first time. Dora Becher, the editor of LOfficiel, Argentina, and Teresa Napolilo, editor at Marie Claire, Argentina, adored the collection. Nashmia Amir Butt, the editor-in-chief of Grazia, Pakistan, wore a sari to the show to cheer her neighbouring country. Khadi Indias showcase was a captivating celebration of colour, infusing the runway with vibrant energy, Butt states.



Zaidi affirms the next few years will see Khadi India redefine its narrative, seamlessly integrating Khadi into modern fashion while strengthening its deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. Additionally, Khadi India plans to explore collaborations with other Indian crafts, incorporating them into Khadis hand-spun, hand-woven fabric. Zaidi says they also seek to revive traditional textile techniques such as Jamdani, Bhujodi, Ikat, Kalamkari, Bandhani, and other indigenous crafts, weaving them into the Khadi fabric to preserve and promote these.
Renault India joined other major automakers in the country to hike car prices. In a statement on Thursday, the car manufacturer said it would raise the prices of its entire range by up to 2 per cent from April 2025, despite raising it once in February.



Renault India became the sixth significant name in the automobile sector to increase prices. On Wednesday, both Hyundai Motor India and Honda Cars India announced their second price hike for the year. Earlier, Maruti Suzuki, Kia India, and Tata Motors also posted that they plan to raise their car prices from April.



Every single automaker blamed increased input costs for the increase, stating the same formulaic we tried to absorb rising costs to maximum possible extent but we now have to pass some burden to the customers. A few of them also cited increased operational costs.



Among the listed automakers, Maruti Suzuki posted a sales volume jump of 13 per cent to 566,213 units in the last reported quarter (Q3 FY2025), while its total standalone expenses moved up to 346,752 million vs 301,879 million in the same period last year.



However, for the same quarter, Hyundai Indias total standalone expenses reduced to 1,49,661.44 million vs 1,50,341.94 million a year ago.



For Tata Motors, total standalone expenses shrank to 15,793 crore, compared to 17,618 crore in the same quarter last year.

The numbers from the quarter that ended in December 2024 somehow do not bear the same emotion that the automotive industry wants us to feel. It seems that apart from the number one car maker, the others among the listed companies have cut their expenses over the period, forget the increased input costs.



The industry has, anyway, come out with a price hike across the board for passenger vehicles.



Renault India Country CEO and MD Venkatram Mamillapalle said, Despite our best efforts to maintain prices for a long time, the sustained increase in input costs has necessitated this price adjustment.



Hyundai India Chief Operating Officer Tarun Garg said, At Hyundai Motor India Ltd, we strive to absorb rising costs to the extent possible, ensuring minimal impact on our customers. However, with the sustained increase in operational expenses, it has now become imperative to pass on a part of this cost escalation through a minor price adjustment.



Honda Cars India Vice President (Marketing and Sales) Kunal Behl stated that despite the companys efforts to absorb costs, some price revisions were unavoidable and would be passed on to customers.



Kia India Senior Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Hardeep Singh Brar said, While we understand that price adjustments can be challenging, this decision has been made to ensure we can continue delivering the high-quality, technologically advanced vehicles that our customers expect from Kia.


India is rapidly emerging as the global talent hub for Global Capability Centers (GCCs) with hiring set to outpace the IT services segment by FY 2026 (CAGR 11-14 percent).

With 1,580 plus GCCs and a 30-40 percent cost advantage, companies are shifting high-value workAI, data analytics, and digital transformation to India. A key driver is the countrys strong STEM talent pipeline, producing 1.5 million graduates annually, meeting the demand for specialized skills. Meanwhile, GCCs are evolving into R&D hubs, leading innovation in AI, fintech, and healthcare tech. This shift is also reshaping Indias workforce, as professionals move from traditional IT firms to GCCs at a rapid pace.

Experts point out that the GCCs in India have evolved beyond cost arbitrage into strategic innovation hubs. Today, they are attracting specialized talent in transformative domains, including data science, AI and ML engineering, cloud architecture, cybersecurity, digital product engineering, and experience design. While IT services organizations often build capability around immediate project requirements, GCCs are investing sustainable innovation ecosystems focused on cloud-native architectures, AI-enabled platforms, and comprehensive digital transformation.

We are seeing particular momentum in business intelligence, agile delivery frameworks, and composable platform engineering capabilities. Industries like financial services, healthcare, and retail are prioritizing professionals who blend technical expertise with domain knowledge to drive meaningful outcomes for end-customers. As technology continues to transform industries, GCCs' deliberate investment in building diverse, future-ready teams will enable them to scale not just operations but accelerate genuine innovation capability for enterprises across the globe.This, in turn, will continue to accelerate the demand for top-tier talent at GCCs, remarked Regina Thomas, Head of Talent Acquisition, India, Encora.

Market experts further observe that with GCCs transforming into strategic partners for their parent companies, recruitment has moved toward high-value, innovation-oriente roles. Some of the common positions in technology hiring include software developers, cloud architects, data engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and product managers. There is also high demand for data scientists, DevOps engineers, UI or UX designers, and digital transformation specialists. Roles in emerging technologies in AI or ML and digital twins are on the rise. GCCs also hire the best talent available in operations, finance, HR, and customer support as an extension of their global teams.

GCCs are redefining recruitment with a focus on quality over quantity. In contrast to traditional IT services firms, which mostly adopt a project-based, transactional model, GCCs cultivate a dynamic recruitment strategy of hiring environment that can adapt to fast-changing technological demands. Hence, they actively compete for top talent, making strong employer branding and effective talent engagement critical to attracting and retaining the best, remarked Narane Gundabathula, Executive Manager, Talent Acquisition at Hexagon R&D India.

Hiring is in full spree at many GCCs. Take for instance Evernorth Health Sevices in Hyderabad is hiring across AI, data science, cloud engineering, cybersecurity, and healthcare technology to drive innovation in global healthcare. Additionally, this GCC is bringing in digital health experts, and automation professionals to enhance healthcare solutions through tech-driven insights. GCCs are building in-house expertise, directly aligning talent with long-term business goals rather than project-based staffing.

GCCs are innovation hubs, not just service providers, giving them a hiring edge over IT services firms. Unlike project-driven IT hiring, GCC builds long-term, business-critical expertise in AI, automation, and digital health, directly impacting global healthcare solutions. What sets GCC hiring apart from conventional IT services is the depth of ownership. Our focus on industry-specific roles and emerging technologies offers higher career stability, greater innovation, and deeper specialization, positioning GCC hiring ahead of conventional IT firms, Yadhu Kishore Nandikolla, Human Resources Director, Evernorth Health Services India.
The mental health of India's soldiers is as important as their physical health, observed Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin in a statement after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, for collaborative research and training aimed at enhancing mental health support and care for the armed forces.

AFMS and NIMHANS will work towards strengthening mental health services, conducting specialised training for medical personnel, and developing innovative programmes to address the mental health issues faced by soldiers, sailors, airmen, their families and dependants.

NIMHANS, with its expertise in Neuropsychiatry, will provide help in conducting research on advanced psychiatric care and support to military personnel, addressing common issues like post traumatic stress disorders, anxiety, and depression, a statement from the defence ministry read.

ALSO READ: New age of terror: India pushes for high-tech countermeasures to tackle AI, cyber and drone threats

Surg VAdm Arti Sarin said the partnership with NIMHANS will ensure that armed forces personnel will receive the best possible support to cope with the challenges they face while serving the country.

"This collaborative venture is a critical step in recognizing the importance of mental health for armed forces personnel and is expected to set a benchmark for similar initiatives across the country," the defence ministry said, adding that AFMS and NIMHANS are committed to providing comprehensive mental health services that contribute to the overall welfare of the armed forces.
Satish Salian, the father of Disha Salian, has moved the court seeking a fresh investigation into his daughter's death in 2020, which was previously labelled a suicide. Disha was the former manager of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput.

According to PTI, Satish approached the Bombay High Court and submitted a petition which requested an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and a transfer of probe to the CBI.

ALSO READ | Sushant Singh googled himself, Disha Salian, mental illness before suicide: Report

Satish's lawyer Nilesh Ojha revealed that the petition was still in the process of getting filed, and expected it to be numbered at the HC registry by Thursday.

The grieving father believes that, though his daughter's death was deemed as a suicide, there was foul play involved and alleges that Disha was brutally raped and murdered, and the suicide was just a cover-up. "The Mumbai police hastily closed the death as a case of suicide or accidental death without taking into account forensic evidence, circumstantial proof and eyewitness testimonies," the plea reads.

ALSO READ | Disha Salian death case: Mumbai police summons BJP MLA Nitesh Rane

Shiv Sena spokesperson Kishori Pednekar struck back at the plea, claiming conspiracy behind the intention of bringing up a nearly five-year-old case. "Someone is behind it, and there is a conspiracy. How come this matter has come under the spotlight after more than four years? The CID conducted an enquiry, there is already an SIT (formed to probe the matter)," Pednekar said.

Meanwhile, BJP minister Nitesh Rane strongly advocated the investigation of Thackeray, a former Maharashtra minister. "Aaditya Thackeray should speak the truth. He should resign as an MLA and face the probe," Rane told reporters. Rane also brought up the question of the disappearance of the CCTV footage in Disha's apartment building at the time of her death, as well as the torn pages of the visitor's log.

Tension has existed between the Rane and Thackery families ever since Nitesh's father, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, left the Shiv Sena after falling out with Uddhav Thackeray.

Disha Salian's death

Disha was found dead on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. She was 28 years old. The city police initially registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case.

ALSO READ | Not fair: Sushant Singh Rajputs suicide shatters Bollywood

A few days after her death, on June 14, Sushant Singh Rajput was found dead by alleged suicide in his apartment in suburban Bandra.
Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna on Thursday alleged there was a huge honeytrap racket targeting MLAs and ministers in the state and urged Home Minister G Parameshwara to conduct a probe to expose the producers, directors and actors behind the racket.

Rajanna put all speculations to rest by admitting that there had been at least two attempts to honeytrap him and said Karnataka had earned the disrepute as a CD-pendrive factory.

 **Karnataka honey trap scandal**



Bengaluru | On the allegations of honey trap attempt on a Karnataka Minister K.N. Rajanna, State Minister Satish Jarkiholi says,



"It is true that it was tried but it did not succeed. This is not the first time this has happened in pic.twitter.com/3P5WuSxZNZ  The Tradesman (@The_Tradesman1) March 20, 2025

I have evidence to prove there was a honeytrap attempt on me at my official residence. There was speculation over a minister from Tumakuru having been honey trapped. My name has cropped up in the Assembly now. So, I am clarifying it. I have information that there are pen drives of 48 MLAs from across political parties, and of state and national level leaders. But many have taken a stand not to discuss it openly. It is a nationwide menace, said Rajanna, adding that honey trapping had become a big menace.

I will give a written complaint and urge the home minister to conduct a thorough probe to expose those behind this racket. It will be a good lesson to those tarnishing others image and also help protect the reputation of people who are in public life, added Rajanna.

We need to end this menace as the reputation of our members is at stake. We will conduct a high-level probe, assured Parameshwara.

Earlier, BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal surprised everyone as he raised the issue in the House though Speaker UT Khader repeatedly asked him not to deviate from the subject and restrict his speech only to discussion on the Budget.

Karnataka is a cultured and progressive state. But today, we hear that there is a systematic ploy to honeytrap and blackmail the elected representatives. Our cooperative minister is himself aggrieved by this racket as some people who are aspiring to become the chief minister are resorting to blackmail. I urge the chief minister to take serious note of it and the home minister to conduct a probe. Earlier, it was Ramesh Jarkiholi and now, it is Rajanna. Tomorrow it could be any of us, said Yatnal.

BJP MLA from RR Nagar Munirathna burst out against deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar alleging that he had been targeting his political opponents in the most heinous way and he should immediately stop it.

He ruined my life with the false rape charge against me. I urge the government to handover my case to the CBI. I caution all MLAs that there are efforts to ruin our lives. They have been harassing me since the day I won the seat by a huge margin. He spoiled Jarkiholis name, destroyed Revannas family too and is today targeting Rajanna. My children have suffered due to a false case, my grandchildren are 15. I have not committed the rape. You may hang me if proven guilty. He is now targeting Rajanna. He should remember he too has a family and children, said Munirathana flaunting the photographs of gods and Shivakumars spiritual Guru Ajjayya, inside the Assembly.

PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi also demanded a probe into the incident.

MLA Rajendra, son of Rajanna said he would meet Rahul Gandhi and complain. There have been attempts to honeytrap me and my father for the last six months, he alleged.
An agricultural technician tests the germination rate of rice seedlings at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A staff member maintains the autonomous seeding intelligent system at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A staff member maintains the navigation system of an autonomous seeding machine at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Staff members refill antifreeze in a weighing rain gauge at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A farmer prepares land for sowing at a greenhouse of Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Farmers position seedling trays and cover them with soil at a greenhouse of Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Staff members maintain the autonomous transplanting intelligent system at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A staff member prepares the seedbed soil at a greenhouse of Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A staff member maintains an automatic sunshine recorder at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

An agricultural technician tests the germination rate of rice seedlings at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

Farmers arrange seedling trays at a greenhouse of Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)

A staff member analyzes meteorological data at Youyi Farm Co., Ltd. under Beidahuang Group in Shuangyashan City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, March 19, 2025. Farming activities are in full swing across Heilongjiang, China's largest grain producing province, in early spring. (Xinhua/Wang Song)
Muskaan Rastogi and Suhail, accused of murdering and dismembering the former's husband Saurabh Rajput, requested to be put in adjacent barracks in Uttar Pradesh's Chaudhary Charan Singh district jail, reports said. However, the lovers's demand was denied by the jail authorities.

ALSO READ | Muskaan Rastogi's plan: Convinced doctor she had anxiety to get pills to drug Saurabh Rajput, lied to friends to find place to hide body

The brutal murder of 29-year-old Merchant Navy Officer Saurabh Rajput in Meerut came to light on Wednesday and primary investigation showed that Muskan Rastogi, 27, convinced her drug-addict lover Suhail to join her plot to murder her husband. Rajput was killed when he returned from London to celebrate the birthday of the couple's only daughter. He was drugged and stabbed to death by the duo who later cut his body into pieces to be sealed inside a drum using cement.

Suhail and Muskaan confessed to having killed the victim after they were brought in for questioning on suspicion. Saurabh Rajput's family reached out to the Meerut Police as he remained unreachable on the phone for days.

Meanwhile, jail authorities told the press that Muskaan Rastogi refused to eat food on her arrival at the jail. She was initially silent and later the two requested to be put in adjacent barracks. They were allotted barracks far away from one another in the men's and women's divisions of the prison.

ALSO READ | Addict Sahil believed Muskaan Rastogi's fake Snapchat profile was his late mother asking him to kill Saurabh Rajput: Report

Muskaan Rastogi cried a lot on her first night in prison, news agency PTI was told by jail authorities. She didn't try to interact with any inmates or touch the food. The duo were remanded to 14-day judicial custody on Wednesday. A group of lawyers tried to assault them outside the court, reports said.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray refuted allegations levelled against him in connection with the death of Disha Salian and said he would respond to the charges legally. Thackeray said he would present his side in court as Salians father has sought a fresh probe against the Shiv Sena leader in the case.

#WATCH | Delhi | On Disha Salian's father approaching Bombay HC seeking probe into Aaditya Thackeray's alleged role in Salian's death case, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, "I have looked at the police investigation, and it was an accident, not a murder... Her father has pic.twitter.com/bPnjL0XX7A  ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

"Attempts are being made for the last five years to malign my image. We will put forth our side in the court. We will give our replies (to the allegations) in the court," Thackeray told reporters in Mumbai, PTI reported. Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena also charged the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was behind the allegations and they were targeting the young politician.

Disha Salian, the former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, died in 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in Malad. The Mumbai police had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. Six days later, Bollywood star Rajput allegedly committed suicide in his apartment in Bandra.

Satish Salian, father of Disha on Wednesday moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into circumstances that led to his daughters death. Salian sought registration of a fresh case against Aaditya Thackeray and a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the matter. In his plea, Salian charged, The Mumbai police hastily closed the death as a case of suicide or accidental death without taking into account forensic evidence, circumstantial proof and eyewitness testimonies.
The government of Karnataka has decided to introduce sex education classes for children from classes 8 to 12. This move is being termed as a right step and may go a long way in educating children about sex and may play an important role in making them aware of the hormonal and emotional changes that happen during adolescence. Madhu Bangarappa, Karnataka School Education and Literacy Minister said that there is a need to make children aware about digital addiction and sexual activity and teenage pregnancy.

The sex education classes are expected to be held twice a week by doctors and are expected to help teenagers understand and address physical, emotional, and hormonal changes that occur during adolescence. It is expected that it will also include health examinations and counselling sessions twice a year. Police personnel will also be tasked to interact with children to make them aware of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

In India, sex education classes are still considered taboo in many states and many have not introduced such classes. However, as per UNESCO, countries have increasingly acknowledged the importance of equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop and sustain positive, healthy relationships and protect themselves from unsafe situations.

As per UNESCO, while 85 per cent of countries have policies that are supportive of sex education, significant gaps remain between policy and curricula, as per the global status report by UNESCO on 'Comprehensive Sexuality Education' or CSE. The same report identifies that more than four in five countries cover relevant sexuality education content and topics in their national curriculum, though more progress is needed because a number of key topics are missing or taught too late.

As per UNESCO, with CSE, young people learn to treat each other with respect and dignity from an early age and gain skills for better decision making, communication, and critical analysis. They learn they can talk to an adult they trust when they are confused about their bodies, relationships and values. They learn to think about what is right and safe for them, and how to avoid coercion, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and early and unintended pregnancy, and where to go for help. They learn to identify what violence against children and women looks like, including sexual violence, and to understand injustice based on gender. They learn to uphold universal values of equality, love and kindness.

It needs to be seen as to how this move by Karnataka will fare in the long run and how it will pave the way for reducing sexual violence. It is indeed a step in the right direction if implemented fully. As per reports, even smaller countries such as Sudan and Congo score much higher than India as far as sex education is concerned as children in these countries are taught sex education from the primary level itself.
The Allahabad High Court has directed a trial court to alter summons sent to two accused facing charges for allegedly raping a minor, to alter its summons noting mere grabbing a minors breast or breaking pyjama string do not constitute the offence of rape.

Hearing a plea filed by the accused Pawan and Akash, seeking to alter charges against them, a bench led by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra noted the facts in the case were not sufficient to draw an inference that the accused persons were determined to commit the crime. The accused were charged under section 376 IPC for rape and section 18 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, attempting to commit an offence.

The High Court altered the charges and reduced the offence to section 354B IPC, assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe, along with Sections 9/10 of the POCSO Act, aggravated sexual assault, Bar and Bench reported. The allegation against accused Pawan and Akash is that they grabbed the breasts of the victim and Akash tried to bring down the lower garment of the victim and for that purpose they had broken string of her lower garments and tried to drag her beneath the culvert, but due to intervention of witnesses they left the victim and fled away from the place of incident, Bar and Bench reported quoting the Court.

This fact is not sufficient to draw an inference that the accused persons had determined to commit rape on the victim as apart from these facts no other act is attributed to them to further their alleged desire to commit rape on the victim, it added.

The bench noted that there was no evidence to suggest that the accused intended to rape the victim. There is no allegation that the accused tried to commit penetrative sexual assault against the victim, the bench observed. The High Court directed the trial court to alter the sections and issue fresh summons to the accused.
Health authorities from the West Bengal government handed over the death certificate of the victim in Kolkata trainee doctor rape and murder case on Wednesday evening. The victims parents are receiving the death certificate after seven months of gruesome crime.

West Bengal Health Secretary N.S. Nigam, accompanied by authorities from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital handed over the certificate to the victims parents. The authorities handed over the original death certificate to the parents.

"They needed the original death certificate. I came here and handed it over to them. No discussions were held," Nigam told presspersons. The authorities also shared a link with the victims parents for downloading the certificate in future.

The victims father said they had to face several hardships and had to run from pillar to post to get the certificate since the incident. The parents said they have demanding the certificate since August 9. "The health secretary suddenly arrived at our residence and gave us the original document. We have been struggling to obtain it. We sent an email in January and, even after that, had to go from one department to another, but no one cooperated," the victims father alleged.

The 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was found dead in a seminar hall on the third floor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The incident led to widespread protests across the state. Sanjoy Roy, a civic volunteer was arrested by police for the rape and murder of the victim. The Central Bureau of Investigation later took over the probe of the case. A Kolkata court recently sentenced Roy to life imprisonment till death.

Though the victims parents approached the Supreme Court seeking a reinvestigation, the apex court disposed off the plea, directing them to approach the Calcutta High Court.
After the murder of Saurabh Rajput, a former Merchant Navy official, came to light, their neighbours have opened up about accused Muskaan Rastogi's isolated life at their home in Meerut and how she never interacted with any of her neighbours. Muskaan is Saurabh's wife and is accused of killing and chopping up Saurabh with the help of her lover Sahil Shukla.

Neighbours said Saurabh Rajput rented the house for Muskaan and their child. Saurabh was in the Merchant Navy and was home rarely. Muskan and her lover Sahil committed this horrific crime in this rented house.

A neighbour, identified by the local website UP Tak as Vikas, said Muskaan never spoke much to neighbours. "She had only one visitor who used to come at night," Vikas added.

Another neighbour Komal told UP Tak that she used to come out of the house only to run errands or get things. "We didn't see much of the child either. Every time the kid came out to play, Muskaan would come and forcibly take her inside," Komal added. She identified Muskaan's regular visitor as a "man who wore his hair in a ponytail".

Radha Goyal, who lived near Muskaan, also claimed that she saw her come out of the house only four to five times in the last 2 years. "She did not even come out on any festivals and had no relatives visiting her," Goyal added.

Sahil's grandmother's statement

Sahil Shukla's grandmother has told the police that his mother died 18 years ago. She added that Sahil's father was working in Noida, but had no clue as to what work he did. She also acknowledged that Sahil used to take drugs and alcohol. He never introduced her to any girl, the elderly woman added.

Muskaan's parents want her 'to be hanged'

Muskaan Rastogi's parents who have expressed shock at the turn of events told reporters that their daughter deserves to be punished.

Pramod Kumar Rastogi and Kavita Rastogi told NDTV India that Muskaan deserved the harshest punishment for murdering Saurabh, who was "blindly in love with her".

Kavita added that Muskaan came to meet her after her Manali trip. "She confessed that she had killed Saurabh and we immediately took her to the police station," she added. "Our daughter was the problem. She first separated from Saurabh and now killed him."

"He (Saurabh) put everything at stake, left his parents, property worth crores. He was our son too," she added. "She should be hanged. She has lost the right to live."

The parents said Muskaan used to take drugs and had lost almost 10 kg after Saurabh left for London. "We thought that she was upset because she was away from Saurabh. We did not know that Sahil was forcing her to take drugs," Kavitha added.
With the Supreme Court overturning the acquittal of a rape accused of a minor girl 39 years after the horrific crime, questions are being raised over the slow pace of trials in such cases and also the conduct of the High Court which failed to appreciate the testimony of minor girl.

The woman, who was a minor in 1986, was raped by a 21-year-old man. In November 1987, he was convicted by a trial court and given a seven-year jail term and the High Court decided the appeal filed in 2013 which acquitted him citing the lack of strong statements from prosecution witnesses, including the assaulted child.

The slow pace of the trial

Rape trials in India can proceed at a snails pace, dragging on for five to 10 years. Beginning from lodging of police complaints to long trials in courts, it's very complicated for a rape survivor to live through the trauma again and again.

Another worrisome aspect is that the conviction rate in rape cases has increased marginally in recent years. The charge-sheeting rate has gone down as well.

Despite the laws in place, basic investigations, shoddy forensics and badly drafted chargesheets are a few of the reasons why trials in rape cases take such a long time.

The conduct of the High Court wasnt correct

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Karol overturned the Rajasthan High Court's judgment and expressed surprise at the manner in which the High Court in a six-page order, set aside the well-considered judgment of the trial court merely on the ground of silence of the child victim during the examination and said high court was expected to independently assess the evidence before confirming or disturbing the findings of the court below.

The Court also criticised the High Court for revealing the name of the victim in the judgment.

'Testimony of child witness crucial but her silence doesnt mean to favour accused '

"It is a matter of great sadness that this minor girl and her family have to go through nearly four decades of life, waiting to close this horrific chapter of her/their lives," the Court said in its judgment.

The child witness (victim), it is true, has not deposed anything about the commission of the offence against her. When asked about the incident, the trial Judge records that 'V' was silent, and upon being further asked, only shed silent tears and nothing more. Nothing could be elicited from the testimony regarding the commission of the offence. This, in our view, cannot be used as a factor in favour of the respondent. The tears of 'V', have to be understood for what they are worth. This silence cannot accrue to the benefit of the respondent. The silence here is that of a child. It cannot be equated with the silence of a fully realised adult prosecutrix, which again would have to be weighed in its own circumstances, the judgement reads.

In almost all other cases, the testimony of the prosecutrix is present and forms an essential part of the conviction of an accused, but at the same time, there is no hard and fast rule that in the absence of such a statement a conviction cannot stand, particularly when other evidence, medical and circumstantial, is available pointing to such a conclusion, the judgement added.

The top court noted that the prosecutrix was a child at the time of the incident and remained silent during her testimony, shedding only tears and held that her silence could not be used in favour of the accused, as it was a result of trauma.

The judgement cited precedents and emphasised that while a child witness's testimony requires careful scrutiny, it can serve as the foundation for a conviction if deemed credible and the inability of a child to testify due to valid reasons does not automatically absolve the accused of liability.
Saurabh Rajput, a Meerut-based former Merchant Navy officer was murdered on March 4 by his wife Muskaan Rastogi and her lover Suhail Shukla. Saurabh Rajput had quit his job and returned to India to spend some quality time with his wife and daughter. He wanted to resolve marital issues with Muskaan and start afresh. Sadly, his wife had other plans.

ALSO READ | Saurabh Rajput murder-accused Muskaan Rastogi and Suhail wanted adjacent jail cells

It is suspected that both Suhail and Muskaan used drugs. It was the 27-year-old woman who plotted to kill Rajput on his return to ensure that she will get to live her life with Suhail. Meanwhile, her lover reportedly hated that Rajput could stop them from using drugs together. The Meerut Police believe that Suhail had no role in planning the murder and was lured by his lover to join the crime. Using a fake Snapchat profile, Muskaan convinced Suhail that his late mother wanted him to kill Rajput. Substance use had made Suhail the owner of a vulnerable mind and he fell for it, the cops believe.

After successive failed attempts, Suhail and Muskaan finally managed to drug Saurabh Rajput and stab him to death. They reportedly cut his body into 15 parts and sealed it in a drum using cement. Although she tried to mislead the victim's kin by sending messages from his phone, it didn't workout as the family grew suspicious of him not answering the calls.

ALSO READ | Addict Sahil believed Muskaan Rastogi's fake Snapchat profile was his late mother asking him to kill Saurabh Rajput: Report

When the UP Police brought in the lovers for interrogation over suspicion of foul play in Rajput's missing, the horrible crime was finally revealed.

How did Muskaan and Suhail meet?

According to the probe team, Suhail and Muskaan were schoolmates. They reconnected via WhatsApp in 2019 when an alumni group was formed, Times Of India (TOI) said in a report. After she fell in love with the man who was two years younger than her, Muskaan considered Saurabh Rajput a hurdle that needed to be eliminated.

Muskaan and Saurabh tied the knot in 2016. The love marriage was against the wish of his family and the scars never fully healed even years after the union. Thus, they lived in a rented accommodation ever since marriage. However, cracks began to develop between them over the years and this led to Muskaan starting her affair with Suhail.

Muskaan believed she could exploit this gap between her husband and his family to believe the latter that he left for London after a brief vacation in the hills to never return. She even used Saurbah's mobile phone to text them in an attempt to convince them that he was on a trip. However, Saurabh still visited his parents and spoke with them although not very attached to them. Thus, his not answering the calls made them suspicious, forcing them to reach the cops.

ALSO READ | Muskaan Rastogi's plan: Convinced doctor she had anxiety to get pills to drug Saurabh Rajput, lied to friends to find place to hide body

Before executing her plan, Muskaan sent her six-year-old daughter away to stay at her grandmothers, the TOI report said. The accused went on a trip to Himachal Pradesh to evade suspicion. However, they were ultimately caught when Saurabhs family lodged a missing person complaint with the Meerut Police.
The United Arab Emirates's (UAE) moon sighting committee will begin observing the crescent on March 29, Saturday, and if the crescent is spotted the same evening, Eid holidays will fall on March 30, 31, and April 1, reports said. This means UAE will have holidays for four days from Saturday to Tuesday.

The UAE has already declared the period between March 30, Sunday, and April 1, Tuesday, as Eid Al Fitr holidays for the country's private sector, reports said. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation confirmed that the paid holidays will apply to all workers across industries in the private sector.

If the holy month of Ramadan concludes in the 30th day, the holiday will be extended to Wednesday, April 2, Khaleej Times quoted the ministry as saying.

If the Moon is not sighted and Ramadan completes 30 days, then March 31 will be the first day of Shawwal -- the tenth month of the Islamic calendar that comes after Ramadan. Then, the Eid holidays will be observed on March 31, April 1, and April 2, giving residents an extended five-day break from Saturday to Wednesday including the weekend.

Middle East media reports claim that Ramadan is likely to complete 30 days and the Eid Al Fitr is expected to give UAE residents a break of five days from work.

A unified holiday policy was implemented in the country to ensure those working in the private sector are not exploited and get to enjoy holiday privileges enjoyed by their counterparts in the government sector.
A day after the Centre initiated steps to check Grok AIs allegedly abusive language, social media platform X has moved the Karnataka High Court against the Union IT ministry, accusing it of misusing the Information Technology (IT) Act to censor and take down content online. Owned by American billionaire Elon Musk, the social media platform also challenged Centres Sahyog portal in the petition.

In the plea moved against Centre, the social media platform accused Centre of misusing provisions under the IT laws to censor online content. X argued the Centre is using section 79(3)(b), to create a parallel content-blocking mechanism, bypassing the structured legal process outlined in Section 69A. The social media platform claimed the Centres move contradicts the Supreme Court's 2015 order in the Shreya Singhal case.

As per section 79(3)(b), online platforms must remove offensive content from their websites within 36 hours of receiving a court order or government notification. If they fail to comply, the platforms risk losing its safe harbour protection under Section 79(1) and could be held accountable under various laws, PTI reported. X accused the government of misusing the law to impose arbitrary censorship without following due process.

X has also challenged Centres Sahyog portal and said it acts as a censorship tool that pressures platforms to remove content without proper legal review. X is yet to onboard an employee on to the portal.

The social media platforms petition comes a day after the Centre would examine the alleged use of abusive language by Musks AI chatbot Grok. Recently, in response to provocative prompts, Grok used Hindi abuses and slang against users. The Union government took notice of this and said they are in touch with the platform over the matter. We are in touch, we are talking to X authorities to find out why it is happening and what are the issues. They are engaging with us," a senior official told PTI.
JERUSALEM, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Israeli security officials confirmed Thursday that Rashid Jahjuh, head of Hamas' general security forces, was killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.

Jahjuh is the latest Hamas official killed in the ongoing Israeli bombardment, which resumed Tuesday following the end of a two-month ceasefire. At least 506 Palestinians, including 200 children, have been killed since the airstrikes began, according to Gaza's health authorities.

Jahjuh led a "covert unit" within Hamas responsible for producing intelligence assessments that enabled the group to plan and carry out attacks against Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency said in a joint statement. He succeeded Sami Oudeh, who was killed by Israeli forces in July 2024.

The same strike also killed Ayman Atsalih, identified as the head of the Khan Younis sector within Hamas' General Security Forces.

In a separate attack, Israeli forces claimed responsibility for killing Ismail Abd al-Aal, a senior militant in the Islamic Jihad's weapons smuggling unit. Abd al-Aal allegedly led most of the group's weapons smuggling operations in recent years.

Since the resumption of airstrikes, Israel has killed several senior Hamas officials, including Issam al-Daalis, a member of Hamas' political bureau and head of the Government Follow-up Committee in Gaza. 
Just after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to cease all attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the Kremlin claimed to have neutralised seven of its own drones mid-flight over Ukraines Mykolaiv region, following an order from President Vladimir Putin.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the drones targetting energy facilities linked to Ukraines military-industrial complex were downed by Russian air defencessix by Pantsir missile systems and one by a fighter jet.

Despite millions of people in Kyiv last night confirming a massive all-night Russian drone barrage, the Trump admin believes Putin, saying they sent drones, but shot them down before they left Russia because of deal.



And Trump's envoy believes it.

pic.twitter.com/tjUZD6pEtO  Jay in Kyiv (@JayinKyiv) March 19, 2025  At the moment Putin's order to temporarily halt strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure was received, 7 Russian drones were already in the air. All were shot down by Russian forces: 6 by Pantsir systems, 1 by a fighter jet.  Russian MoD pic.twitter.com/q85hVtdcpq  Russian Market (@runews) March 19, 2025

However, Ukrainian sources have claimed that the statement was baseless and that the Ukrainian Air Force reported continued missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities on March 19, long after the Trump-Putin call of March 18. A statement by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claimed it intercepted Iskander-M and S-300 weapons fired along with 145 Shahed drones and decoys.

Besides, Ukraine also reported explosions and fires from attacks in multiple cities, including on Slovyansk which left part of the city without electricity. All these happened minutes after the call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The Ukraines Air Force, defenders claimed to have shot down 72 Shahed drones and other UAVs across 12 regions, including Kharkiv, Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Poltava. A many as 56 enemy simulator drones were lost in location and Russian targetted Sumy, Odesa, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, and Chernihiv regions.

There was also an anti-aircraft fire against drones after the call, according to the Kyiv Post. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko also confirmed explosions in the capital city from 11:01 p.m. with the Mayor confirming air defence activity on the right bank of the city. Explosions continued intermittently until the air raid warning was lifted at 2:19 a.m. on March 19, the report added.

Ukrainian sources also believe the statement was likely a "Russian disinformation" aimed at influencing ongoing negotiations and undermining Ukraines credibility. There were no self-inflicted Russian drone losses, the sources added.
Amid ceasefire deal discussions, Ukraine on Thursday struck Engels military airbase with a drone attack in the Saratov region of southwest Russia.

Videos circulating on social media revealed a major blast spreading out from the airfield. The Russian defence ministry said that the air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones targeting Russian regions.

WATCH 



Ukraine has targeted a Russian military airfield in Engels, striking bombers and a weapons depot, triggering a massive mushroom cloud explosion. pic.twitter.com/IzfdJxDU8A  Polymarket Intel (@PolymarketIntel) March 20, 2025

The Engels military airbase holds Russian strategic bombers and also warehouses cruise missiles and glide bombs.

LUkraine vient de frapper la base aerienne militaire dEngels en Russie. pic.twitter.com/ci7ZNmEJsw  Katherien  (@katherinekt09) March 20, 2025

The base is Russia's sole operating location for Tupolev Tu-160, known as 'Blackjack' by NATO. It is a supersonic, variable-sweep wing nuclear-capable heavy strategic bomber and airborne missile platform.

According to regional officials, ten people were injured in the drone attack.

Russia has imposed a state of emergency in the Engels due to the attack.

The Ukrainian attack comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to cease all attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Governor of Saratov, Roman Busargin, confirmed the attack and said that nearby residents had been evacuated.

Earlier, in December 2022, Ukraine had conducted an attack on the Engels air base.

Will the latest Kyiv 'provocation' affect the energy ceasefire deal?

After US President Donald Trump spoke with the two leaders, both Russia and Ukraine agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire.

Russian foreign ministry said that Ukraine's drone attack on the Kremlin's oil facility was a specially prepared provocation by Kyiv. It remains to be seen what countermeasures Russia would take to counter the latest attacks.

Russian authorities in the southern region of Krasnodar said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya. The depot is a rail terminal for Russian oil supplies to a pipeline linking Kazakhstan to the Black Sea. "It is absolutely clear that we are talking about another provocation specially prepared by the Kyiv regime and aimed at disrupting peace initiatives," said Russian spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.
The tenuous ceasefire in place between Israel and Hamas since January 19 collapsed on March 18, as Israel unleashed a wave of airstrikes across Gaza, leading to at least 436 deaths, which included 183 children, according to local health authorities. A day later, Israeli ground forces advanced further into the Gaza Strip, taking control of sections of a key corridor that divides the Palestinian enclave. This marks the most significant ground operation since the ceasefire with Hamas collapsed. Troops have launched targeted ground activities along the Netzarim Corridor to establish a partial buffer zone between northern and southern Gaza. The Israeli military reported expanding its control to the central part of the corridor.

More airstrikes later on March 19 killed about 20 people, and Israel has issued new evacuation orders, telling residents across a swath of northern Gaza to move south and west to avoid dangerous combat zones. Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that attacks would increase with an intensity that you have not known until Hamas released the remaining hostages and gave up control of Gaza. The latest escalation from Israel has set the stage for yet another round of intense conflict.

The initial phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was designed to facilitate a hostage-prisoner swap and lay the groundwork for further negotiations. The past two months were, however, a period of cold peace, as both sides were suspicious of each other's intentions and an outburst of hostilities was always a distinct possibility. The truce talks unravelled quickly as there were fundamentally irreconcilable differences between the two sides. Hamas put permanent cessation of hostilities as a precondition for releasing significant numbers of Israeli hostages, as it did not want to give up its dominance in Gaza. Israel, on the other hand, refused to commit to an end to the war unless Hamas gave up power entirelyit has been a non-negotiable demand tied to its broader war objectives.

That was one of the reasons why the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deliberately missed the February 3 deadline to start discussions for the ceasefires second phase. Instead, Israel suggested extending the existing first phase, but without adhering to all of its original terms. Hamas rejected it, calling it a betrayal.

The latest escalation has brought to the fore the deep divergence in objectives between Hamas and Israel. For Hamas, the ceasefire represents a chance to rebuild and retain its authority in Gaza. American intelligence estimates that the group has managed to recruit nearly as many fighters as it had lost since the conflict started in 2023. Such ability to replenish its ranks underscores Hamass calculation that prolonging the conflict strengthens its position domestically and regionally. Israel, on the other hand, views any truce that leaves Hamas in power as unacceptable. From Netanyahus perspective, the wars twin goalssecuring the release of all hostages and dismantling Hamass political and military capabilitiesare non-negotiable. With the collapse of the negotiations, Israel possibly return to a military strategy aimed at forcing Hamas into submission.

Therefore, it comes as little surprise then that Netanyahu described the latest airstrikes as just the beginning of a renewed campaign. This approach serves multiple purposes for the Israeli leader. It seeks to degrade Hamass infrastructure further, targeting its weapons, tunnels and even the key surviving figures among the groups leadership. Yet, Hamass resilienceclear from its continued recruitment and governance despite years of bombardmentsuggests that such pressure may not work. History shows that the group is likely to dig in, using the urban terrain to its advantage and exploiting ground clashes to inflict casualties on Israeli soldiers while rallying international sympathy for its cause.

Netanyahus decision to resume hostilities has delivered immediate political dividends for him. Within hours of the strikes, the far-right Jewish Power party led by Itamar Ben-Gvir reversed its decision to withdraw from the governing coalitiona move prompted by its opposition to the January ceasefireand rejoined the Netanyahu camp. This has bolstered the Likud coalitions fragile parliamentary majority, which nearly collapsed amid threats from another far-right ally, Bezalel Smotrich, who, too, wanted to continue the war against Hamas. Most far-right groups harbour ambitions far beyond defeating Hamas. They want to expel Palestinians from Gaza and re-establish Jewish settlements abandoned in 2005, a vision that is gaining traction by the day.

The renewed conflict also offers a distraction for Netanyahu from his contentious efforts to exert control over Israels independent institutions. He has been plotting to dismiss Ronen Bar, head of the Shin Bet security agency, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara for sometime now. These efforts are part of a larger campaign to curb the power of the judiciary and other independent agencies. By escalating the war, he can rally his right-wing base, and can shift public attention from these domestic controversies to the unifying banner of national security.

However, there is no unanimous support for renewed military action. Families of hostages are particularly upset. There have been protests outside the Knesset, Israels parliament in Jerusalem, expressing anger and disillusionment towards Netanyahu. Along Highway 1, the primary route between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, demonstrators displayed a banner stating: The future of the coalition or the future of Israel. This message, echoed by thousands who marched to the capital on March 19, suggested that throughout nearly 18 months of conflict and tenuous ceasefires, Netanyahu has placed greater emphasis on maintaining his political position than on ensuring the safety of Israel and securing the release of Israeli hostages.

Internationally, the United States, as usual, has emerged as a staunch supporter of Israels latest offensive. The Trump administration, informed of the strikes in advance, blamed Hamas for derailing the ceasefire process. This stance aligns with Trump's broader regional moves, including recent American strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and escalating rhetoric against Iran. But such support contrasts sharply with the growing isolation Israel faces elsewhere. The sympathy it earned after the October 2023 attacks has dissipated, replaced by mounting criticism from allies and adversaries alike. Accusations of genocide have gained traction in global discourse, fuelled by the rising civilian toll in Gaza, while the renewed fighting places the remaining Israeli hostagesestimated at dozensin even greater peril.


President Donald Trump has sent a direct message to Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issuing a stark warning: Tehran has two months to reach a new nuclear agreementor suffer the consequences.

According to a bombshell report by Axios, the letterdelivered discreetly through an Emirati diplomat to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchioffered Iran a final opportunity for renewed nuclear negotiations. However, it came with a menacing caveat: continued nuclear development would trigger severe repercussions.

Sources familiar with the letter described it as tough, emphasizing that it did not leave room for endless negotiations. Instead, Trump imposed a firm deadlinegiving Tehran a clear-cut choice: return to the negotiating table or risk direct confrontation.

While the exact start of the two-month countdown remains unclear, the urgency of the demand has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles.

Even before the letter was sent, the White House reportedly briefed key U.S. alliesincluding Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirateson its contents, preparing them for a potential escalation.

Trump himself confirmed the existence of the letter in an explosive interview with Fox Business News earlier this month.

Ive written them a letter saying, I hope youre going to negotiate because if we have to go in militarily, its going to be a terrible thing, Trump revealed. You cant let them have a nuclear weapon.

Rather than accepting Trumps offer, Ayatollah Khamenei swiftly dismissed the proposal, calling it a deception aimed at making Iran appear uncooperative. He accused Washington of using negotiations as a tool to tighten the noose of sanctions and increase pressure on Tehran.

Negotiating with the Trump administration will only worsen the situation, Khamenei declared, signaling that Tehran would not be easily coerced.

Nevertheless, Iran has yet to issue a formal response, with a foreign ministry spokesperson telling Reuters that the government is still scrutinizing the letter.

Trumps hardline approach follows his historic 2018 decision to withdraw from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, reinstating crushing economic sanctions that have sent Irans economy into freefall.

Now, as Iran continues to violate the deals nuclear limits, Trump is doubling down on his maximum pressure campaign, aiming to isolate Tehran economically and crush its oil exports to near zero.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Democrats have been sniping at each other in public since Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer helped pass a Republican spending bill that prevented a government shutdown. But the divisions in their party hardly began there.

For months, Democrats have been struggling to coalesce behind a political strategy as they confront President Donald Trump and the Republican majorities in the House and the Senate. Behind closed doors at party retreats, think tank meetings and strategy sessions, Democrats have been having tense and searching conversations about ideology, policy and messaging as they urgently try to address what went wrong in last years election.

I think were in a place internally where were having these family discussions and figuring out what the path forward is, said Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat and, at age 28, the youngest member of Congress.

Democrats grapple with the scale of their challenges

The Democratic Partys political woes were front and center last week as House Democrats gathered a short drive away from Washington for their annual political retreat.

Frost said Democrats were alarmed by exit polls from Novembers presidential election, which found Trump won voters without a college degree and those who made less than $100,000 in annual income. The same data showed Trump also made inroads with communities of color and young voters, traditionally areas of strength for Democrats.

Recent polls underscore the challenge.

Democrats are facing stark dissatisfaction among Americans, including among the partys base. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, versus 54% who held an unfavorable view in a March CNN poll. And about 6 in 10 Democrats said they preferred to see the party work to stop the Republican agenda, compared with about 4 in 10 who preferred Democrats work with Republicans. That represents a stark shift from the outset of Trumps first term in 2017, when about three-quarters of Democrats said they preferred working with Republicans over stopping the GOP agenda.

The Democratic brand absolutely needs to change, said Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat. We will not win with the status quo.

Moulton said that Democrats must be very public about their reckoning.

I think we need a high-level message from leadership that, Hey, we got the message of the last election. We heard you voters. You voted us out across the board, and were going to change, Moulton said.

Democrats agree on some points. They uniformly detest Trump, broadly believe that they have failed to connect with the working-class voters they aim to champion and generally agree on the direction that economic and social policies should trend.

But party leaders are far from united about how to best confront Trump in his second term and about what policies should be emphasized to voters as they do it.

The 2024 election offered little clarity in the progressive vs. moderate debate

Part of the difficulty is that both the Democratic Partys progressive and moderate wings feel as though the early days of the Trump administration have vindicated at times their differing approaches.

We are locked out of accessing the levers and buttons of power, of reaching government. Our next milestone, and it is a critical milestone to achieve, is winning the majority in 2026 that is of paramount importance, said Rep. Brad Schneider of Illinois, chair of the New Democrat Coalition, a bloc of House Democrats that advocates for pragmatic, effective policies.

For Schneider, all of the partys efforts should be focused on winning back the majority, rather than winning the days news cycle.

Ive said this to my colleagues, and Ill keep repeating it: We can win moments (that) go viral. We can win arguments here and there. We can even win a day. But if what were doing isnt putting us on the path to win the election next year, we havent gotten to where we need to be, and were not doing what we need to do, Schneider said.

More progressive lawmakers make a different case.

So I think that this is a real opportunity for the Democratic Party to transform  the way we need it to  to be a party of working people, said Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

I think that we should stop looking at this so much as a left-right fight within our caucus  so many voters dont even think about it that way  and think of it more as a bottom-up fight where we can unite the vast majority of the country against the small number of people that are screwing them over in their government and their workplaces, Casar said.

Democrats are already looking ahead to next years midterm elections

With Republicans controlling the House by only a handful of seats, Democrats say they are in a strong position to retake the majority  and they arent waiting until 2026 to get their campaigns off the ground. The pace, intensity and unpredictability of Trumps governance have alarmed, frightened and excited voters across the country. In Trumps blitz, Democrats see an opportunity for pushback.

This week, with the House on recess, the Democratic National Committee launched a Peoples Town Hall series of national events meant to connect with voters in swing states and districts. The effort follows weeks of town halls hosted by national liberal figures, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota.

The Congressional Black Caucus, meanwhile, plans next month to launch a bus tour of lawmakers to Black communities in congressional districts across the country in a bid to engage voters disenchanted with the party and highlight potentially unpopular decisions by Trump.

And members of Congress have supported the efforts of aligned legal groups like Democracy Forward, which has spearheaded the legal pushback to Trumps agenda in the judicial system, while liberal organizing groups like Indivisible are coordinating nationwide protests throughout April against the Trump administration.

Rep. Suzan DelBene of Washington, chair of the House Democrats campaign arm, said House Democrats will focus on kitchen table issues in making their pitch to voters. She singled out lowering costs and public safety as key topics.

Thats why we outperformed the top of the ticket pretty much across the country, DelBene said, referring to last years election results. So well continue to do that.

But even as Democrats try to hone their message, some Democrats are stressing the urgency of taking a stand against Trump now, long before votes are cast next November. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, a progressive from Massachusetts, said the party must respond first to this unprecedented power grab and lawless actions from the Trump administration before debating whether to drop parts of its agenda.

Who are we? The midterms are around the corner, Pressley said, and our most compelling argument will not just be what we stopped but what it is that we seek to advance.

What I will say is that I think now is not the time to be moderating our aspirations, she said.

(AP)
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will call an snap election on Sunday, a Canadian government official familiar with the matter said Thursday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly said the vote is expected to take place on April 28. The official says Carney will go to the governor-general on Sunday and request to dissolve Parliament. The governor-general holds a constitutional and ceremonial role as the representative of Canadas head of state, King Charles III.

Carney was sworn in as Canadas new prime minister on Friday as the country faces a trade war brought by U.S. President Donald Trump and threats of annexation.

Carney, 60, replaced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the center-left Liberal Party elected a new leader.

The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war. He has repeatedly said Canada should become the 51st state of the U.S. Now the party and its new leader could come out on top.

Carney has not had a phone call yet with Trump despite being sworn in last Friday. He ha s said hes ready to meet with Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty.

(AP)
A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for over 880 days has been freed and is back home, as was another French citizen held under house arrest in Tehran, French officials said Thursday. Their liberation came as France and the rest of Europe are trying to jumpstart talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Irans 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations. Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support of Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels as the American military carries out an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced online that Frenchman Olivier Grondeau had been freed. The French Foreign Ministry said another French citizen who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months was released Wednesday night. He asked to not be publicly identified, the ministry said.

The release came ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past.

In January, Grondeau spoke to a French broadcaster from prison, alluding at the time to the politics at play in his imprisonment. You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another, he said.

His lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said he returned on Monday to Paris. Hes in good hands. Hes recovering, the attorney told The Associated Press.

An Iranian court had sentenced Grondeau, a backpacker and world traveler, to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France did not provide anything in exchange for Grondeaus liberation. Barrot told French broadcaster TF1 on Thursday that he had initially discussed the situation with Irans foreign minister but when those discussions failed to secure a release, it was via different means that we obtained this result. He didnt elaborate.

Iran isnt acknowledging the release

Releases of Westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately acknowledge Grondeaus release.

Earlier this week, Irans Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case.

An image that circulated of Grondeau on a private jet flying home was a plastic-wrapped T-shirt with a photo of pop star Britney Spears. He put it on before getting off the plane and embracing his family on returning home, in footage aired by TF1.

After the family and Grondeau went public about his detention, his mother had described the former youth Scrabble champion as a fan of Beyonce and karaoke in interviews with French media.

Arrest came during Mahsa Amini protests

Grondeau was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz.

Though the exact details of what sparked Irans arrest of Grondeau remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained over not wearing Irans mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities.

United Nations investigators later said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Aminis death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country.

Most of the questions were, Did you take part in a demonstration, List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip, Why did you come to Iran? Youre not a tourist,' Grondeau said in the January phone call with French broadcaster France 2.

One day you think youre going to be freed very quickly, the next you think youll die here, he added.

He described lights being shined on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was being taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with over a dozen prisoners.

Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: If you look for bruises on my body you wont find any, because they are not that stupid.

Grondeau was held at Tehrans notorious Evin Prison, which holds Westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

France is trying to release others, too

Barrot said that France is keeping up pressure on Iran to release two other French citizens held in Iran, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

Macron also posted about the two, writing: All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.

Grondeaus lawyer said the news about his release was tempered by the continued detention of the two others. Were only half-relieved, she said.

(AP)
CNN senior data correspondent Harry Enten didnt hold back on Thursday as he mocked President Donald Trumps historically low net approval rating, exclaiming Ay caramba! while breaking down the numbers.

During a segment on CNN News Central, Entenknown for his energetic deliveryhighlighted just how rare it is for a sitting president to have a net negative approval rating at this stage of his term. According to Enten, Trump is the only president in modern history to hold this dubious distinction twiceonce in 2017 and now again in 2025.

Comparing Trumps approval ratings over time, Enten noted that while Trump started his second term in positive territory with a net approval of +7 in January 2025, he has since fallen underwater to -2.

Its not just in one poll, Enten emphasized. Its multiple. CNN, Fox, Ipsos, NBC, and Quinnipiac University. Nein! Nein! Nein! The American folks are saying, Oy vey! Ay caramba!

CNN anchor Sara Sidner jokingly acknowledged Entens multilingual outburst before asking how unusual it is for a president to hold a net negative approval rating at this point in his term.

Enten, leaning into his love for historical data, explained that since 1937, every U.S. presidentexcept Trumphad a positive net approval at this stage of their term.

Well, there are two men on the screen, Enten said, pointing to historical polling charts. And theyre the same two menTrump in 2017 and Trump in 2025. He only matches himself.

Enten conceded that Trumps current rating is slightly better than it was eight years ago, but added that the bigger picture remains bleak.

Donald Trump likes to make history, Enten quipped. But this is the type of history Donald Trump does not like to make.

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(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
PHNOM PENH, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda on Thursday reaffirmed the bank's commitment to advancing Cambodia's economic diversification, private sector development, and investments in people to sustain inclusive growth.

Kanda made the remarks during a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, according to an ADB news release.

"Amid intensifying global challenges, strong leadership and a commitment to people-centered development are essential," Kanda said. "ADB is dedicated to supporting Cambodia as it navigates economic shifts and creates new opportunities, particularly for the poor and most vulnerable."

According to the news release, Kanda and Hun Manet in their discussion emphasized the importance of balancing economic growth with ecological sustainability and cultural preservation.

"They also recognized the importance of regional energy cooperation, including Cambodia's participation in the ASEAN Power Grid, to enhance energy access and security," the news release said.

During his visit to Cambodia, Kanda met and exchanged views with National Bank of Cambodia Governor Chea Serey about broadening access to banking, expanding digital payment options, and adopting policies that help rural communities and new businesses thrive.

According to the news release, ADB has a growing portfolio in Cambodia valued at approximately 2.2 billion U.S. dollars. 
The Trump administration has pushed back a Friday deadline for New York to end its new $9 congestion toll on most drivers entering Manhattan.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday said he was giving the state an additional 30 days as discussions continue on the Republican administrations demand.

But he also lashed out at New York officials, who have said for weeks they did not intend to comply with the deadline as they have filed a lawsuit challenging Duffys decision to rescind the tolls federal approval last month.

Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable, Duffy wrote in a strongly worded post on X, formerly Twitter. Know that the billions of dollars the federal government sends to New York are not a blank check. Continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly.

Spokespersons for Duffy didnt immediately respond to requests for comment Thursday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochuls office shrugged off the announcement.

Weve seen Secretary Duffys tweet, which doesnt change what Governor Hochul has been saying all along: the cameras are staying on, spokesperson Avi Small said in a statement, referring to the system of traffic cameras used to assess the tolls to drivers in the congestion zone.

The fee started Jan. 5 and comes on top of tolls drivers already pay to cross bridges and tunnels into Manhattan.

It is meant to help deter drivers and relieve traffic congestion while also providing millions of dollars in new revenue to the citys beleaguered transit system.

Similar toll programs have long existed in other cities, including London, Stockholm, Milan and Singapore, but they have never been tried before in the U.S.

Trump, whose namesake Trump Tower penthouse and other properties are within the congestion zone, vowed to stop the toll as soon as he took office.

Duffy, in his decision to rescind federal approval, called the fee a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners.

Janno Lieber, chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that administers the toll, vowed earlier this week that the Friday deadline would come and go with no changes to tolling.

He maintained the Trump administration lacks the legal authority to revoke approvals granted under former President Joe Bidens administration.

Nothing is going to change, and we are very confident that there wont be a rollback of congestion pricing because the program stepped through every hoop on the way to getting that federal approval, Lieber said Tuesday at an unrelated event in Penn Station. It cant be unilaterally rescinded.

Hochul, meanwhile, has met privately with President Donald Trump at least twice in recent weeks to convince him to drop his opposition to the toll.

State officials have said the tolling plan is working as intended.

They say thousands of fewer vehicles are heading into central Manhattan each day, and commuters who continue to drive in are seeing shorter drive times on bridges, tunnels and busy cross streets.

The toll is also on track to generate roughly $500 million by the end of the year, allowing planned transit improvements to move forward, according to a recent MTA report.

The status quo remains, which means everyone can continue to expect less traffic, faster commutes, and safer streets in Manhattan, MTA spokesperson John McCarthy said in a statement Thursday.

(AP)
U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, at the premiers office in Jerusalem on Wednesday evening.

Since the Oct. 7 massacre, Fetterman has emerged as one of the most vocal Democratic allies of Israel, maintaining his steadfast backing even as many in his party distance themselves from the Jewish state amid its ongoing conflict with Hamas and other regional threats. His visit and warm exchange with Netanyahu underscore his commitment to standing with Israel, despite political headwinds within his party.

During the meeting, Netanyahu expressed deep appreciation for Fettermans outspoken support, particularly in defense of Israels right to self-defense and his willingness to back the countrys leadershipeven as others in Washington criticize Netanyahus hardline policies.

In a symbolic gesture, Netanyahu gifted Fetterman a silver pager, a nod to last years Israeli military operation that neutralized thousands of Hezbollah communication devices. A similar pager, though gold-plated, was previously presented to President Donald Trump during his White House visit last month.

Fetterman, in turn, presented Netanyahu with an original 1986 news article documenting the prime ministers visit to a memorial for his late brother, Yoni Netanyahu, who was killed leading the famed Entebbe rescue operation.

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(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued his most forceful warning yet to Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels, vowing their complete destruction as the U.S. military intensifies its relentless campaign against the terrorist group.

Tremendous damage has been inflicted upon the Houthi barbarians, and watch how it will get progressively worse  Its not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated! Trump declared on his Truth Social platform Wednesday.

Trumps statement was not just a message to the Houthisit was a direct warning to their powerful backer, Iran.

Iran must stop the sending of these supplies IMMEDIATELY. Let the Houthis fight it out themselves. Either way they lose, but this way they lose quickly, he wrote, responding to reports that Tehran has slightly scaled back military aid to the Houthis but continues to provide large quantities of weapons and logistical support.

His warning came as U.S. forces launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemens capital, Sanaa, and other strategic locations. According to eyewitnesses, American warplanes struck targets near Sanaas airport, as well as the northern town of Saada and the southeastern district of Al-Sawadiya.

The latest strikes are part of an ongoing U.S. offensive against the Houthis, who have repeatedly attacked commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, disrupting global trade.

On Saturday, the U.S. unleashed a series of devastating airstrikes that, according to Houthi-controlled media, killed 53 people and wounded nearly 100 others. The Pentagon has confirmed that several senior Houthi military officials were among the dead.

Washington has vowed to continue these operations until the Houthis cease their attacks on international shipping lanes.

As the U.S. ramped up its military campaign, the Houthis responded by launching a missile at Israel on Tuesdaythe first direct attack from Yemen since a ceasefire was brokered in January. The missile, intercepted by Israeli air defenses, was allegedly aimed at an airbase.

The Houthis, part of Irans so-called Axis of Resistance against the United States and Israel, have declared their attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes to be in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Their war cryDeath to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews!has become a rallying call for Iran-backed terror factions across the region.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Israel has expanded its ground operations in Gaza in recent hours and IDF forces have raided additional areas in the northern Strip, Channel 12 reported on Thursday morning.

The report comes after the IDF spokesperson announced on Wednesday that Israel has launched focused ground operations in central and southern Gaza in order to expand the security zone and create a partial buffer between the northern and southern Strip.

As part of the operation, IDF forces are re-taking control of the Netzarim Corridor, an area they withdrew from last month as part of the ceasefire agreement. The Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the width of the Gaza Strip, is considered a key military zone as it allows IDF troops to control access between the northern and southern areas of Gaza

Golani Brigade forces have also been deployed to the Southern Command, where they will be on standby to enter and operate in Gaza, the IDF spokesperson said.

IDF Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee warned Gazans on Thursday morning that IDF troops are deployed in the Netzarim Corridor area and they must strictly avoid approaching the area.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz sent Gazans a final warning in a video message, saying: The first Sinwar [Yahya] destroyed Gaza and the second Sinwar [Mohammed] will completely destroy it. The airstrikes against Hamas terrorists were just the first stage. The evacuation of the population from combat zones will begin again soon.

If all the hostages arent released and Hamas is not removed from Gaza, Israel will act with strength you havent yet seen. Take the US presidents advice  return the hostages, remove Hamas and other options will open for you  including moving to other places in the world for those interested.

The alternative is absolute destruction, Katz concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Shin Bet operatives and Northern District police officers thwarted an Israeli-Arabs plan to carry out a ramming attack on IDF soldiers.

Jihad Zariqat, a resident of Kfar Kana, an Arab town in the Galil, was arrested last month for alleged security offenses.

During his arrest, security forces found Hamas pamphlets with guidelines for carrying out terror attacks and other nationalistic materials in his possession.

An investigation revealed that Zariqat had decided to carry out a ramming attack against IDF soldiers and had even attempted to execute his plan. In April 2024, he accelerated toward a group of IDF soldiers standing at a bus station near the Golani Interchange but bchasdei Hashem was stopped by a vehicle that passed by.

An indictment will be filed against him on Thursday by the Northern District Prosecutors Office

The Shin Bet and Israel Police stated: We view the involvement of Israeli citizens in activities that endanger the security of the state and its citizens with great severity .

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Sirens sounded across central Israel and the Shefelah early Thursday afternoon after Hamas fired three rockets at Israel for the first time in months.

The IDF spokesperson said that one rocket was intercepted and two rockets fell in open areas.

A man in Givatayim was injured as he entered the bomb shelter and the door closed on his hand, severing his fingers. MDA paramedics treated him at the scene and rushed him to Sheba Hospital.

Several large pieces of shrapnel were found in Rishon LTzion. BChasdei Hashem, there were no injuries.

Following the sirens, Hamas took responsibility for the rocket fire, saying that it launched M90 rockets at Israel.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
Hamas has reportedly informed mediators that it is willing to accept any proposal for the release of Israeli hostages, provided it includes a resumption of the ceasefire, according to a report by UK-based Qatari news organization Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Thursday.

The report suggests that Hamas did not outright reject U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoffs ceasefire-hostage framework, as some had speculated, but instead conditioned its acceptance on an agreement to halt Israeli military operations. However, Witkoff reportedly declined the condition, a move that caught Hamas by surprise, according to the report.

Meanwhile, Egyptian sources cited by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said an Israeli delegation visited Cairo on Wednesday evening for a few hours, with a Hamas delegation expected to arrive later on Thursday to continue discussions. Egyptian officials have been pushing both sides toward an agreement and reportedly presented a new ceasefire proposal on Tuesday. The proposal included the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander, along with the bodies of five hostages, and embraced Witkoffs framework, which called for the release of half the remaining hostages over the coming weeks.

According to KAN News, Egypt has been working intensively to persuade Hamas to agree to the U.S.-backed framework, which aims to secure the release of a number of Israeli hostages while preventing further military escalation. However, sources involved in discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus team say that Hamas has not changed its position on negotiations with Israel, even after the renewed military escalation.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
In a fiery address to the United Nations Security Council, former Hamas hostage Eli Sharabi delivered a searing indictment of the international aid system, accusing Hamas of stealing humanitarian supplies while hostages were left to starve in captivity.

Sharabi, who survived unimaginable horrors while being held by Hamas, did not hold back. When you talk about humanitarian aid, remember that Hamas eats like kings while the hostages are starving, he told the council.

He painted a harrowing picture of systematic aid theft, noting that Hamas terrorists funneled international aidmarked with UN and UNRWA symbolsinto their tunnels, depriving both hostages and innocent civilians of desperately needed food.

I saw what happened to this aid, Sharabi said. Hamas is stealing it. Hamas terrorists brought hundreds of boxes with UN and UNRWA symbols into the tunnels, funded by your governments that feed terrorists who tortured me and murdered my family. They ate entire meals from the aid that was placed in front of us, and we never ate it.

He further slammed the UN for completely ignoring the plight of hostages: Where was the Red Cross? Where was the United Nations? he asked.

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Hamas eat like kings, while hostages starve

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(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
A United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) staffer currently hospitalized in Israel has been discovered to have prominent pro-Nazi tattoos, a source revealed to JNS.

The U.N. staffer, who was injured in a booby trap attack in Gaza, was initially treated in a Gaza hospital before being transferred to an Israeli medical facility for further care. Despite the U.N. blaming Israel for the attack, Israeli sources maintain that the IDF does not operate in that part of Gaza, and the injuries were likely caused by a Hamas-planted trap.

While receiving lifesaving treatment in an Israeli hospital, it was discovered that the staffer bore tattoos with explicit Nazi imagery. One tattoo, written in bold black German letters, reads My honor is loyaltythe notorious motto of the Waffen SS, the Nazi paramilitary unit responsible for countless war crimes and mass executions during the Holocaust. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) describes this phrase as a neo-Nazi hate slogan widely used by white supremacists worldwide.

The second tattoo is reportedly an image of an SS officer, complete with Nazi insignia, a military hat, sunglasses, and a marked collar.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, downplayed the revelations, telling JNS: Im aware of the tweet showing the tattoos. Dont know anything further, including which person is involved.

Instead of addressing the discovery of a Nazi-affiliated U.N. staffer, Haq pivoted, saying, Our focus right now is getting medical care for the wounded people.

The incident comes amid increasing scrutiny of the United Nations ties to antisemitic and anti-Israel sentiment. Hillel Neuer, executive director of U.N. Watch, described the revelation as part of a larger, systemic problem.

Sadly, this is not an isolated phenomenon, Neuer said, adding that antisemitism pervades the United Nations.

He pointed to the U.N.s ongoing decision to retain Francesca Albanese, a U.N. human rights investigator, despite public condemnation from France, Germany, Canada, and the United States for Holocaust distortion and antisemitism.

Albanese, a former UNRWA official, has previously written that America is subjugated by the Jewish lobby, a statement widely condemned as a classic antisemitic trope.

The U.N.s handling of its Gaza operations has been under intense scrutiny since Israel provided evidence that staff members from the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) directly participated in the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks. A significant number of UNRWA employees have been found to have ties to Palestinian terror organizations, leading to global funding suspensions and investigations.

According to Jewish employees within the U.N., antisemitism is not only rampant but actively encouraged within certain departments. Speaking anonymously to JNS in 2024, one Jewish U.N. worker stated, Anti-Israel propaganda is completely organized and supported at the highest level by the U.N.

Another added, Lots of people are hiding the fact that theyre Jewish. Theyre not saying theyre Jewish out of fear.

The revelation that a U.N. staffer, allegedly working to remove mines and protect civilians, was openly carrying Nazi symbols adds yet another stain to the United Nations already tarnished record.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Prudential posted a solid rise in annual profit on Thursday, bolstered by strong growth in most of its divisions, and robust demand for insurance products in Hong Kong and Singapore.

The London and Hong Kong listed insurer expects to grow new business profit and basic earnings per share, based on adjusted operating profit and operating free surplus, by more than 10 per cent this year on a constant exchange rate basis.

Prudential also estimated that dividends per share would increase by at least 10 per cent this year, after declaring a second interim cash dividend of 16.29 cents per share, and a total dividend of 23.13 cents per share for 2024.

The group posted an adjusted pre-tax operating profit of $3.13billion for the 12 months ending 31 December, representing a 10 per cent increase compared with the previous year, on a constant exchange rate basis.

Total new business profit jumped 11 per cent to $3.08billion.

The annual premium equivalent sales, a gauge of sales volume, for Hong Kong grew 5 per cent, while the Singapore segment posted a 10 per cent increase. The company registered growth in 18 of its 22 markets.

Results: Prudential posted a solid rise in annual profit on Thursday

But, it flagged a challenging macroeconomic environment in China, with a substantial reduction in long-dated government bond yields, which it expects to continue through 2025.

Chief executive Anil Wadhwani, chief executive of Prudential, highlighted growing demand for long term savings and protection products across the company's markets, and a need for wealth management and retirement planning, particularly in the higher income Asian markets.

'Insurance penetration rates in Asia are low. We have seen good progress in 2024 with improved cash signatures for new business, growth in the number of active agents in the second half (of the year), and actions undertaken to improve our variances,' Wadhwani said.

Analysts at Jefferies, said: 'In our view, the most important development is that Prudential is guiding to more than 10 per cent growth in 2025 for all key metrics.'

Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said: 'Prudential has a new strategy and fresh purpose, and the early signs of this renewed focus are extremely encouraging.

'The improving fortunes of the Chinese economy and indeed the Hong Kong market have propelled the shares higher by 21 per cent so far this year.

'Over the last year, progress has been more pedestrian, with a gain of 4 per cent comparing to a spike of 12.5 per cent for the wider FTSE 100.

'For investors, however, it seems that there is still much to go for. A share price decline of 28 per cent over the last three years leaves the stock on a modest valuation by historic standards, let alone the potential and significant promise of both Asia and Africa. As such, the market consensus of Prudential not only as a buy, but also as a core portfolio constituent, is likely to continue.'
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The Trump administration is evaluating plans for the Pentagon to take control of a buffer zone along a sprawling stretch of the southern border and empower active-duty U.S. troops to temporarily hold migrants who cross into the United States illegally, according to five U.S. officials familiar with the deliberations.

Those discussions have been underway for weeks, and they center, in part, on a section of border in New Mexico, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to disclose details of the plan. In effect, the move would turn the buffer zone into an expansive satellite military installation, potentially allowing a greater portion of the Defense Department's mammoth budget to pay for President Donald Trump's border crackdown while creating new legal jeopardy for those caught trying to slip into the country from Mexico, these people said.

The effort would enable the most significant use yet of active-duty forces at the border under Trump, though any move to militarize the southern border's buffer zone is certain to raise questions about whether employing the military in this way runs afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law that prohibits active-duty troops from most law enforcement missions. To date, the Trump administration has addressed such legal considerations by having Customs and Border Protection or Immigration and Customs Enforcement detain people and move them once in custody, including on U.S. military flights involved in its deportation efforts.

If the plan is approved, and administration officials deem it successful, the military-controlled buffer zone, measuring 60 feet deep, eventually could stretch west to California, officials said.

As part of the effort, senior Pentagon officials have asked military officers to examine whether any legal complications could arise from having U.S. troops temporarily hold those crossing illegally when CBP agents are not immediately available to arrest them, officials said. By militarizing the buffer zone, the theory goes, any migrant apprehensions made by service members would be tantamount to catching trespassers on a military base: The troops involved would simply hold them until law enforcement arrives.

"It's very, very careful on that wording," said one defense official familiar with the discussion. "It's not 'detention' because once you go into detention it has the connotations of being detained for arrest. This is holding for civilian law enforcement."

The White House has been involved in the discussion for some time, said a senior administration official and a second defense official. The senior administration official said it is not yet clear if Trump will approve the plan but that officials see value in establishing a national defense zone at the border that could come with enhanced penalties for migrants crossing illegally, including accelerated deportation.

Spokespeople for the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and the White House National Security Council did not respond to several requests for comment.

Trump's defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, has enthusiastically supported other efforts to employ the military at the southern border, a mission he views as essential to U.S. national security. "We have defended other places and other spaces," Hegseth said in February during an initial trip to the border as Pentagon chief. "We will defend this line."

Since returning to office, Trump has doubled down on his aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, ramping up arrests and deportations and clashing with federal judges evaluating the constitutionality of his directives.

He has ordered active-duty troops and a broad array of weapons and technology to the southern border, and on Saturday, officials dispatched a Navy destroyer, the USS Gravely, to join the mission at sea. Trump also has sought to expand use of military facilities, including the infamous detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for holding undocumented immigrants facing deportation.

As of Monday, more than 10,000 active-duty service members are involved in border security efforts, U.S. military officials said in a statement. At the same time, illegal crossings documented by CBP have plummeted, from 124,522 in December under President Joe Biden to 28,654 in February.

Trump administration officials have said they want 100 percent control of America's borders and to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.

The plan under consideration involves a 60-foot-wide strip of the southern U.S. border that lies within the Roosevelt Reservation, federal land that President Theodore Roosevelt set aside for border security in 1907. It extends from New Mexico to California. Typically, the land is controlled by the Interior Department, though jurisdiction for parts of it have been temporarily transferred to the Pentagon in the past, including during the first Trump administration, to facilitate border wall construction.

U.S. law allows the federal government to transfer up to 5,000 acres at a time to the Defense Department without congressional approval. The full length of New Mexico's border with Mexico is about 180 miles. It was not immediately clear if the administration intends to militarize all of it.

The issue is being handled differently in Texas, where the federal government owns less land at the border and National Guard troops deployed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) have had a role detaining border crossers. National Guard members are trained for a variety of domestic missions, including law enforcement, while active-duty forces generally are not.

In recent days, the Defense Department has expanded its presence along the southern border, establishing a joint task force with the 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum in New York overseeing the mission from a headquarters at Fort Huachuca in southeastern Arizona. If the buffer zone plan is approved, the strip of land would probably become a temporary annex of an existing military installation, probably Huachuca, officials said.

Among the most significant deployments approved thus far are the roughly 2,400 soldiers from the Army's 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, from Fort Carson in Colorado. Soldiers from the unit are now at Fort Huachuca and Fort Bliss, an Army installation in El Paso, near the New Mexico border, according to defense officials and photos released by the Pentagon.

As first reported by The Washington Post this month, their deployment is expected to include 20-ton armored Stryker combat vehicles. Pentagon officials have scrutinized several related issues in recent weeks, including whether the Strykers can maneuver effectively in the 60-foot strip of buffer zone, and if they can drive on nearby roads without damaging them, defense officials said.

It remains unclear when or how the Strykers will be used. While they can carry up to 11 soldiers at a time and possess long-range sensors and optics that defense officials consider useful in detection efforts, similar technology exists that could be deployed more affordably, defense officials said.
KUNMING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on southwest China's Yunnan Province to break new ground for its development in the pursuit of Chinese modernization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour in the province on Wednesday and Thursday. 
Rathbones has named former Man Group president Jonathan Sorrell as its next chief executive as it announced Paul Stockton will retire after 16 years with the wealth manager.

Stockton, who was appointed CEO in 2019, will step down in September but will be available for handover support until the end of the year.

The wealth manager's funds under management and administration swelled from 9billion to 109billion under the leadership of Stockton, who oversaw Rathbones' 2023 acquisition of Investec Wealth & Investment.

Stockton previously served as managing director of Rathbones Investment Management and as group finance director from 2008, following a career that included roles at PwC, Old Mutual and Phoenix Group.

Chair Clive Bannister said Stockton's 'outstanding contribution' to the group had helped make Rathbones 'the leader in Wealth Management across the UK'.

He added: 'Paul has navigated successfully significant geopolitical changes, challenges in the regulatory and market environments and has steered the group into a position of strength, from which it can continue to develop.'

Stockton, who will retire alongside his 60th birthday, said: 'We have laid strong foundations to support the next phase of growth for the group.'

Stepping down: Paul Stockton has retired after 16 years with Rathbones

His replacement joins from derivatives firm Capstone Investment Advisors, where he has been president since January 2020.

Prior to this, Sorrell was chief financial officer and then president of FTSE 250-listed Man Group.

Bannister said Sorrell brings a 'formidable leadership track record at the most senior level of the broader investment and asset management industry, working across complex global organisations'.

He added: 'In an excellent field of potential candidates, his investment background and experience combined with his energy, ambition and a clarity of strategic thinking stood out to the board.'

Sorrell said he had a 'great sense of responsibility to ensure Rathbones continues to succeed and deliver for our clients and, as a result, for our people and shareholders'.

The market response was muted, with Rathbones shares trading 0.3 per cent higher at 1,632p by late morning on Thursday.

Shares are up 9.3 per cent over the last 12 months and almost 27 per cent over the last five years.

Shore Capital analyst Vivek Raja wrote in a recent note that Rathbones shares continue to trade 'at a historically depressed valuation'.

He added: 'This reflects some reservation around when net flows will recover and the integration of Investec W&I, in our view.

'If gross inflows continue to hold up, recovery in net flows will partially reflect moderation in gross outflows, which is largely a function of macro.

'Uncertainty relating to IW&I should crystalise by end-H1F when client migration is scheduled to have completed. Meanwhile, RAT has extracted deal synergies ahead of schedule.'
KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's Cabinet has agreed to terms and conditions of the service agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search for the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said here on Wednesday.

Loke said the ministry is set to sign the agreement with the marine robotics company on behalf of the government, according to the Malaysian national news agency Bernama.

The search will cover a 15,000-square-km area in the southern Indian Ocean, under a "no find, no fee" agreement, and the company will receive 70 million U.S. dollars if the wreckage is found.

The disappearance of MH370 was a tragic incident that occurred on March 8, 2014, when the plane, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, China, vanished from radar screens with all 239 people on board. 
An Jong Euk gives a free haircut to a senior customer at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk gives a haircut to a customer while his wife Shi Jifang serves tea to a waiting senior customer at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

Shi Jifang welcomes a customer at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk (L) purchases vegetables at a grocery shop in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 18, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk (1st R) and an intern give a haircut to a customer at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 15, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk (L) gives a haircut to a customer while an intern observes on the side at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 15, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk gives a haircut to a customer at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 15, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk plays the ocarina in between work at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk communicates with a customer about her hair styling needs at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 15, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk chats with staff members at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 15, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk takes a family photo with his wife Shi Jifang and their youngest son at home in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 18, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

A senior customer expresses gratitude to hairdresser An Jong Euk after receiving a free haircut at a hair salon in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 17, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk (R) invites his neighbor to visit his home in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 18, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

An Jong Euk (L) embraces his neighbor in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 18, 2025. Hairdresser An Jong Euk is from Suwon, South Korea, and has been working and living in Xinjiang for more than 20 years. He first worked in a Korean hair salon in Urumqi, where he met his wife Shi Jifang, a colleague at that time. Later, the two of them seized the market opportunity and opened their own hair salon. The hairdresser's business expanded from a small hairdressing store to two large high-end salons in Urumqi's central business district and his hard work of bringing beauty to local residents has won him respect in his community. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
ULAN BATOR, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring on Thursday issued a warning of spring floods.

"Due to the rising temperatures tomorrow and the day after tomorrow in most areas of Mongolia, the snow cover will melt intensively, increasing the risk for flash floods," the agency said in a statement.

In this regard, Mongolia's National Emergency Management Agency has warned residents of Ulan Bator and 21 provinces, including nomadic herders, who are living along rivers and lakes, to take extra precautions against possible disasters. 
MOSCOW, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The next round of Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine will be held on Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Thursday.

The Russian delegation will be led by Grigory Karasin, chairman of the committee on international affairs in Russia's upper house, and Sergey Beseda, adviser to the head of Russia's Federal Security Service, Ushakov said.

Ushakov said he had a phone call with U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz on Wednesday, during which they discussed organizing a meeting of expert groups, mainly to explore the prospects for possible implementation of the Black Sea initiative.

The Kremlin said Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to begin talks to further work out specific details of an agreement regarding the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. 
Irish premier Micheal Martin has strongly condemned the latest Israeli strikes on Gaza, describing them as the collective punishment of Palestinians.

He said the deploring and shocking bombings have led to the deaths of so many innocent people.

The Fianna Fail leader is in Brussels for an EU summit with his European counterparts.

Asked about the latest strikes which hit multiple homes overnight, killing men, women and children as they slept, he said: These statements yesterday from Israeli leaders, particularly in terms of (defence) Minister (Israel) Katz, seemed to me to amount to collective punishment of the Palestinians within Gaza. Its quite shocking.

It needs to stop, and Europe needs to say stop to the killing and to the slaughter thats going on in Gaza at the moment.

We do also need a release of all hostages, and we need to move very quickly to phase two of the ceasefire which was originally agreed and which should be complied with.

But what has to happen now, I think, is that as much pressure as possible from the European Union, US and others, is to say to Israel to stop this bombing.

There was no warning. Many, many people that come back after the ceasefire to their homes in the expectation that they were going to experience some degree of peace and harmony, and that has been shattered by what appears to be very indiscriminate bombing of Palestinian homes and families.

Mr Martin said while the Government has agreed to progress the Occupied Territories Bill, it will not impact on the immediate decisions of the Israeli government.

The Bill, first introduced to the Irish parliament in 2018, would ban the trade of goods and services with all illegally occupied territories, including illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land.

The Government had committed to enacting the Bill after the UNs top court issued an advisory opinion last July that said countries should act to prevent trade or investments which maintain illegal Israeli settlements.

Earlier this year, Mr Martin suggested the Bill would be replaced with fresh legislation and said a full debate in the Dail was needed.

Asked whether the latest attacks on Gaza has renewed pressure on the Government to bring forward its alternative Bill, Mr Martin added: The Government has agreed to progress it. One way or the other I dont think its going to impact on the immediate decisions of the Israeli government in respect of Gaza. I think that needs to be said.

One way or the other, the Occupied Territories Bill isnt going to change that.

But I think the Minister of Foreign Affairs is progressing it. A lot of the amendments have been worked on by the officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs.

It obviously wont be before this session will end, but hopefully in the next session.
A paedophile and monster who sexually abused his daughter and his sister-in-law has been jailed for a total of nine years at Limerick Criminal Circuit Court this Thursday.

Judge Sinead McMullan, presiding, said the court had heard very eloquent and distressing evidence from both victims in their victim impact statements.

"It is undoubtedly the case that these little girls, as they were at the time, were subjected to huge suffering. This court hopes the strength and resilience they have shown in making the victim impact statements will help them to begin to heal into the future," said Judge McMullan.

The accused - Christopher OMahony, aged 67, of Kerrykyle, Ardagh, County Limerick had pleaded guilty to 11 sample indecent assaults on his sister-in-law, and seven sample counts of sexual assault on his daughter. There were a total of 54 counts on the indictment.

Las Friday, the court heard of his controlling, manipulative and mental abuse including rationing toilet paper - one sheet for when his daughters were urinating and two sheets for when they were going to the toilet properly.

The emergence of the sexual abuse has caused civil war and complete fracture within the family.

Judge McMullan said the court hopes the rift may heal in time.

The judge imposed a total jail sentence of nine years on Mr O'Mahony who showed no emotion when the judge delivered her verdict.

OMahony can be named after his daughter Emma OShaughnessy, now aged 42, and sister-in-law Helen Costelloe, now aged 51, waived their anonymity.

Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State solicitor Brendan Gill, outlined the evidence last Friday with the assistance of Detective Garda James Muldowney, of the Limerick Divisional Protective Services Unit.

Ms Buckley said OMahony entered Ms Costelloes life after he married her sister and came to live in the family home in Ballyhahill while he built a house in Ardagh.

There is a 12-year age gap between Ms Costelloe and her sister who married OMahony.

Ms Buckley said the abuse started in 1983 when Ms Costelloe was nine and continued until 1989 when she was 15. OMahony told Ms Costelloe, This would be our secret and Youre my girl.

Ms Costelloe called a family meeting in July 2021 after telling a number of family members of the sexual abuse.

Her niece Ms OShaughnessy was at the meeting and obviously became aware that her auntie had been abused by her father (OMahony). Ms OShaughnessy announced at this meeting that she too had been abused as a child by her father.

READ MORE: 'My innocence as a child was robbed': Sister-in-law of Limerick 'paedophile'

Despite all the evidence emerging from the two victims, some members of the family struggled to accept the truth, said Ms Buckley.

Det Garda Muldowney said there is a split in the family.

There must be some hope that the truth acknowledged by the accused will help other family members see that truth and the terrible abuse perpetrated on their family members, said Ms Buckley.

The prosecuting barrister then outlined the physical, mental and sexual abuse suffered by OMahonys daughter Ms OShaughnessy which began in 1993 when she was 10 and ended in 1996 when she was 13.

READ MORE: Instead of trying to be a parent to me, he became a monster: Daughter of Limerick 'monster'

Ms Buckley said Ms OShaughnessy had a rash on her back, with her father saying it was a holy show and began acting as her physician. He used this as an excuse to bring her into the bathroom and sexually assault her.

Both Ms Costelloe and Ms OShaughnessy read out their own victim impact statements, while their abuser sat emotionless a few feet away.

OMahony handed himself into Henry Street garda station three days after the family meeting and the investigation commenced.

He now begins a nine-year sentence and is placed on the sex offenders register.
Perspective from the top lawman in the Sunflower State and then a report that offers an overview of the sitch . . . Here's the word . . .



Kobach issues statement on Kansas House passing judicial selection reform constitutional amendment



Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach issued the following statement upon the adoption by the Kansas House of a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to directly elect Kansas Supreme Court Justices:



Today marks an historic turning point in Kansas. Voters will now get to decide whether to reclaim the right to vote for justices, which they enjoyed from statehood until 1958. Polling shows that Kansans overwhelmingly prefer voting on Supreme Court Justices to the status quo. Seventy-four percent support the direct election of Supreme Court Justices, while only 20% like the current attorney-controlled system.



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Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
KUNMING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, visited the Old Town of Lijiang in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Wednesday afternoon, stressing the sustainable and healthy development of the cultural and tourism industry. 
A trend we really need to stop before the Summer . . . This is likely the 8th deadly domestic violence report so far this year . . . Here's the news the KCPD is sharing with the media early this morning:



Homicide 600 block of E Minor Dr.



Tonight about 11:30 pm officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 600 block of E Minor Dr. on a disturbance call.



On arrival officers were directed to an apartment unit where they located two adult females inside with unknown injuries. One of the females was alert and talking with what appeared to be minor injuries and another female was unresponsive with significant injuries.



Based on preliminary information obtained by the initial responding officers, additional responding officers were able to locate an adult male subject of interest and take him into custody, for further investigation, a short distance away within the apartment complex.



Initial officers rendered aid to the injured victims and called for EMS. EMS responded and transported both the victims to the hospital for treatment. The female victim with significant injuries was declared deceased at the hospital. The second female is being treated for what is believed to be non life threatening injuries.



Based on preliminary information it is believed the male subject of interest is known to the injured females.



Detectives are not searching for any additional suspects in this incident.



Homicide detectives are canvassing the area around the apartment for any witnesses and crime scene investigators are processing the scene for any evidence.



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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Developing . . .
For local denizens of the discourse on this cold & rainy night at the conclusion of winter we take one more look at police action, suspected misdeeds, court cases and community outreach.

Check TKC news gathering . . .

Residents express concerns after double homicide in Hyde Park neighborhood An investigation is underway after two men were found shot in the street.

Missouri Highway Patrol searching for missing boater at Truman Lake The Missouri Highway Patrol is searching for a missing boater in Benton County, Missouri.

Wyandotte County man charged in 2 rape cases could spend life behind bars A Wyandotte County man accused of raping a woman in September 2020 is charged four-and-a-half years later in Jackson County Court. If convicted, he could receive a life sentence.

Leavenworth man posed as Walmart employee, raped woman in back of store, court documents say Prosecutors charged a Leavenworth, Kansas, man with multiple felonies after he was accused of raping a woman.

Underage Girl's Dad Allegedly Gave Condoms to Man, 31, Who Moved into Teen's Bedroom After Meeting on Discord: Police Fredrick Clay Copping and Travis Kalchbrenner are facing several sex crime charges after Copping's daughter was allegedly sexually abused by Kalchbrenner, police say.

Social Services visited home multiple times before Independence mother, baby shot by police Records obtained exclusively by KSHB 41 News show police visited the Independence apartment of Maria Pike 13 times in the two years before she and her daughter Destinii were shot and killed by police.

Mom killed by KC-area police was shot in the back holding her baby, unedited video shows The Star received a recording of a meeting between Jackson County prosecutors and loved ones of a mother and baby killed by Independence police in November. Mother had moved toward officers with a previously-concealed butcher knife.

Grandview man sentenced to 20 years in prison for 2023 hammer attack A Grandview man has entered a guilty plea and been sentenced to prison after he attacked three people with a hammer and injured a teenager in May 2023

Mexican national previously deported 7 times and living in KC sentenced for firearm possession Mario Alberto Hernandez-Lugo was sentenced to six years in federal prison without parole.

ICE: Individuals arrested in Liberty Mexican restaurant raid placed into deportation proceedings After the raid, twelve people were taken into custody.

Police ask for information after Prairie Village grocery store, pharmacy burglarized Anyone with information has been asked to contact the Prairie Village Police Department at (913) 642-5151 or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-8477.

Missing teen with autism found safe after volunteers, homeless woman help Since Monday, 14-year-old son Christian Newton, who has autism, had been missing. He was found with the help of volunteers and a homeless woman.

Developing . . .
The conservative Missouri leader is doing his best to back MAGA in recent legal fights with the judiciary.

Here's the start of his argument and a link to a report that does a good job of explaining the legal fight required to implement Prez Trump's agenda . . . Check-it:



Republican U.S. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri on Wednesday urged Congress to stifle a power held by federal judges.



"Congress needs to roll back the nationwide injunction. These district court judges are out of control," Hawley wrote on X.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
BAGHDAD, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed and two others wounded on Wednesday in a clash with Iraqi forces in the central province of Salahuddin, the Iraqi military said.

Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi forces ambushed four IS militants in the rugged Balkana area in the northeastern part of the province and clashed with them, said the Iraqi Joint Operations Command's Security Media Cell in a statement late Wednesday night.

One of the killed militants was a suicide bomber wearing an explosive belt, while the two wounded fled the scene, the statement said.

The Iraqi forces, backed by military intelligence drones, then conducted a combing operation to track down the fleeing militants, it added.

While Iraq declared victory over the IS in 2017, remnants of the terrorist group continue to carry out attacks against security forces and civilians in urban areas, deserts and remote regions. 
03/19/2025

Media Contacts: David Joyner, senior director, communications and digital media and Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations.

LOWELL, Mass.  The University of Massachusetts Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) will establish joint education, research and career-connected opportunities to benefit students, faculty and other stakeholders at both institutions, under an agreement announced Monday.

The partnership will unite leaders in science, industry and government in the creation of new dual degree, research and exchange programs, along with paid internships and co-op opportunities for students. Key initiatives include research focused on water, energy and sustainability; AI and advanced technology through FGCUs Dendritic Institute; and work that promotes the clinical care of veterans, accelerates the growth of veterans support programs and facilitates these individuals entry into the civilian workforce.

UMass Lowell is excited to establish collaborative research and innovation teams with Florida Gulf Coast University to create new knowledge, solve challenges and foster opportunities for both institutions, our students and our communities, said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. Great things happen when leaders in education, government and industry come together for the benefit of all.

Inaugural collaborators under the agreement include UMass Lowells Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy and The Water School and U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering at FGCU, along with environmental engineering firm Weston & Sampson and Home Base, a national nonprofit agency that provides support services for veterans and their families. Weston & Sampson has a location on UMass Lowells campus in Massachusetts and in Fort Myers, Florida, home of FGCU. Home Base has locations on both universities campuses.

This significant partnership with UMass Lowell will pave the way for a variety of joint initiatives in education, research and student experiences. This collaboration aligns seamlessly with Florida Gulf Coast Universitys mission and strategic plan, offering valuable opportunities to our faculty, staff and the entire FGCU community, said Huzefa Kagdi, Ph.D., the dean of the U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering at FGCU. Together, we will strengthen our existing capabilities and explore new avenues to drive innovation and economic growth in our region. We look forward to embarking on this exciting journey.

The partnership will strengthen ties between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Florida, as the two states work toward common goals of building environmental resiliency and improving the quality of life, while educating the next generation of innovators, said University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan.

This partnership between UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University demonstrates how universities can effectively collaborate across state lines to address critical societal challenges, said Meehan. By combining resources and expertise, we are accelerating our shared efforts in both sustainability and veterans support, creating meaningful opportunities for our students, advancing groundbreaking research, and making greater contributions to the communities we serve.

Facilitating the agreement between the universities was UMass Lowell graduate Brian Rist 77, 22, 22 (H), the namesake of the universitys Rist Institute and the founder and former president of Storm Smart Industries of Fort Myers, a front-runner in the development of outdoor building protection products to guard against hurricane damage.

It is wonderful to see these outstanding universities come together through this collaboration. As a first-generation college student in Lowell in the 70s, I saw first-hand the transformative impact that higher education can have. Thats why I am so happy to support both UMass Lowell and Florida Gulf Coast University today  major economic engines in Massachusetts and Southwest Florida, Rist said. With a focus on sustainability and business innovation in partnership with industry and government, this collaboration will lead to great things. The fact that both universities are also collaborating with Home Base in support of our nations incredible veterans and their families means so much to my family, and families across our country. I couldnt be prouder.

Under the agreement, the universities will seek research and career opportunities for students to develop sustainable materials and chemicals that dont harm water resources  an initiative already underway at UMass Lowell. The partnership will also call upon the expertise of engineers at Weston & Sampson, who are conducting water and resiliency work in the state of Florida, notably for communities adjacent to the FGCU campus.

UMass Lowell and FGCU will also join forces to improve the lives of veterans and their families assisted by Home Base. The agency works to heal the hidden wounds of combat through clinical care, wellness, education and research, at no cost to veterans.

Under the agreement, the collaborators will pursue research that supports veterans clinical care, physical rehabilitation, cognitive well-being and overall health, while developing career opportunities with Home Base for UMass Lowell and FGCU students.

The universities will also leverage their expertise and relationships with public and private industry to bring innovations in veterans care from the drawing board to the marketplace.
03/20/2025

Media Contacts: David Joyner, senior director, communications and digital media (email: David_Joyner@uml.edu) and Nancy Cicco, assistant director of media relations (email: Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu).

LOWELL, Mass.  UMass Lowell is the top public research university in the state for students seeking a strong return on their investment (ROI) after graduation, according to a 2025 Georgetown University study.

New college ROI rankings from Georgetowns Center on Education and the Workforce show UMass Lowell holds the No. 1 spot as a public research university in Massachusetts for return on investment to bachelors degree recipients 10, 15 and 20 years into their careers. Using 2021-22 data from the U.S. Department of Educations College Scorecard, the study evaluated ROI for graduates at 4,600 colleges and universities across the country.

Ten years after graduation, the return on a UMass Lowell education is $226,000; at 15 years, $568,000; and at 20 years, $910,000. At 30 years, a graduates ROI surpasses $1 million ($1,595,000), according to the report.

These results confirm what we already know: UMass Lowell offers exceptional value to students seeking a world-class education paired with career-connected experiences that will prepare them for career success, said Chancellor Julie Chen.

The news comes as UMass Lowell achieves Research 1 status, a prestigious designation that identifies the top U.S. research institutions. Only 7% of four-year universities are designated R1 by the Carnegie Foundation for Teaching and the American Council on Education. The university has pursued research growth through projects with defense, commercial and other academic partners.

As an R1 institution, UMass Lowell is in a position to provide even more opportunities to our students and faculty through important research and scholarship in many different fields, said Chen. Whats more, the value and opportunities created by a UMass Lowell education will continue to expand with the development of the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor, which envisions a vibrant, live-work-learn-play district in the city of Lowell that is also a center of research and scientific discovery for the region.

The Georgetown center conducts research that seeks to align education and training with workforce and labor-market demand. For its annual ROI analysis, the center considers the median earnings of students six, eight, and 10 years after they enroll at a college or university; the average net price of a university; and the predominant credential awarded at the institution. ROI figures in the study reflect cumulative earnings minus total out-of-pocket costs, based on the average net price of the institution per student, according to the report.
Welcome Guest! You are here: Home

Launched: Dehydrating Book You Read Only When Watered

Water For People, a not-for-profit organisation, has unveiled a book that you can read only when it is watered

Thursday March 20, 2025 7:40 PM , ummid.com News Network

Denver: Water For People, a not-for-profit organisation, has unveiled a book that you can read only when it is watered.

A first of its kind, the Dehydrating Book, has been launched ahead of World Water Day to highlight the devastating effects of the water crisis in Latin America and its direct impact on education and opportunity.

"Months of research, development, and testing have resulted in an innovative storytelling medium that makes the urgency of water scarcity a tangible experience", Water for Peple said.

The Special Ink Used

Just like children, The Dehydrating Book needs water to function. Created using special hydrochromic ink, the book's pages come alive only when water is present. As the pages dehydrate, the story completely disappears.

"It serves as a powerful reminder that access to water means access to education, opportunity, and a brighter future", the NGO said.

The book's main character is Lupita, a thirsty hummingbird who embarks on a quest through the landscapes of Peru in search of water for herself and her friends.

Her journey mirrors the struggle of 1 in 6 children living in water-scarce areas in Latin America and the 447 million children worldwide who lack basic drinking water services at their school.

"Symbolic of Current Realities"

"The Dehydrating Book is symbolic of the current realities and obstacles many communities in Latin America face," says Mark Duey, Water For People's Chief Executive Officer.

"A lack of safe water for students leads to illness, absenteeism, decreased cognitive performance, and low concentration  barriers that prevent children from learning and reaching their full potential", he added.

Water For People Peru Country Director, Gisela Murrugarra, said it is the responsibility of everyone of us to ensure the next generations have access to safe water.

"Each of us, regardless of where we are, whether it's the smallest, furthest village in Peru or the wealthiest neighborhood in Manhattan, has a role to play when it comes to water", she said.

Water For People worked directly with students from Palmira, a village in Peru's Cascas Valley, to develop the story that seamlessly weaves their firsthand experiences into a compelling narrative.

The organisation has worked in Peru since 2008, implementing its Everyone Forever model to ensure lasting water and sanitation access for every family, school, and health clinic.

Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates.

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BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press briefing on Thursday that Canada should respect the spirit of the rule of law and stop interfering in China's judiciary sovereignty.

Mao made the remarks in response to a media query on Canada's condemnation over China for executing Canadian citizens on drug-related charges.

Mao said combating drug-related crimes is the responsibility of all countries, and China is a country that upholds the rule of law. The law treats everyone the same regardless of nationality, she said, adding that the Chinese judicial authorities handle those cases justly in strict accordance with the law, and the lawful rights of the defendants and the consular rights of the Canadian side are fully protected as stipulated by the law. 
Villagers make sticky rice and grilled pork for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a night view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows Lusheng, a traditional musical instrument, at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers walk outside the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A visitor uses a camera at the Dong culture exhibition center in the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Visitors take photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers make embroideries in front of a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Tourists pose for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sit around a firepit at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A villager makes embroideries at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A tourist poses for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A villager dries traditional Dong cloth at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)
By Lauren Beavis

Scientists are taking an urgent trip to Mount Everest to explore why the ice of one of the mountains most iconic glaciers is so close to melting.

If the researchers acquire the data they hope to they say it will be "the first of its kind".

The team of researchers will begin their expedition in the Western Cwm, in Nepal - where they believe intense radiation from the sun is melting the snow, despite air temperatures being below freezing.

As the water formed by the melting of snow (meltwater) refreezes, it can warm the snow by several degrees - creating glacier ice that is much closer to the melting point than has previously been realized.

If the researchers are correct in their theory, this process might also be occurring on other glaciers across the Himalaya - the meltwater from which sustains many millions of people below.

Leader of the team, Professor Duncan Quincey, from the School of Geography at Leeds University, said: This trip will be the most physically and logistically demanding expedition I've ever been part of, and the unknowns are plentiful - we're worried about whether our equipment will work at such high elevations, and if it does work whether we will be able to collect and export our data effectively.

Although we have worked at and around base camp on half a dozen occasions previously, this is the first time we have continued up-glacier and above the icefall.

"This means we're exploring new ground, and only a handful of scientists have walked this path before us.

"If we manage to capture any data, then they will be genuinely the first of their kind.

The new project follows previous findings by the researchers which showed that the temperature of the ice in the lower parts of Khumbu Glacier, in Nepal, is warmer than would be expected given the local air temperature.

Glaciers in the highest mountains of the planet are an extremely important source of water, with millions of people - including many in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan - depending on Himalayan runoff.

Changes in the rate of glacier thawing would threaten this water supply, which is routinely used for irrigation, sanitation and hydropower purposes, particularly in the mountain foothills.

During the expedition, the team of researchers, from the University of Leeds and Aberystwyth University, will be operating at over six kilometers above sea level and half a kilometer above Everest Base Camp - where they will drill into the glacier and use the boreholes to record ice temperatures.

They will have to negotiate the infamous Khumbu Icefall - regarded as one of the most demanding sections of the South Col route to Everest's summit - while their equipment is transported by helicopter.

Once settled on the glacier, the team will be camping on ice with nighttime temperatures dipping below -10 degrees Celsius.

The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers Preservation to raise awareness about the vital role glaciers, snow, and ice play in the climate system and water cycle, as well as the far-reaching impacts of rapid glacial melt.

Today UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) will begin celebrations of the very first World Day for Glaciers.

The day will be marked annually on March 21.

The Everest researchers hope their work will give them a new understanding of processes and changes that are relevant for all glaciers in similar settings world-wide and indicate the extent to which other glaciers within the Himalayas may also contain unexpectedly warm ice.

Professor Bryn Hubbard from Aberystwyth Universitys Department of Geography and Earth Sciences said: It may surprise many that snow could be melting at sub-freezing air temperatures high up within Everests Western Cwm, but the possibility needs to be investigated and measured.

"These temperature measurements will improve computer models that are used to predict future changes in glacier extent and water supply - particularly important in this heavily populated and water-stressed region.

For this project, we will build on Aberystwyth Universitys expertise in borehole drilling and sensor development to record ice temperatures deeper into the ice and at higher elevations than ever before attempted.

"Since, at these elevations, we can no longer rely on power from combustion motors, we plan to use energy from solar, battery and propane to drill boreholes some tens of metres into the ice.

"We also plan to use satellites to send real-time data back from the Western Cwm directly to our computers in the UK, reducing the number of future trips required to download and service the equipment.

One of the worlds leading high-altitude climbers and alumnus of the University of Leeds, Kenton Cool, will be on Everest at the same time as the research team as he embarks on his nineteenth ascent of the mountain.

Kenton explained: This expedition to Everest is arguably the most important scientific expedition to the mountain for nearly 20 years.

"Not only will the team be battling the rigours of high altitude and the dangers of the mountain, but they will be conducting groundbreaking glacial science at over 6400m, findings from which will potentially impact millions of people, he said.

Being a Leeds Alum myself Im proud to be associated with this expedition to a mountain that holds a very special place in my heart.

"I look forward to not only spending time with the team in Nepal but also to learn about the importance of their research.

I wish Professor Quincey and his whole team the very best in the last few weeks before their departure.

The project is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and is a collaboration between academics from the University of Leeds, Aberystwyth University, University of Bergen (Norway) and Uppsala University (Sweden).
Photo: Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images

Ted Sarandos is ride or die for Meghan Markle, fiscally and brand synergistically. In an interview with Variety, the Netflix CEO said both she and Prince Harry are overly dismissed by the general public. (And dont get him started on the Royal Rota.) I think Meghan is underestimated in terms of her influence on culture, he said. When we dropped the trailer for the Harry & Meghan doc series, everything on-screen was dissected in the press for days. And that dissection moved product: The shoes she was wearing sold out all over the world. The Hermes blanket that was on the chair behind her sold out everywhere in the world. People are fascinated with Meghan Markle. She and Harry are overly dismissed. Hence With Love, Meghan getting a season 2.

Netflix is so into Meghan Markle, that the streamer is now a passive partner in her business, As Ever. This is her brand of jam, tea, and baking goods, about which one can read on Tudum. Sarandos sees As Ever as just one branding opportunity for Netflix, who wants to invade our non-TV times as frequently as possible. Were going to be much more part of our fans lives than going into Disneyland once every couple of years, he said. And Im not shitting on Disneyland. And if youre going Wait, I thought Meghan Markles lifestyle brand thing was called something like American Appletown, yeah. It was. American Riviera Orchard is dead, long live As Ever.
NAIROBI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology giant Huawei announced on Thursday that it will be at the forefront of empowering the next generation of Kenya's digital workforce through training, mentorship, and apprenticeship.

Speaking at a premier career and networking event convened by Safaricom, one of the largest telecommunications companies in East Africa, Michael Kamau, head of Huawei ICT Academy, said nurturing young talent will be key to sustaining the growth of Kenya's digital economy.

Kamau said the firm is committed to training local youth to pursue careers in the digital space, which promises decent incomes.

According to Kamau, flagship initiatives like Huawei ICT Competition and Seeds for the Future have provided Kenyan youth with a platform to upgrade their digital skills, while exposing them to cutting-edge technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and networking.

He emphasized the need for the youth to engage with ICT industry players while in college, and tap into sponsored training programs that would prepare them for the evolving job market.

"Some of the best professionals in the job market today began networking with technology companies before graduating. This exposure is critical to success," Kamau said.

The annual career and networking event dubbed "Safaricom Decode" seeks to empower local youth, connecting them with industry leaders, providing mentorship, and offering insights into emerging trends in the digital economy. 
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The Social Security numbers and other private information of more than 200 former congressional staffers and others were made public Tuesday in the unredacted files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, according to a review by The Washington Post.

"It's absolutely outrageous. It's sloppy, unprofessional," said former Trump campaign lawyer Joseph diGenova, 80, whose private information was included in the release.

"It not only means identity theft, but I've had threats against me," said diGenova - a fixture in Republican and Washington legal circles who has fiercely defended President Donald Trump and has pounced on Trump's critics on cable news. "In the past, I've had to report real threats against me to the FBI. There are dangerous nuts out there."

More than 60,000 pages related to the 1963 assassination were released this week by the Trump administration. Many of the pages had been previously disclosed, but with redactions. Many, but not all, redactions have been removed. The records have been posted to the National Archives webpage under the headline "JFK Assassination Records - 2025 Documents Release."

The Post, in its review of the previously redacted material, discovered the Social Security numbers, birthplaces and birth dates of more than 100 staff members of the Senate Church Committee, established in 1975 to investigate abuses by America's intelligence agencies and government. The Post also discovered more than 100 Social Security numbers of staff members of the House Select Committee on Assassinations, which investigated the killing of Kennedy. Many of the individuals are still alive.

The Department of Justice had no comment Wednesday evening. The National Archives did not respond to a request for comment.

The release of the information raises legal questions under the Privacy Act of 1974, according to experts.

"Social Security is literally the keys to the kingdom to everybody," said Mary Ellen Callahan, former chief privacy officer at the Department of Homeland Security. "It's absolutely a Privacy Act violation."

Many whose Social Security numbers were exposed had become high-ranking officials in Washington. They include a former assistant secretary of state, a former U.S. ambassador, researchers in the intelligence world, State Department workers and prominent lawyers.

In announcing the release of the material Tuesday, The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the roughly 80,000 pages were "previously-classified records that will be published with no redactions."

"It's astonishing that our personal information is now just out there for anyone to see. Someone dropped the ball," said Loch Johnson, a retired intelligence expert and professor emeritus at the University of Georgia. "I hope they weren't as sloppy in the JFK files with covert agents and assets overseas."

Mark Zaid, a national security attorney who fought for the JFK records to be made public, called the release of private information "incredibly irresponsible."

"In some of these documents, the only thing that was being redacted for the last 20-plus years was someone's Social Security number," Zaid said. "It is dangerous for these individuals, who can now be doxed."

DiGenova said he had no idea his name and personal information - including his Social Security number and date and place of birth - were included in the JFK files until a Post reporter called him while he was shopping for groceries.

"It makes sense that my name is in there," he said, because of his work in the 1970s investigating intelligence abuses, "but the other sensitive stuff - it's like a first-grade, elementary-level rule of security to redact things like that."

"It was fascinating work," diGenova said. "One of the lawyers on our team located the girlfriend of a mafia guy who was supposedly seeing JFK at the same time. He found her in Nevada or Arizona and got chased away by her husband. Other work we did was looking into assassination plots against Castro and people who were assets of the CIA. Incredible stuff."

DiGenova said the government should pay to help protect those who had their personal information released, as some companies do with credit score agencies after a data breach.

At its peak, the Church Committee had 150 staffers. According to Senate records, the select committee held 126 meetings, interviewed 800-some witnesses and combed through 110,000 documents, and it identified abuses by multiple agencies, including the CIA, FBI, Internal Revenue Service and National Security Agency.

In the unredacted files, the former Church Committee staffers' names and personal information appear in tidy typewritten columns on pages that list which of them had been cleared for "access to classified information up to and including TOP SECRET."

"This was in the wake of Watergate and Nixon," said one former Senate staffer, who spoke on the condition anonymity to avoid becoming a target of identity theft. "The whole idea was to unveil the secret, illegal activities going on."

That former staffer, who later worked for the State Department, said she was furious at now having to worry about financial fraud and identity theft. "It just shows the danger of how this administration is handling these things with no thought of who gets damaged in the process."

Three other former staffers for the committee said that since learning from The Post that their Social Security numbers had become public, they had called their banks to freeze their accounts and credit cards. One had started to talk to others about whether it would be possible to sue the National Archives.

"It seems like the damage is done, but clearly we have to talk to some lawyers," that former staffer said.

Christopher Pyle, a former Army officer, exposed the Army's hidden domestic intelligence operations and testified before Congress. He said his activities as a whistleblower landed him on the Nixon administration's "enemies list."

Pyle was unaware that his Social Security number had become public until a Post reporter reached him by phone Wednesday.

"I'm fascinated that this ended up in the released papers," he said. "Good Lord, government doing foolish things as usual."

Pyle said he worries the released data could hurt those who worked so hard in the 1970s to uncover nefarious government actions. "Why did they even have anything on the Church Committee?" he said. "I would be interested to know that."
VIENTIANE, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The second extraordinary session of Laos' National Assembly (NA)'s ninth legislature concluded on Thursday, following the approval of revised growth targets and key amendments to laws and other important national documents.

The closing ceremony was attended by Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, along with other senior Party and government officials, and members of the Lao National Assembly.

During the session, the Lao National Assembly urged the government to quickly translate the resolutions, including targets, policies, and measures, into actionable legal frameworks, Lao News Agency reported on Thursday.

The session marks an important step in strengthening governance, refining legal structures, and advancing national development goals. 
Herculaneum launches new app for visitors as excavations resume.

Herculaneum, the ancient Roman city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, reopened two of its most magnificent residences on Wednesday after 25 years.

The frescoed House of the Tuscan Colonnade and the House of the Wooden Sacello were restored as part of a public-private conservation partnership between the Packard Humanities Institute, a philanthropic foundation, and the Herculaneum Archaeological Park.

Speaking at the reopening ceremony, Italy's culture minister Alessandro Giuli said the alliance with the Packard Humanities Institute, in place for the past 24 years, has proven to be "fruitful and far-sighted".

Giuli said the partnership will continue "with an investment of about 45 million, allowing the resumption of archaeological excavations on the site, the study and application of new technologies to research and the fruition of heritage, the construction of storerooms and laboratories".

Ercolano, presentata oggi, alla presenza del Ministro della Cultura @AlessGiuli, la conclusione della prima fase del #ProgettoDomus, con lapertura, dopo oltre 25 anni, di due tra le piu belle residenze dellantica citta.https://t.co/cxLecpzXLb pic.twitter.com/29VAw32HqN  Ministero della Cultura (@MiC_Italia) March 19, 2025

Work is also underway on the suburban baths, one of the most important public buildings in Herculaneum and among the best preserved ancient thermal complexes in the ancient world.

Architect Jane Thompson of the Packard Humanities Insitute said the Herculaneum Conservation Project (HCP) is entering "a new, even more important phase."

The construction of a new complex of buildings, set back to the south of the archaeological site, together with the elimination of existing modern infrastructure, will pave the way for "two epochal turning points", she said.

The move will allow for the resumption of archaeological excavations to the east "on a scale comparable only to that of the time of Amedeo Maiuri" - about 100 years ago - and the creation of "a green landscape" for those exploring the ancient city.

The combined action of these projects will make the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, "in the medium and long term, a very important international point of reference for humanistic studies", Thompson added.

Photo Emanuele Antonio Minerva  Ministero della Cultura

Francesco Sirano, director of the Herculaneum Archaeological Park, also unveiled a new app with itineraries and discoveries as part of an effort to offer visitors "an unprecedented experience".

The app, available in nine languages, allows visitors to choose between five itineraries based on thematic content, age and travel times for a visit tailored to everyone.

"With the new app, each visitor will not only be able to explore our sites, but also get in touch with our digital archive, a heritage that grows every day thanks to the conservation and research work that we carry out with passion."

In a statement, the culture ministry said the reopened houses and new digital tools add to the offer already available to visitors, making the "experience of walking in a Roman city even more fascinating and rich in content, putting you in direct contact with the daily life of the Herculaneum people of 2,000 years ago".

Photos Emanuele Antonio Minerva  Ministero della Cultura.
Ken Foxe

The Department of Justice spent more than 1.8 million on deportation flights over a four-year period including at least 422,000 on business class flights for escort officers returning from operations.

The department said expenditure was sometimes necessary for executive seats when a deportation officer was immediately returning to Ireland from a long-haul flight without staying at the destination.

Records show that spending on deportation flights last year amounted to 1.09 million, of which around 262,000 covered business class travel.

For 2023, total expenditure on removal operations was roughly 463,000 with around a third of the total  or 161,000  paid for business seats.

The rate of expenditure has been increasing as only 219,000 was spent in 2022 and 37,000 was paid for flights during 2021.

Deportation operations were heavily curtailed during the Covid-19 pandemic with only a small number of removals, usually where serious criminality was involved.

Figures provided under FOI show that there was a total of 156 deportation orders carried out by air last year.

This included 66 people from Georgia, 19 from South Africa, 15 from Albania, 14 from Brazil, 7 from Algeria and 7 from Nigeria.

For 2023, there were 80 removals carried out. This was made up of 18 people from Georgia, 9 from Brazil, 9 from South Africa, 8 from Pakistan, and 6 from Nigeria.

There were a further 30 deportations to other countries that year, but the department does not provide a breakdown where the nationality numbers are less than five to avoid possible identification of a person.

The number of orders effected in 2022 was 118, with 20 Nigerians, 18 Pakistani citizens, and 14 Albanians removed from the State.

Others deported that year included 13 from Georgia, 11 from Brazil, 9 from China including Hong Kong, and 9 from India.

For 2021, when just 38 deportations were carried out, the figures included 13 people from Pakistan and 5 from Albania.

The Government has promised a significant rise in the number of removal operations that will be carried out each year.

In February, the first of several planned chartered flights left the state carrying 32 people to Georgia, including three women and a child, at a cost of around 102,000.

An information note from the department said about flight costs: Business class travel is used in limited circumstances for operational reasons and subject to case-by-case approval.

In particular, it can be approved for return leg travel from certain countries by escort staff in circumstances where for operational reasons a quick turnaround is necessary and officers return on the next available flight rather than entering the country.

The department said in these cases the officers involved did not avail of hotel accommodation and that the business class travel was availed of to the return [airport] hub only.
By Cate McCurry, PA

Ireland is highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence due to threatened tariffs by Donald Trump, according to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Simon Harris said that Ireland will have to engage with its foreign direct investment based in the country.

However, he also told the Dail that regardless of who is in the White House, many US multinationals still want to do business in an EU market.

US tariffs of 25 per cent on all imports of steel and aluminium products and derivatives came into effect worldwide on March 12th.

Mr Trump later threatened a 200 per cent tariff on imported alcoholic drinks from the EU.

Mr Harris made the remarks in response to queries from Labour leader Ivana Bacik, who said the Government must provide clarity about how its plans to deal with US tariffs.

Ms Bacik said: What I want to raise with you today is how we in Ireland respond to US President Trump, and first on the impact of Trumps proposed tariffs, because here we are hearing that US pharmaceutical companies based in Ireland are already scenario-planning for moving manufacturing to the US.

Like all of us in this House, many people I represent are employed directly by US multinationals, and Im hearing already from constituents who fear they may lose their jobs, who are worried about the impact upon their families, being about being able to pay their rent or their mortgage.

Amid this uncertainty, as we await the detail of Trumps plans, and indeed, the EU response, Tanaiste, you must give what clarity you can to those who are living in fear.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik speaking to the media at Leinster House in Dublin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA.

She said that around seven per cent of workers in Ireland are directly employed by US businesses, while US companies pay nearly seven billion euros in wages.

Of course, they make an enormous contribution to corporation tax receipts, Ms Bacik added.

We couldnt be more exposed in terms of jobs and in terms of our economy from the risk of tariffs.

It was also agreed that Government would brief opposition parties next week on how tariffs will impact Ireland.

Speaking in the Dail, Mr Harris said: We are highly likely to face a very significant period of turbulence.

We have got to control what we can control in terms of what we can do here in Ireland.

We have got to work as part of and as members of the European Union where, of course, trade policy is at.

He added that many US companies have decades of experience carrying out their business in Ireland.

We are also, though, approaching a position of relative strength because regardless of politics, there is also a reality that many companies are based in this country not for the weather, but because it is a good place to do business. It is a good place to access the European market.

Regardless of who is in the White House or what policies are pursued, it is a statement of fact that many American multinationals still want to do business in a market with more than 400 million people.
Gordon Deegan

A judge has convicted prominent anti-immigrant activist Philip Dwyer of trespassing at a then-new direct provision centre for International Protection applicants at Magowna House at Inch, Co Clare in May 2023.

Imposing a 500 fine for the trespass offence on Citizen Journalist Philip Dwyer at Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Alec Gabbett said that words used by Mr Dwyer to others on the grounds at Magowna House were unkind and "quite unseemly".

After viewing Mr Dwyers video footage in court of what occurred at Magowna House on May 18th 2023, Judge Gabbett said: There was a certain undertone to the speech used.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Dwyer had told a Ukrainian man at the Magowna House site "you are Ukrainian - you are in my country or words to that effect and you cannot tell me what to do in my country' isn't particularly pleasant to watch.

Mr Dwyer (56) of Tallaght Cross West, Tallaght, Dublin 24 had denied the trespass charge and presented video footage of his interactions at Magowna House as part of his case and Judge Gabbett said that the footage was instead helpful to the States prosecution against Mr Dwyer.

The court was told at the time, there were protests at Magowna House where 29 International Protection applicants were being accommodated and there were blockades on local roads which were attracting media attention.

In evidence heard previously, Manager of Magowna House, Ahlam Salman, told the court that Mr Dwyer was on the property on May 18th, recording making me and my staff feel afraid and unsafe.

Judge Gabbett said that Mr Dwyers footage corroborated the States evidence of Ms Salmans fear on the day.

Judge Gabbett said that Magowna House was no longer operating as a hotel and was private property.

In the footage shown in court, Mr Dwyer can be heard saying These are all foreign people telling me what I cant do in my own country.

Mr Dwyer can be seen addressing a Ukrainian man wearing a fluorescent jacket, asking, Do you think Irish people are stupid? Do you think we are all idiots? I wouldn't blame you to be honest with you.

He asks later: What is your problem? You are not in Ukraine, this is my countryWhat are you hiding? I am just asking questions on behalf of the people of Ireland. The people in this country are very concerned about this.

After seeing some men believed to be IP applicants staying at the centre, Mr Dwyer asks: Why are these people covering their faces.This is Ireland. This is my country."

He says later: The people of Ireland you can see what is happening in their country - stopping Irish men going they lawful business to do journalism.

The footage later shows Mr Dwyer saying: Philip Dwyer is my name. I am a Citizen Journalist. You are in Ireland now.

Of the Ukrainian man, Mr Dwyer said: He should be over in Ukraine fighting the war - he is here illegally.

Prior to Judge Gabbett imposing sentence, counsel for Mr Dwyer, Ann Doyle BL said her client does not accept the verdict of the court and had instructions not to give a very detailed plea in mitigation.

Ms Doyle said: "Mr Dwyer is someone who I believe is a person of integrity. He is a citizen journalist, and he had no intention of creating a breach of the peace or invoking fear in anyone."

Ms Doyle confirmed that the conviction would be appealed to the Circuit Court.
By Cate McCurry, PA

Members of the public order policing unit said the main factors influencing a decision to use force are whether there are adequate numbers of other gardai present and the use of social media to record members, a report has revealed.

The findings were contained in a review carried out by the Policing Authority in the wake of the Dublin riots in November 2023.

The review found that there is clarity among public order members as to how to use force and the legal and human rights parameters within which it can and should be used.

The Policing Authority Review of Public Order Policing has been published today. The Authoritys review was provided to then Minister Helen McEntee in August 2024. It was conducted following a Ministerial request in November 2023. It is not a review of the policing of events on  Policing Authority (@PolicingAuthIRL) March 19, 2025

However, the primary factor influencing an officers decision to use force is whether members can do so safely if there are inadequate numbers of gardai present to deal with any resulting escalation of violence.

The decision to use force within a public order context is primarily influenced by the availability of garda numbers, both in terms of public order gardai and regular gardai.

A critical number of gardai are required in such situations, they believe, to allow for the safe use of force.

The use of social media to record garda members and the potential dissemination of edited material also influences the use of force, the report found.

A fear of the use of force resulting in a complaint to the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) was a much lesser factor for public order members, according to the review.

Minister for Justice Jim OCallaghan presented the findings to the Cabinet on Wednesday.

Former minister for justice Helen McEntee called for a review of the public order policing capabilities following the Dublin riots.

The review has found that while progress has been made since the publication of the Garda Siochana Inspectorate (GSI) report on public order policing in 2019, some of the key recommendations remain incomplete.

Police detain a man on OConnell Street in Dublin following violent scenes in the city centre in November 2023 (David Young/PA)

It found that it relates to improvements in the central co-ordination, management and governance of public order policing.

The review found that while there is current public order policy in place, the policy dates from 2017, which pre-dates the GSI recommendations of 2019.

It also dates from a period before the Covid-19 pandemic and before what is an increased use of social media for the mobilisation of protest and before current issues such as migration policy.

The review found that while there is evidence of progress made during the months of the review, it said there is an urgent need for the organisation to finalise the policies and communicate them to support garda members and staff.

The Policing Authority said the revised policies must clarify the purpose and role of public order policing, the decision-making structures, how resourcing and training are to be co-ordinated and clarify where decision-making about each is located.

It is important to note that a lack of agreement and understanding exists at local and regional leadership levels and this requires attention, it said in the review.

There is a need to ensure compliance with and consistency in the use of the Public Order Incident Command Model.

There is a need to clarify where accountability and governance lie in terms of the use or non-use of the Public Order Incident Command Model.

The retrospective identification of roles as having been strategic, operational or tactical does not deliver the benefits or reduce the risks that a timely activation of the model at the beginning of a spontaneous event would deliver.

The organisation needs to be confident that its leadership at local and regional level is engaging the model when appropriate.

It said that while the adequacy of public order policing numbers is a matter for the Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, it has to be considered within the overall reduction in garda numbers and factored into strategic workforce planning.

It said that the adequacy of public order capacity and capability needs to be rigorously assessed on a continuous basis as the environment shifts.

The review found that the capabilities of the public order unit cannot be divorced from the consideration of garda resources, particularly in regard to garda availability.

Consideration as to whether public order policing should be a standing capability or whether it should continue to be serviced from the use of significant overtime has to be based on the capacity of the organisation  given current Garda numbers  to service such a decision, it added.

Ultimately it would require drawing more gardai away from other areas of policing, which can negatively impact service.

Public order capacity can only be considered within a conversation about what potential radical approaches exist to increase garda numbers.

In its annual advice to the Minister for Justice on garda resources, the Policing Authority said it called for radical action on the issue of garda recruitment and retention in order to more quickly increase garda numbers.

The use of overtime to substitute for reduced personnel must be overtly called out in the organisations strategic workforce planning and the associated risks identified, it added.

Dr Elaine Byrne BL, chairwoman of the Policing Authority, said: The policing of protests and public disorder continues to be a live issue and in that, the authority recognises the courage and dedication of the gardai who undertake public order policing.

It is noteworthy that areas discussed in this review do not relate to the skills, competence or work ethic of the gardai undertaking this work.

Rather, the report focuses on issues of co-ordination, governance and clarity around decision making.

This area of policing will continue to require keen and ongoing oversight in 2025 and beyond.
Councillors have supported plans to link the Comeragh Mountains with Bunmahon via a Greenway extension.

Plans to link Crough Wood with Mahon Falls, and to Bunmahon through the Greenway, have been in the works for a number of years, with fresh calls made last week by Comeragh District Councillors to get the development over the line. Cllr Liam Brazil said that the project needs to be completed: There is a plan for Crough wood to link to the Waterford Greenway near McGraths Cross, and if these extensions were completed, you could say that the Comeragh Mountains has joined the sea, which is something that I think would be fantastic here in the county of Waterford. We have to link the mountain to the sea, and this is the way we have to do it."

"At the moment we have three car parks, one at Mahon falls, one at Mahon bridge and one at McGraths Cross, so theres no reason at all why this couldnt happen, but we have to do link Crough wood to Mahon falls first," he said. Cllr Catherine Burke supported the idea, adding: I think thats where we can see real development in tourism happening in the Comeragh area. Mahon falls is a beautiful spot, as is Crough, as is Bunmahon, but linking those recreational places where people enjoy our beautiful Comeragh area, absolutely thats where our focus should be."

"As Cllr. Brazil said, 'from the mountain to the sea', thats what makes Comeragh unique, weve got sea and weve got the mountain all in the one area. There's real opportunity for tourism here," she said.

Cllr Brazil commended the Comeragh Community Development group, who developed the Crough Wood Walk. The amenity was recently shortlisted for the prestigious RDS Forestry Awards, in the Community Woodland Award Category.

The benefit to the local economy and the spin-off from Crough Wood is massive" Cllr Brazil said, "and there are a number or local businesses in the tourism sector benefitting in a big way, such as Crough Coffee, Cooneys Yard and Comeragh Pods."
Illegal rubbish dumping is becoming an increasingly common occurrence in rural Waterford according to local councillors.

At a recent meeting of the Comeragh District Council, Councillor Liam Brazil (FG) raised the issue with Council engineers, saying that the issue getting out of control.

I do believe that dumping and rubbish has got out of hand in the Comeragh area," he said.

"I think we have to do something about this soon because its totally unacceptable. I went for a walk on Sunday and every few yards theres bags being dumped on the side of the road," he added.

"We have to try on work on CCTV if at all possible. I think since Covid people are gone lazy and theyre also not going to work as often to dump their bins, and so theyre finding a handy way now is to dump stuff on the side of the road."

Cathaoirleach of the Comeragh District, Cllr Seanie Power added: Its a huge problem and some people just dont have respect for the place."

Cllr Brazil suggested erecting 'No Dumping' signs at blackspots and also looking at increasing education on the issue in local schools.

Niall Kane, Senior Executive Engineer with Waterford City and County Council, said that the council is looking at implementing CCTV.

Dumping is an ongoing issue," he said

"Its very important to report dumping because we need to build up a case to demonstrate that there has been an ongoing history of dumping in a particular area. We cant just put up a camera," he added. The education in schools is ongoing. There are competitions and various things highlighting the importance of environment."

Mr. Kane was skeptical however, about the use of signs, describing them as litter generators

He went on to comment: One of the issues with a 'No Dumping' sign is it nearly advertises that this is a good place to dump. Im somewhat reluctant to put up those signs.
Palestinians stand among the rubble of destroyed buildings after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM/GAZA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses.

Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. Images released by the military showed soldiers and armored vehicles advancing, though it did not specify the scale or duration of the operation.

The move follows a "targeted ground operation" launched Wednesday in central and southern Gaza aimed at establishing a "buffer zone" to separate northern and southern parts of the enclave, according to Israeli authorities.

Shortly after the military's announcement, air raid sirens sounded in central and southern Israel on Thursday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said three rockets were fired from southern Gaza, with one intercepted and the others landing in open areas. Loud explosions were reported in Tel Aviv, though no casualties were immediately confirmed.

Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades said it had launched a rocket barrage at Tel Aviv in retaliation for what it called Israel's "massacres against civilians."

Israel resumed strikes in Gaza on Tuesday after a ceasefire that began on Jan. 19 unraveled, with officials stating the renewed campaign targets Hamas militants.

Gaza health authorities reported over 470 Palestinian deaths since Tuesday. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense, said on Thursday that at least 71 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli airstrikes on residential areas since dawn, accusing Israel of targeting civilians. 

A Palestinian man is seen in a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A Palestinian man checks a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Palestinians check a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A Palestinian man is seen in a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

Palestinians are seen in a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)

A Palestinian man stands in a destroyed building after an Israeli airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, on March 20, 2025. The Israeli military said on Thursday its forces had begun ground operations in northern Gaza, while Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on central Israel, including Tel Aviv, escalating hostilities as a weeks-long ceasefire collapses. Israeli troops began what the military described as "ground activity" overnight in the Beit Lahia area of northern Gaza, near the coastal border. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua)
A major employer in Dungarvan has seen Pfizer, its single largest shareholder, sell its entire stake in the company for nearly 3 billion.

Haleon, which employs nearly 1,000 staff at its plant in Dungarvan, bought back 44 million shares from its former parent company for a sum in the region of 200 million with a further 618 million shares being acquired by institutional investors.

Haleon is the worlds largest standalone consumer healthcare firm and the sale value of 7.3 per cent of the companys shares amounts to 2.95 billion (2.5bn) of the companys total market value of more than 42bn.

Haleon is best known for manufacturing the painkiller, Panadol, and toothpaste Sensodyne. The company also produces brands such as Voltaren, Advil painkillers and Centrum vitamins.

The company was created by a merger between Pfizer and GSKs consumer healthcare businesses in 2019. The sale of Pfizers more than 650 million Haleon shares means both of the original founding companies have now sold their entire stakes in the spinoff - GSK sold its entire stake in Haleon back in May, 2024.

Following Pfizer's disposal, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Ltd, a unit of BlackRock, will become Haleon's largest shareholder with a more than 5 per cent stake, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Towards the end of last year, a "small number of roles were lost at the companys plant in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, which were said to have been part of organisational changes".

Haleon is reportedly focused on reducing debt after being spun off from GSK in 2022, according to Reuters.
High Court reporters

The High Court has heard an allegation that Web Summit founder Paddy Cosgrave "heavily edited" and disseminated a heated recording of a call he made to a former director of the tech conference giant to "damage" him while claiming the former director conducted a flawed investigation into a sexual harassment claim against another director.

David Kelly was recorded in the 2021 conversation by Mr Cosgrave, which was played to the High Court on Thursday. Mr Kelly says he was left a "broken man" by Mr Cosgrave and who he called a "scumbag, making s**t up".

The Commercial Court is hearing a "bitter" multi-million euro legal row between Mr Cosgrave and minority shareholders and former directors Mr Kelly and Daire Hickey.

Mr Cosgrave is suing Mr Kelly for allegedly breaching his duties while acting as a director. Mr Kelly and Mr Hickey are in turn suing Mr Cosgrave for alleged minority shareholder oppression and breach of a profit-sharing agreement.

Mr Cosgrave and Mr Kelly deny the claims against them.

David Kelly leaving the High Court. Photo: Collins

At the High Court on Thursday, it was claimed that Mr Cosgrave messaged Mr Kelly that he was aware of a visit by Mr Kelly, when he was a director of Web Summit, to what Mr Cosgrave described as a Singaporean "brothel", known there as the "Four Floors of Whores".

Michael Cush SC, opening the case for Mr Kelly, said that Mr Cosgrave had claimed he believed that photos of the visit could have been used as a "hold" over Mr Kelly. Mr Kelly was leading an investigation with two others into a 2016 allegation of sexual harassment against Mr Hickey made by an employee of Web Summit at an event in New Orleans.

Mr Cush said that Mr Kelly said he and a group were brought to the Singapore venue by "a VC" and that "absolutely nothing" happened inside before he and the group left the venue, which counsel described as a "massive attraction for tourists" due to Singapore "not being known for its nightlife" .

Mr Cosgrave claims that information about what he claims was a "flawed" investigation had been concealed from him by Mr Kelly, who denies the allegation.

Mr Cush said there was "simply no question" that Mr Cosgrave had "detailed" information on the investigation and that he "knew everything".

Mr Cush showed a note of a meeting on December 5th, 2016, between Mr Cosgrave and Mr Kelly during which issues involving Mr Hickey were raised that included the alleged New Orleans incident.

The court was shown phone messages from 2019 between Mr Cosgrave and Mr Kelly in which Mr Cosgrave suggests going public with the complaint to "blow the whole thing up".

Mr Kelly responds that he did not see the benefit of doing so to which Mr Cosgrave replies that he is not sure of any downside, "unless [Mr Hickey] has emails where you've said things you might regret".

Mr Cush claims that this was the first sign of a campaign to "damage" Mr Kelly by suggesting the existence of compromising material on Mr Kelly relating to photos of the Singapore trip being in Mr Hickey's possession.

Daire Hickey outside court. Photo: Collins

Mr Cush said the suggestion of compromising material was "an invention to justify [Mr Cosgrave's] behaviour" towards Mr Kelly and that Mr Cosgrave had tweeted that he was working on a book called "Four Floors The Dossier".

In the recorded March 2021 call, Mr Cosgrave alleges that Mr Kelly "concealed for years sexual harassment by another cofound" and that he had refused to share the letter of complaint with Mr Cosgrave.

"Thats a lie," responds Mr Kelly.

"If you want to play dirty, do it right. Thank you for 11 years," said Mr Kelly, who then accuses Mr Cosgrave of "making s**t up".

"Youre a scumbag for bringing that s**t up. You've bullied and mind-f****d me so that I question myself," said Mr Kelly, who resigned that month.

"Go for it. You broke me as a human being. I cried last week. I cant take that s**t. Go to town and tell the world... I am ready. You have diminished my self worth. It's in your play book to f*** with [Mr Hickey's] head and that he'll crumble. Please go for it here," he said.

Mr Cush said it will be alleged that Mr Cosrgave then took the recording and sent it to a number of Web Summit staff but had "heavily edited" it throughout so that portions of the transcript did not appear in the audio and the conversation ended with Mr Kelly calling Mr Cosgrove a "scumbag" though it did not end there.

"It was designed to damage Mr Kelly, no question," said Mr Cush.

The case continues before Mr Justice Michael Twomey.
Stephen Maguire

Schoolchildren lined the streets of a Co Donegal town as their beloved lollipop man was laid to rest after he was killed on St Patrick's Day by a runaway car.

Large crowds gathered under glistening March sunshine as Anthony Gallagher was brought to his funeral mass at St Eunan's Cathedral in Letterkenny on Thursday morning.

Anthony, who was in his 60s, passed away at Letterkenny General Hospital on Monday morning last, St Patrick's Day from his injuries.

His brother Martin, also in his 60s, was first taken to the same hospital but then rushed by rescue helicopter to Galway University Hospital because of the extent of his injuries.

He has undergone extensive surgery but is conscious and was due to watch his late brother's funeral online from his hospital bed.

The brothers were returning home from a night out in a local bar and were returning to the home they shared at Charlie Daly Terrace in Letterkenny when the tragedy occurred just before 3 am on March 17th.

The scene of the horrific collision is also just 50 yards from were tragic Anthony worked as a lollipop man for Donegal County Council helping schoolchildren to cross a busy road each morning.

The teenage driver of the car was arrested and questioned at Letterkenny Garda Station before being released without charge with a file going to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community which also canceled their local St Patrick's Day parade as a mark of respect to the well-known local resident.

His funeral mass heard Anthony was a permanent fixture on weekdays at the bottom of the Convent Road each morning as children made their way to local schools.

Every weekday morning, this was his habit: He rose to do his bit for the people of Letterkenny, Fr Anthony Hartnett told mourners.

Four school crossing guards, holding their lollipop signs, flanked the coffin as it was brought into the cathedral.

On Sentry Hill Road, on the approach to St Eunans Cathedral, schoolchildren from Scoil Cholmcille formed a solemn guard of honour.

Pupils from St Eunans College and Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal did likewise as Anthonys remains were brought from the Eternal Light Chapel of Rest.

Many others who knew him from his daily duty turned out to pay a final farewell.

Anthonys lollipop sign poignantly rested alongside the coffin during the funeral Mass.

An Arsenal jersey, representing his love of sport and a Letterkenny heritage magazine, reflecting his pride in being a man from Letterkenny, were also brought forward to the altar.

Others were just happy to see Anthony coming, Fr Hartnett said. His virtue goes deeper still, known only to a select few, but the man we bury today devoted much of his time, energy and his pockets to his family, especially to his late mother Brigid - whose passing Anthony never forgot - and his late aunt Rosaleen.

His care for his family and his friends is both a precious memory now and a pledge of his love. In God, this does not come to an end.

Love is stronger than death and the souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God.

The late Anthony Gallagher was recalled as being the salt of the earth and a man who made room in his heart for others.

Prayers were also offered for Martin Gallaghers recovery from serious injuries sustained in the incident.

Fr Hartnett, who was joined by Fr Kizito Kalemeera for the funeral Mass, said: Martin, in as much as you are able, I invite you to join us in prayer. Know of our prayers for you and our solidarity for you in this hour of anguish.

Fr Hartnett, on behalf of the bereaved family, thanked those who had extended the hand of friendship since the tragedy and prayed for the emergency services, gardai and hospital staff who assisted.

After the funeral mass, the cortege drove through the town where Anthony and his brother were so well-known and respected.

The cortege stopped briefly at the spot where Anthony lost his life on Monday morning last before travelling on to his final resting place at Conwal Cemetery on the outskirts of the town.
US President Donald Trump is being urged to target Australia over its federal laws on social media and the digital economy in a powerful campaign by American tech giants including Elon Musk to block measures that hurt their profits.

The big tech companies have blamed Australia for threatening them with new federal laws and coercing them into sacrificing their revenue in schemes such as the News Media Bargaining Incentive, which aims to charge social media platforms to help fund Australian news content.

X owner Elon Musk with US President Donald Trump. Credit: AP

The formal complaint, lodged with Trumps trade chief on March 11, opens a new front in a growing trade dispute after big US pharmaceutical companies and beef producers also slammed Australia in their plea to Trump to use tariffs and other measures to shield American companies.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) also accused Australia of hurting American streaming media platforms by making them pay for local content such as Australian television productions, putting their revenue at risk.
DOHA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Ministerial Committee formed by the Joint Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit on Gaza condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip on Thursday, denouncing the bombardment of civilian areas as a violation of international law, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement called the attacks "a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement" and a breach of United Nations resolutions, international charters, and humanitarian law.

It warned that the strikes worsened Gaza's humanitarian crisis, threatened regional security, and risked a wider escalation that could undermine de-escalation efforts.

The committee urged the international community to pressure Israel to halt its military operations, restore electricity to Gaza, and open all border crossings to allow the flow of humanitarian aid.

It also stressed the need for a "sustainable ceasefire," calling on all parties to end hostilities, resume dialogue, and fully implement the ceasefire agreement.

Reaffirming support for a two-state solution, the committee reiterated Palestinian rights to statehood based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital.

The Ministerial Committee, established on Nov. 11, 2023, includes the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Turkiye, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Palestine, along with the heads of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. 
The World Customs Organization (WCO) provided capacity building to enhance Coordinated Border Management (CBM) and Data Standardization during a two-week in-country Workshop from 23 February to 7 March 2025 in Maseru, Lesotho. The Workshop brought together representatives from all border authorities and representatives from the private industry involved in international cross-border trade. Building on the virtual sessions for developing an inter-agency standard regulation framework by modelling and designing the business process models for border controls, the CBM Working Group focused on harmonizing and standardizing documentary requirements across government agencies to enable digitalization and a coordinated information flow (CIF). This exercise, leveraging the WCO Data Model App, resulted in a comprehensive and harmonized national data catalogue aligned with the WCO Data Model to facilitate communications among border agencies using international standards. The WCO CBM capacity building support provides an essential building block on CBM as part Lesothos longer trade facilitation journey.

By the end of the two weeks in Maseru, a draft of the inter-agency standard regulation framework had been completed and was ready for consultation within each border authority. In addition, 89% of the data sets for the CIF were finalized and prepared for review and approval.

Representatives from the Heads of Border Agencies (HoBA) and the National Trade Facilitation (NTFC) underlined the Lesotho Governments commitment to implementing the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and fostering international trade. They also appreciated the continuous multi-year support from the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme funded by His Majestys Revenue & Customs (HMRC) of the United Kingdom.

Please see here for more information on the Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme. The WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme looks forward to continuing its partnership with the Revenue Service Lesotho (RSL) for sustainable Customs and border reforms.

For more information on WCO capacity building, please contact Capacity.Building@wcoomd.org.
BRATISLAVA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Five people, including four children, died in an overnight fire in eastern Slovakia, local media reported Thursday.

The fire broke out Wednesday night in a settlement in the town of Velky Saris, near Presov city, the News Agency of the Slovak Republic reported.

"They were small children. The oldest was four years old," Velky Saris's mayor Viliam Kall told the news agency, adding that about eight dwellings burnt to the ground.

According to the mayor, around 30 people were affected by the fire. The town has declared a state of emergency. 
Marine veteran set to earn two bachelors degrees from Weber State

March 20, 2025

OGDEN, Utah  On his 26th birthday, Brennan Brown will graduate from Weber State University with two degrees: anthropology and psychology with a minor in neuroscience.

The Layton native took up to 18 credits per semester, including summers, to earn both degrees in just over three years. A double-major made sense for Brown, who said hes been constantly on the go and working since he was 15 years old.

He left home when he was 17 and joined the Marines at 18, only three months after graduating high school. For four years, Brown served on active duty in the logistics career field, deploying to Japan and the Philippines. This month, hell finish an additional four-year commitment in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Brown became interested in psychology as a teen, and the military opened his eyes to the need for psychological resources. He chose to study psychology after taking several impactful classes from Timothy Black, assistant professor of biopsychology, whom he worked with on several research projects and gained lab experience in behavioral analysis and neural genetics.

With his passion for psychology came an equal love for history, which led Brown to declare a second major in anthropology. Hes on the archeology track of that major.

Brown is already applying his knowledge as an archeology intern at Wilson & Company. He started there in December 2024, doing field work outside of Kanab, where he surveyed the area for artifacts. He now works on site reports, cataloging items such as arrowheads, darts and pottery  some of which date back 3,500 years  along with more modern items like cans and bottles.

I love history in general, so its cool to study things from the past, Brown said. Were asking questions about why people were here, what they were doing. Its exciting to brainstorm and come up with research questions that you can potentially answer later.

Brown said the skills students gain in anthropology can transfer to any job, but hes looking for something physical and hands-on: If my bones dont give out on me, Id like to do field archeology or experimental archeology.

He said his time at Weber State opened up cultural and social possibilities and will guide his future career. While here, he was involved in the anthropology club, neuroscience club, and military-affiliated and families club.

Brown said WSU professors were always supportive, explaining rewards and challenges of the careers that each major can lead to, backed by their real-world experience. He will graduate next month and said hes excited but also relieved to finish his college journey.

Outside of school, Brown fosters stray and newborn cats, hosts Dungeons & Dragons, and explores the outdoors with Kiki, his wife of six years and a fellow Weber State alum.

Photo caption: Brennan Brown and students from WSUs Department of Sociology & Anthropology take part in the Archaeological Field School in Worland, Wyoming in May 2024. Students in the field school gain firsthand experience while working on research projects at a mammoth butchering site from around 13,000 years ago.
BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Through a variety of events, compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and overseas recently commemorated the 20th anniversary of the enforcement of China's Anti-Secession Law.

They commended the significance of the law in deterring separatist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence," stemming external interference, safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and ensuring peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

Two decades ago, China's top legislature voted to adopt the Anti-Secession Law. To mark the law's enforcement since then, a symposium was held earlier this month in Beijing, stressing firm action against "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and foreign interference.

Echoing the message sent during the Beijing symposium, Yiu Chi-shing, president of the Hong Kong Association for Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China, said in a seminar on March 15 that no individual or force can stop the invincible trend of China's reunification.

Attendees of the seminar, held by the association to mark the 20th anniversary of the Anti-Secession Law, unanimously stressed the need to understand the significant role of the law, to promote cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and to advance the reunification of the motherland.

On March 16, the Macao-based organization for promoting China's peaceful reunification also held a seminar to mark the anniversary.

Over the past 20 years, the legal framework for punishing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities has been further refined, while systems and policies in furtherance of Taiwan compatriots' well-being have been improved, according to the seminar.

Focusing on the same theme, the Alliance for China's Peaceful Reunification, USA, recently held a seminar and issued a joint statement.

The implementation of the law over the past two decades has formed a widely accepted consensus in the international community that red lines on the Taiwan question shall not be crossed, the statement said.

From this anniversary forward, overseas Chinese in the United States will continue to make contributions to China's cause of national reunification and rejuvenation, according to the statement.

On March 15, the All Africa Association for Peaceful Reunification of China issued a joint statement that hails the significance of the law and condemns the separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence" and the external forces supporting them.

Overseas Chinese compatriots in France, Spain, Serbia, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada, Indonesia and other countries also joined in the commemoration, voicing the common aspiration of Chinese both at home and abroad to oppose "Taiwan independence" and foreign interference and to advance the great cause of national reunification. 
OSLO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide on Thursday condemned Israel's resumption of hostilities in Gaza, calling for an immediate ceasefire and the resumption of negotiations to restore peace.

"We condemn Israel's resumption of hostilities in Gaza, where several hundred are reported to have been killed since Tuesday, according to local authorities. On Wednesday, at least one UN staff member was also killed, and several others seriously injured. It is unacceptable that humanitarian personnel and civilians are affected," Eide said in a statement.

"We remind all parties in an armed conflict of their obligation to comply with international humanitarian law," he added.

The foreign minister criticized the Israeli government's decision to end the ceasefire, saying that it undermines the security of both Israelis and Palestinians. He urged all parties to respect international law and ensure unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza.

"The fighting must stop immediately. Ceasefire negotiations must resume. Full humanitarian access to Gaza must be ensured. International law must be respected," he said. 
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Good morning, friends near & far! Here is hoping you had a great St. Paddys Day.

Today March 20th, the elementary students will head to Bridgeport for an assembly and this evening at 5:30 p.m. the speech team will host Eats & Speech, which used to be the ice cream social. Nice evening out and nice way to support them.

There will also be a Mario Cart Tournament in Scottsbluff at 3109 Avenue B from 4-8 p.m.

Tomorrow the 21st, there will be a Junior High Quiz Bowl competition here at home beginning at 1 p.m. The annual Hoops 4 Heroes competition will be at the Gering Civic Center at 5:30 p.m. and more information is available online.

Elodies Oddies will host a painting class at 6 p.m. and the theme is Blazing Sunflowers.

The weekend movie at the Midwest starts on this date with showings at 1:30 & 7 p.m. The movie, Flow, is rated PG and is about a cat and his friends learning about flood survival. It will also play the following evening at 7 p.m. and on Sunday as a matinee at 1:30 p.m.

If you want to head south on Saturday the 22nd there will be a Spring Pop Up Shop in Sidney. It will begin at 9 a.m. at the Boss City Brewing Company.

The Gering Library will have Scrap Booking at 10 a.m. and auditions for the new season will be held at 1601 E 27th (WNCC) Theater West at 1 p.m.

Elodies Oddies will host Ceramics at 2 p.m., and if you are ready for a Nite on the Town head to the American Legion in Bayard. They will begin at 5 p.m. with dinner and both live and silent auctions are planned throughout the evening.

All the way to Hemmingford, on Sunday at the American Legion they will have a pottery session hosted by Elodies Oddies, beginning at 3 p.m.

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere and if you are like me you are not really ready for all of that. Too bad for us because ready or not here it is. To help understand it more the Gering Library will host the program Engaging with Artificial Intelligence on Monday the 24th at 5:30 p.m.

They also have opened the seed library and have a new reading programs for kids who have not began kindergarten, newborn is the starting age.

Both the junior and senior high Quiz Bowl competitors will head to Leyton on the 24th.

JAG students will have Legislative Day on both the 24th & 25th, and the 25th will also be Dental Day at school.

The first day of Spring is Thursday, March 20th. Yes, the Spring Equinox is here!

Have a great week and take care until next time. Barb Cross ar 436-7152.
Man Being Held Here, Woman In North Platte

On Monday morning, a call from the public notified authorities about a gold Lincoln traveling in excess of the speed limit and passing vehicles in no passing zones on Highway 71 south.

The citizens call prompted Kimball County Sheriff Dave Hottell to jump in his vehicle and head south on Hwy. 71. He spotted a gold colored Lincoln at Road 30, which is just after the I-80 overpass.

According to the affidavit, the vehicle appeared to be traveling in excess of the speed limit. Hottell turned on his radar and the vehicle was traveling 74 mph in a 65 mph zone. The vehicle turned into the Conoco sta...
The U.S. Air Force will host a Sentinel Program Town Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. April 1 at Kimball Junior/Senior High School.

Kimball City Administrator Annette Brower released this statement about the event: This will be an important meeting that will offer Sentinel Program updates as the project moves forward, including real estate concerns for landowners. USAF JAG office will be on site to answer any questions regarding any legal concerns. The USAF is asking all town leaders, citizens, and landowners to attend this important meeting.

The meeting aims to provide residents and landowners with up...
Gardai in Roscommon seized over 33,000 worth of suspected drugs and arrested a man on Wednesday evening, March 19.

Shortly after 8:30pm, Garda members attached to the Divisional Drugs Unit were on patrol when they stopped a vehicle on Main Street, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon.

During a search of the vehicle, approximately 28,000 cannabis herb, 1,500 cannabis resin, 1,750 'magic' mushrooms, 1,530 Amphetamine, 230 LSD and 260 MDMA were discovered by Gardai. 1,400 cash was also seized along with drug paraphernalia. The total value of the drugs seized is 33,270 (subject to analysis).

The driver, a male in his 40s, was arrested at the scene for an offence contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977-2016 and is currently detained at a Garda station in the North Western Region under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.

The drugs seized will be sent to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI) for analysis.

Investigations are ongoing.
Mayo has lost a true giant following the passing of renowned educator and community man Tony McGarry.

The Erris native has left a lasting impact in his adopted home of Killala and beyond.

A former school principal of St Patricks College, Lacken Cross, Tony was an esteemed educator who helped to steer the futures of thousands of young people over the years.

His commitment to North Mayo extended beyond his teaching career and Tony was a leading light in the Humbert Summer School as well as working to bring industry and employment to Killala and toiling tirelessly to make his community a better place to live.

Local councillor Jarlath Munnelly was a former student of Tonys.

What he did for his community was incredible. He was instrumental in anything progressive that happened in Killala in terms of attracting industry and establishing a community council that was the envy of other parts of the country. Tony was central in that, said Cllr Munnelly.

He was a man of brilliant ability and he put that to good use as an educator and definitely as a leader in his community, he added.

Cllr Munnelly said Tony was a cultured man and was without peer when it came to the Irish language. Tony was an Irish and economics teacher before becoming principal at St Patricks.

His work with the Humbert Summer School helped to put our area on the map, said Cllr Munnelly.

Tony was a real champion. They dont make them like that anymore. He was a great man and a true giant, he added.

Tony of Greenpark House, Killala, was predeceased by his wife Bridie, sister Dolores, and his parents Thomas and Maura.

He will be sadly missed by his sons Darragh (Swinford) and Fiachra (Dublin), daughters-in-law Aoife and Louise; loving grandchildren Aoibhin, Naoise, Donnacha and Amelia; brothers Michael (Belmullet), Joe (Tralee), sister Phil (Tuam), sisters-in-law Ann and Helene; all his nephews and nieces and extended family, friends and neighbours.

Reposal takes place at Lynn's Funeral Home, Killala tomorrow (Friday) from 5pm to 7pm. Funeral will arrive to St Patrick's Church, Killala, on Saturday for Requiem mass at 2pm , followed by burial in Killala Cemetery.
Planners at Mayo Co Council have rejected a proposal to redevelop the old bank building at Lower James Street in Claremorris into apartments.

The building is a protected structure dating back to the late 1800s and the council deemed that the project would impact negatively on the streetscape as well as create a traffic hazard.

The local authority's architectural conservation office in Mayo County Council said the derelict building is worthy of protection due to its good craftsmanship such as carpentry and joinery, plasterwork and ornate plasterwork ceilings in addition to fixtures and fittings such as the staircase and fireplaces.

Senior planner John McMyler noted that the full planning application for the site was to demolish three houses, a garage and outbuildings, as well as the partial demolition and redevelopment of the old bank building to facilitate the creation of 27 apartments. Mr McMyler noted that the applicant "did not engage in any preplanning discussions", although they did reduce the number of apartments to 20.

The site is situated close to a busy intersection controlled by traffic lights and is viewed from several public realms thereby harnessing the potential to create a strong building edge on the approach to Claremorris town which would revitalise this area. While this proposal represents the welcome redevelopment and re-use of several properties, the proposed design must be appropriate and must protect the character and integrity of the protected structure i.e. a Victorian townhouse."

Mr McMyler said the proposed development would have a jarring impact on the streetscape and potentially create a traffic hazard, due to "proximity to road junctions with traffic lights, interchanges and roundabouts".

Independent Cllr Richard Finn, who has lobbied extensively for the redevelopment, told the March monthly meeting of Mayo Co Council that he was very disappointed with the decision. He said the cost of the development would be exorbitant for any developer and it would not be viable to build back up the interior of the old bank to the necessary requirements without a substantial contribution" from the Government or the council.

"No person could afford to renovate a townhouse to the extent of what it was 100 years ago, and if you are truly to do it, it will cost a fortune.

He also rejected the assertion that there had been no pre-planning discussions with the council, saying that one of the top architects in this country approved the design".

Cllr Finn said a new application will be submitted shortly and appealed to council chief executive Kevin Kelly to intervene in the matter, noting that Claremorris "needed" the project.

In response, Mr Kelly said: "Everyone wants to see that site redeveloped but it must meet viability and good quality development issues. It is very important that pre-planning consultations take place on such an application but in this scenario, there was none, I understand, and it is the planning department that is authorised to make planning decisions.
Claire Henry

Two men who assaulted a Mongolian couple, resulting in the man having one-third of his ear bitten off, will be sentenced later this year.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Robert Costello (35), of Liberty House, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. His co-accused, Ciaran Whelan (35), of Glouster Place, Sean McDermott St, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault causing harm. The offending occurred at Findlater Place, Dublin 1, on August 9th, 2016.

Garda Peter Byrne told Pieter LeVert BL, prosecuting, that a Mongolian couple were walking home after being out for dinner to celebrate their anniversary.

Costello and Whelan were walking ahead of the couple, and then Costello stopped to urinate. As the couple walked past him, he said, Hey, you f***ing dickheads. The man in the couple stopped and spoke with Costello. Costello then shouted up the street for Whelan.

The court heard that while Whelan was returning down the street, Costello told the couple to suck his dick. Whelan then picked up a traffic cone and threw it at the couple.

A fight then broke out, with the injured party trying to defend himself. All three men ended up on the ground, and Whelan bit part of the man's ear off. Whelan jumped up and said, Ive bitten him, Ive bitten him, look at how much of his ear Ive got.

Gda Byrne said the female in the couple was also assaulted. Costello pulled her by the hair, took her handbag and hit her with it. She screamed for help.

When the gardai arrived at the scene, both Costello and Whelan were aggressive and passed remarks that the couple were liars. An ambulance was called, and the couple were taken to hospital for treatment.

A medical report was handed into the court that outlined that the male injured party sustained an injury where one-third of his ear had become separated from the remainder of his ear. He had a CT scan and had a skin graft from his scalp transferred to his ear. The female injured party sustained a fracture to her nasal bone and underwent surgery in Mongolia.

Two victim impact statements were handed into the court on behalf of the couple who were not present in court as they returned to Mongolia.

The male injured party the attack had a profound effect on him, he said that he no longer felt safe in Ireland. He described feeling guilty for not being able to protect his wife.

The female injured party described that she feels intense fear when walking alone. She also described being anxious and easily startled.

Costello has 29 previous convictions with his last conviction dated in 2017. Whelan has 33 with his last conviction in 2012.

Gda Byrne agreed with Patrick McCarthy BL, defending Costello, that the guilty plea was beneficial to the prosecution and that his client was not responsible for the ear injury. The gardai accepted that Costello had addiction issues at the time but has now made strides in dealing with this.

Mr McCarthy said his client feels he was confronted by the couple, but he accepts that the matter escalated. He said Costello accepts his actions and is remorseful. The court heard that Costello had a very difficult childhood and drug addictions.

Counsel said when his client viewed the CCTV footage, he described it as looking at someone else. Mr McCarthy asked the court to consider the strides his client has made, his guilty plea and his family obligations when sentencing.

Garreth McCormack BL, defending Ciaran Whelan, put it to Gda Byrne that his client was of the belief that Costello was under attack, which is why he threw the traffic cone, to which he agreed.

The garda agreed with counsel that Whelan took responsibility for biting the man's ear at the scene immediately. He also agreed that Whelan was highly intoxicated on the night in question and has addiction issues.

He said Whelan had 3,000 in court as a practical expression of remorse and would like time to collect a further sum. He said his client wants to do everything he can to put things right.

Mr McCorrmack told the court that Whelan had a difficult childhood and had addiction issues. He is now currently waiting on a placement for a 14-week drug rehabilitation programme.

He asked the court to consider adjourning the case for finalisation so Whelan could undergo his rehabilitation while also raising more money for the injured parties.

Judge Ronan Munro agreed to adjourn this case for finalisation until June 20th to allow Whelan to engage in rehabilitation services and to allow him more time to collect a further monetary token of remorse.
HONG KONG, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong maintained third place globally and continued to hold the top position in the Asia-Pacific region in a financial centers index published Thursday by British and Chinese think tanks.

The Global Financial Centers Index (GFCI) 37 Report, released by British think tank Z/Yen Group and the China Development Institute in Shenzhen, assessed a total of 119 financial centers around the world.

According to the report, Hong Kong's overall rating increased by 11 points to 760, slightly closing the gap in rating with first place.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said that the report fully recognized Hong Kong's leading status and strengths as an international financial center. Hong Kong's rankings in the areas of "human capital," "infrastructure," and "financial sector development" rose to second in the world, while rankings in "business environment" and "reputational and general" rose to third globally.

Hong Kong also ranked among the top in various financial industry sectors. Among these, Hong Kong ranked first globally in "investment management," "insurance" and "finance," and ranked third globally in "banking." In addition, the report assessed the financial centers' fintech offering, and Hong Kong's ranking leapt further by five places to fourth in the world.

The spokesperson said that with the staunch support of the country, Hong Kong will continue to leverage the advantages under "one country, two systems," actively integrate into national development, and deepen international exchanges and cooperation, with a view to fulfilling its roles as a "super-connector" and a "super value-adder."

The GFCI Report is released in March and September every year since 2007. 
ABUJA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Police countered an ambush and killed 12 suspected bandits Wednesday in north-central Nigeria, authorities said Thursday.

One police officer was killed in the exchange of gunfire with the suspects in Benue state, said Sewuese Anene, the state's police spokesperson.

The suspected bandits had been terrorizing the state's Buruku local government area, Anene said in a statement.

Police had been on the trail of the suspects, having noticed a regrouping of criminal gangs since early March. Officers were on their way to repel an attack Wednesday when they ran into an ambush laid by the suspects, according to the statement. 
Richard Parker, mayor of the West Midlands, is interviewed in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Bintao)

CHONGQING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of mayors from various regions in the United Kingdom (UK) on Thursday wrapped up a visit to Chongqing, a megacity in southwest China, having gone there to explore business and trade opportunities.

The British Mayoral Delegation included senior members of government departments from the West Midlands, East Midlands, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Bristol and West of England, as well as other regions and cities.

"Chongqing is quite a dynamic city, and I'm very impressed by its scale. The people here are very welcoming, and we look forward to working with them," said Richard Parker, the delegation leader and mayor of the West Midlands.

During the two-day visit, the UK delegation engaged in in-depth discussions with the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce on deepening China-UK (Chongqing) investment cooperation, visited the Chang'an Automobile Global R&D Center, and held a meeting with Hu Henghua, mayor of Chongqing.

Hu expressed hope for further expanding economic and cultural exchanges with various regions of the UK, strengthening cooperation in new-energy vehicles, bio-medicine, finance and other fields, and deepening local friendly exchanges for the sound and stable development of China-UK relations.

"During this visit, I was delighted to witness the exceptional innovation culture upheld by local enterprises. We are keenly eager to explore collaborative opportunities with all stakeholders," said Nadine Peatfield, deputy mayor of the East Midlands.

Given the large-scale expertise in digital technologies in the automotive sector of Chongqing, Mike Wharton, deputy mayor of the Liverpool City Region, also expressed his willingness to deepen cooperation in this area, adding that Liverpool has strengths in terms of manufacturing, logistics and supply chain management for the automotive sector, and this could be leveraged for new collaborations alongside Chongqing's large automotive industry and production sale. 

Mike Wharton (R), deputy mayor of the Liverpool City Region, and Richard McGuckin, deputy chief executive of Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, are interviewed in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Bintao)

People attend the welcome reception for the British Mayoral Delegation in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhou Bintao)
* In 2014, China initiated the strategy of coordinating the development of the national capital of Beijing and neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province.

* Over the past decade, the region has undergone a significant transition, shifting from reducing excessive capacities to fostering high-quality development.

* In 2024, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei recorded respective GDP growth rates of 5.2 percent, 5.1 percent and 5.4 percent, bringing the region's total economic output to 11.5 trillion yuan.

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- As the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region enters its second decade in 2025, it has witnessed a significant milestone.

For the first time in a decade, the region's annual GDP growth has outpaced the national average, reflecting deepened cooperation and high-quality development.

Official data shows that in 2024, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei recorded respective GDP growth rates of 5.2 percent, 5.1 percent and 5.4 percent, bringing the region's total economic output to 11.5 trillion yuan (about 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars).

In 2014, China initiated the strategy of coordinating the development of the national capital of Beijing and neighboring Tianjin Municipality and Hebei Province.

Since then, the region has made remarkable breakthroughs in high-quality development, offering the world Chinese wisdom on the future of mega-urban governance.

This photo taken on Oct. 17, 2024 shows new energy vehicle model SU7 produced by Chinese tech firm Xiaomi displayed during the 2024 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)

"I am deeply grateful to Beijing, the fertile ground that nurtured Xiaomi," Lei Jun, founder and CEO of tech giant Xiaomi, said early this month.

On Feb. 28, Xiaomi launched its SU7 Ultra EV, drawing significant market attention. By early March, the company's market value had tripled to 1.3 trillion yuan within a year, underscoring its growing influence.

Xiaomi's rapid rise in China's new energy vehicle market is a testament to the industrial synergy of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, where collaboration has played a crucial role in shaping a new model of high-quality development.

In one example of this collaboration, 22 percent of SU7 Ultra's components are sourced from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Beijing supplies window regulators and air filters, Tianjin contributes headlights, seats and gearboxes, and Hebei provides batteries and luggage racks.

This photo taken on Feb. 26, 2025 shows the construction site of the Beijing sub-center comprehensive transportation hub in Tongzhou District, sub-center of Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

This industrial synergy reflects a broader regional transformation. "Over the past decade, the region has undergone a significant transition, shifting from reducing excessive capacities to fostering high-quality development," said Liu Bozheng, executive deputy director of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordination office.

In Beijing, this shift is evident in the rise of new market entities in the technology and commercial sectors, whose market share grew from 40.7 percent in 2013 to 67.7 percent in 2024.

Tianjin has deepened its economic restructuring by reducing debt burdens and optimizing industrial planning. Meanwhile, Hebei has undertaken significant capacity adjustments, cutting its steel production from a peak of 320 million tonnes to under 200 million tonnes.

"The integration of innovation and industrial chains across the three locations has enhanced the region's competitiveness and accelerated the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements," said Zhou Hao, deputy director of the coordination office.

This photo taken on Nov. 6, 2023 shows a view of a production line at the Lenovo Tianjin Innovation Industrial Park in north China's Tianjin. (Xinhua/Zhao Zishuo)

At a dark factory operated by Lenovo in the Binhai New Area of Tianjin Municipality, countless green lights flicker as workers conduct routine inspections

The zero-carbon smart manufacturing facility operates in "black-light" mode, where a computer motherboard production line runs at full capacity with seamless automation.

"With our IT architecture, production efficiency has increased by 200 percent, allowing us to complete one motherboard and one laptop every nine seconds," said Yu Xiaojian, director of Lenovo's Tianjin factory.

In 2023, the Lenovo Tianjin Innovation Industrial Park was officially launched, becoming the company's first global headquarters outside of Beijing.

The facility has not only strengthened Lenovo's industrial footprint but also brought significant business and employment opportunities to Tianjin. Today, Lenovo's workforce in the municipality exceeds 3,000 employees, and its annual revenue surpasses 30 billion yuan.

An aerial drone photo taken on March 19, 2025 shows the headquarters of China Satellite Network Group Co., Ltd., which is the first centrally administered state-owned enterprise to set foot in Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)

Beyond industrial collaboration, the region has made strides in infrastructure development, ecological governance and public services.

In a testament to these efforts, the region's annual average concentration of PM2.5 in 2024 dropped by over 60 percent compared to 2013, highlighting significant progress in environmental management.

Meanwhile, Beijing facilitated 84.37 billion yuan in technology transfers to Tianjin and Hebei in 2024, fostering deeper regional integration. Additionally, the three areas have jointly established 14 innovation platforms, further strengthening their collaborative momentum.

"The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is focusing on developing new quality productive forces, leveraging Beijing's core economic momentum to transform its growth model and build a modern capital metropolitan area, which will, in turn, drive the development of the broader Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban cluster," said Yin Zhi, executive deputy director of the Institute for China Sustainable Urbanization at Tsinghua University.

"The future is not about the three places competing for a fixed share of resources, but about expanding the economic pie together," Yin added.

(Reporting by Li Sibo, Guo Yujing, Ji Ning; video reporters: Li Shuai, Qu Lanjuan, Gong Jinglu, Wang Pu; video editors: Liang Wanshan, Zhu Cong) 
Leadership training empowers Africas health regulators

The new African Regulatory Leadership Programme (ARLP) is a step towards regional harmonising and establishing the African Medicines Agency.

Held at the Wits Business School, the continents top national health products regulators gathered in Johannesburg last week to advance their leadership skills and mutually map out how Africa can strengthen its regulatory capacity. This comes at a critical juncture in light of global funding cuts and the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines.

Professor Helen Rees, CEO of Wits RHI, highlighted the importance of African regulators in ensuring regional and national health product safety. A new generation of regulatory leaders are now contributing to regional harmonisation efforts and supporting the establishment of the African Medicines Agency. The focus until now has been on technical milestones, but we recognised the need for the personal growth of these regulatory leaders, hence the establishment of the ARLP.

Wits RHI, the Health Regulatory Science Platform (HRSP), and Supporting Health Initiatives (all three are divisions of the Wits Health Consortium), in collaboration with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, established the first ARLP training, inspired by the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Programme.

A significant leap in regulatory maturity levels

In 2018, only one country, Tanzania, had achieved maturity level 3 (ML3) in terms of health products regulation. In 2024, eight African countries had achieved this, meaning that their national health regulator was stable, well-functioning, and integrated. The World Health Organization (WHO) benchmarks the regulatory systems of a variety of product types, including medicines, vaccines, blood products and medical devices.

Ghana, Zimbabwe, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Nigeria, Rwanda and Egypt have achieved ML3 status. (The highest attainment is ML4, which signifies an ongoing commitment to maintain an already advanced regulatory system. Several African countries are already on the path to achieving this.)

ML3 is only achieved by a few countries globally and highlights that more African countries can be awarded this. Moreover, the ARLP can encourage those already at ML3 status to become WHO-listed authorities for certain product streams, like medicines or vaccines, and regulatory functions, said Hiiti Silo, the Unit Head of Regulation and Safety at the WHO and a member of the ARLPs teaching and mentorship faculty.

Collaboration: The key to a stronger regulatory future

ARLP faculty member and Principal Policy Specialist at the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), Chimwemwe Chamdimba, says that achieving MLs 3 and 4 requires reliance and collaboration. Its why we gathered many national regulatory authorities (NRAs) in one room. We need a cadre of experts who have the leadership skills to promote regulatory harmonisation, convergence, networking, and work sharing. We cant do this alone.

Emer Cooke, sharing her experience as the Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency, noted that no matter the differences (size, economy) among member states, there can be a single market for pharmaceuticals. This is possible because we work within a system of reliance and recognition across the European Union. There neednt be 27 separate scientific assessments to authorise a medicine. Our standards are all the same.

Already, AUDA-NEPAD and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) signed a memorandum of understanding among Africas WHO ML3 national regulatory authorities. Not only does this foster collaboration, but it propels an enabling environment for the local production of medical products. We cannot have our own manufacturing capacity if we dont have regulation in place, said Chamdimba.

Precious Matsoso, director of the HSRP, former director general of the National Department of Health and current co-chair of the WHO Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, explained to programme participants that the ultimate aim is to ensure health equity and access in Africa. Robust systems need to be in place for that. This will then assist the African CDC in responding swiftly to public health processes. Our regulatory processes, with strong leadership behind these, are the cornerstone. We must make sure that medicines, vaccines and diagnostics are accessible to people who need it the most.

Participants and faculty members concurred that harmonising healthcare across the continent is key to increasing Africas overall commitment to health equity and access. It is why the ARLP is a targeted training programme to build resilient health systems and secure a sustainable future for the continent. And after the stop work orders from the US, the leadership training is timely indeed, said Robyn Hayes Badenhorst, the co-executive Director of Supporting Health Initiatives (SHI).

Matsoso also wants to debunk that the African health regulatory processes have little capacity. We also recognise that for anything to happen, we need to have leadership. We invited the heads of the regulatory authorities to gather and share their experiences and hopes. Its essential to add that this is not only about health. Regulation aids economic and development objectives. Every industry must produce safe products. And with scientific innovation comes success.

For the next six months, Africas NRA CEOs will be paired with faculty members as mentors. This inaugural programme will extend to other health regulatory professionals in future.

CEOs of National Regulatory Authorities who attended are: Dr Seima Dijen (Botswana), Dr Fred Siyoi (Kenya), Dr Tania Vuyeya Sitle (Mozambique), Fransina Nambahu (Namibia), Dr Mawien Atem (South Sudan), Dr Burhani Othman (Zanzibar), Delese Mimi Darko (Ghana), Professor Mojisola Adeyeye (Nigeria), Dr Adam Fimbo (Tanzania), Dr Tumi Semete-Makokotlela (South Africa), and Richard Rukwata (Zimbabwe).
 Brett Elmore, the general manager of WJLX-AM radio in Jasper, Alabama, thought he had misheard when he got a call, The Washington Post reported. "The tower is gone," his landscaper said.

The 200-foot-tall steel structure that had broadcast the station for decades was gone, with cut wires and an empty concrete slab left behind.

Elmore said police were "as bumfuzzled as I was."

Upon further investigation, he realized the padlock was missing from the small building adjacent to the tower, and the transmitter was also gone.

"I have heard of thieves in this area taking anything," Elmore said. "But this one takes the cake. If the tower is found, it's probably in a million pieces." [Washington Post, 2/9/2024]

 The Lima family in Philadelphia are investigating an unidentified object that appeared on their roof, NBC10-TV reported. Fabian Lima said he thought the 8-foot-tall flat piece of rusty metal with a large hole in it might have fallen from a plane, but "I would have thought it would have gone right through," he said.

The Limas called the Federal Aviation Administration, who told them to hold on to the item until given the "all-clear."

Later, the FAA said it had investigated and the object did not come from an aircraft. [NBC10, 2/8/2024]
TEHRAN, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran will respond in the coming days to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump seeking talks on Tehran's nuclear program, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, while ruling out direct negotiations under sanctions.

In a televised interview, Araghchi said the letter, delivered via the United Arab Emirates on March 12, was under review.

"The response will be sent through appropriate channels and will not take long," he said, adding that Tehran was weighing both the "threats" and "potential opportunities" outlined in the message.

Trump confirmed on March 7 that he had sent the letter a day earlier, expressing a desire to negotiate with Iran.

Araghchi noted the letter "was more like a threat" but said it contained proposals that required evaluation. "We are paying attention to all its points," he said.

He reiterated Iran's position that it would not engage in direct talks while under U.S. pressure.

"Our policy is clear: We will not negotiate directly under sanctions and coercion," Araghchi said, emphasizing that any discussions must take place "under equal circumstances."

The 2015 nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), granted Iran sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program. The agreement has been in jeopardy since the U.S. withdrew in 2018 under Trump and reimposed sanctions. Tehran has since scaled back its compliance but insists its nuclear activities remain peaceful. 
CANBERRA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate stayed at 4.1 percent in February, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday.

Despite a decrease of 53,000 in employment and a drop of 11,000 in the number of unemployed, the unemployment rate stayed at 4.1 percent, said Bjorn Jarvis, ABS head of labor statistics.

The decline in employment in February was partly due to fewer older workers returning to work, with lower employment levels in the older age groups in February 2025 compared to 2024, Jarvis said.

This follows a trend of higher employment in these age groups in recent years, especially in 2024, along with growth in the employment-to-population ratio over the past few years, he said.

In contrast, there has been ongoing growth in employment for individuals aged 15 to 54 throughout the year, statistics show.

"While the employment-to-population ratio fell 0.4 percentage points to 64.1 percent in February, it is still only 0.4 points below its historical high in December, and around where it was in June 2024," Jarvis said.

The decline in both employed and unemployed individuals in February resulted in a 0.4 percentage point drop in the participation rate, bringing it to 66.8 percent, statistics show.

However, Jarvis noted that despite this decrease, the participation rate remains relatively high, having reached a historical peak last month, and is still 0.1 percentage points above the level from the same time last year. 
SEOUL, March 20 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's rival political parties agreed Thursday on national pension reform plans amid chronic worry about the pension fund depletion.

The ruling People Power Party and the main opposition Democratic Party agreed to raise the pension contribution rate from the current 9 percent to 13 percent.

Under the agreement, it will be lifted by 0.5 percentage points per year for eight years beginning in 2026.

The nominal income replacement rate, or the percentage of pre-retirement income covered by the pension program, will be increased from the current 40 percent to 43 percent next year.

The revised bill on the national pension reform plans was scheduled to be passed in the National Assembly later in the day.

If approved, it would mark the third reform since the pension system was introduced in 1988.

The pension reform came amid lingering concerns about pension fund depletion, affected by the low birth rate and the rapidly aging population.

Under the current program, the national pension fund was forecast to go into deficit by 2041 and completely run out by 2055. 
DHAKA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi interim government has expressed its strongest condemnation and profound concerns over the resumption of Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wednesday issued a statement in this regard and said the newly restarted offensive has resulted in extensive loss of innocent civilian lives, including children and women, and the further deterioration of the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.

It stated that this renewed cycle of violence represents a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and a grievous disregard for established ceasefire agreements.

Bangladesh unequivocally denounced the Israeli indiscriminate airstrikes on densely populated civilian areas, which have exacerbated human suffering and inflicted devastating consequences upon the defenseless Palestinian population, the foreign ministry said in the press release.

The Bangladeshi government urged Israel to immediately cease all military operations, exercise maximum restraint, and respect its obligations under international humanitarian law.

Bangladesh called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take urgent and decisive measures to ensure the cessation of hostilities, protect civilian lives, and facilitate the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of Gaza.

Bangladesh reaffirmed its unwavering support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, and the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine along the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Bangladeshi government called upon all parties to prioritize the path of diplomacy and peaceful means to end the senseless violence and suffering that continue to afflict the Palestinian people. 
BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Du Yubo, a former national legislator, has been arrested on suspicion of bribery, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said in a statement on Thursday.

Du was vice chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the 13th National People's Congress.

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.

Du, also a former vice minister of education, was placed under investigation in September 2024. 


British educator Chris Nash first visited China in 2008 as a guest of the BBC and it was "love at first sight." Nash, now the new chair of the Society for Anglo-Chinese Understanding (SACU), is an old friend of the Chinese and has long been engaged in international education in China.

Integrating Chinese and Western Ideas

Nash brings innovative ideas to build understanding and promote communication between young Chinese and Britons.

A postgraduate in education, Nash was a school headmaster in England for 10 years, when he introduced many innovative ideas, especially e-learning and international partnerships.

In 2013, he was delighted to accept an invitation from Hao Shaolin, a renowned Chinese educator, to open a new international school in Beijing based on his education philosophies. That venture has become today's Beijing Xinxuedao Education Group, which runs a network of 30 schools across China. "What attracted me to work in Beijing was the experimental educational thinking of Hao," Nash says. "Like me, he believes in the value of life-long learning." Nash supports his graduates all "through the university, not just to the university."

As Nash sees it, international education methods do not mean abandoning traditions. Chinese culture values the cultivation of character traits such as integrity and perseverance, providing students cultural soil for life-long development and making their growth more resilient. "Traditional Chinese values on education enable students to adapt more easily to the challenging new environment and thrive on an overseas campus," he says.

He also doesn't think harmonizing Chinese and British educational ideas is a problem at all. "As an international school leader, you have to abandon all ideas of 'cultural imperialism,' and be humble, engage deeply with Chinese thinking and be constantly looking for bridges of understanding," Nash says.

Chris Nash (sixth from left) organized an exchange activity for Chinese students with their counterparts in the UK during summer vacation in 2024.



Exploring China's Vast Culture and Diversity

While working in China, Nash has visited many cities. International teachers in China should love and learn about the whole country, he says, not just the cosmopolitan areas of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, but also cities with their own characteristics such as Nanjing, Chengdu, Kunming, and Dunhuang located in the central, western, and southwestern regions of China. This will help them to have a more comprehensive and complete understanding of the country, as well as a deeper understanding of China's vast and diverse culture.

He watched the 2020 film My People, My Homeland, five poignant tales about people living in different parts of rural China and striving for their communities' economic and social welfare, and was moved, especially by the story of family reunion. "So I became determined to use my Spring Festival (holiday) to travel to remote areas of this beautiful country," Nash says. He went to Yunnan Province in southwest China and said he was grateful to the local residents there for their kindness.

"I am expecting to learn from the ethnic minority communities who have their own special role in the national life of China. I particularly admire the way their lives are organized in harmony with nature, for example houses that are made entirely from natural materials. And of course, everywhere you travel in China there are delicious local cuisines to explore and enjoy. I have to admit that many times in Beijing I find myself craving a bowl of simple but utterly satisfying Yunnan rice noodles!" he says.

Nash is inspired by young people. Every summer, his Beijing students are given the task of organizing one-week classes for a remote school's students. The Beijing students must discover the educational needs of the local students and design teaching methods and a meaningful curriculum by themselves. More challengingly, they must adapt to the living conditions of the local school and teach in a meaningful, relevant and professional way.

So far, the responses from the local students have been inspirational, but even more impressive has been the Beijing students' journey into maturity and responsibility. They learned firsthand that the best life is a life of service to others.

Chris Nash (left) and Michael Crook, founder of Western Academy of Beijing, exchange ideas and experiences about international school education.



A Community of Shared Understanding

Nash considers it an honor to chair SACU, especially after 14 years of exceptional leadership by his predecessor, Zoe Reed. He also feels it is inspiring to think that he can help "in a small way" to keep alive the legacy of SACU's founding chair Joseph Needham and his devotion to China's history, culture, science and technology. SACU is today increasingly known to British youth.

Nash calls British historian Michael Wood, who is the president of SACU, his mentor. Wood's documentary In the Footsteps of Du Fu that chronicles the life of one of China's greatest poets Du Fu (712-770) made him marvel at the long and profound history of Chinese culture. "I can only aspire to have a fraction of Wood's knowledge and insights into China," he says.

Nash believes in the power of stories to change minds. Therefore every week, in his Chair's Blog he writes a "people to people" story illustrating how the people of Britain and the people of China have far more in common than differences. "I hope to pass on the spiritual and cultural heritage of SACU so that more British people can understand China's history, culture, science and technology," he says.

In June 2024, the award ceremony of the seventh China-UK Friendship and Understanding Essay Competition was held at King's College London. The competition was jointly sponsored by SACU and the China Center for Edgar Snow Studies at Peking University. The winners were high school students from both the UK and China. The topic was "How do you see harmony in the cultural context of China and/or the UK?"

"In fact it's not just an essay competition. We encourage young people in both China and Britain to communicate on the theme they share the same interest in," Nash says. In 2023, the theme was "sustainability" and Nash said the participants did impressive, eye-opening research on the green initiatives in both countries, including projects in which teams from the UK and China are cooperating, sharing expertise and knowledge.

Chris Nash (second from left) celebrates Spring Festival with ethnic Miao people in southwest China's Guizhou Province.



In 2024, he said it was especially pleasing to see the efforts of young Britons to research and understand "harmony," a foundational idea in Chinese culture. The year 2025 sees the 60th anniversary of SACU itself. Nash says as part of these celebrations, they will invite young people from China and Britain to work together, telling the stories of the two old friends of China  US journalist Edgar Snow (1905-1972) and British educator George Hogg (1915-1945).

"I have adopted the Chinese philosophy 'Within the four seas, we are all one family' as a slogan for SACU, because for me it perfectly expresses the spirit of internationalism, which a divided world needs now more than ever," Nash says. "The environmental problem is a very important factor in the crisis humanity is facing today, which threatens the very planet where we all live. Therefore, we should build bridges of cooperation."

Nash encourages his students to go as "civil ambassadors" into their international universities to share their thinking and ideas, including traditional Chinese values of pursuing harmony and building a community of shared understanding.

He echoed Chinese President Xi Jinping, "We have learned that humankind is a community with a shared future. China can do well only when the world is doing well. When China does well, the world will get even better."

Photos from Interviewee

Source: China Today

(Women of China English Monthly February 2025)

Editor: Wang Shasha
Senior residents undergo rehabilitation training at an elderly care center in Rizhao, east China's Shandong Province, Nov. 11, 2024. [Xinhua/Cai Yang]

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua)  China plans to accelerate the training of professionals in integrated medical and elderly care to address rising demands amid an aging population.

The Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission made public a circular on Wednesday, urging vocational universities to establish bachelor's programs in medical and elderly care services.

Graduates from related vocational fields are encouraged to enroll, with institutions exploring seamless training models from secondary to undergraduate education.

Schools are advised to tailor programs to regional elderly care needs and foster collaboration between general universities, vocational colleges and healthcare institutions.

Partnerships with elderly care centers, hospitals and nursing homes will be fostered to provide students with hands-on experience, ensuring at least 50 percent of coursework focuses on practical training.

The initiative underscores China's commitment to addressing the challenges posed by its aging population by building a skilled workforce capable of delivering high-quality medical and senior care services.

China, where people aged 60 and above now exceed 20 percent of its population, expects this figure to reach 30 percent by 2035, with the elderly population to exceed 400 million by then.

(Source: Xinhua)

Editor: Wang Shasha
Hamas fires rockets at Israel for first time since truce collapses as toll mounts in Gaza
Georgetown University in Washington, DC, is seen on October 18, 2024. A Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow has been detained by the Department of Homeland Security, the university said March 19, as the Trump administration continues its immigration clampdown.
WASHINGTON, March 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has given Iran two months to reach a new nuclear deal in a letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, CNN reported Wednesday citing a source familiar with the letter's content.

Trump told Fox Business Network in early March that he had sent a letter to Iran's leadership proposing negotiations for a new nuclear deal.

He also told reporters at the White House that the United States is "down to final strokes with Iran" and "can't let them have a nuclear weapon."

"We have a situation with Iran that something's going to happen very soon ... Hopefully we can have a peace deal," he said. "I'm just saying I'd rather see a peace deal than the other, but the other will solve the problem."

According to the CNN source, the letter was presented to the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan by Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff during the latter's visit to Abu Dhabi last week. Later, the UAE transferred the letter to the Iranians.

In May 2018, during Trump's first term, the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. Trump reinstated sanctions on Iran, prompting Iran to scale back some of its nuclear commitments.

In response to Trump's latest call for negotiation, Khamenei said that certain "bullying" powers' insistence on holding talks with Iran is "not for resolving issues, but for dominating and imposing what they want on the other side," according to Iranian state media. 
A total of seven members of the public attended the two meetings held Wednesday, March 19, at the Metropolis Community Center.
Kneecap, the film of the Belfast rap band of the same name, released last year, is part comedy, part fictionalised music biopic, part contribution to Irish language rights and part investigation of the state of mind of a generation in the North of Ireland in the post Good Friday Agreement era. There is a lot going on all at once, much of it funny, exuberant, insightful, ridiculous and occasionally terrifying.

Directed and written by former journalist Rich Peppiat, and overseen by the three band members, Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, themselves, the film has been nominated for and won numerous international awards. Most recently, Peppiat won a British Academy Film Award for his debut directing efforts. In style, and some of the scenes, the film bears comparison with Danny Boyles 1996 film Trainspotting, although it is immeasurably healthier in outlook.

Kneecap American theatrical release poster [Photo: Unknown - IMP Awards]

From the opening, where an outdoor baptism for Naoise O Caireallain, aka Moglai Bap, is interrupted by a snooping Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) helicopter, the British occupation and centuries of domination of Ireland is a sinister omnipresence. The baptism was at a mass rockan isolated rural boulder which served as an altar during the 17th and 18th century bans on Catholicism.

Some events in the film never happened but the helicopter intrusion, a few years before the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (GFA), which inaugurated power sharing between the Irish republicans of Sinn Fein and pro-British unionists for the purpose of attracting investment, apparently took place. The RUC thought that the baptism was an Irish Republican Army (IRA) training operation.

Around two decades later, Liam Og O Hannaidh, aka band member Mo Chara, is arrested by the renamed, but still hostile, Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), supposedly after an all-night, drug-fueled West Belfast rave. O Hannaidh refuses to speak English, demanding instead an Irish translator. In the film, the translator becomes the bands third member JJ O Dochartaigh, aka DJ Provai. The two converse in Irish and tell the PSNI whatever is needed to let him go. DJ Provai rescues Mo Charas notebook of Irish language rap lyrics, and a sheet of LSD, from the police and the rest is history.

O Hannaidh was in fact arrested in 2022, long after the band was formed, for spray painting Cearta (Rights) before a demonstration in support of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022.

The ancient language of Irish has been marginalised in Ireland for hundreds of years, its suppression bound up with the islands ever-deeper subordination and integration into Great Britain. A 1737 Act of Justice banned Irish from legal uses. A century later, children were legally beaten for speaking Irish. Later in the 19th century, the fight for language rights emerged as part of the protracted and tragic Irish national struggle. Its still marginalised character testifies to the weakness of the Irish capitalist class and the national and democratic tasks it is entirely unable to complete.

For decades, despite being taught in the Republic of Ireland, with the insular aim of the gaelicisation of Irish society, Irish became increasingly confined to impoverished rural areas such as Connemara and Donegal. English, the language of the former coloniser, but which the entire population spoke, was, and is, universal. Today, while around 40 percent of the population in the South claim to be able to speak some Irish, only 71,000 speak it daily. In the North, around 13,000 speak Irish daily.

During the Troubles however, interest in the Irish language revived, directly in response to the self-sacrifice of republican prisoners during the 1981 hunger strikes for Special Category Status. IRA officer and political prisoner Bobby Sands famously wrote poems and entertained his comrades in Irish. His death, one of 10 hunger strikers who starved to death, shocked the world and 100,000 attended his funeral.

It also revived interest in the Irish language, an issue taken up thereafter by Sinn Fein, then the IRAs political wing, as part of their shift away from armed struggle towards electoralism and seeking integration into the structures of capitalist rule. The GFA defined Irish as part of the cultural wealth of the island of Ireland and required its signatories to resolute action to promote the language.

Subsequently, while the authorities have generally dragged their feet, Irish language speaking areas, Gaeltacht, have developed, with community support in Belfast and Derry. The Irish Language Act became law December 6, 2022 but the clause banning its use in the Northern Ireland courts was only repealed last month.

Kneecap present themselves unashamedly as defenders of both the Irish language and republicanism. But the film makes clear their attitude is more complex.

Post the GFA, a generation of young people has grown up, in both Catholic and Protestant communities in the North, where the promised peace and prosperity of the new Northern Ireland has not emerged. Instead, they daily confront peace walls, sectarian division, brutal policing, inter-generational trauma andabove alla political situation in which Sinn Fein, for decades the premier representative of Irish republicanism, now functions as ruling partners in imposing capitalist austerity with the far right and pro-British Democratic Unionist Party.

Kneecap (2024) [Photo: Sony Pictures]

The republican sentiments of the band are not pro-Sinn Fein at any rate. The band name refers to the vicious police role that both dissident republican and loyalist paramilitaries have long taken upon themselvesterrorising working-class youth to finance their own activities. By dominating the local drugs trade in communities which the police struggle to control, they function as state auxiliaries. Do you want it in your chest, or your knees, or your head? the band complain in their H.O.O.D anthem.

In the film, the republican dissidents issuing the threats are violent unprincipled idiots, rightly viewed with the same contempt as the PSNI and the entire Brit military/intelligence apparatus.

There is a tense but more respectful attitude to an earlier generation of IRA members, Bobby Sands generation perhaps, embodied in the character of O Caireallains film father Arlo, played by Michael Fassbender. Arlo is an aging IRA volunteer with a record of active service and car bombing.

One scene has a younger Arlo telling young Naoise and childhood friend Liam, in the film and likely in real life, that every word spoken in Irish is a bullet for Irish freedom. Naoises real father was an Irish language and cultural activist, Gearoid O Caireallain, who died last year. Arlo also asks the children to watch a Western movie from the standpoint of the native Americans.

Unlike his contemporaries in real-life Northern Ireland, where a substantial layer of former urban guerrillas became leading political figures, Arlo is still on the run from the PSNI. He has faked his own death - an operation in which nobody still believes.

The family dynamics around Arlo are moving. Arlos wife Dolores cannot grieve for him since he is alive but never present. Dolores never leaves her home. Older Arlo and adult Naoise meet occasionally but dont get along. One theme of the movie is Arlo coming in from the cold and Dolores finding a reason to get out of the house.

The band are not afraid to speak out. November last year, they won a discrimination case brought against the British government against then Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch who blocked an arts grant of 14,250 to the band. Badenochs decision was considered unlawful.

Kneecap (2024) [Photo: Sony Pictures]

At the time, the band issued a statement denouncing ongoing British rule in the North. They also made an important appeal to both sides of the sectarian division, pointing to the shared experiences: the working classes on both sides of the community deserve better; deserve funding, deserve appropriate mental health services, deserve to celebrate music and art and deserve the freedom to express our culture.

Kneecap have also, repeatedly, opposed the Gaza genocide and denounced far-right attacks on migrants across Ireland.

Their music might not be for everyone, but their articulation of the experiences of a generation of youth, their appeal across sectarian divisions and aspiration for something better strikes a deeply sympathetic chord.
Homeless man under a bridge in the center of Berlin

Last Monday, a shocking accident occurred in Berlin, Germany, which once again highlighted the inhumane living conditions of the homeless of the city.

A 33-year-old man, apparently seeking refuge from the freezing temperatures, was sleeping between layers of paper and cardboard in a waste bin when it was emptied in the early hours of the morning.

Workers running the waste truck only noticed the man when he became trapped in the opening and desperately called for help. The container could not be lowered without triggering the waste compactor. Despite immediately alerting the fire department, who cut holes in the vehicle and the compactor, the man could not be rescued. The two waste workers, suffering under shock, were treated in hospital.

The fatal accident is ultimately the consequence of the capitalist system placing the needs of the majority of the population below the profit interests of a small, obscenely rich elite.

While the super-rich increase their wealth and the German government transfers billions from social programs into militarization and armament, the poverty figures are skyrocketing to a record highs, reaching around 17.5 million people.

Affordable housing and subsidized social housing is in short supply. In Berlin around 90,000 social housing units are available with more than one million people entitled to social housing, and the ratio is worsening.

Housing is increasingly becoming a driver of poverty, warned Joachim Rock, Managing Director of the charity Paritatischer Gesamtverband with regard to a nationwide study called Housing Makes You Poor. Job loss, illness or separation exacerbate the consequences of poverty.

Those who are unable to pay rent, or back-rent, are at risk of losing their home. Nationwide in Germany there were more than 30,000 evictions in 2023. In Berlin, more than 2,000 evictions have been carried out every year since 2021, 21 percent of them due debt from rent and energy costs.

Instead of providing affordable housing, expanding accommodation options and the network of food banks, the employment of social workers on the streets and the provision of free healthcare for those in need, services are being cut and no-go zones for the homeless are being set up.

There is far too little accommodation for the up to 10,000 homeless people in Berlin. According to the Senate Social Welfare Department under Cansel Kiziltepe (Social Democratic Party, SPD), there are only around 1,170 emergency accommodation places available on any given day from October to April.

Homeless people are only taken in by the emergency shelters until the early evening. Anyone who is not there in time has to spend the night on the street. Only one shelter accepts people seeking help until four in the morning.

Those left on the streets seek shelter from the wet and cold in tents or layers of sleeping bags, blankets and newspaper under viaducts, in house passageways and nichesconstantly on guard against police and security agents.

The consequences of the daily struggle for mere survival and social exclusion are reflected in serious physical and mental illnesses and increased mortality rates.

A local resident told reporters from berlin-live.de: There is a young homeless man in front of the Edeka supermarket in Moabit. I spoke to him, bought him food and gave him clothes that I no longer needed. He was crying, he was so exhausted. He told me that being homeless is torture.

The poorest of the poorhomeless people and refugeesare systematically marginalized by the various government coalitions, whether led by the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) or the Social Democrats, and driven out of the public eye like vermin.

The expulsion of homeless people from weather-protected niches and warm subway stations can be seen in Berlin on a daily basis. The same applies to the stations of the Deutsche Bahn, the German rail company.

For years, all subway stations not in use at night have been closed by the Berlin public transport company, BVG. The BVGs justification that train stations are not a suitable place for humane accommodation (BVG spokesman Markus Falkner) and represent a concrete mortal danger due to passing trains and the high-current rails, is insulting in view of the danger in which homeless people permanently find themselves.

Four Berlin cold buses, a homeless aid project financed exclusively by donations, drive roughly 30,000 kilometers through the city every year (in 2013 it was 15,000) and try to find places to sleep for those in need. They often fail to do so and can only distribute tea, sleeping bags and blankets.

On November 8, the MOZ reported that the cold bus workers had to leave three people in wheelchairs behind because there was no barrier-free emergency accommodation. According to City Mission spokesperson Barbara Breuer, there are always homeless people who walk with crutches, lean on walkers or rely on a wheelchair. These people stay on the streets for too long and become destitute.

In May 2023, the Neukolln district office drew up a cynically named Homelessness Guide to chase off the homeless, primarily aiming to clear homeless camps and introduce no-go zones for homeless people.

Last year, some boroughs stepped up their efforts to expunge homeless camps, including in the Berlin-Pankow neighbourhood, where, according to the city council, 30 priority operations to clear camps on public streets and a further 10 in parks and green spaces were carried out last summer.

The Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf neighbourhood removed the camps on the underpass at Charlottenburg S-Bahn station with unannounced clearances. The responsible district councillor Oliver Schruoffeneger (Green Party) told rbb last September: We have had fixed rules for years, which mean that you can have a mattress and small items in winter, but not in summer.

The homeless often lose the last remnants of their possessions in clearing operations, but the city council is uninterested. This change of strategy, which can also be seen in other districts, represents an enormous burden for those affected because there is no alternative for them, noted Timo Grossmann (Berlin City Mission) on rbb.

The plan to fence off the well-known Gorlitzer Park (Gorli) has not yet been implemented with a new year-round emergency overnight accommodation, the Ohlauer 365 Project, with over 80 spots in seven-bed rooms not meeting demand.

Berlin is bursting at the seams, Ina Zimmermann, advisor for poverty reduction, homeless assistance and social services at the Diakonisches Werk Berlin-Brandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz, told the newspaper nd.

Regarding the more than 50,000 homeless people in Berlin, including refugees granted asylum, she warned that Berlin has reached a dramatic peak with 47,000 homeless people housed in emergency shelters, just over 6,000 people without accommodation (official estimate) and around 2,400 people in concealed homelessness.

The use of defensive architecturea particularly perfidious way of evicting homeless peopleis intended to eradicate the homeless from the public eye, especially from popular or prestigious tourist areas.

Benches such as those at the Rotes Rathaus subway station or armrests or metal bars that divide the seating area make it impossible to lie down. This includes sloping or recessed seating areas on seating elements in public spaces. Spiked pads under bridges or the cross struts above the ventilation shaft at the Berlin TV Tower are designed to prevent people from resting or warming up for long periods.

Paid toilets, which can only be used without cash, or colour-changing light installations, such as in the underpass at Savignyplatz in Berlin-Charlottenburg, serve to drive homeless people away. The light spectacle is certainly chic for passers-by, but it drives away homeless people who want to find shelter here at night in the rain, street social worker Andreas Abel told taz.

Spending the night on the street is not only dangerous because of the weather. There are repeated attacks on homeless people. Betti, the manager of Unterschlupf, a day shelter for women, told taz that the nights are especially dangerous for women. Thats why many do not sleep at all and come here in the morning.

Last year, the government registered a total of 506 violent crimes against homeless people (455 in 2023), including 166 cases of dangerous or grievous bodily harm, three of which were fatal.

Accommodation in emergency shelters is not a solution. In most cases, visitors are only allowed to stay overnight, and only in very few facilities (especially those for women) is this possible for time periods exceeding a month.

Emergency accommodation is not a real alternative for homeless people and refugees. While this is touted as a short, temporary solution, many have to stay in so-called ASOGs for months or even years without any protection or privacy. Some of the sanitary facilities are in an unacceptable state. At the same time, they live in constant fear of losing their place and ending up on the streets.

According to the Federal Statistical Office (January 2025), around 440,000 people across Germany are accommodated homeless, i.e., in public facilities for homeless people or in collective accommodation. The largest number live in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with over 105,000, followed by the state of Baden-Wurttemberg with 92,700 and Berlin with 47,300 people (official counts).

Young people are particularly affected (40 percent under the age of 25), since 150,100 of the homeless housed by the state are families with children (34 percent) and single parents (17 percent). A further 139,000 (32 percent) are single, and around 5 percent are older than 65.

A look at their origins reveals the brutal migration policy of Germanys federal and state governments, which is not aimed at integration but at harsh deterrence.

A total of 377,900 of the housed homeless have non-German citizenship (61,500 have a German passport). Almost a third come from Ukraine (around 136,900), where they fled war and forced military service. However, only those have been granted asylum are recorded in the statistics in the refugee shelters.

Berlin has a real human dignity problem, said Dr. Ursula Schoen, Director of Diakonie, summing up the situation last September. And Caritas Director Ulrike Kostka explained: It is quite obvious: the key is the lack of housing.

The fight against homelessness has long been a matter of symbolic politics, Stefan Schneider, spokesman for the Homeless Foundation remarked.

The cuts that the CDU-SPD-led Berlin state government under Kai Wegner (CDU) is making to the social budget will further exacerbate the untenable conditions for homeless people. The social welfare department is being cut by 66 million euro next year, leaving it with only 1.8 billion euro at its disposal.
The following statement was issued by Will Lehman, a rank-and-file worker at Mack Trucks in Macungie, Pennsylvania. Lehman ran for UAW president in 2022.

I condemn the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil and demand his immediate release. Khalil is a Columbia University graduate student, a legal permanent resident of the US, and a former United Auto Workers member. He was ambushed by Homeland Security agents, kidnapped from his home in New York, and secretly flown to an ICE detention center in Louisiana. He has not been charged with a crime. His only offense is opposing the genocide in Gaza and standing up for democratic rights.

The seizure of Khalil is a major escalation of Trumps move toward dictatorship. His administration is rounding up political opponents while carrying out mass deportations. Trump has made it clearthis is just the beginning. He said his administration will find, apprehend, and deport anyone who gets in the way of his agenda. If a student can be arrested for free speech, what will happen to striking workers? What will happen to those fighting back against layoffs, attacks on public education, Medicaid and Social Security?

My name is Will Lehman. Im a socialist autoworker at Mack Trucks in Pennsylvania. In 2022, I ran for president of the UAW on a program of rank-and-file workers power and abolishing the union bureaucracy. So where is the UAW? Khalil was a dues-paying member, yet the extent of the UAW bureaucracys opposition is hollow statements of solidarity and a call to organize.

There are hundreds of thousands of active workers already in the UAW that could be mobilized with over three quarters of a billion dollars in our strike fund to support actions we could take. But the UAW bureaucrats fear workers taking political action much more than they fear Trumps fascistic actions against rank-and-file workers. What the UAW means by organizing is getting additional dues-paying members, whose struggles it will also suppress.

Many UAW members at Columbia and in California have protested the genocide in Gaza. Theyve faced retaliation. The UAW has done nothing for them either.

When UAW bureaucrats were caught embezzling our dues, they spent millions on their own legal defense. When a rank-and-file member is targeted for standing up to war and dictatorship, the union officials do nothing, or worse.

UAW President Shawn Fain went all out to support Biden and then Harris in the 2024 electionsBiden, the war criminal who armed and funded the Israeli genocide in Gaza, the man who called anti-genocide protesters antisemitic and first ordered the crackdown on campus demonstrations.

Now, as Trump tramples the Constitution and arrests a recent UAW member for speaking out, Fain praises Trumps nationalist trade war policiespolicies that divide workers in the US from our brothers and sisters in Canada, Mexico, and China.

Rank-and-file workers must take action. Autoworkers, educators, grad students, Amazon workersevery section of the working class must unite. We must demand Khalils release. We must stop Trumps assault on democratic rights. Mass meetings and protests must be organized now, and we should begin preparing work actions.

I call on UAW members in every plant and workplace: Discuss Khalils case. Form rank-and-file committees to fight for his freedom. This fight is not just about one worker. Its about mobilizing the entire working class against the capitalist system, the source of war and dictatorship. Its about taking power from the oligarchs and putting it in the hands of workers.

The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees is organizing this fight. Demand Khalils release! Defend free speech! Join us today. Attend the online meeting this Saturday and sign up for the IWA-RFC at wsws.org/workers.
BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's policy to regulate cross-border data flows seeks to facilitate progress while ensuring data security, a move conducive to economic globalization, according to global toy giant the LEGO Group.

Clothilde Yang, head of government & public affairs at LEGO China, made the remarks after attending a panel about China's policies on cross-border data transfer for European Union (EU) enterprises in the country organized by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) in late February.

"Regulating cross-border data transfer is an innovative endeavor that the Chinese government is exploring prudently, aiming to promote and regulate data flow rather than impose restrictions," Yang said.

With the development of the digital economy, the cross-border flows of data have become the foundation for the exchange and sharing of global resources, including capital, information, technology, talent and goods.

To promote the lawful and orderly data flow, utilize the value of data, and expand high-standard opening up, China introduced a regulation on promoting and standardizing cross-border flows of data last March, which clarifies declaration standards for the assessment of cross-border data security and scenarios that are exempt from relevant security appraisals.

The policy provides clear operational guidelines, helping foreign enterprises achieve high-quality and efficient cross-border data transfer in compliance with related laws and regulators, Yang noted.

Yang also hailed the organization of policy briefing events and seminars such as the one held by the CAC in February and a series of similar activities in Shanghai, where LEGO China's headquarters is located.

"Through such interactive platforms, companies can share the problems and solutions they encounter in practice, collaboratively exploring best practices for adapting to new regulations," Yang said. "The open and transparent approach, along with a prompt response to enterprises' needs, reflects the government's proactive efforts to create an efficient business environment."

Yang also commended the Chinese government's efforts to explore the establishment of mutual recognition for cross-border data flow between China and the EU, which the company looks forward to, expecting it will further facilitate cross-border data transfer.

China is an important strategic growth market for the LEGO Group. The group has opened over 400 stores in over 120 cities across the country to date.

In 2025, China will improve basic data systems at a faster pace, extensively develop and utilize data resources, and ensure that cross-border data flows are promoted and kept under regulation, according to the government work report.

"The LEGO Group looks forward to the implementation of more facilitating policies in the future to promote the safe and orderly cross-border flow of data in the context of globalization, which will contribute to the development of the global digital economy," Yang said. 
Three hundred jobs are at risk in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, after the UK based Wabtec Rail Limited unveiled plans to close the Plant Works site and withdraw from the UK rolling stock maintenance market.

Wabtec Rail Limited overhaul and repair railway rolling stock and components, including the conversion of various types of trains to sliding doors. Wabtec Rail Limited is part of the Fortune 500 Wabtec Corporation (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation), headquartered in Pittsburgh. The corporation employs around 27,000 people across 50 countries supplying components and services to the rail industry, with an annual $8 billion turnover.

Wabtec Rail's 08853 shunts London North Eastern Railway Mark 4 coaches outside the workshops in Doncaster. [Photo by Geof Sheppard / CC BY-SA 4.0

Wabtec expanded into the UK in 2011, buying rail refurbishment works in Doncaster and another in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Over the following decade Wabtec bought up a series of regionally based rail companies in Derby, Loughborough, Northampton, Kilmarnock and Barton-under-Needwood and incorporated them into their global operations.

The US-owned corporation announced the cuts on February 7, saying following a comprehensive review of the product lines and cost challenges at the Doncaster plant, our proposal is to complete our current projects, then withdraw from the vehicle maintenance market in the UK and close the site. The redundancies would represent a tenth of the 3,000 workers employed by Wabtec, located across 10 sites in Britain.

The Plant Works opened in 1853 and is located on the west side of Doncaster railway station. Its heritage was recognised with the building being granted Grade II listed status in 2015. The world famous Flying Scotsman and Mallard trains were conceived, designed and built there, establishing Doncasters reputation for railway engineering.

If a firm makes 20 redundancies, it is required to hold a collective consultation. Meetings between the employers and employee trade union representatives were held March 2-4. A communication, Collective consultation: Joint Communication (between the unions and management) begins. The Company and employee representatives met to continue the collective consultation in relation to the companys proposals to close the Doncaster site in 2026. The meeting reviewed the rationale for Wabtec to exit the rail refurbishment market and close the Doncaster site.

Other sites within the Doncaster region are apparently being considered by the company as part of the phased transfer of work away from the Plant Works where production will continue until mid 2026. No final decision on the whereabouts of Wabtecs relocation will be made until April.

The document refers to nine potential relocation options being considered within the Doncaster region, or whether to repurpose an existing Wabtec facility at Barton-under Needwood. The east Staffordshire site is commutable from Doncaster by car only, with a daily round trip approaching two and a half hours door-to-door. The journey to and from home by todays dilapidated public transport infrastructure would last as long as the workplace shift. On March 5, union representatives made a site visit to the Wabtec facilities at Barton-under-Needwood.

At no point are the job losses discussed, until the document concludes that they will meet again on March 11: which will involve starting to look at the principles of how we manage employees when the business exits from the vehicles market.

A further document contains over 50 questions from the workforce directed to the company concerning their future livelihoods, job losses, potential relocation, wages, training and the fate of apprentices amongst other concerns. But a large number of the questions are left unanswered in any definitive manner and many are responded to by Wabtec with a pro-forma, This will form part of the collective consultation process and more information will be provided in due course.

The company is smoothly proceeding with its brutal plans because there is no fight being taken up by the unions involved to save a single job. Unite the union and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have facilitated many job losses previously.

Doncaster Central Labour Party MP Sally Jameson, a former prison officer who entered Parliament in last years election, declared on February 7 of the proposed closure, This is a continuation of sad news at the site following voluntary redundancies in 2020. She added, I am in contact with Unite the Union and will offer my full support to constituents affected. Representing an avowed big business party, Jameson will do nothing to oppose the closure.

Unite and the RMT have not yet issued a word about the job losses, with their silence revealing the union bureaucrats contempt for members whose dues pay their fat salaries. Contacted by phone by this author, senior press officers for both unions claimed ignorance about the plans to shed 300 engineering workers jobs! Ryan Fletcher, the senior press officer at Unite said he knew nothing, as did the RMTs press officer John Millington. They both asked the author to email them, but neither responded.

Wabtec has already decimated its UK workforce by around two thirds over the past five years. In July 2020 the company used the pandemic as an opportunity to massively cut staff numbers and alter contracts to the detriment of the workforce. Wabtec initially announced plans for 450 redundancies but actually made 760 posts redundant, including all 682 manual graded staff. This involved cutting 450 jobs and firing the remainder of the workforce and forcing them to take new, inferior contractsfire and rehire.

While Wabtec was drastically reducing the workforce at Doncaster, in June 2020 they closed their facilities at Kilmarnock, Scotland with the loss of 100 jobs. Ironically the Scottish press reported in April of that year that the 100 jobs in Scotland were threatened because Wabtec planned to focus operations in Doncaster.

In 2022, a further 80 job losses were announced by Wabtec, Doncaster and the same number of job losses again at their Birkenhead, Merseyside facility. The unions involved held two four day stoppages. After this Wabtec were given a free hand. Strike action occurred only after the company boasted about how far down the road it was with its agenda. A spokesman for the company stated, We have spoken to employees directly, which has resulted in more than 70 percent of the workforce voluntarily agreeing to the new working practices and the pay increase.

Job losses at Wabtec have continued across the UK over recent years, culminating now with the complete closure plan of the Doncaster operations and their exit from the rail refurbishment market.

The refusal to lift a finger to oppose redundancies follows Unites betrayal at Princes Food, after corporate management threatened to shift beverage production abroad should further strikes go ahead in February, and the workforce demand more than 3 percent wage increase. Even the limited strike action called by Unite was called off in response to the threat.

The RMT ensured it kept the earlier disputes at Wabtec sealed off from the wider struggle of rail workers during the 2022-23 strike wave. This was part of the extinguishing of strikes throughout the public and private sector by the union bureaucracy to pave the way for Starmers Labour government. With Starmer in power, and having adopted the predecessor Conservative governments Great British Railways agenda, the main concern of the Labour government and the RMT is to push through this pro-capitalist rescue plan premised on a further evisceration of rail workers jobs, wages and conditions.

For workers to fight back against the assault launched by the employers, they must take the struggle into their own hands through the formation of rank-and-file committees operating independently of the union bureaucracy. This requires the adoption of class struggle tactics to unify with workers at Wabtecs international operations and other rail and transport workers in the UK.
Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and possible presidential candidate for the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), was detained on two separate charges in a police raid on his home early Wednesday morning.

The police-state crackdown sparked mass protests across the country. After hundreds of municipal workers demonstrated in front of the Sisli Municipality, hundreds of students at Istanbul University organized a protest, defying Istanbul Governorships four-day ban on all protests.

Ekrem Imamoglu, Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, giving a speech in front of Istanbul Palace of Justice on 31 January 2025. [Photo: X / @ekrem_imamoglu]

Police reinforcements were deployed by the police chief to the security directorate in Istanbul where Imamoglu is being detained, while crowds gathered behind the barricades to protest his detention. Thousands took to the streets in many cities, including Izmir and Ankara.

Police detained Imamoglu on charges of leading [a] benefit-oriented criminal organization along with 106 people, including mayors, municipality officials, journalists and artists. Imamoglu and seven others, including Sisli and Beylikduzu mayors and municipal officials, were also detained on charges of aiding the terrorist organization, i.e., the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

The Sosyalist Esitlik Grubu (SEG), the Turkish section of the International Committee of the Fourth International, issued a statement on X condemning the Erdogan regimes police state repression, which abolishes basic democratic rights, including the right to vote and be elected, and calling for the immediate release of those detained.

Placing Turkeys escalating repression in an international context, the SEG further noted:

The developments in Turkey are part of a global process by ruling classes, from the U.S. to Europe, to build authoritarian regimes under conditions of genocide in Gaza, a developing world war, and rapidly intensifying class tensions. The deeply crisis-ridden and decaying global capitalist system is incompatible with democracy. The Istanbul Governorships unconstitutional four-day prohibition of demonstrations reflects fear of opposition from working-class and youth masses. Democracy can only be defended and secured through the independent, mass mobilization of the working class for a socialist program.

Imamoglu announced his detention on X, stating, A coup is being carried out against the will of the nation. He added: A handful of minds attempting to usurp our nations will have deployed hundreds of police officers to the doors of 16 million Istanbul residents by exploiting our beloved police for evil. We face immense tyranny, but we will not yield. I entrust myself to my people. Let everyone know I will be tall in the saddle. I will continue to fight against his [Erdogans] mentality that instrumentalizes the process through its apparatus.

On Tuesday, Imamoglus university degree, obtained 31 years ago, was unlawfully revoked by Istanbul University. Having a university degree is one of many anti-democratic requirements imposed on presidential candidates. Polls have shown Imamoglu ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a potential presidential race.

The CHP became the leading party in last years elections, surpassing Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) for the first time in 22 years. Recently, the CHP launched an early election campaign in response to government-led repression and operations. An internal primary election, where Imamoglu would be the sole candidate, was scheduled for this Sunday.

Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office issued a statement defending its trumped-up accusations that Imamoglu is guilty of aiding a terrorist organization. It declared: Imamoglu, together with other suspects, determined the lists of municipal council members with their approvals in the local elections, they committed the crime of aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization by knowingly participating in the Urban Consensus

The police investigation is targeting a legal electoral alliance, known as the Urban Consensus, between the CHP and the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in local elections held on March 31 last year. The two parties collectively secured votes from over 20 million citizens nationwide.

As previously explained on the World Socialist Web Site, The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office is creating a crime that does not exist and is trying to legitimise this operation on the basis that the electoral alliance between two legal parties was praised in the media by officials of the illegal Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

While the Erdogan government seeks to suppress the opposition parties by linking them to the PKK, it is simultaneously negotiating with imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. As part of talks mediated by the DEM Party and largely supported by other parliamentary parties, Ocalan recently called on the PKK to hold a congress, lay down arms, and dissolve itself.

Imamoglus detention is part of a broader state crackdown targeting the DEM Party and CHP-elected mayors, journalists, and labor leaders in recent months. It exposes the hypocrisy of claims that negotiationsclosely tied to the deepening war in the Middle Eastwill bring peace and democracy.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called Imamoglus detention a coup, stating on X: Using force to decide on behalf of the people, override their will, or obstruct it is a coup. A power is now at work to prevent the people from choosing the next president. We are facing a coup attempt against our next president.

In a statement, the DEM Party declared, As we have repeatedly stated, these actions constitute a coup. Turkey is experiencing an overt joint judicial-executive coup process that increasingly targets all political and social opposition.

Sections of the financial capital quickly showed their discontent with the detentions. Borsa Istanbuls BIST 100 index opened with a sharp drop of nearly 7 percent, while the Turkish lira fell to historic lows against foreign currencies.

The European allies of the CHP, who are trying to continue the imperialist war against Russia in Ukraine and are carrying out a massive social onslaught at home, also reacted negatively. German Foreign Ministry spokesperson Sebastian Fischer described it as a serious setback for democracy, while the Social Democrats (SPD) declared their solidarity with Imamoglu. The French Foreign Ministry said it was deeply concerned about the detentions.

The Erdogan governments growing turn to authoritarian rule reflects a deepening crisis of the ruling class, rooted not in Erdogans mind but in the global capitalist system. Erdogan already vowed to respond to the expanding Middle East warof which the Gaza genocide is a partand the growing radicalization of the working class by strengthening the internal front.

Imamoglus arrest marks a new stage in the presidential dictatorship built over years.

Events in Turkey cannot be separated from the global shift toward authoritarianism amid escalating imperialist wars and growing social inequality. Four years after his attempted January 6 coup, fascist President Donald Trump, reinstated by the US financial oligarchy, is dismantling the constitution and defying court rulings.

Governments worldwide, including Erdogans, are aware that their allies in Washington will no longer pressure them with human rights and democracy rhetoric, enabling them to advance dictatorial moves.

The way forward against this global assault, rooted in the capitalist system, lies in the independent mobilization of the working classthe only social force capable of consistently defending democratic rightson an international scale, based on a socialist program.
The following is a statement being distributed at rallies of postal workers this week. To join the USPS Rank-and-File Committee, fill out the form below.

A US Postal Service letter carrier delivers mail in Atlanta. [AP Photo/David Goldman]

To All USPS Workers,

As we take part in rallies this week to defend the United States Postal Service (USPS) against privatization, it is essential to understand the broader context of this struggle. The fight to protect the USPS is not just about defending our jobs, as important as that is. It is part of the fight against an emerging dictatorship in the United States. It can and must be stopped through a mass movement of the working class that can wield its collective power to stop them.

Through fascist billionaire Elon Musk and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency, the corporate oligarchy is carrying out the biggest looting operation in history. At stake is not just the future of USPS, but of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, food stamps and other programs on which tens of millions of Americans rely. In an interview, Musk summed up his goal: Privatize everything we possibly can. In other words, steal everything that is not bolted down.

This is connected with Trumps sweeping attacks on free speech and other democratic rights, including arrests of student protesters like Mahmoud Khalil for opposing the genocide in Gaza. He is operating with a strategy to transform America into a police state, where workers have no rights and the oligarchs rule like kings.

Last week, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy signed an agreement with DOGEthe text of which has not been publicizedin order to help it slash costs. The first item of business is 10,000 job cuts through early retirement over the next months. After that, he has singled out pension obligations, equal service mandates, workers compensation and other key programs. Building upon what has already been accomplished in the Delivering for America program, the aim is to prepare USPS for privatization by making it as lucrative as possible for potential buyers.

USPS is not, and was never meant to be, a source of profit! It is a public service that delivers to every house and business in the country six and in some cases seven times a week. To make it profitable would require a vast reduction in service, including the number of days per week that mail and packages are delivered.

But in the face of the deepest attacks in the 250-year history of the post office, the union officials in NALC, the NRLCA and APWU have not proposed, much less organized, a serious struggle against these attacks. Instead, they are offering their collaboration, with NALC even proposing to help find ways to close the funding gap in workers pension plans by moving the fund into the (rapidly declining) stock market!

While Trump defies the courts, the law and the Constitution at will, union officials insist that postal workers must accept anti-democratic strike laws and waste our time writing letters to Congress. Meanwhile, the NALC is currently in expedited arbitration, after NALC workers rejected the first deal by a historic margin. This move deprives workers of the right even to vote on the contract cooked up in arbitration, which will almost certainly be nearly identical to the first one they rejected.

Meanwhile, Trumps opponents in the Democratic Party are busy giving him everything he wants, voting on deals to help him pass his budget to carry out massive social cuts. Their pathetic sign-waving, which disgusted millions during Trumps address to Congress, shows that they will not lift a finger even to warn the public about what is happening. As the other party of Wall Street, the Democrats are more afraid of a movement from below than they are even of fascism.

NALC president Brian Renfroes position is that the best way to fight privatization is with an arbitrated contract in place. But this is not a legal fight, least of all because Trump simply ignores the courts. The White House has already ripped up the contract for TSA airport workers and has ordered federal agencies to ignore existing labor contracts in cutting jobs.

In reality, this is a political fight which will be decided in a struggle between social forces.

In a statement last month on the NALC arbitration, we wrote:

The worst thing we can do is to wait for the next contract and new union elections to fight. If they get away with this, it will be the last contract with USPS as a public entity. As for union elections, experience proves no amount of pressure or musical chairs at the top will change their nature as pro-management sellouts. At UPS, yesterdays so-called reformers in the Teamsters are helping carry out massive automation-driven cuts, while placing the resources of the union at the disposal of the right-wing Trump administration.

We must act now to fight back. The first step is for us to adopt the principle that this [current] process has no legitimacy.

Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. The only way to save the post officeand American democracyis through the mass mobilization of the working class. The working class is the most powerful force on earth. If only we know how to use that power we can defeat the attacks by Trump and his handful of oligarchs and right-wingers.

This requires new organizations, rank-and-file committees, to mobilize ourselves independently of Trumps collaborators in the Democrats and the union tops. We must safeguard our own initiative and begin organizing now rather than waiting for permission from the top which will never come.

We postal workers must link up with workers in every city and neighborhood where we make deliveries, uniting with federal workers, teachers, industrial workers and others to build a powerful and unified class movement against dictatorship.

Many rank-and-file committees have already been built at key workplaces over the last four years. They are affiliated with each other in a world movement in the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees.

We must unite with workers around the world, rejecting Trumps America First poison. Workers in other countries and immigrants in the US are our friends and allies. Our real enemies are the oligarchs within the US. In the IWA-RFC, postal workers in Canada, Britain and Germany are organizing to fight similar privatization schemes to our ownwe must link up with them and prepare joint actions.

In a recent online meeting which we co-sponsored with the IWA-RFC, attendees passed a resolution which declared in part:

The time for empty statements is over. The International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees and Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee call for immediate preparations for mass resistance  We reject the dismantling of public services and demand workers control over critical sectors like the USPS. The only way forward is through the independent organization of the working class, in opposition to both corporate-backed parties and their enforcers in the trade union apparatus.

We must continue now to build such a movement. If you agree, join us! Sign up for the Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committee by filling out the form below.

In Solidarity,

The Postal Workers Rank-and-File Committees
Earlier this month, Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossed the eastern coast of Australia and moved through the countrys third largest population centre, home to nearly five million people, including Brisbane, the Queensland state capital.

House destroyed by Cyclone Alfred, in Currumbin Valley, southeast Queensland [Photo: Queensland Fire Department]

The impacts included at least one reported death, widespread flooding of low-lying working-class areas, over 300,000 homes without powermany for several days or even over a weekand thousands of people dangerously cut off phone and internet access.

Almost exactly three years before Cyclone Alfred, flooding in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 16 people. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) released, on March 6, 2022, a statement titled Australias floods: An indictment of capitalism.

The statement outlined how the destructive outcomes of the flooding were not merely a natural disaster, but rather the result of profit-driven and cost-cutting political decisions, combined with the refusal of Labor and Liberal-National governments alike to mitigate climate change.

As the World Socialist Web Site stated in our recent coverage of Cyclone Alfred:

None of the basic political issues raised in that statementlack of disaster preparation, inadequate and privatised infrastructure, housing development in flood-prone areas, prohibitive cost of disaster insurance, reliance on volunteers and the military, and climate changehave been addressed by governments since.

In fact, Cyclone Alfred revealed a worsening government failure.

Vulnerable infrastructure

Cyclone Alfred laid bare inadequately prepared infrastructure that is susceptible to weather disasters, particularly in energy and communication services.

Hundreds of thousands of homes lost power and communication for days on end, causing considerable hardship and cutting them off from information about the storm and flooding dangers, as well as from news of loved ones.

More than 250,000 households lost access to the NBN mobile phone network across southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales (NSW). NBN Co said the majority of outages had been due to power blackouts.

Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses Labor government has failed to deliver on its proposed national mobile disaster alert system, promised for the end of 2024 but now said to be possibly expected in 2027.

A 2024 report from Engineers Australia analysed how resilient the countrys energy sector is, titled Energy Security: Where did we go in 10 years? In the words of civil engineer Neil Greet, who led the research, basically, nowhere.

Key weaknesses include overhead power lines that can be damaged by falling trees during storms, instead of underline power lines, as well as a lack of substation batteries that could supply power to entire suburbs in the event of a power outage.

Successive state and federal governments have evidently concluded that these measures are too costly, despite the fact that they would have no doubt substantially reduced the likelihood of the electricity disruptions witnessed during the cyclone.

Housing development in high flood risk areas

Housing continues to be built in flood-prone areas, with over 1.3 million households in Australia susceptible to flooding according to data from the Insurance Council of Australia.

In 2022, the WSWS wrote that due to soaring house prices and falling real wages, working-class families often have no option but to live in these low-lying areas.

In Queensland, median house prices have since risen from $768,000 in March 2022 to $923,000 in December 2024, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That is an increase of 20.2 percent, almost double the 11.79 percent rise in the Wage Price Index in the same period.

The economic pressure to live in flood-prone areas overwhelmingly falls onto the most financially disadvantaged households. Of the over 200,000 homes across Australia classified at high risk of annual flooding, 35 percent are in areas where the median income level is below the poverty line of $58,000 per year.

Soaring price of home insurance and inadequate disaster relief payments

Furthermore, with increasingly prohibitive costs of disaster insurance, or the refusal of insurance companies to provide flood coverage, over 20 percent of those households have no flood insurance, exposing them to potential financial ruin.

In 2022, a report from the Actuaries Institute revealed that the average (mean) price of home insurance was $1,534 per year. An updated report from 2024 found that had increased to $2,774 per year.

The number of households in a vulnerable state of home insurance affordability (defined as needing to spend at least four weeks of gross annual income) had increased by 600,000 since 2022, bringing the total to 1.6 million.

The soaring price of home insurance was most pronounced in the state of Queensland, where households suffered an almost doubling of annual premium costs from $2,089 to $3,815.

As a result, just over a quarter (26.5 percent) of Australians have no home insurance, according to a 2024 survey from Compare the Market. This leaves millions of working-class people, particularly those who are younger, in financial peril in the event of an extreme weather event such as Cyclone Alfred.

In response to the cyclone, the federal Labor government has offered paltry fortnightly payments of up to $1,007 for those who have lost work or income. That figure is below the official poverty line. For many workers, it would barely cover the cost of rent and groceries.

Lack of disaster preparation

Around 600,000 homes at risk of flooding in the country fall short of modern planning and building standards. No government has taken steps to fund flood-resistant upgrades to homes, such as brick walls and flood gates, or to ensure that new homes are built with such measures already in place.

There has been no effort to create paid civilian emergency services trained and ready to respond to events like cyclones, floods or bushfires. Instead, emergency response is relegated to largely volunteer organisations like the State Emergency Service (SES) and increasingly to the military.

The governments real priority is to prepare not for natural disasters, but for war. Compared to the $200 million per year allocated for a Disaster Ready Fund, the Labor government has pledged $56 billion per year for the military, rising to $100 billion annually by the end of the decade.

Climate change

Without speculating at this early stage how much of Cyclone Alfred can be attributed to climate change, extreme events like it are becoming more frequent due to the effects of global warming.

Far from reducing Australias contribution to rising greenhouse gas emissions that are fuelling the climate crisis, the Albanese Labor government has, in the past three years, approved a further 10 coal mine expansions. It also expanded gas extraction under its Future Gas Strategy of 2024, including by approving a gas fracking station in 2022 and providing permits to fossil fuel corporations to explore and drill in offshore gas reserves.

Conclusion

The ruling class will not address these fundamental political issues. As the representatives of the capitalist system which subordinates human need to profit considerations, the parliamentary parties are beholden to the interests of big business and committed above all else to the survival of Australian capitalism. This program is increasingly taking the form of deepening cuts to the living standards of the working class and increased spending on militarism and war.

The political fight to safeguard the population against the threat of extreme weather disasters cannot be left to any capitalist party, including the Greens. As the SEPs 2022 statement outlined, workers and residents need to establish rank-and-file committees in workplaces and working-class areas, independent of the pro-capitalist parties and trade unions to fight for measures such as:

Timely warning systems and a resilient telecommunication network, including in rural and remote areas

A massive development of flood and storm protection infrastructure, including reliable power services

A vast expansion of paid civilian emergency and health services

A national universal public insurance fund

An international, scientifically-based plan to halt and reverse global warming.

All these measures come into conflict with a society dominated by billionaires, the insatiable drive for private profit and the conflicting interests of rival and warring national states.

The urgent social needs of the majority must be addressed by placing the banks, insurance companies, property developers and other corporate giants under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class.

That requires uniting workers in Australia and globally to abolish the capitalist system. In its place, a socialist economy must be built for the rational planning of society and its resources in the service of human need, not corporate profits and war.
The great American writer and wit Mark Twain is credited with the well-known aphorism: There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.

The rejection of the Socialist Equality Partys (SEP) application for registration by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) is a case in point. It was based on the statistical testing of the partys membership list using methodology that is deliberately opaque and inherently biased against parties applying for registration.

Voters at Sydney polling place in 2019 [AP Photo/Rick Rycroft]

The statistical method serves the political purpose of anti-democratic legislation requiring party registration: to shore up the failing two-party system by preventing parties such as the SEP contesting with their name on the ballot paper in the upcoming federal election. As support for the major parties plunged, the Labor Party and the Liberal-National Coalition came together in August 2021 to treble the membership requirement from 500 to 1,500. The transparent aim was to reduce the number of parties able to contest elections under their names. Parties with parliamentary representationthat is, capitalist parties with the greatest resourceswere exempted from the registration process.

The extent of the popular hostility towards the major parties is such that the upcoming federal election represents a major political crisis for the ruling class. There is a strong likelihood that neither Labor nor the Coalition will be able to form a stable, majority government. Thus, a great deal is at stake for the political establishment in preventing the registration of third parties, particularly the Socialist Equality Party. The SEP, formed in 1972 as the Socialist Labour League, has a far longer history than most other parties, including the Greens, and has sunk deep roots into the working class, significant layers of which are now looking for a means of fighting against the growing threat of world war and the worsening social crisis.

The entire process of party registration is veiled in secrecy, drawn-out and profoundly anti-democratic. The SEP submitted a list of more than 1,500 members, complete with their names, addresses and dates of birth to the AEC last year. More than four months later, the AEC responded by declaring that the SEP had failed the membership test. The AEC contacted a very small sample of members, out of which several supposedly denied membership. Under the guise of privacy, the AEC will not tell the SEP who those individuals are, so that it can verify the Commissions claim or amend its list.

The AECs guide to party registration provides very limited details of the method used to determine whether a party has at least 1,500 members. After removing those not on the electoral roll or determined as being members of other parties, the AEC does not check the entire list, but uses a sampling technique supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). All that is revealed by the AEC is a list of sample sizes and allowed denials of membership, corresponding to the size of the submitted membership list running from 1,500 to the permitted maximum of 1,650.

Significantly, the statistical methods used to generate those figures have never been revealed. As a result, the underlying assumptions remain a secret and the numbers themselves cannot be verified independently. All that is stated is that the ABS regards the testing method as reasonable.

Statistics can be a very powerful tool that has a broad range of applications in the sciences, engineering, manufacturing, medicine and many other fields. It is, however, an elementary requirement that details of the statistical method be open to independent examination. If a scientist submitted a paper for publication that failed to supply statistical methodology it would be automatically rejected. Even in the rather dubious field of opinion polling, the statistical methodology is stated.

There is no innocent explanation for the failure of the AEC or the ABS to reveal the statistical methodology. The SEP has consulted several professionals with a background in statistics to examine the AECs sampling in an effort to identify the underlying statistical methodology used. They were astonished by the small size of the samples and the tiny number of denials allowedin the case of the SEP, a sample of 33 with just 2 allowable denials.

Based on the figures available, they determined that it was very likely that the ABS has used an exact hyper-geometric method, commonly employed for testing relatively small populations, to determine the sampling figures supplied to the AEC. Applying that method, it proved possible to model the sample sizes and allowed denials used by the AEC. More importantly, in doing so, some of the underlying assumptions could also be identified.

The confidence level

The first assumption required in all statistical testing is to choose a confidence interval or the level of confidence that the test is reliable and the results are correct. Different confidence levels are set depending on what is being examined and the degree of reliability required. In the case of the AEC, the confidence level used is not just a matter of statistics but is a political choice. The lower the confidence level, the greater the likelihood that a valid membership list will be rejected.

All the professionals consulted came to the same conclusionthat the confidence level used in the AEC sampling was at the very basic 95 percent level. In other words, what the ABS regards as realistic is that the result of membership testing could be wrong 5 percent of the time. Put another way, 1 in 20 tests could reject a valid membership list.

There are no doubt myriad statistical applications in which a 95 percent confidence level is legitimate. However, what is being determined by the AEC is not food preferences or voting intentions at the next elections. Rather it is deciding on the basic democratic rights of a party to be identified on the ballot and those of voters to know for whom they are voting.

As one professional remarked: In the social sciences, the literature often considers a result significant at the 95 percent confidence level. In the physical sciences we generally use 99.99994 percent confidence to establish the reality of a result. And in empirical sciences, the general rule is 99.7 percent confidence is the general heuristic one tends to find. The use of such a weak consideration [by the AEC/ABS] to reject the validity of something so important as an electoral option doesnt speak well for their aims.

In the hyper-geometric test, the confidence level, along with another parameterthe margin of error or precision, determine the sample sizes used and, in the case of the AEC, the number of allowed denials. The lower the confidence level, the smaller the sample sizes and number of denials allowed. At a higher confidence level of 99 percent, the figures are substantially higher.

On our calculations, at a 99 percent confidence level, a sample size of 54 and maximum allowed denials of 5 would be used to test the SEP membership list, significantly reducing its chances of failing the test.

This is not simply a theoretical issue. There is at least one case where the choice of confidence level made the difference between a party being registered or not. This is demonstrated in the protracted process lasting over two years beginning in December 2021, in which the AEC moved to deregister the Australian Progressives Party.

The first attempt to deregister the party was unsuccessful, due to the AECs own staggering error. After its first membership list was deemed to have failed, the party submitted a slightly amended second list which also failed and the party was deregistered. However, the testing of the second list in February 2022 contained a glaring difference. Of the 1,576 names submitted, the vast majority, 1,391, were deemed not on the electoral roll, as compared to just 44 on the previous list. When challenged, the AEC was compelled to admit that an error had indeed occurred in formatting the Partys membership list for testing and the party registration was reinstated.

Nevertheless, the process of deregistration ground on, recommended by the AEC in June 2022. The partys membership list submitted in July 2022 was again deemed to have failed. A sample of 33 members was tested and found to have three denials by the smallest marginone more than the two allowed. The Australian Progressives provided another list in September 2023 which again failed.

The party had already applied for a review of the AECs process in November 2022, including a questioning of the methodology used to test membership. The review, which was repeatedly delayed due to elections and by-elections, finally concluded in 2024 and upheld all the AECs decisions.

However, one point in the AECs lengthy justification of May 2024 to the Australia Progressives stands out. To justify its sampling method, in reference to the July 2022 list, the AEC cited the ABS advice that with respect to a list of 1,523 members where 2 denials are permitted, the probability of rejecting a valid list is 1.2 percent or below.

It may appear to be a very small point. But if the probability of rejecting a valid list had been 1 percent or less, 3 denials would have been allowed, and the party would have been registered in 2022.

The choice of confidence level matters. If the statistical methodology were based on a 99 percent, not 95 percent, confidence level, the chance of a party passing the membership test would be significantly higher.

Limiting the size of membership lists

The choice of confidence level biases the AEC membership test against the registration of parties, but the arbitrary upper limit place of 1,650 on the size of the membership lists to be submitted is even more egregious. It markedly decreases the chances of a party being registered.

Commonsense would suggest that the larger the size of the membership list, the greater the chance that a party had 1,500 members, given reasonable care in assembling the list. Translated statistically, as the number of members increases, so does the size of the sample and also very significantly the number of allowed denials. Yet the AEC flatly refuses to test lists of more than 1,650 members.

In one case, however, that of Voteflux.org | Upgrade Democracy, the AEC allowed the party to submit a list greater than 1,650 members. The party applied for registration and submitted two liststhe first of 1,650 in December 2021 and a second of 4,680 in February 2022. Both were deemed to have failed and its application was rejected.

Voteflux challenged the decision, the statistical methods used and subsequently made a Freedom of Information application to secure the internal documents of the AEC and ABS related to the process. The documents reveal aspects of the tortured arguments conjured up by the AEC, in consultation with the ABS, to deny the obvious: namely the high probability that Voteflux indeed had at least 1,500 members.

The AEC did not apply its test to the whole membership of 4,680, but instead selected the first 1,650 names on the list and used those for its membership test, recording a failure. Voteflux challenged the decision, including the statistical methodology.

As the chief ABS methodologist advised the AEC, the method of testing the first 1,650 names was statistically flawed as, without randomisation, nothing could be concluded about the larger list of 4,680. Rather than suggesting a valid test of the Voteflux membership list, he proposed to reject the partys registration on the basis that the first list had failed and the second untested list was of only limited persuasive value.

As far as the AEC was concerned, it was all an unfortunate mistakethe list was over 1,650 and should simply have been returned to the party for revision, as per its guidelines. But that simply begs the question, why not allow the submission of larger lists? The testing procedure as a whole is not mandated by legislation. It is certainly possible to test a larger list. The ABS methodologist himself explained that the Voteflux list could have been tested with a sample of 564 and maximum denials of 399.

The internal documents reveal that the question of money and manpower was raised. The Party Registration Team/Services Australia contracted to the AEC estimated the cost of carrying out the current membership test at $1,082, and of the Voteflux list at $10,153, adding that the larger sample could also create administrative problems and potentially require extra staff.

But the fundamental issue, which was not discussed, was not cost. One could legitimately ask, what price democratic rights? Rather, as is intuitively obvious, larger lists increase a partys chances of registration.

This is clear from the numbers. Testing the full Voteflux list requires a sample of 564 and maximum denials of 399. In other words, only 3 in 10 people of that sample would need to affirm party membership for Voteflux to be registered. By limiting the list to 1,650, the sample size drops dramatically to 60 and the allowable denials to 9. So by comparison, more than 8 in 10 of the sample must affirm membership for the party to be registered.

The refusal of the AEC to countenance proper testing of Votefluxs entire list of 4,680 minimised its chances of being registered and was a flagrant breach of its democratic rights. The same applies to any party with a membership larger than 1,650.

The AECs membership testing is protected by the wall of secrecy surrounding the statistical methods used by the ABS to determine sample sizes and maximum acceptable denials. Any challenge is dismissed out of hand with the claim that the ABS endorses the method as reasonable. Yet no-one is permitted to review or challenge the calculations, or the statistical methodology used, and the assumptions that underlie it.

The same secrecy envelops the entire biased and anti-democratic process of party registration, without reasonable accountability to the public, meaning that a multitude of sins can be covered up. That blunders do occur is demonstrated by the treatment of the Australian Progressives cited above. If the party had not challenged the AEC decision, their deregistation would have been done and dusted at that stage. Lesser mistakes, biases, even outright rigging are hidden by the opaque character of the AECs operations.

The avenues for challenging any AEC decision are limited, potentially costly and Byzantine in character. As has been pointed out on the WSWS, the AEC dismissal of the SEPs challenge to its decision to reject the partys application was absurd on the face of it. The AEC declared that it had not technically rejected the application but had invited the SEP to submit another list. Until that was done, a review could not proceed. But in submitting a new or amended list, the processing of the application begins anew, which could take months. That is under conditions where the announcement of an election is just weeks away, after which the application is frozen. Whether the SEP resubmitted a new list or not, following the election the registration process begins anew and another list is required. A no-win situation.

No doubt Mark Twain could have written a biting satire about the whole process and the state bureaucrats in the AEC who posture as servants of the public. But it is not enough to simply point out the absurdly bureaucratic and biased character of what the AEC does. The legislation concerning party registration and the manner in which it is applied serve a definite political purposeto prevent a challenge to the political monopoly of Labor, the Coalition and the Greens.

The SEP has launched a campaign to oppose the rejection of the party registration. We urge all our electoral members and supporters to participate actively in this crucial campaign, including by sending letters of protest and support to the SEP at sep@sep.org.au.

Despite the AEC ruling, the SEP will intervene boldly in the 2025 federal election to provide workers and young people with a real socialist and internationalist perspective, against the disastrous program of militarism, austerity and authoritarianism supported by every other party.
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President Donald Trump speaks at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute summit in Miami Beach, Fla., Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. [AP Photo/Pool via]

Two months into the Trump administration, there is no longer any question that it is breaking completely with all legality. The capitalist media itself is now acknowledging that what is happening in the United States is an attempt to overthrow constitutional rule and establish a presidential dictatorship.

What has brought matters to a head is Trumps open defiance of a federal court order that required the government to halt deportations based on the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act on Saturday. In response to the ruling by Washington DC District Court Judge James Boasberg, White House officials and Trump himself have threatened to have Boasberg impeached.

The response from the fascist right has included rabid denunciations by Trump of lunatic left judges, demands for impeachment, voiced both by Trump and Republicans in Congress, and tacit threats of violence. A Financial Times columnist noted Wednesday the recent spate of anonymous pizza deliveries to the private homes of dissenting judgesa move straight from a mafia film. We know where you live is the implied message for the justices.

This takes place under conditions in which individuals, including Mahmoud Khalil, are being seized for their political views. Yesterday, law enforcement agents sought to detain Cornell University student Momodou Taal after he filed a lawsuit against Trump challenging his executive orders. Masked federal agents seized Georgetown University researcher Badar Khan Suri outside his home Monday night, employing the same fraudulent grounds used to kidnap Khalil.

The presidency has become the cockpit and planning center of a dictatorship. There is no historic precedent for such actions by an American president. Or, rather, the only precedent is the final weeks of Trumps first term, when he sought to overthrow the election in a fascistic coup. What Trump failed to complete on January 6, 2021, he is now doing.

On Wednesday, the New York Times published an extraordinary article under the headline, Defiance and Threats in Deportation Case Renew Fear of Constitutional Crisis, citing the comments of a number of law professors on the significance of Trumps actions. Jamal Green, a law professor at Columbia University, is quoted as stating:

If anyone is being detained or removed based on the administrations assertion that it can do so without judicial review or due process, the president is asserting dictatorial power and constitutional crisis doesnt capture the gravity of the situation. [Emphasis added.]

Stanford law Professor Pamela Karlan warned, The problem with this administration is not just acute episodes, like whats happening with Judge Boasberg and the Venezuelan deportation. Its a chronic disrespect for constitutional norms and for the other branches of government. Karlan added: Tipping point suggests a world in which things are fine until suddenly theyre not. But were past the first point already.

Karlan is right that the tipping point is an inappropriate metaphor. One is dealing more with a complete collapse of democratic rights. But the Trump administration is not merely acting with disrespect for constitutional norms. It is a willful, criminal conspiracy to destroy them.

The Times adds its own commentary, stating that the right question is not whether there is a crisis, but rather how much damage it will cause. Well, that answer can be given. The logic of Trumps actions means the illegalization of opposition. Workers will be deprived of their rights. Those who oppose the policies of the White House will be subject to persecution, arrest or worse.

Neither in the Times nor in the media as a whole is there any serious analysis of how the United States got to this point. The media and political establishment present Trumps actions as if they have suddenly erupted out of nowhere, the product of an individuals delusions or malice. This is false.

It is more than a quarter-century since the theft of the 2000 elections, during which the Supreme Court intervened to halt the counting of ballots and hand the presidency to George W. Bush. In advance of the court ruling, the World Socialist Web Site wrote that the decision would reveal how far the American ruling class is prepared to go in breaking with traditional bourgeois-democratic and constitutional norms.

The Supreme Courts decision in Bush v. Gore, and the absence of any resistance from the Democratic Party, established that there was no significant constituency within the corporate and political establishment for the defense of democratic rights.

Within a year of the stolen 2000 election, the Bush administration used the 9/11 attacks as a pretext to launch the War on Terrora permanent state of war abroad coupled with the shredding of democratic rights at home and the establishment of a global network of torture camps centered on Guantanamo Bay. These dictatorial measures were deepened under Obama, who claimed the power to assassinate US citizens without trial.

Trumps first term brought the crisis of American democracy to a new stage, culminating in the January 6, 2021 fascistic coup attempt aimed at overturning his election defeat. The four years of the Biden administration were marked by a massive escalation of imperialist violence, including the US-NATO war against Russia and the genocide in Gazaa colossal crime that Trump is now exploiting to justify his crackdown on domestic opposition.

Trumps moves toward dictatorship represent the transformation of quantity into quality. What is involved is not merely a threat or tendency, but the implementation of a definite conspiracy at the highest levels of the state to establish a dictatorship.

Two interconnected processes underlie the breakdown of democratic forms of rule. First, the massive concentration of wealth in the hands of a tiny oligarchic elite is completely incompatible with democracy. The oligarchy is waging a ruthless assault on the social rights of the working class, mass layoffs, the destruction of thousands of jobs overnight, and a coordinated assault on all social programs.

The Trump administration, along with Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, is dismantling government agencies that provide vital social services, while preparing historic cuts to Social Security, Medicaid, and other programs. Today, Trump is expected to sign an executive order aimed at abolishing the Department of Education, having already eliminated half of its staff earlier this month.

Second, democratic rights are being dismantled to subordinate American society entirely to the needs of imperialist aggression. Facing internal crisis and long-term economic decline, the ruling class seeks to offset its domestic contradictions through military expansion on a global scale. Trumps declarations of intent to annex Canada, Panama and Greenland echo the fascist ambitions of Hitlers Germany, which likewise combined domestic dictatorship with imperialist conquest.

The working class must intervene immediately to stop Trumps drive toward dictatorship! It would be the gravest political error to subordinate this struggle to the Democratic Party. In the two months since Trumps inauguration, the Democratic Party has made clear that it will not oppose his authoritarian measures.

Immediately after Trumps election victory, President Biden invited Trump to the White House and publicly expressed hope for the new administrations success. Leading Democrats, including Bernie Sanders, quickly pledged their willingness to work with Trump. References to fascismwhich briefly surfaced during the election campaignvanished entirely.

Last week, just hours before Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act, Senate Democrats provided decisive votes to ensure passage of a Republican spending bill that fully funded the Trump administration through September, directly facilitating the illegal and unconstitutional activities of the White House. As the World Socialist Web Site warned, this legislation amounted to an Enabling Act, modeled directly on the 1933 law that legalized Hitlers dictatorship in Germany.

The Democratic Party gave Trump a blank check, fully aware of the consequences, because whatever its tactical differences the Democrats represent the same financial oligarchy whose interests Trump openly advances.

The fight must be taken into the working class. It is the working class that is the constituency for the defense of democratic rights, but these rights can be secured only through mass struggle. Protests and demonstrations against Trumps drive toward dictatorship have already begun, but these must be expanded and coordinated.

The Socialist Equality Party calls on workers and youth to build rank-and-file committees in factories, workplaces, campuses and neighborhoods to mobilize mass resistance, including strikes and demonstrations.

The SEP fights to infuse this emerging movement with a socialist program and perspective. The struggle against dictatorship is inseparable from the struggle against the financial oligarchy and capitalism itself. The wealth of this oligarchy must be expropriated and society reorganized on the basis of social need and equality, in the US and internationally.

We call on all those who agree with this perspective to take up this fight and join the Socialist Equality Party.
One day after addressing more than 1,000 people at the University of Michigan, Gary Tyler, a former political prisoner who has gained international recognition as an artist, made a passionate statement in defense of democratic rights, freedom of speech, and the rights of imprisoned pro-Palestinian graduate student Mahmoud Khalil.

Khalil, a legal permanent US resident, was ambushed and abducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on the evening of March 8 in retaliation for his public, lawful activities in support of anti-genocide protests at Columbia University in New York. He is currently imprisoned in Louisiana.

Tyler himself was the victim of a frame-up on murder charges more than 50 years ago. In 1974, at the age of 16, he was arrested, severely beaten by the police, and falsely charged and convicted for the fatal shooting of a white student in the midst of a Ku Klux Klan-incited demonstration against busing for integration at his high school in Destrehan, Louisiana. At 17 he was sitting on death row at the notorious Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana. Gary won his freedom in 2016.

Louisianas courts, as shown in Gary Tylers case, have a long history of reactionary political rulings. Today, the state is the home of one of the most right-wing, anti-democratic federal appellate court districts in the country, with six of its 17 judges appointed by Trump.

The following discussion has been slightly edited for clarity.

Lawrence Porter and Gary Tyler at the Library Street Collective in Detroit, July 8, 2023

***

Lawrence Porter: Gary, just tell us your feelings about what is happening with Mahmoud Khalil. You have read about his case?

Gary Tyler: Yes, and I would like to speak briefly on Mahmoud Khalil. I feel strongly that this is a matter that should not go ignored, especially in the days and times that were living in. If we allow this individual to be scape-goated because of some political beliefs or political favor, then it would have long-term repercussions within every community in this country.

I feel that as people in this country who say that they believe in freedom and libertyincluding the freedom of speechwe must stand up for those beliefs. We should not make any exceptions, no matter what an individuals political or religious beliefs are.

For us to allow this guy to fight alone would be unfair. Whats happening with him is merely a representation of what the government wants to implement in this country. They want to stifle an individuals freedom of speech. And I think that we shouldnt tolerate that under any circumstances.

LP: This is a man who was opposed to the genocide in Gaza. He was never arrested. Hes a legal, documented green card holder. He was a negotiator for the students who were involved in protests with the administration. There have been no charges against him, and yet theyre holding him incommunicado. As you know, a lot of Jewish students have been protesting against this arrest and against the genocide.

GT: Even today, you had protests and demonstrations in support of Mahmoud Khalil by Jewish students. They have representatives saying, not in their name. And that itself shows that whats happening to him is unfair, uncalled for, and basically typical of a totalitarian individual who believes that people should be stripped of their basic right of being able to express the way they feel, regardless of their political, philosophical, or ideological beliefs.

LP: Hes being targeted because he opposes the policies that have been carried out by both the Trump and the Biden administrations in the Middle East and Gaza.

GT: For someone to be falsely accused and targeted because of their beliefs is going against the Constitution of this country. That guarantees you the basic right to be able to express the way you feel regardless of religion, political, or ideological beliefs. So, if its now becoming illegal for you to even express your opposition, then if we allow that to happen, then who will be next?

So no, I dont think that is right, and I feel that people should galvanize and come out in support of not only Mahmoud Khalil, but also everyone who feels differently about the policies of this country. If we allow them to scapegoat Mahmoud Khalil, then we might as well wait in line, because they will be knocking on our doors as well.

If they can take away your basic right to protest, then they feel they can silence you. They may be able to silence the press, because the press seems like that. They fall in line with them and mainly report what they want. But were talking about being independent.

So if the paperswho say that they believe in basic freedom of speechare not willing to do it, then the people must take the lead themselves.

LP: The policy that theyre pursuing is one of genocide, one of mass murder of the Palestinian people. Its now reported that anywhere from 60,000 to 200,000 people have been murdered, mostly women and children, with 2,000-pound bombs provided by the United States government.

GT: Yes. And just because America is a superpower doesnt give them or their allies the right to exterminate any race of people in the world.
Momodou Taal

The Trump administration is seeking to intimidate, detain and possibly deport Momodou Taal, a Cornell University PhD student and British-Gambian citizen legally residing in the United States, for daring to file a lawsuit seeking to repeal Trumps executive orders criminalizing speech and dissent.

On his X social media account Wednesday, Taal reported that law enforcement from an unidentified agency came to my home in Ithaca, New York. Appealing to the broader population to defend democratic rights, Taal said, I believe they planned to detain me and appeal to you to come to my defense.

Taal noted that the unidentified police arrived shortly after a federal judge scheduled a hearing in my lawsuit demanding the courts strike down Trumps executive orders attacking free speech.

Taal, an outspoken opponent of the genocide in Gaza, along with Professor Mukoma Wa Ngugi and student Sriram Parasurama, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration last week which challenged Executive Order 14161, Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats, and Executive Order 14188, Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism. Both executive orders seek to block and suppress any speech critical of the Trump administration, Israel and the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The lawsuit, filed by attorney Eric Lee and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), stated: Only in a dictatorship can the leader jail and banish political opponents for criticizing his administration.

The first hearing on the lawsuit was scheduled to take place on March 19 at 2:00 p.m. before US District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe. Roughly an hour before the hearing was scheduled to begin, Judge Coombe canceled the hearing and rescheduled it to an in-person hearing on Tuesday, March 25, at 2:00 p.m. in Syracuse, New York. Coombe also ordered both parties to present their written arguments prior to Tuesdays hearing.



Roughly four hours before the March 19 hearing was slated to begin, Taal wrote:

At about 10 AM, two eyewitnesses confronted an unfamiliar vehicle and the officer inside flashed a badge quickly, as though he did not want us to know what agency he was from. Later in the day other Cornell students saw additional law enforcement cars positioned at various points near my residence, including on campus.

He added,

Trump is attempting to detain me to prevent me from having my day in court. Trump does not want me to present my argument challenging his actions. This is part of a continued pattern in the Trump administrations flagrant disregard for the judiciary.

Taal concluded:

I am undeterred in my commitment and seeing this through. The images in Gaza are horrifying and only strengthen my resolve to do whatever we can. Free Palestine.

Lead attorney Eric Lee condemned the Trump administrations attempts to threaten his client, writing on X:

In a democracy, law enforcement does not show up at your house (in force) days after you file a lawsuit against the president.

The intensification of attacks on immigrants and opponents of genocide under the Trump administration is only possible because of the complicity of the Democratic Party, which under President Biden oversaw the campaign to slander all opposition to the Zionist regime as antisemitism.

Under the Biden administration last year, Taal was threatened with suspension and revocation of his F-1 student visa for peacefully participating in anti-genocide protests on campus. The World Socialist Web Site, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality and the Socialist Equality Party mounted a vigorous campaign in defense of Taal and all democratic rights in the US and around the world.

The latest threats against Taal come in the midst of an avalanche of injustices perpetrated by the US immigration Gestapo since Trumps inauguration on January 20. On March 8, Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and legal US resident, was abducted from his home by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents, who refused to provide a warrant or justification for his arrest. Khalil, who is married to a US citizen and expecting the birth of their first child in April, remains imprisoned in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) hellhole in Louisiana.

On Wednesday, Politico reported that Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University researcher legally residing in the United States, was arrested by masked agents outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night. According to a lawsuit filed by his lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, the government is trying to deport Suri under the same provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 that grants Secretary of State Marco Rubio authority to deport someone if they pose a threat to national security.

As is the case with Khalil, according to Ahmad, Suri has not committed a crime but is being targeted because his wife, a US citizen, is of Palestinian descent and the US government suspects that the couple opposes the genocide in Gaza.

Speaking to Politico, Ahmad noted he has had zero communication with his client since he was abducted. Were trying to speak with him. That hasnt happened yet, he told the outlet. This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil.

As of Wednesday, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) immigrant locator listed Suri at the Alexandria staging facility in Louisiana.

Conditions inside immigrant detention facilities are notoriously abhorrent. Jasmine Mooney, a Canadian actress, recounted her recent kidnapping and imprisonment by ICE in an article published by The Guardian on Wednesday. She was detained at the US border in San Diego while traveling from Mexico, on her way to Los Angeles, California. She had a valid work visa.

Mooney, like the other 140 women with whom she was imprisoned, had committed no crime. This did not prevent ICE thugs from jailing her for two weeks without access to a lawyer. Mooney noted that her situation was not unique, and that, in fact, every woman I met was in an even more difficult position than mine.

She recounted meeting a woman who was on a road trip with her husband, both of whom had 10-year work visas. But after mistakenly driving in the wrong lane near the San Diego border towards Mexico, both were detained.

Mooney recounted that the women in the facility with her

had been picked up off the street, from outside their workplaces, from their homes. All of these women told me that they had been detained for time spans ranging from a few weeks to 10 months.

Mooney was able to secure her release after two weeks when her detention made international news.
Recent media reports are proliferating the claim that the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) has evidence the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 is not of natural origin but came from a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. The basis for this is said to be data from Chinese research institutions, which the BND claimed it obtained as part of an intelligence operation code-named Saaremaa. According to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, the BND came to this conclusion as early as 2020 and estimates the probability of its correctness at 80 to 95 percent.

BND headquarters in Berlin [Photo by Jan Kleihues (Stefan Muller, photographer) / wikimedia / CC BY-SA 4.0

In fact, there is no scientific evidence for this Wuhan Lab Theorynor can it be scientifically proven. It is a conspiracy theory that was already being advanced by right-wing extremist circles in 2020. Since then, it has been scientifically refuted multiple times but is increasingly being adopted by the political establishment.

Large sections of the media responded to the BNDs evidence, which was neither specifically cited nor critically questioned, by adopting this far-right conspiracy theory and presenting the Wuhan lab theory as being just as likely or even more likely than the scientifically supported theory of the viruss natural origin at an animal market in Wuhan.

An article from broadcaster ZDF even went so far as to speculate about Chinas biological warfare, claiming that a research department at the National University of Defence Technology in China had been working for years on a virus that distinguishes which ethnic groups it attacks and which it does not.

A debate on the issue was scheduled for Thursday in the Bundestag (parliament). Several politicians have already indicated that it would be used to intensify the warmongering against China.

For example, Konstantin von Notz (Greens), chairman of the Parliamentary Control Panel (PKGr) which has oversight of the secret services, stated: Should it be confirmed that this pandemic is man-made, something fundamental must change in our perception of this catastrophe. Wolfgang Kubicki, deputy chairman of the Liberal Democrats (FDP) and vice-president of the Bundestag, called for the Chinese ambassador to be summoned.

Instead of rejecting the unscientific quackery of the Wuhan lab theory, the outgoing Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (Social Democrat, SPD) declared that it was becoming increasingly easy to manipulate viruses, including other pathogens, so that they are dangerous to humans. In this regard, one must be better prepared, he added.

China itself responded to the sweeping accusations of the BND and German politicians and media with a statement from Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. She said that China firmly rejects any form of political manoeuvring on the issue of the coronavirus, adding that scientific questions should be assessed by scientists.

And scientists speak a clear language and strongly reject the alleged findings of the BND. Christian Drosten, the leading virologist at the Charite hospital in Berlin and a member of an expert panel to which the BNDs assessment was presented, criticised the fact that the raw data was not made available to the scientists. I cannot, therefore, give a scientific opinion simply because I do not have access to the data, he explained. In addition, all members of the panel were obliged to maintain confidentiality.

Drosten emphasised that it was important for the public to understand what it means to make a scientific assessment. That means you have raw data, you analyse it, and you publish that analysis. However, the raw data must also be published with the publication, so that other scientists can also analyse it using their own methods and challenge what you are putting out there in public.

That was the core of scientific discourse, he said, adding that without proper scientific evaluation, you are merely making assertions. Whether its a professor, a secret service or a politician who makes the claim, its just an assertion, Drosten said. Therefore, he did not want to be associated with the accusation that the virus was created in a laboratory.

In 2020, Drosten and other scientists had already signed a statement in the renowned medical journal The Lancet condemning conspiracy theories about the virus having a non-natural origin. According to Drosten, the current state of information also indicated that a natural origin was far more likely that is also the assumption of almost all scientists working on the subject.

From the outset, the World Socialist Web Site has defended the scientific approach to the origins of the coronavirus. When Trumps new CIA director John Ratcliffe published a reassessment of the origins of Covid-19 in January, we wrote:

The natural origin of the COVID pandemic, at the Huanan Seafood market in Wuhan, remains the only convincing explanation of the pandemic and is supported by the scientific evidence that has emerged over the last five years. The lab-leak conspiracy theory, by contrast, was cooked up by Chinese expatriate anti-communists allied with [Trump fascist adviser] Bannon, and given pseudo-scientific cover by the former science editor of the New York Times, Nicholas Wade, and other equally disreputable characters.

The fact that large sections of official politics and the media are now relying on alleged evidence from the BND, and join along with this outfit, does not lend any credibility to the conspiracy theory. The Federal Intelligence Service, Germanys domestic spy agency, which was set up by leading Nazis following World War Two, has a long tradition of spreading lies in preparation for wars. During the illegal 2003 US attack on Iraq, alleged evidence of Saddam Husseins weapons of mass destruction came from the BND, among others.

The current campaign takes place against the background of the formation of a government in Berlin that is planning a rearmament campaign similar to that of the Nazis, as well as an unprecedented programme of social austerityand has already decided on a level of arms spending of historic proportions, even before the new government enters office. In this situation, the fact that the media and establishment politicians are spreading far-right conspiracy theories about the origin of the coronavirus shows once again how consciously they are strengthening far-right and fascist forces.

With the constant escalation of wars and the intensifying conflicts between the major powers, China is also increasingly coming into the crosshairs of German imperialism. The Wuhan lab conspiracy theory prepares the ideological ground for a confrontation with China. At the same time, on the fifth anniversary of the pandemic, it is a desperate attempt by the ruling class to divert attention away from its own responsibility for the devastating effects of the pandemic. Not the Wuhan laboratory, but the deliberate policy of allowing the virus to spread uncontrolled in the interests of capitalist profit is the reason for almost 200,000 coronavirus deaths in Germany alone and almost 30 million worldwide.
On Friday, immigration attorney Eric Lee appeared on The Hills streaming news program Rising and delivered a defense of free speech and due process rights that are involved in the suspension by Yale University of international law scholar Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi on March 11.

Dr. Doutaghi, 30, who held a position as Associate Research Scholar at Yale Law School, was targeted by an artificial intelligence-based news site called Jewish Onliner that smeared her as a terrorist for her outspoken defense of Palestinian rights and denunciations of both Israel and the US government for the genocide in Gaza.

On March 3, the Yale University administration accepted the lies published by Jewish Onliner and moved swiftly to put Dr. Doutaghi on administrative leave, revoke her access to email and ban her from the campus. After she was suspended a week later, Dr. Doutaghi and her lawyer Eric Lee issued statements in response which were posted on Twitter.

In the course of the 15-minute Rising interview, Lee pushed back on repeated attempts by the program hosts, Amber Duke and Niall Stanage, to insist that the lies by Jewish Onliner were either legitimate or had to be answered. Lee insisted that his client has no obligation to answer questions related to the slander campaign mounted by an online bot that is likely an operation of Israeli military-intelligence.

For example, when host Stanage asked Lee if the assertions by Jewish Onliner that Dr. Doutaghi was a member of a terrorist organization, Is that complete fiction that your client has any connection to? Lee responded,

Have you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party? These are the types of questions that my client isnt obligated to respond to. Shes made a very clear statement on Twitter on that. She is not a member of any organization that would constitute a violation of law. I dont know how this AI bot came up with the claim that she is a terrorist. And again, I think again that thats the line thats coming from the White House. Mahmoud Khalil was dragged out of his home away from his eight-and-a-half-month pregnant wife earlier on the basis of a claim by Marco Rubio that hes a terrorist. So, no, we reject entirely and emphatically this McCarthyite claim that any speech in support of the cause of the people of Palestine and against this government of Israel constitutes terrorism.

This was followed by a question from host Duke, But is she or is she not affiliated with that group? to which Lee said,

But if you actually talk about the type of association thats being made by Yale and by the Trump administration, its that participating in a demonstrationand this coming right from the Senior Counsel to the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, if they still have the guts to call it thatif youre a citizen and you attend a demonstration, you are a Hamas terrorist, youre going to go to jail not for hours but for years. Thats the line coming out of this administration.

Further on in the interview, Lee said,

This was a total railroading and a witch-hunt.  Dr. Doutaghi has not been accused of committing any crime, shes been admitted to the United States repeatedly, she has been loud and clear about her pro-Palestinian, anti-imperialist speech. She was clear about that with Yale Law School when they hired her in October 2023, and we do not feel, as a matter of principle, that its appropriate to put her in the position where she suddenly has to justify potential meetings shes attended. Those are the exact types of questions that were asked by HUAC.  If we are going to stop the attack on democracy and the march toward dictatorship in this country, it means taking a very principled position that were not going to tolerate being intimidated like that, that were going against attempts to suppress pro-Palestinian, socialist and left-wing speech.
ADDIS ABABA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf has welcomed mediation efforts that have facilitated a meeting between leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

"The chairperson commends the statesmen of the DRC and Rwanda for their commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of the crisis in eastern DRC," the AU Commission said in a statement issued Wednesday, one day after the meeting between DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, under the auspices of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

"Their engagement reflects true leadership and a shared recognition that peace, security, and stability are indispensable for the prosperity of their nations and the wider Great Lakes region," Youssouf was quoted as saying in the statement.

The AUC chair acknowledged the reaffirmation by both leaders of their commitment to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" as agreed during the joint East African Community and Southern African Development Community summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, last month.

The chairperson of the 55-member organization reiterated the AU's resolve in its support for African-led solutions to African challenges, as embodied in the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

The Doha discussions, held in a spirit of constructive engagement, align with these efforts and complement ongoing regional mechanisms, Youssouf said.

He urged all stakeholders to maintain the momentum generated in Doha and to work collectively toward the full implementation of agreed commitments.

The Doha meeting was the first between Kagame and Tshisekedi since March 23 Movement rebels intensified their offensive in the eastern DRC in recent months. 
Displaced Palestinians, carrying their belongings, traveling from Beit Hanoun to Jabaliya, a day after Israels renewed offensive in the Gaza Strip, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. [AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi]

One day after Israel massacred over 400 people in a series of airstrikes in Gaza, the Israeli military continued its bombing campaign and launched a ground offensive into the territory.

Sixty people were killed on Tuesday, according to Al Jazeera, bringing the total number of people killed in the two-day period close to 500. The massacres and ground operations are in clear defiance of a ceasefire that Israel nominally agreed to two months ago.

The launch of a major new military offensive in Gaza has been accompanied by the largest US attacks on Yemen to date and increasing threats by the Trump administration to wage war against Iran. The aim of the region-wide military escalation is the ethnic cleansing and annexation of Gaza, as part of the creation of a US-Israeli-dominated New Middle East.

The 18-month-long Gaza genocide has officially killed 61,700 people, according to Gazas media office, and has leveled the entire region.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that the airstrikes on Tuesday and Wednesday were only the first step, threatening the complete destruction of Gaza. He continued, Israel will act with force you have never known before.

He pledged, Israel will act with an intensity that you have not seen. He told the residents of Gaza, What comes next will be much harder, and you will pay the full price.

Large numbers of Palestinians had returned to their shattered homes and neighborhoods over the past two months and are now being displaced by force.

The Israeli military issued evacuation orders to 150,000 people in the North and East of Gaza, raising the prospect of an imminent ground invasion of those regions.

Farida al-Ghoul, a 28-year-old English teacher, told the Financial Times she was forced to flee with her family from the northern town of Jabalia. We could only bring some clothes and some canned food, but no water, because there isnt even a donkey cart to take us, and we might need to carry the children.  We are not just numbers, we have families and we have dreams.

Responding to Tuesdays massacre, Catherine Russell, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) chief said in a statement that Tuesday was the deadliest single day for children in Gaza in the past 12 months. Reports and images emerging from the Gaza Strip following todays attacks are beyond horrifying. Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed, including more than 130 children, representing the largest single-day child death toll in the last year.

The United Nations said that one of its staffers was killed and five others were wounded in an attack Wednesday on one of its guesthouses in Gaza City. Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the UN Office for Project Services, said that Israel knew this was a UN premises, that people were living, staying and working there. The massacre brought the number of UN personnel killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023 to 280. Bulgarias foreign ministry confirmed that the UN staffer was Bulgarian.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that he strongly condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation. He added, The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict, who are bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability.

Gazas Government Media Office condemned the targeting of the UN facility by Israel. This crime, it said, [is] part of a deliberate policy targeting UN and humanitarian institutions to prevent them from fulfilling their duty to assist the Palestinian people.

Alongside the bombardment, Israeli forces moved into Gaza to occupy the Netzarim Corridor, which it has used to bisect Gaza into a north and south and prevent Palestinians from moving freely.

In a statement, the Israeli military announced that its forces have begun a focused ground operation in the center of the Gaza Strip and in the south with the aim of expanding the security area and creating a partial buffer between the north and south of the Strip.

The massacres and ground operations take place against the backdrop of a total blockade by Israel of food, water, energy, and medical supplies into Gaza, which has now lasted for over two weeks.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the health system is facing total collapse. In the Gaza Strip, hospitals are operating at double capacity, amid a continuous influx of wounded and injured patients. The health system is suffering from a severe shortage of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel needed to operate medical equipment and generators.

It continued, The direct targeting of health facilities has put more than 80 percent of hospitals and medical centers out of service, while the few remaining facilities are suffering from severe overcrowding, a severe shortage of medical staff, and the impossibility of performing urgent surgeries due to the lack of anesthesia and basic supplies.

Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals at Gazas Health Ministry, told Al Jazeera that due to Israels blockade of medical supplies, Anyone who sustains a serious injury in the Gaza Strip is doomed to die due to the lack of resources. He added that Israels cutoff of electricity to Gazas main water desalination plant poses a particular danger to kidney patients, accusing Israel of carrying out an act of revenge by attempting to halt medical services completely.

A report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics showed that Gazas water supply has fallen by 65 percent, leaving the average person with around just one gallon of water per day, around one-fourth of the World Health Organizations minimum humanitarian standard for emergencies.

The attack on Gaza was accompanied by further Israeli military operations in the West Bank, where Israeli forces carried out arrests and forced over 80 families to flee the Ein Beit el-Ma refugee camp.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the prospect of expanding Israels offensive against the West Bank, saying, While we are waging a fierce war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, we are aware of the possibility of a larger and stronger front emerging here in [the occupied West Bank].

The Wall Street Journal hailed the renewed massacres in Gaza in an editorial on Wednesday, titled, No More Free Gaza Cease-Fire for Hamas. It hailed the Trump administrations plans to target Iran, declaring, for the first time in the war, Iran is under U.S. pressure rather than protection.

Wednesday, the United States carried out attacks throughout Yemen, following attacks over the weekend that killed dozens of people.

In a statement, US President Donald Trump threatened to annihilate the Houthi movement in Yemen and menaced Iran. Watch how it will get progressively worse. Its not even a fair fight, and never will be. They will be completely annihilated! Trump wrote of Irans Houthi rebels. He added, Iran must stop the sending of these supplies IMMEDIATELY.

Separately, a US National Security Council spokesperson told the Jerusalem Post that Trump had sent a letter to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei giving Iran a two-month deadline to shut down its nuclear program, adding that if this were not possible, there would be other ways to resolve the dispute, in a threat to directly attack Iran.
The demonstration in Berlin against the Zelensky regime in Ukraine

On January 16, the German Federal Court of Justice ruled in a landmark decision that the extradition of a conscientious objector to the war in Ukraine is permissible.

The question was whether the extradition of a Ukrainian refugee, requested by the Ukrainian government, who invokes the fundamental right to conscientious objection, is compatible with Germanys constitution. The court answered this question in the affirmative, thereby revising its own ruling from 1977. The universal right to conscientious objection (Article 4, Paragraph 3 of Germanys Basic Law), according to which no one may be forced to do military service with a weapon against his conscience, is thus overridden.

The judges justified their decision (4 ARs 11/24) as follows:

If the person being sought refuses military service with weapons for reasons of conscience in extradition proceedings under the European Convention on Extradition of December 13, 1957, and there is no guarantee that he will not be called up for military service in the requesting state after his extradition and that he will not face punishment in the event of his refusal, this does not constitute an obstacle to extradition if his home country, which is requesting extradition, is attacked with armed force in violation of international law and therefore does not guarantee a right to conscientious objection.

To put it more simply: Conscientious objectors may be extradited to countries that are at war and used as cannon fodder there as long as the German government considers the war a defensive warin this specific case, the war in Ukraine.

According to the Federal Court of Justice, the personal protection provided by Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law is limited only to persons who are subject to military service under German law, although the judges added that this right can also be suspended within Germany. According to them, the constitution allows the protection of the right to conscientious objection to military service to be subordinated to other high-ranking constitutional values in exceptional circumstances.

The right to conscientious objection might as well be removed entirely from the constitution. The exceptional circumstances mentioned refer to a wartime situation, and if the right to conscientious objection can be suspended even in times of war, then this right simply does not exist. The Federal Court of Justice has provided the ruling class with a legal justification for completely abolishing the right to conscientious objection in the future.

The ruling class is clearly trying to first divide workers and then deprive them of their democratic and social rights. First, the Federal Court of Justice divides those liable for military service into two groupsthose who are not subject to military service under German law and those who are subject to military service under German lawand deprives first one group and then the other of their right to conscientious objection.

The same divide-and-conquer principle is also behind the omnipresent anti-refugee rhetoric. The established parties and media stir up xenophobia and nationalist ideology, then the democratic and social rights of the refugees are taken away first, after which the rest of the working class is deprived of them as well.

This is not the first attack by the German government on the rights of Ukrainian refugees. As the WSWS reported in August 2024, the state of Hesse plans to deport male Ukrainian refugees into the war after their papers expire.

What awaits the deported and extradited Ukrainians is not only a likely premature death in an imperialist war but also violence and torture.

In addition to the well-documented cases of employees of the Ukrainian conscription authority (TCR) violently conscripting young men in the public, there is a more hidden form of TCR violence that is becoming increasingly brutal. In the basements and windowless rooms where new recruits are held, the TCR forces themthrough verbal threats and, increasingly, physical violenceto voluntarily sign forms waiving their rights and committing to all sorts of military service.

The TCR increasingly uses overt torture as a means of instilling fear in mobilized men and forcing them into submission. There was one case where they gathered a group of recruits in a basement and demonstratively broke the arm of one of them in order to intimidate the rest into signing forms that waive their rights.

This is also intended to ensure that recruits continue to be deeply afraid in the future of what might happen to them if they disobey. The more desperate the situation of the Ukrainian army becomes, the more brutal these measures become.

With its decision, the Federal Court of Justice overturned its own 1977 ruling, which recognized the right to conscientious objection as a universal fundamental right. In it, it had deemed the extradition of a Yugoslav conscientious objector inadmissible.

At that time, Yugoslavia was supporting the MPLA in the Angolan civil war but did not send its own troops there. Nevertheless, the Federal Court of Justice ruled that even mere military service with weapons, without actual deployment in a war, was protected by the right to conscientious objection.

This fundamental right applies not only to persons subject to military service in the Federal Republic under the Military Service Act, and not only to the refusal of armed service in the German armed forces, the Federal Court of Justice argued at the time. It stated:

Rather, it is a general fundamental right enshrined in the Basic Law of the Federal Republic, based on the fundamental right to freedom of belief and conscience, which applies without restriction to everyone who can be called up for military service with weapons.

The Federal Court of Justice explained this in detail and concluded that

a restriction of the right to conscientious objection to the group of persons subject to German military service [...] would also run counter to the essential purpose of Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law, which is to protect the conscientious objection to military service with weapons and to protect the conscientious objector from the compulsion to kill [...], a compulsion that is necessarily associated with any military service with weapons, regardless of the country in which it is to be performed.

In summary, the Federal Court of Justice stated at the time:

A decision which results in someone being forced to perform military service with a weapon against their conscience therefore always violates Article 4, Paragraph 3 of the Basic Law, regardless of whether this service is to be performed at home or abroad and whether the person concerned is liable for military service under German law or not.

Now, the Federal Court of Justice justifies its revision of the 1977 ruling by arguing that the decision at that time did not concern extradition under the European Convention on Extradition, but rather an extradition under the Germany-Yugoslavia Extradition Treaty. Its a different extradition agreement, so everythings fine!

A more bureaucratic justification could hardly be developed. None of the arguments regarding the universal validity of the right to conscientious objection put forward by the Federal Court of Justice in its 1977 decision are mentioned here, let alone refuted.

This revision of the Basic Law must be understood as part of the renewal of German imperialism. The attack on the right to conscientious objection fits perfectly within the framework of the pervasive political propaganda that Europe must give everything to defend itself against external enemies, and to this end, even fundamental democratic and social rights must be abolished.

The growing calls for the reintroduction of conscription, the astronomical increases in the defense budget, and the associated social cuts all follow the same logic. In order to wage war abroad, a war must be waged at home, a war against all social and democratic achievements of the working class.

After the monstrous crimes of World War II, Germanys ruling class had to make some social and democratic concessions to calm the anger of the masses. The universal right to conscientious objection, enshrined in the constitution, was one such concession.

But the contradictions of capitalism are escalating and leading to war once again. This applies not only to the ongoing war against Russia in Ukraine, but also to the tensions between the US and the rest of NATO, which could escalate into violent clashes. On the eve of an impending Third World War, in the death crisis of capitalism, even the constitution is not worth the paper it is written on.

The working class is the only force in society that can put an end to this war madness. To do so, it must build a mass movement against war, dictatorship, anti-refugee propaganda, and the entire capitalist system. The SGP and its youth organization, the IYSSE, are fighting for this perspective. We call on all readers: Take up the fight against war! Join the SGP and the IYSSE!
Members of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, including Sueda Polat, second from left, and Mahmoud Khalil, center, are surrounded by members of the media outside the Columbia University campus, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, in New York. [AP Photo/Mary Altaffer]

On Wednesday, Judge Jesse Furman of the Southern District of New York transferred Mahmoud Khalils case to New Jersey, where the 30-year-old Columbia University graduate student and legal US resident was immediately taken following his kidnapping on March 8.

Khalil has been targeted for deportation by the Trump administration for his role as lead negotiator for students with the Columbia administration during the anti-genocide encampment movement last spring. Khalil has not been charged with a crime, but this has not prevented the Trump administration and Secretary of State Marco Rubio from imprisoning and attempting to deport him for speaking out against the genocide in Gaza.

Yesterday, in his first public statement since being abducted by the Trump administration, Khalil denounced both big business parties and the Columbia administration for facilitating the genocide and ongoing attacks on democratic rights.

My unjust detention is indicative of the anti-Palestinian racism that both the Biden and Trump administrations have demonstrated over the past 16 months as the U.S. has continued to supply Israel with weapons to kill Palestinians, Khalil wrote. He concluded his statement with a warning that attempts to imprison and deport him threatened the fundamental civil liberties of all.

In Wednesdays order, Judge Furman ruled that his temporary restraining order preventing Khalils deportation remains in effect until and unless a district judge in New Jersey rules otherwise. For now, Khalil remains imprisoned in an ICE detention facility in Jena, Louisiana, over 1,300 miles from his American wife, who is 8  months pregnant with their first child. His next court hearing before an immigration judge is currently scheduled for March 27 at 8:30 a.m.

In his ruling, Furman noted that it was an undisputed fact that Khalil was detained in the District of New Jersey at the time his lawyer filed the Petition; this court lacks jurisdiction over most, if not all, of Khalils claims.

The Trump administration had sought to move Khalils case to Louisiana. As the New York Times reported, there it would

most likely be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which presides over federal court cases that come from Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. It is one of the countrys most conservative appeals courts. Most of its judges were nominated by Republican presidents, including six by President Trump during his first term.

Speaking to the Times, Steve Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University, said that the Fifth Circuit is the court Id least want to be in if I were Khalil. He added:

It is a court where immigrants in general have a historically poor track record, and its a court in which judges are going to be most sympathetic to the governments ability to point at someone and say, You supported Hamas.

In an interview with DropSite News, Amy Greer, one of Khalils lawyers, said it was important that Judge Furman did not transfer the case to Louisiana, which would be away from his entire legal team and would just put the case in a very different situation.

While Khalils lawyers had sought to move the case to New York, Greer acknowledged that regardless of the judges ruling, the Trump administration has already violated court orders. We cant operate in a vacuum here thinking that the rule of law will insulate us completely, she told DropSite. The public support [for Khalil], thats all we can rely on right now.

She concluded, I think what happens with this case is a true bellwether to whether or not we as Americans want to preserve our right to speech and expression and association, or whether were going to let this administration roll back those rights.

On Wednesday, socialist autoworker and 2022 candidate for United Auto Workers president, Will Lehman released a video statement calling on rank-and-file workers, inside and outside the union, to take action to demand Khalils release and stop the assault on democratic rights.

I call on UAW members in every plant and workplace: Discuss Khalils case. Form rank-and-file committees to fight for his freedom. This fight is not just about one worker. Its about mobilizing the entire working class against the capitalist system, the source of war and dictatorship. Its about taking power from the oligarchs and putting it in the hands of workers.
People attend a solemn ceremony to honor the revered ancient Chinese educator and philosopher Confucius at Tainan Confucius Temple in Tainan, southeast China's Taiwan, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Fei)

TAINAN, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A solemn ceremony, accompanied by the rhythmic beat of traditional drums, was held at Tainan Confucius Temple in southern Taiwan early Thursday morning, coinciding with the spring equinox, to honor the revered ancient Chinese educator and philosopher.

In keeping with ancient rites, the temple hosts biannual ceremonies in spring and autumn to promote Confucian values of reverence for teachers and scholarly traditions.

Comprising 20 procedures, the ceremony adheres to traditions that trace back to Qufu in Shandong Province -- the birthplace of Confucius. The ceremonial music is primarily rooted in Zhangzhou in Fujian. Local primary school students performed an ancient ritual dance at the ceremony, paying the highest tribute to Confucius.

The Confucian philosophy is an important component of Chinese civilization and a cultural bedrock for social development in Taiwan. Incomplete statistics indicate that there are over 40 Confucius temples across the island, with the Tainan Confucius Temple, built in 1666, being the oldest. 

People attend a solemn ceremony to honor the revered ancient Chinese educator and philosopher Confucius at Tainan Confucius Temple in Tainan, southeast China's Taiwan, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Fei)
VIENTIANE, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Northern Laos' Luang Prabang province is gearing up to celebrate the vibrant Lao New Year festival in 2025, with an exciting lineup of events set to take place from April 11 to 20, attracting both local and international visitors.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Governor of Luang Prabang Viengthong Hatsachanh said the Lao New Year festival in the province will be held in full swing.

The highlight of the celebrations will include the opening of a street fair, the Miss Lao New Year contest, the elephant procession, the traditional water-sprinkling of Buddha images, a grand almsgiving ceremony, and other cultural activities.

A total of 110,302 people visited Luang Prabang province during the Lao New Year festival in 2024, marking a 364.44 percent increase compared with the same period in 2023.

Luang Prabang province, some 220 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane, is one of the most well-known provinces in Laos and also a top tourist destination because of its old temples, scenic attractions and rural landscapes.

Luang Prabang was listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a world heritage in 1995. 
GAZA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Hamas announced on Thursday that it is continuing negotiations with mediators to reach a ceasefire agreement.

In a press statement, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou reaffirmed Hamas' commitment to ending the war and securing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip.

He warned that the ongoing blockade and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza demand urgent intervention from the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

"The blockade of Gaza, the starvation of its population, and the ongoing war of extermination require immediate intervention to prevent further catastrophe and lift the blockade," he said.

Al-Qanou also called on the international community and mediators to exert pressure on Israel to halt its "aggressive plans" and comply with any ceasefire agreement. 
SYDNEY, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The crime rate in Australia's state of Victoria surged by 13.2 percent in 2024, marking the highest level since 2016.

The latest data released by the Crime Statistics Agency (CSA) on Thursday show that the sharpest increase was in property and deception offences, increasing by 21.9 percent, which is largely attributed to thefts.

"The rate of theft offences being recorded per 100,000 Victorians has exceeded historical peaks, driven by record-high numbers of steal from motor vehicle, steal from retail store and motor vehicle theft offences recorded by Victoria Police in 2024," said CSA Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley.

Dowsley noted that the theft offences have reached historic highs, with young offenders particularly involved in car thefts and adult offenders in their 30s with cost-of-living pressures often linked to increases in shoplifting.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Regional Operations, Bob Hill, called the rising crime rate "unacceptable," stressing the impact on victims, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Hill highlighted that electronic devices used to break into vehicles have contributed to the spike in car thefts, urging vehicle owners to install "cheap and easy crime prevention measures."

The Victorian government is pushing for new bail laws in response to offenses committed by both adults and young offenders on bail.

"Youth gang members, child car thieves and underage burglars were arrested 3,400 times last year as part of Operation Alliance and Operation Trinity," the ABC quoted Hill as saying.

According to the Victoria Police, a group of young offenders, aged 14 to 17, were responsible for a significant portion of aggravated home burglaries, with the worst 20 offenders committing 302 such crimes last year, nearly one-fifth of all similar offences in Melbourne. 
Omari Hardwick scolded an interviewer who misquoted him in a seeming attempt to stir up drama between the actor and Power producer 50 Cent.

During a sit-down with Citizen TV Kenya, Hardwick was asked about some things he had said regarding his relationship with 50 Cent.

However, the 51-year-old denied having ever said anything negative about his former collaborator, becoming visibly perturbed at the interview while asking for proof of these alleged statements.

Actor Omari Hardwick attends For Your Consideration event For Starzs Power at The Jeremy Hotel on May 3, 2018 in West Hollywood, California.

Ive never said some things. Where did I say some things? Hardwick asked, causing the interviewer to stammer while attempting to explain himself.

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Dont ever do that, bro, the actor said of the interviewers attempt to put words in his mouth. Dont ever do that. Who said some things? No, who said some things? I didnt say some things.

Hardwick continued, adding that he has no issues with Fif or anyone else, while alluding to his belief that any perceived controversy between the two has been stirred up by the media.

Curtis 50 Cent Jackson (L) and Omari Hardwick of Power speak onstage during the Starz segment of the Summer 2019 Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 26, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California.

I dont really rock like that, do I? he asked of his reputation for beef, or lack thereof.

You know my brand. I dont say much, I just feed with love, and 50 only gave me love. He might have gave some other people some things, story wise, and then they take those things and then they make whatever story they want to. I lead with love and I stop with love, I dont go to a new exit.

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Elsewhere in the clip, Ghost spoke on his reasoning for taking on the role as James Ghost St. Patrick, pointing to fellow actors Idris Elba, Wood Harris, Tom Hardy, and James Gandolfini as inspiration.

Omari Hardwick attends Entertainment Weeklys Annual Comic-Con Bash at Float at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on July 27, 2024 in San Diego, California.

I always looked at Ghost and I thought I will say yes to this character because Tom Hardy from London could play him,' he shared.

Idris Elba could and kind of did as Stringer Bell. Avon Barksdale, one of my favorite human beings God created, is Wood Harris. Hes one of my dearest friends. Wood played Avon, Omari played Ghost. The graduation of all of those characters is Ghost, for sure.

The Georgia native also touched on the potential impact that dwindling DEI initiatives could impact Hollywood moving forward.

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See Omari Hardwicks interview with Citizen TV Kenya below.

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As the snow begins to melt and the warmer weather of spring starts to creep in, many people will be heading back outdoors into nature, and for many, that means returning to a local public park.

Whether you prefer to enjoy the spring weather with a run, a bike ride, a picnic or a simple walk, Connecticut has plenty of public parks that make for a perfect spring day.

If you want to immerse yourself in history as well as nature, Connecticut also has plenty of historical parks, with the state's first park, Bushnell Park, opening almost 200 years ago.

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Here's how to visit Connecticut's oldest park this spring.

History of Bushnell Park

Bushnell Park in Hartford is the oldest park in Connecticut.

Located in front of Connecticut's state capital, Bushnell Park was first established in 1861. However, the idea for the park was first suggested by Rev. Horace Bushnell, pastor of Hartford's North Congregational Church and graduate of Yale University, in 1853.

According to the Bushnell Park Conservancy, Rev. Bushnell proposed the park for multiple reasons  to clean up the city, create a space where poor children could play and build a beautiful setting that would establish Hartford as the state capital over New Haven, which shared the title of capital with Hartford at the time.

While plenty of parks were popping up in the states in the 1800s, one of Rev. Bushnell's ideas made this park proposal unique  the sourcing of the park through public funds.

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A Hartford City Council meeting in October 1853 unanimously approved Rev. Bushnell's idea, and in January 1854, Hartford citizens voted the idea through, making Hartford the first city to use public funds for the creation of a park.

After years of securing land and creating a design, Bushnell Park, then called City Park, was established in 1861 under a design by Swiss-born architect Jacob Weidenmann. The original park contained 157 varieties of trees and shrubs, graceful paths, the Park River and several bridges.

Over the years, Bushnell Park has gained many additions, including the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, the Capitol building overlooking the park, the Corning Fountain, the Carousel and the Performance Pavilion. Due to flooding, the Park River was buried in an underground tunnel in the 1940s, resulting in the destruction of its bridges.

Today, Bushnell Park remains a scenic place to connect with the Hartford community and escape the business of city life.

How to visit Bushnell Park

Bushnell Park is open daily from dusk to dawn. For those driving to the park, 99 Trinity St. in Hartford is the best address to use in a GPS. Metered parking, which is free on weekends, is available around the park's perimeter.

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Bushnell also frequently hosts community events like yoga classes and movie nights, as well as free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch from May through October.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: What is the oldest park in CT? The history of Bushnell Park
PARIS  For its second collaboration with independent watchmakers, Louis Vuitton has unveiled Thursday a travel-inspired timepiece with Finnish-born, Switzerland-based Kari Voutilainen.

Kari Voutilainen stands as one of the most prolific watchmakers of his era, and notably one of the pioneers of independent watchmaking, said Jean Arnault, Louis Vuittons director of watches. It is my hope that this timepiece will be recognized as a celebration of independent watchmaking that will make it possible to support the movement in the years to come.

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The LVKV-02 GMR 6 watch.

Dubbed the LVKV-02 GMR 6, the watch is available in a limited run of five pieces, priced at 550,000 euros each. It is part of a five-year run of collaborations between the French brand and independent watchmaking labels.

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As with the model cosigned with Atelier Akrivia, proceeds of this watchs sale are earmarked to fund the biennial Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives launched in 2023 and now on its second edition.

Trained at the renowned Kelloseppakoulu watchmaking school in Finland, the master watchmaker moved to Switzerland in 1989, where he completed the WOSTEP complicated watch course at the International Watchmaking School.

Spotted by Parmigiani Mesure et Art du Temps, he spent almost a decade restoring rare pieces and creating one-offs designs before a three-year stint teaching at the WOSTEP School of Watchmaking.

In 2002, Voutilainen opened his eponymous workshop in Saint-Sulpice, Switzerland, the same year Louis Vuitton launched its inaugural Tambour watch.

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Over the years his work has since garnered a number of awards, including 11 gongs at the Grand Prix de lHorlogerie de Geneve, considered the Oscars of the watchmaking world.

Kari Voutilainen

Voutilainen also serves as a member of the expert committee of the prize.

Calling the endeavor a genuine collaboration that is remarkably coherent for both houses, the master watchmaker said the timepiece embodies the identity of Louis Vuitton while also capturing the spirit of our workshop.

Based on Louis Vuittons redesigned Escale launched in 2024, it features a case made of tantalum, a metal that is complex to utilize due to characteristics that include gold-like density and a high melting point, while the bezel, back, lugs, crown and strap buckle are made of platinum.

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Epitomizing the collaboration between the two watchmakers is the dial, which features the portemanteau LVoutilainen moniker blending their names.

The movement seen from the back.

Under gold Roman numerals is a striking multicolored hour circle that was hand-decorated by Maryna Bossy, a skilled artisan in the Metiers dArt workshop of La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton. It required 28 different colors, 32 hours of painting and a total of eight hours of firing.

Also taking pride of place on the center of the dial is the hand guilloche engraving by Voutilainens workshop, in an intricate pattern nodding to the French houses Damier motif. Theyre also behind the sun and moon used on the day-and-night indicator, delicately engraved and then enameled, where stars turn out to be minute Monogram flowers.

The case back is engraved with Louis cruises with Kari while its sapphire gives a peek of the watchs manual self-winding movement based on Voutilainens GMR 6 caliber. In a nod to Vuittons travel heritage, it is a GMT complication with a day-night indicator and a power reserve indicator. The second timezone is indicated at 6 oclock.

The trunk for the LVKV-02 GMR 6 timepiece.

A major feature of this movement is its innovative construction with two escapement wheels, which improves efficiency and gives it increased longevity, stability and a longer power reserve. It also has a unique balance-spring system, pairing a typical Phillips overcoil with the little-known Grossmann curve.

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Each watch comes in a bespoke Louis Vuitton travel trunk, bearing a hand-painted rendition of the dial and edition number on the front as well as the signatures of Voutilainen and Arnault inside.

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A beach in Maine has cracked a list of best beaches in the country, joining the ranks of those in well-known beach destinations like California, Florida and Hawaii.

Travel company Lonely Planet ranked Sand Beach in Acadia National Park as the 16th best beach in the United States and the best for walking trails in a ranking released early March.

It was the only beach in New England to make it onto the list, which featured 23 beaches across the country.

Visitor enjoy a sunny summer day at Acadia National Park's Sand Beach.

Sand Beach in Acadia is one of countrys best beaches

Lonely Planet ranked Sand Beach in Acadia National Park the nations 16th best beach.

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What they said: Sand Beach may be the best spot to dip your toes in the sand at Maines famed Acadia National Park. If you plan to visit during the popular summer season, expect some big crowds here. But even a visit during the colder months offers gorgeous coastal views at one of New Englands most beloved national parks.

The entry warned that the water at Sand Beach stays cold all year-round, even in the summer. But luckily, swimming isnt the only attraction at the beach. It also provides easy access to hiking and biking trails.

The water temperature can be very cold at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park, Maine. Yet, this small beach set in a cove attracts people because of glistening turquoise water and soft sand comprised of shell fragments and grains of feldspar and quartz.

Sand Beach is also a year-round destination: visitors can spot vibrant leaf colors in the fall, while the winter offers gorgeous coastal views. The largest sandy beach in Acadia, Sand Beach is also a perfect spot for stargazing, according to the National Park Service.

Sand Beach is five miles from Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, which offers shops and restaurants.

What is the best beach in the US?

Lonely Planet ranked Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island in Georgia as the best beach in the country. Its striking feature is the twisted oak branches draping the golden sands, leftover from a maritime forest.

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Heres a full list of the 23 best beaches, according to Lonely Planet.

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island, Georgia Grayton Beach, Florida South Beach, Florida Venice Beach, Los Angeles, California El Matador State Beach, Malibu, California Pfeiffer Beach, Big Sur, California Cannon Beach, Oregon Sand Harbor, Lake Tahoe, Nevada Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii Oneloa Beach/Big Beach, Maui, Hawaii Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington Playa Tortuga, Isla Culabrita, Puerto Rico Trunk Bay, Virgin Islands National Park, St. John Treasure Island Beach, Laguna Beach, California Sand Beach, Acadia National Park, Maine Padre Island National Seashore, Texas Henderson Beach State Park, Destin, Florida Edisto Beach State Park, South Carolina Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida Melbourne Beach, Florida Hana Beaches, Hana, Maui Oval Beach, Saugatuck, Michigan

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: This Maine beach one of the best in the US, according to Lonely Planet
Park rangers fired from the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Channel Islands National Park heard Thursday that their jobs will soon be reinstated.

The nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Assn. said in a news release Thursday that as a result of recent court orders, "the National Park Service is authorized to fully reinstate 1,000 previously terminated probationary employees at national parks across the country." Fired workers included rangers, law enforcement officers, firefighters and other critical personnel, the group said.

Read more: National park layoffs assailed by off-duty rangers and community members in SoCal protests

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"The American people love our national parks and want them protected for future generations," Theresa Pierno, the group's president and chief executive, said in a statement. "Its time the administration listened. We wont stop fighting until these attacks on our national parks come to an end."

Workers contacted Thursday by The Times declined to speak on the record, fearing it would jeopardize their reinstatements.

On Feb. 14, about 1,000 National Park Service permanent workers who hadn't finished their probationary period were fired as part of a waste-cutting effort led by Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musks White House advisory team, which he calls the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

The Channel Islands National Park visitors center in Ventura. (John Antczak / Associated Press)

The decision was the second park-related cut by the Trump administration that was met with widespread opposition spanning the political spectrum. In January, thousands of seasonal park workers were told they wouldn't be hired this season. Public outcry in defense of national parks broke out in the form of protests and social media posts, and the Trump administration walked back the effort about a month later.

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On March 1, thousands of people  including hundreds at local fixtures like Joshua Tree National Park, the Channel Islands Ventura office and the Santa Monica Mountains  rallied at parks to show their support for fired permanent park workers. Another nationwide "Protect the Parks" rally is planned for Saturday with events scheduled in Calabasas and Ventura.

Fired workers included about eight staffers at Santa Monica Mountains near L.A. and six at Channel Islands. At the Santa Monica Mountains, fired workers included an emergency response worker and a park ranger trained in land management.

Read more: Amid staff cuts and budget chaos, more than 700 national park employees take buyout

Two archaeologists tasked with surveying land in the Santa Monica Mountains were also fired. Katie Preston, one of the archaeologists fired, told The Times at the March rally that it was unclear how the $400,000 allocated for them to survey the park for cultural resources would be spent without any staff left to do the job. Only 30% of the Santa Monica Mountains have been surveyed, meaning potential historic landmarks and sacred Indigenous sites remain unknown and unprotected.

Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park in 2019. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

At Channel Islands, marine scientist Kenan Chan, who surveyed the park's kelp forests and tide pools, was fired. Channel Islands National Park has collected data through its full-time staff and seasonal workers on its kelp forests and tide pools since 1982. His firing meant only two full-time workers were left to conduct the research.

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Chan said Thursday on Instagram after a "month full of uncertainty, stress, sadness and frustration" he was grateful to be headed back to work. Chan thanked everyone who had rallied to support the fired workers.

Read more: National park visits hit record high last year, agency reports as it endures deep cuts

"I still have not received any official documents confirming I am once again an employee, but I am hopeful," Chan said. "We are back. We did it."

Park ranger Lydia Jones, who was fired from Badlands National Park in South Dakota, said Thursday on Instagram that she was thrilled to share that she had been reinstated but was still concerned by the possibility of future cuts.

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Read more: What park workers firings mean for L.A.s natural wonders

"With plans for wide-scale reductions in force throughout federal government, there is still the possibility that my position could be cut again," Jones said. "However, one thing is certain: I will continue to do my job to the absolute best of my ability, as long as I am able, in service to the American people."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
This file photo taken on March 29, 2022 shows Yu Chi-Hsuan (L) introducing to foreign visitors the Song Dynasty-style tea whisking skills at a tearoom in Hangzhou Luyuquan tea culture theme park in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. (Xinhua/Duan Jingjing)

HANGZHOU, March 20 (Xinhua) -- As spring breezes carry the aroma of tea through the misty valleys of Jingshan in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Yu Chi-Hsuan is busy planning a tea harvesting tour for tourists ahead of the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 4 this year.

In the tea fields of Jingshan, home to the famed Jingshan tea that dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the 36-year-old from China's Taiwan region, now a cultural tourism practitioner rooted in Zhejiang, is brewing up a story of cross-Strait connections.

Born in Taipei to Hakka parents, Yu grew up hearing stories of her ancestral ties to Meixian in south China's Guangdong Province, where her grandfather's ancestors lived.

At the age of 11, she traveled to the Matsu Islands to take part in cultural exchanges with people from the Chinese mainland, which planted the seeds for her later deep bond with the mainland.

While studying in Japan, Yu met her life partner, who is a native of Zhejiang Province. Despite their initial plans to settle abroad, Yu clung to a dream. "I have always hoped to have an opportunity to settle down in the mainland," she said.

That opportunity came in 2018 when a recruitment notice from Hangzhou's Yuhang District, seeking graduates from top global universities, redirected her trajectory.

Yu returned to China in 2019 and set her sights on Jingshan, which has a deep connection to the Japanese tea ceremony.

"When I studied a course on Japanese tea ceremony in college, I discovered that its origins traced back to a Zen Buddhist temple in Jingshan," Yu recalled.

While in Japan, Yu participated in Kyoto's World Heritage tourism planning, and she boasts expertise in Taiwan's award-winning cultural design projects.

Delving into "The Classic of Tea," the first known monograph on tea in the world, Yu found striking parallels between the Jingshan tea ceremony, a UNESCO-listed intangible heritage, and the Hakka Leicha (pounded tea) from her childhood.

"I realized that Chinese tea cultures share the same roots," she said. "In developing the Song Dynasty-style tea whisking experience course in Jingshan, memories of my grandfather preparing a bowl of tea for me when I was young came rushing back."

She then set out to promote the rich heritage of Chinese tea culture. Within two years, she and her team created a cultural tourism icon featuring Tang Dynasty scholar Lu Yu, also known as the Sage of Tea, and introduced a new Chinese-style tea beverage brand "Lu Yu's Tea."

In 2023, Yu expanded her work to the rural guesthouse industry, transforming vacant farmhouses into a cluster of homestays that blend ancient Liangzhu heritage and Song culture with modern designs.

Her project, which preserves the charm of the original townscape while upgrading facilities, has won multiple provincial tourism awards and created economic opportunities for local villagers.

"Rural revitalization isn't just about renovating houses. It's about letting culture take root and ensuring that local communities benefit," Yu told Xinhua.

She likens Zhejiang's villages to her grandma's handmade "eight-treasure rice pudding" -- traditional yet innovative, inclusive and full of human warmth.

Visitors from Taiwan can immerse themselves in intangible cultural heritage experiences like crafting paper umbrellas on ancient streets, witnessing the fusion of agriculture and smart technology at digital farms, or seeing auditoriums at some local primary schools renovated into art hubs.

"Every experience here is full of surprises," she said. "I hope more Taiwanese friends will come here to see, feel and experience its magic."

Now a familiar figure in cross-Strait cultural exchanges, Yu has shared her life and work in nearly a hundred activities, always beginning with the characteristic introduction: "I am Yu from China's Taiwan, a new citizen of Hangzhou. Destiny has brought me here, and I share the same surname as Yuhang."

She believes that Taiwan's young people should not be bystanders; instead, they should actively engage in the mainland's rapid development.

"The vast mainland can accommodate the dream of Taiwan's young people, and the Taiwan Strait can not block compatriots on both sides from sharing the dividends of development," she said. 
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  A stabbing at a Gratiot County nail salon left one man dead and another behind bars Wednesday afternoon.

At around 12:59 p.m., the Gratiot County Sheriffs Office was dispatched to the LA Nails location in the 7400 block of N Alger Rd in Pine River Township, just outside the Alma border, for an active assault.

Deputies and officers from the Alma Police Department arrived at the salon and found a 48-year-old man with multiple stab wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Police arrested a 30-year-old Alma man in connection with the stabbing. He is currently in the Gratiot County Jail without bond. The Gratiot County Sheriffs Office says there is no threat to the public.

The names of the suspect and victim will be released pending arraignment in the 65B District Court at a later date.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Gratiot County Sheriffs Office at (989) 875-5211.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Mar. 19One person was injured Wednesday morning after a semi and straight truck collided on Interstate 35 south of Clarks Grove.

Bakar Oniani, 34, of Brooklyn, New York, was taken by Mayo Clinic Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for injuries deemed not life-threatening, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

The report stated Oniani was driving a 2024 Volvo semi southbound on I-35, and Jared Allen Besser, 44, of Clarks Grove, was driving a 2016 Freightliner straight truck southbound when the two trucks collided at 10:21 a.m. near milepost 16.

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The roads were covered in snow and ice at the time of the crash.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, and alcohol was not a factor.

The Freeborn County Sheriff's Office and Clarks Grove Fire Department assisted at the scene.
Looking back at stories that appeared in the OFallon Progress 100, 75, and 50 years ago.

100 years ago, March 26, 1925

(These stories appeared in the OFallon Progress about local connections and reactions to the Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, that left a 219-mile path of destruction through southeast Missouri, southern Illinois and southwest Indiana. According to the National Weather Service, 695 lives were lost, including 234 in Murphysboro, Illinois. It is still considered the deadliest tornado in U. S. history.)

When the heavy casualty lists from the storm stricken area in southern Illinois became known through the press, Schwarz Brothers, local undertakers, immediately arranged to assist the city of Murphysboro.

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H. P. Schwarz, one of the embalmers of the firm, departed at three oclock last Friday morning for the stricken city and reported to the American Red Cross to whom he offered the services of the concern until such time that the city could recover from its lamentable plight.

Mr. Schwarz was assigned to the partly demolished Presbyterian church where storm victims were being prepared for burial in the basement. He remained in the church until Sunday, when the greater portion of the dead had been taken care of. On that day a large number of bodies were buried and Mr. Schwarz assisted in conducting the funerals, returning to this city that night.

Mr. Schwarz states that during his stay in the church basement they prepared 61 bodies for burial. When this work was completed he was assigned to conveying critically injured to the depots from where they were taken to hospitals in East St. Louis and other points for treatment.

On Sunday the funerals were held from various churches, several being conducted at the same time.

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Mr. Schwarz relates many pitiful instances while in the stricken city and states that the grief caused by the destruction of life and property is undescribable. Bodies of many of the victims were badly mutilated, some of which were almost beyond identification.

Of this number many were fire victims, who escaped the storm but later were caught in fires which resulted from the tornado. Others from here who offered their services to the stricken territory were Assistant Fire Chief Harry Daniels, Samuel Taylor, William Sanspeur and Ferd. Schau, members of the OFallon Fire Department, who rushed to Murphysboro via automobile when they learned that the city was on fire.

They reported to the Fire Chief of that city but their services were not needed as the city had the situation well in hand. The chief marveled at the interest displayed by the local firemen whom he thanked in the name of Murphysboro, stating that he knew the citizens appreciated the offer from a fire department located more than 100 miles from Murphysboro.

* * *

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OFallon citizens and business firms have responded in a praiseworthy manner to the call for financial aid for the benefit of the victims of the most disastrous tornado in the history of the country which swept over southern Illinois taking as its toll more than 800 lives, injuring and maiming 3,000 and laying waste millions of dollars worth of property.

While OFallon had no fixed quota for cash donations, up to this time more than $1,100 has been received without solicitation or a meeting of any kind.

Immediately after the storm the Advisory Board of the Business Mens Association met and unanimously decided to assist the Red Cross in securing finances for the Relief Fund to be used for the storm sufferers.

Mayor Ralph Kampmeyer also issued an appeal calling upon the citizens to subscribe to the fund. Contributions are still coming in and predictions are that OFallon will give more than $1,200 to the cause.

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(Donations could be dropped off at the First National Bank and the First State Bank in OFallon.)

* * *

Mike Keller, Mrs. Anna and Mrs. Mary Faitz received word that their sister, Mrs. Charles Schott is in Barnes Hospital at St. Louis, suffering with serious injuries resulting from the cyclone at Murphysboro last Wednesday.

She has a fracture of both arms, a fracture of the right leg and four broken ribs. Her husband is in the same hospital with a fractured skull.

Mrs. Schott was home alone when the storm broke, her husband being at work in the M. & O. shops, which were destroyed. After the storm, Schott, although seriously injured, rushed to his home to find it on fire.

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He heard his wife, who was in the burning building, call for help and came to her rescue by removing debris which had pinned her to the floor. By heroic work he saved her from the flames and took her to the street, where she lay prone for some time before medical aid came. Their home and belongings were completely destroyed, according to members of the Keller family who were in the stricken city, Sunday.

(Catherine Schott and her siblings were natives of OFallon and Charles Schott was a native of Shiloh. Both survived the tornado. Mike Keller lived on the Keller Farm OFallon.)

75 years ago, March 23, 1950

The new and modern fire truck of the OFallon-Shiloh Valley-Caseyville Township fire protection district, the only one of its kind in this section of the state as to equipment, which arrived here last Tuesday, received its test under state regulations and for approval Friday.

The truck was taken to the Independent Engineering Company lake where it was subjected to a series of tests in the presence of firemen and district trustees. The pumper had a steady run for three hours under different pressure, at one time producing 800 gallons per minute.

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Firemen were highly pleased with its performance, indicating that it is more than suited in fighting fires in the rural areas.

Saturday night the firemen provided a program of first-aid and life-saving with their disaster truck equipment at a meeting of Shiloh Valley Grange. The new pumper was also taken to the Grange Hall where an unusually large crowd of interested farmers inspected the equipment, firemen being kept busy in explaining the many accessories embodied in the fire-fighter.

Walter Seibert, of Shiloh Valley Township, a member of the rural fire protection district, was in attendance.

50 years ago, March 27, 1975

A major fire was narrowly averted Monday night in the Marie Schaefer School south building when a custodian discovered smoldering paper stuffed in a hole under a stairway in the basement.

Robert Bittles, employed at the school, smelled smoke and alerted the fire department. Paper was found stuffed in two similar holes in the school.
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  An 11-year-old is facing disciplinary consequences after they allegedly made a threat to kill students and teachers at a school in Charles County, according to authorities.

The Charles County Sheriffs Office (CCSO) said that on Wednesday, March 19, the student threatened to kill all of the teachers and students at F. B. Gwynn Educational Center by using a gun.

Student charged after knife found at Charles County high school, deputies say

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The School Resource Officer (SRO) contacted the students relatives and searched their home, but did not find any guns.

Under Maryland law, the student can not be charged because of their age. However, the sheriffs office said the SRO notified the Charles County Department of Juvenile Services.

The student faces disciplinary consequences per the Code of Student Conduct, according to the CCSO.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A 65-year-old Kentucky man was arrested on Sunday after Mesquite police found almost 150 pounds of illegal marijuana buds during a traffic stop on Interstate 15 northeast of Las Vegas.

Ricky Jaggars of Campbellsburg, Kentucky, was charged with a felony count of trafficking marijuana, according to a Mesquite Police Department news release on Thursday.

Mesquite Police Department officers stand near marijuana buds seized during a March 16 traffic stop. (Courtesy: Mesquite Police Department) (Courtesy: Mesquite Police Department)

Jaggars was transported and booked into the Clark County Detention Center. Jail records indicate he is no longer in custody.

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While speaking with the driver, the officer observed indications the driver was involved in criminal drug activity and initiated an investigation, according to the news release. The traffic stop occurred at about 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The marijuana buds were found during a search of the vehicle.

Investigators found evidence the marijuana was being transported for illegal resale in several Midwestern 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 KLAS.
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: Victoria (Vickey) L. Sohn. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

We want to remember Victoria (Vickey) L. Sohn, while honoring those who survived and thanking those changed forever.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Eighteen Brazilian nationals living in Massachusetts are facing federal charges and authorities have seized more than 100 illegal firearms in a federal crackdown on gun trafficking, the U.S. Attorney said Wednesday.

From Cape Cod to Boston to communities north, south and west of Boston, the charges announced Wednesday come after a year-long federal investigation into illegal firearm sales across Massachusetts, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement.

The illegal firearm trafficking is allegedly tied to a transnational crime syndicate that flourished in communities across the Bay State, Foley said.

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As alleged, these defendants  most of whom have no legal status in the United States  played a role in bringing deadly weapons into Massachusetts, some as traffickers and others as unlawful possessors, Foley said Wednesday.

This kind of lawlessness fuels violent crime and empowers transnational criminal organizations that profit from chaos and fear. It puts American lives at risk, Foley said. This case is a testament to the strength of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partnerships in keeping our communities safe and upholding the rule of law.

According to the charging documents, the investigation identified Brazilian nationals in several communities in Massachusetts who have allegedly been involved in the sale of various types of firearms.

Prosecutors allege some of the firearms were tied to gang-related activities involving a large transnational criminal organization, Primeiro Comando da Capital, as well as smaller, local street gangs, specifically the Tropa de Sete and Trem Bala street gangs.

Primeiro Comando da Capital, originally founded in the prison systems in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is one of the largest criminal organizations in Brazil and Latin America, Foley said.

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Prosecutors allege that Primeiro Comando da Capital members and their associates are known to commit violent offenses in furtherance of the organization, to include murders, armed robberies, kidnappings and the coordination of a transnational drug trafficking operation.

To date, investigators have seized approximately 110 firearms and trafficking quantities of fentanyl and ammunition since the investigation began in 2024.

The firearms allegedly recovered include, but are not limited to, handguns, rifles, short-barreled rifles and shotguns that were primarily trafficked from areas in Florida and South Carolina into Massachusetts.

Foley said most of the men charged are in the United States illegally. The following men are all charged with engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license:

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Guilherme Fernandes Tavares, 31, illegal, resided in Marlborough; Lucas Henrique Moreira De Paiva, 22, illegal, resided in Malden, Weymouth and Chelsea; Victor Eduardo Santos De Souza, 21, illegal, resided in Framingham and Revere; Rafaell Martins Ferreira, 27, illegal, resided in Boston; Riquelme Henrique De Aguilar Ferreira, 21, illegal, resided in Framingham and Revere; Lucas Ferreira-Da Silva, 27, of Malden; Israel Yurisson Dos Santos, 24, illegal, resided in Marlborough; Alason Ferreira-Peixoto, 22, of West Yarmouth; Gideoni De Oliveira Moutinho, 32, illegal, resided in Malden, Weymouth and Chelsea; Lucas Nascimento-Siva, 27, of West Yarmouth; Vanderson Rocha Oliveira, 31, illegal, resided in Boston; Joao Vitor Dos Santos Goncalves Pimenta, 20, illegal, resided in Malden; Patrick Rodrigues De Oliveira, 34, of Framingham; Marcos Paulo Silva, 24, illegal, resided in Boston; Talles Provette De Faria, 34, of Barnstable and Plymouth;

Provette De Faria also faces the charge of distribution of fentanyl.

Two additional men, Joao Victor Da Silva Soares, 21, of Everett, and Floriano De Souza, 50, an illegal resident who lived in Yarmouth, are charged with conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.

Kessi Jhonny Firmino Sales, 23, an illegal resident who lived in West Yarmouth, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

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This case involved the trafficking of well over 100 illegal firearms and included 18 defendants, many of whom are illegal aliens allegedly engaged in the unlawful possession and distribution of deadly weapons, James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, said in a statement.

The combination of illegal firearms and individuals unlawfully in our country presents a grave threat to public safety, Ferguson said. ATF will not stand by  we will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and dismantle those who arm criminals and endanger our communities.

Patricia Hyde, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston, said in a statement that many of the 18 Brazilian nationals facing charges illegally settled in our Massachusetts communities apparently with the intention of causing harm to our residents.

Not only were they allegedly members or associates of dangerous transnational criminal organizations, but they were also allegedly involved in trafficking significant amounts of illegal firearms, ammunition, and fentanyl, Hyde said. ICE Boston will continue to prioritize the safety of our public by arresting and removing illegal alien offenders from our New England neighborhoods.

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For the charges of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license and conspiracy, the men face a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

For the charge of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, Firmino Sales faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

The men are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed, officials said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

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In the last 12 months especially, people have repeatedly expressed fatigue with the Democratic Party and what they perceive to be a lack of effort displayed by its leaders.

Knowing this, it's not shocking that NBC News just dropped data from a poll showing the party has reached a new low in popularity as left-leaners are practically BEGGING leadership to fight back against the Trump administration's unfavorable actions.

But what exactly does "fighting back" look like? Well, to find out, I asked our BuzzFeed Community what actions they'd like to see Democrats take.

BuzzFeed

Here's what they said:

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1."Every Democratic leader needs to get on TV and start speaking the truth about the damage being done and what it means."

"They need to hold town halls, talk to newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc., absolutely everywhere information goes should be used to reeducate the American public since its become apparent that we are one of the most ignorant countries considering the access to information we have yet dont use."

sassytable32

2."Every single time Trump violates the law, the Democrats need to offer Articles of Impeachment. Every time."

"No, he won't GET impeached. What will happen is crystal clear proof of which members of Congress uphold the rule of law and which will support a dictator. That would be crucial in changing things in the midterm elections."

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Nyssa

3."Be as rude and uncivil as they are."

"Match the energy and watch them fall apart. Trump, in particular, cannot handle being insulted. USE THAT."

flinnchristian

4."Leadership needs to retire  anyone over the age of 60 should not be a member of Congress."

"Theyre out of touch and know nothing about what its like to live in todays world. Its time for a much-needed (and regularly scheduled) changing of the guard."

flinnchristian

5."The problem I have observed is that when Bernie had some momentum in the early 2010s, liberals who liked him were told they were too idealistic and too far left. They were basically told to get realistic and compromise. Well, over the course of the past 15 years, the far right hasnt compromised for shit."

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"So the left had to move completely to the center to balance the ever-further-right-creeping Republicans. So now we have some watered-down, toothless Democrats versus the Hitler youth. Good work done by all."

hampster

Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

6."Need them to take control of the narrative, and stop taking the bait and responding to every bit of chaos thrown out by the Trump admin. Most of it is spin, and a lot won't stick. They need to unite on what is important and get a new strategist that listens to younger generations!"

"There were people that voted MAGA and AOC. I can't wrap my head around that, but can a new strategy tell us how to reach those people? How to reach the over 1/3 of voters that did not bother to show up?"

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braveelephant411

7."Democrats (and Republicans) were elected by the people to do a job. They get paid to do this job. Instead of quietly acquiescing to a narcissistic dictator, they need to represent their constituents."

"We have a Constitution. Uphold it! We have laws and procedures. Enforce them! If each part of our government will do their job, our country will survive. Sit back and do nothing  and you will see the end of the United States!"

wittycat706

8."We need better comms aimed at the working class and educational reform STAT."

"Support defunding police/ICE. We need to spend on things that create a strong civil society."

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flinnchristian

9."Stop being tolerant when a MAGA does something uncivil in your presence. Bigotry should not be rewarded with tolerance."

Trent

10."Look to Jasmine Crockett, AOC, Bernie Sanders. Get out there and call him a liar, do town meetings in the Republican districts that have representatives too afraid to face their constituents and tell them what hes doing to them, its brass knuckles time."

"Its time to replace Schumer and Jeffries. Let the young lead. Never miss an opportunity to tell the truth. Shut down FOX News. Call the courts out for not holding Felon 47 to defying their orders. HIT THE STREETS EVERY DAY."

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spiritedprincess634

Kayla Bartkowski / Getty Images, Bloomberg / Bloomberg via Getty Images

11."They need to create some actual policies and not just have the policy of 'Well, Trump's evil, and we're not him.' That didn't work the first time Trump was elected, and unfortunately, they didn't learn that time around, so he was elected again."

"Stop just focusing on what you're not, and start convincing the undecided voters with what you are. Oh, and most importantly, don't just go chasing for celebrity support. Most normal people don't give a shit which famous people you've got behind you, they just want to hear some policies. Look at the shower of shite famous people Trump had behind him  Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan  and he still won."

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bucephalusbouncingball

12."Dems need to attack every single crazy ass thing he does and says. My God, the man is an endless supply of lies, fantasies, and conjectures that come from his little magical made-up mind."

"We have become so numb to him bombarding us with crazy stuff, that we just shrug and say that can't happen  then it does! We cannot be indifferent to a person like him. We have to stand up to the lunacy."

mushyhawk59

13."Enough with decorum, playing nice, and 'taking the high road.' Start using plain language and call out fascism for what it is."

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"Speak out and push back on harmful behavior and narratives. Stop censuring and dogpiling people who DO speak out. Fight the fuck back with everything you've got. Start actually holding your MAGA/MAGA-adjacent coworkers accountable."

maskedpuppy66

14."They need to stop acting like these are normal times and normal things that call for normal diplomacy. This is the time to be getting in the streets and getting folks riled up."

"We are past the point of educating those who don't agree with us. You can't educate them until you deprogram them. Get LOUD."

maskedogre635

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15."They need to get more information out to the people. Less about emotions and more about concrete, easy to understand facts."

"Economy worse, people getting fired, cost of living increasing, etc. Please do not stoop to the level of Republicans; we dont want the party turning into what we dislike and then have no leg to stand on, no right to complain or achieve better if we do what they do."

agonza

MANDEL NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

16."Not only increase the number of their own town hall meetings but be present at town hall meetings held by the opposition, and if one of those is canceled, announce they will be at that location at the same time. Alert the press about what youre doing and when, even if the meeting's duly elected rep is there."

"Go to town hall meetings held by fellow Dems, so theres more show of unity... Discuss what you will or want to do for us, not what you will do for 'them.'"

fancykid446

17."They need to get out of their own way and stop their, 'This is the way we've always done it' nonsense. We need actual change because there were so many people who simply didn't vote."

"Now we are heading somewhere that will be a cross of The Hunger Games, The Handmaid's Tale, and when the Kens took over Barbie Land."

dellarock

18.And finally, "Find all the loopholes and use them. Fight back and fight just as dirty as they do. Unfortunately, now is not the time to keep to the higher ground."

cooldolphin923

Regardless of where you stand, what would you like to see Democrats do going forward? Share your thoughts in the comments or, to remain anonymous, use this Google form. Your response may be featured in an upcoming post.
LOGAN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR)  A search is underway for a driver pulling a trailer on Northbound I-35. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said a tire flew off that trailer and caused a deadly crash Tuesday.

Ive never had a tragedy this sad before, and so it is a worst-case scenario, said Mark Southall, with OHP.

OHP investigating after tire falls off trailer, kills driver on I-35

19-year-old Josh Hicks was heading to visit family for spring break when a tire bounced over the median and went through his windshield.

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Hicks crashed and died.

The deadly accident happened just before 3 p.m. near Industrial Road in Logan County.

Were hoping that somebody will come forward and tell us that they saw a vehicle with a trailer missing a tire on the interstate, and maybe we can pull some information together from cameras and flock cameras around the city, said Southall.

Investigators said its possible the driver pulling the trailer did not realize they were missing a tire.

We believe that this could be a tandem-axle utility trailer, and so losing a wheel isnt something that you may or may not notice until he or she gets stopped, said Southall.

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Hicks was a freshman at Kansas State University. His father told News 4 that his son loved his family and was strong in his faith.

Hicks family and investigators are asking the person driving to come forward.

We just need answers to questions, so we can figure out exactly how this happened and get this closure to the family, said Southall.

There is a GoFundMe for Hicks; if you would like to donate, click here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
WASHINGTON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will sign a rare earth minerals deal with Ukraine "very shortly."

"We are doing good work with Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earth with Ukraine," the president said.

Trump made the remarks shortly after he signed an executive order to invoke emergency powers to "dramatically increase production of critical minerals and rare earths."

"We're also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular Ukraine," Trump said.

He said last month that he asked Ukraine to provide the United States rare earth worth 500 billion U.S. dollars.

"I told them [Ukraine] that I want the equivalent like $500B worth of rare earth. And they've essentially agreed to do that so at least we don't feel stupid," Trump said in an interview with Fox News at the time.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were scheduled to sign a deal at the end of February in Washington that would grant Washington access to Ukraine's mineral deposits.

However, the deal remained unsigned after Zelensky's meeting in the Oval Office with Trump and his deputy JD Vance turned into a heated exchange. 
Editors note: A push alert for this story incorrectly identified Councilwoman Danielle Jurinskys title. We regret the error.

DENVER (KDVR)  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said two people who were detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora escaped Tuesday.

Aurora City Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky said there was a power outage at the facility at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, and it caused the door to the soccer facility to unlock, allowing the pair to walk off the premises. At midnight, ICE staff conducted a headcount of the detainees and realized two were missing. On Thursday, the GEO Group, which runs the contract facility in Aurora, said the two escapees climbed the perimeter fence to escape.

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We are working with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local law enforcement to investigate this matter. The safety and security of the Aurora ICE Processing Center and our neighbors in the local community is our top priority. We are working urgently to ensure that all necessary corrective actions are implemented to prevent such instances from reoccurring, the GEO Group said Thursday.

At about 12:30 a.m., agents learned of the escapees and notified 911 at about 2:30 a.m., according to the Aurora Police Department. FOX31 spoke exclusively with Jurinsky, who expressed anger at how ICE framed the matter.

ICE: Jeanette Vizguerra pending removal from US

ICE said it notified local authorities immediately of the escape and they declined to assist in the search. ICE said it also notified state and federal law enforcement partners, but the two escapees remain at large.

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To the people of Aurora, there is a state law here that supersedes the jurisdiction of the Aurora Police Department, ICE knows that, Jurinsky said. Its not a fair statement to say that we refused to get involved. This is completely on ICE.

ICE provided a brief background on both escapees.

Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, reportedly entered the U.S. on Dec. 20, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, and encountered U.S. Border Patrol officers at that time. The officers reportedly released him on his own recognizance and said an immigration judge ordered Vido-Romero in absentia removed from the U.S. to Venezuela Feb. 18, according to ICE.

Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, is wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for reportedly escaping detention in Aurora on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

ICE said they encountered Vido-Romero on Feb. 26 at the Douglas County Jail in Castle Rock after local officials arrested him and he was issued an immigration detainer. He was arrested on Feb. 27 by ICE and held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora pending his removal from the U.S.

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Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, allegedly entered the U.S. on Feb. 11, 2013, at the El Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas. ICE said he had violated the conditions of his admission.

Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, is wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for reportedly escaping detention in Aurora on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

ICE encountered Gonzalez-Gonzalez on Jan. 8 at the Adams County Jail in Brighton, where he was being held on local charges. The agency issued an immigration detainer in his case and arrested him on Feb. 12. He was issued a notice to appear in front of immigration judges, and was being held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility pending immigration proceedings.

According to the federal immigration agency, anyone with information about either mans location should call the ICE tip line at 866-347-2423 or complete the online tip form.

The Aurora Detention Facility, which is a contract facility for ICE run by the Geo Group, has been the site of protests since news broke that a well-known immigration activist, Jeanette Vizguerra, was taken into custody by ICE on Monday.

Local officials react to claims of not helping

In its notification of the escapees, ICE said local authorities were notified immediately and declined to assist with the search. ICE said it also notified state and federal law enforcement.

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The Colorado Governors Office provided a statement about the matter Wednesday evening.

The State was asked to issue a be on the lookout (BOLO) notice to law enforcement and sent out the standard notice. ICE has not asked for any additional assistance from the State. We continue to urge ICE to be transparent with the State and the public about this incident as it develops including whether any escapees are a danger to the public, a governors office spokesperson told FOX31.

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The Arapahoe County Sheriffs Office said the agency was not notified of escapees by ICE.

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The Douglas County Sheriffs Office found information regarding Vido-Romeros arrest. The sheriffs spokesperson said Vido-Romero was arrested for resisting arrest and theft. Court records show both of those chargers are misdemeanors against Vido-Romero.

The Adams County Sheriffs Office said that after checking with its dispatch center and detention facility, no one received a request to assist ICE in any capacity, especially to help locate two escaped detainees.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation told FOX31 it was not assisting ICE with its search for the escapees because it was not contacted by the federal agents.

The Aurora Police Department said it was notified hours after the detainees reportedly escaped the facility.

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We received late notification about the incident, and upon response, learned the event occurred several hours prior, the agency told FOX31. The Aurora Police Department is available to assist our federal partners with active public safety emergencies. As a municipal law enforcement agency, we do not enforce federal immigration law and cannot participate in large-scale searches or follow-ups.

Jurinsky said she took great offense to claims from ICE that Aurora did not help with the escape.

Weve taken great pride in the strides that we have made to getting back to fighting crime in this city, and that starts with the police chief that we hired, Todd Chamberlain, said Jurinsky, noting the recent policy change that authorizes individual officers to pursue alleged criminals in the city.

New law eases rules for immigrants to get drivers licenses, IDs in Colorado

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She said ICE was not saying whether the two escapees had been held on civil or criminal detainers.

From what I understand, they are not being held on criminal detainers, Jurinsky said. If they were being held on criminal detainers, we would be able to get involved and start a fugitive roundup.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as information becomes available. FOX31 has reached out to the Castle Rock Police Department for 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 FOX31 Denver.
DENVER (KDVR)  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said that two people who were detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado escaped Tuesday.

ICE said that local authorities were immediately notified and they declined to assist in the search. ICE notified its state and federal law enforcement partners, but the two escapees remained at large as of this writing Wednesday night.

ICE: Jeanette Vizguerra pending removal from US

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The agency also provided a brief background on both escapees.

Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, reportedly entered the U.S. on Dec. 20, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, and encountered U.S. Border Patrol officers at that time. The officers released him on his own recognizance and said an immigration judge ordered Vido in absentia removed from the U.S. to Venezuela Feb. 18, according to ICE.

Geilond Vido-Romero, 24, is wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for reportedly escaping detention in Aurora on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

ICE said they encountered Video-Romero on Feb. 26 at the Douglas County Jail in Castle Rock after local officials arrested him and he was issued an immigration detainer. He was arrested on Feb. 27 by ICE and held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora pending his removal from the U.S.

Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, allegedly entered the U.S. on Feb. 11, 2013, at the El Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas. ICE said he had violated the conditions of his admission.

Joel Jose Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 32, is wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials for reportedly escaping detention in Aurora on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

ICE encountered Gonzalez-Gonzalez on Jan. 8 at the Adams County Jail in Brighton, where he was being held on local charges. The agency issued an immigration detainer in his case and arrested him on Feb. 12. He was issued a notice to appear in front of immigration judges, and was being held at the Denver Contract Detention Facility pending immigration proceedings.

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According to the federal immigration agency, anyone with information about either mans location should call the ICE tip line at 866-347-2423) or complete the online tip form.

The Aurora Detention Facility, which is a contract facility for ICE run by the Geo Group, has been the site of protests since news broke that a well-known immigration activist, Jeanette Vizguerra, was taken into custody by ICE on Monday.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office told KDVR it was looking for information on Vido-Romeros arrest.

The Adams County Sheriffs Office said after checking with its dispatch center and detention facility, no one received a request to assist ICE in any capacity, especially to help locate two escaped detainees.

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The Colorado Bureau of Investigation told KDVR it was not assisting ICE with its search for the escapees because it was not contacted by the federal agents.

KDVR also reached out to the Castle Rock Police Department for information, as well as the Colorado Governors Office, but did not immediately receive a reply.

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The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched an investigation into an attempted terrorist attack after an explosion in downtown Rivne in Ukraine's west on March 20, the SBU reported.

According to police, a self-made device exploded in a car near a shopping mall in Rivne, injuring a driver and a passenger. Both of them were hospitalized.

The SBU reported that the pre-trial investigation was launched under the article of terrorist act and illegal handling of weapons.

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No further details were disclosed.

In February, the SBU reported that Russia recruited the attacker responsible for a deadly explosion at a military enlistment office in Rivne.

The SBU claimed earlier this month that Russia's intelligence service blew up two teenagers it had recruited to carry out a terrorist attack in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk. One person was killed and three others injured, authorities said.

Read also: Putins ceasefire  Is Russia still bombing Ukraine? Yes

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Two people were arrested on Wednesday afternoon after methamphetamine and a firearm were found inside a home.

Smith County officials battling 10-acre grass fire

The Cherokee County Sheriffs Office said deputies conducted a search warrant on a home off County Road 3816 where they discovered 9 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm. Officials identified the people inside the home as Sara Jean Mulder and Dillon Austin Lambright.

Mugshot of Dillon Austin Lambright, courtesy of Cherokee County Sheriffs Office

Mugshot of Sara Jean Mulder, courtesy of Cherokee County Sheriffs Office

Lambright and Mulder were arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon while engaged in criminal activity, officials stated.

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BEAUFORT, S.C. (WSAV)  Two Lowcountry high school students were detained Wednesday after they were found to have brought guns on campus, officials said.

Parents and guardians received an email Wednesday informing them of the two Battery Creek High School students who were detained. The email said that there was no direct threat made to students or staff.

The school also remained on lockdown status until law enforcement cleared the building after the students were detained, the email said.

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Officials reminded people that having a weapon on school grounds is a serious offense and no weapons of any kind are allowed on campus.

Any student found in possession of a weapons will face severe consequences, including criminal charges, the email said.

There will be an extra law enforcement presence on campus for the week.

Officials ask that if there are additional concerns to reach out to school administration, and if you or your child ever become aware of a potential threat, please report it immediately to law enforcement or school administration.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSAV-TV.
FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW)  The second of two wanted people refusing to come out of a home on Waverly Avenue in Florence Wednesday afternoon has been taken into custody, police said.

Florence police learned that John Smith was wanted by probation officials and Florence County authorities. They responded to a residence in the 900 block of Waverly Avenue, where they found Smith, who ran inside the house when officers arrived. Florence County deputies then arrived.

Authorities later learned that another person, Tiffany Cooper, who was also wanted by probation officials, was inside the house, police said. After authorities called for them, two people and two juveniles exited the house.

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Authorities continued to call for Cooper and Smith, but neither complied, according to police. Chemical agents were used several times in the residence, and Cooper ultimately surrendered to officers.

Smith remained hidden in the attic of the home until officers were able to locate him and apprehend him without injury, police said. Both Cooper and Smith were taken into the custody of Florence County deputies.

This is a developing story. Count on News13 for updates.

* * *

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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* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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Two Wisconsin spots have recently been named among the "best weekend getaway" destinations in the country by Conde Nast Traveler, including Milwaukee's own Lakeshore State Park.

Dubbed as two of the best weekend getaways from Chicago on the travel magazine's March 6 list, these spots offer scenic views and and escape from city life  even though Lakeshore is technically an urban prairie in the Cream City.

Here's what Conde Nast had to say about Lakeshore State Park:

The Milwaukee Lake Michigan lakefront is seen along with Lakeshore State Park (left), the Hoan Bridge and the Summerfest grounds on Sept. 13, 2022.

"While Milwaukee may be better known for its rich custards and Harley-Davidson Museum, don't skip out on Lakeshore State Park on your next visit to Brew City. Nature lovers are spoiled by 22 acres of meandering trails and paths that hug around Lake Michigan. Whether you're itching to go on a scenic walk through the Oak Leaf state trail, or you're more of an angler chasing the thrill of the catch, consider this not-too-far escape from the city."

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The travel magazine recommends booking a room at Brewhouse Inn and Suites to get "an authentic taste of Midwest history," but you can also check out Kimpton Journeyman Hotel and The Iron Horse Hotel if you want to stay closer to the Lake.

More: Milwaukee's Lakeshore State Park is home to an urban prairie. Here are 5 things to know.

Meanwhile, Conde Nast highlighted Door County's Whitefish Dunes, beaches and galleries as some reasons for making the trip out. The peninsula was recognized by as one of the most beautiful spots in the nation by the travel magazine in February.

Door County is also home to various state parks  including Peninsula State Park, which was voted the best state park by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel readers earlier this year.

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"Make this a long weekend, as its almost a four-hour drive from Chicago," the magazine said. "and dont leave without making a pilgrimage to the Swedish restaurant Al Johnsons, famous for the herd of goats grazing on its grassy roof."

You can read the travel magazine's full "The Best Weekend Getaways in the US for a Quick Escape" list on its website at cntraveler.com.

More: Poll results: What is the best state park in Wisconsin?

More: 2 Wisconsin spots among most beautiful in the nation according to Conde Nast Traveler

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2 Wisconsin spots named 'best weekend getaways' by Conde Nast Traveler
More than 200 breweries across the world, including several locally, are partnering to raise money for Los Angeles fire relief efforts in the form of a new line of beer.

We Love LA is an initiative aimed at recruiting breweries far and wide to create a special beer with proceeds going toward fire efforts. The fundraising collaboration has enlisted more than 200 breweries thus far, including several Southern California staples like:

Angel City Brewery

Brewery X

Buena Vista Brewing Company

Coronado Brewing Co.

Firestone Walker

Golden Road Brewing

Highland Park Brewery

Malibu Brewing Company

Pizza Port Brewing Company

Santa Monica Brew Works

Smog City Brewing Co

Stone Brewing

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Even breweries from the likes of Australia and Japan are joining in on the initiative.

We Love LA is a new beer line with more than 200 participating breweries, with proceeds going toward wildlife relief efforts. (Sierra Prescott)

Participating breweries have a simple job: Create their own, unique beer that theyll name We Love LA. All of those beers use the same logo and have a QR code on the cans leading to a donation website.

By allowing breweries to choose their preferred style and develop their own recipe, we hope this will make it as simple as possible for any interested brewery to participate, the We Love LA website reads.

The types of We Love LA beers range from a Juicy IPA from Santa Monica Brew Works to a Table Saison Ale from Torrance-based Cellador.

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We Love LA encourages the breweries to donate 100% of the proceeds to wildfire relief efforts.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show kicked off Wednesday, March 19 along the West Palm Beach waterfront with just about every watercraft imaginable from eight-foot inflatable kayaks to nearly 300-foot-long super yachts.

The show continues through Sunday, March 23.

This year's event has expanded its footprint and will not only occupy the city's docks and the floating docks organizers construct, but it will also take advantage of nearby Palm Harbor Marina to showcase many of these amazing vessels.

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This year will feature 45 yachts measuring 150 feet or longer and 200 superyachts surpassing 80 feet in length. Guests are invited to explore the Superyacht Show Palm Beach which offers a closer look into the world of yachting with expert-led seminars on ownership and chartering.

If you want to go to the Palm Beach International Boat Show

If you're coming from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton or even from Orlando via Brightline, there will be complimentary shuttles to ferry guests to and from the event.

Guests arriving by car can use the parking garages at Phillips Point at 777 S. Flagler Drive; Esperante Corporate Center at 222 Lakeview Ave.; or the Hibiscus Garage at 545 Hibiscus St. and 713 S. Rosemary Ave. for parking. There will be shuttles running from the garages to the event and back. Additional parking can be found by checking the event's website under parking & transit.

WHERE TO EAT?: Heading to the Palm Beach International Boat Show? Best restaurants in downtown West Palm

Where to eat if you're attending the 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show

The Intracoastal Waterway is jammed with boats for the 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 18, 2025, in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida.

Whether you're in the market, unsure or, like many, enjoy just looking and dreaming, you'll need to fuel up to properly peruse all those beautiful boats.

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Though the event itself offers plenty of good options, many new restaurants have opened in the downtown area since last year's event. The Palm Beach Post has compiled a list that features a few iconic, tried and true hot spots and some great grab-and-go grub worth checking out.

To see all the available restaurants near the boat show in West Palm Beach, go here.

Road closures downtown West Palm Beach because of the boat show

A yacht arrives for the 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 18, 2025, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Two main road closures:

Northbound Flagler Drive is closed from Lakeview Avenue to Banyan Boulevard.

Evernia Street is closed between Tamarind Avenue and Sapodilla Avenue.

Flagler will remain closed in both directions until the southbound lanes reopen Wednesday, March 26.

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Northbound Flagler will not reopen until Monday, March 31.

For a list of all other road closures, go here.

Facts about the 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show

Show signage during the opening day of the Palm Beach International Boat Show at the West Palm Beach City Docks and Palm Harbor Marina in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on March 19, 2025.

What: 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show

Where: Downtown West Palm Beach waterfront along Flagler Drive

When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 20 through Saturday, March 22; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 23

Cost: Adult one-day general admission tickets start at $35, children $17; Windward one-day VIP tickets $410.

Information: pbboatshow.com/en/home

More: 10 superyachts to see at the 2025 Palm Beach International Boat Show in West Palm Beach

Photo galleries from previous Palm Beach International Boat Shows

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach International Boat Show along waterfront in West Palm begins
The second of two men who disguised themselves as Amazon workers when police say they broke into a mans home and nearly beat him to death has been arrested, police said.

Savannah police say Kelvin Waye, 26, has been arrested in connection with the Jan. 11 home invasion. Hes being charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, home invasion and possession of a firearm or knife.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Waye was arrested by the USMS Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Georgia State Patrol on March 10 in Hinesville, Ga.

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Last month, Tyrone Anthony, 27, was arrested and charged in connection to the home invasion.

According to the police report, the suspects walked up to a home carrying a package and knocked on the door. When George Dick Hardison, 66, opened the door, the men forced their way inside.

TRENDING STORIES:

The police report says that the men demanded money before beating Hardison with a sledgehammer. The two men made off with just $80.

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Footage shows the men leaving the home with the same package they walked up with.

In the video, you can hear Hardison, who was rushed to the hospital and got 14 stitches in his head, shouting for help.

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SEOUL, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) test-fired the latest anti-aircraft missile system Thursday "to examine the comprehensive performance of the system which was put into full-scale production at the munitions industry enterprise concerned," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Friday.

The test proved that the combat fast response of the latest anti-aircraft missile system is advantageous and the overall weapon system is highly reliable, according to the KCNA report.

Kim Jong Un, general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, oversaw the test-fire, saying that the DPRK military will be equipped with the defence weapon system. 
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WPRI)  The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) is seeking donations to care for three chihuahuas who were rescued from their burning Springfield home earlier this week.

The chihuahuas, named Daylilah, Peluche and Savanna, were brought to the Angell Animal Medical Center after the fire, which heavily damaged a Carew Street apartment building Monday night.

The dogs appeared to be suffering from severe respiratory distress and suspected neurological issues, according to the MSPCA.

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The dogs arrived in critical condition and, after a night in intensive care, local veterinarians knew that they needed more advanced treatment, MSPCAs Mike Keiley said. Given the tenuous state of their health and prolonged hospitalization expected, the dogs owners surrendered them in Springfield, which is when we were called.

SEE ALSO: MSPCA trying to save lives of 2 surrendered kittens

Keiley said the trio was immediately rushed into intensive care. The dogs are in oxygen cages and being given various fluids and medications to treat damage caused by smoke inhalation, he added.

There were other animals involved in this fire that unfortunately perished, but these dogs are fighters. The chihuahuas are fighting for survival, Keiley said, noting that several dogs and cats died. Were giving everything weve got to keep these dogs alive.

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Were hopeful that they may start showing signs of improvement in the coming days, but right now were in a holding pattern, he continued.

Its unclear when the dogs will be well enough to be put up for adoption. The MSPCA is requesting donations to offset the more than $20,000 in medical expenses to provide the dogs with around-the-clock care.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time. The American Red Cross is assisting the four residents who have been displaced.

Savanna and her siblings are in critical condition at Angell Animal Medical Center. (Courtesy: MSPCA-Angell) Daylilah and her siblings are in critical condition at Angell Animal Medical Center. (Courtesy: MSPCA-Angell) Peluche and her siblings are in critical condition at Angell Animal Medical Center. (Courtesy: MSPCA-Angell)

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A man is in custody in Bridgeview after allegedly stealing a police vehicle from Bedford Park and later a U.S. Postal Service truck, causing a crash that left three people injured Wednesday.

The suspect took a police squad car after being arrested for disorderly conduct, which he drove toward the Chicago Ridge and Oak Lawn area before it got stuck or became disabled, said Bridgeview spokesperson Ray Hanania in an email.

The suspect allegedly exited the vehicle and, seeing a postal truck occupied by a postal worker, forcibly took it and drove north on Roberts Road, Hanania said. He then crashed into the vehicle with the family of three inside.

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The mother in that car was at Northwestern University Medical Center Wednesday, and the children, ages 4 and 7, at Comer Childrens Hospital in Chicago and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Hanania said.

One is in very serious condition, I was told, Hanania said.

The section of Roberts Road between 79th Street and 87th Street was closed in both directions Wednesday night as police investigated, Hanania said.

Breanna Cousins said she was working at Fasanos Pizza on Roberts Road near 83rd Place when the crash happened.

I had seen a bunch of police cars heading that direction, because they go right down Roberts, Cousins said Thursday. Were just a couple of blocks down, so that obviously piqued my curiosity.

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Cousins said when she went outside to see what was going on, she saw multiple ambulances, including one being followed by an undercover squad car. She said restaurant customers and neighborhood social media accounts informed her about the stolen mail truck, which was definitely out of the ordinary.

However, she said its not uncommon to see crashes on the long stretch of road that extends through Bedford Park, Justice, Bridgeview and Hickory Hills.

Ive definitely seen a bunch of people speeding down Roberts, Cousins said. Theres been a couple instances on 79th and Roberts where people are speeding and they crash into each other, but the mail truck thing really threw it off.

Police would not name the people injured or the suspect Thursday, as charges have not yet been filed.

ostevens@chicagotribune.com
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report)  A freak accident involving a high-powered rifle led to the death of three Mexican National Guard soldiers on Tuesday in Juarez, Mexico.

Authorities say several Guard members were on patrol in a pickup along Avenida Ejercito Nacional in Central Juarez in the middle of a dust storm Tuesday afternoon.

According to a National Guard incident report obtained by Border Report, a guardsman manning an assault rifle stand in the back of the pickup allegedly saw a vehicle carrying armed men coming in the opposite direction of the road and released the rifles safety.

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The rifle went off almost immediately while pointing downward and a bullet went into the cab, mortally wounding the driver of the National Guard vehicle, according to the report.

National Guard members killed in cartel ambush

The vehicle crashed into a utility pole, killing two additional guardsmen during the impact, the report states. The Guard identified the driver as Luis Daniel S.C.

Three other Guard members were injured in the crash.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum earlier this year sent 10,000 National Guard troops to patrol the border after President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico for not doing enough to reduce illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the U.S.

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Even before that, fully armed Mexican National Guard troops were routinely patrolling the streets of Juarez and assisting local police at highway roadblocks.

Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border

The Guard did not immediately identify the other deceased soldiers nor the accidental shooter, who survived the crash, according to Juarez municipal police officers at the scene.

(ProVideo in Juarez, Mexico, contributed to this report.)

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG)  A water quality health advisory has been issued for three parks in Okaloosa County, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Person of interest in Santa Rosa County death found dead in Louisiana: SRCSO

The advisory has been issued for Liza Jackson Park in Fort Walton Beach, Clement E. Taylor Park in Destin, and Lincoln Park in Valparaiso.

According to a DOH-Okaloosa County news release, the water was tested on March 17 and did not meet the recreational water quality criteria for Enterococcus bacteria.

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Crestviews I-10 interchange project starts

More information can be found on the DOH-Okaloosa County website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD)  The state health department announced Thursday that a bat found in Berkeley County was confirmed to have rabies.

The bat was found near Ranger Drive and Mikey Road in Cross, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Health.

Three people were exposed and are receiving treatment from healthcare providers. DPH said the bat was submitted for testing on Monday and confirmed to have rabies on Tuesday.

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If you believe you have come into contact with the bat, call the Charleston office at (843) 953-4713 during normal business hours (8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday) or (888) 847-0902 after hours and on holidays.

Health officials said it can be difficult to detect when a person has been bitten.

People dont always realize they or a pet have been bitten since bat teeth are tiny and bites are easy to overlook, said Terri McCollister, Rabies Program manager.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
About 80 Tesla vehicles at a car dealership in Canada were damaged, authorities said, as the U.S. attorney general announced charges Thursday against three people accused of using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations.

On Wednesday, police in Hamilton, Ontario, were called to a dealership on Wentworth Street for a report of damage to vehicles that had been parked outside. The vehicles had deep scratches, punctured tires and other damage, Hamilton police said in a news release.

Authorities are reviewing security video and asking the public for help.

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Similar incidents have happened across several U.S. states in recent weeks. On Thursday, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against three "violent Tesla arsonists" after attacks in Colorado, Oregon and South Carolina.

"The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended," Bondi said in a statement. "Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars."

Bondi referred to "domestic terrorism," but no one has been charged with domestic terrorism, which is not a specific federal crime.

One person was accused of being armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle and throwing eight Molotov cocktails at a Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, the Justice Department said in a news release.

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The person arrested in the Charleston, South Carolina, incident, is alleged to have written wrote "profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations" before using Molotov cocktails to ignite the stations, the news release said.

In Loveland, Colorado, a person was arrested and accused of trying to light Tesla vehicles on fire with Molotov cocktails.

Bondi vowed that all three will "face the full force of the law." Their names have not been released. They each face charges that carry minimum sentences of five years in prison.

On Tuesday, a person armed with a gun and Molotov cocktails set Tesla vehicles on fire at a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas. Police said it was a "targeted attack" that damaged at least five vehicles, two of which were engulfed in flames.

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The attacker "fired three rounds into different Tesla vehicles" and spray-painted the word "RESIST" in all capital letters on the center's door, authorities alleged.

Elon Musk, the billionaire Tesla CEO and adviser to President Donald Trump, said Thursday on X that Tesla has increased security and activated Sentry Mode on all vehicles at stores. The safety feature allows enabled vehicles cameras and sensors to remain powered on and ready to record suspicious activity.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
TOKYO (AP)  Thirty years on from the fatal sarin nerve gas attack in Tokyo's subway network, survivors and families who lost loved ones are still seeking justice.

Thirteen people were killed and thousands were sickened when cult members released sarin nerve gas in the capital's subway trains on March 20, 1995. The attack remains one of the most shocking atrocities in Japan, a country known for its low crime rates.

The cult, Aum Shinrikyo or Supreme Truth, has since disbanded. Its founder, Shoko Asahara, and 12 of his disciples were executed in 2018.

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But 1,600 former members still operate under renamed groups and have ignored an order to pay damages to survivors and bereaved families.

Shizue Takahashi lost her husband, a deputy station master, in the attack. The couple was just starting to enjoy time to themselves after raising three children when tragedy struck.

My life is still being ruined by Aum and its successor groups, said Takahashi, 78. We need to carry on and not let the memories fade.

People gasped for air and collapsed

At 8 a.m. during the morning rush, five cult members got on separate train cars on three subway lines converging at Kasumigaseki, Japans government center, each dropping bags of sarin on the train floors. They punctured the bags with umbrellas, releasing the gas inside the train cars.

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Within minutes, commuters poured out of the trains onto the platforms, rubbing their eyes and gasping for air. Some collapsed. Others fled onto the streets where ambulances and rescue workers in hazmat suits gave first-aid.

Kazumasa Takahashi didnt know the puddle he was cleaning on the subway car floor was sarin. He collapsed as he removed a bag  a sacrifice some survivors say saved lives  and never woke up.

The attack sickened more than 6,000. A 14th victim died in 2020 after battling severe after-effects.

The subway gassing happened after a botched police investigation failed to link the cult to earlier crimes, says Yuji Nakamura, a lawyer for the survivors and the bereaved families. It could have been prevented," he said.

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Two days after the gassing, Tokyo police, carrying a caged canary to detect poison, raided Aums headquarters near Mount Fuji, where the cultists lived together, trained and produced sarin. Asahara was found in a hidden compartment.

Apocalyptic cult

Born Chizuo Matsumoto in 1955, Asahara founded Aum Shinrikyo in 1984. The cult combined Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and yoga, and attracted young people disillusioned with materialism. He taught that death could elevate their spirits and justified killing as a virtue.

Followers paid to drink Asaharas bathwater and wore electrical head gear they believed synchronized their brain waves with the gurus. He prophesized an imminent apocalypse, which only true believers would survive.

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Asahara gathered doctors, lawyers and scientists from Japans top universities as his closest aides.

Using donations from followers and earnings from yoga classes and health food businesses, they bought land and equipment. Asaharas scientists developed and manufactured sarin, VX and other chemical and biological weapons.

In 1989, its members killed Tsutsumi Sakamoto, a lawyer who opposed the cult, his wife and baby boy. Their criminal activities escalated after their defeat in the 1990 parliamentary elections. A 1994 sarin attack in the central Japanese city of Matsumoto killed eight and injured more than 140 others.

In all, Aum killed 27 people in more than a dozen attacks that culminated in the subway gassing. It was part of a plot by Asahara to hasten Armageddon, envisioning overthrowing the government.

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Still seeking redress

Shizue Takahashi attended most of the Aum criminal trials. She has lobbied for government support, winning the enactment of a law to support crime victims and government benefits of 3 billion yen ($20 million) for more than 6,000 survivors and bereaved families of the Aum crimes.

The government has also enacted laws banning sarin production and possession, and restricted the activities of groups linked to mass killings. Police have since established nuclear, biological and chemical weapons units and beefed up training.

Aums main successor, Aleph, has ignored a court order to pay 1 billion yen ($6.7 million) in compensation to survivors and bereaved families. The group has allegedly hidden billions of yen of income from yoga and spiritual seminars.

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Many of the subway gassing survivors still suffer health problems and trauma, according to support groups.

Takahashi and others last week called on Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki to do more to accelerate compensation by Aleph and keep them under close watch.

Survivors and their supporters say lessons have not been sufficiently shared with the public.

Shoko Egawa, a journalist and expert on Aum crimes, says attention on the group has largely focused on its crimes rather than teaching people to stay away from dangerous cults. There is still a lot to learn from (the Aum problems), including how they attracted followers, so that we can prevent people from getting their lives ruined by cults, Egawa said.

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Takahashi recently launched a website that compiles articles and comments by survivors, lawyers and writers, including Haruki Murakamis 2007 article about his 1997 book Underground.

Aums remnants

At its peak, the cult boasted more than 10,000 followers in Japan and 30,000 in Russia and elsewhere. Aum has disbanded, but about 1,600 people belonging to Aleph and two smaller groups in Japan still practice Asaharas teachings, said the Public Security Intelligence Agency, which monitors the groups.

Minoru Kariya, whose father was killed by Aum members in early 1995 while he was trying to get his sister to quit the cult, said authorities need to do much more to tackle the threat.

Its scary that they still exist and are operating as organizations and recruiting new followers, he said.
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A child was hospitalized after sustaining a gunshot wound to their face, leading police to file charges against a Lancaster County man.

Christopher Elliott, 50, of Denver, was accused Thursday of not securing dozens of firearms in the office of his Denver home after an 11-year-old was hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the face on Feb. 24, the charges filed by East Cocalico Police state.

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When Elliott called EMS, just before 8 a.m., police say he reported the child fell from a bunk bed and hurt his head. However, after a CT scan at the hospital, doctors saw bullet fragments in the childs head, resulting in them being sent to the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) for further treatment.

Police said medical records from CHOP showed the child sustained a gunshot wound to his right orbital socket and an exit wound on the left frontal area of his head.

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Elliott, when questioned, told police he went to wake the child up for school when he discovered the head wound and then noticed blood around the room. While he was treating the victim, Elliott found a handgun on the floor of the room, and asked the child if they shot themself, to which they replied they did not, according to police. He then put the gun back in his office.

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Elliott told police he did not think the wound was from a gunshot until after doctors mentioned bullet fragments and the CT scan.

Police found 32 unsecured firearms including 19 rifles, nine handguns, and ammo inside the home, with most of them being in the office, after searching the home, the complaint shows. Two rifles and ammo were found in the childs closet, and more loaded handguns were found in a box that was not locked, including the pistol police said they believe was used in the shooting.

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Elliott faces a felony charge of endangering the welfare of children and a misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person.

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He is out on unsecured bail set at $20,000 by Magisterial District Judge Clark Bearinger. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 16.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Four Florida men have been convicted of orchestrating an elaborate scheme to defraud federally funded programs out of millions of dollars in unemployment and pandemic-related benefits, according to acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Miron Bloom said the men were involved in a complex conspiracy to steal peoples identities, including Rhode Islanders, then use them to apply for unemployment benefits, tax refunds and stimulus payments, as well as disaster relief funds and loans.

RELATED: Florida men charged in RIs ongoing unemployment fraud investigation

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The men would have those funds deposited directly into one of hundreds of bank accounts opened solely for the purpose of receiving those payments, then withdraw the money using fraudulently opened debit cards, according to Miron Bloom.

Court documents revealed that the men opened nearly 1,000 debit cards in fraudulent names with at least 20 banks.

In total, prosecutors estimated that the men defrauded the federal government out of more than $4.8 million.

The volume, duration, and scope of the conspirators scheme is staggering and indicative of the greed motivating the conspirators criminal conduct, the court documents said.

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Miron Bloom said the four men pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit wire fraud:

Tony Mertile, 33, of Miramar, whos believe to be the ringleader, was sentenced to six years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Junior Mertile, 35, of Pembroke Pines, received a four-and-a-half year sentence followed by three years of supervised release.

Allen Bien-Aime, 33, of Lehigh Acres, and James Legerme, 33, of Sunrise, were both sentenced to four years followed by three years of supervised release.

By looting the unemployment program, the conspirators repeatedly stole finite funds from those who needed it the most during the pandemic, the court documents continued. Their relentless pursuit of these funds showed a callous disregard to unemployed workers, identity theft victims, state workforce agencies  who had the daunting task of administering an unprecedented relief effort  and American taxpayers, whose earnings underlie the funds in question.

The federal government has moved to forfeit more than $4.9 million in funds that the men collected through the scheme.

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Miron Bloom said the men have also forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Rolex watches and assorted jewelry, as well as the more than $1.2 million in cash that was collected from the residences of Tony Mertile, Junior Mertile and Legerme at the time of their arrests.

The men have also agreed to pay more than $4.5 million in restitution to the federal agencies and financial institutions that were defrauded, which included the R.I. Department of Labor and Training.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Authorities in Texas reaching out to a task force in central Ohio led to the arrest of two suspects from Texas and the rescue of four trafficking victims.

I hope society realizes this is an ongoing problem, that it can happen in any neighborhood. We know that we look around and see the signs of it and we all need to work together, the director of the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force (COHTTF) said.

The COHTTF is led by the Columbus Division of Police. Its made up of other central Ohio agencies, state and federal partners. NBC4 agreed not to identify the director of the task force because of the work the agency is involved in.

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That task force model and knowing we have multiple agencies willing to help out for this crime is super important, he said.

The director said last week the task force was contacted by the FBI and Texas Department of Public Safety about a girl younger than 18 they believed to be in Columbus.

When we get actionable item that somebodys son or daughter is out there in this lifestyle, were going to stop what were doing and were going to jump into action, the director said.

That led to the arrest of two suspects from Texas and the rescue of four victims from Texas, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Yost said all of this happened on March 13.

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The communication happened, the investigation went forward at light speed. There was collaboration and a manhunt, and we got this done fast, he said. More and more were dealing with this. Criminals dont just stay put and they move around. Knowing to stay one step ahead of law enforcement. Thats why we work so hard to build these collaborative relationships across jurisdictional lines.

The COHTTF director said this case is one of more than 50 the task force has worked on this year.

Its absolutely great we can provide some ray of hope, but the task force investigators are super dedicated and they see the problem on a much larger scale, he said.

The suspects will be extradited back to Texas. The victims were given services to help them, according to the task force director.

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Having task forces such as the one here in central Ohio is very important because we can pick up a phone and call Texas or Texas can pick up the phone and call us and know theres somebody trained in these investigations in order to have the results we had in a very short time, he said.

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SANAA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group early morning Friday claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on southern Tel Aviv, a Houthi military spokesperson said in a televised statement.

"In support of the Palestinian people and response to the massacres perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza Strip, our forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting an Israeli military target south of Tel Aviv, using a hypersonic ballistic missile," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement aired by the group's al-Masirah TV.

"This is the second operation within 24 hours," he said, referring to the first ballistic missile attack that the group said was aimed at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, which Israel announced it intercepted.

He reiterated that the group would continue attacks on Israel and its ships until the war on Gaza ceases and crossings reopen to allow aid in.

On Thursday morning, the Houthi group also claimed it had launched strikes against the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea, marking the fifth such strike since Saturday.

In response, the U.S. military has resumed air attacks on Houthi targets since Saturday, claiming its campaign aims to protect international shipping. The new round of U.S. airstrikes has killed dozens of people, according to Houthi-run health authorities.

The Houthi group controls a large swath of Yemen, including the strategic Hodeidah port and the capital Sanaa, after a civil war broke out in 2014. 
Four people have been sentenced to prison in Colombia for the murder of a comedian from the Twin Cities, his family announced this week.

Tou Ger Xiong, 50, was on vacation in December 2023. His body was found after he went out to meet a woman he reportedly met on social media.

After 14 long and agonizing months, we wanted to share the bittersweet news that the four individuals responsible for the heinous crime and the tragic murder of our beloved brother, Tou Ger Xiong, have been found guilty and sentenced to up to 29 years in a maximum-security penitentiary, Xiongs brother, Eh Xiong, posted in a statement from his family.

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Tou Ger Xiong grew up in St. Paul and most recently lived in Woodbury. He was a recipient of the prestigious Bush Fellowship in 2019, founded Hmong Minnesota Day at the Minnesota State Fair, and hosted an online broadcast, The Tou Ger Xiong Show. He was a 1996 graduate of Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.

Colombian officials announced in January 2024 that two men and a woman were charged with aggravated kidnapping for extortion and aggravated homicide. They said a minor admitting to having participated in the crime and also was charged in the case.

While we are relieved that justice has been served, there will always be a deep void in our hearts, a void that no verdict can ever truly fill, his familys statement said. The pain of losing Tou Ger remains with us, but knowing that those who caused this tragedy will be held accountable offers some semblance of closure, though the journey toward healing is ongoing.

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The EU is working on providing Ukraine with 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) for ammunition, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said on March 20, as a much larger 40-billion-euro ($43 billion) package still lacks consensus.

Speaking to journalists ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, Kallas called the 5-billion-euro tranche a "realistic plan" that is currently under discussion.

Despite Kallas saying earlier this week that the tranche of 40 billion euros has "broad political support" among EU members, some countries, such as Italy, France, or Spain, remain hesitant.

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Additional European assistance is ever more crucial for Kyiv now as future support from the U.S., the leading military donor, grows increasingly uncertain under President Donald Trump.

The sum of 5 billion euros for purchasing 2 million large-caliber ammunition rounds is seen as a first step that could be achieved before a possible consensus on the more significant tranche.

EU officials have been discussing ways to move the bigger package forward, including basing contributions on consent to avoid a likely veto by Hungary, the bloc's most Russian-friendly country.

The contributions are to be based on each member state's gross national income (GNI), which has also become a key sticking point in the discussions.

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"Some countries have done more, and some countries are bigger economies," Kallas said.

Some of the EU's smaller members, such as Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, or Latvia, have committed considerably greater shares of their national GDP to support Ukraine than some larger economies like France, Spain, or Italy.

"In the short term, we have to support Ukraine, and it's absolutely obvious that Ukraine needs our military assistance; Ukraine needs ammunition, long-range missiles, and we are ready to provide it," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said after arriving at the summit.

European leaders have gathered for a two-day summit in Brussels to discuss support for Ukraine and ways to boost defense spending. President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to deliver an online address to the summit on March 20.

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Read also: Russias Engels airbase ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

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ARVIN, Calif. (KGET)  A five-year battle between Arvin farmers and a statewide construction company over a rural stretch of road. The farmers are accusing Granite Construction Company trucks of driving way too fast and way too often down a stretch of Valpredo Avenue putting their workers at risk.

But Granite Construction Company said there is nothinglegally speakingfrom keeping them off the road.

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Gravel trucks, traveling from Granite Construction Companys Solari Aggregate mining plant; carrying gravel and asphalt are driving down Valpredo Avenue, a two-lane, 55 miles per hour asphalt road in an East-West direction.

Theyve come crusin through her at 70 miles an hour plus cause Ive clocked them at times, said Paul Loeffell, a co-owner of Anthony Vineyards.

Loeffel said Granite has 100 to 200 trucks per week driving at high speeds down this road

Loeffel said this issue started since the mine opened in 2021, We first reached out to them a year ago as good neighbors and they sent us a very dismissive letter. Just telling us to call the highway patrol.

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David Cisneros is a supervisor at Anthony Vineyards, Im really concerned about my safety, my workers safety because Its not safe like this. This traffic.

This issue has sparked multiple lawsuits. In one suit, the court ruled there is nothing in Granites use permits; requiring them to use or avoid any specific route.

Granite even went a step further to ask their haulers to use a preferred access route. Even putting up signage at the mine.

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It all depends on what the supervisors and city staff to get off their you know whats to address this issue. And its gonna be an accidentits an accident waiting to happen, said Loeffel.

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Supervisors Parlier and Flores at the county supervisor meeting on March 11, said they will work on this issue, and wont stop until it is resolved.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News.
Russian attacks across Ukraine killed at least five people and injured 26 others over the past day, regional officials reported on March 20.

Ukraine's Air Force reportedly intercepted 75 of the 171 Russian drones launched overnight, including Shahed-type attack drones. Another 63 drones disappeared from radars before reaching their targets, likely acting as decoys to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses.

Ukrainian anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, aviation, and mobile fire groups repelled the attack.

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In Kirovohrad Oblast, a Russian drone strike on Kropyvnytskyi injured 10 people, including four children, in what Governor Andrii Raikovych described as the most extensive Russian attack using Shahed drones against the region.

In Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed one resident in Kostiantynivka and wounded five others, Governor Vadym Filashkin said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, four people were injured across the region, and one person was killed in Kupiansk when a Russian KAB-guided aerial bomb struck a house, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

In Kherson Oblast, two people were killed, and four others were wounded as Russian forces targeted critical and social infrastructure facilities and residential areas, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

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In Sumy Oblast, Russian forces dropped six KAB-guided aerial bombs, killing one person and injuring another, the local military administration reported.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two men were wounded in a Russian strike on the regional center, Zaporizhzhia, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

Read also: Massive drone attack on Kirovohrad Oblast injures 10, including children

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Six people were displaced by a fire that broke out in a Germantown home on Wednesday afternoon.

Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) said crews were headed to a four-story townhouse building in the 13600 block of Ambassador Drive just after 3:30 p.m.

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When officials arrived, the fire was showing from the third floor.

(Pete Piringer via X/@mcfrsPIO)

(Pete Piringer via X/@mcfrsPIO)

(Pete Piringer via X/@mcfrsPIO)

(Pete Piringer via X/@mcfrsPIO)

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Piringer said in a social media post at 4:12 p.m. that all residents were able to get out, but that two adults and four children would be displaced.

A smoke alarm alerted one of the adults to the fire. They tried to put it out but were unsuccessful. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

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About 50 firefighters were on the scene, Piringer noted.

The damage was estimated to cost around $75,000 but investigators were not able to determine the exact cause.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Gov. Josh Stein signs a hurricane recovery package surrounded by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers. The author says Stein would meet feverish conservative resistance if he attempted to issue budget cutting edicts similar to those handed down by President Donald Trump. (Photo: Office of the Governor)

North Carolina lawmakers passed a half-billion-dollar spending bill for Hurricane Helene relief on Wednesday, sending their newest aid package for the mountains to Gov. Josh Steins desk.

The relief deal, House Bill 47, was signed into law by Stein on Wednesday night. It sets out $524 million to fund homebuilding, agricultural recovery and infrastructure repairs in western North Carolina. And it sends a final bundle of $217 million to eastern North Carolina, in an effort to finish years-long homebuilding efforts that have been plagued by mismanagement and accounting failures.

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Senators gave final approval to a compromise bill Wednesday after Republicans from both chambers met to iron out disagreements.

It marks the third substantive aid bill from the Republican-led General Assembly since Helene (four including a controversial executive power bill in December that was also labeled as Helene relief). And it brings the legislatures total spending on the storm to around $1.4 billion.

As weve said many times, this is our next step, not the final step, Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) said on the Senate floor Wednesday.

This legislation will bring much-needed relief to western North Carolina while finally bringing to a close the scandalous rebuilding failures in the eastern part of our state, House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) said in a statement Tuesday evening.

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Stein, a Democrat, signed the bill Wednesday evening at the executive mansion. Its total spending comes in well below what he had asked lawmakers for earlier this year  at least $1 billion for a range of immediate priorities in the west.

We have to be honest that the amount is inadequate, Stein told reporters Wednesday. And this is just the start.

The governor, a Democrat, is expected to outline another request for further aid in the coming weeks.

$524M in Helene relief: Whats in the spending bill

The legislatures spending package went through several different versions over the course of a months negotiations. Heres a rundown of what made it to the governors desk.

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Relief for farmers  The largest chunk of the aid heading to western North Carolina is for agriculture  money to clear debris from farms, as well as spinning up a reimbursement program for lost crops. That includes $300 million for crop loss  $200 million for Helene, and $100 million for other 2024 storms.

A new homebuilding program  Stein has outlined his plan to begin rebuilding homes in the mountains, moving past ReBuild NCs struggles under former Gov. Roy Cooper in favor of a leaner, more contractor-focused operation. Steins new program gets $120 million to begin working.

Private road and bridge repairs  Most of the time, government doesnt pay for private infrastructure. But officials have deemed much of Helenes damage to those roads and bridges critical to repairing important transport routes. $100 million will go toward those repairs.

Local government grants to build business-related infrastructure  Cities and counties could use money from this $55 million grant program to rebuild water, sewer, gas, broadband and sidewalks that impact small businesses in their communities.

Debris removal  Ongoing removal efforts will see an infusion of $20 million that will be focused on areas that federal and state efforts have not yet targeted.

Fire department grants  Departments can use money from the $10 million program to cover Helene-related expenses or make improvements to better their future disaster response capabilities.

Nonprofit grants  Groups will receive $10 million in grants to continue repair and reconstruction projects.

Summer school  Districts will get $9 million for students grades 4-8 to make up lost class time after the storm.

Tourism marketing  A $4 million campaign will urge both in-state and out-of-state tourists to return to western North Carolina.

What isnt in the bill, and whats next for Helene relief

Other line-items for the relief bill were either left on the cutting room floor or never included in the first place.

Small business grants  Industry leaders and business owners have pleaded for grant money, saying that many cannot afford to take on further loans and risk closing for good without further aid. Stein had requested $150 million.

Local government grants  Stein had asked that lawmakers allocate $100 million to meet revenue needs. Many are facing shortfalls for the coming fiscal year.

Rental assistance  Housing advocates and Democrats have urged lawmakers to send more money to aid renters, either through direct payments to them or to landlords. Stein had asked for $25 million total for rental, mortgage and utility assistance.

State park repairs  The first edition of the bill included $60 million to fund repairs for damaged state parks, forests and health care facilities. It was removed during later iterations.

Republican leaders have repeatedly said that Wednesdays bill will not be their final step on Helene relief. But it remains to be seen what the next one will be  and what form it will take.

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A substantial amount of future aid is likely to come through the biannual state budget. Lawmakers will negotiate and work through that budget in the coming months.

I think adding some additional Helene aid in the budget is probably the most logical thing to do, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) told reporters Wednesday evening. Instead of kind of putting the budget on pause and going to another Helene appropriation.

Democrats have repeatedly called for further spending to kick-start the regions economy and prevent displacement of workers and residents. But one western Democratic senator said earlier this month she was skeptical anything would happen immediately.

I say, lets start working on the next bill tomorrow, said Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe). There are things that didnt get in this bill. But I dont know. Sadly, Im not in charge of timing around here.
UPDATE: Matthew Gearhart has been located.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  The Town of Evans Police Department is asking for help from the community in locating a man who was last seen in the early morning hours on March 18 in Angola.

Matthew J. Gearhart, 54, is described as being 510 tall with a slight build. He has trouble walking and may suffer from health conditions. Gearhart also does not have his cell phone with him.

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Anyone who has seen Matthew or has information on where Matthew is is asked to contact Evans police at (716) 549-3600.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
A fifth suspect was arrested Friday in connection with the murder of Alison Thomas, of Monroe, the Union County Sheriffs stated in a news release.

William Mulenex, of Brevard, North Carolina, was apprehended by officers from several agencies, including the Union County Sheriffs Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Transylvania County Sheriffs Office

Mullenax, 39, was charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and was being processed into the Union County Detention Center Friday afternoon.

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The 37-year-old mother was last seen on Feb. 13 on Flint Ridge Road in Union County. Her body was found on March 5 in a national forest in Jackson County.

PAST COVERAGE:

Shawn Adkins, Amanda Griffin, and Brandon Kisiah who were already charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder now face first-degree murder charges, the sheriff said.

Michael Kasminoff was charged with first-degree kidnapping and murder in addition to conspiracy.

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Adkins and Kisiah will not face the death penalty, according to ruling in December 2024.

All suspects charged and arrested in the case are in custody.

The investigation is ongoing.

VIDEO: 3 charged in death of Monroe mother, deputies say
HONOLULU (KHON2)  National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is observed every March 20. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles faced by Native/Indigenous communities and the importance of advocacy and support for those living with HIV/AIDS.

In Hawaii, the Maui AIDS Foundation (MAF) plays a pivotal role in providing vital services to the islands most vulnerable populations. The agency and its staff work tirelessly to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Linda Puppolo, Executive Director of the Maui AIDS Foundation, is at the heart of this work. She leads a team dedicated to combating health disparities and offering support to marginalized communities.

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We serve the most vulnerable people on Maui, Puppolo said. We do syringe exchange, we have food pantries, we sign people up for healthcare, and we provide free STI testing.

Her and her teams commitment to improving public health, particularly for disenfranchised populations, is unwavering.

The state of sexual health in Hawaii

According to the CDCs 2022 STI Surveillance Report, Hawaii has seen concerning increases in reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and congenital syphilis.

Hawaii ranks 21st in the U.S. for chlamydia rates, 43rd for gonorrhea, 16th for primary and secondary syphilis, and 10th for congenital syphilis.

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While these infections are treatable and preventable, the rising rates highlight the need for greater awareness, education and access to testing and reliable and stable treatment options.

As Puppolo pointed out, the Maui AIDS Foundation is doing everything in its power to address these issues.

We have a free clinic for STI testing; and we also provide condoms, dental dams and other prevention tools. But prevention isnt just about handing out supplies. Its about creating an environment where people feel safe coming forward, she explained.

Puppolo emphasized that many of the individuals they serve would likely qualify for Medicaid, but they choose to seek services at MAF because they fear the stigma associated with traditional healthcare settings.

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A lot of people are terrified right now because they fear being exposed in a traditional healthcare setting, she said. We provide a safe space where they can get the care they need without judgment.

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A comprehensive approach to healthcare

The Maui AIDS Foundations services go far beyond STI testing. The organization offers a broad range of support for people living with HIV. This includes medical case management, behavioral health services and housing subsidies for those affected by HIV.

Its not just one service, Puppolo explained. We have a continuum of care, providing everything from food pantries to housing subsidies for HIV-positive clients.

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However, Puppolo voiced significant concerns about the future of the foundations work, particularly with changes in federal funding.

We have a $2.2 million budget, and much of that comes from federal grants, she said. But right now, everything is up in the air. If we lose our federal funding, we would have to lay off several staff members and potentially close down programs that are essential for the community.

What you need to know about the Maui AIDS Foundation

This the work they are doing that is keeping Maui County safe:

1. STI testing and treatment: MAF offers free STI testing, counseling, diagnosis and treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV.

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2. Prevention services: The foundation provides condoms, dental dams and safe sex education to help reduce the spread of STIs.

3. Harm reduction: MAF advocates for opioid overdose prevention and Narcan training.

4. Housing support: MAF provides housing subsidies for people living with HIV in Maui County. This funding helps more than 80 individuals to remain in stable housing.

5. Comprehensive care: Beyond HIV, MAF offers medical case management, behavioral health services and health insurance enrollment for those in need.

6. Food and hygiene assistance: MAF operates food pantries and provides hygiene supplies to those facing economic hardship.

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7. Outreach: MAF works in prisons and other disenfranchised areas to offer support to those who might otherwise be overlooked by mainstream healthcare services.

The ongoing struggle for funding

While the foundation provides essential services, its future is uncertain. Puppolo explained that proposed federal budget cuts could impact key programs, including housing subsidies for people living with HIV.

If they cut out all the housing, we would be in a very difficult situation, she said. We could lose more than $1 million in funding, and that would be catastrophic for us.

In addition to the foundations concerns about defunding, Puppolo revealed that there is confusion surrounding the future of transgender services at MAF.

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We dont know if we will be forced to stop offering transgender services to maintain our 501(c)(3) status, she said. Everything is uncertain right now.

As National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day draws attention to the challenges faced by Native communities, the Maui AIDS Foundations work stands as a model of advocacy and care for all marginalized populations.

You can click here to learn more about Maui AIDS Foundation either to take advantage of their services or to join the mission via donations to help keep Maui safe.

Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8

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Puppolos final words were a call to action: Our work is crucial, and if we lose our funding, so many people will lose the services they rely on. We are at a crossroads right now, and we need the support of the community to continue this life-saving work.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Context: The above video aired on March 18.

TOPEKA (KSNT)  A group of Kansas lawmakers are pushing a new resolution forward this spring denouncing a scheduled Black Mass by the Satanic Grotto in late March.

A total of 75 Republican Kansas representatives introduced House Resolution 6016 on Thursday, March 13 which condemns the planned Black Mass set for March 28 at the Statehouse. The lawmakers call on Governor Laura Kelly to condemn the Black Mass, along with its alleged use of stolen property.

The planned satanic worship ritual is an explicit act of anti-Catholic bigotry and an affront to all Christians. It blasphemes our shared values of faith, decency and respect that strengthen our communities. HCR 6016 excerpt

Supporters of the resolution say it would not prevent the Black Mass from happening but would instead represent the position of the House of Representatives on the event. HCR 6016 also states the Kansas House of Representatives respects the First Amendment Rights of U.S. citizens to express their freedom of speech and assembly while also disagreeing with the activities associated with the Black Mass.

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What is blocking construction for the $49 million home for veterans in Topeka?

The Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City sued the Satanic Grotto that is planning the event earlier this week. Kansas Capitol Bureau spoke with Michael Stewart, president of the Satanic Grotto, who expressed his desire to hold the ceremony as planned inside the Statehouse despite Governor Laura Kelly saying the Black Mass would be moved to the grounds outside the building.

For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf

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JUBA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The African Diplomatic Corps (ADC) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have called on parties to the South Sudan conflict to embrace dialogue and mediation to resolve escalating security challenges.

The diplomats and UNMISS officials also called for restraint and de-escalation of the tension and conflict, particularly in the states of Western Equatoria, Western Bahr el Ghazal and Upper Nile.

"The ADC and UNMISS value the lives and property of citizens caught in these conflicts and urge all parties to desist from any action that will undermine civilian safety and security," they said in a joint statement issued in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, on Wednesday evening.

The statement came amid reports of a fresh wave of airstrikes that hit the restive town of Nasir in Upper Nile State as the South Sudan People's Defense Forces and the Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force reportedly launched another assault on the area on Wednesday.

The airstrikes on Nasir have inflicted civilian casualties, according to the UN, adding that rampant hate speech, fueled by the proliferation of mis/disinformation in the public domain, has raised concerns that the conflict could assume an ethnic dimension.

Amid rising tension between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-In-Opposition said on Monday it was withdrawing participation in some of the key security mechanisms until the government releases their detained members.

The African diplomats and UN mission lauded the public statement made by Kiir to avoid a return to war and urged the unity government to take prompt action to prevent a relapse into violence. 
The state of Arizona resumed executions on Wednesday morning, after a two-year moratorium prompted by three botched executions performed in 2022.

The morning execution of Aaron Gunches by lethal injection at the Florence state prison on March 19 had no such issues.

Gunches, who wore a white jumpsuit with white socks, was pronounced dead at 10:33 a.m., about 20 minutes after drugs were administered into his system.

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Media witnesses to the execution, including Republic reporter Jimmy Jenkins, said at a briefing that the process appeared to go smoothly. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the execution went according to plan.

But Gunches' legal witness said though everything appeared peaceful on the outside, the lethal drugs used on him were known to "be excruciatingly painful" because the lungs fill with water.

"There is a sensation of drowning from within and not being able to do anything about it. It is like being waterboarded to death," Dale Baich added.

Gunches was sentenced to death for the 2002 murder of Ted Price, a former longtime boyfriend of Gunches' girlfriend. Gunches kidnapped and shot Price multiple times in a desert area off the Beeline Highway.

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Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, who witnessed the execution, said it was a solemn day that Price's family had waited more than two decades for.

"Today, Arizona resumed the death penalty, and justice for Ted Price and his family was finally served," Mayes said.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, who previously put pressure on Mayes to pursue Gunches' death sentence during the execution pause, and prisons Director Ryan Thornell also witnessed the execution. Neither attended the briefing.

Mitchell said in a statement following the briefing that seeking the death penalty was the most serious decision she makes and noted it is reserved for "the worst of the worst in our society."

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"It also brings justice to victims and families of those who are harmed in horrific ways," Mitchell added. "While ending a life is never something to be celebrated, it is a penalty provided for in law. It serves to provide some closure and relief for those who often have been waiting for decades.

State Rep. Patty Contreras, D-Phoenix, lamented Gunches execution in a floor speech at the Arizona House of Representatives on Wednesday, noting capital punishment is banned in 23 states and not allowed in most countries around the world.

She called it disheartening that Arizona has resumed use of the death penalty and urged the governor and attorney general to reconsider moving ahead with any future executions.

Death by firing squad? Arizona could consider alternative to lethal injection

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A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said at the briefing that Thornell notified Gov. Katie Hobbs and her team of Gunches' death sentence and time of death. But a spokesperson for Hobbs confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the two had not yet spoken; however, they were expected to later in the day.

Price was represented by his sister, Karen Price, who said she felt that Gunches' killing was a mark of justice being served.

"Although we've taken the final step in the legal process," she said, "the pain of losing Ted remains profound and cannot be conveyed in their words."

Witnesses describe a calm, quiet execution

Gunches' last meal included a double "western" bacon cheeseburger with fries, a spicy gyro, a barbecue gyro and onion rings, according to a Department of Corrections spokesperson. For dessert, he had baklava.

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Eighteen people filled the small, cold observation room, according to media witnesses. There were three monitors above a large glass window that showed witnesses a view of the execution area.

In the lethal injection chamber, media witnesses said they saw a restraint team secure his body to a gurney without incident. He was also hooked up to a heart monitor.

A medical team then entered the room to insert the IV needles that would deliver lethal drugs into each of his arms. In contrast to the botched 2022 executions, the witnesses said the medical team was able to place the IVs in a matter of minutes with minimal struggle.

Gunches was read his death warrant. When asked if he had any last words, he shook his head.

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Then an entire dose of the lethal drugs was delivered, witnesses said.

Within 2 minutes, Gunches began to show signs of the drugs taking effect, witnesses said. They reported he exhaled loudly several times. Then they said he appeared to stop moving and the color slowly drifted from his face.

At 10:22 a.m. a medical team member checked Gunches' pulse. The room was quiet for nearly 10 minutes until an official announced the time of death through an intercom.

Gunches never looked in the direction of the witnesses.

Price family waited more than 2 decades for justice

Karen Price, sister of Ted Price, speaks at a news conference after the execution of Aaron Gunches on March 19, 2025, at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence. Gunches was sentenced to death for the 2002 murder of Ted Price (photo at left).

Karen Price said she struggled to find the words to convey what the execution of her brother's killer meant to her and her family.

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Price spent time talking about her brother, who she said would have been 63 years old if he was still alive. She fondly remembered him as an avid fan of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks.

The last time Karen Price saw her brother alive was when she dropped him off at the Salt Lake City airport in February 2002, when she snapped a photo of him. His body was found in the desert 23 days after he went to Arizona, she said.

Karen Price said she was grateful for all those who were involved in helping the family through the long legal process. She said her brother's two children have spent more than half their lives without their father.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry released a statement on Wednesday morning from Brittney Price, Ted Price's daughter.

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"I have waited for this moment for 23 long years. Today as I close this chapter of my life, I feel a huge weight has been lifted, allowing me to breathe for the first time in a long time. I can finally begin to move forward with my life," Brittney Price said. "The pain of reliving the circumstances surrounding my fathers death for over two decades has taken a significant toll on my family and me. Today marks the end of that painful chapter and I couldnt be more grateful. "

Have a news tip? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or 812-243-5582. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JimmyJenkins.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Aaron Gunches dies by lethal injection, 1st since 2022 AZ executions
The state of Arizona has executed someone for the first time in two years.

Aaron Gunches, who advocated for his death, was executed at 10:33 a.m. Wednesday at a prison facility in Florence.

Gunches was sentenced to death for the 2002 murder of Ted Price, a former longtime boyfriend of Gunches' girlfriend. Gunches kidnapped and shot Price multiple times in a desert area off the Beeline Highway.

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He was the first person killed by the state of Arizona since 2022 and the fourth since 2014.

The Arizona Republic was one of the media outlets that was allowed to observe Gunches' execution.

Here's everything you need to know.

What was Aaron Gunches' last meal?

Gunches' last meal included a double "Western" bacon cheeseburger with fries, a spicy gyro, a barbecue gyro and onion rings, according to an Arizona Department of Corrections spokesperson. For dessert, he had baklava.

Who witnessed Aaron Gunches' execution?

At least 18 people witnessed Gunches' execution, according to media witnesses. Among the witnesses were Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, prisons Director Ryan Thornell and Karen Price, Ted Price's sister.

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Gunches had one legal witness and one nonlegal witness.

Republic reporter Jimmy Jenkins was one of five journalists who observed the execution.

Was there a struggle with the IV insertion in this execution?

Witnesses said there appeared to be no struggle with inserting the IVs into Gunches' arms.

IV placement has been an issue. The last three men executed by lethal injection were: Clarence Dixon, Frank Atwood and Murray Hooper. The execution teams struggled to insert IVs into all three men, resorting to using a femoral vein in two instances.

Media witnesses on Wednesday said at a briefing that the process appeared to go smoothly. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the execution went according to plan.

What were Aaron Gunches' last words?

Gunches, who wore a white jumpsuit with white socks, was read his death warrant after the IV needles were inserted into each of his arms.

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Asked if he had any last words, he shook his head "no."

How did Aaron Gunches react to the lethal drugs?

There was a four-person IV team and drugs were administered beginning at 10:14 a.m., witnesses said.

Within 2 minutes, Gunches began to show signs of the drugs taking effect, witnesses said. They reported he exhaled loudly several times. Then they said he appeared to stop moving and the color slowly drifted from his face.

At 10:22 a.m., a medical team member checked Gunches' pulse. The room was quiet for nearly 10 minutes until an official announced the time of death through an intercom, witnesses said.

Who was Ted Price?

Ted Price, a former longtime boyfriend of Gunches' girlfriend, moved to Arizona in 2002 and was waiting on a college grant to become a radiology technician. He intended to stay with his ex-girlfriend, but upon arriving, Price found that she was living in a flop house for drug addicts in Mesa, Price's family told USA TODAY.

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Price was a quiet but kind person who loved cats and muscle cars, his family told USA TODAY.

Price was a stay-at-home dad to his ex-girlfriend's two children for 10 years before their separation, according to his sister, Karen Price.

He had begun studying to become a radiology technician in Utah after the breakup and was to continue that education in Arizona.

How was Ted Price killed?

On Nov. 14, 2002, Price and his ex began arguing, and it got increasingly heated, ending when she hit Price with a telephone, according to court records.

Gunches arrived at the apartment later that evening and directed the woman's roommates to put Price and his belongings in a car to take him to the bus station. But Gunches didn't end up having money for a bus ticket, so he and one of the roommates drove Price out of Mesa, according to court records.

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When they reached a desolate desert area, Gunches and Price got out of the car, and Gunches shot Price four times, one of the roommates told investigators. Gunches and the roommate returned to Mesa, only stopping once to dispose of Price's belongings in a dumpster, according to court records. Price's body was discovered days later.

On Jan. 15, 2003, Gunches was arrested in La Paz County after shooting an Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper during a traffic stop. The officer was hit in his Kevlar vest and survived.

Investigators matched the bullets used in the La Paz County shooting with those used in Price's death, according to court records.

What did Ted Price's family say?

Karen Price (left), Ted Price's sister, and Colleen Clase of Arizona Voice for Crime Victims, listen at a news conference after the execution of Aaron Gunches on March 19, 2025, at the Arizona State Prison Complex in Florence.

Karen Price said at the post-execution briefing that she struggled to find the words to convey what the execution of her brother's killer meant to her and her family. But she said she felt justice was served.

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She said she was grateful for all those who were involved in helping the family through the long legal process. She said her brother's two children have spent more than half their lives without their father.

The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry released a statement on Wednesday morning from Brittney Price, Ted Price's daughter.

"I have waited for this moment for 23 long years. Today as I close this chapter of my life, I feel a huge weight has been lifted, allowing me to breathe for the first time in a long time. I can finally begin to move forward with my life," Brittney Price said. "The pain of reliving the circumstances surrounding my fathers death for over two decades has taken a significant toll on my family and me. Today marks the end of that painful chapter and I couldnt be more grateful. "

What was the reaction to Aaron Gunches' execution?

Mayes, who witnessed the execution, said it was a solemn day that Price's family had waited more than two decades for.

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"Today, Arizona resumed the death penalty, and justice for Ted Price and his family was finally served," Mayes said.

Mitchell said in a statement after the briefing that seeking the death penalty was the most serious decision she makes and noted it was reserved for "the worst of the worst in our society."

"It also brings justice to victims and families of those who are harmed in horrific ways," Mitchell said. "While ending a life is never something to be celebrated, it is a penalty provided for in law. It serves to provide some closure and relief for those who often have been waiting for decades.

State Rep. Patty Contreras, D-Phoenix, lamented Gunches execution in a floor speech at the Arizona House of Representatives, noting capital punishment was banned in 23 states and not allowed in most countries around the world.

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She called it disheartening that Arizona had resumed the use of the death penalty and urged the governor and attorney general to reconsider moving ahead with any future executions.

Gunches' legal witness said though everything appeared peaceful on the outside, the lethal drugs used on him were known to "be excruciatingly painful" because the lungs fill with water.

"There is a sensation of drowning from within and not being able to do anything about it. It is like being waterboarded to death," Dale Baich added.

How did we get to the death chamber in Florence?

On taking office in 2023, Gov. Katie Hobbs and Mayes, both Democrats, suspended executions pending a review of the state's capital punishment system by an independent commissioner.

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Hobbs said the review was needed because "Arizona has a history of mismanaged executions that have resulted in serious questions and concerns" about the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry's execution protocols and lack of transparency.

But the governor ended the review before it was finished, saying she had lost confidence in the effort.

County Attorney Mitchell, a Republican, had been putting pressure on Mayes to pursue Gunches' execution and eventually attempted to get his death warrant from the Arizona Supreme Court on her own, challenging the attorney general's exclusive authority to make such a request. Mitchell's efforts, however, were rendered moot after Mayes filed a death warrant request, which was granted by the court in February.

Hobbs cited an "execution preparedness" review that the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry sent her on Nov. 22 as proof the state was ready to proceed with putting prisoners to death.

Eyewitness account: Arizona promises transparent resumption of death penalty. For witnesses, much is unseen

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Aaron Gunches executed in Arizona: What to know
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  An Abilene man was arrested after his baby tested positive for cocaine and marijuana.

Zachary Flores was taken into custody for Child Endangerment Tuesday in connection to the allegations.

Court documents state the Department of Family and Protective Services called police in September 2024 to report the baby had tested positive for cocaine and marijuana while she was in the care of her parents.

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In July, the documents reveal investigators met with Flores to ask about the positive drug tests, and during this interview he, admitted the positive drug tests were his fault because he did not stay away after using cocaine and marijuana.

Flores was released from jail after posting a $5,000 bond.

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GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA)  In a heavily male dominated industry, BMW celebrates all the women that help their company thrive during the yearly Women in Motion event.

BMW regional marketing manager Curtis Snyder explained Women in Motion was an event the company wanted to put together during Womens History Month, to show appreciation to all of the women who work, purchase, or who are passionate about the company.

Each woman present at the event represented a different dealership across the country.

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Area manager, Carol Strickland reflected on how she broke into the automotive industry.

Id like to say when I first started, I would have to work 10 times harder than my male counterpart just to prove myself and to prove that I deserve the position, Strickland said.

She said even now, its rare to see so many female faces.

Its really great to be in a group of people that really understand our unique challenges and opportunities, Strickland said.

Snyder explained just six of the 39 BMW managers in the United States are female.

Its absolutely a male dominated industry, Snyder said. We hope to try to change that and try to bring in as many females that are as passionate to the brand.

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He said BMW looks forward to hosting this event for many more years to come.

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Burned Teslas at a Tesla Collision Center after an individual used incendiary devices to set several vehicles on fire on March 18, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. - Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Earlier this month, as President Donald Trump sought to shore up Teslas sagging stock price by displaying some cars from bestie Elon Musks automaker in the White House driveway, he vowed to come down hard on people charged for violent attacks on the companys dealerships. I will do that, he said when asked if he would label such perpetrators domestic terrorists. We catch anybody doing it  because theyre harming a great American company.

On Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi followed up on that promise, announcing that three defendants have been brought up on severe charges for their alleged role in arsons targeting Tesla properties. All three defendants will face the full force of the law for using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations, the Justice Department press release states. Bondis office had previously hinted at these charges in a Tuesday release that added: We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.

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The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended, Bondi said on Thursday. Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars. While she did not specify the charges against three defendants accused of lighting fires (or attempting to) with Molotov cocktails in Oregon, Colorado, and South Carolina, the department announcement stated that, if convicted, they could receive a minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.

While an American citizen cannot be charged with domestic terrorism per se, the term is defined by the U.S. criminal code as activities that involve acts dangerous to human life that are a violation of the criminal laws of the United States or of any State and appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion. But Bondi appears set to prosecute based on a federal statute that holds: Whoever maliciously damages or destroys, or attempts to damage or destroy, by means of fire or an explosive, any building, vehicle, or other real or personal property used in interstate or foreign commerce or in any activity affecting interstate or foreign commerce shall be imprisoned for not less than 5 years and not more than 20 years. In that case, it would seem the domestic terrorism label is more about placating Trump and Musk than legal strategy.

Meanwhile, there have been no charges as yet related to the suspected arson of Tesla chargers outside Boston, two separate bouts of gunfire at a Portland-area Tesla dealership, or the torching and shooting of Teslas at a repair facility in Las Vegas, all within the past month. Other Tesla dealerships and vehicles on lots around the country have been vandalized with spray paint, some of it denouncing Musk as a Nazi due to his right-wing extremism and his salute at an inauguration event in January that white nationalists recognized as a Sieg Heil gesture. (He claimed it was not.)

The company is also up against the publics wrath in part because Musk is dismantling federal agencies as the de facto head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), firing thousands of government workers, and even threatening programs including Social Security. Between gutting such institutions on behalf of the Trump administration and his toxic politics, he has inspired Tesla Takedown, a peaceful grassroots movement of tens of thousands who have turned out to protest the company worldwide over several weeks, picketing Tesla centers and encouraging a boycott. The campaign also calls for Tesla owners to sell their cars and investors to dump their stock, which suffered its biggest drop in five years last week. Since Trump took office, it has lost all the gains it made when the share price soared following his election victory, shedding a third of its value in the past month alone.

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Musk has taken to painting himself and Tesla as innocent victims. Has there ever been such a level of coordinated violence against a peaceful company? he posted to his X account on Thursday, sharing images of burned cars and graffitied dealerships. I understand not wanting to buy a product, but this is extreme arson and destruction! He warned that Tesla has ramped up security and activated Sentry Mode on all vehicles at stores, referring to the cars ability to record its surroundings via several cameras. The official brand meanwhile posted: Smile, youre on camera. Musk called this Bad news for criminals.

And, in between comments demonizing trans people as violent  incidentally on the same day Teen Vogue published an interview in which his estranged trans daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, excoriated him as a pathetic man-child  Musk shared Bondis announcement of severe charges for the three people arrested in connection with suspected dealership arsons. Here, the embattled oligarch took a more triumphant tone: The hammer of justice strikes, he declared.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced Thursday that it filed an emergency motion on behalf of Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University scholar and professor who was detained by immigration agents and faces deportation.

The motion was filed against Donald Trump, et. al. and calls for Suris return to Virginia.

Georgetown University researcher detained by DHS, accused of spreading Hamas propaganda

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On Monday evening, he was taken into custody by masked federal agents who identified themselves as being part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

During the arrest, the ACLU said the agents refused to tell Suri the basis for the arrest, handcuffed him and forced him into an unmarked black SUV.

All the DHS agents would tell Suris wife, Mapheze Saleh, was that they were from Homeland Security, the government was revoking his visa and he would be detained in Chantilly, Va.

The ACLU affirmed that Suri is an Indian national who is legally in the U.S. on a research scholar and professor (J-1 Exchange Visitor) visa. He lives with his wife, and three children in Rosslyn, Va.

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A few hours after his arrest, Suri was able to call Saleh from an ICE office and told her he was being moved to the Farmville Detention Center.

The next day, the ACLU said Suris counsel filed a petition challenging the legality of his detention, alleging that ICEs arrest and detention on the basis of his speech on Palestinian rights violates the First Amendment and Due Process Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Unknown to his counsel, however, ICE had surreptitiously begun moving Dr. Suri out of the region and to an ICE staging facility in Louisiana, the order read.

Georgetown scholar detained over American wifes Palestinian ties, lawyer says

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The ACLU said ICE did not provide Suri with any counsel and did not provide counsel any notice of transfer or information regarding any justification for his detention.

Dr. Suris experience is shocking and disgraceful, Suris immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad stated. It should worry everyone that masked government agents can disappear someone from their home and family because the current administration dislikes their opinion.

The filing also called the actions retaliatory and troubling.

The ACLU said Suri has been targeted by the Trump administration for removal from the U.S. in direct retaliation for his speech in support of Palestinian rights and his familys ties to Gaza.

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His Virginia-based attorney shared a similar sentiment and told the Associated Press that Suri was targeted because of his wifes identity as a Palestinian and her constitutionally protected speech.

The ACLU argued that the court should return Suri to Virginia and that officials actions are an attempt to undermine Dr. Suris ability to access his immigration counsel, his counsel of record in his pending habeas, and his wife and children.

At the least, this Court should issue an order prohibiting Dr. Suris removal from the United States, the ACLU wrote.

Youngkin: Virginia is ready to take full responsibility for K-12 education

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In an update made just before 7 p.m., the ACLU said a federal judge ordered that Suri cannot be deported pending the outcome of the ACLUs lawsuit.

This is a critical first step. Well continue to work to ensure Dr. Suri is returned to Virginia & released to his family, the ACLU stated.

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While the past week has brought optimism and skepticism on whether a ceasefire will actually materialize soon in the Ukraine-Russia war, President Donald Trump on Wednesday said both countries are very much on track for a deal.

On Tuesday, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure.

On Wednesday, Trump expressed his belief that the ceasefire will lead to an end of the war.

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In a Truth Social post, Trump added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Michael Waltz would release an accurate description of what the two American leaders have discussed with the other countries.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt read Waltz and Rubios statement during Wednesdays White House press briefing.

Zelenskyy and Trumps phone call

Today, President Trump and President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation, in which Zelenskyy thanked the president for his support during the war, Leavitt said.

During the phone call, Trump told Zelenskyy about his and Putins nearly three-hour conversation on Tuesday, and agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs, according to the White House.

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U.S. officials have been acting as go-betweens for the two countries, per the New York Post.

Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect civilians, and Trump agreed to help him find what was available in Europe. The leaders also agreed to a partial ceasefire against energy resources, Leavitt said.

American and Ukrainian technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the next week to discuss broadening the partial ceasefire to the Black Sea and increasing it to a full ceasefire.

They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security, Leavitt said.

Russian attacks on the Ukrainian energy grid followed Putins conversation with Trump

However, Ukrainian Parliament member Inna Sovsun posted on Tuesday, Putin backed Trumps 30-day pause on energy strikesthen broke his word in less than an hour."

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Russia hit Sloviansks energy infrastructure, leaving half the city without power, she wrote. Shocking? Absolutely not.

The White House did not provide an immediate response to these attacks on Ukraines energy sector following Putins agreement to the partial ceasefire. It allegedly took place less than an hour after Putin hung up the phone with Trump.

Russia said Ukraine also attacked their energy infrastructure on Tuesday, per the BBC.

Future ceasefire plan likely includes U.S. involvement with Ukrainian nuclear energy

When asked about the state of Trumps original minerals deal, Leavitt said the administration has now moved beyond it and is at a place of peace.

Were at a partial ceasefire, and were moving toward a full ceasefire and a longstanding peace in this conflict, Leavitt said. The minerals deal was that first set of framework that you all saw in that very public meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Trump in the Oval Office. We are now focused on a longterm peace agreement.

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However, Trump has not given up on the U.S. having some involvement in the Ukrainian materials and energy sector. Rather than focusing on rare Earth minerals, Trump is now directing his attention to electrical supply and power plants.

Waltz and Rubios report said the U.S. could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise.

It added, American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  Acting Buffalo Mayor Chris Scanlon is set to deliver the 2025 State of the City Address at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Scanlon is expected to go over the priorities of his administration moving forward, what he has accomplished in the last five months as acting mayor, and what he will aim to accomplish in the future.

You can watch the address around 5:30 p.m. on this page.

Latest Local News

Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University.

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PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Pulaski County Emergency Management reports an active wildfire in the Millers Creek Road area near Gatewood.

Units are on the scene and working to contain the fire. Millers Creek Road will be closed until further notice. The fire is around 10 acres in size, according to the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Seasonal 4 PM Burning Law begins Feb. 15

Smoke may be seen and smelled by residents throughout the county today.

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No homes are threatened at this time and there are no reported injuries.

For more information visit the Virginia Department of Forestry Wildfire Map.

Check back for more updates soon.

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JERUSALEM, March 20 (Xinhua) -- A missile launched from Yemen triggered air raid sirens in Jerusalem and some other areas on Thursday evening, the Israeli military said. 
NEW OXFORD, Pa. (WHTM)  A local bar and grill based out of Adams County has closed its doors following the spreading of a virus that appears to have sickened patrons.

C&D Bar & Grill, which is located at 6465 York Road in New Oxford, Adams County, has closed its doors in order to deep clean their establishment after an apparent virus infected several patrons earlier this week, causing illness.

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We appreciate everyones call, concerns, feedback, and messages, C&D Bar & Grill shared on Facebook. We will be closed for a deep cleaning of our entire restaurant to help prevent further spreading of this virus. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time. We sincerely hope this elimates anyone else from getting sick.

Following this post, hundreds of Facebook users took to the comment section to share their opinions and experiences:

We were there Thursday and my husband and I became ill Friday. I ended up going to the hospital by ambulance. We are on the mend and really, I am just glad to know what it was and where I got it. Thank you for taking the steps necessary to solve the problem. This unfortunately can happen anywhere. This virus is nasty!

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Another user stated, I ate there this past Sunday and had the WORST sickness in my life.

Others were more understanding, with one user saying Even though both my husband and I got sick last week we are so happy you are taking the right steps. Well be back.

Ocean State Job Lot acquiring two Pennsylvania Big Lots stores

Earlier today, C&D Bar & Grill gave an update saying they have been working with the Department of Health (PA DOH) in order to gather necessary information regarding the outbreak of the illness that spread at their establishment.

We have been working with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to help gather all necessary information as to the outbreak of the illness experienced at our establishment, C&D Bar & Grill shared.

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Lottery ticket worth over $3 million sold in Pennsylvania

The business is asking its patrons to help by completing an online survey from the Department of Health.

C&D Bar & Grill says all individuals, whether you did or didnt get sick, who dined at C&D Bar & Grill or Rocks Lounge in New Oxford on or after 3/9/2025 should complete the survey.

The business also shared some key points that the Health Department was able to confirm:

There is no norovirus testing for food items and there are not any known items that could be affected at the moment

There are norovirus outbreaks associated with seafood (i.e., raw oysters). We dont have a reason right now to think oysters are involved, but know that norovirus can survive temperatures as high as 145F.

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We will continue to cooperate and work directly with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, C&D Bar & Grill noted.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, C&D Bar & Grills most recent health inspection was held on March 6, 2025. The business was found to be in compliance.

In response to the situation, the PA Department of Health said the following:

The Department of Health (DOH) is aware of the situation and is assisting the Department of Agriculture, which notified DOH that the Adams County restaurants voluntarily closed on Wednesday. DOH is interested in collecting information from individuals who dined at the restaurants after 3/9/2025 through an online questionnaire. The questionnaire can be completed by anyone who ate or ordered takeout at the restaurants (after 3/9/2025), including those who did not become sick. Those interested in completing the questionnaire in another language may contact DOH at 877-PA-HEALTH. Pennsylvania Department of Health

abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
The Anti-Defamation League has found evidence of antisemitic and anti-Israel bias on Wikipedia, it said in a Tuesday report, marking the latest rift between the advocacy group and the worlds largest online encyclopedia over how the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be portrayed on the site.

The ADL claims it identified a network of Wikipedia editors  volunteer moderators for the popular information websites  who appear to have coordinated to circumvent Wikipedias policies to introduce antisemitic narratives, anti-Israel bias, and misleading information in Israeli and Palestinian-related entries. The report also accuses Wikipedia of failing to enforce its neutrality policy.

But Wikipedia said the ADLs report includes unsupported and problematic claims, according to a statement from a spokesperson for the Wikimedia Foundation, which manages the site.

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The Foundation takes seriously allegations of bias on Wikipedia, the spokesperson said. We categorically condemn antisemitism and all forms of hate. It is unfortunate that we were not asked by the reports authors to provide information and context that might have helped allay some of the concerns raised.

The report from the Jewish civil rights group comes amid broader tension among users and observers of the online encyclopedia over how the Israel-Hamas war should be covered on the site, with editors quarrelling over how to describe events related to the conflict. Wikipedia says it has already been working to fend off bad actors accused of manipulating the platform.

The dispute

Last year, Wikipedia editors labeled the ADL as generally unreliable regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because of its dual role as an advocacy and research organization, but generally reliable on other topics. The ADL said at the time that the decision was a sad development for research and education and that it would prevent information on antisemitism from reaching the public.

Since that decision, the ADL has continued to misrepresent Wikipedias well-established guidelines, policies, and enforcement mechanisms that effectively address the issues outlined in the report and its recommendations, the Wikimedia Foundation said in its statement.

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Separately, Wikipedia also confirmed that in January, it blocked eight editors from contributing to content related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over concerns about bad-faith edits, a move the ADL praised. Wikipedias Arbitration Committee, a group of volunteers elected by other editors to manage conduct on the site, also placed articles strictly about the conflict in extended confirmed protection, meaning they can only be edited by experienced volunteers.

Its not the first time there have been dissenting opinions on how contentious issues should appear on the internets encyclopedia. Similar disagreements have flared over descriptions of Hong Kongs relationship to China and the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Elon Musk also lashed out at the site earlier this year, calling it Wokepedia for its DEI budget and accusing it of political bias. Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales responded that Musk must be unhappy that Wikipedia is not for sale.

The disputes align with concerns that have surfaced in recent years over the types of content and language that social media platforms do and dont allow. But unlike many of those sites, Wikipedia is far more decentralized, relying on volunteer editors to create and edit articles while shaping and upholding its rules and norms, although the platform says it uses some automated moderation to police certain kinds of abuse.

Wikipedia is written and managed by the people who show up, said Loren Terveen, a computer science professor at the University of Minnesota who has studied Wikipedia and other online communities. (Disputes) happen all the time  on various topics, he said.

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But the ADL says it worries antisemitic bias on the platform could be dangerous.

We urge Wikipedia and policymakers to act quickly before rampant disinformation on one of the most visited sources of information leads to tragic consequences, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement regarding Tuesdays report.

The report

According to the report, the ADL identified a group of 30 Wikipedia editors that it claims coordinated to change pages related to Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It accuses the editors of downplaying Palestinian antisemitism, violence and calls to destroy Israel while foregrounding criticism of Israel. The editors also removed citations linking to reputable sources on those topics, such as academic research and mainstream media coverage, it said.

The ADLs analysis compared three groups of 30 editors to the 30 editors who they say acted in bad faith. One group was comprised of active editors across all Wikipedia pages. Another focused on the topic of US-China relations, and the third engaged on the Israel-Hamas War page, but did not violate Wikipedias rules. The report found that the bad faith editors were far more active than the other three groups. Wikipedia says it has hundreds of thousands of volunteer editors.

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The 30 editors collectively made changes to 10,000 articles related to Israel and Palestinians, with edits ramping up since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, according to the report.

For example, the report states that a suspicious editor removed references to mainstream media coverage about calls for the destruction of Israel from a page called Palestinian political violence. It also states that a media report referencing sexual violence perpetrated by Hamas during its October 7 attacks was removed from the main page about the group.

The ADL wrote that those and other edits suggest a systematic effort to skew numerous Wikipedia entries to promote a set of narratives critical of Israel and to shift the entries from balanced historical accounts to a slanted narrative.

The report also claims Arabic Wikipedia pages related to Hamas glorify the group, which is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization, and perpetuate pro-Hamas propaganda. For example, the Arabic-language Wikipedia page for Hamas refers to the groups goals as liberation of Palestine and refers to suicide bombers as martyrs, according to the report, which says the site is failing to enforce its rules consistently across non-English language content.

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Wikipedias policies say its editors should use a neutral point of view, meaning they should publish content that almost everyone agrees about but also make clear where there are points of contention. Editors who make major changes to articles should discuss them with others on the forum and provide a rationale first, the site says.

The thing that you have to realize is that people are interpreting neutral point of view, Terveen said. And people are going to argue about that.

In its statement, the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation said the site has multiple governance processes to prioritize a fair and balanced approach to contentious topics.

Wikipedias well-documented standards are specifically designed to prevent undue influence and preserve its independent, nonprofit model, it said. Wikipedia volunteers have a strong track record of successfully managing neutrality on contentious subjects.

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As part of a series of recommendations introduced in the report, the ADL is calling on the Wikimedia Foundation to develop a program that vets experts on Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to review contentious pages for accuracy and bias. It also wants Wikipedia to evaluate the effectiveness of its human review with its automated tools to prevent abuse and manipulation. The Wikimedia Foundation said many of the ADLs suggestions are already in place on the site.

Terveen noted that it can be challenging for a site that relies on crowdsourced entries to reach a consensus view on controversial topics.

The big problem is scale. Is there enough human effort to make sure things are done well? And thats just an ongoing challenge, Terveen said. Wikipedia does a good job, but it doesnt do a perfect job. And, I think, in some sense, it cant do a perfect job.

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Legislative Services Office Division Manager Keith Bybee (center) takes a break in proceedings to pass out printed materials for the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

This story was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on March 19, 2025.

The cost to administer Idahos new Parental Choice Tax Credit program is more than twice as much as previously estimated.

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The Idaho Legislatures Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved a $675,000 request from the State Tax Commission to administer the tax credit enacted by House Bill 93  more than double the $255,800 called for in the bill that the Legislature approved and Gov. Brad Little signed.

The administrative costs would come out of the $50 million earmarked for tax credits, according to appropriation language approved by JFAC. This means $49.3 million will be available to students who qualify for the funds.

House Bill 93 created Idahos first private school choice program, making non-public school students eligible for tax credits that cover education expenses. Starting this tax year, private school students and home-school students can claim up to $5,000 each, or $7,500 if they have special needs.

The divisive bill promised up to $50 million in tax credits, but the cost to implement and administer the new program has been more dubious. When the House approved it on Feb. 7, the bill identified a one-time, $125,000 investment in programming and coding to set up the tax credit. It also said the program would require two full-time administrators whose salaries would be covered with unfilled Tax Commission vacancies  at no ongoing cost to the state.

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When it reached the Senate on Feb. 12, however, the bills fiscal note  an attached statement that explains how each bill would affect state spending or revenue  had been updated. It called for a third full-time administrator along with five seasonal employees, bringing the total administrative cost to $255,800. This was the cost estimate when the Senate approved the bill on Feb. 19 and Little signed it into law eight days later.

Tuesdays Tax Commission budget request hiked the employee count again. Now the agency needs $550,000 to pay seven new full-time administrators on top of the $125,000 setup cost.

Idaho State Tax Commission sent letter to bill sponsors suggesting updated fiscal note

JFAC members overwhelmingly approved the spending Tuesday, but not without some grumbling.

I will support the motion, because this is where we are right now, said Senate Assistant Minority Leader Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise. But originally, House Bill 93 did not have the seven additional staff listed as part of its fiscal note.

Idaho Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise, who serves on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, at the State Capitol building on Jan. 8, 2024. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

Its unclear at what point House Bill 93s legislative sponsors knew that the fiscal note was insufficient.

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Rep. Wendy Horman, JFACs co-chair and a House Bill 93 co-sponsor, took credit for the initial estimate  that it would take two-full-time employees to administer the program. But she said the fiscal note was out of her hands by the time it reached the Senate.

The Tax Commission hadnt produced an analysis of staffing needs prior to a Feb. 3 House committee hearing on the bill, Horman told Idaho Education News. At the time, she looked to the existing $30 million Empowering Parents microgrant program, which has one staffer, as a model and doubled it for the $50 million tax credit program.

Horman said she doesnt believe the initial estimate misled her House colleagues, who approved the bill when it called for $125,000 in administrative costs. And she blamed the Tax Commission for the incomplete figure.

I put the best information I had at the time, Horman, R-Idaho Falls, said by phone Tuesday. The Tax Commission was not forthcoming with details. Thats been one of our ongoing problems this session. Were having difficulty getting information out of some agencies.

Co-chairwoman Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, conducts the proceedings of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Sometime between the Feb. 7 House vote and a Feb. 12 Senate committee hearing, the Tax Commission sent a letter to bill sponsors suggesting an updated fiscal note, according to Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, who also co-sponsored the bill.

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Den Hartog, R-Meridian, didnt respond to a request for comment from EdNews. But she told the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee last month that the updated fiscal note  which included three full-time employees and five seasonal workers  was in response to the Tax Commissions letter.

Idaho EdNews has not obtained a copy of this letter. It didnt appear in a public records request asking for correspondence between the Tax Commission, Den Hartog and Horman spanning more than a year through Feb. 11. In fact, none of the email correspondence between the Tax Commission and the bill sponsors mentioned House Bill 93.

In a Tuesday statement, Tax Commission spokesperson Renee Eymann didnt provide clarity on the timing of the agencys suggestion for additional staffing for the program or how many employees the commission recommended.

The initial staffing estimate was updated closer to the passage of the bill, Eymann said by email, before pivoting to the latest seven-employee figure. We believe this budget more closely represents what it will take to implement the Parental Choice Tax Credit envisioned by the Legislature and Gov. Little.

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Ward-Engelking Tuesday said the commission had actually recommended 10 new employees to administer the program, but the governors office pushed for seven.

Joan Varsek, Littles spokesperson, said a collaborative effort produced the seven-employee figure.

The governors office worked with legislators and the Idaho State Tax Commission to determine seven staff members as the appropriate number to effectively implement the new program, Varsek said by email.

JFACs approval of the $675,000 in administrative costs is preliminary. The full House and full Senate will have the final word.

In the meantime, the Parental Choice Tax Credit is now in effect, and prospective applicants should begin keeping receipts for their education expenses, says a new Tax Commission web page. The application process begins Jan. 15.

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Mar. 19Adrian Baca 1953-2025 Adrian Arthur Baca, born in Socorro on Dec. 6, 1953, passed away at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy of love, service and unwavering faith. A true patriot, Adrian dedicated 20 years of his life to serving his country, embodying honor and commitment in all he did. Beyond his military service, Adrian was the ultimate protector of his family, selflessly devoting his entire life to their well-being and happiness. His smile was a light to all who knew him, and his humor left an unforgettable mark on those fortunate enough to share in his joy. Guided by his deep Catholic faith, Adrian walked the straight and narrow path, living a life of integrity, kindness and devotion. His strength, love and wisdom will forever be cherished by his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Roseanna Baca; his daughters, Alicia, Katherine, Cheyanne and Michele; his sons, Robert, Adrian Jr. and Joey; his grandchildren, Ricardo, Isabella, Lillian and Axl; and his siblings, Boo, Nathan, Bert and Charlene; and his numerous nieces and nephews who considered him a father figure. Although he's no longer with us physically, his love and laughter live on in our hearts. He would want his legacy to be one of resilience, kindness, and unwavering strength a reminder to us all: Illegitimi non carborundum. A funeral was held March 13 at Out Lady of Belen Catholic Church.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  With widespread damage reported to homes, properties and vehicles in Owensboro, Attorney General Russell Coleman is warning those in the Daviess County area to be aware of possible scams related to a recent weather event.

Officials say the storm, which swept through the area early Saturday morning, damaged schools  forcing several to close for repairs  and county buildings, including the Daviess County Detention Center where some of the rooftop HVAC systems were knocked out.

Owensboro Burger Week concludes with record-breaking totals

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AG Colemans office says local insurance agents have reported more than 10,000 claims have been filed as Kentuckians start the process of repairs on homes and cars. As part of that process, Kentuckians should be mindful of who they hire to complete the needed repairs. While not all door-to-door contractors are scammers, some may lack the proper licensing for the area, offer quick fixes, or make promises they cant deliver.

As we work through this process, we encourage our residents to be patient with us and use proper caution for those offering to help. Knowing our local companies cannot handle the sheer magnitude of reports, we understand people may be more likely to do business with someone who knocks on their door. Something as simple as getting proof of a business license could be the difference between getting scammed and hiring a legitimate and reputable company, said Owensboro Mayor Tom Watson.

Over The Top wrestling show coming to Owensboro

Officials say to avoid becoming a victim of a contractor-related scam, Kentuckians should:

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Contact the insurance company . If Kentuckians are insured, they should discuss their policy coverage and filing requirements with their insurance company. Residents should ask their adjuster for an estimate for repair costs. Be sure to save receipts for food, temporary lodging and other expenses covered by their policy. Kentuckians should ask their insurance company to recommend reputable contractors to assist with repairs.

Research contractors or repair companies and get more than one estimate. Search for contractors here, get a reference from friends or family, and check with the local government agency responsible for registering or licensing contractors. Be sure to gather more than one estimate.

Resist high-pressure sales tactics. Scammers often offer special pricing if Kentuckians hire them on the spot. Do not feel forced to make a hasty decision to hire an unknown contractor. Be proactive in researching and selecting a contractor instead of reacting to sales calls or door-to-door pitches.

Do not pay a contractor or business upfront for their services.

Do not sign insurance checks over to a contractor. Be sure to get an invoice from the contractor and pay them directly, preferably with a credit card, so that charges may be disputed, if necessary. Review contracts carefully, and do not sign documents that give a contractor rights to the insurance claims.



Kentuckians are asked to report scams immediately to either the Attorney Generals Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-888-432-9257 or by completing this form.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW).
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Thursday her office is bringing serious charges against the people who allegedly vandalized or attempted to damage Tesla cars and other properties associated with Elon Musks electric car company, calling them perpetrators of domestic terrorism.

The three people charged face five to 20 years in prison if convicted, her office said, but did not specify what the charges are.

The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended, Bondi said in a statement. Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.

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Attacks against Tesla have taken place across several states: In Oregon, a man was arrested for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla service center, damaging seven cars. Another person was arrested in Colorado for allegedly attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails. And in South Carolina, someone was arrested for allegedly writing profane messages about President Donald Trump around Tesla charging stations and lighting them on fire with Molotov cocktails.

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at the Justice Department March 14. Andrew Harnik via Getty Images

In warnings in recent days, Bondi has suggested the Justice Department intends to use the full force of the law against anyone suspected of Tesla-related crimes. She also floated a conspiracy theory that the vandals were being paid.

We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes, she said Tuesday.

Her suggestion echoes one Republican lawmakers have made in recent weeks claiming that George Soros or some other anti-GOP funder is paying protesters to disrupt their town halls. Republicans have used that excuse to stop holding public events.

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The Tesla-related attacks come as Elon Musk oversees President Donald Trumps massive cuts to federal spending, slashing funding for national parks and forests, free meals in schools, infectious disease research and support for veterans, among dozens of other federally funded programs and initiatives Americans rely on every day.

President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to the press as they stand next to a Tesla Cybertruck on the South Portico of the White House on March 11. MANDEL NGAN via Getty Images

On Thursday, Tesla recalled nearly every one of its Cybertrucks due to a safety issue with an exterior panel that can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash, according to the company.

This marked the eighth time Tesla has had to recall Cybertrucks, which have only been on roads since November 2023. The massive recall of more than 46,000 cars comes at a precarious time for the company, which has seen its stock lose about half of its value this year.

Trumps White House has aggressively promoted Tesla as the company struggles. Last week, Trump paraded Musks cars in front of the White House, hailed Musk as a great patriot and said hed be buying one of his vehicles. Then on Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick went on Fox News to plead with Americans to buy stock in Musks company, promising shares will never be this cheap again.

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The companys shares dropped another 1.7% the morning after Lutnicks sales pitch.

Related...
An FBI agent who accused the bureau of political bias during Donald Trumps first term has been charged with illegally disclosing confidential documents, court filings show.

Johnathan Buma, a 15-year FBI veteran and counter-intelligence specialist, is accused of printing some 130 files from internal FBI networks in 2023 and sharing them with associates as part of a book he was writing about his career, the filing states.

The agent was aware that the information in his book draft, which related to an unnamed countrys weapons of mass destruction programme, was confidential and he shared it with several individuals, the filing adds.

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According to the court documents, Mr Buma is also accused of taking screenshots of messages with a confidential source which later appeared in a news article.

In 2022, Mr Buma filed a 22-page protected whistleblower disclosure to the Senate Judiciary Committee alleging the FBI had forced him to shut down investigations into Mr Trumps associates, including Rudy Giuliani, who Mr Buma claimed was linked to a Russian intelligence asset.

He also claimed Bureau bosses ordered him to end relationships with top sources.

His home was subsequently raided while he was on medical leave, having already turned in his badge.

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At the time, a lawyer for the agent said no classified information was found in the raid. It is not clear what the outcome of his whistlebower complaint was, or if it has been processed.

On Tuesday, Mr Buma was arraigned in Brooklyn federal court and released on a $100,000 bond, the court records show.

Court records did not indicate whether he entered a plea, while the case was transferred to California, where the charges were filed.

Mr Bumas lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to AP.

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As the U.S. Department of Education's future is uncertain, school leaders across Michigan are pondering an intimidating reality as they plan next school year's budget: What if a portion  or all  of the state's annual federal funding goes away?

Michigan receives roughly $2 billion in federal education funding annually.

Nikolai Vitti, superintendent of Detroit Public Schools Community District, held a budget update on Wednesday. Vitti, in the virtual meeting with over 1,000 attendees, said his district, the largest in the state, disproportionately relies on federal funding, compared with other districts in the state.

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"You can imagine the hurt and pain that we will experience by losing federal funds," he said. Adding later that the direction the federal government has taken under President Donald Trump is "defunding the future of the most disadvantaged children in this country."

"This is no longer a drill," he said. "We have to stop thinking, 'Oh it's rhetoric; it's just an executive order.'... This is real, folks. ... We cannot wait, we cannot hope. We cannot pray alone to think that we're going to get through this without changing direction and advocating for something different and something better."

The U.S. Department of Education's workforce has already been about cut in half, with cuts to some grant and research programs. Federal education funding makes up about 9% of the state's education budget, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy. No concrete cuts to federal funding have been put forward and even if Congress eliminated the federal education department, funding wouldn't automatically be cut. But speculation over what could be cut has proliferated. A federal budget resolution approved Friday does not lay out many specific streams of education funding, Education Week reported, prompting even more speculation about what could be slashed by Congress.

School budgets have to be completed by June 30. And a lot could happen between now and then. But already, administrators have started to use the word "cut"  hopefully, judiciously, Vitti said, if federal cuts happen.

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"What I don't want to do is go to a world where many of you lived once where everyone gets a pink slip saying we don't know if your job is there next year," he said.

Novi Community School District Superintendent Ben Mainka said he is preparing for both the best- and worst-case scenarios as budget uncertainty looms.

"We're kind of operating under the auspices of, let's be prepared, but let's also not do something rash and reduce programming or something like that ahead of hearing any information about actual cuts," Mainka said.

How much is at stake?

In Wayne County alone, schools receive $421 per student in federal Title I funding, which is meant to help schools that educate a disproportionate amount of students from low-income homes.

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The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, which allocates money for services for students with disabilities, is federal law. Michigan schools received about $460 million in federal funding for special education in 2024, about 15% of the funding for special education services, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.

State funding remains the largest source of education funding. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's proposed budget includes a 4.1% increase to the foundation allowance for Michigan students, raising it to $10,000 per pupil, up from $9,608. But whether Whitmer's proposed budget will be passed as-is is up to lawmakers, who will likely agree on their own proposals before passing a budget, expected sometime in the summer.

Federal funds could be hard to replace in Detroit schools

While 10% of state education funding is federal, about 32% of federal funding constitutes Detroit Public Schools budget, Vitti said, which is because the district has a weak local tax base and a larger population of vulnerable students than many districts in the state.

Vitti said he is particularly concerned that Congress, in service of cutting $2 trillion from the budget, could eliminate portions of Title I funding, funding for teacher training, funding for English Learners, funding for programs that help low-income students improve learning experiences, Medicaid funding that helps students with disabilities, and funding for school lunch programs.

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In Detroit, $124 million in Title I funding for the 2024-25 school year went to paying academic interventionists, funding for assistant principals, funding for literacy programs, and more purposes. If Congress cut 25% of Title I funding, the superintendent said, Detroit would see $30 million gone.

Vitti, stressing that no idea has been finalized, discussed several strategies district officials have thought up to address any potential budget cuts, including: accelerating the closure of schools that district had already planned to close, reducing discretionary funds for purposes such as professional development and STEM programs, freezing hiring for vacant roles, delaying technology upgrades and eliminating commercial property insurance coverage.

"Myself and the board is already thinking about ways to keep people employed, mainly protect school staffing, protect student programming so reform can continue despite these cuts for the next year or two," he said.

Protest over cuts that pose 'permanent harm' to students

In Warren on Wednesday, educators, parents and students held school "walk-ins" to protest recent cuts to the federal education department. Robert Callender, a chemistry teacher and president of the Warren Education Association, wrote in a news release that federal education funding is critical to educating vulnerable students in particular.

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Dismantling the Department of Education would be devastating for local students with special needs and students from lower-income families, as our schools rely on federal resources to support special education programs, tutoring, school meals and more, Callender wrote in a news release. This would cause permanent harm to Warren students, who need and deserve more support  not less.

Education leaders also stressed that federal funding for students with disabilities has never been fully funded: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act promised to fund 40% of special education funding, but has largely hovered around the 15% mark, according to the American SpeechLanguageHearing Association. Many districts, even with state special education funding, have to dip into general education funding to cover special education expenses.

"We're seeing a significant amount of challenges that relates to costs" of special education services, Mainka said. "Because, obviously, to support our children in the way that they need to be supported  and we're adamant that they get that support  it costs a lot of money."

Wendy Zdeb, executive director of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, wrote in an email response to questions from the Detroit Free Press that part of the frustration among education leaders is the pace at which the federal government is making cuts.

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"Compounding this is the lack of communication from the federal government," she wrote. "It seems as though cuts are happening so quickly in other departments of the government and schools need time to react to these things. It is pretty unnerving to just be watching the headlines learning about what is happening at the same time as the public."

Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.

This story was updated to add a gallery.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan education leaders brace for federal cuts amid speculation
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  What does artificial intelligence mean in the dark world of child pornography? That was the topic as the Nevada Legislature reviewed a bill that would update existing laws for a strange new world.

There are no Nevada statutes against AI-generated child pornography and that needs to change, according to Attorney General Aaron Ford. He took part in presenting Senate Bill 263 (SB263) on Wednesday in Carson City, alongside Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, the bills sponsor.

AI is being used to alter images  the faces of child porn victims, which are being replaced by new faces. Its creating a whole new class of victims, and sometimes making it very hard to identify the initial victims. And there is pornography that is completely AI-generated, with no discernable connection to a human victim.

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Its simple. Our laws need to keep up with technology, especially when bad actors are using it to exploit children, Ford said.

Creating computer-generated child pornography is not just disturbing its  predatory. And it should be a crime. Under this bill, it will be, he said.

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature)

The discussion that followed took a winding path through existing law, constitutional law and AI deepfake technology.

Jacob Villani, a prosecutor for the Clark County District Attorneys Office, explained the techniques that are being used to keep track of child porn images and where they come from. Thats one of the few tools law enforcement has against the new technology.

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Ford talked about an actual case. A child who was rescued from sexual abuse in 2018 is still being victimized today because predators are using AI to create new fake child pornography with her face. These deepfakes keep the abuse going long after she was saved. And because of advancements in artificial intelligence, its actually harder to even, to ever track and remove these images.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro. (Courtesy: Nevada State Legislature)

Villani and Cannizzaro, who spent 11 years working for the Clark County DAs office, took turns addressing questions that took a lot of twists and turns. Senators asked about how the bill would deal with the age of consent, particularly when an older person was made to look like a minor.

We are overly careful when it comes to age, Villani said. The cases we prosecute are clearly children.

At its base, SB263 adds computer-generated child pornography to what is illegal under Nevada law. Villani said when investigations uncover that material, there is no existing law to use to prosecute the case.

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People opposed to the bill question whether its constitutional. Cannizzaro said those questions were addressed as the bill came together. She said there is no bright-line test.

Part of this requires for the judiciary, for law enforcement, for prosecutors and defense attorneys to make those kinds of calls, Cannizzaro said.

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CAIRO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani discussed on Thursday joint efforts to reinforce the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.

During a phone conversation, the two ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in Gaza and their countries' collaborative efforts to ensure the truce's implementation, according to a statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The two sides also discussed measures to promote the Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, as well as preparations for an international reconstruction conference set to take place in Cairo.

The two ministers emphasized the importance of continued coordination to prevent further escalation in the region, and agreed on the need for a political settlement that ensures long-term stability through the establishment of a Palestinian state as a final solution to the conflict.

Since Tuesday, Israel has launched massive airstrikes across Gaza, killing more than 500 people and shattering a fragile ceasefire that had been in place since Jan. 19. 
A federal jury has found Feeding Our Future founder Aimee Bock and Salim Said, the co-owner of Safari Restaurant, guilty on all counts for their roles in a $250 million COVID-19 fraud scheme.

Bock, 44, of Apple Valley, was found guilty on all seven counts, which were:

Three counts of wire fraud

One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud

One count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery

One count of federal programs bribery

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Said, 36, of Plymouth, was found guilty on all 21 counts he faced, which were:

Four counts of wire fraud

Nine counts of federal programs bribery

Five counts of money laundering

One count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud

One count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery

One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering

It follows a trial that saw a jury subjected to five weeks of evidence of their involvement of a sprawling fraud scheme that has led to 70 people being charged, with the nonprofit Feeding Our Future at its center.

The pair will be jailed until they are officially sentenced, which will be set for a later date.

FBI agents, along with investigators from the IRS and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, prepare to execute one of 25 search warrants carried out in the early morning hours of January 20, 2022, as part of the Feeding Our Future fraud investigation. Courtesy of FBI.

Bock's Feeding Our Future would distribute federal funds to food vendors, such as Said's Safari restaurant, with the intention they would provide meals to hungry kids during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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But some vendors vastly inflated the number of children they said they were serving, maximizing the payouts from the federal government at a time the country was struggling through the pandemic.

Prosecutors argued that meal site providers would pay kickbacks to Bock and other Feeding Our Future employees so that they would inflate meal counts. Bock is estimated to have gained almost $2 million from the scheme, while Said raked in around $5.5 million via payments for a series of meal sites he set up through his restaurant, spending the money on luxury items such as cars and a mansion.

The investigation found that the Minnesota Department of Education received at least 30 complaints regarding Feeding Our Future or its sites starting in June 2018  pre-pandemic  and continuing until December 2021, a month before the FBI conducted a series of raids on properties linked to the nonprofit.
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A potential shakeup in the aviation industry. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may be one step closer to landing a new boss.

President Trump has nominated a new leader for the agency since the former administrator quit in January. But the nomination comes with mixed reviews.

The Air Line Pilots Association, or ALPAs president, Jason Ambrosi, has expressed concerns over the nomination of Republic Airways CEO Bryan Bedford.

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The current head of the regional airline, Bedford, previously raised eyebrows over attempts to reduce safety standards to address a pilot shortage.

While Bedford has gained approval from some industry organizations, including the Regional Airline Association, not everyone applauds the nomination. Bedford has big shoes to filltaking over from Mike Whitaker, a Biden nominee, who served as the 19th administrator of the FAA. Whitaker resigned from his role in January.

SC Attorney General among others supporting order to eliminate birthright citizenship, claims amendment is misinterpreted

Bedford is accused of trying to lower pilot training hours and safety standards to qualify aspiring pilots sooner.

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Higher standards came about after the deadly Colgan air crash in 2009. The NTSB determined the pilots in that crash could have benefited from more training, and thanks to the urging of the families of those who perished in the crash, the FAA raised the training hours, requiring 1500 hours of flight time for first officers.

Bedfords request for Republic Airlines to be granted an exemption or lower training numbers was denied by the FAA, which disagreed with Republic Airliness argument that a reduction in required flight hours would fix the so-called pilot shortage.

ALPA officials are also concerned with Bedford perhaps supporting the effort by some foreign airlines to operate with less than two pilots in the flight deck, which would undermine aviation safety and put the U.S. at an enormous competitive disadvantage.

These issues and Bedfords plans to help the president and Secretary Duffy modernize air traffic control are of paramount importance to the pilot union.

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Ambrosi says the pilot group looks forward to hearing Bedfords views on issues to protect aviation safety and our nations economic issues.

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BROOME COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar has signed a memorandum of understanding to assist ICE.

Akshar tells News 34 that he reached out to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement about participating in the 287 (g) program which offers a variety of ways in which local law enforcement agencies can cooperate with ICE.

He says the Broome County Sheriffs Office opted for the Warrant Service Officer program which would have ICE provide training to staff inside the Broome County Jail on how to serve immigration arrest warrants on inmates without legal status.

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Akshar stressed that this would only occur within the jail and that his officers will not be assisting with apprehending people out in the community. He says previously, they would have held the inmate anyway and just waited for an ICE agent to come to the jail to serve the warrant.

This issue of immigration, or specifically immigration enforcement, is becoming a very political and contentious issue. But my position is very, very clear as the sheriff of this community. If you threaten the safety and security of the people who live, work and raise their families here, we are going to find you, hold you accountable, and I am more than glad to welcome you to stay in this facility. Its really that simple, Akshar said.

Akshar says he hopes the arrangement will also help build a better relationship with ICE so that the federal agency shares information with local police agencies about dangerous criminals thought to be in our area.

The Sheriff says he also anticipates renting out beds in the jail to ICE to hold their detainees if necessary.

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The Sheriffs Office entered into the agreement on March 10th, but Akshar says they wont start serving warrants until several of his officers in intake and the jail investigations unit have undergone the training.

Broome joins Nassau and Rensselaer Counties as the only Sheriffs Offices in New York State to participate in the program.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris speaks at an Alabama Department of Public Health meeting on Jan. 18, 2024 in Montgomery. Harris said Alabama health officials are investigating potential measles exposures after an unvaccinated child briefly stopped in the state while traveling. (Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector)

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is investigating potential exposures after an unvaccinated child traveling through the state tested positive for measles.

State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris told the State Board of Health Thursday the child was passing through Alabama on the way to a beach destination with family and made a brief stop at a motel.

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While the child was likely infectious at the time, state health officials said they have not identified any high-risk exposures in Alabama. The case was confirmed after the child underwent an examination in another state.

Our team has done a terrific job of really turning over every stone looking for the possibility that people may have been exposed, but we have not found those so far, Harris said.

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The case comes amid a growing measles outbreak centered in western Texas, where nearly 300 cases have been identified. Harris said that 95% of those infected in the Texas outbreak were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status and that measles cases in this outbreak have also been genetically linked to cases in Mexico and Canada.

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Symptoms of measles, which spreads through respiratory droplets, include fever, cough, runny nose and a rash that typically starts on the face and spreads. Health officials warn that complications can be severe, with 20% of cases leading to hospitalizations, with a mortality rate of one in 1,000.

The other catch about measles is measles, for some reason, harms the immune system, and so kids in subsequent weeks or months, even after theyve recovered from the acute measles infections, are susceptible to other types of infections like pneumonia, Harris said.

He urged the public to stay up to date on measles vaccinations. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is over 97% effective in preventing the disease after two doses.

It is coming, Harris said. Maybe this wasnt the event, but we expect well have measles pretty soon.

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Health officials recommend that unvaccinated individuals experiencing fever, flu-like symptoms or a rash contact a health care provider before seeking care in person to avoid exposing others.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, speaks to the House Ways and Means Education Committee on March 19, 2025, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. The House of Representatives unanimously passed Rafferty's bill that would exempt baby products and menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax on March 20, 2025. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

The Alabama House of Representatives unanimously passed its fifth tax cut of the week Thursday with an exemption for baby products and menstrual hygiene products.

HB 152, sponsored by Rep. Neil Rafferty, D-Birmingham, exempts baby formula, maternity clothing and menstrual hygiene products from state sales tax.

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Although the legislation passed unanimously, Rep. Mary Moore, D-Birmingham, said she was concerned about what clothes would be considered maternity.

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Im not being critical. Thats their choice, Moore said of people who have restrictive maternity clothes. What you consider to be maternity clothing may not be what they want to wear.

Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, offered an amendment to the bill expanding the exemption to adult diapers. It was adopted unanimously.

You know Im all about women, children and seniors, she said to Rafferty on the floor. I have an amendment to include seniors with diapers.

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The legislation would take $10.5 million dollars from the Education Trust Fund (ETF) before Shavers amendment, but Rafferty said the amendment adds an additional $2.5 million in tax cuts. The ETF is $9.2 billion this year.

Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, sponsored the tax passage that passed Tuesday. He supported the fifth tax cut for a majority of Alabamians. The four-bill package that passed Tuesday will reduce the ETF by $192 million.

An additional $13 million in tax breaks for a broadbase of Alabamians, he said.

House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, applauded the tax cut after the House adjourned Thursday.

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We had five tax cuts this week alone, Ledbetter said. So the people of Alabama are going to start seeing relief that they hadnt had, and certainly were proud to be able to do that.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham (left) speaks with Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on April 30, 2024 at the Alabama Statehouse in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

A House committee Wednesday approved a bill making Juneteenth an Alabama state holiday after the sponsor removed a provision that would have required state employees to choose between that holiday or a Confederate one.

HB 165, sponsored by Rep. Rick Rehm, R-Dothan, originally put Juneteenth on the state holiday list but did not require offices to shut down. Instead, state employees would choose to take the holiday celebrating the end of slavery or Jefferson Davis Birthday, a state holiday marked on the first Monday in June to honor the president of the Confederacy, a white supremacist government.

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Rehm revised the bill to make Juneteenth a state holiday for all employees, like Jefferson Davis birthday.

Last year we failed, and I didnt want to fail again, and Im able to communicate to the Republican caucus why this is important, said Rehm, who is white and is the only Republican in the Alabama House who represents a district that is more than 40% Black.

Juneteenth has been a federal holiday since 2021.

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Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, a member of the House Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development committee, was visibly upset and gave a tense speech before walking out of the room.

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Givan said that for as long as a bill making Juneteenth a holiday, its never been carried and passed by a white man, and added, I got a problem with that.

Ive been in this House 15 years. I dont think there has ever been a piece of legislation that has come before this committee that I have to wrestle with, Givan said, adding that she wants to vote against the bill even if she supports it.

Alabama Democrats have pushed over the years to make Juneteenth a state holiday. Givan has introduced a bill each year since 2023 and passed it out of the house in 2024, with the compromise that employees would have to pick between Daviss birthday or Juneteenth.

During the 2023 session, Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, proposed a measure that added Juneteenth without affecting the other official holidays. Rep. Chris England, D-Tuscaloosa, introduced a bill to replace Davis birthday with Juneteenth as an official holiday.

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My ancestors are crying, Givan said as she walked out.

Evangeline Reynolds-Gunn, a Black constituent in Rehms district present at the committee meeting, said to Givan before she walked out that her words were bone-chilling, and asked the committee to please find a place in your heart to pardon Rep. Givan.

Its just different emotions for different people. Please do not hold her actions against her or this bill. Its just a passionate subject, but I believe Alabama is strong enough and courageous enough to handle an individual speaking so passionately as Rep. Givan, she said.

Reynolds-Gunn added that she also holds that Alabamians are courageous enough to look at little referee from down south Rick Rehm take this by the helm and say, Ill be the guy that can reach both sides.

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Rehm said after the meeting that he was sympathetic to her, but he is carrying the bill because he believes he can better articulate the bill to those in the Republican caucus worried about the expense.

According to the fiscal note, adding Juneteenth would increase the states obligations by a minimal, undetermined amount. Rehm also said that state employees have had the holiday off for the past few years, showing that the state can afford it.

Were paying for it anyway. The governor declares it a holiday, as she should, he said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
APLS board members heard from speakers during the board meeting Thursday, March 20, 2025 who expressed concerns over claims that their local libraries have books with sexually explicit content in the children's section. (Ralph Chapoco/Alabama Reflector)

The Alabama Public Library Service terminated Nancy Pack as its executive director during the closing moments of the board meeting Thursday and slashed funding to a library in Fairhope.

Both moves stemmed from new restrictive policies on materials available in libraries that supporters said would control sexually explicit material and opponents said were aimed at removing books with LGBTQ+ characters or themes.

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Board member Amy Minton made a motion to have Pack terminated at the meeting, with all members voting in favor of the motion except Ronald A. Snider who voted no.

After this thing at the board meeting today, and after all the things that they wanted to do, it just pointed out how much I do not want to work for this board and support their ideology of what public libraries in Alabama should be, Pack said in an interview following the meeting.

Prior to voting to terminate Pack, Chair John Wahl, who is also the chair of the Alabama Republican Party, told the board that Pack submitted her letter of resignation effective September. Soon afterward, however, Minton, who filed challenges to books in Etowah County before joining the board, made it clear she wanted Pack removed immediately and requested that other members of the board support her when she made her motion to terminate her.

This is not personal, Minton said. I want to thank Dr. Pack for her service to the APLS organization. I appreciate that she recognizes the need for her resignation. However, I believe that APLS needs new leadership and direction.

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Pack asked the board to give her a couple of weeks to collect her belongings from her office before she left. However, Wahl in consultation with general counsel for APLS denied Packs request.

She then proceeded to her office to gather a few belongings before leaving the premises.

This is an awfully dark day for Alabama libraries and the people of Alabama, Snider said. Dr. Pack is being terminated, not because of her performance because over her tenure state aid for local libraries has increased 60%. She is being terminated because of unfounded attacks by extremists, including on this board, because she is not sufficiently supporting censorship.

Amid attacks on LGBTQ+ content in libraries by right-wing organizations, Gov. Kay Ivey in September 2023 wrote a letter to Pack expressing concerns that children had access to sexually explicit or inappropriate content. The governor asked Pack to confirm that she would respond to complaints from parents and to assure money from the American Library Association, another target of right-wing anger, would be subject to approval by appropriate authorities.

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Pack responded that APLS does not have a direct role in managing library content and that it is parents responsibility to determine which materials their children check out and read.

In Iveys response, she requested Pack tie funding from APLS to local libraries to require them to adopt policies for parents to better supervise their children while on the premises.

Last May, APLS adopted new policies based on Iveys recommendations. The new rules state that local libraries must adopt a materials selection policy that protects children and youth from inappropriate or sexually explicit materials.

They must cite where the materials with inappropriate content will be moved and must establish rules for obtaining advance approval for marketing books and other content in circulation to children.

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The policies must also make sure that children do not have access to materials and that libraries are prohibited from purchasing materials for children that contain inappropriate or sexually explicit content.

Since September of 2023, every day I walked into the board meeting wondering whether I would be fired that day or not, Pack said. Today, a burden has been lifted off of me. I no longer have to be concerned with lobbying for state aid. I no longer have to be concerned about federal dollars for libraries. It is in someone elses hands, and let that person take charge of it.

Wahl said in an interview following the meeting that Pack had disagreed with the policies that board members adopted in response to complaints from those who expressed concerns that libraries in the state had books in circulation that contained sexually explicit materials within the children and teens section.

She has also been really negative toward board members, both during board meetings and outside of board meetings, Wahl said. I know at the last meeting she targeted some of the board members.

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Wahl refused to cite specific examples.

Clean Up Alabama, a group that advocates for restrictions on library material, supported the actions of APLS board members in a news release.

Finally, after years of resistance to protecting children in Alabama libraries, Nancy Pack has been immediately terminated as APLS director, the group said in a statement. We look forward to the leadership of Interim Director Kelyn Ralya and the continued commitment to safeguarding Alabamas children from harmful materials.

Pack said that she is an at-will employee and can be terminated by the board.

The thing that hurts me the worst is that I am a good librarian, I know I am a good librarian, and I am well respected in the library community in Alabama and outside Alabama, Pack said.

Cutting Fairhope funds

Earlier in the meeting APLS board members also voted to eliminate funding to the Fairhope Public Library after Minton made a motion for allegedly violating the administrative code it implemented in 2024.

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The state has the money, so if they want to keep the books, they can, but I am voting to withhold funding which is what we have the authority to do, she said. All of these books are sexually explicit according to the code, so they can move the books to get their funding back.

Minton made the motion after several individuals spoke during the public hearing that the Fairhope Public Library board was not following state policies on library content.

They have voted, at their last library meeting, not to revisit any of the books that have asked to be reconsidered before the APLS policy, said Rebecca Watson, who leads the Baldwin County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a right-wing organization. We have come back and said, Can you please review all of the books that you have denied? because they are against APLS policy. And they have said, No, we are not doing that, and that our decision stands for five years.

APLS did not confirm the allegations made during the public hearing, with Wahl telling the board that he would call the board members to get confirmation of the allegations before pulling the funding.

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Messages were left Thursday with the Fairhope Public Library seeking comment.

Prior to making her request to have the funding for the Fairhope Public Library eliminated, Watson read passages from two books that were shelved in the teens section of the library, which is prohibited by the new APLS administrative code.

Elizabeth Williams, organizer of the Baldwin County Read Freely chapter, said that the books do not violate the new administrative code because the terms regarding sexually explicit and inappropriate are vague and left to the discretion of the board members of local libraries.

That has been the practice of parents seeking to have books that they feel contain sexually explicit content, to read passages from books they believe are inappropriate for the childrens section without providing context. Many of the books contain themes related to LGBTQ+ communities and lifestyles that do not have any sexually explicit content.

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Free speech experts have said that the rules restricting access to library materials is vague and amounts to viewpoint discrimination.

They are refusing to look at books at all or give parents redress agreements, Wahl said of the Fairhope Library Board. That is what makes Fairhope different from the rest of the libraries right now.

Many people spoke in support of the library board. Cheryl Corvo, a Fairhope resident, presented the APLS board with a joint letter signed by more than 100 parents with young children who support the actions of the Fairhope Public Library Board and staff.

Our library is a cherished public institution that has consistently served our families with professionalism, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to providing resources that respect the diverse needs of our community, she said.

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Read Freely Alabama, an organization opposed to the statewide restrictions, condemned the boards actions on Thursday, said it was big government reaching into the public institutions designed to serve all Alabamians and destroying constitutional rights.

Ignoring the voices of Fairhope taxpayers and library patrons, the APLS Board, four of whom are openly in bed with Moms For Liberty and Clean Up Alabama, revoked Fairhope Librarys funding, ignoring the boards due process for challenged materials and ignoring, once again, the parents of Alabama who have spoken in support of intellectual freedom, the statement said. This decision was made without any transparency to the community.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE

Updated at 7:06 p.m. with additional background, information on Fairhope and reaction.
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Six high school students at the Alabama School of Math and Science are taking science to the sea. They are students from all over the state of Alabama doing college-level research projects that deal with our coastal ecosystems.

Students and instructors at working on research projects in one of the ASMS labs

All of these projects deal with ocean acidification, which occurs when excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reacts with water and creates carbonic acid. Lillian Abernathy, a student researcher at ASMS, explains, Carbonic acid takes away the necessary nutrients that oysters need to grow their shells.

Heavy Mobile police presence at Knollwood Apartments

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Here are the six projects these students are researching:

Calcium-binding proteins in Crassostrea virginica as indicators of in situ pH stress (Lillian Abernathy, a senior from Geneva County).

Evaluating the impact of phytochemicals on reducing pathogenicity in Crassostrea virginica under ocean acidification (Naria Khristoforova, a senior from Shelby County).

Effect of ocean acidification, Perkinsus marinus, submerged aquatic vegetation on apoptosis of hemocytes in Crassostrea virginica (BoKyeong Kim, a junior from Autauga County).

Ocean acidifications impact on the susceptibility of Perkinsus marinus in Crassostrea virginica (Hyerin Park, a junior from Autauga County)

Effects of ocean acidification on Pif gene expression in Crassostrea virginica (Kayty Phan, a junior from Mobile County).

Lower pH levels decrease the productivity of the nitrogen cycle in Crassostrea virginica pallial fluid (Emma Kate South, a junior from Baldwin County)

Tanks used inside of the ASMS lab for testing  Credit: Dr. Natalie Ortell

Im looking at gene expression and whats called the extra pallial fluid cavity in the eastern oyster, said Emma Kate South, another student researcher.

Ocean acidification can also affect the oysters immune system. Hyerin Park notes that this makes oysters more susceptible to Parkinsus marinas, which eats away at the oysters tissue. Its a really common pathogen down here and it really affects a lot of the oysters, Park said.

Hyerin Park uses the vortex mixer while doing research in the ASMS lab

Protecting oysters is very important for conserving our local habitats and preserving a way of life for many along the Gulf Coast. Abernathy stated, Maintaining those populations is something Im really passionate about because people need to make money.

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The Alabama School of Math and Science is able to provide these students with these research opportunities thanks to university level labs. This research helps students decide their future.

Pensacola officer injured after impaired driver crashes into patrol car: FHP

Funding from NOAA from the education grant gives us the ability to do this classand a skillset that is transferable from high school on to college, said Dr. Rebecca Domangue.

She works alongside Dr. Natalie Ortell as principal investigators from the biology department overseeing the research.

Kayty Phan, a student researcher, said, Were able to have different research and findings and be able to explore ourselves of what we like to do. If we like research or maybe we like a different path.

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This research at the Alabama School of Math and Science is Growing the Gulf Coast while empowering students far into the future.

Folks that care about climate science, folks that will care about policy, folks that care about their communities and their neighbors, said Dr. Domangue.

Oyster nets sitting in the water along the bay  Credit: Dr. Natalie Ortell

The research team would like to thank these organizations for their help in making this research possible:

Jackie Wilson, Bama Bay Oysters LLC

Valerie Longa, Mobile Baykeeper

Dr. Tina Miller-Way and Dr. Jeff Krause, Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Dr. Nancy Rice and Dr. Alison Henry, Biomedical Sciences Department, University of South Alabama

Dr. Sinead Ni Chadhain, Biology Department, University of South Alabama

Dr. Dennis McGillicuddy and Dr. Jennie Rheuban, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)  A retired Alabama state trooper has been arrested on child porn charges just ten days after leaving the agency.

Arrest records that 46-year-old Chad McKenzie Claybrook was arrested on March 10 and charged with possession of obscene material depicting a minor.

Claybrook was released from the Talladega County Jail on a $7,500 bond shortly after his booking on March 10.

Claybrooks arrest records claim the former trooper did knowingly possessed a visual depiction of a person under the age of 17.

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Dothan man accused of strangling wife before claiming she was missing pleas for lower bond

According to ALEA, an investigation into Claybrook began in early December and the trooper was placed on leave.

ALEA Troopers tell WDHN that in February, the agency began the termination process for Claybrook, but he retired on Saturday March 1, before his termination hearing.

ALEAs State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) Digital Forensic Unit assisted in the criminal

investigation that led to Claybrooks arrest.

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John Boyle, commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (center left), sits with staff in the gallery of the Alaska House of Representatives as lawmakers debate the creation of a separate Alaska Department of Agriculture on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Speaking is Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Alaska will remain one of two states without a cabinet-level Department of Agriculture, at least for the time being.

On Wednesday, the Alaska Legislature voted 32-28 to deny an executive order from Gov. Mike Dunleavy that would have created the department. Executive orders automatically take effect unless the Legislature, meeting in joint session, passes a resolution blocking them.

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The vote was largely along caucus lines, with members of the multipartisan House and Senate majorities voting in favor of the disapproval motion and members of the Republican House and Senate minorities voting against it.

HOW THEY VOTED

A yes vote was against creating the department by executive order. A no vote was in favor of the executive order.

In favor

*Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski

Robyn Niayuq Burke, D-Utqiagvik

Ashley Carrick, D-Fairbanks

*Matt Claman, D-Anchorage

Maxine Dibert, D-Fairbanks

*Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage

Bryce Edgmon, I-Dillingham

Ted Eischeid, D-Anchorage

Zack Fields, D-Anchorage

Neal Foster, D-Nome

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Alyse Galvin, I-Anchorage

*Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage

*Elvi Gray-Jackson, D-Anchorage

Carolyn Hall, D-Anchorage

Sara Hannan, D-Juneau

Rebecca Himschoot, I-Sitka

*Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel

Ky Holland, I-Anchorage

Andy Josephson, D-Anchorage

*Scott Kawasaki, D-Fairbanks

*Jesse Kiehl, D-Juneau

Donna Mears, D-Anchorage

*Kelly Merrick, R-Eagle River

Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage

*Donny Olson, D-Golovin

Calvin Schrage, I-Anchorage

*Bert Stedman, R-Sitka

*Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak

Andi Story, D-Juneau

Louise Stutes, R-Kodiak

*Loki Tobin, D-Anchorage

*Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage

Against

Jamie Allard, R-Eagle River

Jeremy Bynum, R-Ketchikan

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Mia Costello, R-Anchorage

Julie Coulombe, R-Anchorage

*Mike Cronk, R-Tok

Bill Elam, R-Nikiski

Andrew Gray, D-Anchorage

*Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer

Nellie Unangiq Jimmie, D-Bethel

DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer

*James Kaufman, R-Anchorage

Chuck Kopp, R-Anchorage

Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake

Elexie Moore, R-Wasilla

*Robert Myers, R-North Pole

David Nelson, R-Anchorage

Mike Prax, R-North Pole

George Rauscher, R-Sutton

Justin Ruffridge, R-Soldotna

Dan Saddler, R-Eagle River

Rebecca Schwanke, R-Glennallen

*Mike Shower, R-Wasilla

Will Stapp, R-Fairbanks

Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla

Frank Tomaszewski, R-Fairbanks

Jubilee Underwood, R-Wasilla

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Sarah Vance, R-Homer

*Robert Yundt, R-Wasilla

*senator

It was a fairly close vote, but in the end, I think we made the right decision, said Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak.

The Dunleavy administration has been working to promote in-state agriculture under the banner of food security since the COVID-19 pandemic emergency and a separate West Coast dock strike threatened to limit food imports to Alaska.

Alaska imports about 95% of its food.

Establishing a cabinet-level agricultural department, Dunleavy officials said, wouldnt directly aid agriculture, but it would create the framework for future improvements and bring greater attention to a sector of the state economy thats currently overshadowed by oil and gas development.

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A cabinet-level agricultural department was the No. 1 priority of the states food strategy task force and was endorsed by farmers and farm organizations across the state.

But on Wednesday, a variety of legislators said they were rejecting the governors proposal because he used an executive order, rather than legislation.

Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage, was among the legislators who said they were worried about protecting legislative prerogatives. An executive order cant be amended, meaning lawmakers were presented with a take-it-or-leave it proposal written as the governor wished.

While the public had an opportunity to testify on the (executive order), there was no opportunity for the public to testify about what they might want to see in a new department thats being created, Wielechowski said.

Rep. George Rauscher, R-Sutton, speaks in favor of the creation of an Alaska Department of Agriculture by executive order on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Sen. Lyman Hoffman, D-Bethel, said he would like to see a food security effort acknowledge Alaskas natural resources, including berries, birds, caribou, moose and salmon.

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We should be looking at how we manage those resources and access to those resources, he said. Lets not only look at the (Matanuska-Susitna) Valley. Lets look at all of the state of Alaska.

Other lawmakers objected to the proposals cost; initial estimates suggested that creating the department would add $2.7 million more per year to the state budget, with higher costs possible in subsequent years.

Later estimates suggested the department could be created at no additional cost.

Sen. Jesse Bjorkman, R-Nikiski, said he doesnt believe that estimate.

Theres no free lunch, he said.

Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, speaks against the creation of an Alaska Department of Agriculture by executive order on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Supporters of the governors executive order noted that the Alaska House last week passed a bill that would increase education spending by $272 million per year. The Alaska Senate is considering the revival of a pension program for public employees.

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In comparison, said Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, the cost of an agricultural department is inconsequential.

Ive never seen this building be too worried about those kinds of numbers, he said, referring to the cost of the proposed department.

Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, has been a key member of the states food security task force and an advocate of the executive order.

Alaska imports about $3 billion of food annually, she said.

Some of the money were sending out of state could be circulating here, she said, adding that exports are also a possibility if agriculture grows enough. When you bring in new dollars from outside  thats how you grow your economy, right?

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Creating the department through legislation will take time, Hughes said, and its possible that lawmakers wont have enough time to pass a bill.

Theres no assurance that we get all the way through, she said.

The reason why the executive order, though, is better than the bill, in my opinion, is because there would be no delay to the farmers, she said. Were approaching the growing season, and theyre busy right now preparing.

We can take one vote today, and they can get to work, and we can move on and work on other priorities, she said.

Earlier in the legislative session, support for the governors proposal appeared high, so much that a House committee voted against advancing the disapproval motion.

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Prior editions of the Legislature have simply declined to meet in joint session when presented with an executive order they supported, but this year, legislative attorneys said the meeting was required, not optional.

I know that we actually had the votes as of a week ago, Hughes said after the vote, and if I didnt hear the remarks about their willingness to hear a bill, Id be incredibly disappointed.

During floor debates, Shower suggested that some legislators voted to kill the executive order specifically to deny Dunleavy a win.

Hughes said she doesnt know for sure why the order failed but echoed Showers reasoning.

I might be wrong, but I kind of see this as DDS  Dunleavy Derangement Syndrome  and you know, its really unfortunate, she said.

Wielechowski and Stevens both said that opposition to the governor had nothing to do with their votes against the proposal.

I think it just makes a lot of sense  allowing us to have hearings, Stevens said.

Bills creating an agriculture department have already been introduced in the House and Senate, with the Senate version scheduled for a hearing next week, Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel said after the vote.

Hughes urged speedy action.

Am I going to put all my stakes in a bill going through quickly? No, but I think one should, Hughes said. I think one should. It should not drag into next year. They need to hear the bill. They need to move it through.
LILONGWE, March 20 (Xinhua) -- New Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Lu Xu on Wednesday reaffirmed the Chinese government's support for Malawi's 2063 Vision, describing it as "not just a wish list, but a shared manifesto."

During a welcome reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Malawi, Lu expressed her commitment to strengthening communication and cooperation across all sectors of Malawi during her tenure, aiming to implement the "important consensus" reached by the heads of state of both countries "and promote the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era."

The Chinese ambassador also pledged to promote the welfare of women in the southern African country, quoting President Xi Jinping's words: "Women are creators of human civilization and drivers of social progress, and they have made extraordinary achievements in all fields of endeavor."

During the reception, Lu symbolically handed over a model key to Malawian authorities, which represents the Judicial Complex funded by the Chinese government in Lilongwe, Malawi's capital.

Malawian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nancy Tembo hailed the Chinese government for its continued support in infrastructure development, agriculture, health, and education, among others.

Tembo described the Judicial Complex project as another "milestone" of Chinese infrastructure development in Lilongwe. "We're grateful for the Chinese support that has been rendered to Malawi. It is our wish that we strengthen this relationship for the benefit of both countries." 
ALBANY  Albany Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Barbara Rivera Holmes became part of Georgia history Tuesday when Gov. Brian Kemp appointed her commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor.

Marty and I are proud to make this historic announcement and to congratulate Barbara Rivera Holmes on her new leadership role that will benefit our entire state, Kemp said. As someone who has a proven track record of success in economic development and education, I know she will bring the same level of dedication to this position that she has to the people of Dougherty County and the surrounding area. I wish her continued success, both for her career and office, but especially on behalf of the hard-working people of Georgia.

Holmes will be sworn into office on April 4 and serve the remainder of the term won by Bruce Thompson in 2022. Thompson passed away last November.

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Im excited to continue serving Georgia, ready to continue building on a legacy and ready to be part of team Georgia, she said. Serving the Albany Area Chamber, our members and our community has been an incredible honor and responsibility.

Holmes was in her 10th year as president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber when approached by Kemp about the Labor position. She also served as CEO of the Albany Area Chamber Foundation. Under her leadership, the organizations built economic opportunity, community, and a path forward for Albanys future by solving businesses greatest challenges, working with decisionmakers to inform smart policy, and partnering with employers and educators to build a modern and adaptive workforce.

Previously, she served as vice president of the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission, overseeing the development of its brand, marketing campaigns, and its successful business retention and expansion program, which facilitates existing industry job creation and capital investment in Albany-Dougherty County.

Prior to her work at the ADEDC, Holmes was senior business writer for The Albany Herald, where she earned four Georgia Associated Press awards for excellence in journalism. In 2018, she was appointed by former Gov. Nathan Deal to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia and also served as co-chair of the Georgia Innovates Task Force to help design the states innovation blueprint. Earlier this year, Kemp appointed Holmes to the House Rural Development Council.

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Barbara is an excellent choice for commissioner of Labor, Deal said. She brings years of experience in economic development, work force, and higher education to the job. Barbara will join a talented team helping ensure our state continues to be the best place for business, raise a family, and call home.

I want to extend my congratulations to Barbara Rivera Holmes on her appointment to serve as Georgias Labor Commissioner, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said. As we continue to mourn the loss of our dear friend and former Commissioner Bruce Thompson, we warmly welcome Ms. Holmes. Her role as the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, along with her extensive background in business and work force development, make her a great fit to take on this important role. I look forward to working with her on key issues impacting Georgias businesses, work force, and overall economic success.

I am thrilled to congratulate my friend and a great Georgian, Barbara Rivera Holmes, on her historic appointment to serve as Georgia Labor Commissioner, state Ag Commissioner Tyler Harper said. As a long-time resident of Albany, I know Barbara has a deep understanding of Georgias No. 1 industry, and she knows that for Georgias farm families, agriculture is more than just a job or a hobby  it is our way of life. Im excited to welcome Barbara to our fantastic team of constitutional officers, and I look forward to working together to deliver for Georgia farmers and consumers alike.

Local officials joined state leaders in praising Holmes.

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We are deeply grateful for Barbaras visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to the Albany Area Chamber and the community, Smith Wilson, the 2025 chair of the Chambers Board of Directors and a partner of the Gardner Willis Plaire & Wilson law firm, said. Her contributions have been instrumental in shaping the future of the chamber and Albany. We are confident she will continue to make an impact and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Holmes is fluent in Spanish. She graduated as a double major from Florida Southern College, where she studied Journalism and Spanish. She told The Albany Herald she and her family will continue to live in Albany.
Alex Wheatle, who has died aged 62, rose to become Britains pre-eminent black novelist after a difficult and inauspicious upbringing; his early story, which involved unhappy years in care and a spell in prison, was told in Alex Wheatle (2020), one of the five films that made up the director Steve McQueens BBC television series, Small Axe.

Wheatles writing was very much a reflection of the post-Windrush black experience in the UK; despite his lifes dark start, his work is riven with a subtle humour. His debut novel Brixton Rock (1999), which received the London Arts Board New Writers Award, told the story of a boy growing up in a childrens home and struggling to find his feet. Wheatle gives us a fascinating snapshot of black English life in the early Eighties, said the Telegraph.

Wheatles early struggles furnished the plotlines of many of his nearly 20 books, earning him the sobriquet Bard of Brixton; although sometimes disguised, Brixton and its south London environs framed much of his work.

Alex Alphonso Wheatle was born to Jamaican parents in Brixton on January 3 1963. Although his mother, Almira Gunter, nee Panceta Da Costa, had had five children in Jamaica, her marriage there was volatile, and in 1961 she travelled to London, securing a job at Woolworths in Brixton.

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She met Wheatles father Alfred, a carpenter  then, when she was six months pregnant with Alex, her husband arrived from Jamaica looking for her. A solution was arrived at: after she had given birth, she would return to Jamaica and Alfred would bring up the child.

But he did so only until the boy was two, then went back to Jamaica. Alex was taken into care and spent most of his childhood at Shirley Oaks childrens home in Croydon. Many years later, the home would become infamous for the psychological and physical abuse residents had suffered.

Wheatles debut novel won the London Arts Board New Writers Award

Wheatle, who in later years campaigned to uncover the truth about the home, recalled: I would be beaten with everything, almost every day. Fire pokers. Bits of wood. Coal being thrown at me. Wooden hairbrushes. Shoes. The abuse I suffered was purely physical. Others were abused sexually, but I never was, he told the BBC World Service series Lives Less Ordinary.

At the home Alex was painfully aware that he had no one. Every Sunday, family members would pay visits, but his never did. I used to hate Sundays, he recalled. Relatives were coming down and I would put on my best clothes. It really, really broke me. I used to get up really early and watch the first parents walking down to our cottage, wondering if mine would walk down behind them. But that was never the case.

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He chronicled his time at Shirley Oaks in his 2023 memoir Sufferah, which tells the story of how reggae became his salvation.

Sheyi Cole in 2020 as Alex Wheatle in Steve McQueens Small Axe - Parisa Taghizadeh/BBC

Wheatle was also partly saved by his love of reading. When I was about eight I was given a copy of Treasure Island. I loved it. I had an aptitude for reading from very early. When I read in bed it transported my mind to different places. Tom Sawyer transported me to the USA and I could imagine I was on a raft down the Mississippi.

Reggae provided further escape routes: in his mid-teens, under the name of Yardman Irie  who would later become a character in his second novel, East of Acre Lane  he helped to establish the Crucial Rocker sound system. I wrote lyrics for performances in community halls, youth clubs, house parties and blues dances.

These first efforts at writing for public consumption coincided with his move from Shirley Oaks to living alone in Brixton. But before his writing could develop, he was arrested during the Brixton riots in 1981 and given a four-month jail sentence.

Wheatles 2023 autobiography chronicled his brutal childhood and redemption through reggae

Fortunately for Wheatle, his cellmate at Wormwood Scrubs was an older Rastafarian who encouraged Wheatle to educate himself, introducing him to such authors as Chester Himes, Richard Wright, CLR James and John Steinbeck.

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But it would be nearly 20 years before Brixton Rock was published. During this time Wheatle married, became a father of three and travelled to Jamaica and tracked down his parents.

Two years after Brixton Rock came East of Acre Lane, the story of Biscuit, a young petty criminal who becomes embroiled in ghetto politics and small-time gangsterism. Wheatle weaves witty patois dialogue and cool, crisp narrative into a tone of playful irony, wholly free of rant or rancour, said the Telegraph.

A consequence of several meetings with his parents was Wheatles 2005 book Island Songs, a mature and measured work set largely in Jamaica, epic in scope, tragic yet hilarious, with calm and spacious prose.

Wheatles award-winning 2016 Young Adults novel was set in a disguised Brixton

Ten years later Alex Wheatle was writing excellent and well-received Young Adult novels, though they were enjoyable for all ages. His 2016 YA novel Crongton Knights, set in a disguised Brixton, won that years Guardian Childrens Fiction Prize and was adapted for a BBC television series due to come out later this year. Cane Warriors (2020) was a riveting fictionalised version of a Jamaican slave rebellion in 1760.

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In 2024 Alex Wheatle was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which had already spread to his bone marrow. Aware of the propensity of black men to suffer from the disease he embarked on an awareness campaign, drawing on his experiences working in prisons, lecturing about literature and teaching self-help through writing.

In 2008 Wheatle was appointed MBE for services to literature.

Alex Wheatle married, in 1999, Beverley Robinson; they had a daughter and two sons.

Alex Wheatle, born January 3 1963, died March 16 2025

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- He was known to many as Sammya familiar face on the streets of Odessa. People remember him sitting on the rock in front of Rosas Cafe on 8th Street, waving, smiling, and chatting with those who passed by. He had fallen on hard times, but those who knew him say he was kind and gentle- like a big teddy bear. But on the evening of March 23, 2020, Sammys life came to a violent and tragic end.

Somewhere between 6 and 8 p.m., in the alley behind a convenience store at 10th & Dixie, 56-year-old Samuel Jones was brutally stabbed to death.

Who would kill a man like Sammy? And why? Five years later, those questions remain unanswered. We spoke with Susan Rogers, CEO of Odessa Crime Stoppers to shed light on the tragic murder and cold case of Samuel, a man known for his kindness.

WATCH: Rogers on the murder of Samuel Jones & the case gone cold:

Sammy had been homeless for several years, often staying near 8th and Dixie, an area where he was well-known. On the night of his death, police believe he got into an argument with someone in the alleybut no one knows who.

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What they do know is that the fight ended in multiple stab woundsthe injuries that took Sammys life. Despite happening in a busy part of town, no witnesses have come forward.

Between 6 and 8 p.m8th and Dixie is a busy intersection, Susan Rogers, CEO of Odessa Crime Stoppers said. There was a convenience store right there, and we believe someone saw something. You may not have realized it at the time, but you saw something that night.

Who Was Sammy Jones?

Though he was living on the streets, Sammy wasnt a stranger to Odessa. He was a hometown boy, attending Permian High School for a time before moving away for college. He eventually returned and worked in construction and roofing before hard times hit.

A lot of people remembered Sammy when this happened, Rogers said. I was surprised by how many people called us to say what a sweet man he was and how sad they were to hear what happened to him.

Sammys family still lives in Odessa and other parts of Texas. He has sisters and a niece who have spent the last four years wondering what really happened in that alley. They still want answers.

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Investigators searched tirelessly for answers after Sammys murder. They interviewed people who lived in the area. They spoke to members of the local homeless community, hoping someone might know something. They even put up flyers with tear-off phone numbers and set up an anonymous tip drop-box to encourage people to come forward.

A lot of homeless people dont trust law enforcement, Rogers explained. Even if they saw something, they may have been afraid to talk. But if you knew Sammy, if you were in his situation at the time but have gotten back on your feetwe need you to come forward.

There was surveillance video from the convenience store, but it only captured Sammy going inside the store before the attack. The alley itself had no cameras, and no vehicles were seen coming or going.

Even so, investigators believe this case is solvable.

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In a Crime Stoppers case highlight, one of the first Detectives to arrive in the alley, Donny Rocha, recalled what the scene looked like. Rocha said Sammy was sitting facing the wall, and possibly attacked from behind.

Credit: Odessa Crime Stoppers

He was in his own pool of bloodon the wall, himself, the alleyI could not tell you if he was shot or stabbed. I didnt know how he died, there was so much blood Rocha shared in Odessa Crime Stoppers Behind the Line Podcast.

Throughout the investigation, detectives also learned Sammy had a stroke months prior to his murder, causing him to walk with a cane. After going through every lead we hadwe exhausted all leadsWe need the publics help. Just because Samuel Jones lived in a tent out here in the city, were not treating it any differently, Rocha said.

Theres been hundreds of hours of work done on Sammys case, Rogers said. But we still need that one tip that can finally bring justice to his family.

WATCH: Investigators believe someone out there holds the key to solving this case:

Five years is a long time to wonder. To wait. To live with the weight of a secret.

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Maybe you were there that night. Maybe you saw Sammy arguing with someone. Maybe you saw someone leaving that alley and thought nothing of it at the time.

But now, you might hold the key to solving this case.

If you have any information about the murder of Sammy Jones, please contact Odessa Crime Stoppers at 432-333-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through the P3 Tips app. You can also click this link to submit an online tip.

You will remain anonymous, and tips leading to an arrest could be worth a cash reward.

Even though he had fallen on hard times, Sammy was still a brother, an uncle, and a friend, Rogers said. His family deserves to know what happened to him that night.

WATCH: Rogers on Sammys familys need for closure

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
Amazon is suing the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) over an order it issued to the company related to recalling third-party sellers items.

The order that triggered the lawsuit came years after the CPSC initially recalled more than 400,000 units of products sold on Amazons marketplace through merchants signed up for Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA). That recall spurred an investigation, and years later, a decision that Amazon would be responsible for recalling hazardous products sold on its marketplaces, even if they are listed by third-party sellers.

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At the time of the order, the CPSC determined that Amazon should be categorized as a distributor, rather than a third-party logistics provider, for its FBA program. In that order, it noted that the company does considerably more than is allowed by the definition of third-party logistics provider.

That distinction is important because distributors are subject to more stringent regulations than third-party logistics providers. In its new lawsuit, Amazon insists, as it did leading up to and upon being handed the CPSCs order, that it should be qualified as the latter. If the CPSC had classified it that way, that would have shielded Amazon from the responsibility associated with processing recalls.

The Commission may issue recall orders to the manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of a product, but not to third-party logistics providers who store the product in their warehouses and transport it to customers, Amazon wrote in its complaint.

When the order first came down last year, an Amazon spokesperson promised that the company would appeal the CPSCs decision. Now, it has made good on that threat.

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In the lawsuit, filed March 14, Amazon alleges that the CPSC and its current commissioners have oversteppedby ordering Amazon to conduct a wide-ranging recall of products that were manufactured, owned, and sold by third parties, and thus, treating it as a distributor rather than a third-party logistics company.

Amazon alleges that the CPSC has used its power to act as judge, jury, and prosecutor in the same proceeding, violating the constitutional rights of the company.

The body that voted to file the complaint against Amazon the commissionersalso has the power to hear the evidence, decide factual disputes, interpret and apply the law to the facts and fashion the remedy. That arrangement contravenes Amazons Fifth Amendment rights because it violates the [Supreme] Courts longstanding teaching that ordinarily no man can be a judge in his own case consistent with the Due Process Clause, Amazon states in its claim.

But the company doesnt merely take the issue with how its fate was decidedit also believes it shouldnt be delineated as a distributor, primarily because it doesnt sell many of the products for sale on its own platform. Instead, because it fulfills orders for sellers that price, create listings for and supply their own products, and because Amazon does not sell or take title to any of the products, it asserts that it should be categorized as a third-party logistics provider.

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Amazon falls within the definition of [a] third-party logistics provider with respect to products sold using the FBA service because it does not manufacture, own or sell those products, but instead stores and ships them on behalf of third-party sellers who retain title throughout the transaction, the company states.

In its complaint, it requests that a judge vacate a final order from the CPSC, filed in January, that required the company to take further action on the recalls. It also asks that a judge label Amazon a third-party logistics provider rather than a distributor and that the court rules that the CPSCs prior actions unconstitutional.

Non-profit Consumer Reports supported the CPSCs decision when it was first announced last year, and it continues to believe that Amazon should be held responsible for the items it fulfills for third-party sellers.

William Wallace, director of safety for Consumer Reports, said the lawsuit, which alleges overreach of power on behalf of the CPSC, is a power grab from the e-tailer. He also stated that Amazon should be classified as a distributor, not a third-party logistics company.

Amazon wants to be held blameless for the safety of products sold by third parties on its platform, which is bad enoughbut whats even worse is that the company is attacking the legal foundation on which the CPSC rests, Wallace said in a statement. Amazons suit suggests the company thinks the people of the United States would be better off without an independent, bipartisan safety agency to enforce our laws and protect consumers from dangerous products. We strongly disagree and condemn Amazons reckless constitutional claims.
MANY EUROPEANS ARE BEGINNING to question (some honestly and some self-servingly) whether the United States extended nuclear deterrent still provides a shield over its allies. In fairness, this is a time for some transatlantic introspection. That said, it is also a time to be clear-eyed about what can and cannot be accomplished.

First, despite the official statements and pundits predictions emanating from Europe, there is no indication that the Trump administration is planning to modify the United States more than seventy-year pledge to use our conventional and nuclear forces to defend NATO. In a February 27 press conference, Trump affirmed his support of NATOs key Article 5, a statement later confirmed to NBC News by a National Security Council official in a written statement that said: President Trump is committed to NATO and Article V.

Second, there is no European substitute for the U.S. nuclear umbrella. The independent British deterrent, while committed to NATO and coordinated with U.S. forces in NATO plans, is designed principally to impose unacceptable costs on Russia in response to an attack on Britainand therefore to deter such an attack. But it has always been assumed that the U.K.s extended deterrence commitments would be supported by much larger and more flexible U.S. forces. As for France, despite recent, repeated posturing by President Emmanuel Macron that the French nuclear deterrent force can assume the role currently played by the United States, the so-called force de frappeby design and by doctrineis, as French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu stated in late February, French, and it will remain French. Lecornu has also specifically rejected any pooling of Frances nuclear weapons capability. A strategy of tearing an arm off the aggressor may have made sense in the Cold War, when American nuclear forces were always the ultimate backstop (or backup), but such a strategy cannot be a substitute for the U.S. defense commitment under Article 5.

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NATO, for over sixty years, has followed a policy of flexible response, planning to deter aggression by threatening to respond as the situation requires. NATOs integrated response plans are developed according to this principle. NATO nations agree on a combined nuclear policy by participating in a variety of NATO forums, especially the Nuclear Planning Group. Some NATO nations have committed their aircraft to carry out wartime missions carrying U.S. nuclear weapons, while those planes (and American ones) are protected by fighters from other NATO states.

From the beginning of its nuclear weapons program, France has refused to take part in coordinated NATO activity involving nuclear weapons policy or planning. (One of the authors of this article was intimately involved in reaching out to the French in this regard for over a decade.) It has disdained joining NATOs nuclear forums, even as an observer. It is notable, in this regard, that even when France returned to the alliances integrated military structure in 2009, it specifically chose not to join the Nuclear Planning Group. Its nuclear doctrine differs dramatically from NATOs, advertising rigidity rather than flexibility. Even accepting the extremely unlikely hypothetical (for the sake of argument) that French policy would change, it is inconceivable that Paris would share with other allies the burden and risk of its nuclear deterrent, which was entirely predicated on the need to maintain national sovereignty.

Third, the idea that NATO would be strengthened if two or more of its members opted out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty to develop their own nuclear weapons is risible. Opening Pandoras box to allow proliferation will create global uncertainties, as European proliferation would almost certainly propel proliferation elsewhere: There is a growing discussion in South Korea about restarting its nuclear weapons program, and the greater Middle East could see a proliferation race among several rival powers. A proliferated world, in which the possibility of the actual use of nuclear weapons is dramatically higher, would be extraordinarily dangerous. Even allowing the argument that the new nuclear states themselves might be more secure against direct coercion and aggression, the rest of Europe would be left in the cold. The American nuclear umbrella has been the most effective nonproliferation policy imaginable.

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Finally, the idea that the United States should establish a nuclear weapons site in Poland (at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars) is unlikely to fly with a Trump administration already seeking to cut infrastructure funding. It might even, paradoxically, be more of an accelerant than a deterrent, since it might become a tempting target for Russian pre-emptive strikes in a crisis. If Warsaw desires a nuclear role, it should have some of its pilots join existing NATO dual-capable squadrons.

The answer, however unsatisfactory to those neo-Gaullists seeking to achieve the impossible dream of a French-led Europe, is that every effort must be made to keep the American umbrella in placeand even to strengthen itin the near term with a nuclear sea-launched cruise missile and in the mid-term with a standoff weapon for NATOs dual-capable aircraft. If the French are serious about strengthening deterrence rather than virtue signaling about the European dimension of their independent deterrent, they should consider how Paris can practically add to NATOs collective nuclear deterrent capabilities. A first step would be to join the Nuclear Planning Group, its subordinate bodies, and the alliances nuclear planning arrangements.

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An American citizen who has spent more than two years in detention in Afghanistan was released on Thursday, and is now on his way to the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.

George Glezmann, 66, was released after weeks of negotiations led by Qatari and US mediators.

Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, Rubio said in a statement. A US official told CNN that no one was released in exchange for Glezmann.

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A source with the knowledge of the situation said that negotiations had been going on for weeks and that a breakthrough was made by Qatar during a recent meeting with the Taliban.

US hostage envoy Adam Boehler had also been in close contact with his Qatari counterparts to secure Glezmanns release, the source said.

Boehler and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad traveled to Kabul on were accompanying Glezmann on the journey back to the US.

Photographs of Boehler and Khalilzad meeting with Taliban officials were released by a spokesperson for Afghanistans Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

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Khalilzad confirmed Glezmanns release on X, saying: Today is a good day. We succeeded in obtaining the release of an American citizen, Georg(e) Glezmann, after two years in detention in Kabul.

The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to (the US president) and the American people. George is on his way home to his family, he added.

Glezmanns wife Aleksandra has spoken with him, according to a lawyer for the family.

They are overjoyed and grateful. And relieved, Dennis Fitzpatrick told CNN.

This photograph released by a spokesperson for Afghanistans foreign ministry show US hostage envoy Adam Boehler (fourth from left) and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad (third from left) meeting with Taliban officials. - From Hafiz Zia Ahmad, IEA-MoFA Director of Public Communication and Deputy Spokesman/X

Glezmann was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, some 16 months after the group retook control of Afghanistan, and was declared wrongfully detained by the US in September 2023.

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He had traveled to Afghanistan for a five-day trip to explore the cultural landscape and rich history of the country, according to US Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, who campaigned for Glezmanns release.

The two lawmakers from Georgia, Glezmanns home state, said last July that he was held in a nine-foot by nine-foot cell with other detainees and has been held in solitary confinement and underground for months at a time.

In the period up to July 2024, Glezmann had not been granted any consular visits by US officials and had only seven phone calls totaling 54 minutes with his family, the senators said.

They added that Glezmann received limited in-person visits with representatives of Qatar.

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The US does not have a diplomatic presence in Afghanistan, having closed its embassy there after the Taliban takeover in August 2022. Instead, Qatar represents the US in Afghanistan, acting as its protective power.

Rubio said on Thursday that Qatar has consistently proven to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations.

We extend our deepest appreciation to the State of Qatar, whose diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing Georges release, he said.

Glezmann is the third US citizen to be freed from Afghanistan this year, after Ryan Corbett and William McKenty were released in a prisoner exchange in January.

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The deal to release Corbett and McKenty was struck in the last hours of former President Joe Bidens time in office after the Taliban agreed to swap them for Khan Mohammed, a Taliban member who was serving a life sentence for narco-terrorism in a US prison.

That agreement was also facilitated by Qatar, which hosted several rounds of US negotiations with the Taliban and also provided logistical support to the operations to get the pair out of Kabul, according to multiple people familiar with the details of the swap.

This photo provided to CNN by a Qatari diplomat shows George Glezmann (center) flanked by Boehler (left) and Khalilzad (right) in Kabul, Afghanistan, before departing to Doha, Qatar. - Courtesy Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs

US officials had wanted Glezmann and another American held in Afghanistan, Mahmoud Habibi, to be part of the deal, and expressed disappointment at the time that the two werent handed over in January. However, they said they couldnt turn down the offer for at least Corbett and McKenty.

The Taliban has never acknowledged holding Habibi but the US still considers him a hostage.

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Ahmad Habibi, one of Mahmood Habibis brothers, said in a statement that the family was grateful that George is about to be reunited with his family.

We are also grateful that Special Envoy Boehler and Ambassador Khalilzad confronted the Taliban about their refusal to admit they are holding my brother. We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the US to move forward, he said, adding that the family have reason to be confident that Habibi was alive and in Taliban custody, despite Talibans denials.

Glezmanns wife Aleksandra Glezmann said last July that her husbands health was failing. In a letter to Biden, she wrote that he had a benign tumor on one side of his face, was losing vision in one eye and had developed sores and ulcers on his body.

CNNs Betsy Klein and Jennifer Hansler contributed reporting.

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An American was freed from Afghanistan on Thursday after more than two years in Taliban captivity in a deal brokered by Qatar.

George Glezmann, a Delta Air Lines mechanic, has left Kabul and is now on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. U.S. officials traveled to Kabul to bring Glezmann home, an American official said.

The Trump administration was engaged with representatives of the Taliban to secure Glezmanns release, according to a U.S. official with direct knowledge of the discussions, but he was not freed as part of a larger prisoner exchange.

Senior Trump adviser Adam Boehler and Zalmay Khalilzad, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, meet with Afghanistan Foreign Affairs Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Afghanistans Foreign Affairs Ministry released photos of Adam Boehler, a senior adviser to President Donald Trump, and former U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad meeting with the Taliban.

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With a mandate to secure the release of unjustly detained Americans overseas, envoy Adam Boehler has been in close contact with his Qatari counterparts on this case, the diplomat with knowledge of the release told NBC News. Following weeks of negotiations, a breakthrough was made by the Qataris during recent meetings with the Taliban.

In a statement, Rubio extended his appreciation to Qatar, which he said was instrumental in securing Glezmann.

Glezmanns release is a positive and constructive step, Rubio said, noting the Trump administrations commitment to securing the release of unjustly detained U.S. citizens.

The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to @POTUS and the American people, Khalilzad said of Glezmann in a post on X.

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It is unclear what the terms of the release are, although the diplomat who spoke to NBC News said Glezmanns release was not a swap.

In a post on X, Afghanistans Foreign Affairs Ministry also said the move was a goodwill gesture.

According to a bill filed in the Senate calling for his release, Glezmann was in Afghanistan in December 2022 on a five-day trip to explore the cultural landscape and rich history of the country when he was arrested by Taliban authorities and held without charge.

Two Taliban officials in the intelligence department told NBC News that they had followed him for a few days and that when they were sure he was spying on their leaders and their activities, they decided to take him into custody. The officials declined to provide more details about what activities led them to believe he was a spy.

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The Trump administration continues to call for the release of Afghan American Mahmoud Habibi and for all Americans detained in Afghanistan to be set free. Habibi is a civil aviation engineer who had worked for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in Afghanistan, and has been detained since August 2022.

In an official statement, the Taliban put the release in the context of relations with the United States and the rest of the world, saying the U.S. officials meeting with a delegation led by Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was a significant step in rebuilding diplomatic engagement.

The hyperconservative Taliban government has been isolated diplomatically since it ousted U.S.-backed President Ashraf Ghani in August 2021, followed by the chaotic American withdrawal from the country, and it is eager for re-engagement and foreign investment.

Continued discussions could pave the way for broader political and economic cooperation between the two countries, the Taliban statement added.

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Afghanistan is one of the worlds poorest countries, and the government has been severely criticized for its treatment of women, who are barred from appearing in public without a male family member and an all-covering burqa, speaking loudly or pursuing anything beyond a primary education, among other things.

Two other Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were released from Afghanistan this year in a deal struck during the final days of the Biden administration in exchange for a member of the Taliban being held in U.S. custody.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Thursday that American national George Glezmann was on his way back to the U.S. after being released by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers. Glezmann, an Atlanta native, had been in custody after being detained by Taliban authorities while on a tourist visit to Afghanistan in December 2022.

He had been deemed wrongfully detained by the U.S. government.

Rubio thanked Qatar, saying the nation's "steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing George's release."

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His statement came after former U.S. government envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad posted a statement on X announcing Glezmann's release, which he called "a goodwill gesture" to President Trump by the Taliban.

In this handout photo released by Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs, George Glezmann, center, poses with Adam Boehler, second left, and Zalmay Khalilzad, second right, and Qatari diplomats in Kabul, Afghanistan, Thursday, March 20, 2025, before departing to Doha, Qatar. / Credit: / AP

Mr. Trump, Khalilzad said, had "made the freedom and homecoming of Americans held abroad a high priority. It is an honor to assist in this important effort."

"George joins American Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, who were released from Afghanistan on the night of President Trump's inauguration and returned home to their families," Rubio said in his statement, adding: "George's release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world."

Corbet and McKenty were released in January in exchange for a Taliban figure who had been imprisoned in California on drug trafficking and terrorism charges.

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Before President Joe Biden left office, his administration had also been working on a deal to secure the release of Corbett, Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and also went missing in 2022. The Taliban has denied holding Habibi.

Since retaking control of Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal in the summer of 2021, the Taliban movement has failed to gain international recognition as the country's rightful rulers. Most nations, including the U.S., have refused to engage in formal diplomatic relations due to the Taliban's draconian crackdown on human rights, which has seen the Islamic extremist group erase virtually every freedom granted to Afghan women and girls during the two decades of Western-backed governance.

The Taliban regime has tried to show that, despite those domestic policies, it is aligned with the U.S. in its determination to rid Afghanistan of the threat posed by ISIS.

A statement issued Thursday by Afghanistan's Taliban-run Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Glezmann's release "a goodwill gesture, reflecting Afghanistan's readiness to genuinely engage all sides, particularly the United States of America, on the basis of mutual respect and interests."

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"The end of conflict in Afghanistan, suppression of corrupt groups such as Daesh [ISIS], and no threat emanating from Afghanistan towards others, demonstrates that Afghanistan can play a positive role in regional and world stability, and is able to resolve its issues with the world on amicable terms," the statement said.

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George Glezmann, a U.S. citizen who was detained by the Taliban for more than two years, has been released, according to the State Department.

"Today, after two and a half years of captivity in Afghanistan, Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann is on his way to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Rubio thanked Qatar, which said it "facilitated" the release of Glezmann, for its "steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts," calling Qatari officials "instrumental in securing George's release."

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"George's release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio added. "It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world."

Afghanistan is classified by the State Department as a Level 4 country, meaning Americans should not travel there under any circumstances.

Glezmann, an airline mechanic for Delta Air Lines, was visiting Afghanistan as a tourist in late 2022 and intended to spend five days in the country exploring its history and culture, according to his family. He was detained by the Taliban's intelligence service on Dec. 5 but was never charged with any crime or offense.

PHOTO: A handout picture released by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows US citizen George Glezmann (C) posing for a picture in Kabul, March 20, 2025, ahead of their departure to Doha. (QATARI MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS/AFP via Getty Images)

MORE: 2 Americans freed from Afghanistan in prisoner swap, family and Taliban say

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In September 2023, he was declared wrongfully detained by the Biden administration.

The Taliban jailed Glezmann in a 9-foot-by-9-foot cell with other detainees and sometimes held him in "solitary confinement and underground for months at a time," according to a resolution put forward by Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock from Glezmann's home state of Georgia.

While in custody, Glezmann also suffered from "from facial tumors, hypertension, severe malnutrition and other medical conditions" and experienced a rapid decline in his physical and mental health, per the senators.

Talks aimed at bringing Glezmann home have been happening on and off since shortly after his detention, according to U.S. officials.

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Negotiators came close in January, when officials cut a deal to bring Americans Ryan Corbett and another U.S. national in a prisoner swap -- but the Taliban rejected efforts to include Glezmann in the exchange.

"Today is a good day. We succeeded in obtaining the release of an American citizen, Georg Glezmann, after two years in detention in Kabul," former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad posted on X following his release. "The Taliban government agreed to free him as a goodwill gesture to @POTUS and the American people. George is on his way home to his family."

MORE: US to swap Marc Fogel for Russian cybercrime kingpin Alexander Vinnik: Official

Taliban foreign affairs office posted on X that U.S. and Taliban officials met in Afghanistan on Thursday and discussed "bilateral relations" and "positive economic relations" as they negotiated the release of Glezmann.

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Glezmann has arrived in Doha, Qatar, per the Qatari government, and is travelling with Adam Boehler, the Trump administration's special envoy for hostage response, and is likely to arrive back in the United States on Friday, according to a U.S. official, though the plans could change.

"I can't wait to see George and help him on his road to recovery as we rebuild our lives," Glezmann's wife told WSB. "We are forever grateful to President Trump for bringing George home."

American George Glezmann freed by Taliban after being detained for over 2 years originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Beauty of Seasons: Spring Equinox

People's Daily Online) 08:13, March 20, 2025

Hello, everyone! I'm Sisi, a travel enthusiast! Today is Chunfen, or Spring Equinox, the fourth solar term of the traditional Chinese calendar and a day of balanced light and warmth. Join me as we explore Wuhan city, central China's Hubei Province, and unlock its spring highlights!

In March, Wuhan's cherry blossoms are in full bloom. At the East Lake Cherry Blossom Park, they blanket paths, spill over hillsides, and are reflected in the lake, painting the entire park with the colors of spring. The breeze carries the scent of the blossoms, wrapping the city in a gentle embrace.

The Spring Equinox solar term is a time for outings and flying kites. On the East Lake Greenway, colorful kites soar; along the Yangtze River Bridge, runners enjoy the spring vibes. The whole city springs to life.

Ancient people saw the Spring Equinox as a time of balance, which is a perfect time for brewing. In the early morning at Hubu Alley, the air is filled with the mellow fragrance of rice wine and the fresh scent of sophora flowers. A bowl of rice wine, a bite of Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles with Sesame Paste  even breakfast carries the sweetness of spring.

The Spring Equinox solar term is also shared by the world. For example, Nowruz, coinciding with the Spring Equinox, is Central Asia's New Year to welcome spring. On this day, many countries like Iran, India, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan celebrate the growth of everything and hope for a bright future.

From the Yellow Crane Tower, I gaze at the Yangtze's spring-warmed water and the endless sky. To you afar, I capture the essence of spring and seal it within this letter: "Like an honored guest, the spring breeze brings us prosperity upon its arrival."

(Zhang Heyun, as an intern, also contributed to this article.)

(Web editor: Wu Chaolan, Sheng Chuyi)
OTTAWA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of vehicles have been damaged at a Tesla dealership in Canada, which is believed to be the largest car vandalism in the country against the U.S. company, local media reported Thursday.

According to CBC News, Hamilton police officers were called to the dealership near Lime Ridge Mall in the Ontario city on Wednesday and discovered upwards of 80 Tesla vehicles parked outdoors were damaged.

The police said the damage included "deep scratches and punctured tires."

In Canadian cities, Tesla vehicles and dealerships have been targeted by vandals since U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to oversee the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.

In London, Ontario, police are investigating a suspicious fire at a local parking lot where a 2025 four-door Tesla Model S was on fire, said the report.

On Wednesday, Montreal police arrested two activists for spray painting outside a Tesla dealership. A climate group claimed responsibility and called on Canada to "stand up" to Musk, who they said is "destroying democracies and spreading climate denial," said the report.

A Vancouver auto show removed Tesla vehicles from its event this week, citing safety concerns, reported CBC News. 
George Glezmann, an American airline mechanic held by the Taliban since 2022, has been released, the State Department announced Thursday.

George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now hes on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on the social platform X. Welcome home, George!

Glezmann is from Atlanta and the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since the start of the year. He was captured in December 2022 and designated by the U.S. as wrongfully detained, The Associated Press reported.

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The other two other Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, were released in a prisoner swap negotiated by the Biden administration shortly before former President Biden left office.

The Taliban praised the January swap as a step toward the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Afghanistans leaders. At the time, Glezmann and Mahmood Habibi, another American prisoner, remained in custody.

After the prisoner swap, Rubio said there would be a VERY BIG bounty on the Talibans top leaders after he learned of more Americans being imprisoned. The Taliban shot back with a warning for Rubio.

Unlike the January deal, the U.S. did not provide the Taliban with a prisoner to secure Glezmanns release. An official told the AP said it was done as a goodwill gesture.

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Georges release is a positive and constructive step, Rubio said in a statement. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan.

Glezmann was accompanied back to the U.S. through Qatars capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, Trumps special envoy for hostage response, the AP reported.

Qatar has helped negotiate between the U.S. and the Taliban for years. The State Department thanked Qatar for its steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic  An American who was the last person believed to have been seen with missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki in the Dominican Republic was back in the United States on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after, he said, authorities forced him to stay in the Caribbean nation and confiscated his passport.

NBC News saw Joshua Riibe at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo, the countrys capital, where he boarded a plane and took off Wednesday evening. NBC News was first to report that he had landed back on U.S. soil.

He was with a man whom Riibe's attorney's have identified as his father. They were accompanied by a woman at the check-in area who stayed behind as they went through the security screening.

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NBC News saw an airport employee assisting in boarding.

Riibe's departure ends what his attorneys allege was a dayslong detainment in the Dominican Republic as investigators questioned him in connection with Konankis disappearance on March 6.

Joshua Riibe walks with lawyers into court in Higuey, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday.

Riibe, 22, has been kept under police supervision at the hotel where Konanki was staying on a spring break trip when she vanished, according to Riibe and his attorneys. Local authorities also confiscated Riibes passport, they said.

Riibe, a senior at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, has not been charged with a crime, and no suspects in Konankis disappearance have been named, according to the Dominican Republic National Police.

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A Dominican judge ruled Tuesday that he was no longer required to be under police supervision.

Riibe would have needed to go to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo to obtain an emergency U.S. passport in the country.

The US Embassy is in communication with him and his family and his lawyer, and we are providing consular assistance as well, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a briefing Wednesday before Riibes departure.

One of Riibe's attorneys said in a statement Wednesday evening that the La Altagracia Prosecutors Office told Riibe after Tuesday's hearing that it was prepared return the passport Wednesday; however, Riibe decided to apply for a new one through the U.S. government for "privacy reasons."

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A new passport was "issued urgently," the attorney said.

Prosecutors had said in open court Tuesday that they did not know where Riibe's passport was.

National Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Riibe's departure. The country's attorney general did not immediately respond to a request for information about his passport.

Sudiksha Konanki.

Konanki's disappearance has drawn widespread attention in recent weeks.

Konanki, a junior at the University of Pittsburgh, was on spring break with five friends at a beach resort in Punta Cana when she disappeared early March 6. That morning, her friends returned to the hotel from the beach, but she stayed behind with people she met from the trip, authorities said.

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Riibe, who is from Rock Rapids, Iowa, told local investigators in an interview last week that he was on the beach with Konanki shortly before she disappeared, according to a transcript of the interview obtained by NBC News.

The transcript says Riibe and Konanki were in waist-deep water, talking and kissing a little, before a wave crashed, taking them both out to sea.

Police have said they found no signs of violence at the beach. A spokesperson for the hotel where Konanki was staying also said red flags, which indicate that the sea had a strong current and very high waves, were flying on the morning she vanished.

Konanki's parents told reporters outside their home in Loudoun County, Virginia, that they have given up hope that their daughter is still alive.

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We are coming to terms with the fact that our daughter has drowned, her father, Subbarayudu Konanki, said through tears. This is incredibly difficult for us to process.

Her parents called on local police to declare their daughter dead earlier in the week. Her father added Tuesday that they came to reason that their daughter drowned based on the information U.S. and local authorities gave them.

Both sides of the authorities have shown us how high the ocean waves were at the time of [the] incident, he said. And both sides of the authorities also clarified that the person of interest is not suspect from the beginning.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
An American man who was abducted by the Taliban more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan was released as part of a deal struck by the Trump administration, the State Department said.

George Glezmann, a 66-year-old airline mechanic from Atlanta, was on his way back to the United States on Thursday morning after being held by the Taliban since December 2022, when he was seized while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist.

He is the third American to be released by the Taliban since January. His release is the result of negotiations that were brokered with help from the Qatari government. No one was released in exchange for Glezmann, a U.S. official told CNN.

George Glezmann was captured by the Taliban in 2022 while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist (Foley Foundation)

George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now hes on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. Welcome home, George!

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Glezmann was accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatars capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trumps administration.

Qatar has hosted negotiations between the U.S. and the Taliban over the years.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the normalization of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.

George Glezmann is free. George was wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for two and a half years, but now hes on his way to be reunited with his wife Aleksandra. Welcome home, George!   Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) March 20, 2025

Most countries still dont recognize the Talibans rule.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world, Rubio said.

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Glezmanns release follows a separate deal, arranged in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The two were exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmanns release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had been meeting on hostage issues with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

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President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Afghan-American businessman Mahmood Habibi.

U.S. officials believe the Taliban is holding Habibi, but the Taliban has denied it.

---

Additional reporting by AP.
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?
WASHINGTON (AP)  An American man who was abducted more than two years ago while traveling through Afghanistan as a tourist has been released by the Taliban in a deal with the Trump administration that Qatari negotiators helped broker, the State Department said Thursday.

George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, is the third American detainee to be released by the Taliban since January. He was seized by the Taliban's intelligence services in December 2022 and was designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained the following year.

In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the United States to be reunited with his wife, Aleksandra, and praised Qatar for steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts that he said were instrumental in securing Georges release.

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Georges release is a positive and constructive step," Rubio said. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.

Glezmann was being accompanied back to the U.S., through Qatar's capital, Doha, by Adam Boehler, who has been handling hostage issues for President Donald Trump's administration. The Taliban disclosed earlier Thursday that Boehler had met with a delegation that included Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Glezmann, 66, was in Afghanistan as a tourist at the time of his abduction and has visited more than 100 countries as part of his passion for exploring different cultures, according to a profile on the website of the Foley Foundation, an organization that advocates for the release of Americans detained by foreign countries.

The release of Glezmann is part of what the Taliban has previously described as the normalization" of ties between the U.S. and Afghanistan following the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Most countries still dont recognize the Talibans rule.

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Glezmann's release follows a separate deal, arranged in January in the final days of the Biden administration and also mediated by the Qataris, that secured the releases of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

The Talibans Foreign Ministry in Kabul said at the time that those two U.S. citizens had been exchanged for Khan Mohammed, who was sentenced to two life terms in 2008 after being convicted under U.S. narco-terrorism laws for securing heroin and opium that he knew was bound for the U.S.

Unlike in that arrangement, the U.S. did not give up any prisoner to secure Glezmanns release, which was done as a goodwill gesture, according to an official briefed on the matter who insisted on anonymity due to the sensitivity of the negotiations.

On Thursday, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry confirmed Glezmann's release on humanitarian grounds." In a statement, it said the Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.

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President Joe Biden contemplated before he left office an earlier proposal that would have involved the release of Glezmann and other Americans for Muhammad Rahim, one of the remaining detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

But Biden told families during a call in January that he would not support trading Rahim unless the Taliban released Mahmood Habibi, an Afghan-American businessman who worked as a contractor for a Kabul-based telecommunications company and vanished in 2022.

The FBI and Habibi's family have said they believe Habibi was taken by Taliban forces, but the Taliban has denied holding him. Representatives for Habibi on Thursday cited what they said was overwhelming evidence that he was arrested by the Taliban after his home was searched by people identifying themselves as part of the Taliban's security service.

"We are confident that the Trump Administration will hold firm that my brother needs to be released for relations with the U.S. to move forward," one of Habibis brothers, Ahmad, said in a statement. We have reason to be confident Mahmood is alive and in Taliban custody, despite their hollow denials of holding him. My brother is an innocent man who has been held away from his wife, young daughter, and elderly parents for 953 days.

___

Associated Press writers Victoria Eastwood in Cairo and Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.
In early January, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a policy to eliminate medical debt from credit reports. This decision is particularly important for individuals burdened by unexpected health-care costs and represents a pivotal shift in how Americans manage and finance their medical expenses.

But the Trump administration aims to diminish the CFPB. While the bureaus shortcomings are certainly up for debate, the policy to remove health-care bills from credit reporting must be kept in place to protect patients from predatory billing practices. In a truly fair system, a hospital bill would reflect the actual cost of care, with a reasonable margin, not an arbitrary, inflated price designed to exploit people at their most vulnerable moments.

One of the most egregious failures of the American health-care system is the way it handles emergency medical situations. When someone experiences a medical crisis, a heart attack, a stroke, or a severe injury, they dont have the luxury of choosing which hospital will treat them. Instead, they are transported by ambulance to the nearest or most convenient hospital, often with no say in the matter. In any other industry, consumers choose their providers based on price, quality, and personal preference. But in health care, patients are stripped of that basic right the moment they need urgent care.

Price gouging

Going to an emergency room and being charged an arbitrary amount is strikingly similar to price gouging during a natural disaster. They both exploit people in situations where they have no real choice. When a hurricane, wildfire, or other disaster strikes, people often scramble to evacuate, needing essential supplies like gas, food, and lodging. Take the hoarded personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, for example. In one case, a company was found guilty of purchasing 250,000 KN95sfiltering facepiece respiratorsfrom a foreign manufacturer and selling 100,000 of them to New Jersey grocers for a 400% markup. The National Library of Medicine found that factors like price gouging, demand shock, and disrupted supply chains contributed to significantly elevated PPE costs for national hospitals through the first wave of the pandemic. Examples like this illustrate why price-gouging is illegal in many states. The logic behind banning it is simple: When people are in crisis, they shouldnt be exploited for basic needs.

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Hospitals do essentially the same thing with emergency care. When someone experiences a life-threatening event, they dont have time to compare prices or shop around for the best hospital. They are taken to the nearest facility, treated without being told the cost, and later hit with an outrageous bill that has no correlation to the actual cost of providing care.

The key similarity is coercion under duress. In both cases, people are not making free-market decisions; they are making life-or-death decisions with no ability to negotiate or walk away. Just as a gas station in a disaster zone is not operating in a fair market when it triples its prices, hospitals are not operating in a fair market when they bill patients thousands of dollars for care they never agreed to at a set price.

Health-care reform

If price gouging is unacceptable in the wake of a hurricane, why is it tolerated in health care, where the stakes are just as high? The reality is that hospitals are engaging in a legalized form of extortion, exploiting the lack of alternatives in emergencies to maximize profits at the expense of patients. Its a broken system that prioritizes financial gain over fairness and transparency, and it needs serious reform.

Hospitals justify their arbitrary pricing by citing administrative complexity, uncompensated care, and the burden of uninsured patients. But these are just excuses for a system that lacks transparency and accountability. Unlike a free market, where businesses compete for customers by offering fair prices and quality services, emergency health care operates as a monopoly. The patient has no bargaining power, no knowledge of the price beforehand, and no way to opt out of the service.

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Additionally, medical debt is a flawed indicator of creditworthiness. Unlike consumer debtsuch as credit card balances or personal loansmedical debt is often incurred unexpectedly due to emergencies, illnesses, or accidents. According to data compiled by the Commonwealth Fund, 72% of medical debt stems from acute care situations like hospital stays or accident treatmentsor in other words, unexpected emergencies. Individuals rarely choose to take on medical debt in the same way they might choose to finance a car or make purchases on credit. Yet, for years, unpaid medical bills have unfairly damaged credit scores, limiting access to mortgages, auto loans, and even employment opportunities.

Penalizing people for medical debt exacerbates the financial instability that the traditional health-care system already creates, functioning as a form of entrapment by forcing individuals into a cycle of financial hardship that benefits hospitals, insurance companies, and collections agencies while punishing patients. Many traditional insurance models leave individuals with unexpected out-of-pocket costs, high deductibles, and confusing billing practices, leading to debt accumulation. This debt, when reported to credit agencies, makes it even harder for individuals to recover financially.

The CFPBs policy ensures that people are not punished for their health-related expenses, allowing them to focus on recovery rather than financial ruin. While the bureaus future remains to be decided, this policy must be kept in place to reduce the long-term consequences of an already predatory system and allow people to rebuild their financial standing more fairly. Until this system changes, Americans will remain trapped in a cycle of medical debt, forced to pay whatever price hospitals decide after the fact. And that isnt just unfair, its extortion.

The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune.

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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
The Nordic countries of Finland, Denmark, and Iceland once again topped the list of the happiest countries in the world, while the United States failed to recover from last years historic drop out of the top 20, the World Happiness Report revealed.

The countries that rank in the upper echelons of joy are not surprising, to Julie Ray, Gallups managing editor for world news.

Finland, in particular, has a lack of inequality, she told Quartz. Strong safety nets and relatively strong economies are characteristic of the top of the list.

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A strong economy, however, is not enough to guarantee the happiness of a countrys citizens. The United States, which ranked 24th in the world, was one of several wealthy, industrialized nations that has seen a decrease in overall happiness. Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Canada have all experienced noticeable declines  while less affluent countries like Mexico and Costa Rica rank among the happiest in the world.

This years report quantifies the human elements of life that are often hard to measure, said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxfords Wellbeing Research Centre, in a statement. These findings push us to look beyond traditional determinants like health and wealth and encourage people to get back around the table together.

The World Happiness Report analysis suggests that people in Latin American countries are especially happy, relative to their countries gross domestic products, because of the close social and familial ties which exist in their cultures.

Living with four to five people and sharing meals with others, for example, are both considered optimal for overall happiness. In less affluent countries, like Mexico, bigger households are more common than in Europe or the United States  which could counterbalance a relative lack of wealth.

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Although income does play a big role in peoples life evaluations, its not just money that explains why people are happy, Ray said.

In fact, this years report places special emphasis on themes of sharing and caring as significant factors in the overall happiness of individuals and entire countries. So-called deaths of despair  which are deaths linked to suicide or drug and alcohol use  are less common in countries where people frequently engage in benevolent acts.

If youre giving to others by donating your time, donating your money, or even helping a stranger, that improves your wellbeing, said Ray. Youre giving to somebody else, but youre getting happiness in return.

Click through to see the five happiest countries in the world.

5. The Netherlands

Photo: Alexander Spatari (Getty Images)

4. Sweden

Photo: Peter Adams (iStock by Getty Images)

3. Iceland

Photo: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP via Getty Images (Getty Images)

2. Denmark

Photo: Chris Jackson (Getty Images)

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1. Finland

Photo: Justin Setterfield (iStock by Getty Images)

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You may have heard of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), our nations largest public utility and source of cheap, clean, and reliable electricity for 10 million people. You may even know that its Board of Directors is appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, making it directly accountable to the American people.

COMMENTARY U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty

But one thing you might not know: the TVA is facing a historic moment that could decide our nations energy security for decades to come. With the right courageous leadership, TVA could lead the way in our nations nuclear energy revival, empower us to dominate the 21st centurys global technology competition, and cement President Trumps legacy as Americas Nuclear President. President Trumps Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, has charted the course. The long-awaited American nuclear renaissance must launch during President Trumps administration, he declared in a February order. As global energy demand continues to grow, America must lead the commercialization of affordable and abundant nuclear energy. Wright is right. The 21st century will be Americas next Golden Age only if we can supply the vast amounts of power required to run artificial intelligence, quantum computers, and advanced manufacturing. Nuclear energy is the only viable solution, but the industry has been stagnant for decades. Weve lacked national ambition. Meanwhile, the Chinese Communist Party has been ramping up its nuclear industry, announcing plans last year to build 11 new nuclear reactors to power its economy. As we face this global competition, TVA could be to the nuclear race what NASA was to the space race. How? TVA holds the nations only early site permit for a next-generation small modular reactor, known as SMR. SMR is the new nuclear technology that has the best chance of being deployed in the United States within the next decade. The beauty of SMR technology is its simplicity. Its just a smaller version of the nuclear technology that powers much of America today, with the benefit of being safer, more replicable, and more efficient. Its not a science project, its a proven commodity. Yet, having the ticket to build the first made-in-America SMR wont take TVA very far if the status quo of a hidebound bureaucracy gets in the way. As it stands now, TVA and its leadership cant carry the weight of this moment. The presidentially appointed, Senate-confirmed, TVA Board of Directors lacks the talent, experience, and gravitas to meet a challenge that clearly requires visionary industrial leaders. The group looks more like a collection of political operatives than visionary industrial leaders. The current TVA board focused on the diversity of its executives ahead of job creation for hungry workers in the region it is supposed to serve. It has fallen victim to paralysis by analysis, encumbering TVAs SMR project with studies and hurdles that will bog it down. Absent world-class vision, fiduciary competence, and the courage to effectively balance risks and rewards, TVAs board has allowed the nations largest public utilitys role in leading Americas Nuclear Renaissance atrophy. And when TVAs current CEO announced his retirement in February, the board quickly hired a tiny headhunter firm with an apparent aim to ensure TVAs next CEO would be hired from within. While maintaining the status quo, an inside job forgoes the chance to recruit a top-quality leader from the outside. Whats required at this moment is clear. President Trump and Secretary Wright must apply their best-in-class leadership to rescue TVA from itself. An interim CEO trusted by the president must be appointed to clean up this mess and lay the groundwork for a new, long-term leader. United States senators who have an interest in the future of TVAand all of them shouldmust demand strong, competent, visionary board leadershipa departure from its current culture of patronage. Once TVAs leadership is on a steady course, the interim CEO must:

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Immediately file an SMR construction application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Seek funding from the Department of Energy Generation III+ Small Modular Reactor Program.

Stop analysis paralysis from getting in the way of producing a first-in-class SMR.

Articulate a plan, and the resources necessary, for the nations largest public utility to command a lead in the provision of energy for the countrys technological innovations that will ensure American leadership throughout this century and beyond.

If we, as a nation, fail to meet this moment, American leadership in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, and the ability to win conventional wars will be put at risk. If we choose to lead, a Golden Age lies ahead. We wont be satisfied by half-measures. Nor will President Trump. Nor will the American people. The time for bold action is now. Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty are the U.S. Senators for Tennessee. [caption id="attachment_231168" align="alignleft" width="237"]

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)[/caption] [caption id="attachment_231172" align="alignleft" width="228"]

Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.)[/caption]
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand  Despite a recent accident with an Israeli-built drone, South Koreas military is pressing ahead ahead with unmanned technology, including a stealthy loyal wingman designed to accompany the air forces new KF-21 Boramae fighters.

The accident occurred on March 17, when an IAI Heron-1 drone belonging to Koreas army veered off a runway upon landing at Yangju, subsequently colliding with a parked Surion helicopter. Both aircraft were written off, meaning the army has now lost all three of its Herons in accidents.

Nonetheless, the country is under the gun to accelerate its drone plans  and for reasons outside immediate military-equipment considerations.

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Kim Jae Yeop, senior researcher at the Sungkyun Institute for Global Strategy in Seoul, told Defense News South Koreas low birth rate, amongst the lowest in the world, is looming large.

The number of regular troops in the armed forces, which is now roughly 500,000, will highly likely decrease to fewer than 400,000 in the next decade, he said.

As a result, Kim explained, Seoul is taking active measures to expand the role of military unmanned systems to offset the reduction in troops. They can be acquired at significant scale at a lower cost and without risk to life in missions.

One important program saw Korean Air roll out a new loyal wingman technology demonstrator  called the Low Observable Unmanned Wingman System, or LOWUS  on Feb. 25.

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The stealthy turbofan-powered LOWUS, funded by the Agency for Defense Development since 2021, was unveiled at the Korean Air Tech Center in Pusan. Its maiden flight is expected later this year, ahead of manned-unmanned teaming flight tests in 2027.

Possessing an internal weapons bay and looking similar to the American XQ-58A Valkyrie, Korean Air lists a length of 10.4m and wingspan of 9.4m for the aicraft.

As with similar loyal wingman concepts by other major powers, the idea for the drone sidekicks is fly missions ranging from strike to surveillance, jamming and escort.

The LOWUS will likely have a domestic engine and active electronically scanned array radar. Korean Air gained experience with requisite stealth technologies when developing the blended-wing KUS-FC, or Kaori-X, drone that first flew in 2015.

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In the future, Koreas air force is expected to introduce composite squadrons of manned fighters and loyal wingmen.

Considering the fact that only a small number of countries like the U.S., Australia and Russia have been producing and testing similar kinds of systems, the LOWUS highlights Seouls technological achievements, said Kim.

Another program currently underway comprises a search for loitering munitions for Korean special forces units. A platform is due to be selected later this year, and Seoul is allocating around $22 million to this acquisition.

Foreign types like the Switchblade 600 and Hero 120 are under consideration, with the aim being to give special forces strike drones they can use independently against North Korean invaders without the need for calling in external fire support.
The city of South Miami wants a judge to determine whether its police department is required to question and arrest undocumented immigrants on behalf of the federal government as local governments that refuse face threats from Floridas attorney general.

The only safe harbor left for us is to go to court and ask a court to render an opinion on what the law is and what our obligations are. Not the merits of the policy, South Miami Mayor Javier Fernandez said during a meeting on Tuesday night. Its a narrow question.

South Miami has not yet formally put the question in front of a judge. But its Commissions decision to involve the courts came after Attorney General James Uthmeier told Fort Myers city officials that they violated a state law when they chose not to enter into a formal agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that gives local police the ability to stop and detain undocumented immigrants during the course of their routine jobs.

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Uthmeier said that not enrolling in ICEs 287(g) program is a serious and direct violation of a 2019 Florida law that bans so-called sanctuary cities  a broad term used for places that do not cooperate with federal immigration authorities. He warned they  and, implicitly, any other municipality with a police force choosing not to sign the agreement  could face civil and criminal penalties, including being suspended from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

South Miamis chosen course of action highlights how Floridas cities are navigating state mandates as DeSantis makes it a goal to place state and local police on the vanguard of President Donald Trumps crackdown on illegal immigration. Now, city officials in nonpartisan roles worry getting caught in the states cross-hairs could lead to retaliation, including state budget cuts to their local projects.

Fernandez, a Miami-Dade Democrat who previously served as a state representative in Tallahassee, had initially proposed removing the city managers authority to enter agreements with other law enforcement agencies, arguing that it was the best way to get city administrators out of the political arena and put the burden and consequences of decision making on elected officials. After the City Commission learned about Uthmeiers letter, the Commission opted to consult a judge instead.

We have to be attuned to the fact that were operating in an environment where people want to score political points first, the mayor said. And you know what? I dont care. What I want is to live in a society where we operate by the rule of law.

Locals join federal immigration enforcement efforts

In Florida, more than 100 law enforcement agencies have signed on to participate in the federal immigration enforcement program  by far the most of any state in the nation.

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Dozens of city police departments, including those in Coral Gables, Key West, Tampa and St. Petersburg, have joined in recent weeks as state officials ramped up the efforts to get locals enrolled in the 287(g) program to give more manpower to Trumps efforts.

But some police chiefs, like Coral Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak, have said the ICE partnership is a way to comply with Floridas ban on sanctuary cities

In South Miami, Fernandez says the city wants to analyze how joining the ICE partnership could affect their risk exposure, insurance coverage and labor agreements.

Weve been trying to understand those issues before we jumped on board, Fernandez told the Herald in an interview Wednesday. What are the nuts and bolts?

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Anthony Recio, the city attorney for South Miami, said that Uthmeiers letter to the Fort Myers City Council was not necessarily what the law is, but his interpretation of the law. While an attorney generals opinions are advisory, they usually carry significant weight when issued.

Fernandez said he believed that there was no obligation to join the 287(g) programs but that he would be happy to abide by any outcome from the courts.

At the meeting, South Miami officials acknowledged concerns that the state is pressuring local officials to participate in a program that may not be required under state law.

I just feel that this entire conversation is one thats being driven by a fair amount of coercion, Fernandez said at the meeting.
BRUSSELS, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Council of European Union (EU) on Thursday condemned the collapse of the ceasefire in Gaza, expressing concern over the renewed violence and its devastating humanitarian impact.

The Council stressed that it "deplores the refusal of Hamas to hand over the remaining hostages", calling for an "immediate return to the full implementation of the ceasefire-hostage release agreement," according to a statement released by the Council.

The Council underscored the urgency of advancing to the second phase of the agreement, emphasizing that its full implementation is essential for securing the release of all hostages and achieving a permanent cessation of hostilities.

The first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement ended on March 1. Under the terms of the deal, in the second phase, Israel was supposed to have completely withdrawn its forces, and Hamas was expected to release the remaining hostages. Instead, Israel sought to extend the first phase, calling on Hamas to release an additional 11 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas, for its part, insisted on continuing the implementation of the original agreement. Mediated talks over the next stages of the ceasefire continued through Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, but no agreement was reached.

Israel carried out deadly bombardments across the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, breaking nearly two months of ceasefire and raising fears of fully reigniting the 17-month war. 
The CEO of Amtrak announced Wednesday that he is stepping down after billionaire Elon Musk suggested privatizing Amtrak and criticized the national rail service as a sad situation.

I am stepping down as CEO to ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration, Stephen Gardner said in a statement. I am so proud of what the Amtrak team has accomplished to bring passenger rail service to more people and places across the country over these past 16 years, and I thank the Board for their trust and support.

We did a lot together to make Amtrak safer, more modern, and a better travel experience for all our customers, Gardner added. From my start as an Amtrak intern back in the 1990s to ending as CEO, it has been my honor and privilege to lead this great American company, and I wish Amtrak every success. See you on the rails.

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During a March 5 virtual appearance at a Morgan Stanley technology conference, Musk, who leads the non-Cabinet level Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut government spending, said the government should privatize everything we possibly can. Musk reportedly said the government is in much worse shape than any commercial company could ever be, adding, I think logically we should privatize anything that can reasonably be privatized.

According to NBC News, Musk said that privatizing Amtrak, which was founded in 1971 and receives state and federal subsidies, would give it a chance of going bankrupt, ensuring a feedback loop for improvement.

Amtrak CEO Stephen J. Gardner speaks before the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials on June 6, 2023. Members of the subcommittee held the hearing to discuss Amtrak operations and safety. Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images

After Musks remarks at the technology conference, Amtrak published a document on its website that stated, It is not clear what problem Amtrak privatization proposals are intended to solve and despite inadequate federal funding since its inception, Amtrak has achieved notable success.

The document also said that if Amtrak were privatized, it would face the same constraints, but would lack the essential statutory right to operate over the national rail network.

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Amtrak also offered Britain as an example, writing in the document that in 1994, Britains train operations went private and then later backtracked after 42 people died because of the negligence of the private infrastructure owner.

In a statement on Wednesday, Amtraks board thanked Gardner for his work and said its members look forward to working with Trump and Sean Duffy, the secretary of transportation, on building aworld-class passenger rail system this country deserves.

Trump has also suggested privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, and in March, Musk called Social Security a Ponzi scheme that should be privatized.

During the technology conference, Musk criticized Amtrak, saying, If youre coming from another country, please dont use our national rail. It can leave you with a very bad impression of America.

Related...
By Maayan Lubell

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel has warned that its latest onslaught in Gaza is "just the beginning" as its forces pound the enclave with deadly airstrikes and launch new ground operations.

But a return to a full-scale ground war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas could prove more complicated amid waning public support, exhausted military reservists and political challenges, some current and former Israeli officials, as well as analysts, say.

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Military service is mandatory in Israel, a small nation of fewer than 10 million people, but it relies heavily on reservists in times of crisis.

Reservists flocked to their units when Hamas-led gunmen attacked Israel in October 2023, some without waiting to be called up. But after multiple months-long deployments, some are reluctant to return to Gaza, six reservists and a group that advocates on their behalf told Reuters.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to resume bombardments on Tuesday has also added fuel to the anger of protesters who accuse the government of continuing the war for political reasons and endangering the lives of hostages still held in Gaza, where a ceasefire largely held for two months.

Netanyahu on Tuesday said such accusations were "shameless" and that the renewed campaign was aimed at getting the remaining 59 hostages back.

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Tens of thousands have demonstrated against Netanyahu's government in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem since Tuesday.

Late on Thursday, police fired water cannon and made numerous arrests as scuffles broke out during the protests in Tel Aviv and close to Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, where marchers rallied in the rain against his government's move to fire the head of Israel's domestic security service.

"In a democratic state, the internal legitimacy (of a war) is very, very important," said retired General Yaakov Amidror, who served as Netanyahu's national security adviser in 2011-2013.

The question, he said, is "how much the decision makers are willing to forego legitimacy because they think the action is important" and "how much their ability to act will be compromised without legitimacy".

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Israel and Hamas accuse each other of breaching the truce.

Recent opinion polls suggest that most people in Israel want to continue negotiations for a deal that would end the war, release all remaining hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and see a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Three defence officials familiar with Israeli decision making told Reuters in the days leading up to this week's campaign that the resumption of fighting would be gradual, leaving a door open for negotiations to extend the truce. They did not elaborate.

Two other Israeli officials said that Netanyahu has approved a plan for a wide-scale operation that includes the option to send in more ground troops.

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Netanyahu's office declined to comment, and the defence ministry did not respond to questions for this article.

Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, told Reuters that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have plans in place for different scenarios, including ground operations if needed.

"The aim of this campaign against Hamas is to dismantle their capabilities, to prevent them from carrying out terror attacks and to create pressure for hostages being returned - whether it's through military operations, or through some sort of political deal," Shoshani said on Wednesday.

"All options are on the table," said Shoshani.

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Military leaders acknowledge that burnout has been an issue among reservists. But Shoshani said when it matters, reservists have shown a willingness to drop what they are doing and risk their lives to defend their country, adding the IDF has a plan to ease the burden on them.

BURNOUT

The Gaza war - the most devastating chapter in decades of Israel-Palestinian conflict - is Israel's longest since its 1948 war of independence. More than 400 soldiers have been killed and thousands wounded in Gaza combat.

The Israeli campaign has reduced swathes of Gaza to rubble, repeatedly displacing hundreds of thousands of people who survive on whatever aid can reach them. More than 49,000 people have been killed in the enclave, according to Palestinian health authorities, who don't distinguish between civilians and combatants.

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Israeli officials say Hamas' military wing has been hit hard, with its leaders and thousands of fighters killed.

But the group remains deeply entrenched in Gaza and still holds 59 of the 251 hostages who were seized on October 7, 2023. The attack claimed the lives of some 1,200 people in southern Israel, according to Israeli tallies.

At least 40 of the hostages have died in Gaza, either slain by their captors or killed inadvertently by Israeli forces. Israeli authorities believe that around 24 others are alive.

In the three months before the ceasefire, Hamas guerrilla attacks exacted some of the highest Israeli casualty tolls of the war, which, along with the deaths of hostages, have raised questions in Israel about the offensive's costs and gains.

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Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners opposed the ceasefire and have pressed for a full-scale return to war. The resumption of Israeli strikes this week earned him a political boost when former national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir rejoined the coalition. Netanyahu was left with only a thin parliamentary majority following his departure in January over disagreements about the ceasefire.

But the prime minister has appeared increasingly out of touch with public sentiment, fracturing the broad consensus that has underpinned Israel's war, said Amotz Asa-El, a political analyst with the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem.

A coalition of hostage families and protesters opposed to Netanyahu's moves against the judiciary and parts of the Israeli security establishment is now coming together.

Hamas accused Israel this week of jeopardising efforts to negotiate a permanent end to the fighting and called on mediators to "assume their responsibilities".

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Some Western nations, including France and Germany, condemned the violence, along with Qatar and Egypt, which had been acting as mediators.

TOUGH TALK

Netanyahu said he ordered strikes because Hamas had rejected proposals backed by the U.S. to extend the ceasefire in exchange for releasing the remaining hostages. Israel would now act against the group "with increasing military strength," he said on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Israel Katz said "the gates of hell will open" if Hamas does not release all the hostages.

Despite the tough talk, there has been no immediate sign so far of the large-scale mobilization that took place in 2023, when the military called up 300,000 reservists to reinforce a standing force estimated at around 170,000. The IDF does not disclose personnel figures.

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The IDF sent an elite infantry brigade to the Gaza border on Wednesday and announced on Thursday that it was "conducting ground activity" along a coastal route in northern Gaza and in Rafah, in the southern part of the enclave.

Any major ground offensive is expected to involve reserve forces, although it may not require as many as at the start of the war.

"Rooting out the Hamas fighters still left would require more manpower, more boots on the ground," said Amidror. "The key is how many will show up."

As the war dragged on, many have struggled to balance work, family, and studies with military deployments, the reservists interviewed by Reuters said. All have seen the number of comrades asking to be excused from tours of duty increase over time.

"Until now my feeling was that as long as there are hostages there, I am in, but now I don't know," said one special forces reservist, who spent about eight of the first 15 months of the war deployed in Gaza, Lebanon and northern Israel. "There's a lot of mistrust in the country's leadership, and it's not clear if military pressure will help the hostages."

He also worries about the toll on his wife and six children, one of whom, he said, had started preparing eulogies for him. Like others interviewed, he asked for anonymity to discuss sensitive matters freely.

Ynet, a mainstream Israeli news outlet, and the left-leaning Haaretz newspaper reported this month that the number of reservists showing up when called has dropped to as low as 60% in some units.

Israeli reserve units have more people they can draw on than are needed at any given time, and any shortfall is being made up with volunteers from other units.

In response to a request for comment, the IDF told Reuters the reserve system is fulfilling its mission. "Based on continuously reviewed and audited IDF data, there has been no drastic change in attendance rates, and units are meeting their operational requirements, it said in a statement.

Hanoch Daube, a recently retired colonel who commanded reserve and regular forces in Gaza, said the drop would not prevent the military from launching a major ground offensive, if needed and turnout, initially would likely be high.

But if the campaign turns into a protracted guerrilla war without clear strategic aims, that would eventually lead to burnout, said Daube, who now heads an association of reservists known as the Iron Swords Warriors Forum.

A scientist and father of five who spent most of the first year of the war in uniform said he would not hesitate to rejoin his tank unit if summoned back to Gaza.

"I have a lot of criticism about this government even before the war, but this war is just," he said.

A friend from his unit wasn't so sure. He said he has deep bonds with his comrades and might go back for a time out of a sense of duty. But he would have little faith in the mission, this time.

"After October 7, we felt like the country was falling apart. But the country isn't falling apart now," he said. "They dont need us like they did."

(Additional reporting by Rami Amichay in Tel Aviv; Editing by James Mackenzie and Alexandra Zavis)
An analysis by researchers at Johns Hopkins University has revealed that military families are much more likely to homeschool their children than civilians. It also suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic didn't exert as much of an influence on military families' choice to do so.

The researchers identified military families as one of the special groups whose motivations to homeschool might help explain why households in the wider population do it.

"We knew at least anecdotally that people said [military families] homeschooled at higher rates," said Angela Watson, assistant research professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Education.

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Read Next: Bill to Provide Full Retirement, Disability Pay to Combat-Injured Veterans Is Reintroduced by Lawmakers

Data gathered as part of the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, launched in 2020, provided the ability to quantify the difference in homeschooling between military and civilian households, Watson said. The survey asks participants about their children's school attendance, as well as whether the participants are members of the active-duty military or the National Guard or another reserve component.

"What we found was that, indeed, the Pulse does show a high -- almost double -- rate of homeschooling among these families," Watson said.

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Published as part of Johns Hopkins' Homeschool Hub research aggregator, the analysis found that 12% of active-duty military respondents said their family homeschooled during the 2023-2024 school year. Civilians, on the other hand, did so at a rate of 6%.

And while the civilian rate had doubled since prior to the pandemic, the military rate stayed relatively flat, Watson said. Blue Star Families' Military Family Lifestyle Survey reported rates of homeschooling between 11% and 13% going back to 2018.

Conventional wisdom suggests that military families might choose to homeschool for the sake of stability amid numerous permanent change-of-station, or PCS, moves or, following a deployment, to "prioritize that time together" over sending a child to school, Watson said.

However, she pointed out that those reasons may not fully explain the higher prevalence since National Guard and reserve members also homeschool at a much higher rate than civilians: 11% in 2023-2024, only a percentage point behind the active duty.

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Natalie Mack, founder of the Military Homeschoolers Association, said stability and time together exemplify what she considers the traditional reasons military families homeschool.

She also named what she considers new reasons, including the ability to meet special needs such as neurodivergence and to avoid bullying and the prospect of school violence.

Mack said her organization is waiting to see what the Defense Department proposes in response to President Donald Trump's executive order on school choice before weighing in on whether it could benefit homeschoolers.

Trump ordered the department to look at ways it could pay for military families "to attend schools of their choice" as soon as next year.

Related: Trump Orders DoD to Study School Choice Options for Military Families
Bitcoin is often criticized for its high energy use, which contributes to planet-warming pollution. However, as The Crypto Times reported, one climate tech investor wants to get the word out that bitcoin derives the biggest share of its energy from a potentially unexpected source: hydroelectric power.

Daniel Batten's findings show that the bitcoin network gets 23.12% of its energy from hydroelectric sources, with coal and gas sources following at 22.92% and 21.14%, respectively.

This updates findings from the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, which previously identified coal as bitcoin's largest energy source. However, the CCAF report confirmed that the estimate was limited, at least in part, by limited real-world data. According to The Crypto Times, Batten's difference comes from including off-grid mining operations using renewable energy.

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"The study by Daniel shows that the future of Bitcoin mining indeed belongs to hydro power," the Crypto Times said.

While bitcoin operations don't directly produce pollution, their computing processes require massive amounts of electricity. That means when bitcoin data centers are connected to power grids relying mostly on dirty energy (such as coal, gas, and oil), it increases local air pollution, in addition to putting a strain on those grids.

That problem is beginning to subside as more bitcoin mining operations strike deals to gain their own dedicated power sources  as Mara Holdings, whose advisory board includes Batten, recently did with a Texas wind farm  or to operate exclusively on excess energy from plants that have a habit of overproducing. Looking forward, it's crucial for the industry to continue to mitigate these environmental effects and get those coal and gas percentages down into the single digits.

According to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, reporting in late 2024, its estimates for electricity demand are rising faster than at any point in the last 20 years, and crypto and artificial intelligence data centers are complicating demand forecasts. Their ability to scale also strains energy grids and can make them less stable. Plus, higher demand generally means higher electricity bills for consumers.

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The good news is it benefits crypto miners to seek the lowest electricity prices, since their profit margins depend on it. Renewable energy is typically cheaper, and it's much cheaper once built, so increasing renewables is a win-win for crypto and the environment.

Energy innovation is essential for this transition. For example, methane pollution from landfills  the third-largest source of human-related methane pollution in the U.S.  can be used for energy. So Vespene Energy developed technology that converts landfill gas on-site to power data processing centers, which offsets gas pollution and generates revenue at the same time. Inspiring such efforts is one example of how these energy-intensive industries can be part of the solution.

Bitcoin mining can also support the transition to green energy with financial incentives, according to sources. A study in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering found that 32 planned renewable sites could generate $47 million in profit by supporting bitcoin mining before going commercial.

We've seen some crypto investors prioritizing clean energy for mining facilities. However, as the world's largest crypto asset, bitcoin must make more progress for the industry to become sustainable.

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"Bitcoin relies on miners using powerful computational power to solve complex puzzles, consuming massive amounts of energy. Crypto mining's future relies on embracing sustainable and ethical practices to ensure it's not just green but genuinely clean," Tin Pei Ling, co-president of digital asset platform MetaComp, told Financial News.

"It is in the industry's interest to reduce energy usage and its environmental impact as it evolves," added David Lenigas, chair of Vinanz, a London Stock Exchange-listed bitcoin mining firm.

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.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Officials have released the name of a man who was critically injured after being struck by a vehicle in the northeast part of Des Moines on Wednesday.

The Polk County Sheriffs Office said Cody Stanley, age 22 of Ankeny, was hit by a vehicle that was southbound on N.E. 14th Street and merging onto the I-80 eastbound on-ramp just before 2:00 a.m.

Witnesses told investigators Stanley was walking in the travel portion of the roadway when the accident happened. The driver of the vehicle stopped and called 911 immediately.

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Stanley remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The PCSO said the area where the accident happened doesnt have sidewalks or crosswalks and is not well-lit.

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CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  Renovation plans for the Anna E. Barry School in Chicopee may force the school to relocate after a survey of the building site.

The original plan to build the new school just feet behind the current Barry location has been met with two problems: soil and Article 97.

Tapestry Health and Craigs Doors receive $150K grant to expand harm reduction services

A recent study of Garrity Grove found that the wetland soil would impact the structural integrity of the new building. The other problem with this site is Article 97, which protects the parkland area under Massachusetts State Law.

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22News spoke with Chicopee Mayor John Vieau about what options the city is considering.

There were some real obstacles in trying to use this site, Vieau said. Its not been completely determined that were moving to other options. Were looking at potentially relocating to Szetela School, as that site has a lot of extra land behind the building, and also looking at another location off of Robbins Road.



The Szetela Early Childhood School on Macek Drive could provide an alternative that wouldnt require redistricting. The Barry School Building Commission is currently assessing the viability of Szetela and they dont expect any delays.

Information meetings regarding this potential relocation are held at Chicopee City Hall on the second Thursday of every month.

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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VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  Earlier this week, Fayette Elementary School held its annual career day for 3rd through 5th grade students.

The elementary school invited those of all career fields to come and speak, show demonstrations, and conduct activities with the students.

WTWO/WAWVs very own Chief Meteorologist Jesse Walker, and Julia Prickett were in attendance to talk about all things weather with the students.

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Fayette Elementary School Counselor Monica Tener-Smith, spoke about how crucial it is for the students to see and learn from those in a variety of fields.

Many parents and community organizations come in and talk to the kids about their careers, said Tener-Smith. (Students) get to see people just ordinary people. They tell them what their everyday life is like, show them the tools, and the things they use.

There were over 30 careers represented at the career day including radiologists, realtors, engineers, meteorologists, and nurses.

With the recent Indiana diploma changes, the Fayette Elementary School Counselor mentions how important it is to educate the students for their future.

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Indiana requires that we talk about it from kindergarten on up to 5th grade. In 9th grade, they are going to have to narrow down from all the possibilities down to a pathway. We talk about it as a journey. Youve got to go down the right road to get to the right place. You cant go down the wrong road and expect to be what you want to be so you have to make a choice, said Tener-Smith.

Fayette Elementary School has held its annual Career Day for over 10 years, every spring.

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The Trump administration has been accused by another judge of failing to comply with his court order  in this case to reinstate federal employees fired during Elon Musks DOGE purges.

Six federal agencies  the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, and Treasury  were ordered by Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court for Northern California to rehire all fired probationary employees.

But the Trump administration had responded by putting the fired workers on paid administrative leave.

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The court has read news reports that, in at least one agency, probationary workers are being rehired, but then placed on leave en masse, Alsup said in an order late Monday. This is not allowed by the preliminary injunction, for it would not restore the services the preliminary injunction intends to restore," he added.

The case appeared to be the second instance of the Trump administration dodging direct court orders, triggering fears that Donald Trump is creating a constitutional crisis by ignoring the ultimate arbiter of law, the courts, as established in the Constitution.

Last Saturday the Trump administration appeared to openly defy U.S. District Judge James Boasbergs order blocking the deportation of Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador, and to turn around any planes already on their way.

Trump and DOGE head Elon Musk both responded by calling for the impeachment of judges whose rulings they dont like.

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In a rare rebuke, Supreme Court Chief Justice Roberts said Monday that such an action is an inappropriate response to a disagreement over a judicial decision that goes against more than two centuries of American history.

In the latest apparent court-order dodge, Alsup demanded an update from the Trump administration on the status of the employees by Tuesday afternoon. Department of Justice lawyers claimed they were not defying Alsups order, but that putting the employees on paid administrative leave was an "intermediate measure taken by a number of the agencies in order to return probationary employees to full duty status."

Rulings from U.S. District Court judges are forcing the Trump administration to rehire federal employees unlawfully fired in Elon Musks DOGE cuts (Getty Images)

It is unclear if the Trump administration provided a specific timeline for when those employees will be fully restored to their positions.

If the agencies involved follow the judge's orders, some 24,000 federal employees should return to work.

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Another ruling, by Judge Hames Bredar in Maryland, ruled that another 13 agencies had unlawfully fired their workers, and demanded that they be reinstated.

All of the agencies involved in Bredar's ruling issued updates on Tuesday saying they were working to restore the workers to their jobs, and in most cases provided evidence that they had notified workers about their reinstatement.

However, those notices said their jobs were only guaranteed until March 27, which is when Bredar's order is set to expire. Bredar has warned the agencies he is prepared to extend his order if necessary.

One agency appeared to be taking active steps to bring back its workers: The Department of Transportation. It told its 757 impacted workers that they would be reinstated in full by Thursday.

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Several hundred of the Transportation Department employees fired in the initial purge worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as maintenance mechanics, environmental protection specialists, aviation safety assistants, and management and program assistants.

Trump and Musk's attempts to dissolve huge swathes of the federal bureaucracy have been largely ruled as illegal firings when tested in the courts.

On Tuesday another federal judge blocked Trump and Musk's attempts to shut down and scrap USAID, which carries international development, aid and influence work on behalf of the U.S. government.
For the first time, scientists say, they have evidence that using a biologic drug to remove sticky beta amyloid plaques from the brains of people destined to develop Alzheimers dementia can delay the disease.

The researchers have been testing amyloid-removing therapies in a group of people who have rare genetic mutations that make it almost certain theyll develop Alzheimers.

The study  which is small, including just a few dozen participants  is a follow-up to a randomized-controlled trial that found no significant benefits for people who were taking one of two amyloid-lowering therapies, compared with a placebo. The extension of the study doesnt have a placebo control group and may be subject to important biases, so outside experts say the results, though striking, should be interpreted with caution.

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Its part of a research effort called Dominantly Inherited Alzheimers Network, or DIAN. The study participants like to go by a different name, though.

We like to call ourselves the X-Men because we are mutants, trying to save the world from Alzheimers disease, said Marty Reiswig of Denver, who has been participating in the trial since 2010.

The new study, published Wednesday in the journal Lancet Neurology, found that the risk of symptoms was cut in half for a small subset of 22 patients who had not shown any problems with memory or thinking and had been taking an amyloid-lowering drug called gantenerumab for an average of eight years. The results achieved statistical significance in one part of the analysis but not in others, perplexing outside experts, who struggled to make sense of the complex findings.

While this study does not conclusively prove that Alzheimers disease onset can be delayed and uses a drug that will not likely be available, the results are scientifically promising, said Dr. Tara Spires-Jones, director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, in a statement to the media. She was not involved in the research.

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The study authors believe that if people are started on therapy early enough and stay on it for enough time, it could forestall the development of the disease  perhaps for years.

Its the first data to suggest that theres a possibility of a significant delay in the onset of progression to symptoms, said study author Dr. Eric McDade, a professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis.

McDade said this study has the longest-running data for any patients who started amyloid-lowering biologics while they were still free of symptoms.

We think that theres a delay in the initial onset, maybe by years, and then within those individuals that have some mild symptoms, even the rate of progression was cut by about half, he said.

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The achievement of this long-hoped-for result comes with optimism but also panic, however.

The research team says the meetings to review their National Institutes of Health grant funding have been canceled twice. Their grant has to be reviewed before they can be referred to whats known as a council meeting, where funding decisions are made. If their grant misses a council meeting in May, the money for the study, which has been going since 2008, could run out.

It ends up becoming a really difficult position were in and that the participants are in, McDade said.

Patients could lose access to the study drugs, especially if theyre in countries where the medications havent been approved. If people cant stay on the drugs, researchers may never find out how durable the benefit may be or be able to answer critical questions like for whom the medications work best.

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Keeping that group that has been on the amyloid drugs the longest is absolutely critical, McDade said.

Long-running studies begin to bear fruit

In the 1980s, researchers studying the autopsied brains of people with Alzheimers discovered that they were clogged with sticky plaques made from beta amyloid proteins and toxic tangles made of a protein called tau. They theorized that removing these proteins from the brain might delay or even reverse the disease, and they began to hunt for therapies that could do that.

For decades, scientists have been testing a range of biologic medications that recognize and remove beta amyloid proteins, with mostly lackluster results.

In late-stage clinical trials involving more than 1,800 people with early Alzheimers disease, one of these drugs, gantenerumab, slowed the progression of symptoms compared with a placebo, but it wasnt a big enough benefit to pass a test of statistical significance, meaning the result could have been due to chance alone. It was considered a failed drug.

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Meanwhile, two similar drugs  lecanemab, or Leqembi, and donanemab, or Kisunla  did meet the US Food and Drug Administrations bar and were approved to treat people with Alzheimers who have mild symptoms.

Both therapies are expensive, may cause brain swelling and, in clinical trials, delayed the progression of symptoms by months compared with placebos. The modest benefits mean some doctors and patients to shy away from using them.

Researchers testing gantenerumab in people with gene mutations that set them up for Alzheimers in the DIAN got permission from the FDA to continue using the drug for as long as possible. When they couldnt keep the participants on gantenerumab any longer, they switched them to its sister drug lecanemab.

Sue, a study participant in Texas, has been in the gantenerumab arm of the trial since 2012. She joined the study shortly after she found out that she and three of her five siblings had a gene mutation that made it almost certain they would develop early-onset Alzheimers disease.

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Of six children in her family, two brothers and two sisters have the mutation. One brother was tested but doesnt have it, and another brother doesnt want to be tested but remains free of symptoms. Two of her brothers and a sister developed symptoms around age 57. Sue, who at 61 is the youngest of her siblings, has not.

Im fine. Im totally fine, said Sue, who asked to be be identified only by her first name to protect family members who may also have the mutation.

Her brothers, who were also in the trial but began taking the medication after they had developed symptoms, didnt benefit as much.

When she started the study 13 years ago, she hoped she would contribute to scientific understanding of the disease. She has had 40 MRIs, 30 PET scans and more than a dozen lumbar punctures to collect her spinal fluid.

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Tests show that her brain and her thinking are normal. She gets queen bee, the top daily ranking, on the New York Times Spelling Bee game every day.

I still feel like, fundamentally, Im doing it to help the science, but at this point, its helping me, she said. I truly believe that.

Sue believes the drugs have held off the disease for about four years for her. When the disease runs in families this way, she believes, theres a pretty clear age when people start to decline, and she thinks the medication has pushed that back.

After watching her brothers begin to decline, she worked with a financial planner to save as much money as possible and planned for an early retirement. Today, shes still working part-time.

Glimmers of hope

For the study, the researchers recruited DIAN members who were cognitively normal or who had only mild symptoms, and who were in a window of time spanning 15 years before to 10 years after their estimated age of diagnosis. The researchers estimated the potential age at diagnosis by looking at the ages when other family members began showing symptoms.

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For the first phase of the study, participants were randomly assigned to take either gantenerumab, another amyloid-lowering drug called solanezumab or a placebo. That study ran from the end of 2012 to the beginning of 2019.

At the end of that study, researchers allowed participants who had finished it to continue on gantenerumab in increasing doses for three years. That extension ran at 18 clinical trial sites in seven countries. In 2023, the drugs sponsor, Roche, discontinued development of gantenerumab after disappointing study results made it unlikely to be approved by the FDA.

The study released Wednesday reports the results of this extension, in which all the participants  73  who continued on the therapy knew that they were on the drug.

Study participants who took gantenerumab during either the double-blind, placebo-controlled portion of the study or only in the open extension had a modest benefit. Their odds of developing symptoms were cut by about 20%, but the result was not statistically significant.

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For the 22 people who had been on gantenerumab the longest  an average of eight years  the benefit was larger and at least partly statistically significant. The drug cut their risk of symptoms by almost half compared with people who were in an observational arm of the study, in which researchers were monitoring the progress of participants but not treating them.

Reiswig, like many members of his family, carries a mutation in a gene called presenilin-2, which causes his brain to overproduce amyloid plaques. His relatives who carry the mutation begin showing Alzheimers symptoms between ages 47 and 50. Reiswig is 46.

Im staring the gun right down the barrel, he said.

His father also participated in DIAN in the observational arm but didnt start the drug trial because he thought he was too sick to get any benefit. He died of Alzheimers in 2019, at the age of 66.

Thats old for our family, Reiswig said.

For years, Reiswig resisted finding out whether he carried the mutation, but he did get tested in 2020. When he learned that he had it, I punched pillows, and I cried really hard, Reiswig said. It was the worst day ever.

But eventually, you run out of tears, he said. He and his wife decided were just going to get busy living, because he didnt know how many good years he might have after the age of 47.

Reiswig started in the solanezumab arm of the study and switched to gantenerumab in the extension.

He hasnt seen any symptoms, but he also doesnt know whether hes actually getting any benefit from the drug.

Marty Reiswig lost his father, Lawrence, to Alzheimer's disease at the age of 66. "That's old for our family," Reiswig said. - Courtesy Marty Reiswig

More research is needed

Researchers who were not involved in the study said that even though it was small and not placebo-controlled, and the data is preliminary, its worth paying attention to.

In the context of all we have learned about the value of amyloid removal in sporadic AD, these data are encouraging, Dr. Paul Aisen, director of the Alzheimers Therapeutic Research Institute at the University of Southern California, wrote in an email.

Aisen led a study that tested solanezumab in people who had amyloid in their brains but didnt have any symptoms. That study found no benefit to taking the drug, compared with a placebo, after more than four years of treatment.

Aisen believes that his study was negative because it tested a first-generation drug that didnt remove amyloid as strongly as some of the newer ones do.

Hes now leading another study testing lecanemab in patients who dont have symptoms. Because a long treatment period is required to see results in this stage of the disease, Aisen says they wont have results until 2028 or 2029.

Much more needs to be done, and additional major studies are in progress, he wrote.

Others said the results from the latest research were hard to interpret, given the biases that probably exist in the study population.

I dont think theres a clear signal here that this is working, said Dr. Michael Greicius, a professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University who was not involved in the study.

Grecius said its difficult to compare this group of 22 people who continued on gantenerumab to people in the observational study, because people in the extension were able to join only if they finished the placebo-controlled trial. People who dropped out of the phase 3 study werent eligible to participate, which means participants in the extension had to be relatively healthy and doing better in the first place.

These are big caveats, Greicius said.

He says the biomarker data included in the paper shows that as the researchers increased the drug dosage, they were able to remove more amyloid from the brain.

But other biomarker data is less clear. PET imaging scans, for example, didnt show much of a difference in the amounts of tau protein in the brain, even after extended treatment.

If there is a real effect here, Greicius says, its not likely to be a permanent one. People are still progressing. Theyre progressing more slowly than the control group.

Even though this data comes with a lot of uncertainty  or perhaps because it comes with so much uncertainty  Greicius says its even more important to continue the research.

This is an invaluable study population, he said. Continuing to follow them on treatment may provide the best test of the amyloid hypothesis that the field can undertake and stands to provide critical evidence either for or against it. This should be highly prioritized for continued funding.

Reiswig said it would be devastating if the study had to be stopped due to lack of funding.

Personally, Im terrified of that. Ill be taken off of a life-saving drug and left to wait until symptoms begin to begin slowing the disease with Kisunla or Leqembi, he said.

He says he and the other DIAN participants have given decades of their lives to research, to developing a treatment, but then could be denied treatments they helped to test.

Honestly, that feels criminal to me, he said. We are so close to preventing the worlds most tragic and expensive disease.

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Nathaniel Batchelder holds a sign for traffic to see Thursday at the "Dont Kill For Me vigil at the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion during the scheduled execution of death row prisoner Wendell Grissom.
DOHA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing escalations in the Gaza Strip and Yemen are interconnected, with each exacerbating the other and both fueling dangerous regional developments, said Steven Wright, an associate professor of international relations at Qatar's Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Wednesday, Wright highlighted how the unresolved Gaza conflict has allowed Yemen's Houthi group to present itself as a defender of Palestinian rights.

"This narrative enables the Houthis to frame their attacks on (Red Sea) shipping as legitimate resistance rather than mere provocation," he explained, saying the Houthi behaviors serve multiple ends in terms of the group's strategic objectives and are "consistent with its longstanding anti-American and anti-Israeli doctrine."

In Wright's view, "backing Palestinians" has served as a "propaganda tool" that provides the Houthis with moral legitimacy, gained them domestic support despite years of civil war, and raised their standing in the region.

Noting the recent U.S. airstrikes on Houthi positions, Wright said there is a significant escalation from the previous U.S. military campaign initiated under former President Joe Biden in January 2024.

He said earlier U.S.-British operations were "more targeted," focusing on Houthi "tactical military assets like radars and missile sites," while the latest U.S. strikes expanded targets to include infrastructure such as power stations, providing a clear example of Trump's "peace through containment" philosophy which uses overwhelming force to deter adversaries and intimidate opponents into compliance.

He emphasized that the Houthis have aligned their maritime operations, which were conducted as a gesture of support for Palestinians, with developments in Gaza, strengthening their strategic narrative against what they perceive as Western-backed regional aggression.

Wright pointed out that the military strikes on the Houthis have exposed the limitations of the U.S. approach, as previous strikes failed to weaken Houthi capabilities.

He also warned that the Houthis could further retaliate by targeting the region, posing risks to regional states, including Gulf countries.

Addressing the relationship between the Houthi group and its key regional supporter, Iran, Wright cautioned against oversimplifying or exaggerating their ties. "While Iran is widely believed to provide the Houthi group with material support, the group itself maintains a high degree of strategic independence," he said, citing the Houthis' resolve to launch Red Sea operations despite Tehran's initial caution as clear evidence of their autonomy.

Looking ahead, the political analyst stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive political solution to the Gaza conflict, which is the root reason for and core of all interlinked crises. "The longer it takes to establish a viable path for resolving the conflict, implementing effective governance, and facilitating post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza, the greater the risk of wider regional escalation could become," he said.

"What we are witnessing in Yemen is inextricably linked to Israel's actions and the broader regional response to the Gaza conflict," Wright concluded, stressing the importance of bringing an end to the Gaza crisis "with a credible post-conflict pathway for the future."

The tension between the Houthis and the U.S. military intensified as the United States renewed airstrikes on Yemen on Saturday after the Houthi group threatened to resume attacks on Israeli targets, in response to Israel's continued blockade of aid to Gaza and tightened siege on the war-torn enclave. The U.S. airstrikes have targeted Yemen's capital and several other provinces under Houthi control, killing dozens of people.

This tension involving multiple parties escalated further as Israel resumed Tuesday its heavy onslaught on Gaza, reportedly killing over 590 people and shattering a two-month ceasefire. 
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -The Israeli cabinet voted early on Friday to dismiss the head of the Shin Bet domestic intelligence service effective April 10, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said, after three days of protests against the move.

Netanyahu said this week he had lost confidence in Ronen Bar, who has led Shin Bet since 2021, and intended to dismiss him.

Bar did not attend the cabinet meeting but in a letter sent to ministers said the process around his firing did not comply with rules and his dismissal was predicated on baseless claims.

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Late on Thursday, police fired water cannon and made numerous arrests as scuffles broke out during the protests in Tel Aviv and close to the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem, where police said dozens of protesters tried to break through security cordons.

Over the past three days, demonstrators protesting the move to sack Bar have joined forces with protesters angry at the decision to resume fighting in Gaza, breaking a two-month-old ceasefire, while 59 Israeli hostages remain in the Palestinian enclave.

"We're very, very worried that our country is becoming a dictatorship," Rinat Hadashi, 59, said in Jerusalem. "They're abandoning our hostages, they're neglecting all the important things for this country."

The decision followed months of tension between Bar and Netanyahu over a corruption investigation into allegations that a number of aides in Netanyahu's office were offered bribes by figures connected with Qatar.

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Netanyahu has dismissed the accusation as a politically motivated attempt to unseat him, but his critics have accused him of undermining the institutions underpinning Israel's democracy by seeking Bar's removal.

In his letter to the government, Bar said the decision to fire him was "entirely tainted by ... conflicts of interest" and driven by "completely different, extraneous and fundamentally unacceptable motives".

He had already announced that he intended to step down early to take responsibility for the intelligence lapses that failed to prevent the attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7, 2023.

DEEP DIVISIONS

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The angry scenes on Thursday highlighted divisions that have deepened since Netanyahu returned to power as head of a right-wing coalition at the end of 2022.

Even before the war in Gaza, tens of thousands of Israelis were joining regular demonstrations protesting a government drive to curb the power of the judiciary that critics saw as an assault on Israeli democracy but which the government said was needed to limit judicial overreach.

On Thursday Yair Golan, a former deputy chief of staff in the military who now leads the opposition Democrats party, was pushed to the ground during a scuffle, drawing condemnation and calls for an investigation by other opposition politicians.

Former Defence Minister Benny Gantz said the clashes were a direct result of divisions caused by "an extremist government that has lost its grip".

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In Tel Aviv, demonstrators rallied outside the Kirya military headquarters complex as ministers met to formally approve the dismissal of Bar.

Since the start of the war, there have also been regular protests by families and supporters of hostages seized by Hamas during the October 7 attack that have sometimes echoed the criticisms of the government.

With the resumption of Israel's campaign in Gaza, the fate of 59 hostages, as many as 24 of whom are still believed to be alive, remains unclear and protesters said a return to war could see them either killed by their captors or accidentally by Israeli bombardments.

"This is not an outcome the Israeli people can accept," The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing hostage families, said in a statement.

(Reporting by Emily Rose; writing by Cynthia Osterman; editing by Mark Heinrich, Deepa Babington and Stephen Coates)
TORONTO (AP)  Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will trigger an early election this weekend for an expected vote on April 28, a government official said Thursday, against the backdrop of a trade war and sovereignty threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

Carney will go to Governor-General Mary Simon on Sunday and request to dissolve Parliament, said the official, who wasnt authorized to publicly give details and spoke on condition of anonymity. Simon's office holds a constitutional and ceremonial role as the representative of Canada's head of state, King Charles III.

The campaign for the election, which is due by October but can be called at any time before then by a prime minister, will then officially begin.

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The prime minister said the convention in Canada is that the governor general will know first whether an election will be called.

In this time of crisis the government needs a strong and clear mandate, Carney said in Edmonton, Alberta.

Carney earlier joined the Edmonton Oilers hockey team on the ice Thursday for a morning skate. A former Harvard goalie, he sported a No. 24 jersey, a reference to him being the 24th Canadian prime minister.

The former two-time central banker was sworn in as Canadas new prime minister on Friday. Carney, 60, replaced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader.

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The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war. He has repeatedly said that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.

Trumps economic war and annexation threats have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Many are canceling trips south of the border, and avoid buying American goods when they can.

The surge in Canadian nationalism has bolstered Liberal poll numbers.

This is a stunning reversal related directly to what is widely known in Canada as the Trump Effect,'" said Daniel Beland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal.

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Carney hasn't had a phone call yet with Trump since being sworn in. He has said that hes ready to meet with Trump, if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty.

Carney was the head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis. In 2013, he became the first noncitizen of the United Kingdom to run the Bank of England  helping to manage the impact of Brexit.

A former Goldman Sachs executive with no experience in politics, Carney has said that protecting Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified trade actions and growing the economy will be his top priorities.

The Conservatives and their leader, Pierre Poilievre, were heading for a huge victory in the federal election this year until Trudeau resigned and Trump was sworn in and escalated his near-daily attacks on Canada's economy and sovereignty

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Poilievre, 45, for years the partys go-to attack dog, is a firebrand populist who says he will put Canada first. He is a career politician who attacks the mainstream media and vows to defund Canadas public broadcaster. National campaign director Jenni Byrne said this week they will not be allowing media onboard Poilievres election campaign buses and planes.

Poilievre vows to cut taxes and get resource projects in the resource-rich country approved sooner. "We will stand up to the Americans and stand up for ourselves," he said.

The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote is now is expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with the United States.

Trump put 25% tariffs on Canadas steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products from April 2. Carney said the U.S. putting a 10% tariff oil on Alberta oil exports to the U.S. serves no purpose other than to raise the price to U.S. consumers.

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Trump acknowledged that he is tougher on Canada than he is on some of Americas adversaries, telling Fox News that its only because its meant to be our 51st state.

Trump also said that he didn't care that his trade war with Canada was boosting the Liberal Party.

Carney met with the leaders of the U.K. and France on his first official overseas trip, seeking support from two of Ottawas oldest allies.

Canada is in discussions with the European Union to join an EU drive to break its security dependency on the U.S., with a focus on buying more defense equipment, including fighter jets, in Europe. The plan includes potentially building Saab Gripen fighter jets in Canada. Carney is reviewing the remaining purchase order of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to see if there are other options given the changing environment."
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Two people were arrested after they were accused of a kidnapping that happened at a southeast Austin apartment complex last week, according to the Austin Police Department.

Those people were identified as 56-year-old Jeffrey Caneen and 32-year-old Taylor Brasher, according to police. They were both charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony.

Attorney information was not available for Caneen as of Wednesday. KXAN reached out to Brashers attorney for a statement. We will update this if one is received.

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APD officers responded to a kidnapping abduction hotshot call around 1:40 p.m. in the 2600 block of South Pleasant Valley Road on March 14. The caller said a 7-year-old child was missing from the apartment, police said.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the mother of the child told police she left the child in the apartment alone while she went to the store. When she went back to the apartment, she said the child was missing.

When the mother went into the apartment, she noticed some sodas were missing, which she said was suspicious and was afraid someone entered the apartment and had taken her child. She began yelling for the child and did not get a response. She then went to the leasing office for help and called police, according to the affidavit.

When officers arrived, they spoke with the mother of the child, and then spectators began to state the child was in another apartment, according to police.

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One neighbor told police they heard the child screaming inside one of the apartments.

Officers then found the child in the apartment where Caneen and Brasher lived, and then they were both detained by police, court records said.

How the alleged kidnapping happened

Taylor Brasher, 32; Jeffrey Caneen, 56 (Photo: Austin Police Department)

Both Caneen and Brasher were detained by police after the child was found. When police questioned Brasher, she said she saw the child walking in the breezeway of the building and asked her to show her where they lived, court records state.

Brasher said she then went inside the childs apartment and packed a backpack with clothing and toiletries. She also began to eat the childs food and then took sodas and soup from the apartment, according to the affidavit.

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This made the child upset, and they tried to push Brasher and then stomped on her feet to get her to stop taking the food and sodas. Brasher then hit the child before taking them back to her apartment, police said.

Once at the apartment, Brasher and Caneen assaulted the victim. The child told them both they wanted to go home and tried to escape through the door.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  Many people impacted by the natural disasters that hit Kentucky in early 2025 are beginning to hear back, but not everyone is getting the news they anticipated.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said some denials are as simple as a missing document.

How to apply for Disaster SNAP benefits in Kentucky

FEMA urges people to read their letters completely and carefully because a denial letter will explain why you were found ineligible for assistance.

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If you are found eligible for assistance, the letter will explain the amount of assistance FEMA approved and information on the appropriate use of disaster assistance funds, FEMA said in a news release.

If you disagree with any decisions, you can still appeal.

How to appeal a FEMA decision

FEMA said it is important to include documentation for the reason for the appeal and provide any information FEMA requested, such as documents from your insurance company or proof of occupancy or ownership.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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FEMA said it is important to write your FEMA application number and the disaster number (DR-4860-KY) on each page of the appeal and any additional documents you submit.

FEMA receives numerous documents with every appeal; writing your application number on each page submitted helps to organize your case, FEMA said.

Appeal letters should be mailed within 60 days from the date on your FEMA decision letter.

Mail appeal letters to:

FEMA  Individuals & Households Program National Processing Service Center, P.O. Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

Appeal documents can also be uploaded at DisasterAssistance.gov, or faxed to

800-827-8112.

How to apply for FEMA assistance

Applications can be submitted online at DisasterAssistance.gov, on the FEMA mobile app, by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, or by calling 800-621-3362.

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Kentucky flood victims left frustrated with FEMA assistance

The deadline to apply for federal assistance is April 25.

For a list of FEMA disaster centers in Kentucky, click here.

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Democratic incumbent Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs and her Republican challenger, Judge Jefferson Griffin. (Courtesy photos)

Three judges on the state Court of Appeals will hear arguments on Friday in Republican Judge Jefferson Griffins effort to throw out votes so he can win a seat on the Supreme Court.

Griffin, himself an appeals court judge, is suing the state Board of Elections in his attempt to toss out more than 60,000 votes he claims were illegally cast. Griffin is seeking to unseat Democratic incumbent Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs. Riggs is ahead by 734 votes, a lead that has been affirmed in two recounts.

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Spectators packed a trial court hearing in February when a Wake County Superior Court judge heard the case. Seating was so scarce that some who came to watch had to wait outside. There will be no opportunity to attend Fridays hearing. It will be held via WebEx and available to livestream at http://govu.us/nc-coa-oral-arguments at 10:00 a.m.

Republicans hold a 12-3 majority on the Court of Appeals.

Two Republican judges, John Tyson and Fred Gore, and one Democrat, Tobias Hampson, will hear the case.

The trial court hearing resulted in a ruling in favor of the Board of Elections. That led to Griffins appeal.

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The appeals court hearing and decision are likely to be intermediate steps. Any decision by the three-judge panel will likely be appealed to the state Supreme Court. A federal appeals court also left open the possibility the case could end up in federal court.

Griffin is challenging three sets of ballots. He claims that more than 60,000 voters were not properly registered because they did not include either a partial Social Security number or drivers license number on their forms. Voters Griffin is challenging have come forward in the past months to say they did provide that information, but it was excluded from the electronic voter file due to typos or data mismatches.

Griffin is also challenging the votes of more than 5,500 military and overseas absentee voters because they did not provide voter ID with their ballots. These voters are from a handful of overwhelmingly Democratic counties. The state Board of Elections does not require military and overseas voters to submit a copy of their photo ID. Griffins lawyers say the elections board is wrong to exempt those absentee voters from the photo ID requirement.

Lastly, he is challenging overseas absentee voters who have never lived in North Carolina, but who are connected to the state through their parents.

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The Court of Appeals has accepted friend of the court briefs from several groups and individuals supporting the state boards ruling. The list includes former county boards of election members, the U.S. Vote Foundation, which assists overseas and military voters, the Association of Americans Resident Overseas, the Secure Families Initiative and Count Every Hero, which support service member voting and the counting of their ballots, the ACLU, and individual voters and voting rights groups.

These groups and individuals said people who followed the rules should not have their votes thrown out.

Demonstrators gathered in Raleigh in February to protest Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffins challenge of more than 60,000 votes in the North Carolina Supreme Court race. (Photo: Lynn Bonner)

The court filing from former county elections administrators encouraged the judges to adopt the principle that court intervention close to an election is improper because it can damage the integrity of the process.

Each part of the election process requires the consistent, impartial application of established laws and rules in order to sustain the publics confidence and participation in the process, their brief said. Changing these laws and rules in the middle of an election is disruptive; changing them after an election to apply to the election already held is chaos. How can the public trust the election if the rules can be changed after the results are known in order to produce a different outcome? Sanctioning post-election changes of well-established rules that change an elections results opens a Pandoras box of partisan maneuvering and undermines the efforts of administrators to conduct an orderly and fair election.

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The appeals court also accepted a friend of the court brief from Jay Delancy, a longtime hunter of voter fraud in North Carolina. Delancy wrote that he does not agree with the trial court decision, nor does he support the remedies Griffin, Riggs, or the State Board propose.

Voting rights groups have waged a public campaign condemning Griffin for trying to throw out votes after the election. Theyve challenged his lawsuit as a threat to democracy in rallies around the state.

Veterans call on the Court of Appeals to protect military votes

Service veterans spoke at a Thursday morning news conference denouncing Griffins effort to throw out military ballots.

We answered a call to serve and protect our country,  said Jason Cain, a U.S. Army veteran.

Veterans call on the Appeals Court to protect military votes cast in the state Supreme Court race. (Photo: Lynn Bonner/NC Newsline)

When the North Carolina Board of Elections issues guidance on how we go about voting, we follow orders. Thats what we do. Thats what were really good at. So, when North Carolina tells us that we dont need voter IDs, that we appreciate your service, that we understand the hardships that youre going through, and that we want you to vote, we follow orders.

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Amanda Reeves, a former active-duty Air Force officer, reservist, and military spouse, said her family has willingly made sacrifices to defend the United States and its values.

We believe in our Constitution and the goodness of democracy, she said. A fundamental part of that is our right to vote, and the belief that our government has an obligation to make voting accessible to its citizens and to protect and respect those votes as the voice of the people.

Votes Griffin is challenging are legitimate, Reeves said, and many were cast by families like hers.

She asked the appeals court judges to step up with us to protect the rule of law, to protect the rights of our fellow citizens and their right to participate in our democracy, and to protect our Constitution.

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While voters condemn the notion of throwing out ballots after an election, Griffins lawyers pointed out in their written arguments that the state Supreme Court has done so in the past.

Following a close race for state Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2004, the high court ordered that 11,000 votes cast by people who voted out of precinct on Election Day should be discarded, even though the state Board of Elections had counted them.

Democrats had a majority in the legislature at the time, and lawmakers subsequently passed a law that essentially overturned that opinion, according to a summary published in the journal Popular Government.

In its brief, the ACLU said that the state superintendent case differs from Griffins. The ACLU points to older state Supreme Court cases that hold courts cannot scrap ballots cast by voters who relied on government instructions about which procedures to follow.
HONOLULU (KHON2)  Maui Police Chief, John Pelletier, will stay on the job without an investigation despite a civil lawsuit claiming he worked for jailed rapper Sean Diddy Combs while serving as a Las Vegas police captain.

In early March, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen asked the commission to sideline the chief to look at a lawsuit that hasnt even been served on the chief and is in clerical limbo for filing errors.

Maui mayors request regarding Chief Pelletier rejected

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The commission came down heavily on the Mayor for jumping the gun and said they wont do his bidding.

Is it safe for foreign tourists to visit Hawaii? 15 facts to know

The Chief produced pages of receipts and alibis, saying that he was nowhere near the alleged incidents.

NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. and comedian Drewski were also named in the slew of civil lawsuits. Both said the allegations were false and fabricated.

Hawaii ranks in top 2 for divorce, depression, more: New report

But Mayor Bissn asked the police commission in writing to put Pelletier on leave and investigate.

I got a call from the mayor urging me to put him on leave. Very disappointed because that call shouldve come from Stacey Moniz, said Bill Richardson, Maui Police Commission.

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I think the administrations actions are a little concerning. I do find the mayor to be a man of integrity and hes trying to do his job as well as he seems fit, but this was a major miscalculation on his part, said Frank Derego, Maui Police Commission.

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The police union SHOPO supported the mayors call. Public testimony against leave and investigation was overwhelmingly in Pelletiers favor.

One testifier called it a punishment.

Look at how much publicity has been generated against the Chief of Police. I mean honestly, this appears to be slander and not much more, said Moana Lutey.

Maui County declined to provide a county attorney to Pelletier, so he hired one personally.

At this stage, it has as much legal weight as a blog post or a TikTok video. Seriously, now I know what the concern is and I know what the concern is that when theres smoke, theres fire and these claims are sensational, but theres not even smoke here, said Keola Whittaker, Pelletiers attorney.

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A baseless civil accusation, Maui police chief responds to Diddy lawsuit involvement

The commission voted 7-0 with one excused to write a letter telling the mayor they are not proceeding as he requested.

While I respect the commissions right to disagree, a leave of absence in such cases does not imply an admission of guilt but is a necessary step to protect the departments reputation, effectiveness and public trust Maui Mayor Richard Bissen in a statement

In a statement, SHOPO added that the commissions actions help clarify if an officer faces unproven allegations and they will not face professional consequences by being placed on administrative leave.

Check out more news from around Hawaii

The vote today is resounding and says it all. Id like to point out that I have two small children and nobodys apologized to them. My wife, this police department for the pain that this has caused, said Pelletier.

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The chief and his counsel said he would initiate an investigation if a suit is legitimately filed, accepted by the court and served.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The Clackamas Board of County Commissioners has opened the application process for filling a vacant seat following the resignation of former Commissioner Melissa Fireside.

Kotek declares state of emergency amid floods

The vacancy is for the County Commissioner, Position 4 seat. The board is now accepting applications from the public starting Wednesday, March 19 through April 9 at 5 p.m.

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Those interested can submit their cover letter and resume here.

State law requires a few minimum qualifications to apply, including being a U.S. citizen and being at least 18 years old. Applicants must also be a current Clackamas County resident who has lived in the county for the past year prior to election. They must be registered to vote in Clackamas County, too.

According to the board, their criteria for selecting a candidate include the following:

Geographic area of residence

Prior elected experience

Prior community service

Plan to run, or not, in the next election for this seat

Years of community service and why types of community service

Specific expertise in issue/policy areas

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People submitting an application must also answer the following questions in a cover letter:

Why do you wish to serve as a county commissioner?

In your opinion, what are the three most pressing issues affecting Clackamas County? What policy interventions would you advocate for to address those issues?

What attributes uniquely qualify you to be a Clackamas County Commissioner? What expertise, experience and community service will you bring to the Commission?

Finalists for the seat will be interviewed at a public meeting before an official appointment is made, the board said. The role will fill the Clackamas Commissioner, Position 4 seat until December 2026. After that, the position will then be selected via a General Election on Nov. 3, 2026, for a two-year term.

Oregons Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival starts this week

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Melissa Fireside resigned from the Clackamas Commissioner, Position 4 seat after she was indicted last month in connection to theft and forgery charges. Fireside is accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from an 83-year-old man and forging his signature along with the signature of Oregon State Rep. April Dobson in a promissory note. Fireside faces several charges and is expected to appear in court again on April 28.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  A change to the Albuquerque Public School Board of Educations governance manual is drawing scrutiny with some claiming it limits transparency. But the APS board president said it was all a misunderstanding.

Story continues below

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In a February board meeting, the board made changes to its governance manual, which included a tweak to how it handles the press. Essentially the APS school board said that the president of the board will act as the sole spokesperson on behalf of the board, said Danielle Gonzales, president of the APS school board.

The manual states, board members will support the legitimacy and authority of the final determination of the board on any matter regardless of the members personal position on the issue.

In the February meeting, the board president said the policy aligns with guidance from the Council of Great City Schools, which also said board members speaking to the media will be interpreted as speaking on behalf of the board even if the member says it is their personal opinion.

Gonzales maintains no one is being silenced. Theres nothing within the policy that limits the board members or any individual in the publics freedom to speak to the media, said Gonzales.

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She said the goal is to limit misinformation and to present a united front to the public. The main goal is to maintain our unity to the public and to be really clear that when the board acts, we act as a seven-member board that represents the entire community, not a group of individuals who are representing our own opinions or our own perspectives, said Gonzales.

Still, the new language in the manual is getting scrutiny. Its basically saying once the school board has voted on something, every school board member has to fall in line behind that vote even if they voted against it, even if they dont agree with it, said Christine Barber, executive director of New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. That is very anti-transparency. Its also against the First Amendment and free speech.

She said NMFOG got several calls alerting them to the policy change after the board meeting. On top of that, the school board members are elected officials. They were elected specifically by the public to represent the interest of the public on the school board, she said.

The ACLU of New Mexico also said it is monitoring the media policy.

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We are concerned that APSs speech policy unconstitutionally limits school board members from discussing board decisions. While board members must respect the democratic process, they also have a fundamental First Amendment right and duty to explain their votes and engage in public discussion about policies that impact the community.

Courts have routinely held that while casting a vote is a governmental act, discussing policies and expressing opinions is protected speech. Silencing board members threatens transparency and accountability, said Leon Howard, ACLU of New Mexico Interim Executive Director.

It was our practice prior to this vote and prior to this governance manual, and so Im sorry theres been some misinterpretation of either the intent or the impact of the policy, but it was really meant to be a minor tweak to our governance manual, said Gonzales.

The next APS school board meeting is scheduled for April 2, 2025, at 5 p.m.

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Crews starting work on a gas line in Bulgaria uncovered a late Roman-era settlement.

The timing of abandonment implies that the settlements residents were driven out by a barbarian raidpossibly part of the Gothic Wars.

Artifacts found at the site near the city of Lesichovo include coins and pottery that helped experts determine the timeline of the settlements demise.

A crew working on a transit gas pipeline in Bulgaria made quite the discovery when their work unexpectedly uncovered a Roman-era settlement partially ravaged by fire.

In a new study published in the Bulgarian Journal of Archaeology, experts highlight the discovery of a 4,400-square-meter settlement located in the western part of the Sredna Gora mountains. Archaeologists swiftly stepped in to take over, and found a site teeming with ancient pottery shards, coins, and other signs of life from the late Roman period (more than 1,500 years ago).

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Archaeological crews excavated two buildings, the walls of which were constructed from mud bricks that included medium-sized stones. They also found fragments of tile roofs and storage pits. One of the two structures was roughly 30 feet long and included at least three rooms, while the second building had just two sections.

Archaeologists also found evidence of the possible demise of the settlement.

Analysis revealed a single-layer settlement dating from the late Roman period, ending abruptly with a fire dated no earlier than 347 A.D. based on coin evidence, the authors wrote in the study. The fire resulted in preserved in situ destruction, indicating buildings were abandoned and never reconstructed.

While still only speculation, the Thrace province routinely succumbed to barbarian raids as part of the Gothic Wars that were ongoing during the time period. The devastating fire could have been a deliberate attack, which would account for a mix of artifacts founds within the structures.

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Some of the coins archaeologists discovered onsite helped provide a chronological framework for the settlement and the fire. The latest of them were minted during the reign of Constantius II, who ruled from 347 to 355 A.D. Curiously, a deposit of six silver coins dating to 249 A.D. were found closer to the present-day surface of the site, and the team believes the area was later disturbed by agricultural activity. Other coins dated to the fifth century suggest settlement continuity both before and after the mid-fourth century fire, highlighting the sites long-term occupation and historical significance within the regional context of late Roman Thrace.

The study calls the bounty limited but varied, and other finds included arrowheads, buckles, jewelry, sewing needles, knives, rings, chains, and plenty of ceramic finds for home use (including jugs, cups, bowls, pots, strainers, and storage vessels). The team located storage jars partially buried to help preserve food, and the mix of cast iron and jewelry showed that the settlement likely engaged in trade. The Roman characteristics in pottery design tell a larger cultural tale.

Handmade ceramics indicated continuity with traditional Thracian pottery styles, the authors wrote, linking to the ethnic group common in Bulgaria, suggesting the inhabitants belong to the Thracian ethnic group.



While the settlement may have met a tragic end, the items they left behind now keep the story of its inhabitants alive centuries later.

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A man accused of threatening President Donald Trump five years ago will soon come before an Arizona judge.

David Andrew Combe, 46, has been charged with two counts of making threats against a U.S. president and one count of false information and hoaxes. He was arrested in South Dakota on March 12 and appeared at the federal courthouse in Rapid City on Wednesday.

According to government lawyers, in September 2020, Combe sent Trump a letter stating, "I will hunt you down and kill you." They also said the letter contained an "inert white powder" and included a postscript that read, "PS: enjoy the anthrax in the envelope!!"

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Though he sent the letter years ago, during Trump's first term in office, Combe wasn't charged until February 2025. An Arizona judge issued a warrant for his arrest on Feb. 27, and the government took him into custody on March 12 in Rapid City.

He has been ordered to appear before a federal judge in Phoenix on April 8.

The judge has ordered him not to travel outside South Dakota, except for travel related to his court appearance in Arizona.

Combe's last known address was in Buckeye, according to public records.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona man threatened Trump, sent him white powder, documents say
KAMPALA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Ugandan military said on Thursday that the deployment of its troops in the South Sudanese capital of Juba has helped restore calm.

Chris Magezi, acting spokesperson for the Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces (UPDF), told Xinhua by phone that the deployment of troops in Juba and its outskirts stopped the sporadic clashes between the warring parties and facilitated an environment for political dialogue.

Earlier this month, Uganda dispatched special forces to South Sudan as tensions escalated between President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar, fueling fears that the East African country could slide into civil war.

"The situation is calm. Tensions are down. The purpose of this deployment is to nip it in the bud," Magezi said. "Our intervention is really meant to facilitate dialogue between the political forces within Juba, for the good of the people of South Sudan and for the entire region."

According to military authorities, the fighting and clashes threatened to unravel the power-sharing agreement and peace deal between Kiir and Machar in 2018.

"We do not wish South Sudan to get on fire like they did in 2013, and then it took five years before they could sit down to discuss and resolve their issues," said Magezi.

The military spokesperson also denied reports that the UPDF was involved in fighting and air raids in Nasir, Upper Nile State, northern South Sudan.

"Those are false reports. We haven't flown any planes into South Sudanese airspace. Those are local militia clashes, and the UPDF is not involved at all. We have (only) deployed within the Juba region and the outskirts of Juba city," Magezi added. 
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Wildfires across Arkansas are severely impacting traffic.

Arkansas State Police are asking travelers to avoid several areas across the state.

In Jefferson County, all lanes of Interstate 530 from Exit 12 to Exit 32 are shut down. ASP officials said Highway 104 is also shut down near Exit 30.

State police ask people traveling to and from Little Rock to go through Grant County using Highway 270 and Highway 167.

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In Jackson County, state police ask drivers to avoid the portion of U.S. 67 near the 69-mile marker.

In Lawrence County, ASP officials ask travelers to avoid U.S. 67 near the 124-mile marker near the Fulbright community. They also warn against traveling on U.S. 63/412 in P

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture stated Wednesday afternoon that crews are fighting at least 38 fires across the state.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  The Arkansas Forestry Commission fought 96 wildfires across the state Wednesday.

Officials with the commission said the fires have been contained, but some are still burning.

LRFD crews respond to several fires across Little Rock, including Goodwill Arkansas headquarters

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday that more than 160 members of the Arkansas Forestry Commission are fighting the wildfires. Firefighters are still working to contain a wildfire in Bearden.

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The governor said the National Guard is assisting with keeping wildfires with resources including Blackhawk helicopters.

LIVE UPDATES: Crews fighting dozens of wildfires across Arkansas

Wildfires that the commission fought do not include the ones that were fought by city or county firefighters. In Little Rock alone, 14 calls emergency calls were reported.

Majority of the state is under a burn ban and extreme wildfire danger, so counties are encouraged to avoid any activity that could spread fires.

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Rep. Diana Gonzales Worthen, D-Springdale, expresses her opposition to the Only Citizens Vote Act before the bill's failure to pass the Arkansas House on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

The Arkansas House of Representatives failed to pass a bill that would have placed restrictions on noncitizens attempting to vote or register to vote, something that is both federally illegal and not happening in Arkansas, according to immigrant advocates.

The Only Citizens Vote Act, or House Bill 1422, would have changed both state law and the state Constitution. Changing the latter via legislative action requires a minimum two-thirds vote from lawmakers, or 67 votes in the House.

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Only 53 House members, all Republicans, supported the bill. Fourteen more Republicans did not vote.

The constitutional change in question would have added references to the proposed new statute to Arkansas Constitutional Amendment 51, which lists the documents required for voter registration.

Those documents include a Social Security card and a drivers license or state-issued identification card, both of which noncitizens are able to obtain, bill sponsor Rep. Wayne Long, R-Bradford, told a House committee that narrowly passed the bill Wednesday.

HB 1422 would have required the Department of Finance and Administration to share names and identifying information of each noncitizen with an Arkansas-issued ID or drivers license with the Secretary of States office, which oversees elections.

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If a noncitizen was found to be registered to vote, the bill would have required the secretary of state to refer the individual to the Attorney Generals office for prosecution, and the clerk of the noncitizens county of residence would have been required to cancel the persons voter registration. The individual would have had the chance to provide proof of U.S. citizenship after being notified of the secretary of states actions.

However, there are no documented cases of noncitizens voting in Arkansas, so HB 1422 addresses a non-issue, said Democratic Rep. Diana Gonzales Worthen, the Legislatures first Latina who represents the states first majority-Hispanic district in Springdale.

Immigrants do not want to break the law, especially in this manner, because if theyre in line for citizenship, this will totally erase that, she said.

Providing false information on a voter registration form, including about citizenship status, risks fines and/or imprisonment, according to the Secretary of States office.

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HB 1422 would also have required the finance department to print noncitizen drivers licenses and state-issued IDs in a vertical format. Individuals from ages 16 to 20 already have vertically printed ID cards, which Gonzales Worthen said would cause confusion and single out immigrants if HB 1422 became law.

Mireya Reith, founder and executive director of Arkansas United, and Maricella Garcia, race equity director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, made the same point Wednesday when speaking against HB 1422 before the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs.

Additionally, HB 1422 states that its noncitizen ID requirements would not be a valid federal ID. This would clash with the requirement for Arkansans to have a Real ID to enter a federal building or board a domestic flight from May 5 onward, said Rep. Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville.

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There are 71,648 noncitizens legally residing in Arkansas, and any of them could potentially be voting, but we dont really know, Long said Wednesday.

Clowney noted that altering tens of thousands of Arkansans drivers licenses would cost $152,000, according to a fiscal impact statement from the state finance department.

No member of the House spoke for HB 1422, and eight Republicans voted present.

Six Republicans joined all 19 House Democrats in voting against the bill:

Rep. Brandon Achor of Maumelle

Rep. Julie Mayberry of Hensley

Rep. Mark McElroy of Tillar

Rep. Kendra Moore of Lincoln

House Majority Whip Stetson Painter of Mountain Home

Rep. Trey Steimel of Pocahontas

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Mayberry and McElroy also voted against the bill Wednesday in committee.

Noncitizen voting is rare but has been legalized in a handful of cities nationwide, including in Washington, D.C., in 2023, leading to backlash from conservatives. Thirteen states  including Louisiana, Oklahoma and Missouri  have amended their constitutions since 2020 to specify that noncitizens cannot vote in those states.

President Donald Trump pushed the false narrative of noncitizens voting often in federal elections while he was campaigning for reelection last year, and U.S. House Republicans introduced legislation that would have required states to verify proof of citizenship to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. The bill stalled in the U.S. Senate, which was controlled by Democrats at the time.

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A legislative committee on Thursday approved a $750 million appropriation bill for the cost of constructing a new 3,000-bed prison in western Arkansas, three weeks after rejecting a request for approval to draft the bill.

Funds for the project wont get disbursed until formal requests are approved by the Legislature, but that didnt stop members of the Joint Budget Committee Thursday morning from venting about the Sanders administrations decision to place a new prison in rural Franklin County in an effort to alleviate overcrowding in county jails.

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Searcy Republican Sen. Jonathan Dismang, committee co-chair and lead sponsor of Senate Bill 354, said he heard his colleagues previous concerns about not having a total cost estimate for the project. Vanir Construction, the firm hired by the Department of Corrections as the projects construction manager, issued a letter with a preliminary cost estimate of $825 million on March 3, the same day Dismang filed a bill to appropriate $750 million for the project.

Lawmakers have had weeks to read the bill and ask questions, according to Dismang, who reminded his colleagues that approving SB 354 would not release any funds and was required to start a capital project.

There are stopgaps and stopgaps and stopgaps in front of us as we discuss funding along the way and how were going to do that, he said. This is not that. This is the appropriation for a capital project to build a prison. Period. This is not the end of our responsibility. This is not the end of our discussion. This allows us to have the bigger conversation.

Several lawmakers whove been vocal critics of the project remained unsatisfied Thursday, arguing that local residents dont want the prison in their community and that costs will be higher than estimated due to a lack of needed infrastructure as well as rising costs of construction materials and the possible effect of steel tariffs.

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Lawmakers questions were fielded by former Corrections Secretary Joe Profiri. After being fired by the Arkansas Board of Corrections last year, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders hired him as a senior aide. Sanders later appointed Lindsay Wallace his successor.

The prison could be opened in phases, according to Profiri, who said the intent is to activate at least part of the facility in late 2026 or early 2027. The goal would be to have the project finished by 2029.

Profiri also told lawmakers the ultimate cost of the project will be determined by engineers findings, and he noted that adjustments can be made to stay within budget. Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, said Profiri has worked on at least three prison facilities over the course of nearly 40 years in corrections and was able to keep them under budget, honoring the wishes of lawmakers who have the ultimate approval of how much is spent.

I struggle to think, what if we dont build this prison, what is the cost to society? Hester said. How do we answer to the people at home when theres no misdemeanor justice? What is the cost to not do this?

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The need for more prison space is expected to increase as the state implements 2023s Protect Arkansas Act, which requires the most serious offenders to serve the majority of their sentences. County jails currently house roughly 10% of state inmates, costing the state nearly $30 million annually, according to a corrections department spokesperson.

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Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, said he supports a new prison and is willing to overlook some of his fiscal responsibility because he feels the prison is needed so badly. But the state could have done more on the front end to ensure the property it bought was suitable, including making sure there was sufficient access to utilities and no environmental concerns, he said.

So to sit here and tell me that youve got this great experience in doing this and you have basically flubbed the purchase, its just insulting to me, he said. I did an amendment to try to make it so that wed have the money because this might be a four- or five-year project, but we dont want to listen to that or try to do that to have the money in place. We just want to talk about how were going to do this and we cant even get the first step right.

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Hickey was referring to an amendment to SB 254 that failed in the JBC Special Language subcommittee about an hour before the Joint Budget Committee met Thursday morning. The proposal wasnt about spending money, but moving money and parking it in holding accounts, he said.

One proposed account would be the $750 million mentioned in the appropriation bill, an account Hickey said is already set aside with roughly $330 million in it. The other account for $250 million would be for prison construction or contingencies.

The Legislature set aside $75 million in 2022 and $330 million in 2023 for prison expansion.

The amendment would also have allowed the interest being put into the Catastrophic Reserve Fund, which Hickey said had roughly $1.9 billion in it, to be released so it can also be used.

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What this will also do is make it so that we have enough money to park this billion dollars, and it also will free up about another hundred million dollars in funds to help with our cash flow, Hickey said in the subcommittee.

As a member of the committee, Hickey made a do-pass motion, but it failed for lack of a second.

During the Joint Budget Committee meeting, Sen. John Payton, R-Wilburn, said the state had a lot of money burning a hole in our pocket. The states general revenue surplus was $698.4 million in fiscal year 2024, the fourth-largest surplus on record. The general revenue surplus exceeded $1 billion in the two previous years.

Everyone agreed to build a prison, but Payton said hes not sure we made a wise business decision about where to put it.

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But it did destroy a lot of confidence in the people making the decision, and when were talking about what could be a billion dollar project, we need some confidence in how the decisions are going to be made, he said.

When the governor announced in late October the purchase of 815 acres near Charleston for $2.95 million, several Arkansas lawmakers, as well as local officials and residents, decried the decision for its lack of transparency and have continued to push back against the project.

Even if the state increases prison capacity, Payton said, staffing will be an issue, as it has been for a number of years.

Thats what concerns me most, and thats why I think we need to slow down instead of running off half-cocked and pursuing what could be a major problem in the end, he said.

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Sen. Gary Stubblefield, a Branch Republican whose family land is near the prison site, requested the committees vote be divided by chambers. The bill advanced after garnering a 17-10 vote on the Senate side and a 16-10 vote on the House side.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Legislation approving ivermectin for human consumption without a prescription has cleared the Arkansas legislature and is closer to becoming law.

The Arkansas Senate made its final vote on Senate Bill 189 on Wednesday afternoon, ending its legislative journey. It has received the needed vote and ordered engrossed, meaning it is on its way to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders desk for signature to become law.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 42 bills into law

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All five amendments to the bill were to add sponsors to the legislation. The bill has 28 cosponsors alongside primary sponsors Sen. Alan Clark (R-Lonsdale) and Rep. Mary Bently (R-Perryville).

Per the bills language, ivermectin suitable for human use may be sold or purchased as an over-the-counter medication in this state without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional.

If it becomes law, it will go into effect 90 days after the legislature adjourns.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs Arkansas Access Act higher education bill into law

Ivermectin treats intestinal parasitic worms, often in horses but occasionally in humans. Despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration opposing its use, it became a popular alternate treatment for vaccine opponents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  The bill to appropriate $750 million for a 3,000-bed Arkansas prison is in legislative motion after a Thursday committee vote.

Senate Bill 354 had not seen much activity since being submitted to the Joint Budget Committee on March 3. Today it left the Joint Budget Committee with a do pass vote, returning it to the Senate floor.

Legislature filing mandates $1 billion fund for Arkansas prison construction

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The previous General Assembly provided $75 million in funding for the prison, which is expected to have a final cost of $825 million.

Last week, Sen. Jimmy Hickey (R-Texarkana) filed an amendment to establish a temporary $1 billion fund to cover the building and possible cost overruns. Since that fund would be established, the amendment was to be heard by the Joint Budget Committees Special Language Subcommittee.

In a Thursday morning hearing, Hickeys amendment failed when it did not receive a second, putting the bill into the Joint Budget Committee hearing later that morning.

Several Senators and Representatives spoke against the bill in the Joint Budget hearing, citing concerns about the lack of planning and preparation for a project this size, including the cost of associated expenses such as building suitable roads and wastewater treatment for the rural Franklin County site.

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Arkansas Sheriffs Association head explains support for proposed prison

Others expressed concerns about staffing a prison that size, with Rep. Jim Wooten (R-Beebe) predicting annual staff salaries for a facility that size would be at least $40 million a year.

Those speaking in favor pointed to the need for more prison beds in Arkansas to meet the current demand. Sen. Bart Hester asked, What is the cost of no misdemeanor justice? and referred to the lack of space in county jails.

The bills lead sponsor and Joint Budget co-chair, Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Searcy), pointed out that the legislation was an appropriation, not a funding bill, and there would be checks and balances along the path to funding the prison.

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The bill passed on a roll call vote, with 17 Senators and 16 representatives voting in its favor out of the committees 55 members. It is not on the agenda for the afternoon Senate session.

Arkansas senator introduces legislation to counter governors prison plans

The legislature will not be in session on Friday and will be on spring break recess next week.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The Arkansas State Police (ASP) is marking 90 years since its establishment as the states primary law enforcement agency.

On Mar. 19, 1935, Governor J.M. Futrell and the Arkansas General Assembly approved Act 120, creating the ASP. Initially composed of 13 officers, the agency was tasked with enforcing traffic laws and newly enacted liquor regulations.

Over time, its responsibilities expanded to include criminal investigations and highway patrol.

COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police COURTESY: Arkansas State Police

ASP growth timeline

1948  ASP established separate divisions for highway patrol and criminal investigations.

1957  The agency expanded under Governor Orval Faubus, increasing its presence across the state.

1967  ASP hired its first African American officer, Marion Taylor, and engaged in efforts to enforce state laws in Hot Springs, where illegal gambling had persisted.

1975  Barbara Cart became the agencys first female officer, and ASP integrated computerized records into its operations.

1980s-1990s  The agency expanded its drug enforcement initiatives, including a marijuana eradication program and drug interdiction units.

2019  ASP was placed under the newly formed Arkansas Department of Public Safety as part of Act 910.

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Today, ASP operates as a division within the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, with nearly 1,000 officers and civilian employees. The agency remains responsible for law enforcement efforts across the state, including highway safety and criminal investigations.

University of Arkansas issues measles advisory amid U.S. surge

Since its founding, ASP has contributed to a decline in traffic fatality rates, from 24 deaths per 100 million miles traveled in 1934 to two per 100 million miles by 2001, according to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.

We want to honor and thank all of the men and women  past and present  who have proudly worn the badge and Big Hat in selfless service to the citizens of our great state, ASP Colonel Mike Hagar said in a news release. Heres to many more wonderful years ahead for YOUR ARKANSAS STATE POLICE!

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now)  A special education preschool program in Arlington could soon be on the chopping block and parents are petitioning to keep it running.

Parents say Arlington Public Schools (APS) is considering a budget proposal to shut down Integration Station, a preschool for students with special needs aged two to four.

In response, parents are taking action by circulating a petition that has now reached over 1,100 signatures.

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Parents Erin Turner and Sarah Ravi say their children depend on the services the school provides.

I was shocked that APS looked to cut, said Turner. They targeted toddlers with disabilities.

Carbonara, Arlingtons latest culinary experience

This is an amazing school that has provided such great services for my daughter whos disabled, explained Ravi. I justfeel so strongly that it needs to continue.

The Arlington Public Schools 2025-2026 budget includes a proposal to move Integration Station students closer to their home schools rather than funding to operate the building.

Not every home school . [has] adequate services for kids with special needs, said Turner.

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APS says they are dealing with budgetary challenges and less funding. The proposed budget says ending the program would save $670,000.

At an Arlington Public Schools board meeting on March 13th, Dr. Francisco Duran presented the budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

The school board and myself are aware that we are not able to meet some of our priority needs, said Duran. There are many things we identified and discussed that are not funded in this budget and theyre not funded in this budget because we do not have the proper funding coming from the state.

APS released a statement saying in part:

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It is the beginning of the budget process, and the proposal includes a range of reductions and cost-saving measures. There are many opportunities for community feedback.

The next school board meeting is set for March 27th, and parents say they plan to be there to protest keeping the preschool open.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury)

 Armed man near CIA headquarters brings large police response.  WUSA9

 Judge considers malicious prosecution lawsuit against Virginia Attorney Generals Office.  WVTF

 Hundreds arrested in Virginia immigration crackdown, but just a fraction have alleged gang ties.  Richmond Times-Dispatch

 The Dome in Virginia Beach hosting hiring fair.  WAVY

 Following reassessment, Martinsville grapples with residents tax anxiety.  Cardinal News

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ABUJA, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed and 25 others sustained varying degrees of injury following a multi-vehicle crash near Karu, a town on the outskirts of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Wednesday night, police said Thursday.

Eighteen vehicles were involved, including a truck loaded with bags of cement that rammed into several vehicles in slow-moving traffic. A petrol tanker, which later exploded, was also impacted by the cement-laden truck, Olusegun Ogungbemide, a spokesman for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria's traffic police, told the media.

A preliminary investigation by the traffic police attributed the incident to a brake failure, Ogungbemide said, noting some of the vehicles involved were engulfed in flames.

Witnesses said a gridlock followed the crash and fire late Wednesday, snarling traffic on the busy Abuja-Mararaba road for several hours.

Ogungbemide told Xinhua that traffic police personnel made frantic efforts to rescue victims and manage the situation in the area.

"The FRSC has also been collaborating with other security agencies to promote road safety awareness and prevent such tragic incidents from occurring," he said.

Deadly road accidents are frequently reported in Nigeria, often blamed on overloading, bad road conditions, and reckless driving. 
A woman armed with a knife in San Bernardino County was shot by police after threatening her own life and lighting the inside of a vehicle on fire at a gas station earlier this year, officials announced.

According to a critical incident briefing released by the Colton Police Department, 911 dispatchers received a call from an employee of a Starbucks coffee shop, located at 1181 S. Mt. Vernon Avenue, just before 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 who reported an unhoused woman outside the door who was armed with a knife.

In footage from the responding officers body-worn camera, the officer can be seen talking to the woman, now identified as 36-year-old Riverside resident Leandra Michelle Guerrero, and an unidentified male, letting them know that her behavior was scaring store employees.

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The male, who appeared to be accompanying Guerrero, told the officer that he was taking her home.

A little less than an hour later, at 12:20 a.m. on Feb. 13, Colton PD received reports of a woman armed with a knife at an Arco gas station at 1240 E. Washington Street, about a half mile away from the Starbucks.

In that instance, the caller reported that Guerrero, still armed with the knife, was walking in out and of the store and approaching customers at the gas pumps. Surveillance footage from the business showed her attempting to get inside customers vehicles as well.

A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) A 36-year-old woman who was armed with a knife and lit a vehicle on fire in Colton was shot by police on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD) A knife recovered at the scene of a police shooting in Colton on Feb. 13, 2025. (Colton PD)

When police arrived at the location, the 36-year-old had gotten into a white SUV, shut the door and refused to exit the vehicle.

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Body-worn footage shows officers standing outside of the SUV while Guerrero was reportedly lighting the inside of the car on fire and holding a knife to her own throat.

VIDEO: Savage collision in Southern California involving box truck kills motorist

She is trying to light something on fire inside the vehicle, an officer is heard saying before reporting to dispatch, She is trying to slice her throat.

Police said the 36-year-old, armed with the knife, exited the vehicle toward the officers prompting them to both shoot her with a firearm and what appeared to be a stun gun that was dropped on the ground.

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Guerrero, struck by gunfire, knelt to the ground before sitting down.

Police rendered medical aid to the woman while the fire, which had ignited inside the car not far from the gas pumps, was safely extinguished.

Paramedics responded to the scene and rushed the 36-year-old woman to the hospital where she was listed in stable condition.

The knife was also recovered at the scene, police said.

No officers or other citizens were injured during the incident. Guerrero was eventually taken into custody and booked on charges of assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, carjacking, robbery and arson.

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The sheriffs department as well as the district attorneys office in San Bernardino County are investigating the officer-involved shooting. Colton PD is also conducting its own internal review of the incident.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Germany and the United Kingdom have updated their advice to citizens planning trips to the US to reflect a widespread crackdown on border checks under US President Donald Trump.

After three German citizens were arrested in the US as part of stricter immigration policy, the German Foreign Office has updated its travel advice to clarify that an ESTA is not always a guarantee for entry.

"A criminal record in the United States, false statements regarding the purpose of your stay or even a slight overstay when visiting can lead to arrest, detention and deportation upon arrival or departure," the ministry's website now states.

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The UK's Foreign Office has added a similar warning to its page on US entry requirements in an update on March 14: "You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules."

The change in advice comes after several citizens from both countries were taken into custody in the US over questions about their visas and reasons for travel.

A spokesman for Germany's Foreign Office said it was taking incidents of the past week involving German citizens very seriously and decided on March 18 to adjust the travel and security advice for the US.

"We have clarified and now clearly emphasise that an ESTA authorisation or a US visa does not always entitle the holder to enter the US," said the spokesman.

Relatives of one German living in the US say she was detained in Boston and held in a detention centre for more than a week. In most cases, the people in question were deported from the US after several days in detention.
Rapid City, S.D. (KELO)  A lot of the schools in Rapid City have been standing for decades, and many of them look the same today as when they were built.

However, thats no longer the case at an elementary school.

A local artist is helping bring new life into the old structure.

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Up until recently, going inside Pinedale Elementary  on the western edge of Rapid City  was like stepping back in time.

The same artwork lined the walls for generations.

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Its somewhat abstract so a lot of kids just kind of walk by never really noticing it, Pinedale Principal Laura Kamarainen said.

Thats no longer the case. Pinedale is now home to 14 original pieces of art.

Were always trying to help our students grow into leaders and be lifelong learners. So updating the art is a kind of a good way to remind them that were constantly learning and evolving and we want them to connect with our building, Kamarainen said.

The PTA turned to local artist and parent Samantha Gartland to create something that would bring new life into this 1950s building.

I thought itd be a great idea. Ive walked around the school, I volunteer at the PTA. I now have two children here, one in second and one in kindergarten. And I thought it would be kind of cool to provide some bright, less creepy or drab art for the school, Local Artist Samantha Gartland said.

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Each piece of art was created specifically for the students.

I did some research and looked into and found out what my kids would be inspired by and what would make them happy. And there was a lot of feedback we got just walking the halls. Just bringing in some of the art pieces and the kids in the hallway were asking what they were. And we would show them and they would say, oh thats so cool, so just getting that feedback from them was really exciting, Gartland said.

Now that the new artwork has arrived, thats exactly whats been happening when students walk through the hallways.

Well its like almost all the other art they are like textured and like they come from the heart and this comes from the heart but its like more colorful and it just lightens up the school. 2nd Grader Annabelle Gartland Said

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Well, I like that its new, because the old art was made before my dad was born and hes old, so its good that we get new pieces, 2nd Grader Eleanor Chalberg said.

This water-color art ranges from inspirational to fun and colorful to informational.

Some of the paintings teach students about animals and where to find them. Thats not all.

Itll coincide with a lot of our sayings that we use around school. I can do hard things, think win-win, that growth mindset we try to instill in our students, Kamarainen said.

That kids can use their imagination with it. Because is she on the earth or is she in outer space, and are we on the earth balloon or are we not, Chalberg said.

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The new artwork is giving students the opportunity to learn not only in the classroom, but in the hallways.

Pinedale is hoping these pieces inspire and remind their students that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-Passaic), chair of the Assembly's community development and women's affairs committee, listens to people testify on March 20, 2025, against several abortion-related bills. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

Anti-abortion pregnancy centers that use deceptive or misleading advertising to lure pregnant women through their doors would face penalties for violating the states Consumer Fraud Act under a bill an Assembly panel advanced Thursday despite heated opposition from anti-abortion advocates.

The bill also would require violators to issue a statement correcting false or misleading information and authorize the state attorney general to seek a court order prohibiting violators from advertising or providing counseling services.

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It comes 16 months after the Office of the Attorney General issued a consumer alert warning residents about deceptive advertising by crisis pregnancy centers, which are typically religiously affiliated centers that offer pregnant women testing, ultrasounds, counseling, and information that discourages abortion. There are more than 50 such centers around the state, with at least one in every county.

It was one of three abortion-related bills the Assembly Community Development and Womens Affairs Committee advanced along party lines Thursday. The other two bills would:

Establish a reproductive health travel advisory that would inform New Jersey residents about abortion restrictions in other states. This bill passed the full Senate in October by a 25-14 vote, largely along party lines.

Protect people who get or give abortions in other states by entering New Jersey in the Womens Reproductive Health Care Compact. Under that compact, member states would block the extradition or investigation of people who get or provide abortions by states that restrict the procedure, among other things. This bill does not yet have a Senate companion.

The measures come as the Trump administration has pardoned abortion protesters convicted of federal crimes, banned federal funds for abortion, and rolled back support of the abortion pill. Forty-one states now ban or restrict abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

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Thursday, Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-Passaic), the committees chair, lamented this time of uncertainty for womens rights. She told listeners  mostly anti-abortion advocates  that the bills would ensure women have the freedom to make informed decisions about their reproductive health.

The issues before us today are not just policy matters, Sumter said. They are matters of justice, dignity, and the well-being of families and communities across our state.

The activists who packed the hearing room, though, decried the bills as discriminatory against religious groups.

Shawn Hyland of the New Jersey Family Policy Center speaks during a hearing before the Assembly Community Development and Womens Affairs Committee on March 20, 2025, at the Statehouse in Trenton. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

This is nothing more than a campaign of hostility toward faith-based, pro-life pregnancy centers, and it has resulted in actions that are unconstitutional, groundless, unduly burdensome, and purposefully harassing, said Shawn Hyland of the New Jersey Family Policy Center.

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Opponents of the bill targeting anti-abortion pregnancy centers said the centers should not be subject to the states Consumer Fraud Act because that 1960 law was passed to police commercial speech.

No precedent exists for applying the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act to the offering of free charitable services to members of the community who voluntarily accept them, said Eileen S. Den Bleyker, an attorney who sued the state in 2023 over the consumer alert.

Den Bleykers group lost that challenge at the appellate level, but a separate action over public records remains ongoing.

Critics also warned legislators the bill violates free speech protections and would be struck down as unconstitutional, citing a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case that challenged a California law. That case targeted a law that required licensed anti-abortion pregnancy clinics to alert patients that the state provides free or subsidized abortions and mandated that unlicensed clinics advertise their non-medical status. But the justices agreed with the anti-abortion pregnancy centers that the First Amendment prohibits compelled speech.

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The New Jersey bill awaits a hearing before the Senates commerce committee.

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) and Assemblyman Al Barlas (R-Passaic) voted against all three bills.

We should not be weaponizing government against those who provide women with a choice, the choice to be supported, the choice to receive care, and the choice of life, Fantasia said.

On all three bills, several speakers veered into religious preaching, driving Sumter to repeatedly try to redirect their comments back to the legislation under consideration.

Barbara Eames, an anti-abortion advocate, testified against bills to protect reproductive rights at an Assembly committee hearing on March 20, 2025, at the Statehouse in Trenton. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

But anti-abortion lobbyist Barbara Eames ignored Sumter as she testified about slavery, Benjamin Franklin, Babylon, the Book of Psalms, North Korea, and China before ending with a warning.

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I am quite sure that this committee will approve these bills today, and they will likely pass the Legislature and be signed into law by Governor Murphy. But God executes justice in his own time and will call us all to account for our actions taken in our earthly life. These bills violate his law and his will, Eames said.

No abortion rights advocates testified during Thursdays hearing, although several did testify in support of several bills to protect abortion access in October.

Sumter appeared unruffled after the 90-minute hearing, saying: What I love about our state is we protect reproductive freedoms, whatever your choice may be.

Chaos on the federal level makes home rule matter more for state policymakers, she added.

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Its a form of leadership that doesnt serve the public well, she said of the Trump administration. Anxiety is high. Theres pressure down on the state level to make sure that we provide some leadership, calmness, and stability on what rights you have in your state.

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Academica is the largest for-profit education management organization in the country. Academica Nevada, whose building is pictured here, is the biggest EMO in the state. (Photo: Hugh Jackson/Nevada Current)

Democratic state Sen. Skip Daly is sponsoring legislation that would put an end to what he sees as a loophole that allows for-profit companies to use taxpayer dollars to build quasi-public schools while skirting Nevadas prevailing wage laws.

State Sen. Skip Daly. (Photo: Richard Bednarski/Nevada Current)

But his Senate Bill 318 goes further and bans charter schools from contracting with for-profit education management organizations (EMOs) altogether.

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Charter school operators and advocates are vehemently opposed to the proposal, telling lawmakers on the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday that it would shut down the highest performing charter schools in Nevada. But Daly said he has included provisions giving charters the length of their current contract or at least two years, whichever is longer, to figure out and execute a transition.

Charter schools were able to operate before EMOs, he said, and theyll be able to do it again.

Daly made the case that prohibiting for-profit EMOs would realign Nevada with the original intent of charter schools as non-adversarial complements to the traditional public school system.

For-profit public schools was a mistake, an experiment that hasnt worked out, he added.

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EMOs were meant to be vendors providing certain services, like payroll and accounting, that would normally be handled by a school districts central office, he said, but they have evolved into much more than a vendor.

They essentially own what are supposed to be public schools, he said.

Daly noted EMOs own the brand of the school. He singled out Pinecrest, Doral and Mater as examples of charter school chains. All three, which each have more than one location in Nevada, are affiliated with the nations largest EMO, Florida-based Academica. In 2022, more than half of all charter school students in Nevada were enrolled at schools contracted with Academica, according to an analysis conducted by the Nevada Current.

EMOs are often affiliated with the company that leases out the building their charter schools operate out of.

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Charter schools cannot make an independent decision under this scheme, Daly said, because their involvement is too deeply entrenched. These are not arms length transactions.

The education committees Republicans were critical of the proposal. State Sen. Carrie Buck, who is the executive director of Pinecrest Academies of Nevada, told Daly he needs to be truthful and implied he was either misinformed or lying about how charter schools are set up and run. Minority Leader Robin Titus questioned his characterization of EMOs as running a scheme.

I stick with that, Daly responded.

Daly said the founding of many charter schools is not grassroots and the EMO is involved from the very beginning.

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Their motivation is to increase market share, increase their per pupil dollars, and increase their land portfolio, he said. They are just land companies building their portfolios through public dollars.

Public? Private? Both.

Daly, a retired building trades union leader, was pulled into the charter school issue through what he and many in his former profession see as a skirting of Nevada prevailing wage laws.

In Nevada, any public project with a contract price of $100,000 or greater that is wholly or partially funded by public dollars is subject to prevailing wage law. Rates for prevailing wage are set annually by the Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner, which compares similar projects in the region.

The Nevada State Public Charter School Authority, the authorizing body for the vast majority of charter schools in the state, as well as Academica Nevada, have taken the position that prevailing wage laws dont apply to construction projects included within lease agreements that charter schools enter into with private companies.

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Daly contends that prevailing wage laws do apply because the charter schools governing board is sponsoring the project, which is paid for by the charter school using public funds it receives from the state.

He also believes it is irrelevant that, as Buck and others routinely point out, charter schools do not receive additional dedicated facility funding. Thats part of the bargain they signed up for, he said. They agreed to it.

Daly acknowledges the issue of whether prevailing wage laws should apply to charter schools has not been definitively settled. Nevada Labor Commissioner Brett Harris confirmed, while testifying in neutral on the bill, that her office has received inquiries and complaints related to whether charter schools are subject to prevailing wage laws.

SB 318 attempts to settle the issue and clarify that such projects are indeed subject to prevailing wage laws.

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Dalys bill likely faces an uphill battle. Democrats, while generally more critical of charter schools than Republicans, in previous sessions have rejected proposals to institute moratoriums or caps, and the charter school industry argued this would shutter existing high-performing charters. Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who has veto power over any bills passed by the Legislature, is a staunch supporter of charter schools.

Editors Note; This article and headline has been corrected to reflect that Skip Daly is a Nevada state senator.
CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  With large gatherings of people, including at places of worship, safety is always a concern.

On Thursday, some local churches completed training on how to make their spaces safer and try to ease the fears of their congregations.

Church leaders and officers with some Northeast Ohio police departments sat in on the training led by the Ohio Crime Prevention Association.

Theres always safety concerns no matter where you are in society, whether youre going to the grocery store, or whether youre going to an airport, or a sporting event or attending church, said Kerry Pettit, executive director at Canfield Presbyterian Church.

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The training covered more than just what to do in case of an intruder.

When you think of church safety, synagogue safety, its not just about waiting at the door for an armed gunperson to come through that door. Theres a lot of other issues that affect the different houses of worship, said John DiPietro, president of the Ohio Crime Prevention Association.

The training encouraged places of worship to assess risks  everything from fire hazards to building security to financial safety  and come up with a tailored plan.

As long as you just do something, you prepare not only your staff, but your congregation, DiPietro said.

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At Canfield Presbyterian, where the training was hosted, that has been a focus. After completing the same training a few years ago, church leaders created a safety committee to look at their risks and develop a plan.

This past Sunday was a great example. There were many tornado watches, so how do you handle that if you have all your congregants in the sanctuary and we have a tornado  what do you do? Pettit said.

The program also encouraged law enforcement to work with faith-based communities to solve safety problems.

You want to be welcoming but you still need to be safe. So it was finding that balance of how we can do both. How we can still welcome people but still keep ourselves safe, Pettit said.

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Several area churches and police departments were represented at Thursdays training, including:

Canfield Presbyterian Church

Eastminster Presbytery

First Presbyterian Church Warren

New Lisbon Presbyterian Church

Westminster Presbyterian Church Boardman

Wickliff Presbyterian Church

Canfield Police

Lakewood Police

North Royalton Police

Solon Police

Homeland Security

Anchor Security

Levine Security Solutions

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The Nasa astronauts stuck in space for more than nine months received just $5 extra for each day they were away from home.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore splashed down off the Gulf of Florida on Tuesday aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule after spending 278 days on the International Space Station when their spacecraft malfunctioned.

The astronauts boarded a Boeing Starliner in June last year for what was meant to be an eight-day mission to the space station, but their return date was repeatedly pushed back after the shuttles thrusters encountered problems.

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Despite being cut-off from their friends and families for months without access to showers or laundry services, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore received the same $5 daily stipend afforded to government employees taking a business trip.

While in space, Nasa astronauts are on official travel orders as federal employees, Jimi Russell, a spokesman for the agencys Space Operations Mission Directorate, told The New York Times.

NASA

Orbiting the earth every 90 minutes for nine months and unable to leave their workplace, the astronauts had their transport, board and lodgings costs covered.

They were also paid a daily incidentals allowance, which federal employees receive instead of compensation for travel expenses.

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The incidentals allowance of $5 is designed to cover the cost of tips given to porters, bag carriers and hotel staff, according to the US general services administration.

The stipend for each of the 286 days they were in space added $1,430 to their annual salaries of around $152,258.

During their mission, Ms Williams broke the record for total spacewalking time by a woman, racking up 62 hours and six minutes during her nine spacewalks, surpassing the previous record of 60 hours and 21 minutes.

Suni Williams is helped out of the SpaceX spacecraft after returning to Earth on Tuesday - KEEGAN BARBER/AFP

Upon their return, the astronauts were lifted onto stretchers as their bodies adjusted to the pull of gravity after months of weightlessness.

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Despite their meagre compensation package, Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore remained upbeat throughout their extended work trip.

This is my happy place, Ms Williams told reporters in September. I love being up here in space. Its just fun, you know?

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SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  Angelo State University will host the 47th annual Distinguished Lectureship in Science Honoring Dr. Roy E. Moon on Tuesday, March 25 in the Houston Harte University Center.

According to a press release from ASU, CEO of Magpi data collection company and leading innovator in global health technology Dr. Joel Selanikio will make two public presentations. These presentations held at the University Centers C.J. Davidson Conference Center include:

Power to the People: How Technology is Democratizing Knowledge and Capability at 2 p.m.

Doctor You: The Shift from Expert-Ficused to Consumer-driven Health at 7 p.m.

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Both presentations are free and open to the public.

The press release from the university shared that Selanikio bridges the worlds of healthcare, global health and technology to illustrate opportunities in the opportunities in the application of artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing and mobile technology to health, healthcare and social challenges.

Selanikio was the former outbreak investigator and Ebola clinic director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, served as chief of operations for the Health and Human Services Emergency Command Center after Sept. 11, 2001, and was an officer of the Public Health Service in 2001.

The Distinguished Lectureship in Science honors a longtime San Angelo obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Roy E. Moon. Moon practiced at the Clinic Hospital Medical Associates, later West Texas Medical Associates, for 28 years.

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The lectureship was established in 1976, according to ASU, and was underwritten by an annual grant from members of WTMA through 2019. In 2022-2023, the lectureship received generous funds provided by Shannon and is ASUs longest-running and most prominent public lectureship.

Click here for more information about ASUs ongoing Leading the Charge capital campaign.

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George Glezmann, the Atlanta man wrongfully detained in Afghanistan for more than two years, has been freed and is on his way back to the United States, Channel 2 Action News learned Thursday.

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The Taliban released Glezmann, and he flew with an American diplomat to Qatar. From there, he will fly to Washington, D.C., on Friday then on to Atlanta.

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I cant wait to see George and help him on his road to recovery as we rebuild our lives, said his wife, Aleksandra Glezmann. We are forever grateful to President Trump for bringing George home. Since the first day of the Trump Administration, his team has focused on securing Georges safe release. The skill and dedication demonstrated by Secretary Rubio, Mr. Waltz and Mr. Boehler has been refreshing. It is clear to us that their dedication to the American people is unwavering.

Family attorney Dennis Fitzpatrick confirmed to Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Mark Winne that Glezmanns release had been the subject of intense negotiations in recent weeks with the Taliban and that President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz have all been personally involved in overseeing those discussions.

Special presidential envoy Adam Boehler was point man in the negotiations, Fitzpatrick said. Boehler personally went to Afghanistan and traveled home with George Glezmann.

Never-before aired video showed George Glezmann while in captivity in late 2023.

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I feel like I want I just want to go home, he said in the video. This has been too much. This has been a nightmare.

It was taken around Christmas of that year, the second one he spent wrongfully detained by the Taliban. He would spend one more Christmas as a captive, and by that time his physical and emotional state had deteriorated dramatically - so much so that his life was endangered.

Now hes free - freedom that potentially saved his life, says George Taylor, a retired federal agent who worked for years on the Atlanta Joint Terrorism Task Force.

I was just really overwhelmed and extremely grateful and appreciative to the president of the United States, he said.

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Taylor told Channel 2 that for more than two years hes helped Glezmanns wife, Aleksandra, and Fitzpatricks fight for George Glezmanns release, attending meetings with high-level U.S. officials in both the Biden and Trump administrations.

Taylor said Wednesday night he learned a plane for Glezmann had taken off from Qatar, a country that played in key role in brokering negotiations between the Taliban and the U.S. That plane was headed to the airport in Kabul, and he found out before that plane had left the ground to return that Glezmann was aboard and free.

Taylor says hes heading to the D.C. area, where he expects Glezmann to be reunited with his wife, and Taylor will meet the man hes worked so hard to free for the first time.

Last year, a family representative told Winne, who has been covering Glezmanns story for months, that he believed Glezmann, then a Delta Airlines mechanic on vacation, did everything he could to follow the letter of the law to enter Afghanistan as a tourist in December 2022. Fitzpatrick said he was detained with two days of his arrival.

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The lawyer said Glezmann was passionate about exploring foreign cultures and had visited more than 100 countries, often using his airline travel benefits.

Winne received the following statement from Glezmanns wife Aleksandra.

I cant wait to see George and help him on his road to recovery as we rebuild our lives. We are forever grateful to President Trump for bringing George home. Since the first day of the Trump administration, his team has focused on securing Georges safe release. The skill and dedication demonstrated by Secretary Rubio, Mr. Waltz and Mr. Boehler has been refreshing. It is clear to us that their dedication to the American people is unwavering. "

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Aleksandra Glezmann told Channel 2 in January that she got a call from a senior Trump administration official expected to play a key role in negotiations for Americans held hostage, only two days after President Donald Trump took office.

This just highlighted his commitment to my husbands case. And Im really grateful for that, Aleksandra Glezmann said.

She said in the days before former President Joe Biden left office, the State Department called and said negotiations had ended without a deal to bring her husband home.

In the waning hours of the Biden presidency, the administration called Aleksandra Glezmann and told her that Ryan Corbett, who had been her husbands cellmate, was coming home along with another American in a prisoner swap.

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I feel really misled by the previous administration. But Im still really hopeful because I know that Trumps administration will deal with my husbands case differently, Aleksandra Glezmann said.

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UNITED NATIONS, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Armed rebels have isolated Sudan's massive Zamzam displaced persons camp -- already famine-blighted -- by choking the water supply and blocking aid efforts, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that the health situation in the camp about 12 km south of El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State, is deteriorating.

"Armed groups advancing towards El Fasher and Zamzam have reportedly gained full control of surrounding routes," OCHA said. "According to a humanitarian partner still operating in the camp, the road between El Fasher and Zamzam is now completely blocked, halting all supply movements and medical referrals."

The office said the situation has severely affected essential services, particularly the water supply.

OCHA said its humanitarian partners in the camp reported the tightening blockade has shut down all diesel-powered infrastructure, including boreholes, leaving only solar-powered systems operational. However, these cannot meet the growing demands.

Despite the conditions, displaced people continue to seek shelter in Zamzam, already holding about 500,000 people, the office said.

"Residents at the camp are reportedly having to wait up to two days to fill a single water container," OCHA said. "Humanitarian partners say security concerns and fuel shortages have prevented water trucking, further exacerbating the crisis."

The office said there were reports that neighboring towns, dozens of villages, and markets were burned down during attacks on Wednesday, triggering mass displacement. The siege on El Fasher and Zamzam is worsening conditions for displaced people, and severe shortages of supplies continue to deepen the humanitarian crisis.

"Aid workers have been forced to ration water and supply stocks to sustain operations for as long as possible," OCHA said. "Although some basic nutrition services remain operational in Zamzam, they could be suspended if an attack occurs."

The office said the main stabilization center in the camp remains closed due to a lack of essential medical supplies, leaving severely malnourished children at extreme risk.

In a meeting with aid organizations on Wednesday, administrative authorities in the town of Tawila, 37 km west of Zamzam, reportedly agreed to reopen roads to enable aid deliveries to Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps, as well as displaced communities in El Fasher. The roads have not been reported open.

"We reiterate that an immediate de-escalation of hostilities is critical to ensure safe, timely and sustained access for life-saving humanitarian assistance and services," OCHA said. "All parties must adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure that civilians are protected." 
Spring has arrived in Austin, which also signals the return of potential severe weather  on the heels of an unusually cold and snowy winter.

And severe weather isn't the only natural threat you might face in Central Texas. Here are five  in no particular order  that can hurt you or even kill you.

When is the first day of spring? See what Farmer's Almanac predicts for Texas in 2025

No. 1: Severe weather, including floods and tornadoes

While this winter's bitter temperatures and uncharacteristic precipitation hit Texas hard, the Lone Star State is far from finished with severe weather. In fact, 2025 has already brought flood advisories triggered by heavy rain, as well as severe storms.

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Just over the weekend, the same major storm system that caused flooding in Southern California brought high winds to Texas. The strong winds combined with dry conditions to fuel several fires. Red flag warnings across the state continued into the week. The system also brought haboobs, or dust storms, into the High Plains.

Dust from West Texas brought in by high winds is seen in Downtown Austin on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

More on wildfires: Bastrop County has seen five major wildfires since 2009. Experts say it's the new normal.

The deadliest flood event in recent memory was prompted by Hurricane Harvey in August and September 2017, which directly caused 89 deaths. Another deadly flood, more local, happened during the Memorial Day weekend in 2015. Flooding across Central Texas, particularly in Hays County, southwest of Austin, left 14 people dead, including a dozen along the Blanco River.

Twisters also have taken their toll on Central Texas. The U.S. recorded at least 1,855 tornadoes in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 1,814 set in 2004. Among the states, Texas saw the most with 169  more than doubling 2023's total of 78.

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But the deadliest tornado outbreak in Central Texas happened 27 years earlier. On May 27, 1997, the strongest of a series of tornadoes leveled neighborhoods in Jarrell, near Williamson County's northern border, killing 27 people and injuring 12 others.

No. 2: Extreme temperatures  freezes and excessive heat

Sometimes, the weather danger isn't from rain falling or debris flying through the air  sometimes, it's the air itself. Austin's fickle weather can swing temperatures from one extreme to the other.

The last two months have seen winter weather generally atypical for the Lone Star State. Austin even saw some snow, as well as plunging temperatures into the lower teens and single digits, when an arctic air system swept through Texas in February.

For some, this winter's freezing temperatures were reminiscent of the February 2021 freeze that resulted in at least 240 deaths. The weeklong event strained the Texas power grid nearly to the point of collapse; its icy grip made roads impassable and knocked out water pipes.

Snow, ice and widespread blackouts gripped Austin and much of Texas during the deadly February 2021 winter storm.

As deadly as freezes can become in Austin, we're more likely to encounter extreme heat, especially in summer, but increasingly also in spring and fall. For many local students, 2024's first week of school was an exceptionally hot one. Heat indexes of up to 111 degrees prompted heat advisories and excessive heat warnings. Two months before, another heat wave also brought triple-digit temperatures to Central Texas.

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Heat-related illnesses have been rising in Austin, a trend Mayor Kirk Watson and other officials attribute to climate change. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services responded to 125 heat-related illnesses in May 2024, according to data from the organization. Thats a 150% increase from the 50 incidents the agency saw in May 2023.

Over Memorial Day weekend alone, EMS responded to 54 heat-related illnesses over three days, up from just eight in 2023.

More: Millions in danger as power outages, 106-degree heat index hit Houston one day after Beryl

No. 3: Venomous animals such as snakes

When the atmosphere isn't presenting a threat, sometimes it's venomous residents on the ground. Most snakes aren't venomous, but you could come across four species that are in Central Texas:

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Western diamondback rattlesnakes , which can be identified easily by the rattle on their tails, are the most common rattlesnake in Texas and are most active at night.

Coral snakes , known by their red, yellow and black stripes, have red touching yellow on their bodies. Nonvenomous snakes, such as the Texas milk snake, have red and black touching.

Copperheads can be well-hidden in forests and have gray and brown bands.

Cottonmouths, also known as water moccasins, have brown, dark red or tan bands, and can be aggressive while being defensive. They are not always in the water.

A rattlesnake is held as the Sweetwater Jaycees visit the Texas Capitol to promote snake safety and the Rattlesnake Roundup Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. Sweetwater holds the largest annual rattlesnake roundup in the country on March 14-16.

If you are bitten by a venomous snake, call 911. Austin-Travis County EMS recommends that you:

Do not apply tourniquets to snakebites or try to suck the venom out of a snakebite.

If possible, take a picture or get a good description of the snake, but do not try to capture it.

Keep the injured area at or below the level of the heart.

Apply ice or cold packs to the injured area to help reduce swelling.

No. 4: Viruses such as the flu, measles, COVID-19

A series of viruses have spread through Central Texas in the past several months, in addition to the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

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There has been a sharp increase in flu-related medical visits in Travis County since the start of the year, according to Austin Public Health. The third week of January, 9.9% of emergency room visits in Central Texas were for flu. For the flu season, beginning Sept. 29, 2024, and up to March 8, 2025, 11 adults have died from influenza-associated causes. There had also been four outbreaks in schools and long-term care facilities.

More: Two people in Travis County die as high levels of flu hit Austin area; What are symptoms?

This year, Texas has also reported the first U.S. measles death in 10 years. As of March 18, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) had identified 279 cases, 36 of which required hospitalization.

Measles, which can cause a rash like shown above, is on the rise in Texas.

At this time, there have been no confirmed measles cases in Central Texas, as outbreaks have generally occurred in West Texas. However, it is an extremely infectious disease: 90% of people exposed to the virus who have not been vaccinated or do not have natural immunity will become infected after being exposed. The virus can live on the surfaces of a room for two hours after exposure.

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The DSHS has reported possible measles exposures in Live Oak, New Braunfels, San Marcos, San Antonio and Wall.

No. 5: Water hazards such as toxin-producing algae

During the past several years, Austin's Watershed Protection Department has been on the lookout for dihydroanatoxin-a, a potent neurotoxin that has turned up in blue-green algae growing in Lady Bird Lake and other local waterways. Since 2019, several dogs have died after ingesting water with the harmful algae, including one in July 2024.

For the past four years, the city has treated specific areas throughout the lake with lanthanum-modified bentonite, a type of clay material that binds to phosphorus in the water, making it unavailable for algae to feed on. Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, is toxic to humans and pets.

Brent Bellinger, a senior environmental scientist for Austin Watershed Protection, looks for samples of algae near Red Bud Isle on Lady Bird Lake on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

Symptoms of algae poisoning in dogs can include excessive drooling, vomiting or diarrhea, foaming at the mouth, jaundice or an enlarged liver, blood in their urine or dark urine, stumbling, loss of appetite, abdominal tenderness, progression of muscle twitches and respiratory paralysis.

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Humans might experience a rash, irritation, swelling, sores, a fever, headache, eye irritation, or gastrointestinal, neurological, ear or respiratory issues.

 Former Statesman staff Roberto Villalpando contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: These 5 natural threats can hurt or kill you if you live near Austin
Attorney General Pam Bondi declared Wednesday that the judge who ordered the return of deportation flights last weekend had no right to be meddling in our government.

On Fox News The Will Cain Show, Bondi said her lawyers are working on appealing the ruling by U.S District Judge James Boasberg, whose decision resulted in Donald Trump demanding his impeachment.

The presidents call in turn drew a scolding from Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.

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Our lawyers are working on this. We will answer appropriately, Bondi said, in light of Boasbergs Thursday deadline to respond to questions about the flights. But what I will tell you is this judge has no right to ask those questions.

Theyre meddling in foreign affairs. Theyre meddling in our government, she went on. And the question should be: Why is a judge trying to protect terrorists who have invaded our country over American citizens?

The government has argued that those on board the flights were members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Boasbergs order wasnt heeded, Justice Department lawyers told him in court Monday, because he had given a verbal order and by the time he had submitted a written order, it was too late. That, Boasberg replied, was a heck of a stretch.

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Bondi insisted that the administration will honor the courts ruling, but deportations will continue.

We are going to deport them, and were going to continue to deport them. We will honor what the court says, but we will appeal, and we will continue to fight terrorists within our country, she said.
Mar. 20WILKES-BARRE  With no objection from Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney James L. McMonagle, an attorney for homicide suspect Louis Weihbrecht was permitted to visit the scene of a fatal crash and have an expert inspect a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado truck.

Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. on Thursday granted the request by Weihbrecht's attorney, John B. Pike, when McMonagle said the only details that need to be worked out is a date and time with the private owner of the garage where Mark Reginal Svadeba was struck by the Chevrolet truck on Sept. 13, 2024.

Plains Township police and county detectives allege Weihbrecht intentionally struck Svadeba with the truck, running over and dragging him nearly 30 feet. The two men were reportedly in a dispute about a woman.

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Pike believes the Chevrolet truck had some type of mechanical defect.

The Chevrolet truck was seized by detectives on Sept. 14, 2024, when Weihbrecht surrendered to an off-duty Wilkes-Barre police detective in the parking lot of Kirby Park.

A second motions hearing is scheduled in June on Pike's pre-trial motion demanding prosecutors turn over evidence, a list of witnesses who have been interviewed and their statements, a request to prohibit Weihbrecth's prior bad acts, a request to preclude prosecutors from calling Svadeba a "victim" during trial, and to dismiss the entire case.

Weihbrecht, 56, of South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, is facing an open count of criminal homicide. His trial is scheduled for September.
After paying off nearly $1 million in property taxes, Cobb Countys Town Center Mall in Kennesaw wont be headed to auction.

The county confirmed that the owners made good on what they owed.

The mall would have gone on sale on the Cobb County Courthouse steps this Spring had they not paid.

The mall experienced a power outage in January due to outstanding bills to Georgia Power.

The owner, Kohan Retail Investment Group, which owns dozens of malls across the country, was also sued by a tenant following the power shut-off.

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The mall will now remain open since the debts have been cleared.

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AURORA Colo, (KDVR)  Several large school districts are canceling classes, impacting nearly 200,000 schools kids across the Denver metro area.

Teachers plan to attend a rally at the state Capitol to make their voices heard and prevent state legislators from cutting public education funding to balance their budget.

Full list: These Colorado school districts canceled class Thursday due to staff shortages

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Aurora Public Schools, Boulder Valley School District, Adams 12 and several Denver Public Schools announced they cant hold classes while teachers take the day off to protest budget cuts.

I think people are tired of having to just get by, said Kevin Vick, president of the Colorado Education Association.Or live with less at the expense of other people living very well.

He said he wants to make sure people remember that education has been taking cuts for the last 15 years.

We have done so to the tune of $11 billion in this state, he said.

Its the reason Aurora Public Schools is the latest school district to cancel classes Thursday.

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The district sent a statement Friday evening reading in part, While our primary goal is to always keep our schools open, due to a large number of staff members who have reported absences we will unfortunately need to close schools tomorrow.

Former NFL pro training for pickleball career in Loveland

I think its a very baffling decision. Its clearly putting the interest of adults over the interest of children. We know that here in Colorado as nationwide our students continue to struggle academically since the pandemic, said Brenda Dickhoner, president & CEO of Ready Colorado.

A spokesperson for the district confirmed to FOX31 that staff members who do not have absences on Thursday were still required to work despite classes being canceled.

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Dickhoner says Colorado has some of the shortest school years in the country.

It also puts parents in a really difficult decision to find childcare to take a day off from work all for what, Dickhoner asked, For a rally?

She also mentioned she was on a task force where a bipartisan law invested $500 million in K-12 schools.

It also directs that funding to kids who need it most. To our at-risk students and our English language learners, but that was not enough, said Dickhoner. So, now theyre asking for more money.

Vick said, That comes at the expense of other districts. So, what happens is there is basically a transfer of money from one district to others. So it created a situation where we have districts that do gain, but there are a number of districts and huge percentage of students in the district who will lose funding.

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FTC Commissioner testifies before Colorado committee after Trump firing

Vick says the rally does not come as a surprise and it wasnt a sudden action. He said CEA has been working with districts and open about their plans for some time.

The rally is scheduled to take place at the state Capitol starting at 11:30 a.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Nestled in between Lake Austin and the citys northwest hills there's a spacious paradise that is now the most expensive home on the market in Austin, according to Redfin.

Located at 4705 & 4709 Island Cv, prospective buyers can purchase the main home and an additional lot for $19 million. However, if said buyer prefers instead to keep the whole 5-acre lot intact, they can buy all three properties for $25 million, according to Moreland Properties.

According to information from public documents, the owner is Mike Rypka, founder of Austin-favorite Torchys Tacos. After first buying the two initial properties, Rypka added a third, adjacent property on Island Avenue in 2020.

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The home, which was updated by Britt Design Group, was designed with entertaining as an emphasis. Centered around the idea of luxurious waterfront living, the privately gated property is relatively secluded, but still only a 15-minute drive from downtown Austin.

The main house is fitted with a multi-level floor plan that opens with a grand foyer that leads to views of Lake Austin from the rotunda-style living room  which overlooks the sparkling pool and lake below. The main level also features formal and informal dining areas, a chef's kitchen with a walk-in freezer, a catering kitchen and a lounge with a walk-in humidor to socialize after meals.

Beyond the communal areas of the house, the primary suite offers a dedicated sitting area, dual walk-in closets, a backlit granite shower in the spa-like bathroom and a flexible living area that rounds out the wing.

In total, the home contains eight living spaces, including a game room and a lower-level pool lounge, while containing an abundance of spaces that elevate gatherings or grand events. The amenities in this home can also be found outdoors as they continue with a pool, hot tub, swim-up bar, and a fully equipped outdoor kitchen  again, designed to be perfect for hosting lively poolside gatherings in the summer.

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The house also has three guest rooms, a lower-level kitchenette, a saferoom, a three-car garage and a 2-slip boat garage to ensure both comfort and convenience for guests and owners alike.

The second component to the compound is located at 4400 Island Avenue and complements the main estate with a charming continuation of the standards in the main house. Currently used as the ultimate retreat, this property boasts a 5-bedroom main house, a detached 1-bedroom casita, and access to a tranquil canal on Lake Austin with a boat dock.

The third and final element, located at 4709 Island Cove, is a 2.13-acre tree-dotted lot that sits between the two aforementioned properties and offers the option for future expansion or to be maintained as a green space, providing additional privacy.

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: Look inside the $25M mansion being sold by Torchy's Tacos founder
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP)  Australian prosecutors on Thursday dropped a charge against a Papua New Guinea government minister accused of assaulting a woman in Sydney.

Petroleum Minister Jimmy Maladina had pleaded not guilty to the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The charge carries a potential maximum of five years in prison.

Prosecutors withdrew the charge in a Sydney court, where the 58-year-old had appeared to deny the allegation that he attacked a 31-year-old woman on July 6 last year at an address near Bondi Beach in the citys expensive eastern suburbs, court records show.

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Maladina was seen smiling with his lawyer, Margaret Cunneen, after a magistrate dismissed the charge.

He did not speak to waiting media as he left the court. Asked for comment, Cunneen told The Associated Press the result speaks for itself.

He remains a person of good character with no criminal record, she told the AP in a text.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marapes office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Maladina being cleared.

Days after the alleged incident, Marape announced that Energy Minister Thoms Opa had taken over the important petroleum portfolio in the energy-rich South Pacific island nation because Maladina had stepped down during the court process.

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Three months later, Marape announced Maladina had been reinstated to the cabinet on legal advice.

Jimmy Maladina has been restored to the petroleum ministry to continue the work in the petroleum sector. This is happening in consultation with legal advice we have received, Marape told Papua New Guinea's Post-Courier newspaper in October last year.

Foreign government ministers can claim immunity from criminal prosecution in Australia if they are visiting on business. But there is no immunity for private visits.

Cunneen said the visit had been private to see his children and that Maladina had no immunity against prosecution at the time.

Papua New Guinea is Australias nearest neighbor and was an Australian colony until independence in 1975.
Austria's Supreme Court is weighing whether to jail former finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser for corruption in an appeal trial that started on Thursday.

Grasser was found guilty in 2020 of embezzlement, accepting gifts and falsifying evidence in connection with the sale of around 60,000 state-owned apartments.

The Supreme Court judge said the lower court considered it proven that a total of 9.6 million ($10.4 million) in bribes was paid to Grasser and other convicted defendants during the privatization of the properties, amounting to some 1% of the sales proceeds.

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According to the verdict, Grasser had tipped off a bidder about the amount needed to buy the properties.

Grasser was found to be a "direct perpetrator," the Supreme Court judge said. The former finance minister was also convicted in connection with payments related to a rental contract from tax authorities in Linz.

Grasser served as finance minister from 2000-07. He was a member of the Freedom Party but left the far-right movement in 2003.

Once a popular politician, he is seen as the political protege of far-right populist Jorg Haider, who died in 2008.

Grasser has always denied the accusations. He made no comment to journalists present ahead of the Supreme Court hearing. His lawyer said the charges were "entirely politically motivated."

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The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the appeals of Grasser and the other six convicts by Tuesday at the latest.

The judges can uphold the original verdict or overturn it in part or in full. The court also has the power to reduce the sentences imposed.
SINGAPORE, March 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 570,000 eligible Singaporeans will receive payouts ranging from 400 to 1,000 Singapore dollars (about 300 to 750 U.S. dollars) this March, as part of the government's efforts to enhance the retirement savings of working seniors, the Ministry of Manpower said Thursday in a release.

The disbursement marks the first tranche of the annual Earn and Save Bonus, introduced in 2024 under a 9 billion Singapore dollar package.

The scheme is designed to provide additional retirement support to Singaporeans born in 1973 or earlier, with a particular focus on those born between 1960 and 1973, whom the ministry refers to as "young seniors" currently in their 50s and early 60s.

In addition to the age requirement, recipients must meet criteria such as being employed, earning an average monthly income of between 500 and 6,000 Singapore dollars in the previous assessment year, and owning no more than one property.

Those with lower monthly incomes will receive higher bonus amounts.

The Earn and Save Bonus will be automatically credited to citizens' Central Provident Fund (CPF) accounts.

The CPF is a mandatory, comprehensive savings and pension scheme for working Singaporeans and permanent residents, primarily supporting retirement, healthcare, and housing needs. (1 Singapore dollar equals 0.75 U.S. dollars) 
JAY, Okla.  The cause and manner of death of a Pennsylvania woman found in a rural Delaware County field remain unknown, according to an autopsy report released this week.

The body of Stephanie Jeffery, 33, of Jay was found on Sept. 1, 2024, approximately 10 days after she was last seen. She was previously from Shamokin, Penn.

Josh Bynum, Delaware County Sheriffs spokesperson, said Jefferys death is still being investigated, although the autopsy report lists cause and manner of death as unknown.

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No injury was visible on Jefferys body, and there were moderate to marked changes of decomposition with areas of drying/mummification, the 10-page autopsy report states.

A toxicological report was positive for methamphetamine, and three other medications, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, and lamotrigine, were also reported in Jefferys body.

James Moore, Jefferys finance, said a physician prescribed the latter three medications for post-partum depression. Moore delivered an infant daughter four months earlier. He said Jefferys pregnancy was complicated by preeclampsia, and she had a history of mental health issues and drug use.

The autopsy confirmed the preeclampsia and substance abuse history.

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Moore said he received a text from Jeffery on Aug. 23 saying, I took all my medications; dont come looking for me.

This wasnt the first time she tried to kill herself, Moore said. I think she just wanted to end her life. We moved to Oklahoma to help her get clean, Moore said.

Moore said the baby tested positive for drugs and is in the custody of the Department of Human Services.

I have been doing everything they have asked, Moore said, referring to DHS. I just want to get my baby and go back home to Pennsylvania.

Moore said that although his cell phone was not listed on a warrant, Delaware County deputies seized it and took it to Tulsa, where a phone dump was performed.

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He said that because Jeffery and Moore were not married, the Delaware County Sheriffs Office has declined to update him on the investigations status. Jeffery also had two teenage children.

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WALLINGFORD, CT. (WWLP)  Police in Wallingford, Connecticut are releasing new details on a fire that happened nearly a year ago.

Monson woman arrested after police pursuit into Connecticut

Wallingford police say the 19-year-old mother, Karizmah Johnson, and her son Kylenn (Jasir) Varnado that were found dead by firefighters had actually been killed as much as a week before their home burned down on April 17th, according to WTNH.

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A new autopsy shows that the cause of death for the mother and her son were both homicidal asphyxia and they think the father is to blame, 24-year-old Justin Varnado. He was also found dead in the home after the fire. Investigators believe Varnado attempted to light himself on fire on the second-floor apartment using gasoline and likely a BIC lighter.

Some aspects of the incident remain under investigation by the Wallingford Police Detective Division with assistance from New Haven States Attorney Office, and the Connecticut State Police.

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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Update at 2:45 p.m. on 3-21-25: The Baldwinsville Police Department announced in an update that after conferring with the DAs office, no criminal charges were filed against the student who brought the Orby gun into the school.

Update at 8 a.m. on 3-21-25: The Baldwinsville Central School District superintendent has provided an update on yesterdays situation.

The BB gun which was reported to be in a students possession, was found to be a plastic Orby gun.

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An Orby gun, also known as a gel blaster or splatter ball gun, is a toy that shoots small, water-absorbent gel balls (similar to Orbeez), said the district.

Yesterday, law enforcement released the lockouts on the main campus once they felt it was all clear. But a few moments later, a member of the district office received a threat over a phone call. This sent the main campus back into a lockout.

Around dismissal time is when the lockout was lifted again.

All after-school and evening activities were canceled that day.

We encourage you to talk to your children about todays events and reach out to their principals/counselors if you feel they need extra support. We will have counseling support in place for students who need it on Friday, the district explained.

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Police are continuing to investigate both incidents and the districts Code of Conduct will be enforced.

Out of an abundance of caution, all Baldwinsville Central School District buildings and grounds will continue to operate with additional security measures for the remainder of the week, the district continued.

There will be extra law enforcement patrols on school grounds as well.

Update at 12:25 p.m. on 3-20-25: The student who was reported to have the gun is now with police, according to an updated post by the superintendent.

All students and staff are reported safe. The lockdown and hold-in-place have been lifted, according to the districts superintendent Dr. Joseph M. DeBarbieri.

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After-school and evening activities have been canceled for the entire district.

The district said law enforcement is still investigating. Their main campus is closed and you should avoid the area.

BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV)  Charles C.W. High School is currently on lockdown, as confirmed by a post on their website by Superintendent Joseph DeBarbieri.

The post  made out to parents, guardians, and staff  explained that the report of a student inside the high school has caused a lockdown in that building, and lock-outs at Elden Elementary School and Durgee Junior High School.

The lockout was called in on March 20, at 11:25 a.m.

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911 confirmed to NewsChannel 9 that the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office and New York State Police are currently on the scene.

Local enforcement is investigating. Our main campus is closed. We will update you as information becomes available, said DeBarbieri.

Baldwinsville parents are urged to stay connected to ParentSquare for further information and updates.

NewsChannel 9 will update you when we learn more.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSYR.
BALTIMORE  Child wellness advocates are working to revive a proposal that could provide financial incentives for new parents in Baltimore City.

The original Baltimore Baby Bonus proposal failed last August when the Maryland Supreme Court ruled an effort to let voters decide whether to amend the Baltimore City Charter by giving at least $1,000 to new parents did not fall under proper charter material. The decision ultimately validated a lawsuit filed by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the Baltimore City Council, who argued residents lacked the authority to enact an initiative so closely resembling city-sponsored legislation.

Now, advocacy groups like the Maryland Child Alliance (MCA) are trying to get a new amendment on the 2026 election ballot. Known as the Baltimore Baby Fund, this effort comes with a stated goal of reducing child poverty and enhancing the economic stability of families with newborns in Baltimore City, according to an MCA news release.

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According to MCA Outreach Chair Julia Ellis, the organization has intentionally made its proposal more vague  mostly by eliminating explicit support for $1,000 direct cash payments  to ensure further compliance with the law. Ellis said the name change from Baby Bonus to Baby Fund reflects this legal restructuring.

Baby Bonus really refers to a cash payment, and at this time, we just wanted to be more accurate about what this really is  its a fund, Ellis told The Baltimore Sun. We dont know exactly how it will be used and distributed  ultimately that will be decided by City Council.

Ellis said some aspects of the Baby Fund proposal are unchanged from the Baby Bonus, such as the 0.03% mandatory annual appropriation property value funding structure borrowed from the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund. She hopes strong public support for the proposal  last years push for a ballot amendment received about 14,000 signatures out of a required 10,000  will drive elected leaders to introduce legislation in support of MCAs efforts.

Were hoping that because we have addressed the specific [legal] concerns, that the City Council and the mayors office will not stand in our way, Ellis said, adding that MCA is not backing down.

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City Council President Zeke Cohen said he has had productive discussions about the proposal with child health advocates, though he declined to say if the council would join another potential lawsuit against the effort. Mayor Brandon Scotts office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal.

Ive had some productive conversations with the folks from the Baby Bonus effort, and I really appreciate their intent around reducing childhood poverty  I will just say that we share a goal of reducing childhood poverty, Cohen said.

Estimates on last years Baby Bonus proposal suggested the initiative would cost about $7 million annually given the appropriation funding structure. The city is looking at a $14.4 million deficit in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, according to the mayors office.

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A Canadian politician is urging his constituents to stop traveling to the United States, in the midst of both increased aggressiveness toward Canadian travelers in the U.S. and outright antagonism from the Trump administration.

Over the last three months our nation has faced an unprecedented threat from our nearest neighbor, Canadian Member of Parliament Charlie Angus said on Thursday. A threat to our borders, a threat to our sovereignty, a threat to our very right to exist as an independent democratic nation. What concerns me is the targeting of Canadian citizens who are crossing the border to work or to visit.

We have seen too many stories of citizens being pulled out of airport lines and being fingerprinted and deported as if they were criminals. Citizens being kidnapped to illegal detention by ICE. And its not just Canadians; we see the attack on backpackers, students, doctors, professors, Angus continued. I am here today to say to Canadians to avoid travel to the United States if at all possible, and to call our government to stand up for our Canadian citizens who are being denied their rights by arbitrary detention.

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This news comes shortly after the detention of Canadian actress Jasmine Mooney, who claims that ICE held her in chains for 12 days after she attempted to enter the U.S. from Mexico. Multiple European travelers have also been detained by ICEa French scientist with texts critical of the Trump administration, a Welsh artist who was detained on a visa mix-up, and three Germans who were traveling legally. Trumps continued campaign for Canada to become the fifty-first statewhich is likely more of a contrived justification for his nonsensical tariff regime than an actual goalcertainly isnt helping.

Our relationship with our northern neighbors is so strained that their politicianswho are in the middle of their own tight campaign seasondont even want them crossing the border.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  Postal workers plan to rally Thursday in Bakersfield to protest potential cuts or layoffs at the U.S. Postal Service.

Members of the American Postal Workers Union in Bakersfield will rally outside the Kern County courthouse at the Liberty Bell from 9 a.m. to noon., organizers said.

USPS agrees to work with DOGE on reform, planning to cut 10,000 workers

The union says President Donald Trump is planning on privatizing the U.S. Postal Service. The rally in Bakersfield is one of over 100 rallies planned for Thursday across the country.

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The Bakersfield United States Postal Service local is rallying on Thursday in protest of the Trump administrations plan to privatize the corporation, eventually selling it completely.

Last week, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy wrote to members of Congress saying he plans to layoff 10,000 workers and cut billions from the postal services budget. DeJoy said he would be working with the Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency to accomplish that.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and a group of six other Democratic senators representing Great Lakes states sent a letter this week to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pressing for more information about how staff cuts at the agency will affect programs on the lakes.

The letter, addressed to NOAA Vice Admiral Nancy Hann, asked her to detail the number of people fired at NOAA since she became the agencys acting administrator, the number of people fired at each Great Lakes-focused NOAA program, the services that will be terminated and her plan to preserve those services.

Baldwin was joined in sending the letter by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and Gary Peters (D-MI).

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We write to express our deep concern over the firing of probationary staff at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the potential impact these firings will have on the Great Lakes, the senators wrote. The Great Lakes are among the United States greatest natural treasures, strengthening our economy and attracting millions of visitors each year. The Lakes provide drinking water to over 30 million people, generate clean hydropower, and generate $3.1 trillion in gross domestic product. National and regional NOAA programs help protect these lakes and support our constituents who call the Great Lakes home.

Among the NOAA programs that the group is seeking information about are the National Weather Service, National Estuarine Research Reserve System, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research and Midwestern Regional Climate Center.

In Wisconsin, Lakes Michigan and Superior support 50,000 jobs and provide nearly $3 billion to the states gross domestic product, according to a 2024 NOAA report. Last month, Baldwin told the Wisconsin Examiner shed fight to protect the Great Lakes.

Wisconsin communities, farmers, and businesses rely on our Great Lakes, and Ill stand up to any efforts that will hurt them and their way of life, she said.

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BALLWIN, Mo.  The drowning of a 4-year-old boy is raising concerns about the city parks design.

Ballwin Police were called to an apartment complex around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, which sent them on a search for the missing child.

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Officers found the boy unresponsive in a pond near the parks playground minutes later.

The city told FOX 2 that it has already been developing a master plan for Vlasis Park.

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The city released a statement to FOX 2, saying:

We will take all comments and feedback into consideration as we continue moving forward with the next phase of the Vlasis Park redesign, which includes refurbishments of the recreation/stormwater retention ponds.

However, potential changes face challenges, as fencing regulations for retention ponds and conservation rules protecting Canadian geese that frequent the area, must be considered.

Ex-Congresswoman Cori Bushs husband indicted for wire fraud

The city is working with the Metropolitan Sewer District and the Department of Conservation to figure out a solution.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
HANOI, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's Ministry of National Defense has put forward a plan to triple the annual number of foreign warship visits to Vietnamese ports from one to three, the state-run Vietnam News Agency reported Thursday.

The proposal forms part of a draft regulation detailing updated procedures for foreign military vessels visiting Vietnam and Vietnamese naval ships operating overseas, according to the media outlet.

Under the proposal, naval ships from the same country would be permitted to visit Vietnam up to three times annually, with each visit restricted to a maximum duration of seven days.

The draft regulation remains subject to final approval through Vietnam's legislative procedures. 
KLAIPEDA, LithuaniaAs Russia has carried out its brutal invasion of Ukraine, it has increasingly resorted to hybrid warfare tacticssabotage and cyber threatsto destabilize the European Union and NATO. As a result, the Baltic States and their allies find themselves on the front line of Moscows expanding aggression in Europe.

The nine countries that border the narrow Baltic Sea are connected by undersea electrical and telecommunications cables essential for communication and economic exchanges. The sea is also a busy commercial shipping route, handling 15 percent of the worlds cargo. That creates a risk for damageboth accidental and incidental. In the past 18 months, at least 11 cables running under the Baltic Sea have been damaged, and NATO and European leaders have treated the incidents as threats.

While investigations involving the United States and a half-dozen European security services have turned up no definitive proof that commercial ships intentionally dragged anchors across seabed systems, a recent report by The Guardian detailed several incidents suspected to be the work of Russias shadow fleetprivate tankers that are used to help Russia evade oil sanctions.

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A report by the Defense Intelligence and Security Service of Lithuania that I was able to read highlighted the urgency of the situation, treated the cable damage as a threat, and warned that the intensity of attacks against Lithuania and neighbouring countries has increased significantly.

NATO launched its Baltic Sentry operation in mid-January as an emergency measure to secure the infrastructure below the surface after several cables were severed in recent months.

In November, communications cables linking Lithuania to the Swedish island of Gotland and Finlands Santahamina Island to Rostock, Germany, were severed on consecutive days. And on Christmas Day, a ship named the Eagle S, suspected of being part of Russias shadow fleet, damaged three cables connecting Finland to Estonia and one between Finland and Germany. Finnish officials detained the ship and its crew, but eventually released the ship and some crew members. Three crew members remain detained.

I spent a day on the Jotvingis, the flagship of the Lithuanian navy, in the first weeks of Baltic Sentry, observing the sailors on patrol in search of sabotage and talking to the crew.

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Were in the middle of a hybrid war in the Baltic, Adm. Giedrius Premeneckas, commander of the Lithuanian navy, tells me. Our main role and duty at sea is to gather information about whats going on. To get a complete picture of the Baltic Sea and share this information with allies.

Drone operators launch a light autonomous underwater vehicle over an undersea infrastructure. (Photograph by Theo Prouvost)

However, the Lithuanian navy and the Jotvingis do not board any suspicious ships they encounter. We track them using technical means, in particular via radar. We identify them visually from nearby vessels, ask questions if necessary, and then pass on all this information to the relevant authorities, Premeneckas says, telling me that his crew is on alert for ships using unusual shipping lanes, or reduced speeds. We have specific algorithms for identifying ships likely to represent hybrid threats.

This restraint is not without its problems. In some cases, we have achieved 80 percent certainty, but without the remaining 20 percent, we cannot formally designate Russia or invoke [NATOs] Article 5, explains Linas Kojala, director general of the Vilnius Center for Geopolitical and Security Studies, about the challenges of ascribing suspicious activity to the Russian government.

There have also been false alarms. On January 31, in response to the severing days earlier of a fiber-optic cable connecting Swedens Gotland island to Latvia, Swedish police boarded a suspicious vessel crewed entirely by Russians. After an investigation, the authorities concluded on February 3 that the cable had not been sabotaged.

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The threat presented by damage to underseas cables grew in February, when the Baltic states unplugged from Russias electricity grid and joined the European Unions network. Plans for the movewhich had been in the works since 2007had been stepped up after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The so-called Brell power gridwhich stands for Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuaniais controlled almost entirely by Moscow and had long been seen as a vulnerability for the three Baltic states.

Electricity lines with Russia and Belarus are being dismantled, EU President Ursula von der Leyen said on February 7. These chains of power lines linking you to hostile neighbours will be a thing of the past.

However, the power lines linking them to a friendly neighborEstonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are getting their electricity via undersea cable from Polandpresent a different vulnerability.

Sabotage isnt Russias only hybrid warfare tactic. For Latvia, the most immediate battlefield is in cyberspace. Since February 2022, the level of cyber threats in the country has remained high, and in 2024, it reached its most critical point since the start of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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The situation is much the same in Lithuania, as the national threat assessment from Lithuanian defense intelligence and security services considers it likely that Russian and Chinese cyber capabilities will remain a threat to critical infrastructures and the network security of Lithuanian institutions.

Although we face more significant cybersecurity risks than ever before, cyberattacks encountered so far have not caused serious or long-lasting effects on Latvian society, said Andris Spruds, Latvias minister of defense. We are constantly monitoring the situation within our cyberspace. Furthermore, we are capable of attributing malicious activities both technically and politically.

Russian hybrid tactics, whether in the form of cyberattacks, disinformation, or sabotage, are viewed as a stress test for NATOs ability to adapt to an evolving security landscape. Spruds, like his Lithuanian and German counterparts, sees these maneuvers as part of a broader attempt to erode Western resolve. Russia is carrying out a wide range of hybrid activities against the West and the Baltic states to undermine Western support for Ukraine, he said.

Kojala, of the Vilnius Center for Geopolitical and Security Studies, prefers the term sabotage to hybrid warfare, but he argues that the consequences of these actions are very real. Today, we are faced with physical damage that entails economic costs, but also human costs, he warns. For the Baltic States, the red line has already been crossed several times. Now its a matter of finding a consensus with our partners.

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Its not easy for Californians seeking care for themselves or their loved ones to find out if someone involved with another kind of care facility has been banned from running an assisted living home by the California Department of Social Services.

The names of barred individuals arent posted anywhere that is readily available to the public, according to Social Services. A state bill that would have required the list of banned individuals to be prominently posted on a state website died in Sacramento nearly a decade ago.

We couldnt convince anybody that this was important, said Christine Murphy, former executive director of Consumer Advocates for RCFE Reform, an advocacy group focused on assisted living facilities.

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Among the objections from state officials, she said, was the possibility that other people might share the same names as banned individuals, which would cause havoc with people being misidentified.

Read more: They were banned from assisted living. They stayed in the caregiving business

Licensing officials at Social Services also said there wasnt a need to make the list of banned individuals public because the department would check it before giving someone a license, Murphy recalled.

State regulators told The Times they share information about people banned from assisted living with relevant agencies. Social Services said it sends a spreadsheet once a month to the California Department of Public Health and updates a records system accessible to other agencies, including Health Care Services.

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But that doesnt mean that other agencies have to act on that information.

Public Health said it could consider whether someone was banned from eldercare when deciding whether to grant a license or allow a facility to change administrators. But if an existing facility is simply renewing its license, Public Health said it doesnt typically check if people there have been banned by Social Services.

We are reviewing our processes to improve oversight and to ensure information submitted by applicants is valid, Public Health said in a written response to questions from The Times. As part of this, we are looking into the facilities youve provided to examine the issues youve described and potentially take action.

Public Health pointed out that it maintains an online database where people can enter a name and get a list of health facilities tied to someone with the same name.

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But it wont confirm whether a John Smith who runs a health facility is the same John Smith who was banned from assisted living homes.

Eric Carlson, of the nonprofit Justice in Aging, said it shouldnt be up to consumers to do that detective work. They depend on the licensing agencies to do that level of vetting, he said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Protesters line High Street outside the Hyatt Regency in Lexington where U.S. Rep. Andy Barr was speaking, March 19, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Kevin Nance)

LEXINGTON  If Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr is having any second thoughts about the Trump agenda, he didnt let on Wednesday as he assured a business luncheon that short-term disruptions to the economy caused by trade disputes and tariffs will be worth it.

Barr did not mention the protesters who lined High Street in front of the Hyatt Regency where he was speaking or the upcoming town hall that he has declined to attend.

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Im really optimistic about the future, said Barr, who is considering a run for U.S. Senate next year to succeed the retiring Mitch McConnell.

Obviously, we live in divided times, but I think what can unite the country more than anything else is success, Barr told a Commerce Lexington Public Policy Luncheon.

U.S. Rep. Andy Barr speaks to a Commerce Lexington Public Policy Luncheon, March 19, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Kevin Nance)

Afterwards, speaking to media, Barr said he would be holding a tele-town hall Monday night and had discovered during the first Trump administration that live in-person massively attended town halls were shouting contests where people were really not respectful and were not listening to one another.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson recently encouraged Republicans to avoid town halls which have been attracting vocal critics of actions by Republican President Donald Trump and his adviser, billionaire Elon Musk, who is leading an effort to ferret out waste and fraud that has included firing federal employees, halting some government payments and uprooting programs.

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Barr, who has held telephone town halls in the past, said he would be able to reach 70,000 constituents via the technology.

Town hall will feature empty chair for Barr

In Lexington, Barrs hometown, a group called Gathering for Democracy decided to schedule a town hall after failing to get a commitment from Barr, despite making numerous requests, said Judith Humble of Lexington, a member of the organizing committee.

Our group informed his offices of the date of our event and invited him. We were advised by his staff that he would not attend, Humble said.

A protester shows solidarity with Ukraine. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Kevin Nance)

A flyer for the Saturday, March 22, event says Barr has declined the invitation but we hope hell change his mind and that there will be a chair and micro-phone for him. The event will begin at 10 a.m. at the Kentucky Theatre. Former Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay will moderate.

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Humble said the groups goal was to have a respectful, nonpartisan gathering. Security has been arranged, she said. Speakers will be given three minutes; a video of the event, along with written comments from audience members, will be sent to Barr, Humble said.

Referring to Johnsons claims that professional protesters have been disrupting Republican lawmakers town halls, Humble said, I dont doubt that outbursts have occurred at some town halls, as feelings are running high about recent administrative actions. But, she said, our intention is to offer a peaceful, orderly event to facilitate dialogue.

Dont worry about DOGE with respect to meritorious investments

Barr, 51, who went to Congress after unseating Democratic incumbent Ben Chandler in 2012, spoke at length about the need to reduce the national debt and also called for extending tax cuts enacted during Trumps first administration.

Asked about cuts in research funding to the University of Kentucky, Barr reassured the gathering based on what he said Musk had told him face to face about his cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.

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University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said last month that changes in research funding by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would cost UK at least $40 million over the next year.

Dont worry about DOGE with respect to meritorious investments, Barr said. Were going to continue to fund those. Barr specifically mentioned NIH funding for UKs Markey Cancer Center and the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging. Barr also said he was optimistic about obtaining funding for a new control tower at Lexingtons airport which would facilitate expanding the terminal.

Barr said Musk also had told him that he is not pursuing broad reductions in the federal workforce. Barr said that by asking federal employees to report five things they had accomplished the prior week, Musk was performing just a pulse check to find out if theres a human being behind those numbers and in many cases there are not.

Describing himself as at core a free trader, Barr said Trumps tariffs will ultimately open markets to U.S. products and that the administration is aware of concerns about the effects of retaliatory tariffs on Kentuckys bourbon industry.

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Barr said India recently lowered its tariff on bourbon, saying that sweet corn-based Kentucky whiskey goes perfectly with the spicy Indian palate.

Worried about U.S. democracy

Janice George, left, of Maysville, and Maureen McCormick, of Lexington, say U.S. democracy is at risk under President Donald Trump. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Kevin Nance)

Barr did not interact with protesters gathered outside, whose signs elicited lots of horn honking from passing motorists and whose chants included Andy Barr, where are you? Do your job. Stop the coup.

Maureen McCormick, 72, of Lexington told the Lantern that if she could question Barr she would ask Why is he not standing up for us as well as for our democracy. What is his reason?

Janice George, 60, said she drove from her home in Maysville, which is in Republican Thomas Massies congressional district, because she would have had to have driven further, to La Grange, to protest a Massie event. She said she also would ask Barr what is he doing to save democracy; its being stripped away by Musk and Trump and hes doing nothing.

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Mike Donnelly, 77, of Lexington, said, I really fear that our government is headed to a dictatorship. Our founders based our government on three co-equal branches of government. Congress has obviously rolled over and will do whatever the executive wants and the executive wants power like never before. Donnelly said he lacks confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court after it ruled Trump is immune to criminal charges.

Im not clutching my pearls or overestimating. We are in deep, deep trouble, and Andy Barr is not helping, Donnelly said.

Asked by reporters about the protesters and constituents who complain hes not hearing them, Barr said, Obviously, democracy is alive and well. And for those who think that there is some threat to democracy, I think todays demonstration shows that there is no threat to democracy.

In fact, we are living in a vibrant democracy, and 77 million Americans voted for this new administration, I would argue, to my constituents who are protesting.

Barr responds to uncoordinated town hall

On Thursday, the Barr campaign issued a response to what it called a liberal groups attempt to stage a shouting match in Lexington  without coordination with our office.

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Saying Kentuckians are thrilled President Trump is delivering on the promises they voted for, the release also said, these organized, often paid, efforts by a small group of liberal activists across the country to disrupt this mandate for change wont work.
By Birsen Altayli

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkey's main opposition leader said on Thursday any move to legally bar Istanbul's detained mayor from running for president would only strengthen support for their party, and that any candidate would beat President Tayyip Erdogan in elections.

In an interview with Reuters a day after Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, Erdogan's chief political rival, was detained and charged, Ozgur Ozel, chairman of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said Erdogan feared any future vote.

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Erdogan wants to appoint a trustee to replace Imamoglu, also from the CHP, and sever the opposition's ties with Turkey's largest city, Ozel said, in his first interview with foreign media since the mayor's detention.

The government rejects the opposition criticism, says the judiciary is independent and has warned against tying Erdogan or politics to Imamoglu's arrest.

Imamoglu, seen as the CHP's best hope to unseat Erdogan after 22 years running Turkey, was detained in Wednesday facing charges of graft and aiding a terrorist group, a move that the opposition condemned as a "coup attempt" and that sparked nationwide demonstrations.

Ozel, who has been staying at the Istanbul Municipality headquarters building since police detained Imamoglu, said it would not stop the CHP from naming him as the party's presidential candidate for the next elections.

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"At the moment, Ekrem Imamoglu's freedoms are restricted, he is detained. But this doesn't change the (primary) ballot we will set up on Sunday, and Ekrem Imamoglu is our candidate at that ballot," Ozel said, walking through the small room in which he sleeps in the municipality headquarters.

"We will support this candidacy until the end, all together. Even if Ekrem Imamoglu is arrested, Ekrem Imamoglu is our candidate."

The CHP is set to hold an internal vote to elect a candidate for the presidential elections and Imamoglu is the sole name up for selection.

The next presidential election is set for 2028 but Erdogan has reached his two-term limit as president after having earlier served as prime minister. If he wishes to run again he must call an early election or change the constitution.

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Imamoglu's detention came a day after Istanbul University annulled his degree, which if upheld would block him from running in presidential elections.

A government appointee could replace the mayor if he is legally arrested as part of the probe charging him with aiding the PKK, which is deemed a terrorist organisation by Turkey and its Western allies.

If Imamoglu is legally barred from running, the CHP has a "plan B, plan C", Ozel said, adding he believed any candidate from the opposition would be able to defeat Erdogan and that they are "not without alternatives".

"We are ready to show the strongest democratic reaction, street by street, square by square," Ozel said when asked about a possible trustee appointment, adding that their protests will remain within the limit of public order.

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Erdogan, 71, faced his worst electoral defeat in nationwide municipal elections last year, when Imamoglu's CHP swept Turkey's major cities and defeated his ruling AK Party in former strongholds.

"In the event Imamoglu's candidacy is blocked, we believe this will turn into a much greater support," Ozel said.

"We will win with Imamoglu. We will win easily. If Imamoglu is barred, we will certainly win."

(Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Huseyin Hayatsever; Editing by Jonathan Spicer, Gareth Jones and Toby Chopra)
No one has yearned to call himself a victim of "cancel culture" more than Elon Musk. In one sense, he's succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, becoming a favorite villain of the left, the target of non-stop scorn and mockery. But he keeps failing at the second, equally crucial aspect of becoming an icon for self-pitying fascists: selling himself as a MAGA martyr. Even by the low standards of people who love Donald Trump, Musk is too charmless, self-pitying, and privileged to make a compelling character in the endlessly idiotic drama of right-wing outrage at liberals who commit the high crime of not liking them.

Exhibit #1 of how Musk is bad at this: At a Trump victory rally in January, Musk showily threw two hand gestures that are physically and psychically indistinguishable from the infamous Nazi salute. This generates progressive outrage, which usually provokes a "how dare you call us racist just because we spread neo-Nazi conspiracy theories?!" response on the right. And sure, there were some moribund efforts to stand in solidarity with Musk, such as Steve Bannon also tossing off a stiff-armed salute at a MAGA conference. But Bannon cringed while he did it, and the result was that even the far-right in Europe inched away in embarrassment. Instead of a surge of red hats embracing the "sieg heil" as their new troll-the-liberals-for-Elon gesture, the whole thing has faded away.

Exhibit #2, a little older but still hilarious: In 2022, Dave Chappelle was cashing in on his moment of "cancel culture" martyrdom, packing houses with fans outraged that anyone dared tell the comedian that anti-trans bigotry isn't cool. Musk desperately wanted a piece and joined Chappelle on stage in San Francisco. But instead of a hero's welcome, Musk got booed, so badly that it was reported later that his employees feared he was having a mental breakdown after the show. Even a self-pity party for bigots draws a line at crybaby antics from the richest man in the world.

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In recent weeks, there's been a deluge of protests and other actions geared toward making Musk's car company, Tesla, a toxic brand, in response to the billionaire's often-illegal efforts to gut the federal government from the inside. The movement has been a big success. Tesla's stock price is falling and Tesla owners are trying to sell their cars off, even as the used market value is plummeting. But Trump is infatuated with Musk  even using the White House lawn as space for a de facto Tesla commercial  so the GOP and the MAGA media are, with visible reluctance, doing what they can to turn Musk into their latest martyr offered up for the plebes to weep over.

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Things aren't going well. Musk appeared on Sean Hannity's Fox News show Tuesday for a garment-rending session so pitiful that it barely has any pick-up in the rest of the right-wing press. "Ive never done anything harmful," Musk whined, alleging he's the victim of a shadowy conspiracy of "larger forces at work." "Whos funding and whos coordinating it?" he sniveled, as if it's not possible that millions of Americans see him for what he is and have decided to join in the fun of destroying his brand's reputation. "They basically want to kill me," he declared dramatically, while Hannity made soothing noises.

The melodrama has echoes of Trump falsely claiming that it's illegal not to buy Teslas, which start at $44,000 for the cheapest new model. Why not? "Cancel culture" complaints are usually premised on the notion that liberals are obligated to applaud bigoted statements, date people they don't like, and laugh at jokes they don't find funny. It's only logical that the next argument was, "Buy my crap, or you're murdering me." But these antics are bound to backfire. Teslas are electric cars, which MAGA has been told for a decade now will detach your testicles upon plugging them in. The only real customer base was well-heeled liberals, and having Trump and Hannity endorse the car is kryptonite, and rightfully so.

The vast majority of anti-Tesla actions have been legal and peaceful, but there are reports of some car vandalism and a handful of incidents of people setting cars on fire. Attorney General Pam Bondi declared it's "nothing short of domestic terrorism." Musk took the high dudgeon even higher on Hannity, falsely accusing "the Democrats" of "burning down cars, firebombing dealerships, theyre firing bullets into dealerships, theyre smashing up Teslas," and complaining "Democrats were supposed to be the party of empathy." Needless to say, Democratic leaders are not setting cars on fire or encouraging this behavior.

But this language is especially rich coming from a man who, only last month, declared that the "fundamental weakness of Western civilization is empathy." Of course, he was sneering at the empathy people have for retirees whose Social Security checks are threatened, AIDS victims left to die because their drugs were cut off, veterans who are losing health care, and dedicated public servants who have been summarily fired by a billionaire who finds their do-gooder lives to be icky. But Musk has bottomless empathy for cars, which have no feelings. That checks out for a man who speaks often of how he'd like to replace humanity with robots and artificial intelligence programs.

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Almost no one propped up by MAGA media as a martyr deserves sympathy. Still, Musk is a hard sell even in the right-wing media ecosystem where "victims" are people who were wished "happy holidays" at Starbucks or tied for 5th place with a trans woman at a single swim meet. The man might as well be wiping away his crocodile tears with $1,000 bills. If anything, making himself the centerpiece of a "woe is me" campaign is backfiring. At town halls across the country, Republican congressmen are finding it nearly impossible to defend Musk from jeering crowds who do not believe Granny should lose her Social Security check so a billionaire can get even richer.

NEBRASKA CROWD: TAX THE RICH! TAX THE RICH!@USRepMikeFlood: So your proposal to solve (the debt) is tax the rich?



NEBRASKA CROWD: *CHEERS WILDLY*



(not sure this went quite as he planned ) pic.twitter.com/fkZDSKMama  The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) March 18, 2025

One of the funnier phenomena online in recent weeks is how the Reddit forum for Joe Rogan fans has turned on the podcaster, mostly because they can't stand how he's cozied up to Musk. Even Rogan fans are leaving comments these days like, "This nerd wants to buy people's approval so badly" and making fun of Trump for his pitiful attempt to sell Teslas. Musk was never a great fit for the dirtbag crowd, which has always been more interested in giving wedgies to self-congratulatory nerds than treating them like heroes. Trump's juice with these guys has always been that he is a proud ignoramus, a man who speaks loudly with great confidence, despite knowing nothing and having no interest in learning.

Musk is also such a man, but he has successfully disguised himself for years as a proper nerd, often bragging about books he's probably not read and implying he's got engineering skills he doesn't have. The crotch-scratching crowd doesn't love a geek and they especially don't like someone merely posing as one. The latter may be their only redeemable quality.

The good news is that Musk is doing a bang-up job helping people understand that Trump was never for the working man, as he has successfully tricked so many into thinking. By tying himself so tightly to this pampered brat, Trump has done serious damage to his approval ratings. That's especially true on the economy, where Trump has usually performed well, buoyed by his unearned reputation as a "businessman" and a lot of public ignorance over how economics works. But Musk is so easy to hate and such an icon of self-dealing that he's finally helping crack the unwillingness some folks have to believe the truth: Trump doesn't care about them, only his rich friends. Even when they're billionaires who can't shut up about what victims they are.
Bavarian Premier Markus Soder has ruled out cutting the number of public holidays in order to help finance a massive increase in German government spending on defence and infrastructure.

"Bavaria will definitely not abolish a public holiday," said Soder on Thursday in Munich. "Public holidays are part of Bavaria's cultural identity."

Soder's Christian Social Union (CSU) is in alliance with the Christian Democrats (CDU) at the national level.

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The CDU/CSU bloc is currently negotiating with the Social Democrats to form the next government in Berlin.

The prospective partners cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday when they secured a two-thirds majority in the outgoing Bundestag - the country's lower house of parliament - to amend constitutional limits on government borrowing to fund defence.

The spending package is expected to pass the upper house, or Bundesrat, on Friday.

The move has prompted calls from employers' associations to increase economic growth by upping working hours, with one option being reducing the number of public holidays.

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The German Economic Institute estimated that eliminating one public holiday could bring up to 8.6 billion ($9.3 billion) in growth.

Introducing such a reform at the federal level would be complicated as public holidays in Germany vary from state to state.

Bavaria has the most of any state, with 13.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  A heartfelt effort to start a new family was botched by a fertility clinic. Two Bay Area couples are now suing the facility  accusing them of losing embryos during botched IVF transfers.

Amy Changs dream of becoming a mom was shattered when an IVF procedure ended abruptly last May at Spring Fertility in San Francisco.

I was in the procedure room, the doctor and embryologist told me they had lost the embryosno medical explanation was given to me afterward, Chang said.

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SF Walgreens employee arrested for allegedly stabbing suspected shoplifter

Chang says  without even knowing what went wrong  she was immediately asked to sign paperwork waiving any potential legal claims against them.

Instead, Chang did some research and reached out to a fertility law group. She and her partner filed a lawsuit against Spring Fertility on Wednesday.

I felt that I needed a sense of closure to this whole fertility journey that I went through, Chang said. It was several months going through medical treatment. Invasive and risky. We want to seek accountability from Spring Fertility to make sure no one else went through this same experience we went through.

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Another lawsuit has been filed by a Bay Area couple who claims their embryos were destroyed by the same clinic last July.

Rob Marcereau is the lawyer representing Chang and the other couple.

Embryos that our clients worked so hard to create, Marcerau said. Just before transfer, they said there was contamination in the lab we had to throw them out.

He says this lawsuit will also highlight the overall negligence of private equity-owned fertility clinics.

Popular Bay Area bagel shop to open new location in Concord

As we allege in the complaint a huge fallout of that is that you get understaffing, cutting costs, cutting corners, at the expense of patients, Marcereau said. It is a real betrayal of these couples trust. they not only spend tens of thousands of dollars in fertility treatment, put their bodies through an extraordinary process, dangerous medical procedures all in the hope of having biological children.

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Spring Fertility has several clinics across the Bay Area. KRON4 reached out to the company about the accusations against the San Francisco location but did not hear back in time for this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
HOWELL COUNTY, Mo.  The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning the public about potential scams that target residents with damaged homes.

The scammers portray themselves as repair contractors who offer their services for a low fee, sometimes claiming to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The BBB outlines common signs that are present in similar scams:

Contractors express a sense of urgency

Requests to be paid in cash only

Shows up in an unmarked van or uniform

Refuses to show proof of license or other forms of identification

May offer free inspection

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For more information, please visit the Better Business Bureau website.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
Frances top comic strip artist has accused the government of the worst censorship in publishing history after it cancelled a 900,000 issue order of his modern-day take on Beauty and the Beast.

Jul, whose real name is Julien Berjeaut, accused the education ministry in a Right-wing dominated government of taking umbrage at him depicting Belle, the storys protagonist, as a swarthy Mediterranean with curly hair.

The comic book order was cancelled at the last minute on grounds it was inappropriate for 10-year-olds.

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The education ministry had tasked Jul, a household name in France for his Stone Age-set Silex and the City series, to come up with a contemporary version of the beloved 1740 French fairy tale by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, with the best-known written version published by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756.

It has been turned into various cartoons and feature films, including a 1991 Disney animation and its 2017 live-action version, as well as a 1994 Broadway stage show and pantomimes in the UK.

The order was part of a government drive called A book for the holidays in which children were encouraged to read a classic work of French literature in the summer before they start secondary school.

In Juls illustrated modern version, Belles merchant father arrives from Algeria, the protagonist has long black hair and the Beast is a shaggy ball of hair with big teeth who resembles Barbouille, the son of the pink shape-changing childrens character Barbapapa.

A charming forest scene from Juls Beauty and the Beast, which has been snubbed by French educators

However, on the eve of a massive print run, the education ministry pulled the plug on the order after officials deemed it wrong for pupils to read the comic on their own because it touches on alcohol, social networks and complex social realities.

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This week, Caroline Pascal, Frances director-general of education and number two in the education ministry, said: The product cannot be read independently, at home, by families and without the guidance of teachers, by pupils aged 10 to 11.

The illustrations in the book deal with themes that would be suitable for older pupils, she went on, suggesting it was more appropriate for those in their mid-teens.

Belles tipsy father with a bottle and a glass of red wine staggering around his chateau

The education ministry said the book was not suitable for young pupils as it touches on alcohol and complex social realities

Asked to react, Jul told Le Monde: Im flabbergasted. Its a mad and very, very worrying turn of events.

Cancelling the printing of 900,000 copies of an illustrated childrens classic the day before is unprecedented. Technically, it may even be the biggest case of censorship ever seen in French publishing.

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Dismissing the ministrys arguments as fallacious, Jul said: For me, the only explanation lies in (their) disgust at my portrayal of princes and princesses who look a bit more like modern-day schoolchildren and can dress up in tracksuits between scenes with princess dresses and harpsichords.

Or has the presence of curly-haired, swarthy-skinned characters rather than blonde fairy-tale princesses become unbearable for the national education system?

Frankly, this smacks of (Donald) Trump and his administration when they attacked books and education, or banned Anne Franks Diary and [Art] Spiegelmans Maus from schools.

One page depicts Belles tipsy father with a bottle and a glass of red wine in the chateau.

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All Im doing is illustrating the 18th-century text, which has the princesss father drinking too much wine, said Jul.

Belles vain two older sisters are extremely jealous of their younger sister

The books publisher, the French national museums publisher Grand Palais-RMN Editions, said it was shocked at the about-turn and would publish the book regardless.

It was supposed to contain a preface written by Elisabeth Borne, the current education minister.

However, on Thursday, she said her preface would not figure in the work.

Jul is very talented, he uses irony and humour. But without educational support, I dont think its appropriate, she told Europe 1.

Its a modern rewrite. We have a father who arrives from Algeria, who has to commit fraud, who is checked by the police, she told CNews.

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Perhaps in a setting with teachers, we can explain this irony. But its a book thats meant to be read on holiday, with the family.

She said she wanted to reassure viewers that the money has not been spent and that the books have not been printed.

I would ask people who may have access to this work one day to look at the book and judge for themselves, said Jul.

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KABUL, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Education of Afghanistan's interim government on Thursday started the new academic year as millions of Afghan students headed to schools without girls beyond sixth grade.

"Afghan society urgently requires both religious and modern education so that our country effectively engages in global competition," said Mawlawi Habibullah Agha, acting minister for Education, during the opening ceremony of the new academic year.

Boys in grade one to 12 and girls in grade one to six will begin attending their classes.

According to data from the ministry, over 10 million children will go to state-owned and private schools this year.

Based on restrictions by the Afghan interim government, girls can not attend classes above grade six, and females are banned from universities until further notice. 
Theres a great line from the Fallout games, repeated over and over in the series: War. War never changes. That, of course, is true in some ways, in that war is always brutal and damaging and terrible. But its also an absolute bull in other ways. War can change a lot in just 10 years. For instance, early in the war in Iraq, Kuwait was actually a dangerous spot for truck units to be deployed because it meant they would run frequent missions into Iraq on some of the most dangerous roads. But by the time I went to Kuwait on my last deployment, you would get mocked for even calling it a deployment.

Similarly, on my Afghanistan deployment, drone operator was a pretty choice gig. The folks driving smaller drones were sitting in outposts with an entire platoon pulling duty on the walls. The pilots of the large ones, like Reapers, were usually in Nevada, often within walking distance of the Vegas Strip.

But now? For Ukrainian and Russian drone operators, constantly evolving tech means they can never rest on their laurels. And, since its become a frontline job, physical fitness is key. And tactics have gone crazy. There are now elite units that hunt one another, operators conduct drone ambushes and drone dogfighting, and even Russians even target drone units for war crimes.

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Hard work, long hours, and a ton of danger. But thats because drones are making a difference in the war.

The evolving drone tech

The initial drone operations right after the invasion were often done with off-the-shelf drones with either a kamikaze charge or a grenade.

Then first-person view drones came along. Operators switched from digital to analog signals to improve performance in jammed environments. Drones got customized with antennas, payloads, and batteries specific to each mission and flight. The Ukrainians now field homemade Shaheds and they modified light aircraft to be unpiloted bombers. Both sides have fiber-optic cables to fly their drones through jamming environments, a modification that makes it trickier to fly without getting tangled up and requires tactical forethought because that fiber-optic cable now points back to the operator.

And remember, the wider war is only three years old. Thats a lot of change for a unit to keep up with.

Drone operator is a frontline job

KHARKIV, UKRAINE  MARCH 08: Nikita, 25 years old, drone pilot of Ukraines 13th Brigade Khartiia flies a Vampire drone with food and ammunition supplies to be delivered to the infantry at the frontline, from a houses basement on March 07, 2025 in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine. The Russians have nicknamed these heavy bomber drones as Baba Yaga, a Slavic mythological creature flying around in a cauldron. (Photo by Diego Fedele/Getty Images) Diego Fedele

The short range of those commercial drones necessitated operators getting close to the forward line of troops. The analog antennas did the same, so did rampant jamming. Now, with fiber-optic cables coming to the forefront, well, that glass doesnt draw itself and it has a range measured in hundreds of meters.

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So operators arent sitting back in Vegas anymore. Theyre right in the thick of it, trying to hide their drones movements and their own. They have to move between positions often to survive and to find new targets.

Oh, and on the subject of targets, the New York Times says that drones are causing 70% of the casualties in the war.

But drone operators are taking the risk of being casualties themselves. Some drone units look for enemy drones and try to follow them back to base, (Which is why neither side brings smaller drones back to base. If an operator cant find a target within the battery life, its better to detonate the drone in a random hole and hope it finds a well-hidden bunker rather than recover the drone and risk discovery.)

The Russians target drone operators for attacks and even for war crimes. (Warning: The link has an image of the war crime, so dont click if you dont want to bear that weight.)

The constant evolution of drone tactics

Ive written about military history for a while and gave drones a lot of thought early in the war, so I wasnt too surprised when drone swarms emerged, or jamming, or first-person-view attacks. But some of the changes blew me away.

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The first time I saw trucks dropping old fishing nets, I thought they were for ghillie suits, not to use as shields against drones. And I was more surprised to learn that elite pilots could fly through tiny gaps in the nets and attack anyway. I certainly wouldnt have guessed that drones would stage full-on ambushes of convoys, parking in the grass to save batteries and hide until a convoy comes into range. Seeing drones sneak into barns to take out hidden self-propelled guns came out of left field for me as well.

But the most shocking was probably drones accepting surrenders. And that wasnt a once or twice thing. Ukraine started actively soliciting surrenders via drone as early as 2022. And now, legal scholars focused on the Law of Armed Conflict are debating the exact limits of technologically enabled surrender and the legal obligations of drone operators accepting a surrender.

Drone operators even dogfight one another with weapons like recoilless shotguns or nets.

Taken all together, its clear that drone operator is a whole other position from what it was even five years ago. And I have an increasing suspicion that this is like World War I for fighter pilots. A technology has matured that will change how warfare is done from now on.

Because war  as much as I love Fallout  war always changes.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Ben Frazer, Jr., a beloved husband, father, grandfather and esteemed community member.

Born on September 25, 1929, to the union of Ben, Sr. and Bertha Heard-Fraizer, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Ben transitioned peacefully to eternal rest on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Find obituaries from your high school

Ben obtained his education via the Spartanburg Public School System.

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A proud United States Army veteran, he nobly served his country during the Korean War, embodying the resilience and fortitude that defined his generation. He was honorably discharged after three years of meritorious service on behalf of humanity.

A steel worker by trade, Ben spent many years working as a laborer for Sheet & Tube in Youngstown, Ohio, until its closing, where he earned the respect of his colleagues and the admiration of his community. His dedication to his work was matched only by his commitment to his faith and community service

Ben was unwavering faith in God and in his service to humanity. Ben was a devoted member of St. Andrewes African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served with distinction on the Senior Usher Board, Senior Steward Board, and Brotherhood Ministry. Ben renewed and accepted the call to salvation and now his faith has become sight.

His dedication to his faith and community was further evidenced by his leadership as a Past Master of Coventry Lodge #59 and his role as an administrative officer for District 86 in 1997. He was also an honorary past illustrious Potentate of Temple #210 and held the esteemed title of Thirty-Second Degree of the United Supreme Council Benzaleel Consistory #15.

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His commitment to justice and equality was exemplified by his involvement with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), reflecting his deep love for his community and a strive towards a better future for all.

The youth and young adults in the community will remember his commitment to their safety within the city. He was a school crossing guard at the former Eagle Heights Elementary School. His motivating and encouraging words as he helped to set the tenor of the day for scholars as they enter the building.

He is lovingly survived by his devoted wife, Peggy Wainwright-Frazer of 59 years. His legacy has been entrusted to his grandchildren, Roxanne Frazer of Charlotte, North Carolina and Jeremy Frazer of Cleveland, Ohio, for the generations to keep alive and emboldened. Ben also leaves precious memories and moments with his sisters, Anna Ruth Glover and Joann Frazer, both of Spartanburg, South Carolina and an expansive host of nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Crossing into eternity, Ben was escorted to the ancestral gathering which included his parents; daughter, Rochelle Buttons Frazer and siblings, Ella Sims, Jospeh Frazier, Pearlie Sheldon, Ida Mae Robinson, Eddie Frazier, Addie Littlejohn, Rozena Hall, Delores Dee Mae Turner and Frances Reed, who preceded him in Heaven.

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In this time of reflection and remembrance, we take solace in the cherished memories of Ben Frazer, Jr., whose indelible spirit and unwavering love will forever resonate in our hearts. May he rest in peace.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held in his honor, at St. Andrewes African Methodist Episcopal Church, 521 West Earle Avenue, on Saturday, March 22 at 9:30 a.m. where we will celebrate his life and legacy. Pastor Jeannette Hubbard will preside and officiate the services and Bens cousin, Pastor J. Dwayne Heard will be the eulogist.

The services will be live streamed on the Facebook page of Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church, allowing family and friends near and far to partake in this sacred occasion.

At this time of intimate need and personal loss, the beloved wife and soulmate of Ben Frazer elected to entrust the Ministry of Comfort & Care, along with Transitional After-Care Arrangements to the J. E. Washington Funeral Services, 2234 Glenwood Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio, 330.782.8500.

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Send flowers to the service of Ben Frazer, Jr.

A television tribute will air Friday, March 21 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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Ice cream maker Ben & Jerrys has accused its parent company of firing its CEO over his support of the brands progressive politics.

On Tuesday, the Vermont-based brand filed an amended complaint in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging that Unilever has repeatedly threatened Ben & Jerrys personnel, including CEO David Stever, should they fail to comply with Unilevers efforts to silence the Social Mission.

According to the complaint, Unilever followed through and removed Stever as CEO on March 3, allegedly violating agreements struck during the companies 2000 merger that granted Ben & Jerrys independent board primary responsibility over its social mission and brand integrity.

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Ben & Jerrys also accused Unilever of attempting to suppress its social mission in several instances, including by allegedly preventing the brand from commemorating Black History Month on social media and blocking it from sharing a statement online in support of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and legal U.S. permanent resident whom the Trump administration is seeking to deport in what civil rights groups say is an attack on free speech.

Unilever, Ben & Jerrys and Stever did not immediately respond to NBC News request for comment Wednesday. Unilever is expected to file a motion to dismiss, per a letter filed to the court, NBC News reported.

These accusations are the latest point of contention between Ben & Jerrys and Unilever. Tuesdays amended filing is part of a lawsuit that the ice cream maker first filed against its parent company in November, alleging that Unilever silenced its public criticism of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Ben & Jerrys has previously accused Unilever of bypassing its board with business decisions. In 2022, the brand sued its parent company over the sale of its Israeli business to a local licensee after Ben & Jerrys announced its decision to stop selling its products in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, which effectively circumvented the boycott. A federal judge ruled against Ben & Jerrys in that case.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com


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Tension between ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's and parent company Unilever is nothing new. Since the company acquired B & J's back in 2000, the two have clashed over the brand's outspoken stance on political matters and Unilevers alleged attempts to suppress Ben & Jerrys progressive social mission, including reportedly blocking statements on issues like Palestinian rights, climate justice, and criticisms of President Trump.

Although owned by Unilever, Ben & Jerry's has been run by an independent board since the sale. Things have seem to have come to a head now, as Ben & Jerry's is suing Unilever for firing CEO David Stever without, they say, approval of the board, which they claim is a violation of the agreement originally signed in 2000. In the complaint, Ben & Jerry's claims that Unilever fired Stever due to his outspoken approach to political issues, while Unilever claims that the firing was due to Stever's commitment to the company's social mission over his job performance. However, the Ben & Jerry's complaint states that the company outperformed Unilever's ice cream portfolio since Stever took the position in 2023.

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This isn't the first lawsuit Ben & Jerry's has brought against its parent company. Back in November 2024, the company alleged that "Unilever tried to dismantle the ice cream makers independent board and to stop it from taking certain political stances, including calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, supporting U.S. students protesting civilian deaths in the territory and urging an end to U.S. military aid to Israel," according to The New York Times. This complaint has since been amended to include Stever's allegedly unjust firing.

Ben & Jerry's has long been embroiled in political matters. Even its homepage has an entire section dedicated to activism, supporting causing such as human rights, social and economic justice, and environmental protection. The company has launched limited-edition ice cream flavors like Churn Out The Vote!, Change the Whirled, and Justice ReMix'd. There's no telling how this turn of events will affect the beloved company, but we'll be paying attention, spoon in hand.

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BENTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Benton woman was found dead inside her home on Wednesday, and Kentucky State Police confirmed foul play is suspected.

Just before 2 p.m., authorities said Lia Thompson, 49, was found dead inside her home with injuries that suggested foul play. At the request of the Benton Police Department, KSP is investigating her death as a homicide.

Missing child found in Kentucky womans attic

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No arrests have been made, and the identity of the alleged killer is not known at this time.

On March 23, KSP said in a news release that Thompsons death was believed to have been the result of a targeted incident and that there was no threat to the general public.

Although this is believed to have been a targeted incident, it serves as an important reminder to be proactive about personal safety, troopers said.

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State police listed several ways for community members to maintain their safety, including:

Always lock your residence and vehicle doors.

Be mindful of who you interact with on social media and who you allow into your home.

Do not post or share personal information such as your address, financial details, or travel plans on social media.

Be alert to your surroundings and the people around you.

If you observe suspicious activity in person or online, report it.

Anyone with information about Thompsons death is asked to contact KSP Post 1 at 270-856-3721. Anonymous tips can also be sent through the KSP website tip form.

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(KRON)  The Berkeley Lululemon store was targeted in a smash-and-grab robbery early Wednesday morning. The Berkeley Police Department told KRON4.com its communications center got a call around 1:04 a.m. about a smashed window at the store, which is located at 1901 4th Street.

Oakland school mourns student shot and killed Monday

Officers arrived on scene to find a black sedan parked in front of the store. Shortly thereafter, police said, the car took off at a high rate of speed. Investigating officers found two smashed windows and a number of items, including clothing, that appeared to have been stolen from the store.

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Berkeley PD said this is preliminary information and that an investigation into the theft is ongoing.

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Ukrainian towns and cities divided by a demarcation line in the event of a ceasefire would be left empty and desolate, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a briefing with journalists on March 20.

Zelensky said he discussed the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 19 and warned him against leaving Ukrainian settlements split by the contact line.

"There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by a contact line, and if in some places you leave this line in place, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city," Zelensky said, comparing such cities to divided Berlin during the Cold War.

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"I told President Trump honestly: Do we want Berlin?... I think we both understood that this was not an option. The Berlin Wall is not an option."

Zelensky's comments come amid Trump's push to broker a ceasefire and, subsequently, a broader peace deal in Ukraine. The Ukrainian president acknowledged that the "issue of territories will be the most difficult."

Russia continues to occupy roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea and large parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations have been emerging from occupied territories.

Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine would never recognize the occupied territories as Russian soil. At the same time, the Ukrainian leadership has acknowledged that some territories, such as Crimea, are unlikely to be liberated by military means in the near future.

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The Semafor outlet reported earlier this week that the Trump administration is considering recognizing Crimea as part of a peace deal. Washington has not confirmed this claim.

Read also: Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in focus of Ukraine peace talks. Whats at stake?

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  A bill that would put an end to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and offices at Kentuckys public colleges and universities was vetoed Thursday afternoon by the governor.

Gov. Andy Beshear took to social media around 1 p.m. on Thursday to announce the veto. He voiced his concern about House Bill 4 alongside others who opposed the bill, saying that inclusion is more important now than ever before.

In the past, we were welcoming. We were one of the first Southern states to sign a civil rights act, Beshear said. But this bill, House Bill 4, moves us backwards. It makes people feel less welcome, less deserving. Less like they are welcomed in the Commonwealth, and Ill always believe that diversity is a strength and never a weakness.

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Just before putting pen to paper, Beshear said HB 4 is about hate.

Veto recess begins after Ky. lawmakers deliver sessions most controversial bills to Gov. Beshear

Kentucky, we cant turn back. Weve got to keep moving forward together, Beshear said on X.

Beshear was joined in the video by University of Louisville student Bradley Price, Lexington NAACP President Whit Whitaker, and Ricky Santiago, chapter president of the National Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce, in support of the veto.

Whitaker said that equity, inclusion, accessibility, and diversity are embedded in everything the organization does.

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We cannot run away from [DEI] or look at it as this negative term, Whitaker said.

Lawmakers return on March 27 and could overturn the veto.

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COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  Even with preparation, millions of dollars of damage can happen in a community during a weather event. The Better Business Bureau is warning of scams popping up in the aftermath.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration, since 1980, severe storms have caused over 500 Billion Dollars of damage. While recovering from that damage, people also have to be on the lookout for scams.

Its very naive to think, especially in these venerable situations, that someone is not going to try and take advantage, Sunshine Hester, the BBB Regional Manager for Columbus, said. Especially with insurance money being involved.

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Hester says there are several red flags to be on the lookout for when it comes to repair after a severe storm.

Theres somebody coming unsolicited. So you werent looking for them, they came knocking on your door. They are trying to do something very quickly so its a high sale situation, Hester said. The other big red flag is theyre usually from out of state or out of the city. So you want to look for somebody whos definitely local and will be around after the repairs are completed.

Hester added scammers tend to pose as legitimate disaster relief or businesses. Using the guise of a contract hoping to help clean up or preform repairs is how they lure victims in.

Youre going to see that they dont have a phone number listed or that they dont have a physical address, Hester said. Or theyre arent actual licenses in place, or business structure in place.

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The BBB suggest taking time with big repairs and to do research to assure a business is legitimate before having repair or clean up work done.

To find out which home repair businesses are endorsed by the BBB in your area, head to their website at bbb.org.

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR)  A coworker and friend of Jeremiah Huffs mother, Samantha Gallup-Peltier, has found a way to show her that she is not alone in her grief.

My life is empty, says mom of 11-year-old boy allegedly murdered by father

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Maria Giannino said everyone at Nascentia Health, where Gallup-Peltier works as a pediatric nurse, was shocked to hear the news of Huffs passing.

They basically just said, Sam has lost him, and that was just devastating, Giannino said.

They unanimously agreed that something had to be done to show their support, creating a GoFundMe page to ease a grieving mothers financial burden.

What better way to help than financially because shes not going to be able to work for a while, she said. Shes going to have all these expensesthe funeraland its just going to be hard for this family to cope.

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Giannino said she has worked with her friend for nearly eight years and remembers Huff running up and down the halls of their workplace with a happy, bright personality.

Jeremiah has been part of us, you know, as a child weve watched grow, she said. She always talked about him. Hes been here at the office. Hes played with all our childrenso he has been a very close part of all of what we do.

Now, Giannino wants to do what she can to help the community remember Huffs lively spirit.

Oh, he was so energetic and just a delight, she said. He was always asking questions, always wanting to do something newa very adventurous child.

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She said she hopes everyone comes together to keep the family in their prayers.

She was a fabulous mom, she said. She still is a fabulous mom. Shes just very caring. Right now, shes just going through a lotas any mother would.

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Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and his mother, former Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, in Beijing, capital of China, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Huning met with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and his mother, former Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, in Beijing on Thursday.

Wang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, called China and Cambodia ironclad friends who share weal and woe and help each other. The leaders of the two countries have jointly led the building of a China-Cambodia community with a shared future into a new era of high quality, high level and high standards.

China is ready to make joint efforts with Cambodia to maintain high-level exchanges, enhance strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, enhance governance experience exchanges, and push for new and greater progress in building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future, Wang said.

Noting the bilateral friendship was cultivated by the older generation of leaders of both countries, Sihamoni and Monineath expressed their gratitude to the Chinese side for its selfless assistance to Cambodia.

Speaking highly of China's major concepts and initiatives to Cambodia, Sihamoni and Monineath said that the Cambodian side adhered to the one-China principle, would deepen practical cooperation with China in various fields, and join hands to build a Cambodia-China community with a shared future. 

Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and his mother, former Queen Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, in Beijing, capital of China, March 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jie)
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. (WTNH)  A bicyclist has died after being struck by a van on Wednesday night in East Windsor, according to police.

The incident happened on South Main Street at around 4:30 p.m. A bicyclist was riding his bike in the southbound direction on the shoulder of the northbound traffic lane when a Chevy van- driven by 34-year-old Waldemar Serrano-Acevedo of Springfield, Massachusetts- allegedly hit him head-on.

26-year-old East Windsor man missing, police actively investigating

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The bicyclist, 33-year-old Samalier Rivera-Tirado of East Windsor, suffered serious injuries and later died at a hospital.

Police said Serrano-Acevedo remained on scene and failed subsequent field sobriety tests. He was placed under arrest and charged with a variety of applicable violations, according to police.

Serrano-Acevedo was held on a $1 million bond.

Anyone with information pertaining to this investigation is encouraged to contact Officer Nate Blische at BlischeN@Eastwindsor-ct.gov.

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ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is a special volunteer who works to ease the confusion that often occurs in the courtroom for children in the foster care system.

Putting ease in the mind of a child can be a difficult task, and the struggles that foster children face in general can be a considerable challenge alone, but having to face those challenges in a courtroom can put greater tension on an already confused child.

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This is where CASA advocates come into play. They help children with these stressors and seek to quell any fear the child may be experiencing. Board of Directors member and CASA volunteer Kasey Leavell spoke to some of the emotions these children face when sitting in a courtroom.

Theyre anxious. Theyre nervous. Theyre not sure whats going to happen. A big part of being their advocate is shielding them from a lot of that. They are potentially seeing people that they dont really want to see. They dont have a good relationship with. In court, youre sitting right next to them, and often, theyre either holding your hand or looking at you before a question is answered so that they can make sure theyre good to answer. Youre really there from a support perspective and to be able to help fill in the gaps around some of the situations, Leavell explained.

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CASA volunteers do much more than just that. They spend considerable time with children outside of the courtroom, which, as Leavell explained, can be crucial in helping a judge decide a childs future.

We write a court report due to the judge ten days prior to court. The judge is able to read that to get a real picture of whats really going on with the kid, not from a legal perspective, not from an education perspective. Holistically. So, he or she is reading that court report, and theyre able to determine where were at in the case and whats needed for the child, Leavell said.

The tremendous amount of care, effort, and time these volunteers endure culminate in the simple goal of ensuring the best outcome for these children in foster care.

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Were really trying for reunification, and so were not there to bash the parents. We are not there to advocate for adoption. We want permanency, and we want whats best for the kid, said Leavell.

CASA is currently seeking more volunteers to help out with foster children in our community. Visit Big Country CASA online to find out how you can join.

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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Amid the picturesque sunsets and crystal blue waters that define South Carolinas coastal areas are much uglier sites in many areas: Junked boats with rusted-out bottoms.

State lawmakers are working on stricter punishments for owners of those derelict vessels by setting fines of up to $10,000 and 60-day jail terms if theyre found.

On Wednesday, the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee threw its support behind a measure giving any person, business or government entity that removes derelict vessels a three-year window to sue owners for costs.

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Teams to remove derelict boats from South Carolina waterways

It also requires the state Department of Environmental Services to develop and maintain an application and website for law enforcement and the public to report vessels that are wrecked, junked, in a state of disrepair or have sunk.

Time is not on our side when were moving these boats. If they sink, it increases the problem of getting them removed, so the items in this bill will really help us do our job, Maj. Michael Paul Thomas of the state Department of Natural Resources said. I think well be very busy for a few years on this until we get ahead of it.

A 2016 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration case study found an average cost of $14,000 to pull boats out of waterways.

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We put a lot of time and effort into this, state Sen. Chip Campsen, R-Charleston, said of the bill he sponsored. This is a big, big problem that we have, and its not just a coastal problem. I think this is a very good model for us to put in place.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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School lunch illustration by Getty Images.

Rep. Melissa Romano still remembers a fourth grader who started acting out in her classroom about a decade ago.

At the time, Romano, D-Helena, said her school district used to have teachers put slips of paper in students mailboxes that served as their lunch bills.

One day, the little boy showed her a bunch of the slips crumpled at the bottom of his backpack, and he started crying  for fourth grade boys to cry, that takes quite a bit, Romano said.

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He said, I want to go home. I cant be here in school because my parents cant pay these bills, Romano recalled.

The boy had two other siblings, the bill had reached $343, and Romano walked to the school office to pay it before the family got sent to collections  a practice in her district at the time.

This week, Romano told the House Education Committee the situation inspired her interest in nutrition for children. She said House Bill 551 would fill an important gap, ensuring children have enough to eat at school.

Some children qualify for free meals at school. Others qualify for discounts, so breakfast and lunch cost them around 30 cents or 40 cents each, Romano said.

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But even with the discount, Romano said families still struggle to pay those bills, and it means children skip meals and go hungry.

HB 551 would cover the cost of those meals with an estimated $600,000 a year, Romano said. In Montana, she said, one in six children live in a food insecure household.

No one testified against the bill, but Romano said she has presented similar legislation before, and it hasnt been adopted.

Proponents of the bill said undernourished children dont learn, and Kim Popham, with the Montana Federation of Public Employees, said the legislation would support another interest of committee members.

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In this committee, many of you often bring up the fact that our test scores are low, but let me remind you that if students dont have enough to eat, they cannot learn, Popham said.

Supporters also said in some districts, school administrators have to double as collections agents, and the phone calls about unpaid bills destroy the trust between schools and families.

Tobin Novasio, superintendent of Hardin Public Schools, said he was one of the children Romano talked about, who skipped meals as a child.

Oftentimes, I would tell my teachers I was going home for lunch but would just walk around the neighborhood, not eat, Novasio said.

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With help in part from great teachers and role models  he pointed to a committee member, long-time educator Rep. Lee Deming, R-Laurel, as one  Novasio said he escaped poverty.

However, he knows when families get a $40 or $50 bill for meals, it can be a huge amount.

Novasio said he doesnt want school administrators to have to call families and blur the line of the schools role  schools should support families, not be the enemy.

I dont ever want any student under my care to have that type of feeling of anxiety or to go without a meal, Novasio said.

Popham, with the Montana Federation of Public Employees, said she left the classroom just a couple of years ago as a biology teacher, and her students often referred to her as a science geek.

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Once a month, on payday, she would buy healthy snacks at Costco because she knew students needed them, and she told the committee the science behind her approach.

Organs need energy, energy comes from food, the brain is an organ, and it consumes about 20% of the energy humans take in, Popham said  and growing children need a lot more of that energy.

Representatives from the Montana Quality Education Coalition, American Heart Association in Montana, the Blackfeet Nation, Fort Belknap Indian Community, Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boys Reservation, the Helena School District, and the Bigfork Food Bank were among proponents of the bill.

In response to a question from Rep. Jamie Isaly, D-Livingston, about whether the unpaid meal accounts push schools into the red, Doug Reisig, with the Montana Quality Education Coalition, said yes.

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Reisig said some philanthropic people will volunteer to pay outstanding bills, and school districts do creative things to try to collect the money.

Turning to collections is probably the last straw, Reisig said. Ive had to do that as well, and you dont ever want to have to do that, but you try to make sure that when you end the year, that your food service program is not in arrears.

A former superintendent from Culbertson said that his district had ended up $10,000 or $15,000 in the hole because of unpaid meal accounts.

Rep. Sherry Essmann, R-Billings, wanted to know the actual cost of a school meal, and Rep. Mark Thane, D-Missoula, a former superintendent, said elementary school lunch cost $3.00 in Missoula in 2025, and it cost $3.25 in middle and high schools.

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In response to questions from Essmann, Romano said the $600,000 annual price is an estimate, one she said she believes is on the high end, and any leftover dollars would return to the general fund.

A handout from the Montana Food Bank Network said 21,000 students currently qualify for a reduced price meal in Montana, and the bill would make those meals free  which Rep. Pete Elverum, D-Helena, calculated meant that for about $28.50 per student, HB 551 would feed 21,000 children breakfast and lunch for an entire year

The committee did not take immediate action on the bill. However, Romano said the $300 for that fourth grader she once taught was insurmountable, and removing that burden for the family was life changing.

I think that this bill is far beyond an act of compassion, Romano said. I think that its really a commitment to ensuring that every child in Montana has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
In a surprising statement, Bill Gates stated that he doesn't intend to part with his 66,000-square-foot mansion, despite living alone.

Gates named his mansion "Xanadu 2.0" in reference to the movie Citizen Kane. With six kitchens, a 60-foot pool, and 24 bathrooms, it's the definition of excess. He originally bought it for $2 million in 1988, and then spent about $63 million on its unique amenities. Today, the property is worth over $130 million.

"My house in Seattle, I admit, is gigantic," the billionaire told The Times in an interview shared by the New York Post. However, he has made no plans to move. According to him, while his sisters have downsized, he can't because he "likes the houses that [he has]."

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His decision to keep the mansion may not be all for investment reasons. Gates' kids like to visit, of which he said, "That is a luxury."

Gates is one of the richest people in the world. But his fame extends to his advocacy for sustainability, combating rising global temperatures, and promoting environmental responsibility.

Some of his notable work includes Breakthrough Energy Ventures, TerraPower, WASH Program, and Gates Ag One.

Breakthrough Energy Ventures funds startups working on reducing planet-warming gas emissions across industries. TerraPower focuses on nuclear energy as a clean energy solution. The Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) program creates sanitation solutions in low-income countries. Gates Ag One, meanwhile, helps farmers adapt to a warming climate.

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Through Breakthrough Energy Ventures alone, Gates has helped grant $2 billion to at least 100 companies, while his Gates Foundation has invested over $5 billion since 2006.

Due to his dedication to pushing forward sustainability efforts, his choice to keep his massive abode is surprising. Due to their tedious upkeep, luxury houses like Gates' Washington home generate 25% more planet-warming gases than the average low-income households, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shared by CNN.

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And wealth correlates with higher household energy consumption. The town of Atherton in California, known for its luxury residences, has an annual energy consumption triple the state average, as the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

While Gates has invested billions in sustainability, his own lifestyle (which includes a massive estate and multiple private jets) seems to contradict his message. This contrast raises discussions on whether sustainability efforts should extend to personal lifestyle choices.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  A bill that sought to lower the minimum age to drive a school bus in Tennessee  dropping it from 25 to 21  failed to pass a state senate committee.

On Wednesday, the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee rejected the bill in a narrow 5-4 vote.

State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), who sponsored the senate version of the bill, told the committee that the bill was filed in hopes of expanding the pool of eligible bus drivers to combat a shortage. Current Tennessee law requires bus drivers to be 25; the bill sought to lower that age to 21.

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Tennessee bill looks to lower minimum school bus driving age to 21

Bowling told committee members that data did not support that young bus drivers were a danger.

The indication of all the reports that involved drivers of school buses, the highest number of accidents took place when you were 56-60, and then the second was 61-65 and then the next was 51-55, Bowling said. The whole point is that the lowest, the 26-30, is 3.2%, and that is the lowest of the accidents. I would just ask that this bill be passed in order to allow our rural schools and districts to determine if someone 23 years of age is competent and theyve had their CDL for two years, they would have the ability to hire them.

Elizabeth Stroecker, the director of legislation for the Tennessee Department of Safety, spoke in opposition to the bill. She said the reason for the low number of accidents among young school bus drivers is that few bus drivers fit in that age range.

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There are currently only 20 people who are 25 who even have a Class C or an S endorsement on their CDL to drive a school bus, Stroecker said. There are four people who are 24 and zero who are 23.

Bowling later responded and reminded the committee that her numbers only reflected the 26-30 age range, not anyone 25 and younger.

According to Stroecker, the age requirement was raised to 25 from 21 years ago in response to a Hamilton County school bus crash that claimed the lives of several students. Another bus crash occurred in Knox County around the same time that also led to three student deaths. She said the Department of Safety would prefer the age requirement stay higher so more equipped, experienced and mature drivers are operating school buses.

Just because you can get your CDL at 21, it doesnt necessarily mean that someone will do that and then drive for two years before they apply for an S endorsement, Stroecker said.

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While Stroecker said the department recognizes there is a shortage in school bus drivers, she did not think lowering the age requirement was a solution.

We kind of see this as something that really may not help that much, and we dont want to risk putting someone who maybe hasnt hit that maturity level to drive a vehicle with so many children as their passengers, Stroecker said.

Discussion by committee members followed with Sen. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon) stating that there were some people in their early 20s that he would certainly trust to drive a bus and people in their 40s that he would not, which he said ultimately left the determination to the school boards.

Sen. Tom Hatcher (R-Maryville) sided with Stroecker, saying that, in general, he did not believe people under 25 were mature enough to be placed in such a situation with children aboard.

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With only four votes in favor of passage, the bill failed to pass the committee.

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A bill changing Florida's wrongful death statues would allow parents to collect damages for the death of a fetus. (Photo by Getty Images)

Republicans in a House committee Thursday advanced a bill that permits parents to claim damages in the wrongful death of a fetus at any stage of development.

HB 1517 passed its first hearing in the House Civil Justice and Claims Subcommittee along party lines, with Democrats raising concerns about what the passage of the bill would mean for Floridas abortion landscape. A similar proposal drew criticism last year from reproductive rights advocates, who said the bill would establish fetal personhood.

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Both the House bill and Senate companion, SB 1284, define an unborn child as a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development, who is carried in the womb, which St. Petersburg Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner said would grant fetuses the same rights as any person.

Rep. Michele Rayner (Photo/Florida House of Representatives.)

For me, it feels like this is another attempt to lay the foundation for a complete abortion ban. Im not saying that this bill is a complete abortion ban. I want to be very, very clear, Rayner said.

Florida bans most abortions after six weeks gestation, but there are exceptions to save the life of the mother, fatal fetal abnormalities, and in cases of rape, incest, and human trafficking.

The pregnant person wouldnt be the target of litigation under either proposal, and the House version also adds that protection for medical providers who provide care related to assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization.

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St. Augustine Republican Rep. Sam Greco said during the committee that his bill doesnt put doctors providing legal abortions at risk. Sweetwater Republican Rep. David Borrero said he supported the proposal precisely because it gives a fetus the same rights as people after they are born.

I firmly believe an unborn child is a person if it has its own separate DNA, its growing, its capable of feeling pain, it is considered a person, Borrero said.

Still, some opponents said it would enable abusive partners to harass victims of domestic or intimate partner violence.

[The bill] would allow domestic violence abusers to sue their victims friends and family who helped them receive proper health care and an abortion, said Ash Bradley, speaking on behalf of reproductive rights group Voices of Florida. This would put survivors like me in imminent danger.

Senate proposal got dropped last year

Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall is still the sponsor in the upper chamber. She withdrew her proposal toward the end of the legislative session last year, but she hinted that she would refile the bill.

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I want to make sure we get it right. So, were just gonna wait and see if that can continue to happen, or if its this type of thing that we need to do a little bit more work between now and next session, Grall said at the time. The Senate version has not been heard yet but it doesnt have any substantial changes from last years bill.

Sixteen other states allow parents to collect damages for mental pain and suffering from the death of a fetus at any stage of development caused by negligence, according to a legislative analysis of the bill. Florida is one of six states that doesnt allow for such suits, while others permit the collection of damages for wrongful fetus deaths if the fetus could survive outside the womb.
Dozens of professors testified Thursday against a proposal that would prevent college courses from endorsing specific public policies, ideologies or legislation, saying it threatens not only their freedom to teach, but students freedom to learn.

The Texas Senates K-16 Education Committee heard testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 37, by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, a sweeping piece of legislation that would task universities governing boards with screening curricula for ideological bias, among other things.

Seth Chandler, a professor of law at the University of Houston, said the bill could be interpreted as prohibiting a broad range of subjects  from the teaching of free market economics to the original interpretation of the Constitution, or even the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery.

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Others said the legislation would instill fear to introduce and discuss material some might find controversial.

Mostly, I'm concerned with how SB 37 infantilizes college students. These are adults who take my classes, who are bright, thoughtful and more than capable of confronting new and challenging ideas, said Caitlin Smith, an assistant professor of Instruction in the Department of Educational Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin.

Sen. Royce West, a Democrat from Dallas, leveled with them. He said it was likely this bill would pass because Republicans have the majority, but he repeatedly asked witnesses to provide suggested language that would make the bill more palatable.

Creighton said hed review their suggestions.

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Its not our intention to promote fear, he said. Theres 10,000 bills in the Capitol that may cause someone anywhere from indigestion to incredible fear, but thats because its the unknown, its change.

SB 37 would reduce facultys role in curriculum and hiring decisions and transfer much of it to the governing boards that oversee Texas public universities. They are composed of regents appointed by the governor and make policy, budget and administrative decisions for their systems.

[Texas bill would increase oversight of universities hiring, curriculum and compliance]

Sherry Sylvester, a distinguished senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and one of Creightons invited witnesses, said SB 37 is a critical next step to build on the states ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in higher education. She said it would address an imbalance in the number of classes with gender, race and identity in their title versus those that cite the Federalist Papers or the Declaration of Independence.

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Sylvester added that she was concerned about those classes being used to fulfill core curriculum requirements and that they dont help meet the states workforce needs. SB 37 would require boards to create committees, made up of local industry partners and tenured faculty at the institution, to ensure courses prepare students for the workforce.

The bill will ensure that the general education courses that students are required to take are focused on both their professional and civic skills, what they will need to prosper in the work world and in their lives after graduation, she said.

SB 37 would also give college and university governing boards the final say on a wider range of leadership hires. Right now, governing boards are mostly tasked with hiring university system chancellors or individual universities presidents. SB 37 would let them vet and veto other administrators like deans and provosts.

West pointed out Texas public universities employ more than a thousand administrators to underscore how much additional work vetting the new hires would mean for regents. He said the regents already have power over curriculum and hiring because they can convey their wishes to their university systems chancellors and presidents.

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So whats the current problem? West asked.

Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, said he did not think confirming or vetoing the hiring of department chairs would be too much additional work for regents as there are only 82 at the University of Texas at Austin and they are unlikely to turn over at the same time. Creighton added that SB 37 will better orient future regents to their new responsibilities.

In addition, SB 37 would codify how faculty senates are established and who can serve in them. Faculty senates are bodies of professors that advise university leaders. They currently take the lead in developing curricula and in hiring and evaluating their fellow academics.

Creighton said he was spurred to limit facultys influence after some pushed against their universities leaders.

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Creighton said Stephen F. Austin University joined the University of Texas System in part because the faculty held a vote of no confidence in University President Scott Gordon in 2021. Professors were upset Gordon had accepted an $85,000 pay raise amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The universitys board of regents backed Gordon despite the vote, but he ultimately stepped down months later.

One of Creightons invited witnesses, Carrie Butler, an SFA professor on sabbatical, offered a different account of the vote.

Its my opinion that the faculty senate did not accurately or appropriately make the decision based on credible information. It seemed to me, if I might use the term, more of a witch hunt, Butler said.

Faculty at West Texas A&M University also took a vote of no confidence on President Walter Wendler after he banned a drag show on campus in 2023. Wendler remains president.

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Creighton said there was a lack of transparency for all to understand these actions  that have significant consequences on the future of the flagship or other systems.

Some of the professors who testified Thursday wanted to make it clear to Creighton that the American Association of University Professors, not a faculty senate, was responsible for circulating a petition of no confidence for Jay Hartzell, who served as president of the University of Texas at Austin when police arrested dozens of students for protesting the Israel-Hamas war last spring. Creighton is a UT-Austin graduate.

That petition was organized by a group that is entirely autonomous from the university. Not only did the faculty senate have nothing to do with it, they disavowed it and there was never a vote, said Andrea Gore, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at UT-Austin.

Creighton said SB 37 will still allow faculty senates to take votes of no confidence, but theyd have to be recorded and the members of the faculty senate would be limited to one-year terms.

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SB 37 would also establish an office within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to receive and investigate complaints that universities are not complying with state law. The office would employ nine people and cost more than $2 million to operate in its first year, according to the bills fiscal note.

The State Auditors Office is already checking college and universities compliance with the DEI ban. It released its first report on the issue last month, finding two minor violations so far.

Neal Hutchens, a professor at the University of Kentuckys College of Education, said state legislatures and governing boards need to be careful not to use a wrecking ball to accomplish their goal for more transparency and accountability.

Hutchens said governing boards should ensure their institutions meet their states demand for certain professionals, such as engineers and doctors. But SB 37 opens the door for board members to prevent professors from teaching about certain topics that they might disagree with, Hutchens said.

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These are public institutions, so they should be responsive and representative to the public, he said. But if we become fixated on the idea that every course and every professor is trying to indoctrinate students, you really run the risk of harming institutions states have spent decades, centuries, building up.

For decades, professors, administrators and governing boards have agreed to divvy up their responsibilities and lend their expertise to certain tasks in the best interests of their universities, said Mark Criley with the American Association of University Professors.

Criley said SB 37 conflicts with this agreement by stating that each college within the university may only have two faculty members on the faculty senate and one of the two must be appointed by the university president.

He said that under SB 37, faculty also would be excluded from disciplinary processes. At most top-tier universities, administrators who believe a faculty members conduct warrants discipline or dismissal make that case before a committee of faculty members. If that committee doesnt agree, the administrator then takes it up with the board of regents.

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Excellence at an institution requires that the faculty be given a voice and often a decisive voice, Criley said.

On Thursday, several professors who came to testify pointed out that SB 37 allows only tenured professors to serve on faculty senates and make recommendations on curriculum. They said this would disenfranchise non-tenured faculty members who also contribute to the success of their institutions and have valuable expertise to offer.

Another bill discussed Thursday, authored by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, would require regents to attend 75% of their meetings annually in person. Those who fail to do so would have to pay a $1,000 fine to the general scholarship fund of the institution. A second violation would make that regent ineligible to be reappointed.

In her bills statement of intent, the Brenham Republican wrote that some university system regents have missed more meetings since the COVID-19 pandemic began. She did not say which regents she was referring to.

The committee on Thursday also discussed prohibiting colleges and universities from accepting gifts, grants, donations or investments from certain foreign entities and measures to prevent those foreign entities from stealing universities intellectual property.

This year, Texas became the state with the most top-tier research universities.

Professors on Thursday reminded lawmakers that theyre the ones who made that happen, winning billions of dollars in competitive research grants. They cautioned that the restrictions legislators are considering might lead faculty to flee for job opportunities elsewhere.

The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage.

Disclosure: Texas A&M University, Texas Public Policy Foundation, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas System, University of Houston and West Texas A&M University have been financial supporters 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.
Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck, introduces a floor amendment on false political advertisements on March 19, 2025. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor)

A bill that expands North Dakota law against false political advertisements via social media, text messages or phone calls passed the Senate on Wednesday.

House Bill 1204, sponsored by Rep. Mike Schatz, R-New England, passed on a 45-1 vote and will be sent back to the House for approval of an amendment introduced by Sen. Sean Cleary, R-Bismarck. The amendment added text messages and phone calls to the original bill that included social and commercial media posts.

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As election communications evolve, I think our laws need to change with it, Cleary said.

Cleary was the campaign manager for U.S. House of Representatives candidate Julie Fedorchak during the 2024 election. On the day of the primary election, anonymous text messages were sent to North Dakota voters saying she had dropped out of the race, which she did not.

After news of the text messages broke, Fedorchak called a press conference and said, This is, at minimum, election fraud, and its a desperate tactic to influence and discourage voters.

Fedorchak won the primary that night with 46% of the vote, beating four other candidates for the Republican nomination and now represents North Dakota in Congress.

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Knowingly spreading falsehoods about an opponent undermines the integrity of our elections, Cleary said. As you can see in the current law, there is a phrase electronic transmission, but given the expansion and use of these in communicating with voters, I felt it was appropriate to make that explicitly clear in Century Code.

During debate on the bill, Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, asked the bills carrier, Sen. Ryan Braunberger, D-Fargo, who would make the determination on what is deceptive or misleading for those communications.

Braunberger responded that a states attorneys office and, if warranted, a court would make that determination.

If the House agrees to Clearys amendment, the bill would head to the House floor for a final vote before going to the governors desk for his signature. A disagreement on the amendment would lead to the bill being debated by a conference committee between the House and Senate.

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On the eve of important dates for the country, President Ilham Aliyev usually visits the liberated territories of the country. He gets acquainted with the progress of the restoration work, meets with people returning to their homes. The head of state always keeps such issues under personal control. The restoration of the liberated areas and the return of people there is the number one strategic task of the Azerbaijani state today. Five years ago, the primary strategic goal was to restore the territorial integrity of the country. It was successfully implemented thanks to the valor of the Azerbaijani Army, the wise and resolute command of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief and the unity of the Azerbaijani people. Now it is time to return the rightful owners of this land to free Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. And Azerbaijan, under the leadership of its President, is also coping with this task one hundred percent.





This year, on the eve of the Novruz holiday, President Ilham Aliyev did not change this tradition and made a trip to the Agder district. During the trip, the Head of state and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva attended the opening of a residential complex in the village of Sugovushan.





At the meeting with the former internally displaced persons, the head of state made a number of important statements. In an open and sincere conversation with the villagers, he addressed the events of the Second Karabakh War and the factors that led Azerbaijan to Victory.





It should be noted that Sugovushan became one of the first strategically important settlements liberated by the Azerbaijani army. His release on October 3, 2020 was an important milestone in the victorious advance of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces towards the complete defeat of the enemy. The loss of this settlement demoralized the enemy and strengthened the centrifugal forces in the Armenian army. On the same day, by order of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the village, renamed by the occupiers to "Aziz", was returned to its historical name - Sugovushan.

In a conversation with the villagers, the head of state spoke about the unique example of Azerbaijan, which managed to win a real and complete victory in the Second Karabakh War, achieve its goal and consolidate this result during the anti-terrorist operation in 2023. In fact, this was the first such example in the history of twentieth-century wars, when a small country fighting for its freedom would achieve complete victory.





"Currently, wars and bloody clashes are becoming quite widespread in the world. Now, in the age of the Internet, in the period of free access to information, everyone knows, sees and can track everything. We see that not every country can ensure its interests, just interests, or fights for its territorial integrity, but does not achieve results, or achieves a small military success, but cannot win a complete victory. That is, if we just look at the clashes, conflicts, and wars taking place in the modern world, if we look at wars in recent history, I can even say that after the Second World War, no one has won such an unequivocal and complete victory as Azerbaijan. These wars either remained unfinished, or, without changing their essence, they were modified and transformed into other forms," President Ilham Aliyev said.





Moreover, no one has ever managed to win a military victory over an enemy supported by the strongest countries of the world after thirty years of occupation. Therefore, no one believed that Azerbaijan would succeed. In addition to external support, the powerful fortifications that the Armenian side had been building for almost thirty years on the occupied Azerbaijani lands also served as an obstacle. Azerbaijan won, as the head of state said, in a difficult political situation, when it was impossible to predict how the powers that had supported the occupier all the years as co-chairs of the Minsk Group would behave.





"But justice prevails when you have the will, the power, and the right. We had all these factors, so we won this historic Victory. This Victory, I repeat, has had no equal in recent decades, and it will not have after. Look, there are wars going on in different places today. These wars last a long time and, as they say, do not lead to real results. Our Victory was complete, absolute, indisputable, and the man who once said: "Karabakh is Armenia," today he says, "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!", said President Ilham Aliyev.





In the age of the Internet, it's impossible to hide the whole truth. And the correctness of the Azerbaijani leader's words is undoubtedly visible and understandable to everyone. No special evidence is required, just keep up to date with the news. Indeed, peace did not come after the Second World War. Permanent wars and conflicts broke out here and there, most often due to the fault of the same powers that set the rules for the post-war world. The Soviet Union's intervention in Afghanistan resulted in even greater radicalization and a slide into the Middle Ages of this country, and after the intervention of the United States, or, as they say, the coalition, stability and peace in Afghanistan could have been forgotten. The situation in this war-torn country is still hanging by a thread. Have any of the powers achieved their goals? No. The same States failed to win an unequivocal victory in Vietnam, Korea, and Iraq. In all cases, the Power and its allies were forced to withdraw, leaving behind destruction and civilian casualties. Today, the Russian-Ukrainian and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts are developing before the eyes of the whole world. And everyone already understands that neither side will achieve a complete victory in any of them. The best way out here would be to establish peace as soon as possible, because thousands and thousands of victims have already become the price for the rash steps of politicians.





The uniqueness of the military operations conducted by Azerbaijan lies in the fact that they were clearly thought out, fast and effective. The Hadrut and Shusha operations have already entered the history of wars. Hadrut was released on October 9, and Shusha was released on November 8, 2020.

The Hadruth operation





Among the operations carried out during the Second Karabakh War, the Hadrut operation is of particular importance, both from a military and strategic point of view. The heights surrounding the village allowed the enemy to control a vast territory, so it was not easy to take the village. The surprise factor played a role. Azerbaijan has shown a clear strategy in this war and the army leadership has well-developed tactical plans. As President Ilham Aliyev noted in his speech in Hadrut on the first anniversary of the Hadrut operation, the Armenian military leadership did not expect that after Jabrayil we would go in this direction. "They believed that we would move in the Fuzuli direction. Although their large manpower was stationed in Hadrut, they did not expect us, because from a military point of view, the capture of Hadrut really required a lot of dedication and professionalism," the President said.





During the Hadrut operation, another feature of Azerbaijan's conduct of military operations, which can be called unique, also manifested itself. The operation was carried out with minimal losses among the personnel of our units and with maximum care for the local civilian population.





The liberation of Hadrut was also important because it opened the way to Shusha. The liberation of this village created the conditions for the liberation of the heart of Azerbaijani Karabakh. Commenting on the Day earlier.Az the significance of the Hadrut operation, military expert, reserve colonel Shair Ramaldanov stressed that it was so great that the Armenian military and political leadership could not recover even a few days after its successful completion. The direction to Hadruth was not chosen by chance. The enemy did not expect that we would go to Hadrut after Jabrayil. The Armenians were waiting for us in the direction of Fuzuli, but it was decided to go to Hadrut. The enemy himself admits that they expected an attack on Shusha from two directions - from Lachin and Krasny Bazar. But our Armed Forces opened the way to Shusha through Hadrut, despite all the difficulties of this route. "The decision to conduct the Hadrut operation was made by the Supreme Commander of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces," the military expert stressed.





The Shusha operation





As for the Shusha operation, it is being studied in military institutes in many countries. It was a unique operation in all respects.





Speaking at the military parade in Khankendi in 2023 on the occasion of Victory Day on November 8, President Ilham Aliyev said: "Of course, the Shusha operation occupies a special place during the 44-day Patriotic War. Because the liberation of the city of Shusha, located in very difficult geographical conditions, which was considered an impregnable fortress, with light weapons, in many cases required great strength, professionalism and dedication in hand-to-hand combat. The sons of Azerbaijan have demonstrated this."





Foreign military experts still cannot understand how the Azerbaijani special forces managed to carry out an almost impossible operation. After all, they had to overcome snow-covered forests and steep slopes on foot and take the city without carrying any serious weapons. No one believed that it was possible. Just before the liberation of the city, various experts with intelligent faces claimed, citing "reliable sources," that the Azerbaijani army would never take Shusha. When the Azerbaijani flag was raised over the city and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief announced the liberation of Shusha, it caused shock and disorientation for many.





The Shusha operation completely destroyed all the myths created by the Armenian side, which tried to convince that Turks, mercenaries, drones, anyone but an Azerbaijani soldier were fighting for Azerbaijan. In fact, the Azerbaijani people are grateful only to their soldier for liberating the heart of Karabakh. Shusha was defended by several Armenian detachments, including a special forces detachment, with a total strength, according to some sources, of 5-6 thousand personnel. Only about 400 Azerbaijani special forces participated in the liberation of the city. Even after taking the city and destroying the enemy's vastly superior forces, our soldiers held out for several more days behind the walls of the Shusha fortress.





Anti-terrorist operation





The Azerbaijani army demonstrated the same high professionalism during the anti-terrorist operation on September 19, 2023. Despite the defeat of the Armenian Armed Forces in the 44-day war, the Armenian illegal armed groups were doing very well in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. During the period after the Victory and until September 2023, they created 500 posts along the entire perimeter of the RMK zone and completely mined the approaches to them. Contrary to the terms of the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020, Armenia continued to maintain and even replenish its group of up to 20,000 terrorists in the territories of Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, the Azerbaijani side solved all the problems in a day.





Unprecedented humanism





Here we should return once again to the topic of humanism. During the 44-day war, the army was given a tough task by its supreme leadership to avoid casualties among the Armenian civilian population. Azerbaijani artillery and drones carried out only pinpoint strikes on enemy positions, on headquarters and armaments depots, on enemy military equipment. Not a single strike was carried out on civilian targets. Everything that was said and written by the Armenian side and its fans was fiction.





Especially the "gentlemanliness" of the Azerbaijani army was clearly visible to everyone during the one-day anti-terrorist operation. This operation did not come as a big surprise to the Armenians, because even before it began, the civilian population of the RMK area of responsibility was strongly and repeatedly warned through loudspeakers and leaflets about the need to stay away from military installations that are a legitimate target for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. Civilian facilities were practically not damaged during the operation. Armenian propaganda is trying to prove the existence of "huge casualties" among civilians and "incredible" destruction, which in fact did not happen. The "evidentiary facts" with which defenders of the Armenian people are trying to frighten the Azerbaijani side do not exist in reality.





If we recall what the Armenians did to peaceful Azerbaijanis during the First Karabakh War and occupation, if we recall the brutal ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of Armenia, then we must admit that the humanism of the Azerbaijani army is truly unprecedented. This has never happened in the history of wars and is unlikely to happen in the future. It is enough to pay attention to the streams of innocent blood being shed by all sides in the Russian-Ukrainian and Palestinian-Israeli conflicts.

According to the degree of humanism and adherence to the rules of war laid down in various conventions, the Azerbaijani army should go down in history. We see what is happening in the world today, what methods the warring parties are trying to gain an advantage. Humanity and honor have no place in these conflicts. Thousands upon thousands of innocent victims stained the pavements of bombed cities with their blood. And there is no end in sight to the bloodshed. The participants in these conflicts learned from the 44-day Patriotic War of Azerbaijan the methods of warfare of the 21st century, but missed the most important thing - the ability of Azerbaijani soldiers to remain human. This is probably the hardest thing to learn.





Addressing the people after the barbaric shelling of Ganja by Armenians on October 17, 2020, President Ilham Aliyev said: "We are responding to them on the battlefield, we are taking revenge and we will avenge these innocent people on the battlefield. We have never fought, we have not fought and we will not fight against the civilian population. We are not Armenians."





While in Sugovushan on March 18 and meeting with the residents, President Ilham Aliyev repeated this thought, stressing that we took revenge on the battlefield: "Unlike them, we did not commit any undignified actions against the civilian population, we mobilized our forces only to destroy the Armenian army."





No one tells us what to do.





There is another very important point that makes the situation created by Azerbaijan unique. Azerbaijan not only defeated the enemy on the battlefield, but also managed to bring the criminals to a fair trial on its own, without outside help and support. It should be recalled that the punishment of Nazi criminals was the result of international efforts, as well as the whole of Europe participated in bringing the perpetrators to justice after the war in the former Yugoslavia. Only Azerbaijan managed without outside help. And this, apparently, is very disliked by those who wanted to interfere in the process and somehow influence it.





In 2020, there were many who wanted to stop Azerbaijan and prevent it from restoring its integrity. Various advisers wanted to tell Baku how to act. But he did not allow the victory to be taken away from the Azerbaijani people. No pressure during the 44-day war, nor in the post-war period, and especially after the anti-terrorist operation in 2023, could affect the will of the republic's leadership and the mood of its public. Because that's how it should be in an independent country.





Independence is not just an entry in the Constitution. A country becomes truly independent when it is independent in decision-making. True independence gives strength. It is not only a powerful army that determines the strength of a state. Azerbaijan has both - genuine sovereignty and a strong army. And most importantly, he has a strong leader who knows what needs to be done, how and when..





The factor of President Ilham Aliyev as the leader of the state and the rallying of society and the army around him is the trinity that underlies all our victories. And yesterday's, and today's, and those that still await Azerbaijan ahead.
LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed on Thursday that a British aid worker was wounded in a strike on a United Nations compound in Gaza. He described the March 18 attack as "the deadliest single day for Palestinians since the war began."

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Lammy stated that Israel's 16-day blockade preventing humanitarian aid from entering Gaza constituted a "breach" of international law. His remarks prompted Downing Street to swiftly clarify that the British government's official position remains unchanged, maintaining that Israel's actions in Gaza are at "clear risk" of violating international humanitarian law.

On Thursday, Lammy acknowledged that he "could have been a little clearer in the House on Monday." He also reiterated calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, stating, "More bloodshed is in no one's interest." 
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  Legislation specifically targeting the sale of stolen goods on San Franciscos streets has passed a California State Senate committee vote unanimously. The legislation, SB 276, also known as the SAFE Streets Act (San Francisco Allows Fencing Enforcement on our Streets), was authored by State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco).

According to Wieners office, the legislation allows the city to combat the sale of stolen goods  also known as illegal fencing  through targeted initiatives from law enforcement.

San Francisco speed cameras launch Thursday

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Rampant fencing on city streets has disrupted a number of San Francisco neighborhoods, fueling retail theft and leading to chaos and violence that displace legitimate street vendors and undermine public safety, according to a statement from Wieners office.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA  AUGUST 21: People sell items at night at 24th and Mission, where stolen goods are often sold to customers, on August 21, 2024 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ethan Swope/Getty Images)

With this bill, we have a chance to tackle the disruptive fencing of stolen goods while supporting our legitimate street vendors, Wiener said. Im deeply committed to advancing this strong policy through the Legislature, and I thank Mayor Lurie and the community for their partnership and support.

Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener speaks during the Senate session at the Capitol on Jan. 21, 2020, in Sacramento. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

In addition to being sponsored by Sen. Wiener, SB 276 is sponsored by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. The legislation also aims to protect legitimate street vendors, who enrich San Francisco neighborhoods, according to Wieners office.

The bill, if passed, would allow law enforcement to issue infractions, and a misdemeanor after multiple violations, against those who sell commonly stolen goods without a license or permit. It would not apply to prepared foods.

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Stephen Ross, billionaire developer and owner of the Miami Dolphins, who is investing heavily in the rebirth of downtown West Palm Beach, among other projects, recently waved off worries about the economy, tariffs or market instability.

President Donald Trump's tariff wars with Canada, China and Mexico are roiling the markets and already leading to price hikes on commodities and consumer goods. Recently, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers warned there was a "real possibility" of a recession.

Related Ross Chairman and CEO Stephen M. Ross, speaks at the Related Ross groundbreaking ceremony in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla., on March 12, 2025.

"I think everybody long-term recognizes where we're going and what we are as a country," Ross said after a March 12 groundbreaking of the company's newest planned office towers, 10 and 15 CityPlace. "I think Palm Beach is going to be a leader long-term. So, I feel very optimistic even though we may have some short-term instability."

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But Ken Himmel, president of Related Ross, acknowledged concerns about the current and future economic forecast.

On the topic of tariffs, Himmel said that Related Ross already entered into contracts for guaranteed prices from subcontractors on 90% of the 10 and 15 CityPlace office towers.

For another project, the twin-tower south Flagler House condominium being built along South Flagler Drive, Related Ross locked down prices on 70% of the project, and 90% of what would be subject to tariffs.

Rendering of South Flagler House, a 27-story twin-tower condominium planned for West Palm Beach.

"We have no tariff exposure," Himmel said.

But Himmel acknowledged concerns about the economy's uncertain future.

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Growth plans by corporate executives "definitely are going to be in question more today than they would have been a year ago. I'm sure this is going to have some impact on some people," Himmel said.

But Himmel thinks that economic declines will have limited effects on Related Ross' roster of new tenants. This is because these tenants are in the healthcare field "and health care is not going away," as well as the still-growing finance and wealth management fields.

"As long as people keep moving here, which they are, that will keep fueling growth in these sectors," he said.

Stay up to date on South Florida's sizzling real estate market and sign up for The Dirt weekly newsletter, delivered every Tuesday! Exclusively for Palm Beach Post subscribers.

Alexandra Clough is a business writer at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at aclough@pbpost.com. X: @acloughpbp. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Billionaire West Palm developer Stephen Ross not worried about economy
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)

A day after it was approved in the Senate Judiciary Committee, members of the North Carolina Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday swiftly approved a bill to allow North Carolinians 18 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The bill, which has the backing of Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, now moves to the Senate floor, where it is expected to pass.

The Senate committee action came on the same day members of the House Judiciary 2 committee advanced a similar proposal. House Bill 5 now advances to the House Rules Committee.

Senators tout measure as validating constitutional rights, discount safety concerns

Sen. Danny Britt (R-Cumberland) (File photo)

One of the bills three main co-sponsors, Senator Danny Britt (R-Cumberland), described the proposal as little more than a modest adjustment to state law, which he noted, already allows the open carry of firearms without a permit. He said the measure simply puts North Carolina law in line with 29 other states and is designed to aid law abiding citizens and validate the constitutional right Americans enjoy under the Second Amendment.

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A trio of speakers from the groups Grassroots North Carolina and the National Rifle Association echoed Britts explanation.

In approving the measure on a voice vote, committee members discounted the passionate pleas lodged by a handful of citizens who begged lawmakers not to compound the states gun violence and youth suicides crises, as well as a pair of lawmakers who expressed concern about doing away with the mandate of an eight-hour training course that all North Carolinians must currently undergo in order obtain a concealed carry permit.

Sen. Paul Lowe, Jr. (D-Forsyth) (Photo: ncleg.gov)

Senator Paul Lowe, Jr. (D-Forsyth) told Britt that while he was not opposed to people carrying concealed weapons, he felt strongly that education in the proper handling and use of weapons remains essential. Britt responded that the currently mandated eight-hour training course provides only minimal education and was not worth the time, since it takes years to develop the skills for properly handling a firearm. He added that since only law-abiding citizens comply with the current permit system, the risks with eliminating it would be minimal.

Opposition speakers included a Durham-based pediatric nurse who told committee members about the fear she experiences each day for her husband  an emergency room physician who is required to perform CPR on patients regularly, not knowing whether they have a concealed weapon hidden on their bodies that could fire inadvertently. Bill supporters did not attempt to respond to the nurses testimony and several stared down at their desks while she delivered her remarks.

Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe) (Photo: ncleg.gov)

At one point during the proceedings, Sen. Ralph Hise, a western North Carolina Republican and bill supporter, asked Britt whether there were any other constitutional rights that North Carolinians enjoy in which they are required by law to receive state provided educational information prior to exercising it.

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While Britt replied that he knew of no other examples, Sen. Julie Mayfield (D-Buncombe) quickly spoke up to observe that there is at least one such right: a womans right to obtain an abortion. Current North Carolina law requires all women seeking abortion care to be provided with information drafted by abortion opponents about the procedure before their care provider can proceed. Neither Britt nor Hise responded to Mayfields observation.

Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort) (Photo: ncleg.gov)

House committee shuts down amendments, advances bill

Republicans pushed the NC Constitutional Carry Act sponsored by Reps. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort, dare, Hyde, Pamlico), Jay Adams (R-Catawba), Ben Moss (R-Moore, Richmond), and Brian Echevarria (R-Cabarrus) through the House Judiciary 2 Committee on Tuesday afternoon.

Its a similar bill to SB 50. Unlike its Senate counterpart, HB 5 authorizes elected officials in the state to carry a concealed firearm while performing their official duties if the official has a concealed handgun permit.

Were trying to allow people to exercise their rights, to defend themselves, to defend their families in all situations, Kidwell said.

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The panel declined to adopt two amendments proposed by Rep. Deb Butler (D-New Hanover). One would raise the age minimum to carry a concealed handgun from 18 to 21.

Rep. Deb Butler (D-New Hanover) (Photo: ncleg.gov)

The other would retain the obligation obtain a concealed carry permit for those who have been convicted of an impaired driving offense.

If a person has demonstrated that they dont have the judgment to stay out from behind the wheel of a car after consuming alcohol [and] can somehow now acquire a firearm and have that not be a disqualifier, to be, its just a grave disservice, Butler said.

Rep. Ya Liu (D-Wake) said as the mother of three kids, two of whom are teenagers, she wouldnt trust them or their friends to have access to guns. She thinks theyre too young.

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As parents, we are the people who should protect them, Liu said. We should make it safer for them to learn and to play in our community, not make it more dangerous.

Each of the five witnesses who attended the hearing spoke out against the bill.

The speakers ranged from a college student to leaders in gun violence prevention groups to a military veteran.

Gerald Gibbons said he served 20 years in the Air Force, where he had to pass comprehensive training before ever carrying a firearm.

This includes the basics of gun safety, such as treating every weapon as if its loaded and ensuring its safe storage. HB 5, however, would eliminate the training and other safeguards for civilians, he said.

Last time I spoke before this committee, I had seven family members who had died from gun violence. That number now is eight, Gibbons told the committee. I have lost eight family members to gun violence. I cant lose any more.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team is deploying to areas hit hard by tornados last weekend.

Several areas saw extensive damage.

Action 9: Advice for homeowners with storm damage but no insurance

Crisis-trained chaplains arrived in Missouri and Oklahoma on Wednesday.

They will be providing spiritual and emotional care to those affected by the destruction.

The storms are blamed for at least 42 deaths across several states.

VIDEO: Action 9: Advice for homeowners with storm damage but no insurance
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A Birmingham man was sentenced to more than five years in prison for carjacking, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

Person arrested after allegedly driving onto school grounds while intoxicated in Leeds

Christon Wayman, 21, was sentenced to 68 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of carjacking in Nov. 2024.

Wayman committed carjackings at two different locations in Birmingham, according to the plea agreement. The carjackings occurred September and October of 2023, He reportedly selected his victims from a dating application and used a firearm during at least one of the carjackings.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  The Birmingham Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in identifying a suspect who reportedly attempted to rob a Wells Fargo Bank.

A suspect reportedly attempted to rob a Wells Fargo Bank in the 300 block of 18th Street South around 11:20 a.m. on Thursday. Anyone with information is asked to call BPD at 205-254-7777.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
(Bloomberg) -- Late last month, 800 or so revelers gathered at the Black Tie & Boots Gala, a celebration of conservative politics in deep red Texas.

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The sponsor at table No. 15: BlackRock Inc., the Republicans biggest target on Wall Street.

Its no accident that the giant money manager was at the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institutes event, held down the street from the Texas State Capitol in Austin.Even before Donald Trump returned to the White House, BlackRock was on the move. Its play: to soothe, and smooth, tense relations with GOP politicians across the country after being pilloried for years for talking up environmental, social and governance investing styles, or ESG.

From Indiana to Utah, West Virginia to Tennessee, BlackRock has dispatched emissaries to ingratiate itself with Republicans, whove lambasted the firm, as well as many of the countrys largest banks and money managers, for pressing a liberal agenda on American businesses.

Its been five years since BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink extolled the virtues of a greener planet and displacing fossil fuels in his annual missives, enraging Republicans in the process. More recently, the company has been dialing back. Its quit climate groups and drastically reduced support for shareholder proposals designed to make corporate America greener and more diverse. And Fink no longer utters the letters ESG. These days, he prefers to talk about retirement goals rather than net zero goals.

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The push appears to be paying off, at least so far. In emailed statements, the treasurers of Texas and West Virginia praised BlackRock for its deal earlier this month to buy ports in the Panama Canal. (Fink had personally contacted Trump, who praised the transaction in a prime time address to the nation as a way to shift control to American hands.)

In response to questions, a BlackRock spokesperson referred to comments from Fink in January when he said our job isnt to be working for that left-wing organization or that right-wing organization or that spokesperson from the far right and left. Our job is to be working for each and every client, and thats resonating with our clients.

BlackRock held a meeting last week in Washington to discuss retirement planning, with lawmakers from both parties attending. It works with officials in Democratic-controlled states, including California. The firm also managed more than $1 trillion dedicated to sustainable and transition investment strategies as recently as September.

In Texas, where Trump loyalist Ken Paxton, the states attorney general, is leading a probe and lawsuit against BlackRock and other financial firms, the money manager has run social-media ads featuring cowboys, wildcatters and twangy rock n roll to showcase its oil-patch bona fides.

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Only last week, Fink  the billionaire who the GOP has sought to paint as the face of a liberal Wall Street  was showing off a Make Energy Great Again wristband at an energy conference in Houston, Oil City USA.

They have a presence now that they didnt have before, said Jason Isaac, founder of the American Energy Institute, a group based just outside Austin that promotes fossil-fuel policies.

Still, no corporation wants to be a target for the politicians running Washington and many state houses across the nation. The yearslong attack has taken a toll on BlackRock, as it got swept up in investigations, blacklisted in states, and faced lawsuits and plain-old bad PR. Texas and West Virginia have restricted doing business with BlackRock, along with other firms. Indiana and Mississippi have taken legal action. Since Trump stormed back in November, loyalists have renewed their attacks on ESG broadly.

Red states have pulled at least $13 billion from BlackRock since the start of 2022, including an $8.5 billion withdrawal last year by a Texas school fund. That might sound like a lot, but its a pittance for the firm, which manages $11.6 trillion of assets. The company reported record revenue, operating income and net client inflows of $641 billion last year. It also has expanded in different business areas such as private markets.

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BlackRock has been trying to clear the air for a while now. As the anti-ESG attacks took hold in 2022, the firm hired DCI Group, a prominent public-affairs firm, which organized meetings with center-right think tanks and BlackRock executives.

And Fink began to reach out personally: He flew to Utah, for instance, to have lunch with the state treasurer, Marlo Oaks, who once characterized ESG as part of Satans plan, according to emails obtained through a public-records request. Fink has since sent Oaks advance copies of the annual letters he sends to investors.

The following year, BlackRock overhauled its lobbying unit and hired John Kelly, a former executive at Starbucks Corp. who had worked with Washington state Republicans, to run corporate affairs. Kelly met with conservative groups in Washington to help mend fences, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Texas, the most-populous red state, is a top priority. To get in the good graces of Republicans, BlackRock turned last year to a couple of Texas politicos, including a former top aide to the governor and an ex-staffer under former President George W. Bush. Its also publicly backed the Lone Star States bid to create its own stock exchange, promoted investments in the strained electricity grid, donated to a Dallas education charity and commissioned a survey about retirement savings in the state.

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Texas is open for business, and were all in, BlackRocks Kelly said at a Texas state hearing in September about pension investing.

In Houston last week, Fink was blunt: The US will depend on fossil fuels for a long, long time, he told the 1,400 attendees who packed a ballroom in the Hilton Americas Hotel. He talked up the hundreds of billions of dollars BlackRock has invested in energy companies and, via municipal bonds, in communities across Texas.

Theyre listening to Texas, theyre listening to conservatives, said Tan Parker, a Republican state senator. Parker said he introduced Fink to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who last year called BlackRocks chief the King of Wall Street.

BlackRock is trying diplomacy elsewhere too. It ran radio ads in Mississippi after officials accused the company last March of making fraudulent statements about its climate strategy (a legal case filed by the state is pending). In Tennessee, BlackRock has hired Paul Fassbender, who was a chief counsel to former Republican Senator Bob Corker, as director for the Southeast and Midwest, based not in New York but in Nashville. The firm settled a lawsuit with Tennessee in January over BlackRocks ESG strategy.

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Last month, Fassbender and a Republican lobbyist met with officials in Indiana, after a state pension fund pulled almost $1 billion from BlackRock in December, according to a person familiar with the matter. Their message: BlackRock is focusing on making money for investors, not championing environmental and social causes.

Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott said in a telephone interview that a good relationship with Trump is a clear plus for Fink, referring to the recent Panama Canal deal. But Fink cant stop with the White House, he said.

He needs to develop a good relationship with us, Elliott said.

But the heat from Republicans is unlikely to let up soon. Isaac at the American Energy Institute pointed to a recent BlackRock report characterizing climate change as a mega force shaping world markets as a sign that Fink and his company still need to get with the Republican program.

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Will Hild, who has been running a campaign criticizing ESG, said BlackRock has earned a modicum of goodwill. But he said hell keep going after BlackRock until the Wall Street giant stops pressing companies on climate change and other ESG topics.

Im in the fifth inning of my campaign, Hild said.

--With assistance from Silla Brush.

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JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WTAJ)  A federal judge sentenced a drug trafficker to federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing meth around Central Pennsylvania.

Douglass Hillegass, 62, of Duncansville, was sentenced in federal court to 33 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of distributing meth in October 2024, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced.

Ten Central Pennsylvanians indicted on federal charges for drugs, money laundering

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Hillegass conviction came when he, along with nine others, were indicted by a grand jury in 2023 after a six-month-long wiretap investigation into drug trafficking around Blair Cambria, Centre and Clearfield counties.

According to information presented to the court, Hillegass obtained roughly six ounces of methamphetamine from a large-scale dealer to sell and distribute to others in the area.

Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Service  Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hillegass.

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In a bid to dismiss Justin Baldonis lawsuit, Blake Lively is pointing to a change in California law prohibiting the weaponization of defamation claims that concern accusations of sexual assault.

California lawmakers in 2023 expanded libel protections to include communications based on public disclosures of sexual misconduct, effectively making it harder for accused individuals to retaliate by suing.

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Baldoni brought his lawsuit against Lively in New York federal court but said his defamation claims should be considered under California law. Livelys lawyers on Thursday agreed and said the lawsuit should be dismissed, pointing to the amendment to California law that protects individuals who report allegations of sexual assault from retaliatory lawsuits. They seek a court order that would force Baldoni to cover Livelys legal fees and treble damages.

In a statement, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, lawyers for Lively, called Baldonis lawsuit a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court. They added, California law now expressly prohibits suing victims who make the decision to speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether in a lawsuit or in the press.

The filing is the latest in a sprawling legal battle featuring Lively and Baldoni, who alleged he was defamed when the actress said he and his film studio Wayfarers chief executive Jamey Heath engaged in sexual misconduct toward her and later orchestrated a retaliatory smear campaign to damage [her] image and reputation after she reported the misconduct.

In Thursdays motion to dismiss, Lively urges the court to find that California law should be applied to the lawsuits defamation claims. She stresses that she was employed by Wayfarer, which is based in California, and that she agreed with the company that all disputes related to the filming of It Ends With Us would be governed by state law.

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In addition, the Wayfarer Parties base their claims on statements made by Ms. Lively in a complaint filed with a California state agency to seek relief from a California employers violations of California law, the filing states. California has an interest in not only ensuring that its employers comply with its laws, but also in protecting Ms. Livelys exercise of her right to speak out about, and seek remedies for, sexual harassment and retaliation.

Assembly Bill 933, the amendment to the California law, contains a provision that requires individuals who are found to have brought retaliatory lawsuits to pay for legal fees, plus treble and punitive damages for any harm they caused to their accusers.

Lively also advances procedural arguments to dismiss the defamation claims, including that Baldoni brought his lawsuit past the one year window to sue for libel. She says she first published her allegedly defamatory statements in her 17-point list of demands for her to return to filming of the production in November 2023, more than a year before she was sued.

Also at issue: whether Baldoni sufficiently alleges actual malice, which requires a showing that the allegedly libelous accusations were made with knowledge they were false or reckless indifference to their truth. Lively says she sincerely believes the It Ends With Us director engaged in sexual harassment, citing a text message between Baldoni and his publicist Melissa Nathan that she genuinely believes shes right and that all of this is unjust.

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The argument mirrors the thrust of Ryan Reynolds bid to dismiss defamation claims against him in Baldonis lawsuit.

Replying to allegations of extortion, Lively adds that the claim is so convoluted that it cannot survive. She says that it arises out of the exact same categories of protected speech that fail to support defamationMs. Livelys supposed threats to reveal her sexual harassment claims if the Wayfarer Parties did not give in to her demands for creative control of the movie.

A spokesperson for Lively said that the actress not alone in being sued for defamation after speaking up about being sexually harassed at work. The statement added, While Ms. Lively has suffered greatly by speaking up and pursuing legal claims, it is important for other people to know that they have protections, and that there is a specific law that expressly protects them from being silenced or financially ruined by a defamation lawsuit because they had the courage to speak up.

Baldoni didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

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Credit: John Nacion/Variety/Getty Images; TheStewartofNY/WireImage

Blake Lively is asking a federal judge to reject Justin Baldonis $400 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against her, calling it both illegal and an epic self-own that places Baldoni and his Wayfarer Studios partners on the hook for a massive damages payout to the It Ends With Us actress.

The Wayfarer parties vengeful and rambling lawsuit against Blake Lively is a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court. The law prohibits weaponizing defamation lawsuits, like this one, to retaliate against individuals who have filed legal claims or have publicly spoken out about sexual harassment and retaliation, Livelys new dismissal motion filed Thursday in Manhattan federal court states.

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Livelys new motion cites a relatively new California law that protects alleged survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination from retaliatory defamation lawsuits. The statute, signed into law in 2023, applies in the Baldoni matter because Baldoni asserts his claims under California law, Livelys lawyers argue. They also point out that the law includes a mandatory fee shifting provision that would require Baldoni and his Wayfarer partners to pay not only Livelys attorneys fees and but also triple damages and punitive damages is she succeeds in getting the lawsuit tossed out.

In other words, in an epic self-own, the Wayfarer parties have created more liability for themselves by their malicious efforts to sue Ms. Lively into oblivion, the new motion states.

Lively, 37, previously sued Baldoni, his producing partners on It Ends With Us, and his publicists on Dec. 31, 2024. In her blockbuster complaint, Lively said she suffered disturbing sexual harassment during production of the movie and was later subjected to a vicious smear campaign designed to silence her.

Baldoni, 41, responded by suing Lively as well as her superstar husband, Ryan Reynolds, with claims he was the one subjected to false allegations aimed at destroying his career. He claimed Lively used falsified stories of his alleged misconduct to execute a hostile takeover of It Ends With Us, which Baldoni co-starred in as well as directed. He claimed Lively and Reynolds later turned him into a scapegoat after Lively faced a self-inflicted press catastrophe when the movie premiered in August 2024.

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Baldonis lead lawyer Bryan Freedman attacked Livelys dismissal filing in a statement sent to Rolling Stone. Ms. Livelys recent motion to dismiss herself from the self-concocted disaster she initiated is one of the most abhorrent examples of abusing our legal system. Stringent rules are put into place to protect the innocent and allow individuals to rightfully defend themselves. Laws are not meant to be twisted and curated by privileged elites to fit their own personal agenda, Freedman said. We will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her actions of pure malice which include falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation. Her fantastical claims will be swiftly debunked as discovery moves forward, easily disproved with actual, evidentiary proof.

On Tuesday, Reynolds filed his own motion to dismiss the lawsuits claims filed against him as a separate defendant. He argued Baldoni shouldnt be allowed to sue him over hurt feelings because Reynolds called him a predator. Mr. Reynolds has a First Amendment right to hold Mr. Baldoni  or any man who Mr. Reynolds believes sexually harassed his wife  in deep disdain, the actors filing read.

Livelys battle with Baldoni spilled into the public court system a week after The New York Times published a Dec. 21 story titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine that revealed Lively had filed a precursor complaint against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department.

In a statement issued Thursday, Livelys lawyers Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson said Baldonis defamation lawsuit was both meritless and retaliatory and would come back to haunt him and his partners, including Wayfarers billionaire co-founder Steve Sarowitz. (In the motion to dismiss, they claimed Sarowitz previously made a threat to essentially write a blank check for legal action against Lively. Steve Sarowitz may indeed make good on his threat to spend $100 million litigating against Ms. Lively, but perhaps not in the way he planned, they wrote.)

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California law now expressly prohibits suing victims who make the decision to speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether in a lawsuit or in the press, the lawyers said. By suing Lively for defamation, Baldoni and his partners only created more liability for themselves, and deservedly so, given what they have done, the lawyers claimed.

While Ms. Lively has suffered greatly by speaking up and pursuing legal claims, it is important for other people to know that they have protections, and that there is a specific law that expressly protects them from being silenced or financially ruined by a defamation lawsuit because they had the courage to speak up, Livelys spokesperson said in a separate statement Thursday.

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ZAGREB, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The annual Festival of Lights in Zagreb opened on Wednesday evening, drawing thousands of people to see visual installations and light art throughout the city's streets, parks and squares.

During the festival, which runs until Sunday, 25 unique light installations illuminate the capital, bringing the magic of light to visitors and symbolically marking the arrival of spring.

"This festival has become an essential event in the city's cultural and tourist calendar. Once again, Zagreb's streets, squares and facades will shine with unique light installations, bringing artistic vision, innovation and inspiration to all visitors," Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic said at the opening ceremony.

"I am particularly pleased to see how it attracts an increasing number of artists, residents and guests from all over the world each year, further cementing our city's status as a year-round destination rich in content," he added.

A special feature of this year's festival is its growing international cooperation, as 13 of the light installations are from eight countries like France, Italy, Germany and Canada, bringing international creativity to the festival, organizers said.

The Festival of Lights, which began in 2017, has become one of the most renowned events in the Croatian capital. 
In the latest twist in the high-stakes legal battle over "It Ends With Us," Blake Lively has moved to dismiss Justin Baldoni's defamation countersuit, citing a California law that protects individuals who report allegations of sexual misconduct from retaliatory lawsuits.

In a motion filed Thursday in federal court in New York, Livelys attorneys argue that Baldonis claims should be dismissed under Assembly Bill 933, a 2023 amendment to California law that grants legal protection to individuals who make statements about harassment, assault or discrimination, shielding them from defamation claims unless they acted with actual malice. If the court grants the motion, Baldonis claims would be dismissed, and he could be required to cover Livelys legal fees.

"The law prohibits weaponizing defamation lawsuits, like this one, to retaliate against individuals who have filed legal claims or have publicly spoken out about sexual harassment and retaliation," the motion argues, specifically citing the "recently enacted California law" protecting accusers.

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The motion argues that Baldonis countersuit is vindictive and legally baseless, calling it "a public relations instrument designed to further the Wayfarer Parties sinister campaign to 'bury' and 'destroy' Ms. Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment and retaliation."

Read more: Justin Baldoni's tumultuous road to the center of a Hollywood scandal

This lawsuit is a profound abuse of the legal process that has no place in federal court, Mike Gottlieb and Esra Hudson, attorneys for Lively, said in a statement. California law now expressly prohibits suing victims who make the decision to speak out against sexual harassment or retaliation, whether in a lawsuit or in the press.

Lively's motion notes that AB 933 includes mandatory fee-shifting provisions, meaning Baldoni and his backers could be required to cover Lively's legal costs if the court rules against them. "In other words, in an epic self-own, the Wayfarer Parties have created more liability for themselves by their malicious efforts to sue Ms. Lively 'into oblivion,' " the motion reads.

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In a statement late Thursday, Baldonis attorney, Bryan Freedman, blasted the motion, calling it one of the most abhorrent examples of abusing our legal system.

Stringent rules are put into place to protect the innocent and allow individuals to rightfully defend themselves, Freedman said. Laws are not meant to be twisted and curated by privileged elites to fit their own personal agenda. ... We will continue to hold Ms. Lively accountable for her actions of pure malice which include falsely accusing my clients of harassment and retaliation. Her fantastical claims will be swiftly debunked as discovery moves forward, easily disproved with actual, evidentiary proof.

The filing marks the latest escalation in the bitter legal and public relations fight that began with Lively's allegations against Baldoni, her co-star and director on last year's romantic drama "It Ends With Us." On Dec. 20, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department, followed days later by a lawsuit in New York federal court, accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment and misconduct during the films production. In her suit, she alleged that he pressured her to perform more nudity than agreed upon, improvised intimate scenes and retaliated with a smear campaign after she raised concerns.

Read more: Inside the bare-knuckle legal brawl between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

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Baldoni denied the allegations and responded with a $250-million defamation suit against Lively and the New York Times, which had published her claims. Weeks later, he filed a $400-million countersuit against Lively, husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicist, Leslie Sloane, accusing them of conspiring to destroy his reputation and wrest control of the film from him. His countersuit alleges that Lively and her team orchestrated a campaign to discredit him, including making false misconduct allegations, spreading defamatory statements to the press and using their influence to pressure the studio to remove him from the movie.

The competing lawsuits have raised a key legal question: Which states laws should apply? Baldonis attorneys have argued that California law should govern, citing the reputational and financial harm he claims to have suffered in the state, where he and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, are based.

His countersuit also asserts claims such as false light invasion of privacy and civil extortion, which are recognized under California law but not in New York. In a court filing earlier this month opposing Sloanes motion to dismiss the claims against her, Baldonis attorneys wrote, California law should apply to remedy the wrongs suffered in California by California residents and their associates.

By filing her lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, Lively indicated that she viewed it as the proper venue for her case. In her latest motion, however, she invokes California law as a defense against Baldonis defamation allegations.

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AB 933, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023, was enacted to protect individuals from defamation lawsuits based on statements about sexual assault, harassment or discrimination provided they were made without malice  meaning the speaker did not knowingly make a false statement or act with reckless disregard for the truth.

The bill was backed by groups including Equal Rights Advocates and the California Employment Lawyers Assn., which argued that defamation lawsuits had been used as a tool to silence survivors. Supporters said the law was necessary to prevent powerful individuals from weaponizing the legal system against those who report misconduct.

Livelys team framed the legal battle as part of that broader effort.

The painful reality is that Ms. Lively is not alone in being sued for defamation after speaking up about being sexually harassed at work, a spokesperson for Lively said. That is entirely why California recently enacted AB 933 While Ms. Lively has suffered greatly by speaking up and pursuing legal claims, it is important for other people to know that they have protections, and that there is a specific law that expressly protects them from being silenced or financially ruined by a defamation lawsuit because they had the courage to speak up."

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AB 933 not only shields certain statements from defamation claims but also provides financial remedies for defendants in retaliatory lawsuits. Successful defendants may recover attorney fees and legal costs, and if a court finds the lawsuit was filed in retaliation, they may seek treble damages  up to three times the harm caused.

Although Baldoni has yet to directly challenge AB 933's application, his legal team has already asserted in his countersuit that Lively knowingly made false statements with the intent to harm him. They have argued that her alleged decision to share her claims with The New York Times before filing a formal complaint was part of a deliberate effort to damage Baldonis career rather than simply report misconduct. Livelys attorneys counter that California law protects such communications unless they were made with reckless disregard for the truth.

The courts ruling on Livelys motion could have broader legal implications beyond the feud. If the judge rules in her favor, it may set a precedent for how AB 933 is applied in defamation battles  particularly in Hollywood, where legal fights over reputational damage have grown increasingly common in the post-#MeToo era.

Updates:

7:36 p.m. March 20, 2025: This article was updated to include comment from Justin Baldonis attorney.



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Blake Lively is asking a judge to dismiss Justin Baldonis $400 million lawsuit against her, arguing that her It Ends With Us co-star is weaponizing his own defamation claim to retaliate against her for publicly speaking out about her sexual harassment accusations against him.

Livelys motion to dismiss, filed on Thursday, comes just two days after her husband Ryan Reynolds also filed a motion to dismiss, asking the judge to drop him from the case.

Baldoni, his business associates and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, are suing Lively and Reynolds, along with their publicist, for $400 million, claiming that the Hollywood power couple and their team hijacked his film and then sought out to destroy his career.

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(The couples publicist, Leslie Sloane, has also filed her own motion to dismiss.)

Attorneys for Lively argued that she is protected under a California law that prohibits retaliatory defamation lawsuits based on sexual harassment allegations. The legislation was signed into law by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023.

Baldoni has accused Lively of working to destroy him professionally by collaborating with the New York Times on a self-serving story about the complaint she filed with the California Civil Rights Department in December, in which she accused Baldoni of sexual harassment and retaliation. But in their latest filing, Livelys attorneys argue she was legally entitled to file her complaint and disclose it to the public, including with the press.

(The New York Times has previously said it stands by its reporting and has asked the court to dismiss the $250 million lawsuit the publication is facing from Baldoni.)

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The Wayfarer Parties have created more liability for themselves by their malicious efforts to sue Ms. Lively into oblivion, attorneys for Lively wrote in their motion to dismiss.

Baldoni has denied all sexual harassment and retaliation claims made by Lively. His attorney, Bryan Freedman, previously told CNN that anyone actively involved in any possible connection with this abhorrent conduct will be sued into oblivion.

In asking the court to dismiss Baldonis claims, Livelys attorneys state in their filing that nothing in the lawsuit resembles an actionable legal claim, calling it a public relations instrument with the sole purpose of carrying out Baldonis sinister campaign to punish Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment and retaliation.

Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively in the film "It Ends With Us." - Nicole Rivelli/Sony Pictures

Livelys attorneys argue that in lieu of concrete facts, the complaint from Baldoni and others resorts to implausible conjecture and conspiracy theories to allege that Ms. Lively falsified her allegations.

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On the one hand, the Wayfarer Parties insist that Ms. Lively is an immensely powerful Hollywood superstar who, along with her influential husband, wielded power to steal creative control over the film, Livelys filing states. But on the other hand, they claim she was so powerless that the only way she could have any power was by manufacturing sexual harassment allegations almost a year in advance in a Machiavellian long game. These two concepts contradict each other and therefore cannot coexist.

Livelys attorneys are also asking the judge to award her attorneys fees, and treble damages and punitive damages.

In a statement Baldonis attorney said Lively was abusing our legal systemand argued the motion was a distortion of a state law.

Stringent rules are put into place to protect the innocent and allow individuals to rightfully defend themselves. Laws are not meant to be twisted and curated by privileged elites to fit their own personal agenda, the statement continued.

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In Reynolds request to be dropped from the lawsuit, his attorneys argued that Baldonis case against him amounts to hurt feelings and that his only involvement has been as a supportive spouse.

Reynolds filing claimed that the lawsuit filed by Baldoni and others is based on two times that Reynolds allegedly called Baldoni a predator, but said that nothing in the lawsuit suggests that Reynolds did not believe this to be true.

Mr. Reynolds genuinely, perhaps passionately, believes that Mr. Baldonis behavior is reflective of a predator, Reynolds filing reads, adding that calling someone a predator amounts to a constitutionally protected opinion.

Lively filed an amended complaint last month, alleging other women also raised claims about Baldonis behavior on set.

Baldoni has denied those allegations.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  An auction of eight parcels of land totaling 41.85 acres in the Las Vegas valley generated $16.57 million, according to a Wednesday announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

The competitive online sale on Tuesday failed to sell two other parcels  10 acres on the southwest corner of W. La Madre Way at N. Fort Apache Road valued at $4.25 million, and 25 acres along the Northern 215 Beltway valued at $13.05 million. There were no qualifying bids for the two parcels.

The eight parcels that sold were:

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2.5 acres near S. Rainbow Boulevard and N. Gomer, valued at $1.3 million (sold at $1.52 million to Haikal Exemption Trust)

2.5 acres at the northwest corner of Roban Avenue and S. Las Vegas Boulevard, valued at $1.045 million (sold at $1.715 million to Haikal Exemption Trust)

12.5 acres east of U.S. 95 along Sun Village Park Drive and Kyle Canyon road, valued at $3.7 million (sold at $3.7 million to Elite Excavating)

6.85 acres along Blue Diamond road between S. Grand Canyon Drive and Hualapai Way, valued at $2.52 million (sold at $2.63 million to Hamid (Henry) Moradi)

5 acres near S. Racetrack Road between Burkholder Boulevard and Venice Avenue, valued at $2 million (sold at $2 million to Beazer homes)

Aerial view across urban suburban communities seen from Las Vegas Nevada with streets, mountains, rooftops, and homes (Getty Images)

5 acres near S. Racetrack Road between Burkholder Boulevard and Venice Avenue, valued at $1.7 million (sold at $1.7 million to Beazer homes)

2.5 acres north of Blue Diamond Road along S. Buffalo Drive and W. Cougar Avenue, valued at $1 million (sold at $1.24 million to Khusrow Roohani)

2.5 acres near the Northern 215 Beltway at the corner of W. Azure and N. Hualapai Way, valued at $2.07 million (sold at $2.07 million to Haikal Exemption Trust)

The Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) allows the BLM to sell public lands within a congressionally designated boundary in the Las Vegas Valley.

Proceeds from the sale are split three ways, with 85% going to projects throughout the state such as the development of parks, trails, natural areas, capital improvements on federal lands, acquisition of environmentally sensitive land, hazardous fuels reduction, and landscape restoration projects. Another 5% goes to the state education budget and 10% goes to the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  A homeless encampment in southeast Austin is being cleaned up after months of complaints about drugs, open fires and trash. The camp is located on Bluff Springs Road near William Cannon Drive.

Over the last few months, the site has continued to grow in size with more people moving in and more complaints coming from people living nearby.

The camp is in City of Austin Council Member Vanessa Fuentes district. KXAN sat down with her to see why it was not cleaned up sooner.

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We have a property owner that has been unresponsive to outreach attempts by the city and the city has issued a demand letter, Fuentes told KXAN last week. That will ask the property owner to do three things. That they put up a fence to secure the site, that they clean up the site and that they remove the debris that is currently there as well as they issue a no trespassing notice.

With the property being private, the city said there is a process they have to go through to clean it up, and it can take time.

South Austin homeless camp drawing concerns as drug use, open fires continue

According to a Travis County Appraisal District property search, the owner is listed as MT Properties LLC out of Wilmington, Delaware.

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City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray stopped by the cleanup Thursday.

Bluff Springs homeless camp before crews began cleanup

We are going to be putting a lien on the property so that way the city and taxpayers can get their money back if this property is conveyed down the road, also happy that we were able to get 24 people off this site and into shelter over the last week or so and so what you are seeing today is that transition from compassion to action, said Gray.

Gray said there is a need for more beds to help people who are looking to get off the streets and into shelter.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and the state department of public health are pushing to restore funding for federal health agencies amid concerns over recent bird flu cases.

It comes as the Trump Administration eliminates hundreds of jobs at the CDC, National Institutes of Health and more.

The time to prevent a public health disaster is now, Blumenthal said. Lets be very clear: the potential for an H5-N1 major outbreak in Connecticut and across the country is real and present  the disease is spreading.

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Bird flu detected in New Haven County

So far, there have been no outbreaks in commercial flocks in Connecticut, only backyard cases. Still, state health leaders are concerned about possible mutations.

Connecticut Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani weighed in during Wednesdays news conference.

We pride ourselves on being able to do the preparation  which weve been doing for over a year, for the potential threat of human infections, Juthani said.

Senator Blumenthal told reporters the H7N9 virus is different from the H5N1 strand of bird flu and would be a potential threat to humans.

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Think about the human consequences of allowing Avian Flu to mutate and spread among human beings; the tremendous cost to society in monetary resources and human suffering, said Blumenthal.

State health officials provided an update saying the threat level is low. That risk being low is where we want to keep it, said Juthani.

Senator Blumenthal sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging for action, saying federal spending cuts are impacting researchers ability to do their jobs ahead of a crisis.

This nation is about as unready and unprepared as it was for COVID, which is a searing indictment of public health policy or lack of policy. Red states, blue states, theyre all at risk. They all have poultry and livestock where outbreaks have occurred, said Blumenthal.

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The White House responded to News 8s request for comment, saying this:

If Dick Blumenthal was paying attention, he would have seen Secretary Brooke Rollins robust plan to combat bird flu, which is already seeing results with egg prices halving and human cases remaining low nationwide.

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A federal judge on Thursday said the Trump administrations response to his request for more information on Venezuelan deportation flights was woefully insufficient and evaded obligations to show they complied with an earlier court ruling.

In a new order, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said the Justice Department refused to meet his Thursday deadline to hand over the flight information and instead submitted a declaration from an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official informing that Cabinet Secretaries are currently actively considering whether to invoke the state secrets privilege.

The order came after Boasberg ordered the government to privately provide more details about the flights in a sealed filing, saying he was once again rebuffed by the government.

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The Government again evaded its obligations, Boasberg wrote, noting that the filing from the ICE official included the same information about the flights.

This is woefully insufficient. To begin, the Government cannot proffer a regional ICE official to attest to Cabinet-level discussions of the state-secrets privilege, wrote Boasberg, an appointee of former President Obama.

He ordered the Trump administration to provide an update from someone directly involved in the discussions by Friday.

By Tuesday, officials must explain in writing why they did not violate the courts orders blocking Trumps invocation of the Alien Enemies Act.

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The White House and Boasberg have been on a collision course since a Saturday hearing in which the judge ordered the government to turn around or halt flights carrying Venezuelan migrants removed under the 1798 law.

Boasberg gave the order to do so both verbally and in writing after the hearing. Both forms of orders are legally binding.

Nonetheless, the Justice Department continues to argue that it complied with Boasbergs written order, suggesting they did not have to comply with the oral order.

They have also argued the matter is irrelevant, as the flights were already out of U.S. territory by the time Boasbergs order landed on the docket.

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The American Civil Liberties Union, which has sued over the matter, has argued the government had the power to return the Venezuelan deportees from abroad up until the moment they were placed in the custody of a foreign government.

The judge has demanded more information about the timing of the flights and who was aboard so he can investigate whether the Trump administration defied his rulings, but the Justice Department has resisted.

In a remarkable hearing, Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli kept telling Boasberg he was not authorized to disclose information about the flights but provided little legal rationale for doing so. Boasberg ordered the government to provide that rationale in a court filing, but the following day the Justice Department again declined to do so.

The Government maintains that there is no justification to order the provision of additional information, and that doing so would be inappropriate, the Justice Department wrote in the filing Tuesday.

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On Wednesday, the administration first signaled it may invoke the state secrets privilege, which allows the government in limited circumstances to prevent sensitive national security information from being disclosed in civil litigation. Boasberg has signaled the governments arguments at first blush are not persuasive but has not made a final ruling.

Boasberg is a former Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) Court judge and has routinely handled cases dealing with highly classified information.

Throughout the week, the White House has attacked Boasberg, arguing the judge has no oversight over national security matters despite the judicial branch routinely weighing in on such matters.

The President is well within his Article II two power and his authority under the Alien Enemies Act to make these decisions. And we think its egregious that a single district judge is trying to tell the president of the United States who he can and cannot deport from our soil, especially when it comes to designated foreign terrorists, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday.

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Wounded Palestinians, including children, are brought to Al-Awda Hospital following an Israeli attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on March 18, 2025. Moiz Salhi/Anadolu via Getty Images

Warning: This story contains graphic and distressing content throughout.

Doctors and hospitals that were already barely functioning in Gaza have been thrown back into chaos, with Palestinian casualties rapidly climbing as a result of what local health officials say is now the deadliest bombing campaign of Israels 17-month offensive.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the slew of airstrikes across Gaza early Tuesday, shattering the fragile ceasefire agreement with Hamas that began two months ago. The strikes killed more than 400 Palestinians overnight, at least 180 of whom were children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

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We received many bodies and body parts, most of them children and women, Dr. Mohammed Qishta, who was at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, said in a recording to Doctors Without Borders, or MSF. The bodies were everywhere in the emergency room, with complete confusion.

Qishta is among the many doctors  both Gazan and foreign  who recounted to HuffPost, aid groups and on social media the mass-casualty nightmare they faced this week.

Ambulances carrying the sick and wounded leave European Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, for the Rafah border crossing into Egypt on Feb. 8, 2025. Doaa Albaz/Anadolu via Getty Images

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal in January that included exchanging hostages from both sides over three phases, as well as the withdrawal of Israeli soldiers from Gaza. Despite sporadic attacks that mostly consisted of Israeli gunfire, displaced Palestinians had a chance to returnto what little was left of home  retrieving loved ones bodies for burial and even beginning to rebuild.

But amid the truce, Dr. Feroze Sidhwa told HuffPost he had still been treating injuries that ultimately stemmed from the initial shootings and explosions, including buildings that collapsed after Israeli strikes rendered them structurally unsound.

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The first trauma operation I did here was for a 24-year-old guy who was trying to retrieve his dads dead body from inside their apartment, said the surgeon, who entered Gaza with a MedGlobal team on March 6. It had been bombed months before, and while he was doing that the apartment collapsed on him and tore his left kidney off of his aorta. He almost bled to death from this.

The Israeli military killed at least 150 people during the ceasefire in Gaza, according to Euro-Med Monitor. The human rights groups field team said Palestinians were usually targeted when they tried to return to their homes near the border.

Palestinian children stand among the rubble of buildings destroyed by Israeli attacks in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Feb. 22, 2025. Abed Rahim Khatib/Anadolu via Getty Images

Dr. Sabrina Das arrived in Gaza for the first time last week as part of a training mission to help doctors in the territory learn specific obstetrics tools. Before Tuesdays bombardment, Das was at a United Nations clinic teaching doctors how to use handheld ultrasound devices on pregnant women  50,000 of whom are currently trapped in Gaza, according to UNFPA, the U.N. agency focused on global reproductive health.

On March 2, Israel cut off all aid from entering Gaza, leaving Palestinians without access to food, water, fuel, shelter, medicine and other basic supplies. Dozens of ultrasound devices, some of which could save the lives of these women and their unborn children, have been stalled at the border for weeks now, says UNFPA, and Das said the blockade means pregnant women have no reliable access to pain relief.

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We have a lot of NGOs that are carrying basic infant nutrition, basic medicines, the OB-GYN said. And when you dont allow them to come in, then you have bare shelves in the pharmacy, and you have bare shelves in the hospital.

Injured Palestinians, including children and women, are brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al-Balah for treatment amid Israel's airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on March 18, 2025. Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images

In the middle of the night, Israel began raining bombs across the entire Palestinian territory, killing hundreds of people in a matter of hours. Netanyahu said the attack was only the beginning, blaming Hamas for refusing to free half the remaining hostages as a precondition of extending the ceasefire, despite it not being what either party had initially agreed to.

Das was asleep in southern Gazas Al-Mawasi area when the strikes began. She recalled the bombs hitting so close to her that the doors shook with every explosion, describing her reaction as an out-of-body experience where your brain knows whats happening but you dont want to believe it.

Before Tuesday, Sidhwa had not heard a single bomb since his arrival  so when the door to the medical teams living quarters at Nasser Hospital smashed open, the surgeon leaped out of bed.

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I jumped up and all of a sudden it was, I couldnt tell you how many, but it was a lot of explosions in very rapid succession, and it continued all night long, he said. I kind of expected this to happen while I was here, but at the same time I dont wanna pretend its not frightening to be in a place thats being bombed to smithereens.

Patients are taken into Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on March 18, 2025. Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Sidhwa and his colleagues ran downstairs to Nassers emergency room, an area he described as initially well-prepared ahead of the incoming flood of mass casualty patients.

Normally the first wave of people coming into the hospital for care arent in the most desperate need, he explained, since they were likely able to transport themselves. Its the patients who are brought in by emergency personnel who usually need hospital resources the most.

But as the sheer number of casualties climbed, hospitals began struggling to keep up.

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The situation was very tense, and the doctors in the emergency room fell down and collapsed, Qishta said. They were crying due to the intensity and the difficulty of the situation.

Hospitals across Gaza  most of which are only partially functioning, at most  became quickly overwhelmed. The situation is even worse due to the continued aid blockade and the Israeli militarys latest ground invasion, which has resulted in Gazas north and south again being cut off from each other.

Below are graphic details of some of the cases these doctors encountered.

A Palestinian mother grieves her 3-year-old child, Omar, who was killed in Israel's overnight bombardment on Gaza, after receiving his body from the morgue of Nasser Hospital on March 20, 2025. Abed Rahim Khatib/picture alliance via Getty Images

Weve run out of ketamine, weve run out of propofol, weve run out of all painkillers, Dr. Mohammed Mustafa said in a video he recorded from a hospital in the north and shared on Instagram. We cant sedate anyone, we cant give them any analgesia. When we intubate people, they wake up and theyre choking because we have no sedation.

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The Gaza Health Ministry says most of the casualties from this weeks bombardment have been children and women, including the pregnant people Das and other OB-GYNs were hoping they could help.

An OB-GYN who has chosen to be publicly identified only as Dr. Yacoub for their security recalled a 30-year-old woman who was 22 weeks pregnant when she came to Kuwaiti Hospital with a head injury, only to be pronounced dead. Upon examination, Yacoub found that the baby was also dead.

Palestinians who lost their lives are brought into the morgue of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir Al Balah, Gaza, on March 18, 2025. Ali Jadallah/Anadolu via Getty Images

At Nasser, Sidhwa and fellow trauma surgeon Dr. Morgan McMonagle went to what they called the red area, where patients are at the most immediate risk of death. Sidhwa himself worked on at least seven cases within seven hours, including a 29-year-old woman who had a hole in her sacrum, a rectum torn in half, and a wounded vagina, bladder and colon.

At the time he spoke to HuffPost, the surgeon said that the woman had died about a half hour earlier  and that she was the sister of another physician there.

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Almost every health care worker in Gaza has had somebody from their own family, either immediate or extended, come into the hospital while they were working in the ER, dead, he said.

McMonagle also operated on startling cases, including a 6-year-old child with shrapnel wounds all over his chest and abdomen. The boy had two holes in his heart; a laceration in his left lung; his livers right side split in half; two holes in his colon; three holes in his stomach; and five holes in his small bowel. He did not survive.

A Palestinian child wounded by an Israeli strike in central Gaza receives treatment at Indonesia Hospital in Beit Lahia on March 18, 2025. Abdalhkem Abu Riash/Anadolu via Getty Images

Mustafa said that many of the people his hospital received were women and children burned head to toe, with limbs and sometimes heads missing from their bodies. Seven girls were getting their legs amputated without anesthesia, he added.

I dont know what to tell you. I was here in June  nothing to this intensity. This is unbelievable, and the bombing is still going on. The rooms are still shaking. The screams are everywhere. Its insane, he said.

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I need to just take 15 minutes or even an hour, just to rest to go back in there and go back down again, he continued. I feel awful to leave but Ive been there all night and I havent stopped, and my legs are shaking. And I feel dizzy and lightheaded. The smell of burnt flesh is still in my nose.

A person's charred body at the morgue of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis is placed with other bodies of Palestinians who were killed by Israeli airstrikes on March 18, 2025. Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu via Getty Images

The carnage from Tuesdays barrage of Israeli airstrikes is hardly over, with local health officials saying the military killed at least 85 more Palestinians over Wednesday night into Thursday. The victims were targeted in southern Gazas Khan Younis and Rafah, as well as northern Gazas Beit Lahiya.

Nasser Hospital received the bodies of several people killed in the new attack. Sidhwa said he operated on a young patient who needed a splenectomy, a left kidney repair, and a repair of holes in his transverse colon  all from shrapnel. He also had to break up a fight between a doctor and a patients husband, and everybody said before the war that kind of thing would never have happened.

Das is now helping at Nassers maternity ward, along with extra residents from the now-destroyed Al-Shifa Hospital. On Wednesday, she saw 110 people in the outpatient department, where droves of pregnant women are coming for scans due to their anxiety and the illusion that its safer to walk in the daytime. Cleanliness also remains an issue, she added.

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The stories are heartbreaking  like I said, the long-term impact of war on women  the nurse I was working with has 4 children and has to leave them alone to come to work, Das updated HuffPost in a Thursday message. Her husband was a teacher and was captured by the Israelis. Her 16 year old daughter is the same age as my daughter. Has to look after her siblings.

A Palestinian man hugs the body of a baby who was killed in Israel's overnight airstrikes at the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia on March 20, 2025. Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty Images

Meanwhile, Israels aid blockade on Gaza has entered its 18th day and led to the closure of community kitchens and water desalination plants in the territory. Hospitals have either run out of supplies or are dangerously close to doing so.

If this continues, we will absolutely be out of supplies, and quickly. I couldnt tell you the number of hours or days, but it would not be very many, Sidhwa said. I cannot imagine we would have enough supplies that I would be able to operate competently to any kind of standard  for even another week.

Humanitarians have accused Israel this week of violating international law, including in the killing of a U.N. staffer the agency called no accident. A slew of countries, human rights organizations, the U.N. andothers inthe international community have already accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinian people.

The U.S. has so far continued to support Israel, with President Donald Trump openly pushing to take over the territory and forcibly resettle residents. The White House admitted to signing off on Tuesdays attack.

A child who lost his mother attends the funerals of 12 people who were killed in Israeli airstrikes in front of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on March 19, 2025. Abdallah F.s. Alattar/Anadolu via Getty Images

Israel has come under particular scrutiny for its targeting of Gazas health care system, laying siege to multiple hospitals and either killing doctors or taking them captive. On Thursday, Human Rights Watch released a report that claimed Israel had committed war crimes by causing deaths and unnecessary suffering while occupying Gazas hospitals.

Sidhwa recalled speaking with several doctors who were interested in helping Palestinians in Gaza, stressing to potential volunteers what they must consider before doing so.

Look, if you want to, thats good and you should. I wish more people did, the surgeon said. But you have to accept if you come here, that if the Israelis want to kill you they will, and nothing will happen to them for doing it. The U.S. wont care, your own congressman wont care, your president wont care  whether its Biden or Trump, doesnt matter.

And thats just what it is, he continued. Dont have any illusions about you being safe when youre here.
SALINA, Kan. (KSNW)  Salina firefighters found a body shortly after they entered a burning home early Thursday morning.

Salina Fire Department Chief Shane Pearson said the call came in around 4:20 a.m. of a residential house fire in the 100 block of S. Columbia Avenue.

When crews arrived, they found heavy fire conditions at the single-story house. They found the body within the first five to seven minutes and had the fire under control within 10 to 15 minutes.

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More measles cases found in southwest Kansas

Pearson said they did not believe anyone else was in the home, and no firefighters were hurt during the incident.

He said information about the victim and the cause of the fire is part of the investigation.

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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Originally appeared on E! Online

A decades-old mystery surrounding a missing Utah teen has been solved.

Utah police have identified the remains of a boy found in Arches National Park near Moab in 1983 as Robby Lynn Peay, 17, who vanished after running away from a youth treatment center in 1982. While the discovery closes a 41-year-old cold case, a homicide investigation is ongoing with Grand County detectives, according to Salt Lake City outlet Fox 13.

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Robby, a resident of Provo, had run away from a Salt Lake City young treatment center in October 1982 and a missing person case was then opened, the Provo Police Department said in a March 19 statement on Instagram. In February 1983, an unidentified body was recovered from the Three Gossips area within Arches National Park in Grand County, Utah, authorities said.

"The body had a gunshot wound to the head and appeared to have similar characteristics to Peay," the police said in their statement. "However, identification could not be confirmed due to decomposition of the remains."

Meanwhile, Robby's pickup truck was found months later, abandoned 350 miles away near Lake Powell. Provo police said in 2022 that "it appears that the truck was launched into the lake after fixing the steering wheel in place," per Salt Lake City outlet KSL.com.

Despite the discovery of the truck, the missing person's case went cold due to a lack of further leads, the police said in their latest statement. Robby's family then filed to have him legally declared deceased in 1990, with a gravestone set up in a cemetery.

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However, detectives from the department continued to review the case over the years and in 2018, one of them added Robby's information to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which was first launched in 2007.

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Meanwhile, Robby's pickup truck was found months later, abandoned 350 miles away near Lake Powell in Utah. Provo police said in 2022 that "it appears that the truck was launched into the lake after fixing the steering wheel in place," per Salt Lake City outlet KSL.com.

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Despite the discovery of the truck, the missing person's case went cold due to a lack of further leads, the police said in their latest statement. Robby's family then filed to have him legally declared deceased in 1990, with a gravestone set up in a cemetery.

However, detectives from the department continued to review the case over the years and in 2018, one of them added Robby's information to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which was first launched in 2007.

Provo Police Department

A forensic dentist reviewing cold cases within NamUs noted Robby's X-ray data had been entered using an incorrect number order and the corrected data resulted in a high percentage match with DNA taken from the remains. While this did not constitute an official result, it did give detectives a lead.

They discovered Robby was adopted and through genealogical research, located a surviving biological family member, an uncle, who provided a DNA sample. The teen's body was exhumed, while NamUs discovered a previously unknown DNA profile for the remains from another county agency. The Utah Office of the Medical Examiner confirmed the samples matched.

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"Robby Peay had been missing for over 40 years when the breakthrough finally came through dental records and DNA testing," Provo Police Department Detective Sergeant Patterson said in a statement on Instagram. "With this crucial evidence, we were able to identify an unknown individual, bringing long-awaited answers to a family that had spent decades in uncertainty."

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LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain updated its advice for travel to the United States on Thursday, warning of harsh consequences for Britons who violate U.S. immigration laws.

In its updated advice, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office urged British citizens to "comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry."

"The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly," the office said. "You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules."

The notice comes just a day after Germany updated its travel advice after three of its citizens were detained trying to enter the United States.

Britain's foreign office confirmed earlier this month that it was providing support to a British national reportedly detained at the border in the United States, according to the Reuters. 
A wrongful death lawsuit is trying to hold Boeing accountable  one year after a former employee and whistleblower was found dead in Charleston, South Carolina.

62-year-old John Barnett was found dead inside his truck outside with a gunshot wound to his head on March 9, 2024.

Barnett had previously worked for Boeing for 32 years. According to the lawsuit, he filed a whistleblower complaint with the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) against Boeing for safety concerns at the Charleston facility and for unlawfully retaliating against him in 2017.

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Barnett was about to start litigation for lawsuits he filed against the company last summer when he died.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Barnetts estate representatives, including family members. It accuses the company of driving Barnett to his death by suicide after suffering repeated retaliation, a hostile work environment, and bullying.

The documents filed today allege that Barnetts senior manager once told him, Im going to push you until you break.

A letter left by Barnett before his death was attached to the documents, with the lawsuit alleging, As he was taking his life three years later, John left a note underscoring the depths to which Boeings conduct had driven him. Whether or not Boeing intended to drive John to his death or merely destroy his ability to function, it was absolutely foreseeable that Boeings conduct would result in PTSD and Johns unbearable depression, panic attacks, and anxiety, which would in turn lead to an elevated risk of suicide. Boeing may not have pulled the trigger, but Boeings conduct was the clear cause, and the clear foreseeable cause, of Johns death.

Alleged letter written by Boeing whistleblower John Barnett before his death. Photo Courtesy: Court documents filed in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina, Charleston

KIRO 7 reached out to Boeing for comment, their response: We are saddened by John Barnetts death and extend our condolences to his family.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  The estate of a man who brought to light safety concerns at Boeings South Carolina facility filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday claiming the aerospace giant is responsible for the mans death.

62-year-old John Barnett was found dead on March 9, 2024, inside his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the Holiday Inn parking lot off Savannah Highway, according to the Charleston County Coroners Office.

The Louisiana native was in Charleston for depositions related to his ongoing whistleblower lawsuit against his former employer.

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The 32-year Boeing veteran had worked at Boeings Everett facility before being transferred to the North Charleston site to head up the new 787 program.

Barnetts whistleblower complaint detailed issues like employees being pressured to violate FAA standards by not fixing part defects resulting in incomplete build records, implementing a program that allowed mechanics to inspect and approve their work, and engineers not documenting foreign object debris found in panels and electrical components.

When Barnett reported the concerns, he was the subject of harassment, abuse, and intimidation intended to discourage, discredit, and humiliate him by upper management, the suit claims.

Not only was he harassed, but Boeing superiors demoted him, blacklisted him from other divisions, and socially isolated him from his team. In early 2017, a doctor diagnosed Barnett with PTSD as a result of the ongoing attacks, documents state.

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During a hearing on Boeings Broken Safety Culture by the Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations of the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, it was revealed one of Barnetts senior managers called him 19 times within 8 hours in late October 2016, and then 21 times within 8 hours a few days later.

In one of the calls, the manager said, Im going to push you until you break, filings said. US Senator Richard Blumenthal told then Boeing CEO David Calhoun that the company was successful and [John] broke.

Barnett retired from Boeing due to the retaliation and moved back to Louisiana to be closer to his family in March 2017.

According to the suit, the retaliation continued. When Barnett was in Charleston for the deposition, he made plans to meet up with two friends, but the friends ended up canceling, telling Barnett that Boeing advised them to have zero contact with him.

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On March 4, 2024, Barnett went to see a mental health counselor, where he expressed he was having nightmares of people dying in planes and intrusive thoughts.

Barnett had reported similar nightmares in the past, but the occurrences increased after a door blew out of a 737 Max flight while it was midair in January 2024.

When law enforcement found Barnett, they also found a note that the suit says, demonstrates the retaliation, harassment, and maltreatment he experienced at the hands of Boeing caused his PTSD, which, in turn, caused his suicide and untimely death.

This note found in Barnetts vehicle was provided by the Charleston Police Department.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the Department of Justice is charging three people for allegedly destroying Tesla cars or properties.

The charges come as Tesla has faced widespread protests and criticism in the last few weeks, tied to its CEO, Elon Musk, and the Department of Government Efficiencys moves to remake the federal government.

Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars, Bondi said in a press release on Thursday.

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Widespread protests outside Tesla showrooms have broken out across the country to decry the moves by DOGE to ax agencies and institute mass layoffs.

Many have been peaceful, but there have also been instances of vandalism and complete destruction of cars.

The Department of Justice did not announce the names of those charged. The Justice Department alleged one defendant threw eight Molotov cocktails at a dealership in Salem, Oregon; another attempted to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails in Loveland, Colorado.; and a third in Charleston, South Carolina, wrote profane messages against President Trump around Tesla charging stations before lighting the charging stations on fire.

The electric car brand has become increasingly affiliated with Donald Trump, thanks to Musks close alliance with the president. Trump made a show of buying a Tesla from Musk, elevating the car company with an event at the White House, which multiple Democrats criticized as an ethics violation. Some Democrats have made their own show of getting rid of their Teslas.

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Bondi denounced the destruction of Teslas as domestic terrorism on Tuesday, and had said that several people were facing charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences. Bondi told Fox News on Wednesday that more charges are coming.

Musk called the protesters deranged in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday. Trump also condemned the violence, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying Trump will enforce law and order in an interview with Fox News on Thursday.

He will ensure that the harshest penalties are pursued for those who are engaging in this vicious violence, Leavitt said.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the district judge who ordered the Trump administration to return deportation flights over the weekend has no right to be asking questions about the specifics.

Our lawyers are working on this, we will answer appropriately, Bondi said Wednesday on Fox Newss The Will Cain Show.

But what I will tell you is, this judge has no right to ask those questions, she added.

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District Judge James Boasberg originally gave the Trump administration a Tuesday deadline to reply to questions about the flights carrying members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). He extended the deadline a day, giving the administration until Thursday to provide the requested information.

President Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 over the weekend. Boasberg expanded a temporary block on the deportations of five migrants and verbally ordered the plane carrying nearly 300 alleged TdA members not to leave the U.S. or to turn around if it had already taken off.

In a fiery Monday hearing, Boasberg pressed the administration on the timing of the flights and called for answers about the timeline, or justification for refusing to do so.

Trump, his administration and GOP allies have all sharply criticized Boasberg for the order and subsequent hearing, calling for him to be impeached and stirring up questions about executive versus judicial power.

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On Wednesday, with the deadline nearing, Bondi said Boasberg had no business, no power to order the administration to return the flights. She argued that it has been a pattern from liberal judges to order things they have no jurisdiction to do.

Theyre meddling in foreign affairs. Theyre meddling in our government, she said. And the question should be, why is a judge trying to protect terrorists who have invaded our country over American citizens?

Bondi repeated similar claims to other Trump administration officials, calling TdA a terrorist organization.

The Biden administration officially recognized the gang as a transnational criminal organization last year. The group later became a flashpoint of Trumps campaign.

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We are going to deport them, and were going to continue to deport them. We will honor what the court says, but we will appeal, and we will continue to fight terrorists within our country, Bondi concluded.

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Trump administration border czar Tom Homan signaled Wednesday that deportations of migrants under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act will continue, but he clarified he will obey a judges orders and let the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the courts fight this out,

Ill wait until the DOJ and the courts fight this out as far as the Alien Enemies Act [and] how far we will go, he told NewsNations Chris Cuomo. But my comment was, Youre not going to stop deportation flights, youre not going to stop the arrest of gang members and youre not going to stop the arrest of TDAs [Tren de Aragua members].

We can hold TDAs up to six months before we remove them, so my comment there is we are going to keep doing what we are doing, he added.

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U.S. District Judge James Boasberg issued an order over the weekend that three flights, carrying hundreds of Venezuelan migrants the Trump administration alleges are members of criminal gangs, including Tren de Aragua, needed to be turned around.

Boasbergs directive drew backlash from the president and his allies as he blocked the administration from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to quickly deport the migrants. The judge, an appointee of former President Obama, is seeking more information about the flights that took off from the U.S. and if they were in violation of his previous directive.

The DOJ has argued that the administration was in compliance because the planes had already departed the U.S. airways when the order was issued.

Trump, in response to Boasbergs pressure, called for the federal judge to be impeached. The move drew a rare rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

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During an interview earlier this week on Fox & Friends, Homan suggested he did not care about the judges order and vowed the deportations, part of Trumps sweeping immigration agenda, will proceed.

Im proud to be a part of this administration. Were not stopping, he said on Monday. I dont care what the judges think, I dont care what the left thinks, were coming.

Homan reiterated to NewsNation Wednesday that he would let the DOJ and the courts fight this out and well see where we go from there.

Were not going to stop what we are doing. We are gonna keep targeting the worst of the worst, the border czar added.

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He also claimed that the flights were full of U.S.-designated terrorists and MS-13 gang members.

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(NewsNation)  Border czar Tom Homan on Wednesday clarified comments he made earlier this week that some interpreted as a signal he may not obey a court order barring the government from deporting migrants under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

Homan earlier this week responded to U.S. District Judge James Boasbergs directive that temporarily blocks authorities from summarily deporting accused members of Tren de Aragua and MS-13 under the centuries-old law.

Theyre not gonna stop us. We made a promise to the American people, President Trump has made a promise to the American people, he told Fox & Friends. I dont care what the judges think, I dont care what the left thinks, were coming.

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Accused Tren de Aragua, MS-13 gang members get harsh welcome in El Salvador

Appearing on CUOMO on Wednesday, Homan said agents under his direction will indeed continue deportation flights and making arrests. But he said theyll do it under other means, such as Title 8 under immigration law or another way, as parties fight in court over the appropriateness of using the Alien Enemies Act.

Well let DOJ and the courts fight this out, and well see where we go from there, Homan said, referring to the Department of Justice. Were going to keep targeting the worst of the worst.

Host Chris Cuomo asked, What Im saying is this: Tom Homan respects the law and respects judges. True or false?

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Of course, absolutely, Homan replied. Ive been in law enforcement since 1983, for Gods sakes. Yes.

The Trump administration over the weekend deported more than 250 alleged gang members and sent them to El Salvador, which agreed to house them in a high-security prison for $6 million for at least a year. Boasberg has asked the Justice Department to explain how that occurred in contradiction of his order. The White House has said the planes carrying the migrants were over international waters at the time.

Family members of some of the Venezuelan deportees say their relatives were not members of Tren de Aragua, or TdA. The Trump administration has not identified the passengers.

On my way to the White House this morning, I made a phone call to people that are over this operation, Homan told Cuomo. I asked them a simple question: Were mistakes made or not? Are we sure that every Venezuelan on that flight was a member of TdA?

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I was told, without any doubt, every one has been verified as a member of TdA.

Trump sought to use the Alien Enemies Act, designed to be used in the event of war or an invasion of the U.S., against Tren de Aragua, which has been deemed a terrorist organization by the State Department.

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From left to right: New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Border Czar Tom Homan, and Chad Wolf, former acting secretary of Homeland Security. The roundtable on immigration and national security took place at the New College Sarasota campus on March 20, 2025. (Screenshot from X livestream)

Border czar Tom Homan and Gov. Ron DeSantis scolded the Republican-controlled Congress during a roundtable discussion Thursday, accusing lawmakers of failing to solidify President Donald Trumps sweeping executive orders on immigration.

Following the start of Trumps second term, the governor has repeatedly bashed Congress. During the hour-long discussion at the New College of Florida in Sarasota, Homan, DeSantis, and Chad Wolf, former acting secretary of Homeland Security, spent several minutes criticizing the legislative branch, which Republicans control by a narrow majority.

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Lets not forget, under Trump One, Trump 45, you had the House and the Senate. They didnt help him, Homan said. Im not just talking about Democrats.  Bottom line is, now we have both again and, as Gov. DeSantis said, were not getting what we need. So, they didnt learn a lesson from the first administration. I was hoping and praying they learned a lesson. Lets hope they come through.

The roundtable, which drew protests outside the campus Sainer Pavilion, was part of the colleges Socratic Stage Dialogue Series meant to provide a wide range of viewpoints, according to its website. Richard Corcoran, a former state House speaker hired by the DeSantis-appointed board of trustees as New Colleges president, moderated the discussion.

DeSantis expressed skepticism that the U.S. Supreme Court would rule in favor of the Trump administrations attempt to get rid of birthright citizenship.

The governor said some of the courts conservative justices are not reliable, calling out Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett. Roberts issued a public statement Wednesday stating that impeaching judges was not an appropriate response to legal disagreements after Trump called for the impeachment of U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who attempted to block the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants.

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I think the Supreme Court will tackle it. Look, I dont know that I would be heavily optimistic that theyll rule the right way, DeSantis said. I think its possible, but I think its very much a jump ball.

Homan said he had the same fear as DeSantis regarding the courts decision. The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to limit the scope of the orders from federal judges in three states blocking the executive order ending birthright citizenship for people whose parents were not citizens or legal permanent residents.

At the end of the discussion, DeSantis said he was working on a proposal to increase the immigration enforcement collaboration with the federal government. Florida state and local law enforcement have hundreds of agreements with U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement to deputize officers to question and detain people based on their immigration status. DeSantis has referred to those agreements as the maximum level of cooperation.

I think theyre this close to approving and letting us go out and do even more than weve already done over the first two months of the Trump administration, DeSantis said. So were looking forward to that love to be able to announce something soon.

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(NewsNation)  Although illegal border crossings have plummeted, Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks is still sounding the alarm on threats imposed by drug cartels.

In recent weeks, for instance, there has been a trend of cartels planting improvised explosive devices near the border. Last month, authorities said a 74-year-old Texas rancher and one other man were killed because of one of these IEDs near Brownsville, Texas. Another woman was injured.

Banks, who was named Border Patrol chief in January, told NewsNation that taking on cartels is a top priority and that officials are not going to hold back if they come face-to-face with members.

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What happens if the Department of Education is abolished?

In an interview, Banks said the threat of violence spilling over into the United States from cartels along the southern border is very real. Memos have been sent out to border agents warning them of possible attacks. There have been two shootouts at the border since President Donald Trump took office in January.

There have also been drone incursions from the south side of the border by groups that have now been designated as terrorist organizations.

However, Banks says they have the technology available to counter these drones and are currently deploying more of it.

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Migrants arent seeing doctors; heres why thats a public health crisis

We have seen cartel-on-cartel violence that involves drones. We prepare and train to be ready to fight the enemy on any ground, Banks said. Were impacting the cartels ability to make billions of dollars.

Banks said the Border Patrol is not going to surrender.

We will get operational control of the United States border, absolutely, he said.

Right now, across the southern border, agents are averaging 250 encounters each day. Encounters have gone down more than 95% under the Trump administration.

Still, Banks says they want to end those encounters that are still happening as well as border crossings.

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LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Military chiefs from some 30 countries gathered in Britain on Thursday to discuss how the so-called "coalition of the willing" might function in practice to defend Ukraine in the future.

"Everybody wants a peaceful outcome, a lasting peace, not least the Ukrainians. But that will only be lasting...if there is security arrangements in place to ensure that if there is a deal, it is a defended deal," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the close-door meeting at the Northwood military base outside London.

Britain has taken a leading role in organizing Western support for Ukraine alongside France after U.S. President Donald Trump surprised Europe by initiating talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Starmer noted that previous meetings involving international political leaders had established a consensus that "we need to work together to ensure that any deal that is put in place is defended."

"What's happening here is turning that political intention into reality. The concept into the plans, whether that's in relation what might happen on the sea, air or on the ground," Starmer said.

Starmer's comments reflected the shift toward an operational phase, The Guardian reported, citing a Downing Street source.

"The purpose of these security arrangements is to make it clear to Russia that any breach of an agreement will carry severe consequences," Starmer told reporters after the meeting. "That is why U.S. involvement will be necessary," he added.

Countries represented at the meeting included France, Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, Canada, Australia, and the United States, according to The Guardian. However, the United States has so far declined to commit to supporting any Western military presence in Ukraine.

In response, the Kremlin on Thursday accused European countries of seeking "militarization" rather than peace.

"Europe has embarked on a militarization of itself and has turned into somewhat of a war party," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Meanwhile, the next round of Russia-U.S. talks on Ukraine is scheduled to take place on Monday next week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Trump and Putin held a phone conversation, agreeing on an initial step toward peace in Ukraine. However, Kiev has reiterated its demand for direct involvement in peace talks, with major European countries reaffirming their support for Ukraine's stance. 
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Boys and Girls Club of Kern County made their rounds across town Wednesday morning donating supplies to students and their families in need.

School supplies and household supplies such as diapers, paper towels, detergent, and more were donated. All supplies were provided by Dollar General.

To this, Boys and Girls Clubs of Kern County member Natalie Martinez says, Community is huge for us. Especially here at the Boys and Girls Club. All of our students are from this community, and why not make it a better community and instill this in these children?

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SAO PAULO (AP)  Brazils federal police on Thursday raided the homes of suspected smugglers who brought in 2,000 assault rifles from Miami to supply a criminal organization in Rio de Janeiro, authorities said.

Police said they carried out 14 search and seizure warrants in Rio de Janeiro but did not specify how many individuals were targeted. One man was arrested after shooting at an officer when police attempted to enter his home for the search, they said.

Courts also froze 50 million Brazilian reais ($8.8 million) in assets belonging to the group under investigation.

Thursdays operation stemmed from the 2017 seizure of 60 pieces of firearms at Rio de Janeiros international airport. Police said the investigation identified the groups leader. Suspects could face charges such as international gun trafficking, belonging to a criminal organization, money laundering, currency evasion and corruption.
On Thursday afternoon, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing recently sworn-in Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education , marking the most aggressive move yet in his administrations assault on public schools.

McMahon, who was in attendance at the event in the East Room of the White House, is a former professional wrestling executive with no background in education policy. She was confirmed by the Senate two weeks ago. In an email to staff shortly after being sworn in, she described eliminating the department as a momentous final mission, echoing Trumps long-standing pledge to shift education policy entirely to state and local governments.

The signing during one of Trumps made-for-TV press occasions fulfills a key goal of Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint created by the Heritage Foundation. While Trump and his allies distanced themselves from Project 2025 during the 2024 presidential campaign, the executive order aligns with its recommendation to dissolve the Education Department.

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A group of Republican governors attended the event in support of the move, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Trump claimed that states like Florida and Texas will achieve educational standards comparable to those of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. But the reality is that these Nordic nations have built their success on precisely the kind of public investment and government oversight that Trump is working to dismantle. Their education systems are fully publicly funded, tuition-free, and designed to ensure equity and access for all students, with a strong emphasis on personalized learning and teacher support. According to the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment, these countries consistently outperform the U.S.Finland ranked 20th, Sweden 22nd, Norway 32nd, while the U.S. trailed behind at 34th.

Defunding public schools to push privatization

Trumps administration has already begun staff layoffs and halted civil rights enforcement programs, including those protecting LGBTQ + students and students of color. His broader plan will shift taxpayer dollars away from public schools and toward private institutions through voucher programs.

"She's been a hard worker," Trump said about the founder of the anti-government extremist group Moms for Liberty Tiffany Justice, whom he welcomed to the event. The Southern Poverty Law Center has listed Moms for Liberty as an anti-government extremist group that stemmed from conservative outrage over mask mandates and COVID-19 precautions during the early days of the pandemic. Moms for Liberty has advocated for the removal of books written about or by LGBTQ+ people by taking over school boards. In 2023, the group resoundingly lost elections in which its candidates ran.

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Until the end of the Biden administration, the U.S. Department of Education played a key role in protecting LGBTQ+ students by enforcing anti-discrimination policies under Title IX and investigating complaints of harassment or exclusion. The department also promoted inclusive policies in schools, ensuring that LGBTQ+ students had access to safe learning environments, protections against bullying, and equal opportunities in education.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, condemned the move, warning that eliminating the department affects the most vulnerable students.

The Department of Education, and the laws it is supposed to execute, has one major purpose: to level the playing field and fill opportunity gaps to help every child in America succeed, Weingarten told The Advocate. Trying to abolish it  which, by the way, only Congress can do  sends a message that the president doesnt care about opportunity for all kids. Maybe he cares about it for his own kids or his friends kids or his donors kidsbut not all kids.

She stressed that the department provides crucial funding to students who rely on it.

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The department is legally required to distribute funds that help 26 million kids living in poverty (Title I), 7.5 million students with disabilities (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), 10 million students who need financial aid to attend college or pursue a trade (Pell grants) and 12 million students who benefit from career and technical education (Perkins grants), she said. Any attempt by the Trump administration or Congress to gut these programs would be a grave mistake, and we will fight them tooth and nail.

Weingarten dismissed Trumps justification that eliminating the department would return power to the states, calling it a misleading excuse to strip students of protections and resources.

The directive to return decision-making to the states fails the smell test, she said. States and districts already govern schools through locally elected school boards, as they should. They put up most of the money and control most of the decisionsfrom approving curriculum to deciding who graduates.

Despite Trumps rhetoric about eliminating federal control over education, the Department of Education does not set curriculum or school policies, which are determined by state and local governments. Instead, the department oversees federal funding for low-income students through Title I, provides support for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, enforces civil rights protections for marginalized students, including LGBTQ+ youth and students of color, and administers federal student loan programs, including Pell Grants and loan forgiveness initiatives.

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Any critical function such as that will remain, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on the White House driveway ahead of the event, according to a pool report.

Queer rights advocates condemn move

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups also denounced Trumps order, warning that it will disproportionately harm marginalized students.

Trumps latest effort to circumvent Congress will have devastating consequences for children and communities, GLSEN executive director Melanie Willingham-Jaggers told The Advocate in a statement. The U.S. Department of Education conducts essential business that sets our nation up for success by ensuring that federal civil rights laws are enforced and that schools are adequately funded to provide opportunity for every student. In just a few days on the job, Secretary Linda McMahon has shown that she lacks the courage to fight for students and schools. Donald Trumps selfish campaign to rob children of their future to pay for tax cuts for billionaires is cowardly.

Willingham-Jaggers accused Trump of using LGBTQ+ youth as scapegoats in his broader campaign to dismantle public education.

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Hes tried to scapegoat LGBTQ+ youth and the growing diversity of the next generation to enact a radical agenda that only benefits the few at the top, they said. We stand united with students, educators, parents, and communities in opposing this short-sighted effort to dismantle public schools and leave an entire generation of Americans without the resources and education they need to succeed.

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson highlighted the history of freedom that education has brought with it. All of us invest in education, to ensure that educators are compensated for their work and that students have access to the technology and resources they need  no matter their zip code or major. But this administration doesnt care about supporting our students," she said in a statement. "Their claims of returning control to the states are a brazen lie. From their pause on federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania over a transgender student who has since graduated, to politically-motivated investigations like those into the Maine Department of Education and school districts across the country, this administration has made clear that they only care about enacting their Project 2025 agenda to dismantle our public schools and demolish the nations public education system."

While Trumps executive order sets the process in motion, fully dismantling the department requires congressional approval. Senate Democrats are expected to block any attempt to formally dissolve the agency.

Should we do more to improve our public schools by, for example, expanding CTE and aligning curriculum with apprenticeships and pathways so students can access middle-class jobs straight out of high school? Absolutely, Weingarten said. Thats why educators, students, and parents rallied at more than 2,000 Protect Our Kids events across the country on Tuesday.

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We implore Congress to make clear to the president that the federal government will not, in the face of this order, abdicate its responsibility to all children, students, and working families, who deserve a future full of promise and possibility, not diminished dreams, Weingarten added.

David Johns, executive director and CEO of the National Black Justice Collective, issued this statement:This executive order to dismantle the Department of Education is a direct attack on public education, democracy, and the civil rights of all students. It is a calculated step in the agenda to dismantle public education, funnel taxpayer dollars into private school vouchers, and eliminate protections for Black students, LGBTQ+ students, students from low-income backgrounds, students in rural communities, and students with disabilities, leaving young people without the support needed to succeed. To be clear, the goal remains changing the rules of the game via policy and subsequent practice to further enrich a small group of extremely wealthy, mostly white men, at the expense of everyone else."

We expect legal challenges to follow, and we urge Congress, state leaders, and education advocates to take immediate action to block this unconstitutional power grab," Johns added. "We call on parents, students, families, and concerned citizens to contact their elected leaders in both caucuses and at every level of government to demand the protection of crucial and earned civil rights and voice their opposition to dismantling the Department of Education. The future of public educationand the future of our childrenis on the line.

Chasten Buttigieg: "This is what you do if you dont care"

Chasten Buttigieg, a former teacher, author, and husband of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, criticized the move during an appearance on MSNBC with Alicia Menendez, arguing that Trumps administration is not working to improve education but rather to destroy it.

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The first thing you do isnt break the Department of Education, Buttigieg said. He said that teachers would welcome investments in education from a president who cared. "But as we've seen with the gutting of civil rights offices, laying off half of the workforce  that is not a president who's investing in education. That is a president who's hell-bent on breaking it.

Democracy Forward: We'll see you in court

Across America, in red and blue states, children rely on the Department of Education for critical support and for an opportunity for a fair chance to grow and thrive. President Trump is again prioritizing callous ideological actions over the needs of people in seeking to dismantle the Department of Education, said a statement from Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward. As we have made clear from the start of this administration, attempts to accelerate dangerous and harmful policies from the Project 2025 playbook will be swiftly challenged in court. That goes for this attempt to undermine educational resources for all. We will be filing litigation against this action and will use every legal tool to ensure that the rights of students, teachers, and families are fully protected. Since Inauguration Day, the Trump-Vance administration has been taken to court more than 100 times, and we will do it again this time.
By Francesco Guarascio

HANOI (Reuters) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will visit Vietnam next week, bringing with him a business delegation including executives from planemaker Embraer and food giant JBS that are both in talks for possible deals in the Southeast Asian country, sources said.

Lula's second visit to Vietnam as president will take place as Vietnam, under pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its large trade surplus, is pledging to boost imports from the United States, including of farm products such as soybeans of which Brazil is a top exporter to the country.

Lula will travel to Vietnam on March 27-29 after visiting Japan, according to the Brazilian government.

Lula is expected to invite Vietnam to attend a BRICS summit in Brazil in July, a Brazilian official said, noting Vietnam was invited last year to become a BRICS partner but has so far not taken an official position on the matter.

Vietnam's foreign ministry did not reply to a request for comment. Brazil's embassy to Vietnam declined to comment.

The two countries are expected to agree on an action plan on defence, agriculture and energy, which could boost cooperation on ethanol, a fuel of which Brazil is a major global producer, the Brazilian official said.

Brazil wants also to increase exports to Vietnam and is asking Hanoi to authorise imports of its beef, the official said confirming earlier reports on Vietnamese state media.

BUSINESS TALKS

The opening of the Vietnamese market for Brazilian beef is a precondition for an investment that Brazil's food giant JBS is considering in Vietnam, three people briefed about the talks, including the Brazilian official, told Reuters.

The company is studying building a meat-processing hub in northern Vietnam, its first plant in Asia, with a possible investment of tens of millions of dollars, the three people said, declining to be named because the information was not public.

JBS declined to comment.

Separately, Embraer is also in talks for the possible sale of ten E190 narrow-body jets to flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, the Brazilian official said.

It is also trying to sell C-390 military transport planes, with a possible showcase flight in Vietnam in May, the official and an industry source said.

Embraer declined to comment. Vietnam Airlines did not reply to a request for comment.

Hanoi is in talks with the U.S. to buy C-130 military transport planes produced by Lockheed Martin.

Vietnam is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets and local carriers have long been seeking to expand their fleets.
Soldiers from the Skifs (Scythians) Brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard have defeated Russian assault groups that were trying to gain a foothold on the Kupiansk front.

Source: press service of the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group; National Guard video

Details: National Guard fighters of the Skif Brigade repelled Russian assault groups attempting to establish positions on the Kupiansk front. The Russians, consisting of two four-man assault teams, tried to secure a foothold near a settlement to launch further attacks.

The guardsmen engaged Russian troops with mortar and artillery fire. As a result, five Russian soldiers were wounded, and one was killed. After forcing the Russians to retreat, the National Guard continued to target and eliminate the remaining assault troops.

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Fox News political commentator Brit Hume came to the defense of one of the networks leading White House correspondents after she was attacked by President Trump this week over her reporting.

I watched Jacqui Heinrich from Fox over the weekend and I thought she was absolutely terrible, Trump wrote Wednesday in a post on Truth Social. She should be working for CNN, not Fox. Not surprisingly, I later found out that shes a fan of the White House Correspondents Association!

Heinrich is a leading correspondent in Washington, D.C., for Fox and sits on the board of the White House Correspondents Association.

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Hume, who has been with the network for decades, defended Heinrichs work and pushed back on the presidents complaint.

I watched her too. She plays it straight, covering both sides of a story and has certainly played fair with you, Hume wrote in a post on the social platform X, directed at Trump. You may have a case against some White House reporters, but not [Heinrich.

Trump has intensified his attacks on mainstream media outlets during his first two months back in office, often asking which outlet a reporter is with during pool sprays with gathered media and dismissing questions asked by reporters at organizations he says are unfair to him.

The White House also remains in a legal fight with The Associated Press over access to key West Wing spaces after the news wire refused to change its style on the Gulf of Mexico. The Trump administration has since renamed the body of water to the Gulf of America.

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The president made semiregular barbs toward Fox News while on the campaign trail, but has scaled back his criticism of the cable network in recent months.

He and other top administration officials have granted extensive one-on-one interviews with journalists from the networks news division and top prime time opinion hosts.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has in recent weeks revised its advice for citizens travelling to the United States to include a warning that anyone found breaking its entry rules could face arrest or detention.

Since taking office on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a number of immigration-related executive orders that focus on stricter border policy, tighter visa vetting procedures and a crackdown on undocumented migrants in the United States.

On Wednesday, Germany updated its U.S. travel advisory to emphasise that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee entry after several Germans were detained at the border recently.

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Current British travel advice for the United States published online by Britain's foreign office stated:

"You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry. The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules."

Archived versions of the same website showed that at the beginning of February, the guidance had only stated: "The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules."

The foreign office declined to comment on the reason for the revision or confirm when exactly it took place. It said its travel advice was designed to help people make decisions and the advice was constantly kept under review.

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Earlier this month, in response to media reports that a woman had been detained for more than 10 days at the border over a possible breach of her visa conditions, the Foreign Office confirmed it was providing support to a British national detained in the United States.

The woman has since returned to Britain, local media reported.

(Reporting by William James, Editing by William Maclean)
Britain is spending nearly twice as much on debt interest as defence, figures show, as the OECD warns that high borrowing costs are hampering Europes rearmament.

The cost of servicing the UKs vast 2.8 trillion debt pile has now risen to 104.9bn, almost double the 56.9bn committed to defence.

This reflects a broader trend across the West, as the OECD found that the worlds wealthiest countries spent $2.1 trillion (1.6 trillion) on debt interest payments last year, dwarfing the $1.2 trillion they spent on military equipment.

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Governments spending on debt also vastly exceeds investment in other key government areas like housing, the body warned.

It comes as Europe is under increasing pressure to rearm, with governments scrambling to raise cash to cope with Russian aggression and Donald Trumps efforts to reduce American expenditure on European defence.

Sir Keir Starmer has already vowed to raise defence spending to 2.5pc of GDP from April 2027, up from 2.3pc currently.

However, many experts believe that Britain will need to go further in the coming years, requiring the Government to find tens of billions of pounds more.

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The OECD noted in a new report that sluggish growth and cost pressures from increased military spending were intensifying the fiscal challenges faced by debt-laden countries.

The 38-strong group of OECD countries, which includes Britain, France and the US, last year owed $55 trillion, equivalent to 84pc of the value of their economies.

The figure is poised to climb further to 85pc this year, up more than 10 percentage points from 2019 and nearly double what it was in 2007.

Many countries like Britain are struggling with stubbornly high debt levels after the pandemic and the energy crisis.

This has made it all the more challenging to raise defence spending after decades of prioritising investment in health and welfare.

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The OECD warned that the UK is one of four countries particularly vulnerable to high borrowing costs in the next few years.

This is because more than 15pc of the national debt needs to be refinanced by 2027, tightening the squeeze on Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor.

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OSLO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday reaffirmed Ukraine's commitment to diplomatic talks with the United States while expressing skepticism about Russia's willingness to agree to a ceasefire.

During his visit to Oslo, Zelensky confirmed that Ukrainian and Russian representatives will meet their American counterparts respectively in Saudi Arabia on Monday for discussions on Ukraine's future.

However, he stated that Ukraine does not believe Russia will agree to a ceasefire. "We are trying to take steps in the right direction," Zelensky said at a press conference in Oslo alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

Zelensky's visit to Norway, his second official trip to the country, included meetings with Norway's Finance Minister and former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Defense Minister Tore Sandvik.

During the press conference, Store emphasized that Ukraine must have a place at the negotiating table in ceasefire discussions. "A strong European voice is important when discussing Ukraine's future," he said.

In early March, the Norwegian parliament approved an increase in aid to Ukraine by 50 billion Norwegian kroner (47.2 billion U.S. dollars), bringing the total to 85 billion Norwegian kroner by 2025. According to Store, this additional support will be allocated to artillery ammunition, drones, and investments in Ukraine's domestic defense industry. 
A Golden toilet thief and his associates forgot to plan for the part where they get away with the crime!

The thief and his accomplice reportedly did a tardy job when they raided an English palace to cart away an 18-carat gem in 2019.

Identified as Michael Jones, the burglar reportedly came to test run the unique bathroom accessory before carrying out the raid the next day.

Golden Toilet Thief Left Behind Incriminating Evidence After The Operation

Breaking: Hapless burglar Michael Jones has been convicted over the theft of a 4.8m golden toilet, snatched in a dramatic 5-minute raid at Blenheim Palace.

Jurors still considering verdicts for other defendants, Fred Doe and Bora Guccuk. @thetrialpod https://t.co/JLeOwoBWy3  Jack Hardy (@JackHardy9) March 18, 2025

Jones was convicted, along with an accomplice, for the audacious theft of a golden toilet from Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill.

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The 18-carat sculpture, entitled "America" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was valued at nearly 5 million pounds (over $6 million). Jones had even used the toilet for reconnaissance the day before the heist, describing the experience as "splendid."

On September 14, 2019, he returned before dawn with at least two accomplices armed with sledgehammers and crowbars. They smashed a window and removed the toilet from its plumbing in just five minutes, causing significant flooding as they fled in stolen vehicles.

Prosecutor Shan Saunders addressed the careful planning of the theft but noted the culprits left a trail of forensic evidence, CCTV footage, and phone records that ultimately led to their convictions.

Per AP News, Although the stolen toilet has never been recovered, it is believed to have been dismantled and sold.

How The Robbery Team Carried Out The Entire Theft Process

Jury convicts thief who stole golden toilet from English palace https://t.co/6mJXpAsqSX  The Associated Press (@AP) March 18, 2025

The artwork, which had previously been displayed at The Guggenheim Museum in New York, caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed interest in borrowing a Van Gogh painting during his first term.

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Jones, 39, was convicted of burglary at the Oxford Crown Court, a crime orchestrated by 40-year-old James Sheen. Sheen had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property.

He engaged in discussions with Fred Doe about selling the stolen items, referring to the gold as a "car" in a series of text messages. Sheen expressed that he had a lucrative opportunity, telling Doe, "I can sell that car for you in two seconds... so come and see me tomorrow."

Doe, also known as Frederick Sines, aged 36, was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property. Additionally, jurors found a fourth individual involved in the conspiracy, Bora Guccuk, 41, not guilty.

Internet Users React To News Of The Golden Toilet Thief's Sloppy Operation

Why do people need gold toilets? This toilet is made from 18-carat-gold. pic.twitter.com/ClcWBNt5ui  taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) November 21, 2019

The news has caught the attention of social media users, who gave hilarious reactions to the incident and conviction of the thieves. This user went straight for the joke and word pun writing:

"Guess they really flushed away their chance at a clean getaway!"

Another person hilariously described the incident as "A Royal Flush." One commenter heaved a sigh of relief at the thief finally suffering the consequences of his criminal action. They wrote: "They finally got his ass."

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"He caused a lot of pain and suffering for many who will only apply gold to their cheeks," this X user declared. One social media sympathizer held a different opinion:

"Hope the guy didn't get too harsh a sentence. I mean... c'mon. A golden toilet? I'd steal it just so I could throw it in the trash."

A Florida Resident Came Home To A Missing Driveway

WFTV Channel 9 | YouTube

Separated by continent but united by a similar string of bizarre loss, The Blast reported last year that a Florida woman who put her house up for sale came up to a shocking scene of a missing driveway.

Amanda Brochu reportedly put her Orlando-area home up for sale, hoping to move into a new place. However, unsolicited contractors showed up to measure her driveway while the house was listed.

Upon confronting one of them, Brochu learned that a man named Andre had hired them to estimate a driveway replacement at her address. Text messages from the contractor confirmed that Andre requested the estimate but was out of town when he was supposed to meet in person.

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Communication ceased when the contractor asked for proof of ownership, prompting Brochu to call the police. After speaking with the contractors, the police informed Brochu that Andre claimed it was simply a mix-up regarding the address and that no further action would be taken.

However, just a week later, Brochu captured footage of a bulldozer demolishing her driveway on her doorbell camera.

Amanda Bronchu Lamented The Devaluation Of Her 'Stolen' Driveway Brought To The Property

WFTV Channel 9 | YouTube

The single mother, after making several investments, including a roof replacement, admitted that she found herself unable to afford the $10,000 needed to replace her driveway. According to Bronchu, the driveway is a crucial requirement for selling the property.

Concerned that the poor condition of the driveway would deter potential buyers, she expressed her frustration about its impact on her family's plans.

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Her real estate agent, Rocki Sanchez, noted that she had never encountered a situation like this in her career. Sharing her experience in a Facebook group for realtors, Sanchez revealed that other agents had reported similar issues involving driveways and other home repairs, suggesting a troubling pattern.

The mother launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the driveway expenses, which quickly gained traction, raising over $13,000 within just six days. However, the fundraiser was eventually disabled.

What do you think about the punishment for the Golden toilet thief?
A tourist from the United Kingdom who was detained at Tacomas immigration detention center after being denied entry into Canada has returned home to her family.

Becky Burke, 28, of Wales was held in the detention center for 19 days after being detained during a months-long trip that began Jan. 7. She traveled from New York to Portland to Seattle, according to the BBC, which spoke to her father, Paul Burke.

During her stay in Portland, Becky Burke, an artist, stayed with a number of families and helped with household chores in return for housing, the BBC reported. Becky Burke was planning to stay with a host family in Vancouver, B.C., before she was detained at the northern border.

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Paul Burke told the BBC that Canadian officials denied his daughter entry because they were concerned she would try to work illegally. Becky Burke was then questioned by American officials, and she was told that she violated her travel visa, the BBC report said.

A spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed on March 11 that a citizen of the United Kingdom, Rebecca Burke, 28, was detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma related to the violation of the terms and conditions of her admission, according to a News Tribune report.

During an emotional reunion at Heathrow Airport with family and friends, Paul Burke told BBC Wales the nightmare is over. He also said it would take some time for his daughter to recover from the traumatic experience.
The maker of Shreddies is preparing to axe 300 jobs as Britons ditch cereal in favour of protein-heavy breakfasts.

Cereal Partners UK & Ireland, which also makes Cookie Crisp and Nesquik, has put forward proposals to shut a major factory in Merseyside, moving production of breakfast brands to a different factory in Staverton, Wiltshire.

It also said it will stop producing own-label cereals for supermarkets.

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A spokesman for the company blamed the decision on a significant decline owing to the changing habits of UK and Irish consumers and greater competition from alternative breakfast options.

It comes after volume sales of Shreddies in UK supermarkets fell by 15.8pc last year, while those of Cheerios suffered a 4.1pc drop, according to data firm NIQ published in The Grocer magazine.

Combined, the UKs top 10 cereal brands sold 10.1m kg less over the year to Sept 7.

Though ready-to-eat breakfast cereal is still a 1.2bn market, according to Kantar, demand for traditional breakfast cereals has been dented by negative perceptions around health and the rising popularity of more protein-heavy breakfast options.

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Jonny Bingham, co-founder of food development company Bingham & Jones, said: Its perceived as not being healthy and not terribly filling. Theres been a lot of press over the last ten years about breakfast cereal and how much sugar is in them.

It almost feels like parents have a guilt complex when it comes to getting cereal and sticking it in the cupboard.

He said this was despite widespread industry efforts to reduce salt and sugar in products over recent years. Theres no doubt whatsoever that most of those cereals have moved heaven and hell just to try and make it as healthy as they possibly can.

He added that more people were skipping breakfast altogether as a method of controlling their weight with so-called intermittent fasting, while others were gravitating towards more protein-heavy breakfast options.

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More and more stuff that we are developing for [customers] for early morning is all about being protein-rich or protein-heavy.

While the closure of Cereal Partners Merseyside factory could see up to 314 jobs cut, the company said it planned to spend 74m on expanding the Wiltshire factory and 60 new jobs.

The spokesman added: CPUK&I regrets the potential impact on employees and the immediate priority is to work together to review the proposals while supporting people through this process with care and sensitivity.

They said the company was open to alternative solutions such as a sale of the facility or a spin-off of its supermarket own-label business if a buyer could be found for it.

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News of the proposed closure was met with outrage from unions representing the factorys staff.

Matt Denton, the regional organiser for trade union GMB, said: For three decades, CPUK has been at the heart of this community, providing good jobs and supporting countless businesses. Three hundred skilled workers facing an uncertain future is simply unacceptable.

We demand urgent talks with management and call on the company to engage with us to make sure workers voices are heard, and livelihoods are prioritised.

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The Scoop

Republicans are still in search of ways to add tangible benefits for President Donald Trumps working-class supporters to their tax plan.

Katie Britt is offering a solution.

The Alabama Republican is pushing to include significant new child care benefits in the Republican tax cut legislation thats due later this year. Britts pitch stems from a bipartisan bill shes offered with Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would boost child and dependent care.

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She hopes her party will add her legislation to its party-line tax and border measure later this year, a bill that Republicans will have to design to follow strict rules in order to evade a Democratic filibuster. Britt told Semafor that if the Republican Party wants to make good on being the party of families and being the party of workers, I could think of no better way than helping drive down the cost of child care.

In contrast to more sweeping child care proposals from Democrats, Britt added, hers is a very targeted approach. We lose, as an economy, $122 billion a year due to child care issues. If you look at the cost of this over 10 years  the cost-benefit analysis of this just makes sense.

Her legislation is estimated to cost about $4 billion a year to implement.

Know More

Republicans are starting to hash out the scope of their tax package, despite ongoing uncertainty as to how soon theyll be able to pack all their priorities into a single bill. As they do that, plenty of them are recognizing the value in adding provisions for working families, as Democrats attack them for extending tax cuts that benefit the wealthy.

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Some Republicans are pushing to greatly expand the child tax credit to help respond to the high cost of raising families; there may be too few resources to both boost that credit and add Britts new child care benefits, given the large number of competing tax proposals on the table, according to a person familiar with the talks.

Britts proposal would expand the child and dependent care tax credit and make it partially refundable, while increasing the size of the dependent care assistance program and making it easier for businesses to provide child care to their employees.

It has support from Republican Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Susan Collins of Maine, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and John Curtis of Utah. Both Collins and Ernst are up for reelection in battleground states, and child care affordability could prove a politically potent plank of the GOPs tax package.

Britt has also talked to Senate Finance Chair Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, about her legislation, though he will also have to balance the needs of committee members against the priorities of the rest of the conference.

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But for Britt, one of the youngest senators and a mother of two, its a no-brainer for her party to make a move now.

As Republicans, we ran and won as the party of parents, the party of families, and the party of hard-working Americans, Britt said. And if you look at this big-tent coalition that we have built now, its time for us to make good on that.

Notable
The April election in Wisconsin includes a race for state school superintendent, who advocates for K-12 education as the leader of the Department of Public Instruction.

Like the state Supreme Court race also on the April 1 ballot, the superintendent election is nonpartisan in name only. The state Democratic and Republican parties have lined up behind their preferred candidates and pumped donations into their campaigns.

State superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser outside Brew-Jas Coffee House on South 13th Street in Milwaukee on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

Education consultant Brittany Kinser said she considers herself a moderate and is supported by Republicans. She's challenging Jill Underly, a Democrat running for her second term.

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The state superintendent will guide school districts at a critical time. Students are recovering from pandemic-associated learning loss, racial achievement gaps are among the widest in the nation and more districts are going to referendum.

But many voters know little about either candidate, according to a Marquette University Law School poll conducted in late February.

About 64% didn't have an opinion about Underly, compared to 71% for Kinser. Kinser was the least known of the four statewide candidates on the April ballot but also had the highest favorability rating.

More: She's never run for office. Can state superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser pull it off?

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Here's what to know about Kinser, including her professional experience in education, political affiliation, positions on key issues, and more. This guide may be updated as campaigns continue.

What is Brittany Kinser's professional background?

Kinser is an independent education consultant and former president of City Foward Collective, a charter- and voucher-focused Milwaukee nonprofit. She was director of Wisconsin Rocketship schools, part of a national network of public charter schools. She also taught special education in Chicago and was a public elementary school principal in Milwaukee, according to her campaign website.

State superintendent candidate Brittany Kinser inside Brew-Jas Coffee House on South 13th Street in Milwaukee on Wednesday, March 5, 2025.

More: She's running to lead Wisconsin schools. But she doesn't have a teacher's license. Does it matter?

How much money has Brittany Kinser raised?

Kinser has raised at least $325,000, surpassing Underly's fundraising. The Republican Party of Wisconsin funneled at least $200,000 into her campaign. Updated fundraising reports are due March 24.

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More: In Wisconsin school superintendent race, one candidate is far ahead in fundraising

What are Brittany Kinser's endorsements?

Kinser is endorsed by former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson, Democrats for Education Reform and Howard Fuller, a former Milwaukee Public Schools superintendent and prominent school-voucher advocate. Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming called Kinser the "common-sense candidate for state superintendent."

What is Brittany Kinser's political party?

Kinser calls herself a moderate and has donated to candidates from both parties, like Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and former Republican Sen. Dale Kooyenga. Conservative politicians, such as former Gov. Scott Walker, have announced support for her. Kinser has campaigned alongside Brad Schimel, the conservative Supreme Court candidate and former Republican attorney general.

Where does Brittany Kinser stand on vouchers, school choice?

At candidate forums, Kinser said she supports school choice. She's the former director of City Forward Collective, which advocates for and funds charter schools.

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"I believe in our traditional public schools, open enrollment, our private school voucher program, public charter schools, virtual schooling, homeschooling ... all those options for families so they can choose what's best for their child," Kinser said in a WisconsinEye interview.

More: Vouchers, teacher shortage, educator license: Takeaways from Wisconsin superintendent debate

What has Brittany Kinser said about changes to test scores?

Kinser says Underly's changes to the state's test score standards, which increased the number of students considered proficient, is what prompted her to run.

"Lowering standards to hide the grim reality that only three out of 10 students are ready for college or a career is unacceptable. Our kids deserve so much better," Kinser said previously in emailed responses to the Journal Sentinel.

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Just over half of Wisconsin grade school students met or exceeded state standards for math and English language arts last school year. That's up from the 41% or less considered proficient or above in the same subjects under the previous system in 2022-23.

More: What to know about Wisconsin's change in state test scores and the GOP push to restore previous benchmarks

How has Brittany Kinser responded to issues within Milwaukee Public Schools?

Kinser said problems with Milwaukee Public Schools' financial reporting should have been made public before voters approved a $252 million referendum.

"Restoring public trust in the states largest district is crucial, and I would have taken a more active role in ensuring compliance," Kinser said. "Transparency, accountability and predictability will be key to getting MPS back on track."

Where does Brittany Kinser stand on school funding referendums?

Kinser said Wisconsin needs to "reimagine the way that we distribute funding for our schools," shifting more of the burden to the state rather than local taxpayers.

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Kinser supports increasing the rate at which the state reimburses school districts for special education expenses, which is around a third. Gov. Tony Evers wants to boost that rate to 60%.

The reimbursement rate has remained relatively flat while special education costs have risen, and districts have to pull from their general fund. Many districts cite those costs as part of their decision to go to referendum.

How old is Brittany Kinser?

Kinser is 47.

Where is Brittany Kinser from?

Kinser grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, and now lives in Wauwatosa.

Where did Brittany Kinser go to college?

Kinser earned a bachelor's degree in special education from Eastern Illinois University and master's degrees from Columbia University Teachers College and the Illinois Institute of Technology.

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Kelly Meyerhofer of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who is Brittany Kinser? Wisconsin school superintendent candidate bio
Mar. 20UTICA  A Bronx man has pleaded guilty in federal court, to blowing through the Ogdensburg Port of Entry and leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase that ended with him driving into an Ogdensburg home on Jan. 20.

Miguel Rodriguez, 36, pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court, Utica, to the high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, according to press release from U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ogdensburg Port of Entry Director Thomas Trimboli.

According to the press release, Rodriguez admitted to driving through the U.S. Customs Port of Entry at Ogdensburg on the morning of Jan. 20 while driving a red Infiniti sedan without stopping and reporting for inspection.

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Just hours before, the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed that Rodriguez did not stop at the Lansdowne Port of Entry at approximately 8:30 a.m. The Lansdowne entry is at the very end of Interstate 81 on Wellesley Island in Ontario, Canada.

A deputy from the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office attempted to stop Rodriguez a short time later but the driver refused to stop leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase, up to 65 mph on city streets, that ended with him striking a pickup truck occupied by three people and then crashing into 115 New York Ave. No one was injured in the crash.

Court documents state that the car Rodriguez was driving was a 2021 Infiniti Q50 that had New Jersey registration. A check of the registration by the sheriff's office found that the Infiniti had been reported stolen from New York City on Nov. 21, 2024.

A search of the Infiniti revealed a 12-round handgun magazine containing four 9mm bullets. The press release stated that Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for assault.

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At the time of his arrest, Rodriguez was charged by sheriff's deputies with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree criminal mischief and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle.

Rodriguez will be sentenced on the federal charges July 17 and faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison for the ammunition possession and a maximum of five years in prison for fleeing from the Port of Entry, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case which was investigated by HSI and Customs and Border Protection.
GEORGIA (WJBF)  The brothers of Jose Ibarra, the Venezuelan man who was convicted of killing Augusta University College of Nursing student, Laken Riley, were sentenced on Wednesday and will be deported along with their former roommate.

Jose Ibarra, 27, was convicted in November of murder and other crimes in Rileys killing and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in a case that became a flashpoint over immigration.

His brother, Diego Ibarra, 29, was taken into custody after he gave a counterfeit green card to a police officer investigating the February 2024 killing, the Justice Department said. He has been sentenced to serve 48 months in prison after he admitted during the murder investigation of Riley to possessing a fraudulent Green Card.

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After he completes his sentence, he is to be transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, for deportation, the Justice Department said.

Another brother, Argenis Ibarra, 25, and their former roommate, Rosbeli Flores-Bello, 29, were sentenced to time served after pleading guilty to one count of possession of a fraudulent document in December.

Argenis and Flores-Bello were to be immediately turned over to ICE for deportation, according to a news release. The statement did not elaborate on those deportation plans.

According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Homeland Security became aware of Diego Ibarras undocumented presence in the U.S. in February, 2024 while investigating Rileys death. At the time, an Athens-Clarke County Police Department officer approached Diego Ibarra because he matched the description of the primary suspect in the murder investigation, his brother, Jose Antonio Ibarra.

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Diego Ibarra gave the officer a counterfeit Green Card, authorities said, and was taken into custody.

Federal authorities said they believe that Diego Ibarra is affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua based on his multiple tattoos and social media photos of him making signs and wearing clothes associated with the gang.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Emma Heming Willis has urged fans of her husband, Bruce Willis, to "rally" for the actor as he turns 70.

The former model made the call in an emotional post on Instagram on March 19, which marks Willis' birthday.

Just like Emma, Bruce Willis' first daughter Rumer made a similar request to fans hours before his birthday milestone and later took to social media to celebrate him.

Emma Heming Asks Fans To 'Flood' The Actor With 'All The Love'

MEGA

Taking to Instagram, Emma Heming Willis celebrated her husband's birthday with a request to his fans, asking them to "rally" for him.

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"It's Bruce's birthday, and if there's one thing I know, it's that there's no greater fan than a Bruce fan," the former model wrote on the social media platform.

Emma continued, "So flood him with all the love todayhe will feel it, I swear he will. You are one powerful bunch. I love how you rally for him, and I'm so grateful that he has you."

Alongside the post, Emma shared what appeared to be a throwback picture of her husband from a time when he had not been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

In the picture, he could be seen standing upright on a quad bike surrounded by nature while giving the thumbs-up sign to the camera.

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He also had a massive smile on his face, a sign that he was enjoying the outdoor outing.

Bruce Willis' Eldest Daughter Says Her Father Is 'Doing Great'

A day before Willis turned 70, his daughter, Rumer, whom he shares with his ex-wife, Demi Moore, made a similar request to her fans on her social media.

The fan had asked, "How's your dad doing?" during an Ask Me Anything session on her Instagram Stories, to which Rumer replied, "He's doing great; thank you for asking."

After sharing the health update, Rumer added, "It is actually his 70th birthday tomorrow, so please wish my papa a big happy birthday."

Hours later, she again took to her Instagram page to celebrate her father with a heartfelt post.

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"To the KingI love you Daddio Happy 70th Birthday papa," she wrote.

Rumer also added to the post an undated video of her mother dancing with Willis near the kitchen area of their home. In the background, someone could be heard laughing behind the camera, presumably Rumer.

Bruce Willis Was Diagnosed With Dementia In 2023

MEGA

Willis' health struggles first came to light in March 2022 when his family shared a joint statement about his condition on social media.

"To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities," they wrote in a joint statement.

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Via the post, the family also announced that Willis was "stepping away" from his career to focus on his health.

The statement further read, "This is a really challenging time for our family, and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion, and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him."

By February of 2023, the family confirmed in another post that Willis had been further diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.

The Actor Has Made Few Public Appearances Since His Dementia Diagnosis

Since the announcement, the family has consistently shared regular updates about his health through their social media platforms. Meanwhile, public sightings of Willis have become increasingly rare, and in those instances, he has never been seen alone.

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He was last seen in January 2025 being driven around Studio City while sitting in the car's passenger seat. The windows were rolled down during the ride, and the actor appeared to be looking straight ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

This sighting followed a recent public appearance where the Hollywood star was spotted speaking with an LAPD first responder and several police officers.

Footage of the outing was later posted by his wife, Emma Heming Willis, on her Instagram page.

"Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a 'thank you' for your service," Emma captioned the post. "Yesterday was no different."

Demi Moore Says Her Ex-Husband Will Always Be Family

Instagram | Demi Moore

In an interview with Variety, Moore opened up about her support for Willis as he continues his battle with frontotemporal dementia.

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"We will always be familyjust in a different form," she told the publication. "For me, there was never a question. I show up because that's what you do for the people you love."

Willis, who also has two young daughters, Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10, with his wife Emma Heming, 46, receives regular visits from Moore, as she remains a steady presence for her children and his extended family.

In her interview, Moore noted that she hopes their close-knit dynamic can serve as an example for other families.

"I hope it's encouraging for others to see that there's a different way to do things. There is life after divorce. There is a way to co-parent with love," she said.
Firefighters are battling a brush fire in New Smyrna Beach.

The fire sparked along State Road 44 between North Cucumber Lane and Samsula Thursday afternoon. It was still going hours later with heavy smoke filling the area in the evening hours.

The Volusia County Professional Firefighters Association said the fire was over 75 acres around 4 p.m. It is unclear what that number was later.

Nearby homes could be affected by the fire.

WFTV has a crew on scene gathering more information.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
OTTAWA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- The surging patriotism among Canadian shoppers fuelled by trade tensions with the United States is impacting U.S. businesses in Canada, local media reported Wednesday.

According to The Globe and Mail, U.S. tour operators are reporting booking declines of some 85 percent, and distilleries are losing major deals. Meanwhile, Canadian grocers are witnessing an increase of up to 10 percent in domestic product sales.

The exchange rate and U.S. fluctuating trade policies have had a "resounding effect" on Canadians' travel cancellations to the United States, and the rhetoric about making Canada the 51st U.S. state has been the "deciding factor" for customers in many cases, said the report.

Last month, the U.S. Travel Association issued a press release warning that new U.S. tariffs could impact travel and spending from Canada, a leading source of international visitors to the United States.

A 10 percent reduction in Canadian visitors could lead to 2 million fewer visits, 2.1 billion U.S. dollars in spending losses and a threat to 14,000 jobs, said the U.S. agency.

The Globe and Mail report said that the ongoing Buy Canadian movement also impacts retailers, with Canadian food retailers reporting a rise in the sales of Canadian products and a drop in the purchases of U.S. goods as a percentage of total sales in preceding weeks.

Canada is a critical market for U.S. spirits, wine and beer. Bartenders and retail clerks in the U.S. industry will face significant layoffs if trade tensions with Canada continue, it added.

Citing Pierre Cleroux, vice president of research and chief economist at the Business Development Bank of Canada, the report said that if every Canadian household redirected 25 Canadian dollars (17.4 dollars) a week from foreign products to Canadian ones, it would boost Canadian GDP by 0.7 percent and create 60,000 jobs. 
Attorneys for defendant Bryan Kohberger want to reserve their ability to point to other possible suspects during his forthcoming murder trial, as part of assertions that their client was elsewhere at the time of the University of Idaho student homicides.

Pushing back against prosecutors, his attorneys said in their latest court filings that they should face no restrictions on how they present the prospect of other perpetrators in his trial this summer. The prosecution has asked Ada County Judge Steven Hippler to limit such arguments to jurors and said they would do nothing more than mislead and confuse.

Mr. Kohberger has a right to present a full and complete defense for the crimes of which he is accused, Kohbergers attorneys wrote. This case is full of alternative perpetrators. The state has chosen to focus on Mr. Kohberger, at its own peril.

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At a hearing earlier this year, the defense raised questions about two sources of unknown male blood DNA found at the crime scene. Investigators did not run the samples through the FBIs national DNA database known as CODIS, because they did not meet certain criteria, Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson previously said at a hearing in August 2023.

The defense also filed a response to prosecutors attempt to force Kohberger to take the stand to testify, if he wants to offer up that he was never inside the three-story home in Moscow where the four college students were found fatally stabbed in November 2022. Prosecutors argued his alibi lacks sufficient support or any witnesses who can corroborate his whereabouts.

In prior alibi filings, Kohbergers defense said he was out driving alone in southeast Washington, about 30 miles from Moscow. Kohbergers attorneys said in the response filing released publicly Wednesday that a cellphone expert would offer partial corroboration that their client wasnt near the crime scene at the time of the homicides.

Mr. Kohberger further advised the state of his intention to cross-examine any state expert in that field, lead defense attorney Anne Taylor wrote.

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Kohberger, 30, is a former graduate student of criminal justice and criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, and prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if a jury finds him guilty.

The four victims were Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum; Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur dAlene; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls; and Ethan Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington. The three women lived in the Moscow home with two other young women who went physically unharmed; Chapin was Kernodles boyfriend and stayed over for the night.

Bryan Kohberger, accused of killing four University of Idaho students, takes a selfie at 10:31 a.m. Nov. 13, 2022, with a thumbs-up in a bathroom hours after the students were stabbed to death. The prosecution intends to admit the photograph as evidence to help corroborate one of the surviving roommates statements that the masked intruder she saw in the students home had bushy eyebrows.

Meanwhile, the prosecution pushed back against a prior defense filing asking to exclude one of the surviving roommates statements that the masked intruder she saw in their off-campus home had bushy eyebrows. The defense previously questioned her reliability in identifying the masked man and pointed to an interview she did with police days after the homicides in which she said she was really sleepy and probably very drunk that night.

The prosecution in a filing also published Wednesday argued the roommate gave consistent descriptions of the man she saw and that one of the common descriptions was the mans bushy eyebrows. They said they intend to admit a photograph of Kohberger, taken hours after the students were killed, to help corroborate the roommates statements.

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This description is clear, Latah County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Ashley Jennings wrote in the filing. It is not confusing and therefore will not confuse a jury.

The fact that this description may, or may not, implicate defendant, is not a reason to keep this fact from the jurys consideration, she added. It is not reasonable to believe the jury will convict the defendant based on the status of his kept or unkept eyebrows.

Victims deaths defined as murder, prosecutors say

The defense did not object to the court allowing the immediate family members of the victims to be present for the entirety of the trial in Boise, scheduled to start with jury selection in late July. Kohbergers attorneys sought Hipplers guidance, however, on proper decorum, including the clothing that relatives may wear, seeking to bar T-shirts with the victims pictures or messages that promote the states new firing squad execution law, which members of the Goncalves family have previously worn at hearings.

This must not be allowed in any future courtroom proceedings, the filing read. Case law from other states have noted that it would seem that the wearing of such buttons or T-shirts is not a good idea because of the possibility of prejudice which might result. 

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Kohbergers attorneys asked to ensure that his family also be permitted in the courtroom, should any of his mother, father and two sisters choose to attend, citing their clients Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial.

Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson, right, speaks with Anne Taylor during a hearing for her client Bryan Kohberger, who is charged with killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, rejected a request from the defense that they not refer to the four students deaths as murders. The defense did not cite any authority that would limit the states use of the term, and the motion should be denied, prosecutors wrote.

Here, the states use of the word murder will not unfairly prejudice (the) defendant, the filing read. The indictment charges defendant with four counts of murder in the first degree, and the jury will be told as much immediately after the trial begins. The jury will also be instructed as to the presumption of innocence.

Prosecutors said that they have no plans to use the terms psychopath or sociopath in reference to Kohberger, as the defense filed to prohibit to avoid name calling at trial.

Defense wants complete picture at trial

Kohbergers attorneys this week also asked Hippler to deny the prosecutions request to admit some of the surviving roommates phone calls and text messages  which were partly revealed this month.

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Instead, Taylor requested the entire record of phone calls and text messages be released, according to an objection filed Monday. She urged Hipper to view the prosecutions request with consideration of the complete picture, the filing read.

The prosecution has asked the court to look at a timeline and Mr. Kohberger urges the court to look at everything that occurred during the timeline, Taylor wrote.

In addition, Taylor requested that the court block the 911 call from being admitted during the trial. The audio was released last week after a transcript of the call was disclosed in a court filing the week prior.

The texts between the two female roommates, whom the Idaho Statesman is not identifying by name, revealed in the prosecutions filing that the second-floor roommate saw someone in their home wearing all black and a ski mask or covering over his head and mouth, and texted the first-floor roommate between 4:22 and 4:24 a.m.

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Im not kidding. (I) am so freaked out, she wrote.

So am I, the other responded, urging the roommate who lived on the second floor to come down to her room.

The women spent the night together downstairs and, before falling asleep, called their other roommates several times. All their calls went unanswered.

The next text messages disclosed by the prosecution began around 10:20 a.m., when one of the surviving roommates started texting Goncalves and Mogen to see whether they were awake. But the defense called the prosecutions claim wrong that the roommate woke up and realized her roommates had not responded.

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Records disclosed by the defense showed the other roommate, who lived on the first floor, made several phone calls starting at 7:30 a.m., while the second-floor roommate was using Instagram on her phone by 8 a.m.

The state is looking at the messages with the benefit of hindsight, Taylor wrote.

Kohberger is next due to appear in court for oral arguments on the motions to limit evidence on April 9.
House Speaker Adrienne Jones (center), Gov. Wes Moore and Senate President Bill Ferguson announced an agreement to a budget framework Thursday, as the legislative session enters its last 18 days. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

A compromise spending plan for the coming budget year includes more than $1 billion in tax increases, including a proposal to let local governments increase the maximum local piggyback tax rate.

The revenues were unveiled Thursday by the governor and legislative leaders as part of a broad budget framework that will guide negotiators in the next few weeks, as they rush toward the end of the session.

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The new revenues, coupled with an estimated $2.5 billion in budget cuts, are designed to cover a projected $3 billion deficit in the fiscal 2026 budget, and leave a reserve for fiscal 2027. The budget will also include federal government spending triggers that would activate in response to likely federal budget cuts.

It ensures that those who rely on federal benefits are informed, prepared and can advocate for their continued access to essential service regardless of what happens at the federal level, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said.

Topping the list of new taxes unveiled Thursday is nearly $500 million from a 3% sales tax on data and IT services, according to budget documents shared with Maryland Matters. The tax, originally proposed as a business-to-business tax, would apply to anyone who uses such a service.

While the new proposal will have consumers pay the tax, too, the service on which the tax will be applied is smaller than the original proposal. Ferguson called it a modernization of the state tax code at a time when Marylands economy has become more service-based.

Tasha Cornish, executive director of the Cybersecurity Association Inc., said the tax has harsh consequences for the states security as well as Marylands ability to compete.

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We are sympathetic to the fiscal pressure exerted on lawmakers, but this tax is an unwise move, Cornish said. Maryland risks losing its competitive edge in cybersecurity, forcing companies to relocate and taking high-paying jobs with them. Its a short-sighted attempt to gain revenue at the cost of our security and future economic stability.

Another $367 million would come from a 2% surcharge on capital gains income over $350,000. The rate is double what Moore proposed in his budget. Most of the tax would land in the states general fund, with about 40% earmarked for the states Transportation Trust Fund.

The state would also raise $344 million from changes in the tax code, including the creation of two new tax brackets: Those earning $500,000 to $1 million would pay 6.25%; those above $1 million in earnings would pay a rate of 6.5%.

We are asking those who have done exceptionally well to pay slightly more so we can have the best schools in the country, so we can support law enforcement and our firefighters, so we can make sure we are growing our economy., the governor said.

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Moore said the refinementof his tax plan ensures we hit our goal of delivering tax relief to the middle class.

He told reporters that 94% of Marylanders will see a reduction in their taxes or no increase. But when asked how many would see a reduction and the size of the average reduction, Moore could not provide specifics.

Moore, in his budget, had also proposed doubling the standard deduction, but the framework unveiled Thursday called for a 20% standard deduction increase.

The compromise agreement also increases the maximum piggyback income tax rate for local governments to 3.3%. The current maximum is 3.2%.

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The agreement also ruled out a number of potential tax changes;

No increase in the states 6% sales tax on goods.

No 75-cents fee on each retail delivery.

No property tax increase.

No expansion of gambling into iGaming.

No estate tax increase.

No changes to the car trade-in allowance.

No taxes on snacks or sugary drinks.

No increase in the gas tax.

The framework was roundly criticized by Republicans.

Today is a sad and unfortunate day for Maryland that was entirely avoidable. The tax hikes proposed would cripple Marylands economy and already struggling Marylanders. They are the exact opposite of the approach we took for eight years to cut taxes and create a record surplus. I  Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) March 20, 2025

House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany) said the lack of clarity and mushy talk was disappointing.

I expected someone to come out and say this is what the total revenue package is, said Buckel.

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Republicans make up about 30% of the House and Senate. They said Thursdays announcement was the first time they heard how the spending plan would be altered.

The word framework was used a lot more often than details, and thats our biggest question, said Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore). How are they going to get to the cuts that they talk about?

Hershey also questioned Democrats plan to impose a 3% sales tax on data and IT services at a time when Moore has said he wants to attract IT and cyber and AI to the state.

I dont understand why those companies would end up coming to Maryland, Hershey said. Thats one of the biggest things weve talked about from day one, is thats who hes trying to attract, and yet hes going to put a first-in-the-country tax on those types of services. We just dont think thats the way to go if you want to grow the economy, and for businesses here in Maryland.

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On Thursday afternoon, the House Appropriations Committee also approved a plan to implement combined corporate tax reporting. Moore had proposed phasing the reporting in by 2028, then cutting the corporate tax rate from 8.25% to 7.99%.

Appropriations kept the language implementing combined reporting but nixed the corporate tax rate reduction. The change faces tough sledding in the Senate.

Some of the changes proposed, include the addition of combined reporting, tracked with legislation backed by advocates for passing much more aggressive tax reforms.

Marylanders value and deserve good schools, transportation, health care, and other essential services, according to a statement released by Fair Share Maryland. As our communities are being harmed by indiscriminate federal layoffs and threatened cuts to grants and programs, our state level services are more important than ever. Having sustainable, fair sources of revenue is essential to help us get there.

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The agreement makes other changes including:

Adding the states 6% sales tax to vending machine purchases.

Repealing the exemption for sales of photographic and artistic material used in advertising.

Repealing an exemption for sales of coins and bullion over $1,000 . The change leaves an exemption for sales made specifically at the Baltimore City Convention Center.

Increasing the tax rate on sports wagering from 15% to 20%. The change will bring in $32 million in new revenue.

The cannabis tax rate will jump from 9% to 12%, raising $39 million.

The House plan also calls for additional money for state transportation. It would:

Increase the excise tax on vehicle sales from 6% to 6.8%. The change would raise $158 million.

Raise $51 million by accelerating the implementation of vehicle registration fee increases passed last year.

Increase vehicle emission fees from $14 to $30. That change would raise $20 million.

The package would also raise another $9 million by changing the definition of vehicles eligible for historic tags by defining eligible cars as vehicles older than model year 1999. The current definition of an older car is any car 20 years old.

Raise $47 million by imposing a 3.5% tax rate on short-term rentals.

Doubles titling fees on new and used cars to $200, raising $80 million.

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The Senate has yet to sign off on the transportation-related proposals. The House and Senate have agreed to a roughly $400 million package for transportation. The two chambers differ on the specifics of reaching that number but are expected to come to an agreement before the session ends on April 7.

The House could have the budget on the floor for a preliminary vote early next week. A final vote could come soon after. The Senate could complete work on the budget within a week after and send differences quickly to a conference committee.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Sioux City Animal Adoption & Rescue will once again host their Bunnies and Buddies photo shoot event ahead of the Easter holiday.

This year will mark the events 14th year. For a sitting fee of $30, families can have spring-themed photos taken in multiple poses, either with pets provided by the rescue (usually rabbits and chicks), or their own pets. The sitting fee also includes a memory card containing all of the photos taken during each sitting.

Remarkable Women: Tram Nguyen helps Vietnamese community after historic flooding

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There will be four sessions. The first two will be March 22 and 23. The second set will be April 5 and 6. All sessions will take place at the rescue, which is located at 2400 Hawkeye Dr. in Sioux City.

This event is by appointment only; you must pre-book to hold a spot. You can do that by visiting the rescue in person or giving them a call at (712) 279-6968.

The rescue adds, there will be no refunds for missed or canceled appointments.

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BURRILLVILLE, R.I. (WPRI)  The registered sex offender accused of abducting a 12-year-old girl nearly three years ago and then attempting to hire a hitman to kill her has pleaded guilty, according to acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.

Chandler Cardente, 30, was convicted Thursday of enticing a minor, committing a felony involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender and interstate murder for hire.

Cardente is accused of picking the girl up near Burrillville Middle School after dismissal back in December 2021. Police said the girls family reported her missing after she didnt return home from school.

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RELATED: Burrillville child-snatching suspect agrees to plea deal

Investigators later learned Cardente, then 27, had been chatting with the girl online for months while posing as a 17-year-old and the two made plans to meet up.

Court documents reveal that Cardente had sex with the girl several times throughout the seven hours the two were together that night.

The girl was eventually found curled up on the side of the road in Warwick. Police said Cardente, who had been convicted of first-degree child molestation in 2014, kicked the girl out of his car when he learned they were looking for him.

Cardente is also accused of attempting to hire a hitman to kill the 12-year-old while he was behind bars in February 2022.

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Police said Cardente provided the girls name and address to a supposed hitman, who turned out to be an undercover Rhode Island State Police detective. He is also accused of offering the undercover detective $200 in cash and equipment worth $1,500 to get the job done.

MORE: Child-snatching suspect tried to hire hitman from ACI

Cardente, whos currently being held without bail at the ACI, agreed to plead guilty last year in exchange for a 35-year prison sentence. His sentencing is scheduled for April 23.

Court records indicate that Cardente is also facing charges, including six counts of first-degree child molestation, out of Burrillville.

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Veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are back on Earth after problems with their Boeing Starliner capsule led to an unexpectedly epic stay in space.

What began last June as a journey anticipated to last about a week or so instead stretched into a 286 day saga, most of it spent aboard the International Space Station, and one that has elevated Wilmore and Williams in the spacefaring record books.

While the longest ever continuous stay in space for the NASA program was logged by astronaut Frank Rubio, who spent over a year in the cosmos, Wilmore and Williams just vaulted to the No. 6 spot on the all-time list.

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Rubios extended stay was, like Williams' and Wilmores, precipitated by technical issues, stretching his extraterrestrial adventure from a planned six months to just over a year, 371 days. In December 2022, the Russian Soyuz space capsule docked at the ISS that was Rubios ride home sprung a fluid leak. The issue led to a decision to fly a replacement, and unmanned, Soyuz craft to ISS to get Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts home, but the contingency added six months to the mission.

NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei and Scott Kelly round out the top three list, with stays of 355 days and 340 days, respectively.

While Rubios year-plus in space holds the NASA record for a single stay, the honor of most cumulative time goes to veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson who has logged 675 days away from Earth on numerous journeys. With the newly added 286-day mission complete, Williams now owns the No. 2 spot on the cumulative stay record list with 608 days.

Worldwide, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has accumulated the most days in space at 1,111 over the course of five long-duration missions, while his countryman Valeri Polyakov has the longest continuous stay at 437 days.

How much did the astronauts get paid while in space?

Most civilians likely arent aware that NASA astronauts do not receive additional compensation for extended stays in space. In fact, most of their extraterrestrial time isnt remunerated at all.

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[Theres] no hazard pay, theres no overtime, theres no comp time, Mike Massimino, a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, previously told MarketWatch, per a report from Fortune. Theres no financial incentive to stay in space longer.

A NASA spokesperson told Fortune that astronauts are paid a 40-hour-per-week salary, with no additional pay for holiday or weekends  despite the fact that theyre literally at work after work.

They added that the astronauts receive incidental amounts for each day theyre in space  but since theyre on long-term temporary duty, its only about $5 a day. Thats about $1,430 for the entire 286-day stay.

And, of course, travel expenses along with room and board are on the house.

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When NASA astronauts are aboard the International Space Station, they receive regular 40-hour workweek salaries, NASA told Fortune in a statement. While in space, NASA astronauts are on official travel orders as federal employees, so their transportation, lodging, and meals are provided.

So how much are NASA astronauts currently earning? According to the U.S. space agencys 2024 pay rates, they make an annual salary of $152,258.
California Democrats are urging newly confirmed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to visit a fraught wastewater treatment plant that has been struggling to contend with a cross-border sewage crisis.

Reps. Scott Peters and Juan Vargas and Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff wrote a letter to Zeldin this week, inviting him to come witness firsthand the public health hazards affecting the southernmost residents of California.

As you know, decades of underinvestment in cross-border wastewater infrastructure have led to the flow of untreated sewage into San Diego, the letter stated. EPA served as an important advocate for this issue in the last Trump Administration and we hope the agency will continue to do so once again.

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The lawmakers were referring to an unrelenting crisis affecting the city of Imperial Beach and its San Diego County neighbors, which have for years been the cross-border recipients of wastewater tainted with chemicals and pathogens. This unfettered flow, which results from inadequate treatment in Mexico, ends up in California via ocean plumes and the Tijuana River Watershed.

Not only has the flow caused widespread water contamination and long-term beach closures, it has also resulted in an airborne public health threat.

As part of a spending package last year, President Biden approved $156 million for the construction budget of the International Boundary and Water Commission, a U.S.-Mexican entity that oversees shared water resources.

The funds were critical to repairing the decrepit South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, a facility on the U.S. side of the border that treats some of Tijuanas waste through an international treaty.

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Congress in 2020 allocated $300 million toward renovating the plant, but officials maintained that it required $150 million more to function properly. Biden then asked lawmakers last fall to approve an additional $310 million.

While the $156 million did not amount to that $310 million total, it was still a $103 million addition to  or triple the amount of  the $53.03 million sum allocated the previous year.

Leading up to Congresss passage of the continuing resolution last week, Peters raised concerns about future funding of the facility  stressing that this budget for the remainder of fiscal 2025 would reduce the International Boundary and Water Commissions construction funds from $156 million to $78 million.

Years of underfunding got us to the point that our wastewater treatment plant was dilapidated, allowing sewage to flow through our communities and onto our beaches unabated, Peters said in a statement at the time.

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The invitation to Zeldin this week arose after Peters received a letter from Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre about the cross-border sewage San Diego has suffered.

In contacting the EPA, Peters wanted to ensure that the agencys new leaders fully understand the scope of this environmental catastrophe and their role in addressing the public health and environmental harm, according to his office.

While this wastewater pollution crisis is not new, it has intensified over the past two years, the lawmakers wrote in the letter.

EPA, working with the International Boundary and Water Commission, will play a critical role in addressing these issues and helping the region recover from decades of pollution and environmental degradation, they added.

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Earlier in the month, Zeldin posted on the social platform X that he had received a briefing that Mexico is dumping large amounts of raw sewage into the Tijuana River, and its now seeping into the U.S.

This is unacceptable. Mexico MUST honor its commitments to control this pollution and sewage! Zeldin wrote.

In response to a query from The Hill about the appeal from the California lawmakers, the EPA said the agency can confirm receipt of the letter and the invitation to visit the South Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant and will respond through appropriate channels.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Devastating wind-fuelled wildfires caused havoc in southern California earlier this year.

With the climate crisis increasing the chances of deadly blazes, firefighters are looking for ways to even the odds.

One solution being explored is an AI-powered satellite constellation.

California is turning to a novel solution to battle massive wildfires fuelled by global warming: AI-powered satellites.

Deadly wildfires devastated the Los Angeles region earlier this year, forcing over 100,000 people to evacuate and razing thousands of homes.

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Driven by freak environmental conditions, including prolonged drought and strong winds, the LA fires quickly grew to the point they were nigh-on impossible to contain, pushing firefighters and fire-monitoring systems to their absolute limit.

As the city rebuilds, California's fire-fighting division is looking to change that.

The state's Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire, is partnering with a group of organizations building the Firesat network, a constellation of over 50 low-orbit satellites that aims to revolutionize the way we tackle mega-blazes.

The fast-growing, wind-driven fires that devastated Los Angeles are only going to become more common as the climate crisis continues, with similar infernos breaking out in Colorado and Greece in recent years.

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In these fires, every second counts. Brian Collins, executive director of the Earth Fire Alliance, the nonprofit organization behind Firesat, told Business Insider that current fire monitoring systems are often too slow to give firefighters a clear picture of these rapidly unfolding conflagrations.

"In extreme circumstances, like we see in California with wind-driven fires, you have very little time to make those critical decisions. The faster you can make them, the easier it is to contain that fire," Collins said.

He said Firesat would significantly improve the ability to track wildfires compared to the current system, which is mostly made up of weather satellites, some of which are run by the US and European Union.

Muon Space's Firesat prototype satellite was launched earlier in March. Muon Space

Collins said these satellites are designed to track large, intense fires and scan the globe relatively infrequently.

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By contrast, the infrared sensors on Firesat's satellites will be able to track smaller low-intensity fires the size of a classroom and  once the 50-satellite network is up and running  will be able to observe the entire globe in 15-20-minute intervals.

"In terms of fire detection, that is a dramatic, hundred-fold difference from current systems," said Collins.

Fighting fires smarter

Space startup Muon Space is designing and building the satellites.

On March 14, it successfully launched a pathfinder prototype satellite aboard a SpaceX rocket. The prototype launch lays the ground for the planned launch of the first three Firesat satellites into orbit in June 2026.

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Muon Space president Gregory Smirin told BI in an interview before the launch that this initial first phase will be able to scan every point in the globe twice a day, and be able to identify fires as small as five by five meters.

"We have sparse data, to be polite about it, as to how many fires there are all over the world and what the incident rate is. The goal is to be able to get to a point where we can get a much richer dataset about what the actual behavior is," said Smirin.

"If you're able to track hot spots and fires early, you can even identify where there are maybe fires that might be smoldering or low intensity ahead of high wind events," he said, adding that this would allow firefighters to send resources to these smaller blazes before they become too large to contain.

Firesat also has backing from Google Research, and last week's launch was praised by Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google's parent company Alphabet.

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Collins said Google's AI and machine learning expertise would play a crucial role in sifting through the vast quantities of data the constellation is expected to generate.

He added that with the funding the Earth Fire Alliance has received from partners such as Google's philanthropy arm and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the group was committed to providing the data from Firesat to public safety agencies for free.

Collins said the Alliance was already partnering with fire responders such as Cal Fire to understand how they might use the data.

A spokesperson for Cal Fire confirmed the agency's interest in Firesat to Business Insider.

The satellites will be designed and built by the end-to-end space company Muon Space. Muon Space

They added that the agency's primary interest in the satellite network was in providing more persistent coverage of fires that are actively growing or being contained.

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Smirin said he believed Cal Fire was interested in integrating Firesat into its emergency dispatch service, allowing the agency to validate which fires were growing quickly rather than wasting resources by dispatching crews to check on them.

"We're definitely getting more extreme weather and more frequent fire, and we're getting fire spreading in areas that it didn't use to," said Smirin.

"I think you're just seeing more extreme weather in all sorts of ways, and it's putting a lot more pressure on firefighters to figure out how to respond, he added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Thanks to the states Cap-and-Trade Program, Californians can expect an average of $137 in credits on their April gas and electric bills.

The climate credit provides ratepayers with their share of the benefits from the state program, which focuses on reducing the states overall greenhouse gas emissions.

Every year, our Cap-and-Trade program provides essential funding to Californias efforts to clean the air while also giving residents money back on their utility bills. Millions of California families will benefit from this relief, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

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200+ breweries launching We Love LA beer line with proceeds going to Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts

The credits range from $35 to $259 for electricity, with most set to receive $56 to $81, according to the governors office. The credit for natural gas bills will range from $56 to $81.

The credits are available to residential customers of PG&E, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Gas Company and Southwest Gas. Californians do not need to do anything to get the credit.

Residents can check to see how much their credit will be here.

Since 2014, California households have received an average of $1,120 in combined automatic April and October climate credits on their utility bills.

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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 KTLA.
Congress is cowed; thats one supposedly coequal branch of government down. But federal courts are proving more resistant to Donald Trumps trampling of laws and the Constitution. Now, just two months in office, the president has all but crossed the red line  defying a judges order  that for more than two centuries has separated the rule of law in this country from its undoing.

People have parsed the movements of the planes that carried more than 200 Venezuelan migrants from south Texas to El Salvador on Saturday evening, to show they were aloft or took off after a federal judge ordered a halt to the deportations and the return of aircraft en route. Theyve also parsed the presidents denials that he ignored the court, given that in the next breath he falsely claimed that the radical left judge  James E. Boasberg, chief judge of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia  had no right to tell him what to do.

I think at a certain point you have to start looking at what do you do when you have a rogue judge, Trump told Laura Ingraham on Fox News on Tuesday night.

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Rogue judge? More projection from a rogue president.

Read more: Column: The Trump administration has a free-speech problem

His bit of constitutional malarkey in prime time bookended a Tuesday that started with an unhinged social media rant including this doozy: This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! Obediently, a Republican House member filed articles of impeachment against Boasberg. Then the chief justice of the United States, John G. Roberts Jr., schooled both the congressman and the president, issuing a rare statement of what should be obvious: Impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.

But Trump wont be educated. Wednesday was just minutes old when he posted on social media that the lunatic Boasberg wants to assume the role of President.

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The parsing can stop. In effect, and denials aside, Trump and his lieutenants defied the law: The Venezuelans are deported and locked in a notorious Salvadoran prison  seen shaved and manhandled in a video that administration officials and supporters delightedly shared. They faced no charges, evidence or legal proceedings to prove that they are, in fact, murderous gangbangers and terrorists as Trump contends (and numerous family members deny). Trump officials also mockingly shared Salvadoran President Nayib Bukeles tweet over a news headline about Boasbergs order to halt the deportations: Oopsie  too late.

Read more: Calmes: When it comes to Trump's economy, the adults have left the room

The constitutional crisis that many feared from a vengeful, re-empowered Trump is here. Even the White House agrees, though its warped definition  The constitutional crisis is not in the executive branch. Its in the judiciary branch, a spokesman said  only underscores the real crisis for the rule of law and the separation of powers.

Chief Justice Roberts should have been more direct, calling out Trump by name for grossly overstepping constitutional bounds and undermining faith in the courts. Perhaps Roberts held back, knowing that the deportation case and others will make their way to his bench, as the White House intends. (And we're going to win, an unnamed senior official chortled to Axios.)

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Read more: Calmes: President Trump brags about American power and respect while he trades it away

Politically, Trump and his toadies believe theyve already won. "If the Democrats want to argue in favor of turning a plane full of rapists, murderers and gangsters back to the United States, that's a fight we are more than happy to take," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt prattled . That calculation could well prove right, given voters angst over immigration and support for deportations if the deportees are guilty of crimes beyond entering the country illegally.

The Venezuelan migrants case isnt Trumps only challenge to the courts. Hes been picking fights since Jan. 20, seeking to expand his powers by setting himself against an array of unpopular targets, not only alleged criminal migrants but also federal employees , trans Americans and refugees .

The Trump administration tried to deport pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil , a legal resident, until a federal judge intervened to insist on due process; he remains detained. This week, the administration did deport Rhode Island doctor Rasha Alawieh for alleged sympathies toward Hezbollah, claiming its border agents were unaware of a judges order blocking the action.

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Read more: Contributor: Democrats have four theories to beat Trump. Wish them luck

Trump has also targeted three prominent law firms expressly in retribution for their representation of his political enemies  stripping lawyers security clearances, barring them from federal buildings and threatening their federal contracts. We have a lot of law firms that were going to be going after, he told Fox News, heedless of Americans fundamental right to counsel.

It sends little chills down my spine, said the judge in one firms lawsuit. Mine too.

Administration officials are dodging court orders against Elon Musks chain-saw massacre of federal workers and of agencies created by law. Trump on Monday threatened action against the Political Thugs on the House Jan. 6 committee, speciously declaring that President Bidens preemptive pardon of some of them was OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT.

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Trump likes to note pejoratively that federal judges, unlike him, are unelected. Not that hed know, but that is how the founders intended it, to insulate the judiciary from political pressures.

Heres hoping it works.

@jackiekcalmes

If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
TORONTO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Canada is engaging in discussions with the European Union (EU) to reduce its dependence on the United States for defense procurement, a senior Canadian government official confirmed on Wednesday, AP reported on Thursday.

According to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the discussions include the possibility of manufacturing fighter jets in Canada. This move aligns with Prime Minister Mark Carney's broader strategy to diversify Canada's defense supply chain and strengthen its security partnerships with the EU.

The initiative comes as tensions rise over Canada's reliance on the United States for military equipment. U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies and economic pressures have fueled concerns in Canada, with some officials arguing for greater autonomy in defense procurement.

In response, Defense Minister Bill Blair has been tasked with reassessing the planned purchase of American-made F-35 fighter jets to explore alternative options "given the changing environment," a defense spokesperson said over the weekend. One such alternative includes Sweden's Saab Gripen fighter jets, with a proposal offering assembly and maintenance within Canada.

"This is very serious. We've been in talks to work on defense procurement together," Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. "I went to Europe a month ago to make sure we could be a part of that partnership ... It's yielding toward good news." Joly underscored Canada's overreliance on the United States for military procurement, advocating for diversified partnerships worldwide.

While Canada's contract with U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin for the F-35 jets remains in place, Ottawa has only legally committed funds for the first 16 aircraft. Canada agreed to buy 88 F-35s two years ago, but the entire purchase is now uncertain.

Carney's efforts to expand defense partnerships were evident during his recent meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. His trip began on Monday and marked his first international visit since assuming office last Friday.

Meanwhile, the EU is also advancing its own defense strategy. On Wednesday, the European Commission unveiled its "Readiness 2030" security strategy, urging member states to prioritize purchasing military equipment from European suppliers. The policy aims to decrease reliance on U.S. defense manufacturers, offering financial incentives for member states that allocate at least 65 percent of their defense procurement to suppliers within the EU, Norway or Ukraine.

Historically, EU nations have sourced approximately two-thirds of their military equipment from the United States. However, the push for a "Buy European" approach has gained momentum, particularly following signals from the Trump administration last month that Europe should take greater responsibility for its own defense, including support for Ukraine. 
Canada plans to partner with Australia to build its new Arctic Over The Horizon Radar (A-OTHR), a project with a current estimated cost of more than $4 billion. A-OTHR is intended to provide critical, new early warning capabilities and help close radar coverage gaps over the ever-more strategic Arctic region.

Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney first announced yesterday new details about the A-OTHR effort, as well as plans for the Canadian armed forces to increase its overall presence in the Arctic. A-OTHR is part of a larger initiative to modernize the capabilities the country provides to the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) that authorities in Ottawa first rolled out in 2022.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney seen during a meeting with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in London on March 17, 2025. Jordan Pettitt  WPA Pool/Getty Images Jordan Pettitt

Prime Minister Carney announced that Canada intends to partner with Australia to develop advanced Over-the-Horizon Radar technology, according to a press release from the Canadian Prime Ministers office. This partnership will include developing Canadas Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar system, an investment of more than $6 billion [Canadian dollars; approximately $4.18 billion U.S. dollars at the rate of conversion at the time of reporting] that will provide early warning radar coverage from threats to the Arctic.

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A key component of Canadas NORAD modernization plan, the radar systems long-range surveillance and threat tracking capabilities will detect and deter threats across the North, the release adds. The Prime Minister confirmed the partnership in his call with the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, earlier today.

This was a one-on-one conversation. It was extensive. It was a good opportunity for us to get to know each other personally. Canada, of course, has an excellent relationship with Australia, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said about the call with Carney at a press conference today. One of the things that the Prime Minister [of Canada] confirmed is that he is looking at our, looking at what we have, which is our Jindalee Operational Radar Network technology. This is a world leading technology.

An aerial view of a portion of Australias Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN). Australian Department of Defense

We want a future made in Australia and we want to export wherever possible. And this will be a significant export if this deal is finalized, Albanese continued. He [Carney] certainly spoke to me about the over-the-horizon radar technology that Canada is interested in purchasing from Australia.

Australias Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) consists of three separate over-the-horizon radars built in the countrys Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory starting in the 1990s. JORN is designed to monitor air and sea movements across 37,000km [nearly 23,000 miles] of largely unprotected coastline and 9 million square kilometres [approximately 3.47 million square miles] of ocean, according to a report from Defense Systems Daily in 2000.

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The network is currently in the process of receiving major upgrades valued at $1.2 billion, with BAE Systems on contract to do the work. BAE says JORN, as it exists now, provides wide-area surveillance at ranges of 1,000 to 3,000 kilometres [621 to 1,864 miles].

A slide from an Australian Defense Science and Technology Group briefing on JORN. Defense Science and Technology Group

All three of JORNs radars are what are known variously as backscatter or sky wave types. As TWZ has explained in previous reporting on over-the-horizon radar developments:

A traditional sky wave or backscatter over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) usually consists of a large array of antennas spread out over an area, and the transmission and receiver sites are usually geographically displaced. OTHRs possess the ability to detect targets at extreme ranges beyond what is known as the radar horizon. Commonly, radars are limited by line of sight due to the curvature of the earth in relation to the altitude they are operating at. OTHRs overcome this critical limitation, but with some major drawbacks.

OTHRs were commonly deployed throughout the Cold War, especially as part of early warning ecosystems, but started to become less relevant for some applications after the war ended. More recently, these large static systems have been coming back into style thanks to major geopolitical shifts, advancements in computing power, and the value proposition they provide.

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While they offer much lower fidelity than many of their line-of-sight counterparts in most cases, they make up for it in huge range, hundreds of miles to thousands of miles (1,500 miles is common, for instance, for powerful military sky wave/backscatter OTHR systems) and a large coverage area. The sky wave type of OTHRs achieve this by bouncing their radio waves off the ionosphere to a coverage area where they hit targets and return the same way to the receiving station. The angle at which the radio waves hit the ionosphere dictates the range, and that angle is limited to a specific envelope or the waves wont properly bounce back toward earth. As such, placing the radar in the right place in relation to the targeted surveillance area or areas, to begin with, is key.

An annotated map from the Australian Defense Science and Technology Group briefing showing JORN coverage arcs and satellite images of the main transmitter and receiver sites. Australian Defense Science and Technology Group

How many total arrays Canadas final A-OTHR system might include, or when any part of it might become operational, is not entirely clear. A joint statement in 2023 from then-U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned earlier this month, outlined a plan for procuring and fielding two next generation Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) systems covering the Arctic and Polar approaches, with the first [in place] by 2028 to enhance early warning and domain awareness of North American approaches.

The Canadian Department of National Defenses webpage on the A-OTHR currently estimates that the program will start implementation in the 2027/2028 timeframe. Initial and final delivery of the system is then expected to come in 2030/2031 and 2031/2032, respectively.

NORAD does have an array of ground-based radars pointed north now called the North Warning System (NWS), but none of them provide the kind of wide-area long-range coverage that an over-the-horizon design would offer. The NWS is also more truncated overall than its predecessor, the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line, the result of post-Cold War drawdowns.

A map showing NWS radar sites in Canada and their coverage arcs. Nasittuq Corporation

Even just having one new over-the-horizon radar in Canada pointed north would give the command a huge boost in early warning coverage and general situational awareness in the Arctic region.

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We need a layered sensing grid, from [the] seafloor to the space layer. And we have no choice. It has to be layered and deep, a defense in depth, from a sensing point of view, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna, head of 1 Canadian Air Division and the Canadian NORAD Region, said on March 4 during a panel discussion at the Air & Space Forces Associations (AFA) 2025 Warfare Symposium, at which TWZ was in attendance. And I will say I suffer from an insufficiency of ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] in the Arctic on a daily basis. And I am fighting for information.

McKenna was responding to a direct question about gaps in so-called domain awareness in and around the Arctic and how to address them.

I think theres an importance here of not just air domain, but also space domain, and having a sufficiency of ISR in the Arctic to actually build you the [domain awareness] picture, McKenna continued. I havent really touched on over-the-horizon radar, but I certainly can get into it. I think thats a really important capability given the austerity of the Arctic and the need for it to cue other things.

RCAF Maj. Gen. Chris McKenna speaks at the Air & Space Forces Associations 2025 Warfare Symposium. AFA capture

Monitoring for potential threats heading toward North America across the North Pole, including possible nuclear strikes from Russia (and the Soviet Union before it), has long been a key national security interest for both the United States and Canada. More recently, receding ice and other environmental changes in the Arctic due to global climate change have opened up a host of new avenues for geostrategic competition around natural resources, from oil and natural gas to fish and other sealife, as well as trade routes. China, Americas current chief global competitor, has been notably pushing to increase its presence in the High North in recent years, militarily and economically, often in cooperation with Russia.

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At a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, NORADs top commander, U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, also highlighted how cooperation on enhanced domain awareness could be a pathway to Canadian participation in President Donald Trumps massive new missile defense initiative, now dubbed Golden Dome.

I welcome their participation. I think the first [point] would be to buy into our domain awareness expansion, whether ground-based or space-based, Guillot said. Then, further down the line, if they get [missile] defeat mechanisms, see how they would mesh with our existing defense mechanisms, defeat mechanisms, in a similar way that we employ fighter aircraft with NORAD. Perhaps we could do the same with missile defeat systems from the ground.

At that time, relations between Canadian authorities and the new Trump administration were already strained and a full-on trade war has since broken out between the two countries. Canadas decision now to partner with Australia on the A-OTHR, which reportedly came as something of a surprise, might in part reflect efforts to reduce reliance on U.S. firms.

An array of antennas at one of the JORN sites. BAE Systems

Whatever the case, Canada is working to take an important step forward in providing badly needed additional long-range radar coverage across the highly strategic Arctic region that will benefit both members of NORAD. It might also signal a new chapter in Canadian-Australian relations.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
(Reuters) -New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is poised to call a snap federal election on Sunday for April 28, the Globe and Mail reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Liberal Party sources had told Reuters Carney would call an election soon after he won the party race to replace Justin Trudeau on March 9, seeking a strong mandate during turbulent time as relations with the neighboring U.S. deteriorate.

A spokeswoman for Carney declined to comment.

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Carney, asked by reporters in Edmonton about the report, sidestepped the question.

"What's clear is that in this time of crisis the government needs a strong and clear mandate," he said.

Although the next election was not due until October 20, Carney is hoping to capitalize on a remarkable recovery by his Liberal Party in polls since January, when U.S. President Donald Trump began threatening Canada with tariffs and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.

Carney, a former two-time central banker with no previous political or election campaign experience, captured the Liberal leadership two weeks ago by persuading party members he was the best person to take on Trump.

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Carney has yet to speak to Trump or lay out detailed plans on how he would deal with tariffs, which could badly hurt the Canadian economy. He has sought to lower the temperature, telling reporters that he respects what Trump is trying to do.

Carney will campaign against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, a seasoned politician.

The Conservatives had enjoyed a wide lead in polls until Trudeau resigned in January after more than nine years in office, facing plummeting personal approval ratings.

(Reporting by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Alex Richardson, Andrew Cawthorne and Deepa Babington)
Canadian lawmaker Charlie Angus hammered President Trumps wide-ranging tariff agenda, arguing the economy is bigger and broader and smarter than your stupidity right now and that Ottawa will keep pushing back.

Angus, a Parliament member in the New Democratic Party, said Canada is open to normalizing trade relations with the U.S., but the tariffs have to be rescinded first.

We want to go back to working with the communities on the other side of the border that weve worked with for generations, who are our friends, who are our neighbors, but if youre going to make them our enemy, well, Donald, were going to fight you the whole way, and youre going to lose, Angus said during his Monday appearance on MeidasTouch Network.

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You cant keep control of your economy as it is, Donald, Angus told host Ben Meiselas. Its starting to turn into a total circus. You got to understand, Donald, that the economy is something bigger and broader and smarter than your stupidity right now.

Trump has escalated his tariff war in recent weeks. He imposed a 25 percent tariff on all aluminum and steel imports. The president also slapped a 25 percent tariff on other goods coming from Canada and Mexico with some exceptions. Both countries, along with China, are the U.S.s largest trade partners.

The commander in chief has also continued his rhetoric calling for Canada to be the U.S.s 51st state. Both the heightened import tax and rhetoric have enraged Canadians, some of whom have started boycotting U.S. goods.

Ive been talking to a lot of people who are deeply uncertain, but what I also get is the sense of rage that Donald Trump is trying to rip this up and trying to divide communities that you know from my regions, like London, Oshawa, Windsor, that have been tied to Detroit, to Lansing, to Toledo, Angus said. Theres a real anger right now.

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Angus previously slammed Trump for suggesting that Canada should join the U.S. as its 51st state, arguing the issue is that Donald Trump is claiming Canada is a narco-state. The mans a liar.

We would do that to avoid a trade war, Angus said last month. Were reasonable as Canadians, but when you have somebody threatening our sovereignty, well, were hunkering down for a fight here.

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CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN)  The Canfield Fairgrounds Event Center became a polling location two years ago but the fairgrounds will no longer be used as a place to vote.

And its going to work out better we think not having 12 precincts in one location and itll be closer for the voters in their neighborhoods, said Tom McCabe.



Mahoning County Board of Elections Director Tom McCabe said the fairgrounds became a polling location after St. Michael Catholic Church stopped being used. McCabe said the fairgrounds will be replaced by polling locations at the Canfield Public Library, Fair Park, and Jubilee Christian Fellowship.

It just got to be too many precincts, too many voters in one location so this is going to make it simpler for voters to find, to check in, to check out and get through the process faster, McCabe said.

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We had it all worked out for them. We made sure everything was going to work, said George Roman.



George Roman is a fairgrounds board member. Roman said there were issues in November when campaign signs were removed  after concerns they would jeopardize the fairgrounds status as a nonprofit.

It was an issue for a little bit but within an hour or so it was handled, Roman said.

State law allows for campaign signs to be 100 feet away from the polling entrance. Candidates would be allowed to place them inside the fence.

If they wanted to be the chain link make the sign unreadable, he said.



Roman said theres plenty of room outside the fence for any campaign signs.

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And we had them spaced on the outside, where they are very visible, Roman said.

McCabe said the sign issue had nothing to do with the decision to move.

We worked out the sign issue with the fair board but at the same time, we knew it was going to be a temporary situation getting us through a presidential election and so we do thank the fair board for that, McCabe said.

McCabe said all the voters affected will be sent a letter letting them know their new voting location. The next election is the May 6 primary and special election.





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A special celebration was held in Barnstable on Wednesday as a World War II veteran turned 105 years old.

Freeman K. Johnson was born on March 11, 1920, making him the oldest registered living citizen in the state. He was presented the historic Boston Post Cane Award, which for generations has recognized the oldest living citizens in towns across New England.

A party was held for Johnson at the Barnstable Adult Community Center, full of his friends and family. He was escorted into the building, saluted by Barnstable Police and Navy Officers alike.

His life is a testament to courage, service, and resilience, because at the age of 19, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Boston, serving aboard the USS St. Louis, which played a crucial role during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

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Johnson was stationed in a boiler room during the attack. He, along with his fellow sailors, worked urgently to get the ship underway. The USS St. Louis was the second ship out of the harbor that day, which helped it earn the nickname The Lucky Lou.

Johnson was then transferred to the USS Iowa, which was responsible for transporting President Franklin D. Roosevelt to Tehran for a pivotal wartime conference with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. Johnson would later witness the official surrender of Japan that brought an end to World War II aboard the USS Iowa in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.

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PETERSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY)  U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visited West Virginias eastern panhandle on Wednesday to deliver updates about ongoing projects in Grant and Hampshire counties.

During her visit, Sen. Capito spoke with community leaders and business owners in Petersburg to discuss Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) awards acquired for the area, specifically one that aims to fund a new ambulance headquarters.

Senator Capito said that the resources have been acquired to build a new ambulance headquarters in Mt. Storm, which she said will save lives, while serving the citizens of northern Grant County. She added that another award was secured for a trail in the area that aims to boost outdoor recreation.

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Hellbender Burritos in Davis to close immediately

Following her Petersburg visit, Sen. Capito traveled to the Hardy Telecommunications Center in Moorefield to discuss the expansion of broadband accessibility in the Mountain State, which she described as critical to West Virginias growth.

Reliable internet is essential for education, healthcare, and economic development, and I remain committed to supporting the investments needed to close the digital divide and ensure every West Virginian has access to high-speed broadband, Sen. Capito said.

Senator Capito plans on making a stop in Braxton County on Thursday to host a Girls Rise Up event. as well as a stop in Kanawha County to visit Kanawha Valley Senior Services.

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AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- Traffic was delayed after a single-car crash in Austintown Thursday morning.

Firefighters and officers said the car went through a guardrail on North Meridian Road near Salt Springs Road and rolled over into a ditch. The crash happened around 7:30 a.m.

Police said two people were in the car and that one of them was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The other person refused treatment at the scene.

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Traffic is now moving in the area.

Brian Oehlbeck contributed to this report.

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Authorities are offering a $50,000 reward for information that helps identify the people who deliberately set fire to 50-year-old Clay Buchanans vehicle while he was sleeping inside.

Buchanan, known as tio to friends, had been living in a blue Ford SUV for about four months before he was killed during the early morning hours of Aug. 8, 2023. The killing remains unsolved.

Buchanan was inside his car, parked in the 400 block of East 102nd Street in South Los Angeles, when a vehicle pulled up behind him, according to police. The assailants exited the vehicle and threw an unknown accelerant onto Buchanan and his SUV, according to authorities. The attackers lighted Buchanan on fire before retreating to their vehicle and fleeing, police said.

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It is unclear from police statements whether Buchanan remained inside the vehicle during the attack, the car doors were unlocked or the windows were rolled down. Police have not released the number of attackers involved.

Buchanan suffered third-degree burns and was pronounced dead hours after being transported to a hospital, police said.

Read more: Catalytic converter thief shouted 'No!' before accomplice shot Johnny Wactor, police say

Buchanan, who used a wheelchair to get around, required a heart transplant after contracting COVID-19 twice. A longtime friend, Maria Carrera, told The Times in 2023 that Buchanan was previously living with a niece in Riverside County. Carrera said Buchanan purchased his SUV while he looked for a permanent home.

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He celebrated his 50th birthday two weeks before his killing.

The city of Los Angeles offered the $50,000 reward to anyone with information that can lead to the identity and arrest of the people responsible for Buchanans death.

The objective is to not only solve this murder, but to provide the family of Clay Buchanan with some sense of justice, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a news release Wednesday. And to send a message that the community will not tolerate such senseless acts of violence.

Anyone with information can contact Dets. B. Smith or G. Stearns from LAPDs Homicide Division at (213) 486-6890 or (877) 527-3247. For calls during non-business hours or on weekends, (877) 527-3247. Anonymous tips can be submitted at www.lacrimestoppers.org or by calling (800) 222-8477.

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(Bloomberg) -- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to call a national election within days, seeking his own mandate from voters at a time when the countrys businesses have been shaken by a trade war with the US.

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Carney, the former governor of two central banks, was sworn in as prime minister on March 14 after winning the leadership of the Liberal Party. Hes riding a wave of early support in public opinion polls, and the country is due to have an election this year.

Carney, 60, is likely to ask for Parliament to be dissolved this weekend, a person familiar with the matter said. Hes leaning toward setting April 28 as the voting date, the Globe and Mail reported, citing people it didnt name.

The Liberals have been in power since 2015 and appeared set for certain defeat before Justin Trudeau announced his resignation in January. Some polls now give the party a small lead, while others have the Conservative Party, led by Pierre Poilievre, in first place.

A recent survey by Leger Marketing shows that voters have a more favorable impression of Carney, who was governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013.

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Carney has risen to power during one of the most hostile moments in Canada-US relations in recent history. US President Donald Trump has threatened to use economic force to try to turn Canada into a US state and has already imposed steep tariffs on many Canadian goods, with Canada retaliating in kind with import taxes on about C$60 billion ($42 billion) of US products so far.

The battle with its largest trading partner has sparked a sense of urgency in Canada about diversifying buyers for its exports. Both party leaders have pledged to green-light major projects to bring more natural resources to market, but Poilievre has pointed out the Liberals have failed to speed up sluggish permitting processes during their near-decade in power.

The Conservative leader on Thursday promised to create shovel-ready zones, or areas that are pre-permitted for construction, to allow companies to quickly build mines, liquefied natural gas terminals, pipelines or other major projects.

You will see hard-working and talented Canadian workers going around, earning big paychecks, Poilievre said in a statement. The economy will boom and we will be less reliant on the Americans.

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The escalation of the trade war has shaken confidence in the private sector. Optimism among Canadas small- and medium-sized firms fell to the lowest level in at least a quarter-century, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

The CFIBs Business Barometer index fell to 25 this month, according to a flash poll of 1,065 firms taken between March 5 and March 7. Thats the lowest reading on record in data back to 2000.

In a recent interview on Fox News, Trump said he would rather work with the Liberal Party leader in Canada to resolve the trade war he instigated. Poilievre and the Conservatives have seized on those remarks, saying they show hes the better choice to stand up to Trump.

--With assistance from Melissa Shin.

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(Adds comment from person familiar and announcement from Poilievre, starting in the third paragraph.)

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LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policy is "entirely without precedent in the history of trade policy anywhere," said a British economics commentator.

"It's completely mad. It doesn't represent a coherent approach to trade policy in the slightest. It's erratic, unpredictable, ill-focused, and much of it has nothing to do with trade policy," Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Wolf expressed his astonishment at the U.S. administration's erratic approach, noting that the idea of imposing a tariff overnight, canceling it the following morning, and then threatening to reimpose it is beyond imagination.

Such actions are a violation "not just of every rule in international trade which has been established since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 1947," but also "a violation of any sensible trade policy," Wolf said.

"The main effects of these policies now are creating wild uncertainty," said Wolf, highlighting that such unpredictability stifles investment plans, hampers the formation of trade deals and ultimately leads to a general malaise in economic activity.

Speaking about the impact on the U.S. economy, Wolf noted that in the short to medium term, the U.S. economy will face higher import costs, making Americans poorer and driving up prices, as domestic production cannot replace imports overnight.

In the long term, Wolf said, while some U.S. firms might invest in import substitutes, such moves would be "risky," as Trump's four-year presidency contrasts with the longer investment horizon needed for major factories. If Trump's policy is overturned after four years, "a lot of manufacturers are left high and dry with products that aren't competitive."

In addition, investing in import substitutes could divert resources from more competitive sectors, like export industries, shifting production to less efficient areas, which is unwise, said Wolf.

The benefits of Trump's trade policy on the overall U.S. labor market will also be pretty small, the economist said. "There might be a net increase in industrial jobs at the expense of jobs in other sectors, for instance, service sector."

Also, Wolf pointed out that Trump's tariff decisions seem to have nothing to do with trade policy. "In the case of his policy vis-a-vis Canada, for example, Trump's talking about drugs and illegal immigrants, which, to my knowledge, have never been introduced as part of trade policy discussions."

"There may be exceptions, but certainly not so far as I know with any major country. So this style of trade policy is completely unprecedented," he said. 
Its time to free caskets from an Oklahoma monopoly.

I attended a funeral where the gentleman being buried had prepared for that day by building his own casket. He and his loved ones made the choice to not get his casket from the funeral home.

Not all Oklahomans can make that choice.

Yes, you can build your own casket, if you have the skills and desire. There are no state requirements regarding design, materials, finishings or construction. You can also go online and order a casket from a seller in another state. A quick online search will tell you that there are plenty of businesses able to ship top-quality caskets, even Costco, Walmart and Amazon.

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Yet it is illegal in Oklahoma to buy one within the state from anyone except a funeral director.

Is that insane, or what?

Oklahoma is only one of three states in the country where residents must purchase urns and caskets from funeral directors when purchasing them within the state. They cant buy from an Oklahoma supplier or an Oklahoma manufacturer of those products.

But you can have them shipped in from out-of-state sellers.

Thats because in Oklahoma only fully licensed funeral directors can sell you a casket, and to get that license, you have to complete a minimum two-year accredited mortuary science program, pass the National Board Exam and the Oklahoma State Board of Mortuary Arts Exam, and then complete an apprenticeship.

Photograph image of white coffins or caskets on the floor.

Why?

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Theres a huge difference between selling a casket and operating a funeral parlor with equipment for body storage, an embalming process, a crematorium and all the functions of a full-service funeral parlor. That distinction is why 47 other states allow residents to buy funeral merchandise from any retailer.

Instead, in Oklahoma the public is left with fewer options, higher prices due to lack of competition, and fewer opportunities for small businesses across the state.

Opinion: Poor math and reading skills in our public schools must improve  and quickly

Let me give you an example of the absurdity of Oklahomas law as it currently stands. Todd Collard and Candi Mentink, a husband-and-wife team from Calvin, Oklahoma, operate Caskets of Honor. They customize caskets with designs, like American flags and religious symbols, that artistically reflect the life experiences and accomplishments of the deceased. They want to sell caskets directly to Oklahomans but are prohibited by state law, something they discovered when the Oklahoma Funeral Board fined them for selling their customized caskets.

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In 2022, the states Funeral Board fined Todd and Candi $8,200 for displaying their caskets at a fair without being a licensed funeral director and told them to cease operations.

Todd and Candi paid a reduced fine and moved their business to Texas, where federal law protects their right to engage in interstate commerce and ship caskets to Oklahoma.

Opinion: No, chivalry isn't dead. But its survival depends on you.

Let me repeat my earlier question. Is that insane, or what?

I am working to fix this injustice. I filed Senate Bill 559 that amends the funeral directors license so that people wanting to just sell funeral service merchandise within Oklahoma are exempt from the licensing requirements.

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Pretty simple. Let Oklahoma businesses sell to Oklahomans what businesses in every other state can sell and ship into Oklahoma. Common sense.

Michael Bergstrom

Michael Bergstrom represents District 1 in the Oklahoma Senate.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OK funeral homes monopolize caskets. Let's change that | Opinion
President Donald Trump addresses the 2025 Republican Issues Conference at the Trump National Doral Miami on Jan. 27 in Doral, Florida (Joe Raedle/Getty Images).

The Central and Northern Missouri chapter of Catholic Charities will end its refugee resettlement program March 31.

In an email to supporters, Executive Director Litz Main said the nonprofit had to end the program due to the lack of federal funding.

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We deeply appreciate your partnership and shared commitment to serving those in need, Main said in the email. As we navigate this transition, we welcome opportunities to collaborate in new ways to continue supporting refugee families in our region.

The cuts come from a federal level, after President Donald Trump suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and halted all funding for agencies that support refugees. Although the executive order was blocked by a federal judge in February, local resettlement programs still face a lack of federal funds.

There is no indication when the program will resume, and the case is expected to face an appeal from the Trump administration.

Catholic Charities has provided food assistance, disaster relief and family services for refugees for 14 years through the program. The program stopped accepting new refugees earlier this year because of uncertainty about the future, according to an emailed statement.

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The organization has worked with partner agencies to have those groups take over providing support to refugees. That transition will be complete by March 31, according to the statement.

We are proud to have welcomed and walked alongside so many who now call Missouri home, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting these families through our partner agencies, Main said in the statement Wednesday. She was not available for additional questions.

Catholic Charities said in the statement it will continue to focus on its mission to support those in need in the Diocese of Jefferson City.

City of Refuge, a refugee-focused nonprofit in Columbia, said in an email to its supporters Tuesday that one of the largest federal grants it receives will no longer be given to nonprofits. The funding will end Sept. 30. City of Refuge was not available for comment.

This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online.
The mood was grim at a town hall meeting called by the Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday. The gathering came one day after The New York Times reported a bombshell  Lee Zeldin, the agencys administrator, plans to dismantle its Office of Research and Development, eliminating 50 to 75 percent of its 1,500 or so chemists, toxicologists, biologists, and other experts. The department, which conducts essential research to inform federal policies, plays a critical role in the agencys mission to safeguard public health and the environment. Laying off most of its staff, many of whom are career scientists, would leave the EPA without the independent and rigorous science needed to develop effective regulations. No one consulted the offices leaders about the plan.

Maureen Gwinn, who leads the Office of Research and Development, or ORD, is not a political appointee, and her team learned about the specifics of the proposal when they read about it in the Times. Managers quickly set up an all-hands with the department staff to discuss it.

There was no preparation, Holly Wilson, an EPA employee and president of the union that represents its employees, told Grist. They were caught off guard, and acting as good leaders, wanted to bring their folks together and add some context around what happened.

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Employees from all over the country dialed into the call, which lasted about 30 minutes. They wanted to know when the layoffs would begin, how they would be notified if they were being terminated, and whether buyouts would be offered. One person asked if they could publish their research after being fired. Management had few specific answers.

The Times reporting was based on documents the EPA provided to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The proposal, which was submitted to the White House last week and could change in the coming days, calls for dissolving the research office, firing most of its employees, and reassigning those who remain to other roles. Under the plan, the agency would seek a waiver to halve the standard notice period for a reduction in force from 60 to 30 days.

We dont know which jobs, which pieces are going to go away and which ones stay, said Wilson. The uncertainty is whats causing a lot of the angst.

It is the latest assault on the agency. Over the last two months, the Trump administration has fired more than 400 of its probationary workers, only to reinstate them after a court mandated it. The agency also shuttered its Office of Environmental Justice and froze funding for various climate programs.

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EPA employees had been bracing for these changes. In implementing President Donald Trumps executive order to reduce the federal workforce, the Office of Management and Budget has required agencies to submit phase two of their reduction in force plans by April 14. The Office of Research and Development is the largest department within the agency, and often the subject of presidential efforts to rein it in or expand it. Project 2025, the conservative blueprint for Trumps second term, specifically foreshadowed the current events. It recommended eliminating several ORD offices and programs, and called the department bloated, unaccountable, closed, outcome-driven, hostile to public and legislative input, and inclined to pursue political rather than purely scientific goals.

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The end of the EPAs fight to protect overpolluted communities

Lylla Younes

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Still, the scale of the proposed rollbacks has caught almost everyone off guard. Whats new is the extreme nature of this, said a senior EPA official, who requested anonymity given the sensitivity of the topic. This is not designed to cut expenses, its designed to destroy the department.

Democrats have pushed back, arguing that the offices functions are protected by federal law and eliminating it is illegal. Every decision EPA makes must be in furtherance of protecting human health and the environment, and that just cant happen if you gut EPA science, Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), ranking member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, said in a statement to Grist. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are putting their polluter buddies bottom lines over the health and safety of Americans.

Republican members of the committee did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did the Heritage Foundation, a major backer of Project 2025, or the EPA.

The Office of Research and Development supports six research programs through offices in 10 facilities. It works alongside EPA offices that oversee air and water quality, chemical safety, toxic chemicals, and childrens health, and its research division is responsible for answering key questions that others within the agency rely on to develop policies. This split of duties has allowed its researchers to produce independent science detailing, among other things, the health impacts of algal blooms, soot exposure, and toxic chemicals such as hexavalent chromium, ethylene oxide, formaldehyde, and chloroprene.

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This work provides the foundation for many of the environmental and public health regulations safeguarding people nationwide. For instance, its work was central to regulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of compounds abbreviated as PFAS and nicknamed forever chemicals because they do not easily degrade in the environment. Nearly two decades ago, EPA researchers collected water samples along the Cape Fear River in North Carolina where a chemical facility was discharging its waste. They found these chemicals in the samples, and in the drinking water supply for the nearby city of Wilmington. This research made the ubiquity of PFAS clear and established that the public was being exposed to it through drinking water.

In the years since, the Office of Research and Development helped develop methods to identify and measure PFAS in the environment, understand the risks of human exposure, and develop the technologies that would destroy them, said Jennifer Orme-Zavaleta, who worked at the EPA for 40 years and led the research office during part of President Trumps first term. Last year, the agency finalized the first rules governing PFAS levels in drinking water.

The office has played a huge role in characterizing and opening our awareness of the contamination of our environment by PFAS compounds, Orme-Zavaleta said.

Without the research office, its unclear where the EPA might turn for scientific analysis. To a degree, officials could increasingly classify decisions as policy rather than science-based and minimize, or skip, research altogether. Some functions could shift to other parts of the agency, like the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, which is now headed by Nancy Beck, a former chemical industry lobbyist. The government also could simply rely upon science funded by the very industries it regulates.

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Thats the fox guarding the hen house, said the senior official. The EPA makes critical decisions that determine our public health. Do you want those informed by industry hearsay or real facts?

Eliminating the Office of Research and Development is the most drastic proposal from the Trump administration to reshape the EPA  but its unlikely to be the last. The research office accounts for just 10 percent of the agencys resources, according to Orme-Zavaleta, a short way toward Zeldins stated goal of eliminating 65 percent of the agencys spending. As Orme-Zavaleta puts it, many more shoes are going to be dropping.

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Caught off guard: EPA proposes to fire hundreds of scientists on Mar 20, 2025.
ST. LOUIS  Over the span of a few weeks, fires have broken out across the state, causing hazy skies for everyone, reduced air quality, and forcing evacuations in some areas.

But where are all these fires coming from?

The most common reason is simply from brushfires in bad conditions. Lately, the area has been issued several red flag warnings and elevated fire dangers, which attribute to high winds with low relative humidity and low dead fuel moisture, or simply an extra dry environment. These conditions mixed with flames can contribute to extreme fire behavior, the NWS said.

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And until we get a significant amount of rain, the area will continue to see these same conditions.

Just Wednesday night, an evacuation was ordered to a portion of residents in Reynolds County, Missouri, due to the brushfires out of control. Wind gusts during the day reached up to 60 mph in the viewing area.

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Before the severe weather Friday, one Bellefontaine Neighbors resident lost everything after as fire spread through the area, with wind suspected as a factor. Other residences had siding melt, or their homes were destroyed.

The National Weather Service urges people to avoid any outdoor burning, properly extinguish cigarettes, and avoid stopping/parking vehicles on dry vegetation for the time being.

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Additionally, downed power lines have been igniting flames from recent winds and storms. At Macks Creek near the Lake of the Ozarks area, around two dozen structures burned, in addition to 500 acres across Camden County last week.

Luckily, there may be opportunity for decent rain Saturday evening into Sunday, FOX 2 meteorologist Chris Higgins said.

To stay updated on current red flag warnings or elevated fire dangers, click here.

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KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  During a call between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart, the U.S. leader apparently suggested Volodymyr Zelenskyy consider transferring ownership of Ukraines power plants to the U.S. for long-term security, according to a U.S. statement.

Briefing the media later, Zelenskyy said the discussion with Trump had focused specifically on the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, ZNPP, in southern Ukraine.

While the facility remains connected to Ukraines energy grid without producing electricity, it has been under Russian control since the early days of the war, making it unclear what future U.S. involvement could look like.

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Who controls the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant?

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is one of the worlds 10 largest and Europes biggest. Located in Ukraines southern Zaporizhzhia region, Russian forces occupied it shortly after Moscows February 2022 invasion.

While Russia declared the region annexed in fall 2022, its largest city, Zaporizhzhia, remains under Ukrainian control.

Ukraine has accused Russia of stationing troops and weapons at the plant and using it as a launchpad for attacks across the Dnipro River. Russia denies this, accusing Ukraine of shelling the facility.

How many nuclear power plants does Ukraine have?

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Besides Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine operates three active nuclear power plants, which generate the majority of the countrys electricity following sustained Russian attacks on thermal and hydroelectric plants.

These facilities are located in southern, western and northwestern Ukraine, away from frontline areas.

What did Trump and Zelenskyy discuss and are there negotiations over Zaporizhzhias fate?

During their call on Wednesday, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy should consider giving the U.S. ownership of Ukraines power plants to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

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American ownership of those plants could be the best protection for that infrastructure, Trump suggested, according to the statement.

Zelenskyy later told journalists their conversation focused on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and the following day, made it clear that the issue of ownership of the other three plants was never discussed.

All nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine, he said.

Zelenskyy said that when they discussed Zaporizhzhia, the U.S. leader had inquired about the facilitys future. Trump asked my thoughts on the plant," Zelenskyy said. I told him that if it is not Ukrainian, it will not operate. It is illegal.

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Even though ZNPP is a state-owned plant, Zelenskyy acknowledged that if the U.S. were to claim it from Russian control, invest in it and modernize it, Ukraine might consider it. That is a separate question, an open one, he said.

What is the current state of Zaporizhzhias nuclear plant?

Since falling under Russian control, the plant's conditions have deteriorated. While its six reactors have been shut down for years, they still require power and qualified staff to maintain cooling systems and safety features.

Energoatom, Ukraines state nuclear operator, said that after Russian forces took over, Ukrainian personnel were forced to sign contracts with Russian authorities and take Russian citizenship. Those who refused faced abduction or threats, forcing thousands to flee, leaving the facility understaffed and harder to manage.

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The collapse of a dam in June 2023 further jeopardized the plants cooling systems, which relied on water from the reservoir. In response, plant administrators dug wells, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Zelenskyy said extensive repairs would be needed before the plant could operate again, estimating the process could take at least two years.

The IAEA has repeatedly warned the war could cause a radiation leak. While the plant no longer produces electricity, it still holds large amounts of nuclear fuel, requiring constant cooling.

Regular blackouts caused by the fighting have disrupted the facility, though power has been quickly restored each time.

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IAEA experts permanently stationed there still face restricted access, with Russian authorities blocking some inspection requests, according to IAEA head Rafael Grossi.

Is any kind of deal imminent?

Zelenskyy said the discussions with Trump on restoring Zaporizhzhia were a positive step, but cautioned that no one would work at the plant if Russian forces remained stationed nearby.

Control over the plant is likely to remain a legal and logistical challenge, intertwined with a highly divisive issue for both warring sides: control over the land itself. Russian troops hold the area, while Ukrainian forces are separated from it by the Dnipro River and more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) of terrain.

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Simply handing over the plant while everything within a meter of it remains occupied or armed by Russia  no one will work under such conditions," Zelenskyy said after the call with Trump. Its impossible.

He said there would be no way to operate securely in such a scenario. That would mean that the plant could start operating tomorrow, only to be blown up by the Russians the following day."

____

Follow APs coverage of Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine and coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
[Watch previous FOX 8 News coverage in the player above.]

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio (WJW)  Demolition crews on Wednesday were expected to start moving equipment onto the site of the Marquee at Cedar Lee  a $66 million mixed-use development, part of which was severely damaged in a January fire.

The fire-ravaged building facing Cedar Road is set to be prepared for demolition Wednesday through Friday, with the teardown starting on Monday, March 24, according to a news release from the city. Demolition work will start on the northeast corner and continue to the northwest corner.

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Ronayne talks about keeping the Browns downtown

Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site. WJW photo Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site. WJW photo Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site. WJW photo Aftermath of fire at Cleveland Heights apartment project site. WJW photo Next day photos of fire at apartment complex. WJW photo construction site Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site. WJW photo Next day photos of fire at apartment complex construction site. WJW photo

The loss of public parking at the development following the fire had a major impact on local businesses, FOX 8 News previously reported. The parking garage reopened earlier this month, partially boarded up on the side facing the building, according to the release.

The demolition is expected to begin on the side of the building facing the nearby Wendys, which has been closed since the fire, according to the release. The fire also delayed the opening of a new Arthur Treachers restaurant.

We are relieved and excited at City Hall for the Cedar Lee businesses and surrounding neighborhoods in particular, and the city in general, that the process to rebuild the portion of the Marquee at Cedar Lee destroyed in the fire is underway, Mayor Kahlil Seren said in the release. Its time to look forward again to the forthcoming opening of the complex. This is excellent news.

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Many feared that we couldnt get to this point in two to five years, but the city and the developer were united in their dedication to eliminating the blight and rebuilding swiftly. Were doing just that.

Cedar Road is closed from Lee Road to Goodnor Road, due to the risk of a potential collapse within 15 feet of the burned-out building, according to the release.

Heres when 3 new Meijer supercenters are opening in NE Ohio

Once the demolition is underway and its safe for cars to pass, traffic will resume on Cedar Road with reduced lanes in both directions, according to the release.

City, state and private fire investigators have spent the last month-and-a-half examining the cause of the fire before the buildings demolition.

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Authorities on Feb. 6 said there was no evidence of tampering at the site.

The luxury apartment complex was slated to open this summer.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
CHIPPEWA FALLS  Chippewa Falls Schools Superintendent Jeff Holmes issued a letter to parents on Wednesday, apologizing for the decision to cancel in-person classes and move to remote learning, in anticipation of a winter snowstorm that never materialized.

First and foremost, I want to sincerely apologize for the disruption this caused to your schedules, routines, and daily lives, Holmes wrote. I understand the challenges that unexpected remote learning days create for families and staff, including childcare arrangements, work adjustments, and learning/teaching modifications.

The decision to close schools is always difficult, and in this case, we relied on the National Weather Services Winter Storm Watch (24-hour forecast), which, at the time, predicted significant precipitation, strong winds, and hazardous travel conditions., he wrote. As superintendent, I must prioritize student and staff safety when making these decisions. However, I acknowledge that weather forecasting is imperfect, and in this instance, our community was certainly spared the predicted severe conditions.

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The Chippewa Falls School District budgeted for two snow cancellation days, which they already used up. Wednesday was now the third remote learning day this winter as well. Holmes said making that decision is not one they make lightly.

While we cannot control weather patterns or the accuracy of forecasts, we can and will continue to review our inclement weather-related closure protocols, Holmes wrote. We will use this experience to inform future decisions surrounding remote learning and improve our communications, which will likely mean moving toward the 12-hour NWS/NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) forecast as the major determiner and being able to inform families and staff during the evening hours prior to the event, rather than before the end of the school day  adjusted remote learning criteria, protocols, and processes to be determined and communicated in the weeks ahead.

Holmes thanked parents and the public for their patience and understanding.

I deeply value the trust you place in us, and I remain committed to making decisions that prioritize both safety and educational continuity for all students, he wrote. Again, I sincerely apologize for (Wednesdays) disruption to normal school operations.
CHIPPEWA FALLS  The city of Chippewa Falls is looking to reach an agreement for the YMCA to take over operations of the Bernard Willi Municipal Pool.

Parks director John Jimenez told the citys revenues and disbursement committee about the sharing agreement idea.

The conversation started up about the immediate need for staffing, and our ability to get lifeguards. Thats how this conversation got started, Jimenez said. I think they are supportive of this effort.

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Jimenez said the Park Board also was supportive of the plan. The city and the YMCA would collaborate on setting the schedule. The city would continue its responsibility for maintenance and upgrades.

Rates would be unchanged from 2024, at $5 for a day pass and $40 for swimming lessons.

That is a concrete portion of this agreement, Jimenez said.

The proposal is they would take in any revenue from day passes and swimming lessons, he said.

Jimenez asked that the city pay for 50% of any shortfall of operating expenses.

The pools 2025 operational budget is $112,000, which includes $58,000 for employees  lifeguards and the aquatic manager.

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Total revenues generated at the pool last year were $76,041, up from recent years, and Jimenez attributes that to the return of the slide. He also had enough lifeguards last year. In some past years, they didnt have enough staffing, and the pool was only open on weekends.

The parks department has already been trying to hire lifeguards for the summer. Jimenez said that the YMCA pays a higher wage for lifeguards, which should help attract and retain workers. About 50% to 60% of the summer pool staff last summer also work at the YMCA.

Jimenez suggested it be a one-year plan and see how it goes, and revisit if the sharing agreement would continue next year.

The Bernard Willi Outdoor Pool is located at Marshall Park, which is in a flood plain. It means some upgrades to the pool and structures can be made, but replacing it entirely at that site would be prohibited by the Department of Natural Resources. So, the city has had some discussion about relocating the pool to the YMCA grounds.

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Councilmember Rob Kiefer noted that this conversation will need to be revisited so both sides can sign a contract. Kiefer noted it would free up full-time parks staff to focus on other parts of their job, like the recreational programs.

In my opinion, I think this is a good direction for us to go. Im not 100% sold on it, Kiefer said.

Mayor Greg Hoffman noted that getting enough lifeguards has been a challenge his entire run as a council member and mayor.

At some point, changes are going to have to happen, Hoffman said.

Councilman John Monarski recommended the idea be sent to the full City Council for further discussion but he added, Im not fully impressed with this proposal.

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The pool is generally only open about nine or 10 weeks, from early June until mid-August.

Making repairs

In spring 2022, a Chippewa Falls committee comprising all City Council members discussed not funding future renovations of the pool; no vote was ever taken. Jimenez told them that the pool structure and facilities were out of compliance with federal mandates. Since then, the City Council has made several investments to keep the aging pool operating. In 2023, the Council approved a new pool heater at an estimated cost of $87,730, and a pool filter that was estimated at $70,000. A pool design study also was unanimously approved at a cost of up to $10,000.

In early 2024, the Council spent $80,000 in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to refurbish the pools slide, which had sat unused for the past two years.

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The municipal pool is now more than 30 years old and is in need of repairs or being replaced. However, that could cost $4.5 million and the Council has stated it would have to come from private dollars, not the city budget.

Remodeling the bathrooms would cost $250,000 to $350,000. Replacing the slide tower would cost $150,000 to $200,000. Shade structures would cost $60,000, underwater lighting upgrades are $30,000, new deck lighting poles are $30,000, meeting ADA access requirements are $40,000, filtration and pump replacements are $30,000, and fencing upgrades are $18,000. Also, a plan to add a splash pad would cost $400,000 to $600,000.

The pool has never been a revenue generator and usually operates at a loss.

The pool was named after Bernard Willi, who served as Chippewa Falls mayor from 1990 to 1992. In that two-year term, he was instrumental in getting the new municipal pool built. He took the honorary first trip down the slide when it opened. The old pool was destroyed and replaced with the new one at the same location.
Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis has uncovered a direct financial connection between Mexican drug cartels and Chinese fentanyl precursor suppliers through cryptocurrency transactions. In a recent report, the firm highlighted how cryptocurrency is increasingly involved in the illicit drug trade.

The discovery was made during a civil forfeiture case in Wisconsin, where authorities seized $5.5 million in cryptocurrency. This seizure exposed the way cartel-affiliated money launderers in the U.S. transferred funds to Chinese chemical manufacturers who supply fentanyl precursors. Despite Chinas ban on cryptocurrency, Chinese manufacturers remain the primary source of fentanyl precursors, pill presses, and other equipment used in the production of synthetic opioids.

The report revealed that transactions made by these cartels used relatively unsophisticated crypto techniques, such as moving funds through centralized exchanges and unhosted wallets. These transactions were fast and straightforward, prioritizing speed over security, making them visible to investigators.

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Chainalysis noted that these cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, use "bulk cash-to-crypto pipelines" to pay for fentanyl precursors. Law enforcement has identified multiple components in this crypto-driven supply chain, which includes Chinese manufacturers who openly advertise their products online, postage services accepting crypto, and darknet markets facilitating transactions.

From 2018 to 2023, a group of suspected China-based chemical traders received more than $37.8 million in payments made through cryptocurrency, according to Chainalysis data. This shows the scale of the connection between Chinese suppliers and Mexican cartels.

The increasing use of crypto has allowed cartels to bypass financial controls, with Chinese nationals using cryptocurrency and underground banking networks to move money. Despite the illicit nature of these transactions, the relatively simple methods used by the cartels still make them effective in moving funds for fentanyl production.

This report underscores how blockchain analytics is becoming an essential tool in uncovering the complex financial networks tied to drug trafficking. The growing role of cryptocurrency in the illicit drug trade highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in tracking and dismantling these operations.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA)  Before severe weather rolled into Champaign, the Citys fire department went out to train for a different kind of emergency: cramped space rescue training.

A team of firefighters had to go down a hatch  hook up a person who was unconscious  and get them to safety.

Champaign County Sheriffs Office looking to correct a hiring issue

Wednesday was the second of three practice days for the department. Two people went down the hatch with air packs  and three stayed outside to secure the victim with a tripod. Captain Bryan Ball said this type of rescue has a lot of moving parts. Which makes it even more important to make sure his guys skills stay fresh.

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Fortunately, confined space incidents arent an issue, Ball said. There are confined space entries performed in Champaign and Urbana every day in a variety of different industries and businesses. And luckily people dont have issues. But we have to stay on top of our equipment, stay trained, so if something does happen, we can respond quickly.

Ball said each session will include 10 firefighters  meaning around 90 will be trained this week.

Its being held at the Sholem Aquatic Center at Centennial park  so dont be alarmed if you see fire trucks surrounding the building. The last three sessions will be Friday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

WASHINGTON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states.

Beyond the "core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department," Trump said in a speech at the White House.

"We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible," Trump said.

Noting that the Education Department is "doing us no good" -- citing low proficiency in reading and math among students in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools -- Trump said his administration is returning education to the states.

The U.S. president noted that the department's functions such as Pell Grants, Title I, and funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs, will be "fully preserved" and be "redistributed to various other agencies and departments."

Pell Grants are a form of federal financial aid that helps low-income undergraduate students pay for college. Title I provides federal funding to school districts and schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families, focusing on improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged students.

"The Trump administration is denying the next generation the resources they need to succeed in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. It is a betrayal to students, parents, and educators," Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Rep. Grace Meng and Education Task Force Chair Rep. Mark Takano said in a joint statement.

"This is an unlawful decision and Congress must not cede its authority in the face of this order," according to the statement.

The establishment and dismantling of federal agencies generally require Congressional approval through legislation. If Trump wants to shut down the Education Department, it must go through the legislative process in Congress. It is still unclear how he will proceed with this executive order.

Trump has long criticized the Education Department, arguing that despite significant federal investment in education, the quality of education has not met expectations, citing deficiencies in American students' skills in reading, math, and other areas.

At the same time, Trump has accused the department of being filled with individuals who hold left-wing ideologies, even describing it as a hotbed of "radicals, zealots and Marxists," believing that these individuals have expanded their power through excessive guidance and regulation. He advocates for returning educational authority to the states to avoid excessive federal intervention.

The Education Department previously initiated a large-scale layoff. According to earlier U.S. media reports, the department, which originally had 4,000 employees, would cut nearly half of its workforce. Trump said Thursday that the "reduction in force" was successful. "We've cut the number of bureaucrats in half, 50 percent," he said. 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump holds up a signed executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on March 20, 2025. Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)
KENTWOOD, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan judge dismissed a manslaughter charge Thursday in the death of a homeless woman whose body was discovered in a friend's locked storage unit after a fire.

The case revealed tragic circumstances and poor life choices but not a crime by the woman who controlled the unit, Kentwood District Judge Amanda Sterkenburg said.

Morgan Wingeier, 32, wiped away tears when the judge threw out charges of involuntary manslaughter and unlawful imprisonment, WOOD-TV reported.

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Wingeier made a poor choice locking her friend in the storage unit, but is it better to leave a friend in the wind with no roof over her head? the judge said.

Wingeier had allowed Corinne Abosamra, 33, to stay in her storage unit in Kentwood. Abosamra's body was found when firefighters responded to a fire there on Nov. 7.

A drug overdose  not the fire  killed Abosamra, who had been living in the unit for three days, authorities said.

Wingeier told investigators that she locked the unit on the day of the fire only because of questions by her mother, who was present and didn't know a person was inside. She said she had planned to return and unlock it.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, WOOD-TV said.
ST. LOUIS  A Jennings, Missouri, man appeared in St. Louis Circuit Court on Thursday to face charges for a shooting earlier in the week.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened in the 3200 block of Michigan Avenue, located in the Benton Park West neighborhood.

Police said Wendell C. Nolan, 43, and another man were arguing. At one point, Nolan went to his car and retrieved a gun from his car, walked back, and shot the other man.

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Family of Riley Strain files wrongful death lawsuit against Delta Chi fraternity

The victim needed immediate surgery, police said.

Police said they have video of the shooting.

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Nolan with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Nolan remains jailed without bond. His next court date was not listed in online records at the time of publication.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Kinte Fisher, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for distributing large quantities of cocaine in the Wilmington area from early 2017 to July 2022, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced on Thursday.

Man heads to prison for trying to smuggle 20 pounds of cocaine through CLT

Fisher, 47, pled guilty on November 5, 2024, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The investigation, conducted by the FBI and Wilmington Police Department, revealed that Fisher used a stash house in Wilmington to sell cocaine.

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According to court documents, Fisher distributed at least 62 kilograms of cocaine over five years. He often used the pretext of visiting family to deliver cocaine and supervised several individuals involved in the operation, including his girlfriend.

On July 25, 2022, surveillance showed Fisher traveling to Wilmington, where he was seen entering his stash house with a backpack. After leaving the house, he disposed of plastic wrap that tested positive for cocaine residue, leading law enforcement to attempt a traffic stop.

Fisher fled, resulting in a high-speed chase through Wilmington, which ended with his arrest at the Wilmington Riverwalk after he abandoned his car and attempted to escape on foot. During the chase, Fisher discarded his cellphone into the river. A search of Fishers stash house uncovered approximately 340 grams of cocaine, a scale, and drug packaging materials.

The investigation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation, which targets high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations.
A convicted felon from Charlotte has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for illegal possession of a firearm and machinegun, according to the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District in North Carolina.

Trevaris Devar Kennedy, 21, was arrested by the Statesville Police Department in December of 2023. Authorities say Kennedy was a passenger in a car with an expired registration tag that sped away from police. The driver of the car led police on a foot chase. Two firearms were thrown from the car: a Glock, Model 19, 9mm, and a stolen Glock, Model 26, 9mm. Both of the guns were modified, officials say. A total of 55 rounds and mm9 ammunition were also found.

ALSO READ: 5 charged with unlawful firearm possession in NC under Project Safe Neighborhoods

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Kennedy was arrested a month later on gun charges and police found videos and photos on his phone of him holding firearms that were also illegally modified. When he was arrested, Kennedy was already on probation for prior criminal convictions. He was not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition at the time, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Charlotte man sentenced to 46 months after 2023 arrest in Statesville

Kennedy is now in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons once he is designated for a federal facility.

(WATCH BELOW: Woman accused of attacking flight attendant on flight to Charlotte)
CHATHAM, Ill. (WCIA)  Drivers blowing through stop signs is one of the top complaints the Chatham Police Department says they respond to, and they showed this happening firsthand on Thursday.

In a Facebook post, the department posted a dashcam video of a driver going right through the four-way stop intersection of Ptarmigan Drive and Newcombe Lane without slowing down. The vehicle on video approaches the stop sign, with a fully marked squad car sitting at the intersection.

State Police Director testifies before Senate on human trafficking bill

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The police car was sitting at that intersection due to citizen complaints of people blowing the stop signs there. After being pulled over, the driver admitted that they saw both the squad car and the stop sign and still decided to run through the intersection without stopping.

The department also said they have recently stopped several other motorists at this intersection for the same reason. Motorists running stop signs is one of their biggest neighborhood complaints.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
By Lev Sergeev and Dmitriy Turlyun

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Wrapped up in warm coats and woolly hats, hundreds of people have braved Moscow's chilly spring weather to form an orderly queue. But they have not come to see a celebrity or an exclusive exhibition. What they want are Japanese visas.

With most of Europe having banned direct flights with Russia, and Japan offering free visas, Russians are exploring new holiday destinations and making the most of the strengthening rouble and a rise in real wages fuelled by the economic recovery wrought by Moscow's heavy spending on the war in Ukraine.

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Japanese airlines no longer have direct flights with Russia, but the Japanese embassy in Moscow said Russian visitor numbers were increasing along with the availability of connecting flights.

The number of Russians holidaying in Japan is set to double this year from around 100,000 in 2024, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Russian union of the tourism industry, told Reuters.

Queues at the embassy are understandable, Gorin added, as Japan's famous cherry blossoms in spring were a popular attraction.

"The most important thing is that there are no complicated visa formalities and there is an affordable flight," he said.

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In November, Japan stopped requiring Russian visitors to submit documents in advance to confirm they had paid for hotels for their stay. Return tickets, often with connections in China, start from around 40,000 roubles ($477.64), Gorin said.

Elizaveta, who Reuters spoke to as she queued for her appointment at the Japanese embassy in Moscow, said the simpler visa process had encouraged her to buy tickets.

"We've wanted to go for a long time," she said. "Nowadays, it's more difficult to get to Europe. It only takes four to five days to get a visa to Japan, so we decided to go."

The people Reuters spoke to at the embassy declined to give their family names.

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'LONG TIME DREAM'

Before Moscow launched the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, millions of Russians travelled to Europe every year.

Those trips, via indirect routes since most European airspace is closed to Russian carriers, have become more expensive. Current annual visitor numbers of around 300,000 people are about 90% below 2019 levels, according to Gorin.

Russia's economy contracted briefly under the weight of sanctions, but has since rebounded and soaring consumer demand, including on air travel, has contributed to overheating.

But the rouble's sharp appreciation this year - on hopes that improving ties between Washington and Moscow could lead to some kind of conflict resolution in Ukraine - has only helped Russians heading to Japan, and elsewhere.

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International travel has mostly pivoted to countries that have not imposed sanctions on Moscow.

"The rouble's strengthening directly affects the cost of tours and consumer interest in holidays abroad," said Lyubov Voronina, head of international projects at tourism comparison site sletat.ru.

Depending on what they plan to do on their trip, tourists can currently save between 10% and 30%, Voronina said.

The combination of a higher disposable income and lower prices has come at the perfect time for some.

"It's been a long time dream for me, ever since I was a child," said Nikita at the embassy. "Now I have the money to come and decided to do. Moreover, the prices have now dropped."

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The one obstacle for Russians is that long queue, but Anton, asked if he was worried he might run out of time to submit his application that day, simply said: "Well, I'll come tomorrow then."

($1 = 83.7455 roubles)

(Reporting by Lev Sergeev, Dmitry Turlyun and Anastasia Bakhur; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY)  A Southside Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic was planned to help address the increasing veteran population in the Tidewater region, however, lawmakers are now casting doubt if that will be possible due to recent job cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Chesapeakes new VA Outpatient Clinic on North Battlefield Boulevard in Greenbrier is expected to open April 17.

The 196,000 square foot, two-story facility, developed by Las Vegas-based The Molasky Group, was built to provide outpatient services such as primary care, mental health and eye clinic services.

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In 2022, the Hampton VA Healthcare Systems former executive director said the new clinic would make it possible for more than half of the systems, nearly 70,000 enrolled veterans, to no longer be required to cross from the Southside to the Peninsula for care.

Following a tour of the property Wednesday, Sen. Tim Kaine, (D-Va.) and Rep. Bobby Scott, (D-Newport News) both cast doubt on if the shiny new building will be able to live up to its promises.

Veterans clinic on track to open fall 2024 in Chesapeake

More than 1,000 probationary VA employees were laid off in February, and the VAs chief of staff, Christopher Syrek, told top-level officials at the agency he was looking to eliminate roughly 80,000 additional positions.

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The Trump administrations cuts to the VA have been criticized by both major political parties in Virginia, where the veteran population is expected to grow more than 2% over the next several years.

Kaine, who, along with Scott, have been critical of the current staffing at the VA, is concerned this will only set veterans back.

This full staff here is 550, Kaine said. They think theyll open with about 150 staffers  in this area where the veterans population is growing so quickly, where the taxpayer has funded this state of the art facility that weve worked on for years to open with a 25 to 30% staff  it is definitely not anything we can feel good about.

While a federal judge has recently issued an injunction directing the Trump administration to reinstate fired probationary workers, Scott thinks it could already be too little too late.

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With the unfreeze by the courts, theyve called some of them back and theyre saying, no, no, no, Ive had enough,' Scott said. And so, its making it difficult, very difficult.

A spokesperson for the Hampton VA Medical System did not respond to an email Wednesday asking if the smaller staff was indeed due to ongoing federal cuts.

Two months into this administration  theres a war on veterans, Kaine said. I mean, Ill just say it as bluntly as that. When you willy nilly fire federal employees and 30% of the federal workforce is veterans, youre disproportionately hurting veterans more than any other group.

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The Chicago Department of Public Health is advising city residents to check their measles vaccination records, as the illness continues to spread in other parts of the country.

No cases of measles have been reported in Illinois this year. But across the country, there have been more than 300 cases so far this year in 15 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective way to protect against catching the illness. Two doses of the vaccine are recommended for lifetime protection and are 97% effective against measles, according to the CDC. One dose is 93% effective against the illness.

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Without protection, measles is highly contagious. If one person has the measles, up to 90% of the people nearby will catch it if they are not immune, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

People can check their vaccination status by contacting their health care providers or looking at their medical records. Or they can use the Illinois Department of Public Healths online portal, Vax Verify, to check their immunization status.

The first dose of the vaccine, or a similar vaccine  the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) vaccine  typically is given at age 12 months to 15 months. The second dose is often given from ages 4 to 6.

Before the late 1980s, many people got just one dose of the vaccine in childhood, but the recommendation changed to two doses amid a rise in measles cases at that time, Dworkin said. Still, there is no recommendation for most adults who received only one dose as a child regarding receive a booster now, though some groups of adults, such as health care workers and people traveling internationally should have two doses, according to the CDC.

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A single dose is very good. A booster is great, said Dr. Mark Dworkin, a professor and associate director for epidemiology at University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health.

The Chicago Department of Public Health offers MMR vaccinations for anyone who needs them, regardless of whether they have health insurance, at immunization clinics throughout city, a list of which can be found by going to getvaxchi.chicago.gov. The clinics take walk-ins, but patients are encouraged to register online or by calling the clinic.

Measles symptoms typically start about one to two weeks after a person is exposed to the illness and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes and a rash that breaks out three to five days after symptoms start, according to the CDC.

The recommendation from the Chicago health department comes amid outbreaks of the illness, including in Texas, which has had 279 cases since late January, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Of those cases, 277 people were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown.

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In the Texas outbreak, 36 patients have been hospitalized, and one child has died. The child who died was unvaccinated and had no known underlying conditions, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The child was the first person to die of measles in the U.S. in a decade.

New Mexico has had the next-highest number of measles cases so far, with 38, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

Illinois had an outbreak of measles in March 2024 in which 67 cases were reported, with most linked to a Chicago shelter for migrants on the Lower West Side where nearly 2,500 people were living in close quarters. It was the largest outbreak in Illinois since 1990, according to the state health department.

In Illinois, about 91.6% of kindergartners had received the MMR vaccine during the 2023-2024 school year. In Illinois, routine childhood vaccinations against diseases such as measles, polio and whooping cough decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nationwide, the percentage of U.S. kindergartners vaccinated against measles decreased from 95.2% during the 20192020 school year to 92.7% in the 20232024 school year, according to the CDC.
A progressive House member from Chicago is calling on Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down from his leadership position, joining a growing list of fellow Democrats to air that view after he allowed a vote on a Republican spending plan to avoid a government shutdown.

Rep. Delia Ramirez said Wednesday that Schumer should have used the leverage of a potential shutdown to push back against President Donald Trump and a spending plan that would make additional cuts to programs and a government workforce already reeling from the work of Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency.

This is a moment for Democrats to do more than just talk about fighting or obstructing Donald Trumps agenda of destroying Social Security and Medicaid, but actually using every legislative authority to do that, Ramirez said in an interview.

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The lawmaker is one of an increasing number of House members to criticize Schumer or say he should step down, a list that may grow as they hold town halls during the recess. So far, none of the minority leaders Senate colleagues have publicly echoed that view.

A person at a town hall broached the subject Tuesday with Ramirez, asking whether she believed that Schumer should lose his minority leader position. The representative, first elected in 2018, smiled, nodded and answered yes before handing off the microphone.

I said yes, because what I wholeheartedly believe is that, in this precise moment, our constituents are asking us to be the kind of leaders that are going to truly hear our constituents and to make the hard decisions of stepping in and having the courage to do everything we can to hold the line, Ramirez told POLITICO.

Nearly every Democratic member voted against the Republican plan in the House in a display of unity under House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Schumer has said the spending resolution was a terrible bill but that a shutdown would have only empowered Trump and Musk to accelerate the firing of federal workers and slashing of public agencies.

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The veteran New York senator has said he has no plans to step down even as the criticism mounts.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a longtime Schumer ally, said Tuesday she still supports him but faulted him in unusually blunt terms for what she viewed as giving up leverage in a fight with Republicans. The same day, Democratic Rep. Glenn Iveytold a town hall in Suitland, Maryland, a Washington suburb that is home to many government workers, that Schumer should consider stepping down from his post.

Ramirez, whose view on the minority leader was first reported by Axios, said her criticism is rooted in what she has heard from constituents.

What I heard from every person that came through that line, in addition to the people that I talked to after, was we are not happy where the Democratic leadership is, she said. We believe that you all should do more.
CHICAGO  A Chicago man accused in an armed robbery on the citys West Side last month is now facing felony charges.

According to Chicago police, 36-year-old Andre Moses, an East Garfield Park resident, has been charged with one count of armed robbery with a firearm and one count of robbery of a victim with a handicap or over the age of 60.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

The felony charges stem from an armed holdup that officers say allegedly unfolded in the 600 block of North Laramie Avenue, on Monday, Feb. 10.

Photo provided by Chicago police shows 36-year-old Andre Moses who is accused of robbing a man at gunpoint on the West Side on Feb. 10, 2025.

Officers said Moses allegedly approached and robbed a 67-year-old man at gunpoint.

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Moses evaded capture for several weeks but was eventually tracked down by police and members of the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force on Tuesday.

Moses appeared in court on Wednesday for a detention hearing.

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(Reuters) -Starboard Value on Wednesday launched a boardroom battle at Autodesk, raising concerns over the design software maker's margins and intensifying the activist investor's prolonged struggle to effect changes at the company.

Starboard, which holds a $500 million stake in Autodesk, intends to nominate a minority slate of director candidates for election at the 2025 annual meeting, it said in a letter to Autodesk shareholders.

"Board change is necessary at Autodesk," said Starboard, which lost a bid to appoint its nominees to the company's board last year.

Autodesk's shares rose nearly 4% in afternoon trading. They have fallen more than 12% so far this year, marking a far deeper slump than the S&P 500's 4.5% drop.

Despite benefiting from its unique position in the design software market, Autodesk's flat margin expansion has emerged as a key investor concern.

"Autodesk spends significantly more than a wide range of scaled software peers on operating expenses," Starboard said, reiterating concerns about the company's spending.

In February, Autodesk laid out a restructuring plan including reducing its workforce by about 9% and reallocating resources towards cloud and artificial intelligence.

However, the company's outlook for 240 basis points of margin improvement in fiscal 2026 underplays the potential impact of these restructuring efforts, which could bring in as much as 500 basis points of margin improvement this year, Starboard said in its letter.

Starboard said Autodesk should be targeting underlying adjusted operating margins of about 45% by fiscal 2028, a huge jump over the company's forecast of between 36% and 37% for fiscal 2026.

Autodesk said that it had reached out to Starboard to participate in the process of appointing new directors, an offer that the activist investor dismissed.

It would review Starboard's candidates as part of its regular director evaluation process, should the investor proceed with the nomination, Autodesk added.

(Reporting by Arsheeya Bajwa in Bengaluru and Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Maju Samuel and Mohammed Safi Shamsi)
UPDATE: As of 6:40 a.m., Chanea has been located. View the original story below:

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  Chicopee Police are asking for the publics assistance in locating a 15-year-old girl.

South Hadley 16-year-old missing, last seen at Springfield Union Station

Chanea Hunt, was last seen leaving a residence on Montgomery Street Wednesday afternoon at approximately 12:45 p.m. She is described as Spanish and Black, 5 feet 3 inches tall, and weighing 110 pounds.

Courtesy of Chicopee Police Department

Chanea was last seen wearing a burgundy hoodie and possibly gray sweatpants, with black hair styled in a bun.

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Authorities urge anyone who may have seen Chanea or has information about her whereabouts to contact Chicopee Police Detectives at (413) 594-1740.

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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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Gov. Laura Kelly, during a May 14, 2024, celebration of SOUL Family legislation in Topeka, talks about her efforts to work with lawmakers to improve the state's child welfare system. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  The Childrens Alliance of Kansas will provide support for a new foster care program that expands placement options for teens by letting them stay with a family member or close friend.

The SOUL Family program, which was created through legislation last year, provides teens 16 and older in foster care the opportunity to choose a non-family member to be their guardian, while still benefiting from foster care benefits. SOUL stands for Support, Opportunity, Unity, Legal Relationships.

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It gives youths the opportunity to define family in their own terms and create a route to permanency, said KVC education and transition specialists supervisor Kim Duncan. SOUL is an opportunity for that to happen.

KVC is one of the agencies that contracts with the state to provide foster care services.

The Annie E. Casey Foundation will provide a grant to the Childrens Alliance to fund a SOUL Family advisory group with the Department for Children and Families and other child welfare organizations. The funds will help pay advisory group members with lived experience in foster care.

Well be focusing on how we assess progress that were making, any insights that we have with youths who are navigating toward a SOUL family and just helping support the ongoing implementation and success of this project, said Childrens Alliance CEO Kristalle Hedrick.

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Gov. Laura Kelly made Kansas the first state to add the SOUL program to the options for permanency after signing the bill into law in April. According to data from DCF, seven teenagers in foster care have reached permanency through the program, from July to December of last year. Eight other case plans have been changed to SOUL and are in the process of being finalized. Foster teens who participate in SOUL are likely to spend less time in the foster care system.



The Childrens Alliance was a strong proponent of that legislation, Hedrick said. One of the things that were pretty proud of in the project is that we did raise the voices of young people and help them share what its like for people who have left foster care.

Along with giving foster teens a choice in guardian, they also receive permanency benefits such as health care, educational support and an adult to help with what Hedrick calls day-to-day things of life.

A SOUL family relationship is designed to last throughout the kids entire life, and its recognized by the court for their whole life, so it doesnt have to stop at age 18, like custodianship does, Hedrick said. Things are just really difficult to navigate adulthood. How do I pay my phone bill? How do I pay rent? This is an idea where several different adults from different households can step in and support youth.



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Saint Francis Ministries, a foster care organization in Kansas, recorded the first official SOUL Family case in the state and the nation.

Far too many young people leave foster care without a legal, supportive family, said Holly Dean-Osborne, vice president of permanency at Saint Francis. By providing a permanency pathway that honors their identity and relationships, SOUL Family Legal Permanency ensures that every young person has the healing and hope they need to transition successfully into adulthood.
For the thousands of passengers piling into Tokyos subway network on Monday, March 20, 1995, it should have been a commute like any other. The air was cool, the skies outside were clear, and the looming Spring Equinox  a national holiday in Japan promised respite from the countrys high-pressure work culture the next day. But unbeknown to the rush-hour crowds, among them were extremist followers of a doomsday cult about to enact Japans deadliest domestic terror attack.

At around 08:00 that morning, five disguised men punctured plastic bags with sharpened umbrellas as their separate trains hurtled towards Kasumigaseki station. The act would release a manufactured nerve agent originally developed by the Nazis in World War II, considered 26 times as deadly as cyanide. As the terrorists fled, the fumes left commuters choking, vomiting, and temporarily blinded. Thirteen were killed and over 6,000 were injured.

Thirty years on and a new feature documentary Aum: The Cult at the End of the World, explores the cultural context that led up to the attack and carries a chilling relevance for a Western world rife with radicalist thinking today. Directors Chiaki Yanagimoto and Ben Braun see it as a cautionary tale.

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This was a terrorism by Japanese people against Japanese people, and as a young kid, it was hard to grasp what the motives were, says Yanagimoto, who was an elementary school student in rural Yamanashi province, home to the largest headquarters of Aum Shinrikyo (Supreme Truth). Concerns had been raised against the suspicious doomsday cult later convicted of the attacks  she says she still remembers my friends parents warning the kids to be careful of people roaming around in white robes.

Aum Shinrikyo was founded as a yoga society in 1987 under the tutelage of Shoko Asahara (born Chizuo Matsumoto), a long-haired, partially sighted man who became a self-styled guru sometime after being reprimanded for selling tangerine peel to the elderly as a quack medical cure.

In Japans booming Bubble economy years, young people disillusioned with materialism may have thought theyd found the path to greater fulfilment when they stumbled across adverts depicting the purple-robed yogi seemingly hovering above the ground, promising to teach believers the powers of telepathy and levitation.

The cult gained official status as a religious organisation in 1989; its following grew to 3,000 members. Asaharas teachings blended Hinduism and Buddhism (hed brokered several photo opportunities with the Dalai Lama during his visits to Tibet), and later incorporated elements of apocalyptic Christian prophecies.

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But behind the walls of its communes, more sinister practices were taking place. Cult members were encouraged to sever contact with families, reject the material world, and forfeit their earnings  as bizarre energy transfer practices involving wearing electrode caps and drinking Asaharas bathwater took place. Recommended sleep was as little as three hours, one former cultist recalls in the documentary.

The first time I saw him [on TV] was during his election campaign in 1990, says Yanagimoto, referring to a failed, multi-million yen bid by Asahara and 24 other members of the group to gain seats in the House of Representatives that year. Having already widely published their own books and even anime, Asahara became a regular fixture on television. Yanagimoto feels that the media exposure played a prominent role in his influence: No one really saw him as a dangerous cult leader.

Braun adds: People were too willing to accept Aum as a spiritual pop culture sensation. There were numerous cases where the group could have been stopped.

Yogi Shoko Asahara with the Dalai Lama - Greenwich Entertainment

By the time Aums membership peaked at an estimated 11,400 in Japan in 1995, and 40,000 in Russia following a successful expansion following the fall of the Soviet Union, the cult had secretly murdered the family of anti-Aum lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto. When they released deadly sarin gas in a residential area in Matsumoto in 1994  in response to local opposition to the groups expansion into the area, which also served as a test run for the efficacy of sarin as a weapon they killed seven and injured 500.

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Asahara claimed to his followers that, in the coming Armageddon, non-believers would be doomed to eternal hell unless they were killed by cultists (a manipulation of the concept of phowa in Tibetan Buddhism) and so the group set about manufacturing Kalashnikovs and chemical weapons. In a ploy to prevent an anticipated police raid on Aum headquarters in Yamanashi, Asahara ordered the attacks on the Tokyo subway.

Yanagimoto feels that the cursory annual revisiting of the events in Japanese media fails to adequately scrutinise why such a tragedy was able to take place. Theres a cultural aspect of not talking about what were ashamed of, she says. They say in Japan: If it stinks, put a lid on it.

In 1997, celebrated author Haruki Murakami published an anthology, Underground, comprising the testimonies of 60 victims, responders, and eyewitnesses. The concept was a response to the authors feeling that the Japanese media of the day had been bombarding us with so many in-depth profiles of the Aum cult perpetrators [that] the victim was almost an afterthought. (Hed later respond to claims of one-sidedness by publishing The Place That Was Promised, a collection of interviews with former cult members, in 1997. Both parts feature in the Penguin Random House edition published in the UK).

Though the book sold 270,000 copies within two months in Japan, Yanagimoto feels that the younger generation dont even know about the cult and the people behind the attacks today. Aum: The Cult at the End of the World attempts to address this, with its talking heads including prosecutors; the bereaved families of children who left to become their followers; and Yoshiyuki Kono, who was wrongly suspected by both the police and the media of committing the Matsumoto sarin attack in 1994.

Passengers in the aftermath of the 1995 attack - Getty

The presence of Fumihiro Joyu  once one of Asaharas highest-ranking Aum affiliates; stationed in Russia at the time of the attacks  meanwhile highlights the lingering influence of the group in some corners of society: Joyu today leads successor group Hikari no Wa. His willingness to discuss his time with Aum, partnered with what feels like a side-stepping of responsibility for the groups actions, is the source of a thought-provoking denouement in the documentary: Rather than regret or remorse, I have to look forward, he claims.

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Indeed, although Asahara and 12 other Aum Shinrikyo members convicted of the 1995 Tokyo sarin attacks were executed in 2018, the organisation still exists in some forms despite being designated a terrorist organisation in the US. As recently as June 2024, authorities believe Aleph, the most popular of the three Aum Shinrikyo successor groups (which collectively amass 1,650 followers), may conduct mass murders, with an official of the PSIA quoted as saying Basically, nothing has changed.

Yanagimoto and Braun hope that by revisiting the Tokyo sarin attacks and the cult of Aum behind it, important lessons can be learned. In todays landscape of populist politicians, social media echo chambers and conspiracy theories, the dangers of radicalisation and extreme action are widely pronounced  a 2025 report by the Edelman Trust Institute concluded that 53 per cent of people aged 18-34 (from a survey of over 33,000 people across 28 countries) currently approve of hostile activism as viable means to drive change.

In America, it felt like we were entering this culture of multiple realities and narratives, and that kind of culminated in the Capitol riot of 2021, says Braun. There were lines that Asahara said in the archival material that exactly matched what Trump was saying at the time. The radicalisation of these yoga students seemed to be like what was happening in American politics.

Braun hopes that Aum: The Cult at the End of the World will encourage younger viewers to question the narrative.

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Aum: The Cult at the End of the World is in cinemas now

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FESTUS, Mo.  Tonia Haddix, the subject of HBO docuseries Chimp Crazy and a controversial figure in exotic animal ownership, is set to lose her animal welfare license, according to a new federal court order.

On March 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a motion that orders the termination of Haddixs federal license, which allows her to broker and transport infant monkeys and other wild animals, in addition to operating her roadside animal zoo in Sunrise Beach, Missouri.

This St. Louis eatery is Missouris best Italian restaurant, food writers say

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Haddix has recently gained notoriety as the focus of the viral HBO docuseries Chimp Crazy, which explores her actions and broader issues related to the private ownership of exotic animals, specifically chimpanzees. The docuseries is based on original reporting from FOX Files investigator Chris Hayes.

Throughout the years, Haddix cared for the seven chimpanzees and bred them as talent for films and photoshoots, among other activities. These chimpanzees previously inhabited the Missouri Primate Foundation, a now-defunct animal breeding facility near Festus.

Haddixs attachment to one chimpanzee, Tonka, sparked national attention in 2021. Tonka is a former animal movie star, appearing in films like the 1997 comedy Buddy. At some point, Haddix claimed that Tonka had died when she instead had him locked in her basement.

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Over the last several years, Haddix has faced several high-profile legal battles related to exotic animal ownership. The March 13 court ruling comes more than three months after an administrative lawsuit accused her of lying in federal court about Tonkas death and arguing that her actions made her unfit to hold an animal welfare license.

Animal advocacy group PETA says it repeatedly urged USDA to revoke Haddixs license, filing multiple complaints and meeting with agency officials.

Haddixs license termination is scheduled to take effect April 22, unless she appeals the USDAs order. Once revoked, the order would disqualify her from holding a license to exhibit and sell USDA-regulated animals for two years.

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NOTE: Video is from FOX 2s reporting in Dec. 2024.

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(Bloomberg) -- China urged respect for its judicial sovereignty after Canada condemned the execution of four of its citizens, further straining ties between the two nations.

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Canadas Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Wednesday that four Canadians holding dual citizenship were executed by China on drug-related charges earlier this year, according to local media reports. Ottawa will continue to engage with Beijing and seek leniency for other Canadians facing a similar situation, Joly added.

China defended its justice system, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning saying, We treat defendants of different nationalities as equals, handle the cases justly in accordance with law and lawfully protect the rights of people concerned and the consular rights of the Canadian side.

Canada should respect the spirit of law and stop interfering in Chinas judicial sovereignty, Mao added, without providing further details.

Read: Why Fentanyl Is at Center of the US-China Trade Fight: QuickTake

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The episode marks the latest stumbling block in the China-Canada relationship, which has remained rocky since Huawei Technologies Co.s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was detained in Vancouver in 2018. Even though Meng was released in 2021, and two Canadians imprisoned in China were freed soon after, both countries continue to square off over issues including trade.

China imposed tariffs on some Canadian agricultural products that came into effect Thursday, in retaliation for Canadian trade restrictions.

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Beijing on Thursday demanded protections for Chinese students in the U.S. after a congressional panel asked six American universities to hand over a large amount of detailed information on their Chinese students, citing national security concerns.

A letter sent to the universities, including Stanford and Carnegie Mellon, alleged that the Chinese government was embedding researchers in top American institutions to gain direct access to sensitive technologies.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Chinese students account for about one-quarter of all international students in the U.S. and that their activities have promoted the economic prosperity and technological development of the U.S.

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This is in the interest of both parties," Mao told reporters at a daily briefing. "We urge the U.S. to stop overstretching the concept of national security, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students, and not impose discriminatory restrictive measures on Chinese students.

Her remarks came a day after John Moolenaar, chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, sent a letter to six colleges requesting information on Chinese students enrolled in advanced science and technology programs. He accused the institutions of putting American research at risk in exchange for financial incentives.

The colleges named in Moolenaar's letter were Carnegie Mellon University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of Illinois, the University of Maryland, and the University of Southern California.

The Chinese Communist Party has established a well-documented, systematic pipeline to embed researchers in leading U.S. institutions, providing them direct exposure to sensitive technologies with dual-use military applications, Moolenaar wrote in a letter to Farnam Jahanian, president of Carnegie Mellon University.

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Americas student visa system has become a Trojan horse for Beijing, providing unrestricted access to our top research institutions and posing a direct threat to our national security, it added. If left unaddressed, this trend will continue to displace American talent, compromise research integrity, and fuel Chinas technological ambitions at our expense.

The letter requested information including the Chinese students' sources of funding, the types of research they're involved in, what schools they previously attended, and a country-by-country breakdown of applicants, admittances, and enrollments at your university.

Most Chinese students enrolled in U.S. undergraduate programs pay full tuition, making them an important source of funding for many universities. Many of the students do not remain in the U.S. after college graduation but return to China, where they hope a U.S. degree will land them a good job. But foreign science and engineering doctorate recipients, including those from China, are more likely to stay in the U.S. for their postdoc or employment, according to the National Science Foundation.

Last week, a Republican lawmaker introduced a bill seeking to ban Chinese students from studying in U.S. schools.

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In January, the University of Michigan said it was is ending its partnership with a prominent Chinese university, a few months after five Chinese students in the joint program were charged over their suspicious activities outside a remote military site.

In a letter to a congressman, Santa Ono, president of the University of Michigan, said following a thorough review the university has initiated the six-month process to officially end the partnership with Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
China has said it acted in accordance with the law over the execution of four Canadian citizens in recent weeks.

Melanie Joly, Canadas foreign minister, told reporters in Ottawa on Wednesday that China had defied pleas for leniency.

We strongly condemn the executions that did happen against Canadians in China, Joly said.

She said she was unable to discuss details as the victims families had requested privacy.

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However, Beijing suggested on Thursday the Canadians had been convicted over narcotics offences. Combating drug crimes is the common responsibility of all countries, Mao Ning, foreign ministry spokesman, said.

China protects the legitimate rights of the parties concerned as well as the consular rights of the Canadian side, in accordance with the law.

Beijing also defended the executions to Canadas Globe and Mail newspaper.

Drug-related crime is a severe crime recognised worldwide as extremely harmful to society, its embassy said.

China always imposes severe penalties on drug-related crimes and maintains a zero tolerance attitude towards the drug problem.

Statistics a state secret

Joly said she and Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister who left office last week, had asked China for leniency.

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China classifies death penalty statistics as a state secret, although rights groups including Amnesty International believe thousands of people are executed in the country every year.

Beijing said this week a former Chinese engineer had recently been sentenced to death for leaking state secrets to a foreign power.

The arrest of a senior Chinese telecoms executive on a US warrant in Vancouver in December 2018 and Beijings retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges plunged relations into a deep freeze.

Ties were strained further over allegations of Chinese interference in Canadian elections in 2019 and 2021.

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In 2023, Joly expelled a Chinese diplomat who had been accused of targeting a Canadian opposition politician who criticised the ruling Communist Party, as well as his family.

Ottawa has also criticised a security crackdown in Hong Kong and Chinas treatment of its Uyghur Muslim minority.

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The News

Chinas global infrastructure push is being driven by green tech: More than three years after Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged to stop building new coal projects abroad, the countrys Belt and Road Initiative is increasingly driven by renewables.

Last year, renewable technologies eclipsed fossil fuels  once the darling of Beijings overseas developments  in all the power projects completed under the BRI, according to analysts at Wood Mackenzie. Of the record-breaking 24 gigawatts (GW) of power capacity installed by Chinese companies in 2024, 52% of them used solar, wind, and hydro power.

More broadly, Chinas total energy-related engagement under the BRI, from resource extraction to electricity transmission and distribution, were its greenest in 2024, the Shanghai-based Green Finance and Development Center (GFDC) reported: Chinese companies investments and construction contracts in solar, wind, and biomass energy projects last year reached their highest value in absolute terms, or $11.8 billion, since the BRI began more than a decade ago.

Xiaoyings view

It would be easy to frame this trajectory geopolitically: Chinas dominance over the hardware needed for the global energy transition gives it an advantage over the US, even as Washington pulls back on its trade and climate commitments under President Donald Trump. Indeed, renewables growing importance in the BRI could help Beijing mitigate the uncertainty and risks brought by Trumps aggressive trade policy.

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Yet its core is more prosaic: Chinese companies global footprints reflect the industrial landscape inside China. As the new three  solar panels, batteries, and electric vehicles  have become a growth engine, those sectors also received the most attention under the BRI. An assessment by the New York-based Rhodium Group found that automotives, basic materials, and energy collectively accounted for an unprecedented 77% of Chinese companies foreign direct investment in 2024.

The BRI could also offer a glimpse at the future and pace of the energy transition in major developing economies.

The BRIs top five markets  Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia  could see substantial growth in wind and solar projects over the next decade, according to Wood Mackenzie analysts. Saudi Arabia is set to have the greatest demand, with 41 GW of solar and 13 GW of wind power currently planned.

The expansion of renewables in the developing world is spurred by increasingly cheap solar as a result of rapid technological innovation  led by China, Alex Whitworth, head of Asia-Pacific power and renewables research at Wood Mackenzie, told me.

Know More

Chinas Belt and Road Initiative has changed substantially since Xi first announced it in 2013, and its aims, to a large degree, depend on who you ask.

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Chinese officials characterize the program  which now has more than 150 partner countries  as a push to revive the ancient Silk Road trading network by building infrastructure to connect Asia, Europe, and Africa. Analysts say it is an amorphous program with no official criteria that can include everything from private lenders catering to international investments to state-directed projects. Western critics say it is a play for Chinese influence in developing nations and in some cases a strategy to lock countries into Chinas sphere of influence by loading them with debt, a claim that is widely disputed.

The changing nature of the BRI reflects a wider shift in Chinas trade: The countrys exports and their destinations are much more diversified compared to 20 or even 10 years ago, said Marc Gronwald, an economist at the Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University in Suzhou, China. In 2000, the countrys main trading partners were mostly richer economies, but in 2022, nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and India joined that group, he said.

Chinese manufacturers have mostly shipped clean-tech products abroad as commodities rather than as part of a wider project, according to Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst of the Finland-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. In comparison, their role in foreign coal plants comprises financing, engineering, and operation of the facilities. But that has been changing since 2023, when Beijing instructed the BRI to shift away from mega infrastructure projects to small but beautiful ones, such as solar plants in Africa.

Myllyvirtas analysis found that developing countries drove 70% of the growth in Chinas exports of solar, wind turbines, and electric cars between 2021 and 2024, with Brazil being the largest market over the period.

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Chinese manufacturers have increased building factories overseas, too  a push that will make the countrys renewable exports more resilient, said Myllyvirta.

If there is an EV factory in Brazil or a solar factory in Vietnam employing local workforce, paying local taxes then their policy makers will think twice before doing something that would completely jeopardize the business, he said.

Room for Disagreement

Fossil fuels are still prominent in the BRI and dwarf renewables in some aspects. The GFDC report showed that Chinas oil and gas engagement last year jumped to $24.3 billion, more than double that of renewables. The increase may be partly driven by Beijings efforts to deepen ties with the Middle East, said Kate Logan from the Asia Society Policy Institute.

China is also still building some coal plants under the BRI; most were approved before Xis no-coal pledge. Chinese companies built 6GW of coal, and 6GW of gas and oil plants last year, Wood Mackenzie found. An additional 19 GW of coal power projects remain in the pipeline, but some of them could be canceled, it said.

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Increasing renewables alone wont be enough if China is to cement its position as a global leader in the energy transition, argued Yu Aiqun, an analyst at the Global Energy Monitor, a California-based NGO. It will be more convincing if China gives up overseas investment on fossil fuels altogether, she said.

The View From the UK

Some researchers think China should tone down or simply do less BRI diplomacy in democratic countries if it wants its companies to succeed there. The more Beijing makes clean tech part of its BRI narrative, the greater the risk that these technologies will be associated with China influence, said Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer at the University of Exeter who co-authored a recent paper arguing that view.

Notable
China's military activities around Taiwan have increased in the first few months of the year.

The escalation appears linked to China's prioritization of realistic combat training, new research says.

China has a string of military modernization goals, with the first rapidly approaching.

It's not just a show of force. China's military activities around Taiwan are increasingly realistic combat training, readying it for the real deal.

New research on these activities indicates the Chinese military is more active near Taiwan than it has been in the past, with increased daily operations and more frequent patrols and exercises.

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K. Tristan Tang, a research associate at the Research Project on China's Defense Affairs, writes in a new report that China's military activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan reached a new high last year. This trend continued in January and February of this year, with activity surging higher.

The Chinese activity around Taiwan consistently prompts responses from Tawain's military, such as air defense and shore battery movements, combat air patrols, and more, and those responses offer valuable insight to the Chinese armed forces.

In this situation, China's People's Liberation Army is "using the enemy to train the troops," a practice of conducting exercises close to foreign forces for more realistic and applicable outcomes, Tang said. Similar observations have been made about the risky maneuvers around US aircraft by Chinese pilots. The Chinese navy, likewise, has embraced this doctrine with US vessels.

Realistic combat training has been a growing priority for the Chinese PLA and has been heavily emphasized in recent years. It allows troops to get a better sense of the actual challenges on the battlefield and understand more about their adversaries. These aren't simple displays of military power, there for show; instead, the activities offer experience needed for combat action.

China military growth and ambitions have raised concerns for US officials and countering and deterring China has become a top priority for the US military. People's Liberation Army

Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized the need for realistic combat training in 2018, instructing the military to "to strengthen real combat training and improve its war-winning capability," according to state media.

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The emphasis could be seen in PLA's recent large-scale joint exercises surrounding Taiwan, namely the two "Joint Sword" drills that occurred last year.

Joint Sword-2024 A occurred in May, while Joint Sword-2024 B took place in October. Both involved elements of the PLA conducting demonstrations around Taiwan. May's came on the heels of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te's inauguration and October's after Taiwanese Independence Day.

The drills sent a message to Taiwan and its international partners, but there was more to it than that.

Two developments seen in 2025 so far indicate the PLA Navy specifically is enhancing its realistic combat training, per Tang. The first is that PLA Navy activities around Taiwan have seen an overall increase.

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Numbers from Taiwan's Ministry of Defense indicate a rise in the number of PLAN vessels operating near Taiwan compared to previous years, 419 in the first two months of this year compared to 305 in 2024 and 218 in 2023.

Similarly, the number of joint combat readiness patrols involving assets from multiple military branches, such as PLAN vessels and PLA Air Force planes, are higher as well. And the number of PLAN ships involved in these patrols is up, too.

A screen grab captured from a video shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command launching large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft in China on May 24, 2024. Gui Xinhua/PLA/China Military/Anadolu via Getty Images

Another notable development was the large deployment of a Type 75 landing helicopter dock amphibious assault ship task force near Taiwan last month, which was early in the annual training cycle and the largest publicly disclosed LHD task force ever near Taiwan, Tang said.

It's not initially clear whether these efforts are intended to put pressure on Taiwan or if increasing readiness ahead of China's 2027 goals is the priority. US officials have said China plans to be ready to take Taiwan  by force, if necessary  by that year. That is an observed readiness goal, not necessarily an assault date.

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China considers Taiwan as part of its territory. Xi has made reunification with the island nation a priority.

China has broad military modernization goals for 2027, the 100th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army. It also has goals for 2035 and 2049, the latter of which is 100 years after the founding of the People's Republic of China. By then, China intends to possess a "world-class military" that can fight and win wars.

Increasing its military presence around Taiwan to gain more realistic training falls in line with "accelerating efforts to meet" the 2027 agenda items, Tang said, "regardless of whether an actual invasion of Taiwan occurs."

A screen grab captured from a video shows the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Eastern Theater Command launching large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan with naval vessels and military aircraft in China on May 24, 2024. Feng Hao/PLA/China Military/Anadolu via Getty Images

Documents related to Taiwan's defense drills that were reviewed by Bloomberg identified 2027 as a possible invasion date. The Han Kuang Exercise, Taiwan's largest live-fire defense drill, will also double in length to 10 days in total this summer.

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Business Insider was unable to independently confirm these details. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US didn't immediately respond to BI's questions on the date or its impact on the annual exercise.

Read the original article on Business Insider
On March 19, at about 14:15, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of the Gunashli settlement of Basarkechar region using small arms subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions, Azernews reports via the Ministry of Defense.

A day before, Armenian armed forces opened fire on Azerbaijani military positions on the night of March 18-19.

From 10:20 p.m. on March 18 to 1:40 a.m. on March 19, Armenian military units stationed in Basarkechars Zod and Yukhari Shorja regions, as well as in Bazarcay, part of the Qarakilsa district, intermittently fired at Azerbaijani positions using small arms.

The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense has not reported any casualties or damage at this time. The situation along the border remains tense as Azerbaijani forces continue to monitor developments closely.

Also on March 18, at around 08:55, units of the Armenian armed forces fired at the positions of the Azerbaijani Army using small arms from their positions in the Istisu settlement of the Basarkechar district,.

Previously the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense has reported that Armenian armed forces intermittently opened fire on Azerbaijani Army positions between 22:15 on March 17 and 00:20 on March 18.

According to the ministry, Armenian military units fired from positions near the villages of Arpa in the Keshishkend district, Saybali in the Gharakilsa district, and Vaghan in the Chambarak district. Small arms were used during the attacks.

The Ministry of Defense has not provided additional details on the incident but emphasized that the Azerbaijani side has taken appropriate countermeasures in response to the provocations.

The positions of the Azerbaijani Army were intermittently fired upon by units of the Armenian armed forces on March 17.

According to the statement, from 01:25 to 12:55, Azerbaijani positions were targeted from Armenian positions located in the Yukhari Zaghali direction of the Basarkechar district and Digh settlements of the Gorus district using small arms.

Note that, the Armenian side has been breaking the ceasefire since Sunday. On Sunday the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan issued two consecutive reports regarding Armenia's shelling of the Azerbaijani army's positions.

On March 16, at approximately 18:35, the first violation of the ceasefire was recorded.

The Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of the Khazinavar settlement of Gorus region using small arms subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.

On the same day, from 20:10 to 20:45, the Armenian armed forces units from the positions located in the direction of the Burun settlement of the Gorus region using small arms several times subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions.

Today, Nikol Pashinyan announced that "The draft peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been agreed upon and is awaiting signing. I have given clear instructions to the Armenian Defense Ministry: do not violate the ceasefire. Armenia is moving toward peace, not war."
By Jonathan Stempel and Jessica DiNapoli

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ben & Jerry's accused its parent company, Unilever, of deciding to oust the ice cream maker's chief executive Dave Stever because he let it speak out on social policy issues, escalating a battle over the subsidiary's independence.

In a Tuesday night filing in Manhattan federal court, Ben & Jerry's said Unilever advised on March 3 it was "removing and replacing" Stever without the required approval from its board, after repeatedly threatening personnel if they did not comply with the parent's "efforts to silence the social mission."

It said this violated an agreement the companies signed in 2000 when London-based Unilever bought Ben & Jerry's.

Stever became chief executive in May 2023, and has been with the Vermont-based maker of Cherry Garcia since starting as a tour guide in 1988.

Ben & Jerry's sued Unilever in November to stop alleged efforts to dismantle its board and end its progressive social activism, which has included protesting the war in Gaza, supporting a movement to defund police, and attempting to criticize U.S. President Donald Trump.

The latest accusations were made in a proposed amended complaint, which Ben & Jerry's needs court permission to file.

Unilever fired back on Wednesday afternoon, seeking a dismissal of Ben & Jerry's earlier complaint.

It said it supports Ben & Jerry's and its social advocacy work, but the social mission has evolved into advocacy for "one-sided, highly controversial, and polarizing topics that put Unilever, B&J's, and their employees at risk."

According to Unilever, the change was driven by Ben & Jerry's Chair Anuradha Mittal and began in 2021, when the company decided to stop selling ice cream in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. That business was later sold.

Unilever's filing does not address the proposed amended complaint or Stever's job.

In a statement, Unilever said the 2000 agreement governed removal decisions, and it was "disappointed that the confidentiality of an employee career conversation has been made public."

Ben & Jerry's website still shows Stever as chief executive.

Shahmeer Halepota, a lawyer for Ben & Jerry's, said Unilever's "revisionism" starkly contrasted with its executives' threats, while "the true disappointment" was attempting to oust Stever for honoring Ben & Jerry's integrity and social mission.

CORPORATE CRUSADE AGAINST DEI

Doug Chia, president of advisory firm Soundboard Governance, said the alleged censorship reflects corporate fear of the Trump administration's "crusade against all things DEI," referring to diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Several Chinese students slammed legislation that was introduced last week by Republican lawmakers that seeks to keep them out of American schools.

The bill, the Stop CCP VISAs Act, would halt the issuance of student visas to Chinese nationals looking to study at U.S. universities or take part in exchange programs.

The bill cites national security concerns, saying that those on student visas have in the past attempted to spy for the Chinese Communist Party. But the Chinese nationals who spoke to NBC News said that they came to the U.S. looking for more academic freedom, calling the legislation the new Chinese Exclusion Act.

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I think its just blatant racism and xenophobia, said one Chinese student who recently graduated from a D.C.-area university and requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation. We are not spies. We are students who want to get a better education.

Rep. Riley Moore, R.W.Va., who introduced the bill, doubled down on the legislation amid criticisms from students and advocacy groups.

I will never apologize for defending Americas vital national interests against our greatest geopolitical foe, he said in an email to NBC News.

With the widespread backlash, its unlikely the bill will pass. However, students say its added to their concerns around safety in the U.S.

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Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said that the U.S. has long suppressed and persecuted Chinese students in the U.S. who have legal and valid documents and visas and that China firmly opposes such practices.

The hope of China-U.S. relations lies in the people, its foundation is in people-to-people exchanges, and its future in the youth.

Five House Republicans are co-sponsoring the bill, and Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., is set to introduce companion legislation in the Senate. In one case cited by Moore, five Chinese students at the University of Michigan were confronted near a military site during a late-night visit in 2023. It wasnt revealed to be a national security issue, and they were charged with lying to investigators about the trip and conspiring to delete photos from their cellphones.

A Princeton University Ph.D. student, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said he was shocked by the extreme nature of the bill, saying it painted Chinese students with a broad brush.

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I graduated from a top college in China so I did have access to a lot of great resources in research, but because of the censorship, there were so many topics you couldnt study, he said.

He said that while the university environment has been inclusive and inviting, hes felt a slight shift under the new Trump administration, with schools a bit more reluctant to speak out for their international students. And this new bill certainly isnt helping, he said, adding that if he begins to feel unsafe, he would consider moving.

Ive met so many talented Chinese students, and theyre contributing to the U.S. through the economy, their technology, much more than I think they realize, he said. It will be such a shame to drive them away.

Michael Hotchkiss, Princetons assistant vice president of communications, said that the schools Davis International Center helps provide guidance and information for its international students, each working with an adviser.

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Princeton supports and advocates for its international students, Hotchkiss said in a statement.

A Yale Law school student, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said the bill itself perpetuates a harmful, unfair image of Chinese students as spies. For him, it was the legal environment in the U.S. that attracted him to schools in the country in the first place.

I studied law in China before, and I felt like the Chinese legal system and the rule of law is, in many aspects, still very compromised, he said.

So far the bill has received extensive backlash from Asian American organizations, including the Asian American Scholar Forum, who said that many international scholars come from countries with political turmoil, limited rights or constrained opportunities. The legislation would harm the talent pipeline of scholars, the organization said, and in turn hurt U.S. leadership in science and innovation.

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We cannot afford to cut off this pipeline of talent and exclude such an integral part of our American community, said Gisela Kusakawa, the groups executive director. To do so would be to turn our backs on the very ideals that have made America a global leader in innovation and discovery.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HOLMES COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Chipley Fire Chef Hunter Aycock requested the Bonifay Fire Department for mutual aid for a two-story commercial structure fire.

Chief 1, Ladder 1, and Engine 1 responded with a total of eight while a crew stayed on standby in the city. Upon arrival, Chief 1 advised the incoming Bonifay Fire Department units of a working fire with heavy fire showing from the second floor.

Engine 1 was assigned a fire attack on the Charlie side of the building. Ladder 1 was assigned to deploy an elevated master stream to attack the well-involved elevator shaft.

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Luverne Ave traffic changes to boost safety and ADA access in Panama City

All departments on the scene worked extremely well with one another to complete the mission, including multiple fire agencies, law enforcement, and EMS, fire officials wrote in a Facebook post.

This was all hands on deck fire scene and teamwork won, Chief Cook said.

Fire officials confirmed no known injuries were reported on the scene.

Fire Marshals are currently investigating this incident.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
The day after Chris Hayes became so frustrated during his interview with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that he gasped my god in disbelief, the MSNBC host devoted the opening segment of his show to rebutting Schumers arguments in detail.

Hayes, strongly disagreeing with Schumer, urged Democrats to fight back against Mad King Donald Trump urgently, saying now is the time to break glass and now is the time to take political risks before its too late.

At issue is Schumers sudden decision last week to break with his party and throw his support to a GOP funding bill in order, so he says, to avoid a government shutdown that would be worse than anything Trump is currently doing, a decision that has caused widespread outrage not only at Schumer and the other Democrats who voted for the bill, but at the party as a whole.

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Schumer has since made the rounds defending himself, and as seen on Tuesdays All In, his argument essentially boils down to now is not the time to really fight, and that we arent yet in any kind of grave constitutional crisis. Schumer also argues that Democrats should focus largely on economics, not the constitution, and wait for Republicans to drop in the polls.

Hayes, obviously, disagreed and urged Democrats instead to meet the moment.

Watch the whole MSNBC segment below:

The movement to resist Donald Trumps unconstitutional power grab faces two fundamental questions, How bad are things right now? And when is it time to use every possible democratic means to slow his assault? Hayes began. Referring back to his interview the night before, he said one of my main takeaways from it is that theres a fundamental difference between how some people view this moment and how others do. Like some people think we are in a constitutional crisis, that there is a plan in place to impose a dictatorship on this country that is being executed as we speak. And Senator Schumer does not think we are quite there yet.

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Hayes then played a clip from the interview where he argued we are not yet in that crisis, responding, I genuinely hope that Schumers read on this is correct, right? But it makes it very hard to imagine a leader meeting the moment if they dont believe the moment is here.

For me, Donald Trumps intentions are really very clear at this point. He is in the process of attempting to undo the constitutional republic. His executive branch is in the process of overtaking, of reducing to subserviencet he legislative and judicial branches of the government, Congress and the courts, so that he can act unilaterally. Even within his executive purview, the president is purging anything anyone that falls short of pledging unshakable loyal to him personally and his personal political project, not the United States, not the constitution, and not We the people.

Trump is using the vast powers the presidency to hobble his political opponents as well, including bogus investigations into democratic fundraising platforms, threats to shut down nonprofit organizations he sees as oppositional. And its not just the government or partisan entities. Trump wants to dismantle all forms of public opposition to his power grab, starting with all sources of independent authority. Any institution with credible credibility must either be bent to trim Trumps winner and destroyed. Thats the goal here, Hayes warned.

Hayes also noted how Trump has repeatedly threatened independent media outlets, is attacking American higher education, and is trying to deport a legal residence for his protected political speech. This is it, man, this is trying it. Im not saying hes being successful. Im not saying that. You know all is lost and theyre gonna win and you know, doom and gloom, but theyre trying to do it. Theyre trying to get rid of independent voices of authority, purge them, fracture a pluralistic civil society. Its clear as day to so many of us, including, I will say, scholars of authoritarian regimes, and especially, and this is pretty important, lots of folks who have lived through these regimes.

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Hayes conceded that the concern that many who agree with Schumer seem to have is that democracy itself right, preserving the constitutional order, is just not a particularly salient political issue, particularly for people that are not super, super paying attention I think a lot of Democrats in power, political consultants around the Democratic Party have come to conclude that democracy is a losing issue politically, and we should they should talk about Medicaid cuts, for instance, instead.

Hayes then played a clip of Schumer making the argument for talking about Medicaid and other things Democrats often lump together into so-called kitchen table issues, and his argument that the tactics hes advising now worked in 2017.

Hayes conceded that Schumer understands political strategy, and hes right about that history, and hes right that that type of resistance did work eight years ago, and in many ways, you know that first Trump administration politically was a failure. I mean, it got a huge tax cut to billionaires, surprise, surprise, and corporations. But again, it just when you are paying as close attention as we are here on this program, here at the network, and I think a lot of you watching at home, it just does seem that now is the time for to break class, right? Its not the time for politics as usual.

Listing problems including the increasingly unstable economy, Hayes argued that you dont have to choose between talking about economics, or talking about a constitutional crisis. Its all one thing. Its all one thing. The threat to democracy has become so much more tangible than it was when folks went to the ballot four months ago, in part because this entire Mad King act is wreaking havoc in every direction. And with that in mind, a lot of leader Schumers Democratic colleagues believe its time to basically fight back harder.

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I think now is the time to take political risks before its too late, Hates said shortly after. To only barely slightly oversimplify the whole point of America is that you cannot have one guy in charge of everything without checks or balances. It is literally the foundational insight, upon which this country was built, no kings, not ever. There is quite possibly, nothing that is more fundamentally American.

You can, as we noted, watch the whole thing above.

The post Chris Hayes Urges Dems to Fight Trumps Mad King Act Harder: Now Is the Time to Break Glass | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Ukrainian soldiers in Russia's Kursk Oblast have lost some territory in recent days, but they are not surrounded by Russian troops, despite recent statements from US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Source: Reuters, citing three US and European officials familiar with their countries' intelligence assessments

Details: US intelligence agencies, including the CIA, have shared this assessment with the White House over the past week, a US official and another person familiar with the matter said. However, Trump continues to claim that Ukrainian troops are surrounded in Kursk Oblast in Russias west.

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US and European intelligence assessments show Ukrainian troops are facing intense pressure from Russian forces, but they are not completely surrounded, the officials said.

Background:

In a post on his social media account on 14 March, Trump said he had asked Putin to save the lives of thousands of Ukrainians, who he said were "completely surrounded" and vulnerable. The Kremlin leader replied that he would do so if they surrendered.

Trump repeated the statement about the "encirclement" of Ukrainian forces during a speech at the Kennedy Center in Washington on Monday and in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday.

The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based conflict monitor, said on 14 March that it had "found no geolocation evidence that Russian forces have surrounded significant numbers of Ukrainian troops in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere along the front line in Ukraine".

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SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Circle K is celebrating American Red Cross Month on the West Coast by offering a special Fuel Day event, offering customers across California 40 cents off gas per gallon at select locations on Thursday, March 20.

A spokesperson with the convenience store brand said the company will donate a portion of the proceeds from this event to the American Red Cross to support its vital relief efforts, with the funds helping communities during times of crisis.

California governor sends burner phones to tech CEOs

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Were so thankful for our partnership with the American Red Cross and proud to champion their efforts across our community, said George Wilkins, Vice President of Operations for Circle Ks West Coast Business Unit. With so much work still to be done in recovering from this winters wildfires as well as preparing for future disasters, its important we continue supporting the relief and recovery efforts while bringing value to our loyal customers with another exciting Fuel Day.

More than 240 Circle K locations across California, Oregon and Washington will participate in the event. This offering follows a similar initiative held in January, which helped raise funds for wildfire relief efforts in Southern California.

This years disasters have set a whirlwind pace, said Sean Mahoney, Chief Executive Officer of the Red Cross Southern California Region. Thank you to Circle K for their support during March, Red Cross Month, and throughout the year to help ensure that the Red Cross can respond whenever and wherever were needed, providing relief and hope during times of crises.

Customers wishing to take advantage of the 40-cent fuel discount can find participating Circle K locations using the Store Locator tool on the companys website.

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Heres a list of some Circle K locations that will be participating throughout San Diego County:

60 Broadway (Chula Vista)

98 Bonita Rd. (Chula Vista)

2210 Otay Lakes Rd. (Chula Vista)

2750 Via de la Valle (Del Ma)

2903 Jamacha Rd. (El Cajo)

26746 N. Centre City Pkwy. (Escondido)

1161 E Valley Pkwy. (Escondido)

4730 Hwy. 76 (Fallbrook)

1990 College Blvd. (Oceanside)

3361 Mission Ave. (Oceanside)

14863 Pomerado Rd. (Poway)

704 Main St. (Ramona)

13007 Camino Del Sur (San Diego0

4360 Genesee Ave. (San Diego)

10520 Camino Ruiz (San Diego)

9370 Paseo Montalban (San Diego)

11898 Rancho Bernardo Rd. (San Diego)

10555 Scripps Poway Pkwy. (San Diego)

12849 Rancho Penasquitos Blvd. (San Diego)

9750 N Magnolia Ave. (Santee)

795 Shadow Ridge Dr. (Vista)

The discounted price will be reflected at the pump from 4 to 7 p.m. local time at participating locations across California, while supplies last.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
DES MOINES, Iowa  Central Iowa Shelters and Services will no longer take in people past its capacity during extreme weather.

During times of extreme heat and cold Polk County Emergency Management activates its Weather Amnesty Program, which allows shelters in the county to take in people past their capacity.

Melissa ONeil, Central Iowa Shelters and Services CEO, said the shelters decision is due to the rising costs of weather amnesty, which over a 10-day period in January cost the shelter $100,500.

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Everything from building insurance had a major increase, food had a major increase. The cost of off-duty officers increased and even our overtime for our employees. So, the cost of us doing weather amnesty over a ten day period really was a red flag, ONeil said.

WHO 13 Car Cam: Road conditions near Fort Dodge Wednesday evening

ONeil said that 60% of CISSs funding comes from federal dollars which are in jeopardy.

A lot of uncertainty regarding those federal funding streams and two of them in particular that are on the chopping block. And we have no real guarantee that those funds will be here when we need them. And so we just need to make sure that were here long term ONeil said.

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CISS plans to let employees make the final call about letting unsheltered people in during extreme weather.

That was a big part of this decision that, yes, were going to cap at 150. Well have flex for 20 cards honoring those other 2080 agreements and contracts we have in place, but ultimately, we want to make sure that our staff are trained and equipped and empowered to make that ultimate decision, because we really dont want anybody to die on the streets, ONeil said.

CISS plans to continue offering weather amnesty through April. The shelter also plans on cutting its service hours as well as serving breakfast and dinner to those who are not staying at the shelter due to budget constraints.

Metro News:

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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 who13.com.
FLORIDA (WMBB)  Trevor Murphys family has been growing Florida citrus for decades.

Im a third-generation citrus grower. My grandfather started in the 50s. My father and my uncles are still involved in it, Murphy said.

As he drives his dads 20-acre grove in Lake Wales he points out the cookie-cutter homes encroaching on the orange trees from all sides.

It seems like every new time I drive through, theres another grove thats been abandoned, Murphy added.

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Lake Wales is in Polk County. There are more acres of citrus here than any other county in Florida.

But in 2023, more people moved to Polk County than any other county in the United States.

Landowners can make more money selling to developers than growing citrus. And farmers are also constantly battling nature.

So since 2017, weve had Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Ian and Hurricane Milton come through the citrus belt. And then on top of that, we also had some freezes, the first time that weve had in probably 10-plus years. The trees are already in a weakened state because of the greening, Murphy said.

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Well citrus greening is a devastating bacterial disease that affects citrus and just a few of its relatives. Since the disease came to florida, the industry has declined significantly. Since 2006 alone, its been reduced by about 90%. So this has been absolutely devastating, UF entomology professor Lukasz Stelinski said.

Troy University fraternity raises $140K for veterans

Just in my time, we went from roughly 150 million boxes in the state of florida to this year, we might be lucky to pick 10 million boxes, Stelinski said.

The result of these catastrophes has been a 90% decline in orange production the past two decades. In 2000, Floridas citrus groves covered more than 832,000 acres.

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Last year there were just 275,000 acres. California has eclipsed Florida as the nations leading citrus producer. Even so, the citrus industry employs 33,000 full-time and part-time workers with an economic impact of $6.8 billion in Florida alone.

There are juice processors, grove caretakers, fertilizer sellers, packing houses, nurseries, and candy manufacturers.

Tom Davidsons parents founded David of Dundee citrus candy and jelly factory in Lake Wales in 1966. He says the drop in citrus production has impacted the flavor of jellies they produce and their prices.

The size of the fruit has been affected. You know, obviously we had giant honeybells, navels, grapefruit  I mean these were massive. Dont see that, you know, as much either, Davidson said.

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All are sticking it out, hoping to survive long enough to see science solve the greening disease.

And this might be a possible solution. Researchers have been working for eight years on a genetically modified tree that can kill the tiny insects responsible for citrus greening.

The process involves inserting a gene into a citrus tree that produces a protein that can kill baby Asian citrus psyllids by making holes in their guts.

This tree contains the genetic instructions for a pesticidal protein that is produced within the tree and kills psyllids, which are the vectors of the pathogen that causes citrus greening, Davidson said.

But it could be at least three years before bug-resistant trees can be planted. In the meantime, florida growers will look to other technologies, like planting trees inside protective screens, covering young trees with white bags to keep out the bugs, injecting trees with antibiotics, and getting the most use out of trees that have become resistant to greening.

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Were really hoping that scientists can get this figured out, so we can get back to what we do. I mean, we were citrus farmers for forever, and were hoping we can do that and keep it going.

Citrus greening was first discovered in South China in 1943. It reached Florida in 2005, and within three years had spread to the majority of citrus farms.

It has threatened the entire U.S. citrus industry. As of 2009, 33 countries had reported infections in their citrus crops.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to mypanhandle.com.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  The City of Warren and city police officer Nicholas Carney have filed a response to a federal lawsuit centered on a womans miscarriage in 2023.

The defendants are denying most of the allegations made by Brittany Watts in her lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio earlier this year.

Watts alleged that she received improper medical care and that she should not have been criminally charged. She also alleged that she was interrogated at the hospital while she was hooked up to IVs and monitoring machines.

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Watts had been charged with abuse of a corpse following an investigation by the Warren Police Department after she had a miscarriage in September 2023. Investigators said they found a baby stuck in a toilet at her home on Sept. 22 and that she was trying to plunge the toilet, but Watts lawsuit contends that the fetus was under 1 pound  already deceased  and contained in a mess of tissue and blood.

A Trumbull County grand jury chose not to indict her on the charge.

In the citys response to Watts lawsuit, the defendants stated the Warren Police Department did receive a call on Sept. 22, 2023, reporting that Watts had a home birth and was unsure if the baby was alive or not. The following criminal investigation was conducted after a consensual interview with Watts at St. Joseph Warren Hospital, the response states.

The defendants argue that they have no legal responsibility for any injuries or damages suffered by Watts and say they are entitled to defenses and immunities in the Ohio Revised Code as members and employees of a political subdivision. The defendants also stated that they acted in good faith on the advice of counsel after the disclosure of all of the relevant facts in the case.

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Mercy Health has not yet filed its response to the lawsuit.

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Yangtze Memory Technologies Co (YMTC) and other major memory chip manufacturers, including US peers Micron Technology and Sandisk, are expected to raise their prices next month amid the sector's reduced production and strong demand from the artificial intelligence (AI) market.

These memory chipmakers have already informed their distributors, including those in mainland China, of the price increase, according to various industry publications.

ZhiTai, a retail brand of solid-state drives (SSDs) and storage cards that use core memory from YMTC, already advised distributors that prices would rise at least 10 per cent from April, according to reports from TMTPost, ChinaFlashMarket and MyDrivers.

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Following flash storage giant Sandisk's announcement of a price hike "in excess of 10 per cent" from April 1, a report by Taiwan's Digitimes this week suggested that YMTC, Micron, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix would follow suit.

These initiatives indicate that NAND Flash memory prices are set to rebound this year.

Micron, Samsung and SK Hynix had resumed memory chip production cuts in late 2024 to curb NAND price declines. That move helped stabilise supply-demand balance, according to a report by Taiwan's TechNews.

Sandisk's price hike stems from the rise in costs owing to recent tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, as well as its confidence in market demand, according to TechNews, which cited an email from Sandisk chief revenue officer Jerald Kagele.

Micron, the largest US maker of memory chips, had told its clients earlier this month that an average price increase of 11 per cent would be charged for new orders, according to Digitimes.

A bird's-eye view of Micron Technology's headquarters and main production facility in Boise, Idaho. Photo: Shutterstock alt=A bird's-eye view of Micron Technology's headquarters and main production facility in Boise, Idaho. Photo: Shutterstock>

YMTC, Micron and Sandisk did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Factors that contributed to the memory chip sector's price hike include output reduction and the rapid adoption of AI applications, which require massive use of these chips, according to Arisa Liu, research fellow and chief director of Taiwan Industry Economics Services.
(FOX40.COM)  The City of Sacramento announced they were awarded $1.68 million in the Cannabis Equity Grant to increase equity in its local cannabis industry.

The Governors office said the grant program seeks to, advance economic justice for individuals most harmed by cannabis criminalization and poverty.

Video Above: How much do states make from marijuana tax

Through the grant, equity program applicants and licensees will gain support in local jurisdictions, equity promotions and the elimination of barriers when entering the newly regulated cannabis industry, according to the Governors office.

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This grant provides valuable support for CORE members, offering funding for business operations and technical assistance, said Lindsay Brown, administrative officer in the Citys Office of Cannabis Management. These resources play a key role in helping program participants establish and grow their business.

Nevada Countys Shoulder Tap operation highlights the risks of underage drinking

Sacramento was the fourth highest allocation to receive funding from the $15 million program, behind Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Sacramento was previously awarded this funding, which it has used to support members of its Cannabis Opportunity Reinvestment and Equity program.

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This grant provides valuable support for CORE members, offering funding for business operations and technical assistance, said Lindsay Brown, administrative officer in the Citys Office of Cannabis Management. These resources play a key role in helping program participants establish and grow their business.

The assistance will include guidance on legal matters, cannabis regulatory compliance, accounting and taxes, construction and architecture, security, marketing and branding, human relations and labor issues, as well as commercial real estate consultation.

For more information about the CORE program, visit sacramentocore.org.

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WACO, Texas (FOX 44)  The City of Waco and the Waco Fire Department invited the

community to the grand opening of Fire Station #15!

The event took place at at 10905 Panther Way on Thursday morning, near the Ritchie Road water tower. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was followed by a fire engine push-in ceremony, refreshments, a tour of the facility, and a special appearance by Sparky the Fire Dog! Several dozen area residents and Waco city officials were in attendance. All the kiddos helped push the fire truck into the bay!

According to the city, Fire Station #15 is an over $6 million and approximately 8,200 square-foot structure. The state-of-the-art facility features a three-bay setup, individual sleeping quarters which accommodate up to eight fire personnel per shift, large washing machines, apparatus exhaust removal systems, and decontamination areas available before entering the station.

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The new fire station will serve the West Waco neighborhood, which has seen rapid residential growth in recent years. The fire station is fully staffed with one captain, two lieutenants, three engineers, and six firefighters.

The city says this new facility will help reduce response times, ensuring the department is available to handle emergencies of all kinds and help maintain the standard for getting a fire truck on scene.

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WHITING, Iowa (KCAU)  A boil advisory is now in effect for the city of Whiting, Iowa.

Officials are urging residents to boil their tap water before consumption until further notice. Monona County Emergency Management Coordinator Patrick Prorok told KCAU 9 that an issue with a pump prompted the advisory.

North Sioux City hosting town hall for new government election

According to the Monona County Sheriffs Office, bottles of water are being handed out at the Whiting Community Center.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that during a boil advisory, people should use boiled water or bottled water for drinking and to prepare and cook food. When boiling, bring water to a full rolling boil for one minute and let cool before use. Even if water is filtered, water should be boiled.

For more on what the CDC says to do during a boil advisory, click here.

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On October 13th of last year, a veteran passed away under the care of who his family thought was a licensed in-home care provider.

That veteran, who family identified as Kensworth Moody, died of natural causes according to officials.

But loved ones are still raising questions over Moodys cause of death.

His wife Sandra said when her husband started to show signs of respiratory distress, there was a two-hour period when something could have been done to save him. Still, she claims the alleged fake nurse failed to call 911.

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As a nurse herself, Sandra knows exactly what to do in the case of an emergency, especially when it came to the care of her husband.

Sandra Moody and her husband

When you have a trach, you need to be trained for an emergency situation, said Sandra.

She said she had parameters she liked the nurse caring for her husband to follow.

If the oxygen dropped, if the blood pressure dropped, if the sugar dropped, it was all written on the board in the room, said Sandra. " That was the time to wake me up.

Sandra was put in contact with the Jacksonville-based company, BrightStar Care, through the VA ,and she used them to get 24-hour care for her husband.

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She said Julien Williams was the nurse watching over Kensworth when he passed away.

Investigators said Williams lacked the proper qualifications, and his fiance, 24-year-old Alexia Irwin, falsified documents and records to get him the job.

After family members became suspicious of Williams qualifications and the couple left the company, detectives launched a fraud investigation into the couple.

Williams and Irwin were arrested by deputies in Michigan on March 17th following a months-long investigation.

The Clay County Sheriffs Office said the couple are now waiting to be extradited to Clay County, where they face 14 counts of practicing medicine without a license, plus additional charges of criminal use of identification and scheming to defraud.

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YORK, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Students will resume class after an unfounded bomb threat was made against a local school, according to York School District 1.

Officials say around 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, five students at York Intermediate School on Johnson Road reported seeing writing in the boys bathroom that a bomb was in the school.

The school was evacuated and emergency crews swept the building. However, officials say no suspicious devices were found.

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York School District One deeply appreciates your patience, understanding, and cooperation throughout this event, York School District 1 wrote on social media. We also extend our sincere gratitude to our local law enforcement and emergency management partners for their swift and effective assistance. Together, we remain committed to maintaining safety procedures that prioritize the well-being of all students and staff.

Parents and visitors were asked not to come to campus to prevent any hindrances to emergency operations. Classes are set to resume for the rest of the school day.

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With US president Donald Trump calling for Europe to do more to safeguard its own defence, Sir Keir Starmers call for the UK and its allies to do more of the heavy lifting to protect Ukraine from further acts of Russian aggression makes a great deal of sense. But the deployment of a multinational force to Ukraine to safeguard any future peace deal the Trump administration is able to extract from Russia will be a hazardous proposition.

Even though talks on establishing a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict are at an early stage, the Kremlin has already made clear its profound opposition to the prospect of having any Western forces deployed so close to its border. Sergei Lavrov, Russias long-serving foreign minister, recently stated that Moscow would categorically oppose any peace deal that allows European troops to act as peacekeepers in Ukraine.

If persuading Russian president Vladimir Putin to accept the principle of allowing Sir Keirs so-called coalition of the willing to operate on Ukrainian soil is a big ask, so is the task of assembling a force with the strength and resilience to maintain the peace. Sir Keir has indicated that his proposition has now entered the operational phase with senior military officers from countries willing to support the mission holding talks on Thursday at the UKs Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood.

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There will be concerns that the European Union may take advantage of Sir Keirs initiative to pursue closer integration on defence issues, especially on procurement.

The publication of the European Commissions White Paper on defence and rearmament this week, establishing a 150 billion fund to invest in key capabilities, such as missile defence, drones and cyber security, is clearly a step in this direction, even if UK defence firms have been excluded from the arrangement. But with Sir Keir publicly calling for Europe to pay more for its defence, the temptation to support the new drive for common defence procurement could prove irresistible, even if it is at the expense of our own defence industry.

While encouraging closer European cooperation on defence is to be welcomed, it must not be at the expense of the UKs operational independence. The UK has already played a leading role in Europe rallying support for Ukraine, and it should continue to do so, irrespective of whether Sir Keirs coalition of the willing ever becomes a reality.

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Breezy and sharply cooler weather followed a storm moving across the Great Lakes into southeastern Canada.

A few showers developed in the chilly flow behind the storm system, and could mix with wet snowflakes in the north tonight, as temperatures drop into the upper 30s this evening. Skies will gradually clear overnight, allowing morning readings Friday to dip into the upper 20s.

High pressure will briefly build down from the north Friday, resulting in sunshine and crisp weather, with afternoon readings in the low 50s. A quick-moving disturbance will trigger light showers late Friday night and Saturday morning, with some clearing later in the day. The weather will remain on the cool side, with highs near 50.

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Another chance for rain will develop Sunday afternoon, followed by even chillier weather next week, with highs in the 40s.

Forecast

Thursday: Showers, breezy, cooler. Falling to 40

Tonight: Evening showers, flurries north, clearing late. Low 27

Friday: Sunny, seasonable. High 53

Saturday: Early showers, some clearing. High 51 (43)

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, showers late. High 50 (28)

Monday: Mix clouds and sun, shower possible. High 52 (41)

Tuesday: Partly sunny, cool. High 48 (33)

Wednesday: Partly sunny. High 49 (32)

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CNN continues to trail its cable news rivals-Fox News and MSNBC-in the primetime ratings. But some bright spots are beginning to emerge in the network's lineup, and CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip is one of the shows on the rise.

Airing at 10 p.m. ET, the roundtable show features discussions on the day's top stories. NewsNight has steadily attracted viewers in recent weeks, especially in the advertiser-coveted Adults 25-54 demo.

NewsNight stands apart from other programs by bringing together a diverse range of perspectives each night to engage in thoughtful, and at times, intense discussions on the day's most pressing issues, NewsNight's executive producer Eric Hall tells TVNewser.

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NewsNight was the network's most-watched show in the demo twice during the week of March 10. The show had 165,000 demo viewers on March 11 and 153,000 demo viewers on March 13, according to Nielsen Media Research. It also CNNs top show in the demo between 8-11 p.m. on March 18, and tied for second in the same period on March 17.

NewsNight's March 13 edition was also CNN's second most-watched program in total viewers, with 710,000 viewers. It finished behind Erin Burnett Outfront by just 4,000 viewers and outperformed Anderson Cooper 360 (707,000 viewers at 8 p.m. ET) and The Lead with Jake Tapper (674,000 viewers between 5-7 p.m. ET),

NewsNight's most-watched newscasts in 2025 so far have been its breaking news coverage of the airplane crash over the Potomac River on Jan. 29, (1.256 million total viewers and 334,000 demo viewers) and the Philadelphia plane crash on Jan. 31 (931,000 total viewers).

Outside of breaking news coverage, the show's most-watched edition was on Feb. 28, with 853,000 total viewers. That was the day of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump's contentious meeting at the White House.

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Launched in October 2023, CNN NewsNight has brought stability to a timeslot that had been in a state of flux since Don Lemon's departure from primetime in 2022.

Phillip has been with CNN since October 2017, joining the network from The Washington Post. Over the years, she has played a prominent role on CNN's Election Night coverage. In January 2021, she replaced John King as the host of Inside Politics Sunday.

NewsNight is named after the Aaron Brown show, which aired on CNN in the early to mid-2000s. In its current format, it features various panelists with diverse political backgrounds each night, offering commentary on the day's top political news.

"Rather than reinforcing echo chambers, it fosters a meaningful debate that is both engaging and eye-opening," Hall says of NewsNights growing appeal to CNN viewers. "While consensus may not always be reached, the show ensures that every viewpoint has a place at the table."

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Scott Jennings is one of the show's panelists, and his conservative takes stir intense and passionate debates on most nights, earning him regular appearances on the show. Status' Oliver Darcy recently reported that Jennings is set to receive a pay increase at the network as part of a new contract that will soon be finalized.

Other panelists who have frequently appeared on the show include former CNN anchor John Avlon, Bakari Sellers, Van Jones, Bryan Lanza, Tara Palmeri, and Jemele Hill.

CNN anchor Abby Phillip during a Mediaweek panel

Phillip was in the spotlight in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. In October, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky made a bigoted remark to fellow panelist Mehdi Hasan during a panel discussion.

Girdusky was subsequently asked to leave the show, and Hassan opted to depart despite being asked to stay.

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I've never had to kick people off the show before, Phillip said when asked about the incident at ADWEEKs Mediaweek event in October. I didn't expect the fact that it would happen last night. But it was a racist comment, and he said it to someone sitting right in front of him. It just was not appropriate.

NewsNight's success has spurred CNN to try the panel debate format on Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. ET, with Phillip hosting In its last two airings on March 8 and March 1, CNN Saturday Morning Table of Five finished second in the demo with 93,000 and 136,000 viewers, respectively.

"As a moderator, Abby approaches each discussion with both rigor and fairness. She allows difficult moments to unfold while ensuring accuracy through real-time fact-checking," Hall says of the host. "Her depth of knowledge and ability to listen, commands the respect of everyone at the table."

The network is looking for Chris Wallace's successor in that time slot, and Phillip could be that solution.
LONDON (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank will give its asset management arm preferred access to private credit deals it originates, the companies said on Tuesday, as the German institutions look for an edge in the booming but increasingly competitive market.

Under the arrangement, DWS will be given the first look at "certain asset-based finance, direct lending and other private credit asset opportunities" Deutsche Bank finds, which DWS can then sell to its clients.

Private Credit is a key offering for our clients who are looking for exposure to real-economy investments," said Stefan Hoops, CEO at DWS. "Origination is the main differentiator for Alternative Asset Managers, especially for asset-based finance which requires very different origination channels than direct lending."

Private credit funds are non-bank lenders which lend money to companies and typically face less regulation than traditional lenders. They have boomed in recent years, with the likes of Apollo, KKR and Blackstone eating into banks' market share.

Several banks have responded by striking deals with private credit managers, such as an agreement Citi announced with Apollo last year, so they can leverage their relationships with customers but risk little or none of their own capital.

At the same time investor demand for alternative assets including private credit is soaring, offering new fee pools for fund managers like DWS.

As part of the agreement, DWS said Patrick Connors, Deutsche Bank's European head of global credit financing and solutions, will join DWS as global head of private credit. DWS has 110 billion euros of its 1 trillion euros in assets under management in alternatives.

Regulators have expressed concern about increased lending in the 'shadow banking' sector, where they have less visibility. A push by private credit lenders beyond traditional middle-market lending into areas such as asset-based financing also creates new risks, Moody's said in a report last year.

(Reporting by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, editing by Deepa Babington)
A CNN panelist awkwardly rebuked Shark Tanks Kevin OLeary after he touched her during a fiery showdown about Elon Musks donations to GOP members of Congress who support President Trumps impeachment calls against dissenting judges.

Angela Rye, the Native Land Pod host, was making the point that Musks donationsreported to be $6,600 each to seven Republicansmight contravene ethics guidelines because they were quid pro quo in exchange for favors from the recipients.

Rye pops at O'Leary, who then apologises. / CNN

At this moment, with her co-panelist gesturing with his hands eager to make his point, she accuses OLeary of touching her. Rye snaps at the businessman midway through a point, saying: He literally tweeted to members of Congress...you dont have to touch me!

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OLeary responded that I did that nicely, to which Rye responded again: I dont want you to touch me.

I wont ever do it again, the businessman said.

Rye went on to make her point that Musk explicitly thanked the recipients of his donations on X.

But he literally says, he literally, he says thank you to the members who introduced articles of impeachment, she explained. That is an exchange of value. That is a violation.

Recovered from his slap-down, OLeary took a different stance. He said: Lets talk about the two narratives going on simultaneously. The oldest profession on Earth is not prostitution; its politicians raising money.

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That has happened from the beginning of time. Thats going on forever and will continue forever. This issue around judges, this is pure politics. Get over it. This is what we live in today, every day.

He added: No laws have been broken. You dont like it? Too bad.

It comes after Musk put his hand in his pocket for Reps. Eli Crane of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin, and Brandon Gill of Texas, as well as Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, according to the New York Times.

Gill introduced a resolution to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg on Tuesday, after an Obama-appointed judge blocked President Donald Trump from using a wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants who the president claims are gang members.

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Trump called for the judges impeachment in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

Musk is hot on the idea of impeaching judges, too. Last week, he threw a tantrum after his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was dealt a series of legal setbacks, immediately calling for the impeachment of federal judges.

Without judicial reform, which means at least the absolute worst judges get impeached, we dont have real democracy in America, Musk said on X.

He reacted after federal agencies were ordered on Thursday to immediately reinstate tens of thousands of federal workers with probationary status who had been laid off by DOGE.

Since then, he has repeated his pleas. For more than two centuries, there has never such extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges. Impeach them, he wrote on X Wednesday.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The U.S. Coast Guard held a news conference Thursday after it offloaded over 45,600 pounds of illegal drugs at Port Everglades.

The Coast Guard said the narcotics are worth more than $517.5 million.

Around us right now, is over half a billion dollars of cocaine that had we not stopped it, it would have been headed for our communities, Admiral Kevin E. Lunday said. Our message to these cartels is this: We own the sea, not you. We will find you out there and we will take you down before you reach our border. Thats what the cutter Stone has done and their crew and we are proud of their accomplishment.

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WFLA News Channel 8 live streamed the news conference. You can watch it in the player above.

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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG)  Robert Van Barrow said he owes his life today to the woman he married. Barrow was an enlisted man in the Air Force, stationed in Germany when he told his superiors of his intention to marry the German woman who would become Margot Barrow.

Keeping the memory of the Buffalo Soldiers alive

I had put in for a flight  a special TDY flight to Adana, Turkey  which was a dangerous undertaking, said Barrow.

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It was the height of the Cold War in 1958; Barrow was sent to Cornell University to learn the Russian language but he was later switched to the Czech language. He and fellow airmen were charged with listening in on Russian communications  working primarily for the National Security Agency.

They needed to know how many and what their capabilities were, continued Barrow.

Because of the sensitivity of their mission  and Barrows intention to marry a woman who had one time lived in East Germany  Barrow was taken off of that flight.

That plane was shot down with 17 men aboard, said Barrow.

There were no survivors. In essence, Barrow believes his life was spared because of his love for Margot  and being taken off of that tragic flight.

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She was a beautiful girl and I loved her for who she was. She lost her father at the age of four during World War II in 1943.

With his new wife, Barrow left the Air Force and returned to his home state of Florida  earning a degree and his PHD at Florida State. Soon after, he was hired at the upstart University of South Alabama in Mobile, where he became chairman of the department of Political Science and Criminal Justice.

My first  my first true occupation I suppose was at the University of South Alabama. I was one of the first professors they hired there, he continued.

It was 1966  incidentally, the same year the Coast Guards Aviation Training Center opened in Mobile. Its the same year the Coast Guard became interested in Barrow as well because he was developing the Criminal Justice program at USA.

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What I was developing was a program that served them well. And then I had a number of their agents, most of them recruiters, come to my classes. And ones that came in and said you should belong to us, said Barrow.

The Coast Guard offered Barrow a direct commission and he became an officer in the Coast Guard Reserve  eventually rising to the rank of Captain while continuing his career as a university professor.

Former Alabama Veterans Affairs Commissioner served in 2 military branches

Along the way, He and Margot had two children  son Frank and daughter Audrey. His beloved wife passed away in 2020. This past January, Bob Barrow turned 89 years young. Were proud to honor Dr. Robert Van Barrow for Serving Those Who Serve.

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TALLAHASSEE  New College of Florida could take over the University of South Floridas Sarasota-Manatee campus under plans being negotiated in the state Legislature, according to a top Republican senator.

Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, confirmed rumors about the potential merger on Wednesday.

Theres a lot of people that are negotiating it, Gruters told the Times/Herald. A lot of it has to do with the governor, the speaker of the House and president of the Senate.

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Gruters said the idea is to merge New College of Florida, USF Sarasota-Manatee and the Ringling Museum of Art. The three campuses are all within a mile and a half of each other in the shadow of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed having New College take over the Ringling Museum from Florida State University earlier this year.

Which school would take over isnt decided, Gruters said. He said Florida State or USF Sarasota-Manatee could take over all three.

Theres a lot of different scenarios that can still play out, Gruters said. But I think the leading scenario for sure is certainly New College ruling the day.

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The idea is not a done deal, Gruters said. There is not a bill in the Legislature to enact the plan, but the legislative session is not scheduled to end until May 2.

USF spokesperson Althea Johnson said in a statement that the chairperson of the university systems board of governors asked the two schools in September to look at how our two institutions can identify additional synergies in our partnership.

Since that time USF leadership has been in discussions with New College, she said.

She noted that the university already shares a residence hall and campus security with New College. New College is paying USF Sarasota-Manatee about $1 million to rent 106 beds for its students, USF student newspaper The Oracle reported this year.

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Merging the three schools could be a dramatic expansion for New College, the tiny liberal arts school that Gov. Ron DeSantis is trying to remake into a conservative bastion.

New College has about 700 students. About 2,000 students call USF Sarasota-Manatee their home campus, Johnson said. The school is trying to shed its reputation as a commuter school by adding a new STEM building and a student center and residence hall.

USFs Sarasota-Manatee and St. Petersburg campuses were consolidated under the Tampa schools umbrella five years ago.

Rumors have swirled in recent weeks about a potential merger. During a USF Sarasota-Manatee board meeting earlier this month, current and former trustees and advisers asked what was going on, Fox 13 Tampa Bay reported at the time.

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The legislators are telling us its a 99% done deal, yet no one is talking about it, John Horne, an adviser to the campus' hospitality program, told the station.

State lawmakers could be seizing on a gap in leadership at USF as it looks for a new president.

Gruters, a USF graduate whose wife is a vice president at New College, said he supports a merger under New College President Richard Corcoran, a former Republican speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

A unified campus, I think, makes a lot of sense, he said. So Im in favor of it. I like the idea.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  LeMoyne and Owen Junior College students who participated in sit-ins in the 1960s were recognized for their bravery on Wednesday.

65 years ago, LeMoyne and Owen Junior College students stood on the frontline of history to ignite change risking arrest to challenge Jim Crow laws in the South.

Well, March 1960, everything in the city of Memphis was totally segregated, said Gwen Glover, a sit-in student.

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Over 8,000 MLGW customers without power

Hundreds of students began to participate in non-violent protests and sit-ins across the nation during the Jim Crow era.

Here in Memphis, Lemoyne and Owen junior college students led the first sit-ins at Memphis public libraries and museums.

Their arrests sparked the civil rights movement in Memphis.

MPD search for suspect in Midtown armed robbery

So when we went to jail, we were, they fingerprinted us and took that. You know, when you go into a real jail and they fed us hot oatmeal that had been hot, you know, that was what we had for breakfast and dinner and we had water that was warm long. So that was but the Memphis ministerial allowance came in to get us, said Glover.

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She said their bond was paid out, so that is how it got started.

Sit-in students were honored for their courage with a ceremony at Metropolitan Baptist Church on Wednesday.

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Our responsibility as citizens of this great community is to support justice and truth at all costs. Ireland will not be free until all citizens are free, said Micah Henryhand, LeMoyne-Owen College Royal Court. I will not be a democracy until democracy is practiced. Finally, here these words of wise men. If this movement be a man, it will fail. But at this moment be of God. Men cannot prevent glory.

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Glover says she hopes their stories inspire the youth to create change in their community.

So, for ten years we worked at after they had, we had gone being segregate integrated in the city. It took us ten years to get then all of our working ten years. So most of us that graduated as we taught in Arkansas, Mississippi because we couldnt teach in Memphis, said Glover.

Mans arm nearly severed in machete attack

Get out, get out, get a degree, and get decent jobs. Go to church, teach the young people about what we have done in the past, said Glover.

She also encourages young people to get out and vote.

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Sit-in students are also set to visit the Brooks Museum and Pink Palace Museum on Thursday as they reflect on history and look toward a brighter future.

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By Carlos Ramirez

SAN ANTONIO DEL TACHIRA, Venezuela (Reuters) - A Colombian-Venezuelan migrant deported from the U.S. over the weekend and being held in a high-security prison in El Salvador has no criminal record or ties to a Venezuelan gang and his rights are being violated, his wife said on Thursday.

President Donald Trump's administration is facing a March 25 deadline to respond to a judicial request for more details on the deportations of hundreds of migrants to El Salvador, as Washington-based U.S. District Judge James Boasberg considers whether officials violated his order temporarily blocking the expulsions.

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Trump had invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which he said allowed him to deport alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The migrants are being held in El Salvador under an agreement with President Nayib Bukele's government.

Deicy Aldana, 26, said her husband, 26-year-old Colombian-Venezuelan dual citizen Andres Guillermo Morales, had a legal work permit in the United States as part of his U.S. asylum application when he was arrested by ICE in early February. His work authorization was verified independently by Reuters.

Aldana, a Colombian citizen, spoke to Reuters in the Venezuelan city of San Antonio del Tachira, just across the border from Colombia, where she is staying with her mother after returning from the U.S. following her husband's detention in an early morning raid in Denver.

"He's a hard worker," said Aldana, as she held back sobs. "I don't know why they connected him to the Tren de Aragua if he has nothing to do with that, he doesn't have a criminal record in Colombia, he doesn't have a criminal record in Venezuela, if he had one in the United States they would have left him there to serve time."

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Aldana shared paperwork showing her husband, who has a Colombian mother and was raised along the two countries' border, has no criminal convictions in Colombia. Reuters confirmed the authenticity of the document with its own records search.

Reuters was not able to immediately find any U.S. criminal convictions for Morales either.

"I'm so worried because he's a human being and they are violating his rights," Aldana said. "It's not fair what they are doing to him and the other Venezuelans for being Venezuelans."

Families of some of the deported men have reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told them their loved ones have tattoos linked to the violent gang.

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Morales, who worked for an air conditioning company and then a cement company, had multiple tattoos, Aldana said, but none were connected to any gang. He had his parents' names on his arms, with a clock next to his father's, as well as a star and music notes on his neck and a Bible verse on his ribs.

ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Morales' case. Aldana, who has two young daughters, said she was told during a call with ICE that her husband is in El Salvador.

Morales had a signed deportation order for Colombia and was told by that country's consulate in San Francisco that he would be deported to Bogota, said Aldana. She said her husband later told her he had signed paperwork changing his deportation to Venezuela.

The Colombian foreign ministry has told her they are following the case, Aldana said. The ministry did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

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"I will do whatever I can to get him out," she said. "I have proof to show he's not a criminal."

(Reporting by Carlos Ramirez in San Antonio del Tachira, additional reporting by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb, editing by Deepa Babington)
Abortion rights supporters protest outside the state Capitol in Denver on May 7, 2022. (Kevin Mohatt for Colorado Newsline)

A national reproductive rights report card gave Colorado marks that are improved from last year after a constitutional amendment allows the state to provide Medicaid coverage for reproductive health care.

The annual report card from rePROS Fight Back  an initiative of the Population Institute, which advocates gender equality and universal access to sexual and reproductive health services  grades each state based on various factors that either improve or hinder access to reproductive health care. The initiative has published the report since 2012.

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Factors considered include prevention efforts, such as sex education and access to contraception; affordability, including Medicaid and health insurance coverage; and access, including restrictions on abortion and gender-affirming care. Colorado received a B+ grade, up from a C- last year.

Colorado voters in November approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion in Colorado, which bumped up this years grade, as the state is no longer prohibited from using state funding to support reproductive health care. The state earned additional points from last year because it now has Medicaid expansion options for family planning and reproductive health care services.

Colorado also earned high marks for its shield laws that protect abortion care providers and gender-affirming care for transgender youth. It is one of only 16 states to receive a B grade or higher, though it did not receive an A because it does not mandate sex education.

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Jennie Wetter, director of rePROs Fight Back and author of the report, said Colorado deserves partial credit for requiring schools that do teach sex education to ensure it is medically accurate, LGBTQ+ inclusive and includes information on healthy relationships and consent.

But since they dont mandate any form of sex education, they dont get points for the things they require, since some schools may then not teach sex education since its not mandated, Wetter said.

Five states received an A grade, and 25 states received an F grade. The U.S. as a whole earned a failing grade because of continued fallout from the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs v. Jackson decision that overturned the national right to abortion guaranteed by Roe v. Wade.

The Trump Administration is pouring fuel on this raging fire by blocking health agencies from collecting and reporting critical data related to reproductive health, Wetter said in a statement. The threats to the health and well-being of children and families are simply unprecedented.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Protesters demonstrated outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Boulder campus on March 3, 2025, in protest of mass layoffs of federal workers by the Trump administration. (Chase Woodruff/Colorado Newsline)

With thousands of federal employees in Colorado at risk of termination by President Donald Trump and Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency, the states labor department is taking steps to help connect workers with unemployment insurance and other resources.

Over 600 former federal workers have filed for unemployment with the state over the last two months, said Cher Haavind, deputy executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

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We certainly want to be prepared to assist you with any unemployment insurance claim questions, and then also provide you with those support services to help you meet your re-employment goals, Haavind said during a virtual town hall meeting for laid-off employees Wednesday.

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Colorado provides up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits at 55% of a recipients previous wages, through a program administered by CDLE but funded by the federal government. Benefits for former federal workers are subject to certain eligibility requirements under the Unemployment Compensation for Federal Workers, or UCFE, program.

Adjudicating federal unemployment claims under UCFE can be complicated, said Phil Spesshardt, director of CDLEs Division of Unemployment Insurance, by the fact that federal agencies dont report quarterly wage figures to the state like typical employers do. He advised claimants to submit pay stubs, bank statements and other documentation as part of their claim, in case the federal government does not respond to our request for wages.

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Its not necessarily the most efficient system in the world, but thats the one we have from the federal government, Spesshardt said.

Mass firings of probationary employees  those recently hired or promoted  have hit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service and many other agencies with a presence in Colorado. Thousands more of the roughly 50,000 federal employees in the state could be at risk of termination as Musks DOGE initiative proceeds with reduction in force plans in the coming weeks.

In general, people who voluntarily resigned from their jobs are not eligible for unemployment insurance. But Spesshardt implied that some federal workers who accepted the administrations controversial Fork in the Road buyout offer may be eligible because of its threat of future mass layoffs.

Were going to look at what you believe may have been reasonable, Spesshardt said. If you have a copy of the Fork in the Road letter, make sure you attach and upload a copy of that. Because there are certain things within there that might lead you to believe that if you didnt accept that anyway, you might have otherwise been terminated or laid off.

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Federal employees who have been laid off and then reinstated can continue to receive unemployment benefits until they return to work, CDLE officials said. But if employees receive back pay, they may have to pay back the benefits they received during that period.

Finally, Spesshardt emphasized that under Colorado law, neither the federal government nor any employer can prevent someone from filing for unemployment.

There have been rumors out there for some federal employees that may have been told you cannot file a claim, you are not eligible, he said. The state of Colorado processing a claim will determine whether your separation constitutes an eligible separation to receive benefits, but it is specifically against Colorado statute to prohibit you from filing an unemployment insurance claim.

Jessica Greene, deputy chief human resources officer at the Colorado Department of Personnel Administration, joined the town hall to encourage former federal workers to apply for one of the more than 500 open jobs in state government.

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As federal employees, this group knows more than most the value and impact of public service on our citizens, said Greene. We would welcome anyone who is interested in continuing their career in public service to apply at the state.

CDLE will host another town hall at 4 p.m. Thursday. Recordings of both events will be available on the departments YouTube page.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
A view of the Colorado Capitol on Jan. 25, 2024. (Quentin Young/Colorado Newsline)

A Federal Trade Commission member fired by President Donald Trump this week urged Colorado lawmakers Wednesday to pursue policies that hold corporations accountable.

Alvaro Bedoya, the FTC commissioner whom Trump dismissed, and former general counsel and senior advisor for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Seth Frotman presented to the states Joint Judiciary Committee on Wednesday afternoon about the state governments role in preserving and creating affordability for its citizens.

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In doing so, they criticized the Trump administrations reduction of federal consumer protection capacity and lent support to a handful of Democratic-backed bills in the Legislature.

In the age of Big Tech, gigantic Wall Street banks and ever growing monopolies, we need law enforcement and regulators at all levels, but especially now in states such as this one, to be equipped with ample tools and resources to actually stand up for people, Frotman said.

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The Colorado hearing comes one day after Bedoya, a Democrat, was ousted from the FTC by Trump, a move Bedoya said was illegal. Trump has also fired people at agencies that deal with labor and the workplace, such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

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In early February, Trump ordered the CFPB to stop most of its work regulating lending activity and then canceled the lease of the agencys headquarters, essentially shutting it down.

The lawlessness that the Trump administration is stoking and the abuse of everyday people that continues to rain down on so many can be counteracted, at least in part, by ensuring that states have comprehensive, powerful laws and enforcement mechanisms to protect their citizens, Frotman said.

That means thinking about what makes peoples everyday lives more affordable, he said.

The FTC targets deceptive business practices and promotes private-sector competition, often through litigation, while the CFPB is an agency created in the wake of the Great Recession to oversee financial products like credit cards, bank accounts and loans.

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If the CFPB becomes unable to process the millions of complaints they receive related to foreclosures, student loans and banking problems, Frotman said the work could trickle down to individual plaintiffs, consumer advocates and attorneys. There could be a role for the state to help increase that sectors capacity.

Both Frotman and Bedoya specifically highlighted a bill in the Legislature to prohibit junk fees, or costs that are not clearly advertised in an items price. The fees are most closely associated with fees in the rental market for amenities other than rent, such as trash services and pest control, which people often learn about after signing a lease.

That bill passed the House earlier this month on a 41-21 vote and passed a Senate committee Wednesday afternoon.

The FTC announced a junk fees rule last year that targets live-event ticketing and short-term lodging.

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Bedoya said the junk fee bills provision to allow a person to sue a company is necessary because the federal law enforcement agencies that could go after bad actors are facing budget cuts under the Trump administration. Industry wants that private right of action piece stripped from the bill.

Under (former FTC) chair Lina Khan, we were able to bring on any number of junk fees cases. But thats not standard conduct. What the private right of action does is it allows individual consumers to have their day in court to contest these hidden junk fees, separate and apart from whether a state or a federal law enforcer has the ability to prioritize their case, he said.

Bedoya also praised Senate Bill 25-5, which would eliminate a second union election requirement to negotiate whether all employees would need to pay into representation costs. That bill passed the Senate and is set for a House floor debate soon, but its unamended form could face pushback from Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, who wants to see a compromise on the issue between business and labor groups.

You have before you the Worker Protection Act, and my hope is that the Colorado Legislature passes it and that Governor Polis signs it and brings Colorado into the same level of protection for its workers as the rest of the country, Bedoya said.

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Bedoya also said lawmakers should pass a bill that would prohibit surveillance from platforms such as ride sharing applications to determine prices for customers and drivers based on personal characteristics and behaviors. That bill was introduced in the House in February but does not have a committee hearing scheduled.

This is about you as legislators and your unique ability to step up and ensure that Colorado isnt just in the middle of the pack, but is in the forefront of enacting the strongest protections possible for consumers, small businesses and workers that will promote affordability, he said.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) - Google (GOOG) agreed to pay $28 million to settle a class action lawsuit claiming that it favored white and Asian employees by paying them more and putting them on higher career tracks than other workers.

The accord with Google, a unit of Alphabet, won preliminary approval last week from Judge Charles Adams of the Santa Clara County Superior Court in California.

He called the settlement fair, reasonable and "a good result for the class" of at least 6,632 Google employees in California between February 15, 2018, and December 31, 2024.

Google spokesperson Courtenay Mencini confirmed the settlement on Tuesday, but said, "We continue to disagree with the allegations that we treated anyone differently, and remain committed to paying, hiring and leveling all employees fairly."

The lawsuit was led by Ana Cantu, who identifies as Mexican and racially Indigenous, on behalf of Hispanic, Latinx, Indigenous, Native American, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and Alaska Native employees at Google.

Cantu said she performed exemplary work over seven years in Google's people operations and cloud departments, yet languished at the same job level while white and Asian peers got extra pay and promotions.

Cantu said the Mountain View, California-based company put white and Asian employees in higher job "levels" than other employees, even for the same work, and withheld raises and promotions from those who complained.

Cantu said Google's actions violated the California Equal Pay Act. She left Google in September 2021.

Adams said the settlement came after Cantu's lawyers agreed this month to exclude Black employees from the proposed class, which Google had sought.

Net settlement proceeds total $20.4 million, after deducting $7 million for legal fees, penalties tied to Cantu's claim under California's Private Attorneys General Act, and other costs.

Adams scheduled a September 11 hearing to consider final settlement approval.

Cantu's lawyers did not immediately respond on Tuesday to requests for comment.

The case is Cantu v Google LLC et al, California Superior Court, Santa Clara County, No. 21CV392049.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade held a press conference on Thursday, March 20, to provide an update on infrastructure and road construction projects across the city.

The mayor says this year alone, theres been over 800 requests to get potholes filled.

Our crews have already filled more than 16,000 potholes to date, he added.

City employees are working hard to get them done, but the mayor says thats only a temporary solution. He says the real solution lies in repaving our roads, made possible by the 2C road improvement program.

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The infrastructure improvements have been going on for quite a while, whether its PPRTA or 2C I think weather is warming up. Were continuing to work on that. So youll see more, more of that, said Travis Easton, the mayors Deputy Chief of Staff, for infrastructure and development.

The City announced plans to improve Oro Blanco Drive, Flying W Ranch Road, Cheyenne Boulevard, and South Chelton Road. The mayor also said that if there was concrete work done last year in your neighborhood, road improvements are coming your way this year. Next week, the long-anticipated downtown Tejon Street revitalization project begins, while many active projects continue.

We are making significant progress on major infrastructure projects, including the ongoing reconstruction of Academy Boulevard and the replacement of Circle Drive bridges, said Mayor Mobolade. In just the first three months of this year, we have made great strides in the widening of Marksheffel Road, and Im pleased to share that Dublin Boulevard is nearing its final engineering stage with construction to begin later this year.

City officials also spoke about updating the parks system master plan. Over the course of this summer, theyll be looking for community input on the future of our parks and recreation. They say to stay tuned to the Citys website if youd like your voice to be heard.

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If youre interested in watching todays press conference in its entirety, you can do so by clicking here.

As these projects get done, the mayor says he appreciates your patience.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Columbia University is reportedly considering capitulating to President Trumps demands  including a mask ban and a major crackdown on campus anti-Israel protests  as a deadline looms to comply or risk losing some $400 million in federal funding.

Claiming the Ivy League school has failed to follow anti-discrimination laws, the Trump administration announced plans earlier this month to claw back the grants and contracts  representing roughly 8% of its US-taxpayer funding  pending a review period, which ends on Thursday.

Citing unnamed university officials, the Wall Street Journal described a schism developing among the schools board of trustees, with some in favor of giving in to the demands and others voicing concern that acquiescing would mean Columbia was trading away its moral authority and academic independence for federal funds.

Columbia University has been the site of virulent anti-Israel protesters since last spring. Robert Miller

In a March 19 letter, interim CU president Katrina Armstrong acknowledged that the past two years have highlighted real cracks in our existing structures  and pledged the school would never compromise our values of pedagogical independence, our commitment to academic freedom, or our obligation to follow the law.

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She highlighted efforts the university has taken in recent weeks  including announcing a new policy against doxxing and online harassment  but stopped short of offering a definitive statement about how the school would ultimately respond to the administrations dictates.

A Columbia spokesperson declined to comment on the matter beyond Armstrongs letter.

The administration is imposing nine specific demands as a precondition for formal negotiations regarding the elite schools continued financial relationship with the United States government, which representatives of the General Services Administration, the Education Department and Health and Human Services detailed in a March 13 letter.

Among them, Columbia is being instructed to enforce existing disciplinary policies, namely, punish those responsible for the violent takeover of Hamilton Hall in April 2024, during which dozens of masked anti-Israel rioters smashed their way into the academic building and barricaded themselves inside.

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Months after the protests former Columbia president Minouche Shafik suddenly resigned, blaming a period of turmoil for her shocking departure.

The Trump administration has given Columbia a list of nine demands it must enact, or risk losing some $400 million in federal funds  and school officials are considering giving in, the WSJ reported. REUTERS

Meaningful discipline means expulsion or multi-year suspension, the demand specifies. The university announced last week it had expelled and suspended an unspecified number of students involved in the incident, though it was not clear whether it was a direct result of Trumps order.

The government is also demanding the school abolish its University Judicial Board, and instead centralize all disciplinary processes under the university president  who it directs to be empowered to suspend or expel students with an appeals process.

The list of demands also includes a requirement to ban masks  with carve-outs for religious and health reasons  but specifying any masked individual must display their CU identification outside their clothing.

One of the demands is to ban protesters from wearing masks on campus, a move supported by Jewish alumni groups and elected officials, including Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres and NYC Mayor Eric Adams. Robert Miller

Pressure has been mounting on Columbia to enact a mask ban  with the support of Jewish alumni groups and elected officials such as Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres and NYC Mayor Eric Adams  but the school has not budged on the issue thus far.

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Columbia must also agree to hold accountable student groups who engage in violations of university policy through formal investigations, disciplinary proceedings and expulsion as appropriate, the order states.

Earlier this month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia protest leader, at his university-owned apartment. Hes since been brought to an ICE facility in Louisiana and the Trump administration plans to deport him for leading activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

Khalil and his attorneys have challenged his arrest and detention as unlawful, and a court battle is underway to determine if the administration has legal standing to kick the Syrian-born Palestinian  who had a green card  out of the country.

One of the most sweeping demands is that the schools Middle East, South Asian and African Studies departments be placed under academic receivership for at least five years, which would give someone outside of the departments the power to make decisions for the faculty.

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The Journal writes that in rare cases where university departments are placed under receivership, schools typically place the responsibility in the hands of a dean from another department.

We expect your immediate compliance with these critical next steps, after which we hope to open a conversation about immediate and long-term structural reforms that will return Columbia to its original mission of innovative research and academic excellence, the letter concludes.

Columbia isnt the only school in the Trump administrations crosshairs.

On March 10, the Department of Educations civil rights arm warned 60 more colleges and universities their federal funds could be next on the chopping block over antisemitic discrimination and harassment on campus.
(NewsNation)  Columbia University is at a crossroads, with the administration deciding whether to cede to demands for change from President Donald Trump or stick to long-held principles and lose millions in federal funding.

There is $400 million of funding at risk, and the deadline for a decision has been extended to tomorrow after the Board of Directors has been deliberating for days.

It all stems from pro-Palestine protests held on the campus last spring. Protesters, consisting of students and outside agitators, according to the school, took over the lawn on the campus.

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Deadline on deportation flight details passes without filing

They also took over Hamilton Hall, prompting the New York Police Department to intervene and arrest dozens of people.

Recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested organizer Mahmoud Khalil and is attempting to deport him. ICE claims that Khalil, who has a green card, was engaging in pro-Hamas activity that justifies his removal from the country.

A federal judge ruled that Khalils case challenging his arrest will be heard in New Jersey rather than being dismissed or moved to Louisiana as federal prosecutors requested.



In a letter to the community, Columbias interim president, Katrina Armstrong, expressed support for the principles of the school and its future.

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We are working around the clock to secure the future of this extraordinary University. As we move forward, we will always be guided by our principles of free expression, academic freedom and the pursuit of excellence, she said. The last two years have both highlighted real cracks in our existing structures and have created new problems that this campus community needs to address. Antisemitism. Harassment and discrimination of any kind are unacceptable.

AG Pam Bondi announces charges against three alleged Tesla arsonists

Trumps demands for the university include no masks, more empowerment for campus police, a new definition of antisemitism and reforms to admissions practices.

The last demand is perhaps related to the fact that the majority of the 36,000 students are international students.

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Trump also wants the schools Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies put under academic receivership, which means the faculty would no longer control it.

Trump said the requests are a precondition for formal negotiations.

His letter also suggested other long-term reforms the government thinks Columbia needs to make.

Columbia is trying to walk a very fine line between upholding Columbias values and legal obligations while also appeasing the Trump administration.

What roadblocks is DOGE facing in over 130 legal cases?

In terms of funding, the $400 million only represents about 25% of what the university receives, and the amount of funding on the line could go higher.

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However, not all of the funds go to medical and scientific research. The school keeps a large chunk for overhead, and Trump is essentially cutting into that, forcing Columbias hand.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus City Schools updated its religious release time policy to declare that organizations must agree not to send students back to school with snacks or trinkets.

The district voted unanimously Tuesday at its board of education meeting to update its religious release time policy to ban organizations from sending students back with souvenirs. The change comes just weeks before Ohios Parents Bill of Rights goes into effect, which will require all public school districts to have a religious release time policy on the books. See previous coverage of the Parents Bill of Rights in the video player below.

Release time for religious instruction allows short-term absences for religious instruction during the school day as long as it happens off school property, uses no public school resources and is done with parent permission. Columbus City Schools and many other public schools have permitted it for some time, but by early April, every Ohio public school district will be required to have a policy.

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Ohio data shows 90% of voucher students arent low income

The district adopted its first policy in May 2015, but its updated version adds restrictions. Participating organizations must agree not to provide students with any materials, snacks, clothing, candies, trinkets or goodies for their return to the school.

Out of concern for coming back with a pile of gifts from the sponsoring entity and how that could be disruptive to the classrooms and the educational experience, we did opt to include that language, said board member Sarah Ingles, chair of the boards policy and governance committee.

Organizations must also provide the district with criminal background checks for all instructors and volunteers. Ingles said it includes language requiring sponsoring organizations to pay for these background checks at no cost to the district, which was recommended to the board.

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The policy also clarifies that students cannot be required to change their schedules to attend programs.

Hilliard-based LifeWise is Ohios largest religious instruction program and one of the biggest in the nation. Parents and activists who disapprove of the Christian-based organization often condemn the distribution of trinkets and candy given to students, which they say can make students who arent participating feel left out or pressured to attend.

Bill would extend working hours for teens

LifeWise CEO and Founder Joel Penton said the new policy will have little effect on the organization, which already requires background checks among volunteers.

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Families choose LifeWise because they believe Bible-based character education has a positive impact on their children, Penton said. The new requirement does not change their reason for sending them to LifeWise.

Molly Ann Gaines, a leader with the Secular Education Association (previously Parents Against LifeWise), celebrated the districts decision.

Not being permitted to send back treats or trinkets is an important step, we believe it should apply to every school LifeWise is in, Gaines said. This weakens their ability to coerce nonparticipating children. Its a matter of protecting all students from unnecessary division and the feeling of being left out.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A Columbus police officer was taken to a hospital Thursday morning after a crash on the far southwest side.

Tornado warning siren test reminder of their importance

A police dispatcher said a cruiser and another vehicle were involved in a crash just before 10 a.m. at the intersection of Alkire and Norton Roads. The officer is in stable condition at a hospital while no information was immediately available on the driver of the other vehicle, per police dispatch.

It is unknown at this time if the crash was the result of a police pursuit. This is the second time this week a police cruiser has been involved in a crash. On Tuesday, an officer and the driver of another vehicle were hospitalized due to a crash on the south side.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus saw the largest population increase of any Ohio metropolitan area after the COVID-19 pandemic, a change driven by immigration.

Only three major Ohio cities experienced population growth after the pandemic, according to recent data from the U.S. Census. Columbus saw a 4% population increase, more than any other Ohio city by at least 1.6%. And much of that growth came from immigration.

The Census Bureau reported that Franklin County has gained 32,500 residents since the pandemic. The census tracked international and domestic migration from 2020 to 2024 and noted Franklin County saw negative domestic migration, meaning people in the U.S. were moving away from the area more than moving to it. At the same time, Franklin County saw more than 50,000 people move to the area internationally.

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Ohio bill would extend working hours for teens

Only the Cincinnati and Dayton areas joined Columbus in population growth since COVID-19, growing 2.4% and 0.9%, respectively. The numbers reflect the greater cities areas determined by the Census. Columbus is considered the 14th most populous city in the U.S., but in this federal dataset, it appears to have fewer residents than Cincinnati.

Franklin Countys population is expected to increase by around 363,000 people by 2050. The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Committee reports that central Ohio is seeing higher death rates than birth rates, making domestic and international migration crucial to the regions growth.

Columbus immigration surge was especially noticeable between July 2023 and July 2024, when more than 20,000 immigrants moved to Franklin County. This meant immigration was the areas largest population contributor, making up 54% of all growth. The Census Bureau said 15.1% of Columbus residents are foreign-born, much higher than the state foreign-born population of 5.3%.

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Ohio law banning trans healthcare for youth partially overturned

According to data from the state, most refugees who came to Columbus in 2024 arrived from Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. And according to data from the Migration Policy, immigrants to Columbus primarily come from India, Mexico and western Africa, which did not specific countries of origin.

Immigration has been the subject of many federal orders since President Donald Trump assumed office in January. Trump has indefinitely suspended the refugee admissions program, which brought thousands of foreign-born residents to Columbus. He has also cracked down on undocumented immigration and immigration crimes, including the contested deportation of hundreds of immigrants to an El Salvador prison this week.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther has said although the city will comply with all federal laws, it will not devote city resources to immigration enforcement. Federal agents have set up a task force in central Ohio to investigate and arrest criminals who are not lawfully in the U.S. See previous coverage of Ginthers immigration stance in the video player above.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
PERQUIMANS COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY)  Many families in North Carolina are dealing with the aftermath of a tornado that destroyed a number of homes.

In Perquimans County, the community is helping one 6-year-old smile and is giving her a second birthday after she lost everything.

Multiple injured, homes damaged due to storms in Perquimans County

Rubble is all that is left of Leilanis familys home after the devastating tornado destroyed it earlier this week. She had just turned 6 earlier this month and lost everything, including all of her toys.

A 6-year-old girl, Leilani, who just recently celebrated a birthday, lost all of her toys after a tornado touched down in Perquimans County earlier this week and destroyed her familys home. Community members are helping to replace those toys and organize a second birthday party for the young girl. (Courtesy: Laquasia Hughes)

Jeannie Jones brother and sister-in-law own KinFolk Axe Throwing in Elizabeth City. Jones asked them for a date to hold the birthday party, and she said that, without hesitation, they said March 30. Thats when she goes up to Leilanis mother to tell her the good news.

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So I came back down here, and I said, Were throwing a birthday party. And her face just lit up, Jones said. She started crying, and Im tearing up. But everything was destroyed. And, you know, kids are our future. So if we dont show them that we care and the community doesnt come together to show that, what are we really showing? said Jones.

And within a day, it exploded on social media.

With multiple people offering to make cakes and cupcakes and DJ the event. Jones posted on Facebook saying, We need the communitys support to show up and show out for her.

Soul Catching News is helping, and the birthday party will be at 2 p.m. March 30.

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We just have to start putting ourselves in a position to realize that it can always affect any one of us, said Deshawn Morris with Soul Catching News.

NC residents rally around Perquimans Co. tornado victims

The young girl herself went through her own nightmare during the tornado when it picked her up. She landed safely on top of a truck.

Were just grateful that shes still here with us, Morris said. And we want to make sure she knows that, said Morris.

When people heard about the story, many wanted to help right away, clearing debris and bringing supplies. But others wanted to do more, and thats when the idea of a second birthday party for the 6-year-old came around.

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Leilanis mom, Laquasia Hughes, told 10 On Your Side the support is positively overwhelming.

I would have never expected it, Hughes said. And for me to see it, and to see that we have so many people that care, [its] genuine love. Words just cant even express how grateful I am.

Leilani is a big fan of Barbies, mermaids and the color green. Everyone said her resilience during this time has been inspiring.

I would have paid for everything out of pocket just to see this little girl smile, Jones said. But the outpouring of love, the messages, the calls, the texts that I have been getting, the donations just to buy gifts for her  this little girl has no idea whats coming.

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Jones said this is just the first family affected by the tornado she is helping, and her goal is to support all of them during this time.

If you are interested in helping Leilani, click here.

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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  Craft cocktails for a good cause brought out dozens to the Student Prince in Springfield.

Community leaders turned into celebrity bartenders Wednesday night, raising funds to support young people on their journey to adulthood.

One hundred percent of tips made will benefit the Scouting America, Western Massachusetts Council. A portion of food sales benefited this cause as well.

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22News spoke with one of the organizers, Michael Sacenti, about why the scouting program is such a vital resource, Its great character building, and leadership development and ethics, its really a wonderful program and we have almost 2,000 youth in the program all across western Massachusetts.

Scott Rice, VP for the Board of Directors for the Council adds, We really want to grow our membership, from Cub Scouts all the way to Eagle Scouts and everything in between. So if youre in the community out there and youre looking for something for a boy or a girl to participate in. I cant think of a better program than Scouting America.

This was the first fundraising event of the year for the local Scouting America chapter.

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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Swiss regulators are stepping in to call foul on a running shoe company's sustainability program.

What's happening?

As reported by Fashion Network, Swiss running shoe brand On is facing allegations of greenwashing after the Romandy Consumers Association  shortened as FRC  filed a complaint against the company's "Cyclon" subscription program.

The initiative, marketed as a circular economy solution, ostensibly was meant to enable customers to subscribe to shoes, wear them out, and exchange them for a new pair with the promise that the used shoes would be recycled.

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However, a June 2024 investigation by Swiss outlet RTS revealed that "no shoes had yet been recycled," causing the FRC to conclude On's claims to be "misleading and incomplete."

This complaint is among the first to be filed under a new Swiss anti-greenwashing law that took effect in the beginning of 2025.

Why is greenwashing a concern?

Greenwashing  when companies exaggerate or fabricate sustainability claims  undermines consumer trust and slows progress toward genuine environmental responsibility.

If On's "Cyclon" program is indeed misleading, it could indicate that the company is attempting to manipulate eco-conscious consumers who want to put money toward green companies.

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The new Swiss law requires that all environmental claims be objectively verifiable, and the FRC's complaint will serve as a test case for its enforcement. If companies can market circular economy initiatives without actually following through, consumers may end up unknowingly contributing to waste rather than reducing it.

Additionally, false sustainability claims can make it harder for consumers to make informed, responsible purchasing decisions.

What's being done about greenwashing?

The lawsuit demonstrates an increase in oversight by governments to make sure consumers are not misled by fake sustainability claims. While it unfolds, consumers can take steps to ensure their purchases align with genuine sustainability efforts.

Supporting brands with third-party environmental certifications, prioritizing long-lasting products over subscription-based models, and advocating for stronger greenwashing regulations can all help push the fashion industry forward.

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As this case develops, it highlights the importance of holding companies accountable for their environmental promises, ensuring that sustainability claims are more than just marketing tactics.

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.
During pro-democracy protests in 2019, Li was blasted by some pro-Beijing supporters for his perceived ambivalence about the unrest. Some other Hong Kong business leaders adopted a harsher stance.

But Li has faced criticism over some business decisions. When he sold off some mainland Chinese assets in 2015, an article published by a think tank affiliated with Chinese official news agency Xinhua accused him of being immoral.

Experts on ties between Beijing and Hong Kong said ruling Communist Party leaders once understood that support from the business sector was crucial for maintaining Hong Kongs capitalist system. It has been strategically vital for mainland Chinas economy, given the role their global networks and resources play in the countrys development. So, Li has had notable political influence.

Lis influence extends beyond business. He has met with top Chinese leaders and has served on the elite committee that selected Hong Kongs leader.

A Hutchison subsidiary has operated ports at both ends of the Panama Canal since 1997. That was one reason U.S. President Donald Trump has alleged Chinese interference with the critical shipping lane's operations.

Li's rags-to-riches story paralleled the former British colonys rise. His business empire touches almost every aspect of daily life in Hong Kong, from properties and supermarkets to telecommunications and utilities. Globally, his conglomerate owns assets including British drugstore chain Superdrug and European mobile phone network operator Three.

Nicknamed Superman, Li is among the worlds 50 richest people, with Forbes calculating his net worth at $38 billion. Li, 96, retired from his position as chairman of CK Hutchison in 2018, succeeded by his elder son Victor. But he's still one of Hong Kong's most influential figures.

That raises questions about the deal and highlights the difficulties Hong Kong businesses face as they balance demands from Beijing for national loyalty and their own capitalist interests in the once free-wheeling Asian financial hub. Here's what to know about the issue.

Over the past week, Beijing's Hong Kong affairs offices have posted scathing commentaries from a local state-backed media outlet over the tentative deal by Hutchison, which is controlled by Lis family.

HONG KONG (AP)  Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shings business empire is in the crosshairs after CK Hutchison Holdings chose to sell its Panama Canal port assets to a consortium that includes U.S. investment firm BlackRock Inc., apparently angering Beijing.

Story Continues

Panama ports deal

CK Hutchison announced March 4 that it would sell all its shares in Hutchison Port Holdings and in Hutchison Port Group Holdings to the consortium that also includes BlackRock subsidiary Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited, which is chaired by Italian shipping scion Diego Aponte, whose family reportedly has a longstanding relationship with Lis.

If approved, the deal, valued at nearly $23 billion including $5 billion in debt, will give the consortium control over 43 ports in 23 countries, including the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, located at either end of the canal. The transaction does not include ports in Hong Kong or mainland China. CK Hutchison said the transaction was purely commercial in nature.

The deal pleased Trump but angered Beijing.

One of the Beijing-backed newspaper commentaries described the deal as a betrayal of all Chinese and said the company should think about which side to take. The other said great entrepreneurs are patriots, suggesting that businesspeople who dance with predatory American politicians would be doomed to infamy.

Comments on popular posts about the deal on Chinese social media platform Weibo tend to be more critical than favorable toward Li.

Chief Executive John Lee avoided direct criticism of the deal or Trump, but told reporters on Tuesday his government opposes bullying tactics in international economic and trade relations, reiterating Beijing's stance.

Ports carry geopolitical value

Some unconfirmed reports have suggested Chinese leaders were angry not to have been consulted in advance about the deal.

George Chen, managing director for Hong Kong at The Asia Group, a Washington-headquartered business and policy consulting firm, said Beijing may have been disappointed because it had almost no time to devise a response in advance.

Ports are valuable strategic assets and transactions involving them are always sensitive, said Wilson Chan, co-founder of the Pagoda Institute, a think tank focusing on public policy and the global political economy.

It is unclear whether pressure from Beijing will affect the deal, which has to be approved by Panama's government. Chinas Foreign Ministry deflected a question about whether authorities are investigating the deal, saying reporters should ask other authorities.

Cancelling the deal would be risky, Chan said.

Strictly speaking, you just let Trump take credit for it, then you later say Sorry, Im canceling the deal. You can imagine what Trumps reaction would be, he said, adding that would also affect how the outside world views Hong Kong businesses.

CK Hutchison has not commented on the controversy.

The company reported its 2024 financial results on Thursday, but did not hold a news conference. Victor Li did not mention the deal in his chairmans statement but said the operating environment for the groups business is expected to be volatile and unpredictable. He said he anticipated potential headwinds for the companys ports and related services in early 2025 as shipping lines transition into their new alliances and ongoing geopolitical risk impacts global trade.

Longer term implications

The first Trump administration sanctioned Chinese and Hong Kong officials for undermining the autonomy of the territory promised when Britain handed its colony to Beijing in 1997 under a concept dubbed One country, two systems. It promised the city could keep its Western-style civil liberties and economic autonomy for at least 50 years, but following the 2019 protests, Beijing has doubled-down on its political control of the city.

Li could try to placate critics who deem him insufficiently patriotic, Chan said, by using proceeds from selling the port assets for investments aligned with Beijings policies, particularly in developing Hong Kong and mainland port businesses.

But relations between private businesses and Beijing remain uncertain, said The Asia Group's Chen. Even though Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met with private sector business leaders in a show of support, some may wonder if they must follow the party line even if that might conflict with their business interests, he said.

If Beijing steps up pressure on Li to scrap the deal, the Trump administration could hit back with more sanctions and restrictions on Hong Kong and Chinese businesses and some individuals, he said.

The situation shows that Washingtons concerns about Hong Kong's business autonomy are valid, Chen said.

This is bad when it comes to the defense of one country, two systems, Chen said.
Donald Trump has been offered a minerals-for-security deal by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), providing access to materials needed by Americas tech industry in return for help to defeat M23 rebels.

Felix Tshisekedi, the DRC president, proposed the US leader gain access to cobalt, lithium, copper and tantalum for a formal security pact to help defeat the Rwandan-backed militia.

He told Fox News that a partnership would allow the DRC to extract and process its critical minerals to benefit US companies, while also building up the African countrys defences.

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Mr Tshisekedi said: I think that the US is able to use either pressure or sanctions to make sure that armed groups who are in the DRC can be kept at bay.

M23 fighters have captured significant parts of the mineral-rich eastern DRC in recent months, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu.

The rebels on Thursday were reported to have also taken the mining hub of Walikale in an area that contains gold mines and the worlds third largest mine for the tin ore cassiterite.

Mr Tshisekedis proposal has been seen as an appeal to Mr Trumps America-first deal-making instincts when deciding foreign policy.

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Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, has already been in talks with Washington about offering up his countrys natural minerals to gain American protection as part of a possible ceasefire deal with Russia.

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, said that he had also discussed working with Kazakhstan to deepen economic ties in the energy, telecommunications and critical minerals sectors in a call with Murat Nurtleu, the countrys foreign minister.

In the DRC, Mr Tshisekedi wrote to Mr Trump last month offering mining opportunities for the new United States sovereign wealth fund, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The letter said: Your election has ushered in the golden age for America.

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Our partnership would provide the US with a strategic advantage by securing critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper and tantalum from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

DRC soldiers walk the streets of Kinshasa in a show of force - HARDY BOPE/AFP

Such minerals are widely used in components and batteries for high-tech devices such as laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles, setting off a scramble between America and China to secure supplies.

Access to natural resources has become a key theme of Mr Trumps foreign policy since his inauguration two months ago.

As well as discussions with Kyiv over minerals, US talks with Iraq have focused on resuming oil flows for US companies that have been blocked by a dispute between Baghdad, the Kurdish authorities and Turkey.

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Mr Trump has also set his sights on Greenland, a Danish possession, largely because of its reserves of rare-earth minerals.

The letter gave no detail about what specific military backing the DRC wanted from Washington.

The M23 push has driven the Congolese army out of much of North and South Kivu provinces and refugees fleeing the area have said troops have often abandoned positions without a fight.

The DRC had attempted to bolster defences around Goma by employing Romanian mercenaries, but they failed to stop the fall of the city and were captured and later released to Rwanda.

Mr Tshisekedi is also reportedly in negotiations with Erik Prince, a Trump ally who founded the Blackwater military contractor company, to help the Congolese government collect and secure taxes from mining operations.

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Discussions centre around Mr Prince helping the DRC crack down on fiscal evasion from mining producers and exporters, including by providing security for tax collectors.

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By Giulia Paravicini

GOMA (Reuters) -The leader of a rebel alliance that has seized swathes of east Congo told Reuters on Thursday that insurgents were not bound by a ceasefire call from Congo and Rwanda's presidents and cast any minerals-for-security deal with the U.S. as "treachery".

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame met in Doha on Tuesday for the first time since the latest M23 advance that has seen the rebels seize more territory than ever before.

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The meeting came one day after M23 pulled out of direct talks with Tshisekedi's government that were expected to take place in Angola, and as its fighters pushed deeper into Congolese territory.

The conflict in Congo's east is rooted in the fallout from Rwanda's 1994 genocide and competition for mineral riches. It has spiralled since January, raising fears of a regional conflict akin to those between 1996-2003 that left millions dead.

"We have nothing more to lose. We will fight until our cause is heard," Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) that includes M23, told Reuters on Thursday when asked about the group's plans.

"We are defending ourselves. So if the threat continues to come from (DR Congo capital) Kinshasa, unfortunately, we will be forced to go and eliminate the threat because the Congo deserves better," he said during an interview in Goma, eastern Congo's main city.

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"In the meantime, what happened in Doha, as long as we don't know the details, and as long as it doesn't solve our problems, we'll say it doesn't concern us."

Rwanda has denied supporting M23 and said its military has been acting in self defence against Congo's army and militias hostile to Kigali.

MINERALS DEAL

Nangaa also dismissed the possibility of a proposed minerals-for-security deal with the United States.

The State Department said this month it was open to exploring critical minerals partnerships with Congo after a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a deal, though Kinshasa has not publicly detailed its proposal.

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Tshisekedi told Fox News on Wednesday that Kinshasa wanted a partnership that would bring peace and stability to both countries.

Nangaa, who according to a letter seen by Reuters had been endorsed by M23 to choose rebel negotiators in the aborted talks in Angola, said the U.S. would be "naive" to pursue such a deal. "The Congolese people, who are sovereign, will block the way to this treachery, this deception," he said.

The AFC has been trying to demonstrate that it can establish order in the territory it holds.

AFC spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka told Reuters on Wednesday that the group was working to re-open the airport in Goma, a main route for delivering humanitarian aid.

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The airport had been heavily damaged by Congolese forces before they withdrew from the city in late January, he said.

M23 fighters pushed further west on Thursday, capturing the strategic town of Walikale.

That puts them in control of a road linking four provinces in eastern Congo and within 400 km (250 miles) of Kisangani, Congo's fourth-biggest city.

(Reporting by Giulia Paravicini; Writing by Robbie Corey-Boulet; Editing by Aaron Ross and Aidan Lewis)
By Giulia Paravicini

GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - The leader of Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo said on Thursday that a call by Kinshasa and Kigali for an immediate ceasefire "doesn't concern us" as his forces pushed deeper into Congolese territory by capturing the strategic town of Walikale.

Walikale is the farthest west the rebels have reached in a advance that had already overrun eastern Congo's two largest cities since January.

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The town of 15,000 people fell after fighting on Wednesday between the rebels and the army and allied militias, an army spokesperson and local residents said.

The conflict, rooted in the fallout from Rwanda's 1994 genocide and competition for mineral riches, is eastern Congo's worst since a 1998-2003 war that drew in multiple neighbouring countries and resulted in millions of deaths.

With troops from Congo, Rwanda and Burundi having all participated in fighting this year, a conflict that has simmered for years is evolving into a wider regional war, experts say.

Walikale is in an area rich in minerals including tin and lies along a road that links four eastern Congo provinces.

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Its capture puts the rebels within 400 km (250 miles) of Kisangani, which is the country's fourth-biggest city and has a bustling port at the Congo River's farthest navigable point upstream of the capital Kinshasa.

Addressing Walikale residents who had gathered in town on Thursday, an M23 officer repeated an earlier vow by the rebels to march some 1,500 km (930 miles) to Kinshasa.

"We are going to leave a small group of our soldiers to provide you security," he said in a video seen by Reuters. "As for us, we are going to continue ... to join our soldiers who are also en route and continue all the way to Kinshasa."

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame had called on Tuesday for an immediate ceasefire after a surprise meeting in Qatar's capital Doha, their first direct talks this year.

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The leader of the M23 alliance dismissed the appeal, and said his forces were not fighting at Rwanda's behest.

"We are Congolese who are fighting for a cause," Corneille Nangaa, head of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), told Reuters in an interview in eastern Congo's biggest city, Goma.

"What happened in Doha, as long as we don't know the details, and as long as it doesn't solve our problems, we'll say it doesn't concern us."

DIRECT TALKS BETWEEN KINSHASA AND M23?

The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has been providing arms and troops to the ethnic Tutsi-led M23.

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Rwanda has denied backing M23 and says its military has been acting in self-defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.

Congo and M23 had been expected to have their first direct talks on Tuesday in Angola after Tshisekedi's government reversed its longstanding refusal to speak to the rebels.

But M23 pulled out on Monday, blaming European Union sanctions on some of its leaders and Rwandan officials.

Analysts say the move showed how emboldened the rebels felt as well as confusion and mistrust around competing peace initiatives by different foreign governments.

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A statement on Thursday by Angola's foreign ministry expressed "astonishment" about the talks in Qatar, saying: "All efforts to resolve conflicts are welcome, but African problems should have an African solution."

Nangaa reiterated demands for direct talks with Kinshasa, saying it was the only way to resolve the conflict. M23 has called for an end to what it says is the persecution of Tutsis in Congo and improvements to national governance.

"We are keen on any peaceful solution," he said.

(Reporting by Giulia Paravicini and Congo newsroom; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Frances Kerry, William Maclean)
LOUISIANA (KLFY)  Congressman Clay Higgins has announced he will not run for Senator of Louisiana in 2026.

Senator Bill Cassidys seat is up for re-election next year. Many expected Congressman Clay Higgins would campaign for this position but earlier today, Higgins released a statement where he expressed his intent to stay in the House.

Now, it is considered determination that, current engagement in the House being incredibly significant, it may be ultimately beneficial to the Republic that I remain in service to the MAGA America First agenda as a senior Republican in the House of Representative. Higgins said.

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Higgins was elected to Congress in 2016.

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Higgins said he respects Senator Bill Cassidy and wishes the best for whoever takes the seat in the future.

There are several American Patriots of distinguished accomplishment who will vie for the United States Senate seat currently held by Dr. Bill Cassidy, whose service to our Nation within the Senate seems to have soon reached a conclusion. Higgins said. I respect the Senator, I thank him for his service, and I wish him well.

Louisiana State Treasurer John Fleming has announced he will see the Senate seat. Cassidy has also made it clear he will run for re-election.

U.S. Representative Clay Higgins

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Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC 2) reads to children at Wandas Little Hands, an early childhood education center. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline)

U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross (D-NC 2) and officials with Wake County Smart Start toured a child care and learning center in southeast Raleigh Wednesday morning to raise awareness of imperiled federal programs supporting early childhood education.

Ross visited a classroom at Wandas Little Hands in Raleigh and read Sheep in a Jeep to a group of young children before joining a panel discussion with early education experts and stakeholders, part of a series of visits to facilities throughout Wake County whose federal funding is at risk. The tour came a day after she visited Hodge Road Magnet Elementary in Knightdale.

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She said she was struck by the intelligence displayed by the young children she read to, noting that they not only followed the events of the story but were able to think critically about what they might do if they were in the same situation as the characters. Ross said her mother, who was a lifelong early childhood educator, impressed upon her the importance of teaching these skills at an early age.

Im preaching to the choir by telling you how important early education is for success later on in school, Ross said. Early education is also child care  it provides a way for parents to go to work, be able to care for their parents if that might be something they need to do, and they want to make sure that they have stable, excellent places to take their children.

But Ross said federal cuts are putting these programs in jeopardy. The so-called Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk has taken aim at programs supporting early education, with 20% of staff members with the Office of Head Start and 25% with the Office of Child Care losing their jobs earlier this month, part of wave of firings across the Department of Health and Human Services. These cuts come as the child care industry struggles to recover from COVID-19, which triggered a wave of facility closures around the state.

Child care experts and stakeholders speak at a panel discussion at Wandas Little Hands in Raleigh. Left to right: Wake County Smart Start Executive Director Gayle Headen, center founder Wanda McCargo, U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross, and parent Karen Rodriguez. (Photo: Brandon Kingdollar/NC Newsline)

State and federal funding allows education centers like Wandas Little Hands to provide free pre-K learning programs to many families that could not otherwise afford them. With 67,000 children under the age of 5 in Wake County, seats in these programs are already challenging to find, and without federal support, the cost of raising young children can be unsustainable for many North Carolinians  according to Gayle Headen, the executive director of Wake County Smart Start, parents can spend more than the cost of in-state college tuition each year caring for their young children.

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If those cuts were to be enacted, these are real children who dont have access to these seats, and that impacts not only the children; it impacts their families and it impacts other families who are looking for seats, Headen said. Its a whole ecosystem thats impacted.

We are definitely grateful to be of support for the families and the parents that come in  working parents, parents who might be in school, parents just coming out of situations  that we are to still provide the care they need for those students and for those kids, said Wanda McCargo, the early learning centers founder. In this setting that we provide for them, in the small groups, it allows them to blossom and grow.

Headen said Wake County relies on a blend of federal, state, and local funding to provide early childhood education, including through Head Start and Early Head Start programs, encompassing children from late infancy to age five  a critical period of development so they can succeed in kindergarten.

In an interview after the panel, Ross said she has already been told the federal Head Start program is having tremendous challenges making ends meet with the cuts to government spending and that some early childhood centers relying on HHS support have been forced to close due to a lack of funding.

Headen said applications for Wake County Smart Starts pre-K programs fell last month in the immediate aftermath of the Trump administrations funding freeze. Theres just a lot of fear. Parents are concerned.
WEST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  A West Hartford mom becomes an international best-selling author, thanks to her debut novel, set right here along Connecticuts coastline.

It has been such a dream come true, truly, Amy Neff said while sitting in the River Bend Bookshop, an independent bookstore in West Hartford.

Its been a whirlwind of a few months for this author since the publication of her debut novel, The Days I Loved You Most.

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Connecticut Families: See a preview of Camp Kesem, serving who have a parent battling cancer

The book is now a best seller in countries around the globe.

It still feels very surreal to me, she said.

While the book is fiction, the main characters are based on her grandparents.

It covers this couple who have been together their entire lives. She receives a tragic diagnosis, and they decide they want a say in how their story ends, Neff explained.

The story spans 60 years, a big part of it is the setting. It takes place in a spot very close to Neffs heart.

I grew up like many people, many of your viewers, along the Connecticut shoreline, going every summer with my grandmother, and my extended family was all there, she said. I grew up going to Westbrook, but its sort of an amalgamation of any of the towns. It could be Old Saybrook. It could be Mystic. It could be Groton.

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This former high school teacher started writing the book when she was 22. In recent years, shes been working around the schedules of her two young sons.

Getting it published was a ten-year labor of love. Neff faced many rejections, but she hopes her experience inspires other aspiring authors.

Know that its a long road and take the long view. A no right now doesnt mean no forever, she said.

Neff is preparing to welcome her third child as she begins the process of writing her second book.

For now, shes grateful for reader support and is so glad her story of nostalgia and belonging is eliciting emotion worldwide.

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Hearing from readers that the book means something to them thats always the best thing. Thats the best gift when I get those messages from people and how deeply its resonating. It means a lot, she said.

The paperback of The Days I Loved You Most is coming out in July.

Hear an extended interview with author Amy Neff at 11 a.m. on Thursday on News 8s new streaming app.

Download the News 8 smart TV app for free on Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV. Just search for WTNH in the app store, and youll always be connected to Connecticuts News Leader.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
The U.S. Supreme Court. (Photo by Jane Norman/States Newsroom)

An Ohio conservative advocacy group gave their two cents in a U.S. Supreme Court case that will decide whether parents can claim religious protections in opting for their children not to learn lessons if they include LGBTQ+ themes.

The Protect Ohio Children Coalition joined other similar groups from California, Colorado, Nebraska, and Texas in a brief urging the court to allow parents to opt children out of certain instruction at schools that may include mention of gender or sexuality.

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In the case originally out of Maryland, the Supreme Court will decide whether parents religious rights are violated if elementary school students are required to participate in gender and sexuality education in public schools, including pride storybooks and other specified controversial texts.

The storybooks at issue were LGBTQ+ inclusive books, approved by the Montgomery County, Maryland, school board to be used as part of the English Language Arts curriculum. The parents who sued in the original case claimed the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment would be violated if individualized opt-outs from all potential uses of the storybooks within the Language Arts curriculum, as well as all discussions that may arise related to their use were not allowed, according to documents in the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals case that led to the Supreme Court appeal.

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The Maryland school district said the books were part of an effort to include materials that better represent the students and families, including historical figures from a range of cultural, racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds, and the books were made available for individual reading, classroom read-aloud and other educational activities designed to foster and enhance literacy skills.

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Like all other books in the language-arts curriculum, these storybooks impart critical reading skills through engaging, age-appropriate stories, representatives for the district wrote to the Supreme Court.

The Ohio group and other state organizations argued to the court in their brief that the case is not attempting to make broad changes in a schools curriculum, instead the issue is a pure opt-out case.

The parents merely do not want their own children to be subjected to what they view as attempted indoctrination, the organizations stated.

In the brief, the groups told the court the existence of opt-out provisions should be seen as a welcome development for courts across the country that are tasked with resolving these thorny issues.

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They cite cases dating all the way back to 1925 in arguing that allowing the parents to opt-out of instruction follows a long history of decisions in which this court has confirmed parents rights to have their children removed from aspects of public education, particularly where it conflicts with their religious convictions.

Cases cited included a 1925 case in which children in religious schools were exempted from attending public schools, a 1943 case in which a child who was Jehovahs Witness was excused from a school board regulation requiring a salute to the flag and recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and a 1972 case in which Amish children were released from the obligation of attending high school.

The Constitutional history and tradition that grew out of these cases  led to and informed the growth of the opt-out/opt-in statutes that swept the nation during the rise of the sex-ed era, the groups told the Supreme Court.

Parental opt-outs were a popular movement for parents rights to protect their children from what they considered to be pernicious, contra-religious teaching, usually on sexual topics, according to the brief.

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Ohio has such a rule in current state law, stating that education on sexually transmitted infections; child sexual abuse prevention and personal safety and assault prevention in kindergarten through 6th grades; and dating violence prevention and sexual violence prevention in grades 7 through 12 are all required lessons in a school curriculum, except that upon written request of the students parent or guardian, a student shall be excused from taking instruction in those subjects.

Parents are also already allowed under Ohio law to examine instruction materials in those areas.

The Protect Ohio Children Coalition is an organization that has set its focus on monitoring school boards and districts for indoctrination, standing against education methods such as comprehensive sexuality education, social and emotional learning and critical race theory, a phrase often misused by opponents to represent teaching students about the history of race and racism in America.

POCC is grounded in Judeo-Christian beliefs and promotes the use of opt-outs in school-based, sexual-education controversies, the group said in the brief to the Supreme Court.

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The coalition supported a Parents Bill of Rights measure that requires Ohio educators to notify parents of the sexuality of their students, and allows parents to request other instruction if they dont want students learning about sexuality content. The bill was inserted into another bill regarding religious release time during the school day, and was one of several anti-LGBTQ+ bills passed in the last Ohio General Assembly.

Oral arguments in the Supreme Court case are set for April 22.

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A constipated New Jersey man flying home from Mexico claims the cabin crew became upset that he was monopolising the planes lavatory, prompting an enraged pilot to break down the bathroom door, yank the pantsless traveler off the toilet, and dress him down in a shocking antisemitic tirade while nearby passengers gawked.

Upon landing, Yisroel Liebb, an Orthodox Jew clad in religious garb, was pulled off the United Airlines 737-800 and arrested by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents who allegedly told him, You have no rights here, according to a federal lawsuit obtained by The Independent.

Liebb, 20, contends he was subjected to physical injuries, extreme emotional distress, and anxiety, and says in his complaint that he feels sexually violated and embarrassed after having been publicly exposed in the nude.

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In an email on Thursday, a United spokesperson said, We dont have anything to share. CBP acknowledged The Independents request for comment but did not follow up by the time of publication.

After 20 minutes on the toilet, Yisroel Liebb became the target of furious crew members, according to a newly filed federal lawsuit (Getty)

The flight in question took off from the Riviera Maya resort town of Tulum at 430pm on 28 January and was headed for Houston, Texas, where Liebb was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to New York, according to his complaint. About half an hour into the journey, it says Liebb got up from his seat and headed to the toilet in the rear of the aircraft.

Roughly 20 minutes later, when he hadnt returned, a flight attendant woke up Liebbs neighbor, identified in the complaint as Jacob Sebbag, and asked him to make sure Liebb was alright. When Sebbag, 21, knocked on the restroom door, Liebb replied that everything was fine, but that he was experiencing constipation, and said he would be out shortly.

Sebbag relayed this to the stewardess and returned to his seat, the complaint states.

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Around 10 minutes after that, the pilot approached Sebbag and requested that he accompany him to the restroom to once again try and get Liebb out, the complaint goes on. Once there, the pilot began yelling loudly at Liebb, demanding he leave the bathroom immediately, then turned to Sebbag and began loudly demanding he force Liebb out of the bathroom, according to the complaint.

It says Liebb responded immediately, telling the pilot through the door that he was okay, that he was finishing up, and that he would be out momentarily.

The flight in question was headed from Tulum, Mexico to Houston, Texas, where Yisroel Liebb was planning to catch a connecting flight home to New York (AFP via Getty)

At this point, according to the complaint, The pilot became visibly enraged, broke the lock on the door and forced the door to the bathroom open, pulling Liebb out of the bathroom with his pants still around his ankles, exposing his genitalia to Sebbag, several flight attendants, and the nearby passengers on the plane.

Liebb quickly pulled his pants back to his waist after being allowed to set his feet, the complaint states, which says he injured his head and legs when they smacked into the restrooms door frame.

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With Sebbag leading Liebb, the pilot proceeded to repeatedly push the [two] back to their seats while making threats of getting [them] arrested and making scathing remarks about their Judaism, and how Jews act, according to the complaint.

Upon arrival in Houston, five to seven CBP officers boarded the plane and instructed all passengers to remain seated, the complaint says. They then approached Liebb and Sebbag, handcuffed them, and took them to a detention facility inside the terminal, the complaint alleges.

While being escorted from the plane, Liebb stated that the [two of them] have a legal right to know why they are being detained, according to the complaint. The CBP agents responded that this isnt county or state, we are Homeland [Security], you have no rights here.

Upon landing, Yisroel Liebb claims he and an acquaintance were wrongfully detained by US Customs and Border Protection (AFP via Getty)

Apparently annoyed with Liebbs questions, one of the CBP officers tightened his cuffs to the point that he verbally spoke out against the pain, the complaint states. It says Liebb pleaded with the officer, pointing out that he was cooperating fully and insisting he was not a threat.

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But, the complaint alleges, Liebb and Sebbag were instead thrown into separate cells and handcuffed to tables, while they, and their luggage, were subjected to intrusive, unconsented, unwarranted and unreasonable searches.

Liebb and Sebbag were released without charges, but missed their connecting flight home, which took off for New York while they were still detained, the complaint states. They were rebooked, for free, on a flight leaving the next day, according to the complaint. However, it says, the pair had to incur additional charges for hotel and food during the delay, essentially negating the price of the complimentary flight.

Liebb and Sebbag both claim the too-tight handcuffs caused severe wrist pain, which they say persisted for days afterward.

The entire situation, the complaint alleges, was further worsened by [the United pilots] antisemitic rhetoric, and says he only escalated the encounter with Liebb because he is Jewish.

Liebb and Sebbag are demanding damages in an amount to be determined at trial, plus attorneys fees.
DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Horry County officials joined the Darlington County Fire District on Thursday and the Conway Fire Department issued burn bans after the South Carolina Forestry Commission issued a statewide Red Flag Fire Alert until further notice.

The burn ban is in response to the forestry commissions fire alert, the Darlington County Fire District said. Darlington Countys burn ban is in place for all areas outside of any city or town limits in the county.

For Conway, only burns in fire pits, chimineas and portable fireplaces are allowed. Burning yard debris, bonfires, fields, yards, or ditches is not allowed under the burn ban.

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For Horry County, officials said the ban has been initiated due to the extreme fire danger as a result of current dry and windy conditions. All outdoor burning, including permitted burns, is strictly prohibited during the Horry County ban.

Georgetown County also issued a burn ban on Thursday that will remain in place until further notice.

The alert is being issued to strongly discourage people from burning outdoors when weather conditions present an elevated risk of wildfire, the forestry commission said in a news release. A Red Flag Fire Alert does not prohibit outdoor burning, provided that all other state and local regulations are followed, but the forestry commission uses the alert to strongly encourage citizens to voluntarily postpone any such burning until the alert is lifted.

Forestry commission firefighters responded to 280 wildfires in February alone, above the five-year average for the second month of the year, the agency said. It has also recorded 277 fires in March already, the most notable of which perhaps being the Covington Drive fire in Carolina Forest, which authorities recently said was up to 80% containment.

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Count on News13 for updates.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Photo credits: Svante Gullichsen & Visit Finland

HELSINKI, March 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Societal stability, high levels of equality and, among other things, political and civil freedom are frequently highlighted as the key factors contributing to Finland's status as the worlds happiest country in recent years, as reflected in the World Happiness Report. These are the building blocks of the trust and mutual respect that permeate Finnish society, enabling innovative international cooperation and providing an excellent launchpad for business.

In Finnish society, there are many factors that underscore succeeding together: an education system that emphasizes teamwork and collective problem-solving, flat hierarchies in organizations and a society that encourages participation, a culture that values consensus and cooperation over individual competition, and social safety nets that provide security, allowing for risk-taking. This creates an environment where it is safe to engage in innovation and seize the opportunities life offers.

Collaboration is the power to change the world

The strong collaboration between the public and private sectors forms the backbone of Finlands innovation economy. Industries, research institutes, universities, and the government together have a unique ability to deliver disruptive technologies and innovative design. Finland consistently ranks among the worlds leading countries in education, innovation, digitalization, sustainability, and good governance, making it one of the worlds hotspots for R&D. To give it a further boost, Finland aims to increase research and development expenditure to 4% of GDP by 2030.

Finland boasts a thriving startup scene with an estimated number of 3 800 startups. The Finnish startup ecosystem has always been about pooling resources, lending a hand, and helping one another. When one business is successful, it benefits the whole network  a rising tide lifts all boats. Finland's startup ecosystem has given birth to more than 10 unicorns, many of which stem from academia.

An example of open-minded cooperation in building R&D is the Leading Companies Program. Here, Business Finland challenges global companies to undertake ambitious research efforts while encouraging companies of different sizes and other players to work together, sharing knowledge and resources, aiming to achieve breakthroughs that solve major global challenges  and do business. So far, the scheme has supported 400 companies in Finland and 400 research projects by universities and other research institutes. The Leading Companies Program is open to international companies that have a subsidiary in Finland.
DENVER (KDVR)  The Lakewood Police Department is investigating another case of criminal mischief involving a Tesla product.

This time, police are trying to find out who cut the Tesla charging cords at Colorado Mills mall. The Lakewood Police Department told FOX31 its officers responded to the area at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Senate GOP not planning to rubber-stamp DOGE cuts in 2026 funding

No suspects were contacted by officers on scene, according to a public information officer, and the incident was ultimately classified as criminal mischief.

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Its far from the first. Over the weekend, police told FOX31 they were investigating after a video went viral online that appeared to show someone wearing a mask walking up to a Tesla Cybertruck parked at the Colorado Mills mall, then scratching the surface with a key.

On Saturday, police said they were aware and opened an active investigation, but the Lakewood Police Department would not release further details.

Two suspects were arrested for vandalism and improvised explosive devices found at the Loveland Tesla dealership, and protests at Tesla dealerships have been held across the country, including in Colorado, as many protest the power given to Tesla CEO Elon Musk by President Donald Trump through the Department of Government Efficiency.

Bullet holes, shattered windows discovered at Oregon Tesla dealership

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On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi labeled incidents against Tesla cars and dealerships domestic terrorism.

On Tuesday night Bondi released a statement saying, The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism. The Department of Justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind () We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks.

Its unclear how, or if, Bondis statement may impact local investigations regarding the vandalism or destruction of Tesla products.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Officials have released the identity of the man fatally shot by a Lockland police officer after a pursuit that began in Butler County early on Wednesday.

The Hamilton County Coroner's Office confirmed Thursday that 48-year-old Samuel Mumyarutete, of Woodlawn, was killed in the shooting on Interstate 75 near Glendale Milford Road.

West Chester Township police began the pursuit at the intersection of Princeton Glendale Road and Provident Drive after they received notification from a license plate reader of a stolen vehicle, according to a township spokeswoman.

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Officers located the vehicle and attempted to pull it over but the driver fled.

West Chester officers pursued the vehicle for approximately six miles and ended the chase at the Hamilton County line, where other departments picked it up. Several police departments responded at about 2:45 a.m. to assist when the chase entered Hamilton County, according to Evendale police.

The vehicle being pursued was found crashed near Glendale Milford Road and Evendale Drive, though occupants of the vehicle were not found there, officials said.

After one suspect had been taken into custody, a Lockland officer located Mumyarutete walking along the interstate, according to Lockland police.

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Mumyarutete was holding something and refused to obey police commands, officials said, adding the Lockland officer tried to stop Mumyarutete with a Taser but was unsuccessful.

As Mumyarutete continued to disobey commands, the officer opened fire and struck him in the chest, officials said.

The Enquirer has requested body camera footage and other records about the shooting. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is leading the shooting inquiry.

This story was updated to add a video.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Coroner IDs man shot by Lockland officer after pursuit, crash
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Recent calls for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality could lead to a future ballot measure repealing Ohios dormant same-sex marriage bans.

Dwayne Steward, executive director of Equality Ohio, said the organization is having conversations across the state around how we protect marriage equality in the wake of resolutions introduced in a handful of states urging the Supreme Court to roll back Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 decision establishing the right to same-sex marriage.

MassResistance, a conservative Massachusetts group, is the driving force behind each resolution in states including Michigan, North Dakota and Idaho, arguing the Supreme Court should leave unaddressed the natural definition of marriage as a union between one man, a biological male, and one woman, a biological female.

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Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law

When NBC4 requested comment on whether MassResistance is currently or will soon be lobbying Ohio lawmakers to also introduce a similar resolution, the organization said it does not comment on ongoing efforts in other states regarding our initiative.

Whats really unfortunate is that our families and who we love and the way we operate in the world is being put up for political debate, Steward said. My family and who I am is not up for political debate. I am not political fodder.

Steward emphasized that MassResistances campaign is a scare tactic and a long-shot effort given Obergefell is extremely secure, as it would take a laborious legal battle to overturn the law. Still, the executive director said Equality Ohio has heard from many couples and families across the state who are concerned, and that their fear is warranted given a recent increase in anti-LGBTQ+ violence and rhetoric.

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Should MassResistances effort gain further traction and the Supreme Court rolls back Obergefell, Ohio is home to dormant same-sex marriage bans that would be immediately reenacted. Steward said a ballot initiative repealing the ban would need to be approved by Ohio voters to ensure marriage equality is again legal, but that effort would be a very long battle that would need to be heavily resourced.

Back in the marriage equality fight

LGBTQ+ advocates have expressed concern the Supreme Court could reassess Obergefell since the June 2022 ruling overturning the right to abortion in Roe v. Wade, where Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion calling for his fellow justices to reconsider all of this courts substantive due process precedents, including  Obergefell.

However, writing for the majority opinion in the 2022 ruling, Justice Samuel Alito said, Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.

DOGE cancels $699K OSU research grant examining cannabis use in LGBTQ+ women

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An effort to roll back marriage equality would likely mirror the crusade against Roe and require a live dispute, meaning a case where the issue of same-sex marriage is specifically raised. For example, if a state passed or enforced a law that limited marriage equality in violation of Obergefell, a legal challenge to that law could make way to the Supreme Court.

Steward stressed, before the Supreme Court takes a case, other cases are reviewed by lower courts, and its only when lower courts cant decide on an issue that the Supreme Court steps in. The executive director said we are not at that place, as lower court cases regarding marriage equality that could move to the Supreme Court dont currently exist.

If such a case arises in the future and succeeds, Ohio would reckon with a revived law passed by the Statehouse in 2004 that states a marriage may only be entered into by one man and one woman. A constitutional amendment that voters passed later in 2004 that reads, only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state, would also resurrected.

The clearest path to nulling these bans would be a ballot measure codifying the right to marriage equality, Steward said. The executive director noted that some Statehouse legislators attempted last year to align Ohio law with the protections set by Obergefell, but the proposal didnt advance past a single committee hearing.

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A federal law signed in 2022, the Respect for Marriage Act, requires a state to recognize same-sex marriages from other states, while also allowing states to decide for themselves whether to issue licenses to same-sex couples. So, if Obergefell falls and Ohios bans have yet to be repealed, the act would only require the state to recognize marriages from other states where it is legal.

Ohio attorney general backs Trump order ending birthright citizenship

Equality Ohio, which was founded in 2005 in response to the previous years same-sex marriage bans, would be at the forefront of the fight should it surface again. Steward said its bittersweet to be celebrating the organizations 20th anniversary this year, while also contemplating another battle for marriage equality.

I never thought that I would be back in the marriage equality fight, I didnt think that was gonna have to happen again in my lifetime because there was so much that it took for us to get that right, said Steward. Were going to lead as we have always done in this space, and were going to make sure that our families across Ohio remain protected.

An honest and objective ballot measure

A ballot initiative in Ohio codifying marriage equality would not be unprecedented. Also concerned after the fall of Roe in 2022, voters in California, Colorado and Hawaii passed measures in last Novembers election to repeal dormant same-sex marriage bans and proactively protect marriage equality.

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If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its previous rulings in the future, leaving the current definition of marriage in Colorados constitution jeopardizes the ability of same-sex Coloradans to marry, read the ballot for Colorados Amendment J, which passed with 64% of the vote. Marriage is a basic right, and Colorados constitution should reflect this right for all state residents.

Ohios version would follow in the footsteps of 2023s Issue 1, another ballot measure that passed with 56% of the vote to establish the right to abortion in the state constitution. Like with Issue 1, the effort would take several years to build a coalition of support before collecting more than 444,000 proponent signatures and operating a multi-million-dollar campaign across the state.

Issue 1 organizers raised more than $39.2 million and spent $26.2 million, campaign finance reports show. Another proposed amendment, which was also called Issue 1 and wouldve changed how Ohios political districts are drawn, similarly raised more than $39 million when it was on the ballot last November.

Athens passes resolution to deem city a safe haven for trans people

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Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) pointed to 2024s Issue 1 as a cautionary tale, given the measure failed with 53% voting against the proposal. While supporters of Issue 1 promised it would end the practice of gerrymandering, proponents argued the measure would gerrymander more than what we have now. That messaging was intended to confuse voters, Antonio said.

Republicans in power right now will go to any length to prevent a ballot initiative to go forward that they dont support, as in the case with the redistricting ballot initiative, she said. They lied to the people of Ohio about what that ballot initiative would do and it failed, of course it did.

The state senator also cited when Issue 1 organizers filed a lawsuit that went to the Ohio Supreme Court against the Ohio Ballot Board, who is in charge of finalizing the language for each ballot. The organizers claimed the boards wording for Issue 1 was the most biased, inaccurate and unconditional ballot language ever adopted by the Ohio Ballot Board.

For those reasons, Antonio said a measure codifying same-sex marriage needs to come at the right time. She argued that such a proposal would only be written honestly and presented objectively when Statehouse representation changes.

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In the meantime, Antonio is advocating for legislation to ban discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and to prohibit conversion therapy, practices that falsely claim to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. Still, as Ohios first openly gay Statehouse lawmaker who got married in 2015 after Obergefell, the state senator said shell be ready if the fight for marriage equality returns.

I dont understand what benefit there is to take away a right for a group of people who, until that Supreme Court decision, were denied the right to marry, and what benefit an everyday person gets from taking away that kind of a right from someone else, said Antonio. How does my marriage affect anyone else?

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Two candidates will go head-to-head to win the District 3 seat on Milwaukee's Common Council left vacant after the November death of Ald. Jonathan Brostoff.

Daniel Bauman and Alex Brower emerged as front-runners from a field of eight candidates after the special primary election in February. Unofficial results showed Brower won by fewer than 50 votes, with Bauman close behind him.

Whoever wins the election will fill the remainder of Brostoff's term, which ends April 17, 2028, and will make more than $84,200 per year.

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Here's what to know about the two candidates on the ballot for the April 1 election.

Daniel Bauman wants to bring Milwaukee back to its 'full potential'

Bauman, 43, might be a newcomer on the political playing field, but he's a familiar face at City Hall.

He served as Mayor Cavalier Johnson's deputy campaign manager and then as staff assistant in Johnson's administration before starting his masters degree in urban planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

With that established knowledge of what happens behind the scenes in city politics, Bauman emphasized it would help steer how he would prioritize issues if elected.

"I saw how it works from the inside, and I didn't like what I saw," Bauman said. "Essentially, I've had a good sense throughout my own lifetime in Milwaukee that City Hall doesn't necessarily work for all people."

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"We've had people that have been neglected in the city, and that neglect seems to have magnified, and now we're seeing the result of that," he said. "It gives me the opportunity to go in and know right away what the challenges are, and think about working through those challenges."

Bauman said he wants to focus on making Milwaukee's streets safer, tackling affordable housing supply issues, improving the city's public works and protecting residents, including members of the immigrant, transgender and marginalized communities.

"We have the bones of a really good city that was run very well and designed around people ... and I want to get back to that," Bauman said. "I'm a big proponent of just trying to elevate our city and get back to our full potential."

Bauman describes himself as "pragmatic but highly principled," saying he is willing to come to the table and negotiate for constituents  calling his approach "confrontational but not necessarily adversarial."

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"I don't have any grand illusions about this job," Bauman said. "If you're doing a good job as alderperson, you are going to make a significant amount of people upset. The question is, can you work on the next project with the same people that you upset previously?"

Bauman received endorsements from Johnson and Brostoff's wife, Diana Vang Brostoff, who is also serving as treasurer for his campaign, according to his registration paperwork.

Bauman grew up in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood and during the pandemic returned to Milwaukee from New York, where he had been an AmeriCorps VISTA member, according to his campaign website. He now lives in Riverwest with his family and works as a fundraising consultant through his firm prospect414.

Alex Brower vows he's 'ready to act'

Relatively unknown in political circles, Brower, 37, offers big ideas this election cycle.

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Among the issues laid out in his campaign policy platform, Brower wants to fight for public schools, build more affordable housing, improve city safety and infrastructure, and defend city workers rights.

However, the most striking proposal featured at the top of the list is to replace We Energies with a municipal or cooperative utility.

Brower argued that such a push would lower utility bills for residents and move the city toward greener energy sources.

"We can't do either of those things without democracy. That's essential right now," Brower said, saying that We Energies makes decisions "behind closed doors" with shareholders electing the board of directors through elections that aren't "necessarily democratic."

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And if Brower is elected to the Common Council, he said he's "ready to act"  and isn't afraid to ruffle feathers at City Hall.

"I'm going to be tirelessly advocating and fighting for the vision that we're presenting in this campaign for a city government that works, and for the policy platforms and for more democracy and more engagement," Brower said. "I'm not in the room to get invited to the dinner party. I'm there to represent constituents and represent people."

Brower currently works as executive director of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans. He serves as union president of the Milwaukee Substitute Teachers Association and the co-chair of the Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America.

In the late 2010s, Brower tried and failed to establish New Economy Credit Union, a proposed financial institution for the city's Harambee and Riverwest communities. The proposal's success hinged on raising $300,000, but Brower wasn't able to get the donors needed, placing the blame on banking regulations favorable to large institutions.

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Despite its failure, Brower said he was proud of the endeavor.

"I am interested in taking every avenue I can to help out the working class," he said. "As far as engaging in big, bold projects that work to benefit people and taking risks, that's what I'm about."

Asked whether he'd try to start another credit union, Brower said "no," but added: "You learn more by losing than winning."

He previously ran in 2021 for an open seat on the Milwaukee School Board and lost that race to Jilly Gokalgandhi. In 2020, he ran for City of Milwaukee comptroller, placing third in the nonpartisan primary election.

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When he first threw his hat in the ring for the aldermanic seat, Brower lived just outside of the district  in Riverwest  but has since moved into the district, settling in the east side's Cambridge Heights neighborhood. He has also amended his address on his campaign finance reports.

How much money have Alex Brower and Daniel Bauman raised for their campaigns?

Brower's most recent campaign finance reports show he has received roughly $16,000 in contributions and, as of Feb. 10, had more than $8,600 cash in hand. Brower has loaned his campaign $2,700 for this election.

Bauman has received more than $17,600 in contributions and, as of Feb. 10, had roughly $24,000 cash on hand. Bauman has loaned his campaign $10,000. He has also received donations from Vang Brostoff, Brostoff's mother, Phyllis Brostoff and City Hall officials.

Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on X @Vanessa_Swales.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about Milwaukee candidates Alex Brower and Daniel Bauman
Mar. 19President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Thursday eliminating the Department of Education. However, it is unclear how the ripple effects could be felt in New Mexico.

Trump's pending signature would fulfill a longstanding campaign promise to dismantle the department  which shells out billions of dollars to primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions  and comes at a time when sweeping cuts are being made to numerous federal programs and departments.

But the question remains whether funding distribution will be taken on by another department or disappear altogether.

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"It's too early to know how President Trump's plans to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education would affect New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools," APS spokesperson Martin Salazar wrote in an email to the Journal.

And it seems APS is still banking on receiving federal dollars.

"It appears the federal funding (that) schools across the country rely on will continue even if the Department of Education is eliminated," Salazar added. "Our biggest concern is the funding we rely on for our most vulnerable children."

According to its 2024 budget, APS received some $345 million in federal grants and $37.9 million of its budget is allocated to Title I schools where a majority of students are economically disadvantaged.

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Project 2025, a 900-page policy plan from conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation and penned by some key staffers from Trump's first term, calls to eliminate Title I funding.

The uncertain impacts of dismantling the Department of Education also loom over post-secondary institutions.

The University of New Mexico system  the state's largest  also displayed hesitancy to elaborate on the implications of the executive order.

"To avoid amplifying uncertainty or disrupting our work unnecessarily, we have established a general response philosophy that we will only respond to specific and actionable federal requirements or actions," UNM spokesperson Cinnamon Blair told the Journal.

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The university is "closely monitoring national developments and their potential impacts" and will provide more guidance when it is available, Blair added.

A spokesperson for the state's Public Education Department told the Journal to ask the Governor's Office for a response to the order. The Governor's Office said it could not provide comment by the Journal's deadline.

A draft of Trump's executive order was first obtained and reported by The Wall Street Journal earlier in the month, and instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to "take all necessary steps" to close the department.

The executive order is set to be signed just over a week after 1,300 jobs were eliminated in the department, slicing it in half.
A council member who pushed for term limits in New Market said Wednesday that he is abandoning his efforts after the town attorney declared the charter amendments to be defectively adopted.

The town did not give adequate notice for a public hearing on the amendments, as mandated under state statute, Town Attorney William Wantz said in a legal opinion sent on Wednesday to Town Clerk Michelle Mitchell and posted on the town website.

Council Member Michael Wright, who introduced the measure, said Wednesday that he is not currently planning on pursuing it further.

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As the town attorney said, the resolution is defective and therefore I do not intend to modify it or move forward with it, Wright wrote in an email.

The term-limit measure that the council passed 3-2 on March 13 would have prevented Mayor Winslow Burhans III from running for re-election, which he said he planned to do.

Burhans said he thought the new limit was aimed at trying to prevent him from staying in office.

The changes would have gone into effect May 2  11 days before the towns elections on May 13. The towns primary election date is April 28, and its filing deadline for candidates is April 7.

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The timing of this is not only dubious, but they have also done so in a way that provides no time to petition the Town for referendum on the amendments, Burhans wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday, before Wantzs opinion was made public.

However, in an email statement on Wednesday, Wright denied the claim the ordinances were targeting Burhans.

Mr. Burhans has mentioned to me directly that he does not intend to run for election again after this term, he wrote in an email.

Burhans said in an interview on Wednesday that he had signs up indicating his intention to run for mayor prior to the meeting when the term limits were passed. He said he stated publicly his intention to run.

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The language allowed council members to run for a maximum of six four-year terms and the mayor to run for a maximum of four four-year terms. Previously, the town had no term limits.

The language made no exception for current or previously elected officials.

It was passed by a 3-2 vote with Council Members Matthew Chance, Shane Rossman and Wright voting for it and Council Members Dennis Kimble and Chris Weatherly voting against.

Burhans has held his position since 2001. He has said he is running for his seventh term.

Wright said in an email he introduced the term limits to promote inclusivity, fairness, and fresh perspectives in New Market.

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As New Market grows, he said, the town needs participation from more people.

However, Burhans said that turning people away in a small town like New Market would not increase volunteerism. New Market had a population of around 1,500 in 2020, according to the U.S. Census.

... If Councilmen Chance, Rossman and Wright think that... eliminating me provides them an uncontested path to becoming your next mayor, let me assure you, THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN, Burhans wrote in the Facebook post. You will not get your next mayor by default.

The Maryland state statute governing charter changes for municipalities mandates that amendments to the charter must be posted in the town hall for at least 40 days after their passage.

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They must also be placed in a newspaper of general circulation at least four times over a period of 40 days after passage.

Proposed changes may only go into effect 50 days after it was voted on, the state statute outlines.

The town could meet the time requirements outlined if it were not for an additional requirement that it give public notice for a public hearing on any charter change at least 21 days before the public hearing, Wantz said in his legal opinion.

Wantz said the council did not meet the 21-day requirement for the March 13 meeting. If the council wanted to pass term limit measures, it would have to give adequate public notice before hosting a public hearing on them, he said.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  The 15-member Providence City Council will vote Thursday on a resolution in support of state legislation that would have major implications for taxpayers.

The resolution would support a bill that would allow the city to go over the state-mandated tax cap of 4%, but limits that cap to 8%. It could raise property taxes by hundreds of dollars.

Mayor Brett Smiley said a tax increase is needed to help fill a $22 million budget hole. The gap is primarily as a result of a $15 million settlement the city reached last fall with the R.I. Department of Education, which still controls the Providence Public School District.

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The city has already paid $4 million to the schools, but owes the remaining $11 million in the next fiscal year.

The resolution states that the legislation would only give the city permission to go over the levy in fiscal year 2026, and should be used as a procedural tool allowing for more flexibility in the development and passage of a balanced budget.

At a meeting of the councils Committee on Finance last week, councilors stressed the importance of prioritizing finding new revenue sources and proposing thoughtful cuts before resorting to residential property tax increases.

People are really worried, Councilor Sue AnderBois said last week. People are hurt with the chaos at the federal level. Peoples budgets are even more strapped than they were before that.

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The councils vote isnt binding, as the legislation would still need approval from the R.I. General Assembly. If enough votes arent secured by councilors though, the bill, which was introduced last month, may die in the House.

Separately on Thursday, Council President Rachel Miller will introduce two ordinances aimed at addressing the ongoing housing crisis.

One ordinance would ban landlords from using algorithmic devices, or software that sets rental rates in Providence. It also stipulates civil penalties for property owners found to be in violation.

The idea isnt new. Cities like Berkeley, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose have passed, or are considering passing, similar bans.

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Miller is also proposing an ordinance that would ban online tax sales in Providence and would require that real-estate auctions take place in person.

A press release from the council states the ordinance comes in response to multinational private equity firms like BlackRock, who are buying up Providence housing stock en masse.

Also tonight, councilors will take the first of two votes on an ordinance that would prohibit fining homeless individuals found sleeping on public property.

The City Council meets at 6 p.m. inside the Council chambers on the third floor of Providence City Hall.

Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Transit Services in Frederick County plans to continue growing in fiscal year 2026 and adding vehicles to the fleet.

The Frederick County Council on Tuesday approved Transit Services plan, which involved a mix of grant and local funding sources.

Next, the plan must be signed by County Executive Jessica Fitzwater before being submitted to the Maryland Transit Authority next Monday.

The plan is to expand and upgrade the fleet by purchasing three heavy-duty buses, four small paratransit buses, one accessible minivan and two utility vehicles, according to county records.

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This would be done through about $2.4 million in federal and state grant funding, as well as around $440,000 from local sources  advertising revenue and money from the countys general fund, according to county records.

Additionally, the plan would entail around $5.5 million in federal and state funding for continued operations, as well as around $4.5 million from local sources, including fares and advertising revenue, according to county records.

If grant appeals for the new vehicles are not approved, the base budget would maintain operations, according to Roman Steichen, division manager for Transportation Services.

Council Member Jerry Donald asked what would happen if grant funding, especially from federal sources, went away.

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Its been wonderful how you have utilized grants and other sources of funding to be so non-reliant on Frederick County money, Donald said. That said, the world has changed. What happens when [grant funding] stops?

Steichen said he was not anticipating that question and that he had no detailed response ready.

Overall, the plan was approved by the County Council unanimously.

Transit has experienced a boom within the decade, according to Jaime McKay, deputy director of the Transit Services Division.

In FY21  in the depths of the pandemic  Transit provided approximately 400,000 passenger trips, McKay said.

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She added that since then, Transit has provided fare-free service and conducted outreach to better align with ridership patterns and community needs.

Steichen said Transit implemented midday service on the four busiest routes for no additional operating expenses and cut wait times in half to 30 minutes during those times.

He added that the projection is for 950,000 fare-free trips this year.

This is going to be the highest ridership year in Transits existence, Steichen said.

He added that the new vehicles would help as older ones in service age out.

McKay said the typical lifespan of a heavy- to medium-duty bus is 400,000 to 500,000 miles or approximately 10 to 12 years.

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We have six buses from 2010 with almost 600,000 miles on them, she said. We are going to keep fixing them as long as parts are available and we have staff to do so. With that in mind, we are starting to see these come to the very end of their useful lives.

The fleet also has four electric buses that Transit put in service in 2020, which are expected to need to be replaced around 2030, according to Steichen.

McKay added that Transit also has six hybrid buses.
Accomplice sentenced in check fraud scheme

An Illinois man got just over four years  or 51 months  Thursday after admitting he was an accomplice in a $3.3 million check fraud scheme.

Scott O. Vue, 47, of Dixon, Illinois, pleaded guilty before Judge Philip Simon in the U.S. District Court in Hammond in July to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud.

Vue helped alleged ringleader Oliver Coverson by opening up various fraudulent accounts where stolen business checks were deposited, Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Heater wrote in court filings. His involvement lasted from October 2019 to December 2020.

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Fictitious corporations were registered with the Indiana and Illinois Secretaries of State by Coverson and his six co-conspirators. The indictment details an elaborate scheme of checks from legitimate businesses being stolen, then made out to one of the fraudulent businesses and bouncing through various accounts when the co-conspirators made a series of withdrawals and deposits.

Vues accounts held $2.3 million; all but $320,000 was recovered. He also brought in his then-girlfriend Anjelica Brockman, who opened accounts where $1.7 million was deposited.

Defense lawyer James Thiros wrote Vue wasnt the mastermind, and didnt steal the checks from the U.S. Postal Service or alter them.

Vue will serve another two years on supervised release after prison and was ordered to pay restitution to the banks.

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Coverson got four years in prison, with two more years on probation in May. Brockman is scheduled for sentencing next month.

Gary man signs plea for 2017 robbery

A Gary man faces up to eight years for a 2017 robbery and later incident where he broke a broomstick and threatened another jail inmate.

David Washington, 41, pleaded guilty Tuesday to burglary and prisoner possessing a dangerous device or material.

Judge Natalie Bokota would have to accept the plea.

His sentencing date is April 15.

Court records show Washington admitted to breaking into a couples home on the 6700 block of Indi Illi Parkway in Hammond on Oct. 11, 2017, and stole jewelry, wallets, phones, a purse and other items from their bedroom.

The jail incident happened in July.

Post-Tribune archives contributed.

mcolias@post-trib.com
Crawford County Court Judge Francis Schultz is set to hear arguments Friday whether to set aside the nomination petition of a Rockdale Township supervisor candidate in the May 20 primary.

Rockdale resident Cathy Pitts, a registered Republican, is objecting to Jill Reeses Republican Party nomination petition for a six-year term as a township supervisor.

Reese is one of two candidates seeking the one Republican Party nomination for a six-year term. No registered Democrats filed seeking that partys nomination for a six-year term.

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Pitts alleges Reeses nomination petition was improper as Reese failed to file a statement of financial interest as required by state law.

A statement of Reeses financial interests was not filed at the Rockdale Township Municipal Building by the March 11 nomination petition filing deadline, according to the objection Pitts filed with the court on Tuesday.

Pennsylvania Public Official and Employees Ethics Act requires each candidate for local office file a statement of financial interest for the preceding calendar year with local political subdivision where the person is a candidate. The statement must be filed on or before the last day for filing a nomination petition.

Failing to file the statement of financial interests in accordance with Pennsylvanias Ethics Act shall be a fatal defection to a petition to appear on the ballot, according to Pitts objection.

The hearing on Pitts objection is set for 9:15 a.m. Friday before Schultz at the Crawford County Judicial Center in Meadville.
(Bloomberg) -- Nvidia Corp. aims to spend several hundred billion dollars to procure US-made chips and electronics over the next four years, the Financial Times reported.

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Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang told the FT that the latest chips designed by his company, and Nvidia-powered servers for data centers, can now be produced at US-based factories operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Foxconn Technology Group. It marked a major step forward in supply chain resilience for the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker, Huang added.

Nvidia this week hosted its GTC developer conference, where Huang, 62, said his company ultimately plans to shift manufacturing onshore. Its already using TSMCs Arizona factory to help produce some of its highly prized graphics processing units, which have become the most essential component for the current wave of AI investment.

Shares in TSMC and other Nvidia suppliers, such as SK Hynix Inc. in South Korea, rose in the wake of the report. In its 2024 annual report, Nvidia said it had $20 billion in total future purchase commitments as of January 28, 2024.

Huang, who in January met President Donald Trump, lauded the new administrations support for the developing artificial intelligence sector and told the FT it was a phenomenal result for AI in the US. He also praised TSMC  the sole manufacturer for Nvidias most advanced AI chips  for expanding its investment in the US.

TSMC, Taiwans most valuable company, and its peers are rapidly making the US the top priority of their expansion plans, as tariff threats by the Trump administration hasten plans to set up in the country. TSMC CEO C.C. Wei this month announced an additional $100 billion in investment in the US, alongside Trump in the White House, and Foxconn is working with Apple Inc. to add an AI server assembly site in Texas.

(Updates with additional details from interview and Nvidias GTC)

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A flurry of court documents filed this week in the case of Bryan Kohberger, the man charged in the killings of four University of Idaho students in late 2022, offers new details about how the case against him is shaping up.

Kohberger, 30, is accused in the stabbing deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho. Autopsies showed the four were all likely asleep when they were attacked, some had defensive wounds and each was stabbed multiple times.

Kohberger, then a criminal justice graduate student at Washington State University, was arrested in Pennsylvania weeks after the killings. Investigators said they matched his DNA to genetic material recovered from a knife sheath found at the crime scene.

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Here's what to know about the case and the recent developments as his trial is set to begin this summer.

What has happened so far in the case?

Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder in the Nov. 13, 2022 stabbing. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

When asked to enter a plea last year, Kohberger stood silent, prompting the judge to enter a not-guilty plea on his behalf.

The killings shook the small farming community of about 25,000 people, which hadnt had a homicide in about five years. The trial was moved from rural northern Idaho to Boise after the defense expressed concerns that Kohberger couldnt get a fair trial in the county where the killings occurred.

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What do the new court filings show?

The newly filed documents include pretrial motions that will shape what evidence and expert testimony will be allowed at Kohberger's trial, which is set to begin Aug. 11 and expected to last more than three months.

They show that prosecutors intend to introduce evidence of Kohberger's click history at Amazon.com showing he purchased a Ka-Bar knife  a military-style, fixed-blade knife  along with a sheath and sharpener in March, eight months before the killings. A Ka-Bar knife sheath was found next to one of the victims.

Further, prosecutors say, the Amazon click history also shows Kohberger searched for a Ka-Bar knife in the days after the killings.

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Kohbergers click activity after the homicides makes it more probable (than it would be without the evidence) that Kohberger had a reason to search for a Ka-Bar knife and sheath after the homicides, prosecutors wrote.

Kohberger's attorneys have sought to exclude the online shopping history, saying it could be taken out of context or not reflect the influence of algorithms that recommend purchases.

Kohberger took a smiling selfie hours after the killings

Prosecutors say they also intend to introduce what appears to be a self-portrait Kohberger took on his phone at 10:31 a.m. on Nov. 13, 2022  just hours after the killings. In it, he is smiling and giving a thumbs-up gesture.

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A roommate who was in the rental home, sleeping and intoxicated, told police she woke up and saw a man she didn't know  someone with bushy eyebrows who was wearing a face mask. Defense attorneys have asked the judge to exclude from the trial any description of the attacker having bushy eyebrows, saying that could prejudice the jury.

If evidence of bushy eyebrows is presented to the jury, the jury might well believe that Mr. Kohberger is guilty simply because of bushy eyebrows, defense attorneys wrote.

But prosecutors say the roommate's description is credible, and they want to introduce Kohberger's selfie because it shows his appearance shortly after the killings. Whether or not Bryan Kohberger can be described as having bushy eyebrows is a factual determination to be decided by the jury, they wrote.

What's next?

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Judge Steven Hippler has scheduled a hearing for April 9 to consider the pretrial motions. Among those to be decided are arguments over whether an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis would preclude Kohberger from being eligible for the death penalty if convicted, and over whether jurors should hear audio of a 911 call made by two women in the house roughly eight hours after the killings, as they realized one of their roommates wasn't waking up.

The court has issued a gag order for everyone involved in the trial and wont allow cameras in the courtroom.

___

This story has been updated to correct that a knife sheath was found next to one of the victims, not a knife.
A court in North Dakota has found Greenpeace liable for hundreds of millions of dollars over actions to combat the Dakota Access Pipeline.

The environmental organization will be liable for about $660 million per the verdict readout in court, Greenpeace USA interim Executive Director Sushma Raman said in a statement shared through a spokesperson.

That amount could put Greenpeace at risk of bankruptcy. The group vowed to fight the verdict.

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This is the end of a chapter, but not the end of our fight, Raman said. Energy Transfer knows we dont have $660 million. They want our silence, not our money.

Energy Transfer, the company behind the pipeline that had accused Greenpeace of defamation and trespass, among other activities, celebrated the decision.

While we are pleased that Greenpeace has been held accountable for their actions against us, this win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace, the company said.

It is also a win for all law-abiding Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law. That the disrupters have been held responsible is a win for all of us, the companys statement continued.

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Greenpeace has argued that it only played a small role in the protests, which drew massive crowds that were opposed to the project.

The group has argued that the case was a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation suit and an attempt to silence critics.

This is a freedom of speech issue. This is a First Amendment case, Greenpeace spokesperson Madison Carter said in an interview ahead of the verdict.

She expressed concern that a verdict against Greenpeace would have a chilling effect for any organization that is interested in advocacy.

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Bryan Kohberger, the man charged with murder in the fatal stabbings of four University of Idaho students, bought the same brand of knife that police suspect was used in the violent crime in November 2022, according to a new court filing.

In March 2022, Kohberger ordered a Ka-Bar knife with sheath and a sharpener from Amazon, the prosecution alleged in the legal brief, which was filed Monday but not made public until Wednesday. Detectives found a Ka-Bar brand leather knife sheath that included the U.S. Marine Corps stamped insignia at the crime scene in Moscow next to one of the victims and later discovered DNA on its button snap, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Assisting with the high-profile case, the FBI used an advanced forensic technique called investigative genetic genealogy, or IGG, with the knife sheath DNA to initially land on Kohberger as the suspect in late December 2022, prosecutors previously said. After Kohbergers arrest 12 days later in Pennsylvania, police and prosecutors allege the DNA was matched directly to Kohberger through a swab of his cheek.

From left: Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin were killed in a November 2022 knife attack at an off-campus house on King Road near the University of Idaho.

The four U of I student victims were Kaylee Goncalves, 21, of Rathdrum; Madison Mogen, 21, of Coeur dAlene; Xana Kernodle, 20, of Post Falls; and Ethan Chapin, 20, of Mount Vernon, Washington. The three women lived in the Moscow home with two other young women who went physically unharmed; Chapin was Kernodles boyfriend and stayed over for the night.

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Each victim died from stab wounds and sharp-force injuries caused by an edged weapon, believed to be a large, fixed-blade knife, Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt previously said. Just days into the sprawling homicide investigation, the Idaho Statesman was first to report that police were canvassing area hardware stores asking about any recent sales of fixed-blade knives.

Kohberger, 30, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, and prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if a jury finds him guilty. He is a former graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. In summer 2022, Kohberger moved from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, to Washington to attend WSUs doctorate program of criminal justice and criminology, according to court records.

After a court hearing in November 2024 in Boise, Steve Goncalves, father of victim Kaylee Goncalves, told the Statesman in an interview that he was informed of evidence that Kohberger bought a Ka-Bar knife before he relocated to the West for graduate school.

I think he had thought about this crime immensely, planned it, and I think the facts will bear that out, Steve Goncalves said. Ive been told the murder weapon was purchased in Pennsylvania. (If) you come out with that, then youre coming with a plan.

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NBCs Dateline previously reported Kohberger purchased a Ka-Bar knife, but cited only unnamed law enforcement sources.

Kohbergers capital murder trial is set for this summer in Boise, starting with jury selection in late July. Opening statements are expected to begin by mid-August.

Prosecution wants Amazon data admitted. Defense calls it cherry-picking

Latah County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Ashley Jennings in the recent filing pushed back against a defense motion filed last month  aimed at excluding the prosecutions use of information obtained from Amazon at trial  arguing that given the knife was purchased before the killings it is more probable the Ka-Bar sheath found on Mogens bed was Kohbegers.

Kohberger appears to argue that the evidence of defendants Amazon.com click history is not relevant, Jennings wrote. That is not the case.

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It remains unknown if police have found the weapon they believe was used to kill the four students. Kohbergers defense has said repeatedly in court that their client has no connection to the victims and is innocent of the crimes for which he stands accused.

The defense said the search warrants were overly broad, and resulting data incomplete and from a household account shared by Mr. Kohberger and other family members.

Cherry-picking specific clicks or purchases out of an Amazon click-history removes all of the context, read the filings signed by defense attorney Elisa Massoth.

In fact, investigators narrowly tailored their search warrant for Kohbergers Amazon account and disclosed all of the data to the defense, the prosecution argued in response Monday. The accounts historic data showed purchase of a Ka-Bar knife with sheath before the murders and his click activity indicat(ed) a search for a knife with sheath after the murders, the filing read.

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Prosecutors plan to use means other than Amazon click activity to connect the knife purchase  and subsequent search inquiries for a replacement knife and/or sheath  to Kohberger, including his financial activities, they added.

Investigators in the case limited their spring 2023 search warrant to Amazon account activity, including payment methods, cart items, wish lists, purchases and reviews of knives and accessories viewed by Kohberger from March 20 to March 30, 2022 and also from Nov. 1 to Dec. 6, 2022, prosecutors wrote. Amazon responded with the requested data in June 2023, and two weeks later prosecutors provided the same information to the defense, they wrote.

Kohberger shared Amazon account with family

Kohbergers attorneys argued limiting Amazon data to specific items takes things out of context and could cause the jury to speculate about intent, they wrote. The filing also raised concerns about Amazons use of artificial intelligence and how it shapes customers behavior with recommendations, paid advertisements and the algorithm.

Lets say someone on a shared Amazon account purchased a pair of binoculars. Without additional information, the defense argued, who initially searched for the binoculars or whether the search was triggered by advertisements or AI would be unclear.

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Massoth added in the filing that other items bought around the same time would also provide context to the intent of the purchaser. If someone bought binoculars alongside a sleeping bag and tent versus night-vision goggles, zip ties and a stun gun it could show a completely different intent, she wrote.

But the prosecution argued AI technology wasnt relevant. Jennings wrote that even if an algorithm suggested certain products that wouldnt cause a customer to repeatedly  and over several days, she wrote  browse webpages related to Ka-Bar knives, sharpeners and sheaths.

What is clear from the defendants filing, is that the defendant doesnt like this piece of the states evidence and therefore would like to keep this piece of evidence from the jury, Jennings said.

Another concern raised by the defense was the use of a shared Amazon account. When family members share an Amazon account  like in Kohbergers case  purchases and searches gathered about the customers interests impact all of the accounts users, Massoth said.

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One person in a households interest in certain items, impacts the entire household account and attributed click activity,  she wrote.

Kohberger shared his account with other family members, Massoth said, so his accounts history could be influenced by AI-recommended items or other users. The prosecution addressed this concern in a footnote of its response.

Jennings said prosecutors recognize the identity of the user making the inquiries is relevant, according to the filing, and they dont plan to rely solely on the click activity to connect Kohbeger to the knife purchase.
HONOLULU(KHON2)  Honolulu police are cracking down on e-bike violations as officials continue to push for stricter laws. The head of HPDs traffic division explained the difference between an E-bike and out-of-class motorbikes that are not street-legal.

Juveniles riding out-of-class motorized bikes and e-bikes continue to be a problem according to Kailua resident Haehae Kahana.

HPD enforces e-bike regulations, Kailua riders cited

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Ive seen many e-bike riders around here. Helmets, no helmets, about 90% without helmets, Kahana added. Ive seen them do a lot of wheelies. Yeah, Ive seen them almost get hit by a lot of cars.

A resident named Tracy said she lives on Keolu Drive and sees kids riding electric bikes three and four times a day.

7 actions by locals who are keeping Maui safe

Theyre in the middle of the road and theyre going pretty fast, she said. And I worry, I mean, even if thats not my kid, I dont know if they know what it would feel like if one of their friends got hurt. So is that what its gonna take for them to stop doing that? I dont know.

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According to HPD, several juveniles were cited next to Keolu Skate Park, after they were seen popping wheelies on the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to jump out of their way.

HPD Maj. James Slayter, head of the traffic division, said the fact that most people dont know the difference between an e-bike and other motorized bikes is a big problem.

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Because of that confusion, they feel like, Oh, youre, you know, unfairly picking on children writing these things, Slayter explained. But really, were not even out to arrest. Were not even really out to cite. Were out to educate because we dont want another critical or fatal collision involving an E-bike or an out-of-class device.

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He said there is one clear way to identify an e-bike.

They have pedals where you could actually make the bike move without any motor, he explained.

And he said their max speed is 20 to 28 miles per hour.

According to Slayter, other motorized out-of-class bikes have foot-pegs, go much faster and look more like a dirt bike or motorcycle. He said those require a type 2 drivers license, insurance, and several other things to make them street-legal.

He is urging parents will do more research before buying their child an E-bike and to teach them traffic safety.

Making sure that they understand, stay away from the vehicles as much as possible. Dont do anything thats reckless or unsafe, Slayter said.

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He added that helmets are now required on Oahu for anyone riding an E-bike under the age of 18.

The City Council also passed a bill prohibiting wheelies or stunts on public roads Wednesday afternoon. That now heads to the mayor for his signature.

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CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI)  The man accused of stabbing another man with a butcher knife while trying to break into his Cranston home faced a judge Wednesday afternoon.

Devan Tallo (Courtesy: Cranston Police Department)

Devan Tallo, 32, was arraigned at his hospital bedside and ordered held without bail on two Superior Court violations. Tallo was taken into custody Tuesday after he attempted to break into an Aldrich Avenue home while the victim and his daughter were still inside.

Tallo eventually gave up trying to get inside the house and began rummaging through the trash bins outside for aluminum cans, according to police. The homeowner then went outside and confronted Tallo as he was collecting the cans.

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The two men then got into a heated argument, during which police said Tallo pulled out a butcher knife and stabbed the homeowner four times in the neck and abdomen.

Police said two nearby workers immediately intervened after overhearing and seeing Tallo attack the homeowner. Both workers tackled Tallo and kept him pinned down until officers got there and handcuffed him.

RELATED: Suspect arrested after stabbing in Cranston

The victim was critically wounded and rushed to Rhode Island Hospital, though police said he has since been stabilized. Tallo was also brought to the hospital to be treated for a hand laceration.

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Tallo has been charged with felony assault and battery, attempted breaking and entering, possession of a knife and resisting arrest. He has been ordered to not contact the victim and to undergo mental health counseling.

Court records indicate Tallo is being held as a bail violator in connection with a 2020 felony assault case out of Johnston. He also violated his probation on charges stemming from an arrest for assaulting an officer in West Warwick two years ago.

Tallo will be brought to the ACI once hes discharged from the hospital, according to police. His next court date in connection with the stabbing is slated for June 18.

Aldrich Avenue, Cranston (Ryan Welch/WPRI-TV)

Aldrich Avenue, Cranston (Ryan Welch/WPRI-TV)

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NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT)  Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, the Craven County Board of Education had a special-called meeting to discuss the districts budget for the upcoming year.

It was nearly two hours of stressful and difficult conversation between school leaders. The problems havent gone away so, were cutting things in my heart, Craven County Schools Superintendent Dr. Wendy Miller said. I dont believe need to be cut, but we cant continue to sustain this. We just cant.

District officials presented four possible budgeting options while eyeing one in particular that would leave the fund balance under $2.5 million.

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In a district with more than 20 schools where the electric bill for a single high school is around $23,000 per month, pinching pennies is unavoidable. Everyone can relate to like a dozen eggs like a year ago what they cost, Dr. Miller said. Same with everything we provide, teachers, yes everything costs more.

For Board Chair Lori Spiece, the problem goes back more than just a year. The issue is that we had what I would call inflated spending that came out of the COVID days because we had ESSER funding and we did not really do our part to adjust the way that we operated once those ESSER funds were gone, she said.

With elementary and secondary school emergency relief funds are no longer coming in, the district was discussing positions like school nurses, counselors, assistant principles, art and P.E. teachers.

There was widespread agreement on the need for school nurses in every school and the desire to maintain as many assistant principles as possible.

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Officials also said no district employees were in danger of being fired as a result of the new budget but instead, reassigned.

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EAST HADDAM, Conn. (WTNH)  East Haddam firefighters showed up and went all out for a local 5-year-old boys homecoming.

Lincoln Stanger had spent over a year at the Boston Childrens Hospital, awaiting a donor heart.

Wednesdays Warrior: Firefighters celebrate Connecticut boy awaiting heart transplant

After a successful transplant, Lincoln was discharged from the hospital on March 20, and state police from both Connecticut and Massachusetts escorted him from Boston to his home in East Haddam. Lincolns father is a detective with the Connecticut State Police.

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To make his homecoming brighter, state police asked East Haddam firefighters to surprise Lincoln by bringing their fire apparatus to his house.

The little boy hopes to be a firefighter when he grows up and is obsessed with fire trucks.

In traditional East Haddam Fire Department fashion, we did Lincoln one better, fire officials said.

East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant. East Haddam boy Lincoln Stagner gets a grand welcome home after waiting over a year for a heart transplant.

They used a retired fire engine to escort Lincoln from the off-ramp of Route 11 and all the way home, where he was greeted by more fire apparatus.

Lincoln was all smiles ear to ear and was presented as an EHFD Honorary Junior Firefighter, and was gifted with an official EHFD shirt, patch, mug, and hat, fire officials said.

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The department wishes Lincoln a full recovery and welcomes him to the fire station for future visits.

State police said the homecoming was a beautiful show of support from all first responders for Lincoln and his family as they celebrate this new chapter of hope and healing.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)  As of Thursday, Connecticut health officials say there are no cases of measles in our state. However, theyre encouraging residents get vaccinated as communities across the country are seeing a rise in cases.

Department of Public Health officials are encouraging all residents to get vaccinated against measles to keep the virus out of Connecticut.

Measles cases rise to about 320 total in Texas and New Mexico. Heres what you should know

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Measles is a highly contagious disease, and it is also entirely preventable with the MMR vaccine, DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said.

Everyone is urged to check their vaccination status and get vaccinated if not already fully protected.

Staying up to date on vaccinations not only protects you and your family but also helps protect people who cannot be vaccinated due to medical conditions, Juthani said.

To establish herd immunity, a community needs vaccine coverage of 95% or greater.

Measles confirmed in 3 more states as cases multiply

Officials said Connecticut has a high vaccination rate, with 97.7% of kindergarten students up to date with the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine during the 202324 school year.

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But DPH officials wants everyone- not just students- to be vaccinated, especially in light of current outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.

Officials recommend a dose of the MMR vaccine for infants 6 to 11 months old who will be travelling internationally or to areas of the United States with active measles transmission.

The dose should be given at least two weeks before travel.

Adults who received their MMR vaccines between 1963 and 1967 are also encouraged to talk to their primary care provider about next steps, since they may have received a measles vaccine that was less effective.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
A Connecticut man was arrested after allegedly pointing a BB gun at a clerk during a robbery at a Southington AutoZone.

Hector Roman, 47, of Southington, was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with first-degree robbery, sixth-degree larceny, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace and interfering with an officer, according to the Southington Police Department.

Officers responded to the AutoZone at 60 Interstate Park Dr. around 5:55 p.m. on Tuesday for a report of a robbery with a firearm, police said.

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According to police, the suspect, later identified as Roman, was allegedly stealing items and when confronted by a store employee, he pointed a black pistol at them.

Roman was later located at his residence and taken into custody, police said. Clothing matching the description of the suspect provided by the store employee was allegedly discovered during a search of his residence, as well as two black colored pistol-style BB guns, according to police.

Roman was held on a $250,000 bond and appeared in court on Wednesday.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com.
(Reuters) -Nvidia and Elon Musk's xAI have joined a consortium backed by Microsoft, investment fund MGX and BlackRock to expand AI infrastructure in the U.S., the companies said on Wednesday, as a global race to dominate the nascent technology intensifies.

The group, formed last year with a goal to initially invest more than $30 billion in AI-related projects, is one of the biggest efforts to bankroll data centers and energy facilities needed to power AI applications such as ChatGPT.

The additions come two months after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Stargate, a private sector AI infrastructure initiative backed by SoftBank Group, OpenAI and Oracle, with plans to mobilize up to $500 billion.

Investors have committed $100 billion for immediate deployment, with the rest expected over the next four years.

The consortium - which includes BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners - on Wednesday renamed itself as AI Infrastructure Partnership. Nvidia, a technical advisor, will continue in the role.

Training AI models and large-scale data processing require huge computational power, which increases energy consumption. To meet the demands, tech companies are deploying thousands of chips in clusters, driving a surge for specialized data centers.

To fund the computing and power needs, the consortium has been looking to raise money from investors, asset owners and corporations, with a goal to mobilize up to $100 billion, including debt financing.

"AIP has attracted significant capital and partner interest since its inception in September," the group said, but did not disclose the total funds raised so far.

GE Vernova and utility firm NextEra Energy will also be a part of the group, it said, adding the renewable energy company will work on supply-chain planning and high efficiency energy solutions.

AIP said its investments will also focus on U.S. partners and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)
Since launching his mayoral campaign this month, Andrew Cuomo has largely refrained from the sharp criticism of President Trump that has marked the rhetoric of many of his opponents, and some Trump supporters are now opening up their wallets for the former governor.

Cuomos nascent mayoral campaign has already received nearly $20,000 in contributions from Trump donors and associates, including a prominent conservative social media influencer who recently helped host a fundraiser for the ex-gov, according to a Daily News review of city and federal filings.

The Women for Cuomo fundraiser on March 7 was co-hosted by Tanya Zuckerbrot, a nutritionist with a large social media following who has been a vocal Trump surrogate and attended the presidents inaugural ball in January.

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Donation records show Zuckerbrot gave $2,100, the legal max, to Cuomos mayoral campaign in conjunction with the event in Manhattan.

I appreciate his strong support of the Jewish community and commitment to making NYC great again. Whos ready for a comeback? Zuckerbrot captioned a photo she posted on Instagram on March 10 of herself and Cuomo. She capped off the post with the hashtag #makenycgreatagain, a spin on Trumps signature slogan.

In his first two weeks of fundraising, Cuomo also raked in maxed-out $2,100 donations from Randy Levine, president of the New York Yankees whos known to have been on Trumps close contacts list, Jonathan Kushner, cousin of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and several others with records of financially backing the Republican presidents campaigns, records show.

That includes max donations to Cuomo from Geoffrey Berman, Trumps ex-Manhattan U.S. attorney who pumped $5,400 into the presidents 2016 campaign, and four other New Yorkers, including an attorney and an investor, who have between them given more than $40,000 to Trumps campaigns.

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Another maxed-out Cuomo mayoral campaign donor is Anthony Scaramucci, a onetime Trump adviser who has since become an outspoken critic of the president. Before turning on Trump, Scaramucci funneled more than $150,000 into Trumps campaign and super PACs, according to disclosures.

In total, Cuomo, whos polling as the favorite to win Junes Democratic mayoral primary, raised more than $1.5 million during the first two weeks of his campaign and is, according to most polls, the frontrunner for the Democratic nod.

Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi noted that, like Scaramucci, Berman has since being fired by Trump in 2020 become critical of the president. Azzopardi also noted several of the donors highlighted by The News review have records of donating to Cuomo and other Democrats before Trumps 2016 election, including Zuckerbrot, who gave $250 to the then-governors reelection campaign in 2014.

Past is prologue, only one candidate in this race has a record of standing up for New York when Trump and Washington sought to hurt it and its Andrew Cuomo, Azzopardi said, referencing Cuomos record as an anti-Trump champion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The ex-gov has since his March 1 campaign launch by and large stayed clear of criticizing the controversial president as pointedly as most elected New York Democrats.

In a March 3 interview on Stephen A. Smiths YouTube show, Cuomo suggested Trump  who has threatened to strip New York of billions of dollars in federal funding for various critical programs  wants to help the city.

Donald Trump is from New York City and he knows our problems here, Cuomo said in the appearance. He knows we need federal help  He knows our situation, he knows the situation in New York City. It is his hometown. I think that he wants New York City to appreciate him. I think he thinks theres an opportunity for him to do good things.

Speaking at a Harlem church a few days later, Cuomo again didnt directly criticize Trump, but did say his presidency could result in challenges for the city.

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The incumbent, Mayor Adams, has vowed to not publicly criticize the president. Adams, whos trailing Cuomo by double digits in most polls of the mayoral race, has come under fire since the Trump Justice Department moved to drop his federal corruption indictment in a manner that critics and allies say has left the mayor behold to Trumps political agenda. Adams maintains there is no quid pro quo.

Some of Cuomos opponents in the mayoral race have lambasted his lack of forceful Trump pushback.

One mayoral candidate, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, held a press conference outside City Hall on Thursday where he questioned whether Cuomos keeping his powder dry on blasting Trump because House Republicans recently urged the presidents Department of Justice to prosecute the ex-governor over matters related to his handling of COVID.

Either Cuomo should vocally condemn the president, or explain his refusal to do so  New Yorkers deserve to know where he stands, Myrie said.
Navajo Code Talkers and their family members met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace at the Pentagon, Aug. 10, 2007. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. D. Myles Cullen, public domain)

Update: Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced Wednesday afternoon that materials related to the Navajo Code Talkers would be restored to U.S. Department of Defense websites. According to Nygren, his office was told by White House officials that Navajo information had been removed from websites in error as part of an automated review using artificial intelligence to identify and take down material associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

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Prominent Native American figures in U.S. military history have been erased from the U.S. Department of Defenses website as part of the sweeping effort stemming from President Donald Trumps executive order banning diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Department of Defense website removed articles featuring details about the Navajo Code Talkers  Navajo men who served during World War II and used their language as a secret code in battle  along with U.S. Marine Ira Hayes from the Gila River Indian Community, who helped raise the flag during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II.

Navajo code has absolutely nothing to do with DEI because Navajo code was a weapon, Navajo Code Talker Peter MacDonald said in response to the removal during an interview with the Arizona Mirror.

MacDonald, 96, is one of two living Navajo Code Talkers. He served in the South Pacific as a Code Talker and in North China with the 6th Marine Division.

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MacDonald said that dismissing the Navajo Code Talkers as DEI is a terrible misinterpretation by the United States.

The complex Navajo language was used as a weapon in World War II against the enemy because the Japanese were breaking every military code that U.S. troops were using in the Pacific theater.

It took the Navajo people to develop a whole new code in the Navajo language, he added, and it became the only military code in modern history never broken by an enemy.

In a general keyword search on Tuesday of the Department of Defenses website for the Navajo Code Talkers, only eight results appeared, but none related to information or articles detailing their role in World War II.

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Zero results appeared in a search for Ira Hayes.

Ira Hayes is memorialized in a monument at Wesley Bolin Plaza in Phoenix. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith/Arizona Mirror)

The Navajo Code Talkers earned their place in history through their courage and sacrifice, giving their lives in defense of this nation, Navajo Nation Council Speaker Crystalyne Curley said in a press release. Erasing their extraordinary contributions from formal military history is not only disrespectful, it is dishonorable.

Having articles and information about the Navajo Code Talkers on the departments website is the right thing, MacDonald said, because it provides education for everyone that weapons do not just include guns but language.

He added that their weapon helped preserve Americas freedom, and we were happy to use that weapon to help.

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Its important for the entire nation to know that the Navajo Code has absolutely nothing to do with DEI, he said. He hopes the Pentagon will return all the content so they can learn.

In an email response to the Arizona Mirror, a Department of Defense spokesperson who wouldnt provide their name said the DOD is in the process of restoring the content about the Navajo Code Talkers, which had been removed during the auto-removal process.

No time frame was provided for restoring the content, and the spokesperson did not respond to questions about the deleted content related to Ira Hayes.

Ronald Kinsel, the son of the late Navajo Code Talker John Kensel, Sr., said he was shocked to learn that all articles featuring the Navajo Code Talkers had been removed.

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My dad didnt go to war for nothing, he said, adding that the United States wouldnt be the country it is now if it wasnt for the Navajo Code Talkers.

Navajo Code Talker Thomas H. Begay salutes the Navajo Code Talker Memorial Statue during the National Navajo Code Talkers Day celebration on Aug. 14, 2022. (Photo by Shondiin Silversmith/Arizona Mirror)

The Navajo Code Talkers participated in all assaults led by the U.S. Marines in the Pacific from 1942 to 1945, including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Peleliu and Iwo Jima. The total number of Navajo Code Talkers who served in the U.S. Marines is unknown, but it is estimated to be between 350 and 420.

MacDonalds daughter, Charity, said she wasnt shocked by the removal. It is merely a new form of erasure of Indigenous people, something the United States has done throughout its history.

You can not erase an entire history of people, she said, especially today when information can be accessed in various ways.

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Our federal government is doing this purposely, Charity said, adding that its an action theyre taking to show people that they can.

The federal government is making a statement, saying that this is how they feel, she added.

Charity said Indigenous people have given a lot to the federal government, and during World War II, the military came to the Navajo people and asked them for help.

They used the Navajo language to help them win the war, she said.

Navajo Nation, Gila River Indian Community respond

Leaders from the Navajo Nation and the Gila River Indian Community sent letters to the Department of Defense to ask why the details about the Navajo Code Talkers and Hayes were deleted.

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Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said removing information about Hayes and the Navajo Code Talkers due to the scrubbing for DEI initiatives is misguided and irresponsible.

Lewis said his tribe sent a official letter to the Department of Defense on Tuesday but have not received a response.

Sadly, were no strangers to being erased, Lewis said, noting it has happened to Indigenous peoples throughout history.

All the stories of Ira Hayes and all Native veterans, including the code talkers, have to be rectified ASAP, he said.

Lewis said Hayes is a significant figure in military history, and members of the Gila River Indian Community learn about him from a very young age.

Ira Hayes, alongside five other Marines, raised the U.S. flag on the island of Iwo Jima at the summit of Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945. (Photo by Joe Rosenthal/ Associated Press, public domain)

Hayes, alongside five other Marines, raised the U.S. flag on the island of Iwo Jima at the summit of Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945. He was part of the 5th Marine Division and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima until the island was secured on March 26, 1945.

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The photograph of the flag raising during the Battle of Iwo Jima is one of the most iconic images of World War II, taken months into the battle by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal.

Lewis said Hayes story and the image of the Marines raising the flag at Iwo Jima is historic for Native military service.

Native Americans have always served in our countrys military, in all branches, at the highest levels of any other group, Lewis said.

Indigenous people across the United States serve in the armed forces at five times the national average, according to the National Indian Council on Aging, and have served with distinction in every major conflict for over 200 years.

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Lewis said that recognizing the patriotism and courage of Native American soldiers has nothing to do with any type of DEI initiative.

Its simply an offering of respect for extraordinary service and bravery in the line of duty, he added.

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren sent a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday asking him to explain the removal of the Navajo Code Talkers information from military websites.

Appropriately recognizing the work of the Navajo Code Talkers is profoundly significant to the Navajo Nation, Nygren said in his letter, requesting the rationale behind the removal.

In the letter, Nygren wrote about how Trump welcomed the Navajo Code Talkers to the White House in 2017, during his first term in office, and praised their contributions to the country.

We sincerely appreciate this recognition and believe it highlights the importance of preserving the history and legacy of the Navajo Code Talkers, he wrote.

Given the profound impact and historic importance of these American heroes, it is imperative that their legacy remains visible and accessible to all Americans, the letter stated.

The Navajo Nation Council voiced its disappointment in the removal of the Code Talkers, emphasizing that the Navajo Nation is not a racial group but a distinct political entity.

The Navajo Nation Council is deeply concerned by being conflated into DEI initiatives that fail to recognize our unique political status, Curley said in a press release. The Navajo Nation Council is engaging with the administration to clarify the reasoning behind removing articles.

The United States would not be the nation it is today without the bravery and service of the Navajo Nation Code Talkers, Curley said. Their legacy is a cornerstone of American history, and it is essential that their contributions be honored and recognized.

Arizona Mirror is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arizona Mirror maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jim Small for questions: info@azmirror.com.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Thursday on the Daily 8, were looking at the Keeler Building in Grand Rapids being condemned, fees you might see the next time youre out to eat, the opening of John Ball Zoo and more.

You can watch the full Daily 8 for March 20, 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 Friday for the Daily 8.

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PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  A company that intends to mine gold in the northern Black Hills of South Dakota wants a Sioux Falls firm to study the socioeconomic impacts associated with the project.

State law requires the study as part of seeking a mining permit from the South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment.

The board on Thursday approved the Dakota Gold Corp request for Sioux Falls-based Dakota Institute to perform the study.

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Dakota Gold, based in Lead and Vancouver, says it has high-caliber gold mineral properties on more than 48,000 acres surrounding the old Homestake Mine at Lead.

Impeaching judges unusual, unique law school dean says

The company has been test drilling at the Richmond Hill and Maitland project sites a few miles northwest of Lead. The Richmond Hill site is directly north of the Wharf Mine, which is the Black Hills last remaining large-scale gold producer.

At this point, there is no application yet from Dakota Gold, according to Ben Koisti, public affairs officer for the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He said the socioeconomic study is part of the baseline work a mine permit applicant must do before applying for a mine permit.

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One of the states board members, Bob Morris of Belle Fourche, asked Thursday whether there was any connection between Dakota Gold and Dakota Institute.

To my knowledge there is no connection between the two companies, replied Roberta Hudson, a scientist with the Minerals, Mining, and Superfund Program in the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Dakota Gold environmental director Timm Comer said they arent connected in any way. Jerad McEntaffer, the institutes CEO and chief economist, likewise said there wasnt any connection.

The state boards chair, Glenn Blumhardt of Bowdle, said he couldnt recall that Dakota Institute had performed any other socioeconomic study required by the board.

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Thats correct. This is my first time before you guys, McEntaffer said.

Board member Doyle Karpen of Jefferson suggested a tour of the Dakota Gold proposed site later this year.

Blumhardt had told board members at their January meeting that he wanted a meeting in the Black Hills for September 17-18.

I think thats kind of the plan, Blumhardt replied to Karpen on Thursday.

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CPH:DOX, the world-class documentary festival in Copenhagen, is underway  kicking off with the world premiere of a film that could not be more timely.

Facing War, directed by Tommy Gulliksen, examines the final years of Jens Stoltenbergs 10-year stretch as secretary general of NATO as he confronted Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the prospect of Donald Trump  a tepid supporter of NATO at best  returning to the White House. Stoltenberg attended the premiere along with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, an indication of the importance of the occasion.

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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (right) speaks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 'Facing War'

Stoltenberg, who left his post as secretary general last October, is seeing all he worked for  to strengthen the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the face of an expansionist Russia  unravel under the Trump administration. The premiere happened amid reports the administration is considering surrendering a distinction the U.S. has held for the entire 75-year history of NATO  that of appointing a four-star American general as NATOs Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (the first to occupy that post was Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower). At a Q&A with Stoltenberg and PM Frederiksen, the former secretary general was asked about those reports.

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I dont know whether those rumors or those reports are correct or not, but I think we need to be prepared for the probability that the United States may reduce [its] presence in Europe, Stoltenberg responded. That was something actually President Trump announced the last time he was president and its part of the message on burden sharing  the Americans feel that the Europeans are doing too little and that theyre doing too much in the cost of protecting Europe.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg during a press conference at the 2024 NATO Summit on July 11, 2024 in Washington, DC

The film shows Stoltenbergs consistent and strong advocacy for Ukraine as it has dealt with a war of annihilation in which Russia has made targeting of civilians a key feature of its war plan. As secretary general he marshalled support for the embattled country and indicated backing for Ukraines bid to become a member of NATO. But just last month, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ruled out offering NATO membership to Ukraine.

Journalist Adam Holm, who moderated the Q&A, asked Stoltenberg about that vital issue.

We were closer to membership [for Ukraine] a year or two ago than we are now and thats because its so clearly stated, especially from the United States, that thats not something that they will support, Stoltenberg said. But I will not speculate about how, as I say, long into the future itll be before we can get Ukraine in. But I will say that at some stage we have to do what actually was alluded to in the film  that we need to provide Ukraine with some kind of security, and the ultimate and the strongest security we can provide Ukraine is NATO membership. So I think that the way actually to end the war in a stable and just way is to actually allow Ukraine into NATO. In the meantime, we need to find something else and that is to arm Ukrainians so they can protect themselves as much as possible.

President Donald Trump lectures Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28, 2025

To general astonishment, Pres. Trump in February blamed Ukraine for its own invasion. And on February 28, the president attacked Ukrainian President Zelenskyy while sitting down with him for an Oval Office photo op and later threw him out of the White House. Trump, his Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Defense Secretary Hegseth have all pressed Ukraine to give up territory in exchange for peace  a position that has been widely criticized as adopting Kremlin talking points.

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Prime Minister Frederiksen could hardly have articulated a position on Ukraine and Russia more diametrically opposed to Trumps.

We have to be very clear that this war has never been about Ukraine. Its the biggest mistake that some have put on the table, that this is about Ukraine. This is a war about Russia, the prime minister told the audience at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. Unfortunately, its a war about a Russia with imperial dreams and a willingness of killing people on their way to achieve the Russian goals on building a big empire again.

Frederiksen added, We have to admit that those who are fighting for all of us today  all the Europeans and actually all people around the globe believing in democracy and freedom, our values  they are struggling, theyre fighting and theyre dying for us. The least thing we can do is to ensure that they are able to defend themselves We have to remove all red lines to ensure that Ukraine can actually push the Russians back. But I have to say that I believe that if we allow Russia to take Ukraine, theyre going to continue, they will continue in Ukraine and they will continue somewhere else in Europe. And thats why this is a very, very fundamental question of do we allow an autocrat in the Kremlin to take decisions in democratic countries? Yes or no? And there can only be one answer to that question: Of course, absolutely, no.

On Tuesday, Pres. Trump spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, securing a promise from Putin to temporarily stop attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities.

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Almost immediately after hanging up, the Russians have been sending missiles and drones and they have been attacking Ukraine all night long, Frederiksen said. Thats the result of the phone call [Tuesday]. So, we need to see some changes in Russia, and we need to be able to believe that Russia actually wants peace.

The PM continued, I understand why everybody is thinking that peace sounds better than war  and theres nothing that we want more than peace in Ukraine. But a peace made on the premise of Russia and not Ukraine can be more dangerous not only to Ukraine but to all of us. So, therefore, it has to be a peace that we can believe in, just peace, reliable peace, and peace that, of course, respects some of the very, very, very existential values in the modern world of sovereignty, territorial integrity and respect for the international known borders. And thats not where we are at the moment.

A Q&A following the world premiere of 'Facing War' at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen, March 19, 2025

The moderator concluded by asking Stoltenberg about the diplomatic key to unlock Putins iron stand.

Its strength, Stoltenberg answered. And this idea that either you are in favor of diplomacy or youre in favor of military capabilities  you need military capabilities in order to conduct meaningful diplomacy. Its not either or.

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Stoltenberg, who served as Norways prime minister from 2005-2013, said it would be a mistake to strike an agreement that would see Russia keep its territorial gains in Eastern Ukraine.

That will not bring peace. Thats occupation, Stoltenberg reasoned. The challenge is not actually to end the war, the challenge is to end the war in a way where Ukraine remains as a sovereign, independent nation. And the only way to get there is to convince President Putin that he will not win on the battlefield, he will not get what he wants on the battlefield in Ukraine. And the only way to get there is to arm the Ukrainians. So, the path to peace is weapons to Ukraine. Thats the message. Thats the reason why this film is important.

Facing War is nominated for CPH:DOXs main prize, the DOX:AWARD, recognizing the best and most important new documentaries. It screens again tonight at the Dagmar Teatret and numerous other times all the way to the festivals closing day on March 30.

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DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA)  A Danville man has been sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty to breaking into his neighbors home.

The Vermilion County States Attorneys Office announced that Zachary Spence, 43, pleaded guilty to a count of residential burglary last week. It was a class 1 felony charge and after entering the plea, Judge Mark Goodwin sentenced him to seven years in prison.

Decatur man arrested after hidden camera found in Planet Fitness

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Evidence presented in court showed that on May 30, 2024, Danville Police took a report of a burglary. The victim reported that when she came home, she noticed several pairs of shoes, a hoverboard and a TV were missing.

Suspecting Spence, prosecutors said the victim asked him if he was responsible and he offered to let her look around his home. She saw the missing hoverboard.

After the victim told Danville Police of this, they obtained a search warrant for Spences home, and they found several pairs of the victims shoes.

In a statement announcing the sentencing, States Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked the Danville Police Department for their investigative efforts and the victim for coming forward to report the crime.

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Spece will be required to serve one year of supervised release after his prison sentence.

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Spring officially arrived this morning, and if you can't wait for summer heat, March 2012 was your kind of month.

Thirteen years ago this week, the nation was in the grips of what weather historian Christopher Burt deemed "probably the most extraordinary anomalous heat event in U.S. - and portions of Canada - history."

This warm spell lasted over two weeks and reached its peak from March 13-22. Scores of cities broke all-time March records, some of them on five consecutive days, It was so warm that some places had daily lows that were warmer than the previous record highs for those dates.

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Some cities in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire and Maine reached temperatures that would have been above normal even in mid-July. Eighties surged as far north as North Dakota, Upper Michigan, northern New England and Ottawa, Canada. On March 21, Lapeer, Michigan, set a March state record high of 90 degrees. Winner, South Dakota, soared to 94 degrees on March 18.

Over 15,000 warm-temperature records for daily highs and lows were broken during the month, including hundreds of all-time March records. It was by far the warmest March on record in 25 states.

This was all due to an extremely strong heat dome of high pressure which pushed from the eastern U.S. into eastern Canada in early March and held tough for over two weeks, allowing unseasonably warm air to surge northward. The warm air melted a deep snowpack over the upper Midwest and northern New England. Once the refrigerating effect of the snow cover was gone, temperatures were able to skyrocket even farther, well beyond anything ever measured in mid-March for those regions.

In the early stages of this event, the warm air melted a deep snowpack over the Upper Midwest and northern New England. Once the refrigerating effect of the snow cover was gone, temperatures were able to skyrocket even farther, well beyond anything ever measured in mid-March for those regions.

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This wasn't all good news for those eager to leave winter behind. The prolonged heat sent fruit trees into bloom and grapevines into bud around the Great Lakes  and when the typical late-season freezes returned later in March and April, massive crop damage resulted. The USDA estimated losses at well over $200 million. Strangely enough, March 2012 was actually warmer than April in over 20 cities, including Chicago and Pittsburgh.

1932 Super Outbreak Damage in Alabama

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
(Reuters) -Drugmaker Pfizer has sold its entire stake in Haleon for about 2.5 billion pounds ($3.24 billion) to institutional investors and the consumer healthcare firm at 385 pence per share, a bookrunner for the deal said on Wednesday.

Under the deal, Sensodyne maker Haleon has agreed to buy back 44 million shares from Pfizer, currently its largest shareholder, with 618 million shares being sold to institutional investors.

The total sale represents 7.3% of the issued share capital of Haleon, which was created by the merger of GSK and Pfizer's consumer healthcare businesses in 2019. It was spun off from the British drugmaker in 2022.

GSK, which initially owned nearly 13% of the firm, sold its entire stake in May 2024.

Following Pfizer's disposal, BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Ltd, a unit of BlackRock, will become Haleon's largest shareholder with a more than 5% stake, according to data compiled by LSEG.

BofA Securities, Citigroup Global Markets Limited, and Goldman Sachs International are joint global coordinators while Barclays and Deutsche Numis are joint bookrunners for the share sale.

Haleon, which also makes Panadol and Advil painkillers, said in February its 2025 revenue and profit growth would be weighted to the second half of the year.

($1 = 0.7708 pounds)

(Reporting by Anandita Mehrotra in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
A Davenport man was sentenced to 121 months (just over 10 years) in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a distribution quantity of marijuana.

According to public court documents, and evidence presented at sentencing, Demarcus Letrelle Culberson Jr., 22, had a distribution quantity of marijuana in his car and at his home, as well as a loaded firearm in the home. A shell casing found at the scene of an October 2023 shooting was identified as having been fired from the gun found at Culbersons residence. As a convicted felon, Culberson is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Demarcus Culberson Jr. (Scott County Jail)

Culberson must serve a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

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United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing and the Davenport Police Department investigated the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve together to reduce violent crime and gun violence and make neighborhoods safer. Click here for more on Project Safe Neighborhoods.

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March 20 (UPI) -- On this date in history:

In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was published.

In 1854, in what is considered the founding meeting of the Republican Party, former members of the Whig Party met in Ripon, Wis., to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories.

In 1963, a volcano on the East Indies island of Bali began erupting. The death toll exceeded 1,500.

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In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered the Alabama National Guard to provide security at a planned civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery the next day. Earlier marches turned violent and deadly, but the third march was considered more of a success both in terms of safety and in spreading the message of the right to vote for black Americans.

An Aviation Boatswain's Mate directs an F/A-18 Hornet into position to be launched from the flight deck aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman on March 20, 2003. On March 20, 2003, U.S.-led coalition forces begin military operations in Iraq. File Photo by Michael W. Pendergrass/U.S. Navy

In 1976, San Francisco newspaper heiress and kidnapping victim Patty Hearst was convicted of bank robbery. Hearst served 22 months in prison and eventually was granted a full pardon.

File Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/UPI

On March 20, 2016, President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928 after normalizing relations between the two countries. File Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of State

In 1987, the U.S. government approved the sale of AZT, a treatment, but not a cure, for AIDS.

In 1995, 12 people were killed, and more than 5,000 made ill in a nerve-gas attack on the Tokyo subway system. A 13th victim died a day later and a 14th in 2008. The perpetrators, members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, were executed in 2018.

Dr. Martin Luther King leads an estimated 10,000 or more civil rights marchers out on last leg of their Selma-to-Montgomery march on March 25, 1965. UPI File Photo

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In 1996, the world learned of "mad cow" disease from a British government report questioning the safety of beef in Britain.

In 1997, the Liggett Group, fifth-largest U.S. tobacco company, agreed to admit that smoking was addictive and caused health problems and that the tobacco industry had sought for years to sell its products to children as young as 14.

A delegate is pictured wearing an elephant-shaped hat and a number of large Trump-related buttons on Day 3 of the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on July 20, 2016. On March 20, 1854, in what is considered the founding meeting of the Republican Party, former members of the Whig Party met in Ripon, Wis., to establish a new party to oppose the spread of slavery into the western territories. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

In 2001, five days after explosions destroyed one of its support beams and killed 11 people, the largest oil rig in the world collapsed and sank off the coast of Brazil.

In 2003, U.S.-led coalition forces begin military operations in Iraq. The Iraq War officially ended

A man photographs a portion of the AIDS quilt during the Keep the Promise on HIV/AIDS rally celebrating the opening of the International AIDS Conference on the National Mall on July 22, 2012, in Washington, D.C. On March 20, 1987, the U.S. government approved the sale of AZT, a treatment, but not a cure, for AIDS. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI

In 2004, after narrowly escaping assassination the day before, Chen Shui-bian was re-elected president of Taiwan with about 50 percent of the vote.

File Photo by Sinartus Sosrodjojo/UPI

A woman smokes a cigarette in Arlington, Va., on June 12, 2009. On March 20, 1997, the Liggett Group, fifth-largest U.S. tobacco company, agreed to admit that smoking was addictive and caused health problems. File Photo by Alexis C. Glenn/UPI

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In 2007, former Iraqi Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan was hanged in Baghdad for his part in the 1982 deaths of 148 Shiites.

In 2010, the first eruption of a volcano in southern Iceland since the 1820s forced the evacuation of 450 people, but there were no reports of injuries or major property damage.

In 2016, President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since 1928 after normalizing relations between the two countries.

In 2019, the Walt Disney Co. officially completed its $71.3 billion purchase of a large chunk of 21st Century Fox.

In 2024, the Biden administration released a finalized new Environmental Protection Agency rule regulating vehicles that leans heavily on significant increase in electric and hybrid vehicles on the market in eight years. Less than a year later, the Trump administration announced a rollback of dozens of EPA regulations, including those seeking to reduce vehicle emissions.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Dayton Public School Board has decided to keep the JROTC program at Meadowdale Career Technology Center for the 2025-2026 school year.

This comes after parents, instructors and cadets enrolled in the program spoke out against a proposal to move the program to Dunbar High School during a board meeting Tuesday night. After careful consideration, the board agreed to keep the program at Meadowdale CTC.

I think hearing from the kids and hearing from me and other parents had a huge effect on their decision, said Jeannie Green, parent at Meadowdale CTC. My son showed his heart and they saw that and it worked.

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Last week, the Dayton school board proposed moving the JROTC program from Meadowdale CTC to Dunbar High School.

The proposal was opposed by many, including several students.

It motivates me to go to school, to do it and actually go through, said Zachary Green, JROTC cadet. Its motivated me to go to college now, because theres instead of JROTC, theres a ROTC program in college.

The board says the move would have allowed the program to grow, since only 36 students are enrolled at Meadowdale, which is a career technical education school.

It is a career technical education school and currently right now JROTC is not a career technical education pathway, said Dr. David Lawrence, DPS superintendent. Were trying to concentrate more CTE courses and pathways, then create other pathways that arent necessarily CTE in other schools.

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At Tuesdays meeting, three cadets, two parents and two JROTC instructors argued Meadowdale is better suited for the program, and moving it would hurt the cadets futures and leadership development.

Its about preparing students for success in life, said Zachary Green. If you move a program to a facility that lacks the space, equipment, and resources we currently have, it will limit what our cadets can accomplish.

At the end of the meeting, the district commended all who spoke.

The reason I spend so much time in schools each day as a superintendent, why thats a mandatory thing for me to be able to get out and see kids and hear their voices is, its a good thing, said Lawrence. Im glad they came out, glad they advocated for the program, and Im glad we had the conversation in public.

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Lawrence says the decision is only for the 2025-2026 school year  they will re-evaluate the move in the future to prioritize the best interests of all schools in the district.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said it is searching for a driver who crashed into a police officers cruiser during a hit-and-run on Thursday.

Police told DC News Now that the collision happened just before 2:30 a.m. on March 20 at the intersection of Michigan Ave. and Franklin St. NE.

Mother hopes for arrest and answers after sons murder in Southeast DC

According to MPD, a silver/gray Lexus was speeding when it collided with the cruiser.

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No police officers were injured in the crash.

Police encourage anyone with information about the collision to call 202-727-9099 or text the MPDs tip line at 50411.

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Former Rep. Dean Phillips and celebrity fitness guru Jillian Michaels respond to comments Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz made celebrating the dip in Elon Musks Tesla stock. The two join On Balance to discuss how they feel the Democratic Party politicians have turned to attacking Republican leaders. Phillips says hes shocked Walz read the room so poorly.

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EXETER, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)  Authorities say an investigation is underway Wednesday after a death in Exeter.

Wyoming Area Regional Police Chief Michael Turner told 28/22 News authorities were on the scene in the Mount Lookout Trailer Park Wednesday night.

Celebrating initiatives committed to fight against opioid epidemic

Chief Turner explained police are investigating the death of a 48-year-old man at a home in the trailer park.

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Police say they dont believe there was any foul play and the investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story and 28/22 News will provide updates as new information is made available.

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A heated debate has recently erupted between two groups of supporters of President Donald Trump. The dispute concerns the H-1B visa system, the program that allows U.S. employers to hire skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations  mostly in the tech industry.

On the one hand, there are people like Donald Trumps former strategist Steve Bannon, who has called the H-1B program a total and complete scam. On the other, there are tech tycoons like Elon Musk who think skilled foreign workers are crucial to the U.S. tech sector.

The H-1B visa program is subject to an annual limit of new visas it can issue, which sits at 65,000 per fiscal year. There is also an additional annual quota of 20,000 H-1B visas for highly skilled international students who have a proven ability to succeed academically in the United States.

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The H-1B program is the primary vehicle for international graduate students at U.S. universities to stay and work in the United States after graduation. At Rice University, where I work, much of STEM research is carried out by international graduate students. The same goes for most American research-intensive universities.

As a computer science professor  and an immigrant  who studies the interaction between computing and society, I believe the debate over H-1B overlooks some important questions: Why does the U.S. rely so heavily on foreign workers for the tech industry, and why is it not able to develop a homegrown tech workforce?

The US as a global talent magnet

The U.S. has been a magnet for global scientific talent since before World War II.

Many of the scientists who helped develop the atomic bomb were European refugees. After World War II, U.S. policies such as the Fulbright Program expanded opportunities for international educational exchange.

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Attracting international students to the U.S. has had positive results.

Among Americans who have won the Nobel Prize in chemistry, medicine or physics since 2000, 40% have been immigrants.

In 2023, U.S.-born Louis Brus, left, shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with U.S. immigrants Alexei Ekimov, born in the former USSR, and Moungi Bawendi, born in France. AP Photo

Tech industry giants Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google were all founded by first- or second-generation immigrants. Furthermore, immigrants have founded more than half of the nations billion-dollar startups since 2018.

Stemming the inflow of students

Restricting foreign graduate students path to U.S. employment, as some prominent Trump supporters have called for, could significantly reduce the number of international graduate students in U.S. universities.

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About 80% of graduate students in American computer science and engineering programs  roughly 18,000 students in 2023  are international students.

The loss of international doctoral students would significantly diminish the research capability of graduate programs in science and engineering. After all, doctoral students, supervised by principal investigators, carry out the bulk of research in science and engineering in U.S. universities.

It must be emphasized that international students make a significant contribution to U.S. research output. For example, scientists born outside the U.S. played key roles in the development of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. So making the U.S. less attractive to international graduate students in science and engineering would hurt U.S. research competitiveness.

Computing Ph.D. graduates are in high demand. The economy needs them, so the lack of an adequate domestic pipeline seems puzzling.

Where have US students gone?

So, why is there such a reliance on foreign students for U.S. science and engineering? And why hasnt America created an adequate pipeline of U.S.-born students for its technical workforce?

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After discussions with many colleagues, I have found that there are simply not enough qualified domestic doctoral applicants to fill the needs of their doctoral programs.

In 2023, for example, U.S. computer science doctoral programs admitted about 3,400 new students, 63% of whom were foreign.

It seems as if the doctoral career track is simply not attractive enough to many U.S. undergrad computer science students. But why?

The top annual salary in Silicon Valley for new computer science graduates can reach US$115,000. Bachelors degree holders in computing from Rice University have told me that until recently  before economic uncertainty shook the industry  they were getting starting annual salaries as high as $150,000 in Silicon Valley.

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Doctoral students in research universities, in contrast, do not receive a salary. Instead, they get a stipend. These vary slightly from school to school, but they typically pay less than $40,000 annually. The opportunity cost of pursuing a doctorate is, thus, up to $100,000 per year. And obtaining a doctorate typically takes six years.

So, pursuing a doctorate is not an economically viable decision for many Americans. The reality is that a doctoral degree opens new career options to its holder, but most bachelors degree holders do not see beyond the economics. Yet academic computing research is crucial to the success of Silicon Valley.

A 2016 analysis of the information technology sectors with a large economic impact shows that academic research plays an instrumental role in their development.

Why so little?

The U.S. is locked in a cold war with China focused mostly on technological dominance. So maintaining its research-and-development edge is in the national interest.

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Yet the U.S. has declined to make the requisite investment in research. For example, the National Science Foundations annual budget for computer and information science and engineering is around $1 billion. In contrast, annual research-and-development expenses for Alphabet, Googles parent company, have been close to $50 billion for the past decade.

Universities are paying doctoral students so little because they cannot afford to pay more.

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai speaks at a Google I/O event in Mountain View, Calif., on May 14, 2024. AP Photo/Jeff Chiu

But instead of acknowledging the existence of this problem and trying to address it, the U.S. has found a way to meet its academic research needs by recruiting and admitting international students. The steady stream of highly qualified international applicants has allowed the U.S. to ignore the inadequacy of the domestic doctoral pipeline.

The current debate about the H-1B visa system provides the U.S. with an opportunity for introspection.

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Yet the news from Washington, D.C., about massive budget cuts coming to the National Science Foundation seems to suggest the federal government is about to take an acute problem and turn it into a crisis.

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: Moshe Y. Vardi, Rice University

Read more:



Moshe Y. Vardi receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the US Office of Naval Research.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A May 19 trial date has been set for a lawsuit centered around the Leavittsburg dam.

The debate continues over whether to remove the dam or not. Attorneys representing both sides of the argument appeared in court for the first status conference in a lawsuit now playing out.

Theres a court proceeding going on across the street regarding the dam, so we cant really talk about that until we see what happens across the street and talk to our lawyers, said Trumbull County Commissioner Denny Malloy.

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Last month, commissioners and Warren Township trustees filed a joint lawsuit seeking a 180-day delay on the removal of the dam and to prevent Trumbull County MetroParks from spending any grant money on it.

The MetroParks legal counsel filed a motion Tuesday, asking the court to dismiss the case. In the motion, the MetroParks attorneys say commissioners and trustees failed to claim that they or their citizens will suffer direct or concrete injury or that the MetroParks is acting illegally.

Attorneys representing both commissioners and trustees have 30 days to respond.

Deb Roth, who lives in Warren Township, hopes the legal process plays out quickly since theyre up against the clock for the scheduled removal of the dam.

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Were absolutely happy that were to this point. We appreciate what both the county commissioners and township trustees have done to get us here, she said. The first thing  to get [the MetroParks] to stop what theyre doing before its too late.

A final pretrial has been scheduled for May 7.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  As the state budget deadline nears in New York, Governor Hochuls $13.5 million proposal to ban cell phones in public schools, K-12, remains a key talking point.

The State Senate is pushing back with the suggestion to allow for limited phone use in between classes.

As previously reported, the states teachers union (NYSUT) supports the governors proposal, which is a bell-to-bell policy with the goal of improving students mental health and performance in and out of the classroom.

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As a father of six-year-old twins in school, I understand that if something happens, you want to be able to reach your student and reach your child. I think its important that parental concerns are taken into account. But, I think thats why we have to have every stakeholder embrace the policy, said Republican Assemblymember Josh Jensen, who represents the states 134th Assembly District.

The proposals would require schools to give parents a way to contact their children during the day if needed.

The Senate is calling for changes to allow the use of phones when classes arent in session.

The Childrens Agenda, a Rochester-based child advocacy group, supports the Senates proposals.

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Educators weigh in on phone ban

Weve done a lot of work over the years on limiting the use of suspension and exclusionary discipline, and any new policy like this that can lead to discipline of students can lead to more pushout of students. So, thats our number one concern over the last few years. Cell phone bans are very new, and so, it is good to have flexibility for districts surrounding implementation so we can continue to learn from and update policies because it probably wont be a one size fits all that has the best impact, said Eamonn Scanlon, director of community impact with The Childrens Agenda.

Already, some school districts in the Finger Lakes Region have put phone restrictions in place. While the legislation hasnt passed yet, the next few weeks will bring negotiations in Albany.

I think a way that provides more flexibility, while eliminating distractions during the school day, is the best way moving forward, said Assemblymember Jensen.

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If passed as part of the upcoming budget, the policy would take effect in the 2025-2026 school year and would be up to individual districts to implement independently.

NYS (56th District) Senator Jeremy Cooney, a Democrat, issued the following statement to News 8:

I fully support Governor Hochuls bell-to-bell distraction-free school proposal. While some of my colleagues have preferred to allow limited use of phones in school during lunch, weve heard from our teachers that the best way to keep our students engaged, focused and safe from online threats and bullying is to keep their minds on books, not screens.

The budget is due April 1.

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This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for future updates.

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DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA)  The man accused of placing a camera in the tanning bed area of a Decatur Planet Fitness was in court on Thursday as the state began proceedings against him.

James Barone appeared in custody for a detention hearing. The state filed a petition to detain Barone before his trial, arguing that he committed a detainable offense  unlawful production of child pornography  among other charges.

Danville man convicted of burglarizing neighbors home

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However, the judge found that there was not clear and convincing evidence that Barone did and therefore, the judge rejected the petition.

Barone is to be released from custody with conditions.

Barone was arrested on Wednesday, the day after a customer found the camera at the Planet Fitness at 3194 North Water Street. At least eight people were mentioned in court records as being victims, and police said a minor is among them.

The investigation by the Decatur Police Tech Unit identified Barone as the suspect. He was arrested and Decatur Police also seized multiple electronic items from his home.

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After being granted pretrial release, the judge imposed a series of conditions on Barone. Among other things, Barone is forbidden from leaving Illinois without permission and going to any Planet Fitness, including the Water Street location. He is also to be electronically monitored, will not be allowed to use any type of recording device and will not be allowed to have contact with anyone listed as a victim and anyone under the age of 18.

Barone is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on April 9. He is facing seven counts of unauthorized videotaping, one count of unauthorized videotaping of a minor, one count of child pornography and one count of burglary.

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(Reuters) - Mining major Rio Tinto on Wednesday backed its dual-listed structure and asked shareholders to vote against London-based hedge fund Palliser Capital's resolution to review the firm's two listings in London and Sydney.

The world's largest iron-ore miner said it had already conducted a robust and comprehensive review of the structure and had engaged with a number of stakeholders, including Palliser. It had previously recommended its London shareholders to vote against the resolution.

"A dual-listed companies (DLC) structure unification is not required to provide the group with strategic flexibility," Rio Tinto said on Wednesday.

A unification would be value destructive for the group and its shareholders, Rio flagged. Rio will have its London annual shareholder meeting on April 3 and its Australian meeting in Perth on May 1.

Activist investor Palliser Capital and more than 100 other shareholders in December sought a shareholder resolution calling for Rio's dual-listed model to be reviewed and urged the miner to keep only its listing in Australia. Their reasoning is that such a move would bolster the company's share price.

However, Australian shareholders are not keen for the move, as they say it would erode value.

Rival BHP ended a similar dual-listing structure in 2022 after pressure from activist investors and now has a primary listing in Australia.

(Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru and Melanie Burton in Melbourne; Editing by Alan Barona)
President Donald Trumps calls with President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymyr Zelensky this week represent the most intense diplomacy aimed at ending the war in Ukraine since Russias invasion three years ago.

Early signs are discouraging, since Putin refused to sign up for Trumps proposal of a 30-day ceasefire. But Trump is framing the opening of any dialogue as a triumph. And each leader is trying to manipulate the diplomacy to their own ends and playing the public relations game  not least to escape blame if everything falls apart.

The White House is spinning a fiction of significant progress both to keep alive the chances of a peace process developing and to support the increasingly tenuous conceit that Trump is a great dealmaker, uniquely able to forge peace.

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Putin flatly refused Trumps big ask on the ceasefire. Quite simply, hes not ready to end the war yet, as can be seen from a new set of conditions that Ukraine could never agree to if it is to survive as a sovereign state. But the Kremlin also doesnt want to alienate Trump, and it offered him the tantalizing glimpse of a great power relationship with Putin to draw the president in.

Zelensky is a quick learner. He cant afford a repeat of the disastrous Oval Office blowup, and now readily agrees to almost everything Trump asks. Ironically, Zelenskys meltdown-sparking argument  that Putin cannot be trusted to make or keep ceasefire agreements  has now been proven true.

Ukraine and Russia are each vying for the presidents attention and seeking to blame the other for impeding peace. After a violent night, each side accused the other of breaking the partial agreement brokered by the US president to avoid hitting energy infrastructure. Their estrangement over even this minor detail undermines Trumps bullish statements that a peace deal is within reach.

The US ignores its initial failure and pushes ahead

The White House has publicly ignored Putins intransigence, praising the tone of his call with Trump on Tuesday and scheduling technical talks with the Russians in Saudi Arabia in the coming days.

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Creating an illusion of progress can be an important aspect of peace negotiations, offering an incentive for warring sides to stay at the table. But in this case, the alternate reality seems also intended to spare the blushes of a president who predicted hed solve the war within 24 hours if voters sent him back to the White House. In their phone call on Tuesday, Putin clearly got the better of a US president who is unwilling to impose any leverage on the Kremlin strongman.

On the other hand, Trump seems to have eased up on Zelensky, perhaps because of the Ukrainian presidents more flattering tone. He agreed in their hourlong call Wednesday to help locate vitally needed air defense equipment for Ukraine in Europe. And White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US would continue to provide military aid and intelligence to Ukraine. This is important because Trump cut off such assistance to force Kyiv to come to the table on his 30-day ceasefire plan. And its a rare rebuke to Putin, who made the halting of US military and intelligence resources for Ukraine a condition of joining a quest for permanent peace.

Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelensky of Ukraine. It lasted approximately one hour, Trump wrote on Truth Social. Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. We are very much on track. Trumps bullish assessment was almost absurdly upbeat. But its better than a few weeks ago when he was calling Zelensky a dictator.

After his calls with Putin and Zelensky, Trumps dream of a peace deal seems further away than ever. Still, if all this weeks drama is somehow the start of a real push to conjure a fair and permanent settlement, Trump will prove his doubters wrong.

A serviceman of the artillery crew of the special unit National Police fires a D-30 howitzer toward Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, on January 11, 2025. - Stringer/Reuters

Russia hasnt changed its goals since the invasion

The Trump administration is about to get a demonstration of Kremlin root-canal diplomacy. By agreeing in principle to the 30-day ceasefire but rejecting it in practice with a flurry of conditions requiring capitulation by Ukraine and the West, Putin stalled. Long negotiations on technical issues will give his forces time to exploit their current battlefield edge and eject Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region of Russia  one of Kyivs few territorial bargaining chips for any future peace talks.

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Putins conditions for a peace deal  including the replacement of the current Ukrainian government, a demobilization of Kyivs forces and desire to see NATO retreat from Eastern Europe  havent changed.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Saudi national security adviser Mosaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban, US national security adviser Mike Waltz, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov at Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. - Evelyn Hockstein/Pool/Reuters

At talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the coming days would test Moscows seriousness in the negotiations. Itll be up to them to say yes or no. I hope theyre going to say yes. And if they do, then I think we made great progress. If they say no, then well unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here. By Rubios own standards, Moscow has now answered in the negative. But he cant say so for obvious political and diplomatic reasons and has no real choice but to keep pressing on.

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen best summed up the current state of the talks, in an interview with CNNs Isa Soares on Wednesday. Trump wants peace. Europe wants peace. Ukraine wants peace. And there is only one missing  thats Putin.

Russia is unlikely to disengage, however. According to the Russian readout of their call on Tuesday, Putin offered Trump the chance to create the kind of broad relationship with Russia that he craves and that seems to cause the US leader to see the war in Ukraine as a sideshow. Next, the US wants to negotiate a Black Sea maritime ceasefire  and thats fine with Putin too, since just like the proposed halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, it could deprive Kyiv of one of its most successful arenas of combat.

Ukraine has no choice but to play Trumps game

Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz described Zelenskys call with Trump as fantastic. This represents a diplomatic triumph for the Ukrainian president less than three weeks after he was kicked out of the Oval Office. Zelensky has moderated his approach, apparently reasoning that to spare his country from the worst of the US presidents pro-Putin instincts, he must be the party in the conflict most obviously working for peace, and, by extension, for the diplomatic triumph that Trump badly wants for his legacy.

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The Ukrainian president laced his readout of his call with Trump with the gratitude and praise that he was accused of holding back during the Oval Office clash. He thanked Trump for a good and productive start to the work.

We believe that together with America, with President Trump, and under American leadership, lasting peace can be achieved this year, Zelensky said in a statement that was far more effusive about US efforts than anything the Russians have said. He did raise the key issue for Ukrainians in any peace deal: security guarantees that would be vital to preventing any new outbreaks of fighting after an agreement. And judging by the US readout of the call, he seems to have reacted favorably to a suggestion by the ever-transactional Trump that future US ownership of Ukrainian power stations could improve their security.

While humoring the White House, Ukraine is also working another track with the Europeans, who are building a coalition of the willing to aid Ukraine if Trump walks away. Zelenskys top aide Andriy Yermak, for instance, pressed on Wednesday for the accelerated admission of his country to the European Union, which he said was vital to strengthening Europes security.

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On the afternoon of November 22, 1963, in Pittsburgh, my mother, who was about two months pregnant with me, was washing the windows of our house when our neighbor Peg poked her head out of her window across the lawn and yelled to my mom that Kennedy had been shot. I heard that story numerous times throughout my life.

Donald Trump , 17 at the time, like countless Americans, was probably profoundly affected by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy . Although its hard to imagine him being sympathetic.

The tragic event not only marked a pivotal moment in American history but may very likely have ignited a lasting fascination within Trump for the Kennedy legacy  a fascination that has manifested in various actions throughout his political career.

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For those growing up in the 1960s, the Kennedys represented a blend of political power, celebrity, and American royalty. This early exposure may have cultivated a lifelong intrigue, influencing Trumps later actions and decisions related to the family and their legacy.

From releasing JFK assassination files to nominating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health secretary, engaging with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, firing staff at the JFK Presidential Library, and drawing parallels between Melania Trump and Jackie Onassis, Trump's engagement with the Kennedy legacy is multifaceted.

Whether driven by admiration, political strategy, or a desire to associate with the enduring mystique of the Kennedy name, Trump's actions reflect a complex relationship with one of America's most iconic families. In other words, what is at the root of Trumps obsession with the Kennedys?

In his first term, Trump made headlines by authorizing the release of thousands of documents related to the JFK assassination. This move was ostensibly part of a broader effort to promote transparency and address long-standing public interest in the events surrounding Kennedy's death. The initial release, however, left some documents still classified.

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Then on Tuesday, Trump ordered the declassification of an additional 80,000 pages of JFK assassination files. The documents primarily pertain to the Warren Commission's 1964 investigation, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Despite the massive disclosure, officials do not anticipate any new significant revelations from these files.

This second release was touted by the administration as ushering in a " new era of maximum transparency ." But Im not buying that. Trump, like anyone else from that period, has grappled with the questions of who, how, and why around the Kennedy assassination. Considering Trumps narcissism, hes probably authorized the release in a self-serving I know more than you do justification and I have more power than my predecessors, so as king, I can share that information with you. Trump knows more than you do, and that includes information about the Kennedys.

If the Trump administration really believed in transparency, wed know more about what Elon Musk is up to as well as who was really on that plane of migrants that, against a judges order, were sent to El Salvador over the weekend.

Then theres the bizarre lovefest with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump nominated the whack-a-doodle RFK, Jr. to serve as the Secretary of Health and Human Services . This nomination was bragged about by Trump as an attempt to bridge political divides, given Kennedy Jr.'s environmental activism and his advocacy on health-related issues. But come on! RFK Jr. doesnt bridge any gaps; he instead stretches them to fantastical points.

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RFK Jr. 's involvement with and acceptance into the Trump MAGA world seemingly underscores Trump's continued engagement with the Kennedy family legacy, bringing a prominent member of the dynasty into his administration, even if that member has tarnished the family legacy and a majority of his own family disowns him.

View of the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing arts from on Potomac River at sunset

TK CAPTION - see above RozenskiP/Shutterstock



Earlier this year, in another attempt to move closer to the Kennedys, Trump took an unusually keen interest in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He cleaned house, firing board members and administrative personnel, and then he made himself the chair of the board of the venerable institution.

While Rome burns, he announced plans to increase funding and support for the center, emphasizing its role in promoting American arts and culture. Come again? Trump is about as cultured and artsy as a dead snake.

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As if he has nothing better to do, earlier this week he went to visit the Kennedy Center , saying it was in disrepair despite the fact that it underwent an award-winning renovation as recently as 2019. With him on the tour was Second Lady Usha Vance. She and her husband were booed the week before when they showed up for a show.

In this situation, its a case of Trump owning something that is associated with our very popular  unlike Trump  35th president. Which might explain what he did earlier in the year to diss JFK.

Shortly after he was elected, his administration made the decision to temporarily shut down the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. The official reasoning cited budgetary constraints and a shift toward digital archiving. However, critics argued that the closure represented a disregard for preserving historical sites related to the Kennedy legacy based on political reasons.

When it comes to JFK, Trumps obsession has no bounds. He has not shied away from drawing parallels between his wife , Melania Trump, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. He has frequently praised Melania's fashion sense and elegance, likening her to the former first lady, once saying, We have our own Jackie O. Its called Melania, Melania T.

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This comparison is Trumps attempt to associate himself with the glamour and sophistication often attributed to the Kennedy era. I cant imagine what our former first lady would say to this.

And in what would be an extreme stretch, in Trumps warped mind, he is trying to equate the Trumps with the Kennedy family political legacy. By involving his children in significant political and advisory roles, Trump appears to be trying to cultivate a family dynasty reminiscent of the Kennedys.

During his first term,Trump appointed his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, as senior advisers in the White House, and we all know how they worked out. The only thing they want in the second term is using the Trump name as a cash cow to fund Jareds business.

In Trumps second term, its Donald Trump Jr. who has emerged as a significant figure within conservative circles , leveraging his platform to influence the direction of the Republican Party. Don Jr. has not ruled out future political endeavors like running for governor or senator in New York. Can you imagine the emergence of an unhinged Trump Jr.? The only thing that I can think of that would be worse is the emergence of a deranged RFK III.

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In the 1988 vice-presidential debate , the Republican nominee, U.S. Sen. Dan Quayle, tried to compare himself to President Kennedy. That years Democratic vice-presidential nominee, U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, provided a quote for the ages about the dangers of comparing yourself to a Kennedy.

Switching out Quayle with Trump, Bentsen would likely say today, "Donald, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Donald, you are no Jack Kennedy.

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.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Jury deliberation began Wednesday in the federal trial against Solomon Pena. The former New Mexico House of Representatives candidate is accused of orchestrating shootings at the homes of four Bernalillo County Democrats who he believed were responsible for his loss in 2022.

A federal judge handed the case to the 12-person jury, comprised of six women and six men, after closing arguments wrapped up Wednesday.

During the trial, the jury listened to more than five days of testimony from the federal prosecutions witnesses to prove the election interference case against Pena. The feds also presented text messages, cell phone location data, ballistics reports, videos of two shootings, photos, and confessions from two of the four co-conspiratorsJose Louise, and his dad, Demetrio Trujillowho already took plea deals, admitting to their roles and detailing Penas plan. He defined the conspiracy, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Pena said of Pena. The evidence has shown this was his plan and no one elses.

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Albuquerque police take 11-year-old into custody in connection to fatal hit and run

AUSA Pena told jurors Pena targeted the people who certified the 2022 electionBernalillo County Commissioners Adriann Barboa and Debbie OMalley, his fellow Republican friends political opponent, New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez, and a Democrat he hoped would end up scared to run for re-election, State Sen. Linda Lopez. The defendant masterminded the shooting spree against elected officials to retaliate and to advance his political plan, AUSA Pena said in court.

The first shooting happened on Dec. 4, 2022, and the last on Jan. 3, 2023. Just hours after the final shooting, Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office deputies pulled over Jose Louise Trujillo and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. In the trunk of the vehicle, deputies found a Glock outfitted with a drum magazine and an AR-15.

Investigators were able to connect the car back to Pena and the guns to the shootings. The guns were shown in court throughout the trialincluding Wednesday, when the prosecution reiterated to the jury that Pena shot the AR-15 at Senator Lopezs home. He was the aggressive one, AUSA Pena told the jury.

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Penas defense team agreed the shootings happened but disputed that Pena orchestrated them or shot any gun. In closing arguments, the defense tried to sow doubt in the Trujillos testimoniescalling them convicted criminals with drug addictions who said what the government wanted them to so theyd get time off their sentences. These men are fighting for their lives on the stand, Defense Attorney Carter Harrison told the jury.

The defense said Pena was nothing more than a political science dork and right-wing election denier who asked the Trujillos to do surveillanceand the father-son duo escalated to violence on their own. The defense also did not call any witnesses during the trial.

Pena has spent the last two years behind bars awaiting this trial. In court Wednesday, he appeared to be paying close attentionraising his eyebrows a few times and blotting his face with a tissue once or twice. Otherwise, he didnt show much emotion.

Pena faces 13 charges, one of which is because hes already a convicted felonso he cant possess a gun. Three were added recentlyafter Pena was accused of offering to pay two of his fellow inmates $10,000 each to kill the Trujillos.

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A lawmaker has filed a bill that could thwart a process underway to challenge the firing of five chief public defenders. (Getty Images)

The Louisiana Public Defender Oversight Board voted Wednesday to review layoff notices given to five chief public defenders, despite a request from Gov. Jeff Landry to hold off on taking that action.

Christopher Walters, Landrys deputy executive counsel, asked the board to pause its decision until after Landry could meet with the five people who are at risk of losing their jobs. The board, whose members are mostly Landry appointees, proceeded to set up a committee to investigate their alleged terminations anyway.

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I think the purpose of the hearing is to find out what is actually happening, said retired Judge Paul deMahy, one of the governors appointees who will chair the boards five-member review committee. deMahy did not set a date for the hearing during Wednesdays meeting.

The vote was 8-0-1 to conduct the job review, with board chairman and retired Judge Gerard Caswell, an appointee of Louisiana House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, abstaining from the decision.

The five embattled chief defenders asked the board for the review. They allege State Public Defender Remy Starns violated their rights to free speech by firing them.

The affected chief defenders include Brett Brunson in Natchitoches Parish, Michelle AndrePont in Caddo Parish, Deirdre Fuller in Rapides Parish, Trisha Ward of Evangeline Parish and John Hogue, who works in Tensas, Madison and East Carroll parishes.

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Starns sent letters three weeks ago informing them he would not renew their contracts in July.

They have been among the most vocal critics of Starns plans to personally control more of the public defender system. The five testified in front of public defender boards and state lawmakers multiple times over the past few years in opposition to Starns proposals.

In total, there are 37 chief public defenders in Louisiana. Their jobs entail managing local judicial district public defender operations, hiring attorneys and sometimes personally working cases.

Public defenders represent nearly every criminal defendant in Louisiana. In fiscal year 2022-23, 88% of people charged with crimes relied on a public defender, according to a state public defender financial report. Collectively, they had approximately 142,000 clients that year.

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Since 2021, Starns has sought to increase his authority over the compensation and the hiring of those chief public defenders. He became the state public defender in 2020 when former Gov. John Bel Edwards was in office, and Landry reappointed him to the position last year.

In 2024, Starns and Landry gained legislative approval for a law that transferred more authority over public defenders from the board to Starns position.

On Wednesday, Caswell used that new law to initially argue against holding a board hearing over the Starns dismissals. He said the board is now weaker and doesnt have the power to force Starns to renew a district defenders contract against Starns will.

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We dont know what district defenders are doing their job and are not doing their job, Caswell said, adding, The old law gave this board lots of power. The new law took lots of that power away.

Starns pushed to diminish the state public defender boards power after the previous board adopted a standardized compensation plan for chief public defenders in 2023 that he opposed. He repeatedly called the boards salary formula an abomination and complained it was too generous.

Yet the new public defender board has refused to undo the old compensation plan despite Starns urging.

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Last year, the current board voted twice to keep the original salary structure for chief defenders in place over an alternative Starns presented. Board members said they were uncomfortable with Starns plan because it would cut some chief public defenders pay by several thousand dollars.

On Wednesday, the board was scheduled to debate the competing compensation plans for a third time, but it delayed that discussion at the urging of Landrys office.

While they agreed to put off decisions about compensation, board members felt more urgency about pushing forward with a review of the five alleged terminations. They said state law forced them onto a timeline that includes a committee hearing in the next 30 days.

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Adrejia Boutte, a board member who Landry and private defense attorney organizations appointed, also fears the public defender board could be eliminated altogether during the Louisiana Legislatures lawmaking session that starts in April.

In a legislative hearing last week, Starns suggested lawmakers replace references to a state public defender board with the name of his office in state law, which could further diminish or eliminate the board.



Its very possible that this board will not exist after the [legislative] session, Boutte said.

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Kern County Coroners Office has identified a Delano man who was found dead in McFarland on Tuesday.

Jose Luis Garcia, 55, was found dead in the 3000 block of Peterson Road in McFarland on Tuesday, March 18. Sheriffs deputies say Garcia was located at about 9:46 a.m., and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Californians can receive up to $137 off their April utility bills. Heres how

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The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is investigating the death.

The cause of death is unknown at this time, according to the coroners office.

If you have any information, call Cal/OSHA at PHONE: 661-588-640.

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Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.) didnt call on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to resign from his leadership position but argued its important for politicians to know when its time to go, referencing former President Biden.

Bennet, like many other Democrats, hosted a town hall for frustrated constituents to speak about the Trump administration and the recent continuing resolution fight that put Schumers tenure in the spotlight.

I do think on the leadership question, its always better to examine whether folks are in the right place, and were certainly going to have that conversation, Bennet said at a town hall in Golden, Colo., NPR reported.

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He later added that he was one of the first Senate Democrats to cast doubt on Bidens ability to stay in the presidential election after his poor debate performance against now-President Trump.

Let me just say its important for people to know when its time to go, he said, referencing Biden, in response to a question about if he would call on Schumer to step aside.

Were going to have conversations, Im sure, in the foreseeable future, about all the Democratic leadership, Bennet added.

Schumer, 74, is facing the toughest battle of his career after he voted in favor of the GOP-drafted continuing resolution, opting to keep the government funded despite attacks and criticism from his fellow Democrats.

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The minority leader has insisted he isnt going anywhere and that he is the best person to lead the party. Some members have floated the idea that New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) should challenge him in the Democratic primary come 2028.

Bennet said he thought the debate over the government funding bill, which showed divides within the minority party, didnt prove to the American people that their party was trying to fight on their behalf.

Democrats have hit the road in recent weeks to talk to constituents who are visibly frustrated with the Trump administration and Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) overhaul of the federal government.

Bennet urged unity in the current moment and echoed a message similar to some Senate Democrats that they need to take risks. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said she thinks Schumer was wrong to vote for the bill, but she did not address if she thought he should continue to lead Democrats in the upper chamber.

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Here is the sad fact of the situation that were in. [Trump] won not just the presidency, but a big majority in the Senate and a little majority in the House, and it doesnt do anybody any good for us to pretend thats not real, Bennet said, the outlet reported. That obviously makes it challenging, but there is no excuse for not continuing to push.

I know we can do it, he later said. But its not going to be the same old playbook and it may not be with the same old people.

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Sen. Michael Bennet stopped just short of saying that Chuck Schumer should no longer lead the Senate Democratic caucus, but he did say the senator should know when its time to step away.

Bennet held a town hall with Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado in Golden, where he was asked about Schumers decision to support a continuing resolution that House Republicans shoved through in order to avoid a government shutdown.

One attendee asked about Bennet reportedly yelling at Schumer during a Senate Democratic luncheon leading up to the vote for the stopgap spending bill and whether he felt Schumer should be replaced.

Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado is the latest Democrat to chastise Senate leadership. (Getty Images)

I would say, maybe not yelling at him, Bennet said to laughs. Bennet said that Democrats needed to better explain the devastating consequences of Donald Trumps actions in his second term, and Elon Musks slashing of government spending through his Department of Government Efficiency.

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I think we're going to have another opportunity very soon to make it very clear this fight around Medicaid, he said. This fight that Elon Musk and the rest of these social media knuckleheads are having to make sure that they can give their stocks for free to their nepo children and to preserve their tax benefits.

Many Democratic voters have expressed anger at Schumer in the wake of his decision to support the bill and prevent a shutdown, calling for him to step aside from his perch as minority leader. Only 10 Democrats voted for the stopgap spending bill that will keep the government open until the end of September.

I do think on the leadership question, it's always better to, you know, examine whether folks are in the right place, and we're certainly going to have that conversation, Bennet said.

He pointed out how he was the first Democratic senator to say that former President Joe Biden would lose to Trump after Bidens poor debate performance in late June.

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And in dodging your question, let me just say it's important for people to know you know when it's time to to go, he said. But Bennet stopped short of calling for Schumer to step aside.

I think in the case of Joe Biden, and we're going to have conversations, I'm sure, in the foreseeable future, about about all the Democratic leadership.

Schumers decision caused significant pushback among both House and Senate Democrats. Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who worked with Schumer during Trumps first presidency and during the first two years of Bidens presidency, said she would have handled the negotiations differently.

I myself dont give away anything for nothing, she said during a Tuesday press conference. I think thats what happened the other day.

The New York Democratic leader has conducted a media blitz in promoting his book about antisemitism. But he had to cancel in-person book events for fear of protests.
It isnt just Republicans getting an earful at local town halls in the wake of President Donald Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musks federal job and spending cuts.

From Colorado to Maryland, Democrats, too, this week have faced fired-up crowds who want them to step up their fight against Trump. The anger has intensified since Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., led a group of Democrats to help advance a Republican government funding bill backed by Trump to avert a government shutdown, prompting questions about whether party leaders are up to the task.

Several Democratic lawmakers also distanced themselves from Schumer, dumping further criticism on his strategy during the funding fight.

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At a town hall Wednesday evening just outside Denver, Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., found himself on the receiving end of anger and criticism from voters for being too passive when it comes to battling Trump.

One attendee tore into Bennet for voting to confirm several of Trumps Cabinet nominees, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

None of this feels like youre fighting for us, for Colorado, for our kids, for our grandkids, an attendee told Bennet as the crowd cheered. The words are great, but Im really not seeing any action.

Toward the beginning of the event  which Bennet held in Golden, alongside Rep. Brittany Pettersen, D-Colo.  attendees shouted for one full minute as Bennet attempted to calm the crowd.

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Hey. Hey! Were not going to do it this way, Bennet yelled, before repeatedly shouting, Stop it!

Bennet was also pressed on whether Schumer should remain Senate Democratic leader. He referenced his call for then-President Joe Biden to step aside during the 2024 campaign.

In dodging your question, let me just say its important for people to know, you know, when its time to go, Bennet said. And I think in the case of Joe Biden, and were going to have future conversations about all the Democratic leadership.

On Tuesday, Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., was also grilled on how Democrats would confront Trump and Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

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We need to say hell no," one attendee told the genteel Ivey at a town hall he hosted this week in Suitland, a suburb outside of Washington. And thank you for being polite with us, but when it comes to fighting these fights, we need you to be a little bit less polite, a little bit more hell no, instead of a little bit no.

Rep. Glenn Ivey, D-Md., called for new Democratic leadership in the Senate.

In a separate exchange, another attendee repeatedly interrupted the two-term congressman as he tried to answer someone elses question: The House is on fire. It is not business as usual.  This is outrageous.  This is bulls---.

But Ivey drew loud applause when he became the first Democratic member of Congress to call for Schumer to step down from his post as party leader.

I respect Chuck Schumer. I think hes had a great, longstanding career. Hes done a lot of great things, but Im afraid that it may be time for the Senate Democrats to pick new leadership as we move forward, Ivey said.

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In Arizona on Monday, Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego appeared before a less hostile crowd, but faced pointed questions from attendees about how they would protect programs they rely on. Kelly encouraged them to make phone calls and go to the offices of Republican members of Congress.

You show up in front of their office, tell them how pissed off you are and how bad this is for our country and how there are people inside the house that you were trying to burn down, Kelly said.

A Democratic 'tea party' movement?

The town hall events underscored the increased pressure Democratic members of Congress are under from their base to use every tool possible to block Trumps agenda, even as they are limited in their role as the minority party in Washington. The scenes mirror the events of 2009, which were directed simultaneously at the Democratic governing trifecta in Washington and at members of the Republican minority who were accused of being too passive in opposition.

A recent NBC News poll found that 65% of Democrats want their elected representatives to stick to their positions and hold the line against Trump, while 32% favor compromising with him. Thats a dramatic shift from Trumps first term: An April 2017 NBC News poll found that 59% of Democrats favored compromising with Trump, while 33% said lawmakers should stick to their positions.

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Thats also led some progressive activists to call for new leadership in Congress. Its a matter several Democrats declined to directly address this week while offering criticism of Schumer.

At a town hall in Lowell, Massachusetts, this week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said Schumers decision to allow the GOP funding bill to move through the Senate was wrong, but didnt say whether he should remain the partys leader.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., dodged a question on Schumers future at a news conference in San Francisco, saying he doesnt opine on internal caucus politics.

Were going to have to do a lot better the next time a key issue like this comes up, Schiff said.

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For his part, Schumer canceled a planned book tour this week amid the backlash, citing security concerns. But he has continued to defend his funding strategy in TV interviews, saying that a government shutdown would have resulted in a worse outcome for federal workers and further empower Trump and Musk. And hes brushed off calls to step down from his leadership position.

Im the best leader for the Senate, he said Tuesday on CBS Mornings.

Frustrations mount with lawmakers in both parties

Meanwhile, few Republican lawmakers held town halls this week during the congressional recess after drawing angry and frustrated crowds of their own earlier this year. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, advised members against holding in-person town halls.

One who did though, Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., faced heckles and boos Wednesday night in Laramie, Wyoming, as she tried to downplay concerns about Trump and Musk.

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Its so bizarre to me how obsessed you are with federal government, Hageman said, adding that the attendees hysteria is just really over the top.

And not every Democrat who has held a town hall in recent days received an icy reception.

At a Wednesday town hall in Frederick, Maryland, Democratic Reps. April McClain Delaney and Jamie Raskin faced a largely friendly, energized crowd that cheered lines about protecting Medicaid and Social Security and stopping DOGE in the courts, as well as hints of impeaching Trump if Democrats retake the House in 2026. (Raskin is the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and any impeachment push would start in his committee.)

Still, several constituents told NBC News they were frustrated by a lack of substance at the town hall.

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Juliana Lufkin, 33, a self-employed resident of Hagerstown, said the lawmakers were tooting their own horns when she wouldve liked to hear a strategy for combating Trump.

I wouldve liked to hear the plan, instead of a little bit of tooting their own horns and saying the things theyre doing and the things that we can do. This is not the leadership that we all hope for, Lufkin said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Republicans in Congress are refusing to hold town halls in their districts out of fear of criticism, and now Democrats are swooping in.

In Wisconsin, Representative Derrick Van Orden didnt show up at a town hall meeting Tuesday in his district in Viroqua, so Democratic Representative Mark Pocan showed up, speaking to 300 people next to an empty chair with Van Ordens name on it.

Derrick was a NO SHOW, but over 300 people in the town of 4500 showed up. Empty seat for him, Pocan posted on X. Of note: Derrick doesnt respond to constituents & they dont like cuts to Medicaid & other programs.



A screenshot of an X post from Representative Mark Pocan about a town hall in Viroqua, Wisconsin on Tuesday, March 18.

Van Orden is afraid of his constituents, and he can be fired in 2026, Pocan noted in a follow-up post. The Republican congressman plans to switch to virtual town halls, calling protesters at Republican-led town halls George Soros-funded agitators and comparing them to Nazis.



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Pocan has done this before to Van Orden, mocking the Republican for being on vacation last month after Van Orden and other Republicans refused to show up at a Wisconsin Farmers Union event where farmers spoke on their concerns with Donald Trumps policies. And it appears that Democrats elsewhere may soon take a similar approach.



The Democratic National Committee announced Wednesday that it will put up billboards in Republican districts in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania telling local residents to push their members of Congress to hold town halls. The billboards will even include these Republicans phone numbers.

Republicans are refusing to meet with their constituents after voting to take away health care and make it harder for families to put food on the table, the new chair of the DNC, Ken Martin, said in a statement. This isnt surprisingover the last few months, one word has come to describe Republicans: cowards.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harriss running mate in 2024, is also holding events in Republican districts, visiting Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in Van Ordens district on Tuesday for a People v. Musk rally following earlier visits to Iowa and Nebraska. Senator Bernie Sanders has held several rallies in Republican territory, and he and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez plan to visit Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado later this week.



Will it help, though? Democrats are currently struggling to come up with an effective plan to fight against Trump and the GOPs massive overhaul of the federal government. Meanwhile, tech oligarch Elon Musk is throwing millions of dollars into political races to shore up support for the Trump agenda. The Democrats need to grab the attention of an already frustrated electorate and leverage its rage against the GOP.
Sen. Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, announced during a press conference on Feb.6, 2023, that she will serve as the next Senate majority leader. Photo by Senate Media Services.

Minnesota Senate Republicans confronted a nightmare scenario Tuesday: A member of their caucus was accused of propositioning a 17-year old girl who turned out to be an undercover law enforcement officer.

Their response thus far has been brutally cold toward their colleague  and highly effective.

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Within hours, they spoke with one voice  and called for Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, to resign.

No hemming or hawing and nothing about hearing his side of the story. Like Paulie in Goodfellas.

Now Im gonna have to turn my back on you.

By contrast, Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, did not call on him to resign. In a passively constructed statement, she said the allegation is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents.

Senate Republicans knew Eichorn would quickly become a malignancy that needed swift excision.

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The Eichorn story had politics and money for sex with a 17-year old.

And, hypocrisy, given the Republican Partys frequent forays into sexual sanctimony, the president of the United States notwithstanding.

Charging documents released Wednesday suggested that Eichorn was familiar with the lingo of the commercial sex trade and ignorant of the law: I think age of consent is 17 when do ya turn 18? he texted the undercover officer, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Within hours, Senate Republicans were announcing they would move to expel Eichorn from the Senate.

There is no question that these charges merit expulsion, said Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, in a statement. We owe it to the public to hold our members to the highest standards, and this violation of the public trust is so severe we must act. It is my hope that this quick resolution gives Sen. Eichorn time to focus on his family.

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Theyll need a two-thirds majority for expulsion, but Democrats up for reelection in 2026 surely wont vote to allow Eichorn to continue to serve in a building that runs a prestigious junior page program for high school students and frequently hosts student tours. By Thursday night, many Democratic senators were releasing their own statements calling on Eichorn to resign.

The vote wont be easy for Murphy, however.

Murphy, who was huddled with Democrats early Thursday deliberating, has to deal with Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, who was arrested last year on felony burglary charges when she tried to break into her stepmothers home to retrieve some items that belonged to her deceased father, she told police.

Murphy has argued since Mitchells arrest that the Senate should not move to expel her until shes received due process in the courts.

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It was a convenient argument during the 2024 legislative session, when Democrats had a number of bills that needed Mitchells vote in the narrowly divided 34-33 upper chamber. Expelling Mitchell would have ended their advantage for the remainder of the session and stymied key legislation.

But the problem didnt solve itself.

Mitchell refused to resign, despite Gov. Tim Walz and DFL Chair Ken Martin  though pointedly, not Murphy  calling on her to do so.

And, her case has dragged on; she won a motion in January to delay the trial until after this legislative session. Republicans tried to expel Mitchell earlier this year, which Democrats voted in unison to block.

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So, Murphy has a few options, none of them very appealing:

She can stick to her stated principle and say an accused sex offender should continue to serve in the Senate because hes not been convicted of anything.

Or, she can risk being called a hypocrite  who isnt in politics?  and vote to expel Eichorn while continuing to defend Mitchells right to due process since the two cases are very different.

Or, she can move to expel both Eichorn and Mitchell, who will presumably be replaced by another Democrat, though its unclear when.

Given that the House is already divided 67-67, bipartisanship is required to pass anything anyway, which may lessen the weight of expelling Mitchell.

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In any case, by acting quickly, decisively and collectively, Republicans will have cut off the malignancy in just two days.

Indeed, Senate Republicans didnt just quickly liberate themselves from a political fiasco.

They created a new problem for Democrats, who will again face the Mitchell dilemma as soon as next week, when no doubt Republicans will move to expel her.

Perhaps Democrats have learned something this week about the value of ruthless excision of wayward colleagues.

Update: A source close to Murphy told me this morning that its not a hard call, The two situations are different. He will be expelled today, our members will be a big part of it and clear about why.

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The Senate DFL released a statement to the same effect: The details of these charges are inexcusable, and the Senate DFL caucus calls for Sen. Eichorns immediate resignation. There is no place in the Minnesota Senate for someone who engages in such abusive and predatory behavior. We are prepared to expel Senator Eichorn if he does not resign.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his support on Wednesday for President Trumps initiative to implement a limited ceasefire with Russia.

Zelensky stated that one of the initial actions to end the war could involve halting strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. He added that Ukraine is ready to take this step, confirming their commitment to its implementation.

According to Zelensky, such measures are essential for laying the groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement during the ceasefire.

The U.S. had proposed that both sides cease attacks on energy facilities and infrastructure as a starting point for a broader peace deal. President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a nearly three-hour phone call on Tuesday, followed by a conversation between Zelensky and Trump on Wednesday.

Zelensky further mentioned that Ukrainian and U.S. officials will address technical aspects related to expanding and implementing the partial ceasefire.

Both Ukrainian and American teams are also scheduled to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace.
By Hyunjoo Jin and Heekyong Yang

SUWON, South Korea (Reuters) -Samsung Electronics said on Wednesday it is looking at major deals to drive growth as it faced tough questions from shareholders after its failure to ride an artificial intelligence boom made it one of the worst-performing tech stocks last year.

The South Korean firm has been suffering from weak earnings and sagging share prices in recent quarters after falling behind rivals in advanced memory chips and contract chip manufacturing, which have enjoyed strong demand from AI projects.

Shareholders slammed management for poor stock performance and called for measures to revive stock prices at the meeting.

Samsung's co-CEO and head of its semiconductor business pledged to catch up with the high bandwidth memory (HBM) chip race and apologised for the company's poor stock performance.

We were late in reading the market trends and we missed out on the early market as a result," Jun Young-hyun, Samsung co-CEO and head of its semiconductor business, said at the meeting.

Samsung, which has introduced a stock-based performance system to executives last year, is considering expanding the scheme to employees next year, as part of efforts to review its stock prices, co-CEO Han Jong-hee said.

Samsung shares were trading up 2.3%, compared with the benchmark KOSPI's 0.9% rise as of 12:27 p.m. (0327 GMT).

"The stock performance has been disappointing," a 65-year old shareholder who only gave his family name, Lee, told Reuters ahead of the meeting.

"Last year, the stock price was so bad that I even considered investing in U.S. stocks instead," he said.

Shares in Samsung tumbled by nearly a third last year and hit a four-year low in November, while those of rival SK Hynix <000660.KS> climbed 26%.

Samsung launched a share buyback plan worth 10 trillion won ($7.2 billion) in November.

MAJOR DEALS

Han told investors that 2025 would be a difficult year because of uncertainties surrounding economic policies in major economies and that Samsung would pursue meaningful mergers and acquisitions to address investor concerns about growth.

"There are some difficulties in doing semiconductor M&As due to regulatory issues and various national interests, but we're determined to produce some tangible results this year," he said.

In internal meetings, Samsung has acknowledged it has lost ground. This is particularly true in semiconductors, where it lags SK Hynix in HBM chips that Nvidia and others rely on for AI graphic processing units.
Democrats are making good on their promise to hold town halls in Republican districts, and theyre putting on a show.

In Republican Rep. Derrick Van Ordens Wisconsin district Tuesday night, Democratic Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan trolled his political rival by standing on stage next to an empty chair reserved for Van Orden, who had declined to join him at the town hall in Viroqua.

Derrick was a NO SHOW, but over 300 people in the town of 4500 showed up. Empty seat for him, Pocan wrote on social media. Of note: Derrick doesnt respond to constituents & they dont like cuts to Medicaid & other programs.

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Van Orden is afraid of his constituents, and he can be fired in 2026, the progressive continued.

When asked for his response to being calling out about his absence, Van Orden sent HuffPost several criticisms of Pocan.

At the town hall, did Mr. Pocan apologize for voting against deporting criminal illegal aliens who rape and murder innocent Americans? he asked. Did he apologize for signing on to a letter that begged for the release of an antisemitic, pro-Hamas sympathizer? Did he also apologize to the Altoona folks who attend church for his presence at Bernie Sanders event that openly welcomed an anti-Christian band who sang this blasphemous song?

GOP leadership directed Republican lawmakers to stop holding in-person town halls after several were disrupted by protesters outraged that President Donald Trump is gutting federal programs under the guidance of his ally Elon Musk, the richest man on Earth.

PACKED house in Viroqua, WI for the town hall in @derrickvanordens district.



Derrick was a NO SHOW, but over 300 people in the town of 4500 showed up. Empty seat for him.



Of note: Derrick doesnt respond to constituents & they dont like cuts to Medicaid & other programs. pic.twitter.com/91gXYkKJOc  Mark Pocan (@MarkPocan) March 19, 2025

Both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have claimed without evidence that the protesters are being paid to make a scene.

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Van Orden denounced them as George Soros-funded agitators who are being completely disrespectful, and has pivoted to doing virtual town halls.

But Pocan is determined to be a thorn in his rivals side. When Van Orden and several other Republicans were no-shows at an event hosted by the Wisconsin Farmers Union last month, which focused on farmers concerns about Trumps policies, Pocan repeatedly joked to the crowd that Van Orden was on vacation.

Democrats have even bigger signs than Pocans in the works. The Democratic National Committee said Wednesday its putting up several billboards in Republican-controlled districts telling residents to demand their representatives hold town halls.

Republicans are refusing to meet with their constituents after voting to take away health care and make it harder for families to put food on the table, DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. This isnt surprising  over the last few months, one word has come to describe Republicans: cowards.

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The billboards will be deployed across Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska and Pennsylvania, and will feature Republicans phone numbers.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden talks with the media on Capitol Hill in December. Tom Williams via Getty Images

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris running mate against Trump last year, has also held events in Republican areas. At an appearance in Eau Clare, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night, he slammed Musk as a dipshit and a South African nepo baby.

Walz has made several visits to Republican districts in recent days, including ones in Iowa and Nebraska. He teased the visits in a social media post earlier this month, saying: If your Republican representative wont meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will. Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, Ill come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat em.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are also holding town halls in Nevada, Arizona and Colorado this week. Event organizers in Denver say they expect a crowd of 20,000 on Friday.

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Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) also plans to hold town halls in Republican-represented Bakersfield, Anaheim and Norco this weekend.

I want to make sure people know their members should not be voting for cuts to Medicaid, Khanna said on Fox 11 Los Angeles on Tuesday.

These efforts are part of a strategy laid out by House Democrats, the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Association of State Democratic Committee last week.

Were filling a void thats left open by our Republican colleagues who are too scared to show up to town halls in their own districts because theyre doing things that are not popular, Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) told reporters during the Democrats annual retreat in Leesburg, Virginia.

Related...
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Back when Rahm Emanuel was President Barack Obamas chief of staff, the idea that a political operative once nicknamed Rahmbo could be a viable candidate to succeed his boss would have seemed a little far-fetched. But when Emanuel suggested to Politico last week that he was considering a run, what was previously unimaginable suddenly made some sense. Emanuel, also a former mayor of Chicago, has a reputation for being a bulldozer. He has little time for niceties. He articulates his ideas in bombastic and often quite pungent sentences. As the former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod, who spent years working closely with Emanuel, has said, He understands how to win and speaks bluntly in an idiom that most folks understand. Thats the nice way to put it. His style is tough, and tough is what the Democrats seem to be looking for.

Whether or not he has a real shot, Emanuel is very politically astute, and he understands that this might be his moment. The same could be said of Andrew Cuomo, who is running for New York City mayor. When challenged over his tarnished recordthe small matter of having resigned as governor over numerous allegations of sexual harassmenthe is counterpunching with his record of hardheadedness. (Cuomo has denied wrongdoing but has said he is truly sorry for instances that were misinterpreted as unwanted flirtation.) We dont need a Mr. Nice Guy. We need a Mr. Tough Guy, Representative Ritchie Torres said in his endorsement of Cuomo. Last month, speaking to donors, the former governor said he saw Donald Trump as a bully in the schoolyard. And Cuomo knows how to handle bullies. He puts his finger in your chest, Cuomo said. And if you take one step back, hes going to continue to put his finger in your chest. You put a finger in his chest, Cuomo seemed to imply, and hell break it.

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What if the path to Democratic Party renewal was always just to bring back the biggest assholes, like Rahm and Andrew Cuomo? the Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini, a Trump supporter, posted on X.

As Emanuel might have put it, maybe it takes an asshole to fight one. At least thats what polling is picking up. A new NBC survey found that 65 percent of Democrats want their lawmakers to oppose Trump even if it leads to gridlock, compared with 32 percent who are willing to broach some compromise. (These numbers were practically flipped when the same question was asked roughly this far into Trumps first term.) And in a poll conducted by Ruffini, 57 percent of Democrats said they approved of Representative Al Greens cane-waving disruption of Trumps recent congressional address.

[David A. Graham: Americas Andrew Cuomo problem]

This desire for roughness has erupted into scathing anger over the past few days, finding its target in Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose style is more Mr. Beloved Uncle With a Stain on His Shirt than Mr. Tough Guy. Schumer decided not to block the Republicans spending bill, thereby avoiding a government shutdown. His reasons were legitimate; not only would Trump relish the chance to blame the shutdown on the Democrats (surely schumer shutdown bumper stickers were already being printed), but a shutdown would give Trump the power to close government agencies and programs he deemed nonessentialSchumer worried specifically about food stampsand the pain would have been counterproductive to Democratic interests. The argument for a shutdown was simpler: Do something, anything. Many Democratic lawmakers argued that signing on to the spending bill would make them look as if they were acquiescing to DOGEs power grab. Even Nancy Pelosi, a longtime Schumer comrade, called his decision unacceptable. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries offered the Capitol Hill equivalent of a shiv in the back when he was asked whether the Senate needed new leadership. Next question, he said.

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Im sympathetic to Schumer, who was thinking about the actual implications of a shutdown beyond the performance and the politics. But he is in the wrong movie. Democrats are desperate for someone to start poking their own finger into Trumps chest. The only problem is that they have no leverage at the moment; the shutdown was pretty much the only sand congressional Democrats had to throw in the gears. How else could they show their constituents their fighting spirit?

Toughness, as a value, has long been a fixture in American politicsbut it has been inescapable since 2016. In interview after interview following the latest election, voters told reporters that Trumps pumping fist, raised seconds after Julys assassination attempt, sealed the deal for them. Even before the incident, he was often styled in MAGA social media as, yes, Rambo.

Trumps style has worked for him, and it makes sense that Democrats, who are dejected and more unpopular than ever, are looking to answer mano with mano. Commentators are already forecasting a liberal version of the Tea Party movement, the grassroots backlash to Obamas win in 2008 that coalesced around the idea that establishment Republicans were too weak to fight him. The movement was short on actual policy, besides a desire to kill the Affordable Care Act and cut taxes and regulations. What it had plenty of was angeragainst elites, against the perceived foreignness of Americas first Black president, against a globalizing world. Behind the anger was a push for toughness, and in that arena, the Tea Party bore fruit: The 2010 midterms brought in a wave of more ideologically rigid congressional members. It elevated bullying as an end in itself, and set the stage for Trump.

Im not sure toughness will work for candidates who merely attempt to mirror Trumps modus operandi. For one thing, Democrats seem to have less patience for the kind of shamelessness and blame-shifting that are the presidents trademark. Emanuel and Cuomo are on the comeback trail precisely because they have already offended Democratic voters through Trumpian behavior. When he was mayor of Chicago, Emanuel was widely condemned for mishandling the police shooting of a Black teenager, Laquan McDonald, in part by delaying the release of damning dashcam footage for more than a year. The resulting ill will played no small part in his decision not to run for reelection in 2019. As for Cuomo, some say the directive his administration issued early in the coronavirus pandemic, requiring nursing homes to accept patients who had tested positive, greatly spread the virus and caused death. Then a New York state audit found that Cuomo had underreported those deaths by as much as 50 percent. The sexual-harassment allegations added fuel to a Democratic backlash that was already in motion.

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[Rahm Emanuel: How not to lose to Donald Trump]

Even when it comes to style, Democrats need to beware of copying and pasting. When Tim Walz, the former vice-presidential candidate, drops his aura of midwestern nice to call Elon Musk a dipshit and a South African nepo baby, as he did in front of an audience the other day, it just sounds a little strained and ridiculous. Take also Gavin Newsom, the governor of California and currently a very possible contender for the Democratic nomination for president in 2028. In a much-mocked effort to show his ability to cut it in the manosphere, he has been hosting a podcast and has brought on right-wing figures including Charlie Kirk and Steve Bannon as guests.

The Bannon episode looked like a split screen of styles. Bannon talked over and through Newsoms questions, goading the governor at certain points, gently mocking him at others. Newsom brought none of this heat, starting many sentences with I appreciate that no matter what provocations Bannon had just uttered. At one point, they found convergence in their hatred of Musk, arguing only over which one of them was more culpable for empowering the tech titan. Newsom tried to land his blowsYou seriously want Starlink to take over the FAA?but he was no match for Bannons snarling. Even in jeans and an open-collared shirt, Newsom looked like hed be more comfortable at a French Laundry dinner party than on a pugilistic podcast.

Democrats would be better off finding their own model of toughnessnot one that extols aggression and strong-arming. Maybe they should channel, as the Democratic strategist James Carville suggested, the fighting technique of the older Muhammad Ali: rope-a-dope. Absorb punches until Trump tires himself out or, more likely, the American people get tired of all the chaos and disruption. This might be what Schumer has in mind.

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Or maybe there is another kind of toughness, something more like the wiliness of a survivor. When you have no leverage, when your party is polling at 27 percent approval, you also have nothing to lose. The way to counter the destructiveness of DOGE, if you cant literally stop it, is to put out a barrage of creative ideas, to flood the zone with stuff that will inevitably be better than anything Trump or Musk has to offer. Democrats believe in government, so they tend to govern better, while Republicans are better at campaigning, because they oppose it. This strength is hard to show off when youre not actually in power, but maybe whats called for is a shadow Cabinet, like those organized by British opposition parties, with the Democrats demonstrating, day after day, what they could do if they were in charge. The writer Timothy Snyder suggested something like this in January, arguing that it might remind us of how much better things can be.

To crib Isaiah Berlins famously overused metaphor, Democrats are foxes and Republicans (especially MAGA ones) are hedgehogs. The hedgehogs advantage is to have one core narrative that explains everything, and hammer it with force, whereas the fox knows many things, and can think a few steps ahead. In politics, being a fox is not always preferable or easy, especially in a media environment that loves itself a hedgehog. But it has also proved to be a winning approach before. Bill Clinton and Obama were, lets remember, successful foxes; they knew how to juggle priorities, how to code switch, how to parry a punch. Its precisely in such a fallow moment that it makes sense for Democrats to rediscover this other kind of toughness.

Finding someone to out-Trump Trump might look like an expedient solution to an immediate problem. But it also means fighting a war that the Democrats have already lost.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
In the wake of the 2008 recession, like many recent college graduates at sea amid the wreckage of the U.S. economy, I decided the only way to put myself on any kind of career path was to go to graduate school. Because I had worked in Turkey for a year after college, I applied to masters programs in Middle Eastern Studies, believing this would bring a linear quality to my haphazard early adulthood. The University of Chicago was the only place that offered me any kind of financial aid: half off an extraordinarily large sum for the first year, with the implication that the second year could be free. So that is where I went, and the second year was free, paid for by the federal government. Because I studied Uzbek, a Turkic language, at one of the few places in America where you can study Uzbek, I got a free year of school at one of the best universities in the country, via something called the Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship.

The FLAS falls, or fell, under the umbrella of the office of International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE), an office within the Department of Education that was functionally dissolved by the Trump Administration this month amid the massive cost cutting overseen by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This office funds the Fulbright-Hays programs, which many people have heard of, but it also administers the Title VI program, which funds foreign language and area studies at colleges and universities across the United States. These take the form of FLAS awards and campus-based centers focusing on specific areas of the world.

My FLAS and MA program were routed through one such National Resource Center (NRC) at UChicago. My experience there was exhilarating, exposing me to people of incredible erudition even as it revealed some disillusioning things about academic hierarchies. After graduating, though, I found myself in the situation of many millennials who thought that a higher degree would solve their employment issues: in debt for a degree that qualified for me for a job that probably didnt exist, or, at best, a job that I didnt want and couldnt pass a background check for in any case. For several months I sheepishly flung myself into completely unrelated work, until I stumbled across an opening to manage one of these NRCs at UC Berkeleyin many ways the platonic ideal of a job you could do with the kind of degree I had.

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Read More: Eliminating the Department of Education Would Hurt Black Students

Over three years at UC Berkeley, I learned the intricate workings of Title VI, a program that was allotted nearly $2 billion between 2000 and 2024. This was the program that had paid for part of my education, paid for part of the (too-small) salaries of my language instructors and graduate TAs, paid for public events that made the work of university available to people from the surrounding city, and now paid for a portion of my salary. I learned that the Title VI program funded the majority of higher-ed foreign-language study in the U.S., but that it also benefited younger students, primarily through training programs that brought K-12 educators together to develop new curriculum modules with subject-matter experts from the university.

Title VI is at its heart a Cold War program, launched after Sputnik as the Defense Education Act of 1958, and incorporated into the Higher Education Act in 1965. Its founding principle was, essentially, Know Your Enemy (read: learn Russian). Although the Department of Defense and the State Department fund some of their own language and area-studies programs, there is no question that many American meddlers and spies have benefited from Title VI.

But over time, the program has evolved into something much more generous, and vital, than its original mandate. Once money leaves the federal government and enters the realm of the scholar and the university administrator, its purview stretches, not only to address the constitutional miserliness of our academic institutions, but the curiosity and ambition of their students and faculty. Title VI funds were a particular boon for public universities. There are NRCs all across the country, giving students from many different backgrounds the chance to learn a little bit more about the world. FLAS stipends might support one student learning about Ottoman statecraft, and another studying modern Portuguese literature, and a third studying contemporary South African politics. As such, over time, the Title VI program has become a site of bureaucratic creativity. Its also been the subject of a long-simmering bureaucratic civil war to determine the best and proper use of taxpayer funds, and to define what constitutes an education.

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Read More: How the Supreme Court Paved the Way for DOGE

I studied and then worked at a Center for Middle Eastern Studies, and we were under no illusions about the political target on our back. For decades Middle East Studies centers have been maligned as left-wing hotbeds that, in their critics view, are excessively hostile to Israel, overly friendly to Islam, and troublingly uninterested in terrorism. Periodically, an inflamed lawmaker would demand an inquiry into the way centers like ours represented the Middle East, charging that they fueled antisemitism by being critical of Israel. Donald Trumps return is a gift to these efforts, as seen most plainly in his Administrations letter to Columbia University, demanding that the academic department affiliated with their Title VI-funded Middle East Institute be placed under receivership.

DOGE, too, is the culmination of a decades-long effort, a moment of triumph for those in our national apparatus who take an exceedingly narrow and incurious view of what education in this country is for. Given that NRCs are a hub for multidisciplinary efforts at any given host university, they are threatened whenever a congressperson opposed to the very principle of a humanistic education deigns to notice them. The grant process, every four years, is thus an exercise in contorting the natural activities of these centers to fit the U.S. governments rubric, which insists that Title VI exists to prepare students for work in government and business, where business is understood to be something important, unlike, for example, poetry.

The real enemy of DOGE is not waste and bureaucracy, as Musk claims, but the pursuit of knowledge for its own sakeand the idea that education should be a public good. The people who believe that taxation is theft argue that the market will fill any void left by the Department of Educations millions. But the market will never decide that Uzbek class is a worthwhile proposition, or that it is important for a K-12 teacher in a cash-strapped district to attend a free symposium on world history.

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Read More: Can Young People Afford Not to Go to College?

As someone who administered one of these centers and was deep in the grant process, I had plenty of opportunities to thrash in a helpless rage in the three-way bureaucratic web of the federal government, the State of California, and the UC system. There were, indeed, maddening inefficiencies, but many of them were introduced or exacerbated by the private sector (just before my tenure, Bains consulting arm charged UC Berkeley millions of dollars to prescribe a shared-services system that, in many employees view, made everything just a little harder to do). Free marketeers will advise deans to cut whatever course cant fill a giant lecture hall or lead to lucrative research grants. To the consultants, language instruction will never pencil out, and it is exceedingly unlikely that the administrators who take their advice can or will fill the void left by the federal government. The dissolution of IFLE within the Department of Education will lead to countless lost jobs and educational opportunities, and an educational landscape denuded of possibilitythe possibility of learning a new language, seeing a new place, understanding a new point of view. It is stealing from generations of people.

I left my job at UC Berkeley because I had a baby and I wanted to be a writer and I couldnt make all the math work. I suppose Elon Musk could argue that my story embodies exactly the kind of pointless government largesse that he has been tasked with ferreting out. Why should the taxpayers subsidize the learning of agglutinative grammars by an aimless young woman who became an administrator and then left the nine-to-five workforce to become a novelist?

For what its worth, I put what I learned in my books. And writing those books changed my life. Writing one book helped me buy a home. Writing another helped me buy a car. Now Im 41 and I pay taxes and participate enthusiastically in the consumer economy. But even if my work had nothing to do with what I learned on the governments dime, that education would still be valuablepriceless, even. If the wrecking crew at DOGE doesnt understand why, theres no class in the world that can teach them.

Correction, March 20

The original version of this story misstated the period for which Title VI was allotted nearly $2 billion. It was from 2000 to 2024, not the last four-year funding cycle.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
MARYLAND (DC News Now)  Two men from Annapolis who are alleged gang members were indicted for murder in aid of racketeering on Thursday.

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said that 46-year-old Manuel Erazo Alvarado (aka Castigo) and Erick Guillen Pleitez (Aka Kilo) are facing charges related to alleged activity with La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13.

ACLU files emergency motion to stop deportation of Georgetown University scholar

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The DOJ said that MS-13 is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland and throughout the United States.

Alvarado and Pleitez are accused of being MS-13 members in 2017. The DOJ said that they engaged in narcotics distribution, collected extortion payments, or rent, and engaged in acts of violence.

Some time around Aug. 29, 2017, the two men allegedly murdered someone to maintain or improve their standing in MS-13.

If they are convicted, Alvarado and Pleitez could face a mandatory life sentence or death.

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(WTVO)  As the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) work to shrink the size of federal spending, Illinois residents may wonder: how dependent is the state on federal funds?

WalletHub conducted a study that found that overall, Illinois ranked 43rd out of 50 states, with residents dependency ranked 48th and state government ranked 32nd.

The study found Alaska as the most federally dependent state, with 50% of the states revenue coming from federal funding, and New Jersey the least dependent.

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According to Gov. JB Pritzkers office, there are around 81,300 federal employees in Illinois, with a federal civilian workforce of 44,784, as of March 2024.

DOGE has warned federal agencies to prepare for large-scale layoffs and prioritize offices for closure with functions that are not required by statute or law.

The agency expects to save more than $2.4 million a year by closing additional federal facilities in Illinois, in Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Rock Island, Champaign, Springfield, Rockford, and OFallon.

An executive order cut funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) resulted in the Illinois Department of Agriculture announcing it would shutter the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure programs.

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The Biden-era programs were created to support local farmers and feed families during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the funding continued after the pandemic ended.

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OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  Deputies with the Oconee County Sheriffs Office arrested a man wanted for multiple charges on Tuesday.

Officials said the investigation began on Monday at a home on Tamassee Knob Road when deputies conducted a welfare check on a woman connected to the suspect.

But when deputies arrived, the woman was not at the home.

Additional deputies and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted officials with the search, which concluded at motorhome near the Cheohee Valley in the Sumter National Forest.

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The motorhome, officials said, was stolen from a residence in Anderson County, where the suspect resides.

Deputies located the woman and suspect, identified as Brandon Lysle Vanblarcom.

Vanblarcom, 39, was previously charged with second degree domestic violence in connection to an incident involving the victim that occurred in December 2024. He was arrested on February 11.

As a condition of bond, the sheriffs office said Vanblarcom was required to wear an ankle monitor upon being released from jail.

Officials said the woman had a protective order against the suspect, which Vanblarcom violated on March 13 after breaking into the victims home, assaulting her, forcing the victim to come to the motorhome and breaking her phone.

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Deputies said that Vanblarcom also removed his ankle monitor on March 16, which was found by an Anderson County deputy near Pendleton.

Vanblarcom was arrested Tuesday, but while on the way to the Oconee County Detention Center, he told deputies he had methamphetamine in his sock. Deputies found the meth and confiscated it before booking Vanblarcom into jail.

The sheriffs office said Vanblarcom was charged with first degree burglary, kidnapping, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a stolen vehicle and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also arrested for pre-existing charges, including the violation of a court order and removal of an electronic monitoring device.

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A highly realistic jury duty scam has made its way to Cleveland County.

The sheriffs department said they have received complaints about phone calls from scammers who are using the names of real officers.

ALSO READ: Action 9 warns of online puppy scam after woman is tricked out of $1,000

One victim said the scammers claimed there were warrants out for their arrest because they didnt report for jury duty.

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The callers demanded money through a federal voucher machine in the area, even sending the victim a QR code that appeared to be from the sheriffs office.

Before making a payment, the victim said he heard from the real sheriff, who warned him it was a scam.

VIDEO: Action 9 warns of online puppy scam after woman is tricked out of $1,000
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Memphis state representative is sharing more about the Tennessee bill allowing a state takeover of Memphis Shelby County Schools passed a House K-12 subcommittee on Tuesday.

According to sponsor Mark White (R-Memphis), HB 662 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.

Passage of the bill would allow the state to appoint a 9-member board of managers that would then push Memphis Shelby County School board members into advisory roles.

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The issue has received pushback from the school board and some democratic leaders. These decisions are surrounded by a lot of money, as the district handles a $2.1 billion budget.

House bill for state control of MSCS advances

We have such a wonderful community, and we deserve better than what were getting in our educational system, said Mark White.

He cited low proficiency in reading and writing among students in the Memphis Shelby County Schools School District.

So if you take 100,000 students and you graduate about 8,000 of those a year and only one out of four are ready to hit the workforce and/or higher education, were not doing those young people any favors nor our city, said White.

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He said that he believes its also adding to the problem of violence among young people.

MSCS state takeover could move forward this week

In order for the Tennessee education commissioner to pull the trigger for the takeover, White said that these three criteria must be met.

30% of schools in the district were assigned a D or F grade. 25% or more of the students in the district are chronically absent. A vote of no confidence from the government body associated with the board in this case, citing the county commission.

This is strictly for our community, said White.

Its a plan facing criticism from some leaders.

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State Rep. G.A. Hardaway from Memphis said that the district has been calling for help about crumbling school buildings for years and not getting it.

MSCS board members call state takeover bill attack on democracy

The state needs to stay in its lane, support the efforts of our Memphis Shelby County School system, the county commission needs to stay in its lane, said Hardaway.

White said that the system is not working for those people who say this is an attack on democracy and they say did their jobs.

I can go back three decades and point out that we are not moving the needle in our community, and at some point, some point, you have to change directions, said White.

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He said that changing directions means adding a 9-member state-appointed board, which would decide on whether Dr. Marie Feagins would be a part of this board or possibly get her job back.

The bill goes to the full education committee next week. Rep. White said this could be a reality in the next three to four weeks.

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(Reuters) - Detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu appeared to address Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a social media post on Thursday, accusing him of corruption and calling on members of his ruling party and the judiciary to oppose injustice.

"You cannot and must not remain silent," Imamoglu wrote on X, referring to his detention. "These events have gone beyond our parties and political ideals. The process now concerns our nation, especially your families. The day has come to speak out."

(Editing by Alex Richardson)
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, detained on corruption and terrorism charges, has urged Turkish people to stand against what he called an "evil."

"As a nation we must stand against this evil. This is my call to my people," Imamoglu wrote in a defiant post on X on Thursday.

Imamoglu accused President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government of targeting his family and assets, calling on public officials and the judiciary to resist any abuse of power.

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"I trust the honourable Turkish judiciary. You cannot and must not remain silent," he wrote.

"The mind which seized my diploma will confiscate your property, your honour, your estate, and commit all kinds of usurpation and assault," Imamoglu added.

One day before his detention, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's university diploma, a credential necessary for presidential candidacy, thereby hindering his potential challenge to Erdogan in elections scheduled for 2028.

Authorities also seized a construction firm co-owned by Imamoglu, according to state news agency Anadolu.

His detention has sparked nationwide protests and drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and rights groups.
Over 2024 year, the average Brent price reached $80.8/b, down 2% compared to 2023 year ($82.6/b). The average selling price of the quality of crude oil marketed by TotalEnergies EP Gabon amounted to $77.2/b in 2024, slightly down compared to 2023 ($77.5/b).

Funds generated from operations are comprised of the operating cash flow, the gains or losses on disposals of assets and the working capital changes.

Sales volume excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state.

The crude price calculation excludes profit oil reverting to the Gabonese Republic as per production sharing contracts, these barrels being handed over in kind to the host state.

The crude oil production related to TotalEnergies EP Gabon's interests amounted 17 thousand barrels per day, up 8% compared to 2023. The Board of Directors, considering the Company's residual level of distributable earnings and confident in the strength of its balance sheet, particularly with the absence of debt, has decided to propose to the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, convened on May 16, 2025, an ordinary dividend of $22.22 per share, or $100 million for all shareholders. This dividend will be payable in euros (or its equivalent in CFA francs) based on the euro/dollar exchange rate on the date of the Shareholders Meeting.

During the year 2024, the Company present a net income of $91 million and a cash from operation of $312 million, against $26 million and $226 million in 2023, in a less favorable price environment.

The Board of Directors of TotalEnergies EP Gabon (Paris:EC) meeting on March 20, 2025, under the chairmanship of Mike Sangster, chairman of the Board of Directors, approved the Companys financial statements for 2024 financial year.

Story Continues

Production

The TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude oil production amounted to 17.0 kb/d, up 8% compared to the previous year (15.8 kb/d). This production increase is driven by improved operational efficiency and the results from the wells interventions campaign which enable to offset the natural decline of the fields.

Revenues

In 2024, the revenues amounted $465 million, up 5% compared to 2023 ($444 million) mainly due to the increase of TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude oil marketed volumes (+6%), offsetting the slight decrease in TotalEnergies EP Gabon crude oil marketed average prices.

Cash flow from Operations

TotalEnergies EP Gabon generated a cash flow from operations of $312 million in 2024, up 38% compared to 2023 ($226 million). Its impacted positively by the gross margin increase (+$25 million), lower operating and non-operating costs (+$15 million), higher interests on cash deposits (+$3 million) and working capital variation (+$80 million) between the two periods compared. These effects are partially offset by the increase of site restitution costs (-$22 million) and current tax (-$15 million).

Net investments

Petroleum investments amounted to $60 million in 2024, down 30% compared to 2023 ($86 million). For the year 2024, it essentially includes the wells interventions campaign, integrity works on the sites, the operations related to the reduction of emissions on the Company activities. In 2023, these investments were including the cost of the five-year shutdown on the Anguille site.

Net income

Net income for 2024 year was $91 million, against $26 million in 2023. This significant improvement of net income in 2024 is due to the absence of exceptional asset depreciation (+$ 96 million in 2023) and the positive impacts of the gross margin increase ($+25 million), lower operating and non-operating costs (+$15 million) and higher interests on cash deposits (+$3 million). These positive effects are partially offset by the increase of tax charge (-$46 million) and the depreciation charges and financial provisions (-$28 million) excluding exceptional asset depreciation.

Highlights since the beginning of fourth quarter 2024

Budget project for 2025

The Board of Directors reviewed and approved the proposed budget for the year 2025.

About TotalEnergies EP Gabon

TotalEnergies EP Gabon is 58.28% owned by TotalEnergies SE, 25% by the Gabonese Republic and 16.72% by the public.

About TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies is a global integrated energy company that produces and markets energies: oil and biofuels, natural gas and green gases, renewables and electricity. Our more than 100,000 employees are committed to provide as many people as possible with energy that is more reliable, more affordable, and more sustainable. Active in about 120 countries, TotalEnergies place sustainability at the heart of its strategy, its projects and its operations.

TotalEnergies on social media

X : @TotalEnergies

LinkedIn : TotalEnergies

Facebook : TotalEnergies

Instagram : TotalEnergies

Cautionary Note

The terms "TotalEnergies", "TotalEnergies company" or "Company" in this document are used to designate TotalEnergies SE and the consolidated entities that are directly or indirectly controlled by TotalEnergies SE. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to these entities or to their employees. The entities in which TotalEnergies SE directly or indirectly owns a shareholding are separate legal entities. TotalEnergies SE has no liability for the acts or omissions of these entities. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TotalEnergies SE nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Information concerning risk factors, that may affect TotalEnergies financial results or activities is provided in the most recent Registration Document, the French-language version of which is filed by TotalEnergies SE with the French securities regulator Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF), and in the Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250320164350/en/

Contacts

Contacts TotalEnergies EP Gabon

actionnariat-epgabon@totalenergies.com

Media Relations : +33 (0)1 47 44 46 99 l presse@totalenergies.com l @TotalEnergiesPR

Investor Relations : +33 (0)1 47 44 46 46 l ir@totalenergies.com
The latest batch of metro Detroit concert announcements includes several shows going on sale Friday. Many tours offer early presale opportunities; check individual ticket links for details.

The Black Keys perform at Innings Festival at Tempe Beach Park on Feb. 21, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz.

Rock duo the Black Keys are headed to Pine Knob Music Theatre on Aug. 21, part of the bands summer-long tour in support of the forthcoming album No Rain, No Flowers. Guitar phenom Gary Clark Jr. will open. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.

The colorful Japanese band Babymetal will make its latest visit with a July 3 stop at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre as the group treks across North America. Black Veil Brides and Bloodywood are in support. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.

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Jamey Johnson will play his first-ever show along Detroits riverfront when the In Color country star hits the Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre on June 13. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.

Collective Soul and Live will serve up 90s rock nostalgia as their co-headlining Summer Unity Tour heads to Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre on July 22. Joining the bill are Our Lady Peace and Greylin James Rue. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.

Irish quartet Celtic Thunder is making its Detroit return with a Sept. 30 concert at the Masonic Temples Cathedral Theatre. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through AXS.

The sibling pop trio AJR will alight at Pine Knob on July 29 as part of its 14-market Somewhere in the Sky Tour, joined by openers Goth Babe, Cavetown, Valley and Madelyn Mei. On sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit concerts on sale Friday: Black Keys, Babymetal, Jamey Johnson
In a virtual event this week with over 1,000 attendees  many of whom were apparently Detroit school district employees  Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said President Donald Trump's administration is "not supportive of our children" and said employees who voted for Trump "have to reconcile that" with their day-to-day jobs.

"There's certainly DPSCD employees that voted for Trump," Vitti, who leads the largest district in the state, said at the budget update. "I really think you have to reconcile that with your day-to-day job and the children that you support, because this current president and this administration is not supportive of our children and our communities based on their budget, and budget defines your priorities."

More: Michigan school leaders run through 'what ifs' as Trump tries to gut education department

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Vitti spent an hour explaining how federal funding cuts and how the president's dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and other administration priorities could possibly trickle down to Detroit Public Schools Community District, which serves more than 49,000 students. If Congress scales back federal education funding, and Title I funding for schools that serve economically disadvantaged students in particular, Vitti said the district may experience "hurt and pain."

Only Congress can eliminate the federal department, but Trump's administration can weaken the department. Congress also hasn't indicated any cuts to Title I or other education funding such as money for services for students with disabilities, but many education advocates fear lawmakers will alter or partially cut those streams of funding in pursuit of major federal budget cuts.

Vitti added later that the direction the federal government has taken under Trump is "defunding the future of the most disadvantaged children in this country."

"I'm never going to tell you who to vote for," he said. "I'm going to tell you what I've always told you: You do your homework. "

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The superintendent called for employees to "feel free" to advocate to local, state and federal officials to rally around public education amid so many proposed federal changes.

"This is no longer a drill," he said. "We have to stop thinking, 'Oh it's rhetoric; it's just an executive order.'... This is real, folks. ... We cannot wait, we cannot hope. We cannot pray alone to think that we're going to get through this without changing direction and advocating for something different and something better."

Federal funds could be hard to replace in Detroit schools

While 10% of state education funding is federal, about 32% of federal funding constitutes the Detroit public schools budget, Vitti said, which is because the district has a weak local tax base and a larger population of vulnerable students than many districts in the state.

Vitti said he is particularly concerned that Congress, in service of cutting $2 trillion from the budget, could eliminate portions of Title I funding, funding for teacher training, funding for English Learners, funding for programs that help low-income students improve learning experiences, Medicaid funding that helps students with disabilities, and funding for school lunch programs.

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In Detroit, $124 million in Title I funding for the 2024-25 school year went to paying academic interventionists, funding for assistant principals, funding for literacy programs, and more purposes. If Congress cut 25% of Title I funding, the superintendent said, Detroit would see $30 million gone.

Vitti, stressing that no idea has been finalized, discussed several strategies district officials have thought up to address any potential budget cuts, including: accelerating the closure of schools that the district had already planned to close, reducing discretionary funds for purposes such as professional development and STEM programs, freezing hiring for vacant roles, delaying technology upgrades and eliminating commercial property insurance coverage.

"Myself and the board is already thinking about ways to keep people employed, mainly protect school staffing, protect student programming so reform can continue despite these cuts for the next year or two," he said.

Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit schools superintendent: Trump 'not supportive of our children'
GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WCBD)Changes could soon be underway at the site of the former Georgetown Liberty Steel Mill. This came after officials sat down with a potential buyer last week.

A year ago, crews stopped operations at the old steel mill on the corner of Front and Fraiser Street in Georgetown, but officials said this space could soon be taken up by housing, green space, and much more. The mill was established in the 1960s and generated millions of dollars for decades until it shut down last year. Since then, the site has been vacant, but officials hope to make it a vibrant place for the community.

Officials said the anonymous buyers want to improve the lives of residents and bring more opportunities to people in the Waterfront District. Georgetown Mayor Carol Jayroe told News 2 that it could be a significant economic hub for the community, especially after losing several big employers in recent years.

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Retail, restaurants, housing, and light industry. Theres a whole plethora of things that will bring jobs to our city. We are in dire need of employment after losing Liberty Steel and then losing the International Paper Company, so its a breath of fresh air for the city receiving news like this, said Carol Jayroe, the city mayor of Georgetown.

There is no word on when the buyer or officials will have another discussion on the future of this site, but leaders say plans are in the works, and they will release more information in the coming months.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCBD News 2.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) A major drug interdiction operation has resulted in the seizure of 45,000 pounds of cocaine and 50 pounds of marijuana from smuggling vessels in the waters off Mexico, Central and South America.

The U.S. Coast Guard led the operation with tactical air crews and federal partners.

Their core mission is simple, but its incredibly crucial. Its to secure our territorial waters, Department of Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem said.

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The U.S. stopped more than 14 different smuggling vessels. Noem says the bust prevented nearly half a billion dollars worth of drugs from reaching American streets.

Fewer families are going to be torn apart by addiction, that fewer lives are going to be lost to overdoses, Noem said.

Homeland Security officials say this is just one of many ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking at sea, with Coast Guard teams leading the way.

They are the premier law enforcement maritime agency in the world, Noem said.

Coast Guard leaders say operations like these send a clear message to smugglers.

Our message to these cartels is this, we own the sea, not you, Acting Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Adm. Kevin Lunday said.

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The Department of Homeland Security says these drugs will be destroyed, ensuring they dont harm Americans.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A routine at the Wichita City Council took an unexpected turn Tuesday night when the mayor did not read or sign a proclamation that the council had already approved.

The proclamation declares March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility in Wichita. It states, among other things, that the city values every resident and strives to create an environment where everyone, regardless of gender identity, can thrive, live authentically and feel a sense of belonging.

It also encourages citizens to celebrate the contributions of transgender residents and advocate for inclusion.

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Mayor Lily Wu said she did not vote in favor of the proclamation, but Council members Mike Hoheisel, Becky Tuttle, Brandon Johnson and Maggie Ballard did.

I respect the will of this council and my four colleagues who voted in favor of the first proclamation, Wu said. Since this is a first for the City of Wichita, and I know each of you is passionate about this, I am going to yield the floor to any of you who would like to have the honor of reading the first proclamation.

Open practices being held for NCAA Tournament in Wichita

It took several council members by surprise since the mayor typically reads proclamations.

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Not really sure whats going on here, but  it would be my honor because I represent everyone, Ballard said. Mayor, you ran on All for Wichita, and its disappointing youre not showing unity today.

After Ballard read the proclamation, she noted that it had not been signed, so she signed it.

Reaction

Some people on social media raised concerns that the mayor broke city law by not signing the proclamation.

KSN News checked the Wichita municipal codes proclamation policy. Section 2.04.190  Order of council business at regular meetings states, The presiding officer will present the scheduled awards and proclamations.

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Section 2.04.030  Duties of officers states, The mayor  shall sign all resolutions, proclamations, minutes

Council member Johnson said that when people want a proclamation for a particular group or cause, they submit it, and the secretary emails it to each council member. Council members read it and reply to the secretary that they either approve it or dont.

If enough council members approve a proclamation, it appears on a future city council agenda. Thats what happened with the transgender proclamation, but then something different happened.

I saw it got approved by council because it was on our agenda, and I didnt hear too much until Tuesday, Johnson said. I heard there was a question of whether or not it would be read. I didnt understand why, but I didnt believe that because, normally, proclamations are read at the council meeting, and then we saw what happened.

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I-70 closed between Salina and Colorado due to blizzard

He said the proclamations are printed with the mayors name on them.

I didnt know it wasnt signed until it was said at the meeting, which was a surprise because, again, its printed with the mayors name on it, Johnson said.

KSN asked the city if the proclamation was printed with the mayors name on it. We have not heard back. It is difficult to tell from a photo of the transgender proclamation. However, a comparison with a proclamation that the mayor did sign shows a difference on the right side of the seal.

It continues to highlight why people are talking about it, Johnson said. The mayor tends to have a name on it, to sign it, and to read it, and that didnt happen last night.

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He would not say if he considers the mayors actions a violation. He said that is what the City of Wichita Ethics Board would decide if someone files a complaint.

Mayors response

Mayor Wu took to social media on Wednesday morning to explain her decision.

I respect and value all Wichitans. Your gender identity and religious choice are none of my business. This was the first time in Wichitas history to proclaim Transgender Day of Visibility, which was introduced in 2009. I offered the honor of reading this proclamation to one of the 4 council members who voted for it (Tuttle, Johnson, Ballard, and Hoheisel) and I appreciate Council Member Ballard reading it. If a proclamation came in wishing the exact opposite of this one, I wouldnt vote for or read it either. Im not here to virtue signal and I dont stand for hate, of any kind. Wichita Mayor Lily Wu

Transgender response

During the council meeting, Ballard invited a member of the transgender community to the podium to accept the proclamation.

Abi Boatman, a transgender woman who is a veteran and a small business owner, accepted the invitation and spoke to the audience.

Even as we celebrate, we find ourselves under attack, she said. There are elected officials in both Topeka and Washington who have dedicated themselves to destroying transgender identity and removing it from the public square  They would have you believe that trans existence is both a fantasy and a crime, and while some of them, many of them, do it with malice in their hearts, many others do it out of fear of the different or of the unfamiliar.

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She likened recent political decisions to ban or delete transgender references and information to the Nazis burning books about transgender people.

There are no book-fueled bonfires burning in Old Town Square tonight, and there isnt yet a pink triangle on your gay sons gold star ID, but there are those in this room and on this bench who would rather forget that we have been there and we can be again, Boatman said.

To those who would stand in opposition or even turn a blind eye in hopes of trans people just going away, time will tell your story, she said. A world without transgender people has never existed, and it never will. And erasing us from government websites and educational curriculum and professional institutions does not mean that we are not here. It simply means that you are afraid.

When Boatman finished speaking, a couple dozen supporters gave her a standing ovation.

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The City of Wichita posted a picture of Boatman with the council members who supported the proclamation.

Wichita Council members Brandon Johnson, Becky Tuttle, Mike Hoheisel, and Maggie Ballard pose with Abi Boatman on March 18, 2025. (Courtesy City of Wichita)

As of 1 p.m. on Wednesday, the citys Facebook post had received more than 900 comments. Some support the transgender community, and some oppose the proclamation.

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PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  A diesel fuel tanker overturned in Glenarden Wednesday night.

(Courtesy: Prince Georges County Fire and EMS Department)

Just before 9 p.m., the Prince Georges County Fire and EMS Department (PGFD) said its Hazmat crews are working with the Maryland Department of the Environment on Martin Luther King Jr. Highway after a diesel fuel tanker toppled over.

Frederick County conducts child care survey to address accessibility, quality concerns

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According to PGFD, the product is contained but there will be significant delays in the area for drivers.

Everyone is asked to be on alert as emergency units continue to work at the scene.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
The last time the Texas Legislature tried to pass a school voucher program, nothing seemed to go right for Gov. Greg Abbott and his pro-voucher allies.

After months of political threats and last-ditch attempts to salvage Abbotts signature issue, the demise of vouchers in late 2023 underscored a simple truth: lawmakers couldnt engineer anything that would pass the voucher-resistant House while meeting the standards of Abbott and the Senate.

Two years later, the gulf between the chambers is far narrower as the GOP-controlled Legislature takes another stab at providing taxpayer funds for families to send their kids to private schools. To make vouchers a reality this year, House and Senate lawmakers will have to reconcile differences in their respective bills over how much money students would receive, which applicants would take priority and how the program would accommodate students with disabilities.

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Those disparities, though significant, are nowhere near the discord from 2023, voucher supporters and critics agree. Last time, House and Senate negotiators butted heads over formative issues like who would be eligible to participate and what sort of academic accountability standards to impose.

Sen. Brandon Creighton, the upper chambers lead negotiator on vouchers for the second straight session, said it was very encouraging to see the alignment between the first drafts of the voucher plans, known as Senate Bill 2 and House Bill 3.

There are some distinct differences, but that's always the case, Creighton, R-Conroe, said in an interview. I was so concerned about vast differences, like I've seen in the past, that when I saw the House version, I was very pleased.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful Senate leader and a fervent voucher supporter, has also given his stamp of approval to the Houses opening salvo.

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Rep. Brad Buckley, the Salado Republican who is the Houses point person on vouchers, said he had not yet discussed the bill with Patrick but took his comments as a positive first step.

That's always good, because this process does require both chambers to agree, Buckley told The Texas Tribune. I think that we've got everything sort of lined up for us to really get some good policy done, make a historic investment in public schools, and then also pass a very strong school choice program.

A slim majority of the House signed on in support of Buckleys HB 3 last month, the first sign it has enough support to pass. That marked a key milestone for the lower chamber, where past voucher proposals have repeatedly gone to die, thwarted by opposition from Democrats and rural Republicans. Voucher critics say such a program would drain resources from Texas already struggling public schools, which receive state funding based on student attendance. Supporters say vouchers, or school choice programs, would provide alternatives for families who are dissatisfied with their local public schools yet cannot afford to send their kids elsewhere.

Last year, many of the Houses GOP holdouts retired or lost their primaries against Abbott-backed candidates who are now among the majority supporting Buckleys bill.

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The reconfigured math in the House explains much of the alignment between the two chambers voucher bills. Many of the biggest differences in 2023 boiled down to Buckleys attempts to win over skeptical lawmakers  concessions that often proved unpalatable to Abbott, Patrick and Creighton. Among the carrots Buckley offered was limiting eligibility to those with a disability, those who qualify for free or reduced lunch, or those who attend low-rated schools; and imposing stricter accountability measures such as kicking students out of the voucher program if they fail a standardized test two years in a row.

Now unfettered by the need to court so many voucher skeptics, Buckleys latest proposal, HB 3, is more expansive than versions rejected by the House two years ago. Both chambers have proposed opening eligibility to virtually any school-aged child and not requiring private schools to administer the states standardized test  aligning on two of the biggest sticking points from 2023.

They're nearly identical, except for some key areas, said Jaime Puente, director of economic opportunity at the left-leaning think tank Every Texan, contrasting the situation this year to the chasm that we saw in the House last time from what the Senate was proposing.

Still, the voucher bills have several hurdles to clear before reaching Abbotts desk  leaving myriad opportunities for changes that could complicate negotiations or bleed support in the House, where Buckleys bill has only a few votes of breathing room. Creighton acknowledged the potential for many amendments and changes to the Houses current draft.

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While the Senate sprinted out of the gate and in a 19-12 vote passed SB 2 in early February, the House voucher bill has yet to clear Buckleys Public Education Committee, which heard more than 22 hours of testimony on the measure last week. Buckley said Wednesday he is working on an updated draft of HB 3 based on feedback from the hearing, along with a new version of the chambers school funding bill, which House Republicans are moving in tandem with their voucher proposal.

Buckley said he is waiting for updated language from the Texas Legislative Council  the state agency that drafts bills for lawmakers  and expects to advance both education bills in probably a week or two. As for the pending changes to HB 3, Buckley said, a lot of it's technical, quite frankly.

I think we will, hopefully, have something that the Senate will feel like is close to what they would like, Buckley said. That'll be their call, but hopefully well be close.

At the core of each voucher bill is the creation of education savings accounts, a type of school voucher program that families could use for private school tuition and other educational expenses, like textbooks, transportation and therapy. The House and Senate have each proposed putting $1 billion toward the program over the next two years, and both would allow state leaders to add money to the program between sessions by pulling from other agencies. Neither bill would require participating private schools to accept students who do not meet their standards, nor would they have to follow federal and state laws designed to ensure students with disabilities receive proper evaluations and learning accommodations.

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Unlike the Senate voucher bill, House Bill 3 includes a provision that would put more pressure on public schools to conduct evaluations used to decide whether a student needs special education services. Federal law already requires public schools to perform those evaluations for private school students in certain cases, but HB 3 would require them to do so within 45 days.

The House bill also appears to give voucher applicants priority access to the special education evaluations, putting them ahead of students who already were waiting in line to get the same kind of assessment, Puente said.

That burden is placed on the school to do the assessment, but also, theres no funding provided from the state to cover the cost, Puente said. He noted that under the House voucher proposal, students with disabilities could receive up to $30,000 per year  an incentive for parents to request the special education evaluations from their local school district, Puente argued.

In a separate school funding bill, House lawmakers have proposed reimbursing schools $1,000 for every initial special education evaluation they conduct, while a Senate measure would provide $500.

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The Senates voucher plan would provide $11,500 for students with disabilities, diverging from the $30,000 cap in the House proposal. Creighton said he was open to the Houses differing approach to special education, calling it very much worth the merit and consideration. I wouldn't say one's better than the other.

The chambers also have different ideas for how much to provide students without disabilities. With the Senate plan, those participants would get a flat $10,000 each year.

Under HB 3, students would receive an amount equal to 85% of what public schools get for each student through state and local funding. That comes out to roughly $10,893 a year  similar to the Senate amount, though the total would fluctuate based on future changes to state education spending. (The overall budget of the voucher program  which would start at $1 billion and is projected to grow  would be unaffected.)

Another key difference is how each chamber would prioritize applicants if demand for the voucher program exceeds funding.

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The Senate bill would reserve 80% of spots for public school students with disabilities or those from families the bill defines as low-income  households with an annual income up to 500% of the federal poverty level. That threshold means the Senate bill would equally prioritize, for instance, a family of four earning roughly $40,560 per year and a family of four with an income of about $156,000, according to census data.

The remaining 20% of spots under the Senate plan would be available to anyone.

The House bill, meanwhile, proposes a more detailed ranking system. If more students apply than the number of spots available, applicants would be prioritized in the following order:

Students with disabilities from families with a yearly income at or below 500% of the federal poverty level, which includes any four-person household earning less than roughly $156,000, according to 2024 statistics

Families at or below 200% of the poverty level, which includes any four-person household earning less than roughly $62,400

Families between 200% and 500% of the poverty level

Families at or above 500% of the poverty level

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The House has a little bit more stratification and has a little bit more preference for students who might need it, per se, said Puente, who nonetheless testified against HB 3 last week, arguing that it would transfer the tax dollars of hardworking Texans to wealthy private school parents.

Creighton defended his bills higher income threshold, maintaining that it still would ensure most benefits go to low-income families and students with disabilities. He contended that all families deserve the chance to access education savings accounts, and said he is focused on helping kids that are trapped in a certain zip code and having to attend a certain public school without other opportunities.

Renzo Downey contributed to this report.

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.

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A Georgia teachers organization had a four-word response to President Donald Trumps efforts to dismantle the Department of Education: See you in court.

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The president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers said the state stands to lose billions of dollars in federal funding if the agency is eliminated.

Were gonna be hit financially very hard, said Verdaillia Turner, a retired teacher. Our schools will begin to lose services and our children will lose services.

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The U.S. Department of Education was established in 1979 and oversees the funding of a host of programs. Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars go to Georgias Title I schools; those are schools with high percentages of children in low-income families. It also funds school lunch programs and services for students with disabilities. Turner said losing the agency would deprive states and school systems of much-needed funds.

Especially our rural school districts and our smaller school districts who dont have the tax base that some of the larger districts will have, she said.

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But Josh McKoon, chairman of Georgias Republican Party, said dismantling the agency will make things easier for school districts.

Well, honestly, I dont think we would notice much of a difference other than local school districts not having to jump through as many hoops to participate in various federal programs, he said.

Federal funding would still get to the schools, he said, likely in the form of block grants. Those grants would allow the states and school systems to decide for themselves how the money is spent.

Weve got a lot of highly paid federal bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., that are there basically to navigate all this red tape around these programs, he said.

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Decisions on how to spend federal funds should be left up to the states and local districts, McKoon said.

I believe those people are in a better position to make the decisions, and if they make the wrong decisions, theyre more likely to be held accountable than faceless bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., he said.

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Channel 2s Bryan Mims reached out to the Georgia Department of Education for a response to the elimination of the federal agency. Meghan Frick, a spokesperson, wrote in an email that the information available to our agency has not changed at this time. Education funding  including the Title I and IDEA  is allocated by Congress. We have received no indication at this time that the allocations will change.

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Fulton County Schools spokesperson Brian Noyes also sent a written statement, saying district officials are closely monitoring the situation. While its too early to determine what, if any, changes this may bring to the local level, our focus remains ensuring that students in Fulton County Schools receive a high-quality education.




Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the ranking member on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, says President Trumps plan to dismantle the Department of Education would put students at risk across the country.

In a statement, Scott highlighted Trumps plan to sign an executive order Thursday that would seek to disband the Education Department and return its authority to individual states.

Scott argued there are many legal ramifications to doing so, and the action will be challenged in court.

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Legality aside, dismantling [the Education Department] will exacerbate existing disparities, reduce accountability, and put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, rural students and English as a Second Language (ESL) students at risk, Scotts statement said.

Trumps executive order rolling up the department, a long-held goal of his, was first announced weeks ago but then delayed without a thorough explanation. The president is now expected to sign it Thursday in the East Room of the White House.

The move comes after the federal agency eliminated about half its workforce, with Education Secretary Linda McMahon telling staffers to prepare for their final mission.

Scott said he believes the order is seeking to distract from the GOP agenda, accusing Republicans of not working to address the real problems facing students and families.

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He argued that Trumps order has little regard for the irreparable harm that it will cause students, educators and the countrys future workforce.

This move will force more dedicated civil servants with invaluable institutional knowledge out of the federal government, he said. And they will be replaced with political appointees who answer only to President Trump, a man who has declared himself king, and an unelected billionaire, Elon Musk.

Scott argued that through the order and dismantling of the department, Trump is implementing his own education philosophy, which can be summed up in his own words, I love the poorly educated.

While Trumps plan of closing the department altogether is impossible without the help of Congress, he can significantly weaken or shrink it, potentially trying to move its congressionally mandated functions to other parts of the federal government.

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By Valerie Volcovici

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. liquefied natural gas exporters, seeking to meet standards of overseas import markets, plan to continue to monitor and curb their methane emissions despite President Donald Trump's plans to roll back climate regulations, two trade groups told Reuters.

The Environmental Protection Agency last week announced the "most consequential day of deregulation" in U.S. history, unveiling 31 deregulatory actions to reverse former President Joe Biden's climate-focused agenda.

Among the moves was a rollback of a requirement for companies to report their annual emissions of the powerful greenhouse gas methane, as well as a decision to review the endangerment finding, the legal foundation for all U.S. climate regulation that identifies greenhouse gases as pollutants.

For companies seeking to export U.S. natural gas to customers in the European Union and Asia, the rollbacks are unlikely to have an effect on operations, according to Fred Hutchison, president of industry group LNG Allies, whose members include LNG exporters and project developers and natural gas producers.

Some smaller oil and gas producers have been opposed to stringent standards for methane emissions.

"Whatever changes are made to how the United States regulates methane, including the endangerment finding, the EU methane regulation remains unchanged," Hutchison said, referring to European import standards.

"Our members have invested tens of millions of dollars reducing their emissions all before any U.S. regulations were in place. They are committed to continuing to drive down their emissions," said Chris Treanor, representing LNG coalition PAGE (Partnership to Address Global Emissions), whose members include gas producer EQT and pipeline company Williams.

EQT told Reuters it plans to continue its efforts and advocacy for slashing methane emissions from its operations and to continue meeting goals of the Oil and Gas Decarbinization Charter launched at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, at which oil companies pledged to aim to zero out methane emissions by the end of the decade.

"EQT is committed to staying the course on the work we are doing to address methane emissions," said Amy Rogers, a spokesperson for the firm.

Cheniere, the largest US LNG exporter, declined to comment.

Hutchison of LNG Allies said he is traveling to Brussels next week to discuss compliance with EU rules.

Starting this year, the EU methane rules oblige importers of oil, gas and coal to report the methane emissions associated with those imports. Japan and South Korea are also seeking methane emission data for some of their gas imports.
A scuba diver has died in a labyrinth of underwater caves in Florida.

The individual, who has not yet been identified, was found in the Twin Caves in Meritts Mill Pond in northwestern Florida.

A rescue mission was launched on Tuesday after a trio of divers failed to return to the surface on time.

Rescuers managed to save two divers, but a third individual died in the incident.

Mehdi Zinetti, a caving instructor, reportedly found the victims body while trying to assist in the rescue.

Mehdi Zinetti assisted at the scene

The individual was brought to the surface and bystanders attempted to resuscitate them, but with no success.

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A coroner is working to determine the cause of death.

According to diving website Cave Adventures, the Twin Caves are difficult to navigate and if you get nervous in small places, this isnt the passage for you.

The labyrinth of caves in Twin Caves in Meritts Mill Pond

The Jackson County sheriffs office said in a statement: A rescue operation was initiated. As a result, two divers made it out of the caves safely.

Sadly the operation led to the recovery of a third diver that was deceased.

It went on to thank Mr Zinetti and local authorities who responded to the scene.

Several deaths at Merritts Mill Pond have been reported over the years.

Clyde Douglas Rorex, 68, died in July 2020 after getting trapped in the Hole in The Wall cave.

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Mr Sorenson, who helped in the rescue attempt, said the diver had been really close to making it out, probably less than 120 feet from the entrance.

In 2016, a 17-year-old boy drowned at a birthday party while swimming out on the pond with several other children, who unsuccessfully tried to raise him to the surface.

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PROVO, Utah (ABC4)  A cold case from the 1980s was recently solved thanks to DNA testing, confirming that a body found in 1983 was that of a teenager who went missing the year before.

Robby Lynn Peay was 17 years old when he ran away from a Salt Lake City youth treatment center on Oct. 7, 2982. A body was recovered in Arches National Park in Moab, Utah, in February 1983, but was not able to be identified at that time because of how decomposed the body was.

The body was found with a gunshot wound to the head, and appeared to have similar physical characteristics to Peay. Peays dental records were compared to the remains, but were declared similar, but not a match, the Provo Police Department said in a press release.

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NTSB investigation reveals likely cause of deadly Green River Tunnel crash

These remains were never identified, and were buried in an unmarked grave in Moab, under the name of John Doe, the release reads.

Months after the body was found, Peays truck was found abandoned in Lake Powell, about 350 miles away. Family members filed to have Peay declared deceased in 1990 and placed a gravestone in Provo Cemetery.

On March 19, 2025, the Provo Police Department announced that the body had officially been identified as Peay, thanks to DNA testing.

[Robby] Peay had been missing for over 40 years when the breakthrough finally came through dental records and DNA testing, Detective Sergeant Patterson said in a press release. With this crucial evidence, we were able to identify an unknown individual, bringing long-awaited answers to a family that had spent decades in uncertainty.

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Peays death is suspected to be a homicide, and the information on the case has been sent to detectives in Grand County.

How the case was solved

In 2018, Peays information was added to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

After his information was submitted, authorities were notified that Peays dental records were submitted incorrectly. Once the dental records were corrected, results came back saying there was a 90% match to the John Doe found in Moab in 1983.

However, the X-ray images on file were not able to be used for comparison because they were from Peays youth, so authorities needed a DNA sample.

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Upon learning Peay was adopted, detectives sought to unseal court adoption records. A judge unsealed those records in 2022, and detectives learned Peay had no surviving direct biological family members, but authorities were able to obtain a DNA sample from an uncle on Peays mothers side.

Authorities sought to exhume the body of the Grand County John Doe in order to obtain a DNA sample. Around that time, NamUs funded testing of Peays uncles DNA and compared it with a previously obtained sample from the unidentified remains.

When NamUs notified Provo Detectives of the DNA match and forwarded their documentation, it was found that many years prior, Summit County investigators had obtained a DNA sample from Grand Countys John Doe, to compare to a death they were investigating, Provo police said. Summit County Detectives had sent that DNA to NamUs, and it was ultimately forgotten about until the match.

The DNA confirmed that the body found in Moab was Peay, and the findings were certified by the medical examiner. The information from Provos case file was sent to detectives in Grand County, who are in charge of the investigation into the homicide of Peay.

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EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the United States and the second deadliest. However, experts say its highly treatable when detected early.

12 News anchor Shannon Hegy spoke with Dr. Mariam Fayek, the interim division director of womens gastrointestinal health at Women & Infants Hospital, about detecting and preventing this deadly disease.

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Fayek said the most important part of colorectal cancer awareness is getting the word out about screening, which starts at age 45 for most people and is the most effective tool in preventing colorectal cancer.

Watch Shannons full interview with Dr. Mariam Hayek in the player above.

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A surge of infections from a tropical virus is raising alarm among public health officials because it appears to be causing birth defects similar to those associated with Zika virus. Known as Oropouche virus, it can trigger a fever that may cause pregnant people to miscarry or their babies to have birth defects known as microcephaly, or smaller than usual heads.

Disease caused by this virus currently has no treatment or vaccine, although most cases are generally asymptomatic or mild and resolve on their own. Epidemics of Oropouche fever have occurred multiple times in the past, with approximately 380,000 infections between 1961 and 2007. Last year, more than 16,000 cases were reported, including four deaths, with 8,600 cases in Brazil alone, many in places where the virus hadnt been reported before. Over 100 of these cases traveled to the U.S, but there has been no local infections or transmission. All of this indicates that the virus is becoming more prevalent, posing greater risks to the public.

Case numbers have been steadily increasing this year. In areas with previous Oropouche transmission the number of cases have approximately doubled compared to last year and there have been many reports of cases in new areas, Dr. Stephen Vaughan, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Calgary, told Salon by email. Due to the nonspecific presentation and limitations in testing for this virus in most countries, the number of reported cases are an underestimate of the true burden of disease.

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Vaughan co-authored a recent guide published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal warning travelers, especially pregnant people, to take precautions and avoid insect bites that can spread the illness.

Since late 2023, new outbreaks have been reported in Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and Cuba, including among travelers returning to Canada and the United States, the report states. Notably, more Canadians are ditching vacation plans in the U.S. and traveling to South America instead, according to a recent Business Insider report, in response to tariffs imposed by the U.S. government. But Oropouche can be hard to detect, and is easily confused with other diseases.

Malaria, Zika, dengue and chikungunya are also endemic in some regions affected by Oropouche virus, the report notes. Indeed, Oropouche can mimic dengue and chikungunya with similar symptoms of fever, chills, headache and myalgias, which can often cause the infection to be misdiagnosed. It primarily spreads from biting midges such as Culicoides paraensis, but like Zika, it can be transmitted via certain mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes serratus.) Non-human primates like howler monkeys, as well as other mammals like sloths, can also be infected with Oropouche, which is why the disease is sometimes nicknamed sloth fever.

Infection can be prevented by wearing long-sleeved clothing and using mosquito nets, as well as chemical insect repellents such as DEET.

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As this is a recent outbreak, there arent any treatments or vaccines available, and vaccine development pipelines are in their infancy (pre-clinical), Vaughan explained. But arbovirus vaccines meant to target viruses transmitted by arthropods and insects have been recently approved in many countries, he said, including vaccines for dengue and Chikungunya, which are similar but more severe.

Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes.

One of the dengue vaccines has been authorized for use in the U.S., he continued, but only for patients with evidence of previous infection. If Oropouche continues to circulate for a few more years and there is confirmatory evidence of birth defects in pregnant travelers then it is likely a vaccine will be prioritized. That, however, would take years to move through the approval process.

As with other pathogens, from bird flu to malaria, the increase in Oropouche infections can be explained partially by global heating and the ongoing destruction of the environment.

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Climate change has allowed the expansion of mosquito vectors into new areas exposing more humans, Vaughan said. Also, degradation of natural habitats have driven mosquitos into surrounding areas. Ease of travel (airplanes) and the relative lack of symptoms with Oropouche allow infected patients to carry the virus over long distances to new areas without detection, then expose a new population.

To further complicate matters, surveillance of the Oropouche virus is likely imperiled by recent cuts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Trump administrations decision to pull out of the World Health Organization.

Decreased funding and inability to collaborate with international organizations will lead to increased threats from emerging pathogens, including Ebola, mpox and Zika virus, Vaughan said. Without properly supported surveillance networks, infections (including Oropouche) will continue to enter and circulate in the population prior to being recognized with the possibly of severe consequences. He said he hoped the CDC would continue to be the most important organization to identify, monitor and advise the public of ongoing and emerging) outbreaks. It is better to know which infections are going to cause the next outbreak (through surveillance) to act quickly allowing health authorities to make educated decisions.

One significant outstanding question about Oropouche is whether it can spread via semen, which would effectively make it a sexually transmittable disease. Zika virus can be spread this way, though the viruses are entirely different species. A 42-year-old Italian man who visited Cuba in July 2024 contracted Oropouche fever, with tests revealing he was shedding the virus in his semen, though its not yet clear if that means infection can spread from person to person this way. Our findings raise concerns over the potential for person-to-person transmission of [Oropouche virus] via sexual encounters and may have implications for sperm banking and assisted reproductive technologies, a report in Emerging Infectious Diseases states, adding that more research is needed.

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In the meantime, there have yet to be any reports of Oropouche infections in the U.S. or Canada and its still not entirely clear how damaging the virus can be to the health of babies.

Currently, the number of cases in the U.S. remains low, Vaughan said. However, the possibility of infection is greater with travel to the Caribbean and South America. The possible association with birth defects is still under investigation. I would recommend that pregnant travelers discuss their travel itinerary with a travel health professional to determine their individualized risk.
Michael Bennet stopped short of calling for Chuck Schumer to step aside as Senate Democrats' leader  though he pointedly compared the situation to the partys internal strife over then-President Joe Biden serving as the partys nominee last summer.

On the leadership question, its always better to examine whether folks are in the right place, and were certainly going to have that conversation, the Coloradoan said in a town hall in Golden, Colorado, Wednesday evening.

Bennet sidestepped a question about whether he would call for Schumer to step down, referencing the end of Bidens disastrous 2024 election bid where the president ultimately stepped aside after growing agitation from other elected Democrats.

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In dodging your question, let me just say: Its important for people to know when its time to go, and I think in the case of Joe Biden, and were going to have conversations Im sure in the foreseeable future, about all the Democratic leadership, he said.

Bennets statement comes almost a week after Schumer backed a GOP funding bill that most of his caucus voted against.

Bennet  a one-time 2020 presidential candidate  was one of the earliest Senate Democrats to publicly grapple with Bidens position at the top of the ticket in 2024. He has publicly expressed interest in a potential run for Colorado governor next year.

Schumer has since faced intense scrutiny from his party  and particularly members of the House  but has repeatedly contended the move was necessary to stave off a government shutdown that he believes would have allowed President Donald Trump and Elon Musk to accelerate their crusade to hollow out federal agencies.

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That, he has said, could also shunt critical public services like food benefits or mass transit funding.

Im a smart politician, I can read what people want, Schumer told MSNBCs Chris Hayes on Tuesday night. But Republicans, he continued, put forward a terrible, terrible, bill, and a shutdown would have been so much worse.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said at a town hall earlier this week that Schumer was wrong, WBUR reported, but otherwise did not address if he should remain leader.

Much of this resentment is concentrated among House Democrats, who were largely united in voting against the GOP bill. Senate Democrats have largely held their tongues.

Earlier this week, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  a longtime partner of Schumers  added to the fire, saying, I myself dont give away anything for nothing.  I think thats what happened the other day.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  The U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights has opened investigations into antisemitism complaints on college campuses across the country, including Yale University on Thursday, according to a release from The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law.

The investigations stem from complaints filed by The Brandeis Center, alongside the Anti-Defamation League, National Jewish Advocacy Center and Jewish on Campus.

2024: Police make 48 arrests after Yale students camp outside for pro-Palestinian protest

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The complaint, filed by the Brandeis Center and ADL alleges that Jewish and Israeli Yale students have been the target of harassment in the classroom and across campus.

The complaint alleges that Anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment of Jewish and Israeli students on the basis of their national origin and shared ancestry have flourished on Yales campus in the wake of Oct. 7, 2023.

The Brandeis centers complaint also highlighted alleged instances of anti-semitism on Yales campus.

The investigation comes as President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Education to be shut down on Thursday.

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Yale University responded with the following statement:

Yale condemns antisemitism. It has no place in our community. We strive to ensure our Jewish community, along with all communities at Yale, are treated with dignity, respect, and compassion, and we aim to create a safe, supportive learning environment for every student on our campus. We have a track record of taking antisemitism seriously and will cooperate fully with this investigation of a complaint we understand was filed with OCR in April 2024. The university has taken a number of steps since then to address concerns of antisemitism

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(NewsNation)  A judge has issued a new deadline for the Department of Justice in a case about deportation flights to El Salvador last weekend.

The judge ordered a sworn declaration regarding the invocation of the state secrets privilege by 10:00 a.m. EDT Friday and a deadline of March 25, 2025, for a declaration on whether the government is invoking the privilege along with a brief showing why they did not violate the courts temporary restraining order.

That order comes after President Donald Trumps Department of Justice passed a deadline to provide details about deportation flights that carried alleged gang members to El Salvador last weekend without filing.

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District Judge James E. Boasberg, who ordered the flights to be halted, has requested information from the DOJ for three consecutive days in hopes of determining whether the administration deliberately flouted his orders.

The DOJ has twice maintained it is not required to share flight details with the judge, and the deadline to provide information has shifted each day.

White House condemns website publishing Tesla owner data

Some of the 250 alleged Tren de Aragua and MS-13 gang members on those planes were removed under the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th-century wartime law granting the government additional powers against noncitizens during wartime.

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Boasberg ordered a pause on the deportations and verbally said planes in the air should be turned around, but the White House claims the planes were over international waters at the time of the directives.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the standoff partisan but clarified the administration will continue to comply with these court orders, we will continue to fight these battles in court.

The DOJ could potentially invoke the state-secrets privilege Thursday to block the judge from receiving details about those flights.

White House reacts to Judge Boasbergs orders

Amid the back-and-forth, Trump has called for Boasbergs impeachment. He called the judge crooked for attempting to block deportation efforts. The DOJ has also asked a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., to remove Boasberg from the case.

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Trumps actions prompted a rare response from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, Roberts said.

Border czar: Well obey court while deporting dangerous migrants

Border czar Tom Homan on CUOMO Wednesday said agents under his direction would indeed continue deportation flights and making arrests. But he said theyll do so under other means  such as Title 8 under immigration law or another way  as parties fight in court over the Alien Enemies Act.

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Well let DOJ and the courts fight this out, and well see where we go from there, Homan said. Were going to keep targeting the worst of the worst.

It was a departure from his comments on Fox & Friends earlier this week when he said: Theyre not gonna stop us. We made a promise to the American people. President Trump has made a promise to the American people. I dont care what the judges think. I dont care what the Left thinks. Were coming.

Homan clarified he was told every one of the Venezuelan deportees has been verified as a member of the Tren de Aragua gang.

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The Justice Department is in the midst of an urgent and chaotic effort to review sensitive materials from the FBI investigation into the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein, with Attorney General Pam Bondi pushing the FBI and her own department to release more files from the case amid continued pressure from President Donald Trump's supporters, multiple sources told ABC News.

As many as a thousand FBI agents, many of whom are usually focusing on national security matters, have been enlisted to help with the effort, sources said.

The push comes two weeks after Bondi handed out binders with Epstein case files to pro-Trump social media influencers at the White House -- files that ultimately contained little new information. The move caught White House officials off guard and outraged some supporters of the president, who had been promised that more details would be made public. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded that "everyone is working together as one unified team at the direction of President Trump."

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MORE: AG Bondi faces heat from White House, Trump allies over Epstein files release

In tense private exchanges earlier this week, Bondi pressed FBI Director Kash Patel to do more to release still-secret information from the case involving one of the most infamous sex-trafficking criminals in modern history, sources said.

Justice Department officials have made it clear to others throughout the Trump administration that it is now a top priority of the attorney general to sort through the materials related to Epstein and decide what can be publicly disclosed in the days ahead, sources said, and FBI agents have been told to expect to work on this into the early morning hours.

Sources tell ABC News that the Justice Department's national security division is devoting many of their resources to the effort, despite some top law enforcement officials believing that the information Bondi is demanding be reviewed contains no new revelations.

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The all-hands-on-deck effort to expedite the release of additional material has led to a growing rift between officials at the FBI and DOJ, sources said, as both have faced online backlash from vocal MAGA over the Trump administration's handling of the files.

PHOTO: People walk out of the West Wing and show 'The Epstein Files: Phase 1' binders, at the White House in Washington, D.C., February 27, 2025. (Brian Snyder/Reuters)

In a statement, a DOJ spokesperson told ABC News, "Under Attorney General Bondi's leadership, the Department of Justice is working relentlessly to deliver unprecedented transparency for the American people."

The White House referred ABC News to the DOJ's response.

"Director Patel is committed to full transparency and justice, swiftly delivering documents to the DOJ," FBI spokesperson Ben Williamson told ABC News in a statement. "He has complete faith in Attorney General Pam Bondi's leadership and dedication to holding the powerful accountable."

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Among the material under consideration for release is previously undisclosed video evidence from the sex-trafficking investigation into Epstein, sources said, adding that the DOJ has not yet made a final decision on that matter.

Authorities may also be reviewing materials detailed in a document released earlier this month that the Justice Department is calling "Evidence List," a three-page catalog of material apparently obtained through searches of Epstein's properties in New York, Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Among the items investigators obtained, according to the document, is "one CD labelled 'girl pics nude book 4' and a folder titled "LSJ logbook," which appears to be a reference to Epstein's private island Little St. James.

MORE: DOJ releases 'first phase' of Epstein files, including an evidence list

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The document also lists dozens of recording devices, computers, hard drives and memory sticks, along with various sexual paraphernalia.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while facing federal child sex trafficking charges. The well-connected financier, who owned a private island estate in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has long been rumored to have kept a "client list" of celebrities and politicians, which right-wing influencers have baselessly accused authorities of hiding. Multiple sources familiar with both civil and criminal cases against Epstein say no such list has been discovered.

In an interview last week, Bondi was asked about the increasing pressure from Trump's base to release more files, and confirmed that the department was working to make them public.

"The MAGA group is mad that we don't know more about the Epstein files ... are you going to give us any more information?" Fox News' Maria Bartiromo asked the attorney general.

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Bondi responded that FBI Director Kash Patel was working on providing the DOJ with a timeline for the next document release.

MORE: 5 years after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest, push for accountability continues

"We will get out as much as we can, as fast as we can to the American people," she said.

ABC News previously reported that Bondi faced backlash from the White House and Trump allies over her handling of the initial Epstein file release earlier this month.

During a White House event with pro-Trump social media influencers, Bondi distributed binders labeled "Epstein Files: Phase 1," catching senior White House officials off guard. The materials contained mostly previously public records, sparking outrage from some of Trump's supporters, including far-right activist Laura Loomer, who slammed the release as "unprofessional" and untrustworthy.

ABC News' James Hill contributed to this report.

DOJ pushes FBI to review, release more Epstein files amid mounting pressure from Trump supporters: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Wednesday removed what it called outdated and unnecessary red tape for businesses to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The department withdrew 11 pieces of compliance guidance in what it called an effort to streamline review processes and reduce costs for consumers.

The ADA is a civil rights law that prevents discrimination against individuals with impairments in areas of public life.

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The first five repealed pieces of guidance reference COVID-19 conditions including mask exemption policies, access to resources that help disabled employees explain their rights, and regulations for a medical or family aide in hospital settings, in addition to rules for street eateries to remain ADA compliant.

The six other pieces related to accessible features in retail establishments and lodging facilities, customer service protocols at hotels, input from customers with disabilities, reaching out to customers with disabilities and assistance at self-service gas stations.

Officials said the decision to withdraw guidance was made in response to President Trumps January memorandum seeking to reduce the cost of living. That text does not specifically mention the ADA or related functions.

DOJs Wednesday announcement outlined tax incentives to help businesses pay for expenses generated from accessibility components.

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The Justice Department is committed to ensuring that businesses and members of the public can easily understand their rights and obligations, including the tax incentives that are available to help businesses comply with the ADA, said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division in a statement.

Putting money back into the pockets of business owners helps everyone by allowing those businesses to pass on cost savings to consumers and bolster the economy.

Maria Town, president and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities, said the guidance was still badly needed.

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act is close to 35 years old, disabled people frequently experience barriers in retail, lodging, and hospitals. Individuals, employers and other entities still need this guidance and still benefit from it, she said in a statement, according to USA Today.

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Despite its shortcomings, the Americans with Disabilities Act has made a tremendous difference for many Americans.

North Wales, Pa., Mayor Neil McDevitt, who is deaf, recalled during a White House event last year how the Americans with Disabilities Act made millions of Americans first-class citizens in our communities overnight.

He condemned the Trump administrations guidance removal in a statement on Thursday.

Sadly, the Trump administration continues this illogical thread that somehow, people with disabilities are at the root of the problems they have created, McDevitt said in a statement to The Hill.

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The reality is that Project 2025 and the Trump Administration are acting decisively to remove every element of enforcement from all civil rights statutes, including the ADA, without actually asking Congress to repeal the laws, he added.

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Wall Street banks are starting to cut what could be thousands of workers as new economic uncertainties mount.

In recent weeks, Morgan Stanley (MS), Goldman Sachs (GS), and Bank of America (BAC) all began workforce reductions that affect various parts of their operations.

The layoffs come at a time of the year when it is common for Wall Street to cull some underperformers and trim staff as part of annual reviews.

The cuts also come at a time when hopes for an IPO bonanza and dealmaking boom in the first year of the new Trump era are being put to the test due to uncertainties surrounding the Trump administrations trade policies.

Morgan Stanley is planning to cut around 2,000 workers by the end of the first quarter, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The reductions will affect front-office and back-office employees across all units. They wont include Morgan Stanleys army of 15,000 financial advisers, but the layoffs will affect some people working for the advisers in support functions.

The person familiar with the moves said they are part of the banks ongoing process of assessing its resource needs based on its business priorities, location strategy, and employee performance globally.

A view of the exterior of Morgan Stanley headquarters in Times Square in New York City. (Michael Lawrence/Getty Images for Morgan Stanley)  Getty Images via Getty Images

"It's really about operational efficiency," the person said, adding that "it doesn't relate to market conditions."

Goldman Sachs is planning cuts amounting to 3% to 5% of its workforce. Its headcount at the end of 2024 was 46,500.

The reductions are part of its annual trimming of underperformers.

"Like other banks, this is part of our normal, annual talent management process," a Goldman Sachs spokesperson told Yahoo Finance, declining to discuss specifics.

The Wall Street Journal reported the culling will focus on vice presidents and that CEO David Solomon has told senior executives that in recent years the bank hired too many vice presidents relative to overall hiring.

At Bank of America, the company cut 150 junior investment bankers, the Wall Street Journal first reported on Monday.

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. (Reuters/Mark Stockwell)  REUTERS / Reuters

The move comes weeks after a larger reduction as part of BofAs annual review process, first reported by Reuters.

That reduction amounted to cutting 1% of staff across Bank of Americas global banking and markets divisions and included managing directors, directors, and vice presidents, according to a person familiar with the matter.

More cuts this year are also possible at Citigroup (C) since that bank is a little more than halfway through a two-year reduction plan that is part of a sweeping restructuring effort under CEO Jane Fraser.
ALABAMA (WHNT)  The U.S. Department of Justice and voting rights groups have dropped a lawsuit filed against Alabama and Secretary of State Wes Allen last election season.

The lawsuit was aimed at halting a program started by Allen to remove thousands of so-called non-citizens from Alabamas voter rolls. A DOJ report later found that many of the people identified by the secretary of states program were in fact native-born or naturalized citizens, who were legally registered to vote.

NASA to continue analyzing data after completion of Fireflys first moon mission

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In a press release addressing the dropped lawsuit, the DOJ said it is now allowing the state of Alabama the space to create a legal and efficient program to remove non-citizens from its voter rolls. The lawsuit was filed in 2024 by the Biden Administration. Allen said both he and the Trump Administration are taking a strong stance against non-citizen voting.

Youve got to have clean and accurate voter files, said Allen. President Trumps DOJ decided to dismiss the case and, you know, its a win for the Constitution. Its a win for the rule of law, and its a win for election integrity.

In August, Allen attempted to remove 3,251 people he said were not citizens from Alabamas voter rolls, 84 days before the 2024 election. The move violated federal election law. The Voting Rights Act says states can not remove registered voters from their rolls within 90 days of an election.

The DOJ said it found the Secretary of States office had used outdated data to check the citizenship status of voters. In October, a district court judge ordered Allen to contact voters wrongly identified and tell them they could vote.

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Now that the DOJs lawsuit has been dropped, Allen said his office will work to identify non-citizens and remove them from Alabamas voter rolls.

Our team is constantly working on voter file maintenance, Allen said. Its just like daily hygiene. Take showers, wash your hair, brush your teeth, its just like that with voter file maintenance.

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Are aliens real? We dont know for sure, but we want to believe. Outer space is a vast expanse that we have so much more to learn about, which is why its hard to flat-out deny the possibility that other intelligent lifeforms exist.

If life can existand persistin seclusion, and in some of the harshest conditions on Earth (just look at tardigrades), its likely that other interplanetary lifeforms have evolved and acclimated to conditions in space, too. As the renowned science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke once said, Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.

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Several discoveries and theories from some of the greatest minds in science point to the likelihood that theres something beyond us in the universe, so theres a pretty decent chance we have neighbors somewhere in the ether. Its time to consider the evidencehere are seven solid reasons for believing aliens are among us.





USS Nimitz 2004 Event

On November 14, 2004, a training mission near San Diego became one that Commander David Fravor will never forgetand remains one he still cant explain.

Fravor recalls seeing a Tic Tac-shaped object that moved much faster than the capability of any known weaponry that currently exists. Were flying brand new Super Hornets. It was an air defense exercisetwo good guys against two bad guys, Fravor said in a History Channel video interview. Everything seemed normal until the USS Princeton called upon Fravor and company for a real-world task.

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Changing course, it wasnt long before Fravor and the other pilots saw something strange: what appeared to be a sunken plane or submerging submarine moving erratically right under the waters surface.

Its white, it has no wings, it has no rotors, I go holy, what is that? Fravor said. The UFO had no windows, and its reported that infrared monitors failed to pick up on any exhaust fumes.

Fravor says it wasnt long before his curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to get a closer look. As Fravor began descending toward the water, the craft surfaced, rapidly ascended, and began mirroring Fravors flight pattern. Then, in an instant, it zipped past the nose of Fravors jet and disappeared.



When Fravor and the other pilots got back to the USS Nimitz, they shared their experiences with the rest of the crew. Shortly afterward, another pilot took off in search of the UFOand succeeded. This pilot managed to get a lock on the Tic Tac, which happens to be the footage seen here.

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The Navy has officially released the footage (after it had originally been leaked), but says the public was never supposed to see it in the first place.

See the original post on Youtube





WWII Foo Fighters

In November 1944, several members of the U.S. Air Force saw what would come to be known as Foo Fighters, a name borrowed from the Smokey Stover comic strip. The Foo Fighters were described as a type of mysterious aircraft that glowed red and could zip and turn through the skies with incredible ease.

Lt. Fred Ringwald, who happened to be a passenger in a night fighter that was flying over the Rhine Valley, was the first to see the lights. Airmen reported seeing between eight and ten of the aircraft lined up in a row. Concerned that they might be enemy aircraft, the group checked with the ground radar team, who hadnt registered any odd activity. One of the pilots turned his aircraft around in preparation for a fight, only to find the lights had vanished as quickly as they appeared.

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The sightings didnt stop there, though. In mid-December 1944, a different pilot saw what was described as a display of flashing red and green lights that created a T-formation, which also disappeared as quickly as they came. Several more sightings ensued, and although people tried to come up with explanations for themthe airmen were suffering from combat fatigue, the lights were a result of some kind of weird weather phenomena, they came from some new, groundbreaking Nazi technologythey still remain a mystery.

See the original post on Youtube





Oumuamua: Alien Craft or Asteroid?

Avi Loeb, an impressively credentialed scientist who taught at Harvard and chaired the universitys Astronomy Department, has put forth an interesting, but seemingly far-fetched, hypothesis: the asteroid Oumuamua is actually space debris from an alien structure or a defunct alien spacecraft.

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Coming from anyone else, this might seem crazy. But again, Loeb knows a thing or two about the machinations of space. While truthers are soaking up the Oumuamua theory, however, Loebs colleagues are highly disappointed and upset that hes posited what theyre calling an insult [to] honest scientific inquiry.

A March 2021 study by Arizona State University astrophysicists posits that the object is a nitrogen iceberg broken off from a Pluto-like planet in a distant star system. In part, it would explain how reflective the object is. Loeb countered that the chunk would have had to originate on a planet with an unrealistically high density.

So the jurys still out on this mysterious chunk of space debris.

MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY - Getty Images





A Plethora of Exoplanets

On March 21, 2022, NASA confirmed the number of exoplanets is over 5,000, and we can expect that figure to only grow as we improve technology thats able to probe the nether regions of space.

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This means there are thousands of known planets that havent been explored at length and several more awaiting discovery that could be comprised of environments with the ability to sustain life.

Whos to say one (or multiple) exoplanets arent already home to intelligent extraterrestrial beings?

See the original post on Youtube





The Pentagons UFO Interests

In 2007, the Department of Defense (DoD) created a program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) to study space-related phenomena that could not be easily explained, usually involving the appearance of high-speed, unidentified aircraft, per New York Magazines Intelligencer.

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The covert program was headed by military intelligence official Luis Elizondo, who sought to investigate reports of UFO encounters. A decade later, Elizondo quit working at the Pentagon and confirmed AATIPs existence to the New York Times.

ClassicStock - Getty Images





SETI Institute

The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute was founded by Carl Sagan and Jill Tarter, two astronomers who believe theres more to interplanetary life than us.

SETIs mission is to explore, understand, and explain the origin and nature of life in the universe and the evolution of intelligence. The Institute works with NASA and the National Science Foundation as a research contractor to pool resources and explore the possibility of intelligent life on other planets. Aside from optical and radio wave signals, SETI uses a laser detection system to look for signs of alien technology.

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Yep, an entire scientific organization that seeks to find other intelligent life in the universe actually exists.

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Dr. Francis Collins, former director of the National Institutes of Health, at the Stand Up for Science 2025 rally at the Lincoln Memorial on March 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. Credit - Alex WongGetty Images

Dr. Francis Collins led the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), the worlds largest funder of biomedical research, under three presidentsincluding Trump during his first term. He left that post in 2021 and retired from his career in government in March 2025.

Collins shared with TIME why actions taken by the Trump Administration have made him deeply concerned about the future of scientific research in the U.S., and what he hopes new leadership and the public will do to combat it.

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This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

How are you doing?

Its hard to answer that question in a simple way in the midst of everything thats going on now. Here I am as a private citizen trying to figure out what my next calling should be.

Lets start with your decision to step down as director of NIH in 2021.

I had served by then three different presidentsObama, Trump, and Bidenover the course of 12 years, which was a new record for a presidentially appointed NIH director. It always seemed to me that it's good to have leadership refreshed on a regular basis for organizations that have a very complex and important mission [like NIH}. So, it did seem to me that it would be a good thing for me to step away and let the president pick another leader going forward.

I stayed on longer than I probably otherwise would have because of COVID and the desire to have continuity during the worst pandemic in more than a century, with all the things that needed to happen with medical research. But by late 2021, while COVID was far from over, the organization of the response efforts for vaccines and therapeutics and diagnostics were in a stable place, and I thought it would be fair to step away and let a new person arrive.

You recently spoke at a rally in Washington, D.C., organized by Stand Up For Science. Why did you feel it was important to speak there?

I've been increasingly concerned about the polarization of our society, and that goes back even before COVID. But COVID brought it out in a particularly troubling way, where information that might have been lifesaving, such as the use of the vaccines, did not always land with people who had already been influenced by lots of other misinformation, or even disinformation, coming from social media, cable news, and sometimes politicians. So when I stepped down as NIH director, I began the effort to try to put together a book called The Road to Wisdom. It focuses particularly on the topic of truth: that there really is such a thing as objective truth. A society that decides truth is just how you feel about it, and that alternative facts are okay, is heading into a very dangerous place. And it feels like that's sort of where we are.

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Read More: A Pill to Prevent COVID-19 Shows Promise

Now, we see that kind of attitude spilling over into people's response in general to institutions, and certainly to science. It worries me greatly now, seeing how that has played out in the last couple of months, in terms of drastic actions that are being taken against the federal support of science, with cuts in the [research support NIH provides], with firings of thousands of scientists including more than a thousand at NIH without really much consideration of what the consequences would be.

I felt I needed to be part of speaking out about why this is, for the average American, not a good idea. I was particularly compelled by the Stand Up for Science effort since it was organized by students. They had the courage, and also the deep concern about whether their futures are now in jeopardy. They are deeply troubled about whether that opportunity might be slipping away on the basis of all the changes that are being put forward. And some of those students are even wondering if they need to leave this country to go to another place to be able to live out their dreams. That's just an unprecedented kind of circumstance that seemed to require some reaction.

You received a lot of criticism for your role in the governments response to COVID-19, particularly NIH's support of research on the SARS-CoV-2 virus that some maintain contributed to the virus being created in a lab. How do you respond to that?

The idea that NIH's funding of research on bat viruses in China led directly to COVID is simply not supported by the facts. Yes, NIH was interested in whether there might be viruses emerging in Chinese bats, because that's how MERS and SARS got started. But the bat coronaviruses that were studied by NIH contract research were far away from SARS-CoV-2 in their genome sequencesabout the same level of similarity as a cow and a human.

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The possibility that SARS-CoV-2 might have been created from scratch in a lab was initially considered quite seriously by the virus experts, but they ultimately concluded this is simply not consistent with its genome sequence.

Read More: What Leaving the WHO Means for the U.S. and the World

There continues to be speculation, however, that the naturally occurring virus might have been secretly under study in the Wuhan Institute of Virology, and somehow escaped. There is no concrete evidence to support this, but the Chinese government has stonewalled efforts to examine lab notebooks or other materials that might shed light on what really happened. So this lab leak possibility has to be consideredbut the simplest synthesis of the current data is that a naturally occurring virus spread from bats to an intermediate host, possibly a raccoon dog, and then infected humans in the west corner of the Huanan market, where wild animals were being butchered.

Unfortunately this topic of COVID origins has become a contentious and hyperpartisan issue, leading to further polarization of our divided country and to scapegoating and threatening of scientists. I would urge interested people to look closely at the actual facts.

You headed NIH during President Trumps first term. What differences do you see between that administrations management of science and this administrations policies?

The second administration arrived with a very detailed plan already in hand, and they proceeded to implement that plan in a breathtakingly rapid series of policies and Executive Orders. In just two months, more dramatic changes have been made in science and medical research than anybody can remember. The first Trump administration had some of these same ideas, but there was more time for discussion, and more time to consider what the consequences might be. This time, the policies, including cutting funding and firing scientists, are being implemented very quickly, unfortunately without sufficient consideration of the harms that are being done. Medical research institutions across the country are in crisis.

How concerned are you about the future of the NIH and the health of scientific research more broadly?

I am quite concerned. If you're an American who cares about health for yourself and for your family, and if you also care about our chances to give young people an opportunity to do amazing things in their scientific careers, and if you care about giving young people a chance at a scientific career, and if you care about how science and technology have been the main support of the U.S. economy since World War II, then taking a hammer to this amazing life-saving enterprise should concern you.

What is the danger of shrinking the NIH budget?

[The pace of scientific progress] has profoundly slowed down already. Will it be recoverable with some adjustments, and maybe some rollbacks of the worst of the sledgehammer blows that have been struck so far?

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The approach to cure rare diseases with gene therapies is something that I have been very involved in. We're talking about 7,000 diseases that are now potentially on the pathway toward a genetic cure, especially using the CRISPR [gene editing] approach. My own lab is working on this approach for progeria [a rare genetic condition that causes children to age prematurely]. It is interesting and troubling to look at the reaction to what's happened in just the last two months; a lot of the young scientists who were potentially interested in that field now aren't quite so sure.

Read More: The Power and Potential of Gene Tuning

In China, the approach of CRISPR-based gene editing therapy for rare diseases has been identified as one of their highest priorities, and they are now already at the point of starting to run more clinical trials than the U.S. For those people who maybe are less impressed by the human impact of a slowdown in medical research, we also ought to think about what this means economically for the future of our nation, particularly with our most important competitor, China. Are we handing them leadership in an area, namely medical research, where the U.S. has led the world for decades? Is that really a good idea?

Is there anything that young scientists, or the public, can do to continue supporting government funding of science?

Students don't have a lot of power and they're aware of that. What they can do, and what they did in organizing Stand Up for Science, is to try to communicate their perspective, their sense of alarm, their recognition that something serious is happening to the country...and their willingness to identify voices that maybe can be even more powerful than their own, like those of patients.

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I've been calling for a "science communication corps," where we enlist all of the science majors in colleges and universities, all of the high-school science teachers, all of the members of scientific societies, and give them the assignment to be communicators of what science is and what it can accomplish in a realistic, community-based way. We have a long way to go to actually convince a lot of Americans about just how important science is for our future.

There is an erosion of trust in science and in scientists, who traditionally have been held in high esteem and respected for their expertise. Do you see that trend continuing? And how concerning is that for attracting the next generation of scientists?

I'm very worried about that. Every survey that's been done shows a significant drop in public trust of scientists. Some of that, I have to admit, relates to the circumstances that happened during COVID. I've been very public about my concerns that our communication strategy had flaws in terms of trying to share information with people about what to do to protect yourself against the virus.

I wish every time those recommendations had been made, there would have been a preamble saying, "There's a lot we don't know about the viruswe are trying to learn as fast as we can, but we're missing piecesbig ones. That means what we tell you today about a mask or about social distancing or vaccines or therapeutics might turn out to be wrong in another month or two when we have more data. Don't be surprised if that's the case. But please don't imagine that we're trying to jerk you around. We are doing the best we can with very imperfect data at a time of crisis."

Read More: The Pandemic Turns 5. We Are Still Not Prepared for the Next One

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We didn't say that often enough. So when recommendations were made, people assumed that those were rock-solid, and then, when they had to change those a month or two laterwhen you found out, for instance, that asymptomatic people were likely to be spreaders of the virusthen people thought, "These people don't know what they're talking about." And so we lost confidence along the way.

I will apologize for some of the things that we as scientists didn't do. I wish some of the people on the side, who were distributing malevolent information that was known not to be true about the pandemic, would apologize for their role. Where are the apologies for that behavior?

One of the biggest critics of the governments COVID-19 response is Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the new NIH director. Is there any validity to his criticisms, outlined in the Great Barrington Declaration, that the data on COVID-19 cases were skewed toward the more serious ones, and that otherwise healthy people should have been allowed to go about their daily lives because they could more easily overcome COVID-19 if they did get infected?

The Great Barrington Declaration was released in October 2020, before we had vaccines or even knew that they would work. The document suggested that it would be better to let people who were not senior citizens go about their daily life without restrictions. That would help the economy and the educational system. Many more people would get infected, but this would assist the development of herd immunity.

This would have been an interesting topic for a scientific discussion, but it was put forward as a policy document and presented to the Secretary of Health and Human Services the day after it was released. Any opportunity for scientific discussion was skipped, and the proposal seemed to be on the path toward a potential major policy change as the pandemic was raging. That was alarming to many of us.

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Almost every single public health organization published highly critical statementsthe Secretary General of the World Health Organization and the scientific leadership in the U.K. also strongly objected. We know that about 30% of the people who died of COVID were under 65, so there would likely have been significantly increased casualties. Furthermore, it was never clear how you would sequester the older people so that somehow they were not exposed to the virus; people tend to live in families, after all. So the proposed plan seemed both impractical and dangerous.

What advice do you have for Dr. Bhattacharya as he succeeds you at NIH?

Pull NIH out of any kind of partisan situation. Traditionally, over all these decades, [NIH] has been supported by both parties in both chambers with enthusiasm for what it can do for health and for saving lives. Right now, almost everything seems to be partisan. So if Dr. Bhattacharya can help return to that non-political status, that would be a really good thing.

Mix politics and science, you get politics. You kind of lose everything else. And that's unfortunately a little bit where things are right now.

And then surround yourself with people who are as smart as they can be, and who are fearless in their willingness to tell you their opinions even if it might not be something you want to hear. The best thing a leader can do is to give permission to the people around them to say, "You're about to do the wrong thing." It wasn't always easy to hear that, but it was important to have that permission granted.

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And take advantage of the brain trust that you have access to as the NIH director. Use that connectivity. As somebody once said, "My own brain is limited, so I have to borrow all the brains I can from other people in order to make the boldest decision."

Youve said that you now fear for your own safety. But youve historically been a big user of public transportation in D.C. Has that changed?

You do feel like you've got to watch around yourself a little more carefully. Because it's not incredibly unusual to have someoneas happened right before the beginning of the Stand Up for Science eventcome forward very aggressively with statements that were quite threatening and quite wrong in terms of their assumptions about COVID and whatever role I played.

Read More: What to Know About Dr. Mehmet Oz, Trumps Pick to Lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

It does make you feel unsafe. I haven't yet reached the pointof having 24-hour security guards. And I hope I don't have to. That's incredibly disruptive of one's life and I couldn't possibly afford it anyway. But it does give me concern. I can't let that be a reason to go hide under my desk. That's just not an appropriate response. But some of the messages are frightening and certainly very hurtful.

Youve also talked about your faith and how youve found ways to integrate your faith and spirituality with your career in science. How has your faith helped you in recent months?

Actually, the [messages] that I find hardest to read are written to me by fellow Christians. I'm very open about my Christian faith. It's the rock I stand on. It's who I am. It's who I have been since I converted to Christianity at age 27. If I'm lost in a circumstance and don't know what to do, I'm likely to go to prayer or to the Bible to try to seek out some kind of insight or some path towards wisdom. And yet I will get emails from people who say, "You are a fake Christian. You can't possibly be really a follower of Jesus if you have done the following. If you had any Christian credibility at all, you would confess your sins and tell everybody that you repent of your evilness. And some of them say I should just basically be in jail and maybe executed. These are coming from Christians who have been caught up in our terribly divided, polarized society where you mix politics and Christianity, and you get politics.

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It's been really helpful to have that anchor [of faith]. I don't have to explain to God what it's like to go through a difficult time. I don't need to explain to Jesus what suffering feels like. If you look at the wall [next to my desk], there are various printouts of scriptures or quotes that have been particularly encouraging to me when I needed to be reminded. So Psalm 46God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Okay, we got trouble. So thank you, God, for being my refuge and strength.

Read More: Foreign Aid Is Retreating. The Church Must Not

You can get your context a little upside-down without having that anchor to faith and to what is good and holy and true, what we're all called to do. And that reassures you that even though it feels like there's a lot of headwinds, you're doing what you're supposed to do to try to stand up for principles that are long-lasting about faith and family and freedom and goodness and love and beauty and truth. Especially truth.

What do you hope the legacy of your time at NIH will be?

I hope they will see this as a period where big, bold ideas got surfaced, deeply discussed by experts in multiple venues, and then formulated into actual initiatives that could benefit not just the people doing the work, but lots of other people.

The genome project was like that. Maybe that's how I learned how important that could be. But the BRAIN initiative certainly followed that, and the All of Us project, which is now up to 800,000 Americans who are our partners in this effort to really figure out how genetics and environment and health behaviors all work together to see whether somebody is going to stay healthy or develop a chronic illness, and what we could do to prevent that. Its benefits are going to be significant because the data is accessible to all researchers who can begin to sift through and make those discoveries.

I'm deeply troubled that both of those projects have had severe budget cuts, including just in the last week. The All of Us project's budget is down now to less than 30% of what it had been two years ago. It makes it almost untenable for the project to keep doing much more than just caretaking. And this is just at the time where this was going great and having so many new ideas emerging. I hope that's another thing a new NIH director will look at and figure out a way to assist with, because the promise of that still mostly lies ahead.

Youre also a musician and like to rewrite lyrics to popular songs. Any recent ones to share?

I started to try to write a new anthem for Stand Up for Science. I figured that every protest group needs a song so that people can gather together and sing it. It didn't quite come together.

So instead, I rewrote the words to a familiar folk song, "All the Good People," and that's what I sang at the Lincoln Memorial. I do believe strongly that music has the potential to bring people together when all else has failed. My wife and I are planning a music party in another couple of months where we will invite to our house as many people as we can fit, which might be about 50, and we'll try to carefully choose people on opposite sides of political issues and then see if by singing together over an evening something might happen.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
The first time that Mehmet Oz was questioned by the Senate, in June 2014, the atmosphere was not inviting. Hed been hauled in to defend his habit of promoting unconventional supplements for weight loss, including green coffee beans, raspberry ketones, and an Asian tropical fruit called garcinia cambogia, on his daytime-television talk show. I dont get why you need to say this stuff, Claire McCaskill, the Missouri senator who chaired the hearing, told him. Because you know its not true.

Last Friday, Oz was back before the Senate, this time to be questioned as President Donald Trumps nominee to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In the interim, despite a turn to politics that included an unsuccessful bid to join the Senate himself, Oz has stayed the course: selling stress-relieving shrubs on social media, for instance, and leveraging his mothers Alzheimers to pitch herbal remedies. Now a physician who was once described by other doctors in an open letter as demonstrating an egregious lack of integrity by promoting quack treatments and cures in the interest of personal financial gain may soon be tasked with regulating the health insurance of more than 150 million Americans. But the context of his return to Washington has cast the former TV star in a new, more flattering light: Next to some of the other appointees to the Department of Health and Human Services, even Dr. Oz seems safe and normal.

Ive had a front-row seat for Ozs unlikely transformation from maligned to mainstream. In 2013, when I was still in medical school, I launched a public effort to censure him. His exuberant pitches for unproven remedies were harming patients, I contended. I asked medical societies to do more to combat the spread of misinformation. My efforts were rebuffed at first; doctors were worried about infringing on free speech and criticizing professional colleagues. To buttress my campaign, I started collecting anecdotes from viewers of The Dr. Oz Show describing potential harm caused by his advice.

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Oz did not respond to any of these efforts at the time. (He also did not respond to a request for comment on this story.) His initial dressing-down in Congress followed soon after, and then in 2015, I helped a group of medical students and residents cajole the American Medical Association into writing guidelines for ethical physician conduct in the media. Oz himself remained unchastened after this previous run of bad press, though. We will not be silenced. We will not give in, he told his TV viewers in 2015, while accusing one group of critics of having industry ties and denying that he ever promoted treatments for personal gain. In short, he embraced his reputation as a wellness guru and anti-establishment truth tellerthe sort of person who would find a natural home in the Make America healthy again movement that has been popularized by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Oz is likely to join Kennedys Department of Health and Human Servicesand assume control of my parents health insurance, among so many othersin the weeks ahead. That prospect would have terrified me in the 2010s, when I first watched him testify before the Senate. But when I saw him do so for a second time on Friday, he no longer struck me as a major threat. Rather, he looked like an anachronism: a charming celebrity physician with a penchant for theatrical claims. In the face of the Trump administrations chaotic razing of the nations biomedical infrastructure, Ozs brand of hucksterism seems relatively mild, even quaint.

Perhaps thats why the Senate showed so little interest in his history of hawking suspect treatments. Even Democrats went pretty easy with their questions. Senator Ron Wyden accused Oz of having engaged in wellness grifting, and Senator Maggie Hassan said hed backed unproven snake oil remedies, but this was not a central focus of the hearing. There are many things I said on the show, Oz said in response. I take great pride in the research we did at the time to identify which of these worked and which ones didnt.

Instead of grilling Oz on his questionable supplement endorsements, the legislators mostly used their time to lobby for niche policy fixes, and Oz in turn displayed an expertise in health-care policy that seemed worthy of his Wharton MBA. He was fluent on the topics of pharmacy benefit managers, prior authorization, insurance payment models, and the Affordable Care Act. He came out in favor of work requirements for Medicaida conventionally conservative approachwhile also making sure to show some sympathy for health-care consumers, calling the insurance companies that profit from excessive upcoding scoundrels who are stealing from the vulnerable.

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This all came off as rather serious and boring, in the way that such a hearing really should come off. Compare that with the nomination hearings for Kennedy: When questioned by the Senate, he botched basic facts about Medicare and Medicaid, refused to admit that vaccines dont cause autism, and accused committee members of being shills for pharmaceutical companies. Dave Weldon, who was Trumps pick to run the CDC, didnt even make it to his hearing, which was also scheduled for last week. Why Weldons nomination was withdrawn is not exactly clear, but its possible he made the error of being slightly too transparent about his suspicions of standard childhood vaccines. When positioned next to Kennedy and Weldon, or to Trumps picks to run the NIH and the FDA, Oz seems quite conventional. He clearly stated that the measles shot is both safe and effective, while doing little to attach himself to the angry COVID contrarianism expressed by Kennedy and other nominees for leadership at HHS. (HHS did not respond to a request for comment.)

So now we seem to have arrived at the strange moment when a celebrity TV doctor with no significant experience in public administration, a physician who once suggested that pineapple chunks and chia seeds were reasonable treatments for sciatica, can present himself as an unusually rational and stable candidate for leadership in the nations public-health establishment. Oz may even become an advocate for a more conventional approach to health-care policy in a department that is now run by someone who touts the benefits of treating measles with cod liver oil. Improbably, the green coffee beans guy is poised to be the grown-up in the room.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4)  A driver was arrested after hitting a pedestrian in St. George and was suspected of being under the influence.

As the incident happened in a construction zone, police are also urging people to remember to be careful in these areas.

Police were called to the incident on Wednesday, March 19, near the area of 900 E. Riverside Drive after the report of a vehicle hitting a pedestrian. Police said it happened around 6:30 p.m.

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According to police, the roadway where the collision happened is currently undergoing construction and the initial investigation found that the pedestrian crossed the road within the construction zone and was not utilizing a designated traffic signal.

Multiple Utah agencies respond to rescue unconscious person stuck in Kaysville tree

The driver of the involved vehicle was also arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of THC following tests and interviews by officers.

Details on the condition of the pedestrian were not released.

St. George police are urging citizens to exercise extreme caution near construction zones and to remember to follow traffic signals for their safety.

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Our department continues to prioritize the safety of all road users and will take necessary actions to enforce DUI laws swiftly and effectively, police said.

Police shared the following safety tips:

Use the crosswalk & crosswalk signals when crossing a road, especially a busy road.

Pause before crossing. Make sure drivers see you before you step off the curb.

Dont drive impaired. This includes medical marijuana, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and alcohol.

Remember, construction brings construction equipment, lane closures, and reduced speed limits. St. George Police

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A man was arrested Tuesday in Oregon for failure to appear for possession of a controlled substance with intent in Madison County, Tennessee, according to U.S. Marshals.

On May 3, 2023, a Madison County Sheriffs Deputy stopped an RV on I-40 for traffic

violations.

The U.S. Marshal Service said that the deputy searched the vehicle and found 437 pounds of vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana, 800 THC cartridges, 84 mushroom chocolate bars, 27 edible mushroom packages, 24 packs of THC edibles, and approximately 1 pound of THC wax.

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U.S. Marshals arrest Memphis woman on first-degree murder charge

Walter Smalls was arrested and transported to the Madison County Jail. He was later

released on bond.

According to the U.S. Marshals in a news release, Smalls failed to appear for an August 12, 2024, arraignment in Madison County Circuit Court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The case was adopted for a fugitive investigation by the USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Jackson.

The TRVFTF had information that Smalls was back in Oregon and provided investigative leads to the USMS Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force.

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On Mar. 18, 2025, the task force found Smalls at a residence in Wolf Creek, Oregon, and

took him into custody. He is being held at the Josephine County Jail.





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CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA)  An intoxicated driver slammed his car into a building Thursday morning, causing around $30,000 in damage, the City of Clearwater announced.

William Cummins crashed his vehicle around 3:30 a.m. into a building on the 900 block of Court Street.

WATCH: Hillsborough deputys cruiser flips in collision with pickup truck

Credit: Clearwater Police Department Credit: Clearwater Police Department Credit: Clearwater Police Department Credit: Clearwater Police Department

Cummins was taken to a nearby hospital to be checked out before he was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on the charge of DUI with property damage, the Clearwater Police Department said.

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The crash caused damage to the building which is estimated at $30,000.

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An additional $1 billion for retention bonuses is available to Wiz employees if they remain at Google, a person familiar with the deal said without specifying the time period.

Wizs rapid growth has made its four co-founders the newest members of the small Israeli billionaires club. Each owns 9.3% of the company, according to a person familiar with its structure, who requested anonymity because the information is private. Based on the sale price, that means each founder has a stake worth almost $3 billion.

Founded by four Israeli military veterans, including Chief Executive Officer Assaf Rappaport, Wiz emerged just as the Covid-19 pandemic prompted more companies to move their networks to the cloud. Wiz helped pioneer new ways to find, prioritize and fix threats and bugs  outflanking traditional players that often struggled to adapt to a more complex computing environment.

Wiz debated whether to accept the Google proposal or move forward with a planned funding round this year for about $1 billion, at a roughly $25 billion valuation. But the startup opted to proceed owing to the bigger offer, the change in the regulatory landscape under Trump and an opportunity to accelerate efforts to build the worlds largest cybersecurity company, the person said. Microsoft Corp. is currently the biggest.

The deal came together quickly, with the first meeting held in New York a week and a half ago, according to a person familiar with the matter. The terms built on the foundation established last summer.

Wiz will be folded into Google Cloud and could help the search giant gain market share in the fiercely contested cloud security industry.

It didnt hurt that Google parent Alphabet Inc. sweetened the offer to $32 billion in cash  a handsome price for a company that set up shop in Tel Aviv just five years ago. The companies, which expect the deal to close next year, are betting on a friendlier regulatory environment under President Donald Trump  although hurdles remain.

(Bloomberg) -- Last summer, investors persuaded the founders of cyber startup Wiz to turn down Googles $23 billion takeover offer. They feared the US government would block the deal and argued that Wiz was better off as an independent company.

Story Continues

Rappaport has previously shrugged off questions about financial rewards, noting last fall that he has rented the same Tel Aviv apartment for more than a decade.

Behind his unassuming demeanor and his T-shirt-khakis-and-sneakers wardrobe, Rappaport is a shrewd dealmaker with sometimes sharp elbows, according to people who know him.

He can be extremely charming and personal and warm, says Gili Raanan, founder of the Israeli venture capital firm Cyberstarts and one of Wizs first investors. And he can be very decisive, data-driven, analytical, merciless. Those two sides exist.

The founders  Rappaport, Yinon Costica, Ami Luttwak and Roy Reznik  met at Talpiot, an elite military academy. Besides exposing recruits to different parts of the armed forces, Talpiot trains them in science, math and computers. Rappaport said he drove a tank, parachuted from a plane, received intelligence training and blew up things.

The four friends moved from Talpiot to Unit 8200, Israels equivalent of Americas National Security Agency. Aside from their reputation for technical prowess, Unit 8200 alumni are known for starting successful cybersecurity companies, including Palo Alto Networks, Check Point Software Technologies and Armis.

In 2012, the quartet started a company called Adallom, an abbreviation of a Hebrew saying that means up to here or last line of defense. The startup helped companies secure cloud-based applications used by employees  a blind spot at the time, said Neil MacDonald, a vice president and analyst at Gartner, a technology research and consulting firm.

Organizations had no visibility. None, he said. Adallom helped at that time to solve that problem.

Three years after Adalloms founding, Microsoft acquired the startup for $320 million, and the founders joined the tech giant to help build its cloud security business. Rappaport said they initially planned to stay two years.

They ended up staying five  creating cybersecurity products at massive scale and enjoying access to funding and talent  before leaving to start a new company.

At first the team, by then working from a two-room office in Tel Aviv, considered creating a network security company called Beyond Networks. Then they interviewed more than 100 potential customers and cybersecurity professionals and learned that there was an unmet need in cloud security. Yes, there were existing tools, but they created too much work and didnt really solve the challenges.

Focusing on cloud security was risky because many companies were doing similar things, and Rappaport has recalled calling the switch the suicide plan.

The newly created Wiz targeted a different, and broader, segment of the cloud security market than Adallom, offering a tool that worked on various platforms and could identify and prioritize risks across increasingly complex computing environments.

Every service has configurations. Every service has identities and permissions, MacDonald said. Theres just this enormous complexity in the configuration of cloud infrastructure that, without a tool, a human cant understand.

Wizs product was easy to install and could find potential problems and prioritize them in a matter of hours  providing cybersecurity professionals with unprecedented visibility, MacDonald said.

The pandemic-fueled migration to the cloud fueled Wizs growth. The young company also benefited from an all-star lineup of financial backers, including Sequoia Capital, Insight Partners, Index Ventures and Cyberstarts, some of which had also invested in Adallom.

In all, Wiz has raised more than $1.9 billion dollars from investors including SoftBank Vision Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Blackstone Group, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.

Wiz felt like the first opportunity to build a security platform in a really long time, basically since CrowdStrike, Thrive Capitals Philip Clark said in an interview last fall, referring to cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. Like several other investors, Clark also said the complementary talents of Wizs four founders was a key to the companys success.

When Google expressed interest in Wiz last year, Rappaport saw its culture as a good fit and grew increasingly exhilarated in July as they hashed out what the collaboration could look like. Google ramped up its charm offensive too, even drawing up a tongue-in-cheek employment contract for his beloved dog, Mika.

Still, on the day Wiz had set as a deadline, Rappaport pulled the plug at 4 a.m., emailing the news to his anxious employees, many of whom had remained in the Tel Aviv office overnight.

In an interview last fall, he recalled thinking: I cant believe Im going to say no to a $23 billion acquisition. But at the time, he didnt want to give up a once-in-life opportunity to be the largest cyber company in the world.

In January, Wiz hired a chief financial officer, following years of speculation about when it, and a host of other cyber startups, would go public. Rappaport continued to say he wasnt in a hurry. Companies such as OpenAI and Databricks have shown theres a huge advantage to staying private longer, he said at the time, adding: Im here for the long journey.

That part of the journey, at least, ended on Tuesday.

--With assistance from Tom Maloney and Katie Roof.

(Updated with deal details, starting in fifth paragraph.)

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CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)  The Hampden County District Attorneys Office has identified the two drivers who are being charged in connection with a deadly pedestrian crash in Chicopee.

On Sunday, February 9th officers were called at around 7:19 p.m. to a motor vehicle crash involving a pedestrian in the area of the 1200 block of Abbey Memorial Drive. When officers arrived, they found an adult woman suffering from injuries. The woman, 34-year-old Vanessa Perez of Springfield, died due to her injuries.

Chicopee man arrested in Connecticut for OUI, driving on wrong side of road

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Nearly a month into the investigation by the Hampden District Attorneys Office Motor Vehicle Homicide Unit in conjunction with the Chicopee Police Department, two vehicles that were allegedly involved in the crash were located. The drivers have been identified as 29-year-old Lavonta Williams Jr. of Chicopee and 23-year-old Jerimeldo Lopez of South Hadley. They are scheduled to be arraigned on April 8th and April 9th.

Williams Jr. is being charged with one count of leaving the scene of personal injury and death. Lopez is being charged with one count of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and one count of leaving the scene of personal injury and death.

My condolences go out to the Perez family over this tragedy. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to fight for justice and accountability through our forthcoming prosecution, said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni.

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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Russian Telegram channels have reported a drone attack on an oil refinery in the city of Engels in Russia's Saratov Oblast on the night of 19-20 March.

Source: Mash and SHOT Telegram channels

Details: The Russian Telegram channels reported a series of explosions in Engels.

According to eyewitnesses, an air-raid warning was heard first in the city, followed by a series of explosions.

After that, local residents reported a fire near the local oil refinery in Engels.

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Later, Telegram channels posted photos and videos of smoke rising over Engels.

After that, the Federal Air Transport Agency reported restrictions on operations at Samara and Saratov airports.

There was also a claim that, in addition to the oil refinery, drones had attacked the military air base in Engels.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is appealing to legislators in a press release this week promoting the increase of government transparency by passing House Bill 2163.

According to the AGs office, the push coincides with Sunshine Week, highlighting the significance of public records and open government transparency.

Oklahoma State Seal in Capitol Rotunda

Authored by Rep. John Pfeiffer and Sen. Brent Howard, HB 2163 seeks to create the Public Access Counselor unit inside the AGs office. According to Drummonds office, the unit

would review complaints regarding a state department, board, or commission compliance response time.

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Ethics Commission settlement reached with State Supt. Ryan Walters

The measure passed the first hurdle out of the House Government Oversight Committee early this month, Drummond noted.

Transparency and accountability are critical for a government truly answerable to the people, said Drummond. Citizens have a right to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being spent and what their elected officials are doing to improve their lives.

Drummond created the public access counselor position shortly after taking office saying, It is my hope that legislators will ensure the Open Records and Open Meeting Acts have teeth by approving HB 2163.

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The measure is scheduled to be considered by the House next week.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the administration was giving New York City a 30-day extension for its congestion pricing plan and putting New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on notice.

@GovKathyHochul  the federal government and @POTUS are putting New York on notice, Duffy said Thursday in a post on the social platform X. Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable.

The Federal Highway Administration gave New York a Friday deadline to stop collecting tolls to enter the city. The plan was aimed at reducing traffic in the area and bringing in money for other infrastructure projects.

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President Trump declared he would rescind the order and said he had saved New York, while Hochul vowed to oppose the president in court, prompting the clash over tolls.

Hochul recently presented information to show that the tolls are working for the city, including shoppers and public transit riders.

Her remarks came just days after she met with Trump to discuss various issues, including the tolls and his push for pipeline access through the state.

Duffy argued that Hochuls tolls are a slap in the face to Americans and criticized her for refusing to approve the pipeline that he said is in the publics best interest.

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Your unlawful pricing scheme charges working-class citizens to use roads their federal tax dollars already paid to build, Duffy said.

We will provide New York with a 30-day extension as discussions continue, he added.

The secretary threatened that federal funds to the state are not going to be a blank check and Hochuls continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly by the administration.

Evergreen Action, a climate advocacy group, argued that the congestion pricing plan was here to stay.

They extended their deadline because they know they dont have a leg to stand on, the group said in a statement. In just over two months, weve seen enormous results, and public support is only increasing as commuters experience the benefits of less congested, safer streets.

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Congestion pricing is working, Avi Small, a spokesperson for the governor, told The Hill. Traffic is down, business is up and support for this first-in-the-nation initiative continues to grow. Weve seen Secretary Duffys tweet, which doesnt change what Governor Hochul has been saying all along: the cameras are staying on.

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Ed Miliband is facing criticism for sanctioning a bizarre taxpayer-funded campaign featuring fashion model Daisy Lowe to advertise heat pumps.

The Jane Austen-themed adverts show Lowe posing in regency attire in various rooms at Muncaster Castle in Ravenglass, Cumbria  a historic building powered by ground-source heat pumps.

The message of the campaign is to endorse heat pump pride over heat pump prejudice, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said.

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But campaigners accused the department of wasting money on the silly PR stunt which amounted to propaganda for the eco-friendly heating systems.

When asked by The Telegraph how much Ms Lowe was paid for the campaign, a DESNZ spokesman refused to comment, but a source said that it met strict value-for-money criteria.

The Jane Austen-themed adverts intend to encourage heat pump pride over heat pump prejudice - Bertie Watson/DESZN

Ms Lowe  who describes herself as a model, actress and DJ  is the daughter of fashion designer Pearl Lowe and Bush frontman Gavin Rossindale. She competed in the 2016 series of Strictly Come Dancing, leaving the contest in its eighth week.

The campaign claims Britons are swapping scepticism for celebration as heat pumps become the latest home innovation to shed their prejudice and gain pride.

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It continues: Much like Mr Darcy at a ball, heat pumps were once eyed with suspicion  but now they are stealing hearts (and lowering the carbon footprint) across the UK.

Consumer champion Martyn James told The Telegraph: What people want is a plain English guide on the best way to cut their out-of-control bills, subsidies for tighter budgets and a guarantee that they wont lose out when heat pump prices drop.

Mike Foster, CEO of Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) said: Heat pumps have a reputation for being expensive to buy and to run. Having a celeb pose in a castle simply plays to that stereotype.

Someone, somewhere thought this was a very clever wheeze but it isnt. To promote heat pumps and EVs, how an average family living in a Victorian terrace house can benefit would be a much needed and much smarter advert for net zero.

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Labour, like the Conservatives before them, wants to see 600,000 heat pumps installed each year by 2028 as part of its drive to hit net zero targets.

But the Government is falling well short of this ambition  last year, only 60,000 heat pumps were installed, according to official figures.

The slow uptake has been blamed on the high cost of installing a heat pump along with concerns over their noise and efficiency.

DESNZ offers 7,500 grants to households to have their first ever heat pump fitted, however a Telegraph investigation this week showed this only pushed up the cost of devices.

John OConnell, chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance lobby group, said: Its clear as day that successive governments have completely failed to convince the British public on heat pumps, despite the massive subsidies being offered.

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Yet ministers are now pumping out propaganda in a desperate but most likely doomed attempt to turn the situation around, all using taxpayer cash to do so. Miliband should scrap this silly PR stunt and focus his energy on bringing down bills.

This is the second campaign this month that the Government has launched to encourage heat pump uptake. Another warm and fuzzy advert, created by agency M&C Saatchi, featured stop-frame animations of knitted characters reading testimonials written by real-life heat pump owners.

The adverts were shot at Muncaster Castle in Ravenglass, Cumbria - Bertie Watson/DESNZ

A Government spokesman said: Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home and our creative campaign will help more households get a 7,500 grant towards a heat pump.

We are in the third year of this campaign, which helped increase heat pump sales by 63pc in 2024.

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Representatives for Ms Lowe were also approached for comment.

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Former Sen. Brian Kelsey prepares to enter Nashville's federal courthouse on Aug. 11., 2023, for sentencing in a federal campaign finance scheme. (Photo: John Partipilo)

One doesnt need to be a sociologist or criminal justice expert to realize all Americans arent treated equally in the courts. Convictions and sentencing include factors like race, economics and politics.

Lawmakers arent exempt from the discrepancies in treatment.

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Witness the disparities in the cases of two former Tennessee state senators, Katrina Robinson, a Memphis Democrat, and Brian Kelsey, a Germantown Republican.

In 2020, Robinson was accused by federal prosecutors of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a business she founded to train certified nursing assistants, phlebotomists and licensed practical nurses.

Lawyers for the government alleged she stole about $600,000 from the business for personal travel, wedding expenses and home improvements. The feds initiated the investigation based on an anonymous tip that Robinson bought a Louis Vuitton handbag for $550 using money from her health care business in 2016  two years before her election.

Former Sen. Katrina Robinson in the Tennessee Capitol, shortly before her colleagues in the Tennessee Senate voted to oust her in Feb. 2021. (Photo: John Partipilo)

Robinson pleaded not guilty but was convicted in 2021 of four counts of wire fraud  two of which were vacated by a federal judge  for $3,500 worth of misappropriated funds. She was fined $46,800 by the court, and her Republican colleagues voted to expel her from the Senate  the first time a state senator was expelled in Tennessee history.

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Kelsey, who was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2004, ascended to the Senate in 2009 when the 31st District seat was vacated by a resignation. He served on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he later chaired.

In 2016, Kelsey ran for U.S. Congress in Tennessees 8th Congressional District, coming in 4th place in the Republican primary, but not without giving the race his all  and then some, according to federal prosecutors.

They alleged that Kelsey moved $90,000 from his state campaign account to his congressional account, a violation of federal campaign finance laws. According to the charges levied against Kelsey, he then gave $106,000 to Josh Smith, owner of a private Nashville club frequented by Republican lawmakers. Smith, in turn, filtered the money to political action groups  one of which Kelseys future wife worked at  to support Kelseys campaign.

In 2022, Kelsey pleaded guilty to two charges, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.

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Lets acknowledge that both Robinson and Kelsey were accused of engaging in illegal actions  Robinson of funneling funds from federal grants for her personal use and Kelsey of shifting money to end run federal campaign finance laws.

We could split hairs about which one is said to have misused more money and who was in elected office at the time of their infractions, but lets stick to the outcomes.

Clearly, the number and scale of Robinsons charges were reduced from what was originally filed, but she lost a Senate seat and paid a significant fine in the process.

Kelsey, by contrast, would only serve two weeks of his sentence. Soon after his November 2022 guilty plea, he began an attempt to walk back consequences.

He attempted to take back his guilty plea, to which federal Judge Waverly Crenshaw said, and I paraphrase, no take-backs. Kelsey claimed that he  an attorney and sitting chair of the Senate Judiciary  didnt understand his plea because his wife had given birth to twins, and he was tired.

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He fired one team of attorneys and threatened to sue them. Stalled his sentencing. Filed appeals. Asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his appeal, to no avail. As more than one Tennessee politico noted, by the time he finished delaying his sentence, he could have served his sentence and moved on with his life.

Kelsey apparently came to the end of his legal road on Feb. 25, when he reported to FCI Ashland in Kentucky to begin serving his sentence  which, as it turns out, only lasted two weeks.

On March 11, President Donald Trump pardoned Kelsey.

In a fulsome press release, Kelsey said, God used Donald Trump to save me from the weaponized Biden DOJ.

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(Trumps) understanding of this injustice, born from his own experiences with lawfare, has restored my freedom and reaffirmed my faith in true leadership. This pardon isnt just for meits a victory for every American who believes in one impartial justice system for all, Kelsey said in the statement.

If a presidential pardon for a former lawmaker who pleaded guilty to actions taken while in office  years before Joe Biden was elected president  constitutes one impartial just system for all, one could wonder why Trump hasnt also pardoned Robinson.

In this instance, partisan politics is the most likely contributing factor in the disparities between treatment for the two Shelby County pols.

Even if one rationally thinks administration of the law is suspect, its frankly defeating to know that someone with a seasoned legal background who admits to wrongdoing can simply change his mind, as Kelsey did, and walk with few, if any, consequences  while others, like Robinson, pay a price.

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The fight in Federal Judge James Boasbergs D.C. courtroom over whether President Donald Trump can use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to summarily fly Venezuelan immigrants to a Salvadoran mega-prison without trial or charge is a fight over the strength of our constitutional system. The phrase constitutional crisis has been getting a lot of air time since Trump took office. But it is no exaggeration in this case.

It would be a mistake to think about this case as just about immigration. The arguments that government attorneys have been advancing before Boasberg are not only geared towards preserving their ability to continue these removals  of as-of-yet unknown individuals based on unseen evidence under a misused wartime authority  but indeed take direct aim at judicial powers.

You can boil a lot of what Trump is pushing here to a simple argument: Were at war with Venezuelan street gangs so the president can use wartime powers that ride roughshod over the courts and our constitutional protections. But this isnt a war. Weve fought wars with England and Germany, with Japan and North Vietnam. America knows what war looks like.

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Whats next? At war with liberals, with Democrats, with the press?

Even conservative Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has had enough, scolding Trump who called for impeaching Boasberg.

DOJ lawyers have spent days arguing in filings and open court that the judiciary has no power to review this wanton display of raw executive power. The government has tried to get Boasberg thrown off the case entirely for asking basic questions about the flights at issue.

In teeth-gnashing filings, the government have insisted that the president is acting under inherent Article II powers not subject to judicial review or intervention, which is another way of saying that the executive branch believes it is simply unconstrained by the courts  including on questions of use of force and privation of liberty on U.S. soil.

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In open court, before an incredulous Boasberg, DOJ attorney Abhishek Kambli refused to answer questions about who was on the flights, when they left, or even how many flights took off, claiming that this information  regarding flights that were awaited by literal camera crews  was sensitive national security information.

This fight seems very much like a trial balloon, seizing on areas of law like immigration and military powers where the executive has particularly acute authority, and playing on the emotional narrative that this is about targeting bloodthirsty criminals, even if that narrative is false.

ICE Acting Field Office Director Robert Cerna told the court that many of the people removed to the Salvadoran mega-prison had no criminal records, but that The lack of a criminal record does not indicate they pose a limited threat. In fact the lack of specific information about each individual actually highlights the risk they pose. Several have been tentatively identified as regular people and asylum seekers.

If Trump is allowed to ignore the law and steamroll the courts here, there is absolutely no reason to believe that this will be the extent of it. Even if they were all proven gang members, a fundamental principle of this country is that everyone gets due process of law.

Its no exaggeration to view the outcome of these proceedings and this case as a marker of the strength of our system of rule of law as a whole.

___
Welcome to Florida. Where Sunshine needs lobbyists and lawyers, and the state motto could just as well be nothing to see here. Where elected officials shamelessly reject attempts to let the people who voted for them know what they are up to. Where government bureaucrats seem increasingly inclined to simply ignore the law, particularly in the agencies overseen by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

When Florida first started observing an annual Sunshine Week, it was billed as a celebration of the states 1967 Government in the Sunshine law that codified open meetings and access to public records. Today, its more like the award-show reels of the years casualties. This year, there are a few bright spots  albeit in legislation that faces a high bar to become law. Meanwhile, a flock of brand-new exemptions to the states open-records laws are clustered at the gates of the state Legislature, fueled by support thats often bipartisan and likely to pass.

Unless champions step forward. The good news: Its not too late.

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House Speaker Daniel Perez and Senate President Ben Albritton have positioned themselves as empowered advocates for principled government. If they are willing to stand up for government in the sunshine, they have a good chance of turning this dark tide. Floridians should reach out to both leaders, along with their own representatives, to ask for their support of the publics right to know.

A lost legacy

Once upon a time, this state enjoyed a reputation for open government that was second to none. Floridas leaders took pride in the fact that almost every document produced by a governmental agency was available to its residents, even in the days when that meant records kept on reams and reams of paper and meetings that could only be viewed in person. Those who violated these laws had reason to fear serious consequences, including prosecution and the penalty of watching secretive deals unwound in the light of public condemnation. Meanwhile, any attempt to pass exemptions to public information met with fierce, often fatal opposition  and new laws that passed the Legislature often died quickly in court challenges.

With the advent of the internet, video streaming and easy, self-service access to government documents online, it should be easier than ever before to access the information that belongs to the public by right. In some cases, thats true  politicians, as it turns out, love to see themselves on video. The websites for the state Legislature provide ready access to session documents and, on the House side, considerable data on the vast lobbying apparatus that seeks to wield influence. And Floridas court system continues to shine as a beacon of openness, in large part thanks to the longstanding collaboration between state court leaders, judges to-the-letter interpretation of state law and local elected clerks of court, who work hard to make court documents ever more accessible.

But the forces of darkness are formidable, and for decades, they played the long game. A tweak here, a nip there - gradually, more and more documents were officially obscured through exemption bills that officially blacked out records. Year after year, lawmakers hide public records. They make it easier for public officials to do business behind closed doors. Worst of all, local and state government agencies have shown an increasing tendency to fend off public-records requests with barriers like unjustified fees or a simple cold shoulder, letting records requests lie dormant for weeks or months with no response.

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Over the past few years, the Orlando Sentinel has had to send attorneys to fight for information on several fronts: We fought for records regarding the oversight of publicly funded vouchers that divert hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into unregulated private schools. It took months to uncover information about a shadowy new department that DeSantis set up to provide guidance for ultra-conservative local politicians who were turning school board meetings across Florida into three-ring circuses with endless discussions of drag queens and book bans. The Sentinel even needed attorneys to get public records from local police departments about questionable incidents involving officers.

If one of the states biggest newspapers had to fight for these records, what chance do ordinary citizens stand?

Reclaiming the light

Thats why state lawmakers who care about good government should embrace a proposed bill (SB 1434, by Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg) that would put teeth back into the states defanged Sunshine-compliance laws by setting strict timelines for governmental agencies to acknowledge public-records requests. It limits fees for agencies that slow-walk demands for records, and even levies fines when delays become egregious. It doesnt go far enough  certainly, not back to the days when state employees took records demands seriously.

But it would be a pivot. And lawmakers have their own recent snub to fuel their ire: The decision to conceal, for nearly two years, a state report that detailed how property-insurance companies bled billions of dollars from their own ledgers and then screamed that they were on the verge of economic collapse. That fake narrative helped convince lawmakers to provide additional taxpayer support, while weakening consumer protection laws to the point where half of all hurricane-related claims following a series of killer storms were denied.

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Right now, Rouson is the only name attached to SB 1434, which was drafted with the assistance of Floridas First Amendment Foundation and the Florida Center for Governmental Accountability. Perez and Albritton should make it a priority.

Theres one more way they can immediately claim the mantle of champion. Back when DeSantis presidential ambitions burned bright, he demanded legislation that made it impossible for Floridians to track where he went (even when he was supposedly traveling on public business) or who he met with. Rolling that sweeping, completely unjustifiable shroud of darkness  and then daring DeSantis to veto it  would be a power move on behalf of Floridas citizenry, making it harder for DeSantis to cut secretive deals in the last few years of his lame-duck administration.

There are a few more bright spots. One bill (HB 671/SB 798) would make it easier to track requests and pay any costs of sourcing and copying records via electronic means, making it easier to hold agencies accountable when they stall or lose payments. Another (HB 1321/SB 1726) would strip some of the secrecy from state-university-president searches, letting the public take part in the process of hiring some of the states highest-paid employees.

Theres one more crucial way that Albritton and Perez could step up as champions of public access: Say no to most (if not all) of the 130 new exemptions that have been filed this session. Many of them are small, but some are doozies. Well cover them in another editorial, but for now, just say no is the guidance the president and speaker can offer  and the least Floridians should expect.

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com
Oak Park is proudly progressive, embracing what incumbent village President Vicki Scaman touts as a community thats not only diverse but also integrated.

Voters there face a choice between two strong candidates for village president. Both are firmly committed to Oak Park.

Scaman is in her first term, and previously served as clerk of the village. She moved to Oak Park as a teenager and has a background in education and the arts. Her challenger, Trustee Ravi Parakkat, is originally from the state of Kerala, India, and moved to the U.S. in 2003 and to Oak Park in 2006. He became a U.S. citizen in 2016. Parakkat is an engineer and consultant with an MBA and has more than 20 years of U.S. business experience. Notably, he also launched the nonprofit Takeout 25 during the pandemic to support local restaurants.

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The candidates agree on many values dear to the village, including a commitment to inclusion.

Scaman told us in our meeting that she is running on her record, while Parakkat said he is motivated by what he views as too much ineffective governance.

Our talk and actions dont match, he told the editorial board. We say we want to be affordable, inclusive and diverse. We cant spend our way to affordability.

Parakkat says the village needs to find a way to become self-reliant in the event outside funding from state or federal government dries up. He also said he would attract $500 million in new investment to the village as a way to diversify Oak Parks tax base.

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While Parakkat advocates for keeping taxes low as a way to promote affordability in the community, he told the board he would support adopting a local grocery tax when the state tax expires in 2026. We dont love the idea of imposing a new local tax, but given the states decision to strip this revenue from municipalities, we understand that this loss will be a major hit to the village.

Scaman, on the other hand, told the board she would certainly not do so with the current cost of everyday grocery items, noting that neighboring food deserts are pushing residents from other towns and cities to shop in Oak Park with its enviable selection of retail options. Scaman also told the board that she has met with Gov. JB Pritzker to explore ways to mitigate potential revenue losses. We appreciate that Scaman would like to avoid adding a local grocery tax by considering other options first.



Scaman reported that Oak Park had two homicides in 2024. One was the killing of Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins, a father and five-year veteran of the department, who was killed November in the line of duty while responding to an armed offender in the village. Reddins murder had a profound impact on Oak Park, with Scaman and many others attending a vigil and funeral services honoring his memory. This tragedy was the first killing of a police officer in Oak Park since the 1930s.

Scaman said crime is down overall during her tenure, with the Police Department on track to be fully staffed by the end of the year, fending off one of Parakkats chief criticisms on public safety.

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Parakkat wasnt the only one offering criticism. Scaman also shared some unflattering views of her rival.

My opponent has not learned the art of securing four votes over the last four years and genuine relationship building for common goals, she told the board.

This endorsement was not an easy decision for us. That speaks well of both candidates.

Parakkat strikes us as smart, thoughtful and reasonably experienced as a village leader. We also like his focus on increasing economic growth and development as a way to grow revenues as opposed to leaning solely on tax hikes. We appreciate his commitment to an efficient government that works for the people, and believe his perspective is much needed on the Oak Park Board of Trustees.

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But first and foremost, the village needs its president to be a positive advocate and champion residents interests. This person needs to be able to coordinate with everyone from local business owners to concerned citizens to state officials who make decisions about how funding is dispersed.

To these ends, we believe Scaman is better qualified and found her to be passionate about her hometown. We have no doubt about her ability to bring people together. She describes herself as a unique mix of progressive and pragmatic, which seems exactly like what Oak Park wants and needs.

Vicki Scaman is endorsed.

Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
Yellow Corp. and some of its creditors remain at odds over a final bankruptcy plan for the liquidation and distribution of the estates remaining assets, which now include $550 million in cash. The bankrupt less-than-truckload carriers unsecured creditors told a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware on Monday that it would submit its own plan in the coming days.

Counsel for Yellow (OTC: YELLQ) said it didnt have the votes to proceed on its previously proposed plan but that it was still hopeful the parties could come to terms. Yellows largest shareholder, MFN Partners, which now owns two pension claims stemming from the companys abrupt withdrawal from the plans in 2023, and the Milbank Group, which represents six other multiemployer pension claimants, are the known holdouts.

Any plan that isnt supported by MFN and the Milbank Group is going to be hotly contested. Its going to be heavily litigated, said Patrick Nash, partner at Kirkland & Ellis and lead counsel for Yellow. Im not Pollyannaish. Based on what we received from the committee on Friday, its possible that we could fold MFN and the Milbank Group into a global resolution.

Nash said hes neither optimistic nor pessimistic that the two firms will agree to a new plan.

The debtors received the new settlement plan, which is said to be supported by many of Yellows largest unsecured creditors, including Central States Pension Fund, on Friday. Yellows board is reviewing the plan, which hasnt been shared with everyone.

Counsel for MFN and Milbank said they were excluded from the process and fear that any new proposal would be detrimental to their claims.

It feels a little bit like  a sufficient majority are getting together, trying to come up with something that theyre then going to try to impose on the not-cool kids, if you will, the people who are not in those negotiations, Andrew Leblanc, partner at restructuring firm Milbank, told the court.

The impasse further delays distributions to former Yellow employees and creditors.

Yellows original plan included full recoveries to former employees, who are due paid time off and commissions, and to secured creditors holding unimpaired claims. Other claims, including general unsecured claims, would see much lower recovery amounts under that plan.

Yellow had been operating under an extended exclusivity period, preventing other financial firms from proposing competing plans.

Any competing plan put forward, however, presumably includes full recoveries for employees PTO claims. Counsel for the committee said Monday that the new plan would cover partial recoveries to unsecured creditors, including a $917 million contract claim from Central States, to which Yellow was a contributor.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, W.Va. (DC News Now)  We may still be months away from the end of the school year but some educators in our area are being recognized for making the learning experience very special.

Cari Jubb, a counselor at Jefferson High School, makes a difference for students by preparing them to graduate and focus on goals post-diploma.

Being a counselor, says Jubb, we make time for students and get to know them.

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Jefferson High Principal Marybeth Group sees the payoff in student success from Jubbs work.

Caris not just a counselor, says Group. She walks that fine line of being a listener and a helper.

Meanwhile, the West Virginia Council of Teachers chose Shanna Busch as the states Middle School Math Teacher of the Year. She teaches at Harpers Ferry Middle School.

I was completely shocked, says Busch. I had no idea I was even nominated. But just to know that I helped students to understand math better, when Ive given them more confidence when they walk out of my classroom feeling like I know Ive helped them do it even when they felt math wasnt their thing and they leave my classroom and fell like hey, I can actually do this!'

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The perspective of Harpers Ferry Middle School Principal Eric Vandell?

What makes Ms. Busch so special is that she takes a subject that can sometimes be a little intimidating for some students and she turns it into something thats an enjoyable experience and makes it fun.

Busch explains that her job is rewarding in itself.

Just supporting my students any way that I can when they walk into my classroom, they know Im there for them. I care for them. The rewards of being a teacher are priceless.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
CUMBERLAND  Despite well more than 1,000 applications submitted to city officials for a pilot relocation incentive package launched last year, eight of 10 spots remain open.

The Choose Cumberland Relocation Program offers a $10,000 incentive to folks who move to the city with an additional $10,000 dollar for dollar match for approved renovations to an existing home or for a downpayment on a newly constructed house.

The talent attraction program is for people who live outside of Allegany County, work remotely or are relocating to Cumberland for a new job, Ruth Davis-Rogers, the citys historic preservation planner, said in August.

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At that time, the Cumberland Times-News published an article about the opportunity.

Reports from other news publications, including Newsweek and ABC, followed over subsequent days.

We are receiving on average probably 20 to 30 applications per hour, in addition to phone calls ... even in the middle of the night, Davis-Rogers said at the time. I cant even keep up with them ... my computer actually shut down.

Applications came from states including California, Oklahoma, Arizona and North Carolina.

Tuesday, Davis-Rogers said Cumberland officials last year received funding for the relocation program from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.

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We were awarded enough money for 10 awards, she said. As of to date weve only made awards to five people.

Of those five, one closed on a house this week, one is still looking for a home and three dropped out.

Of those three, one dropped out because they decided to move to Allegany County but found a home outside of the city limits that they liked, the other two were called back to the office and were no longer eligible to work remotely, Davis-Rogers said.

Now, we have eight positions to fill, she said.

The program will accept applications again until May 1.

Accepted applicants must purchase a home within six months and live in it as their primary residence for no less than five years or the funding must be paid back to the city.

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Davis-Rogers said the city improved the process for folks to submit requests.

We now have an application portal as well as a dedicated email where all questions can be directed, she said. Applications must be made via the portal and, in order to submit, every question must be answered and the required information must be attached.

To learn more or apply, visit https://www.ci.cumberland.md.us/1787/Choose Cumberland-Relocation-Program.
Eight teachers were announced as finalists for Carroll Countys teacher of the year, at a recognition ceremony Wednesday evening hosted by the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce.

They include:

Leslie Bollinger, mentor teacher at Cranberry Station Elementary School

Jerome Georgiana, physical education teacher at Crossroads Middle School

Amy Glascock, fifth grade teacher at Winfield Elementary School

Jennifer Goffena, mathematics resource teacher at Shiloh Middle School

Kristy Groomes, sixth grade science teacher at North Carroll Middle School

Todd Hartshorn, social studies teacher at Manchester Valley High School

Margaret Mayberry, a social studies teacher at Winters Mill High School

Jami Robinson, English and math teacher at Runnymede Elementary School

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A panel of judges from the chamber of commerce and the education community selected the eight finalists from among 806 teachers nominated by students, families, friends or peers, Superintendent Cynthia McCabe told the audience. Each of the finalists will receive $500 from the chamber. The chamber also awarded $500 scholarships to three other teachers to continue their education.

Tonight, we recognize you for making a difference in the lives of your students, McCabe said. You are all outstanding ambassadors for our profession, and you answer the call every day to help build the future of our students.

Mayberry, 38, of Hampstead, said she is grateful to be among the eight finalists, but was shocked when she heard her name called.

We work really hard all year long, Mayberry said, and we dont do it for any kind of recognition  but its definitely nice to have. Its definitely nice to be able to get together with a bunch of other really incredible educators, and to be acknowledged, and to celebrate one another. Its not something we do very often, so its nice to be able to do it.

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Mayberry has been a high school teacher for two years, after more than a decade as a middle school teacher. She said she likes to build rapport with students, making the classroom a welcoming learning environment, and encourage a love of learning.

Groomes, 47, of Hampstead, said she was surprised to be named a finalist.

Its just an absolute honor, Groomes said. Whatever we can do to better the education for our kids, as long as we make sure that theyre engaged and having fun, thats what its all about for me, learning what needs to be learned.

Groomes said she has a relaxed teaching style, which involves meeting students where they are and making lessons as engaging and enjoyable as possible.

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Scholarship recipient Andrea Taylor, 49, a first-grade teacher at Runnymede Elementary, is pursuing a Master of Science in counseling with a school counseling specialization from McDaniel College. Taylor said she is motivated to continue learning to better serve her students.

Im very passionate about relationships with children and meeting the needs of the whole child, Taylor said, so I try to take that into the classroom as much as I can. The school counseling program has been fantastic, and Im really excited to move on to the next phase.

Taylor has been teaching for the last 15 years, and children have changed in that time. She said her students face more serious mental health challenges than children have in the past.

Our children are struggling, Taylor said. I cant teach effectively if theyre not with me, and the only way to make sure that theyre with me is that their needs are met, their basic needs as well as their mental health needs.

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Kaetlin Wienholt, an English teacher at South Carroll High School, and Victoria Tori Wolfe, a Title I resource teacher at Cranberry Station Elementary School, also received $500 scholarships.

Five adult members of the Carroll Education Coalition and three children welcomed attendees with signs meant to encourage educators, said Lisa Maisano, a Sykesville parent and the organizations co-founder. The coalition formed to advocate for more funding for Carroll County Public Schools, amid budget plans that would renegotiate contracts that promised cost-of-living raises for employees and eliminate 92 staff positions.

We just want the school system to know that we support them, Maisano said, and we support all of our educators, and everyone who works in the schools and helps provide our students education. Theyre all valued, and theyre all appreciated, and we want to make sure that they hear that message loud and clear.

Board of Education President Tara Battaglia said the awards ceremony is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the school system staff and what they mean to the community.

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There is a lot of advocacy, Battaglia said, and I appreciate their advocacy, but I think they just want to really feel appreciated, and this is a great opportunity to make sure they feel that.

Chamber of commerce President Mike McMullin said the Outstanding Teachers Awards is among his favorite annual events.

We have a lot of pride in you, McMullin told the crowd, and we know that people move to this area [because of the schools] because of what you guys do. You guys help drive what happens, from from being able to sell your home for a decent amount and businesses coming here, so thank you so much.

The Carroll County teacher of the year will be announced at an employee appreciation ceremony on April 30 and will be eligible for Maryland teacher of the year.

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Have a news tip? Contact Thomas Goodwin Smith at thsmith@baltsun.com.

Show Caption1 of 14

Winters Mill sophomore Clare Lawson sings the National Anthem during the Outstanding Teachers Award Ceremony, presented by Carroll County Public Schools and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, at Winters Mill High School on Wednesday. (Brian Krista/Staff)

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Five-year-old Delilah is full of life. She loves to snap a good photo and socialize.

She likes to sing. She likes people. She loves math. She likes to learn. Shes very happy, said Adelia Aguilar.

Delilah is Aguilars youngest child. She was born with DonnaiBarrow syndrome.

The family relies on Medi-Cal, the states Medicaid program for health care. Medicaid provides health insurance for disabled and low-income families.

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More than one-third of Californias population relies on Medi-Cal.

Right now, there is a fight brewing in Washington, D.C. between Republicans and Democrats over $880 billion in potential cuts to the committee that oversees the health care program.

It would be a disaster for her because everything starts in the family. So if she sees mommy stressed out with something or sad then children start picking up that, Aguilar said.

Aguilar shared their story with Democratic leaders, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs and Senator Alex Padilla at a round table meeting. Both pledged to fight for families like theirs by sharing their stories.

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Hospital leaders shared cuts wouldnt just impact Medi-Cal recipients.

We would have to make adjustments. Those services and programs arent set up for Medicaid patients or just for commercial patients or whatever they may be. These are broad programs and services that if they get trimmed back, they get trimmed back for all, said Dr. Patrick Frias, Rady Children`s Health Co-President & CEO.

If they are trimmed back, Aguilar said it would mean she would have to go back to work at night because shes a single mom.

But it wont be enough to pay my bills, she said.

Republicans have said they dont plan to cut Medicaid, but Democrats argue that isnt true.

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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 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  Mother Elizabeth Betty Miller, age 101, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Tempe, Arizona, surrounded by her loving family.

She graced the world with her presence on October 2, 1923, in Eastman, Georgia, to the union of Amos Barden and Mamie Brown, who cherished her deeply.

Find obituaries from your high school

After meeting William D. Miller by chance at a house party, they began dating. He proposed to his soulmate six months later. William attributed their successful marriage to open communications and active listening to your partner. The Millers were united in Holy Matrimony on July 2, 1943 in Maryland and together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and family. Their marriage undue for 80 years until parted at death.

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Having pursued her passions with fervor, Elizabeth cultivated a life dedicated to service in both her professional and personal endeavors. She was a talented hair stylist, sharing her skills as a self-employed owner while also serving as a librarian for the Youngstown Public Schools. Mother Betty had the skillfulness to nurture beauty and knowledge in the lives she touched. Her commitment to education and self-care extended beyond her work as she became an esteemed member of the community.

Mother Elizabeth believed It was her obligation to be blessing to others. Elizabeth served on the Mission Board at Jerusalem Baptist Church, assisted her husband in food distribution at the church and supported the area Rescue Mission. Faith was tantamount to her life serving as needed at Jerusalem where she was also honored to act as the historian for the church and bestowed the honor and title of Church Mother.

Mother Elizabeth leaves behind a kaleidoscope of cherished memories, slotted in moments spent bowling with the Rockettes bowling league, engaging in exercise classes at the McGuffey Center, and delighting in her love for music and word search puzzles.

The legacy of Mother Betty has been entrusted to her daughters, Debra Lennon of Detroit, Michigan and Donna (Clifton) Pickard of Phoenix, Arizona and daughter-in-love, I. Lynette Miller of Youngstown. Her enduring legacy is emboldened by her five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

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As Mother Bettys faith became sight, she was reunited among the ancestors which includes her parents; spouse William; son Atty. William Ron Miller and son-in-love, Ronald Lennon, upon her entrance into eternity.

As we gather to honor Elizabeths extraordinary life, let us remember her with reverence, reflecting upon her warm spirit that touched so many lives. The community is invited to the public viewing and family visitation on Friday, March 21, 2025, in the chapel of the J.E. Washington Funeral Home, 2234 Glenwood Avenue, from 3:00  5:00 p.m.

The services to honor her life will continue on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at Jerusalem Baptist Church, 2003 Wilson Avenue, with calling hours at 9:00 a.m. and the Celebration of Life services will begin at 10:00 a.m., with Pastor Derrick H. Anderson serving as the officiant.

After the committal ceremony, Betty will be laid alongside Bill, the love of her life, at Tod Homestead Cemetery where together they represent an enduring and everlasting love. May their legacy of love and service continue to inspire us all.

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As we remember Mother Elizabeth Miller, let us cherish the moments we shared with her and the lessons she imparted through her unwavering love and devotion. She leaves behind a remarkable legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.

At this most intimate time, the beloved family of Mother Elizabeth Betty Miller elected to entrust the Ministry of Comfort & Care and After-Care Arrangements to the J. E. Washington Funeral Services, 2234 Glenwood Avenue, Youngstown OH 330.782.8500

Send flowers to the service of Mother Elizabeth Miller.

A television tribute will air Friday, March 21 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  An Elmira man who is registered as a sex offender in New York State has been arrested after deputies say he failed to notify authorities that he had moved from his registered address.

Jordan M. Stehm, 22, was arrested on the charge of failure to report an address change, a class E felony and violation of the Sex Offender Registration Act, as reported by the Chemung County Sheriffs Office.

Burdett man arrested on rape charge after reported incident involving a minor

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Deputies say that Stehm was arrested after the sheriffs office received a tip alleging that he had moved from his registered address. After receiving the tip, deputies say that road patrol from the sheriffs office showed up at his address on Lake Road in the Town of Elmira to verify his address as a sex offender. At this time, deputies say that they learned that Stehm was no longer living at that address and hadnt been for an extended period.

Following this visit, the investigation was turned over to the Criminal Investigation Division, which later determined that Stehm had failed to report any address changes to the sheriffs office or the New York State Sex Offender Registry, which is required by law. After further investigation, deputies say that Stehm was located by investigators in the City of Elmira at an unregistered address.

Scam targeted toward registered sex offenders reported by Steuben County Sheriffs Office

As a result, Stehm was taken into custody and arrested for failure to report an address change. He was then issued an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Elmira Court at a later date.

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Elon Musk went on a transphobic rant Thursday on X, baselessly claiming hormone injections cause extreme emotional volatility just hours after his estranged daughter, Vivian Wilson, who is trans, called him a pathetic man-child.

What are the statistics on trans violence, Musk wrote on X, the social media site he owns, in response to someone writing that 3 in 4 people who have been arrested for vandalizing Teslas are transgender or nonbinary. The probability of a trans person being violent appears to be vastly higher than non-trans. Hormone injections cause extreme emotional volatility. That is simply a fact.

On Thursday, three people were charged for allegedly using Molotov cocktails to set fire to Tesla cars and charging stations at a car dealership in Canada. Neither their names nor genders have been released.

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Musk then shared a graphic, writing, Wow, trans violence is EXTREMELY FAR above normal levels!!

There is no evidence to suggest people taking hormone injections are subject to extreme emotional volatility. A 2022 Stanford University study found that transgender people who start gender-affirming hormone treatment in adolescence have better mental health than people who wait until adulthood to start.

A review conducted by researchers at Amsterdam University Medical Centers and the University of Exeter found that gender-affirming hormone therapy reduces depression and psychological distress in trans people.

Elon Musk departs the Capitol following a meeting with Senate Republicans on March 5, 2025. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, file

Musks posts come the same day his daughter Vivian Wilson called him out in an interview with Teen Vogue. Wilson, 20, who came out as trans when she was a teen, has been estranged from Musk for some time and told the outlet the last time she spoke to her father was 2020.

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Wilson has said in the past that Musk berated her for being queer as a kid, and in her Teen Vogue interview, she called him a pathetic man-child and discussed his Nazi salute at President Donald Trumps inauguration event, saying, Were going to call a fig a fig.

Related...
(Reuters) - Elon Musk, the world's richest man and a top adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, was issued a summons in connection with the Securities and Exchange Commission's lawsuit against him, a court filing on Thursday showed.

A process server gave the civil summons and other documents on March 14 to a security guard at the Brownsville, Texas, headquarters of SpaceX, the space technology company of which Musk is CEO, the filing said. An answer is due on April 4, according to the docket.

The SEC in January accused Musk of waiting too long to disclose in 2022 that he had amassed a large stake in Twitter, the social media company he later bought and renamed X.

The regulator said Musk violated federal securities law by waiting 11 days too long to disclose his initial purchase of 5% of Twitter's common shares.

An SEC rule requires investors to disclose within 10 calendar days -- or by March 24, 2022, in Musk's case -- when they cross a 5% ownership threshold.

Musk and his lawyer didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the SEC declined to comment.

(Reporting by Chris Prentice and Ryan Patrick Jones; Editing by Leslie Adler)
EMERALD ISLE, N.C. (WNCT)  If youre heading to Emerald Isle, there is something you need to be aware of.

Portuguese Man O War have washed up on the beach and while these may look fascinating, they are highly dangerous and can still sting you, even when washed up on sand.

The Town of Emerald Isle warns you not to touch them. The long tentacles can cause painful, venomous stings. Keep pets away, watch where you step, especially when barefoot, and be mindful while in the water as their tentacles can extend far beyond what is visible.

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A man has been charged with stealing and selling unreleased Eminem music that leaked to the web earlier this year.

Federal prosecutors charged former Eminem employee Joseph Strange with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods after he allegedly sold the rappers music to individuals who put more than 25 songs online in January.

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In a statement shared with Variety, Eminems longtime spokesperson Dennis Dennehy said that the rapper is pleased with the latest development in the case. Eminem and his team are very appreciative of the efforts by the FBI Detroit bureau for its thorough investigation which led to the charges against Joe Strange, he said. The significant damage caused by a trusted employee to Eminems artistic legacy and creative integrity cannot be overstated, let alone the enormous financial losses incurred by the many creators and collaborators that deserve protection for their decades of work. We will continue to take any and all steps necessary to protect Eminems art and will stop at nothing to do so.

According to a criminal complaint filed today and reviewed by Variety, Strange was a former sound engineer for Eminem from 2007 until 2021 who worked at a recording studio in Ferndale, Mich., and had access to the music that leaked. After tracks hit the web in January, several studio employees contacted the FBI upon discovering that the unreleased music was available online.

The FBI identified multiple individuals who had purchased the unreleased music including one named Doja Rat, who said he paid Strange $50,000 for songs. Doja Rat stated that Strange claimed to have over 300 songs and handwritten lyric sheets. The FBI also identified several other individuals including Kali Kush and ATL who were involved in a group purchase of Eminem songs.

FBI agents searched Stranges residence on Jan. 28 and seized hard drives that had copies of Eminems unreleased music. Financial records revealed payments to Strange for the music that was sold. The filing states that over Eminem 25 songs, recorded between 1999 and 2018, made it onto the Internet without his consent. Additionally, Eminems manager John Fisher told FBI officials that Strange did not have the authority to possess the files.

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In a public statement, acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck said, Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others.

This investigation underscores the FBIs commitment to safeguarding artists intellectual property from exploitation by individuals seeking to profit illegally, added Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan. Thanks to the cooperation of Mathers Music Studio, FBI agents from the Oakland County Resident Agency were able to swiftly enforce federal laws and ensure Joseph Strange was held accountable for his actions.

If convicted of copyright infringement, Strange faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He also faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison if charged with interstate transportation of stolen goods.

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As a devastating wildfire burned through a Maui town, killing more than 100 people, emergency management employees traded dozens of text messages, creating a record that would later help investigators piece together the government's response to the 2023 tragedy.

One text exchange hinted officials might also be using a second, untraceable messaging service.

That's what Signal was supposed to be for, then-Maui Emergency Management Agency Administrator Herman Andaya texted a colleague.

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Signal is one of many end-to-end encrypted messaging apps that include message auto-delete functions.

While such apps promise increased security and privacy, they often skirt open records laws meant to increase transparency around and public awareness of government decision-making. Without special archiving software, the messages frequently aren't returned under public information requests.

An Associated Press review in all 50 states found accounts on encrypted platforms registered to cellphone numbers for over 1,100 government workers and elected officials.

It's unclear if Maui officials actually used the app or simply considered it  a county spokesperson did not respond to questions  but the situation highlights a growing challenge: How can government entities use technological advancements for added security while staying on the right side of public information laws?

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How common is governmental use of encryption apps?

The AP found accounts for state, local and federal officials in nearly every state, including many legislators and their staff, but also staff for governors, state attorneys general, education departments and school board members.

The AP is not naming the officials because having an account is neither against the rules in most states, nor proof they use the apps for government business. While many of those accounts were registered to government cellphone numbers, some were registered to personal numbers. The AP's list is likely incomplete because users can make accounts unsearchable.

Improper use of the apps has been reported over the past decade in places like Missouri, Oregon, Oklahoma, Maryland and elsewhere, almost always because of leaked messages.

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What's the problem?

Public officials and private citizens are consistently warned about hacking and data leaks, but technologies designed to increase privacy often decrease government transparency.

Apps like Signal, WhatsApp, Confide, Telegram and others use encryption to scramble messages so only the intended end-user can read them, and they typically arent stored on government servers. Some automatically delete messages, and some prevent users from screenshotting or sharing messages.

The fundamental problem is that people do have a right to use encrypted apps for their personal communications, and have those on their personal devices. Thats not against the law, said Matt Kelly, editor of Radical Compliance, a newsletter that focuses on corporate compliance and governance issues. But how would an organization be able to distinguish how an employee is using it?

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Are there acceptable government uses of end-to-end encryption apps?

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, has recommended that highly valued targets  senior officials who handle sensitive information  use encryption apps for confidential communications. Those communications are not typically releasable under public record laws.

CISA leaders also say encrypted communications could be a useful security measure for the public, but did not encourage government officials to use the apps to skirt public information laws.

Journalists, including many at the AP, often use encrypted messages when talking to sources or whistleblowers.

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What are states doing?

While some cities and states are grappling with how to stay transparent, public record laws arent evolving as quickly as technology, said Smarsh general manager Lanika Mamac. The Portland, Oregon-based company helps governments and businesses archive digital communications.

People are worried more about cybersecurity attacks. Theyre trying to make sure its secure, Mamac said. I think that they are really trying to figure out, How do I balance being secure and giving transparency?

Mamac said Smarsh has seen an uptick in inquiries, mostly from local governments. But many others have done little to restrict the apps or clarify rules for their use.

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In 2020, the New Mexico Child, Youth and Families Departments new division director told employees to use the app Signal for internal communications and to delete messages after 24 hours. A 2021 investigation into the possible violation of New Mexicos document retention rules was followed by a court settlement with two whistleblowers and the division director's departure.

But New Mexico still lacks regulations on using encrypted apps. The AP's review found at least three department or agency directors had Signal accounts as of December 2024.

In Michigan, State Police leaders were found in 2021 to be using Signal on state-issued cellphones. Michigan lawmakers responded by banning the use of encrypted messaging apps on state employees work-issued devices if they hinder public record requests.

However, Michigan's law did not include penalties for violations, and monitoring the government-owned devices used by 48,000 executive branch employees is a monumental task.

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What's the solution?

The best remedy is stronger public record laws, said David Cuillier, director of the Brechner Freedom of Information Project at the University of Florida. Most state laws already make clear that the content of communication  not the method  is what makes something a public record, but many of those laws lack teeth, he said.

They should only be using apps if they are able to report the communications and archive them like any other public record, he said.

Generally, Cuillier said, theres been a decrease in government transparency over the past few decades. To reverse that, governments could create independent enforcement agencies, add punishments for violations, and create a transparent culture that supports technology, he said.

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We used to be a beacon of light when it came to transparency. Now, were not. We have lost our way, Cuillier said.

___

Boone reported from Boise, Idaho. Lauer reported from Philadelphia. Associated Press reporters at statehouses nationwide contributed to this report.
Contrary to some recent reports, Britain doesnt have a universal basic income. That would imply a degree of coherence entirely lacking from our system.

What we have is a welfare state that manages to be frequently cruel on an individual level, and utterly unsustainable in aggregate. A system that helps those who know how to game it.

If the American Dream is working hard and making it to the top, the British dream is a London council flat, a state-funded Motability car, and full personal independence payment (PIP) and universal credit awards.

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And so I find it hard to be particularly annoyed with the RMT union when it says it wants Transport for London (TfL) staff to be given priority for social housing in the capital.

Is it rent-seeking? Yes, absolutely. A union that has extracted 70,182 salaries for its drivers through strike threats is trying to turn the screws again by using its stranglehold on the capitals transit system to force the state into handing out more perks.

But is it particularly unreasonable when you look at how the system is currently operated? Thats slightly less clear.

There are many words I could use to describe our social housing system, but shambolic is probably the strongest I can deploy in print.

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Across the country, social housing units  both those rented out by local authorities and those rented out by somewhat nebulously named private registered providers (housing associations and other similar bodies)  are allocated to a lucky few for rents far below the market level.

Getting one of these properties is akin to winning the lottery. Literally.

A council tenancy in Westminster is a little under 25,000 cheaper a year than renting in the private sector. Over a five-year flexible tenancy, you would save well over 120,000. Stay in the property for 40 years or so, and you will have benefited by a million pounds.

Just because no money changes hands with these subsidies, doesnt mean theyre any less real.

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By providing housing to tenants below the market rate, the state is forgoing rental income.

Across England, this costs the Government somewhere in the region of 21bn each year. In London, its about 11bn, with 291m alone devoted to households headed up by foreign-born residents who arrived after 2011, and 4.6bn to households with no adults in employment.

Its hard to come up with any strong defence of this system. Its both tooth-grindingly unfair, and appallingly economically inefficient. A little over half of the 791,000 socially housed households in London, about 403,000, have no adults in work. Some 143,000 of these are explained by retirement, but the great majority are not.

An hours work in the capital produces about 26pc more than the average hour worked across the country. Some of this is because only highly-paid people  who by definition are highly productive in the economic sense of the term  can afford the spiralling rents and house prices of the capital. But its also the case that being around other productive people probably has spillover benefits.

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This is partly why the economists Chang-Tai Hsieh and Enrico Moretti calculated that moving just three US cities to the average level of housebuilding could have increased that countrys GDP by about 9pc, and average wages by almost $8,800 (6,700) a year.

At present, we are reserving homes in the most productive region of our country for some of our least economically productive citizens. What would happen if we changed that policy?

If, hypothetically, Londons social housing stock were freed up for anyone to apply for at market rates, we would see roughly 800,000 properties put onto the market, equivalent to roughly 30pc of the current private sector stock.

Rents would tumble across the city. Market forces would see workers shift in, and the workless shift out.

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The average London household earns about 16,000 more each year in wages and salary than the average household outside the capital. Even assuming some saturation, if half of this gap can be bridged by moving people to the city  with the benefit of its infrastructure and clusters of high-productivity companies  we could potentially add about 3.3bn to UK GDP overnight. It wouldnt require building new houses, just making better use of the ones we already have.

Thats probably the first-best scenario. Handing the properties to TfL workers is a very distant second, but still an improvement on the status quo. They would at least go to those in employment, and if the Government is clever about it  possibly tweaking the tax code in the process  they could be used to bargain down the cash value of salaries.

The average subsidy for a London local authority home is in the region of 13,500 a year. A higher-rate taxpayer would have to earn an extra 23,000 or so to take home that much net of income tax and national insurance.

Give them the equivalent in untaxed rent discounts, however, and they may even agree to a lower cash salary, allowing the Government to make better use of its assets, and reserve free cash flow.

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Over the TfL workforce as a whole, this approach could save a considerable sum of money. In 2020, 14,810 employees earned more than 50,000, and 12,793 earned less. If only the latter group took the deal, it would offer the state a way to potentially save 172m or so in cash staff costs.

This is, again, a very distant second place to a huge GDP boost. The state allocating housing to its preferred workers is clearly, demonstrably inefficient next to allowing the market to operate properly.

But offered a choice between subsidised homes for key workers, and subsidised homes for the workless, Ill take the former every time.

And unless and until we can bring ourselves to shift back to an economic model that rewards people for their contributions, rather than their ability to extract concessions from the state, that may be the best we can hope for.

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A sign at Nashville's Shelby Park urges the protection of wetlands. (Photo: John Partipilo)

A bill that would remove protections from an estimated 80% of Tennessees wetlands advanced through a Senate committee Wednesday over the objections of several scientists and environmental advocates.

The bill is the second attempt by sponsors Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. Kevin Vaughan, both West Tennessee Republicans, to roll back what they say are overly onerous mitigation requirements for developers and landowners.

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Under our current regulations that we use in Tennessee, were treating a tractor rut like Reelfoot Lake, Taylor said.

But representatives from environmental organizations said the bill would lead to the piecemeal destruction of Tennessees natural resources by removing mitigation requirements for a majority of the states wetlands.

Developers are currently required to get state approval and pay mitigation fees before altering swampy areas that soak up rainwater and filter it into groundwater tables. Stripping back regulations weakens the financial incentive for developers to avoid building on wetlands, which provide natural flood mitigation and water quality benefits, opponents said.

Under our current regulations that we use in Tennessee, were treating a tractor rut like Reelfoot Lake.

 Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Memphis

The bill passed 7-2 along party lines in the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and will move on to the Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee.

Bill says developers could fill artificial isolated wetlands at will

The bills sponsors finalized an amendment to the caption bill  a bill introduced with a broad description that can be amended later  early Wednesday morning. The legislation defines four types of isolated wetlands, creating a new category of artificial isolated wetlands created purposefully or inadvertently by the alterations of humans or beavers. Under the bill, developers would be able to drain and fill artificial wetlands at will with no regulatory oversight from the state.

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The legislation also scraps automatic mitigation requirements for moderate- and low-quality isolated wetlands  which have minimal or moderate roles in ecosystems and natural water and chemical cycles  up to 2 acres in size. Theres a carve-out for potential 1:1 mitigation for moderate-quality isolated wetlands between  to 2 acres, but the bill doesnt define when that rule would apply.

An estimated 80% of Tennessees wetlands are smaller than one acre, according to George Nolan, Tennessee director of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

High-quality isolated wetlands and moderate- and low-quality isolated wetlands larger than two acres would still require more specialized Aquatic Resource Alteration Permits.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation commissioner would also gain the authority to change acreage thresholds for low- and moderate-quality isolated wetlands as they see fit. Sen. Heidi Campbell, a Nashville Democrat, said giving any commissioner in the future this kind of control  is problematic.

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But the bill also prevents regulators from considering destruction of any isolated wetlands when determining a development projects cumulative impacts on wetlands.

The Harpeth River Conservancy estimates Tennessee has 460,000 individual isolated wetlands, 94% of which are smaller than 2 acres, according to Watershed Science Director Ryan Jackwood.

About 200,000 acres of isolated wetlands in West Tennessee sit atop the recharge zone for the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which provides drinking water for Shelby County and other needs across the mid-south, Protect Our Aquifer Science Director Scott Schoefernacker testified Wednesday.

Opponents say the bill is not the compromise they sought

Vaughans 2024 version of the bill was sent to a legislative summer study session, and TDEC presented a report to more than 100 stakeholders during a wetlands summit in October. The department also released a report with detailed recommendations for policy improvements.

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This amendment does not effectuate those recommendations, and in fact goes way beyond what TDEC has recommended, Nolan said. He added that neither Vaughan nor Taylor attended that summit.

A TDEC representative testified that the amended bill included a lot of the recommendations, but a few really important items are missing  namely, the creation of a Voluntary Wetland Conservation Fund.

Taylor said that the bills proposed regulations are still more stringent than policy in some surrounding states that fall in line with the recently constricted federal definition of wetlands. A 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling reduced the number of wetlands covered by federal protection, lifting regulation from isolated wetlands that do not have surface connections to other federally protected bodies of water.

Mallory Kirby, who testified in favor of the bill on behalf of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Home Builders of Tennessee, characterized it as a bill about property rights. She and Taylor say the changes to the states regulatory landscape are a compromise that will save developers and landowners time and money, bringing down housing costs.

Cutting back regulations would cost the state around $78,000 in lost permitting revenue but save Tennessees Department of Transportation about $3 million per year on mitigation credits, Taylor said. TDOT, like many transportation departments across the U.S., frequently alters wetlands while building roadways.

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Case Davis, president of wetland restoration and mitigation bank company Beaver Creek Hydrology, is a member of the Tennessee Ecological Restoration Association. His company (and those represented by TERA) restore or preserve wetlands and then provide mitigation credits for developers to purchase. The association calculated the industry has invested more than $1 billion in restoration and conservation projects in Tennessee, he said Wednesday.

The group supports the amendment but has one big concern: the clauses preventing consideration of projects cumulative impacts on these wetlands.

Its a supply and demand type market, Davis said. If we reduce the amount of wetlands that are protected by 90% as this bill intends to do, then the cost of those mitigation credits will go up because we have a pro forma  we have to recoup our investment. So to state that this will reduce the cost of mitigation by reducing the impacts to wetlands is not true.

Taylor repudiated scientists and advocates warnings that failing to consider the bills cumulative effect on Tennessees wetlands would have lasting negative consequences for water quality and flood control, among other things.

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How come those things arent happening in Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas? Taylor asked. This bill regulates more than those states, but they all still have drinking water. Theyve not been submerged in floods.

If youre destroying wetlands in all of those places, those things are happening, Nolan replied. The question is, at what rate are they happening?

Removing incentives to preserve wetlands will change the way water and money flows, Nolan said.

Thats going to turbo-charge the destruction of our wetlands, and itll be our grandchildren that will experience the consequences of that.

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ELGIN, Ill. (WGN)  Episode 6 of the Elgin Police Departments Somebody Knows Something Cold Case Podcast dives into detectives third theory: Karen Schepers safely left P.M. Bentleys before someone possibly stopped hermaybe a serial killeron the way home.

Previous episode: The Beaver Squeezer and John Wayne Gacys nephew

Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian open the episode by laying out the background behind why they believe it was unlikely Schepers would go anywhere besides her Elgin apartment after leaving P.M. Bentleys.

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According to friends and family, no one lived in the surrounding Chicagoland area or had plans to go to another bar the night of her disappearance. Detectives also thought it key to point out this was before the era of cell phones where police could track a persons location, or when people could quickly create plans to meet elsewhere as they left bars or other establishments.

As detectives investigated this theory, they came up with only one other person who lived in close proximity to P.M. Bentleys where Schepers could have gone afterward.

Shirley, one of Schepers best friends, lived in the Meadowdale Apartments just a few blocks from P.M. Bentleys, but she confirmed Schepers never came over after going to the bar the night she disappeared.

Houghton and Vartanian also did their due diligence looking into 4 a.m. bars that would have been open after P.M. Bentleys closed at two.

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P.M. Bentleys owner, Frank, and others who worked there pointed toward Floyds and the Penny Road Pub as places patrons would go after they closed.

Since detectives havent been able to find any concrete evidence there were plans in place to go somewhere after P.M. Bentleys the night of April 15, 1983, plus family and friends saying Schepers wasnt one to go somewhere alone, they ruled its unlikely she turned up at either location after 2 a.m.

However, the most interesting part of investigating this theory is the possibility a serial killer, or a serial killer group, may have stopped Schepers as she drove back to Elgin from Carpentersville.

Three such suspects crossed Houghton and Vartanians desks and were explored in the podcast episode.

Bruce Lindahl

FILE  This undated file photo provided by the Lisle, Ill., Police Department shows Bruce Lindahl. (Lisle Police Department via AP)

Bruce Lindahl became a person of interest to Houghton and Vartanian after the North Aurora Police Department solved a cold case on their docket in October 2024.

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DNA links serial killer to 19-year-old womans cold case murder in North Aurora

At the time, NAPD revealed they solved the 1979 murder of 19-year-old Kathy Halle through DNA evidence discovered through the use of a new technology that matched Lindahls DNA to the clothing Halle was wearing at the time she was murdered.

How and where Halle disappeared is what drove detectives to look into Lindahl.

According to the original investigation file, Halle left her home in North Aurora on March 29, 1979, and planned to walk to the North Gate Shopping Center to meet her sister, but she never arrived.

Nearly a month passed before a boy who was fishing on the Fox River discovered her body, just south of the I-88 bridge in North Aurora.

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Police at the time believed she was abducted from the parking lot of her apartment complex before leaving to meet her sister at the North Gate Shopping Center, which bears similarity to Schepers case.

Schepers went missing after going to P.M. Bentleys, a bar located in the Meadowdale Shopping Center, which is about 25 miles north of the shopping center Halle was supposed to go to before she disappeared.

Both Schepers and Halles cases involve shopping centers as destinations, and both possibly were abducted in a parking lot

Lindahl was also a suspect in the 1980 rape and murder of a 25-year-old woman named Debra Colliander. She also disappeared from Aurora and was abducted in a parking lot.

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What ultimately eliminated Lindahl from becoming a legitimate suspect though, was the time of his death.

Lindahl was killed on April 4, 1981. He met an 18-year-old man named Charles Huber that day and went with him to a females apartment. Lindahl attacked Huber in what detectives believe was a likely attempt to abduct the female, but Huber fought back and caused Lindahl to stab himself.

Huber and Lindahl both died from their injuries, with detectives noting Huber likely saved his friends life.

The Ripper Crew

FILE  This undated photo provided by the Illinois Department of Corrections shows Thomas Kokoraleis. The convicted murderer who is suspected of being a member of the notorious Ripper Crew that brutally killed as many as 20 women in the 1980s is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 29, 2019. Kokoraleis was initially sentenced to life in prison for the 1982 slaying of 21-year-old Lorry Ann Borowski. But after his appeal request was granted, prosecutors allowed him to plead guilty in exchange for serving half of his 70-year prison term.(Illinois Department of Corrections via AP, File)

The second serial killer suspect on Houghton and Vartanians list was actually a group.

Known as the Ripper Crew, or the Chicago Rippers, members of this group were arrested and convicted in connection to multiple murders of women in the Chicagoland area in the early 1980s.

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According to tipsters in 1983, the Ripper Crew was listed as a possible lead in Schepers original case file, but they are also listed as a possible suspect in another cold case murder on Elgin PDs docket.

Besides consideration as a suspect in Schepers disappearance, Houghton and Vartanian also pointed out how media reports and a true crime book have suggested the Ripper Crew could have played a role in the November 1979 murder of Renee Tovar.

Detectives said Tovar was murdered in the 100 block of South Liberty Street in her apartment on Nov. 24, 1979. According to police reports at the time, she was beaten, stabbed and mutilated in some sort of brutal ritual.

*Tovars cold case remains active and detectives encouraged podcast listeners to view her file on their website, which can be found by clicking here, then scrolling down to the interactive map and typing Tovar in the search bar.

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There were four men in the Ripper Crew: Brothers Andrew and Thomas Kokoraleis, Robin Gecht and Edward Spreitzer.

Police believe they are responsible for up to 20 brutal murders of women across Chicago and the western suburbs during the 1980s, with most happening in 1981 and 1982. Law enforcement said Ripper Crew members would cut off victims breasts after killing them and use their dead bodies in satanic rituals that even allegedly included eating some of their victims.

Andrew Kokoraleis was convicted and executed in 1989, making him the last inmate to receive the death sentence and be executed in the State of Illinois after former Governor George Ryan mass-commuted 167 death row inmates sentences to life in prison in 2003.

Thomas Kokoraleis was released from prison in 2019 after a legal error caused his original conviction to be thrown out, and good behavior got him released halfway through his second sentence of 70 years in prison for the murder of 21-year-old Lorraine Borowski. He currently resides in Peoria.

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Gecht and Spreitzer remain incarcerated to this day.

After taking a deep dive into the Ripper Crew, Houghton and Vartanian ruled it was highly unlikely they played a role in Schepers disappearance since all four men had been arrested by late 1982, months before Schepers went missing in April 1983.

Brian Dugan

Karen Schweitzer holds a teddy bear made from clothing belonging to her sister, and her husband Kurts hand, left, as DuPage County States Attorney Joseph E. Birkett addresses the media on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, in Wheaton, Ill., after a jury said that convicted killer Brian Dugan should be executed for the 1983 kidnapping, rape and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico in Naperville, Ill. Dugans second murder victim was Donna Kay Schnorr, Karens Schweitzers sister. Dugan was serving a life sentence without parole for Schnorrs 1984 murder. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

The third serial killer on detectives list of possible suspects to consider in Schepers disappearance is Brian Dugan, Elgin PDs most compelling serial killer to look at of the three considered in Houghton and Vartanians investigation.

Dugan has a litany of criminal cases extending from 1974 to 1985, with court records showing he was out of police custody beginning in 1982, and was active in the Fox Valley area over the next three years.

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During that time period, there were three confirmed abductions where Dugan raped and murdered a victim: 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico in Naperville on Feb. 23, 1983, 27-year-old Donna Schnorr near Batavia on July 15, 1984, and 7-year-old Melissa Ackerman in Somonauk on June 2, 1985.

All three of Dugans murders happened in the Fox Valley area shortly after Schepers disappearance, but its Schnorrs murder that led citizens to submit tips on Dugan and continued to make him relevant to Houghton and Vartanian during their current investigation.

Schnorrs abduction happened about 15 months after Schepers went missing and the two have plenty in common, both in appearance and how they disappeared, according to detectives.

Houghton and Vartanian said Dugan noticed Schnorr in her car at a stoplight around 3 a.m. on July 15, 1984. He then followed her vehicle and ran her off the road with his car near South Randall and Mooseheart Road.

Detectives said Donna rolled down her window to ask what he was doing, then Dugan punched her in the face, tied her up, and threw her in his car. With her car left parked on the shoulder of the road, he drove a short distance to a nearby rock quarry, where detectives said Dugan raped Schnorr before drowning her in the quarry and dumping her body in the water.

Fishermen heading into the quarry later recalled seeing Dugan drive away from the quarry after finding Schnorrs body a few hours later.

Both women would have been driving home in the Fox Valley area in the early morning hours of the day they disappeared. Both women were in their 20s at the time of their disappearance, with Schnorr bearing a striking physical resemblance to Schepers. Both women went missing when Dugan was active in the Fox Valley area.

At this point in the podcast episode, Houghton and Vartanian explained how Dugan had a recurring M.O. of running females off the road before committing a series of violent crimes.

On top of Schnorrs abduction and murder, Dugan was connected to a May 1985 abduction and rape case where he reportedly abducted and raped a woman after posing as a concerned citizen, saying her taillight was out.

Houghton and Vartanian pointed out it would have been easy for Dugan to position himself somewhere on the side of a road in between Elgin and Carpentersville and force Schepers off the road before committing the same crimes he would later be convicted and imprisoned for.

Detectives said Susannas testimony recalling a night when she was followed home from her job as a part-time bartender at P.M. Bentleys in late 1982 also fits Dugans M.O.

What weakens Dugans case as a prime suspect is that his criminal history suggests he was more of an impulsive decision-maker in the crimes he committed, rather than a meticulous planner.

In the cases of Schnorr, Nicarico and Ackerman, evidence suggests he stumbled upon them randomly before deciding to abduct, rape and murder them. In other cases, he abducted women and chose to release them. Detectives said in one case, he even told a woman his name before releasing her.

Other contradictory factors include that each victims body was eventually found near where they were murdered, and detectives said Dugan contradicted himself on how he would decide whether or not to kill his victims.

Even though there are seemingly as many connections as contradictions in considering Dugan as a suspect in Schepers disappearance, the two detectives still elected to interview him at Pontiac Correctional Facility leading up to this podcast episode.

Houghton and Vartanian said they didnt get any new info from Dugan and pointed out in previous media reports, that he has stated he has no outstanding cases in Illinois, including Elgin or Carpentersville.

At this point, detectives have no physical evidence to link Dugan to Schepers disappearance, but they also still dont have her car or her body, which means hes still a question mark to consider, especially in other cold cases in the Fox Valley area from 1974 to 1985.

Up next

Detectives are moving around the order of the theories they plan to investigate, with episode 7 of the podcast going after the body of water theory next, which features new technology helping Elgin PD search local area lakes, rivers, streams and ponds for Schepers and her yellow 1980 Toyota Celica.

Where to listen to the podcast

Spotify

Amazon Music

iHeart Radio Podcasts

Do you know something?

Anyone with information on Karens case or any other cold case in the City of Elgin are encouraged to contact EPD via email at ColdCaseTips@elginil.gov or via phone at 1-847-289-COLD. A list of all cold case missing persons and homicide cases are listed at https://epdopendata-cityofelgin.hub.arcgis.com/pages/cold-cases.

A new episode of Somebody Knows Something: The Elgin Police Cold Case Podcast drops every other Monday, with the next episode coming out on March 17.

With each new episodes drop, an article from WGN News will follow.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Thursday strongly denied accusations from the opposition of a "civilian coup" following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Party spokesperson Omer Celik called the claims "the height of political irrationality," in a speech in Ankara.

Celik denied that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party had any links to the detention orders for Imamoglu and 105 others.

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Opposition leaders, including the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Ozgur Ozel, accused the government of orchestrating the move to sideline a key political rival ahead of presidential elections scheduled for 2028.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the opposition of misleading the nation following the outcry that erupted over the detainment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

The oppositions attempts to present their internal conflicts or legal issues as the countrys foremost problem are the height of hypocrisy, Erdogan said, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.

He added that he had no time to waste on the opposition.

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Imamoglu was taken into custody on Wednesday morning, along with several others, just days before he was expected to be nominated as the presidential candidate for Turkeys largest opposition party. The public prosecutor cited charges of terrorism and corruption as the reason for the arrests.

Both opposition figures and outside observers have accused the government of targeting Imamoglu to eliminate a political rival. In response, the opposition called for protests in multiple cities on Thursday evening.

University students shout slogans and hold placards during a protest march after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu detention, outside Istanbul University in Istanbul on March 20, 2025. Tolga Uluturk/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

University students shout slogans and hold placards during a protest march after Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu detention, outside Istanbul University in Istanbul on March 20, 2025. Tolga Uluturk/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
NEW YORK  New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed attorney Randy Mastro as first deputy mayor Thursday, capping weeks of open speculation about when the white-shoe litigator and Giuliani-era aide would assume the perch atop city government.

Mastros installation, announced by the mayors office Thursday afternoon, but first reported by the Daily News weeks ago, caps a chaotic interregnum sparked by mass resignations of top staffers wary of the mayors alliance with President Donald Trump and suspicious of Adams motivations regarding immigration enforcement.

Randy is a storied and impressive New Yorker with a track record of success in the face of some of the city and nations most challenging times, Adams said in a statement. I, and the whole team, welcome Randy to our administration and look forward to working side-by-side with him as we continue to lead the city forward.

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Adams had previously tapped Mastro to be the citys top lawyer last year. The decision proved disastrous.

The corporation counsel position requires approval by the City Council, and Mastro faced immediate, widespread pushback from members. They took issue with him working for Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is widely reviled in the overwhelmingly Democratic council, and for his controversial client list including oil giant Chevron and the former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was fighting allegations related to the Bridgegate scandal.

Mastro has remained involved in hot-button political issues. He and his firm were paid at least $1.1 million by the state of New Jersey in its unsuccessful legal effort to kill congestion pricing  a tolling plan that has received only muted and conditional support from Adams.

After a months-long charm offensive failed to win meaningful support from council members, Adams formally submitted Mastros nomination anyway, setting him up for a grueling public hearing where he was aggressively questioned over his record. Mastro then pulled himself out of contention days before the council was set to officially vote him down.

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In addition to serving as deputy mayor for operations and chief of staff under Giuliani from 1994 to 1998, Mastro previously worked in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District and entered private practice after leaving City Hall.

Despite his rocky reintroduction to municipal government last year, the notoriously aggressive litigator said he believes hell win over the lawmakers who tormented him.

I actually had very cordial relationships with many people on the council and developed relationships through that process, Mastro said during an interview on PIX 11. Those who wouldnt meet with me never really got to know who I am  I think when they actually get to know me, they are going to like me.

Camille Joseph Varlack, Adams deputy mayor for administration and chief of staff, has been serving as interim first deputy mayor, POLITICO first reported, after Maria Torres-Springer left City Hall on Friday. Torres-Springer was among four deputy mayors who submitted their resignations last month.
Tens of thousands of ghost guns have been seized by law enforcement across the country since 2016, and those guns have been linked to hundreds if not thousands of crimes in that time.

Now, acting proactively, Erie City Council is looking to crack down on any guns found to be made and distributed illegally in Erie.

Local firefighters warn of increased risk of fires during spring season

The federal law really talks about the manufacturing as it comes down to certain components, but it does not address things like the 3D printing. Now that its become more accessible. We dont see a state or law thats really given cities or really any municipality to kind of do to address the issue, said Tyler Titus, vice president of Erie City Council.

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Theyre not like a typical ghost gun with the serial number scratched off, but rather made up of 3D-printed parts able to be assembled by almost anyone with the help of a framing kit.

Titus said the legislation was inspired by other Pennsylvania government bodies including Lancaster and Philadelphia.

This is not only an issue that were talking about reducing violence, but specifically making sure that were keeping guns out of the hands of our youth here in Erie, said Titus.

Erie police said theyve recovered anywhere from 5-10 over the past year or so  Most of them being manufactured by a 3D printer.

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One of those instances was of minors manufacturing and selling these parts.

Weve recovered ghost guns and most of the ghost guns that weve recovered were in the commission of a crime. Whether it was a ghost gun or a registered firearm in the state of Pennsylvania we would have seized those firearms regardless, said Rick Lorah, deputy chief of the Erie City Police. The commission of a crime with a firearm is obviously our number one concern. We dont make laws here at the police department, we just enforce the laws.

Council members said the ordinance is meant to promote proper gun ownership, with penalties for people found accountable being fines, summary offenses and potential jail time if its unpaid.

Erie police announce return of K-9 unit

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What it doesnt do is restrict federally licensed manufacturers from making weapons the right way, with serial numbers and background checks.

This is something that were hoping when we lean into the community and we get information that we can use this to stop bad things from happening, but this is just one part to the puzzle, said Titus.

Federally, the ATF said these kits are subject to the same laws and regulations as commercially made firearms.

They must be serialized, licensed and sold by a licensed dealer with a background check at the first commercial point of sale.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  In an exclusive interview with KTSM, U.S. Representative Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, discussed recent actions by the Trump administration regarding federal budget cuts, immigration at the border, and more.

Just last month KTSM spoke exclusively with El Pasos other congressional representative, U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, about similar issues.

Out of the array of topics, Escobar said the most pressing issue to El Pasoans is the threat of federal funding cuts to Medicaid.

If you are a senior, if you have a disability or have a loved one with a disability, if you have children, it is very, very highly likely that Medicaid helps provide your health care. And that health care doesnt just mean direct health care to people, it also means jobs. It means funding for hospitals and for clinics. It means that (cuts to Medicaid) will put a severe strain on those institutions, those health care institutions, to be able to deliver services to people, Escobar said.

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Escobar, like her Republican counterpart Tony Gonzales, is concerned the Trump administrations proposed federal funding cuts could eventually reduce funding for Medicaid.

These concerns have arisen due to the Trump administrations promise to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in federal government spending. A task it has bestowed upon billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) he oversees.

DOGE has already carried out layoffs of thousands of federal employees, rolled back on government grants and programs, and much more with that goal in mind.

While President Donald Trump has communicated that he does not intend to make cuts to Medicaid as part of his efforts to reduce federal government spending, Escobar said it is almost inevitable his proposed cuts will cut into Medicaid.

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The reason there is this threat and very likelihood that (Medicaid) will be eliminated is so that the administration can give billionaires massive tax breaks. In order to pay those tax breaks, they are seeking to make cuts to Medicaid, to food programs, Escobar said.

Escobar again criticized the Trump administrations plans to use military installations and personnel in their efforts to carry out massive deportations of undocumented migrants.

Not only is it the most expensive way to engage in deportation efforts, but it makes the process far less transparent, and it degrades our United States military. It degrades morale, and it sets back our military readiness. Its bad any way you slice it, its not good for the country. Its not good for our military. Theres a reason why we have a Department of Homeland Security, Escobar said.

With the Trump administrations stronger approach to immigration, Escobar spoke on the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill that she and U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Florida, led but were unable to successfully push through Congress.

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Im very proud of the work that we did together in a bipartisan way to enhance border security, to ensure that the border is not shouldering the burden of an outdated asylum system, to create, greater opportunities for visas to protect dreamers, and to make sure that we have a competitive economic edge as a country, Escobar said.

Representative Salazar and I are talking now about what an updated version of the Dignity Act could or should look like, given the new political environment, given the challenges that we face in Congress right now to get support for immigration reform, weve not yet introduced it, but we are actively working on the reintroduction and the rewriting of it, Escobar added.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden speaks with attendees at an event in Sioux Falls on March 17, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Some ethanol leaders think its ironic that Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden brought his Open for Opportunity tour to an ethanol plant this week, after he signed a bill that negatively impacted a proposed multi-billion-dollar project for the industry.

The whole industry is very disappointed with how things went in South Dakota, Walt Wendland, president of the Ringneck Energy ethanol plant in Onida, told South Dakota Searchlight.

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Rhoden visited the plant Tuesday, after launching his tour highlighting economic development on Monday in Sioux Falls.

Wendland wants to connect the Onida plant to Summit Carbon Solutions proposed $9 billion, five-state pipeline that would capture carbon dioxide from more than 50 ethanol plants and transport it to an underground storage site in North Dakota. The project would be eligible for federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Rhoden signed legislation March 6 barring carbon pipeline companies from using eminent domain. Thats the right to access private property for projects that benefit the public, with just compensation for landowners determined by a court.

Summit has voluntary access agreements, called easements, with some landowners on the route. Other landowners have refused to sign the agreements, citing concerns about private property rights and potential leaks of toxic carbon dioxide plumes. Theyve also alleged unethical behavior by some land agents for Summit.

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Without eminent domain, gaining access to the remaining land needed for the project in South Dakota could be difficult or impossible. Wendland said Summit spent millions on easements, and suddenly, the state pulls the rug out from you, and tells you to go home.

Thats not the way we should be doing business, he said.

Last week, Summit asked South Dakota regulators to pause proceedings in the companys permit application. The company has permits in North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa, although some permits are under litigation, while Nebraska lacks a permitting process.

South Dakota ethanol advocates say the project would be a $1.86 billion investment in the state. They also say it would increase demand from markets seeking fuel with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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Rhoden, a longtime advocate for property rights, said the bill does not end the proposed project.

I encourage Summit and others to view it as an opportunity for a needed reset, Rhoden said in a statement on March 6. Voluntary easements for this proposed project will still be able to move forward. In fact, without the threat of eminent domain, the opportunity might finally be available for trust to be rebuilt and for more productive conversations to occur between Summit and South Dakota landowners.

Wendland said his Tuesday conversation with Rhoden was productive, and he believes the governor tried to find a compromise before signing the eminent domain ban. That proved impossible after several years of political strife caused by the project, including a voter-rejected compromise bill last year and the primary election losses of more than a dozen incumbent Republican legislators after the passage of that bill.

He said the issue was taking up too much time for everybody, and by signing the bill, that all went away, Wendland said. But at our expense, at agricultures expense.

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Rhoden and Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen discussed their support of the eminent domain ban when they kicked off their Open for Opportunity tour Monday in Sioux Falls. Venhuizen referenced the divisiveness of the issue.

I hope that these legislators in our state politics can kind of move beyond it, he said. Because it was having a very corrosive effect on our state politics.

Rhoden said the debate made me just sick to my stomach because there wasnt a good answer. He said the narrative about supporters of the project became too negative.

If you believed in the carbon pipeline, then you were just a tree-hugging, green energy, Green New Deal, Biden Democrat, Rhoden said.

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Eric Baukol is the CEO of Redfield Energy, another ethanol plant hoping to connect to the Summit pipeline. He said he understands the politics of it all, but that doesnt make it any less disappointing.

If I were them and I wanted to be elected, it makes total sense, he said. But its short-sighted. The shift toward carbon sequestration in agriculture is coming, and this will likely be a burden.

Redfield Energy Board Chairman Jim Klebsch said that while some politicians at the Capitol in Pierre told him they got elected to oppose eminent domain for the project, they knew in their heart and in their mind that the project was good for South Dakota.

It was easier just to shut it down and walk away than it was to fight the real fight, Klebsch said. We cant sustain current corn prices. Land prices will suffer, and local tax revenues along with them. Something will have to happen, and the pipeline project was one solution.

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Lawmakers who supported the eminent domain ban hailed it as a victory for property rights.

Sen. Tom Pischke, R-Dell Rapids, voted for the bill when it passed the Senate on March 4.

Private companies should not be able to take South Dakotans land against their will, he said at the time.

South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: info@southdakotasearchlight.com.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden speaks with attendees at an event in Sioux Falls on Mar. 17, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

Some ethanol leaders think its ironic that Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden brought his Open for Opportunity tour to an ethanol plant this week, after he signed a bill that negatively impacted a proposed multi-billion-dollar project for the industry.

The whole industry is very disappointed with how things went in South Dakota, Walt Wendland, president of the Ringneck Energy ethanol plant in Onida, told South Dakota Searchlight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rhoden visited the plant Tuesday, after launching his tour highlighting economic development on Monday in Sioux Falls.

Wendland wants to connect the Onida plant to Summit Carbon Solutions proposed $9 billion, five-state pipeline that would capture carbon dioxide from more than 50 ethanol plants and transport it to an underground storage site in North Dakota. The project would be eligible for federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

Rhoden signed legislation March 6 barring carbon pipeline companies from using eminent domain. Thats the right to access private property for projects that benefit the public, with just compensation for landowners determined by a court.

Summit has voluntary access agreements, called easements, with some landowners on the route. Other landowners have refused to sign the agreements, citing concerns about private property rights and potential leaks of toxic carbon dioxide plumes. Theyve also alleged unethical behavior by some land agents for Summit.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Without eminent domain, gaining access to the remaining land needed for the project in South Dakota could be difficult or impossible. Wendland said Summit spent millions on easements, and suddenly, the state pulls the rug out from you, and tells you to go home.

Thats not the way we should be doing business, he said.

Last week, Summit asked South Dakota regulators to pause proceedings in the companys permit application. The company has permits in North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa, although some permits are under litigation, while Nebraska lacks a permitting process.

South Dakota ethanol advocates say the project would be a $1.86 billion investment in the state. They also say it would increase demand from markets seeking fuel with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rhoden, a longtime advocate for property rights, said the bill does not end the proposed project.

I encourage Summit and others to view it as an opportunity for a needed reset, Rhoden said in a statement on March 6. Voluntary easements for this proposed project will still be able to move forward. In fact, without the threat of eminent domain, the opportunity might finally be available for trust to be rebuilt and for more productive conversations to occur between Summit and South Dakota landowners.

Wendland said his Tuesday conversation with Rhoden was productive, and he believes the governor tried to find a compromise before signing the eminent domain ban. That proved impossible after several years of political strife caused by the project, including a voter-rejected compromise bill last year and the primary election losses of more than a dozen incumbent Republican legislators after the passage of that bill.

He said the issue was taking up too much time for everybody, and by signing the bill, that all went away, Wendland said. But at our expense, at agricultures expense.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Rhoden and Lt. Gov. Tony Venhuizen discussed their support of the eminent domain ban when they kicked off their Open for Opportunity tour Monday in Sioux Falls. Venhuizen referenced the divisiveness of the issue.

I hope that these legislators in our state politics can kind of move beyond it, he said. Because it was having a very corrosive effect on our state politics.

Rhoden said the debate made me just sick to my stomach because there wasnt a good answer. He said the narrative about supporters of the project became too negative.

If you believed in the carbon pipeline, then you were just a tree-hugging, green energy, Green New Deal, Biden Democrat, Rhoden said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Eric Baukol is the CEO of Redfield Energy, another ethanol plant hoping to connect to the Summit pipeline. He said he understands the politics of it all, but that doesnt make it any less disappointing.

If I were them and I wanted to be elected, it makes total sense, he said. But its short-sighted. The shift toward carbon sequestration in agriculture is coming, and this will likely be a burden.

Redfield Energy Board Chairman Jim Klebsch said that while some politicians at the Capitol in Pierre told him they got elected to oppose eminent domain for the project, they knew in their heart and in their mind that the project was good for South Dakota.

It was easier just to shut it down and walk away than it was to fight the real fight, Klebsch said. We cant sustain current corn prices. Land prices will suffer, and local tax revenues along with them. Something will have to happen, and the pipeline project was one solution.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Lawmakers who supported the eminent domain ban hailed it as a victory for property rights.

Sen. Tom Pischke, R-Dell Rapids, voted for the bill when it passed the Senate on March 4.

Private companies should not be able to take South Dakotans land against their will, he said at the time.

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP)  Ethiopia's parliament on Thursday introduced a new tax for all workers as part of measures to fill the financial gap left by the USAID funding pause.

The funds collected will go to a new Ethiopian Disaster Risk Response Fund to pay for projects previously funded by USAID, Ethiopias biggest partner for development and humanitarian efforts.

Ethiopia is facing recurring conflict in some of its regions including Tigray, which is recovering from a two-year conflict, Amhara and Oromia. The conflicts have left millions of people in need of food aid and healthcare.

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The new tax will apply to people employed in both the private and public sectors. A mandatory contribution will also be asked of companies across sectors such as banking and hospitality. The new bill has been forwarded to a parliamentary committee for deliberation on the percentages to be contributed.

Ethiopia with its population of over 125 million people had been the biggest beneficiary of U.S. aid in sub-Saharan Africa, receiving $1.8 billion in the 2023 financial year.

In addition to life-saving food, the funds were spent on HIV medications, vaccines, literacy programs and jobs creation, as well as services for 1 million refugees hosted by Ethiopia.

Most of these programs have been stopped. The USAID staffers who oversaw them have been placed on administrative leave and told not to work, as they face the threat of termination.
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Thursday that his government would not seek conflict with longtime foe Eritrea over access to the Red Sea, after regional officials and experts warned of a possible war between the Horn of Africa neighbours.

Fears of war emerged in recent weeks after Eritrea ordered a nationwide military mobilisation, according to a human rights group, and Ethiopia deployed troops toward the border, diplomatic sources and officials told Reuters.

"Ethiopia does not have any intention of engaging in conflict with Eritrea for the purpose of gaining access to the sea," Abiy said, according to a post by his office on X.

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Although access to the Red Sea was an existential matter for landlocked Ethiopia, his government wanted to address it peacefully via dialogue, Abiy added.

Renewed clashes between two of Africa's largest armies would end a historic rapprochement for which Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and risk a humanitarian disaster in a region already grappling with fallout from the war in Sudan.

The rapprochement saw Eritrea back Ethiopian federal forces during the 2020-2022 civil war between the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopia's central government, which killed hundreds of thousands of people.

But the neighbours fell out again after Eritrea was frozen out of talks to end that war in November 2022.

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Since then, the TPLF has split, with both factions seeking control of the post-war interim administration of the Tigray region.

The current interim administration has accused the dissident faction of collaborating with Eritrea, while the dissidents in turn say their rivals have failed to protect Tigrayan interests.

Each side denies the other's allegations.

Abiy told parliament on Thursday the term of the interim administration had been extended for one year, with some amendments. He did not elaborate on whether the changes would include new leadership appointments, a key demand of the dissident faction.

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"In line with the Pretoria agreement, the interim administration will continue until the next election," he said, referring to a general election due in 2026.

(Reporting by Dawit Endeshaw; Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Ammu Kannampilly, Gareth Jones and Aidan Lewis)
(Bloomberg) -- Ethiopia may consider reshuffling the interim government in the volatile Tigray region where factional wrangling is threatening to reignite a conflict that could draw in neighboring Eritrea.

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Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the federal government is amending laws to extend the interim governments expired mandate to ensure continuity until elections planned for 2026 and will make some changes in the administration, he told parliament in the capital, Addis Ababa. The government fought a two-year war against the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front  which previously ruled the country for nearly three decades  that ended in late 2022 and left hundreds of thousands of people dead.

We hear that some believe it is time to start a conflict, he said. I advise against this. It is not a viable option. What is viable is dialogue, which can address our issues.

Abiy said there have been discussions with the regions political parties, including the ruling TPLF. Based on these talks, we hope the interim administration will continue its mandate after making a few amendments, he said.

Theres been a split in the TPLF party with a splinter group led by Debretsion Gebremichael demanding that regional President Getachew Reda vacate his seat. The dissident faction has taken control of several cities  including the regional capital Mekelle and another close to the border with Eritrea  and is accused of seeking an alliance with the neighboring state.

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Ethiopia and Eritrea have a long history of conflict. They fought a three-decade war that resulted in Eritrea gaining independence in 1991, depriving Ethiopia of direct access to the sea. They agreed to a peace deal in 2018, but ties have since been strained by Eritreas backing of an anti-government militia in Ethiopia.

Abiy reiterated that Ethiopia would continue demanding access to the Red Sea as a right, but made no mention of talks with Somalia for such an arrangement. The two nations fell out at the start of 2024 when he announced plans for an agreement with the self-governing region of Somaliland  territory over which Somalia claims sovereignty  for access to a port and a military base in the Gulf of Aden. They patched up ties after the intervention of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in December.

The issue of Red Sea access for Ethiopia is a matter of survival, he said. In a world where an individual can say they want to go to Mars and colonize it, dreaming of reaching the Red Sea which is 30 to 60 kilometers away is not unthinkable.

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There must be an "immediate" resumption of the ceasefire Gaza and a return of all hostages held by militants, a joint declaration from European leaders attending the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday stated.

The leaders also called for "unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance" across Gaza.

"This access and distribution, as well as the supply of electricity to Gaza, including for the water desalination plants, must be resumed immediately," the statement said.
European farmers have been in the news in recent months due to high-profile protests against climate policies, which they argue put a disproportionate burden on their already thin margins, as well as European Union trade deals, which they claim expose farmers to unfair competition from global producers. Combined, the twin pressures have radicalized many in the sector, while putting a spotlight on the EUs climate and trade policies.

But less attention has been paid to a quieter but nonetheless significant risk facing European agriculture: the distortions introduced into the sector by the blocs Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, and their impact on the security of Europes food supply.

The first iteration of the CAP was introduced by the six founding members of what was then the European Economic Community, or EEC, back in 1962. Its principal objective was to increase food production, which had fallen drastically in the immediate postwar years due to labor shortages and damage to agricultural land. The policy also aimed to raise farmers wages and improve food security by offering farmers a guaranteed price for their produce and introducing tariffs on external products. In the subsequent half century, the CAP has been pivotal in the transformation of European agriculture, helping to usher in an agri-business model that has increased production but at the cost of driving thousands of farmers from the land, degrading the environment and enriching big landowners at the expense of smaller ones. As a result, it now threatens the long-term security of the blocs food supplies.

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A key driver in the transformation of the blocs agricultural model was the CAP reforms of the early 1990s, which saw a move away from the original price support system toward direct income support for farmers  based on the area of land cultivated or number of livestock maintained. These changes inevitably favored bigger farmers, leading to land grabbing by large producers and a major decline in the European model of family farming, according to ARC, a voluntary rural organization dedicated to preserving family farms across the bloc. The inequitable consequences of the reforms were belatedly acknowledged by the EU itself in 2013, when it pledged a more equal distribution of support by limiting the budget for big farms.

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The demographic crisis in farming has been exacerbated by the CAPs drive to create ever-larger units.

But the rhetoric on greater equality has not translated into substantive change. A 2021 report for the European Parliament on the biggest beneficiaries of CAP funding found that between 2018 and 2021, a staggering 3.3 billion euros ended up in the coffers of 17 billionaires. Recipients included former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and British vacuum cleaner tycoon James Dyson. At a time when thousands of small farmers are struggling for survival or throwing in the towel, such largesse for the super-rich raises serious questions about the fitness for purpose of the CAP and the effects of multiple rounds of reform over the years.

Attempts to root out abusive practices in the blocs food supply chain through CAP reform have also floundered in the face of both powerful special interests and the complexities of the EU single market rules. Food producers have long complained about the overwhelming power of the massive supermarket chains that maximize profits by relentlessly squeezing producers profit margins. In response to unfair trading practices in the supply chain, the European Commission set up the much-vaunted Agricultural Markets Task Force back in 2016. Its final report contained a whole host of recommendations to reform how CAP regulates the relationship between food producers and retailers, in order to give farmers a fairer deal.

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Yet almost a decade on, a major survey conducted by the food charity Sustain found that farmers still typically make a profit of less than one cent on staples like a loaf of bread or a block of cheddar cheese. Frustrated by lack of progress at the EU level, national governments, particularly across Eastern Europe, have tried to curb the power of supermarkets by imposing taxes, price caps and requirements to stock local produce. However these moves have repeatedly fallen afoul of EU single market and competition rules, leading to confrontation with Brussels and ultimately a maintenance of the status quo.

Perhaps the biggest existential threat to the future of European agriculture over the coming decade, however, is rapid demographic change, with the average age of an EU farmer now around 57. Almost a third of land holders are already at or beyond retirement age, while only about 10 percent are under the age of 40. The demographic crisis in farming has been exacerbated by the CAPs drive to create ever-larger units, which has seen the number of farms in the bloc fall by more than a third since 2005. As a result, only those with already large holdings have the resources to afford the often astronomical price of farmland, creating a vicious cycle that increasingly excludes new and younger entrants.

The CAPs direct payments system also exacerbates the damaging phenomenon of land retention. As Marian Picot, general secretary of the European Council of Young Farmers, or CEJA, explains, When people retire from farming they often choose to keep their land, to receive the payments that go with it as a source of income. That further delays young farmers access to land ownership. The CEJA cites overly burdensome CAP bureaucracy and difficulties in accessing credit as other major obstacles to entry into the profession. As a result younger people are now less engaged in farming, even though the amount of land devoted to agriculture has remained steady.

As land ownership is increasingly concentrated in fewer and larger holdings, environmentally damaging intensive farming methods are more likely to be employed, despite clear scientific evidence that agriculture must become more sustainable or it will be decimated by climate change and pose a serious threat to food security across the bloc. The belated response from EU policymakers has been yet another reform of the CAP to facilitate the creation of so-called eco-schemes, which are supposed to reward farmers for taking care of the climate, landscapes and the environment.

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However, a recent report by BirdLife Europe suggests that up to 48 billion euros of CAP funding is being directed toward measures that preserve the status quo, rather than drive change. In many cases national governments have deliberately prioritized weak eco-schemes that maximize payouts while achieving very little substantive reform, rendering the schemes at best largely ineffective and at worst counterproductive. What little good that may be achieved by such initiatives is also ultimately undermined by the realities of the CAP funding model. According to a major study carried out by the Nature Food journal in 2023, more than 80 percent of CAP income supports are channeled into livestock. As professor Paul Brehenone of the lead authors of the reportexplains, that is having a perverse effect on the food transition by prioritizing emissions-heavy animal produce at the expense of more environmentally friendly and efficient plant cultivation.

In early 2023, with many key agricultural indicatorsincluding emissions, farmers salaries and demographicsstill heading in the wrong direction, the EU introduced its latest round of CAP reforms designed to make EU farming fairer, greener and more results driven. However, given the outsize contribution of the blocs agricultural policy to the multiple crises now facing European farming, expecting the CAP to put the industry on an equitable and sustainable footing for the future may be akin to closing the barn door after the horse has already bolted.

John Boyce is an Irish freelance journalist with a background in international relations and Hispanic affairs. He writes for a variety of publications on Anglo-Irish, Spanish and European politics.

The post The EUs Common Agricultural Policy Has Created a Farming Crisis appeared first on World Politics Review.
The European Commission is contemplating significant cuts to Ukrainian sugar imports after complaints from EU producers about plummeting sugar prices, Reuters reported on March 20, citing information from three sources.

The EU initially opened its agricultural markets to Ukraine for free to support the country after Russias invasion began, but farmer protests in multiple countries have since forced the bloc to scale back.

According to Ukraine's agriculture ministry, agricultural products accounted for 59% of Ukraine's total exports in 2024, providing vital support to the war-torn country's economy.

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Reuters reports that EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen told French farm union leaders and industry representatives at the Paris farm show in February that he intends to reduce Ukraine's sugar imports to levels "well below" current volumes.

Hansen also aims to limit other imports from Ukraine, such as grains, according to two unnamed trade sources cited by Reuters.

European sugar prices fell by more than 30% last year, according to the latest EU data, though white sugar futures have rebounded in the past two months due to weakening production outlooks in major producing countries, including India.

After the EU abolished duties on Ukrainian agricultural products in 2022, Ukrainian sugar imports reached 400,000 tons in the 2022/23 season and over 500,000 tons in 2023/24  far exceeding the pre-war quota of 20,000 tons.

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Following protests from European farmers, the EU reinstated a Ukrainian sugar import quota of 262,650 tons in July 2023.

According to Ukraine's sugar union Ukrtsukor, cited by Reuters, the EU halted sugar imports from Ukraine after the first part of the quota was exhausted, forcing Ukraine to redirect sugar shipments to other countries, with Turkey becoming the main destination.

The second part of the quota, allowing 109,440 tons of Ukrainian sugar, opened in January, but Ukraine has exported little so far.

Agricultural trade between Ukraine and the EU reached $17 billion in 2024, with the EU remaining Ukraine's largest trading partner.

Read also: Ukraine Business Roundup  McDonalds and DOGE in Ukraine

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The European Union will delay tariffs on U.S. exports into the trading bloc in response to the imposition of tariffs on European aluminum and steel, a measure announced in February by the White House as part of an overhaul of the U.S. trade policies.

The EU had been planning to levy two tranches of tariffs starting April 1 on a range of U.S. goods that includes agricultural products and clothing items but announced Thursday that the countermeasures will be taking effect beginning in mid-April.

The EU countermeasures that were announced on 12 March will all take effect in mid-April, spokesperson Olof Gill said in a statement sent to The Hill.

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Gill called the new effective date for the tariffs a slight adjustment that would not diminish their economic impact but would allow additional time for negotiations.

The change represents a slight adjustment to the timeline and does not diminish the impact of our response, in particular as the EU continues to prepare for retaliation of up to EUR 26 billion, he said.

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said during a hearing at the European Parliament on Thursday that the delay would provide more time for discussions with the U.S.

This would also give us extra time for negotiations with our American partners, he said.

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The White House announced in February it would impose 25 percent steel and aluminum tariffs on the EU and a number of other countries under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

Section 232 tariffs are reserved for imports that threaten to impair U.S. national security.

By exempting the EU and other countries, the United States inadvertently created loopholes that were exploited by China and others with excess steel and aluminum capacity, the White House said in February.

U.S. industries that conduct trade with Europe have been urging the White House to back away from the tariffs.

We urge the U.S. and EU to refrain from imposing these tariffs and to engage in negotiations to resolve the underlying trade issues on steel and aluminum, the U.S. Distilled Spirits Council, an alcoholic beverage trade group, said in a statement earlier this month.

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World leaders have been responding to the flurry of new tariff orders from the Trump administration with a variety of different strategies.

Some have been meeting President Trumps aggressive posture head-on, such as Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who has been a vociferous defender of Canadas economic policies and has slapped a surcharge on electricity exports to the U.S. earlier this month before pulling the order as part of a quick detente on both sides.

Others, such as Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum, have kept their poker faces and delayed retaliatory measures as domestic pressures to ease tariffs mounted. Sheinbaum said earlier this month that Mexico needed to keep a cool head as the U.S. upended longstanding global trade practices.

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The European Union said Thursday that it would delay imposing tariffs on US goods until mid-April as the bloc tries to avert an escalating trade war.

The pause would give the EU time to foster negotiations with the US, officials said: The bloc had earlier this month announced two rounds of counter-tariffs on $28 billion worth of US goods after Washington imposed blanket 25% levies on steel and aluminum on March 12  US President Donald Trump has threatened further duty hikes against European imports.

However, some European analysts believe that Europes chances of successfully negotiating with the administration are slim at best, Reuters reported.

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Europes first round, which targeted iconic American goods like whiskey and bourbon, was due to take effect on March 31.

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The plans were met with strong criticism from Washington. US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on European alcohol, leading Italy and France to question the blocs planned measures.

While tit-for-tat tariffs represent a lose-lose game, a former EU trade commissioner who served during Trumps first term told Deutsche Welle, negotiators face the challenge of not entirely knowing what the US wants in terms of an acceptable outcome: This time its much more difficult because you dont really know what the aim is... This is just punishing us for bad tech rules, for unfair behavior, for Greenland, for what have you. How can you negotiate in a climate like that?
The European Union on Thursday postponed its planned tariffs on billion of dollars worth of US products until mid-April.

The European Commission said the extra time would allow for a solution to the trade dispute to be found, while vowing a tough course otherwise.

The tariffs were set to go into force on April 1, in response to US duties on steel and aluminium imports already enacted by President Donald Trump.

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The EU remains ready to enter into a constructive dialogue with the US in order to find a solution that avoids unnecessary damage to both economies, the EU's executive arm said in a statement.

Postponing the tariffs "gives us extra time for negotiations to try to find a mutually agreeable resolution," said Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.

As a first step, the bloc was going to reinstate tariffs which dated back to Trump's first term in office: on jeans, bourbon, motorcycles and peanut butter.

The tariffs are set to be as high as 50% in some cases, for example for motorcycles built in the US by Harley-Davidson and Jack Daniel's whiskey.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen previously argued that the EU had to act to protect consumers and business in the bloc.

Further countermeasures are still being developed and are also due to be activated in mid-April. They would affect companies selling US agricultural products such as poultry, beef, certain seafood, nuts, eggs, dairy products, sugar and vegetables to the EU.

There are also to be extra EU tariffs on other industrial products such as steel and aluminium products, textiles, leather goods, household appliances, tools, plastics and wood products.

Trade fight during Trump's first term

Trump imposed special tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium products during his first term of office from 2017 to 2021, pointing to what he said were "national security interests."

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At the time, the EU responded with retaliatory tariffs on US products including bourbon whiskey, motorbikes and jeans.

However, in autumn 2021, the EU and the US, under president Joe Biden, suspended the their tariffs.

But Trump has adopted a rapid, confrontational strategy since returning to the White House, announcing plans for new tariffs on cars and other goods from the EU, expected to take effect on April 2.

He seeks to strengthen the US as a production location and reduce trade deficits.

Sefcovic said the EU and the US enjoy the largest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world but noted the "dynamic, the unpredictability, of this new global trade pattern."

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He said EU-US trade and investment support some 10 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic and argued it "should be a priority for both sides to protect and further develop this relationship and to work together on shared challenges."

"However, I have always been clear with my US counterparts that we will react firmly and proportionally if we are hit by unjustified measures," the commissioner said.
If EU countries find it difficult to approve a 40 billion annual aid package for Kyiv, they should take small steps and first agree on 5 billion for ammunition for Ukraine, says EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

Source: European Pravda, citing the politician's statement upon arrival at the EU summit in Brussels

Details: When questioned about the fact that her proposal for a large package of military aid for Ukraine has not yet received backing from all EU countries, Kallas stated that each member state faces its own budget difficulties and internal policy issues.

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At the same time, she believes that the European Commission's most recent plan to rearm Europe can help  even if the full package cannot be adopted, small steps can be made.

"It is important to have tangible results. If we are not able to decide right now for the whole year that is coming, lets decide in the short term what the imminent needs that Ukraine has regarding the ammunition are," Kallas said.

She called the 5 billion allocation for ammunition "realistic".

"The realistic plan would be 5 billion for ammunition. This is what we are working on really right now," the diplomat added.

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Background:

Earlier, the media reported on a proposal to create a fund to provide Ukraine with military assistance worth between 20 and 40 billion on a voluntary basis to avoid any veto by Hungary.

As a first step, the leaders of the participating countries are to agree to allocate 5 billion for 2 million large-calibre artillery munitions in 2025.

After a meeting of the 27 EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Kallas said her proposal had "broad political support" and details were being discussed.

However, Italy and Spain have made it clear that they are not yet ready to support the proposal.

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The European Union shouldn't return frozen assets to Russia unless Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine even if the U.S. withdraws from the G7 initiative, EU Economy and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on March 20 in Kyiv.

"G7 decision that those assets are not going back to Russia unless Russia pays for its damages is something which is already decided. And it's important to stick with this decision," Dombrovskis told journalists.

"I think that provides important leverage with Russia."

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The statement comes after U.S. President Donald Trump's U-turn in Ukraine and EU policy. Amid Trump's effort to end Russia's war in Ukraine, the potential easing of sanctions against Russia has been discussed as a possible step.

Dombrovskis said that if the U.S. decides to unilaterally withdraw from some of the sanctions imposed on Russia, "it does not mean that the EU has to automatically follow this."

Western nations froze around $300 billion in Russian assets after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with roughly two-thirds held in Europe.

In October 2024, the Group of Seven (G7) agreed to provide Ukraine with nearly $50 billion in loans backed by the revenue generated from frozen Russian assets. While Ukraine has received loans backed by the interest earned from these assets, Kyiv has repeatedly called for full confiscation to fund its defense and reconstruction.

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The West has so far been divided about whether to confiscate the assets and hand them over to Ukraine.

In its statement issued during the EU summit in Brussels on March 20, the European Council reiterated, citing the EU law, that Russias assets "should remain immobilized" until Russia ceases its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war.

The EU Council also said it is ready to step up pressure on Moscow, including through further sanctions.

Read also: $5.4 billion on ammunition for Ukraine realistic goal, EUs top diplomat says

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(Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders will aim to affirm their plans to bolster defense spending at a summit Thursday, but now face a more pressing concern: whether they will have a role in US President Donald Trumps efforts to fast-track a ceasefire in Ukraine.

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Leaders from the 27 members will meet in Brussels after Trumps phone diplomacy with Russias Vladimir Putin and Ukraines Volodymyr Zelenskiy  after having so far been left out of the negotiations.

Putin told Trump on Tuesday that hed be willing to limit attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure as a first step, but didnt sign on to the full ceasefire that the US was pushing. Zelenskiy agreed to a proposal to halt strikes on Russian energy assets.

With the Trump administration threatening to roil trade relations, EU leaders also plan to move forward on long-discussed plans to bolster competitiveness.

Here is what to watch at Thursdays EU summit:

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Trumps negotiation efforts

While the EU has publicly welcomed US efforts to push for a peace deal, leaders have become increasingly alarmed about being kept out of Trumps dealing with the Kremlin. With Putins demands involving EU sanctions relief, US officials have told European counterparts that theyll be included in any deal, Bloomberg reported.

But lifting sanctions is a non-starter for most member states. Instead, a draft of summit conclusions seen by Bloomberg reiterates the blocs readiness to impose more sanctions as authorities in Brussels start discussing a 17th package of measures. The European Commission, meanwhile, envisions Ukraine as a steel porcupine, armed by allies and unassailable to the Kremlin  rather the opposite of what Putin is demanding.

The commission has also advocated tying the EUs arms industry to Ukraines as part of a new defense strategy. That entails providing the war-battered country with a minimum of 2 million rounds of ammunition a year, while maintaining training and equipping Ukrainian forces.

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As has become the case recently, EU nations could move ahead without Hungary, which aligns with Russia on halting weapons deliveries to Kyiv.

Defense spending

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this month proposed extending 150 billion ($158 billion) in loans to boost the blocs defense spending. Leaders will discuss those funds, which will be backed by the EU budget and accompanied by simplified procurement rules and a value-added tax exemption.

The funds will back purchases from EU-based entities, with a minimum of 65% of component costs originating from the bloc  or neighbors such as Norway, Iceland and Ukraine. While third countries cant benefit from the loans directly, some can team up with member states to apply for the loans.

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As things stand, the US and the UK are not able to do so. However, the UK will be eligible as soon as it signs a defense partnership with the EU, expected this year. Nations allowed to team up with EU member states include Turkey, South Korea and Japan.

The EU also plans to activate a mechanism allowing member states to use their national budgets to spend an estimated additional 650 billion on defense over four years without triggering budgetary penalties. The clause is valid for four years and capped at 1.5% of gross domestic product. Leaders will assess whether the proposed funding will suffice or if more will be needed.

Competitiveness

Before geopolitical upheaval came to dominate the summit, leaders had aimed to discuss competitiveness and the blocs efforts to implement measures laid out in a landmark report by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi. Economy-boosting measures, creating a capital markets union and cutting red tape will be up for discussion.

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Leaders will also begin talking about the blocs new budget from 2028 to 2034, for which negotiations have just started. In this context, theyll touch on creating new resources for the budget  with a financial transaction tax returning as an option.

--With assistance from Michael Nienaber and Alberto Nardelli.

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By Lili Bayer, Andrew Gray and Michel Rose

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union leaders said on Thursday that they will continue to support Ukraine, but they did not immediately endorse a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to provide at least 5 billion euros for artillery ammunition purchases.

"We need funds for artillery shells and would really appreciate Europe's support with at least five billion euros ($5.42 billion) as soon as possible," Zelenskiy told the EU leaders meeting in Brussels via video link.

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The bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, had also called on leaders to match words of support for Kyiv with deeds, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes ahead with his efforts to end the war, including through a rapprochement with Russia.

"The stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are behind the negotiation table," Kallas said of the Ukrainians.

In a statement, all EU leaders except Hungary's Viktor Orban pledged to "continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support". They also said EU members should "urgently step up efforts to address Ukraines pressing military and defence needs".

There was no concrete answer on the 5 billion euros. But summit chair Antonio Costa said EU members had promised 15 billion euros in aid for Ukraine in recent weeks and he believed they would increase those pledges further.

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Kallas had previously proposed a pledge up of to 40 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine in 2025, with each country contributing according to its economic size, but that hit resistance from some countries, particularly in southern Europe.

Bolstering the EU's own defences also featured on the summit agenda, reflecting deep fears that Moscow may attack an EU member in the coming years and doubts about the future of U.S. protection for Europe via the NATO defence alliance.

"We have to rearm ourselves because otherwise we will be the next victims of Russian aggression," Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda said.

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 farther away that have given less, as a share of their economies.

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he did not like the term "rearm", which the European Commission has used extensively in its push for more defence spending.

"It is important to take into account that the challenges that we face in the southern neighbourhood are a bit different to the ones that eastern flank face," he said.

Zelenskiy will be in Paris next Thursday to hold talks with a coalition of willing countries to discuss ways to help defend Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

DEFENCE SPENDING

EU leaders also discussed the Commission's defence proposals, which include a call for European countries to pool resources on joint military projects and buy more European arms.

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"I think Europe has never moved faster than over the past few weeks," Macron said.

"Europe was a community built to avoid war, then a single market. It had never built the tools to become a real power. It's doing it now. We're doing it in real-time and we're doing it fast."

Some, like Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, urged the EU to go further in financing defence spending and consider giving member states grants and not just loans.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed a preference for "truly common European instruments that do not directly burden the debt of states."

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Others, like Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, said they were still very much opposed to joint euro bonds.

EU leaders spent the early evening debating economic challenges facing the bloc, notably its bid to stay competitive while decarbonising its industries and catch up with rivals the United States and China in new fields such as AI.

They made clear the EU's ability to invest in defence relied on its economic strength and called for progress this year in three fields - cutting red tape, securing affordable and clean energy and creating a more dynamic capital market to channel billions of euros of private money towards required investments.

($1 = 0.9223 euros)

(Additional reporting by Jan Strupczewski, Philip Blenkinsop, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Andreas Rinke, Tiffany Vermeylen, Krisztina Than, Bart Meijer; Writing by Ingrid Melander;Editing by Tomasz Janowski, Alexandra Hudson and Cynthia Osterman)
The EU is providing further financial aid of 1 billion ($1.1 billion) to Ukraine, in a loan to be repaid through the proceeds from frozen Russian state assets in the EU.

With today's payment of 1 billion, we are reiterating our steadfast commitment to Ukraine," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "We are helping the country's economy stay on course and rebuild critical infrastructure damaged by Russian aggression. We will keep supporting Ukraine as long as it takes."

The support is to enable Ukraine to rebuild after Russian attacks: current and future military support, budget and reconstruction needs and restoring critical infrastructure such as energy infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, roads and bridges.

The latest sum is part of an initiative by Group of Seven (G7) democratic industrialized nations, which aim to provide around 45 billion in financial support to Ukraine by 2027.
BRUSSELS (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putins key peace demand that Western allies stop providing military aid and intelligence to Ukraine is quietly being ignored by the European Union.

As U.S.-led talks with Russia and Ukraine progress, without the Europeans at the table, the 27-nation bloc is pressing ahead with a steel porcupine strategy aimed at building the Ukrainian armed forces, and the countrys defense industry, into an even more formidable opponent.

At an EU summit on Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that its central that Ukraine should remain an independent democratic nation that can continue its journey toward EU membership and that it also has a strong army of its own after a peace agreement.

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For us, it will be important to continue to support Ukraine significantly  as the European Union as a whole, as allies and friends and as individual countries, Scholz told reporters in Brussels.

A few hours after he spoke, Scholz's EU counterparts  with the exception of Hungary, which opposes the bloc's peace through strength stance  called on member countries to urgently step up efforts to address Ukraines pressing military and defence needs.

Mindful of Russian deception in the past  the little green men  who annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, or the troop buildup in 2021 that Moscow denied would lead to any invasion  the Europeans are deeply skeptical about Putins intentions and whether he would accept any peace terms.

With the U.K. and other partners, some European countries are working on a deterrence force to police any future peace. At the same time, Ukraines best security guarantee, apart from the NATO membership that the U.S. refuses, is that its own army is strong and well supplied.

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In a defense blueprint unveiled on Wednesday, the European Commission set out how it plans to meet Ukraines security needs, with EU money available to help bolster its defense industry, which produces arms and ammunition more cheaply and closer to the battlefield.

Ukraine is currently the front line of European defense, resisting a war of aggression driven by the single greatest threat to our common security, the document says. The outcome of that war will be a determinative factor in our collective future for decades ahead.

At the heart of the EUs strategy is a commitment to provide air defense systems and missiles  including long-range precision warheads. In groups, countries would jointly purchase the equipment and financially back Ukraines own effort to obtain them.

Drones are a major advantage on the battlefield, and the EU intends to back Ukraines procurement of them and help it build its own production capacity, including through joint ventures between European and Ukrainian industries.

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Another aim is to provide at least 2 million rounds of large-caliber artillery shells each year, and to continue a training effort that has helped to prepare more than 75,000 Ukrainian troops so far. In return, European troops will learn from Ukraines front-line experience.

Ukraine would also be able to take part in the EUs space program, with access to the services provided by national governments in the area of global positioning, navigation, surveillance and communications.

Financially, and beyond the estimated 138 billion euros ($150 billion) already provided to Ukraine, the government in Kyiv would be able to secure cheap loans for defense purposes  as can EU countries and Norway  from a new fund worth 150 billion euros ($162 billion).

___

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The European Commission has disbursed an additional 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) to Ukraine, to be repaid with proceeds from frozen Russian assets, the commission announced on March 20.

"With today's payment of 1 billion euros, we are reiterating our steadfast commitment to Ukraine. We are helping the country's economy stay on course and rebuild critical infrastructure damaged by Russian aggression," Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

Western nations froze around $300 billion in Russian assets after Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with roughly two-thirds held in Europe.

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The MFA amounts to 18.1 billion euros ($19.6 billion) in total, representing the EU's contribution to a G7-led initiative that collectively aims to provide Ukraine with approximately 45 billion euros ($48.8 billion) in financial support.

With this latest payment, the European Commission has disbursed 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) to Ukraine under the MFA since the start of 2024.

In October 2024, the Group of Seven agreed to provide Ukraine with nearly $50 billion in loans backed by the revenue generated from frozen Russian assets.

Read also: Extending NATOs Article 5 to Ukraine would test Russias peace intentions, Meloni says

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BRUSSELS (AP)  All European Union nations but Hungary signed a joint statement Thursday backing Ukraine, the second time in a month that Budapest was the bloc's sole member to decline to sign such a statement of support.

Conclusions reaffirming the EU's continued and unwavering support for Ukraines independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity were firmly supported by 26 out of 27 leaders, according to the press statement issued at Thursday's summit in Brussels.

Its a symbolic move that makes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban look more isolated than ever. He is unable to hold up real EU assistance to Ukraine, and Hungarys European partners are coming up with workarounds to avoid any veto.

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At the same time, Orban is also emboldened by U.S. President Donald Trump, who is pushing for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump has blamed Ukraine for Russias unprovoked invasion, all while accusing Kyiv of unnecessarily prolonging the biggest land war in Europe since World War II.

As a matter of principle, the 27 EU member nations strive for unanimity on big decisions. When it comes to sensitive foreign affairs questions, it is often a legal necessity.

Under stridently nationalist Orban, Hungary has drifted ever further from the EU fold over the war in Ukraine, repeatedly holding up the passage of multibillion-euro aid packages and sanctions. But the rest of the bloc is growing more inclined to proceed without him, as an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday is expected to underline.

Orban is the closest to Russian President Vladimir Putin of all EU leaders, and is backing U.S. President Donald Trumps peace talks with Moscow, which have largely sidestepped Kyiv and the EU. Two weeks ago, Hungary already refused to put its name to a joint EU statement that referred to Ukraine achieving peace through strength by counting on continued European military and financial support.

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Orban didn't speak at his arrival at the summit on Thursday.

Earlier this week, Hungary's European Affairs Minister Janos Boka indicated that Budapest would refuse to sign the joint statement. The part on Ukraine in several points is against the strategic interests and the strategic vision of Hungary on how to create the new European security architecture, Boka said Monday.

Ahead of the summit, EU officials and diplomats from other countries made clear they wouldnt spend time being drawn into hours-long debates with Budapest when agreement on Ukraine was impossible.

Two weeks ago, at an emergency summit, European Council President Antonio Costa described Hungary as isolated. We respect Hungarys position, he said. But its one out of 27, and 26 are more than one.

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Hungary can take the symbolic step of blocking joint statements and holding up proceedings, but it cannot block a major EU defense loan package or stop countries from spending more on their military budgets  two courses of action that will directly benefit Ukraine.

Still, with talks on the future of Ukraine unfolding day by day, the rest of the EU is looking for ways to signal support for Kyiv. On Tuesday, six northern countries urged the European Commission to find ways to help Ukraine join the EU more quickly. Kyiv got the green light to open membership negotiations last year, after Hungary dropped a veto, but the talks are yet to start.

Ministers and representatives from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all of which are close to or share borders with Russia, called for concrete proposals on how to decisively advance Ukraines accession process in a letter seen by The Associated Press.

Swedens European Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz told AP that supporting Ukraines journey to EU membership was an investment in the security of our entire continent.

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Joining the EU typically takes years or even decades of difficult reforms, though European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has suggested Kyiv could possibly join by the end of the decade.

In Hungary, Orban has threatened to block Ukraine's membership, and he is planning to hold a public opinion survey on whether the country should be allowed in. Enlargement decisions require unanimity, which has seen other EU membership bids, notably Turkey's, grind to a halt.

Future U.S. support for Kyiv is far from certain following a bust-up between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

At a gathering of far-right EU politicians on the eve of the summit, Orban said he does not support giving money to keep Ukraine fighting. In our understanding, there is one simple mission to be done by the European Union: to support Donald Trump, President Donald Trumps efforts to make peace, he said.

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While EU leaders ponder long-term measures to back Kyiv, it is the United States that is shaping the course of the conflict. Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after Trump spoke to both presidents, though it remains to be seen when and how it might take effect.

-

AP Journalist Sylvie Corbet contributed.
A number of EU leaders called for an acceleration of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU at a European Council meeting on 20 March.

Source: European Pravda, citing a senior EU official on condition of anonymity

Details: The source stated that at the meeting in Brussels, "many EU heads of state" emphasised the need to expedite Ukraine's EU accession talks and promptly open the first negotiating chapter.

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The discussion regarding Ukraine at the EU summit lasted two hours: first, EU leaders discussed the situation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and then continued to talk among themselves, the source added.

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 that the list of requirements for Ukraine be expanded.

Earlier this month, Hungarys populist leader Viktor Orban announced a non-binding nationwide poll on support for Ukraines EU accession. In a list of 12 demands to Brussels released last week, he noted that the EU should be "a Union but without Ukraine".

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(Bloomberg) -- European Union leaders tussled over weapons deliveries to Kyiv and who would represent them in US-led diplomacy as the bloc struggled to formulate a strategy on Ukraine.

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An EU summit in Brussels was unable to agree on delivering 5 billion ($5.4 billion) to secure ammunition for Ukraine this year, as members including France and Italy balked at committing to specific financial volumes, according to European diplomats familiar with the talks. A number of European leaders will meet again in Paris on March 27 to try to drive the process forward.

The objective for me on Thursday is first of all for there to be a renewed and explicit commitment, and perhaps one that is a little more specific, on short-term support for Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said late Thursday as leaders filed out.

Leaders have become increasingly alarmed about being kept out of US President Donald Trumps dealing with the Kremlin  and the risk of being unable to agree on how to help Ukraine defend itself. During the summit, they pored over the sequence of Trumps phone diplomacy this week, which yielded an agreement to halt attacks on energy infrastructure  but fell well short of a ceasefire aimed at ending the three-year war.

EU leaders also sparred over the failure so far to put forward a senior figure as part of a bid to gain entry into the process and represent the 27-member bloc. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the EU needed a negotiating team and a representative to be at the table.

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Tensions led to a heated exchange between Sanchez and the EUs foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas. When the Spanish leader repeated his call for a special envoy in the closed-door meeting, Kallas took offense.

What am I here for? she said, according to accounts of multiple people briefed on the discussion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy meanwhile made an urgent plea for the 5 billion to purchase ammunition as soon as possible, making reference to a massive overnight drone strike over Ukraine as the war drags on.

Its crucial that your support for Ukraine doesnt decrease but instead continues and grows, Zelenskiy said, according to a text of the speech. And this is especially true for air defense, military aid, and our overall resilience.

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Meeting in Paris

With Trump pushing for a ceasefire, Putin has made it clear he wants a halt in arms deliveries to Ukraine in any broader deal, which further complicates the EUs push to bolster Kyiv.

Next weeks Paris meeting will address Europes position and demands on the peace process, according to people familiar with the plans. Germany, Italy and Poland will be some of the EU countries involved, as well as non-EU nations such as the UK and Canada, said the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations.

Russia does not sincerely want peace at this stage, Macron said, lamenting President Vladimir Putins refusal to agree to a ceasefire, one that he hopes is a temporary refusal.

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Kallas put forward a proposal earlier this year for EU members to deliver as much as 40 billion in military aid in 2025, stepping up after 20 billion flowed to Kyiv in 2024. Assistance would be voluntary, but participants would be encouraged to make contributions in cash or equipment in proportion to their respective economies.

After several countries demurred, the debate was narrowed to focus this week on the ammunition component.

Italy and other nations are asking for more technical and financial details, and said the initiative was still being worked on, Italian diplomats said. French diplomats said that while they share the objectives of the effort, the priority is to implement the EUs 18 billion portion of a Group of Seven loan package for Kyiv.

A spokesperson for the EU said the bloc doesnt comment on closed meetings. A Spanish official said Madrid wasnt ruling Kallas out and declined to comment on the summit discussions.

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Done Backwards

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo threw his weight behind the initiative  and lamented the headwinds it faced from some EU capitals. Many countries are not performing adequately when it comes to arms deliveries to Ukraine, he said.

Still, others faulted the sequence of prematurely quantifying member states commitments before first securing backing. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said setting numbers first was done backwards.

It may create an impression that someone doesnt do enough  but readiness to support Ukraine is there, even if it is difficult to quantify it now, Nauseda told reporters.

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The EU and its member states have dispatched 50 billion in military support to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The US has committed $66.5 billion  or about 11 billion more  in that time frame.

Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintained its resistance to helping Ukraine. But efforts to win over Orban for an agreement of all 27 states  a familiar set piece for summits  were dropped. For the second straight meeting, leaders were resigned to move ahead without Budapest.

--With assistance from Donato Paolo Mancini, Daniel Basteiro, Alberto Nardelli, Milda Seputyte, Michal Kubala and Michael Nienaber.

(Updates with Macron comments, details on Paris meeting, from second paragraph.)

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The European Union has stopped discussing the confiscation of frozen Russian assets.

Source: Deutsche Welle (DW), a German international broadcaster and media outlet citing the conclusions of the EU summit on 20 March

Details: "According to EU law, Russian assets should remain frozen until Russia ends its aggressive war against Ukraine and compensates it for the damage caused by this war," the DW noted, citing the conclusions.

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Several EU countries opposed the confiscation of more than 200 billion in sovereign Russian assets, arguing their position based on European legal norms, the potential risk of creating a dangerous precedent for the competitiveness of the European financial market, the need to support Ukraine using the interest on these funds and the fact that this amount serves as an essential lever of influence on Russia in any potential peace talks.

Meanwhile, the EU is prepared to further intensify pressure on Russia, particularly through additional sanctions and strengthening control over the enforcement of existing restrictions, with the aim of weakening its capacity to continue waging war against Ukraine, the conclusions state.

Background:

On 18 March, the UK and the EU began negotiations on how to confiscate frozen Russian assets to increase pressure on Moscow ahead of possible peace talks to end the war in Ukraine.

On 12 March, the French National Assembly approved a resolution calling for the seizure of Russian assets in favour of Ukraine.

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Russian President Vladimir Putins dismissive attitude to ceasefire proposals for Ukraine may have thwarted US President Donald Trumps hopes of finding a quick resolution of the conflict. But they have also exposed the utter vacuity of Sir Keir Starmers proposal for a coalition of the willing to keep the peace in Ukraine once hostilities have concluded.

One of Putins more predictable characteristics since launching his so-called special military operation in Ukraine in 2022 has been his propensity for telling lies. Whether it is reassuring Western leaders, as he did in the build-up to war, that Russia had no intention of invading Ukraine, to telling Trump this week that Russia would suspend attacks against key Ukrainian infrastructure, Putin regards telling porkies as an important instrument of waging war.

Thus, within hours of Putin ending his call with the White House, in which he agreed to a 30-day pause in Russian attacks on Ukraines energy grid and infrastructure, Russian drones were back in action attacking vital civilian targets. These included a hospital in Sumy and the city of Slovyansk, which was partly blacked out after power infrastructure was damaged.

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Putins blatant inability to keep his word, which was very much in evidence when Moscow brazenly breached the ceasefire conditions set by the Minsk accords, is the main reason that Sir Keir, together with other Western leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron, has championed the idea of establishing a European-led peacekeeping force in post-war Ukraine.

If Putin cannot be trusted to honour basic commitments, such as refraining from attacking Ukraines infrastructure, how can any self-respecting Western leader expect Putin to respect any deal that ends hostilities in Ukraine  assuming, that is, that such a settlement is actually feasible?

These concerns are the reason that Starmer has taken upon himself to lead the diplomatic charge to create a coalition of the willing to safeguard Ukraines future security in the event of Trump achieving his goal of bringing hostilities to an end in the near future.

With concerns deepening over the Trump administrations long-term commitment to Ukraine after the recent escalation in tensions between Kyiv and the White House, there is, so Starmer believes, a clear need for European military powers such as the UK and France to fill the void.

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Trumps decision to suspend  albeit briefly  US military support and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine has been a key factor in Russias recent military successes in the Kursk region, where they have recapturing Russian territory captured by Ukraine last summer.

In the absence of US support, Starmer has called on Europe to do the heavy lifting on defence, suggesting that a significant number of countries have already signed up to the notion.

Yet, while plans for such an operation have barely reached the drawing board phase, serious concerns are already being raised about the wisdom of the venture, not least the open hostility it is attracting from Moscow.

It was no surprise that one of Putins key demands during his 90-minute telephone conversation with Trump on Tuesday was for a total ban on all international aid to Ukraine which, one assumes, encompasses Starmers peacekeepers.

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Macron, the other key champion of the peacekeepering plan, might claim  as he did in an interview earlier this week  that it is for Kyiv, not Moscow, to decide on the stationing of Western troops in Ukraine. But it is almost inconceivable that Europe alone could deploy and sustain such a force without Russian agreement.

Given one of Moscows primary motivations for waging war on Ukraine was its concern about further Western encroachment, it is hard to believe Putin would sanction the positioning of Nato forces so close to Russias border, no matter how chummy his relations are with Trump.

There are no guarantees, moreover, that the US would provide the necessary intelligence-sharing and air cover requirements a Ukrainian peacekeeping force would need to keep the Russians at bay. Such is the dysfunctional nature of Europes current military dispositions, that they could soon find themselves sitting ducks for the Russians. This is particularly true of the UK military, where a generation or more of defence cuts means that only about 30 of our remaining 120 tanks are currently operational.

Fortunately, the evident flaws in Starmers coalition plan are now starting to surface, with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni offering some refreshing clarity on the venture, insisting that sending European peacekeeping troops to Ukraine would be risky, complex and ineffective.

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A far better alternative strategy to Starmers proposition would be for the UK and its allies to strengthen significantly their military support for Ukraine. Assuming Trump can actually achieve his goal of ending the war, providing Kyiv with the ability to punish Moscow would be a far more effective way of persuading Putin to observe his international commitments, instead of constantly breaking them.

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In 2025, the European Union will continue to financially support Ukraine through the proceeds of frozen Russian assets and the Ukraine Facility plan.

Source: Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis during a meeting with journalists in Kyiv on 20 March, a correspondent of European Pravda reports

Details: Dombrovskis said that the plan to finance Ukraine under the ERA [at the expense of proceeds from frozen assets  ed.] is to "continue [to provide] 1 billion monthly, and then in December  6 billion to cover the beginning of 2026".

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"Under the Ukraine Facility, we plan to disburse the next 4.5 billion tranche in April, but this also depends on certain conditions being met," he added.

Background:

In 2024, the G7 agreed to jointly provide Ukraine with a US$50 billion loan insured with Russian assets: the funds will be provided formally as a loan but will be repaid from the proceeds of frozen Russian assets.

The EU is to transfer a total of 18.1 billion under this mechanism. Earlier on Thursday 20 March the European Commission transferred an additional 1 billion tranche to Ukraine.

The Ukraine Facility programme, which came into force on 1 March 2024, provides up to 50 billion in stable funding in the form of grants and loans to support the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine for the period from 2024 to 2027.

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President of the European Council Antonio Costa argues that a temporary halt in the war in Ukraine would just allow Russia to strengthen itself and launch another invasion, which would be a strategic mistake.

Source: Costa in an interview with Antena 1, as reported by European Pravda, citing RTP

Details: Costa acknowledged the efforts made by the United States to bring Russia to the negotiating table but noted, "Russia did not fulfil what was agreed in Budapest, nor what was agreed in Minsk I or Minsk II. Lets see if it fulfils what is agreed now."

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Quote: "What really matters is a just and lasting peace. If this is the way forward, great. Lets hope for it."

Details: However, he emphasised that a ceasefire allowing Russia to regroup and launch another attack would be a strategic mistake.

Background:

On 19 March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he and Trump had agreed to discuss the technical details of a partial ceasefire  halting strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure.

Trump stated that his talks with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and then with Zelenskyy were "two very good conversations".

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(Bloomberg) -- Leaders from European countries will meet in Paris next week to discuss their position on Ukraine and demands on the peace process, according to people familiar with the plans.

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Germany, Italy and Poland will be some of the European Union countries involved, as well as non-EU nations such as the UK and Canada, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Kyivs European allies are struggling to be involved in the process after the US kicked off talks directly with Russia and Ukraine. This so-called coalition of the willing met earlier this month in London.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier that he would be in Paris next week to hold meetings.

--With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska.

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Armenia will open the Margara border crossing on the Armenian-Turkish border from March 21 to 31 to facilitate the transportation of humanitarian aid to Syria via Turkiye, Azernews reports via Turkish media.

The Armenian government made the decision at a meeting held on March 20.

The government has amended the decision on border crossing points adopted on May 12, 2011. That decision provided for the closure of the Margara crossing point. The project was prepared by the Prime Ministers Office. They noted that the adoption of the new decision will allow for faster and cheaper delivery of goods to Syria, the report states.

The last time the Margara border crossing was opened was from February 11 to 17, 2023, to send humanitarian aid to Turkiye after the earthquake.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, a long-standing staple in Colorado Springs, was recently voted the second-best zoo in United States in USA Todays Readers Choice Awards, according to a news release Wednesday.

This is the zoo's highest ranking ever; the zoo has earned rankings six and above for best zoo every year since 2017.

Also, voters earned the zoo a "Second Place Triple Crown," a No. 2 spot for Best Zoo Membership, and No. 2 for Best Zoo Exhibit for Rocky Mountain Wild, which houses animals native to the Rocky Mountain region such as grizzlies, mountain lions, moose, lynx and wolves.

We could not have done this without our supporters, who spent their own time promoting the zoo through the voting period, Bob Chastain, president and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, said in a statement. Honors like this are earned through the dedication of people who know, trust and believe in our organization. Thank you for your effort.

The zoo welcomes more than 800,000 people annually as visitors see a variety of animals up close during daily demonstrations, special events, camps, parties and more.

The zoo has unique exhibits which connect people to native, rare and endangered animals from around the world in a natural mountainside setting.

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Last year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's holiday lights display called Electric Safari received its highest ranking in a national contest for best zoo lights. It was named the third-best zoo light show in the country  marking the sixth year in a row the zoo ranked in the top three for the USA Today award.

Also last year, the zoo raised more than $5 million for frontline conservation efforts, which included more than a million dollars for African elephant and black rhino conservation.

The zoo plans to upgrade its giraffe exhibit in the future by expanding the outdoor space by 25% and adding a 12,000-square-foot Giraffe Center.

For every ticket purchased, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo donates 75 cents to the Quarters for Conservation program that funds new and existing wildlife conservation projects at the zoo.
Sparked in large measure by concerns that the U.S. is aligning itself closer to Russia, receding from its traditional ties with NATO and the stability of U.S. weapons exports, the European Union has created a new initiative to increase defense spending and drastically boost local arms production. The move to buy local could effectively freeze the U.S. out of billions of dollars in potential arms sales.

Rankled by U.S. President Donald Trumps imposing tariffs and repeatedly saying that Canada should become the 51st state, Ottawa is deep into talks about joining this initiative.

The goals of the new European Defense Readiness 2030 plan were laid out Wednesday in a white paper issued by the alliance. The initiative calls for increasing defense spending, simplifying regulations and streamlining industrial programs. It seeks the creation of an 800 billion Euro ($872 billion) pool of money to boost European arms production. That includes a suggested 1.5% of GDP increase in defense budgets anticipated to raise 650 billion Euros (about $709 billion) and 150 billion Euros ($163 billion) for the new Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan program to help countries invest in key defense areas like missile defense, drones, and cyber security, according to the EU.

The European Union has created a new initiative to boost defense spending and local arms production. (EU)

Traditional allies and partners, such as the United States, are also changing their focus away from Europe to other regions of the world, the white paper states. This is something that we have been warned about many times but is now happening faster than many had anticipated.

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While the loans will only be available to EU countries, friendly states from outside the bloc may also take part in joint weapons purchases, Politico noted.

Joint procurement under the SAFE proposal is open to Ukraine; EFTAs Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein; as well as acceding countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, as well as third countries with whom the [European] Union has entered into a Security and Defence Partnership, the publication reported

Neither the U.S. nor the U.K. are on those lists, meaning they are not eligible to sell arms under the new initiative.

The fact that Trump cut off the flow of arms and intelligence to Ukraine after a White House spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky set off alarm bells across Europe, raising concerns about the reliability of the U.S. as a partner.

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Those worries were exacerbated by reports that U.S. arms makers could throw a kill switch on critically important exported weapons, rendering them inoperable, with the F-35 being at the center of those claims. Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-35, even took to social media to point out there is no such thing.

There is no kill switchThe F-35 'kill switch' rumor has been debunked.



After weeks of speculation, the Pentagon formally denies having the ability to remotely disable @LockheedMartins F-35 fighter jets.  F-35 Lightning II (@thef35) March 18, 2025

However, as we noted in a recent report, without access to American-controlled maintenance and logistics chains, as well as computer networks, any F-35 fleet would quickly start to become unusable and any jets that remain flying for a truncated period would only be able to do so with massively degraded capabilities. The loss of contractor support for any high-tech U.S. weapons export would suffer from the same fate to varying degrees.

Norwegian F-35s. (Ole Andreas Vekve  Royal Norwegian Armed Forces)

Concern over the future operability of his countrys F-35s led one Danish lawmaker to express buyers remorse.

As one of the decision makers behind Denmarks purchase of F35s, I regret it, Rasmus Jarlov said on X. The USA can certainly disable the planes by simple stopping the supply of spare parts. They want to strengthen Russia and weaken Europa and are showing that they are willing to do tremendous damage to peaceful and loyal allies like Canada just because they insist on existing as a country.

I dont know if there is a kill switch in the F35s or not. We obviously can not take your word for it.



As one of the decision makers behind Denmarks purchase of F35s, I regret it.



The USA can certainly disable the planes by simple stopping the supply of spare parts. They https://t.co/rDucWMUXDz  Rasmus Jarlov (@RasmusJarlov) March 19, 2025

Aside from the issue of weapons, Trump has suggested he might withdraw about 35,000 troops from Germany, raising further concerns about American support.

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The future of U.S. arms supplies and military presence in Europe is not the only issue the EU is considering. Threats from Russia and the ongoing war in Ukraine are major drivers for these actions. The alliance is also worried about challenges from China among other concerns.

The moment has come for Europe to re-arm, the white paper explains. To develop the necessary capabilities and military readiness to credibly deter armed aggression and secure our future, a massive increase in European defense spending is needed. This needs to be coordinated and directed more effectively than ever between Member States, reflecting our collective strengths and addressing the weaknesses that come from uncoordinated action.

The plan also notes that cooperation with Canada has intensified and should be further enhanced. Thats something the new government in Ottawa is seeking as well. In the wake of Trumps actions and comments, Canada is investigating the possibility of seeking alternatives to the F-35, for instance.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday said that he was reviewing Canadas planned acquisition of 88 F-35s, due to changes in the geopolitical landscape and a need to secure more domestic defense production, The Wall Street Journal reported. The current pact, estimated around $13.3 billion, was finalized in 2023 with deliveries.

Carney requests review of F-35 fighter jet purchase from Lockheed Martin https://t.co/BseropBbvL  The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) March 15, 2025

Should Canada join the new EU initiative, it would be able to become part of the European military manufacturing roster, marketing its industrial facilities to build European systems like the Saab Gripen jet, a competitor to the American F-35, which is made by Lockheed Martin, The New York Times noted, citing a Canadian and EU official.

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Ottawas growing concerns about its neighbor to the south have resulted in Canada agreeing to purchase an over-the-horizon radar system from Australia to help guard the Arctic. You can read more about that in our recent story here.

In another symbol of the U.S. moving away from its long-standing ties to NATO, the Trump administration is considering giving up the role of NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), NBC News reported. The officer now in that role, Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, also serves as the head of U.S. European Command and has been the primary commander overseeing support to Ukraine in its war against Russia. The move is part of a sweeping Pentagon effort to cut costs through a significant restructuring of combatant commands and other headquarters.

U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. (EUCOM)

The financial markets have been taking notice of a potential European shift away from U.S. arms makers. European defense manufacturers stocks have been surging for several months tied to expectations that the continent would procure locally more military hardware as the U.S. wavered on its support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, MarketWatch reported.

There is still a long way to go before this new EU initiative produces any weapons. Until then, the U.S. will still receive the lions share of European defense spending, with growing competition from South Korea and Turkey as well.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
By Gilles Guillaume

PARIS (Reuters) - A bid by French munitions maker Europlasma for a former Renault foundry is being closely watched by struggling auto suppliers, eager to tap a surge in defence spending as demand from traditional car making shrinks.

Europlasma, a waste treatment firm diversifying into military products, says it will retool the foundry in western France to also make mortar shell casings, scaling up in a few years to become a major manufacturer for Europe.

Its plans, being reviewed by a court overseeing the insolvent plant, come as Europe scrambles to ramp up production of tanks and weapons in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's demands that it takes care of its own defences.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas will present a proposal to European leaders in Brussels on Thursday to provide Ukraine with two million rounds of large-calibre artillery ammunition, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

"Even though we can never be happy about war-related business, new defence orders can help some automotive sites that are suffering from a lack of work," said Jean-Francois Nanda, a representative with the CFDT union.

France's auto sector is Europe's largest after Germany by job numbers, according to industry association ACEA, but is facing slowing demand and a transition to electric vehicles that require fewer parts. It shed almost 28,000 jobs over the last five years, or 10% of all employees, official data shows.

Suppliers like tyre maker Michelin, driving assistance specialist Valeo and seat and lighting maker Forvia all cut staff last year. Many smaller businesses have had to shut.

Foundries that cast iron parts like suspension arms or steering knuckles for cars can easily switch to making mortar shells, said Europlasma CEO Jerome Garnarche-Creuillot, adding the foundry in Brittany could be making 300,000 shells within a few months and up to 750,000 in three to four years.

UNCERTAINTY

"The advantage of defence is that it's sudden. It instantly compensates for the loss of revenue in the automotive industry," he told Reuters, referring to today's strong demand for munitions.

Europlasma also runs a factory in southwest France making Caesar cannon shells for Franco-German defence firm KNDS, and is gearing up to add shell making to a train wheel factory it bought in northern France, backed by government funding.

France is also aiming to raise 5 billion euros in additional public and private funding for its defence companies, Finance Minister Eric Lombard said on Thursday.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday called on member states to make 5 billion ($5.4 billion) available to provide Ukraine's army with ammunition.

Speaking at an EU summit in Brussels, Kallas said not just words but also deeds are required to help Ukraine fend off Russia's attacks.

Kallas originally presented a plan that envisaged European military aid commitments for Ukraine totalling 20 billion to 40 billion for the year, but did not receive enough support for this from member states, partly due to high levels of debt in many EU countries.

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Regarding summit talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kallas said that she was looking forward to hearing more from him about his recent talks with US President Donald Trump.

She said she very much welcomed Trump's announcement that the United States would try to procure additional air defence systems for Ukraine, saying this was of utmost importance.
European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Thursday called on member states to make 5 billion ($5.4 billion) available for ammunition for Ukraine's army, amid rapid developments in the conflict following talks between the US and Russia.

Kallas said not just words but also deeds are required to help Ukraine fend off Russia's attacks, as she addressed EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

Her call came as the EU faces a risk of being sidelined in attempts to end the war after a flurry of talks between the US and Russia, and the US and Ukraine.

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Kallas originally presented a plan that envisaged European military aid commitments for Ukraine totalling 20 billion to 40 billion for the year, but did not receive enough support for this from member states, partly due to high levels of debt in many EU countries.

Of summit talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kallas said that she was looking forward to hearing more from him about his recent talks with US President Donald Trump.

She said she very much welcomed Trump's announcement that the United States would try to procure additional air defence systems for Ukraine, saying this was of utmost importance.

EU lends Ukraine 1 billion

Earlier, the bloc said it was providing further financial aid of 1 billion ($1.1 billion) to Ukraine, in a loan to be repaid through the proceeds from frozen Russian state assets in the EU.

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With today's payment of 1 billion, we are reiterating our steadfast commitment to Ukraine," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "We are helping the country's economy stay on course and rebuild critical infrastructure damaged by Russian aggression. We will keep supporting Ukraine as long as it takes."

The support is to enable Ukraine to rebuild after Russian attacks: current and future military support, budget and reconstruction needs and restoring critical infrastructure such as energy infrastructure, water systems, transport networks, roads and bridges.

The latest sum is part of an initiative by Group of Seven (G7) democratic industrialized nations, which aim to provide around 45 billion in financial support to Ukraine by 2027.

Many EU nations view Trump's approach to the Ukraine war as problematic, as it has partly focused on pressuring Ukraine for concessions. They fear the conflict could be rushed to an end in unilateral talks, at the cost of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

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As part of a possible peace deal with Russia, Washington 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.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meanwhile set to meet senior military leaders in London on Thursday to discuss the operational phase of a Ukraine peacekeeping force.

Also on the summit agenda: Mideast, budget

Consultations on Israel's renewed military operation in the Gaza Strip as well as the EU's next long-term budget are also on the agenda.

The next EU leaders' summit following Thursday's meeting is scheduled for June.

This will likely be the last time that outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will represent Berlin at the high-level gathering, with conservative leader Friedrich Merz expecting to having replaced him by the next summit following parliamentary elections last month.
A propane leak at the refinery in Rosemount has led to local evacuations and road closures in the area, though details about the situation Wednesday evening are sparse.

Governor Tim Walz said at 7:35 p.m. that he has been briefed on the situation at Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Refinery, located at 12555 Clark Road in Rosemount.

"Ive been briefed on a propane leak near the Flint Hills Refinery in Rosemount," Walz posted on social media. "Im glad to hear that everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders and state agencies who responded to evacuate homes in the area and are investigating to find the exact location of the leak."

Ive been briefed on a propane leak near the Flint Hills Refinery in Rosemount.



Im glad to hear that everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders and state agencies who responded to evacuate homes in the area and are investigating to find the exact location of the leak.  Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) March 20, 2025

The current status of the leak is unknown, but the situation has been ongoing since at least about 3:30 p.m., which is when the Rosemount Police Department announced the closure of Hwy. 52 in both directions between County Road 46 and County Road 42.

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Rosemount PD says the closure is due to a "fire-related call that we are investigating."

According to MnDOT, the closure on Hwy. 52 is due to a "gas leak" and the highway is shut down between the town of Coates (Clayton Avenue) and 145th Street East in Rosemount. MnDOT also suggests that the closure could be in place until 10 a.m. Thursday.

Located 17 miles southeast of Minneapolis, the refinery handles most of Minnesota's transportation fuels, including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. It also produces propane, asphalt, and heating fuels, in addition to chemicals used in plastics, fertilizers and more products.

The refinery produces up to 375,000 barrels per day.

This is a developing story.
A leak from a propane pipeline at the Flint Hills refinery in Rosemount led to local evacuations and road closures in the area on Wednesday, though the situation now appears to be under control.

Governor Tim Walz said that he has been briefed on the situation at Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend Refinery, located at 12555 Clark Road in Rosemount.

In an update at 9:35 p.m., the City of Rosemount said the incident involves a "Flint Hills propane pipeline leak."

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"The area has been isolated, and the leak has been successfully contained," the city continued. "Rosemount Fire and Police, along with other responding agencies, are continuing to monitor the situation closely. Updates will be provided as necessary."

Highway 52 was closed in both directions near the refinery most of the afternoon and evening until the southbound lanes were fully reopened at 11:22 p.m., while the northbound side of the highway had one lane reopened.

As of 7:30 a.m. Thursday, northbound Hwy. 52 was still reduced to one lane.

"Ive been briefed on a propane leak near the Flint Hills Refinery in Rosemount," Gov. Walz posted on social media. "Im glad to hear that everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders and state agencies who responded to evacuate homes in the area and are investigating to find the exact location of the leak."

Ive been briefed on a propane leak near the Flint Hills Refinery in Rosemount.



Im glad to hear that everyone is safe. Thank you to the first responders and state agencies who responded to evacuate homes in the area and are investigating to find the exact location of the leak.  Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) March 20, 2025

The situation began around 3:30 p.m., which is when the Rosemount Police Department announced the closure of Hwy. 52 in both directions between County Road 46 and County Road 42.

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Located 17 miles southeast of Minneapolis, the refinery handles most of Minnesota's transportation fuels, including gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. It also produces propane, asphalt, and heating fuels, in addition to chemicals used in plastics, fertilizers and more products.

The refinery produces up to 375,000 barrels per day.
Four major political organizations focused on young votersthe Sunrise Movement, College Democrats of America, United We Dream of Action, and Voters of Tomorroware calling on Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to either stand up to Donald Trump or step down from leadership.

Chuck Schumer, your leadership is failing to meet the moment. Your decisionalong with nine other Senate Democratsto cave and support the MAGA budget bill is just the latest example of how you and other Democratic leaders are driving young people away from the Democratic Party, the groups wrote in a joint letter released on Thursday. Instead of taking a stand against Trumps illegal actions to gut our healthcare, dismantle public education, attack immigrants and trans people, and tear up climate action, you supported a budget that gave tax cuts to Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire buddies. You sided against us.

This is just the latest call for Schumers resignation. Representative Glenn Ivey was the first national elected official to call for him to step down as Democratic Senate leader, with Representative Delia Ramirez following soon after. Even Nancy Pelosi recently expressed her doubts in Schumer. While the longtime Democratic Senate leader insists that a shutdown would have granted the Trump administration control of the narrative, Democrats young and old are begging him to resist rather than capitulate.

Gen Z voters want leaders with a backbone who will stand up to billionaires and fight for working people, the letter continued. If you want our support, its time to get bolder, get louder, or make way for leadership who will. If you dont get this right, we are ready to take the reins of this party ourselves to shape it into a force that can fight for working people and defeat growing authoritarian power.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R-Miss.) announced the former CEO of Express Grain Terminals, LCC, has been sentenced on five counts of making false representations to defraud the government and one count of false pretenses to the more than 400 victim farmers.

According to Fitch, Express Grain operated as a grain elevator in the Greenwood area that purchased, processed, and stored grain that had been harvested by local farmers.

Beware of government impersonation scams in Mississippi

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She said John R. Coleman altered the audited financial statements of Express Grain in order to receive a State warehouse license, lied about the amount of debt he owed on grain held at the Express Grain facility, and claimed to farmers that Express Grain was financially healthy when Express Grain was on the brink of bankruptcy. Express Grain eventually filed bankruptcy in 2021.

On Wednesday, March 19, Leflore County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Carey-McCray sentenced Coleman to 15 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC), with the first 10 years to be served concurrent with the federal sentence. He was also ordered to pay $750,000 in restitution to the State.

In February, United States District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Coleman to serve 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $69,841,797 in restitution to 152 victims.

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Former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) says critical thinking has left the United States, pointing squarely at White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who argued Wednesday that a federal judge first appointed by former President George W. Bush is a Democrat activist.

Her comment came after U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg verbally ordered President Donald Trumps administration to turn around planes deporting hundreds of Venezuelan migrants Saturday to a brutal prison in El Salvador under the Aliens Enemies Act of 1798.

The completed deportations have since prompted an ongoing clash between the Justice Department and Boasberg, with Leavitt arguing Wednesday that the legal system is biased  because Trump received more injunctions than any other president this century.

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Jolly veritably torched the press secretary during an appearance Wednesday on MSNBC.

I think critical thinking has largely died in the United States of America and Karoline Leavitt is probably a perfect example of that, said Jolly. And so what? What if he is an activist? Karolines an activist, as well. Most of the people in the Trump administration are activists.

And to the notion of too many injunctions against Donald Trump, thats probably because hes the one president whos acted the most outside the bounds of his executive authority, he continued.

Boasberg has ruled in favor of Trump numerous times before, for example ordering the release of 15,000 documents on former Secretary of State Hillary Clintons private email server when she was Trumps presidential opponent during the 2016 election.

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Leavitt nonetheless told the press Wednesday that Boasberg had it out for Trump.

Judge Boasberg is a Democrat activist, she said Wednesday. He was appointed by [former President] Barack Obama. His wife donated more than $10,000 to Democrats. And he has consistently shown disdain for the president and his policies and its unacceptable.

Jolly said "Leavitt's an activist" too and argued Trump earned his injunctions for breaking laws. Left: Steve Cannon/Associated Press; Right: Ben Curtis/Associated Press

Though he was indeed elevated by Obama to be a U.S. district court judge in 2011, Boasberg was confirmed 96-0 by the Senate  and originally appointed in 2002 by Bush.

The judge dismissed a lawsuit in 2017 seeking Trumps personal tax returns to be released, and issued sentences for defendants involved in the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, that were more lenient than what prosecutors were seeking.

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The death of critical thinking is real, Jolly said Wednesday. This White House is a perfect example of it. And I think this is also when theres this debate, which surprises me sometimes, whether or not were in a constitutional crisis. Yes, we are.

Weve been in a constitutional crisis since we elected an insurrectionist, he continued.

Related...
A federal judge on Wednesday scheduled a hearing for next week on the petition filed by prominent Denver immigration advocate Jeanette Vizguerra, who authorities took into custody this week.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV)  A bus driver and former pastor in Fayette is facing felony charges for alleged sex crimes against children.

Elvis Colenberg was arrested on Wednesday, March 19 by Jefferson County deputies.

Man sentenced for killing one, injuring two in Jackson shooting

We law enforcement, we have to do whats right, because were here to serve and protect all when someone commits a crime. Its our duty to hold the individual, he or she, accountable for the crime that he committed, said Jefferson County Sheriff James Bailey.

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According to the sheriff, Colenberg coerced two victims into participating in explicit behaviors more than 20 times. The alleged incidents occurred on a school bus.

Elvis Colenberg (Courtesy: Jefferson County Sheriffs Office)

He was a minister. Its just tough to believe that this actually was taken in his presence, and he was engaging in it. So, its hurting, stated Bailey.

Colenbergs bond was set at $200,000. Agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) are assisting with the investigation.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A womans ex-roommate accused of killing her and then storing her body in a freezer will not face the death penalty should a jury convict him.

Earlier this year, a Clark County grand jury indicted Daniel Roush, 38, on murder and other charges in the death of Monique Gilbertson, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported. Las Vegas Metro police arrested Roush, who identifies as Jazzlynn Roush, on Nov. 6. A woman police identified as Roushs wife, Gina Lopez, faces drug charges in connection with the event.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty during a hearing Thursday. Roush invoked his right to a speedy trial.

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Before the hearing, a death review committee determined Roush should not face the death penalty, prosecutors said.

Earlier this year, a Clark County grand jury indicted Daniel Roush, 38, on murder and other charges in the death of Monique Gilbertson, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported. (KLAS)

Police suspect Gilbertson met Roush at a store in September and invited him to live with her. Around Oct. 22, Gilbertson kicked Roush out of the house and changed the locks.

On the day of Roushs arrest, police found Gilbertson folded up in the freezer. Officers said she appeared to have been frozen for some time, prosecutors said earlier this year.

Gilbertson had 400 nanograms of fentanyl per millimeter in her system at the time of her death  200 times the amount that could kill a person, prosecutors said. Investigators suspect she died around Oct. 22.

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Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones set a trial for May.

While Nevada has the death penalty, the state has not put a person to death since 2006.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
By Erin Banco

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk have lost ground in recent days but are not encircled by Russian forces, contrary to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to three U.S. and European officials familiar with their governments' intelligence assessments.

U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, have shared that assessment with the White House over the past week, a U.S. official and another person familiar with the matter said. However, Trump has continued to claim that Ukrainian troops are surrounded in western Russia's Kursk region.

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The U.S. and European intelligence assessments show that Ukrainian troops have faced intense pressure from Russian forces but they are not completely surrounded, the officials said.

Trump has said he hopes to bring a quick end to Russia's war in Ukraine. Experts described a claim by Putin on March 13 that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were cut off and would ultimately need to surrender or die as misinformation intended to show that Russia is offering concessions by saving the lives of Ukrainian soldiers, giving Putin leverage in ceasefire negotiations.

In a social media post on March 14, Trump said he had asked the Russian president to spare the lives of thousands of Ukrainians who he said were "completely surrounded" and vulnerable. Putin said that he would do so if they surrendered.

Trump repeated the claim about "encircled" Ukrainian forces during a speech at Washington's Kennedy Center on Monday and in a Fox News interview on Tuesday.

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The U.S. National Security Council did not respond directly to questions about the intelligence assessments but referred Reuters to a joint statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz that mentioned Trump's call with Zelenskiy on Wednesday and how the two leaders agreed to continue to share intelligence on Kursk.

The White House, the CIA and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence all declined to comment.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has denied that Ukrainian forces are surrounded and said Putin was lying about the reality on the ground.

The Ukrainian leader acknowledged his military is in a difficult position in Kursk and that he expects continued attacks from Russia as it attempts to push Ukrainian forces out of the region.

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Zelenskiy's office and the Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Since August, when Ukrainian soldiers smashed their way across Russia's western border in Kursk, Kyiv has lost almost all of the territory it gained. It once held close to 500 square miles of land but now only holds between 20 and 30 square miles, according to open source reports.

Trump spoke with Putin on Tuesday. During that call, the Russian leader said he would halt attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure for 30 days, a promise that fell short of the full 30-day ceasefire Trump has called for and that Zelenskiy has said Ukraine would be prepared to accept.

"This is likely part of Putin's effort to make the point that they are winning the war and that resistance is useless and that it is inevitable that Russia's greater strength will bring victory. That resonates with Trump," said Mark Cancian, a retired Marine Corps colonel and senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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"Both sides are maneuvering to get into a better position for the negotiations."

Although Russian forces appear to be making incremental advances in Kursk, the officials who spoke to Reuters and experts who study the battlefield said Putin's March 13 statement was not accurate.

The Institute for the Study of War, a U.S.-based conflict monitor, said on March 14 that it had "observed no geolocated evidence to indicate that Russian forces have encircled a significant number of Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast or elsewhere along the frontline in Ukraine."

(Reporting by Erin Banco; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams)
Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, spoke March 20, 2025 on legislation directing the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to seek federal waivers to implement work requirements for the state's expanded Medicaid program and other benefits like SNAP. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Legislation setting work requirements to receive Medicaid and SNAP benefits was approved by a Senate appropriations subcommittee Thursday.

The bill, Senate File 599, directs the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to seek a waiver from the federal government to institute work requirements for the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan (IHAWP), the states Medicaid expansion program. The bill adds work requirements for other public assistance programs as well, including for food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

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The work requirements would apply to Iowans between age 19 and 65, with exceptions listed to the work requirements, including people with disabilities, parents of children under age 6, people with a high-risk pregnancy and those in substance abuse treatment programs for a period of up to six months.

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While an earlier version of the bill set a requirement for Iowans to work or volunteer 20 hours a week to maintain IHAWP membership, language in the current legislation does not specify how many hours would be necessary to maintain benefits.

Several speakers said denying Iowans assistance who do not fit into these exceptions would lead to much higher overall costs for Iowas health care system, by not giving consideration to people like parents of children with disabilities, who are unable to work while caring for their child, or for people who are not disabled but still require access to their prescription medicine in order to avoid being hospitalized and to maintain a job.

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Leslie Carpenter with Iowa Mental Health Advocacy gave a fiscal estimates for the cost of 100 people who would need to make a hospital emergency department visit if they cannot access their medication after being removed from Medicaid coverage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated the average cost of an emergency department visit to be $1,506, she said, which means a there would be a cost of roughly $150,000 for 100 patients being hospitalized for a day and $1,316,000 if they were hospitalized for a week.

I suspect that my estimates of having only 100 people who are severely sick being at risk for having their Medicaid insurance lost is actually quite low, Carpenter said. If those numbers are actually higher, you can imagine the fiscal impact on the taxpayers.

Others called for Iowa legislators to look at other states, including Georgia, which have tried to implement Medicaid work requirements as proof that the policy does not work. Anne Discher with Common Good Iowa, a progressive nonprofit, also cautioned against Iowa lawmakers moving on work requirements when federal action is expected on the subject.

It feels a little bit like were rushing forward on this bill at a point where we know at the federal level, Republicans are very interested in making massive changes to SNAP and to Medicaid, and the area where there seems to be agreement at the federal level is on something in the vicinity of reporting requirements, Discher said. We certainly oppose those at the federal level. However, the worst case scenario, the worst of both worlds would be for Iowa to rush ahead, the feds do something different, and then we have to come back and clean it up.

Bill would suspend expanded Medicaid if work rules arent approved

The bill proposes suspending Iowas expanded Medicaid program if work requirements are not implemented, and would resume it if the work rules take effect. That could at least temporarily halt IHAWP, which provides health coverage to adults age 19 through 65 who have an income at or below 133% of the federal poverty level  roughly $20,030 for a single adult and $27,186 for a married couple. According to data compiled by the Legislative Services Agency, there were 179,918 Iowa adults on IHAWP in fiscal year 2025.

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At the subcommittee meeting, multiple advocates criticized the bill for tying IHAWP coverage to receiving federal approval. MaryNelle Trefz with Iowa ACEs 360, an advocacy group focused on trauma recovery and support, said this provision will create financial hardships for Iowas economy by requiring federal approval for Iowas expanded Medicaid program to continue to exist.

If those requirements arent approved now or in the future, Iowa would be forced to walk away from expansion entirely, jeopardizing coverage for thousands, increasing costs for hospitals and businesses, and worsening our workforce shortage, Trefz said.

Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene, said there were misunderstandings about the IHAWP trigger provisions, saying he received letters from constituents who believed other Medicaid and benefit programs would be impacted if the federal government does not approve Iowas request to implement reporting requirements.

That is, you know, a group that is already in a higher income or (a part of the) expanded population there, that we would hope some of them would be able to get insurance through the exchange or whatever, Costello said.

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Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, said he has been involved in state government since former Gov. Terry Branstad signed IHAWP into law in 2013. He said adding work requirements to the program is common sense and is in line with why and how the bill passed at the very beginning.

The safety net is intended to be just that, a safety net that bounces people back up, not a poverty trap that has folks that are consistently sticking and staying and have no incentive to get off of those taxpayer-funded services, Bousselot said. The work and job training requirements that are found in this bill, and the goal to align those, are in line with the idea that job and work requirements have existed for folks that are disabled on Medicaid for decades, have existed for other social services that taxpayers provide.

While Iowa lawmakers are pursuing legislative action to implement work requirements, Gov. Kim Reynolds also said during her Condition of the State address in January she plans to apply for a federal waiver to implement Medicaid work requirements.

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Expats will be cut off from scores of BBC radio stations and podcasts in a shake-up of the public service broadcasters international output.

Starting in a matter of weeks, the BBC will no longer allow access to Sounds  its audio streaming service  from abroad.

Instead, international audiences will need to tune into radio and podcasts on a new advertising-funded service on BBC.com or the broadcasters app.

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Rights restrictions means some programming, including all music radio stations and some podcasts, will be removed completely. Others will only be available through third-party subscription services such as Apple and Spotify.

The BBC said expats will still have access to talk radio stations such as Radio 4 and the World Service, as well as more than 1,000 podcasts, including Global News Podcast, The Global Story and Infinite Monkey Cage.

Nevertheless, the move has fuelled concerns that international audiences will be cut off from large swathes of their favourite programming.

Vital lifeline

Kirsty Lang, the broadcaster who fronts Radio 4 shows  including Front Row, Last Word and Round Britain Quiz  described the decision as devastating for all our overseas listeners.

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She added: BBC Radio is a vital lifeline to so many overseas listeners. I have no idea why theyre cutting it or why they cant introduce a subscription for people living outside the UK.

Expats will be able to continue accessing BBC services through the use of a virtual private network (VPN), which masks a users IP address and allows them to bypass geo-blocked material. However, such measures are likely to be difficult for less tech-savvy listeners.

BBC Sounds users will also lose access to their subscriptions and bookmarked programmes, and will have to set them up again manually.

The BBC said: BBC Sounds is a UK licence fee-funded service. To offer better value for our UK listeners, BBC Sounds will be repositioned and made available exclusively to UK audiences.

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It marks the latest controversial shake-up of the BBCs audio output, after the corporation outlined plans to place adverts around some of its radio and podcast programmes when they are streamed via services such as Apple and Spotify in the UK.

The proposals triggered a furious response from commercial rivals, who warned of a catastrophic distortion of the advertising market. Gary Linekers production company Goalhanger, which makes podcasts including The Rest is Politics and The Rest is History, was among 20 media companies to condemn the plans.

The BBC is looking to boost its commercial income as part of efforts to plug a 500m black hole in its finances.

The corporation is also in discussions with ministers about the future of the licence fee funding model ahead of the end of the current charter period in 2027.

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(COLORADO SPRINGS)  Beginning Monday, March 24, the Tejon Street revitalization project will begin and northbound Tejon will be closed.

Starting Monday, north Tejon Street will be closed through late June. Temporary pedestrian walkways will be established to maintain safe access to local businesses in the project zone. According to the City of Colorado Springs, businesses in the area plan to remain open throughout the projects duration.

Construction on Block 1 of the project is expected to continue through late June, work will then move to Block 2.

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Motorists and pedestrians can expect:

Closure to vehicles of northbound Tejon Street on Colorado Avenue to Pikes Peak Avenue (Block 1)

Preservation of southbound Tejon Street for vehicle travel

Closure of street parking in Block 1

Block 2, Pikes Peak Avenue to Kiowa Street, should retain on-street parking and north-south traffic until further notice

Closures of lefthand and righthand turn from Colorado onto northbound Tejon

Mountain Metros SEB route will continue with a northbound detour The northbound stop on Tejon at Colorado will also be removed during construction work on Block 1.



Parking on the first block of construction will not be permitted due to safety reasons. However, city parking garages offer parking for $1 an hour, and it is free on Sundays. Impacted business will also offer limited vouchers to customers, worth two free hours of City garage parking.

The City said the project boosts public safety, increases accessibility, and grows business activity.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  One of the nations leading experts on a critically endangered bird says potential federal spending cuts could spell doom for the Great Lakes piping plover.

Francie Cuthbert, a conservation biology professor from the University of Minnesota, has been studying Great Lakes piping plovers for decades. She echoed statements that the threats are real.

Preserving Michigan: Efforts at Sleeping Bear Dunes paying off for piping plover

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The concerns regarding reduced funding are real, not only for the plovers that nest at Sleeping Bear (Dunes National Lakeshore), but for those nesting elsewhere in the U.S. Great Lakes, Cuthbert told News 8.

When it comes to population numbers, the Great Lakes piping plover has little to no wiggle room. As of 2023, researchers estimated only 80 nesting pairs of the tiny birds left in the wild  more than half of which nest in northern Michigan.

The bird has been on the verge of extinction for decades. There were only an estimated 12 to 17 nesting pairs found in the wild in the 1980s. Michigan wildlife officials have helped protect the population at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore by closing off certain stretches of beach and placing cages over their nests that allow the plovers to come and go but keep predators out.

Any potential funding cuts to the National Park Service (some already in motion) or to other Great Lakes-related programs could indirectly hurt the plovers.

The Great Lakes piping plover is one of the most critically endangered species in the Midwest. (Courtesy Superior Watershed Partnership & Land Conservancy) A member of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service helps tag a Great Lakes piping plover chick for tracking purposes. (Courtesy USFWS) A Great Lakes piping plover walks along the beach, showing off his different tracking bands. (Courtesy USFWS)

Tim Ulrich, a longtime deputy superintendent at Sleeping Bear Dunes who retired in 2023, told MLive that plovers will die if the park is forced to make drastic cuts.

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Now, do I know 100% certain that X number of plovers will be killed? No, of course I dont, Ulrich told MLive. I know for certain that the chances are extremely great that will happen.

Endangered Great Lakes piping plover survives despite broken leg

The Hill reported earlier this month that President Donald Trumps administration is looking to cut payroll by 30% across the National Park Service. A former NPS employee said parks would most likely lose rangers and janitors and conservation projects would also be at risk.

There are purchases that have to be made every year for those plovers, Ulrich said. Some of them are going to be made  or none of them are going to be made right now  and the plovers are here in two weeks.

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Cuthbert confirmed with News 8 that the bulk of the protection effort for the Great Lakes piping plover is covered by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a federal program that is already approved for this year. However, other funding freezes have delayed the release of federal dollars and led to a backlog for new oversight.

A rising threat: Climate change exacerbates challenges for Great Lakes piping plover

We know that presence of paid staff and volunteers at nesting sites has an important, positive impact on overall plover survival in the Great Lakes region and these protection efforts need to be on the ground when the plovers first arrive and remain in place until they depart in the fall, she said. Thus, the delay in funding is very worrisome.

The Great Lakes piping plover is pocket-sized, growing to about 7 inches long with a wingspan that barely cracks a foot. The average adult weighs about 2 ounces, making for a delicious snack for lakeshore predators like birds of prey, snakes, raccoons and opossums.

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However, it is habitat loss, not predators, that has driven the bird toward extinction.

Inside woodtv.com: Preserving Michigans native species

One of the main reasons we have such high human-plover conflict is because the plovers nest directly on the beach, right where the people want to be. They want large, open, expansive beaches, Erica Adams, the piping plover program coordinator at Sleeping Bear Dunes, told News 8 in 2023.

As more and more shoreline has been parceled away for development and recreation, the plovers habitat has shrunk. Sleeping Bear Dunes has become one of the few refuges for it, but even there, the birds need protection.

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Throughout the Great Lakes, we set up what we call psychological fencing. Thats so the plovers have a suitable area to forage and take refuge from visitors. We ask people to stay out of those areas, Adams said.

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Conservation efforts have proved successful after Cape vultures were spotted scavenging for the first time at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in South Africa.

The Daily Maverick shared that the return of the Cape vulture  nature's clean-up crew  is a huge cause for celebration in regard to the future of the species. About 15 vultures were sighted feasting on the remains of a carcass, which gives conservationists great hope.

Kerri Wolter, CEO of the vulture conservation organization Vulpro at Shamwari, told the publication, "The balance is being restored to its former natural state which is extremely exciting."

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According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, in South Africa there has been a similar dramatic decline in wild vulture populations over the past 30 years due to various threats.

Vultures deserted the area after habitat loss, collisions with new energy infrastructure, poaching, and residual persecution by farmers and landowners who use poisoned carcasses to kill predators like hyenas and lions. However, when the vultures came to feed, they also suffered the consequences of the poison.

After the land became a part of the reserves, it became a much safer environment for the vultures to return, although not all of the threats have been eradicated  particularly wind turbines, which pose a threat to the vulture population.

Venter cited the World Wide Fund for Nature, which claims that vultures are essential to the health of Africa's ecosystem, preventing disease by consuming meat and bone fragments before they rot.

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Per the DFFE, Venter wrote, "The loss of vultures could lead to serious ecological and public health consequences, such as the spread of disease from unprocessed carcasses and increased human-wildlife conflict, including the rise in stray dog populations and associated rabies cases."

According to the article, the decrease in vulture populations in India has resulted in an estimated 100,000 human deaths.

Globally, there are only 6,357 breeding pairs of Cape vultures. Vulpro at Shamwari is focused on repopulating the species through captive-bred methods.

"Reintroducing Cape vultures to Shamwari is not just important, it's a transformative step in our conservation journey," said Wolter.

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Vultures are a huge part of the circle of life and do their part to maintain the balance in Africa's ecosystem by consuming potential pathogen sources before they can become a problem. Without vultures, disease could run rampant. Conservation efforts are crucial.

There is a delicate balance in nature. For example, when wolves were uprooted from Yellowstone in an attempt to control populations, elk numbers skyrocketed to unsustainable numbers, which resulted in the destruction of trees and streams. In turn, beavers lost their habitats and vacated, which affected the root systems of trees that typically benefit from beaver dams. Everything exists in a balance, and human activity continues to threaten that time and time again.

Anything we can do to prevent extinction and help all species flourish will help make this world a better place. Educating yourself on climate issues and talking with friends and family about it is a great way to engage in solution-based conversation and spread knowledge. Reducing water consumption, single-use plastics, and products with toxins are other great ways you can make a difference by making small changes at home.

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.
NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  AI works 120 million times faster than the human brain, said Dr. Neilank Jha, a neurosurgeon, spine specialist, and researcher. Despite the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), Dr. Jha still believes AI needs human oversight.

Dr. Jha shared these thoughts about AI during a forum at Northwestern State University. He was one of three distinguished speakers at the Leadership in the Age of AI forum. NSU alumni Monty Chicola, a software developer, and Dr. Julian Bailes, a neurosurgeon and expert on brain injuries, joined Jha. The three guests offered insight into how AI will change how humans live, work, and make decisions.

Guidance released for responsible AI use in Louisiana classrooms

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Bailes, an expert on concussions, spoke about how AI could assist in managing brain injuries related to contact sports. He said the technology can potentially analyze images and process vast amounts of data, ultimately saving time and lives. Jha acknowledged Bailes as a significant mentor and mentioned that AI could also be utilized to treat brain cancer. However, he emphasized that AI cannot replace human experience and judgment, highlighting the importance of ethical considerations.

Chicola is currently teaching an artificial intelligence programming course at NSU. He emphasized the importance of American-based AI software due to the countrys political and economic stability. The panel was moderated by Dr. Greg Handel, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who stated that NSU is positioned for leadership, research, and innovation. The university plans to integrate AI into its academic programs and research initiatives.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
Doctors warning consumers about the microplastics lurking in common personal care products like body washes and cosmetics are calling for action in the health care community.

What's happening?

According to the doctors who recently published a commentary in Medscape, everyday products like body washes, toothpastes, and face scrubs often contain microbeads. More than 500 microplastic ingredients are used in cosmetics and personal care products, they say.

Why are microplastics concerning?

Microplastics aren't just present in toothpaste and body scrubs. They've been discovered in our drinking water, food like seafood and chicken, and chewing gum.

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Co-authors Eugene Tan, Susanne Saha, and Dennis Niebel warn that these microplastics can enter our bodies through the skin, lungs, gut, and even placenta, adding that studies have linked these tiny plastic particles to a number of health conditions.

One study indicated that microplastics can affect the functioning of a nervous system connected to digestion. Another paper linked them to chronic kidney disease.

What's being done about microplastics?

Microplastics are formed as larger plastics break down over time. Meanwhile, plastic production is expected to nearly triple by 2060, the doctors state, citing information from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Tan, Saha, and Niebel call out a lack of awareness, inadequate regulations, weak public health policies, and gaps in scientific research as obstacles to tackling the plastic plague.

The doctors add that headlines such as "We consume up to a credit card's worth of plastic every week" may generate clicks on news sites but fail to generate effective action.

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"Not only is the one-credit-card worth of plastic consumption inaccurate by orders of magnitude, but without a shift toward action-oriented discussions, no changes will ensue," they wrote. Among other suggestions, they call on their colleagues to unite in a push for microplastics to be removed from personal care products.

But medical professionals aren't the only group that can take meaningful action to fight microplastics. Initiatives in countries like England and France, which now have bans on plastic cutlery for most fast food and takeout meals, can also make a real difference.

One way you can help is by using less single-use plastic in your everyday life. Some ideas include bringing your own reusable takeout containers to restaurants, investing in a sturdy water bottle, and bringing your own reusable shopping bags to the grocery store.

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.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni reiterated calls for extending NATO's Article 5 security guarantees to Ukraine, arguing that doing so would demonstrate whether Russia is serious about peace, she said in a speech to the Italian Chamber of Deputies on March 19.

Article 5, the cornerstone of NATO's collective defense, says that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. It has only been invoked once, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York.

"Extending NATO's Article 5 to Ukraine seems to be the simplest and most effective proposal of all, also because it would help call a possible bluff," Meloni said.

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"If Russia does not plan to invade its neighbors again, it is not clear why it should not accept security guarantees that are only defensive."

Meloni first suggested on March 6 that NATO could extend Article 5 protection to Ukraine without granting Kyiv full membership in the alliance.

The Italian prime minister has positioned herself as a potential bridge between European leaders and the Trump administration, which has called Ukraine's NATO aspirations unrealistic.

Read also: Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in focus of Ukraine peace talks. Whats at stake?

Washington has instead backed the idea of European-led peacekeeping forces monitoring a potential ceasefire but has not offered concrete security guarantees to Ukraine.

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Despite growing European support for bolstering Ukraine's security, Italy has ruled out sending peacekeepers to eastern Ukraine to enforce a potential ceasefire.

"We should not slavishly follow the proposals put forward by others simply because we have to decide what our position is. Our role is to participate with our own proposals," Meloni said, adding that her Article 5 proposal should be "on the negotiating table."

Over 30 countries have expressed willingness to contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, with the U.K. and France leading the initiative, according to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's office. Canada and Australia have also signaled openness to participating.

NATO allies reaffirmed Ukraine's "irreversible" path toward membership in July 2024 but have not extended a formal invitation despite repeated calls from Kyiv.

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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 publicly rejected the idea.

Read also: US, Ukrainian delegations to meet in Saudi Arabia in coming days, Zelensky says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Gifty Okrah poses for a picture at Lawyers Mall on Wednesday, after presenting bill to the House Ways and Means Committee on behalf of the senator she interns for. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

Annapolis has its own way of marking time. In the frantic weeks before Mondays crossover date, hearings are often long and tempers are short. After crossover, hearings are short. Tempers  what are they?

Things will heat up soon enough, with the House and Senate and governors office all fighting for their part of legislation, big and small, with just under three weeks left to get it all done.

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But for now, legislators this week are in that sweet spot. It didnt hurt that spring was starting to make its presence felt, too.

Crossover was Monday, the deadline by which a bill has to move out of one chamber if its to be guaranteed a hearing in the other. A bill has to be approved by both chambers before it can be signed into law.

After crossover, many of the bills are familiar to lawmakers, who may have heard testimony on their own chambers bill on the same topic before. Instead of hearing rooms full of potential witnesses, many bills now have only a handful of people testifying  often just the sponsor.

In some cases, legislators send their staff, or even interns, to present bills and say a few words on behalf of their bosses.

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Not everybodys a fan.

Del. Mark Fisher (R-Calvert) said the fact that a bill has been heard in one chamber shouldnt limit testimony.

People want to have their voices heard, said Fisher, noting that some people arent always able to travel to Annapolis for testimony. We should have everybody thats want to testify be able to testify.

But with the final day of the session less than three weeks off, its hard to argue with efficiency.

Case in point: It took less than 15 minutes for the House Ways and Means Committee to review nine bills. Pre-crossover, it might take the committee twice as long to hear just one bill.

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A light moment occurred when Azra Ozturk, the chief of staff for Sen. Alonzo Washington (D-Prince Georges), showed up at Ways and Means to testify on Washingtons bill, Senate Bill 378, which proposes to establish a family literacy pilot program.

The bill would let incarcerated individuals record themselves reading books for their children, with the book and the recording sent to the children. The House already heard and passed its version of the bill, sponsored by Del. Julie Palakovich Carr (D-Montgomery), that will be heard by the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee.

He [Washington] apologizes for not being here, Ozturk told the House committee Wednesday. He wanted me to specifically mention that he dearly misses the Ways and Means Committee, and it stands as the best committee in Annapolis.

Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard), chair of the committee, quickly interjected.

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Tell him if he did, he would be over here right now to say that to our faces, Atterbeary said with a smile, to some laughter in the committee room.

Even the criticisms are gentler post-crossover.

The senators who showed up to summarize their bills for the committee were Sens. Benjamin Brooks (D-Baltimore County), Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery) and Dawn Gile (D-Anne Arundel).

Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), whose bill was first up, entrusted the job of presenting it to an intern, Gifty Okrah, 20, a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Okrah spoke for about 40 seconds on Senate Bill 293, which would require that school board members complete antibias training at least once during their term in office. According to the bill, the training must be offered in a peer-to-peer setting, take a half-day or less and incorporate lessons learned from incidents of bullying, harassment, or intimidation in the county.

It is a privilege to know that its possible for students like myself to be in that position to be talking about policies that directly affect them, Okrah, who majors in public policy, said hours after her brief testimony. So just knowing that its required for board members and teachers as well, thats really good.
A sizable contingent of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters from Hill Air Force Base in Utah have arrived in England. Online flight trackers followed the jets and the KC-46 Pegasus aerial tankers as they dragged the fighters across the Atlantic until they arrived in England.

17:29 GOLD 73-74 flt x1 ?KC-135? & KC-46

+ TABOR ?? x3? F-35/A Lightning II's

Checking in with Shanwick on 8831 khz with another Group of #F35's Bound for Lakenheath from Hill AFB #KHIF

Estimating 5630N025W at 1756z And Will Freq Switch at 20W.#GOLD73: 17-46031#GOLD74: ??? https://t.co/HSv7I5QjR6 pic.twitter.com/Jq3ouVDDqU  Andy (@Andyyyyrrrr) March 19, 2025

As of Thursday afternoon, 12 F-35s arrived at RAF Lakenheath, according to local plane spotter Karl OKane.

It is unclear why those jets were sent to Lakenheath, but that base has served as a way station for flights between the U.S. and the Middle East. On March 17, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported that the U.S. Air Force was sending additional aircraft to the region. Officials from the Pentagon and several Air Force commands declined to comment about where the F-35s are headed.

The U.S. military is expected to send additional aircraft to the Middle East, U.S. officials tell me.  Chris Gordon (@ByChrisGordon) March 17, 2025

While there are plenty of reasons the visiting stealth fighters could stay put in Europe, RAF Lakenheath is already home to the USAFs forward deployed F-35A contingent, hosting two squadrons. Two F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons also call the base home.

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If indeed they are heading to the Middle East, the jets crossed the Atlantic as the U.S. military continued to pound Houthi targets in Yemen from the air and sea in a campaign that began on March 15. There were four US attacks in the Al Khatib area of Al Hudaydah Governorate in Yemen on Thursday, according to the Houthti-controlled Ansar Allah Telegram channel.

U.S. Central Command declined to say when its most recent attacks took place, instead pointing to its latest message on X posted Wednesday. It included a video of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets launching from the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman bound for strike missions against the Houthis.

CENTCOM forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis, the command stated.

CENTCOM forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis#HouthisAreTerrorists pic.twitter.com/RkWsmDgEFR  U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 19, 2025

Earlier on Thursday, the Houthis claimed they launched another missile strike at Israel.

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The Yemeni armed forces carried out a qualitative military operation targeting Ben Gurion airport in the occupied Jaffa region with a Palestine-2 hypersonic ballistic missile, Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree said on Thursday.

#Houthis Claim 'Successful' Attack On Ben Gurion Airport As #Israelis Run For Cover, Say



Yemen's Houthis claim their attack on Tel Aviv's #BenGurionAirport with hypersonic ballistic missiles was 'successful', even as they escalate attacks in the #RedSea. pic.twitter.com/ilD7wJFIeH  Mint (@livemint) March 20, 2025

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) disputed the result of that attack.

Following the sirens that sounded a short while ago in several areas in Israel, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF prior to crossing into Israeli territory, the IDF said on Telegram.

LIVE: Israel comes under ballistic missile attack by the Houthis for the second time in 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/5IaqHT65Eb  Trey Yingst (@TreyYingst) March 20, 2025

The U.S. has asked Israel not to respond to this attack, according to Israeli media.

The request comes as the US has carried out widespread strikes against the Houthis in recent days, The Times of Israel reported. The US told Israel to let them deal with it.

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The latest campaign against the Houthis was ordered by President Donald Trump as the Yemen-based rebels vowed to resume their attacks on Israeli-connected vessels. The Houthis paused those strikes during the ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war that has since broken down into open conflict.

On Monday, U.S. officials provided details about the initial stages of this campaign, which they acknowledge could take weeks.

The initial wave of strikes hit over 30 targets at multiple locations, degrading a variety of Houthi capabilities, Air Force Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich explained to reporters, including from The War Zone. These included terrorist training sites, unmanned aerial vehicle infrastructure, weapons manufacturing capabilities and weapons storage facilities. It also included a number of command and control centers, including a terrorist compound where we know several senior unmanned aerial vehicle experts were located. On Sunday, strike operations continued against additional headquarters locations, weapon storage facilities, as well as detection capabilities that have been used to threaten maritime shipping in the past.

CENTCOM operations against Iran-backed Houthis continue pic.twitter.com/DYvc3gREN8  U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2025

The Houthi shipping attacks began in November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians over the latest war between Israel and Gaza. They have forced ships to avoid the Suez Canal for a far longer route around Africa, boosting cargo costs by nearly $200 billion. The Houthis attacks sank two vessels, damaged many others, caused the death of four mariners, and led to many being held hostage after a ship was seized. There were also a lot of Houthi weapons that missed their targets entirely. In addition to attacking shipping, the Houthis have also fired missiles and drones at Israel. You can read more about the Houthis arsenal in our deep dive here.

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After the U.S. began hitting Houthi targets in Yemen last week, the group said it has hit back. On Thursday, the Houthis claimed they attacked the Truman Carrier Strike Group for the fourth time since the latest campaign against them began. A U.S. defense official pushed back on that claim.

Houthis continue to communicate lies and disinformation, the official told The War Zone Thursday. They are well known for false claims minimizing the results of our attacks while exaggerating the successes of theirs. In fact, they have claimed to have hit our ships multiple times in the past and have even claimed to have sunk our aircraft carriers. Their messaging depends on lies.

That follows comments Grynkewich made last week after the Houthis claimed they launched 18 ballistic missiles and a drone at the strike group.

Quite frankly, its hard to tell what the Houthis were targeting, Grynkewich said, because while were executing precision strikes, they missed by over 100 miles. I would question anything that they claim to the press that theyre doing or not doing.

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https://twitter.com/search?q=grynkewich%20houthis&src=typed_query

All this comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the Houthis main benefactors, are increasing under Trumps maximum pressure doctrine.

Earlier this week, Trump sent a letter to Irans Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that included a two-month deadline for reaching a new nuclear deal, Axios reported, citing sources. In 2018, Trump pulled out of an earlier nuclear weapons deal signed by former President Barack Obama.

Iranians pushed back on Trumps deadline.

We will not engage in direct negotiations under pressure, threats, or increased sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

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In a video statement released on Thursday, Khamenei criticized the attacks on the Houthi militia, warning that they should be prevented.

The tensions are being exacerbated by Israels resumption of attacks on Hamas, including air strikes and a limited ground incursion that have resulted in increasing deaths of civilians and the elimination of much of Hamas remaining leadership.

Search and rescue operations are underway amidst the rubble of the collapsed structure after an airstrike on a building belonging to the Qraiqea family in the Shujaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza City, Gaza on March 18, 2025. (Photo by Hamza Z. H. Qraiqea/Anadolu via Getty Images) Anadolu

The U.S. has said the attacks on the Houthis will end once the rebel group stops launching attacks on shipping. Meanwhile, the Houthis continue to claim strikes against U.S. Navy ships.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com


VICTORIA, British Columbia  Faced with threats of economic punishment and annexation from the Trump administration, Canada has launched a series of initiatives to shift its traditional defense links with the U.S. over to Europe and other regions.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly confirmed Wednesday to journalists that Canada has been in negotiations with European government officials about a joint defense alliance that would include joint procurement projects.

She noted the negotiations are at an advanced stage and were prompted, in part, by President Donald Trumps threats to annex Canada.

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Scorned by Trump, Canadian shipbuilders flash their icebreaker skills

Earlier this month, Trump levied a 25% tariff on a variety of Canadian goods. He has threatened to ruin Canadas economy and has warned that the only way the country could escape such punishment would be to become the 51st American state.

Trumps actions have caused widespread distrust of the U.S. in Canada and prompted the ruling Liberal government to forge new defense alliances, particularly with European countries.

We need new partnerships, Joly told the Canadian Press news service. We have an over-reliance on American procurement, particularly in the defense sector.

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The rhetoric coming out of the White House is not only concerning, but it is also a threat to our sovereignty, she added.

Canada has not released details on the specific European nations it is in negotiations with or when those talks might be concluded.

But in a Monday news conference, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed he has ordered a review of Canadas purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet.

The Canadian government committed in January 2023 to spending $13.2 billion (19 billion Canadian dollars) for the purchase of 88 F-35s from the U.S. government.

Carney, who linked the review to Trumps ongoing trade war against Canada, said at this point the country has only committed to purchasing the first 16 F-35s. He noted that he has had discussions with French and British government officials about whether they could provide an alternative to the F-35 and whether that aircraft could be built in Canada. In addition, he pointed out that defense relations were a key part of his talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit Monday to those nations.

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Given the geopolitical environment, given the fact that there are options, given the need for value for money, given the possibility of having substantial production of alternative aircraft in Canada  as opposed to sending, as we have been, on average, 80 cents of every dollar to the United States  its prudent and in the interest of Canada to review those options, Carney said at a news conference.

Canadas Department of National Defence did not respond to questions about how long the F-35 review will take or what agency is conducting the exercise.

On Tuesday Carney announced Canada was strengthening its defense relationship with Australia by partnering with that country on a new over-the-horizon radar to monitor threats to the Arctic. The radar project is estimated to be worth $4.2 billion (CA$6 billion) and would utilize Australias Jindalee Operational Radar Network, an over-the-horizon system developed in conjunction with BAE Australia.

Carney noted the partnership with Australia will allow the system to be built and put into operation quickly.

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In a televised news conference Tuesday, Carney said the new radar would help strengthen Canadas commitment to the joint U.S.-Canada North American Aerospace Defense Command. But he also noted the radar will allow Canada to act on its own to better protect its territory.

International institutions and norms that have kept Canada secure are now being called into question, Carney said. The United States priorities, once closely aligned with our own, are beginning to shift.

Meanwhile, some Canadian defense industry executives have voiced caution about further angering the Americans, particularly with the possibility of dumping the F-35 deal.

Canceling the F-35s might be a good idea, but we need to think about it, Bombardier CEO Eric Martel said in a speech in Montreal on Monday. We [Bombardier] have contracts with the Pentagon. Will there be reciprocity there?

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Rebecca Miller, director of global media relations for Lockheed Martin stated in an email that the company values its partnership and history with the Royal Canadian Air Force. She noted Lockheed Martin looks forward to continuing that relationship into the future.

Before becoming prime minister earlier this month, Carney voiced support for boosting Canadas defense budget. But he also questioned the wisdom of Canada spending up to 80% of its military equipment budget on U.S. systems, particularly when the American government is threatening economic harm against Canada.

We need to spend more of that money here in Canada, he said in February.

Carney is expected to call a federal election on Sunday, multiple Canadian media outlets reported Thursday. The Trump administrations threats against Canada are expected to play a major role in the political contest to form the next Canadian government.
A failed Republican candidate was found guilty Wednesday of hiring people to shoot at the homes of local Democratic leaders after he lost an election for the New Mexico House of Representatives, according to his attorney.

Solomon Pena, 41, was charged with multiple felonies, including three counts of solicitation to commit a crime of violence, three counts of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and discharging the firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy, according to a federal superseding indictment filed against him in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.

A jury found him guilty on all counts Wednesday evening, according to his lead attorney, Nicholas T. Hart.

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Pena faces life in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

Federal prosecutors said that Pena, refusing to accept his electoral defeat, organized a shooting spree that targeted the homes of four elected officials and their families from Dec. 4, 2022, to Jan. 3, 2023, according to court records.

In a text message after the jury's verdict, Hart called it "a travesty."

"The evidence showed that Mr. Pena had nothing to do with these shootings. Solomon Pena was prosecuted because of his political beliefs, and because he advocated that the 2020 election was stolen and rigged, Hart said.

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He added: Meanwhile, the men who actually shot at and terrorized these politicians are going to walk free. That is not how our system is supposed to work.

Prosecutors did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the verdict.

The shootings, one of which involved a machine gun, were carried out by Pena and co-defendants Demetrio Trujillo, 43, and his son, Jose Trujillo, 24, according to federal prosecutors.

Both men pleaded guilty last year to charges of conspiracy, interference with federally protected activities, using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence and other counts, prosecutors said.

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They have not been sentenced but face up to life in prison.

During the trial, Hart blamed Demetrio and Jose Trujillo for carrying out the shootings. He said that Pena did not commit the shootings and never ordered them and that he was not there when they occurred.

The evidence shows that the father and son are fully responsible for the shootings and are trying to pin it on Pena, he said.

They see the opportunity to get out of jail and to avoid prison for all of their wrongdoings, Hart said.

The indictment said Pena targeted the homes of a state senator, two members of the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners and a close political ally, whom it did not name. Some of the officials have publicly identified themselves.

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Pena came to my house right after the election," Bernalillo County Commission member Adriann Barboa said in 2023. "He was sort of erratic in the points he was trying to make about the election and about how many doors he knocked on and how the number of votes didnt match.

Eight shots were fired at her home on Dec. 4, 2022, in the first in the series of targeted shootings, she said.

Former County Commission member Debbie OMalley shared a similar experience with Pena: This guy came to my home. I was very concerned about it, and it was very unsettling. He was angry about losing the election.

Bullets struck her home on Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, 2022, as she and her husband slept, police said.

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Albuquerque police said at least eight shots also were fired at state Sen. Linda Lopezs home.

"We are grateful that the jury found this man guilty on all counts and hope this verdict serves as a reminder that threats or acts of violence against anyone in this community will not be tolerated," Lopez, OMalley and Barboa said in a joint statement posted to Lopez's Facebook page.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
FAIRHOPE, Ala. (WKRG)  The U.S. Department of Agriculture ending the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program has impacted foodbanks, schools and local farms.

UPDATE: Mobile police arrest bank robbery suspect

Mike McKenzie at McKenzies Farm in Fairhope is bracing for the impact of not receiving that guaranteed income.

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I dont want to be negative, I dont like complaining, I chose this, and this is what we are going to do, McKenzie said.

When LFPA funding was first introduced to McKenzie three years ago he had concerns, but quickly realized how much good it could bring to the community and his farm.

Then I got word that a little lady in Citronelle, Alabama got a sack of potatoes with McKenzies farm on it and it made me feel good, McKenzie said.

In the past three years, he has sold over 930,000 lbs. of produce to food banks across the state.

So, were just going to have to come up with something different to offset it, McKenzie said.

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The money brought in by LFPA was used to supplement new equipment, more seed and manpower.

The cost of production exceeds their profit, making them more cautious now of how much they plant.

I dont want it sitting out in the field if I cant do anything with it, McKenzie said.

First look inside massive Orange Beach Sports Complex, stadium

McKenzie hopes the money will come back.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
This is a busy and sacred time of year on many religious calendars.

Important observations are being made for Lent, Ramadan, and Passover, which are either taking place right now or coming up soon.

For the faithful, religion is a cornerstone of their life, but their numbers are dwindling. Many houses of worship are seeing attendance drop, sometimes dramatically.

In Westwood, one man told Boston 25 News, I think a lot of people have decided to seek whatever it is they want, whether its faith or spiritualism.

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A woman remarked, People are too involved with their phone, the tv, the lifestyle is different.

According to a poll by the Pew Research Center, 26% of Massachusetts residents said their religion is very important to their life today.

50% said it isnt at all.

Compare that to 2007 when the numbers were just about flipped. At that time, 40% said religion was very important and 24% said it wasnt at all.

A man told us, I dont live my life in any religious way, shape, or form, but I dont know anyone who does.

Another woman added, I dont think that its necessarily becoming less of a factor, maybe people dont like to talk about it as much.

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Images of empty pews tell a story that concerns Ernest Collamati, Ph.D., a professor of theology at Regis College in Weston.

My greatest concern is as theologian concerned about family life and passing on our traditions, is our young people need moorings.

But in 2024, just 14% said they regularly attend a religious service, while 63% said they did not.

Again, thats way down from 2007 when about a third said the were regulars and another third said they were not.

This commitment of individuals to the larger communal experience has been on the decline in America, explained Collamati. Take a look at politics. How many local political structures are begging for candidates to step forward?

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People stepping back from religion is particularly prevalent around here.

New England, according to Pew Research, has the lowest rate of people identifying as very religious. For what its worth, our Commonwealth is tied for the lowest of all with New Hampshire.

Locally, the largest decline between 2007-2024 was among Catholics which was down 14%.

Protestants saw a decline of 7%.

One woman said, Im a Catholic and I was raised Catholic, but I became very concerned about the Catholic church with all the sexual abuse.

Collamati says the poll sends a clear message to all faith leaders.

If you simply do exactly what you were doing in 1950, in a radically changed scenario, it does not auger well at all for the future.

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FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya speaks during appears via video call at a Joint Judiciary Committee about states' role in protecting affordability on March 19. Bedoya says he and the other Democratic commissioner on the board were illegally fired by Donald Trump.
(NewsNation)  A family of three disappeared in northern Arizona while traveling from the Grand Canyon to Las Vegas earlier this month on vacation, according to local authorities.

The Coconino County Sheriffs Office is asking for the publics help in finding Jiyeon Lee, 23; Taehee Kim, 69; and Junghee Kim, 64.

The family was last known to be traveling together in a rented white BMW on Interstate 40 around 3:30 p.m. local time on March 13, per the vehicles GPS.

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Georgia teen missing for over a year found alive in Tennessee

That day, winter weather in Arizona led to a deadly crash on that same road near Williams, Arizona, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The collision involved a total of 22 vehicles, including 13 passenger vehicles. A total of 36 drivers and occupants were involved in the incident, including two fatalities, and 16 injured persons were transported for medical care, the departments Facebook post reads in part.

The site of the crash is roughly an hours drive from the Grand Canyon and on the way to Las Vegas via I-40.

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Judge allows man questioned in Sudiksha Konanki disappearance to return home

The missing familys rental car has the California license plate 9KHN768.

Law enforcement is aware of the large multivehicle accident that occurred on I40 on this day; however it is not known if this vehicle was involved in the accident, the Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

The Coconino County Sheriffs Office asks anyone with information about the familys whereabouts to contact them.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
A family of three visiting the United States has been missing for over a week after leaving the Grand Canyon on a road trip and driving through a winter storm, officials in Arizona said.

The Coconino County Sheriff's Office said it is currently seeking information on the whereabouts of a family of three -- Jiyeon Lee, 33, Taehee Kim, 59, and Junghee Kim, 54. The sheriff's office initially had different ages for the family members, but issued an update Thursday night.

Lee was traveling with her mother, Taehee Kim, and aunt, according to a sheriff's office spokesperson.

PHOTO: The Coconino County Sheriff's Office released a missing persons poster for Jiyeon Lee, 33, Taehee Kim, 59, and Junghee Kim, 54. ( Coconino County Sheriff's Office)

The family was last known to be traveling by road in a white BMW with California license plates when they were on vacation from the Grand Canyon area to Las Vegas on March 13, the sheriff's office said. Pings on their cellphones and GPS information from the rental car show they were last traveling on westbound Interstate 40 at around 3:30 p.m. that day, the office said.

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The Coconino County Sheriff's Office said it is aware of several multi-vehicle crashes along I-40 on the same day amid a large snowstorm, however, it's unknown if their vehicle was involved in any of them.

"The big concern right now is, the ping that we had on that phone .... close to that time was also, a major accident had taken place on the interstate, very close to where that ping was located," Jon Paxton, the spokesperson for the Coconino County Sheriff's Office, told ABC News on Friday.

Paxton said it's "possible" the three missing people were involved in the accident.

PHOTO: A still from a video showing the wreckage following a multi-vehicle crash along Interstate 40 near Williams, Arizona, that occurred on March 13, 2025. (Arizona Department of Public Safety)

MORE: Toddler found wandering streets alone with soiled diaper leads police back to shocking scene at home

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Two people died in the pile-up involving more than 20 vehicles, Paxton said. Some vehicles involved burned in a long-lasting fire and are hard to identify, he said.

Paxton urged anyone who may have been in the area around the time who may have information to contact the sheriff's office.

In the meantime he said the sheriff's office has searched the area and service roads as well as hospitals and have exhausted all leads.

"We spent three days searching," Paxton said. "Weve exhausted all the leads and searched all the areas we felt they would be."

PHOTO: The Coconino County Sheriff's Office released a missing persons poster for Jiyeon Lee, 33, Taehee Kim, 59, and Junghee Kim, 54. (Coconino County Sheriff's Office)

The women were supposed to fly out of San Francisco on March 17 to return to South Korea, but when their family never heard from them regarding the flight, they got concerned, Paxton said.

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The sheriff's office received a missing persons report from the South Korean consulate in Los Angeles the following day, he said.

The South Korean consulate in Los Angeles, whose jurisdiction includes Arizona, said in a statement on Friday its consulate general filed the missing persons report on behalf of their family "and has provided all relevant information to the authorities."

"We have dispatched a consul to the area and are working closely with the police to locate the missing people as quickly as possible," the statement continued.

Family of 3 missing after leaving Grand Canyon and driving through winter storm originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The family of a Boeing whistleblower who died by suicide has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer, alleging that the company subjected him to a concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation.

Boeing did its best to discourage, discredit, and humiliate John Barnett, as he worked to document and remedy defects and uphold standards at the company, according to the suit, obtained by The Independent.

The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March 2024. A coroner later ruled that he died by suicide. At the time, he was testifying in a lawsuit against the aircraft manufacturer.

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The lawsuit filed on Wednesday in South Carolina Supreme Court said Barnett had been proud of his job and was initially proud of Boeing.

Boeing has been accused of orchestrating a campaign of intimidation and abuse against former employee John Barnett (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

He took his role seriously in protecting the flying public, and he believed that he had a personal, legal, and moral obligation to ensure, to the best of his ability, that every possible defect was identified, documented, and remedied.

When John tried to do his job, Boeing Management pressured him to not document defects or to not properly document the aircraft build record in order to avoid production delays.

When John persisted, Management embarked on a concerted campaign of harassment, abuse, and intimidation intended to discourage, discredit, and humiliate him until he would either give up or be discredited.

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An autopsy report previously stated that a review of Barnetts medical records and interviews with his family showed he was suffering from chronic stress brought on by the lawsuit, as well as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder at the time of his death.

In their lawsuit, his family claimed that in one instance in 2016, a senior manager had called Barnett 19 times within an eight-hour period, and then 21 times over the same period of time a few days later.

The manager allegedly told Barnett, Im going to push you until you break, the lawsuit claimed.

The 62-year-old quality control engineer, who had worked at Boeing for 32 years, was found dead at a South Carolina hotel in March (Netflix)

After leaving Boeing, John repeatedly tried to move on with his life. However, on March 9, 2024, the weight of years of harassment, abuse, and humiliation became too much for John to bear, and he took his own life Boeing had threatened to break John and break him it did, it stated.

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The suit also included part of an email sent by Barnett in 2021 in which he said he was trying to figure out what it would take to make me whole again, and detailed some of his struggles with anxiety and depression as well as PTSD.

Excerpts from a note left by Barnett prior to his death, previously shared by Charleston police, were also included. I pray Boeing pays, the note said, though it added: Family and friends, I love you I found my purpose! Im at peace!

Wednesdays filing claims for wrongful death, abuse of process and retaliation.

Barnetts family are seeking damages for pecuniary loss, mental suffering and grief, as well as punitive damages and funeral and burial expenses, per the lawsuit. They have requested a jury trial.

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In a statement shared with The Independent, a Boeing spokesperson said: We are saddened by John Barnetts death and extend our condolences to his family.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
The family of a former Boeing employee who took his own life last year after raising numerous concerns about the company's production standards is now suing the aerospace giant, alleging John Barnett was subjected to "harassment, abuse and intimidation" by the company.

The wrongful death lawsuit was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in South Carolina.

Barnett, a former Boeing quality manager, died March 9, 2024, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a vehicle parked at a Holiday Inn in Charleston. His death was ruled a suicide by the Charleston County Coroner's office.

PHOTO: The exterior of the Boeing Company headquarters is seen on March 25, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

MORE: Whistleblower who raised safety concerns at Boeing found dead

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At the time of his death, Barnett was actively engaged in a whistleblower complaint against the company.

The lawsuit filed by Barnett's family alleges Boeing "intended to discourage, discredit, and humiliate him until he would either give up or be discredited," after he raised quality control concerns at the company.

The complaint also alleges that Barnett suffered from "PTSD, depression, and anxiety" as a result of the harassment and maltreatment by Boeing, which the lawsuit says led to his untimely death.

MORE: Boeing shares updates on safety plan 1 year after Alaska Airlines door plug incident

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The family is filing claims for wrongful death, abuse of process and retaliation. They are seeking damages for pecuniary loss, mental suffering and grief, as well as punitive damages and funeral and burial expenses, per the lawsuit. The plaintiffs have requested a jury trial.

In a statement to ABC, Boeing said, "We are saddened by John Barnett's death and extend our condolences to his family."

MORE: New whistleblower claims put Boeing's quality control under more scrutiny

Barnett, who worked for Boeing for 32 years, initially filed his whistleblower complaint shortly after his retirement from the company in 2017. He came forward publicly in 2019 when he and other former Boeing employees took part in interviews with The New York Times. Barnett and others accused Boeing of prioritizing profits over safety.

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Boeing denied all of Barnett's allegations -- including claims the company put profits over safety.

"Safety issues are immediately investigated, and changes are made wherever necessary," said a Boeing spokesperson at the time of his lawsuit.

If you or someone you know are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org.

ABC News' Jack Moore contributed to this report.

Family of Boeing whistleblower files wrongful death lawsuit originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Editors Note: This article contains discussions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, you can find resources in your area on the National Crisis Line website or by calling 988.

(NewsNation)  The family of twin brothers found dead on a Georgia mountain is disputing investigators theory that the case was a murder-suicide.

In the most recent development, volunteer firefighter Scott Kerlin has been arrested and charged after taking photos of the scene and sharing them publicly.

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Kerlin was among the first responders at the scene, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said he heard the call over the radio and responded as a volunteer.

Thousands sue Maryland agencies over alleged child sexual abuse

The bodies of Qaadir Malik Lewis and Naazir Rahim Lewis, both 19, were found on Bell Mountain by a group of hikers on March 8, 2025.

Both teenagers had gunshot wounds, and after a preliminary investigation, the death was preliminarily ruled a murder-suicide.

An official cause and manner of death has not yet been released because the medical examiner is waiting for additional forensic testing to be completed following the autopsies of both men.

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Family members have said they do not believe the official explanation and want authorities to continue investigating.

Mother drowned 4-year-old son to get demons out of him: Police

According to the family, the brothers were planning to fly to Boston on March 7 but never made the flight. When the bodies were discovered, they had plane tickets in their pockets.

The family also said the twins had no ties to Bell Mountain, which is roughly 90 miles north of where they lived.

That has led them to question how the brothers got to the mountain, why they were there and what happened to lead to their deaths.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
CHICAGO  People often arrive at juvenile court with their guard up. Danielle Moore and Denise Gonzalez-Avila can understand why.

As family navigators based out of the Cook County Juvenile Center, Moore, 26, and Gonzalez-Avila, 41, meet waves of parents and loved ones of minors charged with crimes in the difficult moments just before or after a childs first court appearance.

The pair works mainly with families whose children are awaiting trial or sentenced to probation or supervision. They can connect with families in part because of their own history with the juvenile court system: Moore was charged with crimes as a young teenager and Gonzalez-Avila has had two sons charged with crimes while underage.

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I see the cases that some kids get, and I share some of them, Moore said. I think thats what actually gives them that push to trust us  they feel like we understand them and were not judging them.

Moore and Gonzalez-Avila keep up with the families they meet at the courthouse and help with logistics such as transportation, information about social service agencies, or basic needs, including food pantries and helping kids get back into school. Michael Muhammad, deputy chief probation officer, described their work as part of an effort to move from a checklist of Are you compliant with this, are you compliant with that to something that gave children and families more involvement in pretrial release and on probation or supervision.

You listen to the young people: what are your needs, what obstacles are you having to prevent you from completing services, he said.

The county declined to release figures for how many families have worked with the navigator program in the roughly 18 months it has been operational. But a recent report from the Circuit Court of Cook County indicates that there are plenty of families who may need help with a pending court case: The number of juvenile delinquency petitions has roughly doubled from 1,424 in 2020 to just under 3,000 in 2023. The vast majority of those cases belong to boys 14 to 17, according to the report, and almost half who were found delinquent were sentenced to probation or supervision.

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A recent workday for Gonzalez-Avila began just before 8 a.m. with a list of children up for initial court appearances after being arrested the previous night. That day, five kids were on the list, and Gonzalez-Avila had also made sure to meet with a boy who was back for a continuance in his case. Hed been doing well in school, she said and wanted to make sure Gonzalez-Avila followed through on a promised fast-food trip after his appearance.

Gonzalez-Avila and Moore spend most of their mornings making rounds of the courtrooms, introducing themselves to parents and guardians whose kids are facing charges and offering information about pretrial services.

Things pick up around 10 a.m., when most courtrooms start their sessions. Moore and Gonzalez-Avila typically set up in the courthouse lobby to speak with parents and families.

Theyll want us to either help them get to release or (electronic monitoring), or they are really just stressed out, and they need to come in here to debrief, Moore said.

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Here is a small room near one of the building entrances at 1100 S. Hamilton Ave, which they have tried to make a respite from the activity of the courtrooms and detention center. Its stocked with pamphlets on mentorship programs, food pantries and other social services and snacks, and decorated with reminders of what a person can control and a few basic mindfulness exercises. The navigators talk to families there, help people decompress and think through how theyre feeling and what they may need to do next.

They offer their contact information to families and stay in touch, reminding them of court dates and ensuring that they get to their kids appearances.

Others need help understanding the accusations against their kids or the court proceedings themselves. Gonzalez-Avila often translates for parents who dont know English, working with as many as 60 families in a month.

Two of her sons have been charged with crimes while underage, she said, and she remembers how confused, stressed and afraid she was when her older son was charged for the first time.

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When she came to court with them, she translated for other families so often that staff at New Life Centers, one of the social service organizations that works with the family navigator program and was helping her sons, encouraged her to apply.

She often offers her familys story to parents she encounters in the courthouse to build trust and ease their nerves: A lot of times the parents are kind of scared, so when you start talking to them tell them, I had my experience here with my son, they start opening up to you, she said.

Gonzalez-Avila said her sons are doing well now. One often comes home from his mentoring program and brings a whole 20 kids with him, she said. She talks to them every day and pleads with them to stop carrying guns. But shes up against a strong culture of fear.

They say theyd rather be back here than 6 feet under the ground, she said.

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She said shes seen two boys killed soon after they entered the justice system.

Moore, the newer of the family navigators, applied for the job in part to honor a friend who was charged alongside her when they were both still girls. Jamayah Fields was killed in 2017 and Moore is now an aspiring criminal defense attorney, but still thinks of Fields when she passes Courtroom 11 and Courtroom 13 in particular, she said.

She tries to share her experience with other building staff and the kids in hopes that they will all see what their futures could look like with the right work and support.

If I could figure out exactly what I want to do (by being here), maybe by interacting with the kids, I could help them figure out their lives, she said.
NEW CASTLE, Va. (WFXR)  On Friday, March 14, a 22-month-old child walked away from Craig County Child Care Center unnoticed by staff.

The child then walked toward the middle of nearby Route 311, also known as Salem Avenue, where he was rescued by a Virginia State Police officer on a standard patrol.

The officer, identified as Senior Trooper Viero-Cintro, took the child to a nearby house, before realizing that he may have wandered away from the nearby daycare.

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The childs family says a back gate was left open at the facility, while one teacher was relieving another from watching the children.

Anything could have happened, said Briars mother, Angel Letchford. Im very thankful I had a son to take home on Friday.

They say they are hesitant to even wonder what could have happened if Viero-Cintron had not been in the right place at the right time.

Im so glad [the trooper] was there at the right place, right time, said Letchford. Im so glad that man had heard him on that road. Thank God there was no heavy traffic at that time.

Toddler rescued from Craig County roadway by VSP trooper

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In a letter sent to the family, the daycare alleges Briar was only missing for three minutes.

Virginia State Police, on the other hand, say it took 11 minutes to return Briar to daycare.

The family says they were told staff members did not notice their son missing until he was brought back by Viero-Cintron.

Its devastating to know that not only did this incident occur, but that he wasnt missed, said Jamie Greenway, Briars grandmother.

The Virginia Department of Social Services has been notified of the incident and VSP confirmed that it is conducting an investigation of its own.

This is not the first time the daycare has been looked into by social services.

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During a routine inspection in November 2024, the facility received violations for missing background checks among staff members and failing to keep proper records of daily attendance.

During a similar check in May 2024, the daycare was found in violation of several sanitary concerns pertaining to the diaper-changing station, and a lack of handwashing by the children before and after mealtime.

These violations were both identified during routine checks of the facility by Social Services, and do not necessarily indicate a pattern of violations.

DSS records also indicate that the daycare took action to remedy the violations after the inspections.

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That being said, the family wants to see Fridays incident spark some real change to ensure no child finds themself in that situation moving forward.

Take responsibility for your actions, said Greenway. Yes, were human. But own up to it. Make the changes necessary. Protect the lives that are entrusted to you.

WFXR spoke with the executive director of Craig County Child Care Center, but she declined to comment on the situation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
A family is suing Six Flags for the wrongful death of their 22-year-old son, alleging design defects, negligence, and failure to warn riders of potential injury.

Accordin g to the Los Angeles Time s, Christopher Hawley was enjoying a day at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California, in June, 2022, with his younger brother and cousin. After stepping off the X2 roller coaster, Hawley collapsed. He passed away the following day.

Me and my cousin Kyle and Chriswe had no idea that this was gonna happen, Christophers younger brother Alex Hawley told the Times.

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L.A. County Medical Examiners records showed that Christophers cause of death was blunt head trauma, reported ABC 7 . The complaint states Hawley was perfectly healthy before riding the rollercoaster and claimed his injury was sustained from a park ride accident.

The defendants in the suit are listed as Six Flags, Magic Mountain, and S&S Worldwide, the copyright owner for the four dimensional coaster style with 360 degree rotating seats like the X2. They have all denied the claims.

According to the Six Flags website , the X2 barrels across the tracks at 76 miles per hour with multiple dips and dives. Alex remembering coming to a sudden stop on the ride and their heads jolted forward then slammed back really hard.

The familys attorney Ari Friedman said in a statement that the X2 has been linked to previous incidents, where people received whiplash, head and leg injuries, and more, due to the rides sudden jolts. In 2014 , Six Flags was sued after two park goers sustained injuries when its Ninja roller coaster struck a fallen tree on the tracks and derailed.

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The type of injuries that Christopher suffered and the timing of when he got off the ride gives us strength and confidence to believe that at the time of trial, well be able to show this was not an injury he suffered earlier in the day or some time prior in his life, but happened during the X2 ride, Friedman added in an interview with ABC 7.

According to Friedman, the trial is set to begin on Oct. 13 in L.A. County Superior Court.
The Pueblo police chief and mayor placed blame on "soft-on-crime legislation" during a news conference after an officer-involved shooting the night before left three officers hospitalized and a suspect dead.

Three Pueblo Police Department officers were shot by a suspect in an attempted murder case.

Gunfire broke out around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday near West Mesa Avenue and Cedar Street, near Bessemer Park on the city's south side. The slain suspect, identified as 34-year-old Bill Soto fired an estimated 80 rounds at the officers, said Chris Noeller, Pueblo's police chief.

Noeller placed blame on laws that allowed Soto to be on the streets at all.

"The blood of my officers lays at the steps of our Capitol," he said.

That sentiment was echoed by Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham, who began the news conference by speaking about the danger that habitual criminals can pose to communities.

"I'm not satisfied with legislation that ties the hands of my officers and their ability to remove these violent criminals from our streets," she said. "And neither should you."

Noeller provided additional details about the Tuesday night shooting, saying that his officers had been searching for Soto as a suspect in an attempted murder at a Pueblo apartment building Feb. 3.

"Our officers were ambushed and shot by a malicious person who should have been in jail, but wasn't because of our soft-on-crime legislation and bonds," Noeller said, arguing that leniency with lower-level offenses only emboldens criminals like Soto.

According to the police report, dispatch received notice of an officer having been shot, resulting in more officers and deputies with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office responding to the scene and also being fired upon. Police said the suspect was running and continuing to shoot.

Noeller said Soto was armed with a rifle, and was eventually shot and killed by his officers returning fire. Soto was declared dead at the scene.

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All three officers who were shot were taken to the hospital. The names of the officers have not been released.

"Three very brave men alongside their families have paid the price for our community's safety," Graham said.

Noeller said all three officers are in stable condition, but they "have a long road to recovery."

The 10th Judicial District Critical Incident Response Team, which is led by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, is conducting the investigation.

Gov. Jared Polis released a statement regarding the shooting:

Our men and women in uniform work every day on the front lines, and put themselves in harms way to protect our lives and communities. Pueblo is a strong community, especially in tough times like this. I am closely monitoring this situation and getting regular updates, and The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is actively supporting the investigation with support from State Patrol. I applaud the actions of everyone involved in stopping the violent suspect, and am praying for the three officers who were injured in this attack."

The suspect

Public records show Soto was a Pueblo resident.

Mayor Graham referred to Soto as an individual with "an extensive past in committing crime."

Noeller provided more specifics, saying Soto was a self-professed member of the international MS-13 criminal gang, with "pages of criminal history"  with Pueblo police alone. Noeller said Soto had been arrested on felony charges 14 times, most of which had been pleaded down to misdemeanor-level offenses.

In a Feb. 21 Pueblo Crimestoppers web posting, Soto was featured as a wanted criminal. He was listed as having skipped out on a $13,000 bond, and being wanted on three felony failure-to-appear warrants. He was listed in connection to crimes including motor vehicle theft, resisting arrest, possessing a deadly weapon and drug possession, including possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL)  For the first time in 50 years, a farmer-owned and operated processing plant is coming to the region.

The state-of-the-art facility will be the largest in the area in just a few more weeks.

Mark Zananti with the Appalachian Producers Cooperative said theyll be able to give local farmers another outlet for their product.

Majority of calves that are birthed in this area go to sale, Zananti said. They go to feedlots in the Midwest somewhere. Then theyre processed out there, and that product is shipped back. We will be able to do a lot of that here locally, and well sell through wholesalers back to grocery stores, restaurants, and those types of establishments.

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Wait times for the often overwhelmed smaller operations will be shortened.

The smaller operators around, theres many of them that do a very good job, and weve seen very long wait times to get appointments, Zananti explained. But part of that was as a result of COVID, and a lot of people have moved to, you know, locally raised products. And we see no way that were going to harm anybodys business. I think were just going to shorten those wait times.

He says the projects genesis came from the grocery stores empty meat shelves during COVID.

Then it became the mission to build this as a cooperative and then to have the size and scope such that we could have some positive effect, Zananti said.

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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will inspect every aspect of the facility. The heavy regulations are the reason the grand opening, which was originally set for mid-March, has been delayed. It remains the final obstacle to overcome before the facility opens, something Zananti knows is necessary.

Everything we do here will be USDA inspected, Zananti said. This is a highly regulated operation, as it should be because were dealing with a commodity that people consume.

Zananti told News Channel 11 that the facility is now tentatively scheduled to open in mid-May.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.
Mar. 19The U.S. Department of Agriculture ended federal programs that helped schools and food banks buy local food, leaving some New Mexico farmers who have already planted crops in a bind.

The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program gave money to state and tribal governments to buy food produced within the state or within 400 miles of a delivery destination, while the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program gave states money to make the same kind of food purchases for schools. Both programs were started in 2021 with American Rescue Plan funds to improve the domestic agriculture supply chain. Last week, the USDA canceled $1 billion in purchasing when it ended the programs nationwide.

"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," a USDA spokesperson said in a statement. "This isn't 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."

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LFPA and LFS agreements for the 2025 fiscal year will be terminated after a 60-day notification, while LFPA and LFPA Plus agreements that were in place prior to the 2025 fiscal year will remain in effect, according to USDA. Federal fiscal year 2025 began in October and ends Sept. 30.

New Mexico farmers say the programs provided a steady stream of revenue in an unstable industry.

"It's mid-March. Food is in the ground, seedlings are in the greenhouse, with the intention of them going to the Food Depot, with the intention of these seeds already planted going to our school lunches, and now the funding has been cut," Juliana Ciano with Reunity Resources, a nonprofit vegetable farm in Santa Fe, said during a roundtable hosted by Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan at Roadrunner Food Bank on Monday. "We have been planning on this for months, and the work and investment from farmers has already taken place."

The Food Depot is a food bank that serves nine counties in northern New Mexico.

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Approximately 30% of Reunity Resources' budget came from the federal programs, Ciano said. The farm planted crops that food banks said were needed and has pivoted its business strategy over the last few years to support the LFPA program.

For the 2025 fiscal year, USDA planned to spend nearly $5.7 million for LFS and $2.8 million for LFPA on New Mexico, according to an archived USDA webpage. The Pueblo of Zuni was supposed to get $77,855, and the Navajo Nation was supposed to get $2.1 million from LFPA in the 2025 fiscal year.

MoGro Mobile Grocery, a nonprofit that purchases locally produced food and then distributes it to communities from Espanola to Socorro, had a $120,000 contract in 2024 specifically from the LFPA program to get local produce into communities, according to Executive Director Mateo Carrasco. Of that funding, $98,000 went directly to farmers, Carrasco said.

"Programs like these keep farmers farming. They stabilize the very scary up-and-down reality of farming," Ciano said.

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The program gave the next generation of farmers and ranchers an opportunity to come back home and enter the industry, according to Manny Encinias, who owns the Buffalo Creek Ranch in Moriarty, and has participated in LFPA for three years. While farming and ranching are generational traditions for many in New Mexico, young people usually don't pursue the profession because there is not enough economic opportunity, according to Encinias. LFPA offered farmers a revenue stream and a way to give back to people in need.

"This is just truly a demonstration of a successful model that, like I keep telling people, is already making America great again."

Food banks will also have to pivot without the program.

"The food banks will step into the gap, because we always do. ... We can't replace $3 million that comes from a federal source to buy exclusively local food," said Food Depot Executive Director Jill Dixon. "So it means some of that really critical nutrition that we were talking about that people have never seen in their homes or seen in a limited way won't be there any longer, and maybe that means that bulk potatoes bought out of Washington take its place."

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Lujan, who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee, led a letter with Democratic colleagues Sens. Adam Schiff of California, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire and 31 of his Senate colleagues, including Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, asking USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins to reverse course.

"At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical," the letter reads.
By Jack Queen

(Reuters) -An FBI agent who accused the bureau of political bias during Donald Trumps first presidential term was arrested this week at a New York airport and charged with illegally disclosing confidential documents, court filings show.

Johnathan Buma, a 15-year FBI veteran and counterintelligence specialist, is accused of printing roughly 130 files from internal FBI networks in 2023 and sharing them with associates as part of a book he was writing about his career, according to a court filing.

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Buma was arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on Tuesday and released on a $100,000 bond, the court records show. Court records did not indicate whether Buma entered a plea. The case was transferred to California, where the charges were filed.

Bumas public defender, who represented him only for the arraignment, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. No other counsel information for Buma was available.

Trump has vowed to go after Justice Department officials he has accused of unfairly targeting him, though Trump-appointed FBI director, Kash Patel, told lawmakers he would protect bureau staff against "political retribution."

Buma, who has publicly criticized the first Trump administrations handling of classified information related to purported Russian influence operations, knew the information he took from the FBI was protected and that he was not authorized to share it, according to the filing.

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Excerpts of a book draft Buma shared with various individuals in 2023 included confidential information related to FBI investigations into an unnamed foreign countrys weapons of mass destruction program, according to the filing.

Buma also screenshotted messages with a confidential source and they later appeared in a news article, the filing said.

(Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Tom Hogue)
You receive a file and need to convert it for another format in order to access or edit it. You go online and find a website that will do that for free. Except there may be a huge price to pay. Your sensitive data.

You may just have fallen prey to the file converter scam, a crime so insidious that the FBI Denver Field Office is investigating cases, has issued an alert and is asking members of the public to report these incidents.

Don't miss

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Every day, we are working to hold these scammers accountable and provide victims with the resources they need, the FBIs report says.

How this scam works

The FBI warns that scammers can load malware onto your computer if you upload free online conversion tools. Unless you have anti-virus software installed, the malware can be hard to detect, and you may not realize until its too late.

At that point, scammers may have accessed your computer and all your data: passwords, banking information, cryptocurrency details like wallet addresses and sensitive personal information.

Not only can con artists use such details to steal money from your accounts, but they can launch ransomware attacks  holding your data hostage by encrypting it and not releasing it until you pay them hefty sums.

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Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trumps tariff moves  while US stocks got slaughtered. Heres 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes

If you have anti-virus software installed, it will likely detect malware. Another red flag is that your password wont work when you log into your accounts  or you see suspicious transactions.

If thats the case, immediately change your passwords using a non-infected device and other financial institutions about possible fraudulent activity.

What you can do to protect yourself

The file conversion scam is one of a growing number of online scams worldwide. According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, there were 1.2 million cyberattacks globally in 2023  an increase of 40% from 2022,

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If you dont already have antivirus software, download a reputable version and run a software scan any time youre downloading software. The FBI shares these other tips:

Make sure the website has HTTPS encryption , identified before the URL in the address bar.

Exercise caution around online software asking for a lot of personal information or displaying a large number of third-party apps.

Ensure that the provider has a clear privacy policy outlining how it handles your data.

Check online reviews of file-converter websites or other downloadable software tools, and ask someone you trust what theyve used in the past.

You may be better off using a reputable paid service .

Consider turning on multi-factor (or two-factor) authentication, so when anyone tries to log into your accounts,theyll have to go through more security measures to gain access  and youll get an alert (e.g., a text) that someone is trying to gain access to your account.

If you believe you or someone you know has been victim of an online scam, file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at IC3.gov.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE)  FBI Oklahoma City spoke out about the suspect accused of shooting a police officer in the face on Sunday before he was arrested in Grants, New Mexico. The FBI said they immediately began the search for Billy Wayne Williams who is an enrolled member of the Choctaw tribe of Oklahoma.

Defense: Solomon Pena is right-wing election denier, not shooting spree mastermind

On Monday, the Grants Police Department said they located Williams who shot himself as they attempted to arrest him. As of Tuesday, Williams was in critical condition. Once released he will be placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The Oklahoma officer has already been released from the hospital.

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Florida Department of Law Enforcement took to social media Thursday morning to announce the arrest of a man they said was reportedly an "enforcer with the Russian Mafia." FDLEs post on X didnt give the name of the suspect, but said he was in the country illegally and lived in a multi-million-dollar Panama City Beach residence.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

FDLEs full social media post states:

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FDLE Task Force Agents embedded with @HSITampas Panama City Office arrested a criminal alien who is reported to be an enforcer with the Russian Mafia. He was a suspect in a joint FDLE/HSI labor trafficking and visa fraud investigation, currently living in a multi-million-dollar Panama City Beach residence. This operation could not have been done without the brave deputies at @BayCountySO, and with our federal partners at the @ICEgov ERO Tallahassee field office and @USCIS FDNS Nebraska.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the agencies with a post on X stating, Good collaboration between FDLE and Bay County Sheriffs Department to nab this illegal alien"

Read: Family still waiting for answers two years after disappearance of St. Augustine woman

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Read: Shooting at East Arlington gas station leaves one dead, another hurt

Read: UGA student from St. Simons Island has smiling mugshot thats going viral

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RICHMOND, Va. (WBTW)  The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2022 conviction of a man who kidnapped and killed 80-year-old Nichols woman Mary Ann Elvington, the Department of Justice said Thursday.

Dominique Brand filed the appeal in December 2023, where he asked for a new trial. He was convicted of kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder in Elvingtons March 2021 death.

Photo of Mary Ann Elvington courtesy of HCPD

We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Brook B. Andrews said in a news release. This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvingtons family.

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Elvington disappeared from her familys farm in Horry County in March 2021. Her body was found a short time later behind the abandoned Zion Grocery in Marion County. She had a shotgun wound to her head.

Brand was identified as a suspect using DNA evidence and later surrendered to Marion County authorities.

Brand, now 33, is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at USP Hazelton in West Virginia, the DOJ said.

* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
Project Summary:

This story is supported by the Pulitzer Center and is part of the Texas Energy Crossroads project, a partnership between The Hill and Nexstar Texas stations examining the oil and gas industry and the politics surrounding it following President Trumps second inauguration.

AUSTIN (KXAN)A push toward what President Donald Trumps administration has called a Golden Era of American Energy Dominance could be in trouble. Experts warn that the development of new energy sources, like advanced nuclear reactors and cold fusion, could be facing delays as a result of budget cuts and defunding efforts in the federal government.

Research universities are being caught up in a broader series of actions, said Rob Bradner, a Washington D.C.-based attorney and partner with Holland & Knight.

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In January, President Trump issued an executive order calling for a pause on federal grants. In February, the judicial branch ordered the administration to unfreeze the funds.

We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse, Trump said at the time.

However, according to Bradner, a pause on the issuance of new research grants is creating a pipeline problem which could see many new energy projects delayed.

Universities are starting to take preemptive action to cut back and to reduce the number of graduate students theyre bringing in for next year, Bradner said, meaning fewer people who can focus on research projects.

Advanced nuclear reactors

I think that ripple (effect) is going to come through in the next year, said Associate Professor Kevin Clarno with the University of Texas.

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Clarno studies one of the new types of reactors that could power Texas. Molten salt nuclear reactors can provide greater heat than traditional nuclear reactors, produce more energy and can even be used to desalinate water.

Molten salt reactors can self seal if a leak does occur. In addition, they burn much hotter and produce more energy than a traditional reactor. (KXAN Graphic)

In a solid fuel traditional reactor, youre worried about making sure the fuel doesnt melt. In a Molten Salt Reactor, you start out with fuel thats already melted, and so the worst case scenario is it has a leak, it has an accident. And when it hits the ground and it starts to solidify, it starts to cool off, Clarno said.

One of these reactors will soon be built at Abilene Christian University. That reactor, built with private money, will serve as an example for future reactors. It will also provide data for engineers and researchers.

Clarno said the federal government funds several other nuclear power projects through the Department of Energy.

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As political winds shift, Austin braces for renewable energy impact

They have been funding a lot of commercial companies to Hey, lets help you get to the process that you can commercialize these technologies, Clarno said.

Energy demand grows in Texas

The development of these new reactors is especially important in Texas.

In February, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, issued a new report that forecasted the Texas grid doubling in demand over the next 10 years.

The Texas grid is about 85,000 megawatts. Thats been growing over time, and its generally expected to start growing even faster, said Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist at the University of Texas.

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Driving this demand is a push for new data centers in Texas.

A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

They want to have power 24/7. Power that doesnt cycle up in the afternoon and down during the night like the residential sector does, Rhodes said.

This is another advantage with nuclear power. Unlike wind and solar, whose energy generation changes throughout the day, nuclear power is consistent.

Currently, two nuclear power plants operate in Texas and they provide 10% of the states power supply.

Prioritizing new energy

The advancement of nuclear reactors is a priority of the Trump administration. At a recent press conference at Los Alamos in New Mexico, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said almost nothing has happened in nuclear development in decades.

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EXPLORE: Texas Energy Crossroads project highlights future of industry in the state

Wright, who served on the board of a small nuclear reactor company called Oklo prior to joining the administration, included developing advanced nuclear reactors in his list of priorities.

That list was released on Feb. 5, 2025.

When will delays hit energy development?

Clarno said the work on new nuclear power will be delayed if cuts hit the national labs. He said many private labs rely on these labs to perform necessary research as part of reactor development.

There is risk, starting, really, in October, that the National Labs arent going to be able to deliver on those efforts that theyre doing to assist the companies, Clarno said.

Pauses on new grants cause old grants to see delays, according to attorney Rob Bradner. (KXAN Graphic)

The administration is expected to, more broadly, push for reductions in indirect costs on grants outside of (the National Institutes of Health) to National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, other major research funders, Bradner said.

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According to Bradner, the administration is also asking agencies not to pay on existing grants. He said this is mostly related to grants for green energy that were funded during the Biden administration.

Unfortunately people are saying, Well, I may have to trim back on that, and I may not be able to do research that has lots of regulatory compliance or lots of other administrative burdens, Bradner said.

Trump, Texas GOPs deregulation push sparks hope and fear in the oil field

All of this leads to more delays in the development of future energy, according to Clarno.

Were probably going to have to expand natural gas. You know, nuclear is probably a solution thats more at least a decade away, but the AI revolution is here today, and it needs power today, Rhodes said.

Solutions on Texas

There is some movement in Texas to help fund these projects. On March 7, Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, filed Senate Bill 2060 as part of the 89th legislative session.

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Called the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act, the bill would provide the Public Utility Commission access to the Texas Energy Fund. The commission can use these funds for grants to promote the development of advanced nuclear reactor projects in Texas.

That bill has not yet been referred to a committee.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  A push toward what the Trump administration has called a Golden Era of American Energy Dominance could be in trouble.

Experts warn that the development of new energy sources, like advanced nuclear reactors and cold fusion, could be facing delays as a result of budget cuts and defunding efforts in the federal government.

Research universities are being caught up in a broader series of actions, said Rob Bradner, a Washington D.C.-based attorney and partner with Holland & Knight.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In January, President Trump issued an executive order calling for a pause on federal grants. In February, the judicial branch ordered the administration to unfreeze the funds.

We are merely looking at parts of the big bureaucracy where there has been tremendous waste and fraud and abuse, Trump said at the time.

However, according to Bradner, a pause on the issuance of new research grants is creating a pipeline problem which could see many new energy projects delayed.

Universities are starting to take preemptive action to cut back and to reduce the number of graduate students theyre bringing in for next year, he said, meaning fewer people who can focus on research projects.

Advanced nuclear reactors

I think that ripple (effect) is going to come through in the next year, University of Texas associate professor Kevin Clarno said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clarno studies one of the new types of reactors that could power Texas. Molten salt nuclear reactors can provide greater heat than traditional nuclear reactors, produce more energy and can even be used to desalinate water.

Molten salt reactors can self seal if a leak does occur. In addition, they burn much hotter and produce more energy than a traditional reactor. (KXAN Graphic)

In a solid fuel traditional reactor, youre worried about making sure the fuel doesnt melt. In a Molten Salt Reactor, you start out with fuel thats already melted, and so the worst case scenario is it has a leak, it has an accident. And when it hits the ground and it starts to solidify, it starts to cool off, the professor explained.

One of these reactors will soon be built at Abilene Christian University. That reactor, built with private money, will serve as an example for future reactors. It will also provide data for engineers and researchers.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Clarno said the federal government funds several other nuclear power projects through the Department of Energy.

They have been funding a lot of commercial companies to Hey, lets help you get to the process that you can commercialize these technologies, Clarno said.

Energy demand grows in Texas

The development of these new reactors is especially important in Texas.

In February, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, issued a new report that forecasted the Texas grid doubling in demand over the next 10 years.

The Texas grid is about 85,000 megawatts, Joshua Rhodes, a research scientist at the University of Texas, said. Thats been growing over time, and its generally expected to start growing even faster.

Advertisement Advertisement

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Driving this demand is a push for new data centers in the Lone Star State.

A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

They want to have power 24/7. Power that doesnt cycle up in the afternoon and down during the night like the residential sector does, Rhodes said.

This is another advantage with nuclear power. Unlike wind and solar, whose energy generation changes throughout the day, nuclear power is consistent.

Currently, two nuclear power plants operate in Texas and they provide 10 percent of the states power supply.

Prioritizing new energy

The advancement of nuclear reactors is a priority of the Trump administration. At a recent press conference in Los Alamos, N.M., Energy Secretary Chris Wright said almost nothing has happened in nuclear development in decades.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Wright, who served on the board of a small nuclear reactor company called Oklo prior to joining the administration, included developing advanced nuclear reactors in his list of priorities.

That list was released on Feb. 5.

When will delays hit energy development?

Clarno said the work on new nuclear power will be delayed if cuts hit the national labs. He said many private labs rely on these labs to perform necessary research as part of reactor development.

There is risk, starting, really, in October, that the National Labs arent going to be able to deliver on those efforts that theyre doing to assist the companies, Clarno said.

Pauses on new grants cause old grants to see delays, according to attorney Rob Bradner. (KXAN Graphic)

The administration is expected to, more broadly, push for reductions in indirect costs on grants outside of (the National Institutes of Health) to National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, other major research funders, Bradner said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

According to Bradner, the administration is also asking agencies not to pay on existing grants. He said this is mostly related to grants for green energy that were funded during the Biden administration.

Unfortunately people are saying, Well, I may have to trim back on that, and I may not be able to do research that has lots of regulatory compliance or lots of other administrative burdens, Bradner said.

According to Clarno, all of this leads to more delays in the development of future energy.

Were probably going to have to expand natural gas, Rhodes said. You know, nuclear is probably a solution thats more at least a decade away, but the AI revolution is here today, and it needs power today.

Solutions on Texas

There is some movement in Texas to help fund these projects. On March 7, state Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) filed Senate Bill 2060 as part of the 89th legislative session.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Called the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Act, the bill would provide the Public Utility Commission access to the Texas Energy Fund. The commission can use these funds for grants to promote the development of advanced nuclear reactor projects in Texas.

That bill has not yet been referred to a committee.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
ENFIELD, Conn. (WTNH)  An Enfield man was charged Wednesday by a federal grand jury following a drug trafficking indictment, officials say.

34-year-old Rahkeem Blakley was charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorneys office.

Waterbury man arrested for possession of heroin, cocaine and firearm charges

A police search of Blakleys residence on Sept. 12, 2024, resulted in five handguns, magazines, ammunition and approximately $73,000 in cash. Police say they searched two safety deposit boxes at a Springfield, Massachusetts bank where $280,000 in cash was found.

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Blakley has been held since his arrest on related state charges in September 2024.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  The U.S. Small Business Administration is launching the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative in an effort to bring outsourced jobs back to the United States, including here in Central Illinois.

Joined by Congressman Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), SBA Administrator and Bloomington native Kelly Loeffler stopped by Rheo Engineering in Peoria, one of the stop in the multi-state Made in America Roadshow promoting the initiative.

Were making sure that everyone knows that small business is big business, and most manufacturers in America are small businesses, 99% of them. Were providing access to capital for our manufacturers, said Loeffler.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler and Rep. Darin LaHood tour Rheo Engineering in Peoria

Small businesses are the backbone of our country. Theyre the biggest employers in our country, added LaHood.

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The initiative will cut $100 billion in regulations, launch a Red Tape Hotline for small business owners to share feedback and submit burdensome regulations for review, and focus on workforce development. It will also reduce barriers to loan programs and deploy the newly created Office of Manufacturing and Trade to offer resources and training to small manufacturers.

We saw here as we walked around this factory of roughly 80 workers, the economic impact that they were having by bringing this manufacturing onshore, providing good paying jobs and making sure Made in America is a reality. And its exciting to see it happening right here in Peoria, said Loeffler.

Robert Herrmann, president and CEO of Rheo Engineering, said small businesses face a lot of challenges.

Its not easy having adequate capital, having the skilled workforce, those sort of challenges. And its obviously a very competitive environment. Were one of the few manufacturers of the stuff that we do here in the U.S., he said.

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Herrmann is hopeful the Made in America effort will make it easier for American manufacturers to do business.

I get the sense in the messages that theyre taking it seriously. Being a small business, were often told that we are the main job creator in America. It can sometimes feel a bit lonely as you kind of work your own business and as a small team. The SBA seems to have a lot of really strong resources, he said.

The Trump administration claims it added 10,000 manufacturing jobs in February. This builds on 700,000 manufacturing jobs added by the Biden adminstration.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
PORTSMOUTH, Va.(WAVY)  U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes of Washington, D.C. on Tuesday night ruled a Trump administration executive order violates the Equal Protection Clause and a ban on transgender troops in the military is soaked in animus.

Stacie Wells, chief executive officer of the LGBT Life Center in Norfolk, said the order moves America back in time.

Its unfortunate because the consequences of elections are real [in] every election, and its more true now than ever before, Walls said.

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Walls added that the so-called Department of Government Efficiency plan is a smokescreen for identity politics, and in some cases, hate.

The preliminary injunction goes into effect Friday to give the White House time to appeal the ruling.

NBC News has reported that those identified by the Department of Defense as transgender will be disqualified from service and must be removed from their jobs, and its estimated some 15,000 active duty and reserve troops are transgender.

Under the executive order issued late last month, servicemembers are required to use pronouns and salutations that align with their sex at birth.

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A memo obtained by NBC News also states that the Defense Department will not be allowed to use money for transition-related care, including hormone therapy and surgeries, will not be allowed, with all scheduled surgeries being canceled.

The memo also states that servicemembers can continue to receive hormone replacement therapy until they are separated from the military if a doctor recommends it.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
A wolf recently reintroduced in Colorado was killed by federal officials in Wyoming after depredating on sheep.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife biologists received a mortality alert for the male gray wolf GPS collar 2505-BC on March 16, the agency stated in a Thursday news release. The agency confirmed the mortality took place in north-central Wyoming.

Tanya Espinosa, a spokesperson for the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in Wyoming, told the Coloradoan in an email that Wildlife Services responded to a sheep predation event on private lands in north-central Wyoming.

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She stated evidence consistent with wolf depredation was observed at the site, including wolf tracks, struggle sites, carcasses with premortem hemorrhaging and bite marks consistent with known wolf predations. The adult wolf killed five adult sheep, including one sheep that was heavily fed upon.

Late on March 15, Wildlife Services removed a wolf at the predation location and upon closer examination showed the wolf had a collar from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, she wrote.

The wolf and its collar were returned to CPW.

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It is legal to kill wolves in Wyoming, where wolves receive no federal or state protection.

More: The Coloradoan's behemoth beer bracket. Vote for your favorite of these 64 brews.

CPW's news release said 2505 was part of the group of wolves captured in British Columbia in an area where there is no overlap between wolves and livestock.

It is the first confirmed death of one of 15 wolves captured in British Columbia and released in Pitkin and Eagle counties in January during CPW's second round of wolf releases as part of the state's reintroduction of the predator.

At least three of the six siblings born to the North Park pack were legally killed in southern Wyoming in the fall of 2022.

What happens to wolves released in Colorado if they wander into other states?

CPW's release stated wolves are known to travel long distances to find food or mates, including into other states.

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The release said the agency does not comment on wildlife movements, operations or regulations in other states, instead, directing questions to APHIS, regarding the wolf found dead in Wyoming.

CPW has an agreement with Utah, New Mexico and Arizona where gray wolves could be recaptured and returned to Colorado. The agreement was put in place to protect the genetic integrity of the Mexican wolf, a separately listed entity under the Federal Endangered Species Act, the news release stated.

CPW does not have a similar agreement with Wyoming.

CPW did acknowledge a wolf released in January had wandered close to the Utah border in western Mesa County earlier this year.

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CPW has not publicly said if that wolf was captured in Utah or if it remained in Colorado. Reports from ranchers in the area indicated it had moved east away from the Utah border.

How three of the original 10 wolves released in Colorado died

Three of the original 10 wolves captured in Oregon and released in Grand and Summit counties in Colorado in December of 2023 died.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services conducted necropsies on all three animals.

It was determined the breeding male of the Copper Creek pack (2309) died in early September of 2024 as the result of a gunshot wound.

That death is under investigation with a reward established for information leading to the person or persons responsible for the gunshot wound to the animal's hind leg.

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Results of the necropsy regarding the death of wolf 2307 was released in November of 2024. It revealed the male wolf was likely killed by another wolf or wolves. It had a healed gunshot wound. The agency found it dead Sept. 10, a week after wolf 2309 died.

Wolf 2303, an adult male, was likely killed by a mountain lion in mid-April in northwestern Larimer County, according to a necropsy.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado reintroduced wolf killed by federal agents in Wyoming
LANSING, (Mich,) WLNS  The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continues to be a source of controversy in Washington. Some federal workers received good news recently though, as many of them were reinstated; but for how long?

Even though they were reinstated, some have since been placed on paid administrative leave, frustrating some like Marine Veteran and Ann Arbor V.A. worker Andrew Lennox.

Not just get reinstated though but being told youre still on administrative leave is, yknow, I wanna go to work said Lennox.

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This comes after federal judges in both Maryland and California ordered the Trump administration to reinstate the probationary workers they had previously laid off over the last 2 months. But. its not that simple.

Hayden Guild, a formerly laid off, now reinstated I.R.S. worker from Grand Rapids, said hes still uncertain.

Trepidation, I think would be the best word to describe it, hopeful but holding my breath said Guild.

The Trump administration is appealing the ruling, and even if the appeal is unsuccessful, Guild is worried about the future.



Im concerned that even if I am reinstated permanently, that Ill be terminated under a reduction in force in the coming weeks or months said Guild.

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Guild has been placed on administrative leave and said he should soon be receiving back pay, but in the meantime, hes exploring other options. the same uncertainty is affecting the nearly 25 thousand probationary workers who were reinstated. Lennox said his reinstatement has given him hope.



It did give me some faith in like, the justice system is still out there and there are still some checks and balances where yknow people have to follow the law said Lennox.

Both Guild and Lennox noted the financial burden all this job uncertainty is placing on people. Regardless of uncertainty, though, Lennox said hell be caring for vets at the V.A. until hes forced out.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  As local federal employees step back into the office, some are already met with a challenge before they get into the door: parking.

The White House issued a Presidential Action for Return to In-Person Work towards the end of January.

The action from the White House reads:

Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in-person at their respective duty stations on a full-time basis, provided that the department and agency heads shall make exemptions they deem necessary.

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The challenge starts with where to park, then how much itll cost, Kansas City-based federal employee, Tammy Spires says.

To our understanding, the administration felt that it would serve the public better if we were in the building five days a week, Spires shared.

As some federal workers get into the routine of returning to work in office every day of the week, some shared parking spots around Kansas City area federal buildings are limited.

Theres no parking. Weve been requested to come back into the office full-time five days a week and its the entire federal workforce thats doing this. There are not enough parking spaces in and around the area of the building.

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Spires says parking has always been an issue. She says its also something shes always had to pay for.

Parking has always been an issue for us. Weve always had to pay for parking but here recently, and I dont understand why, because pre-COVID, we had these same parking places, but for whatever reason now, we just dont have them.

She works in the Richard Bolling Federal Building. Shes been a federal worker for over 20 years.

Since 2021, shed been working from home, except for one day a week. Starting this week, shes required to be back in the office full-time.

Ive parked in this lot for years, (it) used to be six dollars before COVID and then after COVID when we came in for one day a week, it went up to nine dollars and then last week it went up to ten dollars. Tuesday, it went up to twelve dollars.

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The lot, Spires is referring to, is on located near 12th and Cherry. Its one operated by Mid-Con Management in KCMO.

How can you go from ten dollars to twelve overnight and whats the justification for that? Spires asked.

Former student sentenced in 2022 Olathe East High School shooting

She also said thats not the only lot she says has increased prices recently.

Mid-Con Management said there has only been one increase in the last year. That increase came this week. The company wouldnt expand on why the price changed over the last few days. The timeline is also when Spires and so many others went back to work.

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The Richard Bolling Federal Building houses probably, I would say, easily 6,000 employees. The parking lot that they have for the federal building is very limited. They do subsidies for bus, but even the bus routes are being cut, so I mean thats just going to put more and more people in here, in this area.

Spires says there are some exceptions on if you can park at the building (Richard Bolling Federal Building) itself, but you have to qualify. She says you may park at or within the building if you are carpooling or in a management position. However, not everyone qualifies.

Whether we are in the building or in our house, we are dedicated to our jobs, and we do work. We work very hard to make sure that your checks are there on time, that your housing vouchers are available for you. These are things that we do and dedicate a lot to that job, Spires added.

A lot of us feel villainized. People get into this work to help people. We dont get these big salaries. Our benefits, we pay a lot for our benefits. You do this because you want to help your fellow people. So, some of the things that have been said about us is really unfair, she says as it relates to being a federal worker over the last few months.

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Drexel firefighter killed after truck crashes into Louisburg hair salon

Spires also commented on the appearance of the lot, which Mid-Con Management says there are plans to address and ownership is aware and is making arrangements.

Mid-Con Management says it encourages patrons to apply for monthly arrangements, but not all lots offer that option.

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White House deputy chief of staff James Blair said it will be up to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) whether the federal judge who sought to block Trump administration deportation flights over the weekend will be impeached as the administration has called for.

I think itll be up to the Speaker to figure out what can be passed or not, Blair said on Politicos Playbook Deep Dive podcast. Its the Speakers job, and I wont speak for what the Speakers opinion is.

Blair said President Trump is highlighting a critical issue with his criticism of district judge James Boasberg.

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He is doing what he does, which is shine a big old spotlight on something that otherwise may be obscure or only sold through the mainstream media in a way that misrepresents his position, Blair said of Trump.

Blairs remarks come as the Trump administration battles Boasberg after he ordered the flights carrying nearly 300 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua not to leave the U.S. or to turn around if they already had.

Boasberg has pressed the administration on the timing of the flights after the American Civil Liberties Union suggested the administration defied the court order and deported the members anyway. The administration has said it complied because the flights had left U.S. territory by the time the written order was issued and cited national security concerns as a reason not to share more details on the matter.

Trump and his allies have all sharply criticized the judge for the order and a fiery hearing on Monday in which Boasberg lashed out at the administration for refusing to answer questions, calling for him to be impeached.

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Boasberg extended the deadline for the administration to return the requested information until midday Thursday, even as Attorney General Pam Bondi claimed he had no right to be asking those questions.

The administrations push for Boasberg to be impeached has raised concerns and questions about executive versus judicial power, particularly as hes not the first judge whose ouster the GOP has called for after they pushed back on the administrations actions.

Blair was questioned by Politicos Rachael Bade about the administrations remarks that the court does not have the power to stop executive action.

So where can the courts actually check the presidents power? Bade said.

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Its ultimately the Supreme Court, I guess, will be the ones to answer that question. Because there should be recourse. There is a recourse system through impeachment, Blair replied.

Bade asked if Blair believed there would be a full impeachment trial of Boasberg, if the matter gets that far, and what it would look like without Democratic support.

I would say that I doubt  that a bunch of floor time will be spent on something if they feel strongly like they cant get the votes, he admitted.

Bade said it then sounded more like a messaging thing from the administration trying to make a point, as they know the impeachment articles wont go anywhere.

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To be clear, I think the president is right. We should impeach activist, partisan judges, Blair said. The question is, will that happen, which youre asking. I think that remains to be seen.

The Hill has reached out to Johnsons office for comment.

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Finnish President Alexander Stubb and President Volodymyr Zelensky finalized a "civil protection coalition" on March 19, Zelensky told reporters during a press briefing.

Finland will seek out more international partners to partake in the coalition and assist Ukraine in building shelters in the face of regular Russian aerial attacks. Ministers from Finland and Ukraine signed the agreement on March 19.

Details of the coalition will be outlined in the coming days. No additional information was provided as to how much funding would go into establishing additional air raid shelters.

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The announcement comes after Zelensky arrived on a state visit to Finland on March 18 with First Lady Olena Zelenska.

"Our nations understand the realities of being neighbors with Russia. Finland has a long-standing tradition of effective civil protection measures, and today we discussed how to expand this expertise," Zelensky said.

Zelensky noted Finland's leadership in guiding the coalition is "extremely important" amid uncertainty in Russia's commitment to a partial ceasefire on civilian and energy infrastructure.

Finland previously announced that it would provide 660 million euros ($691 million) in military aid for Ukraine on Feb. 26.

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"Finland will continue to provide strong assistance. We stand with Ukraine and will remain by its side for as long as necessary," Stubb said.

Finland alongside other Nordic and Baltic nations urged the EU earlier in the day to provide concrete steps to accelerate Ukraine's accession to the bloc.

Read also: Trump agrees to help Ukraine find available Patriot air defense systems in Europe, White House says

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Its a good day to be a Finnagain.

For the 8th successive year, Finland ranks no.1 on the annual World Happiness Report. The report, published on the UNs International Day of Happiness, is based on analysis of how the residents of over 140 countries rate their quality of life. With 10 meaning someone is currently living the best possible life they can imagine, Finns came in first with an average score of 7.74.

They're wealthy, they're healthy, have social connections, social support, [and] a connection with nature, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, professor of economics at the University of Oxford, leader of the Wellbeing Research Centre and editor of The World Happiness Report, tells Fortune. They're not happy, joyful, dancing in the streets type people, but they're very content with their lives.

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Finland was followed by Denmark (no.2), Iceland (no.3), Sweden (no.4), and the Netherlands (no.5). While Mexico (no.10) and Costa Rica (no.6) joined the top 10 for the first time in the lists history, the U.S. dropped to its lowest ranking at no. 24. Last year, the U.S. dropped out of the top 20 for the first time since the 2012 inaugural list.

The Nordic countries, historically at the top, are getting happier while the U.S. is getting less happy. While GDP per capita is relatively similar across the Nordic countries, the U.S., Australia, and the UK, the distribution of wealth sets them apart.

In these Nordic Scandinavian countries, a rising tide lifts all boats, so the levels of economic inequality are much less, and that reflects in well-being as well, De Neve says. In Finland, most people will rate themselves as seven or an eight, whereas if you look at the distribution of well-being in the States, there's a lot of 10s out there, but there's a lot of ones as well.

While the ranking's analysis factored in a countrys GDP per capita, wealth distribution, and life expectancy, researchers found social trust and connection help determine happiness more than people may think.

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This year, the researchers found a strong correlation between someone believing in the kindness of others and their own perceived happiness. Across the board, too often, people underestimate the kindness of others, like, say, if someone will return a lost wallet. It affects well-being. Wallets are returned to their owner at almost twice the rate people assume. However, compared to the U.S., more people in Nordic countries believe a lost wallet will be returned (and more people are likely to return it).

The more you believe in the kindness of others, or in other words, are socially trusting, the higher your individual well-being and the higher collective well-being, De Neve says. The Nordic countries, the Scandinavian countries, do better, both in the belief in others' kindness and in the actual wallet drop.

Maintaining a strong sense of community with acts such as regularly dining with others, for example, improves social trust and happiness, the report found.

As for Mexico and Costa Rica joining the top 10 for the first in the lists history, De Neve points to the strength of the countries social fabrics. Latin American countries reported the highest number of shared meals and ranked high on social connectedness and trust. It helps explain why their rankings dipped more dramatically in the COVID-19 isolation years (De Neve says that 13 out of 14 meals shared across seven days correlated to the highest well-being measure).

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It is not because of high GDP and the highest life expectancy, De Neve says about these two countries. They do spend time dining and lunching with others, having friends, and it's not all cannibalized by social media, and so we picked this up in the data.

The report is published yearly by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, alongside partners, including Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an editorial board that analyzes the findings pro bono.

As De Neve dug into why Finland kept its reign, something else came to light that helped them stand out even from their Nordic counterparts.

They're content with less, he says. They had less, and they're more content with less. They're happier with what they've got.

Here are the worlds 10 happiest countries

Finland Denmark Iceland Sweden Netherlands Costa Rica Norway Israel Luxembourg Mexico

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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  Thousands witnessed a fire behind the Walmart on South Bowman Wednesday. Those inside the store were forced to evacuate as the city worked to protect businesses and homes.

The smoke and the flames were quite a sight from the road but quite a fear for those feet away like Megan Hughes.

I was shocked to see how close it was to our house, Hughes said.

LIVE UPDATES: Crews fighting dozens of wildfires across Arkansas

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Her backyard was about eight feet away from the blaze that consumed a dividing fence between the Walmart retaining wall and dozens of homes.

Lynn Juckett fought the fire with his homes house alongside firefighters and police officers.

Probably 15-foot flames and the fire department was trying to get there, Juckett said.

The Walmart evacuated employees and remained closed throughout the night as crews extinguished fires up against the building. Brittany Wolfe was afraid she would need to evacuate her house.

I was thinking what do we need to grab? Do we need to evacuate? At what point is it going to get so big that we need to start grabbing stuff and get out of here, Wolfe said.

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LRFD crews respond to several fires across Little Rock, including Goodwill Arkansas headquarters

Once the fire was contained, wind remained a concern throughout the evening.

It will calm down and be almost nothing, and then theres a gust that will last a minute, two minutes, and it really picks up these hot spots, and it flares them up again, Juckett stated.

The burn ban started earlier in the day also now at the top of their minds.

Very scary. Dont burn anything. Burn ban until further notice, Wolfe emphasized

Little Rock Firefighters have not given a cause of the fire yet. At least one Little Rock Police officer was injured fighting it. He twisted his ankle according to first responders on scene.

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Spring is here! And while the sunshine and warmer weather are nice, its also the most active time for brush and wildfires in Pennsylvania.

Crawford County has already had several brush fires.

This has been unusual, we have not had a lot of rainfall or any precipitation lately, so its made things very dry and theres a lot of brush left over from last year thats really just a tinder brush waiting to happen, waiting to burn, so any little spark from a fire seems to be causing a lot of problems, said Greg Beveridge, Crawford County director of public safety.

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Those brush fires have also been keeping the Perry Hi-Way Hose Company busy this week.

Local firefighters warn of increased risk of fires during spring season

And for firefighters, dealing with these fires can look a little different.

Now fighting a brush fire can be much different than fighting a structure fire, for one, a vehicle change. Their brush fire vehicles are sent out to reach harder-to-reach places.

Another thing is gear  Normal gear is a much thicker material, while firefighters wear a thinner material to fight brush fires, as its easier to move in.

With structure fires, you need a bigger diameter hose because more fire, more water. With a grass fire, less fire, less water, said Ben Spaulding, a firefighter with the Perry Hi-Way Hose Company. Sometimes, it can be more difficult with a brush fire just with wind changes and different obstacles in the way.

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Massive barn fire spreads to house, kills dog in Waterford Twp.

To make firefighters lives a little easier, officials urged people to avoid burning outdoors, even if they think their fire is controlled.

A little ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure at this point. Take a look at the conditions outside, you might try to be super cautious, but you have no control over the winds catching an ember and taking it down the road or across the street, said Beveridge.

Beveridge said Crawford County firefighters have been stretched pretty thin fighting these fires, as it only takes one spark to ignite.

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There are currently no burn bans in place in Erie and Crawford counties, but it may be best to err on the side of caution.

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LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)  A fire was reported at a Lafayette Elementary School earlier this evening.

At 2:50 p.m. Lafayette firefighters said they responded to a small fire in a bathroom at Alice Boucher Elementary School, on Patterson Street.

School officials called 911 to report the fire and the school was temporarily evacuated. A school resource officer with Lafayette Sheriff Department extinguished the small fire limiting the damage.

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Fire officials said when they entered the school, they found a small clothing item partially burnt in one of the bathroom stalls.

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There were no reported injuries, minor soot and smoke damage were noted in the bathroom.

Fire officials with the Lafayette Fire Department are still investigating what caused the incident.

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The two Democrats who were fired from the five-person Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday say that their removal from the panel will make it easier for President Donald Trump to reduce pressure on the Big Tech companies whose leaders support him.

Rebecca Kelly Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya were fired after work Tuesday, they told NBC News in separate interviews. Both said they viewed the firings as illegal, citing the 1935 Supreme Court ruling in Humphreys Executor v. United States and said they plan to sue to be reinstated.

The White House did not respond to an emailed question about the commissioners warnings, but spokesperson Taylor Rogers claimed Trump has the legal right to fire them.

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President Trump has the lawful authority to manage personnel within the executive branch. President Trump will continue to rid the federal government of bad actors unaligned with his common sense agenda the American people decisively voted for, Rogers said in an emailed statement.

The FTC, formed in 1914 to combat U.S. monopolies, rests in the executive branch but is historically independent from the presidency. Its traditionally staffed with five members, three from the presidents party and two from the opposition, making its investigations bipartisan, though rulings often fall along party lines. Its unclear who will fill the newly empty seats, if anyone.

The fired commissioners told NBC News that while they had not been in a position to outvote their three Republican colleagues, they were now unable to alert the public if the Trump administration pushes the commission to go easy on Big Tech companies that it aggressively went after under Joe Bidens presidency, they said.

A lot of what commissioners can do is blow the whistle, Bedoya said.

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What we can do as members of the opposition party and the minority party is provide accountability and transparency to that decision-making in the worst-case scenario, Slaughter said. When the FTC works at its best is when you develop bipartisan consensus around policies.

Slaughter and Bedoya both said they view their firing as a way for Trump to halt the FTCs actions against Big Tech, whose leaders have largely allied with him in recent months.

The FTC is currently in active litigation against most of the companies whose CEOs flanked the president at his inauguration, Slaughter said.

Trumps inauguration welcomed many of the countrys top tech titans, including Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and X owner Elon Musk, who now heads up the controversial cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency. While Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella did not attend, he has publicly wished Trump well and Microsoft donated $1 million to the inauguration. Google, Meta and Amazon all also gave to the fund, and Musk gave over $20 million to Trumps campaign.

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In the Biden administration, Bedoya and Slaughter took legal actions, launched investigations and proposed new rules against some of the countrys largest tech companies, including Amazon, Google, Meta Microsoft and X, previously known as Twitter.

Slaughter said that her firing hampered the FTCs ability to conduct its job of protecting fair business practices.

What I care about is not my particular job. What I care about is protecting market stability and protecting honest businesses who want to get ahead by providing good products and services and prices, not by lying and cheating, she said.

Bedoya said he believed that the FTCs chair, Andrew Ferguson, a Republican, wants to maintain legal pressure against big tech companies, but fears that Trump may try to pressure him.

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My friend Chairman Ferguson has been clear he wants to continue to bring the heat to Big Tech. I have respect for him for that. But whats this guy going to do if he gets that call from the White House? Bedoya said.

Lets say theres a merger, and one of the presidents donors has a stake in that merger. In a world where the president can fire anyone at any time theres going to be a call from the White House to the FTC saying, you know, 'Hey, I like this merger. This ones a good one. Why dont you let this one go through?' he said.

The FTC did not respond to a request for comment, but Ferguson did post to X that he agrees with the White Houses stance that Trump has the legal authority to fire his FTC colleagues.

President Donald J. Trump is the head of the executive branch and is vested with all of the executive power in our government. I have no doubts about his constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for our government. The Federal Trade Commission will continue its tireless work to protect consumers, lower prices, and police anticompetitive behavior, he said.

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I wish Commissioners Slaughter and Bedoya well, and I thank them for their service, Ferguson wrote.

Both Bedoya and Slaughter were quick to publicly protest the firings.

In an appearance on CNBC Wednesday, Slaughter warned that the firings could have a chilling effect even on Republican commissioners.

If you are afraid that you are going to get fired for not doing a favor for the presidents political donors, that is a real problem.

Bedoya has been active on social media, posting a statement Tuesday and videos Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. In the Wednesday video, Bedoya touted his work tackling Big Tech companies and asked viewers to consider why the White House would want him gone.

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Who does this move help? Does it help you, or does it help the billionaires who have sent hundreds of millions of dollars into the presidents pockets?" he said. "That is the question to ask right now."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.  The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and partnering fire departments reported 224 wildfires covering more than 15,500 acres between March 10-16.

More than 90 trained MDC staff responded to 83 of the wildfires around the state, covering nearly 9,000 acres.

We are so very thankful for everyones efforts in fighting these fires, said MDC Fire Program Coordinator Ben Webster. We greatly appreciate the expertise, hard work, and long hours from our staff, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and especially the many rural fire departments who are such vital partners in these efforts.

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According to the press release from MDC, more than 20 homes and several vehicles and outbuildings were lost to the fires but no injuries or deaths were reported.

The Camdenton area had 42 fires with a total of 6,086 acres burned, including 761 acres on Grannys Acres Conservation Area in Benton County, according to MDC.

There were 19 fires in the Ozark region of the state covering nearly 1,500 acres, which included nearly 300 acres of conservation land. A team in Dent County had to take shelter due to a tornado warning while fighting a fire.

You can check active fires by visiting the Fire Information for Resource Management System website.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  An early morning fire at a Henderson business complex is under investigation.

The fire was reported around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday at a business located at Sunset Road and Annie Oakley Drive. It was large enough to require additional fire units to be called to help put out the flames and keep them from spreading.

Henderson Fire Department said there were no injuries and the fire was contained to one business.

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Marlene Dauts deep dive into Haitis first  and only  king reads like a historical novel of a bygone era with Black princes and knights, an elaborate dress code and a palace, Sans-Souci, to match.

But Dauts The First and Last King of Haiti: The Rise and Fall of Henry Christophe, isnt a novel even if at times its fascinating prose about the self-proclaimed king and veteran of the Haitian Revolution and the betrayal and geopolitical clashes that shaped his 13-year reign over the Kingdom of Haiti at times seems like fiction. While Christophe ruled in the north, Alexandre Sabes Petion, another hero of the revolution and later his rival, governed in the south as president of the Republic of Haiti.

Theres not a lot of attention paid necessarily to this period, Daut said. Of course, there should be tons and tons of studies of the Haitian Revolution, but I think that we also need to study and pay more attention to the lives of the people who lived during the revolution, outside of Toussaint.

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Toussaint is Toussaint Louverture, the former slave-turned-general, considered one of the foremost leaders of the Haitian Revolution, the only successful slave revolt leading to the founding of a Black nation and the abolition of slavery. But while Toussaint is traditionally depicted in literature as a hero, historians and artists have tended to portray Christophe as an irredeemable monster.

That, said Daut, a renown expert on Haitis history and revolution who will be giving a public lecture at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Richter Library at the University of Miami, is what drove her to finally tackle a biography on the king.

I was fascinated by the fact that the Christophe portrayals lasted for so long into the 20th Century, into the middle of the 20th Century, in comic books, and yet there still is not like a big Hollywood movie, said Daut, a professor of French and African Diaspora Studies at Yale University. I just really wanted to find out more about his life.

Born in Grenada to an enslaved mother and fluent in English, Christophe is perhaps best known as the architect of the famous Citadelle Henry, the mountaintop fortress completed in 1813 to guard against another French occupation. Located on the outskirts of Cap-Haitien in the city of Milot, it stands today as a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with the remnants of his Sans-Souci Palace, largely destroyed in an 1842 earthquake.

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He is also known as the controversial and brash leader who despised idleness and, after creating a monarchy in Haiti in 1811, eventually suffered a tragic end. In 1820, after a stroke and with his enemies close, Christophe took a gun and shot himself in the heart, ending a 13-year reign during which he had built a prosperous Black kingdom after defeating what at the time was the worlds most powerful army.

In between those bookends, however, much about Christophes life and contributions have been debated, exaggerated and even misrepresented against a backdrop of an isolated Haiti.

He remains, Daut writes, as misunderstood now as in the past, despite having been one of the most written about revolutionary figures in literature.

Dauts fourth book

This is Dauts fourth book, one she acknowledges she could not have written 15 years ago when her interest in Christophe first arose as she was researching her dissertation about the literary portrayals of Haitis revolution.

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I wouldnt have known who exactly to look for if I had started out at the beginning to write this, because I also had to know the history of the Revolution. Because in the book, I have to tell the history of the Revolution, Daut said. I try to do it through his eyes and experiences. But I had to, know what battle happened here, and so that way, when Im reading a letter, I know what context to put it in.

When she finally decided to write the book 10 years ago, Daut said, she had to think about things differently from the way that I thought.

I thought, Oh, Im going to just go into archives and find all the information,  she said said earlier this year during a visit to Miami, where she presented the book at a reading sponsored by The Prologue Society at Temple Israel of Greater Miami. Then I realized that what I needed to think of as an archive, wasnt just like over in France or England or in New York, but the stuff that was from Haiti and that was scattered all over the place.

These included newspapers from the northern kingdom, and royal almanacs that the king had kept. She also used the writings of Christophes loyal secretary and the subject of one of her previous books, Baron de Vastey, along with documents and scholarly works. All are used one way or another in the book to debunk lies and fictionalized misrepresentations, or to set the record straight.

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Among the revelations: Christophe was born is 1767 and not 1758 as often cited, and he was from Grenada, not St. Christopher, now St. Kitts.

Another is his role in the fight for U.S. independence as a member of the regiment of free men of color, the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, that fought alongside American and French troops in the Battle of Savannah in 1779. (In 2007, the Haitian American Historical Society in Miami built a monument in Savannah recognizing the regiments contributions and featured a young Christophe as a drummer boy; a street in north Miami Dade County is also named after him using his French spelling, Roi Henri Christophe Boulevard).

We know that he fought at the Battle of Savannah because one of his most important ministers wrote it in a book that he published on behalf of Christophe while Christophe was alive, Daut said about the often debated topic. So that has to have more weight than something someone else would say... It was put in the official record by his own historian.

Scattered documentation

Dauts 630 pages is as much a story about Christophe as it is about Haitis history and how its archives are scattered everywhere. To frame the history of Christophe she traveled to Italy, where his widow and children are buried in a church, and made visits to England, France and the New York Public Library. She also relied on friends and colleagues to access papers, some of which are in private hands.

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Its kind of a sad fact that a lot of the documentation from this period is in other countries, Daut said. That is in large part because foreigners were in the country at the time, and they took materials home with them that Christophe gave to them. Some of the stuff, like The Armorial of Haiti, is in England because the British, when he committed suicide, took it. The Armorial General du Royaume dHayti is a guidebook to the symbols of nobility during Christophes reign.

Christophe was a complicated figure. He was feared by world powers, but also revered and reviled by his own subjects. He championed a national education system and created a legal code. But he also pushed eyebrow-raising policies.

The one I always cite is this idle policy; nobody can be idle. Everyone has to contribute to the state, Daut said.

One thing he was not, Daut says, was a sellout. Like revolutionary hero Jean-Jacques Dessalines, who on Jan. 1, 1804, declared Haiti free from French rule, Christophe didnt sell out the people to foreign powers, and he did not give into Frances threats. The French would later demand an indemnity of 150 million francs, reduced to 90 million, to compensate for the loss of property, an amount equivalent to about $21 billion today.

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Even if they were imperfect rulers, autocratic rulers, authoritarian rulers, Daut said, Christophe and others stood up to France and turned down its demands.

The one who did finally cave in was President Jean-Pierre Boyer, who after Christophes death united the south and north, and agreed to Frances demand for payment.

I always come back to the indemnity, said Daut, whose mother was born in Haiti. I know that it seems like such an abstraction to think about  whats the relationship of the indemnity to now. But when you think about the cost of the indemnity itself, the opportunities lost, then you have to have a different perspective on it, and also the way that the world treated Haiti in the 19th century, trying to isolate the country, trying to punish various Haitian leaders, to push them into a position of dependency. We can clearly see that it didnt have to be that way, it was orchestrated.

Daut says she wants readers, especially Haitians, to understand the period around Christophes reign and all of its complexity.

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Its about the king, but its also about the kingdom, she said, adding that Haiti is more than its cycle of crises. It is a place with a nuanced history.

If you want to go: Stanford Lecture with Professor Marlene Daut, Henry Christophe: King in a World of Kings, will take place at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Richter Library at the University of Miami, 1300 Memorial Dr., Coral Gables. The event is free but registration is required at https://events.miami.edu/event/stanford-lecture-with-professor-marlene-daut-henry-christophe-king-in-a-world-of-kings
Five people have been displaced after a duplex burned near Parkland Thursday morning.

Crews were dispatched at about 8:45 a.m. to the 400 block of 127th Street South for the fire. Central Pierce Fire & Rescue posted on X that both units of the duplex were destroyed.

Both units of duplex a total loss. Five persons displaced with Red Cross being contacted to assist. Fortunately no injuries reported. CPFR and Pierce County Fire Marshals Office investigating. pic.twitter.com/9AT4Bs4WYx  Central Pierce Fire & Rescue (@CentralPierce) March 20, 2025

The American Red Cross has been contacted to assist the displaced people, a CPFR spokesperson told The News Tribune.

There were no reported injuries.

The fire department and the Pierce County Fire Marshals Office are investigating the incident.
GENEVA (Reuters) -Five staff members of the United Nations Palestinian relief agency, UNRWA, have been killed in the past few days, the agency's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Thursday.

"In the past few days another five UNRWA staff have been confirmed killed, bringing the death toll to 284. They were teachers, doctors and nurses: serving the most vulnerable", he said in a statement posted on X.

Lazzarini said he feared the worst was yet to come as Israeli bombardments continue by land and sea, as well as an ongoing ground invasion.

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On Wednesday United Nations Secretary-General condemned attacks on the organisation's personnel after a United Nations Office for Project Services staff member died when two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah were hit in strikes.

He added in a statement from his spokesperson that all parties in Israel's attack on Gaza knew where the UN's premises were based.

(Reporting by Olivia Le PoidevinEditing by Madeline Chambers)
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Firefighters responded to a reported fire Thursday at an automotive manufacturer in southeast Clark County.

According to a lieutenant with the South Charleston Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the 9000 block of Columbus-Cincinnati Road in South Charleston at 9:59 a.m.

Upon arrival, first responders found flames in the diecast area of the building. The fire was quickly extinguished, according to the lieutenant.

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All employees were evacuated from the building. No injuries were reported.

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KEY LARGO, Fla. (WFLA)  What started as a daytrip to the Florida Keys Tuesday turned into a frightening situation for a couple who had to race against a large brush fire.

Kathy and Richard Williams told NBC 6 South Florida they barely escaped the fire burning in Southwest Miami-Dade County as they were driving back to Deerfield Beach from Islamorada with their family.

Smoke billows up from trash fire in Tampa

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They said their minivan was one of the last cars to make it across U.S. 1 before it was shut down. According to officials, the fire started around 1 p.m. near Card Sound Road, prompting both roads to be closed to traffic as firefighters battled the over 3,000-acre blaze.

Kathy and her family spotted the thick smoke clouds as they were crossing U.S. 1, but initially assumed they were driving into a rainstorm. They soon realized it was a much different situation.

Within minutes were on top of it and the flames were very, very close to us, and moving to us, and the entire car got super hot almost like the fire was with you, she said. Everyone in the car was flipping out.

It became nearly impossible for them to see other cars through the thick smoke, but sensing the danger, Kathy said they knew they had to get past the fire as quickly as possible. Her brother was at the wheel.

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We were all just telling my brother, Floor it, floor it, you gotta get past, and, Do your New York driving, just go,' she said.

The fire grew so hot that at one point, they said a fire truck sprayed down their minivan to keep the vehicle cool.

Guided only by a set of blinking emergency lights, Kathy, Richard and their four family members, narrowly escaped the blaze and arrived home safely.

Were just so fortunate that we got out when we did, Kathy told NBC 6.

As of Wednesday, authorities said there had been no reported injuries in the fire, nor any threats to nearby structures. The fire was about 20% contained Wednesday morning, with both U.S. 1 and Card Sound Road still closed as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

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A woman in Seminole County was arrested this week over lottery-related allegations stemming from 2023.

The Florida Department of the Lottery filed a complaint against Candace Dingman, 34. She now faces a charge of filing a false lottery claim.

The department alleges Dingman used her position as manager of a Circle K in Fruitland Park to steal 30 lottery books.

The allegations start in February 2023, when investigators say Dingman activated 11 lottery ticket books. Investigators say she claimed a $1,000 winning ticket from those books a few days later.

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The missing lottery books caught the attention of Circle Ks corporate office, which sent a note in July 2023 to inform the lottery department of a charge of nearly $36,000, including the 30 missing books.

The criminal complaint states Dingman admitted removing the books between February and August 2023, resulting in an arrest warrant.

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TALLAHASSEE  Florida Republicans notably catered to Gov. Ron DeSantis political agenda while he was on the political ascent. Now, as the governor approaches the end of his final term, many of those same lawmakers are trying to rein him in.

Lawmakers have cut back on the governors ability to transport migrants anywhere in the country. They are seeking to prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for political campaigns for or against constitutional amendments after the DeSantis administration spent millions last year fighting two ballot measures on abortion and marijuana. And Florida House committees have been scrutinizing the governors vetoes as well as the spending and hiring decisions of agency heads in his administration.

An influential House Republican on Wednesday went as far as to say that some agencies in the DeSantis administration are not operating as efficiently as they should. The remarks come as DeSantis repeatedly says Florida was DOGE before DOGE was cool in reference to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency that is upending federal government spending.

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If the governor had really wanted to be DOGE, then the budget he submitted to us several months ago would have been DOGE, Rep. Vicki Lopez, R-Miami, told reporters. What we are finding is the Legislature is actually doing the DOGE efforts.

Three weeks into the annual legislative session, these are some examples of how the Legislature, under solid Republican control, is looking to curtail the governors powers and more forcefully reassert its oversight authority over the executive branch.

The about-face from Republican lawmakers marks a shift in a political ecosystem that has long been dominated by DeSantis. As he geared up to run for president in 2024, lawmakers in his own party fast-tracked his agenda. But a newly defiant GOP-dominated Legislature means that for the first time, DeSantis will not only need to work to pass his preferred policies but also fend off those that could erode his authority in his final years.

In some of the most contentious exchanges, lawmakers have grilled executive agency heads about their use of taxpayer dollars and raised concerns about one state agency hiring out-of-state employees who then use tens of thousands of dollars for travel expenses, including commuting to work.

Lawmakers wrangle with state agency heads

At a Florida House committee hearing Wednesday, Department of Management Services Secretary Pedro Allende came under fire during a tense line of questioning.

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It was the second time the agency came under scrutiny by the committee over several issues. Lawmakers have also questioned the agencys decision to hire four out-of-state employees and then spend $56,598 on them commuting to Florida or other states dating back to 2023.

One of the employees, the states chief data officer, lives in Maryland and gets a monthly $3,500 travel allowance. Allende explained the agency allows him to work remotely but said the employee vacations in Florida and that his family has a house in Daytona Beach.

Another concern was that the out-of-state employees are part of a data team that has yet to complete a data project that is key for the states payroll and benefits. The project was required to be completed in 2022 by state law.

If you have all these people working on it, what on earth have they been doing? And why hasnt it been completed yet? Lopez said.

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The explosive exchange came a week after lawmakers in the same committee questioned why the secretary of the Florida Lottery had spent nearly $3,000 to attend a conference in Paris. The committee also noted that a recent state audit found the departments inventory was missing 2,279 state vehicles purchased for a collective $57 million.

Youre hiring these IT experts from out of state or wherever they come from, and yet somehow we still dont know how many cars the state of Florida has, Rep. Bill Partington, R-Ormond Beach, told Berger.

Lawmakers take aim at other items

With the legislative session in full swing, lawmakers have the opportunity to set the budgets for all functions of the states government as well as set new statutory rules for state officials to follow.

This year, that includes bills that would target where state agency heads live and how fast they need to implement what lawmakers approve, set new requirements for the governors office to post information about the contracts it signs during states of emergency and create a new government position whose job would include investigating fraud, waste and abuse within the executive branch.

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State Rep. Debbie Mayfield, R-Melbourne, wants to require that heads of agencies and departments live in Leon County, where those entities are based. Mayfield says the bill was not intended to embarrass anyone, and she did not say which state officials live outside of the states capital county.

But state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo made headlines when he purchased a $1.6 million home in Pinellas County in 2023. Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue also moved his official headquarters to Orlando, where he and his family were living prior to getting the job.

A Transportation Department spokesperson told the Times/Herald in 2023 the decision was made in part to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, and because he spent only 36% of his time working in Tallahassee. The rest of the time was spent traveling around the state and attending industry events.

State law says relocating official headquarters is supposed to be in the best interests of the agency and not for convenience of the person. The Department has not turned over emails relating to the relocation decision, nearly a year and a half after they were requested by the Times/Herald.

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Lawmakers are also targeting what is happening behind the scenes.

The Florida Senate on Wednesday unanimously voted to increase the transparency and speed that state agencies need to carry out legislation.

Sen. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, has said the bill is needed because lawmakers have worked on a number of initiatives during their time in the Legislature, and sometimes the executive branch seems to implement the new laws painfully slow.

This may be like watching paint dry, Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said Wednesday. But at the end of the day, it is one of the boldest moves, and important moves, that the Florida Legislature will propose to state government.

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Democrats in both the House and Senate have welcomed the changes to the executive branch  whether big or small. They began noting the shift after House Speaker Daniel Perez and Albritton sparred with DeSantis over an immigration package earlier this year.

That rift is not necessarily a bad thing, House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell told reporters last month. We need the Legislature to be the Legislature and the executive branch to be the executive branch.

Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando, agrees.

Im encouraged by the trend because it means that the Legislature is asserting its independence, he said. It is long overdue.
Leon High School in Tallahassee on July 21, 2022. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Florida Phoenix)

Students helped write and present a bill to expand life skills Floridians would have to learn to graduate from high school.

Hillsborough high school students helped introduce HB 1261 with Rep. Susan Valdes. It would require instruction in tasks such as writing a check, creating a personal budget, understanding how credit cards work, how to file tax returns, obtaining property insurance, and how to apply for different types of loans.

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This is a direct response to our students voices, Valdes said Thursday during a meeting of the Careers & Workforce subcommittee. They are asking for an education that goes beyond the textbook, one that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities they will face in their adult life.

The bill would add on to graduation requirements already in law such as learning about personal bank accounts, credit scores, simple contracts, and state and federal finance laws. The requirements would be added to the half-credit personal financial literacy course created by SB 1054 in 2022.

Laraina Fernandez, a student at Jefferson High School in Tampa, stood in front of lawmakers during her spring break to advocate for the bill.

The focus of our bill is students progressing in life after high school because we are not taught everything that we need to be sitting in the chairs that you all are now, Fernandez said.

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The expanded graduation requirement also would include creating a resume, applying for scholarships, critical thinking and decision making, practical knowledge such as changing a tire or performing home maintenance, and how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Student Genesis Salcedolima said employment rates and college performance could improve if the bill passes.

We have worked so hard, I mean hours during school, weve had to get called out of class, coming down to work on it after school, having to FaceTime one another, video call, it was a lot of work but we are very, very passionate, Salcedolima said.

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Sen. Jay Collins is leading the Senate version of the bill, SB 1530, which is in the Education PreK-12 Appropriations Committee but has not yet been added to its agenda.

The bill would take effect July 1.

It was great to meet with students from the Ought To Be A Bill program today, as we push forward their pieces of legislation. Im proud to know that we have young Floridians already engaged in shaping the future, and making a better life for themselves and their peers! pic.twitter.com/ZSkYzRObGC  Jay Collins (@JayCollinsFL) March 20, 2025

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA)  As federal agencies are being directed to terminate all equity-related grants or contracts on the national level, state lawmakers in Tallahassee are considering legislation that centers around limitations on diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements, otherwise known as DEI.

The sponsor of the bill at hand, State Senator Nick Diceglie of Pinellas County, says DEI programs do not create fairness, but rather favoritism.

Trump is planning to order a shutdown of the Education Department. Heres what it does

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On the other hand, Democrats argue the bill is problematic and feeds into culture wars.



We do not give up, we organize; and when we organize, we win, said State Senator Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando.

Florida Democrats and advocates rallied at the capitol in opposition of a number of bills. Equality Florida released the list of bills the organization is against this legislative session, such as Senate Bill 7016, Senate Bill 420, Senate Bill 440, Senate Bill 1710, Senate Bill 932, and Senate Bill 930.



Several bills that perpetuate these decisive culture wars that do nothing to lower costs for Floridians, that do nothing to solve real problems, and that do nothing to improve the lives of hardworking people in this state are being heard in committees in the Florida house and senate, Smith said.

One of those efforts, led by Senator Diceglie, SB 1710 aims to prohibit state agencies from using funds to follow or support DEI policies, saying its inappropriate for state agencies to have these programs in the first place.

In practice, DEI often leads to reverse discrimination, favoring some groups over others under the guides of equity. This isnt fairness, its favoritism dressed up as progress, Diceglie said.

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In support of the bill, State Senator Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, says DEI has proven to be not about diversity but rather about ideology and pushing a political agenda that not everyone agrees with.

What the bill says is you wont manipulate or influence the compensation of employees using things like race, sex, color, or ethnicity. Basically, you cant discriminate, Fine said.

State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, D-Orlando, argues that the bill does nothing to help everyday Floridians, and instead prioritizes political games.

I do see this type of legislation not only eroding local control, making it harder for local governments to respond to their constituents needs, but its just part of a larger, politically motivated attack. That is not actually going to make the lives better for our constituents.

Others endorse the bill, Eskamani said.



Floridians from across the state came to speak out against the bill, however, despite those efforts, it still passed out of committee, 6 yays and 2 nays.

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FLORIDA (WMBB)  Florida lawmakers are trying to give school districts more flexibility to set school hours.

In 2023, the legislature passed a bill that would require middle schools to begin at 8:00 a.m. or after. High schools wont start until 8:30 a.m. The idea was to make sure students were getting enough sleep.

The new hours were supposed to go into effect in the fall of 2026. But some school districts said they were having difficulty making the switch. Theyll have to buy new buses and hire more bus drivers.

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So lawmakers are considering an amendment to the law. This would give school districts the ability to be in compliance, as long as they submit a report to the state by June 1st of next year, outlining their attempts to comply with later start times.

A house subcommittee passed the bill today. The Senate companion bill goes to the fiscal policy committee tomorrow before going to the full Senate.

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The big story: Florida universities have seen a large amount of turnover in their presidential suites over the past few years.

The searches to find new leaders have taken place largely out of the public eye, with politics playing a key role in many of the selections. In some cases, such as the appointment of former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse at the University of Florida, only one finalist was named.

Two Republican lawmakers want to put more sunshine on the process.

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When we have presidential searches and when were doing these things, we dont need to be hiding people behind the shade because were worried about if they win or lose, Rep. Michelle Salzman said as she presented her bill in a House subcommittee, where it won unanimous bipartisan support.

Proponents of privacy have argued that more qualified candidates will apply if their efforts arent revealed broadly. This bill would repeal laws shielding information about applicants from the public.

It also would end the Board of Governors' approval of university presidents, and place term limits on the Board of Governors and school boards of trustees. The Senate version has not yet been heard. Read more from Florida Phoenix, News Service of Florida.

Hot topics

Start times: A Florida House subcommittee veered away from the Senates approach to reversing mandatory middle and high school start time laws. The Senate is set to take up an amendment to match the House version this morning.

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Save UWF: Hundreds of Pensacola area residents are pushing back against Gov. Ron DeSantis' appointment of out-of-state conservative activists to the University of West Florida board of trustees, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

Rural education: The state Senate gave final approval to legislation aimed at improving the lives of rural Floridians, including an expansion of education services, Florida Politics reports.

Name, image and likeness: A House special committee is recommending a 5% cap on agent fees when they help secure NIL agreements for student athletes, Politico Florida reports.

Immigration enforcement: The Miami-Dade County school board adopted a resolution urging the White House to implement new protections for immigrants in the country on Temporary Protected Status, the Miami Herald reports.

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Employee discipline: The Lake County school district is investigating a middle school administrator who was accused of choking a student, WOFL reports.

Class schedules: The Franklin County school district might move to four-day weeks for students in the fall as a way to attract teachers, WMBB reports.

Claims bill: A Senate committee advanced a bill that would allow the Pasco County school district to reach a financial settlement up to $1.2 million with a student who was injured in a 2006 school bus crash, Florida Politics reports. A similar bill died last year, upending an agreement the school district had reached with the family.

Charter schools: A suspended Orlando city commissioner wrote on social media that plans were afoot to convert Orange Countys Jones High School to a charter school. It isnt true, WFTV reports.

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Budgets: Leon County school district officials are eyeing spending cuts as federal officials move to reduce spending, WTXL reports.

Today in Tallahassee ... The House Education and Employment Committee is scheduled to review HB 921 on cursive writing and HB 1405 on juvenile justice when it meets at 8 a.m.  The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee is set to consider SB 296 on school start times, SB 102 on special education and SB 400 on educational opportunity for military children when it meets at 9 a.m.

Dont miss a story. Yesterdays roundup is just a click away.

Before you go ... Guilty pleasure: Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan. How bad could Freakier Friday be? (Dont answer that.)
STARKE, Fla. (AP)  A Florida man who killed an 8-year-old girl and her grandmother on a night in which he drank heavily and used drugs was executed Thursday evening.

Prison officials said Edward James, 63, was pronounced dead at 8:15 p.m. after receiving a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. He drew the death penalty after pleading guilty to the Sept. 19, 1993, killings of Toni Neuner, 8, and her grandmother, Betty Dick, 58.

As he awaited the injection, James said he did not wish to give a final statement. Then, as the drugs were administered, James breathed heavily, his arms flinching, and then he was still.

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Jared Pearson, Neuner's brother, said afterward that the family was able to find some kind of peace with the process.

But we lost generations because of him, Pearson said. Its all pure evil. That night was horrific.

Three other executions were carried out this week in the U.S., including the lethal injection earlier Thursday of an Oklahoma man for the fatal shooting of a woman during a home invasion. Arizona executed a man by an injection Wednesday and Louisiana used nitrogen gas for the first time Tuesday, putting a man to death as that state ended a 15-year pause on executions.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied James final appeals earlier in the day, clearing the way for the state's second execution of the year. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed James' death warrant earlier this year and another warrant for an execution in early April.

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James had been renting a room in Dicks house in Casselberry, about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Orlando, where Neuner and three other children were staying the night of the attack.

Court records show James drank up to 24 beers at a party, downed some gin and also took LSD before returning to his room at Dicks house. The girl was raped and strangled to death. The other children were not harmed.

James, who pleaded guilty to the charges, was also convicted of the girls rape and of stealing Dicks jewelry and car after stabbing her 21 times. Court documents show James drove the car across the country, occasionally selling pieces of jewelry until he was arrested on Oct. 6 of that year in Bakersfield, California.

Police obtained a videotaped confession from James, who despite his guilty pleas was sentenced to death upon an 11-1 recommendation by a jury.

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James lawyers had filed several appeals with state and federal courts, all of which were denied. Most recently, the Florida Supreme Court rejected an argument that his longtime use of drugs and alcohol, several head injuries and a heart attack in 2023 led to a mental decline that would make executing him cruel and unusual punishment.

The justices instead agreed with a lower court decision that Jamess cognitive issues do not shield him from execution. The court also rejected an argument from James lawyers that a heart attack he suffered in prison led to oxygen deprivation that affected his brain and should have been considered as new evidence for halting plans to execute him.

The nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center said Florida uses a three-drug cocktail for its lethal injection: a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart.

Earlier this year, James Ford was executed for the 1997 killings of a couple in Charlotte County  witnessed by their toddler daughter, who survived.

Florida officials said they are next preparing for the scheduled April 8 execution of Michael Tanzi for the 2000 slaying of a woman in the Florida Keys.
Florida is considering doing away with property taxes. The move, encouraged by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, comes as home values rise and insurance costs soar in the state, which has been hit by several hurricanes in recent years. Its a long shot, though, as eliminating that revenue stream would likely result in a huge spike in sales taxes.

As home prices continue to hit new heights in Florida, legislators are considering a fairly revolutionary tactic to keep the market healthy: Doing away with property taxes.

Should that happen, Florida would be the first state in the country to do so. The big question is: How would the state make up the lost revenue?

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To be clear, a full repeal of property taxes is a long shot, though it is under discussion. The Wall Street Journal reports dozens of bills hoping to overhaul the property tax system have been filed with the state legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis has made it a priority, saying he would like to get a constitutional amendment in front of voters in 2026 which would either abolish or reduce property taxes. (That would need 60% approval from voters to pass.)

Property taxes vary widely across the state, but the average homeowner pays 0.79% of the assessed value of their home. For a home valued at the state average of $385,000, thats an average bill of $3,041. Add that on top of insurance costs (which can top $8,000 per year in some cities) and it can be overwhelming.

Florida does not charge residents personal income tax, which makes the state more reliant on other forms of income, with a heavy emphasis on property taxes. One study from the Florida Policy Institute estimated the state sales tax would have to be raised to at least 12% should property taxes be eliminated. DeSantis has suggested DOGE-like cuts, eliminating waste and cutting spending by local governments, would help make up the difference.

Among the other ideas legislators have floated include increasing exemptions to lower the taxable value of houses in Florida (including the homestead exemption for someone's permanent residence).

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner said on Wednesday he dropped his threat to evict an art house cinema from city property for screening Oscar-winning "No Other Land," a film about the Israeli displacement of a Palestinian community in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The move came after multiple rights advocates and artists in recent days criticized Meiner's threat and said it would violate free speech.

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Meiner said earlier he sought to evict and halt future grant payments to the non-profit O Cinema in South Beach.

City commissioners were scheduled to vote on Wednesday on a resolution introduced by Meiner and made public last week.

In the session, a majority of the seven-member commission said they opposed the resolution, as did dozens of people who gathered.

Meiner said he would introduce another resolution aimed at encouraging O Cinema to show movies highlighting "a fair and balanced viewpoint of the current war" and it would be deferred to a later meeting.

Meiner called the movie "one-sided propaganda" and antisemitic. The film's co-directors, Palestinian activist Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, dismissed antisemitism allegations.

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression and other rights advocates condemned Meiner's earlier threat as being against free speech.

Despite winning the Oscar for documentary feature film, "No Other Land" has not been picked up by mainstream U.S. distributors.

The film shows Israeli soldiers tearing down homes and evicting residents to create a military training ground and the encroachment of Jewish settlers on the Palestinian community.

The directors accused Washington of blocking a solution to the decades old Israeli-Palestinian conflict whose latest bloodshed involves the ongoing devastating Israeli military assault on Gaza following a deadly October 2023 Hamas attack.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh; Editing by Sandra Maler and Lincoln Feast.)
TAMPA BAY, Fla. (BLOOM)  Visiting an emergency room (ER) is rarely a walk in the park, but in Florida, it might feel more like navigating a bustling theme park during peak season. According to a recent analysis by Policy Guide, Florida tops the chart as the most stressful state for ER visits, and heres why.

ER Costs

Floridians face the highest ER costs in the nation, with the average visit setting patients back a significant sum. This financial strain adds an extra layer of stress to those seeking urgent medical attention.

A High Demand for Hospital Beds

The states high hospital admission rates further contribute to the pressure on Floridas healthcare system. With a large retiree population and millions of tourists flocking to its beaches and attractions annually, its no surprise that hospitals often operate at full tilt.

Wait Times

On the bright side, a 2024 analysis revealed that Floridas median ER wait time is just under three hours, ranking 20th nationally. While this isnt the worst, its a reminder that patience is a virtue, especially in the ER waiting room. Naples Daily Newssrmcfl.com

Hospital Efficiency

Despite these challenges, many Florida hospitals are implementing strategies to improve patient experiences. For instance, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center has been recognized for reducing wait times and enhancing patient care, earning accolades like the Innovation of the Year in Patient Care Award from the Florida Hospital Association. Lakeland Regional Health

Planning Your Visit

If you find yourself needing emergency care in Florida, its wise to be prepared. Some hospitals, like AdventHealth, offer services such as InQuickER, allowing patients with non-life-threatening conditions to reserve an ER treatment time online and wait from the comfort of home. AdventHealth

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While Floridas ERs face challenges like high costs and busy facilities, efforts are underway to enhance patient care and reduce stress. So, whether youre a resident or a visitor, knowing what to expect can help you navigate the Sunshine States emergency rooms with a bit more ease.

A Nationwide Look at Stressful ER Visits

While Florida holds the top spot for the most stressful emergency room (ER) visits, other states also face significant challenges in their healthcare systems. Heres a closer look at some of these states:

Washington D.C.: High Admissions and Inpatient Days

The nations capital ranks second in ER stress levels, primarily due to leading the country in both hospital admissions and inpatient days. This high demand places considerable strain on hospital resources, potentially leading to longer wait times and overcrowded facilities.

West Virginia: Frequent ER Visits and Admissions

West Virginia stands third, with the third-highest rate of ER visits and the second-highest hospital admission rate. These figures suggest a heavy reliance on emergency services, which can contribute to prolonged wait times and increased stress for patients seeking urgent care.

North Dakota: Leading in ER Visits Per Capita

North Dakota has the highest number of ER visits per capita, coupled with the third-highest number of hospital inpatient days. This combination indicates a substantial burden on the states healthcare infrastructure, potentially leading to overcrowded ERs and extended patient stays.

Kentucky and Missouri: High Demand on Healthcare Services

Both Kentucky and Missouri rank within the top ten for ER visits and hospital admissions. This high demand can strain hospital resources, leading to longer wait times and increased stress for patients in need of emergency care.

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A proposal aimed at helping bring President Donald Trumps presidential library to Florida was approved Wednesday by the state Senate.

The bill (SB 118), which passed in a 36-3 vote, would prohibit local governments from imposing restrictions on presidential libraries.

As the home state to the 45th and 47th president of the United States, there is a high likelihood that President Trump will select Florida to be the site of his presidential library, bill sponsor Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, said.

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In anticipation of Floridas first presidential library, we should roll out the welcome mat and offer the president maximum flexibility to construct this historic landmark in Florida.

NBC News reported March 8 that the presidents team has scouted locations, including Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, south of Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, and Florida International University in Miami-Dade County.

A House version of the bill (HB 69), filed by Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, is ready to go to the full House. The dissenting votes Thursday were cast by Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton, and Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando.

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ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA)  A woman has been charged after a dog was found dead in a restroom at Orlando International Airport, according to local reports.

Alison Lawrence, the dogs owner, was arrested Tuesday on animal cruelty charges, according to outlets including WESH and WFTV.

The Orlando Police Department said officers were dispatched to Orlando International on Dec. 16, 2024, after receiving reports from airport staff who had found the dog in a womens restroom. A spokesperson from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) told WESH that Lawrence is believed to have drowned her dog in a toilet before going through security checkpoints.

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Florida deputy jumps 6-foot fence to save dog from burning home

Officials said she was trying to board a flight but didnt have the proper paperwork to allow the dog on the plane, and couldnt take her pet with her.

An airport employee also told police she had seen a woman cleaning up water and dog food in one of the stalls, WESH reported. The woman was later identified as Lawrence.

The dead dog later found in the restrooms trash was wearing tags displaying Lawrences name and contact information, according to police.

Lawrence is charged with aggravated animal cruelty, a third-degree felony. Police said she has since posted a $5,000 bond.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA)  A woman has been charged in connection with an incident late last year where authorities at Orlando International Airport said they found a dead dog inside a bathroom.

The Orlando Police Department said officers were dispatched to the airport on Dec. 16, 2024, after receiving reports from airport staff who had come across the dead dog in a womens restroom.

Man shoots, kills estranged wifes new boyfriend before setting himself on fire: HCSO

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Based on their investigation, police obtained a warrant for the arrest of Alison Lawrence, the dogs owner, NBC affiliate WESH reported. Detectives said Lawrences name and contact information was on a set of dog tags and accessories found in the bathroom trash.

Alison Lawrence (WESH)

A spokesperson from the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) told WESH Lawrence is believed to have drowned her dog in a toilet before going through the security checkpoints.

Officials said she was trying to board a flight, but didnt have the proper paperwork to allow the dog on the plane and couldnt take her pet with her.

An affidavit described her actions as extreme and tragic. The dog, named Tywinn, was a 9-year-old miniature schnauzer.

Lawrence was arrested on Tuesday, March 18 in Lake County on a charge for aggravated animal cruelty  a third-degree felony. Police said she has since posted a $5,000 bond.

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As of Wednesday, the investigation into the incident remained ongoing. GOAA said it would fully cooperate with law enforcement, and that passengers with pets should visit the TSA website before heading to the airport to review restrictions and requirements.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Floridas Republican-controlled Legislature is training its eyes again on city and county governments, with dozens of bills in play which sharply limit the power of local officials to tax, regulate and respond to issues.

More than 50 bills that preempt the authority of local governments are advancing at the Florida Capitol, where lawmakers appear eager to erect new policy boundaries for the states 411 municipalities and 67 counties.

The proposals cover a broad landscape. Some are clearly intended to help specific corporate interests. But all look to assert some dominance over cities and counties, whose policies often can irritate Republican state lawmakers.

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Some critics see parallels with President Trumps precedent-defying second term in the White House.

The federal government is trying to do a lot of things it actually doesnt have the authority to do. Now, were seeing state governments do that, said Katie Belanger, senior consultant with Local Solutions Support Center, a national non-profit which tracks state preemptions.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed anti-illegal immigration legislation in February flanked by Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez.. The bill requires police to assist federal authorities, the first of many demands the state may put on local governments.

Red state leaders on guard for any sign of blue

Leaders in red states nationwide are on guard for any signs of blue politics, she added. The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and Cicero Institute are among the organizations which promote preemptions to state lawmakers, sometimes with model legislation provided as a template.

Lawmakers last year also considered a host of preemptions. Among the most notable approved was one banning cities from allowing homeless people to camp or sleep on public property, which had become a priority for Gov. Ron DeSantis. He used it to contrast his state with policies in liberal California.

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Were seeing conservative states like Florida using abusive preemption to implement a federal agenda of authoritarianism, Belanger said. Theres a consolidation of power at the executive level federally and at the legislative and gubernatorial level in the states.

Watch what you fly... Push to ban Pride, Black Lives Matter flags on public buildings in Florida renewed by GOP

In Florida, bills are moving that restrict what kind of flags can fly at the local City Hall, ban diversity programs, speed-up construction and expand development powers and ask voters to impose constitutional, eight-year term limits on county commissions and school boards.

Another prohibits gun restrictions during local emergencies, while one preemption already clearing the Senate is aimed at assuring that South Florida communities dont get in the way of a possible future Donald Trump presidential library.

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While Trump is a factor only in the library bill, Republican supermajorities in the Florida House and Senate have become clearly emboldened by the power-flexing of his second presidential term.

What's in your library? Bill aims to let Donald Trump bypass local rules to build presidential library in Florida

Councilmember Darla Bonk cries while speaking against the memorandum of agreement between United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Fort Myers Police Department during a city council meeting at Fort Myers City Hall in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday, March 17, 2025. She voted against the memo.

Florida lawmakers emboldened in second Trump term

DeSantis and the Florida Legislature in an earlier special session already assigned more authority to city and county law enforcement for assisting U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) with deportations pushed by Trump.

Floridas attorney general Tuesday threatened to punish Fort Myers City Council members who rejected an immigration pact with the federal government, the first bid by the state to force local officials to comply with Trump's immigration crackdown.

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The Senate also is moving ahead with a preemption bill (SB 420) that prevents local governments from setting any policy related to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, another frequent Trump target.

The measure would make any city or county commissioner who voted in favor of a DEI policy guilty of misfeasance or malfeasance, and subject to possible removal from office by DeSantis.

As a former local official, I understand that local governments are tasked with heavy burdens and heavy loads ... we need to focus on core essential services, maintaining the roads, the parks, public safety and economic development and the like, said Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, the bills sponsor.

But Tallahassee City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox told the Senate Community Affairs Committee on Monday that lawmakers were ignoring the fact that many people want diversity, they want equity and they want inclusion.

Tallahassee City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox speaks during a street renaming ceremony honoring Anita Davis, the first African-American woman to serve as County Commissioner and chair Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024.

Melting pot gives way to ... vanilla yogurt?

Once we were called a melting pot, then we became a salad bowl, and now were going back to Greek yogurt. Vanilla, Williams-Cox said.

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The Trump library bill (SB 118) is now awaiting a final House vote.

Its sponsor, Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, said it was important to give state government  not any local authorities  control over the construction, maintenance, activities, and operations of the library, which may end up at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton or Florida International University in Miami.

Brodeur said the measure will prevent any municipality or county from imposing frivolous obstacles to the establishment of a presidential library within the state.

Trump, DeSantis and boundary-bustin'... DeSantis and Trump share political playbook built on boundary-busting, defiance

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Another proposal being tracked by local governments (SB 1118) was intended to make it easier for housing subdivisions to be built on farmland and create new obstacles against local governments that might look to limit future development.

That drew the ire of city and county officials.

But the legislation in clearing the Senate Community Affairs panel has now expanded to include even more controversial development provisions, including one that overturns the city of Fernandina Beachs rejection of a bioethanol-producing plant, allowing the facility to be built in the coastal city of Amelia Island.

This bill severely undermines local governments ability to properly manage growth, said David Cruz with the Florida League of Cities. Cities are not opposed to development. They are, however, advocating for responsible, well thought-out, planned growth.

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Along with the spate of preemption bills, also hovering over the legislative session is DeSantis call to put before state voters next year the idea of abolishing property taxes. Its not clear whether the taxes would be replaced with some other revenue-driver.

But erasing property taxes would cost cities, counties, school boards and other authorities more than $50 billion that currently helps pay for virtually every local service, including police, fire protection, water services and even classroom teachers.

Even as local governments are grappling with preemptions, theyre bracing for whats next.

Public safety is one of the most important services we provide, said Casey Cook, chief of legislative affairs at the Florida League of Cities. But if you cut out property taxes, there will not be money available to provide many services.

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Property taxes: The big kahuna... DeSantis, Florida Republicans push to phase out property taxes  but at what cost?

John Kennedy is a reporter in the USA TODAY Networks Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jkennedy2@gannett.com, or on X at @JKennedyReport.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida Legislature targets local governments with more than 50 bills
Mar. 19Some gun owners apparently haven't gotten wind of Toss No Mas.

A total of four firearms have been found by prisoners cleaning up trash on highways across New Mexico this year  under tumbleweeds and hanging on a fence post.

Two of the handguns were discovered by inmate work crews in the past several days, one on Interstate 40 in Cibola County and another on Interstate 25 in Valencia County. They were found less than two months after inmates found two handguns alongside I-25 near the Santo Domingo Pueblo exit.

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The discoveries came as the New Mexico Corrections Department has more than quadrupled the number of inmate crews and clean-ups.

In the past there was one crew doing four cleanups a week, but this year there are five crews picking up trash 22 times weekly, according to spokeswoman Brittany Roembach.

The department, in a Facebook post, said in each case the inmates reported the guns to corrections officers, and the firearms were turned over to law enforcement.

The more recent incident occurred Monday, when inmates from the Los Lunas prison found an unloaded 9mm pistol along I-25 near Los Lunas, the department said.

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"The inmate who located the firearm immediately alerted the supervising corrections officer, who secured all inmates in the work vehicle," according to the post. The inmates were interviewed and searched once back at the prison.

The gun was turned over to New Mexico State Police.

Amanda Richards, a State Police spokesperson, said, "Due to its condition, it has not yet been confirmed if it was stolen."

"The gun was severely rusted and weathered, having appeared to be there for several years," she said.

The Corrections Department said days earlier, on March 13, a four-inmate work crew from a Grants prison discovered a loaded 9mm handgun "hanging from a barbed wire fence" along I-40 southeast of Grants.

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"The supervising corrections officer immediately secured the firearm and ensured the safety of the inmate work crew," according to the post. The firearm was seized by the Cibola County Sheriff's Office.

"Upon their return to the facility, the inmates were thoroughly searched, resulting in no additional findings," the department said.
Students in a classroom. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

High school students in Virginia have regained the ability to take a key career readiness exam, after an executive order from President Donald Trump suspended testing for over two weeks.

In large part, the executive order cut non-essential travel for Department of Defense civilian employees, disrupting the administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) assessment.

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The exam is vital in Virginia because its one of the elements used to determine school accreditation, placing additional pressure on educators to prove schools successfully support students.

On Thursday, the U.S. Army notified the Military Entrance Processing Command (MEPC), which administers the exams at schools across the country, that the education service specialists can begin resuming testing, according to Marshall Smith, a spokesman for MEPC.

Schools, including in Caroline County and Northumberland County, had to cancel their exams. Northumberland County High School learned Friday that the test would once again be available to students.

Shawn DeRose, principal at Annandale High School in Fairfax County and president of the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP), said principals are concerned about the impact the testing pause had on students and schools.

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The suspension of ASVAB testing, although brief, caused significant disruption for many high schools throughout Virginia, said DeRose in a statement to the Mercury. Schools now face the challenge of securing alternative testing dates, which has become increasingly complex due to the limited availability of official proctors and existing scheduling commitments  including upcoming (Standards of Learning), AP, IB, and final exams.

Most importantly, he added that ASVAB testing is a critical component of Virginias new 3E Readiness framework, part of the overall accountability system to determine if schools meet the state standards for student success. The readiness framework is a plan that helps students prepare for life after high school, focusing on three main areas: getting a job, joining the military, or going to college or other schools.

DeRose said he fears the disruption could impact whether a school is labeled off track or, even worse, identified as needs intensive support.

Under the recently overhauled accountability system, schools are given one of four labels based on their performance: Distinguished, On track, Off Track, and Needs Intensive Support.

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Schools considered distinguished are those that exceed the states expectations for growth, achievement and readiness, while those that need intensive support do not meet any of the states expectations. In addition, on-track and off-track descriptors indicate whether schools generally meet expectations.

Smith was uncertain if all Virginia high schools had been made aware of the change but encouraged schools to contact their respective ASVAB testing administrators to reschedule. He said approximately 620,000 students across the country took the exam last year.

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A special program was held Wednesday in the Turkish capital Ankara to highlight the deep-rooted ties between Turkiye and Switzerland as part of the year-long commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Friendship Treaty signed between the two countries, Azernews reports, citing Yeni Safak.

Hosted by the Swiss Embassy, the event focused not only on the historical relationship but also on the future of Swiss-Turkish cooperation in diplomacy, trade, culture and innovation.

Swiss Ambassador to Turkiye Guillaume Bertrand Scheurer emphasized that this milestone represents a century of mutual trust, respect and collaboration. He noted that Switzerland and Turkiye have built strong connections over the years in various fields, including diplomacy, economic relations, education and cultural initiatives.

As part of the centennial celebrations, several events are planned to further strengthen bilateral engagement. One key highlight is the Swiss Traces in Ankara: Through Schwarzenbach's Lense photography exhibition curated by Burcak Yakici, which will explore Switzerland's historical footprint in Ankara.

The exhibition will be open from April 11-24 at the Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum, with an official inauguration on April 10 attended by Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Beyond cultural initiatives, economic cooperation remains a priority. Later this year, the Switzerland-Turkiye Economic Forum will take place in Istanbul, bringing together business leaders, policymakers and researchers to discuss sustainable green infrastructure and innovation. The forum aims to create new avenues for collaboration and investment between the two nations.

Ambassador Scheurer also expressed his gratitude to Turkish institutions and sponsors for their support in organizing the centennial activities, emphasizing that this anniversary is not just an opportunity to reflect on the past but also a moment to look toward the future.

Switzerland remains committed to working closely with Turkiye to build a future rooted in shared values, innovation and sustainable development. As the centennial celebrations continue, both nations have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their dynamic and evolving partnership.

The event in Ankara concluded with a reception following the speeches.
OZARK, Mo.  The former mayor of Billings, accused of lying about her residency before she was elected in 2024, will not face charges if she fulfills the terms of a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the state of Missouri.

Felony charges of making a false sworn statement of candidacy against Melissa Venable were dismissed on Tuesday (3/19/25) pursuant to the agreement, according to Christian County Prosecutor Kristen Tuohy.

A DPA is a legal mechanism where a prosecutor agrees to postpone prosecution of criminal charges in exchange for a persons agreement to fulfill certain conditions, such as paying fines, implementing compliance measures, and cooperating with investigations

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The terms of the Venable agreement are not public record, Tuohy 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com.
The family of John Barnett, a former Boeing quality control manager, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company, alleging that a campaign of harassment led to his suicide on March 9, in Charleston, according to the Associated Press.

Barnett, who was 62 and lived in Louisiana, had been questioned by attorneys for several days before his death. He had previously worked as a quality-control manager at Boeing and became a whistleblower after raising concerns about defects in Boeings 787 planes.

Boeing had threatened to break John, and break him it did, the attorneys for Barnetts family wrote in the lawsuit.

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Sources: Charlotte may be in running for Boeing plant

The lawsuit claims that Boeing subjected Barnett to harassment, abuse, and intimidation to discredit him after he reported safety concerns. Barnett had pointed out issues such as metal shavings near flight control wiring and problems with oxygen systems on the 787 planes.

According to the lawsuit, Barnetts supervisors ignored his concerns and retaliated by giving him poor job reviews and undesirable shifts. His family alleges that Boeings actions led to his PTSD diagnosis and deteriorating mental health.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for emotional distress, mental anguish, lost earnings, and other damages, although it does not specify an amount.

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Boeing has expressed condolences to Barnetts family but has not yet responded to the lawsuit in court filings. The case highlights ongoing concerns about whistleblower treatment and aircraft safety at Boeing.

VIDEO: Charlotte may be in running for Boeing plant








A former studio engineer for Eminem has been charged with stealing the rappers unreleased music and selling it online, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

46-year-old Joseph Strange of Holly, Michigan, faces charges of copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck, Strange allegedly took over 25 songs stored on password-protected hard drives from Eminems studio in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb, and distributed them online without authorization.

Eminems Unreleased Music Leaked Online

News Licensing / MEGA

Investigators say Eminems music, still in development, surfaced on multiple websites, including Reddit and YouTube. The FBI began investigating in January after studio employees noticed leaks of unreleased tracks.

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According to an affidavit, Strange allegedly transferred files from a secure hard drive in the studios safe to an external device in late 2019 and early 2020, when he was still employed as a sound engineer.

A Canadian resident using the screen name Doja Rat told investigators he purchased 25 unreleased songs from Strange for approximately $50,000 in Bitcoin. He claimed he raised the money through a group of dedicated Eminem fans. Additionally, another buyer known as "ATL" from Connecticut reportedly purchased a couple of songs for around $1,000.

Strange allegedly attempted to sell more than just music, investigators say he was also trying to profit from handwritten Eminem lyric sheets.

If convicted, Strange could face up to 15 years in prison.

FBI Raid Uncovers Hidden Trove

Kim Hukari/Image of Sport) Newscom/(MEGA

During an FBI raid on Stranges home in January, authorities reportedly found a stash of Eminem-related materials, including handwritten lyrics, notes, and even a VHS tape containing an unreleased music video. Additionally, investigators recovered hard drives containing 12,000 audio files, some featuring music in various stages of production by Eminem and other collaborating artists.

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Eminems business associate, Fred Nassar, had previously warned fans not to distribute the leaked songs, prompting the FBI to track down buyers and sellers linked to the case.

Former Eminem Employee Denies Allegations As Prosecutors Emphasize Need To Protect Artists Intellectual Property

Newscom/MEGA

Stranges attorney, Wade Fink, responded to the charges, calling them untested allegations and emphasizing that they had not been vetted by a judge or grand jury. We will handle the matter in a courtroom, and we have great faith in the judges of our district, Fink told the Associated Press.

Despite being fired from the studio in 2021, Strange had signed a severance agreement explicitly prohibiting him from electronically sharing Eminems work.

Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck stressed the importance of protecting artists' intellectual property. Protecting intellectual property from thieves is critical in safeguarding the exclusive rights of creators and protecting their original work from reproduction and distribution by individuals who seek to profit from the creative output of others, she stated.

Eminems Legacy And Ongoing Success

imageSPACE / MEGA

Eminems legacy in the music industry is unparalleled. As one of the best-selling artists of all time, Marshall Mathers III has left an indelible mark on hip-hop and popular culture, redefining lyrical complexity, storytelling, and emotional depth in rap music.

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He first gained mainstream attention with "The Slim Shady LP" in 1999, which introduced his controversial yet captivating alter ego. The album won him a Grammy for Best Rap Album, setting the stage for an era-defining career. His next releases, "The Marshall Mathers LP" (2000) and "The Eminem Show" (2002), further cemented his status as one of the most skilled and influential rappers of his generation. These albums broke sales records, pushed boundaries in hip-hop, and showcased his raw storytelling ability.

Over the years, Eminems discography has continued to evolve, touching on deeply personal themes such as addiction, fame, and redemption. His 2010 album "Recovery" marked a significant comeback, detailing his struggles with substance abuse and triumph over personal demons. The album produced massive hits like Love the Way You Lie featuring Rihanna and won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

From Oscar Wins To Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

imageSPACE / MEGA

Beyond music, Eminems influence extends into film, business, and philanthropy. His semi-autobiographical film "8 Mile" (2002) won him an Academy Award for Best Original Song (Lose Yourself), making him the first rapper to achieve this honor. He has also used his platform to support various social causes and contribute to his hometown of Detroit through the Marshall Mathers Foundation.

In 2022, Eminem was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a testament to his lasting influence on music and culture. The induction solidified his place among the greatest artists in history, acknowledging his contributions not just to hip-hop, but to the broader musical landscape.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  The third of four former Milwaukee hotel workers accused of killing a man by pinning him to the ground last summer reached a plea deal with prosecutors Thursday.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office initially charged former Hyatt front desk worker Devin Johnson-Carson with being a party to felony murder in connection with D'Vontaye Mitchell's death in June 2024. Online court records indicate Johnson-Carson pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor battery on Thursday.

Johnson-Carson's attorney, Craig Robert Johnson, said in an email to The Associated Press that the battery plea is related to the scuffle the four workers had with Mitchell before taking him to the ground and Johnson-Carson isn't responsible in any way for Mitchell's death.

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The district attorney's office declined to comment on the plea deal, saying the case is still ongoing.

Johnson-Carson now faces up to nine months behind bars when he's sentenced Sept. 3. If he had been convicted of the felony murder count he would have faced a maximum sentence of 15 years and nine months.

According to investigators, Mitchell ran into the Hyatt's lobby and entered the women's bathroom. Two women later told them that Mitchell tried to lock them in the bathroom.

Security guard Brandon Turner and a guest scuffled with Mitchell and dragged him out of the lobby onto a hotel driveway. Turner, another security guard named Todd Erickson, bellhop Herbert Williamson and Johnson-Carson struggled with Mitchell before taking him to the ground and piling on him, according to a criminal complaint. Hotel security footage shows Johnson-Carson holding Mitchell's legs while the other three held down his upper body. They pinned him to the ground for eight to nine minutes.

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By the time emergency responders arrived Mitchell had stopped breathing. The Milwaukee County medical examiner determined that Mitchell was morbidly obese, suffered from heart disease and had cocaine and methamphetamine in his system. The medical examiner concluded that he suffocated and ruled the manner of death as homicide. Johnson, the defense attorney, said in his email Thursday that Johnson-Carson's actions didn't contribute to Mitchell suffocating.

Attorneys for Mitchell's family have tried to draw parallels between Mitchell's death and the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died in 2020 after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for about nine minutes. Mitchell was Black. Court records identify Erickson as white and Turner, Williamson and Johnson-Carson as Black.

The four workers told investigators that Mitchell was strong and tried to bite Erickson but they didn't mean to hurt him. Ambridge Hospitality, the company that manages the hotel, fired all four workers in July.

Erickson is set to stand trial in August on one count of being party to felony murder. Johnson-Carson's plea agreement calls for him to testify against Erickson if he's called as a witness, Johnson, the defense attorney, said in an email to the AP.

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Turner and Williamson also agreed to testify as part of plea deals they reached earlier this month.

Turner pleaded guilty to being a party to felony murder. Williamson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery after he was initially charged with being a party to felony murder. They're both set to be sentenced on Sept. 3.

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This story has been updated to correct that Johnson-Carson would have faced up to 15 years and nine months behind bars if convicted of being a party to felony murder.
Former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards announced her bid for Congress on Wednesday to fill the seat vacated after the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), saying the Democratic Party needs a different approach that is responsive to the moment.

We need the next generation of new leaders in Washington to combat [President Trumps attacks on jobs, healthcare, and education, Edwards, who will run for Texass 18th Congressional District, said in her campaign announcement.

The party should assess where to apply pressure, she said. We must collaborate effectively with partner organizations to achieve our goals.

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She added that Rep. Al Greens (D-Texas) protest during Trumps recent joint address to Congress was meaningful, and the Democratic Party should engage more in similar actions.

When Congressman Green stood up and said there is no mandate against Medicaid, it put a clear focus on the fact that Medicaid is on the chopping block, she said, adding that people are overwhelmed because there are so many issues on the chopping block.

This sense of chaos is resulting in people becoming disengaged, which means the administration is free to push its agendas forward.

When asked if she agreed with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-N.Y.) decision last week to support the GOP-backed stopgap bill that averted a government shutdown, Edwards said Schumer was in a difficult position in terms of making that call.

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Schumer has had a long legacy of strong service, she said, but the party needs to have a conversation about whether or not the present leadership is meeting the moment.

We gotta allow new voices and new ideologies to appear, especially when circumstances shift and when we have a president who does not respect the rule of law.

Edwards further said that having a conversation about the partys strategy in Congress and its messaging does not mean that you are kicking someone out.

It just means as times change, our needs evolve. Are we being responsive to the current moment is the question we need to ask, she said.

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Edwards also said the way the administration is approaching the issue of immigration is a true disservice to the American public.

If we were to be serious about immigration reforms, we really would be taking a very different approach, which would not just be to create sensational headlines and displacing and removing people who have been hardworking and are not harming our country, she said.

Edwards said immigration reforms should be made from a policy perspective, and the impact of these harsh immigration policies creates a climate of fear that prevents families from seeking help or accessing the resources they need.

Many people hesitate to engage in basic activities, like attending school, out of fear that their family members may be targeted, she said. Even if an individual is documented, the risk facing a parent or sibling can create a ripple effect throughout the family.

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Edwards made two unsuccessful attempts to secure the seat last year, competing in the 2024 Democratic primary against Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who served as the districts representative from 1995 until her death last year.

Though Jackson Lee won, she died before the general election, reopening the partys nomination process. Edwards finished second in that contest to Turner, the former mayor of Houston.

After Turners death earlier this month, the seat is vacant yet again. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has the authority to call a special election to fill the seat.

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Mar. 19On more than one occasion, journalist Lynnette Hintze took notes by flashlight from a windowless newsroom at the Daily Inter Lake.

It's the kind of tenacity the newspaper's former news editor was known for in the quest to report stories by deadline. Hintze, who was also a wife, mother and community volunteer, died March 17 at the age of 68.

While undergoing treatment for leukemia in Texas, Hintze died from complications of a bone marrow transplant.

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Described by her former colleagues as the "heart and pulse of the reporting staff," Hintze worked for 26 years at the Inter Lake retiring in 2021 as part of a 47-year career in journalism.

The Inter Lake's former Assistant Managing Editor Scott Crandell worked with Hintze for two decades when she was the features editor.

"Lynnette was the consummate community journalist who could tell any story with flair and could alternately bring you to tears or make you laugh," he said. "Her feature writing was legendary, and she had an uncanny ability to find unique story ideas."

Crandell recalled her "indomitable Minnesota farm-girl work ethic."

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"She often worked late  after all the younger staffers had gone home  because she always wanted to get the job done," he said.

A journalism career that began with a summer job at the Hawley Herald after her high school graduation, Hintze earned a journalism degree at Moorhead State University before working at newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota and Eastern Montana.

She and her husband Tim moved to Whitefish in 1991. She spent time at the Hungry Horse News and served a stint as editor of the Whitefish Pilot. Joining the Inter Lake in 1995, she served as reporter, features editor and news editor.

Known by readers for her popular "As I see it" column, Hintze garnered numerous Montana Newspaper Association accolades over the years as she relayed many personal stories including about her upbringing in rural Minnesota.

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Hintze took an even-handed approach to community journalism that set her apart and earned the Flathead Valley's trust, and it was her ability to connect with the people she was writing about that put thank you notes on her desk.

Notably, Hintze led the Inter Lake's coverage of the Libby asbestos health crisis, breaking the news story ahead of national media outlets. It was an issue she would continue to cover for 20-plus years.

Describing her as the hero of the newsroom, Carol Marino, retired community editor for the Inter Lake, said Hintze was a brilliant writer and consummate editor.

"She mentored and inspired countless young journalists with wisdom and grace," Marino said. "Her superpower was grace under pressure and meeting unforgiving deadlines."

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Beyond her career, Hintze was a devoted member of the community, volunteering for Soroptimist International of Whitefish and Meals on Wheels. Even while undergoing treatment in Texas, she sent fabric squares home to Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls to be fashioned into quilts.

Friends for more than 20 years, Annie McLaughlin and Hintze joined Soroptimists at the same time and formed a connection after learning they had grown up 45 minutes from each other. They would often take Saturday morning walks together to "figure out the world."

"She was very loyal and trustworthy, and funny," McLaughlin said. "You could always count on her  she was giving and generous."

Fellow Soroptimist volunteer Diane Yarus said Hintze was the one the group leaned on for the proper procedures. Hintze worked alongside other volunteers to open the Whitefish Thrift Haus, which has become the nonprofit's biggest fundraising endeavor in its mission to transform the lives of women and girls through education and empowerment opportunities.

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"She took on leadership roles. She was a gentle and good leader who was careful to make sure we did things correctly," Yarus said. "She believed in our mission."

She was also a founding board member of the Whitefish Community Foundation, serving from 2000-2006.

Hintze was married to her husband for 42 years. Together they have two daughters, Heather and Deanna, and two grandchildren.

A musician, she played the flute, was a member of the Alpine Ringers handbell choir and sang in her church choir. She hosted parties making intricately hand-painted Ukranian Easter eggs. A wonderful cook, she and her husband provided food for their daughters' weddings, and she was known for making lefse, a soft Norwegian flatbread made with potatoes, butter, flour and cream.

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Recalling her commitment as a journalist, former Inter Lake Managing Editor Frank Miele said Hintze would do anything asked of her in the newsroom.

"From Whitefish reporting to county reporting to column writing to feature writing to page design to story editing  if you wanted it done right and you needed it today, you asked Lynnette," he said. "She was as hard as nails, and as soft as silk. She cared about the stories she wrote because she cared about the people behind them."

When Hintze penned her farewell column ahead of her retirement, she estimated she had written 17 million words over the course of her career. Recalling the lighted hearted stories, but also the ones that left her shedding tears in her car following the interview, Hintze said it had been her privilege to share the stories of the community over the years.

"As community journalists, we give ourselves over to those we serve," she wrote. "After a four-hour City Council meeting, we still have to write the story about it. It's our job to inform our readers accurately and objectively, all the while with deadline pressure hanging over us. The importance of community journalism has never been lost on me."

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A service for Hintze will be held at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls on Monday, March 24 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, people are asked to consider a donation to Wings Regional Cancer Support.

Deputy Editor Heidi Desch may be reached at 758-4421 or hdesch@dailyinterlake.com.

READ MORE:

As I See It: Columns by Lynnette Hintze

Lynnette Hintze early in her journalism career. (Photo provided)

Lynnette Hintze with the Alpine Ringers handbell choir. (Photo provided)

Lynnette Hintze, center, with her husband, daughters and grandchildren. (Photo provided)

Lynnette Hintze helps make lefse. (Photo provided)
PADUCAH, Ky. (FOX 56)  A Crofton man was sentenced last week for fraud and tax offenses starting in 2013.

The Department of Justice said that Marvin Upton, 58, was sentenced to two years and three months in prison along with three years of supervised release.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Upton, the former pastor at Crofton Pentecostal Church, was convicted on three counts of bank fraud and three counts of filing false tax returns, according to the DOJ.

From 2013 to 2016, court documents showed that Upton scammed one of his elderly parishioners who had dementia. He also submitted numerous false tax returns that omitted income from his fraud.

Read more of the latest Kentucky news

The DOJ confirmed that Upton is also required to pay back $500,000 to the late church members estate as well as more than $220,000 to the IRS.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
A former Los Angeles Police Department assistant chief who faced accusations he tracked a former romantic partner with an Apple AirTag has won a victory in his efforts to continue working as a cop.

Alfred "Al" Labrada saw his peace officer certification restored after an investigation by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, the states law enforcement accreditation body. The outcome allows Labrada to retain his license to carry a badge in the state.

His certification was temporarily suspended Jan. 23 due to his retirement and what agency records described as a "pending investigation" into allegations of "dishonesty."

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According to POST, Labrada was cleared on March 12 after the earlier ruling was "withdrawn by order of the executive director" based on the finding that "clear and convincing evidence [was] not met."

Labrada did not immediately respond to a request for comment through a spokesperson.

In the fall of 2023, Labrada's onetime romantic partner  also an LAPD officer  reported to authorities that he had secretly planted a GPS tracking device on her car.

After a police investigation into the allegations, San Bernardino County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against Labrada, citing insufficient evidence.

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Last spring, an all-civilian LAPD disciplinary panel found Labrada guilty on seven counts related to the matter, including claims he lied to internal affairs detectives and tried to persuade a witness not to testify. Labrada retired rather than face termination.

His abrupt departure marked a jarring coda to the department career of a decorated officer once regarded as a potential replacement for former chief Michel Moore. Labrada has since filed a legal claim against the city, accusing Moore and others of exhibiting an anti-Latino bias and conspiring to block his path to the chief's job.

Despite the controversy, The Times found that Labrada was considered as a candidate for the LAPD chief job, which was eventually filled by Jim McDonnell.

Meagan Poulos, a spokesperson for POST, said that "depending on the specifics of a case," the agency can temporarily suspend an officer's certification while it investigates  a decision that can also be reversed by the agency's top leader.

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"The Executive Director has the authority to withdraw the suspension based on the evidence POST is given," Poulos said in an email. "POST must meet a higher threshold of 'clear and convincing' to take any action."

Officers have the option of appealing rulings.

Thirty-four LAPD officers are included on a POST list of officers statewide who have faced possible decertification; 20 had their police powers completely revoked or were found to be ineligible to continue working as cops after being accused of serious misconduct, such as drunk driving, embezzlement and sexual assault.

Eight others have had their certifications temporarily suspended, and three officers voluntarily surrendered their licenses.

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In 2021, California joined other states in enacting legislation that created a process for decertifying police officers for serious misconduct, to prevent those who are fired or resign during misconduct investigations from moving to another police agency.

POST decisions are separate from any criminal prosecution or punishment meted out by officers' own departments.

Dawn Silva, an officer who accused Labrada of tracking her, has filed a lawsuit alleging that department leadership failed to shield her from backlash. She was also granted a temporary restraining order against Labrada, which barred him from possessing any firearms unless he met certain conditions.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A 74-year-old man who used to practice law in Columbus has pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The U.S. Department of Justice said that Dennis McNamara pleaded guilty on Tuesday to both charges and could serve a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been determined for McNamara. This comes after he allegedly denied discussing a client to a sex worker while representing said client in a drug and sex trafficking case.

WATCH: Suspect grabs bag of cash from armored car employee

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Court documents said that McNamara was representing a witness during a case in the Southern District of Ohio related to a drug and sex trafficking organization. While he was in the middle of the case, he was engaged in a sexual relationship with a female sex worker and allegedly told her about the cooperating witness, per the DOJ.

Because of the nature of the case, the DOJ said that McNamara disclosing this information to the sex worker put the witness at risk of personal harm. When FBI agents asked him about this, McNamara did not disclose telling anyone information about the witness. The case had to be moved and assigned to the Western District of Pennsylvania.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
People are seen on the third and fourth floors of the Montana Capitol building on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. (Nathaniel Bailey for the Daily Montanan)

Former legislators could immediately become lobbyists under legislation from Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson.

Under Montana law, state legislators, elected state officials, department directors, appointed state officials, and members of elected officials personal staff are not allowed to be licensed as lobbyists if theyve served in any of those positions over the previous two years.

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Senate Bill 222 would remove the statute entirely. Speaker of the House Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, and Sen. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, are co-sponsoring the bill.

Hertz argued Wednesday that the ban was unconstitutional, and an Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals decision had already ruled on the topic.

The court ruled in Miller v. Ziegler, a Missouri case, a two-year ban on former elected officials becoming lobbyists was unconstitutional, essentially saying it burdened political speech and that such a ban must be narrowly tailored.

The idea behind the lobbying rules is to prevent corruption. Say, for example, a member of the legislature is promised a lobbying position in exchange for a vote or other political favor.

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The Court recognized lobbying is a form of political speech and warranting strict scrutiny and the most rigorous standard at the judicial level, Hertz said in a Senate State Administration Committee meeting. They acknowledged Missouris legitimate interest in preventing corruption, but the court found the two-year ban to be excessive.

The ruling emphasized that less restriction, less restrictive measures, could effectively address corruption concerns without duly infringing upon individual free speech.

The bill had support from some lobbyists, several of whom said they had to deal with the ban themselves, or have seen it play out.

Frank Cote, the states deputy insurance commissioner, who was speaking for himself, described a situation where it was an issue. Cote said his predecessor was a classified employee and could lobby immediately after leaving his position. However, since Cote was appointed, he could not.

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The law as it stands today is all hat and no cattle and was, quite frankly, built on a house of cards, Cote said. The dirty little secret is not the thick steaks and whiskey. Thats just another red herring. Im not sure if the current law was crafted by Darth Vader, the Chinese Communist Party, but I do know it has Stalinist tactics in it.

The bill passed off the Senate floor by a 42-8 vote. It is currently in the House State Administration committee.
CORINTH, Miss. (AP)  A former Mississippi middle school teacher is facing federal charges that he used artificial intelligence to create child sexual abuse videos of students, officials said.

Wilson Jones, 30, was arrested last week, though he resigned from Corinth Middle School last fall after the videos were first discovered, the Daily Journal reported.

According to a criminal complaint, investigators have identified at least eight underage victims who were Corinth School District students. School officials were first notified of inappropriate behavior in November, after a computer security application alerted to illicit content on Jones computer.

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The Corinth school officials turned the information from their investigation over to the Mississippi Department of Education in late January, and state officials sent the complaint to Corinth police late last month.

Police and the FBI worked together and arrested Jones on March 12. A federal magistrate later set an unsecured bond of $20,000 and placed him on home confinement with GPS monitoring.

Jones is charged with production of a morphed image of child sexual abuse and possession of morphed images of child sexual abuse.

Defense attorneys for Jones didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the charges.
NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB)  A former long-time employee of the City of North Tonawandas Department of Public Works has been charged in connection with a sexual abuse case involving a minor.

North Tonawanda Police Chief Keith Glass says David Fingerlow Jr. has been charged with sexual abuse in the second degree, a class A misdemeanor and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

Police say his father, David Fingerlow Sr., has also been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor, between Feb. 20 and March 10 of this year.

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According to the criminal complaint naming David Fingerlow Jr., the alleged abuse occurred between Sept. 1, 2024 and Dec. 24, 2024. Police say the case involves a female minor.

The state Comptrollers Office says the City of North Tonawanda reported Fingerlow Jr. to the New York State and Local Employees Retirement System until November 2024, which indicates the alleged abuse may have happened while Fingerlow was a city employee. The Comptrollers Office says Fingerlow Jr. was on the citys payroll up until November 2024.

Both Fingerlow Jr. and Fingerlow Sr. have been arraigned and were released on their own recognizance. Both appeared in court Thursday afternoon in North Tonawanda City Court, where Judge Shawn Nickerson and Judge Luke Brown were recused in the cases.

Fingerlow Jr. was a long-time employee in the citys Department of Public Works. The state Comptrollers Office says the City of North Tonawanda reported Fingerlow Jr. to the state retirement system for over 14 years.

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Lawyer Barry Covert, who is representing Fingerlow Jr., had no comment when reached by News 4. Fingerlow Sr. is represented by attorney Brian Melber and his associate Olivia Proia, who had no comment leaving court Thursday.

News 4 has attempted to contact the Niagara County District Attorneys Office on the criminal cases that were recently filed, but we have not heard back.

Also during Thursdays court appearance, a legal representative for Fingerlow Jr. asked Judge Nickerson if it was all right with the court for him to go to Florida over the weekend for a wedding. The judge allowed the trip with no objection. No return date was set.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has compared Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz to former Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said that Merz was "already lying like Goebbels" in a post on Telegram on Thursday.

"You're off to a bad start, Fritz!" wrote Medvedev, using a pejorative Russian term for Germans.

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He also said he hoped Merz would be defeated like Nazi Germany was in 1945.

The comments followed Merz's assertion on Tuesday in the German parliament that Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging a "war of aggression against Europe," highlighting hybrid attacks on European infrastructure and disinformation campaigns.

Merz's claim came during a vote to pass a constitutional reform to finance a massive increase in German defence spending in response to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

Medvedev served as Russia's president from 2008 and 2012 and also had spells as prime minister.

He has regularly publicly criticized Western leaders since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has compared Germany's likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz to former Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.

Medvedev, who now serves as the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, said that Merz was "already lying like Goebbels" in a post on Telegram on Thursday.

"You're off to a bad start, Fritz!" wrote Medvedev, using a pejorative Russian term for Germans.

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He also said he hoped Merz would be defeated like Nazi Germany was in 1945.

The comments followed Merz's assertion on Tuesday in the German parliament that Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging a "war of aggression against Europe," highlighting hybrid attacks on European infrastructure and disinformation campaigns.

Merz's claim came during a vote to pass a constitutional reform to finance a massive increase in German defence spending in response to Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

Medvedev served as Russia's president from 2008 and 2012 and also had spells as prime minister.

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He has regularly publicly criticized Western leaders since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

German think tank declared 'undesirable'

Also on Thursday, Russia declared the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) think tank an "undesirable" organization.

The move was announced by the Prosecutor General's Office in Moscow, which said the DGAP discredits Russia's foreign and domestic policies.

Prosecutors accused the well-known institute of supporting sanctions against Moscow and military and financial aid for Ukraine.

The classification is tantamount to a ban on activities in Russia.

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Russian experts who cooperate with the think tank could be punishable by law.

The Russian judiciary has categorized a number of German organizations as undesirable since the outset of the conflict in Ukraine, including the German Historical Institute Moscow and the German Association for East European Studies.

The DGAP aims to shape debates on foreign policy in Germany.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW)  Former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and wife Connie Schultz will soon no longer be Clevelanders.

Schultz, a columnist and teacher, posted on her Substack that she and her husband are moving to the Columbus suburb of Bexley. She said its to be closer to their grandchildren.

March Madness bringing crowds to Cleveland

We are a public couple and have lived much our lives out loud, so there will be the usual political speculation about why we are willing to make this move. Id like to get ahead of that nonsense, if ever so briefly, wrote Schultz. Five of our eight grandchildren live in Columbus. If we live there, we will see them more often, and they will spend more time with visiting cousins. We love our grandchildren and want to be a bigger part of their lives.

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Senator Brown lost his bid for a fourth term in the U.S. Senate to Republican Bernie Moreno.

He made it clear when he left office in December that he wants to continue in politics.

UNITED STATES  OCTOBER 01: Congressman Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and his wife, Connie Schultz, who is a Pulitzer Prize winner with the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, were in town for the weekend. (Photo by Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC  JANUARY 03: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) kisses his wife Connie Schultz during a mock swearing in ceremony with Vice President Mike Pence on Capitol Hill on January 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images) TOLEDO, OH  OCTOBER 19: U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D  Ohio) leaves with his wife, Connie Shultz, after shaking hands with supporters before a debate against U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R  Ohio) on October 19, 2006, at the Stranahan Theater in Toledo, Ohio. (Photo by J.D. Pooley/Getty Images) CLEVELAND, OH  NOVEMBER 7: Ohio Democratic Senator-elect Sherrod Brown (L) gives his victory speech with his wife Connie Schultz (R) and his family, friends and staff at the Public Auditorium in the Convention Center on November 7, 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio. Brown defeated incumbent Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) in the heated election in the state of Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Rose/Getty Images) US Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and his wife Connie Schultz (L) take a tour of the University of Northern Iowas TechWorks campus during a campaign stop on February 1, 2019 in Waterloo, Iowa.  Even as bitter cold ravages several US states, the 2020 presidential race is heating up in Iowa, where Democrats both renowned and unfamiliar are seizing early opportunities to engage critically important American voters. One full year before the first-in-the-nation voting contest for nominating who will take on incumbent Donald Trump, White House aspirants braved dangerously frigid temperatures this week to make their presidential pitch on hallowed political ground. (Photo by Joshua Lott / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOSHUA LOTT/AFP via Getty Images) CLEVELAND  NOVEMBER 7: Ohio Democratic candidate for United States Senate Sherrod Brown (R) and his wife Connie Schultz react to the news that CBS declared Brown the winner in his suite in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on November 7, 2006 in Cleveland, Ohio. If elected Brown would take the senate seat from two-term Republican Mike DeWine. (Photo by Jamie Rose/Getty Images)

Sherrod and I thought it was time for a change. Like so many of you, we are rallying for the work ahead. This move will anchor us, said Schultz.

The move will also make Schultzs commute to Denison University, where she teaches journalism, much shorter.

Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law

This is a very big move for me. I have spent virtually all my life in northeastern Ohio, most of it in the Cleveland area. It is the city that launched my journalism career, and the one I insisted on calling home through every major change in my life, and there have been many, wrote Schultz. Cleveland will always be the pulse of my heart.

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While Brown has yet to announce his next move  being in Columbus could be strategic if he decides to run for governor in 2026.

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VANDALIA, Ill.  Officer Nathan Spiess, a St. Louis police officer, was critically injured on Monday when he was hit by a car while attempting to arrest a carjacking suspect on Interstate 70.

Officer Spiess sustained severe injuries to his leg during the incident.

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This is not the first time Officer Spiess has faced danger in the line of duty; a few years ago, he and his partner, Colin Ledbetter, were shot while on duty.

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Ledbetter, a former officer with SLMPD, spoke to FOX 2s Jasmine Huda in Vandalia, Illinois, about the recent incident and recovery process for Officer Spiess.

All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff.

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Former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams warned that vaccine skepticism has eroded the importance of herd immunity in light of the measles outbreak in Texas, and put some of the blame on Health and Human Services Secretary (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In an op-ed published by CNN on Thursday, Adams wrote that the high rate of vaccine decline in the Texas Mennonite community where the measles outbreak began highlights how quickly measles can spread through an unvaccinated population.

While some may believe that abstaining from vaccination keeps them healthier or more resistant to diseases, the reality is that their immunity has, until now, been borrowed from their vaccinated neighbors, wrote Adams. This collective shield, known as herd immunity, is not automatic or enduring; it has been built over decades through high vaccination rates.

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Adamss remarks echo what infectious disease specialists have previously said of the recent measles resurgence. The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2000, and, according to experts, this lead to people forgetting how bad measles can be and taking the diseases rarity for granted.

I think not only have we largely eliminated measles, weve eliminated the memory of measles. I dont think people remember just how sick measles can make you, Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, previously told The Hill.

The outbreak has bled into neighboring New Mexico. As of the most recent update, 317 cases have been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico as well as four probable cases in Oklahoma. Nearly all cases have occurred in unvaccinated children.

One unvaccinated Texas child died due to measles last month, and an unvaccinated individual who died in New Mexico tested positive for the virus, though their cause of death is still being determined.

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Some cases were initially believed to be breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, but further investigation found that they occurred in people immunized just days before symptoms began, weeks before they would be considered fully vaccinated.

Adams, who served as surgeon general during President Trumps first term, was critical of Kennedys remarks before and during the current outbreak, accusing him of fanning the flames of vaccine skepticism, which has lead to declining immunization rates.

A significant driver of current skepticism has been Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the nonprofit organization he led, Childrens Health Defense, which has spread vaccine mistrust and misinformation for years, Adams wrote in his op-ed.

Ironically  or perhaps inevitably  now that Kennedy is secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, he faces the largest measles outbreak in Texas and the first child death from measles in over 20 years.

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While Kennedy has acknowledged the importance of vaccines since the measles outbreak began, he has also pushed vitamins, steroids and fish oil supplements as viable treatments for the virus. Infectious disease specialists have warned these supplements offer little benefit to American measles patients.

Kennedys legacy will be defined not by what he has said in the past but by what he does now, wrote Adams. He will be remembered either as the vaccine skeptic who turned vaccine champion or as the man at the helm of HHS when America made measles great again. For the sake of our public health, and our children, we should all hope its the former, not the latter.

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PECOS, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A former Valentine Independent School District employee was sentenced in a federal court in Pecos to 27 months in prison for wire fraud and theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

According to court documents, Ernesto Villarreal Jr., 43, of Marfa, was employed as the Business Manager and served as the Tax Collector and Assessor for the Valentine ISD, in Valentine, Texas. During his time as an agent of Valentine ISD, Villarreal schemed to defraud Valentine ISD by using two ISD credit cards to make hundreds of unauthorized personal purchases totaling over $100,000; issued over $10,000 in unauthorized checks to himself from Valentine ISD accounts; and issued over $20,000 in unauthorized checks from Valentine ISD accounts to cover personal expenses owed to a credit card company.

He also changed the bank account information for certain current and former employees, then generated over $100,000 in fraudulent payments to those current and former employees, for work that did not actually occur. Villarreal then routed those payments to his own personal bank accounts, all without the knowledge or permission of the employees.

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Villarreal used the fraudulent funds for hundreds of personal purchases, including travel, lodging, home improvements, hardware store purchases, personal cell phone bills, fuel, oil changes, convenience store purchases, Airbnb rentals, personal flight purchases, and various other unauthorized purchases. The total loss to Valentine ISD was $314,497.74.

Villarreal was arrested on June 24, 2024, and pleaded guilty on November 20 to all nine counts against him. In addition to imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Counts ordered Villarreal to pay restitution to Valentine ISD in the amount of $314,497.74 and ordered a forfeiture money judgment against Villarreal in the amount of $291,853.90.

Mr. Villarreal abused his positions and the trust given to him, to steal and defraud the Valentine ISDone of the smallest school districts in Texasout of more than $300,000, said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. This investigation, conviction, and sentence in this case all show that this type of dishonest behavior will not be tolerated.

The foundation of any financial system is trustand the expectation that those persons entrusted with public funding will honor that trust and act with integrity. As the Valentine School District Business Manager and Tax Collector/Assessor, Villarreal held a position of absolute trust. Instead, he chose to betray that trust by misappropriating funds that were destined for students, said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for FBI El Paso. Most students and everyday citizens dont have access to institutional finances to be able to question discrepancies or missing funds. That is why the FBI El Paso, alongside our law enforcement partners, is committed to uncovering financial wrongdoing and ensuring those who believe they can quietly take $300,000 without consequence are held fully accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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How to enroll in your school of choice

To attend a school inside or outside the zone where they live, parents or guardians can fill out an application on their desired districts website. Once a student is accepted, their family does not need to fill out another application the next year if they intend to stay at that school. Application deadlines and acceptance policies vary by district.

Parents are encouraged to research each district and school for its specific educational programs, school capacity and transportation logistics when they are applying.
A maintenance technician is filing a lawsuit, claiming he raised concerns about the safety of the Orlando Free Fall drop tower ride before a deadly accident.

Monday marks three years since 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell from the ride at ICON Park and died.

The technician claims he uncovered several safety issues, including overridden sensors to accommodate larger riders.

But he says the owner of the ride didnt listen and eventually fired him in retaliation.

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The ride was eventually torn down.

In 2023, lawmakers passed the Tyre Sampson Act, requiring more oversight at smaller amusement parks.

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FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (WKRN)  Hundreds of Fort Campbell soldiers are headed for Europe Wednesday as part of a regular rotation of forces to Europe.

Strike soldiers of the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team with the 101st Airborne Division are on their way to replace the 3rd Brigade Combat Team with the 10th Mountain Division as part of a regular rotation of forces to support U.S. commitment to NATO allies and partners. Flights started Wednesday and will continue through March. Soldiers will be stationed in Germany, Romania, Poland and elsewhere.

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Soldiers with the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team conducted a change of command ceremony and a colors casing ceremony Wednesday. The colors casing ceremony is a visual representation of the units readiness and marks the moment when a units colors are temporarily removed from their home station until their return.

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The full Mobile Brigade Combat Team will support the U.S. Army Europe and Africa and U.S. Army V Corps for a range of international training events meant to build readiness, enhance interoperability and strengthen relationships.

This rotation marks an important moment in Strike history, commander of the 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team Colonel James Stultz said. This brigade built incredible bonds with our European brothers and sisters in arms during our last rotation, and we are excited to continue to build on those bonds and continue to increase our combined readiness. Under the Armys Transformation in Contact initiative, we are returning as a more mobile, more lethal, more resilient force and we look forward to applying that to training events alongside our fellow NATO forces.

Wednesdays change of command ceremony marked a transition between commanding officers, with community members bidding farewell to Stultz and welcoming Colonel Duke Reim. Reim will join soldiers heading to Europe in the coming days.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

It is with profound humility and immense pride that I stand here before you today, Reim said. Im excited for the honor of leading the sons and daughters entrusted to us by the families across this nation.

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Fort Cavazos, TX (FOX 44)  Ahead of the grand opening of the National Medal of Honor Museum, American Airlines partnered with the museum for a valor tour that will bring Medal of Honor recipients to two military bases, one of which is Fort Cavazos.

The Medal of Honor recipients got to participate in a ceremony, speak with active duty service members, educate them on the value of the medals and promote the Museums official opening.

Its always a good day to be out on a military base, seeing Americas future, Medal of Honor Recipient Lieutenant Willian Swenson said. Our soldiers out here training, preparing to fight Americas wars. Its motivating. And today we saw ten of them re-enlist because they believe in something. They believe in America. Thats what this is all about today.

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Lt. Wenson said the Medal of Honors dont speak to the individual themselves, but to their actions.

It speaks to service, Lt. Swenson said. What we did in service is the same thing that these soldiers are going to do in their careers. If theyre called upon to serve like we did, theyll do the same things that we did, as well.

Medal of Honor Recipient Major General Patrick Brady said the medal doesnt make them special, but it allows them to do special things.

One of the best things weve ever done is a museum in Arlington, Texas, National Medal of Honor Museum, MG Brady said. Its going to protect and preserve not a lot of heroics, but the values associated with the medal, courage, sacrifice, and patriotism.

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The recipients saw ten soldiers re-enlist, and said these soldiers will be the peaceful strength for the future.

The ultimate victory for every warrior is peace, MG Brady said. The essence of peace is strength. The most lethal force on any battlefield is the American soldier. These are the great peacemakers in America.

The Museum will set out as a national landmark, located in Arlington, Texas, and will serve the historical thread of sacrifice, patriotism, and courage that connects members of the United States military service past and present.

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Fox News host Harris Faulkner invented a bizarre situation in order to ask White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt if those who vandalize Teslas could recieve the death penalty.

In Faulkners wild hypothetical, she brought up a possibility that no ones talking about. The scenario sees protestors potentially being sentenced to death if they set alight a Tesla with someones child or pet inside.

What happens if theres someone in one of these cars? They blow up. That can happen. That becomes murder or worse, terrorism plus, Faulkner said.

Fox News host Harris Faulkner warned those vandalizing Teslas of the extreme ramifications if a person was inside a vehicle while they attacked it (Fox News)

The host then mentioned President Donald Trumps recent executive order expanding the death penalty, which encourages the Department of Justice to seek the death penalty in appropriate federal cases.

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Do you think this sort of thing  and I hate to think it, people leave their children and pets in cars. I mean, you dont know. This is deadly, dangerous stuff these liberal protesters are playing with, the Fox News host said.

Nodding along, Leavitt said the president condemns the violence and is determined to punish those committing the acts against Tesla.

Fox News is now talking about people getting the death penalty for attacking Teslas pic.twitter.com/b1zjiTKDaB  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 20, 2025

He will ensure that the harshest penalties are pursued for those who are engaging in this vicious violence that we have seen targeted at this American company, Leavitt told Faulkner.

Teslas have been targeted across the country, including instances of people throwing Molotov cocktails at dealerships, setting fire to Cybertrucks, and writing offensive messages across vehicles.

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The recent attacks appear to be in protest of Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, wielding vast authority in the federal government despite being unelected. While the government contends that Musk is a special government employee and senior adviser to the president, court filings suggest he has greater authority.

A burned Tesla Cybertruck is parked at a Tesla lot in Seattle (AP)

Trump and his administration have defended Musk and Tesla against the attacks, threatening to harshly prosecute those who attack Tesla.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said she would open investigations into attacks on Tesla and labeled the acts as domestic terrorism.

While the U.S. does have a federal death penalty, it is rarely invoked in cases. Typically is it reserved for cases in which the person accused of a crime has killed another person or multiple people.
Fox News Mark Levin on Wednesday went ballistic on Chief Justice John Roberts, who issued a rare statement where he called it not appropriate for President Donald Trump to call for the impeachment of a federal judge.

I would say that John Roberts, who I knew before he was a judge when we both worked in the Reagan administration  its time to grow a pair, judge, said Levin on Fox News host Martha MacCallums program.

Levins remarks arrive after Roberts rebuked the president for raging at U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who issued an order to block the expulsion of hundreds of immigrants to a prison in El Salvador over the weekend.

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The flights  which carried immigrants allegedly affiliated with Venezuelan gangs, though administration officials have provided little in terms of evidence  still went ahead, sparking a legal battle that the Trump administration has escalated in recent days.

On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the judge of being a Democratic activist despite his history of ruling in Trumps favor.

Levin, in a rant on Fox News, slammed what he referred to as a judicial oligarchy of unelected judges at the trial court level who have challenged the president on matters tied to human resources, border security and immigration.

Moments later, MacCallum noted that Roberts weighed in on the district judges right to his decision and asked Levin what the Supreme Court should do about the case.

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Levin, after referring to a federal judge who recently ruled that the Trump administration pay out about $2 billion in frozen foreign aid to humanitarian groups, questioned how the hell hundreds of unelected federal judges get to rule that they dont like ideas by Trump. (As the chief justice pointed out in his statement, disagreements about judicial decisions in the U.S. have been worked out in the appellate process for more than 200 years.)

Nevertheless, Levin declared, This is exactly what Locke and Montesquieu and Jefferson and Madison warned.

When you have a combination of branches rather than separation of branches ... you have a tyranny. And I dont care about what John Roberts pronounces from the bench. Do your job, Chief Justice of the United States. Dont get into the political fight. Fix it.

He continued, Because if you dont fix it, were going to lose our constitutional construct, or Congress is going to have to figure out some way to fix it.

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H/T: Mediaite

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Houston, the French have a problem. A space researcher flying into Houston for a conference was kicked out of the United States after border officers searched his phone and found him expressing an unfavorable "personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy," French Minister of Higher Education and Research Philippe Baptiste told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.

It's not clear exactly what the offending content was. One "diplomatic source" told Agence France-Presse that the unnamed scientist, who works for France's National Center for Scientific Research, was accused of messages "that reflect hatred towards [President Donald] Trump and can be described as terrorism." Another source, who placed the incident on March 9, said the scientist was threatened with an FBI investigation for "hateful and conspiratorial messages."

Asked about the report, the FBI's Houston office referred Reason to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which declined to discuss "specific cases" due to privacy rules but gave a general statement on policy.

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"If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis," CBP spokeswoman Hilton Beckham said. "Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded."

The Trump administration claims that student visas are a privilege granted at the administration's discretion, and that foreign academics simply don't have the same First Amendment rights as American-born scholars.

"The Secretary of State at any point can take a look and evaluate that [student] visa and decide if they want to revoke it," Deputy Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar told NPR, adding that the administration "would have never let" in someone who said "I'm going to go and protest."

Trump has portrayed his visa crackdown as a way to keep out terrorist agitators. His first target was Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian international relations student and a spokesman for protesters at Columbia University. The administration has also touted its expulsion of Rasha Alawieh, a Lebanese doctor at Brown University who allegedly attended a Hezbollah leader's funeral.

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But the case of the French space researcher is quite different. Rather than public activism on a sensitive national security issue, the scientist was allegedly kicked out over a private discussion of domestic policywhich the authorities only discovered after searching his phone. The case was egregious enough that his own government felt compelled to speak out.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Agence France-Presse that, although the U.S. is a "sovereign country" with control over its borders, France "deplores this situation" and stands by "freedom of expression" and "scientific cooperation."

Baptiste took the opportunity to pitch Europe as an alternative destination for academics. "Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States," he wrote on March 9, the same day the space scientist was reportedly kicked out. "We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them."

After all, what attracts so much innovation to the United States is its nearly unlimited academic freedom. Houston may be the headquarters of one of the world's first space programs, but it's not the only one. Future astronauts on cutting-edge spaceflights may be calling into Toulouse instead.

The post France Accuses Trump of Booting Space Researcher Over 'Personal Opinion' appeared first on Reason.com.
(Bloomberg) -- An effort by European Union leaders to deliver 5 billion ($5.4 billion) to secure ammunition for Ukraine this year was held up by France and Italy, European diplomats said, another sign of the challenges the bloc faces in replacing US support for Kyiv.

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While most of the 27 member states meeting in Brussels on Thursday have rallied around earmarking crucial financing for military assistance, France and Italy are stalling at committing to specific financial volumes, said diplomats, who were granted anonymity to discuss closed-door conversations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking to the leaders summit by video link, made an urgent plea for the sum to purchase ammunition as soon as possible, making reference to a massive overnight drone strike over Ukraine as the war drags on.

Its crucial that your support for Ukraine doesnt decrease but instead continues and grows, Zelenskiy said, according to a text of the speech. And this is especially true for air defense, military aid, and our overall resilience.

With US President Donald Trump pushing for a ceasefire, President Vladimir Putin made it clear he wants a halt in arms deliveries to Ukraine in any broader deal, which further complicates the EUs push to bolster Kyiv.

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Discussions in Brussels on Thursday showed that putting up 5 billion for the purchase of 2 million artillery rounds will be a tall order. The EUs top foreign policy official, Kaja Kallas, said she still aimed for leaders to sign off on at least part of that plan.

If were not able to decide for the whole year lets decide for the short term, Kallas told reporters at the beginning of the meeting, describing the contribution as realistic.

The divisions underscored the risk that the bloc remains hamstrung in backing Ukraines effort to fend off Russian forces after three years of war  even as its pledged to stand by Kyiv in the face of Trumps overtures to the Kremlin for a quick end to the conflict.

Kallas has put forward a proposal for EU members to deliver as much as 40 billion in military aid this year, stepping up after 20 billion flowed to Kyiv in 2024. Assistance would be voluntary, but participants would be encouraged to make contributions in cash or equipment in proportion to their respective economies. After several countries balked, the debate was narrowed to focus this week on the ammunition component.

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France and Italy, the EUs second- and third-largest economies, resisted putting outsized numbers on the table, the diplomats said.

Italy and other nations are asking for more technical and financial details and said the initiative was still being worked on, Italian diplomats said. French diplomats said that while they share the objectives of the effort, the priority is to implement the EUs 18 billion portion of a Group of Seven loan package for Kyiv.

Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo threw his weight behind the initiative  and lamented the headwinds it faced from some EU capitals. Many countries are not performing adequately when it comes to arms deliveries to Ukraine, he said.

Still, others faulted the initiative for prematurely quantifying member states commitments before first securing backing. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said setting numbers first was done backwards.

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It may create an impression that someone doesnt do enough  but readiness to support Ukraine is there, even if it is difficult to quantify it now, Nauseda told reporters.

Leaders in Brussels pored over Trumps diplomatic overtures to Moscow after his phone diplomacy this week with Putin and Zelenskiy secured a commitment to halt attacks on energy infrastructure  but fell short of a general ceasefire pursued by the White House.

The Europeans have watched from the sidelines, increasingly alarmed that Trumps rushed diplomacy will come at the cost of Kyivs military aims and cede territory to Russia. EU leaders reinforced their message that they need to be part of any initiative to end the war, even as they were left out of Trumps call Tuesday with Putin, as well as his Wednesday call with Zelenskiy.

We were all somewhat worried based on the messages that emerged after the call, especially from the Russian side, Orpo said. But the call yesterday strengthened the belief in us moving in the same direction, from the point of view of the US, Ukraine and thereby also Europe.

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The EU and its member states have dispatched 50 billion in military support to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. The US has committed $66.5 billion  or about 11 billion more  in that time frame.

Hungary under Prime Minister Viktor Orban maintained its resistance to helping Ukraine. But efforts to win over Orban for an agreement of all 27 states  a familiar set piece for summits  were dropped. For the second straight meeting, leaders were resigned to move ahead without Budapest.

I think that 26 countries will find a good agreement, and that Hungary wont go along, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof. We dont even talk about that anymore.

--With assistance from Donato Paolo Mancini, Samy Adghirni, Andra Timu, Kati Pohjanpalo and Katharina Rosskopf.

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(Updates with French response, Nauseda comments from 11th paragraph.)

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FRANKLIN COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  The Franklin County School is considering transitioning to a four-day school week for students beginning in August 2025.

The goal is to bring in qualified teachers to the area.

We want the best and brightest teachers to come to Franklin County, to live in our community, to be paid a high salary, and to teach our students, Superintendent Steven Lanier said.

Bay County wraps up NRDA artificial reef project

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The current starting teacher salary is $44,000 but the school is starting negotiations for that to change.

Were looking at starting teacher pay to be around $53,000. So with a high starting salary a high and the opportunity to have a four-day school week, why in the world would you not want to come to Franklin County, Lanier said.

The pay raise has to be approved by the school board. There are currently 70 teachers working at the Franklin County School and the Apalachicola Bay Charter School.

With 1,200 students in Pre-K through 12th grade. The school superintendent believes the change would improve the graduation rate and increase enrollment.

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Theyre asking the community to weigh in on the issue before making a decision. Theyve prepared an online survey to measure the interest and determine the pros and cons.

The survey so far have been very positive. People are in favor of a four-day week because itll help hopefully bring more students to Franklin County. Ill afford them opportunities that they have never had before, Lanier added.

The 4-day workweek would only apply to teachers and students. The district office employees will maintain a 5-day work week. The Florida Department of Education mandates students to spend 1500 minutes at school per week.

The school is looking to add 30 to 45 minutes per day onto the schedule. They are still deciding if the day off will fall on Friday or Monday. But having a workday off could impact students with working parents.

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The only negative effects Ive heard so far from the surveys are parents that both their parents work with their single parents and they work because theyre wondering what theyre going to do with their children on that off day, Lanier said.

Rural Renaissance bill to benefit counties in the Panhandle

The school district will hold a series of meetings, starting in April to hear from the community.

After receiving public input, they will come to the school board with a recommendation.

The school board will decide whether or not to approve it.

To fill out the survey, click here.

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Frederick County continues to be one of the healthiest counties in Maryland, according to a report ranking counties nationwide, furthering the countys trend of being one of the healthiest in the state.

The county populations health and well-being also ranks higher than the averages for both the entire state and the U.S.

The 2025 County Health Rankings, published by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, includes data on counties across the country.

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Rather than ranking counties in each state, the report shows counties on a continuum ranging from Least Healthy in the U.S. to Healthiest in U.S.

The report has information on population health and well-being, health outcomes, and community conditions, also known as social determinants of health.

These conditions are the social and economic factors, physical environment and health infrastructure in which people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship and age, per the report.

The community conditions part of the report is new  last years report had included information on health factors, which are areas that can help people live longer and healthier lives.

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This new measure aims to show how power and societal rules create conditions that impact everyones health, according to the website on the report.

The part of the report on Frederick County can be accessed at tinyurl.com/44w5m4kz.

Frederick County is closer to Healthiest in the U.S. on the population health and well-being spectrum, as well as on the community conditions spectrum.

Out of all of Marylands jurisdictions, Frederick, Howard and Montgomery counties are considered some of the healthiest in the country in terms of their population health and well-being.

Those three counties were also the healthiest in Maryland in the 2024 County Health Rankings.

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Dorchester and Allegany counties, as well as the city of Baltimore, were closer to the Least Healthy in the U.S. end of the population health and well-being spectrum.

Those three jurisdictions were under the state and national averages for that spectrum.

More Maryland jurisdictions were considered the healthiest in the U.S. in terms of their community conditions, including Frederick, Howard, Montgomery, Carroll, Anne Arundel and Calvert counties.

On the community conditions spectrum, the city of Baltimore and Somerset County were the closest to the Least Healthy end out of all of Marylands jurisdictions.

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The 2025 report shows data on premature deaths in terms of the years of life lost, rather than the number of premature deaths that occurred. This metric used data from 2020 to 2022.

In Frederick County, 5,700 years of life were lost to deaths of people under age 75 per 100,000 people, based on a life expectancy of 80. For the state, that number was 8,100 years of life lost per 100,000.

The countys leading causes of premature death in this report were the same as in the 2024 report: cancerous tumors, heart diseases, accidents, COVID-19 and chronic lower respiratory diseases.

However, COVID-19 and accidents switched spots, with the disease causing more deaths in the county in the newer report.

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Cancerous tumors caused 671 deaths, heart diseases caused 468, COVID-19 caused 203, accidents caused 196 and chronic lower respiratory diseases caused 106, according to the report.

The county had lower child and infant mortality rates compared to the state and national rates.

Some of the countys quality of life metrics  like frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, diabetes prevalence, suicides and feelings of loneliness  were either the same or very close to the state and national rates.

Under community conditions, the report includes information on health infrastructure, physical environment, and social and economic factors.

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Health infrastructure includes things like flu vaccinations, the ratio of different health providers to patients, preventable hospital stays, and the number of people living in an area who dont have insurance.

Frederick Countys low uninsured population is one of its strengths, with 5% of people under age 65 not having health insurance in the county compared to Marylands 7% and the countrys 10%, according to the 2025 report.

Some of Frederick Countys other areas of strength included that:

70% of Frederick Countys workforce drove alone to work

93% of households had a broadband internet connection

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93% of adults age 25 or older had a high school degree or equivalent

7% of children lived in poverty, compared to the states 11% and countrys 16%

The county also had lower rates of income inequality and notably lower rates of injury deaths per 100,000 people compared to Maryland and the U.S.

The county also had a lower value than the state and country on a school segregation index, which ranges from 0 to 1. Lower values mean a schools makeup more closely reflects the communitys race and ethnicity distribution.

Frederick County had a school segregation index of 0.11, while Maryland had 0.25 and the U.S. had 0.24.
FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO)  A death investigation is underway in Freeport after a woman was found dead inside a S. Chicago Avenue home Wednesday afternoon.

Freeport Police officers were called to the residence in the 1600 block of S. Chicago Avenue around 2:45 p.m. after a 9-1-1 caller discovered the woman. The woman was pronounced dead on the scene. She has not been publicly identified.

Detectives with the Freeport Police Department and the Stephenson County Coroner have not said how the woman died, but said no foul play is suspected.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  A French citizen imprisoned in Iran for over 880 days has been freed and is back home, as was another French citizen held under house arrest in Tehran, French officials said Thursday. Their liberation came as France and the rest of Europe are trying to jumpstart talks with Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent a letter to Iran's 85-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei seeking negotiations. Trump is also pressuring Tehran over its support of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels as the American military carries out an intense new campaign of airstrikes targeting the group.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced online that Frenchman Olivier Grondeau had been freed. The French Foreign Ministry said another French citizen who had been under house arrest in Tehran for more than four months was released Wednesday night. He asked to not be publicly identified, the ministry said.

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The release came ahead of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, when Iran has released prisoners in the past.

In January, Grondeau spoke to a French broadcaster from prison, alluding at the time to the politics at play in his imprisonment. You become a human who has been stocked away indefinitely because one government is seeking to exert pressure on another, he said.

His lawyer in France, Chirinne Ardakani, said he returned on Monday to Paris. Hes in good hands. Hes recovering, the attorney told The Associated Press.

An Iranian court had sentenced Grondeau, a backpacker and world traveler, to five years in prison on espionage charges that he, his family and the French government vigorously denied.

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France did not provide anything in exchange for Grondeaus liberation. Barrot told French broadcaster TF1 on Thursday that he had initially discussed the situation with Irans foreign minister but when those discussions failed to secure a release, it was via different means that we obtained this result. He didnt elaborate.

Iran isn't acknowledging the release

Releases of Westerners in Iran typically come in exchange for something. Tehran did not immediately acknowledge Grondeaus release.

Earlier this week, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said France had arrested an Iranian woman who supported Palestinians, but said Tehran was still trying to gather more details about her case.

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An image that circulated of Grondeau on a private jet flying home was a plastic-wrapped T-shirt with a photo of pop star Britney Spears. He put it on before getting off the plane and embracing his family on returning home, in footage aired by TF1.

After the family and Grondeau went public about his detention, his mother had described the former youth Scrabble champion as a fan of Beyonce and karaoke in interviews with French media.

Arrest came during Mahsa Amini protests

Grondeau was detained by Iranian authorities in October 2022 in the city of Shiraz.

Though the exact details of what sparked Iran's arrest of Grondeau remain unclear, his detention began in the chaotic aftermath of the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died after being detained over not wearing Iran's mandatory headscarf, or hijab, to the liking of authorities.

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United Nations investigators later said Iran was responsible for the physical violence that led to Amini's death, which sparked months of protests and a bloody security force crackdown in the country.

Most of the questions were, Did you take part in a demonstration, List all of the Iranians that you met during your trip, Why did you come to Iran? Youre not a tourist,'" Grondeau said in the January phone call with French broadcaster France 2.

One day you think youre going to be freed very quickly, the next you think youll die here, he added.

He described lights being shined on prisoners day and night, as well as being blindfolded each time he was being taken out of his cell while in solitary confinement for 72 days. He later shared a cell with over a dozen prisoners.

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Asked if he had suffered ill treatment, he said: If you look for bruises on my body you wont find any, because they are not that stupid.

Grondeau was held at Tehran's notorious Evin Prison, which holds Westerners, dual nationals and political prisoners often used by Tehran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.

France is trying to release others, too

Barrot said that France is keeping up pressure on Iran to release two other French citizens held in Iran, Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris, imprisoned for more than 1,000 days.

Macron also posted about the two, writing: All my thoughts are with them and their families on this day.

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Grondeau's lawyer said the news about his release was tempered by the continued detention of the two others. Were only half-relieved, she said.

___

Leicester reported from Le Pecq, France. Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran; and Lorian Belanger in Bangkok contributed to this report.
PARIS (Reuters) -A French scientist has been denied entry into the United States, apparently because the scientist had expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy, the French Education Ministry said on Thursday.

"I learned with concern that a French researcher on assignment for the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) who was traveling to a conference near Houston was denied entry to the United States before being expelled," Minister for Higher Education and Research Philippe Baptiste said in a statement to AFP.

The measure was apparently taken because the scientist had expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration's research policy, he added, but did not elaborate.

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An Education Ministry spokesperson confirmed the reports by AFP and Le Monde over a scientist being denied entry, without giving details.

A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection said privacy restrictions barred the agency from discussing specific cases, adding that all people arriving in the country are subject to inspection on a case-by-case basis.

"If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded," the spokesperson, Hilton Beckham, said in a statement.

President Donald Trump's administration has taken various steps to cut or freeze federal funding for universities, medical centres and other research institutions since he took office in January.

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On border matters, Trump has announced a number of immigration-related executive orders that focus on stricter border policy, tighter visa vetting procedures and a crackdown on undocumented migrants in the United States.

Germany this week updated its travel advisory for the U.S. to emphasise that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee entry for its citizens after several Germans were detained at the border recently, a foreign ministry spokesperson said.

In recent weeks Britain has also revised its advice for citizens travelling to the U.S., to include a warning that anyone found breaking its entry rules could face arrest or detention.

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; additional reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Frances Kerry)
A French scientist was denied entry to the United States this month over messages critical of President Trumps administrations research policies, according to Frances government.

Philippe Baptiste, Frances minister for higher education, said he had learned with concern that a French academic who was going to a conference in Houston was denied entry before being deported back to Europe.

The academic, who was not named, was on assignment for the National Center for Scientific Research, according to Baptiste.

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This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because this researchers phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administrations research policy, Baptiste said in a statement to multiple outlets.

Freedom of opinion, free research and academic freedom are values that we will continue to proudly uphold, the minister added. I will defend the possibility for all French researchers to be faithful to them, in compliance with the law.

Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, however, said any claim that the researcher was denied entry based on political beliefs is blatantly false.

The French researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory in violation of a non-disclosure agreementsomething he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal, McLaughlin said in a post on X.

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The incident happened on March 9, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported, citing a diplomatic source familiar with the matter.

The academic went through a random check when he arrived in the U.S. His computer and phone were reportedly searched. He was accused of sending messages that expressed hatred towards Trump and can be qualified as terrorism, AFP reported, citing another source familiar with the matter. All charges were dropped against him, according to AFP.

All people traveling to the U.S. border are subject to an inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In rare instances, CBP officers might search the travelers computer, camera, phone or other electronic devices, the agency said on its website.

During the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance lit into European officials, accusing them of suppressing opposite viewpoints and backing off from fundamental values.

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To many of us on the other side of the Atlantic, it looks more and more like old, entrenched interests hiding behind Soviet-era words like misinformation and disinformation who simply dont like the idea that somebody with an alternative viewpoint might express a different opinion or, God forbid, vote a different way or, even worse, win an election, Vance said in mid-February.

The United Kingdom issued an updated travel advisory for those going to the U.S., telling people that they could face repercussions if they breach U.S. immigration laws. The notice came a day after Germany issued its own travel directive following the arrest of three of its citizens who were detained when attempting to enter the U.S.

The Hill has reached out to Frances ministry for higher education and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.

Updated on March 21 at 10:16 a.m. EDT

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A French scientist was reportedly refused entry to the U.S after immigration officers searched his cellphone at the airport and found messages critical of the Trump administration.

The scientist, a space researcher, was traveling to Houston to attend a conference on March 9, a diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse.

But when he arrived at border security, he was subjected to a random security check and stripped of his cellphone and work laptop, the source reported.

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Security officials then combed through the scientists private messages and reportedly found conversations with colleagues in which he discussed the treatment of scientists under the current administration, which they said showed hatred towards Trump and could be qualified as terrorism.

The scientists equipment was seized and he was told he would be investigated by the FBI for possessing hateful and conspiratorial messages. He was sent on a plane back to France the next day, a second source told AFP.

Frances higher education minister, Philippe Baptiste, responded with outrage to the incident, writing in a statement to AFP on Wednesday: I learned with concern that a French researcher who was heading to a conference near Houston was forbidden from entering U.S. territory before being expelled.

This measure was taken by the U.S. authorities because the researchers phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed his political opinion on the policies of the Trump administration on research, he added.

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Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values that we will continue to proudly uphold. I will defend the right of all French researchers to be faithful to them, while respecting the law.

Although Baptiste acknowledged that the United States was sovereign in deciding who could or could not enter its country, he nevertheless said he deplored the situation.

Baptiste, himself an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, also criticized the huge cuts made to scientific research budgets under the current administration and urged American scientists to relocate to France.

In a letter published the same day the researcher was denied entry to the U.S., the minister said: Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States. We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.

J'ai entendu Elon Musk dire qu'il fallait arreter la station spatiale internationale en 2027.



De qui parle-t-on ? Du patron de Space X ? Du chef de l'administration publique americaine ? Tout ca n'a aucun sens.@franceinfo pic.twitter.com/4vFHZBBm6g  Philippe Baptiste (@PhBaptiste) March 12, 2025

Baptiste also published a video on X in which he claimed he had heard Elon Musk say that the International Space Station should be shut down in 2027.

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Who are we talking about? The boss of SpaceX? The head of the American public administration? None of this makes any sense, he added.

The Daily Beast has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
A former surgeon on trial in France for sexually abusing 299 of his patients has admitted his guilt for all the victims, one of his lawyers said on Thursday.

Joel Le Scouarnec, 74, has been on trial in the city of Vannes since early March, in one of the countrys largest child sex abuse cases.

He is charged with assaulting or raping the patients, many while under anaesthesia or waking up after operations, at a dozen hospitals between 1989 and 2014.

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I have a duty to tell the truth, Le Scoaurnec said during Thursdays trial behind closed doors, his lawyer Maxime Tessier told AFP.

Mr Tessier said he had asked Le Scouarnec if he admitted that the numerous people mentioned in notebooks seized by investigators were all potential victims of his acts and he said: Yes.

The 745-page indictment listed 158 boys and 141 girls, most of whom were under the age of 15 at the time of the events.

Until now, Le Scouarnec had only admitted to his guilt on a case-by-case basis as the proceedings progressed, with attention focussed on the notebooks in which he meticulously recorded the abuse he inflicted on his victims.

Allowing victims to move on

During the investigation he had denied many of the accusations, insisting he was merely performing his medical duties.

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I asked the court to record in the minutes of the proceedings that Mr Le Scouarnec had admitted his guilt for the 299 charges, Mr Tessier said.

Frederique Giffard, a lawyer representing around 15 civil parties, said: Admission is a crucial step in allowing victims to move on, and it is good that it has happened at this stage of the trial.

I think that he finally understood, by listening to the civil parties taking the stand over the last 10 days, that he was not going to be able to credibly maintain his position of continuing to deny the facts in certain cases.

The former surgeon is already in jail, having been found guilty in 2020 of abusing four children, including two of his nieces.

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The surgeon was never investigated during his career despite a 2005 sentence for owning sexually abusive images of children.

He continued to work until his retirement in 2017, after which a six-year-old accused him of rape and police discovered diary accounts of abuse stored on his computers.

The former medic described sex scenes involving scores more children in his diaries. They were named, allowing police to track them down to obtain their testimony, leading to additional charges.

In December, Laureline Peyrefitte, chief prosecutor of the town of Lorient in Brittany, north-west France, said the number of possible victims stood at 349.

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(FOX40.COM)  Sergio Zacarias Lopez, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, was charged with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and illegal re-entry, according to acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.

A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against the 57-year-old which was unsealed following his arrest Thursday.

Video above: Farmworkers in San Joaquin County express concerns about illegal immigration crackdowns

Lopez secured his accounting role by stealing and using a valid social security number along with other falsified employment documents to conceal his citizenship status, according to officials.

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According to court documents, he abused this position as well as his controller position to defraud a family-run Fresno fruit wholesaler. Lopez wrote multiple company checks payable to cash and then deposited them into his personal bank account through local ATMs.

Using signatory authority, he used other employees signatures for the fraudulent checks, including one of the companys founders, embezzling more than $1 million before he was detected by one of the banks and fired by the company.

Lopez was previously removed from the United States in 2000 and hasnt been allowed to return.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fresno Police Department with Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Lee prosecuting the case.

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Lopez faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine if convicted of bank fraud. If hes convicted of illegal re-entry or aggravated identity theft he would face two years in prison.

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BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Dozens of tenants from Rutland Road Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn, gathered on the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall Thursday morning to protest significant rent hikes and poor living conditions.

The rally, led by resident Larissa Assogba, aimed to voice concerns over what they claim are unjustified rent increases despite deteriorating living conditions.

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Assogba, who has lived in Rutland Plaza since 2018, expressed her frustration: The conditions in that building are horrible. This is considered a first world country, its giving third world, lets be for real. She further emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, Were asking for human rights. Nobody should be living with sewage. Were dealing with mold, and our rent is going up 700 to a thousand dollars. The city is already expensive.

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The protesters directed their grievances toward their landlord, Amistad Management, and the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR). Tenants are demanding accountability and a halt to rent increases until housing standards improve.

Kyla Raskin, a staff attorney at Brooklyn Legal Services, explained that the rent hikes occurred about a year ago without proper notice or due process for tenants. A lot of them werent even notified about this process before it happened. They werent told that the owner was applying for the increases, Raskin stated.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

In response to these issues, Raskin and her team are pursuing an Article 78 case in the Brooklyn Supreme Court. Their goal is clear: Were saying kind of go back, reverse these rent increases, and start to do your supervisory functions, Raskin explained.

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The New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal declined to comment on the pending litigation. Similarly, when reached out for comment, the management company also declined to respond.

As the legal battle unfolds, tenants like Assogba remain resolute in their fight for better living conditions: We live in Brooklyn, New York, Brownsville. I know its rough, but nobody deserves to live like that.

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Mar. 20RITZVILLE  The second phase of a project to upgrade Schoonover Road that Adams County officials thought had received federal funding may not be getting it after all. A rules revision that allowed four bridges over the East Low Canal to qualify for complete federal funding also may have been eliminated.

Adams County Engineer Scott Yaeger said federal funding is still allocated for two bridges across the canal and the first phase of the Schoonover Road project, between Rosenoff Road and Rehn Road.

Commissioner Dan Blankenship said county officials worked on securing funding for about 18 months and thought they had it.

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"Back to the drawing board and start over," Blankenship said. "It's a little disappointing."

Yaeger said funding for the second phase of Schoonover Road, about $2 million, was on a list of projects requested by former Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers.

"This extension project made it on the appropriations project list but all projects on that list were not funded," Yaeger wrote in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald.

The first phase of the Schoonover Road project is scheduled to start in late June and be completed by October. The total cost is about $3.13 million.

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Blankenship said the request was included in appropriations packages that were awaiting a final vote by Congress, but Congressional leaders didn't vote on the bill. They opted to pass a continuing resolution instead.

"Any new requests that were in those appropriations bills disappeared like they never happened," Blankenship said.

That also meant the end of a request from Washington Senator Patty Murray to change the requirements for a program that would've paid for work on the four bridges, he said.

Extending the bridges is the first step to widening the canal. That would allow the conversion of farms in the Odessa area to surface water for irrigation; currently, those farms use groundwater. The goal is to reduce water use from the aquifer that supplies water to the Columbia Basin, according to earlier interviews with officials from the Columbia Basin Development League.

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Murray had requested the change so that the four remaining bridges would qualify for a different funding source. That program would not have required any matching money from Adams County.

"That all disappeared as well," Blankenship said.

All the bridges that require widening are northeast of Othello, and funding was secured for two of them. Sackman Road will be the first one upgraded. Cost is about $4.8 million, and work will start after the irrigation season ends in October.

Design is complete for the new bridge, which will span the canal without piers in the water. It will be supported by abutments anchored to shore instead. The abutments and the bridge deck will be precast and assembled onsite. The bridge deck is made of precast panels that will be installed separately and joined with concrete and a tie system.
The visitation and funeral services for a Lebanon woman and her 10-year-old son killed in a head-on crash have been announced by Nordike Funeral Home of New Baden

Ashley N. Emmerich Koehler, 37, and Jacob Lee Emmerich-Tomlin, both of Lebanon, died as a result of a head-on crash on U.S. 50 near Clinton County Line Road in St. Clair County Monday night, according to information from their obituaries and authorities. A third person, Blaise Nowak, 21, of Trenton, also died in the crash and a fourth was injured, authorities said.

Illinois State Police said the crash is under investigation.

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Jacob was a fourth-grader at Lebanon Elementary School, according to his obituary.

Jacob was more than just a student; he was a joyful and energetic young boy who loved fishing, riding four-wheelers and bicycles, and immersing himself in video games, particularly Fortnite, his obituary states. His curiosity often led him to work with tools, finding joy in building and creating. Jacobs laughter and humor brought light to those around him, embodying the characteristics of a true jokester.

Koehler was a direct support professional at Clinton Manor in New Baden.

Ashley was known for her unwavering dedication to her children, Natalie, Alexis, Jace, Jacob and Gracie, who were the cornerstones of her life as well as her step-son, Benjamin, her obituary states. She married Jeffrey Koehler on Jan. 27.

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The visitation for Jacob and Ashley Koehler will be 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Nordike Funeral Home at 15 E. Hanover St. in New Baden.

The funeral service is set for 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with burial to follow at Greenmount Cemetery in New Baden.

A GoFundMe fundraising page has been established for Jacob, Koehler and their family.
Florida wildlife officials want residents to share their input on bear hunting regulations.

The Florida Wildlife Commission is hosting three virtual public meetings to discuss the rules.

The sessions will be beginning on April 2 from noon to 3 p.m., April 3 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and April 5 from 9 a.m. to noon.

All meetings cover the same information, so attending more than one isnt necessary.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP)  A new development is being planned in Greensboro after a recent annexation approval by the city council.

This is something that will be a game changer for Greensboro, Greensboro Mayor Pro-Tem Marikay Abuzuaiter said.

She is talking about a development known as Christopher Villages. Its about 80 acres just north of Lake Higgins along Carlson Dairy Road.

The Greensboro City Council unanimously approved the annexation of that property on Tuesday night. Its just one of six annexations already approved this year, and there are more requests coming in.

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But there is a lot of work from city staff to determine if the property should be added before it even goes to the city council.

It starts with the annexation request then the city planning department gets in touch with the city services, including police, fire, solid waste and water and sewer. The big question they ask is, Can you provide equal services to this property?

We are very, very busy, Greensboro Zoning Administrator Mike Kirkman said.

Greensboro city planning staff members have seen an increase over the last five years in annexations. The peak in 2022 was 37 properties, totaling more than 1500 acres.

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Ultimately, it does benefit everybody because you are spreading out the tax burden across a larger tax base, and you are potentially creating additional services, Kirkman said.

The City of Greensboro does not seek out additional property. They simply sort through the requests.

We have certain areas that people kind of check in with us every few years, Kirkman said.

Over at the Greensboro Fire Department, they have their own internal planning department.

The goal is to accomplish their standard of cover.

That means for the City of Greensboro, one firetruck has to get there within four minutes of travel and 17 firefighters have to arrive within eight minutes of travel.

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We want sustainable growth, and we certainly want to be able to provide the same level of service across the board, Greensboro Fire Chief Jim Robinson said.

They crunch the numbers for each annexation request. The final results for the property now in north Greensboro at Carlson Dairy Road show 20 firefighters would be available in less than eight minutes based on the location of the current stations.

Obviously, we will go to these county stations and talk about responding with us, Robinson said.

City services can contract out to work or add new services to cover potential growth. Greensboro has purchased several lots around town to build new fire stations once there is money to make it happen.

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It all takes time  We want to start early, but those indicators are there, Robinson said.

Once an annexation is approved by the council, there is more work at city hall for the planning department to figure out how to get services like water and sewer to the site.

The most recent property approved by the GCC is known as Christopher Village. The developer, David Couch, will have to send the city his full development proposal, and then there needs to be some more research before the city signs off on construction.

Couch said in a statement to FOX8:

I purchased this land years ago, and I always wanted to use it in a way that protects not destroys the beauty and openness that drew me to it in the first place. This design accomplished that, and I truly believe it can be a model for the state and the country. It was refreshing  to hear the same sentiment from the planning commission and the city council. Couch

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ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  Yellow garbage bins were delivered to people who are part of the City of Elmiras sanitation pick-up, but a couple of these bins have also been left at vacant or abandoned homes.

Elmira City Manager Michael Collins told 18 News that up to today 1,000 garbage bins have been delivered within the City of Elmira, noting an error in the delivery process. Around Spaulding, Horner, and Brand streets, yellow empty bins were seen at a couple of boarded-up homes.

It was brought to our attention that there were a couple that were delivered to abandoned homes. So, I think whats important to know is there will be a slight error in delivery at times, Collins said. So as of right now, with a 1,000 weve had out of the 1,000, 99.6% accurate that have been delivered to homes within the city of Elmira that do participate in the city of Elmira sanitation pickup.

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New waste bins to be distributed to Elmira residents

Collins stated that two bins were delivered to vacant properties and have been retrieved. In case of theft, each bin has a tracking number linked to a specific address to help the homeowner retrieve them. According to Collins, the tracking number will go through the City of Elmira Buildings & Grounds and Sanitation Departments.

So, if there was a bin that was found, we would be able to look at what the number is on that bin, and then that would be assigned to a specific house within the City of Elmira that does participate in the sanitation pickup, said Collins.

People who are part of the sanitation program will have garbage pick-up on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

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By Mahmoud Issa

GAZA (Reuters) - Khader Junaid clambered onto a donkey cart with his family and their belongings and set off through Gaza's rubble, embarking on all-too-familiar escape to safety following the resumption of heavy Israeli airstrikes.

Repeated displacement has become a way of life for Gaza's 2.3 million Palestinians since a Hamas attack on southern Israel in October, 2023, triggered a war that has killed tens of thousands of people and reduced the enclave to debris and dust.

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"We were fine with staying in a tent next to our destroyed home, and now we are forced to go back into the schools," said the Palestinian father-of-six, referring to shelters set up in school buildings.

Continual displacement means ever more hardship for families.

Junaid's wife Huda urged U.S. President Donald Trump to stop the Gaza war and to work for reconciliation and peace.

"We don't want war, we don't want death," she said. "Enough! We are fed up. There are no longer children in Gaza, all of our children are dead, all of our relatives are dead."

Asked about displaced civilians in Gaza, Israeli Defense Forces International Spokesperson Nadav Shoshani described Israel's Hamas militant enemy as "a murderous, a genocidal terror organization that is hiding behind civilians. It is a very difficult war."

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Israel is giving up the element of surprise, "one of the most important elements in the battlefield, to make sure those civilians have a chance to get out of harms way," he said.

Israel resumed airstrikes on Tuesday, effectively abandoning a ceasefire put in place in January, killing more than 400 Palestinians that day in one of the war's deadliest episodes.

A total of at least 510 Palestinians have been killed in the past three days, more than half of them women and children, Khalil Al-Deqran, the spokesperson of the territory's health ministry, told Reuters.

RISING PRICES, FLOODING SEWERS

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In January, Junaid's family returned to their destroyed home in al-Salam district in Jabalia refugee camp and erected a tent next to it, but on Wednesday they were on the move once again after shelling intensified.

"It hasn't been even two months since we returned home and now we are displaced again," said Huda.

Huda says the family is exhausted after living in tight spaces in dire conditions.

The family headed to a school-turned-shelter in Jabalia, but could not find a place among the crowds, forcing them to set up a tent next to the bathrooms.

"I suffered so much to find a place for our tent and it is next to the school's bathrooms where the sewers are flooding," Khader said.

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Mopping the floor of their makeshift tent, Huda explained how expensive life has become, with raised prices for sugar, tomatoes and many other items.

With crossings closed and supplies dwindling, families like Junaid's are left to rely on food aid from charities, turning to soup kitchens to survive.

"Due to the recent suspension of humanitarian aid into Gaza, stocks of medical supplies have dropped significantly and on top of this, hospital staff are struggling to manage the sharp increase of casualties," said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a statement.

The war erupted after Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities in October, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies, in the country's biggest security disaster.

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More than 49,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military campaign that ensued, according to Gaza's health authorities.

Trump has said the United States will take over Gaza, resettle its Palestinians and redevelop it into an international beach resort, angering its inhabitants and Arab states.

(Reporting by Mahmoud Issa; Writing by Tala Ramadan; Editing by Michael Georgy, William Maclean)
A Georgetown University postdoctoral scholar has been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), making him the latest foreign student inside the country legally whos been caught in the Trump administrations immigration crackdown at universities.

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national, was arrested Monday night in Arlington, Va., Politico first reported Wednesday from a legal filing in the case. Officers told Suri his visa had been revoked.

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on the social platform X that Suri was actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.

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Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i), McLaughlin added.

On Tuesday, a motion was filed to immediately stop the deportation proceedings.

A spokesperson for Georgetown University said it is not aware of Suri engaging in criminal activity and the university has not received a reason for his detention.

We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly, the school said.

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Suris attorney says he is being persecuted because of the Palestinian heritage of his wife, a U.S. citizen, Politico reported.

This is the second student visa the Trump administration has sought to revoke publicly, with one from Columbia University the first to see her visa taken away. The student fled to Canada before she was arrested.

The campus crackdown began with Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who was arrested by ICE three months after graduating from Columbia. He was the lead negotiator for the pro-Palestinian encampments.

Khalil and Suri are both being targeted under an obscure immigration law that allows the secretary of State to deport noncitizens if they find their presence to be a threat to U.S. foreign policy. Neither Suri nor Khalil has been charged with a crime.

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WASHINGTON  Federal immigration authorities have detained a graduate student from India who was teaching at Georgetown University on a student visa, his attorney said Wednesday.

Masked agents arrested the student, Badar Khan Suri, outside his home in Arlington, Virginia, on Monday night, attorney Hassan Ahmad said.

The agents identified themselves as being with the Department of Homeland Security and told him the government had revoked his visa, Ahmad said.

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Ahmad called Suris detention beyond contemptible and said he had done nothing wrong.

Badar Khan Suri.

Ahmad said he spoke with Suri on Wednesday night and that Suri was grateful for the support he has received since his arrest.

Suri is set to appear before an immigration judge in Los Fresnos, Texas, in May for his deportation proceedings, according to his attorney.

Separately, Suri filed a habeas corpus petition in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, in hopes of being released from detention. The petition is currently under seal and NBC News has yet to review a copy.

According to NBC Newss review of public records, Suri does not have a criminal record and does not face known criminal charges.

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Georgetown said it was not aware of any misconduct by Suri.

The Department of Homeland Security and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment, including about why Suri has been detained.

Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said on X in response to the Politico story that Suri was actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media.

She also alleged that Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

Suri was being held at the Alexandria Staging Facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, awaiting an immigration hearing, according to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainee locator. Ahmad confirmed his location.

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Suri was detained as the Trump administration seeks to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student who took part in protests against Israel and the war in Gaza, by using a section of immigration law concerning "foreign policy consequences."

"Seeing our government abduct and jail another innocent person is beyond contemptible, said Ahmad, Suri's lawyer. And if an accomplished scholar who focuses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar.

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, according to his profile on Georgetown Universitys website.

His biography says he completed his Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies at the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi in 2020. He wrote his thesis on Transitional Democracy, Divided Societies and Prospects for Peace: A Study of State Building in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Georgetown said it has not been told why Suri was detained.

We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable," the university said. "We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly.

Suri has traveled extensively in the conflict zones in India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt and Palestinian areas, his university profile says.

His Georgetown profile says he is an interdisciplinary scholar whose areas of interest are religion, violence and peace, ethnic conflicts and peace processes in the Middle East and South Asia.

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The university says Suri is working on a project that looks into potential causes that hinder cooperation among religiously diverse societies and possibilities to overcome those hindrances.

Suris attorney has filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court in Virginia, seeking to determine whether his detainment is lawful.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended attempts to deport Khalil by saying that "no one has a right to a student visa." A judge has temporarily blocked his deportation.

Last week, ICE arrested Leqaa Kordia, a Palestinian woman who took part in protests at Columbia and who overstayed her student visa, officials said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A Georgetown University researcher was taken into custody by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after he was accused of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting anti-semitism on social media, according to officials.

Dr. Badar Khan Suri is a foreign exchange student from India. He was a fellow at Georgetown University and in the United States on a student visa.

Georgetown University told DC News Now that he attended the school to continue doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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According to a report from The Washington Post, on March 17, Suri was detained outside of his home in Rosslyn in Arlington, Va. by DHS agents. His arrest comes as federal officials have increased their arrests and detentions of immigrants with legal statuses in the U.S. as President Donald Trump tries to crack down on broader immigration.

RELATED STORY | Georgetown scholar detained over American wifes Palestinian ties, lawyer says

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in a post on X that the Secretary of State determined on March 15 that Suris activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable.

In the post, McLaughlin accused him of having close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

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However, in a statement to DC News Now, a Georgetown University spokesperson said they were not aware of Suri engaging in an illegal activity.

Dr. Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly, said the spokesperson.

Fairfax County police: Armed man near CIA headquarters surrenders after barricade incident

Suris attorney Hassan Ahmad reportedly argued that Suri was detained because of his wifes Palestinian heritage and their views on U.S. Israel policy.

Seeing our government abduct and jail another innocent person is beyond contemptible, said Ahmad.

Suris arrest comes weeks after Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student activist and legal U.S. resident, was detained over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

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Congressman Don Beyer issued a statement saying that Suris arrest is a clear violation of his constitutional rights, and he must be released.

The justification given for these violations of Mr. Suris right to due process is another violation of the Constitution: a blatant attack on the First Amendment. Mr. Suri and his family are unfortunately the latest victim of President Trumps assault on the freedom of speech. Trump has made no effort to disguise the fact that the arrests of academics like Suri and Mahmoud Khalil is intended to have a chilling effect and discourage the free expression of political views which Trump dislikes, said Beyer, in part.

Suri is being held in Louisiana and is awaiting a date in immigration court.

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CHATHAM  Speakers from both sides of the debate to locate a data center in Pittsylvania County took the podium to state their case Tuesday evening to the board of supervisors.

In all, 20 people spoke during whats known as the citizen comment portion of the meeting, a time to let residents speak out on any issues. There were 37 signed up to speak.

However, that part of the meeting is capped at 45 minutes. Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors Chair Robert Tucker extended the time limit by 15 minutes, a departure from an unlimited timeframe he instituted at Februarys meeting.

Balico Technology Campus wants to rezone about 750 acres in the Chalk Level Road area for a data center and power-generating units. It would move the land from a residential suburban subdivision and agricultural district to a heavy-use industrial district.

The issue was set to come for a vote on Tuesday, but the company requested that it be pushed off until the April 15 meeting. Thats the second time a delay has happened. The public hearing and vote were first set for the February meeting.

Tim Reynolds, a resident of the Staunton River District, represented Balico on Tuesday evening and explained the delay.

Last month has been very busy for the team, he told the board. Weve continued to define the key details of the proposal.

Reynolds pointed to a meeting in Gretna last week that he called very productive.

He said the company continues to redefine proffers  essentially legally binding agreements that come with rezoning  after more meetings with county staff members.

All of these changes are geared toward minimizing the impact to the community, he said. We continue to change our proposal to make it the best for the county.

Reynolds touted the tens of millions of dollars a data center would bring to the county in tax revenues.

No one wants to get to the end of this more than the team, he said of the twice-delayed public hearings and vote.

The Pittsylvania County Planning Commission recommended that the project be denied after a nearly five-hour-long meeting in January.

The Herndon-based company is facing fierce pushback from neighbors. On the opposite side, the town of Hurt would benefit financially since Balico would foot the bill for a new water treatment center.

Balico plans to pipe water along a 19-mile route to the area near Chatham. The water would be used to cool the machines inside the data center, which will consume large amounts of power.

In the latest pitch from the company, temporary gas-powered turbines would provide power to start operations. The plan submitted still includes for a 3,500-megawatt power plant, which would be the largest in the state of Virginia.

That power plant was in an original plan that debuted in October using 2,200 acres. The company scaled back after county supervisors signaled they wouldnt support such a large-scale endeavor.

New at this meeting, those against the data center were decked out in special T-shirts. The yellow garments matched signs that read no data centers, no power plants in rural neighborhoods.

Amy Davis, who lives near the site of the project, said it will impact the area, Eroding the quality of life for people who call this place home.

Her farm would be surrounded by the data center.

She called for supervisors to end the emotional distress and anxiety its causing for neighbors to have the vote pushed off.

We pray for a no vote to Balico, she said.

Greg Buppert, a senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, also was frustrated by the delays.

The center sent a letter to the board of supervisors urging them to reject the proposal.

The board is not obligated to grant another delay, he said Tuesday evening. We urge you to make April 15 the last day the public needs to worry about this plant.

Buppert, with the Charlottesville-based nonprofit, also noted the power plant would be the second largest in the nation.

The plan provides stability precisely for a moment like this, Buppert said of the comprehensive plan in the county. The plan provides the board all the reasons it needs to deny Balico.

Tuesdays speakers were evenly split. Residents in the northern part of the county talked about the overall benefit to everyone with extra money coming in to keep taxes now and fund more school projects.

Emily Mayhew said shes lived in the county for nearly 82 years.

The Staunton River District resident urged supervisors to look at the pros and cons.

I think this is the situation Pittsylvania County finds itself in now, she said. No matter what the final decision, there will be some folks who will not be happy with it.

Even though Hurt would get a new water plant, fire departments throughout the county also would see a financial boost, she said.

Shes referencing a letter of intent inked between Hurt and Balico to purchase water for the data center. A surcharge would go to fund fire agencies in the county.

All of the citizens in the county should be able to see a tax break from this project, she said. How much longer are we going to continue with the not-in-my-backyard stance.

Those who did not get to speak Tuesday night will be given priority at the next board meeting on April 15. Thats also when the public hearing on the rezoning request is scheduled.

To be continued April 15, Tucker said.
Georgia lawmakers scrambled to hear testimony on Wednesday on a religious freedom bill critics say will be used as a sword rather than a shield to attack LGBTQ+ rights. Republicans hope to pass the legislation before April 4, when the legislative session ends.

Senate Bill 36, the Restoration of Religious Freedom Act, purports to protect religious freedom for Georgians. The bill states that the state government shall not substantially burden a persons exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability except in rare instances.

The bill failed a first vote in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, but the bill could return for another vote. The bill passed the state Senate on March 4 by a vote of 32 to 23.

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Critics called out supporters of the bill, challenging their claims that the bill will not be used to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community.

The only Jewish member of the House, Esther Panitch (D-Sandy Springs) was emotional in her criticism of the bill during debate on Wednesday.

"This is going to be used as a sword and not a shield," Panitch said, Atlanta First Reports.

Despite repeated assurances that this bill would not be used to create a license to discriminate or to preempt local non-discrimination ordinances, when offered Republican-sponsored, bipartisan amendments with these guarantees, the bill sponsor rejected them all. We are disappointed by this rejection of a common-sense compromise to protect Georgians, Georgia Equality said in a statement, adding, This move makes it clear that our concerns about this bill being weaponized against vulnerable groups are completely valid.

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In previous years, state legislators have failed to pass a so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act, aka RFRA. Like those versions, the current bill is framed as an expansion and protection of religious rights, but in reality, it could be used to deny rights to gay people and many others, the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia (ACLU Georgia) said in a statement. Supporters will likely use it as a reason to pass anti-LGBTQ+ laws, further restrict reproductive rights, allow business owners to discriminate at their own discretion, and control educational materials in schools.

Republicans have sizeable majorities in both houses of the Georgia General Assembly, Ballotpedia reports. They control the Senate 33 to 23 and control the House 100 to 80.

While not commenting on this specific bill, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has said in the past that he would sign such legislation.
Frances Perez and Susan Cobb exchange a hug before the Georgia House narrowly approved legislation to limit lawsuit damage awards. Cobb was an outspoken critic at the Capitol before the vote, arguing the limits will make it harder for sex trafficking victims to get justice. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

House members watch the vote come in on Gov. Brian Kemps tort bill. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

As the dust settles in the wake of Georgias much-awaited lawsuit showdown in the House, one thing seems clear: A special session is looking much less likely.

Gov. Brian Kemp had threatened to drag lawmakers back to Atlanta for a special session if meaningful, impactful changes were not made to the states civil justice system this year. And after weeks of debate, the Kemp-backed overhaul passed the House in a razor-thin 91-82 vote Thursday, clearing one of the final legislative hurdles before it reaches the governors desk.

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The heavily contested bill is one of the few votes in the 2025 legislative session that did not fall cleanly along party lines, with eight House Republicans breaking ranks to vote against the legislation and three House Democrats joining the majority to secure the bills passage.

Senate Bill 68, sponsored by Macon Republican and Senate President Pro Tem John F. Kennedy, now returns to the Senate for a final vote, though it is expected to clear the chamber a second time.

The omnibus bill includes eight substantive provisions that proponents say are aimed at ensuring more balance between plaintiffs and defendants during personal injury trials. Among the changes are provisions that would limit owners liability for injuries that occur on their property, restrict damages awarded for medical bills, and enable trials to more easily be split into multiple stages so that juries can determine liability and damages separately. The version that passed the House contains a few key amendments added in the House Subcommittee of Rules on Lawsuit Reform that carves out greater protections for survivors of human trafficking, but lawmakers failed to extend similar protections to other child, elderly and sexual assault victims.

Tort bill opponents gather at the Georgia Capitol. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

The bill faced fierce opposition from crime victims and their families, as well as trial lawyers and victims advocates, who repeatedly gathered to protest SB 68 at the state capitol in the weeks leading up to the House vote. The bills passage through the Legislature also coincided with a bombshell Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald investigation which found that for years, insurance companies in Florida urged state legislators to pass similar measures limiting lawsuits due to claims of financial hardship while illegally funneling money to investors and subsidiaries. Though Floridas Office of Insurance Regulation was aware of the insurance companies actions, the agency never alerted lawmakers, leading Georgia Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes to call for a similar investigation into Georgia insurance companies.

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But despite the widespread criticism, lawmakers were able to amass enough votes to push through the legislation. House Speaker Jon Burns, a Newington Republican, celebrated SB 68s passage, saying that the bill will return stability to Georgias insurance marketplace. He also announced the formation of a new House study committee dedicated to examining Georgias insurance landscape even further.

House Speaker Jon Burns announces the formation of a new House study committee dedicated to examining Georgias insurance landscape. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

The members of this chamber took another critical step to deliver a substantive, meaningful lawsuit reform that will return a much-needed balance to our litigation environment, stabilize our insurance markets and protect the rights of all Georgians, Burns said.

The civil litigation overhauls passage was also applauded by business groups like the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Americans for Prosperity-Georgia and Georgia Retailers, which rallied in support of Kemps overhauls.

For the past 20 years, securing tort reform has been the top legislative priority of the Georgia Chamber, Chris Clark, the president and CEO of the Georgia Chamber said in a statement. The House passage of SB 68 takes us to the brink of finally delivering meaningful tort reform for Georgia. We look forward to working with Georgias legislative leaders to do right by Georgians and finish the job by getting both SB 68 and SB 69 signed into law.

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But Democrats, who have been advocating against the legislation from the beginning, expressed disappointment over the bills passage, with Minority Caucus Chair Tanya Miller, an Atlanta Democrat who served on the House Rules Subcommittee where the bill was heard, calling the SB 68 one of the most poorly drafted bills I have ever seen as a lawyer.

Democratic leadership also expressed frustration with the members of their caucus who broke ranks to vote for the legislation.

Rep. Stacey Evans. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

We were sent here to make hard decisions, and hard decisions are hard because you have to look people in the eye that you disappoint, said Rep. Stacey Evans, an Atlanta Democrat. Those victims wont be here every day, but the chamber will be here. Insurance companies will be here, and I think too many of my colleagues were worried about walking down the hall and looking them in the eye and not worried about the people back home.

Trial lawyers, who have spent their careers advocating for crime victims in personal injury cases, also condemned the bills passage and what they see as inaccurate rhetoric around how victims will be affected.

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We put so much energy into this to try to help people  especially non lawyers  understand the practical impact, said Andy Rogers, a personal injury lawyer at the Atlanta firm Deitch & Rogers who has been speaking out against the bill. It was hard to listen to comments from the floor from the supporters of the bill today talk about things that just werent accurate.

Kara Phillips, another personal injury lawyer at Deitch & Rogers, emphasized the impact a new limit on damage awards will have on the most vulnerable victims she represents.

Its children, its the elderly, its all sex assault victims and survivors who are going to be impacted, she said. Every single one of them are going to have their claims barred by this.

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Among the slew of legislative items passing through the Georgia General Assembly, lawmakers took time out of their schedule to declare March 20 a special holiday at the Capitol.

Going forward, members of the Georgia House of Representatives declared March 20 Buc-ees Day, in honor of the popular, and lucrative, beaver-themed gas station, food stop and pop culture standout.

So far, there are two Buc-ees locations in Georgia, with two more on the way.

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Thanking the company for their role as a strong partner in the community, state lawmakers praised the Texas brands features and offerings, from beef jerky to slushies to extraordinarily clean bathrooms.

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Rep. Bethany Ballard of Houston County referred to the Warner Robins Buc-ees location, the first in the state, as a landmark, showing how the company writ large is a valued community partner with good jobs and good benefits for employees.

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Ballard said that while right now the state only has the locations in Warner Robins and Calhoun, two more were coming to Monroe County and New Brunswick.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Buc-ees Senior Director of Operations Richard Sebastian kept his speech brief, thanking Georgia for being the first state, of the nine theyre currently in, to have an official Buc-ees Day at the Capitol.

He mentioned how Buc-ees performed in Georgia and said he could sum it up in three words: Buc-ees loves Georgia!

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GLENVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY)  After his alleged accomplice admitted to stealing more than $1 million from a Gilmer County business earlier this month, officials say a Georgia man has now admitted to the same crime.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of West Virginia, Prince Boateng Adjei, 31, of Lawrenceville, Georgia recently pleaded guilty to accusations of wire fraud.

Court documents and statements made in court said that Adjei and Chisom Okonkwo, 28, also of Lawrenceville, conspired to carry out a business email compromise scheme where they disguised themselves as an employee of a Gilmer County business. Officials said this activity is commonly known as spoofing. The pair was indicted on these accusations in June 2024

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Kids ejected in Lewis County crash were not wearing seatbelts, troopers say

As part of the scheme, the pair deceived a person who believed that they were dealing with a legitimate business to send more than $1 million to a bank account under their control. Officials said that the pair spent more than $600,000 of the stolen funds before they were caught.

As part of his plea agreement, Adjei has agreed to pay $610,146.03 in restitution. He faces up to 20 years in prison and will be sentenced at a later date. These are the same conditions that were given to Okonkwo after she pled guilty earlier this month.

The United States Secret Service investigated this incident and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted on behalf of the government.

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In addition to protecting the president, the Secret Service also carries out financial and counterfeit investigations and was originally established in 1865 to combat the counterfeiting of U.S. currency.

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Cornelia Republican Sen. Bo Hatchett defended the merits of state income tax reduction House Bill 111 during a March 20 Senate floor session. Hatchett sponsored a a tax cut measure that is backed by Gov. Brian Kemp. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder (file)

A pair of Georgia bills that would lower the state income tax rate and provide an extra refund to taxpayers later this year are now awaiting Gov. Brian Kemps signature.

The state Senate Thursday greenlighted House Bill 111 and 112, the fourth in a series of tax rebate package bills in recent years that the Republican governor prioritized.

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Under HB 111, the state income tax rate of 5.39% would be reduced to 5.19% effective July 1, which would save taxpayers about $869 million.

The income tax bill was adopted by a 30-23 vote, primarily along party lines with majority Republican support. Senators unanimously supported HB 112, which would allow Georgians who filed income taxes to receive an additional refund later this year.

If signed into law, a $250 rebate would go to individual filers, $375 to heads of households and $500 to married couples filing jointly.

Sen. Josh McLaurin, a Sandy Springs Democrat, said the one-time time tax refund will mean more money sooner to most Georgians than a permanent reduction in the income tax rate.

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Some of us will be voting for immediate tax relief because $250 matters a lot more than $30, McLaurin said. We do not need to be making structural changes that cripple our ability to respond to social ills for the rest of time.

Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat, said the problem with the income tax reduction is that it delivers outsized benefits to Georgian who are at the top of the income bracket at the expense of the average taxpayers.

Acworth Republican Sen. Ed Setzler disputed that the income tax reduction was favorable to the top 1% of wealthy Georgians. He said a majority of filers in the top income bracket are from small business owners, who could put the $3,000 refund from the state to good use.

Cornelia Republican Sen. Bo Hatchett, the sponsor of the income tax legislation, said that 100% of the overall tax savings goes to 100% of taxpayers.

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A reduction in taxes helps everyone, Hatchett said. It also helps spur further job creation, which also helps the very same people some of my colleagues highlighted today. Its very important that we continue to budget conservatively so that we can continue to provide opportunities like this tax cut and like this rebate.

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Georgias highest court heard arguments Wednesday on whether a lower court judge ruled correctly when he blocked seven rules passed by the State Election Board just before last years general election and declared that the board didnt have the authority to pass them.

The board passed a slate of new rules in August and September that mostly had to do with processes after ballots are cast, spawning a flurry of lawsuits. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas Cox ruled in mid-October that seven of the rules were illegal, unconstitutional and void.

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Cox failed to exercise appropriate judicial restraint when he issued his consequential, far-reaching order that implicates every rule created by the State Election Board and calls into question the existence of the board and other state agencies with similar enabling legislation, lawyers for the state argued in a court filing. Critics of the rules say Cox got it right.

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President Donald Trump narrowly lost the state in 2020 and he alleged without evidence that election fraud had cost him victory. Three Trump-endorsed Republicans hold the majority on the five-person State Election Board.

Democrats and voting rights groups had worried Trump allies would use the rules to cast doubt on results if he lost the crucial swing state again in Novembers presidential election. Trump beat Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris to win Georgia.

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and many county election officials advised against the addition of new rules so close to the election. Attorney General Chris Carr, also a Republican, warned in a memo before the board passed the rules that some appeared to conflict with existing law.

Coxs ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed against the state by Eternal Vigilance Action, which was founded and led by former state Rep. Scot Turner, a Republican. The suit argued that the State Election Board had overstepped its authority. The Republican National Committee and the Georgia Republican Party joined the litigation to defend what they called commonsense rules to increase transparency and the integrity of elections.

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Bryan Tyson, a lawyer for the state argued that the organization and individuals who challenged the rules lacked standing to sue because there was no specific harm suffered and no concrete imminent injury, that they do not have a violation of their own legal rights. He argued that the justices should reverse the lower court ruling for that reason alone without even addressing the merits of their arguments.

Cox held that while the General Assembly can delegate some rulemaking authority to executive agencies if the appropriate guidelines are in place to constrain it, that was not the case here so the State Election Board lacked the authority to enact the rules.

But lawyers for the state wrote in a court filing that the General Assembly provided sufficient guidelines and that the board cannot itself make laws, but it is authorized to fill in the blanks and administer the laws the Legislature has made.

Lawyers for Eternal Vigilance argue that an executive agency like the State Election Board cannot enact rules that are inconsistent with or unauthorized by state law. The state Constitution doesnt allow an executive agency to legislate and doesnt allow the Legislature to delegate legislative authority to an executive agency, they wrote in filings.

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The board is acting in violation of the separation of powers doctrine by engaging in legislative activity, lawyer Chris Anulewicz told the justices.

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The court generally rules within several months of a hearing.

Three of the rules that Cox invalidated received a lot of attention prior to his ruling  one that requires that the number of ballots be hand-counted after the close of polls and two that had to do with the certification of election results.

The other rules Cox said are illegal and unconstitutional are ones that: require someone delivering an absentee ballot in person to provide a signature and photo ID; demand video surveillance and recording of ballot drop boxes after polls close during early voting; expand the mandatory designated areas where partisan poll watchers can stand at tabulation centers; and require daily public updates of the number of votes cast during early voting.




Germany's embattled car industry exported more vehicles in 2024 than in the previous year, most of them to the United States, where President Donald Trump is threatening to impose new tariffs.

Last year, Germany exported some 3.4 million new cars worldwide, worth 135 billion ($146 billion), according to official data from the Federal Statistical Office.

Exports rose by 2.5% in volume compared to the previous year, although the value of exports fell slightly by 1.3%.

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The US was the largest taker of all new car exports with a share of 13.1%, followed by Britain (11.3%) and France (7.4%), the office said.

Meanwhile Germany imported some 1.8 million new cars in 2024, a fall of 11.5% in terms of volume and 12.8% in terms of value.

The data comes after Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on cars imported from the European Union. He plans to make a concrete statement about this in early April.

So far, car imports from the EU to the US have been subject to a 2.5% tariff.

US tariffs would hit Europe's struggling car industry hard, especially German manufacturers.

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The US market is one of the most important sales markets for all German carmakers. Almost one in three Porsches and one in six BMWs were sold in North America in 2024, while Volkswagen, Audi and Mercedes-Benz each reported a share of 12% to 15%.

Tariffs of 25% on steel and aluminium imports to the US are already in force. The EU responded by imposing counter-tariffs on a range of products from the US, including bourbon whiskey and motorbikes.
Germany on Thursday reopened its embassy in Damascus, more than three months after the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The embassy - which closed in 2012 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war - was formally opened by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to the Syrian capital.

The move represents a significant step in the restoration of relations between Damascus and Berlin.

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Germany has a large population of more than 1 million Syrian residents, many of whom fled their homeland during the bloody civil war.

The conflict finally ended late last year with the overthrow of strongman al-Assad, who fled to Russia as his regime collapsed following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

A transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has since been working to restore security and revive the country's shattered economy after more than a decade of conflict.

Baerbock met al-Sharaa for the second time on Thursday, accompanied by German lawmaker Armin Laschet, her former rival as candidate for chancellor in 2021.

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The Syrian president did not offer a handshake to either politician.

Al-Sharaa's failure to shake Baerbock's hand during their first meeting in January - after shaking that of her French counterpart - provoked a storm of controversy in Germany.

Baerbock's trip came just two weeks after violent clashes in north-western Syria left hundreds dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitor, has recorded more than 1,500 people killed in the violence, most of them civilians from the Alawite religious minority - the sect to which al-Assad belongs.

Speaking from Beirut before her flight to Syria, Baerbock condemned the "targeted killing of civilians," calling it a "terrible crime" that had significantly damaged trust.

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The foreign minister reaffirmed Germany's commitment to providing continued humanitarian aid to Syria, while also signalling a potential easing of sanctions - but only under certain conditions.

"A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible," said Baerbock, adding that this would require clear commitments to ensure freedom, security and equal opportunities for all Syrians, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion.

A small number of German diplomats are set to resume activities in Damascus, but consular work such as issuing visas will continue to be carried out in Beirut, Baerbock confirmed.
{microsoft_credit="" caption="A German security officer stands in the destroyed Jobar district of Damascus. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is in Syria for the second time since the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad three months ago. Hannes P. Albert/dpa"}

Germany on Thursday reopened its embassy in Damascus, more than three months after the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.

The embassy - which closed in 2012 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war - was formally opened by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to the Syrian capital.

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The move represents a significant step in the restoration of relations between Damascus and Berlin.

Germany has a large population of more than 1 million Syrian residents, many of whom fled their homeland during the bloody civil war.

The conflict finally ended late last year with the overthrow of the dictator al-Assad, who fled to Russia as his regime collapsed following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

A transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has since been working to restore security and revive the country's shattered economy after more than a decade of conflict.

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Baerbock was set to meet al-Sharaa and representatives of civil society organizations on Thursday in her second visit to Syria since al-Assad's regime fell.

The country remains highly divided, with Baerbock's trip coming just two weeks after violent clashes in north-western Syria left hundreds dead.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitor, has recorded more than 1,500 people killed in the violence, most of them civilians from the Alawite religious minority - the sect to which al-Assad belongs.

Speaking from Beirut before her flight to Syria, Baerbock condemned the "targeted killing of civilians," calling it a "terrible crime" that had caused significant damage to trust.

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The foreign minister reaffirmed Germany's commitment to providing continued humanitarian aid to Syria, while also signalling a potential easing of sanctions - but only under certain conditions.

"A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible," said Baerbock, adding that this would require clear commitments to ensure freedom, security and equal opportunities for all Syrians, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.

A small number of German diplomats are set to resume activities in Damascus, but consular work such as issuing visas will continue to be carried out in Beirut, Baerbock confirmed.
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP)  Germany's foreign minister reopened its embassy in Damascus on Thursday, 13 years after it was shut in the early days of Syrias civil war, saying that Europe needs eyes and ears on the ground as it follows the Syrian political transition.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reopened the embassy before meeting interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and others during a visit to Damascus, her second since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December.

Among the European Union's 27 members, Italy reopened its embassy last year before the fall of Assad, and Spain reopened its embassy after his ouster.

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With this embassy opening, we are saying very clearly that Germany is back in Damascus, Germany has a paramount interest in a stable Syria, Baerbock told reporters.

For the time being the embassy will have a very small team, supported by colleagues based in neighboring Lebanon, and offer no consular or visa services, she said. It is led by a charge d'affaires for now. "Whether there will in the future be an ambassador again depends on further political and, of course, security developments here, she added.

We want the political process in Syria to move forward and to support it as well as is possible, Baerbock said. For that, we as Europeans and as the Federal Republic of Germany need our colleagues as eyes and ears on the ground.

Her visit followed clashes earlier this month between fighters loyal to Assad and forces of the countrys new rulers that sparked the worst violence since the civil war, leaving about 1,000 dead, most of them members of Assads Alawite minority community.

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Baerbock said that in her talks with the transitional government, she "emphasized that it's now up to them to hold those responsible to account.

The interim government earlier this month signed a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the countrys northeast. Baerbock praised that agreement and said there needs to be inclusion for other groups as well so that they can feel theyre part of a new Syria.

Germany, one of the leading powers in the EU, has been a major destination for Syrian refugees over the past decade. If all the millions of Syrians who left the country returned at once, Syria would collapse, Baerbock said.

She said the return of those who want to go back would have to be a step-by-step approach, especially starting with the direct neighboring countries.
Germany on Thursday reopened its embassy in Damascus, more than three months after the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad.

The embassy was formally opened by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to the Syrian capital.

The embassy was shut after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2012.

Al-Assad ruled Syria for over two decades. Following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham late last year, he fled to Russia.

Since then, the new transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been working to restore security and revive the economy.

Baerbock is set to meet al-Sharaa during her visit.
Germany has updated its travel advisory for the United States to emphasize that a visa or waiver allowing entry does not guarantee Germans to enter the U.S. after several of its citizens were detained at the border.

According to an advisory on Germanys Foreign Office website, the country warned that entry through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) system or a U.S. visa is not guaranteed every time and that the U.S. border control has final decision.

It is recommended that you bring proof of your return journey upon entry, the office said.

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The office noted that a criminal conviction in the U.S., false information about an individuals purpose of stay, or even a slight overstay of the visa can lead to arrest, detention and deportation.

The new advisory comes as Germany is investigating the case of three of its citizens being denied entry and placed in detention when they tried to enter the U.S.

A spokesperson said the incidents of the past week involving German citizens entering the USA are being taken very seriously, local media reported.

Most tourists from European countries, including Germany, can generally travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days. Still, when the German citizens were detained separately crossing the San Diego-Tijuana border, they were denied entry and sent to a detention center, The New York Times reported.

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The changes and detentions come amid the Trump administrations crackdown on immigration at the countrys southern border and the implementation of a mass deportation plan.

While President Trump campaigned to stop illegal immigration, hes primarily targeted long-standing programs that give migrants and travelers legal ways to enter the U.S.

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German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was set to visit Syria on Thursday for the second time since the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad three months ago.

Baerbock is expected to arrive in Damascus on Thursday morning for talks with Syria's transitional government and civil society representatives.

Specific details of the minister's itinerary were not disclosed for security reasons.

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Baerbock's visit comes just two weeks after violent clashes in north-west Syria left hundreds dead.

Speaking from Beirut before her departure, Baerbock condemned the "targeted killing of civilians" during the recent violence, calling it a "terrible crime" that had caused significant damage to trust.

Despite this, Baerbock reaffirmed Germany's commitment to providing continued humanitarian aid to Syria, while also signalling a potential easing of sanctions - but only under certain conditions.

"A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible," said Baerbock, adding that this would require clear commitments to ensure freedom, security and equal opportunities for all Syrians, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion.

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Al-Assad ruled Syria for over two decades. Following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (Organization for the Liberation of the Levant, HTS) late last year, he fled to Russia.

Since then, the new transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has been working to restore security and revive the economy.

Baerbock is set to meet with al-Sharaa during her visit.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday described the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Turkey as a "very, very bad sign."

The detention of such a central opposition politician is "depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for relations between Europe and Turkey," Scholz said on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.

Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday morning on terrorism and corruption charges and has been in police custody since then.

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He was set to be nominated as the presidential candidate for the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Sunday, and is considered a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"We can only call for this to end immediately," Scholz said. The opposition should not be put on trial, but should be able to compete with the government, the chancellor said.

According to the state-run news agency Anadolu, at least 87 other people were detained alongside Imamoglu, with a total of 106 under investigation.
Year after year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) tracks global sea levels with an ever-increasing and -improving series of satellites. The agency has settled on a somewhat predictable average of 0.17 inches per year, but 2024 saw that number increase more than 35% to 0.23 inches, according to a recent press release. It may not sound like much, but much is relative when we are talking about year-over-year data on this big blue marble we all inhabit. That 0.23-inch increase is, as a matter of fact, the highest sea level NASA has recorded in three decades.

The rise we saw in 2024 was higher than expected, Josh Willis, a sea level researcher at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge, California, said somewhat understatedly in a NASA press release last week. Every year is a little bit different, he addedand its worth noting that NASA has only been recording ocean height by satellite since 1993but whats clear is that the ocean continues to rise, and the rate of rise is getting faster and faster.

The release goes on to say that in recent years, about two-thirds of sea level rise was from the addition of water from land into the ocean by melting ice sheets and glaciers, with most of the rest coming from thermal expansion of seawaterwarmer water has greater volume than colder water (This is partly why commercial ships have whats called a Plimsoll line, which delineates its draft in various salinities and temperatures.)

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With 2024 as the warmest year on record, Earths expanding oceans are following suit, reaching their highest levels in three decades, said Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, NASA's Lead Climate Change and Variability Program Scientist and Physical Oceanography Program Manager at HQ in Washington, D.C.

Of course, the volume of water isnt so much why we here at Surfer draw concern from these numbers. Not being oceanographers ourselves, per se, we gave a shout to New South Wales, Australia-based Swellnet Surf Forecaster Craig Brokensha what this might mean for surf breaks and forecasts going forward, and how soon we might see changes at this rate.

From a daily forecasting perspective, rising sea levels in the next few years won't really come into consideration, Brokensha offered, somewhat consolingly. This is mainly because of the other variables at play, which have a larger effect on short term sea levelsmoon phases, coastal trapped waves, the inverse barometer effect, things like that. The inverse barometer effect is the oceans static response to changes in atmospheric pressure, leading sea level to rise when pressure drops, and lower when pressure increases.

However, Brokensha says of looking forward, when assessing time scales from decades to centuries, you then have a greater impact at spots that are very tidally affected. Coral reef growth can keep up with gradual sea level rises but static reefs and rocky points will experience a slow evolution in the shape of the breaking waves. Beaches of course are very dynamic environments and the dense coastal/urban interface will experience increasing challenges as erosion events become more commonplace.

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It may go without saying, but this is all going to vary greatly from one type of break to the next. A tropical reef with minimal tide swings that stops working at the low end might, in as little as a decade or three, start receiving swell and serving up perfection throughout the entire tide cycle.

In the long range, but perhaps not quite as long as we all had hoped and thought, our beloved peaks could well go the way of Atlantis, and thats to say nothing of our other hauntsand our homes. Surf em while you got em.
Mar. 19The driver of a tractor-trailer didn't move over despite several highly visible warnings, and a state trooper died when the truck crushed his cruiser on Interstate 95 .

The driver pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and was sentenced to 12 months in prison. The 19-year veteran state trooper, Staff Sgt. Jesse E. Sherrill, never saw his wife, Nicolle, or sons, Peyton and Quinn, again.

This month, the New Hampshire Senate passed an update to the state's "Move Over Law," naming it Sherrill's Law and adding more protections so incidents like the trooper's deadly overnight construction detail in Portsmouth on Oct. 28, 2021, never happen again.

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"This bill is to honor the memory of Staff Sgt. Jesse Sherrill, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe," said state Sen. Donovan Fenton, D-Keene, the prime sponsor of SB 273.

The bipartisan bill is awaiting passage in the House and would take effect 60 days after being signed into law.

"His loss is memorable, but his memory lives on not only with those who loved him, but in the work we continue to do to protect the safety of our law enforcement officers," Fenton said.

Sherrill, 44, was born in Exeter in 1977 and lived in Barrington.

At the New Hampshire Traffic Fatality Summit a few weeks ago, Lt. Chris Storm said Sherrill's Law is "near and dear to our hearts in the State Police."

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"It's in recognition of Jesse Sherrill and his family and all the work they've done and obviously the tragic loss," Storm said.

What is Sherrill's Law?

The bill would update to the current "Move Over Law," which requires motorists to move over into another lane or slow down when passing a stopped first-responder and obey traffic instructions from first responders, construction and utility workers, and signs and signals on the state's highways.

Sherrill's Law would add a few tweaks to include moving over and giving a wider berth without endangering oncoming traffic for any standing vehicle displaying warning signals or lights, including all cars with their hazard lights on, and taking the same precautions when driving near road flares, traffic cones, caution signs, any people in a roadway, and any warning signs, lights or signals at all, not just from public safety personnel.

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"The biggest thing isn't, 'Hey, move over for the police or the fire department.' This bill is to move over for everybody," Storm said at the summit. "So, we're trying to increase that so everybody has to move over, no matter who the person is that pulled over on the side of the highway."

Public safety officials said expanding the law to include all vehicles and increasing awareness will help. Especially because most drivers don't understand their responsibilities or abide by the current law.

Hooksett hearing

Get ready, Hooksett, a $20 million project for Route 3/Route 28, also known as Hooksett Road, is coming your way and it's expected to tear up your main drag from 2027 to 2029.

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Now's the time to have your say on a project that calls for widening the road to five lanes and adding sidewalks, medians, wider shoulders and as many as two roundabouts, among other fixes, between Alice Avenue and Whitehall Road.

A public hearing is scheduled for 6-8 p.m. on April 3 at Hooksett Town Hall.

For more information about the plan, visit dot.nh.gov.

I-293 work in Manchester

Nighttime traffic on Interstate 293 in Manchester will be down to one lane in each direction and drivers may encounter brief closures between Exit 5 and Exit 7, starting Monday evening and lasting through May 16, transportation officials said.

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Crews will be replacing median guardrails from 9 to 5 p.m. during those dates.

The project is budgeted for $1.4 million.

I-93 lane closures

From April 1 to around Memorial Day, all four lanes of open-road E-ZPass tolls on Interstate93  two each north and south  will be closed at the Hooksett Toll Plaza.

For an estimated two months, drivers won't be able to fly through the tolls without slowing down. Instead, they'll funnel through the six traditional toll booths on each side of the highway.

dpierce@unionleader.com
(Bloomberg) -- Ghana authorities raided the home of former central bank Governor Ernest Addison to search vaults he was alleged to be keeping at his residence, Joy FM reported.

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About 15 heavily armed soldiers entered the house at Roman Ridge in Accra on Wednesday at dawn to carry out the operation while Addison and his family were at home, the Accra-based radio broadcaster said, citing individuals it didnt name.

Addison firmly denied having any such vaults or caches of money on his property, it said.

The search yielded no results, but the soldiers took away the CCTVs systems monitor and control unit and four vehicles, Joy FM said. The family was contacted later in the day to retrieve the vehicles, it said.

A spokesman for National Security didnt immediately comment when he was reached by phone. Addison didnt respond to phone calls and a text message seeking comment.

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The former central bank head served as governor from 2017 until Feb. 3 when he decided to take accumulated leave ahead of his March 18 retirement. That followed President John Mahamas return to power this year after resoundingly beating Mahamudu Bawumia, the candidate of the then ruling party, in the December elections.

During his tenure, Addison oversaw a sweeping consolidation of the banking sector between 2017 and 2019, reducing the number of lenders by a third to 23. The changes rippled through smaller credit providers and spilled over into the asset management industry, resulting in a roughly 33 billion-cedis ($2.1 billion) cost to the government.

The central bank also lent to the government and bought treasury bonds during the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in the Bank of Ghana taking more than a 53 billion-cedis loss when the country defaulted in December 2022 and had to restructure almost all of its debt.

Former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has also been swept up in a separate government investigation and has agreed to present himself for questions from prosecutors in June.

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Ofori-Atta is expected to respond to questions regarding payments made for a controversial national cathedral project, and other issues.

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Mar. 19West Texas Gifts of Hope broke ground Wednesday on an expansion to its building at 700 W. First St. which will double its capacity.

Gifts of Hope provides lodging to people from across the Permian Basin region and Eastern New Mexico who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Staff was joined by volunteers, board members, the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, medical professionals, the FMH Foundation, Fraternal Order of Eagles and Texas Oncology among others for the occasion.

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Hope House, as it is also called, currently has four private rooms each with a separate en suite bathroom, living room, dining room, and kitchen. All offered at no charge, with the exception of the patient's food, the website said.

Patients are able to stay at Hope House in Odessa, with a referral from Texas Oncology-Odessa West Texas Cancer Center. Patients must live 30 miles or more from Ector County and be in active treatment, the website said.

Executive Director Brenda Medlock said the expansion will enable them to add four additional bedrooms, a new laundry room, refreshment bar, office space and a Look Good, Feel Good shop. Each bedroom can hold up to three people.

Last month, they had more than 15 requests to stay at Hope House, Medlock said. This week, they had nine requests. Some people are returning for treatment.

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"That tells you the need in this community," she added.

The expansion has been in the making for more than four years, Medlock said. About a year and a half ago, they decided they could make the expansion work.

She said the project cost is about $900,000.

They hope to open the expansion in September of this year. Fletco is doing the construction.

Board President Blake Little said in remarks that the board had worked its tail off to get this project going. He believes strongly in the organization because they are helping people who can't help themselves.

"(They are) going through the worst time right now. Cancer is an awful thing. It's probably one of the worst things ... people can go through and us to be able to help people that literally can't take care of themselves go home and have the means to take care of themselves ... that helps me push for this every day," Little said.

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Having the expansion start to become a reality is awesome and he is grateful for all the community support, he added.

"It's truly a blessing. It's a mess right now because of the way the construction is going, but it's going to be awesome with us doubling the size of it, (doubling) the amount of people we can help on a daily basis, which truly means a lot," Little said.
DANVILLE, Va. (WFXR)  Gods Pit Crew is sending out resources to Mississippi, Missouri, and other regions after deadly tornados hit these areas causing a need for supplies and support.

Wildfires in Mannford, Oklahoma have taken many lives, destroyed homes, and displaced hundreds. Gods Pit Crew is responding to provide essential products for relief such as food, water, hygiene kits, and other emergency supplies to the victims.

Additionally, they are also sending more resources to assist victims in the impacted areas caused by tornadoes that tore through Mississippi and Missouri. The storms that hit these areas left destruction, took lives, and caused widespread damage to buildings and homes.

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Gods Pit Crew partners with Martinsville Speedway for food aid

Supplies will be sent to Tylertown and McComb, Mississippi, along with Ozark, Missouri, to aid in the start of recovery.

Our crew is committed to providing relief as quickly and efficiently as possible, bringing hope and tangible support to communities that have lost so much, shared Gods Pit Crew Immediate Disaster Response Coordinator, Chris Chiles. These storms move quickly, and the damage left behind is unimaginable.

To help Gods Pit Crew in restocking their inventory to keep responding to disaster relief or to volunteer visit, godspitcrew.org or call 434-836-4472.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFXRtv.
From the G-File on The Dispatch

Hey,

I just participated in a panel at the University of Pennsylvania on conservatism and the future of the GOP. Nothing got settled, but I made some friendships on my journey. Anyway, I bring this up because I am now parked at the Biden Welcome Center in Delaware. This is the one named after Joe. The one dedicated to Hunter is a glass coffee table in a hotel suite, with rolled-up $100 bills and a pharmacopeia of intoxicants and antibiotics. Put down your purses and check out the Biden Welcome Center.

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The real point being, I only have so much time to write this. Theres a staff at the office I cant keep waiting, and there are quadrupeds at home that have very high expectations for me. (And speaking of which, I have been told by my editors to remind you all that the first round of Dispawtch bracket votingofficial voting, not the pick em bracketkicked off today at 5 p.m. ET.)

Im often told that I never have anything good to say about Trump. Thats often true. The point of this observation is almost always to dismiss or diminish the negative things I say about Trump. I mean, its not like the people who say it are starving for fawning or friendly coverage of Trump. Theres plenty of that out there. Indeed, there are several TV networks and countless websites and podcasts dedicated to exactly that. No, what they want to do is argue that my valid criticisms are invalidated by the fact that I have Trump Derangement Syndrome.

As a matter of logic, this is basically a shoot-the-messenger fallacy. I have numerous problems with this argument, starting with the fact that I dont think I have it. I certainly havent gone full Jen Rubin. But beyond that, a lot of the people who use the phrase Trump Derangement Syndrome have a very narrow definition of the term.

Its definitely true that Trump makes people crazy. But the quality of that craziness is not distributed entirely on the anti-Trump side. Sure, I listen to a lot of self-styled resistance types and can understand why people think those types have lost their minds. But if (some of) the resistance folks are nuts, so are many members of the counter-resistance. I mean, knock yourself out mocking the MSNBC crowd, but if you cant acknowledge that, say, Peter Navarro or Rudy Giuliani is bonkers, then you have the pro-Trump version of TDS. Orange Man bad thinking can be deranged (though there are plenty of solid arguments that the Orange Man is, in fact, bad). But Orange Man Good is often just as delusional.

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Still, I will throw you a bone. Ill do it Spaghetti Western Stylei.e. Ill give you the good, the bad, and the ugly. And Ill do it while squinting against the dramatic lighting.

The good.

It is unambiguously good that Donald Trump is bombing the stuffing out of the Houthis. Smashing pirates, brigands, and terrorists is, at a very fundamental level, what the government is there for. Indeed, were it not for the need to crush the Barbary Pirates, we wouldnt have a constitution in the first place. The Articles of Confederation were inadequate to the task of building and funding a competent navy. That was one of the main reasons the Founders convened to set up a new form of government.

Regardless, it was outrageous that Joe Biden tolerated Houthi aggression throughout his presidency. And it is good and necessary that Trump is opening a can of whup-ass on them.

The bad.

Last night Donald Trump sat down for an interview with Laura Ingraham, one of his appointees to the Kennedy Center Board and a Fox host. Heres an excerpt:

Youre tougher with Canada than you are with our biggest adversaries. Why? asked Ingraham. Only because its meant to be our 51st state, and I mean that, Trump said. Okay, but we need their territory. They have territorial advantage. Were not going to let them get close to China, right? pressed the Fox host. Look, I deal with every countrydirectly or indirectly. One of the nastiest countries to deal with is Canada.

This is very bad. I take a backseat to very few people in having fun at Canadas expense. But Canada is an ally. The longest unarmed border in the world is our border with Canada. They are military and strategic allies. Starting with FDR and ending with Trumps revised trade agreement in his first term, the United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement, Canada has organized its economy to be harmonized with the United States.

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The Trump administration has been pretending that Canada has been ripping us off. But it has been abiding by the very trade agreement Trump bragged about replacing NAFTA with. The logical upshot of this is that Trump wrote a trade treaty that screwed America.

(In case it matters to you, we have a very beneficial and preferential relationship with Canada when it comes to oil. We get more oil from Canadaat a discounted price, without fear of disruptionthan the next five foreign sources combined. We get 15 times more oil from them than from Saudi Arabia. Now Canadians, in response to Trumps tariff threats, are trying to figure out how to muck up that arrangement and sell more oil elsewhere, which would be bad for us.)

The administration has floated all sorts of argumentssome with a little merit, I guessand some totally contrived to justify our bullying of our peaceful neighbor and ally.

Should Canada spend more on defense? Sure. Should it do more to stop the negligible amount of fentanyl coming across the border? Maybe, sure. Reform its banking laws for more favorable treatment of American banks? I guess. But who really cares? I mean, its a weird form of populism that says it should be a huge priority for another nation to boost the profits of our banks.

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But the point is that all of this stuff was pretextual garbage. Trump in his own words says that the real reason hes making these arguments (the better word would be claims) is that he wants to annex the whole of the country.

Now, Im actually all in favor of annexing Canada (and Greenland), if Canada wants to be annexed (ditto Greenland). But they dont, and will never, ever, want that.

And what really bothers me about the way Trump talks about Canada is that it is remarkably similar to the way Putin talks about Ukraine. Its not a real country. It shouldnt exist. Canadians are really just Americans who, through an accident of history, got a country that doesnt really work and shouldnt really be a country.

No, I dont think Trump is going to authorize the creation of little green men as a military pretext to launch an invasion. But the main reason I dont think hell do that is because he wont be able to pull it off. Thats why this talk is merely bad.

The ugly.

Now, lets talk, briefly, about the ugly. Ill stick with that word instead of evil, but evil might turn out to be the better word.

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The Trump administration has objectively sided with Russia in the Russia-Ukraine war. The list of preemptive concessions to Russia is so staggeringly long I cant even cut-and-paste Jim Geraghtys excellent compilation without making this a 3,000-word newsletter.

The significance of these concessions is multifaceted. But the relevant point here is just that the concessions prove Trump is not an honest broker between the two sides. He is coming to Russias aid despite the fact the United States staked its honor and its word in support of Ukraine. That is dishonorable. It is unwise. You can argue that Biden and Congresswith ample Republican supportshould not have put our credibility on Ukraines side. You can argue that we shouldnt have rallied our allies to do likewise. I disagree profoundly. But the fact is we did. But Trump feels no obligation to maintain our honor or integrity on the world stage.

But Ive said all this before. The new ugliness, and perhaps the new profound evil if reports turn out to be true, is that weve decided to become accomplices to Russias tactic of stealing and brainwashing Ukrainian children. The U.S. State Department, ostensibly under the leadership of Marco Rubio, has ceased funding a project that tracks these abducted children. I think thats appalling. But, again, thats not the really ugly thing.

Members of Congress have reason to believe that the DOGE crew that halted the funding didnt stop there. Theyre worried that the administration actually deleted the files relating to the approximately 30,000 abducted children.

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Think about that. Imagine if the U.S. were helping track Hamas Israeli hostages, and then just decided to delete the files. Imagine how you would feel if you were the parents of one of those children. Youre free to make the argument that spending money tracking stolen children was a waste of taxpayer resources. Id disagree. But what on earth is the argument for effectively burning the records?

Maybe some cold-hearted, stoney-eyed realist could make the case that we should have dangled this card to Putin as an inducement to make concessions. I think that would be a moral horror. But okay. We screwed a lot of people at Yalta in the name of realism, too. But why do it for free?

Now, we dont know yet whether the files have been deleted. Maybe they werent. Maybe they were deleted by accident (which would be quite the indictment of the administrations competence). But if they were deleted on purpose, that would be an ugliness so vile and so profoundly ugly that one would need a better command of language to fully capture its evil.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)- Oklahomans will now have easy access to find emergency alerts on search and maps by Google and partnering agencies.

Google announced on Tuesday, a new search assisting Oklahomans in real-time regarding Oklahoma Wildfire resources including working alongside local authorities and weather organizations providing accurate and timely information on its platform.

A visual of Googles SOS alert for Oklahoma wildfires, Image courtesy Google

Devastating stories continue to pour in following wildfires

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Communities will have access to the following:

Google has launched SOS Alerts on Search and Maps to notify users of the escalating situation and provide critical safety information to community members, including top stories, fire boundaries (if available), air quality, and local authoritative help and links.

Public Alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are also active for wildfire weather and high winds.

Google Maps, Waze and Search are consistently updated to reflect road closures and wildfire boundaries in the affected areas using information from local authorities.

According to Google and Google.org, Googles philanthropic arm, will support relief and recovery efforts during fires with funding and an employee matching campaign.

You can access Google search and scroll through the Oklahoma SOS parent alert here.

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The platform seeks to provide support to the people and communities who are impacted by weather conditions and any evolving situation.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) was loudly booed at a Wyoming town hall for defending the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) work, standing behind the advisory boards work while touting the current administrations agenda.

Hageman, Wyomings at-large congressional representative, backed the action President Trumps administration has taken so far and brought up her vote for the Laken Riley Act. Both topics were met with disapproval from the crowd at the Laramie Civic Center on Wednesday night.

But the most forceful rebuke of the House lawmaker came when she attempted to defend DOGEs work.

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DOGE is not dismantling Social Security, and even with reconciliation we are not allowed to touch Social Security, Hageman said with loud boos coming from the crowd.

Attendees at one point were shouting Deport Elon! Deport Elon! Deport Elon! referring to tech billionaire and Trumps close adviser Elon Musk who was tapped by the president in November last year to oversee the advisory board that has infiltrated agencies and departments. Thousands of federal government workers have been fired.

One former government employee confronted Hageman about DOGEs work that has been strongly opposed by Democrats in Congress and activists on the ground, and has had some of its actions challenged in court.

A woman told Hageman that she was fired from the Department of Agriculture a month ago, despite only having the highest remarks in my performance review. You are in a state where so many farmers rely on government programs for drought and disaster relief.

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Trumps plans to cut these programs, along with his proposed tariffs, will decimate Wyoming farms in rural communities. What are you doing about that? the woman asked as the crowd broke out in cheers.

I disagree, Hageman responded as the boos ensued. I come from the ag community. I am well aware of what kind of programs are out there.

I havent seen it and I dont think that we will see it, the Wyoming lawmaker said. I think that our small businesses, our ranchers and our farmers are going to be able to actually thrive in an environment where they are not so overregulated by the federal government.

Hageman was asked by a man in attendance if DOGE could be implemented in the Cowboy State.

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Thats up to all of you, Hageman said Wednesday. What it comes down to is accountability. Thats all that DOGE is doing, and thats all its about.

My view of government is that the government does work for the people, and whether its the federal government or the state government or the local government, every one of you should be able to ask questions, the Wyoming Republican stated. Thats why I think that DOGE is such a brilliant thing, because when you look at what it is doing, it is identifying various programs that none of us ever wanted to fund in the first place.

One attendee asked the House lawmaker about the staffing situation at Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.

Weve already checked with the Department of the Interior. Theyre already in the process of hiring 5,000 seasonal employees. The national parks will be fully staffed for the upcoming season, Hageman said. I have no doubt that they will be able to meet the demand.

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The current administration is looking at a 30 percent payroll reduction at the National Park Service, The Hill reported earlier this month. The terminations would be to payroll, therefore would not lead to a 30 percent cut to the National Park Services staff.

The hostile town hall was attended by at least 500 people, Cowboy State Daily reported.

A day prior, Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) also heard an earful from constituents, with the crowd in Nebraska rebuking the lawmaker over Musks role in the overhaul of the federal government, Trumps tariff agenda and Washingtons current posture on Ukraine.

Floods backlash came after the House Republican leadership advised the conference to avoid hosting in-person town halls and opt for livestreamed versions or call-ins. The directive came after a number of House GOP lawmakers were slammed by attendees at town halls, garnering significant headlines as attendees complained about Trumps handling of the presidency.

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House Democrats have not been immune from backlash.

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) was challenged by attendees, with one physically confronting him at a town hall Wednesday, over the way Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are treated.

What youre saying is, Im not going to get my way when my people are being slaughtered, and I want you to stop funding that, a man shouted.

If you would like to run for office, run for office, Casten said.

That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. You are the most soulless piece of crap I have ever seen, the attendee responded.

The attendee got on stage, and Casten told him to get down. The police came in and ended the event.

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You could say a certain Republican lawmaker ended up with egg on her face  at least in the metaphorical sense, because no one can afford actual eggs nowadays.

On Wednesday, Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) spoke at a town hall in Laramie, Wyoming, to a crowd of mostly very angry constituents. Hageman was booed numerous times throughout the event, and the crowd got particularly incensed whenever the congresswoman spoke of her support for billionaire Elon Musk.

One of the more humorous  and unsettling  instances was captured in a clip aired on MSNBC, in which Hageman told the crowd that she had voted to pass a funding bill that keeps the lights on for President Trump and DOGE to continue their work.

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The majority of the crowd jeered loudly in response, prompting Hageman to enthusiastically clap for herself amid the chorus of boos.

This clip is only slightly funnier than another clip MSNBC aired of Hageman describing the town hall as an opportunity to update her constituents on what shes been up to in Washington, only to have a heckler respond: Nothing!

Hageman brought up Musk numerous times throughout her town hall, to the audiences disdain. She insisted the unelected special government employee running the so-called Department of Government Efficiency  which has spearheaded the firing of thousands of federal workers, some of whom have since needed to be re-hired  is doing a great job.

Other clips shared on X, formerly Twitter, of Hagemans town hall show the crowd chanting Deport Elon! Depart Elon! as she waves off the boos as hysteria and tells audience members they are going to have a heart attack if you dont calm down.

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At one point, a former federal employee who lost their job in Musks mass layoffs confronted Hageman from the crowd and told her Trumps leadership would ultimately decimate Wyoming farms and rural communities before asking her what she was going to do about that.

Hageman didnt answer, but simply said: I disagree.

Harriet Hageman got booed to oblivion last night in her own town hall for pumping up Doge so hard that even her loyal suckers woke up and smelled the bullshitfive months too late! pic.twitter.com/QnVqcVQK4h  Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline) March 20, 2025

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A detailed plan sent to the Pentagon for how the House and Senate appropriations committees would have marked up the fiscal 2025 funding bill includes recommendations to make cuts from any initiatives deemed to address climate change, including advancing technology and funding hybrid electric vehicles.

President Donald Trumps administration has made it clear it is not supportive of actions addressing climate change, despite the presidents close advisor owning an electric car company. During his first week in office, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, which commits countries to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He has also frozen funding related to initiatives on climate change.

Lawmakers recommendations in the 181-page document, obtained by Defense News, align solidly with the White Houses desire to abandon efforts addressing climate change, initiatives championed during former President Joe Bidens administration.

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The fiscal 2025 appropriations process has not been standard. A six-month stopgap spending bill passed by Congress last week may lower defense spending, but it also grants the Defense Department far more authority to decide how to spend its budget.

Republicans offer defense spending tips after punting on a budget

In the document crafted by the House and Senate appropriators, they recommended the Pentagon carve out $377.35 million worth of climate change initiatives and allocate that funding elsewhere, sending the message that funding related to those efforts is no longer supported by the people in power on Capitol Hill.

The majority of the cuts would take place within the Armys research, development, test and evaluation portion of the budget, where efforts related to climate change initiatives could be cut from things like soldier lethality, ground, air and soldier system technology development.

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Nearly half of the amount  a total of $167.2 million  was intended for funding hybrid-electric vehicle development work.

Lawmakers recommend zeroing out $100.25 million in funding for a Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicles HEV prototype effort, as well as $38 million for another emerging technology HEV prototype initiative and $27 million to pursue prototypes for an HEV variant of the Armys Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.

Another $66.9 million would be cut from efforts to modify service equipment with electric or hybrid propulsion systems, and $11.5 million would be cut from Medium Tactical Vehicles development work on hybrid power options.

The Army has long tinkered with the idea of making some of its vehicles electric or hybrid, and while the technology has become commonplace in the commercial vehicle industry, the service has yet to follow.

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Companies have continued to put technology in front of the service in order to show the purported benefits, arguing that the technology is ready for prime time in the Armys modernization plans.

When will the Army embrace hybrid-electric vehicles?

The Army has evaluated the possibility of converting combat vehicles like the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle for hybrid propulsion, an effort led by the services Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office.

Army leaders have maintained that just because it hasnt fully committed to hybrid capabilities in tactical or combat vehicles doesnt mean the service is disinterested.

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Its not a hard sell to anyone in the Army, former Army acquisition chief Doug Bush told Defense News last fall. I think wheeled vehicles is our biggest opportunity. Its the same exact tech thats all over the commercial sector now. A lot of people drive these cars. Its becoming kind of normal.

The Army is just working on carving out the money to do it, Bush said at the time.

While the investment is significant up front, the long-term payoff, even a 10 to 15% fuel reduction, multiplied times a bazillion vehicles, is huge, Bush said. If we do this right, itll free up money down the road because were being more efficient with the vehicles.

The capabilities a hybrid vehicle would bring are also becoming increasingly important in the modern battlefield, where silent watch and silent drive help U.S. troops evade detection by increasingly sophisticated sensors.

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Additionally, the Army intends to make its Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle replacement a hybrid system, and companies competing to ultimately build the vehicle have created designs answering that requirement. The vehicles were expected to be introduced around 2030.

Power struggle: How the US Army is tackling the logistics of battlefield electricity

Lawmakers are suggesting the Army cut nearly $45 million in funding for Next-Generation Combat Vehicle technology that addresses climate change initiatives.

Other technology development areas, such as Future Vertical Lift  costing roughly $10 million  and soldier lethality  another $15 million  would see cuts to their climate change work if the Army were to take the lawmakers recommendations.

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The Army has been working on a variety of efforts that would align with its official climate strategy that address everything from installations in the U.S. all the way to the tactical edge of the battlefield. It is unclear if the strategy itself still stands or if it will be scrapped.

The Pentagon is already busy canceling work related to climate change, including studies that look at whether a warmer Earth could lead to increased instability and insecurity in certain places around the world.

In a recent post on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote, The @DeptofDefense does not do climate change crap. We do training and warfighting.
Republicans are learning fast that the Department of Government Efficiencys federal cuts are not popular.

Representative Harriet Hagemen was booed and chanted down by a crowd of her constituents during a Wyoming town hall Wednesday night as she attempted to defend Elon Musks influence over the executive branch.

DOGE is not dismantling Social Security, Hagemen said as hundreds of people jeered.

The crowd also chanted, Deport Elon as Hagemen attempted to explain her work on the Judiciary Committee.

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Things took a turn for the worse when one woman from the incensed crowd claimed that she was a recently laid-off employee of the Agriculture Department.

In a state where so many farmers rely on government programs for drought and disaster relief, [Donald] Trumps plans to cut these programs and the people who administer them, coupled with the tariffs, will decimate Wyoming farms in rural communities, the woman said as the crowd applauded her. What are you doing about that?

I disagree, Hagemen said, once again souring the crowd on her. The Republican lawmaker then went on to accost the irate crowd for challenging her actions, claiming it was bizarre to her how obsessed you are with federal government.

That sent attendees into a rage, with some people screaming, Oh my God! and expletives at the irony.

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Calm down, calm down, Hagemen continued, laughing. All DOGE is doingyou guys are going to have a heart attack if you dont calm down. Your hysteria is really over the top.

Dissenting crowds in deep-red Wyoming should be a warning signal to Republicans around the country. In November, state residents voted to send Trump back to the White House by a whopping 46 percent margin. But on Wednesday, roughly three-quarters of the hostile, 500-person crowd were there to oppose Hagemen and elements of Trumps agenda, reported the Cowboy State Daily.



Musk has eyed slashes to Social Security. Changes are already underway: By DOGEs demand, the Social Security Administration is nixing some 7,000 employees, or roughly 12 percent of agency staff, and closing offices around the country.

An internal Social Security Administration memo leaked earlier this week proposed changes that could further hamper the agencys processing abilities for the retirement income program, including altering its phone service to require Americas aging population to verify their identity over the internet rather than by phone for new applications, as has been required.

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By acting Deputy Commissioner Doris Diazs own estimates, that could send some 75,000 to 85,000 people to Social Security offices in order to access their benefitswhich theyve paid into throughout their working life by way of payroll taxes and are theoretically entitled to. But even before Musks involvement, the SSAs physical offices were already beleaguered with extraordinarily long wait times, forcing Americans to wait months before receiving their benefits.

Beyond that, Muskthe worlds richest manclearly has no affinity for the popular program. In recent weeks, hes accused Social Security of being the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time and rife with fraud. In order to sell the unsavory cuts to Americas third rail social issue, Musk has hinged Social Security on an immigration conspiracy theory, claiming that Democratswho failed to win the House, the Senate, or the Oval Office in Novemberare using entitlements fraud to stay in power by winning over the votes of undocumented immigrants, a group that (reminder) cannot vote.
WASHINGTON  A Republican senator said he plans to introduce legislation to formally dismantle the Department of Education just hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order paving the way for the agencys elimination.

Trump signed the order on Thursday calling for the closure of the Department of Education, although such an act cannot be accomplished without an act by Congress. Shortly after the order was signed Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., said he would provide that assistance to accomplish this as soon as possible.

I agree with President Trump that the Department of Education has failed its mission, Cassidy, chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said in a post on X.

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Cassidys statement marks a significant step toward eliminating the department, which has long been a target by conservative lawmakers who have decried its creation as government overreach and have called for local control over schools.

Trump made the elimination of the Education Department a key campaign promise during the 2024 election, vowing to crack down on wasteful spending and eradicating what he views as the promotion of woke ideology in public schools.

It sounds strange, doesnt it? Department of Education, were going to eliminate it. And everybody knows its right, and the Democrats know its right, and I hope theyre going to be voting for it, Trump said ahead of the signing. We have to get our children educated. Were not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we havent for a long time.

Its not yet clear whether Cassidys bill would eliminate all aspects of the Education Department. In remarks on Thursday, Trump said he would allow the department to continue providing its core necessities such as Title I funding for low-income schools and federal student loans, among other things.

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But Cassidys proposal has already garnered support from some Republican senators, signaling a sense of momentum on Capitol Hill. Republicans have previously attempted to introduce legislation to dismantle the Department of Education but those efforts have never made much headway.

Sen. Cassidy is right in having the bill that would put into action President Trumps executive order, said Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. Lets take the Department of Education down, send the money, the power, the authority back to the states and to the local school systems. And lets get educational attainment up for all of our children.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has also been supportive of eliminating the Education Department, saying in a post on X last week the agency shouldnt exist.

House Republicans have also expressed support for Trumps order to do away with the department, possibly giving Cassidys proposal a chance in the lower chamber if the Senate passes such a bill.

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Working with President Trump and (Education Secretary Linda) McMahon, Congress will champion the legislative efforts needed to make this vision a reality, restoring local control, slashing red tape, and improving outcomesso every child, no matter their ZIP code, gets the education they deserve, Rep Burgess Owens, R-Utah, said in a statement.

Other GOP lawmakers echoed similar sentiments, calling for educational decisions to be handed back to individual states.

When it comes to an issue as important as the education of our children, no one knows better than those closest to them, Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., said in a post on X. Unelected federal bureaucrats who have minimal knowledge of the real needs of the future generation have only wasted tax dollars and made the education our kids receive worse.

Democrats were quick to oppose those efforts, vowing to block any legislation that seeks to eliminate the Department of Education.

Donald Trump and House Republicans are crashing the economy in real time. They believe that giving massive tax breaks to billionaires is more important than supporting our public school children, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement. Congress created the Department of Education and only an act of Congress can eliminate it. We will stop this malignant Republican scheme in the House of Representatives and in the Courts.
At least one Republican senator is willing to criticize Elon Musks cuts to the federal government as part of his Department of Government Efficiency.

Senator Lisa Murkowski called out the tech oligarch in a press conference on Tuesday in Juneau, Alaska, the capital of the state she represents. She criticized the mass firing of federal employees and freezing of federal funding in an address to the Alaska legislature the same day.

These terminations are indiscriminate, and many, were now learning, are unlawful. And theyre being made regardless of performance and with little understanding of the function and the value of each position, Murkowski said to the legislature. So at any human level, theyre traumatizing people, and theyre leaving holes in our communities.

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She told reporters at the press conference that she knows her willingness to criticize Musk will likely come with consequences.

It may be that Elon Musk has decided hes going to take the next billion dollars that he makes off of Starlink and put it directly against Lisa Murkowski, the senator said to reporters. And you know what? That may happen. But Im not giving up one minute, one opportunity, to try to stand up for Alaskans.

Murkowski has a theory about why her fellow Republicans arent willing to criticize Musk or the Trump administration, even as their constituents grow angry over lost federal jobs and looming cuts to social services like Social Security and Medicaid.

Theyre looking at how many things are being thrown at me, and its like, Maybe I just better duck and cover, Murkowski said. Thats why youve got everybody just like, zip-lip, not saying a word, because theyre afraid theyre going to be taken down, theyre going to be primaried.

Murkowski isnt up for reelection until 2028, and defeated a Trump-supported primary challenge in 2022, so she has breathing room that other Republicans dont have. But Musk is the worlds richest man, having donated more than $250 million to help Trump get elected, and his well-funded America PAC already has plans for the midterms to push out the politicians he doesnt like. Still, his GOP support isnt ironclad, and as Murkowski shows, cracks are beginning to form.


Idaho Gov. Brad Little (center) walks with the delegation of legislators, including House Majority Leader Jason Monks, R-Meridian, (left) and Senate Majority Leader Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, (right) selected to escort him to the House chamber to give his annual State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025 at the Statehouse in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed into law a bill that prevents health care professionals and entities from being forced to participate in nonemergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs.

Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur dAlene, and Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, co-sponsored House Bill 59, dubbed the Medical Ethics Defense Act.

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The bill takes effect immediately, through an emergency clause.

Little signed the bill into law Wednesday, according to the governors office legislation tracker.

The Idaho Legislature widely passed the bill on party-line votes, with opposition from all 15 Democratic lawmakers and support from all 86 Republican lawmakers who were present for votes on the bill. (There are 90 Idaho Republican lawmakers.)

Health care providers shall have the right of conscience and, pursuant to this right, shall not be required to participate in or pay for a medical procedure, treatment, or service that violates such health care providers conscience, the bill states.

Sen. Carl Bjerke, R-Coeur dAlene, asks a question during the Senate Health and Welfare meeting held on March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. Also pictured is Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Bjerke has said the bill was patterned after a law passed in 2024, through Senate Bill 1352, which allowed counselors and therapists to refuse counseling clients in support of goals, outcomes or behaviors that violate their sincerely held religious beliefs.

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This proposed legislation is intended to protect conscience rights of health care professionals and health care entities. It protects them from being forced to participate in non-emergency procedures that would violate their sincerely held religious moral or ethical beliefs, Bjerke told the Idaho Senate.

Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, who opposed the bill, said the bill fundamentally confuses the relationship between personal conscience and professional duty.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates Idahos director Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman asked Little to veto the bill, saying it gives health care workers a license to discriminate.

The bill will undermine medical standards, put patients lives at risk, and create legal chaos for Idahos entire health care system, DelliCarpini-Tolman said in a written statement. No one should be denied care because of someone elses personal beliefs. Health care must be driven by medical expertise, not ideology.

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SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) Governor Ron DeSantis holds a roundtable discussion in Sarasota on Thursday about immigration.

The roundtable was at New College of Florida in Sarasota.

Gov. DeSantis was joined by U.S. border Czar Tom Homan, AFPI Center for Homeland Security & Immigration VP Chad Wolf, and New College of Florida President Richard Corcoran.

DeSantis pushed back against judges blocking deportation orders from the president and took aim at congress for not overriding them.

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Homan said that illegal border crossings have dropped 97% since President Trump took office.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  Gov. Josh Stein sign a bill Wednesday night that provides more than $500 million in aid to western North Carolina in its recovery process from Hurricane Helene.

The Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1, or House Bill 47, is Steins first bill hes signed into law since taking office in January, and one thats seen strong bipartisan support.

Gov. Josh Stein shares his vision for NC with inaugural State of the State address

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This funding is a promising step forward in the long road to recovery for western North Carolina, Stein said, speaking in front of state legislative leaders. I want to thank the General Assembly for working together to pass this critical aid package to help our neighbors rebuilding after Helene. But we are nowhere near done  I will keep pushing to ensure western North Carolina is not forgotten.

The $524 million allocated for western NC provide funding for farmers, local governments, private roads and more. Heres how the funding is allotted:

$200 million for North Carolina farmers who have experienced crop losses due to Helene

$120 million for a Community Block Development Grant-Disaster Recovery Home Reconstruction and Repair program

$55 million for local government infrastructure grants to help small businesses

$100 million to repair the more than 8,000 private roads and bridges

$20 million for debris cleanup

$9 million for a school extension learning-recovery program

The bill also extends the statewide declaration of emergency for Hurricane Helene until June 30. In addition to supporting needs in the western part of the state, the bill provides $217 million to get people back into their homes in eastern North Carolina from previous hurricanes.

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At his State of State address last week, Stein lamented not having the bill finalized by then and called for the federal government to step up too.

In December, the controversial Senate Bill 382 passed via an overridden veto that called for the transfer of $227 million from the states rainy day fund to Helene relief.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCT)  North Carolina Governor Josh Stein signed the Disaster Recovery Act Part 1 into law Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025.

This funding is a promising step forward in the long road to recovery for Western North Carolina. I want to thank the General Assembly for working together to pass this critical aid package to help our neighbors rebuilding after Helene, Governor Stein said. But, we are nowhere near done. I will keep pushing to ensure Western North Carolina is not forgotten.

The Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part 1 includes $524 million in total aid for Western North Carolina.

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The bill provides $200 million for North Carolina farmers who have experienced crop losses due to Hurricane Helene, $120 million for a CDBG-DR Home Reconstruction and Repair program and $55 million for local government infrastructure grants to help small businesses.

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BOSTON (WWLP)  March 19 has been officially named Edith Nourse Rogers Day, and the State House is celebrating with an exhibition on the Womens Army Corps.

Nourse Rogers was the first ever Massachusetts woman elected to Congress, and she used her platform to ensure that women were permitted to serve in the military during and after World War II.

Springfield Police Department celebrates six promotions with pinning ceremony

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She knew that women had the capacity to have a formal role within the military, and she fought for it, even if she herself would never have an opportunity to serve in a uniformed capacity, said Mel Bloom, founder and CEO of 3-5-0 Girls.

In order to honor Nourse Rogers legacy and to uplift the accomplishments of all of Massachusetts women veterans, a series of uniforms will be displayed in the State House, showing that women contributed to war efforts just as much as men did.

Their service, their sacrifice, their resilience, paved the way for us to be here today, said Veteran Services Deputy Secretary Andrea Gayle-Bennett.

Governor Healey admonished the Trump administration as the Defense Departments removes online pictures of women and people of color veterans as part of their initiative to do away with diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Its a shocking way of treating men and women who have served, said the governor.

The governor said that Massachusetts will continue to uplift veterans, but it is up to the federal government to reverse course on removing pictures.

22News is celebrating Womens History Month all March long, from veterans to civilians, on air and online.

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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Gov. Brian Kemps lawsuit reform package passed the Georgia House by a single vote Thursday afternoon only after three Democrats broke ranks and voted for it.

One of those was Johns Creek Democrat Michelle Au, an anesthesiologist. She had no comment after the vote.

I am disappointed in them, Atlanta Democrat Stacey Evans told Channel 2s Richard Elliot.

Evans led the charge against the bill.

Not only did they break a caucus position, which undermines our ability as a caucus to move forward to the majority, but they let down their voters. And I hope their voters will make them accountable for it just as I hope voters will hold Republicans who voted for it accountable for it, Evans said.

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Several Republicans also broke ranks and voted against the measure which would essentially overhaul Georgias civil litigation system, making new rules on how and when Georgians can file lawsuits.

Kemp insisted the bill was necessary to shield small businesses along with hospitals and doctors from frivolous lawsuits and to stabilize insurance rates, something Democrats insist isnt true.

I think todays vote is a great example of what democracy looks like, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns told Elliot.

Burns wouldnt talk much about the intense pressure put on lawmakers to get the bill over the finish line.

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He also didnt say much about the Republicans who broke ranks and voted against it.

I was looking at totals. I havent looked exactly who voted for it and against it, although I know it got over the threshold of 91, Burns said.

And that one vote was all that bill needed.

It will now have to head back over to the Senate for final approval.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority has a new CEO.

The board voted unanimously for Lance Lyttle following a nationwide search that spanned months.

Lyttle is currently the managing director for SeattleTacoma International Airport. Before that, he was chief operating officer for Houston Airport System. He also served as the assistant general manager at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

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Lyttle could start as early as next month, pending contract negotiations.

Lyttle replaces Kevin Thibault, who is resigning as CEO due to a family illness. The board says Thibault will help with the upcoming transition.

Lance Lyttle is a forward-thinking leader with a deep commitment to innovation and a successful record of overseeing the development of new airport terminals in both Seattle and Houston while playing key supportive roles for capital projects in Atlanta, COAA board Chairman Tim Weisheyer said in a news release. With ongoing projects to enhance the passenger experience, our expanding infrastructure, and our role as a key economic driver for the region, we are confident that Mr. Lyttle will continue to elevate Orlando International and Orlando Executive airports as premier gateways for travelers and businesses alike. We look forward to working together as we embark on this exciting new chapter.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings also sent a statement on Lyttle;s hiring, saying, Ive been a champion for Mr. Lyttle since I cast a vote for him to be the GOAA CEO during the last CEO executive search. I certainly appreciate and have gotten to know Mr. Thibault very well during these past three years and he has led GOAA and OIA with a steady hand. However, if the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority wants Orlando International Airport to be the top airport in the world, I believe it takes someone with the type of broad, diverse experience that Mr. Lyttle brings to the table with the way he has led Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Hes a true airport executive who will bring unique insights to our airports.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Greece police have now charged a Rochester man with a second burglary at a home on Chippendale Road.

Officers arrived at the scene around 3 a.m. Thursday and found the sliding door at the back of the home damaged.

It was alleged that 25-year-old Jaiquan Goins broke into the home through the door, confronted the victim in the home, demanded her car keys, and left with stolen items.

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After establishing a perimeter and deploying a drone, officers said they found Goins checking car doors down Chippendale Road. He was taken into custody. They add Goines has been arrested multiple times for prior burglaries.

Further investigation revealed Goins was involved another burglary on the same street. Police say a search of his home revealed evidence related to both burglaries and other crimes, and additional charges are likely.

Goins has been charged with second-degree burglary, petit larceny, and fourth-degree criminal mischief in both crimes, according to GPD.

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ATHENS (Reuters) - A guard protecting ancient sites in northern Greece has been charged with involvement in a crime ring smuggling out artefacts and selling them abroad, police officials said on Friday.

The man was also suspended from the state body overseeing antiquities in the Serres region, the culture ministry said, a week after another 23 people were arrested in the north on charges of illegally excavating and exporting treasures.

Police said they confiscated thousands of coins and ancient artefacts including a bronze helmet, vases, figurines and jewellery during raids on homes and offices in last week's operation.

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Officers also found explosive devices and dozens of metal detectors which the suspects were allegedly using to excavate antiquities, the force said.

In total, 50 people have been charged with playing a role in three separate criminal gangs that have been operating since September 2024. Police in January arrested one man after confiscating more than 2,400 antiquities in the same region, home to the archaeological site of Amphipolis.

In December, dozens of ancient artefacts were found in a basement in Athens, packed in old cardboard boxes and some of them were wrapped in newspapers dating back to the 1940s.

The guard, who worked the night shift, was suspended on Friday by order of the culture minister.

(Reporting by Renee Maltezou and Yannis Souliotis; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

The further the right drifts from classical liberalism, the deeper it sinks into leftist modes of thought.

Identity politics. Centrally planned economies. Simping for Russia. When I was a kidand by kid, I mean until I was in my early 40sthat was pinko stuff.

Another left-wing idea of more recent vintage that the right has warmed up to is the Green Lantern Theory of the Presidency.

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In 2014, Barack Obama was mired in Year 4 of being stymied by a Republican House majority dedicated to obstructing him at every turn. Frustrated liberals whod been promised a golden age of Hope and Change demanded to know why the president wasnt doing more to break the stalemate. He should use his powers!

To which smart Democratic wonks like Brendan Nyhan and Ezra Klein replied: Which powers?

The belief that the president can achieve any political or policy objective if only he tries hard enough or uses the right tactics is how Nyhan defined what he derisively called the Green Lantern Theory of the Presidency. For those who dont know, the Green Lantern is a comic-book superhero whos capable of generating immense amounts of force but only by mustering a similarly immense amount of courage and will.

Thats not how politics works in a system where federal power is divided among three branches and enumerated in a written Constitution, Nyhan and Klein reminded dejected Democrats.

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Granted, some presidents abilities are more superheroic than others. Nyhan cited Ronald Reagan as an example of a leader whose communication skills rallied the public behind his agenda and Lyndon Johnson as a master of twisting congressional arms to move landmark legislation. The White House isnt powerless to influence American politics. But in the end, if Congress says no and the courts say no, theres no Green Lantern scenario in which the president can simply will his way into getting what he wants.

Donald Trumps second term will be an extended attempt to rebut that claim. Do presidents really lack super powers, or did prior presidents simply fail to summon the requisite courage to smash through institutional obstacles to their wishes? Theres no Green Lantern figure in a liberal system of governmentbut there sure is in a fascist one. Thats sort of the point.

Trumps popular image as a political superhero is important to understanding why he behaves as he does, I think, and why so many of his policies end up as goofy garbage. Superheroes are expected to act boldly, impose their will, and achieve things that mere mortals cant, and the president is very eager to meet those expectations. As he once famously said, I alone can fix it! Thats been his de facto motto for going on 10 years.

The problem with having a president whos obsessed with proving that he can achieve things others cant is that the things he ends up achieving are often quite stupid.

The heros journey.

Barack Obama was brimming with superhero potential when he took office in 2009.

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Hed been elected in a national landslide with the most popular votes of any candidate in U.S. history. His party had won huge majorities in Congress. Hed broken a momentous racial barrier by becoming the countrys first black president. And he was an outsider, or as much of one as a sitting senator could be. Hed risen from obscurity in 2004 to win the White House just four years later at the tender age of 47. He wasnt of the system; he was here to save America from it.

He had youth, charisma, a coalition of the ascendant behind him, and the numbers in the House and Senate to move any legislation he wanted. Thats as close to becoming the Green Lantern as a traditional president gets. No wonder liberals couldnt cope when the GOP clobbered Democrats in the 2010 midterms and their superhero presidents powers disappeared overnight, a mere two years into what would end up being an eight-year tenure.

Two presidential election cycles later, Trump gave Republicans their own superhero as leader.

He was a true outsider, having never held office before and given to speaking in ways that no politician would. The TV game show he hosted solidified him as a national celebrity and bestowed upon him, laughably, a reputation as a business genius. He inflated his wealth and whispered to the tabloids about his sexual exploits to cultivate an image as the ultimate alpha male. And his pitch to voters leaned heavily on protecting them from threats like the many rapists supposedly pouring into the country from Mexico.

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He would clean up the streets of Gotham, beginning with the swamp inside the Beltway.

To a far greater degree than Obama, a Trump presidency portended something radically more transgressive than what had come before. Obama was a mainline neoliberal Democrat, a lawyer by training, and a creature of party politics, like nearly every other Democrat in government. Trump was a nationalist in a party of conservatives, evinced not the faintest respect for the constitutional scheme, and has only ever seemed to regard the Republican Party as a vehicle for his own ambitions. In fact, hes spent the last 10 years demonstrating superhuman political strength by vanquishing villains in his own party who dared to cross him.

Both mens supporters had messianic ambitions for them early on but most of the gas for Obamamania had gone out of the left by the time he was reelected in 2012. Trump is the opposite: Between his ruthless dominance of his party, his improbable victory over the deep state that sought to imprison him, and his stature as the first Republican in 20 years to win the popular vote, hes more of a national savior to populist fanatics now than he was in 2016. Theyre expecting a superhero in his second term, even more so than in his first.

So thats what hes striving to give them. Befitting his identity as the Green Lantern, the president is constantly trying to prove that hes willing and able to accomplish things no other president could.

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Take Russia. (Please!)

Performative dynamism.

On Tuesday, Trump excitedly announced that his latest phone call with Vladimir Putin had gone well and that both sides of the war had agreed to immediately halt attacks against the others infrastructure and energy supplies.

A few hours later, Russian bombs began falling on Ukraine. One knocked out the power in the city of Slovyansk.

That wasnt all. Although Ukraine had already agreed to the White Houses demand for a full 30-day ceasefire, the Kremlin declared after Putins call with Trump that no progress will be made toward settling the conflict until Ukraines western allies completely cut off weapons and intelligence to Kyiv. Thats an unserious demand, tantamount to rejecting peace talks entirely. Even if Trump is willing to comply, European nations wont be.

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In other words, the Russians made Trump look like a chump, and an ego as fragile as the presidents normally wouldnt tolerate that. But Putin has an ace in the hole: He knows that the Green Lantern promised many times during last years campaign that hed end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Trump has now begun to inch away from that pledgehe says he was being a little bit sarcasticbut he cant give up on peace due to Russian recalcitrance without conceding that his peacemaking abilities arent so superheroic after all.

To prove that he can broker a truce that no one else could brokerhe alone can fix!hes stuck humoring Moscow, potentially forcing concessions on Ukraine in the name of securing a deal that are so repellent even nations as illiberal as Turkey will struggle to condone them. The demands of being a superhero have left Trump in a weak negotiating position destined to produce an embarrassing settlement that favors Russia. No wonder Putin is driving a hard bargain.

Forget foreign policy, though. How about deportations? If theres one aspect of domestic policy in which MAGA voters are expecting feats of political strength beyond what any mere mortal president could achieve, thats it.

Last weekend, the White House delivered. Trump invoked the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a statute previously used only in wartime, to authorize deporting certain criminal invaders without the usual due process for immigrants. Thats precisely the sort of Green Lantern-ism that liberals like Brendan Nyhan and Ezra Klein struggled to imagine in 2014. The president has lots of emergency powers under the law that he can exploit if only he has the ruthless will and imagination to try.

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The one little catch is that some of the gang members shipped off to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act  might not be gang members.

If you believe their relatives (a big if), some were misidentified based on tattoos that resembled gang insignias and sent to rot in a banana-republic dungeon without any chance to plead their innocence to a judge. Trumps need to prove that not even due process can resist his border-enforcing super powers may have left law-abiding asylum-seekers stranded in a nightmare with no easy legal remedy. If true, thats morally atrociousand I suspect itll also be politically atrocious if the public starts paying attention to the plight of the deportees.

Everywhere you look in Trumps first 60 days back in office, youll find him asserting outlandish abilities to shape events that his predecessors seldom or never claimed, all with lousy consequences for the country.

Other presidents have imposed emergency tariffs, for instance, but none in my lifetime has done so as prolifically, arbitrarily, or destructively as Trump has, effectively seizing control of U.S. trade policy. Other presidents have pressured American allies to comply with our wishes, but Ive never seen one muse about annexing a neighbor, wrecking relations between our two countries to no obvious policy end. Other presidents have cut spending, but no one has dispatched a team of shadowy tech bros to dismantle federal agencies surreptitiously and possibly illegally.

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DOGE is the purest expression of Trumps Green Lantern identity, I think, because the ratio of performative dynamism to actual results is so large. Not only has it not saved much money, theres a chance itll cost taxpayers dollars as lawsuits pile up, agency inefficiencies mount, and the IRS ability to collect revenue erodes. Its terrible policybut its fantastic theater. What is Elon Musk if not a superhero in his own right, possessed of an historic fortune, consumed with visiting Mars, and now kicking down the doors of villainous federal bureaucracies to tear out supposedly wasteful spending by the roots?

He and Trump are doing things no one thought possible and theyre doing them fast, heightening the mystique theyve cultivated as men of extraordinary ability and indomitable will who intend to change the world whether existing institutions are ready or not. Bold action, daring reforms, garbage results: We have a Green Lantern presidency at last.

Chicken and egg.

Which leaves us with an interesting question. Does Donald Trump want to be a superhero because hes an authoritarian or is Donald Trump an authoritarian because he wants to be a superhero?

I typically approach his gambits as fascist strategic ploys aimed at consolidating power under the executive branch. Everything I mentioned above can be analyzed that way. Hes going easy on Putin in Ukraine negotiations because he hopes to re-create Putinism here at home; hes siccing DOGE on federal agencies because hes keen to purge the government of rival liberal power blocs; hes flouting due process in deporting gang members because he wants to get the public on his side in delegitimizing the courts; hes tariff-ing his brains out because he wants the whole world to have to beg him for their livelihoods; hes menacing Canada because seizing neighboring countries is just kind of what fascists obsessed with national greatness do.

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His Green Lantern aspirations flow from his illiberalism, one might conclude, which is why Barack Obama was a poor match for the theory. The most distinctive super power Trump wields, in fact, is the certainty that if you resist him youll be threatened by the White House politically and economically and threatened by the scummiest elements of his base in more visceral ways.

Theres no Green Lantern figure in a liberal system of governmentbut there sure is in a fascist one. Thats sort of the point.

But not every Trump political gambit lends itself so easily to strategic logic.

Whats the strategic logic, for example, of vowing to convert Gaza into a resort? What was the supposed strategic logic of holding a photo op with Kim Jong Un in 2019? Is there really a strategic rationale behind slapping tariffs on Canada and Mexico, then lifting them, then slapping them on and lifting them again?

When the president strong-arms nations like Ukraine and Canada while playing nice with international cancers like Russia and China, is it because of his ideological affinity for the latter? Or is it a simpler matter that smaller powers can be successfully bullied and major ones cant? A superhero always wins in the end, after all, and its a lot easier to win over weak allies than hostile enemies.

And yes, Taiwanese readers should find that ominous.

His interest in Gaza and in meeting Kim are more easily explained as efforts to distinguish himself as a singular figure willing to venture where his predecessors didnt dare. No other president would be so bold (or dumb) as to propose resolving the Israeli-Palestinian with a bit of ethnic cleansing and seaside development. No other president would take the political risk of meeting with a global pariah like Kim. No other president would toy with the American economy by imposing and then un-imposing tariffs on two of the countrys biggest trade partners as a matter of whim.

Only a leader endowed with superhuman courage and willpower is willing to confront and shatter the constitutional and international norms that have governed the world for the last 80 or so years. Trump is accomplishing things no other president couldor would want to. Hes a superhero.

Liberals wanted a Green Lantern behind the Resolute Desk 10 years ago. Now we have one. How do you like it?

Read more at The Dispatch

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ST. LOUIS  Prosecutors formally charged two people, including former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, in connection with an April 2024 protest at Washington University that ended with 100 arrests.

On Wednesday, nearly one year later, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office filed misdemeanor charges against Stein, 74, and Jeron Hicks, 24, on Wednesday. Both face first-degree trespass and fourth-degree assault charges, while Hicks was also charged with resisiting/interfering with arrest.

The protest took place on April 27, 2024, when a group of students and community members organized a march and encampment at the university in solidarity with similar demonstrations nationwide. The protests were spurred by the ongoing war in Gaza.

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This St. Louis eatery is Missouris best Italian restaurant, food writers say

According to the Associated Press, more than 46,000 people have died since Hamas, a militant group that controls Gaza, launched attacks against Israel in October 2023, leading to a retaliatory response by Israeli forces.

During the WashU demonstration, protestors called for the university to cut ties with Boeing and Israeli educational institutions, while releasing a statement condemning the war in Palestine.

University officials say three police officers sustained various injuries while responding to the protest. Protesters were reportedly to leave when they began to set up an encampment, and officials asserted that the group violated policies and did not listen to police instructions to leave.

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Washington University Chancellor described it as a dark, sad day for WashU and claimed that Saturdays protest was a disruption that violated university policies.

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Following the protest, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office says there were 19 applications submitted for charges in relation to arrests made at the protest. Prosecutors have referred university police to municipal court if they wish to pursue charges in the other 17 cases.

Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith also shared the following statement:

I want to make it clear that these misdemeanor criminal charges are not a statement about the freedoms of speech or assembly, which we honor and uphold as part of our Constitution. They are not a statement about the subject of the protest, which was the situation in Gaza. These charges merely reflect our professional judgment that we have the evidence to prove these particular criminal charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Since Steins and Hicks cases only concern misdemeanor charges that were issued by a criminal summons, prosecutors did not ask the courts to issue an arrest warrant.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  A spokesperson for the Greenbriar Childrens Center in Savannah has shared that the center will temporarily suspend all Savannah services.

The move comes in an effort to restructure the organization, which has been open for 75 years, to a model that will sustain the organization for the long-term.

Honoring Black History: The origin of Savannahs Greenbriar Childrens Center

Greenbriar was founded with the intent of providing services leading to healthy development in children. It also operates over 70 Project Safe Place sites in the Savannah area.

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The Board hopes to provide the community with a long-term plan for reopening the center in the coming months.

We spoke with Reggie Stoval, a parent and he told WSAV it is shocking news he never expected to receive. He got the news of the closure on Wednesday.

Im hopeful that we can get there whenever they open again, he explained. In terms of how were going to deal with this is just finding a new daycare center. You know, that takes time. There are a few in the city, but weve heard such great things about Greenbriar.

In the meantime, the source says they will work with those impacted to connect them with other available services.

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Im happy to hear the word temporary versus closed down permanently, Stoval said.

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GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)  The Greeneville Police Department (GPD) postponed a planned Hispanic community meeting that was scheduled for March 25 following an adverse reaction from the public.

The event was going to mark the first Hispanic community meeting at the police department, according to a Wednesday social media announcement. The department said topics covered at the meeting would be rules of the road.

The original announcement, posted on March 13, reads as follows:

Greeneville Police Department is proud to announce that we will having our first Hispanic Community meeting on March 25th at 5:30 in the G Thomas Board Room located at 110 N College St in Greeneville Tn. Topics covered for this meeting will be Rules of the Road. This will be taught the next 3 months in our community meetings, after there will be a Q and A time for any other questions people may have about anything law enforcement related. We will have a translator present. We hope to see you there. Greeneville TN Police Department on Facebook

The March 13 social media announcement post received more than 2,000 reactions and more than 1,000 comments ranging from disdain to support and claims the meeting was an ICE roundup in disguise.

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The adverse reactions from the public come after President Trump signed multiple executive orders on immigration and issued numerous edicts to carry out promises of mass deportations and border security within his first week in office.

The full post announcing the postponement of the event can be viewed below:

The Greeneville Police Department has decided to postpone the Community Meeting that was scheduled for March 25th. It will be rescheduled. The negativity toward the post and our department has overshadowed the intent of the meeting. The response has shown us that there is work to be done in building relationships with our community that allows anyone to feel comfortable attending a public meeting. Our goal with our Community Meetings has been and will always be to build strong relationships with our citizens. We have held meetings and trainings on multiple subjects such as How to Spot a Scam and Elder Abuse Awareness. We have also held meetings city wide and at several businesses and schools. The Rules of the Road will be offered three times in a variety of locations. This was always the plan. We will continue to reach out to the community to collaborate and work on solutions. We feel that the most effective place to do that is in person, and we will continue to live our mission. The Mission of the Greeneville Police Department is to protect you, your family, and our community. Greeneville TN Police Department on Facebook

News Channel 11 reached out to the GPD, and a spokesperson said no one from the department was available to speak about the postponement on Wednesday.

The GPDs neighboring agency, the Greene County Sheriffs Office, has previously stated it is working with the federal government to enforce immigration laws in its area. News Channel 11s sister station WATE spoke with the sheriffs office about immigration law in January. The GPD has not publicly announced a similar initiative or intention to enforce immigration law.

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Greenlands Walls  Akinni Inuk makes its world premiere Friday at Denmarks CPH:DOX documentary festival, amid a heated political debate on the future of the Arctic island. While Denmark is fighting off President Donald Trumps takeover efforts, and Greenlands fresh elections has reinforced its claim for independence, the film delivers a timely message of reconciliation and understanding, through the voices of its co-directors, the Dane Sofie Rrdam and Greenlandic Nina Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg.

Its very strange for us to have the film come out under such tense political circumstances, says Rrdam to Variety ahead of the films debut in the NORDIC:DOX competition. Of course, we want our film to be an opportunity to discuss Greenland and its relationship with Denmark; there is a lot of Danish colonial arrogance at the moment, but with our film, we are raising specific questions  such as the need to look into the Greenlandic prison system under Danish control  through a human story.

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In Greenlandic, the title of the film Akinni Inuk means the human being in front of me,  explains Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg. I want this film to remind audiences how much they can do just by being curious of the person in front of them.

With todays media attention on Greenland, she adds, Im almost afraid to do interviews as people try to make the film into something it is not, to serve their own purpose. But I want this film to be seen for what it is: a story about love, friendship, and how human connection can wash away all prejudice.

Produced by high-profile Greenlandic/Danish Emile Hertling Peronard, credited for the 2023 Oscar-nominated short film Ivalu and CPH:DOX opener Twice Colonized, Walls  Akinni Inuk kickstarts as a documentary about Greenlands prison system, but gradually evolves into a gripping tale of unlikely friendship between Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg and detainee Ruth Mikaelsen Jerimiassen. Although everything seemingly differentiates the two women  one is a successful career-driven film producer/filmmaker, and the other a broken woman serving an indefinite detention sentence for attempted murder  both discover through numerous and lengthy conversations behind prison walls, that they share a history of trauma and sexual abuse. When Ruths case is reopened, she and Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg are given an opportunity for redemption.

Beautifully shot by the filmmakers with cinematographers Anders Berthelsen and Inuk Silis Hegh, the intimate prison scenes alternate with poetic views of Greenlands breath-taking landscape, through the wise editing of Bille August regular collaborator Biel Andres (The Kiss, The Count of Monte Cristo) and Nanna Frank Mller (The Sky Above Zenica, Ambulance).

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Going back to the genesis of the film, Rrdam says in 2015, when her father was living and working in Greenland as a biologist, she grabbed the opportunity to explore the local prison system, after having investigated a similar topic in Asia. Fascinated by the islands system based on the social rehabilitation of inmates, she gained access to a correctional facility and started filming in 2017, providing prisoners as well  including Ruth  a chance to record their daily routines with small cameras. When I got the recordings back, I was hugely impressed. This is when I contacted Emile [Hertling Peronard] and asked him if I could team up with a local producer.

The latter  Greenlandic from his mothers side and Danish from his fathers  remembers when Rrdam first approached him and how the film started to take shape. At the time, I couldnt be part of it, but suggested Nina as producer while I followed them on the sidelines. Nina and Sofie thought they would do a quick film, but circumstances changed the fate of the film. the cameras given to the inmates were confiscated, Nina lost her mum, COVID hit, preventing Sofie in Denmark from travelling to Nuuk. The whole process then stretched over many years. Meanwhile, Nina, who was engaged in long conversations with Ruth, kept filming in Nuuk, putting the camera in a corner.

As Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg turned from observer to co-protagonist, she and Rrdam went back to Hertling Peronard, asking him to take over the producing duties. Nina was so emotionally involved in the story, it became impossible for her to make objective decisions anymore, Rrdam says.

Asked how the inner walls that she had built around her over the years to protect herself from the truth of her traumatic childhood, suddenly fell in the presence of Ruth, Paninnguaq Skydsbjerg says: I had been a survivor [of sexual abuse]. The transition from surviving to learning how to live is complicated, but Ruth didnt feel sorry for me. She would say  oh yes, I feel the same way. Having lived similar traumas, Ruth recognized my feelings, the kind of filth I was dragging or running away from. She was in a place where she could not run away either and similarly, I knew I couldnt run away anymore from my own issues in front of her.

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Turning on the touchy subject of alcoholism and domestic violence in Greenland, Hertling Peronard says being able as Greenlanders to reclaim that topic  as difficult as it may be, is part of regaining control of ones own narrative. Other filmmakers have made films about us, attracted by the contrast between the beautiful landscapes in Greenland and the social issues. Its time for us to tell our own stories on film, at our own pace, to then be able to move past that as well as our post-colonial trauma.

On the production front, Hertling Peronard [interestingly named Danish Producer on the Move in 2023] says the weird post-colonial relationships between Greenland and Denmark also affects film financing, although the situation is gradually improving. As he explains, when in 1979 Greenland obtained home ruling from Denmark, the Arctic island took over most domestic matters including culture. Access to funding  including from the Danish Film Institute was cut to Greenlanders. But thanks to the DFI-administered NORDDOK fund (established in 2019 to support documentary filmmaking and TV productions from Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Hertling Peronard was able to produce Walls through his outfit Anorak Films Greenlandic outpost, not Danish for once. Its the first time in 10 years I could make a majority-Greenlandic film, says the producer, who secured co-financing from broadcasters KNR TV in Greenland, RUV in Iceland and DR in Denmark. Hertling Peronard said he is now looking forward to Greenlands first film institute due to open early 2026 and local 25% tax rebates to really kickstart the local industry.

Quizzed about Trumps pledge to annex Greenland, Hertling Peronard says: When Trump Junior came to Greenland in January and mentioned that Greenlanders in Denmark feel like second or third-rate citizens and suffer from racism, it was odd for the first time to hear someone from the Trump family saying something true. But it did force Danish politicians to wake up a bit. In the wake of the Democratic Partys win at the recent elections, Hertling Peronard says he feels hopeful that the leading party  and fervent Trump critic  will continue to build a collective feeling of unity.

At CPH:DOX, Hertling Peronard will also launch a new project  The Coil Case  to be pitched at the co-production and co-financing showcase CPH:FORUM. Co-helmed by Sundance winner Camilla Nielsson (President) and Ulannaq Ingeman (The Last Human), the film tackles another post-colonial burning issue: the forced introduction in Greenlandic girls of contraceptive coils or IUD (intrauterine devices) in the 1960s-70s. Anorak Film is producing with multi-Oscar-nominated Danish outfit Final Cut for Real and Reef TV.

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Greenpeace must pay a Texas-based pipeline company nearly $667 million in damages for the environmental advocacy groups role in 2016-2017 protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota, a jury said Wednesday.

The verdict in North Dakota state court came after two days of deliberations in a trial where pipeline company Energy Transfer accused Greenpeace of paying protesters to disrupt construction of the pipeline unlawfully and spreading falsehoods about the controversial project, located near the Standing Rock Indian Reservation.

The verdict included damages for defamation, trespassing and conspiracy. The jury awarded more than $400 million in punitive damages, which are intended to punish defendants for their conduct.

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Greenpeace denied wrongdoing and called the case an attack on free speech rights. The groups lawyers said they would appeal Wednesdays verdict.

Were an advocacy group. We engage in peaceful protest, said Greenpeace attorney Deepa Padmanabha, asserting that the group only played a minor role in the demonstrations.

Members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and had also opposed the oil pipeline project - ROBYN BECK

Energy Transfer lawyer Trey Cox said in a statement that Greenpeaces violent and destructive protests were not legally protected speech.

Today, the jury delivered a resounding verdict, declaring Greenpeaces actions wrong, unlawful, and unacceptable by societal standards. It is a day of reckoning and accountability for Greenpeace, Cox said.

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Construction of the pipeline was met with fierce protests by environmental and tribal advocacy groups who said the project would poison local water supply and exacerbate climate change.

The project began in 2016 and was completed the following year. The pipeline transports roughly 40% of the oil produced in North Dakotas Bakken region.

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In a win for the oil and gas pipeline company Energy Transfer, a nine-person North Dakota jury found the environmental group Greenpeace liable for more than $660 million in damages and defamation for the 2016 to 2017 Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

In their lawsuit, Dallas-based Energy Transfer claimed Greenpeace was responsible for defamation, disruption and property damage for the protests that captured national attention in 2016. Greenpeace claimed the lawsuit threatened its freedom of speech.

In a statement, Energy Transfer said, "This win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace. It is also a win for all law-abiding Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law."

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Greenpeace plans to appeal the verdict. "This is the end of a chapter, but not the end of our fight. Energy Transfer knows we don't have $660 million. They want our silence, not our money." Sushma Raman, interim executive director of Greenpeace Inc., told CBS News.

Greenpeace accused Energy Transfer of filing a "SLAPP" lawsuit, short for strategic lawsuits against public participation. SLAPP lawsuits have been criticized as being a method of curtailing free speech and assembly by individuals, organizations or press by threatening lengthy and expensive legal proceedings in court. 35 states have anti-SLAPP laws aimed at preventing these types of lawsuits. North Dakota is not among them.

Energy Transfer previously filed a federal RICO lawsuit against Greenpeace seeking $300 million in damages in 2017, but that case was dismissed by a federal judge. Energy Transfer then filed a lawsuit against Greenpeace in North Dakota state court shortly after.

"The verdict against Greenpeace not only represents an assault on free speech and protest rights," said Rebecca Brown, president and CEO of the Center for International and Environmental Law, in a statement. "This case is a textbook example of corporate weaponization of the legal system to silence protest and intimidate communities. This misuse of the legal system stifles legitimate dissent and must be seen as a direct threat to environmental justice and democratic freedoms."

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In the weeks and months preceding the trial, Greenpeace raised the alarm that the damages sought by Energy Transfer, thought at the time to be in the $300 million range, would be catastrophic to the group, claiming that would amount to 10 times the group's annual U.S. operating budget. Energy Transfer reported over $82 billion in revenue in 2024.

The damages ultimately awarded total roughly $667 million and will be split up among several arms of Greenpeace. Greenpeace USA is on the hook for about $404 million, while Greenpeace Fund Inc. and Greenpeace International must each pay some $131 million, according to The Associated Press.

The 1,172-mile pipeline crosses four states and has been operating since late 2017 despite the controversy and the protest, which stemmed from a pipeline crossing under Lake Oahe near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. The Standing Rock Sioux tribe called the pipeline a violation of its treaty rights and claimed the pipeline route risked polluting the tribe's primary water source and would damage sacred sites.

The protests at Standing Rock drew thousands of people from around the country who camped outside the pipeline's construction site. Celebrities and prominent figures including now-Trump cabinet members Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also visited the camp.

Veterans arrived en mass to Standing Rock, bringing a massive amount of supplies including winter clothing, food and firewood by the truckload. / Credit: Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

But violence erupted between police, security guards and protestors several times, culminating in tear gas and water cannons being used against protestors. The camps were cleared in February of 2017. More than 140 people were arrested at the Standing Rock protests.

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One of the organizers of the protests was Chase Iron Eyes, an attorney for the Lakota People's Law Project, who was arrested during the demonstrations and charged with felony inciting a riot. Iron Eyes questioned Greenpeace's liability for the protests.



"I never met a single Greenpeace person, a representative, or ever went to a training or anything like that," Iron Eyes told CBS News.



Instead, Iron Eyes found the ruling to delegitimize the concerns and agency of Native Americans who chose to protest at Standing Rock. "To hold them solely responsible for our fight, this is a tribal nation fight," he said. "I think it's disrespectful to tribal nations, to the Sioux Nation in particular, it was our nation, and our people who stood up."

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Greenpeace has been ordered to pay more than $660 million in damages to the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline after the environmental group was found to have defamed the company and its protestors incited illegal behavior.

The nine-person jury at the Morton County courthouse in Mandan, North Dakota, delivered Wednesday's verdict in favor of Enegery Transfer, a Texas-based oil giant.

Greenpeace was found liable for defamation, trespass, nuisance, and civil conspiracy, among other acts, in an attempt to prevent the construction of the pipeline more than eight years ago. The group previously warned that it could face bankruptcy if it lost this case.

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The activist group accused Energy Transfer of taking aggressive action against protestors and desecrating Native American burial grounds; the oil company claimed that Greenpeace was engaged in a vast, malicious publicity campaign against them in an attempt to tarnish its relationships with banks funding the pipeline.

In the wake of the verdict, Greenpeace International Executive Director Mad Christensen pointed fingers at the Trump administration, writing: We are witnessing a disastrous return to the reckless behavior that fuelled the climate crisis, deepened environmental racism, and put fossil fuel profits over public health and a liveable planet.

The previous Trump administration spent four years dismantling protections for clean air, water, and Indigenous sovereignty, and now along with its allies wants to finish the job by silencing protest.

Greenpeace representatives talk with reporters on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, outside the Morton County Courthouse (AP Photo/Jack Dura)

These are the facts, not the fake news of the Greenpeace propaganda machine, Trey Cox, the lead attorney representing Energy Transfer, said in a press conference outside the courthouse.

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The company also touted the verdict as a win for Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law.

It marked a colossal financial blow for the organization, which could now face bankruptcy. According to the latest records, Greenpeace had roughly $40 million in revenue and 191 employees in 2023.

Greenpeace said it intends to appeal the decision, and its senior legal adviser, Deepa Padmanabha, pledged that the organization's work is never going to stop.

Protestors demonstrating against the expansion of the Dakota Access Pipeline near Cannon Ball in November 2016 (Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

The case centered on Greenpeaces involvement in protests against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The $3.78 billion project began in June 2016 and was completed in April 2017.

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The 1,172-mile-long underground pipeline runs between Bakken in the northwest of the state and Patoka, Illinois, pumping out hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil per day.

The standoff started in early 2016 with dozens of members from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe forming water protector camps, viewing Energy Transfers project as a pollution threat and imposition onto Indigenous land.

The camps swelled to as many as 10,000 people at their peak, with protesters stationed for months north of the Standing Rock Reservation, near where the pipeline crosses below the Missouri River in Morton County.

Greenpeace maintains that it only supported activists at the Indigenous-led protests. Some of those who attended the protests testified that the campaign group was not perceived as a leader at the camps.

North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer applauded the decision Wednesday, with the Republican noting that Greenpeace and its radical environmentalist buddies can think twice now about doing it again.
The News

A US jury ordered Greenpeace to pay an oil pipeline operator $667 million for defamation, as activists warned the move would dampen advocacy.

The case centers around protests over the construction of a pipeline in North Dakota: Demonstrations were marred by violence, with the company behind the project blaming Greenpeace. The NGO said it played a minor role in the protests, and framed the lawsuit as an effort to silence opponents of fossil fuels.

Its one of a growing number of environment-related lawsuits packing global courts: This week, a Peruvian farmer opened his case against the German utility RWE for its alleged responsibility in raising water levels near his home by contributing to global temperature rises.
Paper plates decorated and labeled "no grocery tax" adorn the office door of Nashville Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn, sponsor of a bill to end Tennessee's grocery tax. The bill was effectively shelved for the year. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

A House finance subcommittee declined to pass  but didnt kill  a Democrat-sponsored grocery tax reduction bill Wednesday, possibly paving the way for a Republican-backed bill to cut or reduce the states 4% sales tax on groceries.

The panel added a funding mechanism to House Bill 2, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Aftyn Behn of Nashville, then shipped it to what is known as summer study, ending hopes of passage this year but enabling hearings on the plan before 2026.

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The tone has shifted on this issue because we made it a campaign issue last year, Behn said.

Behns goal is to build consensus and narrative statewide, continue to push the measure during the gubernatorial campaign and revive it in 2027.

Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Elaine Davis of Knoxville said Wednesday shes ready to start moving her measure through House committees over the next two weeks.

The biggest difference between the two is that Behns bill calls for replacing lost state revenue of $600 million by closing loopholes in the states corporate minimum tax, which levies a 3% tax on companies generating more than $100 million of revenue, and enforcing worldwide combined reporting, an accounting method states can require multinational corporations to use when calculating taxes owed on profits.

Rep. Elaine Davis, a Knoxville Republican, has proposed a grocery tax cut similar to one sponsored by Rep. Aftyn Behn, a Nashville Democrat. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

The Department of Revenue reported last year that 60% of companies are paying $100 or less on the excise tax and 21% of companies with more than $1 billion in federal taxable income are paying nothing on the excise tax. Behn and Democratic Sen. Charlane Oliver of Nashville solicited the report.

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Democrat Bryan Goldberg, who ran against Davis in the 2024 House contest, put out ads saying he would end the states food tax.

Davis came out with her proposal late last year and renewed the push recently with Republican Sen. Bo Watson of Hixson carrying the Senate version. House Majority Leader William Lamberth is co-sponsoring the bill.

It contains no method for replacing lost state revenue, which could hit the $843 million mark.

Watson told the Tennessee Lookout the legislature would need to come up with spending reductions to pay for the grocery tax cut.

Davis admits her bill could lead to a major revenue reduction, an estimated $800 million, yet she describes it as a true tax cut because it doesnt raise taxes elsewhere. The measure would affect only the states share of sales taxes, not local revenue.

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Davis added, Its really not decreasing revenue because  those families, those dollars theyre going to use in the grocery store to buy other products as well or theyre going to use them to take their family out to dinner.

Short of eliminating the state share, Davis said other options could involve breaks on basic items such as bread, milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables, then phasing in small cuts incrementally.

Behn is skeptical of the Republican proposal, saying the legislature doesnt have any way to pay for it because the state is broke after lawmakers enacted a massive business tax break in 2024.

If theyre going to take $600 million from (Department of Childrens Services) or TennCare, I would love for them to explain it on the House floor, Behn said.

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Republicans have said they oppose her bill because it could force companies to cut jobs. Behn, though, said the state could pay for her proposal by enforcing the tax code as its written.

Her proposal has been enacted in 20 other states, including Texas and Idaho, which Behn pointed out are not liberal bastions.

Further, Behn said President Donald Trump is encouraging cuts in food taxes and added she would be glad to support a Trump-Lamberth grocery tax break.

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A plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education advanced Thursday when President Donald Trump signed an executive order to drastically reduce the agency.

Trump said the order would begin eliminating the federal Department of Education once and for all, although Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has acknowledged that the agency cannot be closed without the approval of Congress.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed to reporters earlier Thursday that Trumps action would make the department much smaller, after he already cut its workforce in half and described it as wasteful, dominated by liberal ideology and a big con job.

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Because Congress created the department in 1979, removing it would also likely require an act of Congress.

State and local education officials, along with educational advocacy groups, shared concerns in recent days that cuts to the department could hurt students and school districts.

The uncertainty about whats to come, though, makes planning for the changes difficult, officials said.

Substantial impact

Shenandoah Valley School District Superintendent Brian Waite is among the school administrators in Schuylkill County who is concerned that schools will suffer.

Any significant cuts to the federal Department of Education, or its elimination, could have a substantial impact on school districts, he said.

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Federal support helps ensures students with disabilities receive essential services, while Title I funding supports districts with high percentages of low-income students, such as Shenandoah, he said.

Losing these funds would be detrimental to districts ability to support students with the greatest educational needs, he said.

While there is discussion about states absorbing these responsibilities, it remains uncertain whether they can maintain current funding levels without federal support, Waite said. For districts like Shenandoah Valley, which rely on federal assistance, these cuts could lead to increased financial strain on local resources, impacting the quality of education and support services for students, whether it is students with disabilities or at-risk learners struggling in literacy and numeracy.

Earlier this week, officials with the Pennsylvania Department of Education spoke about the impact that federal education department cuts could have on schools across the state.

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Delays and disruptions

We are concerned anytime the critical federal funding that ensures children across Pennsylvania have access to a high-quality public education seems to be in jeopardy, said press secretary Erin James.

An earlier reduction in the federal education department workforce by nearly 50%  from 4,133 to about 2,183 employees  had already raised concerns about potential delays or disruptions in education services.

The department provides $1.6 billion to Pennsylvania every year for programs administered by the state Department of Education, with every public school district receiving at least some of that funding.

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The agency not only distributes the federal portion of special education funding, but oversees compliance and holds school districts accountable to properly provide those services.

Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks with students at the Perception Training Center in Pottsville, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)

The biggest portion of funding from the Department of Education goes directly to Pennsylvanians through student financial aid and loans  more than $4 billion each year. In fiscal year 2024 the department spent about $161 billion  60% of its $268 billion budget  to fund its office of Federal Student Aid, the countrys largest provider of student financial aid.

The department also collects data on schools, reports on topics such as graduation rates, college costs and student demographics, protects students against racial and sex-based discrimination, and is a source of funding for other Pennsylvania agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs for veterans education programs.

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Gov. Josh Shapiro recently spoke against plans to cut staff at the Department of Education, and said shutting down the department entirely would have an immediate negative impact.

Understanding the role of DOE

Shapiro said it was important to understand the role the department plays for Pennsylvania.

They largely fund kids who are poor  their education  kids with special needs, he said. They provide resources to schools that allow teachers to have smaller class sizes  its that money. And they provide Pell grants for people trying to afford to go to college, right?

These are just a few examples of what they do. If they roll back that mission, that will crush schools in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, you know, where they have school districts that really rely on federal funding. Thats a real problem, he said, citing two of the northeast Pennsylvania communities that would be negatively affected.

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Schuylkill Haven Superintendent Dr. Shawn FitzpatrickJOHNATHAN B. PAROBY / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

Earlier this week Dr. Shawn Fitzpatrick, Schuylkill Haven superintendent, said the impact of Department of Education cuts would depend on whether the federal funding it provides is redirected to be controlled and used at the state and local levels, and how that would work. Since that was still unclear, Fitzpatrick said he did not have enough information to predict the possible consequences or prepare his district for them.

Threat to Title I and special ed programs

Dr. Sarah Yoder, Pottsville superintendent, said that her district would struggle without funding from Title I and also from the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) program, which supports early intervention and special education services for children with disabilities.

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Because both federal programs were in place before the Department of Education started, though, she is hopeful that even if the department were disbanded, funding from those programs would continue. Otherwise, that burden would fall to the state and to local districts, she said.

They are essential to operate the school district, she said.

Also concerning is how federal student loans would be administered without the Department of Education, since so many students could not afford post-secondary education without that financial help, she said.

That includes many future educators, without whom the current teacher shortage would be greatly exacerbated, she said.

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Vowing to fight

A number of organizations that advocate for students with disabilities said they oppose cuts to the department of education and are considering legal action.

Among them is the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, whose mission is protecting the legal and civil rights of students with disabilities and securing high quality educational services for them.

COPAA has deep concerns about cuts to the education department, with no information or apparent plan for how student and family rights will be protected, it said in a statement. Cuts like this do affect our children We intend to use every tool available to fight back.

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The nonprofit Education Reform Now, which promotes increased resources and innovative reforms in public education, particularly for students of color and students from low-income families, said earlier that staff cuts to the Department of Education would be felt by students, families, and educators across the country.

Eliminating the departments office of civil rights, for example, means that the safety and rights of students from kindergarten to graduate school are less protected, the organization said in a statement.

Families with children who have special needs will likely face even greater challenges and delays in accessing special education services and interventions for which they are legally entitled. Investigations into alleged discrimination based on race or ancestry or harassment experienced by women will be slower, if investigated at all.
Gwinnett County leaders gathered together on Thursday to recognize police officers, firefighters and other public safety professionals for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Channel 2s Steve Gehlbach was at the Gwinnett County Valor Awards ceremony, where first responders were honored for their heroic, lifesaving actions.

Those honored included a communications officer who took a 911 call from a domestic violence victim and helped save her life after she was shot and officers who helped respond to an active shooter outside the county jail.

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Its the 20th year that the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce presented the honors, recognizing not only those who protect and serve but those went above and beyond in life-threatening situations.

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With no tourniquet available, Officer Etienne resourcefully used a belt as a makeshift solution, Sgt. Gregory Ross said, presenting a life-saving award to Officer Feniel Etienne, a senior officer with the Lilburn Police Department.

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Etienne was off-duty when a gunman shot someone at a Suwanee automotive shop. He immediately jumped into action.

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Happy to be there and able to serve somebody, he said.

The top award, the gold medal for valor, went to five sheriffs deputies for dealing with an active shooter at the jail in October.

A man in body armor showed up at the jails entrance with his two-year-old daughter, acting erratically. Deputies identified the potential threat as he returned the child to his car and got a shotgun out.

Eventually, the man opened fire at officers with a handgun and they fired back, hitting him.

Their courage under fire and commitment to protecting lives prevented what could have easily been a mass tragedy, Ross said at the ceremony.

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The deputies said that we just came together that day, calling it a true team effort as other deputies and jail staff locked down inside and got visitors and others out of harms way.

The gunman from the shooting recovered and is in custody at the jail, facing multiple charges including aggravated assault against law enforcement officers.

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A Gwinnett County prosecutor is now facing charges of his own, according to an incident report obtained by Channel 2 Action News.

The report from the Georgia State Patrol says that James Burnette, 29, was pulled over on Interstate 85 near Lenox Road earlier this month for speeding.

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The trooper says he clocked Burnette driving 90 miles per hour in a 55 miles per hour zone just before 1:30 a.m.

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When he pulled him over, Burnette told the trooper he was an assistant district attorney in Gwinnett County.

Burnette told the trooper he had just one drink, an Old Fashioned, several hours earlier and was almost completely sober.

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After being arrested and placed into the back of the patrol vehicle, the report says Burnette kept saying he knew he made a mistake and asked if there was anything he could do to not be arrested.

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He was charged with driving under the influence, speeding and HOV lane violation.

Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gaston shared a statement confirming that her office responded with severe consequences, but did not comment further.

My office is very much aware of a valued employee who was charged with DUI recently. The employee immediately reported it directly to me and our office responded with severe consequences which are confidential and between this office and the employee as it is a personnel matter. The employee is entitled to his day in court, and of course, he is presumed innocent.

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Norwich  Nonprofit Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut will soon use two long-vacant Palmer Street parcels donated by the city to build two affordable homes, which will allow the city to start collecting tax revenue from the parcels again.

Homeowners' total costs to live in the homes, including their mortgage, insurance and taxes, will not exceed 30% of their total income, they said.

On Wednesday, officials from the nonprofit, along with Thames Valley Council for Community Action and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd district, held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, digging their shovels in a pile of woodchips, in a clearing on the site.

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Sarah Lufler, the executive director for the eastern Connecticut habitat branch, said the site has been vacant for 40 years. Around them were stumps from trees that have already been cleared, and assorted debris, including a tire and an old bedframe.

Lufler and other officials said they will use the 0.24-acre 150 Palmer Street and 0.35-acre 152 Palmer Street parcels to build identical 1,200-square-foot raised-ranch style homes with three bedrooms, one bathroom and a driveway. The construction of the new properties is being made possible in part by $625,000 in federal funding Courtney secured through the American Rescue Plan Act.

The debris and tree stumps will be removed, along with a foundation present on the 150 Palmer Street parcel. There's also a significant amount of rock on the site, in the way of where the driveways will be built. Herr said that rock would begin to be blasted away on Thursday, with Construction Superintendent Norm Eccleston adding they will clear 6-8 feet of rock on the sides of the driveways.

Lufler said at a time when the price of building materials is being driven up by tariffs placed on Canadian lumber and steel, she expects the homes will cost about $180,000 each to build, not including costs to clean up the site.

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The 150 Palmer Street home will be sold to a family making between 45-50% of the area median income (AMI), which is $107,000 for New London County. The larger one will be sold to a family making between 60 and 80% of the area median income. The home costs will remain restricted for 30 years, said Stacy Herr, advancement and resource development homes for Habitat for Humanity.

TVCCA Executive Director Josh Kelly, whose nonprofit administers most of its programs based on income, said nowadays many people fit in those brackets. He said while the state as a whole has a lower poverty rate than the rest of the country, it's not that much lower," and the state still has a lot of work to do to reduce it.

"I mean, these are people who have gone to school, who have master's degrees, who are duly qualified in their fields  hard-working  who still are going to be able to qualify at 80% AMI," he said.

Meanwhile, someone making less than 50% of the area median income home could be anyone from a minimum-wage earner to a public schoolteacher.

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He said even with the state having done work to raise the minimum wage, "there are a lot of circumstances that can lead someone to be under 50% AMI, and it's a lot more common than you think."

Jason Martin, director of community services for TVCCA, said compounding the problem of how difficult is to own a home is the fact that someone in a family with a high income can have other issues.

"It's the cost of everything it takes to have a family," he said. "And everything's so much more expensive now. And you know, expenses are going up and incomes aren't. So, I think people's perspectives of what's a solid income 10, 15 years ago, it's not the same now.

Courtney was thankful that the site was now being repurposed for affordable places to live, which he said is an issue near the top of the list of people's concerns today.

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Lufler said since 1987, Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut has built or remodeled 111 homes in its service area and has served more than 120 households. Some people who lived in those 111 Habitat homes have since moved out, which is why there are more families than homes.

Herr said Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut currently has 50 more homes in the pipeline, including a 38-home project in Ledyard she said will be the largest Habitat project in the state, three duplex homes in New London and another home in Norwich. Those projects do not have a start date yet, she said.

d.drainville@theday.com
STORY: :: Haitian protesters demand protection as gang violence displaces parts of the capital

:: March 19, 2025

:: Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Protesters, including displaced Haitians, set up barricades in the streets demanding urgent measures to combat insecurity and the resignation of the transitional presidential council's members. At least two people were injured during the protest, according to local media.

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The Viv Ansanm gang alliance has been escalating attacks since government security forces this month began attacking gang enclaves with explosive-packed drones.

Haiti's government, which has called for urgent international security support since 2022, more recently requested a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission to boost under-staffed police, but this met opposition from Russia and China.

The U.N. Security Council is set to debate a hybrid security support model that would establish a budgeted office to help supply an existing, voluntary mission after lack of contributions has left it woefully under-manned and under-equipped.

Over 42,000 people were forced to flee their homes between mid-February and early March alone, and the number of people internally displaced by the violence has now surpassed 1 million.
The New Hampshire House of Representatives meets for a voting day in the State House on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Representatives voted to table a proposal legalizing assisted suicide. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

By a single vote, the New Hampshire House of Representatives decided to table a proposal to legalize assisted suicide.

House Bill 254, sponsored by Windham Republican Rep. Bob Lynn, seeks to legalize medical aid in dying in New Hampshire. If enacted, it would allow adults to end their life through doctor-prescribed drugs. In order to receive the fatal drugs under this bill, two different doctors would have to determine those adults to be likely to die within six months or they would have to be in Medicare-certified hospice care with a terminal condition. The patient receiving aid-in-dying drugs would also need to have the mental capacity to understand and appreciate health care options available and give informed consent. The drugs must be self-administered. The medical provider must also determine the patient is not being coerced into the assisted suicide.

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IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW is in a crisis, call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. To reach the New Hampshire Rapid Response Access Point, call or text 833-710-6477. If you need help with grief and loss, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers advice and resources. You can also call the National SAMHSA Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP, with services in English and Spanish, toll free 24/7.

By tabling this bill, the House decided not to advance it to the Senate, but didnt kill it entirely. Lawmakers can still bring it back up for a vote should they choose. The bipartisan vote to table it was 183-182.

I do enjoy a debate of nine speakers such as we have lined up here as much as the next guy, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne said, advocating for the House to skip debate and simply table it. But I also know that we dont need to have the same debate every year.

The debate over assisted suicide is not a new one in the New Hampshire State House. The practice was almost legalized last year when 2024s House Bill 1283, a very similar piece of legislation, was approved by the House, but failed in the Senate.

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In hearings leading up to Thursdays vote, proponents of the bill argued it provides a way for people with terminal illnesses and conditions to avoid some of the suffering they may face in their final days of life. Opponents of the bill argued it would lead to a so-called slippery slope where doctors give up on treating people with disabilities and severe conditions in favor of encouraging them to choose death. Opponents were also concerned it would be abused by people with depression and suicidal ideation.

Assisted suicide is already legal in 10 U.S. states  including Vermont and Maine  and Washington, D.C. Its also legal in countries like Canada, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, and Belgium.
SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA)  After a hit-and-run accident in Sebastian County left one man, Warren Campbell, critically injured, one of Campbells friends, Todd Atkins, is speaking out in hopes of convincing drivers to be more aware of their surroundings.

Todd Atkins is the founder of Border Riders, a group that unites motorcyclists around the region.

Were just a riding group of moms and dads who love to ride. We like to go on rides. We like to go somewhere to eat and come back home and go to sleep. Thats most of us, Atkins said. We have bike nights here in Northwest Arkansas at La Torcia Brick Oven Pizza.

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Atkins and Warren grew up together in Barling, Arkansas, spending their childhood fishing when they were around eight to ten years old. Though they lost touch over the years, they have since reconnected.

About 25 to 30 years later, he joined my motorcycle group, and we became friends again and got to ride and we had many rides and a lot of great memories together, Atkins said.

Yet, everything came to a screeching halt on Monday night when calls started to flood Atkins phone.

Van Buren OnlyFans actor sentenced to 32 years for violating terms of release

Todd, did you hear about Warren? And I said, No, what happened there?' Atkins said.

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Through tears, Atkins said he learned that Warren suffered multiple serious injuries, including broken ribs, a broken jaw, a broken wrist and collapsed lungs.

Atkins says hes visited Campbell multiple times, even leaving a patch at the foot of his hospital bed, so when Campbell wakes, hell know he was there.

Were hoping and praying for a full recovery I think its too early to tell. I plan on going this weekend back up the hospital, and hell be awake, Im sure of it, Atkins said.

Atkins said this isnt the first time one of his friends has been in a motorcycle accident, and it is causing him to send out a message to drivers.

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What happened to Warren can happen to any of us, and then, unless it happens to you or a family member, youll never know the pain that it causes, Atkins said.

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NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)  Opening a new smoke shop in New Haven just got more difficult.

A new ordinance was signed into law Thursday comes with a list of restrictions, from advertising to zoning.

Norwalk smoke shop raided, New Haven man arrested, police say

An hour after the ordinance was signed, building and zoning enforcement delivered these notices to smoke shops with new violations.

Smoking-related merchandise cannot be seen from the public right of way. We also limit the type of lighting that can be used, limited flash, shimmering, glittering, New Haven Planning Department Exec. Dir. Laura Brown said.

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The ordinance also restricts new smoke shops from opening, with currently 212 of them in New Haven alone. New establishments cannot open within 1,000 feet of a school or place of worship and cannot open within 3,000 feet of another tobacco seller.

A city map showing just one location left in the long wharf neighborhood.

People can do business in our community but they have to follow the rules, Mayor Justin Elicker said.

Tobacco sellers must also get a $150 license from the city every year, separate from the states, with annual inspections.

Health Director Maritza Bond said they will first inform and educate businesses and then focus on enforcement.

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Smoke shop search leads to unlicensed cannabis sale arrest, police say

Ensuring they have a valid license issued by the New Haven Health Department and State of Connecticut to sell the products. Licenses clearly visible and also signage that states they cannot sell products to anyone under 21, Bond said.

Fine violations will range from $150 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $1,000 every subsequent with potential suspension or closure. Residents can also file complaints through the health department anonymously.

Bond said their focus is protecting residents especially New Haven youth.

We can monitor marketing and do compliance checks to ensure sale of tobacco or vaping products are being sold to those over 21 years of age is so vital, Bond said.

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News 8 went into a dozen smoke shops in the Elm City Thursday, but all declined to speak with us on camera about the new regulations.

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Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says he will introduce legislation to curb what he says is a dramatic abuse of judicial authority by courts that have issued injunctions against President Trumps agenda, including the deportation of alleged gang members.

District Court judges have issued RECORD numbers of national injunctions against the Trump administration  a dramatic abuse of judicial authority. I will introduce legislation to stop this abuse for good, Hawley posted on the social platform X.

Hawley issued the statement amid several ongoing court battles between the Trump administration and federal judges.

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James Boasberg, the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, issued an order over the weekend halting the deportation of a group of Venezuelans, including alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to El Salvador.

The Trump administration continued the deportation of the migrants after a stopover in Honduras despite a verbal and written order by Boasberg attempting to halt two deportation flights.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the judge is essentially trying to say that the president doesnt have the executive authority to deport foreign terrorists from our American soil, calling it an egregious abuse of the bench.

Another federal judge Tuesday blocked Trumps executive order banning transgender people from serving in the military.

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On March 13, federal judge ordered that the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs must immediately reinstate probationary employees who were fired.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge John McConnell ruled to extend an injunction against the Trump administrations attempt to freeze payments for federal grants, writing that that the freeze fundamentally undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government.

Hawleys office said details about the legislation the Missouri senator intends to introduce will be announced at a later time.

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WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  Hazel Green is a wide spot in the road, home to about 65 families. Like most small towns, it has seen better days. Now vacant buildings and empty lots line the main drag. But there are sounds of life in the towns most prominent structure, a 140-year-old Victorian home painted hazel and green.

Owner Joe Bowen is there every day, hammering and sawing and painting. He hopes his colorful house is the first of many to line a stretch of Highway 191. During a visit to Ireland, he noticed that people painted their houses every color of the rainbow.

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We want this to be a happy place, he said. We want you to drive into this little town and not even know why you just fell in love.

The home, which sat vacant for 26 years, is being restored to be turned into a bed and breakfast called The Celtic Inn. Its step one in re-identifying the town as a Celtic Village, honoring the regions Irish, Scottish, and Welsh heritage.

Bowen said, Seventy-five to eighty percent of the families that lived in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia are from that Celtic world.

Local folks have embraced the idea of turning Hazel Green into a theme town.

Lexington church displays nativity sets from around the world

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The founder of Hazel Green, which is my great, great, great grandfather, was William Trimble. And his ancestors were from Ireland, Donna Trimble Brewer, a local historian who works at the library, said.

She believes they came to America in the late 1700s and eventually migrated to Appalachia.

Brewer said Joe and his wife, Linda, are a godsend to the community, with ideas that have everyone there brainstorming of what to do with a Celtic theme. That could include restaurants, a bakery, and music and storytelling festivals.

Joe first saw themed villages in 1967 when, at age 24, he bicycled 14,000 miles across the U.S. and parts of Canada. Its trip he repeated when he was 62. He remembers places like Leavenworth, Washington, which had Bavarian chalets, and Solvang, California, known as The Danish Capital of America.

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He said he had the vision to do something similar while working late one night on his Hazel Green house.

Its like magic happened, Joe said. I looked across the street (where vacant buildings stand) and I saw an Irish pub and restaurant.

That set the wheels in motion. Those businesses havent come yet, but the townsfolk have jumped in to clean up lots, cut trees, and lay the groundwork for growth. Joe believes the Celtic Inn, which is set to open in the summer of 2025, will attract other people to open businesses in the community.

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Many of the people who live here went to the famed Hazel Green Academy, a school founded in 1880 that prepared mountain children for college. They feared the town would die when the academy closed 40 years ago, but now they say its just been asleep, ready to reawaken with a new identity.

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Theres nothing better than people that love each other and help each other and support each other, and thats who the mountain people are, said Linda Bowen. And so, I see wonderful hope here.

She has been busy picking out antique fixtures for the inn and often recounts the history of the house to visitors while dressed in Victorian clothing.

We want this to be the communitys house, she said.

After the Bowens started this project, they learned that a few years ago there was an economic impact study done by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the state. One of the recommendations was that a themed village could really boost the economy in the Red River Gorge area. Hazel Green is just 15 miles from the gorge, which has seen a surge in visitors in recent years.

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Marla Lawson, a retired teacher who attended Hazel Green Academy, was one of the first people to get excited about the Celtic Village idea. She hopes it will bring attention to the craftspeople and artists who live in the area.

We want everybody to just keep up and look at what we have planned for the future because we have big, bright ideas, Lawson said.

One idea is to host Celtic festivals, so Lawson has been teaching folk dancing to local students so they can be ready to perform. She would like to teach the dances to adults as well.

If all goes as planned, drivers who come into Hazel Green may feel as if they have somehow detoured into Ireland. With the luck of the Irish, Hazel Green will find a pot of gold.

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Joe said Wolfe County is one of the poorest counties in the nation, and for years, the national media has come into eastern Kentucky to do stories about how ignorant we are, how unhealthy we are, and how poor we are. They have identified us. He said the Celtic Village project is a change to let us tell them who we are, show that we are incredible people.

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At 82 years old, no one doubts Joes determination. Besides his cross-country bike rides, he is well-known as a stilt walker. He is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest trip on stilts. In 1980, he walked nearly 3,000 miles from eastern Kentucky to Los Angeles to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Now, his tall order is revitalizing a town.

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I wish God had given me this idea when I was 50 or 60, but Im enjoying every bit of this, and Im going to help these people find their mark and place in society.

It is a family thats come together, he said, and they want to make their little town more interesting to the outside public.



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BOSTON (SHNS)  State public health officials are urging care providers to remain vigilant for potential measles cases as outbreaks worsen in Texas and New Mexico.

Compared to other states dealing with rising infections, there have been no recent measles cases reported in Massachusetts, Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said Thursday.

But he highlighted a March 11 clinical advisory with recommendations for providers, including promoting vaccination schedules and isolating patients with suspected measles infections at health care facilities.

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Measles cases are most dangerous for children under age 5 and adults over age 20, as well as those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems, Goldstein said during a Public Health Council meeting. The disease spreads easily among people, with transmission risk lasting about a week or two, he said.

The good news is that theres a safe and effective vaccine available to protect individuals and communities from measles, the commissioner said. Were also happy to report that the most recent national immunization survey showed Massachusetts had some of the highest vaccination rates in the country.

The measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rate is 98% for Massachusetts children under age 17, Goldstein said. But without mentioning specific areas, Goldstein cautioned some swaths of Massachusetts have lower childhood vaccination rates.

As a precaution, the department has issued an advisory to clinicians to amplify existing guidance for vaccination against measles and to support provider recognition and management of potential cases of measles, should they occur in Massachusetts, Goldstein said.

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In Texas and New Mexico, the measles outbreak has now surpassed 300 cases, leading to two deaths among individuals who were unvaccinated, according to The Hill.

DPHs clinical advisory warned about a surge in measles cases across 12 jurisdictions this year, including in New York City and Rhode Island. It noted the outbreak in west Texas overwhelmingly affected unvaccinated children.

Providers should consider a measles diagnosis in patients who have a fever above 101 degrees, a rash and a cough, among other symptoms, according to the advisory. Providers should immediately report suspected measles cases to the state, collect a nasal or throat swab from potentially infected individuals, and advise patients to be on the lookout for symptoms after traveling.

Measles can feel like a cold or the flu at first, but individuals will later develop a red blotchy rash that starts on their faces and then spreads throughout their body, Goldstein said.

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Measles often causes diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia, he said. Most people recover from the acute measles infection in a few weeks, but some cases can result in serious illness, hospitalization and even death.

Massachusetts this winter has contended with a surge of flu cases, though Goldstein said the state has seen declining flu activity in recent weeks.

The most recently available state data show that about 3.1% of hospitalizations during the week of March 2 were tied to the flu, compared to 5.2% the prior week. There have been 252 influenza-related deaths in Massachusetts this flu season.

Weve lowered our estimated severity level from very high to moderate, and were getting reports of a decrease in cases in our state, Goldstein said. Were hopeful that this trend will continue over the next few weeks. That said, levels are still elevated, and the risk of flu persists.

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U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet signs a card for a constituent after his town hall on March 19, 2025, at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Police escorted several people from a town hall with two Colorado Democrats Wednesday night after they shouted that the officials arent doing enough to protect the environment and push back against President Donald Trumps administration.

A heated crowd in Golden heard U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Lakewood answer questions about Democratic leadership in Congress, the legality of Elon Musks so-called Department of Government Efficiency, preserving the integrity of the judicial branch, and concerns about a lack of tangible actions to hold the Trump administration accountable. Hundreds gathered for the town hall at the Bunker Auditorium at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, which sits in Colorados 7th Congressional District, represented by Pettersen.

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Several people affiliated with activist group Climate Defiance Colorado handed fliers to town hall attendees as they entered the venue and stood at their seats holding signs during the event. They shouted out criticizing Bennets votes in support of several Trump cabinet nominees and for failing to push back against the presidents actions. Others accused Bennet of killing the planet and taking money from oil and gas, which Bennet denied.

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Since Trump took office in January, he has fired thousands of federal employees, frozen federal funding approved by Congress and resisted court orders, among dozens of other extreme executive actions.

The auditorium erupted between people shouting at Bennet and people rebutting in defense of Bennet.

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You cant compromise with fascists, one person yelled.

Youre attacking the wrong man, a woman shouted back.

Were not going to do it this way, Bennet said. He told one person, What youre saying is totally false. Its not true.

Later in the night, other attendees who were also removed from the venue called out to criticize continued U.S. support for Israel despite the thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza. Stop spending more on bombs than you do on schools, one attendee said.

Police escorted out just under 10 people throughout the night after Bennets staff attempted to talk them down.

I know that these are intense times and that we can have disagreements, but I dont think that engaging in that way is helpful, Pettersen said.

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Despite the interruptions, Bennet said he would still encourage his Republican colleagues to hold town halls and hear directly from constituents.

This is a free country. People have the right to express themselves, he said to reporters after the town hall. There are always going to be instances like that, but we also were able to have the conversation that we needed to have tonight.

Activists with Climate Defiance Colorado held up signs and heckled U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet before police escorted them out at a joint town hall Bennet held with U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen on March 19, 2025, at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Bennet also hosted a town hall in Greeley Tuesday night and will host one more in Colorado Springs on Thursday. Progressive groups are holding peoples town halls in Republican congressional districts around the country where Republicans are declining to engage directly with constituents.

I want to see obstruction

The first constituent to ask a question Wednesday said words are great but that he wasnt seeing any action, and attendees asking for more substantial answers and actions to oppose Trump policies continued throughout the night.

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Amanda Arlington, a Parker resident who worked at Denver Public Schools when Bennet was the districts superintendent, said she saw him show up for kids in classrooms at the schools regularly, but she hasnt seen that translate to similar action during his time in the Senate, she said. Arlington said she hasnt heard a plan for how Democrats are actually working against Trump, and she asked Bennet and Pettersen to share one.

I feel like youre talking pretty, Arlington told Bennet while asking a question during the town hall. I want to see obstruction.

Bennet said that with Trump in the White House and majorities in both chambers of Congress, Democrats have to find other methods of pushing back.

It doesnt do anybody any good for us to pretend that thats not real, Bennet said of Republican control in Washington. But its not an excuse for not continuing to push. Its not an excuse to not continue to lift our voices.

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Democrats need to obstruct everything, Arlington told Newsline after the town hall, because Republican plans at the federal level are terrifying.

We need leadership to say no, because were not in Washington, she said. I mean Republicans have been doing that for years. They have a lot of power and they stopped a lot of (President Barack) Obamas agenda  I want to see that from the Democrats, and Im not seeing it.

She added that Republicans are going to devastate the economy. Theyre going to devastate kids. Theyre going to devastate health care, and devastate rural America.

Jake Kotula from Denver said Republican actions are a huge departure from the norm, and he hasnt seen any different behavior from Democrats to react to the new political landscape.

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The question I was going to ask them was, What distinctly are you going to do differently now that the rules of engagement are different? Kotula said in an interview with Newsline after the town hall. Give us actionable steps about how you are bucking the norm the way that the Republicans are bucking the norm, the way they are eroding democracy.

Both Colorado Democrats at the town hall should weaponize the bureaucratic foundations of legislative proceedings like the Senate filibuster and encourage others in their chambers to do the same to support the judiciary, Kotula said. He got to tell Pettersen his thoughts after the town hall concluded. Both elected officials talked to people in the audience.

Ron Meehan from Lakewood said many people have deeply rooted and valid concerns about protecting federal assistance programs, democracy and the climate, and residents want to know what Democrats are doing to respond to those concerns, and how they can get involved.

I am hopeful that they will have a more unified front, and they will be able to pull the public more in, because we know that the public right now is engaged, Meehan said in an interview with Newsline after the town hall. They are furious about the real impacts that these (decisions) are having on peoples lives and their ability to get by, and we have to have really meaningful action on that.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he is appealing a block on an executive order from President Trump effectively preventing transgender people from serving openly in the military.

We are appealing this decision, and we will win, Hegseth wrote in a Wednesday evening post on the social platform X.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes stopped Hegseth and other military officials from putting the presidents order in place or otherwise implementing new policy effectuating it. Reyes also said the military statuses of the plaintiffs could not be changed until further order of the court.

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We are not surprised to hear the military intends to appeal. We are very confident in the Courts ruling. All the evidence in the case shows that transgender people are meeting standards and making tremendous contributions to ensure the security of the nation, Jennifer Levi, an attorney for plaintiffs in the case, said in an email to The Hill.

According to Reyes, an appointee of former President Biden, her order intended to keep military policy status quo regarding transgender service members that existed prior to the president signing the Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness order. The judge also stayed her ruling until Friday to allow the Trump administration time to appeal.

The Court knows that this opinion will lead to heated public debate and appeals, Reyes said in her opinion. In a healthy democracy, both are positive outcomes.

Trumps order suggests that transgender people cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service because they threaten the lethality of the armed forces and undermine unit cohesion, an argument long used to keep marginalized communities from serving.

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A mans assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member, the executive order states.

The Hill has reached out to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for comment.

The evidence before the courtincluding the governments own records and studiesshowed that transgender troops have been serving honorably and effectively, Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and another plaintiff attorney, said in a statement emailed to The Hill.

The government had an opportunity to make its case and was unable to provide even a shred of evidence to show any problems with transgender service or to support its abrupt decision to reverse course and suddenly exclude service members who are meeting and exceeding standards.

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Updated March 20 at 5:27 a.m. EDT

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An employee of the Albuquerque Interagency Dispatch Center stands at her desk to monitor wildfire starts, pictured May 2022. (Photo courtesy Cibola National Forest)

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has received assurances that wildfire dispatch centers monitoring a third of the state for wildfires will not close despite announced federal lease terminations, but the official signoff on keeping them open has not yet come from the federal General Services Administration, according to a spokesperson.

The Albuquerque and Silver City interagency dispatch centers are both housed in buildings on the so-called Department of Government Efficiencys list of lease terminations. Together, the dispatch centers coverage areas are more than 45,000 square miles, including Albuquerque in Central New Mexico and the Gila National Forest in Southwestern New Mexico.

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The potential upheaval of the dispatch centers comes amid other federal Forest Service cuts and acute risk of wildfires in New Mexico in March and April, according to recent forecasts. The dispatch center in Albuquerque facilitated communications and initial response for 10 wildfire starts reported in its coverage area in the last 24 hours, for example, according to dispatch logs.

Despite the assurances, its still too soon to say whether the centers will remain open, said spokesperson Luis Soriano.

Sen. Heinrich has received assurances that the dispatch centers will remain open, though we have not yet received official confirmation from GSA, Soriano told Source New Mexico in a text message.

In response to an inquiry from Source New Mexico on Wednesday afternoon, GSA spokesperson Christi Chidester Votisek did not directly address the dispatch centers or the forest supervisors offices but said the administration is reviewing all options to optimize the federal footprint and building utilization.

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The GSA statement also said the administration is actively managing lease contracts, which allows it to work with agencies on their longer-term needs and possibly negotiate better rent prices. If GSA decides to go forward with a cancellation, it would be in accordance with regular and well-accepted private industry contracting processes, Chidester Votisek said.

The United States Forest Service, in an email, declined to comment.

The federal government has not been forthcoming about its plans for the dispatch centers or other details about how personnel cuts might affect the response to a potentially disastrous wildfire season. Staffers for members of Congress in the Southwest asked repeatedly for details about the employee terminations and the dispatch during a briefing last week but did not receive any answers, a Congressional aide told Source New Mexico.

High winds in New Mexico amid prolonged drought make much of the state at high risk for wildfires. Three small fires are currently burning in the state, requiring state, local and federal resources, according to State Forestry spokesperson George Ducker.

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All three fires  the Gail Hill Fire, the Pond Fire and the Milagro Fire  have burned less than 1,000 acres combined, Ducker said in an email Wednesday. More than 150 people are responding to all three blazes, Ducker said.

The three fires are:

The Gail Hill Fire east of Cloudcroft has burned an estimated 235 acres and is 0% contained.

The Pond Fire in Northern Socorro County has burned 97 acres and is 0% contained.

The Milagro Fire in Torrance County near Interstate 40 has burned 600 acres and is 40% contained.

More information about those fires can be found at NMFireInfo.com.
HENRY COUNTY, Ala (WDHN)  A brand new drug dog in Henry County had his first drug bust not even a week after graduating from the academy.

On Tuesday, March 18, a Henry County Sheriffs Office drug task force officer pulled over a vehicle on Highway 431, near county road 212.

According to the Henry County Sheriffs Office, during the traffic stop, K9 Rudi and his partner, Deputy LaRose, found approximately 30lbs of Marijuana, and the driver, 32-year-old Alfedan Akinlosoe, of Atlanta, Georgia, was arrested.

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Suspect in Houston County love triangle murder found guilty

K9 Rudi, along with the HCSOs other new K9, Hamu, had graduated from a 3 month training course at the Dothan Police Department on Friday.

Akinlosoe was charged with drug trafficking and booked into the Henry County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

I would like to commend the work of our K9 team. These dogs are amazing, in their 1st week they are already proving how valuable they will be to our agency. The Sheriffs Pro-Active Drug Enforcement (S.P.A.D.E.) unit will continue to do everything we can to keep our streets drug free and keep drugs out of the hands of our children.- Sheriff Eric Blankenship

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When Candy Gallant began rescuing and rehabilitating wild animals around 60 years ago, she never dreamed it would land her a main role in a documentary one day. However, once filmmaker Susan Rodgers heard about her incredible efforts to help wildlife in Prince Edward Island, Canada, she felt inspired to share Gallant's story.

As the Journal Pioneer explained, Gallant's love for nature and animals led to the launch of P.E.I. Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Inc., a rehabilitation operation she runs out of her home. While she received a license to do the work legally in 2021, that didn't stop her from helping animals in need even before becoming official. Despite the risk, she's always had a heart for taking care of injured or abandoned animals.

"I've never been able to turn down anything that's little and wants to live," she told CBC Radio Canada.

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Her love for animals goes back to childhood, and she's had plenty of experience nurturing them back to health.

"I grew up with wild animals being part of the family," she added. "We were those people that you brought any sick or orphaned anything to and I just carried on the family tradition, I guess."

Now, she's one of the few people in the province with a wildlife rehabilitation permit. The work keeps her busy, as she gets about 800 animals needing rehabilitation and release every year. When you walk into her home, you'll see dozens of cages filled with baby squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, weasels, guinea pigs, and other animals on the island needing help.

"Usually, there's cages completely surrounding me," Gallant told the Pioneer. "I call it command central, and (I) sit  with baby birds, baby squirrels, baby whatever. Baby weasels, mink, whatever needs constant feeding."

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That's part of why she initially hesitated about being in the documentary, as she doesn't have a designated facility for the animals yet. She eventually agreed, however, realizing the documentary would be a great opportunity to raise awareness of P.E.I. wildlife and rescue.

"Any publicity about wildlife and how you shouldn't be feeding them certain foods  or you shouldn't be feeding them at all, because you're making them too dependent on humans. It's all good information," she said.

With the changing climate making it harder for animals to survive because of more frequent extreme weather events, animal rescue operations  such as Pasadena Humane in California  have seen a big increase in wildlife that needs rehabilitation.

Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Rodgers hopes the documentary, called Wild Hearts, will encourage people to reconnect with nature and care for the animals that call it home. Filming will begin this month, and the four-part documentary will air on Bell TV sometime in late 2026.

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"I hope they get a feel-good feeling. And the ones that didn't know they have a wildlife rescue choice, they'll find out about it," Gallant said. "Any publicity about wildlife rehabilitation in the Maritimes is good. We need it."

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Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) will not run for Sen. Bill Cassidys (R-La.) seat next year after raising speculation that he might, he announced Thursday.

Higgins noted several polls from the GOP Trafalgar Group that indicated Republicans in the state wanted to see him run for the seat and that he had received encouragement to launch a bid.

For the past year, because so many Patriots privately encouraged me to seek the Senate seat surely to be strongly contested in 2026, I have calmly studied a potential transition of my Congressional service from the Peoples House to the esteemed Senate, he said in a statement posted on the social platform X.

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Now, it is my considered determination that current engagement in the House being incredibly significant, it may be ultimately more beneficial to the Republic that I remain in service to the MAGA America First agenda as a senior Republican in the House of Representatives, he continued.

Higgins, who is serving his fifth House term, suggested that if he were to serve in the Senate, I would no doubt be forced to avert my focused attention from the battles I am currently engaged in, battles that require my very unique set of skills.

The move clears a lane for Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming to run to the right of Cassidy, a moderate GOP lawmaker, in the 2026 Senate election.

Cassidys seat is rated solid Republican by the nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report, though Cassidys reelection is far from certain, particularly as one of the few remaining Senate Republicans who voted to convict President Trump in 2021.

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Despite the pushback Cassidy has received from some Republicans, Higgins said in his statement that he respected Cassidy and thanked him for his service.

I have no lack of love for my fellow man, and Senator Cassidy is no exception to that fact, Higgins said.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Oregons cannabis regulators are sounding the alarm on widespread non-compliance in the hemp market.

Despite the fact that hemp is defined as a cannabis plant with less than 0.3% of THC, the Oregon Department of Agricultures Cannabis Reference Laboratory found that all of the hemp flower samples it tested exceeded this threshold. And some contained as much as 30.5% THC.

Portland agencies to remove returned payment fees after investigation dinged water bureau

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What we found was frankly quite concerning, especially on the hemp side of things, said Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission Communications Director John Brady.

These findings, along with several other cases of non-compliance, were uncovered in the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commissions Preliminary Technical Report on Wednesday. In the report, the commission notes that the prominence of hemp products aimed to offer consumers a non-intoxicating substance  but many brands have wrongly sold marijuana-derived products while advertising them as hemp.

Both the OLCC and ODA probed into concerns of contamination and product misrepresentation in the market by testing 151 cannabis product samples.

Researchers found that 72% of the hemp edibles they successfully purchased for the investigation were prohibited from being sold to Oregon customers. This was due to the amount of artificially derived cannabinoids or delta-9-THC  the primary active ingredient giving users the high feeling  they contained.

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Former Clackamas County Commissioner defrauded mothers 83-year-old boyfriend out of over $30K, records show

And only 10% of the edibles researchers purchased had a clear potency label that matched the test results.

The investigation also found that one batch of marijuana contained nearly 10 times the amount of pesticides that is legally allowed. The product has since been recalled, according to officials.

In addition to concerns with the legality of the product samples, the commission also raised red flags over the hemp industrys age verification processes. The commission claimed it was able to purchase 91% of the hemp edible samples and 87% of the flower samples it attempted to buy online, without having to adequately verify its age.

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KOIN 6 News Reporter Joelle Jones asked Brady if any children have been intoxicated as a result of these findings.

They did have some reports of children being reported, you know, having to go to the poison control line and things like that. And thats another thing I think, that came out of this, is that obviously the packaging we saw, many of these things were packaged in a way that would be attractive to kids. They look almost like candy, Brady said.

University of Oregon faculty threaten to strike for fair contract

OLCC Commission Chair Dennis Doherty said these findings point to an industry-wide need for stronger oversight.

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We found potency levels or THC levels, that exceeded federal levels, exceeded state levels. We found that there were hemp products that people could buy that didnt have child-resistant packaging, Brady said.

Officials have worked toward this since the 2023 passage of House Bill 2931, which established the laboratory used for the report.

The new legislative measures will help protect consumers, particularly minors, and ensure the industry operates responsibly, Doherty said in a statement.

If a company breaks the rules, the OLCC does not license hemp sellers as they do with marijuana, so the only recourse is fines, Brady said.

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However, the recent legislative efforts mean the OLCC now has the authority to enforce regulations, impose civil penalties and launch a product registry. The OLCC said part of that registry includes honest labeling requirements with transparency about the THC levels and product testing.

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Hundreds gathered at College Park Baptist Church on Monday evening to send a message to U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis: Stand up to the policies being implemented by the Trump administration.

The event was billed as a town hall with Tillis. However, there was no surprise when the two-term Republican did not show for the event.

Tillis office released a statement last week that referred to the event as part of series of so-called town halls hosted by left wing groups. The statement also referenced several threats it said had been directed at Tillis.

The organizers of the town hall also anticipated Tillis absence, saying in advance they would put out an empty chair with Tillis name on it.

They did just that on Monday.

The event Monday was organized by the Accountability Coalition of the Triad, which includes participation from left-leaning organizations such as the Democratic Party and local Indivisible groups.

Kathy Kirkpatrick, who chairs the Guilford County Democratic Party, condemned threats and political violence, calling them antithetical for what were doing here.

Our job is to make sure people understand the issues, Kirkpatrick said.

While the coalition includes liberal groups, Kirkpatrick said the issues they were addressing, such as immigration and programs like Social Security, transcended partisan divides.

Those are not left or right, Kirkpatrick said. Those are issues that affect every American in this country.

In a Facebook post before the gathering, Kirkpatrick called on attendees to be respectful and said disruptors would be removed. The crowd, which packed the sanctuary and required use of the chapel as an overflow room, heeded those instructions.

The event kicked off with a performance from the singing activist group the Raging Grannies, who sang a song called Oh, Tillis, Please Just Do Your Job, to the tune of Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In.

Speakers included representatives of various local organizations and causes who touched on issues ranging from Medicaid and Social Security to immigration and public education.

Dr. Steve Luking, a retired physician from Rockingham County who ran against Republican Senate Leader Phil Berger last year, called on Tillis to oppose cuts to Medicaid.

Deena Hayes-Greene, the chairwoman of Guilford County Board of Education, said Tillis should support increased funding for public schools as well continuation of diversity, equity and inclusion policies.

Cecile Crawford, a leader of the advocacy group Keep Gate City Housed, said she wanted to see Tillis support expanded programs for food assistance and affordable housing  and to have more empathy for struggling constituents.

I guess he was afraid we were going to yell at him, Crawford said. I wasnt going to yell. I was going to ask  nicely  to have a heart, to have a soul, to exhibit some of those Christian values, right? So were talking about what we want from him. We want him to grow a heart like the Grinch.

GCS teacher tells her story

Some speakers were community members who shared their own stories and perspectives.

One of them was Erin Wenger, a public school teacher in Greensboro.

Educators have been picking up the slack from the inefficient and inadequate state and federal funding for far too long, and weve been doing it with smiles on our faces, Wenger said. Sen. Tillis, these smiles are starting to fade. These hearts that have beat with passion for teaching children are beating with frustration at your failure to fully fund public education.

Chewuna Patterson, 52, said she came to the event because she works for individuals with special needs through the agency That Advocate Lady.

She said she was interested to hear about programs like Medicare and Medicaid and said she would urge Tillis to maintain funding for these programs because cuts would create disruptions for individuals dependent on the services.

It doesnt work monetary-wise and keeps people from being able to access services, Patterson said.

Since President Donald Trump returned to office, Republican lawmakers from across the country have faced hostile crowds in their own districts.

The backlash was enough to prompt some Republican leaders, including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, to call on Republican officials to avoid in-person gatherings.

One Republican who defied that directive was U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, whose district includes much of Western North Carolina. Edwards faced heckles and jeers from a crowd at a town hall he held last week, and at least one person was removed from the event.

The News & Record reached out to the offices of Guilford Countys all-Republican Congressional delegation, including Sen. Ted Budd and Reps. Virginia Foxx, Addison McDowell and Richard Hudson, to ask if they had any plans for town halls.

By 9 p.m. Monday, only Budds Communications Director Mike Reynard had responded.

Reynard said Budd had previously held a town hall in Greensboro when he was in the U.S. House.

What we found at that time, given the environment, was that in-person town halls were not a forum for productive, respectful and meaningful conversations around serious public policy, Reynard said. Nor were they an environment conducive to the safety of all involved. That said, Senator Budd regularly interacts with constituents across the state.

He said Budd has held telephone town halls, travels the state when the Senate is out of session and is available by appointment through his office.

Outside of the town halls, local residents and activists have voiced their displeasure with Tillis at a series of protests held outside the senators Greensboro office in the last few weeks.

The gatherings have attracted hundreds of people. During a March 6 demonstration, a few dozen protestors broke off from the larger group and went to Tillis office, asking to meet with staff.

Greensboro police turned those protestors away at the request of the buildings landlord. Tillis office released a statement calling the demonstrators shamefully disruptive and disorderly in a center that hosts our office, a mental health crisis center, and numerous other medical offices.

Some of the activists disputed that characterization. The protesters dispersed when told to do so by police and no arrests were made. The police department reported no threats related to the gathering.

Since that protest, some advocates have had luck in engaging with the senators office.

Steve Tate, a leader in the Greensboro Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Justice, said he and members of his group arranged a meeting with representatives from Tillis office, an interaction he described as positive.

Not on my watch

While Republicans have taken heat for administration policies, there has been some rancor among Democrats as well.

Democrats from different ideological factions of the party have criticized Sen. Chuck Schumers decision to allow a GOP funding bill to advance without filibuster.

Guilford County Democratic Party Chair Kirkpatrick said she understood the case for each course of action. On the one hand, she said there was a concern that a government shutdown would give the Trump administration more leeway to cut or interfere with government programs.

At the same time, Kirkpatrick said she understood the desire to fight and said she heard from some local Democrats who wanted to see the party do just that.

The other part of that is, stand up. Stand up and say No, this is not normal, Kirkpatrick said. So I get theres a split and I understand both sides.

The Democratic Party has also experienced a drop in popularity. A recent CNN poll released over the weekend found the party had a 29% favorability rating, the lowest recorded level of support for Democrats since the survey began in 1992.

Asked what the party could do to counteract the negative image, Kirkpatrick said: I honestly think we need to be out there and be visible. We need to stand up and say, Not on my watch.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)- For the past three years, Vexus has been laying the infrastructure needed for their fiber optic network around Tyler.

Man sentenced to 50 years in prison after shooting Nacogdoches police officer in 2023

As crews move into neighborhoods people are left with more questions than answers.

A lot of folks arent used to this type of infrastructure going in the ground and probably havent seen this level of a build since maybe the 1950s or sixties, Metronet Vice President of City Government Relations, Kris Smith said.

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Holly Holsberry whos lived in Tyler for almost two years said she knew it was coming but still wondered when crews would be on her lawn.

A few months ago, we got something in the mail, that I think was from Vexus or Nexus or whatever its called, Holsberry said. They talked about something that was going to be happening within our area soon. I dont remember them having any sort of like date and time or anything like that.

The city of Tyler released a statement clarifying that companies are required to give 48-hour notice to homeowners before crews start working.

Its very important to us to make sure residents feel like, one, they understand what were out there doing for them and the community and then to the most important is how to contact us directly with questions or concerns, Smith said.

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Metronet, which owns Vexus, said their goal is to make people feel informed and first send out an information letter.

We start about 45 to 30 days out with this letter, and we mail that out to residents, but we recognize that sometimes letters dont always make it into the right hands, Smith said.

City of Arp issues boil water notice for public water system

They also send a postcard then sometimes use door hangers to try and make sure everyone is notified.

Our goal is to try to be the least invasive as possible, to be a good steward to the city of Tyler and then hope that because we did a good job during the install that people are willing to give our service, try, Smith said.

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The project is expected to continue for the next 18 months and encourages people to reach out if they have concerns.

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COLUMBUS, OHIO (WCMH)  A historic building in Columbus just got funding for a big project thanks, in part, to Ohio taxpayers.

The Ohio History Connection gave the Green Lawn Abbey Foundation more than $8,000 Wednesday to restore an original stained glass window that was vandalized.

The grant is one of 12 awarded this year by the Ohio History Fund, which is partially funded by voluntary tax return donations from Ohioans.

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The Abbey opened in 1929 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

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A blaze severely damaged Westlakes historic Pacific Dining Car restaurant Thursday morning, leading to demolition of much of the structure at the site later that afternoon.

The blaze was the second fire reported at the shuttered eatery in less than a year.

Roughly 100 Los Angeles firefighters responded to the fire in the 1300 block of West 6th Street. The call came in at 6:53 a.m., and first responders reached the facility at 7:06 a.m.

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Once inside, firefighters determined the fire had started in the attic, damaging it along with the roof of the structure. The building was vacant, and there were no injuries.

It took about 45 minutes to knock down the blaze. Fire investigators are still determining the cause.

Later that afternoon, Los Angeles Fire spokesperson David Ortiz told CBS 2 that the department brought out an excavator to demolish a portion of the building because it posed a hazard to those walking by.

Esotouric's Secret Los Angeles posted footage of the demolition.

Read more: Pacific Dining Car building, one of the city's historic monuments, seriously damaged in fire

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The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety also was on the scene to determine the building's structural integrity. An email to the department was not immediately answered.

The restaurant, built in 1921 and moved to its current location in 1923, was designed to resemble a railroad car. It closed permanently in 2020 and was boarded and fenced up at the time of the fire.

Part of the restaurant burned in August.

The Pacific Dining Car was once a popular eatery among L.A.s movers and shakers, known for fine steaks and 24-hour service. It made several cameos in movies throughout its history, including Training Day .

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The Los Angeles City Council designated a portion of the site as a historic-cultural monument in 2023.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Zachery Ty Bryan was reportedly neck-deep in some financial crisis before his arrest.

The "Home Improvement" star had his income withheld to help him service a six-figure debt months before his latest run-in with the law.

Zachery Ty Bryan has faced multiple legal issues over the past 18 months. He was arrested in January, marking his third encounter with the law during this period. This follows two previous arrests, one in July 2023 for domestic violence and another in February 2024 for DUI charges.

Zachery Ty Bryan Was Sued For Breach Of Contract In 2021

HCSO/MEGA

Bryan recently had his residuals seized to cover a significant judgment of $108,000 stemming from a breach of contract lawsuit filed by Cameron Moore.

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The lawsuit, initiated in 2021, centers around allegations that Bryan, as CEO of Lost Lane LLC, failed to repay Moore the $60,000 he contributed for the production of the film "Warning."

Moore claimed he was promised a return on his investment, plus $12,000 in interest and a share of the film's profits, with Bryan personally guaranteeing the repayment. Despite Moore fulfilling his part of the agreement and releasing the movie on October 22, 2021, he reportedly did not receive any compensation.

After multiple failed attempts to resolve the matter, Moore sought legal recourse, leading to a default judgment against Bryan in April 2023 when he did not respond to the case. Per In Touch, the court awarded Moore $108,940.67, including damages and interest.

The 'Home Improvement' Star Reportedly Claimed He Was Too Broke To Fulfil The Payment Order

Home Improvement alum Zachery Ty Bryan arrested for domestic violence, marking third arrest in 18 months View: https://t.co/ewHbcfh99w pic.twitter.com/FCYVEU9xHz  RONDON (@MenorRondon) January 3, 2025

In the months following the judgment against Bryan, Cameron had a conversation with the actor in 2023, during which he acknowledged his debt but claimed he was unable to pay, stating he was "broke."

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At a May 2024 hearing, the actor reiterated under oath that while he recognized the judgment against him, he lacked the funds to settle it.

He mentioned earning income as an independent contractor assisting with his father's property management and real estate concerns and receiving varying royalties from SAG-AFTRA for his previous screen appearances.

Additionally, the actor indicated he was owed substantial amounts from several business associates. In light of this, Cameron requested the court to issue an order permitting him to seize all royalties owed to the actor until the $108,000 debt was fully paid off.

He presented a list from Bryan's IMDB profile, which detailed the films and shows from which he could receive royalties, including a significant role in 203 episodes of "Home Improvement" alongside Tim Allen. Bryan also had smaller roles in various television shows over the subsequent decade.

The 43-Year-Old Issued Death Threats To His Latest Assault Victim Before The Attack

CCSO/MEGA

Bryan was arrested in January on charges of second-degree domestic violence in South Carolina, but he was released from jail on bond shortly after. According to details by The Blast, he allegedly punched a woman multiple times and made threats to kill her.

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On January 1, just before 7 p.m., officers responded to a call in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they spoke to a woman who reported that Bryan had assaulted her.

She alleged that he punched her multiple times on the left side of her face and choked her by wrapping his arm around her neck, which restricted her airflow and left her fearing for her life.

The victim also claimed that Bryan threatened to kill her. The officers noted that her injuries were consistent with her account of the incident and mentioned that she shares a child with him.

The Film Producer Was Detained At The Horry County Jail

2002 RAMEY PHOTO / MEGA

The actor was Initially held at Horry County jail on a $10,000 bond, he was released around 8 p.m. on a Friday. His mugshot revealed visible injuries, including cuts on his chin, lips, and cheek, along with a red mark on his forehead.

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This incident is not Bryan's first encounter with the law regarding domestic violence. In 2020, he was arrested in Oregon for allegedly strangling his girlfriend at the time.

He pled guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to domestic violence and was sentenced to three years of probation. Surprisingly, he later got engaged to the woman he had allegedly harmed, Johnny Faye Cartwright, with whom he shares three children.

In July 2023, Bryan faced further legal troubles when he was jailed in Oregon again on charges of domestic violence. His charges also included fourth-degree felony assault, third-degree robbery, and misdemeanor harassment. He pled guilty to the felony assault charge and received a seven-day jail sentence.

Zachery Bryan's Co-star, Tim Allen, Described Him As A Complex Man With Trauma

GilbertFlores@Broadimage / MEGA

When Bryan's legal troubles emerged in 2023, his former co-star Tim Allen, who portrayed his father on "Home Improvement," expressed his concerns.

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Allen noted that he feels disconnected from the man Bryan has become, stating, "At a certain point, he deviated from the guy I know." He acknowledged the complexity of Bryan's situation, admitting, "You just don't know" how and why people change.

Allen remembered Bryan as an extraordinary child who had matured into a complicated adult. He emphasized the importance of allowing individuals to navigate their journeys, choosing to step aside as Bryan deals with his challenges.

In a separate conversation, his former partner, Cartwright, addressed Bryan's arrest for alleged domestic violence. She identified the various forms trauma can take and expressed concern over the potential for misinterpretation of the situation, stating:

"I've learned firsthand the truth will never align with what's been put out there."

Will Zachery Ty Bryan get into another trouble?
CAMERON  A man and two women accused of several crimes in Harnett County were recently arrested with the help of several law enforcement agencies.

On Monday around 4:30 p.m., the Harnett County Sheriffs Office arrested Frederick Donte Berryman Jr., 26, with assistance of the Sanford Police Department and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Berryman was charged with first-degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of felony conspiracy.

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These charges stem from an investigation where HCSO responded to a home invasion on Ted Brown Road in Cameron on March 17. The investigation revealed that a black man, later identified as Berryman, forced entry into the victims residence with a firearm, where two victims were robbed.

Berryman allegedly broke into the home at 1:46 a.m. and used threats with a handgun to steal an iPhone and $6,000 worth of medicine from Malinda Ann Martin and Tony McNeill, according to a search warrant.

Berryman, who has an address on Lora Ann Lane, southwest of Carolina Trace Country Club, was held on a $100,000 secured bond, according to eCourts. He has a court date set for April 8 at 9 a.m.

Two women were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday in connection with the robbery, a release states.

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April Sierra Richardson, 37, and Kace Machel Cox, 37, were also charged with first degree burglary, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and two counts of felony conspiracy.

Richardson, of the 1000 block of Bella Bridge Road in Broadway, was held on a secured $100,000 bond, and Cox, of the 200 block of Alfrada Drive in Cameron, was held on a $500,000 bond.

Cox also faces multiple charges from Sept. 26, 2024, including failure to stop at a stop sign/red light, no insurance, no registration, fictitious/altered title/registration/tag, driving while impaired and driving while license revoked.
A man who worked for the Home Office was sacked for sharing a post made by Richard Tice, the Reform UK MP.

Gary Costin, who had spent 15 years working for government contractors Mitie and G4S, was dismissed after a complaint about the message, which raised concerns about a Muslim lobbying group.

In his post on X, Mr Tice, who was the leader of Reform UK at the time, had reacted to an article by GB News revealing that members of the Home Offices Islamic staff network sought to influence policymakers to support Muslim needs.

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A link to the post, which had already been captioned Uh oh, was then forwarded on by Mr Costin. The 57-year-old was then suspended, in April last year.

The message in WhatsApp

Mr Costin, whose job was to remove some of the most violent foreign-born criminals from the UK, was then dismissed by Mitie despite the company accepting that he had not intended to cause any offence.

The case will raise fresh questions about freedom of speech and follows rows about political correctness inside the department.

During 15 years spent working for Home Office contractors, Mr Costin led teams that escorted foreign criminals on to flights back to their country of origin.

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This work involved taking murderers, rapists, drug dealers and other offenders back to countries including Afghanistan, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

But Mr Costin lost almost everything after forwarding a single message he had received to a small WhatsApp group chat on April 14 2024.

A list of the Islamic networks aims that had been seen by GB News included promote a clear understanding of generic Islam and providing advice and guidance to senior civil service management on religious issues that affect Muslim staff.

In the social media post, Richard Tice suggested that Muslims sought to influence UK policymakers - Jane Barlow/PA

In response, Mr Tice wrote: SHOCKING REVELATIONS: Large Islamic Network inside Home Office, now suspended, appears to have been deliberately undermining government policy.

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How many other departments have similar? Answers needed urgently. Possible national security issues at stake.

Mr Costin did not add any remarks of his own to the message he sent to the group chat.

The following day, he learnt he had been suspended after an anonymous complaint to Mities whistleblowing hotline.

He was later sacked after an anonymous co-worker claimed that by sharing the message, he had spread hatred towards Muslims and that this was tantamount to bullying.

The complainant is also understood to have described the forwarded post as an insult to all my Muslim colleagues, adding it had done nothing but spread hate.

No upset meant

Ahead of a disciplinary hearing, Mitie claimed in a series of formal letters to Mr Costin that he had breached its social media and disciplinary policies by being potentially discriminating (sic) and inappropriate.

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The company accepted during the hearing that Mr Costin did not mean to upset anyone, but it went on to argue that this was irrelevant.

Mitie went on to claim that sharing the image was or could be perceived as offensive and racist by others.

Mr Costin said: I have lost almost everything. I have nothing whatsoever against Muslims.

It was a purely factual message, on a small WhatsApp group we used to share information relevant to our work.

It was normal to post news headlines that could affect overseas removals. I have absolutely no idea how anyone could see it as spreading hatred or bullying.

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Mr Costin served as an armourer with the Royal Electric and Mechanical Engineers in Iraq, Northern Ireland and Kosovo, leaving with a good conduct medal before beginning his work for G4S and then Mitie.

In 2018, he had a central role in a high-profile case in which the deportation of a gang rapist was thwarted by fellow plane passengers.

A video on YouTube shows Mr Costin, who could not reveal the mans criminal record because of data protection laws, reasoning with passengers who were demanding the release of the deportee.

All I want is to clear my name

Mr Costin added that the loss of his job and income had almost cost him his marriage to Dawn, an air hostess.

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I nearly lost, sorry, nearly lost my marriage, he told Talk TV, fighting back tears. I lost my job. Its been hard. I had a decent car, which Ive had to sell to keep my head above water. I could have lost my home.

A year on, I am still devastated  I never intended to cause any offence to anyone, he said.

He said the sacking drove him to depression.

At the time, colleagues were frequently sharing news stories, including about the Rwanda scheme.

I have probably not been given half a dozen jobs which I have applied for because as soon as they [employers] see the post, everyone sort of goes, Oh my God, and then doesnt want to hire me, he said.

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I have lost my confidence. All I want is to clear my name.

Mr Costin added: Ive just fought it with the help of my wife.

It follows several similar cases where employers have sacked staff over their support of Reform. Last week it emerged that Waitrose had suspended a wine expert for supporting Reform on social media and sharing a Matt cartoon from The Telegraph.

Earlier this year, a housing officer was sacked for being a Reform UK candidate and reposting a Matt cartoon from The Telegraph.

Toby Young, the secretary general of the Free Speech Union, said: Gary should never have been sacked for sharing a tweet by Richard Tice in a workplace group chat.

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He certainly wouldnt have been if hed shared a tweet by Sir Keir Starmer or [Sir] Ed Davey. Had he decided to make a claim for unfair dismissal in the employment tribunal, I think he would have had a very strong case.

A spokesman for Mitie said: We dont comment on individual cases but there is zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any type in our business.

The Home Office was contacted for comment.

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A homeless man left a trail of destruction inside at least four Buddhist and Taoist temples across Lower Manhattan Tuesday, cops said.

Taihong Ouyang, 49, was slapped with hate crime criminal mischief and burglary charges for the destructive bender that included a stop at the Sung Tak Buddhist Association on Pike Street near East Broadway  where he allegedly smashed religious items with a fire extinguisher, cops and sources said.

During the Chinatown and Lower East Side spree, Ouyang also allegedly targeted the Guanyinsi  World Buddhist Center on Henry Street near Rutgers Street, where he damaged two security cameras, according to authorities and sources.

Taihong Ouyang, 49, allegedly smashed religious items with a fire extinguisher inside the Sung Tak Buddhist Association on Pike Street. Google

Ouyang faces hate crime criminal mischief and burglary charges, cops said. ABC7

He also targeted the Pu Chao Buddhist Temple on Eldridge Street near Canal Street, cops said.

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Ouyang was ended his spree just after 8 a.m. when he barged into the Huang Da Xian Taoist Temple on the Bowery near Pell Street and damaged a slew of items inside, cops said.

Someone called 911 to report the vandalism and Ouyang was tracked down and arrested, authorities said.

Ouyang is accused of damaging security cameras at the Guanyinsi  World Buddhist Center on Henry Street near Rutgers Street, cops and sources said. Google

Ouyang also damaged multiple items inside the Huang Da Xian Taoist Temple on the Bowery near Pell Street, cops said.

Ouyang is also accused of vandalism at two other locations  one on Canal Street near the Bowery, and the other at East Broadway near Market Street, where two front doors were damaged, sources said.

Its unclear whether those buildings are also houses of worship.

Ouyangs arraignment was pending Tuesday evening. ABC7

It also wasnt clear exactly when Ouyang began his spree, or why he targeted the temples.

Ouyangs arraignment was pending in Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday.
(WBRE/WYOU)

Thursday, March 20, 2025: John Baum and Judge Tom Munley

Homeless vets number

From the VA

We offer many programs and services that may helpincluding free health care and, in some cases, free limited dental care. We can also help you connect with resources in your community, like homeless shelters or faith-based organizations.

Find the support you need:

Call the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 877-424-3838 for help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Youll talk privately with a trained VA counselor for free.

Contact your nearest VA medical center and ask to talk with the VA social worker. If youre a female Veteran, ask for the Women Veterans Program Manager.

Find the nearest VA medical center

Talk with someone right now:

If youre a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, connect with our caring, qualified Veterans Crisis Line responders for confidential help. Many of them are Veterans themselves. This service is private, free, and available 24/7.

Chat online with a trained VA staff member

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In the living room of her two-bedroom apartment in Altadena, Rosa Ramirez sat alone on her couch, staring up at the smoke-stained ceiling.

In the corner of the room, boxes and bags stuffed with clothes, towels and blankets that hadn't been fouled by smoke from the Eaton fire sat next to a fish tank with discolored water.

Im slowly going through things to see what needs to be thrown out, she said. The kids mattresses had to be replaced, and some of the furniture will eventually have to go, but not yet.

Rosa Ramirez and her 17-year-old daughter show their fire-damaged apartment on Monday in Altadena.

Until a week ago, Ramirez and her family had been staying in hotels, bouncing from city to city after January's inferno forced them to evacuate. But the money dried up, and the high cost of renting elsewhere led them to return with other tenants to the burn zone and an apartment complex that an insurance company deemed uninhabitable.

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Ramirez's family is just one among about a dozen who say they have been living at the building, some for nearly two months, without gas service, prompting them to use portable stoves to cook with and to heat water to bathe in. At least one section of the building has been without power while others say they've experienced shortages. Some of the units, they say, need smoke remediation, and at least two apartments have holes in the ceiling from firefighting efforts.

Adding to their list of woes, the families  which include children and elderly people  say the apartment building is surrounded by burned-down homes, demolished carports and charred vehicles they fear are exposing them to cancer-causing substances such as asbestos and lead.

The people who live here are people who dont have anywhere to go; they dont have money for a hotel or a car to stay in, said Brenda Lopez, 24, who shares a two-bedroom with her family of six. Were here because we have to, not [out] of stubbornness."

Residents say they've repeatedly asked the management company  Regency Management Inc.  to fix up the apartments. Instead, they contend that repairs have been delayed and tenants have been retaliated against with power shutoffs, and that the company has prevented the gas company from turning on services and has threatened to start charging rent again, which residents say ranges from $1,700 to $2,400.

Residents gather at an apartment complex where several residents say they are are living with little to no utilities in Altadena.

Jesse Carrillo, a legal consultant for Regency Management, disputed those accusations.

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"We have been working with all relevant agencies and insurance carriers to restore services," he said. "As you can imagine, all agencies are currently facing widespread demands, which has led to delays in response times."

Carrillo said no one from the management team had shut off power or demanded rent since the fire.

"We expedited all deposits and monies paid for the month if residents elected to move out, " Carrillo said. "Although some residents are occupying the units, we have not charged rent and did not make a demand for such."

Carrillo said damage to an electrical line caused power to go out for some residents and that a new switchgear panel has to be replaced before restoring power. He said he hoped that would be completed soon.

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He said the gas company required clearance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Los Angeles County's Building and Safety Division before gas service can be restored. He said the company is waiting on county officials to give final approval.

The view from an apartment's balcony is one of devastation in the aftermath of the Eaton fire.

Tenants also decried the piles of debris that surround their two-story beige and brown stucco building and are calling for county officials to remove them.

In an effort to bring awareness to their living conditions, the residents formed the group Tenants Committee 403 this week and scheduled a news conference on Thursday at 5 p.m. to speak about the problems they've faced at the apartment complex. Afraid of being kicked out during renovations, they propose that three units be fixed up at a time.

Assisting the group is the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, also known as NDLON, which recently began working with the residents to help address their concerns. The group hopes that, in doing so, it will also shine a light on other properties with similar issues in the burn zones.

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Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the advocacy group, says around 60 people are living at the complex, which has 47 units. He said the families don't have the credit history or proof of income necessary to rent elsewhere. Some have jobs nearby and were being lodged in hotels by FEMA that were too far away.

Out of necessity, some families have returned to live in the burn area, and Alvarado said he wanted state and local officials to locate and prioritize those properties for removal of hazardous debris.

The priority for authorities should be to clean out places where people are coming back, he said. We dont want families to be evicted."

Residents sort through items at an Altadena apartment complex, where residents are living with spotty utilities, or none at all.

Col. Eric Swenson of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that is assisting with the removal of fire debris in the county, said that among the list of priorities were places where people appeared to be living. He said the single-family homes that burned down around the apartment complex would place that area on the list.

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The apartment complex is surrounded by more than a dozen destroyed houses, according to the county's map of damaged homes. Several of those lots are in line to have debris removed, according to a debris removal map.

Swenson urged residents with health concerns to reach out to local public health officials, and asked for patience as his crews were working at record speed to remove debris from thousands of properties in the county. He reminded property owners that the deadline to sign up for debris removal is at the end of the month. People can log on to the county's website to sign up.

Carrillo said the management company has submitted an application to the county for carport debris removal.

"We are currently awaiting the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's] removal of an electric vehicle/EV from the property," he said. "This removal is critical due to the potential fire hazard posed by the EV's batteries, and must be completed before any further work can commence."

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He said the application is in the final review stage.

Brenda Lopez said she and fellow tenants have noticed a more responsive tone from their management company after the national day laborer organization got involved. The group has been instrumental in pressuring the company to do more, she said.

The people who live here are people who dont have anywhere to go; they dont have money for a hotel or a car to stay in. Were here because we have to, not [out] of stubbornness.

Brenda Lopez

Brenda Lopez says those living in the Altadena apartment complex are mostly low-income families, with some special-needs children.

The residents at the building are mostly hard-working low-income families, some with special-needs children, Lopez said. Some, including herself, work in the service industry, manufacturing or construction, she said, and some people share apartments to get by.

"We're barely making it by and we're a family of [six]," she said.

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Lopez , who left Las Vegas for Altadena, said she moved in with her family after New Year's. She sleeps in the living room with her 5-year-old daughter, Mileydis, and shares the two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with her parents, brother and sister.

She said the family evacuated around 3 a.m. after the fire broke out the evening of Jan. 7. Having no other choice, they returned two weeks later to their apartment when evacuations were lifted. Lopez said there was running water and power. She said the neighbors across the courtyard however, have had no electricity.

Lopez said a handful of families were living at the complex at the time, but now at least a dozen have moved back, and she said more are thinking of returning.

Carrillo said miscommunication and misinformation has contributed to a misunderstanding between the company and tenants.

Mattresses and other discarded items pile-up outside an apartment complex where residents are living in Altadena.

Last month, when residents began asking questions about cleanup efforts, the management team posted a copy of a letter to FEMA from Homewell Insurance Services, the company's insurer, claiming the building was uninhabitable and that it would take 60 to 90 days before any tenant would be allowed to occupy the units.

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That letter was followed by a March 7 notice posted on some apartment doors by the property manager saying that cleaning efforts on four units would begin March 12. Some tenants said that didn't happen; others said it did.

Carrillo said that as of Wednesday, at least 42 units have been cleaned and cleared by a licensed environmental firm, and three units were scheduled to be repaired Friday.

He said at least one unit was impacted by fire and two were potentially exposed to flames, and the rest experienced smoke damage.

He said the FEMA letter is an example of the miscommunication that has occurred at the building. He said the letter was posted to help residents who were at risk of losing assistance from the federal agency.

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"We gave that letter to anybody who might be in the position or predicament where FEMA is cutting their funds unless [the tenant] can prove they're currently out of the unit," he said. "There was this misconception that we were going to call the police."

In another example, a tenant said that a Southern California Gas Co. employee told them that there were no plans to restore service at the building because it was slated for demolition.

Children play at the complex, which is surrounded by burned homes.

"We have no plans to demolish this property," Carrillo said. "Our sole goal is to fully restore the property so that our tenants can safely return home."

Sitting in her living room, Ramirez said all she wanted was for things to return to normal. For a moment, she got up and strolled to the kitchen, passing her daughters turtle, who had survived the heavy smoke that filled the apartment when the carports outside her unit were burning. Outside, her daughter spoke to a friend.

On the kitchen counter, a stainless steel pot sat on the portable electric stove that Ramirez also uses to heat bathwater. Leaning against the fridge, she cried quietly.

Its sad, living like this, she said, wiping her tears.

When her daughter walked in, she noticed her crying.

"Estas bien, mama?" she asked. Are you OK, Mom?

Ramirez smiled and nodded.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Mar. 1918-year-old Gavin Skattebo arrested for felony firearm possession

A second person has been arrested on an unrelated charge as a result of the investigation into the shooting death of Opoka James Bot Nathanael, 27.

Eighteen-year-old Gavyn Riley Skattebo, of Austin, was arrested on Monday after video, dated to around 12:22 p.m. the day of the shooting, surfaced during the investigation into Nathanael's death on Feb. 15. The video allegedly shows Skattebo holding a Glock 9X19 handgun with an extended magazine.

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He has been charged with a single felony count of possession of ammunition or a firearm while being convicted or adjudicated delinquent for a crime of violence.

Skattebo's criminal history reflects he was previously adjudicated as a delinquent for terroristic threats in 2019.

According to the court complaint, an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) reviewed content on Skattebo's cell phone on March 4, while investigating Nathanael's death when the video was discovered.

The complaint states that in the video Skattebo's face is clearly visible and the gun appears consistent with the gun held by a juvenile in another video. The complaint goes on to say that the juvenile previously told police that the Glock was a gun Nathanael suspected of being stolen from him on Feb. 15.

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Prior to the video's discovery, a search warrant was executed at Skattebo's residence on Feb. 27, as part of the homicide investigation.

Scenes from the video appear to match pictures of the residence taken during the warrant's execution.

Skattebo declined to speak to law enforcement when he was arrested and has since been released from Mower County jail. His next court appearance will be for an initial appearance on March 31.

Earlier this month, Owyn Enrique Raul Bellikka, 18, was charged with felony firearm possession in a case where similar to Skattebo, data was taken from a cell phone seized during the Nathanael investigation.

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He has since pleaded not guilty to the charge.

That cell phone was recovered from the back of the vehicle in which Nathanael was shot. Photos and video taken from the phone allegedly show the juvenile charged in the February shooting brandishing a .45 handgun.

Further investigation of the phone's data showed both the juvenile charged in Nathanael's death as well as Bellikka taking turns firing the handgun.

According to the complaint, Bellikka was previously adjudicated delinquent for second degree assault with a dangerous weapon in July of 2023.

Beillikka's next court appearance will be on April 3 for an omnibus hearing.
DES MOINES, Iowa  A group of Iowa Veterans is preparing for a new mission.

They will leave Thursday morning for a much-deserved all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. The Wake Foundation for Wounded Veterans is sponsoring an Honor Flight, which will give the Veterans three days to tour the more than thirty war monuments and memorials created in their honor.

Whenever we go to some place like the White House or Pentagon, they have the opportunity to see some place theyve never seen, said the 501(c)(3) non-profit foundations President and CEO Robert Wake. But when you see them go to their memorial, thats when you see the reactions.

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Wake, an Iraqi War combat Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, founded the Wake Foundation in 2010 because he wanted to give back. It hosts Veteran Honor Flights across several MidWest areas, including Des Moines, Council Bluffs, and Nebraska. The Honor Flight Network event is just one of several it treats Veterans to. Right now, the focus is on getting World War II Veterans on board.

Veterans on a previous Honor Flight.

There are 60,000 living World War II Veterans today, alive, and 107 leave us daily, he told reporter Katie Kaplan. We want to do everything we can. Its kind of their bucket list.'

There is one WWII Veteran who is 99 years old that will be on board this flight, and twelve on board an upcoming flight sponsored by the Wake Foundation, said Wake.

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This group of 34 Veterans was treated to dinner at the Baldwin-Patterson Post 274 American Legion in Des Moines on Wednesday where they were also gifted quilts that had been handmade by Gold Star families.

They were scheduled to leave Des Moines via charter bus at 5:30 a.m. Thursday from Central Presbyterian Church bound for Kirksville, MO, where a patriotic celebration will greet them before they board their fight. The Veterans, and their chaperones, will arrive in Washington, D.C. by 3 p.m. Thursday and head to the Korean Memorial first.

Another Des Moines-area Honor Flight will take place in September. It is only half-full, said Wake. Interested Veterans from Iowa are encouraged to contact Wake via email at robert@robertwake.com, or by phone at 573-281-5140.

Des Moines is very supportive of the Vet community and we want to give back, said Wake.

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If you would like to donate to the Wake Foundation, you can do so here.

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CHAMPAGNE, France (AP)  Across wine country in France, Italy and Spain one number is top of mind: 200%.

That's because last week U.S. President Donald Trump threatened a tariff of that amount on European wine, Champagne and other spirits if the European Union went ahead with retaliatory tariffs on some U.S. products. The top wine producers in Europe could face crippling costs that would hit smaller wineries especially hard.

Europe's wine industry is the latest to find itself in the crosshairs of a possible trade spat with the U.S.

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Among those concerned is David Levasseur, a third-generation wine grower and owner of a Champagne house in Frances eponymous region.

It means Im in trouble, big trouble. We hope its just, as we say, blah blah, Levasseur said, standing in his Champagne house as he swilled a flute of his vineyards bubbly. When someone speaks so loudly, he said of Trumps 200% threat, its about the media buzz. But in any case, we think there will be consequences.

Like other wine sellers and exporters, Levasseur said that a 200% tariff on what he exports to the U.S. would essentially grind to a halt his business in that country.

It could be a real disaster, Levasseur said.

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Italy, France and Spain are among the top five exporters of wine to the United States. Trump made his threat to Europe's alcohol industry after the European Union announced a 50% tax on American whiskey expected to take effect on April 1. That duty was unveiled in response to the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum.

In France, a 4 billion euro market

Gabriel Picard, who heads the French Federation of Exporters of Wines and Spirits, said 200% tariffs would be a hammer blow for Frances industry, whose wine and spirits exports to the U.S. are worth 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) annually.

With 200% duties, there is no more market," Picard said.

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Still, he understood why European leaders responded to Trump's initial tariffs.

There's no debate about that. We agree that Mr. Trump creates and likes to create contests of strength. We have to adapt to that, he said.

For Italy, its the wine at high-end restaurants they worry most about losing

In Italy, the wine industry has called for calm, hoping that negotiators in Brussels and Washington can back down from the growing trade spat.

The U.S. is Italys largest wine market, with sales having tripled in value over the past 20 years. Last year, exports grew by nearly 7% to over 2 billion euros ($2.2 billion) according to Italy's main farming lobby Coldiretti.

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Strong sales at high-end restaurants, in particular, make the U.S. market difficult to replace, said Piero Mastroberardino, vice president of the national winemakers association Federvini.

Mastroberardinos Taurasi Radici red wine, for example, was rated the fifth-best wine in the world in 2023 by Wine Spectator, an American wine and lifestyle magazine. It sells for around $80 a bottle retail in the U.S., roughly twice how much it costs in Italy, so any tariffs would push it to an unthinkable price point, he said.

In January, Mastroberardino's U.S. import partners increased orders by about 20% in January anticipating possible Trump tariffs. But the increase in orders would not offset the impact of tariffs, particularly that high, he said, for long.

"It is in everyones interest to maintain a united front at the negotiating table," Mastroberardino said, "especially those who are being targeted.

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Smooth reds from Spain, as well as bubbly Cava

Wine producers and industry experts in Spain, whose smooth reds are savored by tens of millions of American tourists who visit the southern European country every year, shared similar concerns about prospective tariffs.

We don't think they have much logic and we hope it never comes to fruition," said Begona Olavarria, an economic analyst at the Interprofessional Wine Organization of Spain.

Spain was the fourth-largest exporter of wine to the U.S. last year in sales, and the seventh-largest by volume, according to the trade group. Spanish wine exports to the U.S. grew by 7% last year. And the wine industry represents about 2% of the country's overall economic output, the trade group said.

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For Spain's producers of Cava, the threat of U.S. tariffs hit especially hard. The U.S. is the number two market for the Spanish bubbly wine, which like Champagne has a designation of origin meaning it can only be made in Spain.

Mireia Pujol-Busquets is owner of the Alta Alella Bodega located in Cava country just south of Barcelona. Founded by her family in 1991, she said her business and its 40 employees immediately risk losing sales of some 25,000 bottles if the American market slams shut.

We spent 10 years of effort opening the American market, finding distributors and building a brand, she told the AP.

While the Catalan bodega and its distributors in the U.S. were able to absorb the price increase induced by Trumps 25% tariff on wines during his first term, Pujol-Busquets said that it is completely irrational to consider eating a 200% hike.

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The situation is pretty desperate," she said.

___

This story has been revised to reflect that the U.S. is the number two destination for Spanish bubbly wine, rather than the number one destination.

___

Naishadham reported from Madrid. Associated Press journalists Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, Spain; John Leicester in Paris; and Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.
A Georgia sheriff says he is glad a monster is out of the community after a man was arrested and charged with child molestation.

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Recently, the Butts County Sheriffs Office arrested Aaron Belvin of Jackson, Ga.

Belvin was charged with incest, child molestation, aggravated child molestation and sodomy.

Butts County Sheriff Gary Long says he prays for the victim and says no child should go through such a horrendous thing.

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I pray that when justice is served and if convicted I hope he rots in a Georgia prison, never to see the light of day again. In my professional opinion, these types of criminals are the sickest of mankind and will never rehabilitate, causing a lifetime of hurt and trauma to innocent children everywhere they go, Long wrote.

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Long thanked the deputies and investigators for a thorough investigation as these are cases usually difficult to work.

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...Took this monster out of our community. My investigators will carry this for the rest of their lives, Long said.

If you believe a child is being abused, contact your local law enforcement agency.

You can click the link here to see if registered sex offenders live near you.

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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Horry County veterans are speaking out amid job cuts to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The cuts are part of the Trump administrations plan to reduce waste, fraud and abuse through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.

The VA is one of many departments impacted by DOGE, led by Elon Musk. VA Secretary Doug Collins said Sunday that hes going to make the best decisions for both employees and veterans.

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So far, more than 1,000 employees have been dismissed. The agency announced on Feb. 13 that it would redirect more than $98 million. Eleven days later, after announcing more cuts, it said $83 million would be redirected.

Pete Kasperowicz, the VA press secretary, pointed out in a statement to News13 that mission-critical positions were exempt from the cuts to make sure that veterans still get the health care benefits and services they need. These positions include doctors, nurses and claims processors. Positions that are not considered mission-critical include publicists, interior designers and diversity and inclusion officers.

The cuts also included those who turned down the administrations Fork in the Road offer that would have given them full pay and benefits through September, Kasperowicz said.

Some veterans say theyre already seeing the negative impact of the cuts.

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Veterans, you know, they served their country, and now theyre continuing to serve their fellow veterans, and now theyre without a job, said Joe Hill, a veteran and former Horry County police chief.

One concern for Hill is that 25% of VA employees are also veterans.

My thing is, I think everybody supports ending or finding waste, fraud and abuse and ending that, Hill said. But lets use a scalpel instead of a chainsaw to make those cuts in those decisions.

Kasperowicz said the agency regrets when anyone loses their job and that it is extraordinarily difficult for department leaders to make those types of decisions.

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The federal government does not exist to employ people, he said. It exists to serve people. At VA, we are focused on serving veterans better than ever before and doing so requires changing and improving the organization.

Curtis Cain, a veterans advocate at VFW Post 10420 in Murrells Inlet, said veterans make up about 10% of Horry Countys population. As an army veteran himself, he said he hopes some money is redirected toward nonprofit groups that work to care for veterans.

I think thats the thing about efficiency, he said. Its not to be a barrier or to disable, its to make the benefits more streamlined. So I think we get to a certain point maybe the streamlines will come through finally.

Ronald Elvis with the Horry County Veterans Affairs office said Collins has good intentions and that he does not think the cuts will affect veterans claims or care.

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Cain said these kinds of fights are nothing new to veterans.

Veterans have always led this country, and they will continue to do so because thats what this country expects of us, Cain said. So going through this transition and change that our country is going through, veterans will lead, and thats what we will do.

U.S. Rep. Russell Fry addressed the cuts in a statement to News13.

I trust that Secretary Collins will increase the efficiency of the VA to ensure that all veterans can receive access to quality healthcare and the benefits that theyve earned, Fry said. Our veterans deserve the very best, and I know that President Trump and his administration will do what is right for the American people and our men and women in uniform.

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* * *

Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, left, shares a laugh with Sen. David Tikoian during his return to the Senate floor June 6, 2024. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

The wait continues for Senate President Dominick Ruggerios return to the Rhode Island State House.

Ruggerio, 76, missed Thursdays session. Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson, confirmed Ruggerio would be absent in an email an hour before he was set to bang the gavel marking the start of the legislative session. He was initially expected to be back behind the Rhode Island Senate rostrum this week, after recovering from pneumonia.

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He just decided hes going to take another day at home, Pare said in an interview Thursday afternoon. Hes been through a lot.

Ruggerio has not set a new date for his return, instead taking it day by day, Pare said.

Ruggerio last appeared on the Senate floor on Feb. 11. Including Thursday, he will have missed nine out of 13 legislative sessions this year, some of which were held while he was in-patient, followed by a stay at the rehabilitation center, at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence.

Ruggerio was released from the rehabilitation center on March 12, but also missed the Senates session that afternoon, and again on Tuesday, despite repeated reassurances by Pare that his recovery was going well. The Senate has been meeting weekly since January 7, increasing to biweekly at the beginning of March.

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Pare said Ruggerio sounded great when the two spoke by phone Thursday morning.

Ruggerio opted to skip Tuesdays session due to the limited Senate business  the calendar included a dual celebration for St. Patricks and St. Josephs Day  Pare said in a text message.

At that time, Ruggerio planned to return to the chamber on Thursday, Pare said.

Ruggerios multiple absences during the 2024 legislative session due to illness caused friction among Senate Democrats, including with his former majority leader, Sen. Ryan Pearson. After Ruggerio backed Sen. Valarie Lawson to replace Pearson as his second-in-command, Pearson challenged Ruggerio for the president role.

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Ruggerio held on to his seat in the November caucus, though nearly one-third of Senate Democrats sided with Pearson in the caucus, again voting present rather than for Ruggerio on the first day of session on Jan. 7.

Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna Gallo presided over the Senate on Thursday in Ruggerios absence.

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Hours after agreeing to a partial ceasefire with Russia in a phone call with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted 10 images to his Telegram channel of fires and damage in the countrys central Kirovohrad region.

Russias attacks on Ukraine, despite its propaganda statements, do not stop, he wrote alongside the images, some of which showed firefighters standing on ladders and cranes, hosing down flames.

Another shows a burning vehicle surrounded by the charred remains of others.

A Ukrainian firefighter battles flames from a Russian strike.

Flames rise from a building in Kropyvnytskyi.

Ukraines State Emergency Service also posted images of damaged buildings and rubble from the central city of Kropyvnytskyi.

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One shows thick smoke rising through blown-out windows, as two firefighters attempt to tackle the blaze.

Russia launched almost 200 attack drones, including Iranian-made Shahed drones, Zelenskyy said. Among the 10 people wounded, four were children, he added.

A vehicle burns in Kropyvnytskyi.

Ukraines air force said in a separate Telegram post that it had shot down 75 drones over 12 regions, including the capital, Kyiv. The air attack was repelled by aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups, it added.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said it shot down 132 drones overnight. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov did not mention the attacks on Ukraine in his daily briefing.

Firefighters battle flames from a crane.

The attacks came hours after Zelenskyy agreed to move forward with the partial ceasefire with Russia that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Tuesday.

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The White House also appeared to confirm that Zelenskyy and Trump discussed the prospect of the U.S. taking ownership of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in south Ukraine.

Emergency workers at a site of a strike in Kropyvnytskyi.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump national security adviser Mike Waltz said in a statement that the president had briefed Zelenskyy on his call with Putin on Tuesday, and that Trump and Zelenskyy had agreed to share information closely between their defense staff as the battlefield situation evolved.

The statement noted several times that Zelenskyy thanked Trump for his leadership and expressed gratitude for the administrations support provided to Ukraine.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Mar. 19SANTA FE  For the second time in three years, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made waves at the Roundhouse by earmarking state capital outlay funding for construction of a new reproductive health and abortion clinic in New Mexico.

The $10 million earmark in this year's $1.2 billion infrastructure package prompted Republicans to pull their support from the bill on Wednesday, though it was still approved with Democratic support.

"I just think it's a misappropriation of taxpayer dollars," said Rep. Rod Montoya, R-Farmington, who predicted the clinic would appeal primarily to out-of-state women seeking abortion services.

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During a lengthy Wednesday debate, Montoya led a GOP-driven push to strip the appropriation from the bill, House Bill 450, on the House floor.

But that attempt was rebuffed by majority Democrats. The bill was then approved on a 41-25 vote, with Rep. Joseph Sanchez, D-Alcalde, joining House Republicans in opposing the legislation.

A Lujan Grisham spokeswoman confirmed the $10 million appropriation would be used to build a new clinic in northern New Mexico.

But the Governor's Office said additional details, including an exact location, were not yet available.

Lujan Grisham in 2023 included $10 million for the construction of a new reproductive health and abortion clinic in Dona Ana County in the annual infrastructure bill. The Democratic governor attended a groundbreaking for the new Las Cruces clinic in September.

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During Wednesday's debate, several House Democrats accused Republicans of trying to politicize the need for more reproductive health care facilities north of Santa Fe.

"They don't believe there ought to be reproductive health care in the north of New Mexico," said Rep. Art De La Cruz, D-Albuquerque.

The possibility was also raised that the governor could retaliate against lawmakers if the proposed reproductive health care facility funding were to be struck from the bill by vetoing other projects.

But Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, suggested she was prepared for such a showdown, saying, "If she's going to line-item veto, have at it."

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Funding for new clinic renews abortion debate

New Mexico has emerged as a safe haven for women seeking abortion services after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022 overturned the landmark ruling of Roe v. Wade.

While some neighboring states, including Texas, have approved near-total abortion bans, Lujan Grisham has signed measures aimed at shielding New Mexico abortion providers from out-of-state arrest warrants and lawsuits and blocking local anti-abortion ordinances from taking effect.

The New Mexico Supreme Court in January upheld the latter law, while striking down local ordinances adopted by Eunice, Jal and several counties.

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In all, patients coming to New Mexico from Texas made up about 70% of the estimated 21,000 abortions provided in the state in 2023, according to a Guttmacher Institute study.

Rep. Derrick Lente, D-Sandia Pueblo, said he alerted Republican members of the House Taxation and Revenue Committee to the inclusion of the abortion clinic earmark before a Wednesday morning hearing on the bill in order to avoid a "gotcha" vote on the bill.

House Speaker Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, said he understood GOP lawmakers' moral objections to the capital outlay package.

But he cautioned that other projects could also be found questionable if lawmakers review the bill line by line.

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"At the end of the day, the governor does get to appropriate a share of the capital outlay," Martinez said during Wednesday's committee hearing. "And she gets to appropriate that as she sees fit."

Cash infusion could help finish stalled projects

The earmark for the new reproductive health care clinic dominated Wednesday's debate, leaving little time for discussion of the 1,400 or so projects in the capital outlay bill.

Under New Mexico's capital outlay system, the governor and each legislative chamber are given a certain dollar amount to divvy up for infrastructure projects.

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This year's bill provided each House member with $2.5 million in available funding, Lente told reporters. Senators got a slightly larger share of nearly $4.2 million each.

The state's capital outlay system has come under criticism in recent years for being secretive and ineffective. As of last summer, New Mexico had roughly $5.8 billion in unspent capital outlay funding that was appropriated for roughly 5,300 projects.

But this year's bill includes about $50 million to finish about 90 projects that have been started but not finished, Lente said.

Most of those projects are in rural parts of New Mexico, including several hospital projects, Lente said.

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While Republican lawmakers voted against the bill due to the proposed abortion clinic funding, several lauded the approach.

"That's probably one of the best things that will come of this, is being able to finish those projects," said Rep. Mark Duncan, R-Farmington.

Most of the money to pay for projects included in the bill would come from general fund dollars. Of the $1.2 billion package, just $292 million would be paid by bonds backed by future state severance tax revenue.
Budding trees and bushes are seen in front of the Alaska State Capitol on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon)

Human trafficking is a hidden crisis in Alaska, affecting some of our most vulnerable residents. It is not confined to major cities but extends to rural communities, where economic hardship and geographic isolation can create conditions ripe for exploitation. To tackle this issue effectively, we need a coordinated, sustained effortone that House Bill 118 can provide by establishing a permanent Council on Human and Sex Trafficking.

The conditions that lead to human trafficking are challenging to address in rural Alaska. In the Yukon-Kuskokwim region and beyond, high costs of living, housing shortages, and food insecurity contribute to vulnerabilities that traffickers exploit. Covenant House Alaska began working in the region a few years ago in partnership with the Bethel Community Services Foundation, the Bethel Winter House, Tundra Womens Coalition, and the Bethel Regional High School. These efforts, supported by partners like Donlin Gold, focus on addressing these root causes by providing essential services and support to those in need. Thanks to these key partnerships, Covenant House has successfully established a program to help high school students graduatecreating a crucial barrier to exploitation and trafficking. Additionally, in collaboration with Bethel Winter House, our federally funded anti-human trafficking initiatives have already identified more than 15 young people as victims of human trafficking.

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While we are grateful for the progress made through these partnerships, the discussion around House Bill 118 brings into sharp focus the reality that we have a long way to go. HB 118 will establish the Council on Human and Sex Trafficking within the Department of Public Safety, coordinating data collection, victim services, and public awareness initiatives. Unlike past ad hoc councils that dissolved before achieving lasting change, this council will provide the continuity and accountability Alaska needs to combat trafficking effectively.

This legislation presents a critical opportunity for all stakeholdersgovernment, business, and community organizationsto rally around a shared commitment to ending human trafficking. The private sector plays a key role in these efforts. Donlin Gold has long supported initiatives that strengthen rural Alaska, investing in programs that provide stability and opportunity for vulnerable populations. Their contributions have funded job training programs, youth education initiatives, and housing efforts that create a stronger foundation for those at risk. This type of corporate commitment is essential in building resilient communities that can prevent trafficking before it happens.

Passing HB 118 is not just about policyits about protecting Alaskans from exploitation and ensuring that survivors have the support they need to rebuild their lives. We urge lawmakers to pass this bill and encourage all Alaskans to voice their support. Together, with the combined efforts of government, nonprofit organizations, and responsible corporate partners, we can and must build a future where every individual can live free from exploitation and fear.

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Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, sits and listens to a public hearing on March 19, 2025, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. His bill, HB 340, requires the Department of Human Resources (DHR) to notify a guardian when and why they are being investigated, when it relates to child abuse and neglect. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

A bill that would require the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) to notify parents who are under investigation for child abuse or neglect drew strong support and opposition in a House committee meeting Wednesday from law enforcement and DHR.

HB 340, sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, R-Pelham, requires DHR to notify a guardian when and why they are being investigated when it relates to child abuse and neglect. It also allows the guardian to request records from the case.

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Theyll have the right to be informed, the right to legal counsel, the right to allow the department into their home to speak with them, and also the right to not consent to the department to enter their home, Paschal told the House Child and Senior Advocacy Committee Wednesday.

Paschal said the bill does not prevent DHR from removing a child who is in immediate danger.

The bill drew support from parents who alleged that their children were taken from their homes without reason, and opposition from DHR and law enforcement, who said it could compromise investigations of child abuse.

Rich Chansey, the district attorney for Russell County, told the committee about a case where a child was sexually abused by her stepfather. In one interview with the victim, Chansey said, she explicitly recalled what happened to her. In another interview, separated by time with her mother and stepfather, she said it was all a dream and never happened.

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The interviewer asked how she knew she dreamed it. She said that it was because mom and stepdad came together as a family and told her that stepdad would not do that and that these were horrible dreams this child was having, he said. You all know there is no way that this child could dream such explicit dreams having not experienced those events herself.

Huey Mack, executive director of the Alabama Sheriffs Association and a former Baldwin County sheriff, echoed Chansey. He said the bill could prevent justice for abused children.

Timing and coordination are paramount in these cases, he said. In its present form, the bill could impede criminal investigation by adding additional layers of potential suspect notification before a thorough and comprehensive review of an alleged criminal act can be conducted.

Terri LaPoint, a mom and author of Voices That Will Not Be Silenced, said it would prevent children wrongfully taken from their families from having unnecessary trauma.

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The result of Child Protective Services and DHR taking children is traumatic. The results can be lifelong, that separation from their families, she said. HB 340 actually protects children from unnecessary trauma.

Lisa Bise, a mom from Cullman County and former employee of Court Appointed Special Advocates, said kids can be removed from their homes for nothing.

Yes, there are cases where children are abused and need to be taken. But there are also cases where children arent abused and dont need to be taken, she said.

Nancy Buckner, the commissioner of DHR, said that nearly 80% of reported abuse cases come from the hands of the childs parent or stepparent. She showed members of the committee photos of four children who had been abused by their parents. She said that the bill would create unnecessary loopholes that would lead to abused children not getting the care they need.

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One of those babies in the photos didnt make it, she said. If I could save the life of one of these children by dealing with DHR, law enforcement and the court system, it would be worth it.

She said a lot of cases do not get reported.

Just because there isnt an indicated report doesnt mean it didnt happen, Buckner said.

Lynn Bius, state executive director of the Alabama Network of Children Advocacy Centers, said that, nationally, 90% of offenders are caretakers. Bius said the legislation will make it harder to remove children from abusive homes and give law enforcement and DHR unnecessary obstacles.

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We know that the legal system is behind, and stays behind, Bius said. Youd be leaving children in these homes where perpetrators know exactly what theyve said.

Dee Prince, a grandmother from Shelby County, said her grandchildren were wrongfully taken from her care and were physically and sexually abused in their respective foster homes.

They were not abused in my home, in my care, she said.

After the public hearing, Paschal gave his contact information to all of the speakers saying that he wanted to sit down with all of them to make the legislation better.

The committee did not vote on the bill Wednesday. Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg, did not say when the committee might take the legislation up again.
House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Lawrence McClure (Photo via Florida House of Representatives)

State. Rep. Lawrence McClure on Thursday called for a review of county budgets  the results of which, he said, will help guide the legislative debate on appropriate payout limits for people injured by the government or its entities.

His comments came during debate on HB 301 by Rep. Fiona McFarland, which cleared the House Budget Committee with three no votes. The bill heads to the Judiciary Committee next. The Senate companion, SB 1570, has been referred to three committees but has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.

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The bill would increase the states sovereign immunity limits in damages claims, taking them from $200,000 per person to $1 million and from $300,000 per occurrence to $3 million. The caps were last adjusted in 2010. The bill is opposed by the Florida League of Cities, Florida Association of Counties, the Safety Net Hospital Alliance, and insurance industry representatives, among others, who argue the proposed new limitations (a 400% increase over the existing cap for individuals and a 900% increase per occurrence) are too high.

To determine new limits that strike a balance between those whove been injured and local municipalities, McClure said, the State Administration and Budget Subcommittee should get into these local budgets  examine their bottom-line increases, spending increases, and most importantly the annual legislative funding requests cities and counties routinely make of legislators to fund things such as parks, improvements at local emergency operation centers, and hospital programs.

McClure asked that the subcommittee review 14 years of information.

I think in that, well find the right balance we are looking for, McClure said.

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We are more than willing, like I said, to come to the table and figure out what the appropriate number is.

 Florida League of Cities Deputy General Counsel

Sovereign immunity stems from the Latin phrase rex non potest peccare, which translates to the king cannot commit a legal wrong. In legal terms, it refers to the states authority to exempt itself as a legal sovereign from civil lawsuits, although the state does allow negligence claims against itself and its subdivisions  agencies, cities, counties, and public hospitals  within limits.

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Injured parties can sue for damages and collect within the liability thresholds established by law, but if they win awards in excess of the limits, they must go to the Legislature seeking whats called a claims bill to collect the payment.

Looking for balance

McClures remarks followed comments made by some committee members who worried that the proposed caps could be too high.

The members were repeating concerns raised by Florida League of Cities Deputy General Counsel and lobbyist David Cruz during public testimony on the bill. Cruz said the proposed increases come at a time when the Legislature also is considering limiting ways that local governments can collect taxes on property and from businesses.

The tandem, he said, threatens to limit cities revenues while increasing their costs.

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And in the middle, we would be left with a significant impact to our cities. So, I would just ask, please balance the scales accordingly, Cruz said.

Cities understand the need to increase the caps, Cruz said, but he suggested the Legislature consider doubling them to $400,00 per person and $600,00 per person, as it did in 2024. When McClure asked whether the League of Cities supported the 2024 bill (which ultimately died) Cruz acknowledged it had not. The association supported adjusting the limits to $300,000/$500,000, instead.

McClure pressed Cruz as to why the League of Cities would support the $400,000/$600,000 limits now, but Cruz didnt directly answer the question. Instead, he pitched compromise.

We are more than willing, like I said, to come to the table and figure out what the appropriate number is. Whether we start at 400/600 or 300/500, we are happy to engage in those conversations, Cruz said. We just strongly feel that 1 million/3 million is too much.

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Rhode Island House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale is shown with a photo of ECHO Village displayed on a posterboard on March 19, 2025. The GOP representative took aim Gov. Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Housing over a public records request. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

Rhode Island House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale blasted the states housing department at an early Wednesday afternoon press conference for not sending invoices detailing the $4.6 million spent on the ECHO Village pallet shelters in Providence.

But the Foster Republican reversed course about an hour later even as he criticized the states demand for $495 to collect and release emails relating to the project.

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The Rhode Island Department of Housing actually did send Chippendale the information he requested, the minority leader acknowledged in an email after the press conference at the Rhode Island State House.

The files in question revolved around Chippendales Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request for information on the 45-pallet shelter village that was approximately $1.3 million over budget when it opened in February. Curious as to why the project cost so much more than intended, Chippendale requested from housing officials the complete list of contractors and subcontractors involved in the construction, plus purchase orders, project budgets and any email correspondence from state officials relating to the project on Feb. 14.

Chippendale said to reporters at the 1 p.m. press conference that the state had only sent over one invoice for electricity costs. But after the press conference, the Minority Offices legal counsel reexamined the files sent over by the housing department and found staff had not unzipped everything.

It appears that I did receive a file from Housing that includes some invoices attached within it, Daniel P. Reilly, a former state rep and the minority leaders legal counsel, wrote in an email to Chippendale Wednesday afternoon. It appears that the file did not transfer over initially when I received it via Dropbox from Housing and was not sent to you.

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Reporters received the documents after Providence Journal reporter Katherine Gregg repeatedly asked Chippendale for the files he had received from the housing department. At the end of the press conference, around 2 p.m., Chippendale sent an email to all the reporters in the room with the folders, which were all compressed as ZIP files. The largest zipped folder was over 60 megabytes, which exceeds the attachment size limit for some email providers. Providers like Gmail automatically convert files that are too big to downloadable links. Other email providers may strip the attachments from an email if theyre too large.

While I asserted that no invoices were received other than the RI Energy invoice, I was clearly mistaken, Chippendale wrote in a 3 p.m. email to six reporters with whom he shared the zipped files.

The housing department had informed Chippendale that it would take 33 hours of labor to gather all the relevant correspondence  which would result in a $495 bill for the legislator, as APRA requests are charged at $15 an hour. Chippendale offered to pay the money, but rescinded the APRA and attempted to rely on his authority as a member of the House Committee on Finance.

A housing department spokesperson said Chippendales attempt to invoke statutory authority nullified the APRA rules.

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It is important to note that this change in request meant APRA requirements  including any time limits or extensions for gathering and reviewing the information  were no longer applicable, spokesperson Emily Marshall wrote in an email Wednesday.

Marshall said the state sent Chippendale the requested documents on March 13  or, at least, what they were able to send the lawmaker, who had also asked for a list of any financial sponsors or other benefactors for the Echo Village project, Marshall said. She added that the housing department does not possess such documents, as they belong to the projects main contractor House of Hope, which is a nonprofit entity, andnot obligated to provide this information to us.

Marshall did not immediately respond to a followup question about how the housing department sent the files to Chippendale.

While Chippendale admitted the file confusion, that didnt absolve the state of its responsibility to be transparent, he thought.

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While I answered the question Did you receive any invoices? with no and I now realize that I was wrong, the remaining assertions during the press conference remain relevant, Chippendale said in his followup email Wednesday.

Despite her success in rallying for the documents, Gregg apparently never received them.

Can you send the attachment again please. It did not arrive, Gregg replied to all on the email thread in which Chippendale clarified that he had in fact received the documents.

Thats part of the problem Kathy, its too big to transfer. It wont come over in an email, Chippendale wrote back.

An elephant statue is displayed atop a file cabinet in the office of Rhode Island House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)

1,320 emails still under review

The documents forwarded by Chippendale included at least three PDFs with meticulous itemizing of project costs. One PDF contained three pages fully redacted, but most pages are more revealing, including information on supplies, laborers and hours worked. The largest invoice was a 165-page PDF, 17 megabytes large. The files size likely derives from the numerous full-page images it contains, like photocopied black and white photographs of supplies, scanned invoices on yellow paper, and even photos of Home Depot receipts on a laborers work pants.

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Chippendale said after the press conference that the Minority Caucus will continue to review the documents. Meanwhile, the housing department is still reviewing the 1,320 emails to determine which can be released based on confidentiality, Marshall said.

The minority leader wrote in the email admitting the mistake that his main points about transparency in Gov. Dan McKees administration remain relevant.

Asked by reporters at the State House about his relationship with McKee, Chippendale characterized it as a constant cold shoulder. The minority leader said hes reached out to the governors staff. He said hes tried to schedule meetings.

And Ive only been granted one meeting, and that was in 2020, Chippendale said, trailing off and pausing as he tried to remember the date. 2021? Or [2022]-ish, and it wasnt a very productive meeting, and it was a frustrating meeting.

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Chippendale recounted the numerous scandals of McKees tenure, like the ILO bid fixing and Washington Bridge sagas, as ample proof of the administrations tendency toward what he called opacity. Chippendale said he didnt intend to discuss DOGE, but couldnt resist the temptation in the context of discussing scrutiny.

Were living in a time now where theres this unique entity called DOGE in Washington, D.C., which is sending shivers through state governments across the country, because a lot of things are being looked into, Chippendale said. In a time where a deep blue state like ours is potentially in the crosshairs of this presidential administration on conditional funds being withheld, you would think that this administration would not do anything that would further elevate their lack of concern for transparency, but evidently, that sort of savvy is not present right now with this administration.

Marshall offered an alternative take in the conclusion to her email. The department is cognizant of the importance of transparency and accountability in State government, she wrote. We continually strive towards achieving our mission of solving the States housing shortage and homelessness crisis, while also fulfilling the publics information requests.

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Mar. 19A key House committee endorsed two bills along party lines to prevent minors from getting hormone treatments or breast surgeries tied to their attempts to transition from one gender to another.

State Rep. Lisa Mazur, R-Goffstown, said a growing number of health care providers are declining to provide these procedures because some minors later regret altering their bodies.

"I know this is an emotional subject. The big question to ask is do children change their minds? If so, please pass this bill because it gives them the time they need to truly understand the long-term impacts of these medical decisions," Mazur said.

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State Rep. Jessica Lamontagne, D-Dover, chastised Republicans for "hypocrisy," supporting the right of parents to make decisions for their children except when it comes to treatment for transgender minors.

"Most people have no regret with this treatment and feel it has changed their lives," Lamontagne said.

The House Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee voted by identical 10-8 margins in favor of these bills banning puberty blockers and hormone treatments (HB 377) and breast surgery for minors that is elective (HB 712).

All Republicans on the committee voted for them, all House Democrats opposed them.

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The ban on puberty blockers would make providing that treatment a Class B felony that could carry up to a 3 1/2 to 7-year term in state prison.

Mazur convinced the committee to amend her bill to allow minors who are getting these treatments to wean off of them over up to a six-month period.

Medical providers who gave minors breast surgery services under the second bill could be subject to professional discipline.

The bill would permit minors to receive breast surgery to "treat malignancy, injury, infection, or malformation."

State banned anti-gay conversion therapy in 2018

Rep. Gary Woods, D-Bow, a retired surgeon, said lawmakers should not interfere in the practice of medicine.

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"The patient, doctor and parent are involved in medical decision making," Woods said. "What we are asking is for the Legislature to not intervene in that doctor and patient relationship."

Mazur said minors are too young to have these procedures.

"Children will never ever be able to come back from these life-altering surgeries that remove completely healthy body parts," Mazur said.

In 2024, the Republican-led Legislature passed and former Gov. Chris Sununu signed legislation that outlawed minors having surgeries that altered their sex organs.

State Rep. Tim Hartnett, D-Manchester, said the legislation goes too far.

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"This bill isn't banning hormone treatment for everybody. It is banning it for one narrow class of people and that's discriminatory," Hartnett added.

Rep. Erica Layon, R-Derry, said many health care providers are reluctant to counsel minors against having these procedures.

That's because the Legislature in 2018 outlawed conversion therapy which is the practice of a clinician trying to encourage patients to be heterosexual, she said.

What's Next: The full House of Representatives will vote on both bills early next month

Prospects: Pretty decent. Conservative Republicans in the House and Senate have supported similar bills in recent years.

klandrigan@unionleader.com
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) was booed for expressing support of the Donald Trump and Elon Musk agenda in her very red district. Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR), on the other hand, was met with cheers when she held an in-person town hall in a part of her district she didn't even win. Rep. Salinas joins MSNBC's Jonathan Capehart to discuss why Trump voters need "the space to say" that they were lied to by Donald Trump.
Members of the New Hampshire House of Representatives vote on bills in the State House Thursday, March 20, 2025. Representatives voted to table a resolution affirming abortion as a "critical component of comprehensive reproductive health care. (Photo by William Skipworth/New Hampshire Bulletin)

The GOP-led New Hampshire House of Representatives rejected nonbinding legislation Thursday that wouldve recognized abortion as a critical component of comprehensive reproductive health care.

The House voted, 199-171, to table House Concurrent Resolution 7. Tabling the resolution means it will not advance at this time, though the House could later decide to pick it back up and vote on it again. The resolution would not have had binding impact on state policy, but would have affirmed that it is the states view that abortion is critical to womens health. The resolution asserts that an individuals right to terminate their own pregnancy, prior to 24 weeks gestation, shall not be denied or infringed upon in this state. If passed, the bill would not prevent the Legislature from restricting abortion at a later date.

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One opponent of the legislation, Rep. Lisa Mazur, a Goffstown Republican, said womens health is more than just reproductive rights, and argued the resolution overlooks other critical aspects, such as support for infertility, maternal health, breast cancer screenings and more.

Singling out abortion as a critical component of reproductive health care while ignoring other pressing medical issues affecting women creates a narrow and politicized approach to womens health, she continued.

In arguing for the resolution, Rep. Alexis Simpson, an Exeter Democrat, pointed out that 64% of Granite Staters want legislators to take proactive, positive action on abortion rights  seemingly a reference to a 2023 Amplify NH poll that found two-thirds of New Hampshire residents want state leaders to protect or expand abortion rights. Simpson also referenced campaign promises made by Republicans  including Gov. Kelly Ayotte and GOP leaders in the House and Senate  not to further restrict abortion in the state.

Several House majority lawmakers campaigned on a promise not to further restrict access to abortion care in New Hampshire, Reproductive Equity Now, a Boston-based advocacy group pushing for abortion access across New England, said in a statement. But when they had an opportunity to follow through on this promise by affirming that an individuals right to terminate their pregnancy, prior to 24 weeks gestation, shall not be denied or infringed upon, they did not.

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Abortion is currently legal in New Hampshire until 24 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies and fetal abnormalities; there are no exceptions for rape or incest.

An effort to further restrict that earlier this year failed. If passed, House Bill 476 wouldve banned abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for medical emergencies and fetal abnormalities. However, the House withdrew that bill in February after its sponsors no longer stood behind it.
BOSTON (SHNS)  Both major political parties are poised to compete in a pair of special elections this spring, offering a test of Bay State voter sentiment early in the Trump 2.0 era.

Three candidates made the ballot for a special election on the North Shore, and two others are considering entering the fray for an open House seat in southeastern Massachusetts.

The elections are the first legislative contests since all 200 seats were up for grabs in November. Democrats will look to capitalize on frustration some voters have with President Donald Trump, while Republicans hope to use Novembers outcome as momentum to chip away at the Massachusetts Houses Democratic supermajority.

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Beverly City Councilors Hannah Louise Bowen and Todd Rotondo will face off in an April 15 special Democratic primary for the Sixth Essex District last represented by former Rep. Jerald Parisella. Whoever wins that contest will advance to the special general election against Republican Medley Long III, also of Beverly, on May 13.

Long most recently worked as president of the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce, and hes been involved in several community organizations. He raised more than $28,000 toward his House bid so far, according to state campaign finance data. Bowen has raised about $43,700, and Rotondo has raised about $43,200.

Historically, the region has leaned toward Democrats. The Sixth Essex District last elected a Republican to the House, James Henry, in 1990. Nearly 65% of Beverly voters picked Democrat Kamala Harris over Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, and the split was about the same in the portion of Wenham thats part of the Sixth Essex District.

Parisella won reelection in November, but instead joined the judicial branch in January as a District Court judge, leaving the district representing Beverly and part of Wenham vacant for several months.

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Another House district covering parts of Taunton and Easton is also vacant following the death of Rep. Carol Doherty in February.

Candidates eyeing the Third Bristol District have until April 1 to submit nomination papers. Two have pulled that paperwork so far signaling their intent to run: Taunton City Councilor Christopher Coute, a Republican, and Mass. Nurses Association Associate Director Lisa Field, a Democrat.

Coute unsuccessfully challenged for the district in 2022, losing to Doherty with about 43% of the vote.

Republicans have established some roots in the southeastern Massachusetts area. Shaunna OConnell, who immediately preceded Doherty in the House, serves as mayor of Taunton. Republican Kelly Dooner of Taunton in November flipped a Senate district that had been held for decades by Democrat Sen. Marc Pacheco before his retirement. And several  but not all  of the neighboring House districts are held by Republicans as well.

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Harris won Taunton, part of which is in the Third Bristol District, but by a much narrower margin than the state as a whole, securing about 49.8% of the vote in the city. The Democrat did better in Easton, where she earned 55.8% of the vote.

The special primary election will take place May 13, and the special general will occur June 10.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Apartment construction in Olympia in January 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

Washingtons Year of Housing in 2023 brought a record $400 million investment into the states affordable housing fund.

Last years short legislative session, on the other hand, saw legislators make only modest progress on solving Washingtons housing shortfall.

This time around, the hot topic in Olympia has been rent stabilization  Democrats idea to cap rent increases at 7% per year, with some exceptions. To curry votes from moderate Democrats in the Senate, the legislation may need softening around the edges.

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But more than halfway through this 105-day session, lawmakers are also eyeing a slew of other policy changes in hopes of spurring more housing.

With a major deadline that felled numerous bills in the rearview mirror, this years housing talking points have become clear. Some of the ideas arent sexy, but legislators say they will pave the way for gobs of new homes across Washington.

We continue to do a lot of work on housing, and are pleased with the work that we were able to send over to the Senate for consideration, said House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma.

The focus on supply is a priority on both sides of the aisle.

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The cost is driven by insufficient housing, Senate Minority Leader John Braun told reporters last week. We need to build more. We know that we cant build more as the government. We have to get the private sector more engaged in our state. To do that, we need a better regulatory system.

Some proposals are likely dead for the year. Republicans were particularly frustrated a bill to allow backyard cottages in rural Washington didnt get a vote from the Senate despite bipartisan support.

Now, with less than six weeks left in the session, a handful of bills will drive much of the remaining discussion on housing. Many were included in a report on the housing crisis from Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and Gov. Bob Fergusons transition team.

Parking

Most cities and counties require a certain number of parking spaces for housing developments. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say this takes up valuable space and makes building more onerous.

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Senate Bill 5184 would prohibit jurisdictions from mandating more than one parking space per two residential units or more than one spot per 1,000 square feet of commercial space. Developers could still choose to build additional parking, but it could not be required.

Cities and counties also could not require parking minimums for homes under 1,200 square feet, commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet, affordable housing, senior housing and child care facilities, among other buildings.

The measure passed out of the Senate with bipartisan support last month. It is set for a vote out of a House panel, its first step in getting to the chambers floor.

Transit-oriented development

House Bill 1491 aims to increase multi-family housing, such as apartment buildings, near bus and train stations, by setting new requirements for the types of construction cities must allow in these areas.

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The legislation also requires either at least 10% of rental units built near stations to meet affordability guidelines for those making under 60% of the area median income, or 20% of homes for those making 80% or less of the area median. Developers meeting these affordability benchmarks would get a 20-year property tax exemption.

The bill also sets up a grant program to assist cities in planning for transit-oriented development.

The affordability component is the main sticking point for Republicans, who worry this will make development unfeasible. The House passed the bill on a party-line vote.

Senate Majority Leader Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said he was looking forward to his chamber considering the proposal. It is scheduled for a Senate Housing Committee vote Friday.

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Similar measures the past couple years have passed out of one of the chambers before dying in the other.

Lot splitting

Republicans hope not to feel deja vu over this one.

In 2023 and 2024, Rep. Andrew Barkis proposal requiring cities to allow landowners to split their lots to make room for more homes cleared the state House with little opposition. But each time it failed to get to the Senate floor.

The House passed this years version, House Bill 1096, with ease.

Its a bill that makes good sense, allows for more density, allows for lower cost, entry-level homes, Braun said.

The measure is set Friday for a key vote out of the Senate Housing Committee.

Commercial redevelopment

In recent years, lawmakers pushed to allow for the redevelopment of commercial buildings into housing as remote work left vacant office space.

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But that work has been focused on properties in land zoned for commercial and mixed-use buildings.

House Bill 1757 goes further, extending the effort to allow for conversion of commercial buildings in residential zones. The legislation would bar cities from requiring a change-of-use permit for this sort of redevelopment and exempts the conversions from state energy code requirements.

Supporters think this will lead to more walkable neighborhoods.

The bill passed the House by a 95-2 vote, and awaits a Friday committee vote in the Senate.

Housing development opportunity zones

Another idea would look to convert vacant commercial properties like strip malls into housing development opportunity zones.

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Senate Bill 5749 would allow cities to waive impact fees for developers building in these zones. Last year, one consultant found redeveloping underused shopping centers could result in nearly 675,000 new housing units in the state.

After near-unanimous passage out of the Senate, the bill was heard in committee Wednesday.

Growth Management Act

This wonky measure called the Housing Accountability Act aims to ensure local governments comply with state laws seeking to expand options for affordable housing, like duplexes.

Under Senate Bill 5148, the state Department of Commerce would review land use proposals from cities and counties planning through the Growth Management Act. If found to be out of compliance, the local governments would be unable to deny affordable housing developments. It could also affect eligibility for state infrastructure funding.

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The measure has bipartisan support. The House Housing Committee will hear the bill Thursday.

Condos

Lawmakers are looking to fill a gap in housing supply by spurring new condominium construction, giving another option to first-time homebuyers.

House Bill 1403 seeks to reduce legal risk for builders who shy away from condo developments out of fear they could face litigation.

The bill passed out of the House with bipartisan support. The Senate Housing Committee is scheduled to host a public hearing on it Friday.

Price-fixing

The Washington attorney generals office joined other states and the Department of Justice last year in suing a software company accused of working with landlords to inflate rental prices. Ferguson, who was attorney general at the time, said RealPages software helped price about 800,000 leases since 2017.

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Legislation now looks to ban this alleged algorithmic price fixing by prohibiting the collection of data that feeds recommendations for rental rates. Senate Bill 5469 also bars landlords from obtaining those recommendations. The attorney general could enforce violations of the proposed law.

The bill passed the Senate along party lines and is now set for a committee hearing Thursday in the House.

Kit homes

A top housing priority for Republicans this session has been paving the way for more small premade homes. Builders can construct the kit homes quicker and cheaper than traditional houses.

Senate Bill 5552 would require the state Building Code Council to develop rules specific to kit homes by the end of this year. The Senate passed the bill unanimously.

Another bill would have allowed cities and counties to site kit homes as emergency housing in single-family zones. That measure failed to make it to the Senate floor, and so is likely dead for the year.
Eight Chicago-based U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development staffers with more than 180 years of service collectively have retired or are retiring later this year as the agency undergoes scrutiny and faces cuts from billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency and President Donald Trump.

Jim Cunningham, who oversaw the entire Midwest region from HUDs Chicago office, is retiring early after nearly 34 years of service. Cunningham told the Tribune he had planned to retire at the end of 2026. Instead, he worked his last day Friday as he said he was concerned he might be terminated given the recent upheaval at HUD and, therefore, lose benefits such as health insurance.

Kimberly Nevels, HUDs national chief diversity officer, will serve her last day on April 30. Other employees who work in the public housing, multifamily and general counsel divisions are also retiring, including a military veteran who worked at HUD for 18 years and said he was forced to retire early because HUD would not accommodate his disability, and he was unable to return to the office full time. The Trump administration is requiring federal workers to return to in-person work full time.

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I wasnt quite ready to go, Cunningham said. We do great work at HUD and serve a lot of people, so bittersweet is probably the best way I can describe (my retirement). Other retirees who spoke with the Tribune described their departures similarly.

The employee retirements, celebrated at gatherings March 13, come as at least 20 local HUD workers lost their jobs or received layoff notices last month. A dozen of these employees work in the local HUD Office of Field Policy and Management, which will wipe out the entire local department, apart from managers. Chicago-area housing organizations are also facing funding cuts from HUD, with some recently receiving termination notices for grants while others are in limbo as they wait for overdue contracts or to see what happens with expected awards.

HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced in a video on social media on Feb. 13 that a DOGE task force had launched at HUD. That same week, a document circulated among HUD workers that was reported on by national news outlets and obtained by the Tribune showing HUDs workforce could be halved. It indicated that the total agency head count as of Jan. 21 was about 8,300, with some departments slated for more drastic staff reductions than others.

HUD did not respond to the Tribunes questions about if or how the agency plans to fill the gaps in the Chicago office.

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Nevels said she has been on paid administrative leave since Jan. 22 after working at the agency for 24 years. She has been in her role as chief diversity officer for just over a year, with the majority of her years spent in HUDs fair housing office.

There is just an incredible loss of institutional knowledge happening right now, Nevels said. Looking at what is going on, it is clear there is a dismantling of the scaffolding around civil rights and civil rights enforcement.

In light of Trumps executive orders to dismantle all federal offices focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, HUD said in a statement to the Tribune in January that it was taking steps to close all agency DEIA offices and end all DEIA-related contracts. HUD said it could not comment on personnel matters of current or former employees when asked about the status of Nevels job.

Patrick Cano is the military veteran who said he is retiring early as HUD will not accommodate his disability. Cano, who said his back problems started during his military service and led to his discharge, said he was offered reasonable accommodations from HUD in the past but was told it was not an option going forward under orders from HUDs Washington headquarters.

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Cano worked in HUDs public housing division, overseeing 15 public housing authorities in Illinois to check for fraud, waste and abuse  a nod to DOGEs agenda. He said working at HUD was his dream job. Canos official last day is Sept. 30; he took the federal governments offer of deferred resignation, and he was also eligible for early retirement due to his disability.

If you would have told me six months ago I would have been retiring today, I would not have believed you, Cano said. I figured I would have at least another five years in me, but without the ability to telework and without reasonable accommodation, it makes things really difficult.

Kasey Lovett, a HUD spokesperson, told the Tribune that HUD follows the U.S. Office of Personnel Managements policies that require federal agencies to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees with disabilities. She said employees are encouraged to route conversations and concerns through appropriate channels, such as their supervisor, rather than the Chicago Tribune.

Its always super helpful when employees who are collecting a paycheck from HUD talk to media (without authorization) and bash the organization they are working for while at the same time wanting accommodations, Lovett said.

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Eleny Ladias has served as the division director of public housing for the state of Illinois since 2002, managing a team that oversees all 105 public housing authorities in the state. She had been planning to retire this year due to personal health reasons but pushed up her timeline when the deferred resignation offer came about and because of the stress around the uncertainty at the agency.

Ladias, who was with HUD for over 36 years, said she loved working in public housing because she and her staff had an impact on so many lives.

You are dealing with some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, Ladias said, and to house those people and help them out and advocate for the tenants has been something that was near and dear to me.

John Schneider, who worked at HUD for over 30 years and most recently was a branch chief within HUDs multifamily division overseeing the construction business at buildings with Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages, is retiring Thursday. He said he would have liked to stay until later this year but could not risk being terminated. His wife has a pre-existing illness, he said, so he needs his health insurance.

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The retirees who spoke with the Tribune said they are worried for the workers who are still with the agency and the people that HUD serves. They fear HUD staff will not be able to keep doing their work if DOGEs further threatened job cuts materialize.

Mary Watkins was a senior account executive in HUDs multifamily division and worked at the agency for over 38 years. Like Schneider, she was planning to retire later this year but opted for March 30 given DOGEs activities within HUD.

I have worked in seven presidential administrations, and I have never seen anything like this, Watkins said. It hurts.

Cunningham, the former leader of HUDs Midwest region, said he was in the same boat as other employees who had no information about the restructuring efforts going on at HUD. He said the expected and existing funding and job cuts are already affecting how much work is able to get done.

Its just very unsettling to be at HUD right now because no one knows what is going on.

ekane@chicagotribune.com
An effort to expand how you lay your loved ones to rest in Georgia passed its second floor vote, putting it on its way to the governors office for approval.

Senate Bill 241 would allow dead Georgians to be disposed of through organic human reduction.

In short, a dead Georgian can have their remains composted or mulched, rather than being buried or cremated.

SB 241 changes regulations in the state of Georgia when it comes to how burials and funerary rites can be conducted, while setting safeguards to ensure respectful treatment of the dead.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The bill requires certain steps be taken to ensure proper identification and licensing of funeral homes and mortuaries to perform the mulching and composting process, in addition to maintaining records for unclaimed remains.

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Establishments that seek to undertake this service would have to receive permits to dispose of human remains or fetuses through this method, including for burial at sea.

TRENDING STORIES:

The bill also states clearly that the disposition of organically reduced remains shall not constitute the offense of abandonment of a dead human body, meaning it would not be considered illegal to leave the remains, cared for in this way, in nature.

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Lawmakers also set the following definitions for what organic human reduction is in Georgia:

Organic human reduction means the contained, accelerated conversion of dead human bodies to soil.

Organic human reduction container means a container in which organic human reduction occurs.

Organic human reduction facility means a location where organic human reduction is performed.

Organically reduced remains means the resulting residue of a dead human body that has undergone organic human reduction.

Similar to the release of remains after cremation, crematories and other establishments that handle remains would be able to release the composted remains to an authorized person on behalf of the deceased.

Those authorized to receive remains would be members of the deads family, whether a spouse, child, parent or sibling who is 18 or older and is net of kin to the dead, or a legal guardian, personal representative or public health officer, according to SB 241.

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Along with the new regulations for funeral services involving human composting, the bill also sets fines for those who violate the rules, including up to $500 for each violation. The bill also makes it illegal for those operating funeral service businesses to reward people or provide commission for the encouragement of using their services.

For the indigent, the state would also be able to choose organic human reduction or cremation for burial, rather than a typical casket burial, if the family or immediate kin are also indigent or unable to provide funds for the deads final disposition.

If approved by Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia would be the 13th state in the country to allow it. Should Kemp approve, the bill would take effect July 1.

The first in the United States to allow human composting or mulching for funerals was the State of Washington, in 2019.

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Key Takeaways

Habibis Mediterranean-branded Hummus Lebanese Style is being recalled.

The product may contain peanuts, an undeclared allergen.

The product was recalled after a consumer had an allergic reaction.







Theres an active recall on hummus sold in Canadian retailers, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. This is due to an undeclared allergen.

The Habibis Mediterranean-branded Hummus Lebanese Style is impacted by this recall. The 450-gram plastic containers of hummus have a printed UPC of 6 83830 00911 7 and best-by date of June 17, 2025. The recalled hummus was sold at stores in Alberta, British Columbia and possibly other provinces and territories.

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Related: Soup Products Are Being Recalled Due to Botulism RiskHeres What to Know

This product is being recalled because it may contain peanuts, an undeclared allergen that is not listed on the label. This has resulted in a customer-reported allergic reaction, so check your refrigerator for this product. The CFIA urges consumers that have this recalled hummus to throw it away or return it to your place of purchase for a refund.

People with peanut allergies may unknowingly consume this product and experience an allergic reaction as severe as anaphylaxis. Common symptoms of anaphylaxis include hives, swelling, trouble breathing, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. If you are showing signs of an allergic reaction after eating this product, call 911 immediately.

For questions about this recall, contact the CFIA toll-free at 1-800-442-2342 or email information@inspection.gc.ca.

Related: Over 12,000 Espresso Machines Recalled Nationwide Due to Burn Hazard

Read the original article on EATINGWELL
A fracking site in Greeley, Colorado, is pictured on June 24, 2020. About 10% of Oregon's Public Employees Retirement System fund is invested in so-called real assets, such as investments in infrastructure, commodities and natural resources including fracked gas and oil. The single largest portion of emission-related investments in the states pension portfolio are held in real assets. (Andy Bosselman/Colorado Newsline)

A bill to get the Oregon State Treasury to pause new pension investments in private assets and equity funds that are invested in fossil fuel companies received hundreds of letters of support this week, and one powerful letter of opposition.

Senate Bill 681, the Pause Act, would put a five-year moratorium on new private equity investments made with Public Employees Retirement System, or PERS, funds, if more than 10% of the private equity fund is invested in fossil fuel companies or heavy users.

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The bill had its first public hearing Wednesday in the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue. Nearly 300 letters of support were submitted in advance of the hearing and more than 30  including one from the Oregon State Treasury were submitted in opposition.

The idea, according to the bills chief sponsor Sen. Jeff Golden, D-Ashland, is to ensure the Treasury actualizes its own plan to get the PERS portfolio to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Former state Treasurer and current Secretary of State Tobias Read published the plan in February 2024, with the goal of getting PERS out of some fossil fuel investments, stop investing in some fossil fuel funds and companies and increasing investments in industries that are cutting or absorbing greenhouse gas emissions or are committing to doing so.

We have an opportunity to answer an important question about an important document, Golden told lawmakers during Wednesdays hearing. The question is this: Are we looking at yet one more comprehensive document that will only gather dust on bookshelves around the Capitol? Passing Senate Bill 681, Mr. Chair, is a clear way to say No. We are actually beginning to put this plan into action in careful alignment with the pathway to net zero.

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But new state Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner and the Oregon State Treasury are opposed to the bill, according to written testimony submitted in advance of the hearing.

It reduces our ability to diversify our portfolio and maximize returns for the retirees who are beneficiaries of the Oregon Public Employee Retirement Fund, wrote Jessica Howell, the Treasurys lobbyist.

Her letter included data showing Treasurys private investments have had 10-year returns on investment about 2% higher than those from investments in public markets.

Steiner is instead sponsoring House Bill 2200, which would codify the goals of the Net Zero Plan in law, but does not mandate specific ways of achieving them. Senate Bill 681 would mandate the Treasury pause new private investments in specific funds.

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Susan Palmiter  co-founder of the coalition of nonprofit advocacy groups Divest Oregon and a chief petitioner of the Pause Act  told lawmakers at the hearing that the Treasury is already backing away from its commitment to end investment in private funds enmeshed in fossil fuels.

This is in the plan that they hope to implement, but we have no indication that anything has been done in this area. The plans been out for over a year, she said. This is why we need Senate Bill 681.

Over exposed

About 28% of the funds in PERS, which serves more than 166,000 current retirees, are invested in private equity funds, which are pooled investments in non-publicly traded companies. That is more than double the average of other state pension systems, according to Public Plans Data, a nonprofit research consortium housed at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. This exposes the PERS system to major risks, according to Divest and pension watchdog groups like the Chicago-based Private Equity Stakeholder Project.

Rep. Mark Gamba, D-Milwaukie, testified in support of the bill Wednesday and took aim at Treasurys heavy investment in private funds and assets.

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Gamba explained to lawmakers that the Oregon Treasury typically commits hundreds of millions of dollars at a time to private fund managers, with investment contracts lasting 10 to 15 years.

Treasury becomes a limited partner and has no say in what the fund manager invests in. These private investments are secret. Long ago, private investment folks got laws passed in every state that keep the beneficiaries  in this case, Oregon PERS members  from knowing what their retirement money is invested in, he explained.

Another 10% of PERS funds are wrapped up in real assets, such as investments in infrastructure, commodities and natural resources including fracked gas and oil. This is where the single largest portion of emission-related investments in the states pension portfolio are held.

A study commissioned by the Oregon Treasury in 2021 from the international financial consultant Ortec Finance showed the Treasurys asset values could decline nearly 40% by 2060 due to the effects of climate change.

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Hungary has expectedly refused to sign the Ukraine-related section of conclusions of the latest EU summit.

Source: European Pravda, citing an EU official

Details: The section of the summit's conclusions on Ukraine, supported by 26 member states, will be published as a separate document.

"Hungary has refused to sign the Ukrainian section of the EU summit conclusions and it will be published as a separate document with 26 signatures," the EU official said.

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The source also noted that during the summit, the leaders and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed the frontline situation and the outcome of the US-led negotiations.

"The EU leaders have come to a common position stating that there are currently no negotiations with Russia. They also exchanged views on how the EU and Ukraine can influence this process," the official said.

The leaders first discussed the situation with Zelenskyy and then continued to talk about Ukraine among themselves. In total, the discussion lasted 2 hours.

Background:

On 6 March, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban refused to sign the conclusions of the extraordinary European Council meeting on support for Ukraine, leading to 26 out of 27 EU member states approving the text.

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On 18 March, Hungarys Minister for EU Affairs, Janos Boka, publicly confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Hungary would not support the European Council's conclusions on assistance to Ukraine, as they "contradict Budapest's strategic interests".

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Budapest does not support Ukraine's integration into the European defense structures, seeing the country instead as a buffer zone between Europe and Russia, Hungary's European Affairs Minister Janos Boka told the Financial Times in an interview published on March 20.

"We do not see the security of Europe in the integration of Ukraine into defense systems, but we see the need for a buffer zone between Russia and European defense structures, which serves the interests of both Russia and Europe," Boka told the news outlet.

Hungary, seen as the most Russian-friendly member of the EU, has consistently obstructed sanctions against Moscow and military aid for Kyiv while opposing Ukraine's accession to the bloc.

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Boka said that Ukraine's potential role as a "buffer zone" depends on a "consensus among global actors," adding that if "either the U.S. or the EU does something in Ukraine without (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's approval, this in itself is a source of conflict."

The comments come as EU leaders gather for a European Council summit to discuss further support for Ukraine and increased defense spending. European leaders have also urged a faster pathway for Ukraine's accession, with some suggesting the year 2030 as a possible entry date.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed that Ukraine's accession would "destroy" his homeland. Hungary plans to hold an opinion survey on support for Ukrainian membership later this year.

While obstructing EU support for Kyiv for years, Orban has been further emboldened by Donald Trump's U.S. election victory, using it as an argument against continued backing for Ukraine.

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Trump, whose team has maintained close contact with Budapest, has pushed for a swift peace deal while temporarily halting military and intelligence support for Ukraine.

Read also: Putin is stalling  Trump ceasefire call met with skepticism in Kyiv

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Hungary has stated that it envisions Ukraine as a "buffer zone" between Russia and the EU.

Source: an interview with Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs Janos Boka in Financial Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The Hungarian minister stated that Donald Trumps return to the White House means that the EU should no longer support Ukraine with weapons or financial aid.

"We do not see the security of Europe in the integration of Ukraine into defence systems, but we see the need for a buffer zone between Russia and European defence structures, which serves the interests of both Russia and Europe," the minister said.

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He added that "Ukraine can only function as a buffer zone if there is a consensus among global actors on what is possible and what is not possible on the territory of Ukraine," referring primarily to the US and Russia.

"Otherwise, it will be a conflict zone, not a buffer zone," Boka said.

He also claimed that "if either the US or the EU does something in Ukraine without [Vladimir] Putins approval, this in itself is a source of conflict".

It is worth noting that Hungary refused to sign the conclusions of the EU summit related to Ukraine. As a result, the section on Ukraine, supported by 26 EU member states, was published as a separate document.

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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA)  During the most recent hunting season, Hunters Feeding Illinois gave out food to almost 50,000 families.

The organization distributed 25,794 pounds of frozen, ground venison to 54 food pantries across east-central and southern Illinois. This venison equated to an estimated 97,000 meals, reaching nearly 49,800 families.

Kids Good Grief Camp set for Springfield in April

Formerly the Illinois Deer Donation Program, Hunters Feeding Illinois expanded this year with new partners and increased coverage. Illinois SNAP-Education brought together partners such as Feeding Illinois, Southern Illinois Food Pantry Network, Access Illinois Outdoors and University of Illinois Extension to create a statewide network.

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The Hunters Feeding Illinois Program and associated partnerships have increased the supply of invaluable, nutritious protein to many of our community food pantries, while also supporting Illinois local meat processors and offering an easy opportunity for hunters to help us feed our states hungry neighbors, said Executive Director of Feeding Illinois, Steve Ericson.

Food pantries in 44 east-central and southern Illinois counties were included in the potential donation area, with 54 food pantries in the in the following counties receiving venison this year:

Champaign

Clark

Clay

Coles

Cumberland

Douglas

Effingham

Fayette

Handcock

Jackson

Jasper

Jefferson

Marion

Perry

Randolph

Schuyler

Shelby

Union

Washington

Woodford

To support this program for the upcoming hunting season, visit go.illinois.edu/deerdonation or check out the Hunters Feeding Illinois Facebook page.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala, (WHNT)  A third day of protests in Huntsville over proposed cuts to federal programs and jobs. Protesters are also calling for Huntsville-area Congressman Dale Strong to make himself more accessible to the public

Strong and other U.S. House Republicans have said these protests and calls for town hall meetings are the work of paid, liberal agitators.

DOJ, voting rights groups drop lawsuit against Alabama Secretary of State

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News 19 spoke to several people at todays protest, which drew a smaller crowd than the protests on Monday and Tuesday.

Of the people News 19 spoke to, most live in Huntsville and there was at least one Madison resident. Most of the people said they have lived in the area for decades, many were retired federal employees or had a spouse in the military here.



They didnt identify as Trump voters, or say theyd voted for Dale Strong.

News 19 repeatedly asked why Strong or local Republican voters should care about what they had to say. The replies were consistent, the people told us they are long-term residents, theyve raised families here, contributed to the community, they pay their taxes and Strongs their congressman. Some talked about the oaths theyd sworn to defend and obey the U.S. Constitution and they said America is a nation led by the people and for the people  not a kingdom.

Alabama businesses talk futures amid new tariffs

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Several people expressed concerns that the Trump Administration was intent on cutting jobs and programs, including NASA. Most of those News 19 spoke to said they have not heard Strong push back, against those plans, or communicate to the powers that be that people here are being directly impacted by the administrations actions.

Huntsville resident Margie Zoladz said shes reached out to Srongs office several times, with no response so far.

He represents everybody, I know he knows that, she said. I feel like there must be some pressure, hes feeling from above, that is forcing him to ignore one side in preference to the other.

Soladz said she believes she voted for Strong at some point.

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What got me out here today is I have five children and they all live here, she said. I have six grandbabies, that all live here, one of them is not born yet. Im terrified about whats happening to our country. I dont know too many people who are in a position to do something about it and hes one of them.



More than one person expressed concern about possible cuts to Medicaid and SNAP benefits, basically health care and food programs for low-income people. They also expressed concerns that cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE. are destructive rather than based on audits aimed at saving money.

Protest groups have said they plan to hold a Town Hall in Athens on Saturday and Strong is invited. Some protesters told News 19 that in speaking to Strong staff members, theyve been told about telephone town halls that he would hold, but they never received a follow-up call.

During a contractor event Tuesday morning in Huntsville Strong said that he was glad to be back in the 5th District.

Im just happy to be in recess this week, he said. And, thats what I do when Im back in the district. I have a full schedule. Ill actually be in Madison County today (Tuesday). Ill also be in Jackson County. And what were doing is just meeting with our people. I represent three-quarters of a million people in North Alabama, and I do everything I can to be, visible and be there with them. when Im here in the district.

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News 19 reached out to Strongs office again today, as we did Monday, for comment on the protests or if he had plans to hold a public meeting.

We have not yet received any 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 WHNT.com.
Members of the Maryland Freedom Caucus and top Republican lawmakers are maintaining their firm opposition to any new taxes or increases as the General Assembly comes into its final stretch of budget negotiations.

How do you feel about paying more taxes? You want to pay more income taxes? You want to pay more sales taxes? You want to pay more property taxes? Baltimore County Del. Kathy Szeliga asked a crowd on Lawyers Mall in Annapolis Wednesday evening.

The several dozen people gathered shouted no in response.

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Politicians are increasing the already-bloated budget, and theyre looking for any and every tax to raise, she said.

Less than three weeks remain in Marylands legislative session and the states fiscal 2026 budget has not yet been approved.

Democrats are working to ensure the budget thats passed is sustainable and protects the state from federal uncertainty. Republicans, meanwhile, view the states budget as out of control, though they also maintain theres still time to avoid new taxes and increases.

We want to encourage them, its not too late  We havent had a vote on a single tax increase yet, said Del. Matt Morgan, a St. Marys County Republican who chairs the conservative caucus. Its time for them to recognize theres a lot of people out here. We call Maryland our home, and Ill tell you, they could do the right thing.

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Some Maryland residents said they are frustrated by the proposed taxes, too.

Kathy Painter, a lifelong Marylander who now lives in Prince Frederick, thinks something needs to change.

They seem to think that these are going to be helpful, but its hurting the little guy. If theyre supposed to be for the little guy, theyre hurting us, she said. Were at retirement age. I dont want to have to move out of Maryland because the taxes are killing us.

To help resolve the states growing $3.3 billion budget deficit, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore proposed an overhaul of personal income taxes, which would give two-thirds of Marylanders a tax cut while increasing taxes on the wealthy, along with other fee increases.

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A new tax on services is also expected in the budget, though it wont be a broad tax on business-to-business services as proposed by Democratic lawmakers after Moore said Monday that it would not happen. Legislation taxing sugar-sweetened beverages will not be in the final budget.

The Republican lawmakers also criticized Moore, saying he wasted a surplus left by former Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, and that the state needs to cut its spending.

One of the things we hate more than anything else is hypocrisy  hate it down here, and all we hear from the Democrats over and over again is why they can do something and why somebody else doesnt have to do something, said Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, an Eastern Shore Republican. Gov. Moore has been talking about growing the economy, and heres how he wants to grow the economy: IT, life sciences, quantum and artificial intelligence, AI. He wants to grow the economy in those industries. And guess what he wants to tax? Those very same industries that hes trying to grow.

The conservative lawmakers say theyre not wavering in their fight against the taxes, though.

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They spend, they spend, they spend. Theyre addicted to other peoples money, but its time for us to say no more, Baltimore County Del. Robin Grammer said of leaders in Annapolis. Stop lying. No more taxes. Cut the spending.

________
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent monitors asylum seekers being processed upon entering the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building on June 6, 2023, in New York City. (David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)

The for-profit prison company GEO Group has surged in value under President Donald Trump. Investors are betting big on immigration detention. Its stock price doubled after Election Day.

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

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But despite its soaring fortunes, the $4 billion company continues to resist having to pay detainees more than $1 a day for cleaning facilities where the government has forced them to live.

At the 1,575-bed detention center GEO runs for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Tacoma, Washington, detainees once prepared meals, washed laundry and scrubbed toilets, doing jobs that would otherwise require 85 full-time employees, the company estimated. The states minimum wage at the time was $11 an hour. (Its now $16.66.) In 2017, Washington sued GEO to enforce it, and in October 2021 a federal jury ruled unanimously in the states favor.

This year, GEO and Washington are back in court  for a third time  as the company tries to reverse the earlier decision that sided with the state. GEO has brought in contract cleaners at the Tacoma facility while the case plays out, keeping detainees there from paid work and from having a way to earn commissary money.

The legal battle has national repercussions as the number of ICE detainees around the country rises to its highest level in five years. The vast majority are held in private facilities run by GEO or corporate competitors like CoreCivic. If following state minimum wages becomes the norm, Trumps immigration crackdown could cost the country even more than it otherwise would  unless private detention centers absorb the cost themselves or decide to cut back on cleaning, which Tacoma detainees have already accused GEO of doing.

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GEO frames the lawsuit as a fight over the federal governments authority to make the laws of the nation. Multiple courts have decided that the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets the federal minimum wage, does not apply to detained migrants. At issue in the Tacoma case is the state minimum wage.

Simply put, we believe the State of Washington has unconstitutionally violated the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution, GEO wrote in a news release.

The company did not respond to a request for comment from ProPublica. ICE and CoreCivic declined to comment.

GEOs latest legal salvo came last month.

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A three-judge panel at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had recently affirmed lower courts rulings. GEO had to pay state minimum wage at the Tacoma facility. The company was also ordered to hand over $17 million in back wages, plus $6 million for unjust enrichment. The combined penalties amounted to less than 1 percent of GEOs total revenues in 2024.

Rather than pay up, GEO petitioned on Feb. 6 for a rehearing by the full 9th Circuit. In the news release, it vowed to vigorously pursue all available appeals.

The GEO Group owns and operates two Louisiana facilities: the Central Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Jena, where Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil is being detained; and the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile.

It isnt that GEO lacks the ability to pay, the company has made clear in legal filings. Its gross profit from its Tacoma facility, today called the Northwest ICE Processing Center, was about $20 million a year when Washington filed its lawsuit. The company told a judge in 2021 it could pay the Judgments twenty times over.

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The real issue is the precedent the Tacoma case could set. GEO, which manages 16 ICE detention facilities across the country, faces similar lawsuits in California and Colorado. The California case, also before the 9th Circuit, is on hold pending the outcome of Washingtons. Colorados is winding its way through a lower court.

GEO is expected to fight the case all the way to the Supreme Court, if needed.

If eventually forced to pay state minimum wages across the country, the company could decide to pay detainees more or else hire outside employees at all its locations  either of which would potentially eat into its profits, stock price and dividends.

The company also could try to renegotiate its long-term contracts with ICE for a higher rate of reimbursement, Lauren-Brooke Eisen, an expert in incarceration, noted in an article for the Brennan Center for Justice.

Or GEO could respond to higher labor costs another way. After the jury decision against it in 2021, the company paused Tacomas Voluntary Work Program, as it is known, rather than pay detainees there minimum wage. Some could no longer afford phone calls to family members. (For such detainees, the program had never been entirely voluntary. I need the money desperately, one testified. I have no choice.)

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The facility also got really gross after the sudden stoppage, a Mexican detainee told the Associated Press at the time. Nobody cleaned anything.

GEO brought in contract cleaners eventually.

Mike Faulk, a spokesperson for the Washington state attorney generals office, said testimony in the minimum-wage issue highlights the problem with housing detainees in private prisons: profit motive. Not only did GEO pay $1 a day for cleaning in Tacoma, it budgeted less than $1 per meal that each detainee ate, one kitchen worker testified. So the grade of food is abysmal, Faulk said of the detainees testimony. He routinely picked out grasshoppers/insects from the food.

For its part, GEO argues that Washington wants to unfairly  and hypocritically  hold the Tacoma facility to a standard that even state facilities dont have to meet. The company has noted that a carveout in Washington law exempts state prisons from minimum-wage requirements, allowing the state to pay prisoners no more than $40 a week. The federal government, taking GEOs side, has made the same point in friend of the court briefs under both the first Trump administration and the Biden administration. So did a dissenting judge in the recent 9th Circuit decision.

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But to liken state prisons to a privately run immigration facility is an apples and oranges comparison, the 9th Circuit decided. Washington doesnt let private companies run its state prisons. And the migrants in Tacoma are detained under civil charges, not as convicted criminals.

As judges have noted, GEOs contract with ICE states that the prison company must follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws and standards, including labor laws and codes. It also holds that GEO must pay detainees at least $1 a day for the Voluntary Work Program. The federal government made a deliberate choice to dictate to GEO the minimum rate, the 9th Circuit wrote in its most recent decision, but it also made a deliberate choice not to dictate to GEO a maximum rate.

Conditions in Tacoma are worsening as the number of detainees rises, according to Maru Mora Villalpando, founder of the activist group La Resistencia. The group is in regular contact with people inside the detention center.

Meal service, Mora Villalpando said, is faltering: Dinner used to be at 5. Then 6. Now its 9.

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Cleaning is faltering, too, she said. Without detainee labor, the outside cleaners have to do it all.

But these people, Mora Villalpando said, cant keep up.

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Officers with Louisiana State Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement escort a man arrested March 13, 2025, at the Port of Lake Charles. ICE reported 11 arrests of people working at the port who did not have legal status to be in the United States (Photo courtesy of ICE).

LAKE CHARLES  Federal immigration authorities arrested 11 workers last week at the Port of Lake Charles who allegedly lacked permanent legal status to be in the United States, the New Orleans office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Monday.

Port leaders have stressed to companies and contractors who operate there that the burden for ensuring any immigrant workers have legal status lies with their employer.

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While officials said the arrests were part of an investigation into the illegal hiring of unauthorized workers, information about the companies the arrested people worked for remains unclear. Immigrant advocates argue that such raids create a climate of fear, leaving workers vulnerable to abuse.

According to an ICE press release, federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Louisiana State Police and Calcasieu Parish Sheriffs Office (CPSO), supported the ICE Homeland Security Investigations operation a week ago.

The Port of Lake Charles was aware of the ICE operation on the day it occurred. ICE carried out the arrests independently while the Port Harbor Police were at the scene, according to port director Richert Self and attorney Jonathan Ringo.

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary Stitch Guillory said ICE did not contact his office for assistance and that he did not anticipate mass deportations, according to KPLC-TV.

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None of the arrested individuals were port employees but worked for various contractors or tenants working at the port, Self and Ringo said.

According to ICE, the arrested individuals are from Mexico, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. The agency has provided no additional information on the people arrested or whether they have been detained, released or placed in deportation proceedings.

Port representatives said they were unaware of what companies employed the people who were arrested and directed questions about the businesses to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. ICE has not responded to requests for more details.

Tania Wolf, a regional advocacy manager for the National Immigration Project, said such enforcement actions instill a sense of fear that affects the daily lives of immigrants, even those who have legal status to live and work in the U.S.

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People are fearful of going to work, and in some cases parents are not sending their children to school because of this fear thats present in the community, Wolf said.

Wolf said that while worksite enforcement actions are not new, their increasing frequency and aggressive nature create additional stress.

ICE is using intimidating tactics, like hand-delivering [inspection] audits, kind of coming full force  she said. Its not just an ICE agency thats coming to this place of business. Its ICE and other government agencies. Its very intimidating.

In its press release, ICE said the agency uses its inspection program to promote compliance with the law, part of a comprehensive strategy to address and deter illegal employment.

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Self and Ringo said that Port of Lake Charles operations remain unaffected. Following the ICE operation, the port issued a statement to its tenants, contractors and customers.

While the Port does not involve itself in any way with your hiring policies or practices, please know that the Port of Lake Charles is no sanctuary for any person who violates the law, Self said in the statement. Our Harbor Police Department will continue to assist any agency  local, state, or federal  in law enforcement as requested.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, made 32,809 arrests within the first 50 after President Donald Trump took office Jan. 20, according to a social media post from the agency.

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Correction: This report was updated to correct Tania Wolfs title.
In 2016, a person in Germany bit into a Snickers candy bar (a filling favorite for many chocolate lovers). Along with the sweet chocolate, caramel, nougat, and roasted peanuts, they also discovered a small piece of red plastic. This one event led to a massive recall that affected 55 countries and was just one among the many chocolate recalls that went on to affect millions. The candy giant, Mars, which makes Snickers, tracked the plastic-filled bar back to its production factory in the Netherlands. Because the location also produced multiple other candy bars, Mars opted to issue a voluntary recall to those as well, including its namesake Mars bars, Milky Way, an assorted chocolate mix called Celebrations, and, of course, all Snickers bars that had been produced within a specific time period.

The chocolates (which were mostly fun size and miniatures) produced in the Dutch factory were shipped all over Europe and to some Asian countries. Mars ultimately discovered that the plastic found in the Snickers bar ironically came from a protective cover that was used on the production machinery. Because Mars is privately owned, it wasn't required to disclose how much money it lost from the enormous recall, but it was likely tens of millions of dollars based on similar recall losses. However, had someone been harmed by a piece of plastic in their food, the results could have been devastating on multiple levels.

Read more: 10 Milk Chocolate Bars, Ranked By Taste And Texture

Food Recalls Address Various Health And Safety Concerns

The exterior facade of a Mars Chocolate operations center - Lukassek/Shutterstock

Chocolates and candy bars can be recalled for various reasons. Any foreign objects found in food (like the plastic in the 2016 Mars incident, or other frightening substances like metal or glass) will result in a recall. In addition, foods can be recalled if evidence of contaminants (like bacteria or hazardous chemicals) is found, if allergens are not disclosed, or if an expiration date is misprinted. In the case of the Mars recall, the person who initially found the plastic in their candy sent the item back to Mars, and there weren't any other reports of anyone being harmed by rogue foreign objects.

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Recalled foods can be discovered in numerous different ways. Sometimes, if an item (or batch of items) is affected, it may not come to light for months after it's been produced and sold, so there is a lot of backtracking work to do. But companies do try to act as soon as they suspect an issue with any food products.

A company can use various methods to notify the public if an item needs to be recalled. It might post the information on its websites or social media channels, send out emails through loyalty schemes, notify the stores that distribute the products, and reach out to the media. This allows brands to reach as many people as possible who may have purchased an affected product.

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The Idaho Legislature passed a bill to deregulate child care centers in hopes of addressing Idahos child care shortage crisis. (Rebecca Rivas/Missouri Independent)

The Idaho House on Wednesday widely passed a bill on a party-line vote to deregulate child care centers in hopes of addressing Idahos child care shortage crisis.

Cosponsored by Idaho Republican House lawmakers Reps. Barbara Ehardt, from Idaho Falls, and Rod Furniss, from Rigby, House Bill 243a heads to Idaho Gov. Brad Little for final consideration.

Idaho state Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, talks with attendees during the House State Affairs Committee meeting on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

The House already widely passed an earlier version of the bill, despite concerns from child care advocates about the bill repealing state-set minimum child-to-staff ratio standards and instead allowing child care centers to set their own ratios.

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But last week, the Idaho Senate amended the bill to reinsert the states minimum child-to-staff ratios standards, but loosen them. Then the Senate passed the amended bill on a 25-10 vote.

We sent over a pretty gosh darn good bill to the Senate. And they sent us over, well, kind of a good bill, Ehardt told House lawmakers on Wednesday.

The Idaho House on Wednesday passed the bill on a 55-7 vote, with opposition from all seven House Democratic lawmakers present; the other two House Democrats were absent, along with six Republican lawmakers.

The bill would still preempt local governments from having more stringent child care regulations than issued by the state, by repealing a provision in Idaho law that allowed stricter regulations in city or county ordinance.

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, speaks from the House floor on March 10, 2025, at the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, said she appreciated the bill would no longer remove state-set child-to-staff ratio standards. But she called the bill a full-frontal attack on local control.

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The only training requirements right now here are provided at the city level. There are trainings that somebody in the facility has to be CPR certified, that they have to  undergo certain certification and certain training, Rubel said on the House floor. All of that is eviscerated still under this bill.

Even after the amendments, many child care advocates still oppose the bill  worrying that loosening regulations will risk harm to kids.

Idaho already is among the weakest states for child care licensing standards in the country, and any rollback of regulations or increase of child to staff ratios is a potential risk to children in child care settings, Idaho Association for the Education of Young Childrens external relations director Sheralynn Bauder told the Sun in a written statement before the House vote. We oppose any policy that weakens protections for children and undermines quality early learning providers who utilize best practices.

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Idaho already has loose child-to-staff ratio standards

Idahos existing child-to-staff ratios are the 41st loosest in the nation, compared to all 50 states and the District of Columbia, a report by Idaho Voices for Children found. In other words, Idahos existing state-set child care standards let individual staffers care for more children at a given time than most states.

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If the new bill passes, Idaho would have the 45th least stringent child-to-staff ratios in the nation, Idaho Voices for Children Executive Director Christine Tiddens told the Sun in an email.

Before rushing to dismantle a complex industry and economic driver, elected officials should take a year to study the impact of child care deregulation, she wrote in an email.

Thats what she said shes encouraging the governor to do: Veto the bill and, instead, assemble a committee of parents, providers, and child safety experts to develop recommendations to address Idahos child care shortage.

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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The bill would take effect July 1.

How the bill would change Idahos child-to-staff child care ratio standards

If passed into law, the bill would retain the states points-based ratio that only allows up to 12-points, determined by kids ages, per each staff member. But the underlying points for kids would almost all be reduced.

Heres how the bill would change Idahos child-to-staff ratio standards:

Each child under 24 months old would remain at two points.

Each child at least 24 months old but younger than 36 months would be 1.33 points. That is a decrease from the current 1.5 points in Idaho law.

Each child at least 36 months old but younger than 5 years old would be 0.923 points. That is a decrease from 1 point in Idaho law.

Each child at least 5 years old but younger than 13 years old would be 0.48 points. That is a decrease from 0.5 points in Idaho law.

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Kearis Ochs, who owns Whole Child Early Education in Rexburg, told the Sun in an email she was relieved the bill wouldnt repeal child-to-staff ratios, but she said the new system the bill would bring seems extremely impractical.

Sitting all of the kids down and getting out our calculators is just not going to happen, she told the Sun.

(Courtesy of Idaho in Session)

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The Valley Fire burns in the Boise foothills on Oct. 4 in this file photo taken from Southeast Boise. (Courtesy of Robbie Johnson/Idaho Department of Lands)

Subject to finalizing legal terms, Idaho Power has reportedly agreed to pay a $800,000 settlement to help the state restore winter wildlife habitat burned during Octobers Valley Fire in the foothills east of Boise.

Reports of the settlement were included in budget documents provided to the Idaho Legislatures Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, or JFAC, on Thursday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

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JFAC is a powerful legislative committee that sets every budget for every state department and agency.



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JFAC approved on Thursday a one-time $800,000 appropriation to the Idaho Department of Fish and Games wildlife program to allow the department to accept the settlement money and spend it on restoring burned areas within the Boise River Wildlife Management Area.

Downed power line found responsible for Valley Fire, settlement to go toward restoration work

The Valley Fire started Oct. 4 and burned 9,904 acres, including part of the Boise River Wildlife Management Area.

A power line touching the ground was found responsible for starting the fire, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

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The Idaho Department of Fish and Game does not have resources dedicated to fire rehabilitation loss, state budget documents show. Nevertheless, state wildlife officials and biologists view the Boise River Management Area as an important habitat for deer and elk that migrate away from their summer habitat in the Sawtooth Mountains to move to their winter home in the foothills above the Boise River.

The wildlife management area is home to more than 300 species of animals and is an important winter range that is protected from the nearby development taking place in the foothills, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

The Department of Fish and Game recognized the burned area as an important winter range for deer, elk and other wildlife, state budget documents provided to JFAC members stated. Following the fire, the department reseeded the burned range and applied pre-emergent herbicide to prevent the establishment of annual invasive grasses and weeds, such as rush skeleton weed, that often germinate and establish themselves following the fire.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game would like to use the settlement money to complete rehabilitation and restoration work, including herbicide treatments, aerial and drill seeding, seedling planting and hazardous tree removal, state budget documents show.

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Idaho Power officials confirmed to the Sun on Thursday they have reached a voluntary settlement agreement in principle with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.

Idaho Power reached an agreement in principle with IDFG to resolve restoration claims related to the Valley Fire, subject to finalizing legal terms, Idaho Power officials wrote Thursday. This voluntary resolution reflects Idaho Powers strong commitment to its partnership with the state. Idaho Power values its relationship with state agencies and will continue to cooperate with them on a number of important initiatives.

Fish and Game, Idaho Power come to agreement to restore area for public use

Budget documents provided to JFAC offer some insight into the reported settlement.

The Department of Fish and Game has been in discussions with Idaho Power Company regarding a settlement for the latter to fund the departments efforts to restore the area for public use, those documents state.

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Subject to finalizing legal terms, Idaho Fish and Game and Idaho Power have reached a settlement of $800,000 for habitat restoration on the Boise River WMA related to the Valley Fire, the documents state. The settlement will include standard legal terms, including payment without any admission of liability.

This is a settlement of disputed claims, the documents continue. The settlement avoids costs and delays that would come with litigation. The settlement recognizes the benefit of putting resources on the ground faster for restoring vegetation and controlling invasive weeds.

JFAC members voted unanimously to approve the one-time $800,000 appropriation for the Idaho Department of Fish and Games fiscal year 2026 budget in order to spend the settlement money.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  One State Senator is pushing an initiative to reduce hunger for college students in Illinois.

Senator Graciela Guzman is expanding the eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Illinois. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, almost two thirds of students that are eligible for SNAP are not receiving benefits.

UPDATE: Illinois homeschool bill passes; hundreds gather at State Capitol in protest

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Many students are steered away from applying because they assume, or are advised incorrectly, that they are not eligible. On the other hand, others that do apply are rejected in error because the rules for students are complex.

It is hard to succeed in school when youre hungry, Guzman said. Helping students, especially low-income scholars, who are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, succeed academically and economically is not only smart, but also the right thing to do for the next generation.

Students are not eligible for SNAP unless they meet certain conditions without this initiative, including working at least 20 hours a week at a paid job in addition to going to school. Senate Bill 1298 would expand and streamline eligibility for SNAP benefits, allowing all students at public universities in Illinois to benefit from the program if they meet income and other eligibility requirements.

With nearly one in four undergraduate students (approximately 3.8 million) experiencing food insecurity in the United States, student hunger is a growing crisis, Kate Maehr, executive director and CEO of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, said. It is essential that we modernize and expand the eligibility criteria for SNAP, as the nations largest nutrition assistance program, to meet the needs of todays college students as they pursue their academic and career dreams.

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Senate Bill 1298 passed the Senate Health & Services Committee on Tuesday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
Update on 3/20 at 11:35 a.m.

VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  The Vermilion County Coroner has identified the Indiana man who was killed in an accident on I-74 Wednesday evening.

Coroner Jane McFadden confirmed that 56-year-old Brett Wagner of Avon, Ind., died as a result of the accident.

State Police Director testifies before Senate on human trafficking bill

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. The Vermilion County Coroners Office and State Police are continuing to investigate.

Update on 3/20 at 6 a.m.

VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  The Illinois State Police has released further information about a crash on I-74 in Vermilion County, including the fact that someone died as a result.

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Officials said the crash involved four vehicles in the eastbound lanes  three semi-trucks and an SUV. The investigation determined that traffic was slowed due to a previous crash and one of the semis started the collision by failing to slow down.

Police respond to 70-80 cadet fight at Lincolns ChalleNGe Academy

The semi rear-ended an SUV in the right lane and forced into the back of another semi, officials said. After hitting the SUV, the semi went into the left lane, hit the side of a third semi and then went off the highway and into the median.

The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said the driver was a 56-year-old man from Indiana.

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No other injuries were reported on the scene.

The driver of the semi that started the crash was identified only as a man from Philadelphia. He was given a ticket for failing to slow down to avoid an accident.

UPDATE on 3/20 at 3 a.m.

VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  The roadway is now back open, State Police announced at 3 a.m.

VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA)  State Police are diverting traffic on Interstate 74 eastbound in Vermilion County around the scene of an active crash.

Illinois State Police. Vermilion County Sheriffs Office and local EMS are on the scene of a traffic crash on I-74 at milepost 215. As of around 7:30 p.m. traffic is stopped and is being diverted around the area, using the ramps at the exit.

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State Police respond to Vermilion Co. for semi-truck in a ditch on I-74

State Police ask that drivers use caution or find a different route. They added that they are expecting traffic to be slowed or stopped for several hours.

State Police said they will provide updates when more information is available.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
The Canyon Creek Rural Fire District board chair was recalled Tuesday night by 97 votes in a special election, leaving some trustees with hope for the future to heal.

Richard Grady lost the recall election 146-49, with one undervote and one rejected vote, according to unofficial results. A canvassing to certify the election will be March 27.

Jim Thomas, vice-chair, now acting chair, said, "It wasn't about ideology or anything else, it was about Rick."

Grady was not immediately available for comment.

According to the districts bylaws, the board works with the fire chief and assistant fire chief to manage and develop the fire district and fire company goals, policies and priorities. They also oversee the fire district budget.

Lewis and Clark County Elections Supervisor Connor Fitzpatrick said he did not expect the result and talked about his time dealing with Canyon Creek elections.

"(The margin differential) was a possibility that crossed my mind, but at the same time what I understood was going on on the campaigning side, I figured considering the recent history of Canyon Creek elections, there was a pretty decent chance it could have been close as well," he said.

Fitzpatrick said in 2023 a trustee seat was up for election with only a one- or two-vote difference and in 2024 another seat had a similar outcome.

Four Canyon Creek residents, including board treasurer Wendy Smith-Adamson, observed the count at the City-County Building at 316 N. Park Ave. in Helena.

Thomas was stationed about 20 miles away at the Canyon Creek Fire Hall at 7560 Duffy Lane, along with a couple firefighters in training.

"I was surprised by how resounding it was," Thomas said Wednesday. "There's been a lot going on, whether it was recall language or the redress petitions, people knew what was going on."

Thomas said it was unfortunate the recall had to happen, but it was necessary.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton previously called the events at the volunteer fire department "tumultuous," and they came to a boil in June in a dispute over a donated emergency response vehicle.

The board was hesitant to accept the roughly $55,000 truck and caused the community to voice its concerns over months of public comment and hours of board meetings.

Some of Canyon Creek's community lost faith in Grady throughout the course of the events, claiming he was incompetent and unfit to run the board.

This led to a "mutiny," a community member said.

The board failed to douse the flames within the community and caused uproar after it saw three fire chiefs within a year. Sam Stigman, former fire chief, resigned and cited the lack of control by Grady.

Jonathan Cunningham, successor to Stigman as fire chief, was released after a vote of no confidence by the board in September. Jeremy Gilliam followed Cunningham and resigned after 43 days, citing a "hostile work environment."

The district has been without a fire chief since November and has only two volunteer firefighters, according to its website. The Canyon Creek Rural Fire District encompasses roughly 106 square miles.

The recall election and removal of Grady would allow the district to heal and rebuild, according to Adamson and Thomas.

"This was an issue of the public being treated unlawfully," Adamson said. "... I find this particular result quite a rejection of the way things were going, so I am proud of the public for hearing what was going on and making a choice to change the direction."

The healing process will not be an easy road ahead, the board members acknowledged, but it could come to fruition using "c-words."

Thomas said things the board could work on in the future were "communication, cooperation and consensus." He said the board may not be able to agree on everything since everyone can think independently, but it could still work together for the betterment of the Canyon Creek community and fire district.

"I believe in the process and structure," Thomas said. A public commenter at a previous meeting called the meetings "uninviting," which Thomas said has lingered on his mind.

In a flyer made by Adamson, read in bold letters, "How do we heal Canyon Creek?" five points were listed including the recall of Grady, asking Trustee Max Eskildsen and Secretary Ellen Eskildsen to resign, elect herself and Stigman to the board, bring back the Mother's Day Pancake Breakfast and work to restore the fire district's personnel, training and equipment.

Other campaigning documents were sent to community members of Canyon Creek prior to the recall urging the public to stay informed about the events at the fire department.

The Eskildsens were not immediately available for comment.

Although Adamson wants to run for another three-year term, Thomas said he was not interested in another term. Thomas was appointed by the Lewis and Clark County Commission in early 2024.

The treasurer said she was hoping the commission would consider appointing him for another year, which Thomas said he would be interested in to "right the ship" before he leaves the board to a younger generation and community members, who he said were great people.

"I'm humbled. It's great having that kind of support," Thomas said.

Due to the ongoing turmoil in the volunteer fire district, the board faces a pending lawsuit and recently had 11 of 12 petitions for redress deemed to have merit by a Broadwater County deputy attorney. Lewis and Clark County, citing a conflict of interest, asked Broadwater to review the matter.

Some of the petitions with merit claimed the board did not meet the required public notice criteria, agenda items submitted to the board chair by trustees were not added to agendas, the board disregarded public participation procedures and the board failed to allow any reasonable time for public feedback.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  The Illinois State Police hosted a first-of-its-kind event this week in the hopes of encouraging more women to joins its ranks.

It was an all-women recruitment event hosted at the State Police Academy. Women were invited to explore different career paths available as both a sworn officer and a civilian employee. Members from the different divisions and law enforcement specialties of the ISP were on hand to showcase their jobs and careers to prospective recruits.

State Police Director testifies before Senate on human trafficking bill

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According to the U.S. Department of Justice about 14% of full-time sworn officers and 11% of first-line supervisors across local police departments are women.

Its important because it sets an example not just for women not only inside our agency but outside of the agency, that if you feel its not possible because its a male-dominated career, First Deputy Director Rebecca Hooks said. Thats just not the case. Im proof, standing here, that if you want to work hard and you believe in the mission of the ISP, you can become the First Deputy Director.

The Illinois State Police is trying to increase the number of women in its ranks by participating in the 30X30 Initiative. Its a coalition of police leaders, researchers and professional organizations who support and advance the representation, experiences and well-being of women in policing agencies.

People can learn about positions as a sworn Illinois State Trooper by clicking here. For civilian positions in the Illinois State Police, click here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK)  A Mexican man, residing in Nacogdoches, pleaded guilty to federal immigration and firearms violations on Tuesday.

According to the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District of Texas, 25-year-old Joel Bustamante Moreno was detained for selling multiple firearms, including a 9mm pistol equipped with a Glock switch, a device that once fixed to a pistol can make it capable of firing automatically.

Officials said Moreno fled the scene when officers attempted to arrest him, wrecked a vehicle and ran to a residence where he was later arrested.

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Man sentenced to 50 years in prison after shooting Nacogdoches police officer in 2023

Moreno has previously been deported in 2019 and 2020.

He faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

Morenos case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program combining all levels of law enforcement and the communities to keep neighborhoods safer. Several parties are part of the investigation including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations and the Nacogdoches Police Department.

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CHICAGO (WGN)  The mother of a fallen Chicago police officer, a leader in science and mathematics, a human resources consultant, a fashionista, and a supporter of domestic violence survivors make up the five recipients honored by Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza on Wednesday as part of Womens History Month.

Calling the recognition an honor, Elizabeth French, mother to slain CPD officer Ella French, has helped to provide a variety of resources for first responders and their families in the wake of tragedy. Her Light the Line initiative offers everything from on-scene support after traumatic incidents to mental health services.

The day-to-day stressors the officers and their families are facing and being able to another resource for them, being able to try and help them, yes, it absolutely is a passion now, French told WGN News.

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From unhoused to homeowners: Chicago womans remarkable journey helps fellow veterans

Sitting alongside French was the once homeless Mae Whiteside Williams, now a fearless leader in STEM.

Most of the streets Ive built, Ive either walked on, traveled on, or slept on, Williams said.

Also honored on Wednesday was Jennifer Guzman, a seasoned HR consultant known for driving growth in the workplace, and Cameroon native Nathalie Loma, a fashionista who built up her brand from scratch. Loma also helped those affected by the recent wildfires by shipping boxes of clothes to California.

My mother is a self-taught seamstress who instructed me in the power of fashion, Loma said. Im privileged to pass this lesson forward.

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Though she could not attend the ceremony, Rebecca Darr received the fifth award for her work with Chicagoland domestic violence survivors.

Mendoza praised the women for their ongoing efforts while highlighting the importance of the next generation.

SEE ALSO: Chicagos Remarkable Women honored for their selflessness, accomplishments, and community impact

You dont necessarily do it to be the first, Mendoza said, but when you do, you do it not to be the last.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Springfield, Ill. (WCIA)  Lawmakers filed a bill in the Illinois State Capitol that would strengthen efforts to combat human trafficking in the state.

This week, it passed the Senate committee with bipartisan support. The bill, filed by Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), will create a coordinated approach between the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to work together and help identify and assist victims and survivors of human trafficking.

State Police Director testifies before Senate on human trafficking bill

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Morrison said Illinois remains one of the top human trafficking places in the country, and many cases are not brought to light.

Unfortunately, many instances of trafficking do not get reported because the crimes are not recognized or the victims simply dont know where to go for help, Morrison said. Human trafficking is everywhere and its often a hidden crime, it affects children, men, and women. It takes many forms, including sexual exploitation but also forced labor.

The bill, which has been in the works for two years, came through recommendations from the Illinois State Police joint human trafficking group. The bill requires the DCFS to have a special unit that will focus on human trafficking. Officers and social workers will be provided with more training so that victims can receive caring and effective support.

The bill will also remove the lawsuit time limit for trafficking survivors so that they can sue their abusers even if it happened decades ago. This is a way to ensure people who were trafficked as minors can get justice when they feel ready.

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UPDATE: Illinois homeschool bill passes; hundreds gather at State Capitol in protest

Now an advocate, Brenda Myers-Powell was a victim at the age of 14. She said that if these changes were in place back then, many young people could have been saved.

I was picked up by two pimps and put in a trunk, which began my life of torture, coercion, and beatings. I wish someone had recognized the signs when I was vulnerable, Myers-Powell said. The expanded screening for youth in state care could have identified my situation before it escalated.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said this measure and training in place will help officers identify victims, not just criminals.

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Our folks have always been very good at spotting the bad guy with the drugs, the bad guy with the guns, not always very good at identifying the person that may be with them, who is probably being victimized as well, Kelly said. To combat it, we must bring it out in the open and into the light.

The bill passed the committee with eight votes. Now, it will head back to the senate floor for a full vote. If it passes, the plan will start next year.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
ST. CHARLES, Ill. (WTVO)  Police officers who were involved in the fatal shooting of a man wielding a chainsaw at an assisted living facility will not face criminal charges.

The Kane County States Attorneys Office, Illinois State Police, and St. Charles Police Department released a joint statement on Thursday.

Police were called to the River Glen of St. Charles around 8;45 a.m. on December 1st, 2024, after a witness said a shirtless man was holding a chainsaw and attempting to cut down a tree on the property.

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As police were arriving, witnesses informed them that the suspect, Daniel Estrada, 41, had entered the buildings lobby and was confronting residents.

Despite the use of a taser, authorities said Estrada ran toward police with the chainsaw, resulting in an officer firing his weapon and striking Estrada.

He was taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, where he died. An autopsy later found amphetamines, methamphetamines, and olanzapine in his system, the coroners office said.

Residents at the scene were treated for minor injuries, police said.

Illinois State Police conducted the investigation into the incident, reviewing body-worn camera video and audio, witness statements, and physical evidence from the scene.

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The results of the investigation were handed over to the Kane County States Attorney, who determined that the officers use of deadly force was necessary.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  The Illinois Association Chiefs of Police gathered for Lobby Day on March 18 to talk with lawmakers in Springfield about bills they support  and oppose.

Chief Dwayne Wheeler represented Taylorville in Springfield this year. Taylorville Lieutenant Michael Toberman told WCIA that Wheeler advocated for several bills which he hopes will make the Taylorville community safer.

State Police Director testifies before Senate on human trafficking bill

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Toberman said that on Lobby Day, the IACP gives the attendees a list of bills with information on how it might impact their jobs. Then, the police chiefs engage in conversation with lawmakers.

Heres a look at some of the bills the IACP is supporting:

SB2192

Senate Bill 2192 would create the Preventing Targeted Violence Act. It would create a community support team, made up of law enforcement, mental health experts, threat assessors, and various community organizations, to prevent targeted violence.

The team would review potential threat cases, serve as a centralized information hub for local, state and federal resources and educate the community in identifying concerning behaviors.

The team members would sign agreements, making the information in case reviews protected from being disclosed in legal proceedings or public record. It also grants immunity to team members who act in good faith of the protocols established with this law.

SB1557

Senate Bill 1557 would amend the Illinois Municipal Code, giving municipalities the right to use a utility pole within public rights-of-way for safety purposes. This could include placing equipment associated with public safety, like emergency communication equipment, surveillance cameras, or other safety-related technology.

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UPDATE: Illinois homeschool bill passes; hundreds gather at State Capitol in protest

The bill also requires the fee charged for the use of the pole to be at the lowest rate charged by the entity

SB1796

Senate Bill 1796 would amend the the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act and the Criminal Code.

It expands the list of individuals who can request body camera footage to include:

The subject captured on the recording

The legal representative of the subject

The officer who wore the camera

The legal representative of the officer who wore the camera

A person who has written permission from the subject of the encounter

A person who has written permission from the officer who wore the camera

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And, it allows body camera recordings to last after 90 days (the previous language stated that the footage must be destroyed after 90 days, unless the recording was flagged for whatever reason). It also exempts recordings (which follow the Law Enforcement Officer-Worn Body Camera Act) from Illinois eavesdropping regulations.

HB1072

House Bill 1072 would create the Mobile Panic Alert System Act. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, public schools would be required to implement a mobile panic alert system, which can connect to multiple first responder agencies.

Bill protecting Mahomet Aquifer from carbon sequestration passes House committee

And, in fiscal year 2026, the State Board of Education would be required to begin to solicitate a system that can be used by each school district.

Heres a look at some of the bills the IACP is opposing:

SB0042

Senate Bill 0042 would amend the Illinois Vehicle Code by removing the requirement that cannabis in a motor vehicle must be in an odor-proof container. It would still require that cannabis is stored in a secured, sealed or re-sealable child-resistant container.

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Law enforcement would not be allowed to stop, detain or search a vehicle based only on the odor of burnt or raw cannabis, as long as the drivers and passengers are 21 or older.

HB1611

House Bill 1611 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1963. Courts would no longer be able to issue search no knock warrant when the only known offense is possession of a controlled substance. However, police officers may enter a home without knocking when necessary to prevent injury to officers or others. And, the warrant must be executed between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Bill in State Capitol would protect federal prescription drug discount program

Officers also must be in uniform, wear a body-worn camera, and have a paramedic or emergency medical technician nearby.

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When police are executing a warrant, they would also not be allowed to handcuff or restrain a child or a parent in the presence of children (unless they are in danger of harming themself or another).

You can read more about the bill here.

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ITASCA, Ill. (WMBD)  The Illinois State Police are reporting the fourth Scotts Law-related crash of the year on Thursday.

The crash occurred when a state trooper was handling a crash on Interstate 290 westbound ramp to Illinois 390 in Itasca at approximately 8:18 a.m., an ISP news release stated.

The trooper was on the left shoulder of the road, seated in a squad car which had activated emergency lights, when the vehicle was struck by Saturn Vue that failed to move into another lane as required by law.

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UPDATED: Driver charged with Scotts Law violation in connection with troopers death

Both the trooper and the driver of the vehicle, 44-year-old Teresa Muro, were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

Muro was cited for operating an uninsured vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident as well as a Scotts Law violation.

The Move Over Law, also known as Scotts Law in Illinois, requires all drivers to move over when approaching an emergency vehicle or any vehicle with its emergency or hazard lights activated.

In 2024, there were 27 Move Over Law-related crashes, which resulted in 12 troopers injured and one death, the news release stated.

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BOSTON (SHNS)  Angered by the Trump administrations deportation actions, hundreds of immigrants and advocates urged Beacon Hill lawmakers Wednesday to strengthen state-level protections, including passing a long-debated law to restrict cooperation between local and federal law enforcement officials.

Supporters with the Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition sought to rally momentum for the Safe Communities Act (S 1681 / H 2580), legislation that has lingered around Beacon Hill for years looking to end so-called 287(g) agreements that give state and local law enforcement the authority to carry out federal immigration officers jobs.

Top House and Senate Democrats have for years opted against bringing the legislation forward for a vote. The bill was sent to study last session, but has previously cleared the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.

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During President Donald Trumps first term, the Senate in 2018 adopted the bill as a policy rider to the budget with a 25-13 vote, though it did not survive conference committee negotiations, sponsor Sen. Jamie Eldridge said.

I think because under the Biden administration, there was a sense of complacency and the immigrants were protected, Eldridge, who has sponsored the bill since 2017, told the News Service about last sessions study order. Obviously, that has completely been upended.

The Marlborough Democrat added, I mean this is a new level of assault on immigrants compared to even when Trump was last president.

To build more legislative support for the bill this session, Eldridge said hes focused on securing endorsements from police chiefs, law enforcement groups, district attorneys and sheriffs.

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Probably the biggest is major chiefs that represent immigrant communities  that would be most helpful. That was also helpful to pass the drivers license bill, Eldridge said, referring to the law that took effect in 2023 and allows residents to apply for drivers licenses regardless of their immigration status.

The annual Immigrants Day event in the Great Hall started off on an upbeat note Wednesday morning, featuring nearly an hour of musical and dance performances. The atmosphere quickly turned serious yet determined as lawmakers and advocates outlined priority legislation they said could counteract Trump administration immigration policies.

Immigrants matter. Immigrants are the success of Massachusetts, the United States of America, and we have demonstrated that for years, and years, and years, Rep. Carlos Gonzalez said, drawing audience applause. And now we stand here united, ready to fight.

Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Lauren Jones was on hand to emphasize the Healey administrations commitment to investing in and upskilling the immigrant workforce. Jones pointed to Gov. Maura Healeys January supplemental budget that seeks to invest $30 million over the next two years into English for Speakers of Other Languages services for adult learners.

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Massachusetts has long been a beacon of opportunity, and our immigrant workforce is a cornerstone of our success, accounting for roughly 20% of our workforce statewide, Jones said. We are home to one of the most highly skilled foreign workforces in the nation. In fact, one in three immigrants arriving or living in our state holds a bachelors or advanced degree from abroad.

Advocates also promoted the Immigrant Legal Defense Act (S 1127 / H 1954) that would create a fund, seeded with public and private dollars, to cover legal defense for immigrants who face deportation risks, including individuals held in federal immigration detention centers. Nearly 370 people were in federal immigration detention in Massachusetts as of January, according to MIRA. Immigrants with a lawyer are 10 times more likely to win relief, the coalition says.

Trump has long promised to pursue mass deportations and arrests of people who are in the country illegally and committed crimes. But his administrations deportation tactics are facing increasing scrutiny as federal agents target people here legally, including a Rhode Island doctor, according to Politico.

Federal agents swept through Chelsea on Tuesday and detained multiple individuals, sparking fear among the community that has a large population of immigrants, The Boston Globe reported.

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During the first 50 days of the new Trump administration, Immigration Customs and Enforcement arrested 32,809 individuals, Department of Homeland Security officials said last week. That figure includes 14,111 convicted criminals and 9,980 individuals with pending criminal charges, officials said.

We have deported known terrorists, cartel members, and gang members from our country, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said March 13. We will see the number of deportations continue to rise. And illegal immigrants have the option to self-deport and come back LEGALLY in the future.

Eldridge appeared on stage Wednesday with Suyanne Amaral and Lucas Dos Santos Amaral and their three-year-old daughter. Dos Santos Amaral, who has no criminal record but overstayed his visa, was detained on his way to work in January, GBH reported. Eldridge helped the family navigate the case, said Suyanne Amaral, who has legal status through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

We need real, humane immigration reform, Suyanne Amaral said. We need policies that recognize the dignity and contributions of immigrants. We need lawmakers with the courage to fight for a chance to stand up for families, to stand up for justice, and to ensure that no child has to cry themselves to sleep, wondering when they will see their parents again.

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Elizabeth Sweet, MIRA Coalitions executive director, told the News Service that immigration actions in Chelsea and other communities do not align with the states values. She argued the Safe Communities Act makes so much sense for Massachusetts.

There are so many municipalities with Trust Acts, and this really is about making this a standard law across the state, so that immigrants know theyre not going to be asked about their immigration status if they come into contact with our public safety, Sweet said. We have increasingly secured more support from state law enforcement, which we think is an important part of moving this bill forward. But we also think its about our lawmakers here seeing the enforcement thats happening and realizing that its the time to stand up and protect our immigrant communities.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu earlier this month was in Washington, D.C., defending the citys Trust Act, which prevents local police from cooperating with federal immigration officials. Congressional Republicans have said the citys sanctuary status has hindered federal agents from making arrests and removing dangerous criminals.

Patricia Sobalvarro, executive director of immigration service nonprofit Agencia ALPHA, told advocates Wednesday that things are looking really bad right now.

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But I want to challenge you, and I want to challenge myself to think five, 10 years from now and ask yourself: Could you have done more to protect the immigrant community? Sobalvarro said.

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Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, greets a colleague on the floor of the Alabama House of Representatives on Feb. 6, 2024 in Montgomery, Alabama. (Brian Lyman/Alabama Reflector)

An Alabama House committee held a public hearing on Wednesday for an immigration bill that had already been approved by another committee weeks before.

HB 7, sponsored by Rep. Ernie Yarbrough, R-Trinity, allows local law enforcement agencies to enter into agreements with the federal government to enforce federal immigration laws.

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We have worked extensively with law enforcement, ALEA (Alabama Law Enforcement Agency), the Speakers Office, and the DAs Office, Yarbrough told the House Judiciary Committee said to the committee prior to the start of the public hearing. This bill will allow state and local law enforcement to enter into an MOU with the federal government to enforce already-existing immigration laws. There are no new laws created.

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The bill drew strong criticism from immigrant rights groups, saying it was aimed at creating fear among the states foreign-born communities.

It destroys community trust in enforcement agencies at the state and local level, said Andrea Hayes in an interview following the public hearing, a projects and grant manager with the Tuscaloosa Latino Coalition, an organization that provides support to Hispanic communities. It rips away trust from immigrant communities if they are going to be afraid that they are going to be deported.

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Hayes said the anticipated passage of the bill has led to truancy among children afraid to attend school because of fear that members of their family will be sent away.

Other speakers urged lawmakers on the committee to connect with individuals that this bill would affect to get a better understanding of their lives.

I think they are portraying us as criminals who are only here to do wrongdoings in this country, which is extremely far from the truth, said Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo about lawmakers in an interview following the public hearing, a Birmingham resident and daughter of Mexican immigrants.

Hernandez-Alamillo said she works with immigrant communities and interacts with members of those communities regularly.

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They probably work harder than we will ever have to in our lives, if I am being completely honest, she said. My mom, she cleans houses. My dad is a construction worker. I see how much they are beating their bodies up working in these fields. I know how my extended family works. I know how my community works. I know how hard they work to give back to our community, and it is just not fair to see them discount that and discredit their efforts to provide for themselves and their families.

Judiciary is the second committee to consider the legislation after the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee approved the measure along party lines about a month ago.

This is the first time that this specific immigration legislation had to secure approval from two separate House committees after leaders re-referred the bill to a different committee before allowing it to move onto the House floor for consideration. It was not clear why the bill went through two committees. A bill authorizing medical cannabis in Alabama went through two committees in 2021 before being voted on in the chamber.

Yarbrough filed the same bill during the 2024 session, which was approved by the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee before moving on the House floor where it stalled.

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Under the bill, sheriffs deputies, police officers and state troopers may arrest people based on their immigration status and detain them until they can determine their nationality. Law enforcement can then reach out to the federal government to verify the persons immigration status.

The Alabama Attorney Generals Office may report which local law enforcement agencies do not comply with the provisions in the bill by publishing a news release to provide details of the violation.

Local law enforcement must also report to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency each year the number of foreign nationals they arrested and track the inquiries they submit to the federal government to confirm a persons immigration status

Civil rights groups have continuously expressed alarm with the legislation, saying the bill gives law enforcement license to profile citizens and will disproportionately affect minority communities.

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Democrats on the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee had the same concerns several weeks ago.

The Judiciary Committee did not vote on the legislation on Wednesday.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
The Washington state Capitol on March 13, 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)

Allowing workers to use their paid sick leave to take time off for immigration proceedings is one of the ways Washington state lawmakers are trying to support immigrants facing tougher federal policies under President Donald Trump.

House Bill 1875, sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin, D-Redmond, would allow workers, including those driving for ride-booking companies like Uber and Lyft, to use paid sick leave to prepare or participate in immigration proceedings for themselves or a family member.

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For immigrant workers and families these proceedings could be life-altering events, whether its securing legal status, adjusting work permits or navigating family reunification processes, Salahuddin said.

The bill passed the House on a 58-39 party-line vote earlier this month and was heard this week in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee.

Currently in Washington, employers are required to provide workers one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. In addition to illness, people can use the time off to care for family members, if their childs day care or school is ordered closed for health-related reasons or if theyve experienced domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Employers may try to discourage workers from using this time, so this bill would provide greater clarity, said Danielle Alvarado, executive director of Fair Work Center.

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According to the bill, an employer may require a worker to provide an advance notice for missing work and if three days are missed, they may require employees to submit documentation to verify the absence.

An amendment was introduced on the floor by Salahuddin to prevent the documentation from disclosing a persons immigration status. That amendment was adopted.

In Washington, there are only three offices, located in Seattle, Yakima, and Spokane, for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which administers the nations naturalization and immigration system.

The only option for those in deportation proceedings is to go to the Seattle offices, which can be a five-hour or longer drive from certain parts of eastern Washington.

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Immigration hearings require time, with people often having to attend various appointments to have their applications processed.

Its important that they attend their hearings because if they miss they are ordered deported and deportation would mean presumably, permanent separation from their loved ones, said Malou Chavez, from the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

Concerns were raised by retail lobbyists and Republicans who questioned whether the legislation proposes an appropriate use of paid sick leave.

I think titles are important, I think words mean something and I think if were going to call it sick leave, it should be for that, said Rep. Joel McEntire, R-Cathlamet.

The bill is scheduled for a possible vote on Friday in the Senate Labor and Commerce Committee which will decide whether it will continue to move forward.
By Tanvi Mehta

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Police in India's northern state of Punjab detained hundreds of farmers and used bulldozers to tear down their temporary camps in a border area where they had protested for more than a year to demand better crop prices.

The farmers had camped on the border with adjoining Haryana since last February, when security forces halted their march toward the capital, New Delhi, to press for legally-backed guarantees of more state support for crops.

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"We did not need to use any force because there was no resistance," Nanak Singh, a senior police officer, told the ANI news agency about Wednesday night's clearance action. "The farmers cooperated well and they sat in buses themselves."

The farmers had been given prior notice, he added.

Television images showed police using bulldozers to demolish tents and stages, while escorting farmers carrying personal items to vehicles.

Media said among the hundreds detained were farmers' leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, the latter carried away in an ambulance as he had been on an indefinite protest fast for months.

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"On one hand the government is negotiating with the farmer organisations and on the other hand it is arresting them," Rakesh Tikait, a spokesperson for farmer group Bhartiya Kisan Union said on X.

Punjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which authorised the eviction, said it stood by the farmers in their demands, but asked them to take up their grievances with the federal government.

"Let's work together to safeguard Punjab's interests," said the party's vice president in the state, Tarunpreet Singh Sond, adding that the blockage of key roads had hurt the state's economy. "Closing highways is not the solution."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government was forced to repeal some farm laws in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers when they camped outside Delhi for months.

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Federal government officials met the farmers' leaders on Wednesday, said Fatehjung Singh Bajwa, the vice president of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab.

"It is clear that this arrest is a deliberate attempt to disrupt the ongoing dialogue between farmers and BJP leadership," he added in a post on X.

Reuters has a minority stake in ANI.

(Reporting by Tanvi Mehta; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
The Indiana Democratic Partys new leadership team has a daunting task ahead, but also a unique opportunity to reshape its future. After years of setbacks, now is the time for a bold agenda that resonates with Hoosiers.

Im not a Democrat or a Republican. I try to evaluate issues on their own merits rather than the lens of Team Red or Team Blue. My motivation for wanting a strong Indiana Democratic Party is about healthy governance, not political preference. As former Gov. Mitch Daniels has argued, one-party rule for too long is not healthy for any state. Indianas longstanding political imbalance stifles necessary debate, competition and progress.

The last two election cycles have seen Indiana Democrats set shockingly modest goals  be competitive in a statewide race against weak candidates and chip away at the legislative supermajority  only to fall woefully short. The path forward isnt to shrink expectations further, but to take a bigger swing.

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Briggs: Indiana needs normal people to get political

Many folks rightly focus on strategy, data and talent recruitment, which are critical components of a winning campaign. Others will want to talk about what not to do, and some of those points will be worth listening to.

But the biggest problem remains: To the average Hoosier, Indiana Democrats dont stand for anything. The party needs an affirmative, clear, and compelling vision: an Agenda for Strong Hoosier Families.

Life for the average Hoosier family is harder than it should be, and there is a real opportunity to champion policies that help children, families, and communities thrive.

Fix the crisis of care

Call it care-mageddon, the care-pocalypse, or even care-gate (a stretch, I know), but the crisis is undeniable. Indiana faces severe shortages in essential care professions  mental health professionals, disability care workers, nurses, elder care workers, and child care providers.

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Without decisive action, future Hoosiers seeking care for aging parents or child care to remain in the workforce will face growing obstacles.

The economic and cognitive burden of this shortage on Hoosier families is reaching crisis levels, demanding a proportionate response. Small government rhetoric offers no real answers to this crisis, because care infrastructure doesnt magically materialize through tax cuts or deregulation.

Indiana Democrats should propose activating the full apparatus of state government  with robust private, philanthropic, faith-based and education sector collaboration  to ensure every Hoosier family has access to the care they need across their lifespan. Caring for our most vulnerable isnt just the right thing to do  its a critical quality of life issue and a driver of economic growth.

First 1,000 days: A foundation for thriving

The earliest years of life are the most consequential, yet they receive far too little attention in policymaking. Our failure to prioritize the needs of young children and their families during this critical window of development isnt just tragic  its expensive for taxpayers, who could pay far less by investing in early support rather than later remediation.

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For a specific example, consider the growing epidemic of maternity care shortages throughout Indiana. It is hard to get a good start on life if you cant get good care in the womb.

A growing national and bipartisan coalition is advancing policy solutions focused on ensuring children and families thrive in the first 1,000 days of life (including prenatal care). Indiana could put its unique stamp on this movement by leveraging our public, private, philanthropic, and faith-based resources to make our state the best place for young families.

The First 1,000 Days framework offers a compelling package to rally around.

Indiana, where the livins easy (for Hoosier families)

A common theme here is the concept of cognitive load: the idea that people struggling to manage basic life responsibilities have little mental bandwidth left to thrive and grow as individuals or workers.

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Government cant and shouldnt solve every problem, but it can work to reduce the burden on families so they have the opportunity to flourish. Two targeted policies that would meaningfully reduce cognitive load are enhanced paid family leave and family tax credits. These arent radical ideas  there are serious, conservative-coded versions of these proposals, particularly from groups like American Compass, that could be adapted for Indianas political landscape.

This agenda isnt about pushing a nationalized Democratic platform onto Indiana voters, but about meeting Hoosiers where they are and responding to their real, everyday struggles. By focusing on strong families, access to care, and reducing the burdens on working families, Indiana Democrats can offer a pragmatic vision for the state that is rooted in Hoosier values.

Building a party that Hoosiers see as fighting for them starts with having something to fight for. The path back to relevance begins with a clear, affirmative vision, centered on the families who call Indiana home.

Jay Chaudhary is the former director of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and chair of the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission. He writes the Substack, Favorable Thriving Conditions.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Democrats have new leaders. They need an agenda. | Opinion
PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  A Clinton, Indiana, man has been arraigned in Berkshire Superior Court on two counts of rape in connection with a 2022 assault at a summer camp in Great Barrington.

According to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office, James Earehart, 54, of Clinton, Indiana, was arraigned Tuesday on charges stemming from a June 16, 2022, incident at a camp on Brookside Road in Great Barrington.

Prosecutors allege that Earehart, who was working at the camp as an employee of Membrane Concepts, sexually assaulted an employee of the camp in the evening hours.

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According to court documents, the victim reported being approached by Earehart while returning to a building on the property. Shortly after the encounter, the victim stated they were sexually assaulted.

The Great Barrington Police Department is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorneys Office. Authorities extradited Earehart from Indiana to Massachusetts to face the two rape charges.

At Tuesdays arraignment, a judge ordered Earehart held on $50,000 cash bail without prejudice. His next court appearance is scheduled for March 31 for an appearance of counsel hearing in Berkshire Superior Court.

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(Bloomberg) -- Indonesia passed legislation expanding the role of Southeast Asias largest armed forces, altering curbs installed two decades ago after the Suharto dictatorship and prompting angry demonstrations against perceived democratic backsliding under President Prabowo Subianto.

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Parliament, controlled by parties of former General Prabowos ruling coalition, on Thursday morning approved revisions that will let active-duty military personnel assume a broader range of civilian positions, including within the Attorney Generals Office, and expand the scope of non-combat military operations. By mid-afternoon, hundreds had gathered outside the legislature in Jakarta, with some throwing stones, spray-painting walls and setting tires ablaze as they demanded lawmakers reverse the changes, Kompas TV reported.

The legislation revises a 2004 law aimed at reining in the militarys deep reach in politics and business under Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for three decades until his ouster amid street protests in the late 1990s. It was passed at breakneck speed after Prabowo, Suhartos former son-in-law, threw his support behind the effort despite concerns it could undermine one of the regions most successful democracies by reviving dual-function policies in which military officers have civil roles.

There is no reinstatement of the dual-function role in this revision, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, a senior politician from Prabowos political party, said ahead of the vote referring to the militarys long reach decades ago. Opposition is understandable, but discussions with stakeholders were extensive, he said.

Outside the parliament building, a coalition of student protesters unfurled banners, with one reading Maintain Civilian Supremacy, according to the live Kompas TV broadcast.

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They vowed to continue to protest until their demands were met, in a move reminiscent of demonstrations which last August successfully pressured lawmakers to abandon legal changes seen as entrenching power for the nations elite.

Read: Victorious Jakarta Protesters Send Warning to Indonesias Elites

The legal changes come as foreign investors are already questioning Indonesias economic direction under Prabowo, with heavy selling of stocks earlier this week partly due to fears, since dispelled, that the countrys long-serving finance minister would resign. The benchmark index was up as much as 2.1% early Thursday, but pared most of those gains and was 1% higher in afternoon trading in Jakarta.

Read: Indonesias Wild Stock Moves Spark Fresh Investability Concerns

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Lawmakers watered down some of the military bills most contentious provisions amid public backlash while upholding rules barring its involvement in business activities, something some defense officials lobbied to change.

The final version also removed a draft clause that would have given the president unrestricted authority to assign active military personnel to government posts, a power that activists argue would mark a return to the countrys authoritarian era. It clarified that officers assigned to civilian roles not explicitly covered under the law would be required to step down from military service.

Still, the revised law raises the number of government institutions with positions open to active military personnel. It also increases the retirement age for officers across all ranks.

Authorities had expected protests, this morning deploying about 5,000 police and military personnel outside parliament with water cannons and tactical vehicles, according to police, though only few protesters were present during the passage of the bill.

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Indonesia is becoming like Thailand or Myanmar, where soldiers increasingly occupy civilian positions, said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia. The enemy is not a military coup or civil war, but Prabowos approach so far has shown a high degree of military involvement.

Military Influence

Officials have said the changes are necessary to address modern security challenges, citing cyber threats, terrorism, transnational crime and hybrid warfare. They argue that military involvement in non-combat operations, including food security and infrastructure projects, is essential to safeguard stability in Southeast Asias largest economy.

Indonesias armed forces must transform to support a realistic geostrategy in facing both conventional and non-conventional threats, Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told lawmakers after the vote. He said the revisions would clarify the limits and mechanisms for military involvement in non-combat roles, and seek to improve soldier welfare.

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An informal expansion of military influence has already been in motion under Prabowo. Since taking office in October, the president has appointed active-duty officers to lead the state logistics agency and several ministries unrelated to defense. The army also plays a key role in his flagship free lunch program, while his defense ministry plans to establish territorial development battalions in every district across the sprawling archipelago to support his food self-sufficiency initiatives.

Critics nevertheless argue the new law is politically motivated, benefiting a select group of high-ranking officers. Theres a possibility Prabowo is looking after his allies while he remains in power, said Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at ISEASYusof Ishak Institute. He wants his people to circulate before consolidating control.

--With assistance from Norman Harsono and Adrian Kennedy.

(Adds context on protests from headline, first paragraph.)

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(This March 20 story has been corrected to say that soldiers do not have to resign before taking up civilian posts in the Attorney General's office, in paragraph 6)

By Stefanno Sulaiman and Ananda Teresia

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia's parliament passed revisions to the country's military law on Thursday, allocating more civilian posts for military officers as hundreds of students and activists protested against the legislation.

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The revisions have been criticised by civil society groups, who say it could take the world's third-biggest democracy back to the draconian 'New Order' era of former strongman president Suharto, when military officers dominated civilian affairs.

Speaker Puan Maharani led the unanimous vote in a plenary council and officially passed the law, saying that it was in accordance with the principles of democracy, human rights and civil supremacy.

President Prabowo Subianto, who took office last October and was a special forces commander under Suharto, has been expanding the armed forces' role into what were considered civilian areas, including his flagship programme of free meals for children.

Rights groups have criticised the increased military involvement because they fear it may lead to abuses of power, human rights violations and impunity from consequences for actions.

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The government has said the bill requires officers to resign from the military before assuming civilian posts. One of the departments they do not have to resign from before joining is the Attorney General's Office.

There were concerns that officers could be allowed to join state-owned businesses but that aspect of the law was not revised, lawmaker Nico Siahaan, who was involved in talks on the legislation, told Reuters.

Evan Laksmana, an analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the law does not address problems faced by the Indonesian military, such as adding resources for training and standardisation of military hardware.

The revisions also extend the retirement age of officers, which Evan said could reduce professionalism among soldiers as prospects for promotion would be squeezed.

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PROTESTS

Hundreds of students rallied outside the parliamentary building in Jakarta following the passage of the revisions. Dozens of them burned tires and some jostled their way through the gates, television footage showed.

Activists brought signs that read "New Order Strikes Back" and "Take the military back to the barracks".

Usman Hamid, the head of Amnesty International in Indonesia and who protested against Suharto during the New Order era, warned of the past returning.

"Activists were kidnapped and some have not returned home. And today it feels like we're going backwards," he said.

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Some students had camped at the back gate of parliamentary building since Wednesday evening, demanding the government pull out all military personnel from civilian jobs.

Police officers forced them to leave the building but they refused, one protester who declined to be named told Reuters.

Military personnel were called in for security in the parliamentary building to assist police.

"The geopolitical changes and global military technology require the military to transform ... to face conventional and non conventional conflicts," Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told parliament, while defending the revised law although he did not give any specifics.

(Reporting by Ananda Teresia and Stefanno Sulaiman, Writing by Stanley Widianto and Gibran Peshimam; Editing by John Mair and Michael Perry)
Infant death investigation underway in Ocean County

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (PIX11)  Police in Lakewood, New Jersey are investigating the death of a four-month-old baby boy.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Lakewood Police were called to the area of Fifth Street and Princeton Avenue around 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday for an infant inside a motor vehicle in distress.

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Responding officers found Hatzolah Medical Services  a volunteer EMS group  trying to render aid to the infant. The boy was taken to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood, where he was pronounced dead.

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Lakewood Deputy Mayor Menashe Miller issued a statement to PIX11 News, writing:

The entire Lakewood community is in mourning following the devastating news. Our hearts and thoughts are with the family and all those affected. There is an active incident investigation ongoing. Our various local volunteer social service agencies are working to assist those affected in any way they can. In times of tragedy, people get together to assist in helping all those affected.

The infants death is currently under investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Ocean County Sheriffs Office, and the Lakewood Police Department.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI)  A woman is facing several drug-related charges after she was stopped outside a New Bedford jail while trying to sneak in drugs for her boyfriend, according to the Bristol County Sheriffs Office.

The sheriffs office said contraband was recently found at Ash Street Jail on two separate occasions after being thrown over the outer perimeter wall.

Security staff first discovered a package containing 15 Suboxone strips in the courtyard. The next day, the sheriffs office said maintenance workers searched the roof and found another package containing 69 Suboxone strips and 15 grams of crack cocaine.

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The sheriffs office identified Brittany Hanley as being involved in the previous attempt, adding that she was conspiring with her boyfriend, an inmate at the jail, to throw drugs over the wall again on Tuesday.

(Courtesy: Bristol County Sheriffs Office)

(Courtesy: Bristol County Sheriffs Office)

Investigators set up surveillance and saw Hanley circling the jail in a rental car while on a live, recorded call with her boyfriend. The sheriffs office said she appeared to be looking for the right time and place to toss the package.

At one point, investigators saw Hanley drive the wrong way down a one-way street before circling the block and heading to the back of the jail. They pulled her over, and Hanley admitted to purchasing 40 Suboxone strips with plans to throw them over the wall, according to the sheriffs office.

A search of her person revealed the 40 strips, along with 8.5 grams of suspected fentanyl. The sheriffs office said Hanley initially failed to disclose the fentanyl due to nerves but later admitted she also planned to throw it over the wall. A K-9 search turned up an additional 0.5 grams of fentanyl.

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Hanley was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute Suboxone and fentanyl, attempting to commit a crime, and conspiracy.

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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 WPRI.com.
This story was produced by MindSite News, an independent, nonprofit journalism site focused on mental health.

Art Levine and Rob Waters

MindSite News



As Elon Musk and his young engineers at the Department of Government Efficiency have purged thousands of federal employees, theyve insisted they are only terminating low-performing and probationary workers and that their actions wont impede the ability of government agencies to do their work, but rather make them more efficient.



But at the agency tasked with leading the fight to ease the countrys mental health and addiction crises, many of the 100 or so workers whove been fired  as well as the roughly 800 who, as of today, remain employed  have observed something different. They see a massive downsizing process characterized by almost complete indifference to the impact on the people involved or the ability of the agency to fulfill its mission. They also contend that the charges of poor performance are simply a pretext.



The motive is more like How can we get more people out? said one employee at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), who remains in their position and asked to remain anonymous. It doesnt matter what level of job you have, it doesnt matter the importance of the work you do.



A small agency with an $8.1 billion budget, SAMHSA has managed to grow in recent years as federal policymakers looked for ways to help states and cities ease the human suffering of addiction and homelessness playing out on the streets. It sends out the vast majority of its funding in grant programs to state, country and nonprofit agencies to operate mental health and substance abuse services. It also administers the grants that support the running of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched almost three years ago.



More chaos at SAMHSA is coming



Roughly 100 SAMHSA employees were fired during the Valentines Day massacre weekend starting Feb. 14, and only a week later, some 30,000 probationary employees across the federal government were jobless. Among them were four regional directors of SAMHSA, all of them highly experienced behavioral health providers and administrators. And more chaos at SAMHSA is coming.



This week, SAMHSAs parent agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, announced it was reducing the number of regional offices from 10 to four. And Friday March 14 is the deadline for 80,000 HHS employees to apply for a voluntary separation program that would pay them up to $25,000 to quit.



Yesterday, all federal agencies were supposed to submit plans for a second wave of mass layoffs to the Office of Personnel Management  a proposed reduction in force that could permanently eliminate about 700,000 jobs  or a third of the federal workforce. This includes plans to fire 83,000 people at the Department of Veterans Affairs. That assault on the nations largest health care system is sparking controversy in Congress, among veterans groups and unions  and local outrage.



March 13 was also the day when US District Judge William Alsup ordered the reinstatement of all probationary employees fired at six federal agencies  the departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior and Treasury  and said he may extend the order to other agencies, potentially including HHS. The judges order is certain to be appealed, continuing the chaos and uncertainty across the federal workforce.



Like other fired probationary workers, Nate Billy, the former director of SAMHSAs Region 10, was notified of his termination via a form letter sent by Jeffrey Anoka, acting chief human capital officer of HHS. Your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the Agencys current needs, and your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment at the Agency, the letter said.



Based on a lie



But Alsup said the contention that the workers fired had been poor performers was a sham and that the firings were based on a lie. He added: It is 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.



Former SAMHSA employees are not only worried and angry about the way theyve been treated, they are concerned about the apparent dismembering of the agency whose mission they deeply believe in. One long-time veteran of SAMHSA who asked to remain anonymous is concerned about the undermining of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.



Were still getting reports from contractors who cant access funds for 988 work, and any potential funding pause there could mean life or death, he said. The slowdown of resources at a time of rising hostility against the LGBTQ+ community is alarming because they are at significant risk of death by suicide. Those populations are feeling heightened anxiety now, and our work in that area could be reduced.



One Midwestern state worker involved in administering their states 988 lines told MindSite News in late February that SAMHSA officials had stopped communicating with their office and that funds had stopped flowing.



But Alsup said the contention that the workers fired had been poor performers was a sham and that the firings were based on a lie. He added: It is 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.



Former SAMHSA employees are not only worried and angry about the way theyve been treated, they are concerned about the apparent dismembering of the agency whose mission they deeply believe in. One long-time veteran of SAMHSA who asked to remain anonymous is concerned about the undermining of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.



Were still getting reports from contractors who cant access funds for 988 work, and any potential funding pause there could mean life or death, he said. The slowdown of resources at a time of rising hostility against the LGBTQ+ community is alarming because they are at significant risk of death by suicide. Those populations are feeling heightened anxiety now, and our work in that area could be reduced.



One Midwestern state worker involved in administering their states 988 lines told MindSite News in late February that SAMHSA officials had stopped communicating with their office and that funds had stopped flowing.



No communication with the federal government



Weve had no communication from the federal government, said the worker, who asked to remain anonymous because of a concern over retaliation. We dont really know whats going on as far as continued funding for 988 moving forward. She said the offices regular submissions of progress reports to the SAMHSA project officer hadnt been acknowledged, and as of late February, the state office had not received its usual grant installment payment.



If we dont receive funding moving forward, I dont know if my job continues or the state has staff, they said. I dont know how we will continue to fund our 988 contact centers. And if theres not money going out the door to support the people that are doing the work and answering these calls, then people are going to die.



MindSite News has been unable to learn whether communications or payments have resumed. Representatives of the Department of Health and Human Services didnt reply to a request for comment sent after hours on Friday afternoon.



The state 988 worker is particularly alarmed about rumors that a feature allowing LGBTQ+ youth who call for help to press 3 and get connected to specially trained crisis counselors will be shut down.



If that lifeline goes away, then access to support for queer youth and young adults decreases, they said. And that would mean an increase in suicide rates for a very vulnerable population. Calls to the line have soared since Trumps election.



Identity erasure at SAMHSA



References to the needs and descriptions of services for LGBTQ+ people were largely eliminated from the websites of SAMHSA and other federal agencies, until a court ordered that they be reinstated. Now, many of the pre-Trump pages have reappeared, as on a page that says, LGBTQI+ Youth: Like All Americans, They Deserve Evidence-Based Care.



But the page comes with a surreal warning sticker: Per a court order, HHS is required to restore this website as of February 14, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Any information on this page promoting gender ideology is extremely inaccurate and disconnected from the immutable biological reality that there are two sexes, male and female.



SAMHSAs new leadership also removed the initials TQ+  which stand for transgender and queer  and the renamed LGB Center of Excellence links to a resource page that omits any reference to gay or transgender people. Its former title at the same URL was: Center of Excellence: LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity.



All this erasure may come at a high cost, since LGBTQ+ teens consider and attempt suicide at more than four times the rate of other adolescents, according to the Trevor Project  with a suicide attempt every 45 seconds on average.



Employees who remain at the agency are deeply committed to this work, are very committed to making it through this to get us to the other side so that we can do the mission, said the anonymous current employee. They are trying to figure out how to make it through this time where theres indifference to who is being fired.



Nate Billy and two other senior SAMHSA employees who were fired spoke with MindSite News about their experiences. All bristled at the notion that they were terminated because of their performance. These are their stories.



Nate Billy of the Choctaw Nation: It was a shock



Nate Billy was raised in the Choctaw Nation in southeast Oklahoma. He earned his license as a mental health therapist, became deputy director of behavioral health at the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority and then behavioral health director for the National Indian Health Board, a nonprofit advocate for the 574 federally recognized tribes. When he was hired in June 2024 as the director of SAMHSAs region 10, the move felt logical and appropriate.

Nathan Billy, Choctaw citizen and SAMHSAs former Region 10 director, in a photo he provided. (Photo courtesy of MindSite News)

I was a funding recipient and (had) done work on the service end, so I was very confident about joining SAMSHA, he told MindSite News in an interview. I always had such great respect for that agency and the mental health services they provide.



A key focus of Nates work was to address disparities that cause some communities to have worse mental health and more limited access to services  what the agency called mental health equity until that term was banned by the Trump administration. (To implement an executive order, federal agencies are now using algorithms to search grant proposals, job descriptions and websites for words that signal a woke agenda. The New York Times compiled a list of almost 200 words that raise red flags including Native American, racial diversity and disparity.)



When I go out into communities, I think, OK, not all communities are experiencing everything equally, Billy said. Some have certain vulnerabilities or just health disparities. What can be more human than saying, I want to treat you equitably.



He is especially proud of helping Washington State Indian tribes amplify use of the community-based Icelandic Prevention Model, which cut teen drug abuse in Iceland almost in half over 20 years and put the responsibility on adults to create drug- and alcohol-free environments. One secret to the success of the model, Billy said, is that it isnt a heavy-handed anti-drug program but incorporates fun, drug-free activities for youth.



In Washington, where Indian and Alaska Native tribes have the highest rate of opioid overdoses, five tribes adopted the model. He also helped increase tribal use of the overdose prevention drug naloxone, best known as Narcan. At SAMHSA, Billy became a key expert on the Icelandic prevention program and accompanied then-director Miriam Delphin-Rittmon and officials from the Indian Health Services, tribal leaders and Washington state health officials to visit Iceland last October.



When he came back from the trip, my brain was on fire with excitement about ways the model could be incorporated in the U.S., Billy said. But over the next three months, Trump was elected and all of this turmoil and anxiety started.



Billy was out with his husband on Saturday, Feb. 15, celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary when he began getting phone alerts about SAMHSA staffers getting termination notices. When he finally got home, he saw a notice on his work phone: Open Immediately.



Billy knew better. He and other staffers had been warned through word of mouth and social media  not from any supervisors or administrators  that as soon as they opened the email, their access to work computers would be cut off. He made sure to first print out his personnel files, employment history and other records he would need to file for unemployment insurance and other services.



Then, he hesitated. There was kind of the hope in the back of my mind that this cant really be happening and maybe therell be a backlash and itll be reversed, he said. He finally went ahead and clicked on the email from Anoka. Like everyone else, he was infuriated by its curt, demeaning language.



I was appalled, knowing that my performance was outstanding, knowing that Ive been trusted to travel and got a government clearance, he said. He was placed on administrative leave until March 14, and wasnt allowed to attend a critical meeting on suicide prevention, a burning issue in Indian country. It was held in Florida, where local providers and advocates from around the country joined staffers from the decimated SAMHSA regional offices to discuss the looming mental health crisis.



I was going to learn all these things and bring (them) back to Region 10 and begin our work together here, he said. But I was terminated.



Mirna Herrera: Latino and LGBTQ communities are scared for their lives



Mirna Herrera knows what its like to struggle with mental health challenges. She grew up in Nazareth, Israel during the Palestinian uprisings known as the intifadas and as a teenager witnessed blown-up buses and dead bodies. She was later diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression.



Support from peers proved to be critical to her own recovery, and she became an impassioned promoter of the power of peers in the mental health system. She came to the United States in 2008 for graduate work in music therapy and played a leadership role in peer support work, beginning with an eight-year stint at the University Health Kansas City hospital system. When she was recruited by a SAMHSA director in 2023, her lived experience was considered an asset.



Herrera had been planning key projects designed to incorporate more peers with lived experience in treatment and outreach, including through the expansion of mobile crisis teams that respond to 988 crisis emergency calls in Kansas City and other cities.



Peers instill hope that recovery is possible, she told MindSite News. If you have a peer specialist, you immediately feel like you can trust that system.



Herrera was less than two months from completing her two-year probationary period when she received the termination notice telling her that your performance has not been adequate and became one of roughly 30,000 federal employees on probationary status who have been fired to date. She said the wording in the letter was so at odds with the bonus she had recently been promised following a stellar evaluation that the firing seemed impossible.



No one really anticipated it, she said. We knew our leaders at HHS got the presidential executive order to let go of all probationary employees, but we were all, like, Theres no way its going to be happening.



She and some of her colleagues figured that SAMHSA would be spared because its so small compared to other agencies within HHS and because Robert F Kennedy Jr., the newly confirmed HHS secretary, had lived experience through his recovery from an addiction. She thought: Hey, were not even on the radar. And behavioral health issues are a bipartisan issue.



She and her colleagues were wrong. She has now joined two class-action lawsuits that contend the firing of probationary workers was illegal.



Herrera and other former SAMHSA officials who no longer work at the agency are concerned about the fate of communities demonized by the Trump administration that the agency had previously been dedicated to serving. These include Hispanic immigrants, along with gay and trans youth.



By the time I left my job, we had an increase in calls in our area for Hispanic communities and LGBTQ communities because theyre getting persecuted, Herrera said. Now theyre scared for their lives. The crisis is increasing, but I can not participate in that work anymore.



Complying with Trumps executive orders, SAMHSA erased all references to LGBTQ people on the agency website. They were later restored by a court in February, which ordered all purged health information on federal websites to be reinstated.



The erasures are deeply worrisome to Herrera. Theyre not going to be acknowledged as who they truly are, so theres a fear for them losing essential services, medical services, behavioral health services because of their sexual orientation and identity.



Scott Gagnon: The Trump administration is simply lying about us



Scott Gagnon, a veteran addiction specialist, became director of SAMHSAs Region 1 in New England last June after spending almost 20 years as a program analyst and administrator at a series of behavioral health programs. Among his positions, he spent nearly nine years as an executive of a New England agency that contracts with SAMHSA. He was three months short of completing his one-year probationary period when he received the same form-letter as other probationary hires declaring his performance sub-par and terminating him.



He was so angry about the firing and the letter, he wrote an op-ed about it for the Portland Press Herald. It included this paragraph:



The administration is simply lying about us as they fire us. In the termination letter I received from HHS, it was stated I was being fired for a lack of knowledge, skills and abilities for my position, and for issues with performance. Both statements are provable lies. I received an exceptional rating in my 2024 performance evaluation, of which I have documented proof. I was specifically recruited to apply for this job precisely because of the national reputation I have for my knowledge, skills and abilities in the addiction fieldThis is the case with so many of my fellow fired feds, to a person, all with exceptional performance ratings and individuals with very impressive resumes.



Last year, while serving as the director of Region 1, Gagnon was honored as the 2024 National Prevention Specialist of the Year by an organization that certifies counseling, peer support and recovery professionals.



I was pretty angry, because I know I had an exceptional performance review, Gagnon told MindSite News. He made sure to download the laudatory 2024 review while he still had access to it.



Even before he was fired, he worried about the directions the agency was taking under Trump. He noticed that the freezes on external communications and funding continued past the time the administration claimed they had been lifted. For a regional office, communicating with partners, stakeholders and outside organizations is essential, yet we couldnt talk to the outside world, Gagnon said. We work with the outside world. So as regional offices, it made us so we couldnt do our jobs.



Cancelled were Zoom conferences with healthcare leaders in six states on suicide prevention and improving the 988 services. He also was invited to two conferences on opioid addiction prevention in Rhode Island and Connecticut but was barred from going even before he was fired.



He hears that the freeze on outside communications is still in place, with rare exceptions. My colleagues who are still there say theyre still getting blocked, he said.



Like Billy, Gagnon was celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife on the day after Valentines Day when he received his termination letter. He held off reading it until the next day.



Hes not sure whats coming next, but figures hell do consulting work in addiction prevention. Ironically, the destruction of SAMSHA may prove to be a boon for his potential business. Theres going to be a lot of gaps, he said.



One thing, he said, is clear: The massive cuts to federal agencies have little to do with saving money or making the government more efficient. The Musk-Trump war on the federal workforce will have the opposite effect of what was stated. It will make government ineffective and more inefficient, he writes at the conclusion of his Maine op-ed. Its time for Mainers to come together and speak out against this assault upon the country.



MindSite News, an independent, nonprofit journalism site focused on mental health. Get a roundup of mental health news in your in-box by signing up for the newsletter here.



Support for reporting on mental health policy issues is provided by the Commonwealth Fund.

Related: Murkowski: We're not going to let tribal programs suffer
When Phoebe Cross lost her job at a charity providing support for single parents at the beginning of January, she found herself in the same position as many of the women she had been helping.

The 40-year-old mother-of-two is paying 1,500 a month in rent for her home in Manchester  a cost that suddenly became unaffordable on the 950 a month housing benefit she was receiving. Without work, she was left in limbo until her Universal Credit entitlement increased at the beginning of March.

I am going to be very short. Luckily I am in a position where my parents can help me out in the short term, but I cant rely on them for ongoing support, she explained.

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I was working for Gingerbread, the single parent charity, and as part of my job I was supporting single parents in financial hardship. A lot of them were in rent arrears, so Ive heard this story day-in-day-out from people. Ive gone from having over 3,000 a month in income to benefits of around 1,960 a month.

With two children, aged 10 and 12, this doesnt stretch very far, and efforts to find a cheaper place to rent that will accommodate her family havent been successful, she explained. The average private rent in Manchester in January 2025 was 1,300, an annual increase of 11.1 per cent from 1,171 in January 2024. Shes managed to get some discretionary housing payments of 46 a week, but that still doesnt cover her rental costs.

Local housing allowance rates, which are used to calculate how much housing benefit a family qualifies for, were frozen for four years from 2020 and then uprated for 2024 in a one-off move. The government has not committed to raising LHA rates in April 2025, meaning that people on housing support will see their income stay the same as rents rise.

48 per cent of all private renters in receipt of housing benefit experience a rent shortfall, new analysis has found (iStock/Getty)

Think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) estimated that 440,000 households with children receive housing support that no longer covers the cost of their rent.

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This number is expected to rise by an additional 90,000 families by March 2026, leaving an estimated 925,000 children affected by housing support shortfalls.

New analysis from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), published on Tuesday, found that 48 per cent of all private renters in receipt of housing benefit experience a shortfall between the government support and monthly rents. The average shortfall was 157 per month in 2023/24, data from those seeking help from Citizens Advice showed.

Charities have warned that many benefit claimants are at risk of homelessness because they are unable to find affordable housing options, with dwindling social housing stock contributing to this.

According to latest DWP data, government spending on housing benefits was 32 billion in 2023/24, up from 20.7 billion in 2018/19. This is forecast to rise further to 39.3 billion by 2029/30.

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Steve Mikellides, 45, from Ilford, East London, explained how hes struggling to make ends meet on disability and housing benefits.

In 2007, he was in a severe car crash that left him with life-changing injuries. He moved to a private rental in Croydon in September 2021 after a short time living in emergency accommodation.

Because he was claiming disability-related benefits, Steve thought he would be able to get around 1,160 to help towards the 1,200 rent. Instead it was 875, which he only found out from the council after living there for around a month.

Shortly afterwards, he was reassessed by the DWP and found able to work, which made him ineligible for his current benefit entitlement. Around the same time, his mother was rediagnosed with cancer.

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I had to lie to my mum, he explains, that I was OK, that I didnt need money, and that I was eating more than twice a week.

It wouldnt be until two days after her death that a tribunal decision reinstated Steves disability benefit entitlement indefinitely. Almost all of this went to covering his rental shortfall, he explains.

Four years later, he is now able to claim parts of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP). His disability-related benefits combined mean hes not forced into debt to cover this rent, but he is still struggling to afford the basics, and feels sometimes things have gotten worse.

After being paid around two weeks into January, Steve says that by the 15th, he had just 112 left to live on.

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He explains: Three years ago when I moved in, although things were bad then, I could manage better.

To be looking at 28 days with 112 quid, thats quite terrifying actually.

In 2022, Steve reached out to anti-poverty charity Z2K, who were able to offer him financial advice and emotional support.

Im a tough nut, its part of my demeanour, says Steve, Im clearly a cockney.

But we all have our breaking point, and I was a good few miles past mine.

Steve Mikellides has to use his disability benefit to pay some of his rent (Steve Mikellides)

I think had I not found Z2K, I probably wouldve needed significantly more within a couple of weeks. Because I was down, I was very, very down.

The disparity between housing benefit and rental costs is also particularly stark for young people, who get a lower rate of benefit than adults despite being very vulnerable. Homelessness rates among young people are soaring, with some 118,134 16-to-24-year-olds approaching their council for homelessness help in 2023-24, charity Centrepoint found. This was up ten per cent on the year before, and every region of England bar the East of England has seen an increase.

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Phil Kerry, from New Horizon Youth Centre, a London youth homelessness charity, explained the impossible situation young people find themselves in: Universal credit if you are under the age of 25 is about 26 per cent less [than the rate for adults], and housing benefit is also less.

The housing benefit that the young people we help would be eligible for on the shared accommodation rate is about half of what I would be eligible for. They have this triple discrimination, and are stuck between a rock and a hard place because they dont have the financial means to exit their homelessness.

He explained that in a recent search he did on Spareroom there were around 220 options available on the adult level of housing benefit, and only one available at the young persons rate. The private market effectively might as well not exist for young people. Homelessness is growing but the number of options for housing is going down all the time.

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, called for ministers to unfreeze housing benefit rates, adding: It beggars belief that ministers are making it harder for those reliant on housing benefits to sustain their tenancies, especially in an already fiercely competitive rental market.

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The NRLA, along with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Shelter and the Resolution Foundation, have called for the government to peg LHA rates to at least the lowest 30 per cent of rents, and keep them there for the duration of this parliament.

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said the dire shortage of affordable social homes was forcing families into private renting. Housing benefit is meant to be a safety net, but it remains frozen while private rents continue to soar.

Thousands of families are desperately trying to magic up money they dont have just to keep a roof over their heads. Local Housing Allowance should be a lifeline, covering the bottom third of local rentsbut right now, it simply doesnt. The government must unfreeze it immediately so struggling families can avoid homelessness.

A government spokesperson said: No person should be in poverty  thats why weve extended the Household Support Fund again and are maintaining Discretionary Housing Payments to ensure families are supported.

Alongside this, we are uprating benefits and the State Pension, increasing the National Living Wage and helping over one million households by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions, while our Child Poverty Taskforce develops an ambitious strategy to give all children the best start in life.
Kate Middleton has been out of the spotlight because of her cancer treatment for the past year. Prince William has kept up with his royal duties in the meantime, but the Princess of Wales hiatus might have taken a toll on the Royal couples stability.

In 2024, Kate Middleton quietly received cancer treatment and removed herself from public duties, while Prince William continued to do so. It was a tough time for the family and when Kate announced that she was in remission, she thanked the people who supported her every step of the way.

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Related: Why Does Kate Middleton Keep Wearing Red?

My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything, she wrote on Instagram in January 2025. We couldnt have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.

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Since then, Kate Middleton has slowly but surely returned to serving her public duties alongside Prince William. But how has these tough times affected their marriage?

Wheres Prince William & Kate Middletons marriage now?

Despite the struggles and big news, Prince William and Kate Middleton are stronger than ever. Amanda Foreman told People, There is a sense of protectiveness and partnership. The last five years have been a nightmare for them in every possible way  the past year even more so. That either crushes a marriage, or it brings them together.

And just in time, frankly  if there was ever a time when the country required stability, this is it, she adds. The international stage is so unstable, it is rather extraordinary to see how both have risen to the occasion.

Recently, Kate made a strong comeback on March 17 to fulfill the annual tradition of handing out St. Patricks Day shamrocks to the Irish Guards, for which she serves as honorary colonel.

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CLEVELAND (WJW)  The FOX 8 I-Team obtained video showing a team of Cuyahoga County sheriffs deputies struggling to remove a man accused of causing a disturbance at a public meeting.

The video was taken during the Feb. 11 meeting. The video shows deputies trying to remove Rev. Evan Bunch from the meeting. Deputies carried the man out by his hands and feet after he refused to leave.

Bunch attended the meeting to protest the countys investment in Israeli bonds. He told deputies they violated his First Amendment right of freedom of speech.

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Local K-9 tracks down electronic devices to solve child sex crimes

Sheriff officials say Bunch was also arrested Feb. 25. A county spokesperson released the following statement to the I-Team about the Feb. 25 incident:

Before the Cuyahoga County Council meeting, Bunch loudly played a recording on his cell phone, causing a disruption. Council staff and Sheriffs deputies asked him to stop, but when he refused, they asked him to leave Council Chambers. He again refused, leading to his arrest and transport to the County Corrections Center. No one was injured.

Local police warn of credit card skimmer found at gas station

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Sheriff officials said both cases remain under investigation and they are meeting with prosecutors.

Attorney Bill Livingston, who represents Bunch, said if his client is formally charged, he is entitled to have his day in court and a vigorous defense.

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(Bloomberg) -- More than a dozen countries took part in informal talks aimed at unblocking negotiations to stem a global wave of plastic pollution, which scientists warn could have major public health consequences if left unchecked.

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Nations and blocs that joined the meeting convened by Norway in Oslo on Monday and Tuesday included China, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Japan and the European Union. India, Iraq and Saudi Arabia were invited but did not attend.

A new round of formal United Nations-backed negotiations for a global plastic treaty will be held in Geneva in August. Previous attempts in South Korea last year were obstructed by a small group of oil producers, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, who objected to limits on production and consumption. Success in delivering a pact may hinge on a small group of countries  including India, South Africa, Brazil and particularly China, which has a large petrochemical sector but is increasingly concerned about plastics health impacts.

What we are working now is to find that landing zone and the compromise that can bring an agreement at the Geneva talks, Norwegian Climate Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said in an interview. A lot of countries now really want to step up and demonstrate that the multilateral system is actually working.

The process of finding global consensus on solutions to climate and environmental challenges has faced scrutiny after a series of disappointing outcomes at UN-brokered summits, and failures last year to strike agreements to halt plastic pollution, protect biodiversity and end desertification.

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Yet a deal reached at the UN Biodiversity Conference last month in Rome, where more than 140 countries agreed to raise hundreds of billions of dollars a year to halt nature loss, is injecting new hope for a plastics pact. Norway was following some of the same strategies diplomats used to seal the Rome agreement by initiating informal talks ahead of scheduled negotiations, Eriksen said.

A global plastic treaty would seek to curb how much of the material contaminates the worlds soil and waterways. Plastic waste is not biodegradable, breaking down instead into microplastics which can then enter the food stream. Recent research has shown the material is toxic as it accumulates in human bodies.

Plastic production is forecast to jump about 60% to 736 million tons a year by 2040, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

(Updates with new comment from fourth paragraph)

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DES MOINES, Iowa  On Tuesday, Iowa House Republicans passed three bills that take restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion in the state even further.

Three bills passed: House File 269 that bans Iowas public universities from requiring a course that has topics or instruction of items related to DEI or critical race theory; House File 401 that states required courses cannot include materials that teach identity politics, systemic racism, oppression or distort historical events; and House File 856 that bans DEI offices at all Iowa community and private colleges in the Iowa Tuition Grant. It also bans local governments and state agencies from spending money on DEI offices or staff.

Almost half of surveyed college students agree that some speech can be so offensive in certain cases that it merits such harsh penalties or punishment, like the death penalty, said State Representative Henry Stone (R) District 9 from Forest City. DEI ideology that is being taught to our kids and it is destroying, in my opinion, our country.

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On Wednesday morning, the Iowa House Black Caucus wanted to respond to remarks made during debate and the bills that were passed on Tuesday.

How to watch Iowa teams in NCAA basketball tournament

The fact that diversity is the reason that there are accessible elevators in this building. Its the reason that we take the act of including and being inclusive of people. Its the reason why the Republicans put forward in the bill in support of service animals. Thats inclusion, said State Representative Ross Wilburn (D) District 50, from Ames. They chose to talk about race.

It didnt just happen. It came about because this was a solution to an issue and a problem that was facing, not just Iowa, but an issue that was facing us here in America, and so, dismantling that dismantles the progress Iowa has pushed for, said State Representative Rob Johnson (D) District 34, from Des Moines. while referencing members of the 55th General Assembly where 90 plus House Republicans voted to move for equality and end segregation in schools before Brown v. Board of Education was taken up in the United States Supreme Court.

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Another member of the Black Caucus spoke about comments made about how its members did not reach out to any House Republicans during the last two months when these bills were moving through the process.

I feel like there were comments made yesterday about the Black Legislative Caucus and how we are not reaching out to individuals on the other side of the aisle, said State Representative Jerome Amos Jr. (D) District 62, from Waterloo. That is not correct. I call it political fodder, is what I call it. And for me, we reach out, we talk to folks. You have to understand that we are not communicating as much as we probably could. But also the other side was not reaching out to us. And I firmly believe that we have to, as a body, start communicating with each other.

Members of the caucus asked Iowans to reach out to their representatives and senators, republicans or democrats, to urge them not to advance these three bills. Also calling on the governor to not sign these bills into law if they make it out of the Iowa Senate chamber this session.

Iowa News:

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Voters cast their ballots Nov. 5, 2024 at the Redfield American Legion in Redfield, Iowa. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said Friday 277 of the 2,176 individuals identified by his office to have their ballots challenged in the 2024 general election  or not quite 13%  have been confirmed to be noncitizens.

In a news release Friday, Pate said his office gained access to the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database and was able to confirm the citizenship status of the individuals listed by the office as potential noncitizens.

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Pate had directed county auditors to challenge these voters ballots ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024 election because they had reported their noncitizen status to the Iowa Department of Transportation within the past 12 years and later registered to vote. Immigrant advocates pointed out that most of those voters had gained citizenship in the intervening years and complained they were going to be unfairly subjected to additional scrutiny in order to exercise their right to vote.

Pate said this directive was necessary because the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would not share access to the SAVE database and allow the state to confirm these individuals status. He and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird filed a federal lawsuit in December accusing USCIS of unlawfully withholding information from the state as it worked to confirm the list voters citizenship status.

Though the federal government has now shared access to the SAVE database, Pate said the lawsuit and a legislative proposal by his office to contract with state and federal agencies and with private vendors, to verify registered voters citizenship status are crucial next steps in confidently balancing voter participation with election integrity.

Maintaining election integrity is a team sport, and we need cooperation from multiple agencies, including the federal government, Pate said in the news release. We are hopeful that between our legislative proposals and this lawsuit, we will have the tools we need to verify voter eligibility during the voter registration processes, allowing us to ensure in the future, only eligible Iowa voters are participating in Iowa elections.

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The legislation, Senate File 550, has received committee approval in the Senate but has not yet been debated on the floor.

More than 87% of these individuals listed as potential noncitizens were U.S. citizens who were legally able to vote, but Pate said the new data confirms 12.7% were not citizens. Registering to vote and participating in Iowa elections is illegal for people without U.S. citizenship.

Additionally, Pate said his office found that 35 non-U.S. citizens cast ballots that were counted in the 2024 general election  18 by normal ballots on Election Day, 15 by absentee ballots and two by provisional ballots. Five noncitizens ballots were rejected by Absentee and Special Voters Precinct boards. Another 22 noncitizens registered to vote in 2024 but did not participate in the 2024 general election.

Information on these individuals will be turned over to the state Attorney Generals office and the Iowa Department of Public Safety for investigation and next steps, according to the news release.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa Capital Dispatch)  The Iowa Senate unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday to start the process of amending the state constitution to allow child victims to testify remotely against their alleged abusers, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports.

Senate Joint Resolution 9 is a proposed constitutional amendment stating that the right of an accused party to confront their accuser can be limited by law in situations where a witness is a minor or has a mental illness, intellectual or other development disability.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird called for the amendment in response to a 2024 Iowa Supreme Court ruling. In State v. White, the state Supreme Court found that Derek Whites constitutional right to confront his accuser was violated when two child witnesses were allowed to testify against him using a closed-circuit television system.

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In subcommittee meetings on the proposed amendment, speakers with the Iowa Attorney Generals office said the use of remote testimony through closed-circuit television systems had been in place in Iowa courts for decades, limited to cases where prosecution provided sufficient evidence that testifying in person would cause the child further trauma. With the Supreme Court decision barring this practice, attorney generals office staff said Iowa is the only state in the country does not allow exceptions to the right of a defendant to confront witnesses in cases involving children and people with disabilities.

Iowa House advances bill to change school nutrition standards

Sen. Matt Blake, D-Urbandale, spoke in support of the measure, calling it an  essential fix for Iowas judicial system. However, he argued that this constitutional amendment, as well as other bills like a measure on disputed land boundaries passed by Iowa lawmakers earlier Wednesday to counteract decisions from the Iowa Supreme Court, are caused by a politicized court system. He linked the measure to Senate File 407, a bill passed by the Senate Monday that gives the governor the power to appoint an additional member to district judicial nominating commissions in the state, that he said moves the states judicial system from a merit-based system to more an ideological-based system.

These are the results that we get, and we have to pass constitutional amendments to make sure that children dont have to face a sexual abuser in court, Blake said. This is what political ideology in our judicial system gets.

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Sen. Dan Dawson, R-Council Bluffs, said he didnt want to dignify Blakes comments with a response and said the focus should instead be on working to correct a decision and bring relief to people aforementioned here.

Im not going to take the bait to fall into some petty politics, he said.

The resolution moves to the House for further consideration. House Joint Resolution 9 is also available for consideration. There are still several steps before the change could be made to Iowas state constitution. If the resolution is passed by both chambers this year, it must be approved by the Iowa Legislature again in 2027 or 2028 before voters would consider it on the 2028 general election ballot.

Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.

This story was republished under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

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Grecia Palomar guides a group of drywall finishing apprentices at the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest on March 23, 2023 in Little Canada, Minnesota. (Photo by Nicole Neri for the Minnesota Reformer)

Republicans supporting a bill passed Wednesday by the Iowa Senate said the measure addresses a specific concern with favoring unions in local contracts, but opponents argued it will prevent local entities from taking steps to ensure workforce safety through training requirements.

Senate File 603 initially largely dealt with eliminating the states taxable wage credit and changing the definition of taxable wages in Iowa Code. Under the bill, Iowa employers would not have to pay unemployment insurance taxes on the wages of out-of-state workers, if that state has a reciprocity agreement with Iowa.

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The Legislative Services Agency reported these changes are expected to result in a $394,000 increase annually to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund due to the elimination of the taxable wage credit, and that three full-time positions administering the credit, paid for by federal funds, would be impacted.

The bill was amended by the House Tuesday to include a new section related to workforce training, making changes to the Registered Apprenticeship Act. State agencies and local governments would not be allowed to mandate requirements related to apprenticeship training for contractors, except when required by law. Cities, counties and school districts also would not be allowed to impose other additional restrictions, qualifications, or requirements on contractors, subcontractors, developers and apprentices.

Republicans supporting the measure said the proposal was added to the legislation as a way to address concerns about local entities  primarily, the city of Des Moines  considering adding a requirement related to contracts for private projects funded with tax increment financing (TIF) dollars. Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R-Wilton, said Tuesday the measure will address attempts by local entities to favor contracts with certain entities, like unions or organizations that offer apprenticeship trainings.

Belonging to a union is a great thing, Kaufmann said. Guess what? They can still bid on these contracts. They just cant have a local entity  the city of Des Moines  decide that theyre a licensing entity. Theyre not. They can still bid on these contracts. They just cant have a local city  the city of Des Moines  thinking theyre the Legislature.

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But Democrats and some Republicans said the language would have much broader impacts. Sen. Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett, introduced an amendment Wednesday removing the Houses changes, criticizing House Republicans for not running the measure as an independent bill. He said the language would put a significant burden on cities and counties as they make contracts.

I was a mayor before I came here, years and years ago  nobody was complaining about this, McClintock said. Ive not been approached by anyone to do this. I dont think any of my colleagues have been approached by anyone to do this. I dont see any urgency here to do this right now today, before weve had an opportunity to review this and make sure theres not an issue.

McClintocks amendment was voted down 15-32. While supporters of the measure said the House language was specifically targeting the situation in Des Moines, several Democrats said the measure would have larger effects on local governments ability to put restrictions in place that improve worker safety or efficiency.

Sen. Bill Dotzler, D-Waterloo, said the bill prevents efforts protecting the public from people trying to do stuff on the cheap, especially related to local governments giving preference for public contracts related to apprenticeship programs. He argued Republicans were attempting to make the bill about unions when the measure could have bigger impacts on ensuring workers for these projects are properly trained.

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This isnt about union apprenticeships, its about apprenticeships, whether theyre non-union or union, Dotzler said. Why are we rushing through a bill, as Sen. McClintock said, where we havent had a chance to vet it properly? I think its because you heard the word union in there, and youre against it.

Sen. Thomas Townsend, D-Dubuque, said in his experience, many local governments restrictions are about trying to keep local workers on those jobs.

Because a lot of these jobs, when you go totally with low bid, totally with all this other stuff, without any other type of protections in there  you drive past there, and theres not hardly a license plate from Iowa on those jobs, Townsend said. So where is that money going? Its not going into the state of Iowa. Its going other places.

Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, added the measure could create conflicts with Iowa local governments seeking federal Community Development Block Grants, as these grants have wage requirements for developers that local governments would be unable to set under the bill.

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Sen. Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, floor manager for the bill, said the measure is defending the status quo rather than making changes to existing procedures as Democrats argued. He also said Iowa lawmakers will bring up a block grant bill later in the session that could address any concerns about conflicts with the workforce bill if needed.

This is a vote to keep things the way they are, Schultz said. Iowas doing pretty well. Economy is growing, unemployment is lower than the national average, and all of Iowas workers deserve the opportunity to have their employers go out look to to bid for jobs and to compete on a level playing field.

The legislation heads to the governor for final approval.
March 20 (UPI) -- Iran Thursday released a French tourist who had been held for two years on a five-year sentence for allegedly conspiring against the Islamic Republic, a charge that Olivier Grondeau's family denies.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Grondeau's release in a post on X.

"Olivier Grondeau is free in France, among his family! We share his family's immense happiness and relief. I thank all government services, our ambassador to Iran, and the Quai d'Orsay Crisis and Support Center for their decisive action," Macron said.

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Macron called for Iran to free two other French citizens -- Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris.

"My thoughts are with them and their families today," he said.

The couple were accused by Iran of being involved in protests which their family denies. France is working to persuade Iran to release them.

Kohler is a teacher. Paris is her partner.

Grondeau got arrested in October 2022 in Iran on the charge of "conspiring against the Islamic Republic."

As he flew home French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted a photo of Grondeau on a plane.

"Held hostage in Iran for 887 days, he has been reunited with his family, loved ones, and his country. It's a huge relief," Barrot said.

Grondeau's family said he is a passionate fan of Persian poetry and had gone to Iran using a tourist visa as part of a world tour.
At least 45 people were killed by airstrikes across the Gaza Strip overnight Thursday as Israel's resumption of its ground and air offensive left a trail of destruction observed by an NBC News team on the ground.

More than 30 of those killed in the strikes by the Israel Defense Forces were brought to the city's European Hospital, while 13 were taken to Nasser Hospital, officials there told NBC News. One family had 12 members killed, including several children.

The strikes hit multiple homes in the middle of the night, with children killed as they slept, The Associated Press reported.

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Sirens that had become increasingly rare during the ceasefire rang out in a number of areas in central Israel on Thursday, after projectiles were launched from the Gaza Strip, the IDF said. NBC News' team in central Israel reporting heard blasts around the same time.

In the hours before the strikes, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz suggested that civilians in the enclave would "pay the full price" if hostages who remain held by Hamas were not returned.

Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas  the alternative is complete destruction and annihilation, he said Wednesday in an address to Palestinians in Gaza as the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for areas it said were "battle zones."

Funeral prayers are held Thursday at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.

Hamas said in a statement late Wednesday that Israels ground offensive constituted a new and dangerous violation of the signed ceasefire agreement.

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Thursday's strikes came after the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said that more than 400 people had been killed overnight Tuesday when Israel resumed strikes across the enclave, breaking the fragile ceasefire after two months of relative calm.

Both Israel and the United States have blamed Hamas for the renewed fighting, accusing the militant group of rejecting a proposal to extend the first phase of the current ceasefire agreement, even though that was not part of the original deal.

At least 59 hostages, both dead and alive, are thought to remain in Gaza out of around 250 who were taken captive during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, in which some 1,200 people were killed, according to Israel.

Nearly 49,000 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its offensive in the enclave, according to local health officials, whose figures the World Health Organization has said in the past are reputable.

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The resumption of war has already brought renewed devastation to the Gaza Strip, with babies and pregnant mothers among those killed in Israeli strikes on the tent camps where they had sought shelter.

Among those killed was Afnan Fouad Al-Ghannam, 20, who was 7 months pregnant, and her 1-year-old son, Mohammad, when their shelter in the Muwasi tent camp was hit. While Muwasi has long been designated a humanitarian zone, it has been struck on multiple occasions during the war.

An injured Palestinian boy in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza, on Thursday.

The boy's father could be seen cradling his son, wrapped in a bloodied white shroud, in video captured by NBC News' crew on the ground Wednesday.

I would give my life for you, Alaa Abu Hilal said, holding Mohammed in his arms.

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"Your separation hurts me," the father told his son. "Take care of your mother."

Israel's military sent ground troops back into Gaza on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the IDF said, a fresh escalation in its renewed attack on Gaza.

The military said that its targeted ground operation was focused on the central and southern Gaza Strip and that ground troops had retaken about half of the Netzarim corridor  the Israeli-built roadway that bisects Gaza and has been used to cut off traffic between its north and south.

While this week's strikes have shattered what had often appeared to be a fragile ceasefire, Hamas spokesman Abdul Latif Al-Qanou said Thursday in a statement that talks with mediators were ongoing.

He added that he hoped negotiators would push Israel to "back down from its plan" and abide by the ceasefire deal agreed in January.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel could expand its war into the occupied West Bank, saying he was aware of the possibility that a larger and more powerful front could open up.

His comments came after a seven-week ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza was shattered Tuesday when Israel launched a ground invasion. The enclaves Hamas-run health ministry said 710 people have been killed.

Netanyahu has doubled down on the conflict, saying that a larger and more powerful front could open in the other Palestinian territory, where Israeli troops have begun moving into refugee camps. Israels military is stretched to the limit, the Financial Times wrote: It was designed to fight short and decisive wars, but hundreds of thousands of Israelis have now been in unbroken service for months.
Tel Aviv  Israel's defense minister threatened earlier this week to open "the gates of hell" in Gaza if Hamas refuses to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's demands, and Israel has been delivering. At least 58 people were killed in a third consecutive night of airstrikes up and down the Palestinian territory, bringing the death toll to an estimated 500 people since the ceasefire was shattered with Tuesday's shock pre-dawn Israeli missile barrages, according to the enclave's Hamas-run Ministry of Health.

More than a dozen people were killed overnight in a strike on just one house, the home of the Mubarak family in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya. They had gathered to mourn an earlier death. Survivors whisked the bodies of the dead to a hospital by ambulance and horse cart.

There were reports of fresh airstrikes early Thursday morning near Khan Younis and Rafah in the south of Gaza, near the border with Egypt.

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Israel resumes ground operations in Gaza

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed Tuesday that it had also resumed ground operations in central Gaza, again dividing the strip into north and south along the Netzarim corridor and blocking movement across the line. The IDF said it was also stationing a brigade of troops in the south, while airdropping fliers warning civilians to evacuate from areas around the entire Gaza border, which it warned would be turned back into combat zones.

A child looks on as people mourn Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes, at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, March 20, 2025. / Credit: Hatem Khaled/REUTERS

"The IDF does not intend to harm you," a post by the IDF spokesman for Arab Media said on X. "For your safety it is forbidden to approach IDF forces in the defensive zone and in any place where they are deployed."

That message followed a severe threat from Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz to the citizens of Gaza.

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"Residents of Gaza, this is a final warning," he said in a video broadcast Wednesday afternoon. "If all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated from Gaza Israel will act with forces you have never known before. Take the advice of the U.S. President. Return the hostages and eliminate Hamas, and other options will open up for you  including going to other places in the world for those who wish. The alternative is complete destruction and devastation."

It appeared to be a threat of collective punishment against Gaza's civilian population for the actions of Hamas, which has long been designated a terrorist organization by Israel and the U.S.

Collective punishment is considered a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, though neither the U.S. nor Israel are signatories to that treaty.

U.S. strikes Houthis as Yemeni rebels fire missiles at Israel, U.S. ships

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Israel's renewed bombing of Gaza has drawn fierce condemnation from most of the country's Arab neighbors, and renewed efforts by Houthi militants in Yemen to target Israel and ships in the Red Sea with missiles.

The Houthis claimed Thursday that they had fired a "hypersonic ballistic missile" at Israel before dawn - the second claimed launch in three days. The group said it had attempted to hit Ben Gurion international airport south of Tel Aviv, and air raid alarms shattered the peace many Israelis had grown accustomed to during two months of the ceasefire at 4 a.m. across the city and central Israel.

"A missile launched from Yemen was intercepted by the IAF (Israeli Air Force) prior to crossing into Israeli territory," the IDF said in a statement minutes after an all-clear was given. No damage was reported.

The Houthis also claimed to have targeted the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group and its warships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, but the U.S. military said there were no impacts.

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The U.S. has responded to the Houthis' resumption of rocket launches with strikes against the group. Overnight, the U.S. struck targets in Yemen's capital of Sanaa, according to Houthi-run Al Masirah TV. At least nine women and children were wounded in a residential neighborhood, a spokesperson for the Houthi-run Yemeni health ministry claimed in a post on X.

People stand near buildings damaged by U.S. military strikes, in Sanaa, Yemen, March 20, 2025. / Credit: Khaled Abdullah/REUTERS

U.S. strikes also hit targets in southern Yemen, in a province known to have Houthi military sites and weapons warehouses.

President Trump had threatened on his Truth Social media platform that the group would "be completely annihilated."

Thursday morning, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X that American "forces continue 24/7 operations against the Iran-backed Houthis," sharing undated videos of U.S. fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier.

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At least 31 people have been killed in Yemen by the U.S. airstrikes, according to Yemeni media reports.

In a statement on Tuesday, CENTCOM said the Houthis had seized control of a World Food Program warehouse in the northern Yemeni city of Saada containing over 5,700,000 pounds of food and other humanitarian aid intended for civilians.

"This is another example of the Houthi's complete and reckless disregard for the people of Yemen and aggression toward the humanitarian operations that help those in need," CENTCOM said. "The Houthis continue to violate international humanitarian law, as well as put aid workers and the Yemini people at risk. The Houthis care nothing for the Yemeni people."

Editor's note: This article previously cited a leaflet dropped by Israeli forces in Gaza, but CBS News understands that leaflet was dropped in January, not this week. The paragraph referencing the leaflet has been removed.

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Israel's military has launched a ground offensive in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, deploying troops for several hours in one of the citys districts.

Soldiers destroyed infrastructure belonging to terrorist groups during the operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Ground attacks are also continuing in the north and centre of Gaza, while Israeli airstrikes target sites across the territory.

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According to earlier IDF reports, the strikes are aimed at Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) facilities and personnel. Both groups are designated as terrorist organizations by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

The ongoing offensive aims to increase pressure on Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages abducted by Hamas and other Palestinian militants during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Israelio Defence Minister Israel Katz has approved further military operations in Gaza.

"We already see that the military pressure affects Hamass position," Katz said during a meeting with IDF chief Eyal Zamir. "We will not stop until the hostages are released."
Jihad Suleiman Al-Sawafta, 46, has lived on his farm in the occupied West Bank village of Bardala his entire life. But when Israeli settlers showed up in December, Al-Sawafta said his land, and his livelihood, shrank to a fraction of its former self.

The settlers brought another settler here and placed him in our area. The Israelis built a road that separates us from grazing and agricultural areas, and the settlers dont allow us to farm on them, he told CNN.

They crowded the area. They took thousands of dunams (1,000 square meters) from Bardala and its grazing lands, he said, referring to his Palestinian town in the northern part of the West Bank. He added that the Jordan Valley, a fertile strip of land long considered the West Banks breadbasket, had been largely emptiedof its Palestinian residents.

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Israeli forces were overseeing the paving of a new road during CNNs visit in late January. Al-Sawafta said the military maintains a 24-hour presence, providing security for settlers, making it dangerous for him to cross and tend the crops he planted in nearby fields.

A new road developed by the Israeli military around the Palestinian village of Bardala. - Nada Bashir/CNN

Responding to a request for comment about the situation in Bardala, the Israeli military told CNN that the status of the outpost had not changed, and that the new road was intended for security forces, paved in accordance with a military order. Palestinians living in the area were not harmed during the work, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Herding outposts like the one set up on Al-Sawaftas land are often established by Israeli settlers on hilltops with a few caravans and sometimes livestock to mark their claim. Monitoring groups say they are notorious for swallowing up vast swathes of land and prohibiting Palestinian residents from moving freely. The outposts are illegal under both Israeli and international law, and the state is not allowed to finance or build on them.

The number of Israeli herding outposts has dramatically increased since Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus far-right coalition took power in 2022 on a platform of settlement expansion. The government includes ministers who are themselves settlers and want to annex the occupied territory to Israel. In the wake of the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israels invasion of Gaza, settlers have accelerated land grabs with support from the state.

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Israeli herding outposts have ballooned by nearly 50% since the war broke out, according to a joint report shared exclusively with CNN by Peace Now and Kerem Navot, two Israeli advocacy groups that oppose settlements and track their development, covering data up to the end of December 2024.

Settlers established 49 new illegal shepherding outposts between October 7, 2023, and December 2024, seizing large swathes of surrounding land, according to the report which was corroborated by a CNN analysis of satellite imagery of the area.

CNN partnered with the US artificial intelligence company RAIC Labs to monitor the establishment and expansion of new outposts in the West Bank. RAIC Labs used its AI-powered platform to analyze and compare satellite imagery of the West Bank captured by Planet Labs in October 2023 and September 2024, identifying changes in the 49 outposts such as newly constructed structures, recently cleared areas, and emerging roads, which were manually verified by CNN.

Peace Now and Kerem Navot estimate that shepherding outposts, occupied by a few hundred settlers, now cover almost 14% of the West Bank. Some of the unauthorized outposts are run by extremist Israeli settlers and settler groups that were sanctioned under the Biden administration, according to the monitoring groups.

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Of the total land seized by settlers in the West Bank since the 1990s using herding outposts, 70% has been taken in the last two and half years alone, the report found.

Its important to understand that the herding outposts are a national project, a state project. This is not a project which is initiated by individuals, its a project which the state of Israel is standing behind, is budgeting for, is facilitating, is protecting, Dror Etkes, founder of Kerem Navot and co-author of the report, told CNN.

CNN reached out to several members of the Knesset, Israels parliament, for comment on the practice, but none agreed to an interview. CNN also requested comment from the Israeli Prime Ministers Office, but did not receive a response.

The IDF told CNN that its top priority was to ensure the security of all residents in the area. It added that, through the Civil Administration, it works to enforce against illegal structures in Area C, which comprises about 60% of the West Bank and is fully Israeli-controlled, in accordance with the operational situation assessment and with approval from the political echelon.

Empowered to do whatever they want

There is no official planning approval for outposts, unlike officially recognized Jewish settlements, which tend to be larger, more organized urban developments. Settlements are considered illegal under international law and by much of the international community, but Israel disputes that.

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For Palestinians living near the outposts, their expansion in recent years has often meant losing access to their land and natural resources, as roads, fences, and settler activity gradually cut them off.

The land grabs have gone hand-in-hand with an escalation in violence by Israeli security forces and settlers against Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank.

Israels defense minister said at the end of February that he had instructed the military to prevent the return of residents who had been displaced by Israels military operations in four refugee camps in the northern part of the territory beginning January 21. The United Nations estimated that some 40,000 have been forced to flee their homes.

There are also mounting concerns among Palestinians that US President Donald Trump may endorse annexation of the occupied territory, which is home to more than 3 million Palestinians. Were discussing that with many of your representatives, Trump said in a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Washington, DC, in February. People do like the idea, but we havent taken a position on it yet.

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His proposal for Gaza to be emptied of its inhabitants and developed have raised alarm among rights groups and Palestinian communities, who worry a similar rhetoric could be applied to the occupied West Bank.

Israel seized the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967. It annexed East Jerusalem, which is also considered occupied under international law, in 1980.

Hagit Ofran, who works with Peace Now and co-authored the report, told CNN: It is hard to believe President Trump or anyone in his administration would stand against the formal annexation of lands in the West Bank to Israel. No wonder the settlers and the Israeli government feel empowered to do whatever they want.

According to the report from Peace Now and Kerem Navot, more than 60 Palestinian shepherding communities have been forcibly displaced since July 2022  the majority of these since October 7.

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At least 14 illegal herding outposts have since been built on or near land from which Palestinians were expelled just beforehand, the report said. CNN verified the establishment of those outposts by analyzing satellite imagery, detecting new dirt roads, buildings and bulldozing.

Etkes told CNN the practice was not only forcing Palestinians off their land but paving the way to settlement expansion. Communities who are dependent on agriculture, who are dependent on herding, have to flee. Its not only an economic catastrophe, but also a cultural catastrophe, a personal catastrophe, Etkes said.

The idea behind it is clear, it is to take the open areas in the West Bank to make sure Palestinians cannot access them, and eventually to hand them over to Israeli settlers.

In July last year, the United Nations top court said Israel should end its decades-long occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, evacuating settlers from the territories designated for a future Palestinian state and halting any new settlement activity. Israels foreign minister at the time rejected the non-binding ruling as fundamentally wrong and one-sided.

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Despite outposts being illegal even under Israeli law, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has said there is a consistent pattern of Israeli authorities involvement, assistance and financing of the construction of outposts, as well as their operation.

Documents uncovered by Peace Now last year showed how the Israeli government has budgeted millions to protect the small, unauthorized farms. The monitoring group said the money paid for vehicles, drones, cameras, generators, electric gates, light poles, solar panels and fences.

The Israeli government approved 75 million shekels ($21 million) in December 2023 for providing security in the West Bank to what it called young settlements. Orit Strock, the Minister of Settlements and National Mission, told the Associated Press that the funds were coordinated with the Defense Ministry and carried out in accordance with all laws.

The Ministry of Settlements and Strocks office did not respond to CNNs request for comment.

Hussein Daraghma, a Palestinian farmer from al-Farisiyah in the Jordan Valley, told CNN his family was terrorized by Israeli settlers on a regular basis. - Nada Bashir/CNN

CNN has seen evidence that an organization with close links to the Israeli state has helped settlers set up herding outposts. Contracts obtained by Peace Now from the World Zionist Organization (WZO)  an international body that helped create the Jewish state  and reviewed by CNN show how the group has allocated land in the West Bank to settlers.

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Israeli law affords the WZO semi-governmental status, giving it authority for the development and settlement of the country. The WZOs Settlement Division, which describes itself as an arm of the Israeli state and is funded by Israeli public money, is responsible for managing the allocation of land to form and strengthen the settlement of Jews in periphery areas, by increasing the hold on the lands of the country that were passed onto the division by the government of Israel, according to its website.

While the contracts obtained by Peace Now specify the land is for grazing or farming, the watchdog said that it found in some cases that the WZO had given settlers rights to private land belonging to Palestinians and that outposts were also built on the land illegally. CNNs satellite imagery analysis found that buildings and roads have already been constructed on or near 18 of these sites.

CNN has reached out to the WZO multiple times for comment on the construction of illegal outposts on land it had allocated. The organization has not replied.

Most of the land seized by settlers for illegal shepherding outposts is not classified as Israeli state land, according to mapping data from the Israeli Civil Administration analyzed by Peace Now and Kerem Navot. Nearly 60% of the land, around 470 square kilometers, is either privately owned by Palestinians, has unclear ownership, or falls within Palestinian Authority territory, the report said.

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For Ahmed Daraghma, a Palestinian farmer from al-Farisiyah in the Jordan Valley, a 2021 contract granted by the WZOs Settlement Division and viewed by CNN appeared to belatedly legitimize Tene Yarok, a herding outpost that threatens his home and livelihood, leaving him with few options. The situation here is extremely difficult. Since October 7, its been getting harder day by day, he told CNN.

Daraghma said that settlers regularly chase away his sheep and terrorize the communitys children late into the night. They threaten us that if we go up to this mountain there, they will come to us at night. They say, If you go here, we will come to take your children, he said.

A few weeks later, he said his family was forced to flee.

CNNs Kareem Khadder contributed to this report.

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DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  Israel said Wednesday its troops retook part of a corridor that bisects Gaza, and its defense minister warned that attacks would intensify until Hamas frees dozens of hostages and gives up control of the territory.

The military said it had retaken part of the Netzarim Corridor that divides northern Gaza from the south, and from where it had previously withdrawn as part of a ceasefire that began in January. That truce was shattered Tuesday by Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

The advances on the ground by Israel on Wednesday  which included sending more troops to southern Gaza  threatened to drag the sides into all-out war again. The ceasefire had given war-weary Palestinians some respite, allowed a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza  and led to the release of dozens of hostages who had been held for more than 15 months.

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Early Thursday, a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted before reaching Israeli airspace, the military said. Air raid sirens and several explosions were heard in Jerusalem, apparently the sounds of the interceptors in use. No injuries were reported. Yemens Houthi rebels did not immediately claim the attack Thursday morning.

Within Israel, the resumption of airstrikes and ground maneuvers in Gaza has raised concerns about the fate of roughly two dozen hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive. Thousands of Israelis took part in anti-government demonstrations in Jerusalem, with many calling for a deal to bring the captives home.

A Hamas spokesman, Abdel-Latif al-Qanou, said the moves by ground forces in Gaza was a clear sign that Israel had backed out of the truce and was reimposing a blockade. There have been no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas since Tuesdays bombardment.

Also Wednesday, the United Nations said one of its employees was killed in Gaza and five others were wounded in an apparent strike on a guesthouse. It was not immediately clear who was behind the strike, the U.N. said.

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The military said its limited ground operation in Gaza would create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.

It wasnt immediately clear whether the move would entirely block Palestinians from traveling north or south through the Netzarim Corridor.

Israel used the roughly 4-mile corridor as a military zone during the war. It ran from the Israeli border to the coast, just south of Gaza City, the territorys largest metropolitan area.

Israel said airstrikes on Wednesday hit dozens of militants and militant sites, including the command center of a Hamas battalion. It denied Palestinian claims that it hit the U.N. guesthouse.

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Fares Awad, an official in the Gaza Health Ministry, said an Israeli strike on a gathering of mourners in the northern town of Beit Lahiya killed 17 and wounded 30. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

Until Israel withdrew from Netzarim in January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had fled northern Gaza for the south were prevented from returning throughout the war. Many of them have since returned.

But Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, said the military would soon order Palestinians to evacuate from combat zones.

Katz said Tuesdays aerial bombardment was just the first step in Israels plan to ratchet up the pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages and give up control of Gaza. Until it does, Israel will attack with an intensity that you have not known.



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Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the U.N. Office for Project Services, declined to say who carried out the strike in the central city of Deir al-Balah. He said the blast was not accidental or related to demining activity.

He did not provide the nationalities of those killed and wounded.

Moreira da Silva said strikes had hit near the compound on Monday and struck it directly on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike. Israel knew this was a U.N. premise, that people were living, staying and working there, he said.

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, said the explosion was not caused by Israeli fire.

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After the strike Wednesday, the wounded were rushed to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central city of Deir al-Balah. One man was carried inside on a blanket held up by medical workers. Another lay on a hospital bed, his knee bandaged.

In southern Lebanon, a U.N. peacekeeper was wounded after stepping on a mine. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said the incident took place during operational activity by the peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL in the village of Zibqin, adding that the injuries are not life-threatening.

The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 436 people, including 183 children and 94 women, have been killed since Israel launched the strikes early Tuesday. It said another 678 people have been wounded.

The military says it only strikes militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas.

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The war has killed nearly 49,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and displaced 90% of Gazas population. The Health Ministry doesnt differentiate between civilians and militants but says over half of the dead have been women and children.

The war erupted when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages. Most have been released in ceasefires or other deals; 59 hostages remain, and more than half are believed to be dead.

Before this weeks attacks, Israel and Hamas were set to negotiate an extension of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which lasted six weeks.

But those talk never got off the ground. Hamas has demanded that Israel stick to the terms of the initial ceasefire deal, including a full withdrawal from Gaza and an end to the war. Israel, which has vowed to defeat Hamas, has put forward a new proposal that would extend the truce and free more hostages held by Hamas, without a commitment to end the war.

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The breakdown of the ceasefire was met with anger in Israel, where many support the plight of the hostage families to free their loved ones.

Israels return to a military campaign came as Netanyahu faces mounting domestic pressure, with mass protests taking place over his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the head of Israels internal security agency. Demonstrators massed around Israels parliament on Wednesday and later marched near Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem, where police sprayed water to try to clear them.


Indiana State University associate professor and chair of the faculty senate James Gustafson will serve as the Royden B. Davis Visiting Chair in Iranian History at Georgetown University in fall 2025.

This appointment is given to an internationally recognized scholar who trains Georgetown students in foreign affairs, governmental service, and the humanities.

This invitation from Georgetown is a great honor. It speaks to the excellent research that Indiana State produces across campus," Gustafson said in an ISU news release. "It is especially meaningful given that my new book grew out of an interdisciplinary collaboration between History and Earth and Environmental Systems and I will get to highlight that to a new audience."

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Gustafson will teach two courses: a survey of Iran's history from antiquity to the present and an advanced seminar on Irans modern environmental history.

Indiana States Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Christopher Olsen, stated, I want to congratulate Dr. Gustafson on this well-deserved appointment. It confirms what many of us on campus have recognized for years: he is a world-class scholar and faculty member acknowledged throughout the country and, indeed, around the world."

Gustafson is a decorated scholar and historian. He recently released a new book that explores Iranian history from an environmental perspective.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin is sowing confusion over the ceasefire by accusing Ukraine of violations even before an agreement is finalised and its details agreed upon.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Quote: "The Kremlin readout of the 18 March phone call between Putin and Trump stated that Putin 'immediately gave the Russian military' an order that 'corresponded' with his 'positive response' to Trump's temporary ceasefire proposal."

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Details: The ISW reported that, according to the Russians, Putin allegedly ordered troops to stop attacking Ukrainian infrastructure following his conversation with Trump.

The Kremlin claimed it had destroyed its own drones in the air while also alleging that Ukraine launched UAV attacks on Russian territory that same evening.

ISW analysts state that Russia's claims of adhering to the ceasefire by halting strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure while accusing Kyiv of violations are inaccurate, as the agreement has not yet been officially implemented.

The Kremlin is exploiting the lack of clarity on ceasefire details to accuse Ukraine of violations before the agreement takes effect, suggesting similar tactics could be used in the future.

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ISW notes that the Kremlin is continuing to contradict Trump's account of his call with Putin on 18 March. The Russians claimed that Putin called for an end to all foreign military aid to Ukraine, while Trump stated that the issue was never raised.

To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 19 March:

Russia and Ukraine have not formally announced the implementation of the temporary long-range strikes ceasefire.

Official American, Ukrainian, and Russian statements indicate that the parties to the ceasefire have not yet finalised the details of the agreement.

The Kremlin continues to demand that Ukraine cede Ukrainian territory that Russia does not currently occupy and to set conditions to make further territorial demands.

The United States, Ukraine and Europe continue to agree that Ukraine and Europe must be involved in peace negotiations to end the war, despite Russian leader Vladimir Putin's efforts to exclude Ukraine and Europe from such negotiations.

Ukraine and Russia conducted a prisoner of war (POW) exchange on 19 March.

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During Stacey Summers' virtual testimony in front of the health joint budget subcommittee on Jan. 16, staff from the states health department started to pack their bags.

After nearly four hours of discussion between lawmakers and agency staff, much of which focused on the role of state government in providing health care to Native communities, Summers, a member of the Fort Peck Tribal Executive Board, tried to clarify some of the confusion about how all the moving pieces work together.

By the end of her brief remarks, nobody from the Department of Public Health and Human Services was left to hear her out. Staff had set a hard end time at noon to make another meeting, and Summers testimony was spilling over their deadline.

It was a short and unremarkable moment to many  a casualty of legislative hearings running long  and a next-day apology from the committee chair smoothed things over. But to some tribal advocates in the room, the situation was indicative of the ways Indian Country is often overlooked.

"This should be looked at as government to government," said Anna Whiting Sorrell, who was at the committee meeting and previously served as the head of DPHHS under former Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Native Americans in Montana will die a generation earlier than their non-Native peers. They experience higher rates of chronic illnesses, heart disease and mental health disorders. At the same time, their communities are some of the most likely to benefit from DPHHS-administered programs, especially Medicaid, in which Native people account for about 19% of enrollees.

Their health care is in the hands of this department, said Sen. Susan Webber, a Democrat from Browning whose district includes the Blackfeet and Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. We have a real stake in what happens in DPHHS.

Although government cant wipe away the generations of discrimination and trauma that have helped create the conditions for these stark health disparities, the Montana Indian American Caucus thinks it can at least make sure tribes always have a seat at the table.

For 11 years, DPHHS employed a tribal relations manager, a position held the entire time by Lesa Evers, to work directly with Native communities and establish trusting relationships with tribes. When Evers retired in December 2023, the agency quietly decided not to fill the position and instead folded the job's duties into the existing Office of American Indian Health, historically more focused on the administrative side of providing services to Native people than embedding in the communities.

The decision, first reported on by the Montana State News Bureau, sparked frustration and even outrage among some tribal advocates who said they were losing their connection to the vital agency. Now, members of the Montana American Indian Caucus want to reinstate the tribal relations manager role.

DPHHS maintains that merging the tribal relations position with the Office of American Indian Health has allowed the department to devote more staff and resources to the work than before.

(Its) something that should be celebrated as a move that demonstrates how seriously the department is committed to tribal communities, spokesperson Jon Ebelt said in an email to the Montana State News Bureau.

The Office of American Indian Health was first created in 2015 through an executive order. Stephanie Iron Shooter was hired as its director in February 2022. She has since grown the team to three employees, including one focused on child welfare in Native communities.

Iron Shooter told American Indian Caucus legislators on March 19 that moving all the tribal health and relations work into her office addressed confusion and redundancy.

Health needs to be at the forefront of all the conversations, she said. Having duplicative meetings around the same topics was an issue, conflicting action plans, competition for resources and confusion for stakeholders, internal and external.

Iron Shooter also recognized her team has room to improve on crafting agency process that adequately engages tribes and building better relationships, but reaffirmed her commitment to doing so.

"(It's) embedded and really is a way of life for our Office of American Indian Health," she said. "We are tribal members. We grew up here."

During her time at DPHHS, Evers made regular visits to all seven reservations in the state and kept in close contact with tribal leaders. She would personally help people navigate the complex state health system and reported directly to the head of the agency.

Webber, a member of the State Tribal Relations Interim Committee, wrote a letter to DPHHS in January relaying that tribes felt sidelined by the agency since Evers' departure.

They had built a working and professional relationship with the health manager over the years and had come to rely on it, Webbers letter said. More importantly, this position built trust between them and the department.

Rep. Mike Fox, a Democrat from Hays whose district includes the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy reservations, said on Wednesday he plans to propose an amendment to the DPHHS budget that would direct the health department to rehire the tribal relations manager position and ensure it has a direct line to DPHHS Director Charlie Brereton. Right now, Iron Shooter, in her role as American Indian Health director, doesn't report to Brereton. She's one tier below on the agencys organizational chart, though she insists that she has an open-door policy with the agency's director.

I dont like this arrangement, Webber said in her letter. Your department has relegated the tribes to immigrant status and faith groups. As the Montana Constitution affirms, we are the first Montanans and have a government-to-government standing by treaty. This will not do.

Ebelt described the organizational chart as a visual aid that does not necessarily depict who interacts with the director on a daily basis.

Fox's forthcoming budget amendment  which he said would not replace Iron Shooter, but rather add to the agency's commitment to tribal communities  is the latest development in the back-and-forth around the tribal relations manager role this legislative session. Originally, Webber sponsored a bill that would have modified Montana law to require DPHHS to recreate and fill the position and have it report to Brereton.

At the committee hearing for Senate Bill 378 in late February, Webber requested the bill be tabled. Though she had not yet received a written response from the department, Webber said Iron Shooter had assured her that DPHHS had a plan to address the issues her letter had raised.

Now I got their attention, Webber said.

Assurances didn't go far enough, though. Fox hopes the budget amendment will by ensuring DPHHS prioritizes tribal relations in the upcoming biennium.

House Bill 2 is the main budget bill for the state government. Negotiations are currently underway in the House Appropriations Committee, where the state budget will be shaped and reshaped before heading to the floor for a vote.

The DPHHS budget will be considered by the Appropriations Committee on Thursday, so Fox would likely need to propose his amendment this week or early next.

Its going to be tight, Fox said when asked about the Appropriations vote.
ROME  Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has opposed European Union plans to raise 800 billion ($870 billion) for defense spending, spoiling the blocs show of bravura in the face of Russian aggression and Donald Trumps disregard.

The European windfall has been proposed by EU commission head Ursula vonder Leyen who is backing plans for 150 billion in loans for defense spending by member states.

A second proposal would see member states allowed to exempt defense spending worth up to 1.5 percent of their national GDP from EU debt rules which are designed to stop members racking up excessive deficits.

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If all states take advantage of the exemption, the EU forecasts that bloc-wide defense spending will swell by 650 billion - combining with the loans to achieve a total of 800 billion.

But Italy PM Meloni gave the debt rule scheme a thumbs down when she met Von der Leyen in Brussels on Thursday ahead of an EU summit to discuss the plan.

She said she preferred to see private investors encouraged to put money into defense programs, or direct EU funding which does not directly impact the state debts.

Melonis lack of enthusiasm will have surprised defense officials in Europe since her government has repeatedly appealed to exempt defense spending from EU deficit spending limits.

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That move, her defense minister Guido Crosetto has previously said, was the only way Italy could hope to increase its spending, which is around 1.5 percent of GDP.

Now that the EU has said Italy can do what it has been pushing to do for years, Meloni has declined to take up the offer.

One reason is that whether or not the EU allows fresh debt spending, the markets may be less forgiving.

Another reason is that Meloni remains skeptical about Europe becoming a defense superpower without strong backing from the Unites States.

This month she declined to join in with plans hatched by the U.K. andFrance to deploy peacekeepers to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

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In a letter to Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Thursday, Melonis defense minister, Crosetto, wrote that only NATO, not the EU, offered a guarantee of military assistance among members.

The only concrete and practical defense model, here and now, is NATO, he wrote.

Melonis caution on rearming also reflects opposition from Italian voters to spending on arms rather than healthcare.

A poll this month reported that 54.6% of Italians oppose the 800 billion spending plan.

Melonis deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, a Eurosceptic who has long been soft on Russia, has also this week been opposing extra defense spending, claiming Italys biggest threat is Islamic terror, not Vladimir Putin.

Asked about a possible European army on Thursday, he replied, What would a European army led by France and Germany do today: Would it go to war?
Italy signed an agreement with Ukraine to launch the 11 million euro ($11.9 million) Pro.UKR project, aimed at promoting sustainable agricultural development and food security in Odesa Oblast, Agriculture Minister Vitaliy Koval reported on March 19.

The project will provide local farmers, breeders, and cooperatives with new tools, technologies, and sustainable irrigation systems to strengthen production and organizational capacity.

"Italy confirms its support with a concrete project aimed at strengthening food security and promoting sustainable agricultural development," Italian Ambassador to Ukraine Carlo Formosa said.

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Koval highlighted that this marks another step toward the recovery of Ukrainian agriculture and strengthening cooperation with the EU.

I am grateful to Italy for its continued support and joint work on food security! Koval said on Telegram.

Last month, Rome signed an agreement with Kyiv to provide Ukraine with 13 million euros ($13.5 million) directed towards the country's Energy Support Fund.

Read also: Italy does not plan to send peacekeepers to Ukraine, remains committed to effective security guarantees

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Krystena Murray realized something had gone awry in her in-vitro fertilization process immediately after giving birth: She is white, as was her chosen sperm donor, who had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. But her baby was dark-skinned.

He was beautiful and perfect, but it was also very clear that something was wrong, she said. I hoped that it was just a sperm mix up.

The IVF process had been grueling. Murray, now 38, had endured multiple daily injections, frequent blood draws, bouts of nausea and exhaustion, a first embryo transfer that didnt take, and, finally, pregnancy and labor.

Then a DNA test revealed that the Georgia fertility clinic Murray had used had implanted a different couples embryo in her uterus. After raising the baby for five months, Murray, heartbroken, handed him over to his biological parents.

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We all met in court, and the decision was made, she said. I walked in a mom with a child and a baby who loved me and was mine and was attached to me, and I walked out of the building with an empty stroller. And they left with my son.

She sued the clinic last month.

Krystena Murray during an IVF procedure.

Although cases like Murrays are thought to be rare, an NBC News analysis of federal and state legal databases found more than 300 lawsuits filed from 2019 to 2024 alleging that embryos, eggs or sperm had been lost, destroyed or swapped. The suits were filed against fertility clinics or companies involved in the IVF process across 19 states, and the majority  at least 260  involved allegations of product or equipment failures.

Some legal experts say the cases are, in part, a product of the industrys rapid growth. The number of babies born via assisted reproductive technology  which includes IVF  more than quadrupled from 1996 to 2022. The number of fertility procedures increased more than six-fold. Market researchers estimated the U.S. fertility industry was worth $5.7 billion last year.

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IVF isnt governed by the same regulations that hold other medical practitioners accountable for mistakes or safety violations, three legal experts said. For example, although more than half of the states require hospitals to report serious, avoidable medical errors to regulators, those requirements dont apply to IVF clinics. And embryology labs arent subject to federal inspections the way, say, blood banks are  instead, most are inspected by accreditation organizations.

Whats more, there is no established legal claim pertaining to lost or swapped embryos like there is for medical malpractice cases involving errors by health care providers. So, IVF patients often have a hard time seeking redress after something goes wrong.

Few of the lawsuits in NBC News analysis have gone to trial  and of those that have been resolved, most were settled or dismissed.

Adam Wolf, an attorney representing Murray, said he expects to see more cases like hers because, in his view, the U.S. lacks sufficient state and federal regulations governing fertility clinics and labs.

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Until IVF clinics are subject to real regulations, reporting requirements and mandatory certification programs for lab staff, these types of errors will continue to occur, he said at a news conference last month.

Wolf is part of a growing chorus of former IVF patients, lawyers, bioethicists and even some anti-abortion advocates calling for increased regulation of IVF. As demand rises, some say, the industry needs more oversight in order to keep pace.

Maybe if enough of us speak out, there will be more regulation, there will be more protocol put into place, said Marissa Calhoun, 36, who sued her Los Angeles fertility clinic in the fall, alleging that the embryos she and her partner intended to use to start a family had been discarded by mistake. Thats my only hope.

How common are IVF errors? Its a mystery

Calhoun was diagnosed in her teens with severe endometriosis  a condition that can make it difficult to get pregnant. By age 35, she had completed three painful egg retrievals.

Marissa Calhoun and Stephen Castaneda.

She and her partner, Stephen Castaneda, were elated in late 2023 when they found out that 16 of Calhouns eggs had been successfully fertilized.

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But days later, Calhouns doctor called: He told me that all of my embryos had been discarded. He described it as an error in their lab, she said. I could barely speak. The weight of my medical condition, the weight of the years I spent collecting those eggs  I cant describe the rush of thoughts and the rush of emotions that overtook me. I was just inconsolable.

Calhouns lawsuit alleges that a laboratory employee had failed to label her embryos before placing them in an incubator, then threw the unlabeled embryos away.

The clinic, Reproductive Partners Medical Group, said it could not comment on an active lawsuit but denied the allegations in a court filing. A conference between the judge and the opposing parties is scheduled for later this month to determine next steps.

NBC News analysis identified 82 lawsuits related to allegations of human error, like Calhouns, from 2019 to 2024, and 13 over swapped embryos, eggs or sperm.

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The cases involving equipment and product failures, meanwhile, included 176 related to a 2018 storage tank failure at a fertility clinic in San Francisco called Pacific Fertility Center, which led to the destruction of about 2,500 eggs and 1,500 embryos.

The tanks maker, Chart Industries Inc., denied an allegation made in a class action suit that the tank was defective. The clinics parent company, Prelude Fertility, denied allegations that it had been negligent.

Prelude and Pacific Fertility Center contend that the 2018 storage tank failure was caused by a defective tank, said Alexandra Preece Barlow, an attorney who represented Prelude in the class action suit.

Many of the cases against the clinic have gone to arbitration. However, in one that went to trial, a jury determined that Chart and Pacific Fertility Center had been negligent and awarded five former patients a total of $15 million. Chart appealed and reached a confidential settlement in that case and others.

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Chart, Prelude Fertility and Pacific Fertility Center did not respond to requests for comment. However, the clinic told NBC Bay Area shortly after the incident that it had brought in independent experts to investigate.

We are truly sorry this happened and for the anxiety that this will surely cause, it said at the time.

Fifty-plus other lawsuits in NBC News analysis were related to claims that a liquid used to help fertilized eggs develop destroyed hundreds of embryos. The company that manufactured the solution, CooperSurgical, recalled several lots last year.

CooperSurgical did not respond to requests for comment; in a statement to NBC Connecticut last year, it said it had initiated the recall proactively while investigating any potential issues. The company denied liability in response to one ongoing lawsuit in Ohio, and it has not yet responded to others filed in Connecticut, according to lawyers representing some of those plaintiffs.

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Its impossible to know how often IVF-related accidents or mistakes really happen because clinics arent required to report them to federal or state agencies. No national database tracks the issues.

Many IVF patients sign agreements to resolve disputes through a neutral third party rather than in court, said Tiseme Zegeye, who represents dozens of patients suing CooperSurgical.

We only hear about a small percentage of the disasters that happen in the fertility industry because so many patients sign arbitration agreements with their clinic, she said.

On the regulatory side, states generally dont require a special license for IVF clinics to operate. (By contrast, the United Kingdom has a regulatory authority that licenses fertility clinics and approves the procedures they offer.)

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The Food and Drug Administration does, however, inspect facilities that store eggs and embryos and requires donor eggs and sperm to be tested for disease. IVF clinics are also required to report pregnancy success rates annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which publishes the data.

Many fertility clinics and labs follow voluntary guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, a professional association of fertility doctors that outlines best practices. The guidelines include having a policy to disclose errors to patients.

Contrary to the characterization offered by some legal experts, Sean Tipton, the societys chief advocacy and policy officer, said that fertility care is regulated essentially the same way as all medicine in the U.S. and that lawsuits are an important component of that.

The society declined to answer specific questions about fertility industry lawsuits.

IVF errors fall into a legal gray area

Murray surrendered custody of the baby she still considers her son in May, knowing she would likely lose a custody battle. Giving him up was perhaps the hardest thing shes ever done, she said.

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Youve built your whole life around your son. You rearrange everything. Everything is about him. You spend every day for him, and then hes not there, Murray said.

Krystena Murray says the baby boy she gave birth to is the most beautiful human.

The clinic, Coastal Fertility Specialists, told NBC News that it deeply regrets the distress caused by an unprecedented error that resulted in an embryo transfer mix-up. It has not yet responded to the complaint.

Dov Fox, director of the Center for Health Law Policy and Bioethics at the University of San Diego School of Law, said IVF lawsuits are challenging because courts tend to treat the errors as unfortunate accidents rather than violations of a providers duty to care for patients.

Courts have been reluctant to recognize reproductive interests as real or serious, and, in turn, we havent developed the kind of practice standards or expectations enforceable under the law in the way that we have in other areas of health care, he said.

By comparison, for medical errors like a sponge left inside a patient after a surgical procedure, patients often sue for medical malpractice. Fox said suits involving embryo loss have a harder time making that claim, since they rarely result in physical injuries. Instead, he added, they are typically filed as negligence or property damage cases, which often focus on financial harm and may underplay the emotional costs to couples.

Courts also dont look favorably upon claims that a clinic violated its contract with a patient, he said, since clinics dont guarantee results.

The IVF industry has historically opposed additional regulation, saying that mistakes are no more common than in any other field of medicine.

I think the industry as a whole is moving in the direction of safer practices  not that it was unsafe before, but just improving and getting better, said Brent Barrett, chief laboratory director at Boston IVF, a network of more than 15 fertility centers across New England.

Barrett said IVF clinics generally have strict protocols about where equipment is placed in labs and require more than one person to examine labels and dishes containing embryos. Many clinics have also adopted electronic tracking systems that assign barcodes to eggs, embryos and sperm.

But those measures arent federally mandated.

Clinics could, if they want, use pencil and paper to label reproductive specimens, Fox said.

A fraught debate over embryos

Reproductive rights advocates also have a reason to be wary of increased IVF regulations: They fear amplifying debates about whether embryos are considered babies under the law.

That question was central to a wrongful death lawsuit filed last year against a fertility clinic in Alabama, after a person allegedly dropped several embryos on the floor. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that embryos created through IVF were legally children.

The verdict prompted multiple clinics to pause IVF services until state lawmakers passed a bill protecting providers that discard embryos. Discarding embryos because they have genetic abnormalities or patients no longer wish to use them is a routine part of the IVF process, though anti-abortion groups oppose the practice.

IVF is really mired in personhood and abortion debates in the United States in a way that just really complicates the discourse compared to places like the U.K., said Danielle Pacia, a research associate at The Hastings Center, a bioethics research institute in Garrison, New York.

Embryo selection for IVF.

Zegeye, the lawyer, acknowledged that in pushing for IVF regulations, theres a risk of extremes that prevent clinics from functioning  as happened in Alabama.

I do think that theres a fine line and that we have to find a way to allow access to health care and still protect patients, she said.

The Alabama case, and its timing during an election year, thrust such conversations into the national spotlight.

Republicans and Democrats each introduced IVF bills in the Senate last year: The Democratic bill proposed codifying access to IVF at the federal level, while the Republican bill would have denied Medicaid funds to states that prohibited IVF. Neither passed.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump both expressed support for IVF access during their campaigns, with Trump promising that either the government or insurance companies would cover the cost. Last month, President Trump issued an executive order seeking strategies to lower IVF costs, including by further reducing regulation.

It is the policy of my Administration to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable, the order says.

In the wake of the announcement, several anti-abortion groups called for more oversight of the industry.

Americas IVF industry is completely unregulated, Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, an anti-abortion advocacy group, wrote on X. Now that President Trump says he wants to fund more of it, shouldnt a logical step for the Trump Administration be to regulate it, at a minimum?

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
(NewsNation)  The countrys eight prestigious Ivy League colleges and universities took in more than $6 billion in federal funding in fiscal year 2023, but how those institutions are using tax dollars has raised questions over the use of public money.

Ivy League schools like Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania have been targeted by President Donald Trump recently. Trump withheld $175 million in federal money from UPenn over its policy of allowing transgender athletes to participate in womens sports.

Thousands sue Maryland agencies over alleged child sexual abuse

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Trump also canceled $400 million in federal grants and contracts from Columbia after the White House said the university failed to protect Jewish students.

Ivy League schools have more than $185B in endowment money

However, Trumps actions come as a NewsNation probe into Ivy League funding found that the eight Ivy League schools are sitting on more than $185 billion in endowment money, including $50 billion at Harvard and $41 billion at Yale.

Schumer defiant as first Dem lawmaker calls for new leadership

NewsNations analysis of the schools audited financial statements shows the majority of public funding given to Ivy League schools goes to indirect recovery costs, which are also considered on-campus overhead.

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For instance, Harvard takes approximately 69% of the top federal research grants for on-campus overhead. Yale takes about 67.5%, followed by Columbia (64.5%) and Cornell and Dartmouth (64%).

The grants are designed to do good things, and many of them do, Benjamin Ginsberg, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, told NewsNation. But universities have tried to make a little bit of money on those activities, and so they charge overhead on federal research dollars, and that money is not spent on the nominal activity for which the grant is given.

Ivy Leagues not using all grant money for research

When adjusted, of the approximate $820 million Harvard took in for research, only about $248 million went toward research, NewsNation found. At Columbia, which received $1.5 billion in research grants, only about $400 million was devoted to research after it took 64.5% for overhead.

DOJ again faces deadline to disclose deportation flight details

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It doesnt make sense, Ginsberg told NewsNation, adding that rather than spending tax dollars on building improvements and repairs, he believes tax dollars are being spent on hiring more bureaucrats.

National Institutes of Health puts cap on federal research funding

As Trump has held back federal funding, the National Institutes of Health has recently installed a 15% cap on federal research funding for Ivy League schools, meaning that even deeper cuts will be taken in tax dollars being sent to the institutions.

Ivy League universities are also among more than 50 higher education institutions being investigated for their continued diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Crucial JFK information still unreleased: Author James H. Johnston

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Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center, told NewsNation that Trump is doing what is right in starting conversations about how universities like Columbia are funded and how the respective schools are using those dollars.

Nobody should be able to feed at the federal trough without having to justify themselves without Americans understanding what theyre getting from the rest of us, Walter said. This is absolutely the conversation we need to be having. Some of that money will get justified, and some of it will not.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  A host of business professionals, who work hard every day fighting illnesses, converged at Ivy Tech Wednesday morning for the annual Community Health and Wellness Fair.

Organizations like Recovery Centers of America, Tobacco Free Vape Free Vigo, and Thrive united to educate the public and help students get ready for their future careers.

Executive Director of Human Resources at Ivy Tech, Chris Williams, says the event is aimed to help students and staff.

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Weve been doing this event for close to 22 years now, Williams said. The event is really for us to make sure that our students, staff, and faculty have a good opportunity to visit with our community partners and find out about health and wellness initiatives throughout the Wabash Valley.

This year, 45 different organizations took part in the fair, mostly educating guests on the medical details of health.

However, Heather Cosme Milian, Natural Resource Programmer for Vigo County Parks and Rec, said they attend the event every year to show different ways to stay healthy.

When theyre thinking of health and wellness, we want them to think I can get outside, Cosme Milian said. Whether thats going hiking at the parks or going to Griffin Bike Park and riding bikes. We have a lot of things available for people to do. We want to make sure we highlight getting outside and everything that we have going on.

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The networking wasnt just for students, as two organizations are now working together on a new project for the public.

Were sitting here with Jays Bikes, Cosme Milian said. We actually just purchased 20 bikes that we got through our Health First Indiana funds with the Vigo County Health Department. We are going to be doing a lot of youth programming, a lot more youth programming.

The Health and Wellness Fair was open to all residents, as Ivy Tech hopes the event will continue to grow as time goes on.

My favorite part about this event is getting to see all the partners that come back every year and how their businesses have adapted and changed to some of the newer trends in the healthcare field, Williams said. Its really good to see the partners as they come back and how theyre changing with the times.

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Ivy Tech leaders say the fair has also resulted in some students landing jobs at local health and wellness organizations.

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Jack Schlossberg, former President John F. Kennedys grandson, called out President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over the release of close to 2,200 files on his grandfathers assassination.

No  THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DID NOT GIVE ANYONE IN PRESIDENT KENNEDYS FAMILY A HEADS UPABOUT THE RELEASE a total surprise, and not shocker !! But @RobertKennedyJr definitely knew, Schlossberg said in a Tuesday evening post on social platform X.

Early Wednesday morning, Schlossberg also said on X that the president is obsessed with my grandfather  but not in his life or what he achieved in it.

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No, just like @robertfkennedyjr @realdonaldtrump is only interested in JFKs carcass, he added. These men are stealing history from present and future generations  by appropriating the past for their criminal agenda, they normalize themselves in the minds of those without living memory.

On Tuesday, the National Archives released close to 2,200 files connected to John F. Kennedys assassination. The release of the files followed Trump vowing on the campaign trail and in office to make the remaining documents publicly available.

Trump signed an executive order at the beginning of his second term to release the remaining documents from the federal government about John F. Kennedys, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedys and civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.s assassinations.

A number of analyses have discovered that much of the documents have previously been released to the public in some form but were redacted in the past.

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JFK drafted the civil rights act  Trump made DEI illegal. JFK stared down Russia and did not blink  Trump is Russias closest ally, Schlossberg said Wednesday on X. JFK sent a man to the moon  Trump gave Elon [Musk] the keys to Air Force One. JFK created USAID  Trump eliminated it.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services and the White House for comment.

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  Its been a good year for South Dakotas Attorney General. Lawmakers passed six bills he championed that will toughen up the states laws. Governor Larry Rhoden signed more than a 140 bills into law this year.

Attorney General Marty Jackley says six new laws will strengthen penalties against people who are convicted and boost oversight of state workers. Jackley admits it took a slew of fraud and embezzlement investigations against state workers to get some lawmakers to take his requests seriously.

Impeaching judges unusual, unique law school dean says

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If you go back to EB5 and Gear up that should have been enough, in fact some of these laws, the whistleblower I brought back in the wake of EB5 and Gear up and just could not get the support, said Jackley. This year we had the overwhelming support, between EB5, Gear Up, six criminal prosecutions, three ongoing investigations, lawmakers saw the need and they acted on it.



SB 60 expands the investigative authority of the state auditor. SB 62 Establishes mandatory reporting related to crime and improper conduct by state employees

Number one , we wanted to make sure the peoples auditor had access to the records to try to prevent the frauds, said Jackley. We also wanted to make sure there was internal controls to try to catch thefts early on, then there was a mandatory reporting not by the state employees but by their supervisors. What we were finding is in several instances, supervisors had been provided information from employees and didnt act on that information.



State lawmakers also approved protections for state employees who report improper government conduct. Another new law could mean jail time for anyone caught bringing items to prisoners at the state penitentiary. And SB 58 increases the prison time for those convicted of human trafficking in South Dakota. Jackley says these new laws are a big step in bringing trust back to state government.

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(WHTM)  During a town hall on Wednesday night, former television anchor Janelle Stelson announced she was seriously considering a second run for Congress against Republican Scott Perry (PA-10).

Stelson narrowly lost to Perry by about 5,100 votes in 2024, the closest a Democratic challenger has come to unseating the longtime Republican incumbent.

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Stelson worked as a television journalist in Central Pennsylvania for nearly four decades, including a stint with abc27. She won a crowded Democratic primary by more than 12,000 votes to set up the November race against Perry.

Stelson faced criticism during the campaign for not living in the 10th Congressional District, saying during the abc27 debate that she lived in Manheim Township a few miles over the arbitrarily drawn line.

According to Pennsylvania voting records, Stelson is still registered to vote in Manheim Township as of March 20, 2025.

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Vice President JD Vance was the opening speaker at Andreessen Horowitzs American Dynamism Summit on Tuesday in Washington, D.C. You can watch it for yourself: Vance walking across the stage in a suit and red tie as a16z founders and attendees stood up and cheered. He smiled, waved, and referred to investors Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, and Katherine Boyle by their first names, before pledging to support the entrepreneurs in the room.

As of a couple of months ago, you have an administration thats working with you and facilitating your hard work instead of making it harder to innovate, which is, I think, what the last Administration did, Vance said to the room of a16z-backed companies building companies in aerospace, defense, public safety, supply chain, and manufacturing. He later added: We recognize now in our administration is the time to align our work interests with those of all of you. Its time to align the interests of our technology firms with the interests of the United States of America writ large.

Youd be hard-pressed to miss the significance of this moment. Last summer, Andreessen and Horowitz made waves on their popular podcast by revealing they would vote for Donald Trump in the 2024 electiona pretty divisive move that took much of blue-leaning Silicon Valley by surprise. They followed up by donating $2.5 million each to a pro-Trump PAC. Less than a year later, several partners at the firm have taken official or advisory positions in the White House, the firm has recruited a series of Republican officials (or icons) into the fold, and the sitting vice president is headlining their conference, pledging support to a room of entrepreneurs a16z has backed.

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Vances presence as the keynote speaker is a statement in and of itself. But so is what he had to say. Vance used strong language to proclaim that the Trump administration wants America to dominate artificial intelligencenot be afraid of it. He tried to address some of the rising tensions that exist between two groups of peoplethe populists, or laborers that make up Trumps long standing supporter base, and the newer Trump-supporting techno-optimists (in a nod to Andreessens 5,200-word essay published two years ago about how technology is the only perpetual form of growth).

Vance, who, youll recall, had a short stint as a venture capitalist, is positioning himself as someone who sits in both worlds and can bridge the gap. In other words, as the person who can unite the people building AI and the people who are deeply afraid of being replaced by it.

I think the populists, when they look at the future, and when they compare it to whats happened in the pastI think a lot of them see alienation of workers from their jobs, from their communities, from their sense of solidarity. You see the alienation of people from their sense of purpose, he said. And importantly, they see a leadership class that believes welfare can replace a job and an application on a phone can replace a sense of purpose.

Importantly, Vance highlighted some of the more bipartisan talking points in the startup world, tooemphasizing that the administration wants to slash regulations and reduce the cost of energy so that you can build, build, build. He spent a lot of time discussing the importance of bringing labor back to Americarather than relying on cheap labor abroad. Those comments echoed the speech he gave just last Friday in Bay City, Mich., where he discussed Americas industrial resurgence.

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Vance didnt mention the administrations crypto-friendly approach, which has been a huge win for a16z and its expansive portfolio of crypto startups. Technically, the conference was for its American Dynamism portfoliowhich is squarely focused on companies that either work with the government or are working on solving national problemsnot the firms crypto arm a16z crypto.

Still, Vances speech clearly resonated and excited many of the people present, according to Joe Cohen, an a16z-backed founder who attended the summit and runs the electric vehicle company Infinite Machine from New York. In a phone call with me after the event, he said it was inspiring to hear from the VP who is a technologist and is able to talk intelligently to technologists and entrepreneurs.

Two months in, Silicon Valley is hardly pledging its allegiance to Trump, even though the president has already made many tech allies and has several outspoken fans among them. In the Valley, there are plenty of people who are upset by Trump attacking DEI policies, his aggressive tactics against illegal immigration, and dislike of climate tech. Some tech-focused policy people in D.C. have told me they are confused about how to engage with the new administration.

Policywise, its still early and unclear exactly how the administration will approach its stated priorities. Cohen said that, while it was helpful to hear Vance lay out the administration's intentions, he would like to see incentives, rather than just tariffs, to encourage startups to manufacture in Americathings like tax credits, low-interest financing, or domestic product subsidies. There needs to be not just a stick, but also a carrot, he said.

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Vance was talking about the next four years in the room on Tuesday, but he may be trying to get the tech community on board with something more long-term, too. Not long after the summit, Vance was selected by the Republican National Committee to oversee its fundraising effort for next years midterm electionsthe first time this position has been given to a sitting U.S. vice president. This move has furthered speculation that he may decide to run for president himself a few years from now.

Worth pointing out...Yesterday afternoon, SoftBank Group said it would spend $6.5 billion to acquire the chip startup Ampere Computing from Carlyle and Oracle. As part of the deal, Amperewhich makes chips based on Arm technology (the semiconductor and software company SoftBank bought a decade ago)will become a subsidiary of SoftBank and drop its name. The deal is expected to close in the second half of this year.

A note from D.C....Its me, Jessica Mathews, who used to write this newsletter every day, filing todays newsletter from the U.S. capital. I have been spending a lot more time writing about the intersection of tech and policyabout the cultural shift in Silicon Valley, emerging flavors of lobbying tactics for startups under the Trump administration, efforts to dismantle the CFPB, and Sequoia cutting its policy team. Im monitoring things like the AI Action Plan and how defense spending cuts could influence the venture-backed shops. If you work in this space, or simply have a lot to say about it, feel free to reach out below! Id love to chat.

See you tomorrow,

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Jessica Mathews

X: @jessicakmathews

Email: jessica.mathews@fortune.com

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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
JD Vance has suggested those orchestrating attacks on Teslas are wealthy Left-wing people.

The vice-presidents comments come amid a wave of attacks on Elon Musks cars, including an incident in Las Vegas on Tuesday when vehicles were set alight with Molotov cocktails.

The vandalism has been decried as domestic terrorism by Donald Trump and those close to him.

Speaking on The Vince Show, Mr Vance said terrorism is not cheap and speculated that the continuing vandalism is coordinated.

Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal

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The focus should be on the guy at the top writing the checks, not on the foot soldiers trashing the cars, he added.

My guess is that if we do get to the bottom of this, were going to find out that there are some very crazy, very deranged, but very wealthy Left-wing people who are funding this stuff, he said.

Mr Musk, Teslas chief executive, shared videos of the carnage via X, and said he had been shocked by the hatred and violence from the Left.

Activists have staged Tesla takedown protests across the globe in opposition to his sweeping cuts to federal jobs and spending under his Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

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The agency has also cancelled a series of overseas humanitarian programmes, including the biggest HIV programme in the world in South Africa.

Hackers have also reportedly posted what it is claimed are the names, addresses and phone numbers of Tesla owners across the US on an online searchable map. Activists are pressuring owners to sell the vehicles. The web page associated with the map appeared to be down when visited by The Telegraph on Wednesday.

A burnt-out Tesla at a Tesla collision centre in Las Vegas where vandals spray painted the word resist - Steve Marcus

Speaking earlier in the week, Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the attacks on Tesla as domestic terrorism and said charges have been brought against several people, with some facing minimum five-year jail sentences.

Ms Bondi said: The swarm of violent attacks on Tesla property is nothing short of domestic terrorism.

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The department of justice has already charged several perpetrators with that in mind, including in cases that involve charges with five-year mandatory minimum sentences.

We will continue investigations that impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.

Mr Trump had already described the attacks against Tesla as domestic terrorism. He lent his support to first buddy Mr Musk by promising to buy one of the companys electric cars in front of the media at the White House last week.

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About 400 Jewish professors and students have written a joint letter condemning the cancellation of some $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University, a move the Trump administration says is in response to the schools handling of antisemitism.

We are Jewish faculty, scholars, and students at U.S. universities  representative of the community that this administration purports to be protecting from antisemitism on campuses. Let us be clear: These actions do not protect us, the letter reads.

The Trump administration has threatened there will be more such cuts in the future and said funds would not be restored unless the school takes certain actions reforming academic and disciplinary functions.

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While the group said Jewish scholars have diverse views on the situation in Gaza and Columbia Universitys administration, what unites us is that we refuse to let our Jewish identities be used as a pretext for destroying institutions that have long made America great, the letter says.

Together, we say: Not on our behalf. Harming U.S. Universities does not protect Jewish people. Cutting funding for research does not protect Jewish people. Punishing researchers and scholars does not protect Jewish people. These actions do, however, limit opportunities for students and scholars  within the Jewish community and beyond  to receive training, conduct research, and engage in free expression, the letter added.

The Trump administration said for it to even consider giving the funding back Columbia will have to take steps including enforcing existing disciplinary rules; centralizing disciplinary processes to the Office of the President; creating time, plan and manner rules for protesting and banning masks except for religious or health reasons.

Additional measures include creating a plan to hold student groups accountable; adopting a formal definition of antisemitism; empowering internal law enforcement; putting Middle East, South Asian and African Studies under academic receiverships; and creating a plan for admissions reform.

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Columbia has until Thursday to agree to the terms.

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TALLAHASSEE, Florida  Florida currently doesnt have a lieutenant governor. And the Republican-controlled Legislature, inspired by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency, appears serious about keeping it that way.

A proposal to eliminate the post  which is now vacant due to former Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez resigning to become president of Florida International University  is poised for consideration by the Florida House. Lawmakers advanced the legislation (HJR 1325) through its final House committee Thursday, while senators are moving similar legislation through their chamber.

The proposed constitutional amendment, which would go before voters in the 2026 election, would also create a new Cabinet position called the Commissioner of Government Efficiency, a title nicked from the ongoing effort in the federal government sparked by Musk.

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If successful, this would expand the size of the current elected Cabinet from three to four. Voters back in 1998 eliminated several elected Cabinet posts as part of an effort to streamline state government and concentrate more power in the hands of the governor.

In short, we are creating a watchdog position in state government, said state Rep. Tyler Sirois, a Merritt Island Republican and sponsor of the legislation.

The proposed amendment will only make the ballot if approved by a three-fifths vote in both the state House and Senate. It would then need support from 60 percent of voters to become law.

Florida did not have a lieutenant governor for a nearly hundred-year stretch in its history. The post was eliminated as part of the 1885 Constitution, but it was reinstated in the 1968 Constitution. This came after Gov. Daniel McCarty died in office in 1953, after which the state Senate president became acting governor until elections were held more than a year later.

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State Sen. Randy Fine, who is sponsoring the proposed amendment in that chamber, (SJR 1756), argued the post is unnecessary because the lieutenant governor has no set duties under state law. Florida's law of succession says the state's attorney general  a post currently held by DeSantis' former chief of staff James Uthmeier  would become governor if the lieutenant governor post is vacant.

The job of the lieutenant governor today  is literally to not die, that is the extent of the job, Fine said.

Some states elect the lieutenant governor separately. But in Florida, the person is selected as a running mate by the gubernatorial candidate after the primary election. Voters in 2026 will pick a successor to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will leave office due to term limits.

Fine acknowledged this week that, under the wording of the amendment, voters could pick a new lieutenant governor next year who would never assume office.

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DeSantis has already made it clear he is not in any hurry to pick a replacement for Nunez and said he did not plan to appoint someone to the job until after the legislative session ends in early May. Former Gov. Rick Scott left the lieutenant governor spot vacant for more than 300 days until he finally picked Carlos Lopez-Cantera several months ahead of his reelection campaign.

The legislative debate so far this session has centered far more on the creation of a new Cabinet position  which would be appointed by the Legislature for the first two years until a new person can be elected in 2028  as opposed to the elimination of the lieutenant governor position.

Democrats have pointed to tensions surrounding the Department of Governmental Efficiency at the federal level and questioned why it should be imported to Florida. State Rep. Anna Eskamani pointedly said Thursday that if there are inefficiencies in state government, its the fault of Republicans, who have controlled state government for nearly 30 years.

DOGE is a hot fire trash can mess, and its ruining peoples lives, asserted state Rep. Ashley Gantt, a Miami Democrat who also called the overall legislative proposal nuts.

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Those opposed to the bill also questioned part of the proposal that calls for removing the state auditor general and replacing it with the new Commissioner of Government Efficiency. Sirois deflected questions on whether the employees of the auditor general would report to this new commissioner, saying his bill was a framework and that implementation questions would be resolved by future legislation.

State Rep. Michael Caruso, a Delray Beach Republican, said it made no sense to him to eliminate a handful of jobs associated with the lieutenant governor and add a Cabinet-level position that will likely require more positions to fulfill all the associated duties.

The commissioner of government efficiency would be the least efficient member of the Cabinet, Caruso said.

But that point of view has not been shared by a majority of Republicans so far this session.

We are here to protect the taxpayers so we dont pass it on them because they are going to pay for all the crap that we do, said Rep. Mike Giallombardo, a Cape Coral Republican who contended that there has been overspending in state agencies, most of which report to the governor. Its time to rein it in. Its time to put it behind an independently elected official.
The vast majority of America's local election administrators would not encourage their children to do the same job, and a shrinking share of them say they would be proud to tell others about their work, Votebeat reports.

The findings come from a survey conducted every federal election year by the Elections & Voting Information Center, an academic research group. While it contains small bright spotselection administrators largely find the job personally rewarding, for examplethe number willing to encourage their children to follow in their footsteps has decreased by nearly half in the past two election cycles. In 2020, 41% said they would do so. In 2024, that number dropped to 22%.

The survey was fielded from early August to late October.

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The negative outlook on election work continues a trend researchers say they began observing in 2020, when increasing scrutiny, threats, and misinformation fanned by supporters of President Donald Trump began reshaping the profession. Public confidence in elections hit new highs after the November 2024 presidential electionwhich had a clear outcome despite narrow marginsbut election administrators are still pessimistic.

"There are still a lot of cracks in the system, and if things had been closer we would have seen a different reaction," said Paul Manson, EVIC research director and research assistant professor at Portland State University in Oregon. "Job satisfaction hasn't gone upunderneath the hood, the people who run elections are still nervous."

Many election administrators and experts believe the public's increased confidence in elections is fragile, and would look different if Trump had lost again, if the election had been closer, or if the results had been contested as they were in 2020. After a grueling few years, the survey found, the administrators remain on edge, a finding that could affect whether communities around the country can find qualified candidates for critical election administration positions.

Votebeat

Survey Finds a Mix of Pride and Frustration

Paul Gronke, EVIC director and professor of political science at Reed College, said the center began conducting the survey in 2018, hoping to learn more about the field and the people in it, rather than just about how Americans were casting ballots. Until that point, said Gronke, surveys treated "administrators as if they were just cogs in a system."

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In 2020, as the pandemic worsened and Trump intensified false rhetoric against election officials, the survey became a valuable window for political scientists and the media into how election administrators experienced that shift, said Gronke.

Gronke and Manson say they've uncovered a strikingly complex picture over the years.

While election administrators express confidence in their own abilities and say they personally enjoy the work, they struggle to leave their problems at the office.

"While many of us in election administration view our jobs as incredibly important, and we value the choices we have made in our lives, we look at the wasteland that is our lives and we think, 'We wouldn't want this for our kids,' because election administration is so hard," Judd Choate, Colorado's election director, told Votebeat.

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Choatewho teaches in the election administration program at the University of Minnesota and has helped craft questions for the survey over the yearssaid his own 17-year-old daughter has become more interested in elections, but still has no interest in doing the same job.

"I'm perfectly fine with that," he said. "Please, become a doctor. Become a lawyer. Be a mathematician. Don't do this. One hundred percent, that is the way I view this job."

Training Sessions Feel 'Like Group Therapy'

Melissa Kono is the part-time clerk for Burnside, a 500-person town in western Wisconsin. There, clerks are elected members of the town board. It's a part time job, paying only $6,000 a year. Kono is also a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she teaches courses on community resource development.

For her, the combination makes senseher professorship pays the bills, and the two jobs align nicely. As part of her work for the university, she travels around the state training other election administrators. But she understands that for many others, the bad is starting to outweigh the good.

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"The pandemic and the volume of absentee ballot requests coupled with unnecessary criticism is what has led to this fatiguejust saying, 'I'm done with this,'" she told Votebeat. "People who I never thought would give up have left their positions because of the pressure and criticism and dealing with irrational people."

All of the anxiety and pressure have led some of her training sessions to feel "like group therapy," she said.

The survey also shows that election officials in small counties and large counties have very different experiences. In less-populated areas, officials are far more likely to focus on elections for only a small part of the year, while large cities and counties typically have full-time staff dedicated only to elections. Rural areas also have less of a problem recruiting poll workers.

Perhaps the most striking difference is the impact of the spread of false information. Only about 20% of administrators in jurisdictions of under 5,000 voters reported that misinformation was a serious problem. In jurisdictions of more than 100,000 voters, nearly half report that it is.

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Kono said that because Burnside, Wisconsin, has so few voters, they are provided "white glove" service. She can interact individually with anyone who is experiencing a problemwhether that's cynicism over election integrity or a missing absentee ballot.

"In a rural area, we have the advantage of knowing our neighbors," she said.

By contrast, Heider Garcia in Dallas County, Texas, oversees voting for more than 1.4 million people. He is paid well for his job, which focuses entirely on voting and elections. His ability to pay his full-time staff a livable wage also makes it easier for him to attract candidates from other fields, which medium and small jurisdictions struggle to do.

Votebeat

Finding the Right People for Election Work Is Difficult

Still, across the board, election administrators say that hiring qualified, full time staff is difficult. As Gronke and Manson have done follow-up interviews with some of the respondents, they learned that low pay, high stress, and intense scrutiny were the barriers.

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"We had one election official say they couldn't compete with In-N-Out Burger on pay," said Manson. "Administrators want to communicate that this is a long term job with good benefits, but so are other county jobs. And they do not come with as much scrutiny or criticism."

Critically, more than 40% of election administrators say that job applicants have little to no experience in elections, and more than a quarter say that applicants lack the practical skills to do the work. That isn't surprising in such a niche sector.

"Nobody goes to election school. Nobody says, when they are in high school, 'Oh, when I graduate, I want to go here and study to be an election administrator,'" he said. "It's more about having the right skills, and then the job comes up."

Garcia said that people with experience in event planning or who have run a business tend to have transferable skills. In his previous job, in neighboring Tarrant County, his deputy elections administrator was a former Marine.

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"You can learn the business if you have the right skills," he said. The problem, though, is that the number of necessary skills continues to expand. "We joke. Like, you have to be a lawyer, an IT person, a spokesperson, a negotiator, and an event planner."

In recent years, the availability of training has improved. The University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Policywhere Choate teachesoffers a certificate in election administration, for example. Choate hopes the industry will start proactively reaching out to more people to attract them to these programs and to the field itself.

Choate said the EVIC report (and others like it) "demonstrate the need for an aggressive program to create education opportunities for young people, people in college and people trying to get into a second career  that set them up for success in the world of election administration."

Votebeat

Why Medium-Size Jurisdictions Struggle

Manson said one thing that stands out to him every year is the struggle medium-size counties experience. "Small counties don't have that many ballots, and large counties have far more resources," said Manson. They can usually muscle through, he said.

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But for the medium-size, often suburban counties, "it's like reverse Goldilocks," he said. Demands are growing as population grows, but resources aren't necessarily coming in as fast: The buildings are frequently too small, and there is almost never enough staff.

A few markers have been consistent since EVIC began the survey in 2018. Most notably, the demographics of full time staff. Eighty-eight percent say that they are white, far higher than in the population at large. This number is consistent across jurisdiction size. Just under 85% of respondents to the survey were women (though this number is significantly smallerjust under 50%for larger jurisdictions).

Gronke and Manson say the job of clerk has historically been popular among women, because it used to be a quiet job that allowed you to balance the demands of family and work. The nature of the work is also viewed through a gendered lens. Kono said she and other clerks are often treated "just as the secretary, or just the person who takes the minutes."

"Yeah, I wish I just took the minutes," she said. "That is the easiest part of the job."

This story was produced by Votebeat and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Chief Justice John Roberts should try playing the lottery. In his end-of-the-year report on the federal judiciary in December, he warned of threats to judicial independence and listed defiance of court orders among them. Less than three months later, that once-unthinkable threat has already become a reality.

Last weekend, the Trump administration flew groups of Venezuelan nationalswho it claimed had ties with an organized crime groupto a prison in El Salvador without normal deportation proceedings, where they have been ordered to work without pay. After a hasty filing by the ACLU and a hearing, Judge James Boasberg ordered the administration on Saturday to stop further flights and to turn around the ones in the air. The White House refused and has submitted a series of increasingly passive-aggressive court filings to justify its defiance.

The incident has led to calls for impeachmentnot of Trump for defying a federal court order but of Boasberg for having the temerity to give orders to the Trump administration. Trump himself declared that Boasberg should be impeached, and some Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill have taken steps to make that happen. He is one of multiple federal judges that MAGA-allied lawmakers have targeted in recent weeks.

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Some reporters made a standard request for comment from the Supreme Court. In an unusual break with the norm, Roberts actually responded. For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, he said in a statement. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

How best can those two sentences be read? One way would be to read them as a rebuke of Trump himself and a defense of the federal courts, delivered from the federal judiciarys de facto leader. This is the easiest conclusion for observers to reach because Roberts has actually done it before.

In 2018, Trump raged against lower court judges who issued rulings and injunctions against his policies. One of his targets was a federal judge in California who had blocked one of his asylum-related policies on the southern border. After the Associated Press requested comment, Roberts made the extraordinary move of responding to the presidents criticisms. He took particular issue with Trumps description of the judges as Obama judges.

We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges, Roberts said in a statement to the AP at the time. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. The independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.

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Trump disagreed in a series of Twitter posts that, by the presidents standards, reads almost like a polite rebuttal. Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have Obama judges, and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country, he wrote. It would be great if the [Ninth] Circuit [Court of Appeals] was indeed an independent judiciary, but if it is, why are so many opposing view (on Border and Safety) cases filed there, and why are a vast number of those cases overturned. Please study the numbers, they are shocking. We need protection and securitythese rulings are making our country unsafe! Very dangerous and unwise!

The exchange, such as it was, only underscored the problem. Roberts almost certainly meant an independent judiciary in the traditional sense that it stands apart from the other two branches of government, including the presidents who appointed the various judges. Trump apparently thought that Roberts meant independent in a partisan sense, meaning that it is neither Democratic nor Republican, which he tried to refute by pointing to the opposing view cases filed there.

In reality, Trump does not believe in an independent judiciary that fairly and neutrally adjudicates the legal cases and controversies that come before it. His rubric for interpreting judicial decisions is much simpler than that. Judges who rule against him are biased and corrupt. Judges who rule in his favor are paragons of the American legal profession. Look no further than how the president described Judge Aileen Cannon, the controversial Trump appointee who hamstrung his classified documents prosecution with a series of flawed rulings last year.

They were saying she was slow, she wasnt smart, she was totally biased, she loved Trump, Trump told the assembled personnel in remarks at the Justice Department headquarters last week. I didnt know her other than I saw her the couple of days that I was in court, and I thought her decorum was amazing. Actually, she was brilliant, she moved quickly. She was the absolute model of what a judge should be, and she was strong and tough.

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Roberts is all too familiar with Trumps personalized approach to the judiciary. Another way to read the chief justices statement would be as a move to reassert his own independence after a recent public blow to it. It has only been about a fortnight since cameras and microphones at Trumps speech on Capitol Hill captured the presidents brief exchange with Roberts as Trump left the House floor. Thank you again, I wont forget it, Trump told him as they shook hands. He then appreciatively slapped Roberts on the back as he walked away.

The presidents gratitude almost certainly came from the twin decisions that Roberts engineered last year. First, the chief justice voted with the majority in Trump v. Anderson to gut the Fourteenth Amendments disqualification clause so that Trump could run for a second term despite his leading role in the January 6 insurrection. A few months later, in Trump v. United States, Roberts wrote a majority opinion that granted Trumps anti-constitutional demand for presidential immunity, halting most of the criminal prosecutions against him.

It does not really matter for the purposes of this analysis why Roberts orchestrated those rulings. Maybe hes a huge fan of Trump and wanted him to win the 2024 election. Maybe he just thought Democrats were being mean and unfair to the former president. Maybe he genuinely believes that the Framers at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 thought not only that presidents could commit crimes whenever they want but also that it was so obvious that they didnt need to bother with actually writing it down anywhere.

Trump, thinking once again in personalized terms, apparently saw the rulings as a very nice thing that Roberts did for him. He responded accordingly with his gratitude. Whatever Robertss actual state of mind was when writing those rulings, however, this sort of grubby backslapping is the last thing that he would want to actually convey to the public. As Ive noted before, the chief justice is extremely scrupulous about protecting his own public image and the public image of the Supreme Court itself.

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There is a third way to read Robertss statement that is slightly more unsettling. Unlike his 2018 statement on Obama judges, Roberts made no appeal to higher values or constitutional principles. His approach here was purely mechanical. The best way to address the perceived problem from Trumpworld was not impeachment, he argued, but by appealing through the courts.

The Supreme Court has only ruled on one Trump-related matter since the inauguration, when it voted 54 to force the State Department to honor $2 billion in payments for USAID contractors for work already done. Though the White House technically lost that case, the bigger takeaway is that there were four justices who bought the administrations narrative and legal reasoning hook, line, and sinker.

Indeed, there is good reason to believe that the Supreme Court may eventually side with the Trump administration on some of its actions. Roberts and his conservative colleagues have worked hard over the last few years to weaken key pillars of the administrative state, the term sometimes used to describe federal regulatory agencies. Their rulings on the presidents ability to fire heads of independent agencies, for example, formed the legal nucleus for many of Trumps recent purges.

Impeachment is also not really a serious threat to any federal judge. Even if there are enough votes to pass articles of impeachment against one in the House of Representatives, there are only 53 Republicans in the Senate. An additional 14 Democrats votes would be needed to remove a targeted judge from office, and it is doubtful that many would be up for grabs. Trumpworld figures like Elon Musk can fulminate about the dangers of a judicial coup and the supposed will of the people all they want: The math just isnt there.

It would go too far to say that Roberts is actively signaling to Trump that the high court will overturn or curb some of the lower court orders that are vexing him. The chief justice is not so blunt when he acts in this capacity. But it would also be a mistake to read Robertss statement as either a rebuke of Trumps actions or a defense of the lower courts rulings. He is merely suggesting that a more appropriate response would be to run things by Roberts and his co-workers first. I doubt Trump would be disappointed with the result.
OLATHE, Kan.  Educators across Johnson County are speaking out, voicing their disapproval for legislation that could threaten funding for special education in Kansas.

As it stands, many Kansas school districts dont have a designated budget for special ed, which forces them to take money from other pots to fund those programs.

Kansas man posing as Walmart security charged for kidnapping, rape

School district leaders in three large Johnson County communities  Olathe, Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley  lead a combined 80,000 students. Leaders with those three school systems say the debate over special education funding in Kansas has gone far enough.

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Last year, it appeared this debate was settled, but now, a new piece of Kansas legislation is cause for mutual concern.

Dr. Brent Yeager, Olathe Public Schools superintendent, speaks for all three school districts. On Tuesday, he explained that from 2024 to the present, educators have moved a combined $100 million from the state education general fund to coffers to fuel special education.

It would impact all of Kansas, Yeager said.

Johnson Countys three largest school districts are going on the offense, working to influence members of the Kansas State Legislature to ensure and increase funding for special education.

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Theyre concerned that Kansas House Bill 2007, which is rooted in appropriations, may end a long debate over this issue, and drop funding for special ed altogether.

Yeager said state budgets havent kept up with the growing need for school districts. Last year, Kansas legislators increased statewide budgets for special education by $72 million, $9 million of which came to Olathe. However, Yeager said that still leaves districts like this one, where 20% of students are involved in some form of special education, with a big shortfall, leaving them to take money from other programs.

The reality is its our obligation to do whats right for all our students. Thats why we continue to have these conversations each and every day. At the end of the day, its all about them, Yeager said.

Rep. Troy Waymaster (R-Bunker Hill) sponsored the original bill, which is now onto its second version.

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FOX4 reached out to his Topeka office on Tuesday. No one answered questions concerning this matter, but one of Waymasters staff members commented that the office has received a high number of calls regarding HB 2007.

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The American Federation of Teachers is the labor union representing teachers in Kansas public schools. On Tuesday, AFT-Kansas president Ron Hobert told FOX4, Im disappointed elected legislators are ignoring that we need to put money into special ed.

The second version of Waymasters bill is currently with the Kansas Senate Ways and Means Committee.

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JOHNSTON, R.I. (WPRI)  A chain-link fence with a no trespassing sign has gone back up on George Waterman Road in Johnston after the property owners regained control of the lot.

The land was slated for affordable housing, but the town is looking to take the property by eminent domain to make it into a new public safety complex.

Ralph Santoro said his family has owned the property for decades, but the town tried to take it.

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We found out that this project was going to be taken from us by eminent domain last Friday, Santoro said at a news conference Wednesday. It was like being physically assaulted. It felt like someone had punched me in my gut.

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena Jr. said he has been working to build a new public safety complex for some time now, since the towns buildings are falling into disrepair.

I knew this was an issue and its only going to get worse, he said. These buildings are only going to get older. So I have emails going back to March 2023.

But the swift action of the town comes after residents spoke out against the proposed affordable housing project for the property.

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Attorneys representing Santoro said they were told to remove the fence last week, as the town attempted to take the property by eminent domain.

But this week, a federal judge in Providence granted Santoro a temporary restraining order, returning the property to the owners.

Kady Valois, an attorney from the Pacific Legal Foundation, which is representing the Santoro family, is calling the judges decision a victory.

This will prevent the town from taking action against our clients and the property until we are able to litigate the merits of the case, she explained. The town has no intention of building a municipal complex. It simply wants to stop affordable housing.

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BACKGROUND: Johnston mayor blocks housing project in favor of new public safety complex

Attorneys representing Santoro said they plan to file a preliminary injunction to protect the property from being taken by eminent domain for the rest of the case.

Polisena said the town plans to present its case for taking the property at the next court appearance on April 2.

In the meantime, he said the property will remain untouched.

The longer this goes on in court, the longer the affordable housing doesnt get built. Thats secondary to me, Polisena said. But my primary goal is the municipal complex. Weve got an RFQ  Im moving ahead as planned and Im very confident in our legal argument.

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Developer Ralph Santoro, left, speaks to the media at the 31-acre site in Johnston his family co-owns with Salvatore Compagnone Jr., right, on March 19, 2025. The town is trying to seize the land to build a new public safety complex and town hall. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Like a punch to the gut.

Thats how one of the owners of 31 acres of undeveloped land in Johnston said he felt after his family learned via a social media post on March 14 that the property now belonged to the town.

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It was like we were physically assaulted, developer Ralph Santoro said at a press conference on the property off George Waterman Road Wednesday morning. Its something I hope never happens to anyone else.

Its the first time the family has spoken out since the town announced on Jan. 27 it was going to seize the land.

Johnston Mayor Joseph Polisena, Jr. announced on Facebook Friday that the town had formally acquired the George Waterman Road property as it moves forward with plans to build a new public safety complex and town hall.

But the towns ownership didnt last long. On Tuesday, Superior Court Judge Christopher Smith ordered the town to change the land records back to the family-owned homebuilder corporations of Santoro and Salvatore Compagnone  whose families have owned the land since the 1980s, they say.

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That same afternoon, the U.S. District Court for Rhode Island accepted a motion for a temporary retraining order to prevent the town from taking further action until the Santoros legal team receives a hearing for a preliminary injunction.

Yesterday, the court set things right, Kady Valois, an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, told reporters. Our clients, the Santoro family, have a right to their property  at least until they have their day in court.

The California-based libertarian-leaning nonprofit is representing the Santoro family in its federal lawsuit against the town, arguing that the land seizure is merely a pretext to halt the lands owners from building a 252-unit income-restricted apartment complex.

Polisena called the Superior Courts ruling a means to preserve the status quo as the legal process continues.

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We remain committed to advocating for the best interests of the current residents of Johnston, he said in a statement Wednesday. I have no intention of succumbing to these developers or their elitist, California-based legal organization.

The mayor said his mission remains to provide the towns first responders with a state-of-the-art public safety complex. But attorneys for the Santoro family argue that Polisenas push for a public safety complex only came after he made multiple public declarations that he would use all the governmental power he had to halt the planned apartment complex.

Never was a municipal complex mentioned until Jan. 28, said Providence attorney Kelley Morris Salvatore, referring to the meeting where Johnstons Town Council authorized the use of eminent domain. We had literally never been notified.

Andolfo Appraisal Associates, Inc., of Providence determined the 31 acres of land off George Waterman Road in Johnston to be valued at $775,000. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current)

Bill seeks to make land seizures more transparent

Democratic lawmakers are now looking to make it harder for Rhode Island municipalities to seize private property behind closed doors.

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A bill introduced Wednesday by Rep. Enrique Sanchez, a Providence Democrat, would require municipalities who seek to use eminent domain to include a public plan outlining the projects purpose and community benefits before moving forward.

All our municipalities need to work together to solve our housing crisis, not throw up barriers and declare that these issues are somebody elses problem, Sanchez said in a statement. Eminent domain can be a tool to address our problems, but it should be used in a transparent manner that incorporates community input.

The bill was referred to the House State Government & Elections.

The town received the title after filing a petition in Providence Superior Court and depositing $775,000 to the court. That valuation was based on an appraisal by Andolfo Appraisal Associates, Inc., of Providence, which found that only roughly 14 acres were buildable due to an on-site pond and nearby wetlands.

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Santoro and Compagnone declined to comment on the towns price tag for their land.

Under Rhode Island General Law, eminent domain can be used to remove hazardous buildings, revitalize abandoned lots, and clarify land ownership. Municipalities typically reserve this legal tool for road projects.

Eminent domain is an awesome power and it must be used carefully, Valois said. Its considered a last resort for a reason, but here the town has weaponized that power not to help the public, (but) to prevent a use it doesnt like.

Santoro and Compagnone intended to take advantage of the states Low and Moderate Income Housing law, which limits the ability of municipalities to block projects if less than 10% of their residences qualify as affordable. About 7.9% of Johnstons housing units are considered affordable, according to the 2024 HousingWorksRI factbook

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Preliminary plans for Waterman Chenangos proposed development showed five rectangular apartment buildings arranged at the end of a road off George Waterman Road and around connected parking lots. Rents for the apartments would range between $1,850 to $2,100, Santoro told reporters.

The statewide average for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,887 a month, according to a 2023 HousingWorksRI Rental Survey.

Compagone called the project the ultimate dream for his father, who died in January 2024 at the age of 95.

Thats what he wanted, and our dream is to build a complex here that we can give to the people, he said.

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But Polisena has made it clear he does not want high-density apartments in his town.

We will continue to promote owner-occupied, single-family home construction, he said Wednesday. This is about prioritizing the future of Johnston and its current taxpayers  not about some rich developers making a major profit.

Santoro and Compagnone laughed at that notion.

We work with blood, sweat and tears every day, Santoro said. We know our tenants, we manage our buildings, and were on site all the time.

The two told reporters that they have had issues with trying to build in Johnston in the past, proposing a 60-unit complex on the same parcel two decades ago only to be rejected by the town, which they said was never explained.

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Despite the towns history of halting their planned apartments, Santoro said they will not give up on building in Johnston.

If we give up, everyone else is going to give up, arent they? he said. Thats not the American way, you fight hard.

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House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is planning hearings on judges who block Trump administration actions and eyeing legislation to place limits on judicial power as calls to impeach those judges ramp up.

Those actions, Jordan suggested in a CNN interview on Wednesday, could be another legislative remedy to address the matter.

Impeachments that President Trump, Elon Musk, and GOP lawmakers are calling for have virtually no chance of removing any of the judges. Even if the razor-thin House majority impeached a judge, it would take support from at least 14 Democrats to convict in the Senate.

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But Jordan is not completely ruling out impeachment, a process that has traditionally moved through the House Judiciary Committee.

Everything is on the table. Were considering all options. Thats why we passed legislation, Jordan said. There may be a legislative  another legislative remedy we want to look at.

Trump called for District Court Judge James Boasbergs impeachment this week, as the administration argues that his ruling blocking the president from invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to swiftly deport Venezuelan migrants was not lawful.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) introduced a resolution to impeach Boasberg this week. And several other Republicans have introduced impeachment resolutions against other judges who blocked other Trump administration actions.

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Jordan said he plans to have hearings over the next several weeks, bringing in outside experts.

And he pointed to a bill, the No Rogue Rulings Act, that would place limitations on district court judges issuing orders providing injunctive relief decisions that affect the entire country outside their districts. That bill advanced out of the Judiciary Committee after a markup earlier this month.

Jordan said on CNN that nationwide injunctions have been far more common under Trump than under Biden.

Its why two weeks ago, the Judiciary Committee, we passed legislation which said when a federal district judge in Timbuktu, Calif., issues an injunction, it should only apply to the parties of the case in that respective jurisdiction not apply nationwide, Jordan said. We passed it through the committee. Well try to look to pass it on the House floor and move it through the process.

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Jordan said he has not talked to Trump about Boasberg, but that he expected to see the president later in the week.

Asked if he thought Trumps call for impeachment was personal, Jordan said: I dont know.

I think its probably because President Trump is doing exactly what he told the voters he was going to do, and you got a judge who says, turn the plane around, bring the bad guys back to America. Maybe the dumbest thing Ive ever heard, Jordan said.

And frankly, when the American people hear this, theyre like, what is this judge doing? The president runs the executive branch. Hes the one who put his name on a ballot, got elected. Hes entitled to make these kind of decisions and not have some judge jump into the executive branch function and say that he cant do it, Jordan added.

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Detective Joseph Mensah (right) testifies before the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety earlier this year. (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

The third day of the federal civil trial into the death of 17-year-old Alvin Cole featured testimony from Joseph Mensah, the officer who fatally shot Cole in 2020. Now a detective for the Waukesha County Sheriffs Department, Mensah was an officer in the Wauwatosa Police Department for five years, during which time he killed Cole after a foot pursuit.

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

Mensah testified about the shooting on Feb 2, 2020, at the Mayfair Mall, where he responded to a call about a disturbance involving a gun. Mensah visited the mall twice, leaving the area he was assigned to patrol to investigate the disturbance and then returning a second time when he heard on his radio that there was a foot chase underway. He arrived both times in an unmarked squad car and did not announce his presence on the police radio, something his colleagues described as a best practice but which he testified was unnecessary.

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Mensah disagreed with the testimony of Wauwatosa officer David Shamsi, who testified that he was closest to Cole when he was shot, and that Cole was on the ground and had not moved when Mensah fired. Mensah said Shamsi was mistaken. The contradictory statements between Shamsi, Mensah (who claimed Cole turned to aim a gun at Mensah, either over or under his own shoulder) and other officers on scene including Evan Olson (who said Cole pointed the gun in a completely different direction from Mensah) created the issue that opened the door to this weeks jury trial in Milwaukees federal courthouse.

While Shamsi holds the rank of major in the U.S. military and is now an FBI agent, Mensah asserted that he was a new officer at the time of the shooting. Mensah said that since he had five years of experience at Wauwatosa and was SWAT trained, he had more extensive and relevant tactical knowledge and experience than Shamsi. In his deposition, referenced on the stand, Mensah said that besides Olson, none of the officers on scene during the Cole shooting  including Shamsi  had the level of training and experience that he had. Shamsis military combat experience doesnt mean anything, he testified, especially in a situation like this.

On the stand, Mensah described how he arrived at the Mayfair Mall on Feb. 2, 2020, and helped officers and mall security chase the fleeing teenagers. As they ran, a single gunshot went off  later determined to be fired by Cole and resulting in a self-inflicted gunshot wound which broke bones in Coles arm. When Mensah heard the shot, he pulled out his own weapon. Mensah said at that point he couldnt recall how far he was from Cole, despite having replayed the shooting in his head repeatedly and viewed video and other reports from the shooting over the last five years. Mensah said that when the first shot went off, he didnt see a muzzle or knew who fired. Cole fell to the ground and then 10 seconds later Mensah fired five shots. Later, he said Cole had pointed his gun in Mensahs direction.

Mensah said that the entire situation was very fluid and quick, and repeatedly said I dont remember or I dont recall throughout questioning from the Cole familys attorneys. Attorney Nate Cade referred to Mensahs deposition testimony in 2023, in which he said he saw Cole fall to his hands and knees, and then crawl a short distance towards a concrete construction barrier in the Cheesecake Factory restaurant parking lot. Mensah said on the stand that although Cole turned towards him, he didnt know if would use the term tucked to describe his posture, as his colleague officer Olson did in testimony Tuesday. When asked if Cole reached under or over his shoulder, as he had previously testified, on the stand Mensah said, I dont recall.

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Mensah testified that he only vaguely recalls his interview with detectives who investigated Coles shooting as part of the Milwaukee Area Investigative Team (MAIT). During his deposition, Mensah said that he saw a flash of light as he chased Cole, which he acknowledged could have been flashlights from officers and mall security. During his initial interview with detectives after the shooting in 2020, Mensah said he had not seen any muzzle flash, and on the stand Wednesday he said he couldnt account for what MAIT detectives did or did not put in their report. Mensah said that once Cole was on the ground, he paused to assess his surroundings before he fired. When he saw a gun in Coles hand and felt it was being pointed at him, Mensah said he began to prepare his body to be shot, acquired his target, which was Cole, and then fired.

While questioning Mensah, Cade noted that several things that Mensah said he yelled to officers such as the gun is out  meaning he sees a firearm  are not in the police investigative report, nor does MAITs report mention that Mensah yelled drop the gun at Cole, as Mensah said he had done. Mensah said that the situation was incredibly traumatic to him and that when it comes to what he does and does not remember, the brain works in mysterious ways.

Video and audio from Olsons squad car captured after the shooting, played during the trial, captured someone yelling curse words, and then saying, I cant believe I just shot somebody. Mensah said he could hear the curse words and acknowledged that it was him, but said that he couldnt understand the words after that. Still, he argued that the recording did not show him saying what attorneys claimed, and that it was random radio chatter from other people. Cade argued that if it was Mensah saying those words, that suggests that he did not intend to shoot Cole, which he said showed that it was an instance of excessive use of force. The Cole familys lawyers also highlighted Mensahs statement after the shooting that I was overwhelmed with emotions, suggesting it showed that he had lost control. Mensah said some of his microphone equipment may have been malfunctioning, distorting the record of what he said at the time, but acknowledged that he was amped up.

Cole family attorneys also brought up that Olson and Mensah had not separated themselves that night, which is required by MAIT protocols and is done to avoid contamination of statements. Mensah denied that he and Olson actually discussed anything about the shooting, and both officers said on the stand that they were friends then and remain friends today outside of work. When attorney Jasmyne Baynard, representing Mensah, questioned the officer, he said he grew up in the Wauwatosa area, and that he became an officer after seeing a friend get in trouble, and that he wanted to help people truly in need. He graduated from the police academy in 2012, and was hired by Wauwatosa in 2015, though hed been an unarmed reserve officer since 2009.

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Answering questions about his actions on the night of Feb 2, 2020, Mensah said that police officers are not required to stay in their patrol sector, and that he went back to the mall after the foot pursuit was called out, because such pursuits can be unpredictable and dangerous. When he approached Cole on the ground, Mensah said he didnt know the teen was hurt or that hed shot himself.

Mensah said that Cole didnt do a drastic turn around to aim his gun, and that the motion he saw was over the shoulder, which contradicted his prior testimony. Mensah said that he couldnt second-guess himself in the heat of the moment. I dont get that luxury in the fraction of a fraction of a second, he said.

Im not focusing on the gun anymore, Mensah said, describing the moment as he prepared to fire. Instead, he said, he was focused on stopping a threat, and that he kept firing his weapon until he felt the threat was stopped. Mensah said he did not see a gun pointed at Olson, which Olson told MAIT in 2020 and testified to during the trial. During questioning, Mensah became emotional, and said, I didnt want to do it.

On the stand, Mensah was asked whether he felt either Shamsi (who didnt see the gun or Cole move at all and was closest to Cole) or Olson (who was further away and said the gun was pointed at him, which would mean away from Mensah) were liars. Mensah said that he believes Shamsi was mistaken and then suggested the same about his friend Olson. Mensah said that he does not believe that he could have been wrong when he killed Cole.

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Once Mensahs testimony concluded, Milwaukee police detective Lori Rom was called to the stand. Rom was one of the MAIT investigators initially assigned to interview officers involved in Coles death. Rom said that her department typically does not record officer interviews after shootings, and that had Mensah told them things like calling out that he saw the gun, or if he saw a muzzle flash, that it would have been documented as important information. Attorney Joseph Wirth, representing Mensah, noted that MAIT statements are not court statements made under oath.

Tracy Cole, Alvins mother, was expected to testify, but this was not allowed after a chamber conversation between the judge and attorneys. Mensahs defense attorneys called Sarah Hopkins, a civilian witness to the shooting to the stand next. Hopkins said she was outside the Cheesecake Factory when she saw the chase and shooting. Hopkins said she never saw Cole surrender or throw his hands up, but instead that he stopped running and turned towards officers in a shooters stance she recognized from taking concealed carry classes  something none of the other witnesses, including Mensah, said had happened. Shed initially claimed to be about 40 feet from the shooting, but later questioning determined that it had to have been at least 200 feet. Cole family attorney Cade highlighted that were now in day three of trial without anyone else having claimed to have seen what Hopkins said she saw.

A mall security guard was also called to the stand, who helped chase after Cole and his friends. The guard said he heard a shot, saw a flash of light, and dropped to the ground. Like other witnesses, the guard said that Cole was on his hands and knees at one point, but that when he heard the first shot he got down to the ground for safety. The guard said he never saw Cole point a gun at anyone. Defense attorneys called former Green Bay police officer and Waukesha Area Technical College instructor Mike Knetzger, a certified instructor in defense and arrest tactics. Defense attorneys questioned Knetzger about use of force, noting that officers dont need to go through each level of force before deadly force, especially if a situation happens quickly. Knetzger said that special circumstances such as the suspects behavior, could escalate the use of force. He later acknowledged, however, that shooting someone facing away from an officer without a gun pointed in their direction may not be an appropriate use of force. Knetzger said that use of force has to be considered from the perspective of a hypothetical reasonable officer and not specifically from the perspective of Mensah, who was the only officer on scene to fire his weapon at Cole.

Closing arguments are expected on Thursday, after which the jury will begin deliberations.

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This is one time the National Weather Service won't say what's happening or what's coming.

In the wake of drastic workforce reductions across the weather forecasting service's parent agency  the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  it's unknown whether or how NWS services like basic forecasts and warnings of severe and potentially deadly weather will be affected. It's also unknown how many people were lost at the agency across Montana or at specific offices in the state, or what effects that could have.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, contains agencies like NWS, the National Hurricane Center, the Tsunami Warning Center, the Weather Prediction Center and a suite of fisheries, climate, atmospheric and oceanic science and modeling offices. It is responsible for many of the weather forecast models that underpin both public and private, commercial weather forecasting services in the U.S. and abroad.

Since late February, the administration of President Donald Trump has slashed nearly 20% of NOAA's workforce through mass firings and deferred resignation offers, in which workers leave immediately but are paid for a few more months.

But weeks later, little else is known.

How many people were lost specifically at NOAA and each sub-agency? How many people were lost in each state from those agencies? What jobs did those people do?

And how will that impact services like forecasting weather; identifying and understanding productive commercial fisheries; better understanding climate change and drought; or providing alerts of dangerous conditions like floods, tornadoes, avalanches, blizzards, wildfire conditions, hurricanes, cold-snaps, ice storms or heat waves?

Over nearly three weeks, the Missoulian was unable to obtain any information about how many people were fired or resigned from any of the NOAA facilities in Montana, such as the Missoula Forecast Office. No one at any level of government whom the Missoulian contacted would discuss the topic.

NWS operates four weather forecast offices in the state: Missoula, Great Falls, Glasgow and Billings.

Statewide, NOAA operates an array of radar facilities, radio transmissions of hazards, weather monitoring stations and meteorologists available to deploy to critical incidents, such as wildfires.

NOAA operates four U.S. Climate Reference Network facilities in the state: Dillon, Lewistown, St. Mary and Wolf Point. Those facilities monitor and track climatological data and compare it with historical norms and trends to understand in what ways climate is changing or remaining within historical norms.

NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research operates an ultraviolet and surface radiation monitoring facility at Fort Peck.

NOAA's Office of Education offers an environmental literacy program at the University of Montana in Missoula.

In an email Wednesday morning, Dan Zumpfe, the acting meteorologist-in-charge at the Missoula Forecast Office, referred inquires to NOAA's national press office. Zumpfe's email was in response to a request for information on how many people were cut from the Missoula office and what jobs those people performed. He wrote that he was "unable to provide information for this type of inquiry."

Contact us Are you a current or former employee of NOAA or one of its sub-agencies like the National Weather Service? We'd like to hear from you. Contact the Missoulian and newsdesk@missoulian.com.

In response to questions about how many people had left NOAA in Montana, Susan Buchanan, NOAA's national press officer for weather, stated in a March 4 email that the agency would not discuss what she characterized as "internal personnel and management matters."

The Missoulian clarified that the request was not seeking personal information about specific employees, but rather general information about staffing reductions. Buchanan replied that she had no more information to add.

Instead of answering any questions from the Missoulian, she wrote: "NOAA remains dedicated to its mission, providing timely information, research, and resources that serve the American public and ensure our nations environmental and economic resilience. We continue to provide weather information, forecasts and warnings pursuant to our public safety mission."

She did not explain how the agency would do that with nearly 20% fewer workers.

Reached individually by the Missoulian both inside and outside of their workplaces, multiple NWS employees in Montana who remain at the agency all declined to discuss the staff reduction. Even when offered anonymity to discuss the topic, none of them would offer any information. One employee described a "culture of fear" that had taken root in the agency and left employees uncomfortable speaking to the news media, even anonymously.

A former meteorologist-in-charge told the Missoulian he left before the staff cuts took place and did not have information about them.

The National Weather Service Employees Organization, which states on its website that it's a union representing NWS workers, did not respond to a voicemail seeking information on staff reductions. The organization has no social media presence and, as of Wednesday, had not posted a news update to its website since late December, before Trump took office.

A broadcast meteorologist for a major-network TV news station in Missoula originally agreed to an interview with the Missoulian to discuss how TV meteorologists rely heavily on forecasts and data from NWS, and how cuts to the agency could inhibit their ability to offer weather forecasts to viewers.

However, after consulting with their general manager, the meteorologist backed out of the interview.

The Missoulian itself relies extensively on information from NOAA and NWS for news stories on dangerously hot, cold or windy weather, dangerous wildfire conditions, flooding, avalanche danger, significant winter storms, and historical weather and climate information.

Nearly 20% of NOAA cut in recent weeks

What's known is this: Including all sub-agencies, NOAA employed about 12,000 people before the recent cuts. On Feb. 27, about 800 employees in probationary periods were fired. The next day, some 500 more employees accepted deferred resignation offers. Another 1,029 employees were fired in mid-March.

In all, NOAA lost about 19.4% of its workforce in less than three weeks.

The firing of probationary employees was similar to mass dismissals at other federal agencies in February. Probationary employees are easier to fire and the Trump administration largely purged them  about 24,000 workers  from the government last month.

The Trump administration and other defenders of the mass firings portrayed the axed workers as all being new to their departments or agencies. But many fired employees were longtime employees who had recently moved to new jobs or had been promoted, and thus were in a probationary period for their new position.

The firings and resignations were coordinated by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE. Trump tapped Elon Musk, an immigrant from South Africa and the world's wealthiest person, to oversee DOGE. The "department" is not actually a congressionally created federal department, but rather an office within the White House tasked with reducing the federal workforce and reining in federal spending.
By Tom Hals and Kanishka Singh

(Reuters) -A federal judge ordered President Donald Trump's administration not to deport Badar Khan Suri, an Indian man studying at Washington's Georgetown University whose lawyer has said the United States was seeking to remove him after it accused him of harming U.S. foreign policy.

The order is to remain in effect until lifted by the court, according to the three-paragraph order by U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles in Alexandria, Virginia.

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The Department of Homeland Security has accused Suri of ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and said he had spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitism on social media. On March 15, Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined Suri could be deported for those activities, according to DHS.

Suri is living in the U.S. on a student visa, is married to an American citizen and has been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, according to his lawyer. He is awaiting a court date in immigration court, his lawyer said.

Federal agents arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night. The lawyer welcomed Thursday's ruling and called it "the first bit of due process Dr. Khan Suri has received since he was snatched from his family Monday night."

The American Civil Liberties Union also defended Suri and said he was "transferred to multiple immigration detention centers" before being taken to Alexandria, Louisiana.

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DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday's court order.

The case comes as Trump seeks to deport foreigners who took part in pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 Hamas attack. Trump's measures have sparked outcry from civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups who accuse his administration of unfairly targeting political critics by invoking rarely used laws.

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown's Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the university's School of Foreign Service.

Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen, said his lawyer. Saleh is from Gaza, according to the Georgetown University website, which said she has written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. Saleh has not been arrested, the lawyer added.

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The lawyer had said on Wednesday Suri was being targeted for his wife's Palestinian heritage and for his own pro-Palestinian views.

Some media outlets, including the Washington Post, reported that Ahmed Yousef, the father of Suri's wife, was a former political adviser to Hamas. Yousef had also written for some Western publications like The Guardian.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration arrested and sought to deport Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil was moved to Louisiana and is challenging his detention in court.

Trump, without evidence, has accused Khalil of supporting Hamas. Khalil's legal team says he has no links to the militant group that the U.S. designates as a "foreign terrorist organization."

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Trump has alleged pro-Palestinian protesters are antisemitic. Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, say that their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their support for Palestinian rights are wrongly conflated with antisemitism by their critics.

(Reporting by Tom Hals and Kanishka Singh; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Diane Craft)
A federal judge has barred Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive systems at the Social Security Administration, saying the group appears to be on a fishing expedition that could jeopardize the data of millions of people.

The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion, said U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in a 137-page ruling. It has launched a search for the proverbial needle in the haystack, without any concrete knowledge that the needle is actually in the haystack.

Hollander, an appointee of President Barack Obama, said the groups broad access likely violated privacy laws. The Maryland-based judge ordered an immediate halt to the DOGE Social Security teams access to any systems that contain sensitive data of Social Security recipients. She ordered Musk, DOGE and other affiliates to destroy any non-anonymized data theyve obtained.

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Ironically, the identity of these DOGE affiliates has been concealed because defendants are concerned that the disclosure of even their names would expose them to harassment and thus invade their privacy, the judge wrote. The defense does not appear to share a privacy concern for the millions of Americans whose SSA records were made available to the DOGE affiliates, without their consent.

Hollander also barred the group from installing software in Social Security systems and to remove any software that has been installed since President Donald Trump began his second term. DOGE, under the order, is also prohibited from altering any code in the Social Security system.

The judge left room for DOGE team members to eventually regain access to sensitive data of recipients, but only after certifying they had completed required training and after providing a detailed explanation  potentially with court review  of the need to obtain non-anonymized data.

Hollander agreed that DOGEs stated goal to root out fraud, waste and mismanagement is in the public interest.

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But, that does not mean that the government can flout the law to do so, Hollander wrote. The Presidents advisors and employees are not exempt from the statutes Congress enacted to protect American citizens from overbroad and unnecessary access to their [private information].

The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by two labor unions and an advocacy group who claimed that DOGEs sweeping access to their members information presented a grave risk of data breaches and abuse.

In the suit, the groups relied heavily on the testimony of a senior Social Security Administration official, Tiffany Flick, who retired in February amid some of the early chaotic weeks of DOGEs effort to access government systems. Hollander credited Flicks assertions that DOGE team members received an unusual level of access to social security systems.

In granting the DOGE Team access to records in the manner alleged, SSA veered far from principles that have been the mainstay of the Agency, Hollander wrote, adding, They have not provided a particularized explanation of how or why virtually the entire database of SSA is needed to conduct the investigation, or why redacted or anonymized records, at least initially, would be inadequate. The silence on this issue is deafening.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked Elon Musk s Department of Government Efficiency from Social Security Administration systems that hold personal data on millions of Americans.

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The decision from U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland also requires the team to delete any personally identifiable data they may have. It comes after labor unions and retirees asked for an emergency order limiting DOGE access to the agency and its vast troves of personal data.

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They said DOGEs nearly unlimited access violates privacy laws and presents massive information security risks. A recently departed Social Security official who saw the DOGE team sweep into the agency said she is deeply worried about sensitive information being exposed.

The Trump administration says DOGE has a 10-person team of federal employees at the Social Security Administration, seven of whom have been granted read-only access to agency systems or personally identifiable information.

The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion, she wrote.

Attorneys for the government argued the DOGE access doesnt deviate significantly from normal practices inside the agency, where employees are routinely allowed to search its databases. But attorneys for the plaintiffs called the access unprecedented.

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DOGE has gotten at least some access to other government databases, including at the Treasury Department and IRS.

At SSA, DOGE staffers swept into the agency days after Trumps inauguration and pressed for a software engineer to quickly get access to data systems that are normally carefully restricted even within the government, a former official said in court documents.

The team appeared to be searching for fraud based on inaccuracies and misunderstandings, according to Tiffany Flick, the former acting chief of staff to the acting commissioner.

Hollander, who is based in Baltimore and was nominated by President Barack Obama, is the latest judge to consider a DOGE related case. The team has drawn nearly two dozen lawsuits, some of which have shed light on staffing and operations that have largely been kept under wraps.

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Several judges have raised questions about DOGEs sweeping cost-cutting efforts, but they have not always agreed that the risks are imminent enough to block the team from government systems.

___

Associated Press writer Lea Skene in Baltimore contributed reporting.

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A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration not to proceed, for now, with its efforts to deport an Indian-born Georgetown researcher who was arrested by immigration authorities outside his Virginia home on Monday.

U.S. District Judge Patricia Giles issued the brief directive Thursday, declaring that Badar Khan Suri shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order. Giles, an appointee of President Joe Biden, said the order was needed to ensure that the court can resolve a petition Suri filed seeking his release.

The judge issued the order shortly after Suris wife, Mapheze Saleh, said in a sworn court declaration that the couple has no ties to Hamas, despite her fathers former high-level role in Gazas government.

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Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown on a valid visa for foreign scholars, according to his lawsuit. Saleh is a U.S. citizen. Neither has been charged with a crime.

Homeland Security officials confirmed Wednesday that they had detained Suri as a result of his purported close connections to a senior advisor to Hamas, a group designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government since 1997. Secretary of State Marco Rubio set in motion Suris detention by signing a determination last week that Suris presence in the U.S. jeopardizes U.S. foreign policy interests, a Homeland Security spokesperson said.

Saleh, who was born in Missouri in 1990 before moving to Gaza at age five, said Suri has only met her father, Ahmed Yousef, twice  once on a humanitarian trip Suri attended in 2011, the first time he met Saleh as well, and once in 2012 or 2013, when Suri asked Yousef for permission to marry his daughter.

Badar has only met my father on those two occasions and hasnt seen him since, Saleh said in her written declaration, which she submitted to the court under penalty of perjury.

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Salehs declaration was filed as Suris lawyers sought an order from Giles requiring authorities to bring Suri back to Virginia for court proceedings about his detention. Suri was moved to Alexandria, Louisiana, soon after his arrest, according to court filings and an online locator for immigration detainees.

Giles, whos based in Alexandria, Virginia, has not yet acted on that request.

Suris lawyers argued in court filings that his transfer to Louisiana is seemingly retaliatory and that his detention is the result of his and his wifes advocacy for Palestinian rights.

Expressive activities on social media regarding international law, the human rights of the Palestinian people, and related matters are all topics of public concern clearly protected by the First Amendment, Suris attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union wrote. They added that it is unconstitutional for the government to impose punitive immigration consequences in retaliation for Suris protected speech.

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Salehs five-page declaration mentioned Hamas only once. A website, she said in the document, claimed falsely that she and Suri have ties to the group.

She also said that her father served as a political adviser to the Prime Minister of Gaza and the deputy [minister] of foreign affairs of Gaza. She said he left Gazas government in either 2010 or 2011 and started an NGO there.

Hamas won parliamentary elections in Gaza in 2006 and took full control of Gazas government in 2007. No elections have been held since.

Numerous news articles published over the past two decades quote Salehs father, describing him as a senior political adviser to the groups former leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran last year in an operation widely attributed to Israel.

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Saleh said that she, too, worked in Gazas foreign ministry for a time as a translator over a decade ago.

Saleh said that while she lived in Gaza, her father remained in the United States to pursue a Ph.D. and that she would visit him every summer. After marrying Suri, she said, the couple moved to New Delhi, where they had three children.

Suri came to the United States in 2022 on a student visa to pursue his Georgetown fellowship, and Saleh said their three children followed a year later. Saleh is also enrolled at Georgetown and is pursuing a masters degree.

Saleh said she became vocal about what she calls Israels genocide in Gaza that followed Hamas deadly assault on hundreds Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, 2023. She said her outspoken advocacy made her a target after identifying her fathers past work for the Gazan government.

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In Suris initial petition for release, one of his attorneys drew parallels between his case and that of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia graduate student and Palestinian activist arrested by immigration authorities in New York earlier this month after a similar determination that his presence in the country could undermine U.S. foreign policy interests.

Despite rapid moves by his attorneys to file a court challenge to his detention, Khalil was moved to New Jersey and then to a facility in Louisiana about 30 miles from where Suri is being held. U.S. government lawyers then argued that Khalils court challenge should be transferred from New York to a federal court in Louisiana. However, the judge instead ordered the case transferred to New Jersey.
While a federal judge Wednesday expressed disgust with DOGEs armed takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, she ruled against the fired board members request to be immediately reinstated.

Judge Beryl Howell of the D.C. District Court will instead let the firings stand for now, requesting that the parties come up with a schedule to move the case forward quickly.

She found that the fired board members were not likely enough to succeed on the merits or be found to have suffered irreparable harm, pointing both to the uniqueness of the agency  a charitable corporation set up by Congress to operate independently  and the precedent set by the D.C. Circuit in Dellinger v. Bessent. In that case, the D.C. Circuit Court nullified a temporary restraining order from the lower court, which had restored the fired head of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

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She delivered her ruling from the bench, and it may have come as a surprise to the lawyers before her. Shed spent much of the two-hour hearing lambasting DOGE for taking over the USIP building and expelling its staff with armed law enforcement, threats of criminal investigation and unannounced home visits by the FBI.

This conduct of using law enforcement, threatening criminal investigations, using armed law enforcement from three different agencies  the Metropolitan Police Department, Department of State security police, the FBI  to carry out Executive Order 14217  all of that targeting, probably terrorizing, the employees and the staff at the Institute when there are so many other lawful ways to accomplish the goals, she said, her first remarks to Brian Hudak of the U.S. Attorneys Office in D.C. Why? Why those ways here? Just because DOGE is in a rush?

Later, she asked Hudak if he was offended at how the takeover was executed, saying that she was offended on behalf of the American citizens who had been treated so abominably.

While DOGEs takeover of USIP echoes its takeover of other small agencies oriented towards foreign aid and peacemaking, it has distinct, sinister notes. The board members were fired abruptly, by email, without any attempt to fulfill the statutory requirements for their removal, much the same as at other agencies. The members of the administration who serve as ex-officio members of the board quickly installed their own president. But the use of law enforcement in the USIP takeover sets it apart.

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With mounting incredulity, Howell pressed the lawyer for the fired board members for details on FBI agents arriving unannounced at the home of the Institutes security chief, as DOGE sought ways into the building. She gaped at DOGEs ultimate strategy for gaining entry: threatening all the federal contracts of the Institutes ex-security contractors, who still had a key that they ended up using to access the building. She counted up the total number of armed law enforcement on the premises: Thats a lot of law enforcement at a charitable corporations building to enforce this executive order, wouldnt you say? she asked the attorneys. As she mulled granting the fired board members request for reinstatement and tossing DOGE off the premises, she half-joked that it could spark an armed battle.

DOGE hasnt softened its methods, despite losing some other illegal-firing battles in the lower courts. Indeed, calls to impeach judges who rule against the administration  often amplified by Elon Musk  have only grown louder on the right, with President Trump calling for the impeachment of a radical left lunatic of a judge who temporarily stopped his expulsion of Venezuelan migrants under war powers not used by a president since World War II. In a rare move, Chief Justice John Roberts released a statement rebuking the calls for judicial impeachment.

Still, if actual lower court losses havent stopped DOGE, its hard to see how Howells ruling allowing the firings to stand, no matter how sternly delivered, will slow its razing of the federal government  rendering one of her lines of questioning Wednesday an academic one:

What are legal ways the administration could shrink the federal government without using the force of guns and threats by DOGE against American citizens and those who served our country for years?
Editor's note: This story was updated on March 20, 2025, to reflect an objection to Danielle Schmidt's Democratic Party nomination petition was not withdrawn on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

Challenges to the nomination petitions of two candidates for PENNCREST School Board are gone.

At a hearing Wednesday, Crawford County President Judge John Spataro denied setting aside the Republican Party nomination petition of Timothy J. Brown of Cambridge Springs.

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In the wake of Spataros ruling, separate challenges that had been filed against the Democratic Party nomination petitions of both Brown and Danielle Schmidt of Cussewago Township were withdrawn late Wednesday afternoon.

Objections to the nomination petitions of Brown and Schmidt had been filed with the court earlier this week.

Brown and Schmidt cross-filed for both the Republican and Democratic nominations in the May 20 primary election and faced challenges from registered voters of both parties.

Luigi DeFrancesco, a registered Republican who resides in Richmond Township, had challenged Browns and Schmidts Republican nomination petitions. DeFrancesco is a former PENNCREST School Board member and board officer.

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Dan Healy, a registered Democrat who lives in Rockdale Township, challenged the Democratic Party nomination petitions of Brown and Schmidt.

The challenges to the petitions cited failing to file accurate statements of financial interests by March 11 at PENNCREST School District offices and at the Crawford County Voter Services Office.

In addition to alleged errors in not properly filling out the statement of financial interests, the challenges cited each candidates affidavit not being notarized as required by law.

At Wednesdays hearing, Brown, who represented himself, admitted to the court that he had made multiple errors on the financial interests statement by not filing it out fully as required.

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DeFrancesco, who represented himself, argued the petition should be set aside due to the multiple errors.

However, Spataro dismissed DeFrancescos objection due to rulings by Pennsylvania Commonwealth and Supreme courts.

Pennsylvanias higher courts have ruled that both Pennsylvanias Ethics Act and Election Code need to be considered together to give both full financial disclosure and protect voter choice.

The higher courts rulings have allowed candidates to file amended financial statements in a timely manner as long as they had been filed a report by the deadline, Spataro said.

Though there were errors, Brown had filed a financial statement by the required deadline, the judge said.

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There is no evidence of bad faith by Brown. That is the law, Spataro said in dismissing DeFrancescos petition.

Spataro gave Brown five days to file an amended statement.

On Tuesday, the judge had dismissed DeFrancescos objection to Schmidts petition citing a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruling from 2023.

The ruling upheld Pennsylvania courts longstanding policy that the Election Code must be liberally construed to protect a candidates right to run for office and the voters right to elect the candidate of their choice.

DeFrancesco told The Meadville Tribune following the hearing that he may try to appeal the rulings.

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However, Healy, who was in the courtroom gallery, filed to withdraw his objections to the Democratic Party petitions of Brown following Wednesdays ruling by Spataro.

However, Healy did not file a withdrawal notice for Schmidt's Democratic Party petition following Wednesday's ruling by Spataro. A hearing on Healy's objection to Schmidt's petition is to heard today by the judge.

Asked why he was withdrawing his objection, Healy declined on-the-record comments with a Tribune reporter.

I dont want to be part of your story, he said.
DENVER (KDVR)  A U.S. District Court judge ruled Wednesday that the Elizabeth School District must return all books it removed from its libraries no later than March 25.

The district was also instructed that it could not remove additional books because the district disagrees with the views expressed therein or merely to further their preferred political or religious orthodoxy.

Elizabeth School District facing further legal action regarding book ban

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The books were removed in 2024 and placed on a sensitive topics list which required guardians to allow their students to read the books or check them out from the library. Elizabeth Public School Board Secretary Mary Powell said in a video published by the district in September that the board looked at seven sensitive topic areas when considering which books should be banned, including sexual content, graphic violence, racism, profanity, ideations of self-harm and religious views.

We put religious views on there because as a Christian, you may not want your child to read the Quran, and as a non-believer, you may not want your child to read the Bible, so we were trying to be fair and even-handed on how we dealt with the religious viewpoint topic, Powell said.

Elizabeth School District had not made a public statement about the ruling on Wednesday but did have a link on its homepage to a fundraiser by Parents United to help pay the districts legal fees.

Parents United is proud to hose (sic) this fundraiser in support of the Elizabeth School Districts fight against an ACLU lawsuit seeking to force age-inappropriate and explicit materials back into school libraries, the groups statement on the website reads. Donations will help the district defend its commitment to providing a safe, focused, and academically-driven education for all students while protecting community values and parental rights.

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Superintendent Dan Snowberger spoke to 710KNUS on The Jeff and Bill Show and posted a video of the interview on the districts Facebook page. The district called the case a David vs. Goliath legal battle. In the video clip, the interviewer asked Snowberger why the district wouldnt just return the books to the libraries.

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I think its the right thing to do to empower parents. I think our public education system has continued to take on more and more responsibility, and this is the right thing to do, Snowberger said. We must empower parents to make important decisions for our children, and our libraries have to support our curriculum program. We have to do better in this country on the education of children, and if things are in our school for purposes other than education, then what are we about?

Snowberger went on to say that he does not want to be educating students on topics that their parents may not find in their family values, and said its not the districts place to change those values.

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The case was filed by the ACLU of Colorado on behalf of two students in the district. The ACLU said that the board removed the 18 books from district libraries because officials cited inappropriate content, mostly sexual in nature.

The ACLU called the injunction a major victory for district students and all Coloradans.

Having access to a diversity of viewpoints is integral to the well-being and education of all students, and this injunction gives them that opportunity, said Tim Macdonald, ACLU of Colorados legal director, in a statement. School Districts that ban books because the officials disagree with the content or viewpoints expressed in those books do a disservice to students, authors, and the community. Such book bans violate the Constitution  period. Well keep fighting to ensure a permanent end to this practice.

The books removed from the districts libraries included Anne Frank: A Diary of a Young Girl, as well as 1984, Brave New World, The Hunger Games, The Color Purple, Catcher in the Rye and Melissa, which was previously published as George.

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These Colorado school districts canceled class Thursday due to staff shortages

In emails obtained by the ACLU of Colorado, board members and district officials said they were committed to conservative values, which was part of the platform on which board members had run for the office.

[P]ersonally, LGBTQ is only regarding sexual preference which doesnt belong in any school. . . . Our constituents will not be happy about us returning any of these books. That is who we are beholden to, said former Board Vice President Heather Booth in an email obtained by the ACLU and shared in the lawsuit.

The district judge noted that there is legal precedent barring school boards from removing library books simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion.'

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A status conference in the case is scheduled for March 31.

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A federal judge in Los Angeles has ruled that Mariah Carey did not steal her perennial megahit All I Want for Christmas Is You" from other songwriters.

Judge Monica Ramirez Almadani granted Carey's request for summary judgment on Wednesday, giving her and co-writer and co-defendant Walter Afanasieff a victory without going to trial.

In 2023, songwriters Andy Stone of Louisiana  who goes by the stage name Vince Vance  and Troy Powers of Tennessee filed the $20 million lawsuit alleging that Carey's 1994 song, which has since become a holiday standard and annual streaming sensation, infringed the copyright of their country 1989 song with the same title.

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Their lawyer Gerard P. Fox said he's disappointed" in an email to The Associated Press.

Fox said it is his experience that judges at this level "nearly always now dismiss a music copyright case and that one must appeal to reverse and get the case to the jury. My client will make a decision shortly on whether to appeal. We filed based on the opinions of two esteemed musicologists who teach at great colleges."

Stone and Powers' suit said their 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' contains a unique linguistic structure where a person, disillusioned with expensive gifts and seasonal comforts, wants to be with their loved one, and accordingly writes a letter to Santa Claus.

They said there was an overwhelming likelihood Carey and Afanasieff had heard their song  which at one point reached No. 31 on Billboard's Hot Country chart  and infringed their copyright by taking significant elements from it.

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After hearing from two experts for each side, Ramirez Almadani agreed with those from the defense, who said the writers employed common Christmas cliches that existed prior to both songs, and that Carey's song used them differently. She said the plaintiffs had not met the burden of showing that the songs are substantially similar.

Ramirez Almadani also ordered sanctions against the plaintiffs and their lawyers, saying their suit and subsequent filings were frivolous and that the plaintiffs' attorneys made no reasonable effort to ensure that the factual contentions asserted have evidentiary support.

She said they must pay at least part of the defendants' attorney fees.

Defense attorneys and publicists for Carey did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Carey's Christmas colossus has become an even bigger hit in recent years than it was in the 1990s. It has reached No. 1 on Billboards Hot 100 chart the past six years in a row  measuring the most popular songs each week  not just the holiday-themed  by airplay, sales and streaming.

Carey and Afanasieff have had their own public disagreement  though not one that's gone to court  over who wrote how much of the song. But the case made them at least temporary allies.
A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday temporarily blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing millions of Americans personal data stored by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

In a scathing, 137-page opinion, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander sharply questioned DOGEs unfettered access to Americans personally identifiable information. She blocked the advisory group from the SSAs systems containing such data and ordered the deletion of any in DOGEs possession.

The DOGE Team is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at SSA, in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion, Hollander wrote. It has launched a search for the proverbial needle in the haystack, without any concrete knowledge that the needle is actually in the haystack.

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A coalition of government unions, backed by the left-leaning legal organization Democracy Forward, sued over DOGEs access to Social Security, claiming that its access to private personal information flouts privacy laws and the agencys own rules and regulations.

The information in the SSAs records includes Social Security numbers, medical and mental health records, bank data and earnings history.

In her ruling, Hollander said the government has not even attempted to explain why DOGE needs such sweeping access to Americans personal data, instead repeating its refrain that DOGEs mission to root out fraud and modernize the bureaucracy must not be hindered.

The Justice Department (DOJ) had argued that granting a temporary restraining order would harm the public interest by limiting President Trumps ability to effectuate his policy agenda, including slimming down the federal government.

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Its method of doing so is tantamount to hitting a fly with a sledgehammer, the judge wrote.

She directed DOJ lawyers to provide her with an explanation as to why each DOGE agent or affiliate is in need of nonanonymized access to personally identifiable information.

Hollanders order does not preclude the SSA from providing DOGE with redacted or anonymized data. However, to receive that data, DOGEs agents must receive all training typically required of individuals granted access to the SSAs data systems, including on the laws and regulations governing privacy, she said.

Democracy Forward President Skye Perryman called the courts decision what accountability demands  forcing DOGE to delete every trace of the data it unlawfully accessed.

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The court recognized the real and immediate dangers of DOGEs reckless actions and took action to stop it, Perryman said.

Updated at 4:49 p.m. EDT

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DEDHAM  It was a day of heated arguments and legal maneuvering in Norfolk Superior Court as the Karen Read case returned, with both prosecution and defense teams attempting to shape Reads upcoming 2nd degree murder trial.

Judge Beverly Cannone was forced to intervene in one disagreement between Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan and defense attorney Alan Jackson, warning both sides to take the personal attacks completely out of this.

Jackson accused Brennan of misstatements. Its important to get some of the facts right. You gotta get some of them right, Jackson said to Brennan.

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Brennan responded, before accusing somebody of getting it wrong, the person accusing should be right.

The core of the dispute centered on the nature of John OKeefes relationship with Karen Read. Brennan asserted that OKeefe was attempting to break up with Read right before OKeefe was killed and he wants to introduce that at trial as motive.

We know from the statements that there was a tumult in that relationship he was in the course of attempting to end the relationship with Ms. Read, Brennan said.

The claim was vehemently rejected by the defense, with Jackson calling it preposterous. He stated, Both of these individuals were not tethered to each other in a way that if one wanted to break up with the other one, one was going to murder the other. "

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Read is accused of fatally striking OKeefe with her SUV in Canton during a January 2022 snowstorm. The defense plans to call two crash reconstruction experts from the engineering firm ARCCA who testified in the first trial.

Defense attorney David Yannetti argued that the jury should be informed that the ARCCA experts were initially hired for the now-closed federal investigation. Yannetti stated, Were just asking that court that ARCCA should be allowed to testify that they were hired by the federal government to prevent speculation about who hired them or why they became involved in the case.

Brennan has accused the defense of using the federal investigation as a smokescreen.

Worcester-based blogger Aidan Kearney, known as Turtleboy, was called in connection with Reads case. Brennan is seeking Kearneys phone records, alleging collusion with Read to intimidate witnesses. Kearneys lawyer, Tim Bradl, countered, The fact that they communicated cannot be basis for a criminal investigation.

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Judge Cannone did not immediately rule on most of the issues raised. However, she reiterated her intention to begin jury selection on April 1st. She also directed the defense to provide concrete evidence that others are responsible for OKeefes death before she considers allowing that argument to be presented at trial.

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President Donald Trumps call to impeach judges whove ruled against his aggressive use of executive power is prompting alarm and dismay from the jurists who ultimately hold the fate of his policies in their hands.

As Trumps allies have intensified the impeachment movement in recent weeks, current and former judges are rebuking the tactic as unjustified and dangerous, pointing to the availability of a robust appeals process in the courts. Theyve also highlighted the heated environment in which verbal attacks can escalate into physical threats.

And, as a matter of political strategy, some judges question how singling out individual jurists advances the presidents end-game. The vitriol Trump and the MAGA faithful lob at the judiciary is likely to rankle the Supreme Court justices who can deliver the ultimate go-ahead or death knell for stalled aspects of Trumps agenda.

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Its a really bizarre way to do business. If he thinks he can intimidate judges, its not going to be a successful strategy, said one sitting federal judge, who was granted anonymity to avoid harassment and retaliation. Its not the way to win cases  Maybe it will appeal to the public, maybe from a public relations perspective, but its not a great strategy for the judges that I know.



The judge also said his colleagues were braced for the escalation because of a series of prior pro-impeachment comments from Trump adviser Elon Musk and the introduction of impeachment resolutions by the presidents allies in Congress.

Its kind of disappointing, but I cant say Im surprised, the judge said. It was obviously all orchestrated.

Trump resisted joining the impeachment drive for several weeks as some of his most strident supporters railed against judges on social media, but he jumped on the bandwagon Tuesday. In a post on Truth Social, Trump called U.S. District Judge James Boasberg a Radical Left Lunatic and urged he be removed from office for blocking deportation of Venezuelan alleged gang members under a rarely invoked wartime legal authority.

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Trumps escalation of his challenge to the judiciary drew an immediate, if slightly oblique, response from Chief Justice John Roberts.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, Roberts said in a statement that did not mention by name either Trump or Boasberg.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair defended Trumps call for impeaching Boasberg in an interview with POLITICO on Wednesday. What were encouraging is a public debate and I think its a reasonable public debate, Blair said.

Under the Constitution, federal judges have life tenure  as long as they display good behavior. Impeachment and conviction by Congress is the only way to remove judges from the bench, and the process is the same for removing presidents: A majority of the House must vote to impeach and two-thirds of the Senate must vote to convict.

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Thats an extraordinarily high bar that is politically unrealistic even in the current GOP-controlled Congress. Throughout history, the House has impeached just 15 federal judges, and only eight of them have been convicted by the Senate. Virtually all of those impeachments involved allegations of unethical or illegal conduct, not simply disagreement over the judges rulings.

Judges rail against impeachment threat

One former federal judge, Nancy Gertner, said none of the recent rulings against Trump policies comes close to triggering the standard for impeaching a judge.

The threats of impeachment are nothing short of horrifying, said Gertner, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton and spent 17 years on the district court in Massachusetts. The distance between what we impeach for and what he's accusing these judges for is enormous  It's preposterous.

Musk and other Trump allies have called for impeachment of judges who have blocked key pieces of the presidents agenda, including lifting a broad freeze the administration tried to impose on grants and contracts, limiting access by Musks Department of Government Efficiency team to Treasury Department payment databases and requiring health agencies to restore web pages about vaccines and transgender health care.

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Gertner said Trump is precipitating the conflict with the judiciary by insisting on rapidly carrying out his agenda on issues like immigration, the federal workforce and government spending, often without following legally required steps.

He could have done all of these cases normally and, you know, respectfully, and is likely to have won in some cases, but he doesn't want to do it that way. He wants to prove his power. And that's the frightening part, Gertner said.

Former federal judge Bernice Donald, who spent nearly three decades on the bench, first as a district judge in Memphis appointed by Clinton and then appointed to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals by President Barack Obama, said she couldnt recall similar campaigns of invective against judges. I don't think you've seen this from the highest levels of government, she said.

Laws are not self-executing, Donald said. We also need a fair and independent judiciary who can look at, interpret and apply those laws, and we need to be worried about undermining the judiciary's ability to enforce the laws that Congress passes.

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Retired Justice Stephen Breyer publicly endorsed Roberts statement Wednesday, saying impeachment should be reserved for cases of misconduct, not for disagreement with a judges rulings.

He's trying to explain to the people of this country how the legal system works and how it doesn't work, Breyer said on CNN. It doesn't work by impeaching a judge because you don't like his decision.

Breyer also gave a disturbingly ambiguous answer when anchor Wolf Blitzer asked if the nation is approaching a constitutional crisis. No one really knows. No one really knows. People have different views on that, the justice said. The best thing, I think, for the judges is: You follow the law. You simply follow the law.

Provocation for Roberts

Some judges said Trumps call for impeachments was part of a series of moves that seemed strategically unwise because they were particularly likely to antagonize the chief justice.

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Even allowing for Trumps often overheated rhetoric, his description of Boasberg, an appointee of Obama, as a radical left lunatic has been dismissed out of hand by many of the judges colleagues. Boasberg is a former homicide prosecutor with more than two decades of judicial experience at both the local and federal level. He became the chief judge of the district court in Washington in 2023, and he is well respected by lawyers and fellow judges who work at the federal courthouse in the nations capital.

He is not seen as a leftist. Some judges noted that Roberts himself appointed Boasberg to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in 2014, which handles highly sensitive surveillance applications and delicate civil-liberties questions.

Trumps executive orders targeting large law firms with prominent Democratic clients have also troubled lawyers of various political persuasions and could alienate some members of the Supreme Court. Conservative lawyers in particular have complained in recent years that attorneys representing conservative causes, including Trump himself, have had to leave their law firms when they came under pressure.

The Rule of Law depends upon lawyers being free to advocate for all causes, to represent those in need of legal representation, and to challenge government actions that may violate statutory and constitutional norms, the American College of Trial Lawyers said in a statementlast week addressing Trumps actions against Covington & Burling and Perkins Coie. The White Houses retaliating against a law firm merely because it represented a client against whom the Executive Branch has a grievance, threatens the bedrock principles of our system of justice.

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Roberts and Trump seemed to have a friendly interaction earlier this month when the president addressed a joint session of Congress. The chief justice voted against Trump in some big first-term fights, but backed him last year in a challenge to his presence on the presidential ballot and in a crucial battle over presidential immunity.





The big legal battles of Trumps second term still lie ahead, but Roberts has already voted with Trump-appointed Justice Amy Coney Barrett to turn down the administrations request for emergency relief in a dispute over foreign aid funding.

And when the administration brought an urgent petition to the court last week asking the justices to effectively end the practice of judges issuing nationwide injunctions, Roberts gave the administrations opponents three weeks to respond  an unusually long time for a case on the courts so-called emergency docket.

Not just Boasberg

Though Trumps call for impeachment referred only to Boasberg, the presidents supporters in Congress in recent weeks have introduced articles of impeachment against other federal district court judges. They include Judge Paul Engelmayer, an Obama appointee in New York who last month blocked most administration officials from accessing sensitive Treasury records; Judge John Bates, a George W. Bush appointee in Washington who ordered the restoration of federal web pages about transgender health care and vaccines; and Judge Amir Ali, a Joe Biden appointee in Washington who ordered the administration to pay bills for completed work on foreign-aid projects.

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The furor around Engelmayers order and the calls for his impeachment resulted in what his colleague, fellow Obama appointee U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken, described earlier this month as really disturbing communications aimed at Engelmayer and his family. There were some at the level of threatening, Oetken said at an American Bar Association conference in Miami earlier this month. And thats really troubling.

Musk made clear Wednesday he still wants to see multiple judges impeached, despite the lack of any indication that there are the votes to do that, let alone remove them from office. He also sent campaign donations to at least six House members pressing for judicial impeachments, the New York Times reported.

For more than two centuries, there has never such [sic] extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges, Musk wrote on his social media site, X. Impeach them.

On his X account, Musk has posted about impeachment more than a dozen times this week. On Thursday, he reposted what he called an accurate message denouncing Roberts for pushing back against Trumps call for impeaching judges.

A double-standard for impeachment?

One fact overlooked by the White House and Trump allies: On the same day Boasberg blocked Trumps deportations of Venezuelans rand ordered planes carrying them turned around, another federal judge  appointed by Trump  blocked the deportation of an individual Venezuelan whose lawyers claim he was being sent out of the country due to an order from the President.

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But that judge has not generated any of the ire from the right that Boasberg has.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., who was nominated by Trump in 2017 and confirmed the following year, granted the emergency relief Saturday at the request of attorneys for Daniel Zacarias Matos. He was, and is, being held at the same south Texas detention center where some or all of the more than 200 Venezuelans deported Saturday were kept just before they were flown out of the U.S.

Rodriguezs order covers only Zacarias Matos and makes no mention of turning planes around, but says he cant be transferred from that detention center without a further order of the court. The judge has set a hearing for next Wednesday on whether Trump has the power under the Alien Enemies Act to deport Zacarias Matos even though he has no final deportation order from an immigration court.


Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County, Virginia. (Photo by Casey Johnson/Getty Images)

A Franklin County jury has awarded $750,000 in damages to two families who were evicted from a Smith Mountain Lake campground after the owner learned one of the family members was Black. The verdict marks the largest fair housing jury award ever secured by the Virginia attorney generals office, according to a news release by Attorney General Jason Miyares.

The case centered on Regina Turner, owner of Lazy Cove Campground, who had rented lakeside lots to families for decades. But in June 2020, she abruptly sought to evict two families after discovering that one of the husbands, Damien Smith, was Black.

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According to a complaint filed with the Virginia Fair Housing Board, which was first reported by The Washington Post, Turner told a tenant, You didnt tell me that your friends husband is Black Had I known, I wouldnt have rented the lot to them. I saw the son, but I figured everyone makes a mistake.

Miyares hailed the jurys decision as a critical victory against racial discrimination in fair housing.

Housing discrimination  and discrimination of any kind  will not be tolerated in Virginia, Miyares said in a statement Thursday. We are pleased by the jurys verdict, and Im immensely proud of my Civil Rights Unit. The people of Franklin County have spoken: Smith Mountain Lake is for everyone.

Turner denied evicting the families but admitted to making the controversial phone call. I did say that to a degree, she said in an interview with The Post. I said I have a right to know whos moving in. I did feel betrayed. However, court documents also allege that she told another tenants mother, No Blacks are allowed in my campground.

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The lawsuit stemmed from the experiences of two longtime friends, Amanda Mills and Angela Smith, who had viewed Lazy Cove as a perfect escape during the pandemic, setting up their campers side by side. Mills had negotiated a lease with Turner without issue, but after learning of Smiths husbands race, Turner took swift action to remove both families.

When the families attempted to leave, Turner refused to refund their rental fees or allow them to sell their campers  restrictions not imposed on other tenants. The Smiths say the most painful part of the ordeal was Turners alleged remark about their son.

The jury needed less than two hours to deliberate before awarding $100,000 to each couple for their losses, humiliation, and emotional distress. They also imposed $550,000 in punitive damages to hold Turner accountable and deter future discrimination.

It was like a sigh of relief, but at the same time, Im still angry because we never should have had to go through this, Damien Smith said following the verdict. It was 2020 at the time, and somehow were still getting judged by the color of our skin versus the kind of person we are.

Turners attorney has since filed a motion to overturn the verdict, with a court hearing scheduled for April.

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Mar. 19A federal jury handed down 13 guilty verdicts in the trial of Solomon Pena, who prosecutors called the "mastermind" of a string of shootings at the homes of four Democratic elected officials following the 2022 election.

Jurors deliberated about six hours before finding Pena, 41, guilty on all counts following a weeklong trial in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. He faces a mandatory 60 years in prison at a sentencing hearing to be held within 90 days.

"I think the verdict is a travesty," said his attorney, Nicholas Hart, who said he intends to appeal the case to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. "I think that trial was all about politics."

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Attorneys offered jurors competing theories of the shootings in closing arguments with defense attorneys putting full responsibility for the shootings on Pena's co-defendants, Jose and Demetrio Trujillo, both of whom testified last week for the prosecution.

Prosecutors argued that Pena planned and ordered shootings at the homes of two state lawmakers and two Bernalillo County commissioners, directing the actions of his co-defendants.

"He is legally responsible for all the shootings because he set them all in motion," U.S. Assistant Attorney Jeremy Pena told jurors on Wednesday. "He willfully caused other people to do the criminal acts."

Prosecutors said that Pena was motivated by his November 2022 election loss to incumbent Rep. Miguel P. Garcia, D-Albuquerque, by a margin of nearly 50 percentage points. Pena later posted on social media that the election was "rigged."

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Prosecutors also contend that Pena himself fired a round from a 300 Blackout AR-15 pistol at the home of Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, on Jan. 3, 2023. Pena paid his co-defendants to fire gunshots at the other three homes, they alleged.

"He targeted (Lopez) because she campaigned for office in the past and he wanted to discourage her from running for office in the future," Jeremy Pena said.

"For the defendant, he thinks the shootings will advance his political project," the prosecutor told jurors. The Trujillos were motivated by financial gain, he said. "The targeted nature of the shootings can't be explained without the defendant."

Three of the four elected officials targeted by the shootings  Lopez, Sen. Debbie O'Malley and Bernalillo County Commissioner Adriann Barboa  issued a joint statement following the verdicts.

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"Justice has been served," the statement said. "No individual or family should ever have to experience the terror of a drive by shooting. Our homes are meant to be our havens, where families feel secure and the stresses of our professional lives can be safely left behind. We are grateful that the jury found this man guilty on all counts and hope this verdict serves as a reminder that threats or acts of violence against anyone in this community will not be tolerated."

Pena, who has remained in custody since his 2023 arrest, declined to testify in his own defense. Asked by U.S. District Judge Kea W. Riggs on Tuesday if he had made his own decision to give up his right to testify, Pena responded, "That's correct, ma'am."

The allegation that Pena fired the AR-15 pistol at the Lopez home is the basis of one count in Pena's indictment charging him with "using and carrying a machine gun" in a crime of violence.

Pena was indicted by a federal grand jury on 13 felony charges alleging he "organized a shooting spree that targeted the homes of four elected officials and their families" from Dec. 4, 2022, to Jan. 3, 2023.

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Pena's attorney, Carter Harrison, told jurors Wednesday that prosecutors built their case on the testimony of witnesses facing potential life sentences if their stories don't assist the prosecution. He warned jurors to be wary of their testimony.

"They have an immense incentive to tell the government the story they want to hear," Harrison said in closing arguments. "These men are fighting for their lives on the stand."

Jose Trujillo, 24, and his father, Demetrio Trujillo, 44, each testified last week that they fired gunshots at the homes of elected officials at Pena's instructions.

Each of the Trujillos has pleaded guilty to multiple federal charges and faces a sentence of up to life in prison. Neither man has been scheduled for a sentencing hearing.

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Harrison argued that prosecutors have powerful leverage over how long the Trujillos spend in prison based on their sentencing recommendations. Demetrio Trujillo faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison and Jose Trujillo, 10 years to life.

Hart predicted after the verdict Wednesday that the Trujillos soon will be released from custody in exchange for their testimony.

Demetrio Trujillo told jurors that he fired gunshots at the homes of Barboa on Dec. 2, 2022, and House Speaker Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, on Dec. 8, 2022. He said Pena paid him a total of $1,400 for the two shootings.

Jose Trujillo testified that he fired gunshots on Dec. 11, 2022, at home of O'Malley, then a Bernalillo County commissioner, and on Jan. 3, 2023, at Lopez's home. He testified that Pena provided the firearm used in the shooting and accompanied him to O'Malley's home.

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Demetrio Trujillo told jurors he drove a stolen pickup used in the shooting at Lopez's home but did not fire gunshots. Jose Trujillo sat in the passenger seat and Pena sat between the Trujillos, the Trujillo's testified.

Jose Trujillo testified that he handed the 300 Blackout AR-style pistol to Pena, who then fired a single round through the open driver's window. The gun jammed after Pena fired one round, he testified.

"I was mad," Jose Trujillo told jurors last week. "It was loud. It hurt. My ears were ringing."

Jose Trujillo then stepped out of the truck and fired multiple gunshots with a Glock 9mm pistol equipped with a Glock switch that converts a semi-automatic pistol into an automatic weapon.

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Gunshots penetrated the wall of Lopez's bedroom and a second bedroom where her 10-year-old daughter was sleeping. No one was struck by gunfire in any of the shootings.

The case attracted national media attention at the time because of violence directed at elected Democrats and Pena's claims of election rigging, which he compared with President Donald Trump's 2020 election loss.

Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina cheered the verdict Wednesday.

"While nobody was injured during these shootings, we were still shocked as a community by the fact that political rhetoric could turn to violence and put people at risk," Medina said in a statement. "I hope this verdict sends a message that political violence will not be tolerated in our city."

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In addition to the Trujillos' testimony, prosecutors showed jurors dozens of text messages between Pena and others they say implicates him in the attacks.

In a Nov. 13, 2022, text message to a political ally, Republican Lisa Meyer-Hagen, Pena said, "We have to press the attack. They want us to become hopeless and give up."

On Nov. 21, 2022, shortly after the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners certified the election results, Pena sent a text to Jose Trujillo that said: "They just certified it. They sold us out to the highest bidder."

Prosecutors argued Wednesday that Pena targeted the homes of the two commissioners in revenge.

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"He targeted them because they did their jobs  they certified the election results," Jeremy Pena told jurors.

Prosecutors also argued that Pena targeted the home of House Speaker Martinez because he defeated a political ally of Pena's.

Pena also faces three federal counts for allegedly trying to hire two men in 2023 and 2024 to kill the Trujillos. Pena at the time was incarcerated with the two men, both of whom also testified last week.
CANARSIE, Brooklyn (PIX11)  A Brooklyn family is marking a painful anniversary, one year since 19-year-old Christian Montrose was shot and killed outside his Canarsie home.

For the past year, Amanda Montrose has been trying to piece together a nightmare after her son Christian was gunned down last March. Christian was killed in a drive-by shooting in what police call a case of mistaken identity. Amanda expressed her pain as she worked to keep his memory alive.

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I want my sons name to live on, Amanda said. I want the world to know how these monsters murdered my child for no reason, and I want them to know that my son was my perfect love.

On the anniversary of his death family, friends, and the community, gathered outside Christians home releasing balloons, and laying flowers  not only to remember him but to renew their calls for justice in a case that remains unsolved. His dad, Shawn Montrose, reflected on how family members are coping.

Sometimes we talk about him, said Shawn. We laugh, we cry sometimes together, me and my wife. We talk about the good times and the good things he used to do and so that keeps us going.

The vigil served as more than just a memorial, but a call to action as Christians family pushes for stronger anti-gun violence initiatives. NYPD data shows shootings across the city are down 27 percent compared to the same time last year, but with 111 shootings in 2025, loved ones are hoping to prevent future tragedies.

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More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Despite her grief, Amanda remains hopeful that justice will be served.

Justice will come, she said. We are praying people. We trust God.

NYPD Detectives tell PIX11 News that no arrests have been made in this case, and the investigation is ongoing. The NYPD is urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers.

Meanwhile, loved ones are advocating for East 104th Street, near Avenue K in Canarsie, to be renamed in Christians honor, ensuring his memory lives on for years to come.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The Justice Department is now labeling violent attacks on Tesla cars and dealerships as acts of domestic terrorism. This comes as the companys CEO Elon Musk continues to draw anger over his work with the Trump administration.

President Trump said last week he was considering this label for the attacks and now the Justice Department is following suit.

Violent attacks on Elon Musks electric car company Tesla are ramping up across the country and the Trump administration is responding.

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The president strongly condemns left-wing domestic terrorism, said Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller.

The Justice Department is now investigating the targeted attacks and labeling them as domestic terrorism.

We think its despicable what is happening to not just this American company but also their innocent employees, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

President Trump has repeatedly defended Musk and his sweeping cuts to the federal government, including lining up Teslas on the White House driveway and buying one himself.

As long as Elon Musk is doing political things that anger consumers, consumers will take out that anger on his products, said George Washington University Professor Peter Loge.

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Peter Loge, a political ethics expert, says violent protests are nothing new in politics.

Its the wrong thing to do. Its dangerous, and its counterproductive. You dont make a lot of friends by blowing stuff up, said Loge.

Attorney General Pam Bondi says the Justice Department has already charged several alleged perpetrators with domestic terrorism.

Bondi says one could face up to 20 years in prison.

There have also been peaceful protests against Tesla across the country and around the world which Loge says can be productive.

Protests can draw attention, create space for a conversation. Lets have that conversation. Protests should not be violent, said Loge.

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Teslas stocks have tumbled nearly 50% this year and according to the SEC several top officers at the company have sold off $100 million in stock.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Republican Justin Eichorn has resigned from his position as senator for Grand Rapids following his arrest this week for allegedly soliciting sex from a minor.

Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson said he had been notified that Eichorn had tendered his resignation, effective today, and that it had been accepted by Gov. Tim Walz.

"This is the right thing to do for his family and the Senate," said Sen. Johnson (R-East Grand Forks). "We are ready to move on and do the important work that needs to be done at the Capitol."

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The 40-year-old's arrest sparked a flood of calls for his resignation from legislators on both sides of the aisle.

He has been charged with one count of attempting to pay for an act of prostitution by someone who is under 18 but at least 16, and federal charges for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

Hennepin County Jail

Eichorn was arrested following a Bloomington Police sting operation that saw an officer pose as a 17-year-old girl and post advertisements on multiple websites offering prostitution services. Charges filed on Wednesday allege Eichorn made several attempts to arrange a meeting with the girl, even after he was told that she was 17.

At one point, Eichorn allegedly messaged the undercover officer: "I think age of consent is 17 when do ya turn 18?"

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The state senator is also alleged to have asked for pictures of the girl in a "bra and underwear" to "make him feel more comfortable," knowing at that point she was under the age of 18, according to the complaint.

When arrested in Bloomington, officers found two cell phones, a condom in the driver's side door, and $129 in cash in his pickup truck. A search warrant on both phones will be conducted, the complaint states.

Eichorn served two terms as a state senator for District 5 and now serves in the newly formed Senate District 6. It covers parts of Itasca, Cass, and Crow Wing counties, with Grand Rapids and Brainerd Lakes being the population centers.

It is a crime under Minnesota law to hire or offer to hire for sexual conduct an individual whom the person believes to be under the age of 18 years.

The age of consent in Minnesota is 16 years old. It is a crime to engage in sexual conduct with anyone under the age of 18 years of age if the person is more than three years older than the minor and is in a current or recent position of authority over the complainant, or has a significant relationship to the minor.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Police and residents in two Kansas City neighborhoods are complaining about a spike in cars being burglarized.

A Kansas City Police Department spokesperson says that Brookside and Waldo have seen 14 cars broken into in the past week, nine of which are SUVs or pickup trucks. Neighbors say theyre tired of the trouble.

KCPD believes these suspects are searching for guns to steal, and that a red sedan may be involved, which could be used by alleged criminals as they break into cars parked on streets and driveways.

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Door Dasher steals Overland Park womans sentimental statue from porch

The neighborhood near Gregory and Ward Parkway isnt known as a hotbed for crime. However, thats the setting for a video clip given to FOX4 by KCPD, showing someone breaking into a pickup truck parked on the street sometime during the past week.

Bob Larson, a rideshare driver and father of two who lives near 59th and Harrison, said his opinion of the neighborhood is changing rapidly. His cars cameras were recording six weeks ago when someone broke into his crossover in the middle of the night.

During a separate recent occasion, Larson said an alleged crook took a handgun from his car he keeps for protection.

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From what Ive heard from other people in the neighborhood, thats what theyre shooting for, which is why theyre going for trucks because most truck drivers also carry weapons, Larson said.

KCPD is using extra patrols, especially overnight, to serve as a visible deterrent to anyone who wants to break into cars. KCPD Capt. Jacob Becchina advises the public not to leave valuables in their cars, especially firearms.

Three KC men accused of committing series of burglaries in 7 states

SaQuanna Washington and her sister parked their cars outside a pet store near 62nd and Oak on March 3. Washington told police when they returned, their bags were gone, along with a computer and $1,000 in cash Washington needed for college tuition. The stores security cameras show the alleged burglars fumbling through the cars trunk before speeding away.

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I try not to take it personal. They committed to doing that. They wanted to do that. They had clear intentions that they were going to break into someones car and take their belongings, Washington said.

Becchina also said the police department is using extra officers, some of whom are working overtime, to keep Brookside and Waldo safe.

If you have information that can help police detectives, please call the Kansas City Police Department at (816) 234-5000.

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Rep. Sean Tarwater, seen outside a March 18, 2025, closed meeting of House Republicans, prayed for colleagues who support the Satanic Grotto's plans to hold a black mass at the Statehouse. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  Rep. Sean Tarwater prayed Thursday for his House colleagues who support a satanic plot to make a mockery of his faith.

Tarwater, who identified himself as a devout Catholic, said he stayed silent earlier in the week during a committee hearing on House Resolution 6016, which denounces the Satanic Grottos plans to hold a black mass on March 28 at the Statehouse. Tarwater, R-Stillwell, said he was afraid of what he might say if he spoke up during the hearing.

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I was simply dumbfounded by what I heard from some of those that are on the committee, Tarwater said. My blood was boiling, and I was deeply emotional. It was a terrible afternoon. The excuses that were made to support the black mass were plentiful and were nothing but an attempt to veil support for the mockery of Catholic religion.

The House approved the resolution Thursday by a voice vote after members debated the balance between respecting First Amendment protections for offensive speech  and their own right to respond.

The Satanic Grottos plans, which include desecration of a Bible and communion wafers, caused an uproar in the Catholic community. Gov. Laura Kelly demanded the group hold the black mass outside the Capitol, which the groups president agreed to do after initially intending to defy her. Legislative leadership also modified rules designed to limit protests at the Statehouse, and an archbishop filed a civil lawsuit accusing the group of stealing consecrated hosts to use during the black mass.

The House adopted the resolution to make a statement, although it carries no legal weight, that it considers the black mass to be a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill. Seventy-five members sponsored the resolution, which also calls for all Kansans to promote unity, mutual respect and the values that uphold our identity as one nation under God.

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Allegations that the Satanic Grotto has committed a crime are based on assumptions about what the group means when it says the black mass will include the destruction of a communion wafer.

Rep. Silas Miller, D-Wichita, said during Thursdays debate in the House that you can buy communion wafers on Amazon for $7.

The satanists did this specifically to get your attention, and it worked, Miller said. And sadly, were still missing the point.

Tarwater said he could handle being offended and that the resolution wasnt going to stop the satanists: Its going to happen, unfortunately.

He closed his mournful-sounding speech by quoting Bible verse from Luke 23:34.

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What eats at me the most is that I fear for the souls of those that are going to be involved with this black mass, and especially for those that are supporting the black mass in this room and on that committee, Tarwater said. And from my souls and my friends and colleagues, Ive been sitting over there and listening and praying for all of you: Father, forgive them, for they not know what they do. 

Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, a Topeka Democrat and pastor, said he supported the resolution because it doesnt forbid the Satanic Grotto from protesting.

I do take exception when a group willfully tries to bait and offend the believers of other faiths in things that are sacred to them, Schlingensiepen said.

He said he also would denounce the use of Jewish, Muslim or Buddhist symbols in order to somehow poke fun at them.

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That said, I want to make an additional point. As a Christian, I will say this: I personally wish that we took the substance of our faith as seriously as we do the abuse of its symbols, Schlingensiepen said.

He said the Legislature too often has departed from the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount.

If youre truly Christian, and I can only speak for my side of or my portion of that spectrum, then to be taking care of the poor, taking care of the marginalized, is a fundamental Christian commitment, Schlingensiepen said.

Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, said legislators talk about a lot of subjects, and I cannot think of one any better than our faith and our beliefs.

Do we show love all the time the way it needs to be seen? Probably not, Rahjes said. But I think all of us, at one time or the other, when weve been on this floor this year, have said a little prayer for our colleague who maybe we dont agree with. We may have said, Bless their heart, under our voice.
Rep. Brooklynne Mosley talks with House Democrats during a March 19, 2025, session. She spoke in opposition to a resolution urging support of federal immigration enforcement efforts. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA  House members shared personal family history Thursday as they discredited anti-immigrant rhetoric that echoed through committee hearings earlier in the legislative session.

But the House still approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 1602, a nonbinding statement that urges the governor to help secure the U.S. border with Mexico and work with federal authorities to enforce immigration laws.

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Proponents of the bill, including Attorney General Kris Kobach, law enforcement officers and Republican legislators, routinely used dehumanizing language to describe immigrants who dont have legal residency in the United States. Some of the proponents spread false narratives about fentanyl trafficking and emphasized that simply being in the country without legal status makes immigrants criminals, though that is a civil offense rather than a crime.

The Senate adopted the resolution by a 31-9 party line vote on Jan. 29.

Rep. Angela Martinez, a Wichita Democrat who said her grandmother raised seven kids and died an undocumented immigrant, took issue with a proponent of the resolution who said during a committee hearing that we are a nation of laws.

And I say to that, is it a crime to want a better life? Is it a crime to not want to be surrounded by violence, drugs and unrest, to not be able to live in peace? And I ask you to imagine what that would be like to live like that, Martinez said during Thursdays debate.

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Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, identified herself as the proud daughter of an immigrant father from Mexico. She said he worked on the Southern Pacific Railroad for 50 years in Texas, became a U.S. citizen and learned English. But he never looked down on anyone else who came to country, she said.

Ruiz asserted the country has a broken immigration system and that Congress declined an opportunity last year to start to fix it.

Instead, they used immigrants as a political edge, depicting immigrants as spoiling the blood of U.S., as rapists, as drug dealers, taking away our U.S. jobs and using our resources. And none of this is true, Ruiz said. The drug dealing? Perhaps. But look at research and look at more than one source to look at where the fentanyl is coming from. It is not coming from the moms who are bringing their children because theyre escaping turmoil from their own country.

Rep. Bill Bloom, a Republican farmer from Clay Center, said one of his best friends had walked across the Rio Grande with his family as a child. Bloom said the friend herded the familys sheep, and for 45 years, he worked like a dog.

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The friends five children were all lawyers or engineers, Bloom said.

I know we dont like the way that people came here, but theyre here, Bloom said. If theyre decent and they work hard, we deserve to give them a chance.

Rep. Brooklynne Mosley, a Lawrence Democrat, said immigrants pay more taxes than billionaires and commit crimes a rate lower than American-born citizens.

Most immigrants who dont have legal status, she said, have overstayed their visas.

People are not getting picked up on the corners committing crimes, Mosley said. Theyre getting picked up from their jobs, the jobs to help this country run.

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She said the resolution would compel the state to be part of what is essentially creating a Brownshirt-esque unit, a reference to the paramilitary unit that protected Nazis.

Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, said federal immigration enforcement efforts are supposed to target those who have committed some sort of heinous crime, but thats not always the practice. He said the resolution before the House doesnt make sense and is extremely unfair.

Carr also referenced the Legislatures longstanding failure to fully pay for special education needs in public schools.

We dont have enough money to fund special ed, but were going to potentially allocate funds for protection at the border, which, last I checked, we dont border another country here in Kansas, Carr said.

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Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Kansas City Democrat, said she wanted to call attention to support for the resolution by the Kansas Catholic Conference, the Kansas City, Kansas, archdiocese and the bishops of Kansas. She questioned the merits of religious groups getting involved in policy and wondered if they had forgotten their own teachings.

I will not allow the Catholic Church to hide in the shadows as they have done in the past. History will not repeat itself on my watch, Oropeza said. The Pope has spoken out against this type of policy. I will not allow the priests to stand alone at the pulpit in the state of Kansas, calming the flocks of Kansas Latinos and immigrants and all nationalities, as middle management, AKA the bishops and the archdiocese, endorses this type of resolution against immigrants and Latinos, then in the same breath ask for donations from the very same immigrants and Latino communities across the state.
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A federal grand jury has indicted a Kansas man, accusing him of producing child pornography.

Charles Wayne Franke, 21, of Wellington, has been indicted on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, production of child pornography, four counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

Man charged with assaulting ICE officer in Wichita

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According to the federal indictment, the sexual exploitation charges involve two victims, with the crimes taking place in November and December 2024. The distribution charges stem from incidents between August and November 2024.

The case is under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
The Kansas Senate confirmed Chris Kennedy as the secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks after he spent over a year as an unconfirmed acting secretary.

Lawmakers have been hesitant to advance Kennedy, with some questioning his background in a diversity-related role. Kennedy, who is Black, served as the assistant to the director of inclusion and diversity at the Missouri Department of Conservation before joining KDWP.

Sen. Virgil Peck, R-Havana, was the sole lawmaker to speak against Kennedys nomination on the Senate floor. Peck said he was concerned that Kennedy hadnt given uniform responses to questions posed by the Senate Confirmation Committee and the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and that his background in a diversity, equity and inclusion role made him unsuited to work in Kansas.

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Philosophically, with his diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI-background, hes not right for Kansas, it would not be good to bring that into Kansas, Peck said.

The Kansas Senate confirmed Chris Kennedy as the secretary of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks after more than a year serving as the acting secretary.

Kennedy previously said his role wasnt to install a liberal political culture or institute race-based hiring practices, as some lawmakers have described DEI programs, but as a way to reach across the board to all our citizens in his role as an advocate for wildlife. Peck, however, wasnt convinced.

Weve been told that the DEI is behind him, thats like saying my marriage to my wife is behind me. Nope, its not behind me, it will never be behind me even if we got divorced or even if she passed away, so I liken this in the same way. It is who he is, Peck said.

Sen. Ron Ryckman, R-Meade, rose in defense of Kennedy, saying that he was impressed with Kennedys composure while taking questions in committee hearings and his knowledge of parks programs.

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What I got from him, that he was a man that was calm, and that I thought he was capable of doing the job, and I didnt think that he was lying to us at all," Ryckman said. "I think he had a lot of reflection, and he knew that it wasnt the way to go, DEI, here in Kansas.

Lawmakers reach 'agreement' before the vote

Peck also alluded to an email he received urging him to confirm Kennedy in light of an agreement reached regarding Senate Bill 211. The email, from Gov. Laura Kelly's chief of staff Will Lawrence, went out to all members of the Senate. It clarified that Kelly supports "the original version" of Senate Bill 211 and will sign it into law if it reaches her desk.

The bill would allow members of the Kansas Wildlife Commission to propose regulations. Currently, the secretary proposes regulations while the commission reviews it.

Supporters said the bill allows appointed commissioners to take a greater role in shaping policy.

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"When I was appointed to serve on the Commission, I was under the impression that I was supposed to represent the hunters, hikers and citizens of Kansas. Then, I learned to my surprise that the Secretary claims all the authority to put proposals on the agenda. The Commissioners remain a rubber stamp. This bill would solve the problem and allow any member of the commission to offer a proposal," wrote Keith Mark, a commissioner.

Kennedy provided neutral testimony on the bill but did have some criticisms that it would disrupt the existing process and potentially undermine public confidence in the regulatory process and the commission. He also said it could bring legal and logistical challenges.

Before any rule and regulation can be brought before the Commission for a vote, it must satisfy the process laid out in the Rules and Regulations Filing Act, Kennedy wrote in his neutral testimony. This is no simple process to navigate.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has clashed with lawmakers over the past few years. Rep. Lewis Bloom, R-Clay Center, said lawmakers may cut funding from the department if it bans deer baiting  using feed to attract deer to a specific location to be hunted.

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Lauren Sill, a former commissioner, accused the bill of being part of an ongoing mission of "unneccesary politicization" of the Wildlife and Parks Commission.

The Senate confirmed Kennedy on a vote of 23 in favor, 12 against and five passing.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas Senate makes backroom deal in exchange for wildlife and parks
TOPEKA (KSNT)  Kansas voters will decide whether they want to start electing Supreme Court justices, a move the states governor has come out against.

The August 2026 vote would change the states constitution, which allows the governor to pick replacements for vacant seats on the Kansas Supreme Court from a slate of three nominees recommended by a nominating committee under SCR 1611. If amended, the new law would allow voters to appoint justices.

Lawmakers voted Wednesday, March 19 to send the matter to a public vote. The legislation follows a 2022 vote that restricts lawmakers from passing new abortion regulations in the state.

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What is blocking construction for the $49 million home for veterans in Topeka?

I think its a mistake and a mistake that Kansans learned from back in 1957 with the triple play, when there was also just shenanigans going on regarding the court. You know, I will remind Kansans that the legislature tried to pull this kind of maneuver by putting a very serious ballot issue on the primary ballot. And they did that in 2022 with the abortion amendment. Kansans came out and made it very clear what they thought about this.

For more Capitol Bureau 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.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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SALINA, Kan. (KSNW)  The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a stream advisory for the Smoky Hill River, stretching from Salina east to the confluence with the Saline River.

The advisory follows operational issues at the Salina Wastewater Treatment Facility. KDHE warns of possible elevated E. coli levels and contaminants in the water.

Snowfall amounts and wind gusts from Kansas blizzard

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Residents are urged to avoid contact with the river until further notice. KDHE advises against entering the stream or allowing children and pets near the water due to potential health risks.

Officials say the advisory will remain in effect until follow-up testing confirms that the water is safe. KDHE will announce when the advisory is lifted.

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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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Kettering Police Department is hosting a self-defense class for children.

The radKIDS program teaches kids aged 5-12 awareness, safety and risk education. The program aims to give kids the tools to physically defend themselves and prevent abductions.

Save a life by donating blood this March

Structured to be fun and dynamic, the classes offer a unique set of interactive exercises. The program is split into two age groups: 5-7, and 8-12.

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Enrollment is $25 per child.

There are six sections of classes available. Each is held on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

March 25-28 (Ages 5 to 7): 10 a.m. to noon

March 25-28 (Ages 8 to 12): 1-3 p.m.

June 10-13 (Ages 5 to 7): 10 a.m. to noon [Almost full]

June 10-13 (Ages 8 to 12): 1-3 p.m.

July 8-11 (Ages 5 to 7): 10 a.m. to noon [Waitlist only]

July 8-11 (Ages 8 to 12): 1-3 p.m.

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The Karen Read case returned to court Thursday after the defense filed a motion asking Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone to delay the start of the Mansfield womans second murder trial.

WATCH LIVE: Today's motions hearing in Karen Read case continues as retrial nears. Watch live: Request to delay Karen Reads retrial denied as judge hears motions in murder case. Posted by Boston 25 News on Thursday, March 20, 2025

Shortly after the start of the hearing, Cannone informed the court of her decision to deny the request to delay the start of the retrial, which is set to begin with jury selection on April 1.

In her decision to deny, Cannone expressed concerns over the cases large jury pool.

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Well, Im not going to grant the motion. We have jurors coming in that were summonsed months ago, Cannone explained. I called the jury commissioner yesterday and asked how long it would take to get the right numbers that we were able to get starting April 1st at a minimum of ten weeks. But Im not going to do that.

Cannone noted that if a jury is in place by April 25 and if the federal appeals court hasnt issued a ruling on the defenses request to drop two charges against Read, she might revisit the request to delay.

Done for the day. Next hearing is Tuesday the 25th.

I'll wrap up todays hearing on #Boston25 News this afternoon/evening.  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 20, 2025

Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and then dragged outside and left for dead.

The request to push the start of Reads retrial back from April 1 to April 28 is just one of many motions attorneys will argue during whats supposed to be the final hearing before jury selection starts.

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Reads attorneys asked for the delay to allow them time to appeal a federal judges ruling that denied a request to have jurors from the first trial questioned about their verdicts on three charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death.

Defense lawyers hope to show that jurors unanimously found Read not guilty of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a crash. They are also arguing that Reads double jeopardy interests havent been taken into consideration.

Dedham, MA - April 12: Karen Read at her pre-trial hearing at Norfolk Superior Court. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Karen Read watches attorney Robert Alessi make a point during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court at Dedham, Mass., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)

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Judge approves joint motion to delay start of Karen Reads 2nd murder trial

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Dedham, MA - July 1: Karen Read looks toward the jurors, as they are greeted by Judge Beverly J. Cannone (not pictured) in Norfolk Superior Court. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

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All stand as the jury files out to the courtroom, to start their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

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Karen Read jurors tell judge theyve been unable to reach unanimous verdict

Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial

Karen Read awaits the juries verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP)

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Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury verdict slip

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Some witnesses are in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Jennifer McCabe.

Karen Read

Karen Read, center right, is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool)

Karen Read

Karen Read smiles after listening to her attorney Alan Jackson during her trial at Norfolk County Superior Court, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool)

Karen Read

Karen Read

Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool)

In the motion to delay, Reads lawyers wrote, The defense respectfully submits that such continuance is necessary to permit Ms. Read to appeal the denial of her federal double jeopardy claims, which the federal court expressly found to be substantial, to the First Circuit Court of Appeals prior to being forced to undergo a retrial that Ms. Read contends would violate her rights.

In court on Tuesday, the defense also asked Judge Cannone to bar certain prosecution witnesses from the courtroom during closing arguments, including the Albert and McCabe families.

Judge Cannone ruled during Tuesdays hearing that the defense teams ARCCA witnesses, Daniel Wolfe and Andrew Rentschler, would be allowed back for testimony. They testified at Reads first trial that OKeefes injuries were not consistent with being struck by a car. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan had attempted to block them.

Cannone reprimanded Reads attorneys for what she said were false statements and repeated misrepresentations regarding their relationship with the ARCCA witnesses before ruling in their favor.

Ahead of Thursdays hearing, the defense also released a list of 91 prospective witnesses, including Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, John OKeefe Sr., and former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor.

Thursdays hearing also comes a day after Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble announced Proctors termination from the law enforcement agency over conduct related to the Read murder investigation.

Proctor was assigned to investigate the death of OKeefe. He was relieved of his duty without pay this past summer after a mistrial was declared in Reads murder case and his last day with the Norfolk District Attorneys Office followed soon thereafter.

Proctor came under fire for a series of disparaging texts he sent about Read, which he read aloud in court during witness testimony at her first trial. Proctor admitted on the stand that the texts were unprofessional. He called Read things like a whack job and other derogatory words, he talked about her medical issues and wrote, No nudes so far, while going through her phone.

The Massachusetts State Police Trial Board found Proctor guilty of two charges, unsatisfactory performance and drinking alcohol while on duty.

Boston 25 News legal expert Peter Elikann weighed in on whether the defense will call Proctor to testify in the wake of his firing.

I still see him testifying at the trial. I dont see how he can get out of it, Elikann said. The defense would certainly subpoena him and want to cross-examine him and theres no getting out of that.

Proctors family expressed disappointment with Nobles decision, saying it lacks precedent and unfairly exploits and scapegoats one of their own.

RELATED:

Karen Read tells her story in exclusive one-on-one interview: Watch the extended cut

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The prosecution in the Karen Read murder case on Thursday revealed an updated list of 91 witnesses for the Mansfield womans retrial, one day after the defense filed their official list.

Watch live: Judge denies motion to delay Karen Reads 2nd trial as murder case returns to court

Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John OKeefe with her Lexus SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying OKeefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and then dragged outside and left for dead.

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Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan, Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally, and Assistant District Attorney Laura McLaughlin jointly filed the witness list on behalf of the Commonwealth.

The list includes many familiar names, including members of the Albert and McCabe family, Turtleboy blogger Aidan Kearney, fired Massachusetts State Police investigator Michael Proctor, William Read, and members of the OKeefe family.

The list also notably names three members of Reads defense team, indicating lawyers Alan Jackson, David Yannetti, and Elizabeth Little could be called to the stand by the prosecution during the retrial.

Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan has added Karen Read's legal team as potential witnesses at her trial, according to an updated filing pic.twitter.com/a2X7E6rId4  Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) March 20, 2025

The defense also named Proctor as a prospective witness for the retrial, as well as DA Morrissey, among 89 other names.

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Reads first trial ended with a hung jury in July 2024. The retrial is slated to start with jury selection on April 1.

Read the full list of witnesses in the defenses filing:

Karen Read Commonweath Witness List by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd

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The U.S. Senate race ended in November, but Kari Lakes rhetorical attacks on her former opponent keep coming.

Last week, for example, Lake turned to social media to assail U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., for opposing the Republican stopgap budget plan that required some Democratic support to pass the Senate and avert a shutdown.

Radical Ruben went on record, exposing what a partisan hypocrite he is before his handler, (Senate Minority Leader) Chuck Schumer cut the legs out from under him, Lake said, alluding to Schumers belated support for the spending bill.

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Theres no walking this back. Gallego was going to shut down the government because he hates President Trump, more than he loves Arizona.

It was at least the eighth time in 2025 Lake has referenced Gallego in a social media post, months after losing to him in November.

In other posts, Lake has called him the same far-left radical hes always been, accused him of wanting to vaccinate chickens and suggested he was supportive of drug cartels because his estranged father was convicted of drug-dealing crimes when Gallego was a child.

On Wednesday, the Bulwark, a conservative online publication often critical of Trump, reported that Lake recently accosted Gallego at a posh Washington, D.C., club with a similar smear.

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How does it feel to be bought and paid for by the cartels? Lake reportedly asked Gallego as she held his hand.

Arizona Senate candidates Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Kari Lake answer questions during the Arizona Clean Election Commission debate at BitFire Studios on Oct. 9, 2024.

Gallego is not alone in Lakes fusillade of smears. She has posted three times this year about Gov. Katie Hobbs, who narrowly defeated Lake in 2022, while clinging to her baseless claims of a botched election.

Hobbs, Lake wrote in February, was handed the Governors office by a corrupt political machine & cowardly courts. She squandered an incredible opportunity because she is as crooked as she is incompetent.

The scorched earth attacks that marked both of Lakes campaign losses in 2022 and 2024 have continued, while Lake has pivoted to her role in the Trump administration as a senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees the Voice of America.

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In that role, Lake, a longtime anchor of Fox 10 newscasts before turning to politics, has made a quick policy U-turn.

Former President Donald Trump hugs Kari Lake, candidate for Arizona governor, during a Save America rally at the Findlay Toyota Center on July 22, 2022, in Prescott Valley.

She initially suggested she was prepared to use her 30 years experience as a journalist to rededicate the agency to fight an information war.

Voice of America is a vital international media outlet dedicated to advancing the interests of the United States by engaging directly with people across the globe and promoting democracy and truth, she wrote in a social media post on the day Trump tapped her to head VOA.

On Feb. 25, she said, Im hoping that the journalists at VOA are looking forward to having me there because I believe we will accomplish great things together.

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Last week, she supported gutting the staff and essentially shuttering news on VOA as part of Trumps advisory Department of Government Efficiency.

On Saturday, she posted a message telling employees to check their email as part of an executive order placing about 1,000 journalists on indefinite leave.

She justified the mass layoffs by trashing the AGM as irretrievably broken.

"Theres a reason its referred to as pound-for-pound the most corrupt agency in Washington DC. Because it is! Lake wrote.

She also canceled media subscriptions and a building lease and had photos of Trump and Vice President JD Vance installed.

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On Wednesday, the agencys website featured a large picture of Lake over the headline that she cancels obscenely expensive 15-year lease that burdened the taxpayers and enforces Trumps Executive Order to drastically downsize agency.

While Lake has presided over the demolition of the journalism she was supposed to oversee, she has remained on the partisan warpath.

She took a swipe at former President Joe Biden and Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., after two astronauts returned to Earth after their stay in space was extended when a Boeing rocket was deemed too risky to bring them back last summer.

Instead, the astronauts returned using Musks SpaceX craft.

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Kelly, a former astronaut, welcomed the astronauts back and noted they were doing so via SpaceX. That, apparently, wasnt giving Musk enough personal credit, Lake wrote.

I expected him to say Thank you, Elon Musk, for helping. Especially after Joe Biden left those astronauts stranded in space for 10 months, she said.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake still attacking Sen. Ruben Gallego as she axes journalists
When people think about five years ago in the royal family, they likely think of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who stepped away from life as working royals in 2020 and relocated from the U.K. to the U.S.

It is certainly not a competition (just so we're clear), but Prince William and Kate Middleton, too, have endured so much in that same timeframe: the deaths of both Prince Philip in 2021 and Queen Elizabeth in 2022; their elevated role as Prince and Princess of Wales following the Queens passing; and then 2024, which saw both Kate and King Charles diagnosed with cancer. It was a year William referred to as brutal last November, one that he called the hardest of his life.

Speaking to People for the magazines cover story released March 19, royal historian Amanda Foreman said a year like 2024 either crushes a marriage, or it brings them together.

Getty Images Prince William and Kate Middleton on March 10, 2025 Prince William and Kate Middleton on March 10, 2025

In the Prince and Princess of Wales case, it seems to have brought them closer together, both proverbially and even literally, as theyve never been so open with public displays of affection as they have been as of late.

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There is a sense of protectiveness and partnership, Foreman said. The last five years have been a nightmare for them in every possible waythe past year even more so.

Of last year, Jason Knauf, William and Kates former private secretary, told 60 Minutes Australia last month, If youre Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer contributed to it being the lowest Knauf has ever seen the future king.

Getty

In January, Kate announced that she is in remission from cancer, and is making her gradual return to annual royal events, including this months Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey and the Irish Guards St. Patricks Day parade. While neither Kate nor William will ever likely be the person they were before 2024and thats okaynormalcy seems to be returning for the couple as they get back to their royal routine while also being mindful of all theyve learned from the past year. (March 22 marks one year since Kate made a video announcement telling the world that she had been diagnosed with cancer following major abdominal surgery in January.)

William and Kates return in full is just in time, frankly, Foreman told People. If there was ever a time when the country required stability, this is it.

The international stage is so unstable, it is rather extraordinary to see how both have risen to the occasion, she added.

Read the original article on InStyle
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  The future of Kansas Citys City Manager, Brian Platt, was up for debate Thursday as the city council met behind closed doors.

The expectation  even among many councilmembers was that by the end of business Thursday, Platt would be gone but that is not the case.

The council voted that, instead of terminating Platt as City Manager or bringing him back into the role, the city will extend his suspension for an unspecified amount of time. That suspension will continue with pay as well.

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A source with knowledge of the closed doors session tells FOX4  this extension is the recommendation of the city attorney.

On Thursday, City Council members voted on the ratification  or accepting of the mayors original suspension with pay for Platt  and for Kimiko Gilmore to step into his shoes while hes out.

So you might be wondering, does this mean Platt is coming back and the short answer is no, but simply council following the rules of the city charter.

Mayor Quinton Lucas making it clear he nor anyone of his elected colleagues wants to drag this is out and his quote is that this will be resolved in days, not months  not several weeks but days.

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Lucas is keenly aware that litigation on Platts behalf could be on the horizon and they want to make sure their ts are crossed and is dotted.

I think the city always works hard to follow its rules, follow its charter and too make sure we are doing right by all of our employees well follow the necessary process, steps  in connection with what we do and will give a fair evaluation to everyone in every situation, Lucas said.

So, Platt will remain suspended  and the exact words of the mayor were  that this suspension now is indefinite.

What does this mean for you at home?

Well, city spokesperson Sherae Honeycutt says nothing, the city will continue its normal operations as it has and will continue to look towards the elected officials  as they weigh Platts fate.

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Platts suspension began two weeks ago and followed a lawsuit against the city which claimed Platt told a former communications director to lie to the media.

Lucas, sources on future of City Manager position: Its hard to tell

Megan Strickland, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas spokesperson released the following statement after the vote:

The City Council has voted to continue the process started two weeks ago by ratifying Mayor Quinton Lucas temporary suspension of City Manager Brian Platt. Mr. Platts status, and the status of City leadership, remains the same as indicated in the Mayors March 6, 2025, letter.

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Additionally, the vote follows calls from the community to terminate Platt. Just yesterday, March 19, Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson said she wants Platts time as City Manager to come to an end.

Now is the time for resolution and transparency, not ambiguity. I expect the council to name an interim city manager tomorrow and terminate our current contract with Brian Platt, she said.

This is a developing story, FOX4 will provide updates as theyre made available.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Kansas City man is facing charges after he allegedly hit a police vehicle earlier this week during a ride-along.

The incident ended with the man being shot by a Kansas City police officer and taken to a hospital Tuesday night, March 18.

Homicide investigation underway in rural Ray County

The Jackson County Prosecutors Office announced in a news release Thursday that Robert Beebe, 34, is charged with resisting a lawful stop, unlawful possession of a firearm, and tampering with a vehicle.

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According to charging documents, Kansas City police officers and Kansas Highway Patrol troopers were trying to stop a driver around 5:15 p.m. on March 18. Troopers said they were following a black Infiniti car that had previously eluded them.

One passenger of the Infiniti exited the car and was taken into custody in the 700 block of Southwest Boulevard.

The driver of the Infiniti, later identified as Beebe, was seen by a police helicopter operator driving into oncoming traffic and failing to stop at lights.

The Infiniti was then observed pulling into a parking lot in the 1600 block of Jefferson Street.

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According to court records, a Kansas City police officer in a patrol vehicle drove up and parked behind the Infiniti. Court records stated that at least one person seated in the back seat of the police vehicle was participating in a department approved ride along.

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That witness stated that two officers got out of the police vehicle and asked Beebe to exit the Infiniti. Instead, the witness said, Beebe drove backward and forward, backed out again, and struck the police vehicle.

One of the officers then shot Beebe, and he was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. No police officers were hurt.

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A police officer who was at the scene later told investigators that he believed the Infiniti was driving in the direction of his partner.

A search warrant was issued for the Infiniti, which had been reported stolen March 6. According to court records, a loaded, stolen gun was recovered from the car.

Beebe has since been released from the hospital and is being held in the Jackson County jail with bond set at $100,000. An initial court appearance is set for Thursday afternoon.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol was requested to investigate the police shooting.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
DAMASCUS,SyriaThe fallout from the recent violence in Syrias coastal region represents a significant threat to the countrys political transition after the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December. How effectively the interim government in Damascus now re-establishes security while also reining in sectarian score-settling will go a long way toward determining whether a peaceful reunification of Syria is possible after decades of dictatorship and a brutal civil war.

The incident began on March 6, when militias loyal to Assad ambushed and killed 15 members of the interim governments security forces in the town of Jableh and other parts of the coastal province of Latakia. The government responded by sending in reinforcements, including tanks and air support, with the fighting soon spilling out over the coast and surrounding mountain areasthe traditional strongholds of the Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shiite Islam whose members constituted the Assad regimes main base of support.

As the fighting spread, videos of the carnage circulated on social media, one of which showed members of Syrias new military dropping barrel bombs from a helicopter. These metal containers filled with explosives were commonly used by Assads forces on civilian neighborhoods during the civil war. Crude and inaccurate, they caused thousands of civilian casualties over the 14 years of fighting between the former regime and the opposition.

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The more gruesome images that emerged from the coastal fighting, however, were those of the mass killings of mostly Alawite civilians by armed militias. In places like Latakia, Tartus and Hama, entire families were executed, often in their homes. Houses and shops belonging to Alawites were burned and pillaged.

To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter.

Three days after the start of the fighting, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that at least 973 civilians had been killed in 39 massacres and individual executions, though the numbers are likely to increase as the investigation into the violence continues. According to news reports, local activists and a United Nations fact-finding mission, many of these massacres were committed by Sunni militias that have been operating under the umbrella of the interim government. The fighting also killed 231 members of the Syrian security forces, as well as 250 armed men aligned with the former regime.

By March 10, Syrian authorities announced the end of the military operation on the coast, declaring that order had been restored. The following day, however, thousands of Syrians from the area were still fleeing across the border into Lebanon to escape the sectarian violence.

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Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syrias interim president, has promised to hold accountable any members of his coalition involved in the killing of civilians. How far he will go in punishing those responsible for the recent atrocities is far from clear, however.

More immediately, the massacring of Alawite civilians, the indiscriminate bombing of towns and the looting of civilian homes are all worrying developments that mark a potential turning point in the countrys political transition. Should the events of early March lead to large-scale conflict and continued violence against the Alawites and other communities, it would almost certainly doom the chances for the political and social opening many Syrians had hoped for after the collapse of the Assad regime.

A Preventable Turning-Point

That fighters incorporated into the new Syrian military and welcomed as liberators only a few months ago were ready to use the same tactics of indiscriminate violence as the previous regime was a shocking discovery for many Syrians. At the very least, it signals that al-Sharaa has limited control over some of the elements he has relied on to take power.

In many ways, thats understandable. As Manhal Bareesh, a Syrian researcher, told WPR, the Syrian army is now essentially made up of the various armed factions that previously made up the opposition to Assad. Al-Sharaa promoted some of their leaders and granted them military ranks just a few days after his arrival in Damascus, he adds, referring to the interim presidents triumphant entrance into the capital after Assads fall in December.

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Since fighters from al-Sharaas Hayat Tahir al-Sham, or HTS, militia took Damascus on Dec. 8, he has spent much of his time convincing Syrians and foreign dignitaries that not only have he and his group shed their violent Islamist past, but that his leadership and tactical maneuvering would be sufficient to open a new chapter for Syria. Both of these assumptions are now in question.

Since the clashes earlier this month, it has become customary to hear from Syrians and outside observers that the violence that gripped Syrias coastal provinces was bound to happen. The brutality of the Assad dictatorship followed by its initially near-bloodless collapse last December certainly left room for scores to be settled.

But to say that the massacring of unarmed civilians was unavoidable glosses over several mistakes that Syrias new rulers have made in their short time in power.

Since taking over as de facto ruler of Syria, al-Sharaa has spent much of his time courting the international community. But the current crisis underlines how little attention he has given to securing internal support.

In some ways, an armed confrontation with former regime supporters was indeed only a question of time. Under Assad, an estimated 80 percent of high-ranking positions in the army and security forces, as well as almost all of the intelligence apparatus positions, were held by Alawites. Most of these former regime officials did not get a seat on the flight that whisked Assad, his family and his inner circle to exileand safetyin Moscow as the rebel forces entered Damascus.

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A large proportion of the members of Assads intelligence apparatus, specifically, were involved in the large-scale torture and killings perpetrated against Syrians during the civil war, but also prior to it. Many of them did not seek reconciliation agreements, unlike army personnel, who were more likely to do so, Bareesh told WPR.

As such, many former regime enforcers were left to fend for themselves. The ones that did not escape to Lebanon or Dubai took refuge in Alawite-majority areas in Tartus and Latakia, as well as in the countryside around Homs. This placed immense pressure on the governments security forces, says Bareesh. It led to nightly ambushes targeting security forces, along with sporadic attacks on checkpoints, which had become almost a daily occurrence before the events of March 6th and resulted in frequent casualties.

That the remnants of the former regime, heavily implicated in the killing of innocent Syrians for decades, would fight against the new authorities was to be expected.

But that this fighting would trigger the large-scale killing of Alawite civilians by some of the government-aligned fighters that helped take down Assads regime was an avoidable atrocity. It has now endangered the nascent transition and, at least among some sections of the population, eroded much of the goodwill those same fighters had earned in removing the former dictatorship.

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Since taking over as de facto ruler of Syria, al-Sharaa has spent much of his time courting the international community. These efforts at solidifying his international legitimacy were important for the Syrian transition to succeed. To take just one example, getting sanctions removed, which remains critical to restart the economy, depends on international support.

But the current crisis underlines how little attention al-Sharaa has given to securing internal support. On many occasions over the past three months, Syrias interim leader missed major opportunities to appeal to broader sections of society. For example, he failed to show leadership on addressing the burning issue of the hundreds of thousands of Syrians disappeared by the former regime, only meeting with grieving families after weeks public outcry.

Given the obvious danger that the transition would escalate into renewed sectarian strife, especially against Alawite communities that constituted the backbone of the former regimes support base, al-Sharaa should have dedicated more attention to the justice and accountability portfolio.

Among his rare statements about protecting Syrians and avoiding revenge killings, he should have reinforced his commitment to protect those in the Alawite and other communities that do not have blood on their hands.

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He could have easily explained to Syrians what his security forces were doing to capture armed supporters of the former regime and make a clear distinction between them and the broader Alawite community. Lastly, he should have explained how his government aimed to establish judicial mechanisms to secure their accountability and prosecution.

Al-Sharaa has blamed foreign actors for the military escalation by pro-Assad forces against the Syrian security forces. Even if Assad allies such as Iran or Russia are eventually found to have lent material support to the March 6 attacks against security forces, Syrias interim president should have done more to avoid falling into any traps laid by the outside actors who lost out when Assad was removed.

This is unlikely to be the last time that armed groups linked to the former regime launch an attack on the new governments forces. However, any future fighting on Syrias coastal Alawite areas will be but one of al-Sharaas short-term security challenges.

The Immediate Challenges

In particular, it remains to be seen how the events on the coast will affect attempts to unify Syrias different militias under one army, especially those in the southern provinces and the Kurdish-dominated areas in the northeast.

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Some progress has been made. On March 10, amid the escalating crisis threatening to push the country into a new conflict, the interim government announced that it had signed a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, to integrate the groups fighters into the new Syrian army and its leaders into government institutions.

The SDF had taken advantage of the popular uprising that began against Assad in 2011 to carve out a Kurdish-controlled statelet in northeastern Syria. Given the Assad regimes long-standing policies targeting Kurdish identity during its 53-year rule under both Bashar and his father, Hafez al-Assad, the U.S.-backed SDF had been reluctant to relinquish its hold on the northeastern part of Syria and integrate with the new authorities in Damascus.

But regional changes encouraged SDF to move toward a deal, including the recent decision by the Kurdish militant group PKKthe SDFs alliesto declare a ceasefire in its fight against the Turkish government and the likelihood of a U.S. withdrawal from Syria under President Donald Trump.

Under the agreement, the SDF committed to merging all of its governance institutions in northeastern Syria with those of the new authorities in Damascus. After being under the semi-autonomous control of the SDF for years, the regions critical infrastructuresuch as airports, border crossings and perhaps most importantly oil wellswill come under the authority of Syrias central government.

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The deal includes a declaration that the Kurds are an integral part of Syria and entitled to the same constitutional and citizenship rights as all other Syrians.

Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa shakes hands with Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, in Damascus, Syria, March 10, 2025 (SANA photo via AP).

More importantly for the current security situation, the agreement declared a national ceasefire, which raised the hope of ending fighting between SDF forces and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army that has continued and even escalated since Assads ouster. Moreover, deploying SDF forces to the coastal areas of Syria to boost the Syrian armys presence there would improve the governments ability to maintain security.

The image of al-Sharaa shaking hands with Mazloum Abdi, the SDFs commander-in-chief, reignited hopes of avoiding more bloodshed. But keeping the support of the SDF and other groups will depend on how Syria evolves politically. On March 13, authorities released a new constitutional declaration set to chart out a five-year transitional period while a new final constitution is written.

The constitutional declaration is vague on key details. Among other things, it gives the interim president executive power during the transitional phase, while protecting him from being removed by the parliamentary legislature. It also states that Syrias president must be a Muslim and that Islamic jurisprudence will be the main source of law.

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The temporary constitutional document also sets the path to establish a transitional justice commission to investigate the crimes committed by the former regime. However, it does not seem to indicate any investigations will be launched relating to crimes committed by other armed groups during the civil war.

The declaration received a lukewarm reception from many Syrians. Notably, the Kurdish autonomous administration that rules the northeast of the country said the document is at odds with Syrias diversity and undermines efforts to achieve true democracy.

Securing the buy-in from all sections of society will require al-Sharaa and the interim government to involve a broader range of actors and opinions moving forward. Despite regularly talking about inclusivity and participation, al-Sharaa and his team have relied almost exclusively on their close allies to staff government positions. Many were brought in from Idlib, the province in northwestern Syria that HTS has been governing for years.

Whether by design or inexperience, the countrys new rulers are struggling to transition from being primarily a fighting force that also governs into being a governing authority that provides security for all. If al-Sharaa does not increase the number of government appointments based on merit rather than loyalty, backlash from those that feel excluded from the new Syria will be unavoidable.

Israel and the Southern Border

Further disagreements between central authorities in Damascus and any of the countrys factions could easily descend into renewed fighting. Complicating the picture, all these risks come at a time of rising pressure from neighboring Israel.

Even before the fall of the Assad regime, Israeli forces had pounded Syria with hundreds of air and artillery strikes over the course of 2023 and 2024, targeting mainly Iranian-backed fighters aligned with Assad.

As soon as the Syrian dictatorship fell on Dec. 8, Israeli troops advanced from their positions in the occupied Golan Heights to seize even more Syrian territory as a so-called buffer zone. Just hours after Assad left the country heading for Moscow, Israeli jets bombed military sites across the country.

Since then, the pressure on Syrias new authorities has not abated. Airstrikes take place every few days, and the sound of Israeli airplanes and drones flying overhead is common in Damascus and the southern parts of the country. In February, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned against the presence of Syrian troops south of Damascus. Not taking any chances, Syrian authorities have moved some tanks and other heavy equipment away from the countrys southern provinces in order to preserve them.

Syria lacks any military capability that could seriously threaten Israel. And al-Sharaa has repeatedly stated the interim government is not looking for a fight with its neighbor.

In fact, by exaggerating the security threat and further bombing Syrian territory, Israel is worsening the chances of a peaceful post-Assad transition.

Whether by design or inexperience, the countrys new rulers are struggling to transition from being primarily a fighting force that also governs into being a governing authority that provides security for all.

Indeed, Israel seems bent on preventing any sort of unification in Syria. Besides its militaristic approach to the new interim government in Damascus, it is also attempting to establish close ties with Syrias Druze populations, which live mainly in the southern province of Suweyda.

After a skirmish broke out between Druze fighters and government security forces in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana in early March, Netanyahu said that Israel was ready to protect the Druze community and other minorities from Syrias new rulers. It has also sent aid to Druze populations in Suweyda.

The fighting in Jaramana was reportedly a law-and-order issue, not a sectarian clash. Still, Israeli authorities seem keen to intervene in Syria under the pretext of protecting minorities. Israeli efforts to woo Druze and Kurdish communities and drive wedges between them and the authorities in Damascus will likely continue, potentially destabilizing the country further over the coming months.

In fairness, unifying Syria was always going to be a difficult job, and al-Sharaa has often showcased his pragmatism since taking power in December. But the wanton killing of Alawite civilians by armed groups allied with his own government has shattered his credibility as a state-builder working for all Syrians.

Real accountability would mean al-Sharaa backing up his words with actions. But rather than going after all the perpetrators and militia commanders responsible for the massacres on the coast, it seems more likely he will gloss over real justice and accountability to maintain his support base with some of the Sunni militias that brought him to power.

On March 15, just a week after the violence, Syrians marked the start of the peaceful demonstrations that, after a vicious crackdown by the regime, soon turned into civil war and ultimately revolution 14 years ago. In Damascus, government helicopters symbolically dropped roses on Syrians celebrating in the streets.

The gesture aimed to show that the nature of new Syrias emergent state is radically different from the one that was toppled on Dec. 8. Coming so soon after events on the coast, however, many Syrians will need more than roses to believe this.

Francisco Serrano is a journalist, writer and analyst. His work has appeared in Foreign Policy, Al-Monitor, Weapons of Reason, The Outpost, Foreign Affairs and other outlets. His latest book, As Ruinas da Decada, about the Middle East in the decade after the 2011 popular revolts, was published in 2022.

The post Keeping Syrias Transition Peaceful Just Got a Lot More Complicated appeared first on World Politics Review.
WOLFE COUNTY, Ky. (FOX 56)  The sentence for a man convicted of manslaughter in 2023 was overturned on Thursday.

According to court documents, on the weekend of June 16, 2020, Troy Dunkleberger had been in an argument with Jarron Slayback while on vacation at the Red River Gorge. Dunkleberger, his fiancee Samantha, and their three kids were on the trip with Slayback, his sister Megan Simpson, her husband Jordan, and their two children.

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A Kentucky Supreme Court opinion shows that Slayback was shot eight times by Dunkleberger, who thought that Slayback was motioning toward a weapon in his pocket, which turned out to be a flashlight.

Dunkleberger was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

On Thursday, the Kentucky Court reversed Dunklebergers conviction, agreeing with the argument that witness accounts of what led to the shooting differ vastly and that the evidence was insufficient to justify initial aggressor instruction, which the ruling hangs on.

Yelling a name does not constitute physical force under the initial aggressor statute, the Court wrote in its conclusion.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

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The court ruled that Dunkleberg should have only been convicted of second-degree manslaughter or reckless homicide. His case is reportedly eligible for retrial.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
The Maryland Transportation Authority did not conduct a risk assessment that, if acted upon, could have allowed the state to protect the Francis Scott Key Bridge from collapsing, the National Transportation Safety Boards chair said Thursday.

Such a vulnerability assessment would have found the bridge was highly vulnerable to a vessel collision, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.

Homendy said the federal board had to conduct its own vulnerability assessment of the Key Bridge while investigating its collapse nearly a year ago. The state had decades to conduct such a study based on national standards, but never did, she said. It also had not conducted a similar study of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, leaving it as one of dozens that the NTSB has identified as still having an unknown level of risk if struck by a vessel.

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This is not new, MDTA could have done this evaluation numerous times over the past several decades, Homendy said.

Had the MDTA conducted a vulnerability assessment based on recent vessel traffic, the agency would have been aware that the risk of a catastrophic collapse from a vessel collision was nearly 30 times higher than standards set by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The March 26, 2024, collapse could have been prevented if the MDTA had done the study and took action to protect the bridge, she said.

Homendy, leveling a strict criticism of the state at the NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., said there was no excuse that Maryland officials had not conducted the vulnerability assessments and that they did not even have the data necessary to do so. She faulted the state for not collecting data on vessel traffic and said it remained unclear whether it was doing so now for other bridges.

That was a surprise to all of us, she said of the results of her agencys own assessment of the Key Bridge. But its something that MDTA could have known and should have known.

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AASHTO had set standards and recommended the evaluations in the 1990s. Maryland had been on the executive committee that developed those recommendations, and during a 2009 update.

Homendy said Thursday that the board was recommending that the owners of nearly 70 U.S. bridges in 19 states assess how vulnerable their bridges are to vessel collisions.

Three Maryland bridges are on the list of 68 bridges that the NTSB said still have an unknown level of risk of collapse if a vessel struck them. The eastbound and westbound spans of the Bay Bridge are two, and the other is the Chesapeake City Bridge, built in 1948.

The MDTA, as of October, had not conducted a risk assessment for the Bay Bridge.

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Homendys briefing on the four urgent recommendations contained some of the most striking remarks to come from the boards nearly yearlong investigation of the bridge collapse. The MDTA, which had conducted some risk assessments after the September 11 attacks, did not immediately respond to Homendys remarks.

Spokespeople for Gov. Wes Moore and Senate President Bill Ferguson both declined comment at the State House soon after the press conference ended.

The risk of a catastrophic collision was nearly 50 times greater for the support column that the Dali freighter hit early in the morning after the cargo ship lost power and control, Homendy said.

She said that the NTSB would release over 1,000 documents related to its investigation of collapse over the past year. A preliminary NTSB report from last May laid out a timeline that included multiple electrical blackouts on the Dali immediately before and after it departed the Port of Baltimore. The next month, the board said it had zeroed in on a small electrical component that they linked to the power outages.

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Pre-construction work began earlier this year on a new bridge to replace the span that collapsed on March 26, 2024, killing six construction workers. Officials hope to open the new bridge by fall 2028.

The federal government is expected to cover the cost of the new bridge, which is projected to be up to $1.9 billion. Insurance claims and lawsuits could cover a large chunk of those costs.

Part of the pre-construction work involves blasting the spans that remain in the Patapsco River. That demolition work is not yet scheduled but is expected in late spring to early summer, Maryland Transportation Authority spokesperson Bradley Tanner said. Meanwhile, the 984-foot Dali went back to sea in January.

Along with the NTSB investigation, the FBI also boarded the Dali last April for what appeared to be a separate investigation into possible violations of federal criminal laws, also boarding a similar ship months later. A separate Maryland Occupational Safety and Health investigation led to a fine against Brawner Builders, the construction firm that the crew was working for.

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President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, a long-anticipated action that will affect how billions of dollars in federal funding for California will be distributed to millions of students, educators and institutions.

Were going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible, Trump said at a White House event to celebrate his executive order. Its doing us no good. We want to return our students to the states.

Trump pledged that vital, mandated programs  Pell Grants for low-income college students, Title I funding that serves students from disadvantaged families and programs for students with disabilities  would continue without interruption under the management of other agencies.

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The dismantling of the department has been unofficially in progress for weeks but the approval of Congress would be required to fully shut it down.

Yet Trumps impact on education already has been substantial in California. The administration yanked federal funding from entities that dont conform to his agenda, especially Trump's opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs, or DEI, and his efforts to remove transgender students as a protected group under anti-discrimination laws.

The administration has canceled $148 million in teacher training grants for California that were meant to address an acute teacher shortage  and promote a diverse teaching workforce. It's not clear if the cancellations were a result of across-the-board cutbacks, an ideological issue or both. That action is being challenged in court, and a judge has ordered the funds to be restored for now.

In addition, the slashing this month of Education Department staff by half has affected the agency's ability to carry out routine but important tasks, including those mandated by Congress, such as grant and loan programs for students.

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The recent cuts were especially deep to research efforts and investigations by the Office for Civil Rights. The civil rights office has nonetheless launched major investigation and enforcement actions against colleges and K-12 districts accused of not acting to stop antisemitism or of allowing transgender students to participate in girls sports.

Here are key points to understand about the future of the department under Trump:

Trump said the closure returns education to the states. But it's already there.

Trump's order as well as repeated public statements focus on what the president has referred to as his "dream" of "returning education to the states."

States already were in control of most aspects of education  and control has moved more toward states in recent years.

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"States can and will still drive education, and local communities will have lots to say about what they do," said Pedro Noguera, dean of the USC Rossier School of Education. "What's going to be missing is federal leadership."

There have been periods when the federal government took more control: When the National Guard, for example, forced schools in the South to allow Black students to attend the same campuses as white students.

Another period began in 2001 with No Child Left Behind  a bipartisan effort that joined President George W. Bush with Sen. Ted Kennedy. Schools were given a 2014 deadline to pull up every student to academic proficiency or face penalties. That effort failed.

President Obama continued somewhat in that vein by dangling huge grants  as schools were trying to recover from recession funding cuts  to adopt favored policies, including using test scores to evaluate teachers. That effort faded away toward the end of the Obama administration.

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Nothing in current law prevents states from establishing and managing curriculum, learning standards and accountability measures.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who was on hand for the signing of the executive order, both celebrated Trump's action and acknowledged an inherent contradiction in a comment circulated Thursday by the White House.

Abolishing the department would usher in a new era of American educational excellence," DeSantis said in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece on Tuesday. "States already implement their curriculum and operate their education programs." DeSantis' view is that the cutting of "red tape" would allow states to accomplish more and more quickly.

But what DeSantis sees as strangling regulation, California Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Rolling Hills Estates) sees as necessary oversight.

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"This is not just an issue about federal funds," said Muratsuchi, a former school board member who chairs the Assembly's education committee. "This is an issue about the federal government's responsibility to investigate and to enforce our federal laws that we've fought for decades for  to ensure equal educational opportunity" especially for students with disabilities.

Trump supporter and Chino Valley Unified School Board President Sonja Shaw said it might not be enough to simply defer to states. Before Trump's election, her district advanced policies that align with those of Trump  and state officials stopped some of them through litigation and legislation.

"Right now, California holds school districts hostage with funding, forcing them to comply with radical policies that undermine parental rights and destroy public education," Shaw said. "If Trumps plan includes bypassing corrupt state governments and empowering local communities, it would be a game-changer."

President Trump does not have the authority to close the Department of Education, but so far that hasn't mattered.

This issue could be headed for the courts, although Education Secretary Linda McMahon has conceded that Congress would have to be involved at some point for the shutdown to take full effect.

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In the meantime, however, she is leading an effort to end as much as she can  and critics say she is doing more than is legally allowed. This is where lawsuits and courts already have entered the picture.

Congress could intervene by giving Trump the authority he wants or by taking strong action to make it clear he lacks authority.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said Thursday that he "will support the presidents goals by submitting legislation to accomplish this as soon as possible.

Democratic lawmakers vowed to fight back.

If the Education Department closes, programs that many consider vital will lose their funding.

Cuts already have decimated the department's ability to fund, evaluate and disseminate research.

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"One of the first casualties of decentralization would be the collection of education data, as many policymakers may resist transparency in assessing the effectiveness of their policies," said Gabriel Buelna, an elected trustee of the Los Angeles Community College District. "Without reliable data, it becomes easier to ignore systemic failures, leading to policies that favor elite interests over public education investment."

While Trump pledged Thursday to honor commitments mandated by Congress, the logistics of doing so are likely to become a problem because of decreased staffing and a dispersal of the department, said Linda Darling-Hammond, president of California's Board of Education.

"We've already cut a lot of staff from the department. Can it engage in its functions? Personnel cuts may affect the ability to get money out the door, both for programs and for students who are getting federal loans," Darling-Hammond said.

"If programs are dispersed, they're going to be administered less coherently, and the effect on districts and states will be that they have to report to multiple departments for multiple different programs," she added.

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The prospect of punitive cuts looms large if California and its education institutions refuse to adhere to Trump policy positions on limiting LGBTQ+ rights and DEI programs.

Orange County parent and former school board member Madison Miner, however, sees nothing but upside to Trump's executive order.

"For too long, this bureaucracy has failed our children, pushing political agendas instead of focusing on real education," said Miner, who chairs the Orange County chapter of Moms for Liberty. "Parents, teachers and local communities  not Washington bureaucrats  know whats best for our kids."

California education institutions are on a collision course with the Trump administration.

California leaders and education institutions have largely established themselves in opposition to Trump or have long pursued policies contrary to his agenda.

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California Democratic leaders are especially at odds with the Trump administration over the state's assistance to immigrants who are not authorized to live in the U.S. and for measures that designate LGBTQ+ individuals as a group with full protection from discrimination.

Democratic officials  in a state dominated by Democrats  vow to carry on with their opposition.

"We will continue to fight any federal actions that threaten to harm our most vulnerable student populations," said L.A. school board member Nick Melvoin.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said of Trump's order: This overreach needs to be rejected immediately by a coequal branch of government. Or was Congress eliminated by this executive order, too?



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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The Faktor Druk printing house in Kharkiv, heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack in 2024, has been fully restored, First Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced on March 20.

Russian forces struck the printing facility on May 23, killing seven people and injuring 21. The attack destroyed more than 50,000 books and vital printing equipment. Faktor Druk is part of the Faktor Group, which includes Vivat, Ukraine's third-largest publishing house.

The Faktor Druk printing house in Kharkiv, heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack in 2024, has been fully restored, photo published on March 20, 2025. (Yulia Svyrydenko / Facebook)

"A year ago, a Russian attack destroyed a printing house in Kharkiv. I remember how Serhii Polituchyi (the printing plant's owner) brought burnt children's books  the same ones my daughter reads  and it just broke my heart," Svyrydenko wrote on Facebook.

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The restoration of the facility was financed by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which stepped in following the attack to help rebuild critical infrastructure.

"Then we looked for help. Howard Buffett (U.S. philanthropist) was the first to respond: 'We will rebuild.' And today, here is a photo of the restored shop," Svyrydenko added.

Faktor Druk is one of the largest full-cycle printing complexes in Europe.

Read also: EU provides $1 billion in aid to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch

On Monday the president displayed the latest sensitive document he managed to lift from the National Archives: the Declaration of Independence.

Well, an original copy, anyway. He requested it from the Archives to help spruce up the Oval Offices decor and they shuttled it over, having learned from the last time they tangled with him that resistance is futile.

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The words on the parchment are apparently much darker and more legible than they are in the famous version of the Declaration on display at the Archives. Presumably thats due to Trumps copy having been stored away from light, although I like to imagine that the archivists sent him a replica from the gift shop with assurances that it was the real deal.

The artifact is now mounted on the wall near his desk, ostensibly as a source of national pride. But given his pretensions to monarchy, it more resembles a trophy from a hunting expedition, the civic equivalent of a stuffed moose head.

Have a look at it while you can, as hes surely taking it with him when (if?) he leaves office. Come 2029, itll be hanging over a gilded toilet at Mar-a-Lago, the worlds most impressive bathroom word art.

The news about it caught my attention because of a coincidence in timing. Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, by far the biggest news in American international affairs has been  a declaration of independence. It came from incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, a week or so after J.D. Vance antagonized European diplomats in Munich and a few days before he and Donald Trump tussled with Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House.

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My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA, Merz announced after his party won Germanys elections. I never thought I would have to say something like this on a television program. But after Donald Trumps statements last week at the latest, it is clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.

That was shocking. It was impolitic, for one thing, because having the leader of Germany kiss off his countrys alliance with the United States in a televised address is just the sort of pretext Trump might plausibly seize on to justify ditching NATO. Granted, hes going to abandon it eventually anywaybut when he does, it would be useful to NATO supporters here in the U.S. if he didnt have a ready-made excuse to do so. Germany told us to get lost!

But the other reason Merzs comments were shocking is that they were true. If anything, they were too kind. At best, the Trump White House is indifferent to the fate of Europe. At worst, its eager to see the biggest beneficiaries of the Pax Americana end up under Russias thumb. The chancellor was grappling with a reality thats both simple and very, very hard: A country capable of reelecting Donald Trump is a country that cannot be depended on.

Its time for Europe to hit the kill switch on Americas leadership of the west.

Untrustworthy.

Imagine the look on Zelenskys face yesterday when Trump proposed letting the United States take ownership of Ukraines power plants, including its nuclear facilities.

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Its not crazy in principle. Ukraine wants to halt Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, making that a key condition of the initial ceasefire that the White House proposed. Nothing would scare Moscow away from targeting that infrastructure like knowing that its now effectively U.S. territory, possibly with American workers on the ground and in the line of fire.

It would be a powerful, if limited, security guarantee for a country thats been desperate to secure such guarantees from Washington.

The problem is that Zelensky has no reason to trust that Trump wont abuse his power over Ukrainian energy to harm Ukrainian interests. On the contrary.

It was only a few weeks ago that the president halted weapons shipments and intelligence-sharing to soften up Kyivs resistance to a peace deal (and to punish Zelensky for the Oval Office squabble, of course). Other pressure tactics that would handicap Ukraines military have reportedly been considered but not yet implemented. You can see the next move on the chessboard as easily as I can: If the White House ends up in charge of Ukrainian electricity and Zelensky refuses some draconian new demand made by the U.S. on Russias behalf, the lights will go out across Ukraine.

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Dont think Trump wouldnt do it. Summarily pulling the plug has become his go-to move on policy.

The United States is now so unreliable an ally, in other words, that a nation at war might be better off holding onto its territory and letting it be bombed by Russia than trusting it to American stewardship. Moscow can only damage Ukrainian energy production; Washington, under Trumps deal, would have a kill switch.

The phrase kill switch has been a hot topic in European security discussions lately, in fact, specifically with regard to the American-made F-35 fighter jet.

Sixteen U.S. allies, including Germany, have F-35s in service. Our former friends in Canada have an order outstanding for 88 of the planes, to the tune of $14.5 billion. Its easier for NATO partners to coordinate when everyone is working off the same tech and its nice for Lockheed Martin and the U.S. economy to have that tech being made here. But after watching Trump sabotage Ukraines military earlier this month to serve Russias interests, those allies have understandably begun to wonder: Could America do the same with the F-35?

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What if theres a kill switch embedded in the software on which the aircraft runs that might render it suddenly inoperable, like a phone being bricked by a hacker, if the White House wishes it so?

This is no random conspiracy theory. Paranoia about it overseas has risen to the point that Lockheed Martin felt moved to address it on Tuesday, noting that the Pentagon insists theres no way to remotely disable the F-35. But even if you believe that (and why would you?), nations that use the jet are still stuck relying on the United States for spare parts and software updates. If Europe were to end up at war with Moscow and the president gave the order to cut off those parts and updatesuh oh.

Again, dont think Trump wouldnt do it.

On Wednesday, a member of Denmarks parliament expressed public regret for his part in convincing the Danish government to use the F-35. In light of the way the White House has bullied Canada and sought to strengthen Putin at Europes expense, he wrote, I can easily imagine a situation where the USA will demand Greenland from Denmark and will threaten to deactivate our weapons and let Russia attack us when we refuse (which we will even in that situation). Its not hard to imagine, is it?

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Therefore, he concluded, reasonably enough, buying American weapons is a security risk that we can not run.

Is he wrong? Overlooked amid the hype over Trumps indefensible decision to temporarily halt weapons and intelligence to Ukraine are numerous quiet ways in which the White House has realigned Americas policy with Moscows. The administration has halted offensive cyber operations against Russia, suspended cooperation in an international effort to prevent Russian sabotage, defunded agencies dedicated to counterprogramming Russian propaganda, withdrawn from a multinational task force investigating Russian war crimes, andmost despicablydefunded a program at Yale to track the whereabouts of kidnapped Ukrainian children inside Russia.

Why would Denmark want to rely on the F-35 to defend itself from Russia if the country that makes the F-35 is increasingly on Russias side? Why wouldnt Canada want to have the European Union as its chief military partner when its current chief military partner keeps babbling about how it shouldnt exist? What sort of lunatic would persist in letting this administration have a de facto kill switch over its national security?

Trump cant be trusted. More importantly, Americans cant either.

Unfit to lead.

If this bothers you, you might reassure yourself that 2028 is right around the corner.

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The early polling is auspicious, too. A Fox News survey finds the president currently rocking a 61 percent disapproval rating among independents. The prospect of him defying a court ruling is about as popular as measles. And his Putinist treatment of Ukraine has ignited a sharp backlash among Democrats and independents, with the number who say the U.S. isnt doing enough to help Kyiv up sharply in both groups. Americans might plausibly elect a pro-western anti-Russian Democrat in 2028.

They might even succeed in seeing him inaugurated after Trump inevitably attempts another coup.

But so what? From the standpoint of a European weighing whether to trust the United States, what does it matter that a traditional liberal might take power in four years?

The most damaging consequence of Trumps chaotic government-by-whim is that it makes long-term planning impossible. Tariffs might be imposed, or they might not. Legal immigrants might have rights, or they might not. Court rulings might be followed, or they might not. Vaccines might be available, or they might not. The United States might maintain its alliances, or it might not.

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If youre a highly skilled immigrant, a foreign corporation, a research scientist, or a European head of state, why would you wager your income, your career, your family, or your national security on America when American policymaking has never been more arbitrary and increasingly left to the devices of an imperious, mercurial mental defective by a Congress thats rancid with cowards?

Itll change in 2028, you reply. Sure, it might. Or it might not.

Thats the point. The thesis of this newsletter is and has always been that Trump and Trumpism are symptoms of a problem, not the problem itself. The problem is that America is no longer a country divided evenly between right-wing and left-wing versions of classical liberalism. Its a country divided between liberalism and postliberalism.

Until Trump, Europeans could trust that America would backstop the western liberal order regardless of whether the president was Republican or Democrat. When the White House changed hands, foreign policy would shift at the marginsbut never so much that a U.S. alliance with Soviet communists or Russian fascists was in the cards. When the White House changes hands now, however, the entire paradigm of American government changes with it.

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In 2029 the United States might reclaim the title it held for the past 80 years as leader of the free world, or it might not. Theres a universe in which Trump is still in office at that point, one way or another, and is busily compensating for the decline in F-35 sales to Europe by selling them to Russia instead.

I repeat again: Dont think he wouldnt do it. And if he does, given his affinity for Putin, the risk of him using a kill switch to disable those jets in a fit of pique would be minimal.

But even if he leaves office on schedule, European leaders will have no earthly reason to go back to treating America as a reliable ally. Ours is now a country with a split personality, half liberal and half authoritarian (a chimera, one might call it), and whether the liberal or authoritarian half gets to set policy amounts to a coin flip every four years. Friedrich Merz might plausibly find himself dealing with President Josh Shapiroor President Tucker Carlson.

Europes fate cant depend on a series of coin flips. An American house divided may stand for a while but it certainly cant be relied upon. The essential lesson of last years election is not that the Orange Man is bad but that half the American public is now so civically debilitated that it cant tell or doesnt care that the Orange Man is bad. Who in their right mind would trust the future of the western liberal order to a country as depraved as that?

Earlier today, Peter Wehner published an essay on Trumps obsession with revenge. This grabbed me:

My Atlantic colleague Jonathan Rauch wrote to me that one thing thats surprised him is, among Trumps supporters, the sheer energy thats generated by transgression. The joy of breaking stuff and hurting people. Its a million-volt battery. He added: I dont think this ends after Trump. He has raised a half generation of ambitious men and women who have been (de)socialized by his style. The most successful businessman in the world is a troll. Its just what smart people do.

Desocialized is an arresting way to describe the rights moral collapse. This goes far beyond politics; what were experiencing under Trump is a change in the American character, or possibly the American character laid bare. Cruel, spiteful, adolescent, gleefully destructive, glibly unbothered by the human wreckage it leavesRauch is right that it wont end with this presidency, as pathologies that profound arent so easily cured. A population willing to be governed by a faction thats openly eager to find a kill switch for the constitutional order is a population that cant be depended on for anything, let alone global leadership.

Too bad for Europe that it has no choice, huh?

Not in the short term, anyway. Eighty years of outsourcing its security to the United States means that disentangling itself from America wont happen soon, even if, per Friedrich Merz, the will to do so is there. The irony of the F-35 debate is that whether or not theres a kill switch that can disable the jet, the aircraft is so heavily dependent on other American military assets that it could be hamstrung by simply cutting off access to those systems instead. True European military independence from the U.S. may take decades.

But its essential and inevitable so theyd better get cracking, and in the meantime, theyd better hope that nuclear brinkmanship can keep Russia at bay. American leadership is a spent force. The sooner everyone realizes it, the sooner a worthy successor might emerge.

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YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM)  A York County man allegedly threatened to kill Pennsylvania State Troopers and swung a hunting knife at one after he was involved in a road rage incident, according to charging documents.

James Moore II, 34, of Wrightsville, is accused of stating he would kill you all and do you want to do this right now, after he allegedly tried to slash a Trooper at a property along W. Shoff Road in Chanceford Township just before 10 a.m., according to the charges filed by State Police at York.

James Moore II mugshot from York County Prison

Troopers received a report about a resident having a problem with his neighbor, later identified as Moore. They then learned of a driver, later identified as Moore, who rammed the back of another persons vehicle multiple times on Furnace Road.

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According to Troopers, Moore was followed by the driver he allegedly rammed, and they managed to get his registration which came back to him.

Pennsylvania man loses thousands in Facebook car dealership scam

When Troopers arrived at Moores property, a large hunting knife was spotted in Moores hands as well as a white Ford Focus that had damage to the front of it.

State Police say Moore walked in an aggressive manner toward Troopers and he allegedly threatened to kill them, before he went back into his home, causing Troopers to set up a perimeter around the building. Troopers said he was eventually able to be taken into custody without incident.

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The knife and the vehicle were seized from the home during a search.

Moore faces two felony aggravated assault charges and a misdemeanor charge of terroristic threats and driving with a suspended license.

He is in York County Prison with his bail denied by Magisterial District Judge John Fishel. He awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for May 23.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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When the warden asked if he had any last words, Aaron Gunches squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

He was strapped to a gurney in the execution chamber, waiting to die, projecting a desire to just get it over with after nearly 23 years.

In 2002, he killed a man named Ted Price, by taking him out to the desert and putting four bullets in him for reasons he must have imagined made sense. Now, it was his turn and his time to die.

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On a closed circuit TV screen above the big window into the execution chamber, a hand pushed a plunger, sending the killing drug pentobarbital along a long tube from a control panel in another room into Gunches veins.

Pento kills by inducing pulmonary edema, essentially ripping the lungs apart and filling them with fluids that drown a person in minutes. Experts opine that it is a terrorizing, painful way to die: The drug renders the drowner unresponsive, but it doesnt mean he cant feel anything.

Gunches showed nothing. He kept his eyes closed. He coughed lightly. His hands twitched once or twice. He let out a few huffing breaths, then exhaled with a light snore. After about three minutes, he just laid still.

An anonymous voice came over a loudspeaker announcing the time of death: 10:33 a.m. The drugs had taken 18 minutes to do their job.

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The death penalty is the law of the land in Arizona, Attorney General Kris Mayes said an hour or so later in a post-execution press conference. She hit the usual notes: Justice served. Closure.

We were told that Gunches last meal had been a double western cheeseburger and a gyros with onion rings and baklava. It did not sound appetizing.

One of Prices sisters expressed her relief that it was finally over.

What more could anyone really say?

It was never a high-profile case, and it didnt even make the newspapers until eight years after the murder, when the death sentence was thrown out by the Arizona Supreme Court, a rarity. Then the second trial also stayed under the radar, and no one heard of Gunches again until 2022, when he demanded to be executed, and then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich agreed. But then Arizona changed governors and the execution was put off until this year, when politics made it unavoidable.

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As brutal as the murder was, it probably would not have ended in a death sentence, according to several of his attorneys and one judge, if Gunches hadnt insisted he knew better than anyone else.

He was a big man, six feet tall and 210 pounds at the time of his arrest. He cropped his hair short because he was balding. He had jug ears and his face pinched into a permanent squint. His lawyers have described him as somehow likeable, in spite of it all, protective of his friends, rigid in his ideas of good and bad. He was also obstinate and averse to logic once he had made up his mind with his limited and drug-addled reasoning faculties.

He came from a dynasty of drug abusers: his grandparents, his father, his fathers siblings and several of his cousins. Six served prison time and four died from substance abuse, according to court records. Gunches had suffered more than one head trauma and had to wear dark glasses because of resultant light sensitivity.

He would not allow any of that information to be used as mitigation. He insisted on firing his attorneys and defending himself, then did nothing in his own defense. He has, on occasion, told acquaintances that he did not commit the murder, but would not say who had. And he never brought that up in court. His advisory attorneys are still haunted, because they felt they could have helped him reach a plea agreement and a lesser verdict  maybe second-degree murder, maybe less than a life sentence, even.

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But he refused to cooperate and held to a prison-mentality honor code in which he would implicate nothing and take the punishment. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Ryan spent months trying to convince him to use an attorney before grudgingly finding him competent to defend himself.

Well, I mean, this is not an A-plus passing on your competence by the experts, he told Gunches. I hope you realize that.

Ryan told the Mirror that, through his refusal to prevent the jury from knowing anything about him, Gunches was leaving them no choice but to sentence him to death.

One of his trial court judges, Joseph Kreamer, asked point-blank if he was trying to commit suicide by jury.

Do you believe in the death penalty?

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Thats the question Prices sister asked me. And when she didnt get a definitive enough yes, she clammed up.

Ironically, its the same question Gunches asked of another reporter, and he wanted the same answer  agree to let me die before he, too, stopped talking.

The woman at the center of the killing nearly 23 years ago wouldnt talk at all. The long-ago relationships are ill-defined in the record: She was an ex-girlfriend of some kind to Ted Price and some kind of girlfriend to Gunches, the man who killed him.

She wasnt charged in the murder, though she went to prison on drug charges that turned up during the investigation. When she had done her time, she moved away from Arizona, got married, changed her name, and started a new life. But do you ever escape this kind of trauma? When asked for comment, she had someone else return the call and demanded to be left out of the story, which is impossible.

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But now Gunches is dead, too, and whether his death at the hands of the state fulfilled any of their expectations remains to be seen. The answer is probably no.

Aaron Gunches killed Ted Price on November 15, 2002, late at night in a river bottom east of Phoenix. Gunches was executed March 19, 2025, on a prison gurney in Florence. Thats the beginning and end to the story. Heres the in-between, sketched out from court records and conversations with attorneys and a judge.

Gunches came to the Phoenix area from Carlsbad, California, sometime in the 1990s. He had a high school diploma, he worked as a mechanic and in construction, and he had a talent for fabricating glass pipes for smoking methamphetamine. By 1999, he had already amassed three drug charges and a charge of misconduct with weapons, and he had done two-and-a-half years in prison, getting out in 2001 when he was 30.

A year later, 2002, he was in a relationship of some sort with Kathryn Lecher. Gunches later denied to one of his attorneys that he and Lecher were a couple, though he sometimes spent the night. But with his prison honor code, and what an attorney called an exaggerated sense of chivalry, he may have been covering up.

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Ted Price, 40, was an electronics technician, according to his obituary. He was originally from Utah but had moved to Massachusetts, where he left a divorce and two kids before moving back to Utah. Somewhere along the way, he and Lecher, herself divorced with two teenagers, had had a relationship that lasted about 10 years.

In November 2002, Price took a bus from Utah to Mesa. He was studying to be an X-ray technician and waiting for a student grant so that he could get a place of his own in Arizona. But in the meantime, he was sleeping on a couch at Lechers apartment.

It was a crowded place. Lechers two children lived with her, and so did a 17-year old named Jennifer Garcia, Garcias father, and another woman. Everyone did drugs, including the kids, and according to court records Gunches and other men came and went.

This didnt sit well with Price, who had hopes of getting back together with Lecher. She was not at all interested. Price, according to his sister, was alarmed at the drug use and said so. And on Nov. 14, 2002, after about five days, things exploded. Though the record does not detail what the argument was about, Lecher became so enraged that she threw a telephone  not a cell phone, mind you  and hit him full in the face, knocking him down.

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Price lay on the floor, dazed, unable to stand on his own two feet. Lecher made a phone call. Enter Gunches.

According to statements from others in the house, Gunches was polite at first, and then lost his temper, grabbing Price by the hair and holding a gun to his head, saying, I should just take you out of this world right now.

One of the roommates called Greyhound to find out how much bus fare would cost to send Price back home. They gathered Prices things, though Gunches took Prices guitar, handed it to Lechers son, and said, Compliments of Ted. They half-carried Price to Lechers car and loaded him onto the backseat. Gunches insisted that Jennifer Garcia drive, even though she had other plans.

They drove to the bus terminal. Gunches went inside, telling Garcia to make sure Price didnt leave. He came out shortly, claiming he didnt have enough money for a ticket, and got back in the car. And though Garcia offered to chip in for bus fare, Gunches refused and ordered her to start driving up the Beeline Highway. They turned off the road toward Saguaro Lake, and when the car bottomed out at an area favored by dirt-bikers, Price and Gunches got out of the car.

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Where are we? Price asked, and What are we doing?

Were going camping, Gunches said.

Gunches rooted in the trunk of the car while Price staggered about. He pulled out a gun, wrapped a towel around his hand and shot four times, hitting Price three times in the chest and once in the head. Price fell to his knees and then collapsed on his side.

Though she initially testified that Gunches had made her fire the gun, too, Garcia never left the car. (The lie was encouraged by her father, who said she needed to embellish her story to make it more believable.) On the way back to Lechers place, she said, Gunches tried to caress her hair. When they got there, Garcia left to walk around. When she got back, Gunches was asleep. She took the car keys and drove away.

Prices body was not found for nearly a month, and its debatable whether anyone was even looking. But hikers or bikers came across the body on Dec. 10, 2002. Maricopa County Sheriffs deputies combed the murder scene. There was no identification on the body, but Price was eventually identified by the serial number on a hip replacement.

Gunches was long gone. On Jan. 15, 2003, two months after the murder, he was pulled over on I-10 near Yuma because of a burned-out taillight. He came out of the car shooting, striking the DPS officer in the chest, but not injuring him because he was wearing body armor. Gunches shoulder was grazed, and he was shot in the head, though he later claimed he pulled the bullet out with his fingers. He fled the scene but was found the next day, hiding in a haystack in the town of Wenden, and arrested. He was put on a medical helicopter and rushed to a hospital.

La Paz County prosecutors charged him with attempted murder, and he had already been convicted and sent to prison with a 23-year sentence before Maricopa County investigators connected him to the Price murder. He was indicted on murder and kidnapping charges in May 2004, one year and five months after he killed Ted Price.

Garcia pleaded guilty to manslaughter and kidnapping in exchange for her testimony and was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Lecher was investigated, but not charged in the murder, and instead was convicted of child abuse for sharing drugs with her children, an allegation that arose during the investigation by the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office.

Gunches case went into suspended animation as court-appointed attorneys and psychologists tried to determine if he was competent to stand trial  and, after he insisted on firing his attorneys, whether he was competent to defend himself in court. Some of the evaluators found him incompetent, others said he was competent.

Judge Timothy Ryan was increasingly frustrated with Gunches refusal to defend himself at all. He pleaded guilty. He refused to sit for any more psych exams. Then he signed off without contesting the aggravating factors  that the murder was cruel and heinous and that he had been convicted of a prior serious offense, the cop shooting, which had actually taken place after  which are necessary to prove that the murder was among the worst of the worst. And he refused to present any mitigating evidence  family background, mental health issues  anything that could make a jury opt for life instead of death.

Ryan was exasperated.

You understand that, essentially, you are dictating that the jury impose the death penalty? he said.

The trial  what remained of it  began in late 2007, in the courtroom of Judge Rosa Mroz. There was little for the jury to consider. Gunches insisted on wearing his jail clothes instead of dressing out. Defendants usually do not appear in court in jail stripes or handcuffs, so as not to give the jury an impression of guilt.

He called only one witness, Jennifer Garcia.

I just got one question, he said to her. How does it feel to get away with murder?

Whatever that meant, the question was never answered. And Garcia didnt get away with anything. She went to prison.

On Feb. 14, 2008, the jury sentenced Gunches to death.

All death sentences go directly to the Arizona Supreme Court, and that takes a while.

On June 16, 2010, the state high court threw out Gunches death sentence because of the prosecutors allegation that the murder was cruel and heinous. The jury had passed on cruel, but agreed on heinous.

But heinous requires a finding that the murder was senseless  that the killer relished the crime, that there was gratuitous violence, that the victim feared for his life. The Supreme Court saw none of that.

Writing for the majority, then-Chief Justice Scott Bales wrote, Even when viewed in the light most favorable to sustaining the verdict, the evidence suggests that Prices final shot (lapsing into case law) came in an attempt to kill the victim, not to engage in violence beyond that necessary to kill.

Though the court held the other alleged aggravator to be valid, they thought the jury might have been unduly influenced by the heinousness error. They threw out the death penalty and sent it back to Superior Court.

Gunches second trial didnt take place until 2013, and he was just as recalcitrant as before. He again insisted on defending himself, though it was more of a surrender.

Marci Kratter was assigned as his advisory counsel.

Gunches and I would get into fights every day of his trial, she said.

The judge repeated the question of whether he was committing suicide by jury. The state had a heyday. When the prosecutor would overstep his bounds and Kratter would object, Gunches would say, Judge, tell her to sit down and shut up.

Kratter described Gunches as obstinate, fact resistant and logic resistant. She thought he was not right in the head. But it pained her that there was no attempt to follow the legal process and that the jury was forced to reach a serious decision without being provided any information.

How can you decide whether someone should live or die when the person puts on no evidence? she asked.

Needless to say, Gunches was sentenced to death again, and in 2016, it sailed through the Arizona Supreme Court. The opinion noted that his attorney didnt think he should defend himself, and that the trial court judge worried he was not attempting to avoid the death penalty. The justices knew that no mitigation had been presented and didnt care that the prior bad act had, in fact, occurred afterward. The verdict stuck.

Things did not get better for Gunches attorneys in the next appeals stage, called post-conviction relief, back in the trial court, where defendants can raise new issues for the first time.

Gunches again convinced the court to let him defend himself, then promptly fired his lawyers and withdrew the appeal. He never filed another, though it would have been within his rights to do so.

As one lawyer said, He has been the architect of his own disaster. Even if hes the biggest assh**e in the world, are we okay with this unexplored case resulting in death?

Gunches wasted no time in trying to get the sentence carried out. According to a handwritten brief he sent to the Arizona Supreme Court, he first wrote to then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich in 2018, shortly after his last appeal, asking to be executed. He asked five more times before Brnovich agreed.

It was an inauspicious time for executions. The courts and the previous governor had paused executions pending litigation after a seriously botched one in 2014. And the drugs needed for further executions were unavailable until 2020, when U.S. Attorney General William Barrs administration decreed that the FDA had no control over execution drugs. A Connecticut company saw an open market and filled it.

The U.S. government executed 13 people in 2020, in the last months of the first Trump administration. Similarly, Brnovich executed three Arizona prisoners in 2022, his last year in office. It was no coincidence that both men were running for office, and the death penalty is Republican doctrine for being tough on crime.

Gunches hoped to piggy back on that killing spree. Almost as an afterthought, Brnovich sought a death warrant for Gunches, but he was out of office by the time of the execution date set by the court. Gov. Katie Hobbs and the newly elected AG, Kris Mayes, let the death warrant expire and declared a new moratorium on executions.

But Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell intervened on behalf of Ted Prices family, and asked the Supreme Court if she could sidestep the AGs jurisdiction and request a new death warrant for Gunches herself.

Gunches persisted. On Dec. 30, 2024, he filed a hand-written motion for his own death warrant, asking the Arizona Supreme Court and the state to stop foot dragging. He asked to be executed on Valentines Day, though its uncertain who that romantic irony was supposed to gore, or if it was merely because the day was the anniversary of his first death sentence.

Mitchell persisted, too, again asking the court to let her intervene in the name of justice. This time, the court said it would entertain the idea. And so, faced with litigation that could end by badly blurring lines between jurisdictions, Hobbs and Mayes folded. Mayes requested a death warrant.

On Feb. 11, despite friend-of-the-court briefs hoping to stop the execution, despite the fact that there were no new evaluations conducted on Gunches to ensure he is mentally competent, as is customary when Death Row prisoners volunteer for execution, The Arizona Supreme Court issued the warrant.

Gunches was to be executed on March 19, 2025.

The day came soon enough.

Executions are awkward, surreal rituals, and this one seemed equal parts prison opera and sci-fi fantasy.

The witnesses had been chosen, vetted, warned and wanded: Six reporters, a county attorney, a defense attorney, a victims rights attorney, an attorney general. There was Prices sister and her escort from the Department of Corrections, and a couple no one could identify. We were seated on padded benches in a 10-by-20-foot room with white stucco walls. At the back of the room, closed venetian blinds hid the states gas chamber, which hasnt been used since 1999.

At precisely 10 a.m., two TV monitors lit up, and on screen Gunches was led in, wearing what looked like a giant white onesie. He was laid on the gurney.

The cameras now looked on from above. Three sets of arms in black sleeves and black gloves quickly strapped Gunches to the table and then covered him up to his chest with a white sheet, tucking him in as if he were a child preparing for bedtime.

Then the black curtain opened, and there he was, Aaron Gunches, looking straight up at the ceiling. It was hard to tell if his eyes were closed or just squinting. He never once looked into the witness room to see who was there.

Now the medical team was fussing about him  four men dressed in white gowns, their identities hidden by white hoodies and white face masks, wiping his arms with cotton, setting catheters into the inside hollows of his elbows and pasting heart monitors on his chest.

The anonymous voice read the death warrant, fast as an auctioneer, and then asked, Mr. Gunches, do you have any last words?

None.

He blinked. He grimaced. He flicked his tongue to wet his lips. He coughed. The announcer said the execution had begun. Gunches huffed and snored. Then he went motionless.

We waited. Five minutes. Ten. Seventeen.

To those of us in the room, it only seemed an eternity.

For Gunches it truly was.

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TAYLORVILLE  Whether U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will seek reelection in 2026 remains in question, but the five-term Democrat says an answer is coming "soon."

Durbin, of Springfield, also defended his recent vote to advance a GOP-backed government funding bill during an appearance at Taylorville Memorial Hospital to discuss the potential impact of Medicaid cuts.

He said his decision to join nine Democrats and all but one Republican last week to invoke cloture on the funding bill  effectively paving the way for its final passage  was "an effort to avoid shutting down the government," an outcome he said would have been far worse.

"I have never voted for a shutdown, and I didn't last week," said Durbin, who voted against the final bill, which was immediately signed by President Donald Trump and funds the government through September.

The decision by Durbin and others to advance the bill left Democrats bitterly divided as they seek to mount an effective resistance to Trump's second administration.

Opponents argued that it gives Trump too much leeway to move federal funds around and codifies the work of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. They also said that by caving, Democrats ceded perhaps the only leverage they had, a filibuster, to get concessions from Republicans, who control the White House and Congress.

Gov. JB Pritzker, among Trump's most pugnacious critics, said at an unrelated event in Urbana on Wednesday that those who supported the measure were "dead wrong."

"A lot of good has been done by those people, but just broadly, this was an enormous mistake," Pritzker said, though not mentioning Durbin by name.

Durbin, in response to Pritzker, said that if the government had shut down, Trump and Musk would have carte blanche to take a wrecking ball to government departments, agencies and programs.

"Well, I respect the governor and I respect his right to make the decisions that are part of his office," Durbin said. "I hope he respects mine as well."

"But I'll tell him the basics: The basics are that a shutdown of the government gives to the president more power than before the shutdown," Durbin said. "The president decides who is an essential employee and who is nonessential."

"You know what DOGE and Elon Musk are doing, agency by agency?" Durbin asked, then mentioning specifically the effort to eliminate the Department of Education.

"Under a shutdown situation, the president has even more authority to do more terrible things like that," Durbin said. "I don't like that. I didn't want to see that happen. I hope that we find that there's a bipartisan approach that can avoid that in the future."

When asked what he thought might go differently during the next spending bill negotiation, Durbin conceded: "I don't know the answer."

"But I think there are Republican senators whom I've spoken to who want to see a different approach, Durbin said. "They want to have bipartisanship and compromise and do the best we can."

But, Durbin said that he's "not naive."

"President Trump has made countless executive orders and countless changes in government and we're not going to turn the pages back," Durbin said. "He is in charge as president. But when it comes to basic spending priorities such as Medicaid, I think we should have bipartisanship in that approach."

One of the next large battles will be over a larger budget resolution.

Last month, House Republicans approved a budget framework that calls for more than $4.5 trillion in tax breaks that would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans and $2 trillion in spending cuts largely to social programs.

This could potentially mean steep cuts to Medicaid, which provides coverage for more than 3.4 million Illinois residents and is considered a necessity to support safety net hospitals in low-income communities and rural areas.

"If we do substantial cuts in Medicaid, it could have an impact on individuals, first and foremost, but certainly on the survival of clinics and hospitals around the nation, and particularly in Downstate Illinois," Durbin said. "And that's why I wanted to come here today."

Durbin met with downstate hospital executives, who warned of the impact cuts could have on the communities they serve.

Jay Hodges, the chief financial officer of Carlinville Area Hospital, said that about 20% of the hospital's patients are on Medicaid.

"We are part of a little network of three other small independent hospitals, and we serve eight counties in rural Illinois. And this would be devastating if these kind of cuts happen," Hodges said. "Let me say we're all for eliminating waste and fraud from the system, but general reductions to the patients that are receiving these vital services, we'd not be for."

Announcement coming 'soon' on 2026 plans

Durbin, who turned 80 last November, told reporters that he will make an announcement "soon" regarding his plans for the 2026 election.

In an interview with Lee Enterprises after Thursday's event, Durbin said that his age, physical health and mental ability will all be factors in his decision. He has been in the Senate since 1997 after serving 14 years in the House.

"It's an eight-year decision. It's two years of campaigning and six years of service. Of course, (age) is a factor," Durbin said.

"Incidentally, I love this job, and I feel like I could do it for another term," Durbin continued. "I don't have any doubts in my mind. But I want to be a realist and take a look at the realpolitik situation of election and the real human condition of pledging eight years."

Waiting on Durbin's decision are several ambitious Illinois Democrats. Many have already started jockeying for position in anticipation of a crowded primary for what would be an open seat for the first time in a generation.

Among the most-mentioned potential candidates are U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Schaumburg, who has more than $17 million in his campaign account, and Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who told Lee Enterprises in an interview earlier this month that she would "strongly consider" a run for Durbin's seat should he retire.

Other names connected to the race include U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville, U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly of Matteson and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. A number of other Democratic elected officials are expected to give the race a look too if Durbin steps away.

Durbin said that Illinois has "an extraordinary bench," saying that "at least five" House Democrats from Illinois are "ready to serve if called on" along with all the statewide constitutional officers.
On March 19, 2024, four people, including three children, died in a horrific car crash on 140th Avenue Southeast and Southeast 192nd Street in Fairwood, Washington. Andrea Hudson, Buster Brown, Matilda, and Eloise Wilcoxson were hit by a car going 112 miles an hour. One year later, the crash still has a profound impact on their families and community.

These were four beautiful people and had if they were living their life they were going to be spectacular, said Jacqueline Robertson, a family friend.

Since this tragedy, many who live near the intersection have voiced outrage to King County leadership about how dangerous that stretch of road can be for everyone.

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Weve made some little changes, but not enough. Not enough to honor the four that are gone, Robertson said.

Robertson says her son was a good friend of Buster Brown. She came by the crash site one year later, placing flowers and reflecting on how the crash shook the community. She says the crash had not only a profound impact on her, but her son especially.

It affected him and so that day I wanted to make sure that I did everything in my power to do something to honor them, Robertson said.

King County leadership has heard those concerns from the public about 140th Avenue Southeast. Councilmember Reagan Dunn represents the district where the crash happened and has spearheaded many efforts to find ways to improve road safety. He tells KIRO 7 they have reduced the speed on that stretch of road from 40 to 35 mph, added pylons in the medians, and placed at least five radars tracking peoples speed. He says he also plans to introduce the idea of putting roundabouts near the intersection where the crash happened, too.

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We funded a traffic study that has come back and they have made a number of recommendations which we will follow up on, Dunn said.

While many are happy to see these improvements, ever since the tragedy first happened, the Wilcoxson and Brown families have said it will take more than just laws and road improvements to truly make the roads safe for everyone.

I think maybe the one message that I feel passionately about is that each of us analyze our own behavior, Jaron Brown, Busters father, said to a crowd at a safety meeting in April 2024.

The Wilcoxson family sent KIRO 7 this statement on the improvements made to the area in the past year:

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I appreciate the efforts in this traffic safety project. The changes being made now would have made all the difference on March 19th of last year. If they would have been in place then, Andrea, Buster, Matilda and Eloise would not have been taken from us. However, these traffic calming measures are only part of what is needed. We need people to respect the law and be held accountable when they dont. We are reaping what weve sown by allowing people to disregard law on the road and elsewhere. We need accountability at every level of offense. We need stronger law enforcement because laws without consequences are meaningless.

Two of Hudsons children were inside the car and survived the crash. Jones was charged with four counts of vehicular manslaughter and his pre-trial hearing is set for April 7.




Austin, Tx (FOX 44)  In the wake of the recent stabbing death of one student by another, KISD Superintendent Dr. Jo Ann Fey urged Texas legislators to expand authority of school districts to discipline students.

Speaking during a Texas House Public Education Committee hearing, Dr. Fey voice support of House Bill 6, which would expand that authority. The bill aims to improve teacher retention and classroom management by allowing out-of-school suspensions for students who engage in repeated, significant disruptions or pose safety threats. Dr. Fey emphasized that strengthening disciplinary measures is essential to ensuring a safe and effective learning environment for both educators and students.

On another subject and another bill, Rancier Middle School Principal Dr. Janelle Muhammad testified in favor of House Bill 1481, which would ban K-12 public school students from using cellphones during school hours.

Dr Muhammad

Dr Muhammad shared her schools experience with putting a cellphone free policy in place this year to address cyberbullying and student conflicts. She noted that the ban led to a decrease in behavioral incidents and increased student engagement in learning when the distraction was removed.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
In newly filed court documents, prosecutors say they will use evidence of an apparent knife purchase and a selfie that they believe link Bryan Kohberger to the murders of four University of Idaho students.

Kohberger is charged in the murders of Mount Vernon native Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves, who were stabbed to death in the early morning of Nov. 13, 2022, at a rental home near campus in Moscow, Idaho.

He is a former graduate student at Washington State University in Pullman, which is about 10 miles away from the University of Idaho, where all four victims were attending college.

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Two pieces of evidence on behalf of the prosecutors were made public: a smiling selfie from Kohberger, and his Amazon purchase history.

Bryan Kohberger selfie via CNN

The photo, featured above, is believed to have been taken just hours after the quadruple homicide.

Prosecutors revealed evidence involving Kohbergers Amazon shopping history, which showed that he apparently purchased a Ka-Bar knife, sheath and sharpener in March 2022, just eight months before the murders.

According to investigators, a Ka-Bar sheath was found next to one of the victims that allegedly had a statistical match to Kohbergers DNA.

Kohbergers trial is expected to start in August. He is facing four counts of first-degree murder.
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN)  A Warren G. Harding student is facing disciplinary action after being found with a knife and THC vape pens, according to a police report.

The Warren police report states that police were notified of an incident at the high school Tuesday morning.

The principal turned over the folded-blade knife and vape pens that were found in the students backpack, according to the report.

The student was suspended, and her parents were notified, the report states.

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Superintendent/CEO Steve Chiaro released a statement Thursday, saying there was no threat made in relation to the incident.

All students enter WCS through the Opengate system intended to detect such items. The Opengate system alerted school staff and administration of the items being detected, which prompted the next steps in safety and security procedures, the statement read.

Chiaro added that the student is facing disciplinary action. The police report indicates that the student could face charges as well.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  One generous donor made his way to downtown Bakersfield on Wednesday afternoon to give back to a community in need.

The Knights of Columbus  Council 977 presented a $5,000 check to the Golden Empire Gleaners during their food drive outside of KGET studios on Wednesday.

The donor, Bob, says the building where the Knights of Columbus used to hold meetings was sold and the funds are being dispersed throughout the community.

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Organizers with the event say every dollar equals two pounds of food.

The food bank fundraiser will continue Wednesday, until 6 p.m.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  Here are the top headlines from this morning.

A stretch of Southbound I-29 through downtown Sioux City is currently closed due to a crash.

Southbound I-29 closure near Hamilton Boulevard causing delays Thursday morning

After Siouxland just got through a blizzard, it may be hard to believe, but storm season will be right around the corner. Experts share some tips to help you get prepared.

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Preparing now for the stormy seasons

Thousands of Siouxlanders lost power overnight following Wednesdays blizzard.

Power outages continue in Siouxland communities

The Sioux City Police Department was called out to a handful of vehicle accidents thanks to the snowy weather.

Blizzard conditions cause problems for drivers

Snow emergencies in many communities are set to expire today.

Siouxland communities declare snow emergencies as blizzard hits Siouxland

Check out these headlines and more in the video above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports.
On March 19, 2025, French media reported that U.S. border officials had denied entry to a French scientist because the officials found messages criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump while searching his phone and computer. Social media users shared the reports and related claims across Facebook, X (archived), Threads (archived) and Bluesky (archived).

The French news reports cited a statement that the French minister of higher education and research, Philippe Baptiste, sent to news agency Agence France-Presse.

According to Baptiste, a researcher from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) was traveling to a conference in Houston when border officials denied his entry to the U.S. The statement, cited in French- and English-language news media, said (translated with DeepL.com):

This measure would have been taken by the American authorities because the researcher's phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friendly relations in which he expressed a personal opinion on the research policy pursued by the Trump administration.

An anonymous "diplomatic source" cited in French news media said the messages reflected "hatred toward Trump and can be classified as terrorism."

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Snopes has not been able to independently verify Baptiste's statement or the information from the anonymous source.

We reached out to the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research to confirm Baptiste's statement. We will update this story if we receive a response.

However, on March 21, two days after French media reports first circulated, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X that the reported incident was not "based on political beliefs." McLaughlin's statement read:

Yeah, not true. The French researcher in question was in possession of confidential information on his electronic device from Los Alamos National Laboratory in violation of a non-disclosure agreementsomething he admitted to taking without permission and attempted to conceal. Any claim that his removal was based on political beliefs is blatantly false.

We have reached out to the DHS for any further comment and to confirm reported details about the removal date and location and await a reply.

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Other officials in France and the U.S. were hesitant to confirm details of the incident.

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said via email it was "informed" about the situation but did not confirm a date or location for the incident. The ministry statement continued:

We deplore this situation and reiterate our desire to promote freedom of expression, as well as our commitment to academic and scientific cooperation.

The CNRS said via email that "the scientist does not wish to speak to the media." The center did not confirm any further details about the incident, including date or location, instead referring questions to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not confirm the incident occurred. CBP spokeswoman Hilton Beckham said via email:

If individuals violate the terms of a lawful immigration status and attempt to re-enter the country, officers will take appropriate action. Federal privacy restrictions prohibit CBP from discussing specific cases. All persons arriving at a port of entry to the United States are subject to inspection on a case-by-case basis. As part of their critical national security mission, CBP officers routinely determine admissibility of foreign nationals using longstanding U.S. immigration law. If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded.

According to the anonymous "diplomatic source" who spoke to AFP, the researcher's phone and work computer were searched by border officials as part of a random check.

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As mentioned by Beckham, searches of electronic devices are part of CBP inspections, though the practice is rare. In fiscal year 2024, fewer than 0.1% of travelers who encountered CBP officers at border crossings were subject to searches of their electronic devices, CBP said.

It was not possible to locate the researcher who was denied entry. It was also not possible to confirm which conference he was due to attend.

Have more information on this topic? Send us a tip.

Sources:

Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry | U.S. Customs and Border Protection. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/cbp-search-authority/border-search-electronic-devices. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Breeden, Aurelien. "U.S. Turned Away French Scientist Over Views on Trump Policies, France Says." New York Times, 20 Mar. 2025, https://archive.ph/W7Pq6#selection-711.0-714.0.

Etats-Unis : un chercheur francais refoule pour avoir exprime " une opinion personnelle sur la politique menee par l'administration Trump ". 19 Mar. 2025. Le Monde, https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2025/03/19/etats-unis-un-chercheur-francais-refoule-pour-avoir-exprime-une-opinion-personnelle-sur-la-politique-menee-par-l-administration-trump_6583618_3210.html.

@freya.news. "French Researcher, Going to a Conference in Houston, Was Forbidden Entry to US; His Work and Personal Electronics Were Both Confiscated." Threads, 19 Mar. 2025, https://www.threads.net/@freya.news/post/DHZF6Q0tEkM.

Le Figaro avec AFP. "Le Gouvernement Deplore Le Refoulement d'un Scientifique Francais Par Les Etats-Unis." Le Figaro, 19 Mar. 2025, https://archive.ph/yjNw0#selection-1241.34-1241.52.

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LIBERATION and AFP. "Un scientifique francais refoule a son entree aux Etats-Unis pour des messages anti-Trump, Paris grince des dents." Liberation, https://www.liberation.fr/international/amerique/un-scientifique-francais-refoule-a-son-entree-aux-etats-unis-pour-des-messages-anti-trump-paris-grince-des-dents-20250319_JD7JAIVY4ZHE5CI33F7TBNR4CI/. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

@nanoporous.net. "French Researcher, Going to a Conference in Houston, Was Forbidden Entry to US; His Work and Personal Electronics Were Both Confiscated." Bluesky, 19 Mar. 2025, https://bsky.app/profile/nanoporous.net/post/3lkqpx2fj4k2k.

Occupy Democrats. "Wow. Trump Is Now Deporting People for 'Thoughtcrimes.' Incredible. So Much for 'Free Speech.'" Facebook, 20 Mar. 2025, https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1123841376514102&set=a.201905705374345&locale=en_GB.

@ReichlinMelnick. "WOW. @lemondefr Reports That a French Research Traveling to the United States for a Conference Was Denied Entry by CBP Because a Border Agent Searched His Phone and Found Comments Criticizing President Trump." X, 19 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/ReichlinMelnick/status/1902433598931624072.

Updates:

March 21, 2025: This report was updated to include a statement from DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin.
In March 2025, claims (archived) circulated online that a "sharia city"  Shariah being the body of guidance Muslims follow to live a righteous life  was under construction in Texas. Islam critic and RAIR founder Amy Mek shared early versions of the claim on X.

 ALERT TEXAS! 



Pakistani-American Imam Yasir Qadhi is Engineering America's IslamizationUsing Texas as the Blueprint for Sharia Domination



Yasir Qadhi is the mastermind behind EPIC City, a 1,000+ home gated Islamic stronghold just 30 minutes from Dallas.



This 402-acre https://t.co/eNJRKfE8bN pic.twitter.com/xzjBsIB0ir  Amy Mek (@AmyMek) March 14, 2025

Mek's post centered on EPIC City, a development east of Dallas, managed by EPIC Community Capital Partner, a nonprofit organization set up by the East Plano Islamic Center, a mosque and community center near Plano. Another development, EPIC Ranches, is planned nearby.

Other claims accusing EPIC City of being a "sharia city" also appeared across X and Facebook (archived) (archived) (archived) (archived). One of Mek's posts also was shared by Texas' governor.

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According to the Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S. foreign-policy think tank, Shariah is "the divine counsel that Muslims follow to live moral lives and grow close to God." Interpretations of Shariah, the principles of which stem from the Quran and hadith  sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad  form the basis of Islamic law.

Therefore, according to the CFR, "most Muslims worldwide follow aspects of sharia in their private religious practices," and, more likely than not, Muslims living in EPIC City would follow aspects of Shariah, too, when practicing their religion.

However, Yasir Qadhi, a spokesman for the projects, told The Dallas Morning News that EPIC City would enforce only Texas and federal laws.

We reached out to Qadhi, EPIC City and EPIC Ranches to ask how Shariah would be incorporated into their communities, and await a reply.

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The EPIC projects were in the early stages of development at the time of this writing, with plots still for sale to prospective buyers.

Developments open to all buyers who align with community goals

The developers of EPIC City and Ranches clearly advertised the projects' connection to the East Plano Islamic Center. According to EPIC City's website, the project is managed by EPIC Community Capital Partner, a nonprofit organization set up by EPIC specifically to manage the developments.

The planned city would consist of nearly 1,100 single -family lots, a private school, commercial space and a mosque, according to investor documents on EPIC City's website. CCP would donate land to EPIC for the construction of the mosque and school, according to the documents. The school would be run either by EPIC or an "affiliate."

The EPIC Ranches, announced in February 2025, added 130 additional lots within a short distance of EPIC City.

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The face of the EPIC City project, Yasir Qadhi, is also a resident scholar at EPIC.

While the website for EPIC City and Ranches did not make mention of Shariah, the EPIC City website did advertise the development as "a safe purpose-built community to serve the growing needs of a Muslim community."

(Screenshot from epicccp.com)

According to The Dallas Morning News, a February project update featuring Qadhi described the development as a "Muslim neighborhood" and "a role model community of thousands of Muslims living well-integrated."

The cited video update could not be found on EPIC City's website and social media channels at the time of this writing.

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However, the CCP also told The News it would adhere to the Fair Housing Act, meaning it would not enforce "blanket bans" on any group of people but assess buyers individually for suitability to buy within the developments.

The CCP had changed text on its website, according to The News, to make it clear that the EPIC projects could be home to "people of every background, faith, and culture" who "align with our goals of safety and security."

'Sharia city' claims were amplified by Texas politicians

Mek's posts, viewed millions of times on X, repeatedly (archived) associated (archived) the EPIC developments with Shariah.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spread Mek's claims further. On Feb. 24, Abbott reposted (archived) one of Mek's posts about EPIC City, writing:

To be clear, Sharia law is not allowed in Texas. Nor are Sharia cities. Nor are "no go zones" which this project seems to imply. Bottom line. The project as proposed in the video is not allowed in Texas.

We reached out to Abbott's office to ask what legislation the governor's statements were based on and whether his office would investigate or take action against the EPIC developments, and await a reply.

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On Feb. 27, Texas state Rep. Jeff Leach sent a letter (archived) to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, writing that: "Reports indicate that this large-scale real estate development may seek to incorporate elements of Sharia law into its operations, raising serious legal and constitutional concerns." We have reached out to Leach to ask which reports he was referring to. We also asked him and Paxton whether investigations into the development were planned or ongoing. We will update this report if we receive responses.

Snopes reported in December 2024 about a bill that allegedly made Shariah illegal in Texas. We've reported on claims about Shariah being imposed in Texas since 2015.

Sources:

@AmyMek. " ALERT TEXAS! ." X, 14 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/AmyMek/status/1900428778821898495.

---. " ALERT TEXAS! ." X, 14 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/AmyMek/status/1900428778821898495.

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---. "ALERT TEXAS! ." X, 24 Feb. 2025, https://archive.ph/o9XOD#selection-601.0-601.14.

---. "Texas' First Sharia City - A Glance at Their Sharia Schools! ." X, 14 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/AmyMek/status/1900447200796434492.

Civil Rights Division | The Fair Housing Act. 6 Aug. 2015, https://www.justice.gov/crt/fair-housing-act-1.

EPIC City: Thriving Muslim Community by Capital Partners. https://epicccp.com/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Epic Ranches. https://theepicranches.com/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

EPIC's Team  EPIC Masjid. https://epicmasjid.org/epics-team/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

FAQs: Your Questions Answered - EPIC City. https://epicccp.com/faqs/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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@GregAbbott_TX. "To Be Clear, Sharia Law Is Not Allowed in Texas." X, 24 Feb. 2025, https://x.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1894053102430405050.

@JeffOli47397071. "Yet You're Allowing Muslim's Build a City near Dallas and Implement Sharia Law?" X, 18 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/JeffOli47397071/status/1901813388600136013.

Jimenez, Marco A. "Allahu Akbar, Texas A New Sharia City Near Dallas! ." Facebook, 18 Mar. 2025, https://www.facebook.com/marco.a.jimenez.39/posts/pfbid02MmgPrj5cVQb27EkPYew51mN3KTzJD3Bh45ZFYnv4baZkpqYPswCv1vQqX445EFr8l.

@leachfortexas. "Thanks, Mitch. Appreciate Your Support on This and Look Forward to Partnering Together on It." X, 28 Feb. 2025, https://x.com/leachfortexas/status/1895530489295094161.

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Spainhouer, Fredd Steven. "-        ." Facebook, 17 Mar. 2025, https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10233009608115307&set=gm.2332449233801448&idorvanity=666120167101038.

@TXNSWINDLER. "We Have Way Bigger Issues Currently. ." X, 17 Mar. 2025, https://x.com/TXNSWINDLER/status/1901764988005425514.

Understanding Sharia: The Intersection of Islam and the Law | Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/understanding-sharia-intersection-islam-and-law. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Wooten, Nick, and Adrian Ashford. "They Dream of Building Muslim-Centric Neighborhoods near Dallas. Will It Work?" The Dallas Morning News, 24 Feb. 2025, https://archive.ph/cgEuI#selection-1783.0-1783.11.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  The Knox County Sheriffs Office seized a sizeable amount of drugs on St. Patricks Day, including enough fentanyl to kill hundreds of thousands of people.

Metro Drug Coalition has been around for more than three decades with the purpose to help those in recovery get the help they need. In the last few years, there has been a substantial increase in the amount of fentanyl seen across East Tennessee. MDC Director of Grants and Government Relations Karen Pershing told 6 News that seizures like the one in Knox County help in the fight against the drug.

US agency targeted for elimination provided vital funding to Beck Center, Zoo Knoxville

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Of course, the drug seizures and securing the border can also be a factor with fentanyl coming into the country, Pershing said. The less of this thats in our community, the less harm its going to do to the individuals we are trying to serve.

Over two pounds of fentanyl was seized by the sheriffs office. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, 2.2 pounds of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people which is roughly equivalent the population of Knox County.

While total numbers for 2024 are not complete at this time, I can say that we had a significant decrease in drug-related deaths in 2024 for Knox County, Knox County Regional Forensic Center Director Chris Thomas told 6 News. Synthetic fentanyl and analogs continue to make up 70% or more of all drug fatalities in Knox County.

That 70% mark goes to show how much of a problem Fentanyl is in our area. Pershing told fentanyl is seen in a variety of different forms.

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Ex-Knox County narcotics chief accused of using unit as personal piggy bank to stand trial

Its laced in most of the drugs that are on the street now, Pershing said. Even if youre not looking for fentanyl, sometimes you will accidentally ingest it not realizing that it may be in your cocaine. [It] could be in heroin or could be a fake pill thats on the street mimicking a prescription medication.

She added that kicking any drug is difficult. However, fentanyl is such a powerful addiction it makes it that much harder to quit using, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

They struggle with getting into treatment and maintaining recovery. We are seeing people find recovery all day every day here, Pershing said. We know its possible, if anyone out there is in need of help getting into treatment or needing recovery support services once they exit treatment please let us know and we are happy to help.

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Thomas said that while its early, data they have shows a continued trend in decline of drug-related deaths. Metro Drug Coalition offers services for prevention all the way to post recovery assistance.

 See more top stories on WATE.com

Metro Drug also distributes fentanyl testing strips to those who ask for them. Pershing said this allows people to test their drugs to see if there is any fentanyl and gives them a choice of whether to use or not.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE)  The Knoxville Police Department has taken a woman into custody after she reportedly stabbed a man on Kingston Pike after she demanded the keys to his truck Thursday afternoon.

According to KPD, the stabbing took place near Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church in the 9100 block of Kingston Pike around 2 p.m. on Thursday. The victim was taken to UT Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries.

Woman to receive $71K after Knox County publishes mugshot of her without hijab

The suspect has not been publicly identified. A KPD spokesperson wrote on social media that charges are pending for attempted carjacking and aggravated assault.

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Dirty ovens, lack of handwashing found at Knoxville pizza place

This is a developing story. Download the WATE 6 News app or sign up for our email alerts for updates.

There are multiple ways you can provide anonymous information to Crime Stoppers. You can call 865-215-7165 or **TIPS, and go online at www.easttnvalleycrimestoppers.org, via the free mobile app, P3 Tips, or the East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers Facebook page. Tipsters can remain anonymous and are eligible to receive a cash reward.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WATE 6 On Your Side.
Kratos has revealed that it is working on a new drone capable of flying at hypersonic speeds, typically defined as anything above Mach 5. The company has also said it is aiming for the very-high-speed uncrewed aircraft to be orders of magnitude less expensive than any comparable design or concept known to exist today.

Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco first disclosed the existence of the hypersonic drone program, which is currently internally funded, in a recent interview with Aviation Week. It is unclear when the project started or how mature the design is at present, or what mission sets it might be intended to perform. Kratos has also not explicitly said if it will be reusable or air-breathing, but describing it as a drone points to both of those things being true.

A rendering of a hypersonic air vehicle concept from Leidos associated with the U.S. Air Forces Mayhem program, which Kratos has also been involved in. Leidos

We will disclose the name of this specific system at or near initial flight, a Kratos spokesperson told TWZ when asked for more information.

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Since 2013, a key element of Kratos has been for Kratos to invest our own R&D [research and development], NRE [non-recurring engineering], and capital in order to move fast and rapidly design, engineer, and field affordable relevant systems for the warfighter, which is what we are doing with Kratos Furies Family of Hypersonic Systems, the spokesperson added. Similar to Kratos Erinyes and Dark Fury Hypersonic Flyers, this new Kratos funded Hypersonic Drone initiative, included in Kratos Furies Family of Hypersonic Systems, is expected to be orders of magnitude less costly than any other hypersonic system or concept in existence today.

Erinyes and Dark Fury are both unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicles designed to be launched with the help of a booster rocket. Kratos has been developing its own Zeus family of solid-fuel rocket motors in parallel with those vehicles. This work is tied, at least in part, to the U.S. militarys Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) effort, U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) requirements for hypersonic targets, and NASAs Sounding Rocket Program. Just in January, Kratos received a five-year contract for MACH-TB-related work, which, if all options are exercised, could have a total value of $1.45 billion.

A rendering of the Erinyes hypersonic boost-glide vehicle. Kratos

Its also worth noting here that affordability has long been a key tenet for Kratos when it comes to its drone programs, especially the companys flagship XQ-58 Valkyrie line.

The mystery vehicle can be supported by the Hypersonic System Indiana Payload Integration Facility, or IPIF, according to Aviation Week. Asked if the IPIF would support only payloads for hypersonic glide vehicles powered by solid rocket motors, DeMarco said vehicles with air-breathing propulsion technologies also are possible.

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Kratos announced just earlier this week that ground had been broken at the site of the future IPIF in Crane, Indiana.

A rendering of the future Hypersonic System Indiana Payload Integration Facility. Kratos

Aviation Week also pointed to a statement that DeMarco made back in 2019 about how, beyond traditional turbojet and turbofan engines, we are also focused on developing advanced, affordable engines for a new class of hypersonic propulsion system.

Kratos has, so far, declined to say whether or not its hypersonic drone program is directly related to any other work the company has previously announced. Kratos was named as a member of the Leidos-led team that won a contract to develop a new air-breathing hypersonic platform as part of the Air Forces secretive Mayhem program in 2022, which we will come back to later on in this story.

Kratos has also been working with Australian firm Hypersonix Launch Systems on the latter companys DART AE design. DART AE has been described as a three-meter-long, single-use, high temperature alloy, hydrogen-fueled, scramjet technology driven, autonomous, multi-mission, air-breathing hypersonic platform used to develop, demonstrate, test and evaluate hypersonic technologies and for other potential hypersonic applications.

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While it is a powered design, DART AE is also expected to be launched via a rocket booster. Hypersonix had originally targeted 2023 for DART AEs first flight, but the schedule subsequently slipped at least to the end of last year. Whether or not that design has actually flown now is unclear.

Another rendering of the DART AE hypersonic air vehicle. Hypersonix Launch Systems

The revelation that Kratos is working on a hypersonic drone also follows the emergence of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agencys (DARPA) Next Generation Responsive Strike (Next RS) effort. From what is known now, Next RS is centered on advancing various technologies that could help in creating a new reusable hypersonic air vehicle capable of performing strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. DARPA has indicated an actual Next RS prototype or demonstrator design could fly within the next five years.

The Air Force is also involved in Next RS, the stated objectives of which are extremely similar to those of the previously mentioned Mayhem program. The service acknowledged to TWZ last year that there was uncertainty over whether or not there was even a requirement for this kind of hypersonic strike/ISR capability and the current status of the Mayhem effort is murky.

Other companies are or at least have been working on reusable hypersonic aircraft designs. The Hermeus Corporation is notably working up to the first flight of its uncrewed Quarterhorse Mk. 1 aircraft, which is set to be staged from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The Quarterhorse Mk. 1 is powered by a J85 turbojet and is not expected to fly at even supersonic speed. Hermeus says this is the first stepping stone toward a hypersonic design that will feature its Chimera Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) propulsion system.

A practical TBCC propulsion system has long been held out as a holy grail for very high-speed reusable aircraft. Ramjets and scramjets typically used to propel air-breathing air vehicle designs to hypersonic speeds do not work properly at subsonic speeds and often have difficulty performing even at low-supersonic speeds. This is why rocket motors are usually used to provide an initial boost for hypersonic air vehicles. TBCCs include jet engines that work at lower-speed regimes and offer the ability to seamlessly switch between high and low-speed modes on demand. As such, an air vehicle with TBCC propulsion would be able to take off and land from existing runways like any other aircraft, but be able to cruise at high-supersonic or even hypersonic speeds. This, in turn, would offer immense flexibility to perform a host of potential missions.

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More details about Kratos hypersonic drone project may begin to emerge now that its existence has been disclosed, especially if a first flight may be getting closer on the horizon.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com
As Sean Diddy Combs battles criminal charges and dozens of civil suits, his life and some of those in it are under intense scrutiny.

Now the former chief of staff of his Combs Enterprises (now known as Combs Global), Kristina Khorram, is speaking out.

For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss, Khorram said in a statement obtained by CNN. These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family.

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I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone, Khorram continued. The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in  or even being a bystander to  the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault.

I am confident that the allegations against me will be proven to be untrue, Khorram added.

CNN has reached out to representatives for Combs for comment. He has previously denied all allegations of sexual assault against him.

Khorram has been named as a defendant in three civil complaints against Combs. She has not been charged with any crimes.

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Heres what we know about her:

Combs right hand

Combs faces up to life in prison if convicted for his indictment in the Southern District of New York on counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty.

The mogul is best known as a rapper and producer, but his decades long career has been so much more than music.

Sean "Diddy" Combs in 2017. - Lucas Jackson/Reuters/File

His empire has also included fashion, media, food and spirits. According to a 2021 Facebook post from Combs, Khorram was essential to his business life.

Meet Kristina Khorram, Chief of Staff at Combs Enterprises. Kristina aka KK keeps everything in my life and my business running, Combs wrote in the post. Shes been my right hand for the last 8 years and has consistently proven to execute and get sh*t done. Dont know how Id function without her.

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In the suit filed by Rodney Lil Rod Jones, a former producer and videographer for Combs, months before Combs was indicted, Jones alleges that Khorram was instrumental in organizing and executing the RICO [Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations] and TVPA [Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000] Enterprises.

According to Mr. Jones, Defendant Khorram ordered sex workers for Mr. Combs, the suit states. On one occasion, she sent Mr. Jones a text message requesting that he call a particular sex worker. We have the message.

Khorram has requested to join Combs motion to dismiss the case.

Khorram is also named in a sexual harassment and battery suit filed by Phillip Pines, a former assistant to Combs who names both the mogul and Khorram as his supervisors in his lawsuit.

Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. - Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Pines alleges in his suit that he witnessed a great deal while working for Combs.

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At a time in Miami, Mr. Combs became upset at a guest and became violent. Mr. Combs kicked the guest in the butt and stomach, the suit states. Kristina Khorram asked Plaintiff what happened, and Plaintiff told her and how upset he was about it. Defendant Khorram instructed Plaintiff to never speak about it and there are repercussions that can happen if he did.

Khorram is also named in a third civil lawsuit filed last October in California.

CNNs Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this story.

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Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration has reported that the city of Kropyvnytskyi experienced its largest Russian attack so far on the evening of Wednesday 19 March.

Source: Andrii Raikovych, Head of Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "Civilian residential buildings have been destroyed: houses and high-rise buildings.

As if in mockery, enemy drones struck Myru Street [Peace Street - ed.]."

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Details: Raikovych confirmed that people had been injured, including a child.

The scene of the attack

Photo: Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "Doctors at the oblast hospital and the emergency response services are promptly providing urgent first aid. Several operations have been conducted. State Emergency Service psychologists are working with those affected."

Details: Raikovych noted that over 20 drones had attacked the city. The strikes by Russian UAVs and the falling debris hit residential areas, affecting both houses and high-rise buildings.

Affected high-rise building.

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Photo: Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration

Shattered windows.

Photo: Kirovohrad Oblast Military Administration

He said a mobile invincibility centre would be set up in the city and all municipal services would work on dealing with the aftermath in the morning. [Invincibility centres are heated premises stocked with food and power banks to assist residents facing hardships due to power cuts  ed.]

Background: The Russians launched attack drones at residential areas in Kropyvnytskyi on the evening of 19 March.

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Thursdays Top Stories

Thursdays Five Facts

[1] Man accused of orchestrating shootings at NM lawmakers homes found guilty  The man accused of being the mastermind behind shootings at four New Mexico lawmakers homes has been found guilty on all charges. Solomon Pena was charged federally for his role in the shootings which investigators believe was in revenge for his loss during the 2022 election for the New Mexico House of Representatives.

[2] Lawmakers seek more than $1.2 billion to fund infrastructure projects in New Mexico  More than 1,400 projects statewide may soon be getting more than a billion dollars in funding. This comes after lawmakers passed the capital outlay bill through the House. The funding will go towards upgrades for Balloon Fiesta Park, a new facility at the University of New Mexico, the Domingo Baca Aquatic Center, and improving water lines and fire stations, especially in rural communities.

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[3] Warmer weather on first day of spring for New Mexico  Breezier and warmer weather returns Thursday, bringing a critical fire danger back to parts of New Mexico. Much warmer and calmer weather will move in by early next week. Breezier conditions will occasionally return late this week into the weekend with relatively mild air returning as little to no precipitation will fall ahead, even for the northern communities.

[4] Turquoise Alert System for missing Indigenous people heads to governors desk  A bill aimed at addressing the missing and murdered indigenous people crisis in the state is heading to the governors desk. Lawmakers say on average more than 200 indigenous people are missing in New Mexico at any given time. Senate Bill 41 would create a new alert system called Turquoise Alert. It would send a statewide notification to law enforcement and the public. The bill now heads to the governors desk for final action.

[5] Albuquerque Community Safety celebrates 100,000 calls for service  Albuquerque Community Safety will be holding a special celebration in recognition of a pivotal achievement. In just over three years of service the department has responded to more than 100,000 calls. ACS is the first civilian-led public safety agency in the country that provides an alternative first response instead of getting the police involved.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
A former Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department recruit was arrested this month on suspicion of assault with a firearm, the department said Wednesday.

Kiwan Newbell, 36, was fired one day after he allegedly threatened a man with a handgun, as first reported by NBC Los Angeles .

Following his felony arrest March 10, jail records show Newbell was booked into custody at the Norwalk sheriffs station. He was released the next day after posting a $30,000 bond, records show.

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Its not clear if he has an attorney, and Newbell could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Sheriff's Department holds all personnel, including recruits, to the highest standards of conduct and professionalism, the department said in a statement. This incident doesnt reflect the values that our personnel uphold, and we will not allow the actions of one individual to tarnish the reputation or undermine the great work being carried out every day by the dedicated men and women of this department.

Read more: Ex-deputy accused of punching Palmdale mother holding baby sues county for firing him

The incident occurred on March 2, when Century sheriffs station deputies responded to a call about an assault in Lynwood.

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After further investigation, detectives obtained information that led them to a recruit in the Sheriffs Department Academy, the departments statement said.

Two law enforcement sources, who requested anonymity because they did not have permission to speak publicly about the case, told The Times that investigating deputies used the suspects license plate to identify him.

One of the sources said investigators only realized he was a recruit after phone tracking revealed that hed repeatedly visited the departments training academy.

Nine days after the incident, the departments Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau  the unit that probes crimes that may involve department employees  took over the case and arrested Newbell, officials said.

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He is due back in court on April 9.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Sheriff Robert Luna sued Los Angeles Countys Civilian Oversight Commission on Wednesday, asking a court to decide whether the department should comply with the commissions subpoenas requesting information about deputy misconduct and uses of force.

Filed in L.A. County Superior Court, the suit comes several weeks after the oversight commission issued subpoenas demanding records relating to three controversial cases in which deputies beat or shot young men. Some of the deputies involved have been fired, barred from being sworn police officers or pleaded guilty to federal crimes.

The departments response to the subpoenas was due Thursday morning at the oversight commission's meeting, where the full materials were to be delivered by a sheriff's official designated as a custodian of records. But the department did not comply, failing to send either records or a records custodian.

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And the lawsuit filed a day earlier said Luna was unsure whether state laws that keep most police personnel records secret would conflict with legal requirements to obey the commissions subpoena. During the meeting, Luna told commissioners he was defying the subpoenas only at the direction of attorneys for the county.

"This isnt an issue of trying to hide any information," Luna said. "We just want clarification so we can follow the law. What youre asking us to do right now violates the law, according to county counsel."

Robert Bonner, the former federal judge who chairs the oversight commission, said that legal advice was misguided, accused the county's lawyers of malpractice and said the commission planned to sue the department.

"I find this extraordinary and frankly disrespectful to this commission and not lawful," he said. "They simply thumbed their nose at us."

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After the meeting ended, a sheriff's official delivered a thumb drive containing redacted versions of some of the records requested by two of the subpoenas.

Read more: Ex-deputy accused of punching Palmdale mother holding baby sues county for firing him

In a statement, the Sheriff's Department said that it was "committed to transparency" and that the legal complaint was "not intended to cause division between county departments, but rather to gain clear guidance on the complex legal issues" because failing to do so could lead to an "erosion of public trust."

The union that represents rank-and-file deputies, the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, cheered Luna's actions.

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"While ALADS has significant concerns about the Civilian Oversight Commissions runaway-train-like behavior, we have not yet had the opportunity to review this litigation in detail and therefore cannot comment specifically," union President Richard Pippin told The Times. "We do applaud Sheriff Lunas commitment to safeguarding sensitive employee records and act within the law.

In early 2020, the Board of Supervisors gave the commission the ability to direct the Office of Inspector General to issue subpoenas. Two months later, amid a series of Sheriffs Department scandals , Los Angeles voters overwhelmingly approved Measure R , giving the commission power to directly subpoena witnesses and records. A few months after that, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law granting subpoena power to oversight bodies statewide.

Over the last few years, the oversight commission has typically requested documents  including those relating to jail deaths, deputy gangs and sexual misconduct  through public records laws. The Sheriffs Department has turned over records in response to some commission requests, but has resisted others, saying the records in question were confidential. In February, the commission took a stronger approach and issued subpoenas.

Read more: Key L.A. sheriff oversight official resigns, citing interference from county lawyers

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One of the subpoenas asks for all investigative materials relating to Andres Guardado, an 18-year-old who was killed in 2020 by deputies who shot him in the back after a brief foot chase. Both of the deputies involved were later sentenced to federal prison for an unrelated incident in which they admitted to kidnapping and abusing a skateboarder after he yelled at them to stop picking on teens in a Compton park.

Another subpoena sought records in the case of Emmett Brock, a transgender man who was beaten by a Norwalk deputy outside a 7-Eleven in 2023. The incident was caught on camera, and last year Deputy Joseph Benza pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation for using excessive force.

At least eight other deputies were relieved of duty after Benza made several damning allegations in his plea agreement, including claims that numerous other deputies and sergeants had helped cover up his misconduct.

The third subpoena seeks records in connection with the case of Joseph Perez, who was beaten by Industry station sheriffs deputies in 2020. The department deemed the use of force to be within policy, though Perez disputes that and has since filed suit. The case is still pending.

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Each of the three subpoenas signed by Bonner includes a warning in all capital letters: DISOBEDIENCE OF THIS SUBPOENA MAY BE PUNISHED AS CONTEMPT BY A COURT. YOU WILL ALSO BE LIABLE FOR THE SUM OF FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND ALL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM YOUR FAILURE TO OBEY.

The department says some of the records oversight officials have asked for are secret under a state law that makes most kinds of deputy personnel records confidential.

That law, section 832.7 of the California Penal Code, has some exceptions so prosecutors, state oversight officials and grand juries can see confidential records as needed during investigations. But the Sheriffs Department says the law doesnt specifically say that civilian oversight commissions are allowed to see those records, and that a court needed to clarify so sheriffs officials are not held criminally liable for complying.

This isnt the first time the commissions subpoena powers have been met with resistance from the Sheriffs Department. In 2020, when the commission subpoenaed the former sheriff, Alex Villanueva, about his response to COVID-19 in the jail, Villanueva questioned the legality of that move. The dispute ended up in court, and ultimately Villanueva agreed to answer the commissions questions voluntarily.

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When oversight officials issued more subpoenas, Villanueva resisted those as well, resulting in multiple court cases. One of those cases nearly led to a contempt hearing in 2022, but the court called it off after Villanuevas lawyers asked a higher court to step in.

In late 2023, after he was no longer sheriff, Villanueva finally agreed to testify under oath and answer questions about alleged deputy gangs operating within the department.

In the lawsuit filed this week, the Sheriffs Department tried to distance itself from Villanuevas tactics, saying it was taking a markedly different approach from the prior administration, which actively resisted COC oversight efforts, requiring the COC at times to seek court intervention to force LASD to comply with requests.

Much of Thursday's meeting, however, focused on the commission's efforts to again seek court intervention  though the discussion about that proposed intervention spurred several tense exchanges with the county's lawyer, who said commissioners did not have the authority to go into closed session to discuss the potential litigation with attorneys.

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Bonner objected, telling the county's attorney that was an incorrect understanding of the law, and that the commission was permitted to go into closed session for legal advice.

"The Sheriff's Department and county counsel have been playing tag team here to keep this commission from getting access to confidential documents that are needed for oversight," Bonner said, appearing exasperated.

The county's lawyer ultimately did not participate in the closed session, and instead Inspector General Max Huntsman served as special counsel for the commission as permitted by county ordinance.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Calls for a wealth tax have grown louder this week as ministers face a perfect storm of an increased defence bill, sky-high borrowing costs and weak growth.

But while the idea of taxing the super wealthy may have gained renewed popularity  spearheaded by MPs such as Diane Abbott and Richard Burgon  it is certainly nothing new for Labour.

The party previously tried to bring in a wealth tax under former prime minister, Harold Wilson, in 1974. Yet it was effectively deemed unworkable even then  in an era characterised by its radical Left-wing policies and a government constantly caving to union demands.

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When he later came to reflect on the failure, then-chancellor Denis Healey concluded a wealth tax could not yield enough revenue to be worth the administrative cost or political hassle.

It comes as experts separately call into question the figures being floated by wealth tax campaigners, who commonly argue a 2pc tax on those with assets of over 10m could raise 24bn a year  or 460m a week.

Chris Etherington, of accountancy firm RSM, said: Whilst an annual wealth tax might theoretically raise the sums advertised, the reality is that this is highly uncertain.

It would be difficult to administer and it could result in many taxpayers changing their behaviour to avoid the charge.

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Greg Smith, Conservative MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, said a wealth tax was a highway to economic decline.

He said: This is yet another signal that Labour just dont understand where growth really comes from. If those with the ability to invest in businesses, employ people and thereby grow the economy have that money taken from them by the state, then no one wins.

A failed wealth tax

Mr Wilson came into power in 1974 committed to introducing a wealth tax. But by the time he left office, the manifesto promise had been thrown to the wayside.

Initially, the Inland Revenue  now HM Revenue and Customs  was fairly positive a wealth tax could be feasible.

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In a brief to the then-chancellor, tax officials said: Although there will of course be many problems to be resolved, we see no reason why a wealth tax should not be introduced reasonably quickly.

A plan was set in motion, with the Inland Revenue to prepare a green paper, and the first wealth tax returns to be filed after April 1976.

But soon doubts began to creep in, according to a paper written in 2012 by Howard Glennerster of the London School of Economics and Political Science.

He wrote: Civil servants began to look more carefully at the practical problems and the wider economic impact. Representations were made to the Treasury by the National Farmers Union, various bodies representing the owners of country houses, small businesses, the City, and the Bank of England.

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This led to Harold Wilsons adviser Harold Lever warning the prime minister in a letter in June that the upcoming Green Paper was political dynamite.

He wrote: The Green Paper on a wealth tax will make a crucial impact on confidence  it will be almost a touchstone of our attitude towards enterprise and wealth.

The then-chancellor and Treasury officials agreed to postpone the publication of the Green Paper, which then went to a select committee where it was shot down by Conservative members and critical academics. By 1976, the wealth tax had been discarded.

Mr Healey reflected in 1989: We had committed ourselves to a wealth tax, but in five years I found it impossible to draft one which would yield enough revenue to be worth the administrative cost and political hassle.

Revenue is highly uncertain

A 2pc tax on those with assets of over 10m would raise 24bn a year, or 460m a week, according to research often cited by Patriotic Millionaires, a group calling for higher taxation of the richest in society.

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The 24bn figure has also been repeated by Labour MPs including Diane Abbott. Asked on the Today programme what she would do instead of cutting benefits, she replied: I would introduce the wealth tax. If you brought in a wealth tax of just 2pc on people with assets over 10m, that would raise 24bn a year. Thats what I would do.

But the academics behind the research have warned that an annual wealth tax may not be the best way to raise revenue from the wealthy.

A report by the Wealth Tax Commission concluded in 2020 that an annual wealth tax would be a poor second best to reforming inheritance tax, capital gains tax and council tax because it would be less economically efficient and more costly to administer.

They wrote: If the only goal of an annual wealth tax is to raise (relatively) more tax revenue from people with wealth, this does not necessarily require a new wealth tax. Existing wealth taxes could simply be adjusted, and this would bring in more revenue from people with wealth.

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A spokesman for Patriotic Millionaires said: The projected 24bn raised by a 2pc tax on wealth over 10m is based on research and a tax tool developed by one of the countrys leading tax academics at the Centre for the Analysis of Taxation.

Not only does this tool allow the user to consider how much a wealth tax could raise, but it also accounts for a 12pc flight risk from individuals changing their behaviour to avoid paying the tax.

A wealth tax is a critical tax to implement if we are to truly reduce the unsustainable level of inequality we currently have in the UK  we also agree with other organisations that it is not the only tax reform that is required.

Along with Tax Justice UK, we proposed 10 tax policies that would increase taxes on the super rich, such as equalising capital gains with income and closing inheritance tax loopholes. All of this is needed if we want a better British economy.

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Emma Reynolds, economic secretary to the Treasury, this week said there were no plans for a wealth tax for the time being on BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

She said: Were not going to come forward for the time being. I mean I cant come forward on future Budgets, of course, but for the time being we are not going to come forward with a wealth tax.

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A Labour-led council has banned a pensioner from parking on his own driveway  because its 50cm too small.

Bob Howes, 73, parked outside his home in Southampton, Hampshire, for 20 years until receiving a letter that told him to stop.

Southampton city council officials informed him that he could no longer park on his driveway because it had no dropped kerb.

But after spending 160 on an application to have the kerb installed, which would cost him another 3,000, he was told no.

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Instead, Mr Howes has to pay 30-a-year for a permit to park on the other side of the busy street.

The pensioner has offered to pay the 3,000 cost for a dropped kerb to be installed - Solent News/Daily Echo

Mr Howes and his wife Dawn, who have lived in the house since 1984, have parked on the drive for at least 20 years, he said.

The pensioner described his embarrassment at having to park on the street. He said: We have off-road parking and weve had to explain to neighbours why were no longer parking there.

Motorists can be fined if parking across a pavement or verge without a dropped edge.

Enforcement action differs across councils but fines can be as high as 1,000, according to Waltham Forest council.

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Mr Howes said he was willing to pay to have the work done. However, the application was rejected because the 4.3-metre space was just below the required 4.8 metres, despite Mr Howes Hyundai i10 being only 3.6 metres long.

Mr Howes said it would take decades before they (the council) receive 3,000 at the rate of 30-a-year.

Mr Howes application was rejected because the 4.3-metre space was just below the required 4.8 metres - Solent News/Daily Echo

Cllr Eamonn Keogh, the cabinet member for environment and transport, said: The minimum space requirements ensure that we meet our duty, as the Highway Authority, to ensure that all users of the highway can use the footway.

The measurements are enough to accommodate the average estate car at 4.7m long and the overall average car length of 4.4m, he said.

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He added overhanging vehicles can make it difficult for some users such as parents with buggies or people with a mobility aid.

The retired civil servant is not the first to be affected by the rule.

In August last year Ed Fisher, 78, was banned from using his driveway after 50 years.

Speaking to the MailOnline, Mr Fisher said: We have to be responsible for paying for the dropped kerb ourselves. It smacks of we havent got much to do, so well go and get em.

Earlier this month, Lambeth Council, another majority Labour council in South London, identified more than 200 properties where motorists were illegally parked.

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Residents were told they would have to pay an estimated 7,000 to add a dropped kerb, including 4,000 for the application.

The new restrictions could generate up to 1 million for the south London council.

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Is your council seeking to confiscate your home? Get in touch: money@telegraph.co.uk.

A central London council is plotting to seize control of thousands of empty homes and use them to shelter homeless families.

Labour-run Westminster council has urged the Government to relax rules that allow local authorities to confiscate empty properties from two years to six months.

The power, known as an empty dwelling management order (EDMO), was earmarked for reform by Angela Rayner, the housing secretary, in a policy announcement in December.

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Adam Hug, the leader of Westminster council, described the two-year rule as extremely limited, and said that the local authoritys 11,000 empty properties could be used to tackle the boroughs housing crisis.

He said: Investment properties in Westminster are nothing new, but we are past the crisis point in a world where this council has just agreed to spend 140m on temporary accommodation to try and contain our housing lists.

But property experts warned the move was an attack on foreign investors, and would drive down prices in the capital amid an already challenging market triggered by Labours non-dom reforms.

Britains 700,000 vacant homes

Approximately a quarter of all residential properties in Westminster are not occupied by full-time by residents, according to the council. This amounts to roughly 34,400 homes.

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Once short-term lets, migrant accommodation and other categories of housing are factored in, around 11,000 Westminster properties have been identified by the council as long-term vacant.

Mr Hug said: The current powers we have are extremely limited, partly by design as part of the reforms made in 2011-2012 to restrict their use to very specific criteria.

According to the town halls research, there are two homes in Westminster with owners living in Qatar that have not been lived in for 20 years.

He added: Our officers discovered two properties with an owner in Qatar that had been empty for 20 years. It is difficult to justify that in a world where the taxpayer is funding people in expensive hotels because there is nowhere in the City to live.

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Empty dwelling management orders are not currently in widespread use, with just six applications made by councils in 2018, according to the latest available figures published by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Local authorities must currently wait at least two years to take possession of an empty home, and are required to prove it has been the target of anti-social behaviour.

However, ministers are considering ways to reform the policy as thousands of houses sit empty across the country, though no official proposals have been made yet.

A group of cross-party MPs last year backed reducing the amount of time a property must be empty before an application can be made from two years to six months.

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In a letter to homelessness minister, Rushanara Ali, lawmakers late last year said the Government should consider reducing the qualifying period for EDMOs from two years to six months, and dropping the requirement for vacant homes to be linked to anti-social behaviour.

A report by campaigners Action on Empty Homes recently found that there were nearly 700,000 unfurnished properties across the country, of which 265,000 were classed as long-term empty  meaning they have been unfurnished and not lived in for over six months.

But Mr Hug added that councils would still need to be extremely mindful of property rights of owners. This, he said, would include taking note of where a property may be empty because it had been passed on in a will that was awaiting probate.

A plot to evict foreign buyers

Estate agents based in the capital have warned that relaxing EMDO rules so that councils can take possession of a property if it is vacant for six months would be a blow to the citys international reputation with foreign buyers.

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Mark Pollack, of residential estate against Aston Chase, said: Legally its difficult to imagine that actually being enforced without huge objections. It would be a further attack on wealth and international investment in our cities.

He said Labours tax raid on non-doms had already soured Britains appeal with wealthy foreign investors.

At a time when we are already in a challenging market, given the legislation around non-doms and geopolitical volatility, its the last thing Londons market needs that has not seen the kind of capital growth we had come to expect in the past.

There are probably quite a lot of properties that are in foreign ownership that have been locked up and left for many years, he said, adding that they were unlikely to be appropriate for housing as they are ordinarily in quite poor condition.

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Henry Pryor, an independent property agent, said he could understand the arguments for using EDMOs to provide housing.

He said: The problem is perceived to be that at a time of huge demand for housing at all levels, some homes are sitting empty and not being used for the purpose for which they were designed [and that] individual rights should be trumped by the state and society to get the property back into being used.

However, he added that the amount of empty properties that are appropriate to be used as housing was usually slim.

When you break down the numbers its never as dramatic as the headline numbers suggest lots are being refurbished or empty while probate happens. So the total number when you get into is never quite as frightening or exciting depending on where you sit in the argument as it first appears.

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The Department for Housing was approached for comment.

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ANNISTON  Lake Yahou Park will be temporarily closed as the city of Anniston finalizes the transition of McClellan Development Authoritys assets.

The closure, effective this past Wednesday, March 19, allows the city to develop operational protocols and hire additional staff to oversee the parks management and maintenance. Fishing and camping permits will be available upon reopening at the Anniston Aquatic & Fitness Center.

During a Tuesday night Anniston City Council work session, City Manager Steven Folks informed the council that the parks closure is necessary to ensure proper oversight. The Parks and Recreation Department is working on a viable operational plan, including City Council approval of the necessary fee schedules. Frazier Burroughs, PARD director, said Tuesday night, he does not know how long Lake Yahou Park will be closed. The citys public relations director will ensure residents remain informed on updates regarding the property.

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The McClellan property transfer process advanced significantly Monday, when Mayor Jack Draper signed deeds for the transferred properties. Jason Odom delivered the final signed and executed documents to City Hall the same day. PARD has completed an inventory of recreational and real properties slated for transfer, including Lake Yahou Park.

A visit to Lake Yahou Park on Wednesday revealed a sun-splashed relaxing atmosphere as anglers cast their lines into the lake off of the new fishing pier the MDA installed. Walkers enjoyed the nice spring-like day on the walking path that encircles the lake.

In personnel matters, two maintenance workers and one marketing staff member from the MDA declined employment offers with the city. However, Shannon Thomas will continue to assist with financial matters as a contractual employee. To meet new workload demands, PARD has posted job openings for three maintenance worker positions.

Additionally, the Finance Director has secured insurance coverage for all newly transferred properties, ensuring protection as the city takes full control. Officials continue to oversee a smooth transition process, keeping residents informed and operations running efficiently.

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Anniston reports MDA budget deficit

The city released its estimated annual income and expense report for the MDA, projecting a net loss of $1,340 for the fiscal year. Despite lease revenue totaling $83,100, expenses exceeded income, leading to the shortfall.

Available funds

 Primary checking: $33,827.11

 Money market: $665,207.10

Annual income

 Lease revenue: $83,100

 Total annual income: $83,100

Total annual expenses: $84,440

 Contract labor: $6,000

 Lake Yahou annual maintenance: $7,000

 East Alabama Portables: $3,000

 Jerdan Services (weed and brush control): $4,425

 John Deere equipment lease: $30,689

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 Spire Gas: $7,000

 Water: $4,136

 Power: $8,000

 Waste Management: $4,000

 Momentum Phone: $2,052

 Vector Security: $6,538

 AT&T internet: $1,600

Net income (profit or loss)

 Total income: $83,100

 Total expenses: $84,440

 Net income (loss): ($1,340)

City officials have identified potential adjustments to address the budget deficit, including reevaluating the John Deere equipment lease, reducing Lake Yahous annual maintenance expenses, renegotiating contracts for maintenance, security, and internet services and closing unused buildings to cut utility costs. Additionally, phone lines may be turned off and contact numbers redirected to streamline operations.

Residents can stay updated on Lake Yahou Parks reopening by visiting: www.annistonal.gov/lake-yahou.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Gov. Jeff Landry has announced a major restructuring of the Governors Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP), placing it under the command of the Louisiana National Guard in an effort to cut costs and streamline government operations.

Under the reorganization, Brig. Gen. Jason Mahfouz will serve as interim director of GOHSEP, overseeing day-to-day operations. Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Thomas Friloux will provide oversight and guidance during the transition, according to a statement from the governors office.

GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux took on a challenging role and served our state with dedication under difficult circumstances. We deeply appreciate his service, Landry said.

Fiscal Responsibility Program and cost savings

Landrys office framed the move as part of his Fiscal Responsibility Program, a state-level initiative inspired by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)a federal watchdog created under the Trump administration to cut government waste and improve efficiency.

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Landry launched his Fiscal Responsibility Program in December 2024 to audit state expenditures and identify areas for financial optimization. In February, the governors office announced a partnership with the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to implement efficiency measures and gather input from residents about potential cost savings.

Federal watchdog DOGE terminates Louisiana agency leases as part of nationwide cost-cutting effort

Why bring GOHSEP under the National Guard?

The Louisiana National Guard is frequently called upon to assist parish governments during disasters, especially in response to hurricanes. They have also provided security support for large-scale events, including the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras in New Orleans this year.

Landry said the decision to place GOHSEP under the National Guard will save millions of dollars and strengthen the states emergency response capabilities.

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As governor, I was elected with a commitment to cutting waste and streamlining government, Landry said. As part of our fiscal responsibility initiative, weve identified an opportunity to save millions by bringing GOHSEP under the National Guard. This move not only delivers significant cost savings but also aligns with my belief in the importance of relying more on our National Guard to strengthen our states resilience.

Whats next?

The governors office has not yet released specific estimates on cost savings, but the restructuring is part of Landrys broader effort to consolidate state functions under the Fiscal Responsibility Program.

Louisiana Social Security office expected to close this year

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LANSING  The Lansing Police Department lieutenant who last week pleaded no contest to embezzling money from the city has retired and will receive his full pension.

Ryan Wilcox, who was accused of spending time mowing lawns for money or working for another company while he was on the clock for his city job, was charged in February with one count of false pretenses between $1,000 and $20,000. The charge carries a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison. On March 13, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of embezzlement by an agent or trustee between $200 and $1,000.

On Tuesday, the city's Police and Fire Retirement System Board approved Wilcox's retirement with full pension, said Jordan Gulkis, a police department spokesperson. Wilcox bought 14 months of service time, according to the meeting's agenda, and retired with 25 years of service, effective March 10, three days before he pleaded no contest to the reduced charge.

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Under state law, public employees lose their pension and retirement benefits if convicted of a felony connected to their job.

Wilcox is scheduled to be sentenced on May 1 by 54A District Court Judge Cynthia Ward. He faces faces probation or a maximum of a year in jail, if a Ward determines he embezzled more than $200. The charge also includes a fine of $2,000 or three times the value, whichever is greater.

Patrick O'Keefe, Wilcox's attorney, did not return a message seeking comment.

More: State police: Lansing police Lt. was mowing lawns for profit while on duty

On Tuesday, Kelsey Guernsey, the Jackson County prosecuting attorney whose office handled the case, declined to answer questions about how the pension impacted the plea deal but sent a statement. Wilcox won't challenge the restitution request, she said in the statement, and has agreed to relinquish his law enforcement certification, a requirement to work as a police officer in Michigan.

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"Our two main goals in resolving this case were to ensure that the victim, the police department, was made whole and that Defendant Wilcox was never able to be an officer again," Guernsey wrote.

Lansing police officially opened an internal investigation of Wilcox following his no contest plea deal. Gulkis said the retirement won't affect the internal investigation.

It's unclear what sanctions, if any, he could face. Results of police internal investigations and law enforcement personnel files are exempt from disclosure through Michigan's public records law.

Criminal case related to lawn mowing job while on city time

Wilcox was put on paid administrative leave on May 30, after the department received an internal complaint. The investigation was referred to the Michigan State Police, which is standard protocol, and Wilcox was charged in February.

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The MSP detective who testified in a hearing that led to the criminal charge told the judge that Wilcox spent time mowing lawns for money or working for another company while he was on the clock for his city job. Wilcox also used his assigned city vehicle  and fuel charged to the city  to make personal trips to Chicago and used certain law enforcement databases for personal reasons, the detective testified.

"He also did supplemental employment with the National Testing Network, also known as Ergometrics, in which you do interviews for other police departments," the investigator said. Wilcox was paid for that work as a private citizen while he was on the clock for his city job, the detective testified.

There is evidence Wilcox mowed lawns while he was supposed to be working for the city dating back to 2022, but the State Police investigation "mostly focused on the year 2024," the detective testified.

Reporter Ken Palmer contributed to this story. Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at mjmencarini@lsj.com.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Lansing police lieutenant facing criminal charge gets full pension
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A Las Vegas man who police say told them that aliens told him to kill his father was found competent to stand trial Wednesday, court records showed.

Clark County District Court Judge Christy Craig found Timothy Sahrang La, 35, competent to stand trial on Wednesday, saying he is capable of understanding the nature of the charges against him.

La was arrested in the southwest valley on Feb. 5 on a charge of murder with the use of a deadly weapon after police responded to a home near Blue Diamond Road and Decatur Boulevard after a hysterical woman, later identified as Las mother, called police to report her 73-year-old husband, Eun Jin La, was unconscious and not breathing, the report said.

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Las Vegas man claims aliens told him to kill his father, report says

Eun Jin La, who was discovered in the master bedroom, suffered a gunshot wound to the back right side of his head, according to the Clark County Coroners office.

Las mother told police their son lived with them but she had not seen him since the morning when she left for work. Police later found La walking in the neighborhood and took him into custody. During an interview with police, he told them he believed he was saving someone a worker from being tortured and this worker was wearing the skin of his fathers face, according to the documents.

La told police that he walked around the neighborhood after the shooting. Police found the 9mm gun and a 9mm casing at the home.

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La is scheduled to return to court on March 31.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A sexual assault survivor suspects his younger brother may be his son and wants a judge to order a test to determine paternity.

Im speaking out because there are people suffering in silence right now and if I was going to suffer to the extent that youre aware of, I didnt want to do it silently anymore, Logan Gifford, 26, said.

In 2015, Logan Gifford, who was 16 at the time, came forward to report sexual assault allegations involving his mother, Doreene Gifford, records said. Nearly half of all men will report experiencing some form of sexual harassment or sexual assault in their lifetimes, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center.

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Logan Gifford, who successfully helped pass a ballot question requiring voter ID last November, said his life is full of other peoples consequences.

Theres a possibility that my brother could be my son, he said. Im still directly involved in the mess that has left to me.

Logan Gifford initially told police and later testified that his mother, Doreene Gifford, began sexually assaulting him when he was 10. Prosecutors alleged Doreene Gifford sexually assaulted her son for several years, later charging her with sexual assault with a minor and incest.

Doreene Gifford maintained her innocence and took an Alford plea on lesser charges including attempted sex assault. An Alford plea, essentially a plea of no contest, means a defendant does not admit guilt, but believes prosecutors have enough evidence to convince a jury to convict.

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In late 2015, a Clark County judge sentenced Doreene Gifford to 8-20 years in prison, records said. The judge also ordered Doreene Gifford to register as a sex offender. The Nevada Parole Board granted Doreene Gifford parole last July, but records show she was in custody as of Wednesday.

Sending her to prison was halfway vindicating because I thought the largest problem of my life was originally dealt with, Logan Gifford said, adding he was then left with helping raise his younger siblings, including one brother with cognitive difficulties born around the time of the reported sexual assaults.

He deserves to have a quiet and peaceful life, and like I said, hes here now. He didnt ask for any of this, Logan Gifford said.

Logan Gifford, who was caring for that sibling, has since filed a paternity case, asking a judge to order an advanced test to determine who his brothers father is.

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And if it comes back negative, Im still filing for custody because it doesnt change the obligation that I have to him now, Logan Gifford said.

In the years since his mothers incarceration, Logan Gifford has worked on political campaigns, got married and has had children.

Getting there was not easy, he said.

I really wound up having to make a lot of critical decisions at a very early age because I was looking at the impact that it would have had on my siblings, he said. And its ugly and visceral but it doesnt change the fact that it needed to be done.

Doreene Gifford remained in custody as of Wednesday though its unclear why as the parole board granted her parole last year. An attempt to contact her was unsuccessful.

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Before her sentencing in 2015, her attorney maintained his clients innocence and said Logan Gifford, a child at the time, had ample opportunity to report the allegations. As an adult, Logan Gifford said that comment shows how the system failed young men like him.

A hearing in the paternity case was scheduled for May, Logan Gifford said.

8 News Now does not identify sexual assault survivors unless they choose to publicly come forward. In that same regard, 8 News Now is not identifying Logan Giffords brother and the photo Logan Gifford provided is not representative of how either looks today.

Resources:

National Sexual Assault Hotline: a service of RAINN: 800-656-HOPE (4673)

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Nevada Sexual Assault Support Services: 775-221-7600

National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE

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Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department deputies misused statewide informational databases thousands of times in 2023, according to a recent report.

First reported in January by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a self-described online civil liberties organization, LASD deputies improperly used the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System thousands of times over the span of one year, misusing the system to run background checks for concealed carry permits.

The CLETS system provides access to statewide and national databases that include a large cache of sensitive information, including criminal history records and drivers license and vehicle registration information.

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Law enforcement agencies are required to report any suspected misuse of the system to the California Department of Justice. EFFs public records request found that of the 7,635 violations in 2023, roughly 89% (6,789) came just from the LASD.

Suspect in brutal L.A. County murder likely fled overseas, officials say

CLETS has strict requirements about its use. It cant be used for personal inquiries, nor can it be used for the purpose of immigration enforcement. Using the system to research concealed carry permits is also strictly prohibited.

In a statement provided to Los Angeles Public Press, the LASD said the misuse of the system in 2023 was an honest mistake with deputies unknowingly accessing the system due to its own outdated programs.

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The Sheriffs Department has since updated its programs and retrained deputies on the proper use of the system, officials told the outlet.

Mohammad Tajsar, an attorney with the ACLU of Southern California, told LA Public Press that he believed the Sheriffs Department needed to do more to address misuse of sensitive databases.

CLETS abuse should be grounds for automatic termination given the seriousness of the crime, and criminal charges must be levied against abusers of the system, Tajsar said.

California law enforcement agencies are required to report any misuse of CLETS during the previous year by at least Feb. 1. Reports from 2024 should already be submitted to the California DOJ, but EFF says it takes months for that information to become available.

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The nonprofit organization has compiled the yearly tallies of misuse of CLETS from 2019 to 2023, which can be viewed and downloaded on its website.

KTLA has reached out to both LASD and the ACLU of Southern California for comment.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  The El Paso County Elections Department is reminding residents that the last day to register to vote is Thursday, April 3 for the May 2025 Uniform Election.

Ballots for this election include Haciendas Del Norte Water Improvement District, El Paso Independent School District, Socorro Independent School District, San Elizario Independent School District, El Paso Community College, Town of Anthony, Village of Vinton, Town of Horizon City and City of San Elizario, the Elections Department said.

The Elections Departments office is open from 8 a.m. through 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday and is located at 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 314, El Paso, Texas, 79901. On Thursday, April 3, the office will close at 5 p.m.

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The Elections Department has provided a list of important voter registration information which is the following:

To register in Texas, an applicant must: Be a resident of the county in which they are registering. Be a citizen of the United States. Be 18 years of age by Election Day. Not be a convicted felon, or if convicted, have completed all punishment (including incarceration, parole, probation, or supervision) or received a pardon. Not be declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.



Those who are interested can download a voter registration application from the Elections Departments website under Voter Registration.

Applications are also available at any United States Post Office, the Department of Public Safety, El Paso Public Libraries, Texas Health and Human Services Commission offices, and any local high school, the Elections Department said.

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The Elections Department says it will continue to accept walk-ins for those who would like to register it update their voter registration information.

Once processed, a voter registration certificate will be mailed within 30 days.

If already registered, voters can use the Elections Departments new website feature, My Voter Dashboard, to check their voter registration status. Voters will need to enter their first name, last name, and date of birth, or their Voter Unique Identifier, VUID Number, which is located on the Voter Registration Certificate.

Voters with questions can call the Elections Department at (915) 273-3597.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Joshua Riibe, the 22-year-old key witness in the disappearance of Sudiksha Konanki over spring break, has reportedly left the Dominican Republic and is returning to the United States.

Several sources have confirmed to ABC News and Fox News that Riibe departed from Santo Domingo, the countrys capital, en route to the U.S. NBC News additionally reports that it saw Ribbe at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo  where he boarded a plane and took off Wednesday evening.

In a statement to Fox News, Riibes attorneys confirmed, On March 18th, following the conclusion of the habeas corpus hearing that ordered the release of our client, Joshua Riib, the Prosecutors Office of La Altagracia informed him of their readiness to return his passport.

Joshua Riibe stands on the day of a hearing in case of U.S. missing student in Dominican Republic Sudiksha Konanki, in Higuey, Dominican Republic, March 18, 2025. / REUTERS TV/via REUTERS

While Joshua appreciated this decision, he chose, for privacy reasons, to apply for a new passport at the U.S. Consulate, which was promptly issued, they continued. We are pleased to announce that Joshua and his father are currently traveling back to their home in the United States.

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A source also claimed to ABC News that Riibe obtained an emergency travel document from the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic to return home.

The Daily Beast has contacted Riibes attorneys, the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, and the State Department for comment.

The college student is considered a witness, not a suspect in Konankis disappearance, and is believed to be one of the last people who saw the 20-year-old before she disappeared on March 6 from the beach near their resort, the Riu Republica in Punta Cana.

In the days to follow, Riibe proceeded to have his cellphone and passport confiscated while being interviewed by authorities.

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I cant go anywhere. And I really want to be able to go home, talk to my family, give them hugs, tell them I miss them, Riibe said in court Tuesday, according to ABC News. I understand Im here to help, but its been 10 days and I cant leave.

That same day, a Dominican judge ruled that Riibe was able to move around the Dominican Republic without police surveillance because he is only a witness. The judge did not give Riibe his passport back however, claiming that it was not within his jurisdiction.

Sudiksha Chowdary Konanki, 20, a 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. / Interpol/Handout via REUTERS

On Wednesday, a spokesperson at the State Department told ABC News that they were aware of Riibes situation and take seriously our commitment to assist US citizens abroad.

There is no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens who are overseas. That matters to us, spokesperson Tammy Bruce told the network. [Riibes case] is a situation where I cant discuss certainly specifics, but we know that the U.S. Embassy is in communication with him and his family and his lawyer, and we are providing consular assistance as well.

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In a transcript provided to the outlet, Riibe reportedly told prosecutors that he met Konanki for the first time the night she went missing and that the pair went for a swim in the ocean. He said they were then hit by a strong current and were pulled away from the shore.

He added that he last saw her as she was walking knee-deep in water trying to get out.

The last time I saw her, I asked her if she was OK, Riibe told prosecutors. I didnt hear her response because I began to vomit with all the water I had swallowed. After vomiting, I looked around and I didnt see anything. I thought she had taken her things and left. He then fell asleep on a beach chair and returned to his hotel room several hours later.
Elon Musk is sending money to members of Congress - including Lauren Boebert - who have expressed support for impeaching judges blocking actions by President Donald Trump and his administration, five people told The New York Times.

Musk has handed the largest possible hard-dollar donation under the law, $6,600, to the seven Republicans and their campaigns after they backed impeachments of judges or called for action to be taken against them. This comes after recent rulings against the Trump administration, such as a decision over the weekend by Judge James Boasberg in the Federal District Court in the nations capital.

Boasberg ruled on Saturday that the administration must turn around planes carrying alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, but the administration didnt comply, leading to worries about a possible constitutional crisis. Trump then argued on social media that Boasberg must be impeached.

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On Wednesday, Musk donated to Boebert of Colorado, Eli Crane of Arizona, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Brandon Gill of Texas, as well as Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, according to The Times.

Gill introduced articles of impeachment against the judge after he issued an order temporarily blocking Trumps use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport the Venezuelans. Boebert backed the impeachment articles against the judge, with Musk expressing his approval on X.

Crane put forward articles of impeachment against Judge Paul Engelmayer of the District Court of the Southern District of New York after he temporarily limited the access to the Treasury Departments payment and data systems for the Department of Government Efficiency, Musks vehicle for slashing the federal government.

We didnt do it so Elon Musk would give us a campaign donation, Crane told The Times. But I think its great that individuals like Elon are throwing support behind those of us willing to take action.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) looks on during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on sanctuary cities' policies. Shes one of seven Republicans who have recently received donations from Elon Musk (Getty Images)

Clyde told the paper that he had no prior knowledge that Elon Musk would make a campaign donation but added, I am very thankful that he did.

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Ogles introduced a resolution to allow Trump to serve another term in the White House. He told The Times that Musks dedication isnt just commendable  its vital to our Republics future.

For more than two centuries, there has never [been] such extreme abuse of the legal system by activists pretending to be judges. Impeach them, Musk said Wednesday on X.

Grassley is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. He hasnt called for impeaching Boasberg but wrote on X: Another day, another judge unilaterally deciding policy for the whole country. This time to benefit foreign gang members If the Supreme Court or Congress doesnt fix, were headed towards a constitutional crisis. Senate Judiciary Cmte taking action.

Musk spent nearly $300 million on the 2024 election, and his super PAC has indicated that it will focus on down-ballot races this year. The billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX has usually preferred to back his own groups rather than handing money directly to politicians. He didnt initially donate to the Trump campaign in 2024, instead backing his Trump-supporting super PAC.

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The president called for Boasberg to be impeached on Tuesday.

This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! the president wrote on Truth Social.

This prompted Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to say in a statement that For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision.

The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, said Roberts.
Shouts of January 6 and tax the rich flooded a town hall in Laramie, Wyoming, on Wednesday, where GOP Rep. Harriet Hageman faced a hostile crowd as she attempted to drown out the noise and answer questions  the latest such Washington lawmaker to be grilled in their home states.

Hageman said she liked the opportunity to do town halls because it lets me come here, give you an update on what Im doing back in Washington, DC, prompting a swift response of nothing from one man.

If you have so little respect for our process and for what we are in this country, Hageman started before being interrupted by some boos. Then I would ask you to leave.

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Voters have expressed their frustrations in several town halls across the country in recent days as they publicly vocalize their dissatisfaction with those in office. Constituents have criticized Republican members of Congress about President Donald Trumps executive power and Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency efforts, while some Democratic members have faced complaints of being disorganized and not fighting Trump hard enough.

Hageman attempted to speak on DOGE and its efforts to reconfigure the federal government at one point, telling constituents at her town hall on Wednesday, Heres the only thing that DOGE has done, its so bizarre to me how obsessed you are with federal government. She was immediately interrupted with jeers of disapproval and loud boos.

You guys are going to have a heart attack if you dont calm down, Hageman told the crowd after repeatedly attempting to take control.

Democratic Rep. Sean Casten was interrupted several times by pro-Palestinian protesters during his own town hall Wednesday night in Downers Grove, Illinois. He warned that people are going to decide not to come to town halls anymore because its not productive.

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At one point, a man jumped onto the stage with Casten, prompting the congressman to tell the crowd he would step off the stage and call the police.

Sir, get off the stage! Get off the stage! Casten yelled at the man.

In another instance, a woman in the audience stood up and yelled at Casten about US support going to Israel.

Maam, can you please sit down? Maam, maam, maam what is your point in disrupting this event? I recognize your face, you have disrupted many events, Casten responded.

Police asked the congressman to end the event and send everyone home after several heated exchanges.

A rise in heated confrontations from constituents

The town halls on Wednesday night illustrate growing signs of unease and dissatisfaction from constituents across the country.

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Hageman faced another round of hostility at her town hall on Thursday, where in a tense exchange she was questioned by a voter about the Trump administrations claims of fraud in government spending.

You are a lawyer, where is this fraud? the voter, who identified herself as a retired military officer and Republican, asked Hageman, according to CSPAN video of the town hall. The voter added: What company, what organization, what personnel are we going after?

Hageman pointed to spending by the US Agency for International Development  which the Trump administration and DOGE are attempting to dismantle  as the fraud. This is what it is. This is the spending associated with the fraud. This is the fraud, spending is the fraud, Hageman asserted, to the dissatisfaction of the constituent and other attendees, who repeatedly interrupted her as she attempted to cite numbers.

GOP Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia faced some tough criticism and occasional boos from constituents last month as he fielded questions about the Trump administrations early actions.

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At one point during his February town hall, McCormick was pointedly asked about the firings of hundreds of workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is based in Atlanta: Why is a supposedly conservative party taking such a radical and extremist and sloppy approach to this?

Im in close contact with the CDC. They have about what, 13,000 employees, 13,000 employees at the CDC. In the last couple years, those probationary people, which is about 10% of their employee base, about 1,300 people, which youre referring to. A lot of the work they do is duplicitous with AI, McCormick said.

The mention of AI led to nos and murmurs from the crowd, leading the Republican representative to say, I happen to be a doctor. I know a few things.

GOP Rep. Cliff Bentz faced a similar reaction from his constituents during a town hall last month in La Grande, Oregon, where he also received questions on DOGE. One constituent asked, Since DOGE was created without the Congress, who is paying for it, leading to applause from the crowd.

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The DOGE committee, as I understand it, is being filtered into, if thats the right word for (it) or put into another agency, but we are looking into that now to find out. I dont know the answer, he said before being interrupted by some boos and jeers of disapproval.

Some of the tough criticism and oftentimes angry remarks have led to police action. One man who identified himself as a veteran was escorted out of a town hall in Asheville, North Carolina after he shouted in protest following GOP Rep. Chuck Edwards comments about voting for the House budget resolution.

Edwards told CNN following the town hall, There were so many people that took time to be there, that took time to put questions in the box that they wanted answered. I believe its part of the democratic process, even though it might be uncomfortable from time to time. I think town halls are necessary.

Other members of Congress showed more frustration about the matter. GOP Sen. Roger Marshall left his town hall earlier this month in Oakley, Kansas, after a larger-than-expected crowd pressed him about DOGE cuts including jobs held by veterans.

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Fears of angry protesters have deterred some in office from going in front of crowds. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer postponed planned book tour events in several cities citing security concerns, after receiving heavy backlash from within his caucus and the Democratic base over his decision to vote to advance a Republican-led funding bill last week.

Local chapters of Indivisible, a progressive group created in 2016 after Trump first took the White House, had planned protests around events for the book tour.

This story has been updated with additional developments.

CNNs Kaanita Iyer, Taylor Galgano and Martin Goillandeau contributed to this report.

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(WHTM)  Pennsylvania is home to a large immigrant population, and lawmakers want to create a new office to help them.

The new office aims to streamline employment services to allow immigrants coming to the Commonwealth to start contributing to the state, economically or otherwise.

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Im from an agricultural county, Lancaster County, and Chester County is right next door, said Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El (D-Lancaster). I can tell you without immigrants, the economies of both those counties would be turned upside down. If we want to provide more medical services, we need more medical workers, and many of those for us are immigrants and refugees. We need them in every part of the Commonwealth.

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Rep. Smith-Wade-El says immigrants account for close to 10% of Pennsylvanias workforce.

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A Wyoming state representative made two unsuccessful attempts to add a provision to curb an inhumane hunting practice. Mike Schmid, a Republican representing Wyoming's Lincoln and Sublette counties, proposed a bipartisan amendment to ban deliberately running over animals with snowmobiles, and a standalone attempt died earlier this month.

What happened?

The move came after an incident in February 2024 when a resident ran over a wolf and took the badly injured animal to a bar in Daniel, a tiny rural town in western Wyoming. As reported by WyoFile, the vile stunt provoked an international outcry and moved lawmakers to attempt to clamp down on animal cruelty.

As detailed by the Daily Montanan, Schmid attempted to add the provision to a house bill on the treatment of animals along with Karlee Provenza, a Democrat representing Albany County. Schmid said of the amendment: "All it does is stop  the senseless act of using a machine to repeatedly run over an animal in order to maim it or kill it."

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Hunters' groups also supported the measure. Sabrina King of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers' Wyoming chapter testified: "I would venture that the sporting community in Wyoming does not support running over animals with vehicles.  We do not consider that fair chase."

Unfortunately, the livestock industry opposed the amendment, per WyoFile, which other Republican legislature members struck down. A standalone bill died in committee on March 3.

Why is the failed amendment important?

Wolves play an important part in Wyoming's ecosystem but have had a troubled past in the Equality State. In the early 20th century, gray wolves were hunted to extinction at Yellowstone National Park. However, they were successfully reintroduced in 1995, and Yellowstone soon reaped the benefits.

Oddly enough, the biggest winners were the park's troubled beaver population. Wolves help control the overpopulation of elk in the area, which inhibits the beaver's habitat. Aspen trees are also flourishing thanks to the wolf's comeback.

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Because of their vital role as apex predators, other areas are considering reintroducing them as well, like Scotland into its highlands.

Though they primarily hunt elk, wolves will threaten livestock if given the chance, which is why agricultural groups in Wyoming oppose any move to inhibit wolf hunting, no matter how cruel the method.

What's being done about it?

Very few bills and amendments succeed. At the federal level, only around 7% of bills introduced actually pass, so there's no reason to be unduly downcast at one failed attempt. Per the Daily Montanan, Schmid expressed a desire to continue his efforts, telling WyoFile in a text message: "I will continue to do what I can. As an avid hunter, I hate what this says about something I love so much."

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SPRING HILL, Fla. (WFLA)  Tina Fitzgerald of Spring Hill is brought to tears thinking about her daughter who died after seeking medical attention.

Its hard. Six years, Fitzgerald said.

Her daughter died at 41 years old after a massive brain bleed in December 2018. Fitzgerald said doctors treated her daughter as a heart attack patient when she initially sought medical attention. Her daughter was then moved to a different facility but doctors there couldnt reverse the health decline that progressed, Fitgerald said, under the previous facility. The 41-year-old initially went to the hospital over complaints of head pain and shortness of breath.

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I said I wanted a meeting with the doctors, and they wouldnt let that happen, Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald was unable to seek damages in a wrongful death lawsuit. A 1990 Florida law states parents cannot sue for non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, in malpractice cases if their children are 25 and older, unmarried, and have no children.

The magic combination: single, no children. So, its like she didnt count, Fitzgerald said.

Another part of the law states anyone 25 and older cannot sue in similar cases involving unmarried parents.

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Fitzgerald said she wasnt looking for cash but looking for accountability.

Theres no amount of money in the world that we could get back that would bring her back, Fitzgerald said.

Florida Senate Bill 734 and its house companion aim to repeal those restrictions.

In a senate committee hearing on Tuesday, Insurance Broker Alfred Gronovius said Florida had eight medical malpractice cases in excess of $20 million dollars in 2023. One was more than $200 million. He fears, as an opponent, that number could increase.

If we expand the ability of a number of people that could sue for wrongful deaths, we will make an already medical malpractice insurance market that much worse, Gronovius said.

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The Villages resident Bob Johnson spoke against the bill as well. He fears he may have to pay more for insurance.

This bill will increase and accelerate and exacerbate the problems that Floridians are experiencing today in the health care system on the availability and the cost of health care, Johnson said.

Medical Malpractice Attorney Jordan Dulcie doesnt buy the concerns opponents have involving the rising cost of insurance. As a supporter of the bill, he wants to see lawmakers continue to move the measure forward so theres a full vote on the floor in both chambers.

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This law has done nothing to bring down insurance premiums for medical providers. Theyve continued to increase premiums since this law was on the books in 1990, Dulcie said.

Dulcie noted that premiums have been rising across the board, which includes non-medical. He said that shows there are a multitude of factors in play, which lawmakers are currently investigating.

Now, Dulcie wants opponents in Tallahassee to think about the group of Floridians who want to do whatever they can to heal from their loss. He believes the current restrictions have prevented many from closure.

All it has done is deprive victims of wrongful death from having the ability to seek or address in the courts, which is their right under the Florida constitution, Dulcie said.

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He concludes that many families fighting today for change still wont be able to take action, if the measure becomes law, because of the statute of limitations.

The bills continue to make their way through the committee stage.

Some opponents have stated they would agree to bill with a cap on damages. That measure has been filed before but didnt have any success in Tallahassee.

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A sweeping bill that would expand reporting requirements related to sexual misconduct allegations against health care workers and impose fines for failure to report serious incidents gained initial approval from a House committee Wednesday.

The bill follows a Tribune investigation last year that exposed how Illinois health care systems failed to protect patients from sexual abuse and how state government failed to hold them accountable.

State Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, the bills sponsor, said during the hearing that the legislation will close a critical gap in communication and could prevent dangerous behaviors from being hidden or left unaddressed within health care settings. She referenced the Tribune investigation while presenting the initial version of the bill Wednesday.

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The Tribune series identified multiple well-known Illinois health systems that had fielded allegations of sexual abuse but allowed those physicians, nurses and other workers to continue caring for patients. The reporting also exposed gaps in state oversight of the health care industry that left patients vulnerable to harm.

One story in the series revealed how Endeavor Health allowed obstetrician and gynecologist Fabio Ortega to continue seeing patients despite complaints about his conduct and after learning that he was under police investigation.

Ortega later pleaded guilty to felony criminal sexual abuse of two patients. The doctor was accused of abuse by dozens of former patients, and Endeavor Health has settled more than 75 lawsuits related to those allegations. In November the health system disclosed it was spending $453 million on costs, expenses and settlement of claims related to a doctor it did not name accused of sexually abusing patients.

Cassidy noted that while the legislature passed a bill last year that addressed one issue  a law that expanded which health care facilities must report patient abuse allegations to the Illinois Department of Public Health  the problem goes well beyond that.

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The new bill would require that health professionals who witness or hear about sexual misconduct by health care workers to report it to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees health care workers licenses, within 24 hours. Health institutions would also be required to report allegations of misconduct to IDFPR within 24 hours of initiating an investigation into alleged misconduct, or when a worker is terminated or resigns following an allegation of misconduct. It would impose fines of $25,000 to $75,000 for failure to report and then place that money into a sexual assault survivors fund.

The bill also expands reporting requirements for law enforcement, instructing law enforcement agencies to notify IDFPR within 30 days of opening an investigation into a licensed health care worker, arresting a health care worker or filing felony or serious misdemeanor charges against the person.

In December, the Tribune revealed that despite a law mandating prompt action when licensed health care workers are charged with certain criminal offenses, it often took the state weeks or months to require that the health professional only provide care under the supervision of a medical chaperone or for the state to take other action.

The bill is joint effort by IDFPR, IDPH and Gov. JB Pritzkers office, along with Cassidy, she said. The Illinois Health and Hospital Association is currently in opposition to the bill, but the associations senior vice president of government relations, David Gross, told committee members the group is working with the representative in coming to an agreement.

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What is not fleshed out yet is the role and responsibilities of the state and its agencies in ensuring prompt resolution to what could essentially be thousands of unfounded reports, Gross said.

State Rep. William Hauter, a Republican from Morton, said he was in support of the effort but raised concerns about the bill. Hauter, who is an emergency medicine doctor and anesthesiologist, said health care workers often deal with patients with altered mental states.

Our licenses, thats a thing that we worked our whole life for, and to have that stain on there, even if its going to be investigated and removed, in some way I feel like its really putting a lot of health professionals at risk, Hauter said.

Cassidy responded that she understands the concerns of health care providers, but also wants to ensure that the facilities and health systems are addressing and not hiding these issues.

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I want to make sure that we strike a better balance than we currently have, she said.

The Health Care Licenses Committee voted 9-5 Wednesday in favor of the initial bill, but Cassidy said she planned to bring the matter back to the committee with an amendment before the bill moves to the House floor.

Tamara Holder, an attorney who represented many of the women who filed lawsuits against Ortega and Endeavor, said the bill would force more communication when it comes to allegations of sexual abuse against health care workers.

Regardless of what the recipient thinks or feels about the information, it creates a legal duty to do something, which is to report it, Holder said.

_____
KNOX COUNTY, Neb. (KCAU)  A lawsuit that was filed after changes to a wind farm zoning ordinance in Knox County, Nebraska has now been mostly denied.

On Friday, a district judge granted in part and denied in part the motion for the suits dismissal. Most of the claims in the suit filed by North Fork Wind, LLC and landowners in the county were dismissed, but two of the claims were allowed to proceed.

North Fork Wind argued five claims against the defense: the Contracts Clause, Equal Protection Clause, the prohibition of special legislation in the Nebraska Constitution, substantive and procedural components of the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment and Nebraska Constitution.

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The claims the U.S. District Judge allowed to pursue are those related to the Fifth Amendment Takings Clause and those related to state laws limited to the countys non-compliance with posting zoning ordinances.

Woodbury County officials remind residents to check for snow buildup in outdoor vents

The judge also granted that Kevin Mackeprang, a supervisor, be dismissed from the lawsuit altogether.

Supervisor Kevin Mackeprang was named as a defendant as part of his position on the board of supervisors in the lawsuit. The defense said that he leased land to North Fork Winds, serving as an undisclosed business partner with the company for years, failing to disclose his potential conflict of interest until Sept. 2024. The rest of the defense asked that the suit be tossed due to his conflict of interest or that he at least be named a plaintiff in the case.

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North Fork Wind filed the lawsuit in Aug. 2024 against the Knox County Board of Supervisors and others over zoning regulations. The company claimed they had been working since 2017 to set up a 600-megawatt commercial wind energy conversion system (CWECS), with the county even having adopted new zoning regulations in Nov. 2023. Then, in May 2024, a group began to push for a change to the rules in May 2024, leading to the Knox County Board of Supervisors voting to change the setback rules to more than three times the original distance.

The lawsuit claimed that the changes were made with the express purpose of regulating North Fork Wind and the Wind Farm only. It stated zoning changes for wind farms were done without properly posting proposed amendments in meeting agendas. It also said that impacted landowners did not receive written notice about the proposed amendments. In meeting minutes and agendas, North Fork Wind and the wind farm were specifically mentioned for the proposed amendments.

The judge said that allegations surrounding the Knox County zoning boards conduct were concerning, but government bodies are given to power to enact laws in the interest of the public.

It is not the place of the Court to disrupt those decisions, the judge said.

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The judge also ordered that discovery be bifurcated, saying that the evidence of property interest is separate from other issues in the case.

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Attorney Tony Buzbee has withdrawn from over a dozen lawsuits he filed against Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Buzbee was not permitted to practice in the New York federal court where he filed the suits.

The Texas-based attorney told BI in an email that Jay-Z filed a grievance against him.

Tony Buzbee, the Texas-based attorney who has brought a wave of sex abuse lawsuits against Sean "Diddy" Combs, has been forced to back out of more than a dozen cases involving the hip-hop mogul  and he's putting the blame on Jay-Z.

This week, Buzbee withdrew himself as the plaintiff attorney in at least 14 lawsuits that he filed against Combs dating back to October in a New York federal court after it became clear he was not permitted to practice law there, according to court documents reviewed by Business Insider.

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Buzbee told BI that Jay-Z  whose real name is Shawn Carter  has filed a court grievance against him in a bid to keep him from getting admitted to try cases in the Southern District of New York.

Jay-Z's lawyer, Alex Spiro, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Last week, a judge overseeing one of Buzbee's cases said in a court filing that it came to her attention that Buzbee has not been admitted to practice in the SDNY, a federal court district that includes Manhattan  where Buzbee has filed a slew of lawsuits against Combs accusing him of sexual assault and rape.

Combs, who remains locked up pretrial at a Brooklyn jail on federal sex trafficking charges, has vehemently denied the charges, as well as all sex abuse allegations against him.

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According to a February 13 order from the Committee on Grievances in the SDNY, Buzbee filed for admission to practice in the court on January 29, months after he first filed lawsuits against Combs.

"Per the Committee's review of the dockets, Mr. Buzbee has appeared in cases in this Court without seeking admission. Therefore, the Petition is denied," the committee's chair wrote in the order, court papers show.

Sean "Diddy" Combs has denied all sex abuse allegations against him. Mark Von Holden/Invision/AP, File

US District Judge Ronnie Abrams, in her filing last week, said Buzbee had been warned several weeks prior in a separate case that he was in violation of a local rule of the court due to his admission status. Abrams wrote that Buzbee "failed to bring this issue to the Court's attention" and ordered him to explain why.

In a Monday letter, Buzbee wrote that he "made an error in judgment by failing to inform" the judge that he had not been admitted to practice in SDNY.

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"As an attorney in good standing of the New York State Bar, the Texas State Bar, and your sister district, the Bar for Eastern District of the State of New York, I believe I am eminently qualified and should not be precluded from representing the Plaintiff in this action," Buzbee wrote.

However, he wrote, his admission status has "become a distraction that has shifted the focus of the matter away from where it should be, which is securing justice for the Plaintiff."

Buzbee added that the unnamed plaintiff in the case will continue to be represented by the New York law firm with which he co-filed that lawsuit and others against Combs as he sorts "these issues" out.

Buzbee told BI by email that he is licensed to practice law in New York state court, as well as the Eastern District of New York.

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"Typically, when you are admitted in a sister district, you receive reciprocal admission," he said. "But, in this case, the individual I was bringing a suit against, Shawn Carter, filed a grievance against me trying to keep me from receiving admission  a formality. So I have to deal with that before I receive formal admission."

Buzbee wrote he was one of multiple lawyers handling the cases, yet "was the only one singled out and a grievance filed against me by Jay Z."

He accused Jay-Z of "using the grievance process as a weapon."

Jay-Z has filed a defamation lawsuit against Tony Buzbee and his client. Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Last month, one of Buzbee's clients dropped her sexual assault lawsuit that accused Combs and Jay-Z. Jay-Z has since filed a defamation suit against the Alabama woman and Buzbee.

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Meanwhile, Buzbee filed a motion last month in another federal lawsuit against Combs seeking to represent his client on a "pro hac vice" basis  meaning he's an additional lawyer on the case despite not being licensed there. He wrote in the court filing that he was recently denied admission to the bar of the Southern District of New York "based in large part on the grievance."

Buzbee wrote in an affidavit attached to the motion that he intends to defend himself against the grievance and seek an appeal of the SDNY's admissions decision.

"The primary factor underlying both the grievance and the Southern District's admission decision is that I electronically signed numerous pleadings alongside my firm's local counsel (who is admitted to the Southern District of New York and who actually filed all pleadings and other papers)," Buzbee wrote.

"To the extent I violated the Southern District's rules in so doing, those violations were inadvertent, and I sincerely apologize."

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In opposing Buzbee's motion, Combs' attorneys wrote in a February 26 court filing that they have never opposed a pro hac vice application  a request for temporary authorization to practice in a certain jurisdiction  "and we do not do so lightly here."

"But Buzbee's egregious misconduct warrants denial of the privilege of appearing in this District," the attorneys wrote.

"He has signed multiple filings across twenty- two cases without permission to practice in this Court; he failed in each instance to disclose that he had filed without being admitted; and he violated New York's Rules of Professional Conduct by, among other things, repeatedly insisting that Mr. Combs is guilty of the criminal charges pending against him in this District, even though Buzbee has no good faith basis to believe the Government will call any of his clients as a witness in that case," they said.

Buzbee has filed several other lawsuits against Combs in New York state court where he told BI he is lead counsel and will continue to be "as a member of good standing in the New York Bar."

Read the original article on Business Insider
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A janitor at Layfayette County C-1 Middle School has been charged after being accused of sex crimes, according to court documents.

Documents show that 42-year-old James Looney of Higginsville is being charged with possession of child pornography, sexual contact with a student, tampering with physical evidence and first and third-degree sexual misconduct.

The three victims in the case are 13-years-old, 15-years-old and 16-years-old, according to the court documents.

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Those documents also share that on March 4, the schools resource officer met with three witnesses at the school when one of the victims handed in a report that shared she was fearful for her safety because of Looney. That report stemmed from an incident in which Looney pulled the 13-year-old aside and asked for one of her social media handles.

During the investigation, it was learned that the 16-year-old victim had been involved in a sexual interaction with Looney and that the 15-year-old victim was also involved.

Looney admitted to the interactions in an interview, according to records, and also admitted to deleting apps from his phone before the resource officer seized his phone.

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The court documents also include that Looney has a previous felony conviction of knowingly burning or exploding.

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Reform has got the chance to become the leading party of the Right. At present, it is in a great position to do well in the local elections on May 1. But if it is to succeed in the longer term  and perhaps even win a general election  it needs to offer something more.

It needs to develop policies in key areas. Nothing is more central to Britains problems today than the disarray in our welfare benefits system. A quarter of people of working age are not working. The bill for those who are said to be disabled is forecast to rise to more than 76 billion within the next four years. Many of those people on benefits should be working and paying money into the national coffers through tax rather than taking money out. The failure of the previous and, almost certainly, the present government to deal with this issue means our national debt has risen to crisis levels, loneliness and despair are more common, the civility of society has deteriorated, our taxes are high and economic growth has stalled. These effects all compound each other. A party that does not take this core issue seriously does not deserve to be in office.

Is Reform willing and able to take this on? The new Right-wing political forces that have erupted around the world in recent years have done little to address this issue. Marine Le Pen, in France, like Nigel Farage, has made much of immigration but has been much weaker on welfare reform. She has even opposed raising the absurdly low age  62  for state pensions.

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Donald Trump has made a big deal out of attacking wasteful government bureaucracy, but been much quieter on the higher cost of badly-managed welfare. Bill Clinton, for all his faults, was far more active in combating this. Populist leaders, including Trump and Farage, may be wary of antagonising their blue collar voting base with aggressive clamp-downs on benefits. But these fears are largely misplaced.

The Reform website does include a page called Reform UK Policy Documents. But on this page you will, unfortunately, find only one policy document. It is called Our Contract With You. On page 12 of this contract is Reforms policy on welfare benefits.

The four paragraphs are not bad as far as they go. Most of us can agree that Employment is critical to improving mental health. And yes, it is a good idea, too, to increase the income tax threshold to help make employment more clearly advantageous than living on benefits. But it is back-of-the-envelope stuff: more like a wish list than a serious set of policy proposals backed by research. This was surely written in a hurry before the last general election. It is nothing like good enough.

Why has Reform so far been slow to develop a persuasive policy on this? If it thinks welfare reform is unpopular, it should think again. Peter Lilley, when he was the secretary of state in charge of social security, remembers that despite the hostility of the BBC and The Guardian to his reforms, when he travelled on public transport, people told him that they were right behind him. Nobody is more angry about undeserving claimants than workers who do unsocial hours only to then find that a neighbour on benefits has bought his children new trainers and taken them on a foreign holiday.

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The lack of policy development on this and other areas was one of the matters that Rupert Lowe was unhappy about before he was thrown out of the party. Perhaps Nigel Farage thinks he can do without policy development. After all, he has certainly done well in building support on the basis, primarily, of a single policy: drastically decreasing immigration. It has worked for him so far.

But when it comes to a general election, a lot of those he needs to convert will want to see some breadth and depth in both the leadership of the party and its policies. Without these, Farage will be condemning himself to being  yet again  the disruptor, not the governor. He may push the other parties into toughening up their immigration policies but never get to be in power himself.

A Conservative Party adviser once asked me and a few others, What is Farages Achilles Heel? I would say he had several but if he goes on like this, one of his weakest points could be failure to develop policies to save this country from destructive, mass welfare dependency.

James Bartholomew is author of The Welfare of Nations

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The Trump administration has finally released their plan on how theyre restructuring USAID.

The new scheme comes only weeks after President Donald Trump teamed up with Tesla billionaire Elon Musk to slash government agencies through the Department of Energy Efficient (DOGE), forcing thousands of USAID employees from their jobs. Around 90% of USAIDs foreign aid contracts were eliminated.

Now, according to Politico, Trump wants to make USAID smaller and limit its focus, ensuring that it only takes on issues like global health, food security, disaster response, and anything that helps the administration take on China. Under the proposal, the organizations new name will be the U.S. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance.

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All politically oriented programs that Trump wants to continue, like promoting democracy or empowering women, will be moved under the State Department.

The president plans to counter China by combining the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an agency focused on reducing global poverty, with the U.S. Trade and Development Agency under the backing of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. The entity would primarily promote private sector investment, especially for energy, technology, and infrastructure.

Trump hopes to align the new USAID with his goals. / Carlos Barria / Carlos Barria/REUTERS

Although it is not yet clear whether the proposal has been finalized and if Secretary of State Marco Rubio or other senior Trump administration officials have given it the green light, it is evident that the new approach closely aligns with Trumps goals for the U.S. The plan also notes some instances where congressional approval may be required, according to the report.

The State Department did not respond to a request for comment from Politico. The Daily Beast has also reached out to the State Department for comment.

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The proposal adds that existing development programming is inefficient and fragmented and mistakenly placed in every sector in every country which the administration claims does not yield the best results.

The plan says that Trumps approach would better foster peace and stability in regions critical to U.S. interests, catalyze economic opportunities that support American businesses and consumers, and mitigate global threats such as pandemic diseases. It also argues that all aid programs should have set end dates and their success carefully measured along the way.

After gutting the 60-year-old agency, Trump hopes to rebuild it in his image. On his first day back in the Oval Office, he signed an executive order withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization (WHO). He has also reportedly demanded all staff members from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cut off all communication with the WHO.

A state department spokesperson said that the department is committed to implementing Trump and Rubios foreign policy objectives by being as innovative, nimble, and as focused as possible. The spokesperson stressed that any changes to the structure of USAID will be done in consultation with Congress and will be subject to Congressional notification.

Trumps America First policies left countless families worldwide stranded with nowhere to turn. Trump took a wrecking ball to foreign aid in the first few months of his administration, putting millions of lives at risk. Health clinics worldwide shuttered and essential medication was withheld from struggling patients.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mahmoud Issa

CAIRO/GAZA (Reuters) - At least 91 Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday after Israel resumed bombing and ground operations, the enclave's health ministry said, effectively ditching a two-month-old ceasefire.

After two months of relative calm, Gazans were again fleeing for their lives after Israel effectively abandoned a ceasefire, launching a new all-out air and ground campaign against Gaza's dominant Palestinian militant group Hamas.

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Israeli aircraft dropped leaflets on residential neighbourhoods, ordering people out of Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun towns in the north, the Shejaia district in Gaza City and towns on the eastern outskirts of Khan Younis in the south.

"War is back, displacement and death are back, will we survive this round?" said Samed Sami, 29, who fled Shejaia to put up a tent for his family in a camp on open ground.

A day after sending tanks into central Gaza, the Israeli military said on Thursday it had also begun conducting ground operations in the north of the densely populated enclave, along the coastal route in Beit Lahiya.

Hamas, which had not retaliated during the first 48 hours of the renewed Israeli assault, said its fighters fired rockets into Israel. The Israeli military said sirens sounded in the centre of the country after projectiles were launched from Gaza.

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Palestinian medics said Israeli strikes targeted several houses in northern and southern sections of the Gaza Strip.

With talks having failed to bridge differences over terms to extend the ceasefire, the military resumed its air assaults on Gaza with a massive bombing campaign on Tuesday before sending soldiers in the day after.

HUNDREDS DEAD

It said on Thursday that its forces had been engaged for the past 24 hours in what it described as an operation to expand a buffer zone separating the northern and southern halves of Gaza, known as the Netzarim corridor.

Israel ordered residents to stay away from the Salahuddin road, Gaza's main north-south route, and said they should travel along the coast instead.

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Tuesday's first day of resumed airstrikes killed more than 400 Palestinians, one of the deadliest days of the 17-month-old conflict, with scant let-up since.

In a blow to Hamas as it sought to rebuild its administration in Gaza, this week's strikes have killed some of its top figures, including the de facto Hamas-appointed head of the Gaza government, the chief of security services, his aide, and the deputy head of the Hamas-run justice ministry.

The Islamist group said the Israeli ground operation and the incursion into the Netzarim corridor were a "new and dangerous violation" of the ceasefire agreement. In a statement, it reaffirmed its commitment to the deal and called on mediators to "assume their responsibilities".

For Israel, a return to full-blown war could prove complicated, some current and former Israeli officials say, amid waning public support and burnout among military reservists. Protesters accuse Netanyahu of continuing the war for political reasons and endangering the lives of remaining hostages.

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A temporary first phase of the ceasefire ended at the start of this month. Hamas wants to move to an agreed second phase, under which Israel would be required to negotiate an end to the war and withdrawal of its troops from Gaza, and Israeli hostages still held there would be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

Israel has offered only a temporary extension of the truce, cut off all supplies to Gaza and said it was restarting its military campaign to force Hamas to free remaining hostages.

'WE DON'T WANT DEATH'

The ceasefire had allowed Huda Junaid, her husband and family to return to the site of their destroyed home to camp out in the ruins. But they were now forced to flee again, packing their few remaining belongings into a donkey cart and searching for a new place to pitch their tent near a school.

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"We don't want war, we don't want death. Enough, we are fed up. There are no longer children in Gaza, all of our children are dead, all of our relatives are dead," she said.

Some Palestinians who tried to use the Salahuddin road said they saw cars come under fire from Israeli troops advancing towards Netzarim. The fate of those in the vehicles was unknown.

"Bulldozers protected by some tanks were heading to the west coming from the areas where they are stationed near the fence east of the Salahuddin road," one taxi driver told Reuters, asking not to be identified for fear of reprisals.

Speaking to Reuters on Thursday, a Hamas official said mediators had stepped up efforts with the two warring sides but no breakthrough had yet come.

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Some residents said there were no signs yet of preparations by Hamas on the ground to resume fighting. But an official from one militant group allied to Hamas, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters on Thursday that fighters, including from Hamas, had been put on alert awaiting further instructions. Fighters had also been told to stop using mobile phones.

The war erupted after Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities near the Gaza border in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

More than 49,000 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing conflict, according to Gaza's health authorities, with much of the enclave reduced to rubble.

(Reporting by Nidal al Mughrabi in Cairo and Mahmoud Issa in Gaza; writing by Nidal al Mughrabi, Michael Georgy and Peter Graff; editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Mark Heinrich)
A suspected left-wing extremist wanted by German authorities has turned herself in to police in the eastern German city of Jena, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The woman is accused of being a member of a criminal organization and of committing grievous bodily harm, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutors office in Karlsruhe said.

Prosecutors allege she was involved in violent attacks against far-right activists in Budapest in February 2023, alongside other suspects.

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Her surrender comes weeks after seven other alleged fugitive left-wing extremists turned themselves in at various locations across Germany.

Both German and Hungarian authorities are investigating multiple suspects in connection with the same offences.

The case has gained further attention due to an ongoing trial in Budapest against another suspect known in left-wing circles as Maja T.

The Hungarian public prosecutor accuses Maja T, who identifies as non-binary and was born in Jena, of participating in four assaults on actual or alleged right-wing extremists in Budapest in February 2023.
The Nebraska State Historical Society is located just off the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus at 1500 R St. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  A legal battle has erupted over whether a felony theft charge against the former director of History Nebraska, Trevor Jones, should finally be dismissed.

The issue is whether the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office failed to promptly file an appeal over the dismissal of a theft by deception charge that had been filed against Jones.

Former History Nebraska Director Trevor Jones, at left, arrives at a court hearing with his then-lawyer, John Ball of Lincoln. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)

If the appeal was filed too late, the prosecution of Jones, who resigned the $164,800-a-year directors job in 2022, could be over before any arguments are heard by the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

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In January, Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong tossed out the felony charge Jones faced, ruling that prosecutors had failed to bring him to trial within the states speedy trial deadline.

On March 5, Nebraska Court of Appeals Judge Frankie Moore asked state lawyers to demonstrate whether they had properly complied with a statute that requires appeals be applied within 20 days of such a dismissal, and whether the fee to appeal had been paid.

The record now before us does not indicate that the State (Attorney Generals Office) has followed the requirements, the judge wrote.

In a March 12 response, the AGs office said the clerk of the Appeals Court had filed their appeal under the incorrect statute, and that prosecutors had complied with another statute that allows 30 days to appeal a final order by a district court judge.

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A notice of appeal was filed on Feb. 20 to the Jan. 21 dismissal of the charge, according to a brief listing Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Assistant Attorney General Erin Tangeman, and that the docket fee was intended to be paid via an AGs account kept by the court system.

Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers speaks about an 11-state effort to get the EPA to set a national rule on labeling farm chemicals. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)

That give and take was followed Monday by a request from Jones lawyers to sustain a summary dismissal of the charge against Jones because prosecutors had cited the wrong state statute and had failed to properly file their appeal.

The Appeals Court had not issued a ruling on the purported errors as of Wednesday afternoon.

Jones, now 52, was a controversial figure during the six years he headed the Nebraska State Historical Society. He changed the agencys name to History Nebraska during his tenure and won praise for seeking to modernize and digitize the agencys collections.

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But he earned scorn from some employees  and high turnover  for a heavy-handed management system he imposed requiring workers to, for instance, frequently document how many files they had scanned.

He resigned shortly before a critical state audit was released in 2022. The audit raised concerns about his handling of $270,000 in donations from the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation to cover the agencys financial losses expected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead of depositing the donations with the State Treasurer, as legally required, Jones funneled the money into a new private foundation he had set up to replace the State Historical Society Foundation. He had quarreled with its leaders. The money was never used to cover COVID losses.

Ultimately, the Attorney Generals office filed the felony charge against Jones, which carried a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years.

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Jones had pleaded not guilty and maintained that he could manage the donations how he saw fit.

Prosecutors have maintained that the speed trial clock had been halted for a time due to a change in Jones legal defense team and that he should still stand trial for the theft offense.

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Legendary Spice is expanding its presence around the Twin Cities.

The Sichuan restaurant, which currently has one location in Eden Prairie and two in Minneapolis, will add three new hubs and a new concept to its roster, it announced in a social media post celebrating its eighth anniversary.

The restaurant says it plans to open in Rosedale Center's Potluck food hall, Woodbury, and Coon Rapids. All three will be a combination restaurant between Legendary Spice and Boba X. However, it hasn't shared details on when those locations will begin serving dumplings and scallion pancakes to diners.

Legendary SpiceLegendary Spice/Facebook

The Woodbury location will be situated at Tamarack Village, and the Coon Rapids outpost will be in the Riverdale Village, per a report from the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. The report also notes that the Woodbury and Rosedale Center locations are expected to open in April

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Representatives for Legendary Spice did not respond to a request for comment.

The burgeoning Twin Cities chain will also open a Boba X Ramen in Dinkytown, a complement to the Legendary Spice location at 2501 University Ave. SE, just down the street from the heart of Dinkytown. In addition to its three Legendary Spice locations, the company currently operates a Boba X in the Mall of America.

Related: Buttered Tin signs deal to sell its frozen cinnamon rolls at Whole Foods
(Photo: Getty Images)

State lawmakers are considering a measure that would increase the penalties for willful and malicious abuse and neglect of dogs, cats, and other domestic animals.

The bill, Rebas Law, is named for the bulldog who died of heat stroke days after she was found in a sealed tote behind a Las Vegas business last summer.

Assembly Bill 381 aims to increase penalties for willful and malicious acts that result in the death of an animal from the current potential one to four year sentence to mandatory imprisonment for one to 10 years, and a possible maximum fine of $10,000.

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This bill obviously cannot bring her (Reba) back or change the circumstances of what happened to this sweet, innocent animal and many others that unfortunately suffer as she did, but it can protect other animals throughout the state in the future, the measures sponsor, Assemblymember Melissa Hardy, testified Wednesday during a hearing of the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Hardy said she decided to sponsor Rebas Law shortly after learning of the dogs death.

By supporting AB 381 we must make sure heinous and willful acts of abuse, neglect and harm carry stiff penalties and consequences, she testified.

Following the arrest of two suspects in Rebas death last year, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson told reporters hed received hundreds of emails from Nevadans, actually from people all over the world urging justice on behalf of Reba. Wolfson complained that under current law, prosecutors can only seek to imprison offenders for up to four years. As prosecutors, we can only file charges that our lawmakers provide for us.

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The Currents review of data provided by the DAs office indicated that despite Wolfsons plea for stricter penalties, the DAs office rarely sought prison time for defendants in animal abuse and neglect cases.

Wolfson declined to comment.

Assemblymember Joe Dalia asked Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney Agnes Botelho, who handles animal abuse cases, how often she is pursuing the current maximum penalty of one to four years in prison.

Its not very often, Botelho responded.

The bill also seeks to charge individuals with committing an act of torture or cruelty if they allow the torture or cruelty to occur and do nothing to stop it.

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The provision drew criticism from victims of domestic abuse and their advocates who testified that perpetrators of domestic abuse are known to commit violence upon a victims pets as a means of control and retaliation.

The measure removes the option for a court to order that an abused or tortured animal, once seized, may be sold at auction. It also allows authorities to seize an abused or tortured animal discovered on land used for agricultural purposes, which is currently not permitted.

Robin Pulido, a teacher, testified she has had a lot of students for whom the tales they told about things happening to their animals gave you the clue that it was happening to them, too. And I just think that an animal has less of a voice than a child, and if children arent heard, animals are not heard.
Adhering to court dress codes erects "barriers to accessing justice, and undermines the principle that the court should be open to all, regardless of social status," said Democratic Assemblymember Jovan Jackson. (Legislative screengrab)

Angela Knott, a public defender with Washoe County, recalled a recent story of trying to connect a client who was experiencing homelessness and struggling with mental health issues to court-mandated treatment.

Seeking to follow the courts instruction, the man made a 2-mile trek from the homeless shelter he was staying at, to his treatment facility, and then finally to court for an appearance.

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This was not easy to do because these places are not next to each other, Knott told state lawmakers on Wednesday. He showed up. He did his drug testing and he was clear.

All the progress was jeopardized when a judge declined to hear his case because the man showed up for court wearing a T-shirt, shorts and bad shoes, she said.

The judge turned him away and told him he would not be sentenced right there until he changed his clothes, Knott said. He walked 2 miles back to the shelter and 2 miles back (to court) and made it within 15 minutes before the judge hit his gavel  What he had to go through just to get to that point and to be turned away for what he was wearing should never happen again.

Assembly Bill 320, which was heard Wednesday in the Assembly Judiciary Committee, prevents a court from turning away defendants from hearings solely because they arent wearing professional attire. The bill defines professional attire to mean clothing such as suits, slacks, long pants, dress shirts, long-sleeved shirts, suit jackets, blazers, ties, dresses, dress shoes and closed-toe shoes.

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While noting some judges have been lenient, the bills sponsor, Democratic Assemblymember Javon Jackson, said there are courtrooms that have been more strict and deny people a court hearing.

These dress codes impact individuals from low-income backgrounds who may lack the resources to afford formal attire, Jackson said. This creates barriers to accessing justice and undermines the principle that the court should be open to all, regardless of social status.

AB 320 isnt designed to enable people to protest or wear crazy things in court but instead intended to help people who truly dont have the means to have the right attire to court, Jackson said.

Local jurisdictions in the last year have ramped up homeless criminalization and passed ordinances throughout the state that punish unhoused people for activities such as sleeping and camping.

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Nick Shepack, the Nevada state director of the Fines and Fees Justice Center, said as a result more people who are experiencing homelessness will move through the criminal legal system.

As cities and counties increase laws that criminalize homelessness, we cannot expect that every individual will have access to the type of professional attire that we generally expect in court, Shepack said.

The Nevada Judges for Limited Jurisdictions opposed AB 320. Keith Lee, a lobbyist for the group, said the bill violates the separation of powers clause by legislating how the judicial branch conducts business.

Republican Assemblymember Toby Yurek also questioned if the legislation might be overstepping our bounds in this legislative branch by directing a court to and infringing on their ability to manage their own affairs

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Karly OKrent, legal counsel for the committee, said there are already provisions in state law that do require the court to take various actions at certain times, and so its not unprecedented to have language like the language thats been included in this bill.

AB 320 also empowers the Division of Parole and Probation within the Department of Public Safety to establish a pilot program to develop employment opportunities and provide employment readiness training for those seeking parolees or released on probation.

Shepack said nonprofit providers offer people on parole access to training and employment, but this bill would enable the department to create one without relying on those independent agencies.

The bill originally also sought changes to the bail process. Worried of potential controversy, Jackson removed the language to focus on the attire provisions.

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Its not just unhoused individuals who could benefit from preventing courts from turning away people just because of what they wore.

Members of the Fines and Fees Justice Center conducted court watching in recent years and noticed other individuals being denied hearings because of their attire.

These individuals, many of whom had taken time off work, relied on public transportation and made significant sacrifices and efforts to be there during the peak heat of the summer, were denied access solely based on their shoes and the length of their pants, he said.

Republican Assemblymember Alexis Hansen asked about outreach programs that provide clothing to people who lack proper courtroom attire as potential fix to the problem.

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Maybe some courts work with the community resources to be able to provide some clothing for individuals, she said.

Even if these individuals are aware of these donations and community groups that provide clothing there are a lot of boundaries just to get to these resources, Jackson said.

The committee took no action on the bill.
Mar. 19The Odessa Raise Your Hand Texas Advocacy Core Team is hosting an event from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 20 in person and 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. virtually March 21 on legislative impacts on public schools.

It's titled "Community Gathering: Legislative Impacts on Our Public Schools." This event is open to any interested West Texas district staff, parents and community members.

To accommodate busy schedules, they will have an in-person event and a virtual meeting.

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The goal is to help people gain a better understanding of how current, discussions and impending decisions from Austin directly impact the schools.

To register for the virtual event, visit bit.ly/ryhtmarch25virtual so they can send the link to join.
Bella Davis

New Mexico In Depth

Native American students right to wear tribal regalia at school ceremonies could soon be enshrined in state law. The House unanimously passed Senate Bill 163 on Wednesday, sending it to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for her signature.

Students who are enrolled in or eligible for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe would be allowed to wear their tribes traditional clothing and objects of religious or cultural significance, including jewelry, beading and feathers, to important school events, like graduation, without interference from officials.

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The bill would go into effect immediately so that students graduating this spring are protected.

Last year, Farmington High School staff members were recorded confiscating an Indigenous students beaded graduation cap that had an eagle plume attached, which staff later cut. The video gained national attention and widespread condemnation from tribal and state leaders.

Lawmakers this year have heard from other young Native people who had similar experiences at their schools.

My great grandmother was only able to attend up to the sixth grade, and so when I graduated high school, I shared that accomplishment with her, Alysia Coriz (Santo Domingo Pueblo), a lobbyist for the nonprofit NM Native Vote, told the House Education Committee last month. However, due to restrictions from my high school, I was unable to wear my tribal regalia.

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Coriz said she and other students shes talked with were told their regalia was distracting and doesnt conform. But our identity is our strength, our culture is our strength, Coriz told the committee.

New Mexico will join over a dozen other states in protecting Native American students right to wear regalia, assuming Lujan Grisham signs the bill. The Indian Affairs and Public Education departments, which fall under her authority, developed it, according to a spokesperson.

This story was originally published by New Mexico In Depth.
The Capitol in Salt Lake City is pictured at dusk on the last night of the legislative session, Friday, March 7, 2025. (Photo by Alex Goodlett for Utah News Dispatch)

After its funding request was snubbed by the Legislature this year, the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition will try to fundraise nearly $400,000 so police departments around the state can continue to administer a critical health care service for victims of domestic violence.

Funds were already running thin for the program, which allows police departments to contract with forensic nurses and experts, who then administer strangulation exams for victims of intimate partner violence  advocates say the funding allocated last year is already mostly used up.

Domestic violence resources

Help for people in abusive relationships is available in Utah:

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Now, if the nonprofit Domestic Violence Coalition cant secure the funding, police departments around the state wont have enough money to routinely carry out exams that experts say are critical to identifying and prosecuting the most serious cases of intimate partner violence.

Although its estimated to cost about $400,000 each year, the coalition originally asked for $260,000 in annual funding, planning to fundraise for the remaining $140,000. Now, the coalition will have to shoulder the entire cost.

It was a relatively small ask, considering the states roughly $30 billion budget, which included $40 million in ongoing funds for the Utah Fits All Scholarship voucher program, $20 million in one-time funding for the states first-time home buyer program, and dozens of other programs and allocations that dwarf what the Domestic Violence Coalition was asking for.

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Its a drop in the bucket, in terms of the amount of funding that was allocated this year at the legislative session, said Max Pierce, community health specialist for the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. But what that drop in the bucket is going towards is this critically important service.

Victims of intimate partner violence that have been strangled are often at a higher risk of homicide, according to several studies. A 2009 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that non-fatal strangulation was present in 43% of intimate partner homicides, and 45% of attempted intimate partner homicides. Another study showed that being strangled by an intimate partner heightened the chances of homicide by 600%.

But advocates say law enforcement isnt always best equipped to handle these cases, sometimes lacking the resources or funding to conduct a comprehensive strangulation exam. Instead, for the last several years, departments in Utah have contracted with specialized forensic experts who conduct a strangulation exam, while also providing health care to the victim.

The forensic nurses can provide a more comforting, trauma-informed environment for the victim, while looking out for signs of stroke or other complications that come from oxygen loss, said Pierce. Plus, they can act as expert witnesses during a trial, or assist in the prosecution by giving an added layer of credibility to the victims testimony.

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The Legislature allocated $200,000 for the program in 2022, following up with another $200,000 in 2024  that was supposed to carry the program through this year, but Pierce said its likely the funds will dry up before the end of March.

Since 2023, funding for the program has resulted in nearly 280 exams. And lawmakers say the state has seen three times the number of perpetrators charged and four times as many successful prosecutions since funding the program.

But now, the coalition will have to solicit donations and grants from different sources, while hoping other state agencies will come to its aid. During funding shortages, Pierce said the coalition has to essentially give each department or agency a budget for how much they can be reimbursed for the exams.

Were chasing down funding, either through private entities and organizations, or through other state agencies, in order to fund something that is essentially covering the charge for law enforcement, said Pierce. It is a really unfortunate and terrible situation were in now, where I cant say that well be able to cover every single exam.

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If funding runs out, the cost will then fall to each law enforcement agency, whose budgets are already tight, Pierce said. Already, departments around the state tell the coalition that they only conduct the exams in the most serious cases over funding concerns.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes)  With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Leroy Wiggins, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and businessman who departed this life peacefully on Sunday, March 16, 2025, in Camden, Alabama.

He was born April 24, 1936.

Find obituaries from your high school

Leroy was a cherished member of several communities, including Youngstown, and had a steadfast presence in the lives of those who knew him.

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Leroy was the former owner and operator of Jacobs Tire Shop on Youngstowns east side. His easygoing nature and generous spirit were a blessing to those he served. While it was a tire repair shop and opportunity to purchase tires, it was also a gathering place where folks could relax and appreciate the moments of comraderie.

Leroys silent philanthropy in the community blessed numerous nonprofit and faith-based organizations. He also provided free services to single mothers and college students, citing that they should use that money towards their other immediate priorities.

On one occasion, he repaired the rubber lined swimming pool belonging to a young family that was slashed by their envious neighbors on a Sunday morning. He only would accept a glass of lemonade as payment, restoring the joy of the once disappointed children.

An unsung hero in the community, he often mentored and encouraged youth and young adults. He had a Wall of Fame within his shop plastered with good news and articles of accomplishments of individuals such as Rev. Lewis Macklin, David Hight and former Mayor Jay Williams. He was proud of the successes and vision of ambitious African American youth.

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Leroy retired and relocated to Camden, Alabama, yet his love for the Youngstown community never faded. He found serenity in chatting it up with others and casting a rod to fish.

Leroy lived by and embraced the words of Etienne de Grellet I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.

Leroy is survived by and will always be loved and remembered by his daughter, Vanessa Wiggins; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all committed to keeping his legacy vibrant.

As Leroy crossed the celestial sands into eternity, he becomes reunited among the ancestors, which includes his parents; wife, Anna Marie Harris-Wiggins; children, JoAnn Wiggins, Leroy Wiggins, Jr., Ella Jean Wiggins and Billie Wiggins and grandson, Johnathan C. Wiggins.

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As we reflect on his life, we remember Leroy not only for his accomplishments and steadfast work ethic but also for his compassion, kindness, and loyalty to those he loved. His legacy will live on in the hearts of family and friends who were fortunate enough to know him.

There will be a public viewing on Friday, March 21, 2025, from 1:00  5:00 p.m. at Christian Memorial  Camden Campus, 515 Camden Bypass, Camden, AL 36726. You may contact them to forward floral tributes or other expressions at the office (334)682-9842 or fax (334)682-4755.

The Celebration of Life Services for Mr. Leroy Wiggins will be held at Holy Cross Lutheran Church Camden on Saturday, March 22, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. After the committal ceremony, he will be laid to rest in the St. Wisdom Cemetery.

At this time of intimate need and personal loss, the family of Leroy Wiggins elected to entrust the Ministry of Comfort & Care, along with Transitional After-Care Arrangements locally to the J. E. Washington Funeral Services, 2234 Glenwood Avenue, Youngstown, Ohio, 330.782.8500.

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Send flowers to the service of Leroy Wiggins.

A television tribute will air Friday, March 21 at the following approximate times: 6:47 a.m. on WYTV, 9:43 a.m. on WKBN, 10:58 a.m. on FOX and 8:12 p.m. on MyYTV. Video will be posted here the day of airing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
The Schuylkill Haven School Districts proposed social media policy is deeply flawed. (Board reviewing new social media rules, Reading Eagle, March 18) By establishing official school accounts, deemed public forums by federal courts, it plans to delete comments it considers as profane, false or containing personal attacks. This directly contradicts the First Amendment and binding precedents from the Third Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court.

In Lindke v. Freed (2024), the Supreme Court ruled that public officials, including elected ones, engage in state action when using personal social media for official business. Deleting comments or banning users risks civil rights lawsuits, as such actions infringe on free speech when tied to governmental authority.

This isnt hypothetical. Schools nationwide, including in the Third Circuits Marshall v. Amuso (2021), have lost similar battles. There, the Pennsbury School Boards censorship of critical public comments drew a federal injunction for viewpoint discrimination. Taxpayers bore the legal costs. Likewise, OConnor-Ratcliff v. Garnier (2024) confirmed school officials social media cant silence dissent when used officially. Schuylkill Havens policy mirrors these failures, inviting litigation the district can ill afford.

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Courts consistently protect public forums, online or at meetings, against content-based censorship. Yet, the school board seems poised to repeat others mistakes. Before voting, they should revisit a 10th-grade civics lesson on constitutional rights.

This policy doesnt just threaten free expression; it burdens taxpayers with predictable, preventable defeats. The board must reconsider or face the consequences.

Andrew Price

Lower Heidelberg Township
Australian government workers are using messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal despite some agencies not having policies to support obligations to privacy, archiving, and freedom of information (FOI) laws, a report by the information regulator has found.

The review by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC), released on Wednesday, found while some government agencies permitted the use of messaging apps for workers, only half of those agencies had policies or procedures to guide their use.

The findings have highlighted challenges for accountability and transparency in government, where  much like in the private sector  encrypted messaging apps which can allow for disappearing messages have become increasingly commonplace.

The OAIC said its review of 22 government agencies included the likes of the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Taxation Office, the Digital Transformation Agency, Services Australia, and some government departments.

While only half of the 16 agencies which permitted messages apps had policies for their use, they generally did not address key legal obligations according to Australian Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd.

Of the 19 agencies which either permitted the use of messaging apps or did not have a position on them, six were unsure whether staff were using them to share personal information about members of the public, Tydd said.

Government agencies needed to better equip their staff to uphold those legislative requirements by establishing policies or reviewing existing ones, she argued.

Messaging apps raise novel considerations for key pillars of our democratic system of government, including transparency and accountability, Tydd said.

 Improving information governance will secure government information as a national resource and a source of truth and accountability for the Australian community.

Image: 'Messaging apps: a report on Australian Government agency practices and policies' / OAIC



Disappearing messages no good for our democracy

Government agencies should also conduct their own due diligence checks on messaging apps they allow their workers to use, including on how the app collects and handles personal information, Tydd recommended in her report.

A common function of these apps is the ability to send messages that disappear, she said.

How are agencies preserving those records and ensuring they can be searched and retrieved in response to an FOI request?

Only two of the seven agencies with existing policies prohibited the use of disappearing messages, which the OAIC said could mean some agencies were failing to comply with Australias Archives Act and FOI Act.

None of those seven agencies required staff to create official accounts using their work phone numbers on messaging apps, which meant some were potentially using personal accounts for government business.

Independent senator David Pocock raised concerns over the report, writing on social media, "People want more integrity in politics. That means more accountability and transparency in how decisions get made.

Hiding behind disappearing message to dodge legitimate freedom of information requests is no good for our democracy.

The OAIC has handed its report to the Attorney-General, and said it would revisit the topic again in two years time to understand how the use of messaging apps for government business has evolved.

The Attorney-General's Department told Information Age it welcomed the report and would carefully consider its recommendations.

While all Commonwealth agencies already have obligations under Australian archival law, privacy law, and freedom of information law, the report provides an opportunity to consider the recommendations and ensure policies are up to date, a spokesperson said.

Concern over reported use of Chinas WeChat

The release of the OAICs review into messaging apps comes after 7 News reported senior Australian government officials based in China were using Chinese app WeChat for both work and personal messages, including with their families.

The report raised concerns over the Chinese governments access to WeChat data, given the app is owned by Chinese firm Tencent and subject to Chinas National Security Law.

Greens senator David Shoebridge, the partys spokesperson for home affairs, reportedly told 7 News, There isnt a back door for the Chinese government on WeChat; theres a fully engineered front door that gives it guaranteed access to everything shared on it.

The federal government has previously banned Chinese AI platform DeepSeek and Chinese social media app TikTok from government devices over national security concerns.
On March 15 people were out protesting the Trump administrations unlawful actions to fire civil service workers and cut programs authorized by law. For two hours a fair number of folks walked Penn Avenue in West Reading chanting and carrying signs.

A major target of the protest was Elon Musk. He is firing people and slashing programs as if he had won the 2024 election, though he did buy it with $288 million donated to the campaigns of Donald Trump and other Republicans.

Services to veterans are being cut; veterans suicide hot line workers were laid off. So much for Thank you for your service. Do those who say that mean it? It seems the Trump administration doesnt.

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Veterans and federal workers are the first to feel it. Medicaid recipients are next. People dont realize 62% of nursing home residents pay for care with Medicaid.

Musk and Trump claim there are billions in waste, fraud and abuse but dont mention tax writeoffs for the oil and gas industry. During the Iraq and Afghanistan wars between $31 billion and $60 billion of Pentagon money was lost to fraud and waste.

Our government is in place to serve all citizens, not just billionaires. As more and more citizens realize the harm and injustice being done, more Saturday protests will happen in Berks County and across the country. Watch for the signs, listen to the chants.

Thomas Gery

Lower Alsace Township
LEWISBURG  Two Lewisburg Area High School seniors made it their mission to encourage younger girls to participate in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities.

Eighteen-year-old Lewisburg residents Mariah Drexler and Alanna Jacob co-founded Girls Need Space. The monthly program aims to allow girls in the Valley to feel welcome in the STEM community. They have hosted stargazing and moon observation nights, taught about women in the male-dominated sciences and, most recently, held a workshop to build model rockets.

Its important to find that space when youre younger and knowing there are friendly mentors who will guide you along the way, Drexler said. You dont have to feel youre inadequate at a younger age or you cant do something just because youre younger. We can meet them where they have to be met. I really want this to be a mentoring space for those younger girls to feel comfortable to learn about STEM as they make their way through the school district.

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Jacob said she is inspired by the next generation.

If a 7-year-old can use a telescope or build a model rocket, what else can they do in the future? Jacob said. It makes it so fun and rewarding.

Drexler and Jacob said they noticed how male-dominated the STEM fields are and wanted to encourage female students to embrace STEM education.

Everyone talks about women in STEM, and theres a lack and a void there for girls to feel that safe space, Drexler said. Growing up, I found an interest in astronomy at a really young age. I came from a place of privilege where my parents were able to let me go to NASA Space Camp. I know those opportunities arent always there for other girls who live in our rural area. I have this passion and the ability to bring it to younger girls.

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The Women Tech Network reported that women make up less than a third of the worlds workforce in technology-related fields.

The gender gap in STEM fields is particularly concerning when it comes to specific academic disciplines, Women Tech Network reported. Women account for approximately 21.3 percent of those who earned a bachelors degree in computer and information sciences, 22 percent in engineering and engineering technology, 35 percent with an economics background, and 39 percent in physical sciences, respectively.

U.S. Census data demonstrates that female workers have made enormous strides in the STEM workforce, growing from an 8 percent minority in 1970 to 28 percent of all STEM employees by 2019, according to Women Tech Network.

Despite the progress made in 2023, there is still a considerable gender gap in the GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft) workforce with women making up between 29 percent and 45 percent. On average only 31 percent of the GAFAM employees are female, Women Tech Network reported.

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Launching rockets

During a session on Feb. 22 at the high school, Drexler and Jacob talked about Katherine Johnson, an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first U.S. crewed spaceflights, including Alan Shepards May 1961 mission Freedom 7. In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.

For two hours, Drexler and Jacob assisted six girls with constructing model rockets and then launching them. They put together the models and learned about the mechanics of what makes the rockets launch before taking their finished products outside to the field to blast off.

Each girl had a chance to count down and press the button to release their rocket into the air.

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Lily Peterson, 10, of Lewisburg, came with her mother Ronni Peterson to build the rockets. Lily said she loves outer space and has been working on robotics in school.

We went outside and looked at different stars through a telescope, Lily said. It was really fun. We learned about different comets and different scientists.

Ronni Peterson said Drexler and Jacobs leadership is inspiring.

Seeing the high school girls run it has been nice, Peterson said. I feel like its really empowering for the younger girls to see older girls passionate about science and engineering. Its been a really great experience.

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Exceeded expectations

Advisor Dillon Durinick, a physics, meteorology and astronomy teacher at Lewisburg Area High School, said he started working with Drexler and Jacob when they took astronomy in their sophomore year. They worked to seek funding from the Green Dragon Foundation and then reconstruct a telescope so it could be used again in class. They then approached Durnick and former high school Principal Paula Reber about the Girls Need Space idea.

Theyre amazing, Durnick said. I knew from having them in class they are two exceptional students. As we worked on this more and more, they exceeded expectations. Im really proud of them for putting this together. Im really proud of them to not be afraid to do it and put themselves out there.

Next projects

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Girls Need Space meets monthly. Their next workshop is for working on building the new telescope they purchased with a $6,600 grant from the Green Dragon Foundation.

We are super excited to have a new telescope which will hopefully last the school a long time as well as some binoculars, Drexler said. The grant also paid for the model rockets we built. Hopefully, our next event will be operating the telescope and we are also looking forward to showing a movie called Picture a Scientist, which talks about gender inequalities in STEM.

Any female-identifying students in grades four through eight from any district are invited, Drexler said.

The plan is for the program to continue through several juniors when Drexler and Jacob graduate in the spring.

Jacob plans to study environmental science, physics or biology at Tufts University in Massachusetts. Drexler plans to study physics and computer science at Duke University in North Carolina.
LGBTQ rights advocates from across Florida walked the streets of Tallahassee and met at the steps of the Historic Capitol Thursday to protest legislation that would further roll back their rights.

Wearing blue shirts that said "Let Us Live," protesters chanted, "This is what democracy looks like," in fierce wind and rain.

"We need to start running for office," said Jules Rayne, a community organizer for Equality Florida and Manatee County resident. "We need to be everywhere, in every school district, in every county commissioner's seat, in every mayor's office."

A couple hundred people gathered in to participate in the Let Us Live March and rally in Tallahassee, Florida on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The activists were protesting legislation that would further roll back their rights in Florida.

After years of the Florida Legislature passing bills that target the LGBTQ community, the Republican-led branch of government still isn't letting up. There are multiple bills attempting to further prohibit state funding for diversity, equity and inclusion in K-12 schools, state agencies and higher education.

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Hundreds of Floridians marched from Cascades Park to the Capitol Thursday morning for the "Let Us Live March" to protest these bills and hold a rally on the front Capitol steps with trans leaders, who said they weren't letting up, either.

LGBTQ advocates highlighted a small win that happened earlier this week, when two anti-DEI bills, "Gender Identity Employment Practices" (SB 440) and "Prohibited Preferences in Government Contracting" (SB 1694) were postponed in their committee on Tuesday.

SB 440, sponsored by Sen. Stan McClain, R-Ocala, and called the "Freedom of Conscience in the Workplace Act," would prohibit employers from being required to use certain pronouns or requiring them to use a pronoun that does not correspond to the employees or contractors sex. Critics are calling it the "Don't Say Gay or Trans at Work" bill.

And SB 1694, sponsored by Sen. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, would prohibit an awarding body from giving preference to a vendor on the basis of race or ethnicity.

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More than 1,000 members of the public signed up to comment during the Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, which Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, R-Orlando, said attributed to the bills getting delayed. Smith said it's evidence that "people power works."

A couple hundred people gathered in to participate in the Let Us Live March and rally in Tallahassee, Florida on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The activists were protesting legislation that would further roll back their rights in Florida.

"All of this other stuff related to DEI is not solving any problems. It's not improving anyone's life, and it's just honestly needlessly dividing us," he said.

There are still other anti-DEI bills making their way through committees, however, including one that some say would push the controversy over book bans into overdrive and another that would potentially halt funds for efforts like domestic abuse shelters for women.

"Prohibitions and Limitations on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Requirements for Medical Institutions of Higher Education" (SB 1710) was passed through the same committee that temporarily postponed SB 440 and SB 1674. That measure, sponsored by Sen. Nick DiCeglie, R-St. Petersburg, prohibits state agencies from expending certain funds for a DEI office or officer.

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Another measure by McClain, the same sponsor as the "Don't Say Gay or Trans at Work" bill, would define the term "harmful to minors," and further limit classroom materials. "Material that is Harmful to Minors," (SB 1692), says: "The school board may not consider potential literary, artistic, political, or scientific value as a basis for retaining the material." That bill passed through a Senate Criminal Justice Committee and is headed to the Committee on Education K-12.

A couple hundred people gathered in to participate in the Let Us Live March and rally in Tallahassee, Florida on Thursday, March 20, 2025. The activists were protesting legislation that would further roll back their rights in Florida.

If passed, work "by Shakespeare or other very well-known authors would be on the chopping block in our public schools, which brings us in the in the wrong direction all over again," Smith said.

And most worrisome for Rayne, the Manatee County community organizer, is "Official Actions of Local Governments" (SB 420), which would prohibit counties and municipalities from funding, promoting or taking official action as it relates to DEI.

It would prohibit local governments from promoting or providing differential or preferential treatment or special benefits to a person or group based on that persons or groups race, color, sex, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.

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Critics of the bill included some Republicans, who said the bill needed more work, especially with the word "differential" versus "preferential."

"If we provide differential treatment to a person based on sex, that could create a problem with a program that was intended for abused women, which nobody would want to get rid of," said Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. "We really need to hone in on where you're trying to go."

The bill still passed along party lines, with all Republicans voting yes.

Rayne said she believes this bill, along with many of the other anti-DEI measures, are broadly written, poorly defined and don't serve the diverse, unique population of Florida.

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"It's going to put Floridians' lives at risk and further erase our culture," she said. "These bills are not what people are talking about at their kitchen table.

"Culture wars are not what Floridians care about."

Ana Goni-Lessan, state watchdog reporter for the USA TODAY Network  Florida, can be reached at agonilessan@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: LGBTQ advocates march to Florida Capitol to protest anti-DEI bills
A queer Venezuelan seeking asylum in the U.S. was deported and disappeared after immigration officials reportedly misinterpreted his tattoos as symbols for the violent Tren de Aragua gang, a person from the man's legal team posted to X.

Our client worked in the arts in Venezuela. He is LGBTQ. His tattoos are benign, Lindsay Toczylowski, the president, CEO, and co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, posted to X on Friday. But ICE submitted photos of his tattoos as evidence he is Tren de Aragua. His attorney planned to present evidence he is not. But never got the chance because our client has been disappeared.

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The lawyer used the term "disappeared," which is synonymous with what the United Nations calls 'enforced disappearance.' The body defines that as "the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support or acquiescence of the State, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person, which place such a person outside the protection of the law."

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The unnamed Venezuelan asylum-seeker arrived in the country last year,but was reportedly detained upon entry by immigration officials who saw the mans tattoos as signifying his affiliation with the Venezuelan crime group.

Toczylowski said their client was due for a court appearance on Thursday. Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) did not bring the asylum-seeker to the hearing, however, and provided no details about why their client was not made available. The judge rescheduled the hearing for Monday while attorneys attempted to locate the missing man.

By Monday, the man was again not made available for his court appearance, and his name no longer appeared in the online system for locating detainees. Toczylowski posted she fears the worst for the man.

Our client came to the US 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, Toczylowski reported. We are horrified tonight thinking what might happen to him now.

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The Alien Enemies Act of 1798, part of the broader Alien and Sedition Acts, gives the president broad powers to deport non-citizens in the country under certain conditions.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever there shall be a declared war between the United States and any foreign nation or government, or any invasion or predatory incursion shall be perpetrated, attempted, or threatened against the territory of the United States, by any foreign nation or government, and the President of the United States shall make public proclamation of the event, all natives, citizens, denizens, or subjects of the hostile nation or government, being males of the age of fourteen years and upwards, who shall be within the United States, and not actually naturalized, shall be liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured and removed, as alien enemies, the text of the act reads.

In his executive order announcing the use of the Alien Enemies Act, Trump declared that the criteria existed for him to act. The act has been used only three previous times in U.S. history: during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. More than 30,000 people were interned in camps during World War II because of the act.

I find and declare that TdA is perpetrating, attempting, and threatening an invasion or predatory incursion against the territory of the United States, Trump declared in the executive order. TdA 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. I make these findings using the full extent of my authority to conduct the Nations foreign affairs under the Constitution.

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Trumps deportation orders hit a snag when U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg tried to halt the deportations and order planes already in flight to turn around. Since the planes were over international waters, however, Trump noted the judge no longer had jurisdiction, and the planes did not turn around. Additionally, Trump is disputing that the case is justiciable, claiming the president has plenary powers over national security, and the act gives the president broad authority in such matters. As a result, the administration has refused to provide additional information to the courts regarding the case and others, claiming the judge has stepped outside the powers granted to the courts under Article III of the U.S. Constitution.

Regardless of the outcome of the case, Toczylowski lamented the current situation for immigrants and asylum seekers.

What happened today is a dark moment in our history, Toczylowki wrote. One bright spot in this madness that I see are the many lawyers and advocates across the country who spent their Saturday fighting like hell to preserve justice in the face of horrific cruelty. And we will keep fighting.
UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Multiple counties in East Texas have been placed under a burn ban as the spread of wildfires increase.

East Texas officials warn of high fire risk

Burn bans prohibit outdoor burning in unincorporated areas. This includes fires contained in an enclosure. Not included are grills, barbeques or smokers which can be used if covered and fully attended.

Violations of the burn ban will result as a Class C misdemeanor and be punishable with a fine up to $500.

Counties or towns under a burn ban:

Anderson County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Bowie County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Cass County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

City of Overton: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Harrison County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Marion County

Morris County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Polk County: The burn ban will be in effect for 7 days.

Upshur County: The burn ban will be in effect for 10 days and will only affect the unincorporated areas of the county.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  One local university is partnering with NATO to offer public forums during the upcoming parliamentary assembly in May.

International delegates will arrive in Dayton from May 21 through May 26 as part of the NATO Parliamentary Assemblys spring session. Dayton was selected as this years location to commemorate the Dayton Peace Accords, which occurred 30 years ago.

Dayton is cleaning up downtown ahead of NATO assembly in May

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The University of Dayton will offer public forum sessions throughout the week to give the public a chance to discuss the NATO assembly, the impact of the Dayton Peace Accords and more.

Sessions will take place at the Roger Glass Center for the Arts from May 22 through May 25. With three sessions each day, the forums will tackle a variety of themes involving peace and security.

Rep. Mike Turner says high-level elected officials and security and policy experts are expected to participate in the sessions  something that will make this NATO Assembly unique.

DPD releases updated security zone for NATO summit

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I have not been to a NATO Parliamentary Assembly event that has been of this scale, largely because there hasnt been one that has been both a commemorative event and a meeting, said Rep. Turner. So were combining all of those, and I think its going to be very unique and special.

NATO Parliamentary Assembly Public Forum Program Lineup

During a press conference Thursday, officials shared the current lineup of sessions, entitled, The Dayton Dialogue: Conversations about Peace and Security in the Balkans. This list is subject to change.

Panels are scheduled for three times each day  10:30-11:45 a.m., 1:30-2:45 p.m. and 3:30-4:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 22  NATOs Role in the Transatlantic Relationship

Panel 1: Why NATO Matters to Everyday Americans

Panel 2: NATOs Transatlantic Economic Impact

Panel 3: Putting the Transatlantic Defense Industrial Base Back on Track

Friday, May 23  Dayton Accords 30 Years Later: A Historical Look Back

Panel 4: TBD

Panel 5: Journalists Stories: Telling the Truth During and After the Conflict

Panel 6: U.S. Global Strategy at a Historic Inflection Point

Saturday, May 24  Dayton Today for the Balkans Present & Future

Panel 7: Economic Recovery and Development: Post-Dayton Progress and Future Challenges

Panel 8: Next Steps for Dayton? Getting to Constitutional Reform in BiH

Panel 9: TBD

Sunday, May 25  Cultural and Societal Ties that Strengthen Relationships

Panel 10: NATO Spotlight on Veterans

Panel 11: The Role of Cultural Exchanges in Building Lasting Ties

Panel 12: TBD

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Stay with 2 NEWS for more coverage of the May 2025 NATO Assembly.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has said that by making unreasonable demands, Russia demonstrates its unwillingness to reach a truce with Ukraine.

Source: Nauseda upon the arrival at the EU summit in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda

Quote: "Russia is raising unreasonable demands for Ukraine, and this clearly shows that Russia is unwilling to complete the deal and to achieve actually this ceasefire."

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Details: Nauseda said that Ukraine is doing everything possible and is very open. He stated that Ukraine had no conditions for the ceasefire and was ready to support it immediately.

"But the deal depends on both sides. If one side is positive and the other is not ready, it will be complicated. But then, at least, the US administration will see who is the bad guy, who is making the deal impossible, and this is surely not Ukraine," the Lithuanian president said.

Background: President of the European Council Antonio Costa argues that a temporary halt in the war in Ukraine would just allow Russia to strengthen itself and launch another invasion, which would be a strategic mistake.

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President Trump signed an executive order Thursday that will begin the dismantling of the Education Department, kick-starting a campaign promise to shutter the federal agency.

The Trump administration has already begun to gut the department, offering buyouts and laying off thousands of federal workers. The president has slammed the agency, calling for its powers to be moved to the states in order to increase student achievement.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Thursday that the order will make the Education Department much smaller. She also said that oversight of student loans and Pell Grants will still be housed in the department.

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Any critical functions of the department  will remain, but again, were greatly reducing the scale and the size of this department, she added.

Education advocates and Democrats have condemned the move, and actually demolishing the agency would require an act of Congress. The president is expected to sign the order at 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, Trump and his allies have doubled down on calls to impeach federal judges they say are obstructing the implementation of his agenda.

Follow along below for the latest updates out of the Trump White House.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
U.S. House representatives from Texas are asking the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a detailed report on how it is handling the measles outbreak in Texas.

As of Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services has counted 286 cases of the highly contagious disease this year. Most of those cases, 279, are in West Texas, centered around Gaines County. Only one case has been in Travis County.

One child from Texas has died in the outbreak, and 36 people have been hospitalized. Only two of the people who have contracted the disease in West Texas have been vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. That vaccine is typically given at age 1 with a second dose between ages 4 and 6.

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U.S. Reps. Lloyd Doggett; D-Austin, Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, and Lizzie Fletcher, D-Houston, wrote to CDC acting Director Dr. Susan Monarez: "The current outbreak has primarily affected school-aged children, highlighting the urgent need to support the state of Texas efforts to contain its spread and prevent further loss of life. We are troubled that anti-vaccine misinformation, cuts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) workforce, and reductions of public health funding will threaten the countrys ability to respond to the current measles outbreak, and future public health threats."

They cite 750 people who have lost their jobs at the CDC because of federal firings under the Department of Government Efficiency. It also notes recent interviews with U.S. Health and Human Services Director Robert Kennedy Jr. in which he touted the use of Vitamin A to fight measles. Vitamin A should only be given to people who are deficient and can cause serious health problems if someone is given too much. It does not prevent measles but can help people who have symptoms in some cases, according to Dr. Ron Cook, a Texas Tech professor and primary care doctor in Lubbock.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett listens to Austin Mayor Kirk Watson speak about the importance of vaccination to protect against measles during a news conference last month. Doggett is asking the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how it is handling the measles outbreak in Texas.

The letter states: "As local pharmacies report shortages of MMR vaccine doses, the Administration has shipped doses of Vitamin A to Texas, endorsing its use in addition to cod liver oil to reduce the outbreak, neither of which are scientifically proven to reduce the spread of the disease."

Measles is highly contagious, infecting 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to a contagious person. The virus can live on surfaces for up to two hours.

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The letter also expresses concern about federal funding of the CDC, noting, "With more than 70 percent of the CDCs budget directly supporting state and local health efforts, including disease prevention efforts, any disruptions will have catastrophic consequences for outbreak response and prevention."

The lawmakers are asking Monarez to answer these questions, seeking a response by Tuesday:

What specific actions has the CDC taken in coordination with the Texas DSHS to mitigate the measles outbreak in Texas?

How have recent reductions in the number of CDC personnel impacted the agencys capacity to respond effectively to the ongoing disease outbreak?

Have DOGEs efforts, particularly the disruption of federal resources, interfered with funding to Texas state and local health departments in their fight against this outbreak?

How does the CDC plan to uphold its mission to remain science-based and data-driven, contrary to the dangerous and misleading comments made by Kennedy regarding measles and the safety of the MMR vaccine?

Has CDC leadership advocated against proposals to cut the agencys budget, and do you acknowledge that any reduction in funding would significantly weaken the nations public health infrastructure, particularly in responding to infectious disease outbreaks?

When can I get a measles vaccination?

The measles vaccine is known as the MMR vaccine: measles, mumps and rubella (the latter is also known as German measles). It is a live vaccine and should not be given to pregnant women or some people with autoimmune issues, including those who are undergoing treatment for cancer.

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Most children are vaccinated with the first dose when they turn 1. A second dose is given between ages 4 and 6. A second dose can be given as soon as 28 days after the first dose.

A first dose of the vaccine can start giving someone some protection within 72 hours and can be used to fight a measles exposure. A first dose provides about 93% protection after two weeks. After the second dose, a person has 97% protection.

For people who have been exposed, they can receive immunoglobulin within six days of an exposure to fight the virus.

How do I know if I have immunity?

People born before 1957 are presumed to have immunity because of the amount of measles that was present during that time. People born after that time need to make sure they have been vaccinated with two doses. If you were born between 1957 and 1968, you might not have immunity because the vaccine at the time didn't use a live virus.

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Vaccine protection does wane over time. You can get a blood test to check your immunity level to be sure. If you have been pregnant in the last 30 years, you have already had your titer check for rubella, which is in the MMR vaccine and would have been told if you did not have immunity.

How can I get vaccinated?

For vaccinations, contact your primary care provider or you can go through Austin Public Health. You can get vaccinated as an adult if you have not been vaccinated previously.

Austin Public Health offers vaccinations for free or at reduced rates for children and adults who do not have insurance, have Medicaid or are underinsured. The typical cost is $13 for children and $25 for adults. You can make an appointment at 512-972-5520 for the clinics at 405 W. Stassney Lane in South Austin or 7500 Blessing Avenue in Northeast Austin.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: US Rep. Lloyd Doggett asks CDC about Texas measles outbreak response
(Photo by Kieferpix/Getty Images)

Rep. Hillary Cassel on Thursday blasted a lobbyist for his testimony on a bill that would increase the potential for wrongful death lawsuits to be filed against Florida doctors and hospitals, accusing him of using scare tactics to try to sink the bill.

During public testimony on HB 6017 before the House Judiciary Committee, attorney Mark Berlick said allowing adult children of single parents to sue physicians and hospitals for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, would open the door to estranged children suing Floridas hospitals and physicians.

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Berlick, an attorney with the Bolin Law Group, said he represented the Florida Justice Reform Institute, which champions lawsuit limitations.

He testified that the bulk of people who would be filing medical malpractice lawsuits are going to be nonstate residents who are estranged from family members who live in Florida.

So, though youll end up with the individuals that will end up with a check being sent to them for an individual that never sets foot in the state of Florida, they wont receive any medical care here. They wont have any taxes paid here. Theyll just simply receive a settlement check from the death of their relatives, he said.

The comments didnt sit well with Cassel, a Republican who noted that the majority of the people in the committee hearing who testified on behalf of the bill were Florida residents.

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We as members expect that the people that come before us to provide information are going to do so truthfully and with facts, and for the gentleman from the Florida Justice Reform Institute to come before us and assert that the people that are going to benefit from this dont live in this state and must be estranged from their families, and were going to just be writing checks to estranged members, doesnt have an ounce of data to support that, Cassel said.

And that was nothing more than a scare tactic to this committee, and its an insult on our intelligence, and its an insult to the people who are here today, who are clearly not estranged from the loved ones that they have lost. And of the ones that have testified, all but two are Floridians. So, if youre going to come before this committee and make assertions about whats going to happen if we pass legislation, I expect you bring facts and data and not scare tactics and opinions.

Quid pro quo

The insurance industry, Florida hospitals associations, and organized medicine such as the Florida Medical and Florida Osteopathic associations, oppose the bill in its current form. But they are willing to support eliminating the ban if the Legislature agrees to limit damages for pain and suffering.

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Otherwise, increasing civil liability will further increase medical malpractice insurance rates and drive physicians away from practicing, the opponents say.

To date, neither the House nor Senate have included the industry-coveted caps in the bill. The Senate passed its version, SB 734, earlier this week.

Rudman returns

There are some individual physicians, though, who support the proposal, including former state Rep. Joel Rudman.

Rudman resigned from the House to launch an unsuccessful congressional bid but returned Thursday to testify in support of the bill.

A Navarre physician, Rudman said he came to Florida from Alabama during the 1990s and the high medical malpractice rates didnt drive him away. The premiums he pays today, he said, havent changed in a decade. And the costs of the insurance protection from lawsuits isnt among his top three overhead costs.

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Ive had a license since 1997, and Ive never been sued. Im very proud of that, Rudman said. Its not because of some bogus protections carve-out in the current statute. Its because Im damn good at my job. And this bill will not change that, either. The only doctors that want to see this statute remain in place are bad doctors and, unfortunately, we have a few of those in the state of Florida.

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Local agencies and community members rallied together in the wake of the fire warnings and a wildfire near Mockingbird Road last week.

Over the week, much of Oklahoma was under a fire warning with wildfires breaking out across the state, including in Chickasha and Grady County. On Friday, a wildfire broke out near Norge and Mockingbird Road. The fire was the result of high winds causing a transfer to arc and ignite the dry vegetation, according to Chickasha Emergency Management Director Edward Perez.

 It started at Highway 92 and Mockingbird (Road) and quickly moved to the northeast with the wind conditions that we were having, said Chickasha Fire Chief Tony Samaniego. Luckily we had a very fast response to it between Grady County Fire Department, Pioneer Fire Department and Chickasha Fire Department.

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Other fire departments who assisted include Bailey, Friend, Cox City, Ninnekah, Naples, Pocasset and Rush Springs, according to Perez. Grady County Sheriffs Office, Chickasha Police Department and Rush Springs EMS also assisted with evacuation orders, traffic and medical needs.

However, the fire departments were not the only agencies or individuals who responded quickly. Grady County Emergency Management activated around 8 a.m. Friday, about two hours before the Red Flag warning took effect to begin preparing for any emergency situation. Oklahoma Emergency Management Southwest Regional Coordinator Rachel Huey was also on-site to provide additional support.

Samaniego said the Chickasha Fire Department placed an extra emphasis on brush rigs and tankers that morning and made sure everything was in working order and ready to go. Throughout the day, the department assisted in downed power lines, small brush and grass fires and had several medical calls before the wildfire that afternoon.

According to Perez, the wildfire began at approximately 2:17 p.m. and a fire response was immediately mobilized. As the fire grew due to winds exceeding 60 miles per hour, The National Weather Service in Norman issued a fire warning at 4:16 p.m. and a voluntary evacuation order for the surrounding neighborhoods was issued about 15 minutes later.

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 You had neighbors knocking on doors, which was awesome, Perez said. You had neighbors helping other neighbors get their stuff in the car, get their children in the car, get their animals in the car. We really had little to no resistance from the neighbors. They were all just really willing to help and try to get people to (Bible Baptist Church.)

Perez commended Shae Mortimer, marking and civic engagement manager for the City of Chickasha, for getting the word out about the evacuation so quickly, especially considering she was not in Chickasha when the fire broke out.

 She literally stopped what she was doing and drove all the way back to Chickasha to help with everything, Perez said. She did a really good job. It was pretty amazing. She was doing it she pulled over to the side of the road, put the message out on the city page, pulled over again, put another message out on the city page saying that it was safe (to return home.)

Over 100 residents waited at Bible Baptist Church during the voluntary evacuation. While waiting, Perez said neighbors shared stories about their lives, homes and history of the city. Chicken Express also provided meals for the evacuees and the evacuation order was nearing dinner time.

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Around 5:15 p.m. the voluntary evacuation order was canceled and residents were able to return to their homes. The fire was contained in approximately 3 hours with no reports of injuries or structural damage.

 We were very fortunate, Samaniego said. The fire ran into a pond and that pond slowed it down. As the fire was trying to work its way around the pond, it offered us an opportunity to get it or catch up to the head of the fire and really stop the forward movement.

Perez said the cooperation between city and county agencies, along with support from local businesses and churches show the strength of our community bonds and commitment to keep the public and community safe.

This incident demonstrated that when our community unites, we can overcome even the most challenging emergencies, Perez said.

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On Monday, The Grady County Board of Commissioners issued a 14-day burn ban, with the option to extend if conditions do not improve.

 We just need to make sure that people are staying vigilant, staying situationally aware, Samaniego said. If we run into another situation where we have to do a voluntary or mandatory evacuation, people just need to pay attention, stay situationally aware and listen to instructions from police, fire, and the sheriffs office.
LISBON, Ohio (WKBN)  There is a new place in the Valley to tie the knot, and you might be surprised by the location.

The Lisbon Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that its Executive Director Judy Noel can now perform wedding services at the Chamber.

Noel is an ordained minister who has performed hundreds of weddings, some of them uniquely themed. She has officiated a surprise wedding, a Halloween wedding, and even a wedding for her own daughter.

Courtesy: Judy Noel

I used to have a small chapel here in Lisbon, and I was working in my little office, and my daughter and her boyfriend came across the street. She said, Mom, what are you doing? I said, This work, and she said, Well, can you do a wedding today? I said, Yeah, whos getting married? She said, I am, and that was the most shocking one Ive ever done. I married my daughter right there, Noel said.

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Noel said all of the proceeds from her officiant fees will go to the Lisbon Area Chamber of Commerce (LACC) Scholarship Fund which benefits students seeking post-secondary education. Noel is also an Ohio Certified Notary. She said that fees for notary work completed at the chamber office will also go to the scholarship fund.

There are two individual $500 scholarships. One of the scholarships will go toward a graduating Lisbon David Anderson High School senior, and the other scholarship will go to another graduating student in Columbiana County. The scholarships will go to students who are pursuing an education in business.

It means a lot for us to encourage them to further their education and bring back to the community. We want them to bring something back to the community, and what better way than to give to them than to pay it forward, Noel said.

Noel said couples can choose to exchange wedding vows in the Chamber office or at the gazebo next to the courthouse. Noel said that there is lots of space at the gazebo for family members and friends to watch the ceremony.

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Noel is proud to help couples in the community celebrate their special day. She tries to make each wedding unique to each couple.

They think they want something short and sweet, but their wedding is their wedding. Its a memory that they will harbor forever, so its important for me, Noel said.

Courtesy: Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel

Couples who are interested in using the chambers nuptial services are asked to call Noel at 330-424-1803. The Lisbon Chamber of Commerce office is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Courtesy: Judy Noel Previous weddings from Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel Courtesy: Judy Noel

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  El Pasoans Fighting Hunger (EPFH) Food Bank says federal funding continues to be unstable, impacting its partnership with local pantries.

On Monday, March 17, the food bank announced that it will adjust their food distribution operations to a four-day schedule which will be Tuesday through Friday. In addition, their partner pantry will no longer receive donations from the food bank.

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger to adjust operations amid unstable funding

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Reach and Relieve Outreach Center in East El Paso serves 75 to 100 families each month, they also have their mobile food pantry that allows them to help in other areas across the city.

They said right now, they are looking to reassess what they are going to do moving forward.

Its definitely been a blow because like I said, weve been reliant. Weve been partnering with them (EPFH) for 13 years and getting food from them for a long time. And without it, its just a lot of uncertainty. Like, were not even sure if we can continue the next month or the month after that, Josh Sattelmeier, from Reach and Relieve said.

Bethel F.O.R.C.E Church in the Northeast has had their food pantry in the area for over 20 years, serving about 60 families monthly. The pantry also relies on EPFH for help.

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By El Paso Fighting Hunger having to cut back and cut us off, its going to be a tremendous impact on what we do. So, I know that without them, were going to have to try to find a way to come up with more funds, because theres no way that we can carry on, you know, to this capacity, Jessie Bruce with Bethel F.O.R.C.E Church said.

Both of these food pantries also rely on food donations from the community.

To donate to Reach and Relive Outreach visit https://www.reachandrelieve.com/page/.

To help Bethel F.O.R.C.E Church, visit https://www.bethelforce.com/contact

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Surveillance video captured a burglary inside the Keystone Shooting Center in Marshall Township early Monday morning. The general manager said three individuals broke in by using a hammer to smash the front window and stole several guns off the wall and in a display case.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Numerous guns stolen from Allegheny County gun store, ATF confirms

They were in the store in a matter of minutes, under three minutes. Then drove off [in], what Im being told was apparently a stolen car, said Kirk Radziukinas, Keystone Shooting Center General Manager.

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The stores alarm system went off, but the thieves got away before police arrived.

They were very quick. They got in and out fast and it was before police could get here. It was kind of shocking to know they have this level of sophistication to kind of beat the system, said Radziukinas.

Northern Regional Police Chief Bryan DeWick said they are working with ATF on this investigation. He said about 25 guns were stolen and some of them have been recovered. The chief believes two people have been arrested who had those guns. Police also recovered the car used in this burglary.

In the meantime, the store is beefing up security, upgrading cameras, alarms and windows.

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We are going to do some construction on our window structures to make sure they are much more difficult to get through, said Radziukinas.

ATF is also investigating similar gun store burglaries from earlier this year, in Bethel Park, Youngstown, Ohio and Mercer County.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Group of kids responsible for stealing guns from Bethel Park shop, sources say; 2 in police custody

Investigators believe the one in Bethel Park and Ohio were committed by the same group of teens. State police said its possible the Mercer County one is connected too. The general manager said this needs to stop.

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Law enforcement seems to be doing their part they know who they are picking them up and arresting them but apparently they are turning around and being put right back into the street again thats very frustrating, said Radziukinas.

The general manager said they are looking at options of having security monitor the cameras after hours and possibly have a security guard here at the store.

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LAKE COUNTY, Ohio (WJW)  Authorities in Lake County have been trying to track down a group of good Samaritans who helped save the life of a victim injured in fiery crash.

On Wednesday, they succeeded.

The story began to unfold on the night of March 12, when a driver lost control of his pickup truck on I-90 in Concord Township.

Witnesses traveling behind the truck said it flipped over several times, ejecting the driver just before bursting into flames in the median.

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When this thing blows up, I see the guy go flying out of it and hes like in a Superman position, pretty high up in the air, said Ralph Gamber, 68, who operates a tire shop in Mentor. I thought when he hit the ground, that was it, you know, because he hit hard. But he was up there, I dont know, maybe 18 to 20 feet and then he came flat on his tummy. Bam!

Extremely upset: New Strongsville playground vandalized

Witnesses said the man was unconscious on the ground near the burning truck.

Several of them were on their cell phones with 911 dispatchers.

She said youve got to move him out of there. If the truck is on fire, the truck is probably going to blow up. I told her, well, it already blew up. She goes, well, it might blow up again so youve got to move him,' Gamber said.

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Thats when a group of good Samaritans teamed up to drag the victim a safe distance away from the burning truck.

So we rolled him over to make sure he was alive and breathing and once we figured out he was alive and breathing, we knew we had to move him because the car was going to explode, said Meredith Homerick, 28, who is a corrections officer at the Lake County jail.

It turns out they acted just in time.

When we got on the other side, the air bag in the dash blew up and then that really took off, and then the back wheel blew up, said Gamber.

The victim suffered serious injuries, but authorities said he is slowly recovering.

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Its amazing. I didnt know a body could take that kind of punishment, you know, because he hit that ground hard, said Gamber.

Most of the rescuers left the scene before authorities could thank them or even get their names.

I knew once EMS came, he was in good hands and I knew I had to get out of their way so they could get what they knew what to do, done, said Homerick.

How do astronauts reacclimate to Earth? Research for that process happens in Cleveland

Concord Township Fire Chief Matt Sabo was so impressed with their actions that he posted a request on social media, asking for the publics help to identify them.

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By Wednesday evening, Northeast Ohioans helped Sabo track down the hometown heroes that, in addition to Gamber and Homerick, include Meggan Dwyer, Janel Micksy and Jessica Presley.

Authorities now plan to present the five rescuers with special commendations for their courage under fire on a night none of them will ever forget.

You know, I went home, I told my wife, hey honey, youre not going to believe this one. She goes, youre late again. I says, yeah but Ive a good reason this time, said Gamber with a smile.

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Editors note: This is corrected to show that Youngstowns roadway construction project was $22 million.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber was back on the road Thursday. Its been having its Good Morning and Good Evening series in cities across the Valley for over 20 years and Thursdays event was in Youngstown.

The event was at Stambaugh Auditorium, featuring speakers giving a progress report and what to expect in the future.

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Mayor Tito Brown gave his State of the City Address. He credited the community for being able to overcome recent tragedies, including the explosion of the Realty Building.

Our downtown Youngstown is now open and all of that is happening because of you in this room, he said. We celebrated a $22 million roadway construction.

Brown also discussed other topics, including the loss of job opportunities at Chill Can and the use of American Rescue Plan funds.

Seven-Seventeen Credit Union is administering about $13 million of the citys ARP funding on various programs to improve housing in the city.

If you need a quality house, if you want an affordable home, we want to make sure we do that. In our partnership with 7-17, we took $8 million and weve grown it to now investing $40 million just for homeownership alone, Brown said.

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This plan includes the potential building of condos, townhouses and single-floor homes within the city.

It comes after a new retirement center was built for those looking to call Youngstown home for the rest of their lives.

Brown said ARP funds will also go into repairing damaged homes after finding out how many seniors couldnt afford to put a roof on their house.

We would fix some roofs. While we fixed them, we realized that if the roof is fixed, then they can gain services from the senior center, from places like that. And going to make sure electric is updated, their heating, cooling, that they dont get any leakage into mold. So we created a whole system to help them stay in their home, Brown said.

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Michael Latessa, with the Rich Center for Autism at Youngstown State University, and Paul Garchar, of Potential Development School for students with autism, talked about their organizations and Autism Acceptance Month in April.

Dorian Smith, senior vice president of business development at 7-17 Credit Union, and Youngstown City School District Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor also spoke.

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber is holding its next Good Morning event on June 3 in Warren.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  Terre Haute Human Rights Day enables students to explore many different topics.

These include food insecurity, economics, human trafficking, and a deep dive into federal, state, and city government. Keynote speaker and Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun explained what he hopes students get out of this experience

Find one tangible topic or avenue to change the direction of that topic, said Sakbun. Find one tangible way to make a difference in this conversation around human rights. It could be volunteering at a food bank, pushing for a more sustainable future, but everyone has their own call to action.

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Kristine Bunch was another presenter who shared her story of being wrongly convicted of arson resulting in death and spending 17 years in prison. She discussed how to create paths for reform and wants students this age to know they can help create change.

Often times they do not realize that they have just as much impact on the world that the adults do, said Bunch. A lot of time they are just going to school and thinking there is nothing they can do because they are too young. Being a part of events like this lets them know that they can do something right now and their vision can be carried through to the future.

Sakbun added that events like this inspire students to grow and make real change in their communities.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Several local theaters are showing the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land this weekend.

The film was created by a Palestinian-Israeli collective. According to the documentarys website, it tells the story of people living in the region of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank who are being displaced by the Israeli government.

The International Documentary Association reported that despite the documentarys critical acclaim and international distribution, No Other Land still does not have a distributor in the United States. The movie also hasnt been available on any streaming platforms in the U.S.

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ALSO READ: Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 404 Palestinians, shatters ceasefire

According to an Israeli news outlet, the countrys culture minister, Miki Zohar, wrote a letter asking cinematheques and cultural institutions not to screen the award-winning documentary, calling it an anti-Israel propaganda tool that harms the good name of the State of Israel.

The Rhode Island Coalition for Israel also released a statement, calling the documentary a dangerous collections of distortions.

In a statement on their website, the directors of the documentarywho are both Israeli and Palestiniansaid they hope their film will bring about change in the Middle East.

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Life in our land is becoming scarier, more violent, more oppressive, every day, the statement reads in part. We can only shout out something radically different to the worldthis filmwhich at its core, is not only proof of Israeli settler-colonial war crimes taking place in the present, but also a proposal for the future, a search for a path towards justice and equality and an end to Apartheid.

While you cant watch the documentary at home, you can catch the film this weekend in several independent theaters in Rhode Island.

Avon Cinema in Providence will be showing No Other Land from March 21-23. The movie will also be coming to United Theater in Westerly and All South County Cinemas in South Kingstown.

You can learn more about the film or buy tickets at certain locations here.

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BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  A large crowd stood along a Boardman road Wednesday evening, protesting an appearance of Congressman Mike Rulli across the street.

They wanted Rulli to hold a town hall meeting to discuss whats been happening in Washington since Donald Trump became President. 130 people stood along Tiffany South in Boardman, protesting the support Republican Congressman Mike Rulli has given the recent decisions of President Trump  while across the street at the Magic Tree Restaurant Rulli held a fundraiser.

He has time to hold a fundraiser to raise money for his campaign but he doesnt have time to hold a town hall, said Michael Kripchak.

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Democrat Michael Kripchak was defeated by Rulli in the November election and was part of the protest  much of which centered on Rulli having yet to hold a town hall meeting.

Who are his bosses? The people in there paying him money or us  and that answer should be us but more and more it seems like thats not true, Kripchak said.

I got more than double him. Ive only been in office for two months. They have to give us some time, Rulli said.

One protest sign read Democracy not Tyranny  and others protested President Trumps use of Elon Musk.

We want to express our outrage over the fact that this country has been turned over to criminals and that DOGE and Elon Musk, who is not even a government employee, has access to all of our stuff, said protester Jim Allgren.

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I know a lot of people are concerned with DOGE and the cutting of all the programs but if we dont stop spending those institutions are going to go away, Rulli said.

Rulli said his number one priorities are protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. He also supports President Trumps use of tariffs.

Im all about U.S. products. Im out for the U.S. worker. A lot of my friends in labor, they all know that I support them. Im for closing the border because I want to protect American jobs and want to create American products, Rulli said.

This is an American issue and Americans need to stand together to stop the junta, Allgren said.

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I know its not popular with the opposition party but I think they should give it a chance, Rulli said.

Congressman Rulli has an appointment tomorrow in the Oval Office to be part of President Trumps signing of an executive order, transferring money to local school districts for use in education.

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Mar. 20A Lodi Unified School District policy regarding teacher performance evaluations has gone back to the drawing board after employees and parents raised concerns about its language.

The district's board of education was presented with a revised policy during its Tuesday meeting with language that Superintendent Neil Young said was recommended by the California School Board Association.

Young said the language would align the district's existing policy on teacher evaluations with state law.

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One of the revisions to the district's policy states that the superintendent or designee will assess the performance of certificated instructional staff as it reasonably relates to "students' progress toward meeting district standards of expected achievement for their grade level in each area of study and, if applicable, towards the state-adopted content standards as measured by state-adopted criterion-referenced assessments."

Teachers and parents who spoke during public comment said the language made it seem like the district would be using standardized test scores to evaluate an employee's performance.

Christopher Anderson, a resident in Lodi Unified's District 5 and a teacher with the Stockton Unified School District, said the revised policy was "wholly misguided" and not supported by research, adding its implementation would have unintended consequences.

"While student assessments can provide valuable data, relying on them for teacher evaluations is problematic, potentially unfair, and student outcomes are influenced by numerous factors beyond a teacher's control."

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Anderson and Chris Munger  an English teacher in Tracy who also lives in Lodi  said those factors include socio-economic background, family support and access to resources.

Munger said he understood the importance of tracking student progress and adapting to instructional changes, but tying test scores to teachers' evaluations was not an effective way to improve student achievement. He said that when the No Child Left Behind Act was implemented two decades ago, teachers ended up teaching to the tests instead of curriculum, and some districts were caught manipulating student scores so they wouldn't be penalized when test scores were low.

Signed into law in 2002, the NCLB aimed to improve public education by increasing accountability for schools and states, mandating standardized testing and ensuring all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, met academic standards.

"If (the district's) policy is enacted, the result would be very similar," Munger said. "I think it's important for the district to bargain with the (Lodi Education Association) to create a policy that is both beneficial for students and is effective in bringing test scores up."

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Rob Reynolds is a parent of a neuro-divergent student, and said how his child performs on a test depends on a number of factors, from including what color pants they wear, or if they don't have waffles for breakfast.

"My kids hate state testing," he said. "They hate going to school, sitting in front of a computer and doing something just because they were told that they have to. Children  I know they do their best at school  but during these two weeks (of testing), they are just phoning it in, and to put that on teachers is extremely unfair."

Teacher Michelle Orgon said district staff and teachers spent years working to develop a pilot evaluation model in the past, but it was ultimately scrapped without an official vote from the board. She admonished staff for not discussing Tuesday's revised policy language with the LEA, which she said was required by state law.

"We know our current evaluation system is archaic in its model," she said. "But to put this in a policy, knowing that you threw something out and did not continue it with evaluation, with any kind of feedback, or coming to the table as a sunshine item, and bringing it through the back door seems deceptive."

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Young said district staff is always available if the community is concerned that tests are being used to evaluate a teacher's performance.

"There is no intention that we are tying in the outcome of a (state test) and using that to evaluate a teacher," he said. "The evaluation process is completed long before we receive the outcome of the (state tests). In fact, we don't get the complete information until teachers are on summer break. I just wish people had come to us before the meeting."

Other policy revisions included assessing performance based on the instructional techniques and strategies used by the employee; the employee's adherence to curricular objectives; and the establishment and maintenance of a suitable learning environment within the scope of the employee's responsibilities.

Board member Courtney Porter said assessing a teacher based on techniques and strategies was vague language, and questioned what staff meant by curricular objectives and a suitable learning environment.

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He added that in his nearly four decades as a teacher, he had never once seen a list of district standards that employees are supposed to meet as described in the first topic discussed.

"This whole thing is written very poorly," he said. "You're asking people to do evaluations, yet we have nothing about how they're being trained or what they're doing. My biggest concern is that we have never established assessments for all teachers, for teachers in certain subjects, to be used by an assessment board."

The rest of the board agreed that the proposed policy should be rewritten and brought back to a future meeting, and that staff discuss the changes with district teachers.

"I feel this shouldn't be brought forward until we really have a chance to go through it with a committee where we can fine-tune this," trustee Sherry Alexander said. "I don't like this being thrown out here and having people upset. Because if I were a teacher, I'd be upset too."
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Nevadas Republican governor wants to add firefighters to a multi-state emergency response team created after a lithium truck fire last summer shut down I-15 near the Nevada-California state line, warning the Department of Transportations board of directors that certain emergency responders may not be prepared to handle lithium fires.

If you were talking about the Lithium fires, I think it would be conducive to have fire there, Lombardo said at a meeting of NDOTs monthly board of directors in February.

Last month, NDOT announced $20,000 from federal money to hold a peer exchange in Las Vegas in April as a result of the July 2024 lithium fire that started when a truck flipped on its side on the I-15 near Baker in San Bernardino County. Traffic was halted for the better part of two days. The aptly named I-15/I-11 Emergency Operations Peer Exchange will include law enforcement and other emergency responders from Utah, California, Arizona and Nevada.

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Lombardo told the NDOT board of directors that he has instructed emergency management crews to do some comprehensive training and/or awareness on how we respond to lithium fires. That instruction came after a Homeland Security Commission board meeting at which Clark Countys newly-appointed fire chief.

Billy Samuels from Clark County FD was giving us a response to the Cybertruck incident, Lombardo said, referring to a Cybertruck explosion outside of Las Vegas Trump International Hotel attributed to a former Green Beret from Colorado on New Years Day. The governor pointed out that that particular fire was not a lithium fire, but Samuels provided an update on their readiness for such fires.

And theyre still feeling their way on how the hell we deal with these lithium fires, Lombardo said. Fortunately, that wasnt a lithium fire. But that was part of the conversation.

He continued: So I think it would be just as important in this endeavor especially after what we experienced over there on I-15.

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Samuels became fire chief on Jan. 23 after his predecessor, former fire chief John Steinbeck, won an election for state senate in the November 2024 election.

Samuels and a spokeswoman for Clark County did not respond to the 8 News Now Investigators request for comment on this matter.

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For the mayor of London, its clear that the rush of Americans applying for British citizenship is connected to the return of Donald Trump to the White House.

Sadiq Khan has told CNN in an exclusive interview that there is clearly a link between (that and) the results in the elections in November in the United States.

Americans applied for British citizenship in record numbers last year, according to Britains Home Office, with a big spike in applications logged during the final quarter  a period coinciding with Trumps reelection.

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Speaking at the MIPIM real estate conference in Cannes, France, last week, Khan recalled teasing former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during Trumps 2017-21 presidential term: I wanted all the Americans who were leaving America. And he was saying, no, he wanted all the Americans leaving America.

Now that Canada is very much in Trumps crosshairs  the US president has repeatedly said the country should become Americas 51st state  Khan believes London has the stronger hand: I suspect those Americans are probably not choosing Canada and choosing London.

More than 6,000 Americans applied for British citizenship in 2024, the most since the Home Office began tracking applications two decades ago. Around 1,700 of those applied during the last three months of the year, almost 40% more than in the same period in 2023.

There is no love lost between Trump and Khan. In a high-profile spat in 2019, Trump called Khan a stone-cold loser after the mayor criticized Britains decision to invite Trump for a formal state visit.

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Khan, Londons mayor since 2016, wrote in The Observer newspaper ahead of the visit that it was un-British to be rolling out the red carpet for a US president who amplified the views of the far-right. And the year before, Khan gave his permission for protesters to fly a 20-foot-tall Trump baby balloon near Britains Houses of Parliament during Trumps first presidential visit to the United Kingdom.

During a state visit, foreign leaders are welcomed to Britain by the reigning monarch and are treated to a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace and a grand banquet. Last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer  who, like Khan, belongs to Britains center-left Labour Party  handed Trump an invitation from King Charles III for the second state visit.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, pictured here in February 2025, believes there is a link between Americans trying to become UK citizens and Donald Trump's reelection as US president. - Lucy North/PA

Khan acknowledged to CNN that he had strong views on Trumps conduct during the presidents first term. We live in hope that hell be different in term two, he said.

America is a superpower, he said. Just like we feel the ripples of hope and optimism from America, we can often feel the ripples of hatred and negativity.

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Still, the mayors approach to Trump appears softer this time around.

I wish President Trump all the best, he said, stressing that the two countries are best mates. I hope hes a successful president. I love America. I love American culture, American people, American politics, American businesses and so, of course, I wish him well.

But Khan did not rule out allowing another Trump baby balloon to fly over London during the presidents next visit, saying he would respond to any applications from protesters based on (their) merits.

Satire and humor and protest are quintessentially British  and actually American traits, he said. Watch Curb Your Enthusiasm.

CNN contacted the US embassy in London for comment on Khans remarks but received no response.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)  An alleged leader of a Los Angeles street gang who's accused of murder, kidnapping and extortion appeared in court Thursday afternoon, a day after he posted a video declaring his innocence before surrendering to federal authorities.

Eugene Henley Jr., known as Big U, was one of 18 members of the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips suspected of a litany of federal crimes including drug trafficking, conspiracy, and firearms offenses, the U.S. attorneys office said in a statement Wednesday.

Before turning himself in on Wednesday, the self-described community activist recorded videos denying the accusations.

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This the price of being Black and trying to help somebody, trying to help your community and do what you can," Henley said. "You just guilty because somebody else dont like you.

Following his court appearance, he will remain in custody until his detention hearing March 31, the federal prosecutors' office said. His arraignment is scheduled for April 8. The Associated Press could not locate an attorney for Henley.

Henley, 58, and two others are accused of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

Henley allegedly masterminded a criminal operation that investigators dubbed the Big U Enterprise, and is also suspected of embezzling donations to Developing Options, an anti-gang charity he founded but which prosecutors say he used as a front for fraudulent purposes and to insulate its members from suspicion by law enforcement.

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He is suspected in the 2021 killing of an aspiring rap musician who was signed to his recording company, Uneek Music, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors said Henley ran the enterprise like a mob boss and used his stature and long-standing association with the Rollin 60s and other street gangs to intimidate businesses and individuals in Los Angeles.

If convicted, he could face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
JERUSALEM (AP)  The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen early Thursday before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem.

No injuries were reported. The Houthis said they fired a ballistic missile at Israel's international airport, the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.

Over the decades, Israel has developed a sophisticated system capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population center or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn't 100% guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties.

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Heres a closer look at Israels multilayered air-defense system:

The Arrow

This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used to intercept long-range missiles launched by the Houthis as well as those launched by Iran during two direct exchanges of fire last year.

Davids Sling

Also developed with the U.S., Davids Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has been deployed on multiple occasions throughout the war.

Iron Dome

This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade  including volleys launched by Hamas and Hezbollah during the current war. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%.

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Iron Beam

Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats with laser technology. Israel has said this system will be a game changer because it would be much cheaper to operate than existing systems. According to Israeli media reports, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is about $50,000, while the other systems can run more than $2 million per missile. Iron Beam interceptions, by contrast, would cost a few dollars apiece, according to Israeli officials  but the system is not yet operational.

___

Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Military decorations on a U.S. Army uniform. (Photo credit: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator)

State residents who served in the military on a part-time basis could soon opt to live at Louisiana Veteran Homes locations, which provide geriatric and psychiatric health care services to qualified residents.

House Bill 60, which Rep. Jay Galle, R-Mandeville, is proposing for the upcoming legislative session, would allow admission for former members of the National Guard and military reservists into Veterans Affairs retirement and nursing homes even if they didnt see active duty. The only catch is that they would have to pay for the services on their own.

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We feel they signed a blank check and were willing to sacrifice but did not serve during a war period and were never activated to active duty, Louisiana VA Secretary Charlton Meginley said, adding that they deserve to at least be admitted to a veteran home on a private contract.

The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, which crafted the legislation, operates five Louisiana Veteran Homes that house and care for a total of roughly 630 residents. They are located in Bossier City, Jackson, Jennings, Monroe and Reserve.

Currently, admissions eligibility rules are fairly strict and exclude many veterans who did not see active duty but otherwise served honorably in the U.S. military, Galle said.

Its about being inclusive to allow veterans who didnt serve in a combat zone to stay in a retirement home, he said.

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More than 261,000 military veterans live in Louisiana. About 75,000 receive disability benefits totaling roughly $2.1 billion, and 25,000 veterans have earned retirement pensions worth $700 million, according to the state VA office.

Meginley said the state currently requires veterans to have served at least 90 days on active duty. Galles bill would waive that requirement without affecting the states federal VA funding.

Current state law has a similar exception for veteran spouses and Gold Star relatives of service members killed in action, the VA secretary said.

Meginley explained that the state VA receives federal funding for every eligible active duty veteran admitted to a home. If Galles bill is enacted, the state would still not receive any taxpayer money for the new class of veterans it admits to the homes, but it would admit non-active veterans who might want to stay at a veteran home and can afford to pay their own way, he said.

Lawmakers will consider Galles bill during the session that convenes April 14.

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HOSSTON, La. (KTAL/KMSS)ICE detained seven employees at the TA Truckstop in Hosston, and some wonder if the incident is linked to the Caddo Parish Commissions proposed TIF tax on the truckstop.

Regarding the ICE raid, Caddo Commissioner Victor Thomas said, This information is a distraction from what were really doing, and what it really is a distraction is against the further development of Caddo Parish.

The truck stop is in Caddo Commissioner Chris Kracmans district. While some commissioners support the tax, saying it will help spur more economic development in the Hosston area, Kracman does not.

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Proposed tax in Caddo Parish sparks controversy

He said, Im standing by what I ran on, and making taxes higher is definitely not one of those things.

Some at a recent Hosston Council meeting questioned the timing of the illegals detention while the Caddo Commission is debating the tax and voting on it soon.

Jimmy Silvo, the developer and owner of the truck stop, says they were targeted. He said he spoke to ICE, and they told him they were tipped off by someone calling and reporting the truck stop.

Attorney: Trumps mass deportation to costs billions

Kracman said he knew nothing of the raid and only found out after his constituents asked him about it.

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If the tax passes, the developer has already drawn up a master plan for the area around the truck stop and plans to expand.

He said, I got guys calling about an RV park and repair shop and things like that.

The proposed tax will be an additional 2% on top of the states taxes on merchandise in the truck stop only, excluding gas.

The Caddo Parish Commission is expected to vote on the truck stop tax on Thursday, March 20th.

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BOSSIER PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)The Shreveport-Bossier Food Trucks Coalition is teaming up with a local church to bring residents delicious food.

Freedom Church is proud to host the Shreveport-Bossier Food Truck Coalition in this exciting event to help raise funds for their building repairs and improvements. Residents and visitors can enjoy great food and live music, all for a great cause. The event will feature several food trucks, including Hot Dawg Hut, Taqueria EL Eden, Bayou Two, Yeero-Yeero, and several others.

Organizers stated that the food truck roundup will be held twice a month to help Freedom Church. This event is open to the public and will be held at Freedom Church on Friday, March 21, starting at 5:00 p.m.

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I grew up in a Wisconsin suburb and moved to the poorest zip code in the state 19 years ago. During my time living here, my family and I have loved it. Yes, there are some annoyances, but the people who live here are great and continue to strive to make our community better.

Over the last year our streetlights havent been on consistently, being out for weeks at a time. In an area where many take the bus and walk at night, this is a safety issue. There has been community meetings, city officials meetings and calls to get the streetlights back on by many. The city reports that our neighborhood is the worst in the city for the streetlights being on due to the old system currently in place. They keep saying they will be fixed, but we have yet to see any progress.

Opinion: On Wisconsins glacial lakes, wake-enhanced boating damaging and dangerous

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Opinion: Milwaukee students consistently ask for mental health help. We're not listening.

The surprises about living in the 53206 zip dont have anything to do with shootings or carjackings. The surprises come from a community that wants and is striving to be better, but the structures that are in place are dragging them down.

I urge the city to look at how poor communities are treated when it comes to the standard of living.

Meg Bruzan, Milwaukee

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: City Hall letting neighborhood down with street light outages | Letters
NOLENSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  An Antioch man with a long criminal history is back behind bars thanks to license plate recognition (LPR) technology and some quick-thinking officers in Nolensville.

Officials told News 2 that Nolensville has eight LPR cameras protecting the city. On Friday, March 14, one of those cameras helped get a convicted criminal off the streets.

Dash camera footage shows a black Audi passing by a Nolensville Police Department patrol vehicle. The officer had already been alerted about the car, which was reported stolen out of Nashville.

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The officer quickly pulled the Audi over. The driver  later identified by authorities as 53-year-old Matthew Mauro  was ordered out of the vehicle.

Metro Council approves bill on community camera safety network during final reading

Once Mauro was in custody, officers searched his car. They reportedly found a realistic, black airsoft gun.

At first glance, you look at it and believe it was a pistol, said Lt. Josh Combs with the Nolensville Police Department.

A check of Mauros background turned up a long criminal history, including arrests in Nashville dating back to 2006.

According to an affidavit from 2016, the Metro Nashville Police Department took Mauro into custody in connection with the theft of a black Dodge rented from Hertz. He was charged with felony theft of property worth more than $10,000 less than $60,000, but based on court records, he was only convicted of misdemeanor joyriding.

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The Nolensville Police Department said the 2024 black Audi from last weeks incident was also stolen from a rental car company  more specifically, Enterprise.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

The Wilson County Sheriffs Office told News 2 that Mauro was booked in 2015 for multiple counts of criminal simulation and theft.

According to the Tennessee Department of Correction, Mauro was serving a 12-year prison sentence. However, he was out on parole when the Nolensville LPR system reportedly spotted him driving the stolen car on Nolensville Road.

We typically position where our LPRs are strategically placed. Officers will set up around them because they know were going to receive hits. We want to be in position to apprehend car and subject as quick as we can, so they do strategically place themselves around the LPRs and wait for these instances, Combs explained.

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Mauro is back in jail, this time in Williamson County, with a bond of $30,000. How this arrest affects his parole is unknown at this time.

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Mar. 19The two Democratic members of the five-member Federal Trade Commission were fired by President Donald Trump on Tuesday, drawing criticism from Democratic senators.

The Federal Trade Commission enforces antitrust law and promotes consumer protection. FTC commissioners are appointed by the president and have to be confirmed by the Senate. The commission has a bipartisan structure, and no more than three members can be from the same political party. According to Supreme Court precedent, presidents can't remove FTC commissioners before their seven-year term is finished without a reason. The Trump administration may be looking to challenge that precedent in court.

The Republican FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said he supports the firings.

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"President Donald J. Trump is the head of the executive branch and is vested with all of the executive power in our government. I have no doubts about his constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for our government," Ferguson said in a statement.

Trump fired Democratic Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, who plan to sue over the decision. Both served with former chair Lina Khan and worked with her to challenge mergers. Bedoya said on social media that he had been illegally fired.

"This is corruption, plain and simple," Bedoya said.

Democratic senators have criticized the action, including New Mexico's Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, who sits on the Senate Consumer Protection, Technology and Data Privacy subcommittee, which oversees the FTC. He joined a letter with 27 of his fellow senators calling for the firings to be reversed.

"President Trump is once again subverting the law to exert his own political agenda  one that serves the wealthiest and largest corporations and not the American people," Lujan said in a statement. "The law  which makes it clear that the president cannot fire commissioners without cause  must be upheld."
BOSTON (WWLP)  The former leader of the Trinitarios gang in Lynn pled guilty to racketeering charges.

Mass. woman sentenced to prison for operating high-end prostitution network

The Department of Justice states that the Trinitarios is a violent criminal group comprised of thousands of members across the United States. They adhere to a Magna Carta, employ an internal hierarchy to or organize and execute violence, and undertaken efforts to maintain the secrecy of the organization and its members.

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Back in February, federal racketeering charges were unsealed against 22 leaders and members of the Trinitarios. This is the culmination of an investigation led by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security. The investigation began after four murders and several attempted murders took place in Lynn in 2023 that was allegedly committed by the Trinitarios. Aaron Diaz Liranzo, 26, led the Lynn chapter and was the sixth Defendant to plead guilty.

Diaz Liranzo admitted to participating in a shooting in March 2019 that targeted several rival gang members outside of a Lynn nightclub. The victims were coaxed there by another member posed as a woman who needed a ride. With a firearm and knowing where the victims were and vehicle they were driving, the defendant went to the nightclub and opened fire at the vehicle, releasing around six rounds. During the incident, Diaz Liranzo shot two of the three victims seated in the car. Both of the victims suffered life-threatening injuries, but survived the incident.

The charge of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (also known as racketeering conspiracy or RICO conspiracy) is a sentence of up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is set for June.

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M. F. Husains Untitled (Gram Yatra) sold at Christies for $13.8 million in New York, making it the most expensive work of modern Indian art ever publicly auctioned.

That amount, which includes fees, shattered the auction houses estimate of $2.5 million$3.5 million and was more than four times the artists previous record of $3.1 million, which was set by his painting Untitled (Reincarnation) last September at Sothebys in London.

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The previous record for a modern Indian work was $7.4 million, for Amrita Sher-Gils The Story Teller (1937), which sold in September 2023 in Mumbai. (S. H. Razas 1959 painting Kalliste, which sold last March at Sothebys for $5.6 million, was given an estimate of $2 million$3 millionthe highest price ever put on a modern Indian artwork at auction, a spokesperson for that house said.)

The Husain record was mintedduring Christies sale for South Asian modern and contemporary art, a category which continues to garner momentum despite a fragmented art market.

The 1954 painting, which is nearly 14 feet long, was a consignment 13 years in the making and one that Nishad Avari, the New Yorkbased head of Christies South Asian modern and contemporary art department, called by far one of the most significant works hes seen in his career.

Avari told ARTnews that, prior to the sale, his department had hoped Untitled (Gram Yatra) would change Husains market, which has lagged compared to F. H. Souza and Raza, two other members of the Progressive Artists Group.

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Of the Husain painting, Avari said, It comprises of 13 separate vignettes of village life in India, which is really important, because this is five years after Indian independence, and Husain and all his colleagues are trying to figure out at the time what it means to be a modern Indian artist.

In the painting Untitled (Gram Yatra), Husain emphasizes the centrality of village and rural life in India as the basis for going forward as a new nation. Avari also noted that one of the 13 vignettes portrays a standing farmerthe only male figure in the in the piece. This is a self-portrait of sorts, and the only image which crosses into another vignette of a landscape with fields. Its literally a portrait of a farmer as a sustainer of the land and a protector of the land, Avari said.

The original owner of the painting was Leon Elias Volodarsky, a Norwegian general surgeon and private art collector, who acquired Untitled (Gram Yatra) in New Delhi in 1954, while heading a World Health Organization team stationed there to establish a thoracic surgery training center. Volodarskys estate donated it to the Oslo University Hospital in 1964.

When the hospital first contacted Christies about Untitled (Gram Yatra), Avari said his teams immediate response was: Were getting on a plane.

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For seven decades, Untitled (Gram Yatra) was unavailable for viewing by the public. It was in a private neuroscience corridor, Avari said.

The 13-year process to get it to the auction block on March 19 included gaining the necessary permissions from the Oslo University Hospitals board when the institution was finally ready to sell. Whats really, really gratifying, is that the proceeds are going to be used to set up a training center for doctors in Dr. Volodarskys name, Avari said.

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Emmanuel Macron is actively exploring alternatives to putting European boots on the ground in Ukraine  his plan drawn up with Sir Keir Starmer.

The Telegraph understands that the French president is considering the possibility of a mission to protect a future peace deal being led by the United Nations.

The Prime Minister and Mr Macron have been leading a push to form a coalition of the willing of Nato and EU states to form a peacekeeping force backed by US security guarantees.

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Sir Keir hosted 30 senior military leaders from European countries and beyond near London to hash out the plans.

They were moving into an operational phase, he has said, but it is still unclear how many countries are willing to send troops or how the plan will be implemented.

Mr Macron raised the subject of the UN alternative at Thursdays European Council summit with Antonio Guterres, the UN security general, who was a guest of the gathered EU leaders.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (L), seen here with EU Council President Antonio Costa, was present at the meeting in Brussels - Shutterstock /Olivier Matthys

It comes as the Prime Minister is showing signs of shifting his focus away from European boots on the ground to secure a peace deal with Russia, and is turning instead towards air and sea support to defend Ukraine.

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The Telegraph understands that the RAF is in talks for British jets to police Ukraines skies under proposals being discussed by Sir Keirs coalition of the willing.

Sergei Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, has said that any Nato troops, including British and French soldiers, would be unacceptable to Moscow.

In a March 16 interview, Mr Macron said it would be up to sovereign Ukraine not Russia who policed its soil.

Vladimir Putin rejected Donald Trumps demands for a full ceasefire earlier this week, but agreed to a partial truce exempting energy infrastructure; a promise that was broken the evening of the call between the two leaders.

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The US president has been cool on the idea of providing back up to the European force.

Any UN peacekeeping force would require the approval of the Security Council. With both Russia, and potentially the US, against its prospects appear to be slim.

The French president faced calls this week from Jean-Luc Melenchon, the hard-Left leader, who is soft on Putin, to get blue helmets to protect nuclear power plants in the war-torn country if the condition for peace was no Nato troops.

Earlier this month, Marine Le Pen, the leader of the hard-Right National Rally, said sending French troops was madness and that the only possible participation that could be envisaged would be under a blue helmets mandate.

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While France has a minority government, which could be brought down by the National Rally, foreign policy remains in the power of the president. The Elysee was asked for comment.

Very complex, risky and ineffective

Some European allies have also been circumspect or ruled the idea of European peacekeepers out entirely. Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister has said he will not send soldiers to Ukraine.

This week, Giorgia Meloni, Italys prime minister, said it would be very complex, risky and ineffective.

On Wednesday, the EU announced plans for a scheme offering member states 150 billion in loans to buy weapons  65 per cent of the loans must be spent in the EU, Ukraine or Norway.

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The UK, Canada, US and Turkey are currently shut out of plans to encourage members to buy European at this stage, but that could change in future defence pacts with the bloc.

Sources in Brussels suggested that France was behind the decision to exclude the UK for the time being, with at least one eye to looming EU negotiations over continued access to British fishing waters.

After Thursdays summit, 26 EU leaders issued a joint statement backing Ukraine. The sole exception was Hungarys Viktor Orban, who has close ties to both Putin and Mr Trump.

Beforehand, Volodymyr Zelensky urged the EU to step up weapons supplies as he accused Russia of continuing to strike Ukraines energy system despite Putin agreeing a halt with Mr Trump.

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Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure, he said. Despite Putins words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks  nothing has changed.

European leaders are working out how best to come to the aid of Volodymyr Zelenskys Ukraine - Getty Images/Murat Gok

Over two hours of discussion on Ukraine, the EU leaders cast doubt on the negotiations between Mr Trump and Putin.

One EU official said: There was a shared view that no real negotiations are taking place at the moment. Leaders also exchanged about the best ways to have an influence on the process.

Divisions over EU defence spending plans and military aid to Ukraine were also laid bare at the summit.

The leaders also discussed the European Commissions 800 billion ReArm Europe plan, which includes the 150 billion loan facility, which raises money against the EU budget.

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Greece and Italy said they wanted grants rather than loans, which would not count on their national balance sheets.

Italy, France and pro-Putin Slovakia are reportedly looking to water down a plan to send 40 billion military aid to Ukraine by the end of the year because it links the military contributions to the size of states economies.

Kaja Kallas, the EUs chief diplomat, said she would focus on securing agreement for a more limited plan to send 2 million shells worth 5 billion as a first concrete step.

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(Bloomberg) -- As President Donald Trump rattles US allies with his geopolitical maneuvers, the situation has helped one European leader return to the spotlight: Emmanuel Macron.

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Hamstrung by the loss of a parliamentary majority after a disastrous snap election last summer, the French president has spent months tackling domestic crises. But as he prepares to meet European Union leaders at a summit in Brussels Thursday, the return of great-power politics has handed Macron a chance to shift gear as he brings together allies prepared to support Kyiv.

That initiative is also setting Macron on course for a collision with Trump.

The US president is framing the ceasefire as a way to unlock new business and political cooperation with Russia. In return, Vladimir Putin in a Tuesday call with Trump demanded a complete halt to weapons supplies to Ukraine, a shift that would force Macron to effectively abandon his efforts to galvanize support for Kyiv.

One senior official from another major EU power on Tuesday insisted there is no way that European nations will comply with Putins conditions.

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French government spokeswoman Sophie Primas said Wednesday that those conditions are unrealistic and Macron is speaking to Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on a daily basis as he seeks a path forward.

Call You Later

On Wednesday, Zelenskiys phone rang during a video briefing with reporters. Emmanuel, sorry, I will call you later, he told the caller and went on to explain that he was talking to journalists.

The Ukrainian leader said he plans to travel to France next week to discuss the potential deployment of foreign peacekeepers in Ukraine. For now, there is a need to work out the general vision, he told the reporters.

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With Trumps push for a rapid ceasefire gathering pace in recent weeks, Macron has hosted military chiefs of more than 30 countries and defense ministers of Europes main military powers, as well as ad hoc groups of European leaders. Alongside UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he is bringing together 37 countries preparing military support for Kyiv after a ceasefire is reached.

Global affairs gave Macron his credibility back, said Melody Mock-Gruet, a political expert who teaches at Sciences Po in Paris.

The Macron-Starmer initiative would see European militaries, with participation from the Commonwealth and Asia, contribute either funding, troops, aircraft or naval vessels to help protect Ukraine from the prospect of further Kremlin attacks. While not every Ukraine ally is on board, recent meetings suggest the idea is gaining traction.

In parallel, European nations are trying to engineer a sea change in their military capabilities in order to present a convincing deterrent to future Russian aggression independently from the US. European allies fear an unjust and unstable peace deal could be forced on Ukraine that would give Putin a chance to rebuild his military for another attack.

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German lawmakers passed a landmark spending package Tuesday that is set to unlock hundreds of billions of euros in debt financing for defense and infrastructure after decades of frugality. Macron has opened discussions with EU allies about extending the protection of Frances nuclear arsenal and he met with outgoing German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, as well as his successor, Friedrich Merz, in Berlin Tuesday to coordinate their positions ahead of Thursdays talks.

As European leaders struggle to keep track of the White Houses thinking and to plot their own response, Macrons longstanding relationship with Trump gives him an important role. Following an EU summit earlier this month, the French president, whos known Trump since his first term, debriefed his US counterpart for more than half an hour, according to one French official.

Macron believes that Trump values personal connections, people familiar with his thinking said. The French president has told aides that although Trump is not a good listener, if you find the right argument, you can get his attention, the people added.

As Western leaders try to respond to Trumps efforts to remake the global order, that connection is helping to make Macron a reference point.

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Mark Carney made Paris his first foreign visit this week after taking office as Canadas prime minister. Following discussions on support for Ukraine and the growing US tariff offensive, he said he wants to strengthen ties with reliable allies. Another leader from the Americas also reached out appealing to Macron to help them handle Trump, according to a person briefed on the discussions, who asked not to be named.

French voters too have welcomed Macrons return to the international spotlight, boosting his approval ratings from a record low. A poll by Ifop for Ouest-France showed Macrons popularity rose to 31% in March, up seven points from the previous month and close to the level it held before last years parliamentary election.

Weve always been on the side of peace, Macron said Tuesday during a press conference with Scholz in Berlin. We must not give in to any inversion of values or rhetoric. This is the historic role of France and Germany and the whole of Europe  at side of the Ukrainians.

Yet Macrons attempts to consolidate his relationship with the White House faces serious crosswinds. One French lawmaker from the center-left opposition this month said the US should return the Statue of Liberty, since the country no longer shares their values.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt replied that the French should be grateful to the US that they arent speaking German, a reference to the liberation of France in World War II.

In terms of hard power, the US has already shut off the supply of weapons and military intelligence to Kyiv once, following a blow up between Trump and Zelenskiy in the Oval Office last month.

In any context, deploying European troops in Ukraine would carry serious risks, one European official said, but all the more so if that move helped Zelenskiy to resist US pressure to settle with Putin.

Its also unclear how France will pay for an increased commitment to Ukraine. Macron has ruled out tax increases and Finance Minister Eric Lombard has insisted the country cant afford to increase borrowing. Lombard will meet Thursday with banks and insurance companies to discuss ways to boost defense investment.

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Things are very fragile for Macron, Mock-Gruet, the analyst, said.

Macron has been calling for a dramatic expansion of Europes military capabilities since he came to power in 2017. But for years the French president had failed to rally partners to action. His diagnosis has now become mainstream in European capitals as the scramble to adjust to a rapidly changing outlook.

Its good to have a character like Macron that is willing to take these calls even if those decisions could and should have been made much sooner in the Ukraine war, said Famke Krumbmuller, a geostrategy consultant at EY.

--With assistance from Ania Nussbaum, Michael Nienaber, Patrick Donahue, William Horobin, Aliaksandr Kudrytski and Daryna Krasnolutska.

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(Updates with Zelenskiy starting in seventh paragraph.)

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(Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he spoke with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the two leaders condemned the resumption of Israeli strikes on Gaza.

Macron said they will co-chair a conference on a two-state solution, aimed at "helping revive a political perspective for both Israelis and Palestinians".

"A return to the ceasefire is essential for the release of all hostages and the protection of civilians," Macron said in a post on X, adding that both leaders discussed the need to work together on the issue of Gaza's future.

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The Israeli military on Wednesday resumed ground operations in central and southern Gaza, as a second day of airstrikes killed at least 48 Palestinians, according to health workers in the coastal strip.

The renewed ground operations came a day after more than 400 Palestinians were killed in airstrikes in one of the deadliest episodes since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, shattering a ceasefire that has largely held since January.

Separately, Macron welcomed the crown prince's Jeddah initiative, which enabled the start of peace negotiations in Ukraine.

The leaders also discussed Syria and Lebanon.

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"France and Saudi Arabia share the same objectives: a fully sovereign Lebanon and a united, stable Syria engaged in an inclusive transition," Macron said.

(Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru; Editing by Stephen Coates)
After the Trump administration lost yet another court fight this week, his top campaign donor, Elon Musk, turned to a familiar complaint. This is a judicial coup, the Republican megadonor wrote by way of his social media platform. We need 60 senators to impeach the judges and restore rule of the people.

As my MSNBC colleague Jordan Rubin explained soon after, Musk flubbed every relevant detail in his missive: Its not a coup when the White House loses court fights; senators arent responsible for impeaching anyone; and the standard for removing a sitting judge from the bench is 67 votes, not 60.

But despite his lack of familiarity with the impeachment process, the billionaire has been pushing the idea of judicial impeachments with unnerving vigor in recent weeks. Indeed, NBC News noted Wednesday that Musk had posted online about judicial impeachments 17 times within the past 24 hours.

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Whats more, as The New York Times reported, hes also putting his money where his tweets are.

Elon Musk has made the maximum allowable donation to Republican members of Congress who support impeaching federal judges who are impeding actions taken by President Trump, according to five people with knowledge of the matter. Mr. Musk has given what had been until recently the legal maximum hard-dollar donation  $6,600  to the campaigns of seven Republicans who have either endorsed judicial impeachments or called for some form of action in response to recent rulings against the Trump administration, including a weekend decision by Judge James E. Boasberg of Federal District Court in Washington.

According to the report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, the beneficiaries of the campaign contributions include Republican Reps. Eli Crane of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Brandon Gill of Texas. Unexpectedly, Musk also donated to Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who hasnt explicitly endorsed impeaching any judges, but who did criticize a recent court ruling in the Alien Enemies Act case.

To be sure, the legal maximum for hard-dollar donations is rather modest  for someone of Musks wealth, $6,600 checks will not be missed  but theres a broader political significance: The DOGE chief just sent an unsubtle signal to members of Congress that judicial impeachment advocates on Capitol Hill should expect to be rewarded by the biggest GOP megadonor of them all.

Politico also reported, House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan said he plans to hold hearings on recent judicial rulings against the Trump administrations agenda, after President Donald Trump, Elon Musk and conservatives have called for impeaching federal judges.

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The Ohio Republican told CNN, Were gonna hold hearings on this entire issue, adding that he's especially interested in the 15 injunctions that have been done in an eight-week time frame.

Of course, as weve discussed, that the White House has faced so many injunctions in so little time is less evidence of judicial bias and more evidence of an administration that keeps pushing the legal envelope in radical and unprecedented ways.

Nevertheless, Team Trump wants the idea of judicial impeachments to be taken seriously, and evidently the Jordan-led House Judiciary Committee is prepared to examine the issue in more detail.

There are, however, apparently some divisions among GOP lawmakers. In a separate report this week, Politico quoted one House Republican saying, I do not support impeaching a sitting judge based solely on a decision with which I disagree.

That the unnamed member didnt want to be identified speaks volumes about the current state of the party.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Donald Trump has spent years presenting himself to the public as a Social Security proponent. In fact, throughout his 2016 candidacy, the Republican tried to differentiate himself from his GOP rivals by emphasizing that he, unlike many in his party, would protect the popular social insurance program.

Those who believed Trump have new reasons to feel regret. The Associated Press reported:

Dozens of Social Security Administration offices across the country are slated to close this year due to actions taken by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency as part of the Trump administrations unprecedented effort to shrink the size of government. DOGE has published a list of nearly 800 federal real estate leases that it is seeking to cancel. The Associated Press has obtained an internal planning document from the General Services Administration, which manages federal real estate, which shows when nearly two-thirds of those cancellations are expected to go into effect.

The same AP report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, included a state-by-state breakdown of the 26 Social Security Administration offices that are now expected to close in the coming months.

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If we were to stop here, it would already be an unfortunate story for the seniors and disabled Americans who rely on Social Security benefits and might want to visit one of the offices that will soon be closed.

But what make this story even more serious is the other bookend, as highlighted by a Washington Post report:

The Social Security Administration on Tuesday announced new measures that will require millions of Americans who file for benefits by phone to verify their identity using an online system or provide documentation in person at a field office. The change is expected to disrupt agency operations just as the Trump administration, driven by billionaire Elon Musks U.S. DOGE Service, is racing to downsize Social Security  cutting 7,000 jobs, consolidating programs, and closing dozens of regional and local offices.

Those sympathetic to Musk and his White House colleagues are likely to argue that scrapping phone-based options isnt especially serious, since Social Security beneficiaries can simply go online.

But its not that simple. As the Posts report added, Because millions of elderly and disabled customers the agency serves lack computers to authenticate their identity  and have limited mobility to access in-person help  the change will create hardships, a top agency official acknowledged last week in an internal memorandum.

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The result is the worst of both worlds: More senior citizens and disabled Americans will be forced to make in-person appearances at Social Security offices, just as the Trump administration closes Social Security offices and fires thousands of Social Security Administration employees.

How many beneficiaries are expected to be affected by this change? According to an internal memorandum prepared by the agencys acting deputy commissioner, up to 4.4 million people per year will be directed to field offices, many of which are now closing, while the remaining offices will have smaller workforces.

If the Trump administration were trying to engineer a public backlash, its putting the pieces in place.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Todays edition of quick hits.

* Standing in DOGEs way: A federal judge in Maryland blocked DOGE from accessing Social Security Administration records. In a blistering ruling, U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander said that DOGE is essentially engaged in a fishing expedition at the agency in search of a fraud epidemic, based on little more than suspicion.

* Another closely watched case: "A federal judge in Washington edged closer on Thursday to holding the Trump administration in contempt for possibly having violated an order he issued last weekend pausing the deportation of scores of Venezuelan immigrants under a rarely invoked wartime statute."

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* In Ukraine: Hours after agreeing to a partial ceasefire with Russia in a phone call with President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted 10 images to his Telegram channel of fires and damage in the countrys central Kirovohrad region. Russias attacks on Ukraine, despite its propaganda statements, do not stop, he wrote alongside the images, some of which showed firefighters standing on ladders and cranes, hosing down flames.

* This is the result of longtime U.S. allies losing confidence in American leadership: Canada is in advanced talks with the European Union to join the blocs new project to expand its military industry, a move that would allow Canada to be part of building European fighter jets and other military equipment at its own industrial facilities.

* Understandable concerns: Federal judges are worried that online threats against those who oversee high-profile cases challenging Trump administration policies may lead to real-world violence.

* A notable resignation: Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner in a statement on Wednesday announced he will step down from the nations passenger and freight rail company as the Trump administration targets funding for mass transit systems and other transportation initiatives across the nation.

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* What could possibly go wrong with the idea of putting guns in the hands of convicted criminals? The Justice Department plans to create a path for people with criminal convictions to own guns again, an issue that became contentious at the agency when officials there sought to restore that right to the actor Mel Gibson, a prominent supporter of President Trumps.

* Eichorn apparently didnt have much of a choice: A Minnesota state senator who was caught in a sting operation resigned under fire Thursday after he was charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution. Republican Justin Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, submitted his resignation in a letter to Gov. Tim Walz, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson said in a statement.

* A welcome reversal: The Pentagon restored some webpages highlighting the crucial wartime contributions of Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans on Wednesday, days after tribes condemned the action.

* During his first visit to the Kennedy Center, Donald Trump, who has claimed polymathic expertise in a great many subjects, shared an anecdote about his childhood: He told the assembled board members that in his youth he had shown special abilities in music after taking aptitude tests ordered by his parents, according to three participants in the meeting.

See you tomorrow.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
GPU and AI semiconductors vendor Nvidia has unveiled partnerships with several ICT industry players, including telecoms provider T-Mobile and networking giant Cisco, among other participants working on R&D for AI-native wireless networks for 6G.

According to Nvidia, in its envisioned IoT world, next-generation wireless networks must be integrated with AI to seamlessly connect hundreds of billions of phones, sensors, cameras, robots and autonomous vehicles.

Nvidia says AI-native wireless networks will provide enhanced services for billions of users and will offer groundbreaking performance and resource utilisation while creating new revenue streams for telcos.

Next-generation wireless networks will be revolutionary, and we have an unprecedented opportunity to ensure AI is woven in from the start, said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of Nvidia.

Working with leaders in the field, were building an AI-enhanced 6G network that achieves extreme spectral efficiency.

Nvidia is collaborating with telco and research leaders to develop an AI-native wireless network stack based on the Nvidia AI Aerial platform, which provides software-defined RANs on the Nvidia accelerated computing platform.

"Developers across the globe are building AI-RAN as a precursor to AI-native 6G wireless networks," says Nvidia in its announcement.

"AI-RAN is a technology that brings AI and RAN workloads together on one platform and embeds AI into radio signal processing."

Nvidia says AI will be fully embedded into the network stacks software and hosted over a unified accelerated infrastructure, capable of running both network and AI workloads.

Under their agreement, T-Mobile and Nvidia will expand their previously announced AI-RAN Innovation Center collaboration to provide additional research-based concepts for AI-native 6G network capabilities.

This is an exciting next step to the AI-RAN Innovation Center efforts we began last September at our Capital Markets Day in partnership with Nvidia, said Mike Sievert, CEO of T-Mobile.

Working with these additional industry leaders on research to natively integrate AI into the network as we begin the journey to 6G will enable the network performance, efficiency and scale to power the next generation of experiences that customers and businesses expect.

MITRE, a not-for-profit research and development organisation, will contribute open, AI-driven services and applications, such as for agentic network orchestration and security, dynamic spectrum sharing and 6G-integrated sensing and communications.

MITRE is working with Nvidia to help make AI-native 6G a reality, said Mark Peters, president and CEO of MITRE.

By integrating AI into 6G in the beginning, we can solve a wide range of problems, from enhancing service delivery to unlocking required spectrum availability to fuel wireless growth.

Through all of our collaborations with Nvidia, we look forward to creating impact in 6G, AI, simulation, transportation and more.

Cisco will provide mobile core and network technologies and says it will tap into its existing service provider reach and expertise.

With 6G on the horizon, its critical for the industry to work together to build AI-native networks for the future, said Chuck Robbins, chair and CEO of Cisco.

Cisco is at the forefront of developing secure infrastructure technology for AI, and we are proud to work with Nvidia and the broader ecosystem to create an AI-enhanced network that improves performance, reliability and security for our customers.

Other partners in the collaboration include AI software developer ODC, and cybersecurity specialist Booz Allen, which will develop AI RAN algorithms and secure the AI-native 6G wireless platform.

The future of wireless communications starts today, and its all about AI, said Horacio Rozanski, chairman and CEO of Booz Allen.

Booz Allen has the technologies to make AI-native 6G networks a reality and revolutionise secure communications for an entirely new generation of intelligent platforms and applications.
As international fears of Russian sabotage campaigns grow, common sense might suggest that U.S. officials would be ramping up its efforts to combat Moscows tactics. According to a Reuters report, however, the Trump administration is doing largely the opposite.

Several U.S. national security agencies have halted work on a coordinated effort to counter Russian sabotage, disinformation and cyberattacks, easing pressure on Moscow as the Trump Administration pushes Russia to end its war in Ukraine.

According to the report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, Biden administration officials briefed the incoming Trump administration during the transition period, urging the Republican team to continue monitoring Russias hybrid warfare campaign.

After Donald Trumps inauguration, however, much of the work has come to a standstill, Reuters added. The same report went on to say, Some officials involved in the working groups said they are concerned that the Trump administration is de-prioritizing the issue despite intelligence warnings. The change follows the unwinding of other Russia-focused projects launched by Bidens administration.

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Its that last point thats of particular interest. The Reuters report, in isolation, is unsettling. But considered in a broader context, the pattern paints an even more alarming image.

Last week, for example, Vladimir Putin and his regime let U.S. officials know that they did not want retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg  the White Houses special envoy for Ukraine and Russia  to be involved in ceasefire negotiations. Trump promptly reassigned him. Around the same time, the White House abandoned the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.

The developments were hardly unfamiliar:

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And did I mention that Senate Republicans, at Trumps behest, confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the nations director of national intelligence, despite her habit of echoing Russian propaganda? Because that happened, too.

Whats more, this list might yet grow. Reuters also recently reported that the administration is also eyeing an overhaul to existing U.S. sanctions on Russia.

Imagine a hypothetical scenario in which Putin spoke privately to Trump and provided the American president with a to-do list. Would it look much different than the White Houses agenda from the last two months?

This post updates our related earlier coverage.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
As a presidential candidate in 2024, Donald Trump never came up with a detailed plan related to education policy, but the Republican did make one thing explicitly clear: He wanted to shut down the Education Department if given a second term.

In September 2023, for example, he released a video, which was posted to social media, in which he vowed to scrap the Cabinet agency very early in the administration. He added in March 2024, Its time. Close it up.

As the presidents second term gets underway, hes apparently following through on this  or at least taking steps in that direction. On Thursday afternoon, the president did, in fact, sign an executive order designed to start the process of closing the department. NBC News reported:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to start dismantling the Department of Education. It sounds strange, doesnt it? Department of Education. Were going to eliminate it, Trump said while speaking in the East Room of the White House at a ceremony where he was flanked by children seated at school desks.

The order will not literally shutter the agency  a step that would require an act of Congress. Rather, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the Education Department will still perform its critical functions, including oversight of student loans.

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The executive order, in other words, will start the dismantling process, but it will not permanently and completely close the departments doors.

The announcement comes on the heels of Education Secretary Linda McMahon sending an email to her agencys staff. The title on the message read, Our Departments Final Mission.

Subtle, it was not. A few days later, McMahon was asked on Fox News whether the country needs her department. No, she replied, we dont.

Theres ample evidence to the contrary. At the federal level, the Education Department is responsible for everything from overseeing a massive federal student loan program to administering grants, from collecting key data used in policymaking to enforcing civil rights laws.

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McMahon, incidentally, will get a different job, Trump announced at the signing event.

There is no great public appetite for such a dramatic change. In fact, publicly available polling has long suggested the American public is broadly against scrapping the Education Department. In fact, a recent Washington Post analysis noted that while there hasnt been a lot of recent public opinion research on the issue, virtually all of the polling ... suggests this is not what the American people want. Indeed, it appears to be among the more unpopular things Trump has pushed for.

Evidently, the White House is moving forward with its plans anyway, executing a plan that, like so much of Trump's agenda, was part of the right-wing Project 2025 blueprint.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
At a recent White House event, Donald Trump told reporters that he hoped the stock price for Elon Musks Tesla would go up, but the president did not explicitly urge the public to purchase shares in the company.

A member of the Republicans Cabinet, however, was far more direct. As The New York Times noted:

The commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, followed President Trump by supporting Elon Musk, urging people to buy shares in Tesla, Musks car company. Its unbelievable that this guys stock is this cheap. Itll never be this cheap again, Lutnick said Wednesday on Fox News. ... Teslas stock price has plummeted in the last two months as it faces backlash, including protests and vandalism, over Musks role in the Trump administration.

The Cabinet secretary did not appear to be kidding.

Im mindful that breaches of norms and ethical limits have become routine over the last two months, but this was an egregious display, even by 2025 standards.

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Right off the bat, lets note that its not the commerce secretarys job to give the public investment advice. But given the relevant circumstances, thats where the problems start, not where they end. Making matters far worse, Lutnick  who was confirmed by the Senate and holds an important position of public trust  took it upon himself to urge a national television audience to buy a specific stock tied to the sitting presidents top campaign donor.

If his Democratic predecessor, Gina Raimondo, took such a step, urging Americans to buy stock in a company led by Joe Bidens top campaign contributor, it seems likely that more than a few congressional Republicans would've called for her resignation.

Of course, Lutnick has plenty of company. Trump didnt just give Musk enormous power in his administration, the president also hosted what was effectively an infomercial for Tesla on the White House South Lawn after the companys stock value had dropped sharply.

More recently, Attorney General Pam Bondi appeared on Fox Business and declared, If youre gonna touch a Tesla, go to a dealership, do anything, you better watch out, because were coming after you.

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Soon after, The New York Times reported that Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Musks SpaceX, has been routed through a White House data center.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Politico reported, A top Commerce Department official sent a blistering email to his former colleagues on his way out the door Sunday warning that the Trump administration is poised to unduly enrich Elon Musks satellite internet company with money for rural broadband. The technology offered by Starlink, Musks company, is inferior, wrote Evan Feinman, who had directed the $42.5 billion broadband program for the past three years.

If theres a benign defense for all of this, I cant think of it.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
MCFARLAND, Wis. (WFRV)  After a Madison Water Utility truck was reported stolen in southern Wisconsin, the trucks GPS led officers to the suspect, who then started a pursuit.

According to the McFarland Police Department, officers were warned of a stolen City of Madison Water Utility truck that had been taken by a male suspect around 11 a.m. on March 19.

The stolen truck had GPS enabled, leading to officers finding out that it was driving south from Madison and into the Village of McFarland. Shortly after, officers located the stolen utility truck.

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Sheriff in Wisconsin reminds residents stealing political signs is considered property damage

When officers attempted to stop the stolen truck, the suspect allegedly failed to stop and increased its speed in an attempt to flee.

McFarland squad camera photo showing the stolen truck disabled in the ditch (McFarland Police Department)

A pursuit began south on Highway 51 out of the Village. A deputy with the Dane County Sheriffs Office was able to successfully deploy spike strips, deflating one of the trucks tires. Afterward, the suspect crashed into a ditch after failing to turn in a roundabout at Highway B.

Wisconsin police seek publics help identifying vehicle in hit-and-run crash

The suspect, a 40-year-old man from Madison, then reportedly fled on foot and was eventually taken into custody on the following felony charges:

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Attempted Fleeing/Eluding an Officer

2nd Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety

Operating a Vehicle without Owners Consent

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.
Primary school children in Madrid will be banned from using laptops and tablets in classrooms to protect their mental and physical health.

Madrids regional government has said it is removing devices out of concern for childrens mental wellbeing, the impact of addiction to screens and exposure to inappropriate material online, promising instead a return to traditional teaching methods.

Emilio Viciana, Madrids regional education minister, said on Thursday that the misuse of computers and tablets was affecting childrens health and at the root of mental issues such as depression.

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He also said numerous studies have shown that the ability to read and write does not develop equally when working on a screen as opposed to paper.

Madrids government, led by the outspoken conservative regional premier Isabel Diaz Ayuso, said it is the first in Spain to take such a step, which will apply to schoolchildren up to the age of 12.

The ban, which will come into force for the next academic year, affects some 2,000 publicly-funded schools in the Madrid region, with those centres which have switched their curricula to a predominantly computer-based system given an extra year to adopt the measures.

Problem with screens is within families

Mr Viciana explained that the individual use of a screen by pupils in the classroom will not be permitted, but a limited amount of time can still be spent on supervised collective learning of how to use computer technology.

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In the first five years of primary education, between the ages of three and eight, the maximum time allowed for tech classes will be one hour a week, extending to two hours for pupils aged 11 to 12. Teachers will no longer be allowed to set homework on digital platforms.

We intend to return to the essence of books, notebooks, dictation, careful spelling and handwriting, and we will make all of this compatible with ensuring that Madrid students acquire the much-needed digital skills, a spokesman for Ms Ayusos government said.

The move has received criticism from some parents groups and teachers unions.

The problem with screens is not in educational centres, but rather within families. Its the schools job to teach how to use them, said Isabel Galvin, the education secretary of the CCOO, Spains largest trade union.

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In the UK, a recent report by the House of Commons education committee expressed concerns about the use of tech in the classroom.

Noting that Britains educational technology sector is the largest in Europe with more schools in England using AI than ever before, the report urged the Labour government to carry out a risk assessment and to ensure Ofcom checks on the safety of software and the use of childrens data.

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.
Allies of President Donald Trump accused a Democratic congresswoman of organizing and enabling terrorism for speaking to a group planning non-violent protests against Elon Musks Tesla.

Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) spoke Wednesday on a livestream set up by #TeslaTakedown, which has organized picketing outside the vehicle manufacturers showrooms in recent weeks, as well as encouraged supporters to sell their Teslas and dump the companys stock. She explicitly told the audience that she was advocating non-violent protest only.

The group, which opposes Musks role in the Trump administrations dramatic cuts to federal spending, said it is planning its biggest day of action on March 29, when supporters are slated to picket 277 Tesla locations in the United States and more than 500 abroad.

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For participating in the livestream, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), a staunch Trump ally, accused Crockett in a social media post of organizing political violence and terrorism.

A Member of Congress is organizing political violence and terrorism.@AGPamBondi @FBIDirectorKash https://t.co/wM7ayGR3tt  Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) March 20, 2025

The Republican Greene chairs a House subcommittee focused on the government cuts being pursued by the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency, while Crockett is one of its Democratic members.

Laura Loomer, the far-right conspiracy theorist who was a travelling guest of Trump during the election campaign, similarly charged in a social media post that Crockett should be censured for enabling Domestic Terrorism.

Loomer also falsely claimed she had obtained an exclusive video of Crockett speaking to the #TeslaTakedown livestream. In fact, it was publicly streamed on YouTube, where it remains available for anyone with internet access.

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Musk reacted to Loomers exclusive with a single word: Wow.

During her remarks on the call, Crockett told organizers: I am truly here for very selfish reasons, starting with on March 29 its my birthday and all I want to see happen on my birthday is for Elon to be taken down.

She repeatedly stressed that she was advocating for peaceful protest against Musk and at one point after stating protestors were fighting for democracy and fighting for our freedoms, she paused to note the word fight was meant figuratively.

Obviously, everything that I am promoting is non-violent, she added.

Crockett went on to tell the livestream that the best way to show that we are American is by using our constitutional rights and deciding that we are going to engage in protest, especially when we have elected officials and then unelected people like [Musk].

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The so-called #TeslaTakedown protests began in earnest in early February with demonstrations at a handful of Tesla locations and has since grown to include hundreds of people nationwide.

Two of the lead organizers are Hollywood actor Alex Winter, best known for his role in Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure, and the Boston University sociologist Joan Donovan, a leading expert on disinformation.

Both spoke during Tuesdays livestream alongside actor John Cusack, journalists, federal workers, and union representatives.

Unrelated to the protests, there has been a wave of arson and vandalism targeting Tesla showrooms, which Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have labeled domestic terrorism.

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In accusing Crockett of being involved in domestic terrorism for speaking to #TeslaTakedown, Greene, Loomer and other MAGA fixtures on social media appeared to be attempting to conflate the constitutionally protected right to freedom of assembly with violent criminal acts.

Meanwhile, the backlash against Teslawhich Musk joined as chairman in 2004 and became CEO of in 2008has coincided with major challenges to the companys core revenues.

Data released in Europe, Australia, and China in recent weeks suggests competitors are claiming a larger share of the electric vehicle market, while Teslas shares have fallen 41 percent this year, as of Wednesdays market close.
A MAGA influencer known for posting sensationalized videos of homeless people in San Francisco was indicted Tuesday on federal charges of producing child sex abuse material.

Ricci Wynne, 39, known as Raw Ricci to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers, was first arrested in November and charged with pimping and pandering by procuring, HuffPost previously reported. He was taken into custody alongside a woman shortly after arriving at San Francisco International Airport.

Ricci Lee Wynne has garnered more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and over 29,000 followers on X with his content complaining about crime in San Francisco. Instagram @rawricci415

The influencer was already being investigated by San Francisco police at the time of his November arrest and was named a suspect in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old, according to The San Francisco Standard. Authorities say they found evidence on Wynnes cellphones and at his luxury apartment that indicated he was facilitating a sex work operation that spanned multiple cities.

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Wynne pleaded not guilty to those charges, according to the San Francisco District Attorneys Office.

On Tuesday, however, a federal grand jury indicted Wynne on two counts of producing child pornography, according to an indictment obtained by HuffPost.

The document accuses Wynne of producing child sex abuse material in April and October 2022 with two different minors. He is currently in federal custody, and if convicted, he would face a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Wynne built a social media following as a purported hard-on-crime activist by filming homeless people, sometimes harassing them, and showing drug use in San Franciscos SoMa and Tenderloin districts. He has appeared on Fox News as a guest on Jesse Watters Primetime and Tucker Carlson Tonight. According to the news network, Wynne appeared six times, most recently in 2023.

Related...
The Trump administration is waging an authoritarian assault on civil rights as it targets universities  institutions often reviled by right-wingers  and tries to deport an activist whos a legal permanent resident of the United States, all under the guise of thwarting antisemitism.

Meanwhile, some of the most prominent influencers in the conservative movement are praising Nazi apologists and defending Adolf Hitler.

An aptly named blog that closely tracks far-right extremism, AngryWhiteMen.org, published a detailed report on MAGA-aligned podcaster Joe Rogans recent praise for a Nazi apologist named Daryl Cooper, who faced fierce condemnation last year for defending Nazi Germany in a podcast interview with Tucker Carlson. On the podcast, Rogan promoted a variation of the racist and antisemitic replacement theory while discussing immigration and defended Cooper from allegations of Nazi apologism, saying his work is very valuable to me, and its very valuable to human beings that want to hear this nuanced, comprehensive perspective on these conflicts.

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The AngryWhiteMen blog also recently published a thorough report on popular conservative influencer Jake Shields abhorrent claim that Hitler wasnt pushing hatred towards other races.

And these arent isolated incidents. Hitler-loving rapper Ye and white nationalist influencer Nick Fuentes, whom Donald Trump hosted for dinner in 2022, were both seen this week in a since-deleted video posted by Ye on X, in which the rapper was wearing a swastika necklace seemingly made out of diamonds.

And Leo Terrell, the former Fox News contributor tapped to lead Trumps so-called antisemitism task force, recently shared a prominent white nationalists tweet saying the president can revoke someones Jew card, in response to a tweet with footage of Trumps antisemitic claim that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer used to be Jewish  hes not Jewish anymore. Hes a Palestinian.

All this to say: Dont be gaslit. As the Trump administration uses claims of antisemitism to crack down on civil rights, the president is leading a movement growing more emboldened in its support for Nazi apologists, Nazi ideology and Hitler himself.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
In the first two months of 2025, Barracuda detection systems blocked over a million phishing attacks by prominent Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) platforms. A new report on the tools and techniques used in the attacks highlights how PhaaS platforms are evolving rapidly to become more dangerous and evasive. Many target users of popular cloud-based platforms such as Microsoft 365.

Most (89%) of the detected incidents involved the sophisticated Tycoon 2FA, followed by EvilProxy, which accounted for 8% of attacks, and the newcomer, Sneaky 2FA, which was behind 3% of the incidents.

The three platforms have different and distinct toolsets, with some common elements such as the use of the Telegram messaging service to further attacks.

Tycoon 2FA  rapid innovation in evasion tools

Barracuda threat analysts reported on Tycoon 2FA in January 2025. Since then, the platform has continued to develop and enhance its evasive tactics, becoming even harder to detect.

Among other upgrades, the code script for credential theft and exfiltration is now encrypted and obfuscated using a substitution cypher and sometimes an invisible character (known as a Hangul Filler).

The new and enhanced script can identify a victims browser type to help with attack customisation and features links to the Telegram service that can be used to secretly send stolen data to attackers.

The script also enables parts of a web page to be updated independently of the rest of the page and includes AES encryption to disguise credentials before exfiltrating them to a remote server. All this makes detection by security tools far more difficult.

EvilProxy - a dangerously accessible tool

EvilProxy attacks can be implemented with minimal technical expertise. It targets widely used services such as Microsoft 365, Google, and other cloud-based platforms, tricking victims into entering their credentials into seemingly legitimate login pages.

The source code used by EvilProxy for its phishing webpage closely matches that of the original Microsoft login page. This makes it difficult to distinguish the malicious site from the original, legitimate website.

Sneaky 2FA fills in the phish form for victims

The third most prominent PhaaS in early 2025 was Sneaky 2FA, the platform for adversary-in-the-the-middle (AiTM) attacks targeting Microsoft 365 accounts in search of credentials and access. Like Tycoon 2FA, it leverages the messaging platform Telegram.

Sneaky 2FA checks to make sure the user is a legitimate target and not a security tool, bot or other adversary  if this is the case, the victim is redirected to a harmless site elsewhere - before pre-filling the fake phishing page with the victims email address by abusing Microsoft 365s autograb functionality.

The platforms that power phishing-as-a-service are increasingly complex and evasive, making phishing attacks both harder for traditional security tools to detect and more powerful in terms of the damage they can do, said Saravanan Mohankumar at Barracuda. An advanced, multilayered defense strategy with AI/ML enabled detection, combined with a strong security culture and consistent security access and authentication policies, will help to protect organisations and employees against PhaaS based attacks.
A Republican state senator allegedly brought a condom and cash to what he thought was going to be a meet-up with a 17-year-old girl for sex. Now, hes been charged by the Justice Department.

Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn, who is behind the introduction of a bill classifying Trump Derangement Syndrome as a mental illness, was charged with one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, acting U.S. Attorney Lisa Kirkpatrick announced Wednesday. News of his arrest was announced by authorities on Tuesday.

The criminal complaint alleges that Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, began to text with undercover FBI agents pretending to be underage girls offering paid sex on March 11.

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Hey [fictitious name] I saw your post and [sic] chance you are still available tonight? Eichorn said, according to an affidavit by FBI agent Matthew Vogel. Whats a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.

The following day, Eichorn asked the supposed girl if she was available today, according to the complaint. When an undercover officer posing as the girl said yes, Eichorn allegedly replied, Awesome where ya at and whats your rates.

On the same day, Eichorn asked the fictitious girl how old she was, and officers responded: kinda nervous 2 say im 17 sry dont want u 2 b mad.

In a later conversation about age, Eichorn said he was 38 years old and allegedly told the girl: Its says age of consent is 16  over 18 is in a position of authority over you like a teacher or friends parent.

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The texts went on until March 13 and included a request from Eichorn for the girl to send naught pictures with lot less clothes, according to the allegations.

The officers arranged to meet with Eichorn on Monday. He arrived in a white Toyota Tundra and was arrested shortly after.

During an inventory search of the vehicle, police locatedamongst other thingstwo Apple iPhones, an unopened Trojan brand condom in the driver side door, $105 cash in the driver side door handle, and $24 cash in the center console, the complaint stated.

Kirkpatrick, the acting U.S. attorney, said her office has no tolerance for public officials who violate federal lawparticularly those laws meant to protect children.

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This case is yet another example of why tougher laws are necessary, Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said. Our state legislature must take this issue seriouslyprotecting children should never be up for debate.

The Daily Beast has reached out to Eichorns office for comment.

We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family, Minnesota Senate Republicans said in a statement.

According to KALB, Eichorn is due to appear on court on Thursday. He is being held at the Hennepin County Jail with a $75,000 bail.

Eichorn was one of five Republicans who sponsored a Minnesota bill to classify Trump Derangement Syndrome as a mental illness.
Minnesota state Senator Justin Eichorn resigned from jail on Thursday, after being arrested earlier this week on charges of arranging to solicit a minor for prostitution.

The MAGA Republican was arrested on Monday after being caught in a sting operation orchestrated by Bloomington Police. According to law enforcement in the Minneapolis suburb, Eichorn attempted to orchestrate a meeting with what he thought was a 17-year-old girl, but what really a detective, and was arrested without incident when he arrived at the proposed location.

Coverage of Eichorns arrest took on an added level of intensity given that hours before his arrest, the state senator co-sponsored a bill that would make Trump Derangement Syndrome an officially recognized mental illness in the state of Minnesota.

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Trump Derangement Syndrome means the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump, the proposed legislation read. Symptoms may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trumps behavior.

Trump Derangement Syndrome may not be a real mental illness  no matter how much Republicans wish it was  but what is a real, codified crime is attempting to pay an underage teenager for sex.

Governor Walz, I am resigning my seat in the Minnesota Senate for District Six, effective immediately. I must focus on personal matters at this time. It has been an honor to serve in the Minnesota Senate, Eichorn wrote in his resignation.

In the criminal complaint against Eichorn, an FBI agent assigned to the Minneapolis Division and the Minnesota Child Exploitation Task Force wrote that in conversations with the undercover detective, Eichorn requested a naught pic of what he believed to be a teenage girl, asking her to send him something with a lot less clothes, and discussed the age of consent with the undercover detective after soliciting the price of various sexual acts.

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During an inventory search of [Eichorns] vehicle, police located  amongst other things  two Apple iPhones, an unopened Trojan brand condom in the driver side door, $105 cash in the driver side door handle, and $24 cash in the center console, the complaint reads.

Last year, the Bloomington Police Department described the suburb as an Orange Jumpsuit District as opposed to a Red Light District in a Youtube video series on local law enforcement.

As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someones child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up, Hodges said in a statement after Eichorns arrest. I have always advocated stiffer penalties for these types of offenses [] We need our state legislature to take this case and this type of conduct more seriously.

Lawmakers in Minnesota were decisive in their calls for Eichorns resignation. Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) told the Star Tribune on Thursday that there is a line in the sand [] if youre accused with a felony, I think thats serious enough  our law has distinguished that as a very serious crime. This clearly is a very serious crime, and so we are going to do the right thing as a caucus and we move forward in a very decisive way.

On Wednesday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, told reporters that he believed Eichorn should resign. When youre in a position of elected office, the bar is higher for you, Walz said.

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Maggie, one of the five oldest chimps in the United States passed away one month short of her 56th birthday, the San Francisco Zoo has announced. In the months leading up to her death, she was diagnosed with lymphoma and placed under palliative care to ensure her last months were comfortable, the SF Zoo said.

She will be remembered by the harmony she brought to her troop of chimpanzees at the SF Zoo, officials said. Tanya Peterson, CEO and Executive Director at SF Zoo remembers moments of Maggie, asserting her leadership with strength and grace, with her fellow chimpanzees.

Maggie was known for creating elaborate blanket nests notorious for their colorful ensemble. Dominic Dorsa, EVP of Animal Care, remembers how, this simple joy provided her with comfort, and it was a beautiful reminder of the softer side of her personality.

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At the age of two years old, Maggie came to the San Francisco Zoo in 1970, turning the Zoo into a home in the fifty plus years she spent there. Peterson remembers how, Maggie touched the hearts of all who knew her, and her impact on our Zoo and the resulting conservation efforts for her species will not be forgotten.

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Mar. 19Maine is considering allowing doctors who prescribe medications used to perform abortions to keep their names off prescription labels in a change that advocates say would help protect them from legal risks and attacks.

Lawmakers held a public hearing Wednesday on a bill that would permit doctors who prescribe mifepristone, misoprostol and their generic alternatives to use the name of the health care facility they work for on the prescription label rather than their own name, as is currently required by state law.

Mifepristone and misoprostol are medications used to manage miscarriages and abortions within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

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Rep. Sally Cluchey, D-Bowdoinham, the bill's sponsor, told the Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee that the change would offer additional protection for abortion providers amid increasing threats of violence and attacks after the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.

It follows legislation that Maine passed last year to provide legal protections for doctors who provide abortions and gender-affirming care that has been banned in a patient's home state.

"This bill, LD 538, builds on those protections, ensuring that health care providers can continue to serve patients without fear of harassment or harm," Cluchey said. "Without this additional protection, medical professionals in Maine, who are already being targeted by states seeking to criminalize care, remain vulnerable to legal intimidation."

Maine is not the only state to consider changes to its requirements around prescription labeling to protect abortion providers. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation last month allowing prescribers of medical abortion to request that pharmacies print the name of their practice rather than their personal name on prescription labels.

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Washington state passed a similar law last year, and a proposal is also being considered in Illinois.

The New York legislation came after a doctor there was criminally charged in Louisiana for prescribing an abortion pill that was taken by a Louisiana teenager. The same doctor is also facing a civil lawsuit in Texas for allegedly providing a Texas woman with abortion pills via telemedicine.

In the aftermath of the fall of Roe v. Wade in 2022, some states, like Maine, have taken steps to ensure abortion remains legal while others have rolled back protections or enacted abortion bans. Twelve states currently ban abortion, according to the health policy organization KFF.

"In this tumultuous national landscape, Maine has remained a safe harbor for those seeking access to vitally needed sexual and reproductive health care," said Lisa Margulies, vice president of public affairs, Maine, for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.

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Margulies said the bill would protect the privacy and safety of Maine clinicians who might be targeted for their work.

"This would deter abortion opponents from out of state from weaponizing a discarded or otherwise obtained pill bottle," she said.

According to the National Abortion Federation's 2022 Violence & Disruption Statistics report, stalking incidents targeting abortion clinic staff and patients rose 229% from 2021 to 2022 while threats of harm and death threats to abortion providers rose 20%.

Cluchey cited that report Wednesday, as well as examples of harassment and acts of intimidation at abortion clinics in Maine. In one case last year, two men followed a patient into Maine Family Planning's Lewiston clinic and tried to gain access to the patient waiting room, she said. And in another case, protestors blockaded a clinic entrance in Waterville.

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"These are only a fraction of the harassment providers are experiencing," Cluchey said.

Most of the testimony the committee heard Wednesday was in support, although the Retail Association of Maine testified against the proposal on behalf of pharmacies.

President and CEO Curtis Picard told the committee that pharmacies are concerned the bill would conflict with labeling requirements in federal law.

In response to a committee member's question about how New York and Washington have been able to enact similar laws, Picard said the retail association has received conflicting information and he is still looking into the issue.

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"(Our pharmacies) had an attorney say they think it can be done and Washington has done it, but then I've had my pharmacy corporate counsel say, 'No, we still think it violates federal rules,'" Picard said.

Picard also told the committee it would be difficult for pharmacies to "delete" the prescriber's name in the technological systems they use.

"Each system is different technology-wise, and the ability to modify that system would be costly and very difficult," he said.

Picard said in an interview after the hearing that the association has no problems with the intent of the bill.

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"We're happy to keep talking with the committee and see if there's a way forward," he said.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland also submitted testimony against the bill.

"This prescription should not be treated any differently than other prescribed drugs," the diocese said in written testimony. "The proponents of abortion consider it healthcare so it should be treated as such and held to the same standards."

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Mar. 19Julia Lipez was about to join New England's federal appeals court in Boston when she got caught up in a political deal made by the U.S. Senate. Now, Maine is poised to confirm her to the state's highest court.

A committee of state lawmakers unanimously endorsed Lipez's nomination to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday after a public hearing at the State House. The Senate now has to vote on whether to confirm her.

Lipez received broad support from Maine legislators, unlike in Congress, where she and other nominees of then-President Joe Biden were subjected to hyperpartisan debate. Her nomination to the federal bench was effectively scrapped so Senate Democrats could confirm more lower-level judicial nominations before President Donald Trump took office.

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Trump has yet to announce his nominee for the appeals court, but Lipez has already moved on.

Gov. Janet Mills announced her selection of Lipez last month to fill the year-old vacancy on the high court, replacing Associate Justice Joseph Jabar.

On Wednesday, state lawmakers also voted 8-2 to advance Mills' nomination of former U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee to serve on the state superior court. (McElwee was also terminated amid the change in administration.)

Both women are lifelong Mainers with extensive legal experience, namely as federal prosecutors.

JULIA LIPEZ

Lipez, of Cape Elizabeth, was joined at the Legislature on Wednesday by her husband, two children and parents, including Judge Kermit Lipez, who serves on the U.S. 1st Circuit Court of Appeals where she initially planned to serve.

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She said Wednesday that her great-grandparents, who immigrated to the United States after enduring antisemitism in Eastern Europe, "would be quite amazed" at her family's experience in the courts.

Lipez is a Stanford Law School graduate who began her legal career with a prestigious clerkship at the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals based in Virginia. She worked for three years at a large law firm in New York before returning to Maine in 2011 to work for the U.S. Attorney's Office, where she prosecuted cases involving human trafficking, fraud, narcotics and child exploitation.

She would later coordinate Maine's efforts to fight human trafficking and oversee the U.S. Attorney's Office's appellate division before becoming a Maine superior court judge in 2022. She has presided over cases in western Maine, Kennebec County and Portland, "giving (her) an opportunity to see up close the lives of Mainers from different parts of the state and how they are affected by the criminal legal system."

Lipez was asked twice Wednesday about questions raised by U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, during her nomination process to the federal bench, in which he accused her of giving a light sentence in 2023 to a Woodstock man convicted of unlawful sexual contact with two young girls.

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As she told Kennedy, Lipez she is obligated to follow sentencing laws set by the Legislature. Lipez said she ordered what prosecutors had requested and that she takes victims' concerns seriously.

"I have personally sat many times with victims and survivors of crime while they have shared with me in harrowing detail what they experienced," Lipez said.

District Attorney Neil McLean, whose office worked on the Woodstock case, defended Lipez's decision in that case, saying she was only allowed to consider a sentence based on limited facts shared in court.

"Oftentimes, they only know what we provided them, or what they learned from the trial," McLean said.

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Several attorneys, including a former federal prosecutor, members of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and the Maine State Bar Association, testified in support of Lipez's nomination Wednesday. No one in attendance spoke against her.

DARCIE McELWEE

McElwee, of Scarborough, was most recently the District of Maine's chief federal law enforcement officer. She was terminated in February by order of the Trump administration, which is not uncommon during presidential turnover. The Trump administration has yet to announce a new nominee.

She was raised in Aroostook County and is a University of Maine School of Law graduate. Her parents were "career public servants," McElwee said. Her mother, Carol McElwee, taught English and was a Republican state lawmaker from 2012 to 2018. Her father was an attorney and district judge.

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Gerald Reid, an attorney for the governor's office, highlighted McElwee's lengthy experience prosecuting domestic violence cases. Several Maine attorneys, both prosecutors and defense, sang her praises.

McElwee told lawmakers the state has come a long way since her first domestic violence case in the late 1990s, when she was a prosecutor in Bangor. She also discussed her experience prosecuting firearm-related offenses in a uniquely gun friendly state.

"Maine is a hunting and sport state," McElwee said. "Maine gun owners want to be responsible as a whole."

At one point in questioning, McElwee was asked about videos she has made as U.S. attorney recognizing Transgender Day of Remembrance and Transgender Day of Visibility.

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McElwee told lawmakers she didn't believe these were political positions and that she made videos raising awareness for elder abuse, sextortion and human trafficking.

"It wasn't to take any political position, it wasn't to take any activist role, but instead to take the No. 1 job that I had: to make sure that every person who lived in Maine felt safe," McElwee said.

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Mar. 20Maine's highest court has ruled that a Portland man who was convicted for a shooting a woman at the Riverton Park housing complex must be resentenced.

Abdihamit Ali, 25, was sentenced to seven years in prison in September 2023, about a year after he was accused of shooting and injuring a 20-year-old woman. Bullets also went through the walls of a 4-year-old boy's nearby bedroom.

He was found guilty after a jury trial on charges of elevated aggravated assault, reckless conduct with a firearm and criminal mischief.

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But Ali appealed the sentencing decision, saying the court should not have allowed certain testimony from a detective during the trial, and that the counts of aggravated assault and reckless conduct amounted to double jeopardy and should have been merged. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court agreed on the second point and ordered in a ruling Thursday that he be resentenced.

"Because the jury could have found Ali guilty of Counts 1 and 2 based on the same conduct, the court's failure to merge the two convictions constitutes obvious error," the ruling reads.

Ali, who called from the Maine State Prison on Wednesday afternoon, said he feels "blessed" to have won his appeal.

"I'm just praying, when I go back down there, that I get a sentence that's fair this time," Ali said.

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He said he graduates from the University of Maine at Augusta in May and is staying positive and hoping to be able to return to friends and family after graduation.

Ali's attorney, Rory McNamara, said he appreciates the court's thoughtfulness on the appeal. A spokesperson for the attorney general's office, which prosecuted the case, declined to comment on the ruling and said the new sentencing hearing has not been scheduled yet.

According to investigators, the shooting stemmed from a fight hours earlier at the Woodford Club. Ali later fired multiple gunshots, striking Marwa Mohammad in the leg as she was getting out of her car in Riverton Park, a public housing complex. Some of those bullets pierced the walls of a nearby apartment building and entered the room where a mother and child were sleeping.

Mohammad survived and spent several weeks on crutches.

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Ali argued that the jury should not have been allowed to hear testimony from a detective, who testified that Ali was not home after the shooting. But that information came from other officers who went to Ali's house and heard that information from his mother. In his appeal, Ali argued that the court should not have admitted that testimony because it came from multiple levels of hearsay.

Though the supreme court agreed with Ali's argument on that issue, the ruling states that the "error was harmless" and would not have affected the outcome of the jury.

Still, the ruling states, Ali should not be punished twice for counts "of the same offense."

"Ali could have been convicted of two offenses with two different victims, as articulated by the State on appeal, without running afoul of the prohibition against double jeopardy," the decision reads. "But that is not how he was charged."

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Ali said during the phone interview that he felt that he was overcharged out of prejudice, and said he's seen others being sentenced for less time for more serious crimes than his.

He compared his case to that of Eddie Roberts, a man who Ali's attorneys have said was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to a charge in an unrelated shooting. At that time, prosecutors argued it wasn't comparable for sentencing because Roberts had pleaded guilty.

"We're around the same age, grew up in the same area, the only difference was our skin color," Ali said.

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A former maintenance technician has filed a lawsuit saying he had raised safety concerns about the free-fall ride at a Florida amusement park before a Missouri teenager fell off and plunged to his death in 2022.

Tyre Sampson, 14, was visiting from Missouri during spring break when he went on a free-fall ride at ICON Park in Orlando. Sampson fell at least 100 feet and sustained numerous broken bones and internal injuries.

The autopsy showed Sampson weighed 383 pounds, nearly 100 pounds more than the rides 285-pound limit. A report into the death found that he was not properly secured because the ride had been adjusted manually to double the size of the opening for restraints on two seats.

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Austin Campbell-Alexander, a former maintenance technician at the park, claimed that he noticed safety issues with the Free Fall ride and flagged them to his bosses  but that they continued to operate the ride.

He said he noticed issues with the ride's seats and structural integrity in January 2022 and noticed cracks in the joints of the rides gondola. He also alleged the ride's safety equipment was being overridden by an operations manager using a replacement sensor for two seats to accommodate heavier riders than normally allowed.

Campbell-Alexander worked at the park from April 2021 until his termination on March 31, 2023.

He filed a state whistleblower lawsuit Wednesday in Orange County Florida civil court against Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot LLC and the Slingshot group of companies, described as the constructors, operators or owners of the park ride.

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Trevor Arnold, an attorney for rides operators, countered Campbell-Alexanders allegations, saying: Mr. Campbell-Alexanders claims are in direct conflict with statements he provided following the accident, which will no doubt be demonstrated in Court.

He alleged that beginning in March 2022  two weeks before Sampsons death  he and a co-worker noticed the pneumatic cylinder on the seats  a metal cylinder described as responsible for locking and holding the customers into the seat  was too hot. The suit also alleges they noticed issues with the ride's electrical switches.

The suit says that when there are issues with the pneumatic cylinders, it does not allow for the seats to secure properly, which puts riders at risk.

Campbell-Alexander described the issues as "dangerous" and alerted his supervisor. The following morning the wiring was changed, but the ride would not run because of the changes.

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The suit says Campbell-Alexander notified his supervisor every time he noticed a safety issue.

The suit says it was determined that a technician from the ride's manufacturer in Austria had to come and reprogram the ride. Yet the defendants continued to operate the ride, bypassing the safety issue, the suit alleges.

By operating a knowingly unsafe ride to the public, defendants prioritized profits over patron safety, the complaint says.

Relatives and friends of Tyre Sampson leave items at a vigil in front of the Orlando FreeFall drop tower on March 28, 2022.

Three days after Sampsons death, Campbell-Alexander says, he was called into the office of Richie Armstrong, an official with Orlando Slingshot, to be interviewed by an investigator hired by the defendants. During the investigation period, Campbell-Alexander says, his bosses asked him to backfill blank maintenance logs and sign off on certain maintenance tasks as having been performed, and he objected. Around April 2022, he was placed on leave and not allowed to return to the park.

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Sampsons family reached a settlement with ICON Park and Eagle Drop Slingshot, the rides owner, in 2023. Last year, a Florida jury also awarded the family $310 million in a wrongful death suit against the Austrian company that manufactured the ride, Funtime Handels GmbH.

After the civil suit with Sampsons family was settled, Armstrong called Campbell-Alexander on March 23, 2023, saying he was being terminated, the suit sayd.

Clearly, Plaintiff was only put on paid leave while defendants attempted to resolve the civil lawsuit with the family of T. Sampson because Plaintiff refused to fraudulently affirm false maintenance logs, it says.

The complaint alleges violation of Floridas private-sector whistleblower act and demands back pay and front pay in lieu of reinstatement and damages in excess of $50,000.

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Greg Schmitz, an attorney for Campbell-Alexander, said in a statement: "The defendants allegedly refused to take the necessary steps to fix the problem and chose to keep the ride open, putting all riders at risk and ultimately contributing to the death" of Sampson.

"Instead of taking accountability for their actions, the defendants allegedly tried to cover up their mistakes and, when Mr. Alexander refused to help, placed him on leave and terminated him," he continued. "We will work to hold Orlando Eagle Drop Slingshot accountable and send a message to all ride owners and operators that you cannot sweep safety concerns under the rug or punish workers who bring them to light."

Arnold, the attorney for the ride's operators, claimed that Campbell-Alexander's work on the ride had contributed to Sampson's death.

Our clients promptly investigated the tragic accident that resulted in the death of Tyre Sampson. Upon discovering that Mr. Campbell-Alexander adjusted the sensors that resulted in the accident, he was suspended and relieved of any further involvement or access to any rides. Upon learning of Mr. Campbell-Alexanders and other employees conduct, we proactively notified investigating authorities," Arnold said.

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Arnold said the ride operators cooperated with investigators and "worked diligently to resolve the litigation and claims with Tyres family as well as the administrative agencies involved."

The Free Fall ride was dismantled in March 2023.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Gov. Spencer Cox said Thursday he plans to sign several bills that will bring big changes to Utahs government records access law.

At the top of the list is legislation that will do away with the State Records Committee, the longstanding seven-member volunteer panel that resolves disputes over whether a record is public or private under the Government Records Access and Management Act or GRAMA.

SB277 will replace the committee with an administrative law judge appointed by the governor to a four-year term.

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Sen. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, who sponsored the bill, said during the legislative session that the current records committee process is flawed. He said the panels decisions are inconsistent because its members are not trained in the law. He also said state and legislative audits found few cases in recent years were resolved within the 73 days the law requires and last year the average time was 156 days.

Cox said at his monthly PBS Utah news conference that the change is best for Utahns and state government.

Look, we have about a four- to six-month backlog often when it comes to these issues going before the board. What were doing is were putting in an administrative law judge, somebody who understands the law and who can rule very quickly on these issues thats going to help all of you not have to wait for these decisions to get those decisions out more quickly, the governor said.

So were always trying to make sure we have the right balance in government, and I think these bills do.

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The records committee has been part of GRAMA since the legislature passed it in 1991. Courts have upheld the committees rulings 98% of the time, according to the Utah Media Coalition, a consortium of new outlets the seeks to keep government records open.

Black hole award

Veteran journalist and former State Records Committee member Tom Haraldsen said at a legislative committee hearing last month that decisions are better when a group of people share their thoughts.

I think that the SRC is the last bastion of transparency in this state. It gives an opportunity for every citizen who has a complaint to be heard, to be seen, to voice their concerns, not just simply file paperwork that one person looks at and decides if its true or valid, he said.

The media coalition initially opposed the bill but took a neutral position after lawmakers removed a provision that would have essentially gutted the open records law.

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On Friday, the Society of Professional Journalists, one of the nations oldest and largest journalism organizations, gave the Legislature its 2025 Black Hole Award for undermining government transparency.

Howard Goldberg, retired Associated Press bureau chief and member of the SPJ Freedom of Information Committee, said in a statement that the records committee with its diverse perspectives was ideally suited to look out for the public interest in free information.

Replacing that committee with a governors appointee can only reduce accountability and undermine public confidence in government, he said.

SB277 was among several bills aimed at GRAMA.

Access more expensive

Another, HB69, will make the process for appealing the denial of a government record more costly. It prevents someone who successfully gets access to records on appeal from recovering court costs, unless the government showed bad faith. That means they could incur an expense opposing the government even if its decided they should have been given the records in the first place.

The possibility that government would have to pay attorney fees for wrongfully denying a citizen access to public records was a powerful incentive for agencies to comply with the law. HB69 took that away. Now government can deny requests and citizens will have no recourse because going to court is too expensive, said Jeff Hunt, an attorney who represents the media coalition.
TOPEKA (KSNT)  The owner of numerous Topeka apartment complexes has paid more than $70,000 in fines following the conclusion of courtroom proceedings earlier this week.

27 News got in touch with Dan Garrett, spokesman for the City of Topeka, who said a defense attorney representing Eucalyptus Real Estate, LLC paid a $61,148 fine on Tuesday, March 18 as part of a plea agreement. The fines were paid on top of an additional $9,416.78 paid by Eucalyptus LLC for cleanup fees associated with trash problems at local apartment complexes.

The City of Topeka and its Property Maintenance Division (PMU) took legal action against Eucalyptus LLC and its owner Lew McGinnis late last year for alleged trash violations at numerous apartments. Tenants at these apartments came together to draw attention to the issues in 2024 which included overflowing dumpsters filled with garbage they said were a danger to the publics health.

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Topeka business leaders look for positives despite loss of retail giants, Heartland Motorsports Park

The City of Topekas prosecution and PMU teams successfully brought forty-seven PMU cases against numerous LLCs with the principal owner Lew McGinnis, to a resolution, Garrett said. These cases stemmed from a month-long investigation in December 2024, following numerous complaints about excessive trash accumulation and the absence of proper dumpsters across thirty-eight multi-family housing complexes.

Garrett said an investigation by the City of Topeka found that numerous properties owned by McGinnis had lost their contracts with a trash pickup company. This led to serious health and safety hazards that prompted the PMU to open 36 sanitation cases and 11 housing cases against McGinnis.

This outcome reinforces the importance of proactive enforcement and interdepartmental collaboration in holding property owners accountable for maintaining safe and sanitary living conditions, Garrett said.

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An attorney representing Eucalyptus filed a lawsuit on Dec. 31, 2024 against LRS South, LLC for allegedly breaking its contract with Eucalyptus. The lawsuit asked LRS South to pay $75,000 in damages.

What is blocking construction for the $49 million home for veterans in Topeka?

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Malaysias government has given final approval for a Texas-based marine robotics company to renew the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean more than a decade ago.

Cabinet ministers agreed to terms and conditions for a no-find, no-fee contract with Texas-based Ocean Infinity to resume the seabed search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) site in the ocean, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a statement Wednesday. Ocean Infinity will be paid $70 million only if wreckage is discovered.

The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on a flight from Malaysias capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing. Satellite data showed the plane turned from its flight path and headed south to the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.

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An expensive multinational search failed to turn up any clues to its location, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing.

The final approval for a new search came three months after Malaysia gave the nod in principle to plans for a fresh search.

Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett earlier this year reportedly said the company had improved its technology since 2018. He has said the firm is working with many experts to analyze data and had narrowed the search area to the most likely site.

Loke said his ministry will ink a contract with Ocean Infinity soon but didnt provide details on the terms. The firm has reportedly sent a search vessel to the site and indicated that January-April is the best period for the search.

The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370, he said in a statement.
The oversubscribed round included continued support from existing investors Main Sequence, Salus Ventures, and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, demonstrating strong investor confidence in Arkeus ability to accelerate decision making through the employment of edge-based artificial intelligence (AI) exploitation and analysis.

Arkeuss flagship Hyperspectral Optical Radar (HSOR) system fuses software-enabled sensors with advanced optics, AI, and edge processing to see what the human eye cant in wide-area intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.

Simon Olsen, CEO and co-founder of Arkeus, said, As the recognised leader in autonomous optical systems, Arkeus is seeing a 10x increase in demand for its capabilities. This funding allows Arkeus to rapidly expand manufacturing capacity to get systems into its customers hands, faster.

Recognising the nature of the threat environment, Arkeus technology is underscored with robust data encryption technologies that have evolved through successive contracts with the Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, and the Royal Australian Air Force, which emphasises a contribution to the joint ISR picture that prioritises interoperability. Arkeuss systems have been integrated into more than six defence platforms over the past year, including successful operational evaluations of HSOR in Australia and internationally.

Arkeuss disruptive ARK data fusion and exploitation engine that resides at the heart of its capabilities is providing a foundation of AI architecture for the Australian Defence Force. Operationally deployed on airborne and surface platforms  both manned and unmanned, Arkeus technology allows more operations to be conducted on the edge  free of attempts to deny or disrupt  and provides a critical component of Australias defensive capabilities.

Simon Olsen said, This funding injection reflects renewed confidence in Australian capability. This strength, in conjunction with the welcomed Government modification to the definition of an Australian business, provides the foundation necessary for Arkeus to grow its contribution to the success of AUKUS Pillar II.

Alezeia Brown, Investment Manager at Main Sequence, said, Main Sequence is proud to continue its support for Arkeus as it scales its groundbreaking autonomous optical systems. Arkeuss fusion of advanced optics, AI, and edge processing is proving invaluable across multiple defence platforms, and Main Sequence is excited to back its expansion as it meets the growing demand for its technology in Australia and internationally.

Dan Bennett, Co-Founder and General Partner at Salus Ventures, said, Salus Ventures is delighted to support the world-class multidisciplinary team at Arkeus, which continues to demonstrate exceptional customer pull through. With governments and the dual-use sector in AUKUS nations bringing sustained focus to bear on Pillar II, Arkeus is well-positioned to support the accelerated customer demand. Salus Ventures is pleased to support this latest funding round, which will propel Arkeus into new geographies, and looks forward to continuing to activate its deep global network in support of this aim.

About Arkeus

Arkeus (www.arkeus.com) accelerates decision-making through the fusion of optics and autonomy. It specialises in rapid design, innovation, manufacture, and distribution of autonomous optical capabilities, designed to deliver transformative effects for search, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (SISR).

Arkeuss wide-area autonomous optical search and surveillance systems are optimised for airborne and surface platforms conducting a range of missions including search, ISR, border protection, city size surveillance, force protection, counter terrorism, illegal activity monitoring, and search and rescue.

Arkeuss optical surveillance systems operate across land, sea and space domains, specialising in extracting critical intelligence and surveillance information and disseminating that data in challenging or contested environments.
March 20 (UPI) -- Malaysia's government Wednesday authorized a new search for flight MH370 which went down in March 2014 and was never found.

Marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will conduct the search for the Malaysian Airlines plane believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a Wednesday statement that government Cabinet ministers approved the new search on "no-fund, no fee" terms.

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"The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370," Loke said in a statement.

Ocean Infinity, with operations in the United States and Britain, will be paid $70 million only if flight wreckage is found.

The Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield searches for the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370 missing in the Indian Ocean, about 1,000 miles off the coast of Perth, Australia. The U.S. Navy "towed pinger locator" connected to the Ocean Shield picked up signals consistent with that of the missing jetliner it was announced today April 7, 2014. FIle Photo UPI/Bradley Darvill/Australian Defense Force

The search is expected to get underway in coming months at a new 5,791 square-mile site.

"This Cabinet decision allows the seabed search operation to commence to locate the wreckage of flight MH370 at a new location estimated to be 15,000 square kilometers in the Southern Indian Ocean based the principle of 'no find, no fee,'" The Malaysian Transport Ministry said.

Operators aboard the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield move the U.S. Navy's Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle into position for deployment in the Indian Ocean approximately 1,100 miles from Perth, Australia on April 14, 2014.It was part of a search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. FIle Photo By Peter D. Blair/UPI//U.S. Navy

Malaysia agreed in principle to the renewed search in December.

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It carried out a two-year search ending in 2017 at a cost of $150 million but that search failed to locate the wreckage.

MH370 had 239 people aboard when the Boeing 777-200ER airliner vanished less than an hour after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur as it headed to Beijing.

The new search will initially last for 18 months.

A 2018 investigation into possible causes for the jet's crash found that controls on the aircraft were likely deliberately adjusted to fly off the planned flight path, but investigators did not determine why that was done.
COURTESY ANGIE SANTIAGO AND HPD Teresita Tessie  Canilao, left, was killed in 2022 allegedly by her estranged husband Rogelio Canilao, right, who was found to be mentally unfit to stand trial in his wifes death.

COURTESY ANGIE SANTIAGO AND HPD Teresita Tessie  Canilao, left, was killed in 2022 allegedly by her estranged husband Rogelio Canilao, right, who was found to be mentally unfit to stand trial in his wifes death.

A Honolulu Circuit Court judge dismissed the charge of second-degree murder against an 84-year-old California man in the October 2022 bludgeoning death of his 76-year-old estranged wife, Teresita Tessie  Canilao, longtime secretary at the Philippine Consulate in Honolulu.

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Judge Ronald Johnson ordered the dismissal Tuesday after reviewing the reports by four mental health professionals and finding Rogelio Guevarra Canilao unfit to proceed and will probably remain unfit to proceed  to trial.

The judge also found that the Oxnard, Calif., man is mentally ill, is imminently dangerous to self and others, and in need of care and treatment and there is no suitable alternative available through existing facilities and programs which would be less restrictive than hospitalization.

Canilao had already been under the custody of the state Director of Health, and will remain so at the Hawaii State Hospital.

Deputy Public Defender Sat Freedman made a motion to have the reports sealed as they contain personal, confidential information, medical and mental health as well as law enforcement information. The judge ordered them sealed.

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The then-81-year-old allegedly beat his wife with a wooden stool in her Honolulu apartment, and was arrested Oct. 6, 2022. He was initially held in lieu of $1 million bail, then held without bail at the Oahu Community Correctional Center.

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Canilao, whose socks were soaked in blood, his chest and legs spattered by blood, told responding officers, I murdered my wife,  according to court documents.

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She was found on the floor of her Sheridan Street apartment, unresponsive, covered in blood.

Tessie Canilao was well-known among the local Filipino community for her work with the Philippine Consulate since the 1980s.

At the time of Canilaos death, state Sen. Bennette Misalucha (D, Pearl Harbor-Pearl City-Aiea ) said Canilao provided valuable insight to the consuls general and their staff, who rotate in and out of Honolulu and are now posted around the world, so her influence has been pervasive.

She said Canilao, a mother of two daughters and a grandmother, was gentle, soft-spoken, very kind, with a very refined demeanor.

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The couple was estranged for many years, and Rogelio Canilao was visiting from California at the time, Misa lucha said.

Tessie Canilao had filed for divorce in 1981, but the case was terminated.

Misalucha said she did not go through with it because she was a devout Roman Catholic.

Freedman initially raised the issue of fitness in January 2023.

Judge Rowena Somerville ordered the defenses retained expert to perform a mental examination. Rogelio Canilao was found unfit to proceed.

He was transferred to the Hawaii State Hospital after being found unfit Sept. 10 and proceedings were suspended.

On Sept. 19, Johnson ordered the 83-year-old to undergo a neuropsychological evaluation to determine whether he has a mental health issue or a cognitive problem.
UPDATE: Diego Velasquez-Espino has been charged with child exploitation and additional charges of statutory rape and fugitive from justice.

Southaven, Miss.  The man accused of kidnapping a 14-year-old girl from Memphis is facing new charges.

Diego Velasquez-Espino, who is already charged with kidnapping, fugitive from justice, and statutory rape in Mississippi, appeared in Southaven Municipal Court Wednesday.

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Man accused of kidnapping 14-year-old due in court

Espinos attorney, Victoria Washington, and Southaven Chief Prosecutor William B. Seale said the new charges have not been announced yet.

Diego Velasquez-Espino

When Diego Velasquez-Espino entered the courtroom, he was much quieter than he was at last months court appearance.

Several of the defendants family members appeared in court, but cameras were not allowed inside.

Police said Espino abducted the Parkway Village teen at gunpoint on Feb. 21.

Hours after a Statewide Amber Alert was issued, officers found the missing teen at Espinos home along Stateline Road, just east of Southaven.

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The reported crime sent shockwaves in the victims neighborhood.

According to the Shelby County Criminal Justice System Portal, Espino is charged with aggravated kidnapping, four counts of aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and possession of a firearm/dangerous felony.

Seale said there are still no updates on Espinos extradition to Shelby County.

The suspect has not entered a plea for the DeSoto County charges, and hes expected to remain in the Desoto County jail for the time being.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The man accused of being the mastermind behind shootings at four New Mexico lawmakers homes has been found guilty on all charges. Solomon Pena was charged federally for his role in the shootings which investigators believe was in revenge for his loss during the 2022 election for the New Mexico House of Representatives.

13-year-old accused of hitting and killed bicyclist for fun in Albuquerque held

The first shooting happened on Dec. 4, 2022, and the last on Jan. 3, 2023. Investigators said that Pena worked with Jose Louise Trujillo and Demetrio Trujillo to orchestrate the shootings at the homes of Bernalillo County Commissioners Adriann Barboa and Debbie OMalley, New Mexico House Speaker Javier Martinez, and New Mexico State Senator Linda Lopez. The scheme was uncovered after a traffic stop of Jose Louise Trujillo in early 2023.

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Pena spent the last two years behind bars while awaiting this trial. He was found guilty on all 13 charges he faced. Pena faces up to life in prison.

Senator Linda M. Lopez, Senator Debbie OMalley, and Commissioner Adriann Barboa sent the following statement:

Justice has been served. No individual or family should ever have to experience the terror of a drive by shooting. Our homes are meant to be our havens, where families feel secure and the stresses of our professional lives can be safely left behind. We are grateful that the jury found this man guilty on all counts and hope this verdict serves as a reminder that threats or acts of violence against anyone in this community will not be tolerated. Senator Linda M. Lopez, Senator Debbie OMalley, and Commissioner Adriann Barboa

New Mexico Speaker of the House Rep. Javier Martinez sent this statement:

Solomon Penas conviction demonstrates that political violence has no place in New Mexico. My family and I are grateful that our justice system worked as it should to hold him accountable for his actions. As an elected official, my focus is on making life safer, better, and more affordable for families in our state and ensuring New Mexico remains a place where we respect each others opinions and work together for the common good New Mexico Speaker of the House Rep. Javier Martinez

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HENRY COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Henry County Sheriffs Office has reported the arrest of a man accused of assaulting a woman and then firing a weapon at a school in Martinsville on March 18.

On Tuesday, officers responded to Mount Olivet Elementary School around 2:30 p.m. after a woman reported that James Gerald Bethune was allegedly making threats to her children. Out of precaution, school officials acted to secure the premises and confirmed that Bethune left the area before allowing for a normal dismissal.

Deputies later found Bethune around 2:55 p.m. at his apartment where he was restrained and questioned, according to the sheriff.

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Human remains found on highway in Appomattox County

Further investigation revealed that during an incident at the school, Bethune allegedly assaulted a female. The female claimed that Bethune allegedly put his hands around her neck, leaving marks.

When the female attempted to leave, Bethune then allegedly took out a gun and fired two rounds into the air before leaving the scene.

Investigators allegedly found bullet casings in the parking lot matching Bethunes gun. Additionally, a white powdery substance was also found that allegedly tested positive for cocaine.

James Gerald Bethune was arrested and charged with the following:

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Possession of a Controlled Substance (Violation of Virginia Code Section: 18.2-250)

Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon (Violation of Virginia Code Section: 18.2-308.2)

Attempted Strangulation (Violation of Virginia Code Section: 18.2-51.6)

Reckless Handling of a Firearm (Violation of Virginia Code Section: 18.2-56.1)

Threats Over the Phone (Violation of Virginia Code Section: 18.2-427)

Bethune is being held without bond at the Henry County Adult Detention Center and an Emergency Protective Order (EPO) has been issued on behalf of the victim.

This is an active investigation by the Henry County Sheriffs Office. Anyone with information is to contact the Sheriff at 276-638-8751 or Crimestoppers at 63-CRIME (632-7463).

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  There is an update on a federal court case dating back to December 11th, 2023. Thats when the search of a suitcase at an Omaha bus station turned up approximately 9,000 fentanyl pills that were on their way to Sioux Falls. It also led to the arrest of 23-year-old Meron Kalili Woldu.

I had just made a trip to Arizona and picked up approximately 9,000 pills containing fentanyl that I intended to take to Sioux Falls and redistribute there. Factual Basis Statement

On Wednesday, more than a year after the drug bust, Woldu entered a guilty plea at the federal courthouse in Sioux Falls.

Construction to begin on Cliff Ave and I-229 interchange

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Woldu admitted being part of a drug conspiracy and distributing 400 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl. According to a Factual Basis Statement, he would get the pills in Arizona and bring them to South Dakota for people to sell.

Woldu is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23rd.

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A man was arrested Wednesday in connection to a child exploitation investigation, the Clay County Sheriffs Office said.

Charles Peter Browne, 42, is facing one count of custodial sexual battery, CCSO said in a news release.

The investigation was conducted by CCSOs Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force.

Deputies served a search warrant at a home on Lazy Acres Road in Middleburg on Wednesday and the people inside came out and were detained during the search, CCSO said.

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Clay County District Schools released the following statement about Browne, who performed work in the districts schools:

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Clay County District Schools has been made aware of the arrest of a Boys & Girls Club employee who performed work in our schools. While this individual was never an employee of the District and has not been involved with our schools since November 1, 2024, we take this matter seriously and are fully cooperating with law enforcement and the Boys & Girls Club as they conduct their investigation.

The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. As this is an active investigation, we are unable to provide further details at this time. Any questions regarding the case should be directed to the Clay County Sheriffs Office.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida sent Action News Jax the following statement:

The safety and well-being of our Club members is always the top priority of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida. We have strict policies in place to ensure a safe and secure environment for the youth we serve. All employees must successfully pass a background screening through the Florida Department of Children and Families before working with children in our programs.

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We can confirm that this individual is not currently employed with our organization and has not been since November of last year. While we cannot comment further on personnel matters, we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and care for our Club members and their families.

Browne is in the Clay County Jail, but anyone with information in this case is asked to contact Detective Eva Solis at esolis@claysheriff.com or by phone at 904-673-5892.

Action News Jaxs Yona Gavino is looking into Brownes background and will have the latest updates on CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax at 5.

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About Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force

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The Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force is a unique public-private partnership where nonprofit organizations provide financial, technical, and other resources to regional law enforcement partners dedicated to the fight against human trafficking and child exploitation. Support from Operation Light Shine, and partner donors like the Tim Tebow Foundation, allow law enforcement agencies to better serve the northeast Florida communities and the many victims of human trafficking and child sexual exploitation.

Members of the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force consist of members with HSI Jacksonville, Clay County Sheriffs Office, Putnam County Sheriffs Office, St. Johns County Sheriffs Office, Nassau County Sheriffs Office, Jacksonville Sheriffs Office, Flagler County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Attorney with the Middle District of Florida Roger Handberg, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

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Mar. 19A man is accused of trespassing during a pro-Palestine gathering at the Roundhouse on Tuesday.

Elliot Shawn Vigil Pending, 22, of Albuquerque, is charged with criminal trespass and concealing his identity.

Pending was one of dozens of people at Tuesday's Freedom for Palestine Day at the Roundhouse, an event that included music, poetry readings, and speakers who advocated for a stop to political and financial support for Israel.

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At about 1 p.m., "a group of people were engaged in a 'free Palestine' demonstration, leading to three individuals being trespassed," including Pending, who was arrested after trying to re-enter the property, New Mexico State Police spokesperson Amanda Richards said.

Pending was released on personal recognizance, according to court records. A pretrial hearing has been scheduled for April 21, court records state.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into a police shooting in Brunswick where a man being pursued by police was injured.

GBI said in a news release Thursday the Brunswick Police Department requested an investigation of the shooting, which happened Wednesday.

Police were looking for Larry Labraun Kirkland, 18, after GBI said he was involved in a shooting at a home on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Brunswick.

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Kirkland left the home, but he ran away and officers chased him to the yard of another home in the 2700 block of Wolfe Street, GBI said.

Officers told Kirkland to stop and they attempted to arrest him.

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While attempting to arrest him, the officers saw a gun on Kirkland. One officer deployed a taser, and another shot at Kirkland, GBI said in the news release.

No officers were injured in the incident and Kirkland was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Once the GBI completes its investigation, the case file will be given to the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office for review.

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COMPANY NEWS: Dryad Networks, a leader in ultra-early wildfire detection, is setting up its first office in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) to help tackle the regions growing bushfire crisis. Based in Macquarie Park, New South Wales, the new hub strengthens Dryads ability to work directly with governments, emergency services, and industry partners to prevent fires before they spread.

Sohan Domingo, VP of Sales, Technology, and Operations leads the ANZ expansion. Dryad is starting with a dedicated local team and will scale up as demand grows. Having a local base means working closely with emergency responders, forestry services, and national parks to roll out fire detection solutions tailored to Australia and New Zealands unique landscapes.

Sohan Domingo said, Australia and New Zealand are on the frontlines of climate adaptation, and early fire detection is critical. With a local team, Dryad can work directly with authorities and land managers to stop fires before they spread.

Building on success in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, the company is bringing its technology to ANZ to detect fires before flames appear and prevent devastating losses. Each sensor runs maintenance-free for up to 15 years, powered by a small, integrated solar cell. Designed for rugged conditions, the sensors form a wireless mesh network that provides reliable coverage even in remote areas.

Detecting fires at the smouldering stage gives emergency services a crucial head start. The system provides real-time fire maps and outperforms spotting towers, infrared cameras, and satellites, which only detect fires once theyve spread.

Sohan Domingo said, Bushfires dont just destroy landscapes and communities, they also fuel climate change. Early detection is the key to stopping them before they spread. Dryads expansion isnt just about growth; its about protecting lives, infrastructure, and forests. By reducing fire risk, were also cutting carbon emissions and building a more resilient future.

Dryad is also advancing wildfire suppression with Silvaguard, an autonomous artificial intelligence (AI)-powered drone that uses acoustic waves to extinguish fires. This innovation will provide a rapid, automated response to fire outbreaks detected by Dryads sensors, reinforcing early intervention efforts. Plans are underway to explore deployment opportunities in Australia and New Zealand, where fast-moving fires pose a critical challenge.

Dryad is partnering with Indigenous Industries Australia (IIAust), Thinxtra, Indicium Dynamics, and New Zealands Direct Safety to accelerate deployment. These alliances tap into local expertise to scale bushfire detection across ANZ. Dryad also works with research institutions, government agencies, and emergency responders to refine its system and strengthen bushfire resilience in diverse landscapes.

About Dryad Networks

Dryad provides ultra-early detection of wildfires and health and growth-monitoring of forests through the Silvanet solution, which includes solar-powered gas sensors deployed in a large-scale Internet of Things (IoT) sensor network. Dryad reduces unwanted wildfires, which cause up to 20 per cent of global CO2 emissions and have a devastating impact on biodiversity. By 2030, Dryad aims to prevent 3.9 million hectares (9.6 million acres) of forest from burning, preventing 1.7 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (FOX 44)  A College Station man has been charged after allegedly strangling his family, resulting in his arrest and them being taken to the hospital.

The man, identified as 28-year-old Garrett Austin Mulholland, contacted 9-1-1 at approximately 5:45 a.m. Wednesday. He reported that he strangled his wife and child, and also that his wife was not conscious.

Officers arrived at the corner of Deacon Drive and Durango Court, where a large police presence followed. College Station Police detectives, the Crime Scene Unit and public information officer were also on scene. Morning traffic in the area was affected.

(Courtesy: College Station Police Department)

Police say Mulholland was quickly detained, and officers made entry into the residence. They found his wife, a three-year-old child and an eight-month-old child inside of the residence. All three were transported to a local hospital to receive further medical treatment. Next of kin was notified. The wifes condition is unknown.

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One held after child porn search warrant served in Mart

Mulholland has been charged with two counts of Assault Family Violence-Strangulation, a third-degree felony, as well as Injury to a Child. He has been booked in to the Brazos County Jail with a total bond of $600,000.

This investigation is ongoing.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  The man arrested after the burglary and vandalism of a Wichita church is now charged with four crimes.

St. Patrick Catholic Church (KSN Photo)

The vandalism to St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2007 N. Arkansas Ave., was discovered early Saturday. Officers described significant damage, including hate speech graffiti, destroyed religious items, and a burned U.S. flag. Authorities would not detail the contents of the hate speech.

The Wichita Police Department arrested 23-year-old Michael Gonzalez on Sunday.

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On Wednesday, Gonzalez had his first appearance before District Judge Shawn Elliott. The judge read the charges:

Criminal desecration, recklessly destroying a place of worship, loss greater than $25,000

Burglary

Theft of property or services

Criminal damage to property

Typically, a suspect does not say much during the hearing. However, Gonzalez had several concerns.

Im not pleading guilty to any of this is what Im saying, Gonzalez said. Theres only one count on here that could possibly be me, and thats criminal desecration. The rest, I never burglarized anything. I never stole anything.

Youll have a preliminary hearing on March 31, the judge said. You can take up any motions or anything you want at that time.

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Wichita woman charged in shooting death of 7-year-old boy

Gonzalez asked the judge to release him on his own recognizance, but the judge denied the request. Instead, the bond is set at $500,000.

Gonzalez also had paperwork listing witnesses. He said some of the people listed were people he had never met before, and he wanted to cross-examine them.

You will have every right that every defendant has, Elliott said as Gonzalez kept speaking.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump weighed in on the vandalism. He called it a terrible thing.

Well, were going to take a look. I love Wichita. You know, I got big votes there. We won that state by a lot, he said.

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The FBI has assisted in the investigation.

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A beef with Buddhist monks sparked a man on a vandalism rampage who broke into several temples in Manhattans Chinatown and damaged religious artifacts, police said Thursday.

Taihong Ouyang, 49, was arrested Tuesday and charged with burglary and criminal mischief, both as hate crimes, and aggravated harassment after a string of break ins at the worship sites earlier that day.

Cops say Ouyang was caught on camera early Tuesday smashing in windows at several locations, where he shattered glass, destroyed security cameras and demolished statues.

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He was angry the monks at these temples are acting improperly by charging too much money and putting people on the wrong religious path, he told cops, according to court papers. He wanted to give these temples a beating, he told police, a criminal complaint against him says.

Cops said Ouyangs rampage began shortly after midnight at a temple on Eldridge St. where he used a metal object to break the windows. Cops said he came back several hours later and broke more windows.

Surveillance video from an acupuncture and massage business on Canal St. that shares its location with the Mahayana Buddhist Temple shows Ouyang breaking a window there shortly before 1 a.m., police said.

Cops said he also attacked the World Buddhist Temple on Henry St., the Huang Da Xian Taoist Temple on Bowery St. and the Grace Gratitude Buddhist Temple on East Broadway.

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I find it incredible that my temple has been destroyed. I cannot understand it and I cannot accept it, Xinyuan, the leader of the World Buddhist Temple, said in Mandarin. The main purpose of Buddhism is world peace and harmonious coexistence of various religions, which brings good luck to the people of society and allows them to live and work in peace and contentment. The destruction of the temple this time has made people around us feel fearful and uneasy.

A temple operated on Pike Street by the Sung Tak Buddhist Association was also damaged. Two statues outside the temple were damaged, including one that will cost about $10,000 to repair, temple officials said.

Ouyang, who is homeless, according to cops, was released without bail after being arraigned Wednesday in Manhattan Criminal Court.
A man has been charged with the murder of a 36-year-old man who died in a St. Cloud stabbing last week.

Stearns County District Court documents say Marquis Jacob Fisher, 25, is charged with 2nd-degree murder with intent and 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

The victim, identified as Shane Michael Brunner, of St. Cloud, died from two stab wounds a day after the incident occurred.

According to the criminal complaint, officers were called to the 600 block of 12th Avenue North in St. Cloud on a report of a stabbing on March 13. The 911 call was made by the person who allegedly stabbed him, later identified as Fisher.

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Police arrived and found Brunner with a stab wound to his lower back and backside, "bleeding profusely and starting to lose consciousness."

Investigators learned that Fisher had been at the same home, and they both got into a fight in the entryway, with Fisher allegedly stabbing Brunner with a large "buck knife" that was found at the scene.

A witness said he was in the backyard of the same residence when the fight started. He told police he didn't see the stabbing but saw Fisher with the knife. The witness said he stopped the fight by grabbing the knife, headbutting Fisher and removing him from the home.

The witness also identified Fisher in a photo lineup, according to a complaint.

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Fisher was arrested on March 14. Police noticed he had a fresh cut on his hand at the time of the arrest.

According to Stearns County Jail records, Fisher remains in custody as of Wednesday. Fisher is scheduled to make his first appearance in court on March 31.

Bring Me The News has reached out to the attorney representing Fisher in the case for comment but has yet to hear back.
The man who randomly stabbed a 14-year-old boy to death as he walked to school earlier this year is mentally unfit to stand trial, a Bronx judge ruled Thursday.

Waldo Mejia, 29, was charged in the slaying of Caleb Rijos, when cops said the man plunged a serrated knife twice into the boys chest near the corner of E. 138th St. and Lincoln Ave. in Mott Haven around 9:30 a.m. Jan 10.

In his final moments, Caleb dialed his father, begging for help. Meanwhile, Mejia took off, leaving the mortally wounded boy dying on the street.

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Medics rushed Caleb to Lincoln Hospital, but the knife cut through his heart and lung, and he could not be saved.

Cops arrested Mejia the next day for the slaying, as well as for an earlier random stabbing at the Third Ave.-138th St. subway stop on Jan. 5. He was charged with murder, manslaughter, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Mejia has a lengthy criminal history with the NYPD, who know him to be mentally ill. He lived just around the corner from where he attacked Caleb, and on the same block as where the boy lived with his family.

Following his arrest, Mejia was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court, where he screamed he was with Satan and warned a court officer touching his handcuffs, Imma catch you when I can.

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My name is Waldo Mejia, so get ready to fing suffer along with me! the man shouted during the crazed hearing, after which he was held without bail.

He was being held at a Rikers Island jail. But during a hearing on Thursday, Bronx Supreme Court Judge George Villegas ruled that Mejia was not mentally well enough to stand trial. Villegas ordered that Mejia be transferred to a psychiatric facility until its determined he can competently stand before a judge or jury.
Mar. 20WILKES-BARRE TWP.  Police in Wilkes-Barre Township filed charges against a Romanian man on allegations he placed skimming devices at two check-outs inside Walmart, stealing personal and bank information.

Florin Doroiman, 35, is charged with two counts each of placing a skimming device and access device fraud. The charges were filed Thursday with District Judge Michael Dotzel in Wilkes-Barre Township.

Police called the investigation "significant" as Doroiman is believed to be a member of an organized Romanian criminal syndicate that placed skimming devices in other stories in Virginia.

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Working with the U.S. Secret Service, police reported Doroiman is accused of illegally obtaining nearly 4,600 account numbers and more than 1,000 SNAP benefit accounts in Pennsylvania and other states.

Doroiman is currently jailed in Virginia, where he is also facing similar charges.

The investigation was launched in mid-December when officials at Walmart discovered two credit card skimming devices on registers 11 and 12. Surveillance footage showed a man, identified in court records as Doroiman placing the skimming devices on Dec. 5.

The skimming devices were Bluetooth, allowing wireless downloads of recorded information, court records say.

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Shortly after the skimming devices were discovered, Wilkes-Barre Township police posted a picture of the suspect.

An agent with the U.S. Secret Service noticed the picture and after information was exchanged, police confirmed the suspect who placed the skimming devices in Walmart was Doroiman, court records say.

Earlier this month, the Lynchburg and Bedford police departments in Virginia charged Doroiman with similar offenses.

Doroiman was apprehended by federal authorities in Richmond, Va., on March 6.
SALTVILLE, Va. (WJHL)  A man is dead after an early morning officer-involved shooting Thursday, according to the Smyth County Sheriffs Office.

According to a release, the sheriffs office received a 911 call at approximately 12:41 a.m. of a person with a gunshot wound in the 4200 block of Bluegrass Trail in Saltville.

Smyth County deputies, Smyth County Fire/Rescue and Nebo Fire/Rescue were dispatched to the scene. The Saltville Police Department, Chilhowie Police Department and Virginia State Police (VSP) also responded to the initial call.

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The sheriffs office said a Smyth County deputy was confronted by a man armed with a handgun. That man was shot by the deputy and did not survive.

Sheriff Chip Shuler has turned the incident over to the Virginia State Police (VSP) Bureau of Criminal Investigations. The deputy involved was placed on administrative leave with pay, pending the VSP investigation, as part of Smyth County Sheriffs Office policy.

News Channel 11 reached out to the VSP. A state police spokesperson said no additional details will be released.

This is a developing story.

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Andre Butts, one of the men who participated in a drugging and robbery scheme of gay men that killed two people, was sentenced Thursday to eight years in state prison.

Butts, 30, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree robbery and a count of conspiracy as part of a deal with prosecutors. He was initially charged with robbery, grand larceny and identity theft.

Three men were convicted of murder, robbery and conspiracy last month, and two others pleaded to lesser charges.

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The robbery scheme loomed over New York City's gay community as the group preyed on Manhattan gay bars and nightclubs from March 2021 to June 2022.

A May 2022 NBC News report on the mysterious death of social worker Julio Ramirez, 25, brought the plot to light. The group targeted five men and drugged them with a fentanyl-laced cocktail.

A vigil in New York on June 8, 2022, for Julio Ramirez, who died mysteriously after he left a gay bar.

Prosecutors said that when the men were incapacitated, the group would steal their phones and use facial recognition to drain their bank accounts before they went on shopping sprees for themselves.

Ramirez was left to die in the back of a cab. Another man, John Umberger, 33, was found dead in his apartment.

Julio Ramirez; John Umberger.

Surviving victims of the scheme testified at the murder trial this year.

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Prosecutors said Butts, who was not charged with Ramirez's death, was seen on security video buying sneakers with his credit card. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Thursday that Butts has been held accountable for his role in a "deadly and callous conspiracy."

"While it is fortunate that the victims targeted by Mr. Butts survived, I know they are still suffering from the trauma of this incident and hope they can continue to heal," Bragg said.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
AURORA, Ill. (WGN)  A 19-year-old man fatally shot by officers in Aurora Wednesday morning after allegedly injuring a suburban police officer while fleeing a traffic stop has been identified.

Kane County coroners identified the suspect as Christopher Lepe of Aurora. County coroners added that the cause and manner of his death remain under investigation.

Authorities first encountered Lepe around 1:30 a.m. on March 19 when a Geneva police officer noticed a vehicle parked suspiciously in the 1500 block of South Randall Road.

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She didnt deserve this: Teen found fatally beaten, stabbed at West Side park

According to police, an officer approached the vehicle and asked Lepe, who was in the drivers seat, to exit the car upon noticing that he may have allegedly been intoxicated. Instead of leaving the vehicle, police said Lepe drove off, dragging the officer a short distance before escaping.

Aurora police later located the vehicle heading south on Lake Street near Galena Boulevard.

According to police, when officers first attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Lepe refused to stop. A police pursuit ensued onto northbound Route 25. Police said that as the vehicle approached Ashland Avenue, officers successfully deployed stop sticks, causing the car to come to a complete stop.

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A short time later, according to police, Lepe displayed a weapon as officers attempted to make contact. Two Aurora police officers subsequently discharged their firearms, striking Lepe.

Man struck, killed by freight train in Lake Forest IDd

Officers rendered aid until paramedics rushed Lepe to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Authorities said police later recovered a weapon at the scene.

Paramedics transported the injured officer to a local hospital with serious injuries, though their condition stabilized. The officers who discharged their service weapons, as well as a third officer present at the time of the shooting, were placed on administrative leave, as is standard.

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The Kane County Coroners Office and the Kane County Major Crimes Task continue their investigation.

Amid the ongoing investigation, Aurora police released still images captured by dash cameras moments before the shooting.

The photos shared by police on Thursday afternoon appeared to show the suspect brandishing a rifle that was highlighted by officers with a red circle and arrow.

To further our commitment, we are releasing several still images taken from police dash cameras moments before the shooting. Body-worn camera and other recorded video will be released at a later date to comply with provisions of the SAFE-T Act and not interfere with the independent review process, a spokesperson for the department said in a news release announcing the new images.

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Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

The family of Christopher Lepe plans to hold a press conference Thursday at the Aurora police headquarters at 7 p.m.

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COMPANY NEWS: The revelation that almost 90 per cent of Victorias multi-storey apartment buildings fail to meet fire safety standards is a stark warning that urgent action is needed to protect Australian lives.

Building surveyor Dr Stephen Scimonellos research at Victoria Universitys Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities reveals this critical gap in fire safety compliance.

Property owners, often unaware of their obligations, are struggling to maintain increasingly complex fire systems, which puts lives at risk.

Fires spreads through modern homes in about five minutes, compared to 29-minutes in the 1970s. The smoke is more toxic and materials in homes are far more flammable.

Andrew Cox, CEO of Sensor Global, said, Were seeing more than one fatality a week from house fires in Australia, many preventable. An operational smoke alarm is the difference between life and death.

With more than 40 per cent of alarms in some buildings non-operational, there is an urgent need for greater accountability and smarter solutions to ensure fire safety devices are properly maintained.

Technology now allows for real-time reporting, compliance checks, and audit trails ensuring these critical systems function 24/7. The industry must take advantage of these advancements to prevent avoidable tragedies.

Mr Cox said fire safety is not a set and forget responsibility.

Ensuring that essential life-saving measures, such as smoke alarms, are installed and functioning 24/7 must be a top priority for property owners and regulators alike.

Without clear compliance mechanisms, mandatory reporting, and greater enforcement, residents will continue to face unacceptable risks.

The Victorian governments proposed reforms to strengthen the Victorian Building Authoritys oversight are a step in the right direction. However, without real-time visibility and stricter accountability for fire safety maintenance, apartment residents will remain vulnerable.

By comparison, NSW requires building owners to certify compliance annually. But compliance and enforcement still have a long way to go.

The time for action is now, Mr Cox said.



About Sensor Global

Sensor Global is a leading provider of smart safety technology solutions, to enhance fire safety and compliance. Sensor Globals flagship product, SENSORInsure, is designed for landlords and offered through real estate agencies, providing seamless compliance management, increased property protection, and peace of mind. By addressing critical gaps in fire safety compliance, Sensor Global helps protect lives and properties. Learn more at sensorglobal.com
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now)  Police said they were investigating a mans death after someone saw his body in the Potomac River Wednesday afternoon.

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) said officers went to Jones Point Park (1 Jones Point Dr.) after they received a report that a mans body was in the water.

United Airlines gate agent punched in face at Dulles International Airport; passenger arrested

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As of late Wednesday afternoon, APD said it did not have any additional information to share.

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AUSTIN (KXAN)  A man in Hays County received a life sentence for murder Tuesday after being found guilty by a jury Jan. 23, according to the Hays County District Attorneys Office.

According to the office, 28-year-old William Rojas was also found guilty of tampering with evidence/human corpse and tampering with physical evidence.

RELATED | Man charged with murder in deadly Buda shooting

During the trial, it was proven that Rojas murdered Esbin Santiago-Gomez with a firearm and then drove the victims body into Hays County, where Rojas stripped the victim of all identifying information before attempting to hide Santiago-Gomezs body, the DAs office said.

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Santiago-Gomez, a 19-year-old from Guatemala, was found dead in Buda from multiple gunshot wounds in the 2900 block of Main Street on April 25, 2022.

Rojas also received a sentence of 20 years related to the tampering with a human corpse and 10 years related to the tampering with evidence charge.

In addition to our gratitude for the excellent work done in the investigation and prosecution of this case, the office would commend the sentence of the court as well-deserved, Hays County DA Kelly Higgins said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
NEW YORK (AP)  A real estate businessman who aided a Chinese effort to pressure an expatriate to return home has been sentenced to over a year in a U.S. prison.

U.S. prosecutors say Quanzhong Ans activities were part of the Chinese government's Operation Fox Hunt, which Beijing says is about pursuing people who have fled justice. Washington sees it as transnational repression, a term for governments working to silence dissenters beyond their borders.

Quanzhong An acted at the direction of the (Chinese) government to harass and intimidate individuals living on U.S. soil as part of a pernicious scheme to force their repatriation, Brooklyn-based U.S. Attorney John Durham said in a statement Wednesday.

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Messages seeking comment were sent Thursday to China's embassy in Washington and consulate in New York. China has previously denied threatening its nationals abroad.

An, a 58-year-old Chinese citizen and legal U.S. resident, pleaded guilty last year to acting as an illegal foreign agent. He was sentenced to 20 months behind bars. He has served seven of them already.

Mr. An is in my opinion, on balance, a very fine man and accordingly, seeing him return to prison for even one additional day is heartbreaking, his lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said Thursday. But he noted that prosecutors had sought a considerably longer prison term.

According to prosecutors and an indictment, An was the key U.S.-based player in a transcontinental effort targeting a former manager of a Chinese state-owned company. Prosecutors haven't named the man or the company.

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Beijing has accused the man of embezzlement, identified him as an Operation Fox Hunt priority and asked law enforcement agencies worldwide to find and apprehend him, according to the indictment.

An, who lives in suburban Roslyn Heights, New York, showed up at the home of the target's son to try to find the father in 2017, the indictment said.

Then, in a series of recorded meetings with the son starting in early 2020, An leaned on him to secure his father's return to China. An said he that was trying to help the Chinese government communicate with the two, and that he would look good to Chinese officials if he could arrange the father's return, according to the indictment.

While acknowledging that a Chinese embezzlement case against the father and son was a legally frivolous pressure tactic, An told the son that Chinese officials were monitoring the family's relatives and would keep pestering you if the father didnt return, the indictment said.

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Their intent is to make your life difficult, the indictment quotes him as saying.

An even offered to pay back the man's allegedly ill-gotten gains, according to the indictment, and eventually arranged for a Chinese official to press the man's son by phone.

In recent years, the U.S. Justice Department has charged dozens of suspects with acts of transnational repression on behalf of China, Iran or other countries. On Thursday, a Manhattan federal jury convicted two men of conspiring to kill Iranian American journalist Masih Alinejad in what U.S. prosecutors claimed was a murder-for-hire plot financed by the Iranian government and foiled when police stopped the intended hit man's car. Tehran has denied involvement in any schemes to kill people in the U.S.

An was charged in 2020 along with six other people, including his daughter Guangyang An. She is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty last May. The current status of the other five isnt immediately clear.

In a separate case in the same Brooklyn federal courthouse, three men were convicted in 2023 at the first trial surrounding U.S. claims about Operation Fox Hunt. Two of those defendants have been sentenced to prison; the third is awaiting sentencing.
HARTSVILLE, S.C. (WBTW)  A man recently released on bond on a murder charge in South Carolina was arrested Tuesday at a Hartsville hospital, police said on Facebook.

Tykem Savon Hickson was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and unlawful carrying of a firearm at Carolina Pines hospital in Hartsville. Police say records show Hickson was out on a personal recognizance bond for a murder charge in Sumter.

This incident was entirely preventable and should never have occurred, Hartsville Police Chief Byron Snellgrove said. It is deeply concerning that Hickson, who is charged with murder and has outstanding warrants in both South Carolina and Oklahoma, was released on bond. Given his extensive criminal history, his release is disturbing.

Photo: Hartsville Police Department / Facebook

Police said three other people were being sought and asked for help identifying them. Anyone with information is asked to call 843-383-3011.

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* * *

Caleb is a digital producer at News13. Caleb joined the team in January 2023 after graduating from Liberty University. He is from Northern Virginia. Follow Caleb on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man charged with leading Canfield police on a chase in November was sentenced earlier this month in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to probation.

Kylar Brown, 23, received the sentence on March 10 from Judge Maureen Sweeney after pleading guilty to charges of failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Court records do not say if the sentence was recommended by the attorneys in the case.

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Brown was charged after leading Canfield police Nov. 23 on a chase that started on East Main Street that began when he would not pull over when police tried to stop him for speeding.

The chase ended on state Route 11 north where the car was stopped and Brown was taken into custody.

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Mar. 19Spokane Police Department Officer William Nelson was the "oldest, and by all accounts, the strongest man" in the department when a downtown jail inmate attacked and killed the 64-year-old jailer 105 years ago, according to Police Chief Kevin Hall.

"Standing over 6 feet tall and weighing more than 250 pounds, he was a formidable presence," Hall said of Nelson. "He was an expert boxer, fearless in the face of danger and steadfast in his duty. But beyond his physical strength, he was known for his dedication, his sense of justice and his deep commitment to upholding the law."

On Wednesday, exactly 105 years after Nelson's death, the Spokane Regional Fallen Officers Memorial Project unveiled a sign honoring the slain officer at the southwest corner of Wall Street and Spokane Falls Boulevard, near where the city jail once operated.

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The sign reads, "Officer William D Nelson, E.O.W. 03/19/1920." "E.O.W." stands for "end of watch."

Spokane Police Capt. Tracie Meidl, who is part of the project, said the memorial signs are placed to remind the community of officers who gave the ultimate sacrifice and to show the officer's family members they will never be forgotten.

"This project dedicates signs to the nearest location that officers have lost their life in the line of duty and given their ultimate sacrifice," Meidl said.

On the morning of March 19, 1920, Nelson entered the cell of "a violent and unstable prisoner, a routine action that tragically turned into a fatal struggle," Hall told the small gathering Wednesday afternoon.

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The inmate was 35-year-old Steve Potaskey, whose last name had various other spellings in newspaper reports from the time.

Potaskey was arrested the previous evening as an "insanity suspect," according to information provided by Spokane police.

Officers were sent to Madison Street and Grace Avenue in north Spokane after it was reported a "crazy man was running loose" there, according to newspaper clippings. They located and chased Potaskey, who ran into a house, took off his hat and coat and was washing his hair when officers grabbed him.

The arresting officer noted the suspect appeared insane and had violent tendencies, police said.

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At 6:50 a.m. the next day, officers heard screams coming from the jail area. They responded and found Nelson dead on the floor.

Officers eventually cornered and overpowered Potaskey, who was wandering aimlessly in the jail, after a more than 15-minute battle with the suspect, police said.

One officer said he and two other officers hit Potaskey a few times with the barrels of their revolvers before he quit fighting, according to newspaper clippings. One man said he saw Potaskey had one shoe off and walked around the jail breaking out windows with the shoe before officers subdued him.

"Though he fought valiantly, he was overcome in battle that cost him his life," Hall said of Nelson. "Even in his final moments, he demonstrated the bravery that had defined his decades of service."

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Nelson had a welt on the side of his head and bruises across his throat. The coroner said he most likely died from a fractured skull.

Hall said Nelson served as a Spokane police jailer for nearly 30 years. Hall called Nelson a "pillar of strength," "a leader among his peers" and a man who carried his badge with the "utmost integrity."

The Spokane police and Spokane County Sheriff's Office honor guards lifted a blue blanket and revealed the new sign, which was placed atop a metal post similar to the surrounding downtown street signs.

"While we mourn the loss of one of our own, we also celebrate the life of a man who lived with purpose and courage, a man whose commitment to justice will never be forgotten," Hall said. "His badge, his name and his sacrifice will forever be etched in the history of the Spokane Police Department. He was a protector, a fighter and, above all, a hero."

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Hall said Nelson left behind his wife and an 18-year-old daughter.

Potaskey claimed to have no memory of Nelson's death, police said. According to newspaper reports, Potaskey then admitted to striking Nelson several times and that Nelson fell and struck his head.

He was placed in the criminally insane ward at Eastern State Hospital before he was deported to Poland in 1921, according to police.

Greg Davis, Nelson's great-grandson, told The Spokesman-Review by phone Wednesday that he never knew Nelson since he was born 30 years after he died, but his family spoke about him and visited his grave, at Greenwood Memorial Terrace in Spokane, several times when he was younger.

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He said Nelson's service inspired Davis' father to be a Spokane police officer.

Davis, who lives in Lincoln County, said every story he reads about Nelson mentions he was the strongest person at the police department.

"I do know he was a very physically fit person," Davis said.

He said he appreciates the memorial project's efforts in recognizing Nelson and plans to see the signage soon.

Twenty-nine law enforcement officers, including four police dogs, in Spokane County have died in the line of duty, according to Susan S. Walker, co-chair of the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Project. The Spokane Regional Fallen Officers Memorial Project is under the umbrella of Walker's organization.

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Sixteen, including one dog, of the 29 were Spokane police officers. Seven, including three dogs, were from the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

The memorial project organizations have dedicated signs to 14 of the officers since they started in 2019. The rest of them will be honored in the coming years, including two more this year.

"It means so much to those families that we haven't forgot," Walker said, "so it's just kind of our mission to make sure that they're not forgotten."
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  A man who faced the death penalty pleaded guilty to murdering an elderly couple and stealing their money, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Prosecutors said Robert Dunn, 62, hid the bodies in a Las Vegas storage unit for more than a decade while he lived off of the victims Social Security benefits.

The Clark County District Attorneys office filed an amended indictment Wednesday for fifteen charges including two counts of murder of a victim age 60 or older, two counts of robbery of a victim age 60 or older, and eleven counts of theft.

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Dunn will no longer face the death penalty as a result of the plea deal, but could face life in prison.

The victims, Joaquin Sierra, 86, and Eleanor Sierra, 82, were last seen in 2003. Their bodies were found with kitty litter and concrete in duct-taped garbage cans in the storage unit in 2014.

Dunn met the couple in California and had convinced them to move to Nevada with him, according to prosecutors. Loved ones of Joaquin and Eleanor Sierra tried to intervene to save the couple from Dunn before they disappeared.

A Clark County grand jury initially indicted Dunn in 2015. He has remained in jail without bail.

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District Court Judge Carli Kierny is scheduled to sentence Dunn on April 29.

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KAYSVILLE, Utah (ABC4)  The man who was rescued by firefighters after losing consciousness in a tree-cutting accident died in a hospital from his injuries, Kaysville Police Department confirmed Thursday.

The Kaysville Fire Department responded to a report of a tree-cutting incident near 130 E Shadowbrook Lane in Kaysville on Wednesday morning, March 19. Authorities said they found a man  now identified as Santos Baudilio Lopez Perez, 49  unconscious and suspended 30 feet in the air by his harness.

Kaysville Police said Perez was working on cutting the top section of a tree and made the final cut, after which the trees top half fell on top of him on its way to the ground. He was harnessed to the tree, causing him to stay suspended in the air after the incident.

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Fire crews called in additional help and rope technicians safely lowered him to the ground before flying him by helicopter to the University of Utah Medical Center in critical condition. Perez died later that day from his injuries.

Santos Baudilio was a hardworking man, dedicated to his work, and always made sure to follow safety precautions. His passing was a devastating accident that left his family and loved ones heartbroken, a GoFundMe reads.

The GoFundMe says Perez had a wife and five children in his homeland of Guatemala. The fundraisers page says the money donated will be used to send Perezs body back to his country so he can be buried by his family.

With great sadness, we share the passing of our beloved Santos Baudilio. His kindness, love, and presence touched the lives of so many people, the GoFundMe says.

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LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Surveillance video and online activity helped Las Vegas police identify a man as a suspect in a fatal shooting from last year, documents said.

According to his arrest report, 28-year-old Quentin Ledet allegedly conducted over 30 online searches around the time of the murder. These searches included information about the victims address, bus schedules and any information reported online regarding the deadly shooting.

Las Vegas police make arrest 6 months after man killed, woman shot in vehicle

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On Sept. 3, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a shooting in a vehicle, finding Richard Bason, 26, deceased from gunshot wounds. A woman was injured but treated for non-life-threatening wounds, police said.

Video surveillance showed Ledet and Bason interacting at a commercial center. While its unclear what happened during their encounter, a witness reported that Bason showed off a firearm before entering his vehicle and driving off, according to the report.

Ledet later spotted Bason and remarked, There he is, before being dropped off near Basons vehicle. Ledet then walked up to Basons car, opened fire, and fled the scene on foot, according to LVMPD.

Police said a woman was seen with Ledet during the shooting. Following an interview, she initially claimed she was unaware of the incident and did not know the identity of the shooter. However, police said the pair knew each other due to the considerable amount of time they were seen together.

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A records check of Ledet showed he was wanted for a probation violation related to a past robbery conviction, police said. Ledet also had a history of violent offenses, including assault with a deadly weapon, battery resulting in substantial bodily harm to an older person, and home invasion.

On Oct. 20, detectives discovered the internet searches. Around 2 a.m. on Sept. 20, Ledet also searched for transit information, likely in an attempt to flee the area after the shooting, police said.

LVMPD said suspects often research crimes they were involved in to assess how much information law enforcement has gathered about them.

Based on the findings, police located Ledet on March 12 and arrested him. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of open murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and violating his parole, LVMPD said.

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Court records show Ledet was held without bail, and his next court appearance was scheduled for March 31.

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COMPANY NEWS: Wavelink, an Infinigate Group company and a leader in technology distribution, services, and business development in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), has launched 5thWave, a powerful asset and customer lifecycle management service designed to help partners optimise renewals, upgrades, and technology refresh cycles.

5thWave automates and streamlines the renewal process, so channel partners never miss a revenue opportunity, and drives a proactive approach to technology upgrades, refreshes, and cross-sell opportunities.

5thWave is built on the iasset.com platform and is fully integrated into Wavelinks NetSuite ERP and Fortinet API, delivering automated renewal quotes that significantly reduce the average time to generate and send a quote. Wavelinks 5thWave launch comes at a critical time, as the broader market braces for a wave of technology refreshes, including Fortinets expected firewall upgrade cycle beginning in 2025. Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven security solutions are advancing, and post-pandemic infrastructure investments are reaching maturity, driving organisations to reassess their security environments. 5thWave gives partners the tools and intelligence needed to manage these transitions proactively, eliminating the risk of missed renewals and ensuring seamless technology upgrades.

Ilan Rubin, chief executive officer, Wavelink, said, Wavelink recognises that partners are under increasing pressure to manage complex customer lifecycles while identifying new opportunities for growth. 5thWave takes the burden out of asset and renewal management, giving partners a data-driven, automated solution that keeps customers on track and optimises sales opportunities. Wavelink is helping partners protect their existing business while unlocking new revenue streams by removing inefficiencies and automating key processes.

5thWave provides a proactive and structured approach to asset lifecycle management. Partners receive multiple renewal notifications through the iasset.com platform at 90, 60, and 30 days before expiration, as well as post-expiry follow-up for seamless contract transitions. Wavelink has also assembled a dedicated team of five customer experience specialists to analyse install base data and identify opportunities for upgrades, cross-sells, and upsells, delivering targeted, partner-specific sales campaigns.

Ilan Rubin said, Wavelinks ongoing development of 5thWave will continue to enhance functionality for both partners and vendors, and the company is committed to onboarding additional vendors following a successful launch with Fortinet. Wavelink is investing in continuous improvements to keep partners ahead of renewal cycles and evolving technology demands.

Scott Frew, chief executive officer, iasset.com, said, iasset.com is thrilled to support Wavelinks growth by automating sales processes and accelerating business success. Wavelinks iasset.com implementation showcases how channel players can use cutting-edge revenue technology while integrating with existing systems seamlessly. This can be achieved with minimal disruption while delivering immediate, tangible benefits in cost reduction, revenue growth, and competitive advantage.

Wavelinks approach to asset lifecycle management moves beyond renewals to deliver an ongoing, strategic advantage for partners. 5thWave eliminates the need for partners to generate quotes manually, track expiration dates, or chase renewals. Instead, they gain access to a fully automated, insight-driven service that lets them focus on building stronger customer relationships and maximising revenue potential.

The 5thWave launch builds on Wavelinks existing investment in iasset.com, following its internal iasset.com implementation in September 2024. The organisation has generated AU$5.6 million in revenue since implementing the platform, with 60 per cent of all renewal quotes now validated automatically.

Ilan Rubin said, Wavelinks investment in 5thWave is about more than just automation; its about empowering partners with a smarter, more strategic approach to lifecycle management. Fortinets upcoming refresh cycle and broader AI-driven transformations mean having the ability to manage technology transitions proactively is crucial. 5thWave prepares Wavelinks partners to navigate these changes confidently while securing long-term customer retention and growth.

About Wavelink

Wavelink, an Infinigate Group company, is a leading technology distributor in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), specialising in channel services and business development with a strong focus on advanced cybersecurity, networking, and mobility solutions. We empower our channel partners with the support and technical expertise they need to succeed while building strategic channels for our vendor partners.

Wavelink stands out in the ANZ distribution market due to our specialised expertise in vertical and operational technology (OT), providing unparalleled depth to our technologies and services. Our deep understanding of customer needs lets us connect vendor technologies with the right partners and end customers. This is reinforced by our comprehensive services portfolio, designed to drive partner success at every opportunity.

For more information, visit www.wavelink.com.au.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A man was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of attacking his wife with a pair of scissors while she was holding their baby.

Wildson Tol Morales, 36, was sentenced to five years, four months in prison on Thursday. Kern County Superior Court Judge Tiffany Organ-Bowles said a mid-term sentence was appropriate for Tol Morales.

Organ-Bowles said she took into consideration Tol Moraless minimal prior criminal record and statements from his family members in his support. She also said there were factors of aggravation such as Tol Morales committing great violence, using a weapon, attacking a particularly vulnerable person and committing domestic violence in front of children.

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A Kern County jury found Tol Morales guilty on all four counts  domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm, false imprisonment with violence and felony child abuse  on Jan. 31, court records show.

Tol Morales and his wife were out at a party on April 4, according to a release from the Kern County District Attorneys Office. When they returned home, Tol Morales attacked his wife with a pair of scissors.

The victim was holding their 1-year-old child, the DAs Office said.

Tol Morales threw his wife on the floor and got on top of her to stop her from escaping. An underage family member pulled Tol Morales off of her and choked him until he fell unconscious, letting his wife escape, according to officials.

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Officers saw cuts on the victims hands and blood on the floor, walls and interior doors of the home, the release said. There was also blood on the 1-year-olds clothes.

Prosecutors previously said Tol Morales faced up to nine years, eight months in prison.

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NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK)  A man was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty to shooting a Nacogdoches police officer.

Student detained after online photo found of firearm in Longview middle school restroom

Mugshot of Gabriel Ramirez, courtesy of Nacogdoches County Jail

The incident occurred in December 2023 when the officer conducted a traffic stop, pulling over Jose Iraheta, the driver, and Gabriel Ramirez, a passenger. Ramirez proceeded to open fire on the officer before fleeing the scene.

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Ramirez and the driver were found a few days later and were arrested for aggravated assault against a public servant. Following his arrest, Ramirez was transported to the Nacogdoches County Jail.

Titus County authorities arent doing enough to stop cockfighting, animal advocates say

On Wednesday, Ramirez pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

We extend our gratitude to the Nacogdoches District Attorneys Office for their extensive efforts in preparing for this trial, Nacogdoches PD said.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A city man who reports said told detectives he was following people around in his car while carrying a gun because he thought they were harassing him was sentenced Thursday to 12 months in prison.

Rean Easterling, 32, received the sentence from Judge R. Scott Krichbaum after pleading guilty to charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and aggravated menacing.

Easterling was arrested after a woman reported to police that he had been following her Dec. 17 on several South Side streets.

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The woman testified in municipal court at Easterlings preliminary hearing that her son was in the car with her and was on the phone to 911 as they drove to the city police department on West Boardman Street. When there, the woman testified the window rolled down on the car and a man she identified in court as Easterling said: You think youre safe on the streets. Youre not safe. This is psychological warfare on the streets. The car then drove away.

Detectives used the Flock Camera System to find and track Easterlings car and take him into custody.

Also at the preliminary hearing, Detective Sgt. Nick Menichini testified that when Easterling was questioned about the incident, he admitted to following the woman and told Menichini he had been following people around the city who he believes are harassing him.

Easterling had a gun with him when he was arrested.

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Easterling is not allowed to have a gun because of past drug convictions. He also has a warrant from Trumbull County.

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A man from the Quad Cities was sentenced on March 13 to 235 months (19  years) in federal prison for his part in a decades-long racketeering conspiracy and possession of a distribution quantity of cocaine base, according to a news release from the Justice Department.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at the trials and sentencing, Timothy Beaver, 30, was in a gang that engaged in a years-long pattern of violence, including murder, attempted murder and drug trafficking in the Davenport and Rock Island area. Evidence entered at trial showed that the criminal enterprise was involved in dozens of shooting investigations and at least seven homicides over 20 years.

Beaver must serve a three-year term of supervised release after his prison term is completed. There is no parole in the federal system.

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Co-defendant Ricky Lee Childs, Jr., 40, was sentenced for his role in the racketeering conspiracy on January 23, 2025. He received a 160-month (just over 13 years) prison sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

Co-defendant Rasheem Bogan, 33, of the Quad Cities, also known as Sheem, pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025 to racketeering conspiracy and felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 10 and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

A jury found co-defendant Kylea Cartwright Jr., 28, of the Quad Cities, guilty of racketeering conspiracy and possessing ammunition as a felon on February 20, 2025, following a six-day jury trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10, 2025 and a federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The Davenport and Rock Island Police Departments, with assistance from the Scott County Sheriffs Office, Iowa Department of Public SafetyDivision of Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

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ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis man appeared in court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to a 2022 fatal shooting at a homeless camp.

The shooting happened around 10 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022, behind a warehouse in the 1500 block of North 13th Street in the citys Old North St. Louis neighborhood.

Police and prosecutors said Joseph A. Baylark III, 29, shot Rudy Boykins multiple times. Boykins was 50.

Surveillance cameras recorded part of the shooting, police said.

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Family of Riley Strain files wrongful death lawsuit against Delta Chi fraternity

The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office initially charged Boykins with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Baylarks trial was scheduled to begin next week. However, prosecutors agreed to amend the murder charge to voluntary manslaughter and dismiss the armed criminal action charge in exchange for Baylarks guilty plea.

A circuit court judge accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Baylark to seven years in state prison.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man who was facing child pornography charges after a warrant was served at his East Side home was sentenced Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to five years in prison.

Eduardo Pagan, 46, received the sentence from Judge Anthony DApolito following guilty pleas in October to six counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor, all fourth-degree felonies.

Assistant Prosecutor Caitlyn Andrews said some of the images found during the case are some of the worst she has ever seen. She said Pagan viewed hundreds of images, and people like Pagan are the reason why those images are made and circulated.

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Andrews asked for a sentence of six years.

The charges stem from a February 2023 search warrant served at a home on the East Side. Reports said the warrant was served after investigators received tips that Pagan had pornographic images of children in his home. Agents seized articles of electronic evidence while they searched the home.

Defense attorney Tom Zena asked for a lesser sentence. Zena said his client watched the videos, but he never passed them on and he never tried to make contact with any of the children depicted.

He would view them and then he would delete them, Zena said.

Zena said his client has no prior record and made a big mistake.

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I cant even explain to you why I did it, Pagan told the judge.

Judge DApolito said although Pagan never pursued anyone, he said the activity he pleaded guilty to could have escalated into a situation where he did try to meet a young child.

The Youngstown Police Department, Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, U.S. Marshals and the state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation were involved in the investigation.



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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  A man who broke into a home in east Bakersfield and demanded to see a friends disabled teen daughter acted out of concern for the girls safety, according to the Kern County Public Defenders Office.

Jaime Davila Contreras merely wanted to make sure the girl was all right and told her stepfather  his lifelong friend  hed leave once he saw her, defense attorneys said.

Prosecutors say he put the family in danger.

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On Aug. 18, 2024, Contreras spent 45 minutes knocking before kicking the door off its hinges and entering the home armed with a shovel, according to prosecutors. The stepfather disarmed him, and Contreras punched him in the face before getting shoved outside, where several people detained him until law enforcement arrived.

The girl hid in a back room with her mother during the incident.

Contreras was found guilty of felony burglary and vandalism but acquitted of assault with a deadly weapon, and convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge instead.

Contreras put an entire family  including a vulnerable minor  in great danger, requiring significant intervention to protect the home and its residents, District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer said at the time of his conviction.

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Man says he stabbed his aunt to death after being triggered by verbal abuse: court docs

On Tuesday, a Superior Court judge sentenced Contreras to one year time served and three years probation after a judge found there were no aggravating factors  such as the crime involving great violence  which would have led to more severe punishment, according to a Public Defenders Office release.

Deputy Public Defender Ajaib Gill said Contreras was motivated by a genuine concern for a disabled teens safety. He noted the teens mother testified at trial Contreras would never hurt her daughter, and the stepfather said the girl  who cant walk or talk  hadnt seen a doctor in six years.

While Mr. Contreras faced consequences for his actions, the verdict, courts rulings, and sentencing provide important context that contradicts the more severe allegations initially charged, the release said.

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CHICAGO  A man was shot by Chicago police Thursday morning in Pullman and later died at the hospital.

Police said around 7:05 a.m., officers assigned to the 5th District responded to a domestic-related call of a man with a gun in the 900 block of East 100th St.

Officers entered a residence and said they saw an armed man and a female inside of a bedroom.

The female was able to flee the room. CPD said the man pointed a firearm in the direction of the officer and an officer fired, striking him.

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A weapon was recovered at the scene, according to Chicago police.

The man was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The medical examiner has identified him as 43-year-old Devon Smith.

The female was transported to a hospital for treatment.

SkyCam9 over the scene showed several squad cars and yellow tape blocking off a sidewalk.

The officer involved has been placed on standard administrative leave.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) responded to the scene.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A man was shot multiple times in Northwest D.C. Thursday, according to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Police say officers responded to reports of a shooting around 3:05 p.m. in the 600 block of Edgewood St. NE where a man was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Georgetown University researcher detained by DHS, accused of spreading Hamas propaganda

According to police, the man was found conscious and breathing. DC Fire and EMS transported him to the hospital.

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A suspect was arrested after a man was found stabbed to death inside his car in Lancaster.

On March 12, Los Angeles County deputies responded to reports of an injured man on the 1800 block of Avenue I at around 8:13 a.m.

The victim, Manuel Covarrubias, was taking a break at the time. He was eating lunch in his car when the suspect, Ruben Rosario, 23, suddenly approached the vehicle and attacked him, authorities said.

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The victim was stabbed several times in the head and neck before the suspect fled the scene in a vehicle.

Arriving deputies found the victim with the fatal stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Detectives later identified Rosario as the primary suspect. On March 14, deputies spotted Rosarios vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. He was arrested for murder.

Rosario was charged with one count of murder by the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office.

Investigators said the deadly attack was unprovoked and the motive behind the stabbing remains unclear.

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No further details about the case were released as the incident remains under investigation.

Anyone with additional information can call the Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.

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GUEST OPINION: Personalisation has become the most exciting and important driver of customer loyalty. Powered by AI, personalisation is becoming more than just the engine behind modern loyalty programs, but a major engine for business profitability as well.

At a recent retailer focused conference, CEO of Eagle Eye Tim Mason and I spoke about why were all-in on personalisation, how we structure our tech stack to manage this complex and growing field, and what will come next in the personalisation space.

Personalisation has always been good for customers

All the way back to traditional loyalty schemes, the benefits have been clear: customers become more loyal and sales go up. Whats new to the discussion with modern personalisation, which is being recognised by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), McKinsey and many others, is that personalisation drives profitability.

Last year, BCG Group predicted that: over the next five years, $2 trillion in revenue will shift to companies that know how to create personalised experiences and personalised communications

The world of business to consumer is becoming truly personalised on a 1:1 scale. As consumers, the interfaces we are served on the screens of our phones, computers and televisions are increasingly generated just for us, from videos to products and promotions.

In a book we published recently, Omnichannel Retail, we talk a lot about omnichannel and personalisation. Our belief is that omnichannel and personalisation are two sides of the same coin. Omnichannel is what the business does, it should be the organisational goal, while personalisation is how the customer should experience the business efforts in creating a united front to serve them as an individual.

Technology Stack in Practice

People are often curious about some of the technology behind the intelligent loyalty solutions that platforms like Eagle Eye specialise in. We work with Google, and our tech stack is built to deliver real-time personalisation at scale that is continually optimised.

The Eagle Eye stack sits on top of many of Google services. Some of the main ones are

Kubernetes, bigQuery, Looker and vertex.ai. Kubernetes handles promotion execution in real-time, handling about 5000 API calls per second; Google Big Query serves as a data lake for billions of weekly offers; Looker allows retailers to analyse and optimise offers and campaigns in real-time; and Vertex.ai is where we execute our personalisation algorithms to tailor the promotions offered to customers.

Its this technology architecture that supports the personalisation strategies of many retailers across the globe, including Tesco in the UK Carrefour across Europe and Woolworths in Australia.

Personalisation in the age of AI

There is no doubt that predictive and generative AI is going to continue to accelerate the delivery of personalisation at a massive scale. As part of Eagle Eye, we have a product called Eagle AI, the algorithms within which are already processing 2.8 billion customer interactions every single minute.

This number is constantly growing, which improves how retailers connect with their customers at a 1:1 level.

Beyond promotions, we also believe that personalisation will soon apply to more and more attributes to touch the customer journey. These might include personalised cooking programs, health and wellbeing tracking, and more. It is also expected that retailers or businesses will be able to share more data back with the consumer about their habits in ways that are helpful to them.

Another key piece of the future of personalisation, we believe, is challenges. Major UK grocery chain Tesco is running challenge offers driven by 1:1 personalisation, and for the second reporting period in a row, Tesco CEO Ken Murphy has made mention of their work in personalisation.

We introduced a little bit of personalisation and a little bit of gamification through Clubcard challenges to over 10 million customers, and that had a great effect. There was a really, really strong response to that, he said.

Personalisation and challenges are generating high levels of engagement from Tescos customers. This is extremely powerful in a modern company growth strategy. By increasing digital engagement and delivering more products and services personally and digitally, businesses are creating and adding more value.

Retailers are in a fantastic position to do this. They have a considerable amount of first-party data which enables them to create significantly more valuable products and services.

Eagle Eye is a leading SaaS and AI technology company enabling retail, travel and hospitality brands to earn the loyalty of their end customers by powering their real-time, omnichannel and personalised consumer marketing activities, at scale.

Eagle Eye AIR is a cloud-based platform, which provides the most flexible and scalable loyalty and promotions capability in the world. More than 850 million personalised offers are executed via the platform every week, and it currently hosts over 500 million loyalty member wallets for businesses all over the world. Eagle Eye is a certified member of the MACH Alliance and is trusted to deliver a secure service at hundreds of thousands of physical POS destinations worldwide, enabling the real-time issuance and redemption of promotional coupons, loyalty offers, gift cards, subscription benefits and more.

The Eagle Eye AIR platform is currently powering loyalty and customer engagement solutions for enterprise businesses all over the world, including Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose and John Lewis & Partners, JD Sports, Pret a Manger, Loblaws, Southeastern Grocers, Giant Eagle, and the Woolworths Group. In January 2024, Eagle Eye launched EagleAI, a next-generation data science solution for personalisation, already being used by leading retailers worldwide including Carrefour, Auchan and Pattison Food Group. Web - www.eagleeye.com

Sarah Jarvis is the Communications and Propositions Director of Eagle Eye. With over 15 years of experience as a Retail Marketing Leader in the loyalty industry, she has worked with some of the worlds largest retailers and FMCG brands to help them drive profitable growth by prioritising the customer in their decision-making processes. Her expertise spans loyalty program design, CRM, personalisation, data analytics, data commercialisation, and the technical implementation of initiatives that bring retailers and brands closer to their customers. Her know-how of what drives loyalty and effective personalisation can be seen in the 2nd edition of Omnichannel Retail: How to Build Winning Stores in a Digital World, which she co-authored with Tim Mason in 2023.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. (WGN)  Lake County coroners have identified the male pedestrian who was struck and killed by a freight train Friday in Lake Forest.

Lake Forest police said a train traveling northbound near Waukegan and Everett roads struck the man, identified as 72-year-old William Morgan, of Lake Forest, around noon on Friday, March 14.

WGN News reported that the man was struck by a northbound Canadian Pacific Kansas City Southern freight train traveling from Bensenville, Illinois, to Portage, Wisconsin.

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Morgan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

The Lake Forest Police Department, Metra Police, and investigators with Canadian Pacific Kansas City are continuing to investigate the incident.

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DES PLAINES, Ill. (WGN)  A jailed Des Plaines man faces felony charges months after a stabbing that Cook County prosecutors say was the result of a road rage incident.

Officers initially responded to the 1500 block of Miner St. in Des Plaines around 12:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11. Arriving officers encountered the 53-year-old stabbing victim standing in the roadway with wounds to his left arm.

According to police, a bicyclist, later identified as 43-year-old Pablo Sosa, fled the scene before police arrived.

SEE ALSO: Man fatally shot by police after allegedly injuring officer in traffic stop IDd

Pablo Sosa

Police learned that the victim and Sosa were traveling westbound on Miner Street. For reasons unknown, a verbal altercation turned physical, as Sosa allegedly began punching the driver through an open window before the stabbing.

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Des Plaines paramedics rushed the victim to a nearby hospital after responding officers performed life-saving medical measures.

Investigators said witness accounts, surveillance video, and forensic evidence from a bicycle part left at the scene helped law enforcement personnel to identify Sosa.

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The Cook County States Attorneys Office approved charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery, and vehicular invasion for Sosa on Wednesday, Jan. 15. A grand jury indicted Sosa on Wednesday, March 18. His next court hearing is pending.

This image from cellphone video obtained by WGN News shows a man who police say is Pablo Sosa confronting another man along Miner Street before the alleged stabbing (Photo: WGN)

Police said officers arrested Sosa in December of 2024 for a parole violation. According to authorities, Sosa was on parole for a similar stabbing and attempted murder incident that occurred in June of 2017 in Chicago.

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CLOVIS, N.M. (KRQE)  A man wanted in connection to an assault at a massage parlor in eastern New Mexico on Tuesday has been arrested, according to the Clovis Police Department.

Police say Christopher Gipson, 42, was wanted on charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, assault with intent to commit a violent felony, and tampering with evidence.

New Mexico State Police arrested Gipson after a short chase when he was spotted behind a grocery store in Clovis. NMSP said he was in the process of changing his clothes.

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Clovis police can be called at 575-769-1921. Tips can be submitted online at this link.

Gipsons charges stem back to about 8:44 p.m. on Tuesday when dispatch in Clovis received a 911 call. They heard what seemed to be groaning and crying on the other end. Police then responded to a massage parlor at 3018 N Prince St. where they found a 60-year-old woman bleeding from both her head and body.

Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene. The woman was stabilized from her life-threatening injuries and taken to Plains Regional Medical Center. She has since been transferred to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas.

Albuquerque police release video showing teens hitting, killing bicyclist

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The Clovis Police Departments special operations unit began investigating, leading to Gipson being identified as the suspect. Police believe Gipson was in Clovis for a work detail involving a construction group. They do not believe he is associated with the city in any other way.

Gipson has also been identified as a suspect in a second robbery of a massage therapy center on March 14, 2024. Clovis police said the reports are similar and the case is being investigated. He has not been charged in that case.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Clovis police non-emergency line at 575-769-1921. Anonymous tips can be submitted online, or through Curry County Crime Stoppers at 575-763-7000.

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GATES COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY)  A man wanted out of Virginia and North Carolina was arrested Wednesday morning by Gates County deputies as part of an investigation into stolen motor vehicles and other goods, according to officials.

Christopher Widen (Courtesy: Gates County Sheriffs Office)

Christopher Widen was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, purchasing/selling motor vehicle parts with an altered ID, altering/destroying stolen motor vehicle parts and altering serial numbers, the Gates County Sheriffs Office said. He is currently being held as a fugitive without bond.

The sheriffs office said further charges are pending.

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The GCSO released a statement following the arrest, which can be read in part below:

We extend our thanks to the inspectors of the NCDMV License and Theft Bureau for their assistance in this multi-week investigation, the sheriffs office said.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

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Mar. 19Manchester aldermen have approved an amended agreement between city and state officials to continue using the Tirrell House on Brook Street as a shelter for women and children through June 2027.

The Beacon on Brook Street Shelter for women and children is a program of Light of Life Ministries that opened in January 2024, with American Rescue Plan Act funds approved by the city.

The shelter houses 16 women. Officials say since the site opened, each bed has been filled "every day" with a waiting list of approximately 30-45 women at any given time.

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The agreement was approved unanimously on a voice vote Tuesday night by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

In a letter to aldermen, Mayor Jay Ruais reports the Beacon on Brook Street Shelter has had "significant, positive, outcomes in a very short period of time."

According to Ruais, during its first year of operation, 58 unhoused individuals were served  42 households and 16 children.

In the past 10 months, 45% have moved on to permanent or temporary housing and 74% of the women served last year stayed at the shelter between three months and a year, demonstrating that the women are "working with case managers and resident assistants in a meaningful way," Ruais wrote.

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"Beacon on Brook is not simply an emergency shelter  they are establishing a care plan within the first week that individuals arrive," Ruais said. "Staff is on site 24 hours per day, 7 days a week to ensure compliance with rules, while assisting women who are addressing barriers, such as substance use disorder, mental health concerns, domestic violence, benefits, housing services, and much more."

The amended agreement is effective upon approval by Gov. Kelly Ayotte and the Executive Council and runs through June 30, 2027. The agreement may be terminated by either party for any reason with 60 days written notice.

Tirrell House at 15 Brook St. includes an approximately 4,000-square-foot, three-story building, an approximately 552-square-foot outbuilding and four parking spaces.

In January 2023, the city announced it was partnering with YWCA New Hampshire to provide staffing and wraparound services at Tirrell House, formerly home to a men's transitional living program operated by Families in Transition until November 2022.

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Use of the Tirrell House was requested by former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and seven other New Hampshire mayors in a letter sent to former Gov. Chris Sununu and other state officials to address a statewide shortage of emergency shelter beds for women experiencing homelessness.

In July 2023, YWCA NH made the decision to close the shelter after operating the site for about six months.

"We've tried everything and looked everywhere, but have not been able to raise the money. Everyone that might help appears to be out of funds," YWCA NH Chief Executive Jessica Cantin said in a news release at the time.

In October 2023, city aldermen approved $3.85 million of federal ARPA and HOME funds for Affordable and Supportive Housing Initiatives in Manchester, including reopening the women's shelter in partnership with Light of Life Ministries.

Light of Life Ministries received $767,517 to operate the shelter at 15 Brook St. for 2-3 years.
EDITORS NOTE: This poll was commissioned by Count My Vote and conducted via opt-in methods, gathering 609 responses from registered voters. Sample demographics were weighted, and there is a 3.97% margin of error.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  Its a debate thats raged in Utah since the state legislature ushered in a grand compromise  still known by its bill number as S.B. 54  creating a dual path to the ballot over 10 years ago: Should Utah use signatures, the caucus convention path, or both for candidates to qualify for a primary ballot?

New polling shows nearly half of Utahns surveyed (44%) want to keep the status quo, which allows candidates to choose both paths.

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The poll was conducted by Noble Predictive Insights. It was commissioned by Count My Vote, which is the group behind the successful 2014 initiative trying to get rid of the caucus path  and forcing lawmakers into the compromise resulting in Utahs current dual path setup.

Majority of Utahns support legalizing recreational marijuana, new polling shows

The survey was sent via text and done online, and 609 people opted in to take the survey. Respondents were asked to choose one of four options:

Candidates should ONLY be placed on the ballot if they can gather signatures from

registered party voters  the convention system is not needed Candidates should ONLY be placed on the ballot if they can win at a party

convention  the signature-gathering path is not needed The current system  which allows candidates to get on the ballot through signature

Gathering or winning at the convention  is fine as is Not sure

An image taken from a survey analysis document shared by Noble Polling Insights. See the full document at the bottom of this story for the full numbers. (Courtesy: Noble Polling Insights)

The polling shows 44% of respondents want to keep the status quo, with the next most popular option being the signature-only route at 26% support. Next, 18% said they were not sure and the convention-only option was the least popular response at 12%.

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The polling confirms what we know and that is that Utah voters strongly support the dual path, said Count My Vote Executive Director Taylor Morgan.

Utah voters are participating at the highest rate ever since implementing the dual path in 2014, and voters like to have more options to choose from (when accessing the ballot), it increases competitiveness and results in elected leaders who better reflect the priorities and values of Utah voters, he said.

Morgan was also asked whether his group has any plans to try and do away with the caucus convention path. He said they did not, but that its always something theyre ready for.

We believe the dual path is a good process, it is working well, we have no plans to eliminate cause convention  we are focused on improving the signature path, Morgan said. We are always prepared to launch an initiative to defend and protect the voice of Utah voters but we would only consider that option if lawmakers moved to eliminate the signature route to the ballot.

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ABC4.com reached out to the State GOP for a comment regarding these results. Rob Axson, Chair of the Utah GOP, stressed the importance of the caucus systems ability to give meaningful opportunities for people to be involved with elected officials.

The Utah Republican Party firmly believes in the importance of participation from our party members, Axson said in a statement to ABC4.com. The caucus process provides meaningful opportunities for anyone to be involved and to have access to elected officials, candidates for office, and the chance to run for office themselves. We live in a Constitutional Republic and championing the involvement of Utahns from all corners of our state through the caucus system is married to our system of government. We will continue to introduce Utahns to the strength of their participation while adhering to our party platform.

Breaking down the numbers

The numbers dont change much when you look at whether Republicans and Democrats favor the signature route differently.

(There are) No partisan or religious divides. A path that involves signatures is just more popular, the polls memo states.

An image taken from a survey analysis document shared by Noble Polling Insights. See the full document at the bottom of this story for the full numbers. (Courtesy: Noble Polling Insights)

According to the results, 44% of self-identified Republican respondents say they prefer both routes, while 42% of Democrats also said the same. Those who identify as Independent or other supported the dual path at 45%

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Republicans  the group most favorable to a convention-only system  only registered 17% support for that system. The both and signature only options were the most popular among the states largest political group, the memo notes.

The trends were the same for religious groups, with 47% of LDS voters saying they support both paths.

An image taken from a survey analysis document shared by Noble Polling Insights. See the full document at the bottom of this story for the full numbers. (Courtesy: Noble Polling Insights)

UTPOP 3-17-25 Count My Vote Utah Executive Summary (1)Download

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, is expected to call a snap election in April.

Mr Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau as head of government this month, will announce the dissolution of the Canadian parliament on Sunday with voting to take place on April 28, an official familiar with the matter told AP.

While his Liberal Party have long been lagging behind the Conservatives, they have recently closed the polling gap to within a few points since Mr Carney was elected by party members.

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Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader, has been hamstrung by his association with Donald Trump after the US president repeatedly suggested he could annex Canada as the 51st state.

While his Liberal Party has long been lagging behind the Conservatives, they have recently closed the polling gap to a dead-heat since Mr Carney was elected by party members.

Election date

While April 28 has been widely floated as the most likely date for the election, one source quoted by Radio Canada said that May 5 was also under consideration.

Mr Carney, the former governor of Britain and Canadas central banks, was sworn in as prime minister on Friday after beating his Liberal rivals in the contest to succeed Mr Trudeau.

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He does not have a seat in the Canadian parliament, and will presumably seek a seat allowing him to sit in the House of Commons.

The Liberals, who have had three terms in power under Mr Trudeau, had long seemed destined for a crushing defeat at the hands of Mr Poilievres Conservatives, which maintained a consistent 20-point lead in the polls.

However, the political calculus has been upended since Mr Trump entered office in January and declared a trade war on the US northern neighbour, imposing 25 per cent tariffs on imports and floating plans to annex Canada.

Polling averages currently give Mr Carney a slim lead over Mr Poilievre, and show the Liberals taking a tiny four-seat majority in the House of Commons.

Carney repeatedly critical of Trump

The Canadian prime minister, who helped the Bank of Canada navigate the financial crash in 2008 and the Bank of England deal with the aftershock of the Brexit referendum in 2016, is the figure most trusted by his countrymen to stand up to Mr Trump, according to surveys.

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Mr Carney has been repeatedly critical of the US president, vowing to maintain reciprocal tariffs on the US until it shows respect and laying out policies to shift Canada away from trade with the US towards more reliable allies.

He is yet to have a phone call with Mr Trump despite being sworn in almost a week ago, according to reports.

By contrast, Mr Poilievre has been tarred by his association with the US president, having borrowed Mr Trumps America First messaging to push Canada First policies.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump claimed that he did not care who won Canadas election and hit out at Mr Poilievre, saying: The Conservative thats running is stupidly no friend of mine. I dont know him, but he said negative things. So when he says negative things, I couldnt care less.

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The US president suggested he would find it easier to deal with Mr Carney  which his Conservative rival leapt on, declaring that the prime minister will keep Canada weak, just like Trump wants.

In a speech on Thursday Mr Poilievre sought to distance himself from Mr Trump and announced plans to approve hundreds of billions of dollars in new energy projects.

We will be less reliant on the Americans, he said.

We will be self-reliant, sovereign and stand on our own two feet while we stand up to the Americans and stand up for ourselves.

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A Market Basket employee is accused of starting the fires that temporarily closed the North Shore location last week.

Matthew Johnson, 35, is facing two counts of burning personal property and attempting to burn a building after allegedly setting two separate fires at the Market Basket on Gloucester Crossing Road in Gloucester on Friday, March 14, the Massachusetts State Fire Marshals office said Thursday.

Gloucester firefighters responded to the supermarket around 8:20 p.m. Friday after a fire began in the rear of the building, officials say. As firefighters began to battle that fire, crews soon found another fire burning elsewhere in the store.

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Firefighters managed to extinguish both fires by 9:00 p.m. Nobody was injured in the fire and the store was able to reopen the next day.

The Gloucester Fire Department shared photos of firefighters dousing several torched cardboard boxes at the scene.

Johnsons arrest came after an investigation by the Gloucester Police Department, Gloucester Fire Department, and State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshals office.

Johnson is expected to be arraigned in Gloucester District Court this afternoon, according to the State Fire Marshals office.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Massachusetts Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren are demanding answers after several federal buildings in the Bay State were labeled non-core assets.

Its craziness: Workers rally in Boston against Pres. Trumps plan to downsize federal services

Earlier this month, the U.S. General Services Administration posted on its website a list of more than 400 federal facilities nationwide that had been designated for sale or disposal.

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We are identifying buildings and facilities that are not core to government operations, or non-core properties for disposal, the GSA said at the time. Selling the properties ensures that taxpayer dollars are no longer spent on vacant or underutilized federal space, it said, and helps eliminate costly maintenance and allows us to reinvest in high-quality work environments that support agency missions.

That list was abruptly pulled down just days later by the Trump administration, sowing chaos and uncertainty Markey and Warren stated in a letter addressed to GSA Acting Administrator Stephen Ehikian.

The GSAs 443-property chopping block included both the John F. Kennedy Federal Building and the Thomas P. ONeill Jr. Building in Boston, two of the largest federal buildings in New England, according to Markey and Warren.

The properties are home to thousands of employees and more than a dozen government tenants, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Boston Passport Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration, National Labor Relations Board, and the senators Boston offices.

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The GSA has alleged that disposing of the federal buildings best serves local communities. The Commonwealths senators disagree.

It is difficult for us to see how that would be true. Our local communities and their residents would suffer from the inevitable negative impact that selling or closing these federal properties would have on constituent services, Markey and Warren warned in the letter.

The senators blasted the GSAs plan as straight out of the private equity playbook, designed to move taxpayer money into private hands.

Other Massachusetts buildings named on the GSA list include the Frederick C. Murphy Building in Waltham, the IRS Center in Andover, the John A. Volpe Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, the Philip J. Philbin Federal Office Building in Fitchburg, the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building in Pittsfield, the Social Security Administration in Fall River, and the U.S. Customs House in New Bedford, a Taunton Daily Gazette report cited by the senators indicated.

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The non-core assets designations come after the Department of Government Efficiency recently terminated 17 leases in Massachusetts, according to a Boston Business Journal report referenced by the senators.

The Trump administrations and the Department of Government Efficiencys effort to dismantle our government has now spurred an unnecessary GSA fire sale, Markey and Warren wrote. A manufactured crisis facilitating the transfer of more government dollars to private profiteers. This will only further degrade infrastructure and service over time.

Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have been engaged in an unprecedented effort to slash the size of the federal workforce and shrink government spending.

Markey and Warren demanded that GSA clarify its future plans for the federal properties in Massachusetts in a written response by no later than March 31.

Read the full letter below:

Markey, Warren warn residents would suffer if 9 federal buildings in Mass. are sold by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd

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BALTIMORE (AP)  The Maryland Transportation Authority failed to complete a recommended vulnerability assessment that would have shown the Francis Scott Key Bridge was at significant risk of collapse from a ship strike long before its demise last year, according to federal investigators.

The bridge collapsed after a massive cargo ship, the Dali, lost power and veered off course, striking one of its support piers. Six construction workers were killed.

Maryland leaders could have done more to prevent the deadly disaster, National Transportation Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said during a media briefing Thursday afternoon.

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The board update comes almost a year after the bridge collapse, which temporarily halted ship traffic through the Port of Baltimore and snarled traffic across the region. Plans to rebuild the bridge are underway and officials have said the new design will be much better protected.

When board investigators performed the vulnerability assessment for Baltimores Key Bridge, they found it was almost 30 times worse than the acceptable risk threshold, according to guidance established by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. The group published the vulnerability assessment calculation in 1991, and all bridges designed afterward were required to be evaluated. In 2009, the group reiterated its recommendation to also conduct assessments for older bridges.

Had Maryland officials completed the assessment at any time since then, they would have been able to proactively identify strategies to reduce the risk of a collapse and loss of lives associated with a vessel collision with the bridge, Homendy said.

She said as of October, they still hadnt assessed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge even after the Key Bridge collapse.

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Theres no excuse, she said.

The board also issued urgent recommendations and a report that lists 30 owners of 68 bridges across 19 states. Homendy said they should learn from Marylands mistake and perform the assessments to determine whether they need more protection.

The Key Bridge opened to traffic in 1977, when the ships visiting Baltimores port were significantly smaller and standards for pier protection were much less robust.

In 1980, a container ship struck the bridges pier protection and was stopped by a concrete and timber fendering system. But that ship weighed about one-tenth the Dali, which plowed through similar fenders, according to a report documenting the boards findings.

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Although some factors are challenging to modify for existing bridges, the process of calculating vulnerability assessments enables owners to make informed decisions to manage their assets, identify their bridges that may be susceptible to damage from a vessel collision, and appraise and prioritize vessel collision protection projects alongside other projects addressing highway asset needs and risks, the report says.

Homendy said this isnt the first time shes called for the assessments to be completed on some of the nations older bridges. She said the board has been sounding the alarm on this since the tragedy occurred, including in testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April 2024.

We need action, she said. Public safety depends on it.

The board is still investigating what caused the Dali to lose power as it approached the Key Bridge. In an earlier update, investigators said they discovered a loose cable that could have caused electrical issues on the Dali. The ship experienced blackouts twice in the hours before it left the Port of Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka.

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Justice Department attorneys later alleged its mechanical and electrical systems had been jury-rigged and improperly maintained. They pointed to excessive vibrations that could have loosened electrical connections. The agencys lawsuit was later settled after the Dalis owner, Grace Ocean Private Ltd., and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, agreed to pay over $100 million in cleanup costs.

The Singapore-based companies filed a court petition just days after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability in what could become the most expensive marine casualty case in history.

Homendy said the board plans to release more information from its investigation in the coming weeks and months.



Witte reported from Annapolis, Maryland.
GUEST OPINION: While it may feel as if the nation is only discussing such big-ticket items as social media bans, interest rates and a forthcoming election, Australian industry instead is focusing on three mega-trends that are re-shaping their business models on the fly.

Decarbonisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and ecosystem-level collaboration are the key trends industry, regardless of sector, is considering this year. Amid increased regulatory and investor scrutiny, organisations are looking at doing more with less  and they key to all of these trends is technology; in particular, integrating technology and expertise to address the challenges and opportunities in a world of growing complexity.

Decarbonisation: A Growing Imperative

The urgency for decarbonisation has become undeniable, driven by both political and environmental factors. Since January 1 this year, Australias largest organisations are now required to deliver mandatory climate-related reporting, including disclosures on climate-related risks and opportunities, and on greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain. This will soon begin too for medium-sized companies.

Simultaneously, extreme weather eventssuch as the floods in Brisbane and the 2019 bushfires have highlighted the devastating impacts of climate change on communities and economies. Recently, weve seen wildfires in Los Angeles decimate the city, and floods in Valencia have wreaked havoc  both seemingly out of nowhere.

All too often we're seeing the impacts of climate change, and this is increasing the scrutiny on our biggest emitters.

To achieve meaningful progress, Australian organisations  particularly those in heavy industries such as mining, minerals and manufacturing  must embrace technologies which enable precise monitoring, optimisation, and reporting of emissions. Some of these tools include digital twins, energy management systems and carbon accounting technologies.

Those organisations that adopt these and other emissions-focused solutions into their decarbonisation mix will make it much easier to report accurately on emissions and find ways to reduce them.

The Transformative Potential of AI

While AI continues to revolutionise industries, its adoption remains a work in progress. Recent research suggests that, while uptake is increasing, just 35% of Australian organisations are adopting AI at present.

This is no doubt set to change in 2025  last year, organisations explored generative AI, leveraging large language models to streamline operations and enhance decision-making.

But AI offers much more, particularly for industries grappling with workforce challenges. By codifying organisational knowledge, AI tools preserve and scale expertise, mitigating the skills crisis. However, concerns about job displacement and ethical implications remain. Businesses must balance AI-driven efficiency with workforce transitions and societal responsibilities.

Looking ahead, intelligent agents  autonomous AI systems capable of adapting to dynamic environments  are poised to redefine automation. By 2028, some research predicts these systems  known as Agentic AI  will make 15 per cent of workplace decisions. Moreover, the integration of AI with hardware, such as humanoid robots and drones, is expected to disrupt sectors ranging from manufacturing to defence.

Yet, AI's rapid growth comes with environmental costs. Data centres, powering compute-intensive systems like generative AI, already account for one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. With electricity consumption projected to increase by 160 per cent by 2030, responsible AI development must prioritise energy efficiency, cybersecurity, and governance. Quantifying AI's environmental footprint and aligning it with sustainability goals will be essential.

Ecosystem-Level Collaboration

While the nation struggled to maintain growth in 2024  with economic figures suggesting the country has recently been in a per-capita recession  data creation globally soared, with 263 per cent more information produced than in 2019.

What do these two seemingly unrelated trends have to do with each other? Agility and resilience have become paramount, requiring organisations to adapt quickly to shifting conditions. Thus, collaboration across stakeholdersspanning competitors, disciplines, and regionshas emerged as a key strategy. By sharing secure, interoperable data, businesses can unlock insights that foster innovation and productivity.

Ecosystem-level collaboration enables industries to tackle systemic challenges, from climate action to supply chain resilience. Cross-boundary partnerships break down organisational silos, creating networks that generate new perspectives and solutions. For example, data sharing across value chains enhances transparency, enabling informed decision-making and greater operational agility.

Industrial Intelligence: A Holistic Approach

At the core of these trends lies industrial intelligencea framework that connects, secures, and contextualises diverse data sources. This approach goes beyond integrating technologies; it harnesses domain expertise to transform information into actionable insights. By fostering trust and collaboration, industrial intelligence empowers organisations to address the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.

The past year saw a commitment to industrial decarbonisation across industries. Engineers and executives alike embraced AIs promise while recognising its risks, seeking ways to balance innovation with ethical considerations. Facilities that bridged data silos reaped the benefits of increased agility, turning complexity into competitive advantage.

Those green shoots which emerged in 2024 signal the beginning. By leveraging decarbonisation technologies, responsibly adopting AI, and fostering ecosystem-level collaboration, industries can build a resilient and sustainable future.

The nation isnt out of its slow-growth phase just yet, but industry isnt waiting idly by for growth to manifest. Through AI, a keen focus on sustainability and more collaboration, businesses are doing what they can to meet tomorrows expectations and drive growth for themselves and the country.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP)  Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced an agreement on a state budget framework with the state's Democratic leadership Thursday, criticizing President Donald Trump's tariffs and dramatic downsizing of the federal government while announcing tax increases and cuts to address a $3.3 billion state deficit for the next fiscal year.

The tax increases include a new 3% tax on information technology services, as well as a new income tax bracket for the state's wealthiest residents

We ve spoken to Marylanders at all income levels about this plan, and there is consensus that if a person is making over $750,000 a year, it is reasonable to ask them to give roughly $1,800 more to help us invest in the success of our state," Moore, a Democrat, said.

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The plans also include tax increases on gambling and cannabis, as well as a new 1% tax on capital gains for people with incomes over $350,000.

Moore and other leading lawmakers criticized the Republican president frequently at a news conference at the state Capitol. The governor pointed out that the ratings agency Moody's recently noted that federal cuts pose a greater threat to Maryland than any other state.

The president has launched a reckless trade war with our allies, including our largest trading partners, and those tariffs could mean over a $2 billion impact on our economy and directly harm our people, Moore said,

He added that Trump dealt a further blow to the state last week by announcing plans to cancel relocating a new FBI headquarters in Maryland.

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Republicans said it was wrong to blame the president for the states fiscal woes, because Maryland's budget deficit existed long before Trump returned to office in January.

You didnt hear one bit of accountability from any of the Democratic leaders, Del. Jesse Pippy, a Republican who is the House minority whip, said. You didnt. You heard them blame Trump for every single problem we have in the state, and they just raised our taxes at least a billion dollars.

But the governor emphasized that 94% of Marylanders will either get a tax cut or see no change in their income taxes. However, he did not provide an estimated average tax cut for those seeing reductions, saying work was ongoing to determine those numbers.

Moore and other leading Democrats, who heavily control the state's legislature, described the budget plan as a much-needed modernization of the state's revenue streams.

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As our economy increasingly becomes digital, this revenue expansion acknowledges the growing role of IT in our daily lives and business operations and the use of technology to replace workers," Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, said. "It also acknowledges that many goods, such as software programs, are now sold as yearly or monthly services.

The new tax would apply to services like website building, as well as services that help people store information on the cloud, such as Amazon Web Services.

Ferguson said the new tax on capital gains will be used to invest in transportation and help add a new revenue stream to the budget, and he linked the new tax to Trump's plan for a tax cut for the wealthy.

What we do know is that the Trump tax cuts that are focused on billionaires are likely to help those who have done the best, and so this is the right place for Maryland to look to have sustainable investment in our infrastructure and in our budget," Ferguson said.

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The plan includes about $2.3 billion in cuts, about $500 million more than the governor included in his initial budget proposal in January. Del. Ben Barnes, a Democrat who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, noted that previous cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration have been restored.

Moore described the cuts as the most significant in 16 years, but few details about them were offered at the news conference, an omission sharply criticized by Republicans.

Del. Jason Buckel, a western Maryland Republican and the House minority leader, described it as very disappointing, the incredible lack of detail.

Basically all I took away from it was were going to increase peoples taxes," Buckel said. "Were making cuts. We cant tell you what the cuts are.

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Lawmakers still have to pass a balanced budget before the end of the legislative session on April 7. The governor described the agreement on Thursday as a framework on its main components, though work remains in the coming weeks.

This framework will inform the final budget and the final bill that goes from the House to the Senate, and I look forward to signing it when it makes it to my desk," Moore said.
BOSTON (WWLP)  A Cambridge woman has been sentenced to prison in connection with operating an interstate network of high-end brothels in Massachusetts and Virginia.

Han Lee, 42, was arrested and charged in November 2023 alongside two co-defendants. Charging documents stated that Lee was the manager of multiple brothels in Cambridge and Watertown, Mass., and Fairfax and Tysons, Virginia.

Eight arrested, four illegal firearms, large quantity of narcotics seized in Springfield raid

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From at least July 2020, Lee and her co-defendants reportedly rented high-end apartments and furnished and maintained them to use as brothel locations. They enticed primarily Asian women on the basis of an alleged screening process of the men within their customer base, ensuring that the sex workers were safe and not at risk of arrest.

Lee used online sites bostontopten10.com and browneyesgirlsva.blog to advertise the prostitution network, reportedly advertising nude models for photography at upscale studios as a front. The websites required sex buyers to fill out extensive forms with their personal information in order to be eligible to book an appointment.

The charging documents further stated that Lee and her co-defendants charged the buyers premium prices for appointments, ranging from $350 to $600 per hour in cash depending on the services.

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In total, the brothel network managed by Lee generated over $5.6 million from approximately 9,450 scheduled appointments.

To conceal these proceeds, Lee reportedly deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash into personal and third-party bank accounts and peer-to-peer transfers. She and the co-defendants also used the proceeds to purchase money orders, which would then be used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel.

In September 2024, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution and one count of money laundering conspiracy.

Lee was sentenced on Wednesday to four years in prison followed by one year of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $5,418,572, and restitution in an amount to be determined at a later date.

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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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EDGARTOWN, Mass. (WPRI)  A woman from Marthas Vineyard has been charged with manslaughter following the death of a 2-year-old she allegedly left unattended in her car, according to Cape & Islands District Attorney Robert Galibois.

According to the District Attorneys Office, first responders received a 911 call from Aimee Cotton, 41, on the afternoon of March 13, reporting that a toddler she was babysitting was not breathing and turning blue in the back of her car. When police and EMS arrived, they found Cotton performing CPR on the child in the second-row passenger seat area.

The boy was rushed to Marthas Vineyard Hospital before being flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in critical condition, Galibois said.

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The next day, according to court documents, Cotton was charged with assault and battery on a child with injuries and reckless endangerment of a child in Edgartown District Court. She pleaded not guilty and was held on $2,800 bail with conditions of release.

On Wednesday, the child died from his injuries, and prosecutors upgraded Cottons charges to manslaughter, the District Attorney said.

Cotton was arraigned Thursday and released on $21,000 bail with GPS monitoring, according to court documents, which list her next scheduled court appearance as an April 18 probable cause hearing. Shes been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victims family and no unsupervised contact with children under 5, and cannot participate in any daycare or childcare activities.

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MASSENA, N.Y. (WWTI)  Three people are facing drug charges after an arrest Wednesday, March 19 in the village of Massena.

In an announcement for the Massena Village Police, authorities executed a search warrant at 196 Center Street in Massena. Police arrested 22-year-old Elijah Navedo of the Bronx, 39-year-old Dustin Watson of Massena and 41-year-old Bonnie Jeror and allegedly seized methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

NYSP arrest pair in major firearms and animal cruelty investigation

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All three were charged with second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance for a stimulant over 10 grams and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell.

All three were arraigned in the Massena Town Court and remanded to the St. Lawrence County Jail with no bail.

Massena Police were assisted by the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force, New York State Police and the United States Border Patrol.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWTI - InformNNY.com.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia launched its "largest attack in recent years" on Kropyvnytskyi in Kirovohrad Oblast overnight on March 20, regional Governor Andrii Raikovych said.

At least 10 people have been injured as a result, including four children, the police said. Several of the victims have been hospitalized.

One of the injured victims, who is in critical condition, sustained surface burns to 90% of their body.

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Over 20 Russian drones were launched at the city overnight, striking homes and residential buildings, Raikovych told Suspilne.

Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraine's railway authority, reported that railway infrastructure has been damaged as a result of the attack.

Emergency services are currently working at the scene.

Kropyvnytskyi, with a population of around 220,000, is the administrative center of Kirovohrad Oblast in central Ukraine.

Russia has regularly launched drone attacks on various cities across Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion. Drone attacks have continued to ramp up in recent months, with Russia deploying 150 to 200 drones per attack against Ukraine.

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Russian forces plan to increase their capabilities to 500 drones per aerial attack against Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi, the deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR), said in an interview with RBC Ukraine published on March 3.

Read also: Russian attacks on railway infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injure four workers

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A Ukrainian drone attack targeted Russias Engels Air Base in the Saratov region, 300 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to Russian and Ukrainian officials. These claims are supported by an abundance of dramatic imagery footage. At this stage, its unclear whether any Russian aircraft were damaged in the incident, although there are strong indications that the primary target may have been a weapons storage area at the base. Long-range bombers flying from the air base regularly attack Ukraine and the airfield, and others like it have long been high-priority targets for Kyiv.

Videos and photos posted to social media showed the attack and its aftermath, which occurred early this morning, local time. Some of these videos have since been independently verified. The strikes involved Ukrainian-made long-range one-way attack drones, with at least one video seemingly indicating the use of the twin-boom Lyutyy or the visually similar PD-2. Both these types have been used to attack targets deep inside Russia on multiple occasions.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed that its forces had struck the airfield and the attacks triggered secondary detonations of ammunition.

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At least one video captured the moment that the shockwave from a massive explosion at Engels passed through the surrounding area. Such was the ferocity of the blast that areas outside of the base  including a settlement of dacha cottages  were severely damaged, with some structures being obliterated.

Near the Engels air base. pic.twitter.com/KPBboQw3O1          (@TheDeadDistrict) March 20, 2025

Roman Busargin, the governor of the Saratov region, confirmed there had been a Ukrainian drone attack that had left an unnamed airfield on fire, and that nearby residents had been evacuated. Other local officials said that 10 people had been injured in the attack and Engels district head Maxim Leonov confirmed that a local state of emergency had been declared.

The size of the blast, the subsequent intense fire, and the huge pall of smoke rising over the air base are certainly in line with the theory that a weapons storage area was struck. If that were the case, this could have eliminated a lot of weaponry, specifically the air-launched cruise missiles that Russian bombers are mainly armed with.

 Russia: Ukraine struck the Engels Military Air Base in Saratov region.  Igor Sushko (@igorsushko.bsky.social) 2025-03-20T04:09:14.037Z

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Russian Engels is again attacked by unknown drones. What is going on?!    Meanwhile in Ukraine (@meanwhileua.bsky.social) 2025-03-20T04:29:34.436Z

Russian Telegram channels report an ammunition warehouse might have been hit near Engels military airfield. Some say missiles might have been stored there.  Anton Gerashchenko (@antongerashchenko.bsky.social) 2025-03-20T07:24:36.924Z

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In addition, there are reports that secondary explosions continued throughout the morning, which would correspond with ammunition cooking off after the initial blast(s). Targeting munitions areas for their secondary effects as well as what they contain is a major tactic used by both sides in this war.

The scale of the destruction outside of the air base also suggests that there might be more extensive damage within the facilitys perimeters. So far, TWZ has not been able to obtain relevant satellite imagery that isnt obscured by cloud cover.

According to unconfirmed Ukrainian accounts, there were three Tu-95MS Bear-H and two Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers at Engels this morning. There were further reports that an Il-76 Candid airlifter had also recently arrived, perhaps carrying additional munitions for the resident bombers, though this cannot be verified.

A general satellite view of Engels  also known as Engels-2. Google Earth

A close-up of one of the weapons storage facilities at the base, seen on the right. This compound is located on the far right of the image above. Google Earth

After doing a detailed geolocation of Ukraines  strike on Engels air base, using the position of several buildings and the position of the sun at the time of the strike



The target was located as an ammunition bunker at Engels Air Base, likely storing many missiles and bombs pic.twitter.com/Iqr87fd6c0  Ukraine Battle Map (@ukraine_map) March 20, 2025

Regardless of what Russian aircraft were at the base this morning, the attack further underscores the ability of relatively slow and low-flying Ukrainian drones to fly deep into Russian territory and strike strategic military targets. Once again, this raises questions about local air defense capabilities, although Russian authorities typically claim that they successfully intercept almost all Ukrainian drones sent their way. On this occasion, Russian officials said that their air defenses had shot down 54 Ukrainian drones in the Saratov region overnight  from a total of 132 Ukrainian drones allegedly brought down across all Russian regions.

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Low and slow-flying drones, especially those made of composite materials, are hard to detect, track, and engage, but Russia has been facing attacks of this kind for many months now.

The approximate location of Engels Air Base within Russia. Google Earth

In the past, Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian bomber bases have resulted in damage to aircraft.

For example, Engels was attacked three times in the month of December 2022 alone. On at least one of those occasions, the Russian Ministry of Defense said the air base was attacked by Soviet-made jet-powered unmanned aerial vehicles modified by Ukraine to carry explosives. Those attacks  which also targeted Dyagilevo Air Base  resulted in damage to at least one Tu-22M3 Backfire-C bomber and apparently also to a Tu-95MS.

More recently, in January of this year, we reported on a huge fire close to Engels Air Base, caused by what Russian officials described as a massive Ukrainian drone attack. The strike was on the strategically important fuel storage tank farm for Engels and the fire raged for several days after, as seen in the image in the embedded tweet below:

Russias Rosreserv fuel depot in Engels continued to burn today after a Ukrainian drone attack last night, with multiple additional storage tanks igniting throughout the day.



Within the last hour, the regional governor of Saratov declared a state of emergency. pic.twitter.com/EzhoQTgqK0  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) January 8, 2025

Engels is home to the 22nd Heavy Bomber Aviation Division, which operates one squadron of Bear-Hs and another squadron of supersonic Blackjacks  this is the only permanent base for the Tu-160. Both types have been widely employed in the conflict in Ukraine and especially in the standoff strikes that have targeted Ukraines energy infrastructure, among other objectives, civilian and military, across the country.

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Meanwhile, repeated Ukrainian attacks have led to Russian air bases dispersing their aircraft for protection.

The Russian Aerospace Forces have also taken further precautions at their bases. Initially, they installed blast walls between active aircraft. This was an attempt to contain any damage to one aircraft in an attack, designed to prevent both fire and shrapnel from spreading. More recently, construction work at multiple bases has been adding many dozens of new hardened aircraft shelters to better shield aircraft from drone attacks and other indirect fire. However, the size of the bombers means they cannot be provided with the same kinds of protection.

As well as the physical hardening of airfields, Russia has arranged discarded aircraft as decoys. More unorthodox measures have included placing car tires on the upper surfaces of aircraft and painting aircraft silhouettes on concrete airfield surfaces. The tires, specifically, were intended to confuse image-matching seekers on Ukrainian-operated standoff weapons.

One of the first images of an Engels-based Tu-95MS to appear, in August of 2023, revealing the unusual covering of car tires. PHOTO  2023 PLANET LABS INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION

At the same time, anti-aircraft defenses have been set up at Russian airfields, although, as demonstrated today, their effectiveness has been mixed.

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The latest attack on Engels Air Base comes as Ukraine and Russia trade strikes against the backdrop of the Trump administrations efforts to work out the details of a partial ceasefire. Hours before the drone strike, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine spoke to his U.S. counterpart President Donald Trump, and accepted the Kremlins offer to mutually pause attacks on energy targets for 30 days.

As for the effectiveness of todays Ukrainian drone attack on Engels Air Base, we will have to wait for satellite imagery to have a better idea of this. At the very least, however, the operation is a reminder of Ukraines ability to target facilities of this kind as part of its long-range drone strategy. Among these targets, Engels, as Russias master bomber base, remains a prized objective for Ukraine.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
The Maui Police Commission Wednesday rejected a call to put Maui Police Chief John Pelletier on administrative leave and investigate a civil lawsuit against him involving rapper Sean Diddy Combs.

Chief Pelletier denied all the allegations contained in the civil suit and provided the commission with receipts and photos he said prove he was nowhere near the scene where alleged incidents occurred. He said the evidence showed he was working at the Las Vegas Police Department, not in California as alleged.

A baseless civil accusation, Maui police chief responds to Diddy lawsuit involvement

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When the civil suit was filed, Mayor Richard Bissen asked the Maui Police Commission to place Chief Pelletier on leave pending investigation, stating it does not constitute a presumption of guilt but ensures (hes) not in a position that may compromise the integrity of the office while the matter is under review.

Hawaii ranks in top 2 for divorce, depression, more: New report

After hearing public testimony and from the Chief and his attorney, the commission decided not to act on the request to put him on leave.

Gina Mangieri is on Maui and will have more on the decision, as well as reaction from the Chief and Mayors office starting with the KHON2 News at 4.

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56)  Kentuckys senior senator was in Lexington on Thursday to meet with agriculture leaders on protecting Kentuckys farmland.

I think we can begin to fight back against the loss of farms, Sen. Mitch McConnell said at a panel discussion with members of the University of Kentuckys College of Agriculture, the state Department of Agriculture, and the Kentucky Farm Bureau.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Although McConnell may have closed the chapter on his time in leadership, he still maintains his longtime seat on the Senates agriculture committee.

Thursdays meeting was part of McConnells effort to promote The Protecting American Farmlands Act. McConnells bill could exempt farmers from capital gains taxes if farmland being sold goes to another agricultural producer. The bills goal would be to slow down the rapid decline in Kentuckys available farmland.

That five-year period from 2017 to 2022. In Kentucky alone, we lost 6,500 farms, and we lost over 500,000 acres of farmland in five years, Kentucky Farm Bureau Eddie Melton said.

As opposed to the normal tax youd pay, youd get a capital gains treatment, which is less if you keep it in a demonstrable farm family. Makes a lot of sense, McConnell said.

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As McConnell faced the cameras, he also shared his opinion on some of the national news of the day and recent actions of the Trump administration.

Im not a fan of tariffs, McConnell said. He explained that despite his disagreement on the Trump approach to economic policy, he said tariffs are the White Houses power to wield and prices will be the judge.

LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS:

On this weeks news of a major reduction or complete elimination of the Department of Education, McConnell said a majority of the reorganization efforts will be defined in the courts.

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Im just going to wait, and like all of us in effect, are going to wait and see whether this is permissible or not, McConnell said.

When pressed to share whether he supported the Department of Education elimination plan, McConnell responded that he believes its a good idea to reduce government spending, but did not go into specifics.

McConnell did not give any indication of how he may vote if the effort to dissolve the Department of Education is brought to Congress.

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MCSO deputy, family lauded as heroes by Texas fire department

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  A Mesa County Sheriffs deputy and his family were hailed as heroes by a Texas fire department for their efforts during a historic sandstorm last week.

Deputy Phillip Peterson was driving a U-Haul of belongings from Texas on March 14 when the weather went down south quickly. Minimal visibility and extreme winds caused cars to crash all around Peterson, resulting in a 40-plus car pileup on U.S. Interstate 27 outside of Canyon, Texas, which is about 18 miles south of Amarillo.

Petersons U-Haul was hit, and the van  driven by his wife, Krystal, who was traveling with their children  was struck several times. After checking on his wife and kids and seeing they were OK, Peterson turned his attention to the injured drivers after him.

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Peterson and Krystal cleared out the U-Haul to create a shelter where they could get the injured motorists out of the sandstorm and apply first aid. Because of the intensity of the weather conditions and the size of the pileup, first responders found it challenging to access the crash. But the Amarillo Fire Department managed to execute a well-thought-out response to the scene.

Krystal and their son were eventually taken by an ambulance to the hospital less than an hour into the response to be evaluated and treated. This was after  despite their own injuries  they helped other victims before receiving aid themselves.

The Amarillo Fire Department said Peterson and the rest of his kids stayed on the scene while first responders brought over 15 victims to the makeshift U-Haul/shelter.

Because of this incident, Peterson and his family lost most of their belongings that were removed from the U-Haul. Their van was also totaled.

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In a gesture to show their appreciation, the Amarillo Professional Fire Fighters Association gave the family a check. The Canyon Fire Fighters Association provided a rental vehicle, and the Red Cross gave them a free gas card to help them travel home to Grand Junction.

There are few words that accurately describe the actions taken by Deputy Peterson, Krystal, and the Peterson children on March 14, but heroic is absolutely fitting. Thank you, Deputy Peterson, Krystal, and kids. You all truly embody the badge, the Mesa County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Amarillo Fire Department Battalion Chief-Rescue Adam Perry wrote a message to Deputy Chief Jacob Oehlert commending Peterson and his family for their actions.

The initial message is down below:

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Deputy Chief Oehlert,

I wanted to provide you with an update on the police officer who allowed us to use his U-Haul as a casualty collection point. We were able to track him down  his name is Deputy Philip Peterson from the Mesa County Sheriffs Office in Colorado. Deputy Peterson was traveling with his family of six when they were involved in the accident. His wife and several of their children were in one car, which was struck three separate times. His wife was transported to the hospital by ambulance, treated, and later released. Despite their own situation, Deputy Peterson and his wife immediately began assisting other victims, including those in critical condition.

He allowed first responders to use his U-Haul as a casualty collection point, moving his personal belongings to the ditch to make space. In near-zero visibility conditions, he and his children remained on scene as responders brought over 15 victims to the U-Haul. When no additional space was available, we attempted to move the U-Haul out of the dust storm to establish an ambulance exchange point. Once all patients had been transferred to ambulances, he drove his daughter to the hospital for evaluation.

After AFD Units returned to the station, Driver Moss reached out and asked if there was something we could do to assist Deputy Peterson and his family. I informed him that I would call you, Chief. After my conversation with you, I contacted the union, and they agreed to provide financial assistance. They issued him a $1,000 check.

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I met Deputy Peterson and his family at Walmart, where they were purchasing clothes. He had secured a hotel room but was still in need of a rental car to return to Grand Junction, Colorado. I asked if he would like for me to notify the Red Cross, and he agreed. Red Cross assured me they would do their best to assist him despite the unusual circumstances.

A short while ago, I received an update from the Red Cross: they secured an SUV rental for the family, with Canyon Fire (executive board maybe) covering the $824 cost. The Red Cross provided him with $200 for fuel. Canyon fire assisted him with getting in touch with DPS and finding where his car was towed. Red Cross also informed me that he was out at the scene recovering some of his belongings.

Given Deputy Petersons selfless actionsprioritizing the care of others despite his own familys needsI would like to formally recommend him for accommodation. His willingness to serve in such extreme conditions speaks volumes about his character and dedication.

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ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)  As of March 14, 2025, the Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 259 measles cases statewide, with more than half occurring in individuals under 18.

Due to the majority of cases coming from children, and people with unvaccinated or unknown vaccination status, Dr. Sara Safarzadeh Amiri, the Regional Chief Medical Officer for Odessa Regional Medical Center and Scenic Mountain Medical Center, advises parents to speak with their healthcare provider about vaccination safety.

The reason that we are seeing outbreaks of measles in the United States is not that measles is endemic in our area, said Dr. Amiri. We actually in the United States were able to eradicate measles in the year 2000.

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According to Dr. Amiri, the outbreak of measles is happening due to international travel to areas where vaccination against measles is not highly prevalent. She added that the surge may present an opportunity to educate parents and the public about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, she said.

If you are vaccinated against measles you are pretty much protected, she said.

For those who are on the fence about measles vaccines, Dr. Amiri recommended sitting down with a healthcare provider and discussing your options.

Maybe now is the time for you to reconsider and get the vaccination, she said.

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KnowBe4, the world-renowned cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today announced a new report, From Primary Schools to Universities, The Global Education Sector is Unprepared for Escalating Cyber Attacks.

The education sector was the most targeted industry for cyberattacks in 2024, according to several reports, including one from Check Point Research. The sector has also seen a stark increase in cyberattacks.

Key findings from the report include:

Both primary and higher education institutions heavily rely on third-party vendors for software-as-a-service, cloud storage, and IT services. This creates a risk, as vulnerabilities or breaches within third-party systems could later affect all institutions using these services, which often goes on undetected.

An attackers search for an open door is helped by the fact that with limited resources, and increasing demands for modernisation, schools and universities often mix modern and legacy IT systems, which can leave highly sensitive personal information on outdated and exploitable systems.

In its 2024 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR), Verizon examined 30,458 security incidents in total, of which 10,626 were confirmed data breaches. Of these, 1,780 incidents (17%) were attacks against the education system,1,537 (14%) with confirmed data disclosure; a figure that put education in the top five of all industries breached globally.

In 2023, Trustwave researchers monitored 352 ransomware claims against educational institutions. Phishing stood out in the Trustwave study as the most commonly exploited method for gaining an initial foothold in an organisation.

The report demonstrates the significant impact of security awareness training on reducing human risk in educational institutions. Employee susceptibility to phishing attacks dropped dramatically from 33.4% to 3.9% in small educational institutions after one year or more of sustained training and simulated phishing evaluations.

Todays classroom environment is becoming ever more digital, increasing the attack surface of educational institutions and creating an unprecedented level of cyber risk, said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO, KnowBe4. Educational institutions have inadvertently become prime targets for sophisticated threat actors due to an overall lack of resources. The most concrete, effective step that an educational institution can take to secure vital and sensitive data is to ensure that all individuals who access IT systems are equipped with the proper tools, education and awareness to protect against cyber threats and reduce human risk.

To download the report, visit here.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  With more than 350 cases of measles nationwide, including one that led to the death of a child in Texas, four cases have been confirmed in and around New York City. While Governor Kathy Hochul said there arent enough cases to classify an outbreak in the state just yet, one Rochester pediatrician explained the importance of timely vaccinations and the best ways to stay safe from a potential spread.

Gov. Kathy Hochul gives update on states measles response

Dr. Sarah Collins McGowan said despite the high contagiousness of measles, it preventable through the MMR vaccine which is given in two doses: the first between 12 and 15 months old, and the second at four years old. She stressed the importance of making sure kids are vaccinated, and there are outreach efforts being made for families to let them know there is still time.

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Its very contagious, so its spread through like direct contact with infectious droplets from a cough or a sneeze and through the air, Dr Collins McGowan told News 8.

Dr. Collins McGowan said the virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after a person has left a space. She said pediatricians are watching this closely.

We are concerned about the possibility of spread and outbreak, she said.

Governor Kathy Hochul, alongside State Commissioner of Health James McDonald are also worried, and said they are doing what they can to prevent an outbreak.

The number I want to see is over 95%. What I have in New York state right now is 81.4%. What we see in New York is people are getting their vaccine eventually, so by kindergarten, I need you to have two doses, McDonald said.

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While contagious, Dr. McGowan said it is preventable with the vaccine and warns of signs to look out for if you feel you are getting sick.

Typical symptoms are fever, runny nose, cough, pink eye, Dr. McGowan said. You can get some white spots in the mouth, and then a rash is kind of a classic symptom that starts on the head and spreads downwards, so spreads down the body, down to the legs over a couple of days. In terms of complications, the kinds of things that we worry about or that we see would be dehydration, especially in young kids with fevers. I think thats the really good news here, is that we have the tools that we need to, you know, to protect our community.

Dr. McGowan also advised to regularly check immunization records to make sure you are up to date. The state has also launched a new web portal to support access to vaccines and public health information in the wake of measles cases. For more information, click here.

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Three months into 2025, the U.S. has surpassed the total number of measles cases reported in all of 2024. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world and can lead to serious health complications, especially in children under 5 who arent vaccinated.

A Yahoo News count using data from state and county departments of health puts the total tally of reported cases in the U.S. at 380 as of March 21, exceeding last year's 285.

The rise in cases is concentrated in a multistate outbreak that started in West Texas and has spilled over into parts of New Mexico and Oklahoma.

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West Texas has the bulk of cases, which increased to 309 on Friday. A public health official there said this outbreak could last for a year.

This is going to be a large outbreak, and we are still on the side where we are increasing the number of cases, Katherine Wells, director of Lubbock Public Health, said at a Tuesday press conference. Im really thinking this is going to be a year long.

I just think, it being so rural now, multistate  its just going to take a lot more boots on the ground, a lot more work to get things under control. Its not an isolated population, Wells added.

The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2000 after a year of no endemic spread of measles. Then in 2016, the continents of North and South America reached elimination status.

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However, a recent World Health Organization report states that North Americas eliminated status is at risk. Health officials say if there is a continuous chain of measles transmission in a specified area for at least a year, then the U.S. would lose its elimination status. Independent regional commissions verify a countrys elimination status, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But its not the first time the U.S. has been warned.

In 2019, the U.S. was at risk of losing its elimination status after measles outbreaks were sustained for several months in under-vaccinated communities in New York state. The U.S. ultimately kept its status after an educational outreach campaign helped community members get vaccinated, along with constraints set in place that banned unvaccinated children from physically attending school.

The combination of all of those activities over time brought that outbreak to a close, Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Yahoo News.

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Yahoo News spoke with Schaffner about the current measles outbreak and how it can come to an end. (Some answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.)

What are health officials doing to help stop the spread of measles in West Texas?

The key to preventing measles is vaccination. In West Texas, this measles outbreak is occurring in a population of very under-vaccinated, conservative Mennonite people who have relied on some kind of natural medicines. The behavioral psychologists have instructed us that when they have very firmly held beliefs, and they encounter information that's contrary to those beliefs, what they do is double down on the belief.

Even doctors that are there caring for these patients day in and day out have not been persuasive in getting many people, some for sure, to change their minds and accept the vaccine. But everything is being done in that regard, trying to reach out to this population in a friendly and very respectful fashion to get them to try to accept vaccination. Education, consultation, comforting, reassurance  all of those things are happening and I think are being met with some limited success.

If the rate of acceptance of vaccination is low, and these people interact, even though they are widespread in a rural area, they can keep coming into contact with each other. So measles can keep smoldering in this population.

What is considered an outbreak, and how does it end?

An outbreak is an occurrence of illness in a population in which it didn't occur before. In this [West Texas] instance, it's a very well-defined population. So as it continues in this population, it would be considered an outbreak.

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An outbreak ends when there are no more cases, and you usually wait at least two incubation periods [which is about 40 or 50 days]. An incubation period is the period of time after a susceptible person has been exposed, and then the disease occurs. In other words, the virus is in the body, but it hasn't made you sick yet. And with measles, that can be quite prolonged; it's usually 10 to 20 days. It can go up a little bit longer than that.

In a population that is spread out [in a rural area] and is rather wary of authority, you want to be very sure. We would probably wait a little longer because there are undoubtedly cases of measles that are occurring not being seen by health care providers, and thus families don't want them reported.

You really want to be careful and give it enough time and have security in your surveillance to make sure  it's really over before you declare the outbreak finished.

Should we be worried about the measles outbreak in West Texas?

One of the good things that's really quite evident is that this measles outbreak, as with other measles outbreaks that have occurred in the United States, is not spreading to the surrounding general population. And that's because that population is either the older people, who experienced real measles, or from middle age on down, who have been pretty solidly vaccinated.

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Both of those  the disease itself and its recovery and vaccination  provide very solid, durable, long-term protection against measles. This is essentially a measles outbreak that is confined to this high-risk [Mennonite] population.

Could eliminated status be threatened, and at what point?

Elimination status means that you do not have sustained transmission within your confined area, your country, whatever it is. In other words, if measles is imported into your country and it affects some people who are unvaccinated, how many successive generations of spread does it take?

In other words, there's one person who gets infected who infects another, that's one generation. The second person infects a third, that's the second generation. Almost always in the United States, we have been able to end the outbreaks, bring them to a close very quickly, because the general population is well protected, and you can go into that affected population and quickly persuade people to be vaccinated.

But if you have a population [like in West Texas]  where there are several generations of transmission, if that continues, then you might lose your elimination status.

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But it's quite clear that everybody has to keep vaccinating because there's still plenty of measles in the world. If you slack off on vaccination, you build up susceptible people, and pretty soon, measles will be imported back into your country and start spreading again.

You have to maintain a rigorous vaccination program. For measles, you strive for vaccination rates that approach, and maybe even exceed, 95% because it's the most contagious virus we know.
President Donald Trump recently changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America. People visiting the gulf beach at Grand Isle State Park endorsed the switch. (Photo by Julie ODonoghue/Louisiana Illuminator)

While a public opinion poll conducted last month shows that a majority of Floridians do not support updating changes in the state from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, that was of little concern to the House State Affairs Committee on Thursday.

The committee voted along party lines to advance two proposals making that change into both state law and state agencies. Both measures will now head to the entire House for floor votes.

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First up was a proposal (HB 575) sponsored by Brevard County Republican Tyler Sirois that would align Florida statutes with President Trumps executive order last month to replace all references to the Gulf of Mexico with the Gulf of America.

In response, Orlando Democratic Rep. Anna Eskamani initially offered an amendment renaming the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of Endor, referring to a fictional moon depicted in the Star Wars universe, which she withdrew shortly afterward.

Miami-Dade County Democrat Dotie Joseph said a better alternative would be Chactemal, which she says was the Gulfs original name before the Spanish renamed it the Gulf of Mexico.

Another proposal moved forward by the committee is sponsored by Miami-Dade Republican Rep. Juan Porras (HB 549) and would require state agencies to update geographic materials to reflect the new federal designation of Gulf of America on or after July 1.

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Porras acknowledged that if the next elected president opts to repeal Trumps executive order, then I imagine there would have to be some statute to reflect the name change as well.

Jacksonville Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon called the labeling change a form of institutionalized racism.

GOP Rep. Wyman Duggan argued it isnt an anomaly for geographic regions to be renamed, citing examples like East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh, Rhodesia becoming Zimbabwe, and Ceylon becoming Sri Lanka. This isnt out of the historical norm. Its consistent with federal law, he said. If it changes in the future, it can change again. I dont understand all the angst.

Both measures have companion bills in the Senate that still have committee stops before reaching the floor of that chamber for a final up or down vote.

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MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office is responding to claims from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that they are not holding undocumented immigrants on immigration detainers.

The controversy, which has been noted by both federal, state and local officials for some time, centers around the recent arrest of 24 individuals at the beginning of March 2025. Of those, ICE said none of the detainers were honored, and 18 remain at large.

MORE | ICE, Norfolk Southern police arrest migrants along Charlotte railroad tracks

As part of their statement Tuesday, ICE said in a news release:

Of these criminal aliens, six had active immigration detainers which the Charlotte Mecklenburg Sheriffs Office had not honored. There are 18 additional targeted aliens still at large who also had detainers that were not honored. ICE has been unable to locate those individuals, and they remain at large and pose a potential danger to the community. These aliens could have been safely and efficiently transferred into ICE custody if their detainers had been honored.

Queen City News reached out for comment from the Mecklenburg County Sheriffs Office. In a statement from Sheriff Garry McFadden, he said:

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I wouldnt expect anything less from ICE and these federal task forces. I commend ICE, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for working together to remove violent criminals from our streets. This is why we have deputies on these federal task forces, however, when operations take place like this in Mecklenburg County, as a courtesy, we expect to be notified to prevent potential blue-on-blue, violent assaults.

By now, ICE should be aware we do not honor civil detainers because they are not signed by a judge. I must follow the law  if a judge orders me to release someone, I cannot legally detain them. MCSO has housed 163 undocumented immigrants for 48 hours at the detention center, yet ICE chose not to pick up any of them nor notify me of their intentions. In fact, we welcome the name of the 6 undocumented immigrants that ICE recently arrested that they claim have active detainers on them. ICE knows they need a writ signed by a judge, along with a criminal warrant or an indictment, to take anyone into their custody. A detainer alone is not a legal document allowing me to transfer someone without a federal warrant, complaint, or writ. How many times do I need to explain this process? For instance, we well know that several people have been arrested and rearrested multiple times with detainers placed on them multiple times by ICE. ICE has not yet contacted us or notified of their intentions.

Today, I sent an email to ICEs Atlanta Field ERO Office regarding the financial burden the detainers place on taxpayers and the importance of informing the sheriffs office of their true intentions on whether they are going to pick up these undocumented immigrants or seek federal, criminal charges. If ICE perceives these undocumented immigrants as violent or dangerous, they should place on them criminal charges, rather than detainers.

That said, I dont see why this news stands out. Arrests like these happen every day across America, carried out by my deputies and other law enforcement officers across the county and nation.

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What I continue to expectand have said repeatedlyis collaboration, communication, and open dialogue with ICE. A more comprehensive approach to immigration is necessary, and local sheriffs must be part of that conversation. I cannot keep having these discussions through media releases, soundbites, and weekly statements.

North Carolina State House Speaker Destin Hall noted last month that legislation to force more cooperation with ICE is making its way through the General Assembly.

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While Elon Musk is the face and public figure leading DOGE, its de-facto leader is actually the man who has been the tech moguls right-hand man for decades, according to a report.

Steve Davis, a 45-year-old engineer, has taken the lead in several of DOGEs controversial cost-cutting moves, according to The New York Times.

Last month, Musk baselessly claimed that the government had sent out $100 billion to people with no Social Security number. Two days later, Davis started pushing the Social Security Administration for information, according to the report. Davis called agency leadership to demand that they give a young DOGE engineer access to databases with sensitive information.

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Davis also did the cost-cutting groundwork during the presidential transition, including attacking diversity efforts, meeting with legislators and helping to send the fork in the road email to all government workers telling them to resign. Two people told theTimes that Davis has more influence than acting DOGE administrator Amy Gleason, who reportedly has been unaware of some of his decisions.

Davis has been at Musks side for over two decades at his various companies, such as SpaceX and X. Twenty-two friends, former co-workers and government officials told the Times that Davis fully believes that Musk will progress humanity. Two former co-workers said Davis is the perfect staffer for Musk, someone who will take on any issue, regardless of his knowledge of the subject at hand.

Musk has previously lauded Daviss ability to get rid of waste, comparing him to cancer-treating chemotherapy.

A little chemo can save your life; a lot of chemo could kill you, Musk said at a transition meeting before Trump entered office for the second time.

Steve Davis, left, poses for a picture alongside Rep. Aaron Bean and Elon Musk. Davis serves as the day-to-day leader of DOGE, according to a report (Rep. Aaron Bean / X)

Musk and Davis have enjoyed a cost-cutting partnership long before they took aim at the federal government. Davis past projects include developing ways to design rockets on the cheap at SpaceX. He was also in charge of layoffs following Musks purchase of Twitter, now X.

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Davis started working for Musk in 2003, becoming the 14th staffer at SpaceX after Musk managed to coax him out of his Stanford aeronautics graduate program.

Musk subsequently appointed Davis to run the Boring Company, a start-up working to build tunnels under urban areas to battle congestion.

In general, there is almost zero R&D in tunnels in America, Davis said at the time. So trying new things is actually helpful for us.

Their relationship hasnt always been smooth, however. Musk, apparently frustrated that the Boring Company only opened a tunnel in Las Vegas in 2021 but faced issues elsewhere, berated Davis and threaten to fire him, three co-workers of Davis toldTimes.

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Davis character has also changed throughout his time with Musk, according to Adam Green, who befriended him 10 years ago.

Davis was a fun outside-the-box thinker who is now a blind servant to Musk, Green, told the Times

I once took refuge from my political day job by attending laugh-filled game nights at the home of a person now firing tens of thousands of federal workers, Green wrote for Rolling Stone. For Steve Davis  life has always been a game. A puzzle to be solved regardless of a larger vision or set of values.

Steve would shun political talk, saying, I know nothing about politics. added Green.

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Following Musks purchase of Twitter in 2022, Davis at times stayed with his partner and baby at the San Francisco office. Davis was also named in a lawsuit, after he reportedly said the company didnt need a permit to construct a personal bathroom for Musk at the office.

We dont have to follow the rules, Davis said, according to a 2023 lawsuit, the Times noted.

He left X soon after employees complained about the cost-cutting to Linda Yaccarino, who became the CEO of the social media company in 2023.

Davis also oversaw a super PAC backed by Musk as the Tesla owner campaigned for Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign. After Trumps election win, Davis joined the transition team and interviewed candidates for Musks efficiency drive. Now, he is reportedly helming DOGE.

Davis has spearheaded several DOGE efforts, and according to the report, helped in the fork in the road email (Getty Images)

Today, Davis is with DOGE and three employees at the General Services Administration told the paper that he and has set up a base on the sixth floor of the agencys Washington building as he continues his to slash and burn the federal workforce.

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One of his biggest efforts was pushing out the resignation email that became infamous. According to the Times, David rebuked department officials when leaks of the email hit the media, reportedly accused them of embarrassing Musk.

Davis pushes for Musks priorities daily with Trump advisers and alerted officials to diversity programs that are targeted for cuts, the Times reported.

His style has ruffled some feathers. The Times described him as blunt and undiplomatic and he has clashed with Trumps staff. They were reportedly upset after DOGE tried to place some staffers in the Pentagon, the Times noted.

For the most part, Davis has stayed out of the spotlight while in D.C. Musk and the White House have not mentioned him. But that doesnt mean he is entirely out of view. Last month, he spoke with lawmakers who work with DOGE.

Wrapped a great meeting with @elonmusk and Steve Davis on their goals for the @DOGE, Rep. Aaron Bean, R-Fla., posted on X. The message included a photo of Davis holding a microphone and smiling beside Musk - off his right hand.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  President Donald Trump is moving forward with his plans to dismantle the Department of Education, but WREG spoke to people in the community who dont agree with the vision.

President Trump is following through with his plans to get rid of the Department of Education. The President signed that executive order today, but it must receive congressional approval.

My administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the Department, Trump said. Were gonna shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. Its doing us no good.

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Trump signs executive order to dismantle Department of Education

The Trump Administration says this executive order will benefit students and allow parents and states to take control, but some in the Memphis community dont agree.

I think its a horrible kind of thing. I think that were putting emphasis on the wrong places at the wrong time and I think the kids are just being ignored. Its very sad, a citizen told WREG.

I dont have kids in school, but I think what theyre doing is horrible to the public education, another said. Especially with a lot of kids thats in public school, a lot of mis-underfunding, so it makes me concerned about what their education is gonna be like in the future.

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Governor Bill Lee supports the measure and attended Thursdays signing. This week, the Governor posted, President Trump is right. Its time to end the Department of Education and hand states the reins.

If Congress passes this executive order, it would not change student loans, the Students with Disabilities Act, or Title I, which provides school districts with funding for low-income students.

However, the White House says student loans and the Students with Disabilities Act, as well as civil rights law enforcement, will eventually be transferred to other departments.

Trump says the dismantling will also benefit teachers, but state leaders will determine how.

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Teachers to me are among the most important people in this country and were gonna take care of our teachers, and I dont care if theyre in the union or not in the union, that doesnt matter, Trump said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Memphians who opposed two MSCS takeover bills in the Tennessee General Assembly are now floating their own ideas to keep the state from moving in.

As the debate continues to reach a feverish pitch over bills calling for a takeover or makeover of the MSCS school board, WREG is learning about local alternative plans to Senator Brent Taylor and Rep. Mark Whites proposals.

Its not a state takeover once again. Its made up of nine Shelby County people who are experts in education that can lead us forward, said Mark White.

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We deserve better than what were getting: Lawmaker shares more about bill to take over MSCS

This week, WREG obtained a letter from Shelby County Commissioner Erika Sugarmon sent to the Shelby County Delegation proposing what she calls an alternative solution to the bills.

On Wednesday at WREG at 3 PM, Sugarmon said that shed like to explore possibly rescinding the County Commissions No Confidence vote of the school board.

What Im hearing from people if the county commission rescinds the no-confidence, then that doesnt give the state the right, said Sugarmon. So, I have to talk to legal to see if that is correct.

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House bill for state control of MSCS advances

Sugarmon plans to create a locally appointed oversight board selected by the Shelby County Commission and Memphis City Council.

She also proposes amendments to the Shelby County Charter allowing the county commission to put two referendums on the 2026 ballot regarding the school board.

What were trying to do is listen to the people. People wanted term limits for the school board and they wanted recall. So, we ask the state to give us that ability by changing our charter, said Sugarmon.

MSCS board members call state takeover bill attack on democracy

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This week, several Memphians traveled to Nashville to voice their opposition to the takeover bills. Ron Redwing and Save Our Students are proposing their alternative plan.

This board would be appointed by the Shelby County Commission, and they would have oversight over that board, said Redwing.

Redwing who also appeared on WREG at 3 PM said that he also wants to hold Shelby County Commissioners accountable for triggering a possible state takeover.

Were not asking, but we are demanding that the Shelby County Commission rescind their votes and were especially demanding that those democrats who voted the No Confidence vote for this school board be held accountable, said Redwing.

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Some members of Save our Students and other stakeholders say they plan on traveling back to Nashville next week to meet with state lawmakers about the MSCS takeover bills.

Of course, well keep you posted on what happens.





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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A Memphis woman is accused of billing TennCare for time and services that she never provided.

Earlier this month, a Shelby County Grand Jury returned an indictment charging Varoneca Parker, 36, with one count of TennCare Fraud. Parker was arrested on March 10 and booked in the Shelby County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in January of 2024, it received information from a TennCare Managed Care Organization alleging an employee was fraudulently submitting timesheets.

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Tennessee bill raises interest rates for payday and title loans

TBI said agents with the Medicaid Fraud Control Division discovered that in July 2023, Parker billed TennCare for time and services that she never provided.

The TBI has not said how much money she received.

The TBIs Medicaid Fraud Control Division receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $10,782,912 for federal Fiscal Year 2024-2025.

The remaining 25 percent, totaling $3,594,302 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025, is funded by the State of Tennessee.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
MENASHA, Wis. (WFRV)  Police in Menasha are asking community members to double-check that they still have their outdoor trampoline following Wednesdays high winds and winter storm.

According to a post on social media, officers with the Menasha Police Department say a resident in the area of Chrystella Drive reported Thursday morning that a trampoline had flown into their yard overnight.

Wisconsin State Patrol urges drivers to secure cargo ahead of spring break travel

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Police are currently trying to find and contact the owner of the trampoline so that it can be removed and returned to its rightful location.

Anyone in the area who is missing their trampoline is asked to contact the Menasha Police Department.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton.
Meta AI finally arrived in Europe on Thursday, eight months after the Facebook owner announced it would delay the launch of the artificial intelligence tool due to regulatory issues.

In addition to 41 European countries, Meta AI will also roll out in 21 overseas territories, marking the service's most significant international expansion to date. Meta AI is already available through several platforms in the UK, including Instagram, but it will now also be available within the popular messaging service WhatsApp.

The multimodal, multilingual AI assistant sits inside Meta's apps, allowing you to call on it for various tasks, such as curating content relevant to a trip you're taking or brainstorming plans within a group chat. As part of Meta AI's EU expansion, the assistant's chat function will also be available in six new European languages.

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Given that Meta AI launched in the US in September 2023, Europeans have endured a significant wait to be able to enjoy the same AI experiences on Facebook and Messenger as their friends across the Atlantic. But Meta is far from the only company that has had trouble grappling with how European regulations affect the rollout of AI tools. Apple Intelligence is still unavailable in EU countries, although the company has said a Europe-wide release is scheduled for April. Both companies have struggled with the regulatory environment in Europe, which prioritizes people's data privacy (making it harder to train models) and leveling the playing field between tech giants and smaller companies.

Both Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and former President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg have been vocal about how slow EU regulators have been in allowing the company to move ahead with a European Meta AI. Zuckerberg said last December that it was "sad" that Europeans were being left behind. Nevertheless, the company has persevered and has now reached a point where it's confident it can launch Meta AI in the region while complying with the rules.

"We have been working to find a way to bring Meta AI to the EU in a way that complies with Europe's fragmented and unpredictable regulatory system," a Meta spokesperson said. "This launch follows almost a year of intensive engagement with various European regulators and for now, we are only offering a text-only model in the region which wasn't trained on first-party data from users in the EU."

The spokesperson added that the company will continue to collaborate with regulators so that people in Europe "have access to and are properly served by Meta's AI innovations that are already available to the rest of the world."
Pax8, the leading cloud commerce marketplace, has unveiled its renewed branding designed to unify the global company and reinforce its position as an innovator accelerating toward the future. The revitalised brand identity includes updated imagery aimed at instilling feelings of confidence and aspiration toward leading-edge solutions among the companys ecosystem of partners and vendors, as well as the small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) that benefit from the innovative Pax8 Marketplace.

The Pax8 Marketplace is built to do whats next. With a forward-thinking attitude, Pax8 continues to innovate with its unequaled partnership program, Voyager Alliance, and other newly advanced tech solutions that help its partners win. After 12 years leading the industry, Pax8 has emerged as a trusted keystone for managed service providers (MSPs). Now further magnifying its efforts, Pax8 continues to boldly navigate the challenges of the dynamic IT solutions industry as a modern Marketplace against antiquated, traditional distribution.

The new brand brings to the forefront who weve always been and our relentless focus on making cloud technology work for small businesses globally, said Corporate Vice President of Marketing Jennifer Bodell. It's also a bold, forward-thinking statement: the evolution of what this community and the industry as a whole can become. The pace of change isnt slowing down, and neither are we. Were here to help our partners navigate whats nextwith the tools, tech and expertise to turn every challenge into an opportunity.

Since its inception in 2012, Pax8 has been a disruptor in the cloud solutions industry. The company was founded with a mission to simplify the complexities of cloud technology making it accessible to SMBs via its partner community. With a customer-centric approach, and by leading with an eye toward the future, the unique marketplace model that Pax8 champions has consistently challenged the status quo delivering results to help 600,000 SMBs aim for infinite possibilities.

In 2025, with operations across 17 countries in North America, APAC and EMEA, the companys updated brand unifies the Pax8 message worldwide, strengthening its commitment to delivering advanced technology to its community of nearly 40,000 MSPs. The new aesthetic elements Pax8 now presents were carefully crafted to resonate with sophisticated and ambitious sensibilities. The vibrant, bold colors and contemporary typeface reflect the company's motivational sense of energy, innovation and passion while fostering imagination and confidence in partners, vendors and customers.

Curt Cooper, Senior Director of Brand Creative, led Pax8s brand refresh and asserted, Pax8 has always been known for pushing boundaries, and our brand refresh shows that nothing has changed. Weve never been one to follow the status quo. We like to make noise, challenge the system, and go beyond what our competition defines as limits. We will continue to set the tone and redefine whats possible. I will not be surprised if we see a lot of imitators in the future, but theres only one Pax8. The evolving Marketplace is the next chapter in our brand story, but the hero will always be our partners."

As the company continues to lead and innovate, the refreshed brand identity serves as a beacon for its aspirations and a pillar of its central positioning in the IT industry. Pax8 will continue inspiring businesses toward progress and empowerment via its Marketplace and with the tech solutions needed for competitive success now and into the future.

To learn more about the news, please visit pax8.com.
Facebook and Instagram's parent company Meta Platforms Inc. is continuing its growth in Texas, striking a deal with RWE this week for a 200-megawatt solar project to power its operations.

In a Tuesday announcement, Meta and RWE, one of the nation's largest renewable energy companies, revealed a new power purchase agreement. This agreement will enable Meta to procure 100% of the electricity generated by RWE's upcoming Waterloo Solar project in Bastrop County.

The solar project, which is set to begin construction later this year, will help power Meta's growing regional operations and data center capacity. According to the announcement, the project is expected to support 300 full-time employees at peak construction and to produce an estimated $26 million in economic activity.

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More: Elon Musk's shadow looms over this tiny Texas town. Can it cope with the rapid growth?

The agreement is RWE's third long-term contract with Meta in recent months. Meta entered power purchase agreements with the renewable energy company for 100% of its output at a solar project in Illinois and one in Louisiana.

RWEs partnership with Meta underscores the importance of unleashing American electricity generation from all sources to support load growth in Texas and across the U.S.," RWE Clean Energy Chief Commercial Officer Christoph Hunfeld said in the announcement. "These collaborations enable us to continue investing in communities across America like Bastrop County, helping to stimulate job creation and economic prosperity, while simultaneously helping companies like Meta match the electricity use of their operations with clean and renewable energy.

Meta has been recently growing its business operations in the Lone Star State.

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Meta has about 1,500 local employees in the Austin area. The company currently leases space in two downtown towers: about 120,000 square feet at 300 W. Sixth and Third + Shoal tower and nearly 600,000 square feet in the Sixth and Guadalupe tower.

The Wall Street Journal reported in January that Meta was in talks to reincorporate in Texas, possibly migrating away from Delaware where many major U.S. corporations are incorporated.

More: Report: Meta considering reincorporating in Texas

The news came just weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company's key content policy team would be moving to Texas. It has not been specified if the team will be joining the downtown Austin offices.

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Meta is currently building a hyperscale data center facility in Temple, expected to be at least an $800 million investment by the social media giant.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Meta's Texas operations to be powered by RWE's Bastrop solar project
Civil rights activists said they plan to fight back after the Trump administration ended the segregated facilities ban in federal contracts.

The repeal means the federal government does not have to prohibit contractors from allowing segregated workspaces.

Never thought Id see a headline like that, Georgia NAACP President, Gerald Griggs told Channel 2s Audrey Washington on Wednesday.

Its a step towards allowing segregation, said Georgia State Law professor Tanya Washington.

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In the public memo, issued by the General Services Administration, there is a segregation clause.

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The clause repeals President Lyndon B. Johnsons signed executive order that banned federal contractors from having segregated work areas, drinking fountains and bathrooms.

The memo credited President Donald Trump with the change, stating the bans repeal was in step with Trumps order on DEI.

It is the camels nose under the tent. It is not an end it is a beginning, Professor Washington said.

We also may be looking at efforts to dismantle the 1964 civil rights act, she added.

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Washington said whether a business has a government contract or not, that business must still adhere to federal and state laws; she said simply put, segregated facilities are illegal.

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Im hopeful that this was an oversight by the administration as to what federal law actually says, Griggs said.

But I think therell be litigation on this, Griggs added.

So, this doesnt mean well see for colored only and for whites only signs, right? Washington asked.

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Well, if you read the guidance from the memo theres a possibility of that but if you read the law, no its not possible, Griggs explained.

The memo also mentioned affirmative action and gender identity.

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Legislative Finance Committee analyst Cally Carswell, Rep. Derrick Lente and Sen. Benny Shendo discuss capital outlay funding with the Senate Finance Committee on March 20, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM)

The New Mexico Senate on Thursday afternoon approved $1.2 billion in one-time funding for local infrastructure, buildings and equipment in an annual spending bill called capital outlay.

Lawmakers pass a capital outlay bill each year to pay for all or part of new infrastructure or construction  projects like buildings, parks, roads or acequia upgrades.

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The Senate voted 25-16 in favor of House Bill 450, with Republicans in opposition.

The floor vote came minutes after the Senate Finance Committee passed the bill, which will allocate funds to more than 1,400 projects in all 33 of New Mexicos counties.

The House of Representatives passed the same version of HB450 on Wednesday; the bill now heads to the governors desk.

Sen. Pat Woods (R-Broadview) opposed the bill in committee on Thursday for the same reasons as his House colleagues the day before: Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added a $10 million request for the construction of a reproductive health clinic in Northern New Mexico.

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I know the governor has all the rights in the world to put in whatever piece she wants in this, Woods told the committee. Im disappointed it came in so late and that I wasnt able to see it ahead of time.

Some of the big-ticket items in the bill include $50 million for public school buildings statewide; $40 million for a forensic unit at the Behavioral Health Institute in Las Vegas; and $40 million for a humanities and social sciences complex at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Most of the money in the capital outlay bill  nearly $800 million  comes from the states General Fund, its biggest single pot of public money, while another $292 million comes from the sale of severance tax bonds and the remaining $132.9 million comes from other state funds.

Legislative Finance Committee staff have recommended lawmakers consider setting an earlier deadline for local capital outlay requests, and creating a basic method of vetting and tracking projects that receive state money.

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The Department of Finance and Administration has created an online dashboard that allows people to track capital outlay spending, but lawmakers are considering more changes.



Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) told the committee the capital outlay process is a work in progress. He said an LFC subcommittee met over the interim last year to discuss ways to modernize the process. He said he expects a minimum funding amount or a floor to be one of those changes.

If we dont set this floor, were nickel and diming this process to a point where they may never be able to spend this money because its never enough, and the project continues to go up in price, and at the end of the day, we just continue to add to the unspent balance that we have today, Lente said.

Overall, $5.8 billion remains in unspent capital outlay funding, said Cally Carswell, principal capital outlay analyst for the Legislative Finance Committee and an expert witness on HB450.

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Sen. Michael Padilla (D-Albuquerque) told the committee he coordinates with representatives whose districts overlap with his to collaborate on funding specific projects, and asked if anything can be done to help coordinate capital outlay funding in different parts of New Mexico.

Carswell told the committee similar coordination is happening in several parts of the state, its a good practice and tends to lead to more projects getting more of the funding they need. She said after this session, LFC could start looking at some sort of technological solutions or additional tools to make it easier for lawmakers to coordinate.

Capital outlay has to change, Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. George Munoz (D-Gallup) said on the Senate floor on Thursday.

The state currently has 712 active projects, to which lawmakers had given at least $1 million as of September, accounting for $4.3 billion in total, according to data produced by legislative staff.

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Of those, 360 are on schedule, 75 are behind schedule and 277 have had no activity, or the local governments responsible have not sold the bonds needed to raise the money, or are facing significant obstacles to completion, according to the report.

Were spending the money the wrong way. Were wasting money, Munoz told the Senate Finance Committee. People show up with a project and an idea, and they have no plan. They dont know what the cost is. They just know were giving away free money. Time and time again, we underfund projects and we dont ever complete them.

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Sen. George Munoz, (D-Gallup) introduces guest and makes a comment about getting and keeping doctors in rural hospitals at the start of the floor session, Wednesday, January 29, 2025. Munoz and other Senate lawmakers are pushing forward a package of behavioral health bills. (Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal)

After two hours of debate, the New Mexico Senate on Wednesday afternoon voted 24-16 to pass the state governments budget for the upcoming year.

The budget totals nearly $10.8 billion in revenue and spending, a 6% increase from last year.

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The budget also includes $3.9 billion in one-time spending, including a $100 million down payment on the newly created Behavioral Health Trust Fund, part of the Legislature and the governors reforms to New Mexicos system for treating mental health issues.

Crucially, the budget continues long-term investments of public funds into financial investment accounts that will make returns for years to come, said Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. George Munoz (D-Gallup).

We can stand a recession in New Mexico, he said.

The budget legislation establishes what money the state government will receive and spend during Fiscal Year 2026, which begins on July 1, 2025 and ends on June 30, 2026.

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New Mexico is saving $3.2 billion in reserves, equal to 30% of the annual spending.

Sen. Shannon Pinto (D-Tohatchi) voted against the bill after debating with Munoz about steep cuts to the Eleventh Judicial District Attorneys Office Division II in McKinley County, in Pintos district.



Munoz said the DAs office has no employees, and that DA Bernadine Martin had fired everyone in the office, including prosecutors. He said Eleventh Division I DA Jack Fortner, in neighboring San Juan County, told him he will be managing and paying attorneys for Division II.

Sen. Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez (D-Albuquerque) questioned Munoz about the arrangement, and said it was a lawsuit waiting to happen because she believes Fortner has no jurisdiction over McKinley County, whose residents elected Martin to represent them. Sedillo-Lopez ultimately voted in favor of the budget.

Martin told Source NM after the vote on Wednesday that Munoz has never met with her to ask her about issues with her office.

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Gallup has had trouble recruiting professionals, thats just a given, and Im not surprised I have trouble recruiting attorneys, she said. Im not the only one having trouble bringing people to McKinley County.

Martin said her prosecutors must prosecute every case. We are pretty tough here, she said.



The bottom line, she said, is that her budget for the current fiscal year spends less hiring contract attorneys than it would have on a full staff of permanent attorneys.

We are efficient, were streamlined, were moving cases through, she said. I have a staff of 20 support people who do their job and move cases. The work is getting done.

Martin said Munoz is insulting her staff, and that they will lose their jobs as a result of the cuts.

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Theyve done nothing wrong, these folks, and now hes going to gut the budget, she said. With where this is going, theres no way I can do the job that I put my hand up and took an oath for.

Sen. Harold Pope (D-Albuquerque) also voted against the bill and said it contains problematic things, but didnt specify what they were.



I believe we can do better, and I believe we could have done better, he said. We know whats at stake nationally.

Below are some of the areas covered by the budget that were discussed on the Senate floor.

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Health care

Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque) said the budget represents lawmakers strong commitment to improving health care. It includes $2 billion in state funding for the states three Medicaid programs run by the state Health Care Authority, a 3.5% increase.

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This budget invests in behavioral health and housing stability, which is critical to reduce long-term costs that will address the root causes of health disparities in New Mexico, Lopez added.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has left open the possibility of a special session later this year, in the event that the federal government goes through with potential cuts to Medicaid.

Education

Senate Majority Whip Sen. Michael Padilla (D-Albuquerque) said the budget contains a historic increase in funding for education, a 21.6% increase of $170 million.

The money will go toward home visits, pre-Kindergarten, child care assistance, tribal language supports and smarter, long-term funding for early childhood education, Padilla said.

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This will ensure we set kiddos on the right path before they go to school, Padilla said.

He said the programs supported by the funding will reduce rates of incarceration, domestic violence, teen pregnancy and alcohol use disorder.

The budget also includes $135 million for a 4% raise for all school personnel, and more funding for sixth through 12th grades, the period when most children are most likely to drop out of school, said Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque).

Child welfare

The budget adds $40 million to the operating budget of the Children, Youth and Families Department, said Sen. Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe). That money will help the agency hire, retain and help staff with overwhelming Child Protective Services caseloads, she said.

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Part of that additional funding includes $7.9 million for a pilot program to create a child welfare training academy within the agency, Trujillo said.

The budget also includes money to recruit, train and support treatment foster care providers to expand placement options for children, she said.

Part of the reason children are sleeping in CYFD offices is because there are not enough treatment homes for them to go to, she said.

Public safety

Sen. Bobby Gonzales (D-Rancho de Taos) said the budget boosts funding for courts, prosecutors and public defenders. It makes additional investments in the Corrections and Public Safety departments, he said, beyond what was in the House version.

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It allocates more than $2.4 million to the Department of Finance and Administration for local public safety infrastructure and capacity building, including pay for caseworkers and legal training, Gonzales said. It also sets aside $1 million to the Department of Justice for training and legal expenses for consumer protection, and $450,000 to the Law Offices of the Public Defender to recruit and retain attorneys and ensure New Mexicans get competent criminal defense, he said.

It also provides $3 million to the Second Judicial District Court in Bernalillo County to create an organized crime commission, Gonzales said.

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By Lizbeth Diaz

TEUCHITLAN, Mexico (Reuters) - The gate, black and 10 feet (3 meters) tall, decorated with two rearing white horses, has become synonymous with death in Mexico. For dozens of families waiting outside on Thursday it also offered a tragic sense of hope in their search for missing loved ones.

The families were granted access to what local media has dubbed the "ranch of horror," an alleged cartel killing site and training camp in Teuchitlan, a rural area about 40 miles (64 km) outside Jalisco's capital, Guadalajara.

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It was here that an activist search group for the disappeared found earlier this month what they called an "extermination camp" littered with bone fragments, ashes, alleged makeshift crematoriums, along with hundreds of shoes, backpacks and other belongings.

The case has shocked Mexico, a country numbed by nearly two decades of bloody cartel violence. While the discovery of mass graves is not uncommon here, the possibility this ranch was a site of systematic killing has caused a deep sense of horror.

Mexico's top prosecutor has said it was too soon to determine whether the site was an "extermination center" but added that state authorities had bungled the initial investigation, which has now been turned over to federal investigators.

The property is surrounded by high walls that block views from the outside. There are some run-down houses and barn-like structures now blocked off by crime scene tape. Small red, yellow and green flags stick out of the dirt to mark where authorities found the personal items of people presumed to have been brought here: shoes, backpacks, ID cards.

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It is the first time that family members of missing people, as well as journalists, were allowed official access to the site, accompanied by authorities from both the state and federal attorney generals' offices.

People searching for their sons and daughters have for days demanded to be let in, voicing concern the investigation lacked transparency, a widespread sentiment in Mexico where more than 124,000 people have disappeared and few are ever found.

BLUE BACKPACK

Irma Gonzalez, of Puebla state, said she identified a blue backpack and a sweatshirt belonging to her son who disappeared in 2021, in photos shared online by investigators.

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"These things at least give me peace of mind that if my son died here, I won't search anymore," Gonzalez said as she waited with other families to enter the ranch.

She said she believed her life was in danger for speaking out.

"I received a call from someone, I don't know who. They told me not to talk anymore because otherwise they'll kill me," Gonzalez said.

The powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel, widely thought to have operated the ranch, has taken aim at the search groups that found and publicized the site, claiming in a social media video that they had distorted the facts to create a "horror movie" with the aim of damaging the cartel's image.

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Families had come from all over the country to visit the ranch, hoping to find any trace of their missing loved ones.

"I don't understand what these criminal groups want. Why are they taking so many young people?" said Reynaldo Nunez, whose two children, aged 23 and 25, disappeared in Jalisco eight months ago.

It is still unclear how many people might be buried at the ranch or how they died. Mexico's attorney general, Alejandro Gertz, blasted Jalisco state officials on Wednesday, saying they had known about the site since September but had not properly processed evidence or alerted federal officials.

The scandal has cast a shadow over President Claudia Sheinbaum's pledge to crack down on violence and reduce homicides. The attention around Teuchitlan puts pressure on Sheinbaum, who took office last October, to set herself apart from her mentor, former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, whom critics say did not do enough to address disappearances and a worsening security crisis.

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"I don't consider it to be my Achilles' heel," Sheinbaum said in a press conference on Thursday when asked about the handling of the case.

Outside the ranch, tensions rose as more families arrived at the site demanding answers. Many, frustrated by years of waiting in the dark, began to shout.

"I have found a lot of pain, a lot of tears ... but I haven't found my husband," a woman said as she cried, waiting to be let in.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz, writing by Cassandra Garrison; editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Sandra Maler)
Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin on Wednesday called for action, not words from Democrats, criticizing the approach of some in the progressive wing of the party.

I have done as much as I feel like Im capable of doing to respond in words to what Trump is doing, but I cant just be an activist, she said.

Slotkins comments came at a Medicaid roundtable in Flint and underscore a party-wide schism over strategy to counter President Donald Trump.

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One constituent pressed the freshman senator on how she would step up for us now in the way, the person said, that Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jasmine Crockett and Sen. Bernie Sanders have been screaming, enraged, passionate in response to the Trump administration.

Everyone you mentioned has a lot of words, but what have they actually done to change the situation with Donald Trump and the cuts and the attacks on our judiciary and the attacks on our Constitution? Slotkin asked, before touting her national security and intelligence background, which she noted required prudent planning.

Slotkin said she cant chain [herself] to the White House and become an activist full time, because she has to focus on addressing issues like federal cuts.

All of those things require me to be more than just an AOC. I cant do what she does because we live in a purple state, and Im a pragmatist, she said.

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In the coming days, Ocasio-Cortez is joining Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, on his Fighting Oligarchy tour.

CNN has reached out to Ocasio-Cortez for comment.

Slotkin in November held off an experienced Republican challenger, keeping a crucial Senate seat in Democratic hands in Michigan, where Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris by more than 80,000 votes. While the youngest Democratic woman elected to the Senate, she has entered less as a disruptor and more as a potential swing vote on key issues like immigration.

Slotkin acknowledged a daily struggle is weighing where to compromise, but she said the bigger question facing her party has to do with strategy.

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Democrats strategy, she noted, is not there yet, adding: You saw that break open last week.

On Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and nine others in the caucus cleared a path for Republicans to pass their Trump-backed bill to fund the government through September 30 and avert a shutdown. Slotkin voted against the measure.

Schumers move drew swift back lash from within his own party, with some senators privately criticizing Democrats lack of clear message.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told House Democrats in a private call Wednesday that he had a frank and honest conversation with Schumer about party unity going forward, according to two people who listened to the call.

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Jeffries told members that he disagreed with Schumers decision to back down from a funding fight with Trump and stressed Democrats need to be united in future fights, according to those on the call.

The call primarily focused on House Democratic messaging efforts and the importance of talking about potential cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security and holding community events.

Referencing Democratic strategy, Slotkin said at the roundtable: I am to the point where if someones not gonna give it to me, I will just write it, do my best and try to sell it to everyone I talk to, right? So thats what Im doing literally this weekend.

Slotkin had acknowledged to CNN last fall that the Democratic Party has struggled to communicate its message to voters. Seen by congressional Democratic leaders as up-and-coming in the party, she was chosen to deliver the Democratic response to President Trumps address to a joint session of Congress earlier in the month.

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Yelling, the senator said Wednesday, wont stop Trump from enacting his agenda.

I get it that it makes people feel good to see people yelling. But not one of those words is stopping the actual things that Donald Trump is doing, and I am about action, not words, and I will stand by that as long as I live, she said.

CNNs Sarah Ferris and Haley Talbot contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The Michigan Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Heres a look at March 19, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Daily 3 numbers from March 19 drawing

Midday: 9-0-1

Evening: 4-5-1

Check Daily 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily 4 numbers from March 19 drawing

Midday: 5-8-6-0

Evening: 0-2-3-1

Check Daily 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from March 19 drawing

17-21-36-40-45, Lucky Ball: 03

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Poker Lotto numbers from March 19 drawing

QC-4C-4D-6H-7H

Check Poker Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Fantasy 5 numbers from March 19 drawing

17-20-23-35-38

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07-10-11-14-18

Check Fantasy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Daily Keno numbers from March 19 drawing

01-03-07-09-10-11-14-22-25-28-29-41-43-46-55-56-58-65-68-69-73-78

Check Daily Keno payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Classic Lotto 47 numbers from March 19 drawing

02-07-11-13-23-31

Check Classic Lotto 47 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto Double Play numbers from March 19 drawing

09-11-13-17-20-30

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Heres how to claim your lottery prize

All Michigan Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes up to $99,999.99, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Michigan Lotterys Regional Offices.

To claim by mail, complete a ticket receipt form, sign your winning ticket, and send it along with original copies of your government-issued photo ID and Social Security card to the address below. Ensure the names on your ID and Social Security card match exactly. Claims should be mailed to:

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Michigan Lottery

Attn: Claim Center

101 E. Hillsdale

P.O. Box 30023

Lansing, MI 48909

For prizes over $100,000, winners must claim their prize in person at the Michigan Lottery Headquarters in Lansing located at 101 E. Hillsdale in downtown Lansing. Each winner must present original versions of a valid government-issued photo ID (typically a drivers license or state ID) and a Social Security card, ensuring that the names on both documents match exactly. To schedule an appointment, please call the Lottery Player Relations office at 844-887-6836, option 2.

If you prefer to claim in person at one of the Michigan Lottery Regional Offices for prizes under $100,000, appointments are required. Until further notice, please call 1-844-917-6325 to schedule an appointment. Regional office locations are as follows:

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Lansing: 101 E. Hillsdale St. Lansing; Phone: 844-917-6325

Livonia: 33231 Plymouth Road, Livonia; Phone: 844-917-6325

Sterling Heights: 34700 Dequindre Road, Sterling Heights; Phone: 844-917-6325

Detroit: Cadillac Place, 3060 W. Grand Blvd., Suite L-600, Detroit; Phone: 844-917-6325

Grand Rapids: 3391-B Plainfield Ave. NE, Grand Rapids; Phone: 844-917-6325

Saginaw: Jerome T. Hart State Office Building, 411 E. Genesee Ave., Saginaw; Phone: 844-917-6325

For additional information, downloadable forms, and instructions, visit the Michigan Lottery's prize claim page.

When are Michigan Lottery drawings held?

Daily 3 & Daily 4: Midday at 12:59 p.m., Evening at 7:29 p.m.

Fantasy 5: 7:29 p.m. daily

Poker Lotto: 7:29 p.m. daily

Lotto 47: 7:29 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday

Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily

Daily Keno: 7:29 p.m. daily

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Michigan editor. You can send feedback using this form.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Lottery Daily 3, Daily 4 results for March 19, 2025
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  A Michigan man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after defacing a predominantly Black church in Macomb County.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Michigan has announced that 34-year-old David Bluer, from Warren, was sentenced Wednesday. He pleaded guilty to one count of damaging religious property.

Former studio engineer charged with stealing, selling Eminems unreleased music

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As part of his guilty plea, Bluer admitted that in October 2021, he spray-painted several swastikas, the word die, and other graffiti on the Roseville church because of the race and color of individuals associated with the church, the release stated.

He also vandalized other properties with similar messages, including writing David kills N at a park in Warren.

Bluer also admitted to specifically targeting the church because it has a Black pastor and a predominantly Black congregation.

Canadians seize $11 million in cocaine at Blue Water Bridge

The defendants attack, motivated by race and color, instilled fear in not only the mostly Black congregants of the church, but damaged the entire communitys sense of safety, Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck said in a statement. Our office will always vigorously prosecute those who commit unlawful bias-motivated acts and seek justice for the victims.

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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 WOODTV.com.
House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) is pressing Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to rescind several former President Biden-era labor regulations to improve, in his view, the lives of workers, job seekers and retirees.

Walberg, who was elected as the committees chair in December, said he is eager to work with the Department of Labor (DOL), Chavez-DeRemer  a former House lawmaker who represented Oregons 5th Congressional District  and President Trumps administration to improve training opportunities for workers, to expand access to health care, and to develop more robust compliance assistance.

I encourage DOL to enforce its laws while providing robust compliance assistance to workers and businesses instead of continuing the enforcement-only approach taken by the Biden-Harris administration, Walberg said Wednesday to Chavez-DeRemer in a letter shared with The Hill.

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The House Republican, who represents Michigans 5th Congressional District, outlined several burdensome regulations developed during Bidens term that Chavez-DeRemer needs to rescind or withdraw.

One of them, under the Employee Benefits Security Administration, is the fiduciary rule that was finalized last year that specifies it applies when fiduciary status is given to a person who gives investment advice for a fee to an investor in a workplace retirement plan (such as a 401(k) plan), an individual retirement account, or other type of retirement plan.

Walberg asked the DOL secretary to rescind the requirements under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, a law that requires health insurance issuers that provide substance use disorder or mental health benefits are not more restrictive than those for surgical benefits.

In the three-page letter, the Michigan legislator encouraged Chavez-DeRemer to rescind the Wage and Hour Divisions (WHD) final rules on expanding overtime pay protections, prevailing wage overhaul, the minimum wage for federal contractors, nondisplacement of qualified workers under service contracts, independent contractors and tip regulations under the air Labor Standards Act.

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Two rules under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration  worker walkaround representative designation process and changes to the recordkeeping rule  should also be revoked, according to Walbergs letter.

The Secretary is eager to work closely with her former colleagues on the Committee to find commonsense solutions that will boost our economy and put American Workers First, said DOL spokesperson Courtney Parella in an emailed statement to The Hill.

Office of Workers Compensation Programs final rule  RIN 1240-AA16  related to the self-insurance by coal mine operators should be rescinded, along with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs final rule that repealed the rule from the first Trump administration to broaden the religious exemption for federal contractors.

Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) proposed rules  Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings that require employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplace and the Emergency response rule should be shot down, Walberg proposed in the letter.

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Apart from the rules, Walberg also told the DOL secretary to consider six issues of concern that the Committee on Education and Workforce, which Chavez-DeRemer served on during her single term in the lower chamber, raised in previous correspondence with the department.

Those six are the return of federal workers to the office, the use of taxpayer money for federal employee unions priorities, Employee Benefits Security Administrations inefficient, overly aggressive, and limitless enforcement efforts, the DOLs personnel giving private information to plaintiffs lawyers, leaking the Bureau of Labor Statistics data and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation overpayments to multiemployer pension plans for deceased beneficiaries.

In your new role, I encourage you to consider the issues raised in this letter and to remain in proactive contact with the Committee as other agenda items arise, the Michigan lawmaker said to Chavez-DeRemer in the letter.

Chavez-DeRemer, who was confirmed to her post on March 10, shared last week that the DOL employees have to comply with Trumps policies and fulfill the departments mission of protecting rights and ensure safe working conditions; ensure proper wages for all American workers; promote employee training; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for job growth; and assure work-related benefits including pensions.

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The former Oregon representative said the DOL has to focus on fiscal responsibility, cutting unnecessary spending and optimizing its resources to make sure the funds are utilized effectively.

Chavez-DeRemer said the department, which has more than 16,000 workers, has saved $125 million, according to an internal memo the secretary sent to DOLs senior staff obtained by The Hill.

I urge each of you to conduct a review of your budgets and operations and identify opportunities for cost savings that can be redirected toward initiatives that directly benefit the American worker and businesses that drive our economy, she said in the March 12 memo.

Chavez-DeRemer, in the memo, said she looked forward to meeting all of you individually to discuss your agency priorities and how we can collectively advance the Departments mission.

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I look forward to collaborating to create a positive impact on the lives of millions of workers and their families, she said in the one-page memo. Lets get to work.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
CHARLESTON  Apex Clean Energy has several witnesses lined up for the multi-day public hearing on its proposed Coles Wind farm but completing that list may take quite a while.

Apex's first post-opening remarks witness, Director of Project Permitting Brie Anderson, spent 2 1/2 hours on the witness stand Wednesday evening as she was questioned by county officials, the county's attorney and several worried area residents.

Questioning of this witness filled the entire second session of the hearing, which is now set to continue at 6 p.m. April 10 in Courtroom 1 at the Coles County Courthouse in Charleston. The hearing started Monday.

The final 40 minutes of Wednesday's session focused on inquiries from attorney Andrew Keyt, who the county has hired to review Apex's 698-page application. He concluded by asking about Apex's plan for the eventual decommissioning of the proposed 51-turbine wind farm, which has a 30-year-lifespan.

Keyt said Apex has proposed that it post financial assurances ahead of time to cover part of the decommissioning for the wind farm. He asked what would happen if Apex and Coles Wind went out of business, there was no buyer for the wind farm or its materials, and the salvage market does not cover all of the decommissioning costs.

"If the county board would want us to pay that difference, we would be more than happy to post the full financial assurance in the decommissioning agreement that the county board will need to approve before our building permits," Anderson ultimately responded.

Keyt said, "If I am understanding you correctly, from year one Apex or Coles Wind would be willing to post the financial assurances to the county at 100% of the decommissioning costs. Is that what you are saying?"

Anderson replied, "Said differently, that what I said."

The wind farm is set to be developed along Illinois 130 north of Charleston in Seven Hickory and Morgan townships. Nathaniel Phipps, whose family lives in this area, asked about the process for resolving complaints when the wind turbines are in operation.

"If this project moves forward, I don't want to be stuck in a house that I bought because I really liked it and now, I can't stand it when once you guys are done," Phipps said. Anderson responded, "We don't want that either."

Anderson said Apex will provide a complaint resolution plan to the Coles County Board and regularly report to the board on any complaints and how they are addressed. She said complaints will be able to be submitted to Apex staff on site, via phone and via email.

"Our goal is to make sure all the complaints are resolved." Anderson said. She added that, "We are here to be a long term partner in the community."

Earlier in Wednesday's session, Stop Wind Turbines in Coles County member Tom Sherman questioned the application listing Interstate 55 and State Highway 2 being project boundaries. Apex attorney and staff subsequently responded that these were misnomers for Interstate 57 and County Highway 2.

Sherman also asked why the application does not include a project engineer's certificate, which is required by a section of Coles County's wind ordinance, while the application says this certificate will be part of the later building permit submission.

"This is as unclear as anything," said hearing facilitator Scott Kains of the contradictory passages. Sherman replied, "Welcome to my world."

Coles County Regional Planning and Development Commission Executive Director Kelly Lockhart said from the jury box that an engineering certificate is "impossible to do at this stage" because an engineer would need to first see a final construction plan, which will not be available until the building permit stage.

"I don't know how this came to be in this section of the (county wind) ordinance," Kains said to Sherman. "You have made an excellent point. The way it's written is wrong."

After April 10, the Coles Wind public hearing is set to continue at 6 p.m. April 14-17 in Courtroom 1. The Planning Commission board, which is attending the hearing, will then make a recommendation on the wind farm proposal to the Coles County Board for final consideration and a vote.
With President Donald Trump pledging to dismantle the Department of Education in an executive order signed Thursday, Michigan education leaders and advocates said they are alarmed at the prospect of losing the federal agency.

The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to weaken the agency, which oversees countless federal education grants, research and other programs, USA TODAY reports. However, the direction falls into hazy territory: Only Congress can act to eliminate a federal agency. However, it's possible that the order may weaken or significantly impact the agency's operations, or, education leaders fear, could imperil how billions of dollars in federal education funding is managed. Any barrier between students and that funding, said advocates with organizations that work with vulnerable students, could lead to worse outcomes for those students.

Trump's order, however, is expected to also call for the ""uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely," USA TODAY reports.

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In a news release Thursday following Trump's action, Michael Rice, state superintendent of education, wrote that he believes Trump will be unsuccessful in trying to eliminate the department.

At the end of the day, I do not believe the U.S. Department of Education will be shuttered," he wrote. "Congress and the American people will not allow it. Whats more concerning is the presidents effort to cut federal funds and the effect on students with disabilities, poor children, children experiencing homelessness, English learners, and other children who require more funding to local school districts to educate and support."

McMahon has said her role in the education department will be "to send education back to the states," she wrote in a March 3 speech posted online, laying out her vision dubbed the department's "final mission." The federal education department does not set school academic standards or curricula. The state sets academic standards; local school districts set curricula.

Michigan education leaders react

News of the order contributed to alarm and speculation around the impact in Michigan that has raged for over a month now among education leaders, advocates and organizers. Trump had long promised to gut the U.S. Department of Education in campaigning.

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"There's some really big, essential roles the department plays and because they're so invisible to parents on a day to day basis, it might be easier to underestimate the impact," said Amber Arellano, executive director of EdTrust-Midwest, a nonprofit based in Detroit. "But the truth is that it plays some pretty, pretty extraordinarily important roles."

Terrence Martin, president of the American Federation of Teachers Michigan, wrote in a statement that schools will lose federal oversight in the attempt to eliminate the department.

"Union members, who play a critical role in educating and advocating (for) students, will face increased challenges in fighting for adequate resources for classrooms," Martin wrote. "Without federal oversight, we risk widening the gap in educational opportunities."

State Rep. Regina Weiss, D-Oak Park, called the executive order "a direct assault" on schools, putting students at risk.

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"I will fight against these extreme measures and work to ensure that our tax dollars continue to come back home to Michigan to serve our kids," she wrote.

On Wednesday night, at a virtual budget update with over 1,000 attendees, Detroit Public Schools Community District Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said the elimination of the department could lead to, among other impacts, less monitoring around discrimination claims. If the Trump administration  set on cutting trillions from the federal budget  makes cuts to education funding, in addition to gutting the department, it could be catastrophic to the largest district in the state, he said.

"This is defunding public education," he said. "This is defunding large urban school districts. This is defunding the future of the most disadvantaged children in this country. This is being done by our federal government. ... It is time for us to start to hold the federal government accountable and state leaders accountable to helping us mitigate this storm."

Dozens of members of school district boards of education from across the state signed an open letter to the state's congressional delegation, urging them to reject any proposals to eliminate the agency.

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"A well-educated population is essential for maintaining the United States global competitiveness," the letter reads. "Programs overseen by the DOE prepare students for 21st-century jobs and address critical skill gaps."

One notable Michigander, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, supports the call to do away with the department.

In an opinion piece published in February for The Free Press, a media organization started by conservative columnist Bari Weiss, DeVos wrote, "Having spent four years on the inside as secretary of education ... I can say conclusively that American students will be better off without."

Could major federal funding streams be impacted?

The two funding streams that come up again and again as at risk in the discussion about the elimination of the education department are funds for students with disabilities and Title I funds, which are directed to schools that serve economically disadvantaged children.

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The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act is federal law. Funding for it, and the law itself, would not be eliminated through an executive action eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, according to the School Superintendents Association. Michigan schools received about $460 million in federal funding for special education in 2024, about 15% of the funding for special education services, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.

Federal funding accounts for about 10% of the money, about $2.2 billion, that goes to state public education. The largest chunk of that federal money is Title I funding, meant to boost schools that serve the highest proportions of disadvantaged students, according to the Michigan League for Public Policy.

In both cases, managing this funding could be shifted to a different federal agency. Tom McMillin, a member of the Michigan State Board of Education, wrote in an email supporting the order that fears around funding cuts are unfounded.

"I should add that the cries about this EO that the sky is falling by the Left is just purely political," he wrote. "They know that all the payments for Title I and other monies coming from DC wouldn't be changed by this Executive Order to close the federal Dept of Education."

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But, like other disruptions in funding that have already happened under the new Trump administration, the disruption could hurt the schools and organizations relying on that money, said Heather Martinez, CEO of Boldli, a nonprofit youth services organization based in Detroit that works to help students with disabilities.

One proposal has floated the idea of disbursing special education funding through grants under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as reported by Chalkbeat, which would be a mistake, Martinez said, given existing issues that Americans with disabilities experience in getting help from that department.

"We're not getting what we need from them to begin with," she said. "So to get them more responsibility in terms of oversight of IDEA and things related to special education, I think again, would be a complete disgrace. It completely negates all of the hard work that we have been doing in the last many, many years."

Monitoring academic progress

DeVos in her op-ed raised the fact that students across the country are lagging in national test scores on the Nation's Report Card, which is administered by an agency within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences.

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Michigan fourth and eighth graders' reading and math scores fluctuated by only a few points between 2022 and 2024 on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), an assessment taken by a random sample of students every two years across the country.

There's fear that the national assessment could also see major changes or be cut under Trump. The commissioner of that assessment program, Peggy Carr, was recently placed on administrative leave by the Trump administration, NPR reported.

"It's important that there's a national assessment," Arellano said. "It's the only way that we know how states are doing compared to one another. But the response to student learning declining following a global pandemic, again, is not to hide the data and bury it when it doesn't look good. That's not honest."

(This story has been updated with additional information.)

Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan educators alarmed by Trump move to gut education department
Spring has officially arrived in Michigan, and you can almost smell the blooming flowers, fresh rainfall and for some, the return of allergy season.

But what can we expect from Mother Nature in the months ahead?

As always, forecasts vary. Here's a look at what the Old Farmer's Almanac, the National Service and the Farmer's Almanac have to say, including predictions for Easter Sunday and Memorial Day weekend.

Old Farmer's Almanac calls for rain, warmer temps

The Old Farmer's Almanac's predictions for April and May in the Lower Peninsula say spring will be warmer than usual, with above-normal rainfall. In the Upper Peninsula, expect it to be drier, with warmer temperatures, 3 degrees above average.

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The Almanac's long-range weather forecast predicts an average temperature of 49.5 degrees in April, two degrees above average.

Spring equinox 2025 is here: What to know about the change of seasons

Farmers' Almanac predicts cool, showery spring

Pack your patience, if you're waiting for warm, balmy temperatures, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The publication says spring weather will take its time arriving, predicting a cool and showery spring and some possible lingering winter weather in Michigan.

The Almanac predicts fair weather for Easter weekend  April 20-23  in the Great Lakes region.

Also, be prepared for some unpredictable and changing conditions around Memorial Day weekend, potentially dampening the holiday.

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Spring storms will bring rain and thunder for most states, with the exception of the Southwest, which is expected to be drier-than-usual.

More: Why do I smell skunks? Here's how to keep them away

National Weather Service: Temperatures are a toss-up

The NOAA outlook for February through April says Michigan has equal chances for normal spring temperatures.

As for precipitation, Michigan has a higher chance for more rain and snow through April.

How warm is spring typically in Michigan?

To remind Michigan of its previous spring weather, here's the National Weather Service's monthly mean climate normal temperatures and precipitation for March, April and May from 1991 to 2020:

In the Detroit region:

March: 2.43 inches; 37.2 degrees

April: 3.26 inches; 48.9 degrees

May: 3.72 inches; 60.3 degrees

In the Grand Rapids region:

March: 2.39 inches; 35.7 degrees

April: 3.99 inches; 47.6 degrees

May: 4 inches; 59.2 degrees

In the Marquette region:

March: 2.67 inches; 25 degrees

April: 3.35 inches; 36.8 degrees

May: 3.37 inches; 50.6 degrees

In the Gaylord/Alpena region:

March: 1.81 inches; 29.3 degrees

April: 2.93 inches; 41.2 degrees

May: 2.78 inches; 53.4 degrees

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan spring weather: NOAA, Old Farmer's Almanac predictions
COLE COUNTY, Mo.  A mid-Missouri father and a Florida man are facing child sex crime charges. Prosecutors allege the father allowed the Florida man to date his underage daughter, helped him move into his Cole County home and sleep in his daughters room, and provided the man with condoms.

The Cole County Prosecuting Attorneys Office charged Travis Kalchbrenner, 31, with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, second-degree statutory rape, second-degree statutory sodomy, first-degree sexual abuse, and fourth-degree child molestation.

Frederick Copping, 47, was charged with child abuse, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, accessory to first-degree rape, accessory to first-degree sodomy, accessory to second-degree statutory rape, accessory to second-degree statutory sodomy, accessory to first-degree sexual abuse, and accessory to fourth-degree child molestation.

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According to online court documents obtained by FOX 2 News, the crimes occurred between Jan. 27, 2025, and March 14, 2025. The daughters age was not disclosed

Kalchbrenner and Copping are being held without bond at the Cole County Jail. Theyre both due in court on Friday, March 21, for counsel status hearings.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Israeli airstrikes overnight into Thursday struck several homes in the Gaza Strip and killed at least 85 Palestinians, according to local health officials. Among those pulled alive from the rubble was a month-old baby girl, but her parents and brother were killed.

Hamas fired three rockets at Israel on Thursday without causing casualties. It was the first such attack since Israel resumed heavy bombardment of Gaza on Tuesday, shattering the ceasefire that had halted the 17-month war. The Israeli military is again enforcing a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, and its forces have moved to retake a strategic corridor dividing north from south.

In Israel, hundreds of people demonstrated outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem to protest his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the countrys head of internal security.

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Heres the latest:

Israels Cabinet approves Netanyahus request to fire head of Shin Bet internal security service

Israels Cabinet on Thursday approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus request to fire the head of the countrys Shin Bet internal security service.

The late-night decision to sack Ronen Bar deepens a power struggle focused largely over who bears responsibility for the Hamas attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

It also could set the stage for a crisis over the countrys division of powers. Israels attorney general has ruled that the Cabinet has no legal basis to dismiss Bar.

Thousands gather outside Netanyahus residence to protest handling of hostage crisis

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Thousands of Israelis gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the countrys head of internal security.

Instead of firing the head of the Shin Bet, just to avoid an investigation, I think that the prime minister should be involved in rescuing the last hostages there are left in Gaza to die, said Michal Halperin, a protester.

The protests come amid a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza and ahead of a planned vote by the government to dismiss the head of internal security, a move that many view as undermining the balance of powers in Israel.

As Netanyahus Cabinet met late Thursday to vote on the firing, thousands of demonstrators gathered outside in the pouring rain.

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Air raid sirens are sounding in central Jerusalem after a launch from Yemen, Israels military says

The Israeli military says the missile was intercepted before reaching Israeli territory. The launch came hours after Israel said it intercepted another missile launched by Yemens Houthi rebel group.

The Iranian-backed Houthis resumed attacks on Israel this week following the collapse of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

US detains a Georgetown scholar over his American wifes Palestinian ties, lawyer says

A Georgetown University researcher who is married to a Palestinian American was detained by immigration agents who told him his visa had been revoked, prompting another high-profile legal fight over deportation proceedings against foreign-born visa holders authorized to live in the U.S.

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Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral scholar at Georgetown University and citizen of India, was arrested Monday night outside of his Virginia home by officers who identified themselves as Department of Homeland Security agents, according to a legal filing by Suris lawyer.

Hassan Ahmad, Suris Virginia-based attorney, wrote in a court filing that Suri was targeted because of his wifes identity as a Palestinian and her constitutionally protected speech.

Suri was later taken to a detention facility in Louisiana, according to a government website.

Suri was accused of spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media and determined to be deportable by the Secretary of States office, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said

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UN confirms employee killed in Gaza was a Bulgarian national

Marin Valev Marinov, 51, was a member of the U.N. Office for Project Services, which carries out infrastructure and development projects around the world. The U.N. agency issued a statement Thursday confirming Marinov was hit by an explosion in Gaza, while five wounded U.N. staff remain hospitalized.

Marinov was supporting the delivery of life-saving aid to the civilian population in Gaza and was one of at least 280 U.N. personnel killed there since the war began, the statement said. A seasoned mariner and vessel Master, he had previously worked as a U.N. maritime inspector in Yemen and for the U.N. humanitarian office.

The United Nations has not said who was behind Wednesday's strike on a U.N. guesthouse. Israel has denied responsibility, but there were no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas that day.

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The head of the U.N. Office for Project Services said strikes exploded near the compound on Monday and hit it directly on Tuesday and again on Wednesday. He said the agency had contacted the Israeli military after the first strike.

Trump administration reiterates support for Israel after Hamas rocket fire

The president made it very clear to Hamas that if they did not release all of the hostages there would be all hell to pay, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday.

And unfortunately Hamas chose to play games in the media with lives. This situation, lets not forget, is completely the fault of Hamas. When they launched that brutal attack on Israel on October 7th," Leavitt said. "And the president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home. And he fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days.

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The U.S. and Israeli demand for Hamas to release more hostages before negotiations on ending the war could proceed was not part of the ceasefire agreement in January.

Freed Israeli hostage Eli Sharabi asks: Where was the UN, the Red Cross, the world?

Sharabi told the U.N. Security Council he was beaten, chained and starved in Gaza for 491 days: If you stand for humanity  prove it and bring back the hostages.

He said that while the council talked about humanitarian aid, he saw Hamas militants carrying and eating dozens of stolen boxes of humanitarian aid with U.N. emblems, while the hostages starved.

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When Sharabi was released on Feb. 8, he said he weighed 44 kilograms (97 pounds)  less than the weight of his youngest daughter who was killed along with his wife and older daughter in Hamas surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

He told the U.N.s most powerful body that six weeks after his release he came to speak for 24-year-old Alon Ohel, a fellow hostage whom he left behind in the tunnel, and all others including his older brother Yossi who was killed but whose body remains in Gaza. Bring them all home. Now!" he said.

Hamas is believed to hold around two dozen living hostages and the bodies of others.

UK foreign secretary says Israel's total blockade of Gaza is likely breaking international law

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Britains top diplomat, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, told the House of Commons "its difficult to see how denying humanitarian assistance to a civilian population can be compatible with international humanitarian law.

Although he said it's for courts not governments to decide, Lammy said it was appalling and unacceptable for Israel to block aid and electricity to Gaza.

He said Israels actions reinforce the U.K. decision last year to suspend some arms exports to the country.

Earlier this week Lammy said Israel had broken international law, but later reverted to the governments longstanding position that Israels actions are at clear risk of breaching the law.

Israel orders Palestinians out of more areas in central Gaza after rockets fired

The evacuation order covers Bani Suheila near the southern city of Khan Younis. Israels military said it would operate there in response to rocket fire by Hamas.

Thursdays order expands on a new Israeli-imposed buffer zone along Gazas northern and eastern borders.

Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, said a day earlier that the military would soon order Palestinians to evacuate from combat zones.

A month-old girl is pulled from the rubble in Gaza after an Israeli airstrike killed her parents

As rescuers dug through the remains of a collapsed apartment building in Gazas Khan Younis on Thursday, they could hear the cries of a baby from underneath the rubble.

Suddenly, calls of God is great rang out. A man sprinted away from the wreckage carrying a living infant swaddled in a blanket and handed her to a waiting ambulance crew. The baby girl stirred fitfully as paramedics checked her over.

When we asked people, they said she is a month old and she has been under the rubble, since dawn, said Hazen Attar, a civil defense first responder. She had been screaming and then falling silent from time to time until we were able to get her out a short while ago, and thank God she is safe.

The girl was identified as Ella Osama Abu Dagga. She had been born 25 days earlier, in the midst of a tenuous ceasefire that many Palestinians in Gaza had hoped would mark the end of a war.

The girl's parents and brother were killed in the overnight Israeli airstrike, along with another family that included a father and his seven children. Only her grandparents survived.

Israeli police clash with demonstrators on second day of anti-government protests

Hundreds of Israelis gathered outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem on Thursday to protest his handling of the hostage crisis and his plan to fire the countrys head of internal security.

Police used a water canon to disperse the crowd after protestors tried to break through police barricades, and scuffles erupted. Several demonstrators were thrown to the ground by police officers  including an opposition legislator, according to Israeli media reports.

On Wednesday, a mass march and demonstration outside the Israeli parliament continued into the late evening hours and ended with several arrests.

The protests come amid a renewed Israeli offensive in Gaza and ahead of a planned vote by the government to dismiss the head of internal security, a move that many view as undermining the balance of powers in Israel.

Israeli military intercepts first rockets launched from Gaza since Israels renewed offensive

Three rockets launched at Israel from the Gaza Strip on Thursday set off sirens across the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. Hamas claimed the attack, which appeared to be the first out of Gaza since Israel ended a ceasefire with a surprise bombardment of the territory on Tuesday.

The Israeli military said it intercepted one of the rockets, and two others fell in open areas. There were no reports of injuries.

Earlier on Thursday, a missile launched toward Israel by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi was intercepted before it reached Israeli airspace.

Iran's Supreme Leader condemns Israeli strikes on Yemen and Gaza

Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called the strikes on Yemen a crime that should be prevented.

In a message marking the Iranian New Year, he said Muslim nations must unite to resist the Zionist Regime," referring to Israel. He called the U.S. an accomplice in the resumption of Israels strikes on Gaza and said the strikes by Israel have been carried out by the U.S. permission, or support and green light.

In a separate message, President Masoud Pezeshkian urged for domestic integrity, improving relation with neighbouring nations and other nations in the world.

New airstrikes kill at least 58, hospitals say

The death toll from new Israeli strikes on Gaza has climbed to 58, according to hospitals in the territory.

Multiple homes were targeted in the middle of the night late Wednesday and early Thursday. The latest total of those killed was according to three hospitals in different parts of the territory.

The strikes hit houses in the cities of Khan Younis and Rafah in southern Gaza and the northern town of Beit Lahiya, they said.

The European Hospital in the southern city of Rafah said 26 people, mostly women and children, were killed in strikes on two family homes overnight. One of the strikes killed a father and his seven children, it said.

The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the bodies of seven people killed overnight in an attack on a home. In northern Gaza, the Indonesian Hospital said it had received the bodies of seven people killed in a strike on a home in Beit Lahiya, a town near the border.

Israeli military says it intercepted missile launched by Houthi rebels

The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched by Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels early Thursday before it reached Israeli airspace, as air raid sirens and exploding interceptors were heard in Jerusalem. No injuries were reported.

It was the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.
Mar. 20The Midland Health Department has confirmed a case of measles in an adult resident.

"This case is potentially linked to international travel; however, further testing is underway to determine the exact location of exposure," the Health Department reported. "The Department is actively investigating the case, conducting contact tracing, and working with state health officials to identify any potential exposures."

The Midland Health Department is taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of further transmission. Those steps include:

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 Conducting contact tracing to notify individuals who may have been exposed.

 Providing fact sheets and FAQs about measles on the Midland Health Services website and social media pages.

 Coordinating with State Health Officials to monitor and manage the situation.

The Health Department reminds Midlanders that measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus that spreads through coughing, sneezing, and close contact with an infected person.

"It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of unvaccinated people around them will also become infected. The virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours, meaning individuals can become infected even without direct contact with a sick person," a news release said.

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For those who believe they have been exposed to measles or are experiencing symptoms, the Health Department recommends:

 Stay home to prevent spreading the virus to others.

 Call your health care provider or the Midland Health Department before visiting a medical facility to arrange testing in a way that minimizes exposure to others.

 Monitor for symptoms for up to 21 days after exposure.

"Vaccination is the best protection against measles," the Health Department reported. "The Midland Health Department offers the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine for individuals who are unvaccinated. Residents are encouraged to check their immunization records and speak with their healthcare provider about their vaccination status."

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Facts about Measles

Symptoms typically appear 7 to 21 days after exposure and may include:

 High fever (above 101 F)

 Cough

 Runny nose

 Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)

 Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) inside the mouth (2-3 days after symptoms begin)

 A red, flat rash that starts on the face and spreads downward to the rest of the body (3-5 days after symptoms begin)

 People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears to four days after it develops.

Information about immunity

 People born before 1957 are usually considered immune.

 Those who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are also considered protected.

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 Vaccination, even shortly before or after exposure, may prevent or lessen the severity of measles.

 In certain high-risk individuals (such as pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and unvaccinated infants), immune globulin given within six days of exposure may help prevent infection.

For more information on measles, visit the City of Midland website or contact the Midland Health Department at 432-681-7613, or visit https://www.midlandtexas.gov/232/Midland-Health-Services.

Updates will be provided on the city's Facebook page to keep the community informed.
MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Midland Health Department has confirmed a case of measles in an adult resident and is now working to investigate potential exposure within the community.

This case is potentially linked to international travel; however, further testing is underway to determine the exact location of exposure, the Health Department reported. The Department is actively investigating the case, conducting contact tracing, and working with state health officials to identify any potential exposures.

The Midland Health Department is taking proactive steps to reduce the risk of further transmission. Those steps include:

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Conducting contact tracing to notify individuals who may have been exposed.

Providing fact sheets and FAQs about measles on the Midland Health Services website and social media pages.

Coordinating with State Health Officials to monitor and manage the situation.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus that spreads through coughing, sneezing, and close contact with an infected person.

It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of unvaccinated people around them will also become infected. The virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours, meaning individuals can become infected even without direct contact with a sick person, the department said.

For those who believe they have been exposed to measles or are experiencing symptoms, the Health Department said:

Advertisement Advertisement

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Stay home to prevent spreading the virus to others.

Call your health care provider or the Midland Health Department before visiting a medical facility to arrange testing in a way that minimizes exposure to others.

Monitor for symptoms for up to 21 days after exposure.

Vaccination is the best protection against measles, the Health Department reported. The Midland Health Department offers the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine for individuals who are unvaccinated. Residents are encouraged to check their immunization records and speak with their healthcare provider about their vaccination status.

Facts about Measles

Symptoms typically appear 7 to 21 days after exposure and may include:

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

High fever (above 101F)

Cough

Runny nose

Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)

Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) inside the mouth (2-3 days after symptoms begin)

A red, flat rash that starts on the face and spreads downward to the rest of the body (3-5 days after symptoms begin)

People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears to four days after it develops.

Information about immunity

People born before 1957 are usually considered immune.

Those who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine are also considered protected.

Vaccination, even shortly before or after exposure, may prevent or lessen the severity of measles.

In certain high-risk individuals (such as pregnant women, immunocompromised individuals, and unvaccinated infants), immune globulin given within six days of exposure may help prevent infection.

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For more information on measles, contact the Midland Health Department at 432-681-7613.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Yourbasin.
The families of some of the men deported by the Trump administration to an El Salvador prison Saturday say not all of them are gang members. CBS News has learned that a barber from Venezuela was among those on the list for the deportation flights even though documents show he has no criminal record.

Franco Jose Caraballo Tiapa, 26, is from Venezuela and entered the U.S. in 2023, requesting asylum from persecution back home.

In February, at a routine check-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Texas, he was unexpectedly detained, and on Saturday, his wife, Johanny Sanchez, says she lost contact with him. CBS News has obtained an internal government list of the names of the Venezuelan men the Trump administration deported to El Salvador, and Caraballo's name is on the list.

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A document from the Department of Homeland Security shows Caraballo is accused of being a member of the criminal gang Tren de Aragua but also specifies that he has no criminal history in the U.S. Venezuelan officials said he has no record there either.

"He was not given due process," attorney Martin Rosenow said. "He was not able to defend this allegation."

The DHS document lists Caraballo's tattoos but doesn't explicitly say they're connected to gang activity.

The Trump administration alleges that the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador's CECOT prison over the weekend all had gang affiliations. In a sworn declaration Monday night, an ICE official said the agency "carefully vetted each" migrant deported to El Salvador under the Alien Enemies Act "to ensure they were in fact members of TdA (Tren de Aragua)." The official says "many" do not have criminal records, but some do.

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Sanchez has been scouring images of the recent deportees trying to identify her husband.

Asked what worries her about him being in this prison, Sanchez said that he's innocent.

CBS News was inside CECOT last month, a place notorious for being an information dead zone. There's no cell signal, no visitors and the inmates are locked up for life despite many not being convicted yet.

"I'm concerned that we have no access," Rosenow said. "Who has custody over our client? Who has jurisdiction? El Salvador? ICE? The U.S. government? We have no idea."

Sanchez's only hope is that both El Salvador and the U.S. show mercy in the name of justice.

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"Just because of being Venezuelans, they can't judge us all for being criminals," Sanchez said in Spanish.

DHS told CBS News it is confident in its intel and is following the law but didn't respond when asked about Caraballo's case.

Caraballo's attorney fears that U.S. courts have lost jurisdiction. Salvadoran officials said they won't share any more information about the deportees.

Michigan swing voters express regrets over voting for Trump

Judge declines to stop DOGE takeover of U.S. Institute of Peace

List of Venezuelans deported to El Salvador by Trump administration obtained by CBS News
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Senior military officers from more than 30 countries across Europe and beyond met in England on Thursday to flesh out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine as details of a partial ceasefire are worked out.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he didnt know whether there would be a peace deal in the Russia-Ukraine war, but we are making steps in the right direction" as a coalition of the willing led by Britain and France moves into an operational phase.

We hope there will be a deal but what I do know is if there is a deal, the time for planning is now, he said during a visit to the meeting of military planners at a British base in Northwood, just outside London. Its not after a deal is reached.

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It is vitally important we do that work, because we know one thing for certain which is a deal without anything behind it is something that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin will breach," he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said a meeting of the coalition of the willing will take place Thursday in Paris in the presence of Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle Wednesday to a limited ceasefire after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with the countries leaders this week, though it remained to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack.

Zelenskyy, speaking in Norway on Thursday, said that although he originally had sought a broader ceasefire, he was committed to working with the U.S. to stop arms being directed at power production and civilian facilities.

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I raised this issue with President Trump and said that our side would identify what we consider to be civilian infrastructure, Zelenskyy said. I dont want there to be any misunderstanding about what the sides are agreeing on.

Shuttle diplomacy expected after Saudi Arabia talks

The tentative deal to partially rein in the three-year war came after Putin rebuffed Trumps push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The difficulty in getting the combatants to stop targeting one anothers energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Trump will face in trying to fulfill his campaign pledge to quickly end the war.

Negotiators from Moscow and the U.S. will meet Monday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Putin's foreign affairs adviser Sergei Ushakov told Russian news agencies.

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Zelenskyy said team would also meet with the U.S. in Saudi Arabia to discuss technical issues, and then the U.S. will act as an intermediary running shuttle diplomacy between Kyiv and Moscow.

Despite the negotiations, hundreds of drone attacks were launched overnight by both sides, injuring several people and damaging buildings.

Kropyvnytskyi, a city in central Ukraine, faced its biggest attack of the war as about four dozen drones injured 14 people, including a couple with serious burns, and damaged houses and apartments.

"In a cruel twist, enemy drones hit Myru Street (Peace Street in English), Andrii Raikovych, head of the regional administration, said.

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More than 50 drones were intercepted in Russia's Saratov region  the largest attack of its kind in the area  shattering windows in a hospital and damaging two kindergartens, a school and about 30 homes, Gov. Roman Busargin said. The attacks were focused on Engels, an industrial city near Russia's main base for nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

Battlefield losses mount, though official numbers elusive

In its latest estimate, the U.K. Defense Ministry said Russian troops suffered 900,000 casualties  including up to 250,000 killed  since Moscows invasion of Ukraine three years ago. Thats a jump of 200,000 from a fall estimate.

Western estimates of the parties war losses have varied and couldnt be independently verified.

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War losses have been a tightly guarded secret in Russia. The Defense Ministrys most recent figures were from 2023 when it reported 6,000 deaths, which was regarded as unreliable.

The U.K. did not release a similar estimate for Ukrainian casualties.

Zelenskyy told NBC News last month that more than 46,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed, and more than 350,000 wounded. Those figures couldnt be independently confirmed and could be an undercount.

Russia resistant to NATO peacekeepers

If peace comes to Ukraine, the number of troops that would help enforce it is vague. Officials have cited figures of between 10,000 and 30,000 troops as part of what's been termed a reassurance force."

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Only Britain and France have said they are willing to send troops, though countries including Australia, Canada and Finland say they are open to being involved in some way.

At Thursday's meeting, which involved 31 countries, Starmer said planning was broken down into four areas: "the sea in one scenario, the sky, obviously land and borders, and regeneration.

Russia has said it will not accept any troops from NATO countries being based on Ukrainian soil. And Trump has given no sign the U.S. will guarantee reserve firepower in case of any breaches of a truce. Starmer says the plan wont work without that U.S. backstop.

Jack Watling, a senior research fellow at military think-tank RUSI, said Thursday that the purpose of the Western military force would be to give Ukraine confidence that a violation of the ceasefire would lead to the Russians having to contend with European forces, and in particular European air power.

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In addition to the meeting in England, EU leaders in Brussels planned to discuss Ukraines security needs with Zelenskyy during a meeting about ramping up defense spending after the Trump administration signaled Europe must take care of its own security.

The German parliaments budget committee is expected to decide Friday to clear up to 3 billion euros ($3.3 billion) in extra funding for German military aid to Ukraine this year. That comes after parliament voted to loosen Germanys debt rules for military and security spending.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said European plans for raising military spending conflicted with Putin and Trump's efforts to reach a peace deal.

Europe has engaged in militarization and has turned into a party of war, Peskov said.

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Residents of Kyiv voiced a mix of optimism, skepticism and confusion about a potential ceasefire.

Olena Morozova, an accountant, said she hoped Putin would agree to the terms of a peace agreement while Volodymyr Zakusylo, a retiree, said he didnt trust Trump and he thinks Russia will renege on any agreement.

Natalia Volkotrub, a medic, said she didnt know what to think because Russia had betrayed Ukraine when it failed to provide the protection it offered when Kyiv agreed to surrender its nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

We gave up our arms and were promised peace and protection, she said. But as of today, all promises were broken.

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Lawless reported from London. Bela Szandelszky and Yehor Konovalov in Kyiv, Dasha Litvinova in Tallinn, Estonia, Geir Moulson in Berlin; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Brian Melley in London contributed to this report.

___

Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
MILLHEIM, Pa. (WTAJ)  A Centre County man is facing felony animal cruelty charges after authorities say he shot and killed his dog outside his camper in Millheim Borough.

Nicholas Richart, 36, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after a Humane Society officer and Centre County sheriffs deputies responded to a report of a deceased dog on March 6, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities arrived at 154 Park Road and discovered a large pool of blood on the ground with two shotgun shells nearby. About 20 feet away, they found a German Shepherd-type dog with a gunshot wound to the right eye, the complaint states.

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Investigators attempted to make contact with Richart but were unsuccessful. The landowner later arrived and told authorities he had heard gunshots the day before and spoke with Richart afterward. According to the complaint, Richart allegedly admitted to the Landowner that he shot and killed the dog because he believed people were after him. The man also told officers that he saw Richart pack up his vehicle with other dogs and leave the property earlier that morning.

Authorities concluded that the dog was intentionally shot, causing its death. Richart was later taken into custody and transported to the Centre County Prison.

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Richart is being held without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 2.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTAJ - www.wtaj.com.
Minnesota Capitol. Photo courtesy of House Public Information Services.

For those of us who support Minnesotas efforts to fund robust public services, its been a rough few months. The February forecast dimmed what was already a fairly bleak state budget outlook, as rapid growth in costs are projected to outpace revenues for the foreseeable future. Add to that the looming threat of federal cuts and it feels a little like shoveling sand against a tsunami.

But Minnesota has a substantial role to play in both combatting President Donald Trumps anti-public agenda and correcting our own fiscal trajectory. Here are 5 reflections for Minnesotans thinking about the future of public funding.

1. Step back and look at the big picture.

The political rhetoric about the state budget is bad right now. We had a lot of money a few years ago and now we have less. We also have higher tax rates than most other states, which has intensified conservative accusations that the Legislature overspent in 2023. Listen to this story long enough and the world can start to feel constricting. But that narrow narrative is an intentional strategy aimed at the GOP endgame: tax breaks for the rich, and harmful cuts to essential programs like Medicaid.

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We live in one of the lowest-taxed and lowest-spending nations on earth, and we have cut taxes time and again over the past 45 years. The United States raises and spends about one-third less on public goods and services than the average developed nation, and about half as much when weighted by total national consumption, as shown in the chart below. Relative to their wealth, other developed countries choose to spend much more of their collective resources to ensure that everyone has a home and the care and opportunities they need to get ahead.

Minnesota does more than most states to guarantee access to basic human needs, and we get results. Thats a good thing. And our marginally higher taxes on the rich scarcely offset decades of top-heavy tax cuts at the federal level. With the countrys most progressive state tax code, the idea that Minnesotans are suffering from high taxes as opposed to lacking services is emblematic of a dangerous race to the bottom that is keeping us all down.

Basic needs like affordable child care, accessible health care, and true community safety can only come from a society that is adequately funded and thoughtfully administered. That work is not done.

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The latest budget projections emphasize the difficulty of maintaining important investments in general welfare; they may open up questions about delivering a high quality of service. But they should not shake our commitment to funding a caring and inclusive society through robust public investment.

2. Remember what got us here (not just the DFL).

As I wrote in the Star Tribune in December, the GOP is leaning heavily on a false claim that the states swing from surplus to deficit was the result of decisions made by the DFL-controlled Legislature in 2023. The largest single contributor to our looming budget shortfall comes from long-term care programs, which are driven by a changing population and bipartisan policy decisions made over decades. Neither of which can be blamed on single party decisions.

Increased enrollment in long-term care programs is a demographic issue beyond the Legislatures control, while the growth in costs per person are rooted in the Disability Waiver Rate System  a complex set of equations used to calculate payment rates that was designed under bipartisan negotiations between 2007 and 2013. We are getting older as a society, and doctors are making more diagnoses of higher acuity conditions and disorders.

The state has raised wages for domestic care workers more recently, but that also received bipartisan support. Republicans, for their part, have lobbied hard for nursing home funding, which has risen substantially.

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The 2023 Legislature could be more directly linked to rising special education costs  another deficit driver  but enrollment is rising there too. Perhaps a GOP Legislature wouldnt have raised wages for hourly school workers or offered more state aid to help cover special ed costs for school districts. But thats hardly frivolous spending.

And, of course, the great irony here is the GOP blaming the DFL for deficits that would have been twice as large if wed enacted their ideas: Republicans proposed $12.7 billion of tax cuts out of a $17 billion surplus with over $4 billion of that ongoing. That would have put the state more than $10 billion in the hole by the end of the 2028-29 biennium.

This is not to say one side is right or wrong, but just to push back on the counterproductive narrative that looming deficits could have been easily avoided. Budgetary pressure is growing due to a state population whose age and rates of disability are climbing. Thats a long-term dynamic that will shape public policy tradeoffs for decades to come. Ultimately, we need to retain and attract more young families, which has a lot to do with affordability and the cost of housing. Minnesota is making progress there but it will take time and effort.

Anyone putting forward a simple cause or solution is either misled or misleading.

3. No, we cant DOGE our way out of this.

Dovetailing with our budget challenge is another hot legislative topic: Fraud. Much like Republicans in the federal government, the state GOP is using recent cases of fraud to imply that the state could resolve its budget issues by simply apprehending all the thieves of public money and ending obvious inefficiencies.

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Ensuring the best use of public funds is, of course, essential to maintaining a strong and stable state budget, but fraud investigation will not close this gap. Used to explain our budget shortfall, fraud becomes an intentional sleight of hand, aimed at eroding popular support for public investment and pushing more of the anti-tax, anti-public worldview that has dominated policymaking since the 1980s at least.

Republicans insisted on creating a new committee on fraud and oversight, but the reality of those hearings is vastly underwhelming compared to the scale and scope of their rhetoric. After several weeks of agency staff answering questions about basic procedure and organizational structure, Republicans called in the far-right Center for the American Experiment.

The conclusion of that hearing was not what you might expect. After sharing some dubious statistics about the cost of fraud in Minnesota, Policy Fellow Bill Glahn talked about the inflated compensation of executives at nonprofits paid to perform public services. He argued, to my surprise given the typical conservative push for privatization, that delivering services directly through state or local employees would be a more fair and effective way to administer programs than by outsourcing the task to private nonprofits.

This is a criticism I wholeheartedly agree with and have written about before. But the inefficiencies of current service delivery are not the same as fraud. Moreover, this broken public-private system of government results directly from those same anti-tax, anti-government neoliberal politics that Republicans and Democrats have pushed for decades.

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If committee Republicans are sincere in their desire to root out fraud and enhance efficiency, then we might be on to something. A more consolidated system of direct public service provision could improve services and possibly even reduce expenditures. But that sort of outcome could only result from years of dedicated legislative efforts, not sloganeering.

4. Think about new strategies to maximize our investments.

While waste and fraud arent the primary cause of our big picture budget challenges, state lawmakers do need to think seriously about how to get the highest return for our tax dollars, and right now we are not driving a very hard bargain.

How, for example, did we agree to build and pay maintenance on a stadium that generates hundreds of millions in annual revenue and billions in accrued wealth for one family dynasty? Just this week, the Star Tribune reported about new requests for state money to fund a renovation of the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

This sort of corporate giveaway is, unfortunately, something the Legislature has grown increasingly accustomed to. This session alone, lawmakers are considering spending $500 million on reinsurance for health insurance companies in hopes (but with no legal guarantee) that the money will prevent premium increases. The Legislature is also weighing further expansion of a $230 million tax break for data centers owned by Amazon, Meta and other major tech firms, as well as a $14 million increase in public subsidies for questionable experiments in sustainable jet fuel.

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Minnesota needs to get out of the habit of handing public dollars over to for-profit entities with vague hopes of a positive outcome and no expectation of a public return. A better approach would be to invest in direct public sector capacity and assets that produce residual returns on our investments.

Social housing is one idea floating around the Legislature that could be expanded to great effect. The concept is simple: Rather than using tax revenue to prop up a nonprofit affordable housing market, have local governments own and rent market rate housing, and use the income generated to subsidize affordable units. In Montgomery County, Maryland the housing authority has self-funded the construction of thousands of housing units with minimal public expenditure.

As interesting as this specific idea is, the broader insight  that the state can use its wealth to cultivate productive investment directly  is even more powerful. North Dakota and Alaska have both created sovereign wealth funds that kick off substantial revenue each year, which can be used to fund rebates to state residents, subsidize general fund spending, or both.

As our population grows older and our needs become more expensive, the state will need more tools to support the public programs and economic investments necessary to sustain a prosperous society. This definitely isnt the time for easy giveaways to those with the most.

5. Gratitude for an opportunity to improve?

Underlying all of this is an important opportunity. The state must now deliver a system that works better and more efficiently. We must figure out how to balance a growing demand for care with the need for renewed public leadership in areas like childcare, housing, and environmental justice. That challenge will force more earnest discussion of government structure and strategy than weve had in many years.

We cant kick the can much farther down the road. And for anyone frustrated with the quality and quantity of public services, that is good news.
For nearly ten years, an incorrect billing code in the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) system resulted in improper reimbursements from the federal government  and now the state owes the federal government $113 million. The funds went toward substance abuse services provided by seven tribal facilities, reported KARE 11.

The mistake went unnoticed for a decade before DHS staff found it during an internal review. KARE 11 reported that, in a statement, interim DHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi said,

"I am proud of our Behavioral Health Administration staff at DHS for detecting a decade-old coding error in our billing system and taking immediate action to diagnose the problem, and then fix it.

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But the miscalculation is now influencing the state's budget decisions and sparking criticism over the agency's management.

What went wrong?

According to KARE 11, state officials say no money was stolen and no fraud occurred; however, the financial consequences are significant for the state.

"Its important to note that the amounts paid to the providers were not incorrect," State Budget Director Ahna Minge clarified. "Its just the split between the state and the federal government that was wrong."

The issue, according to the Minnesota DHS Commissioner, is where the funds came from. DHS was using federal funds to pay for facilities that treat substance abuse disorders, which are ineligible for federal dollars, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

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State general fund dollars, rather than federal Medicaid funds, should have been used to reimburse a small number of residential [substance use disorder] providers over the previous decade, DHS Commissioner Shireen Gandhi said in a statement.

Now, the state has to repay the $113 million to account for future costs, bringing the total financial impact to an estimated $150 million, according to KARE 11. The mismanagement has fueled political scrutiny, with Republican Senator Jordan Rasmussen, chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, arguing that this could have been avoided if DHS had correctly submitted federal waivers.

"This is a huge mistake," Rasmussen said. "If the Department of Human Services had submitted the proper waivers to the federal government, all of these costs could have been covered using federal dollars, avoiding putting the burden on state taxpayers."

Rasmussen and DHS officials should be able to obtain a waiver for the facilities to make them eligible for federal funding. However, the state has had to increase its Behavioral Health Fund spending by 62% to be able to cover the repayment.

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Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trumps tariff moves  while US stocks got slaughtered. Heres 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes

How to safeguard your finances from government mismanagement

It's impossible to predict when a government agency might make an error that affects taxpayers. Still, there are proactive steps you can take to protect your financial well-being in the face of broad financial insecurities and budget cuts.

Stay informed: Understand where your tax dollars are going and pay attention to news about your state budget, audits and financial reports. Being proactive will help you adjust your financial strategies as needed.

Question irregularities: If you receive government benefits, be vigilant about unexpected changes. For example, if your Social Security check suddenly increases or a tax refund seems unusually high, dont assume its a lucky break  contact the appropriate agency for clarification.

Understand the limits of public services: Government programs and benefits can be subject to change due to budget cuts, mismanagement or administration changes. If you depend on these services, consider ways to reduce your reliance on them if necessary, such as exploring alternative resources or strengthening community ties for support in difficult times.

Build a strong emergency fund: While you can't predict government errors, you can find ways to prepare for financial surprises. If possible, save up three to six months of expenses in an emergency fund. If that is out of reach, look for ways to stock up where you can, such as purchasing a few extra pantry staples.

Government mismanagement can be frustrating and unsettling for affected taxpayers. However, by staying informed, asking questions when things change and building financial reserves, you can reduce your risk of being caught off guard by errors like the one currently impacting Minnesota.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
March 19 (UPI) -- A Republican Minnesota state senator is facing federal charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution.

Justin Eichorn, 40, of Grand Rapids, co-authored a state bill to classify "Trump Derangement Syndrome" as a mental illness.

Grand Rapids is about 178 miles north of St. Paul, the state's capital.

Eichorn, who is married and has four children, was arrested Monday in Bloomington, about 20 miles from St. Paul.

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On March 12 and 13, Bloomington detectives carried out a multi-jurisdictional "sex trafficking juvenile demand suppression operation," according to the arrest report.

The purpose was to identify individuals who offer to hire girls under the age of 18 for commercial sex.

Law enforcement had placed advertisements for commercial sex on at least two websites commonly used in adult and juvenile human trafficking schemes.

The ads included photos of a woman who said she was 18 and located in Bloomington.

On March 12, Eichorn made initial contact with a number listed in an online prostitution ad placed by Bloomington police. The conversations contained on March 13.

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Eichorn told the undercover officer that he wanted quick sexual contact of a half hour, according to an arrest report.

"The undercover officer sent a photo depicting a clothed female's cleavage," the report said. "The Suspect continued, 'Got anything with lot less clothes?'"

The person said she was 17, according to the report.

"It says age of consent is 16 ...... over 18 is in a position of authority over you like a teacher or friends parent," Eichorn allegedly said.

On Monday, Bloomington police arrested Eichorn outside his truck, where they found two cellphones, a Trojan-brand condom and $129 in cash.

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Eichorn was booked into the city jail before being taken to the Hennepin County Adult Detention Center. Eichorn was listed in the jail Wednesday with a $75,000 bond pending his first court appearance.

Felony charges of soliciting under 18-year-old to practice prostitution are pending from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.

"As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone's child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up," Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges said in a news release. "I have always advocated stiffer penalties for these types of offenses. The recent case involving Michael Gillis who was arrested in Bloomington is a prime example of why we need stronger penalties. We need our state legislature to take this case and this type of conduct more seriously."

The Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus demanded that Eichorn resign.

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"We are shocked by these reports and this alleged conduct demands an immediate resignation. Justin has a difficult road ahead and he needs to focus on his family," the caucus said in a news release Wednesday.

Democrats have a one-seat majority in the 34-33 Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, a Democrat, told WCCO-TV "the felony allegation against Sen. Eichorn is deeply disturbing, and raises serious questions that will need to be answered by the court, as well as his caucus and constituents."

Earlier this week, Eichorn and four other state senators proposed a bill that would add "Trump derangement syndrome" to the state's definition of mental illness.

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The bill said it is "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of [Trump]." Symptoms include "verbal expressions of extreme hostility" against the president, and acts of aggression and violence toward his supporters and symbols.

Eichorn, who works at his family's outdoor store in Grand Rapids, was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016.
Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn (R) resigned from the Legislature Thursday in a letter read aloud on the Senate floor, as he faces federal solicitation charges.

I must focus on personal matters at this time, Eichorn wrote, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune. It has been an honor to serve in the Minnesota Senate.

The letter was submitted to Gov. Tim Walz (D) via email and read on the floor by Senate Secretary Tom Bottern. Eichorn was arrested by local police Monday in a sting operation.

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Bloomington Police Department detectives communicated with the state senator to arrange a meetup with an undercover officer, whom Eichorn presumed to be a 17-year-old, authorities said. When he arrived, he was met by law enforcement and immediately arrested and booked at the jail.

I saw your post and chance you are still available tonight? one asked, according to an FBI affidavit, while a later message asked, Whats a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.

He was charged in federal court Wednesday. He made his first appearance Thursday and was released on his own recognizance, according to Fox 9.

Fellow lawmakers urged Eichorn to resign after the news broke.

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Democrats and Republicans were preparing to vote on his expulsion, which would be marked as the first in modern history for the North Star State.

There is a line in the sand, said state Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R), according to The Minnesota Star Tribune.

If youre accused with a felony, I think thats serious enough  our law has distinguished that as a very serious crime. This clearly is a very serious crime, and so we are going to do the right thing as a caucus and we move forward in a very decisive way.

Eichorn had drawn attention for co-sponsoring legislation seeking to formally label Trump derangement syndrome as a form of mental illness. The bill defines the condition as the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal persons that is in reaction to the policies and presidencies of President Donald J. Trump.

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The Associated Press contributed.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP)  A Republican Minnesota state senator who was caught in a sting operation resigned under fire Thursday after he was charged with soliciting a minor for prostitution, stepping down before the Senate could vote on whether to expel him.

Justin Eichorn, of Grand Rapids, submitted his resignation in a brief email to Gov. Tim Walz, saying: I must focus on personal matters at this time. It has been an honor to serve in the Minnesota Senate.

His former colleagues expressed relief.

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Decisive action needed to take place, and we did not want this to cloud up the issues of the budget going forward, and the things that Minnesotans really need, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, of East Grand Forks, told reporters. So we want to take care of this quickly and be done with this.

Eichorn, 40, has been jailed since his arrest in Bloomington on Monday in an undercover operation targeting commercial sex involving juveniles.

At Eichorn's first court appearance Thursday, Magistrate Judge Shannon Elkins ordered his release to a halfway house with GPS monitoring once a space opens up. She ordered him to have no unsupervised contact with minors and only restricted, monitored access to computers and the internet. He did not enter a plea. His next court appearance is set for Wednesday.

Federal defender Aaron Morrison, who represented Eichorn only for the purposes of Thursday's brief hearing, told the court that Eichorn was still in the process of hiring a private lawyer. Morrison declined to take questions afterward.

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The nameplate on Eichorn's desk in the Senate chamber was removed before Thursday's floor session. Afterward, Johnson said the charge was so severe and the charging documents so very damning that his members agreed unanimously that the rare step of expulsion was justified and they were prepared to vote him out.

This wouldve been a cloud hanging over the Senate. We dont need another one of those," he said. "So now were able to get back to work.

Investigators had placed multiple ads online offering sex for money, according to the charging documents. Eichorn exchanged text messages with an undercover officer purporting to be a 17-year-old girl for several days until they arranged a meet-up, where he was arrested.

I saw your post and (sic) chance you are still available tonight? one asked, according to an FBI affidavit, while a later message asked, Whats a guy gota do to get with the hottest girl online tonight.

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After his arrest, officers seized two cellphones, a condom and $129 in cash.

The federal charge is attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution. Six other suspects were arrested in the sting, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutor LeeAnn Bell declined after Thursday's hearing to say why federal authorities had taken over the case from the county prosecutor.

According to Eichorns profile, which has now been removed from the Senate website, he is married with four children. He listed his profession as entrepreneur and was first elected in 2016. He got some national attention earlier this month as one sponsor of a not-very-serious bill that would have designated Trump derangement syndrome as a mental illness.

The governor, who had been among the many Democrats who also called for Eichorn's resignation, will have to call a special session to fill the empty seat. Until then, Senate Democrats will have a two-seat majority. The northern Minnesota district voted heavily for President Donald Trump in the November election.

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Senate Democrats have come under GOP fire for protecting Democratic Sen. Nicole Mitchell, of Woodbury, who was arrested last spring on a felony charge for allegedly burglarizing her estranged stepmothers home.

Democratic leaders, who have resisted GOP efforts to force her out, say she deserves to have the legal process play out first. Mitchell was absent from Thursday's floor session where the vote to expel Eichorn would have taken place.

Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, of St. Paul, said she was glad that Eichorn resigned, but drew a distinction between his case and Mitchell's. She said letting him return would have put interns and other Senate employees at risk.

It is hard to conceive of a way that Mr. Eichorn could have returned to this Capitol to operate in any way other than putting others at risk," Murphy told reporters. "It is a night and day situation, and theyre not comparable.
DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  Authorities are searching for a man who was last seen in Duchesne County.

Onni Raassina, 28, was last seen in the Talmage/Mountain Home area. He is said to be about 59 tall and authorities said Onni has blonde hair and blue eyes.

What should you do if someone goes missing?

Onni Raassina was last seen in Duchesne County. Authorities are seeking help searching for him. (Courtesy: Duchesne County Sheriffs Office)

Anyone having information about the whereabouts of this individual is asked to contact Central Dispatch at 435-738-2424 or our office at 435-738-2015, the Duchesne County Sheriffs Office said.

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Officials did not share further details about what Onni may have been wearing or where he may have been heading.

What to do when speaking to law enforcement about a missing person

Here are some suggestions to keep in mind if someone you know goes missing.

Utah officials suggest taking notes on interactions with law enforcement to keep track of details such as officer names, dates and times of interactions, the case number, and what the officers say.

When working with local law enforcement to report a missing person, it is recommended one shares as much information as possible about the missing person, including but not limited to:

Full name or nicknames.

Recent photos.

Date of birth and age at the time they disappeared.

Gender/sex.

Detailed physical description (including unique scars or tattoos).

Date of disappearance.

Medical conditions.

Last known location.

Social media accounts.

Additional resources

For more information, the Department of Public Safety has a page on its website dedicated to resources for missing persons, as well as pages to view missing persons from Utah.

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Additional hotlines and resources originally compiled in a 2021 guidebook are available below:

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Mississippi Development Authoritys (MDA) Community Incentives-Disaster Recovery Division will host a series of community listening sessions regarding the use of federal funding to assist areas most impacted and affected by disasters in 2023-2024.

Mississippi is committed to ensuring our communities have the resources they need to recover and rebuild stronger than before, said Gov. Tate Reeves (R-Miss.). These listening sessions are a crucial step in understanding the specific needs of those affected by disasters in 2023 and 2024. By gathering input directly from community members, we can best allocate these federal funds to improve housing, infrastructure and economic development in the areas that need it most.

18 tornadoes confirmed in Mississippi; damage assessment ongoing

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The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development allocated the state of Mississippi nearly $135 million of $12 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds to address ongoing disaster-related needs in Hinds County, Belzoni and Silver City in Humphreys County, Moss Point in Jackson County, Amory in Monroe County, Scott County and Sharkey County.

The public is invited to attend any of the upcoming listening sessions:

March 25, 2025, 6 p.m. , Moss Point City Hall, 4320 McInnis Ave., Moss Point, MS 39563

March 27, 2025, 6 p.m. , South Delta Middle School Auditorium, 86 Middle School Rd., Anguilla, MS 38721

March 31, 2025, 6 p.m. , Greater Little Mt. Zion M.B. Church, 119 West St., Silver City, MS 39166

April 2, 2025, 6 p.m. , City Hall Board Room, 102 West Jackson St., Belzoni, MS 39038

April 3, 2025, 6 p.m., Scott County Courthouse, 100 East Main St., Forest, MS 39074

The listening sessions will give participants opportunities to share their communities needs for CDBG-DR funds, which maybe be used to:

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Replace damaged affordable housing and rebuild it to be more resilient

Strengthen infrastructure through repairs, upgrades and activities to increase the resilience of public facilities and infrastructure, including roadways, water systems and utilities

Support economic revitalization, including support for small businesses, creation of jobs and assistance for residents

Implement disaster mitigation measures to reduce risk of damage from future extreme weather and disaster events

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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Legislative concerns about federal funding is catching the attention of Mississippi lawmakers, because a majority of the states funding comes from the nations capital.

Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann (R-Miss.) said hes remaining cautious due to uncertainties over how much federal funding the state will receive moving forward. He doubts there will be an increase in federal funding.

I want to tell you something most people dont know. We collect $7 billion in income tax, gaming tax, all kinds of different taxes. The federal government sends us almost $14 billion, between $13 and $14 billion we dont even control. But one third of our budgets here, the rest of it comes from the federal government, Hosemann said.

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In the House, there was a motion to reconsider Senate Bill 3095, which includes the Senates plan involving tax cuts. The motion was tabled. The bill is heading back to the Senate without a safeguard for Medicaid funding moving forward.

State Rep. Omeria Scott (D-District 80) said if the federal government cuts millions out of Medicaid, the state will lose $3 billion for some of those services.

We tried to get the House this morning to commit to having level funding of $8 billion dollars for the Medicaid program. Cut your taxes, if thats what you want to do, but make a commitment to healthcare. But they wouldnt do it because they know the money is not there, Scott said.

As of March 19, the Senate increase the rainy day fund to 12% in their tax plan proposal. The total is just shy of $1 billion.

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Hosemann said theyre communicating with the executive director at the Mississippi Division of Medicaid. Lawmakers have not received guidance in terms of what will happen to Medicaid nationally.

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GREENE COUNTY, Miss. (WKRG)  A State Line, Miss., man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison on two counts of sexual battery by a person in a position of trust of authority.

Mobile police investigating bank robbery

According to the Greene County District Attorneys Office, 41-year-old Donta Lavon Gray pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2023.

Gray was supposed to be sentenced in June of 2023, but he fled from the courthouse before he could be.

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Because he fled, a warrant was issued for Gray, and he was finally arrested in Texas on March 5, 2025.

According to the DAs office, the victim was 17 years old, the abuse had been ongoing, and she gave birth to a child.

Gray was sentenced to 30 years on each charge and must serve 30 years day-for-day. The additional 30 years were suspended by the court, according to the release.

Heavy Mobile police presence at Knollwood Apartments

Once released, Gray will be put on post-release supervision and will be forced to register as a sex offender.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRG News 5.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  Mississippis Prescribed Fire Council, which has been dormant for years, is up and running again in all 82 counties in order to combat wildfires.

Through a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation America the Beautiful grant, funding has been made available to The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to hire a Mississippi Prescribed Fire coordinator. TNCs Lance Middleton is tasked with bringing together both public and private landowners to learn how to effectively use prescribed fire as a tool to prevent wildfires.

Chronic Wasting Disease found in 17 Mississippi counties

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Officials said the purpose of the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council is to educate the public about the many benefits of prescribed fire, increasing the opportunity to put more meaningful prescribed fire on the landscape. A prescribed fire, also called a controlled burn, is a planned and intentionally set fire by land managers under specific weather conditions to manage vegetation, reduce wildfire risk, and restore the health of ecosystems.

As the coordinator of the Prescribed Fire Council, I am going to be providing leadership for the 11 agencies in educating the public through workshops and other tools. TNC will be taking a very active role from that standpoint as we do a lot more outreach. The future looks good for the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council, said Middleton.

The Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council is made up of the following:

The Nature Conservancy

Mississippi Wildlife Fisheries and Parks

Mississippi Forestry Commission

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Mississippi State University Extension Service

Mississippi Forestry Association

Mississippi Association of Conservation Districts

Mississippi Soil and Water Conservation Commission

Natural Resource Conservation Service

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

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State Sen. Mike Henderson stands as he is introduced to the Missouri Senate on the first day of the 2025 legislative session in January (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Lawmakers are once again pushing for Missouri to join more than 30 other states that have enacted protections against frivolous litigation aimed at silencing free speech.

The proposal targets strategic lawsuits against public participation, or SLAPPs, which are often filed without any expectation of winning in court and are instead simply an attempt to intimidate a person or organization by threatening a lengthy, expensive legal battle.

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These are lawsuits used to punish people with costly litigation to suppress free speech, state Sen. Mike Henderson, a Desloge Republican sponsoring the legislation, told the Missouri Senate Judiciary Committee last week. Even if a defendant wins, the financial burden discourages them and others from exercising their free speech.

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A coalition of groups testified in support of the bill, including Missouri Right to Life and the Missouri Press Association. There was no opposition during the Senate hearing.

News organizations and journalists across the country are frequent targets of these meritless lawsuits that aim to silence reporting through expensive and protracted litigation, said Chad Stebbins, executive director of the Missouri Press Association. Missouris current statutes only protect conduct or speech undertaken or made in connection with a public hearing or public meeting.

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The bill would require plaintiffs in these lawsuits to demonstrate a basis for their claim early in the litigation A judge would then have to rule in an expedited manner on whether the case should be dismissed, easing any expense to the defendant and avoiding a drawn out process.

Businesses, politicians and wealthy individuals are increasingly using legal intimidation to stifle journalism and dissenting voices.

Elon Musks social media company X filed multiple lawsuits against liberal advocacy group Media Matters for America in 2023 over reports by the nonprofit organization that led to an advertising boycott. Media Matters was forced to lay off dozens of staffers because of the lawsuits.

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger has reportedly spent more than $500,000 defending himself in a defamation lawsuit over how a book he recently wrote described debunked claims of election fraud made in the video presentation to state legislators. The suit was filed by the wife of a Texas multimillionaire and ardent support of Donald Trump.

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In 2023, a professor at University of Notre Dame filed a defamation lawsuit against a student-run, conservative Catholic newspaper after it published a news story about her abortion-rights activism. Because of Indianas anti-SLAPP law, the case was dismissed but the paper still spent $175,000 defending itself.

Citizens exercising their free speech rights should not have to endure the toll of litigation and the risk of financial ruin to defend themselves against meritless claims, said Susan Klein of Missouri Right to Life.

Obviously we have freedom of speech, but sometimes people or organizations are intimidated by the threat of a lawsuit and are encouraged to not speak out, she said. And so because of this harassment and intimidation, we need to have some added protection for our freedom of speech.

The Missouri anti-SLAPP legislation has had success in both the House and Senate in previous years, but has never made it to the governors desk. Last year, it was included in a wide-ranging judicial bill that cleared the House but ran into gridlock in the Senate, where GOP infighting resulted in fewer bills passing than any year in living memory.

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This has been around since 2021, state Sen. Nick Schroer, a Republican from Defiance and chair of the judiciary committee, told Henderson during last weeks hearing. Youve got my full support.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
SUNY Cobleskill has announced that Mohawk Elder Thomas Porter will be awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters and will deliver the keynote address at its 107th Commencement on Saturday, May 10.

Also known by his Mohawk name, Sakokwenionkwas, meaning The One Who Wins, Porter is the founder of and the spiritual leader of the Mohawk community of Kanatsiohareke, in New Yorks Mohawk Valley. A member of the Bear Clan of the Mohawk Nation at Akwesasne, "he has dedicated his life to revitalizing Mohawk language, culture, and traditions," according to a news release from the college.

"Thomas Porter's lifetime work has ensured the time-honored ways of the past are remembered, celebrated, and woven into our future. His teachings inspire us to seek new knowledge and reflect on how new ways intersect and find harmony with heritage and tradition," said SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio. "Now, his wisdom will inspire our graduates as they embark on their own journeys to create a meaningful and sustainable future. We are honored to welcome Mr. Porter as this year's commencement speaker."

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Porter has been a nationally recognized figure since the 1960s when he co-founded the White Roots of Peace, a group of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) representatives that traveled across North America, sharing native teachings and encouraging Indigenous communities to reconnect with their traditions, the release stated.

Recognizing that the Mohawk language was at risk of becoming extinct as a spoken language, he co-established the Akwesasne Freedom School, which offers a Mohawk language curriculum. His contributions to education include teaching Mohawk language, philosophy and history at the Akwesasne Freedom School and the Kahnawake Survival School, with a focus on blending modern education with a traditional worldview, according to the release.

Porter held the position of sub-chief for the Tehanakarine Chieftainship title, one of the nine chief titles of the Mohawk Nation, from 1971 to 1992, speaking at traditional ceremonies and guiding his community spiritually and politically, the release stated. In 1993, he founded the Kanatsiohareke community to create a haven for living according to traditional Mohawk values, emphasizing language revitalization as central to cultural preservation.

For ten years, Porter also served as a Native American consultant for the state Penal System, providing spiritual support and traditional teachings to Native inmates. "He has remained engaged with the SUNY Cobleskill campus community since his memorable address at President Terenzios inauguration in April 2016," the release stated.

SUNY Cobleskills 107th Commencement is on Saturday, May 10 in a ceremony scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., outdoors, adjacent to the Neal Robbins Field House.
UPDATE: According to a post by the Moline Police Department, Gavon Williams, 28, of Moline was arrested and charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm while on parole, unlawful possession of a firearm by repeat felony offender and resisting arrest. Williams was transported to the Rock Island County Jail to be held pending a pretrial detention hearing.

Gavon Williams (Moline Police Department)

EARLIER: Police in Moline are investigating a report of shots fired that led to three schools going on a temporary soft lockdown.

Moline Police responded to a 911 call of a report of shots fired near 41st Street and 12th Avenue on March 20 at about 1:43 p.m. that resulted in a foot pursuit. Washington Elementary, Wilson Middle School and Franklin Elementary were briefly placed on a precautionary soft lockdown to protect students and it has since been lifted.

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Police have a person in custody and the investigation is ongoing. No injuries were reported and officers are searching the area for evidence.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
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In an emotional meeting with prosecutors, loved ones of a woman and baby shot and killed by Independence police watched officers unedited body camera footage for the first time as they learned the officer will not face charges in their deaths.

They learned new details about the Nov. 7 shooting and heard the four shots that were fired at Maria Pike, who was holding her 2-month-old daughter, Destinii, when she raised a concealed butcher knife and moved toward officers.

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They listened to the 911 call that sent police to the Oval Spring Apartments and questioned why prosecutors declined to file charges against the officer who killed the mother and child.

The meeting Friday with the Jackson County Prosecutors Office, which The Star received a recording of, included 23 minutes of bodycam footage that showed how the shooting unfolded from the moment officers arrived at the apartments at 16801 Larkspur Lane to the fatal shots that killed Pike, 34, and her daughter.

Prosecutors met with the family members less than three hours before the public was informed that the officer who shot their loved ones would not face criminal charges from the prosecutors office. Dion Sankar, Jackson Countys chief deputy prosecutor, carefully walked through the case during the emotional virtual meeting with the family and answered numerous questions.

We do not believe that there is a path to charging this specific case under the law, he said, and under the facts that we have in front of us.

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Jazzlyn Johnson, director of communications for the Jackson County Prosecutors Office, said we were surprised to learn the meeting was recorded.

 We approached the meeting as an opportunity for a private and compassionate discussion to explain our legal analysis and allow any questions, she said. Our office reaffirms all information we shared during the meeting.

After carefully reviewing all evidence and applying the law, the office determined criminal charges could not be filed against the officer involved for either death.

The unedited bodycam footage, recorded from the perspective of the officer who fired his service weapon and the bodycam of his partner, also shows Pike concealed the butcher knife with what appears to be paper or cloth on a bedside table. Pike removed the cloth and stepped toward the second officer on the scene before moving toward the officer who shot her.

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As the officer who shot unholstered and pointed his weapon, Pike can be seen turning sideways and turning her back to the officer as he fired.

I can tell you that the shots appear to be fired within a 1-to-2-second time frame, Sankar said, and they are very quick succession.

In the meeting, loved ones contended that Pike dropped the knife after the first shot, and deemed the rest of the shots excessive.

Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said prosecutors could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the shooting officer used excessive force in the offices 15-page letter that was sent to attorneys representing Mitchell Holder, Destiniis father, Pikes family and media members on Friday.

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In that letter, and in the meeting with family, prosecutors described where the bullets hit Pikes body. One bullet hit her in the wrist, one entered her neck, one struck her torso, and one her back, prosecutors said. And a bullet hit Destinii in the head.

Family members still question why police didnt wait for a mental health worker to talk with Pike, the order of the bullets and why, in their minds, the officer continued to shoot after the knife fell from her hand.

She had the time to turn her back to him and drop the knife, said Nina Book, Pikes twin sister, during the meeting. He should have had time to take his finger off the trigger.

Police were dispatched to Oval Spring Apartments on a domestic dispute call just before 2 p.m. on Nov. 7. Talisa Coombs, Destiniis paternal grandmother, called 911 after she said Pike hit her when she went to her sons apartment  where Pike and the baby also lived.

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Coombs told dispatchers that Pike whooped my ass and threw me out and tried to take my phone. Coombs was not in the meeting.

Previously, in a surprise video news briefing the day before Thanksgiving, Independence police released heavily-edited footage, which shows just four minutes of what transpired that afternoon from the camera of the officer who fired in the moments before Pike and Destinii were fatally shot. The footage did not include the full exchange between Pike and the officers or the interaction immediately leading up to Pike raising the knife.

Releasing only a portion of the bodycam footage months ago allowed police to control the narrative, said Steve Young, co-founder of KC LEAP (Law Enforcement Accountability Project). They were calculated when they released that video. They wanted folks to be confused and to doubt what they were seeing.

If they were really serious about being transparent, they wouldnt have released that edited version of the video, Young said. That edited version of the video is whats in peoples minds.

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Young was in last weeks meeting and was able to see, through unedited bodycam footage, what happened. He said he doesnt think police were justified in what they did that day.

You actually get to see the full picture, he said. You get to see everything in full context. You dont have this narration, them telling you what youre supposed to think.

Youre seeing it.

Why are you being like this?

When officers first saw Pike, she was in a large closet area off the bedroom that was used as a makeshift nursery with a picture of a rainbow on the wall. She was holding her daughter and swaying back and forth.

For several minutes she stayed silent  not responding to an officers questions  as she rocked Destinii back and forth and then later fed her a bottle.

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After several minutes the second officer came and, again, Pike kept silent.

Whats the problem, why are you being like this? the second officer asked her. He then told the other officer: Im going to tell (Holder) that he probably needs to come in and take the baby.

After the first officer was in the bedroom for about four minutes, trying to communicate with Pike, he radioed in:   Shes kind of using the baby as a shield, so were gonna wait.

At one point, the other officer brought Holder into the bedroom.

Can you put the baby in the baby carrier there? that officer said to Pike.

When she didnt answer, the officer turned to Holder: I need you to take your baby from her, OK? I do not want that baby to get hurt.

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Holder said: Me neither.

So take that baby from her, OK?  Hes going to take the baby from you.

Holder said he couldnt do it and sat on the edge of the bed.

After the first officer was in the bedroom with Pike for about 10 minutes, she left the closet and made her way to the bed with Destinii.

We just want to help out, the second officer said to Pike once she moved to the bed. And we dont want that baby to get hurt, thats all we care about, OK? We dont want that baby to get hurt.

Do you want the baby to get hurt?

At one point, the first officer who was in the room with Pike in the beginning, put on a pair of blue gloves.

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Family members had a difficult time with that.

When he started pulling up his gloves, thats fight gestures, said Tom Pike, Marias father. Im not an FBI profiler or something, but they were getting ready to rumble.

Less than a minute after the gloves went on, Pike reached with her right hand toward the nightstand for a butcher knife that was concealed. She raised the knife over her head and moved toward officers.

The first officer, who had been in the room with Pike for about 12 minutes, fired the four shots.

Soon after the meeting, KC LEAP released a statement.

After viewing the full bodycam with the family, we are dissatisfied with the decision not to file charges against the officer responsible for the tragic murder of two-month-old baby Destinii and her mother, Maria, the statement said.

This outcome is not only a profound failure of our justice system  it is a failure of our collective responsibility to protect and honor every member of our community, including those with mental health issues and disabilities.

The statement went on to say that after viewing the footage, it is unclear whether Maria still had the knife in her hand when she was shot. The organization also pointed to the entrance wound in the mothers back, according to the Jackson County medical examiners report.

Those facts, in concert with the behavior of the officer who chose not to wait for the Crisis Intervention Team warrant the decision of a court and our outrage.

Always see her smile

Family members still have questions. Prosecutors told them Friday that there would be another meeting to discuss everything.

I think that were 100% going to need to do that, Sankar told them. Were always going to do that with families that are suffering underneath these particular circumstances.

On multiple occasions, prosecutors told loved ones how sorry they were for their loss. And Sankar did so one final time before the meeting concluded.

I want you all to know and hear this, when I say this, Sankar said. We take no joy in ever declining a case when we have a family thats losing a loved one. The best thing that we can do in this circumstance is lay out what we think our best judgment is.

Prosecutor Melesa Johnson also empathized with family members before the end of the meeting.

Since the moment that I took this office on January 3, this case has been at the forefront of all of our minds within this office, the prosecutor said. Unfortunately, the law does not change depending on who the victim is, and this is beyond a profound loss of life. We can see that, we are sensitive to that, and I cant imagine how difficult this conversation is for you and your family.

Talisa Coombs, Destiniis paternal grandmother, said she thinks about her granddaughter all of the time.

Ive been with that baby since it came home, she said. It is hard for me, definitely hard.

In my mind, I always see her smile.

She and her husband, Brian, say the officer who killed Pike and their granddaughter should not be allowed back on the street.

I dont care if he was charged or not, he should not be a police officer, Brian Coombs said. He still has a job? Even if it was an accident, he shouldnt have a gun.

Added Talisa: He should have gotten some kind of punishment out of this. He dont need to be a police officer.

After the shooting, three officers  including the one who shot Pike and Destinii  were put on administrative leave. It isnt known when the officers could be cleared to get back on the job.

When any officer is involved in a critical incident, there is a process that occurs before an officer can return to full duty, said Officer Bryan Conley, a spokesman for the Independence Police Department, in an email. That process is a personnel matter, and I cannot comment further on it.

Conley did not answer a question about the officer who shot Pike and Destinii and when or if he would be back on duty.
Nora Mabie and Kaiden Forman-Webster

MTFP + ICT

Lawmakers have proposed two bills this session that aim to resolve a long-standing law enforcement dispute between the state of Montana, Lake County and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

At the center of the conflict is Public Law 280, a federal law that shifts law enforcement jurisdiction on some Indian reservations from the federal government to certain states.

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While Public Law 280 was mandatory for six states when it was enacted in 1953, in Montana individual counties or the entire state could choose to opt in. Unlike the original federal law, a Montana law required tribal consent.

In 1965, frustrated with what they said was insufficient federal policing and inadequate resources at the tribal level, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) consented to implementing Public Law 280 on the Flathead Reservation. Since then, local county law enforcement  rather than federal entities like the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs  has had jurisdiction over accusations of felony crimes committed by tribal members on the Flathead Reservation. And for the last 30 years, the CSKT have investigated claims of misdemeanors committed by tribal members, helping shoulder the jurisdictional burden.

The two bills proposed this session come from non-Native Lake County lawmakers. The proposals take different approaches to addressing the funding question, and one has garnered support from CSKT leadership as well as the lieutenant governor.

THE PUBLIC LAW 280 CONFLICT IN MONTANA

Lake County in northwest Montana overlaps with much of the Flathead Indian Reservation. In the 1960s Lake County officials supported Public Law 280, saying it would help combat crime on the reservation, but attitudes have shifted in the decades since.

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Because the federal law is unfunded, Lake County officials have for years said it is burdensome to taxpayers. Where county leaders argue the state should reimburse Lake County for the law enforcement services it provides on the reservation, Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte has maintained that funding Public Law 280 is the responsibility of individual counties, not the state.

The conflict has serious implications for Native and non-Native Lake County residents as it could change which law enforcement entity  state, tribal or federal  has jurisdiction over certain crimes committed on the reservation.

County officials have over the years turned to the courts and the Legislature to resolve the dispute  to no avail. Theyve also threatened to withdraw from the agreement altogether, which would kick jurisdictional responsibility to the state.

In 2021, the Legislature appropriated $1 to Lake County for exercising jurisdiction on the Flathead Reservation  an amount a Montana judge later called patently absurd. And last legislative session, Gianforte vetoed a bill that would have sent $5 million in state money to the Montana Department of Justice to offset costs for Lake County over a two-year period. The bill also wouldve created a Public Law 280 task force, and it would have prevented Lake County from withdrawing from the Public Law 280 agreement in the future.

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In his 2023 veto letter, Gianforte wrote that reimbursing Lake County would create a slippery slope at the end of which we can expect another request for funding in 2025 from Lake County  and any other counties experiencing financial pressures in enforcing state criminal jurisdiction within their boundaries.

2 BILLS AIM TO RESOLVE YEARS-LONG DISPUTE

This session, two lawmakers have brought bills they say will remedy the conflict.

Rep. Tracy Sharp, a Republican from Polson, sponsored House Bill 366 that would provide $5 million to reimburse Lake County over the next two years. Unlike the bill Gianforte vetoed last session, Sharps bill does not prohibit Lake County from eventually withdrawing from the agreement. Sharps bill was heard early in February and as of March 17, it had not passed out of the House Judiciary Committee.

While Sharp called Public Law 280 a model for law enforcement on the reservation in a February House Judiciary Committee hearing, he added that Lake County and Lake Countys taxpayers, tribal and non-tribal, simply cannot afford to bear the financial burden of Public Law 280 any longer.

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No one spoke in support of Sharps bill. The bills only opponent, Keaton Sunchild, Chippewa Cree, with Western Native Voice, offered what he called soft opposition, saying the organization would like to see more consultation with the CSKT on the matter.

Several lawmakers on the committee noted the lack of testimony from state or tribal representatives, saying their perspectives would help inform their votes.

Sharp earlier this session proposed a bill to open parts of the Flathead Reservation to non-tribal landowners, which drew sharp criticism from the CSKT and ultimately failed.

In February, Sen. Greg Hertz, a Republican from Polson, introduced his own Public Law 280 bill, which as of March 15 had made its way through the Senate and will be heard in the House.

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In a February hearing before the Senate Finance and Claims Committee, Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras spoke in support of Senate Bill 393  a notable departure from the governors past opposition to Public Law 280 legislation.

The governor supports a one-time only solution to help with the tribes and the state transition to a solution where both of them can contribute financially to the ongoing costs of enforcement, she said.

When asked if Gianforte would sign Public Law 280 legislation this session, a spokesperson told Montana Free Press the governor will consider any bill that makes it to his desk.

Lake County Commissioner William Barron and CSKT secretary Martin Charlo also supported Hertzs bill in testimony before the committee.

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Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, Chippewa Cree, and whose district overlaps with six counties and three reservations, criticized the bill on the Senate Floor, calling it unfair.

What about the other 55 counties? he asked. What about the other six tribes?

SB 393 does not yet contain a fiscal note prepared by the governors budget office that would estimate its price tag. But Hertz said the funding level will be determined by the House.

[Between] $5-7 million is the range, Hertz told MTFP. Thats what the governors office talked about.

In their testimonies, both Sharp and Hertz alluded to the possibility of Lake County withdrawing from the Public Law 280 agreement. If the county were to withdraw, Hertz said the state would assume jurisdiction and could end up spending $100 million to build new facilities and establish new police forces.

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Rep. Shelly Fyant, citizen of the CSKT, told MTFP she would not support Sharps bill but will likely carry Hertzs bill on the House floor. Fyant said the tribe and Lake County have been collaborating on SB 393.

This is the most I have seen them work together [the CSKT and the county] on this issue, she said.

Even with this collaboration and Juras support, however, Hertz said he thinks his bill has a 50-50 chance of crossing the finish line.

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This story is co-published by Montana Free Press and ICT, a news partnership that covers the Montana American Indian Caucus during the states 2025 legislative session
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP)  As rescuers dug through the remains of a collapsed apartment building in Gazas Khan Younis on Thursday, they could hear the cries of a baby from underneath the rubble.

Suddenly, calls of God is great rang out. A man sprinted away from the wreckage carrying a living infant swaddled in a blanket and handed her to a waiting ambulance crew. The baby girl stirred fitfully as paramedics checked her over.

Her parents and brother were dead in the overnight Israeli airstrike.

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When we asked people, they said she is a month old and she has been under the rubble, since dawn, said Hazen Attar, a civil defense first responder. She had been screaming and then falling silent from time to time until we were able to get her out a short while ago, and thank God she is safe.

The girl was identified as Ella Osama Abu Dagga. She had been born 25 days earlier, in the midst of a tenuous ceasefire that many Palestinians in Gaza had hoped would mark the end of a war that has devastated the enclave, killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly its entire population.

Only the girl's grandparents survived the attack. Killed were her brother, mother and father, along with another family that included a father and his seven children. Rescuers digging through the rubble could be seen pulling out the small body of a child sprawled on the mattress where he had been sleeping.

The girl's grandmother, Fatima Abu Dagga, sat with a group of other women in a relative's house Thursday, taking turns cradling the infant. Her sons and their wives and eight grandchildren died in the bombing, and only the baby survived. She wept over the loss, and the return to the devastation of war.

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We werent really living in a truce," she said. "We knew that at any moment the war might return. We never felt that there was stability, not at all.

Israel resumed heavy strikes across Gaza on Tuesday, shattering the truce that had facilitated the release of more than two dozen hostages. Israel blamed the renewed fighting on Hamas because the militant group rejected a new proposal for the second phase of the ceasefire that departed from their signed agreement, which was mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

Nearly 600 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including more than 400 on Tuesday alone, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Health officials said most of the victims were women and children.

The strike that destroyed the infant girls home hit Abasan al-Kabira, a village just outside of Khan Younis near the border with Israel, killing at least 16 people, mostly women and children, according to the nearby European Hospital, which received the dead.

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It was inside an area the Israeli military ordered evacuated earlier this week, encompassing most of eastern Gaza.

Nabil Abu Dagga, a relative of Ella's family who lives nearby, rushed to the scene of the strike.

People were sitting together and enjoying themselves on a Ramadan night, staying up together as a family, he said. ... No one was expecting it and no one would imagine that a human could kill another human in this way.

He and others started pulling out bodies. Then they heard the baby girl's cries.

The Israel military says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it is deeply embedded in residential areas. The military did not immediately comment on the overnight strikes.

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Hours later, the Israeli military restored a blockade on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, that it had maintained for most of the war, but which had been lifted under the ceasefire deal.

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians had returned to what remains of their homes in the north after a ceasefire took hold in January.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage.

Israels blistering retaliatory air and ground offensive has killed nearly 49,000 Palestinians since then, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not say how many were militants. Israel says it has killed around 20,000 militants, without providing evidence.



Associated Press staff writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
WELLINGTON, Ohio (WJW)  Humane agents seized more than 200 farm animals, reportedly kept in deplorable and inhumane conditions, from a Lorain County property on Tuesday.

According to the Friendship Animal Protective League, an investigation started when humane agents learned about a post circulating on social media. The post described sheep on a Wellington property left in cold conditions without food or shelter.

Humane agents checked on the property on Tuesday and the owner gave them permission to see the animals, the Elyria-based nonprofit said.

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The humane agents discovered sheep with hooves so long that they struggled to walk, numerous dead sheep, and severely underweight sheep, Friendship APL said in a press release.

When will Cedar-Lee development be demolished?

According to Friendship APL, the property owner stopped cooperating with humane agents and the shelters humane investigations department obtained a search warrant.

During the search, humane agents seized 201 live animals, including goats, turkeys, geese, chickens, rabbits and more than 100 sheep. Friendship APL said many of the animals needed medical treatment.

Credit: Friendship APL Credit: Friendship APL Credit: Friendship APL

The nonprofit said several other animals were found dead around the property, including 29 rabbits and lambs. Humane agents removed the dead animals for necropsy.

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The conditions the animals were kept in at this property were deplorable and inhumane, said Friendship APL Executive Director Gregory Willey. This is the third large-scale seizure of animals by Friendship Animal Protective League in less than 30 days. While these cases are an extreme burden on our staff and resources, preventing animal cruelty and seeking justice for abused animals is critically important.

Twice-suspended dentist in Grove City under investigation after patient dies

The case remains under investigation, but humane agents said a probable cause hearing will determine where the animals will be kept in the meantime.

Friendship APL is only county humane society empowered to investigate suspected animal abuse in Lorain County, according to the press release.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
TYE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  In the early morning of Wednesday, March 19, Tye and Merkel firefighters responded to a large tractor-trailer fire in the westbound lanes of I-20 just west of Tye, near the 277 exit.

Before the scene was contained, a driver, now identified as 20-year-old Nathan James Newlin, bypassed the barricades and struck a Tye firefighter while traveling around 15-20 miles per hour. Tye VFD Fire Chief Chris Thomas said that this is the first time in his and the previous Tye Chiefs career that theyve had a first responder get hit by a vehicle while working a scene.

If a firefighter gets injured or somethingWhoevers with them will call out a mayday. Everything pretty much stops, and we deal with that situation because now that is the important part, their safety, Thomas said.

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In the interest of privacy, Tye VFD has chosen not to identify the injured firefighter. Thomas says he has spoken to them, and they are recovering at home after being released from the hospital with minor injuries.

Driver accused of hitting firefighter on I-20 identified

Tye VFD says a Merkel responder sent out the mayday call. Thomas was in charge of the scene and says he did not see the incident due to the thick black smoke from the fire. Upon reviewing the dash cam footage, he was able to provide this description.

Nathan James Newlin, Taylor County Mugshot

When they got hit, they actually rolled up onto the hood of the car and then off, back down off the hood, Explained Thomas.

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While they are happy the injuries sustained were not worse in this case, Tye VFD and other first responders like Texas DPS Staff Sergeant Mark Couch are reminding the public of the importance of awareness and caution when navigating an active roadway scene.

Ive had times when Ive been directing traffic and had people come through a scene too fast or nearly causing collisions or running through a barricade system because theyre just not paying attention, Couch said.

Motorists are required by law to vacate the lane nearest an active scene or, if not possible, to slow down to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit when passing the scene. Couch says that the law applies not only to first responders but also to anyone working an active roadway.

Anytime you see emergency vehicles working on the side of the road, whether its tow trucks, police officers, firefighters, ambulances, TxDOT vehicles, anyone out there thats doing that kind of work. You are obligated by law to either move overor slow down, said Couch.

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Couch went on to address the issue of rubbernecking, or people driving closer to an active scene out of curiosity. This can often lead to distracted drivers causing more of a hazard. Couch implored the public to think of the danger each official is putting themselves in every time they work an active roadway.

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Just understand that there are people out there working. These are not just vehicles that are parked. And even if you miss the person and hit a vehicle. That vehicle can be pushed into first responders that are using the vehicles as protection for themselves, Couch said.

Treat them as if it was one of your own family members. If that was them out there working, youd want someone, you know, somebody to slow down, added Thomas.

Newlin was arrested and booked into the Taylor County Jail on Wednesday afternoon on misdemeanor charges for:

Disregard Police Officer

Disregard Traffic Control Device

Minor Possession of E-Cigarette

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Failure to Yield to Emergency Vehicles

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Newlin has been released from custody after successfully posting bail in the amount of $1,200.

The Tye Police Department posted on their social media later Wednesday evening, After careful review of the crash this morning involving the Tye firefighter, investigators have analyzed dash cam footage and concluded that there is sufficient cause and evidence to pursue an additional charge of reckless driving against Mr. Newlin. The Tye Police Department will be seeking a warrant for his arrest in the coming days. Thank you for your continued support as we work to ensure safety in our community

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Hurricane Helene was the deadliest tropical cyclone in the continental U.S. in 19 years and ranks among the nation's costliest weather disasters, just two findings of a just-released final report from the National Hurricane Center.

The 100-plus page report issued Wednesday detailed the meteorology, forecast performance and impacts of Helene from its birth in the Caribbean Sea on Sept. 24 to its dissipation over Tennessee four days later.

Here is a summary of the most shocking findings in that report.

Deadliest Continental U.S. Hurricane Since Katrina

Citing reports from both government and media sources, the NHC found at least 175 people were killed in the U.S. during Helene's flooding rain, high winds, storm surge or tornadoes. Another 71 people died after the storm was over due to such things as vehicle wrecks, medical emergencies and accidents during cleanup. Three other deaths associated with Helene were from unknown causes.

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That total death toll of at least 249 is the highest for any mainland U.S. tropical cyclone since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Compare that to the total death tolls from recent U.S. storms since Sandy that also claimed over 100 lives, according to NHC final reports:

- Sandy (2012): 159

- Ian (2022) 156

- Harvey (2017): 103

An aerial photo shows roads covered in mud.

Flooding's Death Toll Was High, But One Other Impact Was Also Particularly Deadly

Of the 175 deaths that occurred during the storm, 94 were attributed to rainfall flooding, which included floods triggered by landslides and debris flows. This higher fraction of deaths from flooding rain is consistent with recent findings from the NHC in U.S. hurricane deaths since 2013.

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Given the severity of the destructive flash flooding, that's not surprising.

However, 65 deaths during Helene were attributed to its winds, the most for any mainland U.S. hurricane in at least 61 years, according to the NHC. 61 of those 65 wind deaths were due to falling trees, a long underreported danger in various high wind events, not just in tropical cyclones.

Particularly striking was the NHC map of these direct deaths by type below. Notice how all of these fatalities in Helene's case were to the right (in this case, east) of its track, typically the side with the strongest winds, heaviest rain and highest storm surge.

Hurricane Helene track deaths by type NHC

It's Among The Nation's Costliest

Helene was America's seventh costliest hurricane on record, according to an estimate from NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, responsible for an estimated $78.7 billion in damage.

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Among the hurricanes Helene's damage total topped were 2004's Ivan ($34 billion), and 2005's Rita ($29.4 billion) and Wilma ($30 billion).

costliest U.S. hurricanes 2024 with Helene

The Record Rainfall, Flooding And Landslides

Up to 30 inches of rain fell in the Southern Appalachians. That was both from Helene and a band of heavy rain well ahead of the storm as moist air was lifted over an old stationary front and by the mountains and foothills, themselves.

The flooding that resulted prompted the National Weather Service to issue 34 separate flash flood emergencies, their highest level of flood alert used only in cases of a severe threat to life and catastrophic damage.

At least 63 stream and river gauges set all time record crests during Helene, according to the NHC. Both the French Broad and Swannanoa Rivers in Asheville, North Carolina, shattered their previous record crests from 1916.

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The U.S. Geological Survey mapped 2,015 landslides in the southern Appalachians during Helene, primarily in western North Carolina. Half of those slides affected buildings, roads or rivers.

Millions Without Power

Helene's winds knocked out power to an estimated 7.4 million customers in the Southeast, according to an estimate from poweroutage.us.

Helene's wind damage potential was not only due to its Category 4 intensity at landfall. It was also because it moved fast - 30 mph forward speed when inland - and the ground previously soaked by heavy rain made it easier for trees to topple over.

Helene produced a 106-mph gust atop North Carolina's Mt. Mitchell, a 100-mph gust in Alma, Georgia, and a 99-mph gust in Perry, Florida. After Helene transitioned to a post-tropical remnant low, it still produced 60 to 70 mph wind gusts for a time in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.

A One-Story Storm Surge

Helene was both the strongest hurricane to landfall in Florida's Big Bend region and also the third hurricane to do so in a 13-month span.

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Its large wind field pushed a storm surge 12 to 16 feet above ground level into Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, where about 80 percent of buildings were destroyed. About seventy percent of Horseshoe Beach was also destroyed.

A bit farther south, Cedar Key measured a record 9.3 feet of inundation in 110 years of records, where 25 percent of homes were destroyed.

And in the Tampa-St. Petersburg metro, inundation from 6.5 to 7.3 feet were measured, topping a Superstorm 1993 record at Clearwater and a 1985 Hurricane Elena record at St. Petersburg.

Fourteen deaths were attributed to storm surge, according to the NHC.

Hurricane Helene Cedar Key surge damage

A Pair Of Unusual Tropical Tornadoes

Among the 39 tornadoes spawned by Helene and its post-tropical remnants, two of them stood out.

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While it only lasted 3 minutes, an EF3 tornado tore through about one city block in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Tornadoes that strong from tropical storms and hurricanes are quite rare. From 1995 through 2023, only five of 1,782 tornadoes spawned by a hurricane, tropical storm or depression was of EF3 intensity, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.

Another EF1 tornado in Cordova, South Carolina, was found to be 1,100 yards - five-eighths of a mile - wide. That's the largest tropical cyclone-spawned tornado in almost 30 years of such data, according to the NHC.

Rocky Mount tornado Helene 2024

Editor's note: This article was adjusted to account for the National Hurricane Center adding another fatality in North Carolina in the aftermath of Helene.

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
MONTPELIER, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  Debate over Vermonts 2025 Budget Adjustment Act and the hotel-motel program appears to be getting messy in Montpelier.

Less than 24 hours after Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth and House Speaker Jill Krowinski sent a letter to the Scott Administration saying theyre willing to accept Governor Scotts budget cuts as long as hotel-motel vouchers are extended, the Governors office has now responded with a scathing letter of their own.

Instead of giving Baruth and Krowinski an answer, Governor Scotts Secretary of Administration, Sarah Clark, made it known that the administration has been offering compromises too for weeks now.

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While we have appreciated the face-to-face negotiations over the last several days, it appears you prefer to start putting these negotiations in writing, and making them public, so we will follow suit, Clark wrote to Democratic leaders and the House Appropriations Committee Wednesday afternoon.

The administration offered a compromise proposal to the Conference Committee on February 28, Clark continued. The proposal included shifting non-time sensitive spending decisions to FY26 budget deliberations  (and) instead of extending the hotel/motel program cold weather exemption to June 30, provide $2.1M in grants designed for maximum flexibility to municipalities to be used for community supports.

The proposal was not accepted. No legislative alternative was offered.

Clark added that the two sides bounced multiple more compromises back and forth with each other throughout the day Tuesday, including offers to keep vulnerable Vermonters in the hotel-motel program through June, but the two sides never came to an agreement.

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As all of the political discourse plays out, Vermont is now less than two weeks away from another potential mass exodus from the hotel-motel program. An upcoming cutoff date of April 1 will see hundreds of people exited from their voucher rooms, if lawmakers cant agree on a new plan before then.

The controversy in the capital has community leaders around the state growing nervous, including those in Burlington. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Sarah Russell, the citys Special Assistant to End Homelessness, said Wednesday that 83 households in Burlington alone would be kicked out of their motel rooms if a new deal isnt reached by the deadline, and that includes 12 families with children.

With the city expected to have its own budget gap problem too, Mulvaney-Stanak said they cant afford to spend millions of dollars on helping unhoused people again this coming fiscal year.

I just want to send that strong message to Montpelier to both the governor and legislative leadership to please work hard to find solutions, Mulvaney-Stanak said. We cannot sustain this as a community, because we have very limited resources on the local level. In 2024, we spent close to eight million dollars of local, city resources to respond to the needs of unsheltered community members here in Burlington.

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We owe these families better, especially children who are working so hard to maintain a sense of stability within their school system, said Sarah Russell, Burlingtons Special Assistant to End Homelessness.

It is expected Democrats will eventually respond to the letter sent out by Clark Wednesday afternoon. Stay tuned to ABC22/FOX44 and mychamplainvalley.com for updates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
ALABASTER, Ala. (WIAT)  A 6-month-old girl died after being attacked by a dog in Alabaster, Alabama, last week, police confirmed.

Alabaster police said the attack happened around 10 a.m. Friday at a family members home. According to police, there were two dogs at the home at the time. Both were taken into a 10-day quarantine by animal control.

Anna Southard, the mother of 6-month-old Ember Renee Southard, said her daughter was attacked by an 11-year-old American Bully. The dog had no history of violence or aggression toward children, she said.

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Southard said she hadnt even been gone 20 minutes when she got the call. By the time she saw Ember again at the hospital, she already looked dead, Southard said.

According to Bibb County Coroner Patrick Turner, the victim was taken to a childrens hospital after being attacked. The coroner said the baby was from Bibb County, though the attack happened at a family members home in Shelby County.

Alabaster police are investigating the case but are not pursuing charges at this time. They are leaving it up to the Shelby County district attorney and grand jury.

Southard did not wish to do an on-camera interview but answered questions via email. The questions and responses are as follows:

How are you and your family holding up right now amid this tragedy?

My family isnt holding up, Southard replied. We lost a perfect baby. My daughter. We lost my daughter in a horrible accident within 20 minutes.

Can you tell me what happened on Friday? Who was Ember with and what led up to the attack? What kind of dog was it that attacked her?

Friday morning, I went to take my grandmother to a doctors appointment at 9:40, I was going to just take my daughter with me but my family said 20 minutes would be fine, Southard wrote. We hadnt even checked in at the doctor, we hadnt even been gone 20 minutes, before we got a phone call from the family member watching her. I raced home, and got there just behind the ambulance. My daughter already looked dead. I hit my knees in the driveway hard enough to make them bleed. I heard dog attack. My grandfather got there the same time I did. They got Ember in the ambulance, and I rode upfront. I kept begging for her to be okay but I already knew my daughter wasnt going to live. I knew it the moment I saw her blue and unmoving. She was with this family member for 20 minutes. She was attacked by an American Bully, an 11 year old dog that had been around countless children, and has never harmed one before.

How did you find out what happened? What were your first thoughts when you heard?

My first thoughts were rage, Southard stated. The family member fell asleep with my daughter on their chest, my daughter fell from their chest and was mauled by the dog. They then called my nanny, and then 911. The family member is epileptic and had a seizure AFTER my daughter was in the ambulance. Trauma at Childrens did their best, and before she went up to the OR they told me it was very touch and go, and unlikely my daughter would live. I still begged them to. At 1:10 Ember passed away despite over a dozen doctors best interest.

Even though she was extremely young, what kind of personality did Ember have?

My daughter was so sweet, Southard replied. She had the sweetest smile, the cutest squeal. Ember was such a joy. Such a good baby. She always had a little smile and big beautiful eyes. She hated to be cold, or wet. I cant even describe the feeling of cleaning the blood off my daughter. Of wrapping her body in warm blankets so that she wouldnt be cold. Only me, and my grandparents saw her first after she passed. I didnt allow anyone else to see her until she was as clean and warm as she could be.

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Embers nickname was noodle. Because as a newborn she had little noodly- toes and the name just stuck. A wittle noodle. A perfect noodle. She was loved by so many people. Ember was an expert at smiling at you before spitting up on you, she had the sweetest voice. She had just learned how to roll over. There wasnt a soul that met her that didnt absolutely love her. She had wild blonde/red hair, big bright eyes. There was never a more perfect baby than my noodle.

Will you be pressing charges or seeking legal action for the death of your daughter?

At first, when I was angry, yes I wanted charges pressed, Southard wrote. There is an investigation, but I am not going to push it one way or the other. I will NEVER forgive this family member for falling asleep with my daughter on their chest. Never. My daughter is gone forever because they couldnt follow a simple [expletive] rule. I follow safe sleep rules to the letter, and I never allow my children around dogs like that. Always supervised with me holding them. I dont believe charges should be continued, and I will not be actively pressing them. I think the punishment of knowing what their neglect did to my daughter will haunt them for the rest of their life, as it should. It was an accident. An avoidable accident, is still an accident.

A GoFundMe has been started to help cover funeral costs. What does that mean to you and your family?

The GoFundMe is to help with funeral costs for my daughter, and everything surrounding, Southard stated. Flowers, headstone, burial plot. I didnt make the GoFundMe, my aunt did. The GoFundMe names the car wreck I had Thursday morning, where I hit two deer and damaged my car. I could care less about my car.

How can the community help yall through this time?

Community wise? I dont know honestly, Southard replied. The GoFundMe is open for donations, they can also donate via cash app or venmo. But the main the the community can do for me is hold their babies closer. Follow safe sleep. Keep dogs, ALL DOGS, away from your baby. Any dog can kill an infant. Theres no reason to risk it. Its never worth it. Please, please keep your children away from dogs and follow safe sleep. This dog was 11 years old and had never harmed a human, much less a child.

Is there anything else you want to say about Ember or share about the incident?

The only extra thing about Ember, is she was hardly called Ember, Southard wrote. She was, is and always will be my little noodle baby.

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A link to the GoFundMe can be found here.

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Santa Ana police arrested a 48-year-old woman they believe stabbed to death her preteen son inside a local motel Wednesday morning.

The mother was taken into custody at a La Quinta Inn without incident shortly after she called police at 9:25 a.m. to report that she had killed her son, according to Natalie Garcia, a Santa Ana police public information officer.

The woman, whose identity was not released, was initially taken into custody in a hallway outside a room where she and her son were staying, according to police.

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However, the mother told police she had ingested a large amount of an unknown substance, according to police. She was instead transported to a local hospital where she remains in custody in stable condition.

Read more: Transient charged with attempted murder in stabbing of O.C. sheriff's deputy performing homeless outreach

The 11-year-old boy was pronounced dead. Garcia said police recovered a knife at the scene.

Police believe the event was an isolated incident and no other suspects are involved, Garcia said.

The hotel was still cordoned off by police as of 2 p.m. as they searched the room.

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Anyone with information is asked to call Santa Ana police at (714) 245-8000 or Orange County Crime Stoppers at (855) TIP-OCCS.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  A mom is sharing her anguish tonight after her son was shot and killed in Southeast DC last week.

It happened along H Street SE near Benning Road SE. Her son, Darius Nico Young, was known as Chef Nico in the community, as he always offered a homecooked meal to hungry neighbors.

Man dies after shooting in Southeast DC, police say

Darius mom, Crystal Young, believes he died doing what he loved.

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Crystal Young told DC News Now on Thursday, March 13, that her son was selling meals to a police union lodge in Prince Georges County, Md., which he did often. Darius dad was a retired MPD officer, she said, and his grandmother owned a restaurant in Anacostia.

After he came home, Darius mom said he went back out to sell the remaining meals to the neighborhood. He was killed then.

I felt that maybe he got robbed because he had been selling food, she told DC News Now.

Police have not offered a motive or explanation for what led up to the shooting. Six days after the shooting, no arrests have been made.

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Crystal Young is hopeful nearby surveillance cameras will help investigators.

Never in a million years imagined that I would have to bury my son, she said.

Judge sentences man to 17 years in prison for deadly 2024 shooting

Crystal Young described Darius, her second-oldest of five kids and a father of two, as full of laughter, affection and love.

As parents, when kids are younger, they depend on us, she said. But him being a grown man, I was dependent on him.

Crystal Young told DC News Now that her faith is guiding her, trusting that her sons killer will be brought to justice. In the meantime, she and her family are grieving.

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Im used to him walking through the door at some point and getting a hug and a kiss, she said. I wont have that anymore. So my life is forever changed. His childrens lives are forever changed now. His siblings lives are forever changed.

MPD is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who offers information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
New York City Transit  the MTA division that runs the citys buses, subways and Access-A-Ride  is appointing new leadership in each system, the Daily News has learned.

Transit officials confirmed Thursday what multiple sources told The News  that the current acting leaders in subways and paratransit (Access-A-Ride) will be made permanent: Bill Amarosa in the Department of Subways and Rachel Cohen in Paratransit.

We did a national search for the best of the best, NYCT President Demetrius Crichlow told The News Thursday. It just so happened the cream that rose to the top was already here [at NYCT].

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Additionally, bus boss Frank Annicaro will leave his role in May, sources said, and head to Albany to lead that citys Capital District Transportation Authority as CEO. The MTAs current operations planning chief, Chris Pangilinan, will serve as the senior vice president of buses in an acting capacity until a permanent successor for Annicaro is chosen.

The MTA is also hiring Bernard Jackson, formerly of Dallas Area Rapid Transit, to serve as NYCTs chief operating officer  effectively, Crichlows number two.

Jackson started his transit career as a bus driver in Chicago, before rising through the ranks to oversee both bus and subway operations in the Windy City over the course of almost three decades. Jackson then went to the Los Angeles Metro before overseeing operations in Dallas.

Amarosa, the new vice president of subways, is a Queens native. A lifelong subway buff, he interned with NYCT in high school, and earned a nod from the Guinness Book of World Records in 2006 for traveling through all of the systems stations in the least amount of time.

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Amarosa joined the MTA in 2008 and spent years conducting in-house data analysis on the subway and bus lines. He became the vice president of operations support for the Department of Subways in 2022, and has been serving as acting head of subways since December 2024.

Pangilinan, who will run buses until a permanent leader is appointed, rose to his current planning role in 2024 after heading MTA Paratransit for two years. He has also worked for San Francisco Muni  San Franciscos transit network  the U.S. Department of Transportation and rideshare giant Uber.

Cohen, now the vice president of paratransit, was given that responsibility in an acting capacity after Pangilinans promotion in 2024. She joined New York City Transit in 2018 following a stint at the citys Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Cohens and Amarosas promotions are expected to be effective by the end of the week. Jackson is expected to start in early May.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Amid uncertainties surrounding the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Donald Trumps administration, data collected by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace revealed Texas is one of the largest state-level recipients of federal disaster relief funds in the country.

Trump signed an executive order Tuesday that relegates disaster preparation responsibilities to state and local governments, with calls to alter critical infrastructure policy to better reflect assessed risks, per Reuters reporting. Historically, disaster recovery has operated in the U.S. based on a three-legged approach, with government funding sitting in tandem with insurance and private funding, the Carnegie Endowment noted.

In the Carnegie Endowments Disaster Dollar Database, Texas was the fourth-largest recipient of federal grants related to disaster recovery, with nearly $22 billion allocated to the Lone Star State between September 2003 and January 2005. Also in the top five were Louisiana, with nearly $47 billion, New York, with $28 billion, Florida, with nearly $28 billion, and Mississippi, with almost $11 billion.

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Federal grant funding for disaster recovery is divvied into three types: FEMAs Individuals and Households Program, FEMAs Public Assistance aid and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Developments Community Development Block Grant for disaster recovery, per the Carnegie Endowment.

Looking through Texas largest disasters, Hurricane Harvey in 2017 was the states costliest incident in terms of federal relief sustained. Relief dollars broke down into more than $1.6 billion for FEMAs Individuals and Households Program, nearly $3 billion for FEMAs Public Assistance and more than $5.7 billion for HUDs allocations.

Other costly incidents in Texas included Hurricane Ike in 2008, Hurricane Dolly in 2008 and Hurricane Rita in 2005. More recently, last summers Hurricane Beryl, alongside 2024 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding made the rankings, as well as the 2021 severe winter storm that rippled across Texas.

The full dashboard is available for review online.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
A Mankato man fatally stabbed a Kwik Trip employee 43 times in an act of "blunt rage" on Tuesday, charges filed in Blue Earth County District Court allege.

Michael Lee Miller, 28, is charged with 2nd-degree murder with intent but not premeditated in the killing of 34-year-old Dennis Vosika.

Charges allege Miller was "hearing voices" when he carried out the violent attack, adding he initially was planning to set the Kwik Trip store at 1549 Madison Avenue "on fire."

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According to Vosika's girlfriend, Kelsey Ogren, a celebration of life is planned for Saturday, March 29 at the New Hope Community Church in Cambridge beginning at 3 p.m.

According to the criminal complaint, a "disturbance" was reported at the store at 3 a.m. Tuesday. Dispatch informed the responding officers a person was inside "breaking stuff" before the 911 call was disconnected.

Another call was made, reporting someone had ran out of the Kwik Trip.

Officers found Vosika unresponsive on the floor behind the counter "surrounded by a large pool of blood." Multiple stab wounds were noted on Vosika's neck, head, back and leg.

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Vosika was provided immediate medical aid and taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A provisional autopsy confirmed 43 stab wounds.

Police reviewed surveillance images from the store and identified Miller as the suspect. A witness told investigators they saw Miller enter the Kwik Trip with a large knife. He then was seen by the refrigerator section eating some meat. He then grabbed a water, with a witness telling Miller he needed to pay for the items.

Vosika told the witness to call police and the witness went to a back room to collect images of Miller to provide to authorities. While he was in the back room, he said he saw Miller walk towards him so he shut the door and locked it. Miller then "began hitting the glass on the door until it broke."

The witness then left the store and called 911, according to the complaint.

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Surveillance video allegedly shows Miller cornering Vosika behind the register before throwing him to the ground and stabbing him multiple times. Miller is then seen leaving the Kwik Trip and heading westbound on foot.

Michael Lee Miller.Blue Earth County Jail

The Minnesota River Valley Technical Response Team later arrested Miller at his home. During his arrest, Miller asked "if the guy survived."

While being interviewed by detectives, Miller said he went to the business because "God is telling me." He added that he was "hearing voices" and "that he needs to destroy and burn everything down."

"I wasn't gonna knife the guy at first. I was just gonna set it on fire, the place on fire," Miller told police. The 28-year-old also said he threw the large kitchen knife he used in a dumpster. The knife with a white handle and its nine-inch blade was later found in the dumpster.

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Miller admitted he wasn't going to pay for the items he helped himself to and said he "smashed his head on the window" of the door the witness closed on him until it broke. He said Vosika tried to wrestle the knife away from him.

"I smiled for some reason 'cause apparently something was working, but when he tried to escape from me ... that was a no for me. So I just, he tried to defend himself, but I got him," he allegedly said.

That's when Miller told investigators he didn't remember using the knife, believing it was "just blunt rage."

Police found traces of blood around Miller's home and other similar-looking knives.

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If convicted, Miller faces a maximum of life in prison. He had a bail hearing on Thursday morning and has an initial appearance in court scheduled for April 3.

No attorney was listed for immediately Miller as of Thursday afternoon.
China offers opportunities for EU's digital development, says diplomat

Xinhua) 08:19, March 20, 2025

BRUSSELS, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China provides opportunities for the European Union's (EU) digital development and serves as a partner in upholding the bloc's technological sovereignty, a Chinese diplomat has said.

Wang Lei, coordinator for cyber and digital affairs at China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, made the remarks at the ninth meeting of the China-EU Cyber Taskforce in Brussels on Tuesday. Representatives from the two sides exchanged views on cyber and digital cooperation as well as global governance.

The Chinese delegation emphasized that China and the EU have no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts, highlighting their status as partners in mutual success. This strategic perspective, it noted, forms the foundation of its approach to China-EU relations and is crucial for managing cybersecurity and digital development.

Both sides should work toward a shared strategic understanding as digital development partners, fostering an open, fair, and cooperative business environment and ambiance for their enterprises while jointly promoting digital innovation, the Chinese delegation stated.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the EU. China views itself as an opportunity for the EU's digital development and a partner in safeguarding its technological sovereignty. Beijing hopes that the EU, considering its long-term interests, will also become China's partner in digital advancement, the delegation said.

Manon Le Blanc, coordinator for cyber issues at the European External Action Service, said the EU is ready to engage with China constructively to expand mutually beneficial cooperation. She noted that the two sides share common interests and objectives in the cyber and digital domains and should work to build mutual trust through candid and open dialogue. By doing so, they can jointly address challenges in cyberspace, uphold a secure, open, and stable digital environment, and contribute to economic and social development.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Elon Musk has reportedly donated to seven Republican members of Congress, all of whom support the Trump administrations calls to impeach or ignore federal judges who have halted parts of President Donald Trumps agenda.

Musk, who has claimed in recent days that such judges are leading a judicial coup, gave thousands of dollars in donations each to Representatives Eli Crane of Arizona, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin and Brandon Gill of Texas, and Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, according to The New York Times.

The reported recipients are among the loudest voices in Congress pushing to impeach or to otherwise constrain the judges.

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Rep. Gill has filed articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who ordered the Trump administration to turn around a group of recent deportation flights to El Salvador amid a challenge to the White Houses invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act for rapid deportations, a directive the administration ignored.

The Arizona congressman, meanwhile, has sought to impeach a federal judge that temporarily restricted Musks Department of Government Efficiency program from accessing Treasury Department data.

We didnt do it so Elon Musk would give us a campaign donation, Crane told the newspaper. But I think its great that individuals like Elon are throwing support behind those of us willing to take action.

Musk has accused judges who halted Trump agenda of leading a judicial coup (AP)

The Trump administration and its allies have been putting intensive pressure on federal judges who have ruled against it in court, arguing that the officials are partisan and should not be able to refute the will of the president because they werent themselves elected  a major departure from the U.S. systems core principle of separation of powers.

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Musk recently reshared a post from conservative activist Charlie Kirk calling federal judges gavel-wielding dictators, with the unelected White House adviser adding that he wants Congress to impeach the judges and restore rule of the people.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday accused those challenging administration actions of attempt to judge shop  to pick judges who are clearly acting as partisan activists from the bench in an attempt to derail this president's agenda.

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump claimed Boasberg was attempting to overstep his authority.

If a President doesnt have the right to throw murderers, and other criminals, out of our Country because a Radical Left Lunatic Judge wants to assume the role of President, then our Country is in very big trouble, and destined to fail! Trump wrote.

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Leavitt referred to Boasberg as a Democrat activist who was appointed by former President Barack Obama. But she was corrected at the press conference that the judge was appointed by George W. Bush and was only later elevated to his current post by Obama.

Legal experts have warned that the Trump administration is already flouting federal court orders, setting the stage for a larger constitutional crisis.

Last month, former Trump administration official Ty Cobb told The Independent hes concerned the White House appears ready to ignore the independent judiciary in most cases, though he pointed to one exception.

Unless and until the Supreme Court intervenes, because thats the only court he seems to listen to, Cobb told The Independent.

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This week, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts made a rare public statement, following the Trump administrations attempts to remove Boasberg from the deportations case.

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, Roberts wrote. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.
March 19 (UPI) -- The mayor of Lumberton Township, N.J., is charged with DUI, reckless driving, driving with an expired license and child endangerment for allegedly driving drunk on St. Patrick's Day.

A witness recorded video of a driver nearly striking a utility pole while swerving on Monday afternoon and reported it to local police, along with the license plate number on the 2019 BMW.

Police officers located the car at Mayor Gina LaPlaca's home early Monday evening, and she admitted to drinking alcohol prior to picking up her 2-year-old son from daycare on Monday afternoon, the New York Daily News reported.

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Police found an open container of alcohol and an open container of cannabis inside the vehicle, and LaPlaca was removing her son from the vehicle when police arrived at her home.

LaPlaca, 45, has an arraignment hearing scheduled April 15 for the seven tickets and offenses for which she was cited.

LaPlaca's husband, Jason Carty, called her a "loving and caring mother" and asked people to show compassion and respect the family's privacy in a Facebook post made on Tuesday.

"Millions of Americans struggle with addiction and never get help," Carty said. "Gina LaPlaca is someone who has struggled and is now getting the help she needs."

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He said the incident "should not erase all the things she has accomplished for the community" but did not cite examples of those accomplishments.

Lumberton Township is located about 25 miles east of Philadelphia and had a population of 12,886 on July 1, 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

LaPlaca won election to the Lumberton Township Committee in 2020, which appointed her to a one-year term as mayor in 2021.

She won re-election the next three years, is a graduate of Fordham Law School and served as legal counsel for three years in the New Jersey General Assembly Majority Office.
Derrick Johnson, the president and CEO of the NAACP, said he believes President Trump is deliberately dismantling the basic functions of U.S. democracy.

In a post on the social platform X, Johnson slammed Trump for his plans to shut down the Department of Education.

@POTUS is not only seeking to shut down the Department of Education  he is deliberately dismantling the basic functions of our democracy, one piece at a time, Johnson said. That decision will only hurt children across America who depend on federal funding for a quality education.

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Trumps executive order looking to disband the Education Department was first announced weeks ago, but its implementation was delayed without much explanation. The president is expected to sign the order Thursday in the East Room of the White House.

It comes just after the agency fired about half of its workforce and Education Secretary Linda McMahon told employees to prepare for their final mission.

Trump doesnt have the power to abolish a department entirely and his plan would be impossible without Congressional action, but Trump can significantly weaken it or shrink the workforce, something Johnson noted in his post.

Lets be clear: only Congress can establish or abolish an executive agency. This new executive order is unconstitutional, but to Donald Trump, the rule of law doesnt seem to matter, he said.

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The move to shutter the department was also criticized by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the ranking member on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Scott said Trumps plan has many legal ramifications, but most importantly, it would put students across the country at risk.

He said dismantling the department would exacerbate existing disparities, reduce accountability, and put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, rural students and English as a Second Language (ESL) students at risk.

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After being stranded up in space for almost nine months, Barry Butch Wilmore was finally headed back to Earth this weeka dramatic journey his daughter documented on TikTok .

Daryn Wilmore had been giving her TikTok followers regular updates about her dad and Sunita Suni Williams time on the International Space Station after a mission in June meant to last around a week turned into nine long months.

On Tuesday, she uploaded a video mere hours before the two astronauts successfully landed off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, exclaiming to the camera its happening guys, its finally happening.

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Hi everyone, welcome to the very final installment of my dad is stuck in space, because hes not anymore! the young Wilmore opens the video. Hes currently, as Im posting this, orbiting the earth.

Daryn goes on to explain in the TikTok that her family is not throwing a big party for her dad, but might host a small get together with a few close friends when they go to her uncles home in Tennessee over the summer. For now, she opted for making him his favorite dessert: pecan pie.

Im proud of my dad and I love him so much, she said.

She also reveals that she created a list of all his favorite things, and things they used to do together.

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Daryn said she hopes to go through them all before heading back to school this fallor in the following months. Just to do what we have loved doing and make up for some lost time, she added.

Though her dad was finally on his way back, she said he would still have to go through some more tests and take time to get re-acclimated to gravity and life on Earth, since hes still technically part of the experiment of human space flight.

Hollywood, I think a movie should happen, she adds, before ending her TikTok with a short and sweet message: Thank you guys all so much, and hes coming home!
NASA to launch asteroid hunting spacecraft in 2027

PASADENA, Calif. (NewsNation)  As NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth on Tuesday, the space agency is gearing up for another project: a spacecraft targeting asteroids.

A NewsNation exclusive reveals NASAs high-tech plan to save Earth if an asteroid ever comes barreling toward the planet. The NEO Surveyor, set to launch in 2027, is the first spacecraft specifically designed to hunt large asteroids and comets that could harm Earth. NewsNation got a look at the NEO Surveyor, which is being built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

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After its launch, the NEO Surveyor will be able to spot about 90% of asteroids and comets that might pose a hazard to Earth within a range of about 30 million miles. Those that are smaller than about 500 feet in diameter are nearly impossible to see from Earth but not from space.

The NEO Surveyors infrared technology will also be capable of measuring the size and composition of these fast-moving objects.

Were looking for near-Earth objects  those are the objects that are within the same sort of orbit as the Earth. And the reason we want to look for those is some of those have the potential to impact the Earth. So with this particular project, well be looking for those in this very special spectrum called infrared, trying to detect them and find them before they find us, NASA NEO Surveyor project manager Tom Hoffman told NewsNation.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

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The Surveyors announcement comes as scientists have almost fully ruled out any threat from the asteroid 2024 YR4. At one point, the odds of a strike in 2032 were as high as about 3% and topped the worlds asteroid-risk lists.

ESA has since lowered the odds to 0.001%. NASA has it down to 0.0017%  meaning the asteroid will safely pass Earth in 2032 and theres no threat of impact for the next century.

NASA has already proved it is capable of redirecting an asteroid, should one pose a serious threat to Earth.

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TALLADEGA COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)  The Talladega County Sheriffs Office said it is investigating a swatting incident that took place early Monday morning outside the home of Larry Taunton, a national conservative writer, while he and his wife were both inside the house.

When men arrive at your home heavily armed, body armor, tiptoeing around the perimeter of your home, thats a serious situation, Taunton said during a sit-down interview at his home Wednesday morning.

According to Alabama law, swatting is when a person provides false information regarding a crime or an emergency to law enforcement or an emergency service provider. Its considered a crime, and violations can range from a misdemeanor to a felony.

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TCSO Chief Deputy Josh Tubbs said the 911 call came in after midnight Monday by someone claiming to be the homeowner by name, stating that three armed, masked men had entered the residence and shot him, his wife and a child.

According to Tubbs, deputies from the Talladega County Sheriffs Office were dispatched, along with officers from the Childersburg and Sylacauga police departments.

Doorbell video timestamped at 1:16 a.m. shows law enforcement on the porch of Tauntons home, and one officer can be seen trying the handle of his front door. Taunton, a self-described conservative author and cultural commentator, said he was standing in the kitchen at the time after his German Shepherd named Ranger alerted him.

His ears were up in what I call his batman mode,' Taunton said. That always indicates hes hearing something.

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Taunton said he got into bed and saw a flash of light off of the bedroom door. Thats when he leapt out of bed and drew his pistol. While standing in his kitchen, he said he could see men with AR-15 style rifles on his porch.

Police officer shoots suspect in Pell City

Taunton shared the thoughts running through his head during those tense moments.

Im not going to win this, Taunton recalled. Maybe I get a drop on one or two of these guys before they kill me and my wife.

Thats when Taunton said he caught a glint of light coming off what he thought was a badge, and he decided to take the risk of turning on the lights.

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On the video, the officers yell out, Police department. Police department.

Taunton said he put down his weapon and breathed a sigh of relief. He commended the responding officers for exercising restraint.

Taunton said he believes he may have been targeted because of his work as a conservative commentator and author. He has written about USAID and the war in Ukraine.

Regardless of your political views, this should happen to no one, Taunton said. A lot of people could have been killed in this situation.

Taunton said what happened Monday morning has only served to strengthen his resolve in terms of his work.

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He also believes there needs to be a discussion at a higher level that should involve the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, and local police to come up with a system of distinguishing between real calls and swatting calls.

Talladega County District Attorney Steven Giddens said what occurred early Monday morning would be considered a felony in Alabama. He said his office takes this seriously, and its awaiting the results of the TCSOs investigation.

The Birminghams FBI office stated in a response its policy is to neither confirm nor deny what its investigating.

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American Legion National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr. is in Minnesota this month to raise awareness about the Legions Be the One efforts to prevent veteran suicide.

On Monday, LaCoursiere will be the featured speaker at an event at the American Legion Post No. 225 in Forest Lake. On Tuesday, he will speak at a breakfast event at American Legion Post No. 1776 in Apple Valley.

LaCoursiere was elected national commander of the American Legion on Aug. 29 during the 105th national convention in New Orleans.

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Veteran suicide is the most significant issue facing veterans, LaCoursiere told the convention after being elected. It is the most significant issue of our time. Its also an issue that galvanizes all of us. I know that we are all touched by someone who has taken their own life.

A U.S. Air Force veteran and member of American Legion Post 91 in Moosup, Conn., LaCoursiere will visit Post No. 225 at 355 W. Broadway Ave. for a social hour, dinner and presentation starting at 5 p.m. Monday and talk with veterans, community leaders and local residents.

The event is open to the public; cost of dinner is $10 for members of the post and $20 for nonmembers.

To RSVP for the Forest Lake event, call Terry Larson at 651-464-2600, ext. 308.

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LaCoursiere will visit Post No. 1776 at 14521 Granada Drive in Apple Valley for a breakfast and presentation starting at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday. The event is open to the public. If interested in attending, call Carla Tappainer at 952-240-7849.

For information on other Minnesota stops, visit legionnaire.org.

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The Trump administration appears to have reconsidered eliminating thousands of seasonal workers at the National Park Service for the 2025 season, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Department of the Interior told park service officials in late February that the agency could hire 7,700 seasonal employees. The decision comes after staff  who perform duties such as collecting entrance fees, maintaining and cleaning parks, and helping injured hikers  received emails saying that their job offers for the coming season had been rescinded.

Since Donald Trump has returned to the White House, he has been on a crusade to downsize the federal workforce, which has already led to thousands of layoffs.

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For Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs for conservation group National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), the rollbacks are "definitely a win" against the backdrop of an across-the-board government hiring freeze.

It's a testament to "advocates, park rangers and everyone else who has been shouting from the mountaintop that we need these positions restored," Brengel told the L.A. Times.

The memo was addressed to temporary seasonal employees only, omitting mention of the 1,000 members of the National Park Service's permanent workforce who were laid off in what some dubbed the "Valentine's Day massacre."

"Quite simply and astonishingly, this is dismantling the National Park Service as we know it, ranger by ranger and brick by brick," Theresa Pierno, the head of the NPCA, said in a statement published in early March.

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Parks employees and outdoors enthusiasts took the issue online and quickly drew the attention of the media.

Yosemite maintenance worker Olek Chmura was one of the employees laid off. "I make just over $40,000 a year; scrape s*** off toilets with a putty knife nearly every day," Chmura wrote on Instagram. "Somehow, I'm the target."

Trump's administration intends to restore at least 50 jobs across the parks, according to the Associated Press, but Chmura's is not among those. The 28-year-old rock climber said he still hopes that pressure from the public and elected representatives over how the job cuts could affect visitors will help persuade the government to change course.

"Human resource officers in federal agencies, and particularly the parks, probably have the worst job in America right now," executive director of nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Tim Whitehouse told the L.A. times. "They're dealing with unprecedented levels of chaos."

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Springtime is officially here, and summers just around the corner, but chaos is unfolding behind the scenes at the National Park Service  and its creating plenty of confusion for workers and visitors alike.

Just weeks before peak season in many of the countrys 63 national parks, the agency abruptly laid off roughly 1,000 employees in February as part of the cost-cutting campaign led by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency. But in a dramatic turn, two judges recently called out issues with how President Donald Trump handled the mass downsizing. One ruling could even bring back 16,000 probationary employees within the federal workforce  though Trump is already asking the Supreme Court to step in and stop it. When that decision will drop is anyones guess, leaving thousands stuck in limbo.

While the rulings could force agencies to rehire fired staff, it doesnt solve the bigger problem: The Park Service is already underfunded and understaffed, and further cuts could be looming. There are questions about how many [employees] will actually return, the Association of National Park Rangers (ANPR) wrote in a news release. If they moved back to where they were when hired, will they move again? Will they accept reinstatement, knowing they could still be let go?

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Adding to the uncertainty, the Department of the Interior is bracing for a 30 percent payroll cut, with additional massive layoffs expected in the coming months. Meanwhile, the Park Service has been ordered to submit a restructuring plan by April, raising fears that even those reinstated today could be out of a job again soon.

The staffing crisis could lead to fewer rangers, longer lines, and reduced services for travelers visiting national parks this spring and beyond. But according to travel groups like Good Trip Adventures, this isnt a new problem  its only making an already complicated system even more challenging to navigate.

Visiting national parks can be confusing, even in a normal year, says the groups chief adventure officer, Megan Kennedy. Right now, theres added uncertainty around park staffing and operations. While its great that some employees are being reinstated, many visitors, especially international travelers, are still unsure whether parks will be fully open or what to expect when they arrive.

Heres what you need to know about the developing situation  and how it might impact your plans.

Why were National Park Service employees fired in the first place?

The since-overturned staff reductions were part of Trumps broader effort to shrink the federal workforce. These firings specifically targeted probationary workers  those still in their trial phase before gaining full-time status  and, as ANPR executive director Bill Wade points out, those workers could be serving in any function of the Park Service, from biologists to fee collectors and maintenance staff. He adds that the only ones spared were rangers responsible for law enforcement, emergency response, and medical duties.

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Weve heard that Mount Rainier National Park in Washington lost its only plumber, he tells Katie Couric Media. So if theres a water emergency, who handles it? It really depends on the park and which positions happened to be in probationary status at the time.

Mount Rainier In Mount Rainier National Park. (Getty Images)

Although the Trump administration justified the cuts as a cost-saving measure to eliminate frivolous expenditures, the NPS accounts for less than one-fifteenth of one percent of the federal budget. Yet, every dollar invested in the NPS generates a $15 return for the U.S. economy, according to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). And demand keeps climbing  national parks drew more than 331 million visitors last year, even as staffing has shrunk by 20 percent since 2010.

Beyond its economic benefits, the agency is one of the most cherished institutions in the country. A 2024 Pew Research Center poll found it to be the most highly regarded federal agency, boasting a 76 percent favorability rating and strong bipartisan support.

Kristen Brengel, NPCAs Government Affairs leader, tells Katie Couric Media that the push to downsize the National Park Service is a prime example of just how reckless and careless this whole DOGE process has been.

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No agency has been spared from these sweeping cuts  the park service is just another casualty of the same indiscriminate slashing hitting every corner of the federal government, Brengel explains. But in the past, there was always an effort to protect our national parks. This time, as DOGE mapped out its plans, there was no one at the table fighting for them.

How will this impact your visit to national parks?

While federal worker layoffs could affect national parks nationwide, some may feel more impact than others. Brengel notes that larger parks like Yellowstone may have an advantage, as they dont fully reopen until spring, giving them more time to rehire seasonal staff. On the other hand, parks in Utah, such as Zion National Park, which are already welcoming visitors, could face greater challenges.

Theres a whole workforce behind the scenes keeping these parks running, Brengel explains. When you make hiring harder, fire employees, and even take away essential resources like credit cards, it becomes nearly impossible to perform basic operations. This will cause serious problems.

The effects are already showing at some of the countrys most visited parks. For example, Grand Canyon National Park has lost several staff members who worked at entrance stations and collected fees. As a result, Wade says visitors might only have one lane open instead of two or three, leading to longer lines and wait times.

Grand Canyon Park Services Ranger Jill Staurowsky looks out from the South Rim while giving a tour to visitors at Grand Canyon National Park. (Getty Images)

Saguaro National Park in Arizona is also scaling back, closing its visitor centers on Mondays until further notice. Yosemite National Park has delayed reservations for five popular campgrounds, affecting trips scheduled for June and July.

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Uncertainty is spreading beyond national parks, too. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado announced on Facebook that it will now only be open Wednesday through Sunday, with no access to the visitor center, trailhead parking, or public restrooms.

Friends of Acadia, the nonprofit partner of Maines Acadia National Park, says hiring delays and workforce cuts have thrown summer planning into turmoil, leaving uncertainty about staffing levels for the upcoming season.

Some worry that these staffing shortages could lead to more than just inconveniences like empty toilet paper dispensers. As Brengel points out, overflowing trash could create serious problems for both visitors and wildlife.

We saw this during the government shutdown a few years ago  when trash piles up, it becomes a nightmare for wildlife, Brengel explains. Animals get drawn to areas where people are, and that puts them in dangerous situations. All the work the park service does to keep wildlife away from high-traffic areas goes out the window when garbage starts piling up.

Should you cancel your national park plans?

All of the experts we spoke to agreed that you shouldnt cancel your park plans, but they did advise taking extra precautions.

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I would never want to discourage anyone from visiting national parks  theyre incredible, and for many, its a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But this year, safety is more important than ever, says Brengel. Check the weather in advance, choose trails that are appropriate for you and your family, and dress for shifting temperatures. And most importantly, bring plenty of water  whatever amount you think youll need, double it. Were not saying dont go; were just saying that thorough planning is essential.

Bison graze at the Grand Teton National Park. (Getty Images)

Navigating the complexities of national parks can be overwhelming, but teaming up with a travel group or local guide can make all the difference. The uncertainty around visiting national parks can make planning difficult, but thats exactly what we specialize in  helping people navigate these systems, says Kennedy, who focuses on Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Local guides, especially those who live and work in these areas, can be an invaluable resource for travelers unsure about their trip.

While the current instability is undoubtedly affecting jobs and livelihoods, Kennedy sees a potential silver lining: It could inspire travelers to explore lesser-visited, often-overlooked national parks.

The feedback I get from clients is that while they enjoy visiting the famous spots theyve heard about for years, those rarely end up being their favorites  maybe because the expectations are so high, says Kennedy. But when they explore something a little more off the beaten path, it feels more special, and they often have it more to themselves. National parks are vast, with so much more to see beyond the well-known landmarks. Getting creative with your itinerary can lead to some of the most memorable experiences.

The post How Will National Parks Staffing Crisis Impact Your Next Visit? appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Gavin Newsom is not just in Republicans ears. Hes getting in their heads.

Three episodes into the California governors new podcast , Alex Conant, the Republican strategist who served as communications director on Marco Rubios 2016 presidential campaign, called Newsom a skilled communicator and a very, very talented politician.

David Kochel, the longtime Iowa Republican strategist, said the operative class is definitely watching him because hes doing something very different. When asked if Newsom could give Republicans problems, Steve Bannon, the MAGA flamethrower who appeared recently on Newsoms show, said simply, Hell, yes.

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Added Fergus Cullen, former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party: A very talented politician.

Newsom, a likely presidential contender, infuriated progressives by hosting conservatives on his podcast in recent weeks and breaking with his party on trans athletes in womens sports . But while the left casts him as a shape-shifter, national Republicans see a candidate honing his skill.

Their concern came to a head this week when the conservative commentator Megyn Kelly warned GOP-ers to stop joining the California governors show.

I dont like to see it, because my own feeling is this guys in training for 2028, Kelly said on her own podcast with the influential Trump ally and Turning Point USA leader Charlie Kirk. The better he will get, the better hell do, the more hell understand how to appeal to people who are more right-wing or independently minded but on the right.

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It may be an overreaction. In California, Republicans who know Newsom best met his forays into red terrain with eyerolls about a politician they saw desperately in search of a rebranding.

The more people get to know Gavin the less they seem to like him, so I think this is all for the good, said Matt Fleming, a former California Republican Party communications director. I dont think that buddying up and flattering Charlie Kirk or Steve Bannon is going to make him the moderate that he wants to pretend to be.

Or as Lanhee Chen, a Republican who ran for state controller and has advised multiple Republican presidential campaigns, put it in a text message: Frankly I dont know that any Republicans really take Newsom seriously anyway.

But if Newsoms podcast isnt suddenly winning over the MAGA base, even some of his GOP critics are warning of his tactical skill.

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After Kirk appeared on Newsoms show, he wrote in an op-ed for Fox News that Newsom is charming and friendly in-person, savvy with politics and wants to be president more than any living person (and possibly every dead person, too).

The headline on the piece advised Republicans to beware.

Newsoms amicable interviews with Trump allies have been widely reviled on the left. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear rebuked him as legislators in Sacramento cycled through shock and anger. Former Rep. Katie Porter, who is now running for California governor, said welcoming Bannon on the show was a mistake.

But judging by the amount of attention hes drawing from Republicans nationally, Newsom has succeeded in inserting himself deeper into the conservative worlds consciousness.

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This is not the first time Californias governor has sought to forge inroads in redder parts of the country. He purchased ads in Texas and Florida excoriating the states Republican governors on abortion rights in 2022 and followed up by channeling millions of dollars into a PAC intended to play in GOP-controlled states. He debated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a potential 2028 preview.

But the podcast takes a less confrontational approach. Newsom, who regularly consumes conservative media, has framed it as an attempt to understand the still-dominant MAGA movement after Democrats absorbed losses across the ballot in 2024, modernize the partys methods of communicating with voters, and reach more young people. Democrats have struggled to break through in a podcast landscape dominated by conservative personalities like Joe Rogan, while Trump and other Republicans have aggressively courted those audiences .

He understands that Democrats are way behind in the new media communications wars, Newsom spokesperson Anthony York said. We cant just talk to ourselves in these media bubbles.

That has been widely interpreted as Newsom laying the groundwork for a presidential run, expanding his national visibility and seeking to plant a flag as demoralized Democrats reassess their message and strategy (the governor, whose final term ends in 2026, has for years swatted down questions about his interest in the White House).

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One downside is that the gambit could bolster a frequent criticism that he is more focused on his national brand than on addressing Californias myriad problems. That is certainly how Republicans will portray it.

Hes going to be judged by voters based on the job he does as governor, not his ability to ham it up with people with whom he disagrees, Jon Fleischman, a conservative activist and former California Republican Party official, said in a text message. Its almost like hes anxious for his time as governor to be over.

Jessica Millan Patterson, who just concluded her tenure as California Republican Party chair, said, I dont know who is giving him advice, but this is such a bad look. She added, I love it. He should continue.

Newsom has run circles around Republicans in heavily Democratic California, crushing a recall attempt in 2021 and winning reelection a year later by nearly 20 percentage points . His approval rating has ticked up after sagging, now floating above water in the latest Public Policy Institute of California survey . And while thats almost entirely because Democrats like what hes doing, 43 percent of independents in the poll rated him favorably, too, a slight uptick from October.

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Speaking to reporters in Washington on Thursday, David McIntosh, president of the conservative group Club for Growth, said that while he sees most Democrats not getting the key takeaways from the last election, I was sort of impressed that Newsom did and started shifting his positions on things.

Newsoms position on trans athletes was the key one, he said. But I think he's also dealing with the aftermath of the fires and some of the things they're very much wanting to engage the private sector on in California. And that's good, that's a good development.

As for the podcast, a leading Republican contender to succeed Newsom said it contained a cautionary tale for conservatives. Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, said he thought Kirk had Newsom on the ropes at times in their episode, but that Kirk underestimated the governor's ability to control a conversation.

In law enforcement, we call it verbal judo, he said. They taught us that in the academy, on how you maintain control of the conversation with a suspect when or a witness that doesnt want to tell you the truth.

Nicole Norman and Holly Otterbein contributed to this report.
After widespread public scrutiny, the U.S. Department of Defense and Army restored some articles about the Navajo Code Talkers on Wednesday after previously removing them.

Links to Navajo Code Talker articles on the websites were noticeably broken and unavailable on Monday, but by Wednesday, certain links were working, and the articles had been restored.

Articles on individual Navajo Army soldiers as well as articles on Native American Heritage month continued to be broken and not accessible.

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The Code Talkers histories were scrubbed from the Pentagon websites as part of a review of materials that violated President Donald Trump's order regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.

The Navajo Nation Council posted on its social media feeds that the content was restored on the Department of Defense websites after assurances to President Buu Nygren that the materials would be available. It wasn't clear at the time when the materials would be restored.

"The restoration of the Navajo Code Talkers' articles is a necessary step, but it does not erase the harm caused by their initial removal," said Navajo Nation Speaker Crystalyne Curley. "The service of the Code Talkers was crucial to the success of World War II, and their legacy must be continually recognized and honored, beyond any political agenda."

The Navajo Nation Council had voiced its opposition to the removal of content honoring the Navajo Code Talkers. The council said the Pentagon acknowledged the removal was a "mistake."

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Nygren credited the Navajo Nation's Washington Office for its advocacy and a letter to the Department of Defense.

"I want to assure the Navajo people that we remain in close communication with federal officials to ensure the legacy of our cherished Navajo Code Talkers is never erased from American and Navajo history," Nygren said. "As sovereign nations, we are not defined by DEI classifications. We are political sovereigns with treaties and a long-standing relationship with the U.S. government."

DEI fallout: Colleges cancel Native convocations to comply with Trump order, disappointing students

Material about other Native soldiers removed

The Defense Department said the removal resulted from an automated process complying with a DEI policy directive. While some pages had been restored, others remain offline, displaying server errors. The Pentagon has pledged to fully resolve the issue.

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Some links that lead to articles on individual Navajo soldiers or mention of Native American Heritage Month still aren't working on the Army page, suggesting that the removal falls in line with Trump's campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion.

A Feb 26. memo from Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of defense, ordered Pentagon departments to "take all practicable steps, consistent with records management requirements, to remove all DoD news and feature articles, photos, and videos that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)." He gave them a deadline of March 5.

The memo said all articles, photos and videos removed from the websites and social media platforms must be "archived and retained in accordance with applicable records management policies."

It wasnt just the Navajo Code Talker links that were broken: Items about other notable Native American military members were also removed from the Defense website, including one on Ira Hayes, a Pima/Akimel Oodham Marine from Sacaton. Hayes was one of the Marines famously photographed raising the flag at Iwo Jima in World War II.

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Some items about Army Spc. Lori Piestewa, a Hopi soldier who was the first Native American woman to die in combat on foreign soil, were also removed. She was killed in 2003 in Iraq when a rocket-propelled grenade struck her vehicle during an ambush.

Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis said the removal of Native American veterans, such as Ira Hayes, is unacceptable and unfortunate.

"To be clear, recognizing the patriotism and courage of Native American soldiers has nothing to do with any type of DEl initiative," Lewis said. "It's simply an offering of respect for extraordinary service and bravery in the line of duty. Every single reference that has been scrubbed should be returned to these websites as soon as possible."

Fallout: DOD, Army websites scrub articles on Navajo Code Talkers. Here's how that may change

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Arlyssa D. Becenti covers Indigenous affairs for The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: DOD restores Code Talker links; other Native information still missing
The Navy plans to send a second warship to patrol the waters off the U.S. by the end of this week after a destroyer was deployed on Saturday as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration and the border, a U.S. official confirmed to Military.com on Wednesday.

The official, who was given anonymity to discuss military plans, told Military.com that a second destroyer will deploy from the West Coast, joining the USS Gravely, which left a naval base in Virginia over the weekend headed for the waters around the U.S.-Mexico border.

U.S. Northern Command announced Saturday that the Gravely deployed with a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment aboard, allowing the vessel to conduct missions such as ship interdictions and drug seizures. The Trump administration has already deployed thousands of troops to the southern border and designated Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations amid promises to curb border crossings.

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Read Next: Bill to Provide Full Retirement, Disability Pay to Combat-Injured Veterans Is Reintroduced by Lawmakers

The Coast Guard seemed to reveal the plan to deploy a second warship on Tuesday when it released a statement that touted its success in interdicting drug shipments at sea and repeatedly mentioned it was working with more than one Navy ship.

"U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) deployed two U.S. Navy warships to the southern border to support Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Coast Guard operations," the statement said.

Cmdr. Liza Dougherty, a spokeswoman for Northern Command, wouldn't confirm or deny the plan for a second destroyer to join the Gravely.

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The Coast Guard's statement said "these U.S. Navy warships" -- plural -- "will operate in direct support of the Coast Guard and carry Coast Guard law enforcement teams."

Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard's acting commandant, was also quoted in the news release as saying that "these Navy ships provide unique capability to complement U.S. Coast Guard operations to achieve 100% operational control of the border."

Unlike a Coast Guard cutter, a Navy destroyer is a far more heavily armed vessel -- the Gravely alone can carry 96 missiles, including Tomahawk Land Attack cruise missiles -- and it is moving into the area after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wouldn't rule out conducting strikes into Mexico less than two months ago.

However, for now, officials say that the mission of these destroyers will be assisting the Coast Guard with patrolling the border.

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Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the operations boss for the Joint Staff, who briefed reporters Monday, said that the Gravely would "be involved in the interdiction mission for any of the drugs and whatnot that are heading in."

It is not clear how long the destroyers plan to be at sea carrying out their mission -- several officials wouldn't say, citing operational security -- but Northern Command's news release on the Gravely used the phrase "scheduled deployment," which typically means a multiple-month mission.

The deployment of not one but two warships to the waters off the U.S. is highly unusual.

Northern Command, which has been around since 2002, is largely set up to cover defense of the homeland, and its commander oversees much of the waters off the coast of America and Mexico but not Central America or the Caribbean. The latter belong to the head of U.S. Southern Command.

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Officials at the Navy's History and Heritage Command told Military.com on Wednesday that Navy ships do frequently participate in short exercises, operations and patrols within Northern Command, but deployments of multiple months are very unusual outside of a disaster response.

The officials said that, since the Cuban Missile Crisis, Dominican Republic, and various Haiti incidents were all within the Southern Command's area of responsibility, "it's entirely possible there hasn't been anything major since Vera Cruz in 1914."

The Battle of Vera Cruz was a seven-month military conflict between the U.S. and Mexico that took place in the Mexican port city of Vera Cruz amid poor diplomatic relations between the two countries that stemmed from the ongoing Mexican Revolution.

-- Patricia Kime contributed to this report.

Related: Navy Destroyer Deploys Off US and Mexico as Part of Pentagon Border Focus
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)  A bill loosening gun restrictions in North Carolina continues to move forward.

Members of the Senate who met during a committee meeting on Wednesday said Senate Bill 50 now heads to the Senate floor for a vote.

SB 50 S50v0.pdf, also named the Freedom to Carry NC act, ultimately allows a person to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. The bill applies to individuals who are at 18 and older and a U.S. citizen unless otherwise prohibited by law.

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During the meeting, primary sponsor of the bill, Sen. Danny Britt (R- Hoke, Robeson, Scotland), said, Were just trying to make sure that peoples constitutional right is protected. We believe the Constitution is worth fighting for.

Britt said 29 other states currently allow the carry of concealed firearms without permits. The bill states there are some restrictions where it would still be unlawful to carry a concealed firearm including a law enforcement or correctional facility, private facilities where a notice is posted, and areas prohibited by federal law.

Wednesday, some lawmakers and people who spoke during public comment at the meeting voiced their concerns about SB 50. Questions of safety and education remained a key focus.

Sen. Paul Lowe (D- Forsyth) said, I get the constitutional right side and to be able to get a gun if you want one I get that. But the education of how to handle a firearm is my concern.

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Currently, North Carolina law requires an eight-hour minimum of training to obtain a concealed carry permit. If SB 50 passes, Britt said the training would not be required.

To be able to use a firearm safely, that takes years of training, not just through an 8-hour class, said Britt. What were doing is making it easier for our law abiding citizens to constitutionally carry, and most of those folks I believe are adequately trained to handle a firearm.

Britt also noted that education is not currently a requirement for open carry in North Carolina.

I dont know what bills have been put in place or filed to our open-carry statutes, it seems as though thats been fine, he said.

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Before hearing from members of the public, Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, Yancey), spoke in support of SB 50.

I will continue to get and renew my concealed carry permit even after this bill because Ive traveled to South Carolina and Florida and it sure makes the purchasing process a whole lot easier. He added, I really just want to ask an attorney a question. Can you name any other constitutional right in which we would require government education before you can exercise your right?

In response, Sen. Julie Mayfield (D- Buncombe) replied, We require women to go through all sorts of education to seek a legal, safe abortion in this state.

Mayfield said her biggest concern is reducing barriers to people obtaining guns. She included, We had a speaker in there who talked about the rise in gun violence and death by gun is the now the leading cause of death among children. I just think bills like this that make it easier for people to obtain guns is going in the wrong direction.

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The Senate bill has also created concerns among law enforcement. In a statement, Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said, This will undermine public safety, and I think we should take our time to study this a little bit more to get some more data and have conversations with law enforcement because SB 50 could potentially increase the chance of violence in even the most minor of law enforcement interactions with the public. My deputies in Durham County will have to treat every traffic stop, every encounter, like a felony stop. That puts everybody at risk.

The Wake County Sheriffs Office also shared the following statement: Sheriff Rowe and the Wake County Sheriffs Office remain committed to ensuring the safety of our community. Please know that we are actively monitoring this legislation and will continue to work with lawmakers to advocate for policies that prioritize the well-being of our community and law enforcement officers. We encourage residents to share their concerns with their local representatives as well.

In 2023, the North Carolina legislature also overturned former Gov. Roy Coopers veto and passed a law that no longer required a pistol purchase permit from the sheriffs office in order to buy a handgun. It eliminated the process of the agencys ability to run a background check.

SB 50 maintains the option to obtain a permit for purposes of reciprocity with other states and other personal reasons.

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If passed on the Senate floor, the bill will then head to the House.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
The NC Community College System offices in downtown Raleigh. (Photo: Google maps)

When 17-year-old Leon Gu died by suicide in 2020, his parents were shocked to learn they had been in the dark about an academic integrity issue he was facing at Wake Tech Community College, where he was dually enrolled. Dual enrollment allows high school students to take college courses for credit.

Leon ended his life days after receiving a letter from the community college about an academic violation that jeopardized his acceptance to Duke University.

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Now, Leons parents are advocating for a new bill in the North Carolina legislature to require community colleges to provide parents of minors with automatic access to their childrens educational records. These records, which include information such as grades, attendance, and disciplinary records, are currently not automatically shared with parents.

Leons mother, Lusia Li, said she only learned about the circumstances surrounding her sons death from a police detective. I was devastated, wondering why we as his parents were never informed, Li said, fighting back tears as she testified on Wednesday before the state House Committee on Higher Education.

Dubbed Leons Law, the measure is designed to ensure parents of high school students taking college courses can provide guidance and intervene before small problems escalate.

Under current policy, parents are not automatically informed of their childs academic performance or disciplinary matters. This lack of communication can leave minors navigating serious academic challenges alone without the support they need, state Rep. Ya Liu (D-Wake), a primary sponsor of the bill.

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The legislation would require that community colleges grant parents access to their childs records if the student is under 18 and a dependent, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code. Parents could opt out of receiving the information.

Supporters say the change is a commonsense step to protect vulnerable students as they navigate the transition to higher education. The meeting drew emotional testimony from Leon Gus family and other community members who knew him. They described him as a gifted and dedicated student involved in music, sports, and volunteering.

Lawmakers are hopeful the measure can prevent similar tragedies. This is a small but vital step to protect students and keep families informed, said Rep. Liu. We are grateful to the Li family for turning their grief into advocacy that will impact thousands of students.

An amended version of the bill was approved, and the measure was forwarded to the House Judiciary 3 Committee. If enacted into law, it would become effective in the 2025-2026 academic year and will affect over 600,000 dual enrollment students in the state every year.
Photo: Getty Images

A North Carolina Senate bill would provide patients with more up-front information about hospital charges and would fine hospital CEOs whose facilities do not report their prices.

The Senate Health Committee on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 316, called Lower Healthcare Costs.

This bill is an attempt to shine a light on every part of the health care system to begin to see where the cost drivers truly exist and to start to tamp down on those costs, said Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance), who is one of the bills sponsors.

Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance) said the bill will shine a light on the health care system. (Screengrab from NCGA live stream)

The bill focuses on hospitals and other health facilities.

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Under the bill, hospitals would be largely prohibited from charging what are known as facility fees. Those are charges that may be added to bills when patients go to hospital-owned clinics.

Health care facilities would have to send patients itemized lists of charges before sending unpaid bills to collections.

Hospitals and ambulatory care facilities would be required to provide quarterly reports on the costs of common procedures. CEOs would face fines of up to $2,000 a day for failure to comply.

Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett) (Photo: ncleg.gov)

In cases where patients are not experiencing health emergencies, health care facilities would have to provide them with good faith estimates for each procedure. The final bills could not exceed the estimates by more than 5%.

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A spokeswoman for the North Carolina Healthcare Association, which represents hospitals, said in an email that the organization is evaluating the bill and its potential impacts, and would communicate directly with senators.

Sen. Jim Burgin (R-Harnett) said greater price transparency will result in lower costs. People who dont need emergency medical care will have time to compare prices, he said.

You ought to know what its going to cost, said Burgin, one of the bill sponsors. You ought to know if youre going to get a separate bill from the anesthesiologist, or the radiologist, or the lab, or anybody else.
BRIDGEPORT  The Benedum Airport Authority paid tribute to Burley Butch Tennant Tuesday.

Tennant, who was a member of the airport authoritys board of directors, died March 14.

He was a big believer in taking care of the people who work there, Board Member Randy Elliott said. Common qualities he had we that the employees came first, and he made sure he voiced his opinion about that.

Elliott said Tennant always advocated for airport employees to receive bonuses every year at Christmas, particularly whenever the airport had a good year. Elliott said the airport authority does its work as a joint effort, with ideas about the direction of the airport emerging from its director Rick Rock.

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That said, the members of the board still chose to pass a resolution honoring Tennants work at the airport authority. Marion County Commissioner Ernie VanGilder read the resolution.

Burley D. Butch Tennant Jr. was known for his constant and infectious smile, VanGilder said. And his insightfulness and informing comments.

After memorializing Tennant, the group moved on to the rest of its business. Deputy Airport Director Shawn Long led the meeting since Rock was in Colorado for a conference.

Rock met with four different airlines at the conference to make sure the North Central West Virginia Airport has multiple bids for this years bid cycle. The U.S. Department of Transportation runs a program that seeks bids for Essential Air Service, vital for bringing airlines to service smaller and rural airports for communities like the one in Clarksburg.

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We wouldnt have air service daily if it wasnt for it, Rock said. This is an opportunity for us. Our choices will be to keep what we have with Contour going to Charlotte or potentially see who else bids. Obviously, Im looking to grow air service at airport, fill up our new terminal, so Im making sure that we have multiple bids and something for us to go and review and pick the right one that will give us the best air service for North Central West Virginia.

Rock said American Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant, Air Wisconsin and SkyWest Airlines were the carriers he met with. Rock also said he likes the service to Charlotte, but a route change is also possible, depending on what bids come in.

The board also went into executive session to discuss litigation the airport is currently facing. Board President David Hinkle he wasnt sure which lawsuit the board would discuss ahead of the session, since the board is facing several. The board is currently facing five lawsuits from 2025.

Two of them, Maple Lake Club and All About Dogs, have to do with the Move the Mountain project. Plaintiffs in those lawsuits allege the airport didnt appropriately manage runoff from the project leading to damage to the property of both of those entities. The other three lawsuits were filed around the same time as All About Dogs and Maple Lake. The most current action in the Maple Lake lawsuit was notice of a video-recorded deposition of Deputy Director Long. The cases continue to wind through the court system.
The data obtained from a survey indicates that the majority of Ukrainians  78%  do not support the withdrawal of the Armed Forces from territories temporarily occupied by Russia, as demanded by Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

Source: a survey by the sociological service of Razumkov Centre, conducted from 28 February to 6 March

Details: The survey found that only 8% of respondents (6% in the western and central oblasts, 10% in the eastern oblasts and 14% in the southern oblasts) would agree to the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

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Even more Ukrainians  82%  oppose recognising Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, as well as Crimea and Sevastopol, as Russian territories in international agreements.

Only 5% of respondents support such recognition (2% in the west, 3% in the centre, 6% in the east and 15% in the south).

Additionally, 78% of Ukrainians oppose lifting Western sanctions on Russia, while only 7% support their removal.

A majority of 56% versus 22% also oppose enshrining Ukraines neutral, non-aligned and non-nuclear status in the Constitution to end the war.

For reference: The face-to-face survey was conducted from 28 February to 6 March in Ukrainian-controlled territories where no active hostilities were taking place.

A total of 2,018 respondents aged 18 and older participated. The theoretical margin of error does not exceed 2.3%. However, additional systematic deviations in the sample may result from the consequences of Russian aggression, including the forced evacuation of millions of citizens.



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Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers. June 30, 2023. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

LINCOLN  Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers said Thursday that he is done negotiating with smoke and vape shop retailers he says are breaking state law by selling candy and other products with Delta-8, a synthetic version of THC.

Hilgers has spent the past year and a half trying to persuade and sue retailers into pulling off the shelves what he calls a dangerous, unregulated drug before more people than the half-dozen or so complaints his office has received get hurt.

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In some of those cases, he has worked with retailers selling the gummies, pouches and other ways to consume Delta-8 products to avoid using the full extent of potential state civil penalties and fines. Hes also avoided referring them for prosecution.

No longer, he said Thursday.

He said his civil attorneys in the AGs Office are sending letters to 35 to 37 owners of 104 stores in the Omaha area demanding the products be pulled from store shelves, or the state will sue for maximum pain.

In cases where Delta-8 sales continue or where harder drugs were offered or sold, he said his office would refer any relevant investigative reports to local county attorneys for the filing of possible criminal charges.

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We gave them plenty of warning, Hilgers said. We thought criminal prosecution was not the right tool. They have decided not to change. Now criminal prosecutions are on the table as well.  What they should do is take it off the shelf.

Shop owners feel threatened

Store owners in previously targeted communities, including Norfolk in northeast Nebraska, have said they felt blindsided by the AGs approach and that they had received little warning until they received the letter threatening legal action.

Some negotiated settlements with the AGs Office. Others, Hilgers said, kept selling.

Joseph Fraas, who owns G&G Smoke Shops in Omaha and Lincoln, told the Legislatures Judiciary Committee in late January that he employs 18 people and that Nebraskas proposed ban on Delta-8-related products would severely damage his business.

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If our businesses survive this ban, it is likely that most of our employees and their families will not, he said at the hearing. Not only that, but this bill will destroy millions of dollars in economic activity.

Hilgers said retailers only option now is removing the products from their shelves or paying the price. He said there is no limit to how many lawsuits he would file.

For Hilgers, stepping into the states largest city was an escalation and a warning to retailers in the rest of the state that his patience had been tested. He said the Omaha stores getting letters are already illegally selling products.

His allegations are powered by a single-day set of buys organized by the AGs Office and the Douglas County Sheriffs Office. Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson, who attended Hilgers news conference, said Delta-8 products put people at risk.

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You cant trust drug dealers, Hanson said of people pushing Delta-8. This is an industry that cannot be trusted. We did not find one location that was operating in compliance with the law.  These things are impacting regular people.

Thus far, the AGs Office has filed 15 lawsuits alleging that retailers have violated state consumer protection laws, including on protections from deception and the contents of food. The office said it had settled 12 of the 15.

The other three lawsuit remain in progress, the AGs Office said. The lawsuits to date were filed in Platte, Scotts Bluff, Hall, Madison, Lancaster, Sarpy, Lincoln, Saline, Keith and Dawes Counties, a spokeswoman for the AGs Office confirmed.

Next steps

Hilgers, who has pushed since at least 2023 for legislation outlawing Delta-8, said the only thing that will stop his legal filings against store owners is if the Legislature adopts Omaha State Sen. Kathleen Kauths Legislative Bill 316.

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That bill clarifies what Hilgers said the law already is in Nebraska. It explicitly bans the sale of products made from Delta-8. Some retailers have argued legalizing hemp allowed products like Delta-8 to be sold under a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill passed in Congress.

If the bill passes, we will rethink our enforcement strategy, Hilgers said. If it doesnt pass  Option 2 is what were doing right now.

Kauth said she had received an email from the mother of a 38-year-old man after the late January hearing for LB 316 who told her that her son had gone into a coma for three days after consuming a product with Delta-8 in it.

These are dangerous products, and people go into a store and assume that the government has done its job and made sure that they are safe, Kauth said. State Sen. Jared Storm of David City has prioritized the Kauth bill so it will have a greater chance to reach the legislative floor and be debated.

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State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha has a competing proposal that would create a new state regulatory regime over hemp-created products like Delta-8: LB 16. Both LB 316 and LB 16 are awaiting action from the Judiciary Committee to advance.

Critics of the Nebraska AG and his efforts have said he is scaring people without local research and facts to back up his claims. They compared it to decades of fear built up around recreational marijuana, which Hilgers also opposes.

Hilgers acknowledged again on Thursday that he has no hard local numbers for injuries or deaths from Delta-8 and said he has to lean on national data. Much of what the AGs Office shares is anecdotal, he explained.

Hanson said he tries to draw a separation between the politics around marijuana and the need to get Delta-8 off of the shelves. Hilgers said some of the same trust issues exist with both and that he continues to believe both remain illegal.

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They are tied  if you cant trust the Delta-8 industry, Im not sure how you could trust the marijuana industry.

Nebraska Examiner reporter Zach Wendling contributed to this report.

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The post Neil Young Cancels Free Concert in Ukraine, Citing Safety Concerns appeared first on Consequence.

Neil Young has canceled plans to play a free concert in Ukraine, saying he couldnt in good conscience take his crew into the war-torn country.

We had a good venue, close to a shelter, but the changing situation on the ground was too much, Young wrote on his website. I could not in good conscience take my crew and instruments into that area. My apologies to all. Ukraine is a great country with a good leader. Slava Ukraini

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Get Neil Young Tickets Here

Young announced the show earlier this month, but didnt follow up with specific details like a date and location. He previously described Russias invasion of Ukraine as the crazy war of an old dying guy who wants to relive his life and make things better for himself because of mistakes he thinks were made 50 years ago.

More recently, Young gave a harsh assessment of how Putins pal, President Trump, has been leading the United States. Under 47s leadership, the US has lost its standing, he wrote. Loyalists will never be stronger than Patriots, and Patriots are in the majority here in the USA. Our Patriots will take to the streets to peacefully demonstrate. There will be a moment of truth in our country and we will show the world who we really are. The USA will again be the leader of the Free World.

In June, Young and his new band, the chrome hearts, will kick off the UK/European leg of their love earth world tour, followed by a North American run beginning in August. Tickets can be purchased here.

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Neil Young Cancels Free Concert in Ukraine, Citing Safety Concerns

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a silver pager to Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Wednesday as a thank-you gift for his support of Israel.

Fetterman, who has been a vocal supporter of Israel, received the gift during a visit with his wife, Gisele, to the prime ministers office in Jerusalem. Netanyahus wife, Sara, was also present.

The pager is an ode to Israeli attacks in Lebanon and Syria in September 2024, in which Israel triggered explosions of hundreds of pagers and walkie-talkies used by the militant group known as Hezbollah. The attack killed 13 people, some of whom were children, and injured thousands more.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara met this evening, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, with US Senator @JohnFetterman and his wife Gisele.https://t.co/FqAtVFXS3ipic.twitter.com/wiUupjXIGx  Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 19, 2025

During the warm and friendly meeting, the Prime Minister and his wife thanked Senator Fetterman and his wife for their consistent support of Israel since the outbreak of the war, the Prime Ministers Office said in a statement. Prime Minister Netanyahu gave Senator Fetterman a silver pager, inspired by Operation Pager, which changed the face of the war in Lebanon.

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Netanyahu also gifted a golden pager to President Donald Trump during a visit to the White House last month. Trump called the attacks a great operation after receiving the gift.

This week, Israeli strikes in Lebanon threatened a fragile ceasefire deal there. Meanwhile, Israel embarked on a ground operation and terminated the ceasefire in Gaza, killing hundreds of Palestinians. Netanyahu said Tuesday the attack was only the beginning.

In response to the broken ceasefire, Fetterman posted on X on Tuesday saying, I unapologetically, 100% stand with Israel, and demand the release of all remaining hostages. Sending this from Israel.

Israel has unleashed an unrelenting bombardment of attacks on Gaza, a region it has occupied for decades, since October 2023, when Hamas militants attacked and abducted more than 200 people, holding them hostage. Roughly two dozen people are believed to still be held alive by Hamas.

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Since the start of the war, 48,500 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials, and in addition to military action, Israels decision to cut off the entry of food, medicine, fuel and other supplies has put more lives at risk. Multiple entities, including the United Nations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have said that Israels attacks on Gaza are consistent with genocide.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gifted Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) a silver-plated beeper during the lawmakers visit to Israel, inspired by the countrys covert operation when thousands of devices on Hezbollah fighters detonated last year.

This is a silver-plated beeper. The real beeper is like one-tenth the weight, Netanyahu said Wednesday after handing the symbolic device to the senator. Its nothing, but it changes history.

Fetterman, who has been a vocal supporter of Israel in its war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, then told Netanyahu that, When that story broke, I was like, Oh I love it. I love it, and now its like, thank you for this.

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Thank you, the Pennsylvania Democrat added before shaking the prime ministers hand.

The gift is a reference to Israels operation in September last year when it detonated booby-trapped pagers in an attack to take out Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, in Lebanon.

Netanyahu and his wife Sara met with Fetterman and his wife Gisele on Wednesday at the prime ministers office in Jerusalem. The trip was Fettermans second visit to Israel since becoming a senator.

During the warm and friendly meeting, Netanyahu and his wife thanked Fetterman and his wife for their consistent support of Israel since the outbreak of the war, the prime ministers office said Wednesday.

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Netanyahu had a similar present for President Trump last month while visiting Washington. The prime minister gifted Trump a golden pager fixed onto a wooden panel in early February.

The pager is attached to a golden plaque and says To President Donald J. Trump, Our greatest friend and greatest ally. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The prime ministers office also said in a statement that Fetterman gave Netanyahu a framed original news article from 1986 that features a photograph of the prime minister at a Philadelphia memorial for his late brother Yoni, an Israeli military officer who was killed in action during Operation Entebbe in Uganda in 1976.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Netherlands is setting up a fund to attract top foreign scientists to the Netherlands, Education Minister Eppo Bruins said in a letter to parliament on Thursday.

Bruins did not give a timeline but said the fund should be operational as soon as possible.

"There is currently a great global demand for international top scientific talent. At the same time, the geopolitical climate is changing, which is currently increasing the international mobility of scientists," Bruins wrote.

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While Bruins said the fund would be accessible to scientists of all nationalities, the announcement came as U.S. President Donald Trump's government is cutting research grants for several universities, including Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University.

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
During their months-long extended stay on the International Space Station, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore didn't get overtime  but they did get a meager $5 per day allowance on top of their salaries.

In a statement to the New York Times, a NASA spokesperson revealed that the stranded pair  who just splashed down to Earth on a SpaceX capsule after spending an extra 278 days aboard the ISS than expected due to the malfunctioning of Boeing's cursed Starliner rocket  were not eligible for any overtime pay.

In fact, astronauts on the ISS don't ever receive overtime, or extra pay on holidays and weekends, as spokesperson Jim Russell of the space agency's Space Operations Mission Directorate told the newspaper.

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"While in space, NASA astronauts are on official travel orders as federal employees," Russell explained. As such, they  and seemingly their fellow astronauts  receive the same $5 "incidentals" allowance set by the Internal Revenue Service for any travel, regardless of location.

To put that figure in perspective: most states (except for New Jersey and Mississippi) pay jurors more than that per day  and also, jury duty doesn't take place in the extreme environment of space.

Obviously, that extra $5 isn't the only money that Williams and Wilmore were paid. As the NYT notes, they both make $152,258 per year  the standard annual astronaut salary, per NASA, which is just under $22K less than what members of Congress are paid. Plus, as Russell notes, they have all of their lodging, transportation, and meals covered (though the Space Station on which astronauts stay does require them to recycle their own urine and sweat for drinking water.)

Still, it seems patently absurd that the pair who expected to spend about a week on the Space Station are only going to get roughly $1,430 for all those extra months orbiting the Earth. Were that a tax return, it would be a pretty good figure  but as a per diem in exchange for the "incidental" physical and mental stress they accrue in space, it's pretty crappy.

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That said, it could be worse. As the NYT expounded, NASA astronaut Clayton Anderson only got $1.20 per day for incidentals during his 152-day stay on the Space Station back in 2007. That meant he only got $172 in total.

"It IS a government job with government pay," Anderson wrote in a 2022 Facebook post, which the newspaper cited. "But thats okay too, it's a job I did because I dreamed of and loved it, not because of the money I could earn."

Wilmore, at least, echoed that sentiment in September when telling reporters via telecast that the ISS is his "happy place."

"I love being up here in space," he said. "Its just fun, you know?"

More on the Starliner astronauts: Trump Ridiculed for Claiming He Rescued the Stranded Astronauts
Malaysias government granted a U.S.-based tech firm final approval to restart its search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370  more than 11 years after the plane disappeared in one of the aviation industrys most confounding mysteries.

Ocean Infinity, a maritime exploration firm based in Texas and Britain, signed a no-find, no-fee contract with Malaysian officials on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported. Ocean Infinity will receive its $70 million reward only if it locates the plane. This was the same contract Ocean Infinity had almost seven years ago, but the company did not find any wreckage.

This time, Ocean Infinity will search a different area in the ocean comprising 5,800 square miles, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a statement. The Malaysian government announced in December that it had agreed to launch a new search for MH370.

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The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370, Loke said.

Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 aircraft carrying 239 people including 12 crew members, vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, while it was traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China. It kicked off the largest search in aviation history, but the plane has still never been found. Several pieces of marine debris, which were discovered along the coast of Africa and on several Indian Ocean islands, were confirmed in 2016 to be from Flight 370.

Collected satellite data reportedly showed that the plane deviated from its planned flight path and headed toward the southern Indian Ocean, which is where researchers believe the plane crashed.

Ocean Infinitys deep-water support vessel, the Armada 7806, arrived in a newly designated search zone in the Indian Ocean in late February. The Armada 7806, which is considered one of the most technically advanced ships of its kind, is set to deploy autonomous underwater vehicles, which provide detailed scans of the ocean floor to researchers.

One of Ocean Infinitys Armada vessels docked in Portland, U.K. (Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)

Ocean Infinity shut down its previous investigation in 2018, after searching for six months without finding any of the missing aircraft. The company was also involved in a search for the aircraft led by an Australian agency that started after the plane disappeared. That effort was suspended in January 2017.

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Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett told reporters in March 2024 that the company was hoping to return to the search and was in contact with the Malaysian government.

Finding MH370 and bringing some resolution for all connected with the loss of the aircraft has been a constant in our minds since we left the southern Indian Ocean in 2018, he said. Since then, we have focused on driving the transformation of operations at sea; innovating with technology and robotics to further advance our ocean search capabilities.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said on a Tuesday podcast episode that conservative media figure Steve Bannon sounds a lot like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and what Democrats said 20, 30 years ago.

When you talk to a guy like Steve Bannon, you know, he reminded me a little bit of my grandfather when he talks about working folks and he talks about how we hollowed out the industrial core of this country, Newsom said on an episode of his This is Gavin Newsom podcast that featured Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), in comments highlighted by Mediaite.

Walz cut in, trying to point out that former President Bidens election victory in 2020 has been rejected by Bannon.

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I understand that  we can dismiss the notion of election denialism, we could completely dismiss what he did on Jan. 6, but I dont think you can dismiss what hes saying. Reminds me a lot of what Bernie Sanders was saying. Reminded me a lot of what Democrats said 20, 30 years ago.

On Newsoms Tuesday podcast episode, the California governor told Walz that Bannon hates [Elon] Musk, he hates the oligarchy, he totally agrees with you on the concentration of monopolistic powers.

Bannon has previously referred to the tech billionaire, who is now a part of President Trumps administration, as a parasitic illegal immigrant and a truly evil guy, a very bad guy.

Newsoms podcast has resulted in speculation about the California governor looking toward a White House bid in 2028. Democrats have been bothered by the podcasts guests and comments Newsom made about issues including transgender rights.

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Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) recently went after Newsom over hosting Bannon on his new podcast, saying in a social media post last week that he was in shock at the stupidity of [Newsom] inviting Steve Bannon on his podcast.

Many of us on the right sacrificed careers to fight Bannon, and Newsom is trying to make a career and a presidential run by building him up, Kinzinger added.

The Hill has reached out to the White House and Bannons War Room show for comment.

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(KRON)  California now has more electric vehicle (EV) chargers than gasoline nozzles, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom. In what Newsoms office is calling a significant milestone, the governor announced that the number of EV chargers in the Golden State is 48% more than the number of gasoline nozzles.

Statewide, there are 178,549 public and shared EV chargers in California. By comparison, the California Energy Commission (CEC) estimates there are about 120,000 gas nozzles across the state.

San Francisco speed cameras launch Thursday

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As the federal government works to make it harder for you to charge your electric car, California is doing the opposite, said Newsom. We know have nearly 50% more chargers than gas nozzles in the state, meaning you have more options than ever to charge your vehicle.

Graphic: Gov. Gavin Newsoms office

More than 162,000 of the total EV chargers installed in California are Level 2 chargers, while nearly 17,000 are fast chargers, Newsoms office said. The CEC also estimates that more than 700,000 Level 2 chargers are installed at single-family homes.

The California EV driver experience is getting better by the day, said CEC Chair David Hochschild. The state continues to invest in EV infrastructure, with particular emphasis in hard-to-reach areas, making these vehicles an easy choice for new car buyers.

News of the number of EV chargers outpacing the number of gas nozzles comes amid a backlash against the top EV seller in California. There has been a dramatic increase in acts of vandalism on Teslas and protests at Tesla dealerships, largely stemming from the political stances of the EV companys owner, Elon Musk.

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Local officials like San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan have condemned the acts of vandalism on Teslas, while United States Attorney General Pam Bondi has likened them to acts of domestic terrorism.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The NHS has refused to force-feed a 25-year-old anorexic woman who is at imminent risk of death, The Telegraph can reveal.

Patricia, as she is called under a court order, weighs 19kg with a body mass index (BMI) of 7.3  and is so malnourished that she has not walked for two years.

In 2023, a judge ruled that Patricia had autonomy to refuse nasogastric (NG) tube feeding.

Her family then applied to the Court of Protection on March 1 this year for an order that would allow doctors to force-feed her without her consent.

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Oliver Lewis, a barrister representing the family pro bono, told the court: It is far too early to let this 25-year-old woman die when medical treatment is available that could prevent her death.

But on Wednesday, the NHS bodies overseeing her care told the court they could not offer NG feeding without her consent.

A judge therefore ruled that, for now, the only viable path forward is for Patricia to remain on a voluntary treatment plan.

Patricia in a Catch-22 position

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust (NNUH), where she is being monitored, and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT), which provides mental health care, argued that force-feeding Patricia would be futile. This stance goes against NHS guidelines stating anorexia is not a terminal illness and should be treated.

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NNUH told Mrs Justice Arbuthnot that it would not consider initiating tube feeding against Patricias will unless a specialist eating disorder unit agreed to admit her afterwards.

The Official Solicitor pointed out that this put Patricia in an invidious position, a Catch-22, as no unit would commit to this before NNUH stabilised her.

The two trusts can now be named after The Telegraph successfully challenged a reporting restriction. NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB), which commissions Patricias care, can also be identified.

With no alternative, Mrs Justice Arbuthnot was left having to choose between what the Official Solicitor described as the least worst of awful options: do nothing or continue voluntary treatment, which has so far not worked.

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The judge sympathised with NNUHs position that tube-feeding shouldnt really start until there is a whole exit strategy, but acknowledged the familys point that the voluntary care she was left to recommend will likely see Patricia continuing to decline.

The family sought a court order under the Mental Capacity Act to compel Patricia to receive life-saving eating disorder treatment, including NG feeding. This would have overturned a 2023 Court of Protection ruling by Mr Justice Moor, who upheld her autonomy to refuse treatment after CPFT clinicians deemed her anorexia untreatable.

Mr Justice Moor, who has since retired from the High Court bench, said at the time that she was so frail that she would likely die within days.

Continuation of status quo will be fatal

But Patricia, who has always insisted she wants to live, defied expectations. She has survived 18 months despite getting eight days of eating disorder treatment in that time.

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On Thursday, Patricias aunt condemned NNUH, CPFT and the ICB for not agreeing to provide the life-saving intervention under compulsion, calling it unconscionable. The outcome of Wednesdays hearing, she warned, was a continuation of the status quo that will be fatal.

Katie Gollop KC, representing NNUH, told the court that her client had been put in a very difficult position and that it would be unethical to re-feed Patricia until a specialist eating disorder unit was available to move her after.

She said NNUH had believed that [Patricia] would not be alive in March 2025, but stressed that nobody wants Patricia to die.

None of the NHS bodies are motivated by bringing about her death, Ms Gollop added.

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Sophia Roper KC, CPFTs counsel, said that while the tempting position is to do whatever it takes to keep her alive, it did not follow that this was the right thing to do.

On Thursday, Patricias aunt told The Telegraph her niece was on the brink of death and urged the NHS to reverse its stance and force-feed Patricia, even if there is no plan for what happens afterwards.

She said: All NNUH needs to do is offer, today, to tube-feed her against her will for a few weeks until she is stable enough for transfer to a specialist unit.

We believe a specialist unit would accept her once she has gained just enough weight to pull her back from the brink of death. If NNUH continues to refuse to urgently begin this life-saving intervention, will another hospital step forward?

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She added that the judges suggestion that the trust might still intervene if she is actively dying made no sense.

Patricia is actively dying right now. She is starving to death. Yet NNUH still refuses to offer the one thing that could save her  the ability for doctors to NG feed her against her will, she said.

Patricia has goals and dreams

Mr Lewis argued that in no previous eating disorder case has the Court of Protection ever permitted death in a case where P  here, [Patricia]  so strongly does not want to die.

Patricia has dreams and aspirations and goals: she wants to walk again, to go back to studying, and she wants to go on holiday to Bhutan with her aunt, he said.

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The familys written submissions include increasingly panicked WhatsApp messages from Patricia in recent weeks, pleading for help.

In a message to her aunt on Feb 28, she wrote: I dont want to die I want to walk up mountains. I want to swim in the sea. I want cuddles and kisses. I want to play and have fun.

Im so so scared. Im terrified. Please help me more. WE [sic] havent got much time to play with. Ill never walk if we dont sort things now.

Mr Lewis explained that Patricia is so severely ill with anorexia that she cannot distinguish between broader wishes [I want to live] and the narrower ones regarding life-saving interventions [I dont want NG feeding].

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He explained she must urgently be treated under the MCA. The alternative is that she will die while the NHS bodies continue to pass the buck, he said. In court, he remarked: The family finds it strange that the NHS has the chance to save her life but is refusing to take it.

Mr Lewis pointed out Patricia had never been re-fed to a healthy weight since becoming unwell aged 11, that she had rarely received NG feeding, and that the last time she was given it  briefly in 2022  she immediately improved.

After just a week, she emailed her psychiatrist: Im feeling so, so positive about things moving forward. This is a brand new start for me, and I dont know why on earth I didnt just have the NG when I first came in! Wish I could go back in time, but I cant. So its now onwards and upwards!.

It is easy to mischaracterise this as the NHS getting in the way

The court heard no explanation why doctors looking after Patricia in the past had abandoned re-feeding treatment, especially when she was so eager to continue.

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Sophia Roper KC, acting for CPFT, told the court it is a mischaracterisation to say the consultants werent trying hard enough, or gave up.

She added: it is easy to mischaracterise this as all the NHS bodies getting in the way, but the reality is that a SEDU [specialist eating disorder unit] needs to know what is being proposed.

The familys position is supported by Parishil Patel KC, the Official Solicitors barrister appointed to represent Patricias best interests in court.

Mr Patel submitted that the original Court of Protection ruling placed in hindsight, an impossible burden on Patricia.

He told Ms Gollop that he was sorry that NHS bodies feel unfairly criticised, but said: The context is that NHS representatives are talking about a young woman whose death is certain if the status quo remains.

She has defied expectations, but the fact that her death is imminent is not in dispute.

A further hearing has been scheduled for April 8, but Mr Patel warned that the Official Solicitor has very real concerns she will not make it to that hearing.

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To the editor: French politician Raphael Glucksmann suggests the U.S. should return Lady Liberty to France because America is no longer worthy of the symbol of hope and democracy ("From France comes a call for Trumps America to return Lady Liberty," March 17). It hurts, but I must agree.

Ive always been proud of the good America has stood for. Lady Libertys words, Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, for most of my 85 years, defined us as a nation. This is who we were. But Donald Trump turned us from a scarred but beautiful, flawed but wonderful nation, into a soulless, empathy-lacking monster in his image.

The entire GOP is on board with his policies of cruelty, abandonment and deprivation. Millions are left with no safety net, without medical aid or food, including children. I still love you, America, but there is nothing left to like.

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Robert Archerd, Rancho Palos Verdes

..

To the editor: The words on the Statue of Liberty are intended to open the door to America for immigrants. And other than the Indigenous tribes, everyone here is either an immigrant or a descendant of immigrants. Indeed, Trump is a descendant of people who immigrated to our country. Shame on our government and all those supporting his mean and vicious treatment of poor people coming here hoping for a better life.

George Hanover, La Quinta

..

To the editor: Since its impractical, if not impossible, to return our revered national symbol of freedom to France, maybe it should be locked up with a sign at the base and this message: "Closed for reconstitution. We no longer accept huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Sorry for the inconvenience."

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Nate Tucker, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: Seems as if the French have not learned yet this is a transactional president. I think most agree America, under its current leader, is no longer worthy of the Statue of Liberty, considering the U.S. administration has now sided with a tyrant, Vladimir Putin. I suggest France makes a substantial cash offer directly to President Trump in return for the statue; he has a price for everything.

Joe Mader, Costa Mesa

..

To the editor: Your story about the French politician suggesting that we return the Statue of Liberty recalls my favorite line from the enduring torch song "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry," which was written by Jule Stein and Sammy Cahn and popularized by Frank Sinatra, Dexter Gordon and others. It goes, "And when the twilight steals, I know how the lady in the harbor feels."

Ron Garber, Duarte

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Credit: Don Landgren via Sunshine Week Toolkit

A House panel unanimously approved a bill Wednesday that should delight two groups whove battled for years over what constitutes a public meeting for governing bodies.

The House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee recommended passage of Senate Bill 227 by Sen. Clarke Tucker, a Democrat from Little Rock. The legislation next moves to the House floor, its last stop before the governors desk.

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Fittingly, the action occurred in the middle of the 20th anniversary of Sunshine Week, an annual observance that highlights the importance of your right to know what public officials do in your name.

Sunshine Week takes on added significance during Arkansas legislative sessions because some lawmakers spend a lot of their time trying to weaken the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act, a 1967 law that guarantees citizens the right to observe government entities deliberate and act on matters of public importance, as well as the right to examine government documents.

In other words, the FOIA lets the light of public scrutiny shine on government officials and public records to the betterment of the state.

Tucker said in an earlier legislative hearing that he spent two years working on the bills language, getting staunch public-access purists like Jimmie Cavin of Conway and Fort Smith attorney Joey McCutchen along with local government and school board officials to agree on a proposal that, in McCutchens words Wednesday, gives citizens and officials a bright-line test to determine whether a gathering is a meeting that should follow the FOIAs requirements for a public meeting.

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I think if you can bring Jimmie Cavin and Joey McCutchen and the Municipal League and the Association of Counties together, you probably deserve a Nobel Peace prize, State Agencies Chairman Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, told Tucker.

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The feel-good vibe may be short-lived, however, because another bill defining a public meeting is making its way through the lawmaking process. That bill is opposed by McCutchen, Cavin and the Arkansas Press Association, among others.

Senate Bill 376 by Republican Sen. Alan Clark of Lonsdale is on the Senate floor Thursday. It defines a public meeting as a gathering of more than two members of a governing body.

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When a Senate committee discussed both Clarks and Tuckers bills, Clark said his bill better defines Sen. Tuckers bill. But McCutchen and others said SB 376 would allow serial meetings, or polling.

Tucker noted that two members of a city council, for example, could subvert the FOIAs intent by having one-to-one discussions until all members, or at least a majority, agreed on which way to vote on an issue  all behind closed doors and beyond the publics view.

Clark amended his bill after that committee discussion to prohibit two members who discuss a matter their governing body might take up from disclosing the opinion or position of another member on the matter with other members of the governing body.

A bare majority of senators (19) voted Thursday to move Clarks bill forward.

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For now, Tuckers more nuanced but better received legislation is headed for final approval ahead of Clarks proposal, but the House failed to take it up Thursday afternoon.

This article was updated at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 20, 2025, to reflect Senate action and House inaction on the two FOIA bills. It was also updated at 6 p.m. to correct the number of people needed to make a meeting official in Senate Bill 376.

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SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD)  Picture this: you are headed to work for the say, in a rush, and youve just reached the 10-minute mark waiting to turn out of your neighborhood onto the main road. This scenario is something one Summerville resident says she deals with regularly.

Ive called the Department of Transportation, Ive called the local Dorchester, I didnt get any answers, said Summerville resident Christine Begley. Then I called Columbia to ask whats required to do something, they told me we dont meet the criteria.

Begley said she has reached out to the South Carolina Department of Transportation about placing a traffic light at Marshside and Beech Hill Road near the Legend Oaks neighborhood.

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This stretch of road has three schools along its route.

She says that during school arrival and dismissal times, traffic is so backed up on Beech Hill Road that she often gets stuck in her neighborhood, waiting to turn out safely.

After hearing about the installation of a new traffic light at US 17 and The Ponds neighborhood for a similar reason, she wonders if and when her neighborhood will be next, saying its not only a major inconvenience, but also a matter of safety.

I have seen three accidents, she said, adding: Ive watched people take unbelievable chances, pulling out into the traffic and just hoping somebody is going to stop.

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I dont understand why they cant just put a light that lets at least one or two cars go through at those times, she asked. Thats where I havent gotten an answer.

News 2 reached out to SCDOT to ask if they were aware of the issue and if they had any plans to add a light to Marshside and Beech Hill Road. They say there are no plans for a new traffic light in the area right now and that the light at US-17A is only temporary.

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It's not often that a littering ticket ends up at trial, even less so for driving through a neighborhood throwing Ku Klux Klan flyers out the window. But facing hundreds of dollars in fines and fees, a Kentucky man and leader of a small KKK group had his day in court and lost.

William Bader, ticketed twice for littering in February after police say he threw "propaganda flyers" from his car across several Cincinnati suburbs, was found guilty Thursday of directing others to litter the papers. He admitted so during an outlandish trial that had municipal court Judge Bernie Bouchard, the prosecutor and half a dozen witnesses visibly exasperated throughout.

The case was unique, Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Kaniaris said during the trial. She scrambled to put a case together in the hour ahead of it reaching Bouchard's bench, not realizing it was more than just a few typical littering tickets.

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As the case began, Kaniaris said the officers who cited Bader wanted to show up and make a point that he should be held accountable.

With his eye-rolls, mumbles and snorts throughout, Bader seemed like he was there to make a point too.

More: It's not just the Nazis. Lincoln Heights' struggles began long before racist march

William Bader appeared in Hamilton County Municipal Court Thursday, March 20 on littering charges.

At first, Bader argued the officers had no evidence he littered the flyers around 2 a.m. on Feb. 23 because they did not witness it first-hand. It was the Lincoln Heights neighborhood watch, who tailed his car from the village until police was able to pull him over, that accused him of throwing flyers from his car.

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Bader ended up driving to Lockland, where he was stopped by police officer Jacob Hornback. Bader admitted to throwing out the flyers in an exchange they had shortly after being pulled over that night.

Bader told Hornback then he had started his night in Toledo with 4,000 flyers and distributed them to 16 towns along I-75, but had just run out when he was stopped.

"It wasn't just me," he said at the time. "There's quite a few of us out tonight."

In body camera footage of the traffic stop, Bader took credit for every flyer distributed around Greater Cincinnati since 2022, saying they had all come from his group.

William Bader was cited for littering on Feb. 23 after sheriff's deputies said he was seen throwing Ku Klux Klan propaganda flyers out his window. He was found guilty in court Thursday.

In court Thursday, Bader acted like that never happened, claiming his fingerprints were not on the flyers, the court was corrupt and it was his members he directed to throw the flyers, not him personally.

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Overall, Bader made clear he was looking for another opportunity to confront the Hamilton County deputy he went back and forth with that night, John Bedel. By the end of the trial, when Bouchard asked if he was done, Bader laughed and said he'd love to keep it going if he could.

Bouchard found Bader guilty and fined him $100 for each littering charge, short of the $150 max for a minor misdemeanor in Ohio, along with court costs that should add up to roughly $700 total.

Kentucky man a longtime KKK leader

The 47-year-old Maysville, Kentucky, man calls himself an "imperial wizard" with the KKK. Bader said in court he was raised as a member of the white supremacist group from when he was a young kid.

He's spent much of his life spreading the ideas of the KKK, from finding himself in South Carolina when the Confederate flag was taken down from the statehouse grounds in 2015, to Lincoln Heights a decade later after neo-Nazis flew swastika-emblazoned flags on a highway overpass.

Police cited a Kentucky man for littering after they said he admitted to distributing Ku Klux Klan flyers in Lincoln Heights and Lockland.

Throughout the trial, Bouchard tried to make an appeal to Bader's senses.

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"Think about if you were on the other side and if you were in the other persons shoes," Bouchard asked. "What would the other person say? Ask yourself that."

It didn't really land.

I grew up like this and nobodys going to change me," said Bader, pointing then to the judge, prosecutor and officers who cited him. "Not you, not you, not you.

This story has been updated to clarify Melissa Kaniaris' title.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky man found guilty of littering KKK flyers in Ohio neighborhood
HARLEM, N.Y. (PIX11)  For the first time in their 17-year history, the NOH8 campaign arrived in Harlem.

The goal was to stand against discrimination while showcasing the resources available to the local community.

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Adam Bouska, co-founder of the NOH8 campaign has taken the portraits of over 120,000 people. It started back in 2008 in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California.

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Today, it speaks out to all forms of discrimination over the last 17 years, but this is the beginning in many ways.

The campaigns signature images feature participant with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing the silencing of their voices and rights. This powerful visual aligns with the mission of the Emma L. Bowen Center, which offers a range of community-focused programs supporting the LGBTQ+ community and beyond, advocating for mental health, empowerment, and social justice.

We wanted to make it clear that everyone is welcome here, said Lawrence Fowler, deputy executive director of the Emil Bowen Community Center. We are a community resource and it is critical, particularly during this time that this is known and is known widely.

Scott and David Rudd traveled from New Jersey with their pups to relive the first time they participated in the campaign.

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We did it the day before our wedding so this is our wedding picture 13 years ago. The world has changed a lot but theres still a lot of need to promote love and to remind everybody that hate is not the answer. Violence is not the action, aggression is not the answer, and to be silent is not the answer, you have to speak up.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Due to the recent actions taken by the Trump administration impacting healthcare, diversity, equity, and inclusion, Councilmember Abreau says now more than ever, the NOH8 campaigns importance has increased. Our federal leadership has taken decades of steps back in our progress and in protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

Today, our community is fighting for their life. They are fighting to exit. They are fighting for healthcare and so its more relevant today to more people, said Jeff Parshley, co-founder of the NOH8 campaign.

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The NOH8 campaign has 14 stops in several other states. Learn more about their campaign on their website.

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NEW YORK (PIX11)  New Yorks Court of Appeals has affirmed a ruling to strike down the citys non-citizen voting law.

The ruling on Thursday comes ahead of the June voter registration deadline for the 2025 general election in New York City.

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Local Law 11 passed by the New York City Council in December 2021 and went into effect the following year to allow lawful non-citizens to vote in elections for Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, Borough President and City Council Members.

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To be eligible a person had to be a lawful permanent resident or authorized to work in the United States, a resident of New York City with plans to stay at least 30 days or longer after the election, and had to have met the qualifications for registering or preregistering to vote under the election law.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

The measure was challenged in court by a group of current and former elected officials, groups associated with the Republican Party, and some registered voters in the five boroughs who argued the move was against the states constitution.

New York City became the first major U.S. city to grant widespread municipal voting rights to noncitizens though the measure was never implemented due to the legal challenges from Republicans.

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More than a dozen communities across the U.S. have allowed noncitizens to cast ballots in local elections, including 11 towns in Maryland and two in Vermont.

This story includes reporting from the Associated Press.

Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  Mel Trotter Ministries and subsidiary Next Step of West Michigan on Thursday celebrated the placement of the last wall on their first tiny home, part of a project aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness.

It means a lot. I never imagined that I would be somebody to help another person, Darrion Boyd, the carpenter who secured the fourth wall of the first home at Hope Village, said.

The site of Hope Village. (March 20, 2025)

The site of Hope Village. (March 20, 2025)

He said Next Step, which offers skilled trades training to people working to overcome addiction and homelessness, helped him change his life.

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(I was) in and out of the streets, not making the best decisions in my life. And I wanted to do something different, make a change, do something with a positive impact, he said. I would never think Id be doing construction as a trade career or job. Coming to Next Step, it opened up opportunities for me and I hope I can send out a message to people that they can have the same opportunity.

Grand Rapids nonprofit expanding carpentry program with $300K grant

When finished, Hope Village will include 16 tiny homes on just under 2 acres near the Next Step facility on Garden Street SE near S. Division Avenue in Grand Rapids. The first 10 homes should be done by the end of summer.

Ranging in size from 400 to around 530 square feet, the homes will be fully furnished, with in-unit washers, dryers and bathrooms.

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We wanted to make a community. We wanted to make a place that is nice and feels like home, Mel Trotter CEO Chris Paulsky said.

He said that sense of community can help people overcome some of the problems that contribute to addiction and homelessness.

A rendering of Hope Village. (Courtesy Next Step of West Michigan)

A rendering of Hope Village. (Courtesy Next Step of West Michigan)

Residents will pay rent, but part of that will be saved for them to use as a down payment on a house or deposit on a new apartment when they move out of Hope Village.

Its wonderful as a starter home. So we see this as a place where people can go from a shelter, maybe from transitional housing into a permanent home, Palusky said.

Program for women who are homeless yields staggering outcomes, nonprofit says

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The homes are a part of a program to get people out of Mel Trotters shelter by helping them build a stable life through work. Participants learn skills and trades at the Next Step manufacturing facility and are able to earn a living wage as they help assemble the structures.

We always try to prevent people from becoming homeless. We dont want people to be homeless, and if they come to our shelter, we dont want them to stay, Paulsky said. To do that, sometimes you need mental health care, addiction issues (treatment), skill training, job training, housing. And this is one piece to help people live a life in a home.

Mel Trotter and Next Step say Hope Village still needs donations to come to fruition, and they are always accepting help from volunteers.

Right now, Next Step offers a seven-week training program in wood manufacturing and general construction, then helps graduates secure employment. With a $300,000 grant it recently got from Lowes, it plans to soon develop the carpentry program into a full on-the-job training model.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  The N.C. Forest Service has issued a statewide ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective 8 a.m. Friday, March 21.

The order comes amid increased fire risk that stems from long-term dry conditions and anticipated high winds behind a cold front. It will be in place until further notice.

Click here to see our latest Pinpoint Weather forecast! 

It is spring wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing wildfire activity increase due to dry conditions, said NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler in a statement. With these ongoing conditions, a statewide burn ban is necessary to reduce the risk of wildfires starting and spreading quickly. Our top priority is always to protect lives, property and forestland across the state. It is imperative that folks adhere to this burn ban until further notice.

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Under state law, this ban prohibits all open burning in all 100 counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued. The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183 court costs. Any person responsible for setting a fire may be liable for any expenses related to extinguishing the fire.

The burn ban does not apply to fires started within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. A local fire marshal has authority to issue a burn ban within that 100 feet space.

NC homeowners insurance rates could rise in the coming years following recent natural disasters

Local fire departments and law enforcement officers are assisting the N.C. Forest Service in enforcing the burn ban.

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The N.C. Forest Service will continue to monitor conditions. Residents with questions regarding a specific county can contact their N.C. Forest Service county ranger or their county fire marshals office.

If you see a wildfire, call 911.

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LAURINBURG, N.C. (WBTW)  North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has signed an extradition warrant for the suspect in a deadly September shooting at a Laurinburg Waffle House, according to Laurinburg police.

Florwer Carlin Lizano was captured in Portsmouth, Virginia, in January, but refused to waive his extradition to North Carolina, where he faces a murder charge in the killing of Burlie Dawson Locklear, 18, at the restaurant on Scotland Crossing Drive.

Laurinburg police use app to help solve crimes

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Laurinburg Assistant Police Chief Chris Young said after Lizanos arrest that the extradition process could be 45 to 90 days. Its still unclear when he will be returned to Scotland County.

The shooting happened at about 12:40 a.m. on Sept. 13. Police said Lizano entered the business and ordered food. While it was being prepared, he became agitated and verbally abusive toward employees.

After getting the food, police said Lizano walked toward the parking lot, turned around and fired two shots in the direction of the business, hitting Locklear, who died later at Scotland Memorial Hospital.

* * *

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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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor)

The North Carolina Senate approved a bill Thursday authorizing gun owners to carry handguns without a permit, moving the legislation to the House.

Lawmakers shepherded Senate Bill 50, Freedom to Carry NC, through two committee hearings this week. It passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday and the Senate Rules Committee on Wednesday.

Under the bill, residents of North Carolina who are U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age, and not otherwise prohibited by law would be able to carry concealed handguns without obtaining a permit.

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Its primary sponsors are Sens. Danny Britt (R-Hoke, Robeson, Scotland), Warren Daniel (R-Buncombe, Burke, McDowell), and Eddie Settle (R-Alexander, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin).

The measure passed 26-18 in a party line vote after the Senate adopted five amendments and rejected 11 others. Four Republicans and two Democrats had excused absences. Senators debated the bill for about two hours. Click here to see the text of the bill and each of the amendments, and the results of the various rollcall votes.

North Carolina law currently requires gun owners to obtain permits from their local sheriffs office in order to carry a concealed handgun. Concealed carry also requires a minimum of eight hours of training.

If passed into law, North Carolina would become the 30th state to allow what proponents call constitutional carry  meaning concealed carry without a permit. The legislation would still allow concealed carry permits to be issued for the purpose of reciprocity when traveling in another state.

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The chamber considered a myriad of proposed amendments to the bill, adopting five and defeating three of them. Eight (all from Democratic senators) were tabled  a tactic often used in the Legislative Building that allows amendment opponents to say that they didnt cast a no vote on a popular proposal.

Democrats add amendments to benefit slain officers and their families

Sen. Mujtaba Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg) proposed amendments to care for the loved ones of those affected by gun violence. Both of them passed.

One would increase the amount paid for line-of-duty deaths. This means the Industrial Commission would award a death benefit of $150,000 to the family or estate of the covered person killed in the line of duty, a change from the original texts $100,000.

Mohammed also won approval for an amendment that would establish a college scholarship for the children of permanently disabled or slain law enforcement officers.

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Under the proposal, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors would develop a scholarship program for children between the ages of 17 and 28 whose parent or legal guardian is a law enforcement officer, correctional officer, firefighter, volunteer firefighter, or rescue squad worker who is permanently disabled as a direct result of a traumatic injury sustained in the line of duty.

Mohammed thanked his colleagues for voting in support of his proposals, but expressed his wish that it wouldnt come to that point  he doesnt want families to resort to support from the state in lieu of the lives of their loved ones.

I truly and genuinely dont want our officers to have to get that death benefit if theyre alive and they could be there and support their families, he said. I urge you to stand with law enforcement, to keep the safeguards that protect officers and their families and the communities they serve, or you can vote to continue to put them even more danger.

Primary sponsor increases penalties for certain firearm crimes

The chamber also voted to adopt three amendments from Britt to increase penalties for the violation of firearm-related criminal laws.

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One of Britts amendments would increase the punishment for committing an assault with a firearm against certain emergency, medical, and law enforcement personnel. Violators would be guilty of a Class D felony, which has a maximum penalty of 5 to 10 years in prison.

A second amendment from Britt changes the bill text so that a person who discharges a firearm during the commission or attempted commission of a felony becomes guilty of a Class C felony. These offenses carry a maximum penalty of 10 to 25 years in prison.

That would be an additional sentence someone would get if they were convicted of a felony while discharging a firearm, Britt said.

Under Britts third amendment, a person who possesses a firearm during the commission or attempted commission of a felony will be guilty of a Class F or Class G felony.

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Failed amendments dealt with requiring security systems in certain buildings  schools, government buildings, and hospitals  and strengthening gun laws at certain locations  for example, places selling alcohol, state property, parades, and schools.

House Democrats denounce substance, pace of legislation

A similar bill is moving through North Carolinas lower chamber.

House Bill 5, or the NC Constitutional Carry Act, bears many similarities to SB 50. The main difference is it allows elected officials in the state to carry a concealed firearm while performing their official duties if the official has a concealed handgun permit.

The measure passed the House Judiciary 2 Committee on Wednesday, advancing it to the House Rules Committee.

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House Democratic Leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham, Randolph) described the legislation as a recipe for disaster.

This would make North Carolinians less safe and people understand that, Reives said in a statement. Either of these bills becoming law would make North Carolina a more dangerous place.

Rep. Tracy Clark (D-Guilford) held a press conference condemning the bills immediately following the Senates vote on SB 50.

She accused Republican legislators of pushing the measures through without listening to community members and their wishes.

They have rushed this through because they know if they actually took the time to hear from law enforcement, gun violence survivors, domestic violence victims and our constituents at large, it would become blatantly clear that the majority of North Carolinians do not want this, Clark said.

This story has been updated.
By Hyunsu Yim

(Reuters) -North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test-firing of the country's latest anti-aircraft missile system on Thursday, state media KCNA reported, as some experts said Pyongyang was probably getting technical help from Russia to perfect such systems.

Kim thanked what was referred to as a research group for the system. The test-firing showed it was "highly reliable" and its combat response was "advantageous," KCNA said in its report on Friday.

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The test conducted by North Korea's Missile Administration was to examine the performance of a system whose production has already begun, it said.

KCNA did not specify where the test was held, but said Kim was joined by members of the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.

Photographs supplied by KCNA showed a plume from a missile soaring into the sky and a mid-air explosion. Other images showed Kim apparently observing the test and then smiling.

Experts said Pyongyang might be receiving help from Russia for the anti-aircraft missile system, particularly given how security ties have become increasingly entwined."In the past North Korea has introduced Soviet weapon systems and developed weapons based on them, and it is highly likely that Russia has given correspondingly what North Korea demands because of the strengthening of cooperation," said Shin Seung-ki, head of research on North Korea's military at the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. South Korea's national security adviser said last year that Russia had provided North Korea with anti-air missiles and air defence equipment in return for sending troops to support Moscow in its war against Ukraine.

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Shin also noted although North Korea has made ballistic missiles on its own, it was far harder to produce interceptor missiles without additional help.

"It's much more complicated because there's not just missiles, but a detection and tracking radar, and there's a command and control system," Shin said.

South Korea's military was aware in advance of a possible missile launch which ended up taking place about 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) on Thursday in North Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing an official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Seoul and Washington wrapped up their latest annual joint military drills, known as Freedom Shield, on Thursday. They say such exercises are defensive, but Pyongyang has long demanded a halt to U.S.-South Korea joint exercises, branding them a prelude to an invasion.

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In a statement carried by KCNA, a spokesperson for North Korea's defence ministry criticized the latest joint drills by South Korea and the United States, calling them "reckless" and "a rehearsal of war."

All options for containing the U.S. and South Korea were being considered, including the use of the "most destructive and deadly military means", the statement said, while urging the militaries of both countries to stop their acts.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Additional Reporting by Joyce Lee; Editing by Nia Williams, Ed Davies)
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW)  The Grand Strand is entering spring break season, where thousands of college students crowd area beaches for festivities.

The North Myrtle Beach Police Department is working to keep those students and locals safe through its Community Action Response Team.

Were thrilled, the fact that people feel safe coming to North Myrtle Beach, that families feel safe sending their kid down here, and letting them enjoy the spring break, and blow off some steam from school, and everything else, North Myrtle Beach officer Pat Wilkinson said. However, we do want to make sure that we keep it that way, and that it is a safe community for kids to come down and enjoy themselves, and parents feel comfortable.

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The Community Action Response Team has protected people for about 10 years. It is a special task force that educates spring breakers on how to stay safe and respect the citys residents and property during their vacation.

For example, if a resident calls the police about a loud party on their street, the task force will go to the party and give the tourists a warning. Then, the officers will remind them that not everyone is on vacation and that some residents have work the next day.

However, Wilkinson says some spring breakers have large parties in the middle of streets and steal road signs.

If somebodys in trouble, and theyre not familiar with the area, they typically tend to look for a road sign, he said. If its 34th Avenue or whatever it may be, Sea Mountain, then thats how theyre going to get emergency personnel to them. So, think about that aspect of it, as opposed to, Hey, this is a funny prank.

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The task force also educates local business owners on knowing what to look out for when it comes to underage drinking.

Were partnering with all of our bar owners and everything else, helping them out, walking through, making sure that no underage drinkers are trying to sneak in and throw them a fake I.D., Wilkinson said. Well go validate identifications for them.

Wilkinson says officers try to give spring breakers a warning before enforcement. But enforcement may be necessary.

We hope we dont have to take enforcement action, Wilkinson said. But if we do have to take you to the police department and wait for your parents to come pick you up, well do it, no matter where theyre coming from.

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However, Wilkinson says the police department is here to protect spring breakers.

Our Community Action Response Team, or CAR Team, is out there for more than just the party police, if you will, he said. Were also trying to keep them safe from local criminals that we do know would seize the advantage to go and infiltrate their party and rob them.

Wilkinson says even if spring breakers are at a party, they should not be afraid to call the police if they are in danger.

News13 spoke to one spring breaker who says she appreciates North Myrtle Beachs police presence.

Even just local drive-bys, and seeing them around, makes me feel comforted, especially around the beach areas, Ana Chiaia said.

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* * *

Skylar Musick is a multimedia journalist at News13. Skylar is originally from Long Island, New York. She joined the News13 team in June 2024 after graduating from Villanova University in May 2024. Follow Skylar on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and read more of her work here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
NORTH SIOUX CITY, S.D. (KCAU)  North Sioux City residents will be able to hears from candidates directly ahead of the April special election.

The City of North Sioux City announced that there will be a town hall Monday, March 24, in the city hall council chambers from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Candidates for the new governments North Sioux City Commission will give their reasons for why they should be voted to the commission. There will be opening remarks, sponsor-submitted questions, audience Q&A, and closing statements.

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There are 10 candidates, two each in the five open positions for the new commissioner form of government. Below are the five positions and the candidates running for the positions.

Mayor  Chris Bogenief and Greg Meyer

4-year commissioner  Lynn Hoffman and Kodi Benson

3-year commissioner  Julie Burhoop and Bob Davis

2-year commissioner  Jessica Jo Strain and Daniel Zurff

1-year commissioner  David James Wilch and Vincent D. Tucker

What is the spring equinox and how does it different from meteorological spring?

Residents voted in December 2024 to change the citys current form of government after a successful petition signed by hundreds of residents.

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The government will change from the current aldermanic form of government to a commissioner form. Under the aldermanic form, there are nine elected officials: a mayor and eight city council members that represent a total of four wards. However, under the commissioner form, there will be five elected officials: a mayor and four commissioners that represent the city at-large.

During a recent city council meeting, council members discussed the frequently-asked questions for this election during Mondays meeting.

The election for new city commissioners is set for April 8 with absentee voting starting on March 24.

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WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Northwest Texas Field and Stream offers an essential hunter education course this Saturday to ensure local hunters meet state requirements and practice safe, responsible hunting to be held on Saturday, March 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Northwest Texas Field and Stream office at 2005 Southwest Pkwy.

Texas law mandates that everyone born on or after September 2, 1971, must complete a hunter education course before obtaining a hunting license.

The course covers firearm safety, hunting practices, Texas laws, and wildlife conservation. Participants must be at least nine years old on the day of the class.

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Pre-registration is required through the Texas Parks and Wildlife website and attendees must bring a printed copy of their registration.

A $15 fee will be due at the check-in, which begins at 7:45 a.m.

Frank Jones, Director of Northwest Texas Field and Stream, emphasized the importance of hunter education in reducing accidents and ensuring responsible hunting.

They do have a listing, and it goes all the way back to when they started hunters education, and you can see the decline in accidents and fatalities since then, Jones said.

If you want to participate, visit the Northwest Texas Field & Stream Association.

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The 24-year-old man charged in the fatal 2022 shooting death of Jashira Pagan of Norwich rejected a 37-year prison sentence on Wednesday, moving his case closer to a trial.

Atlantikh Balidemaj appeared in Norwich Superior Court, where he rejected an offer from Senior Assistant State's Attorney Thomas DeLillo that would involve pleading guilty to murder in connection with the shooting death of Pagan, who was 30. Had he accepted the plea offer, Balidemaj would have faced 37 years in prison but avoided a trial and the possibility of a stiffer sentence. In Connecticut, a conviction of murder carries between 25 and 60 years in prison.

Balidemaj, represented by attorney William T. Koch Jr., is free after posting a $5 million bond on Oct. 24, 2024, and was in court Wednesday to answer to questions from Judge John Newson. As a result of the rejection, the state's offer was withdrawn, and the case was placed on a trial list to be called at an undetermined date for jury selection.

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Balidemaj is charged with murder, carrying a pistol without a permit and illegal discharge of a firearm in the Nov. 5, 2022, killing of Pagan outside Pagan's mother's home at Uncas Condominiums on Route 32 in Norwich. Police said Pagan was found shot in the face and remained on life support with no brain activity for two days before she died.

During a probable cause hearing last year, Pagan's mother, Arisleida Lopez, testified that on the morning of the shooting she had heard yelling coming from her daughter's room and confronted a shirtless Balidemaj, telling him to leave. Lopez had testified that Pagan had followed Balidemaj outside to chase after her dog. Lopez testified that she was getting ready for work when police arrived at her door and she went outside to find her daughter on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound.

Balidemaj and Pagan had met the night before the shooting at Modelo Bar & Grill, also known as Bella Fiore, which is walking distance from Lopez's home and owned by Balidemaj's father. Balidemaj and Pagan had spent the night together.

Balidemaj has maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty to the charges. In an interview with police, Balidemaj admitted sleeping with Pagan but said on the morning of the shooting she told him her boyfriend was outside knocking on the door. Balidemaj, police said, claimed he ran from the home and heard a bang" when he was in the nearby woods.

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Koch, during the probable cause hearing, questioned what motive Balidemaj would have for killing Pagan.

Norwich police, on the morning of the shooting, caught up with Balidemaj walking along a stretch of Route 32 about a mile away from the scene of the shooting. Balidemaj's father and brother showed up to the scene while he was being questioned. Balidemaj's brother, Vullneter Balidemaj, told police his brother had called at 5:08 a.m. that morning, telling him he was uncomfortable, saying, "I really need you to come and get me right now. I don't want to be here. It's a very bad situation, the police report states.

Police never recovered the gun used in the shooting but said Balidemaj's clothing tested positive for gunshot residue. During previous testimony, Koch said the residue may have come from a nail gun Balidemaj was using a day prior to the shooting.

DeLillo declined to comment on the case. Koch declined to comment on any specifics in the case but said he looked forward to jury selection and would be filing multiple pre-trial motions in anticipation of the trial.

g.smith@theday.com
Congressional Democrats  who were hoping to blast Republicans over budget cuts  instead took incoming from their exasperated constituents when they traveled home to host town halls.

In Arizona, Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly were confronted at a joint forum Monday by an attendee demanding to know if they would support removing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer . In Oregon, an audience member told Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Janelle Bynum on Sunday that he is so pissed off right now at the leadership in the United States Senate that they are not willing to step up and fight.

Schumer has done what I think is the most destructive thing that he could possibly do as Democratic leader, another cried on Saturday to Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont.

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And those reactions were relatively mild compared to the scene that played out in the Washington suburbs Tuesday night when Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) held a town hall.

Youre not fighting! one woman shouted from the balcony, before being escorted out. We are suffering!

If Democrats were wondering where their 2017-era grassroots resistance army had gone, theyve found their answer. Schumers willingness to vote with Republicans to advance a spending bill  and avoid a shutdown  has enraged the Democratic faithful not just in Washington, but across the nation. The blast radius is spreading throughout the party, far beyond Schumer.

In testy exchanges, town hall attendees pressed congressional Democrats to stop trying to strike compromises with Republicans, to adopt a stance that matches the gravity of the moment and to cease using court rulings or the midterms as their solution. What many hoped could have been a unifying force  a principle-driven government shutdown  exposed deep cleavages in a party still smarting from widespread losses last fall.

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"If you're Chuck Schumer, you're wondering, Why aren't you screaming at Trump? Why aren't you angry at the Republicans? said former Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski, who began a town hall last week in his old New Jersey district just as news broke of Schumers decision. We could ride that anger in two years to take back the House and the Senate. But most Democrats worry that we can't wait for two years."

Malinowski held the event because the GOP incumbent who ousted him would not.

It was only weeks ago that House Republicans were facing their own rowdy forums as constituents and liberal grassroots groups protested Elon Musk's attempt to dismantle the federal government. In response, the House GOP campaign chief urged them to stop holding in-person town halls .

Democrats seized on that hesitance, organizing their own events as a contrast. National Democratic groups even organized a tour to hold town halls in the districts of GOP Congress members who refused to schedule any themselves.

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But the congressional recess kicked off with Schumer's announcement that he would vote to advance the GOP bill to fund the government. And so congressional Democrats returned home to voters exasperated not just by Republicans, but also by their own party's leadership.

Two local progressive groups organized "empty chair" town halls to be held later this week in the districts of Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) , who both helped enact Republicans' spending bill.

At the town halls that Democrats did hold, plenty of attendees expressed frustration with Trump, Musk and the GOP-controlled Congress. But voters also critiqued the Democratic party, according to a review of video, audio and local news reports of town halls in Arizona, Oregon, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois and Vermont.

Democrats hosting the events fielded the barbs differently.

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In Maryland, Ivey initially won over the crowd gathered Tuesday in a high school auditorium when he suggested  it may be time  for Schumer to step aside.

But the event grew more raucous as anger built over Iveys repeated pivots to declaring the courts to be the best bulwark against Trump, while looking ahead to the midterms  some 20 months from now  as Democrats most efficient tool to thwart the administration.

Barbra Bearden, a recently fired federal employee, tersely told Ivey: Dont talk to me about the courts, dont talk to me about the next election  I came here to find out what my congressman is specifically doing.

Similar to Ivey, Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) nodded and said "yes" when asked by a town hall attendee if Schumer should "retire or step down."

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In Arizona, when an attendee demanded to know if the senators would support ousting Schumer, Gallego deflected. Were focusing on this right now, he said before turning to address Spanish-speaking voters and media.

Others pleaded with their constituents to stay united.

In Oregon, Wyden said he prepared to field questions about Schumer's future and rose early in the morning pondering his response. Trump would love to be able to bait Americans over various distractions and I would just ask please, please don't fall for it, he said, declining to directly address whether the minority leader should be deposed.

And in Vermont, when Welch acknowledged fears that a shutdown could make it easier for Musk to continue his destructive work, a constituent interrupted to voice skepticism.

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I understand you dont buy it, Welch said, later pleading: We have to get over the fact that we lost in that particular debate and not turn our ally, who just has a reasonable disagreement with us, into the enemy.

With Congress in recess, Schumer this week has embarked on a charm offensive aimed at improving his public standing.

Yet he is doing so from the comfort of a television studio rather than taking the risk of any close up and sustained encounters with a seething activist base. Citing security concerns, Schumer canceled public appearances in Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York this week for Antisemitism in America: A Warning, his newly released book.

During an appearance on The View Tuesday , Schumer sought to not just explain his rationale for backing the Republican-drafted funding measure, but project confidence that he will maintain his grip on leadership of the Senate Democrats.

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When you're a leader, if you see a real crisis a little bit down the road, your job is to stand up and say, We cannot do that. And thats what I did, Schumer said.

When host Alyssa Farah Griffin, a Republican, asked if it was time to step down, Schumer was unequivocal in his response.

When we dont have a president, we have a lot of leaders, the embattled Brooklynite said. We have a lot of really strong talent in the Senate, in the House, in the governors, we have a great bench. But as far as the Senate caucus, of which Im the leader  I should be the leader.

That is far from a consensus view within the party. Democratic strategist Aisha Mills suggested the lingering anguish over the funding measure exposed a widening gap between elected officials and the activist base.

He didn't have the fight that we really as Democrats wanted and needed him to as a leader, Mills said of Schumer. It felt like a bit of a cop out.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  The staffing shortage at One Police Plaza continues to handcuff New York Citys finest at all badge levels.

NYPD unions warn that a wave of retirements is leading to burnout among cops left to handle heavier caseloads and more shifts.

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Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledges the crisis. Im not going to sugarcoat itthe NYPD is in a hiring crisis, and its not a budget problem, she said.

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All of the citys police unions are sounding the alarm.

Scott Munro, president of the Detectives Endowment Association, said, I have a little under 1,700 detectives who can retire by the end of the year.

Munro, who took over the union last summer, is working to keep experienced investigators from leaving.

We used to have 7,200 detectives. It means fewer people on cases, Munro said. Counterterrorism had 150 people after 9/11there are 12 detectives right now.

When asked whether cases are slipping through the cracks, he responded, Not yet, but do we wait until they do?

Munro said current detective staffing is just under 5,000about 2,000 fewer than before 9/11. So far this year, 390 detectives have filed for retirement, putting the department on pace to surpass last years total of 453.

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But officers arent necessarily calling it a career. Many are pursuing a better work-life balance in other departments and in other states.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Currently, 300 new detectives are being trained, but getting experience takes time, training takes at least 18 months.

It takes years to cultivate that skill, said Michael Alcazar, a former NYPD detective who now teaches criminal justice at John Jay College.

Alcazar was shocked to learn that the average detective is now handling more than 500 cases a year while also working patrol shifts.

You learn by doing and being guided by a veteran, and I feel like cases will suffer, he said. Five hundred cases a year is a lot.

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Last year, the citys average murder arrest rate was just under 50%.

Alcazar warned that the staffing crisis could impact families seeking closure and public safety overall.

Cases will be delayed. The rate of solving homicides is low now, and thats because detectives are retiring, he said.

The NYPD is working to bolster department staffing to 35,000 officers.

We are aggressively working toward that goal, and recently, 600 additional police officers hit the streets and the subway system. In January, a new class of 1,000 recruits entered the academy and will be assigned to patrol this year, the department said in a statement.

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Pipe bomb threats. Creepy unwanted pizza deliveries. Threatening messages.

These are some of the threats federal judges have been facing in recent weeks, adding to an already tense atmosphere in which Donald Trump and his allies continue to lash out at officials who have ruled against parts of the presidents agenda.

I feel like people are playing Russian roulette with our lives, federal Judge Esther Salas said in an interview with The New York Times.. Her 20-year-old son was shot and killed at her home in 2020 by a disgruntled lawyer.

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This is not hyperbole, she told the newspaper. I am begging our leaders to realize that there are lives at stake.

The threats have impacted judges and their families from across the political spectrum.

Earlier this month, an anonymous individual claimed they had placed a pipe bomb at the Charleston, South Carolina, home of Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

Federal judges have faced bomb threats, SWATing calls, and eerie anonymous warnings as the Trump administration continues attacking the judiciary as corrupt. Now, some are speaking out about the threat judges face (DC District Court / Getty)

Family members have also been the targets of unwanted pizza deliveries, gestures law enforcement believes are meant to be warnings.

An anonymous federal judge, overseeing litigation against the Trump administration, told the Times they had received one such alarming delivery.

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They know where you and your family members live, the judge said of the chilling message such a delivery sends.

Another federal judge, John C. Coughenhour, who issued an order blocking the administrations attempts to unilaterally end birthright citizenship, was the victim of a so-called SWATing attack, in which an anonymous tipster called in a phony threat about an armed man, sending a mass of police officers to the judges home.

Meanwhile, judges Paul Engelmayer and Jeannette Vargas, who are overseeing lawsuits against Elon Musks DOGE program, have been assigned extra security.

While federal judges have long faced violent threats  for instance, in 2022, when an armed man broke into the home of Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh  some observers say the present political climate, with Trump, Musk, and their allies repeatedly attacking all federal judges who rule against them as corrupt, has made the situation worse.

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Ive never seen judges as uneasy as they are now, former Pennsylvania federal just John Jones II told Reuters.

Musk has been loudly supportive of calls to impeach U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who ordered the Trump administration to turn around a group of recent deportation flights to El Salvador amid a challenge to the White Houses invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act for rapid deportations  a court order the administration ignored. (The government has argued it was authorized to continue the flights because an initial warning was given as a verbal order, and the planes were in international airspace.)

In recent days, Musk has donated thousands of dollars to GOP members of Congress pushing for Boasbergs impeachment. He has also reshared a post from conservative activist Charlie Kirk calling federal judges like Boasberg gavel-wielding dictators. In addition, the unelected White House adviser has called on wants Congress to impeach the judges and restore rule of the people.

Trump, for his part, has blasted Boasberg as a Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator and claimed the judge is trying to seize presidential powers in the deportations case.

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The administrations repeated demonization of Boasberg, as well as its attempt to remove him from the case and calls for impeachment prompted a rare public rebuke from Chief Supreme Court Justice John Roberts.

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, he said earlier this week.

Despite these attacks, the White House says it condemns threats against judges.

"The White House condemns any threats to really any public officials, despite our feelings that a lot of these people are leftist, crazy judges that aren't following the Constitution," a spokesperson said earlier this month. "Just because these people are leftist, crazy, unconstitutional people doesn't mean they deserve to be harmed. That's not how you engage with disputes in this country."

The Trump administration has sought to undermine judiciary influence in other ways, including firing Justice Department officials who worked on past investigations of the president, and stripping security privileges from law firms that the president deems his political enemies.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The American Postal Workers Union rallied in Tampa on Thursday to speak out against a proposal by President Donald Trump to privatize the U.S. Postal Service.

Over 50 people turned up to protest outside the Carrollwood post office as part of a nationwide day of action. Organizers said over 150 communities across the country are holding demonstrations on Thursday.

Florida man to be executed today for the killing of an 8-year-old girl, her grandmother

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Protesters held signs with messages like Trump: hands off our public postal service and the post office belongs to the people, not the billionaires.

This comes after Trump and billionaire Elon Musk proposed moving USPS into the commerce department or turning it into a private business. The USPS is also largely self-funded by charges for packages, stamps and other services, not by taxes.

This is the peoples postal service, emphasis on service, APWU President Mark Dimondstein said in a statement. If this administration succeeds in taking over the USPS, it will lead to higher prices and reduced service, especially in rural areas.

Tampa APWU President Don Barron said that if USPS is privatized, a single stamp could cost as much as $7.

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Privatizing the post office for the public will be a disaster, Barron said. Theyre taking about raising the rates up to 140% and lowering the service for what is a national treasure, and it is something that the public needs to be aware is currently in process.

The USPS, which has been operating for 250 years, is enshrined in the Constitution. It would take an act of Congress to change how the postal service operates.

It belongs to the people on Main Street, it shouldnt be handed over to Wall Street, Dimondstein said. The U.S. mail is not for sale.

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Two local Congressmen are raising the alarm about an issue that could make it harder for military members, veterans, and their families to access health care.

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Hundreds of medical groups in the Eastern United States have complained that they are not being reimbursed by TRICARE, which is the primary insurance provider for the military.

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Starting January 1st of this year, a new contractor took over reimbursement responsibilities for TRICARE East, which covers all US states East of Mississippi.

But according to Congressman Aaron Bean (R-FL District 4) the rollout has been a disaster.

Ironically, at least what our research says, that the vendor was changed because there was a problem before, said Bean.

Bean told Action News Jax hundreds of health care providers, some whose patient populations are as high as 50 percent TRICARE beneficiaries, are not getting reimbursed for the services theyve provided.

Bean said over 10,000 visits totaling millions of dollars have gone unpaid.

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So, this current vendor is trying to play catch up, but its not working, said Bean.

Bean and Congressman John Rutherford signed onto this letter sent to the Acting Director of the Defense Health Agency demanding answers regarding what steps are being taken to correct the problem, why it happened in the first place, and what will be done to prevent it from happening again.

Maybe its not the vendor. Maybe its something else with the payment systems or codes or computer software or something. Whatever it is we gotta fix it, said Bean.

For now, Bean said military members here in Northeast Florida, are already starting to see their care impacted, with some providers already starting to drop TRICARE recipients.

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He fears if this problem goes unresolved, smaller health care providers could even be put out of business.

Men and women shouldnt have to wait for care, Northeast clinics that treat our men and women in uniform shouldnt have to worry about the federal government paying the bill. Thats what we do, said Bean.

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SOUTHINGTON, Ohio (WKBN)  The search continues for a man who has been missing from Southington for a month, but several searches of the area  including a more recent search of two ponds  have yielded no results.

Robert Wolf, 82, was last heard from at his residence on Herner County Line Road in Southington on Friday, Feb. 21. His cell phone and vehicle were left at the home, and he has not been seen or heard from since then.

More than 100 volunteers searched the area near Wolfs home earlier this month.

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On Wednesday, the Trumbull County Sheriffs Office, in collaboration with Trumbull County EMA and the Ohio Branch K-9 Search Team, conducted another search operation in Southington. That search included using a dive team, as well as an underwater drone, to search two ponds. A K-9 cadaver dog also searched the area.

Nothing was found, however.

The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact the Trumbull County Sheriffs Office at 330-675-2508 or Trumbull County Dispatch at 330-675-2730.

Robert C. Wolf, missing man from Southington, Ohio

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Nourish Up, a Charlotte organization dedicated to combating food insecurity celebrates its 50th anniversary of serving the community through food pantries and meal deliveries.

Local nonprofit unveils new name, expands food programs

Formed last year by the merger of Loaves and Fishes and Friendship Trays, Nourish Up continues a legacy that began in 1975 and 1976, respectively. The organization has been a vital resource in providing food support to those in need across Charlotte and Mecklenburg County.

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We need the Charlotte, Mecklenburg community to step up now more than ever for our hungry neighbors, said Tina Postel, CEO of Nourish Up, highlighting the ongoing demand for their services.

Despite the milestone anniversary, Nourish Up faces increasing challenges as food insecurity continues to rise in the region. The organization relies heavily on community support and donations to maintain its services.

Food pantry sets new record serving families as need grows

As Nourish Up marks its 50th year, the organization remains a cornerstone in the fight against hunger in Charlotte, urging the community to continue its support to meet the growing needs.

Click here if you want to know more and help.

VIDEO: Food pantry sets new record serving families as need grows
















Ukraines Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war, could be restored and protected by US ownership  at least according to the Americans.

But its unclear how the operation would work in practice, experts say, especially as the plant is on the front line, in territory controlled by Russia.

As part of ongoing talks to inch toward a partial ceasefire, US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky discussed Ukraines electrical supply and nuclear power plants during a Wednesday phone call, according to the US readout of the call.

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(Trump) said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the readout said.

On Thursday, Zelensky disputed that section, saying: In terms of ownership, we definitely did not discuss this with President Trump. Zelensky stressed that all nuclear power belongs to the (Ukrainian) state, including the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region.

Zelensky said the day before that Ukraine is ready to consider the possibility of American investment in the restoration and modernization of Zaporizhzhia. During a news conference after his call with Trump, Zelensky said they only discussed the occupied Zaporizhzhia plant, rather than Ukraines wider nuclear power network.

I believe that the station will not work under occupation. I believe that the station can be restored to operation, Zelensky said, also cautioning that the process will take an estimated two years or more.

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Before Russias full-scale invasion in 2022, the Zaporizhzhia plant supplied roughly 20% of Ukraines energy, with six reactors, making it the largest nuclear power station in Europe. Ukrainian staff remain at the plant under Russian occupation, and at one point staff were forced to work at gunpoint.

But the plant is now disconnected from the grid and the electricity infrastructure required to operate the plant safely has been damaged by drone strikes and frequent shelling. Russia also destroyed the nearby Kakhovka dam, emptying the reservoir that supplied water to cool the plant.

All six reactors are shut down and there are concerns over the plants ongoing maintenance, as explosions continue nearby, according to a UN nuclear watchdog team on the ground.

When asked about how the US could potentially run a Ukrainian nuclear plant, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News that he didnt believe it would require American troops on the ground.

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Certainly, we have immense technical expertise in the United States to run those plants. I dont think that requires boots on the ground, Wright said. But Ill leave the foreign policy to President Trump and Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio. I know they are working tirelessly, How do we bring peace to Ukraine?

But, if it was helpful to achieve that end  have the US run nuclear power plants in Ukraine? No problem. We can do that, Wright added.

But experts question how feasible the idea floated by the Trump administration would be.

Operating the plant safely would require a safe, constant power supply to avoid a reactor meltdown, as well as the restoration of sufficient water supplies for cooling the plant.

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The first word of business would be to establish definitively that there could be no attacks on either the plant directly or on the supporting infrastructure  both power and water resources  and that would have to be iron-clad, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. So far, that kind of agreement has been elusive, as shelling occurs at a daily basis in the vicinity of the reactors.

Kyiv has blamed Russian forces for destroying the Kakhovka dam in June 2023, emptying the reservoir that supplied water to cool the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. - Alexander Ermochenko/Reuters

Theres no point in trying to rebuild a plant and operate it if it could be jeopardized at any moment, Lyman said. And the notion that US-ownership would somehow be more of a deterrent to Russia attacking the plant than now, when the Russians themselves control the plant, that doesnt make sense either.

The idea of US operation raises a whole lot of logistical and technical and practical questions that are very unclear, Lyman said, including the question of US liability for any accident at the facility. With ownership or operator status comes responsibility.

Nuclear experts have also highlighted that the US does not have any nuclear plants that use the same class of technology as Zaporizhzhia, which is a Soviet-designed water water energetic reactor (abbreviated as VVER in Russian).

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These are different technologies, said Elena Sokova, director of the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, adding that there are strict licensing requirements for the plants operators.

The US is an advanced country but to be prepared to immediately take control of something that is of a different design, designed by different country, and where you have no experience of running it  I dont think its a good solution or viable option.

Having said that, if were talking about a long process, Im sure certain things could be worked out, particularly if there is an arrangement to have the majority of the Ukrainian staff and operators running these reactors, Sokova added.

Rescuers and police officers attend an anti-radiation drill in June 2023 in case of an emergency situation at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. - Reuters

Ukraine wants role in restoration of plant

Zelensky emphasized on Wednesday night that safe restoration of the plant is in the whole worlds interest, and Ukraine should have a role in that because it is ours, and this is our land, this is our station.

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The Ukrainian president said any return of the plant would not be possible without control of the area where it is located  the city of Enerhodar  on the Russian-occupied side of the Zaporizhzhia region.

If you just hand over the station, and a meter away from the station, everything is occupied or there are Russian weapons, no one will work like that, Zelensky told reporters, raising concerns that the plant could be restored with US and Ukrainian investment, only to have Russia possibly damage or destroy it again later.

As fighting continues along the front line, the dire situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant remains unchanged, Andrian Prokip, energy program director at the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, wrote last month.

It still does not receive adequate maintenance and it continues to serve as a Russian ammunition depot, said Prokip, also a senior associate at the Wilson Center.

CNNs Svitlana Vlasova, Christian Edwards and DJ Judd contributed to this report.

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Brooklyn students fooled into sending nude images to an ex-Jeopardy! champ teacher were ruined by the catfishing scheme, according to victim statements read at his sentencing on Wednesday.

Former private school math teacher and TV trivia whiz Winston Nguyen, 38, will spend the next seven years in prison as punishment for his crimes after statements were read from his ashamed victims who revealed how he preyed on their innocence and trust.

You took advantage of me when I was at a mental low, one victim wrote in an impact statement read aloud to the courtroom. You gave me the validation my young, impressionable mind needed. You used this to manipulate me into sending you explicit photographs of myself.

Winston Nguyen sported a nice shiner after a jail assault  and was sentenced to 7 years in prison for catfishing kids for porn. Gregory P. Mango

Nguyen stood in court during the proceeding wearing a beige prison jumpsuit and a brand-new black eye  which his lawyer, Franklin Rothman, later said was the product of a jail assault that forced the disgraced trivia nerd into protective custody.

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I knew in my head it was wrong, and I should not have been doing it, the victim statement continued. But it was the only love my looks had ever received, and I was afraid of losing it.

Now, every time I look at myself, I think of you, she wrote. I think of all the inappropriate things you said about my body. You sent these images to countless people  I do not know who knows and I feel like at any moment, people are going to find out the girl who sent nudes to the teacher was me.

The truth is, theres never anything you can do to fix this. You ruined my life, broke my ability to trust.

Nguyen, who taught at the swanky Saint Anns School in Brooklyn Heights, landed in hot water for posing as a teenage boy on Snapchat and taking part in hundreds of sexual chats with kids as young as 13-years old.

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Prosecutors said Nguyen victimized at least six kids who attended a cadre of four Brooklyn private schools  including Saint Anns.

The disturbing actions  which authorities said happened between October 2022 and May 2024  led to a 30-count indictment that compelled Nguyen to surrender to the authorities last July.

Nguyen was indicted and surrendered to authorities last July. He was sentenced Wednesday. Gregory P. Mango

I deeply regret my actions, Nguyen said during the hearing. Especially to a community that had gone out of its way to support me, giving me a second chance. As a teacher, my job was to protect students, and instead, I acted selfishly.

I know my words today might be unsatisfying, he said, adding that he would talk to any families [who] wanted to have any conversations for closure.

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I truly want them to know that Im sorry.

The former Jeopardy! contestant taught math at ritzy Saint Anns in Brooklyn. YouTube / Jeopardy!

His apology rang hollow to another unidentified victim whose statement was also read in court  with the person writing that Nguyen begged for sexually explicit images of me to the point where I felt trapped.

As a young child, with very little experience with any boys, I didnt know what to do, the victim wrote, adding Nguyen wouldnt take no for an answer.

I was naive and insecure, you used my adolescence to manipulate me, the victim said. When I found out, I was horrified. You had saved and stored 80 pictures of me and sent them to other children. I was taken advantage of, exposed and humiliated by you.

Nguyen manipulated the students, some of whom were as young as 13. csuarez

Youve done far more than make bad decisions  [you] deeply hurt my friends and my family, and your actions will scar me for the rest of my life.

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Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez called Nguyens actions a sickening betrayal of trust by a schoolteacher.

Todays sentencing holds him accountable for his actions while sparing the young and vulnerable victims from having to relive this emotional abuse in court, Gonzalez said in a statement.

I commend the prosecutors and investigators who brought this defendant to justice, and the young survivors who bravely stepped forward.

Nguyen  who pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of use of a child in a sexual performance as a sexually motivated felony and five counts of endangering the welfare of a child  will also register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of supervised release.

He also has an eye-popping rap sheet that included stealing more than $300,000 from an elderly couple who hired him as a home health aide  an act that landed him in jail for four months in 2019.
Mayor Adams tapped Giuliani administration alum Randy Mastro on Thursday to become his new top deputy at City Hall, an appointment thats expected to spark controversy amid the mayors ongoing political struggles.

Mastro, a prominent attorney with a record of championing conservative causes in court, has for weeks been rumored for the first deputy mayor post, which is the second-in-command role in city government.

As first reported by the Daily News, he was initially expected to be appointed as early as at the beginning of March, when Adams named four other new deputy mayors to replace top aides who had submitted their resignations out of concern about the circumstances surrounding the Trump administrations efforts to dismiss Adams corruption case.

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Late Thursday afternoon, Adams finally made Mastros appointment official in a statement that touted his lengthy resume in both law and government.

Randy is a storied and impressive New Yorker with a track record of success in the face of some of the city and nations most challenging times, Adams statement said. I, and the whole team, welcome Randy to our administration and look forward to working side-by-side with him as we continue to lead the city forward and make New York City a safer, more affordable city that is the best place to raise a family.

According to a source close to Mastro, the delay in his appointment had to do with a personal matter he needed to resolve before taking on the high-profile role at City Hall. The source called it no big deal.

Mastro, whos a partner at a prominent Manhattan law firm and served as Mayor Rudy Giulianis chief of staff and deputy mayor for operations, is returning to City Hall at a tumultuous time.

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First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer and three of her fellow DMs  Meera Joshi, Anne Williams-Isom and Chauncey Parker  submitted their resignations Feb. 17 after privately telling Adams theyre concerned about his ability to govern the city independently after President Trumps Department of Justice moved to drop his federal corruption indictment.

In a motion seeking to dismiss Adams criminal case, the Trump DOJ wrote it wanted the case killed with the understanding it could be resurrected for a new prosecution as early as November. In the interim, the DOJ wrote in the motion, which is pending approval from a judge, that Trump expects quashing Adams case will enable him to help facilitate Trumps mass deportation agenda in New York, an unusual caveat that both allies and critics of the mayor say makes him a hostage to Trump.

The court developments have led to renewed calls for Adams to resign or be removed from office, but the mayor maintains he will stay put and run for reelection in Junes Democratic primary, even as he reels from record low approval ratings and polls projecting him losing the election. He has said there was no quid pro quo with Trump and has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Mastro first emerged as a contender in Adams administration when Adams nominated him last year to become the city governments corporation counsel. But the nomination collapsed when Mastro withdrew himself from consideration after Council Democrats made clear during a marathon confirmation hearing they would vote to block his hire due to concerns about his work for Giuliani and his conservative litigation record, including representing fossil fuel interests.

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In an appearance on PIX11 after his appointment, Mastro acknowledged he went through a grueling process before the Council.

So I must really want to serve, he joked. Unlike the corp counsel role, Mastro can serve as first deputy mayor without Council approval.

When asked whether he foresees any difficulties working with Council Democrats after his contentious confirmation battle, Mastro said that was then and this is now. He also defended Adams against accusations that the standing of his corruption case precludes him from fighting back against the Trump administration  which has threatened to strip New York City of billions of dollars in federal funding for key initiatives, including housing, education and public benefits.

I know this mayor and I know hes not afraid to speak up, Mastro said. Hes a person of conviction, and I dont see a future where he wont speak up when the city needs defending.

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A spokeswoman for Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whos running against the mayor in Junes primary and spearheaded the opposition to Mastros corp counsel nomination, issued a skeptical statement in response to his new first deputy job.

The instability of this mayoral administration has been harmful to New Yorkers and shaken their confidence in City Hall, the statement from spokeswoman Julia Agos said. The Council remains focused on ensuring city government delivers for the people and will work with any member of the administration committed to that goal.

Mastro became a serious candidate for the first deputy mayor after Frank Carone, Adams first chief of staff who remains one of his most trusted political advisers, mounted a behind-the-scenes push for the Giuliani administration alum.

As first deputy, Mastro will oversee the work of most of the other deputy mayors and report directly to the mayor.

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According to City Halls organizational chart, Mastro will also directly oversee key agencies like the New York City Housing Authority, the Department of City Planning and the city Economic Development Corporation.

On paper, the first deputy also takes over as mayor when Adams is out of town or is temporarily unable to discharge his duties.

With Josephine Stratman
NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI)  Ocean State Job Lot announced Wednesday it is acquiring 15 former Big Lots stores in eight different states.

The Rhode Island-based discount chain already has 159 locations in the Northeast, and the expansion will add two new states to its presence: Delaware and Maryland.

Job Lot said it plans to open 22 new stores this year, including the 15 Big Lots locations.

Expanding into new markets has long been part of our strategic plan, but like everything else we do, it needs to be done with value in mind, principal owner and CEO Marc Perlman said in a press release. We look forward to introducing our unique brand, friendly service, and extraordinary savings to customers in each of these new communities.

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The company, which is headquartered in North Kingstown, also said it will be hiring for up to 70 positions at each new store. Current Big Lots employees will be offered jobs.

The new stores are expected to open by mid-summer 2025.

Ocean State Job Lot has previously transformed former Christmas Tree Shops and Toys R Us stores into new locations.

Big Lots, another discount chain, filed for bankruptcy last September and began closing all of its stores. The company later reached a deal with Gordon Brothers Retail Partners to keep many of the locations open and transfer them to other retailers.

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SMYTH COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Smyth County Sheriff is reporting an officer-involved shooting has resulted in the death of a man in Saltville during an incident early on March 20.

The sheriff said deputies and EMS personnel responded to the 4200 block of Bluegrass Trail in Saltville around 12:41 a.m. on Thursday after reports of a person with a gunshot wound. Shortly after arriving at the scene, a deputy was allegedly confronted by a man with a handgun, the sheriff said.

Roanoke man arrested in connection to Lamar Burkes murder

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Further details are limited; however, the man was then shot and killed by the deputy.

The investigation is still ongoing and has been turned over to the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the deputy involved is currently on administrative leave with pay pending the investigation by BCI.

WFXR News will update this story as more information becomes available.

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A man shot by police after they thought they heard gunfire coming from his car is happy the officers were indicted. It was determined the mans car backfired, causing the popping sounds the officers heard.

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Jermaine Hernandez, the man who was shot, says he was on top of the world after hearing the grand jurys decision.

I couldnt do anything but let off tears. Just fill myself with joy, Hernandez told Channel 2s Tom Jones.

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Hernandez says the grand jurys decision is a step in the right direction.

It just lets me know, the reassurance, something is being done, Hernandez said.

Hernandez says he is lucky he was only shot in the finger when officers pulled him over on Manchester Highway in Columbus for allegedly going 100 miles per hour last year.

I do believe I could have died, he said.

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This was all because the officers believed the popping coming from his 2008 BMW 335-I was gunshots. Hernandez says his car is configured to make the popping sounds and it shouldnt have been a surprise to the officers.

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They can hear my vehicle before I even pulled over completely, he said.

His attorney, Julius Collins, says with all the officers training they should have known better. He said theres only one conclusion if theyre found guilty criminally or found responsible in civil court.

You probably shouldnt put a gun in these two officers hands, Collins said.

Collins says he has seen the video from the stop and theres no way the officers could have thought the backfiring was gunshots.

That backfiring sounds like mere popping, Collins explained.

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The grand jury must have agreed. It indicted the officers on aggravated assault and aggravated battery.

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Columbus police said it respects the grand jurys decision and is starting an internal investigation to ensure all policies and procedures were followed.

Hernandez says the officers should be fired.

I do not believe they should wear that badge, Hernandez said.

Columbus police said the officers are still on unpaid administrative leave. A spokesperson said the names of the officers will be released after they turn themselves in.

Hernandezs attorney says he plans to file a civil lawsuit in this case.
WARREN TWP., Ohio (WKBN)  Officials are celebrating the opening of a new sober living home in Trumbull County.

Leaders cut the ribbon outside Brighter Beginnings Thursday morning. Its the first transitional sober living home for women and their children in the county.

Brighter Beginnings will provide safe, stable and supportive housing for women in recovery working toward reunification with their children.

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Weve seen moms, you know, be ready to reunify but not have their own housing, not have the supports that they need, and we cant reunify and then everybody struggles, said Marilyn Pape, with Trumbull County Children Services. The kids are heartbroken the moms are heartbroken so this gives us that option to get them back together.

Trumbull County Children Services and First Step Recovery are partners on the project. It was made possible thanks to a $850,000 grant from OneOhio Recovery Foundation.

The setup is so nice, said Cindy OKeefe, with First Step Recovery. Its in a nice community, we have a gated backyard so the kids can play. The grant is a three-year grant, so were looking at making this as the forefront, a footprint if you will, of more successful stories and more properties and more opportunity to come.

Brighter Beginnings is able to house three moms and five children.

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VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Officials are searching for a third suspect after a Van Zandt County home was burglarized twice on the same day.

The Van Zandt County Sheriffs Office said deputies were dispatched to a burglary that had already occurred. Deputies took a report of items taken from a residence and while speaking with the homeowner, officials believed the suspects would return to the residence and steal more items.

Officers discover video of East Texas daycare worker sexually assaulting child, affidavit says

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The deputies who responded to the call remained in the area and were alerted when the victim called 911 again to report the suspects had returned again.

The victim and an acquaintance attempted to restrain the suspects, officials said, but one ran away while others fled in a vehicle.

Picture of Jessy Pierce of Eustace, courtesy of the Van Zandt County Sheriffs Office

Officials then located the vehicle nearby and arrested Gaston Mathews of Larue and Bailey Hefley of Mabank. Mathews was arrested for burglary of a habitation and Hefley was arrested for possession of marijuana.

2 people arrested in Cherokee County after meth, guns found inside home

During the course of the investigation, officials were able to identify Jessy Pierce of Eustace, as the third person who fled from the scene. A warrant has been used for burglary of a habitation and is also wanted on other charges out of Van Zandt County and other counties.

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Anyone with information on Pierces whereabouts, is asked to call 911 and are asked not to attempt to detain him.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A new state bill wants to allow 14- and 15-year-olds to work longer hours.

Ohio Senate Bill 50 would allow students to work until 9 p.m. year round, instead of only until 7 p.m. Legislators advocating for the bill say it would offer young people more work opportunities.

Fight over DEI in schools rages at Ohio Statehouse

2 NEWS spoke with Miami Valley students and teachers about their thoughts on the possible change.

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Young people say they are eager for the opportunity to make more money, but some educators fear it could be detrimental to student success.

This will wear out our kids, said Danielle Cummings, teacher at Dayton Public Schools. Our kids do not need to be working longer hours.

Under current law, workers who are under the age of 16 cannot work past 7 p.m. on school days. However, 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed until 11 p.m. on school nights.

On Tuesday, an Ohio senate committee approved Senate Bill 50. The bill would allow workers under 16 to work until 9 p.m. year round.

Cummings says she believes this change will have a negative impact on students.

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They have homework, they have duties at home. And if we extend that time til nine, the students will be less focused because theyre going to get less rest, said Cummings. And I think itll be detrimental to their physical and mental health.

Despite the extended working hours, students would still need written permission from a parent or guardian to work until 9 p.m. on school nights.

One local 14-year-old with a job after school says older students are able to make more money because they can work more hours, and younger employees try to work on non-school nights so they can work for longer.

They should understand that we want our weekends, said Ava Howard, local student. We dont want to keep picking up shifts on the weekends because we cant work that many throughout the week.

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This bill is still in beginning stages  if it passes the Senate, it will likely go to the House for consideration.

Howard says she supports the change, adding that it would be something that younger workers would like to take advantage of.

Working more hours would give us more of a better opportunity because we dont really get as many hours as the older kids, said Howard. I feel like itll be a good change.

Stay with 2 NEWS for updates to this bill as it moves forward.





Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A bill that makes sweeping changes to Ohios public higher education system is just one vote away from the governors desk after lawmakers promised to fast track it.

I think Ill probably sign it, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said. I always reserve the right to look at the last rendition of the bill and I will do that and then Ill make a final decision.

New Albany mass shooting suspect ruled not competent to stand trial

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Senate Bill 1 is a reintroduction of a bill from the last general assembly to advance or destroy higher education, depending on who you ask.

When the bill failed to pass last year, the bills sponsor, State Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) said all bets are off, saying he would make sure it got to the governors desk fast, making few concessions or compromises.

The legislation prohibits all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices on college campuses and threatens loss of state funding for noncompliance. DEI practices include scholarships, hiring and admission.

Before the bill was passed, two amendments to clarify DEI language in the legislation were added to:

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Clarify that the bills DEI prohibitions do not prohibit a state institution from complying with any state or federal law to provide disability services or to limit student organizations including fraternities and sororities.

Carve out the opportunity for a university to apply to the chancellor of higher education for an exemption to the DEI ban. The university will need to demonstrate a need for the exemption, like for purposes of accreditation of a specific program.

Today I stand at a crossroad between what diversity, equity and inclusion once was and what it has become, State Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Township) said. The original purpose was to break down barriers. For decades it worked, but somewhere along the way, DEI changed.

DOGE cancels $699K OSU research grant examining cannabis use in LGBTQ+ women

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Once we go down that road, we are not just censoring diversity, equity and inclusion, we are censoring everything, State Rep. Desiree Tims (D-Dayton) said. Lets be clear, this is not about fairness, it is certainly not about education, it is about power.

The legislation, in one of its most controversial provisions, also prohibits faculty from striking. University professors said the anti-strike provision assumes that they strike for sinister reasons, when in reality it is for issues like classrooms that dont leak or better salaries.

Some lawmakers said striking puts students, who are paying thousands of dollars, in danger of losing their education.

Our students here at our universities are not tools to be used by faculty, State Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) said. I will stand by my students.

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Nobody wants to go on strike, workers lose money, they lose their benefits, State Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield Township) said. When they do that, that means theyve reached the point of desperation.

Senate Bill 1 also creates a new American civic literacy course. Its described as a three-credit-hour course with a list of seven required readings including the U.S. Constitution, a minimum of five essays from the Federalist papers, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the letter from Birmingham Jail written by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

DOGE cuts hitting Ohio farmers, food banks

When the bill was first introduced, that class was mandatory for graduation; now students can get out of it if they have taken three credit hours, or the equivalent, of an American government or history course.

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Other portions of the bill require that professors publicly post syllabi online and prohibit universities from taking stances on controversial topics. Controversial topics are defined in the bill as any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.

There is so much that is just chilling in terms of free speech at our universities, our public universities and colleges, that its hard to see the good because of so much of the bad, Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) said.

The bill, over its time in both the House and Senate, brought testimony from nearly 40 people in support and about 1,500 in opposition to the legislation, testifying either in person or via written testimony.

Understand that we dont just make decisions in the general assembly based on who has the ability to show up at the statehouse, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman said. [Testimony] is not the only way that we receive information. In fact, there are thousands and thousands of replies, information we get by way of email, letters, telephone calls, text messages. Thats in addition to people we meet with in our district.

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Twice-suspended dentist in Grove City under investigation after patient dies

That that many people showed up, testified, sent in testimony, definitely says it is out of touch legislation with everyday Ohioans, Antonio said.

When asked why he thinks so few proponents showed up to show their support for Senate Bill 1, Huffman said, I dont know the answer to that.

Probably theres a lot of folks who are testifying who believe they have some financial loss, something financially at stake, he said.

The Ohio Senate is in session next week, where it could bring the bill up for a concurrence vote; if passed, it would head to DeWines desk for signature.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
The Ohio House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1, also known as the Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act, during its Wednesday session.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The vote comes amid statewide protests objecting to the legislation, our news partners WBNS-10 TV and Karmann Ludwig with WTOL reported.

Protesters gathered outside the Ohio Statehouse on Wednesday as well.

TRENDING STORIES:

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Senate Bill 1 aims to do several things, including prohibitions on the usage of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education and prohibiting faculty from going on strike.

Senator Jerry Cirino (R-District 18), the sponsor of the bill, said it will enhance diversity of thought on campuses by moving discussions more to the center and including more conservative viewpoints.

The bill also aims to prohibit public universities and professors from taking positions on controversial topics.

The Ohio Senate passed SB 1 in mid-February. House members voted 58-54 to pass it.

Its next steps will be to go back to the Senate for a concurrence vote since an amendment was added.

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House members brought forth several amendments. including amendments aimed at protecting free speech in public institutions and an amendment protecting DEI-related scholarships.

The bill has seen support from several organizations, however, it has also received backlash from opponents.

Hundreds of letters were filed in opposition to the bill, as well as hundreds of Ohio State University students, faculty, and staff protesting the bill as Cirino gave his sponsor testimony last week.

In addition, the student government of several Ohio universities have formally announced their opposition to the bill, including the student governments of The Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, John Carroll University and Kent State University, among others.

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Those showing support for the bill include the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, the National Association of Scholars and the American Council of Trustees and Alumni and other organizations. These organizations are listed in the text of Project 2025 as part of the projects Advisory board.

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(WKBN)  An Ohio judge was sanctioned by the State Supreme Court after having his son released from jail against municipal court policy.

Portsmouth Municipal Court Judge Russell Kegley was given a six-month stayed suspension, which means he can still practice law but if he makes conduct errors within those six months, his license will be suspended.

Kegleys actions came before the conduct board in June 2024 following a 2023 case when his son, Case Kegley, was arrested on domestic violence charges. Court records show police were called to Cases house, where they found his wife with a bloody lip and nose and swelling to her face.

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Case was arrested and booked into jail. The municipal court policy was to hold suspects until they go before a judge for arraignment, which would have been the next day for Case, but he called his dad, Judge Kegley, who arranged his sons release.

After his release, Case went back to his house where police and SWAT were called. Kegleys wife was sitting outside the house when police arrived and told them her husband was inside. Again, Case called his dad who told him to surrender, which he did.

Judge Kegley was sanctioned the next year. The Professional Conduct Board had recommended he just be publicly reprimanded, but the Ohio Supreme Court, which has the final say, said Kegleys actions warranted a more severe punishment.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Ohio Department of Health has reported the states first measles case of 2025.

ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says the adult infected lives in Ashtabula County and was unvaccinated. Vanderhoff urges all Ohioans to get vaccinated against measles to protect you and your loved ones.

Should Ohioans be concerned about measles?

ODH reports they are working with the Ashtabula County Health Department to follow up on potential exposures and promote opportunities to get vaccinated.

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The fact that we now have a measles case in Ohio adds emphasis to the importance of being fully vaccinated, Dr. Vanderhoff said. This disease can be very serious, but it is preventable. I strongly encourage you to protect yourselves and your children by getting vaccinated.

Ohio had 90 cases of measles in 2022 after an outbreak, but only one case in 2023 and seven reported in 2024.

Measles outbreaks have occurred in several U.S. states this year, leading to state health departments to encourage all adults and children to receive the MMR vaccine.

Two doses of the MMR vaccine is 97% effective against measles. Learn more here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
An Ohio resident has contracted the state's first measles case in 2025, the Ohio Department of Health announced Thursday.

The Ashtabula County resident is unvaccinated and recently traveled outside the country, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff urged Ohioans to get vaccinated in a statement.

What to know: How to find out if you got your measles vaccines

An Ohio resident has contracted the state's first measles case in 2025, the Ohio Department of Health announced Thursday.

"This disease can be very serious, but it is preventable. I strongly encourage you to protect yourselves and your children by getting vaccinated," Vanderhoff said.

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Ohio last saw a measles outbreak in 2022 when there were 90 cases, primarily in central Ohio. There were seven measles cases in 2024.

Vanderhoff said earlier this week that Ohio's measles vaccination rates are declining amid a measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend children get two doses of the MMR vaccine to guard against measles, which the CDC said is 97% effective.

Erin Glynn is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio sees first measles case this year in Ashtabula County
By Georgina McCartney

HOUSTON (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Thursday after the United States issued new Iran-related sanctions and renewed tensions in the Middle East countered strength in the dollar.

Brent crude futures settled up $1.22, or 1.72%, at $72 a barrel.

The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) contract for April expired on Thursday, and settled up $1.10 or 1.64% at $68.26.

The more actively traded WTI May contract settled up $1.16, or 1.73% at $68.07.

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The U.S. on Thursday issued Iran-related sanctions, targeting entities including for the first time a Chinese "teapot", or independent refinery, and vessels that supplied crude oil to such processing plants.

China is the largest importer of Iranian oil. Teapot refiners are private Chinese refineries that are the primary purchasers of Iranian oil.

Iran produces more than 3 million barrels per day of crude oil.

"We were looking for some kind of catalyst to move and that was the ticket that pushed us back towards the high," said Phil Flynn, senior analyst with Price Futures Group.

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Elsewhere, OPEC+ issued a new schedule for seven member nations including Russia, Kazakhstan and Iraq to make further oil output cuts to compensate for pumping above agreed levels.

The plan will represent monthly cuts of between 189,000 barrels per day and 435,000 bpd, according to a table on OPEC's web site. The scheduled cuts last until June 2026.

Meanwhile, U.S. crude inventories rose 1.7 million barrels, exceeding expectations for an increase of 512,000 barrels in an earlier Reuters poll. [EIA/S]

'CHOPPY UPWARD DRIFT'

Putting a lid on crude prices was the dollar, which inched up after the Federal Reserve indicated on Wednesday it was in no rush to cut interest rates further this year due to uncertainties around U.S. tariffs.

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The U.S. dollar was up 0.5%, making crude more expensive for foreign buyers.

The U.S. central bank left its key interest rate unchanged on Wednesday, a move widely anticipated by the market, but maintained its projection of two 25-basis-point rate cuts by the end of this year.

Interest rate cuts typically boost economic activity and energy demand.

Some analysts, however, are expecting an uneven oil price uptrend in the near term.

"I am expecting a choppy upward drift in the oil markets right now," said Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst at OANDA, adding that stimulus measures by China and renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas were bullish price drivers.

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Global risk premiums rose after Israel launched a new ground operation on Wednesday in Gaza after breaking a ceasefire of nearly two months.

"Amid the prevailing uncertainty, the risk of sanctions is once again coming into focus, as the Trump administration adopts a tougher stance on Venezuela, Iran, and Russia," J.P. Morgan analysts said in a note on Thursday.

The U.S. kept up airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation for the group's attacks on ships in the Red Sea. U.S. President Donald Trump has also vowed to hold Iran responsible for future Houthi attacks.

Trump's push to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China has raised recession fears, weighing on oil prices.

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"Tariff concerns seem to be holding oil back a bit," Flynn added.

J.P. Morgan said it expects Brent prices to recover into the mid-to-high $70s over the next couple of months, before dipping below $70 and ending the year in the mid-$60s, averaging around $73.

(Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston, Colleen Howe, Trixie Yap and Arunima Kumar. Editing by Paul Simao and Mark Potter, Kirsten Donovan)
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahomas Insurance Department Commissioner is warning Oklahomans enrolled in Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans that they could soon be seeing a case of sticker shock.

In a news release Wednesday, Mulready says his concerns are tied to uncertainty in Washington, D.C., over whether federal enhanced Advanced Premium Tax Credits will be extended by December.

OKCPD officer who slammed Lich Vu to the ground has resigned, police say

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A permanent extension of the $338 billion in enhanced federal health insurance subsidies is looking more unlikely, Mulready wrote, encouraging Oklahomas leaders and citizens to be prepared for the consequences.

Mulready wrote that at least 300,000 Oklahomans rely on the ACA Marketplace plans for coverage, and that enrollment spiked between 2021 and 2024. That number is more than 7% of Oklahomans who rely on the help to offset the monthly fees to keep their insurance.

If these tax subsidies are not extended, Oklahomans are going to see such a price hike in their premiums, said Haley Faulkenberry, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Health Plans.

In one example of the potential impact, Mulready says Oklahomans on the benchmark silver plan pay about $58 a month. If federal dollars arent extended by December, Mulready says the cost could jump to $153.

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If something isnt done, I think its going to affect generations to come on so many levels, said Julie Repschlager, owner of Anew Dawn Counseling Services in Tulsa.

Repschlager says her business currently sees around 500 clients, ranging in age from children to adults.

Theres so many disabled, elderly, and young moms, said Repschlager when reflecting on what the tax credit change could impact. They cant go without help. Theyve got to get the help that they need.

Repschlager is worried a dramatic change could lead to a massive mental health decline for Oklahomans and believes that suicide rates and crime would spike as a result.

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Faulkenberry says warning signs arent going ignored by state lawmakers.

I think these discussions are taking place at the Oklahoma State Capitol, said Faulkenberry.

Faulkenberry praised legislative measures she believes are taking up the call to protect Oklahomans like House Bill 1161 by Rep. Mark Tedford (R-Jenks), Senate Bill 1096 by Sen. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee), and Senate Bill 1067 by Sen. Paul Rosino (R-Oklahoma City), that she says would minimize additional premium increases. Faulkenberry says the bills provide a safeguard by requiring a review of health insurance mandates before they impact affordability for Oklahomans.

Faulkenberry also encouraged Oklahomans to contact their local and congressional leaders to call for action.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma County commissioners declared a disaster emergency to get assistance in fighting out-of-control wildfires that would have kicked up again Wednesday morning if not for a 47-degree-point increase in humidity in less than three hours.

Even with that temporary reprieve, "the anticipation is for this week to remain a little bit ugly, and potentially up to the next four weeks, according to long-range forecasts," said David Barnes, county emergency management director.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and other authorities plan to set up a "type one incident command team" in Oklahoma City, "along with a great deal of forestry resources," Barnes told the Board of County Commissioners at Wednesday's meeting.

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"We're working with some folks to try to secure an area out at the fairgrounds in order to handle the equipment staging, those kinds of things," he said.

Evi Oaks, 16, speaks with a neighbor Friday as a wildfire burns near NE 220 and Triple X Road in Luther. Oklahoma County officials are asking Gov. Kevin Stitt to order a statewide burn ban.

However, despite the wind and fire danger, the county cannot order a burn ban because it "doesn't meet (new) statutory standards," said Myles Davidson, chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and District 3 representative.

In Cleveland County, commissioners voiced similar concerns after a series of wildfires near Norman last Friday caused significant property damage.

The law requires a county to be labeled as having at least "severe" drought conditions by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration before a burn ban can be issued.

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More: Wildfires in Oklahoma 2025: See live map of active fires in Oklahoma

Flames scorch grass and trees Friday at NE 220 and Triple X Road in Luther.

On Wednesday, Cleveland County was classified as being "abnormally dry," which is two levels below the threshold.

Our hands are tied when it comes to issuing an official burn ban due to state law, Cleveland County Emergency Manager George Mauldin said in a news release. But we want to make it absolutely clear that conditions right now are extremely dangerous. We urge everyone to take every possible precaution to prevent wildfires.

Davidson said the county commissioners have asked Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt to order a statewide burn ban.

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Across the state, firefighting efforts continued in multiple counties, including to the north in Logan County where wildfires threatened residents near Guthrie, Langston and Edmond.

NWS: 'Very unusual' weather hits Oklahoma

Multiple cold fronts pushed through Oklahoma on Wednesday, but the dry, windy air extended red flag warnings further into the afternoon than expected, according to the National Weather Service.

Before sunrise, residents of southeast Logan County were alerted to a fire warning and to be prepared for an evacuation if conditions worsened.

Described by forecasters as "a very unusual event" unfolding across the state, the weather system brought wind gusts of over 70 miles an hour overnight in some areas of western Oklahoma while dragging yet another dust storm out of the west.

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As of 8:30 a.m., gusts had calmed to about 50 mph in the west, with Oklahoma City experiencing gusts of about 30 mph. Along with wind and fire danger, some northern areas of the state saw rain mixed with light snow Wednesday afternoon.

High winds will calm overnight into Thursday, but are expected to pick up from the south. Very dry air and gusty winds will once again elevate the fire danger, but are not expected to reach the extreme levels seen last Friday and Saturday.

The rest of the week, forecasts show a lower risk of fire weather, and possible showers and storms on the weekend east of Interstate 35, according to the weather service.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma wildfires: Counties call for statewide burn ban amid risk
McALESTER  Oklahoma carried out its first execution of 2025 on Thursday, giving a lethal injection to a confessed killer who had said in his first interview with police that he wanted the death penalty.

Wendell Arden Grissom, 56, was pronounced dead at 10:13 a.m. at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.

"I consider this a mercy. It's going to be all right," he said in his last words after apologizing and asking for forgiveness from "all of you that I hurt."

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He did not seek any emergency stays in court and did not speak at his clemency hearing in February. He told Newsweek on Monday, "I don't want to spend the rest of my life in here."

Grissom

Grissom was executed for fatally shooting a woman during a 2005 home invasion in rural Blaine County. The victim, Amber Dawn Matthews, 23, was at the isolated home near Watonga helping a friend, Dreu Kopf, pack for a move the next day.

Matthews was shot the first time in the back of the head while holding her friend's newborn baby, Gracie. She was shot again in the forehead after collapsing to the floor. Kopf also was shot but survived.

"You guys really need to remember her because she was unbelievable," Kopf said Thursday of her best friend. "She saved my kids."

Oklahoma execution comes amid national spotlight on death penalty

The execution was the 16th in Oklahoma since lethal injections resumed in October 2021 after a long hiatus brought about by drug mix-ups and botched procedures. It took only 10 minutes to complete.

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"This was probably as flawless of an execution that we've had in terms of the process," said Steven Harpe, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections' executive director.

It was the third in the United States this week. A fourth took place Thursday night in Florida.

The executions this week come at a time of increased public attention on capital punishment.

The renewed interest has been sparked in part by President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 executive order "restoring" the death penalty in federal cases. Also, in South Carolina, a convicted murderer was executed March 7 by firing squad for the first time in the United States since 2010.

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The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 4-1 on Feb. 5 to deny Grissom clemency.

What did Wendell Grissom do?

Grissom had been locked up most of his adult life, twice going to prison in Texas for burglaries. He moved back to Arkansas, where he grew up, after being paroled in 2001 and became a long-haul trucker.

Grissom left Arkansas on Nov. 2, 2005, to apply for work in Oklahoma City, according to evidence presented at his 2008 trial. He picked up a homeless hitchhiker, Jessie Johns, just across the state line. They drank whiskey during the drive and discussed plans to commit robberies or burglaries.After staying at a hotel in Del City, they drove the next day into Blaine County looking for a house to burglarize.

"I needed money," he told police in his first confession. He said he chose the house at random and had been drinking vodka.

Blaine County

After first asking Kopf if her husband was home, he shot his way through a sliding glass door into the house. Kopf fought him and was shot in the wrist, hand, shoulder, head and hip.

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She testified at trial that she offered him money and her car to stop. "He was just laughing and he just kept shooting and shooting and laughing," she told jurors.

Matthews fled with Gracie to a bedroom where Kopf's oldest daughter, Rylee, a toddler, was in her crib screaming. Please dont shoot me," Matthews said before being gunned down.

"Amber died protecting the children she loved like her own," Attorney General Gentner Drummond and his assistants told the Pardon and Parole Board.

Matthews

Kopf escaped in her shooter's truck as Johns came into the house. The two men fled but were arrested the same day after buying beer.

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The state's attorneys contend Grissom acted out of his hatred toward women, particularly his ex-wife. He had told his ex-wife in a text a week before the murder that he was going back to his "old ways" and hoped she had a crash and burned to death, according to trial testimony.

At his clemency hearing, his attorneys blamed his actions on brain damage from a problematic birth and motorcycle accidents.

"Do you have (the) death penalty in Oklahoma?" he asked police in his first confession.

Told that Oklahoma does have that punishment, he replied, "I want it. ... I just want my life to be over with."

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In a second confession, he said, "I didn't plan or mean for any of it to happen. I don't know why it did.

Wendell Arden Grissom is shown after his arrest on Nov. 3, 2005.

"All I do know is that it was senseless and I was not in any right state of mind. ... I wish to God it had never happened."

He told Newsweek on Monday that he asked God for forgiveness.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't stressed out or worried about it, but I know where I stand with God," he told Newsweek about his execution. "I'm not scared of dying necessarily, because I know that I've asked for forgiveness. I'm not worthy of it, I admit that, but Jesus Christ died on that cross for everybody  that includes me, and you."

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Grissom was convicted at trial of first-degree murder, shooting with intent to kill, grand larceny and possession of a firearm after former conviction of a felony. Johns was convicted at a separate trial of first-degree murder and grand larceny.

Johns, now 74, is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The execution was carried out before more than 20 family/victim witnesses, including Kopf, her two daughters, and Matthews' father. A spiritual adviser from California, Mary Meyer, prayed at Grissom's feet in the execution chamber.

In his lengthy last statement, Grissom said he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time of the shooting. "It's still my fault," he added. "I'm not who I made myself look like that one day."

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He said he did not deserve forgiveness but prayed that "you all can forgive me, not for my sake, for your sake." He added that "it is the only way you will find God in this."

One media witness, TV reporter Rick Maranon, characterized his last words as demands for forgiveness.

"I didn't care what he had to say," said Kathy Johnson, stepsister of Matthews. "As far as him wanting mercy, he doesn't deserve it."

Kopf told reporters, "I feel like it was sincere but it was too late."

"I had eight bullet holes in my body and there's still bullets in me," Kopf said. "I was always scared. If someone knocked on the door, I would call 911. ... I'd go to Walmart and a guy would walk in with a backpack and I thought ... there was going to be another shooting. I lived in constant fear."

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With Kopf as she spoke to the media were her daughters, Rylee, 20, and Gracie, 19. "I think it was a long time coming," Rylee said.

Survivor Dreu Kopf speaks to the media Thursday after witnessing the execution of her attacker, Wendell Arden Grissom. Standing with her are her daughters, Gracie, left, and Rylee.

Harpe said Grissom on Wednesday was served his last meal  a medium thick-crust Canadian Bacon Supreme pizza, a pint of vanilla ice cream and a pint of Coke.

Observing the execution for the media were reporters for The Associated Press, The Oklahoman, the Watonga Republican, a McAlester radio station and a Tulsa television station.

As usual, death penalty opponents gathered before the execution outside the Governor's Mansion in Oklahoma City. "These executions are becoming too routine. One senseless killing is avenged by another senseless killing. There is nothing routine about that," said the Rev. Don Heath, chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

Grissom's attorney, Kristi Christopher, said after the execution that he was not the same person who committed the crimes.

"Wendell had become a deeply reflective spiritual and peaceful man," the attorney said. "Wendells execution perpetuates a cycle of pain and trauma. We hold out hope for a day when we no longer purport to advance justice by taking one life for another.

Court to schedule next Oklahoma execution

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals will schedule the next execution for a Thursday in June after being notified of Grissom's death. Next on the list is John Fitzgerald Hanson, who fatally shot a retired banker after kidnapping her from the parking lot of a Tulsa mall on Aug. 31, 1999, for her car.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Death penalty opponents gather Thursday for a "Dont Kill For Me vigil at the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion during the scheduled execution of death row prisoner Wendell Grissom.

Nathaniel Batchelder holds a sign for traffic to see Thursday at the "Dont Kill For Me vigil at the Oklahoma Governor's Mansion during the scheduled execution of death row prisoner Wendell Grissom.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma executes Wendell Arden Grissom for 2005 'senseless' murder
TULSA, Okla.  A Quapaw man was sentenced in federal court today on a weapons charge.

Charles William Pebeahsy, III. 53, was sentenced on Wednesday to 72 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Pebeahsy confessed in April 2024 to firing several shots from a semi-automatic rifle toward Colin Beattie on May 31, 2023, according to his plea agreement.

Federal prosecutors dropped the remaining charges of assault with intent to commit murder and carrying, using, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence  both in Indian Country.

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According to court documents filed by Pebeahsys attorney, the victim, Beattie, has a significant criminal history and acted consistent with that history.

During an evening with friends, Pebeahsy became highly intoxicated to the point of blacking out. At some point, Beattie physically assaulted Pebeahsy because he tried to stop Beattie from beating up his female cousin.

Pebeahsy attempted to shoot Beattie, and when Pebeahsy ran outside, he heard a voice in the distance say something and fired several rounds in the air toward the male voice, which belonged to a neighbor.

Prosecutors asserted the neighbors residence had been struck by a bullet fired by Pebeahsy because of a hole found near the roof of the residence, but there is no evidence to support this

assertion, as no projectile was ever found, the motion states.

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Pebeahsy was overhead to shout, Im coming for you, Colin.

A bloody and intoxicated Pebeahsy was arrested shortly after the incident and later told officers the fight started because Beattie had beaten up his cousin. Beattie was also taken into custody on several outstanding warrants.

If you or someone you know is in a domestic violence situation, please contact the Delaware County Sheriff at (918) 253-4531, the Ottawa County Sheriff at (918) 542-2806, the Community Crisis Center at (918) 540-2275 in Miami, (918) 253-3939 in Jay, or (918) 787-5381 in Grove, or Wyandotte Nation at (877) 276-0669, the 24-Hour Hotline.

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ST. LOUIS  A suspected carjacker who led police on a pursuit from St. Louis City to Spanish Lake made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon.

According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the carjacking happened around 2:45 p.m. on March 18 near the intersection of North Market and Hadley streets in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood.

Police said a 32-year-old woman was sitting in her car when Willie A. Slick approached and pointed a gun at her. Slick demanded the womans property and her car.

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The woman got out of her car and Slick drove off in the vehicle, police said.

Family of Riley Strain files wrongful death lawsuit against Delta Chi fraternity

Police were able to track a cell phone in the vehicle and spotted the stolen car leaving a salvage yard in the 3800 block of Cote Brilliante Avenue.

Slick sped off as police closed in, blowing through traffic lights and driving on the wrong side of streets before getting on Interstate 70. Police said Slick sideswiped a Toyota while on the interstate.

Police followed Slick to Spanish Lake before they were able to spike the vehicle, ending the chase in the 1300 block of Dunn Road. Slick was taken into custody without further incident.

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The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Slick, 34, with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, resisting arrest, and leaving the scene of an accident.

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By Ossian Shine, Karolos Grohmann and Julien Pretot

PYLOS, Greece (Reuters) -Kirsty Coventry smashed through the International Olympic Committees glass ceiling on Thursday to become the organisations first female and first African president in its 130-year history.

The Zimbabwean swimming great, already a towering figure in Olympic circles, emerged victorious to replace Thomas Bach, securing the top job in world sport and ushering in a new era for the Games.

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"It's a really powerful signal," she smiled as the victory sunk in. "It's a signal that we're truly global and that we have evolved into an organisation that is truly open to diversity and we're going to continue."

Coventry needed only one round of voting to clinch the race to succeed Bach, winning an immediate overall majority in the secret ballot with 49 of the available 97 votes.

She beat Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. into second place, the Spaniard winning 28 votes. Britains Sebastian Coe, considered one of the front runners in the days leading up to the vote, came third with eight votes.

The remaining votes went to Frenchman David Lappartient, Jordans Prince Feisal, Swedish-born Johan Eliasch, and Japans Morinari Watanabe.

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"This is not just a huge honour but it is a reminder of my commitment to every single one of you that I will lead this organisation with so much pride," a beaming Coventry told her fellow IOC members at the luxury seaside resort in Greeces southwestern Peloponnese which hosted the IOC Session.

"I will make all of you very, very proud, and hopefully extremely confident with the choice you've taken today, thank you from the bottom of my heart," she added.

Coventry said she wants to bring all the candidates together.

"I'm going to sit down with President Bach. We're going to have a few months for a handover takeover. And what I want to focus on is bringing all the candidates together. There were so many good ideas and exchanges over the last six months.

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"Look at the IOC and our Olympic movement and family and decide how exactly we're going to move forward in the future. What is it that we want to focus on in the first six months? I have some ideas, but a part of my campaign was listening to the IOC members and hearing what they have to say and hearing how we want to move together."

SHOW OF UNITY

Coventry's first-round landslide was a show of unity in the body, she said.

"It's extremely important we have to be a united front and we have to work together. We don't and we might not always agree, but we have to be able to come together for the betterment of the movement."The seven-times Olympic medallist was added to the IOC's Athletes Commission in 2012, and her election to the top job signals a new era for the IOC, with expectations that she will bring a fresh perspective to pressing issues such as athlete rights, the gender debate and the sustainability of the Games.

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A champion of sport development in Africa, Coventry has pledged to expand Olympic participation and ensure the Games remain relevant to younger generations.

She also inherits the complex task of navigating relations with global sports federations and sponsors while maintaining the IOCs financial stability, which has relied heavily on its multibillion-dollar broadcasting and sponsorship deals.

As she takes the helm, the global sporting community will be watching closely to see how Coventry shapes the future of the worlds biggest multi-sport organisation.

Any IOC members with a superstitious streak might rest easier tonight  Kirsty Coventrys golden touch in Greece shows no signs of fading.

Champion in Athens 2004, victorious again in Pylos, the omens are stacking up.

"Greece seems to be my lucky charm," she grinned.

(Editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond)
WETUMPKA, Ala. (WRBL)  A suspect is in custody and an Elmore County Sheriffs Office Deputy has been injured after the serving of an arrest warrant turned into a shootout.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says the shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. in the 700 Block of Dozier Road in Wetumpka, on Tuesday, March 18.

ALEA says deputies from the Elmore County Sheriffs Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant for Ebony Bracy, 40, when he produced a firearm and fired at the deputies. One deputy was injured.

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According to ALEA, the injured deputy returned fire and struck Bracy. During the exchange of gunfire, another individual was also struck. ALEA says, all injuries were non-life threatening.

After receiving medical treatment, Bracy was arrested and officially charged with two counts of Attempted Murder of a Police Officer.

Bracy was booked into the Elmore County Jail with a $2 million cash-only bond.

ALEA says the investigation is ongoing and once complete, the findings will be turned over to the Elmore County District Attorneys Office.

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A Lincoln man on the run from federal supervised release when he rammed a police cruiser in 2023, pinning a woman under a Jeep while trying to get away, has been sentenced to 40 to 55 years in state prison.

Garrett Hanika, 37, was shot twice and initially faced seven felony charges for the incident in a hotel parking lot Nov. 21, 2023.

In February, he pleaded no contest to second-degree assault and guilty to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver as part of a plea agreement.

Lancaster County District Judge Darla Ideus sentenced him Thursday to the prison term in a courtroom of officers and police recruits, calling the video of the incident "obviously disturbing."

"(These are) very serious events, a number of very serious crimes," she said.

Ideus said she was struck by the fact that Hanika had opportunities at rehabilitation to address his addiction. Yet, he had absconded from federal supervised release, which he'd gotten on a gun charge in Iowa, when it happened.

He'd been convicted twice of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. This was his third.

"You know there are consequences to that. Each time those consequences get more serious," she said.

Hanika had two past convictions for drug-related charges, too.

In this instance, Ideus said, he had stolen firearms and was using methamphetamines or coming down from it when he obtained a large amount to sell.

"When you were approached by law enforcement, you used your vehicle as a weapon and unfortunately it led to very, very serious injuries to the individual who was with you at the time," she said handing down the sentence.

On Nov. 21, 2023, Officer Nicholas Vest spotted an orange Jeep police had been told to be on the lookout for with Hanika at the wheel and followed him into the lot of the Microtel Inn & Suites near North 27th and Cornhusker Highway.

Hanika was wanted for absconding from his supervised release and in connection to a local investigation into the theft of three firearms in a backpack from a car in the parking lot of a north Lincoln Walmart, which he now admits he took.

At about 12:20 p.m. that day, Vest parked his cruiser about 10 feet behind the Jeep and started to walk up to the driver's side window, when Hanika accelerated rapidly in reverse and violently crashed into the police cruiser.

Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Eric Miller said Hanika then started driving toward Vest, who pulled his service weapon and started shooting.

Hanika stopped, his female passenger got out, and he backed into the cruiser again, pinning the woman under the Jeep as he tried to get away.

Miller said she is paralyzed now as a result.

Vest hit Hanika twice, once in the head and once in his lower body, according to court testimony.

Police found 10 ounces of methamphetamine in the Jeep's backseat and a gun that had been stolen from a vehicle at the Walmart parking lot.

On Thursday, Hanika told the judge he had been sober for four years and had just gotten out of federal prison. He said he was working and doing good when he found meth in his girlfriend's purse.

"I was just like wrecked, and I started using meth. And I was on the run within days," he said. "I was on a path of self-destruction."

But Hanika claimed that he didn't know it was an officer at first, that the sun had been in his eyes, and he assumed it was the owner of the Jeep coming to beat him up and get it back. That's why he threw it in reverse and crashed, then pulled forward.

"Right about then it starts soaking in as I'm coming to a stop. Boom, boom, boom, the first three gunshots go off. I don't care how many movies you watched ... you freak out," he said in a rambling statement.

Hanika said he intentionally rammed the police cruiser the second time, trying to get away. Then he was shot, whack, in the head, he said. Hanika blamed the officer for not trying to deescalate the situation or to get to safety.

"I'm sorry, you know what I'm saying, but I never meant for this to happen. But it did happen," he said.
One of the 15 wolves that Colorado Parks and Wildlife imported from British Columbia and released on the Western Slope in January was killed by federal officials in Wyoming on Sunday.

CPW received a GPS collar mortality signal in north-central Wyoming on March 16 for a male gray wolf known as 2505-BC, according to a terse CPW statement issued Thursday. The agency avoided saying outright that federal officials killed the collared wolf. Instead, it noted that USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service officials were conducting depredation mitigation on private land at the time in response to multiple livestock losses.

A spokesperson for APHIS ignored several of Outdoor Lifes emailed questions and instead responded with a pre-scripted statement that was issued to other media outlets:

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On March 15, USDAs Wildlife Services responded to a sheep predation event on private lands in north central Wyoming. Evidence, consistent with wolf depredation was observed at the site, including wolf tracks, struggle sites, carcasses with premortem hemorrhaging, and bite marks consistent with known wolf predations. In total five adult sheep were killed by an adult wolf, including one sheep that was heavily fed upon. Late March 15, Wildlife Services removed a wolf at the predation location. Closer examination showed the wolf had a collar from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Wyoming Game and Fish returned the wolf and the collar to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

The APHIS spokeswoman declined to clarify if multiple wolves were involved in the depredation incident; whether the wolf was shot, trapped, or otherwise dispatched; or whether 2505-BC appeared to be in good health when killed.

CPW was also predictably tight-lipped about the incident, which is how it has generally handled news around the controversial wolf-reintroduction in the state. The agency did, however, use the opportunity to reiterate that the latest batch of wolves captured in British Columbia and released in Colorado this winter were taken from an area without livestock.

CPW does not comment on wildlife movements, operations or regulations in other states, reads the CPW statement.

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Its unclear how far the wolf may have traveled after its release in January since its location in both Colorado and Wyoming has not been made public. A conservative estimate, however, would suggest that the wolf traveled at least 300 miles north. Thats based on travel from Eagle County (farther north than the other release location of Pitkin County) to central Wyoming.

One of the wolves released in Colorado in January. Photo by CPW

Read Next: Colorados Wolf Reintroduction Has Cost Taxpayers Double What They Expected When They Voted to Approve it

A wolf can travel up to 30 miles in a single day, according the National Park Service, usually trotting along at 5mph. Lone wolves have been documented traveling as far as 500 miles in search of new territory.

This story was updated to include comment from APHIS.
LOMBARD, Ill. (WGN)  A house fire in west suburban unincorporated Lombard early Wednesday morning claimed the life of one person, the DuPage County Sheriffs Office said.

Authorities said the residential fire occurred in the 1300 block of S 3rd St.

Deputies said there was no indication of suspicious activity.

Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines

York Center Fire Department personnel will probe the fires origin.

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Authorities will release the victims identity pending next of kin notification.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Mart, Tx (FOX 44)  Mart Police Chief Shane James reports one man was in custody Thursday after a search warrant was served in a child porn investigation.

Terry Spence Mitchell, age 60, was booked into the McLennan County Jail Thursday on a charge of possession with intent to promote child pornography.

Chief James said officers with the Mart Police Department, deputies and SWAT team members with the McLennan County Sheriffs Office, and the Groesbeck Police Department worked together as part of the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team in executing the warrant in the 600 block of East Limestone Street Thursday. The chief said the search came following a three month long investigation into the distribution of child pornography that his department had been conducting.

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Mitchell, who Chief James said was the focus of the investigation, was served with an arrest warrant. McLennan County Jail staff reported the man was a booked in and made an appearance before a judge late Thursday morning.

Arrest made after three injured in Fairfield shooting

Chief James said, The Mart Police Department would like to thank all agencies involved for their assistance in this case. The Mart Police Department would also like to thank AMR EMS for their assistance as well.

He said the City of Mart would continue to work to protect our children from individuals who want to exploit them. Anyone with information relating to child abuse, child pornography or child exploitation is encouraged to reach out to the Mart Police Department, the Joint Criminal Apprehension Team or to make a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited children here.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44.
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO)  Its been nearly a year since Rockford resident Christian Ivan Soto was charged with killing four people and wounding several others on the citys east side.

Soto has been in the Winnebago County Jail since March 27, 2024, the day he confessed to going on a 30-minute rampage using two knives, a pickup truck and softball bat at multiple locations in the subdivision where he lived.

The now 23-year-old told detectives he became paranoid after smoking laced marijuana with one of his victims.

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Because of its magnitude, the case is moving slowly through the courts. Multiple discovery motions have been filed along with a fitness evaluation and a blood test to determine if there were drugs in Sotos system at the time of the alleged offenses.

Soto is due back in court on April 4 for a status hearing.

Following is a timeline of events that unfolded on March 27, 2024.

1 p.m.  1:15 p.m.

The violent spree begins in the 2300 block of Holmes Street at the home of 63-year-old Ramona Schupbach and Jacob Schupbach, 23. Twenty-two-year-old Christian Ivan Soto, a childhood friend of Jacob, is at the home smoking marijuana with him. Soto later tells police that he became paranoid, believing the marijuana was laced with an unknown narcotic. He says thats when he grabs a knife from the kitchen and fatally stabs Jacob and Ramona.

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According to witnesses, Soto chases Jacob across the street, where he repeatedly punches and stabs him before running him over with his black Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Jacob manages to retreat inside the home, where he and Ramona are later found dead.

1:15 p.m.  1:20 p.m.

Soto allegedly leaves the Schupbach home in is pickup and encounters mail carrier, 49-year-old Jay Larson in the 2200 block of Winnetka Drive. A witness at that scene tells police he sees Soto punch and stab Larson multiple times. Soto allegedly then retrieves a different knife from his vehicle and continues stabbing Larson. He then allegedly gets into his truck and runs Larson over twice. Larson is later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

1:20 p.m.  1:25 p.m.

Soto allegedly moves to a home in the 4800 block of Cleveland Avenue, where hes armed with what victims describe as a katana-style knife or small sword. There, he encounters Darlene Weber who opens her door to let her dog out. Soto allegedly stabs Weber in the face and forces his way inside. Webers son, Jacob Vollmann and his girlfriend attempt to fight Soto off. Volmann and his girlfriend, Cathy Gilfillan, are also stabbed in the face. Vollmann hits Soto with a syrup bottle and Soto flees. The familys pit bull bites Soto on the leg during the attack. All three victims survive their injuries.

1:25 p.m.  1:30 p.m.

The rampage continues in the 4700 block of Cleveland Avenue, where three teenage girls are enjoying their spring break by watching a movie. Soto allegedly enters the home through an unlocked door and grabs a softball bat that belongs to 15-year-old East High School student Jenna Newcomb and attacks all three teens. Jenna is killed. Her sister and friend survive.

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One of the teens runs out of the house and flags down an officer but the suspect flees the scene.

1:30 p.m.  1:35 p.m.

At a nearby home in the 4600 block of Florence Street, Soto allegedly breaks in through a window and attacks a woman with a knife. She manages to escape to the 2100 block of Eggleston Road. Soto allegedly pursues the woman and continues stabbing her in the face and arms.

As the attack continues, a man later identified as neighbor Keith Fahrney drives by in a gray Jeep. Fahrney notices a man standing over a critically injured woman whos covered in blood so he stops to intervene. Soto allegedly attempts to steal the Jeep but Fahrney wrestles him to the ground. Soto allegedly stabs Fahrey in the head before fleeing on foot. Fahrney calls 911 and dispatchers learn his location.

1:35 p.m.

Winnebago County deputies arrive on Eggleston Road and is pursue Soto on foot. The suspect is taken into custody after a brief struggle. A deputy is stabbed in the hand during the arrest.

March 27 press conference

About an hour after Christian Soto is taken into custody, Rockford Police Chief Carla Redd confirms that four people were killed in the attacks: 63-year-old Ramona Shupbach, 23-year-old Jacob Schupbach, 49-year-old Jay Larson and 15-year-old Jenna Newcomb. At least seven people were injured including Darlene Weber, Jacob Vollmann, Cathy Gilfillan, two teenage girls, the woman on Florence Street, and Keith Farney.

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The attacks span multiple crime scenes on Holmes Street, Winnetka Drive, Cleveland Avenue, Florence Street, and Eggleston Road.

March 28, 2024

Soto appears in court via CCTV. He is formally charged with four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder, and three counts of home invasion. The Winnebago County Public Defenders Officer is initially assigned the case.

April 2, 2024

Christian Soto makes his first in-person court appearance. Moments after hes led into the courtroom, a shackled and handcuffed Soto begins screaming at Judge Scott Paccagnini, calling him a puppet and Satan. He also shouts various things at the gallery, which sparks several verbal exchanges. Members of Sotos family urge him to stop shouting. Surviving victims and their families soon join the verbal dust-up. Paccagnini quickly intervenes and clears the courtroom. Soto is denied pretrial release.

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PARIS (Reuters) - One person has died after a boat carrying migrants trying to cross the English Channel from France got into difficulties overnight, said a local French authority on Thursday.

The French local authority responsible for the North Sea and English Channel regions said 15 people had been rescued and brought back to shore at the port of Gravelines, near Dunkirk.

Both the British and French governments have made tackling migrants crossing the English Channel illegally - often in perilous conditions as they travel in dinghies or small boats - a high priority.

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Data in January showed Britain's Labour government had removed 16,400 illegal migrants since coming to power last July, marking the highest rate of such removals since 2018, although Labour's political opponents say the government needs to do more.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten)
There's nothing funny about mental illness.

It is estimated more than one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness, 59.3 million in 2022 or 23.1% of the U.S. adult population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

Five Republicans in the Minnesota Senate want to add "Trump derangement syndrome" to the state's definition of mental illness.

What is Trump derangement syndrome?

"Trump derangement syndrome is a derogatory term used to describe a form of toxic criticism and negative reaction to former President Trumps statements and political actions," according to Alex Pattakos for Psychology Today in 2024.

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"Signs of TDS can be observed along a continuum of reactions, ranging from verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Trump to overt acts of aggression and even violence against anyone supporting or anything symbolizing him."

Where did the phrase Trump derangement syndrome come from?

The phrase Trump derangement syndrome was coined by the late political columnist and commentator Charles Krauthammer, a takeoff of his earlier usage of "Bush derangement syndrome" in 2003.

"Having coined Bush Derangement Syndrome more than a decade ago  the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency, the very existence of George W. Bush  I feel authorized to weigh in on its most recent offshoot.

"What distinguishes Trump Derangement Syndrome is not just general hysteria about the subject, but additionally the inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences on the one hand and signs of psychic pathology on the other," Krauthammer said in 2017, during Trump's first presidency.

Minnesota Bill SF 2589 wants to include Trump derangement syndrome in definition of mental illness

Bill SF 2589 in Minnesota describes the so-called Trump derangement 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."

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"Symptoms may include Trump-induced general hysteria, which produces an inability to distinguish between legitimate policy differences and signs of psychic pathology in President Donald J. Trump's behavior.

"This may be expressed by:

"Verbal expressions of intense hostility toward President Donald J. Trump; and

"Overt acts of aggression and violence against anyone supporting President DonaldJ. Trump or anything that symbolizes President Donald J. Trump."

Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen: 'Irrational behavior is unacceptable in a civil society'

"People of different political persuasions can differ when discussing issues," said Minnesota state Sen. Glenn Gruenhagen, one of five GOP sponsors of the bill, on Facebook.

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"We should be able to have civil debates without demonstrating violent and unreasonable reactions such as burning down Tesla dealerships, threatening people who wear Trump hats or committing road rage at the sight of a Trump bumper sticker on a persons car.

"This irrational behavior is unacceptable in a civil society and suggests a deeper psychological problem. That is what this bill addresses, not mere political disagreements."

Read Minnesota Bill SF 2589 on Trump derangement syndrome

Can't read the bill? Open in a new browser.

Trump derangement syndrome bill co-author arrested

One of the co-authors of Bill SF 2589 was arrested Monday, according to a Minnesota Reformer story on the St. Cloud Times' website. State Sen. Justin Eichorn, R-Grand Rapids, was arrested in Bloomington, Minnesota, on suspicion of soliciting a minor for sex.

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Minnesota Senate Republicans have called for Eichorn's resignation,

Justin Eichorn

Trump uses phrase against opponents

"The president has long invoked the fabricated diagnosis as a way to label his political opponents as mentally ill when they criticize him or express outrage in response to actions he has taken," according to The Hill.

Trump Derangement Syndrome token is a cryptocurrency

Trump Derangement Syndrome  tearsforTDS, TDS-USD  is a cryptocurrency and operates on the Solana platform, according to Yahoo Finance.

"TearsforTDS has a current supply of 1,000,000,000. As of March 20, the last known price is 0.00020494 USD, which is up 2.52 over the last 24 hours. It is currently trading on 15 active markets with $7,678 traded over the last 24 hours."

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If you or someone you know is in need of mental health resources and support, please call, text or chat the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit 988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Trump derangement syndrome: Minnesota wants added as mental illness
Russia fears Britains submarine-based nuclear deterrent  known as Trident  according to Sir Keir Starmer.

I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability, the Prime Minister said on Wednesday during a visit to greet the return of HMS Vanguard, after what is believed to have been more than 200 days at sea.

But is he correct? Do Vladimir Putin and co actually quake at the thought of the UKs arsenal being trained on Russian targets? After all, the Royal Navy submarines have suffered from a few embarrassing mishaps in recent years, including a number of missile launch failures and a collision with a French nuclear submarine during a secret mission in the middle of the Atlantic.

Continuous at-sea deterrence

The Trident programme consists of four submarines HMS Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance. The first boat, HMS Vanguard, was commissioned in 1993 and the last in 1999  so they are all coming to or have already exceeded their 25-year lifespan.

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Each submarine can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles, loaded with 12 independently targeted warheads a piece. In theory, this means a single vessel could potentially deliver 192 warheads in a single volley  although current UK policy limits the number of warheads permitted on board each of the submarines to 48 at a time.

One of these submarines must be at sea at all times. This is known as the continuous at-sea deterrence. It is the cornerstone of UK defence strategy and the ultimate guarantor of the nations security. Two other submarines are armed and should be ready to deploy at short notice while a fourth is usually undergoing some form of maintenance.

How close the Royal Navy has ever come to failing to meet this crucial requirement for any meaningful length of time is unknown  virtually everything to do with nuclear submarines is highly classified.

What is clear, however, is that Britains nuclear strategy is now solely dependent on Trident given that all tactical, lower yield nuclear weapons were decommissioned at the end of the Cold War. This dependency and Russias increasing nuclear belligerence has led to calls for Britain to rebuild its nuclear arsenal to allow it, if deemed necessary, to deploy tactical nuclear weapons and ultimately avoid having to use missiles capable of the destruction of cities.

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Adding to the sense of anxiety, the Royal Navys trident submarines have suffered the ignominy of two relatively recent missile test failures. In January 2024 a test firing from HMS Vanguard failed. The missile failed to launch properly and crashed into the sea.

The Ministry of Defence described the incident as an anomaly and emphasised that the failure had no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpiles. Eight years earlier in 2016, a Trident missile test from HMS Vengeance also failed, with the missile veering off course and eventually self-destructing.

Also of concern is the age of the fleet. The oldest sub in the fleet, HMS Vanguard, first entered service in 1993 while the last boat to be commissioned, HMS Vengeance, did so in 1999. And all four vessels will be expected to continue to deploy on secret missions for at least another 10 years yet.

A potent threat

Despite the vesselss age, Rear Admiral Chris Parry, who served in the Royal Navy for 37 years from 1972 to 2008, agrees completely with the Prime Ministers view that despite their age, the Trident submarines really do worry the Russians.

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One Trident submarine has the ability to incinerate 40 Russian cities very quickly. That is a lot of food for thought for Putin and that should make any world leader fearful, he tells The Telegraph.

Britains Trident nuclear missiles are manufactured in the US but are jointly maintained by the UK and US, with the Royal Navy relying on the US for parts and technical assistance and returning the missiles to the US for periodic refurbishing.

While in the past such dependence on the US was not an issue, recent events, with Trump suggesting that Nato can no longer rely on US support, may create problems for the future.

Still, for now, Britains threat endures. Putin knows what Trident submarines can deliver and that is something he has to factor into all of his calculations when he is provoking the West, says Rear-Adml Parry. Russian air defence systems are not that great. Russia is also the largest country on earth  it is impossible to defend against a ballistic missile attack.

Nuclear protocol

The decision to launch nuclear weapons can only be taken by the prime minister  or a designated survivor following a nuclear attack.

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Two designated personnel must authenticate each stage of the firing process before missile firing. The control is not actually a red button, as widely popularised, but rather a trigger, modelled on the handgrip of a Colt peacemaker pistol.

Locked inside a safe on each of the submarines is a letter of last resort from the prime minister, containing instructions on what to do if all contact with the command system is lost following an overwhelming attack.

The precise contents of these letters are never disclosed and are destroyed, unopened, when the keys to No 10 change hands.

The missiles themselves, meanwhile, have a range of 6,500 nautical miles and each has a speed of around Mach 19  more than 13,000 miles an hour. This means that depending on where the submarine is based at the time, a target inside Russia, such as the capital Moscow, could be destroyed within 30 minutes of the order being given.

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Just imagine how vulnerable we would feel in the UK if we had given up all of our nuclear weapons, says Rear-Adml Parry. There have been problems but it is important not to overplay these events. The missile firings, for example, were about testing the launch process  there was too much focus on the missiles failing. Yes they are old, but they are still very capable.

Trident submarines are old

But that view is not shared by everyone. There are growing concerns in some areas of the Royal Navy that the increasing age of Trident submarines means that they are an accident waiting to happen.

Trident submarines are old and this is an obvious concern, a senior naval source tells The Telegraph. When something goes wrong on a submarine it has the potential to be catastrophic. Obviously the older something becomes, the more prone it is to some sort of failure that is why ships and submarines have a life span  you cant constantly make do and mend, especially with a submarine.

There is always risk associated with submarines but the older they become, the more vulnerable they become and the greater the exposure is to some sort of failure and the potential damage to national prestige obviously increases.

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Patrols by one of the UKs nuclear-armed submarines  which used to last three months  have had to be extended in recent years because of prolonged periods of maintenance and repair work on the other boats.

The fleet is operating well beyond its original in-service life of 25 years because of delays in the building of four replacement vessels.

An insurance policy

Trident is also increasingly expensive with running costs around six percent of the UKs defence budget, which was around 3 billion for 2023-2024.

The current fleet will eventually be replaced by a new class of Dreadnought submarines  said to be as quiet as an idling car, allowing them to avoid detection.

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HMS Dreadnought, HMS Valiant, HMS Warspite and HMS King George VI will at that point become the nations main nuclear deterrents. But that looks unlikely to happen for at least another 10 years and estimated costs are expected to be at least 31 billion.

Still, despite Tridents soaring costs, the fleets age and the fact that it consists of just four boats, Rear-Adm Parry insists Britains nuclear deterrent packs enough of a punch to make Putin wary.

This is one weapon system the British possess which will really worry the Russians, he says. And that after all is the point of a nuclear deterrent. It is an insurance policy  often expensive until you need it.

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Earlier this month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford placed a 25% surcharge on electricity exports from Canada in retaliation to tariffs imposed on Canadian goods by the Trump administration.

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It was suspended after President Donald Trump threatened to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50%. However, the electricity surcharge, which would impact exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota, is "always on the table," Ford said this week ahead of more discussions. "But the last thing I want to do is antagonize and everyone goes to war again."

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So how would this surcharge on electricity exported to the U.S. hurt customers? We look at the facts and how officials have responded.

The impact of Trumps tariffs on the energy trade

Ontario currently exports electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota. Between 2021 and 2023, the province exported 14.6, 14.2 and 12.0 terawatt hours of electricity, respectively, to those states, according to the Ontario government.

"It made economic sense to build these transmission lines and to move power back and forth across the border," Cy McGeady, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told NPR. "If you disrupt that, the impact has to be upward pressure on prices and reduced reliability. That's what the fundamental risk is here."

Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)  which oversees electricity management for 15 states, including Michigan  said that in 2024 only 1% of its energy came from Canada and less than half of that came from Ontario.

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Even though theres a fair amount of electricity that moves through Michigan originating in Canada, very little of it is actually purchased by Michigan, Dan Scripps, chair of the Michigan Public Service Commission, told Local 4 News.

Still, Scripps said that if Ford were to cut off electricity to the U.S., it would remove a layer of resilience, making the grid more vulnerable. We saw what happens when those flows get disrupted, and then other things go wrong, back in 2003 with the blackout that covered New York City and all the way into Detroit and Ann Arbor, he said.

The first victims of Trumps Trade war? Minnesotans struggling to pay their skyrocketing electric bill, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on X. Minnesotans cannot afford Trumps billionaire-run economy. We have to put a stop to this madness.

The fact is Minnesota utilities would only be minimally affected by the Ontario tariffs, but Minnesota Power does source 11% of its power supply from the province of Manitoba. Minnesota also imports more than $14 billion worth of products from Canada annually, and 64% of that is energy from crude oil, natural gas and electricity, according to CBS.

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Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trumps tariff moves  while US stocks got slaughtered. Heres 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes

The Ontario thing is a symptom, not the broader disease, said Pete Wyckoff, a deputy commissioner for Walzs Department of Commerce, to the Minnesota Star Tribune. In a broader trade war with Canada that includes energy, Minnesota would be a huge loser because of our dependencies.

The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) said in a statement that a surcharge could ripple through the industry, leading to increasing costs and grid reliability issues.

The U.S. and Canada have one of the most integrated electric grids in the world, allowing system operators in both countries to pool resources for improved reliability and economic efficiency, it said. The NYISO and neighboring system operators have serious concerns that applying export tariffs to electricity may have serious adverse effects on reliability and wholesale electric markets.

How trade tensions could affect your energy bill

Regardless of what happens, consumers can start taking steps to mitigate the impact of potentially higher energy bills. For example, you can look for ways to reduce energy consumption, from switching to LED bulbs and lowering the thermostat to washing laundry in cold water.

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Check if your utility company offers time-of-use pricing and, if so, use power during off-peak hours to save money. You can also ask if they have any rebates, incentives or programs to help you save. For example, some utility companies will offer rebates to help offset the cost of upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, such as those with the Energy Star label, which can save you money over the lifespan of your appliances.

For longer-term solutions, you may want to invest in energy-efficient home improvements, such as sealing drafts around windows or installing proper insulation. You could also explore alternative energy options, such as geothermal heat pumps or solar energy systems; while theres an initial upfront investment, they could help in the long run to lower your utility bill. You can check out this database of state incentives for renewables, by state.

But, with the on-again-off-again nature of the tariff war  and tariffs now targeted at the European Union  it may also be a good time to diversify investment strategies to cope with potential economic instability.

The situation is changing (seemingly on a daily basis), creating increased market volatility. While you may want to avoid making rash decisions, it could be a good time to talk to your financial adviser and consider diversifying investments across asset types, sectors and geographies, as well as building up an emergency fund if you dont already have one.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
We now appear to be in a full-fledged trade war with our closest ally and neighbor.

Canada  so deeply integrated into the American economy that its energy resources are considered domestic under U.S. law  has been battered with tariffs and has responded in kind. Canadas ruling Liberal Party that seemed headed for electoral oblivion last year has now seen its fortunes recover in the polls, as Canadians express growing anti-American sentiment. All this, while President Trump continues to repeat that Canadians should give up nearly two centuries of independence and become Americas 51st state.

Perhaps the correct response to this extraordinary rhetoric is to do something equally extraordinary.

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It is well known that Trump is most concerned about the balance of trade with other countries, deeming a negative balance as either a subsidy to the other country or a rip-off. Most economists do not view it that way; in fact, many argue that countries actively pursuing trade surpluses are subsidizing us instead. Why, then, has the president has turned his ire upon Canada?

For most of the last 20 years, U.S.-Canadian trade has been roughly in balance  precisely what the president claims he wants with all countries. Even though American demand for Canadian energy has tipped the balance toward Canada in recent years, the current trade deficit of about $45 billion is the second smallest among Americas major trading partners (only Frances is smaller). It is one-fifth the size of the U.S. deficit with Mexico and one-eighth the size of that with China.

As for manufacturing, the U.S. is a net exporter of goods to Canada. Part of the reason is the highly integrated auto manufacturing sectors of the two countries  an arrangement Trump has criticized, saying he would prefer that no American cars be built in Canada. Yet even reworking supply chains so that all cars were finished domestically would raise manufacturers costs significantly, resulting in much higher prices for American consumers. That may be why Trump delayed his auto tariffs by a month.

Instead, the main source of the trade deficit with Canada seems to be U.S. imports of Canadian energy  particularly oil in the west and electricity in the east.

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Much of the U.S. refining network is geared toward Canadian oil, so reorienting it to other sources would be costly. Ontario Premier Doug Ford once threatened a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports, which would likely raise prices for consumers in states like Michigan and New York, but he backed off after facing threats of further tariffs.

Fords retreat suggests that the endless cycle of retaliations in a trade war has its limits. In that sense, it might seem the president was right when he said, Trade wars are good and easy to win. But maybe not. As my colleague Ryan Young notes, Sometimes the only way to win is not to play. This is true of nuclear war, and it is true of tariffs.

Canada could win this fight in a counterintuitive way, with a bit of political jiu-jitsu. It should not only remove its retaliatory tariffs but drop all tariff and non-tariff barriers, adopting unilateral free trade.

Doing so would instantly call Trumps bluff, since he keeps saying he wants reciprocal or balanced tariffs, and still allow him to declare victory. By his own rhetoric, he would be compelled to concede that the U.S. should reduce its tariffs to reciprocate.

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Such a move would immediately raise Canadian living standards, because prices would fall as protected industries  like dairy  adjusted to the new environment. (Indeed, American subsidies for its dairy industry would effectively become subsidies for Canadians.)

In turn, Canadians might spend these savings on their once-capable defense sector, much as Europeans are finding they must do in Trumps new world order. Indeed, the president has included the cost of American defense of Canada in his claims of a $200 billion trade deficit. If Canadians want their nation to remain independent  as public opinion polling clearly indicates they do  perhaps they should be paying for it accordingly, rather than spending less than 2 percent of GDP on defense.

As Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman noted in the 1990s, The economists case for free trade is essentially a unilateral case  that is, it says that a country serves its own interests by pursuing free trade regardless of what other countries may do. For politicians, he conceded, this is a tough sell, and Canadians would likely erupt in anger at what would be spun as surrender. National pride would take a beating.

Yet for both Canadians and Americans, the winning outcome may, ironically, be to choose economic prosperity over Pyrrhic victory in a trade war.

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Iain Murray is a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a free market public policy organization based in Washington, D.C.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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As painful as it is to say, it was only a matter of time before the ceasefire in Gaza collapsed. This is precisely what happened in the early morning hours of Tuesday, when Israel resumed its military operation against Hamas with simultaneous airstrikes across the enclave. More than 400 people were killed in the bombings, a tally that, according to UNICEF reports, included more than 130 children in what the organization labeled one of the largest single-day child death tolls in the last year. Israeli airstrikes continued Wednesday, and if one takes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his word, the renewed Israeli air campaign is only the beginning.

The cautious optimism that was generated after Israel and Hamas agreed to the three-stage proposal in mid-January, at the urging of President-elect Donald Trump, has been wiped away and replaced by despair and fear about what comes next. Although the ceasefire gave civilians on the ground some much-needed respite, maintaining it to its completion proved about as difficult as climbing Mount Everest without a shirt. Because the agreement was structured in multiple phases, many of the big political decisions  from coming to a consensus on ending the war to rebuilding Gaza and creating a whole new political authority for the enclave after 17 years of Hamas rule  were effectively kicked to a later date.

It gave us all the illusion of progress as Israel and Hamas traded hostages for prisoners. Even the so-called easy part wasnt without hiccups; the damning handover ceremonies organized by Hamas caused such anger within the Israeli government that it delayed scheduled releases of Palestinian prisoners in response.

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In the end, the deal was going to last only as long as Netanyahu wanted it to last. And Netanyahu wanted it to last for only so long as he could avoid discussions about a permanent end to the war, something Hamas would never tolerate. Indeed, even before Phase 1 was over, Netanyahu refused to authorize negotiations on Phase 2, a technical violation of the deal he signed weeks earlier. When Phase 1 ended, the Israeli premier tried to extend the truce on the condition that Hamas continue releasing hostages and continue deferring talks on terminating the war. Those conditions were unacceptable to the group, which insisted on Israel implementing the terms of the original ceasefire.

The result is what we see playing out now: a bloody outcome that was preordained as long as Israel and Hamas retained irreconcilable positions. Add the fact that Trump didnt seem particularly interested in protecting the ceasefire he helped push over the finish line  on March 5, he even threatened to blow up the truce himself if Hamas didnt release all of the remaining hostages  and its highly unlikely Netanyahu felt much urgency to stick to terms in the first place. If anything, continuing the fighting would strengthen his political position with the ultra-nationalist parties that are key to the survival of his coalition government.

What does the future have in store for a conflict that will cross the year-and-a-half mark early next month?

Unfortunately, the outlook is anything but positive.

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Netanyahu is betting that an escalation of the war will, over time, compel Hamas leadership to do what it hasnt done over the last 17 months: hand over its arms, demobilize and excommunicate itself from Gaza entirely. In other words, total and complete surrender. Whether or not he genuinely believes this is possible is beside the point. Either way, it sure looks like Netanyahu has calculated that an unending military campaign serves his best political interests, even if this comes at the cost of stymieing further hostage releases. For many of the hostages families, this only confirms what they long suspected. The war, which has already claimed the lives of more than 48,000 Palestinians, will claim yet more lives in the days and weeks to come until one of three things happens: Trump puts the screws on Netanyahu like he did in January, ceasefire and hostage-release talks resume or Hamas admits defeat on Israels terms.

The last scenario is virtually unthinkable, so we shouldnt waste much time on it. The second is possible, but only if Trump carries on with the first. Thats hard to envision right now. Over the last few weeks, the president has been in no mood to second-guess Netanyahus decision-making, at times speaking as if he would be perfectly fine with whatever the Israeli PM did. This may be complicated by Trumps professed grand peace plans in the Middle East; he would still like to see Israel and Saudi Arabia sign a normalization deal on his watch, which wont occur as long as the war in Gaza continues. But given Trumps unpredictable nature and tendency to sour on foreign leaders who dont cooperate, one cant entirely rule out a shift in Trumps approach.

One can only hope that shift comes soon. Because its likely to be the only factor that will move Netanyahu back on the diplomatic track.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The most underestimated person in Washington, D.C. once again pulled off what the media and Beltway prognosticators said was impossible. In doing so, he further exposed Democrats as a party in complete disarray, blinded by their hatred of President Trump.

With a government funding deadline looming, and the slimmest of majorities, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Trump pushed through a six-month spending bill to avert a partial government shutdown.

In a solid lesson of political gamesmanship, Johnson gave them the ole triple dog dare from the famous scene from the movie A Christmas Story, where an anxious Flick is dared to stick his tongue to a frozen flag pole.

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In this case, after passing the bill, the Speaker immediately sent members home for a two-week recess, daring Senate Democrats to let the government shut down.

Keeping our federal government open should have been a much easier decision for Senate Democrats than the intense back-and-forths that 9-year-olds face on the playground. But it turns out, not so much.

Because at this juncture, shutting down our government versus giving Trump any kind of victory is the ultimate Hobsons Choice for Democrats.

In one fell swoop, Democrats who spent years lecturing Republicans on the necessity of keeping government open whatever the cost declared that Trump, the man 77 million voters just elected to be president, is so bad they must now shut it all down.

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Yet they could not outline what they wanted or would do if they did shut down the government.

From screams in private meetings to a complete meltdown over Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) declaring he would (gasp!) vote with Republicans to advance the spending bill, Democrats doom loop seemingly knows no end.

Following the presidents lead, Johnson continues taking advantage of a Democratic Party living with a pre-Nov. 5 mindset.

House bills popular with the public, such as tougher penalties for illegal immigrants who commit crimes or banning biological males from playing in girls and womens sports, are forcing many Democrats to choose between their left-wing base and the 80 percent of voters who support these issues.

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When it arrived in the Senate, 45 Democrats voted to block the bill banning boys from girls sports. That might explain why the Democratic Party is the most unpopular it has been at any point since at least 2008.

Its not as if Johnson does it alone or bats 1.000. Hes got the full backing of the White House, which certainly helps in those crunch moments. But managing 200-some members in a slim majority requires a level of skill and leadership that Johnson rarely gets credit for inside the Beltway.

Analyzing the last 16 months of his speakership, some of those leadership traits are obvious.

He allows members to publicly share their concerns about big pieces of legislation, giving them room to breathe without strong pushback.

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While some have argued he takes in too many opinions, hearing more as opposed to less makes sense and appears to be working, given this Republican caucus.

Todays House GOP is a far cry from the days when former House Majority Leader Tom The Hammer DeLay (R-Texas) wielded a big stick.

Johnson is also quick to credit others when bills pass, particularly his leadership team  a trait not often found in politicians. This culminates in an ability to deliver Trumps agenda.

Its no surprise the president fought to keep him in the Speakers chair.

Johnsons victories likely wont earn him the headlines he deserves among the mainstream media, which will continue the hair-on-fire stories and the second-guessing of whether he can get such-and-such bill over the line.

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There are many more fights ahead, but Johnson has so far risen to meet the moment.

And about that whole government funding thing? Johnsons triple dog dare paid off  it turns out a few Democrats werent about to stick their tongue to the proverbial frozen flagpole.

Lance Trover served as spokesman for Doug Burgums 2024 presidential campaign.

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Continuing Democratic divisions from Washingtons recent funding fight show their party is disintegrating. Its fissures run between the House and Senate, between their base and their elected leaders, between establishmentarians and ideologues, and between generations.

These fissures are getting worse on their own, and Trump is also making them worse.

Washington was recently embroiled in yet another annual funding fight. The twist this time: Republicans wanted to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government running and Democrats wanted to block it.

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Through the administrations Department of Government Efficiency effort, Republicans have been targeting the government piecemeal. Their argument in this funding fight was to keep the government operating, so DOGE could continue doing what it has been doing.

Democrats opposed it for the opposite reason: If Republicans intend to cherry-pick parts of government for shutdown, they reasoned, we should force a complete shutdown.

Only one Democrat dared buck his partys Bolshevik wing in the House. The fight then went to the Senate, where the minoritys ability to filibuster gave Democrats a more realistic chance to stop Republicans funding bill.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was willing to do so  until he wasnt. He and eight other Democrats (plus Independent Angus King of Maine) voted to break their partys filibuster and support the Republicans funding bill.

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In the aftermath, all hell has broken loose among Democrats. When asked whether new Democratic leadership was needed in the Senate, the House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) responded only, Next question. When asked whether he still had confidence in Schumer, Jeffries again evaded, answering with Next question.

Other House Democrats werent so reticent. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), whom livid Democrats have urged to challenge Schumer for his seat in 2028, labeled Schumers reversal a tremendous mistake.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) urged Senate Democrats to vote against Schumers position, while firebrand Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) said hes absolutely wrong.

Of course, such intraparty bicameral brawling is as old as Congress itself. Speaker of the House Tip ONeill (D-Mass.) famously said, The House Republicans are not the enemy, theyre the opposition. The Senate is the enemy.

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But todays Democratic splits go far beyond that. Jeet Heer of The Nation called for Schumers immediate resignation. Ditto Indivisible, one of the nations largest grassroots progressive organizations. Left-wing activists are protesting outside Schumers home.

MSNBC host Symone Sanders Townsend announced on air she was leaving the Democratic Party. Former MSNBC personality Toure Neblett announced during a CNN interview that he was considering doing the same thing.

Democrats fight also splits along generational lines. Even before the spending fight, former Speaker Pelosi had been challenged by a former staffer of Ocasio-Cortez. At the time, Saikat Chakrabarti said, I respect what Nancy Pelosi has accomplished in her career, but we are living in a totally different America than the one she knew when she entered politics 45 years ago.

Regarding Ocasio-Cortez, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who voted for the funding bill, said, I hope you can relay how little I care about her views on this. Regarding Fettermans criticism of a fiery House committee exchange, Ocasio-Cortez accused him of not standing up to bullying, to which Fetterman responded on CNN, Of course, thats absurd.

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This intraparty turmoil has been simmering since Trump overwhelmed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris last November. Trump won a narrow but decisive victory nationwide. But outside of the most liberal states of California, New York, Massachusetts, and Washington  that is, in 46 states that make up 80 percent of electoral votes  he won 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent.

Democrats have struggled ever since to find a message, messenger, or any sense of unity. What theyve found instead is fury, disunity, disorganization, and impotence  despite Trumps nominally small November victory and Republicans even smaller House and Senate congressional majorities.

In contrast to 2017, when Trumps upset victory pulled Democrats together as a unified opposition, Democrats only current unity comes from attacking each other. Unable to successfully attack let alone stop Trump and his popular agenda, Democrats are lashing out at everyone available  namely, at themselves.

The beneficiary of Democrats self-inflicted wounds is of course Trump, who is always favored by the weakness of his opponents  Hillary in 2016, Biden and then Harris in 2024. He has never benefited from this more than he does now. Altready strong on paper, backed by House and Senate majorities and the Supreme Court, Trump is being made to look stronger still by his weakened, divided opposition.

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Whats more, Democrats attacks on their establishment, congressional leaders and older generation risks erosion of the fragile firewall between a Democratic Party that can pass as somewhat reasonable and one defined by leftist firebrands self-immolation.

To appreciate the effect of Democrats cannibalistic cabal, just look at the senators who have announced so far that they wont seek reelection in 2026. Expect more retirements to come, particularly in the House, as it becomes increasingly clear Democrat candidates cannot run and win on their bases policy priorities.

As Democrats boost Trump, the more Trump wins. The more Trump wins, the more Democrats defect or quit.

In 2018, the midterms brought in Democrats far left. Today, their far left is their party. Because of it, as Democrats feed on themselves, Trump is feasting on them.

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J.T. Young is the author of the recent book , Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed Americas Socialist Left. He has more than three decades experience working in Congress, the Department of Treasury, the Office of Management, and Budget, and representing a Fortune 20 company.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
If you write for newspapers and websites, you receive a lot of email from readers. Sometimes its incoherent or simply off the point. And if you have a Jewish last name, it can be antisemitic as well. (What kind of a name is Zimmerman? is usually a good tip-off for that.)

But now and then, Ill get a note that rings so true that I wish everyone could read it. And that happened last week, when a young man wrote me about his recent experience attending an elite American college.

The elite schools are under enormous fire from the Trump administration, which recently announced that it is investigating 60 colleges and universities for antisemitic discrimination and harassment. A few days later it said it was scrutinizing 52 schools for using racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities, in violation of its earlier order to eliminate programs related to diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Have a look at the schools named by the administration, and youll see many of the usual suspects: Harvard, MIT, Stanford, and so on. And it canceled $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia, which the White House said wont be restored until the school pledges to arrest and remove agitators.

But the real problem at our elite schools isnt racism, or antisemitism, or wokeism. Its cynicism.

We proclaim our devotion to free inquiry, but we dont live by it. And our students know it.

Thats the main theme of the note I got last week. The writer  whom I wont identify, to protect his privacy  said his humanities classes promoted ideological conformity, not curiosity.

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Oh my god it seemed like no topic of conversation existed to them besides racism and colonialism and how evil white people are, he recalled. Half of their class discussions were whine-fests about how hard people of color and LGBT people have it (and I am saying this is a gay man).

You read that right. My correspondent is gay  and an immigrant, to boot  which is another reason Im not naming him here. He made it clear he disdains Trump, who has done so much to threaten both immigrant and LGBTQ Americans.

And heres the kicker: after enduring several years of left-wing groupthink at college, he got a job in the consulting industry. So do large numbers of students at my own institution, the University of Pennsylvania, where 50 percent of graduates enter one of two fields: consulting or finance.

At convocation, when students first arrive on campus, we tell them they can choose to do anything they want with their lives. But somehow, four years later, half of them choose to do the exact same thing.

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Despite what you hear on Fox News, were not making Marxists. Were making cynics capable of mouthing a few progressive pieties on their way to Wall Street.

At their best, humanities courses ask students to think about what makes for a good life and for a good world. But at our elite institutions, we have essentially answered that question for them: a good life is one with lots of money. And does anyone think that sending more Penn students to consulting and finance will make a better world? I didnt think so.

If we respected the values we proclaim, wed do much more to promote career diversity. Wed encourage our students to enter teaching, social work and public service, instead of selling their souls to the highest bidder.

Most of all, wed invest in improving college-level instruction. The cookie-cutter classes that my correspondent described wont open students minds to different ideas  or to different futures. But most professors are rewarded for their research, not their teaching, so they dont have much incentive to change.

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I do want elite institutions to begin showing students that there are life paths that are not consulting or finance related, and I do believe that making students take humanities classes will assist them in figuring out unique paths, my correspondent wrote. But elite institutions  would do a better job promoting humanities to their students if they kill the monoculture that has grown around these fields and allow more fresh air to enter them.

Amen to that. But its hard to revive the humanistic spirit when Trump is trying to destroy it.

Like the young man who wrote me, I am appalled  and terrified  by Trumps attacks on higher education. Trump doesnt care about antisemitism or discrimination on our campuses. Hes just using those terms to stoke fear and restrain open inquiry, which is the lifeblood of the university.

But if were honest, we will admit that we have too often flouted that ideal. The fault, dear professors, is not just in Trump. It is in ourselves.

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Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania and serves on the advisory board of the Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest.

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For weeks, headlines have been dominated by the Trump administrations DOGE-led overhaul of USAID spending, exposing not just gaps in oversight but also financial blind spots and programs whose humanitarian impact and strategic value to the U.S. remain uncertain. Each new claim of billions saved is swiftly met with counterarguments that the cuts are an illusion.

Yet, while Washington debates USAID, a far bigger clash is coming  one that will test Americas role in global leadership, its commitment to fiscal responsibility, and the future of humanitarian aid itself.

At the heart of this brewing storm is a single question: What is to be done about the United Nations?

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This will not be a quiet policy debate. It will be global, partisan, and high-stakes, with U.N. advocates and international allies pushing to preserve billions in funding, while others demand greater transparency and fiscal accountability. The outcome will reshape not just U.S. foreign aid, but Americas influence on the world stage.

One U.N. program certain to come under intense scrutiny is the Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan  a sprawling $1.4 billion initiative involving 15 U.N. affiliates and 230 NGOs, aimed at assisting displaced populations across 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries. For more than a decade, its funding has surged in direct response to U.S. immigration policies, rising as migration incentives expanded.

This debate will unfold against the backdrop of the largest diaspora in the history of the Western Hemisphere  more than 7.7 million Venezuelans fleeing continued economic collapse and political repression. This crisis has been compounded by U.S. immigration policies that incentivized migration flows across the region and beyond toward the southern border.

The United Nations is facing growing criticism over its ability to address the worlds most pressing crises. Its climate change policies are said to stifle debate and push a rigid agenda that sidelines alternative approaches.

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In conflict zones like Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine, the U.N.s failure to mediate effectively or take decisive action has reinforced calls for structural reform, exposing the limitations of an institution shackled by bureaucratic inertia and security council deadlock.

The humanitarian arm of the U.N., tasked with alleviating suffering, has struggled to meet even the most basic needs, as seen in Sudan, where famine, disease and mass displacement continue unabated. Meanwhile, its portrayal of Middle Eastern conflicts and claims of overt support for Hamas in Gaza, have fueled accusations of bias, undermining trust in its ability to serve as an impartial global arbiter.

As skepticism toward the U.N.s humanitarian effectiveness grows, programs like the Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan provide support for migrants, refugees and host communities across multiple sectors, including food security, temporary shelter, rent assistance and essential health services.

To foster long-term stability, it also offers education, vocational training and job market access, alongside nearly $200 million in cash and voucher assistance for 2025-2026.

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The UNs own 2025 figures show that over 80 percent of the plans budget is controlled by U.N. agencies, leaving national NGOs and local partners with only a fraction. This top-heavy structure, spanning 17 countries and 23,600 activities, creates a complex funding maze that undermines transparency, accountability and trust.

One of the plans biggest failures  common in U.N.-led programs  is prioritizing outputs over outcomes. The U.N. tracks services provided, like food packages and shelter spaces, but rarely measures long-term impact.

Counting migrants in temporary housing is an output; tracking how many achieve stable employment is an outcome. Yet by prioritizing superficial metrics, the U.N. sidesteps a harder question: Are these programs solving problems or merely sustaining dependency? Without measurable long-term results, donors are left funding initiatives that appear effective on paper but fail to deliver meaningful impact.

This growing debate presents an opportunity for policymakers to demand accountability and reform, ensuring that U.S. taxpayer dollars drive real, lasting change. Critical questions must be asked:

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Did Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan funds help stabilize displaced populations closer to home, or did they instead participate in a migration pipeline through Central America and into the U.S.?

How much of this funding directly supported migration versus providing life-saving humanitarian relief in host countries?

Did the plan distinguish between genuine asylum seekers and economic migrants, or did it frame migration in a way that aligned with its broader objectives?

Were migrants informed that economic claims wouldnt qualify for U.S. asylum, or was a different narrative encouraged?

At stake is whether the Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan remains a neutral humanitarian initiative or has drifted into advocacy  potentially turning U.S. taxpayers into unwitting sponsors of a system vulnerable to abuse.

To be sure, the plan has stepped up where others have not. Addressing a crisis of this scale  millions of displaced people across 17 countries  is no small task. But recognition alone is not enough. Without greater transparency and accountability, much of this funding risks being lost to inefficiency, misguided policies, and bureaucratic inertia.

The United Nations has long resisted substantive reforms. It is, at its core, an institutional bureaucracy  a system designed for self-preservation. Its main characteristic is not adaptability but survivability. Calls for change will be met with obstruction, not urgency, as U.N. agencies work to protect their outdated processes and inflated administrative costs.

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For too long, Congress has rubber-stamped billions in U.N. aid with little scrutiny. The Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan may be just one program but it exemplifies a broader issue: international bureaucracies thrive while the people they claim to help remain in crisis. Before another dollar is spent, lawmakers must demand a full, accountability audit  not just of budgets, but of impact.

If the U.S. insists on accountability in domestic spending, it should demand the same for every dollar spent abroad. Anything less is a blank check for failure.

Ron MacCammon, Ed.D., is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel and former political officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, where he oversaw the State Departments largest humanitarian demining program. He has written extensively on security, governance, and international affairs.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Over the weekend, the U.S. took a different approach to the Yemen problem. It launched airstrikes against Houthi rebel positions in response to a warning the Houthis would target Israeli ships traveling through Mideast waterways like the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

On Sunday morning, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented in an interview that This campaign is about freedom of navigation and restoring deterrence. 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.

He added the airstrikes were meant to draw Irans attention with the message that its support of the Houthis needs to end immediately, that the U.S. will hold Iran accountable as a sponsor of this proxy and that Iran needs to back off from enabling the Houthis.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the message on CBS Newss Face the Nation that, Theres no way the  Houthis would have the ability to do this kind of thing unless they had support from Iran.

That evening Houthi rebels responded to Hegseth by firing 18 ballistic and cruise missiles and one drone at the USS Harry S. Truman and its carrier strike group. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said that his militants would target U.S. ships in the Red Sea as long as the U.S. continues its attacks on Yemen. If they continue their aggression, we will continue the escalation.

President Trump said on Monday he would hold Iran responsible for any attacks carried out by the Houthis. Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Commander Hossein Salami says the Houthis make their own decisions.

But the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah all have one thing in common  Iran.

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On Tuesday, Houthi Foreign Minister Jamal Amer said they will not dial down their action against Israeli shipping in the Red Sea in response to U.S. military pressure or appeals from the groups allies such as Iran  Now we see that Yemen is at war with the U.S. and that means that we have a right to defend ourselves with all possible means, so escalation is likely.

Then Russia intervened. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called Rubio to urge an immediate cessation of the use of force and the importance for all sides to engage in political dialogue.

This is the same Russia, by the way, which Iran helped last September to broker secret talks between Russia and Yemens Houthi rebels to transfer anti-ship missiles to the militant group. These are likely the same Russian missiles used to target the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and other U.S. naval assets operating in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Furthermore, intelligence reports confirm that the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation  the GRU  now operates in Yemen under the guise of humanitarian aid.

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This is the same Russia whose president Trump spoke with for more than two hours on Tuesday, discussing a cease-fire proposal over the phone to end the war in Ukraine. This is the same Russia that paid bounties to Taliban-linked militants to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan.

The Houthis are a mere distraction to divert attention and military resources, whereas Russia and Iran are the main concern. Like Israel, the U.S. has now adopted the tactic of confronting the proxy head-on, hoping to send a message to Tehran. But while they address the symptom, the disease is dangerously in pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

The U.S. designation of the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization took effect Mar. 4, enabling U.S. Central Command to take action. But airstrikes alone against Houthi rebels in Yemen are not going to solve this problem, even though they do represent a start. The same hydra Israel battles in Gaza and southern Lebanon has a head in Yemen too. Ultimately, Iran, aided by Russia, is the source of turmoil throughout the Middle East.

We may now be finally seeing the go ashore plan recommended by U.S. Navy Admiral and former NATO Commander James Stavridis back in June 2024. He described a four-phase operation, beginning with intelligence collection to build a coherent picture of exactly where Houthi strike assets and command-and-control [centers] are located.

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Next, attack the command-and-control centers with cruise missiles to blind the Houthi. And that may not be limited to just Houthi assets, since Iran has long been helping the Houthis with its intelligence and targeting ships. To sink one of these would send a very strong message to Tehran.

The third phase consists of strikes conducted against the Houthi physical infrastructure used for the attacks  coastal radars, manned Houthi maritime craft, land-based ballistic missile launchers, unmanned speed boats, maintenance facilities, ammunition caches and drone construction (and arming) centers.

Then phase four is to sever the supply chain back to Iran and Russia. This would likely require a naval blockade and may require striking Iranian assets directly.

Although Stavridis did not suggest targeting senior Houthi leadership or Iranian or Russian advisors on the ground providing technical assistance, that should remain on the table. So should special operations raids, which Trump authorized in late February.

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The Houthis are a resilient terrorist organization. Passive defense measures have failed to deter their attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Direct action against Houthi rebels and their support structure is necessary to eliminate the threat. It took the Trump administration to deliver the message.

It is time to remove this distraction and get to its Iranian and Russian sources. It is time to close with and destroy the enemy  finish the job.

Col. (Ret.) Jonathan E. Sweet served 30 years as an Army intelligence officer. Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy.

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President Donald Trump has always had a skeptical view of judicial independence. Hes long praised those who rule in his favor as wise jurists while denouncing any who rule against him as biased and not worthy of their robes. But he reached a new low in this area on Tuesday, when he called for U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to be impeached for halting his attempts to ship Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador.

This escalation added fuel to an already simmering debate on the right about how to respond to federal judges who block Trumps agenda. Chief Justice John Roberts and billionaire Elon Musk have weighed in on opposite sides of Trumps call to impeach Boasberg. And both Musks and Roberts positions are wrong.

The chief justice prompted breaking news push alerts on Tuesday when he issued a rare statement criticizing Trumps call for impeachment. For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, he wrote. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

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Throughout his career, Roberts has loved to hunt for the smallest nuance that can leave him technically correct. And here, again, he does have a point. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution says federal judges shall hold their Offices during good Behavior. This has been interpreted as granting them essentially lifetime appointments, in which they cant just be replaced because political control changes hands in Washington.

The exception, of course, is when federal judges are impeached, something that has happened 15 times since the nations founding. Article II of the Constitution lays out frustratingly vague grounds for impeachment of the president and other civil Officers of the United States: Treason, Bribery, and other high Crimes and Misdemeanors. The standard established over the years is that federal judges are impeachable only for actions taken outside the normal bounds of their role.

But Roberts also well knows that impeachment is a political tool, not a legal one. The question isnt whether impeachment is constitutional or legal; its whether it would be, as the chief justice puts it, appropriate.

The Constitution gives the power of impeachment to the legislative branch, not the judicial branch. Article I states that the House has the sole Power of Impeachment, while the Senate has the sole Power to try all Impeachments. Unlike under the Federal Standards of Criminal Procedure that prosecutors must adhere to in court, the bar for investigating impeachable offenses and determining guilt is essentially whatever the House and the Senate says it is. And the courts have constantly upheld the idea that they cant really step in on matters of impeachment, including against members of the bench, as those powers are given solely to Congress. In theory, theres nothing stopping Republicans from lining up an impeachment vote on every federal judge a Democratic president has named.

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Which brings us to Musk, who has endorsed an impeachathon event that far-right Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., plans to hold online, targeting at least 11 judges for removal. On Wednesday, he said on X that America is experiencing a judicial coup that requires 60 senators to impeach the judges and restore the rule of the people. As my colleague Jordan Rubin explained, Musk is instantly wrong on several fronts here, including the threshold for removal in the Senate. It requires two-thirds of the Senate to agree, or 67 votes, which is 14 more than the GOP currently has in its caucus.

Its up to the House to impeach an official first, though, and theres a math problem there, too. Republicans do control the House and need only a majority vote to impeach. But that majority is so narrow that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has little room for error for anything to pass on a party-line vote. That didnt stop Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, who wrote on X on Tuesday that he had introduced articles of impeachment against Boasberg. That makes Boasberg the fifth federal judge to have articles filed against him since Trump was inaugurated but the first with the presidents endorsement.

This situation is set to be a political headache for Johnson. The speaker already has enough on his plate, including passing a major tax cut plan and other parts of the Trump agenda. Now he also is feeling pressure from his right flank to at least consider impeaching judges, something that at best crowds the Houses schedule further and calls attention to Trumps consistent losses in court. Johnson was in a similar position last year when dealing with the laughable attempts to impeach President Joe Biden. This year, though, Trump is on his case from the White House, not Mar-a-Lago.

Even if Johnson does push through an impeachment resolution or two, those are simply analogous to a prosecutors filing charges in the criminal justice system. The Senate would hold the trial, and Politico reports that there is simply no appetite for that right now in the upper chamber. Yes, the Senate could conduct those trials via a specialized committee to keep the proceedings from taking up time on the floor. But a show trial behind closed doors that ends in acquittal would be doubly pointless.

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The floundering that were seeing because Trump hates losing is all very funny to me, personally, amid a very unfunny time. Impeachment should be used to hold public officials accountable, especially those who are unelected, but its been shown to be toothless in cases when partisanship can come into play. In this case, what is almost always taken as a flaw in the system is ironically exactly whats preventing impeachment from being abused to Trumps benefit.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The beginning of the second Trump presidency has been marked by the unilateral use of executive orders to restructure the federal government and change policy. These actions have been met with near silence from a Republican Congress.

Partisanship, narrow majorities and personal loyalty to Trump may all explain this. Some see Congress as ceding so much power that it has abdicated its constitutional duties to provide checks and balances and the separation of powers. This ceding of power  either expressly by legislation or implicitly by inaction  could create a constitutional dilemma, leaving some Americans hoping that the judiciary will serve as a check on the administration.

The federal courts have already stayed many Trump initiatives. Among the tools that the judiciary may turn to is a revitalization of the non-delegation doctrine, which states that Congress cannot delegate its legislative powers or lawmaking ability to other entities. This prohibition typically involves Congress delegating its powers to administrative agencies or to private organizations.

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The doctrine is rooted in Article I, Section One of the Constitution, which vests the legislative power in the House and Senate. Making laws, along with functions such as appropriating money, are inherently legislative functions that Congress may not give away to another branch of government or to a private entity.

The constitutional significance of the non-delegation doctrine emerged during the early part of the 20th century with the New Deal and the rise of the regulatory state. As Congress created regulatory agencies  such as the Food and Drug Administration, the Securities and Exchange Commission and Federal Trade Commission  it delegated to them broad authority to determine what is a safe drug, securities fraud or unfair competition. In effect, it gave these agencies broad authority to issue administrative rules that carried the force of law.

In 1928, the Supreme Court drew a limit on that delegation in J.W. Hampton v. United States. It held that delegation was permissible so long as there was an intelligible limit to the discretion that the administrative agency employed. Congress could not pass a law giving executive branch entities, including the president, unlimited discretion to make law or policy. For example, it could not adopt a law that said, Congress is transferring its lawmaking power to the executive branch.

The most famous case invoking the non-delegation doctrine was 1935s Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States, wherein the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional an act that delegated to private groups via the executive branch the authority to make rules of fair business competition. Here the non-delegation doctrine was used to strike down parts of what was referred to as the First New Deal regulations.

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Yet since Schechter, the Supreme Court has never again used non-delegation to strike down legislation. Some speculate that perhaps Congress has learned its lesson and avoided violating the intelligible principle, whereas others argue that the court has simply abandoned it.

In cases such as Mistretta v. United States, Whitman v. American Trucking Association and United States v. Mead, the court saw congressional delegation of power as pushing the limits of the non-delegation doctrine but not crossing it. Even in Trump v. Hawaii, wherein Trump issued the so-called Muslim travel ban, the court debated whether the president had crossed the line, but ultimately ruled that he had not.

Yet in 2019s Gundy v. United States, four of the justices (Roberts, Thomas, Gorsuch and Alito) argued for a strengthening and rethinking of the non-delegation doctrine because of their concern that Congress has ceded too much authority to administrative and executive agencies. Conservatives have long called for the doctrine to be given a new life. This renewed support for the delegation doctrine and limits on administrative agency discretion is also evident in the recent Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision, which overturned Chevron deference.

As the battle over the constitutionality of Trumps actions turn to the courts, it would not be a surprise if a conservative Supreme Court or lower federal court judges look to the non-delegation doctrine as a tool to check executive branch authority.

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David Schultz is a Distinguished University Professor and the Winston Folkers Endowed Distinguished Faculty Chair in political science at Hamline University.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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It is time to stop chasing the illusion that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants peace. He does not.

It didnt take long for Washington to receive clarity on Russias interests in following through an agreement for a 30-day halt on attacking energy infrastructure. Shortly after Putins call with President Trump wrapped up, Russia continued to hit Ukrainian energy targets.

Putin remains as defiant, inflexible and hostile as ever. Not only did he reject an immediate 30-day ceasefire as agreed by Ukraine, but his overnight barrages should remove any remaining pretensions about his willingness to follow through on future ceasefire promises.

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The unfortunate truth is that Russia still wants to exert control over Ukraine and erase its identity as a separate nation. That is diametrically opposed to the stated American desire for Ukraine to survive as a sovereign and independent country.

The tell is in Russias hostility toward the idea of stationing French and British peacekeepers in Ukraine. The presence of any Western military force in the country would complicate Putins ability to restart the war at a future time of his choosing.

Russia knows that, without robust security guarantees, Ukraine is vulnerable to all sorts of machinations. The doors of corruption and influence would swing open for Russian money and propaganda. All of this while the ever-present threat of renewed conflict hangs over Ukraine.

Under such bleak circumstances, Ukraine would struggle not only to convince the millions of Ukrainians who have fled abroad to return home, but it would be almost impossible for Kyiv to keep its most talented citizens from emigrating.

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Putin has staked his regimes stability on the war against Ukraine. His remolding of the Russian economy to support the war has been so thorough and complete that it is doubtful that Russia could pivot economically even if the fighting stops. Russia is committed to war for the time being. Any ceasefire would be little more than a tactical pause.

The Kremlin will only agree to a cessation of hostilities if Moscow believes that it can subjugate Ukraine by another means or at another time.

While there is no doubt that President Trump has a genuine desire to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war, Russia simply does not share this interest.

Instead, Moscow responded to the Trump-brokered ceasefire proposal with its usual list of demands: no NATO or foreign peacekeeping forces for Ukraine, but international recognition of Russias newly conquered territories.

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In other words, Russia pockets all the concessions and begins preparations to fight another day. This is not exactly a recipe for lasting peace.

Trump has noticed, and his patience may be running low. Recently, he wrote that he is considering new sanctions and tariffs to force Russia to come to an agreement.

It is exactly this sort of language  and more importantly, these sorts of actions  that can make a difference.

It is time for the U.S. to shift its focus toward the central task at hand: imposing greater costs on Russia and arming Ukraine sufficiently to withstand aggression, thus inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia. Only that will bring true peace.

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With last months acrimonious back and forth between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky behind us, the moment is ripe for the U.S. to implement policy actions that strengthen Ukraines independence and buttress Kyivs ability to withstand Russia for the long haul.

It is clear who the impediment to peace is in Ukraine. Ceasefire agreement or not, getting Russia to willingly agree to a settlement that preserves an independent Ukraine is an illusion.

The sooner this idea is dispelled, the quicker the real work toward peace can begin.

Daniel Kochis is a senior fellow at the Center on Europe and Eurasia at Hudson Institute.

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UPDATE (April 16, 2025 2:07 p.m. E.T.): U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Thursday that probable cause exists to find the Trump administration in contempt for violating his order over deportation flights to El Salvador.

President Donald Trumps team is effective at using fiery rhetoric, which often includes lies, to paint his opponents as villains and to manufacture crises they insist only he can solve. Take the current fracas over the deportation of Venezuelan migrants whose alleged gang ties led Trump to declare them terrorists.

The debate reached fever pitch Wednesday, when Attorney General Pam Bondi, in an appearance on Fox News, launched an incendiary attack on so-called liberal U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, accusing him of "meddling in our government." Bondi said, "And the question should be, why is the judge trying to protect terrorists who invaded our country over American citizens?

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Whoa, nelly. Thats quite the statement. Rather, it's empty rhetoric not supported by facts.

Whats especially pernicious is Bondis arrogant use of our government  as if the federal judiciary is not a co-equal branch of government. Theres an old-fashioned, but still appropriate idea that the public is best served when the Department of Justice speaks through its court filings. Its also outrageous for Bondi to launch a verbal assault against a federal judge amidst an increased wave of violent threats.

None of this is normal.

But this is how Bondi rolls. In less than two months, the attorney general, whos sworn to protect and defend all of us, has gained a reputation for just offering red meat to MAGA conservatives, whether lying about crime rates or mocking Hunter Biden at partisan political conferences or shattering norms by appearing exclusively on one conservative TV network every week of her tenure. She first proved herself in 2020, embracing Trumps big lie that the 2020 election was stolen. She even travelled to Pennsylvania and made claims of evidence of cheating and fake ballots that didnt exist.

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It should come as no surprise, then, that Bondi the MAGA warrior would viciously attack Boasberg, a nonpartisan judge who was appointed to a seat on the D.C. Superior Court by Republican President George W. Bush. When President Barack Obama nominated him for a federal judgeship a decade later, the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed him.

Judge Boasberg is neither a knee-jerk liberal nor a died-in-the-wool conservative. He has issued rulings that Trump supported, such as when he ordered the FBI to release thousands of emails belonging to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and he has issued rulings that Trump opposed, such as cleared the way for former Vice President Mike Pence to provide grand jury testimony in DOJs investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. In law school, this Democrat activist, as White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrongly labeled him this week, roomed with now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who presided over his investiture.

Contrary to Bondis incendiary rhetoric that Judge Boasberg has no right to ask those questions, the truth is he has the right and is right to ask hard questions of the presidents use of the Alien Enemies Act. The law was last used following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II to relocate and incarcerate thousands of people of Japanese ancestry in the U.S. The Trump administration has provided no proof  to the court or anybody else  that the individuals detained and deported are in fact violent gang members in the country illegally. Theyre telling the court and the public, but not showing us the proof, as MSNBCs Ali Vitali observed.

Its easy to understand why Judge Boasberg would have some questions, given the Trump administrations shoot first, ask questions later sloppy approach to government. Like when they mistakenly declared a Seattle man dead and stopped his Social Security benefits; or abruptly fired (and then rehired) hundreds highly trained federal employees working on the nations nuclear weapons programs. Or inadvertently released Social Security numbers and other private information of former congressional staff. The list of things they should be questioned about is long.

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But none of this matters to the Trump administration, which senses a political opening. And on the underlying question  the removal of any violent undocumented immigrant from the country  he has the support of most Americans, including Democrats. In fact, immigration/border security is the only major issue in which the majority of Americans approve of how Trump is handling it, according NBC News polling. Fifty-five percent of voters approve of his handling of the issue, while 43% disapprove. A clear majority, 56%, say hes bringing the right kind of change on the issue.

But even policies that the American people approve of must be carried out according to the law, and, as Judge Boasberg is working to determine if applicable laws were followed, Trump and his administration are sowing discord for his political benefit.

And Bondis part in sowing that discord includes her characterizing as an offense the sacred obligation that a judge, and indeed every member of a co-equal branch government, has to ensure that we all live up to our constitutional responsibilities.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Last Friday, the U.S. decided it no longer needed a voice to counter disinformation, correct misinformation and fill information gaps in regions suffering extreme censorship or lacking competent local journalism.

This gift to Russia, China and Iran  and thats what this is, a gift  allows these countries to ply lies and deception unfettered to establish their spheres of influence and turn people against the U.S. and its interests, society and future.

Moscow is undoubtedly pleased with the silencing of Voice of America and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty in Russia and in Moscows imperial territories, which Moscow has subjugated and is trying to subjugate. Smiles are indeed not just in Moscow  with laughter at the headquarters of RT, formerly Russia Today  but also in Budapest.

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Beijing is also undoubtedly pleased to be rid of the meddling Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, which informed Chinese citizens about what their government did  and, sometimes more importantly, did not do  and the truths about Chinas regional and global foreign affairs.

These networks, equally importantly, informed people outside of China about what China was doing, what those loans really entailed and how it undermined governments and societies to extract raw materials or pay poachers to slaughter endangered animals. Indeed, this will ease tension with any U.S. carmaker with a significant business portfolio in the country.

Pyongyang will be thrilled about Radio Free Asias demise. I dont know if it was still seeding North Korean black markets with South Korean and U.S. content and the hardware to connect abroad, but if it was, it isnt any longer.

However, the U.S. Agency for Global Media did much more than send electrons abroad.

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Through its five networks  Voice of America, Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, the Office of Cuba Broadcasting and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks  and its internet freedom operation, it worked to build and empower local journalism.

Its Open Technology Fund funded the development of Signal and other tools to protect the freedom to speak and to listen. The networks helped citizen journalists share their stories and work toward creating a local understanding of foundational democratic principles, such as the rule of law and accountability.

The networks also served as surrogate news organizations for their audiences. When there was some capacity for local news but a lack of reach, U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists could be called on to be the Washington Bureau or report from the field in Ukraine to undermine the disinformation that would otherwise fill the void.

The networks told Americas story not just to correct disinformation and misinformation but to discuss alternative futures for audiences living under repressive regimes. The stories may seem about us, but they were aimed squarely at the audience.

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Voice of Americas Russian service, for example, reported on Detroits bankruptcy in St. Petersburg to show that municipal leaders can be held accountable for malfeasance. Its coverage of the Ferguson protests offered a glimpse into how U.S. journalists cover sensitive events, something that audiences in some countries might find unimaginable in their context.

The real objective, however, was fostering discussions about comparable challenges within those audiences societies, where ethnic and racial biases often escalated into significant conflict.

The U.S. Agency for Global Media operated in places where commercial media did not, by definition. The commercial press may parachute in, but the agencys journalists were from these places and lived there.

What were these places? My shorthand description is that these are countries where the U.S. Special Operations Command will be, has been, or recently was.

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The U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists deep relationship with their markets means they were the canaries in the coal mine. They had extensive networks and the pulse of what was happening. They reported on the news from the target audiences perspective, which is why simply translating U.S. networks and beaming them abroad cannot replace the agency.

Their deep connections to the people and the land meant that U.S. Agency for Global Media journalists could move with relative ease and had the respect of their audiences. For example, Ukrainians asked a Voice of America reporter to moderate its presidential debates.

The nature of the agencys work means there is often a significant threat to its journalists. Too many of its journalists have been killed in the line of duty  duty to the U.S. and to their audience  and many have been, and some remain, prisoners of countries that abhor the sunlight the U.S. Agency for Global Media brings.

Not everything was rosy with the agency, however. When I served as a governor on the Broadcasting Board of Governors, now the U.S. Agency for Global Media, I encountered and was able to address significant problems, from severe leadership defects to corruption.

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Some of these problems werent solved, and new ones arose. But none of these were so severe the agency should disappear. Its networks provided a valuable contribution to our national security.

The shutdown appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to a question in the Oval Office, indicated not just by its suddenness but also because the executive order directing the closing  it did not authorize the closing, because an executive order lacks the authority to do so  concludes mid-sentence. The Heritage Foundations Project 2025 recommended keeping the agency, the White House nominated a new CEO and Kari Lake was tapped to be the Voice of America director.

The shutdown also appears to be illegal. Terminating the grants to Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks does not seem to adhere to the law, which spells out the termination conditions (something I had seriously considered when I served on the Broadcasting Board of Governors).

Further, it seems the White House, through the Secretary of State, could have legally invoked the sunset clause Congress placed in the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948. But weve already seen that laws dont matter much anymore.

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Others will fill the space left by the U.S. Agency for Global Medias sudden disappearance. Frances Radio France Internationale, Radio Netherlands, Deutsche Welle, BBC International, or Japans NHK may gain new audiences, but they have their own interests and objectives.

The information operations of China, Russia, Iran and others will eagerly work to build their audience from those who sought the truth from the U.S. Agency for Global Media. The result puts the U.S. at a distinct and growing disadvantage in the enduring struggle for minds and wills.

The administrations departure from the Project 2025 roadmap was likely influenced by disinformation about the agencys operations. While some criticisms rely on fantastical and demonstrably false claims, the agencys work is often ignored and misunderstood.

In reality, the U.S. Agency for Global Media is a cost-effective asset, providing a greater range and more enduring impact than a single F-35. Its networks disrupt adversaries and contribute to our national security.

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By ending this connection to hundreds of millions and silencing the agencys journalistic scrutiny of countries impacting our national security, the U.S. has effectively isolated itself.

Matt Armstrong served as a governor on the Broadcasting Board of Governors from 2013-2017 and previously served as the executive director of the Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy. He was sanctioned by Russia in 2022.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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As President Trump signed an executive order gutting the U.S. Agency for Global Media  which runs Voice of America and Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty  Washington is reportedly considering lifting sanctions on the Russian state-owned media outlet RT. That would be a mistake.

RT is a critical tool in Russias propaganda arsenal and, instead of easing pressure, the U.S. should launch an information offensive against Moscow.

Earlier this month, former RT America editor Ben Swann claimed that Trump would remove sanctions on RT, formerly known as Russia Today, within two weeks time. In an open letter published on social media, Swann praised Trump for moving at warp speed to protect freedom of speech. Speaking to RT, Swann expressed confidence that Trump disagrees with these sanctions and considers them foolish.

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Swanns reporting has not been corroborated by other media outlets, but regardless of its veracity, Trump should take heed of the dangers of sanctions relief. The Trump administration should protect free speech, but the Kremlin, through entities such as RT, takes advantage of Americas openness to disseminate propaganda and wage an information war.

Russian strategists and officials view information as a weapon rather than a medium for intellectual exchange or a competitive marketplace of ideas. Fifteen years ago, Russian military strategists Sergei Chekinov and Sergei Bogdanov argued that the ongoing revolution in information technologies would foster a security environment in which information and psychological warfare will largely lay the groundwork for victory. In 2017, Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu commented on Russias military modernization, noting that information operations forces have been established, that are expected to be a far more effective tool than all we used before. A few years later, in 2021, Shoigu said that information has become a weapon.

Under President Vladimir Putin, the Russian government has asserted greater control over the information space. In 2019, Russia adopted a sovereign internet law aimed at tightening control over the internet and cutting Russia off from the rest of the world. Since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia has stepped up efforts to control information flows, including by shutting down foreign social media platforms. The Kremlin also imposed wartime censorship laws that threaten prison time for deviating from the governments line about the war.

Complementing these efforts, Putin aims to influence the information space abroad, and RT is one of his primary tools toward that end. Founded in 2005 to reflect the Russian position on the main issues of international politics and inform the wider public about the events and phenomena of Russian life, RT is a state-funded outlet that blends news coverage with outright conspiracy promotion. RT has been accused of secretly push[ing] out propaganda through media sites in South America, Europe and Africa while hiding the Kremlins fingerprints.

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In light of this threat, following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. sanctioned RT and Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused RT of undermining Western democracies, interfering in the American presidential election and fundraising for Russian military equipment to be used against Ukraine. The Biden administration targeted measures against RTs editor-in-chief, Margarita Simonyan, among others, and seized over two dozen web domains spreading disinformation.

RT derided accusations against the company as the U.S.s latest conspiracy theory. Russia vowed to retaliate against American media, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigating Washington for not accepting that there should be options  for anyone to get news from our perspective. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the Wests primitive ways of influencing their voters indicated the decline of liberal democracies.

As the Kremlins furious reaction indicates, American sanctions struck a blow against a key tendril of Russian information operations abroad. Now is not the time to let up the pressure. Instead of lifting sanctions, the Trump administration should bring the information war to the Kremlin. Washington should use offensive information operations to prompt Moscow to make decisions that are to its disadvantage. It should exert influence on Putins actions and overwhelm Russian intelligence services, forcing them to use their energy and resources playing defense.

Free speech is woven into the fabric of Americas DNA, but that does not mean the U.S. should let adversarial foreign governments leverage its openness with impunity. Putin, a crafty and cunning former KGB agent, sees the modern battlefield as a complex, multidomain environment, where information can be used as strategically as brute force. America must come to terms with this reality even as is stays true to its ideals, and Trump should apply a resolute approach to deterring and, if necessary, punishing adversaries in the information space.

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Ivana Stradner is a research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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President Donald Trump kicked off his first presidential campaign by implying that most everyone crossing the U.S.-Mexican border was a criminal.

Now hes using 1798s Alien Enemies Act to operationalize that idea by deporting people accused of being gang members without any due process that might allow them to challenge the claim. And hes citing the centuries-old law as his rationale for sending those he deems gang members to one of the most brutal and notorious prisons in El Salvador and, indeed, the Western Hemisphere.

Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act, turned into grotesque display via a three-minute propaganda video shared by El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, is chilling. It allows him to dehumanize and vilify migrants as "monsters" to justify the expense of and obsession with deporting as many of them as possible. It also serves as an example of Trump using obscure legal provisions to test how far he can take his autocratic agenda to expand executive power.

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Understand, nothing compels Trump to use the Alien Enemies Act. If he wants to deport undocumented migrants from the U.S., even adjudicated gang members, he could cite the same laws his predecessors used to detain and deport them. (Hes been citing those more commonly used laws for most deportations.)

The Alien Enemies Act has only been used to detain and deport people from the U.S. during three times in American history, and in those cases it was used against nationals from countries at war with the U.S. But the more than 200 Venezuelans whom Trump has sent to El Salvador under the auspices of that law are from a country that the U.S. is not at war with. Trumps effort to use the law was temporarily blocked by a federal judge who ordered the administration to turn the planes around, but unsuccessfully. (The Trump administration's position is that the courts cant review Trumps political determinations under the act.) Bukele taunted the judge on X, Oopsie  Too late, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Tesla CEO Elon Musk reposted it.

When I asked Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, whats the point of Trump using the Alien Enemies Act, he said: I cant speak exactly to their arguments, because they have yet to fully articulate that rationale, but the seeming obvious argument is that Trump campaigned on the issue, and he is trying to make a spectacle.

That spectacle is best captured by the astonishing video Bukele shared on X on Sunday celebrating his imprisonment of the people accused of being members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The video is a hard but necessary watch, showing El Salvadoran authorities roughly handling the alleged gang members, shaving their heads and sending them into prison cells  all alongside menacing-sounding synth-heavy music. Bukele said they will be imprisoned there for at least a year. The Salvadoran strongman  who has called himself the worlds coolest dictator  has sharply curtailed civil liberties in El Salvador and suspended constitutional rights for years under the banner of a state of emergency and has frequently swept innocent people into his Center for Terrorism Confinement mega prison.

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

A CNN report about the prison described the cells as built to hold 80 or so inmates, and the only furniture is tiered metal bunks, with no sheets, pillows or mattresses  an open toilet, a cement basin and plastic bucket for washing and a large jug for drinking water. The men are kept in the cells 23.5 hours a day, and Bukele said in his post that they will labor under the Zero Idleness program.

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This video is a remarkable artifact, inviting viewers to see the migrants as deserving of exploitation and brutality from a kind of international alliance of draconian carceral states.

But the premise that everyone sent to this hellish site is a gang member is dubious. We have only the governments word that any of these people are members of the gang, Reichlin-Melnick said. The government has offered no evidence to confirm gang membership. It has not offered those individuals subject to this any opportunity to argue that they are not a member of a gang, and the people that have been sent to this prison are very likely to include some individuals who have been falsely labeled a member of a gang.

Families of some of the people suspected to have been deported over the weekend have denied that the deportees have ties to gangs. And a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official admitted in a sworn declaration that many of the [Tren de Aragua gang] members removed under the AEA do not have criminal records in the United States.

Even if we were to grant that many, or even all, of the people deported to El Salvadors mega prison were gang members, Trumps deportations would still be disturbing. Because neither the Alien Enemies Act nor peacetime immigration law permits people to be imprisoned abroad. On what authority does Trump get to decide that someone suspected of gang membership should do hard labor in a foreign prison? And what happens to them when they get there? (This prison is explicitly run on the ethos that its inmates are beyond rehabilitation.) This is effectively vigilante justice, being practiced upon the most legally vulnerable population in the U.S.

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Trumps use of the Alien Enemies Act is a power grab that relies on  and further fuels  the demonization of migrants as a class of people who should not be accorded rights. It must be rejected.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
The conclusion of the 2025 legislative session also ended debate over a slew of bills aimed at the Utah Supreme Court. However, the Legislature was right to be concerned about issues implicating the separation of powers. Going forward, it must ensure that respect for judicial independence and judicial restraint guides its efforts.

In this session, the Utah Bar Association and even sitting justices on the Utah Supreme Court publicly opposed bills that they argued directly impacted the judiciary. The controversy was resolved near the end of the session, but that resolution left important underlying constitutional questions unaddressed.

The appropriate framework for addressing those questions involves two interrelated principles: judicial independence and judicial restraint.

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Judicial independence is the principle that judges must be able to faithfully apply the laws enacted by the people and their representatives without external pressures that would thwart their critical role.

Judicial independence does not rest on an assumption of judicial infallibility. It protects the judicial function, not the status of judges or lawyers. Thus, judicial independence is consistent with the principle of separation of powers and, specifically, the checks that other branches have on the judiciary.

However, judicial independence is threatened by legislative and executive branch actions exceeding their constitutional authority and by unfair and baseless attacks on the integrity of judges. That was the concern raised during the legislative session, though it was overwrought in almost every instance.

However, one threat to judicial independence did not get attention during the session, perhaps because it comes from an unlikely source. Judicial independence can be harmed when judges engage in lawmaking rather than fairly deriving (legal conclusions) from governing texts. When this happens, it subjects the judges to intensified political pressures by implicitly inviting politicians and advocacy groups to consider judges as potential collaborators in lawmaking.

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This latter point brings us to the second critical principle, judicial restraint. In our constitutional system, the law is made by the people and their representatives in written form. Judges construe the meaning of these laws as they apply in specific disputes but are not authorized to supply meanings beyond those texts. That is true even when the judges believe the written law is misguided (as it sometimes is).

Implicit in the sessions debates was legislative concern over a recent decision by the Utah Supreme Court to shield ballot initiatives from legislative oversight. The court sublimated a clear constitutional text  that provides the state legislature with the power to make laws  to an unwritten meta-principle of promoting voters subjective intent (as determined by judges).

That approach is at odds with the role of judges in our constitutional system. So, the legislature is free to question its propriety. Indeed, efforts to respond are a positive step in reclaiming judicial independence by encouraging the justices to eschew lawmaking.

The intertwined principles of judicial independence and judicial restraint should guide future legislative efforts.

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For instance, the Legislature should be careful not to overstate concerns with the judiciary. Judges make mistakes and can usually be trusted to correct them.

Recent attacks on the U.S. Supreme Court also demonstrate that the Legislature must be extremely careful not to undermine judges who make correct decisions but whose commitment to constitutional principles runs afoul of temporary and misguided popular opinion or the efforts of interest groups to protect their narrow interests.

At the same time, the Legislature need not just accept judicial overreach.

Getting the balance right will not be easy. A good start would be for legislators to work to understand and carefully articulate the role of judges. This understanding would allow concerns about specific decisions to be clear and principled rather than ad hoc.

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It would also allow the Legislature to accomplish its constitutional roles better regarding the judiciary. For instance, the state Senate has the responsibility to confirm judicial nominees. Questioning has been sparse in the past, but a clear understanding of the judicial role would equip the senators with relevant questions about a nominees judicial philosophy.

The Legislature is also responsible for correcting laws in response to judicial decisions. An appropriate articulation of the role of courts would allow the Legislature to know when it should conform the law to judicial decisions or amend laws to correct judicial mistakes.

This understanding could help both branches to interact more productively and respectfully without abandoning essential constitutional protections and responsibilities. As important as these considerations are, the judiciary must be careful to carry out its unique role without veering into policy-making, even when doing so seems justified by a desire to carry out lawmakers intentions.

There is no reason to assume that Utah judges will not embrace this role, but there is no reason not to encourage a course correction when they do not. Constrained by these principles, the branches of government can secure a culture of fidelity to the states constitution and effectuate ordered self-government.
A bill under consideration at the Legislature proposes significant changes to Oregons election system.

House Bill 3166 would open primaries to all registered voters regardless of party affiliation and create a unified primary ballot for all candidates.

Under current law, nonaffiliated voters are unable to vote in most primary elections including primaries for congressional, gubernatorial, other statewide offices and legislative candidates. Political parties can open their primaries but most in Oregon, including Democrats and Republicans, hold closed primaries.

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The proposal is the latest iteration of reform attempts to enfranchise nonaffiliated and minor party voters.

Nearly 1.1 million registered voters in Oregon are nonaffiliated. They represent about 36% of all registered voters in the state.

I believe and others in my community believe it's time that we do something with our election system that allows more people to participate more fully in the whole process, Rep. John Lively, D-Springfield, the chief sponsor of HB 3166 said during a Wednesday public hearing. The bill also is sponsored by Rep. Paul Evans, D-Monmouth.

An amendment to the bill would require all candidates for partisan and nonpartisan offices in Oregon to appear on the same primary election ballot regardless of political party. The top two candidates would advance to the general election ballot. The change would exclude candidates for president and vice president of the United States.

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The bill also would require candidates to have a political partys endorsement before using a partys label on the ballot.

Supporters say time is right for open primaries in Oregon

Lively said he believed the changes would result in a better reflection of what Oregon voters actually believe.

Ballot measures in 2008 and 2014 to open Oregons primary elections failed. There also was a campaign in 2024 to open primaries through a ballot initiative, but it fizzled after the political action committee All Oregon Votes was unable to attract funding to gather signatures.

Mike Newman, a member of All Oregon Votes, said the group is eager to see whether the legislative effort succeeds.

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The Oregon Election Reform Coalition was involved in shaping HB 3166. The coalition consists of the Independent Party of Oregon, Oregon Progressive Party, Common Ground United We Stand, Veterans for All Voters, the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Progreso Latino, Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network and Vote Run Lead Action.

The time is right for this open primary reform, said Lainie Block Wilker, co-founder of Oregon Election Reform.

Closed primaries are fueling polarization, Wilker said.

She called opening the primary the most impactful reform lawmakers could implement to improve voter turnout and decrease polarization.

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Common Ground United We Stand was founded by former state Rep. Charlie Conrad, a lawmaker who left the Republican party last year. He said national politics have heightened tension, and at the state level, a significant group of voters are barred from having their voices heard and another group which he referred to as the exhausted majority have become disengaged.

We just want people to vote, Conrad told the Statesman Journal. To have that opportunity to have their voices heard and have a say.

Opposition centers on ranked-choice voting language in original bill

Opposition to the proposal centers on language in the original bill, which would have advanced the top five candidates of the unified ballot into a ranked-choice voting election.

That language was removed in the proposed amendment. Voters in 2024 rejected Measure 117, which would have established ranked-choice voting in Oregon.

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Opponents said passing the bill as introduced would ignore voter's rejection of ranked-choice voting.

During the Wednesday hearing, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, expressed concerns about changing to open primaries.

It turns major parties into minor parties, she said. I find this to be just completely turning our elections upside down in a way that just is not necessary.

Drazan, who won the Republican nomination to run for governor in 2023, pointed to Betsy Johnson, an unaffiliated candidate, who had no problem getting on the gubernatorial ballot.

The challenges with this bill go far beyond, from my perspective, simply ranked-choice voting, she said.

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Preston Mann, political director for Oregon Business and Industry, said OBI was concerned the bill could exacerbate the problem of political parties wielding too much control over the primary system.

Party officers and leaders who often hold more extreme views than rank and file party members would wield significant influence over the endorsement decision, Mann said.

Disallowing a candidate from labeling themselves as a member of a registered party without that partys endorsement injects an element of undemocratic political strategy into our elections, Mann said.

The window to submit testimony for the bill closes at 8 a.m. Friday.

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Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on X @DianneLugo

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon election bill would open primaries to all registered voters
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Republicans in the Oregon legislature introduced a bill on Tuesday to repeal the states Wildfire Hazard Map, citing concerns that the wildfire resiliency tool is harming rural Oregonians and property values.

Introducing House Bill 3944, Republican lawmakers said repealing the map would allow home and property owners to focus their wildfire efforts in areas that are most cost-effective and protect as many resources as possible.

Oregonians deserve real solutions, not more government overreach, said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). This new legislation is a unified effort by Republican legislators to repeal the deeply flawed wildfire hazard maps and restore fairness for over 100,000 homeowners. We have an opportunity to correct past mistakes and bring certainty back to property owners across the state.

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DONT MISS: Gov. Kotek pauses referrals for appealing wildfire hazard map as state lawmakers call for repeal

The Wildfire Hazard Map was created in 2021 under the bipartisan Senate Bill 762, which directed the Oregon Department of Forestry to map out fire-prone areas in the state.

Under SB 762, homeowners living in areas that are at a high wildfire risk face stricter building codes and must reduce vegetation on their properties.

A 2023 provision does not allow insurers to use the maps to cancel or decline to renew a homeowners insurance policy or increase premiums, as reported by The Associated Press.

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Some Oregon DMV offices experience staffing shortages ahead of Real ID deadline

In February 2025, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek paused referrals for wildfire hazard map appeals amid calls from state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to repeal the maps altogether.

Now, Republicans are taking steps towards repeal.

McCormick & Schmicks restaurant at Bridgeport Village to close

Its unfair to penalize property owners while our state and federal governments fail to manage our forests and public lands, said House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby), who voted for the initial bill creating the maps.

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Drazan added that repealing the maps will empower rural Oregonians by allowing them to make decisions on how to manage their properties.

Adding to the calls for a repeal, Sen. David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) said, Rural Oregonians shouldnt have to fear government-imposed restrictions on their property.

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Brock Smith, who also voted in favor of the initial bill that created the wildfire maps, added, This legislation is a crucial step to undo the damage caused by the wildfire maps created by Senator (Jeff) Golden in SB 762 and protect homeowners from unnecessary mandates and rising costs.

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While Brock Smith pointed blame towards Sen. Golden (D-Ashland), Senate Democrats note that Sen. Golden is also leading efforts to repeal the wildfire map and is creating a legislative package to help Oregon address the wildfire crisis.

In February, Sen. Golden spoke about the need to repeal the map on the Senate floor, stating that the maps findings are driven by broad landscape factors without giving weight to wildfire risk conditions on individual properties.

Oregon representative counters bill against book bans by reading explicit excerpt

In a statement to KOIN 6 News on Wednesday, Sen. Golden highlighted the need to protect communities from wildfires, and said hes concerned over inaccurate finger-pointing.

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Were calling on all Oregonians to do whatever they can to help protect our communities from catastrophic wildfire. Part of that is crafting state programs in the most bipartisan way we possibly can. Im pleased to have agreement with interested Republican legislators on removing the state wildfire map and associated requirements from Senate Bill 762; theyll see a lot of their work at the heart of Senate Bill 83, scheduled to be heard by the Senate Natural Resources Committee on April 1, Sen. Golden told KOIN 6. Im a little concerned by inaccurate finger-pointing across the aisle about the challenges of SB 762, but Im confident well overcome them this session to show Oregonians the collaboration we need to weather this crisis.

Amid efforts to repeal the Wildfire Hazard Map, experts have said the maps are an important step towards identifying and protecting fire-prone areas, especially after the Labor Day Wildfires of 2020, as reported by The Associated Press.

After 2020, we cant pretend anymore that this is just an issue for southwest Oregon and central Oregon, Andy McEvoy, a faculty research assistant at Oregon State Universitys College of Forestry who worked on the map, previously told AP. All of those events really cried out for a statewide  a truly statewide  strategy to respond to wildfire risk.

While the Oregon Department of Forestry is tasked with publishing the wildfire maps, a spokesperson for the agency told KOIN 6 News on Wednesday that it does not take positions on legislation, adding, Generally, were awaiting clarity on how to proceed under any passed legislation regarding the hazard map.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
ALLEN COUNTY, Kan.  An Allen County organization will see federal funding cut by 90%, and the impact could be felt across the region.

Iola based Thrive Allen County learned last month of plans by the federal government to reduce funding for the Navigator program by 90%.

Navigators assist with finding health insurance programs through the federal Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Thrive Allen County works with multiple organizations throughout Kansas, like the Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, to place Navigators in communities.

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Thrive President and CEO Lisse Regehr says Navigators are used by several people in the community, especially farmers who are self-employed  but the cuts are going to reduce how much they can do next year.

Unfortunately, Ive already let some of the organizations know, were currently working with seven, right now, for next year Ive got five written in, because theres no way we can continue all seven. And, so, cuts are being made. Ive already got four team members that know that come August, they dont have jobs, said Regehr.

Regehr says Thrive will continue the Navigator program next year, but in a much smaller fashion.

She says the organization is looking at other funding sources to help keep it going in as many locations as possible.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)  Changes are coming for the Catholic newspaper, The Clarion Herald.

The Archdiocese says its too expensive for the free newspaper to continue to operate the way it has for decades.

New Orleans & Co. releases Super Bowl impact by the numbers

In a statement, the Archdiocese says, We are exploring all options of continuing the legacy of The Clarion Herald to share the good news of the local Catholic Church in a new way.

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The decision was reportedly due in part to a vote of the Priest Council to stop funding the Clarion through their ordinary income, due not to any financial crisis, but the rising cost of property insurance and operating a parish.

Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGNO.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  On Thursday, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) kicked off a consolidated location for measles updates.

According to OSDH officials, Oklahomans can now find live, updated information at Oklahoma.gov/health/measles.

Devastating stories continue to pour in following wildfires

Health officials explained visitors can expect case summary updates every Tuesday at noon, additionally noting if there are no new cases to report, there will be no change.

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The summary will include:

Total Cases, probable and confirmed

Hospitalizations

Deaths

Vaccination Status of Cases

Potential public exposure notices will be posted as they are identified.

This webpage also contains other useful resources like frequently asked questions, Kindergarten Survey vaccination data, health alert memos, and more.

OSDH says, as of March 20, 2025, there have been four probable cases reported in Oklahoma, with those cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals.

For more information, click Oklahoma.gov/health.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR)  A young Stillwater man, who took his fraternity brothers to help hurricane victims, now finds himself in a devastating situation after Fridays wildfires.

My heart just kind of sank. It was like, All this work for nothing,' said Corbin Lacy.

Lacy had an impressive lawn care operation in Stillwater, at just 20-years-old. He has a team of employees and had high-end commercial equipment, including trailers, commercial mowers, and a leaf loader.

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You have a big vacuum and you suck up the leaves, said Lacy.

LOCAL NEWS: High fire danger predicted in Oklahoma Wednesday

The equipment was stored in a metal building. Lacy said it was all worth around $150,000.

A lot of money invested into it, said Lacy.

However, the building was located just off Highway 51, where wildfires burned through Friday.

Lacy has a helping heart.

Last Fall, he and his Farmhouse fraternity brothers traveled to Butler, Tennessee after Hurricane Helene.

He had hoped to use his equipment to once again help around town, but his dad called Saturday with the bad news.

He was like, You need to get here now. And I was like, Where? And he was like, At the shop. Its burned down. I thought he was kidding, said Lacy.

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It was definitely no joke.

To power his machines, Lacy houses a lot of flammable material in the shed. He needs them for his job. However, this combined with wildfires can spell disaster.

LOCAL NEWS: Oklahoma Insurance Department offering tips to residents impacted by wildfires

Theres a couple of mowers that got taken out, he said pointing to the damage. The weed-eaters are just a straight rod, they look like a piece of rebar. Those were really good push mowers.

He has not been able to salvage anything.

Lacy does have insurance. While hes working through that long process, friends are helping him get by.

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It couldve been a lot worse. There are people without their homes, said Lacy.

You can Venmo Lacy (corbin-lacy) or Paypal (@corbinlacy) with the memo Fire donation. You can also drop off cash or check donations to Blush Beauty Bar & Boutique at 715 S Main St, Stillwater, OK 74074.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
A judge in New London on Wednesday held a New London man in contempt of court and ordered a 90-day prison sentence as the result the man's prolonged outburst in the courtroom.

New London Superior Court Judge John Newson had repeatedly warned 31-year-old Victor Hall of New London to stop talking over his attorney and using expletives in the courtroom. He had walked into court with his prison-issued pants sagging low, prompting a comment from Newson to pull his pants up. The agitated Hall continued to complain about his legal representation and a lack of police body camera footage he had requested. Hall, who has multiple past criminal convictions, is being held on a $350,000 bond in a March 10, 2023 armed carjacking in New London.

New London police said Hall was wearing a face mask when he followed a woman into a garage she had just pulled into near Brewer Street. Police said the woman had just stepped out of her car when she was approached by a man who pulled a handgun from his waistband, demanded her keys and phone and took a picture of her driver's license before fleeing in the stolen car.

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Waterford police spotted the stolen car and pursued Hall in the area of Interstate 395 and Route 85 in Waterford. Police said Hall crashed the stolen car into another vehicle on Route 85 and fled into the woods. Police said they found a handgun magazine containing 14 9mm rounds of ammunition and a bag containing another 12 rounds. A search of the stolen car revealed a 9mm handgun.

Hall was facing the potential of 15 years in prison at the time of his latest court appearance. Judge Newson said he would not immediately consider defense attorney Jason Goddard's request to be removed from the case. Goddard is Hall's third assigned public defender for the pending case. Records show two previous assigned attorneys were allowed to withdraw from the case. Newson said it appeared that Hall was using a stalling tactic.

This is a regular occurrence with Mr. Hall, Newson said.

Newson continued the case, asking Goddard to try and satisfy Hall's requests for body camera footage of the police chase. The case was continued to May 14.

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In New London, Hall faces charges of first-degree robbery, first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree larceny, criminal possession of a firearm and possession of a large capacity magazine, among other charges. Waterford police charged Hall with engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving and other motor vehicle-related charges.

Records show Hall has multiple previous criminal convictions that include engaging police in pursuit, third-degree robbery, assault on an elderly person and violation of a protective order. He also has a pending drunken and reckless driving case stemming from an arrest in East Lyme in January of 2023.

g.smith@theday.com
Edward Simmer, the governor's choice to lead the state health agency, told the Senate Medical Affairs Committee that claims about his response to the COVID-19 pandemic were false on Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Screenshot of SCETV legislative livestream)

COLUMBIA  The governors pick to lead South Carolinas public health agency told senators Thursday that people have threatened him while making outrageously false allegations about his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gov. Henry McMaster nominated Dr. Edward Simmer, the previous head of the Department of Health and Environmental Control, to run the states newly created Department of Public Health. Simmer ran DHEC for three years before legislators split the agency into separate departments.

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Since being nominated as head of the 2,000-person health agency, which he leads on an interim basis, Simmer has been called an enemy of medical freedom, a health czar, not a real doctor and evil, he told the 17-person committee Thursday during a lengthy opening statement.

The committee did not take a vote on whether to advance his confirmation.

Complaints about Simmer have centered around the states response to COVID-19. Opponents have claimed Simmer pushed shutdowns, even though he still lived in Virginia until December 2020, when he retired after three decades in the Navy.

He didnt take the helm of DHEC until February 2021, nearly a year into the pandemic. Senators voted 40-1 to confirm him as the agency was rolling out vaccines.

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Dr. Edward Simmers track record during the pandemic demonstrated a clear disregard for South Carolinians values and freedoms, prioritizing mandates and divisive policies over individual rights, Sen. Tom Fernandez, a Summerville Republican who sits on the committee, wrote on Facebook in a post Simmer specifically addressed Thursday.

That was completely false, Simmer said. Even if he had been in the state when the pandemic began in 2020, he wouldnt have recommended closing schools or businesses, he said.

Let me be perfectly clear, so that everyone on this committee and every citizen of this state can hear it directly from me, Simmer said. I have never prioritized any mandates, and I will continue to preserve and defend South Carolinians freedoms and individual rights.

Simmer has received threatening letters, in which people have said they want to hurt him because he promoted vaccines they see as putting poison in peoples arms, he said.

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Someone crumpled up his license plate and placed a very crude attempt to make something look like a bomb, composed of wires and a battery pack, under his car, in an apparent attempt to intimidate him, he said.

No threats, no lies on social media, no smear campaign from cowards, many of whom hide behind anonymous letters and false social media identities, will ever deter me from continuing to serve the people of South Carolina to the very best of my ability, Simmer told the committee.

Edward Simmer, the governors choice to lead the state public health agency, told reporters this was his dream job Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette)

COVID-19 response

Whether to wear a mask or get vaccinated is a personal choice people should make alongside their doctor, Simmer said. Demonstrating that personal choice, he wore a mask long after most others in the state had stopped because doctors for his wife, Peggy, recommended it, he said.

Peggy Simmer has medical conditions that put her at very high risk for getting COVID-19. The disease would likely be life-threatening for her if she contracted it, Edward Simmer said.

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People expressed outrage and have even mocked me for wearing a mask, he told the committee.

But believe me, I will wear a mask again without hesitation if that is what it takes to protect Peggy, Simmer said.

Looking back, Simmer said he did the best with the information he had. If he could do it differently, he would have recommended lighter restrictions. For instance, instead of recommending that schools require students and staff to wear masks indoors, he would suggest schools leave the decision up to students, he said.

He lacked the authority to require that himself.

He issued guidance to the state Department of Education that schools require masks, but when McMaster ordered an immediate end in May 2021 to those requirements, he followed the governors directive to create a parental opt-out form. His repeated, public recommendation three months later came as he asked the Legislature to repeal its ban on mask mandates.

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He also would have done more to explain why officials were making the decisions they did and what information drove them, he said.

Indeed, my detractors often overlook that during the COVID-19 response, public health officials simply did not have all the information that we do today, Simmer said. No one did.

Some of the vitriol directed toward Simmer could have been misplaced anger for Anthony Faucis response to the pandemic, suggested Sen. Josh Kimbrell. As chief medical advisor to the president, Fauci recommended stay-at-home orders, mask mandates and social distancing in order to combat the spread of the virus.

I think that was a heavy-handed response, said Kimbrell, R-Boiling Springs. Do you believe that your confirmation, your renomination, is colored at least in part by how (Fauci) responded to the national emergency?

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Unfortunately, it probably is, Simmer replied, adding that he also disagreed with some of Faucis decisions.

Sen. Tom Corbin questioned Simmers decision to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Repeating debunked claims that the vaccine can alter a persons DNA, Corbin asked if Simmer felt it was responsible for the state health department to push it.

It is my contention that it is wrong for this state to promote the vaccine as safe and effective when in my opinion it is not, the Travelers Rest Republican said.

Studies have shown this is not true, Simmer said. The vaccine has some rare side effects, so people should consult with a doctor before getting it, but in the vast majority of cases, studies show the vaccine is safe and effective, he said.

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I want to make DPHs public health role crystal clear, Simmer said. We inform. You decide.

McMaster, who is a Republican, has repeatedly defended Simmer as his pick for the job. Before taking over DHEC, Simmer oversaw Tricare Health Plan, the militarys massive health system for care outside military hospitals. Before that, he spent 12 years working in various positions as a naval doctor, McMaster said.

DHEC had been without a permanent director for eight months when Simmer took over. He was also the first doctor in decades to lead the public health agency.

Hes enormously qualified. Hes enormously talented, McMaster said. I dont know why it is that people are criticizing him, because I dont think anybody can put a finger on something hes done thats either unethical or wrong.

Other accomplishments

The departments work goes far beyond the COVID-19 recommendations that have become a political flashpoint, Simmer said.

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As DHEC director, Simmer shepherded the agency through the split and a move to a new campus. The agency is building a state-of-the-art laboratory, where researchers will test diseases, including screening newborns for potentially life-threatening but easily treatable genetic diseases, Simmer said.

Last year, South Carolina ranked 37th in the country for health outcomes, a metric that looks at premature deaths, prevalence of diseases and access to medical care. Thats not where the state should be, but its a big improvement over the many decades in which the Palmetto State consistently ranked in the bottom 10 states, Simmer said.

Leading the state Department of Public Health is Simmers dream job, he told reporters after the meeting.

With the threats he has received, there have been days when he has asked himself whether he really wants to continue doing the work, but in every case, he decides that he does, he said.

I truly believe in our mission, Simmer said. I believe in the great work that we do. I have a wonderful team to work with, and every day I go to work, I can positively impact the lives of 5 million people.
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Dolly Partons Imagination Library of Ohio has reached an amazing milestone of 20 million books mailed.

Ohios First Lady Fran DeWine celebrated the massive accomplishment at the Greene County Public Library by reading to local children on Thursday, March 20.

When Mike first ran for Governor, I knew I wanted to bring Dolly Partons Imagination Library to Ohio so every family could have access to the programs high-quality, age-appropriate, free books, said DeWine. With financial support from the Ohio General Assembly, our program has grown from only being available in pockets of Ohio to currently reaching 70% of households with children under the age of 5.

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Dolly Parton gifted DeWine a copy of Coat of Many Colors in 2022 to celebrate Ohios establishment of her Imagination Library, which she read from Thursday.

In total, so far 20,680,284 free Imagination Library books have been mailed across Ohio. First Lady DeWine has been instrumental in building a coalition of Local Program Partners to support the library.

Student shares thoughts on new downtown library chaperone policy

The program is free because of the Dollywood Foundation, Ohio General Assembly, Ohios Local Program Partners and donors.

In the program, 411,228 children are enrolled. Each child receives a free age-appropriate book every month until their 5th birthday.

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Parents/guardians can sign up their child here.

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STERLING, Conn. (WTNH)  Law enforcement agencies are investigating after roughly 42 animals were found in a home earlier this month, according to officials with the Northeast Connecticut Chamber of Governments (NECCOG).

Of the dozens of animals, eight were found dead at the Margaret Henry Road home, officials said.

Second arrest made after nearly 30 dogs seized in Winsted animal cruelty case

State police confirmed troopers assisted animal control with the service of a search warrant around 10:14 a.m. on March 5.

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NECCOG provided a list of living animals, which were taken to a vet for evaluation and care. Those animals included:

6 kittens

2 Guinea pigs

5 rats

1 pony

14 dogs

2 potbelly pigs

1 goat

1 bearded dragon

1 chicken

1 rooster

The deceased animals found includes:

2 Guinea pigs

1 squirrel

3 cats

2 unknown

NECCOG Animal Control said the house was unlivable and they contacted the health department as well.

State police said the case is an active investigation.

This is a developing story. Stay with news 8 for updates.

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Oxford is set to make an 800-year-old Latin ceremony gender-neutral for the benefit of non-binary students.

The university has conferred its degrees in Latin since the 12th century, but the wording used could be changed to make it more inclusive.

Dons will vote on a proposal to change the Latin ceremonial text to cater to those who identify as non-binary.

In a gazette issued to alert faculties to the planned changes, the introduction of the first gender-neutral degree ceremony in Oxfords almost 1,000-year history is deemed necessary.

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The changes involve stripping a Latin message of congratulations of words that are grammatically gendered masculine or feminine.

Instead of referring to masters students as magistri (masters)  a masculine word  the proposed text uses the term vos, which is neutral terms for you. The word doctores (doctors), which is also masculine, could be changed.

For undergraduates, the word for who, which has a masculine and feminine form, will be replaced with a neutral word.

Similar changes have been proposed for the specific wording used in degree ceremonies for awards in arts, music, medicine, law, philosophy and other specialisms.

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The push for gender-neutral language will not only apply in degree ceremonies, but other formal occasions at Oxford.

In a ceremony for the admission of a new Vice-Chancellor, the retiring Vice-Chancellor will say a few words in English not about his/her tenure, but about their time at the helm.

Gender pronouns will also be stripped for other formal occasions including for the admissions of staff, if plans are voted through by Oxfords Congregation, which acts like a parliament for the university.

A vote will be held on April 29 and will affect all ceremonies from October this year.

The linguistic changes have been approved by Dr Jonathan Katz, a Latin expert who serves as the universitys Public Orator.

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The proposals come amid a general push by public bodies to become more inclusive of varying gender identities, which has seen universities introduce gender-neutral toilets and inclusive language guides.

Oxfords own Equality and Diversity Unit has urged staff and students to be mindful about discussing certain issues, stating all members of the University should be sensitive when discussing transgender topics.

The proposals also come after a modern reckoning with Latin.

The Labour Government cut the 4 million Latin Excellence Programme which supported the teaching of language in state schools, raising concerns about an attack on subjects often deemed elitist.

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This led to accusations that Sir Keir Starmer was pulling up the drawbridge behind him by axing Latin, despite himself studying the subject.

In 2022, the textbooks of the Cambridge Latin Course books, which had been used in classrooms for five decades, were earmarked for revision because of their depictions of slaves.

In the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, the didactic character of Caecilius used in the course was flagged, as he was shown to own several slaves. In one educational vignette, he was shown buying a young girl.

Some scholars have raised concerns in the past that these domestic slaves were shown living happy and carefree lives. One 2019 academic article in the US argued this was a sanitation and normalisation of slavery.

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An Oxford University spokesman said: The proposed changes before Congregation create a single text for each ceremony, covering all options students now have for registering genders in line with legal reporting requirements for higher education.

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (WTAJ)  Pennsylvanias State Board of Higher Education is coming up with a new plan to advance higher education, and they want the publics help to do it.

There will be five total hearings across Pa. this spring. The first was at Penn State and went into the goals the department has for higher education. They want to make it easier for students to earn degrees and lower the cost of a college education.

Audience members online and in person had a chance to raise concerns and offer strategies. So far, the board is happy with the turnout and continues to stress that feedback is critical.

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Are we on track? Are these goals the right goals? Should they be tweaked or restated in some way? And for each of the goals, what are your initial thoughts and some of the strategies we need to achieve these goals? Chair of the Pa. State Board of Higher Education Cindy Shapira said.

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The rest of the hearings will be held in the coming weeks, and RSVPs are required. For the full list, visit the departments website.

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (AP)  Pakistani security forces raided a militant hideout in the countrys northwest on Thursday, triggering an intense gunbattle that left an army captain and 10 militants dead, the military said.

The raid was conducted in Dera Ismail Khan, a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, the military said in a statement.

It identified the slain officer as Capt. Hasnain Akhtar, saying he was leading his troops from the front and after fighting gallantly he paid the ultimate sacrifice and was martyred.

The military also described the dead militants as Khwarij, a phrase the government uses for Pakistani Taliban, which are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and are allies of the Afghan Taliban. TTP is a separate group and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
A new Irish-inspired bar and restaurant opened on Tacomas Sixth Avenue just in time for St. Patricks Day.

After a few soft-open days last week, Kingfisher and Rye Tavern officially debuted on Monday, welcoming a steady stream of revelers and neighbors seeking a pint of Guinness and a nip of Jameson, or just momentary refuge from the worries of today and every day. From the kitchen emerged several paper bags on plates with a ramekin of curried sauce on the side.

A paper bag, you ask?

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As they were finalizing menu details in February, owners Michael Gruber, previously of Edison City, and Craig Moore, best known in the area for the late Copper Door in the Stadium District, teased a mystery dish that involves a bit of theater. I frenetically Googled phrases like classic Irish pub food with theatrical presentation and discovered the carvery, a British buffet of carved meats and accompaniments that has something of a spotty reputation. While I would not dismiss an improved version of this 70s-era tradition, the paper bag is much more fun.

Kingfisher & Rye Tavern took over the former Crown Bar at 2705 6th Ave. in Tacoma. The Irish-inspired pub offers a comfortable bar and dining room with casual service, a full bar and a menu of sandwiches, snacks and mains.

The Irish spice bag is a modern invention, purportedly at a specific Chinese restaurant in Dublin, although some argue it was in a rural town southeast of the capital. (Irish Chinese food, the marriage of starchy staples like fries and fried chicken balls with fried rice and sauces, is taking a star turn thanks to YouTube and TikTok reviews explaining the trend to a bewildered global audience.) The paper bag entered the chat circa 2010, according to Just Eat, a major food-delivery platform in the United Kingdom.

At its most basic, the spice bag ($15.99) is drinking food. At Kingfisher and Rye, that translates to pub fries, bite-sized chicken nugs, grilled onions and bell peppers, all seasoned with salt and pepper, a shake of sugar and five-spice, usually a combination of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and Sichuan peppercorns or chilies. Choose between curry or sweet-and-sour sauce, or dont and get both.

The menu instructs you to shake the bag and dump it, but its not necessarily uncouth to leave the sauce on the side and dip. Take the bag on your bar crawl or shake and share with the table.

NEIGHBORHOOD PUB ON 6TH AVE

The plate of pickled vegetables ($8.99)  beets, asparagus, cauliflower, peppers, carrots, artichokes on a bed of arugula  is generous enough to share with a crowd. Other light bites include a Caesar, roasted lemony Brussels sprouts and a house hummus with pita. Shareable snacks range from spiced nuts and pretzel sticks with beer cheese to a plate of chips (as in fries) and wings with sauce options like Korean BBQ, honey chipotle, garlic butter and curry.

The spice bag, shown here out of its paper bag serving vessel, combines fried nubs with grilled onions and peppers, all heavily spiced. Shake or dip into your choice of curry or sweetnsour sauce.

Sandwiches include a BLT, breaded chicken cutlet with lemon-caper sauce, The Bourdain with mortadella, provolone and pistachios on a Kaiser roll, and a butternut squash grilled cheese with quince, a tart and somewhat bitter fruit that makes a lovely little jam. A quad of burgers offers a classic iteration as well as one with mushrooms and another with a green peppercorn aioli and goat cheese.

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Find the spice bag as well as beer-battered haddock, chips and mushy peas under mains, which also includes two stews (one thats vegan, made with mushrooms, lentils and a Belgian beer broth), chicken croquettes and five-cheese mac.

Kingfisher & Rye Tavern is one of several bars and restaurants that has changed hands on Sixth Avenue in the last year or so.

The woodwork of the former Crown Bar, which closed in December after owner Bob Jensen sold the business to Gruber and Moore, shines against the new forest-green wallpaper in the bar area and the golden hues of the dining room with table service. Outside of the requisite Guinness, the six-tap draft system is pouring local brews, the cocktail menu leans classic, and the bar is stacked with American whiskeys and friends from across the pond.

Events are already underway, including Tuesday trivia, with additional ideas en route all in an effort to make Kingfisher and Rye a neighborhood pub with daily hours for lunch, dinner and drinks well into the evening.

KINGFISHER & RYE TAVERN

 2705 6th Ave., Tacoma, instagram.com/kingfisherandrye

 Planned Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Sunday TBD

 Details: new neighborhood pub with full bar plus sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips, Irish fare and apps
This Saturday, tune in to Off Road Confidential, sponsored by Visit California and produced by NewsNation, at 5:30p/4:30C. Find out how to watch.

(NewsNation)  Carmel-by-the-sea in Monterey County, California, is the southernmost stop on NewsNations Off Road Confidential, a series made in association with Visit California.

According to host Gabriel Ornelas, the multifaceted towns draws include local wine, lots of shopping and premier hiking spots.

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One person Ornelas spoke to told him being in Carmel-by-the-sea is being surrounded by everything thats good in life.

Marin County, California, gives East Coast feel on the West Coast

A real sense of community. The people, theyre so generous, theyre so welcoming. And theres definitely something special there, Ornelas said.

Ornelas got out on the trails, tried some wine and enjoyed the view from Monterey Bay  and he said locals hope others will too.

There is such richness in culture. Theyre welcoming to tourists, Ornelas said. They want people to come. They want people to stay and play and enjoy.

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Ornelas also made pit stops in Sacramento, Point Reyes, Half Moon Bay, and San Francisco on his journey.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
The Conroy Education Center, located in Pittsburghs Manchester neighborhood, is the only dedicated special education facility within Pittsburgh Public Schools. However, school board members are set to vote next week on a plan that could lead to the closure of this building, along with more than a dozen others.

For being his voice for so long, in that moment, I felt like our voice was taken away, Jessica Kwasniewski, a parent of a student at Conroy said.

Her son, Liam,13, has been attending Conroy since he was five. Kwasniewski and other parents attribute their childrens success to the schools vocational training, community resources, and behavioral support.

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Kwasniewski told Channel 11 that she felt blindsided when Conroy was included on the list of potential closures.

Our kids have access to related services; they can utilize the field and playground. There are wide hallways for sensory time and classrooms with bathrooms for students to manage their hygiene needs, she said.

A recent feasibility study indicated that due to declining enrollment, underutilization, and aging infrastructure, Pittsburgh Public Schools must significantly reduce its network of 54 schools.

Schools identified for closure include Arsenal PreK-5, Fulton PreK-5, Linden PreK-5, Miller PreK-5, Spring Hill K-5, Woolslair PreK-5, King PreK-8, Allegheny 6-8, Manchester PreK-8, Schiller 6-8, and Milliones 6-12. Additionally, the district has proposed closing South Brook 6-8, which could be repurposed for the Conroy special education program; South Hills 6-8 for alternative programs; and Roosevelt K-5 for alternative programs and administrative offices.

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Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters has stated that these changes are necessary. Currently, Pittsburgh Public Schools has the capacity for 40,000 students but only serves about 18,000.

We have an equity issue in our district. We have high-performing schools with tremendous resources and others that do not. In a district of our size, we cannot sustain a situation where some schools have much more than others, Walters said.

The final decision rests with the school board. If they approve the recommendations, a three-month public hearing process will follow. Under the proposed plan, students currently attending Conroy would be transported to South Brook in Brookline.

The district believes that after remodeling, the South Brook 6-8 building will meet the needs of Conroy students and could be less expensive to maintain than Conroy itself.

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We need to evaluate the costs of managing the oldest building in our district [Conroy]. Its a historic structure that presents various challenges and expenses, so these decisions were not made lightly, Walters said.

However, a final construction plan for South Brook will not be available until after the school boards vote.

We keep being told that we are resistant to change. Its not that Im resistant to change; I am resistant to losing accommodations for my child, Kwasniewski said.

The school board is scheduled to vote next Wednesday during their legislative session at 6:30 p.m.

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Parents who have students in special education classrooms in Fulton County Schools say theyre concerned for their childrens safety, and theyd like to see the school district put cameras inside the special education classrooms.

Mothers from different schools in both North and South Fulton County said their children are coming home with injuries they claim the kids received at school.

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The parents said their children have gotten bruises and even a broken tooth while at school, and they say the safety plans at the schools dont do enough to protect their children.

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One family filed a complaint with the State Department of Education which found FCS out of compliance.

He actually fell in the hall and broke off half of his permanent tooth, North Fulton parent Liz Peterson said. There was really just no follow-up. We werent issued any detailed report about what happened or what was done to make the school safer or better support children with disabilities.

Other parents say the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services has gotten involved in their cases.

She had severe bruising to her back, South Fulton parent Leisa Miller said. Allegedly her teacher struck her in the back. From there we had to seek medical attention, got DFACS involved, internal affairs.

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The parents said their children arent only suffering physically but emotionally, and the incidents can become a financial hardship for the families.

I drive 40 minutes away, for a school that I actually have to pay for now, just to keep him safe and a decent education, South Fulton parent Tahirah Benyard said.

The mothers told Channel 2s Eryn Rogers they want cameras in the special education classrooms and better safety protocols to support the children.

Because our children are often non-verbal or have poor communication skills, we dont have the benefit that other parents have of having our child tell us exactly what happened, Peterson said.

TRENDING STORIES:

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Fulton County Schools released the following statement in response to the allegations:

Fulton County Schools remains committed to the safety and well-being of all our students, including our most vulnerable student populations such as students with disabilities. We closely follow our policies, procedures, and practices for student injuries or when there are allegations of wrongdoing towards a student. Included in these procedures is communication to parents when student injuries are reported and the commencement of any related internal investigation, if applicable. We also consistently report any allegations of wrongdoing towards students to outside agencies as required by state law, including allegations of abuse.

And to ensure we continue to strengthen student safety, we frequently review these policies, procedures, and protections and welcome all parent input regarding ways to improve our communication about student safety.

However, the parents said they dont feel there is enough accountability within the district.

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Safety is one of the biggest things, South Fulton parent Lola Green said. Our children arent able to advocate for themselves, so were their voice.

The mothers are encouraging other parents of students with disabilities to reach out to them at SPEDAdvocacy@urbanindigo.org. They said they frequently monitor the email. They are also working on chartering a Special Education Parent Teacher Association.

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The Rearm Europe initiative, presented by the European Commission, is designed to allocate part of its funds to rearm Ukraine's military.

Source: European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis in Kyiv, responding to a question from European Pravda

Details: Dombrovskis recalled that the 800 billion Rearm Europe initiative, created to finance the rearmament of the Ukrainian army, encourages cooperation between European and Ukrainian defence companies as one of its key elements.

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Another component of the initiative involves providing EU member states with 150 billion for joint military equipment procurement. "This must be military equipment produced in the EU, the European Economic Area, or manufactured in Ukraine," the commissioner reiterated.

Responding to European Pravda's question, Dombrovskis emphasised that equipment procured through this mechanism could also be allocated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"This can be used to provide military support to Ukraine," he stated.

The European Commissions proposal does not require member states to allocate a specific portion of funding to the Ukrainian forces, but it includes provisions that allow for such transfers. "Providing EU member states with additional fiscal flexibility will certainly make it easier for them to make these decisions," he explained.

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"We do not specify the types of goods  this could be ammunition, artillery, or other equipment," the commissioner added.

Dombrovskis also outlined in Kyiv how the EU will assist Ukraines budget through the end of 2025.

Background: The EU's White Paper on Defence includes provisions for delivering 2 million shells to Ukraine annually.

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Hospitals are supposed to be places of healing, not dangerous work environments for staff and patients alike. Yet, at Palms West Hospital in Loxahatchee Groves, staff have been forced to reckon with the reality that their safety could be jeopardized at any moment. My client, a 67-year-old registered nurse with decades of experience, was brutally attacked by Baker Act patient Stephen Scantlebury in an incident that could have been prevented. The assault left her with life-altering injuries, but the hospitals response has been silence. There have been no changes in security made yet, no firm commitments to increased staffing, and no efforts to provide training on de-escalation methods  its simply business as usual.

The administrations priorities are clear. Palms West recently announced a $90 million expansion project, touting new surgical capabilities and infrastructure improvements. However, conspicuously absent from that investment is any mention of increased security measures or staffing levels to protect employees and patients from known threats. Meanwhile, attacks on healthcare workers continue, and the hospitals own culture discourages those most likely to be impacted from speaking out.

Palms West nurse attacked: A Preventable Tragedy

The day before the incident, Scantleburys erratic behavior at a Dunkin Donuts resulted in the police being called to the scene. Despite his familys claims that Scantlebury had been experiencing hallucinations, the police declined to intervene, concluding that he did not pose an immediate threat to himself or others. This determination appeared to rely solely on his responses to their questioning. Later, when he arrived at Palms West complaining of chest pain, his family begged for him to be committed under the Baker Act, a Florida law that allows individuals experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily held for psychiatric examination and possible detention if they are deemed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

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The hospital refused.

However, after exhibiting odd erratic behavior in the hospital and speaking with the family in more detail, Scantlebury eventually was Baker Acted. Due to the hospitals system for assigning patients to available beds, he was placed in a room on the third floor, where my client, Leelamma Lal, was assigned to care for him under standard hospital protocol. Though Baker Act patients are supposed to have sitters monitoring them at all times, these sitters lack the training or physical ability to intervene in an emergency. No additional security measures were provided. The consequences were devastating. Without warning, Scantlebury attacked my client with such force that nearly every bone in her face was broken. She now faces permanent vision loss and immeasurable emotional trauma.

Editorial: A 67-year-old nurse was beaten at Palms West Hospital. Improve its security.

Disturbingly, this is not an isolated incident. Only weeks later, another Baker Act patient at Palms West had to be physically restrained by six staff members. Despite this obvious pattern, the hospital continues to ignore and downplay the risks.

Prioritizing profits over people

LeeLamma Lal, 67, required nearly six hours of surgery at the hands of four doctors to do a round of reconstruction of her face following her beating at the hands of an HCA Florida Palms West Hospital patient on Feb. 18, 2025. Lal is a longtime nurse at the hospital.

Palms West serves approximately 65,000 patients each year. It is part of HCA Healthcare, a corporation that reported $18.29 billion in profits last year. Despite these numbers, the hospital remains critically understaffed.

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Her name is Leelamma Lal: Attorneys identify Palms West nurse beaten by patient last week

Unlike nursing homes, which are required to meet specific nurse-to-patient ratios under Florida law, hospitals follow less stringent federal guidelines. Florida mandates that nursing homes provide at least 2.5 hours of care per resident from certified nursing assistants and maintain a minimum nurse-to-resident ratio. In contrast, hospitals  where patients often need much more intensive care  have no mandated staffing ratios or requirements to develop a staffing plan for adequate care. As a result, hospitals often prioritize cost efficiency over patient and staff safety.

When nurses at Palms West raise concerns about staffing shortages, particularly regarding Baker Act and Level 2 patients, they are either ignored or face retaliatory measures. Some are demoted or placed on "do-not-hire" lists. Many employees at the hospital fear speaking up, knowing it can put their careers at risk. This culture of silence allows dangerous conditions to persist.

Expanding a broken system

The $90 million expansion of Palms West is being framed as a win for the community. But what good is a state-of-the-art facility if the people inside it arent safe? Where in this budget is the funding for armed security personnel with adequate training to handle violent incidents? Where is the investment in mental health professionals who can intervene before situations escalate?

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Palms West has an obvious agenda: build, expand, and increase revenue. But what about protecting the nurses, doctors, and staff who make patient care possible?

The hospitals actions are failing its patients, staff, and the entire Palm Beach County community. If nothing changes, other tragedies are all but certain to occur.

The administration at Palms West must take responsibility. Increased security, proper staffing, and better training for handling psychiatric emergencies should not be optional  they are essential.

How many more attacks will it take before the safety of healthcare workers is valued as much as the hospitals bottom line?

Karen Terry

This op-ed was written by Karen Terry. Terry is a shareholder at the Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley law firm in West Palm Beach. She is the legal representation for Leelamma Lal and her family. She wrote this for The Palm Beach Post.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Is Palms West $90M expansion putting profits before safety? | Opinion
Payne County Clerk Glenna Craig and Payne County Assessor Jason Gomez offered tax relief and protection for wildfire victims in Payne County in a news release Tuesday.

Our hearts hurt and are heavy for our Payne County community, they said in a joint statement.

If you experienced any damages, loss of homes, improvements, equipment, or personal property such as farm equipment, business assets related to the fire/wind event on March 14, 2025, please contact my office immediately to report the extent of these damages and we will work to remove them from the tax rolls for the 2025 tax year, Gomez said in a statement. Its crucial that you report this damage as soon as possible.

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Field representatives in uniform with clear identification from the Payne County Assessors office will be visiting affected areas soon in easily identifiable vehicles, the release said. The Assessors office holds many records pertaining to properties.

Craig urged residents with damaged property to register for the free Payne County Property Fraud Alert system at countyclerk.paynecounty.org.

Unfortunately, there are people that would take advantage of these disasters, and the citizens affected, Craig said in a statement.

She also warned that property fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes in America.

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Once citizens register for the free alert, they will be notified by email or text that a document has been filed in (my) office with their exact name, Craig said. They can contact (my) office if they are alerted, and we will start working to help them recover their property.

Craig and Gomez thanked first responders, firefighters, law enforcement, emergency personnel, lineman and volunteers who put themselves in harms way to protect lives and property, even while some lost their own property.

Our deepest sympathies are with all those impacted, the news release reads. We encourage Oklahomans to support their neighbors in need. Our county and state are strong, and we will recover and rebuild.

Gomez may be reached at 405-747-8300 or by emailing jgomez@paynecountyassessor.org. Craig may be reached at 405-747-8310 or by emailing gcraig@paynecountyclerk.org.
(PUEBLO, Colo.)  The Pueblo County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) said four deputies are on paid administrative leave per policy in connection to the deadly officer-involved shooting that happened on Tuesday, March 18.

On Tuesday at around 7 p.m., Pueblo Police Department (PPD) officers were looking for Billy Soto, a suspect in an attempted murder from Feb. 3, 2025. According to PPD, the officers were ambushed by Soto, who fired at officers.

PPD: Suspect dead, three officers injured in Pueblo shooting

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PCSO said four patrol deputies were among PCSO staff that helped PPD during and after the shooting, which left three PPD officers injured and the suspect dead.

Our prayers go out to the injured Pueblo Police officers and their families, said Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero. Anytime a law enforcement officer is shot in the line of duty, its a tragedy. We stand with our brothers and sisters at the Pueblo Police Department during this difficult time.

On Tuesday night, deputies were called after PPD contacted the Sheriffs Office minutes after the shooting, requesting a K9 to help search for Soto.

Three PCSO K9s and their handlers responded along with at least six additional deputies to assist PPD with the still-active situation. Deputies worked alongside police officers as Soto allegedly continued to shoot at law enforcement. Four deputies fired shots at Soto, who later died on the scene. No deputies were harmed in the incident.

Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe Courtesy: FOX21 News Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe

Deputies remained throughout the night and into Wednesday to help secure the scene. Because of the involvement of both PPD officers and PCSO deputies, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation has taken the lead in the investigation.

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As this situation unfolded and we learned the magnitude of the incident, our deputies did not hesitate to join our partners at the Pueblo Police Department in stopping this threat, Lucero added. This is a chilling example of the unknown risks our law enforcement officers face each day. I want to thank all of the deputies and police officers in Pueblo County who put their lives on the line every day to keep this community safe.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
People who walk near a popular shopping area in Newton have road safety concerns after learning about a fatal pedestrian crash in the area this week.

Mass State Police said it happened Tuesday morning on Route 9 near the Shops at Chestnut Hill.

I got goosebumps actually when I heard about it, explained Chris Hanagan of West Roxbury. It made me think like, Wow, that couldve happened to me.

Hanagan said he walks his dogs around the area frequently.

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Even before Tuesdays tragedy, Hanagan explained that he has been inches from being hit by vehicles on previous walks he has taken.

Beverly of Brookline, who didnt want to identify her last name, said she and her husband have narrowly avoided cars around Route 9. She remembered one instance where her husband fell while running and then was almost hit by a vehicle.

Its just scary. People have to be so careful, Beverly said.

While the area already has signals and crosswalks, Hanagan said it doesnt appear to be helping much, and its difficult to figure out what else can be done. He proposed having law enforcement more visible along that stretch of road.

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Maybe have a cop out there looking. I know they cant be out there 24/7, but maybe if they make an appearance, Hanagan said.

As warmer weather approaches, pedestrians and cyclists are asking drivers in the area to slow down as more people will likely being spending time outdoors.

As of Wednesday evening, Mass State Police still hadnt released the victims name. Theyre waiting for the familys approval first. However, police told Boston 25 News that the victim is from outside of Massachusetts.

Boston 25 has reached out to Newtons Mayor and MassDOT regarding the crash, and what can be done to improve safety in the area. Were waiting to hear back.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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A suspected Peeping Tom who was chased from a womens restroom at a Southern California college nearly a year ago may be at it again, the student who recorded one of the incidents said this week.

Video showing the suspect leaving a stall and running through the College of the Canyons Valencia campus restroom in October of 2024 was uploaded to Instagram by user protectthegirlss on Tuesday and then shared with KTLA.

While using the restroom I looked down and seen a phone underneath the stall recording me. I yelled and it ended up being a man that was hiding in the very last stall waiting for girls to walk in and use the restroom to record them, the unidentified victim says.

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The student went on to say that a similar incident happened to another student on March 4, prompting her to post the video on social media.

A man suspected of recording in the womens restroom is seen in a video posted on Instagram. (protectthegirlss)

In a follow-up post, the student explained why she hadnt posted the video sooner.

The reason I didnt post earlier is because when I asked both College of the Canyons and the SCV Sheriffs they told me I shouldnt post anything because it might make the suspect change their appearance or tip him off about what we knew.

College of the Canyons issued a statement confirming that the first incident was reported to them in October and that a second similar incident took place earlier this month.

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Unfortunately, the victim was not able to clearly see the suspect, so we dont have a description of the individual, a portion of the statement said about most recent incident. We take the safety of our students seriously, and our Campus Safety officers have all been briefed on what occurred and are alert for future incidents.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Campus Safety at 661-362-3229 or the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs Station at 661-260-4000.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Former Vice President Mike Pences advocacy organization, Advancing American Freedom, is seeking to find the right balance during President Trumps second term.

So far, its made a splash in being one of the few conservative organizations to publicly oppose Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s confirmation, and its torn into Trumps proposed tariffs.

But at the same time, it doesnt want to fall into being Never Trump  a category that would get it largely dismissed by the bulk of the right.

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It can sound, at times, like its adversarial. We dont intend for it to be adversarial. We intend for it to be entirely independent, said Tim Chapman, president of Advancing American Freedom. We intend for it to be something that, when functioning, can really, actually make the administration better.

I talked to Chapman about that strategic challenge: How do you critique a president with whom the founder had a major falling out (for those who need a reminder: Jan. 6, Pences presidential bid, Pence declining to endorse Trump)  while also maintaining influence among the right in Trumps Washington?

The headwinds go beyond the personal bad blood between Trump and Pence. Advancing American Freedom is holding to traditional, Reagan-esque conservatism, publicly rejecting populist instincts on economics and trade while being highly skeptical of new alliances with former Democrats.

Were obviously in a populist age, and there is a lot about populism on the right thats being commended and is good. But theres also parts of the populist right that really are veering from where conservatives have been for so long on issues that are really important, whether theyre national security issues, or whether its a strong economy, or even some areas in the in the socially social conservative sphere, Chapman said.

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The majority of other organizations on the right, meanwhile, have either embraced those aspects of Trumpism or kept their critiques to themselves.

A lot of groups that used to exist as independent, outside entities that kind of advised Republican leadership on conservative policy, have ceased to be those kind of independent, outside entities, Chapman said. And a lot of them have adopted a framework more of cheerleading what the administration is doing, no matter what the particular policy is.

Not Advancing American Freedom. The organization advocated against Kennedys confirmation based largely on concerns with how he would handle abortion issues. In one letter to senators, the group called on them to reject the nomination of any pro-abortion nominees to serve at HHS.

Last week, it launched a project tracking the status of Trumps many announced tariffs  and including the organizations overwhelmingly critical position on each proposal.

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Pence himself has been getting more vocal in pushing back at Trump, too.

Heres one example: In an swipe at the market downturn reaction to Trumps tariffs, Pence posted a screenshot comparing the increase in the S&P 500 in Trumps first term and its decline in his second term, flaunting that the Trump-Pence administrations economic policies without broad based Tariffs encouraged growth  worked for America before and will again!

And in a speech in North Palm Beach, Fla., last week, Pence drew a contrast with Trump on sending aid to Ukraine, CBS 12 News reported.

For me, the decision, ultimately, is grounded in the fact that I have no doubt that if Vladimir Putin overruns Ukraine, its only a matter of time before he crosses a border that our men and women in uniform are going to have to go fight him, Pence said. We need to continue to stand firm.

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Pence leaned in on building his organization after his presidential run and is focused on being a constructive part of the dialog, Chapman said.

But the former vice presidents organization is sure to applaud some efforts of the Trump administration, too.

Last week, it endorsed a project launched by the Republican Study Committee (RSC), the largest conservative caucus in the House, to codify Trumps executive actions into law.

Paul Teller, executive vice president of Advancing American Freedom and former RSC executive director, said in a statement: Lets set into statute the great initiatives to shrink spending, kill regulations, and otherwise recede the federal government from the everyday lives of Americans.

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But Chapman sees risks in the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) extreme government-slashing efforts: It needs to not only shine a light on the areas where we can get better bang for our buck and where we can cut spending, but then it has to tee those areas up for Congress to act. And Im worried that its doing a great job on the former, but not a very good job on the latter objective yet.

The euphoria of Trumps new administration, Chapman said, is the political reality right now  but he does not see it as a permanent environment.

Just because theres an unwillingness right now to kind of throw a warning sign on some of these policies from a lot of politicians, does not mean that there is not a need for it from outside entities that have the ability to be independent and to call balls and strikes, Chapman said. And so were trying to fill that void.

Im Emily Brooks, House reporter at The Hill, here with a weekly look at the wider right-wing ecosystem, influences and debates in Washington, D.C. Let me know what youre about to launch, what is on your calendar, and who is making moves: ebrooks@thehill.com

JFK POSTING FRENZY  Soon after the Trump administration released a dump of files on former President John F. Kennedys assassination, a single page from an internal memo went viral in conservative circles on social media. It described a former intelligence agent named Gary Underhill had allegedly told people that a small clique within the CIA was responsible for the assassination and was later found dead in his apartment in what authorities deemed a suicide.

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A whos who of conservative media influencers  Charlie Kirk, Tim Pool, Liz Wheeler, Alex Lorusso, Nick Sortor, Colin Rugg, and more  breathlessly shared the screenshot, even as some admitted they did not understand the context.

The problem? The allegations are nearly 60 years old. The memo was quoting an article from the 1967 issue of Ramparts magazine, and it goes on to detail biographical facts about Underhill and his named friend, arms dealer Samuel Cummings. Redacted versions of the document were included in previous JFK document dumps, including in 2017 and 2018 under Trump, and 2022 under former President Biden.

Whats new is that Tuesdays document dump had a fully unredacted version version of that document revealed new details not about Underhills claims, but about Cummings, including that his arms companies were owned by the CIA.

The episode is a classic demonstration, though, of how tidbits of information can quickly go viral and make a major impact in online right spaces, with the personalities rushing to post regardless of the context.

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The reaction from Republican officials, meanwhile, has been more guarded. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who is leading the panels task force on declassifying federal secrets, praised the Trump administrations release of the files, with Comer saying Trump has the most transparent administration in history.

FURTHER READING: The JFK Files are out. Heres what experts are looking for, from The Washington Post  Whats in the New Kennedy Files? Spies. State Secrets. No Second Gunman , from The New York Times.

THREE MORE THINGS

DAILY WIRE CEO SHUFFLE  The Daily Wires Jeremy Boreing will step down from his role as co-CEO to focus on creative projects for the company, the company announced. Former Daily Wire breakout star Brett Cooper, who cut ties with the company before starting her own wildly successful YouTube channel in January, posted quite the side-eye meme in response to the news. The company was valued at $1 billion in a 2023 capital raising round, Axios previously reported. Also, among The Daily Wires fans: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who had the companys Ben Shapiro and Matt Walsh as his guests during Trumps address to Congress.

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KARI LAKE, the new head of the now-shuttered Voice of America, reportedly accosted her former Senate opponent, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), at the new private members club Neds in Washington, D.C. The Bulwark reports that as Gallego went for a handshake, Lake asked him: How does it feel to be bought and paid for by the cartels?

LAWMAKERS GRAPPLE WITH TRUMP JUDICIARY ANTAGONISM  Republican lawmakers are conflicted over how to respond to Trumps confrontational standoff with the federal judiciary, which drew a rare public rebuke Tuesday from Chief Justice John Roberts, my colleague Alex Bolton reports.

Thank you for reading. Tell me what you think, and what I should cover next: ebrooks@thehill.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 The Hill.
The Pentagon has restored webpages detailing the contributions of Navajo Code Talkers and other Native American veterans after widespread backlash to their initial removal.

Webpages highlighting the Code Talkers and Native American wartime contributions had been removed from the site in an effort to purge any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs as part of compliance with President Trumps executive order ending all federal DEI programs.

In addition to the Code Talkers, a webpage on Jackie Robinson, Japanese American veterans and Army Maj. Gen. Charles C. Rogers, a Black recipient of the Medal of Honor, were also removed.

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Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren on Tuesday sent a letter to the Pentagon demanding an explanation for the removal of the Navajo Code Talkers webpage.

During World War II, the Marine Corps recruited Navajo men to help create a code using the Dine language. The code stumped Japanese troops, and the Code Talkers are often credited with helping the U.S. win the war, and in 2000 they were awarded Congressional Gold Medals.

Recognizing the work of the Navajo Code Talkers is profoundly significant to the Navajo Nation, Nygren said in the letter. He added that as a sovereign entity, federal initiatives should not affect tribal recognition, including initiatives related to DEI.

Pentagon officials on Wednesday said the removal of the webpages were the mistake of an artificial intelligence automated review of DEI mentions on the website.

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In the rare cases that content is removed  either deliberately or by mistake  that is out of the clearly outlined scope of the directive, we instruct the components and they correct the content so it recognizes our heroes for their dedicated service alongside their fellow Americans, period, said John Ullyot, press secretary for the Pentagon, in a statement.

Ullyot added that [everyone] at the Defense Department loves Robinson, the Navajo Code Talkers and other minority veterans.

We do not view or highlight them through the prism of immutable characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, or sex. We do so only by recognizing their patriotism and dedication to the warfighting mission like ever other American who has worn the uniform, Ullyot said. DEI  Discriminatory Equity Ideology does the opposite. It Divides the force, Erodes unit cohesion and Interferes with the services core warfighting mission.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Sensitive personal information including Social Security numbers was revealed in the newly unredacted John F. Kennedy assassination documents released this week, and that is not sitting well with the people affected.

Joseph diGenova, a former campaign lawyer for President Donald Trump, was among those whose personal information was disclosed. He said he is planning to sue the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration for violating privacy laws over concerns about identity theft.

It should not have happened, diGenova said in a phone interview Thursday. I think it's the result of incompetent people doing the reviewing. I don't believe it had anything to do with rushing the process. The people who reviewed these documents did not do their job.

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His personal information was on documents relating to his work for a U.S. Senate select committee that investigated abuses of power by government officials in the 1970s, including the surveillance of U.S. citizens.

Officials at the White House said Thursday that a plan was in place to help those whose personal information was disclosed, including credit monitoring offered by the National Archives until new Social Security numbers are issued. Officials also said they are still screening the records to identify all the Social Security numbers that were released.

President Trump delivered on his promise of maximum transparency by fully releasing the files related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. "At the request of the White House, the National Archives and the Social Security Administration immediately put together an action plan to proactively help individuals whose personal information was released in the files.

The White House press office also released a statement from the National Archives.

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In an effort to maximize transparency, these records were released without redactions and some of these records contain the personal identification information of living individuals, the statement said. The National Archives and Records Administration and the Social Security Administration are working closely together to protect the individuals who may be affected from their information being exploited.

The statement also said that while the National Archives will be contacting people whose personal information was disclosed, it urged those people to contact the National Archives.

Neither the White House nor the National Archives explained the decision-making process behind the public release of the personal information.

Trump ordered the release of the remaining classified files relating to the 1963 assassination shortly after being sworn into office in January. About 2,200 files consisting of over 63,000 pages were posted on the National Archive's website on Tuesday evening. Many of those pages revealed what had previously been redacted.

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The vast majority of the National Archives more than 6 million pages  records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination  had previously been released.

The National Archives posted assessments of the newly released documents on its website, but noted that there wasn't enough time as of Wednesday to review more than a small fraction of them. The documents released this week provided more details of covert, Cold War-era U.S. operations in other nations, but they didnt initially lend credence to conspiracy theories about who killed Kennedy.

One of the newly unredacted documents, for example, discloses the Social Security numbers of more than two dozen people seeking security clearances in the 1990s to review JFK-related documents for the Assassination Records Review Board.

Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed, which concludes that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, said the documents release was rushed, echoing what other researchers believe.

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I know that people will probably shake their head if they hear that  because how could they be rushing in after 62 years? he said Thursday. Its a lot of documents. Its a lot of files. The Archives in the past has provided a sort of a search guide. So if I want to find James Jesus Angleton, for instance, I could do a search and find all the documents hes in and then I can see whats different from the last release. This time they didnt have that.

Angleton was the CIA's counterintelligence chief from 1954 to 1974.

The National Archives began screening the documents on Wednesday to identify all the Social Security numbers in the assassination records, the White House said.

The National Archives will share those numbers with the Social Security Administration, which will identify the people who are living and issue them new numbers, according to the White House.

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Kennedy was killed on a visit to Dallas, when his motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown and shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested the 24-year-old Oswald, a former Marine who had positioned himself from a snipers perch on the sixth floor. Two days later, Jack Ruby, a nightclub owner, fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer that was broadcast live on television.

___

Associated Press writer John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, contributed to this report.
This article was first published in the Right to the Point newsletter . Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each week.

When one of Elon Musks DOGE hires came under fire because of old social media posts, Vice President JD Vance defended him on X, writing, Racist trolls on the internet, while offensive, dont threaten my kids. You know what does? A culture that denies grace to people who make mistakes.

But what if its the government or the media making the mistakes? Do institutions deserve grace, too? Thats a question that arises from a New York Times op-ed published last week, and the reaction to it.

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The piece, by Zeynep Tufekci, was entitled We Were Badly Misled About the Event That Changed Our Lives, and its about how scientists and public health officials worked together to advance the idea that COVID-19 emerged from animals in a Wuhan seafood market.

By virtue of the headline alone, its a prime example of why so many conservatives dont trust the press.

The origins of the virus became a fiery dividing line that still smolders today, and one of the reasons that so many conservatives turned on Dr. Anthony Fauci and other public health officials. As early as April 2020, Fauci was saying that the pandemic was a direct result of these live animal markets, saying on Fox & Friends, I think we should shut down those things right away. Meanwhile, people who thought it more likely that the virus had escaped from a lab were called right-wing conspiracy theorists and racists.

It took a while, but public opinion eventually came around to the conspiracy theorist side of the issue. By spring of last year, 7 out of 10 respondents in a Deseret News/HarrisX poll said they believed the coronavirus escaped from a lab  which is what the Central Intelligence Agency said is likely, back in 2023.

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For a columnist in The New York Times to say as much now seems, well, a bit late, and conservatives have piled on Tufekci, a Princeton University professor of sociology and public affairs. But theyve mostly piled on The New York Times, saying that the article failed to note that its writers were the ones doing the misleading.

Its the five year anniversary of the most disastrous public policy failure of my life  covid. We should never forgive or forget what left wingers did to us. Whats the most ridiculous covid rule you personally experienced? Share below. We cant let them hide their stupidity.  Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) March 11, 2025

As often happens, people conflate the position of The New York Times as an institution with an individual writer offering their own opinion. Tufekcis thoughts are her own and dont represent the The New York Times as an institution. Still, the piece landed awkwardly, to say the least. And even while blaming public health officials for doing the misleading, Tufekci rebuked Covid skeptics who werent just earnestly making inquiries; they were acting in terrible faith, using the debate over the pandemic origins to attack legitimate, beneficial science, to inflame public opinion, to get attention.

No wonder, then, that the piece left a bitter aftertaste for some conservatives who questioned Covid policies and were derided for doing so. Jennifer Sey, a former executive at Levi Strauss & Co. who was critical of pandemic school closures, wrote in a lengthy post on X last week, Ill never look at people the same way again. I will forever be distrustful. I wont forgive or forget, certainly not without a heartfelt apology.

Others on social media echoed that never forgive, never forget mantra with regard to Covid policies  effectively denying grace to people who make mistakes, which the vice president rightly reminded us we shouldnt do.

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Mistakes were made, no question about that  from scientists advancing a chosen narrative over truth, to a Times reporter tweeting that the lab-leak theory was racist, to panicked shoppers throwing punches over toilet paper. And yes, the media was too quick to buy in on every word from Dr. Faucis mouth. The pandemics lessons will have a long tail, especially for health officials and journalists.

America is being De-Faucied

It seems like yesterday when even Republicans were buying Fauci socks, Fauci cupcakes and Fauci prayer candles. He was, after all, the most prominent public health official who stood by Trumps side literally and figuratively in the early days of the pandemic  until that famous face palm made conservatives suspect that he wasnt actually on the presidents side.

By September of 2020, Stat News reported that trust in Fauci was falling; by October of the next year, a majority of Americans thought he should resign. As criticism continued to mount about the pandemic response, he retired at the end of 2022 after a half-century at the National Institutes of Health.

And this year, a mural of him was stripped off a wall at the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, the Washington Post reported. Also removed was a Fauci quote that admittedly wouldnt play well with the current administration: Science is telling us that we can do phenomenal things if we put our minds and our resources to it.

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It was only a few years ago that conservatives were decrying the progressive push to strip the country of monuments, street and building names, and even literature and movies that were deemed not fitting for the cultural moment. Americas tear them all down moment, I wrote at the time, was the latest installment of iconoclasm, the destruction of physical objects that reflect a passing era or value set.

Were seeing this now, Republican-style, in the de-Fauci-ing of the NIH, and the demolition of the Black Lives Matter mural in Washington D.C., which has pained even some conservatives, despite the many controversial aspects of the movement.

It is to be replaced with a mural of celebrating Americas 250th birthday next year, Axios reported.

The Reverse Boycott is Here

Conservatives who boycotted Target in 2023 and 2024 because of its marketing of LGBTQ merchandise have an excuse to shop at the retailer again.

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Progressives are now boycotting Target because the company has reversed its DEI policies, in response to the Trump administrations orders regarding diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

The new boycott has been called a Target fast because it corresponds with the six weeks of Lent.

Recommended Reading

Samuel J. Abrams has fond memories of Scouting and the 40 merit badges he earned: As a nation with a new presidential administration and rhetoric of an America returning to greatness, the fact is that if we are going to make this country truly great, we must figure out a way to make the lessons that I had from these merit badges commonplace, whether through schools, Scouting or something else entirely.

The merits of Scouting

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After years of decline, the number of drunk driving crashes is ticking up, Naomi Schaefer Riley writes. So is the incidence of cannabis-related accidents: As far back as 2019, before cannabis use became as widespread as it is today, a survey by AAA found that an estimated 14.8 million drivers said that they have operated a vehicle within an hour of using marijuana.

The latest troubling trend in impaired driving

Brad Wilcox and Maria Baer team up to examine the latest troubling reports about how Americas young men are doing, and why progressives are starting to express concern, too: Particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the progressive line has been that men are modernitys winners.  But the data paint a different picture; and its getting much harder to ignore.

Progressives are starting to come around on the importance of marriage and fatherhood

My Latest

You can watch the fiery debate between Megyn Kelly and Glenn Greenwald over the Trump administrations efforts to deport Columbia University protestor Mahmoud Kahlil  or keep your blood pressure level by reading the facts of the case that I assembled here.

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What we know  and dont know  about the Mahmoud Kahlil case

Elegy for an Eaglet

The celebrity bald eagles you read about here last week have lost one of their newly hatched babies  its unclear whether it was a casualty of cold, suffocation, birth defect or any other risk of the wild. My apologies for any pain I may have caused by bringing them to your attention. Wildlife cams are not for the faint-hearted. Send your condolences, story ideas and favorite Dr. Fauci quotes to me at Jgraham@deseretnews.com. Thank you for reading and for being part of the Right to the Point community.
Mar. 19A Peterborough man is facing felony charges following a standoff with police Tuesday night.

Local police said they received a report around 6 p.m. of a man armed with a rifle, yelling and threatening neighbors on Keenan Drive.

Officers responded to the area, and additional units were called in to establish a perimeter around a residence. Residents of the Pineridge neighborhood were asked to evacuate their homes or shelter in place for several hours while police responded to the situation.

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Around 11 p.m., the New Hampshire State Police SWAT Unit began negotiating with the man, identified as 64-year-old John Fortin. According to police, Fortin approached SWAT members and a non-lethal round was fired at him, knocking him to the ground.

A State Police dog was deployed and Fortin allegedly began fighting with the dog, Peterborough Police said. Officers then used a Taser to subdue Fortin and take him into custody.

Fortin was taken to Monadnock Community Hospital, then transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for further treatment.

Fortin is charged with four counts of criminal threatening with a deadly weapon and was expected to be arraigned Wednesday in district court in Jaffrey.

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Peterborough Police said their investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.

Peterborough Police were assisted by more than a dozen law enforcement agencies from Antrim, Greenfield, Hillsboro, Jaffrey, Keene, Mont Vernon, New Ipswich and Temple-Greenville, along with state police, the Monadnock Regional Special Response Team, Keene SWAT, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and Peterborough Fire & Rescue.
(Bloomberg) -- Philippine authorities arrested six foreign nationals and two Filipinos as the Southeast Asian nation ramps up its campaign against espionage.

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The eight were apprehended on March 19 on Grande Island in Subic Bay, a strategic vantage point with a clear view of key sea lanes in the South China Sea, including the disputed Scarborough Shoal, Manilas defense department said Thursday.

The arrest exposes the unlawful nature, including suspected espionage and kidnapping activities related to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations for which some foreign nationals are using Grande Island under the guise of private enterprises, the agency said in a statement. Authorities were serving a warrant on a Chinese national for alleged cybercrimes.

The operation comes as the Southeast Asian nation is stepping up its crackdown on alleged spies amid tensions with Beijing over the disputed South China Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier sounded the alarm as several Chinese nationals have been nabbed in the past months for allegedly spying on the military and coast guard.

The activities of those recently arrested may be part of larger criminal network operations (and) pose a serious threat to our national security, the defense department said.

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MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine officials on Thursday defended before the country's Senate the arrest and transfer to the International Criminal Court of former President Rodrigo Duterte, as they faced allegations he was illegally abducted at the behest of a foreign institution.

Duterte is set to be the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC after he was arrested last week and sent to The Hague, where he faces accusations of murder as a crime against humanity over a "war on drugs" that killed thousands of people and defined his 2016-2022 presidency.

The government's decision to hand Duterte over triggered a backlash among his supporters, family and allies, who have petitioned the Supreme Court arguing the arrest was illegal and the ICC no longer has jurisdiction in the Philippines.

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Duterte appeared before the ICC's pre-trial chamber on March 14 and remains in ICC custody, with his next appearance scheduled for September.

"Justice rendered by a foreign country is not justice. It's slavery," said Senator Imee Marcos, who presided over Thursday's televised hearing.

Marcos is the sister of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr but has close ties with the Duterte family. She said his transfer was tantamount to an admission that the Philippines was incapable of putting him on trial.

Duterte's arrest followed years of him taunting the ICC in profanity-laden speeches since he unilaterally withdrew the Philippines from the court's founding treaty as it started looking into allegations of systematic extrajudicial killings of drug dealers and users on his watch.

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Duterte has assumed full responsibility for the killings but denies he led a campaign of systematic murder and says he instructed police to kill only in self-defence.

'ALL ABOUT POLITICS'

Philippine officials on Thursday told the inquiry the handover of Duterte was above board as it was at the request of Interpol and not in cooperation with the ICC.

"The ICC tries people for individual crimes, not states. So the Philippines as a state cannot be called upon by the ICC to do something for them," said Justice Secretary Juanito Remulla.

He cited "international humanitarian law" as the basis of the arrest, adding the ICC has no authority over the Philippines.

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Duterte's arrest came after an acrimonious breakdown in an an alliance between President Marcos and the Duterte family, who joined forces to sweep a 2022 election that saw Sara Duterte, the former president's daughter, become vice president. She has since been impeached by the lower house.

Sara Duterte joined Thursday's Senate hearing virtually and said the apprehension of her father was "patently an illegal arrest" that was orchestrated by the administration to "demolish political opponents".

"This is all about politics," she said.

The ICC, a court of last resort, says it has jurisdiction to prosecute alleged crimes that took place prior to a member's withdrawal.

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty)
MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines is exploring the possibility of converting two islands that were once part of a U.S. navy base into a military reservation, its defence department said on Thursday, a move to bolster its presence in waters facing the South China Sea.

Grande and Chiquita islands are located in Subic Bay, which was once a sprawling U.S. base until the Philippines rejected a lease extension in 1991. The U.S. military pulled out a year later and the strategically located facility has since been transformed into a freeport zone.

The islands' conversion could help secure the freeport and an international airport and support the Philippine navy's development of a base in the area, the defence department said.

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"Grande Island...is a strategic vantage point with a clear view of key sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea, including Bajo de Masinloc," the defence department said, referring respectively to the Philippine exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea and the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal.

Upholding the Philippines' sovereign rights in the South China Sea has been a top priority of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, which has locked horns repeatedly with China over the conduct and constant presence of Beijing's coast guard and fishing militia near disputed features in Manila's EEZ.

Tensions have escalated since Marcos pursued greater engagement with defence treaty ally the United States, including training exercises with a U.S. Typhon missile system, the deployment of which has angered Beijing.

The announcement came a day after the arrest of a Chinese national, five other foreigners and two Filipinos on Grande island for allegedly violating the country's securities law and cybercrime law.

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They were suspected by police and law enforcement authorities of involvement in espionage and kidnapping connected with offshore gaming operations that were outlawed last year.

(Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty)
CHICAGO  WGN-TV viewers shared photos after a round of severe storms brought strong winds, heavy rain and hail to Chicagoland on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

For nearly two hours, a series of watches and warnings were issued by the National Weather Service as the system moved through the area.

Thursday forecast: Wet, slushy snow moving through Chicagoland during early morning, then sunny but chilly

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The storms left behind some damage in parts of Lake County, Ind., where WGN crews spotted uprooted trees that damaged nearby homes and sidewalks. The fallen trees were spotted in the 9400 block of Forrest Drive in Highland:

Residents in the area said everything seemed perfectly fine until things quickly got out of control, with the wild weather pulling trees out of the ground and leaving behind a path of destruction:

Highland resident Sheila Courtright said she was getting ready to move to the basement when a tree came crashing through the roof of her home. Several doors down, another tree uprooted and crashed into a home next door to resident Jessica Ramirez.

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It was like zero to 100 real quick, Ramirez said.

Other parts of Highland also saw significant damage, including an area near 41st Street and O Day Drive.

In Gary, Ind., McCullough Academy, an elementary school, sustained significant damage, including parts of the roof that were blown off:

Damage in Steger

Back in Illinois, Steger  located in Cook and Will counties  also saw the impact of Wednesdays severe storms. The violent winds uprooted trees and even pulled the roof off of a home near 35th Street, leaving it along the nearby railroad tracks:

The debris has since been cleared from the tracks. A video shared by a viewer shows the moment the roof was pulled from the home:

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Longtime residents said they have never seen this kind of damage before. But they also said the neighbors rallied quickly to help each other out.

It came up so quick, it was like a gust, and then it had a path, going straight northeast, from the southwest to the northeast, retired firefighter Jim Piacentini said. So its scary, you know?

The neighbors got up and started helping, we got our street all cleaned up so traffic could get through it. It seems like thats what I like in this town. Everybody gets together, comes out in need, and especially helps the seniors out.

Storms bring hail

The round of strong storms that moved in around 4 p.m. pelted the region with heavy rain and hail that coated the ground, almost like snow:

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Photos provided by viewer Joseph Carroll taken in downtown Manteno, just south of the fire station near Route 50, show a layer of small hailstones coating the ground:

Photos provided by viewer Joseph Carroll taken in downtown Manteno, just south of the fire station near Route 50, show a layer of small hailstones coating the ground.

The stones did not seem too large in size, however, and appeared to be just smaller than a quarter-inch wide.

Hail also fell in Plainfield, in Will County, on Wednesday afternoon. Will County was included in several Tornado Warnings that were issued.

Photos captured from a video that was provided by viewers Scott and Alice Raspolich show the falling hailstones collecting on the ground:

Photos captured from a video that was provided by viewers Scott and Alice Raspolich show the falling hailstones collecting on the ground.

Out in Elgin, hailstones that fell on Wednesday afternoon grew to nearly a half-inch.

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Viewer Chip Read shared a photo of one of the stones that fell near him after placing it next to a ruler to figure out its size:

The hailstones appeared to be a bit larger in parts of Cook County, including in Oak Lawn, where viewer Tina Garcia captured a photo of some that fell.

The photo shows a group of three hailstones, including one almost the size of a quarter:

Ominous skies

As the storms made their way across Chicagoland, viewers around the area captured photos of the ominous skies.

Viewer Megan Morge shared a photo that she captured of a possible wall cloud spotted in Clinton.

Viewer Darren High captured another shot of the darkened sky as the storm passed over the Des Plaines River in Cicero:

Viewer Darren High captured a photo of the darkened sky as the storm passed over the Des Plaines River in Cicero on Wednesday, March 19. Viewer Megan Morge shared a photo that she captured of a possible wall cloud that was spotted in Clinton on Wednesday, March 19. Viewer Pete Tomczuk spotted a large shelf cloud out in west Joliet on Wednesday, March 19.

Viewer Pete Tomczuk spotted a large shelf cloud out in west Joliet:

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Out in West Chicago, some power poles along Prince Crossing Road were knocked down during the storm. In Channahon, a large tree fell onto the roadway near Cemetery Road and Hansel Road. The fallen tree blocked a portion of the roadway but was cleared by around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday.

WGN Interactive Radar: Track the weather near you

The storms, which struck around during evening rush hour, caused some delays for travelers and commuters and caught some drivers off guard.

WGN-TV crews spotted an overturned UPS semi that had rolled over amid the storms, though it is unclear if anyone was injured:

WGN-TV crews spotted an overturned UPS semi that had rolled over amid the storms, though it is unclear if anyone was injured.

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The storms had briefly led to ground stops at both of Chicagos major airports, though they have both since been lifted. But even after the ground stop was lifted, travelers at OHare International Airport faced delays averaging nearly three hours on Wednesday night.

Latest warnings and watches from the National Weather Service

The strong winds also led to some delays for commuters taking Metra trains.

Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are experiencing better days one year out from the princess revealing her cancer diagnosis after intense public scrutiny following her highly publicized Photoshop scandal. Royal sources reveal that, at the time, the drama had a big impact on them as a couple.

"There was a real sense then that they felt bruised by it," royal author Robert Hardman told People. "It was treated like some great fraud."

After recovering from an abdominal surgery at the end of 2023, Middleton remained out of the public eye for several months, appearing mostly in images taken by herself or William that she later edited. After concerns grew from royal observers, Middleton revealed on March 22, 2024 that she had cancer and would be stepping back from royal duties as she tried to recover.

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"It was like being on a roller coaster for themundergoing chemotherapy and trying to protect your children," Ailsa Anderson, former press secretary for Queen Elizabeth, told People. "It was like being in the middle of a tornado and not knowing when it was going to calm down."

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"If youre Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer," the princes former private secretary Jason Knauf said in an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, referring to both Kate and King Charles's cancer diagnoses. "[It was] absolutely awfulthe lowest Ive ever seen him."

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Royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith added that the Prince and Princess of Wales "were besieged by ugly speculation and intrusion, with Kate having to make an announcement that was very worrying and uncertain."

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Now, with a turbulent year behind her, Middleton is back to work, recently visiting cancer hospitals and attending the Irish Guard's St. Patrick's Day Parade. "She is the MVP of the royal family, and no one knew when she was going to come back, royal historian Amanda Foreman explained, to which Hardman added, "There is definitely a feeling of resetting the dialof being back."

Read the original article on InStyle
The Fife City Council has selected Summer Andriyuk, a planning commission member and real estate broker, to replace Bryan Yambe as representative for District 1, city communications manager Kelsey Geddes confirmed to The News Tribune on Tuesday.

As previously reported by The News Tribune, Yambe was appointed to the Pierce County Council in January to replace Marty Campbell, who was elected Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer in November. Andriyuk will be sworn in March 25, Geddes said.

A resident of the Benthien Loop neighborhood, 32-year-old Andriyuk has served on the Fife Planning Commission since summer 2023 and is self-employed as a managing broker with John L. Scott Real Estate, she told The News Tribune on Wednesday. Andriyuk said she is married with two sons and applied for the position because she thought she was well-suited for it and wanted to have a bigger impact improving the city and serving its residents.

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Andriyuk said she has worked extensively on Fifes 2024-2044 Comprehensive Plan and zoning code updates, which are expected to be approved in June and will have impacts on homeowners and businesses. Other city issues Andriyuk deemed important include creating a more vibrant downtown, making the city more walkable, promoting more middle and affordable housing and maintaining Fifes small town charm, she said.

I really look forward to representing the city the best way that I possibly can, bringing transparency and trust to my position, she said. I think that the city residents and business owners all deserve to always feel that they can trust their government members and know that they have their best interests.

In response to questions from the council, Andriyuk said she is a highly skilled communicator, active listener and collaborator. Andriyuk is active in her church and volunteers in outreach programs.

Andriyuk will serve on the City Council until the November election. Whoever is chosen by voters then will serve the remainder of Yambes term, which expires Dec. 31, 2027, city manager Derek Matheson said earlier this year. Andriyuk said she would consider running for re-election in November if she does well in the position and with its time commitment.

The job is classified as part-time, with council members making $1,060.90 a month as of Jan. 1, Matheson said.
U.S. 52 in Rosemount is partially open again on Thursday after a leaking propane pipeline was discovered on Wednesday.

Emergency responders from the city of Rosemount shut down a section of U.S. 52 in both directions on Wednesday afternoon and evacuated two families from their homes after discovering a leaking propane pipeline owned by Flint Hills Resources and its Pine Bend Refinery.

As of 11:22 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities reported opening one northbound lane of U.S. 52 as well as both southbound lanes.

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State authorities have cleared roads to reopen on Highway 52 between County Road 46 and County Road 42, the city of Rosemount reported on X. However, the northbound side has been reduced to one lane.

Commuters should prepare for slowdowns on Thursday.

Northbound Highway 52 is reduced to one lane between Clayton Avenue and 145th Street East, the Minnesota State Patrol reported early Thursday on X. Expect delays in the Rosemount area.

Heres what happened on Wednesday:

Around 2:40 p.m. on Wednesday, emergency crews were called to the 15100 block of U.S. 52 after reports of a possible brushfire. Rather than a fire, they discovered a substance leak and established a safety perimeter around it, shutting down highway traffic in both directions between Dakota County Roads 46 and 42.

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Rosemount Police and Fire Departments, in coordination with the Dakota Special Operations Team and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety, identified the source of the leak as a propane pipeline owned by Flint Hills Resources, according to a written statement from the city.

On Wednesday evening, the state Office of Pipeline Safety determined the leak had been contained. Dakota County authorities deployed a tethered drone and an air monitoring system to keep further tabs on the situation.

Flints Hills Resources is assisting with the temporary relocation of two families while cleanup efforts are underway. The refinery owner is working to discharge the remaining propane from the leaking line. Rosemount Fire and Police Departments continue to monitor the area, and U.S. 52 traffic will reopen fully when the state makes a final determination.

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A ruptured pipeline in Nigeria has sparked a political crisis that highlights the challenge of increasing output and revenues in Africas biggest crude oil exporter, amid broader efforts to revamp the economy.

Nigerias economy is reliant on oil exports, with the commodity providing more than 90% of the countrys foreign exchange earnings. Oil companies have often blamed vandalism and theft along pipelines for frustrating the countrys ability to reap the rewards of global oil price highs in recent years.

The Trans-Niger Pipeline runs through Nigerias southern Niger Delta region with a capacity to carry 450,000 barrels of oil per day  about a third of the countrys daily output  from production fields to an export terminal. Renaissance Africa Energy, a consortium of four local companies and a foreign partner, owns the pipeline network as part of onshore assets it acquired this year from the Nigeria subsidiary of the British oil giant Shell.

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On Monday, the company and police authorities confirmed an explosion at a section of the line in Rivers, Nigerias third-largest state by internally-generated revenues after Lagos and the federal capital Abuja.

A two-year power struggle between the states governor and a legislature backed by a former governor, who is currently a federal minister, has erupted into a political crisis with potential repercussions for the national purse.

Nigerias President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers within a day of the incident, suspending the states governor and legislature for six months in an unusual step, and placing a temporary sole administrator in charge. Both houses of Nigerias parliament ratified the move on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Renaissance Africa said oil flows were successfully diverted into unimpacted parts of the pipeline network on Wednesday after the damage to one section. Federal regulators began a joint investigation at the site on Thursday to determine the cause of the break, but production from the field has resumed into the facility, the spokesman told Semafor. A timeline for repairing the damage is unclear at the moment, he said.

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The break in Rivers, also home to one of Nigerias four state-owned refineries, is the latest high profile instance of a major breach to energy infrastructure. Eyewitnesses in the Mogho-Gokana community, where a section of the pipeline broke, told Nigerian broadcaster Arise TV that the likely cause was sabotage. Renaissances initial assessment blamed arson for the break.

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Tinubu justified his emergency intervention in the state as necessary to restore order. But the emergency proclamation was denounced as either unwarranted or unconstitutional by the Nigerian Bar Association umbrella body for lawyers, Tinubus two main rivals in the 2023 presidential election, and democracy advocacy groups.

The View From analysts

Kelvin Emmanuel, an energy economist in Abuja, said the presidents action will most likely disrupt output for oil and aggregation for gas in Nigerias oil-producing states. The timing of the crisis is particularly unwelcome for Renaissance, he said, as the company navigates legacy liabilities inherited from Shell, especially with respect to figuring out which assets require remediation, decommissioning and abandonment.

Mucahid Durmaz, a London-based risk analyst covering West Africa for Verisk Maplecroft, expects some operational delays for Renaissances operations in Nigeria but with limited impact in the long-term. The company has an interest in showing that local operators can address complex security challenges in Nigerias oil and gas sector.

However, the attack could heighten investor apprehension and undermine Nigerias recent success in increasing oil output, Durmaz said.

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The founder of Pirates Booty Snacks lost his chaotic bid for mayor of a tiny New York community after he claimed he was the village leader and had the authority to replace the entire local government, officials said Thursday.

Elena Villafane, the incumbent mayor of Sea Cliff, defeated Pirates Booty Snacks founder Robert Ehrlich, 1,064-62, on Tuesday in the village, which is about 26 miles northeast of midtown Manhattan.

Villafane had been running unopposed for her third two-year term when Ehrlich jumped into the fray a week ago Monday.

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That's when Ehrlich went to Village Hall and "presented a statement falsely asserting his authority as mayor, demanding access to office space, and declaring that the entire Village staff was fired effective immediately but could reapply for their jobs," the village said in a statement.

Pirate's Booty snacks.

"While Village staff remained calm and professional throughout the incident, Ehrlich and his associates raised their voices, used profane language, made outlandish claims, and engaged in direct harassment of Village personnel," the statement said. "Despite multiple requests to leave, they refused, creating a hostile and disruptive environment that required police intervention."

The brazen assertions stunned village officials who said they'd never seen or heard from Ehrlich before in any civic context.

"To the best of my knowledge, he has never participated in any government entity, in any volunteer agency, any board or commission," Village Administrator Bruce Kennedy told NBC News on Thursday.

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Ehrlich rejected election results, saying they were rigged and counted in secret.

He said that poll workers werent properly checking rolls  and that he'd know, claiming his supporters made repeated visits to the voting booth.

"So one of my supporters voted three times," Ehrlich claimed to NBC News. "Another one voted four times, and they didnt even realize that he was coming in that many times. "

Ehrlich insists he and other village residents have power, under the New York Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act, to completely replace the village government structure with another.

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"I don't want to dissolve the village. I want to consolidate the village," said Ehrlich, who calls himself the duly elected mayor of the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents.

"Consolidation means that one entity, the ruling entity, the residents, who actually are the boss of the other entity, could then absorb that entity into this entity, making everything run the way it is now, except without the abuse and fear and threats that come to this village."

Ehrlich's primary beefs with village government are remarkably pedestrian. He says that services arent delivered in a timely manner and that not enough is being done to revitalize business on the main drag, Sea Cliff Avenue.

"They really could not care less and do not want businesses to thrive," he said. "The place needs foot traffic. It needs people from the outside coming into Sea Cliff, from [other North Shore Long Island communities, such as] Roslyn, from Great Neck."

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Ehrlich said he has collected 1,900 "votes" at his coffee shop for the past four years, saying such an unusual ballot has holy precedent.

"Nineteen hundred votes since our election," he said. "The longest election in history was from 1268 to 1271, when they couldn't find a pope. So actually, I have the longest election in history."

In theory, Ehrlich or anyone else could submit a petition with 10% of the village's registered voters asking for Sea Cliff to be dissolved.

Once such signatures were verified, a villagewide vote would be held to ask whether Sea Cliff should be eliminated and then folded into the town of Oyster Bay, Kennedy said.

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"He had a FedEx-type envelope that was sealed that he was waving around," allegedly with petition signatures, at the March 10 meeting, Kennedy said. "And when he was asked, 'Do you want to submit that?' and he said, 'No.'"

Ehrlich invented Pirate's Booty in the 1980s, making the puffed cheese, corn and rice snack a ubiquitous presence at checkout stands across America.

Then in 2013, B&G Foods Inc. purchased Roberts American Gourmet Food, which owns the Pirates Booty brand, for $195 million.

Five years later, Hershey purchased "Pirate Brands from B&G Foods, Inc., including the Pirates Booty, Smart Puffs and Original Tings brands, for a purchase price of $420 million," the famed chocolate company announced.

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Despite his wealth, Ehrlich said Thursday he plans to remain active in local political politics.

As a write-in candidate, Ehrlich had virtually no chance of winning Tuesday.

Asked whether he might take another shot at running for mayor in two years, using more conventional methods that could land him on the ballot, he said: "No, I'm mayor now. Why do I have to wait two years? I am mayor at this moment. I can write an executive order."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) A plan has been put forward to not only save the volunteer fire departments around Houston County from closing, but to also possibly save lives.

Sometimes with staffing, it may not be feasible to staff all 17 volunteer departments, said Dothan-Houston County EMA Director Mark Powell

On Wednesday, the Houston County First Responders Task Force met once again, this time with a potential divisional proposal that would help the countys local fire departments and their staffing issues.

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Under this proposal, the 17 Houston County volunteer fire departments will be split up geographically into three divisions. Within each division, one to two stations will bring in 3 new employees in hopes to bring down response times to emergency calls.

We want to have that efficient responseCome up with something like that.

As of now, the five stations that will be bringing in three new employees will be Rehoboth, Bay Springs, Cottonwood, Ashford and Kinsey.

According to Powell, who also serves as the task force chairman, these stations were selected after meeting a certain criteria.

Could house people for 24/7, they have sleeping facilities, bathrooms, showers, those kind of things; and you would staff firefighters there,

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Powell says the 15 total firefighers that will be placed within the 5 stations will be full-time and certified employees, which the task force believes will help in response time as well the quality of the response.

You want to have that response. Then you have to ask yourself, what does that response look like? Who are the people that are going? What level of certification and what level of training do they have? So, we really want to have both,

Powell says this proposal still needs the houson county commissions approval before the task force can move forward with further plans.

If approved, it will be up to the commission to find a way to fund the salaries of the 15 new firefighters.

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Powell wanted to also stress that as of now, none of the volunteer fire departments are at risk of closing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com.
The plane involved in the Alaska regional airline crash that killed 10 people was found to be about half a ton overweight for a flight in icy conditions, US investigators said on Wednesday.

Bering Air Flight 445 was reported missing just before 4pm local time on 6 February while en route from Unalakleet to Nome in the west of Alaska, yet the flight ended in one of the deadliest plane crashes in the state for 25 years.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a preliminary report that calculations showed that the planes estimated gross takeoff weight at departure was 9,865lbs, around 1,058lbs (roughly just under half a ton) heavier than the maximum for icy conditions, the NTSB said.

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Clint Johnson, from NTSBs Alaska region, told the Associated Press that the weight, however, is just a data point in the ongoing investigation and a final report including probable causes will take a year or more after the crash.

Records also show the aircraft used a payload extender, allowing planes to increase the maximum weight, but despite this, the plane was still 803lbs over the limit for any flight operations.

Mr Johnson added that it remains to be determined whether the weight of the plane would have been a factor in the accident.

The NTSB said a senior engineer will conduct a detailed review of the planes performance, including its centre of gravity location.

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The investigators will also be reviewing all weather factors pertaining to the accident, as well as what information was relayed to the pilot about the weather and if ice conditions existed at the crash locations.

Mr Johnson said that icing conditions were forecast along the route, and it was snowing, with some freezing rain in Nome.

The report also reveals that contact was lost minutes after air traffic control told the pilot the runway in Nome would be closed for about 15 minutes for de-icing.

The controller added that if the pilot wanted to slow down a little bit to prevent the flight from arriving before the runway reopened, that would be fine, and the pilot acknowledged, the report states.

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The pilot handbook specifies that an air speed of 95 knots must be maintained to fly in icing conditions if de-icing equipment is fully functional.

The pilot was told to descend and maintain 4,000 feet at his discretion, then the autopilot disengaged at 99 knots, then dropped within seconds to 70 knots and was at about 3,100 feet, the report says.

The final satellite tracking data came less than one minute later at 3.20pm at an altitude of 200 feet.

The report also looked into the anti-icing system on the wings and the tail of the turbo-propeller plane.

The operator said the quantity of de-icing fluid was checked during each preflight inspection, with the pilot being responsible for ensuring there was a sufficient quantity onboard.

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However, no record is required when the fluid is added to the plane. A worker at the Unalakleet airport told the pilot that the fluid was available, but the pilot told her the tank was full, the report says.

The plane, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, had been carrying nine adult passengers and a pilot on a regular commuter flight before it disappeared.

The plane took off from Unalakleet, a small community of 690 people, at 2.37pm towards Nome, before officials lost contact with it less than an hour later.

Two days later, the Nome Volunteer Fire Department said in a Facebook post that the bodies of all 10 victims who died in the crash had been recovered.

All 10 individuals aboard the Bering Air plane have been officially brought home to Nome, they wrote.

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The proposal would impose a total ban on citizens of 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Bhutan, Sudan and Yemen, and restrictions, such as sitting in-person visa interviews, on 32 others.
Tennessee House Republicans locked the doors to a committee room after a group of immigrant rights activists were escorted out of the public meeting for standing and repeatedly reciting the Pledge of Allegiance for several minutes.

The House Banking and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee shut down on Wednesday afternoon as a group stood to recite the pledge in protest of a bill that could block some immigrant children from public schools and force private banks to collect citizenship documentation from customers.

The committee later moved to a separate room and locked the doors, barring access to the public. Outside the new committee room, protestors crowded around the door to peer inside, banging on the door, floor and wall yelling, "Let kids learn! Let kids learn!" and "USA! USA!"

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HB 145 was deferred to next week.

While protest disruptions are not new at the Tennessee General Assembly, the subcommittee's decision to move a committee's location mid-meeting and lock out members of the public is unusual. After the relocation, no members of the public were allowed inside unless they had previously signed up to testify on a bill. The committee was live streamed as usual.

Rule 83 of the House of Representatives requires that all meetings, including committee and subcommittee meetings, be open to the public. The only exception is when a committee is considering a security matter, and takes a vote. State sunshine laws also require adequate notice of time and location of meetings, require meetings to be open  and deems any action at a meeting held in violation of that law void.

Tennessee immigrant and education advocates protest legislation on school access, HB 793, during House committee meeting at Cordell Hull State Office building in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Before the initial meeting ended, Subcommittee Chair Tandy Darby, R-Greenfield, announced that the committee would be recessing to House Room IV. No other notice was made on the legislatures website of the change of location for the meeting.

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House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, defended the meeting as compliant with House rules.

"After multiple warnings and to prevent disruptions that threatened the democratic process, steps were taken to ensure the safety of members and staff," Sexton said in a statement to The Tennessean. "Chairman Darby announced the room change to everyone present and on the livestream, House staff received email notifications, those who had signed up to testify were allowed to do so and media had access. The hearing remained publicly accessible through livestreams and on TVs outside the committee rooms. I commend Chairman Darby, the Clerks office, Sergeant at Arms and THP for their professionalism.

House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, told The Tennessean that he would be vehemently against us doing that as the norm, but that the move was necessary to allow House business to continue.

We cant stop. We have to be able to get through the day and get through the calendar, Faison said. You cant act like that.

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Faison said he held the members-only back door to the committee room open to allow some members of the media inside the hearing room.

When you act like that, youve given up your rights to be a spectator of this. Your voice is here through your elected representative and your elected senator. Thats your voice, Faison said. I think their purpose was to disrupt it, and make sure something doesnt pass. If we allowed that type of behavior, we could never get anything done.

Tennessee immigrant and education advocates protest legislation on school access, HB 793, during House committee meeting at Cordell Hull State Office building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Darby did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether his decision to exclude the public complied with House rules.

Senate committee briefly shut down

The same protestors temporarily shut down the Senate Education Committee hours later over a different bill that would require families to pay tuition to attend public schools if they don't submit citizenship or legal residency proof.

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Sen. Dawn White, R-Murfreesboro, immediately gaveled the committee out when a group rose and began reciting the pledge. Tennessee Highway Patrol later cleared the room, telling dozens gathered in the hallway they would be allowed to reenter but would be escorted out if they continued to be disruptive.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol blocked access to two of the three doors used to access the committee room, and later required a Tennessean reporter to present a media pass to reenter.

As White and other senators returned to the room, 77-year-old Bill Howell and another woman rose from the audience and began reciting the pledge. Howell walked out of the room when approached by officers, while another group of protestors then stood and picked up the recitation.

Tennessee immigrant and education advocates protest legislation on school access, HB 793, during House committee meeting at Cordell Hull State Office building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

The protests continued as White attempted to continue business.

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Howell said he was moved to protest due to the "injustice that's being perpetrated by this legislature and, in this case, the denial of an education to young children."

"Education is a right, and what they're trying to do is a violation of the Constitution," Howell, a Nashville native, said.

Justin Wilkins and his daughter Emmie traveled from Chattanooga on Wednesday to protest the proposed legislation. Wilkins said the right to access a free and public education is one of the "greatest American values."

"The audacity of these folks to come at our kids and try to deny them an education just because of where they are from  I can't think of anything more unAmerican," Wilkins said. "I can't think of anything that would be a greater betrayal of American values than coming after children to take education from them."

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Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston, called the demonstrators Marxist activists who were making a mockery of the Pledge of Allegiance in a social media post. Fritts, who shared his video from the hearing room, does not sit on the subcommittee.

They hate the country. They hate the citizens of Tennessee, and are pushing for illegals to take over, Fritts said on the video. These are the kind of people that come to Nashville routinely. This is not freedom of speech, this is hating of the country.

Tennessee immigrant and education advocates protest legislation on school access, HB 793, following a House committee meeting at Cordell Hull State Office building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Education for immigrant students flash point this year

Education access for immigrant children has emerged as a lightning rod issue for the 2025 legislative session. Senate Bill 1044 failed in Senate Education on Thursday, while action was deferred in the House on the education and banking bill.

But a GOP leadership-backed bill is making steady progress through both chambers and will likely draw additional heated protests. The House version, HB 793, would allow local schools to deny enrollment to any child unable to prove they are a U.S. citizen or legal resident in the country.

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The Senate version now differs from the House, but its sponsors say they are working together to find a compromise on the language.

Leaders in both the Senate and House have acknowledged the legislation is intended to directly challenge the U.S. Supreme Court's Plyler v. Doe decision, which prohibits states from barring children of undocumented immigrants from attending public schools.

If a version of the legislation passes the General Assembly, it would likely trigger an immediate lawsuit. Democrats have criticized the effort of using taxpayer funds to trigger legal battles.

The legislation is expected to receive lengthy committee debate in both the Senate and the House next week.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TN legislative committees shut down amid Pledge of Allegiance protests
The Texas Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would ban nearly all forms of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Texas Senate Bill 3 is backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and seeks to tighten regulations around THC products sold in convenience stores and vape shops. Patrick first launched the bill in December, calling for the ban of all consumable tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) being sold.

The bill passed 24-7. It still needs to be passed by the Texas House before Gov. Greg Abbott can sign it into law.

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Patrick attended a morning news conference along with law enforcement officers and advocates for families of those who exhibited behavioral health problems after consuming THC products.

"This is a poison in our public, and we as a Legislature  our No. 1 responsibility is life and death issues," Patrick said. "Were going to ban your stores before we leave here, for good."

The Lieutenant Governor also had a stern warning for THC retailers.

"You might want to voluntarily close your doors, because the investigations are going to continue, and Im sure the lawsuits are about to come," Patrick added. "You know what you're doing."

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick speaks during a press conference at the Texas Capitol Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Patrick and law enforcement from across the state gathered to express their support for legislation that would crack down on the sale of synthetic THC products.

The Texas House has yet to discuss its own hemp proposal. House Bill 28 would create stricter regulations for hemp, including "requiring a registration, imposing fees, creating criminal offenses and providing an administrative penalty."

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State Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), the lead author of SB 3, seemed hopeful that the Senate and House are "philosophically aligned." Patrick echoed this sentiment, saying he'd discussed the issue with House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) and Abbott.

"Were all on the same page," Patrick said. "Were going to protect the people of Texas from THC."

Will Texas ban THC products? What to know about Senate Bill 3, backed by GOP lawmakers

Opponents: 'This bill goes too far'

Not all were in favor of Senate Bill 3, especially regarding its impact on businesses. While debating the bill, Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin) suggested hemp should be more strongly regulated rather than outright banned.

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"I believe this bill goes too far, in that it would put out of business the consumable hemp industry in Texas," Eckhardt said.

Mark Bordas, executive director of the Texas Hemp Business Council, took a similar stance and added lawmakers weren't appropriately acknowledging the difference between consumable hemp, with low concentrations of THC, and marijuana, with higher potencies.

"We have a common enemy. We know whos doing wrong," Bordas said. "Wed both like to eliminate them, but the problem is, the lieutenant governor and Senator Perry are going to eliminate the entire business  including over 7,000 licensed dispensaries."

"Bans dont work," Bordas continued. "All its going to do is encourage the bad actors to fill the vacuum."

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Earlier this month, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller also spoke out against a ban.

"I'm kind of torn between because we have never wanted recreational marijuana. And that's basically what this is," Miller said. "But now, you got 8,000 businesses, mostly mom and pops, that have put their life savings into opening these new businesses. And we might put them out of business."

Marijuana laws in Texas are confusing. Here's a guide to know what is and isn't legal

Is cannabis legal in Texas?

The Lone Star State has not broadly legalized cannabis in any form. While recreational marijuana remains illegal, medical marijuana is permissible in certain circumstances.

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In 2015, Texas passed the Compassionate-Use Act, which allowed the first legal use of low-THC cannabis products in the state for patients with intractable epilepsy. It was expanded in 2019 and 2021 to include other conditions.

Chapter 169 of the Texas Occupations Code states that patients suffering from the following are allowed to use low-THC cannabis products:

epilepsy

seizure disorders

multiple sclerosis

spasticity

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

autism

cancer

post-traumatic stress disorder

an incurable neurodegenerative disease

Marijuana remains illegal under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). It is listed as a Schedule I controlled substance, under strict regulations by the federal government, and has "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."

 The Texas Tribune contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas THC ban one step closer to becoming law after Senate passes bill
A new report entitled The enduring role of ideology in terrorism and radicalisation is a meticulously researched and timely riposte to Keir Starmers view that we are now facing a changed terrorist threat in the aftermath of the Southport attack. What the author of the report, Robin Simcox, found instead was the enduring power of ideas and beliefs.

Many in the counter terrorism community fell in behind Starmers paradigm. According to them, factors such as environment, upbringing, misogyny, mental health and a fixation with extreme violence are the foremost factors in terrorist motivation. In other words, terrorists gravitate to their heinous actions because of what has been done to them by society, or what can be diagnosed by a doctor or discovered by a social worker, rather than what the terrorists themselves affirm as inspiration for their actions.

While many of the people Simcox studied had some or all of these additional pathologies, he is clear that there is a remarkable consistency in the significance that terrorists of all types attach to political or religious ideology.

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These toxic belief systems, assembled online and often repurposed in their own manifestos, provide violent extremists a baseline way of seeing the world that gives them permission to kill and spread fear.

Simcox looked at 100 convicted terrorists and 6,000 pieces of the mindset material they had collected. He found there was a diversity of material that influenced them: from far-right texts such as Adolf Hitlers Mein Kampf to Islamist books like Sayyid Qutbs Milestones.

Ideology co-exists with other deficiencies that turn hateful thought into action, but it is still the dominant force. This is bad news for the Home Office officials who had bought the Prime Ministers line that material deprivation is more important to radicalised killers than a poisonous vision of the world. In January, a leaked report from these experts signalled that extremism should no longer be looked at through an ideological lens.

I have personal experience of discussions with these mandarins. They are sincere and well-meaning, but one gets a sense of palpable relief at the prospect of replacing problematic religious or political beliefs with the behaviours that can be medically or sociologically categorised.

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This is utterly misguided: a mentally ill Jihadi can kill just as efficiently as his sane white supremacist counterpart, and vice versa; many Islamists come from affluent or comfortable backgrounds. But it is far safer to focus on psychological impairment, or material deprivation, than the straightforward fact that some people have been driven to murder under the inspiration of Islam.

Wilcox has proven the Prime Minister comprehensively wrong. It might be one reason his tenure as counter extremism tsar will not be renewed. But Sir Keir is right on one thing: we do have a serious problem spotting and stopping people who want to kill for its own sake and kill at scale.

Violent offenders who follow no ideology except their own nihilistic rage are here to stay. But while we tackle them, we must also retain a sharp focus on combatting those prepared to kill in the name of ideas. Tomorrows terrorists are already in the making, dutifully reading their dangerous texts.

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WARSAW, Poland  The Polish government has unveiled plans to boost domestic landmine production following an announcement that the country, along with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, would pull out the Anti-Personnel Mines Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty,

Polish Deputy Defence Minister Pawe Bejda said the country would launch production of the weapons in a bid to safeguard the countrys eastern borders with Russia and Belarus.

We want these mines to be produced in Poland, we have such capacities. The issue at hand is to increase such capacities  and we treat equally the private defense industry and the state-owned one, Bejda told local radio broadcaster RMF FM in an interview.

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The Polish military needs landmines in the range of several hundred thousand, even up to 1 million units, he said.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wadysaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has stated the process of withdrawing from the convention will involve the countrys Cabinet, parliament and president, and end with a notification to the United Nations. Following the notification, the withdrawal procedure could take around six months, he said.

Asked for details on which companies could produce landmines, the deputy defense minister said that Polands state-run defense group PGZ will be involved in the manufacturing.

Meanwhile, Latvia is looking into all possible options when it comes to strengthening Latvias deterrence and defense capabilities, Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds said in a statement.

The Baltic nation must prepare as Russia continues to pose a serious threat to the region, regardless of how hostilities in Ukraine develop. Withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention has the potential to ensure the production of anti-personnel mines, Spruds said.
JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. (WAVY)  Two people have been charged with felony murder and abduction in connection a mans death in January in James City County, police said.

James City County death investigation leads to robbery arrest

Harley Hutchens, left, and Amber Johnson, have both been charged with felony murder and abduction in connection to the January death of a man in James City County, police said.

Harley James McClure Hutchens, 29, and Amber Nicole Johnson, 28, both of James City County, face the two charges in connection to the Jan. 31 death of Jose Medellin, 67.

Just after 2 p.m., police said they were called to a home on Diascund Reservoir Road, and when they arrived, first responders said they found a woman outside who was hurt and an unresponsive man inside the home. Police said the man was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

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Detectives said they developed leads in the case that connected the assault to a robbery from the night before, resulting in two people being taken into custody.

Both Hutchens and Johnson remain at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond. Hutchens has a scheduled court date in Williamsburg-James City County General District Court for April 1, while Johnson has a hearing scheduled in the same court for May 2.

Johnson, according to online court records, faces additional charges of conspiracy to commit robbery by using force, accessory to robbery by using force, breaking and entering an occupied house to commit a misdemeanor and conspiracy to breaking and entering in an occupied house to commit a misdemeanor.

Police continue to investigate the case.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  The Albuquerque Police Department arrested 65-year-old Juan Gonzalez for the murder of a man near Central Ave. on Tuesday. APD did not release the name of the victim but said the victim had gone to a motel on Central Ave. with a group to purchase drugs and got into a fight with a person he was trying to buy drugs from. Police said Gonzalez, a friend of the suspected seller, got involved in the fight before it was broken up.

Man accused of orchestrating shootings at New Mexico lawmakers homes found guilty

The victim and group left the motel and later drove to a residence on Rhode Island St. and parked. Thats when Gonzalez got out of the car and asked for the victim by name. When the victim responded, Gonzales shot him in the chest killing him.

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Gonzalez is charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

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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.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A suspect was arrested Thursday morning after a woman was killed in a Wednesday afternoon shooting near Our Lady of the Lake Hospital.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroners Office identified the victim in the shooting as Patricia Jackson, 58. An autopsy will be conducted on Thursday.

The Baton Rouge Police Department said the shooting happened at approximately 3:45 p.m. on March 19 near the 5000 block of Hennessy Boulevard. They confirmed that the shooting victim was an employee.

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Our Lady of the Lake is a beacon of healing for our community and today that sacred space was shattered by a tragic act of violence. We lost a member of our work family, a mother, and a friend to many, Our Lady of the Lake Health President Charles Spicer Jr. said in a statement.

Police take shooting suspect into custody

Roland Domino, 60, was arrested in connection with the shooting. Police said Domino shot Jackson multiple times after a verbal argument in the hospital parking lot.

Domino was apprehended around 7:15 p.m.Wednesday on the Mississippi River Bridge and was charged with second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

Police said Domino has a criminal history including forgery, simple burglary, aggravated assault, and simple battery.

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Trial delayed for Baton Rouge man accused of civil rights activist Sadie Roberts-Josephs murder

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
Police responded with weapons drawn to a break-in at a Target store in the West Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles late Wednesday night.

Unsure if the suspect may still be inside the store located at 6653 Fallbrook Avenue, video showed officers gathering outside the shattered front doors before making entry around midnight.

The blaring alarm continued to sound as the team entered the store to find broken shelves and debris scattered on the floor. The ceiling tiles in one area of the store also appeared to have been caved in.

Police respond to a break-in at a Target in West Hills on March 19, 2025. (TNLA)

Freelance media outlet TNLA reported that an ATM was damaged or stolen during the break-in, but Los Angeles police have yet to confirm.

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Store employees were on hand to help officers with the investigation.

The search of the store did not turn up any suspects.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
A hospital employee shot a co-worker multiple times in Troy, Michigan, at the building's parking garage on Thursday in a "targeted attack," according to police.

The employee was struck twice in the arm when the suspect fired a handgun five times outside Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital, according to Lt. Ben Hancock of the Troy Police Department. The victim's vehicle was also struck, Hancock said.

The victim -- a 25-year-old man from Troy -- is alive and in stable condition.

PHOTO: Law enforcement respond to a shooting at a hospital in Troy, Michigan, Mar. 20, 2025. (WXYZ)

The victim and the suspect were friends who had a falling out at some point, Troy Police Department Chief Josh Jones said at a press conference Thursday.

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The suspect was taken into custody at a residence in Troy after he fled the scene, police said. After he was contacted by phone, the suspect walked out and surrendered without incident, police said

Officials have not revealed the identity of the suspect.

PHOTO: Law enforcement respond to a shooting at a hospital in Troy, Michigan, Mar. 20, 2025. (WXYZ)

Police responded to the shooting on Thursday at about 7 a.m. local time, according to police, with the suspect being taken into custody a couple hours later.

"One victim is in the emergency department for medical treatment. Patients with services scheduled should not come to the hospital at this time. Patients may call the department where they were scheduled for service directly," Corewell Health said in a statement to ABC News.

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The hospital was immediately put on lockdown "out of an abundance of caution," Corewell Health said. It is now in the process of resuming normal operations, according to police.

Michigan hospital employee shoots co-worker outside building in 'targeted attack': Police originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
BERLIN, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44)  Berlin Police are seeking help from the public regarding a retail theft that occurred Wednesday.

Officers say they were on patrol at the Berlin Mall Road Walmart when they heard about a theft in progress, involving a woman exiting the store without paying.

At the scene, police saw a woman fleeing the area and quickly apprehended her.

This person was processed at the scene and provided identification forms without pictures. While police suspected the information was inaccurate, they say that there was insufficient evidence to prove this.

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She was cited in Washington County Court and released, but investigators later found that the identification information was false. Anyone with information on the suspects identity can reach out to the Berlin Police Department.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC22 & FOX44.
A 22-year-old man has died after a late-night brawl erupted outside of a bar in downtown Phoenix.

Police said Rafael Montoya died Wednesday at a hospital as a result of injuries that occurred during the fight on Sunday.

According to Sgt. Phil Krynsky with the Phoenix Police Department, a large fight broke out around 2:30 a.m. between multiple people on the street, just outside of a bar near Central Avenue and Pierce Street.

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Two Phoenix police officers were working security in an off-duty capacity at the bar, and Krynsky said as they worked to diffuse the fight, they were alerted by witnesses that Montoya was on the ground unconscious.

An officer assessed Montoya and determined he was breathing but had head injuries. Krynsky said officers remained with Montoya until fire personnel arrived. He was taken to the hospital and admitted for severe head trauma.

Phoenix police detectives took over the investigation, processing the scene, speaking to witnesses and searching for video evidence. Krynsky confirmed multiple people involved in the fight were interviewed, identified and released.

Detectives believe there are people who possibly captured video footage of the incident, and the department is asking them to come forward and share that footage with investigators.

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Krynsky provided a QR code where witnesses can access a portal to submit videos.

Anyone with information can call Phoenix police or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS (480-948-6377) or 480-TESTEGO (480-837-8446) if they wish to remain anonymous.

No arrests have been made as detectives continue to process evidence, according to Krynsky.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 22-year-old man dies days after brawl outside downtown Phoenix bar
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Police are hoping the public can help identify a woman accused of punching an 8-year-old in the face during a bus ride.

The incident happened on Feb. 15 after the suspect boarded a bus at Lake Mead Boulevard and H Street and sat near the child. Police released a video Thursday of the woman as she entered and left the bus.

According to Las Vegas Metropolitan police, the woman started using profanity toward the child who was looking at her and then punched that same child in the face causing the childs mother to get into a physical fight with the suspect.

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The unidentified suspect got off the bus at Lake Mead and Lamb boulevards. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black pants, tan boots with white fur, and large hoop earrings.

Police are asking anyone who knows the woman or has information on the incident to contact detectives at 702-828-4173 or send an email to: j13525r@lvmpd.com. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS.
In July 2015, journalist Johann Hari gave a TED Talk that over 20 million people have since viewed. Hari offered convincing evidence that vulnerability to opioid addiction is a consequence of the conditions under which people live  the social determinants of health  rather than simple exposure to opioid pain relievers. This theme is brilliantly elaborated by economist Anne Case and Nobel Prize winner Angus Deaton in their book, Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism.

Unfortunately for all of us, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Drug Enforcement Administration have been running away from the evidence ever since.

I offer a short review of information extracted from 15 years of research in published medical literature and mass media. It is time for the Attorney Generals staff to read and understand the science  and for Congress to require changes in U.S. public health policy to reflect science rather than the prevailing anti-opioid hysteria.

First: There is no cause-and-effect relationship between opioid prescribing to pain patients versus either hospitalization for opioid toxicity or mortality involving prescription opioid pain relievers as one contributor. This is true despite the fact that persistent false CDC claims to the contrary. And it has been true for at least the past 12 years.

Second: Some anti-opioid advocates grossly overestimate the risks of opioid prescription to medical patients. In reality, opioid addiction is not a predictable outcome of medical treatment and is rare even in patients with histories believed to be associated with increased risk. Opioid abuse among medical patients is so low, it gets lost in the noise of measurement confounds. For instance, among post-surgical patients treated with opioids for pain, prescribing is continued in fewer than 0.6 percent over the course of the following year. Prescribing varies significantly between types of surgery. The primary drivers of this relatively rare pattern appear to be failed surgeries and the onset of chronic pain, not opioid dependency or misuse.

Third: Again, contrary to the assertions of the CDC, for millions of patients who have severe chronic pain, there are no preferable alternatives to long-term treatment with prescription opioid pain relievers. In an exhaustive review by the Agency for Healthcare Quality of non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical treatments for chronic pain, only 218 out of nearly 5,000 published trials passed quality review. Among those, medical evidence was assessed as weak in more than 150, and no trials were found that attempted either-or comparisons with opioid therapy. At best, such complimentary therapies assist some patients marginally and temporarily, part of the time. They are not viable replacements for opioid therapy.

Fourth: At least two U.S. courts have found that prescription opioid pain relievers are not a public nuisance or inherently dangerous when used as directed. Drug companies cannot be held liable for abuses of their products by others. Likewise, a June 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Ruan vs. the United States) has held that the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knowingly or intentionally acted in an unauthorized manner before a doctor can be convicted of prescribing opioids outside the normal course of medical practice.

It can be compellingly argued that U.S. public policy on the regulation of opioid pain relievers has been turned into a vast Department of Justice overreach that falsely and unfairly criminalizes physicians.

Doctors have had their assets seized before even being charged. Such forfeitures seem calculated to result in plea bargains or civil settlements, given the cases can drag on for years, and the asset seizure leaves the accused with no means to live, much less pay attorneys fees and court costs. This is not legal or ethical prosecution. It is better characterized as malicious persecution.

We hear much discussion these days of steps being taken to ensure fair distribution of multi-billion-dollar financial settlements made by Purdue Pharma, other major drug manufacturing firms and intermediary distributors. There is evidence that some manufacturers and distributors contributed to the easy availability of pharmaceutical-grade opioids through pill mills, aided by the U.S. Congress itself.

However, considering the lack of cause-and-effect summarized above, it is also glaringly obvious that regardless of corporate negligence in over-promoting pain-relieving drugs, the pharmaceutical companys financial settlements were made on expediency, not scientific merit.

Companies like Purdue Pharma correctly calculated that the unlimited power of state and federal governments to spend money on repeated prosecutions would eventually succeed in finding judges and juries sufficiently ignorant of science to gain a verdict against them. Rather than letting themselves be driven out of business, the companies settled on relatively favorable terms. With regard to science, the settlements were and still are bogus as a three-dollar bill.

Meanwhile, medical patients continue being denied treatment for severe chronic pain, with predictable results. Many patients, through no fault of their own, face medical collapse. At least hundreds, if not thousands, overcome by their pain, have committed suicide. Among those who continue to struggle, it is nearly impossible to find a doctor to treat them or a pharmacy to fill their prescriptions.

Almost everybody except CDC and U.S. law enforcement seems to understand that present U.S. public policy on opioids is mired in mythology.

This is lethal madness, and it is time for the Department of Justice and the DEA to stop promoting it. As publicly declared by the American Academy of Family Physicians and five other associations representing over 500,000 clinicians and medical students, it is time to end political interference in the practice of evidence-based medicine. And it is time for the U.S. Department of Justice to get out of Dodge.

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We are a nation in pain and will not be silenced!

Richard A. Lawhern is a patient advocate.
Police seeking fraud suspects who used cash card

MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX)  Law enforcement is asking for the communitys help in finding suspects who allegedly used a dubious card to receive cash money.

Around 2 p.m., Feb. 22, a male suspect  who had a cart full of items  went to a checkout stand at the North Avenue Walmart. He allegedly told the cashier he was using a cash card and to run it as cash, according to Crime Stoppers of Mesa County.

The man then placed the card inside the machine but wasnt charged for the purchase and was given a receipt. Then, two additional male suspects allegedly went to the same cashier to run their transactions as cash. The estimated property loss is over $6,000.

Camera footage shows the suspects vehicle. (Courtesy Photo/Crime Stoppers of Mesa County)

They allegedly later returned the items to another Walmart in Rifle.

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The suspects were described as Black men traveling together in a white SUV.

If anyone knows the suspects location or identities, they can anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 241stop.com or 970-241-7867. Information that leads to an arrest can lead to a $1,000 reward.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A woman was pronounced dead after a reported shooting in a parking lot near Our Lady of the Lake Hospital Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Baton Rouge Police Department, a shooting occurred near the 5000 block of Hennessy Boulevard around 3:45 p.m. Emergency medical services officials reported being contacted but said personnel was later canceled as the patient was brought to the hospital by someone.

Police Chief Thomas Morse confirmed the victim was a female employee. She later died of her injuries.

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The coroners office identified the victim as Patricia Jackson, 58, Thursday morning.

OLOL released the following statement.

In consultation with BRPD, we have lifted the lockdown at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center & Childrens Hospital. Enhanced security and law enforcement presence will remain in place, however, there is no active threat on our campus. Please avoid the area around Hennessy Boulevard near Walgreens. We are referring all further questions to law enforcement.

Our thoughts are with the family, they lost a family member, said Our Lady of the Lake Health, Baton Rouge Market President Charles Spicer, Jr. They lost a daughter, mother, sister, our work family. Thanks to the first responders, our security team acted quickly.

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A visitor, Laura Buwie Willis shared her pain after hearing about the shooting.

Its definitely sad, surprising, said Willis. We know they do things like this in the churches, in the schools, but right here at the hospital, really hit me kind of hard because youre trying to take care of people and save lives.

Anyone with information is asked to contact BRPD at 225-389-2000 or Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News.
Rep. Walt Blackman, R-Snowflake, speaks at a March 19, 2025, press conference about his legislation to criminalize some stolen valor claims. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror

Arizona lawmakers want to impose criminal penalties against people who falsely claim military service or honors to receive benefits, but the proposal is facing major hurdles from some Republicans because of a political dispute in last years elections.

The Arizona House of Representatives already unanimously passed House Bill 2030, which would make impersonating a veteran to obtain employment, government contracts or benefits a class 4 felony.

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The bill is the brainchild of Rep. Walt Blackman, a Republican from Snowflake and U.S. Army veteran. Last year, Blackman was locked in a primary election contest against Steve Slaton, the owner of the Trumped Store in Show Low, a popular campaign spot for the MAGA faithful.

Slaton falsely claimed to be a Vietnam veteran, and even altered his DD214, a document given to veterans upon their retirement that includes a record of their service and awards, to show service in Vietnam. In reality, Slaton was stationed in Korea between January and December 1974 as a helicopter repairman and he was never deployed in Vietnam.

But Slaton was endorsed by Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Flagstaff, as well as Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott. Blackman was critical of Slaton and Rogers during the campaign; Slaton lost in the primary election.

Rogers, a retired Air Force pilot, chairs the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee, the panel that was assigned to hear Blackmans HB2030. She has refused to schedule the bill for a hearing, and with the deadline for committees to consider bills coming March 28, the measure is effectively dead.

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Rogers, Finchem and Senate President Warren Petersen did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

Now, Blackman and supporters of the measure are pursuing other options and seeking to apply pressure to get the bill heard, whether that be in another committee or by using a strike-everything amendment on another bill to resurrect the proposal.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick, R-Phoenix, allowed Blackman to put a strike-everything amendment onto her bill, Senate Bill 1424, which has already been voted out of the Senate. That amendment was approved by the House Government Committee on March 19. The strike-everything amendment copies the text of HB2030 that is stalled in Rogers committee.

If the bill passes the full House, it would return to the Senate for a final vote. Whether that happens would be up to Petersen.

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We need to stop playing politics and start doing whats right by our veterans, Rep. Stacey Travers, D-Phoenix, said at a March 19 press conference with Blackman and veterans about Rogers refusal to consider the bill. Travers, an Army veteran herself, praised Blackmans bill and said that it has bipartisan support, pointing to its unanimous passage in the House.

That wasnt a mistake, that was on purpose, Rep. Quanta Crews, D-Avondale, said of the unanimous vote.

Blackman urged Petersen to have the bill either reassigned out of Rogers committee, urge Rogers to hear the bill or have the strike-everything version receive a vote by the full Senate.

It is a shame, it is a sin, said Jim Muhr, who served in the Army in Vietnam, adding that he did not understand why Rogers was blocking the legislation. He said he wants Petersen to move it to another committee.

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Im not in her head, Blackman said when asked why Rogers may be holding the legislation. I would say there are some personal reasons.

Blackman, without naming Slaton, said that he believes Rogers and Finchem may be trying to protect a gentleman in Show Low but he is unsure why. Rogers and Blackman have a history of butting heads, and Blackman was one of the few Republican lawmakers to condemn comments Rogers made in the wake of a mass shooting targeting Black shoppers in a Buffalo, New York, grocery store in 2022. Blackman is Black, while Rogers, who is white, has strong ties to white nationalists, including speaking at a white nationalist conference and calling attendees patriots.

In 2005, a similar bill was passed by Congress, though parts of it were found to be unconstitutional because it violated the First Amendment. Blackman said he aimed to avoid that by focusing solely on those who impersonate veterans for benefits that they would otherwise not be entitled to receive and adding that to existing state scam and fraud laws.

I am asking Senator Rogers and Senator Finchem to either get on board or get out of the way, Blackman said, eliciting cheers and shouts of amen from the veterans surrounding him.

***CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said the deadline for bills to be heard in committee was March 21. The deadline is actually March 28.

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On Sunday, the Vatican released a photo of Pope Francis for the first time since he was hospitalized Feb. 134. Photo courtesy Vatican Press Office

March 19 (UPI) -- Pope Francis' condition continues to improve and he no longer requires mechanical ventilation for help breathing at night in the treatment of double pneumonia, the Vatican said Wednesday.

The 88-year-old pontiff has been hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital, initially for the treatment of bronchitis. The double pneumonia diagnosis was determined one week later, and at time he was put on a breathing machine and had kidney problems.

"The Holy Father's clinical condition is confirmed to be improving," the press office said. "The Holy Father has suspended non-invasive mechanical ventilation and also has less need of high-flow oxygen therapy. Motor and respiratory physiotherapy is continuing to make progress."

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His doctors have said that his lung infections are under control though not eliminated.

"The values of his clinical analyses are in the normal range, and the Pope continues to be fever-free," the press office said.

The press office originally was giving twice-daily updates but didn't release one Tuesday.

The next update on his health is expected no earlier than next week, the office said. They plan to give general information to journalists on Friday and Monday.

On Wednesday morning, on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Francis concelebrated Mass.

He also spent the day receiving treatment, praying and doing some work.

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On Sunday, the Vatican released a photo of him for the first time he was hospitalized. The image shows the pope seated in a wheelchair in the chapel after concelebrating Mass. The chapel is on the 10th floor of the hospital where he has gone to pray every day since his medical condition showed slight improvement.

The Vatican said it has not decided who will preside over liturgies during Holy Week, including Easter on April 20.

Francis on Thursday marked 12 years as Pope, though there were no formal celebrations. It was a public holiday in the Vatican.
Dessert Holdings, LLC has recalled a popular Target Favorite Day bakery item due to mislabeling. The Favorite Day Gourmet New York-Style Cheesecake has been recalled because the cheesecake contains pecans, but the packaging does not disclose that it contains tree nuts, one of the U.S. Food & Drug Administrations (FDA) required labels.

The recall was initiated on March 20 after the manufacturer received a customer complaint about the mislabeling. However, there have been no illnesses or allergic reactions reported at this time.

How to Identify the Recalled Favorite Day Cheesecake

The recalled Favorite Day Gourmet New York-Style Cheesecake was sold at Target stores in California, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, and Texas between Feb. 14, 2025, and March 7, 2025. You can verify if you have the recalled cheesecake by looking for the lot code 25028A1 000039133 and UPC 0 85239 09690 1 on the side of the plastic clamshell.

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You can find product images in the recall press release.

No other Favorite Day products or bakery items are impacted by this recall.

What to Do if You Have the Recalled Product

If you have this product, and have a pecan or tree nut allergy or sensitivity, you should not consume the cheesecake as it can cause serious or life-threatening allergic reactions. Instead, you should throw the recalled cheesecake away or return it to Target for a full refund.

However, if you do not have a pecan or tree nut allergy or sensitivity, you technically dont have to do anything about the recall. The Favorite Day cheesecake was only recalled for a package labeling error, not because the dessert is inherently unsafe. So, if you dont have tree nut allergies or sensitivities, the cheesecake is safe for you to consume.

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If you have any health-related questions, you should contact your healthcare provider. For questions regarding the recall, or to request a refund, you can contact Target Guest Relations at (800) 444-0680 or Dessert Holdings at (720) 766-9060 or marketing@dessertholdings.com.



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TOWN OF MAINE, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH)  A Port Crane woman was arrested on felony charges after allegedly stabbing her friend with scissors while helping her put in hair extensions.

The Broome County Sheriffs Office took 27-year-old Shamirah Hauer into custody on Sunday following a dispute in the Town of Maine.

On March 16, at around 3 a.m., deputies responded to a weapons complaint at a residence on Kolb Road. Upon arrival, deputies located a female victim bleeding from her neck and proceeded with medical care until EMS arrived. She was transported to UHS Wilson hospital for treatment.

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According to witness statements, Hauer was assisting the victim with putting in hair extensions for nearly an hour before she allegedly began to strike the victim with her fists and a pair of scissors.

According to deputies, the struggle continued onto the floor until a male resident came from another room and intervened. Hauer allegedly left the scene while the victim attempted to treat her wounds, and the male witness called 911.

Additional patrols from the Broome County Sheriffs Office, Vestal Police, and New York State

Police arrived and searched the area. Hauer was eventually located on a nearby road. She was taken into custody without incident.

Hauer was charged with Assault in the First Degree, a Class B Felony.

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Hauer was arraigned at Central Arraignment Part and remanded to the Broome County Jail.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WIVT - News 34.
The Port of Los Angeles maintained its robust momentum into February, building on a record-breaking start to the year.

The port handled 801,398 twenty-foot equivalent units, marking a 2.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024 and the second-busiest February in the ports history.

This impressive performance is part of a larger trend of year-over-year cargo growth in 17 of the past 19 months.

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Breaking down the February figures, loaded imports reached 413,236 TEUs, a slight 1% increase from the previous year. However, loaded exports saw a significant drop of 18%, coming in at 109,156 TEUs. The processing of empty containers rose by 16% to 279,006 TEUs.

The cumulative figures for the first two months of 2025 showed volume of 1,725,643 TEUs, representing a 5.4% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka, in a release accompanying a media presentation, said that despite the current positive trends, potential challenges lie ahead in the latter half of the year. He noted that many retailers and manufacturers have been importing goods earlier than usual as a precautionary measure against potential tariffs. This strategy, combined with the substantial inventory already present and the uncertainty surrounding tariffs, could lead to as much as a 10% volume decline in the second half of 2025.

Here in Los Angeles, we will continue to look for new opportunities to bring more business through our gateway, Seroka said.

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Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

Related coverage:

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The post Port of Los Angeles sees strong container volumes in February appeared first on FreightWaves.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Months after a report determined the Portland Water Bureau was overcharging customers, multiple city agencies have decided they will stop charging returned payment fees.

On Wednesday, the Ombudsmans Office announced that PWB, Portland Fire & Rescue and the transportation department will no longer impose these fees in the upcoming fiscal year. The Revenue Division has already removed them.

This PNW city among the happiest in the world, new report says

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The announcement follows the ombudsmans 2024 investigation, which was prompted by a water bureau customer who claimed they were wrongly charged a $35 fee when their bank merged with another company.

Normally, I would accept a small fee because I could not stay on top of my bills or accounts, Kerry Rasmussen, the original complainant, said in a statement. But $35 seems absolutely criminal from a public entity where customers have no choice in provider.

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Several city agencies impose the fee when customers have insufficient funds in their account as a payment processes. However, investigators found that PWB loses nearly three times the amount of money it gains from the fees.

Oregon lawmakers, medical workers rally in Portland to save Medicaid

According to the report, banks charge the water bureau about $16 for each returned payment  which added up to a total of $112,496.25 in 2023. The agency recovered just $40,075 through the fees.

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Investigators also found that PWB increased this fee from $25 to $35 in July 2008, although Oregon law didnt permit that amount until July 2012. The bureau has since been advised to notify the impacted customers that theyre entitled to a $10 refund.

But the recent update from the ombudsman focuses on the inequitable impact of the fees. Investigators previously noted that the extra costs are ineffective deterrents for customers who may be struggling financially.

2020 Santiam Canyon fire not caused by downed power lines, ODF says

Additionally, about 86% of the households that were repeatedly hit with the fees reported difficulty paying at least one of their bills throughout the year. The report also cited data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which determined that lower-income, Black and Latino communities are more likely to see these fees.

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The practice of charging returned payment fees was out of step with the Citys equity goals and an ineffective use of public resources, Deputy Ombudsman Andy Stevens said in a statement. Removing them across the board is a step in the right direction and aligns with City values of anti-racism, equity and fiscal responsibility.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
In 2025, we will commemorate 77 years since the death of one of Americas most influential presidents, Theodore Roosevelt. He was the 26th and youngest president of the United States, succeeding William McKinley. Roosevelt was a pioneer of peace, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 after successfully mediating the end of the war between Japan and Russia. He accomplished many great things for the people of America and the world.

Reflecting on his life, the greatest obstacle he faced was his health. He experienced serious chronic, oral, and systemic health problems. Despite these significant health challenges, he cultivated a lifetime of joy, laughter, and humor. Theodore Roosevelt was known as the first president that smiled, and he was often photographed and illustrated grinning from ear to ear. His flashing white teeth, wide smile, and engaging openness became symbols of national and international acceptance. At a very young age, he was diagnosed with debilitating asthma, for which doctors at the time had no cure. Like many others in the world today, Theodore Roosevelt died in his home in his sleep after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

Today, the global burden of pulmonary embolism (PE) is on the rise compared to two decades ago, most notably in high-income countries (HICs). The increased incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) may be attributed in part to improved survival rates among high-risk populations, such as cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and autoimmune disease patients. Additionally, enhanced diagnostic capabilities, heightened clinical suspicion, and the routine use of CT pulmonary angiography have contributed to this trend.

In contrast, PE-related in-hospital death rates and age-standardized mortality from PE have plateaued in recent years. This trend may be due to the greater proportion of innocuous cases being diagnosed and improvements in management practices. It parallels the overall improvements in global health, as measured by age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years in the latest systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study. Despite these reassuring trends, PE associated with hemodynamic instability continues to carry high rates of in-hospital and early mortality.

According to Danwang et al., at least one-quarter of patients at risk for VTE in Africa do not receive prophylaxis. A quantitative cross-sectional study conducted in tertiary regional and district hospitals, polyclinics, and private hospitals in the Kumasi Metropolis of the Ashanti Region of Ghana classified thromboembolic disease (TED) as a medium risk in most areas of clinical practice, with cases predominantly reported in inpatient settings. Deep vein thrombosis and ischemic stroke were the most commonly reported conditions, with pain as the most frequent symptom. Thromboprophylaxis was practiced at an average rate across clinical settings. Pharmacological management of TED was preferred, with low-molecular-weight heparins and warfarin being the most widely used therapeutic options. Cost was the greatest barrier to therapy and choice of medication, while bleeding was the most common side effect observed. Although therapies for TED management and prophylaxis are available and effective, the condition remains a burden in Ghana due to the high cost of treatment.

A study conducted by Fitsum Kifle found that Ethiopia faces a critical shortage of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and resources. The distribution of ICU beds is uneven, and there is a widespread deficiency in both basic life support equipment, such as oxygen and monitoring devices, and advanced life support technologies, including organ support systems and invasive monitoring. These limitations significantly hinder the provision of optimal critical care services, including the diagnosis, management, prevention, and treatment of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.

The global health burden of PE has had a major impact on African and sub-Saharan countries. Many African lives are lost to PE due to delayed recognition or a lack of appropriate infrastructure. Another contributing factor is medical negligence. Regarding the care and treatment of a patient with PE in Africa, the availability of expertise must be considered. Unfortunately, the number of specialists equipped to diagnose and treat PE is very low. For more than a decade, Ghana trained only two pulmonologists, who were significantly overburdened by the number of patients requiring care.

Many African experts believe the current burden of the disease is far greater than what disease burden models suggest. The limited number of trained specialists and the lack of diagnostic tools further hinder the proper management of PE-related complications.

Interventional pulmonology societies in HICs can significantly enhance training, infrastructure, and quality of care in countries like Ghana through a multifaceted approach. Establishing fellowship programs and exchange initiatives can provide Ghanaian doctors with hands-on experience, while online courses and webinars can offer continuous education. Equipment donations, telemedicine programs, and mobile clinics can help address infrastructure needs, ensuring that essential diagnostic tools are available even in remote areas. Collaborating with local health authorities to develop standardized guidelines and offering continuous professional development opportunities can improve the quality of care. Additionally, partnerships with NGOs, universities, and medical device manufacturers can facilitate research, policy advocacy, and public awareness campaigns, ultimately leading to better health care outcomes. By implementing these strategies, interventional pulmonology societies can make a substantial impact on the health care landscape in Ghana and other resource-limited settings.

Pulmonary embolism remains a significant global health challenge, and its impact is even more pronounced in resource-limited settings. Addressing this issue requires a concerted effort to improve diagnostic capabilities, enhance clinical training, and ensure equitable access to effective treatments. Only through such initiatives can we hope to reduce the burden of this potentially deadly condition and improve outcomes for patients worldwide.

Princess Benson is a medical student in Ghana.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  Although coyotes are spotted in Portland all year round, researchers advise humans to be especially vigilant during any potential sightings throughout the spring.

Portland Urban Coyote Project Director Zuriel van Belle described the period from March to May as pupping season: when litters of coyote pups are born across the metro area.

Vancouver considers annexation that could make it Washingtons second-largest city

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As we get into pupping season, if a coyote is near its den where it might have pups or be close to having pups, its gonna feel a little more territorial, van Belle said.

While the director tells people to leave coyotes alone if theyre minding their own business, she advises them to make loud noises  potentially by smashing pots or whistling  to keep the animals wild and push them to keep their distance from humans.

She emphasized this even more for those with pets, expressing the need for dogs to be leashed because they could come across an overprotective parent.

The Portland Urban Coyote Project has been tracking sightings since 2008, when a very noticeable coyote sparked interest in the Alameda neighborhood. Some residents may have thought the incident was a novelty, but researchers say the species has a presence in many major North American cities.

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Oregon Republican lawmakers introduce bill to repeal flawed Wildfire Hazard Map

The project receives about 2,000 reports annually, according to the director. She noted that more reports come in during the fall and winter months, partially because thats when younger coyotes start to venture out on their own.

They arent as savvy yet. Theyre figuring out where they are going to be, and territories are potentially being renegotiated, so it might be more likely to see them, van Belle said.

She added that coyotes could be more visible in the colder months due to the diminishing tree cover impacting their usual hiding spots. In addition, winter snow makes them easier to spot due to the contrast with their fur.

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When can Oregon expect warm, sunny weather?

Outside of the neighborhood that sparked the Portland Urban Coyote Project, the director said the organization receives a higher number of reports from the Multnomah Village and Hillsdale neighborhoods. Researchers suspect this is because the animals are more habituated in these areas, or due to awareness of the project.

Regardless of the time of year, van Belle urges people to protect their pets and remove any potential food sources for the coyotes.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Toppled power lines. Caved-in roofs. Lumbering trees crashed into the Earth. And residents left stunned.

These were just a few of the images greeting Gary this morning after a tornado whipped through the city Wednesday evening, devastating dozens of homes in the Tolleston neighborhood and leaving thousands of Northwest Indiana residents without power.

By Thursday morning, residents were still coping with the damage, as flooded streets, garages caved in on cars, and debris littered the ground created an eerie scene.

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Orlando Wright, a Gary resident who lives near the 1800 block of West 21st Avenue, said he was standing in his doorway Wednesday evening when he saw a rushing wind roar by.

I blinked, and it was gone, he said about a power line right outside his house. It snapped it like a twig.

Orlando Wright stands in his yard after a tornado swept through his neighborhood. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B)

Wright has been without power since Wednesday night and has a generator running in his garage.

According to NIPSCO, Wednesdays thunderstorms caused broken poles, cross arms, and downed trees and power lines within its service area, resulting in electric outages.

Approximately 2,900 customers remained without power Thursday morning. The most affected communities include Gary, Highland, Merrillville, Portage, and Valparaiso, the utility company said.

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Due to the extent of the damage, an estimate of when power will be restored is not able to be determined at this time, NIPSCO said Thursday morning.

Gary Mayor Eddie Melton thanked the citys police, fire, and general services teams for their response.

We want to assure the residents of Gary that our teams are working tirelessly on post-storm recovery efforts. We are committed to assisting those impacted and appreciate your patience as we continue this process, Melton said.

Stay safe. We are in this together, Gary, he added.

In an effort to support residents displaced by the storm, city officials have set up an overnight shelter at 4101 Washington St. (Monroe Center) Only one resident was transported to the hospital, and no updates on her condition were immediately available, said Mark Terry, deputy chief of the Gary Fire Department.

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Gary fire and police officials swept through the neighborhood overnight, conducting multiple searches. They found no other victims, and all residents were accounted for within an hour of the initial call, Terry said.

A man works to clear debris from a yard in Gary after a tornado hit the city Wednesday evening. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B)

In the 2100 block of Taft Street, two men sat outside a home with a chainsaw at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, cutting a towering tree that had fallen in front of the house.

Some of the most severe damage occurred between the 2100 block of Whitcomb Street and the 2100 block of Hendricks Street, where police had the area blocked off. Several power lines had toppled over and onto homes.

A tornado toppled power lines and damaged homes between the 2100 block of Whitcomb Street and the 2100 block of Hendricks Street. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B)

By Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado did, in fact, sweep through Gary.

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Preliminary information from our survey team indicates a tornado of EF-1 intensity impacted parts of Gary, the weather service said. EF1 tornadoes have estimated wind gusts of 86-110 mph.

Lake County Councilman and former Gary City Councilman Ronald Brewer described the devastation as surreal.

Almost didnt seem real, Brewer said, recounting the aftermath he witnessed on his way home from work Wednesday night. Starting from Chase Street to Whitcomb Street, I saw more trees, debris in the streets, and roofs torn off with shingles scattered around.



In the aftermath, Brewer urged residents to be cautious.

Still be careful, he said. There are still some power lines down. Proceed with caution.

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Despite the destruction, Wright remained grateful.

Thank God for your life. Things can be replaced, he said.

This story has been updated.

The post Shaken Gary Residents Dig Out After Tornado Touches Down in Region appeared first on Capital B Gary.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX)  Western Colorado Area Local (WCAL) #600 is holding a rally Thursday with the hopes of bringing public awareness to service reductions.

The rally comes in response to several concerning trends, officials said. All four are listed below.

Implementation of Regional Transportation Optimization beginning in May 2025

Multiple postage price increases occur twice yearly

Declining service standards despite higher costs

Disproportionate negative impact on rural communities

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Vice President of WCAL Shane McDonnell says the Implementation of Regional Transportation Optimization would delay mail overnight.

It would, at least take another 24 to 72 hours in order for the delay of just the regional transportation optimization, that is not counting any of the other possible plans that they have as far as delivery operations.

WesternSlopeNow talked with post office goers to learn about their experience with the postal service.

Something has to be done, said retired Grand Junction resident Thomas Hunter.

Hunter says the postal service lost his mail in transit from Grand Junction to Cortez.

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They (USPS) think its in Denver. Why it went northeast to go southwest, I have no idea.

Others said their experience with the post office has been positive, like financial advisor George Gadzik.

I think the service is excellent. Everyone likes to throw the USPS under the bus, but they do an awesome job.

Thursdays rally will begin at 4:30 p.m. outside of the Grand Junction Processing Plant with the hopes of raising awareness about service reductions that disproportionately affect rural areas.



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WesternSlopeNow.com.
DONELSON, Tenn. (WKRN)  Postal workers were on the picket line in Donelson Thursday, protesting the Trump administrations plans to privatize the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The protest was part of the American Postal Worker Unions (APWU) National Day of Action on March 20, where protests were organized across the country from New York City to San Francisco, according to the unions website.

USPS agrees to work with DOGE on reform, planning to cut 10,000 workers

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Postal workers protested for hours in cold, rainy conditions at the Nashville Post Office on Royal Parkway.

Our people come to work, rain, sleet or snow, and it doesnt matter, because its a service. Were hear to serve the American people, and its not about politics. Were not a political organization, said Patricia Herron, president of APWUs Tennessee division.

The nationwide gatherings come less than one week after Postmaster General Louis DeJoy agreed to work with Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to address big problems at the agency, per the Associated Press.

According to a letter sent to members of Congress, DeJoy plans to work with DOGE to cut 10,000 workers in the next 30 days and billions of dollars from the U.S. Postal Service budget.

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Social Security requiring in-office visits for millions of recipients, applicants

Meanwhile, union workers argue a public postal service is a democratic right. APWU said power should stay in the hands of the people  not billionaires, calling the Trump administrations move an illegal and hostile takeover.

Taxpayers dont pay us anything. We are self sufficient, we do a service, Herron said. In times of disaster, we will be those people who deliver your vaccineseven during COVID we were considered essential.

Union workers said if the administration succeeds in the takeover, it could possibly lead to higher prices, reduced service and the loss of many jobs.

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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 WKRN News 2.
ST. LOUIS  Thousands of postal workers hit the streets Thursday morning in St. Louis for a protest as part of a national day of action against job cuts and the Trump administrations plan to possibly privatize mail service.

Dozens gathered outside the St. Louis Postal Service building on Market Street, holding signs such as U.S. Mail Not For Sale and Save The Postal Service.

Hopefully, everyone can come together and help out with what needs to be done, because the customers and the public are all trying to get their mail, an unidentified USPS employee said. So, in order to get mail, we have to have sufficient job fillings and operations and efficient training.

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Last week, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy agreed to cut 10,000 workers through a voluntary early retirement program and billions of dollars from the United States Postal Service budget. A letter to members of Congress acknowledged he would do that working with the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

USPS officials argue its a necessary step to reduce costs. Earlier this year, DeJoy announced plans to cut the postal services operating costs by more than $3.5 billion annually.

With a workforce of roughly 640,000 employees nationwide, workers say this will have a major impact on the community and services, with union leaders warning that cuts could strain mail service and put remaining workers under pressure.

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There are problems with the postal service, but they want to come in and just slash it apart, John McLaughlin, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 343, said. If they want to prioritize it, whats going to end up happening is you will have city delivery, but you wont have any rural delivery. They will dismantle it and scale it down.

Earlier this week, it was announced that DeJoys cuts are expected to move forward as planned.

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Spring has sprung but snow is still lurking in Minnesota, with the potential for a considerable amount falling over the weekend.

That's according to the National Weather Service in Duluth, which says there is a "chance for significant snowfall" in parts of the Northland.

As things stand on Thursday, there is a 30-80% chance of 4+ inches of snow falling across the area, with the lower-end chances in the Brainerd Lakes area, and the highest chances across the North Shore.

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In far northern Minnesota there's a 40-65% chance of 6+ inches, again with the highest chances being on the North Shore.

There remains a deal of uncertainty over total snowfall amounts and where they'll fall, with the NWS noting that there remains concern over the amount of available moisture.

The wider system will bring rain and then a rain/snow mix to the south of Minnesota, eventually transitioning to snow as it shifts north into central and northern Minnesota. As a result, the Twin Cities is likely to see minimal snow, with rain favored for the metro.

"As it moves into Minnesota, snow or a rain/snow mix will begin to be favored across central Minnesota," the NWS Twin Cities office says. "Then as we get to the backside of the low the more northerly flow will shift us over to snow. With this setup the best chances for snow accumulations will be central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin."

Here's a look at what the models are showing for snow through Monday, with the American, at least, hinting at some potential for snow in the Twin Cities.

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BOSTON (SHNS)  Lawmakers overseeing state education policy fear recent U.S. Department of Education staff reductions could foreshadow future federal funding cuts for special education, free community college, and more.

On March 11, the department laid off nearly half of its staff after months of President Donald Trumps proposals to dismantle the federal agency and shift funding distribution to the states. Affected employees will be placed on leave starting March 21.

Trumps stated plans to eventually eliminate the Department of Education will affect Massachusetts students across the board, pre-K through higher ed, Higher Education Committee co-chair Sen. Jo Comerford said in an interview with the News Service.

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The threat of federal cuts looms across all sectors during an already-tight budget year, as general state tax revenue has slowed but spending appetites remain high. Democrats worry that federal education changes could sink their long-sought free community college plan, and there are risks to the values theyve prioritized in schools, like diversity and inclusion, supporting low-income students, and investing in special education.

Theres the $16 billion [of federal dollars] that goes into the budget, but when we think of direct federal grants on top of that, on top of the $16 billion that goes directly into the budget through Medicaid, you start to see the enormity of this, Comerford said. Were working with the administration on priorities, contingency plans, possibly looking at the environmental bond [bill] as an opportunity to fill holes. But we cannot make up for the cuts we fear may come.

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a letter announcing the layoffs that the department would still continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agencys purview, including formula funding, student loans, Pell Grants, funding for special needs students, and competitive grantmaking.

McMahon also told U.S. senators during her confirmation hearing that she would continue Pell Grants, which help the neediest students pay for college and which prop up the Bay States free community college program. She also said Title I funds for low-income school districts and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds for students with disabilities would remain.

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State officials, however, are wary to trust the Trump administration.

I think among some federal officials, words are tools, Education Committee co-chair Rep. Ken Gordon said. When youre dealing with a consortium that is untethered from having to back up what theyre saying, then its different. We dont operate that way.

Asked about McMahons confirmation hearing pledges, Gordon pointed to answers conservative Supreme Court justices gave during their own confirmation hearings about the precedent of Roe v. Wade, which they later overturned.

I know thats not the topic youre talking about, but its an example of confirmation hearings. Someone says, This is established law, precedent. Then they forget it, Gordon said.

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The president says he is rolling back federal oversight of education to give greater power for states to control their own systems.

We have a dream, and you know what the dream is, were going to move the Department of Education  were going to move education into the states, so that the states, instead of bureaucrats working in Washington, so that the states can run education, Trump told reporters at the White House last week.

Gordon called this a PR message to offload responsibility.

You want to return power to the states? How about your money? he said.

The Education Committee chairman said hes heard Title I funding could be converted to a block grant, replacing the complex formula that the DOE now uses to distribute funding to states. A block grant would give each state a total sum for it to distribute as it sees fit.

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There could be strings attached, and we hear from the federal government that they disfavor programs like DEI  diversity, equity and inclusion  so will they tie strings to it? We have kids that are in [Chapter] 766 schools, for kids with learning challenges and autism. Is that the type of inclusion that is targeted? Not to mention that we have a whole philosophy in Massachusetts of outreach to various communities. Do they want to look at our curriculum? What if the block grant comes with conditions? Massachusetts would get less, Gordon said.

Massachusetts received $297 million from Title I in the fiscal year ending July 2024, according to an analysis by the Education Law Center which used U.S. DOE data. The research also said the state received $363 million in IDEA funding in the same time period.

With special ed funding, thats one of the biggest financial challenges for our districts. Out-of-district placement for special needs kids. Its already a strain, and now Im afraid were going to have even less available to families who have kids who need specialized education, Gordon said.

Comerford zoomed in on Pell Grants as a particular area of worry for higher ed, as well as National Institutes of Health changes affecting universities that perform scientific and health care research.

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Last year, the Legislature and Gov. Maura Healey made community college free for all Massachusetts residents. Additionally, high-needs students will be able to attend four-year public colleges and universities for free starting this fall.

Free community college, however, is a last-dollar program that fills the gaps left after accounting for federal and state financial aid. Students who want to enroll in the program are required to first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms to see what federal government aid they qualify for.

Since the free community college program is reliant on students getting federal aid, Comerford said she is terribly worried about Pell Grants getting cut.

Its part of the way the state has been able to scale so quickly to launch, because its reliant on a federal program. Thats something well have to grapple with as we build our budget, said Comerford, who is also the vice chair of the Senates budget committee.

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Last year, making community college permanently free for all cost the state $117.5 million. Healey recommended $118 million towards the initiative in her fiscal year 2026 budget recommendation filed in January.

Though McMahon said she plans to continue Pell Grants, theres another threat to the aid.

The program is expected to run out of reserves by the end of this year, and face a $71 billion to $111 billion 10-year shortfall, according to public policy nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, which used data from the Congressional Budget Office in a report published last month.

The CBO is projecting a $2.7 billion shortfall for the Pell Grant program in the coming fiscal year. A Republican-led Congress that so far this year has aligned itself with the presidents agenda might have to find additional funding in the budget to make up the difference.

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High quality education must be universally accessible, from early childhood to higher education degrees and technical certificates. Thats why Massachusetts has significantly increased our annual investments in early education and K-12 education. Its why we made community college free to all, and four-year college tuition free in most cases for students with family incomes of less than $85,000, a joint statement from Comerford and Senate Education Committee chair Sen. Jason Lewis said. President Trumps devastating cuts to the federal Department of Education, coupled with promises of more funding cuts, threaten access, opportunity, and equity for millions of students across the Commonwealth and the nation.

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KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP)  Afnan al-Ghanam of Gaza had her first child during war, 13 months ago, while the family was still living at home.

She was about to give birth again in the spring  this time, while living in a squalid tent camp. But at least a tenuous ceasefire had brought a relative calm.

Then, before dawn on Tuesday, an Israeli airstrike smashed into the familys tent. Al-Ghanam, who was seven months pregnant, and Mohammed, her young son, were both killed.

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They were among more than 400 Palestinians, most of them women and children, killed when Israel launched a surprise bombardment across the Gaza Strip, according to the territorys Health Ministry. Israel said it struck Hamas targets to force the militant group to free hostages and relinquish control of Gaza.

This is their bank of targets, said al-Ghanams husband, Alaa Abu Helal, as he held Mohammeds little body, wrapped in cloth, at the morgue of Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis. He was born during the war in difficult conditions and also martyred in the war.

Their targets are innocents, pure. They have barely seen life, he said, fighting his tears.

Israel's aerial assault shattered the ceasefire that began in mid-January and stunned Palestinians who had finally had a breather to start trying to rebuild their lives after 15 months of bombardment, ground offensives, dispersal and hunger.

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Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in retaliation for Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel. It says it does not target civilians, and blames Hamas for their deaths, saying it operates among the population.

Abu Helal said he was visiting the family's home in Gazas southernmost city Rafah when the strike hit the family's tent in Muwasi, a sprawling camp for displaced families outside Khan Younis. Their home in Rafah had been damaged during the war, and he had wanted to check in on it to ensure it had not been looted.

The 20-year-old al-Ghanam and Mohammed had stayed behind in Muwasi. "They have gone and left me alone, he said. The unborn child is dead, too.

Mohammed was born in Rafah. Soon after, the family was forced to flee the city in May, when Israeli troops ordered a mass evacuation and stormed the city. The offensive flattened much of the city as troops battled Hamas fighters.

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You flee during the war to keep your family and children safe. But then, here, hes dead, Abu Helal said. All of them are dead.

___

AP correspondents Lee Keath and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.
When state legislators are given the opportunity, they vote overwhelmingly for doctor autonomy in pain treatment

As I have written elsewhere, the United States is now embroiled in a highly contentious debate concerning the causes of the so-called opioid crisis. Prescribing guidelines updated in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Veterans Administration (VA) have become the basis for continuing scientifically unsupported restrictions on patient access to long-term prescription opioid therapy. Doctors are leaving pain management practice, and patients denied pain care are committing suicide.

Against this background, it is increasingly recognized that public health care policy for pain management is harming both patients and their clinicians. At least seven U.S. states have enacted laws protecting doctors who treat pain from legal action. Arizona has enacted two. These include:

New Hampshire (HB1639  2020) : All decisions regarding treatment are to be made by the treating practitioner, who is required to treat chronic pain without fear of reprimand or discipline. Doctors in the state are also allowed to exceed the MME limit, provided the dose is the lowest amount necessary to control pain and there are no signs of a patient abusing their opioid medication.

Rhode Island (S1384  2021) : A practitioner, in good faith may prescribe, administer, and dispense controlled substances without regard to the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.

Oklahoma (SB57  2021) : Nothing in the Anti-Drug Diversion Act shall be construed to require a practitioner to limit or forcibly taper a patient on opioid therapy. The standard of care requires effective and individualized treatment for each patient as deemed appropriate by the prescribing practitioner without an administrative or codified limit on dose or quantity that is more restrictive than approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

Arizona (SB1162 and SB1469  2022) : The ninety Morphine Milligram Equivalents per day limit prescribed in this section does not apply to a patient with chronic intractable pain once the patient has an established health professional-patient relationship and the patient has tried doses of less than ninety Morphine Milligram Equivalents that have been ineffective at addressing the patients pain. Arizona also now explicitly restricts law enforcement from arresting practitioners suspected of inappropriate prescribing, instead referring investigations to the State Medical Board. Law enforcement may access the State Prescription Drug Management Program (PDMP) only with a valid search warrant.

Minnesota (HF4065  2022) : No physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant, acting in good faith and based on the needs of the patient, shall be subject to disenrollment or termination by the commissioner of health solely for prescribing a dosage that equates to an upward deviation from morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendations or thresholds specified in state or federal opioid prescribing guidelines or policies. Minnesota also prohibits prescribers from tapering patient medication dosage and pharmacists from refusing to fill prescriptions solely to meet a predetermined dose threshold if that patient is otherwise stable.

Colorado (SB144  2023) : The prescribing health-care provider is not subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate regulator for prescribing a dosage of a drug that is equal to or more than a morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendation or threshold specified in state or federal opioid prescribing guidelines or policies.

Illinois (HB5373  2025): Prevents a health care provider from being required to taper a patients medication dosage solely to meet a predetermined dosage recommendation or threshold if the patient is stable, compliant with treatment, and not experiencing serious harm. As in Arizona, the act also requires a valid court order or subpoena before granting access to information in the state PDMP.

It is clear from this legislative record that U.S. state legislatures are increasingly recognizing that the CDC opioid prescribing guidelines do not provide a consensus standard of care for pain management and may in fact be substantially fraudulent.

Moreover, the margins by which these legislative acts have been passed are startling:

There was only one state senate nay vote recorded in opposition to all eight bills.

In four of the laws summarized above, the legislation was passed unanimously.

In Arizona, SB562 received five nay votes to 80 yays.

The Minnesota House passed HF4065 narrowly, while the state senate passed it unanimously.

It is also evident that state legislatures are getting the message sounded in 2019 by six U.S. national clinical professional associations representing over 560,000 physicians and medical students: Frontline physicians call on politicians to end political interference in the delivery of evidence-based medicine.

Richard A. Lawhern is a patient advocate.
DENVER (KDVR)  Marriages for many people are the highlight of a lifetime, but what happens if you, or your soon-to-be-spouse, have to be away from home for a long time?

Colorado, under House Bill 15-1327, is one of just a few states that allows some people to get married using someone else as a stand in, or proxy, if one person is absent for the big day. Only Kansas, Texas and Montana join Colorado in allowing proxy marriages.

Only certain people are eligible for Colorado proxy marriages, and, unlike Montanas double proxy marriages, only one person is allowed to be absent from the marriage. So, heres who qualifies and how the process works.

Proxy marriage qualifications

According to the Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder, proxy marriage licenses may only be granted to an absent person that is either:

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A member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in another country or in another state in support of combat or military operation; or

A government contractor, or an employee of a government contractor, working or in support of US military operations in another country or in another state.

Composing legends work to be performed by Colorado Symphony

That person must provide documentation of whichever status. Additionally, both people need to be over 18 years old, and at least one person getting married must be a Colorado resident to apply for a license for a proxy marriage.

Obtaining a proxy marriage license

To get a proxy marriage license, the person appearing in person applies for the marriage license. Both peoples signatures are required, so the present person needs to sign the license application and bring an absentee affidavit form with a notarized signature of the absent person, according to the Clerk and Recorders Office website.

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They also must bring proper identification needed for the absent person.

The absent person then selects someone and gives them Power of Attorney. That person, when the Power of Attorney form is filled out with their name, is then the absent partys proxy and would sign the marriage license.

Rare white squirrel spotted in Arapahoe County

Proxies have to be over 18 years old as well.

Colorado does allow self-solemnization marriages, meaning the couples marry themselves, but only when both parties are present. Proxy marriages must be done in front of a judge, a spokesperson for the Denver Office of the Clerk and Records said.

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According to HB15-1327, if the person solemnizing the marriage is satisfied the absent person has consented to the marriage, they can solemnize the marriage by proxy. If not, the couple can petition the district court for an order permitting the proxy marriage.

Denvers Clerk and Recorder website also contains several frequently asked questions about marriage license.

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Action News Jax is taking a look at the impacts the potential elimination of the U.S. Education Department, will have on local students.

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This comes as President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the department.

Many local parents and educators have concerns right now.

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This is not going to look good, said Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association. The president continues to overreach and continues to go too far in his efforts to really impact so much of what is happening in our individual communities.

Spar said a big concern is that this will affect students with special needs who rely on individualized education plans, but President Trump said that wont be an issue.

President Trump said Pell grants, title 1 funding and resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be fully preserved.

While the president signed the order, officially closing the department still does require an act of congress.

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The marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana certainly looked like a fairytale in its early days, but multiple factors caused it to collapseincluding one part of married life the former Prince of Wales found difficult to cope with, according to a former royal correspondent.

Jane Moore, who is now a star on Loose Women, found herself face-to-face with Diana a number of times while working as a royal correspondent, and, per The Mirror, Moore described the late Princess of Wales as moody and mercurial.

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While chatting with her fellow panelists on a recent episode of Loose Women, Moore said, She could be quite mercurial. One minute shed be quite chitty chitty chat chat with you, and then if there was something that happened that she didnt like, she would be very frosty.

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She was quite moody, I suppose, and I think that was what Charles found very difficult to cope with, because she was a lot younger than him, Moore continued.

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Its trueCharles was 32 when they married on July 29, 1981, and Diana had barely turned 20 years old just weeks prior. Add to it that he was, you know, in love with someone else (a certain Camilla Parker Bowles, who was even at their wedding at St. Pauls Cathedral), that they were engulfed in the royal fishbowl (difficult for anyone to navigate), and that they were just two entirely different people, and its easy to see how the marriage crumbled. The couple separated in 1992 after 11 years of marriage and finalized their divorce four years later on August 28, 1996, just 368 days before Dianas untimely death in a Paris car accident at just 36 years old.

When they married, Diana told her biographer Andrew Morton, I remember being so in love with my husband that I couldnt take my eyes off him. I just absolutely thought I was the luckiest girl in the world. He was going to look after me.

Getty Images The couple on their July 29, 1981 wedding day The couple on their July 29, 1981 wedding day

Tim Graham/Getty Images Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1987

The fairytale wasnt what it seemed, and after their divorce, the parents of Prince William and Prince Harry reached a mutual understanding, historian and royal commentator Marlene Koenig said, per The Mirror.

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I think she was aware that Camilla was the one, and she wasnt, Koenig said. She added, Diana told a reporterand I remember thisafter this she wished she could have made their love letters public, because she knew Charles loved her in the beginning. But it was never meant to be. It was an arranged marriage.

But they hadnt had time to get to know each other, court each other, she continued. They learned a lot from that mistake.

Read the original article on InStyle
Lauren Stephenson stands outside of her Prince George County apartment on March 17, 2025. (Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods/ Virginia Mercury)

Donning a face mask for protection, Lauren Stephenson pointed to new wood installed along the baseboard of her kitchen cabinets, one of several spots where black mold has been growing inside her apartment at Jefferson Pointe in Prince George County. Other spores sprouted inside cabinets, along windowsills and the doorframe to enter her residence. Signs of leaking water were visible along the ceiling.

The persistent mold spores  and the apartment managements apparent lack of proper remediation  are at the center of a lawsuit Stephenson has filed with the help of a former Virginia legislator that spotlights how state law protects tenants from living conditions that threaten their health.

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It isnt uncommon for Stephenson to have breathing issues, since shes dealt with asthma throughout her life, she said. But the onset of chronic headaches last December, more severe breathing issues and flu-like symptoms, along with skin rashes on her baby son Brycen prompted a hospital and specialist visit.

As an infant unable to speak, she said he couldnt tell her when something was wrong, and the fact that he was sick alongside her really bothers me, she said, her voice cracking briefly.

Testing from a pulmonologist eventually confirmed mold exposure. Despite filing work orders and sending other notification of the diagnosis stemming from mold to her rental propertys office, Stephenson eventually had to pack or discard most of her belongings and move in with her parents. She still pays her $1,300 per month rent, she said.

And now shes filed a lawsuit. Former Republican state delegate Tim Anderson is representing Stephensons case, filed in Prince George County Circuit Court, which is seeking a court trial.

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Stephensons on-site property management declined to comment on the pending litigation, as did the Florida-based realty firm that oversees it.

Mold spore growth along the doorframe to enter Lauren Stephensons apartment on March 17, 2025. Photo by Charlotte Rene Woods / Virginia Mercury

The filing outlines how Stephenson submitted a work order to her landlord in early December inquiring if something could be done about mold shed spotted in her home. Allegedly no action was taken until February when she reported that the baseboard beneath her kitchen sink appeared rotted from water damage and that she saw black mold behind it.

The case cites state law, the Virginia Landlord Residential and Tenant Act, which outlines the rights and obligations for landlords and renters in Virginia. On mold specifically, it requires that landlords promptly remediate reports of its presence using professional standards of guidance documents published by various U.S. health, housing and environmental departments. Tenants are also supposed to receive copies of paperwork regarding the remediation.

But instead, Anderson said, They take some wood and they literally boarded up over the black mold, like ah, problem solved.

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The apartments walls were also painted with a coat of Kilz, which is a primer paint meant to prevent mold from forming in the first place.

By this point, Stephenson left her apartment at the recommendation of her doctor. Stephenson said she shared a doctors note advising such with her landlord in an attempt to break her lease early to no avail.

A state law that was signed last year makes it a violation of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to sell or offer services as a professional mold remediator to residential dwelling units without certification from the Institute of Inspection, Clearing and Restoration Certification. Its unclear if mold remediation services done at Stephensons apartment were performed by a company holding such certification.

Stephenson is grateful that she had somewhere to go when her home became unsafe. But medical bills and continuing to pay rent on a home she cant live in is a challenge. She wouldnt be able to afford another apartment while paying for her current one.

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Her lawsuit seeks $2 million in compensatory damages, legal fees and reimbursement for rent paid during March, April and May of this year.

Given the signs of water damage and the mold remediation issues Stephenson experienced, she wonders if any of her neighbors might be having similar problems and what the source of the mold might be.

I feel bad if other people are suffering as I have, she said. We dont deserve to pay thousands of dollars to live somewhere thats toxic for our health.

Mold has been a major concern for residents in several Virginia localities in recent years, including in Virginia Beach, Herndon and Henrico County. Tenants who suspect they may be living with mold should contact their apartment managers and may find more information and resources through the Virginia Office of the Attorney Generals Office of Consumer Protection at 804-786-2042 or 1-800-552-9963.





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The lawyer acting for the Heritage Foundation in its unsuccessful efforts to force the U.S. government to publish Prince Harrys responses to questions about whether he used illegal drugs on his visa application said Wednesday that Harry should just go home as he clearly hates America and is furious with voters for electing Donald Trump.

Samuel Dewey, the D.C. lawyer whose efforts to get all Harrys immigration papers published have so far ended in failure (most recently on Tuesday when a release of heavily redacted documents said that the government had acted correctly in Harrys case), made the comments in remarks to The Daily Mail.

Dewey also said that Heritage has filed a fresh lawsuit to obtain the Dukes immigration papers to find out whether he lied about his drug use on the forms.

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The right-wing think tank, which also authored the controversial Project 2025 plan, argues that Harrys admission of drug use would usually disqualify an individual from obtaining a visa. They argue Harry therefore either lied or received a special waiver from the Biden administration when moving to the U.S.

Harry, in his bestselling memoir Spare, perhaps unwisely boasted of using cocaine, magic mushrooms, marijuana, and ayahuasca.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at Whistler Blackcomb Tubing Hill last month. The pair were in town for the Invictus Games. / Eric Charbonneau / Invictus Games Foundation via Ge

Heavily redacted documents published by a U.S. court Tuesday failed to shed any light on whether or not the former party prince declared he had used drugs when he emigrated to the United States. However, one section of text stated that there was no evidence of government misconduct and that the records did not support such an allegation but show the regulatory process involved in reviewing and granting immigration benefits was done in compliance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, and applicable rules and regulations.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Dewey said Harry really ought to go from America, having made his opposition to Donald Trump very clear, most recently in a pointed comment at an Invictus Games rally about some world leaders having weak moral character.

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Dewey said: Hes in a country he clearly hates. Hes clearly furious at the American voters and attacking them for the result of the 2024 election. Harry should just go home.

After the release of the DHS records, Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage, told the Daily Beast: The fight continues, I think its just a matter of time until the new administration reveals Prince Harrys immigration records.

The Daily Beast has previously reported on the risk Harry could face from Trump.

An immigration lawyer told the Daily Beast that Harry could be vulnerable to a politically motivated attack on his residential status, saying: Department of State decisions are discretionary and very susceptible to political influence. His visa could be canceled. He could be denied entry upon return to the U.S. from foreign travel for inadmissibility due to prior drug usage, despite an unexpired visa in his passport. There are many scenarios where political influence could impact Harrys ability to re-enter the U.S.

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British TV star Nigella Lawson was denied entry to the U.S. over admissions of drug use in 2013.

The Sussex-Trump feud dates back to a 2016 Comedy Central show in which Meghan, then an actress and not linked to Harry, expressed her contempt for Trump, labeling him misogynistic and divisive.

Trump later referred to her comment as nasty and in 2022, Trump told Piers Morgan: Harry is whipped like no person I think Ive ever seen.

He predicted the couple would divorce, saying, Itll end, and itll end bad I want to know whats going to happen when Harry decides hes had enough of being bossed around Or maybe when she decides that she likes some other guy better. I want to know whats going to happen when it ends, OK?

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Eric Trump earlier this year called the duke and duchess spoiled apples, adding, You can happily have those two. We might not want them anymore; it feels like theyre on an island of their own.

Trump recently said he would not deport Harry because hes got enough problems with his wife, however the visa application still has the potential to embarrass him if ever published.
Prince Williams facial hair was the low-key breakout star of 2024. Although his daughter, Princess Charlotte, doesnt approve of his new beard, I dont think its going anywhere.

Today, the Prince of Wales, 42, arrived in Estonia for a two-day royal tour without his wife, Kate Middleton. He kicked off the trip by meeting with Alar Karis (aka the President of Estonia) to discuss official business. Per usual, Prince Williams now-signature scruff was on full display.

Prince William was wearing a tailored navy blue suit with a white shirt and light blue tie. His beard was visible but well-maintained, featuring clean edges and a moderate length that looked scruffy (but not *too* scruffy).

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The Prince of Wales shared a video on Instagram documenting his arrival. The caption read, A pleasure to meet the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, and recognise the strong historic link between our countries. Thank you for the warm welcome!

The royal family announced Prince William's trip to Estonia earlier this month. While there, Prince William will meet with Alar Karis (aka the President of Estonia), visit a school that was founded by the Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia and fulfill his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Mercian Regiment.

The royal tour marked Prince Williams first-ever trip to Estonia. However, hes not the first British royal to visit the European country. In fact, his uncle Prince Edward just returned from the country last month. (FYI, the Duke of Edinburgh holds a similar role to Prince Willam as the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Dragoon Guards.)

Looks like the scruff is here to stay.

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Meghan Markle's Body Language Speaks Volumes in New Footage, According to Expert Known as 'Human Lie Detector'
WEBBER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  The closed private prison near Baldwin will reopen as a federal immigration processing center for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the prison company announced Thursday.

The GEO Group, based in Florida, said the prison would be immediately activated as a processing center.

It said the initial contract is expected to transition into a long-term contract within months, that could generate $70 million in revenue in its first year, according to a press release.

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We expect that our company-owned North Lake Facility in Michigan will play an important role in helping meet the need for increased federal immigration processing center bedspace, GEO Executive Chairman George C. Zoley said in a statement. We are proud of our 40-year public-private partnership with ICE, and we stand ready to continue to help the federal government meet its expanded immigration enforcement priorities.

The 1,800-bed private prison closed in 2022 after President Joe Biden issued an executive order to end the federal governments use of private prisons. When it was open, it was Lake Countys biggest employer, with about 300 employees. Even closed, it is the countys biggest taxpayer.

The American Civil Liberties Union has said it opposes plans to house ICE detainees, saying it would be a bad fit for the community. However, local leaders told News 8 they welcomed the prospect. Lake County is among the poorest counties in the state.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A group of activists announced a lawsuit against UCLA on Thursday, alleging that the university failed to protect protesters who were attacked at a pro-Palestinian encampment last year.

The California Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations held a news conference near UCLAs Luskin Conference Center where plaintiffs detailed the alleged trauma they endured when counterprotesters attacked the encampment on April 30, 2024, and at other points during their demonstrations.

Last spring, pro-Palestinian demonstrators built an encampment in the middle of campus to protest Israels military response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians. The encampment blocked access to some campus buildings, and Jewish students complained it created a hostile environment.

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Only minor scuffles were reported as the encampment grew for several days. Then, on the evening of April 30, pro-Israel counter-protesters attacked the encampment, resulting in a skirmish that lasted several hours before police moved in.

Barricades surround the encampment for the Pro-Palestine group as a member, right, is punched by a pro-Israel group member, left, at UCLA on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. (Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The following day, university police, along with other law enforcement agencies, forcefully cleared the encampment, resulting in several arrests.

It was immediately apparent that there was not a semblance of protection for the physical safety of the encampment members, and the mob had successfully transformed a peaceful, interfaith community into a site of horror, the lawsuit alleges.

The uproar over the universitys handling of the protests resulted in the replacement of UCLAs chief of police.

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A scathing independent report was released in November, claiming that UCLA had institutional paralysis during the events. Several members of law enforcement told interviewers that they didnt know who was in charge while violence erupted on campus and that briefings on the situation were inadequate.

Counter-protesters attack a pro-Palestinian encampment set up on the campus of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) as clashes erupt in Los Angeles on May 1, 2024.(Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images)

It wasnt clear what the California Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations was seeking in its lawsuit.

Earlier this month, the Department of Justice launched a civil investigation into the University of California system over allegations of systematic antisemitism on its campuses related to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Psychiatrist Devina Maya Wadhwa discusses her article, How abuse in health care is driving doctors out of medicine. In this episode, Devina shares her experiences as a physician working in acute care settings, where she encounters racial, verbal, and physical abuse while treating vulnerable patients. She delves into how prolonged wait times, outdated hospital policies, and systemic pressures create environments ripe for abuse, driving physician burnout and prompting many to exit the profession. Devina explores the emotional toll on doctors, the decline in patient care quality, and the urgent need for solutions like anti-abuse policies, enhanced medical training, and public awareness campaigns. Listeners will discover actionable stepssuch as fostering safer workplaces and promoting mutual respectto protect physicians and strengthen the health care system.

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Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today, we welcome back Devina Wadhwa. Shes a psychiatrist in Canada. Todays KevinMD article is How abuse in health care is driving doctors out of medicine. Devina, welcome back to the show. Thank you. Thank you very much. All right, tell us what your latest article is about.

Devina Wadhwa: So my latest article was inspired by a tough day at the hospital or at the office, and I just started to reflect on what clinicians face nowadays. It stemmed from personal experience of having a day where I faced a lot of verbal abuse and racial abuse, and I think I just felt extremely overwhelmed and disempowered. I started to look at whats out there in terms of clinicians reporting and describing suffering from abuse on the job, and I was shocked by how pervasive it is. I sometimes feel like abuse is a very strong word, but at the same time, I think it is the correct word.

Clinicians are facing various types of abuse on the job, and it feels like the prevalence has increased significantly since I began training. I feel like it spiraled even more so after the COVID pandemic. This article really talks about this lens of: its not OK to be abused on the job. Its not OK if you walk into a bank to have the teller get yelled at, so it should be exactly the same when people are seeking care in hospital or clinic settingsto be able to treat each other with respect. That respect is degrading, and a lot of it has to do with frustrations that patients face on the front lines in emergency rooms, waiting for hours and hours. By the time you do see your patient and try your best to provide the best care, they likely have escalated to a point where youre on the brunt-receiving end of abuse.

I speak from a physician lens, but my nursing colleagues describe the same sorts of traumas they experience on the job. That was the inspiration for the article: vocalizing my experience and connecting with other clinicians who have felt this way. The thing that I always get stuck on is, how do we make positive change? For me, writing and putting the opinion out there is one of the ways to bring awareness, and talking to you on this podcast is another way for me. So thats what inspired this article.

Kevin Pho: Were reading all the time about these escalating numbers of both verbal and physical abuse against everyone in health carethose on the front lines, clinicians, nursesand its becoming a dangerous place for us to practice. In your case, tell us a little bit about your situation, where this abuse occurred, as much as you can tell us.

Devina Wadhwa: Absolutely. Keeping every aspect of the patients story confidential: as an acute care psychiatrist, servicing the emergency room is one of the things I do frequently. I had a very angry patient who was coming into the hospital, seeking respite from being homeless and living in the shelter-based system. We connected him to social work services and tried to improve his living situation. However, that still meant that he was going to be living in a shelter situationbut just a better shelter, for lack of a better word. He was extremely furious and threatened to kill me. It involved the police and getting a restraining order.

I live in what I call a small-to-medium-sized town of about 100,000 people. When I finished my day, I had gone to do some errands, and I checked the mirror of my car to see if this individual was there. I actually felt scared. It may sound dramatic, but walking into the store, I was a bit hypervigilant, and I thought, this is not OK. Its not the first incident where Ive been threatened by a patient or racially abused. Ive experienced quite a bit of racial abuse on the job as well, but this one really affected me. I felt unsafe in my life, in my community, wondering what if this person was here and what they could potentially do to me.

I started thinking about psychological safety and the importance of feeling psychologically safe in your life. It struck me that I didnt feel that way. That was a big aha moment. Changing jobs isnt the solution; changing towns isnt the solution. I dont know what the solution is, but I bet it happens to a lot of clinicians all the time. Tying this into my last article around burnout, I think experiences like these also make us feel like, wow, am I really serving a purpose by doing this job when its impacting my life in this way?

Kevin Pho: When this happened to you, tell us the type of support you received from your colleagues and hospital administration.

Devina Wadhwa: I do have to say, I work in a fantastic team of acute care psychiatrists, and the leadership of my team was extremely supportive. We developed a crisis plan where, if this person were to re-present, I wouldnt be the psychiatrist having to see or look after him or be consulted. We were going into a long weekend, and I was covering the entire long weekend, so we safety-planned that if this individual did come in, what would happen in terms of who would see him if a psychiatric consultation was requested.

The emergency team was also very supportive, saying they would be able to look after the patient. If a psychiatric consultation was needed, the next available psychiatrist would see him. I was really impressed. When I brought this up to the hospital team, it was very well received, and I was very well supported. That was great. It was wonderful.

Kevin Pho: After receiving these death threats from this particular patient, how has that affected your patient interactions going forward? Is this incident in the back of your mind when you talk to other patients?

Devina Wadhwa: I have a hypervigilance on the job in general. Through residency training in Toronto, youre always taught to lead with empathy but be mindful of your safety. Unfortunately, I have had the experience of being assaulted on the job physically, so I always carry some hypervigilance. I think the difference with this incident was feeling that hypervigilance outside of being on the jobfor instance, in the communityand having these thoughts like, what if this individual knows where I live?

I call those silly thoughts sometimes, because I wonder if Im overreacting. Maybe. Or is this me trying to justify my emotional state? Im not sure; theres some reflection to do there. But I am empathic, and yet Im hypervigilant.

Kevin Pho: Tell us what you would like to see in terms of better supporting clinicians. Or what more needs to be done to support frontline health care workers after they receive abuse, or even to prevent abuse in the first place? What more needs to be done?

Devina Wadhwa: I love that question, and thats what Im processing. Im not sure if your viewers are aware of an incident in Halifax around safety. Some emergency rooms are now considering having people walk through metal detectors. Is that an extreme move toward keeping emergency rooms safe? I dont know, but the incidents of aggression have gone up significantly.

I think, at the heart of it, it comes down to policy change. For example, is there a policy with the College of Physicians about whether physicians can say, I dont feel safe, and I cant see this patient? How do you navigate that? To be transparent, I havent dug into it fully. I did call the CMPA, our Canadian Medical Protective Association, to ask: what are my rights as a clinician if this patient were to be present?

Hospital policy and health policy in general should clarify how clinicians can feel safe saying, I dont feel safe. How do we navigate not feeling safe and providing patient care at the same time? We went into this job to help people, but if youre not feeling safe, how can you say no to helping? Its complicated.

We always talk about policy change at the bigger level. On the smaller level, for frontline individuals like myself, I feel like bringing awareness to these issues and not feeling ashamed to talk about them openly is key. I bet Im not the only one who feels this way. I have to be transparent: Im going to use the word shy. Im not shy, but I was a bit shy to come on the podcast today and talk about this. Theres a vulnerability in talking about not feeling safe and not feeling strong enough, feeling psychologically vulnerable in my community. Im sharing that because I think there are people out there who probably feel the same way.

Kevin Pho: I completely agree with you. I think there is a culture of silence when it comes to assault and abuse against health care workers. In the U.S., there are stories where health care administrators often dont like to publicize these cases because, if they feel their institution isnt safewhere their clinicians are being attackedthats really not the best image for those hospitals. Theres a culture of suppression when it comes to speaking out about these abuses.

You mentioned the word shame, being a little bit shy about sharing your story. Talk about how important it is for the rest of us listening to you to know these things are happening. Tell us why thats so important.

Devina Wadhwa: I dont think Im alone, and I dont think we should suffer in silence. The biggest transformation comes from a community of togetherness. The more voices that speak up about it, the more tangible the change can be. When I was writing this article, I tried to look at the data. There isnt much out there in terms of individual stories. But individual stories become a collective, and thats why its so important to share.

Im hoping more people will share their experiences so we can say, Hey, something needs to be done. As health care workersphysicians, nurseswe need to feel safe to do the job. We need physical and psychological well-being to provide good care. Society needs to understand and appreciate that.

Kevin Pho: Anecdotally, do you personally knowor have you heard through your networkabout other colleagues who have been verbally assaulted or abused, or even nurses and others across the health care spectrum who have received abuse? Tell us anecdotally some of those stories.

Devina Wadhwa: I can tell you, thinking about my amazing team and the locum psychiatrists who come help us: every single clinician has experienced abuse. Every single one. Ranging from statements like Get me a white doctor, or Arent there any white psychiatrists practicing in this city anymore? to being charged at because people are upset.

I do want to say, people suffering from acute mental illness who are in crisis can sometimes be really distressed, really upset. In psychiatry, theres a level of acceptance in knowing that if someone is experiencing psychosis and feels paranoid, they may not feel safe with you, and they may try to run toward you or run away from you. Its almost an acceptance that, yes, people with acute psychosis or severe mania can be unpredictable, and you plan for that. I think its the patients who are very measured and deliberately threatening or emotionally hurting you that really get to you. Every single clinician I know has experienced abuse, from horrific verbal, profane language to physical assault as well.

Kevin Pho: You mentioned earlier that you had a level of personal hypervigilance, and you obviously talk about how wonderful your team is in supporting each other. But not all clinicians have the traits you have, and not all clinicians have that team. For those who are listening to you today and may be the recipient of verbal or physical abuse for the first time, what are some tips you could give them? What are some pieces of advice to help them get through that traumatic incident?

Devina Wadhwa: Talk about it. We can be very siloed in practice. I find new grads have such an isolating time, where you feel like, Ive graduated; I should know what to do. Whats always helped me in life, and will continue to help me, is having amazing mentors. I have a wonderful mentor whom I always turn to. I called him and said, Can I just talk? Im feeling really overwhelmed and scared.

So, talk about it. Be mindful that medicine is wonderful, but its not always safe. You dont have to become hypervigilantI dont think thats a good state to be inbut be mindful about your safety. If youre saying, Im sorry, I cant prescribe you opiates, be mindful of whether youre alone in a room. Listen to your gut. The number of times Ive ignored my gutthats when bad things have happened. Your body tells you things, so talk about it, share your story, find safe places to share your story, and just be mindful that sometimes the patients were trying to look after can be the ones who subject us to abuse.

Kevin Pho: Were talking to Devina Wadhwa. Shes a psychiatrist, and todays KevinMD article is How abuse in health care is driving doctors out of medicine. Devina, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience.

Devina Wadhwa: Thank you. As mentioned, use your voice because our voices are powerful, and when we create a collective, change can happen. Access mentorship if youre struggling with abuse. Its not normal to be abused on the job. Its not OK to be abused on the job. Talk about it. Seek help if youre feeling scared, vulnerable, or anxious, because it is a normal reaction to being abused on the job. So, thank youthose are what Id like to leave your audience with.

Kevin Pho: Devina, thank you so much for sharing your story, time, and insight, and thanks again for coming back on the show.

Devina Wadhwa: Thank you. Thank you very much.
Throughout the 119th Congress, the Houses very narrow Republican majority has been functioning surprisingly smoothly. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was reelected speaker on the first vote, a stark contrast to the days-long, dozen-vote process his predecessor Kevin McCarthy had to survive. The House passed a framework for a reconciliation bill more easily than was expected, and then was able to stave off a government shutdown despite nearly everyone expecting the conference to step on a rake.

What is the difference between the relatively lock-step approach of House Republicans in this Congress, and the chaos of the last?

President Donald Trump is, reportedly, the enforcer, whipping votes.

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It all comes at a cost.

For the most part, House Republicans have been willing to do some things to aid Trump in his repeated violation of separation of powers protections outlined in the Constitution. Before a handful of Senate Democrats gave Republicans the votes needed to advance the MAGA-written continuing resolution to stave off a government shutdown last week, Democrats in the House and Senate were insisting that they wouldnt sign off on any deal to keep the government open without some assurances that the Trump administration would stop lawlessly refusing to spend federal funds allocated by Congress. Trumps allies in the House and Senate shut that ask down immediately. How could they possible place limits on Trump? they asked, casting Democrats demand to preserve the constitutional separation of powers as a subversion of them.

The CR ultimately passed the House and the Senate, of course, without any assurances from Trump that the funds that Congress had just allocated to avert a shutdown would actually be spent in the ways that Congress had appropriated them. As part of his effort to whip wary hardliners to support the CR, Trump even straight-up told them that his administration would pursue impoundment to not actually spend the money that Congress will have appropriated.

The way the CR was written made this easier. Through vagueness, House Republicans ceded some of their power to appropriate what funds are spent on what things. By incorporating additional funding asks from the White House into the bill, described as anomalies, House Republicans handed the executive branch what Democrats described as a slush fund for certain departments, like the Pentagon.

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At one point last week, House Republicans not only defended Trumps DOGE mutiny, they also voted to hand more of their power as members of the legislative branch over to the executive as part of a bid to protect vulnerable members of the Republican conference from having to take a vote on whether to end Trumps tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China. In the process, they ceded their authority to end an economic-disaster-in-the-making, created by the president. (The New York Times has a good explainer of what happened here.)

All of that to say: Trump owns the conference, and, as the enforcer, he owns Mike Johnson. So, when it comes to a some far-right House Republicans recent efforts to push for the impeachment of certain judges who are placing a check on the executive branchs power, Johnson is now in a rough place. These demands have, reportedly, not fallen on enthusiastic ears. At least among House Republican leadership. But they cant exactly say no.

Johnson has publicly dodged questions about Rep. Brandon Gills (R-TX) articles of impeachment against U.S. District Judge James Boasberg by deferring to the House Judiciary Committee. Per new reporting from Politico out today, Johnson and Republican leadership are loathe to even entertain the idea of impeaching a judge, not just because it likely wouldnt have the votes in the House Republican conference  it would go nowhere in the Senate, given the 67 vote threshold for removal. (That it would escalate a constitutional crisis is not, reportedly, high on their list of objections, however.)

But Trumps support for the idea  at least on TruthSocial  threatens to gum up the works. Trump has essentially functioned as a pseudo-House majority whip since the beginning of the 119th Congress. And, so, leadership is reportedly concerned that entertaining the impeachment articles might be the only way to get the whole conference in line to pass the Medicaid-slashing budget bill, which includes the basic contours of Trump IIs fiscal agenda, on an aggressive timeline.

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Per two excerpts of new reporting from Politico:

A Johnson spokesperson said judges with political agendas pose a significant threat and that the speaker looks forward to working with the Judiciary Committee as they review all available options under the Constitution to address this urgent matter. But privately there is dread inside Johnsons leadership circle about the prospect of having to pursue messy, certain-to-fail impeachments that could ultimately backfire on the GOPs razor-thin majority.

And more:

The decision on how hard to push will ultimately fall to Johnson, a former constitutional lawyer who has so far resisted the hard-liners push to wage what many within his own leadership circle view as an unprecedented and wide-reaching congressional assault on the courts. But Trumps intervention this time could change that calculation  even as he stares down a punishing self-imposed deadline for advancing a massive tax, energy and border policy package before his members leave Washington next month for the Easter and Passover break. Johnson is heavily reliant on Trump to maintain his tenuous control over his fractious conference, and senior Republicans believe the speaker will likely need to offer some sort of concession to serve as a release valve as pressure builds on the MAGA right.

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A once well-regarded preacher whose ouster from a prominent Dallas pulpit over a sexual misconduct scandal cost him critical support has since found refuge in a Nashville church, prompting his recent public confession.

That confession and other guidance Steven Lawson received at Nashvilles Stephens Valley Church are uplifting developments, said Lawson and Stephens Valley senior pastor Jim Bachmann. But skeptics are concerned its part of a disingenuous ploy to restore Lawsons reputation and income.

Lawson and Bachmann outlined in statements to The Tennessean more about Lawsons journey with Stephens Valley following his ouster as the longtime senior pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas. But advocates for accountability for clergy misconduct are wary of Lawsons narrative in the absence of reciprocal commentary from a woman at the center of Lawsons scandal.

It is with a shattered heart that I write this letter. I have sinned grievously against the Lord, against my wife, my family, and against countless numbers of you by having a sinful relationship with a woman not my wife. I am deeply broken that I have betrayed and deceived my  Steven Lawson (@DrStevenJLawson) March 12, 2025

His ouster at Trinity church was major news partly due its close timing with other major sexual misconduct scandals at more than 10 other Dallas-Fort Worth area churches in the same months, according to the Dallas Morning News. Another big name caught in that wave, Robert Morris, turned himself into Oklahoma authorities this week following his indictment on five child sexual abuse charges.

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Trinity church and OnePassion Ministries, a nonprofit that Lawson founded, described in statements in September that Lawson had an inappropriate relationship with a woman whos not his wife. The woman is reportedly much younger than Lawson, though statements by Trinity church and OnePassion ministries have included very few details about her identity.

Even if a sexual misconduct scandal involving a pastor is reportedly consensual, experts and advocates say the pastors authority inherently creates a power imbalance. Trinity church leadership did not respond to requests for comment to church leadership or to the woman.

I want to hear from the woman who has become a ghost, well-known advocate and blogger Dee Parsons said in a post Monday responding to Lawsons March 12 statement on social media. I think he is looking for a place to give him lots of money to do very littleMeanwhile, the men are defining the woman.

But Lawson in a statement to The Tennessean said his public admission of wrongdoing and his commitment behind the scenes to receive counseling from Stephens Valley elders is a genuine endeavor.

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They (Stephens Valley) have been a refuge for my shattered heart to be renewed and replenished, Lawson said in a statement. In an email to The Tennessean, Bachmann commented on Lawson and forwarded a statement that Lawson authored.

Bachmann said hes long known about Lawson but didnt personally know him. The two became friends after Lawson moved to Nashville in September and began attending Stephens Valley, where Lawson's brother worships.

Stephens Valley Church in Nashville, a Reformed evangelical Christian church led by senior pastor Jim Bachmann.

Over these recent months I have seen Steve exhibit deep repentance and godly sorrow, Bachmann said. We grieve his sin and its consequences but are also grateful for his humility and brokenness.

That type of solidarity came at a critical moment for Lawson.

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At the time, in addition to his ouster from Trinity church and resignation from serving as president of OnePassion Ministries, he was facing disrepute from many of his greatest allies.

California pastor John MacArthur said in an October service the scandal was a blessing by God "to expose someone who is in a position they have no right to be in to purify the church," according to Church Leaders, an evangelical news outlet.

John MacArthur, pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, preaches at a Conservative Baptist Network event on Sunday, June 12, 2022 ahead of the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting.

Lawson has long been associated with MacArthur's influential ministries and seminary. Despite MacArthur's legacy as one of the most influential Reformed evangelical Christian thinkers, he and Lawson were often seen as peers.

Reformed evangelicalism generally refers to a certain set of beliefs about Gods sovereign will and a system of elder-led church oversight. Its foundational to Presbyterian denominations but is also present in subsets of other faith groups like the Southern Baptist Convention.

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As a result, Southern Baptist groups and figures also bemoaned Lawsons scandal. One of them, Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, aggrieved the news about his dear friend in emotional remarks to students during chapel.

Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, speaking at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans on June 13, 2023.

I want to speak from the heart and say, this kind of catastrophe  and I use this word again because thats what it is  the fall of this house is very great, Mohler said during a Sept. 24 chapel at Southern seminary, according to a video. I think its absolutely right to respond to this not only with a sense of grief, but frankly with a sense of outrage.

Other recent SBC news: Abuse survivors retreat from advocacy for SBC reform after feds close case: A 'hard death'

Safe place for sinners

Lawsons expressed willingness to change has inspired Bachmanns steadfast support for him but so has Bachmanns belief in ideals of grace and forgiveness.

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God does not despise a broken and contrite heart. Neither can we, Bachmann said in a statement. Steve faces many challenges, but SVC will be glad to provide help wherever needed.

Prior to his tenure at Stephens Valley, Bachmann was previously the pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church, a well-known Nashville congregation affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). During that time, Bachmann dealt with a case involving similar dynamics related to disciplinary action against another local PCA pastor, who has since been ousted from his church following reports of sexual misconduct. Stephens Valley is similarly Reformed like Covenant but it's nondenominational.

Lawson has routinely met with Bachmann and other Stephens Valley elders to receive counseling and to discuss a life strategy for moving forward, Lawson said in a statement to The Tennessean. It has been said that church is not a safe place for sinners... It is definitely not the case with Stephens Valley Church.

Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.

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This story has been updated to add additional information about Jim Bachmanns former church.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Ousted Texas pastor Steve Lawson finds refuge in Nashville church
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Columbus residents could vote this November on whether the city establishes a division to dispatch nonpolice professionals, such as therapists and social workers, to respond to certain 911 calls.

The Columbus Safety Collective Campaign  led by multiple advocacy groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, Ohio Voice, Working Families Party Ohio, and Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change (OFUPAC)  intends to put a city charter amendment before voters on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

Columbus City Schools bars religious release organizations from giving out candy, trinkets

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The amendment would establish a community crisis division within the Columbus Department of Public Safety. The division would be made up of nonpolice professionals who would respond to emergency calls that do not involve imminent danger or the substantial risk of death or bodily harm.

We feel its common sense that police are not the answer to every problem, said Emily Cole, executive director of OFUPAC. We shouldnt ask them to be social workers and counselors and crisis responders and enforce the law and investigate crime.

Earlier this month, the collective announced it submitted the proposed ballot measure to the city clerk for review. The city attorneys office completed its review Monday, finding the proposed measure needs some technical changes. Cole said the collective is going to make some tweaks and refile the proposal within the next week. Once it is approved by the city, the campaign will need to collect nearly 25,000 valid signatures by July 7 to get onto the November ballot.

The proposed division of community crisis response would be available 24/7. The division would monitor and evaluate emergency calls in conjunction with other relevant agencies and deploy at least one worker when deemed appropriate.

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Could a ballot measure overturn Ohios same-sex marriage bans?

Helen Sweeney, a Columbus Safety Collective volunteer, said police often do not have the resources to refer those experiencing mental health or substance abuse crises to the proper treatment, while a community response team would specialize in these issues.

Theres a lot of calls that police really are not trained to do, and their talents are better suited for other types of calls, Sweeney said. [Certain calls] distract them from dealing with policing issues in communities that maybe are related to gun violence, gangs or theft.

Brian Steel is the president of The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 9, an organization that serves officers in Franklin County. Steel said he agrees that certain calls officers receive may be better suited for a nonpolice response. He gave examples of calls regarding checking on a person experiencing homelessness or a patient who left a hospital against medical advice.

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If we could free those officers up from those calls, the FOP is not getting in the way, Steel said. We just have to ensure that we are not putting an unarmed civilian without any kind of self-defense training in a situation where they may get hurt.

Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law

Steel did express concern that workers with the proposed community crisis division could find themselves in danger after responding to a call that was originally thought to be a nonviolent situation.

The reality is many of these nondangerous calls quickly escalate, Steel said. Dispatchers often lack the full details. What could be labeled as a safe crisis might actually be deadly. And when you remove law enforcement from that equation, it could possibly be disastrous for the mental health worker thats going there.

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Cole said crisis response professionals would be able to communicate on the same radio system as emergency medical services, firefighters and law enforcement, allowing them to request backup.

In some situations, a trained social worker or peer supporter can go in and stabilize the situation because they have techniques that they have learned, and that a lot of times can prevent the person from becoming violent, Sweeney said.

In recent years, Columbus has established multiple alternative crisis response programs, which allow social workers and other professionals to work with police officers and 911 dispatchers. In 2025, the city budgeted about $7.6 million for these programs. However, none are available 24/7, nor do they offer a response that does not involve a law enforcement officer.

DOGE cuts hitting Ohio farmers, food banks

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The reality is Columbus lacks a fully-resourced and fully-integrated alternative crisis response program to meet the mental health and safety needs of our communities, Cole said. We feel that this system is meeting the gap in the current emergency services.

Cole and Sweeney said the proposed division would not eliminate the existing initiatives but would be an additional tool and help better integrate the programs. However, Steel said he has concerns that coordination between programs and agencies could have unintended consequences, such as slower response times.

When these calls go out, poor coordination could lead to delay, and seconds matter in these calls, Steel said.

The amendment calls for the city to budget at least $5 million for the implementation of the division in 2027, with annual funding increasing to at least $12 million by 2031.

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Steel said the FOP wants to ensure that the city does not cut or divert any police funds to accommodate the division. Cole said city officials would be tasked with deciding where the funds come from but noted there are numerous grants available to such programs through the state and federal government.

Ohio attorney general backs Trump order ending birthright citizenship

All Columbus residents deserve to feel safe when they ask for help, Cole said. Its time to invest in community crisis responders who are experts specifically for mental health, addiction, unhoused and other needs facing our community.

If the ballot initiative were to pass, the proposed measure states the community crisis response division would be available 24/7 no later than Jan. 1, 2031.

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Mireya Reith (left), executive director of immigrant advocacy group Arkansas United, speaks against the Only Citizens Voting Act, sponsored by Rep. Wayne Long (right), R-Bradford, before the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

A bill meant to further deter those who are not United States citizens from voting in Arkansas elections narrowly passed a legislative committee Wednesday.

Noncitizen voting is already illegal on the federal level. In Arkansas, the only documents required for voter registration are a Social Security card and a drivers license or state-issued identification card, both of which noncitizens are able to obtain, said Rep. Wayne Long, R-Bradford, sponsor of the Only Citizens Vote Act.

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The proposed law, House Bill 1422, would require the Department of Finance and Administration to share names and identifying information of each noncitizen with an Arkansas-issued ID or drivers license with the Secretary of States office, which oversees elections. The DF&A, which oversees issuance of drivers licenses and state IDs, would provide the information in quarterly reports starting Jan. 1, 2026.

Anyone with this ID is a guest in our country, Long told the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs.

I dont think its really a burden to ask them to help us protect the integrity of our voting system, and if they really do plan to become citizens, I think they probably would have an appreciation for the fact that were trying to make sure only citizens vote, he said.

If a noncitizen is found to be registered to vote, the bill requires the Secretary of State to refer the individual to the Attorney Generals office for prosecution, and the clerk of the noncitizens county of residence would be required to cancel the persons voter registration.

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The individual would have the chance to provide proof of U.S. citizenship after being notified of the Secretary of States actions. Long said this provision should prevent citizens from being wrongfully removed from the voter rolls or having their licenses suspended, in response to a question from Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock.

When asked for data about noncitizen voting in Arkansas, Long said the Secretary of States office doesnt currently have any way of knowing whether noncitizens have voted because they do not have data from the finance department that would indicate whether any noncitizens are registered to vote.

There are 71,648 noncitizens legally residing in Arkansas, and any of them could potentially be voting, but we dont really know, Long said.

Maricella Garcia, Race Equity Director for Advocacy at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (Courtesy of AACF)

Opposition

The Secretary of States office has been diligently looking for ways to confirm registered voters citizenship status since the Legislature passed a 2023 law mandating the office do so, but this remains a blind spot within the office, assistant director of elections Josh Bridges told the committee.

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Two advocates for immigrants in Arkansas spoke against HB 1422 and said noncitizens do not vote. Maricella Garcia, race equity director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, noted that voting as a noncitizen is the most dangerous thing they can do.

I have spoken to the community at length, she said, adding she used to be the director of Catholic Immigration Services. No one wants to do the very few things that will permanently bar you from being eligible for any [legal] status.

Immigrants in Arkansas have been purged from voter rolls through the name-checking and data-sharing outlined in HB 1422, said Mireya Reith, founder and executive director of Arkansas United, an immigrant advocacy group.

Additionally, there are a lot of checks and balances that prevent noncitizens from voting, she said.

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Its just so important, on behalf of our members, that it be known that immigrants are very aware of the citizenship process and arent trying to vote when theyre not able to, Reith said.

Noncitizen voting is rare but has been legalized in a handful of municipalities nationwide, including in Washington, D.C., in 2023, leading to backlash from conservatives. Thirteen states  including Louisiana, Oklahoma and Missouri  have amended their constitutions since 2020 to specify that noncitizens cannot vote in those states.

President Donald Trump pushed the false narrative of noncitizens voting often in federal elections while he was campaigning for reelection last year, and U.S. House Republicans introduced legislation that would have required states to verify proof of citizenship to prevent noncitizens from voting in federal elections. The bill stalled in the U.S. Senate, which was controlled by Democrats at the time.

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Drivers license concerns

HB 1422 would also require the finance department to print noncitizen drivers licenses and state-issued IDs in a vertical format. Individuals from ages 16 to 20 already have vertically printed ID cards.

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The finance department would likely have to make more changes to the licenses of people under 21 to differentiate them from noncitizen licenses, Garcia said. This would both be time-consuming and make it difficult for the state to meet the requirement for Arkansans to have a Real ID to enter a federal building or board a domestic flight from May 5 onward, she said.

Noncitizen ID cards would be required to have the words limited term on them in conspicuous letters under HB 1422, with the expiration date matching that of the document signifying the noncitizens legal U.S. residency status. Current noncitizen ID holders would not be required to exchange their current IDs for new ones as soon as the proposed law goes into effect and would instead be allowed to wait until the card expires, Long said.

Election commissioners and poll workers would be required under HB 1422 to undergo training to recognize and refuse noncitizens identification if presented with them at polling locations.

Reith and Garcia both said the proposed special IDs would single out legal residents of Arkansas who are not U.S. citizens.

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Drivers licenses are necessary for engaging with law enforcement, and Reith said having a safe document that doesnt look different from everybody elses is important to immigrants who want to help their communities.

Long said its important for poll workers to be able to recognize if someones trying to vote that should not be voting.

Rep. Howard Beaty, Jr., R-Crossett

Rep. Howard Beaty, R-Crossett, said the state should be able to just catch one noncitizen who does not have good intentions while acknowledging Reiths point that the immigrants she works with are good actors. He asked Reith if HB 1422 would be worth passing for that reason.

For us, part of how we catch and get ahead of finding who those individuals are is our community feeling safe to report, Reith replied.

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HB 1422 passed the committee with the minimum of 11 affirmative votes on a roll call vote. All members in favor of the bill were Republicans, while two Republicans and two Democrats voted against it. Five members were absent.

No members of the public spoke for the bill, which will next be heard by the full House.
Rincon, Puerto Rico is more than justand just is relative hereone of the most perfectly situated surf towns in the western hemisphere for receiving the procession of north swells that the North Atlantic punts its way all winter long, shaping them into conveyor belts of righthanders with sections fit for one and all. Rincon is also, in large part, a marine reserve.

A bicycle path proposal is nearly 30 years in the works, according to Surfrider, but last week as plans were purportedly nearing motion phase, hundreds of people from local and surrounding communities took to the streets up in arms for, well, any number of reasons. Take your pick: Apart from running along nearly two miles from Domes Beach to Rincon Public Beach along Reserva Marina Tres Palmas (Tres Palmas Marine Reserve), which is protected habitat for nesting hawksbill turtles, elkhorn coral, and other marine lifeone of Surfriders early ocean-protection victories in the early 2000sthe route also traverses Bosque Comunitario La Armonia, a community-led reforestation project that plays a key role in controlling erosion, managing stormwater, and capturing carbon.

Anyone with any sense of the world could guess that the local communityconsisting of any and all walks of life from snowbirds and mainland expats to native environmentalists engineersis up in arms over the proposal, and has been since the very beginning, or sometime around the turn of the century. There is even a (decidedly late-90s, early-2000s) blog called A Rinconvenient Truth that stands as a record, with a masthead reading: The disastrous truth about a good idea gone bad.

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And that really gets to the nut of the conundrum: This is not about being opposed to this path, its about doing it correctly without endangering the natural state [of the land and sea], which is a huge part of the economy, and kind of really what makes Rincon a destination, says Puerto Rican Patagonia Surfing Ambassador, former QS tour competitor, and ocean activist Otto Flores, who is also a co-founder of Granito de Arena, a surf and environmental organization that works to support low-income youth in coastal communities.

Two years ago, a walkway was completed by the community in a tasteful, Natural manner, Flores told me. It had no sea walls, it had no construction. It wasn't taking out any kind of flora or fauna.

One might think that for visitors and residents alike, a natural footpath along a marine reserve and a series of surf breaks would more than sufficeand suit the setting. Hundreds of surfers and locals seem to be taking to public spaces around the two-mile stretch between Domes Beach and the Public Beach to say so, protesting in any number of ways, from enacting their right to peaceful assembly to climbing and chaining themselves to treestrees that are being cut down in favor of the six-foot-high, 12-foot wide malecon to be.

According to both Flores and Rachel Tanner, a locally-based ocean photographer, several arrests have been made amidst tense confrontations between fully-clad officers and protestors. Ironically, Flores added, some of those very officers making arrests in order to safely clear the trees (within a designated reforestation area) were seeking shelter from the suns vicious rays beneath said trees.

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Go figure.

I hate to say this, Flores told me while watching his 13-year-old son surf well into sunsets twilight, but it's evidently a money grab or a contract or something that's injecting these ridiculous projects that don't make sense.

With everyone from Surfrider to local environmentalists, advocates, and mainland transplants making a very vocal stink about the absolute effrontery to decades of public pleas against the project, its hard to imagine it moving forward, and yet, trees are being felled at this very moment as my fingers rap away at my keyboard.

Whats a strewn but collective surf-going public to do? See below.

A Change.org petition entitled SALVA LA COSTA DE RINCON! | SAVE RINCONS COAST! is underway, which you can view and sign here.
The four most populous counties in Iowa  including Scot County  would not be able to access state economic development programs and their funds for three years under a bill advanced Wednesday by an Iowa House subcommittee, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Scott County Secondary Roads Department (scottcountyiowa.gov)

House Study Bill 310 would impose a three-year moratorium, from July 1-2025  June 30, 2028, on all programs administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and funding available through these programs for four Iowa counties with the highest population:

Johnson County, with a population of 157,00

Linn County, with a population of nearly 229,000

Polk County, population of more than 505,000

and Scott County, with population of 174,000.

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The population data is from the U. S. Census date from 2023.

Read the bill in its entirety here.

The measure is necessary because Iowa Legislature efforts to revitalize rural Iowa have not worked, said Rep. Derek Wulf, R-Hudson.

At the subcommittee meeting, advocates for business groups and local governments were largely against the measure, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Dustin Miller, with the Iowa Chamber Alliance, said he understood the intent of the bill was to aid rural communities but the measure would harm areas of the state that are drivers in the states economy that will benefit surrounding counties.

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The four counties have a gross domestic product of $85 billion, representing 42% of the states total real CDP of $200 billion. Those counties make up a large proportion of the states collected taxes  36% of the general fund revenue raised of personal income tax in 2022 and 43% of the sales tax.

The bill next goes to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration.

Read the Iowa Capital Dispatch story here.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Drivers who hog the left lane on Louisiana interstates could soon face tougher penalties, under a new bill aimed at making roads safer and reducing frustration for motorists.

Senate Bill 11, filed by State Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, proposes hiking fines for drivers who block the left lane by driving under the speed limit. The bill will be considered during the Louisiana legislative session beginning April 14.

What the bill would change

If passed, SB 11 would:

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Increase the fine from $100 to $150 for a first offense.

Impose a $250 fine for a second offense within 12 months of the first violation.

Impose a $350 fine and the possibility of up to 30 days in jail for a third offense within 12 months of the first violation.

The bill also removes the requirement that a driver must be going at least 10 mph below the speed limit to be in violation. Instead, it would apply to any vehicle traveling below the posted speed limit in the left lane on a multilane highway.

Luneaus reasoning for the bill

Sen. Luneau said he drafted the bill after speaking with Louisiana State Police officers, who said the current law is difficult to enforce because troopers have to run radar on two vehicles to confirm a 10 mph speed difference.

Troopers told me that to enforce the law and write tickets, they would have to actually run radar on the two vehicles and make sure there was a ten-mile-an-hour differential, Luneau said.

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He added that drivers camping out in the left lane often cause accidents and increase congestion by forcing frustrated motorists to swerve around them.

There are a lot of accidents that are caused because of this, and it pains drivers, especially commercial drivers, and causes them to take a lot longer to get where theyre going, Luneau said.

The senator said his intention is not to make money for the state but to deter repeat offenders.

I wanted to not so much make it a moneymaker, but to capture the people who are repeat offenders, he said.

Drive safely: Study shows the deadliest state highways in Louisiana

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Rep. Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, presents House Bill 1713 to the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate)

A proposal mandating citizen-led ballot measures be written at an 8th-grade or lower reading level cleared the Arkansas House of Representatives Wednesday after three attempts to pass its emergency clause.

House Bill 1713 passed the House on Tuesday with 60 votes; a separate vote on the emergency clause received 63 votes. Emergency clauses require a two-thirds vote in each chamber, meaning at least 67 House votes, and allow laws to go into effect immediately upon the governors signature. HB 1713s emergency clause received 70 votes Wednesday and will next be heard in the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs.

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HB 1713 narrowly passed the equivalent House committee on March 12 after lawmakers and members of the public raised concerns that proposed ballot measures are too complex by default to be written at or below an 8th-grade reading level.

Bill sponsor Rep. Ryan Rose, R-Van Buren, said the bill should help Arkansans make informed decisions when asked to sign a petition, without confusion, without legalese, without any deceptive wording.

Republican lawmakers this year have introduced a wide range of bills that would add regulations to Arkansas direct democracy process. The 2024 election cycle saw a wide range of proposed citizen-led ballot measures, only one of which qualified for the November ballot, and supporters of the direct democracy regulations have made allegations of deceptive practices by supporters of last years measures.

Many of the bills have had emergency clauses, and some have required multiple votes in either chamber before meeting the two-thirds threshold. Several of those bills have been signed into law, and most were sponsored by Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton.

Hammer will run next year for Secretary of State, the office that oversees elections. He is a co-sponsor of HB 1713.

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Rep. Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville, voted against HB 1713 in committee and on the House floor. She said Wednesday that she supported a readability standard of some sort for ballot measures but did not believe HB 1713 was the right mechanism for creating one.

The bill mandates the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level readability test as the determinant of compliance with the policy.

Its just an algorithm that spits out a readability level based on sentence length and word length, Clowney said. If a word has five syllables, a word like constitutional, you are automatically penalized by the parameters of this test.

Committee chairman Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, said the bill does not acknowledge that it can be difficult to convey complex ideas or concepts with small words. His vote to pass the bill out of the committee was the deciding vote, but he voted present on the bill and the emergency clause Tuesday. He voted for the emergency clause Wednesday.

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HB 1713 would not apply the same readability standards to legislatively proposed constitutional amendments, which drew concerns from lawmakers and members of the public March 12. Voters approved an amendment last year that the Legislature placed on the ballot, allowing trade-school students to benefit from scholarship lottery funds.

Rep. Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)

Clowney pointed out Wednesday that this amendment had a college graduate-level reading level, according to the Flesch-Kincaid readability test.

Proposed amendments are required to begin with an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. House Minority Leader Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, told the committee last week that this phrase is also deemed college-graduate level by the reading test.

So is the title of HB 1713 itself, said Gail Choate, a political scientist and civics educator who spoke against the bill March 12.

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What Im concerned [about] with this bill is that it does nothing to address civic education, Choate said. It does nothing to address the ability of people to understand even what a ballot initiative is or what it works It dumbs down the process, it lowers the standard under which were presenting information under the guise that people arent able to understand.

Jerry Cox, president of the conservative Family Council, spoke in favor of the bill before the committee, while attorney and direct democracy advocate J.P. Tribell spoke against it.

HB 1713 is likely to be considered by senators after the Legislatures spring break next week.
Tucson leaders are figuring out how to move forward after final election results show city voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot measure to raise the citys sales tax to pay for public safety and community investment.

At the polls on March 11, Tucson voters voted 2-to-1 against Proposition 414, which would have raised the city's sales tax from 2.6% to 3.1% to give a financial boost to police, firefighters and housing programs, among many others.

Of the total 87,081 ballots cast, about 70%, or 60,758 people, voted against the measure.

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As the deadline to present a balanced budget to the Tucson City Council approaches, city officials are looking at alternatives.

As a city manager, I developed a plan B and I worked with the mayor a bit on what that could look like, said City Manager Tim Thomure, who added officials "went into the election feeling confident that we would get a positive result."

Thomure is working on next year's budget proposal, which he will present on April 22, and gave the Tucson City Council updates to the budget process at a meeting on Tuesday.

Part of the budget process will mean figuring out how to pay for expanding services that would have seen a boost if the proposition had been successful.

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Expanding services in growing areas will mean adding $15 million to an already-expected deficit of $13 million in the budget. Local officials say the deficit is largely caused by a loss of state-shared revenue.

Thomure said he will have to find ways to balance the budget and ring that deficit down to zero. That might include budget cuts and slowing down projects, he said in an interview with The Arizona Republic.

He added Tucson will also look for grants to help reduce the deficit. But the city already does, and Thomure noted the options for grants are not very robust."

Why did Proposition 414 fail?

Although Thomure did not speculate on a reason for the ballot measures failure, he said city officials must reflect on what happened. Historically, he said, the city and voters have had a strong alignment.

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Previous ballot measures that have had a clear benefit for voters passed at the polls, he said, alluding to Proposition 409 in 2012, Proposition 407 in 2018, Proposition 101 in 2017, and Proposition 411 in 2022.

Did we mishear the citizens about what they wanted? Thats possible, Thomure said. Did we reach the point where theyre not willing to invest further in the form of a sales tax than what theyve been asked? Also, possible. Did we make it too complicated? Thats very possible.

While some opposition was critical of any increases in taxes, others opposed the high allocation of funds to public safety. Two-thirds of the funds that would have been raised by Proposition 414 would have gone to police and fire departments.

One of the most vocal critics of the measure was the No Prop 414 Coalition.

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April Putney, a spokesperson for the coalition, faulted the ballot measure for not reflecting the public feedback Tucsonans said they want to be prioritized during public engagement efforts.

Again and again Tucson has outlined that housing affordability is our top priority, followed by quality city services and programs like education, public transit, mental health care, and park amenities like restrooms, Putney wrote in an email.

She reiterated that funding punishment and criminalization will not solve Tucsons problems, and that citizens want to invest in data-proven solutions, like quality housing and services.

City Councilmember Kevin Dahl, a Democrat who supported the measure, said he was surprised it lost by such a large margin.

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With so many elements in the ballot, he said it's challenging to know if any one issue caused the proposition to fail. Dahl noted a general distrust of government could be a potential cause.

Tucson is bearing the brunt of concern about government, Dahl said, noting the mass layoffs, implementation of tariffs, and the shuttering of agencies at the federal level.

Dahl said Proposition 414 was a good measure and highlighted the undefined that wants more public safety and supports the fire department and the city's 311 and 911 systems.

He also said the measure would have continued using community service officers for police-related calls that dont require a sworn officer with a gun.

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Im very disappointed, but where we go from here, we go back to the drawing board and sharpen our pencils and work it out so that we live within the budget that will be available to us, he said.

Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republics coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Prop. 414's loss sends Tucson officials 'back to the drawing board'
The government of Iran put a $500,000 bounty on the head of an outspoken Iranian-American journalist to fund an assassination plot to silence her, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday at the closing of a murder-for-hire trial.

The purported hitman was arrested in July 2022 before he could kill journalist Masih Alinejad, leading to a trial of two Russian mobsters who organized the murder plot, Assistant US Attorney Michael Lockard told a Manhattan federal jury.

Lockard spoke a day after Alinejad testified that she endured a barrage of threats after launching online campaigns from her Brooklyn home to inspire women in Iran to rebel against government edicts.

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Alinejad left Iran for America in 2009 after the countrys disputed presidential election, quickly building a social media following of millions of people worldwide.

She said she got deluged by videos sent to her by women in Iran after she challenged them to film themselves with their hair exposed when Irans morality police were not around.

Masih Alinejad greets friends and supporters outside the federal courthouse in New York after testifying on Tuesday. - Seth Wenig/AP

Her campaign, dubbed My Stealthy Freedom, encouraged women to rebel against Irans edict that their hair must always be covered in public with a hijab to conform to religious requirements.

Lockard said the government of Iran labeled the journalist as an enemy of the state and for years tried to harass, smear and intimidate Alinejad.

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When those efforts failed, the government of Iran put a $500,000 bounty on her head, he said.

He said two high-level members of the Russian mob  Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov  were paid by the government of Iran to organize a plot to kill Alinejad in 2022. The evidence, he added, was overwhelming.

The men, both natives of Azerbaijan, did not commit any of the multiple crimes they were charged with, their lawyers told the jury in closing arguments.

In this courtroom sketch, Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarev watch as Masih Alinejad testifies on Tuesday. - Jane Rosenberg/Reuters

Attorney Michael Martin, representing Amirov, said there was no dispute that Iran was targeting Alinejad, but his client was not part of any plot.

He attacked the credibility of Khalid Mehdiyev, who testified last week that he was paid $30,000 to kill Alinejad, but his task was interrupted when police pulled him over for rolling through a stop sign. A loaded AK-47 was in his backseat.

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Martin called Mehdiyev a manipulative, violent, lying person.

Attorney Elena Fast, representing Omarov, said Mehdiyev was a clown as a hitman who never intended to kill Alinejad.

This was a plan to scam and not to murder, she said, claiming that anyone communicating about a plot was merely trying to collect money offered for a killing with no intent to do anything in return.

After prosecutors deliver a rebuttal argument on Thursday, instructions on the law will be read to the jury, which will begin to deliberate afterward.

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Prosecutors said they have evidence that the man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students bought a knife and knife sheath online in the months before the killings, newly released court documents show.

Prosecutors in Bryan Kohbergers trial filed a motion asking a judge to allow them to present his Amazon shopping activity as evidence during trial.

They also sought permission to show that a housemate of the victims saw a man with bushy eyebrows wearing a ski mask in the house in the early hours of Nov. 13, 2022, when killings took place. In a court filing, prosecutors said they would present a photograph of Kohberger taken from his phone hours after the killings and let the jury decide whether he has bushy eyebrows.

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Kohberger is charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves. The students were killed in the early morning at a rental home near their school's campus in Moscow, Idaho.

A judge previously entered a not-guilty plea on Kohbergers behalf. Kohbergers trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 11 and expected to last more than three months. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.

Prosecutors have said they matched touch DNA found on a knife sheath near one of the victims to DNA taken from Kohberger. A defense attorney pushed to have the DNA evidence thrown out, but Judge Steven Hippler denied that request last month.

Court documents filed Monday said the state obtained a search warrant for Kohberger's Amazon activity pertaining to knives and accessories, his payment methods and details of items he added and removed from his cart.

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Prosecutors said that search warrant was narrowly tailored to March 20 to March 30, 2022, the time they said Kohberger was known to have bought a Ka-Bar knife with sheath and sharpener from Amazon, and between Nov. 1 and Dec. 6 that year, dates falling weeks before and after the killings.

In arguing the judge should admit the evidence, prosecutors said Kohberger's Amazon activity showing the purchase of a Ka-Bar knife and sheath before the homicides made it more probable that the Ka-Bar sheath found at the crime scene was his.

Thousands of pages of court documents have been filed in the complicated case as attorneys on both sides attempt to set the ground rules for what will and wont be presented to jurors.
Increasingly, unregulated vaping products are showing up in schools. (Photo by Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan).

As the former sheriff of Knox County, the executive director of the Indiana Sheriffs Association, and a law enforcement professional with more than 20 years of experience, I have dedicated my career to protecting Hoosier families. Im increasingly concerned about unregulated vapor products infiltrating our schools and communities.

What troubles me, both as a law enforcement professional and as a father and grandfather, is the widespread availability of these products and their overt marketing toward young people.

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School resource officers across Indiana regularly confiscate brightly colored vapes with flavors like cotton candy, fruit punch, and bubble gum. Products with youth-appealing packaging and flavors arent designed for adults trying to quit smoking  they appear targeted to attract younger users. While regulated American-made vaping products under review and oversight by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, many unregulated imports bypass these safety and youth prevention measures.

The concern extends beyond just access. When school resource officers (SRO) confiscate these devices from minors, we cannot tell parents with any certainty what their children have been inhaling. This uncertainty about product contents presents a significant public health concern for our youth.

The scale of this issue is substantial. These products are illegal under federal law but are still readily available in many gas stations, vape shops, and convenience stores throughout Indiana. When students can easily purchase these devices from brick-and-mortar businesses, our prevention efforts in schools become significantly more difficult. We need to change that.

What can be done

A potential legislative solution would be creating a comprehensive database of approved vapor products and manufacturers, with appropriate enforcement mechanisms including fines for non-compliance and seizure authority. This approach would give law enforcement the tools needed to identify and remove unauthorized products from our communities.

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From my discussions with school administrators, fellow sheriffs, school safety officials, and school resource officers across our state, I can attest that we need action on this issue. As co-chair of the National Sheriffs Association School Safety Committee, I have seen how vaping concerns intersect with broader school safety issues, not to mention the potential long-term health implications for young people.

We are witnessing increasingly younger students being drawn to these products by attractive packaging and flavors, only to develop nicotine dependencies. This is not just about law enforcementit is about protecting the well-being of the next generation.

Indiana has always shown leadership in addressing challenges that affect our communities health and safety. Lawmakers have an opportunity this session to establish a precedent in addressing this growing concern.

The safety of our children depends on taking thoughtful, decisive action. Lets ensure that Indiana leads the way in protecting our youth from potentially harmful unregulated products. Our childrens health and future deserve our committed attention.

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Mar. 19Roughly 100 protesters carrying signs and bullhorns gathered outside of the German-American Society's Deutsches Haus near downtown Spokane on Wednesday evening, where U.S. Rep. Michael Baumgartner was hosting "Baumtoberfest," a $125-per-plate fundraising dinner organized by his congressional campaign.

Lined up on Third Avenue and crowding the alleyway entrance to the venue, protesters railed against Baumgartner, President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The congressman has been the subject of repeated protests in recent weeks, including outside his office in Spokane and at a town hall event Tuesday night at Whitworth University.

A call to the campaign was not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
Mar. 20Protesters lobbed questions at mannequins representing Montana's Congressional delegation outside Congressman Ryan Zinke's Kalispell office on Tuesday evening.

The "empty chair" town hall in Courthouse Park mirrored demonstrations across the country after GOP leadership advised Republican lawmakers earlier this month to forsake in-person, public meetings with constituents. The recommendation came after videos of crowds angry over cuts implemented by President Donald Trump spread across social media.

Roughly 60 people attended the demonstration, taking turns directing questions and complaints at plastic figures meant to represent Zinke and Sens. Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines, all Republicans. Questions ranged from concerns over federal cuts to Social Security and Medicare to efforts to suppress diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

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The demonstration was organized by the newly formed group Flathead Democracy. Event details were circulated through the Flathead Valley chapter of Indivisible, a national progressive group that has organized protests targeting Trump and his billionaire advisor Elon Musk.

"Progressive organizers have been encouraging folks in their communities to hold an 'empty chair' town hall," said Leanette Galaz, an organizer with Flathead Democracy. "Invite your community members. Invite them to bring their questions and concerns that they would bring to their congressmen or congresswomen if they were to hold one. It's a chance to hear from one another and build community."

Protestors expressed dissatisfaction with the Trump administration, condemnation of Musk's effort to downsize government, and the sentiment that Montana's representatives were not responding to constituent concerns.

Signs displayed at the protest advocated for protecting of public land, defending democracy and protesting the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk's government cost-cutting agency.

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Placed on a lawn chair in the backdrop of the Historic Flathead County Courthouse was a faux Sheehy dressed in a beige coat and button up dress shirt. To its right, leaning against a tree, a mannequin meant to impersonate Zinke was adorned with a black Western hat and matching boots. A mock Daines was dressed in jeans, a button-down shirt and boots as well.

Protester Dave Went impersonated Sheehy in a speech criticizing the senator for his rhetoric against clean energy and for supporting Trump's cabinet picks including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Bronson Willcut, a Flathead High School sophomore, attended the rally with a large American flag. He said he was protesting federal policies stripping away funding for public schools.

Zinke took questions from students about the Trump administration's proposed overhaul of the Department of Education at an event at Glacier High School last week. Trump has vowed to dismantle the federal agency, which cast off about half of its workforce earlier this month. Zinke told the students that federal funding for schools would continue but be rerouted through the states rather than a department of the federal government.

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A fired and later rehired U.S. Forest Service worker from Washington, D.C., attended the protest. The worker, who asked to remain anonymous, said they visited Kalispell each summer while working as a seasonal employee.

"Our public lands are like such a big part of what makes Montana the place [that] people want to be. So, I feel like our elected officials' responses to all of us should reflect that."

The Forest Service agency terminated thousands of probationary employees as part of Trump's government cuts, but a federal judge recently ordered their reinstatement.

Many at the demonstration complained that their attempts to reach Montana's Congressional delegation were met with voicemail boxes or form letters.

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"When you try and call the office for Zinke, Daines and Sheehy, in my experience it's generally just a voicemail, and the call is not returned" Galaz said.

Zinke's Chief of Staff, Heather Swift, said that the congressman has held a series of radio town halls with open phone lines over the past several months. The former Navy SEAL was in Bozeman on the day of the protest in Kalispell meeting with veteran constituents.

Swift dismissed the protesters as "crazy liberal activists" with "nothing better to do with their time except yell at folks driving by" Zinke's office. She said Zinke regularly meets with constituents.

"Zinke participates in dozens of meetings with Montana law enforcement, veterans, small businesses, civic organizations, student groups and others every month; he hosts hour long radio town halls that are posted on his government social media ahead of time and anyone can call in to," Swift said.

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A spokesperson for Sheehy said that the senator encourages people to contact his office for constituent services. Sheehy does not plan his schedule around protesters, the spokesperson said.

Rachel Dumke, a spokesperson for Daines, told the Inter Lake that the senator hosts statewide town halls for thousands of Montanans.

"Daines also attends public meetings across the state frequently, just a few weeks ago he met with Montanans in Bozeman. On top of that, he highly values hearing from Montanans via phone call, email, fax or letter and works to get each Montanan a timely response," Dumke said. "The groups planning these protests do not unilaterally control the Senator's schedule, however as always he appreciates hearing their concerns."

Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@dailyinterlake.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  Protesters gathered on Wednesday afternoon calling on Gov. Mike DeWine to veto Senate Bill 1 when it reaches his desk and, in their words, protect higher education.

Lawmakers in the Ohio House passed Senate Bill 1 at the statehouse Wednesday evening, putting it one vote away from reaching DeWines desk and becoming law.

Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law

College students, faculty, staff and community members marched from Ohio States campus, down High St. to the statehouse on Wednesday to show their opposition to the bill.

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Were hopeful that if we build enough student power and show him that enough of us are vehemently opposed to the passage of SB1 that he will do the right thing, said OSU student Molly Hornberger.

The vast, vast majority do not want this bill. We dont need it and if they pass it, a lot of us are going to leave, said Dr. Erynn Beaton, an associate professor at Ohio State.

They said they are concerned about how the legislation might restrict freedom of speech and diversity on campus.

Senate Bill 1 would eliminate all DEI  or diversity, equity and inclusion  scholarships, offices and policies on Ohio public campuses.

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Bill would extend working hours for teens

Personally, Im worried for the quality of my education, but for the wider student community, this sets a precedent that very intentionally attacks specifically Black, brown and LGBTQ students, Hornberger said.

The bill would also prohibit universities from taking stances on controversial topics.

Beaton said tough subjects are a big part of higher education that students need to be exposed to.

I already have professors talking to me about how if the legislature is going to pass a bill like this saying that there are controversial beliefs, that there are things we can and cant do in the classroom, they are already saying Im just not going to talk about these hard things in the classroom, Beaton said.

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On the other side, Buckeye Institute Research Fellow Greg Lawson testified in favor of Senate Bill 1 before it passed on Wednesday.

He said the bill just makes it so universities and professors cant tell students what to think or give them a bad grade over a specific opinion the student holds.

Yes, it gets rid of DEI offices, but it also says you cant basically force someone to have an opinion within a classroom but you can still discuss things, Lawson said.

He said Senate Bill 1 is beneficial to higher education. Lawson said it protects students and puts them first by not allowing faculty to strike and by not letting professors tell them what to think.

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I think theres an awful lot of fear thats been out there, Lawson said. I think that you have to look at it from the big picture of whats good for the student, Lawson.

Protesters outside the statehouse Wednesday already believed lawmakers would pass Senate Bill 1, which is why they were imploring the governor to veto the bill. They said DeWine is their last line of defense.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A popular Swedish cafe in the capital city has closed its doors for good.

In a social media post earlier this week, the owners of Cafe Choklad announced their plans to embark on their well-earned retirement.

This decision was not made lightly, as this cafe has been more than just a business  it has been a place where friendships were formed, memories were made, and countless meals were shared, owners Jens and Marie Retlev wrote.

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SEE ALSO: Bubbies Market and Deli closing later this month

The Retlevs thanked their customers for their unwavering support and loyalty over the years.

Your patronage and kindness have meant the world to us, and we are incredibly thankful for the connections weve built with each and every one of you, the Retlevs continued. Thank you for being part of our journey. We will cherish these memories forever.

The Retlevs did not elaborate on whats next for the space.

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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A Providence teacher accused of sexually assaulting a woman when she was a teenager was arraigned on new charges on Wednesday.

The Providence County Grand Jury handed up an indictment last month charging Joseph Gannon of Warwick with four counts of first-degree sexual assault, alleging that he assaulted the victim in both Providence and Warwick between June 2019 and June 2020.

Previously, the 50-year-old was charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault and one count of producing child pornography.

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Gannons attorney, Albert Medici, entered a plea of not guilty on Gannons behalf in Providence Superior Court.

At a bail hearing last year, the victim, now an adult, told Judge Debra Saunders she was a 15-year-old high school freshman when she and Gannon  her former middle school science teacher  allegedly began a sexual relationship that would last three years.

We are taught at an early age to listen to our teachers, that teachers are ready to teach us, Saunders said in December. Mr. Gannon taught [the victim] about sex.

In December, Saunders ordered him to remain held without bail, saying she believed a jury could conclude that Gannon had groomed the victim for sex.

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I find that releasing Mr. Gannon on bail would pose a danger to the community, the community that he was charged to serve as a teacher of children, Saunders said, adding that she was not convinced Gannons local ties would be enough to ensure his return to court.

After the Superior Court judge ordered him to remain held without bail, Gannon was immediately sent back to the Adult Correctional Institutions, where he has been since his initial arraignment at Providence District Court on Sep. 23.

Gannon will have a renewed chance to be released at a bail hearing scheduled for next month.

Gannon was suspended without pay from his teaching job as of Oct. 16, 2024. According to Providence Public Schools spokesperson Jay Wegimont, Gannons status with the district remains unchanged.

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Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Dianna Miller, a lobbyist for the Large School Group, talks with a follow public school advocate at the South Dakota Capitol in Pierre on Jan. 29, 2025. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)

South Dakota public education advocates are anxious about the impending closure of the U.S. Department of Education, saying they dont see a plan of action for how federal funding will be distributed moving forward.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle her department and return education authority to the states. The move follows a recent 50% reduction in department staff.

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Sandra Waltman, director of public affairs for the South Dakota Education Association, described the situation as chaotic, particularly for districts reliant on federal Title I funding that supports schools with high numbers of low-income students.

If you close down the Department of Education without a plan for ensuring that programs like Title I and special education services continue, then what happens to the students who depend on them? Waltman said.

Public education advocates in South Dakota were already concerned about the sweeping staff reductions to the federal department, warning of potential disruptions to federally funded programs.

What we need to know is if theres an implementation plan, said Rob Monson, executive director of School Administrators of South Dakota. If not, were really at a loss for what to do next.

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Special education funding is another concern, because federal funding supplements local resources to cover services like specialized teachers, transportation and individualized education plans for students with disabilities. Advocates fear that shifting federal funds into block grants managed by the state  as proposed by some Republican politicians including Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota  could lead to budget cuts at the legislative level.

My biggest fear is that when you turn this over to the state, it becomes state money, and we know how that can go, said Dianna Miller, a lobbyist for large public schools in the state. Weve already had to face education funding cuts this year.

Waltman also warned of the potential ripple effect on South Dakotas universities, whose students rely on federal student loans and grants.

Were just starting to bounce back in enrollment, she said. If students cant access federal aid, what will that do to our universities?

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Monson said uncertainty now looms over school staffing levels and program availability.

Schools plan their budgets a year in advance, and this kind of uncertainty puts us in a difficult position, Monson said. If federal funding mechanisms change or are delayed, schools will be forced to make staffing adjustments before contract renewals in mid-April. That means potential layoffs and service reductions.

According to the Pew Research Center, South Dakotas K-12 public education system is the nations second-most reliant on federal aid. The National Education Association reports that annual funding routed through the U.S. Department of Education to South Dakota includes $66.4 for Pell grants to college students, $57.8 million for Title I, $48.1 million from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and $30.7 million in career and technical education grants.

Rounds: Shut it down

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, who previously introduced legislation to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, celebrated the news of Trumps order to begin shutting down the agency.

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The federal BUREAUCRACY of Education has never educated a single student. Its time to shut it down, Rounds said in a news release. Todays news is a step in the right direction.

Rounds said hes working on legislation that would return education decisions to states and local school districts while maintaining programs like special education and Title I.

We are discussing this legislation with Secretary McMahon, he said, and we believe there is a very good path forward.

This story was updated at 8 p.m. Central with the addition of Sen. Rounds reaction.
The Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building pictured on Nov. 25, 2024. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)

Education officials from throughout Michigan signed a joint letter Thursday condemning the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, and calling on state and federal policymakers to defend public education and fully fund Michigans public schools. In total, 85 school board members from 36 districts across the state, including all five Democratic members of the Michigan State Board of Education.

The letter came the same day President Donald Trump signed an executive order dramatically downsizing the department, although an act of Congress would be required to eliminate it entirely.

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Coordinated by the Michigan Education Justice Coalition, the letter was addressed to Michigans entire Congressional delegation, both Republicans and Democrats, and hand-delivered to Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Tipton), who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee.

The DOEs vital role in advancing educational equity, supporting state and local education systems, and ensuring the civil rights of all students cannot be overstated. Its closure would have devastating consequences for millions of students, educators, and

families across Michigan and the United States. Our kids all deserve the opportunity to learn and grow, regardless of where they come from, stated the letter.

Michigan gets nearly $2.3 billion in federal funding each year for education, with $533 million supporting special education programs for more than 217,000 public school students.

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Dismantling the US Department of Education would be disastrous for all students and especially for the most vulnerable populations, said Benton Harbor School Board member Dashuna Robinson, one of those who signed the letter. The inevitable funding gap will be most deeply felt by the students who already face systemic barriers to opportunity. Were calling on our lawmakers to do whats rightinvest in every childs future, no matter their race, identity, or ZIP code.

The entire Benton Harbor School Board signed onto this letter, asking elected leaders to prioritize equitable and sustainable investment in public schools, said Robinson.

The letter states that closing or crippling the education department would leave states on the hook to fill in the gaps following the disruption of billions of dollars in federal funding.

In Michigan, the closing of the DOE would mean that our communities would suffer the loss of approximately $440 million for Title I programs, and will be forced to take drastic measures to meet the budgeting shortfall. This will impact low-income communities the hardest, who dont have the resources from tax revenues that wealthier communities have, and will increase educational inequities further in rural and urban schools that are reliant on federal support, said the letter.

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Among the requests that the school board members urge lawmakers to consider:

Increase state and federal investment in K-12 public education

Close equity gaps in funding for special education, English language learners, and students in high-poverty communities

Oppose voucher schemes that divert public dollars to private interests

Strengthen support for educators and school staff

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PULASKI COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  Southwest Virginia took a big hit when Hurricane Helene swept through in September. That was followed closely by flash flooding in Februarys winter storm.

Brad Wright saw it all as Pulaski Countys emergency management coordinator.

Thats two events within six months of each other that caused damage to our community, damage to homes, he said. We had lives threatened and at some point in time we had to do some evacuations.

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Thats why Wright was at the Charles & Ona B. Free Memorial Library Wednesday, showing residents how to pack a go bag. Its about three days worth of emergency supplies in case you need to evacuate.

Wright recommends having water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit, medications, documents, and pet food.

Pulaski County Emergency Management conducting prescribed burn in Hiwassee

Having items like these ready is the first step of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Ready, Set, Go! program.

Ready means when theres an event, wildfires or flooding or something like that in the forecast, and folks need to have their stuff together like the go kit, explained Wright. Then if it elevates more, we go to the set status. Youre there, youre vehicle is backed into the driveway, youre loaded up, everybodys on the same page in the household, you know where youre going to have to go if the evacuation warning does come. Then go just means that it means go. Thats not the time to be worrying about packing up everything.

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Pulaski County residents can also sign up for CodeRED alerts.

That is how we are able to put alerts out to the community to tell folks to evacuate or shelter in place, said Wright. But its only as good as people use it. People have to sign up for it.

You can create an account, add some contact information, and select what emergency alerts you want to receive, including tornados and flash floods.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) -President Vladimir Putin sent a message to Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa backing efforts to ensure Syria's territorial integrity and offering Russia's "practical cooperation" on a whole range of issues, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

The fall in December of President Bashar al-Assad to rebels led by Sharaa after 13 years of civil war has forced Russia to scramble to secure its bases in the country. Moscow is also concerned by a wave of sectarian killings in Syria.

Putin told Sharaa he supported "efforts to stabilise the situation in the country as soon as possible in the interests of ensuring its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies.

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Putin confirmed "Russia's continuing readiness to develop practical cooperation with the Syrian leadership on the whole range of issues on the bilateral agenda in order to strengthen traditionally friendly Russian-Syrian relations," Peskov said.

The Kremlin, which was a key ally of the formerly ruling Assad family for over 50 years, said earlier this month that it wanted to see a united and "friendly" Syria because instability there could affect the whole of the Middle East.

Reuters reported in December that Russia was pulling back forces from front lines in northern Syria and from posts in mountains dominated by Assad's Alawite community, but was not leaving its two main bases on the Mediterranean coast - the Hmeimim airbase in Latakia and the naval facility in Tartous.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has signed a decree stipulating that "Ukrainian citizens illegally staying in Russia must leave by 10 September or legalise their stay".

Source: the decree on Russia's official legal information portal

Quote: "...citizens of Ukraine who are in the Russian Federation and do not have legal grounds for staying (living) in the Russian Federation are obliged to leave the Russian Federation on their own or to resolve their legal status in the Russian Federation by 10 September 2025 inclusive..."

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Details: The decree also stipulates that foreign citizens and stateless persons who arrived in the territories of the so-called "Donetsk/Luhansk People's Republics" terrorist organisations, as well as the parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts temporarily occupied by Russia, before the decree's enactment  either for non-employment purposes for more than 90 days or for employment  must undergo a medical examination by 10 June 2025. They are required to submit medical documents to the territorial office of Russias Ministry of Internal Affairs confirming the absence of illicit drug or psychotropic substance use, infectious diseases, and HIV infection.

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Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status," according to an official decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on March 20.

"Citizens of Ukraine who are in the Russian Federation and do not have legal grounds for staying (residing) in the Russian Federation are required to leave the Russian Federation on their own or regulate their legal status in the Russian Federation by Sept. 10, 2025," the decree reads.

Russia illegally declared annexation of fully occupied Crimea in 2014 and partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia in 2022, de facto treating Ukrainian sovereign territory as its own regions.

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The decree comes amid Moscow's efforts to Russify the conquered territories by pressuring Ukrainian citizens into accepting Russian passports or forcing them out while trying to attract Russian citizens to move in.

The document says the order will not concern Ukrainian citizens who will register their status with the Russian Interior Ministry by Sept. 10.

The decree further ordered all "foreign citizens and stateless persons" residing in the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts to undergo medical checks on drug use and infectious diseases by June 10.

As Russia continues to hold roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, the fate of the occupied regions is likely to be a key topic in expected peace negotiations pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky said territorial matters would be one of the most difficult aspects of the negotiations while rejecting the possibility of recognizing Russian rule over its territories.

Multiple reports of abuse, torture, and repression have emerged from Russian-held territories of Ukraine since 2014, with the cases only escalating after the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022.

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Yuri Ushakov, Russian leader Vladimir Putins foreign policy advisor, has announced that expert groups from Russia and the United States will hold consultations on Ukraine in Riyadh on 24 March.

Source: Ushakov, quoted by Kremlin-aligned Russian media

Details: Ushakov stated that he had recently spoken with Trump's National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, discussing "the implementation of a well-known initiative concerning the security of navigation in the Black Sea".

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The Russian delegation at the consultations on this issue will include Grigory Karasin, Chairman of Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council, and Sergei Beseda, an advisor to the FSB director.

Beseda previously headed the FSBs 5th Service, also known as the Service for Operational Information and International Relations. Before Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine, this service, under Besedas leadership, was responsible for gathering intelligence on Ukraine.

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Editor's note: The Kyiv Independent is tracking Russian attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and energy infrastructure from March 19, as it is not clear if strikes launched by Russia overnight on March 18 were launched before or after Putin gave his order to the military to halt attacks.

The Kremlin on March 18 announced it had agreed to a U.S.-proposed partial ceasefire against certain targets in Ukraine, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin had "responded favorably to the proposal and immediately" ordered his armed forces to halt attacks.

Despite the announcement  made after a call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump  Russian missile and drone attacks against Ukraine have continued.

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There is still some confusion over what exactly is ostensibly protected by the partial ceasefire as the readouts of the call issued by the White House and the Kremlin varied in their wording.

"The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire," the White House said.

"During the conversation, Donald Trump put forward a proposal for the parties to mutually refrain from strikes on energy infrastructure for 30 days," the Kremlin said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked on March 19 if she could clarify what exactly would be covered by the ceasefire, but only told reporters to refer to the readout of the call.

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"That's our understanding," she added.

The Kremlin on March 21 doubled down on its interpretation of the partial ceasefire, insisting it only applied to energy infrastructure and it was still in effect.

Despite this, Russian forces continue to bombard Ukrainian cities with missiles, drones, and artillery.

Did Russia attack Ukraine today?

As of March 22, at least thirteen civilians have been killed and 85 others injured since Putin agreed to a partial ceasefire.

Ukraine's Air Force has reportedly intercepted 289 of 564 Russian drones launched, including Shahed-type attack drones.

Another 207 drones have disappeared from radars before reaching their targets, likely acting as decoys to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses.

Have there been any strikes on energy infrastructure reported?

Ukraine on March 21 accused Russia of deliberately attacking the Sudzha gas metering station in Kursk Oblast in an attempt to pin the blame on Kyiv.

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No strikes were reported against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on March 19.

Civilian infrastructure hit on March 21 includes, but is not limited to:

Residential high-rises, houses and infrastructure facilities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Social infrastructure, a residential high-rise and 7 private houses, cars and a cemetery in Kherson Oblast

Local enterprises, 6 homes, and a power line in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Civilian infrastructure hit on March 20 includes, but is not limited to:

Critical infrastructure, residential areas, and social facilities in Kherson Oblast

An agricultural enterprise, and 12 homes in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

A residential high-rise, a shopping center, and several shops in Odesa Oblast

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Civilian infrastructure hit on March 19 includes, but is not limited to:

Homes, residential buildings, and railway infrastructure in Kropyvnytskyi in Kirovohrad Oblast

Four high-rise buildings, 18 houses, and a cellular tower in Kherson Oblast

Six houses and a medical clinic in Kharkiv Oblast

One apartment building, one house, and a shopping center in Sumy Oblast

Twenty-six reports of damage to cars, apartments, private houses, outbuildings, and infrastructure facilities in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Did Ukraine attack Russia today?

Russia's Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast was successfully hit by Ukrainian drones overnight on March 20, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

A fire, explosions, and secondary detonations of ammunition were recorded at the airbase following the attack carried out by the SBU and the Special Operations Forces, the source said.

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The Engels-2 military airbase hosts strategic bomber planes regularly used for aerial strikes on Ukraine.

Read also: Russias Engels airbase ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

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A Putnam County man faces charges after an Indiana State Police investigation into allegation that a 14-year-old girl had been inappropriately touched by an adult male.

Arrested was Casey W. Grayson, 40, of Reelsville. He faces charges of sexual misconduct with a minor/intercourse or other sexual behavior (Class 4 felony, 2 counts); sexual misconduct with a minor/fondling or touching (Class 6 felony); and possession of child pornography (Level 6 felony, 10 counts).

ISP said its investigation revealed that Grayson allegedly had committed sexual misconduct with a female juvenile in Putnam County and that he also was in possession of child pornography.

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The Putnam County Prosecutors Office obtained an arrest warrant. Grayson was arrested March 18 by an ISP SWAT Team without incident, troopers said in a news release. Grayson is in Putnam County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond, cash only.

Assisting state police was Susies Place.
A Pierce County Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit that accused local authorities of negligence after a Puyallup woman was arrested for DUI but actually had suffered a stroke.

Jane Carhuff and a family representative sued the city of Puyallup and Central Pierce Fire & Rescue more than three years after her November 2019 arrest for which charges were dismissed, alleging that Puyallup police ignored protocol for DUI testing and firefighters rendered a medical opinion without the necessary expertise.

As a result, the 54-year-old postal worker spent more than three hours in custody reportedly acting strangely. A day or so after Carhuff returned home and her condition  alleged to have been the product of drug intoxication  didnt improve, her family took her to a local hospital where she was diagnosed with having suffered a massive stroke, according to the suit.

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The delay in receiving medical care significantly worsened Carhuffs chances of recovery, and she continued to suffer strokes until her death in September 2023, according to the suit and her obituary.

In separate motions filed in court, the city of Puyallup and Central Pierce Fire & Rescue denied wrongdoing and sought to dismiss the case. Earlier this month, Judge TaTeasha Davis granted their motions, ending the case before a scheduled April trial, court records show.

We were all stunned, attorney Darrell Cochran, one of the lawyers representing Carhuff and her family representative, said in an interview Tuesday.

Cochran said the plaintiffs legal counsel planned to appeal Davis decision and, if successful, the cases trial date would be reset.

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The case hinged on whether Carhuff exhibited obvious signs of a stroke after she caused at least two crashes on her way to a doctors appointment. Attorneys for the city argued the plaintiffs own experts admitted she was not clearly showing such signs and that her behaviors were consistent with intoxication.

In a statement Wednesday, Puyallup City Attorney Joseph Beck expressed deepest condolences to Carhuffs family on behalf of the city, calling her death a profound tragedy.

We are grateful that the court, after a thorough review of all the facts presented, has determined that the City met the highest standard of care expected of law enforcement, Beck said.

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue, which examined Carhuff prior to her arrest, argued in a court filing that emergency medical technicians acted appropriately.

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Central Pierce Fire & Rescue is committed to providing the highest standard of emergency medical care to our community, a department spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday. Our focus remains on serving with professionalism and compassion.

Morning drive turns frantic

On Nov. 11, 2019, feeling ill, Carhuff embarked on a roughly 20-minute drive to a doctors appointment after eating breakfast with her brothers wife and daughter, both of whom described her as acting normally, according to the lawsuit.

En route to her doctor, Carhuff suffered a medical emergency, inadvertently causing three crashes that badly damaged her vehicle before she arrived at her doctors office, a clinic at 610 S. Meridian, where she entered through the reception area and waited to be seen, the suit said.

All the while, Puyallup police frantically sought a hit-and-run driver, spurred by 911 calls from crash victims, including one who provided license-plate information, according to the suit. Officers identified Carhuff as the suspect and learned her whereabouts from family upon visiting her home, leading police to respond to her doctors office, the suit said.

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Central Pierce Fire & Rescue (CPFR) personnel also arrived at the scene.

The lawsuit alleged that Carhuff was mistreated by police and firefighters, despite purportedly being confused, disoriented and manifesting the effects of someone having a stroke.

Fire personnel conducted their own medical assessment, instead of consulting with Carhuffs doctor or taking her to a local hospital roughly 300 yards away, according to the suit. Only Carhuffs blood sugar was tested after she reportedly referenced being diabetic, the suit said, adding that CPFR concluded that she wasnt in medical distress but under the influence of an unknown intoxicant.

In arresting Carhuff, police officers were accused of failing to follow standard DUI protocol by not conducting field-sobriety tests or contacting a drug-recognition expert, according to the suit.

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In a response filed in court, the city of Puyallup did not dispute that Carhuff had been unsteady on her feet and unable to follow simple instructions; that three EMTs who examined her had reported finding no medical problem; or that she was later diagnosed with a stroke.

However, the city said it was reasonable for officers to conclude that Carhuff was intoxicated. In particular, Carhuff told officers she had taken the prescription sedative Ambien and severe-cold medication that morning, the citys defense counsel said, noting that an expert witness for the plaintiffs acknowledged that Carhuffs symptoms aligned with the effects of the sedative.

It is undisputed she had something dry and crusty on her lips, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and her face was flushed, the citys legal counsel wrote in a court filing. It is undisputed she acted confused.

The plaintiffs legal counsel denied that Carhuff had taken prescription or other medication that would have impaired her ability to drive.

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Other details were in dispute or later changed.

For instance, the two sides disagreed on the number of crashes Carhuff had been involved in on the way to her doctors appointment: The city said two, but Cochran told The News Tribune that it was indeed three.

The city also noted that Carhuff had been in custody in the Puyallup Jail for fewer than three hours before she bailed herself out. The original and amended lawsuits said bail was posted roughly eight hours after her arrest, but plaintiffs later reduced that time frame to three-plus hours in a subsequent filing, which Cochran said resulted from further investigation.

We consider it a very strong case and one thats very solidly on legal grounds, he said Tuesday, insisting that there had been absolutely no basis for Carhuffs arrest.

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Law enforcement has an obligation to not worsen the health condition of people with whom it interacts, he said, which is exactly what happened in this situation.

Beck said the city of Puyallup would remain dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all of its residents.

We understand the impact this case has had on the Carhuff family, and we continue to extend our heartfelt sympathies, he said.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS)  Shreveport Firefighters recognized the bravery and life-saving efforts of a local 10-year-old this week.

On Tuesday, at the Caddo Parish Public Schools Board Meeting, Chief Clarence Reese presented Keron Johnson with a certificate of commendation honoring his heroic actions on January 24, 2025.

Child alerts family during fire emergency at their Shreveport home

According to the Shreveport Fire Department, a fire broke out in Kerons family home on Elbert Circle just before 6:00 a.m. that day. He alerted his family of what was happening, and all six members escaped unharmed.

The certificate Keron received reads, Through your quick-thinking and decisive action, you ensured the safety and well-being of your loved ones, enabling them to evacuate the home without harm.

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It continued, The Shreveport Fire Department and the entire community extend their deepest gratitude for your selflessness and courageous response. Your actions will serve as an inspiration to others and reminder of the power of quick thinking in times of crisis.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTALnews.com.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  The largely private relationship between Quinta Brunson and her husband of three years is over.

Brunson, the star and creator of the hit ABC series Abbott Elementary, filed to divorce Kevin Anik on Wednesday.

Her filing in Los Angeles Superior Court states the pair have an agreement they signed after marriage on how their assets should be divided in a divorce. They have no children together, so the divorce should be relatively straightforward and keep details about the breakup private.

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Anik and Brunson dated for several years before marrying in October 2021, though both have been extremely private about their relationship. Brunson thanked Anik when she won an Emmy Award in 2022, which People magazine described as the first public confirmation they were married, and again when she won the best comedy actress Emmy in September.

People and other outlets' profiles of Brunson and Anik's relationship have few details about him, mostly noting that the actor called him the most supportive man I've ever known when she accepted an Emmy for writing Abbott Elementary in 2022.

The divorce filing does not list a date the couple separated.

The filing was first reported Thursday by celebrity website TMZ.
Dr. Michael Reuter waves during the Rhode Island Senate session on Thursday, March 20, 2025, after he was confirmed to sit on the Coastal Resources Management Council. (Photo by Nancy Lavin/Rhode Island Current)

The embattled Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) has had a tough time recruiting new members.

The 10-member panel has been four seats shy of a full roster since December  not unusual in recent years. Controversy surrounding the appointed regulatory body did not dissuade Dr. Michael Reuter, a Barrington podiatric surgeon and avid sailor, from seeking an appointment to the council.

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In an interview at the Rhode Island State House Thursday, Reuter said his experience on the Barrington Harbor Commission motivated him to help oversee development and public access along the states 400 miles of shoreline.

What got frustrating was we would spend hours talking about local issues, then have to send our opinion to the CMRC, Reuter said.

His enthusiasm was enough for the Rhode Island Senate to give its blessing to Reuters appointment to the council, as submitted by Gov. Dan McKee. The unanimous vote was met with a round of applause.

Reuter did not speak, but waved to lawmakers following the vote. He was accompanied by his wife, Alison and 13-year-old daughter Maddy, along with other extended family members.

But a bigger conversation about reforming  or eliminating  the politically appointed arm of the agency is far from over.

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Various pieces of legislation introduced in both chambers aim to reverse the tide of complaints against the council for controversial decision on everything from a Block Island marina expansion  which was later reversed by the Rhode Island Supreme Court  to aquaculture farms and a sea wall built by a North Kingstown country club in defiance of state coastal protections. The most sweeping set of companion bills, from Sen. Mark McKenney, a Warwick Democrat, and Rep. Terri Cortvriend, a Portsmouth Democrat, would eliminate the council altogether, reshaping the agency as a standalone administrative one much like the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM).

Backers of CRMC comprehensive reform include Save the Bay and Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha. But legislative leaders and McKee have remained noncommittal, pointing to the $1.2 to $2.9 million cost estimated by the state budget office last year.

A separate bill by Rep. Jay Edwards, a Tiverton Democrat, would also abolish the council and funnel the administrative arm of the agency directly into DEM. Meanwhile, Sen. V Susan Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat, has proposed legislation that would keep the council intact, but require a three-fifths majority vote  rather than a simple majority  for the council to override staff recommendations.

None of the bills have been scheduled for committee hearings as of Thursday.

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During Reuters initial confirmation hearing on March 13, members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture made clear that their support of Reuters nomination was intended as a stop-gap solution to help the council meet its six-member quorum requirement. Lawmakers could later approve bills to abolish the council, ending Reuters term much sooner than the January 2027 expiration.

Reuter on Thursday said he did not know enough about the legislation to comment. However, he stressed the value of having residents from various backgrounds and geographic locations serve on the council.

Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski, who nominated Reuter for confirmation, noted that even if any reform bills pass this year, the changes will also need approval from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

As we can imagine these steps will take time, Sosnowski, a South Kingstown Democrat, and chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture, said. In the meantime, pending matters before the CRMC and a quorum is needed to conduct their meetings.

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Sosnowski praised Reuter as a highly motivated individual, noting his previously expressed commitments to upholding the state shoreline access law and protection of its natural resources.

Senators grilled Reuter with questions during an initial panel hearing on March 13. Reuter, who works as board-certified podiatric surgeon at Medical Associates of Rhode Island, Rhode Island Hospitals Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine and The Miriam Hospital, said he was a man of science. He also affirmed he would be able to attend the councils bimonthly meetings when questioned  a nod to the attendance issues which have previously forced the council to cancel meetings and delay key votes because it is unable to reach a quorum.

While Reuters day job has nothing to do with the intricacies of coastal habitats and protections, he earned a bachelors degree in biology at Roger Williams University, and served more than 10 years on the Barrington Harbor Commission.

A Barrington native and lifelong sailor, he serves as rear commodore for the Barrington Yacht Clubs board of governors. He also runs the clubs sailing training program, which has turned into a great passion, David Materne, past yacht club commodore, wrote in a March 10 letter to lawmakers.

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He has a strong passion and love for anything to do with the water and getting our youth involved in sailing, Materne wrote.

Reuter also created and continues to run Barringtons Invitational Regatta  a first-of-its-kind junior regatta in the region that is free for all participants. The annual event attracts over 100 junior sailors from around the region, Leeds Mitchell, president of MG Commercial Real Estate, said in a letter to lawmakers.

Reuter served more than a decade on the Barrington Harbor Commission, from 2013 to 2024, according to his resume, obtained by Rhode Island Current. Reuter also serves on Sail Newports advisory council and on the board of directors for the Providence Community Boating Center.

His appointment fills the vacancy left by former council member Catherine Robinson Hall, who resigned in May 2024, two-thirds of the way through her three-year term.

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Hall, a former DEM staff attorney who now works as a coastal policy professor at Williams College, cited work and family obligations as reasons for her resignation.

McKee has not yet named his picks to fill the other three open positions on the council, but is actively recruiting candidates, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKees office, said in an email.

All but one of the politically appointed members are serving beyond their current terms expiration date. State law lets appointed panel members serve beyond their three-year terms until a replacement is named or they are appointed for a new term.

Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Sen. Dawn Euer were absent from the vote on Thursday.

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A convicted sex offender has admitted to enticing a 12-year-old girl for sex and then launching a murder-for-hire plot to kill her, the U.S. Attorney said Thursday.

Chander J. Cardente, 30, pleaded guilty in federal court on Thursday to enticement of a minor, commission of a felony while being required to register as a sex offender, and interstate murder for hire, Acting U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom said in a statement.

Cardente is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23. He is being held without bail.

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Cardente was previously convicted in a Rhode Island state court for child molestation, which required him to register as a sex offender, Miron Bloom said.

According to court documents, in the summer of 2021, Cardente, while posing as a 17-year-old, began communicating with the minor victim through a messaging app. He told the girl that he was interested in having sex with her.

In December 2021, he met the girl a short distance from her middle school, drove her to various locations in Rhode Island, and engaged in sexual contact with her multiple times, prosecutors said. Cardente was subsequently arrested and detained in state custody.

While being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions, Cardente communicated by telephone with another person, expressing his intent that the girl be killed.

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In a conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer, Cardente told the officer that the victim needed to end up dead because she was a witness, prosecutors said.

Cardente offered the undercover officer $200 in cash and equipment worth $1,500 for the murder-for-hire plot, prosecutors said.

Homeland Security Investigations; police departments in Warwick, Cranston, and Burrillville; Rhode Island State Police; and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections Special Investigations Unit investigated the case.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Were only three months in the year, and already the country has been torn apart by what seems like a rise in blatant racist attacks against Black Americans. The verbal, physical, and political violence towards our people has many in fear of what the future of America will entail, especially in the midst of President Donald J. Trumps second term .

But while attacks on DEI and legislation from the Civil Rights Movement are all cause for concern, just like always, Black people have fought back and bounced back from adversities against us. In this list, The Root is taking a look at all the racist attacks that occurred in 2025. But dont feel discouraged, youll be more than surprised to see exactly how Black folks fought back.

Hanged From a Tree

Photo: YouTube

Back in 2020, then-18-year-old activist Miracle Boyd was struck in the face by a police officer during a protest. The cop, who has since resigned, even knocked out Boyds tooth. Five years later, Boyd received a $280,000 settlement, according to Fox 32 News. But just one day after her settlement was announced, Boyd was sent a letter full of racially motivated attacks. The person even told her Miracle Boyd deserves to be knocked unconscious and be hanged from a tree.

Karen Pops Off At a Kindergarten

That was assault. White woman spits on and threatens to kill a Black woman over bench seating at a graduation. Why can't these people assimilate into civilized society. Why is this subhuman behavior continuously coddled? pic.twitter.com/971hTCgr9L   Kev_Almighty  (@BigYash_609) March 8, 2025

During a kindergarten graduation ceremony in Florida, a white woman took things a little too far during an altercation with a Black woman. The Karen threatened the Black woman, allegedly saying I will f***ing kill you. But to make matters even worse, the white woman eventually leans over and spits at the Black woman.

Teen Charged After Vandalizing Schools

Screenshot: St. Louis County Police Department

Police say two MO schools were vandalized this month. The first attack occurred on March 7 at Affton High School, when officials discovered swastikas and other offensive messages had been spray painted on an outside wall, according to Fox 2 News. On March 12, officers were called to Rogers Middle School where racial slurs, including a threat to kill Black people, swastikas, the words wite power, and the numbers 88, which means Hail Hitler were all painted on the building, according to KSDK. Eventually, 18-year-old Patrick Sloan was arrested and charged with the crimes after his mother recognized him from wanted posters and turned him in.

RFK Jr. Says Black Americans Dont Need Vaccines

Photo: Michael M. Santiago (Getty Images)

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as the Secretary of Health and Human Services on Feb. 13, despite his documented history of being anti-vaccine and perpetuating racist ideas. As The Root previously reported, his confirmation represents an unprecedented regression in the American health system. Most notably, the Trump nominee claimed a series of studies in Poland showed Black folks have a much stronger reaction to particular antigens. Meaning in his mind, Black Americans should be on a different vaccine schedule than other Americans.

You Wouldnt Be Here if We Didnt Bring You Here

Screenshot: Reddit

A heated exchange between two women in Iowa took a racial turn when the white woman told the Black woman filming her You wouldnt be here if we didnt bring you here. From there, the women excused her offensive statement saying Hey, Im Jewish... So you know what? Big deal. The Black woman stood her ground and was not afraid or threatened by the womans attacks.

LAPD Exposed for Racism

Photo: Jonathan Alcorn (Getty Images)

As The Root previously reported, the LAPD was exposed after a formal complaint was filed citing racism, sexism, and homophobia. In one conversation, a Latina LAPD officer offered this advice on how to fight African Americans: You hit black people in the liver; I heard they got weak livers, according to the complaint filed Jan. 5 with the Los Angeles Police Departments Professional Standards Bureau and the inspector generals office.

Ending Black History Month at the Department of Defense

Photo: Omar Marques (Getty Images)

On Jan. 31, the Department of Defense announced all identity months dead at DoD. This came just days after the president signed an executive order to ban DEI at the federal level. Because of the DoD memo, celebrations like Womens History Month, Pride Month, and even Black History Month will not be recognized within the department.

Male Karen Gets His Karma

Photo: SUZANNE CORDEIRO (Getty Images)

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It all started when the alleged attacker, Wilfred Francis Hutson IV, spotted a Black man sitting in his own car. According to an affidavit obtained by MLive.com, the Black man was waiting inside his vehicle when Hutson allegedly accused him of staring at him. Thats when the white man began hurling racial slurs at the Black man, eventually prompting the victim to drive off. Hutson chased the Black man down and even physically attacked him. He was later arrested and charged with felony ethnic intimidation and misdemeanor assault and battery.

Blacks Need Not Apply

Photo: Sean Gallup (Getty Images)

On Feb. 10, Military.com reported that the Army and other service branches will get rid of recruiting efforts at this years Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA). The annual conference has had a long-running public partnership with Army Recruiting Command, as we previously reported. In response, an Army general told Military.com they found halting recruiting efforts discriminatory. Its f***ing racist. For the Army now, its Blacks need not apply and it breaks my heart, they said.

Neo-Nazis Attack Cincinnati

Photo: Mark Wilson (Getty Images)

In early February, a Uhaul van full of neo-Nazis gathered in the predominantly Black Cincinnati suburb of Lincoln Heights for a demonstration. They wore masks and carried guns as they called residents racist slurs. The group of white supremacists also waved flags with red swastikas on a highway overpass. Soon afterwards, someone went as far as to spread racist pamphlets from the Ku Klux Klan all over Lincoln Heights, as we previously reported.

Trump and MAGA Blame DEI For Fatal Plane Crash

Photo: Tasos Katopodis (Getty Images)

Even with DEI being banned by the president, Trump and his supporters still managed to blame DEI for the fatal collision between a D.C. bound passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter last month. The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative, Trump said during a press conference. And because of it, the president claimed DEI caused a lowering of standards for FAA employees, leading to the crash.

ICE Attorneys Alleged Racist Tweets Exposed

Photo: Texas Observer

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James Rodden, an attorney who worked for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was accused of allegedly operating a racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful, harassing and dishonest X account, according to a legal complaint filed against him. As The Root previously reported, the account, which boasts over 17,000 followers, contained tweets including, America is a white country, founded by whites, and Migrants are all criminals.

Kanye West Declares Himself a Nazi

Photo: Matthias Nareyek (Getty Images)

The Chicago rapper caught everyone off guard when he called himself a nazi, saying I LOVE HITLER NOW WHAT B*TCHES and flat out confessing IM A NAZI. In a rant on X, Ye even addressed his past social media posts sexualizing former Vice President Kamala Harris. Now, he says I DONT KNOW KAMALA AND I AINT GOT NOTHING AGAINST THAT LADY SHE WAS JUST BEING USED FOR WHAT THEY CALL THE BLACK VOTE. The rapper has since continued spewing racist and homophobic language attacking Black Americans, Jewish people, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Karen Siblings Charged With Murder

Screenshot: YouTube

John Chong Uk Moon, 54, and Cindy Kim, 58, are in police custody after being caught on video hurling racial slurs at a couple eating.What are you looking at, n****r? Moon asked the woman recording him. Apparently, the beef began before the woman pulled out her phone. She alleged Moon started verbally attacking her and calling her names. Moons sister, Kim, jumped in and told the Florida duo Dont be a n****r, dont act n****rly. Moon then called the male tourist white trash among other things. The video of the siblings eventually went on to help identify Moon and Kim as suspects in the murder of a 66-year-old family man, The Root reported.

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British fighter jets will police the skies above Ukraine under proposals being discussed by Sir Keir Starmers coalition of the willing.

The Telegraph understands that key military planners discussed sending British Typhoons to Ukraine to provide air cover for troops when they met at Permanent Joint Headquarters on Thursday.

It comes as Emmanuel Macron explores alternatives to his plan with Sir Keir Starmer to put European boots on the ground to protect a future peace deal in Ukraine.

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The French president is considering the possibility of the mission being led by the United Nations, and raised the subject at a European Council summit on Thursday, The Telegraph understands.

Sir Keir attended separate talks in Northwood, which were led by Lt Gen Nick Perry, the chief of joint operations, along with more than 30 nations who met to discuss how the coalition of the willing could help Ukraine.

The Prime Minister has already pledged to put British troops on the ground if Donald Trump successfully negotiates a peace deal with Vladimir Putin.

A senior RAF source told The Telegraph that British air cover would have been discussed at the meeting because in the event UK soldiers go into Ukraine, there will be a requirement for top cover.

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We would never send British troops out on the ground without giving them air cover, he said.

The RAF would provide either Typhoons or F35s as both provide excellent air-to-air policing.

Sir Keir Starmer and John Healey, the Defence Secretary, visit a military base to meet planners mapping out the next steps in the coalition of the willing in London on Thursday - Alastair Grant/Pool via REUTERS

Uncertainty over whether the US will supply any air cover in Ukraine has created the need for Britain to take the lead.



Mr Trump has so far indicated that he will not provide any military support and he has called on Europe to step up shouldering the burden of supporting Ukraine.

Sir Keir said on Thursday that military planning for the coalition of the willing has been broken down into sea, air, land and borders, and the regeneration of Ukraine.

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He said: The political momentum that weve built up... is being translated here into military planning and operational planning, and broadly broken out into different areas.

So were looking at the sea in one scenario, the sky, obviously land and borders, and regeneration.

During Sir Keirs visit to Permanent Joint Headquarters he said: We hope there will be a deal but what I do know is if there is a deal, the time for planning is now. Its not after a deal is reached.

Sir Keir added: It is vitally important we do that work because we know one thing for certain, which is a deal without anything behind it is something that Putin will breach.

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We know that because it happened before. Im absolutely clear in my mind it will happen again.

While all nations across Europe have the ability to send fighter jets, only the US and France can send airborne early warning and control aircraft that provide critical surveillance, including detection of missiles.

However, the RAF source said the British Army and RAF will be part of the first vanguard into Ukraine.

The Brits will likely be one of the first nations to commit because everyone follows the Brits, he said. If the Yanks arent telling people what to do, its for Keir Starmer to say.

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A number of nations would be involved in sending air cover at any one time, which would be operated on a rotational basis, the source added.

A No10 source stressed that nothing had been committed or confirmed in terms of air cover.

Britain has already agreed that as part of the Nato Enhanced Forward Presence, six Typhoons will be sent to Poland to conduct air-to-air policing for the first time in the coming weeks.

The source added that more could be sent if Typhoons needed to be redirected to Ukraine as they would be in the right part of eastern Europe.

A defence source said that discussions on Thursday would have also included what any air cover looked like, which nations could provide the aircraft, to where they would be based and refuelled.

Source says Typhoons would provide excellent air-to-air policing

At defence talks in Paris last week, attended by John Healey, the Defence Secretary, and Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the defence staff, senior military sources insisted the coalition of the willing would be more like a reassurance force as opposed to a peacekeeping presence.

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One senior military source stressed that the key priorities for the coalition were securing Ukraines airspace and bringing the Black Sea back into international waters.

Its Ukraine having confidence in their own nation to start the economic journey and get displaced people back to their country, he said.

Luke Pollard, the Armed Forces minister, set out some of the ways a peacekeeping mission could operate.

He told BBC Radio 4s Today: If one nation offers fast jet combat air, like a Typhoon aircraft, for instance, how will the other nations work alongside it? Where will it refuel?

How will it operate with other nations capabilities?

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Its that type of planning that were doing today to make sure that any force in or around Ukraine can be as credible as possible and, importantly, support our Ukrainian friends to defend their country and their front line, because it will be for them that this is primarily designed to support.

It comes after Prince William met Ukrainian refugees in Estonia on Thursday, hailing the Ukrainian resilience.

On Friday he will join British troops stationed at the front line of Natos defence against Russia, joining them in a field exercise at Tapa Camp, the Army base just 80 miles from the Russian border.

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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Pastor Nilka Marrero will slam her hand on the table, raise her voice and, if needed, shake her parishioners while playing the role of a federal agent.

Many of her parishioners are undocumented immigrants, and she believes that role-playing with them can help prepare them for the threat of arrest as authorities step up immigration raids to a scale never before seen in Puerto Rico.

They appear and snatch people, Marrero said.

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For decades, undocumented immigrants have lived in the U.S. territory without fear of arrest. They're allowed to open bank accounts and obtain a special drivers license. Many have felt safe enough to open their own businesses.

Then, on Jan. 26, large-scale arrests began.

U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents raided a well-known Dominican community in a nod to a new policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has pledged to deport millions of people who have entered the United States illegally.

The arrests have angered Puerto Rican officials and civil leaders who have created programs to help the islands undocumented immigrants, many of whom are from the Dominican Republic.

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Arrests and questions

An estimated 55,000 Dominicans live in Puerto Rico, although some experts believe the number could be even higher. Its unclear how many are undocumented, although some 20,000 have the special drivers license.

More than 200 people have been arrested since Jan. 26, nearly all men. Of those arrested, 149 are Dominican, according to data ICE provided The Associated Press.

Sandra Colon, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Puerto Rico, said the agency is focusing on those with a criminal record or who have received a final court ruling that they must leave the country. But she said she did not immediately have available how many of those arrested have criminal records.

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Annette Martinez, Puerto Ricos ACLU director, said its unknown where those arrested have been taken or if they have been deported. Were concerned about the different methods ICE is using for detainment, she said.

A park gone silent

On a recent morning in Puerto Ricos capital, speakers at a barbershop played an English tutorial as a couple of Dominican migrants studying to become U.S. citizens listened closely.

The business faces a park where the Dominican community had long gathered. It's now mostly silent and empty. Gone is the lively merengue music, the excited chatter, the slap of dominoes.

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An undocumented migrant who asked to be identified only by his nickname, the fisherman, because he feared jeopardizing his case in federal court, said he was arrested near the park.

He had illegally entered Puerto Rico in 2014 to seek more income because his wife back home had breast cancer and he could not afford her treatment working as a fisherman in the Dominican coastal town of Samana.

I needed to make a living," he said.

His wife died, but the man decided to stay in Puerto Rico. His son also came to the island. The fisherman first worked in construction, but after falling off a second-story floor and shattering his pelvis, he resumed fishing once he healed.

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He sold fish at the park until Jan. 26. That day, he was sitting in a van while his son bought them lunch.

Three agents pulled me out, he recalled.

They arrested seven people at that moment, including his son.

The man said they slept on the floor of several jails and were given only bread and water as they were transferred to the Puerto Rican town of Aguadilla, then Miami and finally Texas.

Authorities sent the man back to Puerto Rico for judicial proceedings, where he remains out on bond with an ankle monitor. His son is in a Miami jail.

Were torn apart, he said as his voice cracked.

A swell of support

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Every day, Marrero keeps an eye out for white vans that might be circulating near her church.

Inside, more than a dozen volunteers fold donated clothes and prepare free meals for undocumented immigrants who are too scared to leave their homes.

Theyre panicking, said Jose Rodriguez, president of the Dominican Committee of Human Rights. Theyre afraid to go out; theyre afraid to take their children to school.

In February, Puerto Ricos Education Department noted that schools with a high number of Dominican students saw absentee rates of up to 70%. Officials have since ordered school principals to keep their gates closed and not open them to federal agents unless they have a warrant.

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The mayor of San Juan, Miguel Romero, has said municipal police are not working for or helping federal agents, and that the city is offering legal aid and other assistance.

Meanwhile, Julio Roldan Concepcion, mayor of Aguadilla, a northwest coastal town where many undocumented migrants arrive by boat, called for empathy.

Any undocumented migrant can come by city hall if they need help, he said. I am not going to ask to see papers to give it to them.  We are all brothers here.

Officials in Puerto Rico's health sector also have offered to help undocumented migrants. Carlos Diaz Velez, president of the Association of Medical Surgeons, announced that undocumented migrants would receive online medical care in light of the raids that have condemned thousands of immigrants to confinement."

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Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez, a Republican who supports Trump, initially said the presidents initiative would not affect immigrants in Puerto Rico. Since then, she has said the island cannot afford to ignore Trump's directives on migrant arrests, noting that federal funds are at risk.

Shortly after the January arrests, the Episcopalian Church in Puerto Rico announced a new program that offers migrants food as well as legal, psychological and spiritual help. More than 100 people have sought help, said Bishop Rafael Morales Maldonado.

The church is never going to be against a law, but it will oppose its effects, he said.

An honorable, dignified return

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Federal agents initially targeted neighborhoods in San Juan, but they have since fanned out across the island and into work sites, Rodriguez said.

A man who declined to be identified because his court case is pending, said he was arrested on Feb. 26. He first arrived in Puerto Rico in 2003 but was arrested upon reaching shore. After being deported, he tried again in February 2007. He got a construction job and then opened his own company.

I had never felt unsafe, he said.

But one afternoon, a woman whose house he was working on complained about his work. The following day, federal agents arrested him and his employees as soon as they arrived at the work site. Thats when he found out the woman had taken a picture of his van and reported him.

How can people want to hurt someone so much? he said.

His attorney said he has a court date on April 1. The man said he applied years ago for U.S. residency but never received a response. His wife is a naturalized U.S. citizen and his daughter lives legally in Orlando, Florida.

As the arrests continue, Marrero, the pastor, keeps educating undocumented migrants. If they have children born in Puerto Rico, she urges to make sure to have their children's passports and custody papers in order and on hand.

She says she asks them to repeat the responses they should give agents depending on what theyre told to do, noting that many dont know how to read or write or do so poorly.

We have prepared them for an honorable, dignified return, she said.
MONTPELIER Vt. (ABC22 FOX44)  Some lawmakers and advocates are calling on the community to support whats known as Raise the Age, a law that would include 19-year-olds to be charged as juveniles.

No more delays, lets follow the science, lets follow the data. Vermont can show the United States that we can be smart on crime by treating youth like youth, said Dr. Nikhil Goyal, a Sociologist at The University of Vermont and a former Bernie Sanders Policy Advisor.

Advocates launched the Treat Youth Like Youth Coalition on Wednesday morning in support of a Raise the Age second phase. It includes raising the maximum age for juvenile offenses from 18 to 19 and increasing the minimum age at which children can be charged with juvenile offenses from 10 to 12.

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The expansion bill has seen pushback from enforcement agencies since the original law passed in 2018. In January Governor Phil Scott, who says the law does not provide enough accountability and has led to an increase in crime, called for a repeal of the expansion entirely.

Another delay, especially without addressing the concerns raised numerous times already, could negatively impact youth within our justice system, said Jordan Souder, an ACLU Vermont Policy Advisor.

According to Dr. Goyal, the House version of H.2 would delay parts of the bill from going into effect until 2027. State senator Tanya Vyhovsky, says she believes continuing to put young people into an adult prison system does more harm than good.

We are going to pay for the adjudication of 18 and 19-year-olds one way or another. We either do it through a trauma informed treatment based family court system, where these young people get the support they need to change the path they are on, or we can do it it through the Department of Corrections and warehouse them into a traumatizing system that is not built to meet their needs or set them on the right path forward, she said.

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The state senator, who has a background as a clinical social worker, says there are plans to fight for the law in the senate. Other speakers offered similar concerns, urging people to call their lawmakers to support raising the age.

Testimony on the bill has already begun and the deadline is April 1. Lawmakers would have to repeal or delay the bill before then, otherwise Raise the Age will go into effect.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Last month, the United Kingdom Home Secretary reportedly demanded access to user data of any Apple customer on the planet. Apple chose to degrade U.K. users' data protection instead of complying with the order. In a letter to the U.S. attorney general this week, Sen. Rand Paul (RKy.) expressed concern about the order and requested information on any other recent orders.

"Recent reports suggest that authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have issued an order to a U.S. company requiring access to all end-to-end encrypted materials of UK users," wrote Paul, who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi. "This action raises significant questions about the integrity of U.S. user data in the context of the Cloud Act and UK statutes."

The Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, passed in 2018 as part of a 2,000-plus page omnibus spending bill, requires tech companies to provide information about customers to the government when asked, even if that information is stored outside the United States. The Department of Justice later entered into a data sharing agreement with the U.K. under the CLOUD Act.

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When the bill came up for a vote, Paul tweeted an article in which American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) legislative counsel Neema Singh Guliani wrote that "Congress should reject the CLOUD Act because it fails to protect human rights or Americans' privacygives up their constitutional role, and gives far too much power to the attorney general, the secretary of state, the president and foreign governments."

In his letter to Bondi, Paul relayed that the U.K.'s demand was "the latest concerning attempt by law enforcement entities to obtaining 'backdoor' access to private user context under the pretext of national security."

To that end, he asked for unredacted copies of any requests from the U.K. government for information about U.S.-based companiesknown as a "technical capability notice"received since August 2024. Paul also asked for "records related to any confidentiality agreements or nondisclosure requirements applicable to a U.S. company as it relates to actions authorized pursuant to the USUK Cloud Act Agreement."

Under the U.K.'s Investigatory Powers Actnicknamed the Snooper's CharterBritain can request information about a company's users and forbid the company from disclosing the order's existence.

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The Investigatory Powers Tribunal hears complaints about U.K. government surveillance; in a letter last week, five U.S. lawmakers, led by Sen. Ron Wyden (DOre.), asked the tribunal to "remove the cloak of secrecy related to notices given to American technology companies by the United Kingdom."

In fact, the U.K.'s actions are already chilling American speech. "Apple has informed Congress that had it received a technical capabilities notice, it would be barred by U.K. law from telling Congress whether or not it received such a notice from the U.K., as the press has reported," the letter noted. "Google also recently told Senator Wyden's office that, if it had received a technical capabilities notice, it would be prohibited from disclosing that fact."

The post Rand Paul Seeks Information on U.K. Requests for Americans' Private Data appeared first on Reason.com.
Gov. Andy Beshear helped cut the ribbon on WB Transports new warehouse in London in April 2022. London Mayor Randall Weddle tapped the company's employees and his associates in the reverse logistics business to donate to Beshear's reelection. (WYMT)

FRANKFORT  Lucas Johnson was working hard during the final days of 2022.

Johnsons job is to raise money for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshears political committees, and at the time he was facing a deadline of midnight Dec. 31.

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Contributions before the deadline would be reported to campaign finance regulators in January. Posting big numbers would allow Democrat Beshear to boast of broad support within an overwhelmingly Republican state. Big numbers would make a statement to friend and foe alike.

Johnson knew where to turn  to a man who had come through big for Beshear exactly one year before when Beshear was just starting to raise money for reelection.

He turned to Randall Weddle, the mayor of London, a Republican and a founder of a company called WB Transport.

Johnson spent a lot of time communicating with Weddle in the closing days of 2022, according to records obtained by the Kentucky Lantern from the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance (KREF) under an Open Records Act request.

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The records show Johnson and Weddle exchanged at least 86 text messages between Dec. 27 and Dec. 30  texts that provide a rare glimpse into the murky world of political fundraising.

London Mayor Randall Weddle

The texts also show that Weddle played an even more prominent role than previously reported in raising critical early money for Beshears campaign. Weddle and Johnson repeatedly refer in the texts to their work a year earlier at the outset of Beshears fundraising drive when they helped raise well over $200,000 for Beshear from not only Weddles family and employees, but also from the families of business associates who, like WB Transport, are engaged in the reverse logistics trade that buys merchandise returned by customers to retailers and resells it to discount or liquidation outlets.

Those contributions show Weddle played a role in raising well over a half million dollars in critical early money for Beshears campaign and the Kentucky Democratic Party (KDP).

Ive got you 219K this week

In the texts, the two discuss names of Weddle relatives and associates who might donate; Weddle secures donations from some of those people; Johnson  checking the campaigns fundraising portal  confirms donations as the money rolls in. Through it all, Weddle keeps score.

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On the night of Dec. 30, Weddle tells Johnson in his final text, Ive got you 219K this week.

Yessir you have!   Johnson replies. Thank you so much. Ive let the man know.

The next week, Beshears campaign put out a news release trumpeting a fundraising record at the end of 2022  a record the campaign attributed to accomplishments of Beshears three years in office. I deeply appreciate everyone who donated to help ensure that we can continue this progress, Beshear said.

Randall Weddle, then a candidate for London mayor, listens as Gov. Andy Beshear helps celebrate the opening of WB Transports new warehouse in April 2022. (Screenshot with permission of WYMT)

As the 2023 gubernatorial campaign revved up, the Kentucky Lantern decided to try to figure out where all the money came from, which groups had bundled the most contributions to support an incumbent governors reelection.

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The Lanterns examination of the thousands of contributions which Beshear and the KDP had disclosed to the KREF and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) came to the surprising conclusion that the biggest financial backer of Beshear was Weddle.

Weddle himself was not listed as a Beshear donor, but his family members were, as were employees of WB Transport and close business associates. Most of these people had never before made a political contribution at all. Yet here they were listed as giving maximum contributions of $2,000 to Beshears campaign and $15,000 to the KDP.

The Lantern reported on April 17, 2023 that this Weddle/WB Transport group gave at least $305,500  perhaps much more  to help Beshear win reelection.

After Lantern story, Weddle reveals a problem

Four days after the Kentucky Lantern story, Weddles attorneys later told KREF, Weddle reported a possible problem directly to Beshear: Most of the contributions in late 2022 attributed in reports to his family members and employees actually were made by Weddle  on his personal credit card.

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The Beshear campaign and KDP quickly reported to KREF that Weddle had said he had inadvertently made excess donations on his credit card  donations that appeared to violate a law that prohibits a donor from exceeding contribution limits by giving in the name of others, so-called straw donors. The Beshear campaign and KDP complied with KREFs recommendation that the $202,000 in excess contributions made on Weddles card be refunded to Weddle.

Andy Beshear, left, and Daniel Cameron. (Kentucky Lantern photos by Austin Anthony)

A record-breaking $70 million race for governor

Fully aware of the tens of millions of dollars that Republicans would spend to reclaim the governorship in Republican Kentucky, incumbent Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear began fundraising for his reelection early and never took his foot off the gas until defeating Republican challenger Daniel Cameron by about 5 percentage points in November of 2023.

In the end, Beshears campaign spent nearly $20 million in the general election  more than four times the $4.3 million spent by Cameron, according to reports the campaigns filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

Camerons side was able to close the gap by getting more independent advertising from Republican outside groups than Beshear got from Democratic outside groups. A pair of Republican mega-donors gave millions of dollars to outside groups supporting Cameron.

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In the end, according to an analysis by Louisville Public Media, the general election saw a record-breaking $70 million in total spending  with Beshears side spending about $40 million and Camerons side spending about $30 million.

KREF investigated the matter and last month its staff recommended that the KREF board find that Weddle had committed 20 violations of the law that prohibits a person from making contributions in the name of someone else, but that Weddle had done so unintentionally. (An unintentional violation is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000; an intentional violation results in a fine and a referral to a prosecutor for investigation of a possible Class D felony.)

The staff recommendation accepted Weddles explanation that he was following Johnsons guidance in initially putting contributions of others on his credit card with the intention that donors later reimburse him. Weddle also said that when he learned his actions might have violated the law he tried hard, but without success, to have Johnson fix the problem.

But board members were troubled. Why did only one of the 13 straw donors agree to answer questions of the KREF investigator? Why was Johnson not interviewed? And if the straw donors had genuinely wanted to give hefty contributions of their own money to Beshear, why did none of them contribute to him later after their initial contribution was refunded because it had been transmitted on Weddles credit card? One member said this situation was quite different from a typical, legal example of bundling contributions where one person gathers voluntary donations of multiple donors.

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The board, composed of Democrats and Republicans, voted 6-0 to reject the recommendation and continue the investigation.

The text messages between Weddle and Johnson

After the board meeting, in response to the Lanterns open records request, KREF released records gathered in the initial investigation  records that were distributed to board members and discussed at length during the board meeting.

The records include the 86 texts between Weddle and Johnson from Dec. 27-30, 2022. Weddles attorneys provided the texts to KREF in response to a subpoena, and the records include several redactions. Weddle attorney Guthrie True said the redacted texts were irrelevant to the investigation and that KREF did not question the redactions.

Weddle began the dialogue at 12:32 p.m. on Dec. 27, asking if Johnson received confirmation of contributions from his wife Victoria, son Nicholas and daughter Alexis to the Beshear campaign. He also tells Johnson, Paul will be sending today.

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This is an apparent reference to Weddles business associate Paul PJ Guastello Jr., of Kansas City, Missouri.

Guastello signed a document filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State last year as member of WB Transport Holdings LLC, of London.

Johnson replies with texts clarifying for Weddle contribution limits set by law. The limit for the Beshear campaign is $2,000 for the entire primary election season. But the limit on contributions to the KDP is $15,000 per year.

Johnson explains that many of Weddles family, friends and employees have already given the max to the campaign, but even though many had already given the maximum to the KDP in late 2021 they could legally give another $15,000 in late 2022.

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Its KDP that we need before the end of the year, Johnson said. And Johnson texted Weddle a link through which he could transmit contributions to the party.

Thats KDP link that everyone can use boss. Anyone who did the $15,000 last year I believe should be able to again if they are willing. Let me know how else I can help. Thank you, Randall!

Money starts to flow

Within five minutes Weddle sends Johnon texts saying that his wife, son and daughter have each donated to the KDP. Thats $45,000.

Yessir we are checking that we received now, Johnson replies. You are the f       man.

Weddle then asks if his mother and mother-in-law can give.

Johnson checks his records and replies: Yep theyre good no contribution on record. And anyone you got last year, like the Woods, Jeremy Bryant, etc can do KDP again.

This text reveals Weddles role in raising a large bundle of contributions a year before for Beshear in December 2021. Johnson apparently is referring to the Kenneth Woods family, which owns H&K Pallet Sales, of London, and Weddles attorney Jeremy Bryant. Four members of the Woods family, Bryant and Bryants wife each were listed as giving the maximum $2,000 to Beshears campaign and $15,000 to the KDP in December of 2021. The December 2021 contributions were not part of KREFs investigation.

Reference to credit card

While discussing the pending contributions coming from his mother and mother-in-law, Weddle tells Johnson, Ill have to use my card theyll give it back to me.

Johnson replied, Okay sounds good.

Weddles lawyers say this exchange makes clear that Weddle was unaware his actions were illegal. They argue that Johnsons response gave him the green light to advance contributions of others on his credit card.

Johnson did not respond to a phone message left for him at the headquarters of the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Ensuing texts indicate Weddle transmits contributions totaling $14,000 in the names of his mother and mother-in-law to the Beshear campaign and KDP.

So a total of $59,000 was given today by my family, Weddle said.

Thank you for your support Randall! Johnson replied. Youre the man!

Later that day Weddle texts a list with names of nine additional donors. Johnson, however, says the campaign and party hadnt yet received those contributions. The text exchange of Dec. 27 ends here.

Just trying to give the governor a good idea

Johnson resumes the discussion on the morning of Dec. 29 saying he still hasnt gotten contributions from donors whose names Weddle had sent two days before. And Johnson reminds Weddle of the big batch of contributions made a year earlier by PJ Guastello and his family.

Hey bossman, Johnson tells Weddle, I dont think weve gotten anything from the list of folks you sent the other day. PJ did his $15K. Is his family planning to do more? Sorry to keep bothering you Randall, just trying to give the governor a good idea where well be after the 31st

Again, on the morning of Dec. 30, Johnson tells Weddle he still has received only contributions from Weddles five family members earlier in the week and PJ Guastello.

OK Ill work on it this evening, Weddle replies.

He did. The two resumed their text dialogue that night. Here are the key texts from Weddle to Johnson on the night of Dec. 30:

At 9:29: Ashley Gray, Kyle Gray, 30K to KDP

At 9:35: Chrystal McAdams, Caden McAdams, $30K to KDP

At 9:39: Carmen Weddle 15K to KDP

At 9:41: Michael Hacker 15K to KDP

At 9:44: Michael Hacker 2K to Andy

At 9:48: Jennifer Weddle 2K to Andy

At 9:50: Jennifer Weddle 15K to KDP

At 9:56: David Owens 15K to KDP 2K to Andy

At 10:07: Alecia Owens 15K to KDP, 2K to Andy.

At 10:07: Lisa Weddle 15K to KDP, 2K to Andy

At 10:09: Weddle brought the discussion to an end: Good news Ive got you 219K this week

Johnson replied, Haha Its a usual thing in fundraising! Yessir you have. Let me know how else I can help boss. Thank you so much. Ive let the man know.

The records released by KREF include only one more text exchanged between the two, and it is a reference to the Lanterns Tom Loftus effort to learn more about how the large bundles of Weddle contributions came about.

Hey Randall, loftus called the KDP today Johnson texted Weddle on March 9, 2023. Well probably need to hop on the phone at some point tomorrow just to make sure we are all on the same page. Thank you sir.

Read the list of donors
To the editor: Thank you, columnist Sammy Roth and the L.A. Times, for this much-needed article ("Santa Monica Bay's protectors caving to Trump," March 13). You have informed us that Tom Ford of the Bay Foundation has shamelessly obeyed in advance and helped execute President Trumps wishes that the issues of climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion be erased from our society.

The foundation did not, in fact, receive orders from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to remove language about climate change and DEI, yet Ford did so anyway. Trump has no legal power to manipulate and manage local and state entities, so Ford chose to do the presidents bidding. Chasing ways to please and appease a bully never works; it just strengthens the bully.

Deborah Bird and William Wright, Venice

The writers are evolutionary and marine biologists, respectively.

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..

To the editor: While I understand and sympathize with Roths questioning of the foundations edits to its annual work plan in order to placate fascist Trump administration edicts about climate change, his alarmist reaction should be resisted. The foundation has a long history of working for Californias coastal interests, particularly for the ecological challenges that face Santa Monica Bay.

Wordsmithing a policy document to ensure continued funding is not a surrender to the lunatic right wing. To be sure, national outrage among even red hats has exploded in only two months of administration gyrations. By the midterm elections in less than two years, Republican congressional representatives will be running for the exits. Weve seen this clown show before.

The Bay Foundation needs federal National Estuary Program funding to continue its great progress. Briefly pandering to the White House in order to ensure funding continuity is good politics, even if we must endure the stench of incompetent federal executive management for another 20 months.

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David Kay, Playa Vista

..

To the editor: Where does it end? The Trump administration continues to stomp around the country demanding certain organizations stop making any reference to climate change and DEI in their correspondence and on their websites. What truly angers me is that these organizations just fold and acquiesce. I understand that some of these organizations are dependent on government dollars, but those dollars are worthless if they can't be used to promote what you do without this administration's preposterous government restrictions.

Daniel V. Shannon, Camarillo

..

To the editor: Virtue signal much? My kids a research diver for the Bay Foundation. The entire research world is being burned and you admonish the powerless. What have you done for the ocean lately? Where was the L.A. Times' bravery when it came time to endorse a presidential candidate? Pot calling kettle: Youre black.

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J. Marvin Campbell, Culver City

..

To the editor: I deeply thank Roth for his full explanation of the difficulty we are facing in our wetlands. We need to protect our wetlands and the plants and animals that live there, hopefully with better support from Ford. We scratch our heads, knowing it's a mess in Washington, D.C., and we do right anyway. We hold much responsibility as shepherds of the wetlands, already worried that some support a destructive bulldozing project at the Ballona Creek Watershed.

For many years, we have worked closely with people whose ancestors are a vibrant coalition, reminding us of the importance of maintaining this lush ecological reserve. As a community, we are dedicated to maintaining the sacred space to honor and support our pristine land for our children, their families and all who follow us. Let's be brave.

Wendy Zacuto, Playa del Rey

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  A man sought by the Reagan County Sheriffs Office as a suspect in a reported fatal stabbing has been arrested, according to the agency.

In an update provided by RCSO on March 20, the sheriffs office stated that Tony Antwan Bingham, a 39-year-old Mississippi native, was located around the Smith County area.

The sheriffs office announced to the public in the late evening hours of March 18 that it was searching for a suspect related to a homicide that occurred later that same day at a location of of FM 2600. In subsequent updates published by RCSO, Bingham was identified as a potential suspect, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

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RELATED: RCSO sheriff gives details on homicide incident

In an interview with Concho Valley Homepage staff, Reagan County Sheriff Jeff Garner stated that the killing occurred at approximately 5:30 p.m. on March 18 at a drilling site in north Reagan County after a verbal altercation between Bingham and a co-worker became physical while the two were cooking steaks. Bingham allegedly stabbed his co-worker multiple times with a steak knife, causing the individual to die due to their injuries.

Bingham then reportedly informed a separate co-worker at the site of the incident before leaving the scene on foot.

A Smith County Jail representative told Concho Valley Homepage staff that Bingham was being booked into the Smith County Jail on a hold out of Reagan County for a charge of murder as of the time of publication.

A photo of Tony Bingham used by the sheriffs office in relation to him being a potential suspect in an alleged homicide that occurred on March 18, 2025.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ConchoValleyHomepage.com.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for all of east central Florida and South Florida.

The warning extends from Volusia County to the north to the southern tip of Florida.

 Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location

The warnings were issued as Florida's peninsula continues to suffer from drought conditions. Most recent rains have been concentrated in the Panhandle and North Florida.

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The combination of low humidity, heat, drought and wind can lead to wildfires.

Here's what you should know.

Red flag warnings issued for east central Florida

A red flag warning has been issued for most of Florida's East Coast March 20, 2025.

A red flag warning has been issued for all of east central Florida Thursday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service Melbourne.

Winds are expected to be out of the southwest at 15 to 20 mph, with gusts of 25 to 30 mph. Combined with a low relative humidity, any fires that start would like spread rapidly, the National Weather Service warned.

"Avoid activities that cause open flames or sparks!"

More red flag warnings issued for South Florida

Red flag warnings issued for South Florida March 20, 2025.

More red flag warnings were issued for South Florida Thursday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The warning extends from Palm Beach County south to the tip of Florida and as far west as the cities of Palmdale and Clewiston.

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The National Weather Service Miami warned winds will be out of the southwest at 10 to 15 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph. Relative humidity will be as low as 30 percent, with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.

"With most of South Florida already under drought conditions, this will lead to critical fire weather concerns Thursday afternoon. Any fires that develop could spread rapidly. Outdoor burning is NOT recommended," the National Weather Service Miami posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

What counties are under a red flag warning?

Nineteen Florida counties (or portions of them) are under a red flag warning:

Brevard

Broward

Charlotte

Collier

Glades

Hendry

Highlands

Indian River

Lake

Lee

Martin

Miami-Dade

Okeechobee

Orange

Osecola

Palm Beach

St. Lucie

Seminole

Volusia

What is a red flag warning?

A red flag warning is issued when "critical fire weather conditions" are in place.

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"A red flag warning means warm temperatures, very low humidity, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger," the National Weather Service said.

Firefighters battle wildfire in Miami-Dade County

Latest from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue regarding the ongoing fire in South Miami-Dade. https://t.co/KU8oV8KZuI  NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 19, 2025

Firefighters with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Florida Forest Service were fighting Wednesday to bring a brush fire in south Miami-Dade County under control.

The fire has burned 14,000 acres and was 20 percent contained as of 5 a.m. Thursday, according to the Florida Forest Service.

Officials have urged residents to watch for road closures; U.S. 1 was closed Wednesday.

People with respiratory conditions should limit outdoor activity and keep windows closed.

As winds become nearly calm late tonight and the nocturnal inversion sets up, the smell of smoke will likely get stronger over portions of southern Miami-Dade. Anyone with respiratory concerns should limit time outdoors and consider keeping your windows closed overnight. #Flwx pic.twitter.com/xl1CEOREDz  NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 19, 2025

Heading to the Florida Keys? What to know about brush fires, smoke, road closures

The 14,000 acre brush fire in southern Miami-Dade County could affect your trip to the Keys.

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U.S. 1 was closed briefly Wednesday, March 19, as firefighters battled the wildfire. Wednesday afternoon, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office said motorists could expect lengthy delays along an 18-mile stretch of U.S. 1, according to the Associated Press.

Smoke also is affecting visibility.

Burn bans in effect for several Florida counties

Burn bans in effect across Florida as of March 4, 2025.

Burns bans are in effect for these counties:

Charlotte

Collier

Glades

Hendry

Highlands

Sarasota

Burning yard debris is always prohibited in these counties:

Duval

Hillsborough

Orange

Pinellas

What should you do - or not do - under a red flag warning?

Forecasters said residents under a red flag warning should follow this advice:

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.

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.

Current drought conditions in Florida

The Keetch-Byram Drought Index average for Florida is 310 on a scale from 0, which is very wet, to 800, which is very dry.

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As of Wednesday, March 19, there are 10 Florida counties with an average Keetch-Byram Drought Index over 500, which means drought or increased fire danger. Another 15 of Florida's 67 counties have index numbers in the 400s.

Broward: 650

Charlotte: 508

Collier: 588

Glades: 560

Hendry: 573

Lee: 548

Martin: 535

Miami-Dade: 640

Monroe: 588

Palm Beach: 609

Interactive map: Enter your address to see closest wildfire risks

Wildfire and smoke tracker: Active wildfires in Florida

Everyday wildfire prevention tips

Tips to help prevent wildfires.

"Most wildfires are caused by humans; many everyday things can create sparks," the National Weather Service said. Suggestions for everyday wildfire prevention include:

Have a 10-foot radius around campfires, burning brush, etc. and never leave a fire unattended. Properly extinguish the blaze before leaving.

Use grills and smokers on gravel or paved surfaces.

Do not toss a lit cigarette on the ground. Put ashes in a metal container with a tight lid.

Store water near campfires, fire pits, grills, burning brush, etc.

Maintain your vehicle's brakes and tires and secure tow chains so they don't drag on the ground. Do not drive on dry grass or brush.

Water your lawn and keep grass cut. Mow early in the morning when it's not windy or excessively dry.

Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text

What's next?

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This story was updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: What is a red flag warning? NWS warns dangerous wildfire conditions
ROBESON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  A Red Springs man out on bond in connection with a December 2022 homicide has been charged with an unrelated killing, the Robeson County Sheriffs Office said Wednesday.

Jadarius M. Kells, 22, is facing a second-degree murder charge in the death of Brian O. Murray, 51, of Red Springs.

Deputies responded to a Milk Dairy Road just after 9:30 a.m. Friday, where Murray was found dead inside a camper behind the residence.

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Authorities said he died a day earlier from injuries sustained in an assault. Kells is being held without bond at the Robeson County Detention Center.

No further information was immediately available.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
The Social Security numbers and other personal details of at least two former congressional staffers who investigated the assassination of President John F. Kennedy were revealed by this week's release of declassified records ordered by President Donald Trump.

Joseph diGenova, 80, and Christopher Pyle, 86, both had their names, birth dates, birth places and Social Security numbers unmasked in the document released by the National Archives -- potentially putting them at risk of identity theft and fraud.

The Washington Post spoke to both of the former staffers and ABC News confirmed that both men's Social Security numbers were in the newly published documents.

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It is unclear how many other people whose Social Security numbers are in the documents and are also still alive. The Washington Post reported that data of more than 200 former congressional staffers and others was made public.

PHOTO: Documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy are displayed after they were released following an order from President Donald Trump, in Washington D.C., March 18, 2025. (Carlos Barria/Reuters)

Of those, more than 80 people with birth dates between 1930 and 1952 -- putting them in their 70s, 80s or 90s -- also had their Social Security numbers and birth dates published.

The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement Thursday that at the request of the White House, "the National Archives and the Social Security Administration immediately put together an action plan to pro-actively help individuals whose personal information was released in the files.

A spokesperson for the National Archives said the Archives, Records Administration and the Social Security Administration were working to protect individuals who might be affected from their information being released. "NARA has begun the process of identifying and will be contacting individuals whose personal identification information are included in the records. However, those who believe they may be affected should contact the National Archives," the spokesperson said.

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Individuals who had their Social Security numbers released will be given new ones, a process that could take some time as the National Archives finds all possible victims. In the meantime, the Social Security Administration will offer credit monitoring services.

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 23 directing the release of all remaining records related to the assassination, saying it was in the "public interest" to do so.

The records were posted to the National Archives' website on Tuesday, joining recently released records posted in 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2017-2018.

Tuesday's initial release contained 1,123 records comprising 32,000 pages. A subsequent release on Tuesday night contained 1,059 records comprising 31,400 additional pages.

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MORE: JFK files key takeaways: What we learned and didn't

More than 60,000 pages related to the 1963 assassination were released. Many of the pages had been previously disclosed, but with redactions. Many, but not all, redactions have been removed.

The records were posted to the National Archives webpage under the headline "JFK Assassination Records -- 2025 Documents Release."

Released JFK files reveal Social Security numbers of former staffers originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, speaks to the House Education Policy Committee while holding a binder that reads "Religious Release Act" on March 19, 2025, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. The legislation changed significantly with two amendments in the committee. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)

A bill intended to force local school boards to give academic credit for religious instruction went through significant changes on Wednesday.

As filed, HB 342, sponsored by Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, required local school boards to give elective credit to students to attend religious instruction outside the classroom.

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But DuBose amended the bill to say local school boards may give elective credit. Another amendment allowed local school boards to develop individual policies for religious instruction credit instead of having a single statewide one.

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I think that makes the bill a stronger bill and will be something that can be implemented easily in our districts and support our parents, DuBose told the House Education Policy Committee on Wednesday.

State law currently allows boards of education to extend that credit but does not mandate released time religious instruction (RTRI), the subject of DuBoses bill. LifeWise Ministries is one nonprofit that does RTRI.

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The ministry teaches students about the Christian Standard Bible with a focus on head, heart and hands, according to its website. In a sample curriculum, it alters the language and organization of Bible lessons so that children can understand it easily.

The legislation only applies to religious instruction, not philosophical like Satanism or atheism, DuBose said.

This group and other secular groups are philosophical groups: the atheists, those are philosophical groups, not religious, she said. They do not qualify for release time under state law.

Rep. Alan Baker, R-Brewton, said students can go to church services outside of school time.

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I think some of these school systems that have chosen not to [adopt a policy], I dont think its because they dislike religious instruction, Baker said. But they more so value that instructional time and they want that quality time.

DuBose said the legislation provides more access to religious instruction for children that may not have transportation to Wednesday night Bible studies or Sunday services.

This provides these students with an access to religious education, that their parents approve of, that they may not have access to, DuBose said.

The committee adopted both amendments to the bill unanimously, but did not vote on the legislation as a whole. Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, the committee chair, said they would take it up in a couple weeks.

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The remains of a United States soldier who served his country during the Korean War will soon be back to his home in the Bay State.

Pfc. Joseph R. Travers, a Taunton native, was reported missing in action on April 22, 1951, after his unit engaged enemy forces near the village of Undam-Jang, Republic of Korea Nov. 30, following the Battle of Chongchon. The US Army says Travers reportedly died as a prisoner of war in December 1951 at age 24.

Travers remains will be interred at the Cedar Knoll Cemetery in Taunton on March 29.

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The Army says he was accounted for by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2024, after his remains were exhumed in August 2019 from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific for identification.

The Past Conflict Repatriations Branch, under the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operations Division at the U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky, plays a key role in the process of locating Family members of missing Soldiers from WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Army told Boston 25 News.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT)  Women are often the backbone of their community, and Dr. Mary Hossley is no different. She has been committed to a life of public service.

It came from my dear mother and my grandmother. Since I was a little bitty girl, a little girl. They brought us to church and introduced us to the church and the Lord. So, I just have the heart to serve people, Hossley said.

She is a retired registered nurse and professor of Nursing. Her medical career began with a desire to help low income families while sharing her love for God.

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I just love people. I love doing for people. I love doing for the community. I love serving. And my career of nursing came right along with my ministry. Ministry is healing. Nursing is healing.

Remarkable Women: Jarita Frazier-King

Hossley used her passion to help to jump into action during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped sew and ship more than 2,000 masks across the country.

We shipped those masks to firemen, to hospitals, to hospitals as far away as California, Arizona, Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, to nurses. And like I said, police officers, firemen and students who were in the schools.

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She didnt stop there. Hossley then helped gather, distribute and teach COVID care and prevention in local churches, nursing homes and schools. Hossley eventually launched The Pine Belt: This is Our Shot Vaccine Equity Initiative.

Along with community partners, more than 1,800 people were vaccinated against the coronavirus.

To think that maybe I have helped to save the lives of nearly 2,000 people, 1,800 to 2,000 people, you know, it speaks volumes even to me. It surprises me that this was done. You know, so, yes, over 1,800 people received the vaccine, and it included children.

Hossley also serves as the vice president of the Forrest County NAACP. She serves as the Health Committee chair, youth advisor and vice president. Hossley said her role is about giving back and inspiring a greater generation.

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Through the NAACP, Hossley was able to get water and much needed donations to those affected by the Jackson Water Crisis and the Rolling Fork tornado.

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Ralph Munro was first elected as Washington's secretary of state in 1980 and would go on to serve five terms in the job. He's seen here, right, with bagpipes at a National Association of Secretaries of State Conference in 1986 and, left, in an official portrait from 1985. (Photos courtesy of Washington State Archives)

Ralph Munro, Washingtons longest-serving secretary of state and a moderate Republican who achieved unusually broad popularity across the political spectrum, died early Thursday at his convalescent home in Lacey. He was 81 and had struggled with multiple health issues for the past several years.

Current Secretary of State Steve Hobbs announced his predecessors passing, saying Munro embodied the drive and attitude of a true statesman.

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Munro was remembered for many things as word of his death spread quickly around Olympia and the wider Pacific Northwest. During his life, Munro championed diverse causes from orca protection, voting expansion and disability rights, to immigration, international trade, polio eradication and historic preservation.

Ralph was known for moderation, civility and bipartisanship. He certainly exuded that in his role as secretary of state, recalled friend and longtime collaborator Sam Reed, who succeeded Munro in office.

A jocular, tall man proud of his Scottish ancestry, Munro would command attention by sometimes showing up to formal occasions dressed in a tartan kilt. His force of personality expanded his sphere of influence beyond the normal confines of his elected office.

Munros colorful, decades-long political career began humbly with a job as a supply clerk in the basement of the Capitol building in Olympia. A couple of serendipitous encounters with Gov. Dan Evans scored Munro an invite to join the governors staff in the late 1960s. Evans, also a moderate Republican, mentored Munro and promoted him to special assistant.

Ralph Munro, left, reviews a document with Gov. Dan Evans on July 15, 1969. At the time, Munro was a special assistant to Evans. (Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives)

That led to a legacy Evans and Munro expressed particular pride in during the years before their deaths: the successful resettlement of thousands of Vietnamese war refugees in 1975. This started when Evans dispatched Munro to a teeming refugee holding camp in California to extend an invitation to come to Washington state.

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Im not sure to this day what percentage of those who volunteered thought they were going to Washington, D.C., instead of the state of Washington, Evans kidded Munro during a 2017 panel discussion reminiscing about immigration policy. What made that work so well, and it did work well, was because we asked the people of Washington to act as sponsors. There was great turnout in spite of the fact that Vietnam was a very unpopular war.

Concurrently, Munro befriended several institutionalized developmentally disabled youth, which led him to advocate for improved services for this population over the rest of his life, too.

A savior for whales

Munros diverse interests also included helping to end commercial whale captures in Washington waters in the 1970s, a cause he took up after encountering an orca capture operation for SeaWorld while he and his wife were out sailing on Puget Sound.

It was gruesome, it was just plain awful, Munro recalled in an archived interview with TVW. You had parts of the pod inside and parts outside the nets and screaming. I can still hear those screams.

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A decade later, Munro helped Washington State Parks obtain Coast Guard property on San Juan Island around a landmark lighthouse to create Lime Kiln Point State Park. It is now a popular whale watching park, including a viewing platform named the Ralph and Karen Munro Overlook.

The orca removals for amusement park display caused a lasting reduction in the Northwests killer whale population. Munro served for many years on the board of the Orca Conservancy, which he co-founded to free the last surviving killer whale taken from Washington that was still in captivity. Munro and his wife even traveled to Miami to directly plead Tokitaes case. The orca performed under the stage name Lolita in a small tank at the Miami Seaquarium. Tokitae died after five decades in captivity in late summer 2023 just as the return effort was finally gathering steam.

Elected and unrivaled five times

In elective office, Munro was one of the last Republicans able to consistently win statewide as Washington trended bluer and bluer. He squeaked into office as secretary of state in 1980 at age 37 and was reelected four more times until he chose to retire at the end of 2000.

During his tenure, Munro strongly advocated for expanding vote-by-mail. Washington also established motor voter registration on his watch, which encourages residents to register to vote when they apply for or renew a drivers license. He also ushered in Washingtons first address confidentiality program to protect victims of domestic violence and stalking. That program allowed victims to receive mail through the secretary of states office in order to keep their actual addresses secret.

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Munro faced minimal competition for re-election in his later campaigns. His political ads on the radio memorably entailed 30 seconds of bagpipe music with a brief tagline stating, This interlude brought to you by the Munro campaign.

Munro injected himself into many local, state and international issues over his time in public service and continuing into his private life. He was the states unofficial ambassador at large, according to a toast delivered by Consul General of Russia Andrey Veklenko at a retirement party for Munro in Seattle in 2000.

Later in life, Munro worked with his alma mater, Western Washington University, to establish the Ralph Munro Institute for Civic Education. The institute sponsors a seminar series and works to promote good government. Separately, Munro spoke up for moderate, inclusive politics through the group Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

He allowed archaeological digs for 11 summers on his familys former waterfront estate on lower Eld Inlet outside Olympia. The digs uncovered remnants of a 1,000-year-old Native fishing and shellfish gathering encampment, including fragments of ancient fishing nets made of woven cedar bark. Selected artifacts recovered from the site are now on display at the Squaxin Island Museum.

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Munro raised one son (George) with his first wife, Karen. He divorced, remarried and divorced again late in life. He has three grandchildren.

Munro also is survived by a daughter in Minnesota that he didnt even know he had until a few years ago. Daughter Christi Stoll was given up for adoption when she was a day old. Her birth mother, with whom Munro had a brief fling earlier, never told him about the child he fathered. At age 50, Stoll tracked down Munro through a genetic database search. They established a warm connection once the daughter summoned the nerve to introduce herself, according to Facebook posts both shared publicly.
By Pilar Olivares and Manuela Andreoni

DEUS E PAI, Brazil (Reuters) - Deep in the Amazon jungle, a pregnant woman needs help.

Her baby is about to come, and a drought has parched the rivers that connect her community to the nearest hospital.

Enter Tabita dos Santos Moraes, one of the hundreds of traditional midwives who deliver babies in the remote villages of the world's largest rainforest.

The hot afternoon sun shines through the timber-plank walls in the living room, where Mayleane Melo, 22, kneels to ease the pain of contractions. Tabita kneels beside her.

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"Relax," says Tabita, smiling. "We will give birth together, the two of us."

At 51, Tabita dos Santos Moraes calls herself the "umbilical mother" of over 180 babies she has brought into the world. Her great-grandmother taught midwifery to her aunts, who taught her mother, who taught her, starting at the age of 15.

Although Tabita is passing on the ancient trade to her own daughter, many young women prefer other paths. Amazon midwives are aging, and are often not being replaced. Many communities now have no midwives.

But as hospitals become unreachable, traditional midwives are in demand.

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Years of extreme droughts in the Amazon rainforest that studies have attributed to climate change have made river journeys to and from remote communities perilous and added to the challenge of providing healthcare to riverine communities.

"When people can't leave their communities, who else will take care of them?" said Julio Cesar Schweickardt, who studies traditional midwives for Fiocruz, a Brazilian public health research institute. "In these moments, midwives are important."

When there is enough water in the rivers, it takes about four hours to go from Deus E Pai, the community where Tabita and Mayleane live, to the hospital in Tefe, the closest city.

But two years of record-breaking drought have turned many of the Amazon's rivers into meager streams. Now the trip to Tefe can take over a day  if the river isn't entirely impassable.

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Like most Brazilian women, Mayleane planned to have her baby in a hospital, where any complications could be more easily dealt with than at home. She traveled to Tefe in early October, at the height of the dry season, weeks before she was due, to avoid the risk of going into labor while stuck on a dry riverbank. She was following the local government's advice, part of an emergency plan to deal with the consequences of the drought.

But after a few days, she realized she could not afford to spend so much time away from home. She was staying with strangers and missing her family, who were unable to visit because the trip was so difficult. So she returned.

"You need money and more support to stay there," Mayleane said, sitting on her doorstep on a recent afternoon. "Here, we don't have to spend anything."

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

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More than one in 15 women in the state of Amazonas have their babies outside of hospitals, about four times the national average, according to government statistics. Maternal mortality is also higher in the Amazon region.

Although public health officials have not analyzed how droughts or floods affect those statistics, midwives say women have canceled trips to the city to give birth because of the river conditions. One, Tabita recalled, had a baby on the way to the hospital because the journey took longer than expected.

"That's why having a midwife in the community is so important," she said.

Public health officials say they need midwives to support women they can't reach.

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Sandra Cavalcante, an official from the Amazonas state health department, said that after 28 years in the region she is still amazed by its vastness on every flight over the forest.

"I keep thinking: my God, how do you provide healthcare in a territory like this?" she said from her office in Manaus. What she has learned, she added, is that "wherever there is a traditional midwife, women don't die in childbirth."

Still, the government does not pay traditional midwives unless they complete formal training recognized by the medical establishment.

Most midwives in Amazonas state live on less than the minimum wage, often relying on government cash transfers to the poor, according to a 2023 survey.

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Tabita said her work is voluntary, as she knows the families she helps have no money to pay. Her youngest daughter, 14-year-old Mariene, is eager to carry on the work of her mother and the ancestors who came before her.

"I'm very proud of them," she said, smiling. "I'm also trying to follow their lead."

AMAZON MIDWIFE TRADITIONS

Tabita was having breakfast one Saturday morning when Mayleane showed up; she had been in pain for some hours. Tabita felt her belly for a few minutes and told her, "It's time."

She sent Mayleane back home. It was time for the midwife to make the "charity broth," a soup that would give her patient strength and calm. The base was flour from the manioc root that she and her husband grow, one of their main sources of income. She added a pinch of pepper, some salt, garlic and onions. "It's only tasty with butter," she said, adding the finishing touch.

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The "charity broth" is one of many traditions used by Amazon midwives.

They make tea with a native purple cotton, to ease swelling, as well as many other ailments. Boiling milk with wormseed, known as epazote in Mexico, is used to treat colic. And a paste of shredded manioc is applied on breasts to ease inflammation for women struggling to feed their newborns.

To help take a placenta out after birth, Maria Delaide Pontes Cevalho, a 72-year-old midwife in Tefe, said she will shake the belly twice, twist the cord, blow and recite a rhyming verse in Portuguese: "Saint Margaret, I'm not pregnant or about to give birth. I want you to take this dead meat out of my belly." The placenta is buried outside.

A few hours after having the soup, Mayleane lay on a mattress on the floor. Her hair was drenched with sweat as she contorted in search of comfort. Tabita watched her for a while, then grabbed her hand.

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"Look inside my eyes and say: I will be able to push," she said. "Now is the time for your baby to be born."

As Tabita gave encouragement, Mayleane pushed until her baby emerged in the midwife's hands. As she placed baby William on his mother's stomach, he started to cry.

(Reporting and photography by Pilar Olivares; reporting and writing by Manuela Andreoni; Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Since Jan. 1, roughly a dozen major winter storms have shuttered school doors around the United States and kept students home.

Before COVID-19, snow days like these were routine, not even worth mentioning. But with the switch to virtual schooling came predictions that days off from school because of weather would soon be a thing of the past. There would be no reason to cancel classes if they could just go remote. An EdWeek survey from November 2020 even reported that around 70% of principals and school district officials had converted or were considering converting snow days to remote learning days.

But a 74 survey of policies around the country finds that while some districts have made the shift  or tried to  others have gone back to that time-honored tradition.

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Seattle Public Schools used to build snow days into its academic calendar but ended the practice after the pandemic. While a traditional snow day isnt completely off the table, the district usually implements remote learning when schools close due to emergencies, said Tyler Hamilton, Seattles director of school operations.

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Are we getting the same level of quality instruction at the end of the school year? Is having some type of instruction remotely going to be more meaningful than having paused completely and then doing some type of makeup day? Hamilton said. It really is more of  looking to provide as much consistency as possible for kids.

Related

Is Remote Learning Burying Snow Days? It Depends on Where You Live

When the entire district had to switch to virtual classes on Feb. 5 and 6 because of a snowstorm, some students remembered the routine, while younger children who werent yet in school at the beginning of the pandemic struggled, Hamilton said. High school and middle school teachers were expected to host classes like normal, while elementary teachers had a less structured schedule.

Second graders [were] showing off their bedroom to their friends and being excited as like a show and tell opportunity, which was similar to a lot of our earlier days of COVID, Hamilton said. If my [high school] class was normally a 55-minute class with my algebra teacher, Im going to have that same time of day with that algebra teacher.

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Attendance policies were the same as for in-person classes  but students werent counted as being late if they didnt join the class on time. Hamilton said the district is still analyzing attendance data from the two snow days.

For some schools, attendance routinely lags during remote learning on snow days. Last year, attendance rates in Pittsburgh-area schools on virtual days ranged from 99% to as low as 66%, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Related

Analysis: Research Shows Students Lose Learning Even During Brief School Closures for Snow Days. Those Case Studies Show the Harm From COVID Will Be Multiplied Many Times Over

New York City Public Schools tried to implement remote learning on a snow day in February 2024 for the first time since its no-snow day policy was introduced two years earlier. School officials deemed it a failure after students were unable to sign in. The district tested the system later that summer and still plans to use it for future snow days.

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Challenges like access to the internet or computers at home have made some schools rethink their remote learning plans.

One superintendent in Maine said his district of 2,300 students will continue traditional snow days because some kids cant access online learning.

Not every family can be linked in, Superintendent Christian Elkington told the Sun Journal. Not every family has the same supports and services.

Related

NYC Public School Students Walk Out of 29+ Schools Protesting In-Person Learning

Other districts have to implement traditional snow days because state regulations leave them no choice.

In New Jersey, state law doesnt allow remote learning to count toward the 180 school days required each year unless schools are closed for three consecutive days because of a state-declared emergency. Virtual classes were permitted during the pandemic because of an executive order. Last year, lawmakers proposed a bill to allow remote instruction during snow days, but it failed to advance.

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Alaska schools also have to use traditional snow days after the states education commissioner told superintendents in December that remote learning shouldnt count as school days because it doesnt adequately meet students needs.

In Seattle, Hamilton said administrators are still assessing how the two days of remote learning went. Some parents reported technical or logistical difficulties.

As a whole, the day went much smoother than some of our initial implementations, he said. Were going through our data right now looking at how many students and staff members were online [and] how long they were online.
A renewable natural gas plant at the Keystone Sanitary Landfill will go before Throop Borough Council on Thursday night as it looks to expand by 25%.

The Assai Energy facility at 1150 Marshwood Road, situated inside the Keystone Sanitary Landfill, pipes in gas from decomposing garbage produced at both the Keystone Sanitary Landfill in Dunmore and Throop and the Alliance Landfill in Taylor and Ransom Twp., purifying the landfill gas into pipeline-quality natural gas.

Representatives from Assai Energy, a subsidiary of Houston, Texas-based Archaea Energy, will address Throop officials Thursday seeking a conditional use permit to expand their renewable natural gas facility, according to public notices published March 5 and 12 in The Times-Tribune. London-based BP acquired Archaea in December 2022.

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Assais request comes less than two years after it received approval from the state Department of Environmental Protection to increase its landfill gas processing by 25%.

In August 2023, the DEP allowed Assai to expand its landfill gas processing from 20,000 standard cubic feet per minute to 25,000  enough to inflate a nearly 298,000-cubic-foot Goodyear Blimp in just under 12 minutes.

The company indicated they are now looking to increase the size of their facility by 25%, Throop zoning and code enforcement officer Andy Hegedus said.

The Assai plant operates by piping in landfill gas from both the Keystone and Alliance landfills, which use networks of pipes extending down into their waste piles to draw the gas out of the ground.

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Landfill gas is composed of about 50% methane, 50% carbon dioxide and water vapor; small amounts of nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen; less than 1% hazardous air pollutants and volatile organic compounds, which can react with sunlight to form smog; and traces of inorganic compounds, including pungent-smelling hydrogen sulfide, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hydrogen sulfide produces a rotten egg smell often associated with landfills. As a condition of Assais air quality plan, the facility cannot allow malodors to escape its property.

Assai purifies the landfill gas until it contains more than 94% methane and then injects it into UGIs distribution system.

The DEP received a permit application for expansion from Assai in December, but the agency sent the application back for lack of necessary information such as land approval letters regarding expansion, DEP spokeswoman Colleen Connolly said in an email.

The DEP has not yet received another application, she said. The department did not have a copy of the rejected application.

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The same month Assai applied with DEP, Throop council voted 7-0 to rezone two parcels near the existing Assai plant on Marshwood Road from light industrial to heavy industrial, Hegedus said. All of the surrounding properties, including the landfill, were zoned for heavy industrial uses, he said.

According to Dec. 1 and 8 public notices in The Times-Tribune, the borough rezoned about 11.15 acres across two parcels at 1201 Marshwood Road at the request of Quaker Terra LLC of Dunmore. Quaker Terra purchased the land from Marshwood Enterprises LLC of Throop for $3 million, according to a property transaction recorded July 29. A subsequent 30-year lease agreement between Quaker Terra and Assai Energy that went into effect Aug. 30, which was recorded with the Lackawanna County Recorder of Deeds on Sept. 26, lists Louis DeNaples, who co-owns the landfill with his brother, Dominick DeNaples, as the sole and managing member of Quaker Terra.

That land is currently used by XTRA Lease, a trailer rental and leasing company, whose address is also 1201 Marshwood Road. An employee who answered the phone declined to comment on how their operations would be affected.

While the new heavy industrial zoning would allow Assais plant as a permitted use, Throops zoning ordinance requires conditional use approval, which is granted by council, for structures that exceed 30,000 square feet, or that disturb more than 80,000 square feet of earth, Hegedus said. Conditional use approval is recommended by planning, and council has the final say, Hegedus said.

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In addition to operating a renewable natural gas plant, Assai received approval from the DEP last month to drill a nearly 3-mile-deep well in Throop to determine whether it would be feasible to permanently store carbon dioxide deep underground. Assai currently burns off the excess carbon dioxide that it removes from landfill gas into the atmosphere, but in 2023, the renewable natural gas producer announced its intent to explore drilling deep underground and injecting the greenhouse gas into the rock formations for permanent storage.

The public hearing for Assais conditional use permit will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Throop Borough Municipal Building, 436 Sanderson St. Council will hold a special meeting at 6:30 to then vote on the conditional use.
Mar. 19dbeard @dominionpost.com MORGANTOWN  Freshman 2nd District Congressman Riley Moore held a ribbon cutting on Wednesday for his new Morgantown district office at Suburban Court  the building behind Kegler's and Suburban Lanes.

Moore offered a few remarks before wielding the giant scissors and then took some questions from the press.

He opened his remarks by playing off a comment by Morgantown Area Partnership Vice President Erik Carlson, who kicked off the ceremony and said, "We're so excited not only to be here with you, but that this office is here in Morgantown. I've talked to you a little bit earlier. ... We called us the center of the universe. And I tell you, we sure love that. And we won't tell anybody else if you call them that, too. That's perfectly fine with me.

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"But we're so excited to be here, " Carlson said, "be a part of this. Morgantown Area Partnership is excited to be building its relationship with you and with the representative's office here."

Moore responded, "West Virginia to me is the center of the universe, and this is the center of my district and really I think central to the state, and Morgantown is the center of the universe to me."

He noted that he was born in Morgantown, and what was then Monongalia General Hospital. "I was just driving by the hospital, right where my life began, right here, and now here I am starting a new chapter in my life in the city that I was born in. So it certainly means a lot to me to be able to do this."

The 2nd District comprises the northern 27 counties and the office will offer various constituent services. "And we have a long tradition in this state of great constituent services, " he said. "So that's what I want to replicate in what we're doing here in this office. Please reach out to us anytime. We're so proud to be here in Morgantown."

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Meeting afterward with local press members, he talked about the budgeting process and what he called mischaracterization of congressional efforts to trim "waste, fraud and abuses "  as the phrase goes  from the federal budget.

The mischaracterizations, he said, are "we're slashing Medicaid, we're slashing Medicare, and we're slashing Social Security. All three of those things are completely incorrect."

Asked to expand on that, he said, "The truth is that we're going through the reconciliation process right now. We've not cut anything. We passed a resolution, and contrary to what they're saying is, a resolution is not a law. It's a resolution. That's it. It's just for the budget."

The resolution, he said, "sets out the guidelines and the process for reconciliation [a House-Senate compromise budget bill that the Senate can pass with a simple majority ] so the committees can go out and do their work and determine how they're going to get these tax cuts, what they're going to do as it relates to Medicaid and some of these other things. But the president has been crystal clear about keeping these programs intact."

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He feel confident they will pass a budget, he said.

There's a misconception out there, he said that the Trump administration wants to cut some $800 billion to $1.5 trillion in a single year. The truth [as The Dominion Post has reported before ] that the mission is to find $880 billion in savings for Fiscal Years 2025-2034. It's part of an overall goal to reduce spending by $1.5 trillion.

That amounts to $150 billion per year, he said. "So, if you're talking about trying to find $150 billion a year, that's not a huge number that we're talking about."

We asked, with the narrow House majority, how is it trying to maintain unity among the GOP side of the aisle. He said, "I know there's a lot of naysayers on that and thinking we're not going to be able to do it, but we've continued to do that on the budget resolution. ... And we're going to continue to do that and we've hung tough and hung tight together and I think you're going to see that."
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY)  U.S. Congressman Riley Moore was back in his birthplace of Morgantown on Wednesday for the ribbon cutting of his Morgantown District Office. This comes after dozens of protestors rallied in front of that same office earlier this week expressing concerns over the future of Medicaid.

Property managers asked the protestors to leave when they were in front of Rep. Moores office, but in an interview on Wednesday, Moore said his constituents could speak with members of his Morgantown office and be present when Moore is in town like he was Wednesday.

Im the member of Congress whos leasing a building, youre probably going to have to talk to the building folks about that. I dont know anything about that to be honest with you, its the first time Im hearing it. So, yeah, you know, people want to protest and you know, Im sure theres a process there of you know, pulling a permit or something like that. You know, they have their First Amendment right to expressive activity certainly, said Rep. Moore.

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Capito talks broadband, ambulances during visit to eastern panhandle

Constituents can inquire about social security, VA benefits, passports, Medicare and other federal programs at Moores new Morgantown office.

In the Wednesday interview, Rep. Moore spoke about constituents concerns about the possibility of programs like Medicaid getting cuts after House Republicans adopted a budget plan in early March that instructs the Energy and Commerce Committee which oversees Medicaid and Medicare funding to cut more than $800 billion dollars over a 10-year period.

Moore said the goal is to not affect those who need coverage.

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Cuts are if youre taking Medicaid away from illegal immigrants, thats a cut, right? If people are gaming the system, theres waste, fraud, abuse, that is a cut. What were not wanting to cut is for people who qualify for these programs, thats not what were going to cut.

Currently, undocumented immigrants are not eligible to enroll in federally funded programs like Medicaid, CHIP or Medicare. This also applies to immigrants who have temporary protective status (TPS), who are considered lawfully present but not have a qualified status and are ineligible to enroll. But when it comes to individual states, some do cover undocumented migrants.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Average bond amounts in Shelby County have gone up since 2022, District Attorney Steve Mulroys office says, citing a report by the state Comptrollers officer.

A report examining bail reform and the justice system in the state of Tennessee was released by the comptrollers office this month. The report also noted that Shelby County deals with more cases than the next three largest counties in Tennessee combined.

Mulroys office has taken heat for defendants let out of jail on low or no bond pending case hearings. However, according to the report, the average bond amount in Shelby County was almost $35,000 in 2024, exceeding the average in Davidson County.

Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury

The report found that the high caseload in Shelby County, and the lack of Criminal Court judges, contribute to the longer case resolution times as well as the extended wait times on crime lab testing.

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The other three largest counties in the state  Davidson, Knox, and Hamilton  have a total of 12 Criminal Court judges, compared to Shelby Countys nine, which was recently reduced from 10.

Memphis mayor, police chief say crime down 13% in 2024

The detailed, 71-page report is attached below for more information.

Shelby-County-Conptroller-ReportDownload

Shelby County D.A. Mulroy has pushed for local forensic testing options due to the heavy caseload in Memphis and the county. The nearest crime lab is at the Tennesse Bureau of Investigations facility located in Jackson, Tennessee, which is 85 miles from Memphis.

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State leaders discuss possibility of crime lab in Shelby County

The OREA report also found that bail reform efforts resulted in higher average bond amounts in the county, despite claims by some to the contrary, according to the D.A.s office. It is noted that only 7% of the cases sampled involved a defendant reoffending while out on bail.

Lastly, the report states that 60% of charges filed in Criminal Court were not changed. Of the charges that were altered, nearly as many charges were increased as were decreased.

Graph courtesy of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury

This report confirms what weve been saying: We are committed to holding offenders accountable while working within a system that sees some of the most serious and complex cases in the state, said Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. Despite facing greater volume and more serious cases, our office has maintained consistency and fairness in charge decisions. The data speaks for itself.

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In January of this year, city leaders said their work sparked a 13.3% decrease in overall crime compared to 2023, with violent crime down 10%. There were 242 murders in 2024, down from 341 the previous year, a nearly 30% decrease.

The District Attorneys office says the investigation by the Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) was initiated at the request of Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, who wanted a comprehensive review of several issues impacting the countys criminal justice system.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
A woman accused of killing her dog at Orlando International Airport then discarding the dogs body in the trash was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.

Action News Jaxs Orlando station WFTV reported that Alison Lawrence was boarding a flight at Orlando International Airport when police say she killed her dog in the airport bathroom.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

On Dec. 16, officers were called to the airport after a dead pet was found in the womans restroom, according to Orlando police.

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A warrant was issued for the arrest of Lawrence on charges of Aggravated Animal Cruelty, a third-degree felony. On Tuesday, Lake County deputies arrested Lawrence at her Clermont home.

Lake County court records show just hours after she was booked into the jail, she quickly posted a $5,000 bond.

Sources told WFTV that Lawrence was trying to board a flight on Dec. 16, but didnt have the right paperwork to allow the dog to board and couldnt take it.

The source said Lawrence allegedly drowned her dog in an airport bathroom and threw the small dog in the trash where it was later discovered by airport cleaning staff.

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Lawrences neighbors told WFTV they recalled Lawrence walking a white poodle in the neighborhood, but noticed both Lawrence and the dog had been absent lately.

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LARAMIE, Wyo.  Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman faced a torrent of heckles and boos during a town hall in deep red Wyoming as she repeatedly tried to downplay constituents' concerns about the Trump administration's actions.

Hundreds of people attended the town hall for their sole House member, jeering Hageman throughout her comments on issues including cuts to the federal government spearheaded by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.

"Its so bizarre to me how obsessed you are with federal government," Hageman told attendees, prompting more outbursts from the crowd.

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"You guys are going to have a heart attack if you dont calm down," she added. "Im sorry, your hysteria is just really over the top."

Hageman, who ousted former Rep. Liz Cheney in a primary, ended up cutting her scheduled hourlong town hall 15 minutes short as the crowd continued to berate her through the entirety of the event.

Responding to a request for comment, Hageman adviser Tim Murtaugh claimed the town hall interruptions were pre-planned and organized partisan disruptions and an embarrassing spectacle of manufactured political theater.

The crowd heckled mentions of DOGE multiple times. Hageman touted her vote for the temporary government funding bill, known as a continuing resolution or CR, saying that the bill "keeps the lights on for President Trump and DOGE to continue their work." The comment prompted both boos and cheers from the crowd.

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Hageman pointed to funding in the bill for deportation efforts, prompting "deport Elon" chants in reference to the South African-born tech billionaire.

Attendees also expressed fears of future cuts to Social Security. Though Trump himself has insisted that benefits aren't on the chopping block, Musk has been vocally critical of the agency and claimed it is rife with fraud.

"DOGE is not dismantling Social Security, and even with reconciliation, we are not allowed to touch Social Security," Hageman said.

The town hall took place in Albany County, which President Donald Trump won in 2024 but former President Joe Biden won in 2020. Hageman was overwhelmingly re-elected in November, securing about 71% of the vote.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana, and other Republican leaders have discouraged the caucus from holding in-person town halls following a series of negative headlines. Johnson also claimed that disruptions are instigated by "professional protesters."

NBC News has previously reported that Johnson has urged his members to instead participate in tele-town halls or small group sessions. Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., who chairs the National Republican Congressional Committee, told reporters earlier this month that in-person town halls are no longer effective because Democrat activists are threatening democracy by disrupting the actual communication at town halls.

Kelly Hess, a Laramie resident, told NBC News that the allegations that angry town hall attendees were being paid were "insulting."

"Its insulting because were concerned," Hess said. "We want to hear answers, and to be accused that youve been paid by somebody ... I mean, I dont even  its just really insulting that people would assume that."

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Im from Laramie. We know our neighbors, Dr. Katie Schwartz, a local veterinarian, said regarding the claim.

All of the protesters NBC News spoke to at the town hall said they were Wyoming residents.

The Albany County Democratic Party organized a peaceful demonstration ahead of the town hall, urging attendees to "ask our representative respectful questions and require respectful answers. Above all, we will maintain a peaceful presence and conform with all lawful requirements."

Clifford Marks, an official for the group, told NBC News that members wanted the town hall to "be a respectful dialogue."

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"All of the protest and the screaming and the yelling did not come from the local Democratic Party. It came from individuals who are upset with the way things are going in Washington right now," Marks said. "We wanted to have a respectful conversation, and we did appreciate Rep. Hageman coming here."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Billionaire Elon Musks repeated attacks on Social Security are reportedly causing disquiet among Republicans, who fear any cuts to the welfare service by his Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, will lead to disruption and inspire an angry backlash from their constituents.

DOGE is working to streamline the federal bureaucracy on behalf of President Donald Trump, and Musk has pledged to cut the Social Security Administrations workforce by 12 percent as part of that mission, also assigning at least 10 staffers to comb through a huge database of citizens personal information in pursuit of fraudulent claimants.

Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time, he declared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast earlier this month, insisting that scam claims are rife and that checks are routinely sent out to millions of long-dead Americans.

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This week, during another guest spot on Texas Senator Ted Cruzs podcast, Musk claimed, without evidence, that entitlement fraud is common among undocumented immigrants in particular and is being encouraged by Democrats to secure their votes, a pronouncement that followed his suggestion to Larry Kudlow on Fox Business that slashing waste from such programs could save taxpayers as much as $500bn to $700bn a year.

Now, according to The Hill, Republican senators are expressing unease over his rhetoric, warning that Social Security reform is considered a third rail on Capitol Hill, meaning an issue that is sure to zap the party that tampers with it once Election Day rolls around.

Elon Musk sporting a DOGE T-shirt at the White House (AP)

Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, for one, has blasted Musk for targeting a service he clearly has no experience of using, given his vast personal wealth.

It worries Americans all over the country, she said of the prospect of cuts being made to benefits that millions of Americans rely on.

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This is why Social Security has been kind of viewed as the untouchable from a political perspective and why the president made it very clear were not dealing with Social Security.

Murkowski added that Musks Ponzi scheme sneer doesnt do anything to calm the anxiety of people who are already anxious about whats going on with some of the safety-net programs.

A second Republican senator quoted by The Hill said of the DOGE leader: He should zip it on that. Its not helpful.

It plays right into Democrats hands; they want to talk about Social Security cuts, Medicare cuts, Medicaid cuts. We dont.

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The president does not want to talk about that. Hes against all those things.

A third added: I guess Elon Musk is talking for Elon Musk, because hes not talking for people in the Congress who have something to do with the future of Social Security.

Its part of our country and society, here to stay.

Elon Musks actions as part of the Trump administration have inspired an angry backlash from the American public (AP)

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has already capitalized on Musks brash comments.

Elon Musk is saying it plainly: Republicans big goal is to eliminate, his words, Social Security and Medicare benefits, Schumer said on the Senate floor last week.

Are Senate Republicans fine with the terrible things Elon Musk and DOGE are doing to Social Security? Do they agree with Mr Musk that its one giant scam?

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The White House has been forced to respond by downplaying Musks statements, saying emphatically: The Trump administration will not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits.

In a further undermining of his ambitions, the tech boss has been forced to U-turn on his plans to eradicate a phone line used by millions of people to make claims, which DOGE insisted was being exploited by fraudsters, after it was met with a public outcry.

Had the line been removed, it would have forced elderly Americans and those with disabilities to rely only on the internet and in-person appointments.

Going after 90-year-old grandmas who cant drive and dont have a computer? Thats just low, New York Governor Kathy Hochul responded on Musks own X platform.

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The tycoons decision to throw in with Trump in the middle of last years presidential campaign has caused upheaval ever since, with the billionaires Tesla electric car brand increasingly being targeted by vandals and arsonists and its stock price sinking as his personal popularity wanes in reaction to DOGEs actions, which many have complained has meant federal jobs and vital programs being scrapped in a chaotic, reckless and callous fashion.

The presidents decision to outsource such power to an unelected official is also causing Republicans to face angry scenes at community town halls, with voters making their unhappiness abundantly clear.
Sponsor on Michigan House Republicans' road funding package and Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Rep Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) speaks in support of the legislation amid concerns from Democrats on the House floor on March 19, 2025. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols

The Michigan House gave the greenlight to Republicans $3.1 billion road funding plan Wednesday, voting it through the chamber with the support of several Democrats.

But there are potholes in House Republicans path to getting a longterm solution to road funding into law, an endeavor highly desired and long sought after in Michigan, where infrastructure has long been underfunded as the years bring their wear.

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Republicans are praising the plan as a means to use existing state dollars towards a roads solution, without levying new taxes, while Democrats are widely bashing the plan as a gamble that will hang vital services out to dry without the means to fund them.

The plan would remove the 6% sales tax on gas and instead increase the motor fuel tax by 20 cents which would be wholly dedicated to funding road upkeep. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed her own 45-cent gas tax increase in 2019, which did not gain momentum in the GOP-led legislature at the time, leading her to successfully pursue $3.5 billion in bonds for road repairs

But Whitmer and the Legislature are eager for a long term solution, not one-time spending, to create the budget infrastructure needed to save Michigans crumbling infrastructure, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) told reporters before the vote.

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We can fix our roads without raising taxeswere going to ensure that all of the money collected at the pump goes to roads, Hall said. Were going to make a difference for the people of Michigan, something they actually see and feel in terms of fixing our roads.

In order to backfill the funding to the states School Aid Fund that schools would lose with the elimination of the sales tax at the pump, part of the plan would dedicate $755 million from Michigans General Fund towards schools allowing $945 million from the tax restructure to go to roads. In addition $95 million would be diverted from the General Fund annually for the cities, counties and villages that received funding from the sales tax.

The bulk of the proposal, about $2.2 billion, would come from taking Corporate Income Tax revenue and using it for roads. Part of the plan is aimed at eliminating the usage of old Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credits in order to increase the Corporate Income Tax revenue and increase funding for roads.

But with the shifts in general fund dollars called for in this plan, it will be the task of the partisanly split legislature to work out how the deficit, potentially hundreds of millions of dollars, will work in the state budget.

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Many House Democrats articulated that they are not trusting Republican leaderships promises to keep schools harmless in the process, as well as public services and resources used by Michiganders. The plan would need to clear the Democratic-led Senate and gain Whitmers approval, likely after rigorous negotiations, to become reality.

There would be no telling where budget cuts would come from in order to fund an unsustainable system for road funding, Minority leader Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) said after a handful of Democrats voted in favor of the package of bills in the plan Wednesday.

The plan is robbing Peter to pay Paul Puri said, stealing money from one part of the state budget to pay for others.

Without a fully baked plan, this is just a terrible use of our state dollars, Puri said. We are putting so many critical services that are funded and dependent on our state budget at risk.

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Sponsor on the bill package and Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Rep Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) rebutted after the votes, we are not cutting any essential services. You have my commitment.

In an overview, those essential services include public safety, public health, infrastructure and education, along with other sectors, Outman said as lawmakers go through the budget line by line to eradicate wasteful spending or expenditures that are not getting taxpayer value.

I dont know how to make it any clearer how much government spending has exploded here in the state of Michigan, Outman said. If roads and education are our most pressing needs, why dont we fund those things first, then fund everything else after the fact. We dont seem to be able to budget like that and the people are begging us to act and to fix this infrastructure problem without raising their taxes and thats what were delivering here.

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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham holds a news conference to announce a 50 year plan for water use in New Mexico. The news conference was held in the Governor's office, Tuesday, January 30, 2024. (Photo by Eddie Moore / Albuquerque Journal)

In a last minute addition to capital outlay projects, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham added a $10 million request for the construction of a reproductive health clinic in Northern New Mexico.

Representatives on Wednesday afternoon debated House Bill 450, which outlines $1.2 billion in capital outlay projects across the state. According to the bill, the clinic funds would be allocated to the University of New Mexico as the fiscal agent.

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Republican lawmakers quickly jumped on the additional line item, questioning whether the project is shovel-ready with a location chosen and construction ready to begin. Bill sponsor Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) said as far as he knows, a location has yet to be chosen.

How do we know the money is actually going to get spent? Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) asked on the House floor. We always talk about fiscal responsibility, we always talk about wanting to spend money that weve appropriated, so how can we ensure that this money will indeed be given out for [this] purpose.

Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences) told the floor she has heard that Raton is a possible location, situated to serve Northern New Mexicans as well as people coming across the border from Colorado.

However, Jodi McGinnis Porter, deputy director of communications for the governors office, told Source NM that a location has not been identified and a project timeline is not available.

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Gov. Lujan Grisham believes access to reproductive healthcare is a fundamental human right. Ensuring access to safe reproductive healthcare prevents life-threatening risks such as untreated ectopic pregnancies, McGinnis Porter told Source in an emailed statement. The $10 million investment in the Center for Reproductive Health in Northern New Mexico will help meet the need following the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, which has sharply increased demand for reproductive services. The clinic will provide comprehensive care including medication and procedural abortion, contraception options, miscarriage management, and preventative care services.

The Northern New Mexico project is similar to one currently underway in Las Cruces East mesa, which also received $10 million in state funds for construction in 2023. Details of this project were limited more than a year following the appropriation, before organizers announced the location in Las Cruces in late summer.

State and local officials broke ground in September 2024 and, at the time, Michael Richards, interim executive vice president of UNM Health Sciences and CEO of the UNM Health System, said organizers would finalize building plans in the weeks following the groundbreaking and choose a contractor. He said construction would take about 18 months once started.

The Las Cruces project is a collaboration between UNMs Health Sciences Center and advocacy organizations Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, Bold Futures and Strong Families New Mexico. McGinnis Porter told Source NM that she could not confirm that the same group was involved in the Northern New Mexico health center.

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Christopher Ramirez, spokesperson for UNM Health Sciences Center, told Source in an emailed statement that the university does not generally comment on funding matters until they are signed by the governor.

UNM is appreciative of the thoughtful work done by both the Executive and Legislature to ensure that we are able to fulfill our mission to provide exceptional health care and health outcomes for all New Mexicans, Ramirez told Source in an email. As with all items relating to UNM, this capital outlay funding will be thoroughly analyzed, and our teams will continue working with the Legislature and the Executive to understand UNMs role.

McGinnis Porter also told Source that Gina DeBlassie, secretary of the Department of Health, noted that the proposed Northern New Mexico center will also provide pregnancy loss support and management, lactation support, womens preventative care, sexually transmitted infection screenings, cancer screenings, adoption education and resources, doula support and limited primary care, including pap smears and checkups for sexual health care.

Rep. Rod Montoya (R-Farmington) introduced a floor amendment to HB450, eliminating the $10 million request, calling it a pill too hard to swallow. Members of the House eventually voted to table the amendment.

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Lente told Montoya that the amendment was unfriendly because it set a bad precedent to veto one specific item.

Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo joined other House Republicans on Wednesday March 19, 2025 in objecting to a $10 million request from the governor for a reproductive health clinic in Northern New Mexico. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)

We were able to identify projects that were importantin our respective districts. The governor had that same capability, he said. And if this is important to her administration, I have no place to say that I want to strike it, the same way that I expect that when this bill hopefully passes and we can get these projects funded, she would not touch any one of our projectswith her veto power.

Speaker of the House Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) had to frequently ask House Republicans to keep their questions and comments on the bill, rather than the topic of abortion. The bill itself does not mention abortion.

House Republicans said their biggest objection to the clinic was for the potential for its doctors to provide abortion services, and they did not want their state funds going toward an abortion clinic.

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Its not as if abortion is not available in New Mexico. Its not as if abortion, completely unrestricted, hasnt been available in New Mexico since the early 2000s, Montoya said.

Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos) called Montoyas reading of the original bill narrow because reproductive health also includes pap screening, screening for sexually transmitted infections and more.

Rep. Susan Herrera (D-Embudo) added that the debate over abortion is something that comes up every session and people continue to disagree.

Ive told families in my district: Its not about my decision, its not about my beliefs. Its about really families being able to make their own healthcare decisions, and I think thats the most important thing, she said.

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At about 5:30 p.m., Rep. Randall Pettigrew (R-Lovington) introduced another amendment to HB450 to remove the appropriation for the reproductive health center. Lente said the amendment was trying to accomplish the same thing, and was therefore unfriendly. As of press time, lawmakers were still debating the amendment.

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Senate Republicans want Elon Musk to stop talking about Social Security, and the Department of Government Efficiency to leave it alone.

Musks statement that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, and his plans to cut up to 12 percent of the Social Security Administrations workforce, are giving GOP lawmakers heartburn.

They warn that Social Security reform is known as the third rail of politics for a reason: Any party that touches it is likely to get zapped come Election Day.

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And Republicans fear that reductions in staff and field offices will boomerang on them, predicting constituents will grow frustrated if it becomes more difficult and time-consuming to address problems related to benefit claims.

It doesnt help the president when you have somebody who clearly is not worried about whether or not Social Security benefits are going to be there for him leading the effort to shrink the Social Security Administration, said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), referring to Musk, the worlds richest person.

It worries Americans all over the country, she said of people who rely on Social Security benefits to live day to day. This is why Social Security has been kind of viewed as the untouchable from a political perspective, and why the president made very clear were not dealing with Social Security.

She said Musks claim that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme and rife with fraud doesnt do anything to calm the anxiety of people who are already anxious about whats going on with some of the safety-net programs.

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Musk declared Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time during a three-hour interview with Joe Rogan this month.

And Monday, he claimed without evidence that immigrants who are living in the country illegally are reaping fraudulent benefits from both Social Security and Medicare.

By using entitlements fraud, the Democrats have been able to attract and retain vast numbers of illegal immigrants, Musk said on Sen. Ted Cruzs (R-Texas) podcast, accusing Democrats of buying voters.

Basically bring in 10 [million], 20 million people who are beholden to the Democrats for government handouts and will vote overwhelmingly Democrats, as has been demonstrated in California, he said.

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Several other Republican senators said Musk should stop talking about Social Security and steer his budget-cutting team at DOGE in a different direction.

He should zip it on that. Its not helpful. It plays right into Democrats hands; they want to talk about Social Security cuts, Medicare cuts, Medicaid cuts. We dont. The president does not want to talk about that. Hes against all those things, said a Republican senator who requested anonymity to voice frustration about Musks rhetoric on Social Security.

The senator said it would be OK to talk about cracking down on fraud in the system but warned when you start making it sound like youre questioning the foundation of the Social Security system, thats not helpful.

In an interview with Fox Business host Larry Kudlow earlier this month, Musk suggested that $500 billion to $700 billion in waste could be cut from federal entitlement programs.

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Most of the federal spending is entitlements, he said. Thats the big one to eliminate.

Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University, said Musks statements about Social Security are becoming a political liability for Republicans.

Going after the United States Institute of Peace is one thing, going after Social Security is something entirely different. Its really poking a stick into a hornets nest, he said.

The ironies of a person of such immense wealth targeting a program that provides a modest benefit to ordinary people as the worst possible aura about it, he said.

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Musks comments gave Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) something to talk about last week when Senate Democrats were deeply divided over a House-passed government funding bill.

Schumer last week repeatedly assailed Musks comments on Social Security and accused the Trump administration of harboring plans to cut the popular program.

Elon Musk is saying it plainly: Republicans big goal is to eliminate, his words, Social Security and Medicare benefits, Schumer said on the Senate floor.

Are Senate Republicans fine with the terrible things Elon Musk and DOGE are doing to Social Security? Do they agree with Mr. Musk that its one giant scam? he asked.

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The White House issued a press release last week in response to the controversy over Musks comments declaring: The Trump Administration will not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits.

The latest belt-tightening move was announced Tuesday, when Leland Dudek, the Social Security Administration acting commissioner, announced the agency will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit field offices personally instead of calling in to resolve issues over the phone.

In addition, dozens of Social Security Administration field offices across the country are scheduled to close as part of a broader effort by DOGE to shrink the federal governments footprint.

A second Republican senator who requested anonymity to comment on Musks focus on Social Security said DOGE should stay away from the programs, warning that cutting staff and field offices will likely impact beneficiaries, including thousands of seniors, across the country.

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This Congress  Republicans and Democrats  is not going to modify Social Security, its not going away. I guess Elon Musk is talking for Elon Musk, because hes not talking for people in the Congress who have something to do with the future of Social Security, the lawmaker said. Its part of our country and society, here to stay.

The GOP senator acknowledged, however, Musk is not going to be quiet, despite the broad hope within the Republican conference that he would drop the topic.

The source said while there are positions within every department and agency that ought to be looked at, Musks shoot-from-the-hip approach toward cuts is causing concern on Capitol Hill and back at home.

What needs to take place is analysis of the task, the mission, the goals, the outcome of what the department or agency is supposed to do, and then right-size the workforce. In some instances, it may mean more employees, if you did it right, and in lots of places it may mean some fewer, the senator said.

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Murkowski said the Social Security Administration is hard-pressed to meet Alaskans needs because it only has one field office in her state.

Our challenge in Alaska is we are remote. We have fought to maintain a Social Security office, one office in the whole state, she said. We had to fight to get it back.

Now, because of all the pressures on it in terms of demand, what you have is, people are no longer able to walk into the Social Security office. They have to call to get an appointment. The wait time then to get an appointment is really discouraging, she said.

Its been really hard. When you suggest that we need to reduce the number of folks that are answering call lines, that are responding to congressional offices like ours, I can tell you its not going to go over well, she warned.

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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Losing trees in cities might be affecting students in those areas more than experts previously expected, according to new research.

What's happening?

According to Futurity, researchers from the University of Utah found that when nearby trees are lost to pests, disease, or development, school attendance drops and test scores suffer. This "concrete jungle" impact is hitting low-income students the hardest.

In the Chicago metro area, an invasive beetle called the emerald ash borer wiped out tens of thousands of ash trees over the last decade.

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A recent study co-authored by Alberto Garcia and Michelle Lee and published in the journal Global Environmental Change looked at how this affected students in the area. The researchers found that test scores dropped by about 1.22% in places where tree loss was highest. The decline was even more noticeable among low-income students attending schools in wealthier neighborhoods where tree cover had been lost.

"We don't think that the low-income students in unaffected areas are impacted, but the low-income students at these impacted schools seem to be affected more than better-off students at these same schools," Garcia, an economics professor and social scientist, told Futurity.

Why is tree loss impacting students?

Without trees, neighborhoods get hotter, air quality worsens, and the environment feels less inviting. Trees help cool down city playgrounds and sidewalks by providing shade. Without the shade, pavement and buildings hold on to heat, making schools in tree-sparse areas much hotter than those in greener parts of the city.

"The low-income students at wealthier schools, where infestations were more common, seemed to bear the brunt of the impacts," Garcia said, according to Futurity.

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"Some possible explanations are just that those students don't have the same resources to go home and recover from, for example, extreme temperatures or pollution-induced headaches the same way that higher-income students at the same schools might have."

Extreme heat has already been linked to learning difficulties. Researchers have found that when classrooms get too hot, the heat makes it tougher to focus, and as temperatures rise, more kids end up missing school.

Trees also help absorb harmful pollutants. That's especially important in cities with high levels of car traffic and industrial pollution.

Research from the American Lung Association has found that, in addition to other obstacles, students have a harder time focusing and attending class regularly due to poor air quality that can lead to respiratory problems.

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In areas with fewer trees, children are exposed to more airborne pollutants, which can exacerbate asthma and other health conditions that keep them out of the classroom.

What's being done to restore tree cover?

The Our Roots Chicago program is planting thousands and thousands of trees in neighborhoods that are in need of more greenery. The initiative has been planting trees (at least 47,000) since 2022 and aims to add 75,000 total. New York City and Los Angeles are also bringing back trees to schools and public spaces.

Groups like TreePeople and Friends of the Urban Forest in California work with local schools to add greenery and provide students much-needed shade and breathable air. The Trees Atlanta initiative has helped to restore canopy loss and improve green spaces around schools in Georgia.

As more cities recognize the link between tree cover and student success, planting and preserving trees in urban areas is becoming a key strategy for improving education outcomes.

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.
Mar. 20"The violence is not going got go away. That's what we try to help our survivors see."  Suzi Fode, New Hope Director

MOSES LAKE  More than 500 people find help at New Hope on an annual basis as they work to escape domestic violence situations and abusive relationships that can often feel like traps they've fallen into. Fear of the unknown, psychological challenges and fear of homelessness are all factors that can add to that feeling of being trapped.

New Hope's focus isn't specifically on people dealing with homelessness, said New Hope Director Suzi Fode, but it can offer a place for people who can't safely go anywhere else.

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"It's a confidential shelter where people are safe and protected and anonymous," Fode said. "It's a safe place where folks can go to maybe find some respite from the violence, get to feeling safe again and hopefully work with an advocate who can help build their confidence and maybe help them figure out what's next."

The shelter is an ordinary home, not a homeless shelter in the usual sense of the word. Rather, it's an emergency stopgap, part of the larger range of services New Hope provides for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault.

"Our shelter is only for those who are in immediate danger fleeing domestic violence," Fode said. "Let's say you were in a domestic violence situation six years ago, and that relationship is done (and) you're carrying on with your life. You can't just come here and say, 'I've been a victim of domestic violence.' That is true, but you're not in immediate danger."

Each family gets a bedroom, said Tara Dieng, legal and community advocate for New Hope, who oversees the shelter. New Hope provides the staples for the pantry and fridge, and there's a bin where clients can keep comfort foods and the like that they've purchased themselves. Since many clients arrive with only the clothes on their backs, there's a supply of clothing in the garage they can look through and the local Rotary Club donated a children's playground set for the back yard.

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"Sometimes (clients) are a little bit hesitant because they have a preconceived idea in their head about what a shelter may look like, and they're picturing a gymnasium with bunk beds or something like that," Dieng said. "But our shelter is literally an average house in an average neighborhood."

The location is so secret even most law enforcement officers don't know where it is, Dieng said. A client may come to the New Hope office in a variety of ways  a friend, a police officer or by themselves  but a member of New Hope's staff will bring them to the house. The staff is careful about things like location tracking on cell phones or clients posting to social media, because abusers often use those tools to track down their victims.

"In situations where you know they're co-parenting, we always recommend that if it's the other parent's visitation you meet at a location that's safe. You make sure that you're not followed back to the shelter location (and) don't take the same routes every time," Dieng said.

Once the danger has passed, New Hope has resources to help the client find a permanent place, Dieng said. They work with agencies like the Grant County Housing Authority to secure housing, can help clients with housing applications and sometimes with application fees.

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"Last year our average stay was 12 days," Fode said. "I think we have good resources for permanent housing ... (The shelter) provides some respite and some time to find quiet and dissolve the chaos that's around them. Then, (they can) think about permanent housing, and that's what an advocate can help do."

This is by no means a rare situation, Fode said. One in four women in the United States experiences domestic violence, and in Washington, that occurrence rises to one in three. Those people don't always show up at New Hope for help, she said, or at least not right away. The average domestic violence victim returns to their abuser seven times before leaving for good.

"In a majority of the cases, we aren't the first resource people reach out to," Fode said. "When you're in a situation where you're facing your own personal safety (and that) of your children, you're going to reach out to your family, your best friend, your sister, long before you call us. Hopefully, those resources who surround that victim will tell them, 'Hey, there's an advocate at New Hope. Let's go together, check things out and see what they offer for your situation.' But most of the time we're fourth, fifth, sixth down the list."

Often the abuser has isolated the victim for so long that they're alienated from their family and friends, and sometimes the victim is afraid to take any action for fear the retaliation will be worse than the usual abuse, Fode said.

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"What we see with intimate partner violence is that over time, the violence escalates, and we end up in a situation where lethality is involved," Fode said. "The violence is not going got go away. That's what we try to help our survivors see."

Where to turn

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, don't wait any longer. Here's where to get help:

New Hope 24-hour hotline: 888-560-6027

The National Domestic Violence Hotline: call, chat, or text 24 hours everyday, 800-799-7233 or 800-787-3224 (TTY) Text "Start" to 88788

Teen Dating Violence Hotline: call, chat, or text 24 hours everyday, 866-331-9474

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The StrongHearts Native Helpline: call or chat 24 hours everyday, 844-762-8483

The National Domestic Violence Hotline Deaf Services: call 24 hours everyday 855-812-1001 (videophone) or 800-787-3224 (TTY), and live chat 24 hours everyday
(Bloomberg) -- Never miss an episode. Follow The Big Take daily podcast today.

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Trump's tariffs on China are causing a lot of pain around the world. Products that would've gone to the US are now pouring into other countries, leading to factory closures and layoffs. And this is likely to increase after April 2, when President Trump has promised to put in place a new set of tariffs.

On todays episode of the Big Take, Katia Dmitrieva joins host David Gura to talk about the collateral damage from Trumps trade war with China.

Listen and follow The Big Take on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts

Terminal clients: click here to subscribe.

Here is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation:

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Gura: One word dominated the economic debate during the US presidential campaign:

Trump: Tariff, because tariffs are going to make us rich as hell. It's going to bring our country's businesses back that left us.

Gura: And while President Trump says those tariffs would be applied to countries all over the world, he singled out one of them over and over again:

Trump: I put tariffs on China 

Trump:  with China, we took in hundreds of billions of dollars 

Trump:  nobody else took in 10 cents from China. They never did.

Trump:  massive tariffs on China during my four years...

Gura: During his first term in 2018, Trump embarked on a trade war with China in a bid to bring manufacturing back to the US. Now, he's escalating it. That may seem like a good opportunity for other nations that sell products to the US. But China hasn't let up on manufacturing in the face of Trump's tariffs. Products that would've gone to the US are now flooding into nations all over the world, leading to factory closures and mass layoffs. And with a new set of sweeping global tariffs set to take effect on April 2, that pain is likely to increase.

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Dmitrieva: Every country, even if you don't have tariffs placed directly on you, will be impacted in some way.

Gura: Katia Dmitrieva is an economics correspondent for Bloomberg, based in Hong Kong. She says when it comes to China

Dmitrieva: While shipments to places like the US where there are higher tariffs have dropped over the past five years, what you're seeing is that a bigger part of their trade pie or a bigger part of their exports pie is just going to a number of countries all around the world.

Gura: In other words, US tariffs did lead to China selling fewer goods to the US. But Chinas exports didnt suffer overall. The things they no longer sold to the US? They sold those to other countries instead. And while some of those goods were used in products that were later sold to US consumers, many others were things like clothes and electronics that put local manufacturers out of business, as consumers opted for cheaper items.

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Dmitrieva: I was speaking with an economist at HSBC, Frederick Newman, and he put it this way. It was also one of his research notes. It's an African proverb, and it goes when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. And I think that's a great way of encapsulating exactly what we're seeing now, and what we're going to be seeing for the next few years with tariffs.

Gura: I'm David Gura, and this is the Big Take from Bloomberg News. Today on the show: how US tariffs on China are being shouldered by the rest of the world, causing industries in other countries to suffer. And how Trump's reciprocal tariffs on April 2 could make life even harder for nations caught in the crossfire.

Gura: Near the city of Surakarta, in Indonesia, on the island of Java, a transformation has been taking place. The region is Indonesias textile center, known for making elaborate fabrics. But Bloombergs Katia Dmitrieva says in recent years, that industry has been struggling.

Dmitrieva: It's interesting because it feels and it looks a lot like the towns that I've seen in the US Rust Belt and Midwest.

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Dmitrieva: One of the things you'll notice right away is how many factories are closed.

They don't have a market anymore domestically for their goods because people can just buy it cheaper in markets and online from China.

Gura: Chinese manufacturers are undercutting Indonesian textile makers and driving them out of business. Even Indonesias trademark batik textiles arent safe from Chinese competition. And when Indonesian producers would try to sell elsewhere, they would also compete with these cheaper Chinese goods.

Gura: How much of an outlier is Indonesia, how many other countries are kind of wrestling with these same issues?

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Dmitrieva: Indonesia is not alone. You have Vietnam, Thailand, you have, um, even South Korea and Japan, which are developed economies, but we've seen them making moves because of the surge in Chinese imports. We're seeing it in Mexico, and places like Turkey as well. So it really does span the globe.

Gura: I was astonished to read that China has managed to maintain its share of global exports despite a big drop in its share of total US imports since Trump's first term. How is that the case? How, given that focus on consumption, has, has that played out in that way?

Dmitrieva: So when the tariffs came in in 2018, 2019, China immediately pivoted to other markets. So primarily, what that's meant is emerging markets getting a lot of the same goods that normally would have gone to the States, but because of high tariffs, the demands for those items just dropped. And so, China's share of exports to places like Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico have skyrocketed while shipments to places like the US where there are higher tariffs have dropped over the past five years. And so what you're seeing is that a bigger part of their trade pie or a bigger part of their exports pie is just going to a number of countries all around the world.

Gura: What does that look like on the ground in these other countries if, if China has shifted its attention to them? What does it look like when they're exporting so much to, to other countries?

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Dmitrieva: Well, what it looks like is job loss. It looks like anger. And once that factory closes, I mean, that city is, is at risk. And that's exactly what we saw in the States. It's exactly what we're seeing now across emerging markets. And it's not just workers, of course, it's also retailers. It's also local industry executives and companies that are feeling the pain of this.

Gura: When we talk about Chinese exports, are we talking about electronics principally? What, what, what in sum is China exporting to the world?

Dmitrieva: So it started with steel. So, they began exporting a few years ago, record amounts of steel to economies like Mexico, like Brazil, as well as Southeast Asia. But something we've noticed is that it's actually become much bigger than that. It's not just steel anymore. It's not just EVs, you know, it's not just renewable goods. It's not just batteries. It's everything. It's everything from steel to shoes to calculators.

Gura: Economists are calling this a new China Shock, a term first used to describe the dramatic impact Chinese exports had on the US labor market starting in the late 1990s. This time the shock is more global. But Chinas big export push is not without some domestic cost. While exports have buoyed the economy as the government seeks to deflate a property bubble, Trump's tariffs are forcing authorities to now ramp up consumer spending to diversify the economy.

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Dmitrieva: Yeah, this is, this is kind of a big question for China right now. You can see that the government policymakers in China in 2025 have really made consumption and pivoting to local consumption a big priority exactly because of this. It's a reaction to tariffs, uh, to Trump's tariffs. And it's also an acknowledgment that they cannot  China cannot simply rely on exports forever to fuel growth. They really need to pivot at some point, something economists and countries around the world have been saying for years now. The first set of tariffs that came in in 2018, 2019 was one of the things that prompted this China shock that we're now seeing globally. One thing that we're, uh, that China Chinese policymakers need to think about now is not just US tariffs, but also tariffs from their neighbors and their allies and markets where they thought that it was pretty safe to start selling goods.

Gura: Coming up after the break: the tactics countries are using to fight back against the global China shock... and how Trump's reciprocal tariffs could put those countries in an even more difficult situation.

Gura: The tariffs President Trump put in place on China during his first term redirected a flood of cheap Chinese exports from the US to other countries around the world. In his second term, his administration has already raised tariffs by 20% and has threatened further increases. Those tariffs risk sending more cheap Chinese goods and materials around the world making it hard for other countries to compete. Bloombergs Katia Dmitrieva says those other countries are trying to figure out how they can defend themselves.

Gura: Broadly speaking, what can these countries do to prevent this influx of goods from coming in, to kind of stand up to, to China? Is it tariffs? Is it reciprocal tariffs? Is it a value-added tax? Is it investigations into dumping of materials? How are they approaching this change in the economic landscape?

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Dmitrieva: Yeah, it's all the above. Several months ago across Southeast Asia, countries were starting to push back on China and these cheap exports. And it was interesting because we had already seen developed economies, like the US and Europe, adding tariffs, but it was very different that Southeast Asia, which is arguably politically, geographically, much closer to China, began pushing back as well.

Gura: Thailand has a 7% value-added tax on imported goods below $50, and launched a probe into Temu, Chinas e-commerce giant. Malaysia has its own 10% sales tax on low-value goods, and Vietnam last year ordered Temu and Shein, a similar e-commerce site, to suspend operations in the country. Indian authorities have launched investigations into Chinese dumping, and, a little further abroad, Mexico is reviewing its own tariffs on Chinese shipments. Indonesia considered a 200% tariff on a range of Chinese goods last year. But fighting back against China carries risks

Dmitrieva: It's interesting because these countries are kind of squeezed, right? Like, they want to maintain good relations with China. And this is why the situation is a bit unprecedented, in that places like Indonesia, the leadership wants to maintain good geopolitical relations because they rely a lot on Chinese FDI as part of the Belt and Road Initiative and also just general investment.

Gura: FDI stands for foreign direct investment.

Dmitrieva: So it's not in their best interest, in fact, to take the kinds of steps that President Trump has taken in the US. So, what they've been left to do is float these very specific tariffs for industries that are the most vocal.

Gura: What does China say in reply to criticism that these other economies are being flooded, that they're facing economic difficulty because of this? What's China's response been?

Dmitrieva: China has been very quiet about this particular subject. In fact, a reporter at a Chinese foreign ministry briefing, earlier this month, a reporter from Pakistan, from a Pakistani news outlet, asked about this exact question, this flood of Chinese goods in neighboring countries. And the response was interesting

GURA: Heres that exchange, shared on Youtube by Chinas CCTV Video News Agency

CCTV: Today's China is an anchor of stability, engine of economic development, and pillar of regional security and innovation. That said, it is common for neighbors to not agree on everything.

Dmitrieva: China's top diplomat basically said, you know, its common for neighbors not to agree on everything. What we noticed afterwards, though, is that they scrubbed the question from the official record. So it's a subject that is kind of sensitive enough that it gets policymakers to react in that way and kind of makes them nervous.

Gura: There are potentially more US tariffs in the works, meaning nations already dealing with the China shock are now scrambling to prepare for these extra trade barriers with the US. President Trump has said, on April 2nd, hes going to implement what the administration is calling reciprocal tariffs. Each one of the USs trade partners would be hit with a tariff rate calculated by taking into account the barriers the US faces to trading with that country. And that means these nations' industries will face pressure not just from cheap Chinese imports, but also potentially less demand from the US  among their largest trade partners.

Dmitrieva: They are trying as much as possible to get Trump and officials on the phone with a varied success rate. Um, they're trying to buy as many US goods or make promises to buy as many US goods as possible, particularly LNG 

Gura:  That's liquefied natural gas 

Dmitrieva:  So you're seeing global leaders coming to the White House or releasing statements saying we're open to buy more LNG and more goods from the US to sort of shrink the trade surplus that some countries have with the US, that many countries have with the US. Because the US is the world's biggest economy with the most hungry consumers. And so there's communication, trying to negotiate, trying to make promises to buy more things. That's been the big step so far. And industries are preparing for a flood, a renewed flood of goods hitting their shores.

Gura: Is the playbook fundamentally the same? Uh, are we likely to see sort of what happened during the first Trump term happen again in countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam?

Dmitrieva: Yeah, it really depends on what the reciprocal tariffs look like. Right now, we don't know what the administration is looking at in terms of the number, you know, will it be a tiered system? Will every country get its own rate? Will there even be a rate that's announced? Will there be carve-outs, will there be caveats? Will there be space for other industries? This is what all of these industries across the world right now, especially the biggest trading US's biggest trading partners, they're trying to negotiate that right now, not looking very hopeful. So, you know, what we could see is in some ways, a repeat of the first Trump trade war where you have just rapid fire developments, especially in the first year. You have the tariffs come in. Similar to what happened in the first term tariffs on China did come in, but over a period of a year of negotiations, additional tariffs were not put in place. And so, you know, the time frame of this happening, in some ways, it just gets elongated. So we could be in for a bit of a wait before, you know, everything, the dust is settled. In some ways, it will be very different though. I mean, the, the main difference is that Trump's trade war has gone global. And so every country, even if you don't have tariffs placed directly on you, will be impacted in some way.

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The Weekend Leaders Named: MSNBC has named executive producers for its expanded weekend franchise, The Weekend. The roundtable shows will be part of MSNBCs new revamped Saturday and Sunday lineup, tentatively set to debut in April.

Former The ReidOut senior producer Robert Zeliger has been named the new executive producer of The Weekend's 7 to 10 a.m. edition. Running things for the 6 to 9 p.m. ET edition will be Jose Diaz-Balart Reports' current executive producer, Joy Fowlin.

Greg Kordick, MSNBC's svp for perspective and analysis programming, announced the new appointments, saying, "I am super excited for both of them. Theyre great, fantastic leaders. We know them well. Im also excited for the teams that theyre creating that theyll get to work with."

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Zeliger and Fowlin will report to Raelyn Johnson, MSNBC's director of weekend programming.

The announcement of the new executive producers follows the addition of Eugene Daniels and Jackie Alemany, who are joining Jonathan Capehart as co-hosts of the morning edition of The Weekend. Catherine Rampell will join Ayman Mohyeldin as co-host of the evening edition of The Weekend, with one additional co-host yet to be announced.

ABC News Promotions: Jay O'Brien and Morgan Norwood have been elevated to ABC News correspondents. O'Brien, who was previously a multiplatform reporter, will now be a Washington D.C.-based correspondent continuing to cover the biggest stories and issues on Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, Norwood, who was also previously a multiplatform reporter, will be based in New York, reporting on high-impact stories across all programs and platforms.

ABC News Jay OBrien and Moran Norwood ABC

CNN Vet Returns: It's a homecoming for Nancy Han, who rejoins CNN as a senior vice president, video editorial. Han was previously the vp of weekly programming of the shuttered streaming service CNN+. In her new role, she will lead and innovate the network's video storytelling strategy, developing and implementing approaches that resonate with audiences across linear, digital, and mobile platforms.


In an interview with Fox News this week, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed a novel fix to the nations bird flu epidemic: Let the virus spread.

Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

They should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flocks so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it, Kennedy said of poultry farmers and federal authorities.

It is the nations agriculture secretary, Brooke Rollins, who has authority over the nations poultry management, not Kennedy. But Rollins appears to be in agreement with her counterpart at HHS. As The New York Times noted, she floated the idea of a pilot program that would allow the disease to ravage a flock, while extra layers of protection contained the spread within a certain perimeter. The surviving birds could then be studied.

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But there are reasons that scientists recommend immediately culling infected flocks, and letting the virus run rampant could have dire consequences.

The bird flu, H5N1, has a near 100% fatality rate in chickens and turkeys, and has already killed millions of wild birds.

One of the ways it can spread to healthy poultry farms is by a single infected duck visiting a flock and shedding the virus through feces. H5N1 kills relatively quickly, causing respiratory distress, swelling, lack of coordination and other symptoms before death. (Culling is therefore considered more humane.)

The virus has cropped up on farms and in backyard flocks around the country, resulting in some 166 million birds culled so far  resulting in the alarmingly high egg prices seen around the country.

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Although not common, humans can become infected with H5N1, and one person in the U.S. has died of the infection. Most of the human cases so far have been seen in those who have had prolonged contact with infected birds or dairy cows. There has been no human-to-human transmission observed in the United States so far.

But that could change. As with other viruses, mass spread gives H5N1 the chance to mutate as it multiplies, running the risk of a mutation that allows the virus to spread easily from human to human. Experts are already alarmed at the fact that the virus has jumped from birds to dairy cows, as it represents a leap between different species.

The mortality rate in humans is estimated to be around 50%.

Hens bred specifically for maximum egg production tend to have inherently fragile immune systems, Scott Gottlieb, a former FDA commissioner during Trumps first term, explained in an op-ed for Stat. Worse, permitting unchecked transmission could inadvertently incubate viral mutations, potentially transforming the outbreak into an even more dangerous threat.

Kevin Carter / Getty Images

Emily Hilliard, the HHS deputy press secretary, told The New York Times that Kennedy was merely trying to say that culling puts people at the highest risk of exposure due to the close contact it requires, which is why the secretary and National Institutes for Health want to limit culling activities.

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Culling is not the solution. Strong biosecurity is, Hilliard said.

Allowing the virus to proliferate, however, would still risk a mutation that could make H5N1 a bigger threat to humans. This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  Rhode Island House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale said on Wednesday that taxpayers deserve to know the full financial picture for the cost of the states pallet shelters pilot program, known as ECHO Village.

The shelters opened in February after months of delays. The R.I. Department of Housing said additional time was needed to install necessary utilities and to meet fire and building codes.

The pilot program was designed to address the states homelessness crisis and was paid for entirely with federal funds. The project was originally estimated to cost $3.3 million, but the final cost was $4.6 million.

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Chippendale said he wants to know why the cost went up.

All I want, and all the taxpayers of Rhode Island deserve, is accountability, he said.

Two days after a ribbon cutting was held to celebrate the shelters opening, Chippendale said, he filed an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request. Its a tool reporters and other members of the public use daily to request public information.

The request asked the Department of Housing to provide a list of all contractors and subcontractors involved in the project; all contracts, purchase orders and invoices; any procurement or bidding documents; plus copies of any project budgets.

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Chippendale also asked for all correspondence related to permitting for ECHO Village and for a list of any financial sponsors of the project.

He said he hit a snag in the early days of his records request, with the department seeking to charge him $495 to obtain the information, for which I am statutorily entitled to as a member of the House Finance Committee.

Chippendale explained that a compromise was reached, which resulted in the fee being waived. As a result, he agreed to wait for emails  which officials said had to be reviewed to protect certain personal information  but would accept the financial information he requested immediately.

Chippendale said those documents came last Thursday, a month after his initial request.

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These documents that they provided me did not paint any picture, let alone the full picture, Chippendale said. It would be irresponsible for me to assert there was something nefarious going on. The entire point is we dont know until we have the information.

The Foster Republican also characterized the issue as reflecting a broader lack of transparency by the administration of Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat who has faced repeated criticism on issues related to open records.

Chippendale sent Target 12 the financial documents he had received, which comprised dozens of files.

About an hour after the media briefing, Chippendale sent reporters a statement which said in part that a closer look at the records revealed additional invoices he had not previously seen, though the remaining assertions during the press conference remain relevant.

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I consider my request for information on behalf of the taxpayers of Rhode Island incomplete and unfulfilled, Chippendale said.

Emily Marshall, a spokesperson for the Department of Housing, told Target 12 that Chippendales outstanding request is comprised of about 1,300 emails which staff would need 33 hours to review in full.

Chippendale told reporters: The 33 hours have long passed. Theyve come and gone.

Marshall also said the Housing Department did not have the list of any financial sponsors or other benefactors for the Echo Village, though House of Hope, which operates the shelters, would.

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Ben Smith, spokesperson for House of Hope, told Target 12 that the organization had not received Chippendales records request until Wednesday.

We will work with Leader Chippendale to provide any information or documentation he needs related to our role in operating Echo Village, Smith said.

Marshall explained that the projects total budget increased because of costs associated with getting the units up to code and said that those modifications were only finalized after the initial budget was contemplated.

Smith added that the final cost of ECHO Village was not only the construction, but also accounted for the infrastructure needed to ensure residents have access to essential services, including case management, restrooms, showers and laundry facilities.

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Additionally, staffing and wraparound services play a critical role in the success of the project and its sustainability in serving those experiencing homelessness, Smith said.

Target 12 learned the pallet shelters were on track to reach full capacity within a month of opening, and that one guest has already moved into permanent supportive housing.

Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook.

Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts.

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RICHMOND, Ind.(WDTN)  Police in Richmond, Indiana are asking for the publics help to identify an alleged arsonist.

Photo/Richmond PD

Officials said theyre looking for help identifying a man they believe intentionally set a grass and brush fire at Veterans Park.

Officials with the park say no monuments or structures were damaged, but an area of grass sustained significant damage.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Chase Patton at 765-983-7242 or by email rpdcrimetip@richmondindiana.gov.

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Even the smallest tip could help us hold the responsible party accountable. Lets work together to protect our community, said the Richmond PD in a social media post.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  The New Roads Police Department arrested a former Tractor Supply employee who was accused of stealing merchandise and fraudulently processing returns for personal financial gain.

Ross Vangeffen was wanted on charges of felony theft and monetary instrument abuse.

Police said Vangeffen stole items from the Tractor Supply store at 2050 False River Dr., made fake returns and credited over $8,000 to his debit card. Store inventory, security footage and financial logs showed that the returned items were never bought.

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A second man, Charles McDonald III, was arrested and faces charges of interfering with a law enforcement investigation after being accused of attempting to mislead officers and hinder an active fugitive apprehension.

McDonald and Vangeffen were arrested and booked into the Pointe Coupee Parish Detention Center.

We appreciate the publics assistance in this matter, said the New Roads Police Department.

Police arrest man accused of fatal shooting near Our Lady of the Lake Hospital

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  A Rochester Truck Company Owner is facing prison after being convicted of lying to the Department of Transportation.

Anatoliy Kirik, 43, operated a multi-million-dollar trucking business called Dallas Logistics. Prosecutors said when Kirik applied to the FMCSA for authority to operate as an interstate carrier he submitted false documentation regarding the safety rating of his business.

Multi-million-dollar truck owner convicted for lying to the DOT

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According to prosecutors, Kirik then started new companies using various family members names and an employees name in an attempt to trick the FMCSA and make it appear that these companies were independent and not affiliated with the prior business that received the negative safety ratings.

Kirik was convicted by a federal jury of making false statements to the FMCSA, NYSDOT and conspiring to do the same. He was sentenced to 45 months in prison.

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ROCKBRIDGE, Va. (WFXR)  The Rockbridge County Sheriffs Office has been alerted about a scam involving fraudulent United States District Court arrest warrants.

According to a post released on social media, scammers are using documents that resemble official arrest warrants to trick residents into believing they are wanted by law enforcement. Scammers then ask for a payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or bank account information to resolve the situation.

AARP warns of gold bar scam

The Sheriffs Office is advising residents that Federal Courts DO NOT in any way issue arrest warrants that require a payment by phone or online.

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(Photo Credit: Rockbridge County Sheriffs Office)

If you receive a fake warrant, do not give out personal or financial information.

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Rodent issues  including one spotted scurrying under a sink and more than 109 droppings in a kitchen  were among the violations that temporarily closed five South Florida restaurants last week.

The Sun Sentinel typically highlights restaurant inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation in Broward and Palm Beach counties. We cull through inspections that happen weekly and spotlight places ordered shut for high-priority violations, such as improper food temperatures or dead cockroaches.

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Any restaurant that fails a state inspection must stay closed until it passes a follow-up. If you spot a possible violation and wish to file a complaint, contact Florida DBPR. (But please dont contact us: The Sun Sentinel doesnt inspect restaurants.)

BROWARD COUNTY

Thai Moon by the Sea

3026 E. Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale

Ordered shut: March 13

Why: Eight violations (two high-priority), including:

About 10 roaches in the kitchen running under cook line, crawling up the side of the flip-top cooler opposite cook line and inside caster wheels on three-door, reach-in cooler opposite cook line.

Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine in kitchen.

Observed bag of frozen chicken thawing at room temperature on food prep table in kitchen.

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Status: Remained closed on March 14 after a follow-up visit found four violations (one high-priority), but reopened March 15 after a third inspection found three basic violations.

Deluxe #2 Restaurant and Grill

996-998 SW 81st Ave., North Lauderdale

Ordered shut: March 14

Why: Six violations (two high-priority), including:

Observed one live rodent running under three-compartment sink in kitchen.

Observed ready-to-eat hot dogs stored with unwashed vegetables in reach-in cooler.

Time/temperature issues involved spaghetti and cooked pork (not date marked).

Status: Reopened later that day after a second inspection found no violations.

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Cucina Italiana

17 S. Pointe Drive, Unit G110, Dania Beach

Ordered shut: March 12

Why: 17 violations (five high-priority), including:

About 28 live flies seen around pizza station, around open bags of unwashed carrots and onions in rear kitchen, around open box of tomato cans, around mop sink in rear kitchen and in other areas; two landed on raw chicken breast in prep table in rear kitchen.

Two crawling roaches on floor under condiment storage rack in rear kitchen.

Time/temperature issue involved mashed potatoes.

Open bags of flour in rear kitchen.

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Status: Closed on March 13 after a follow-up visit found three violations (one high-priority), but reopened later that day after a third inspection found one intermediate violation.

PALM BEACH COUNTY

Mikes Wings & Seafood

2968 S. Jog Road, Greenacres

Ordered shut: March 14

Why: Eight violations (three high-priority), including:

More than 109 rodent droppings in kitchen under cabinets on top of open boxes of single-service utensils, on top of reach-in cooler in kitchen at front counter and in kitchen next to containers of frying oil.

About 50 individual portioned packets of ketchup that have been chewed open and eaten under cabinets.

In reach-in cooler, raw shell eggs stored over rice.

In kitchen three-compartment sink, raw shrimp thawing in standing water.

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Status: A follow-up inspection is pending.

Green House Boba Tea and Pho

721 Village Blvd., Unit 107E, West Palm Beach

Ordered shut: March 13

Why: Five high-priority violations:

About eight live roaches in kitchen crawling on/under expo line.

Employee entered kitchen from dining room, put on gloves and began preparing food for customers without washing hands.

Employee touched face and then handled clean equipment and utensils and dishes to prepare and served food to customers without washing hands.

At reach-in freezer, portioned plastic container of raw chicken stored over portioned plastic-wrapped raw pork.

Time/temperature issue involved cooked rice.

Status: Reopened March 14 after a follow-up inspection found no violations.
BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. (WFXR)  The Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred on Route 220 on Wednesday.

The crash took place on March 19 around 5:30 a.m. near Buhrman Road.

Henry County single-car crash kills 66-year-old male

A 2000 Ford F-750 was heading north on Route 220 when part of the trucks braking system detached causing it to hit a 2023 Hyundai Kona that was traveling south on Route 220.

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44-year-old Chad Hunter Ferguson of Roanoke, Va. was identified as the driver of the Hyundai and died on the scene. He was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.

Charges are pending and the crash remains under investigation.

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Rumer Willis is giving fans an update on her dad, Bruce Willis, as the beloved actor turns 70 today.

During a Q&A session on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, the 36-year-old actor replied to a fans question about the status of her fathers health.

In 2022, the Die Hard stars family announced he was diagnosed with aphasia and would be retiring from acting. His condition progressed to frontotemporal dementia the following year.

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Hes doing great, thank you for asking, Rumer Willis said, according to People. Its actually his 70th birthday tomorrow, so, please wish my Papa a big happy birthday!

Her upbeat update about her dad came after she said on British talk show Loose Women last month that hes been doing great.

Elsewhere in the interview, she expressed gratitude for her beautiful blended family dynamic.

Her parents, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, 62, who were married from 1987 to 2000, also share daughters Scout Willis, 33, and Tallulah Willis, 31. The Sixth Sense actor is also dad to young daughters Mabel and Evelyn with now-wife Emma Heming Willis.

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Even when [my parents] split up, they created such a beautiful foundation of prioritizing my sisters and I that I never felt like I had to choose, Rumer Willis explained during the episode, which aired Feb. 3. They never played against each other. We were a family, and we still are very much a family, no matter what.

She added: I feel deep gratitude for the example theyve set.

Related...
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A local fundraising effort to support services to unhoused persons raised more than $80,000, a record for the event.

The Springfield Rescue Missions 2025 Run/Walk to End Homelessness was held on Saturday, March 8 in Springfields Forest Park. More than 370 people took part in the event.

Springfield Rescue Mission hosts annual Run to End Homelessness

This was our most successful year ever, both in terms of participants and funds raised, said Kevin Ramsdell, executive director and CEO, of Springfield Rescue Mission. While it was a bit chilly, the day was dry and mostly sunny, and spirits were joyful.

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The Mission provides programs and services to thousands of people each year, free of charge. The money raised will be used for the Missions shelter, food services, education, workforce development and to expand its services for men and women as the need continues to grow.

Our services are desperately needed by an increasing number of people every year, but thanks to the generosity of our community, we will continue to rise to the challenge, said Ramsdell. In fact, we are so encouraged, we are setting the bar even higher for next year: 500 participants and $100,000!

Information on how to volunteer or donate money, goods, or services can be found on the Springfield Rescue Missions website.

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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Russian forces targeted Ukraine with 171 Shahed loitering munitions and various types of decoy drones on the night of 19-20 March. Ukrainian air defence units have destroyed 75 drones.

Source: Ukrainian Air Force Command on Telegram

Details: The Russians launched the drones from the areas of the Russian cities of Oryol, Shatalovo, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk and from temporarily occupied Crimea.

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As of 08:30, Ukrainian air defence units have shot down 75 Shaheds and other types of loitering munitions in Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson oblasts.

A further 63 Russian decoy drones disappeared from radar (causing no adverse effects).

The aerial attack has been repelled by aircraft, anti-aircraft missile troops, electronic warfare units and mobile fire groups from the Ukrainian Air Force and defence forces.

The Russian attack has affected Kirovohrad, Sumy and Donetsk oblasts.

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Russia has overtaken the United Arab Emirates as India's top naphtha supplier in the past year, as Indian refiners capitalize on discounted Russian shipments, Reuters reported on March 20, citing preliminary ship-tracking data.

Russia has redirected fuel exports to Asia following Europe's ban on Russian oil in response to its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Oil and gas remain the backbone of Russias economy and its main source of export revenue that helps sustain its ongoing military aggression against Ukraine.

According to data from OilX and Kpler cited by Reuters, India imported approximately 3 million tons of naphtha from April 2024 to March 2025, with Russia supplying more than half  up from just 14-16% the previous year.

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India, the world's third-largest importer and consumer of oil, has relied on cheaper Russian oil to lower its import costs.

Two unnamed trade sources told Reuters that Russian oil was priced $14-15 per ton lower than Middle Eastern crude this week.

Ship monitoring data indicates that oil for the Indian refineries of HPCL Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) and Reliance Industries was supplied from Russias Ust-Luga, Sheskharis, and Novorossiysk ports to the West Indian ports of Mundra, Hazira, and Sikka.

The UAE's share of Indias naphtha imports  mainly supplied by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co  fell to just over 20%, nearly half of its level in the same period in 2023-2024, data showed.

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Ukrainian drones regularly attack Russia's oil infrastructure to undermine its ability to finance the war against Ukraine. Most recently, on March 19, Ukrainian drones attacked the Kavkaz oil pumping station in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

The Trump administration recently tightened sanctions on Russia's oil and gas industry, letting lapse an exemption that allowed Russian banks to use U.S. payment systems for energy transactions.

At the same time, amid Trumps attempts to set up a quick ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Moscow can get sanctions relief, Ihor Burakovsky, head of the board at the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting, told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: Painful for Russia: What new U.S. sanctions on Russian energy mean for Moscow

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Moscow has not received official requests from foreign companies seeking to return to Russia after exiting due to the Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council and former president, told state-owned news agency TASS on March 20.

No one has officially applied yet. So, they are informally probing the ground, Medvedev claimed.

His statement follows Russian President Vladimir Putins directive to the Cabinet of Ministers to prepare for the return of Western companies, emphasizing that Russian firms should have "certain advantages" over those re-entering the market.

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The decision comes as relations between Russia and the U.S. show signs of rapprochement.

The Kremlin said on March 18 that U.S. President Donald Trump and Putin are developing "mutually beneficial cooperation" in several areas as part of efforts to normalize relations between the two countries.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, hundreds of Western companies have withdrawn from the Russian market, unwilling to contribute to the country's economy or war effort.

According to the Kyiv School of Economics Institute, 472 foreign firms have fully exited, while another 1,360 have scaled down their operations.

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Medvedev insisted that Russia did not force foreign companies out, claiming they left "under pressure from their governments" and "out of fear."

The former president warned that any firms looking to return should expect "a separate conversation" and that those who stay out permanently are of no concern to Moscow.

Read also: Shoigu claims Ukraines Constitution obstacle to peace efforts, cites ban on territorial changes

Despite intensified diplomatic contacts between Washington and Moscow over the war in Ukraine, no major Western companies have publicly indicated plans to return to Russia.

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The Kremlin has made it difficult for departing businesses by requiring government approval, imposing a mandatory 50% discount on asset sales, and enforcing a 10% "exit tax."

Russian authorities have also seized assets from subsidiaries of foreign companies that continued operating in the country.

These restrictions are widely viewed as retaliation for Western sanctions, including the freezing of approximately $300 billion in Russian central bank assets.

While some companies have found ways to continue limited operations in Russia through intermediaries or licensing agreements, large-scale reentry remains unlikely under current geopolitical conditions.

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Read also: Russias Engels airbase ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

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(Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that Moldovan police had violated diplomatic protocol by blocking entrances to its embassy in the capital of Moldova.

Relations between Russia and ex-Soviet Moldova's pro-European government have deteriorated sharply, with Moldovan President Maia Sandu repeatedly denouncing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and accusing the Kremlin of trying to unseat her.

A statement on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website said security forces in Chisinau prevented people from entering or leaving the embassy on grounds that a bomb threat had been received.

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"Moldovan security forces prevented the ambassador of the Russian Federation from entering the embassy and embassy staff, including family members, women and children, were not allowed to leave," the statement said.

A protest had been presented to Moldova's ambassador in Moscow, it said, and access to the building was restored.

"It is quite revealing that the embassy received no notification from authorities of the alleged bomb threat."

"It is presumed in Moscow that the Moldovan side will in future observe without fail the provisions of the 1961 Vienna convention (on diplomatic relations)."

Police in Chisinau said they had received a threat of a bomb at the embassy, but provided no further comment.

(Reporting by Reuters. Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Russian troops launched a large-scale attack on the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast on 19 March, killing two civilians and injuring three others.

Source: State Emergency Service of Ukraine; Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutors Office; Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration

Quote: "This afternoon, Russian occupiers launched a series of airstrikes on the town in Kharkiv Oblast. As a result of the bombing, an 85-year-old woman was injured and a 76-year-old man suffered an acute stress reaction."

The aftermath of the Russian attack.

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Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kharkiv Oblast

Details: Firefighters reported that fires had broken out in a residential area.

Later, the Prosecutors Office reported that Russia had struck Kupiansk again around 20:50 with aircraft. A 51-year-old man was killed, and another person suffered a blast injury. Residential houses were damaged. A garage caught fire.

Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, reported that Russia had launched a large-scale attack on Kupiansk with aircraft. The Russians had used at least 20 guided aerial bombs just over the past few hours. Critical infrastructure has been damaged, and fires have broken out in civilian facilities.

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Update: On the morning of 20 March, Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutors Office reported that the death toll of the attack on Kupiansk had risen to two people, as rescue workers found a deceased woman under the rubble.

"Rescue workers uncovered an 85-year-old woman's body from under the rubble of a house... Two people were killed and three others injured as a result of yesterday's strikes on Kupiansk," the statement says.

At present, law enforcement authorities are confirming the specific type of munitions used to strike the city.

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The conclusions of the EU summit have stated that Russia must demonstrate a genuine desire to end the war it has unleashed against Ukraine.

Source: the press service for the European Council, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Notably, Hungary has refused to sign the EU summit conclusions on Ukraine.

The section of the summit's conclusions on Ukraine, supported by 26 member states, was released as a separate document.

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The conclusions welcome a joint statement by Ukraine and the United States following their meeting in Saudi Arabia. The statement outlines proposals for a ceasefire and calls for the resumption of intelligence sharing and security assistance from the United States.

"The European Council calls on Russia to show real political will to end the war," the conclusions say.

The leaders of the 26 EU countries stress that the path to peace should involve humanitarian aid, the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilians and the return of all abducted Ukrainian children.

The EU has expressed its readiness to increase pressure on Russia, particularly by imposing additional sanctions and strengthening the enforcement of existing measures.

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Frozen Russian assets should remain immobilised until Russia ceases its war against Ukraine and provides compensation for the damage inflicted.

The EU has expressed its readiness to facilitate the peace process and help secure "a just and lasting peace for Ukraine, which is in the interest of both Ukraine and Europe as a whole".

Background:

The conclusions state that the EU is ready to provide Ukraine with regular financial and military support.

They also emphasise the need to bring those responsible for war crimes to justice and recognise the importance of the process of establishing a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine.

European Pravda reported, citing sources, that on 20 March a number of EU leaders at a European Council meeting called for the negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU to be accelerated.

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Thursday that Ukraine had already violated a proposed ceasefire on energy sites in the three-year-old war by attacking a Russian oil depot.

Russia's TASS news agency reported foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told state television Channel One that it was up to the United States, which had proposed the ceasefire, to confront Ukraine over its actions.

The Kremlin said this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in a call with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to observe a 30-day ceasefire on energy targets. The accord fell short of a wider agreement that the U.S. had sought, and which was accepted by Ukraine, for a blanket 30-day truce.

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Firefighters in southern Russia were still battling a blaze at an oil depot triggered by a Ukrainian drone attack, regional authorities said on the Telegram messaging app.

"We believe that the Kyiv regime has already broken the ceasefire proposed by the U.S. president," Zakharova said on television, according to TASS.

"Now the question is - you will forgive me - how is Washington going to handle this terrorist scum gone mad? How are they going to put them in their place and get them on to something like the right track?"

Ukrainian officials have also accused Russia of failing to align their actions with their pledges by launching attacks on civilian targets.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that Russian attacks on infrastructure, including hospitals and rail equipment, showed "Putin's words are very different from reality".

In earlier comments, Zakharova had described the attack on the oil depot as a "provocation" and an attempt by Ukraine to disrupt peace initiatives.

Authorities in the southern Russian region of Krasnodar said a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an oil depot near the village of Kavkazskaya. The depot is a rail terminal for Russian oil supplies to a pipeline linking Kazakhstan to the Black Sea.

A statement issued by authorities in the Krasnodar region on Thursday evening said efforts were continuing to bring the blaze under control.

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The statement said 429 firefighters and 174 pieces of equipment had been drafted to tackle the fire covering 3,750 sq m (40,400 sq ft).

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Ron Popeski and Jamie Freed)
Russia has announced technical talks with the United States in Riyadh on 24 March. Moscow will be represented by Senator Grigory Karasin and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Source: Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, as reported by European Pravda, citing Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency Interfax

Details: According to Ushakov, the Russia-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday will be held at the level of "experts appointed by the presidents".

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"On the Russian side, they will be attended by Grigory Karasin, Chairman of the International Relations Council Committee of the Federation Council [the upper chamber of the Russian parliament], and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the FSB," he added.

Notably, Beseda formerly headed the FSB's 5th Service, which oversees the collection of intelligence on Ukraine. The data it gathered was key to Putins decision to invade Ukraine in 2022.

Commenting on the selection of representatives from the Russian side, Ushakov described them as "really experienced negotiators who are well-versed in international issues".

Putin's aide added that the American team has also been formed, but in his view, it would be logical for the Americans to announce the names of its members themselves.

Background:

Earlier, the White House announced that a new round of talks on a peaceful settlement in Ukraine will take place in Saudi Arabia on 23 March.

A meeting between Kyiv and Washington was also announced to discuss technical issues of the partial truce.

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The European Union plans to dramatically ramp up defence spending, mobilizing 800 billion ($868 billion) over the next four years, including 150 billion in loans for arms projects and exemptions from EU debt rules for defence investments.

At a summit in Brussels on Thursday, EU leaders agreed to take all necessary steps to strengthen Europe's defence readiness by 2030, according to the summit declaration.

The effort is also intended to boost military support for Ukraine as it continues to resist Russia's invasion.

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The initiative, which has not yet been formally adopted, comes amid growing concern within the European Commission that the EU must urgently prepare for the risk of large-scale conflict with Russia.

In a paper presented ahead of the summit, the commission warned that history would not forgive European leaders for failing to act. If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, it argued, Moscow is likely to pursue further territorial ambitions, potentially by 2030.

Commitment to NATO

The security situation in Europe is seen as particularly perilous after President Donald Trump made clear the United States will no longer serve unconditionally as Europes guarantor of peace, as it has for decades.

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Still, the summit declaration makes clear that the EU is counting on NATOs continued role.

The bloc does not view increased European defence and security capabilities as competition to NATO but rather as efforts that "will contribute positively to global and trans-Atlantic security and is complementary to NATO, which remains, for the 23 EU states that are also NATO members. the foundation of their collective defence."

Germanys outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted that the Bundestag has already approved easing the countrys debt limit, allowing for billions in additional defence spending.

But the summit was shadowed by Hungarys announcement that it would block any new EU decisions specifically supporting Ukraine. As during an earlier EU summit on March 6, no joint text on the issue could be adopted.

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Hungary justified its stance by aligning with Trumps position. Trump trying to pressure Ukraine into agreeing to a ceasefire with Russia. Many European capitals fear those terms could be favourable to Moscow.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called Trump's approach to trying to end the war "terrible" at the summit.

Discussion on new EU debt

Several countries expressed dissatisfaction with the European Commissions financial efforts to boost defence, arguing they do not go far enough.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said there should be serious consideration of large-scale new EU borrowing  so-called Eurobonds  rather than just loans. The EU has only used Eurobonds once before, during the coronavirus pandemic, to mitigate economic fallout.

However, countries like Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria remain firmly opposed.
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian and U.S. experts will discuss ways to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea at talks on a possible Ukrainian peace settlement in Riyadh on Monday, the Kremlin said.

After Russian forces made gains in 2024, President Donald Trump reversed U.S. policy on the war, launching bilateral talks with Moscow and suspending military assistance to Ukraine, demanding that it take steps to end the conflict.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff earlier this week said U.S.-Russian talks would take place on Sunday in Jeddah. President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said talks would take place on Monday in Riyadh.

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The talks will be "mainly to study the prospects for the possible implementation of a well-known initiative related to the safety of navigation in the Black Sea," Ushakov said in a statement.

The talks will be bilateral, Ushakov said.

Russia will be represented by Grigory Karasin, a former diplomat who is now chair of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that when Putin and Trump spoke by telephone on Tuesday, they had discussed the "Black Sea Initiative".

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Turkey and the United Nations helped mediate the so-called Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal struck in July 2022 that allowed the safe export of nearly 33 million metric tons of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea despite the war.

Russia withdrew from the agreement after a year, complaining that its own food and fertiliser exports faced serious obstacles.

"We fulfilled all the conditions then, but the conditions in relation to us were not fulfilled," Peskov said.

The White House, in its March 18 statement on the Putin-Trump call, said the leaders agreed to technical negotiations on the implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, a full ceasefire and permanent peace.

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The World Bank's global commodities outlook from April 2024 says that despite the Black Sea shipping risks, both Russia and Ukraine were shipping grain to global markets without major problems. It also said the collapse of the Black Sea Grain Initiative had a minimal fallout.

The bank's latest report from October 2024 does not mention Black Sea shipping risks.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has left hundreds of thousands of dead and injured, displaced millions of people, reduced towns to rubble and triggered the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West in six decades.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in 2014 after a Russia-friendly president was toppled in Ukraine's Maidan Revolution and Russia annexed Crimea, with Russian-backed separatist forces then fighting Ukraine's armed forces in the east.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Mark Trevelyan and Toby Chopra)
Russia and the United States will hold consultations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on March 24 to discuss the war in Ukraine, according to Russian presidential aide for international affairs Yuri Ushakov, as reported by state-owned news agency TASS on March 20.

Ushakov said he had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, regarding "the implementation of a well-known initiative concerning the safety of navigation in the Black Sea."

A similar arrangement previously existed under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a deal brokered by the U.N. and Turkey in 2022. The initiative allowed Ukraine to export agricultural products via the Black Sea despite Russia's full-scale invasion, helping stabilize global food prices.

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Moscow withdrew from the agreement in July 2023, effectively collapsing the deal.

Since then, Russian forces have repeatedly targeted Ukrainian port infrastructure and civilian vessels. A Russian ballistic missile struck the Odesa port on March 1, damaging port facilities and a Panamanian-flagged civilian ship.

Multiple foreign ships have been damaged in Russian attacks on the port, including in October 2024, when several vessels sustained damage in separate strikes.

The upcoming consultations in Riyadh will include Russian officials Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

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Beseda previously led the FSB's 5th Service, which was responsible for gathering intelligence on Ukraine before the full-scale invasion.

The upcoming Riyadh talks come after U.S.-Russia negotiations in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 and in Istanbul on Feb. 27. U.S. and Ukrainian delegations held separate discussions in Jeddah on March 11, where the Ukrainian side proposed a ceasefire in the sky and at sea but eventually agreed to a full 30-day truce pushed by Washington.

Putin rejected a full ceasefire in a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump but agreed to a temporary mutual pause on strikes against energy infrastructure.

Read also: Western intel contradicts Trumps, Putins claims on Ukraines encirclement in Kursk Oblast, Reuters reports

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated.

Russia's Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast was successfully hit by Ukrainian drones overnight on March 20, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

The statement comes after Governor Roman Busargin reported the heaviest drone strike against Saratov Oblast throughout the entire full-scale war.

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A fire, explosions, and secondary detonations of ammunition were recorded at the air base following the attack carried out by the SBU and the Special Operations Forces, the source said.

The Engels-2 military air base hosts strategic bomber planes regularly used for aerial strikes on Ukraine. The independent news channel Astra reported explosions near the air base. According to Busargin, residents living near the airfield are being evacuated.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces also reported on the attack.

"This military facility is used by Russian aviation to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and terrorist attacks against the civilian population," the statement read.

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Multiple missiles, including Kh-101 cruise missiles, have been destroyed in the attack, said Andrii Kovalenko, an official at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.

Residents reported an air raid alert followed by a series of explosions in Saratov and Engels, according to Russian Telegram channels. At least four blasts could be heard at around 4 a.m. local time, according to Mash.

Russian air defenses were "ineffective" and launched missiles toward civilian buildings and infrastructure in Engels and Saratov, according to the SBU source.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

Satellite imagery from Dec 3 & 4, 2022, of Engels air base after a previous attack (Maxar Technologies/Twitter)

The Shot Telegram channel wrote that a fire also erupted in the area of a local oil depot in Engels. Russian officials have not commented on possible damage to oil infrastructure.

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Two civilians were injured in Engels, authorities said. Around 30 houses were impacted in the city, and windows of a local hospital, two kindergartens, and a school were damaged, Busargin claimed.

A state of emergency was announced in the Engels district in response to the drone attack, and temporary flight restrictions were imposed at the Saratov and Samara airports.

Saratov and Engels lie across from each other on the western and eastern banks of the Volga River, respectively.

Russian air defenses shot down 132 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 54 over Saratov Oblast, 40 over Voronezxh Oblast, 22 over Belgorod Oblast, and others over the Rostov, Kursk, and Lipetsk oblasts, as well as over occupied Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.

Engels air base

Located in the Saratov Oblast, over 450 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, Engels air base  also known as Engels-2  is home to the 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment and 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment.

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It was built in 1952 and has been in service since 1954.

Engels is home to three types of Russian strategic bombers  the Tupolev Tu-95, the Tupolev Tu-22, and the Tupolev Tu-160, all regularly used to launch missiles at Ukrainian cities.

The Tu-95 is the older of the three aircraft, a Soviet-era plane that made its first flight in 1952. It was originally used to carry nuclear bombs but has since evolved to launch cruise missiles.

Each aircraft can carry 16 cruise missiles  either the Kh-55/Kh-555 or the newer Kh-101 and Kh-102 air-launched cruise missiles.

It features turboprop propellers rather than jet engines, as during the Cold War, their increased efficiency allowed it to fly all the way to the United States without refueling.

A Tu-95 at Engels-2 air base in Russia. (Wikimedia)

The Tu-22 carries the Kh-22 missiles, which pose a particular problem for Ukraine. It is supersonic and travels at around 4,000 kilometers per hour. Currently, it can only be shot down with the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system and potentially the SAMP-T, a joint Italian-French system.

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The Tu-160 is Russia's more modern strategic bomber, entering service in 1987. To this day, it remains the largest operational bomber in the world.

It can carry a total of 12 Kh-55 missiles and up to 24 Kh-15s.

Successful Ukrainian strikes

Engels has been targeted a number of times since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the first of which occurred on Dec. 5, 2022, when a Ukrainian drone strike reportedly damaged two Tu-95s.

At the time, the British Ministry of Defense said it was "some of the most strategically significant failures of force protection since (Russia's) invasion of Ukraine."

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Drones attempted to strike the base two more times that month but did not cause significant damage, though Russia did appear to move some of its aircraft to other bases in response to the threat.

Before the latest attack, Engels was most recently targeted in January when a drone attack set fire to an ammunition depot on the airfield's territory.

Read also: Massive drone attack on Kirovohrad Oblast injures 8, including a child

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Russian troops attacked Nikopol district in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with artillery and drones on 20 March: a man was killed, and a woman was injured.

Source: Serhii Lysak, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The enemy attacked the Nikopol District with UAVs and artillery. The district centre [the city of Nikopol] and the Marhanets hromada were affected. [A hromada is an administrative entity that designates a village, a group of villages, or a town, as well as their surrounding regions  ed.]

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A 73-year-old man was killed. Our sincere condolences to the family. A 68-year-old woman was injured. She will be treated on an outpatient basis."

Details: In the Synelnykove District, the Russians attacked the Mezhova hromada with drones. An agricultural business, a house and an outbuilding were damaged.

Novopavlivska was hit with a guided aerial bomb. Three houses were partially destroyed, eight more were damaged. A car and a motorbike were damaged.

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Russia carried out two attacks on Ukraine's railway infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring four workers, Ukrzaliznytsia reported on March 19.

Of the four injured workers, two are reported to be in serious condition.

Preliminary reports indicated that a ballistic missile was used in the attack.

The second strike hit the original site as recovery efforts were ongoing.

The attack caused power outages in some areas, but train services remained unaffected.

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Russian forces have continuously targeted Ukraine's critical infrastructure, targeting various regions of the country.

Read also: 2 Sumy Oblast hospitals hit by drones hours after Putin agrees to halt energy grid attacks

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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov inspected navy training in the Caspian Sea and ordered the rapid completion of work on new facilities there, his ministry said on Thursday.

It published video showing live-fire exercises at sea, and navy divers firing weapons underwater while training in a swimming pool.

The ministry said construction was under way on more than two km (1.25 miles) of new docking and servicing facilities for Russia's Caspian Sea Flotilla and a headquarters building.

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Belousov said this must be finished as soon as possible because of "the current relevance of the tasks" it was facing.

"We will now take this facility under special control so that everything is properly executed," Belousov was quoted as saying.

Russia is one of five countries, all major energy producers, that border the Caspian Sea. The others are Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

(Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Gareth Jones)
(Reuters) - Russian forces launched a mass drone attack on Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odesa late on Thursday, injuring three people and damaging a high-rise apartment building and a shopping centre, the regional governor said.

Oleh Kiper, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said there had been strikes in three locations that triggered fires, while three districts of the city were suffering from power cuts.

Public broadcaster Suspilne had earlier reported more than 18 explosions in the city after 10 p.m. (2000 GMT).

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Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian attacks in the more than three-year-old war, particularly the city's port facilities.

The governor of Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, Ivan Fedorov, reported several strikes on areas near the city of Zaporizhzhia, including one guided bomb. He said five people were injured, including a child.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Bogdan Kochubey; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Jamie Freed)
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents and Bay County Sheriffs deputies have arrested a man alleged to be a Russian mafia enforcer.

The arrest happened today in Panama City Beach. Authorities say he is a criminal alien. He is a suspect in an FDLE  Homeland Security investigation into labor trafficking and visa fraud.

They say the man, whose name is not being released, is currently living in a multi-million-dollar Panama City Beach residence.

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It is unclear if he was booked into the Bay County Jail or detained somewhere else. Bay County sheriffs officials declined to comment.

News13 will have more on this story if and when it becomes available.

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The Security Service of Ukraine has detained a Russian spy from unrecognised Transnistria in Odesa. This spy has come to Ukraine to steal Ukrainian developments in the field of unmanned systems.

Source: Security Service of Ukraine; Office of the Prosecutor General

Quote from the Security Service: "The Security Service detained another agent of the Russian military intelligence service (better known as the GRU) near Odesa. The man was a resident of unrecognised Transnistria who was trying to obtain secret Ukrainian developments in the field of unmanned systems."

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Details: According to the investigation, the man was tasked with recruiting a soldier of the Ukrainian defence forces who works with drones. In return for a monetary reward, he planned to use the soldier to obtain technical documentation on the latest strike and reconnaissance UAVs.

At all stages of the operation, the spy reported to his handler, the "deputy minister of defence of Transnistria", who cooperates with the Russian GRU.

The detainment of the spy

Photo: Security Service of Ukraine

The Security Service of Ukraine tracked the spy at the stage of entry into Ukraine. He posed as an entrepreneur who supposedly imported Ukrainian food products.

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Law enforcement officers detained him red-handed when he was receiving a flash drive with classified data on Ukrainian drones.

According to the case file, the spy was going to transfer the information to Transnistria, where he planned to "set up the production of combat UAVs for Russia". During his arrest, two pistols were found on him and sent for examination.

The man was served with a notice of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

Part 1, Article 114 (espionage);

Part 1, Article 263 (illegal handling of weapons).

The man is currently in custody. He faces 15 years of imprisonment and the seizure of property.

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SEOUL (Reuters) - A Russian military plane entered South Korea's air defence zone on Thursday without prior notice, South Korea's defence ministry said.

Russian warplanes had gone into the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone eight times between March 11 and Thursday, according to the ministry. Moscow does not recognise South Korea's air defence zone.

South Korea's defence ministry said it had lodged a complaint with Russia's military attache over the incident.

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Ed Davies)
Russian forces dropped six guided aerial bombs on the Krasnopillia hromada in Sumy Oblast on 20 March, killing a local resident and injuring another person. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories  ed.].

Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration on Telegram; State Emergency Service of Ukraine on Facebook

Quote: "The enemy continues launching large-scale attacks on the Krasnopillia hromada, using aerial weapons: guided bombs and drones.

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On 20 March, the Russians dropped six guided bombs on the hromada. Initial reports indicate that one person was killed and another was injured as a result of the attack."

Details: The Russians damaged both an apartment building and a house, as well as a shopping centre.

Local authorities urge residents not to delay evacuation.

"Save your life and protect your loved ones!" the administration emphasised.

The aftermath of the Russian attack

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Sumy Oblast

Rescue workers reported that they worked to eliminate the consequences of the airstrikes on the Krasnopillia hromada from the evening of 19 March until the morning of 20 March.

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They uncovered a body while clearing the rubble from one of the houses.

The aftermath of the Russian attack

Photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Sumy Oblast

Background:

On the evening of 18 March, a Russian drone crashed onto the roof of a regional clinical hospital in the city of Sumy, damaging the building and cars parked nearby.

On the night of 18-19 March, a Russian drone attack severely damaged yet another hospital in Sumy Oblast.

On 18 March, Russian forces struck an apartment building in the village of Uhroidy in Sumy Oblast, killing a 29-year-old man and injuring three others.

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Russian forces carried out an airstrike on a residential building in the settlement of Krasnopillia, Sumy Oblast, killing two civilians on Thursday 20 March.

Source: Sumy Oblast Prosecutors Office

Details: According to the investigation, at around 15:20 on 20 March, the Russians used internationally banned methods of warfare, dropping guided aerial bombs on a two-storey residential building in the village of Krasnopillia, Sumy district.

A woman, 69, and a man, 51, were killed in the attack.

Prosecutors, in cooperation with other law enforcement agencies, are documenting the aftermath of the strike.

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Russian forces bombarded the town of Kramatorsk in Donetsk Oblast on 20 March. Early reports say that some people were injured.

Source: Oleksandr Honcharenko, Head of Kramatorsk City Military Administration

Details: Honcharenko said that the Russians had hit the city in the morning. Early reports indicate that several people sustained injuries.

Quote: "We are confirming the aftermath. The threat has not passed, so stay in shelters!"

Background: On the afternoon of 25 February, the Russians attacked Kramatorsk, killing one and wounding 16 more people, including four children.



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GOMA, Congo (AP)  Rwanda-backed M23 rebels battling Congos army captured another strategic town in the country's mineral-rich east, residents and insurgents said Thursday, despite ceasefire calls this week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents.

The decades-long conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February.

The latest fighting came after the presidents of Congo and Rwanda held unexpected talks in Qatar on Wednesday and called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. The meeting followed a failed attempt to bring Congos government and M23 leaders together for ceasefire negotiations on Tuesday, with the rebels pulling out after the European Union announced sanctions on rebel leaders.

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The rebels entered the town of Walikale late on Wednesday, according to residents and civil society leaders, and rebels said in a statement late Thursday that they had liberated the town.

Taking Walikale gives the rebels control of a road linking four provinces in eastern Congo  North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Maniema  and effectively cutting off Congolese army positions.

The rebels have been seen near the monument and at the Bakusu group office," Prince Kihangi, a former provincial deputy elected for the Walikale territory told The Associated Press over the phone, referring to locations in the town center. He did not elaborate on the sourcing.

Heavy artillery fire could be heard throughout the day but ceased in the evening, giving way to sporadic gunfire, Fiston Misona, a civil society activist in Walikale, told the AP over the phone.

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Our Congolese army is no longer fighting, he said. Its as if we were being sacrificed.

In a statement late Thursday, an umbrella group of insurgents including the M23 rebels said they were committed to a ceasefire but that they entered Walikale to protect the population against what they alleged were attacks by the Congo army.

The statement accused Congolese armed forces of continuing indiscriminately" bombing "heavily populated areas," and said they had no choice but to rescue our compatriots."

We confirm that the town of Walikale, the capital of the Walikale territory, has been liberated by our forces in order to protect the population and their property," Congo River Alliance said in a statement.

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The group said it would uphold a ceasefire, but that in the event of provocation or attacks against civilians, our forces will respond professionally in accordance with international law.

There was no immediate comment from the Congolese government.

The Walikale area is home to the largest tin deposits in Congo and to several significant gold mines. The Bisie tin mine, around 60 kilometers (35 miles) northwest of the town, accounts for the majority of tin exports from North Kivu province. Last week, its operator Alphamin Resources said it was temporarily halting mining operations due to the rebels advance.

Speaking on Fox News earlier this week, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said he was open to a deal on critical minerals with the United States, in exchange for the Americans providing security.

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I think that the U.S. is able to use either pressure or sanctions to make sure that armed groups who are in ... (Congo) can be kept at bay, he said.

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 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) to the east.

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.

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Doctors Without Borders said its base in Walikale was caught in the crossfire, with bullets hitting some of our facilities and vehicles on Wednesday.

Two huge explosions also occurred near the town's general hospital, where medical staff continue to treat around 60 patients. The aid group said it was worried about a "potential influx of wounded in the coming hours and days.

"In recent days, the town of Walikale had already practically emptied of its population in panic," said the group, also known as MSF after its name in French. The insecurity in the region in recent weeks has created a climate of fear for the civilian population.

___

Pronczuk reported from Dakar, Senegal.
(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento County Sheriffs Office responded to a pursuit in Sacramento County on Wednesday night.

Video above: What happens when you call 911?

Amar Gandhi, who is a spokesperson with the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office, said some deputies were patrolling the area and found a vehicle with a license plate that did not match the vehicle and proceeded to pull the driver over.

Gandhi says the pursuit started at around 6:30 p.m. near Auburn and Watt Avenue when the driver refused to stop to pull over and ended on J and 29th Streets in Sacramento Downtown.

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Before arriving at J and 29th Streets, the driver stopped near Business 80 and El Camino and kicked his girlfriend out of the car since she did not want to conceal drugs in her clothing, according to Gandhi.

Couple arrested for animal cruelty in Nevada County, dogs seized for care

Ghandi stated that the suspect ended up crashing into a 12-seater bus in Downtown Sacramento with only the driver being inside.

The deputies found three ounces of fentanyl on him and the suspect is known to be a gangster, said Gandhi.

Officials say that they were able to detain the driver and fire crews arrived at the scene to evaluate the bus driver.

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Gandhi said, The suspect will get booked into jail, the drugs will get booked, and then after that just going to go into the hands of the legal system to see how long gets in jail.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF)  Just days after gunshots rang out in front of Glenn Hills Middle School, Sheriff Eugene Brantley is speaking out.

Its a sad situation for both the officer, the guy involved, and the community as a whole, said Brantley.

The Richmond County Sheriffs Office released body camera footage of the incident Tuesday.

After getting called to a home on Primrose Drive on March 13th, video shows Deputy David Hopkins going down Glenn Hills Drive in pursuit of the suspect, Brandon Hill.

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The caller told deputies Hill had broken windows at her home, and stolen her firearm before fleeing the scene.

Hopkins made contact with Hill in front of Glenn Hills Middle School.

Hopkins asks Hill to show his handsbut after he raised a gun, Hopkins drew fire.

Anytime an officer gives you verbal commands to put your hands up in an area where they can visibly see your hands and make sure theyre safe, thats what I think citizens should do, Brantley said.

An independent review by the Columbia County Sheriffs Office determined that Deputy Hopkins was justified in his use of force and acted within department policy.

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They were chosen to handle the review over the GBI.

Columbia County has the same resources and same standards as the GBI. Theyre also not as backed up as the GBI, said Brantley.

The Sheriff says incidents like this also point to the importance of addressing mental health.

The mental health problem is rampantnot just here in Richmond County, but throughout America. We dont have enough mental health facilities to help deal with all the mental health patients, and people who need mental health. Every day, youre dealing with situations, and you never know what someone is going through, Brantley added.

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The investigation is ongoing, and the case will soon be sent to judicial court.

The Sheriff could not provide an update on Hills condition, but at last check he was in the hospital in critical condition.

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A Salisbury man has been charged after lab tests connected him to a shooting case last year.

Police say the shooting happened in October of 2024 at a home along Long Branch Road. 12 bullet holes were found at the home, but no one was hurt.

ALSO READ: Father says son killed in Salisbury shooting was an innocent victim

Aric Bryce Herring, 25, was charged with shooting into an occupied dwelling on March 12 after laboratory testing connected him to the shooting. He was released the next day on a $15,000 secured bond.

(WATCH BELOW: Charlotte animal cruelty case under investigation after community outcry)
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)  San Angelos Mad Messy food trailer business will soon expand its operations to Abilenes Dyess Air Force Base, according to its owner.

In a social media post made on March 19, it was announced that Mad Messy, a local food truck business operating at 333 W. Beauregard Ave. that specializes in cheesesteaks, acquired a much larger newer food trailer to replace its current trailer. On top of this, it was revealed that the current trailer would be relocated to Abilenes Dyess Air Force Base to begin serving its signature sandwiches.

James Pettit, owner of Mad Messy, said the new location will come to Dyess Air Force Base on April 15. He shared that the decision to open a second food trailer came after he was invited to bring his business to the military installation.

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Here recently, we received a call asking if wed like to fill a void that theyre having on Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Pettit said.

San Angelo pOpshelf to close

Pettit said the new food trailer is one of many steps in his plan to expand Mad Messys operations to four trailers: One in the city of Abilene, one on Dyess Air Force Base, one in the city of San Angelo and one on Goodfellow Air Force Base.

Once we get set up on Dyess  our next goal is to put a food trailer off-base in Abilene, and we already have a location ready for us, and then to put another food trailer back on Goodfellow, Pettit said. With this move that were making, were halfway there.

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As for the businesss current presence in San Angelo, Pettit stated that the new trailers larger size will allow for more storage and equipment. Extra room means the potential return of old menu items and the addition of new items.

We have a pretty good menu already, but theres a lot of things that we leave off just because of space issues, Pettit said. We dont have things like our fried mushrooms and bacon-wrapped jalapenos and just different things that wed like to do. This is going to allow us to add some of those things back to the menu board for us.

Downtown antique shop to get new home

A new trailer also means new opportunities for visibility. Pettit described the trailer as a blank slate and shared that it will soon have a wrap put on it.

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When that sits over here at the corner of Beauregard, thats a lot of eyes that well be able to put on a very big trailer, and then all we got to do is put good product out, Pettit said.

Pettit said Mad Messy first opened 2.5 years ago at Goodfellow Air Force Base before eventually moving to the West Beauregard Avenue location. He attributed the businesss success to multiple individuals, including City of San Angelo environmental health inspector Robert Diaz and Angry Cactus owner Tim Condon.

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SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Tens of thousands of federal probationary employees across the country who were fired have a new ally in the form of San Diego City attorney Heather Ferbert.

We are a big military town, a lot of military presence, and the VA (Veterans Affairs) plays a very big part here, said Ferbert.

Just last week, the VA announced laying off 83,000 employees, which could have included thousands of military veterans.

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Earthquake, aftershock rattles Borrego Springs

The city attorneys office is now submitting an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs that are suing the Trump administration over firings of federal workers who provide services to the City of San Diego.

Ferbert says she wasnt surprised when federal judges stepped in to stop the firings.

A lot of what we are seeing out of these actions are violations of basic civics that we all learned in fifth, sixth grade, she stated. Separation of powers  when Congress puts aside money and says these are the conditions, the Executive Branch is supposed to administer it per Congress instructions.

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The Trump administrations Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed up by Elon Musk, has set out to reduce redundancies, waste fraud and abuse, but now judges have demanded DOGE rehire thousands of federal employees who were just fired weeks ago.

The general public knows that these haste decisions are damaging not only the federal employees, but to our communities and our local economies across the United States and San Diego as well, Ferbert continued.

Mario Campos, a Border Patrol agent and Federal Union National Vice President, says having San Diego and dozens of other cities join the fight to push back on DOGE buoys morale for recently fired federal workers.

I believe there is a possibility that everybody gets hired back, said Campos.

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One of the big issues in this federal employees case is that they didnt follow the process to fire federal employees and they didnt provide the notices that federal employees get, said Ferbert.

The Trump administration has now appealed the federal judges latest ruling to rehire the fired federal employees, with the case now headed to the ninth circuit court of appeals.

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SF Pride will lose at least $300,000 in sponsorships from major companies for this year's event.

Sponsors cited local budget constraints for their reduced support in 2025, SF Pride exec says.

NYC Pride said partners are also scaling back visibility or reassessing their spending on the event.

San Francisco Pride is set to lose $300,000 in sponsorships for this year's celebration.

Five corporate sponsors, including major companies Comcast, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Diageo, notified the directors of SF Pride that they would no longer be funding one of the biggest pride celebrations in the US, local news outlet KTVU was the first to report last Thursday.

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The multi-day event is set to kick off on June 28, and it costs about $3.2 million to host the more than one million attendees it attracts, SF Pride executive director Suzanne Ford told Business Insider. Ford said she is expected to raise $2.3 million in sponsorships for the 2025 Pride budget over the fiscal year.

"When we talk about the cost of putting this on, a lot of that money goes back to the queer community. A lot of people benefit from the money spent on Pride weekend," Ford said.

The organization adopted a community partner model that allows local groups to staff events and be paid through grants, vendors are able to rent spaces to sell food, beverages, or art, and nonprofits can march in the parade for a "nominal fee."

Each of the companies, some of which had worked with SF Pride for years, cited budget constraints for why they could no longer sponsor the event, Ford said.

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According to sources close to the company, Diageo will still be "activating" around San Francisco for Pride and will be sponsoring Long Beach Pride. A representative for Comcast told BI the media giant plans to support Pride celebrations in Oakland, Silicon Valley, and Sacramento. AB InBev did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.

Major cities across the US host Pride parades in the warmer months and attract millions of attendees. New York City, home to the biggest Pride celebration in the US, is also at risk of losing support from past partners as their June 29 parade approaches.

"We're also seeing partners maintain their financial support but minimize visibility at our events, while others are scaling back budgets and delaying decision-making," a spokesperson for New York City Pride told BI.

However, the spokesperson said, many partners have doubled down on their support during this "volatile political environment." Neither SF Pride nor any of the former sponsors mentioned anti-DEI as a reason for the withdrawal of their funding. Still, the current wave of companies restructuring their DEI programs and policies isn't lost on Pride executives.

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Anti-DEI sentiment by the Trump government "has made the "environment worse for companies that want to support us," Ford said.

AB InBev-owned Bud Light was embroiled in controversy in 2023 after transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney posted a photo of the beer. Conservative consumers responded strongly, leading to executives taking leaves of absence and boycotts that hurt sales.

In 2024, tractor maker John Deere backed down from DEI initiatives after receiving backlash from conservatives online alleging the company encouraged employees to put their pronouns in their email signatures.

In response, John Deere announced that it would "no longer participate in or support external social or cultural awareness parades, festivals, or events," in a post to X.

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There's a level of risk that comes with vocally showing support, Ford said, including "negative press."

By highlighting those who have pulled back, both NYC Pride and SF Pride said they're hoping it will encourage potential sponsors to step forward. The San Francisco International Airport, for example is a new sponsor for the city's 2025 Pride celebration, Ford said.

Read the original article on Business Insider
SAN FRANCISCO  Tech CEOs and industry titans were among San Franciscos most-vocal naysayers over the citys pandemic-era decline, marked by trash-and-tent strewn streets and a deserted downtown.

Now, Mayor Daniel Lurie is pulling the citys business elite  including tech newcomers  into his circle at City Hall, hoping a new generation of civic patrons will help the city regain its luster.

Lurie on Thursday announced the launch of an exclusive group of powerbrokers expected to advise him on City Halls efforts to revive downtown and lead philanthropic efforts that support the citys recovery.

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The roster reads like an A-list gathering of the citys rich and influential: Its co-chairs are Laurene Powell Jobs, president of the Emerson Collective and the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs; and Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google.

Among the other founding members of the Partnership for San Francisco: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, venture capitalist Ron Conway, Gap CEO Richard Dickson, SF Giants CEO Larry Baer, Salesforce co-founder Parker Harris, Ripple co-founder Chris Larsen, Sephora North America CEO Artemis Patrick, McKinsey Managing Partner Bob Sternfels and DoorDash CEO Tony Xu.

San Francisco arguably hasnt seen such a convening of private-sector executives in decades, but business leaders have helped the city weather other troubled periods, including the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. They also rallied together to keep the Giants from leaving Candlestick Park in the early 1990s.

San Francisco is at an inflection point, said Katherine August-deWilde, president of the new partnership and a former president of First Republic Bank. We expect the mayor to come to us and say what he needs.

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Lurie  himself an heir to the billion-dollar Levi Strauss fortune  ran for mayor as a political outsider vowing to make City Hall more responsive to business owners concerns about homelessness, crime and street conditions.

Before his pivot to politics, Lurie founded an affordable housing nonprofit. He spoke during the campaign about wanting to use his wealth to help the city.

It does harken back to this old-fashioned sense of service, said political consultant Dan Newman, an ally of Lurie who ran an outside expenditure group that supported his campaign. Newman, who isnt involved in the partnership, said the range of groups involved, including tech forces that have been at odds in the past, is a rare sight in SF.

Luries ties to powerful tech and corporate executives do carry a risk in San Francisco, even as city politics has moved toward the center. Many voters who consider themselves progressives are already wary of tech interests' growing influence in City Hall.

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Julie Pitta, who leads the Phoenix Project, a progressive advocacy group, called Luries foray extremely disappointing, arguing hes surrounding himself with people who are out of touch with typical residents.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a Thursday report from The New York Times that his tour with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is meant to encourage more independent candidates to run.

One of the aspects of this tour is to try to rally people to get engaged in the political process and run as independents outside of the Democratic Party, Sanders told the Times.

Theres a lot of great leadership all over this country at the grass-roots level. Weve got to bring that forward. And if we do that, we can defeat Trumpism and we can transform the political situation in America, he added.

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According to an Instagram post from Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, the two politicians stops in Las Vegas and Tempe, Ariz., on Thursday; Greeley, Colo., and Denver on Friday; and Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday.

This week, I am headed to Nevada, Arizona, and Colorado with @AOC, @GregCasar, and @StevenHorsford to hold town halls with working class Americans, Sanders said in a post on the social platform X on Tuesday. Together, we will stand strong in the struggle against authoritarianism and oligarchy. I hope youll join us.

Sanderss comments come amid turmoil in the Democratic Party about how to combat President Trump and his administration, with frustrations especially bubbling up in the last week after a small group of Senate Democrats voted to advance a Republican-crafted funding bill despite intense opposition to it from many in the party.

If theres any hope for the Democratic Party, it is that theyre going to have to reach out  open the doors and let working-class people in, let working-class leadership come into the party, Sanders told the Times. If not, people will be running as independents, I think, all over this country.

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The Hill has reached out to the Democratic National Committee and the White House for comment.

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(KRON)  A gang brawl erupted in Andy Lopez Unity Park on Moorland Avenue in Santa Rosa Tuesday evening, the Sonoma County Sheriffs Office said.

Just after 7 p.m. a witness called 911 and told dispatchers that gang members were fighting in the park. The suspects, armed with machetes, were chasing a group of people, sheriffs Sgt. Juan Valencia wrote.

Before the arrival of deputies, the suspects fled the area in a blue Honda, which incoming deputies promptly found on Moorland Avenue. The deputies stopped and searched the car, which yielded two machetes and red gang paraphernalia, Valencia wrote.

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Deputies arrested a 19-year-old Santa Rosa man, Rueben Cabrera, on suspicion of conspiracy and assault with a deadly weapon. Deputies also cited a 17-year-old passenger who was released to a family member. Both teenagers are gang members, according to SCSO.

(Images courtesy Sonoma County Sheriffs Office)

Cabrera was booked into the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility with bail set at $30,000.

New details emerge after Santa Rosa students die from drug overdoses

The safety of our community in Sonoma County is not just a top priority but a commitment that we, the Sheriffs Office, take seriously, the sheriffs office wrote.

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SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON)  Dozens of people chanted justice for David Tuesday in San Jose outside a juvenile hall facility. The crowd included family members of 15-year-old David Gutierrez, who was slain along Santana Row on Valentines Day.

The victim wore red-colored clothing on Valentines Day while he was on a dinner date with his girlfriend, detectives wrote in a police report. He lived in Redwood City and had no ties to gangs, police said.

Gutierrezs accused killer is a 13-year-old boy and a Sureno gang member, police said.

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A group of Sureno gang members was actively seeking confrontations on February 14 while Santana Row was bustling with people walking to restaurants and shopping, San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph said.

David S. Gutierrez is seen in photos courtesy GoFundMe.

The group attacked and robbed multiple random victims before they attacked Gutierrez, a police report shows. A security guard heard the group saying, F**k your colors to Gutierrez. The youngest member of the group brutally stabbed the 15-year-old boy to death in front of his girlfriend, detectives wrote.

Surveillance images show what happened before Santana Row Valentines Day killing

On Tuesday, Gutierrezs family said they are outraged that his alleged killer may only serve a few months in custody.

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His aunt, Diana Gutierrez, cried as she said, These cowards decided to attack my favorite person in the entire world. How many more families need to be destroyed until violent gang members are held accountable for their heinous crimes? When will we see fair sentences for murderers, regardless of their age?

A rally is staged outside Juvenile Hall in San Jose on March 18, 2025. (KRON4 Photo)

At the rally, people held up signs reading Adult crime. Adult Consequences, and, If David cant come home, neither should he.

Police arrested the 13-year-old boy on suspicion of murder. California law bars anyone who is younger than 16 from standing trial as an adult, even in murder cases. Three 16-year-old San Jose boys who were in the group are charged with assault. The trio appeared in front of a Santa Clara County juvenile court judge on Tuesday.

To the dismay of David Gutierrezs loved ones, the judge allowed one of the 16-year-old boys to be released from custody and go home with an electronic ankle monitor.

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The only adult arrested in the Valentines case, 18-year-old Emanuel Sanchez-Damian of Campbell, is being held in an adult jail without bail. Sanchez-Damian is charged with assaulting Gutierrez moments before he was slain. Prosecutors added gang enhancements to the charges.

Surenos gang members wear blue, while their rivals, Nortenos, wear red, the police report states. The victims family member said he lost his life simply because he wanted to be festive and wear red clothing like most of us did on Valentines Day. How many more families need to be destroyed until violent gang members are held accountable for their heinous crimes?

Police Chief Joseph said Gutierrez was tragically just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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Editors Note: This story has been updated with more information from Saraland High School and AAA USA.

SARALAND, Ala. (WKRG)  A transportation company has donated a full-scale maintenance training aircraft to Saraland High School to expand hands-on aviation experience.

Mobile first responders feel residents abuse 911 system  heres why

According to an AAA USA news release, the company donated a retired Piper PA-28 general aviation aircraft, which will allow students to work on the aircrafts frame.

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Its extremely important for kids to possibly get an idea of what they are interested in and what they do like moving down the road, Saraland High School Principal Scott Croley said. But its also important to give them an opportunity to find out if they dont like it and not have to feel like they wasted time in college or even years of experience within a job force.

SHS has an Airframe technology program that educates students on aircraft construction and operation, a news release said.

AAA USA officials said this will prepare students for careers in airplane maintenance and other related fields.

By investing in workforce development and partnering with Saraland High School and Coastal Alabama Community College, we aim to highlight the career opportunities available to students after graduation, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of AAA USA Perry C. Rucker said.

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SHS Principal Scott Croley said this donated plane offers students an opportunity to get hands-on experience.

Were extremely fortunate to have this opportunity to partner with AAA USA, specifically to have a piece of machinery like the functioning airplane for the students to be able to physically put their hands on day in and day out, and its something that I feel like a lot of high school students do not have that opportunity, Croley said.

First look inside massive Orange Beach Sports Complex, stadium

AAA USA has also launched the Wings of Opportunity scholarship, which will be awarded annually through SHS to students interested in pursuing careers in aerospace.

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We will award 4 students potentially with scholarships that will allow them to go to local aviation colleges, AAA USA Senior Director Sarah Kyser said. So, we hope that it inspires the students to choose careers in aviation. Theres so many opportunities in aviation.

The schools aviation program still needs some work before it gets off the ground. Construction of the new aviation classroom and shop is expected to be finished in June.

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One person was killed in a violent crash in the San Fernando Valley involving a box truck and vehicle that appeared to be traveling at high speed, surveillance video shows.

The deadly, multi-vehicle collision occurred just before 7 p.m. March 18 in the 8700 block of Lankershim Boulevard, near the 5 Freeway in Sun Valley.

Surveillance footage from a nearby business captured a silver two-door coupe traveling northbound on Lankershim Boulevard when the driver suddenly appears to lose control, swerving into southbound lanes of traffic where a large box truck smashes into it.

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The collision created an immediate cloud of smoke, sending debris flying as the coupe went spinning in the opposite direction, at least one of the drivers side tires falling off the vehicle, as it careened into a pickup truck parked at the curb.

One motorist was killed after violent collision involving a box truck in North Hollywood on March 18, 2025. (Citizen) One motorist was killed after violent collision involving a box truck in North Hollywood on March 18, 2025. (Citizen) One motorist was killed after violent collision involving a box truck in North Hollywood on March 18, 2025. (Citizen)

Moments after impact, the box truck was forced into several other vehicles parked along the busy street.

A heavy presence of police and firefighters responded to the scene as crowds of onlookers gathered on the street.

Man, 20, shot dead in violent face-off with Southern California police

It is unclear if there were any passengers in the box truck, the coupe or any of the parked cars.

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Both vehicles sustained severe damage, and one person was declared dead at the scene, though officials did not say which motorist was killed.

It is unclear if drugs and or alcohol were a factor in the deadly collision.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  A Savannah man was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty in a violent robbery, officials said Thursday.

Jordan Richardson, 25, injured two people in July 2022 while trying to rob an employee of the Jones Red and White Food Store on Ogeechee Road, a U.S. Attorneys Office, the Southern District of Georgia spokesperson said.

He was reportedly waiting for the employee outside of the store and attempted to rob them when the employee drove away. Richardson then chased the employee and shot at their vehicle at least six time, injuring the employee and a nearby worked, the spokesperson said.

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After shooting the vehicle, Richardson took the cash deposit bag and left. He was caught days later by Savannah Police, crashing into two patrol cars.

He pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Tara M. Lyons said.

Along with the 20-year sentence, Richardson was also ordered to pay $23,793 in restitution and to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

At the time of the robbery, Richardson was on probation for a prior state conviction that included robbery and gun possession.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV)  If you commit a forcible felony in the City of Savannah, police have the right to chase you or use force.



According to the policy, Savannah Police justify this when the immediate arrest of a suspect outweighs the dangers created by a pursuit. The latest chase in particular ending just feet away from a home off Liberty Parkway near Upson.



Mayor Van Johnson talked with WSAV on Wednesday about the policy.

People need to stop committing crimes, Johnson said. When you have individuals that are engaged in forcible felonies, were going to bring them to justice. Its the responsibility of the police to be able to do thatI think there are circumstances in which making sure that you are chasing while following a safe distance with safety protocols is appropriate.



60-year-old Darren Lewis was about to turn onto the parkway when he was hit by Kenneth Gordons car, according to Georgia State Patrol (GSP). A spokesperson says Gordon was fleeing from police.

Officers detailed in a report that they had their eye on the 2020 Jeep Compass Gordon was driving, because the owner of the car had relations to someone involved in a shooting early Tuesday morning where five people were hurt at the Westlake Apartments.

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The tragedy was an individual who chose to flee. Thats where the irresponsibility was. Thats what recklessness was, Johnson said.



While Gordon was arrested on scene, an innocent life was lost.

This gentleman was living his life, just doing what he does, Johnson said of Lewiss death. He was a beloved father, grandfather, and husband. This is just horrible.

Just last year, News 3 talked to the mayor about this same policy, which Johnson said was crystal clear. GSP is the agency investigating this crash.

OPS-011-Vehicle-Pursuits-03.22.23Download

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Gov. Andy Beshear is taking the Kentucky legislature to court over a new law that limits the executive branch's authority to enact regulations. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has issued his expected veto of a Republican-backed bill aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI) at Kentuckys public universities.

However, the GOP-controlled legislature will likely override the veto when it returns to Frankfort.

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Beshear announced his veto of House Bill 4 in a Thursday afternoon social media post. A video of the governor signing the veto showed advocates who opposed the bill, including University of Louisville student Bradley Price, stand behind the governor in his office.

Now, I believe in the Golden Rule that says we love our neighbor as ourself, and there are no exceptions, no asterisks. We love and accept everyone, Beshear said. This bill isnt about love. House Bill 4 is about hate. So Im going to try a little act of love myself, and Im going to veto it right now.

Screenshot of Gov. Andy Beshears social media post announcing the veto.

His veto message was not immediately available online in the Executive Journal Thursday afternoon.

Price, who was among students who discussed their displeasure with the bill with Rep. James Tipton, R-Taylorsville, after it was heard in his committee, praised Beshears veto in the video.

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By vetoing this bill, Gov. Beshear is telling marginalized people across the state that he stands with us, Price said. He will fight to make sure that we have access to education.

The bills primary sponsor, Rep. Jennifer Decker, R-Waddy, said during the House debate that her legislation would allow our universities and colleges to return to their focus away from social engineering to provide Kentucky students with excellent academic instruction in an environment that fosters critical thinking through open, constructive dialog.

Should the bill become law, HB 4 would increase oversight of public colleges and universities to ensure they do not spend dollars on or have employees devoted to advancing diversity. By June 30, university boards must adopt a policy on viewpoint neutrality that prohibits discrimination on the basis of an individuals political or social viewpoint and promotes intellectual diversity within the institution, the bill says.

Other measures in the bill include that universities may not have DEI offices or employees and cannot provide DEI training. Also, by October of each year, universities must submit reports to the Legislative Research Commission that include a list of policies and programs that are Designed or implemented to promote or provide differential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin and required under federal or state law or a court order.

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Beshear, who in recent months has become seen as a possible candidate for the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, has repeatedly defended DEI policies. Before the veto period began, Beshear told reporters anything that is telling any of our Kentuckians that they are lesser than someone else, we shouldnt be doing. Before that, the governor attended the 60th anniversary commemoration of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, and told the crowd diversity is a strength and never a weakness.

While his veto is likely to be overridden by Republicans in Frankfort, Beshears public disagreement with the policy allows him to strike back at what has become a focus of the Trump administration. During his address to Congress last month, President Donald Trump railed against DEI initiatives while waging other culture war issues. The president has also taken other steps to eliminate DEI, including signing an executive order that directed his administration to identify potential civil compliance investigations of corporations, nonprofit organizations, some higher education institutions and more.

Kentucky Republicans attempted to pass similar legislation during the 2024 session, but it failed to gain passage. Months after that, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University closed their DEI offices.

Days after the Senate gave its approval to the legislation, the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights announced UK was among 45 higher education institutions under federal investigation for allegedly engaging in race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.

Lawmakers return to Frankfort on March 27 and 28 to finish the 2025 legislative session.

This story may be updated.
SOUTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  South Carolinas Republican Attorney General is taking on birthright citizenship. AG Alan Wilson told NewsNation this week that the 14th Amendment, which historically guaranteed citizenship to all born or naturalized in the US, has been misinterpreted for far too long.

Wilson is one of several attorneys general supporting an executive order from President Donald Trump that eliminates birthright citizenship. The AG argued that leaders who drafted the amendment more than 100 years ago had very specific intentions.

That amendment was rightfully designed to bestow citizenship on emancipated slaves, which needed to happen, but has been misinterpreted over the last 160 years, said Wilson.

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Eighteen states have signed onto a brief supporting Trumps executive order. Wilson told NewsNation the amendment has been used to incentivize the ridiculous notion that somebody can come to the United States in the dead of night, drop a child like an anchor like a boat drops an anchor, and all of a sudden they have been bestowed citizenship for henceforth evermore.

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Twenty-two states are challenging Trumps executive order, arguing any elimination of birthright citizenship is in clear violation of what is guaranteed by the US Constitution. The ACLU of South Carolina, which is also opposed to the order, told Queen City News any changes to current law could chip away at other rights guaranteed by the amendment.

The 14th amendment is also where all citizens get the right to equal protection under the law, and if we dont stand firm on this first attack, then other parts of that amendment will fail, said Paul Bowers with the ACLU.

The case will be taken up by the US Supreme Court, but the order remains on hold after it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in Massachusetts.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA)  The General Assembly tasked the South Carolina Department of Transportation with making their Momentum 2050 Plan. The plan outlines goals and future improvements the South Carolina Department of Transportation wants to make.

Yeah, it is a good way off 2050. But if we dont start funding and preparing and permitting now, were never going to get there,  said Sen. Larry Grooms, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee (R  Berkeley).

SC death row inmate granted stay of execution

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The S.C. Department of Transportation said the state has changed drastically since the last plan was made. Secretary at SCDOT, Justin Powell said after the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been 360,000 new residents who have come to the Palmetto State.

They are expecting a million more new residents within the next 20 years.

The questions are not about the pothole anymore. Its the I cant get across town like I used to, its those questions, Powell said.

Grooms said they are committed to working with SCDOT on funding.

SCDOT launches Pothole Blitz to fix road damage

We underfunded our roads for about 25 years. So, for 25 years in a row, our roads got worse, and now that were getting too good, getting our handle, getting a handle on that, now we need to understand we have to do more to be able to expand the network, said Grooms.

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Our roads have to be safe, and any unsafe bridges have to be repaired, Grooms added. Now, we know others are aging out, so coming up with a schedule of which bridges get replaced and thats essential in having the revenue to do it.

Another key issue addressed was railroad repairs and crossings.

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Columbia S.C. (WSPA)  Governor Henry McMasters latest cabinet nomination is getting some pushback from legislators.

Dr. Edward Simmer is currently the Interim Head of the Department of Public Health and is the Governors pick to lead the agency.

Since I was confirmed a little over four years ago, what I envision to accomplish things moving forward, to help South Carolina to become the healthiest state in the nation, is the goal I have set for our agency. 

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Several state agencies leaders were in attendance to show support for Simmer at the statehouse, while some South Carolinians wore stickers to show their opposition.

I dont want weak men leading the state, because whats coming down the pipeline, the future is probably another pandemic scandal endemic, however you want to call it, said activist Evan Mulch.

When Simmer started at the Department of Health and Environmental Control in 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic was already in full swing. The concerns raised centered not on the future of the Department of Public Health but about how Simmer handled the pandemic.

Senator Tom Corbin (R  District Greenville) asked Simmer

It is my contention that it is wrong for this State to promote the vaccine as being safe and effective when, in my opinion, is not as I like to know what your opinion.

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Simmer replied, Most of the studies and experts I have read have said that if there is DNA there in some small quantity, it poses no risk.

Simmer said he believes vaccine discussions should be between a patient and their doctor.

I know is very important to many of you and to me. I strongly support medical freedom and the sanctity and value of the physician-patient relationship.

Simmer said his goal remains to protect the safety and improve the health of South Carolinians.

Chairman of the Senate Medical Affairs Committee, Senator Daniel Verdin said they plan to have another meeting to ask more questions and eventually vote to confirm or deny Dr. Simmer.

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The City of West Burlington has announced that Schlueters Auto Service is the recipient of the 2024 Business of the Year Award, celebrating its outstanding contributions to the community and dedication to excellence in automotive care, according to a news release.

Schlueters Auto Service (schlueterautoservice.com)

The award recognizes the contributions of a West Burlington business that has demonstrated outstanding performance, growth, and service to the community. Nominations were accepted during the month of January and were voted on by a panel of West Burlington elected officials, city and school district staff, a representative from Southeastern Community College, as well as a representative from the previous years winner, KPI Concepts.

The winner is selected based on the growth in taxable valuation, job growth, community impact, facility renovation, expansion and beautification, and exceptional customer service.

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At 109 E. Mount Pleasant St. in West Burlington, Schlueters Auto Service has been a trusted name in auto repair and tire services for residents and businesses alike. Known for delivering honest, reliable, and top-tier automotive solutions, theyve served loyal customers throughout Southeast Iowa. Whether its routine maintenance, complex repairs, or tire services, Schlueters team consistently goes above and beyond, ensuring every customer drives away with confidence and peace of mind, the release says.

West Burlington takes pride in its dynamic business community, where tradition meets progress. Schlueters Auto Service embodies this spirit, blending time-honored values of trust and craftsmanship with a forward-thinking approach to customer care.

The award ceremony is set to take place at 11 a.m. March at Schlueters Auto Service. Elected officials and city staff will surprise Schlueters Auto Service with their reward and a small reception at their business.

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BOSTON (WWLP)  Trump administration federal funding cuts are devastating to scientists across the country, and Governor Healey says many of these scientists could bring their work abroad.

Federal funding cuts affect science industries from all angles, from cancelling research grants, to cutting billions in funding for other research projects, to blacklisting certain types scientific studies. As a result, colleges have frozen hiring and cut graduate school and PhD slots, and some labs have closed entirely.

Governor Healey proclaims March 19 as Edith Nourse Rogers Day

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The governor said other countries could capitalize on lack of funding in the United States and bring top-tier science and innovation to foreign soil.

The federal government is going to cut off funding and take away your research, Healey said. Come to our country, well give you a lab, well set you up, well give you staff, and you can pioneer the new technologies on our shores. Thats not putting America first.

This issue is already affecting western Massachusetts, as a top researcher at UMass Amherst told the Boston Globe his colleagues are being recruited by Chinese officials.

It could take a whole generation to rebuild something that could be lost in a year, the researcher, Mike Malone, told the Globe.

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Governor Healey said this is also an urgent problem for those seeking medical care in the United States who rely on research and innovation by top scientists to get healthy.

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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New findings are showing that as our planet warms, desert lizards face a real energy crisis.

What's happening?

According to an article from Phys.org, these cold-blooded creatures depend on the warmth of the sun and the cool relief of the shade to regulate their body temperature.

When days get hotter, they need extra energy just to maintain the right temperature, yet the extreme heat shortens the time they can safely hunt for food. This cycle forces these lizards to pay a steeper "energy bill" with fewer work hours.

Why are desert lizards important?

Desert lizards play a key role in controlling insect populations and keeping the delicate balance of the desert ecosystem intact. When desert lizards struggle to get enough energy, fewer of them survive over the long term.

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When lizard populations drop, the effects can ripple through the entire ecosystem. Shrinking lizard populations can lead to insect overpopulation, which may affect local agriculture and undermine natural systems that clean our water.

What's being done about it?

University of Melbourne researchers Dr. Kristoffer H. Wild and Professor Michael R. Kearney are combining physics and biology through innovative models to determine the long-term effects of these environmental changes.

In their research article, Dr. Wild explained, "Our next steps will be to bring food and water resources into our calculations and translate the results into growth and reproduction, which will help us predict whether populations will survive further change under warming."

Their goal for these models is to figure out exactly how much extra food these lizards need and how much hunting time they lose as temperatures climb.

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Professor Kearney added, "If we can better understand the ecological processes underpinning these cost-of-living pressures, we can better anticipate the species most at risk and act accordingly."

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Scotlands universities have warned they are dangerously reliant on income from foreign students to survive after the total fell by more than 10,000 last year.

Official figures disclosed overseas student numbers have dipped from an all-time high of 83,975 in 2022/23 to 73,915 last year - a drop of nearly 12 per cent.

The sharpest fall occurred at post graduate level for masters courses, with an average drop of 25.7 per cent between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

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International undergraduate numbers fell by 3.8 per cent and the average fall across all levels of study was 20 per cent.

Universities Scotland, a representative body, estimated this had cost the higher education sector 150 million and institutions were in a hugely exposed position. Its director, Claire McPherson, highlighted chronic underfunding over the past decade.

The Scottish Government pays universities 1,820 for each Scottish student to cover the free tuition each year but institutions have warned this does not nearly cover the cost of providing courses.

Scotlands universities have been keen to recruit international students to help plug the financial black hole, as they charge them up to 40,000 per year in fees.

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However, the new figures showed the number of European Union students in Scotland fell by half as Britain left the organisation in 2020 and it has continued to fall in the current figures, down to 10,430.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) statistics showed students from India fell from 12,235 to 9,950 and Nigerian students dropped from 9,415 to 5,985.

The figures were published after a series of Scotlands most eminent higher educational institutions warned of cuts, with Edinburgh University stating it needs to make urgent savings to plug a 140 million budget gap.

First Minister John Swinney has promised to engage constructively in discussions about university finances but has continued to back providing free university tuition, even to those families who can afford to pay for it.

Hugely exposed

Ms McPherson said: It is both the scale and the suddenness of the fall that has been incredibly challenging for many institutions to manage.

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Scotlands model of funding Scottish students and university research has become dangerously reliant on cross-subsidy from international students over the last decade because of chronic underfunding.

That puts institutions in a hugely exposed position, as todays official statistics show for the sector, and for some institutions more acutely than others.

She highlighted evidence given to a Holyrood inquiry earlier this week by John-Paul Marks, the Scottish Governments permanent secretary, in which he confirmed that university finances had been given a high rating on the official risk register.

In a direct challenge to Mr Swinney, Ms McPherson added: There is a very pressing need for a different kind of strategic conversation with the Scottish Government about short-term stability and long-term solutions for the sustainability of our universities.

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The figures showed Dundee University, which is dealing with a 35 million budget black hole, saw its foreign student numbers reduce 27 per cent in one year, from 4,570 to 3,335.

The University of Glasgows foreign student population fell from 15,200 to 12,935 while Edinburgh University saw overseas students rise from 16,625 to 17,020.

Robert Gordon University saw the biggest dip of any institution in the country, nearly halving its overseas student numbers to just 2,365.

Graeme Dey, the SNP Higher Education Minister, said: We recognise the issues raised by the sector around a decline in international student numbers and damaging UK migration policies which is why we have proposed a Scottish Graduate Visa which would allow us to retain international students after they graduate from Scottish institutions.

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BROOKINGS, S.D. (KELO)  The SDSU women are back in the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in program history and like many years, the Jackrabbits will face a tough team in the first round.

SDSU played one of their toughest non-conference schedules this season, meeting teams like Texas, Duke and Georgia Tech.

Now, the Jackrabbits will face a Big 12 team in Oklahoma State.

SDSU feels their tough non-conference schedule and the power five teams that theyve played will give them some confidence heading into Saturdays big game.

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I feel like that was some good experience. Going into March Madness, I feel like we have some of that under our belt. Thatll be good for us going forward, SDSU forward Brooklyn Meyer said.

Weve had a lot of good matchups in the non-conference and throughout our conference we had some challenges too. That all prepares us for a game like this, SDSU guard Haleigh Timmer said.

SDSU and Oklahoma State will play on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

KELOLANDs Travis Fossing will follow the Jacks to Connecticut to bring you live reports beginning Thursday night on KELOLAND News at Ten.

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TITUS COUNTY, Texas (KETK)  Titus County Sheriffs Office is still searching for a man who allegedly put a video camera inside a family members bathroom to purposefully record them in 2020.

Photo of Ramiro Saucedo from five years ago, Courtesy of Titus County Sheriff Office

The Titus County Sheriff Office authorities are still searching for Ramiro Saucedo, 52, who fled the scene of a crime almost five years ago.

Officials said around April 30, 2020, police were called to a home for reports of alleged illegal video recording. Saucedo had reportedly situated a video camera to face a family members bathroom and purposefully recorded family members of all ages. The family was unaware of the video recordings.

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A family member discovered the video equipment and confronted Saucedo who ran from the scene. Evidence was found by investigators which contained multiple devices that held illegal and invasive recordings.

Saucedo is described as being 5 feet, 2 inches tall, brown eyes and black hair.

We ask that anyone with information regarding Saucedo to contact the Titus County Sheriffs Office at 903-572-6641 and relay the information to a deputy or an investigator, the sheriff office said. This information could also be relayed to any jurisdiction where Saucedo is known to be.

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Mar. 20Leads to arrest of 2 suspects

COLUMBUS  Two Texas men suspected by law enforcement of human trafficking who traveled to central Ohio with four victims, including one juvenile, have been apprehended by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.

On March 13, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force was contacted by the FBI's Houston office and the Texas Department of Public Safety regarding the juvenile victim, who was believed to be in Columbus. The task force, along with the Columbus Division of Police's PACT Unit, began working to locate the missing juvenile.

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That evening, Timarrea Granderson, 27, of Cyprus, Texas, was taken into custody by law enforcement. One of the four victims was with Granderson when he was arrested.

Later that evening, Larry Hill, 26, of Houston, was taken into custody after he barricaded himself inside a Columbus residence on West Kanawha Avenue, where two more of the trafficking victims were found. The Columbus Police Division's SWAT team and the Sharon Township Police Department aided in the apprehension.

The fourth victim was rescued at another location.

The victims, all Texas residents, are being provided services by the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.

Granderson and Hill were arrested and will face charges in Texas, including trafficking of a person and compelling prostitution of a minor. The men are awaiting extradition to Texas.
A family of three is reportedly missing after traveling to the Grand Canyon during an extreme winter storm last week.

The Coconino County Sheriffs Office in Flagstaff, Ariz., shared a missing persons flier featuring Taehee Kim, Junghee Kim and Jiyeon Lee on March 19. The sheriffs office noted the group was last seen traveling from the Grand Canyon area to Las Vegas on March 13 and that they were driving in a 2024 white BMW rental car with California license plate number 9KHN768.

In an update, police clarified the ages of the travelers: Taehee, 59, Junghee, 54, and Lee, 33. Sheriff's office spokesperson Jon Paxton told ABC News that Taehee and Junghee are sisters and Taehee is Lee's mom.

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The women were supposed to fly home to South Korea out of San Francisco on March 17, but their family hadn't heard from them and became concerned when it was confirmed the group missed their flight, Paxton said.

Grand Canyon National Park posted on March 14 that winter storms had caused hazardous conditions throughout the park the day before. On March 8, the park warned on Instagram that a couple of storm systems are expected to impact the Grand Canyon region next week and named the potentially much stronger storm to hit on March 13.

The missing persons flier also noted that the rental cars GPS showed it had been traveling westbound on Interstate 40 at around 3:30 p.m. PT on March 13. Officials noted that pings on the group's cell phones indicated they were last traveling in the same area. Neither the rental car's GPS nor the women's phones have shown any activity since March 13.

"The big concern right now is ... a major accident had taken place on the interstate, very close to where that ping was located," Paxton told ABC News, referring to the ping given off by the rental car GPS and the group's phones.

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Law enforcement said there was an accident involving 22 vehicles that occurred on I-40 around that time on March 13, but its still not clear whether the family or their rental car was involved in the crash. The Arizona Department of Public Safety said it was a weather-related fatal collision that resulted in two fatalities and 16 injured people who were taken to hospitals, although the victims names have not been publicly released yet.

On March 24, the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Coconino County Sheriff's Office confirmed that a BMW SUV was involved in the I-40 crash, although they did not specify whether its license plate matched the groups rental cars number. Investigators also shared that more human remains were discovered within the debris recovered from the crash scene on March 23, and they were working to determine whether they belonged to the family.

We understand the urgency and the emotional toll this uncertainty places on the families and the public, the sheriffs office said in a statement. We kindly ask for patience and understanding as our teams continue to work with care and precision to bring clarity to this heartbreaking situation.

At the time of their disappearance, the sheriffs office speculated that the GPS may have rerouted the family to a forest service road.

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"If you've ever traveled up in northern Arizona  when you get rerouted, sometimes GPS will reroute you out into a forest service road without knowing that weather conditions are harsh," the sheriff's office told Arizona news outlet KSAZ-TV

The Arizona-based National Weather Service reported on March 18 that more gusty winds and a strong cold front bringing rain and snow will continue to hit the area for the rest of this week.

Are you an educator? What do you think about Trump's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education?

Yahoo News is asking teachers, administrators and other school staff around the country for their reactions to President Trumps order and how closing the Department of Education would affect their schools and students. Let us know what you think in our form, here.
EAU CLAIRE  The man charged in a fatal stabbing last December has two more court dates scheduled, but neither appears to address a core issue in the case.

Anthony Jackson, 44, was arrested after witnesses said he stabbed Alex Graff at the Do-Dodge-Inn. Authorities say Graff was playing pool with a friend when Jackson began yelling at nobody in particular. He apparently thought Graff had laughed at him, prompting him to stab Graff.

Jackson faces charges of first degree intentional homicide, attempted first degree intentional homicide and two counts of bail jumping. The first two charges are both Class A felonies. Wisconsin law requires a life sentence for anyone convicted of a Class A felony.

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Jackson didnt attend Wednesdays hearing. Court records indicate he refused to be brought to the courtroom. The court previously ordered a competency evaluation, and that was a major focus for the hearing.

The defense told the judge they are working on getting a second evaluation done, but the expert will not be able to meet Jackson until June. Prosecutors didnt challenge that, but objected to the three-month gap between proceedings in the case. That led the judge to set hearings for April 21 and July 8.
CHICAGO  Felony charges have been filed against a second person accused in a shootout inside a South Side liquor store on Friday night that left several people injured.

According to Chicago police, 24-year-old Luis Vargas, a Back of the Yards resident, has been charged with several felonies, including three counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building and one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Vargas is the second person to be charged in connection with the shootout. On Sunday, police announced that 21-year-old Angeles Flores had been charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building in connection with the shooting.

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In an initial report by the police, Flores was described as a 22-year-old female offender, however, subsequent releases have identified her as being 21 years of age.

The charges stem from the duos alleged role in a shootout that erupted after an argument broke out inside a liquor store in the 1900 block of West 51st Street, in the Back of the Yards, which left several injured, including one of the alleged shooters.

Officers said the incident unfolded just before 10:30 p.m. after an argument broke out among several people who were inside the business.

Police said the argument escalated and eventually became physical when Flores allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire before Vargas allegedly grabbed the gun from her and fired more shots.

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LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Amid the gunfire, a man who was a part of the other group involved in the fight also pulled out a gun and returned fire on the alleged shooters.

Following the shootout, Vargas and Flores allegedly fled the scene.

In total, five people, including Flores, suffered gunshot wounds in the shootout.

5 injured after argument leads to shootout in South Side liquor store 5 injured after argument leads to shootout in South Side liquor store 5 injured after argument leads to shootout in South Side liquor store 5 injured after argument leads to shootout in South Side liquor store

According to police, 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 60-year-old woman who suffered a graze wound to her left elbow and a 45-year-old man who was shot in the left hand were taken to the hospital in good condition.

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Man shot by Chicago police in Pullman dies

Flores ended up suffering a gunshot wound to her heel and thigh, and later took herself to the hospital, where she was listed in good condition and later taken into custody in connection with the incident.

Authorities caught up with Vargas on Wednesday and took him into custody in the 1900 block of West Garfield Boulevard.

Flores appeared in court on Monday and is due back on Monday, March 24. Vargas appeared in court for a detention hearing on Thursday.

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A second teen was arrested Thursday for the killing of 14-year-old Julian Corneill, who was stabbed by a group of students outside a McDonalds in Queens on Valentines Day.

The 16-year-old boy was hit with a slew of charges including murder, manslaughter and gang assault for the 3:30 p.m. Feb. 14 slaying outside the fast-food joint near 38th St. and Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside, cops said. His name was not released because he is underage.

Julian was chased out of the McDonalds and across the street, where he was attacked by the mob of teens. As he lay dying in the street, a friend and former classmate held Julians hand and applied pressure to his wound as medics raced to the scene.

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Medics rushed him to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell in Manhattan but he could not be saved.

Cops arrested a 14-year-old boy at the scene and charged him with gang assault.

The victim began high school in Long Island City last year but after enduring severe bullying that led to an assault and hospitalization he became too afraid to attend. His mother then transferred him to Hillcrest High School in Jamaica in November, she previously told the News.

Police told Julians mother that between 15 to 20 people were involved in the gang assault that killed him and that the gang was already at the McDonalds when Julian arrived with three friends.

I dont know how Im going to live without my little boy, Julians mother, Julia Verona, said after the killing. He didnt deserve to die that way.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS)  Underneath Las Vegas, police are keeping an eye on Tesla-riding conventioneers roving through the Vegas Loop system following a targeted attack.

On Tuesday Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrived around 2:45 a.m. after the first 911 calls for a reported fire at the Tesla Collision service center near Baruda Avenue and S. Jones Boulevard. Las Vegas police and FBI officials said during a news press conference the fire involved several vehicles and is being investigated as a possible terrorist attack.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the attack during a press briefing, noting the nationwide trend of Tesla-related attacks.

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We certainly think its despicable the violence that is taking place against Tesla, the company, its employees, she said. And also just Americans who have chosen to drive an electric vehicle,

In Las Vegas, conventioneers for the 2025 International Window Coverings Expo walked past police officers stationed at the four Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) stations, a presence officials said was incoming.

We do not believe there is any further threat at this time to the general public, Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said during a Tuesday press conference. However as a precaution, as we do many times in these kinds of incidents, we have increased our police presence in particular to Tesla locations, or any Tesla-related locations across the valley.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) acknowledges the increase in police presence following the attack on a Tesla service center.

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The safety of employees and visitors at LVCC is always a top priority, and we take a proactive approach to security, a spokesperson wrote. In response to recent incidents involving Teslas, we work closely with Metro and The Boring Company to implement enhanced and visible safety measures across the four Loop stations spanning the LVCC campus. 

Additional layers of year-round security on the LVCC campus also include a 56-member security team and are aided by Metros Convention Center Area Command next door, according to the LVCVA spokesperson.

The Loop at the LVCC remains restricted to convention attendees, the spokesperson wrote. Measures to restrict access, including a license plate recognition system, help prevent unauthorized entry to the system.

Police and the FBI urged anyone with video of the fire or the suspect from Tuesdays attack on the Las Vegas Tesla service center to call (702) 828-7777.

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French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou plans to distribute a survival manual to every household with instructions on how to prepare for imminent threats, amid concerns over an emboldened Russia and weakened security support from the United States.

A spokesperson for the prime ministers office told NBC News that the first-of-its-kind document, which is currently awaiting official approval, addresses preparations for armed conflict, nuclear threats and natural disasters.

According to the prime ministers office, the 20-page booklet was not designed specifically in response to the current geopolitical climate, but it would seem to align with Frances new defense posture.

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During a national address on March 5, French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the need to overhaul Frances security stance, saying, We must equip ourselves better, raise our defense posture, and this for peace, even to deter.

French police officers in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris in July.

If approved, the manual would be launched before the summer, according to French broadcaster Europe 1 radio, and aim to offer practical advice to citizens on how they can protect themselves and their loved ones in the face of immediate danger.

Divided into three sections, the manual will include a list of emergency contacts for the police, fire service and ambulance, as well as which radio channels to tune in to for more information.

In the face of nuclear threats, it advises closing doors and windows, along with details on how to volunteer for reserve units or firefighting groups.

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The recommendations include putting together a survival kit that consists of at least one and a half gallons of water, a dozen tins of food, a first aid kit, medicines, batteries and a flashlight.

Emergency supplies recommended by the French government in an article shared in 2023.

In a national address earlier this month, Macron urged his country to prepare to confront Russian threats, referring to changing relations between the U.S. and Europe in recent months.

I want to believe the U.S. will stay by our side, but we have to be ready if they dont, Macron said, according to Reuters, adding: Russia has become, at this moment and for years to come, a threat to France and Europe.

After visiting a military base in eastern France this month, Macron announced a major overhaul of Frances security forces that includes increasing the number of operational reservists from 40,000 to 100,000 by 2035 and more military equipment.

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He added that France was willing to discuss offering the countrys nuclear capabilities to European allies given that U.S. military support was no longer guaranteed.

This is the choice we have made and will continue to make. No one can say what will happen in the months and years to come, he said.

The move follows in the footsteps of neighbors and NATO allies Finland, Norway and Sweden, which late last year also updated guidance to their citizens on how to survive war.

In Sweden, a pamphlet called Om krisen eller kriget kommer, or If crisis or war comes, was distributed by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) to all 5 million households over two weeks from Nov. 18, while a digital version was available online.

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It was the fifth version of a brochure that was first published in World War II, placing greater emphasis on preparing for war, according to the MSB.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
The Virginia House of Delegates during its 2025 legislative session, Jan. 8, 2025. (Photo by Markus Schmidt/Virginia Mercury)

American democracy is in peril. The wealthiest man in the world, Elon Musk, spent $277 million dollars last fall to help get President Donald Trump elected. Hes since added another $100 million to support Trumps political operation. Musk is now of course working within the Trump Administration to make massive cuts to our federal government, gutting whole programs and, in effect, eliminating entire agencies.

In such times, it might seem that any bright spots for U.S. democracy would be few and far between. But you can find a recent victory for democracy right here in the commonwealth.

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This spring, the Virginia General Assembly finally passed a law that prohibits candidates from using campaign contributions for personal benefit. As of now, Virginia is one of only two states in the nation that does not put restrictions on how candidates spend money given by donors, meaning they can access these funds to purchase elegant dinners, home furnishings, designer clothes, or just about anything under the sun.

But this can all change, and Virginia can begin to catch up with the rest of the nation by tightening some of its notoriously loose campaign finance laws, if the Governor signs HB 2165, sponsored by Del. Joshua Cole, D-Fredericksburg, in the House and Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax,in the Senate.

Even if the governor vetoes the legislation, its very passage is a victory. Members of the General Assembly have been introducing similar legislation since 2014 without success. But this year it gained unanimous support in both the House of Delegates and Senate, meaning that the members of the General Assembly can pass it again for the next governor if Younkin doesnt give it his backing. While the influence of money has seemingly intensified in Washington, our leaders in Richmond have taken a serious step to reduce corruption at the state level.

The constitutional scholar Lawrence Lessig helps us better understand political corruption by distinguishing between personal and institutional varieties. Personal corruption is an illegal quid pro quo exchange in which a politician or elected official takes gifts in return for official actions.

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Perhaps the best recent example of personal corruption is Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez from New Jersey, who was found guilty of accepting gifts such as gold bars in exchange for benefits solicited by the government of Egypt. Lessig argues that personal corruption has always existed in American politics, but that it is not the norm and can be reasonably held in check with law enforcement, like the good police work that uncovered Menendezs crimes.

Intuitional corruption, on the other hand, cant be tackled by law enforcement because it is the law. Lessig defines it as a legal relationship of dependence. Good people  Republicans and Democrats  come into politics to do right by their constituents and enact policies they believe in. But to get elected, and re-elected, they must raise huge sums of money, even for a seat in Virginias General Assembly.

They become dependent upon the wealthy contributors who fund their campaigns. There is no crass quid pro quo exchange, but politicians grant big contributors access and influence, which can supersede the interests of ordinary folks and the common good.

Historically in Virginia, candidates and elected officials might have also grown dependent on their ability to charge some personal expenses, small or large, to their campaign, which was a perfectly legal thing to do. For this reason, passing HB 2165 was an important step in the fight against institutional corruption and the influence of big money in Virginia, but there is much more work to do.

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A good next step would be passage of HB 2607, which failed to gain enough support to get to the House floor this past legislative session. This bill seeks to prevent public utilities, like Dominion Energy, from making campaign contributions. As a publicly regulated monopoly, Dominion Energy is the only electricity provider for more than two million Virginia residents.

In exchange for its monopoly status, Dominion Energy must comply with the rules and regulations set by the General Assembly and the State Corporation Commission, which influences the rates consumers pay and the amount of profit Dominion can accrue. Right now, Dominion Energy has the legal ability to use some of the money it charges from ratepayers to turn around and make large contributions to political campaigns, effectively playing a hand in selecting the elected officials who are supposed to regulate it.

Reining in this type of legal corruption will be no small task. But in an era where big money rules, and democracy itself seems to be on the ropes, this is one of the most important fights we can undertake.

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Sen. Andy Kim (D) appeared in Maplewood on March 19, 2025, and vowed to use his position on a Senate homeland security committee to push back against Trump's deportation efforts. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor)

MAPLEWOOD  In a Springfield Avenue restaurant still adorned with Christmas ornaments, Haitian immigrants met with Sen. Andy Kim Wednesday to talk about their anxiety as the Trump administration moves to end the deportation protections theyve had since 2010.

Mario Dubois, the owner of a nearby restaurant with several employees whose temporary deportation protections are about to expire, said hes torn between keeping those workers because they depend on their paychecks and laying them off in case immigration authorities show up at his door.

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Do I let them go or keep them on board? Its not OK because if ICE comes to my store and asks me for paperwork, I have to give them to them. I have no choice, he said.

During the hourlong meeting at Woulibam Restaurant, which touts its fine Caribbean cuisine, Kim, a Democrat serving his first term in the Senate, told the group of about 30 people that hes trying to use his position on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs to push back on the Trump administrations escalations.

I think thats important, not just to make the case to this administration, but to make the case to the American people  the incredible importance of the Haitian community in New Jersey and this country, but also the real and present dangers that will befall people if they are forced to go back to place right now that has no functioning government, he said.

The Haitian immigrants who gathered in Woulibam Restaurant Wednesday rely on Temporary Protected Status, which gives people legal status to live and work in America but doesnt provide a long-term path to U.S. citizenship. At least 31,480 people with TPS live in New Jersey, according to a September 2024 federal report.

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The temporary status has been a lifeline for Haitians since a massive earthquake devastated the island and killed thousands of people 15 years ago. The disaster led to political unrest, violence, homelessness, and poverty, prompting officials here to renew Haitians protected status several times since 2010.

The Biden administration extended the protected status for Haitians until February 2026. When Donald Trump campaigned for a second term in the White House last year, he pledged to revoke that, citing false claims about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating pets. Last month, Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, announced the Trump administration revoked the renewal, putting more than 500,000 Haitians in the U.S. on track to face deportation this summer.

The decision threatens to uproot more than 70,000 people in New Jersey, home to the fourth-largest Haitian population in the nation.

Natacha Clesca of the West Orange Human Rights Commission said shes concerned about people who are being unlawfully removed from the United States while protections are still in place. When people are deported, she said, they are often registered with criminal charges that prevent them from returning to the country through legal channels.

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Another woman said she sees ICE questioning people about their immigration status at Newark airport, where she works.

This is why we are at such a precarious and dangerous moment, and I think its important for the people to see this is not some normal time, Kim said. This is not some usual type of action. We are in a constitutional crisis moment right now as a country.

The Trump administration has been battling federal judges around the nation on everything from its plan to slash the federal workforce to its push to deport undocumented immigrants. The legal fights have led some Republicans to push for impeaching the judges, calls that earned a rebuke from U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.

Kim in Maplewood on Wednesday urged attendees to pay attention to this years gubernatorial race, noting that some states are cooperating with the federal government to ramp up immigration enforcement efforts. New Jersey operates under whats called the Immigrant Trust Directive  a 2018 order from the state attorney general that bars local authorities from aiding federal immigration agents  that Kim noted could be struck down by the next governor (Gov. Phil Murphy is barred from seeking a third term in November).

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Thats a very important question to ask the different candidates that are going to run because they will have, in the general election, very different answers in terms of their willingness to work with the Trump administration, especially when it comes to immigration, he said.

Kim said hes holding these kinds of discussions with various constituencies, including Ukrainians, students, Latinos, and business owners. And hes planning town halls in three Republican House districts in a push to highlight GOP lawmakers support of policies on government funding and Medicaid cuts. Thats how Democrats should fight back as they struggle with limited power in D.C., Kim said.

These are my constituents as well, and if theyre not going to hear from their House representatives, they will hear from me, and I can hear from them, he said. Those are places where we can go on the offense and show where the problem is in our country in terms of who is allowing this type of dangerous action to continue.

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Mar. 20WILKES-BARRE  In a letter to Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe, Sen. Lisa Baker and Sen. Lynda Schlegel Culver on Thursday outlined the challenges rural districts face due to inequitable funding distribution which limits their ability to recruit personnel, invest in technology and enhance curriculum to meet student performance standards.

In response to growing concerns from rural school officials and taxpayers regarding inadequate funding increases in Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed budget, Sen. Baker, R-Lehman Township, and Sen. Culver, R-Northumberland, are calling for urgent action to address disparities in education funding across Pennsylvania's rural communities.

"The reality is that many rural districts struggle to keep up as larger, well-funded schools attract veteran educators and invest heavily in resources," Sen. Baker said. "We must ensure that students in small communities have the same opportunities for success as those in urban and suburban districts. Now is the time for real, actionable change. We look forward to working with Secretary Rowe and all stakeholders to ensure Pennsylvania's rural students are not left behind."

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The senators highlighted concerns regarding cyber charter school costs, demographic shifts and economic challenges as additional burdens affecting rural districts.

They are urging their colleagues in the legislature, the governor and his administration, and stakeholders to work together to prioritize fair funding solutions that will provide immediate relief and long-term sustainability for struggling schools.

"For too long, the focus has been on failing schools needing more money," said Sen. Culver. "We want to shine a light on our rural schools that provide a quality education but are struggling to balance their budgets and maintain the level of service and academic achievement their students and taxpayers have come to expect  all because of a funding formula that has left some schools at a disadvantage. I am hopeful as we get underway with budget discussions in Harrisburg, Sen. Baker and I, together with our colleagues, can bring solutions to the table to address this concern for our rural schools."

The legislators have formally invited Rowe to participate in a Community Conversation on Rural Education Funding Disparities in April to hear directly from impacted communities.

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The conversation, if accepted by Rowe, is expected to bring together educators, administrators, parents and policymakers for a constructive discussion addressing these challenges.

The event will be hosted by the Northwest Area School District, where school leaders and community members have already been actively seeking solutions.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT)  U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbins office says he joined other senators in pushing back on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turners proposed cuts to disaster recovery programs that are under the umbrella of HUD.

Officials say the cuts would reduce employees at HUDs office of Community Planning and Development, which administers the Community Development Block Grant  Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program, a crucial pot of funding that helps impacted communities with disaster recovery following extreme weather events including tornadoes and severe flooding. Under this program, Illinois is scheduled to receive more than $856.3 million for disaster recovery, which would likely be in jeopardy due to the cuts.

Officials with Sen. Durbins office explain this disaster relief work includes rebuilding houses and small businesses, repairing roads and bridges, restoring water services and investing in workforce development for Illinoisans whove lost jobs.

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Remembering the 1925 Tri-State Tornado

The lawmakers released the following statement:

Communities across the country experienced significant natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 Alaska, Louisiana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Illinois experienced severe storms. CDBG-DR provides states, cities, counties, and Tribes with funding to support recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters. In December 2024, Congress appropriated $12 billion in emergency supplemental CDBG-DR funding. During your confirmation process, you made clear that, if confirmed, you would prioritize getting our constituents CDBG-DR funding as quickly as possible. Specifically, you [Secretary Turner] stated that one of [your] top priorities as HUD Secretary would be to ensure that the disaster recovery funding passed by Congress gets out to communities swiftly and into the hands of Americans who have been impacted by recent disasters. Your statements indicated a strong commitment to providing our disaster-impacted communities with the resources they need, but we are concerned that recent actions at the Department have not matched that verbal commitment. We urge you to immediately stop any additional cuts to the workforce and contracts involved in disaster recovery oversight, and reinstate any recently terminated probationary staff. Multiple senators

A copy of the letter can be seen below.

2025.03.17-Letter-to-Secretary-Turner-on-CDBG-DR-Workforce-and-Program-CutsDownload

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Ohio college students and protesters rally at the Statehouse on March 19, 2025, against Senate Bill 1, a higher education overhaul that bans diversity efforts and faculty strikes, and sets rules around classroom discussion, among other things. (Photo by David DeWitt, Ohio Capital Journal.)

This commentary was originally published by the Athens County Independent.

The Ohio House passed Senate Bill 1 on Wednesday, sending the measure to the Ohio Senate for concurrence to House changes, after which it would go on to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature.

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And Ohios state-supported higher education will never be the same.

The bill, which becomes law 90 days after the governors signature, substitutes governmental edicts for academic freedom; eliminates all diversity, equity, and inclusion activities on campuses; restricts how faculty teach; bans faculty strikes; and restructures the terms and the mission of each institutions board of trustees.

Illustration by Tom Hodson.

It applies to Ohios 14 public universities and 23 public community colleges and threatens loss of state funding if violated.

Testimony on the bill in the Senate and the House has been overwhelmingly negative. However, not one president of a state-supported university or college testified against this bill during its tour through the General Assembly.

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At a meeting on Jan. 14, the Inter-University Council of Ohio  which comprises the presidents of state college and university presidents  decided to not take a formal position and not actively engage publicly on the bill.

Representatives of Ohio University, Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Central State University, Kent State University, Cleveland State University, University of Akron, University of Toledo, and Youngstown State University were present at that meeting where the decision was made to stay quiet.

In a statement released on March 6, the IUC said that each university has the freedom to act independently and to determine its own position on a proposition and thus has been able to respond to this proposed legislation as they deem appropriate.

The group instead focused on advocating for a 2% increase in higher education funding, Signal Ohio reported. DeWines budget proposal, however, contains only a 0.1% increase.

Whats in the bill

I will break down some of what the bill says and how it will change academia as we have known it. The bill is too lengthy for me to address every part of it here. So, I will hit the points that are most problematic. The Ohio Legislative Service Commission has a full analysis.

Diversity, equity and inclusion and intellectual diversity

SB 1 mandates each state university to adopt and enforce policies that prohibit any orientation or training courses regarding DEI.

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The continuation of existing or establishing new DEI offices and departments are prohibited, as is hiring outside consultants to accomplish the same ends.

That means Ohio Universitys Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion will be eliminated along with the Pride Center, the Multicultural Center, and the Womens Center.

The way the law also reads seems to eliminate university services for veterans and people with disabilities. They are included in the overall DEI initiatives on most campuses.

Ohio college students and protesters rally at the Statehouse on March 19, 2025, against Senate Bill 1, a higher education overhaul that bans diversity efforts and faculty strikes, and sets rules around classroom discussion, among other things. (Photo by David DeWitt, Ohio Capital Journal.)

This part of the law also seems to apply to any student organizations that are funded by the university. This could cover student events or campaigns related to controversial beliefs or policies or inclusion of DEI language in student organization bylaws.

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No new institutional scholarships using DEI requirements will be allowed under the new law, and existing scholarships need to remove DEI requirements. If that cannot be done, then the university can accept no additional funds to support such a scholarship.

The bill says that a state-supported educational institution must provide no advantage or disadvantage to faculty, staff or student as individuals, hold every individual to equal standards and provide every individual with equality of opportunity, with regard to those individuals race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

By default, this provision favors the white majority in power at institutions and the predominantly white student body. It disadvantages any minority group and women.

On the academic side, each university must declare that its primary function is the pursuit of knowledge and affirm and declare that it will ensure full intellectual diversity. It must demonstrate intellectual diversity in all course approvals, general education courses, annual reviews, strategic goals for each department and student learning outcomes.

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A state institution must establish a system to respond to complaints about any administrator, faculty member, staff or student who interferes with the intellectual diversity of another.

So, in substance, students can file a complaint against a professor for addressing a controversial topic or stating a historic fact that students find infringing upon their intellectual diversity rights.

Also, universities must seek out speakers who have diverse ideological and political views and post a complete list of speakers and honoraria of more than $500 prominently on its website.

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Finally, the new policy of each state university must declare that it will not endorse or oppose, as an institution, any controversial belief or policy, except on matters that directly impact the institutions funding

The bill defines controversial belief or policy as any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.

Does this mean that if a professor talks about any of these topics or is the subject of a news interview on these matters that the university would somehow be seen as endorsing that professors viewpoint and, therefore, be engaging in a controversial belief or policy?

Academic requirements

Public posting of course syllabus. Starting in the 202627 academic year, a syllabus for each course taught at the institution must be posted on the universitys website for all to review. The syllabus must contain:

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Name of the course instructor

Calendar for the course outlining what materials will be covered on certain dates.

A list of all required and recommended readings for the course

The instructors professional credentials

Previously, a syllabus was between the instructor and the students. Now, each syllabus will be subject to public scrutiny and review.

Mandatory American civic literacy course. Starting with the class of 2030, students must have taken a 3-credit hour course in American civic literacy in order to graduate. Each institution must develop its own course and have it approved by the state Chancellor of Higher Education.

SB 1 requires that each course include ALL of the following:

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a study of the American economic system and capitalism,

the entire U.S. Constitution,

the Declaration of Independence,

at least five essays from the Federalist Papers,

the Emancipation Proclamation,

the Gettysburg Address,

Martin Luther King, Jrs Letter from Birmingham Jail, and

the writings of Adam Smith, including a study of the principles in The Wealth of Nations.

Each student must pass a comprehensive final examination at the end of the course to qualify for graduation.

Elimination of small undergraduate degree programs. If an undergraduate degree program confers an average of fewer than five degrees annually over a three-year period, it must be eliminated. The first year of a program is not counted in the three-year averages.

Faculty matters

Faculty evaluations. Each college or university must create a standard, formalized questionnaire for students to fill out evaluating faculty members. It must include questions designated by the chancellor, including a question asking, Does the faculty member create a classroom atmosphere free of political racial, gender, and religious bias?

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Faculty members must also be evaluated annually by their peers and by the institution. Those evaluations must be submitted to the chancellor for review.

Post-tenure review. Each institution must develop a post-tenure review policy that is submitted to the chancellor for approval. The review must assess whether the tenured faculty member meets performance expectations.

If a faculty member fails to meet performance standards, the member may be subject to censure, remedial training, or for-cause termination by the institution.

Faculty evaluation policies, tenure, post-tenure review policies and retrenchment policies are not subject to collective bargaining, according to SB 1.

Faculty strikes. This law prohibits full-time faculty at a state institution of higher learning from striking over unfair practices. Any grievances must be submitted to a formal settlement procedure

Boards of Trustees

Starting with people appointed after July 1, 2025, trustee terms will be six years instead of nine, but trustees may be reappointed for an additional six-year term. Currently, trustees cannot be immediately reappointed.

SB 1 also initiates training requirements for board members. The training will be provided by the chancellor.

Finally, trustees are given more power and influence over faculty/personnel matters, university spending, curriculum oversight and general management of each institution.

Interactions with China

State institutions are prohibited from accepting gifts, donations, or contributions from the Peoples Republic of China or any group operating on behalf of the Chinese government.

Each university or college also must notify the chancellor of any new academic or research partnerships with an institution located in China.

Litigation expected

Litigation is expected from various groups that testified against the bill, such as the Ohio Counseling Association, Ohio Federation of Teachers, National Association of Social Workers, Ohio Student Association, Ohio Faculty Council, CAIR, Undergraduate Student Governments of Ohio, the Ohio Education Association, the AFL-CIO and others.

I expect that potential plaintiffs will raise constitutional issues under the First, Fifth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, plus argue that the new law also violates the Ohio Constitution. Some may argue that SB 1 threatens the accreditation standards for some academic programs. Plaintiffs probably will ask a judge for a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction to prohibit the new law from taking effect until the new law is fully litigated.

Litigation probably will be lodged in federal court instead of state courts since after this past election, the Ohio Supreme Court is now 6-to-1 Republican, and this bill is the result of an overwhelmingly Republican General Assembly.

Conclusion

If state colleges and universities fail to comply with the many requirements of this new law, they run the risk of losing state financial support for both instruction and for capital projects.

Power is being taken away from individual institutions and consolidated in the hands of the chancellor and the legislature, which is dominated by MAGA supporters and ultra-conservatives.

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Mar. 19MORGANTOWN  Last year, the Legislature passed the Truth in Food Labeling Act to require labeling of "analogue " food products derived from plants, insects or fungus and other additives, and "cell-cultured " food grown in a lab.

This year, the Senate is advancing an outright ban on lab-brown meat. The Agriculture Committee OK'd the bill on Wednesday without debate and sent it on to Judiciary.

SB 751 draws on the definition of lab-grown meat now in code: a food product derived by harvesting animal cells and artificially or chemically replicating those cells in a laboratory to produce tissue to approximate an egg, egg product, fish, fishery product, meat, meat food product, poultry, or poultry product.

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Making, selling or distributing lab-grown meat would be a misdemeanor subject to a maximum $500 fine and up to a year in jail. The state health Department could suspend the permit of anyone suspected of the act. The accused would be entitled to notice of pending suspension and a hearing.

The ban would not apply to research.

If passed, the ban would take effect July 1 and sunset July 1, 2030.

Committee counsel told the members that a few other states have such bans. News reports show that Mississippi, Florida and Alabama all have bans in code. All three bans carry a fine up to $500. Mississippi's and Alabama's potential jail time is three months ; Florida's is 60 days.
A group of Senate Democrats is calling on President Trump to reverse the firings of two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to allow the independent agency to get back to the peoples work.

In a letter to Trump on Wednesday, more than two dozen lawmakers argued the firings upend the FTCs work on antitrust and consumer protection enforcement.

This action contradicts long standing Supreme Court precedent, undermines Congresss constitutional authority to create bipartisan, independent commissions, the lawmakers wrote, adding later, We urge you to rescind these dismissals so the FTC can get back to the peoples work.

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The letter was led by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). It was signed by more than two dozen other Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter said they were both illegally fired on Tuesday. The news followed weeks of swirling concerns about the agencys independence as Trump moves to expand his control at various regulatory bodies.

Democratic lawmakers and tech watchdog groups were quick to slam the decision, characterizing it as a favor to leading technology companies that contributed to Trump ahead of his second term.

The FTC is weighing various antitrust cases against companies including Meta and Amazon, which both had leaders seek to reconcile with Trump ahead of his second term through inaugural committee donations and meetings at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

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The senators emphasized the FTC is an independent body made up of members from both parties. It is made up of five commissioners, who must be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and no more than three commissioners can be from the same political party.

Congress established the FTC in 1914 as an independent agency made up of bipartisan, multi-member, expert commissioners who are tasked with protecting consumers, the senators wrote. In 2024 alone, the FTC used this authority to return more than $330 million to consumers, while simultaneously blocking anticompetitive mergers and challenging monopoly power that can result in higher prices, fewer choices, and less opportunity for American consumers, workers, and small businesses.

The FTC has consistently carried out this mandate as a bipartisan commission under Republican and Democratic administrations, they added.

The precedent discussed in the Senate letter refers to the Supreme Courts 1935 Humphreys Executor v. United States decision, which granted protections against a president removing members of independent boards without cause.

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According to a copy of Slaughters termination letter obtained by The Hill, the White House official argued Humphreys Executor does not apply to the commissioners and cited Article II of the Constitution, which establishes the executive branch of the federal government.

The official later stated the commissioners continued service on the FTC was inconsistent with the Trump administrations policies.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that the time was right to let these people go, while White House press assistant Taylor Rogers signaled the administration will continue its efforts.

President Trump has the lawful authority to manage personnel within the executive branch, Rogers wrote to The Hill. President Trump will continue to rid the federal government of bad actors unaligned with his common sense agenda the American people decisively voted for.

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Bedoya said he plans to sue the Trump administration for the termination. Leavitt on Wednesday pledged to defend the moves in court.

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Sen. Lynn Evans, chair of the Senate Education Committee, said Thursday he makes no promises about which higher education bills will make it through committee.(Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

The chair of the Iowa Senate Education Committee said Thursday he will work to assign the majority of bills coming from the House Higher Education Committee to a subcommittee meeting out of respect for its efforts, but did not make any promises about what could make it to, and through, committee.

Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, said in an interview he hasnt been intimately following legislation brought forward by the new committee, though they have kept him included in discussions.

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The House Higher Education Committee is a new group formed before the start of the 2025 legislative session with Rep. Taylor Collins, R-Mediapolis, as chair. It has passed through a number of bills aimed at creating new courses, centers and standards of education at public universities and limiting diversity, equity and inclusion in all facets of higher education in the state.

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They obviously believe its an important issue, so out of respect, Im sure that well give most of them at least a subcommittee, and a public hearing as a result, Evans said. Whether they make it through committee and onto the floor is yet to be seen. Itll be  based on feedback that we receive during those subcommittees.

Evans said Thursday he was in the process of reviewing bills sent to the Senate after House debate Tuesday afternoon and evening.

Democrats and Republicans argued over the content and intent of legislation that would establish a center for intellectual freedom at the University of Iowa in order to increase diversity of thought. The House GOP majority also passed a bill that would bar state entities from maintaining DEI offices and officers, as well as require private colleges to eliminate their DEI offices or risk losing Iowa Tuition Grant dollars.

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What the public needs to understand, Evans said, is that having two committees in the House for K-12 and higher education means a high number of bills from both groups are going to the Senate Education Committee.

While he hasnt done an exact tally, Evans estimated the number of bills the committee will receive from the House at between 80 and 85. Only two weeks remain to move House bills out of the Senate committee before the next legislative deadline. Evans said the likelihood of all of these bills making it through subcommittee and committee to reach the Senate floor isnt very good.

Were gonna have to do some filtering, Evans said. Sometimes that leaves good ideas on the table, sometimes it eliminates maybe some good ideas, or ideas that people were passionate about. But, you know, thats the process.

One topic of interest Evans said he shares with the House committee is a review of public university academic programs to see how they line up with state workforce needs. Legislation requiring universities to conduct a review and submit a report to the General Assembly were introduced in the House and Senate, with House File 420 passing through committee in February. Senate Study Bill 1024 was recommended for passage by a subcommittee in January.

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As the Iowa Board of Regents has already directed the universities it oversees to begin such a review, Evans said there isnt any need for legislation directing them to do so.

Evans said he had no specific priorities addressing higher education coming into this session, but he wasnt surprised to hear about the new committees formation.

When the new higher education committee was announced in November, Collins said a review of Iowas colleges and universities to ensure theyre completing their mission and spending tax dollars responsibly was long overdue.

Evans said the Legislature has done a good job of working with community colleges to examine their programming and offer opportunities for students to enter high-demand job fields, and a similar review of state universities would be helpful.

Im not opposed to taking up some of those issues and giving a hard look at them, Evans said.

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The Montana Senate is seen during the Wednesday, February 12, 2025 session. (Nathaniel Bailey for the Daily Montanan)

The Senate Ethics Committee on Wednesday adopted its final report detailing the factual findings related to Sen. Jason Ellsworths rushed attempt to procure a $170,100 contract for a friend and business associate, Bryce Eggleston.

More than seven weeks after the Senate voted unanimously to convene the ethics panel to investigate allegations into impropriety by Ellsworth, the four members finalized their task with a 34-page report. The committees findings will go to the full Senate body, which will establish its own conclusions and determine whether to punish Ellsworth, which could range from a censure to expulsion from the Senate.

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No timeline has yet been established for the Senate to review the findings, but Chairperson Forrest Mandeville said the committee completed a significant task.

The 62 findings, an amalgamation of documents and three days of hearings, lay out a two-decade friendship and professional relationship between Ellsworth and Eggleston; reference interim committee meetings when Ellsworth proposed hiring someone to do similar work on a part-time basis, which the committee rejected; detail the six-day push by Ellsworth, legislative and Department of Administration staff to make the agreement conform to state procurement rules; and account for the numerous times when Ellsworth could have disclosed his conflict of interest due to his pre-existing relationship with Eggleston.

Because the committees task was to present facts to the Senate body to consider, the reports conclusion states that the witnesses who testified were credible, and that this report is an accurate findings of fact relevant to the allegation referred to the Senate Ethics Committee.

During three days this week, committee members worked through drafts, with Democrats on the committee pushing for the majority of the revisions, citing a desire to closely adhere to the committees fact-finding mission. .

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I am unconcerned by the harshness of any statements made, I am concerned about them being factually accurate, Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, said on Monday. Thats why I keep going back to Lets put in the facts. Lets put in quotes from the testimony. Lets build it in a way that people can understand.

Adam Duerk, who served as special counsel for the ethics committee, cautioned if theyre clear and harsh but absolutely true, we consider carefully before much revision is made.

During Wednesdays meeting, the committee debated additions Smith, who is a former federal prosecutor, suggested, ultimately including statements from Egglestons submitted video testimony that Ellsworth had no financial interest in Egglestons company, Agile Analytics, but that the committee received no documentation to confirm or deny those statements.

The committee learned Ellsworth had a close personal relationship with Eggleston, which the senator failed to disclose prior to inking the contract.

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Other proposed changes that prompted committee discussion revolved around the testimony of Legislative Auditor Angus Maciver, who substantiated allegations that Ellsworths actions amounted to waste and abuse.

Earlier versions of the report spent several paragraphs delving into conclusions reached by Maciver, which Smith said was outside the scope of the committee.

I really struggle with this idea that we would include someone elses conclusion about the facts, and I think this borders the line between the questions of fact and the questions of law, Smith said, adding that citing the auditors testimony was better than citing his offices conclusions.

Duerk pushed back, saying that since the auditors memo itself is a fact, both the testimony and memo carry considerable weight.

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All of this  addresses the appearance of an impropriety, he said.

A separate criminal investigation is underway at the Department of Justice.

The ethics investigation  which stretched out weeks longer than initially anticipated  created substantial additional work for the four senators assigned to the committee, as well as legislative staff, and committee members expressed satisfaction with completing their mission.

Mandeville thanked the committee members and staff for their time and work ethic throughout the process before he gaveled the committee adjourned.

That was my favorite gavel, he said.

signed Report and Findings of Fact with attachments
Senate Republicans arent planning to be a rubber stamp for President Trumps sweeping operation to shrink the federal government as lawmakers look to fiscal 2026 funding.

Conservatives in both chambers have been ramping up calls for Congress to codify cuts pursued by Trumps Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), particularly as the administrations efforts encounter roadblocks in court.

But Senate Republicans arent pushing for a blanket adoption of the administrations measures in the chambers government funding bills for fiscal 2026.

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When asked about the idea last week, Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) told The Hill that it could be possible that, after careful consideration, we would decide to codify some of them.

However, she added that the efforts shouldnt be applied across the board.

With passage of government funding legislation for fiscal 2025 behind them, lawmakers are beginning to set their sights on the Sept. 30 deadline to prevent a shutdown and fund the government for fiscal 2026.

Funding negotiators are expecting the annual appropriations process to pick up after Trump releases his highly anticipated budget blueprint for fiscal 2026 in the weeks ahead. Presidential budget requests arent signed into law, but Trumps could serve as a guide for the Republican-led Congress when crafting annual funding legislation.

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Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said DOGEs efforts will help prepare recommendations for fiscal 2026, adding that the big savings found by DOGE will be a part of [fiscal] 26.

Well get a budget from the White House that reflects all of those savings, because therell be time to calculate it and do that, and then we will begin the appropriations process for [fiscal] 26, Johnson said at a press conference. I think its going to be a very exciting development, because were going to do it differently than its been done in years.

Thousands of federal employees have been axed in recent months, and the Trump administration has signaled more firings are on the way, even after a recent court order finding some of the terminations unlawful prompted officials to move to reinstate upward of 20,000 workers.

Among the list of agencies where employees have been targeted are the IRS and departments of Veterans Affairs, Homeland Security, Interior and Education.

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Many Republicans have welcomed the recent moves as necessary measures by the Trump administration to shrink the federal government and curb federal spending, often citing the nations $36 trillion-plus debt as need for more aggressive action.

But others have also raised alarm over the pace and scale of the cost-cutting operation, particularly as some Republicans have faced questions from voters back home.

Its moving a lot faster than most of us thought that it would. We want to make sure that we have an input into it, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told Dakota News Now in an interview released Tuesday. We want to make sure that as members of the Senate, when we find something thats not right, we can get it fixed as soon as possible.

The American people have said, one way or another, weve got to get this spending under control, he said. So were going to try to help the president wherever we can to get it under control, but were also going to be a double check where there is damage being done that should not be done.

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However, Republicans also acknowledge that the Senate faces different voting math than the House  funding bills crafted in the upper chamber have to be more bipartisan in nature to make it across the floor due to a 60-vote threshold required to pass most legislation.

We have to pass bipartisan bills. You cant pass an appropriation bill without 60 votes, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), a spending cardinal, said last week, adding that both sides always have tried to pass bipartisan bills.

At the same time, appetite is growing among Republicans for the White House to send Congress a rescissions package that members say would allow Congress to approve DOGE cuts in both chambers  an idea that also came up during a huddle between House Republicans and Vice President Vance earlier this month.

Some Republicans see that option as an easier lift than pursuing DOGE measures in appropriations bills, given staunch Democratic opposition.

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That may be where we actually address some of the DOGE reductions, Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), a senior appropriator, told The Hill last week. To move those [appropriations] bills, both in committee and but particularly on the floor, were going to need Democrats.

And so it may be harder to do there, because to just bring [an appropriations] bill out of committee, party-line, he said, when we get to the floor, were not going to get passed. So, thats why we may do that through some of the rescission bills on the discretionary side.

But not all Republicans have been on board with DOGEs complete operation.

While Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), another spending cardinal, said she supports measures to find inefficiencies in government, she has also been critical of efforts by the administration to gut the U.S. Agency for International Development  one of the earliest targets of Trumps government reshaping efforts.

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She also told reporters this week that other Republicans have kept mum about some of the administrations recent actions and tech billionaire Elon Musk  whom Trump tapped to head up DOGE  out of fear.

Thats why youve got everybody just zip-lipped, not saying a word because theyre afraid theyre going to be taken down  theyre going to be primaried, theyre going to be given names in the media, she said. We cannot be cowed into not speaking up.

Murkowski was one of about two dozen Republicans who voted against an amendment to government funding legislation offered by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) last week to prevent a shutdown. The proposal was aimed at codifying DOGEs cuts to foreign aid.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who voted for the amendment, told The Hill she thinks more members of her conference would have supported the measure had it not been for the shutdown threat.

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I definitely dont want to shut down the government, and if there had been a majority, it would have shut down the government, Lummis said. So, had that first vote resulted in the Paul amendment passing, you would have seen people switch.

That said, we also want to, at the earliest opportunity we have, engage in some of the DOGE recommendations for cuts, Lummis said. And so, I think that, if there are rescission bills that find their way to the Senate floor, I think youll see some support for that.

Lummis added that she also wants to see DOGEs cuts incorporated into the annual funding bills, but she noted that she isnt sure whether thats the consensus of the party.

Im a devout reformer. Im willing to accept cuts in almost any form at almost any time, but I dont know how many people there are like me, she said. I dont even know if its a majority of the majority party, but I think were going to get a chance to find out.

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The door to the Senate Chamber at the Montana Capitol. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan)

Montana senators overwhelmingly voted this week in favor of a bill implementing the states 2026-27 employee pay plan  which includes substantial raises for state legislators.

Ive been around here a long time, and weve always, in my view, undervalued and sold ourselves short as legislators, said Sen. John Esp, R-Big Timber, who is carrying the measure through the Senate. We leave home, we come up here, and then we volunteer our time, basically to serve the public  I realize theres other points of view, but we are valuable.

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The employee pay plan, carried in House Bill 13 each session, is negotiated between the governors office and public employees unions, and usually passes the Legislature with strong bipartisan support.

The legislation authorizes raises for the state workforce, increasing health insurance payments, adjusting per diem travel rates and raising legislator salaries in line with other public employees.

However, this session the bill has ruffled some feathers in both chambers by adding in a separate provision to boost future legislators salaries by tying them to Montanas average salary  a controversial inclusion.

Sen. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, brought forth an amendment to strip out the legislator pay raise from the bill.

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Last session, Vinton said, a standalone bill was passed to increase legislator pay from $16 to roughly $24 an hour and was met with a very public rebuke by the governor.

As has been the case since before our nations founding, public service comes with personal sacrifice  long hours away from home, less time with family, and appropriately limited compensation, Vinton quoted from Gov. Greg Gianfortes veto letter.

Esp suggested that feelings in the governors office may have changed over the biennium.

The governor during a Thursday morning press conference said the employee pay plan needed to pass and had been a fair compromise with the unions. He also said that we put the pay raise for the legislators in the bill as well, but added that the legislature has the final say in the bill.

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Gianfortes office did not respond to more specific questions from the Daily Montanan about whether he would sign the bill as is.

The pay plan for state and Montana University System Employees calls for either a $1-per-hour or 2.5% raise, whichever is greater, for each of the next two years, effective July 1.

The plan also increases the states per diem meal rates by tying them to 70% of the standard federal rate of reimbursement  bumping up each meal roughly from $3 to $4 dollars  and boosts employer health insurance contributions by $26 in 2026 and an additional $27 in 2027.

Crucially, and the reason for spirited debate on the Senate floor Wednesday, sponsor and Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, added in a provision to make lawmaker pay a function of the states average wage, which he said on the House floor would stop the legislature from debating the issue every two years.

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Legislators currently earn $16.11 an hour  a number that would go up along with all state employees if the pay plan passes on its own  equivalent wages to an annual salary of $33,900.

Under HB 13, lawmakers during the 2027 session would earn the equivalent of 80% of the state average hourly wage, and during the 2029 session would make 100% of the state hourly wage.

According to the latest Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage in Montana across all occupations was $26.88 in 2023, or $55,920 annually.

The bill would increase the states payroll costs by roughly $41 million a year, including the standard increase for legislators. The additional cost of changing legislator salaries to tie them to the state average would be $1.4 million and $2.2 million during the next two years.

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The cost of increasing health plans are $2.9 million and $7.9 million respectively during the next two years.

Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, spoke against the amendment to strike the legislator pay raise, saying that in his 13 sessions serving in Helena, legislator pay has inched up while the cost of living has skyrocketed  he said his housing costs had roughly tripled in the Capitol.

Our pay here and the cost of living does not equate to one another. And not only that, Im away from home, four months, from my residence, and I still have to pay all of those expenses, and so as this is just to double the burden on me personally, Windy Boy said.

But several Republican legislators sided with Vinton, saying that voting for their own pay increases was unnecessary, not what Montanans wanted, and just plain looked bad.

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What if this was a referendum? What if this issue, legislator pay, was on the ballot? How do you think that would go? asked Sen. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus.  Were in a unique situation. How many other people would love to be in the situation where they can vote for their own pay increase?

Im not a fan, he said.

Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, R-Billings, said money should not be the motivation for serving in the lawmaking body, adding that opponents arguments that only independently wealthy, retired, or remote-working individuals could afford to serve were misguided.

I lived on nothing when I was in the House, if you knew me, and I loved serving this place. And I still do, because it was about being in here, ideas, philosophies, concepts, Zolnikov said. We never used to do this. We got stopped doing this. This is service.

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Zolnikov added last session the Legislature voted to increase the per diem rate legislators get paid while in session  to $206 per day in addition to a salary of $128.86 a day  which should be enough to offset living expenses.

But proponents of legislator raises continually returned to the idea that a citizen legislature should more closely represent the population, and prospective lawmakers should have the means to take the time to serve.

What this bill will do is allow more young parents, for example, to join right? It will allow people with different perspectives who wouldnt be able to take time off because they simply dont have the privilege of the support networks that we all do, Sen. Cora Neumann, D-Bozeman, said. I just think that if we can do something like this, were going to have a wider and higher quality of bills. I think thats going to make this body have much more depth people are bringing from their own personal experience.

Esp agreed it would widen the pool.

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Its getting more difficult to find people that are willing to serve that arent retired like I am, or that have some other jobs that they can do from both places, or theyre just making a great sacrifice to be here, Esp said. I think its high time we recognize that.

The amendment failed 12-38, and the full employee pay plan passed the chamber 37-13.
Rural scene near Archer in Alachua County. (Courtesy Saint Peter-Saint Paul Community Council)

Rural communities are a step closer to a buffet of grants, loans, and administrative support for roads, schools, and businesses.

SB 110, dubbed by Senate President Ben Albritton as the Rural Renaissance, received unanimous support on the Senate floor Wednesday. It now heads to the House.

The measure would create the Office of Rural Prosperity within the Department of Commerce and provide grants focused on infrastructure, housing, and incentives to teachers, doctors, and nurses to practice in rural areas.

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The package has a $200.8 million price tag.

Albritton, of Wauchula, said the bill is not a mandate for rural areas but instead a buffet of opportunities for communities to be able to grow the way they want to.

Albritton said the bill is meant to be a hand up, not a handout, calling it quintessential in what government is meant to do.

Sen. Corey Simon, who represents several rural counties in North Florida, sponsored the legislation.

I can tell you, driving around my district in the 12 counties that are impacted by it, this is a real game changer, this is really taking a sledgehammer to a lack of prosperity in some of these communities, Simon said.

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The bill would redirect about $51 million to fiscally constrained counties in general revenue funding.

These are the communities that do not come and ask for everything, Sen. Don Gaetz said. These are the communities who do not expect everything. They dont think theyre entitled. They still have that ethic that says, We ought to be able to take care of ourselves as much as possible. And while were at it, maybe well take care of our neighbors too.

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Breakdown

The Office of Rural Prosperity would provide planning assistance for local governments and operate liaison centers for locals to connect to state and federal grants and resources.

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The bill would provide $1 million annual block grants focused on population growth for each of the eight counties in the state that have lost population in the last 10 years  Gadsden, Hardee, Taylor, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Madison, and Lafayette  until their population increases for three consecutive years.

The bill would boost the State Housing Initiative Partnership minimum distribution to counties to $1 million from $350,000, totaling a nearly $19 million increase, according to Albrittons office.

The bill redirects a portion of vehicle licensing fees to small county road assistance and aids in funding roads commonly used to carry goods to market, redirecting more than $65 million of general revenue to rural roads.

Teachers would be eligible for a student loan repayment program under the bill, up to $15,000 if they teach for five years.

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The bill aims to increase medical services offered in rural areas including mobile units for primary care, behavioral health, obstetric, and gynecological services.

Sen. Kathleen Passidomo called it an amazing, amazing bill.

This is going to create the framework for our rural communities to grow and thrive their way. Were not telling them what we want them to do. Were saying, Here are the tools,  heres what you can do, decide what you want to do, Passidomo said, adding that the legislation is a legacy that will stand forever.

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The New Hampshire Senate holds session March 20, 2025. (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin)

The New Hampshire Senate unanimously passed a bill to roll back portions of the states 2018 bail reform law Thursday, sending the measure to Gov. Kelly Ayotte, who has championed the bill and is expected to sign it.

House Bill 592 passed the Senate, 24-0. The bill requires that people charged with a list of serious offenses be held behind bars until they can be arraigned by a court, eliminating the opportunity to be released by bail commissioners. The bill also repeals the newly created magistrate system, in which three attorneys trained and appointed by the judicial branch were allowed to set bail in cases where judges are not available.

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And the bill changes the standard by which people charged with serious offenses can be denied bail. The current standard requires that there be clear and convincing evidence that a person is a danger to themselves or to others; the new standard requires only that there be probable cause that the person poses that danger. The new standard also makes it a rebuttable presumption that a defendant who has failed to appear or violated bail on past charges will do so again, making it easier to hold those defendants without bail too.

New Hampshires 2018 bail reform law was intended to reduce the number of people held ahead of their trial solely because they cannot afford bail. But police departments and Republican politicians have criticized it, arguing it has tied the hands of judges and bail commissioners, and allowed people to more easily be released and reoffend.

Ayotte, who campaigned in part on a promise to crack down on crime, has criticized the 2018 law, as well as a 2024 compromise law that created the magistrate system. On Thursday she praised the passage of HB 592.

I am grateful that the Senate voted today to end the failed experiment of bail reform in our state, Ayotte said.  I look forward to signing this into law to shut the revolving door for criminals once and for all.

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Senate Republicans said the rollback was necessary to stop defendants from taking advantage of the bail reform law.

This change in 2018 inadvertently created a catch-and-release program in our state, which has resulted in repeat and violent offenders going on to commit violent acts while out on bail, said Sen. Victoria Sullivan, a Manchester Republican. No person should be held simply because they are too impoverished to pay their bail. All people are innocent until proven guilty. However, there is a clear pattern of systemic abuse of this bail reform law, which is endangering our citizenry.

Senate Democrats supported the bill alongside Senate Republicans Thursday, in contrast to House Democrats, who largely voted against the bill earlier this month. Democrats and civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire argued that the bail laws have worked  pointing to the falling violent crime rate in the state and drop in incarceration  and said tightening the bail laws could mean people who are innocent could lose their jobs if held behind bars ahead of their trial.

But Sen. Debra Altschiller, a Stratham Democrat, said while she and other Democrats supported the bill for tightening the bail restrictions, she had concerns about the impact of rolling back magistrates.

While we Democrats would have preferred a compromise that provided more time to develop and support the magistrate system, it is clear that there was never any appetite for that, she said. We know that this bill puts a larger pressure back onto the courts and our county jails with no funding attached.
Photo illustration by Getty Images.

A property tax bill that faced an onslaught of fierce opposition at its first hearing saw nothing but support Thursday in the House Taxation committee  after passing unanimously out of the Senate.

Its getting kind of popular, said Sen. Carl Glimm, R-Kila, bill sponsor.

Property taxes are a significant priority for this Montana Legislature because residential values have increased in the state, and property tax bills have followed suit.

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Senate Bill 90 would allow property taxpayers to apply for a credit on their bill, currently estimated at $240 a year. The money would come from lodging and car rental tax revenue, which goes into the general fund.

Thursday, however, Glimm said the goal is to bump up the credit to $500 or so, possibly with other legislation.

In support of the bill, Bob Story, with the Montana Taxpayers Association, said more increases are projected in the coming reappraisal cycle, an estimated 20% on average for residential properties across the state, and called SB 90 a great tool.

Representatives from the Montana Chamber of Commerce, cities of Bozeman and Missoula, and the Montana Economic Developers Association were among those who spoke in support of the bill Thursday.

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Proponents said they appreciated the simplicity of the bill and its acknowledgement of the costs of tourism on local infrastructure.

Dan Brooks, with the Billings Chamber of Commerce, said his organization had done an about face on the bill, and several former opponents thanked Glimm for listening to their concerns.

The bill drew opposition early on because it stripped money from Department of Commerce programs, including ones focused on tourism, culture, agriculture and history. Now, the credit comes from the general fund.

Members of the committee asked questions to ensure the process for property taxpayers wouldnt be too cumbersome, such as if multiple bills pass that require homeowners fill out an application to receive the credit.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Revenue said if similar bills pass, he anticipated the application forms could be consolidated.

He also said property taxpayers dont have to apply for SB 90 every year; the bill spells out the criteria that would require renewal, such as if a property is no longer used as a primary residence.

The committee didnt take immediate action on the bill Thursday.

However, Glimm said he has received feedback that counties that have high value growth, such as Gallatin, Flathead and Missoula counties, also want more of their residents to qualify.

In response, he said he plans to present an amendment to increase the limit on properties that receive the credit to those worth up to $2 million.

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That way, he said, as values increase, the limit doesnt need to be adjusted right away.

Generally, Glimm said, the bill is addressing a problem Montanans have talked about for probably decades.

Its a hot topic, Glimm said.
Hospital administrators like Baptist Health Floyd's Michael Schroyer, left, and Goshen Health's Randy Christophel, urged senators to reconsider a bill establishing "price caps" on their services. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Nearly every lawmaker on the Senate Health and Provider Services Committee voted in favor of a house priority bill on Wednesday, but few seemed happy about it.

This is probably the worst bill  collectively, as a total  that I have seen in many years, said Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg. I have to support this bill because of the (hospital assessment fee) language  assuming (it) might help the HAF continue through the legislative process.

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This bill needs surgery.

 Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield

House Bill 1004 would implement price caps on nonprofit hospital charges and restructure a provider tax to increase federal reimbursements for health care entities. While the latter was universally praised, eight of the ten senators who voted to advance the bill flagged the attempt to control pricing.

Leising went on to express her dismay after repeatedly hearing about the need for an amendment but seeing no such language introduced before the committee. Due to its financial impact, the bill must also move through the Senate Appropriations Committee.

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The other part of this bill, I think, is really not workable at all. And its just very disappointing to me, Leising continued. But I hope that the people in appropriations take this seriously.

Like other legislators, Leising had concerns about whether adding price caps tied to Medicare would hurt hospitals, especially rural or critical access facilities like those in her southeastern Indiana district.

Others questioned why insurers werent getting the same scrutiny while acknowledging that the majority of the states residents are covered by an insurance type that cant be regulated by the state.

Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne, introduces House Bill 1004 in a Senate committee on March 19, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Rep. Martin Carbaugh, R-Fort Wayne, understands the struggles to regulate insurers as the chair of the House insurance committee.

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For the past several years, weve been looking for ways to lower the cost of health care in the state and save taxpayers money in the process, said Carbaugh. (But)I dont believe that this bill is exactly in a form thats going to pass into law.

Michael Schroyer, the president of Baptist Health Floyd in New Albany, committed to working with legislators on the bill, even offering to review the hospitals finances one-on-one. He reported losing $4 million alone in February, despite high patient volume, as costs for pharmaceuticals, supplies and salaries were up a collective 30%.

We want health care costs to come down as well  were at the mercy of so many others because we cant control what were charged for the things we need to care for patients, Schroyer told the Indiana Capital Chronicle. (Insurance companies) have a big part in this that affects our costs because we spend millions of dollars a year negotiating, doing pre-authorization (and) dealing with denials.

The sole dissenting vote came from Fort Wayne Republican Sen. Liz Brown, who detailed the years of effort and millions of dollars spent to try to reduce health care costs.

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There is a lot of work to do; this bill didnt do it, Brown said. Im hearing car prices are going up and everything in between, but somehow its only the hospitals responsibility to bring down costs.

Hospital insights

Senators balked at the notion of establishing price caps, which would be based on Medicare rates. A nonprofit hospital charging a private insurer more than 265% of that rate, which is established on the federal level but varies from facility to facility, would be penalized with an excise tax.

Those entities would also lose their nonprofit status, meaning theyd have to pay state taxes.

In his introduction, Carbaugh pointed to a Rand Corp. study that identified Indiana hospitals are the eighth-highest cost nationwide, regardless of nonprofit status. That analysis found that, nationwide, commercial payers were charged 2.5 times what hospitals charged Medicare for the same service. In Indiana, the rate was even higher at 3.4 times the cost of Medicare.

But Rands report was repeatedly criticized in committee for not truly mirroring the money received by hospitals since the analysis is based on what employers pay, which adds in insurer charges and overhead.

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If you set a cap on how we get paid, that money saves the insurance company. Its up to them whether they pass it on or not, said Randy Christophel, the CEO and president of Goshen Health. We have been reducing our costs significantly over the last four or five years and we have not seen those dollars passed along to our regional employers.

Schroyer said his hospital charged 207% of Medicare, according to RAND, but specialities like open heart procedures or neurosurgeries cost more. With even one charge above the 265% threshold, Schroyer would lose his nonprofit status under House Bill 1004.

But Schroyer and other hospital systems praised the inclusion of changes to the hospital assessment fee, which would leverage additional dollars in federal reimbursements to hospitals.

If we didnt pass the HAF changes, my hospitals would be losing $35-50 million a year. And thats unsustainable, said Schroyer.

In the committee room

Sen. Tyler Johnson, an emergency care physician, expressed a concern about increased bureaucracy that will require increased administrative costs, something he said would probably (go) back to the patients at a time when were trying to figure out how to lower costs.

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The bill, he worried, wouldnt lower costs or improve accessibility, but would rather make it worse for our rural communities.

He, and other lawmakers, asked those testifying in support of the bill if they would support price caps in other industries. Such supporters included Gov. Mike Brauns administration, mainstay employer-focused organizations and Families USA, a national organization representing consumers.

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This bill is a major step forward for the state to curb the growth of unchecked health care consolidation, particularly on hospitals and its impact on rising and unaffordable health care across the state, said Sophia Tripoli, the groups strategic and innovative health policy thought leader. Local institutions  have now become large corporate entities focused on maximizing revenue rather than improving health.

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Despite the hours of testimony, senators seemed unconvinced by the arguments of those supporting price caps. It was a stark contrast to the House, where the bill advanced easily and with the support of nearly every Republican lawmaker.

My concern  is were arbitrarily taking this cookie-cutter approach to how were going to do health care in Indiana with a hope and a prayer that its going to reduce costs and increase access, said Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington. I have not heard one argument that that is going to be the case.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  A man arrested during the execution of search warrants at two Youngstown homes in August has been sentenced.

Tyrone Withers was sentenced to three years of probation last month after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine, possession of a fentanyl-related compound and aggravated possession of drugs, all felonies.

As part of his sentence, he will have to submit to alcohol and drug tests.

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Reports said police found methamphetamine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, pills and crack pipes during the search of a home on E. Lucius Ave. and that Withers matched the description of a person who had been allegedly selling drugs from that home.

Stephanie McCourt, who was also charged during that search, was sentenced in December to a 14-month prison sentence with credit for time served after she pleaded guilty to charges of attempted illegal conveyance of drugs, possession of cocaine and possession of fentanyl.

Damion Foster, who was arrested during another search on that day, was sentenced in January to a suspended jail sentence and three years of probation. He was also ordered to continue an in-house program at the Community Corrections Association to obtain his GED.

Foster had pleaded guilty to having weapons while under disability, possession of a fentanyl-related compound and aggravated possession of drugs.

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Police arrested him at a home in the 300 block of Ferndale Avenue after reportedly finding Two semiautomatic handguns, two magazines of ammunition, fentanyl, pills and suboxone strips.

Joe Gorman contributed to this report.

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  The Ontario County Humane Society is searching for the suspects who abandoned a dog and puppies at Ontario County Park, leading to health problems.

Officers responded to the park in South Bristol Tuesday afternoon and found the dogs in a box at the corner of the pavilion. They said the mother was severely malnourished and the puppies needed urgent care. They were all seized and are being given medical attention.

How do humane societies investigate and charge someone with animal cruelty?

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Its unknown at this time who left the dogs in the park. The Humane Society is working to find the suspect involved in this incident.

Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call (585)-396-4590.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11)  Parents expressed a collective concern after a letter was recently sent home with students and labeled ATTENTION PARENTS. Inside, parents found a notification letter about the presence of several registered sex offenders in their neighborhood.

Borough Park has a significant Orthodox Jewish population, but it is also home to a mosaic of other cultures and ethnicities and parents who want the best for their children.

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We never received that letter before. I have three kids. We dont want something bad to happen to our kids. So prevention is always important, said concerned parent Joyce Xi.

The question now weaving its way through Borough Park: should there be a more consistent and comprehensive notification  made directly to residents of a sex offenders presence in their neighborhood?

In our community, a sex offender doesnt get any worse. We should do as much as we could that we should be notified, said Gabe, who is a member of Borough Parks Orthodox Jewish community.

Sara, another Brooklyn resident, added, This is a big trouble here. Of course, I want to know. Because I have family. I have kids. I have a daughter. and I need to feel safety.

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Local Council member Suan Zhuang, who hosted Tuesdays community meeting with the NYPD, says she wants to figure out the best way to keep residents informed.

A lot of parents did panic after they received this information. Especially for parents that dont know how to go a website or speak a foreign, or another language, its important for the school to notify them. But for some parents, they have the access and they know how to get the information, said Zhuang.

The NYPD referred PIX11s questions to the New York City Department of Education. The DOE referred PIX11 News back to the NYPD.

Council member Zhuang is looking for answers of her own and has launched an online survey to look for residents input, citywide.

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You can find a link to the survey here.



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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON)  An employee at a Walgreens in San Franciscos Castro District was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stabbing a suspected shoplifter. According to the San Francisco Police Department, SFPD officers were patrolling the 400 block of Castro Street at 4:35 a.m. when they were flagged down regarding a stabbing.

Officers made contact with a man who appeared to be suffering from injuries associated with an assault, police said. Paramedics were requested to the scene.

Berkeley Lululemon targeted in smash-and-grab robbery Wednesday

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Further investigation indicated that the man was seen fleeing a nearby store with unpaid merchandise. The man and a store employee, according to the investigation, got into a verbal altercation outside the store that turned physical.

Officers developed probable cause to arrest the employee  45-year-old Guang Hong  and the alleged shoplifter  30-year-old Larry Whitlock. Hong, who denied medical attention, was booked into San Francisco County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon.

Whitlock was cited for battery and petty theft. He was taken to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

In April of 2023, a security guard was working at another San Francisco Walgreens store when he fatally shot Banko Brown. Investigators said Brown was attempting to dash out of the store with a bag of stolen items. The guard, Michael Earl-Wayne Anthony, tried to stop Brown from running away before he opened fire, surveillance cameras showed. The district attorney did not file any criminal charges against the guard.

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Mar. 19U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen praised Donald Trump's Defense Department for agreeing to exempt shipyards, depots and medical treatment sites from an agency-wide civilian hiring freeze due to the critical role they play in military readiness.

For more than a month, Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has pressed for that accommodation. She voted against Trump's pick for secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, after the nominee recently declined to make that commitment.

"I'm relieved that the administration heard our calls to protect jobs that are vital to national security at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and at shipyards across the country from ill-considered hiring freezes," Shaheen said in a statement.

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The New Hampshire congressional delegation on Tuesday also met at the shipyard with officials from Australia, who had come to visit one of the nation's four shipyards that maintain nuclear submarines. Australia is a part of AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Under AUKUS, Australia is expected to acquire several nuclear-powered attack submarines, such as those maintained at Portsmouth.

Shaheen read a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from 16 Democratic lawmakers with ties to the shipyard saying that the hiring freeze could affect the timeline for maintenance work.

"While I'm glad that President Trump and Secretary Hegseth now understand our shipyard workforce to be an essential component of our national defense and preparedness, it should have never come to this in the first place  and the uncertainty that has swept through shipyards in the last two months has done real damage," Shaheen said.

Last week, union officials at the shipyard said that half a dozen civilian secretaries working at the shipyard had been let go.

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First District U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., said he and his colleagues need to remain vigilant as the Trump administration proposals to freeze or cut federal spending continue to change from week to week.

Second District Rep. Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., said she'll continue to monitor the issue as well.

"The hardworking women and men of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard have some of the toughest and most important jobs in America," said Goodlander.

"We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay and I will always stand up for them as a member of House Armed Services Committee Democrats."

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Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., joined her colleagues for a press conference at the shipyard last week to call for the freeze exemption.

"Granite Staters are alarmed and outraged at the Trump administration's move to weaken the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard by curtailing the shipyard's workforce," Hassan said at the time. "The Portsmouth Naval shipyard is both a pillar of our national security, helping the United States remain on the cutting edge, and an engine for our economy, providing jobs for Granite Staters who want to do their part to keep our Navy strong."

Despite the exemption, Defense Department officials said they still plan to trim the civilian defense workforce by up to 8%, or 60,000 workers, nationwide in the coming months.

klandrigan@unionleader.com
Hello readers,

I am honored to introduce myself as the new editor of the Jewish Journal at the South Florida Sun Sentinel. As a lifelong member of the South Florida Jewish community, the Jewish Journal has been a staple in my household since before I could even read the pages.

I was born and raised in Boca Raton, had my Bat Mitzvah at Temple Beth El, and now immerse my own young children in local Jewish life.

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Growing up in Boca Raton meant that Judaism always surrounded me  whether through the friends I sat next to in class or the extracurriculars I attended after school. Still, I experienced my own share of antisemitism, like when a classmate drew a swastika in my fifth-grade yearbook. But it wasnt until I left the safety of my hometown that I realized just how rare, and special, being Jewish really is.

I received my bachelors degree in editing, writing, and media from Florida State University and quickly moved to Philadelphia after graduation to pursue a masters in publishing from Drexel University. There, I worked as an editor for Philadelphia-based magazines  but while I loved the city, I always felt a strong urge to be home.

After five years away, and with a desire to start a family, I moved back to South Florida, knowing it was the best place to raise my children. Since then, I have written for a variety of local publications, covering restaurants, events, and the people who make our area so notable and diverse.

When Oct. 7, 2023, happened, an uneasiness washed over me and my career trajectory took a turn. After my daughters Chabad preschool received a bomb threat, I knew I needed to do more for our community. Raising awareness and continuing to be openly proud to be Jewish didnt feel like enough.

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I began to focus my writing on Jewish publications, hoping I could help bring a sense of familiarity and belonging to fellow Jews my age. And yet, I still felt I could be doing more. So when the Jewish Journal posted the job for a new editor, I felt it was, as my grandmother always said, bashert.

The Jewish Journal has always been a publication that helps local Jews feel connected. As your new editor, I hope to maintain that connection, continuing its legacy of strong storytelling and community building. We are living in a time of uncertainty, especially when it comes to the Jewish lens, and I hope to inspire conversations on both sides of the coin and to address the issues we face as Jews living in a post-Oct. 7 world.

But more than that, I hope to bring more awareness to our amazing community, to shine a light on all the meaning we bring to South Florida, and to give you, the reader, a platform to share your stories, both big and small.

The landscape of our local community is constantly changing. I had the pleasure of interviewing the new CEO and president of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Igor Alterman, for my inaugural article in the Jewish Journal. We both expressed our shared goal of ushering in a new generation of South Florida Jews and creating a space for the ever-growing numbers of young families and young professionals moving into and growing up in our community. I aim to stay true to the generations who have come before and who laid the foundation for this publication, but to also grow alongside the younger generations and evolve the Jewish Journal into something we can all be proud of.

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I believe that its success lies within all of you, whether you are a lifelong reader or newly joining us. And I hope that together, we can continue to inspire others and write the narratives that deserve to be told. My inbox is always open  please feel free to reach out with your story, your ideas, or to simply say hello.

We should never feel uneasy about telling our Jewish stories. I hope to make the Jewish Journal a space where we can tell them with confidence.

Thank you for trusting me as your editor. I look forward to whats next.

Jewish Journal editor Jessica Tzikas can be reached at jtzikas@sunsentinel.com.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT)  A Shelby County man was sentenced 15 years in prison for multiple robberies, according to U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.

Dorian Bivins, 20, of Alabaster, was sentenced to 180 months in prison. Bivins pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence in Sept. 2024.

According to the plea agreement, Bivins attempted robberies of three businesses in Alabama over a span of 12 days in May and June 2023. Bivins committed two of the offenses while armed with a pistol and discharged the firearm during his final robbery attempt.

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MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Shelby County, home to Memphis and Tennessees largest county, experienced the largest population decline among U.S. counties between 2023 and 2024, the U.S. Census Bureau says.

The countys population declined by 3,379 residents between July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024. It now stands at an estimated 910,530 this year  a decline from 930,015 in 2020.

Davidson County, home to Nashville, increased its population from 712,334 to 729,505 during the same period.

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The next three counties experiencing the biggest numerical population declines were St. Louis city, Missouri (home to St. Louis), Hinds County, Mississippi (home to Jackson) and Orleans Parish, Louisiana (home to New Orleans).

Study: Memphis most affordable city for families with 2 kids

Many Mississippi counties also suffered some of the biggest population declines, in terms of the percentage of residents leaving the county. Yazoo, Sunflower, Washington, Leflore, and Bolivar counties made up five of the top 10 counties on this list.

The Census Bureau says the U.S. population increased by 1% from 2023 to 2024 to more than 340 million.

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CHIPPEWA FALLS  The state Assembly approved a bill Tuesday that would require sheriffs in Wisconsin to check the immigration status of every person incarcerated in their jails on a potential felony offense. The measure would also require them to contact ICE if a person is not a legal U.S. resident.

Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes said his agency has had that policy for years, using a fingerprint system to verify who they have detained.

Partisan politics aside, we have always had a policy in place, Hakes said. We have a system in place to identify everybody, either citizens or non-citizens. We make sure they are who they say they are. We always try to positively identify and we always check for wants and warrants. Weve always done that, even before this became a hot-button issue.

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Hakes, a Republican, said they have a policy where they notify ICE upon learning a person is not a legal resident as well. He recalled a man who severely stabbed a deputy 10 years ago and was killed in the process was wanted by ICE.

We have a good working relationship with ICE, and all of our law enforcement stakeholders, he said.

Hakes said that there are more privacy protections in place than people realize. For instance, he cannot publicly state if a specific person incarcerated in the jail is an illegal resident.

Less than 5% of the people we deal with have an illegal status, he added.

Hakes acknowledged the bill has its detractors, and he doubts that Gov. Tony Evers would sign it into law.

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I sit on the Badger State Legislative Council. Everyone has a different opinion on this bill and the application of this bill, Hakes said. Personally, I dont believe we need more legislation for what were already doing.

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald, a Democrat, said his department also checks the immigration status of everyone who is detained.

It wont change our operation, Fitzgerald said.

One part of the proposed legislation is that sheriffs who dont comply could lose state funding. Fitzgerald objected to that part of the bill.

You cant pass a law to tell a constitutional officer what to do, Fitzgerald said, but he added, I wont fight it.

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Fitzgerald stressed how infrequently his officers wind up arresting someone who is not a legal resident.

If we even get one a year, Id be surprised, and we book in 1,200 people (annually), he said.

Eau Claire County Sheriff Dave Riewestahl could not be reached for comment on his policy.

Rep. Karen Hurd, R-Withee, issued a statement after the Assembly passed the measure, known as AB 24.

One of the issues I hear a lot about from my constituents is illegal immigration, Hurd wrote. While immigration is primarily a federal issue, there are still some areas where state and local governments can help. One way is by having local law enforcement, like our county sheriffs, partner with federal law enforcement to keep illegal immigrants who commit felonies off our streets. While many of our sheriffs already do this, some refuse to do so, making all Wisconsinites less safe. By requiring our sheriffs to cooperate with the federal government, we are helping to keep our communities safe.
Sean Diddy Combs latest court appearance ahead of his federal sex crime trial was nothing short of concerning. Were not talking about the new allegations on his updated indictment either.

Combs was due in court Friday, March 14, to enter his plea to a new indictment, accusing him of forcing Bad Boy employees to labor for long hours with little sleep and threatening to punish anyone who refused to participate in his alleged sex trafficking scheme. The new indictment also cites three anonymous women who were allegedly victims of the sex trafficking prosecutors claim Combs spearheaded for decades, per court documents.

Combs appeared with even more gray hair than last time he was in court, both on his head and beard, according toReuters. He walked in donning a baggy tan prison jumpsuit, the report says. Spectators described him as being grayer and even more slim.

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Combs pleaded not guilty once again to the charges and blew a two-handed kiss to his mother and other family who attended the hearing in support, the report says. Back to jail he goes as he awaits trial in May.

About Diddys Federal Sex Crime Case

In September 2024, the 55-year-old rap mogul was arrested in Manhattan by federal authorities, six months after they raided his two homes in Los Angeles and Miami. His indictment reveals charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution and cites three anonymous victims.

The allegations against Combs of sexual abuse, physical abuse, bribery and various drug offenses were first brought forth by ex-girlfriend and Bad Boy Records signee Casandra Cassie Ventura in a lawsuit. The most notable claims were about his so-called freak off sex parties, where prosecutors allege women and men were drugged and forced to perform sexual acts at Combs pleasure. He was also accused of using video footage to blackmail the victims into compliance.

Combs quickly settled with Ventura within 24 hours, but lawsuits from other associates have quickly followed in the months since. Most notably, over 100 plaintiffs are being represented by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee who said his clients have made claims of rape, sexual exploitation and sexual assault against the rapper.

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While many of the suits since 2023 have been civil, this federal case has Combs facing criminal charges. He has pleaded not guilty, and was denied bail. His trial is scheduled for May 2025.

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Russia sees Ukraine's Constitution as an "obstacle" to peace efforts as it does not permit territorial changes, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said on March 19, according to state-owned TASS news agency.

"On Ukraine's part, the main obstacle is the Constitution. Their Constitution prohibits any negotiations regarding changes in territory," Shoigu told journalists.

The comments underscore Moscow's efforts to legitimize its occupation of one-fifth of Ukraine's territory as part of a potential peace deal pushed forward by U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Russia occupied and illegally annexed Crimea at the start of its aggression against Ukraine in 2014. After the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Moscow also illegally declared annexation of partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected recognizing Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories in any peace talks, calling it a "red line" that Kyiv will not cross. Ukraine's Constitution states that the "territory of Ukraine within its present border is indivisible and inviolable."

The Semafor outlet reported earlier this week that the Trump administration is considering recognizing Crimea as part of a peace deal. Washington has not confirmed this claim.

Shoigu also named the "legitimacy of power" as another supposed obstacle to peace talks, alluding to the Kremlin's long-standing narrative about Zelensky's illegitimacy, which Trump has also echoed.

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Russia claims that Zelensky is no longer a legitimate head of state since Ukraine suspended elections that were to be held in 2024. The Ukrainian Constitution prohibits elections during martial law, which was declared at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Zelensky said that the next vote would be held after a peace deal is concluded and martial law is lifted.

Read also: Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in focus of Ukraine peace talks. Whats at stake?

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UPDATE: Troy police confirm a suspect in a shooting at Corewell Troy hospital is in custody.

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A shooting took place inside a hospital in Troy, police department confirmed.

Police take Troy hospital shooting suspect into custody, (WXYZ via AP) Police take Troy hospital shooting suspect into custody, (WXYZ via AP)

Our station partner CBS Detroit reports a police situation is in progress at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital and people are asked to stay away from the area at 44201 Dequindre Road.

The Troy Police Department posted on X, formally known as Twitter, confirming there was a shooting at the hospital and that the suspect is not in custody.

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Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital issued the following statement:

We are working with local law enforcement. Out of an abundance of caution, the hospital is on lockdown. One victim is in the emergency department for medical treatment. Patients with services scheduled should not come to the hospital at this time. Patients may call the department where they were scheduled for service directly. No other information is available at this time.

This is a developing story. 6 News will continue to update this story as details become available.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Congressional appropriators, the lawmakers with jurisdiction over government funding, were once among the most powerful figures on Capitol Hill  tough and often-revered negotiators who struck bipartisan deals even in the most polarized times. Those days might be over.

Last week's rapid-fire push by GOP leaders to enact a stopgap funding bill through September put into sharp relief the waning influence of the House and Senate Appropriations committees that once ran the show. With President Donald Trump giving Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk and White House budget director Russ Vought unprecedented latitude over the federal purse strings, the leaders of the spending panels were ultimately sidelined by the executive branch and their own party leaders.

Appropriators insist they are merely experiencing a setback, not headed for extinction and that they fully intend to regain their relevance. The appropriations process has never been smooth sailing, they argue  especially when party control shifts in Washington. And Republicans are pledging a return to regular order by completing all 12 annual spending bills on time  a feat that has not been accomplished since the 1990s.

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Heads will explode among appropriators if GOP leaders dont facilitate that return, said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, an appropriator and a member of Senate Republican leadership.

We better go through the traditional process, Capito said.

But with a possible mandate looming to codify DOGE cuts as a part of those 12 bills, morale among many members of the Appropriations Committees is at an all-time low, while distrust between the two parties has reached a fever pitch.

You're talking to a pretty discouraged appropriator right now, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a longtime member of the committee, said in an interview.

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Since Trump was sworn back into office, his administration has unilaterally frozen government grants and foreign aid while gutting entire offices and agencies  directly undercutting provisions in the prior slate of funding bills appropriators wrote and Congress cleared last year. Yet lawmakers just acquiesced to a new, seven-month funding patch that scrapped a year of work on bipartisan spending measures while maintaining Trump, Musk and Voughts ability to move around federal cash.

Almost a total bended knee, was how one former Republican appropriator, granted anonymity to speak candidly, described the outcome. "The approps members always got on together and protected the power of the purse from all interference. The trifecta changed all that."



In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson has said he wants Republican appropriators to bake Musks DOGE cuts into a new batch of funding bills before the next government shutdown deadline in September  another sign that the appropriations process could soon be further hijacked by the executive branch.

We are in a bad place, and its a place that I regret," Murkowski said on the Senate floor before voting to pass the latest patch.

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This is our job under the Constitution, she said. Its not the executives. Its not the presidents. Its our job.

Still, every Republican appropriator in Congress joined Murkowski in voting for the funding bill. Democrats in the Senate also helped pave the way for passage, pushing the legislation over a necessary procedural hurdle even after Republicans snubbed Democratic demands to include guardrails in the bill to prevent Trump from ignoring congressionally approved spending.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer appeared to contradict his own Democratic appropriators in voting to advance the stopgap funding bill, defending his position on the Senate floor by arguing the guardrail language was ultimately unnecessary.

Nothing in the [bill] changes the Impoundment Control Act, the foundation of Congress' appropriations authority, Schumer said. These actions are illegal and no new law is needed to declare that.

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Republican appropriators were pushed into the periphery, too. Last month, Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was absolutely opposed to a funding patch through September; House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said he and Collins were very close to a bipartisan deal with their Democratic counterparts.

Two days later, Collins divulged that Republican leaders had instructed her to start writing a partisan fallback plan anyway, while the final bill that would, indeed, fund government operations through the end of the fiscal year was drafted by House GOP leadership and rammed through with limited input from either chambers spending leaders. Party leaders also did away with earmarks for member projects in their districts, for many years a point of leverage for appropriators in getting their colleagues to support appropriations bills.

Cole, in an interview, conceded that the stopgap bill would likely make it easier for DOGE and Elon Musk and Trump to make their own spending decisions.

Last weeks capitulation was the culmination of years of declining clout for appropriators. When John Boehner became speaker beginning in 2011, he pushed the Appropriations Committee out of coveted offices in the Capitol. A few years later, Boehners successor, Paul Ryan, repeatedly violated the regular order process by killing appropriations amendments adopted in committee and didnt involve his Appropriations chair in crucial end-game negotiations ahead of the longest government shutdown in history.

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Just before bringing House Republican funding bills to the floor in 2017, the beginning of Trumps first presidency, Ryan unilaterally nixed language adopted in committee that would have allowed the children of undocumented immigrants, known as Dreamers, to work for the federal government, along with a provision to sunset the 2001 war authorization.

But back then, longstanding bipartisan relationships on the House and Senate spending panels might have helped keep some of these rifts at bay. Now, there are signs Republicans and Democrats could be done working together to negotiate government funding deals for the foreseeable future.

In another significant power shift last week, House Republicans united behind the stopgap measure without relying on Democrats for help, with conservative hard-liners cheering a process they have long derided.

Freezing spending, no earmarks, no omnibus bill, a serious proposal that I think gives the room for the administration to execute those and execute whatever they want to do with impoundment and other tools  I think the bill is the right approach, said Rep. Chip Roy of Texas in an interview. Were in as good a spot as weve been in a long time.

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Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), a senior appropriator, accused Republican leaders of putting junky stuff in the bill to attract votes from Roy and others. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), who chairs an appropriations subcommittee and the House Freedom Caucus, said Democrats are the ones who need to compromise: You ask the Democrats if they want to be involved.

With conservatives in the White House and on Capitol Hill in a new position of strength in congressional spending battles, even Collins, an avowed moderate, is bolstering her relationships with Republicans on the furthest end of her partys spectrum. In recent weeks, she has lunched with the conservative House Republican Study Committee and started texting with Musk.

The outreach has won accolades from unlikely allies, including Rep. Aaron Bean of Florida, who chairs the House DOGE Caucus, which formed to support Musks efforts to cut federal waste, fraud and abuse.

Sometimes, on the far right side, she gets an unfair reputation and is treated unfairly, Bean said in an interview after Collins' visit with the Republican Study Committee. He added, If you listen to her talk in there, she's a fiscal conservative, for sure.

Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.
UPDATE 11 P.M.: The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office said Mrs. Morris has been found safe and thanked everyone who assisted in the search.

ORIGINAL: The Jacksonville Sheriffs Office has issued a Silver Alert for a local woman who may be endangered.

75-year-old Ina Williams Morris was reported missing by her husband around 5 P.M. Wednesday after he said she drove off in his car during a medical visit without his knowledge.

Police said they were told she has been diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Mrs. Morris is believed to be driving the 2006 black Mercedes E350 with the Florida tag DAW-G10.

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The car has tinted windows and a front bumper license plate with the Georgia Bulldogs letter G.

She is described as 52 with brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen on Atlantic Boulevard east of Kernan Boulevard wearing a blue and white shirt, white pants, white new balance shoes, and a cast on her left wrist.

Anyone with information on where Mrs. Morris may be is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office.

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MARION, S.C. (WBTW)  The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is assisting Marion police with a fire investigation following a Wednesday afternoon blaze near Main Street.

Marion Fire Rescue crews arrived to the area of Oakenwald Avenue just after noon, where a working fire was found inside a large residential structure, Marion Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post.

Officials said damage was minimal, but circumstances on scene led to an investigation by Marion police with help from SLED.

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No further information was immediately available.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)  Small Business Development Center Day celebrates the efforts of those who help small business owners with the headaches that can come with starting a business.

The center at Bradley University hosted a celebration inside the Business and Engineering Convergence Center on campus, complete with snacks and recognition for those who have been helped on their path to business success.

There are experts in international trade, government contracting, technology commercialization, and more providing advice to small business owners as they maneuver the growth of their business.

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Eric Sampson is the director of the center, and said the work they do is important.

The backbone of the success of the economy in the United States is really dependent upon small business and innovation around small business, he said.

Sampson said their goal is to help people who have an idea for a business but may need help developing, registering, and implementing their business plans.

The SBDC at Bradley is part of a network of 35 around the state and nearly 1,000 nationwide, all funded through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Centers in Illinois are administered through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com.
TYLER, Texas (KETK)  The Smith County 10-acre fire has been 100% contained according to Texas A&M website.

LIST: East Texas counties issue burn bans

Smith County ESD2 Chief Eric Greaser said crews were dispatched to 11340 Highway 64 W. at around 2:45 p.m. after a controlled fire got out of hand. The fire is 100% contained, according to the Texas A&M Incident Viewer. The Texas A&M Forestry Service assisted local first responders.

The wind shift can get off into the grasses that are now dry and with the low humidities, they [a fire] can really run faster than most of us could imagine, Greaser said.

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Greaser said the Fire Marshals office will be issuing a citation to a contractor next to the Northeast Texas Bikers Church.

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SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah (ABC4)  A snowboarder was pronounced dead after being found buried in the snow on Park City Mountain on Wednesday, according to officials.

The Summit County Sheriffs Office said in a press release that the snowboarder was identified as a 55-year-old man, and Park City Mountain said the victim was from Hawaii. Further identifying information was not provided.

While the exact circumstances surrounding how the individual became buried remain unclear, there are no indications that the incident was avalanche related, the sheriffs office said.

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According to the release, the sheriffs office responded to reports of an injured snowboarder just before 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Officials with Park City Mountain said the incident occurred on an intermediate trail off Super Condor Express, and the victim was found buried in the snow.

READ NEXT: Family saddened after skier who died in Utah was reportedly unable to get his last rites

A family member of the victim reportedly helped ski patrollers dig him out of the snow, and the victim was later transported to Canyons Village Base Clinic, a medical facility on-site. However, the sheriffs office said he was pronounced dead despite lifesaving efforts.

On behalf of our entire Park City Mountain team, we extend our sincerest sympathies to the family and friends of our guest, Deirdra Walsh, VP and COO of Park City Mountain, said.

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Authorities said further details will be released as theyre available. The investigation is ongoing.

The Summit County Sheriffs Office extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased, the press release reads.

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WICHITA FALLS (KFDX.KJTL)  Welcome back to the Social Rundown, where you can learn about the online trends happening globally and in Texoma, too!

Want to get the latest tea or news on whats trending on social media? Tune in daily!

Man in tree, tree falls on him

In Kaysville, Utah, one man working on a tree fell after what seems to be the tree snapping and that same tree toppling over him. He was flown to a trauma center in critical condition.

Jackie Robinson

People are calling it a government purge, as the Department of Defense had to explain why the page of Jackie Robinsons article had been taken down. The article included the story of the time in 1944 when a military bus driver asked Robinson to move to the back of the bus, and Robinson refused.

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According to AP News, thousands of pages that contribute to honoring women and minority groups have been deleted in order to remove all DEI.

Dairy Queen

Free small vanilla ice cream cones at DQ today, March 20th!

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD)  The remains of a Bloomington soldier are returning home after more than 80 years.

The family of Pfc. Robert Lee Bryant can finally lay him to rest. While Bryants parents and siblings are long gone, the remaining family members are happy to give Bryant a proper burial.

Bryant was born on Feb. 20, 1920. His family moved to Bloomington from Sedalia, Mo., in 1930 and he enlisted into the Army in 1939.

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According to a press release from the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, in September 1943, Bryant was assigned to Company B, 4th Ranger Battalion, Darbys Rangers, in the Mediterranean Theater in World War II.

The moniker Darbys Rangers came from their commander, Col. William Darby, who stood up and organized the first Ranger battalion within the Army.

The agency also said Bryant participated in Operation AVALANCHE, the invasion of Italy near Salerno, and engaged in fighting near the Chiunzi Pass on the Sorrento Peninsula.

World War II Prisoner of War laid to rest in Gridley

On Sept. 23, 1943, Bryant was reported missing in action following a four-man patrol west of Pietre, Italy. The DPAA press release said Bryants body was not recovered, and German forces never reported him a prisoner of war. The War Department declared him non-recoverable on July 19, 1949.

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According to the DPAA, after the war, the American Graves Registration Service, Army Quartermaster Corps, was the organization tasked with recovering missing American personnel in the Mediterranean Theater.

In 1947, the investigators from AGRS recovered remains from a cemetery in the village of San Nicola. After unsuccessful identification, the remains designated as X-152 were interred at U.S. Military Cemetery Nettuno, which is now Sicily-Rome American Cemetery.

In 2019 hope came for the Bryant family. A historian from the DPAA was studying unresolved American losses in Operation AVALANCHE. The historian compiled unit records, company morning reports and grave registration records that indicated Bryant was likely lost in the vicinity of the unidentified remains recovery location.

They leave no leaf unturned to try to find out, said Bryants nephew James Bryant.

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The DPAA said members from the Department of Defense and the American Battle Monuments Commission disinterred the remains in March 2022 and sent them to the DPAA laboratory for identification.

Students help honor Pontiac Civil War Veteran

After a series of analyses including dental and anthropological, James, a retired Army officer, received a call on Sept. 23, 2024, that his uncles remains were officially identified.

It would have meant so much to my dad and my other uncles to have him back. Especially to my grandmother and grandfather, James Bryant said.

James Bryant was born seven years after his uncles death. He said he is the oldest, nearest living relative to Bryant. It was special for James to get the call exactly 81 years to date after his uncle died that his remains were identified.

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Bryant will be buried next to his brother, James father, Harold Dean Bryant. Harold Bryant was a paratrooper in World War II.

At the time of the interview with James, Bryants remains were in Omaha, Nebraska in the lab at Offutt Air Force Base. He said his great-nephew, Bloomington native Austin Dillow is stationed at Fort Riley in Kansas. The family has requested Dillow be allowed to escort Bryants remains back to Bloomington.

James encourages other families waiting on the return of their loved ones remains to stay hopeful.

Never give up. Never give up hope. I mean, 81 years, 81 years and they were able to identify him, said James.

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Repatriation services for PFC Bryant are April 12 at 1 p.m. at Park Hill Cemetery.

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LONG ISLAND (PIX11)  A New York man allegedly fatally shot his 75-year-old father, a retired police officer, in their Dix Hills home on Wednesday, according to police.

Christopher Miller, 43, allegedly fatally shot his father, John Miller, with a shotgun multiple times, according to officials.

More Crime News

Police say Miller, after getting into an auto accident on Monday, got into a fight with the driver of the other vehicle. Following the accident and the fight, Miller had to be hospitalized. Unaware of his sons whereabouts, his father, John, attempted to report Christophers missing, the police said.

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Officers eventually located Christopher at a local hospital, and his father then picked him up.

After coming home with his father to the home they were sharing at 27 Bruno Lane, an argument ensued. Authorities say Christopher went upstairs to his room, retrieved a shotgun, and shot his father before fleeing to a shed on Seaman Neck Road.

The owner of the shed called 911 to report that someone was inside their property, police said.

The same officer who had responded to John Millers call, reporting that his son had been missing, responded to the call of the shed owner. He recognized Christopher Miller from before and returned him to his house on 27 Bruno Lane, at which point he discovered John was dead.

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More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Miller was placed into police custody and charged with murder in the second degree. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the previous car crash and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on a later date, authorities said.

Officials stated that Miller was living with his father after divorcing his wife.

Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Its been nearly a week since a deadly crash led investigators to the scene of a homicide in Darke County.

The Darke County Sheriffs Office reports Josiah Maloon shot his wife, Juanita Maloon, Thursday, March 13 at a home on State Route 571. Maloon then invited his friend to his home before shooting him several times.

Darke County sheriff IDs suspect and wife in fatal shooting, chase

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The friend drove away, with Maloon chasing him. The two vehicles crashed, and Maloon was ejected from his vehicle and later pronounced dead on scene.

Now, only on 2 NEWS, the son of the couple that died is sharing his story as he tried to get help from his community to keep his home.

Its been one week since Caleb Maloon lost both of his parents in a homicide and car crash. While police have been investigating, Caleb and his family have been picking up the pieces, trying to save his family home.

I started getting phone calls from all kinds of different people. It felt like something was kind of off, said Caleb Maloon.

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These were the thoughts Maloon had while on his way to pick up a friend last Thursday.

I tried to call my mom and I didnt hear anything. Then I tried to call my dad and I didnt hear anything, so I called my aunt who lives next door, said Maloon. She told me that it was something pretty big and that I needed to come home.

Maloon would soon find out that both of his parents had been killed in a shooting and car crash.

Now, Maloon wants to carry on his parents last wish  to take care of their family home. He says it has proven to be a difficult financial challenge.

Maloon started a GoFundMe earlier this week, saying in his post that his parents were behind on bills and that the home needed imminent work done.

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Theyve had [the home] since the 1940s, said Maloon. Its had my family name, they just wanted to keep it running, keep it with me.

The property hosts a horse farm and an autobody shop that his father ran called Joes Autobody.

Since reaching out, Caleb has been an outpouring of support from the community, helping lift him up so he can keep moving forward.

Its been insane how much love the community has shown my parents. I would just kind of like to change it a little bit, give it an update so that its not know as the house where the bad thing happened or something like that, said Maloon. Its never been that in my life or in anyones life.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has received a phone call from his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, while speaking with journalists.

Source: European Pravda

Details: A phone call came in as Zelenskyy was talking to journalists.

"Sorry, Emmanuel! I'm just having a conversation with a journalist. Can I be back in 15-20 minutes?" the Ukrainian president replied in English.

After that, the journalist asked Zelenskyy a clarifying question about whether French President Macron had just called him.

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"Yes, I just spoke to President Macron. We often talk a lot. Once a day, I would say, on average," he confirmed.

The Ukrainian president also stressed that Ukraine and France have very close relations and Macron "helps a lot".

"I am grateful to him for this and will call him back after our conversation," Zelenskyy added.

Background:

Recently, the French president stated that Russia should agree to the US-Ukraine proposal for a 30-day ceasefire.

In light of the potential withdrawal of US troops from Europe, Macron also mentioned his readiness to propose a French "nuclear umbrella" to protect other European nations. This initiative is backed by nearly 60% of the French population.

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YORK COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A push from a small South Carolina GOP group, the America First Movement, is working to change how Republican voters make their voices heard in elections.

York County Republican and Representative for the 48th district Brandon Guffey says the group wants to end the states Republican primaries.

Its trying to say that we dont have conservative enough legislators in office. Essentially what theyre saying is the local party is saying if yall dont do what we tell you to do, then were going to get you out of office, Guffey said.

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He says the group wants to make the party elect candidates by convention.

So the people that are elected to the local party get together and then they decide. They can just say, no, you cant run as a Republican because you dont agree with us. It doesnt matter how long youve been in there, he said.

Guffey believes it takes the voice of the people away. The group would need 3/4 of the delegates at a party convention to get the process moving in that direction; allowing them to have the final say in candidates for local and state offices.

Carol Herring is active in several York County Republican organizations.

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It is my right as a citizen to be able to speak. So I dont want that taken away. And I know that we have the national convention, I understand that, but it still comes from people going to the polls in their individual states and making decisions. And we all see what happens and Iowa, they do a caucus. And so it takes them hours and hours and hours, she said.

The York County Republican Party will hold a meeting Saturday morning to continue the discussion.

I think the reason this came up is primarily because of the closed versus open primaries. And most of the people I know are actually in favor of a closed primary for only a registered Republican would vote in a republican primary. Only a registered Democrat would vote in a democrat primary, Herring said.

We texted, emailed, and called York County GOP chair Larry Barnett for further clarification and comment on the initiative on Wednesday. He did not respond.

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(Photo by Lourdes Balduque, via Getty Images)

Child care is not just a family issue. It is a business development issue. The ability of South Dakota families to access quality, affordable child care directly impacts workforce participation, economic productivity and long-term growth. As the CEO of the Economic Development Professionals of South Dakota, I see firsthand the challenges businesses face in attracting and retaining workers due to the child care crisis.

Across the state, we have seen communities bring together business leaders, community stakeholders, child care providers and parents to work toward viable solutions. I have had the privilege to work on this issue over the past two years as a member of the Statewide Childcare Task Force, led by Sen. Tim Reed, R-Brookings. The task force worked tirelessly with businesses and individuals across the state. This effort yielded an in-depth report that led to the introduction of legislation this past session.

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One bill, HB 1132, passed the House and Senate but was vetoed by the governor. While we disagree with the governors reasoning, we look forward to partnering with the administration in the future and will engage over the summer with all stakeholders.

Child care is an essential support system for families, allowing parents to pursue careers, education and financial stability while ensuring their children are cared for in a safe, enriching environment. Without access to reliable child care, families are forced to make difficult choices  many parents, particularly mothers, must scale back work hours or leave the workforce, straining household incomes and limiting career growth. This also places stress on extended family members who may step in to provide care, often at the cost of their own employment and well-being.

For working families, child care is a pathway to financial independence. A lack of accessible child care can lead to lost wages, decreased career mobility and increased reliance on public assistance programs. Ensuring all families have access to affordable, high-quality child care strengthens our workforce and promotes economic resilience.

Beyond the economic implications, high-quality, state-licensed child care environments provide significant benefits for children. Research shows that children who participate in structured early learning programs experience better cognitive, social and emotional outcomes. These programs provide young children with opportunities to develop critical thinking skills, build relationships and establish early literacy and numeracy foundations that prepare them for success.

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Quality child care environments also contribute to healthier emotional development by providing consistency, positive social interactions and nurturing relationships. Children in these programs learn essential skills such as problem-solving, communication and collaboration. Studies have demonstrated that children who receive early education are more likely to graduate from high school, pursue higher education and achieve higher earnings in adulthood.

South Dakota is home to nearly 70,000 children age 5 and under, and 72% of them have all parents in the workforce, underscoring the need for reliable child care. Yet the state faces a 35% shortfall in licensed child care capacity, leaving thousands of families scrambling. This child care deficit costs the state an estimated $329 million annually in lost productivity and economic growth.

Employers across the state recognize this as a barrier to workforce participation. This, in turn, contributes to labor shortages, increased turnover and reduced economic output. In an era where talent attraction is key to economic growth, South Dakota cannot afford to ignore the child care crisis.

Child care is an essential part of the workforce infrastructure. Just as roads and broadband facilitate commerce, a strong child care system enables parents to work, employers to operate efficiently and communities to thrive. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has identified child care as a critical economic driver, emphasizing that industries across the board suffer when child care is unavailable or unaffordable.

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Just as roads and broadband facilitate commerce, a strong child care system enables parents to work, employers to operate efficiently and communities to thrive.

Moreover, investments in early childhood yield significant returns. Studies show that every dollar spent on high-quality early childhood programs generates a return of $4 to $9 through improved educational outcomes, increased earnings and reduced social services costs. The Heckman Equation, a leading economic model on early childhood investment, demonstrates that early interventions lead to higher productivity and a more skilled workforce.

The child care sector in South Dakota operates on a broken business model. The cost of providing quality care exceeds what many families can afford to pay, leading to chronic underfunding and high staff turnover. Early educators earn an average of $12.67 per hour, below the states living wage of $19.58. This wage disparity makes it difficult to attract and retain qualified child care professionals, further exacerbating the shortage of available care.

Additionally, nearly 44% of South Dakotas population resides in rural communities, where access to licensed child care is even more limited. Families in these areas often rely on informal care arrangements, which can be inconsistent and lack the developmental benefits of formal early childhood programs.

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South Dakotas future depends on strong families and a stable workforce, and neither of these work well without affordable and amazing child care. We can no longer afford to treat child care as a secondary issue. It is a fundamental component of economic development, workforce participation and long-term prosperity for families. While we were not successful in our legislative efforts this year, we will continue to search for legislative and non-legislative solutions to solve the child care crisis in South Dakota.

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(Bloomberg) -- South Koreas Constitutional Court is now set to rule Monday on whether to uphold Prime Minister Han Duck-soos impeachment motion, while they continue to deliberate on President Yoon Suk Yeols case following his shock martial law decree.

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Han was suspended from office in late December for resisting pressure from the opposition party to immediately appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court as acting president. That move would have boosted the likelihood of Yoons impeachment being finalized.

The court has the right to validate any impeachment approved in parliament in South Korea and its announcement of the date for a ruling on Han suggests its eight judges are making progress in resolving cases stemming from Yoons Dec. 3 decision to impose martial law. A date is yet to be set for a ruling on Yoon himself.

The Constitutional Court has entered a series of closed-door sessions since late February when it ended hearings on the parliamentary motion against Yoon.

While two previous cases of presidential impeachment had taken the court no longer than two weeks to come to a conclusion, Yoons case has already dragged on for more than three weeks. A court spokesperson said Thursday that the court has no plan this week to announce the date for Yoons verdict, while also confirming Hans ruling will come Monday.

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The delay has clouded the outlook for a potential snap election at a time when concerns are growing over the ongoing leadership vacuum. President Donald Trumps tariff campaign continues to threaten economic growth in South Korea, as well as the rest of the world.

Some local media have speculated the court is striving to reach a unanimous decision to avoid looking splintered and polarizing the nation further. Others say the case may simply be too complex for the judges to find a cohesive and convincing resolution. Court officials have declined to comment on any speculation.

Yoon has defended his Dec. 3 decision to deploy troops to parliament, claiming he used the short-lived decree as a warning to opposition. His opponents have decried the move as an act of insurrection and prosecutors have separately indicted him on such charges.

Protests have intensified both for and against Yoon since late February when the court concluded its hearings and a further delay feeds into the risk of violence. Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok, who leads the government as the latest interim leader, has ordered authorities to beef up police presence around the court in case violence escalates among protesters on the day of the verdict. Protests surrounding past impeachment cases have resulted in deaths.

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What Bloomberg Economics Says...

Regardless of the Courts decision, South Korea faces an extended period of political and economic uncertainty. Managing this turbulence will be crucial for maintaining investor confidence, economic growth, and diplomatic credibility.

 Hyosung Kwon, economist

For the full report, click here.

The turmoil sparked by the martial law decree has also battered consumer confidence, raised questions about diplomatic abilities to deal with Trump and overshadows national security in the face of North Koreas unrelenting nuclear ambitions.

Polls suggest opposition leader Lee Jae-myung would likely win should Yoons impeachment be upheld, triggering a presidential election. Even if Yoon is acquitted, he faces separate charges of insurrection that led to him being detained for weeks until he was released earlier this month.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A South Sioux City man has pleaded guilty in Iowa court to his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 8.5 pounds of fentanyl in Iowa and Nebraska.

According to a release from the Department of Justice, Joshua Rysavy, 25, pleaded guilty on March 18 to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

1 dead following crash that closed part of I-29 Thursday

Rysavy conspired with others from 2022 through June 2023 to distribute more than 8.5 pounds of fentanyl in Iowa and Nebraska, the release says.

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Rysavy is currently in the custody of the United States Marshal pending his sentencing. Rysavy faces a minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, along with a $10,000,000 fine. He will also have to serve five years of supervised release if he is released from prison.

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The pungent odor that occasionally wafts about South St. Paul and has given the city a reputation for reeking just might become a thing of the past, city officials say.

South St. Paul and Sanimax USA have reached a settlement that officially labels the animal rendering plant a significant odor generator and requires the company to develop a plan for continued upgrades to its anti-stench equipment and take other steps to get into compliance with the citys odor pollution ordinance.

The settlement, which was approved by the South St. Paul City Council on Monday, follows a decision a year ago by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the citys odor ordinance and rezoning of a 235-acre area where Sanimax sits that makes the company legally non-conforming.

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The odor ordinance, enacted in 2014, is believed to be the only one of its kind in Minnesota.

Sanimax and the city have been at odds over odor for at least 15 years. Although the century-old stockyards closed in April 2008, Sanimax, one of the lone remaining vestiges of the yards, has been consistently blamed by residents and city officials for the lingering stench, leading to complaints, studies, lawsuits and lots of crinkled noses.

Sanimax, which is headquartered in Montreal, processes meat byproducts, hides and used cooking oil into animal feed and biofuels at its South St. Paul plant thats located in BridgePoint Business Park just north of the Interstate 494 Wakota Bridge.

Over the years, residents have also pointed fingers at other potential sources of stink  Twin City Hide, Twin City Tanning, Long Cheng Hmong Livestock & Meat Processing Plant and even the citys compost site  but Sanimax now is the lone entity defined as a significant odor generator. Between 2020 and 2024, the city doled out to Sanimax nearly 60 administrative citations for verified odor complaints.

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At Mondays meeting, South St. Paul Mayor Jimmy Francis said it took a lot of relationship building and negotiations over several years from many people on both sides to reach the settlement. He said the goal was to support the business, which goes back nearly six decades in South St. Paul, and also residents who have to deal with the odor.

And its going to help us, perhaps, remove that stinky bridge moniker that we have, he added.

Jordan Unser, director of manufacturing for Sanimaxs USA operations, said Wednesday the settlement is a very positive step forward for us.

The ability to have open dialogue with the city and with the neighbors, thats whats important to me, said Unser, who joined the company in August 2023 after six years working in operations roles for Target Corp. And weve made some good steps towards that in the past couple of months. But now being on the same page to do that going forward, I think is going to be a home run for everybody.

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Sanimax made significant investments and put improvements in place at the South St. Paul plant in late 2024, he said, and were seeing the fruits of those and were seeing results. But its an ongoing process. And were going to continue to make those investments in our facility.

Settlement details

Most important, the settlement makes Sanimax a significant odor generator in accordance with the ordinance, City Administrator Ryan Garcia told council members Monday.

In order to get the designation, the citys code enforcement has to verify seven odor complaints by an industry, facility or source within a six-month period, or determine they are the cause of odor emissions resulting in significant odor complaints.

Complaints submitted through the citys website or otherwise are verified through an investigation by city code enforcement that includes use of an olfactory device thats called a Nasal Ranger and measures and quantifies odor strength in ambient air.

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Garcia said Sanimax cannot appeal its new designation and that it is obligated to develop an odor management plan that requires them to implement the best, practical odor-control technology to mitigate and come into compliance with the citys ordinance.

The city, meanwhile, agreed to dismiss the 57 administrative citations it issued Sanimax between 2020 and 2024 for verified odor complaints. The company had contested the citations with the Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings, which had yet to rule on them.

In 2020, after the stench lingered, the city council amended the ordinance by adding the administrative citations, which can lead to a fine. The process includes one warning letter followed by a citation for a second violation. Citations start at $200 and double for each subsequent citation before maxing out at $2,000 per violation.

The citys ordinance tweak led to the citations against Sanimax. The company then filed two lawsuits in U.S. District Court that challenged the constitutionality of the odor ordinance and a 2020 zoning ordinance that designated the rendering plant as a legally nonconforming use, which means it cannot expand its footprint.

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In late-2024, Sanimax approached the city to propose finding a settlement agreement outside the Office of Administrative Hearings process, Garcia said.

The settlement gives Sanimax 90 days to submit its plan to the city for approval and an additional six months to get it going. In the event the city does not give its green light, then the company has 30 days to resubmit for approval.

The city will complete follow-up odor testing to see if the plan worked. If not, Sanimax will owe the city $52,000 above the $55,000 the company agreed to pay as part of the settlement.

Court battles

Sanimax first sued South St. Paul in 2017, asking the court to rule that the ordinance is unconstitutionally void for vagueness and that the citys use of the Nasal Ranger violated Sanimaxs due process rights. The company dropped the federal lawsuit after the city council amended the ordinance three months later by specifying the testing threshold and the testing device.

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In March 2018, a class action lawsuit was filed by South St. Paul residents against Sanimax alleging the companys noxious odors  invade the plaintiffs properties, causing damages through negligence, gross negligence and nuisance.

A federal judge in June 2020 approved a settlement agreement that required Sanimax to pay $750,000 into a fund for qualifying class members and invest at least $450,000 on projects aimed at reducing pollutants, contaminants and odors emitting from the plant.

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An Orange County couple that came to the United States without authorization some 35 years ago, raised three daughters and now have a new grandson were deported to Colombia earlier this week, according to media reports.

Nelson Gonzalez, 59, and his wife Gladys Gonzalez, 55, originally entered the states near San Ysidro before ultimately settling in Laguna Niguel and starting their family.

While the couple tried numerous legal avenues to remain in the country over the years, including appeals to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Board of Immigration Appeals, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told The Orange County Register that the Gonzalezes had exhausted all legal options to remain in the U.S. between March 2000 and August 2021, and were ultimately in violation of immigration law.

Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez are seen with their family. (Gonzalez Family) Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez are pictured with their three daughters (Gonzalez Family) Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez are pictured together and with their grandson. (Gonzalez Family) Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez moved to the U.S. from Colombia and raised a family in Orange County, California. (Gonzalez Family) Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez are pictured with their grandson. (Gonzalez Family) Gladys and Nelson Gonzalez are seen with their three daughters and young grandson (center). (Gonzalez Family)

Their three daughters, Gabby, 23, Jessica, 33, and Stephanie, 27, all U.S. citizens, told KTLA that they were devastated when they learned their parents had been detained on Feb. 21 during a regular check-in with U.S. immigration officials.

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They were put into handcuffs by their wrists and ankles and treated as criminals before getting to these detention centers, Stephanie Gonzalez told KTLA. All they said is they extended their stay, even though every year theyve had permission to be here and theyre law-abiding citizens who show up and are doing their duty to check in with immigration and say, Hey Im here. Im not hiding or doing anything wrong. Then they just arrested them like that.

Gladys and Nelson, neither of whom have a criminal record, were originally held at the Adelanto Detention Center in San Bernardino County before being transferred to a facility in Arizona and later Louisiana.

Stephanie told The Register that though her parents have been traumatized by everything thats transpired, they are grateful to no longer be in detention centers and have made contact with family in Colombia who are helping them start a new life.

The two younger sisters, Gabby and Stephanie, are currently living with Jessica and her husband in Newport Beach. They all plan to visit their parents within the coming weeks.

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Family members also acknowledged theyre one of many who have been affected by President Donald Trump and his administrations goal of ramping up arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants throughout the U.S.

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A suspect was arrested after a 10-year-old boy died from overdosing on illegal narcotics.

In December 2024, San Bernardino County deputies responded to reports of an unresponsive child in the 9000 block of Arrow Route in Rancho Cucamonga.

Authorities arrived at the scene and despite life-saving efforts, the child was pronounced dead. He was identified as Nathaniel Castro Mendoza, 10.

The case remained under investigation and in February 2025, the San Bernardino County Coroner determined the child died from fentanyl and xylazine toxicity.

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Investigators identified the suspect in the boys death as Christina Alvarez, 32, of Rancho Cucamonga. Authorities said she allegedly possessed and stored fentanyl in a manner that led to the [childs] death.

On March 14, Alvarez was taken into custody and charged with child endangerment by the San Bernardino County District Attorneys Office. She is being held on $100,000 bail.

No further details, including the circumstances surrounding the boys death or Alvarezs connection to the child, were released. A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for April 1.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to call the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department at 909-387-8400. Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at wetip.com.

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If you or someone you know needs help, call the Rape & Sexual Assault Crisis Line 1-888-421-1100.

ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4)  A Washington City man was sentenced to 12 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after he admitted he tried to receive images of child sexual abuse.

Todd Robert Michels, 54, said in his plea and sentencing hearings in November 2023 that he had communicated online with someone that he thought to be the father of a seven-year-old boy, according to the United States Attorneys Office, District of Utah. In actuality, Michels was communicating with an undercover officer.

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Throughout his communications, Michels said he wanted to sexually abuse the seven-year-old and he had thought about doing so for a long time. He also requested sexually explicit photos of the child.

The undercover officer and Michels agreed to meet for the purpose of Michels sexually assaulting the seven-year-old boy. When Michels arrived at the set meeting location, he was taken into custody.

This case was investigated by the FBIs Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

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She could feel the 12 jurors watching her intently as she entered the witness box of Court No. 1 at the Old Bailey. A man in the public gallery was coughing relentlessly but otherwise there was total silence.

All the attention was on her, a late middle-aged woman foolish enough to believe there could be a happy ending when everything she had seen in her life pointed to the very opposite. She glanced up at the only eyes she was interested in, but he was looking away.

Erwin van Haarlem sat in the dock as if he was in a Parisian cafe, with a healthy disdain for his surroundings and especially for her.

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It was March 1989. A year earlier, when she heard he had been arrested in west London, she flew in from Holland hoping to help, but now she was there to bury him even if that meant being judged herself. She had been judged before and judged harshly. Nothing could ever be as bad.

Prosecutor Roy Amlot, his rosy cheeks at odds with the dirty grey of his wig, tried to catch her attention as she settled her mind back into the past.

Mrs van Haarlem, can you please tell the court your full name?



Johanna Hendrik van Haarlem.



And Mrs van Haarlem, do you see the accused in this court?



She nodded.



Would you point him out, please?

Dutch woman Johanna van Haarlem with Jelinek, who she believed was the son she had given away as a baby

She pointed to the small, dapper man with a Beatles haircut and a sharp face sitting across the room in the vast wooden dock, a room within a room where the defendant sits on an equal footing with the judge. He showed no sign of recognition.

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Mrs van Haarlem, said Amlot, leading her eyes back to his, can you tell the court, in your own words, about your relationship with the defendant and how that came about?

She wanted to run, to escape, to be anywhere else but she stayed, just as she did at home as a young girl in The Hague in 1940 when the Germans rolled in with their tanks and their certainty.

Whatever happened there would be a price to be paid. There always was.

Johanna looked across the court and, this time, he met her eyes. There was no love there. It wasnt that he hadnt heard her story before  they had pored over it together countless times  but she thought she detected the slightest sign of guilt.

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She began her account. How she had been overpowered as a young, naive teen by a German soldier and how her assailant had died at the front in Caen in 1944 just days after shed discovered she was pregnant.

How her Nazi collaborator father had refused to allow her war product baby into the house. How she had been forced to leave the baby son shed called Erwin at an orphanage in Czechoslovakia.

Jelineks ID card with his codename Gragert listed on it

And how, miraculously, more than 32 years later, the Red Cross had got in touch with her in Holland to say they had found Erwin living in London and asked if she wanted to meet him.

Johanna had spent a joyous decade thinking she had found the child shed lost. He was invited to the Netherlands for a reunion with her family, his relatives, and Erwin, in turn, took Johanna and his brother Hans on holiday. He also took them to shows and restaurants on their visits to see him in London.

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As the years went by, their love for Erwin grew. But the relationship was strictly one-sided. In truth, Erwin was, in fact, Vaclav Jelinek, codename Gragert, a highly trained Soviet bloc agent who had been assigned Erwins identity and who had agreed to the reunion with Johanna because it strengthened his legend; the backstory that a spy creates for himself.

During his decade of deceit with Johanna, he had penetrated meetings at the House of Commons and a conference in Washington DC where the star guest had been the then US president, Ronald Reagan. He had also gathered intelligence on the UKs Polaris nuclear submarine programme and Reagans Star Wars missile defence system, receiving accolades from Moscow and being promoted to Colonel.

After all Johanna had been through, all they had been through, she still couldnt believe that it had come to this.

The coughing had stopped in the public gallery and a woman in the jury with a kind face smiled at her. It was the first time she realised her own face was wet with tears.

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Would you like a break, Mrs van Haarlem? Judge Simon Brown spoke quietly, as if they were alone in his chambers, and she shook her head. She knew that if she left the court she would never return.

Johanna became lost in her thoughts again, this time at the happy memories, the happiest in her life. He was looking down and studying his hands, hiding his expression. She knew there would be no shame but hoped at least for a little understanding.

There had been a shift in the courtroom that couldnt be described in a stenographers notebook.

Johanna van Haarlem as a young woman

As hard as Amlot had tried to portray the defendant to the jury in a bad light, he had charmed them into having a reasonable doubt over the espionage charges against him.

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Could such an ordinary, pleasant man really be a spy? The film noir subterfuge of dead letter drops, one-time pads, ciphers and codes the prosecutor described him as using in his work spying for the STB, the Czech secret service, seemed as unlikely as a James Bond plot.

What kind of secrets would a waiter at a Hilton hotel (Jelineks cover occupation) really have to send over on a ham radio from his kitchen in Friern Barnet? The suggestion that he would try and plant bugs in the furniture at Buckingham Palace was laughable. He even smiled when the idea was raised in court.

The Jewish community he was accused of betraying to the Soviets had also been his friends. They appeared more hurt than harmed. But, Jelinek had harvested important intel for his spymasters about the methods and names of the Jewish people seeking freedom from the Soviet Union. His information was used by Russian negotiators in nuclear arms talks with the US, at a time when human rights were traded for arms concessions.

All the time, the spy smirked from the dock as if he knew how ridiculous it was. But he had lost his bluster since Johanna took her oath and stood across from the dock to accuse him.

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Watching a mothers heart breaking in front of them had changed the mood in the jury. Nobody was smiling anymore.

The prosecutor was hesitant to break the spell, but Johanna had once again become lost in the past. He coughed politely and she got the message and carried on.

Her world fell apart again, she said, when Scotland Yard called her home in Holland in April 1988 to say that her son had been arrested. Hed been caught red-handed sending secret messages to his spymasters behind the Iron Curtain. Panicked, she tried to contact him, but it was too late, he was already locked up.

Two Special Branch officers arrived at her home to take a statement, and she told them everything she knew. After all, nothing he had ever done had made her suspicious. He was the perfect son.

Vaclav Jelinek was arrested in 1988 after he was found making contact with his Czech handlers - Dr Michael Carmia

She was asked to take a DNA test. The results were damning. There was an extremely high possibility that he was not her son.

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Confused and worried, Johanna decided to fly to London to see him for herself in Brixton Prison, where he was being held on bail having pleaded not guilty. She would be there for him the way her father never was for her. Unconditionally. She would help him prove his innocence.

But the look on his face told her the truth. The smile was gone.

Will you tell me the truth? she asked him, pleading for his love. Are you really my son... or did you steal his identity from the orphanage?

He looked at her with those blank, cold eyes. Her babys eyes were blue. His were brown. He didnt care if she knew. She was no good to him anymore. Johanna looked hard into the spys lying eyes and her world collapsed again.

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Theres no smoke without fire, he said quietly. Then he turned away. A stranger.

A Spy In The Family by Paul Henderson and David Gardner (published by Mirror Books, 20) is on sale now.

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MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's parliament voted to remove wolves' protected status on Thursday, four years after their inclusion, opening the way for the predators to be hunted again in the country's rural north.

Farmers hailed the measure, while conservationists deplored it as "tragic" both for wolves and the country's biodiversity.

Parliament's action reverses a measure introduced by the Socialist government in 2021 that extended protection for the wolf north of the Douro river. Controlled wolf hunting had been allowed until then in northern Spain.

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Efforts to protect the wolf in Europe are faltering after the European Commission last week proposed to downgrade the animal's protective status because of their growing number and the threat they pose to livestock.

A change of law in Europe could lead to the authorization of wolf hunting also south of the Douro, which until now is strictly prohibited.

Thursday's move by Spanish lawmakers was approved in an amendment to a law about food waste proposed by the conservative People's Party (PP). Controlled wolf hunting can restart north of the Douro when the law is published in a few days' time.

The Association for the Protection and Study of the Iberian Wolf on Thursday accused right-wing parties that voted for the amendment of "legal subterfuge" by burying it within changes to a law that had nothing to do with the environment.

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"It is a tragic day not only for the wolf, but also for the rest of Spain's biodiversity," the association said in an emailed statement.

The agricultural association COAG celebrated the legislative change after years of organizing protests against the measure on behalf of farmers, who said their livelihoods were at risk.

COAG has said that wolves were responsible for the killing of 15,000 farm animals in Spain each year.

Environment Minister Sara Aagesen said before the vote took place that biodiversity policies should be based on science, and said that the government would study what tools it had to protect the wolf.

(Reporting by Charlie Devereux and Emma Pinedo, editing by Inti Landauro, William Maclean)
By Inti Landauro and David Latona

MADRID (Reuters) -Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged on Thursday to boost Spain's defence spending along with the rest of the EU, though a parliamentary vote indicated divisions within his ruling coalition on the issue.

With Spain having the NATO alliance's lowest spending on defence at 1.3% of gross domestic product in 2024, Sanchez is seeking to keep pace with European partners worried about Russia's threat and U.S. unreliability under Donald Trump.

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But he faces opposition at home from left-wing allies reluctant to sacrifice social spending for defence.

Sanchez's Socialist Party voted against measures floated by a leftist regional party in the lower house that opposed defence spending increases and called on Spain to leave NATO.

However, its junior partner Sumar - a platform of left-wing parties that control five ministries led by deputy premier Yolanda Diaz - supported them. She later said a minimum consensus may be possible with "calm" debate.

The measures were rejected.

Earlier in Brussels, Sanchez told an EU Council meeting he was committed to increasing defence and security expenditures, though he objected to the term "rearming" used in the white paper released by the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas.

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"We have to speak differently, to address our citizens in another way when we speak about the need to improve security and European defence capabilities," he said.

Southern European countries, he said, had different challenges to those faced by eastern flank allies, and needed to focus on border controls, fighting terrorism and cyber attacks.

Sanchez has said Spain will reach NATO's spending target of 2% of GDP before Madrid's prior commitment of 2029.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and David Latona, editing by Andrei Khalip, Aislinn Laing, Alexandra Hudson)
(Bloomberg) -- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will travel to China next month to meet with President Xi Jinping, according to people familiar with the preparations.

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The trip comes as the European Union is rethinking its global trading relationships amid turmoil caused by President Donald Trumps trade war. Sanchez will also visit Vietnam, said the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

We will actively work to get along with the Global South and particularly with a big power like China, Sanchez said later Thursday as he confirmed the plans at a press briefing in Brussels. The rules are changing, Europe needs to lead.

On Sanchezs previous trip to Beijing in 2024, he broke ranks with the rest of the EU and urged the bloc to re-evaluate its plan to impose additional tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. His conciliatory stance has helped lure investments into Spain.

The EU followed through on the tariffs, which are meant to prevent European manufacturers from being overwhelmed by state-subsidized competition from China.

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Sanchezs visit will take place over the 20th anniversary of a partnership agreement between Spain and China, according to the people. In Vietnam, the Spanish government aims to open new market opportunities.

On Thursday, the Chinese ambassador in Madrid lauded Sanchezs pragmatic approach, and said companies from his country are negotiating an additional 3 billion ($3.3 billion) of investments in Spain. Thats on top of roughly 7 billion already announced since September, mostly in the auto sector.

Chinese carmakers are seeking to establish factories in Europe to avoid tariffs. The new Chinese investments will be mainly in the southern regions of Spain, Ambassador Yao Jing said.

Spains combination of lower energy costs and diversified auto industry has also attracted large investments from European carmakers like Volkswagen AG and Stellantis NV.

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Volkswagens 10 billion hub in Valencia will provide cells for the companys EV lines in Barcelona. Stellantis and Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. will invest as much as 4.1 billion in a battery plant in Aragon.

Leapmotor International, a joint venture between Stellantis and EV maker Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology, plans a 200 million investment in a factory in Zaragoza, the ambassador said.

--With assistance from Macarena Munoz and Clara Hernanz Lizarraga.

(Adds comment from Sanchez in third paragraph.)

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A free-diving spearfisherman was suddenly rendered helpless after a rare encounter with a sea lion Monday morning off San Diego.

Thomas Henman, 19, was spearfishing about 200 yards off the La Jolla Childrens Pool. He had just speared a sheepshead and went to grab it when a sea lion blindsided him, knocking his mask off.

"The sea lion came right over top of me, grabbed, I think the GoPro with its mouth or something, knocked my whole mask off," Henman told ABC 10News.

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He lost his mask and GoPro, along with his speargun. In the process, his contact lenses were knocked out, prompting him to call the lifeguards for help.

"It was definitely like they turned it into like a full-water rescue thing, Henman told ABC 10News. I couldn't see, cause I can't see like 5 feet in front of me, so I didn't want to just come up on the shore, like with the rocks and get swept in.

Henman got a spare mask and went back to retrieve his speargun but couldnt find the GoPro.

Also on FTW: Banned item found in Great Smoky Mountains, prompts advisory

The intermingling of sea lions and people has been a hot topic in La Jolla for years, ABC 10News reported. In 2023, the San Diego City Council voted to close the Point La Jolla bluffs year-round to protect the mammals. That area is between the Childrens Pool and La Jolla Cove.

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Sierra Club Seal Society Chair Robyn Davidoff told ABC 10News that it is recommended that people stay at least 50 feet from the sea lions.

I think this is a very unusual situation, she told ABC 10News. We have hundreds of people swimming in the cove every single day, and we rarely have an incident like this.

Most believe that the sea lion was going after the speared fish.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Spearfishers rare encounter with sea lion prompts full-water rescue
Mar. 19The Spokane County Veterans Services Center continues to grow  in veterans served and the benefits it brings in for those former service members.

In 2024, the office saw countywide claim awards more than double, growing from $9 million in 2023 to more than $20 million year-over-year, according to a release from Spokane County.

"As a veteran, I am truly grateful for the unfailing commitment of this team to go above-and-beyond in serving thousands of veterans throughout Spokane County," said County Commissioner Al French, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

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More than 8,300 veterans accessed the joint county-state service center last year, up from 1,700 in 2017, the year Cat Nichols began overhauling the department as the county's community affairs director.

Nichols said the monetary increase is a result of the hard work and dedication the center's six accredited veterans services officers bring to each individual they serve. Free of charge, the team works with veterans and their families across Eastern Washington, as well as in North Idaho and parts of Montana, to access the benefits and claims they earned through their time in the military.

"I'm so proud of our team," Nichols said. "They're very hardworking, and they are dedicated to serving our veterans."

The service center takes great pride in helping Spokane County veterans, whether it's with those state or federal benefits, assistance with employment opportunities and career readiness, or accessing physical and mental health care or food and housing resources, Nichols said.

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She encouraged those yet to access the center to stop by their Spokane Valley office, 1117 N. Evergreen Road, or to reach out by phone or email, to see just how they might benefit from its services.

She does not believe there should be concern over how the Trump administration's ongoing efforts to curb federal spending and staffing may affect some of the services the center helps locals access.

Nichols said the administration is targeting "waste, fraud and abuse," within the system, and that staffing cuts within Veterans Affairs, forecast to be around 80,000 employees, according to an internal federal memo, will not affect the agency's mission or services.

"The cuts they are making at the VA are superfluous amounts of administration that is not critical for the VA's mission and the work they do," Nichols said.

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The VA employs roughly 482,000 people, the vast majority of whom work in the Veterans Health Administration's nearly 1,400 clinics and hospitals. The target amount of cuts would mean a total nationwide staff reduction of about 17%, which could be detrimental to veteran care, elected officials and veteran advocates told The Spokesman-Review earlier this month.

Jake Pannell, a disabled Army veteran from Idaho and federal employee union national business representative, said the proposed cuts are "a direct threat to the quality of care our veterans depend on" that comes at a time when the need for veteran care is only growing.

"Slashing 15% of the workforce will make it nearly impossible to keep our promise to those who served," Pannell said. "There are plenty of ways to cut fraud, waste, and abuse without gutting the staff that keeps the VA running. Our nation's most valuable resource are the people who show up every day to serve our veterans. Removing them will not fix the problem, only compound it."
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The Tea Area School District is celebrating kindness this week, with some high schoolers hosting a special assembly for younger students.

Kindness was in the lesson plan at Frontier Elementary Wednesday.

We brought our high school students in to celebrate World Kindness Day for the elementary students. And we think its a really big deal to get elementary students involved in celebrating kindness and differences and thats all Best Buddies at the high school is about, Tea High School English teacher Abby Gullickson said.

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Calls for help to Senator Rounds triple as DOGE cuts hit South Dakotans

This is our first year with Best Buddies actually. So its just making sure that the people with disabilities feel included and have friends, president of Tea Area Best Buddies Ava Opland said.

Students who are part of the Best Buddies program helped lead the assembly.

We really tried to tailor to elementary students, like, what can they do to show kindness? Gullickson said. So eating with someone at lunch and making sure someone has someone to play with at recess and, you know, safe like hallway etiquette kind of thing, but making sure that they know that kindness is important.

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I hope they learn that its okay to be different. Its okay to not be exactly like the others and be unique, Opland said. And that being yourself and making new friends is all what life is about.

Its a valuable lesson, no matter your age.

If there is no kindness in the world, then people will just be mean to each other, Frontier Elementary 3rd Grader Emersyn Stich said. And then there would be, like, no friends and you wouldnt have anybody to talk with so that it would literally like, not be a world.

The Tea Area High School Best Buddies will go to other schools on Friday.

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While Thursday marks the first day of spring and a return to warmer temperatures, the Northeast is not getting out of winter so easily.

Wet weather and snow is on the way between Thursday and Friday, forecasters warned.

"Except for northern New England, where it will snow and accumulate down into the valleys, this will be a higher elevation snowfall in central New England, parts of eastern New York and even into portions of northeastern Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and southwestern Connecticut," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek explained in a statement.

Thursday marks the first day of spring. However, snow and rain and still slated for Northeast cities (Getty Images)

"In these central Appalachians areas, the accumulating snow can dip down to around 1,000 feet or perhaps even a bit lower later Thursday night to Friday morning, he said.

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AccuWeather says that between one and six inches of snow is forecast to fall on the Green Mountains, the White Mountains, the Adirondacks, and the Catskills.

The snow there will end by Friday morning, and rain was expected to fall over New York City and Boston, by Thursday evening and into Friday.

Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to develop over parts of the mid-Atlantic region, as well as the Southeast.

The last of the light snow and rain would occur by Friday evening.

"Regardless, the storm will pull colder air in at ground level, but even much colder air in higher up in the atmosphere on Friday," Dombek said, "That's a recipe for fairly widespread wet snow [mixed with rain] showers in the region during Friday midday and afternoon."

Clouds are seen passing over the Northeast on Thursday. Snow and rain will fall over much of the region, forecaster say (NWS New York/X)

Sleet fell in Illinois early Thursday morning. Its making travel there difficult (NWS Chicago/X)

On Thursday morning, wind-whipped snow was also falling in the Chicago area, resulting in slick travel conditions. Winds there are reportedly gusting up to 45mph, according to Hoodline.

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The snowfall comes following a major blizzard that pounded Nebraska and the central U.S., with advisories stretching from Colorado to Minnesota.

Nearly 50,000 customers remained without power in the Cornhusker State, according to tracker PowerOutage.US. There and in neighboring Kansas, residents had a wild week. In just 24 hours, 80-degree temperatures and fire weather devolved into snowstorms.

"It was 80 degrees yesterday, and less than 24 hours later the snow drifts are taller than the cows. March sucks, farmer Jaxsen Moss said.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP)  The Springfield Police Department held a pinning ceremony Wednesday morning, celebrating the promotion of six officers.

The Springfield Police pinned two new deputy chiefs, two captains and two lieutenants at the ceremony at the Springfield Elks Lodge.

Eight arrested, four illegal firearms, large quantity of narcotics seized in Springfield raid

The six officers together recorded 158 years of experience. The promotions are not only beneficial for the department and Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers, but also the community.

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We have a very young department, and when I am able to promote people from within with this amount of experience, its a win-win for the department and the community, Akers said.

These officers put in years of work to take the exams to earn the position. Superintendent Akers said these positions are not given out, but earned with hard work and dedication.

The deputy chiefs, captains and lieutenants have all already started their new positions for the department.

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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SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (WDTN)  A local school district is expanding access for young students to learn both English and Spanish at the same time.

The Springfield City School District will offer their Spanish-English Dual Language Program to kindergarten, first and second grade students for the 2025-2026 school year. For parents interested in their children learning two languages simultaneously, this is a program to consider.

Springfield schools say the program will be housed at Perrin Woods Elementary. Students will learn to speak, read and write in both Spanish and English.

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Registration begins April 1 and closes April 15 at 5 p.m. Due to demand, students will be entered into a lottery to determine who will be accepted into the program. Click here to learn how to apply.

Students who were enrolled this school year will automatically be promoted within the program and do not have to go through the lottery process.

Springfield schools will host an informational meeting on Thursday, March 20 at 5:30 p.m. The meeting is virtual  click here to learn more.

For questions and inquiries, parents can email duallanguage@scsdoh.org.

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Drivers who regularly take State Route 20 will need to find a new way around Thursday into Friday.

The Washington State Department of Transportation says its crews will close SR 520 and the associated on- and off-ramps.

The closure begins at 9 p.m. and ends at 5 a.m. Friday morning

The eastbound closure spans from Montlake Boulevard in Seattle to 92nd Avenue Northeast in Clyde Hill. Eastbound SR 520 drivers coming from I-5 will need to exit at Montlake Boulevard.

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The westbound closure spans from 92nd Ave Northeast in Clyde Hill to I-5 in Seattle.

WSDOT says the SR 520 Trail will remain open.

The closures are so Montlake Project contractor crews can test and operate emergency safety gates and inspect fire suppression systems under the Montlake Lid to commission them for future use.

Drivers can get real-time traffic information on mobile phones with the WSDOT traffic app and by following the WSDOT traffic X feed.
A 39-year-old Washington Park man lost his life Wednesday morning when he was shot in the head outside a nightclub, according to Illinois State Police.

Washington Park Police were dispatched to Club Activated at 1213 Kingshighway in the early morning hours Wednesday.

When police arrived on scene, they located a male victim who sustained a gunshot wound to the head, a state police release said.

Emergency Medical Services was called and the man was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:21 a.m.. St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the victim as Samuel M. Price of the 1500 block of N. 55th St. in Washington Park.

Price suffered multiple other gunshot wounds, Dye said.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and that no suspects have been taken into custody.
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  A St. Gabriel man accused of shooting a teen girl at a park in 2021 was found guilty of attempted murder Wednesday.

Jordan St. Clair Clark, 28, was convicted on one count each of attempted second-degree murder and illegal discharge of a firearm  crime of violence.

The Iberville Parish District Attorneys Offices stated that a 17-year-old girl was hospitalized for nearly two weeks after Clark fired 10 shots at her on March 13, 2021. The weapon was reportedly never found. The victim told detectives she believed that the shots fired were meant for someone else near her.

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Clark turned himself in to law enforcement on April 7, 2021.

We have said many times that violence will not be tolerated in our community, DA Tony Clayton said. This shooting impacted numerous families, and this 17-year-old, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, will have to live with the horror, physical pain and scars of that shooting for the rest of her life. Ill say it again  put the guns down. They ruin too many lives.

Sentencing for Clark is scheduled for May 7. He faces up to 50 years in prison for the attempted murder charge.

Trial delayed for Baton Rouge man accused of civil rights activist Sadie Roberts-Josephs murder

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Authorities are investigating a deadly incident that occurred Thursday morning at the Nutrien Nitrogen plant in Geismar.

According to officials, emergency crews were dispatched to the facility at 5525 LA 3115 at approximately 8:28 a.m. on March 20. Upon arrival, responders discovered an unresponsive male victim. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead.

The St. Gabriel Police Department, Iberville Parish Sheriffs Office and East Iberville Fire Department responded to the scene, along with the Iberville Parish Coroners Office. Officials confirmed that the victims family has been notified.

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At this time, authorities do not suspect foul play, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the deceased during this difficult time, officials stated.

Police arrest man accused of fatal shooting near Our Lady of the Lake Hospital

This is a developing story. Further details about the incident or the victim were not immediately available.

Anyone with information can contact the police at 225-642-5222.

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CANTON, N.Y. (WWTI)  A 19-year-old Ogdensburg man is facing charges stemming from a fatal December car crash that killed two people, including a well-known car dealer.

The St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office charged Connor Graveline with two counts of criminally negligent homicide relating to a December 17 motor vehicle crash at the intersection of State Highway 310 and County Route 34 in the town of Potsdam that killed 84-year-old Real Coupal and 73-year-old Loretta Perez.

Two Massena residents dead after crash in St. Lawrence County

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Both Coupal and Perez were well-known in the Massena area with Coupal owning the Frenchies car dealerships

According the the sheriffs office, Graveline allegedly was operating his vehicle with negligence that authorities said contributed to the fatal accident.

Graveline is expected to appear in the Potsdam Town Court to answer charges.

The St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office was assisted by the New York State Police in this investigation.

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ST. LOUIS  A St. Louis County man appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday and admitted being caught sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with an undercover police officer.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said James C. Asotrian, 40, shared several images and videos containing illicit material with a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officer in January 2020 through a peer-to-peer network.

St. Louis County police obtained a court-approved warrant to search Astorians home. They seized electronic devices containing 6,110 images and 728 videos containing CSAM.

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Ex-Congresswoman Cori Bushs husband indicted for wire fraud

According to court documents, Astorian told investigators that hed been searching for and downloading child pornography for approximately two years.

Astorian faces up to 20 years in federal prison when hes sentenced on Aug. 13.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
The multi-national trash hauler that will soon service the majority of St. Pauls residential routes will have to find a new home for its planned truck maintenance and compressed natural gas refueling center.

The St. Paul City Council voted 5-0 on Wednesday to support a neighborhood-led effort to block the planned trash truck facility planned for 560 Randolph Ave., which had been poised to become a $25 million hub for FCC Environmentals citywide garbage service.

City zoning staff had previously found that the facility would be comparable to a Public Works maintenance yard, but after being rebuffed by the Planning Commission, members of the West Seventh/Fort Road Federation appealed the determination of similar use to the city council.

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The question before us is really a simple one. It is not whether or not we agree with this particular use, said Council President Rebecca Noecker, who represents the area. The question before us is whether the Planning Commission erred in (blocking) the appeal.

Impact on pedestrians, traffic

She noted that the Planning Commission failed to review comparisons of how much traffic is generated by a garbage truck facility compared to a Public Works yard, whose trucks are generally lighter than garbage trucks.

The impact on pedestrians, on traffic  is simply different, Noecker said.

She also noted that the Randolph-West Seventh Street intersection is a designated neighborhood node under the citys Comprehensive Plan, which highlights certain intersections as priorities for planning, transit and neighborhood amenities.

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The emphasis is clearly on pedestrian safety, walkability and neighborhood-scale facilities, she said.

Noecker also noted that city staff failed to include 19 of 27 letters to the Planning Commission in commissioner packets before their public hearing, including key documents provided by the West Seventh/Fort Road Federation around site planning.

At Noeckers urging, the council voted 5-0 to support the appeal. Council Member Cheniqua Johnson was absent and the seat formerly held by Mitra Jalali is vacant.

About two-dozen residents took the microphone before the council on Wednesday, demanding that the city halt plans for the compressed natural gas refueling station, which they said would undermine longstanding efforts to add residential uses to the site. The location sits near the former Schmidt Brewery and about two blocks off West Seventh Street.

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The determination of similar use is totally flawed, said Dave Thune, a former city council member, noting Public Works trucks and snowplows dont crisscross the city daily. This is going to be something that happens every day  (30) to potentially 80 trucks rumbling out of there onto a major neighborhood thoroughfare.

Temporary site lined up

John Yust, who represented the neighborhood during planning for the Great River Passage Master Plan, said residents had offered to help FCC Environmental and city planning staff find a new location for the project, which he said flies in the face of years of neighborhood planning. Some residents recommended the former Gerdau steel plant on Red Rock Road.

No city staff leaders came to the table to work on this compromise, Yust said. This is a major boondoggle.

Under FCC Environmentals seven-year contract with St. Paul, the company will employ about 60 workers and service 90% of the citys street and alley routes beginning April 1, with St. Paul Public Works crews serving the rest.

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Noecker said FCC Environmental has a temporary refueling site lined up, and she did not expect trash collection to be negatively impacted. The companys general manager for St. Paul could not be immediately reached for comment after the vote.

St. Paul Public Works Director Sean Kershaw issued a statement Wednesday evening criticizing the council decision, noting that garbage service is an essential service that, under Minnesota law, we are obligated to provide to all residents of St. Paul. Having a location for staff and garbage trucks to operate is necessary to fulfill this important obligation. The action the council took today jeopardizes our ability to do that.

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Staff at the Washington state attorney general's office in Seattle and elsewhere staged a walkout Thursday to make their case against furloughs and budget cuts. (Photo courtesy of Julia Parkey)

Staff at the Washington attorney generals office argue a furlough will just mean unpaid hours because the agencys work has to get done.

They say about $20 million in proposed budget cuts and furloughs will hurt consumer protection, antitrust and civil rights cases as well as litigation against the Trump administration.

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Assistant attorneys general and professional staff, like paralegals and legal assistants, briefly walked off the job Thursday from offices across Washington.

In Tumwater, a handful of workers joined the lunchtime walkout.

Eric Nelson, who has been an assistant attorney general for 24 years, encouraged lawmakers to look under the hood of this agency before they start to tear out the engine.

With a staff of over 1,800 employees, the attorney generals office represents state agencies in litigation, enforces consumer protection violations, proposes state legislation, occasionally prosecutes crimes, and pursues civil commitments for sex offenders, among other duties.

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Do they not want us to prosecute sexually violent predators? asked Paul DesJardien, who has been with the attorney generals office for nearly a decade.

This year, the office has also made headlines over lawsuits filed against President Donald Trump on several issues.

In a letter this week, members of the assistant attorneys general union pleaded with lawmakers to maintain the agencys funding. They say it is counterintuitive to cut their budget when some of their litigation brings in money to the states coffers, like cases against opioid manufacturers and distributors. The attorneys also argue it could heighten the states liability risk.

And with the Trump administration halting the Department of Justices civil rights work, it makes the job of state attorneys all the more important, they note.

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Diminishing the AGOs resources will have far-reaching consequences that would outweigh any immediate financial savings and the dire impacts that could ensue, the letter reads.

In a statement, Attorney General Nick Brown said he hopes lawmakers can balance the budget without furloughing state workers and cutting funding to vital programs that Washingtonians depend on.

Democrats in the state House and Senate expect to release their budget proposals Monday. How far lawmakers will go including furloughs in their plans remains to be seen.

New governor proposes cuts to his former office

Facing a budget shortfall he estimated at $15 billion over the next four years  and that could be closer to $16 billion after the latest revenue forecast  Gov. Bob Ferguson asked most state agencies to find 6% in budget cuts.

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The governors request exempted public safety agencies, like the state Department of Corrections and Washington State Patrol. But the governor still eyed his old office for cuts.

Fergusons proposed $7 billion in budget savings, released late last month, included one-day-a-month furloughs for most state employees for the next two years and the elimination of about 1,000 full-time positions.

Specific to the attorney generals office, the governors plan would cut $12 million for legal costs associated with federal litigation that former Gov. Jay Inslee included in his final budget proposal. Fergusons proposal would also slash about $5.9 million for various programs and nearly $1.6 million to modernize the offices system for data tracking on homicide and sexual assault investigations.

Additionally, Ferguson said in his inaugural address he wanted to sweep $35 million from the attorney generals office and move the money to the general fund, an idea that drew swift pushback from Brown, his successor. That budget maneuver is still a possibility.

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The furlough idea, estimated to save $300 million across state government, has drawn ardent opposition from public employee unions who feel like the weight of filling the operating budget shortfall unfairly rests on their shoulders. On Monday, workers blasted the proposal in a rally at the state Capitol.

Ferguson said in a statement Thursday that he appreciated the important work performed by all state workers.

I value their feedback on our budget situation, and welcome any thoughts they have on how we can close the $16 billion budget shortfall Ive inherited as a new governor, he added.

Republicans have proposed an alternative path. Under their budget plan, state employees would get a one-time, $5,000 bonus in lieu of honoring new collective bargaining agreements that include wage hikes. Fergusons plan would let those union contracts take effect.

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Alexander Sieg noted the attorney generals office underwent furloughs during the pandemic. He still had to work on his time off because the job still has to get done.

Sieg handles child welfare cases, some of the most taxing the office works on. If we dont do the work, then kids die, he said.

Since the beginning of his term, Ferguson has been skeptical of new taxes to help solve the budget shortfall. A sign at Thursdays walkout quoted him saying we cannot tax our way out of this problem.

I beg to differ Bob, the sign retorts.

The governors office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

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(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Keir Starmer will lay the keel for the first in the next generation of the UKs nuclear-armed submarines, in a symbolic gesture as concerns grow about the nations reliance on the US to maintain its arsenal.

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The premier will formally mark the beginning of the construction of a new Dreadnought-class submarine on Thursday after earlier this week secretly meeting submariners returning from a six-month nuclear deterrence patrol, his office said in an emailed statement.

The new vessel is being built by BAE Systems and is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s. The cost of replacing the UKs nuclear submarines has spiraled and currently stands at 36.7 billion, up from an estimate of 31.5 billion in 2021, according to figures from the defense ministry.

Starmers visit is the latest effort by Britains Labour government to highlight the renewed importance its placing on defense in light of the perceived threat posed by Russia in particular, as well as heightened concerns that support from the US for its traditional allies is weakening under President Donald Trump. Last month, the premier slashed the foreign aid budget in order to boost defense spending to 2.5% of economic output.

While Britain insists its continuous-at-sea-deterrent is operationally independent, it relies on support from the US for maintenance. That has led to warnings from defense experts and diplomats including David Manning, the former UK ambassador to Washington, that the Britain would be exposed should Trump end nuclear cooperation.

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While such suggestions would have been inconceivable previously, we now have to conceive of them and address them because they are on the table, Manning told a parliamentary committee earlier this month.

Other countries such as France have sovereign arsenals. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested recently that its nuclear protection could be extended to other countries in Europe.

Our commitment to the nuclear deterrent is unshakable  it is the ultimate guarantor of our national security and the security of our NATO allies, Defence Secretary John Healey said.

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Green space in Maryland saw a significant boost, with millions of dollars allocated for land conservation in Baltimore City and several neighboring counties.

The states Board of Public Works approved more than $15.3 million in grants this week for local governments and a land trust from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The funds will be used to improve parks and protect land with perpetual conservation easements, according to the Department of Public Works.

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Maryland is ranked among the top five states in the total number of acres protected and the total number of easements acquired through purchased conservation easements, according to a recent survey by the American Farmland Trust.

This investment is the latest example of Governor [Wes] Moores work to prioritize access to the outdoors and improve recreational areas in Baltimore City, the governors Senior Press Secretary Carter Elliott IV said in an email to The Sun. The funding will be used to support playgrounds, sports fields, and green spaces throughout the city that will bring communities together, improve the health of residents, and beautify neighborhoods.

The department approved $2.8 million for six projects, including two in Baltimore City, to improve the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory at Druid Hill Park and provide outdoor recreational facilities at North Harford Park.

In addition, the city will receive $10 million from the Program Open Space Stateside program as a direct grant to improve three parks  the Frederic B. Leidig Recreation Center field house and playing field, the outdoor pool and other site amenities at City Springs Park, as well as constructing a new Cab Calloway Legends Square Park in the Druid Heights community.

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The grant will also support the maintenance, planning and operation of the entire Baltimore City park system, according to the department.

Baltimore will also receive $500,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program to create the new Greenmount Park at Johnston Square.

In Frederick County, $11,200 was approved from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program to add a park concession stand with restrooms at the E. Eugene Myers Community Park.

A total of $5,800 in funding was approved for recreation communication boards at Edesville Park in Kent County and Chaptico Park in St. Marys County. The boards are expected to improve play area accessibility by displaying photos, symbols or illustrations to enable individuals with limited language skills to communicate.

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Another $2 million was improved for Rural Legacy funding to acquire conservation easements on two properties, totaling 485 acres.

As part of those projects, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy will acquire a 399-acre easement in the Agricultural Security Corridor  Eastern Shore Heartland Rural Legacy Area to protect farmland, woodlands, and several species of birds. The easement includes a forested buffer along the Choptank River.

The funding approved by the Board of Public Works will be used to protect nearly 400 acres of prime wildlife habitat on the banks of the Choptank River, including forests, wetlands, and productive agricultural fields, Steve Kline, president and CEO of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, told The Sun in an email. The easement, made possible by the states Rural Legacy program, will protect these values forever, helping to ensure a bright future for biodiversity in an iconic Maryland landscape.

This project is a timely reminder of the benefit of Program Open Space, at a time when that funding has been eyed for deep cuts to help balance the budget. If those cuts become reality, conservation would slow down dramatically across the state, Kline said.

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In the Coastal Bays Rural Legacy Area, the Worcester County Commissioners will conserve 86 acres of agricultural and forested land with an easement that will protect a forested shoreline buffer along Big Mill Pond  the largest pond in the Chincoteague Bay watershed.

The Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program received $85 million in funding for fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2023 to provide grant funds primarily to local governments for park and recreation projects.

The infrastructure program provides funding to county and municipal governments for the planning, acquisition and development of recreational land or facilities.

Importantly, most of this investment comes from the states Program Open Space fund, which uses dedicated funds from real estate transfers to purchase public land and expand access to Marylands great outdoors, Elliott said. This program has made Maryland a leader in land conservation while ensuring residents and future generations can benefit from the wide array of protected natural areas in the state.

Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WJTV)  The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted unanimously on March 20 to recommend to the Mississippi Legislature that it consider relocating the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science (MSMS) to Mississippi State University (MSU) starting in the 2026-27 school year.

No changes to the location or operations of MSMS will occur without legislative action and appropriation of necessary funding.

The MSMS was established during the 1987 Legislative Session as a residential high school for academically gifted 11th and 12th grade students on the campus of the Mississippi University for Women (MUW). Since its inception, MSMS has served more than 3,000 graduates through its programming.

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Mississippi reveals 2025 Administrator, Teacher of the Year finalists

On February 7, the SBE invited the MUW and MSU to submit proposals that will increase enrollment opportunities and enhance educational programming for MSMS students. According to officials, the SBE selected these two universities because MSMS partners with both for dual enrollment and research opportunities.

After evaluating proposals from both universities and reviewing feedback, the SBE determined that MSU offers advantages for the future growth of MSMS.

The SBE is grateful to the Mississippi University for Women for its decades of service supporting MSMS, said Glen East, SBE chair. MUWs partnership with MSMS has established the schools reputation for excellence and created a strong foundation that has benefited thousands of Mississippis brightest students. Our recommendation reflects our assessment of future growth possibilities and academic opportunities for MSMS students; it is not intended to diminish MUWs contributions to the success of MSMS.

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The U.S. did not delete data collected from investigations of Ukrainian children abducted by Russians amid the full-scale war, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said on March 19.

The Trump administration cut funding to an initiative led by Yale University that tracked Russian war crimes, including the forced deportation of Ukrainian children. The database included thousands of Ukrainian children forcibly taken to Russia and there were concerns the data may have been deleted.

Bruce clarified the data was not controlled by the State Department and remains intact at a press briefing at the State Department on March 19.

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"The data exists, it was not in the State Departments control. It was the people running that framework, we know who was running the data and the website we know fully that the data exists and (it has) not been deleted and (is) not missing," Bruce said.

The comments come amid the Trump administration's efforts to cut various agencies and initiatives, including foreign aid. The multiple cuts to foreign funding has begun to affect international efforts to hold Russia accountable, including for war crimes committed in Ukraine

Bruce said it was "good news" that the data was not deleted in response to journalists.

"What I can tell you, though, is also that the conspiracy theory or the fear or whatever it was about data being deleted is untrue. So that is false," she said.

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Following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18, U.S. President Donald Trump followed up with President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 19, the spokesperson said.

"President Trump also asked President Zelensky about the children who (have) gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted. President Trump promised to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home," Bruce said.

Even though funding has been cut to pre-existing frameworks, that does not mean the administration has abandoned its end goals, she said.

Researchers lost access to the database in February when officials terminated a contract with Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab.

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Read also: Ukraine war latest: Trump, Zelensky hold phone call to discuss ceasefire; Ukraine brings back 175 soldiers from Russian captivity

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill.  About a year and a half ago, Crystal Lake South High School math teacher Sarah Murmann grew concerned when she heard one of her students say he met his girlfriend through an artificial intelligence-based social media site.

The revelation ignited a larger conversation with her class about what they knew about AI, which made her realize she was not adequately informed about the new technology.

Despite all the potential that Ive seen with AI, theres still a gap in Illinois, Murmann said last week during a state House committee hearing on legislation that would establish guidelines for teachers and school administrators on how to use AI. A year and half after I had to start making my own decisions about AI in the classroom, I still have no official guidance to turn to.

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We look to the state for support and Illinois has no state guidance for educators on AI, Murmann said. That means teachers like me in schools across all of Illinois have to make our best guess every day and hope that its right.

The bill Murmann testified on is one of several measures Illinois lawmakers are considering for the new legislative session on how to respond to the emergence of artificial intelligence.

Like other state legislatures around the country, the Illinois General Assembly in the last couple of years has grappled with how to address a rapidly evolving technology that replicates human intelligence and, everyone seems to agree, has potential benefits as well as the ability to cause significant harm.

We have to think about how to build systems that bring out the best in us by being very smart as opposed to reducing us by being very smart, said Kristian Hammond, a computer science professor at Northwestern University who is the director of a masters level artificial intelligence program. There will be people who are very mindful about how they use these tools and theyll be people who are less mindful.

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The Democratic-controlled legislature, in the early stages of a two-year term, is considering bills to address how AI affects residents in areas including education, health care, insurance, elections, picking up on work from the previous General Assembly.

Last year, Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation that made it a civil rights violation for employers to use AI if it subjects employees to discrimination, as well as a measure prohibiting the use of AI to create child pornography, which made it a felony to be caught with artificially created images. In 2023, he signed a bill to make anyone civilly liable if they alter images of someone else in a sexually explicit manner.

As the technology has become increasingly ubiquitous, lawmakers and advocates say regulations will have to be adjusted regularly.

Over the last few years, it had sort of exploded, and exploded in the idea that its spread to so many parts and so many sectors of our economy, said state Sen. Robert Peters, a Chicago Democrat who last year co-chaired a legislative task force on AI. This is going to evolve quickly. Sometimes its extremely complex. Sometimes its more simple than you think depending on what were talking about.

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State Rep. Jeff Keicher, a Republican from Sycamore, said theres no question the technology has benefits, noting the ways it might be used to provide accurate diagnoses through medical testing. But educators, for example, will need to be careful about any AI used in the classroom.

At the same time, Keicher said hes concerned about overregulation. In business, I really worry that were going to tamp down innovation and the creative ability of what AI can do for the future if we limit it in any way that we think is in the good judgment, but turns out to act against what would be beneficial for the Illinois consumer, he said.

In December, a task force made up of lawmakers, Pritzker administration officials and educators issued a report detailing some of the risks presented by AI. The report addressed the emergence of generative AI, a subset of the technology that can create text, code and images. ChatGPT, DALL-E, and Gemini are some of the tools being utilized by industries for automated tasks once performed by humans.

The report singled out how a controversial AI phenomenon known as deepfakes, when video or still images of a face, body or voice are digitally altered to appear as another person, have been used to influence the outcome of elections. The panel cited an audio deepfake last year of then-President Joe Biden making it sound like he was telling New Hampshire voters in a robocall not to vote.

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Legislation regulating the use of deepfakes in elections has been enacted in 20 states, the task force report said. During the two-year Illinois legislative term that ended in early January, three bills addressing the issue were introduced but none passed.

One of those bills, sponsored by state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, would have prohibited the distribution of deceitful campaign material if the person doing so knew the information being shared was false, and it was distributed within 90 days of an election. The bill also would bar a person from sharing the material if it was being done to harm the reputation or electoral prospects of a candidate and change the voting behavior of electors by deliberately causing them to believe the misinformation.

The legislation, which had more than 30 Democratic co-sponsors, wouldnt have banned the deceptive material outright. But it would have required a campaign to include a disclaimer in its media informing the public that it has been manipulated by technical means and depicts speech or conduct that did not occur.

Rashid reintroduced the bill, which was never called for a vote in the last term, for the current legislative session.

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We have an obligation to protect people from this kind of deceptive material, said Rashid, a Democrat from Bridgeview and the other co-chair of the AI task force. The moment a voter knows this is AI-generated, they (should) immediately have skepticism about its authenticity.

In a letter to Rashid, TechNet, an organization that advocates for AI-centered businesses and other tech companies, said it supports cracking down on the use of AI to spread deliberately misleading campaign content. But the organization also said AI has the potential to help overcome the greatest challenges of our time such as predicting weather more accurately, protecting against cyber threats and developing new medical treatments.

TechNet also expressed concerns that Rashids bill could unfairly penalize internet service providers and other platforms used to disseminate the campaign material instead of the campaigns that are actually liable for creating the false information.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois raised First Amendment concerns over the bill. ACLU attorney Rebecca Glenberg said theres not enough clarity about which deepfakes would be required to be disclosed as AI-generated, and the bill could require such speech to be removed before its fully adjudicated to determine that, in fact, it is an impermissible deepfake.

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Thats problematic because someone could call deepfake and there could be a takedown order like that when we dont even know whether the speech is problematic or not, and this could suppress the speech at a really crucial time before an election, she said.

A second AI-related bill backed by Rashid would bar state agencies from using any algorithm-based decision-making systems without continuous meaningful human review if those systems could have an impact on someones civil liberties or their ability to receive public assistance. The bill is meant to protect against algorithmic bias, another threat the task force report sought to address.

Bias is inherent in GenAI systems for two primary reasons: they are trained on data sets that often reflect historical and societal biases, and the humans responsible for training and designing these systems carry their own implicit biases, the report said. These systems are now being used in many high-stakes decision-making areas, such as hiring processes, loan pricing and mortgage approvalsdecisions that fundamentally impact individuals opportunities and quality of life.

By automating these processes, GenAI systems risk perpetuating or exacerbating existing biases and discrimination, embedding systemic inequalities more deeply into decision-making frameworks.

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On the health care front, state Rep. Bob Morgan introduced a bill that would prevent insurers doing business in Illinois from denying, reducing or terminating coverage solely because of the use of an AI system.

It is undeniable that artificial intelligence is already playing a role in our health insurance and were totally blind to it, said Morgan, a Democrat from Deerfield. This is something that really is a multiyear effort by the state to make sure that a doctor, (a) health care professional, is involved.

The Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council supports guardrails to ensure AI will not replace human decision-making in health insurance. But the group has concerns about Morgans bill, arguing it could apply to all forms of insurance, not just health, and impede positive uses of AI in the insurance business.

We believe the provisions as introduced could restrict the use of AI for other claims processing functions designed to identify gaps in care and reduce administrative costs for payers, Insurance Council President Laura Minzer said in a statement.

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Morgan has also introduced a bill that would prohibit a person or a business from advertising or offering mental health services unless those services are carried out by licensed professionals. It also limits the use of AI in the work of those professionals, barring them, for instance, from using the technology to make independent therapeutic decisions. The measure was meant to prevent AI chatbots from posing as mental health providers for patients in need of therapy, Morgan said.

Its really consistent with what weve already had in law, which is if somebody is going to hold themselves out as a health care professional they actually have to be a health care professional. But in this situation, AI is stepping in and not disclosing that theyre not a person, Morgan said. And theyre advising people on their health care, their behavioral health. And were going to put a stop to that.

Kyle Hillman, director of legislative affairs for the Illinois chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said, because of a stigma over mental health treatment, along with a shortage of mental health professionals, some people have turned to AI-based mental health services.

Im sure this is something that individuals that just arent ready to make that call might look to. But its just not something thats safe, Hillman said of the AI-based treatment option. We would never consider this as an option for physical health. Like, hey, I have a laceration on my leg. Im going to call an AI chat doctor on how to put stitches in my leg.  Its not something we would do.

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AIs role in shaping education policies is also being examined. One piece of proposed legislation would require the state Board of Education to establish an instructional technology board, which would help provide guidance, oversight and evaluation for AI and other tech innovations as theyre integrated in school curricula and other policies. The board would consist of teachers, school board members, experts on the application of AI, principals and other school administrators.

Teachers, administrators are so focused on teaching the students in front of them, supporting the students in front of them, so you really need some experts in the field to take a look at this issue, which is what this bill seeks to do, said Democratic state Rep. Laura Faver Dias of Grayslake, the bills House sponsor. What are the pitfalls that we need to be worried about?

At last weeks House Education Policy Committee hearing, Murmann, the high school math teacher, stressed the need for students, teachers and other school personnel to be educated about AI while also recognizing its potential, pointing to a virtual tutoring program that helps students engage with subjects that they struggle in where I have no knowledge or background.

John Sonnenberg, CEO of Carmenta Education and a former director of eLearning for the state Board of Education, agreed with Murmanns comments about AIs value, and cautioned that teachers who take the time to learn about it shouldnt be hemmed in by regulation.

We are witnessing an unprecedented transformation driven by AI that has the potential to offer accelerated personalized learning for every student, Sonnenberg testified at the hearing. Attempting to rigidly regulate AI in education will inevitably fail. Right now, innovative educators are circumventing outdated systems (to) utilize AI tools that they know enhance their teaching and their students learning. Meanwhile, others are hesitant to utilize AI without guidance they can trust.

The December legislative task force report issued a number of recommendations for policymakers in addressing the presence of generative AI including considering measures to protect workers in various industries from being displaced while preparing the workforce for AI innovation.

One of those recommendations called on the state to invest in training programs to help workers transition to new roles created by AI, with an emphasis on digital skills. Another recommendation calls on policymakers to ensure consumers control their personal data and to protect them from the sale or sharing of their data without their permission.

Companies deploying GenAI tools should be required to provide robust privacy guarantees, ensuring that sensitive personal information is neither shared with third parties nor sold for profit, the report said.

Hammond, the Northwestern professor, pointed to a so-called AI incident database, which can be found online and keeps a record of things that have gone wrong with the technology  using news stories about such instances as a source. He said the goal should always be to find ways to make it safer and better.

We should do what we did with electricity. When electricity came (about) it was incredibly dangerous.  People were dying, left and right, and we decided lets make it safe. No one thought, oh, lets not do electricity,' Hammond said. Thats what we should dedicate ourselves to. People would say that AI is the new electricity.

____
McALESTER, Okla. (KFOR)  The State of Oklahoma executed Wendell Grissom on Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Grissom and another man broke into a Blaine County home where Grissom ended up shooting and killing Amber Matthews and injuring Drue Kopf.

In November of 2005, Matthews was visiting Kopf and her two young daughters at their home northeast of Watonga. Grissom, who showed up with a man named Jessie Johns, knocked on the door asking if Kopfs husband was home. When Matthews said no, Grissom walked away, but came back. This time, Kopf answered the door.

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As she approached, Grissom took a couple steps away from the sliding glass door and fired his .22, breaking the glass, a state attorney said at the hearing while presenting their case.

RELATED STORY: Beautifully Broken: Mother and daughters share eyewitness account of murder and survival days before killers execution

Grissom went inside and shot Kopf at least three times. She fought back while Matthews grabbed one of Kopfs children and ran to a back room where her other child was sleeping. Grissom followed her and shot her in the back of the head as she protected Kopfs two children. He would then shoot her again in the forehead while she was on the ground. Kopf escaped and got help and Grissom was later arrested.

Kopfs victim statement comes almost 20 years after she was shot and her best friend was murdered at the hands of Grissom.

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I carry the results of your evil actions in the mental and physical scars that will never fade, Kopf said.

On February 5, 2025, Grissom was denied clemency by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. He was executed in McAlester, Oklahoma on March 20, 2025.

Justice has been served for Amber Matthews, her loved ones and the Kopf family. Nearly two decades ago, the individual executed today committed an act of unspeakable violence, taking the life of a young woman who was simply protecting a child, Drummond said. The execution of this sentence affirms our commitment to holding accountable those who commit the most heinous crimes against our citizens. While nothing can bring Amber back, I hope this final chapter brings some measure of peace to those who have waited so long for justice to prevail. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond

Grissoms attorney also released a statement Thursday.

Today the State of Oklahoma executed Wendell Grissom, a severely brain damaged man who struggled with depression and substance abuse since he was a child. He took the life of Amber Matthews and seriously injured Dreu Kopf. Wendell always accepted responsibility for his actions and expressed genuine remorse for the pain and loss he caused these families as well as his own family. The Wendell Grissom who the State of Oklahoma took from us today is not the same person who committed the crimes twenty years ago. Wendell had become a deeply reflective spiritual and peaceful man who was well respected by Oklahoma Department of Corrections staff and his fellow inmates. Wendell was acutely aware each day that he stole something from the Matthews and Kopf families that he could never give back. This realization drove him to strive to be a better person. Wendell spent his final years ministering to others and sharing anything he was fortunate enough to have with fellow prisoners without the same resources and support. We remember Wendell as a loyal and caring friend and a devoted son and brother who has spent the past two decades trying to atone for his harmful actions in November 2005. Wendells execution perpetuates a cycle of pain and trauma. We hold out hope for a day when we no longer purport to advance justice by taking one life for another. Kristi Christopher, an attorney for Wendell Grissom

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Mar. 19The Alabama Department of Transportation will open bids March 28 on three local resurfacing projects scheduled for this summer.

Using Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement grant funding, the state is planning to make improvements to the intersection of Alabama 24 and South Greenway Drive in Trinity.

The state is planning to improve the turn lanes and make signal modification at the Trinity intersection.

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The state also has two resurfacing projects on Interstate 65. The first is paving the interstate from Hurricane Creek to 0.62 of a mile south of Alabama 67, including raising the bridge at Parker Road.

The other is paving I-65 from 0.6 of a mile south of Alabama 36 to 1.1 miles south of Interstate 565, including raising the bridge at Upper River Road. Portion of the interstate are in Morgan and Limestone counties.

 bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  The Ohio Department of Correction and Rehabilitation is reportedly planning to replace a local prison.

According to an ODRC spokesperson, the beginning phase of planning the replacement of Lebanon Correctional Institution on State Route 63 in Turtlecreek Township is underway.

The Warren County prison is described as one of our oldest facilities, which was constructed in the late 1950s. The structure began serving as an adult correctional facility in the 1960s.

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Over 1,600 offenders, a majority of which are reportedly level 3 offenders, reside on the 1,900 acres.

The proposed plan calls for planning, designing and replacing LeCI, perhaps on the same property.

We are still in the very early procurement phase of this project, and the final architect and engineering firm has not been selected, said the spokesperson. The specific details of the project will not be determined until the selected architect completes a thorough site assessment.

Although the project is in a very early stage and the construction cost is currently projected to be $26.5 million, the state has proposed to provide $30 million.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  The Illinois State Police were at the State Capitol this week to help combat human trafficking.

Director Brendan Kelly, along with stakeholders representing survivors, law enforcement and support service providers, appeared before the Senate Criminal Law Committee today to speak about Senate Bill 2323. The bill includes development of a strategic plan to improve the victim-centered, trauma-informed law enforcement response to people who have been trafficked. Plus, it develops standards for detecting, investigating and responding to human trafficking.

To combat the issue, State Police said its Trafficking Enforcment Bureau, conducted seven operations in the last year, resulting in 31 arrests and 90 criminal charges. Bloomington, Danville and Effingham were just a few of the cities where the operations were carried out.

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UPDATE: Illinois homeschool bill passes; hundreds gather at State Capitol in protest

Theres a long list of requirements that ISP is undertaking just for us as an agency in addition to other agencies are going to be responsible for, Kelly said before the Criminal Law Committee. But well be serving as a hub for creation of multi-disciplinary human trafficking task forces where non currently exist were going to facilitate cooperation between those task forces regular scheduled trainings.

The Trafficking Enforcement Bureau was formed in 2022 and since then, more than 1,200 State Police officers have been trained on human trafficking awareness. More than 130 officers were trained in advanced investigative techniques.

People can learn more about how to recognize human trafficking by clicking here. If someone suspects human trafficking, they can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. People can also email the Illinois State Police at ISP.CrimeTips@illinois.gov. 

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
OAKWOOD, Ill. (WCIA)  Illinois State Police responded to a semi-truck that rolled over on Interstate 74 in Vermilion County.

According to State Police, troopers responded to the accident shortly after 5 p.m. When they arrived, they found a rolled over truck-tractor semi-trailer at milepost 204 in the Oakwood area.

Danville Mayor pushing for resolution against reopening firing range

The semi is in the right ditch, and is not blocking any of the lanes, according to State Police. A tow truck has been called to the scene.

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No injuries have been reported. State Police said there is no further information at this time.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
The ongoing Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico measles outbreak has made it to Rogers County.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported March 14 on two probable measles cases it detected in Rogers and Tulsa counties. The department said they were associated with the wider outbreak that has sickened 320 people and killed at least one child this year in the three states, according to CNN Health.

The state health department said people who shopped at the following locations at the corresponding times may have been exposed:

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 Kohl's, 12405 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso, Feb. 27, 1:30-5:30 p.m.

 Aldi, 9259 N. Owasso Expressway in Owasso, Feb. 27, 4:20-7 p.m.

 Walmart Supercenter, 12101 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso, Feb. 27, 5:15-8 p.m.

 Sam's Club, 12905 E. 96th St. N. in Owasso, Feb. 27, 7-9:21 p.m.

 Sprouts Farmers Market, 9601 N. 133rd E. Ave. in Owasso, Feb. 27, 7:30-10:02 p.m.

 Lowe's Home Improvement, 1746 S. Lynn Riggs Blvd. in Claremore, March 2, 7-9:27 p.m.

"Possibly exposed individuals who are not immune through vaccination or prior infection should exclude themselves from public settings for 21 days from the date of their potential exposure," the department said in its report.

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The state presumes anyone born before 1957 to be immune to measles since its spread was so common then.

Erica Rankin-Riley, spokesperson for the department, said two doses of the MMR vaccine grant 97% immunity against measles. Children typically receive their first dose from ages 12 to 15 months and their second from ages 4 to 6.

According to state data for the 2023-2024 school year, about 91% of Rogers County kindergartners had received both MMR doses.

Neither individual who potentially spread measles in Rogers County was vaccinated, the department said. Rankin said health care providers in Oklahoma must report probable measles cases to the state.

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"Whenever the epidemiologist-on-call receives a notification that meets the criteria for public health investigation, an investigation is immediately initiated," Rankin said.

People who think they may have measles can contact the epidemiologist at 405-426-8710 every day from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. They can check at shotrecords.ok.gov whether they have received the vaccine.
The Georgia House of Representatives passed a one-time $250 credit for residents in early March, and now the Georgia Senate has done the same.

House Bill 112 would, if signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, provide Georgians who filed tax returns for 2023 and 2024 a $250 to $500 tax credit, with the amount dependent on filing status for residents.

The Georgia Senate passed the tax credit unanimously.

Now that the Senate has passed the bill, it heads to the governors desk for a pass or veto. If Kemp approves the measure, it would be the third consecutive year for state income tax rebates under House Bill 112.

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The bill already passed unanimously in the House with no votes against it.

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State Sen. Bo Hatchett, a Cornelia Republican who carried the bill on Kemps behalf, said that at a time of sky-high prices, the bills are putting money back in the hands of Georgians.

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Separately, the Georgia General Assembly also passed legislation lowering the state income rate to 5.19%, which also passed 30 to 23.

Georgia Democrats supported the tax credit but pushed back on the tax rate cut, saying the benefits would go to the richest taxpayers and sap the state of revenue to pay for needed services.

It delivers outsized benefits to Georgians already at the top of the income ladder, who earn the highest incomes, Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat, told the Associated Press. So no, we should not be passing this bill. We should stop telling lies about hardworking Georgians because we dont care about them.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Brittany Kinser headshot. Photo: courtesy of campaign. State Superintendent Jill Underly speaking at a rally in the Capitol. Photo: Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner.

State superintendent candidates, incumbent Jill Underly and education consultant Brittany Kinser, answered questions about public school funding, the states voucher program and working with the Legislature during an online forum Wednesday evening.

The forum was hosted by the Wisconsin Public Education Network (WPEN), the NAACP, the League of Womens Voters and Wisconsin Early Childhood Action Needed and moderated by Kevin Lawrence Henry, Jr., Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at UW-Madison.

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The race for the nonpartisan office will appear on voters ballots April 1 alongside the high-profile state Supreme Court race. The state superintendent is responsible for overseeing Wisconsins 421 public school districts and leading the Department of Public Instruction (DPI), which administers state and federal funds, licenses teachers, develops educational curriculum and state assessments and advocates for public education.

Underly, who was elected to her first term in 2021, said she has the relationships, experiences and deep knowledge of what it takes to lead Wisconsins public schools. She said that she is 100% pro public school and said that improvements have been made to Wisconsins education system, but there is more work to be done.

Kinser said that her vision for Wisconsin education is that 95% of children will be able to read well enough to go to college, have a career or a meaningful job or master of trade and is running to restore our high standards. She referenced the recent changes approved by Underly in 2024 to state testing standards, but this was the only mention of what has become a major issue among the candidates and state lawmakers who have launched an audit into the changes and passed a bill to reverse them.

Both candidates said the states educational gaps must be addressed, but had varying answers on how to do that. According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), about three out of every 10 fourth graders and eighth graders were at or above proficient levels.

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We have got to take accountability at the state level for how our children are learning or not learning This is a crisis, Kinser said. Thats why I got into this race. We have got to hold ourselves accountable. We have got to make it transparent. We have to make sure that its easy for all of us to know the information right now.

Kinser said she has been researching some of the best practices around the country and wants to bring more transparency and predictability to DPI.

Underly said the gaps are absolutely unacceptable. She said they know how to solve the problem but that it takes money and it takes effort.

Both candidates said they would want to look at the states funding formula for schools, though Underly said that the states school choice program, which allows students to attend private and independent charter schools using public dollars, is draining needed resources from public schools and making problems worse.

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It goes back 30-plus years to [former Gov.] Tommy Thompson and his effort to defund public schools and send funding to unaccountable voucher schools, and this goes back to the refusal of the Legislature to fund public schools and the efforts that they make to defund public schools, Underly said. I say, give us the tools we need to do the work, and we can get it done.

Underly added that she would have to sue if the Legislature continued not investing in schools, as required by the state constitution.

Kinser said that she would also want to look at the funding formula. She said that throughout her campaign she has learned that most people agree that the funding formula is broken and is in need of an upgrade. She also said that she would be interested in examining whether there is a better way to fund special education costs other than through the current reimbursement system.

Schools are operating with limited resources, are concerned and tired of actually paying the referendums, Kinser said. Wisconsins funding formula needs to be modernized, and I promise to be a leader in that I have relationships on both sides of the aisle and rapport with the governors office. We have to make sure that its updated.

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Underly said that she has worked to develop relationships with legislators, and has worked to foster productive dialogue, even when we dont agree. She noted that collaboration between DPI and the Legislature helped get Act 20, a law that implemented new literacy requirements, passed.

Kinser took credit for helping get Act 11 passed in 2023. The bill provided a historic funding increase to independent charter schools and private schools participating in the Parental Choice Programs and raised the revenue ceiling for public schools to $11,000 for the 2023-24 school year.

It was the Republicans plus five Democrats in Milwaukee, Kinser said about the lawmakers who supported the bill. The governors office signed that bill, so it was a group effort to get more funding for all the schools and then some other areas that the governor prioritized.

Kinser, during her time at the City Forward Collective, a Milwaukee-based school choice advocacy group, lobbied for a bill that increased funding to Wisconsin voucher schools.

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While most of the conversation throughout the forum was cordial, the candidates butted heads at the end over Kinsers lack of a teachers license and her support of the states choice program.

A report from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in early February found that Kinser has never had a teachers license in Wisconsin and had let her administrators license lapse.

I dont believe she fully understands how public schools work in Wisconsin, Underly said. Shes made this claim routinely, for example, that only three in 10, or 30 percent of kids, are able to read, or that theyre college ready, and that makes absolutely no sense. Weve made incredible gains in Wisconsin  how can we be sixth in the nation? And I think my vision has had a lot to do with that.

Underly also underscored Kinsers background as a lobbyist advocating for school vouchers and independent charter schools.

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Kinser pushed back noting her varying experiences in the education field including a decade in Chicago Public Schools as a special education teacher and at the district level and about a decade as a principal and in leadership at a charter school in Milwaukee. She also clarified that she recently retained a license again.

I paid the $185 to update my license It was so difficult to move my license in from New York and Illinois to Wisconsin, Kinser said. I would hope Dr. Underly would understand this as she has said she understands that the teacher shortage is real.

According to state records, DPI received Kinsers application and payment on Feb. 25.

Kinser also said the claim that she is a school privatizer isnt true, although she supports school choice. She said when it came to funding she was lobbying for equal funding for all of our children.

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Mar. 19The state's highest court agrees with a Salem woman that alimony payments from her husband  suspended while she served time in prison for trafficking young women at a brothel she ran in Lawrence, Mass.  should resume following her release from jail.

Lori Ann Barron was sentenced to seven to nine years in state prison after she was convicted in June 2017 of three counts of sex trafficking, one count of deriving support from prostitution and one count of photographing an unsuspecting nude person at her business, The Day Spa for Gentlemen.

During Barron's trial, prosecutors claimed that after hiring women to work as receptionists, she would pressure them to give massages and instructed them to perform a sex act when the massage was over.

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Barron then videotaped the women performing the sex acts, and threatened to show the footage to family members or state officials at the Department of Children and Families if they refused.

According to court documents, Lori and Steven Barron were divorced in March 2017. In the divorce decree, Steven Barron was ordered to pay $3,000 a month in alimony.

The divorce decree recognized Lori had a criminal matter pending against her, and found that if she were to go to prison, Steven's alimony obligation would be "suspended during the period of incarceration." The divorce decree then inconsistently said the alimony obligation would "terminate" if she became incarcerated, according to the ruling issued Wednesday.

The court reconsidered that provision and granted Lori Bannon's request the court "vacate any order for termination and, rather, to the extent appropriate, order the potential 'abeyance' of such amount of alimony as may be appropriate during the pendency of incarceration."

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In September 2017, Steven Barron requested termination of alimony, noting his ex-wife was sentenced to seven to nine years. The court issued an order denying that request, but also denied Lori Bannon's request that alimony resume after her release.

Following Lori Barron's release from prison in April 2023, she filed a motion requesting alimony be reestablished as awarded in the original final decree, but the trial court ruled that the October 2017 order "vacated the alimony award" and "did not expressly stay the obligation to pay alimony, it ended it."

The court also ruled that a five-year statute of limitations had expired for reconsideration of the 2017 order. Lori Barron then appealed to the state Supreme Court.

In an order issued Wednesday, state Supreme Court justices found that "based on the plain meaning of the language in the 2017 orders, we determine that the trial court did not terminate or vacate the alimony award."

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"First, in its order on the petitioner's motion to reconsider, the court vacated any prior order for termination," the order says. "Then, in October 2017, after the petitioner was sentenced, the court denied the respondent's request to terminate alimony. The language in the 2017 orders instead shows that the court held alimony in abeyance, thereby temporarily suspending the alimony obligation."

"We determine that the court did not terminate or vacate the respondent's alimony obligation in 2017," the justices wrote. "Accordingly, the statute of limitations does not prohibit the petitioner from seeking alimony. We reverse the trial court's orders and remand for further proceedings consistent with this order."

Lori Barron was also convicted of prostitution in New Hampshire in 2011 after Salem police conducted an undercover operation at a spa she owned there, ETEA Weight Loss Spa, after receiving reports of sexual conduct at the spa and massages being performed by untrained and unlicensed employees. The spa allegedly advertised for potential employees and services on Craigslist and Backpage.com.

pfeely@unionleader.com
From Trump cuts to legalizing cannabis to fighting a Canadian energy company, Thomas Fowler, chairman of the St. Croix Ojibwe Tribe, delved into a range of issues during the 21st annual State of the Tribes address to Wisconsin legislators in Madison.

Wisconsins collaborative relationship with tribal nations can be an example for the entire nation to look up to, he said in his speech. We are all better when working together.

Fowler asked legislators to support tribal nation initiatives, reminding them that tribes are huge economic drivers in the state, including with more than $600 million a year in tax revenue to the state from casinos alone.

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The St. Croix Tribe, like other tribal nations in Wisconsin, is among the largest employers in the counties in which it is located. For example, with about 1,200 tribal members and 4,600 acres of land in far northwest Wisconsin, the St. Croix is the largest employer in Burnett Country and second largest employer in Barron County, employing about 2,500 people.

Fowler's speech came after some controversy in how the day was set up.

St. Croix Ojibwe Tribal Chairman Thomas Fowler delivers the 21st annual State of the Tribes Address in Madison, March 18, 2025.

First, here are some of the issues.

Trump cuts

Fowler said tribal leaders currently are uneasy about recent changes in the federal government.

The Department of Government Efficiency has targeted Bureau of Indian Affairs offices for closure in Wisconsin. These offices help to maintain the federal governments treaty responsibilities with tribal nations and manage land transfers for tribes and tribal members.

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DOGE also has targeted billions of dollars in federal funding for tribal education, healthcare and other services for possible cuts.

Fowler said tribal nations have had poor relations with past presidential administrations and have endured them. He said tribes will continue to rely on their experienced attorneys and advocates to defend their rights.

Cannabis

Fowler said Indigenous peoples have long used cannabis for cultural, spiritual and practical purposes.

The deep knowledge of medicinal plants, including cannabis, was passed down through generations, he said.

Fowler said the vast majority of people, regardless of party affiliation, support the use cannabis for medicinal reasons. He urged the Legislature to legalize it.

St. Croix Ojibwe Tribal Chairman Thomas Fowler delivers the 21st annual State of the Tribes Address in Madison, March 18, 2025.

Education

Fowler said Act 31, which mandates that education about tribal nations be taught in Wisconsin public schools, has never been strong enough.

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He said students from many school districts in Wisconsin dont even know why Act 31 was passed.

Act 31 was a response to the Walleye Wars, which gained national attention in the 1980s and 1990s after federal court rulings upheld the treaty rights of Ojibwe tribal members to hunt and fish off-season in northern Wisconsin.

Non-tribal protestors attacked tribal members practicing those treaty rights, employing violence and expressing racism.

Act 31 was meant to reduce bigotry against Indigenous peoples and increase understanding about treaty rights.

Fowler also asked legislators to support several bills at the state and federal level.

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One bill at the state level would allow Indigenous graduates to wear Native regalia, such as tribal stoles, during their graduation ceremonies.

A bill at the federal level, S.1723, establishes a Truth and Healing Commission to investigate the atrocities committed at Indian boarding schools in the nations recent history.

Line 5 oil pipeline

Fowler asked legislators to support tribal nation initiatives for clean water in the state and to increase regulations for agricultural and industrial runoff.

He also asked for support in the tribal fight against the Canadian oil company Enbridge, which has pipelines running through Wisconsin. One of its pipelines spilled nearly 70,000 gallons of oil just west of Milwaukee in Jefferson County late in 2024.

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The Bad River Ojibwe Tribe in northern Wisconsin is fighting to remove Enbridges Line 5 oil pipeline from its reservation and is opposed to a planned reroute near the reservation.

St. Croix Ojibwe Tribal Chairman Thomas Fowler delivers the 21st annual State of the Tribes Address in Madison, March 18, 2025.

Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women

Fowler spoke about the epidemic of violence against Indigenous peoples and the movement addressing it known as MMIW, Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women.

He called for cohesive law enforcement training and support and funding for tribal police departments and mental health resources.

The Wisconsin Attorney Generals MMIW Task Force expects to release its report about the crisis later this year.

Some Reaction

The State of the Tribes Address is typically the only agenda item for the day, but this year it was more than an hour for it to get started as members of the Legislature paid tribute to Democratic Representative Jonathan Brostoff, who died by suicide last year.

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Richard Ackley, a retired Bad River tribal judge and community advocate, said tribes support mental health concerns, but thought the tribute to Brostoff could have been done at another time to avoid the conflict.

Mark Webster, an Oneida tribal member and community advocate living in Milwaukee whose children died by suicide, blamed Assembly Speaker Robin Vos for setting up the agenda to delay the State of the Tribes.

This moment was not one for grief, instead it was about leveraging pain," Webster said. "He orchestrated the emotions of Democrats wanting to speak to get in the way of a timely and customary start of the State of the Tribes.

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Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: State of the Tribes address touches on Trump, treaty rights, Line 5
Attorneys for an Osceola County man accused of killing his girlfriends daughter are due back in court Thursday.

A hearing is scheduled for Stephan Sterns.

Investigators said Sterns killed 13-year-old Maddie Soto in February of 2024.

Her body was found days after she was reported missing.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office said Friday evening that Madeline Sotos body has been found. Investigators said Osceola County deputies found the missing 13-year-old girls body at about 4:30 p.m. in a wooded area along Hickory Tree Road.

Sterns also faces dozens of sex crimes charges.

His attorneys are expected to ask a judge to prevent the public and the media from attending his upcoming sex crimes trial.

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That trial is set to begin in May, while Sterns murder trial is scheduled for September.

Channel 9 will be at Thursdays hearing, which is scheduled to get underway at 9:30 a.m. in Kissimmee.

Check back with WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates on this story.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
On 19 March Mexicos Attorney General (AG)criticised authorities in Jalisco state for failing to notify federal authorities about a ranch found in Teuchitlan municipality in September 2024 and not investigating it properly.

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FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) WTWO/WAWV has been keeping an eye on that weather throughout the Wabash Valley and so have you.

We have accumulated several interesting videos and photos from viewers, keeping up to date on what is going on during Wednesdays severe weather. Here is an amazing, beautiful photo after the storms rolled through, looking west from Brazil. It was shot by our own Mallory Jenkins. Those storms moved quickly at 70 mph causing some downed trees and powerlines.

Check out this video from Brazil, where a powerline was sparking on the ground. At 7:30 pm, Duke Energy reported about 1,000 customers without power, mostly, north of Terre Haute.

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Here are some other photos of the storms from various viewers. At one point, a tornado warning was issued for Vigo County.

However, the good news is that damage was limited and many of those without power have had power restored Also, hail was an issue in some areas. This is actually a video from Jesse Walkers house shot by his wife.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com.
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KRON)  In the North Bay, crews were working through the day Wednesday to remove a large eucalyptus tree that fell through a house during the most recent storm. An elderly woman was inside the house when the tree came crashing down and was briefly trapped.

Were looking at a eucalyptus tree that exploded in the last storm that we had, said certified arborist Alex Llamas.

The tree, Llamas said, was based on public property, lined along a creek in Rohnert Park. It split Friday afternoon and slammed through a fence and into the house, which is rented by an elderly woman.

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Ricci Wynne charged with producing child pornography

Neighbor Eloisa Ballejos said the winds were fierce that day.

It was horrible. I mean, it must have been going, like, I dont know, 70 miles an hour? Or something, because it just swished by, said Ballejos.

A certified arborist and general manager of Savantarborist.com, Llamas said the tree had not been checked by a professional in many years. If it had, he believes the fall could have been prevented.

Its very common with these eucalyptus, said Llamas. The tree had multiple branches coming out of it and there was a crack that defined a weak point.

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Llamas said over time, the tree developed a fungal infection, weakened from the rot and eventually fell down. He points to another tree on the next door neighbors yard that is showing similar ominous signs.

It has split from the base that could become compromised in high winds.

It damaged three houses down, Llamas said. Debris flew and damaged another house right over in that area.

The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety has red-tagged the house, so nobody is allowed in and out. Were told that the resident was able to make it out without injury, but with only the clothes on her back.

I feel for her  for the lady cause she  wheres she going to stay? said Ballejos. I think they have her in some hotel, but how long can they keep her there?

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While the American Red Cross continues to help the woman out, neighbors are concerned about the large trees on public property in the area  trees Llamas suggests could fall at any time.

It is what it is. Its the nature of the beast. Improper care and not using a certified arborist  this is the defects, he said.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Credit: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images; Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images; Neil Baynes/UEFA/Getty Images

On March 2, three popular women Twitch streamers  Rachel Valkyrae Hofstetter, Brittany Cinna Watts, and Emily Emiru Schunk  were accosted by a man who appeared to be a fan of theirs during a live stream at the Santa Monica Pier. After one of the women denied his request for her phone number, he seemingly followed them as they neared the exit before lunging at them and yelling, Ill kill you right now. The women screamed for security and fled before the stream cut to a holding screen.

Many believe what happened to the women was an example of stream sniping, a trend that involves viewers using visual clues to seek out content creators doing IRL (in real life) streams and attempting to get in the video, or, in extreme cases, harassing, threatening, or attacking a streamer.

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And while women streamers are more prone to harassment, stream sniping affects people across the spectrum. Last year, Darren iShowSpeed Watkins, Jr. was mobbed by a massive crowd of Norwegian fans while broadcasting live in the streets of Oslo. In August 2024, popular political streamer Hasan Hasanabi Piker was live from an Uber when a car pulled up next to him and appeared to ask the driver, Is Hasan with you?

Bro, just keep going, Piker urged the driver of the vehicle he was in. Thats fucking insane.

For women, stream sniping can often come with an added layer of concern, and rightfully so: In January 2023, Japanese streamer Shibuya Kaho took to X (formerly Twitter) to say she was scared in so many ways by her Twitch chat showing up at a train station after one of her IRL casts ended. They knew I was trying to catch my last train after streaming in Shizuoka, she wrote.

In December 2023, Twitch streamer Lydia lydiaviolet was doing a holiday-themed IRL stream around London when a man in a hoodie began following her. What are you doing?, she asked. Im following orders, he replied. She repeatedly tried to get away from him, suggesting he walk in one direction while she walked in the other.

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A week and a half after the incident with Valkyrae, Cinna, and Emiru, a Japanese streamer named Airi Sato, known for her IRL streams, was stabbed over 30 times in a busy Tokyo street by a man who reportedly told police that the content creator owed him money. The man allegedly figured out where Airi Sato was by following her live stream. Her attack was briefly caught on air; she was taken to a local hospital but died from her wounds.

Stream sniping has become a more pervasive problem for both online and IRL streamers, but there are ways that creators can protect themselves when taking their broadcasts out into the real world.

What is stream sniping?

Stream sniping is when a viewer deliberately  and often maliciously  tries to insert themselves into a live stream to hijack, derail, or otherwise disrupt the experience. Its usually done virtually when creators play online multiplayer shooters (hence the term sniping), with stream snipers either seeking out the person playing a game like Fortnite, or simply following a streamer around after realizing theyre in the same game lobby.

Since their POV is being live-streamed to an audience, its easy for stream snipers to know where they might be on the virtual map, what kind of equipment theyre carrying, what cosmetics they have on, and other identifying factors. In some instances, stream snipers just want to eliminate popular personalities in a given match, seeking them out to gun them down or otherwise mess with their chances of winning a game. In battle royale games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone, death is an immediate elimination, which can frustrate streamers trying to get exciting footage for their viewers  and theres nothing more exciting than a win.

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Sometimes, stream snipers are just looking to make a comedic impact. Felix xQc Lengyel has 12 million followers on Twitch, and hes spent a lot of his time streaming Fortnite. He was famously plagued by a stream sniper known as Juul Trooper, who would wear a banana costume when seeking out Lengyel to kill him and then emote over his characters dead body, usually by playing the saxophone while the creator screamed with rage.

Other times, stream snipers are also streamers themselves, using the tactic to make their own content. Content creator Spaiidz has several YouTube videos dedicated to stream sniping, with titles like I Stream Sniped Until He Gave Me VBucks or I Stream Sniped Until He Gave Me His Account.

Successful stream snipers often share videos from their point of view, with clips of them targeting content creators often garnering millions of views on YouTube and elsewhere.

Popular games like Call of Duty and Sea of Thieves have tools to help prevent stream sniping, like an ability to turn on Streamer Mode that hides the players real gamertag, or the option to hide a server name so bad actors cant log into a server to find them in-game.

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Stream sniping is a frustrating experience for those who are targeted, but its a very different story when they are stream sniped in real life.

What is IRL stream sniping?

Though in-game stream sniping can range from funny to annoying, things can get dangerous when the practice transitions into the real world.

There are plenty of examples of IRL stream snipers pulling fairly harmless pranks on streamers, like someone pulling up in a cab while Andy CookSux streamed in South Korea to hand him several bags of food out of the window, or Jason jasontheween Nguyen pretending to stream snipe a fellow content creator and friend, Clix, running up to him mid-IRL stream.

But then there is the kind of real-world stream-sniping that can be strange, sinister, or flat-out dangerous.

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Connor Marc Colquhoun, known online as ConnorDawg, has 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube, and he often does IRL streams. In a January 2023 YouTube video, Colquhoun describes stream sniping, saying that it is kind of accepted to be okay, before adding, its a thing to do in streaming for some reason it doesnt really have a bad rep, as long as the person is normally cool.

But what if they arent? There are some dangers, he says in the video, referencing Shibuya Kahos unnerving train station experience when she was approached after a stream. This is extremely concerning, especially considering that Kaho was streaming alone.

iShowSpeed is a content creator who often does IRL live streams on YouTube to his 36 million followers and is often targeted by stream snipers. During a massive global tour last year, Watkins, who did not respond to a request for comment, faced throngs of fans across Europe, culminating in a terrifying event in Oslo, Norway on July 3, 2024.

As detailed in a video titled the scariest day of my life, Watkins live-streamed while visiting a souvenir shop that was quickly surrounded by fans. I literally just got here, bro, he said to the crowd waiting outside the shop. This is bad though. What the fuck? I just started my stream bro. As he tried to leave, the crowd appeared to refuse to back away from the door. Stream canceled, I literally cannot go outside, he said, before he was ushered into a back stairway to leave out of a different exit.

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Fans were waiting for him at that exit as well, chanting his name and appearing to grab him as he tried to leave. He doubled back into the building, visibly angry, hitting the walls with a novelty Thor-style hammer. He eventually called the Norwegian police, saying I am a YouTuber and I have 25 million subs. I am currently at this souvenir shop in Norway, and there are maybe around 1,000 to 2,000 people banging on the door. I need help to get out of this shop.

As he waited for the car to pick him up, he looked out at the crowd of people from a second-story window, begging them to leave, flipping them off, and eventually performing a spin move he invented called the Sewey, which caused him to injure his ankle. I think I just broke my ankle, he said, wincing.

Just two months later, several thousand Singaporeans reportedly joined a Telegram channel in an attempt to stream snipe iShowSpeed during his tour of Southeast Asia. Though it never got as intense as his experience in Oslo, Watkins was met with huge crowds of fans as he walked down the famous Arab Street, with one challenging him to a footrace, another asking him to participate in the Smash or Pass trend, and another gifting him a brand-new iPhone.

On March 18, iShowSpeed announced hell be doing a massive IRL stream in China, clearly undeterred by his experiences.

How can you stream safely IRL?

Its difficult to prevent harassment, stalkers, and real-life stream snipers, but creators can do several things to make their IRL streaming somewhat safer. The common tactics suggested by fellow streamers or in community message boards include avoiding streaming in spaces with easily identifiable landmarks, street signs, addresses, or easily searchable businesses, and not showing the exterior areas near where you live, in case bad actors are attempting to discover your address.

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If you plan on streaming in more easily recognizable places, adding a delay to your broadcast can help thwart those trying to geolocate you.

My very boring answer is that I dont tell people where I am live [streaming] unless there is some amount of security involved. There really isnt a safe way for people with followings to do that, Twitch streamer jorbs told me on BlueSky. I dont think its safe to be in person with people with security involved either, but people have different amounts of risk tolerance.

Justin SJC Schainberg has been streaming since 2008. He often streams daily IRL vlogs of his life walking around Hollywood Boulevard or attending protests, and tells Rolling Stone that he feels like the format is the best way for him to express himself. The selfie stick is my paintbrush and the world is my canvas, he says. I search for moments that are impossible to duplicate, and the fact that I catch it at that moment is pure art to me.

Though hes been lucky enough to avoid toxic people on his IRL streams, for those taking it up, he offers some advice: Be aware of your surroundings, he says. A lot of it is thinking on your own, 20 steps ahead.

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John Phipps, a former Marine and combat veteran with experience providing physical security for individuals at public events like PAX East, tells Rolling Stone that streamers should always stream within eyesight and earshot of public gatherings. Public-facing events are less likely to be targeted by bad actors, and even if they are, there would be plenty of eyewitnesses or people to help in case something happened.

Women, in particular, should be on alert. Sucks that I have to say this, but if youre a woman Id advise having physical security within 30 feet, and make sure they advertise their presence, Phipps says. Eighty percent of people will be immediately deterred by the presence of physical security.

If a bad actor is not deterred by security and approaches you, there are steps you can take. Instruct your security to prevent contact and physically remove [the person approaching you] from your space, he says. If this isnt possible, have your security escort you from the area. Dont engage physically or verbally.

But security is a luxury most Twitch streamers cannot afford. Phipps has suggestions for those streamers who cant foot such a lofty bill, and it involves taking safety into their own hands. If you dont have or cant afford physical security, be armed, he says, suggesting non-lethal protective devices like mace or a Taser.

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But avoid firearms. Im usually a proponent of vulnerable people concealed carrying, but if youre going to be streaming in a public venue and youre not trained Id strongly advise against pulling a firearm.

For Valkyrae, whose IRL stream turned scary in the blink of an eye, shell never go live without being prepared again. She posted on X on March 5, I always over confidently imagined I would be able to defend myself and others, but the way that she and the other two women were accosted made her reconsider. Ill never be out without a taser/pepper gun ever again, Ill never joke about being strong enough to handle being attacked again, and Ill always take threats like this seriously.

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The family of a woman who died after being hit by a van in central London have described her as a bright, kind and beautiful soul.

Aalia Mahomed, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene at the Strand, near the Kings College London campus, on Tuesday.

A 27-year-old woman remains in hospital in a serious condition and a 23-year-old man, who was also injured, has been discharged, the Metropolitan Police said.

The driver of a van, a 26-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and drug-driving offences - Yui Mok/PA

In a statement, Aalias family said: Aalia was a bright, kind and beautiful soul who brought joy and laughter to everyone.

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She was a ray of sunshine in our lives and will be deeply missed by all her family and friends.

Her light will always live on in our memories and her smile will be our strength as we get through this difficult time.

Her family are being supported by specially trained officers.

The driver of a van, a 26-year-old man, who was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by careless driving and drug-driving offences has been bailed as investigations continue.

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Athens County Independent photo from an Ohio University walkout on Feb. 27 to protest Ohio Senate Bill 1.

This article was originally published by the Athens County Independent.

ATHENS, Ohio  As an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion bill moves through the Ohio legislature, the Ohio University community is bracing for major changes to the institution, including the possible loss of its Womens Center, Multicultural Center, and Pride Center.

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Senate Bill 1 passed in the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House and now heads back to the Senate for concurrence before going to Gov. Mike DeWine for his signature. It would reshape Ohios public universities by banning diversity and inclusion programs and practices, preventing faculty from striking, instituting post-tenure reviews for faculty, requiring intellectual diversity in the classroom, and more.

The presidents of Ohio University and other public universities jointly decided to stay silent on SB 1 in hopes of gaining a 2% increase in higher education funding in the next biennial budget. But DeWines budget proposal includes just a 0.1% boost next year.

However, students and the public have staged multiple demonstrations opposing the bill in recent weeks, including several in Athens.

I just cant stop thinking about the students  that are in high school right now and are going to be a part of the new norm that is a university without Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the state of Ohio, OU undergraduate student Mia Walsh told the Independent after a protest Wednesday, March 12. I think of those students, and my heart breaks for them.

Mia Walsh speaks at a protest against SB 1 on March 12. (Photo from the Athens County Independent by Shiloh Antonuccio.)

Ohio University has already placed the annual Celebrate Women and Black Alumni Reunion events on hold to preemptively comply with changes to DEI at the state and national levels.

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If SB 1 passes, public universities will have 90 days to become compliant. Patricia Stokes, associate professor in Womens Gender and Sexuality Studies, said she hopes OU will not comply with provisions in SB 1 any sooner than it needs to.

SB 1 is all but a done deal at this point, and the university will have no choice but to comply at least with the most clear cut elements of it. But they have a choice as to whether they do it right away or use that 90-day window, Stokes said. I think its imperative that they allow this to be an orderly transition, so that people who will be losing their current positions can seek other work, either internally or elsewhere.

Ohio University Vice President for University Communications and Marketing Robin Oliver told the Independent, Some changes will take time to complete, and we would need to act with urgency to ensure compliance within the 90-day window.

OU declined the Independents request for comment on specific changes it would implement should SB 1 become law. The university has made multiple public statements on SB 1 without offering any details of the universitys planned response.

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These two obligations  to our state and to our mission  are equally non-negotiable and, in many ways, interlinked, OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and Executive Vice President and Provost Donald J. Leo said in a Feb. 12 statement. The question, not specifically in light of this proposed legislation but in every situation and every day, is how we effectively fulfill both of these obligations and ensure student success.

In a March 3 statement, Gonzalez referred to the universitys elimination of race-based scholarship awards last year as part of an ongoing effort to respond to a slew of federal and state policy changes related to DEI. Gonzalez framed the elimination of these scholarships as an action to ensure our scholarships and programming are open to all.

Ohio state Sen. Brian Chavez (R-30), who co-sponsored SB 1, declined to comment for this story, as did Ohio House representative Don Jones (R-95). Ohio House representative Kevin Ritter (R-94) did not respond to a request for comment.

Closure of diversity centers

While OU declined to comment on specific changes that would result should SB1 become law, The Ohio State University has already begun instituting changes to preemptively comply with the bill, providing a preview of what is to come. At OSU, these changes have included the elimination of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Center for Belonging and Social Change, and the elimination of 16 staff positions, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

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Ohio University has three centers as part of its DEI initiatives, including the Womens Center, Pride Center, and Multicultural Center. The centers would likely close should SB1 become law.

The bill would prohibit continuation of existing diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or departments as well as establishing new diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or departments.

Walsh, who is studying journalism and Womens Gender and Sexuality Studies, said the universitys DEI initiatives  especially the Multicultural Center and Pride Center  have enriched her experience on campus.

I cant disentangle my college career from diversity, equity and inclusion, Walsh said. If I try to imagine my college career without those three things, theres no point in even coming here.

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United Campus Ministry acting executive director Ari Faber, also an OU alum, spoke at last Wednesdays protest and said they arrived on campus after being kicked out of my parents home due to my queer identity. OUs Pride Center was instrumental in helping me navigate an incredibly challenging and vulnerable period in my life, Faber said.

Stokes told the Independent that support for students contributes directly to OUs academic mission.

When were thinking about  the very kind of core elements of the universitys mission  effective teaching and learning  students who have a place where they feel they belong are going to simply do better on all measures of that: grades, retention, time to degree, Stokes said.

Patricia Stokes speaks at a protest against SB 1 on March 12. (Athens County Independent photo by Shiloh Antonuccio.)

The centers also play a direct role in education, said Womens Gender and Sexuality Studies professor Julie White.

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The centers provide educational roles with respect to the student body at large, White said. So, for example, Black History Month, Womens History Month are times during the year when the centers have been really critical to expanding the kind of educational content that happens in some classrooms and making it available to the student body at large.

White added that it is part of what it means to be an educated person, to take seriously the experiences of people who are less familiar to you, who have life experiences that are not yours.

Fear for academic programs

Associate Professor of African American Studies Robin Muhammad told the Independent she expects her department will be targeted for elimination or restructuring.

Were talking about global perspectives, critical thinking, Muhammad said. This is not fringe-y stuff. It is at the heart of higher education, not just in the United States, but the world.

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Muhammad said this will affect what students are able to get out of an education at OU.

If we want to be able to tell students that youre going to be able to compete domestically as well as internationally, with other researchers, with other thinkers, with other executives, then we have to be able to say, Were going to give you know the diploma that has the kind of content that will enable you to compete right and converse, Muhammad said. Its like saying, Okay, well, were not going to teach math.

White said she is less concerned about the immediate impact of SB1 on academic programs than on OUs diversity centers, citing conversations with university leaders.

These programs  WGSS and African American Studies, for instance, but also Environmental Studies  perform really important roles in the four year education of undergraduates, White said. She added that curricula in those programs are already recognized by the Ohio Department of Higher Education as accredited and that its clear that the programs meet degree-granting requirements.

OU declined to comment on specific impacts of SB1.

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Tom Hodson, a retired Athens County judge and the Athens County Independents legal columnist, told the Independent in an email, The bill does not specifically say those academic pursuits [in WGSS and African American Studies] must be eliminated but there is enough vagueness that I feel the university will be super cautious.

There is enough language in the bill for the university to put those programs on the chopping block, he added.

However, eliminating or making major changes to those programs is not the only way of interpreting provisions in the bill, Hodson explained.

One of the major problems with SB1 is its vagueness, Hodson said. That will be, I am sure, one of the attacks on it in litigation.

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Muhammad said the combined impact of eliminating departments such as African American Studies and closing the diversity centers would rob [students] of that intellectual and community-rooted content that students here have just come to expect.

That work benefits everyone, Muhammad said, and is particularly important in a predominantly white institution.

We address socio-economic disparity, and if youre in southeastern Ohio and you dont address that, then youre not doing your job, Muhammad said.

Stokes said the bill  especially its provisions around post-tenure review and a student complaint process the bill says is intended to ensure intellectual diversity  could result in a chilling effect in classrooms across the board.

Looking forward

Should SB 1 pass, Muhammad will call on OU to minimize disruption.

It will be strategic for the university, those who are at that particular table, to find ways to mitigate the damage  thats the most I could expect from it at the institutional level, Muhammad said.

Stokes said OU should support marginalized students, including by offering meeting spaces for student clubs representing minority groups and supporting first-generation students and those without access to family wealth.

Community organizations are also working to address the likely fallout. United Campus Ministry, for instance, is preparing to host an influx of students, resources, and programming currently supported by OUs Pride Center, Faber said.

Community leaders in Lancaster have organized a womens conference in place of the one OU canceled earlier this month, WOUB reported.

Meanwhile, Muhammad said, What people do on the ground  faculty, staff and students  is to continue to protest, push for, argue for, advocate for not being robbed of the essence of who we are.

Keri Johnson contributed reporting to this story.

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BEREA, Ky. (FOX 56)  Community members are speaking out against Berea Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Diane Hatchett after a change.org petition called for her resignation.

Students and faculty staged a walkout on Wednesday afternoon in support of the petition.

Holding a sign she had at the protest, Brinkley Osborne, a 12th-grade student at Berea Community high School, said, Our school motto is Aim high and dare to be great. But I crossed out great and put accountable.

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Madison County organization looks to build safe haven for victims of sexual exploitation

The petition calling for Hatchetts resignation has gained support from more than 1,000 people.

I hope she resigns immediately. Couldnt do it soon enough, because we need to right this ship as quick as possible, said Kerry Cummins, who started the petition.

This petition comes after district leaders announced plans to cut a total of nearly two dozen staff positions10 at the elementary level, five and a half in middle school, and eight and a half in high school.

Whenever were losing good, faculty members, good staff, because you dont have money to pay them because of gross misconduct. It just breaks my heart, and I had to do something, said Cummins.

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The petition alleged that Hatchett spent more than $41,000 on travel expenses in this school year alone, which is nearly double Bereas per-capita income.

The cuts are expected to save the district nearly one-point-three million dollars, but students from the protest say you cant put a price on the effects these cuts will have on them.

Osborne said, The underclassmen, theyre not getting to leave this year. They have to stay at that school. If they choose to, theyre going to be the ones who are dealing with the repercussions of this.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Chloe Gibson, a senior at the walkout, said, I have a younger brother. And even knowing that, like the school experience I had, he might not be able to get, it broke my heart. So, I knew that I wanted to leave that for him and for all our underclassmen.

Hatchett announced in January that she plans to retire at the end of this school year, ending her over 35-year career in education.

FOX 56 reached out to the district for comment but has not heard back yet.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News.
Students are considering rescinding their applications to Columbia University after the Trump administration pulled $400 million of the universitys federal funding.

A statement from federal agencies said the money had been pulled owing to the continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students, after the school last year became ground zero for student protests against the Hamas-Israel conflict.

One student, who already accepted a binding offer to attend the university, said he may take a gap year and apply to other institutions because he fears the name no longer holds the value it once did.

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Others have been so put off by the uncertainty surrounding the universitys funding that they have considered writing to Columbia to request withdrawing their application, according to a top applications consultant.

Columbia University students at a pro-Palestine rally on the anniversary of October 7 - Alex Kent

The brand name has been beyond tarnished and ruined, Christopher Rim, chief executive of Command Education, told The Telegraph.

Two years ago if you got into Columbia you were so happy. Now its like, okay, well, what are the other options out there, he said.

Columbia, which is currently number 18 in the Times Higher Education World University rankings, previously saw students building encampments on the university lawn and taking over a department building in protest.

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It sparked concerns about anti-Semitism on campus, with some Jewish students complaining they felt unsafe.

The university is reportedly gearing up to bow to Donald Trumps demands in order to restore the funding, which includes banning masks and putting the department of Middle East, South Asian and African Studies under academic receivership, meaning it will be placed under control of someone outside of the department.

Mr Rim, a university admissions consultancy firm, has helped around 100 prospective students apply to university this year, around 30 of whom applied to Columbia.

Wealthy parents spend $120,000-a-year from as young as 11 for Mr Rims services to help their children get into the best universities, with many spending years preparing to apply to the New York-based university.

Columbia on resume no longer holds value

One student, 17, who has been using Mr Rims services for four years said he was excited to attend Columbia after he received an early decision in December. Students who are accepted early must rescind all other applications as part of their agreement to attend the college.

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His elder brother did not apply to Columbia last year because of the protests and was accepted into Yale and Princeton.

Student protesters gather inside their encampment on the Columbia University campus - Stefan Jeremiah

Recent developments have led me to reconsider my commitment to Columbia, the student, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

The lab I had planned to work in is now facing potential loss of funding, which is deeply disappointing... Now, I am considering taking a gap year and reapplying to other universities next fall.

At this point, having Columbia on my resume no longer holds the value it once did, particularly with CEOs and companies publicly stating they will not hire graduates from Columbia due to the current campus environment.

Im not gonna go

Other applicants will find out if they have a place at any of Americas eight Ivy League universities next Thursday on what is referred to as Ivy day.

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But Mr Rim said he has received a barrage of calls from virtually every student saying they no longer want to attend Columbia.

We have some students who are saying whether or not I get in or not, Im not gonna go, he said.

There are so many CEOs of major corporations and companies and finance companies, hedge funds, that are saying we will not be hiring from Columbia and singled out the name Colombia out of all the Ivy League colleges.

We have students who are saying Chris, should I try to make a statement and call the school and rescind my application? Theres no point, decisions are coming out in a week, so who cares if you dont want to go, just dont go, but Im getting a lot of these calls.

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A student that Mr Rim helped get into Columbia last year has said the funding threat has put their research position in jeopardy and they have asked for help to transfer to another university this September.

This week the Trump administration said it was suspending $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) over the schools policy on transgender athletes.

It comes after former UPenn student, Lia Thomas, a transgender woman, won the highest US national college swimming title in 2022 while competing for the Ivy League university.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist, was arrested by immigration officers earlier this month after helping lead anti-Israel protests as a graduate student at Columbia University in 2024.

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The Trump administrations attempt to deport Mr Khalil, who is a legal permanent US resident who is also married to an American, has sparked concern among other students at the university.

The Telegraph has contacted Columbia for comment.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  A local art class is making more than three dozen ceramic bowls for an area soup kitchen.

The class of 10 School of Innovation students aims to make 40 bowls to deliver to the Springfield Soup Kitchen on Wednesday, April 2, where they will volunteer serving meals.

Designed by the students, each handmade bowl also features an encouraging message written by them.

Donate blood before Spring Break, get a pickleball set

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The project is being led by art teacher Jeffrey Brunner, who got a grant to purchase throwing wheels and pottery materials.

I wanted to give back more directly and create a way for the students to be more involved as

well, said Brunner.

The project will help students learn about volunteering within their community.

To find out more about the vital work of the Springfield Soup Kitchen, click here.

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(Reuters) -Sudan's army is close to taking control of the Presidential Palace in Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, state TV reported on Thursday, in a significant milestone in a two-year-old conflict that threatens to fracture the country.

The RSF quickly took the palace and most of the capital at the outbreak of war in April 2023, but the Sudanese Armed Forces have in recent months staged a comeback and inched towards the palace along the River Nile.

The RSF, which earlier this year began establishing a parallel government, maintains control of parts of Khartoum and neighbouring Omdurman, as well as western Sudan, where it is fighting to take control of the army's last stronghold in Darfur, al-Fashir.

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The taking of the capital could hasten the army's full takeover of central Sudan, and harden the east-west territorial division of the country between the two forces.

Both sides have vowed to continue fighting for the remainder of the country, and no efforts at peace talks have materialised.

The war erupted amid a power struggle between Sudan's army and the RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.

WORLD'S LARGEST HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

The conflict has led to what the U.N. calls the world's largest humanitarian crisis, causing famine in several locations and disease across the country. Both sides have been accused of war crimes, while the RSF has also been charged with genocide. Both forces deny the charges.

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The fight for the Presidential Palace has raged over the past several weeks, with the RSF fighting fiercely to maintain control, including via snipers placed around surrounding downtown buildings. Its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, instructed troops earlier this week not to give up the palace.

Late on Wednesday into Thursday morning, explosions could be heard from airstrikes and drone attacks by the army targeting central Khartoum, witnesses and military sources told Reuters. The army has long maintained the advantage of air power over the RSF, though the paramilitary group has shown evidence of increased drone capabilities recently.

On the Telegram messenger app, the RSF said its forces were making advances towards the Army General Command, also in central Khartoum, and eyewitnesses said the force was attacking from southern Khartoum.

The army's advance in central Sudan since late last year has been welcomed by many people, who had been displaced by the RSF, which has been accused of widespread looting and arbitrary killings, and of occupying homes and neighbourhoods.

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The RSF denies the charges and says individual perpetrators will be brought to justice.

Hundreds of thousands of people have returned to their homes in Central Sudan, though late on Wednesday activists in Omdurman warned that some soldiers have engaged in robbery. The military has routinely denied such allegations.

(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Nafisa Eltahir and Jana Choukeir; Editing by Tom Hogue, Michael Perry and Sharon Singleton)
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)  Stay up to date on the latest headlines in todays Sunrise Smart Start for Thursday, March 20, 2025.

That nice warmth felt on Wednesday is gone as temperatures are back down in the 50s this afternoon. We continue to cool as a Canadian air mass pushes in from the northwest.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst.
On 19 March Argentinas lower chamber of congress approved a controversial decree of necessity and urgency (DNU) authorising a new agreement between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) while large anti-government protests took place outside congress.

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters reached a settlement with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission over a complaint that he used his official office and social media accounts to share politically charged messages.

The agreement comes as Walters remains under a separate ethics investigation into alleged campaign finance violations.

The complaint Walters settled this week stemmed from multiple social media posts he made to his X account leading up to the November election.

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Walters X account, which displayed his official state portrait as its profile picture, used Walters official state office title, Superintendent Ryan Walters in the account name.

The accounts handle, @RyanWaltersSupt, also included an abbreviation of his official Superintendent title.

On the account, Walters posted videos of himself to his X account endorsing President Trump and urging Oklahomans to vote for him in the weeks leading up to the November 2024 election.

The biggest threat out there to our U.S. economy, our parents, our kidsis Kamala Harris, Walters said a clip he shared of himself on Fox Business Network.

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The administration, Kamala Harris, has ignored this crisis, has ignored this issue, he said in another, taken from an appearance on Fox & Friends.

Ethics Commission settlement reached with State Supt. Ryan Walters

In another video, Walters encouraged people to vote for President Donald Trump.

I encourage everybody to get out today, vote for President Trump, he said.

The Oklahoma State Department of Educations official social media accounts also shared politically charged messages during that time, a move legal experts say was risky.

Its against ethics rules to use anything official for campaign purposes, attorney Ed Blau said.

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The Oklahoma Ethics Commission launched an investigation into Walters social media use in January, ultimately leading to this weeks settlement.

And in this particular case, when you use your official portrait, when you use your official title and advocate for the election of a person or people, I mean, thats campaigning, Blau said. Youre just simply not allowed to do that.

As part of his settlement with the Ethics Commission, Walters agreed to pay a $5,000 fine, remove his official state portrait from his personal social media, and take the word Superintendent out of his accounts title and handle.

He made those changes on Tuesday.

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Oklahoma Ethics Commission votes to pursue prosecution against State Supt. Walters

In my opinion, it was a pretty run-of-the-mill settlement agreement, Blau said. It was something meant to both deter future behavior and to kind of send a message to other elected officials who may try to do something like this.

However, Walters still faces a second investigation by the Ethics Commission, which is looking into whether he violated campaign finance laws during his 2022 run for state superintendent.

Last week, the commission voted to prosecute Walters in civil court over those allegations.

It goes through the regular court process. Theres discovery. In the end, there could be a trial, and either a judge or a jury could make a determination, Blau said.

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Legal experts say the decision to take Walters to court is a sign that the Ethics Commission is taking the allegations particularly serious.

Ethics probes arent unusual. But for something to go forward where theres an actual lawsuit filed against a sitting statewide elected official, it is pretty unusual, Blau said.

News 4 reached out to the Oklahoma State Department of Education for a response from Walters.

Superintendent Walters has always committed to following all guidelines and transparency in his political operations, his spokesperson said in a statement.

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ST. LOUIS  Nearly a week after severe storms rolled into the area, the National Weather Service St. Louis office has released their complete assessments of surveys for damage left behind. In total, our viewing area had 14 tornadoes.

FOX 2s viewing area spans more than what the NWS St. Louis Office County Warning Area (CWA) covers. As the St. Louis CWA only reports 12, there were two additional tornadoes in our viewing area but in other CWAsSpringfield, Missouri, and Paducah, Kentuckytotaling to 14 tornadoes.

Below is a compiled list of tornadoes that occurred in our viewing area on March 14, 2025.

Rolla, Missouri  EF-2

7:50 p.m. to 7:58 p.m.

Peak winds of 120 mph

Traveled over 8.5 miles northeast from Doolittle to Rolla

Roof damage to several homes, businesses, schools

One injury, no deaths

Union, Missouri  EF-1

8:29 p.m. to 8:51 p.m.

Peak winds of 105 mph

Traveled 19.2 miles northeast from Elmont to Union

Damage to homes, telephone poles, trees, one large barn

No injuries or deaths

Kohl City, Missouri  EF-1

8:33 p.m. to 8:39 p.m.

Peak winds of 105 mph

Traveled over 5.5 miles northeast from Kohl City to Etlah

Damage to trees, a few structures

No injuries or deaths

Villa Ridge/Fox Creek, Missouri  EF-2

8:56 p.m. to 9:10 p.m.

Peak winds of 130 mph

Traveled 13.6 miles northeast from Villa Ridge to Fox Creek

Damage to industrial facility, knocking top portion of microwave tower down, and leaving homes inhabitable

One injury, no deaths

Clarkson Valley/Alton, Missouri and Illinois  EF-2

9:16 p.m. to 9:53 p.m.

Peak winds of 122 mph

Traveled nearly 31 miles northeast from Chesterfield to Alton, Illinois

Reached nearly 3/4 of a mile wide as it approached Old Jamestown and West Alton

Widespread damage

No injuries or deaths

Morse Mill/Arnold/Mehlville, Missouri  EF-2

9:18 p.m. to 9:39 p.m.

Peak winds of 115 mph

Traveled 25 miles northeast from Morse Mill to Mehlville

Most significant damage to Arnold, roof torn off

No injuries or deaths

Fremont/Grady, Missouri  EF-3

9:51 p.m. to 10:11 p.m.

Peak winds of 165 mph

Traveled over 26 miles northeast from Carter County (or potentially Shannon County, still unknown at this time) to Grady in Iron County

No injuries or deaths

No EF-3-scaled damage occurred in St. Louis County Warning Area

Valmeyer, Illinois  EF-1

9:52 p.m. to 10:10 p.m.

Peak winds of 100 mph

Traveled over 14.5 miles northeast from Monroe County to Floraville, Illinois

Damaged homes and small businesses

No injuries or deaths

Clearwater Lake/Des Arc/Saco, Missouri  EF-3

10:20 p.m. to 10:57 p.m.

Peak winds of 155 mph

Traveled nearly 30 miles northeast from Clearwater Conservation Area to Jewett, Missouri

Significant damage to homes in Gads Hill and Des Arc

No information on injuries or deaths

OFallon/Lebanon/St. Rose, Illinois  EF-1

10:28 p.m. to 10:33 p.m.

Peak winds of 109 mph

Traveled almost seven miles northeast from OFallon to southern Madison County

No injuries or deaths

Most significant damage to Parkview Trailer Park with several mobile homes damaged, destroyed

Mascoutah/Trenton, Illinois  EF-2

10:33 p.m. to 10:38 p.m.

Peak winds of 120 mph

Traveled over six miles northeast from New Baden to just south of Trenton

Most damage along Clinton County Line Road

No injuries or deaths

Hagarstown/Vandalia, Illinois  EF-1

11:11 p.m. to 11:23 p.m.

Peak winds of 90 mph

Traveled 13 miles northeast from Hagarstown to Sefton

Several trees uprooted in Vandalia

No injuries or deaths

Perryville/Leanderville, Illinois  EF-2

11:31 p.m. to 11:55 p.m.

Peak winds of 135 mph

Traveled 25 miles northeast from Bollinger to Perry county

Damage to homes, school, and hundreds of trees

No injuries or deaths

No EF-2-scaled damage occurred in St. Louis County Warning Area

DuQuoin/St. Johns, Illinois  EF-2

12:10 a.m. to 12:23 a.m.

Peak winds of 130 mph

Traveled 13.5 miles northeast in Jackson County to Perry County

Some homes left inhabitable, collapsed building, numerous broken power poles

No injuries or deaths

Although the National Weather Service does not report any deaths in our viewing area caused by the tornado itself, there were two storm-related deaths. 43-year-old Jennifer Brewington was electrocuted from a downed power line Friday night, and another woman died after driving into standing water in Jefferson County.

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The French government is preparing to send some literature to every household this summer.

A new tome for the annual A book for the holidays campaign? How delightful.

Well, not so wholesome or cheery as it turns out, as the literature in question is a twenty-page survival manual which details the steps to take in the event of an armed conflict or any crisis.

Modelled on a similar Norwegian booklet and the Swedish model, Om krisen eller kriget kommer (In case of crisis or war), which was distributed to households in 2018, the booklet will detail "all the good gestures to adopt in the event of an imminent threat in France, a government source told Europe 1.

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These threats include armed conflict, as well as natural disasters such as flooding or a new health epidemic.

Norwegian (left) and Swedish (right) models - DSB - MSB

The publication is reportedly divided into three distinct parts:

Protecting yourself - a section intended to raise solidarity when it comes to protecting oneself and neighbours. This first part also lists the survival kit to have at home in the event of a serious crisis. The kit includes at least six litres of bottled water, ten canned goods, batteries and a flashlight in case of a power cut. What to do in the event of an alert - a part detailing the actions one must take in the event of an imminent threat. This chapter lists emergency numbers, radio frequencies, as well as tips like closing all doors in the event of a nuclear accident. Get involved - this final section explains how to sign up to a reserve force, whether military or communal.

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"This document aims to ensure the resilience of populations in the face of all types of crises, whether natural, technological, cyber, or security-related, according to a statement from the government. This draft document, whose conditions for distribution to the French public have not yet been defined, is currently being approved by the Prime Minister.

The title also has not been defined, and sources say that the two main options are: French Resilience" or "All Resilient.

"Kit de survie" - Gouvernement Francais

As you can imagine, the announcement of the distribution of a survival manual has sparked criticism online, with many calling it a waste of money, some likening it to Cold War brochures, and others writing: "Stop creating a climate of fear and anxiety."

Indeed, while hardly surprising in the wake of President Emmanuel Macrons March 5 speech, in which he declared that the threat of armed conflict with Russia concerned all European countries and called for strengthening the continent's defenses, a survival booklet doesnt exactly smack of reassurance.

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However, as indicated by the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security (SGDSN), this guide is an integral part of the national resilience strategy, initiated after the Covid-19 pandemic - and therefore predates the start of Russias invasion of Ukraine.

Still, until the pamphlet arrives in letterboxes, lets just hope the advice goes beyond close your doors in case of a nuclear blast. Anxiety-inducing is one thing, but thinking that closed doors are going to prevent... well, anything... or that people would rush to crack open a window in order to take in as much of the nuclear mushroom as possible is insulting.

Hell of a sunrise, though.

Also, no mention of what to do in case of a zombie apocalypse...

Part 4, maybe?
ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  A suspect accused of sexually assaulting a woman after drinking beer with her in the parking lot of an Abilene church has been indicted.

Valente Erik Cano was indicted on one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault Thursday in connection to the allegations.

Court documents state a victim was contacted at Hendrick Medical Center after she reported a rape in July 2024.

This victim told police that she was walking down the street when she was approached by a man, later identified as Cano, who offered to buy beer in drink it with her, according to the documents

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After Cano purchased the beer from a nearby store, the documents state they went to the parking lot of a church, and when the victim tried to leave at 45 minutes, Cano allegedly forced her down, raped her, and stole her phone and money.

Surveillance video showed Cano buying the beer and officials with the church confirmed they found the beer in their parking lot.

The documents also state the victim provided DNA evidence that was a strong match for Cano.

Cano now remains held in the Taylor County Jail on bonds totaling $60,000.

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CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WFXR)  Christiansburg Police said a man is now in custody after allegedly robbing the Truist Bank in Christiansburg on March 20.

According to CPD, around 9 a.m. on Thursday, 56-year-old Jeffrey Wayne Norford of Radford allegedly entered the Truist Bank and displayed a note demanding money. He then left the scene, according to police.

There have been no injuries, and no weapons were used during the incident, police said.

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Two hours later, Norford was located and taken into custody behind the Uptown Mall.

Man arrested for drugs, weapons now faces child porn charges

Jeffrey Wayne Norford has been arrested and charged with the following:

Felony robbery (unarmed)

Felony wearing a mask, hood, or other device with intent to conceal identity during the commission of a crime

Misdemeanor obtaining money, goods, or services by false pretenses with intent to defraud

Norford is currently being held at the Montgomery County Jail without bond.

Thank you to the multiple agencies who aided in the response including the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, Blacksburg Police Department, Virginia Tech Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, said Christiansburg Police Chief Ramsey. This incident was resolved quickly thanks to the staff at Truist Bank who remained calm and were able to give an accurate description of the suspect, as well as excellent police work from the Christiansburg Police Department (patrol, K9, tactical, investigators, drone) and perhaps most importantly the outstanding level of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the New River Valley. This is yet another example of how our agencies work together to serve and protect our community.

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A suspect was arrested after he allegedly robbed a bank in Seal Beach and threatened to harm employees.

Police identified the suspect as Thomas Crampton, 43, of Anaheim.

On Wednesday, shortly after 9 a.m., Seal Beach police responded to a robbery at a Chase Bank on the 800 block of Pacific Coast Highway.

Crampton had reportedly entered the bank and demanded money from the workers. He claimed to have a gun and threatened to harm them if they did not cooperate, police said.

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The employees complied with Cramptons demands and after he received an undisclosed amount, he fled the scene on foot.

Officers arrived at the bank and began searching the neighborhood for Crampton.

Thomas Crampton, 43, of Anaheim, is seen in a photo provided by the Seal Beach Police Department. Chase Bank located at 801 Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach, California. (Google Maps)

With help from Seal Beach Marine Safety Lifeguards, an Orange County Sheriffs Department bloodhound and officers from the Hawthorne and Torrance Police Departments, Crampton was found about half a mile away from the bank.

He was arrested for robbery and parole violation and booked at the Orange County Jail.

The swift arrest today highlights the effectiveness of our officers and the importance of regional partnerships in keeping our community safe, said Seal Beach police chief Michael Henderson. Were grateful for the immediate response from our law enforcement partners and proud of the coordinated effort that quickly resolved this incident.

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No further details were released. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sergeant Jeff Gibson at 562-799-4100 ext. 1172 or email jgibson@sealbeachca.gov.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
The L.A. County Sheriffs Department has identified the prime suspect in a murder case in Arcadia, but the man  who is considered armed and dangerous by authorities  is believed to have fled the country.

According to the sheriffs department, deputies were first dispatched to the 50 block of Woodland Lane at 6:26 p.m. on Mar. 11 regarding a caller who stated that an intruder  later identified as Zehao Lu  had entered their home and shot their father.

It was later learned that the caller was the victims 13-year-old son.

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I cant imagine what that must feel likeif he did actually witness his father get murdered, LASD Lt. Steven De Jong told KTLA at the scene.

11-year-old stabbed to death inside Orange County motel, mother arrested

Responding personnel discovered the 61-year-old victim in the location suffering from a gunshot to his torso, LASD said in their latest update on the case, which was issued Wednesday. Arcadia Fire Department personnel treated the victim and transported him to a local hospital where he died from his wounds.

Police arrive in tactical gear after a fatal shooting in Arcadia on March 11, 2025. (RMG News)

An additional two victims were found at the location: a 43-year-old Asian female and a 13-year-old Asian male, the latter of whom had sustained scratches to his head and neck.

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He was treated at the scene and released while the female victim, his mother, was unharmed, deputies confirmed.

Homicide investigators learned Zehao Lu confronted the female victim and her son in the driveway of the location, the sheriffs department said. He forced them into their home where a confrontation occurred with the 61-year-old victim. Lu shot the 61-year-old victim and fled the location in an unknown direction.

None of the victims were immediately identified by name.

The tragic homicide on Mar. 11 resulted from a dispute between two individuals who were known to each other, Arcadia Police Department Chief Roy Nakamura stated. Our deepest sympathies go out to the victims family during this incredibly difficult time. While this targeted act of violence has deeply affected us all, we want to assure the community that Arcadia remains a safe place to live and work.

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Hip-hop exec faces RICO charges for allegedly running gang

Zehao Lu is a Chinese national and is believed to have fled to China, authorities said. The 41-year-old Lu is considered armed and dangerous.

He has been charged by the L.A. County DAs Office with one count of murder, two counts of assault with a semi-automatic handgun and one count of burglary with a person present to commit a felony. A no bail warrant with extradition has been issued for his arrest.

A wanted poster for Zehao Lu. (LASD)

Due to the exhaustion of leads, detectives are seeking the publics assistance in locating Lu. No further details surrounding the case are being released in order to maintain the integrity of the active investigation, but officials believe that this was an isolated incident.

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Anyone with information surrounding the case or Zehao Lus whereabouts is asked to contact the L.A. County Sheriff Departments Homicide Bureau by calling 323-890-5500.

To provide information anonymously, call Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477) or visit their website.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
Police identified a suspect whos being charged with murder after a deadly shooting Monday night in Chester.

According to the Chester Police Department, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division charged 32-year-old Micheal Andre Kendrick in connection with the killing of Bryan Feaster.

PREVIOUS STORY: Argument inside home leads to deadly shooting, Chester police say

Feaster was killed inside a home Monday night, and Kendrick ran away after the shooting, investigators said.

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Kendrick was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime.

Police havent released many details on the shooting, but Channel 9 learned an argument was happening before Feaster was killed.

Kendrick was booked into the Chester County Detention Center, according to the police department.

(VIDEO: Concerns arise as Chester officials fire deputy chief over alleged interference)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI)  A man accused of killing another man in Providence last fall appeared in court Wednesday for arraignment.

Michael Shaw, 41, pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of 57-year-old Michael Ames.

On the morning of Sept. 26, 2024, police found Ames dead in the basement of a multi-family home on Westminster Street after being called there for a well-being check.

Police said Ames had obvious physical trauma injuries.

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Shaw was arrested a few blocks away on Wendell Street.

On Wednesday, he was ordered held until a bail hearing at a later date.

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On 19 March, after two days of sometimes violent public protests, Guatemalas Presidentwithdrew plans to impose obligatory vehicle insurance, offering instead a year-long dialogue with interested parties to draft a new general transport law.

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BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First)  Jail records show that the suspect accused of a shooting at a Southern University dorm that left one injured has been booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.

Semaj Joiner, 23, was booked into the local jail on Thursday. He was arrested by the U.S. Marshals in Fort Worth, Texas on March 13.

Southern University police officers responded to a reported shooting at Jones Hall around 7 p.m. March 2. An affidavit states Joiner and the victim contacted each other through a social media app and agreed to meet for a haircut. Joiner is accused of pulling out a gun and cocking it before a shot was fired and struck the victim. Detectives believe the altercation stemmed from an outstanding debt.

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Joiner faces charges of carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon in a firearm-free zone, attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of weapons. No bond amount has been set at the time of the publishing of this article.

Police arrest man accused of fatal shooting near Our Lady of the Lake Hospital

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A tense situation involving an allegedly armed man in an apartment building ended peacefully Wednesday night.

29-year-old Douglas Chin was taken into custody following a 3-hour standoff at 207 Shurtleff Street, according to Chelsea Police.

Authorities say officers responding to a report of a disturbance around 6:45 p.m. at the complex found that Chin was allegedly involved in a violent fight in the hallway, destroying property and threatening staff members.

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Police located him in the hallway and say he had several outstanding warrants out of Cambridge District Court  including multiple assaults involving police officers.

Chin quickly retreated to his apartment and refused to come out.

Officers believed he may have been armed with a knife, and say chin began making threats, becoming increasingly hostile.

Residents of the apartment were evacuated out of an abundance of caution and crisis negotiators were called to the scene.

After nearly three hours of negotiating with Chin to no avail, the Chelsea Police Department requested the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Tactical STOP Team to conduct a forced entry.

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At 10:20 p.m., police entered Chins apartment and successfully took him into custody without incident. Chin was transported to the Cambridge Health Alliance in Everett for medical evaluation.

He was then booked at Chelsea Police Headquarters and will be arraigned in Chelsea District Court on Thursday.

This outcome demonstrates the effectiveness of de-escalation efforts, teamwork, and our collaboration with state law enforcement partners, said Chief Keith Houghton. Our priority is always the safety of the community, and I commend our officers and our crisis negotiator for his patience and professionalism in resolving this tense situation peacefully.

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Several groups in Sweden are calling for a boycott of goods from the U.S. in response to policy changes coming from the country.

Facebook groups Bojkotta varor fran USA and Boykot varer fra USA, which have close to 170,000 members combined, are calling for a boycott of American products. Some of the brands these groups suggest Swedes stop buying or using include Amazon, Kelloggs, LinkedIn, Netflix and Uber.

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The creator of the Bojkotta varor fran USA group, Jannike Kohinoor, says that she felt compelled to act. When I can't vote in the U.S. elections or demonstrate on the streets in the United States, I feel that I have to do something, she told Euronews

What is the exact reason these groups, and others in the country, are calling for boycotts of U.S. goods and services?

Why the Swedes are boycotting U.S. goods

Euronews reports that such boycott movements started as a response to several U.S. policy changes. These include tariffs imposed on Europe and the U.S. governments decision to stop supporting Ukraine. The hope is that the boycotts will put pressure on the current U.S. administration.

The European Union (EU), in response to the tariffs, says it will introduce a series of countermeasures such as additional tariffs on U.S. products like beef, poultry, textiles and steel.

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The U.S. and EU tariffs will target billions of dollars worth of goods, and could increase tensions between these regions.

While the boycott in Sweden could have some effect, its hard to tell how much, and whether it will pressure the U.S. to change its policies.

Whats more, its unclear exactly what types of products will be affected by countermeasures. The EU says its currently working to ensure that the right products are chosen for its response to be effective while also keeping disruption to businesses and consumers to a minimum.

Some members of the Facebook groups are unsure about whether they can even avoid U.S. products.

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One Swedish shopper says she doesn't know if shell be able to steer clear of U.S. goods because you go and do your usual shopping and you may not always think about where it comes from.

Another says that everything has an American influence, so it could be that you should almost boycott everything.

Aside from not knowing what to boycott, the uncertainty about what could happen to the price of goods and services is real, even if youre not Swedish.

Read more: Gold just hit a historic high of $3,000/ounce on Trumps tariff moves  while US stocks got slaughtered. Heres 1 simple way to prevent more pain within minutes

How to budget during uncertain times

In times of uncertainty, there are several best practices you can implement to help protect your finances.

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First, get clear about your take-home income versus what you spend each month. Look through your credit card and bank statements to help track your spending. Create a bare-bones budget in case you need to cut back on discretionary expenses to account for, say, higher grocery prices. Make a list of what youre willing to cut back on temporarily, if you need to.

Planning for emergencies is also crucial. Set aside funds in a separate savings account in case of unforeseen expenses, like medical bills or a car repair, or for basic expenses should you lose your job.

The rule of thumb is to save at least three months worth of expenses. That amount could feel daunting, but you can start small  even $25 a week is better than nothing.

Aside from savings, see whether its possible to work towards increasing your income. It could be the perfect opportunity to look for a new job or see if there are opportunities to move up in your current company. Even if its for a short while, taking on some gig work or starting a side hustle could also offer some reprieve from climbing prices.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Swedish police should be allowed to use real-time, AI-powered face-recognition to combat crime, Sweden's government proposed on Thursday, as it seeks new tools to stop sometimes violent offences rocking the Nordic country in recent years.

The proposed law would allow the police to use AI technology to locate or identify people in connection with serious crimes, such as human trafficking, kidnapping and murder.

"To push back gang crime and restore security in society, the police must have access to effective tools," Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said in a statement.

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Sweden has been plagued by gang violence for more than a decade and had by far the EU's highest rate of deadly gun violence per capita in 2023, the latest year for which there are comparable statistics.

The violence has come to overshadow all else in Swedish politics, driving the rise of a right-wing coalition that came to power in 2022 with support of the far right. The launch of the coalition ended eight years of rule by the Social Democrats, Sweden's dominant political party since the 1930s.

The government said the new law, which is still to be put to a vote in parliament and would come into effect at the beginning of 2026 if passed, would comply with personal integrity laws and only be used in matters of particular importance.

(Reporting by Johan Ahlander, Editing by William Maclean)
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan at President Donald Trump's address to a joint session of Congress on March 4. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

President Donald Trumps social media posts  with their random capitalization, inventive grammar and heavy use of exclamation points and insults  draw a lot of different reactions, but its a safe bet that a history lesson is not at top of the list.

Much less a history lesson that invoked a Founding Father from Maryland and led to a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday.

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But thats where Sen. Charles Sydnor (D-Baltimore County) took the presidents angry post Tuesday on Truth Social that called for the impeachment of a federal judge who disagreed with him, and the rare reply from Chief Justice John Roberts that said  and this is not a direct quote  chill on the impeachment talk.

Trump was angry with U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who ruled against the administrations plan to use an 18th century law to deport Venezuelan migrants, and ordered the government to turn around planes that were on their way to Venezuela  which the administration did not do. Trump responded with a post that called Boasberg a troublemaker and agitator and said the Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge  like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!

Samuel Chase, Founding Father, legislator, Supreme Court justice  and target of a failed impeachment attempt in 1805. (Photo by Steve Crane/Maryland Matters)

That drew the attention of Roberts, who released a statement through the courts press office: For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

And that drew the attention of Sydnor, who as a student of history wondered who Roberts was referring to from two centuries ago.

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Who he was referring to was our very own Samuel Chase, right here on the wall, he said, pointing to the large but largely overlooked portrait looming over senators desks at the back of the chamber.

Chases portrait shows him in the judicial robes of his time on the U.S. Supreme Court, but he was also a member of the legislature and a signer of the Declaration. And a rabid partisan, whose Federalist leanings leached over into his behavior on the bench. That led to his impeachment by the U.S. House on eight articles, but the Senate failed to convict him.

It was the last time a Supreme Court justice faced impeachment, and it set the standard that judges should be impeached for indictable offenses, not just errors on the bench. That, as Roberts noted, is what appellate courts are for.

I just felt, given such tension on whats happening at the federal level, and we had someone who used to serve right here in this body, Sydnor said. I felt it was appropriate to call attention to this.

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So noted.

Annapolis lobbying firm heads west

A powerhouse Annapolis lobbying firm is going west.

Perry Jacobs will remain anchored in Maryland but announced Wednesday that it will open up a new office in Denver. The new office will be headed by Leroy M. Garcia, the former Colorado Senate president and a former official under President Joseph Biden.

Garcia will be a partner in the firm.

Leroy was a natural addition as we looked to expand our services, said Perry Jacobson Managing Partner Jonas Jacobson. Hes highly respected in Colorado, and his national network through organizations like NCSL [National Conference of State Legislatures] and NALEO [National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials] gives us the opportunity to offer our clients an even greater level of connectivity and expertise.

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This move isnt about expanding just to have a presence in new states  its about strengthening our team with leaders who can help our clients accomplish their goals, he said.

Jacobson, in a statement to Maryland Matters, said staking a claim in the Centennial State was a natural move because many of the firms existing clients have interest in both states.

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J. Sargent Reynolds Community College in Henrico. (Photo courtesy WWBT)

Reynolds Community College will host a summit Friday focused on helping Virginia veterans and military medics transition into civilian health care jobs. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. attendees will be able to hear from a variety of expert speakers and witness work sessions at the event, led by Claude Moore Opportunities, a new nonprofit focused on expanding Virginias health care workforce.

The gatherings purpose is to explore pathways to help veterans and hospital corpsmen with health care experience get relative civilian jobs. While they often have plenty of experience that may be applicable, they may not always have the proper civilian credentials or licenses to work in civilian health care. Work sessions will be devoted to this topic.

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Keith Hall from the U.S. Department of Defenses Medical Education and Training Campus in San Antonio, Texas and Antwon Jacobs from the Virginia Department of Veterans Services Military Medics and Corpsman Program will be featured speakers. Joining them are veterans advocates, workforce development professionals and health care employers from around Virginia and other states.

Claude Moore Opportunities and its partners will also develop a strategic plan for eliminating employment barriers by matching peoples health care skills to career opportunities and credentials they need.

A 2023 study report noted health care professional shortages in Virginia and recommended increased state-level coordination to help. The report stated that if current trends persist, nursing, primary care, and behavioral health workforce shortages will increase across Virginia.

A nonprofit organization, Claude MooreOpportunities is led by Dr. Bill Hazel, Jr., Virginias former secretary of health and human resources under governors Bob McDonnell and Terry McAuliffe. The organization works to raise and distribute philanthropic funds directed towards boosting health care workforces in Virginia.

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WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW)  A T-Mobile grant will help a Winfield Public Library project.

The library received notice on Thursday that it received $50,000 from the company to support the creation of the Patio, a new outdoor community space designed to foster connections, creativity, and collaboration among local residents.

We are grateful for receiving this very competitive, national grant from T-Mobile, which allows us to develop a space that fosters connections among our residents and provides additional ways to access the librarys resources. This project underscores our WPL Boards ongoing commitment to improving public access to all areas of the library, said Tabitha Hogan, Director of Winfield Library.

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What NCAA attendees in Wichita need to know

The total budget for the project, according to a news release from the library, will be $140,000. Construction is expected to start this spring, with the opening planned later this year.

Each quarter, T-Mobile awards 25 Hometown Grants to small towns with populations of 50,000 or less. To apply for a Hometown Grant, visit here.

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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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te said Thursday that the island's defense budget will exceed 3% of its economic output as it overhauls its military in the face of the rising threat from China.

Along with the latest equipment  much of it from the United States, the military is seeking funds to retain more service people with higher pay and to lengthen compulsory national service from four months to one year.

In a speech Thursday to the American Chamber of Commerce, Lai said his administration is determined to "ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3% of the GDP. At the same time, we will continue to reform national defense.

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Lais comments were the latest reassurance to U.S. and domestic critics who say Taiwan is not spending enough on its own defense. The self-governing island, which relies on the U.S. for much of its cutting-edge weaponry, currently spends about 2.45% of its gross domestic product on its military.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded that Taiwan increase defense spending as high as 10% of GDP, a proportion well above what the U.S. or any of its major allies spend, in order to deter China.

Chinas actions have also unsettled neighbors in the South China Sea and other parts of the Indo-Pacific.

Leaders in Australia and New Zealand have said China should have given them more warning before its navy conducted an unusual series of live fire exercises in the seas between the two countries last month, forcing flights to divert on short notice.

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Lai said that Taiwan plans to advance our cooperation with the U.S. and other democracies in upholding regional stability and prosperity."

China considers the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as part of its own territory and has significantly boosted its military to make good on its threat to invade the island to assert its control.

Raymond Greene, the de-facto U.S. ambassador to Taiwan; Dan Silver, the chamber chairperson; and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy attended the speech.

Taiwan and the U.S. have no formal diplomatic ties but American law requires Washington respond to threats toward the island.
By Andrew Mills and Mohammad Yunus Yawar

DOHA/KABUL (Reuters) -The Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen detained in Afghanistan for over two years following direct talks between U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials in Kabul, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan aboard a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening bound for Qatar, the source said. Glezmann and Boehler are expected to later travel onward to the United States.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement on Thursday confirming Glezmann's release.

Thursday's meeting in Kabul marked the highest-level direct talks between the United States and the Taliban since President Donald Trump came to power in January.

Boehler met with the Taliban administration's foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, according to a statement by the Afghan foreign ministry.

"During this meeting, discussions were held on Afghanistan-U.S. bilateral relations, the release of prisoners, and the provision of consular services to Afghans in the United States," the statement said.

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It added that the meeting was also attended by former U.S. special representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.

Qatar, a Gulf Arab state which represents U.S. diplomatic interests in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, said in a statement posted on X that it had facilitated Glezmann's release.

The source said that Qatar coordinated with Boehler to negotiate with the Taliban authorities.

"Following weeks of negotiations, a breakthrough was made by the Qataris during recent meetings with the Taliban," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

TALIBAN 'GOODWILL GESTURE'

In a statement, the Taliban called Glezmann's release a "goodwill gesture" reflecting its willingness to engage with the United States "on the basis of mutual respect and interests."

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The source said that the release was not part of a deal to free any Afghan detainees held by the U.S. in exchange.

The U.S. in January freed an Afghan convicted by an American court on charges of drug smuggling and terrorism in exchange for two U.S. citizens held in Afghanistan.

Qatari officials were also involved in negotiations for that deal, which began during the administration of former U.S. president Joe Biden and led to the release of two Americans, Ryan Corbett and William McKenty.

A third American citizen, Mahmood Habibi, is thought to remain in custody in Afghanistan.

BOEHLER'S HIGH LEVEL DIPLOMACY

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Glezmann was the second high-profile release of a U.S. citizen held overseas secured amid diplomacy by Boehler.

Boehler was involved in efforts that led to the release of American school teacher Marc Fogel from Russia last month.

In addition, Boehler has held direct talks with Palestinian militant group Hamas in an effort to secure the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. He also travelled to Iraq last month to push for the release of Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, a student at Princeton University.

Glezmann, a mechanic for Delta Airlines in Atlanta, was visiting Kabul as a tourist when he was detained by the Taliban in December 2022, according to the Foley Foundation, which monitors cases of Americans detained overseas.

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The foundation said Glezmann had been in sporadic telephone contact with his wife since he was detained, and that he had health conditions that deteriorated while in detention.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul and Andrew Mills in Doha; additional reporting by Steve Holland in Washington; writing by Andrew Mills and Charlotte Greenfield; editing by Alex Richardson, Mark Heinrich, Don Durfee and Marguerita Choy)
The Taliban has released another detained American, per AP News. George Glezmann, an airline mechanic from Atlanta, Georgia, was prevented from leaving Afghanistan while touring in December 2022. Later the American government labeled him as wrongfully detained.

Qatar served as a third-party negotiator for the deal between the Taliban and the Trump administration, securing praise from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step, Rubio said. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free all Americans unjustly detained around the world.

The normalization of U.S.-Afghan relations

In 2021, the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan suffered from a messy military withdrawal and a takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, a Muslim extremist group.

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Then-President Joe Biden was sharply criticized by members of Congress and the Pentagon and 13 members of the U.S. military perished before they could evacuate.

Since then, the Taliban has detained three Americans, including Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, who were released in January in exchange for a Taliban agent imprisoned in California, per NBC News.

Now Glezmann, who is in his mid-60s, is coming home to his wife, Aleksandra. Unlike the deal that released Corbett and McKenty, the United States did not exchange any prisoners to secure Glezmanns release.

Instead, officials say that the gesture was done out of goodwill, per The Associated Press. Afghanistans Foreign Ministry called it humanitarian grounds, saying that the Islamic Emirate again reaffirms its longstanding position that dialogue, understanding and diplomacy provide effective avenues for resolving all issues.

Taliban control of Afghanistan

Afghanistan has been racked with hardship since the Taliban assumed control of the government. The economy has spiraled. Billions of dollars in international aid were cut, thousands of highly-skilled Afghan workers fled the nation and the economy altogether crashed. Political freedoms have also been slashed. The Taliban outlawed political parties other than themselves and have begun to arrest journalists and academics who dissent.

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Further, the rights of women and girls have severely declined, according to reports. In 2023, Afghanistan dropped to last place on Georgetown Universitys Women, Peace and Security Index. Jobs have become gender-segregated, with many roles traditionally occupied by women shut down altogether  including the closure of all of Afghanistans beauty salons, which resulted in the loss of 60,000 womens jobs. Beyond the loss of economic independence, Afghan women are no longer able to leave their homes without the company of a male relative, per Euro News. Women who also do not wish to wear the Muslim hijab according Taliban requirements are being detained.

This so-called gender apartheid, along with the raft of other democratic norm violations, has generated reluctance among Western nations when it comes to cooperating with the Taliban. Some countries have continued to offer humanitarian aid in the hopes of preventing poverty and famine. Others have gone so far as to strike up economic deals.

For its part, the United States shut down its embassy in Afghanistan and partnered with Qatar instead.

Now, services for U.S. citizens are offered out of Kabul, Afghanistan, per The Hill. Qatar formally presents U.S. interests in Afghanistan.
The Taliban has released an American prisoner that was held by the militant group for over two years, in a deal struck by the Trump administration with the assistance of Qatari negotiators, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday.

George Glezmann, a Delta Airlines mechanic, was abducted by the Taliban in December 2022 while traveling in Afghanistan and identified as wrongfully detained by the federal government the next year. Glezmann's freedom marks the third release of an American prisoner of the Taliban since January.

In his statement, Rubio said Glezmann was on his way back to the U.S. to be reunited with his wife. He also expressed gratitude for Qatar, whose supplied negotiators helped broker the deal.

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Qatar has consistently proven to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations, Rubio said.

Qatari negotiators have been supporting the Trump administration with diplomatic initiatives across the Middle East, including the now-crumbling Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.

Rubio also noted that Glezmanns incoming return follows the release of Ryan Corbett and William McKenty, two Americans released by the Taliban shortly after President Donald Trumps inauguration.

Georges release is a positive and constructive step, Rubio said. It is also a reminder that other Americans are still detained in Afghanistan. President Trump will continue his tireless work to free ALL Americans unjustly detained around the world.

Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  More than a dozen homeowners who paid tens of thousands of dollars to One Stop Kitchen & Bath want to know where their money went after the company abruptly closed its three locations.

The Pinellas County Sheriffs Office confirms it is investigating what went wrong.

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Kari Stirling of Carrollwood said she and her husband saved for years for a complete kitchen remodel. In October, they forked over a $26,000 deposit, and the project was to begin in late January.

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Stirling said she received excuses and then the company closed its doors and then she learned her cabinets were never being made, as she says she was led to believe. The manufacturer confirmed to Better Call Behnken that it was not paid any money toward Stirlings cabinets because it had already placed the company on a credit hold due to failure to fulfill earlier financial obligations.

Im really angry and need it back, Stirling said. $26,000 might be a rounding error to someone but not to us. It means that everything that we were planning on doing is on hold because we dont just have that amount of cash on hand.

Numerous customers have called Better Call Behnken, seeking answers about what happened to their money.

The companys website lists showrooms in St. Petersburg, Oldsmar and Tampa.

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On the door of the Oldsmar showroom is a letter explaining the closure was forced upon us unexpectedly due to severe financial pressures beyond our control.

The last line of the letter says, this notice marks our final communication regarding the closure.

In addition, Stirling received an email saying the company is insolvent and placing some blame on the cabinet manufacture, MasterBrand.

The email said any deposits were submitted to Masterbrand for production.

However, Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken reached Farand Pawlak, a spokesman at MasterBrand who said that for Stirling and many others, no money was received because MasterBrand had already placed the company on a credit hold for failing to meet financial obligations.

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They are responsible for their own financial difficulties, and any claim otherwise would be inaccurate and misleading, Pawlak said.

Stirling said she wants accountability.

I feel like the couple, the owners, should have to pay us back, Stirling said. They took money for a service they didnt deliver. You cant just say oops, sorry, were bad business people, oh well.

Public records list the owners as Robert and Meriam Vaniglia. We were unable to reach them by phone, and a text message was not answered.

In addition to the sheriffs office investigation, the Pinellas County Consumer Protection office said it has more than a dozen complaints and asks impacted consumers to call their office, even if they dont live in Pinellas County.

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Consumers can also reach out to the Florida Attorney Generals Office and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

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ISLAMORADA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Tampa man found himself in a precarious situation after stealing a pair of boots and fleeing deputies, according to the Monroe County Sheriffs Office.

DaVeon Hassan Fleming, 29, was accused of stealing a pair of boots from a store in Islamorada at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Florida man to be executed today for the killing of an 8-year-old girl, her grandmother

Deputies found him after discovering his vehicle near the Snake Creek Bridge, but he ran off into the mangroves. He was then spotted crawling through murky water near Snake Creek.

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Deputies were unable to take him into custody by foot or using a boat.

Fleming was spotted again at around 6 p.m. and fled into the mangroves. MCSO said he swam to a pylon and was found clinging to it.

Fleming was arrested with the help of a citizen boater. He was charged with larceny and resisting arrest.

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Residents in Tampico will soon be dealing with both a boil order and a burn ban.

The village will disconnect water service to the town on Tuesday, March 25 at about 9 a.m. to perform hydrant maintenance. Once water service is restored, residents will be under a boil order until further notice.

No burning is allowed in the village until further notice.

Click here for more information on what to do during a boil order.

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(Bloomberg) -- Years of droughts in Mexico have already fractured its sugar exports to the US. Now President Donald Trumps proposed tariffs risk making the once-lucrative trade relationship even worse for Americas top foreign supplier of the commodity.

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Trade agreements between the two nations were meant to create a reliable flow of affordable sugar to the US. But the system has unraveled, with more imports now coming from everywhere else. Shipments from Mexico are expected to fall to a 17-year low in 2025, leaving the Latin American nation with a smaller sliver of the market than it expected.

The US sugar industry is heavily controlled with decades-old regulations intended to protect farmer profits and prevent other countries from flooding the country with sugar. The exception to that was Mexico, which shipped supplies freely under the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, until pacts in 2014 put in place an export limit and a minimum price floor. Those arrangements made Mexico the biggest foreign sugar supplier to the US.

But droughts in the past two years slashed production in Mexico, and the US needed more sugar than the amount allowed in under lower duties. Mexican sugar got so expensive that it became cheaper for American importers to pay steeper taxes to bring in supplies from countries like Brazil. The possible addition of 25% tariffs on goods covered under the North American trade agreement is further driving a wedge in the longstanding sugar trade.

Tariffs are slated to come into force on April 2, but they are already reshaping the trade. Importers earlier this year rushed to buy Mexican sugar, spurring furious shipping, said Oliver Hire, vice president and head of trading at Sucro Can Sourcing LLC, a sugar refiner with operations in the US and Canada. But now it has effectively paused future flows of the commodity into the US.

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The tumult has helped to support rising sugar futures prices: The most-active US sugar contract in late February traded as high as 38 cents a pound, the highest since November and about double the world sugar price of just under 20 cents.

Prices have since seen little movement as players shift toward higher-taxed imports from countries other than Mexico as the crutch to lean on, Hire said.

The most recent fiscal year that ended in September marked the first time ever that the US was more reliant on so-called high-tier imports than Mexican sugar.

High-tier imports in the current season that began Oct. 1 are already estimated at 495,000 short tons, according to the US Department of Agricultures most recent monthly report. That figure, which doesnt include any potential tariff impacts, puts those supplies on par with Mexicos forecast shipments.

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To be sure, the US does have enough sugar. Domestic production has been on the rise, and a key USDA supply-demand ratio shows adequate supplies.

Rob Johansson, director of economics and policy analysis at the American Sugar Alliance, said he currently does not anticipate any significant disruptions to the sugar supply as a result of tariffs. He said the industry will continue to do its part by making sugar from US grown sugar crops and from imports.

But US sugar users and Mexican producers say that supply should be coming from Americas southern neighbor, not from other places.

This is not the way anyone expected the US-Mexico sugar suspension agreements to work, said Rick Pasco, president of the Sweetener Users Association. Tariffs, on top of the existing limits on how much sugar Mexico can send to the US, would further restrict supplies and inflate consumer costs, Pasco said.

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The Mexican government and the countrys sugar chamber also raised concerns about its access to the US market last fall, according to letters posted to a US Department of Commerce database.

Diego Herrera, chief executive officer of Guatemala-based Grupo Pantaleon, which produces 40% of its sugar in Mexico, said he is very worried about higher fees that could disrupt the trade flow, noting that the companys strategy has been to lower production costs in Mexico and sell to higher-priced North American markets.

This bilateral agreement between the US and Mexico when it comes to sugar is just not working, Pedro Figueroa, president of agricultural commodity trading firm Crown Point Ltd., said at the International Sweetener Colloquium in Palm Springs, California, last month. And its actually penalizing the Mexican industry big time.

--With assistance from Dayanne Sousa.

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This month marks the five-year anniversary of the World Health Organizations declaration that COVID-19 was a pandemic. That announcement shuttered school buildings and launched millions of students into remote learning. While the immediate health crisis is over, the long-term impact on students is not: The latest Nations Report Card underscores that academic recovery remains elusive, with many students needing months of additional instructional time to close the pandemic achievement gap. One of the most troubling areas is reading.

Despite hopes for a rebound, students reading progress remains stalled, with academic growth in 2023-24 again falling short of pre-pandemic trends. The gap between pre- and post-COVID reading scores has widened by 36%, and at the current pace, the average student needs nearly five more months of learning to catch up. The struggle is even greater for historically marginalized students, who remain the furthest behind, making it clear that pandemic recovery has a long way to go.

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Science achievement has also suffered, with uneven recovery across grade levels. While students in grades 3 through 5 have largely returned to pre-pandemic performance, middle schoolers are still struggling  particularly eighth graders, who remain more than three months behind. The setbacks are especially pronounced for Hispanic and Black students, highlighting persistent gaps that could have long-term consequences for STEM readiness. Without targeted support, these disparities may continue to widen, limiting opportunities for students already most at risk of being left behind.

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New NAEP Scores Dash Hope of Post-COVID Learning Recovery

Education leaders have limited avenues for addressing these challenges, especially now that federal recovery funding has expired. One underutilized approach is the integration of literacy and science instruction in elementary schools, which creates a mutually reinforcing learning experience. Students read, write and discuss real-world scientific phenomena while building background knowledge, strengthening their ability to understand complex text and information, and engaging in meaningful conversations  all factors in literacy success. Plus, integration means literacy and science instruction dont have to compete with each other on the school schedule.

Our new report dug into the research on the benefits of blending these two subjects in elementary school and found that first- and second-graders who received integrated literacy and science instruction retained more reading skills over the summer and performed better, by nearly 8 percentage points, on science-related reading tasks than their peers who did not. By building knowledge through thematic lessons and extensive reading of a broad range of informational texts on various topics, this approach helped students transfer what they learned to new reading challenges.

Similarly, third through fifth graders participated in a three-year classroom study where instruction in reading and writing comprehension were woven into science lessons. The students read scientific texts, analyzed data, discussed key ideas and wrote about their findings, strengthening both their literacy and science skills. By the end of fifth grade, students in the study scored more than a full grade higher in science and more than a half-grade higher in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills than their peers in traditional classrooms. These gains persisted into middle school, with students in grades 6 and 7 continuing to show higher achievement in both subjects.

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Four Insights into U.S. Students Drop in Math & Science on International Test

Another study focused on professional development to help preK-3 teachers integrate science, reading and math into daily instruction. In these classrooms, students explored scientific concepts through books, engaged in hands-on investigations and applied math to interpret their findings. As a result, they scored higher on early literacy, reading and math assessments than those whose teachers did not receive the training. Notably, students whose teachers participated in the professional development demonstrated reading achievement levels equivalent to an extra half-year of instruction compared with their peers.

To do integration well, four components needed to be present:

Engaging students with real-world phenomena that spark curiosity and drive deeper learning. When using everyday occurrences to anchor science instruction, students begin to see science all around them.



Strengthening academic vocabulary by immersing students in the specialized language of science to enhance their reading and writing skills.



Supporting sustained and structured learning with science instruction that builds over time, with each lesson connecting to the next to help students develop understanding.



Encouraging scientific discourse that involves students in planning investigations, making hypotheses and debating evidence to deepen their understanding of science concepts while reinforcing literacy skills.

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Implementing integration successfully means schools must allow time for collaboration among literacy instructors, science teachers and school librarians. It may also mean rethinking the master schedule, including the planning time needed. School leaders also need to acquire high-quality, phenomenon-based science materials, like science journals and texts, and ensure students have access. For schools with a limited budget, it might be useful to partner with a public library or identify free materials online. Lastly, schools must invest in sustained professional learning, including how to incorporate real-world science phenomena, leverage academic vocabulary, build structured instructional plans and sequences, and foster coordination between subjects to engage students.

To help educators bring these components to life in the classroom, we developed a Practitioners Guide that provides concrete strategies, lesson ideas and examples of integrated instruction in action. The guide illustrates how teachers can engage students with real-world phenomena, build academic vocabulary, support structured learning and foster scientific discourse  all while strengthening literacy skills.

The challenge of unfinished learning remains urgent. Everyone from teachers to superintendents to education researchers must rethink approaches to how students learn and what can drive greater academic growth. Integration of literacy and science instruction in elementary schools is one untapped approach for driving greater student outcomes. Doing both together can drive greater academic growth than either subject can do alone.
WASHINGTON  Sen. Ted Cruz is entering deeper into the fight over school vouchers in the state Legislature, unveiling a six-figure ad buy Thursday praising state House members who support the effort.

Though school vouchers are an issue debated on the state level, Cruz has long been a vocal supporter from his federal perch. He gave targeted endorsements for candidates who support voucher legislation last primary cycle, when school vouchers were the principal cleavage among Republicans. He has urged his fellow Republicans in the Legislature to support vouchers for multiple sessions.

Cruz also led legislation in Congress to expand college savings plans to include public, private, religious, and home-school educational expenses, saying school choice is the civil rights issue of the 21st century. The bill mirrors legislation in the state House and Senate, which would create education savings accounts that can be used for private and parochial education.

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Every parent knows choices matter, Cruz says in the ads. For too long, Texas parents havent had the freedom to choose the right school for their kids. This has to change. School system bureaucrats have fought us every step of the way. But the courage and determination of a few Texas legislators means theres new hope for our kids.

Vouchers are Gov. Greg Abbotts top legislative priority this session, and he has drawn the support of several other national actors. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have called on Republicans in the Legislature to pass school voucher bills. Trump last month said on social media that he would be watching them closely.

During last years Republican primary, Abbotts formidable campaign operation targeted 21 Republicans who joined Democrats in opposing school voucher legislation in 2023. Fifteen Republicans were ousted during last years primaries.

Abbott has since expressed confidence that voucher legislation will pass with the current Republican majority.

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The Republicans who opposed voucher legislation were largely from rural areas and asserted the legislation would weaken funding for public education. Abbott denies that the program would come at the expense of already existing public school funding.

Texas provided OVER $6 BILLION last session in new public education funding, Abbott posted on social media. Anyone who claims that Texas has not increased funding for our public schools since 2019 is a liar.

Cruzs ads name 14 House Republicans: Speaker Dustin Burrows, Brent Money of Greenville, Joanne Shofner of Nacogdoches, Trey Wharton of Huntsville, Janis Holt of Silsbee, Matt Morgan of Richmond, A.J. Louderback of Victoria, Alan Schoolcraft of McQueeney, Wes Virdell of Brady, Helen Kerwin of Glen Rose, Shelley Luther of Tom Bean, Don McLaughlin of Uvalde, Marc LaHood of San Antonio and Andy Hopper of Decatur.

Burrows also honored Cruz on the House floor on Thursday for his advocacy of school vouchers.

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.
Waco, Tx (FOX 44)  A 17-year-old has been arrested and charged with harassing minors with sexual messages and seeking pictures.

The McLennan County Sheriffs Office Human Trafficking Unit began their investigation in February after being notified by a school resource officer at a local high school that multiple students were being solicited for pictures under threats of online harassment. Investigators said some of the messages sent involved sexually explicit content aimed at a minor-aged victim.

As the investigation began and links between the reports were detected, a single suspect emerged. Then it was determined that the same subject was already under investigation by the Texas Attorney Generals Office. State and local investigators then coordinated their efforts and ultimately, charges were filed against 17-year-old Zackary Conner Kruse.

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Local charges include online solicitation of a minor and two charges of harassment. Charges filed by the Attorney Generals Office include sexual performance of a child, sexual coercion and multiple counts of possession of child pornography.

He posted $34,000 in bonds and was released from jail Wednesday.

Woman finds naked man in daughters bedroom

The McLennan County Sheriffs Office issued the following statement:

The McLennan County Sheriffs Office is committed to aggressively enforcing laws against online exploitation in its earliest stages. Such behavior is recognized as a precursor to the physical and online victimization of children.

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Human Trafficking/Child Exploitation investigators are dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community by identifying and prosecuting those who engage in these heinous crimes. Parents are urged to remain vigilant about their childrens activities on social media and to discuss the potential dangers of online interactions. MCSOs Human Trafficking/Child Exploitation Unit continues its efforts to monitor and disrupt online activities that threaten the safety of children.

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A teenager was treated at a Jacksonville hospital with non-life threatening injuries after being shot Wednesday night. The shooting occurred at about 7:45 p.m. in the 2700 block of Hamilton Circle.

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Jacksonville police were called to the area for a report of a person shot. The initial investigation has revealed there was an argument between a group of individuals, a Jacksonville police news release states. During the argument gunfire erupted and the victim was shot multiple times.

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EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Two teenagers were arrested and charged with illegal dumping on Wednesday, March 19 in far East El Paso, according to the El Paso County Sheriffs Office.

The Sheriffs Office says a deputy was patrolling and conducting surveillance in an unmarked vehicle near the desert area adjacent to the 14900 block of Tierra Mirage and saw a truck approaching the area.

Thats when Hector Munoz, 17, and Michael Ortiz, 18, were seen exiting the truck and began illegally dumping bags of trash in the area, according to the Sheriffs Office.

Michael Ortiz, 18.

Hector Munoz, 17.

Truck used in alleged crime.

Both teens were taken into custody and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on charges of illegal dumping. The truck they were traveling in was also impounded.

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The El Paso County Sheriffs Office says it remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting our community and environment. Illegal dumping is a serious offense, and we will continue to hold individuals accountable, ensuring that those who engage in such unlawful activities face the full extent of the law.

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Telegram reached 1 billion monthly active users, its CEO said.

CEO Pavel Durov took a shot at WhatsApp, calling it "a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram."

Durov has been allowed to leave France after being held on charges of failing to curb extremist content.

Telegram just hit the massive milestone of 1 billion monthly active users.

As CEO Pavel Durov shared the news on his personal Telegram channel, he also took a direct shot at his biggest competitor, WhatsApp, which has over 2 billion monthly active users.

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Ahead of us stands WhatsApp  a cheap, watered-down imitation of Telegram, he wrote. For years, theyve desperately tried to copy our innovations while burning billions on lobbying and PR campaigns to slow us down. They failed. Telegram grew, became profitable, and unlike our competitor  retained its independence.

He added in the post that the company has also raked in $547 million in profit in 2024.

A WhatsApp spokesperson told Business Insider that the Meta-owned messaging app was "born with privacy in our DNA long before Telegram came along," adding that "Telegram still doesn't secure group conversations and instead chooses to keep them all on their servers."

Durovs swipe at his rival came just after he was allowed to return to Dubai after being held in France for months.

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The CEO was arrested in August 2024 after landing in Paris on his private jet. French authorities charged him with multiple offenses , including "complicity" in the distribution of child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking on Telegram while refusing to cooperate with the authorities' investigation into the platform. He was released on a $5.6 million bail.

Durov has denied the accusations and wrote in a statement on his Telegram channel on September 5, 2024, that holding him responsible for crimes committed by third parties on the platform was both a "surprising" and "misguided approach."

Initially, Durov was barred from leaving France. But the Paris prosecutors office confirmed that his judicial restrictions were temporarily lifted from March 15 to April 7, allowing him to travel again. No details were given about the conditions of his release or if he will be required to return.

"The process is ongoing but it feels great to be home," said Durov in a post on his Telegram channel on Monday.

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Since its launch in 2013 by brothers Pavel and Nikolai Durov, Telegram has positioned itself as a privacy-first alternative to mainstream messaging apps, with end-to-end encryption for video calls and secret chats that gained a following in countries where speech is more limited.

Since Durovs arrest, Telegram has made some major policy changes, including joining the Internet Watch Foundation  a group that helps identify and remove child sex abuse content  and publishing transparency reports that detail how much content it removed, which is a common industry practice.

Telegram also announced in September 2024 that it will start sharing IP addresses and phone numbers of offenders with law enforcement when legally required to do so.

Telegram did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The news this past weekend that the Trump administration plans to shutter the United States Agency for Global Media was hardly unexpected. It nonetheless came as a shock to many who work in what is called "public diplomacy" - government-sponsored efforts to affect public opinion overseas, which had been done by Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, and other entities since World War II.

On Friday, Congress passed the Continuing Budget Resolution, which included funding USAGM for another year. Nonetheless, on Saturday, Kari Lake - who is serving as a special White House adviser to USAGM - suspended some 1,300 VOA reporters, producers, and other public diplomacy professionals and canceled the charter of those independent agencies controlled by the board. (On Monday, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty filed a lawsuit against Lake and USAGM acting CEOVictor Moralesseeking to restore the news organizations federal funding.)

It is my fervent hope that the administration sees this not as a final chapter, but as an opportunity for a new beginning.

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All but the agencys harshest critics see some need for public diplomacy - or "soft power" as it is sometimes called. Gunboats, tanks, and pinstriped ambassadors are important, but in a world inundated with instant communications, the idea that the U.S. government should stop trying to tell our side of the story to a global audience is shortsighted and counterproductive. Our adversaries have already doubled down on the information wars. We should not cede the field, least of all at this critical moment.

Further, our story - the American story - is a powerful diplomatic tool that is uniquely our own. There are reasons that American movies, music, books, and television captivate audiences worldwide. As a nation of immigrants from across the globe, ours is a culture that is as close to universal in its appeal as any in history. It is no wonder that two of the post-war presidents we consider great communicators - Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan - both embraced public diplomacy. They understood the power of a great story and the need to deliver it to a world they wanted to change.

This is our chance to reimagine how we tell Americas story abroad. Here are a few modest suggestions:

-- Streamline the bureaucracy. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland where I live, we have what we call "telescope houses." These are dwellings that may have started in the 18th century as humble lean-tos, with rooms, wings, and outbuildings added by ensuing generations. The result can be architecturally charming, but impractical. Our current public diplomacy apparatus is the bureaucratic equivalent, minus the charm: an improvised ramshackle assembly of acronyms, boards, missions, and budgets that need to be gutted and built anew. To that end: The White House could name a new public diplomacy czar who reports directly to the Secretary of State, give him or her clear direction and authority, and redesign the organization from the ground up to serve the mission.

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-- Speaking of mission, there has always been a headache-inducing debate at the root of our conduct of public diplomacy. One side argues that we succeed best by modeling for foreign audiences the independence enjoyed by our own fourth estate. For that reason, some public diplomacy practitioners - including most of the reporters, producers, and editors at Voice of America - consider themselves journalists and subscribe to a code of objectivity. They believe that by placing truth-telling above advancing the State Departments immediate (and sometimes transitory) objectives, they in fact serve Americas greater cause.

Others argue that, inasmuch as we have a profusion of wire services, networks, newspapers, and online outlets that already cover America "warts and all," the primary role of any initiative should be to hone and deliver content that supports Americas global agenda. Message first; journalism second.

It is time to decide. I come down on the side of the latter argument. This doesnt mean blatant propaganda, disinformation, or lies - but the guiding principle for managers, editors, and reporters should be: Does what we write, produce, and broadcast increase Americas chances for foreign policy success? Clarifying the mission would help attract individuals who - like our military and state department personnel - understand and honor the greater goal for which they labor. We need the best people all rowing in the same direction, especially given the growing sophistication of our adversaries and the state of the current media landscape.

-- Speaking of the current media landscape, it is time to reevaluate some of the most fundamental aspects of the public diplomacy apparatus in light of what has happened - and is about to happen - to global communications. There is no crystal ball, but a few high-level trends are already clear, and we have to adjust.

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For one, a Cold War culture still infuses much of our activities. By that I mean we still think in terms of messaging in an environment of "media scarcity" - that is, reaching audiences whose governments ruthlessly suppress outside voices. That challenge continues in some countries and remains important. But when it comes to reaching a large portion of the global population, the challenge now is the just the opposite: There is an abundance of communication options assaulting the audience on a 24/7 basis - streaming from radio, satellite television, and the Internet. The task at hand isnt always to pierce an iron curtain with a single beam of information; rather, it is to harness the power of those fast-multiplying platforms across the globe that have already amassed audiences and are thirsty for content.

Weve modeled too many of our current public diplomacy institutions after traditional radio, cable, and television networks in the belief that we need to control the pipes to deliver the message. We should be also be thinking like producers and create "VOA STUDIOS" - a distribution-agnostic entity with the goal of creating a range of high quality content with the power to appeal to the largest audience possible on as many platforms as possible. This opens the door to co-productions and novel distribution arrangements and provides a multiplying effect for money and resources. There are now a thousand conduits through which America can push content - we should acknowledge this reality and pursue those opportunities with a brand new entity, purpose-built for the modern era.

Past generations of public diplomacy practitioners embraced change. They harnessed the best of American ideals and translated them into programming that resonated with global audiences and changed the world for the better. They adjusted as communications technology advanced.

President Trump certainly understands the importance of messaging, media, and storytelling. I find it hard to believe that he is going to discard such a valuable diplomatic tool, just when we need it most. Lets take this opportunity to reinvigorate public diplomacy and tell our story to the world.

Andrew Walworth is co-host of RealClearPolitics on SiriusXM radio/POTUS 124 (M-F, 6-7 p.m. ET) and executive producer of the new documentary series The Unauthorized History of Political Parties on Fox Nation.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  A Tennessee bill that would make it a crime to harbor, hide, or smuggle an undocumented immigrant passed its first hurdle in the House Wednesday.

The amended version of the proposed legislation would make it a Class A misdemeanor to hide an illegal immigrant, a Class E felony to hide or transport an illegal immigrant for financial gain, and a Class A felony to hide or transport an illegal immigrant under 13 years old for financial gain. The bill also expands the crime of human trafficking to include promoting the prostitution of a minor.

Rep. Chris Todd (R-Madison County) told lawmakers during a House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Wednesday his bill would target dangerous, illicit industries that grew under the Biden Administration due to malfeasant border policies and rampant illegal immigration. Rep. Todd said these groups take advantage of vulnerable people by trafficking and/or holding and hiding them against their will.

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We do not want them in a position where, especially against their will, are in a position of being solicited or trafficked or harbored against their will for someone elses gain, Rep. Todd said. Were trying to tackle that, and this is an area of the law that weve discovered is missing a piece. Were trying to close that loop so folks dont get off the hook when theyre doing this.

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However, Ashley Warbington, whose husband is undocumented, is worried the harboring portion of the bill could make it a crime to merely live with her husband.

If I refuse to open up the door to ICE agents trying to separate us, will Tennessee prosecute me for protecting my family? Warbington testified.

I could give the example of any day of the week when we are at the house and I lock the door with my husband, but I think it goes past that. It goes with any interaction I may have in the community, with my sons friends, a school outing. I think there are so many examples where we could be at risk of violating this law if it passes, Warbington told News 2 after the hearing.

Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom

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Democrats added nonprofit groups that provide housing, transportation, and other services to undocumented people are also concerned about the bills potential impact.

I think were punishing people and our organizations in our community that are trying to help people who have already suffered a lot, Rep. Gabby Salinas (D-Memphis) said. It hurts my heart as a Tennessean to see these organizations that are trying to do good in our community to have to use part of their budget to fight something in the courts.

However, Rep. Todd tried to assure lawmakers under the bill, these groups wouldnt be guilty for simply providing assistance.

This creates a Class E felony offense for human smuggling, creates a Class A felony offense for aggravated human smuggling, and expands the offense of human trafficking to include promoting the prostitution of a minor. These are the kinds of things were talking about here, Rep. Todd said. I dont know any [nongovernmental organization] that is doing the right thing that would fall under that.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

The bill passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee 7 to 2 in a vote along party lines. The House version will move to the full House Judiciary Committee. The bill is also working through the committee process on the Senate side.

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A conversation on human rights can become politically charged, but it really boils down to meeting peoples basic needs, says Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun.

Those basic human rights are not political, he said.

Sakbun, a Democrat, was the keynote speaker Wednesday during Terre Haute Human Rights Day at Indiana State University.

Both sides of the aisle should agree with me that every child should have a meal at school, every home should be safe and built to quality and every job should allow you to have a livable wage for you and your family, he said prior to his fireside chat address. These are common sense policies.

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The city of Terre Haute addresses human rights through initiatives that aim to meet basic human needs related to food, housing and transportation, he said.

He gave examples of the citys efforts to meet those basic needs, including removing transit fares that enable people to ride buses to get to grocery stores and jobs.

The city has provided incentives to increase housing stock that also has a long-term positive effect on the homeless population, he said. Those homeless initiatives include wraparound services that relate to employment, social services and mental health.

Terre Haute has partnered with the Pacers Foundation to expand its Drive and Dish program, which works with Terre Haute Catholic Charities and the Vigo County School Corp. to provide healthy meals to families in need.

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If policies and funding cuts at the state and federal level adversely impact programs addressing those basic needs, Thats when we have to have very candid conversations about what is the true definition of making America great again, Sakbun said.

Among those attending Human Rights Day were an estimated 300 Vigo County School Corp. high school students and Sullivan County high school students.

Eve Reid, a South Vigo junior, explained why it was important to attend the event.

Terre Haute is a rather liberal place, but we still live in Indiana which is profoundly illiberal, Reid said. Its not a great place to be depending on ones gender identity or sexual orientation.

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I want to do something to stand up, to contribute in any way that I can, Reid said. Attending Human Rights Day was one way to accomplish that.

Everyday conversation

Valerie Craig, who serves on the Human Rights Day Committee, believes it was an especially important event given policies being implemented at the federal and state level, or as she put it, in light of our world burning.

Its so very important for our students to hear an alternate way of thinking about the world in light of what is happening in 2025, she said.

I think human rights are so basic, this should be everyday conversation  in classrooms and around the community. But unfortunately, it doesnt seem like its the thing to do right now. Right now it seems real canceled to think about the basic rights of others, she said.

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Terre Haute Human Rights Day opens that door for our students, Craig said.

Craig agreed with Sakbuns comments. We have to stop politicizing basic rights for those who may not have been gifted with a silver spoon in their mouth, she said. It seems like right now, if youre not corporate and youre not in that top 3% of America, your needs are not considered anymore. Thats what it feels like.

Mayors fireside chat

In his fireside chat keynote, Sakbun was asked a series of questions by Anne-Therese Ryan, executive director of the Terre Haute Human Relations Commission.

Among them was how his military service shaped his views on human rights.

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Sakbun, who served as an officer in the Armys 75th Ranger Regiment and then transitioned to the Indiana National Guard, spoke of Americas role as a leader of the free world in light of current national policy retreating from that role and ending foreign aid programs.

If the United States is truly the greatest nation in the world, if we really want to live by that statement, how can you just abandon all of these other nations?

Housing and economic issues in Africa, the Mideast or Asia do impact the United States, he said.

There is a reason why we have international aid and international programs. Consequentially, when the United States doesnt involve itself overseas, in issues usually as it pertains to human rights, bad things happen, he said.

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He asked, Who do you think steps in when the U.S. steps out, referring to countries that dont espouse democracy.

In a student question, he was asked about school facility needs in Vigo County and how to address them, which drew a strong reaction from the Terre Haute mayor.

Indiana communities that are growing prioritize education. They chose to pay more taxes to build better schools, he said.

Vigo County schools are strong academically, but the harsh reality is you and the facilities you are in are not up to the standard of other, growing communities in Indiana, Sakbun said.

The community will continue to struggle to grow and keep young families if it does not improve its high schools, he said. This community has got to accept the fact they need to invest in their schools.

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More attendee comments

Also attending the event was Ally McDonald, a North Vigo junior, who attended a presentation by ACLU of Indiana on Protecting Civil Rights in Indiana.

Im concerned about everything, including LGBTQ rights, she said. Im a big feminist and always have been. I think everyone should have equal rights. I dont understand where all this hate in our society comes from. It just really hurts my soul sometimes.

Abortion rights and birth control are also important to her, she said.

Brook Rife, a South Vigo sophomore, also attended Human Rights Day. She believes many from different ethnic, cultural and racial backgrounds undergo a lot of things that most people dont try to understand where they are coming from.

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People of all backgrounds should be able to have rights as a human  with housing and food, and even going to the hospital.

Given everything happening at the state and federal level, Human Rights Day is an opportunity to reflect on the past and events we went through to get where we are today  to give people more opportunities to better themselves and to learn from our past mistakes, Rife said.
Tesla has recalled every Cybertruck it has sold in the US after admitting that the glued-on panels on the unconventional pick-up truck have been falling off.

A notice published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the company had discovered a problem with the structural adhesive used to fix the stainless steel trim to the cars.

The problem affected panels attached to the cantrail, the section of the cars frame that runs between the windows and roof.

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This weekend it emerged the company had put deliveries of new pickups on hold as it addresses the issue.

Tesla is now recalling all 46,096 Cybertrucks it has sold in the US since the vehicle went on sale at the end of 2023.

It is the latest setback for Elon Musk, Teslas chief executive, who had hoped the Cybertruck would crack the lucrative pickup truck market.

However, the model has suffered from poor sales and a series of production problems. The car has had eight recalls since its release 16 months ago.

Tesla said it would fix the problem by applying a different type of adhesive and reinforcing the panel with a stud clamping the trim to the vehicles structure.

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The NHTSA said the adhesive that was previously used had been found to fail in real-world conditions, saying it was susceptible to environmental embrittlement. Some owners have suggested that the cars were particularly prone to the problem in cold weather.

Tesla has found 151 warranty claims it said may be related to the problem.

The company said it had conducted an engineering study in January after receiving a complaint from an owner, but that it had found no problems with the trim. It only started the recall after investigating a string of further complaints made on social media and the companys own service records.

Tesla last year had to issue a recall notice as a result of problems with the footpad on the Cybertrucks accelerator pedal, which was detaching from the pedal itself. It was blamed on staff using soap during the assembly process.

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The carmaker has also recalled the vehicle because of malfunctioning windscreen wipers and for a separate trim issue, in which a panel from the vehicles rear would fall off.

As well as problems with build quality, Tesla faces a mounting backlash from the political Left. Mr Musks alliance with Donald Trump has alienated many drivers who were once seen as Teslas core constituency.

The Cybertruck has proved particularly divisive. Owners have reported regularly receiving rude gestures and insults from members of the public.

The company has also been hit by arson attacks, including one in Las Vegas on Tuesday that Pam Bondi, the US attorney general, called domestic terrorism.

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Tesla shares were slightly down in pre-market trading on Wall Street. They have fallen by 38pc since the start of the year as the companys sales decline.

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There are rumors that Tesla is bringing back steering column stalks in the new Model 3, pleasing fanatics and casual drivers alike.

The absence of the basic parts  turn signals and drive controls, as AutoEvolution explained  signaled the company's forward-thinking approach and willingness to go out on a limb, and it also provided a futuristic aesthetic. But it left some people wanting.

The yoke and buttons (as well as center screen controls) that replaced a traditional steering wheel and stalks in the Model X and Model S when they were updated in 2021 raised safety concerns and limited maneuverability. In response to customer feedback, the company kept the signal stalk in the new Model Y and only did away with the drive stalk, according to the report.

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"This pivot highlights Tesla's balance between innovation and customer comfort, emphasizing the importance of user experience in automotive design," one outlet noted. "The move underscores the potential for broader adoption of familiar features across other models, showcasing Tesla's commitment to listening and evolving."

AutoEvolution noted this change may be key to ensuring the success of the Model 3. However people feel about it or the company, Tesla has led the EV revolution for years. Other automakers are catching up, though.

As electric vehicle sales continue to rise, Tesla is falling back to the back. In 2024, it still held almost 50% of the U.S. market, but its figure dropped 5.6% from 2023, InsideEVs reported. Honda, General Motors, Hyundai, and Ford showed marked growth.

Tesla may also be in hot water after "it made a suspicious number of rebate requests" as the Canadian government's EV incentive program was running out of money, per Electrek.

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The buzz around EVs is helping drivers save money and keeping dangerous polluting gases out of the atmosphere. Gas-powered vehicles release toxic fumes that contribute to human health problems and the rapid warming of the planet. But EVs, especially if they're powered by renewable energy from the sun or wind, significantly lower or even all but eliminate that environmental impact.

Check out this guide if you're considering making your next car an EV  Tesla or otherwise.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here.

President Donald Trumps administration is trying to expand the definition of domestic terrorism as it aims to crack down on a wave of attacks in which Teslas have been shot and set on fire, apparently to protest CEO Elon Musks powerful but murky role in cutting the US government.

Critics of Musk and Trump will see irony in use of the term domestic terrorism to describe people attacking electric vehicles after Trump issued mass pardons for more than 1,000 January 6 rioters who stormed the Capitol and tried to disrupt confirmation of the 2020 election results.

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Under President Joe Bidens Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice announced a new national strategy to combat domestic terrorism after January 6 as well as a wave of deadly mass shootings by White nationalists and right-wing extremists.

The term will apparently take a new meaning under Trump as the FBI and law enforcement agencies will now focus on anti-corporate vandals targeting vehicles.

Usually, the word terrorism is not used to describe vandalism, Daniel Byman, director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told me.

There is a lot of property destruction, at times for political reasons, and this is almost never labeled as terrorism. These attacks seemed designed not to harm people, Byman said.

Nothing short of domestic terrorism

Attorney General Pam Bondi described Tesla desecration as nothing short of domestic terrorism in a statement released Tuesday. She promised to impose severe consequences on those involved in these attacks, including those operating behind the scenes to coordinate and fund these crimes.

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks at the Justice Department on March 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. - Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Bondi did not elaborate on who might be behind the scenes coordinating the vandalism, so its appropriate to wonder if theres any evidence of any such coordination.

Vandals across the country

There have been documented incidents of Tesla vandalism in the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast and around the country, not to mention countless posts on social media.

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Federal prosecutors charged a woman in Colorado with using incendiary devices  Molotov cocktails  to target Tesla vehicles, and federal agents in South Carolina made an arrest in connection with a fire set at a Tesla charging station, according to the Associated Press, which reported that an affidavit mentioned the mans opposition to Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

This photo released by the Tigard Police Department, shows shattered windows of a Tesla dealership on Thursday, March 6, 2025, in Tigard, Oregon. - Tigard Police Department/AP

Bondi released her statement after an incident in Las Vegas where Teslas at a repair center were shot and set on fire in what Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department described as a targeted attack on a Tesla facility. He said officers have increased their presence at Tesla locations.

CNNs Josh Campbell reported that the FBIs joint terrorism task force is investigating the Las Vegas attack.

What is the definition of domestic terrorism?

Domestic terrorism is not a specific crime with which a person can be charged, but it is defined in US law as acts that are dangerous to human life, violate US or state law, and are intended

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to intimidate or coerce a civilian population;

to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion;

to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping

Allegations, without evidence, of a conspiracy

Trump agreed that the vandalism is terrorism during an interview on Fox News Tuesday and tried, without evidence, to seed a conspiracy theory that the attacks are part of a coordinated and funded campaign.

I think that you will find out that theyre paid by people who are very highly political on the left, Trump said, without naming who might be behind such a campaign or what evidence has led him to that conclusion.

Musk also sees coordination in the violence, although he also did not offer specific allegations.

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I think there are larger forces at work as well, Musk said in his own Fox News interview on Tuesday. I mean, I dont know whos funding it and whos coordinating it because this is this is crazy.

Theres currently no indication of any kind of coordinated campaign, but the attacks, which range from the slashing of tires to the slinging of Molotov cocktails, are clearly illegal, and probably counterproductive if their aim is to protest what Musk is undertaking with his Blitzkrieg effort to downsize the federal government.

Terrorists vs. hostages

John Miller, CNNs chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, told me that prosecutors should be looking at allegations of domestic terrorism clinically rather than through a political lens.

If firing bullets into the windows of Tesla dealerships or throwing Molotov cocktails inside cars in the lot is being done for political reasons, that would seem to fall into the category of domestic terrorism, he told me by email.

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Suspects would be charged, as they were for January 6 rioters, under standard federal or local statutes.

Some people involved with January 6, like those belonging to the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys groups were charged, tried and convicted by juries with more serious crimes, including seditious conspiracy, before Trump commuted their sentences.

Despite the verdict of the justice system, Trump viewed January 6 rioters as hostages. Now back in the White House, he wants to put anyone coordinating an attack on a Tesla dealership in prison.

Once politics enters the picture of what is or is not domestic terrorism, this is where we start to see imbalance, Miller said.

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DISCLAIMER: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

TEXARKANA, Tx. (KTAL/KMSS)  The Texarkana Texas Police Department (TTPD) is seeking the publics assistance in their search for 20-year-old Omarion Owens, who is wanted for multiple violent crimes.

Source: Texarkana Texas Police Department

Authorities say that Owens is charged with two counts of Aggravated Assault Causing Serious Bodily injury for allegedly shooting a woman and her daughter while they slept on Friday, March 14. The attack left the 10-year-old girl in critical condition, but she is showing signs of improvement.

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Shreveport Police seek suspect for sexual battery of minors, offer cash reward

Owens is also wanted for two Aggravated Robberies, including one where he shot at the victim. Police say all of these crimes have happened in just the few weeks since he returned to Texarkana.

Anyone with information regarding Omarion Owens whereabouts is urged to contact the TTPD at 903-798-3116 or Texarkana Crimestoppers at 903-797-STOP (7867).

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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In a bid to expand prohibitions on diversity, equity and inclusion in education, the Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a proposal to ban DEI in all public school hirings and trainings as well as prohibit district-sponsored student clubs that are based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Sen. Brandon Creighton, who authored Senate Bill 12, said the legislation would prevent political agendas from creeping into the public classroom and put more power over childrens education in parents hands.

"We've seen many examples of mid-size and large districts spending a substantial amount of resources to promote DEI on campus as an ideology that simply focuses on all the things that make us different, like race and ethnicity and sexual orientation," said Creighton, a Republican from Conroe.

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Democratic Sen. Borris Miles of Houston, however, railed against the bill and foretold it would bring about lower academic achievement for minority students.

The state has demonized DEI, but I refused to accept the narrative, Miles said. Minority students have borne the brunt of this assault.

Miles insisted there has been a consistent strategy to demonize and defund public education, which he said is the great equalizer.

This bill seems to create a double standard, though, Miles said. All the programs and strategies that traditionally uplift minority students seem to be under attack.

SB 12 would prohibit school employees, contractors or volunteers from engaging in DEI practices on behalf of a district. It would also ban schools from providing instruction or activities related to sexual orientation or gender identity and block them from sponsoring student groups centered around those topics. Gender and Sexuality Alliances, student-run groups in schools for LGBTQ+ and allied youth, would not be allowed under the bill, Creighton said.

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SB 12 would also limit district staff members to serve in a supervisory, rather than instructional, role for clubs based on race, sex, color, or ethnicity, and requires parental consent for students to participate in all clubs.

The proposal is a sequel to a sweeping 2023 ban on DEI in public universities  SB 17  which reshaped equity-based student support practices in higher education, led to university staff layoffs and dismantled offices meant to support minority college students. It also comes as the Trump administration is working to eliminate DEI programs across the federal government, including in education.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate and identified the DEI ban in schools as a priority this session, praised the bill and echoed the yearslong argument from Republicans that diversity practices are discriminatory.

I prioritized SB 12 because parents must be empowered to have an even greater role in their childrens education, Patrick said in a statement. With more parental input and empowerment, Texas students will be better served by the public education system.

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Texas student population has been growing more diverse over the last 20 years, but the demographic breakdown of educators in the classroom doesnt match that of the children they teach, according to an analysis of statewide data.

In 2024, 53.2% of Texas students were Hispanic, 25% were white and 12.8% were Black, according to Texas Education Agency data. That same year, 53.7% of classroom teachers were white, 30% were Hispanic and 12.5% were Black, according to the agency's data.

SB 12 denies students and families an education that reflects the states diversity, said Marshall Romero, a Houston-area student who advocates with Students Engaged in Advancing Texas, a student-led advocacy group.

SB 12 strips from schools the ability to foster inclusive environments under the guise of parental rights, Romero said. Bills like SB 12 aren't about students but instead about the power of the state to silence educators, control curriculum and enforce an agenda that erases marginalized voices.

What's included in Senate Bill 12

Creighton's bill also proposes a slate of other education policy revisions.

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The bill would require that denials for district-to-district transfer requests be based on capacity limitations or discipline concerns, and it would prohibit districts from charging students transfer fees.

SB 12 also creates a more defined grievance process for parents to escalate school complaints from their campus to district administrators, school boards and finally to the state.

Districts would be required to hold at least two in-person parent-teacher conferences per year and update parents about a slew of information including library materials, immunizations, special education, health education and data collection practices.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas Senate passes DEI ban in K-12 public schools
Cindy Clemishire was 12 years old when a traveling evangelist began to sexually abuse her in the 1980s. He made her promise not to tell anyone about it.

The first time he made the premeditated decision to violate and defile my purity, he told me  'You can never tell anyone, because it will ruin everything, Clemishire recounted to a Texas House panel Wednesday morning as the lawmakers heard testimony for a bill proposing to ban nondisclosure agreements in sex abuse cases.

Robert Morris, a former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump who in North Texas founded one of the largest and most influential megachurches in the U.S., was 20 years old in 1982, when Clemishire alleges the abuse began while he stayed at her family's home in Oklahoma.

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Eighteen years ago, Morris again tried to silence Clemishire, she said. During negotiations over a civil settlement in 2007, Morris attorney offered Clemishire $25,000 in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement prohibiting her from speaking out about the abuse that allegedly took place over five years. She refused.

On Monday, Morris, 63, turned himself in to Oklahoma authorities after a grand jury indicted him last week on five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child stemming from Clemishire's case.

From left, sexual abuse survivors Kathryn Robb, Cindy Clemishire and Elizabeth Phillips hug after testifying Wednesday for House Bill 748, or "Trey's Law," before the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee. The bill would prohibit nondisclosure agreements against child sexual abuse and trafficking victims in civil settlement agreements.

My abuser is finally being held accountable for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child because I refused to sign the NDA, Clemishire said.

But Trey Carlock, who was 28 when he died by suicide in 2019, did not refuse to sign his abuser's NDA, and it destroyed him, his sister testified Wednesday to the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committee.

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Carlock suffered 10 years of abuse at the hands of serial pedophile Pete Newman, who was found guilty of molesting at least 57 victims while he was a counselor at Kanakuk Kamps in Branson, Mo. The lingering trauma left Carlock without a lifeline, ultimately leading to his death, his sister said.

Newman was handed two life sentences plus 30 years for abusing six boys at the Christian camp. He was denied parole in October.

Elizbeth Phillips, Carlocks older sister, told the committee that her brother was silenced to his grave by Kanakuks restrictive NDA.

Elizabeth Phillips, sister of child sexual abuse victim Trey Carlock, testifies Wednesday on the bill thar's called "Trey's Law" in honor of her late brother.

More: Are new religious displays coming to Texas schools? Here's how the Senate is paving a way.

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My brother referred to his settlement as blood money, as if he had betrayed his own soul to keep Kanakuks secrets  and it killed him, Phillips said.

House Bill 748 by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano  named Treys Law in Carlocks memory  would render nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements unenforceable if they relate to cases of sexual abuse. In a rare move for the Texas House, the bill passed unanimously out of the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee on the same day it was introduced.

The law on NDAs must be clarified, because we cannot trust institutions to do the right thing, Phillips said. It's no exaggeration for me to claim this as a matter of life and death.

Reps. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, and Jeff Leach, R-Plano, hear testimony on HB 748. "No victim who chooses to tell their story or to speak out about their experience should ever be silenced, Leach said Wednesday.

Rep. Mitch Little is a co-author of the bill and was invited to testify Wednesday. The freshman Republican lawmaker from Lewisville is an attorney who has often represented sex abuse victims during the civil mediation process. He said NDAs can help perpetuate a cycle of abuse.

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They're faced with the decision of whether to settle their case, to receive some sum of money that is going to help them with their lifetime of therapy and counseling, to help them heal, to compensate them for the soul murder, Little said. There's a nondisclosure agreement, and then that pastor, teacher, volunteer moves on to another church, and they continue their acts of abuse.

The bills author said its the Legislatures job to stand with victims and against their abusers. Outlawing NDAs in sex abuse cases will signify that the state backs victims like Carlock and Clemishire, he said.

We have a duty to protect victims. No victim who chooses to tell their story or to speak out about their experience should ever be silenced, Leach said.

You either stand with victims or you stand with people who harm them. There is no middle ground," he said. "So it's time for Texans to pick a side, and as for me and this committee, and I believe this Legislature, we are going to boldly and firmly and strongly stand with victims.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Robert Morris accuser Cindy Clemishire backs 'Trey's Law' in Texas
When Texas legalized hemp in 2019, it inadvertently approved the sale of hemp-derived consumable products with up to 0.3% THC, the primary psychoactive component in the cannabis plant. The Texas Senate on Wednesday, however, approved a measure to ban the sale of any products containing THC.

Senate Bill 3, which the upper chamber passed with a 24-7 vote, is among the top 2025 legislative priorities for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Senate's presiding officer. During a news conference before the Senate debate, Patrick said that the number of retail outlets that are selling products containing THC has proliferated over the past two years.

"Who opens 8,000 locations in less than four years, most of them since 2023?" Patrick asked reporters. "What business starts out at $8 billion in revenues. That works out, depending on the store average, to about $100,000 maybe a month, $1 million (a year) per store."

Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick speak during a press conference at the Texas Capitol Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Patrick and law enforcement from across the state gathered to express their support for legislation that would crack down on the sale of synthetic THC products.

Sen. Charles Perry, the Lubbock Republican who authored SB 3, said the products containing THC and the substance itself is much more potent now than the marijuana of a generation ago. He said he has heard reports of people becoming mentally ill from using the products, with some of them even dying from the effects.

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"One hit, one habit, and the door to schizophrenia swings wide open, never fully closing again," he said.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Mental Health have that the overuse of THC poses myriad dangers.

"Chronic, heavy  every day or almost  use of cannabis products with THC is associated with developing cannabis use disorder, a type of substance use disorder," the federal drug abuse institute says on its website. "Studies have estimated that 22% to 30% of people who use cannabis have the disorder."

The mental health agency said researchers have found "strong evidence of an association between cannabis use disorder and schizophrenia among men and women, though the association was much stronger among young men."

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The strongest predictor of cannabis use disorder is how often someone uses it, but other factors, like a family history of drug use and how long a person has been using cannabis, can also play a role.

According to the official analysis of the bill, the measure would "ban the sale of all consumable hemp products that contain THC." Consumable hemp products that only contain cannabidiol, commonly called CBD, or cannabigerol, known as CBG, would remain legal under the bill. Both are non-psychoactive cannabinoid substances.

Legal products would have to comply with a strict regulatory framework, according to the bill analysis.

SB 3 would prohibit the sale and marketing of consumable hemp products to people under 21. It would require legal consumable hemp products to be properly labeled and placed in tamper-proof, child-resistant packaging.

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Patrick warned that retailers selling THC products have set up shop near schools and neighborhoods, causing him to worry that minors are gaining access to them in the form of snacks and drinks. On Tuesday, he visited a shop selling consumable hemp products and he was asked to show proof of age.

In a video posted on his social media page, Patrick said he was told anyone entering the shop had to be 21, but he wasn't sure if everyone was enforcing it.

A map showing locations of hemp stores and public schools is seen during a press conference at the Texas Capitol Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and law enforcement from across the state gathered to express their support for legislation that would crack down on the sale of synthetic THC products.

The store later issued a news release saying it operates a legitimate business with adequate guard rails in place to protect the public.

We are proud of our team here at Happy Cactus," co-owner Todd Harris said in the release. "They handled the visit according to the best practices of Texas hemp retailers and with professionalism and respect. We are proud to provide a legal product that helps many people in our community, including veterans and seniors.

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During his news conference, Patrick said that not every store selling the products is operating in an underhanded manner.

"I'm sure there's some good actors. I'm sure there are a lot of bad actors," he said. "And remember, people over 21 can go and buy it and give it to the kids."

During the Senate floor debate over the bill, Perry rebuffed arguments calling for at least some of the products containing THC to remain legal, but with tighter regulations.

Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San-Antonio, said veterans and others use the products to help cope with post-traumatic stress. He said he supports regulating stores so that they are not close to schools or churches but worries that Perry's bill would be too heavy handed.

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Perry said that other legislation awaiting Senate consideration would make exceptions for people who need the product for "compassionate use." But his goal is to prohibit all other sales of THC products.

"This is changing people's life in short order because it's been marketed as something that is safe and legal and it's anything but," he said. "The deception in this industry and what they have created and the lives they have ruined is unacceptable and unnecessary."

Menendez and Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, said the legislation might have the unintended effect of opening up Texas to the black market for THC products.

"Much like prohibition didn't stop drinking, this bill isn't going to get people to stop what they are doing," Menendez said.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why the Texas Senate wants to ban products that contain THC
The Texas Senate has passed two bills bringing Christianity into public schools. One bill, passed Tuesday, would require a mandatory period of prayer, while another would put the Ten Commandments into every public schoolroom. The bills now go to the state House and have the support of state leaders.

Texas students could be required to participate in a mandatory period of prayer and the Ten Commandments could be displayed in classrooms under a pair of bills passed by the state Senate this week.

The controversial requirements now move to the state House, where Republicans outnumber Democrats 88-62. If passed there and signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott (who in 2005 argued and won a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court defending a Ten Commandments monument at the Texas State Capitol), the bills would go into effect at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.

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Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, praised the bill which would put the Ten Commandments in schools, saying in a statement that doing so would "ensure our students receive the same foundational moral compass as our state and countrys forefathers."

The bill would require every public school classroom to display a 16-inch by 20-inch poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in type large enough to be legible for a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.

The Ten Commandments bill passed one day after a separate bill that would force a mandatory period of praying and reading religious texts in school passed the Senate. That bill would require parents to sign a consent form allowing their children to participate and waiving their right to sue the district under First Amendment complaints.

The Ten Commandments bill was opposed not only by Democrats, but by a group of 166 faith leaders in the state, who called it a misguided effort that undermines the faith and freedom we cherish.

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In a letter to the House and Senate, the group wrote: The responsibility for religious education belongs to families, houses of worship, and other religious institutions  not the government. The government oversteps its authority when it dictates an official state-approved version of any religious text.  We do not need to  and indeed should not  turn public schools into Sunday schools.

The Texas push to put the Ten Commandments in classrooms comes one year after Louisianas governor signed a similar bill.

This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  The Texas Senate passed a bill on Wednesday, March 19, that would ban THC products from being sold, an action one Texas State Senator  who represents some Western counties of Texoma  was quick to praise.

Texas state senators passed Senate Bill 3 in a 24 to 7 vote.

SB 3 relates to the regulation of consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in these products. This bill could require registration, impose fees, create criminal offenses, and provide an administrative penalty.

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Consumable hemp was legalized in Texas in 2019 by House Bill 1325 with the intention of strengthening Texas agriculture, but it allowed for products with THC levels under 0.3% to be sold. Since then, thousands of stores across Texas have begun selling THC products.

Senate Bill 3 could kill those businesses.

Supporters of the bill argued too many underaged children are accessing THC products sold in stores.

State Senator Charles Perry of District 28 authored SB 3. The Senate District 28 covers Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo and into Texoma as far east as parts of Wichita County, Baylor County, and Throckmorton County.

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During a press conference on Wednesday, March 19, he and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spoke on their support of SB 3, with Patrick accusing the hemp industry of exploiting a loophole in the 2019 law.

This is changing peoples lives in short order because its been marketed as something that is safe and legal and is anything but, Sen. Perry said. The deception in this industry, what they have created, and the lives they have ruined are unacceptable and unnecessary.

While SB 3 does not affect the compassionate use program, which allows patients with serious or life-threatening conditions access to investigational drugs, biologics, or medical devices that are not yet FDA-approved when no other satisfactory treatment options are available, it would prohibit the retail sale of any cannabinoid in Texas except CBD and CBG.

Patrick vowed to expand the compassionate use program, but it is unclear what that would entail.

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The Texas House is considering House Bill 28, which proposes stricter oversight and licensing requirements for hemp instead of implementing a total ban on THC. However, it has not yet been voted on.

If the House does pass its proposal, a reconciliation of differences between the two chambers would be necessary before the legislation could become law.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Texomashomepage.com.
Mar. 19A third boy accused of fatally striking a bicyclist with a stolen car in Northeast Albuquerque last year was arrested Wednesday.

William Garcia, 16, is charged with an open count of murder, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and unlawful possession of a handgun in the May 29, 2024, death of Scott Habermehl, 63.

Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said he could not comment on how Garcia was found, "but detectives conducted surveillance and arrested him without incident."

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On Wednesday afternoon, 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office spokesperson Nancy Laflin said in a news release that the alleged driver, Johnathan Overbay, 13, is facing the same charges as Garcia.

Garcia and Overbay, who was arrested Monday, are being held at the Juvenile Detention Center.

Messiah Hayes, 11, was arrested Tuesday and is in the custody of the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department. Laflin said Hayes will face murder charges in Habermehl's death.

"New Mexico law prevents a child under 12 years old from being detained in a juvenile facility," she said, "but a child of that age can be charged with murder."

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Police said at about 4:40 a.m. Habermehl was biking to work when three boys in a stolen vehicle recorded a video while deliberating whether to hit the cyclist.

On Moon NE, near Constitution, the car swerved to hit Habermehl, who then rolled on top of the car and fell to the ground, Gallegos said. The stolen vehicle was found abandoned after the crash.
Former Hyatt Regency security guard Todd Erickson will be on his own at trial in the death last year of D'Vontaye Mitchell as a third ex-hotel employee has agreed to testify against him.

Devin W. Johnson-Carson pleaded guilty on Thursday to misdemeanor battery in connection with Mitchell's June 30 death as part of a deal he secured with prosecutors that mirrors that of another one-time co-defendant.

In exchange for his cooperation and testimony, prosecutors will recommend Johnson-Carson be given probation.

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Sentencing will be Sept. 3.

Johnson-Carson, 24, of South Milwaukee, was working as a front desk agent for the downtown hotel when a confrontation erupted on Hyatt's property between Mitchell and hotel staff.

The cause of the disturbance, according to what witnesses overheard, was Mitchell allegedly walking into the women's bathroom.

Mitchell died after being restrained for roughly nine minutes by hotel staff, sparking protests and comparisons to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police in 2020.

A medical examiner determined Mitchell's body showed evidence of "restraint asphyxia," a condition that develops when a person's body position prevents them from breathing.

Dvontaye Mitchell, 43, died on June 30 after being held down by four security guards outside of the Hyatt Regency hotel in downtown Milwaukee.

Defense lawyer Craig Johnson said his client admits he delivered a blow to Mitchell during the scuffle, but that he did not play a role in the fight after things went to the ground.

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Johnson-Carson and Erickson, along with Brandon LaDaniel Turner and Herbert T. Williamson, were initially charged with felony murder and faced a maximum 15 years behind bars, if convicted.

The legal landscape in the case has changed in recent weeks.

Last week, Williamson, 53, of Milwaukee, also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery, which is punishable by up to nine months in jail, plus a $10,000 fine. He worked for Hyatt as a bell driver door attendant.

Turner, 35, of Milwaukee, also reached a deal to cooperate with prosecutors earlier this month. Prosecutors agreed to recommend probation for Turner, a security guard, in exchange for his testimony against any remaining defendants at trial.

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In February, Erickson, also a guard, requested a trial date. Jury selection in his case is scheduled for Aug. 11, with a final pre-trial hearing slated for June 27.

Aimbridge Hospitality, the third-party operator that manages the Hyatt, fired all four men after the criminal charges were handed down.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Third former Hyatt employee pleads guilty in D'Vontaye Mitchell's death
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Police say they have arrested the third and final juvenile suspect connected to the deadly hit-and-run crash of a bicyclist in Albuquerque last year.

The three suspects, who were 15, 12 and 11 at the time of the crash, are now in custody.

The cyclist, 63-year-old Scott Habermehl, was riding to work at Sandia National Laboratories in May 2024 when the teens hit him with a stolen car. The kids had been recording the crash, during which the driver swerved into a dedicated bike lane, the Albuquerque Police Department said.

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That video footage also included audio that indicated the boys had intentionally hit the cyclist, according to the APD.

Just bump him, brah, the 15-year-old suspect said from the back seat of the car.

The driver, believed to be the 12-year-old, responded. Like bump him?

Yeah, just bump him. Go like,15, 20 [mph], the back passenger says.

The driver soon struck Habermehl with the front passenger side of the vehicle, while the front passenger  believed to be the 11-year-old suspect  was waving a handgun and laughing.

There were loud sounds, including metal flexing, as the momentum of the crash carried Habermehl and his bicycle on top and off the passenger side of the vehicle, police said.

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Court puts a temporary hold on releasing records on deaths of Gene Hackman, wife

Deputy District Attorney Bridget McKenney played the video Wednesday at a childrens court hearing for the 13-year-old. She also shared photos of the vehicle, the right side of its windshield shattered, its hood dented and the bumper damaged.

McKenney told the court that she couldnt think of a better word than callous for the behavior seen in the video.

You can hear the impact of the victim slamming into the windshield. You can see them turn the camera as they speed off watching the victim hit the ground, she said.

The Albuquerque Police Department headquarters is seen in February 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan, File)

Police said they arrested the oldest suspect, now 16, on Wednesday after the other two were taken into custody earlier this week. The 16-year-old is facing an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and unlawful possession of a handgun.

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The 11-year-old was taken into custody on Tuesday and is in the custody of New Mexicos Children, Youth & Families Department. Detectives are working with prosecutors and state social workers to determine what charges can be brought against an 11-year-old and whether he might be detained. (The Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office said he will face murder charges in the case. However, state law prevents a child younger than 12 years old from being detained in a juvenile facility.)

The 13-year-old suspect was taken into custody on Monday. He is facing charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident, and unlawful carrying of a handgun. On Wednesday, Judge Catherine Begaye opted to keep him in custody.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV)  A third Natchez resident has been arrested in connection to an armed robbery in Louisiana.

The Natchez Democrat reported Tyronnie Davis, 19, was charged with two counts of armed robbery and aggravated assault.

Two Natchez residents arrested for armed robberies in Louisiana

Vidalia police said they received a call on March 10 from a victim, stating that three individuals attempted to rob him as he was returning home. After the robbery attempt, the victim said the suspects forced him to show them where another person lived.

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According to police, the suspects beat the second victim while displayed an AR-15 style pistol. The second victim received injuries and had items stolen from him during the incident.

Vidalia police identified two suspects and arrested them on March 13. They were identified as LaJessica Washington, 22, and Archie Pinder, Jr., 18, both of Natchez.

Both Washington and Pinder were charged with two counts of armed robbery and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Their bonds were set at $495,000 each.

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)  Police have arrested the third and final suspect connected to the deadly hit-and-run crash of a bicyclist. Last May, police say then-15-year-old William Garcia, 13-year-old Johnathan Overbay, and 11-year-old Messiah Hayes recorded themselves intentionally crashing a stolen car into 63-year-old Scott Habermehl, killing him.

Police say Habermehl was riding to work at Sandia National Laboratories when the teens hit him near Constitution Avenue and Wyoming Boulevard. According to the Albuquerque Police Department, the kids recorded the crash as the driver intentionally swerved into a dedicated bike lane; that cell phone footage has helped them determine what happened in Habermehls murder.

Man sentenced in Albuquerque murder-for-hire plot

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APD said the video they received included audio, which captured a conversation between the boys. In the audio, the back passenger, believed to be Garcia, said not to hit the bicyclist going too fast. Just bump him, brah, he said. The driver, believed to be Overbay, responded, Like bump him? The back passenger repeated, Yeah, just bump him. Go like1520.

Police said as the vehicle approached the intersection of Moon Street and Atkinson Avenue, the front passenger, believed to be the 11-year-old who was waving a handgun, ducked and laughed, as the front passenger side of the vehicle struck Habermehl. There were loud sounds, including metal flexing, as the momentum of the crash carried Habermehl and his bicycle on top and off the passenger side of the vehicle.

Overbay, 13, was taken into custody on Monday. He is facing the charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident, and unlawful carrying of a handgun. On Wednesday, Judge Catherine Begaye opted to keep Overbay in custody.

Hayes, 11, was taken into custody on Tuesday and is currently in CYFD custody. The Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office said he will face murder charges in the case; however, state law prevents a child younger than 12 years old from being detained in a juvenile facility.

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Garcia, 16, was arrested on Wednesday and is facing an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident, and unlawful possession of a handgun.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
ENFIELD, Conn. (WWLP)  A man from Enfield has been charged with trafficking cocaine in an indictment that also seeks forfeiture of firearms and cash seized during a police investigation.

On September 12, 2024, law enforcement searched the home of 34-year-old Rahkeem Blakley on Main Street in Enfield. Officers seized five handguns, gun magazines, ammunition, and approximately $73,000. Two safety deposit boxes at a Springfield bank that were connected to Blakley were also searched, revealing more than $280,000.

Undercover officers arrest two teenagers in Pittsfield, loaded firearm seized

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On Wednesday, Blakley, who has been in custody since September on related state charges, pleaded not guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of the firearms and cash seized by law enforcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Enfield Police Department conducted the investigation. Blakley faces up to 20 years in prison.

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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Attendees at a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools chant "fund our schools" at Colorado legislators watching the rally from the Colorado Capitol balcony on March 20, 2025, at the Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands of teachers, school employees, parents and students filled the west steps of the Colorado Capitol Thursday urging Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and state lawmakers to preserve funding for public schools.

The Colorado Education Association, the states largest teachers union, organized a day of action that brought educators from around the state to Denver. Many public schools, including some in Denver, Aurora, Boulder, Adams 12, and Summit County, closed Thursday because so many staff members called out to attend the rally.

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Attendees dressed in red as part of the Red for Ed pro-teacher pay movement, holding signs that read no more cuts, Our kids deserve more, and WTF: Wheres the funding? Chants at the rally included Whose Schools? Our Schools! and Schools need funding, schools need books, schools need money that TABOR took! TABOR, or the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, is a state constitutional amendment that limits how much money the state can collect and spend.

Democratic legislators, who control a majority in both chambers of the Legislature, walked onto the Capitols balcony to wave at protesters and support the rally. Attendees turned to chant fund our schools at the lawmakers.

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CEA had 2,000 people register to attend the rally, though spokesperson Bethany Morris estimated closer to 3,000 people showed up.

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Isabel Rodriguez, a high school teacher in Summit County who has run her own nonprofit and served on the local school board, said she became a teacher because she grew up in Denver being taught by teachers who didnt look or sound like her. She said she works to break the cycle of poverty and build wealth to set her kids up for success, but the state of Colorado makes one thing clear: education is not going to be the path there.

What I hear is that my career is not as valuable, not as worthy of the respect and support that it needs, Rodriguez said at the rally. As a first-generation Latina with a higher education, I know that I will continue to be an outlier. Because what your decisions communicate is that if you have the opportunity to get a higher education, your best bet is to not go into education.

Governors contested plan

The demonstration comes as lawmakers try to plug a $1.2 billion hole in the states budget, which is set for introduction and debate in the coming weeks. There are several reasons for that budget gap, including a state revenue cap set by TABOR, ballooning Medicaid costs and slowing economic growth.

Longtime education financial woes seemed to be on their way out last year, when the Legislature approved a new school funding formula that could allocate $500 million more over six years and passed a budget that fully funded public education according to constitutional requirements for the first time in over a decade.

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Colorado House Assistant Majority Leader Jennifer Bacon, a Denver Democrat, left, and state Rep. Katie Stewart, a Durango Democrat, cheer on a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

A band played and led cheers a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Colorado legislators cheer on a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

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Attendees at a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools chant "fund our schools" at Colorado legislators watching the rally from the Colorado Capitol balcony on March 20, 2025, at the Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Colorado Education Association Vice President Liz Waddick speaks at a rally the CEA organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

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Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Thousands attended a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Delaney Jarmon, an Aurora Public Schools special education teacher, holds a "budget cuts never heal" sign while chanting at a rally the Colorado Education Association organized in support of fully funding public schools on March 20, 2025, at the Colorado Capitol in Denver. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

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But now districts could get less money than promised  though still an increase over last year  in order to balance the budget. Polis, a Democrat, has floated a cost-saving measure that would change how the state calculates enrollment for per-pupil funding. Instead of using a four-year average, his plan would rely on a single years enrollment numbers, meaning that districts with declining enrollment would get less money.

His office says the plan would support students where they actually are, and that four-year averaging only delays eventual budget consequences of declining enrollment. A statement his office released ahead of the rally said representations that the Governor is proposing a cut are just inaccurate.

A switch to a single-year count would mean about $150 million less than expected for schools. Polis plan would still mean an overall increase in funding of about $388 per student.

A counter proposal, backed by House Speaker Julie McCluskie, a Dillon Democrat, would leave the four-year enrollment calculation in place but reduce how much of the new funding formula would go into effect this year  10% versus the promised 18%. That would slow funding increases.

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CEA President Kevin Vick said the demonstrations turnout shows the education community is united in demanding that the state does not further cut education funding.

Colorados students deserve fully funded schools, not budget cuts that undercut their future, Vick said in a statement. Its time for our state to prioritize public education and invest in the resources our students need to succeed.

A voice for students

Delaney Jarmon, a special education teacher at Aurora Public Schools in her third year teaching, came to the rally with a handmade sign that read Budget cuts never heal. She said her school is already low on funding and support, and further cuts would only harm students.

I came out here because not only do we need funding for our school, we need individualized attention for our students, Jarmon said. And if we dont have enough teachers to have that individualized attention, its harder for our kids to learn.

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Jarmon said if the state cut funding from schools once before, whos to say it wont happen again. At her school, she has 15 children with autism in one classroom, which she said is really hard. She wanted to be a voice for her students who couldnt use their own voices.

Willow Mason, a school psychologist at a Denver high school who has worked in Colorado schools for seven years, said shes seen a sense of frustration build up, especially this year.

Given the uncertainty of support for education from the federal government, more than ever we need our state government to be helping us out with education, Mason said. She brought her two kids to the rally. They are both enrolled in public schools, and she said they appreciate programs like arts and sports, all those things that take money.

Newsline reporter Sara Wilson contributed to this report.

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Thousands of Israelis took to the streets of Jerusalem again on Thursday to protest against the resurgence of the Gaza war and the planned dismissal of the head of Israel's Shin Bet internal security service.

According to media reports, the demonstrations - like those on Wednesday evening - were marked by violent clashes between police and protesters, including near the residency of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Media reported that several protesters critical of the government tried to break through police barricades in front of Netanyahu's home and that security forces violently prevented them and fired water cannon.

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Several demonstrators were injured, the Haaretz newspaper reported.

An opposition politician, Yair Golan, was pushed to the ground by police, Israeli media reported. Golan wrote on X that he was fine and that he would continue to fight against the government.

Netanyahu reportedly wanted to have the highly controversial dismissal of Shin Bet head Ronen Bar approved by the government on Thursday evening.

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.

Shin Bet is also investigating alleged illegal ties between Netanyahu's associates and the emirate of Qatar.
Visitors must pass through this guard station at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Maryland before speaking with the children and teenagers detained inside the juvenile center. More than 500 people  both men and women  have alleged that staff abused them at the Baltimore County facility as recently as 2019. (Amanda Hernandez/Stateline)

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 (HOPE) or visit RAINN.org.

BALTIMORE  Avery Fauntleroy was 16 years old in 2008 when he entered the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School, a juvenile detention center in Maryland.

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What was meant to be a place of rehabilitation for him became something far worse.

During his three-month stay for violating the conditions of his home detention order  which was originally issued for riding a motorized dirt bike on public roads  two male correctional staff members sexually abused him at least five times, he says, in both the intake office and the shower room.

Within the first few weeks of his stay, he was placed on something called a one-to-one  a form of suicide watch that required at least one officer to be with him at all times.

The thing that was supposed to protect me the most was actually the thing I felt like hurt me the most, Fauntleroy said.

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He repeatedly reported the abuse to his in-facility therapist, but nothing came of it, he said.

Avery Fauntleroy, at about age 7. (Courtesy of Avery Fauntleroy)

You start to notice that things seem more aggressive the more you say, so you just tend to not say anything, Fauntleroy said. I just put my head down, just kind of took what was going on.

Now 33, he continues to grapple with the lasting impact of the abuse  something that has seeped into every aspect of his life, including his relationships with his children.

As he got older, he eventually revealed the truth to his mother and brother, who encouraged him to speak out.

Youre in the facility because youve done something that clearly wasnt good, Fauntleroy said in an interview, but that doesnt give anyone the right  to do what they want to do with you.

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Fauntleroy is among the thousands of people suing Maryland under the Child Victims Act, a 2023 law that lifted the 20-year statute of limitations on lawsuits against public and private entities  including schools, religious institutions and local or state agencies  involving incidents of sexual abuse.

Avery Fauntleroy, today. (Courtesy of Avery Fauntleroy)

Survivors can seek damages against state and local governments of up to $890,000 for each occurrence of abuse. The cap is higher for cases against private institutions, at $1.5 million.

Since the law took effect, more than 3,500 people have filed lawsuits against Maryland state agencies, many alleging abuse in the states juvenile detention facilities. The state is negotiating settlements outside of court, but there are at least 29 additional pending complaints, which include hundreds more plaintiffs, across various courts in the state.

In recent years, lawsuits alleging sexual or physical abuse by juvenile correctional officers and other detention center staff have emerged in more than a dozen states, including California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington.

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Between 2000 and 2015, recurring abuse was documented in state-funded juvenile detention facilities in 29 states and the District of Columbia, according to a March 2023 report by The Sentencing Project, a research and criminal justice advocacy group.

In early March, 30 officers at a California juvenile detention facility were charged with child abuse and endangerment for allegedly allowing fighting or orchestrating gladiator fights between detainees as young as 12 and as old as 18.

Just last week, Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek fired the longtime director of the Oregon Youth Authority as the agency faced scrutiny over a backlog of mishandled abuse reports. And 10 men filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually abused as boys in a state juvenile center.

Changes in state laws have paved the way for many of the new lawsuits across the country.

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The nonprofit Child USA, which tracks child victim laws nationwide, found that more than a dozen states have changed their laws since 2020 to give survivors more time to sue. This year, legislatures in at least 15 states are considering bills that would expand the statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases, according to Child USAs tracker.

In Maryland, though, some lawmakers have grown alarmed at the potential fallout.

A court filing in early March requesting an extension in a case before the Baltimore County Circuit Court noted that an additional 4,000 or more claimants may file similar suits against the state in the future.

The Maryland Attorney Generals Office, which is representing the state in most of the lawsuits against it, and the state Department of Juvenile Services declined Statelines interview requests.

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But the growing number of lawsuits is forcing Maryland legislators to reconsider aspects of the sweeping law. Democratic Del. C.T. Wilson, the architect of the Child Victims Act, proposed changes that could cap damages and clarify how abuse claims are defined.

This is potentially an enormous liability for the state.

  David Romans, Maryland legislative budget analyst, in committee testimony

Wilsons office declined Statelines interview request and did not respond to emailed questions seeking to confirm his legislative proposals.

State officials have said the financial consequences of the lawsuits could be devastating for the state, which faces a $3 billion budget gap for fiscal year 2026.

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This is potentially an enormous liability for the state, David Romans, a legislative budget analyst, told the House Appropriations and Senate Budget and Taxation committees in January.

He told lawmakers that some of the alleged cases of abuse in Marylands juvenile detention facilities date back as far as the 1960s.

Rampant abuse across the states

It can take decades for a survivor of childhood sexual abuse to come forward. While this timeline varies from person to person, research suggests that the abusers social standing often plays a significant role.

Survivors who were abused by people in positions of authority such as clergy, educators and law enforcement  including correctional officers  may be even more reluctant to share their stories.

[Survivors] have told me they are taking it to their grave. Theyre not going to tell anybody, David Lorenz, the Maryland director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said in an interview with Stateline. Lorenz, who advocated for the Child Victims Act, had worked on different versions of the bill for at least 20 years.

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Experts say juvenile facilities can be dangerous for children and often lack the oversight mechanisms found in some adult correctional institutions.

Theres just a real lack of transparency about whats happening inside those facilities, said Michele Deitch, the director of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, which runs the National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight.

Many of these kids have had real trauma in their lives before theyve ever gone into these facilities, she added. That, in many ways, makes them much more vulnerable to abuse by others, and much less likely to be able to advocate for themselves.

When Avery Fauntleroy left the juvenile detention facility, at 16, he didnt tell anyone what had happened. He was just relieved to be outside.

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The thing that was supposed to protect me the most was actually the thing I felt like hurt me the most.

  Avery Fauntleroy, sexual abuse survivor

He recalled becoming quieter and less of a people person. He no longer liked physical touch, especially from other men in his life.

He let people believe he had simply toughened up from his time in the facility.

The Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Baltimore County is facing abuse allegations, most recently from 2019, from more than 500 men and women in at least two separate lawsuits.

While the facility now exclusively detains boys, it has previously housed girls as well. In an online information sheet, the facility says that all its staff are trained in trauma-informed care and that detainees have access to crisis counseling, substance use education and various programs, including life skills development, pet therapy and a book club.

Tall fencing, edged with barbed wire, surrounds the campus of Marylands Charles H. Hickey Jr. School behind a map of its buildings. One survivor recalls being abused in two of the facilitys locations. (Amanda Hernandez/Stateline)

According to the suit, Neverdon groomed victims by offering them special privileges, money, drugs and expensive gifts while using his authority to silence them with threats of punishment if they reported the abuse. The Baltimore Sun reported that Neverdon also served as a substitute teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools, most recently in 2020.

Stateline was unable to reach Neverdon for response, and its unclear whether he has an attorney. He has not been charged with a crime.

These kids were subjected to just horrific, horrific sexual violence, said Alexandra Walsh, one of the attorneys working on child sex abuse cases across the state, in an interview with Stateline. This has been dragging on too long, and its not fair to the people who were so grievously harmed.

Marylands Department of Juvenile Services said in a statement that it takes the allegations from across the state with utmost seriousness and we are working hard to provide decent, humane and rehabilitative environments for youth committed to the Department.

Possible legislative changes

Maryland lawmakers may consider legislative changes that could limit financial liability for the state in cases under the Child Victims Act  a move that has sparked debate among advocates and policymakers.

One proposal would lower the cap on damages for survivors who file claims after a certain date. Currently, victims can seek up to $890,000 in claims against state or local governments, but the proposal would reduce that cap to $400,000, aligning it with the maximum allowed under the Maryland Tort Claims Act.

Another proposed change would define repeated abuse by the same perpetrator as a single occurrence under the law. This change would limit victims to receiving a maximum of $890,000 in total, rather than for each instance of abuse.

Although those proposals were not introduced during this years legislative session, Del. Wilson, the Child Victims Acts architect, did introduce a bill to prevent new filings under the law against the state after Jan. 1, 2026.

That bill had its committee hearings canceled at least four times since mid-February. The Baltimore Banner reported in early March that Wilson had vowed he would not close the window for claims and that this bill was a placeholder ahead of the deadline for filing new bills.

Since the bill did not receive a committee hearing or a vote, it is unlikely to pass this session. The issue may still resurface during next years legislative session.

Some advocates are torn over the potential changes to the law.

One of the primary goals of Marylands Child Victims Act was to publicly identify abusers and the institutions that protected them, said Lorenz, the survivors advocate who helped draft the law. It will still accomplish that goal, he said, even if the proposed changes are adopted.

While victims may still receive justice, it may not be to the full extent they deserve if the proposed changes are adopted, he said. But Lorenz also understands that the state may need to revise the law because the state funds other programs designed to help residents.

My heart goes out to them, Lorenz said. If they lower the limit, unfortunately, its going to send a message to survivors that theyre not worth as much as everybody else.

For survivor Avery Fauntleroy, the fight is about more than money. Its about confronting the past and uncovering what really happened during his time at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School.

They cant give me a number thats going to fix everything, he said. Maybe me doing this will make someone else want to speak up, or make them want to give their story and not hide behind anything.

Stateline reporter Amanda Hernandez can be reached at ahernandez@stateline.org.

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Visitors must pass through this guard station at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Maryland before speaking with the children and teenagers detained inside the juvenile center. More than 500 people  both men and women  have alleged that staff abused them at the Baltimore County facility as recently as 2019. (Amanda Hernandez/Stateline)

BALTIMORE  Avery Fauntleroy was 16 years old in 2008 when he entered the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School, a juvenile detention center in Maryland.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 (HOPE) or visit RAINN.org.

Advertisement Advertisement

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What was meant to be a place of rehabilitation for him became something far worse.

During his three-month stay for violating the conditions of his home detention order  which was originally issued for riding a motorized dirt bike on public roads  two male correctional staff members sexually abused him at least five times, he says, in both the intake office and the shower room.

Within the first few weeks of his stay, he was placed on something called a one-to-one  a form of suicide watch that required at least one officer to be with him at all times.

The thing that was supposed to protect me the most was actually the thing I felt like hurt me the most, Fauntleroy said.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

He repeatedly reported the abuse to his in-facility therapist, but nothing came of it, he said.

Avery Fauntleroy, at about age 7. (Courtesy of Avery Fauntleroy)

You start to notice that things seem more aggressive the more you say, so you just tend to not say anything, Fauntleroy said. I just put my head down, just kind of took what was going on.

Now 33, he continues to grapple with the lasting impact of the abuse  something that has seeped into every aspect of his life, including his relationships with his children.

As he got older, he eventually revealed the truth to his mother and brother, who encouraged him to speak out.

Youre in the facility because youve done something that clearly wasnt good, Fauntleroy said in an interview, but that doesnt give anyone the right  to do what they want to do with you.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Fauntleroy is among the thousands of people suing Maryland under the Child Victims Act, a 2023 law that lifted the 20-year statute of limitations on lawsuits against public and private entities  including schools, religious institutions and local or state agencies  involving incidents of sexual abuse.

Avery Fauntleroy, today. (Courtesy of Avery Fauntleroy)

Survivors can seek damages against state and local governments of up to $890,000 for each occurrence of abuse. The cap is higher for cases against private institutions, at $1.5 million.

Since the law took effect, more than 3,500 people have filed lawsuits against Maryland state agencies, many alleging abuse in the states juvenile detention facilities. The state is negotiating settlements outside of court, but there are at least 29 additional pending complaints, which include hundreds more plaintiffs, across various courts in the state.

In recent years, lawsuits alleging sexual or physical abuse by juvenile correctional officers and other detention center staff have emerged in more than a dozen states, including California, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Between 2000 and 2015, recurring abuse was documented in state-funded juvenile detention facilities in 29 states and the District of Columbia, according to a March 2023 report by The Sentencing Project, a research and criminal justice advocacy group.

In early March, 30 officers at a California juvenile detention facility were charged with child abuse and endangerment for allegedly allowing fighting or orchestrating gladiator fights between detainees as young as 12 and as old as 18.

Just last week, Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek fired the longtime director of the Oregon Youth Authority as the agency faced scrutiny over a backlog of mishandled abuse reports. And 10 men filed a lawsuit alleging they were sexually abused as boys in a state juvenile center.

Changes in state laws have paved the way for many of the new lawsuits across the country.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The nonprofit Child USA, which tracks child victim laws nationwide, found that more than a dozen states have changed their laws since 2020 to give survivors more time to sue. This year, legislatures in at least 15 states are considering bills that would expand the statute of limitations on child sex abuse cases, according to Child USAs tracker.

In Maryland, though, some lawmakers have grown alarmed at the potential fallout.

A court filing in early March requesting an extension in a case before the Baltimore County Circuit Court noted that an additional 4,000 or more claimants may file similar suits against the state in the future.

The Maryland Attorney Generals Office, which is representing the state in most of the lawsuits against it, and the state Department of Juvenile Services declined Statelines interview requests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

But the growing number of lawsuits is forcing Maryland legislators to reconsider aspects of the sweeping law. Democratic Del. C.T. Wilson, the architect of the Child Victims Act, proposed changes that could cap damages and clarify how abuse claims are defined.

This is potentially an enormous liability for the state.

 David Romans, Maryland legislative budget analyst, in committee testimony

Wilsons office declined Statelines interview request and did not respond to emailed questions seeking to confirm his legislative proposals.

State officials have said the financial consequences of the lawsuits could be devastating for the state, which faces a $3 billion budget gap for fiscal year 2026.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

This is potentially an enormous liability for the state, David Romans, a legislative budget analyst, told the House Appropriations and Senate Budget and Taxation committees in January.

He told lawmakers that some of the alleged cases of abuse in Marylands juvenile detention facilities date back as far as the 1960s.

Rampant abuse across the states

It can take decades for a survivor of childhood sexual abuse to come forward. While this timeline varies from person to person, research suggests that the abusers social standing often plays a significant role.

Survivors who were abused by people in positions of authority such as clergy, educators and law enforcement  including correctional officers  may be even more reluctant to share their stories.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

[Survivors] have told me they are taking it to their grave. Theyre not going to tell anybody, David Lorenz, the Maryland director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said in an interview with Stateline. Lorenz, who advocated for the Child Victims Act, had worked on different versions of the bill for at least 20 years.

Experts say juvenile facilities can be dangerous for children and often lack the oversight mechanisms found in some adult correctional institutions.

Theres just a real lack of transparency about whats happening inside those facilities, said Michele Deitch, the director of the Prison and Jail Innovation Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, which runs the National Resource Center for Correctional Oversight.

Many of these kids have had real trauma in their lives before theyve ever gone into these facilities, she added. That, in many ways, makes them much more vulnerable to abuse by others, and much less likely to be able to advocate for themselves.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

When Avery Fauntleroy left the juvenile detention facility, at 16, he didnt tell anyone what had happened. He was just relieved to be outside.

The thing that was supposed to protect me the most was actually the thing I felt like hurt me the most.

 Avery Fauntleroy, sexual abuse survivor

He recalled becoming quieter and less of a people person. He no longer liked physical touch, especially from other men in his life.

He let people believe he had simply toughened up from his time in the facility.

The Charles H. Hickey Jr. School in Baltimore County is facing abuse allegations, most recently from 2019, from more than 500 men and women in at least two separate lawsuits.

While the facility now exclusively detains boys, it has previously housed girls as well. In an online information sheet, the facility says that all its staff are trained in trauma-informed care and that detainees have access to crisis counseling, substance use education and various programs, including life skills development, pet therapy and a book club.

Tall fencing, edged with barbed wire, surrounds the campus of Marylands Charles H. Hickey Jr. School behind a map of its buildings. One survivor recalls being abused in two of the facilitys locations. (Amanda Hernandez/Stateline)

One of the lawsuits against the facility alleges that Ronald P. Neverdon, a former staff member who held roles such as unit manager and housing supervisor from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s, abused children at the facility and other locations.

According to the suit, Neverdon groomed victims by offering them special privileges, money, drugs and expensive gifts while using his authority to silence them with threats of punishment if they reported the abuse. The Baltimore Sun reported that Neverdon also served as a substitute teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools, most recently in 2020.

Stateline was unable to reach Neverdon for response, and its unclear whether he has an attorney. He has not been charged with a crime.

These kids were subjected to just horrific, horrific sexual violence, said Alexandra Walsh, one of the attorneys working on child sex abuse cases across the state, in an interview with Stateline. This has been dragging on too long, and its not fair to the people who were so grievously harmed.

Marylands Department of Juvenile Services said in a statement that it takes the allegations from across the state with utmost seriousness and we are working hard to provide decent, humane and rehabilitative environments for youth committed to the Department.

Possible legislative changes

Maryland lawmakers may consider legislative changes that could limit financial liability for the state in cases under the Child Victims Act  a move that has sparked debate among advocates and policymakers.

One proposal would lower the cap on damages for survivors who file claims after a certain date. Currently, victims can seek up to $890,000 in claims against state or local governments, but the proposal would reduce that cap to $400,000, aligning it with the maximum allowed under the Maryland Tort Claims Act.

Another proposed change would define repeated abuse by the same perpetrator as a single occurrence under the law. This change would limit victims to receiving a maximum of $890,000 in total, rather than for each instance of abuse.

Although those proposals were not introduced during this years legislative session, Del. Wilson, the Child Victims Acts architect, did introduce a bill to prevent new filings under the law against the state after Jan. 1, 2026.

That bill had its committee hearings canceled at least four times since mid-February. The Baltimore Banner reported in early March that Wilson had vowed he would not close the window for claims and that this bill was a placeholder ahead of the deadline for filing new bills.

Since the bill did not receive a committee hearing or a vote, it is unlikely to pass this session. The issue may still resurface during next years legislative session.

Some advocates are torn over the potential changes to the law.

One of the primary goals of Marylands Child Victims Act was to publicly identify abusers and the institutions that protected them, said Lorenz, the survivors advocate who helped draft the law. It will still accomplish that goal, he said, even if the proposed changes are adopted.

While victims may still receive justice, it may not be to the full extent they deserve if the proposed changes are adopted, he said. But Lorenz also understands that the state may need to revise the law because the state funds other programs designed to help residents.

My heart goes out to them, Lorenz said. If they lower the limit, unfortunately, its going to send a message to survivors that theyre not worth as much as everybody else.

For survivor Avery Fauntleroy, the fight is about more than money. Its about confronting the past and uncovering what really happened during his time at the Charles H. Hickey Jr. School.

They cant give me a number thats going to fix everything, he said. Maybe me doing this will make someone else want to speak up, or make them want to give their story and not hide behind anything.

Stateline reporter Amanda Hernandez can be reached at ahernandez@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.
Three out-of-state residents have been charged after an occupied car is shot at in the City of Erie.

That shooting happened in broad daylight Tuesday morning.

Erie woman sentenced for starting 2024 house fire

Aaron Thomas, 51, of Michigan was charged with attempted homicide. Caitlin Stetson, 31, and 32-year-old Avery Hunt, both from New York, were charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

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City police responded to a shots fired call at East 13th and Parade Streets late Tuesday morning where they said two vehicles pulled up to the stop sign with one suspect getting out of their car and shooting five rounds at the other car.

Traffic stop leads to discovery of 63 pounds of marijuana: PSP

The detectives on scene were able to ascertain a license plate and description of the vehicle where we observed the suspect firing from. A short time later officers on the street were able to observe this vehicle with two females and a male suspect standing around the vehicle they were able to detain those individuals a firearm was recovered, said Rick Lorah, deputy chief of police for the City of Erie.

According to the affidavit, one of the female victims had stolen a bag containing a quantity of cash and narcotics and was being hidden by the other female victim.

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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 WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com.
(FOX 5/KUSI)  Three people died in two separate attempts to cross from Mexico into California during a period of stormy weather in mid-March, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The agency said the alleged border crossings happened on March 14, during a time of rainy and snowy weather across San Diego and Imperial counties.

According to CBP, Border Patrol agents responded to a first call for help around 6 p.m. near the Cuchama Truck Trail in the Otay Mountain Wilderness.

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Agents found a woman who had made the call, along with another woman who had since died. The woman who made the call told agents that the two had crossed around five miles west of the Tecate Port of Entry.

Border Report Live: The state of U.S. immigration courts today

At about 7:20 p.m., other Border Patrol agents responded to another part of the Otay Mountain Wilderness Area, where three people called to report that they were lost, had symptoms from the cold temperature, difficulty breathing, and no food or water.

When agents arrived, they found a 16-year-old minor alive and two men who had died. The teen was identified as the daughter of one of the men, and she was taken to a hospital.

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The woman who called in the first instance and the teen were eventually taken to Border Patrol facilities to be processed for removal from the country, and the San Diego County Sheriffs Office responded to recover the bodies of those who died.

Read the latest news from the U.S.-Mexico border region

CBP said that the following night, around 11 p.m., agents found a man with an ankle injury in the Otay Mountains. The man rejected medical help, but was given food and water, and later taken to a Border Patrol station to be processed.

In a statement, the San Diego Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jeffrey D. Stalnaker said, Our message for anyone who might attempt an illegal crossing into the U.S. is simple: Dont do it. The Otay Mountain wilderness is unpredictable and unforgiving. Extreme conditions and harsh terrain can lead to injuries and death to you or your loved ones, so dont break the law and avoid the risk.

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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 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV)  The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) approved plans for three high schools  Meridian High School, Richland High School and Pontotoc High School  to become Schools of Innovation for the 2025-26 school year.

Additionally, George County High School was renewed as a School of Innovation, while two districts  Tupelo School District and Oxford School District  were renewed as Districts of Innovation.

Mississippi will now have 19 Schools of Innovation and 10 Districts of Innovation.

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State Board recommends relocating MSMS to Mississippi State

There is no one-size-fits-all to creating successful academic outcomes for students. I congratulate these new Schools of Innovation for seeking to implement different, innovative systems of learning, said Dr. Lance Evans, state superintendent of education. The MDE is ready to offer guidance and support in this endeavor.

Meridian High School applied for the School of Innovation to implement a College and Career Academy model of education designed to help all students reach their college and career goals.

Richland High School plans to introduce a flexible block schedule into the school day to better support students academic growth, provide enrichment opportunities, and promote equity by ensuring every student, regardless of morning arrival time or transportation, has access to the same opportunities for success.

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Pontotoc High School proposes transitioning from a 44 block schedule to a 55 block schedule to enhance instructional quality, expand student opportunities, and directly address challenges related to seat time compliance, course accessibility, and equity.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD)  Three Venezuelan nationals accused of attempting to steal gun and ammunition from Palmetto State Armory in Summerville were arrested last month, according to the Summerville Police Department.

Officers responded to the gun store on East 5th North Street shortly after 5 p.m. on Feb. 27 to reports of a shoplifting incident.

Officers reportedly met with the stores loss prevention specialist on arrival who said three Hispanic males had been detained. Those individuals were later identified as Alejandro J. Miranda Rodriguez, Yosveni Miched Parra Quinonez, and Edison Alejandro Ramiro Munoz.

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It was determined through an initial interview that the suspects  who were allegedly in the country illegally  had stolen hundreds of dollars worth of gun parts and boxes of ammunition. One suspect also had burglary tools with them, authorities said.

During the interviews, these highly experienced officers observed suspicious activity, including wearing long-sleeve clothing and pants in warm weather and body language indicative of criminal activity, an SPD news release stated.

The suspects reportedly admitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in subsequent interviews that they planned to sell the stolen merchandise for narcotics.

No signal causing traffic headache for Summerville drivers

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Authorities said ICE confirmed the men were members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a transnational gang originating from Venezuela that was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration in January.

Additionally, the three suspects were wearing heavy clothing to hide their Tren de Aragua gang tattoos from the public and to avoid detection by law enforcement, the news release further stated.

All three suspects were charged with shoplifting less than $2,000 and placed on trespass notice from the gun store. Quinonez was also charged with possession of crime tools.

Summerville Police Chief Doug Wright said his department is deeply committed to continuing to work alongside federal partners like the Department of Homeland Security, calling them a force multiplier.

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The police officers assigned to Team 6 and PSAs loss prevention specialist who handled this investigation are commended for their thorough handling of this investigation and what would be construed as an ordinary everyday arrest by a law enforcement officer and deep-diving into what crime was taking place beyond the shoplifting case, Wright said.

The suspects were booked into the Dorchester County Detention Center pending bond hearings.

ICE placed immigration detainers on each of the men pending further investigation, the police department 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 WCBD News 2.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now)  Police in Montgomery County said three teenagers were arrested and charged in a string of armed robberies that happened in the Olney area.

The first robbery happened on Feb. 15 at a Harris Teeter in the 18100 block of Town Center Drive. The Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) said eight juveniles  one of which was a 16-year-old boy later identified as a suspect, approached two victims.

Then, on March 9, MCPD responded to another armed robbery at a McDonalds in the 18000 block of Georgia Ave. Investigators said the victims were in the bathroom when they were approached by three suspects, including the same 16-year-old from the previous robbery at Harris Teeter.

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Armed man near CIA headquarters, Fairfax County police say; barricade incident follows

At around 6 p.m. on March 14, an MCPD officer noticed three suspects in the Onley Village Shopping Center. They were identified as two 16-year-olds and one 15-year-old.

The 16- and 15-year-old were taken into custody and charged with the robberies. MCPD said the 15-year-old had a gun at the time.

The third teen  a 16-year-old  also had a gun at the time.

Courtesy of the Montgomery County Department of Police

Courtesy of the Montgomery County Department of Police

The 16-year-olds were taken to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, while the 15-year-old was taken to the Cheltenham Detention Center.

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MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN)  Officers with the Mt. Juliet Police Department arrested three wanted suspects in separate traffic stops Wednesday.

One of the stops along Golden Bear Gateway happened after a delivery box truck reportedly ran a red light. Authorities discovered a passenger in the vehicle, a 32-year-old from Smyrna, had a felony theft warrant out of Nashville and had been wanted since September 2019.

CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee

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In another stop on Pleasant Grove Road, an officer stopped a vehicle without a license plate. MJPD officials discovered a 28-year-old Hohenwald man had multiple warrants for failure to appear in court out of Lewis County. The court appearances were for non-payment of child support.

Along Interstate 40 East, a truck was pulled over for multiple alleged violations  including speeding, an unlawful window tint and expired tags. The driver, a 49-year-old Nashville man, had an active warrant from the Tennessee Department of Correction for a parole violation. Mt. Juliet police said the man had been on parole for multiple drug sales convictions and had previously been charged by the MJPD for being a felon in possession of a firearm in June 2024.

 Read todays top stories on wkrn.com

Instead of turning himself in after being notified of his arrest warrant, he absconded and had been in hiding, the MJPD said in a social media post announcing the arrests.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.
We have come together to stay together: Uddhav

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23:44 Farmers protest: After Shambhu, traffic resumes at Khanauri Traffic resumed at the Khanauri farmers protest site on Friday, more than a year after the Punjab-Haryana border point was closed due to the agitation.A senior Punjab police official said the vehicular traffic resumed this evening after the barricades put up to thwart the farmers' march to Delhi... Read more >

23:11 DMK set to host JAC meet of states on delimitation Tamil Nadu's ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is all set to host its first meeting of states over delimitation in Chennai on March 22 and Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said it was more than a meeting, which marked the beginning of a movement that will shape the future of the country to... Read more >

22:37 Indian students must comply with US laws: MEA Indian students in the United States should comply with American laws, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday following the detention of a postdoctoral fellow at the Georgetown university and self-deportation of another student to Canada.External Affairs Ministry spokesperson... Read more >

22:12 Indian officials skip Pak national day celebrations A 'new dawn' in Pakistan-India relations can emerge by enhancing mutual understanding, addressing shared concerns and resolving 'long-standing disputes' including the Kashmir issue, Pakistani Charge d'Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich has said.The comments by the Pakistani envoy came days after Prime... Read more >

21:01 India 'hopes' to rebuild ties after Trudeau's exit India on Friday said it hopes to rebuild ties with Canada based on 'mutual trust and sensitivity', blaming the downturn in the relations to the 'licence' that was given to the 'extremist and secessionist elements' in that country. New Delhi's comments came days after Mark Carney, an... Read more >

20:26 Rupee jumps 36 paise to close at 86 against US dollar Rising for the sixth straight session, the rupee appreciated 36 paise to close at 86 (provisional) against the US dollar on Friday on a sharp rise in the domestic equity markets and fresh foreign capital inflows.At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 86.26, then touched an... Read more >

19:41 Justice Varma's transfer independent of enquiry: SC The Supreme Court on Friday said misinformation and rumours were being spread over the incident related to Delhi high court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, from whose official residence a large stash of cash was allegedly discovered after a fire.The proposal for Justice Varma's transfer to... Read more >

19:24 Lok Sabha approves Demands for Grants for various ministries Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Demands for Grants of various ministries for 2025-26, approving expenditure of more than Rs 50 lakh crore.The House passed the Demands for Grants by applying the guillotine on Friday evening.Earlier this week, the Lok Sabha discussed the Demands for Grants for the... Read more >

18:50 Fire chief denies cash recovery at judge's home Justice Yashwant Varma Fire fighters found no cash during their operation to douse flames at the residence of Delhi high court Justice Yashwant Varma, Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg said on Friday.The control room received a call about a blaze at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at 11.35 pm on March 14 and two fire... Read more >

18:35 CJ 'shocked' over cash discovery at judge's home Delhi high court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya on Friday expressed shock after an alleged incident of cash discovery at the official residence of its sitting judge Justice Yashwant Varma came to light.The chief justice's reaction came when a senior lawyer mentioned before the top judge's court that... Read more >

18:07 Karnataka okays bill for 4% Muslim quota in contracts Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Dy CM DK Shivakumar The Karnataka legislative assembly on Friday passed a Bill to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, amid strong protests by the opposition BJP.BJP MLAs climbed on the podium where Speaker U T Khader's chair is placed and threw papers at him.On Khader's direction,... Read more >

18:03 Only army left to be deployed to protect Aurangzeb's tomb: Sena-UBT Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Ambadas Danve on Friday criticised the shielding of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb in the district by metal sheets, saying only the army was left to be brought in to guard the ASI site now.Danve, leader of opposition in the state legislative council,... Read more >

17:08 '94% rise in communal violence between 2019-2024' AAP MP Sanjay Singh targeted the BJP in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, claiming cases of communal violence have gone up by 94 per cent between 2019 and 2024 due to incendiary and hate speeches by the ruling party leaders. Participating in a debate on the working of the Home Ministry, he said... Read more >

16:53 Sensex, Nifty climb nearly 1% Benchmark stock indices Sensex and Nifty surged nearly 1 per cent on Friday, marking their fifth day of rise on the back of fresh foreign fund inflows and gains in bank stocks. The 30-share BSE Sensex jumped 557.45 points or 0.73 per cent to settle at 76,905.51. During the day, it surged... Read more >

16:36 Holi murder: Water from hose entered body via anus Representational image Three persons were arrested in connection with the death of a man amid Holi celebrations in Thane district on March 14, a police official said on Friday. Satyaprakash Upadhyaya was part of group celebrating the festival by spraying water on each other in Varap village, which led to a dispute... Read more >

16:32 Oppn demands judicial probe into honey-trap allegations The opposition BJP and JD(S) created a ruckus in the Karnataka Assembly on Friday, demanding a judicial probe by a sitting High Court judge into the alleged honey-trap attempt involving a minister and other politicians. BJP and JD(S) members stormed into the well of the House, protesting with... Read more >

15:57 Nepalese student who died at KIIT had complained earlier Nepalese students were forced to leave the campus after the incident The Nepalese student, who died by suicide at KIIT in February, had lodged a complaint of sexual harassment before the varsity authorities in March last year, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the Odisha assembly on Friday. Replying to a written question from Congress MLA... Read more >

15:46 Israeli military strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon File pic The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) said it recently attacked a military site containing underground infrastructure in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, and a military site containing rocket launchers in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah terrorist organization activity was observed. Earlier, The IDF... Read more >

15:22 Man learns YouTube surgery, operates on himself and... A 32-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh's Vrindavan, who attempted to cure his recurring stomach pain by performing surgery on himself using techniques learned from YouTube, is now reportedly recovering well at home. Raja Babu, a resident of Sunrakh village, had cut and stitched his own abdomen... Read more >

14:45 Fadnavis to reach Nagpur in first visit after violence Police on alert in Nagpur Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is reaching Nagpur Friday evening, his first visit to his home city after protest against Aurangzeb's tomb triggered violence there on Monday, an official said. Fadnavis will be halting in Nagpur for the night and has no public engagements till he... Read more >

14:34 Nagpur violence: 17 sent to police custody till Mar 22 A local court in Nagpur has remanded 17 persons arrested in connection with the violence in the city in police custody till March 22, noting the seriousness of the offence and that prima facie the accusation against them was well-founded. The accused were produced on Thursday night before... Read more >

14:21 Why Sudiksha's parents want her declared dead The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki have asked for Dominican authorities to declare their daughter dead because they want closure. Their request highlights the heartbreaking realities of losing a child and handling the legalities of a missing person... Read more >

14:02 Only Hindus should work at Tirumala Temple: Andhra CM Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said on Friday that only Hindus should be employed at the Tirumala Temple, and if individuals from other communities are currently working there then they will be relocated to other places without hurting their sentiments.Only Hindus should be... Read more >

13:21 Cong: Does govt have guts to give notice to X on Grok? Congress MP Manish Tewari criticised the union government on Friday for trying to can gain favour with United States President Donald Trump's administration, after sources from the Ministry of Information and Technology said that they have not sent any notice to the company X (owned by Elon Musk)... Read more >

13:15 8 Healthy Rituals For Pampering Your Feet Have you looked down at your feet lately? Are they well cared for and elegant in appearance? No? Why not? Do you get aches and pains walking long distances? You should not be. Other parts of our body may be beautiful and charming, but our hardworking feet tend to get overlooked. Take care of... Read more >

13:14 The Dupatta Killer Review: Brutal. Sad. Upsetting Patrick Graham's crime documentary The Dupatta Killer gives all sides of the story and leaves it to the viewer to fill in the blanks, notes Deepa Gahlot. Read before you watch. Read more >

13:03 Deeply shameful: MPs on HC's 'not rape' ruling Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi on Friday said the Supreme Court should intervene in the Allahabad high court's ruling, which held that actions like grabbing breasts or snapping a pyjama string do not constitute rape or an attempt to rape but rather fall under the... Read more >

12:44 Nagpur violence: Muslim leaders urge Fadnavis to meet representatives Members of the Muslim community in Nagpur have condemned the violence in Vidarbha's largest city earlier this week and sought an impartial probe into it, claiming that timely action by police could have prevented it.Addressing a press conference on Thursday, they said Maharashtra Chief Minister... Read more >

12:26 Is Nitish unwell? CM did this during nation anthem... Nitish Kumar grabbed the officer next to him and was seen to be talking and smiling After Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was seen purportedly talking during the national anthem at a function in Patna, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Misa Bharti on Friday raised questions on his mental and physical health and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should think in... Read more >

12:16 Embassy Developments, Lam Research Ink Rs 1,125 Cr Land Deal Representational image Bengaluru-based Embassy Developments Limited, through its wholly owned subsidiary Embassy East Business Park, has signed a Rs 1,125 crore (Rs 11.25 billion) land transaction deal with Lam Research (India), a leading global semiconductor equipment manufacturer, as per a company statement.The... Read more >

12:10 Maha extends deadline for high-security registration plates on old vehicles The Maharashtra state transport department has extended the deadline for installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019 to June 30. According to a Hindustan Times report, In an internal circular issued to all Regional Transport... Read more >

12:08 Cash at home: SC collegium to transfer HC judge Representational image The Supreme Court Collegium has decided to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi high court to his parent high court in Allahabad after an adverse report against him following the recovery of huge amounts of cash from his residence. The SC collegium led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna made the... Read more >

11:54 Trump warns of jail time for 'sabotaging' Teslas United States President Donald Trump said on Friday that people who get caught sabotaging Tesla cars may stand a chance to go to jail for up to twenty years. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, People that get caught sabotaging Teslas will stand a very good chance of going to jail... Read more >

11:48 RSS chief inaugurates key meet; to discuss Manipur RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday inaugurated the three-day meet of Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha (ABPS), Sangh's top decision making body, that will discuss Manipur situation, as well as the attempts to create the 'North-South divide' in the country.Addressing a press meet, RSS joint... Read more >

11:31 India skips Pakistan National Day event in Delhi A new dawn in Pakistan-India relations can emerge by enhancing mutual understanding, addressing shared concerns and resolving longstanding disputes, including the Kashmir issue, Pakistani Charge d'Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich has said. The comments by the Pakistani envoy came days after... Read more >

11:02 UP prof accused of raping students, filming acts, held Police in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj have arrested a 50-year-old Geography professor accused of sexually abusing his students -- he allegedly filmed these acts and used these 59 videos to blackmail them into silence, as well as force them to perform further sexual favours, reports NDTV.Rajnish... Read more >

10:46 Judge blocks deportation of Indian student over Hamas connections A US federal judge has blocked the deportation of an Indian student at Georgetown University who was arrested after federal authorities accused him of actively spreading Hamas propaganda. Badar Khan Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian... Read more >

10:39 5G Traffic Rises 3x In India Due To... Fixed wireless access (FWA) or home broadband is driving the massive surge in 5G data traffic in India, Finnish telecom gear maker Nokia said on Thursday.In its annual India Mobile Broadband Index report, Nokia said that 5G data traffic tripled in 2024, while 4G growth declined. The... Read more >

10:29 Maha govt scared of Aaditya: Raut on Disha Salian case Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut on the allegations against Aaditya Thackeray in the Disha Salian death case: The BJP tried to raise the Aurangzeb issue, but they were not successful. Now, to hide their defeat, they have raised this issue of Disha Salian. You should see statements made by Disha... Read more >

10:21 Staying in Kolkata not an option: Taslima Nasreen Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen said she doesn't find relocating to Kolkata from Delhi a feasible option at this point, adding that I don't want to get kicked around anymore. Speaking to PTI on the BJP raising her ouster from Kolkata in Parliament, Nasreen said she would instead... Read more >

09:55 Who is the Indian who bought Husain's Rs 119 cr painting? Kiran Nadar Philanthropist Kiran Nadar has bought MF Husain's 'Untitled (Gram Yatra)' painting for Rs 119 crore. The painting was hidden in Norway for decades before Christie's auctioned it at New York's Rockefeller Centre on Wednesday. According to a report in The Economic Times, the painting was... Read more >

09:42 Net ECB Inflows Surge Over 2x To $18.4 Bn Net inflows from External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) more than doubled to $18.4 billion in the April 2024 to January 2025 period, compared to a year ago, amid declining costs of overseas fund raise, according to Reserve Bank of India data.ECB registrations of $47.3 billion and disbursements of... Read more >

09:25 US SC to hear Tahawwur Rana's extradition plea again US Supreme Court justices will hear next month Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's renewed application, submitted to Chief Justice John Roberts, seeking a stay of his extradition to India. Rana, 64, is currently lodged in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles and... Read more >

09:15 Sebi Proposes Key Changes For EBP, RFQ Platforms The Securities and Exchange Board of India on Thursday proposed changes to norms for the Electronic Book Provider (EBP) platform and the Request for Quote (RFQ) platform in a bid to boost liquidity in the corporate bond market and improve transparency.The regulator has proposed making EBP... Read more >

09:09 Bain Capital To Invest Rs 4,835 Cr In Manappuram Finance The US-based private equity giant Bain Capital announced on Thursday that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire joint control of India's second-largest gold financier, Manappuram Finance, by purchasing an 18 per cent stake for Rs 4,385 crore.The acquisition will be through a... Read more >

09:07 Netanyahu fires security chief over 'distrust' Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday fired Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar over its failure to anticipate the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas.Netanyahu announced his intention to sack the head of the nation's security service in a video statement on Sunday, citing an ongoing distrust... Read more >

09:04 UK's Heathrow Airport closed due to power outage London's Heathrow Airport will remain closed on Friday after a fire at an electrical substation triggered a major power outage, disrupting operations at one of the world's busiest airports.Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant... Read more >

08:23 Trump signs executive order to shut down Education Dept United States President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to begin the process of shutting down the Department of Education, stating that while essential programs like Pell Grants and Title I funding for children with disabilities would be preserved and reassigned to other... Read more >

00:51 Four Fire Brigade personnel sustain injuries in blaze at Andheri industrial unit File image Four Fire Brigade personnel sustained injuries in a blaze at an industrial unit in Andheri in western Mumbai, officials said on Thursday. The blaze erupted at New Industrial Estate on Mahakali Caves Road in Andheri East in the afternoon and was doused late in the evening, they... Read more >
AUSTIN (KXAN)  Texas leaders challenged a Houston-area representative who authored House Bill 274, which would strip the city of Austin of its governing authority and turn it into the District of Austin.

House Bill 274 is a simple bill, it seeks to establish a District of Austin as the official city of Texas government, said Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Houston, at the House State Affairs Committee Wednesday. Ensuring the capital city remains accountable to the state that it represents.

Its not the first time a bill has been filed to force state control onto the city of Austin. North Texas Rep. Jared Patterson filed a similar bill in 2022. The director of the Donaldson Center for Communication Studies at the University of Texas told KXAN that Pattersons 2022 bill was nothing more than a heavy dose of political theater.

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That description could also describe Wednesdays hearing on HB 274.

For years, staffers, constituents and even our own family members visiting the capital face rising fears due to surging crime in Austin, Cain said. The citys leadership has repeatedly made reckless decisions: defunding the police, refusing to prosecute violent criminals and allowing businesses to go unchecked.

Several state lawmakers on the committee challenged Cain on those remarks, including Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas.

Anchia pulled up a website analyzing crime data, which rates cities on an A through F scale. He proceeded to quiz Cain on crime ratings for Deer Park, a city in Cains district, versus the city of Austin.

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Austin is actually slightly better  violent crime grade was actually a C, rather than a C- for Deer Park. Should we use the Mississippi example and do that to provide a special district to Deer Park? Anchia said.

Cain rebutted that Deer Park isnt the states capital nor is a majority of state government conducted there. He also said weve consistently had issues with this city [Austin] and that it wasnt necessarily crime that led to his bill. However, his presentation of the bill focused on crime as a central argument.

Theres a parable in the Bible about a glass house and throwing stones. I think its John 8:1-11. I would ask you to reflect, Anchia finished. You can watch the full interaction here.

Rising fears due to surging crime in Austin

Cain didnt cite a specific report for his claim about Austins crime rates, but generally said that violent crime in the city had increased since 2019. The state report we could find that lists crime statistics from major police departments specifically going back to 2019 was the DPS 2023 Crime in Texas report.

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So what does the data say? Data from the city of Austin and the Texas Department of Public Safety both show similar crime trends for Austin. The overall crime rate, as reported to DPS, decreased 8% from 2019 to 2023, according to that DPS 2023 Crime in Texas report.

That report shows a 17.8% increase in Austins violent crime between 2019 to 2023. But it also shows a 7% decrease between 2022 to 2023. It also says the violent crime rate is down 7.8% from 2022 to 2023. Further, in a memo, the city of Austin said the violent crime rate dropped 8.7% between 2023 and 2024, pointing to another DPS report.

Some police departments, like Deer Park in Harris County, are not large enough for inclusion in DPSs annual Crime in Texas report.

Meanwhile, the Harris County Sheriffs Office reported a 14.7% increase in its crime rate during the same five-year time period. It also reported a more significant increase in violent crime over that extended time period  up by nearly 40% from 2019 to 2023 and by more than 10% from 2022 to 2023.

Defunding the police, refusing to prosecute

After the city of Austin moved to reform its police budget in 2020, state lawmakers stepped in to make sure that didnt happen. In Texas, large cities cant cut any funding from their police department without losing property and sales tax revenue.

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For consecutive years since then, APD has received a record high budget as a result. It received a roughly $18 million bump this past budget season. City policymakers continuously remind the public during budget sessions that the APD budget cant be cut due to state law.

Texas Legislature passes bill requiring largest cities to hold elections before cutting police funds

As for refusing to prosecute, city government has no control over court cases.

Whether or not violent criminals are prosecuted is the responsibility of Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, an elected official. KXAN has done extensive reporting on the data of Garzas tenure.

City of Austin responds to HB 274

The city of Austin directly addressed Cains bill in a memo which you can read below:

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HB 274 District of AustinDownload

It unsurprisingly opposed the notion, and the citys Intergovernmental Relations Office wrote that the bill is vague and lacks clarity on how the District of Austin would be governed. State lawmakers also expressed those concerns during the committee meeting.

The memo also responded to the bills rhetoric about Austins crime rate, economic opportunity and governing style.

Austins Violent Crime Rate for 2024 is 59.6% lower than Houston, 43.8% lower than Lubbock, and 21.4% lower than San Antonio according to the Texas Department of Public Safety Uniform Crime Reporting System Crime in Texas Report Top 25 Violent Crime Comparison report, reads the memo, addressing Cains chief argument for the District of Austin being necessary.

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Its unclear what Cain referred to by saying Austin was allowing businesses to go unchecked. The city of Austin responded to that as well, writing that Austin has been the best performing economy among the top 50 metros in the United States over the last five years, with its GDP up 39%.

Austin ranks eighth for 4.5% growth over the last year, the memo reads, Austin is the tenth best performing in job growth among the top 50 metros, adding 22,700 jobs, or 1.7% growth, in the year ending in December.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
Chicagos south suburbs were hit with a tornado warning Wednesday evening after National Weather Service officials warned that a wave of showers and thunderstorms were expected to move through the area Wednesday afternoon with a tornado watch and a possibility of snow into the night.

Officials issued the tornado warning through 6 p.m. for Calumet City, Chicago Heights and some of Northwest Indiana Wednesday, with hail spotted in parts of the area and on Chicagos southwest side. Earlier Wednesday, they had forecast a 60% chance of showers and a thunderstorm possible by 2 p.m. in portions of north central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

Waves of showers and thunderstorms will move across the area today, but the main threat with the morning storms would be strong to near severe hail up to quarter size. A few storms this afternoon and early evening may also be strong to severe and feature damaging winds and hail. A few tornadoes may occur, especially along and south of I-80, possibly as far north as I-88.

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Later Wednesday, conditions are expected to shift to breezy with wind gusts up to 35 mph. Temperatures are expected to drop to the low 30s when a small amount of snow is possible, officials said.

Current conditions at OHare International Airport are light rain and mist at 43 degrees. Farther south at Midway Airport, conditions are the same.

A wind advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. Thursday when gusty winds threaten to blow around unsecured objects and power outages may occur in the area. The possibility of snow during this time accompanied by snow may affect visibility for travelers, officials warned.
U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall holds a meeting with constituents on March 17, 2025, in Yates Center. (Christy Davis)

If I had to use one word to describe the meeting I attended March 17 with Sen. Roger Marshall in Yates Center, it would be orchestrated.

But that shouldnt be surprising, given his refusal to address a crowd of frustrated constituents earlier this month in Oakley. In contrast, this weeks gathering in a small conference room in the basement of the Woodson County Courthouse was not a public town hall. Only those invited to participate were given the opportunity to speak  while about twenty constituents holding signs reading DO BETTER and I WISH I WAS GETTING PAID TO BE HERE exercised their First Amendment rights outside.

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As one of about 20 people in the crowded conference room, I witnessed something unexpected: even this hand-picked audience did not refrain from sharing legitimate concerns and asking pointed questions. In a litany of carefully crafted responses, Sen. Marshall managed to dodge them.

Although Sen. Marshall promised he was going to do his best to protect critical access hospitals and stressed that no one is talking about cuts to Medicare, he did not specifically address the proposed cuts to Medicaid or USDA that would wreak havoc on Southeast Kansas. It seems he, like many of his colleagues, is willing to cede power to President Donald Trump and Elon Musks DOGE.

Representatives from local hospitals and law enforcement, including Wilson Medical Center, Yates Center Police and Thrive Allen County expressed concerns about what federal cuts would mean for a region already struggling to combat economic hardships, mental health concerns, juvenile delinquency, and a dire need for health care professionals. When parents struggle to survive, communities are forced to lean on government services. Already strapped for resources, these leaders know that further cuts would be devastating.

In response to community leaders concerns, Sen. Marshall recited from the Trump playbook. He blamed autism on smart phones, blamed China for a price hike in Canadian potash our farmers need to fertilize their crops, blamed wars for increased consumer prices, and assured attendees that tariffs are resulting in more jobs coming home.

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When one like-minded business leader asked about the never-ending cycle of continuing resolutions and the ongoing failure to pass a budget or Farm Bill, Marshall blamed Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and promised that You will see us bring every one of those funding bills to the floor this year. (The budget bill was due in early February and even the Republican House appropriation chairman has said Trumps budget proposal could slip until May.)

Trumps budget proposal, which passed in the House in February, calls for $880 billion in cuts to the health care and energy sectors, $230 billion from USDA, and $330 billion from education programs. The proposal would cut $5 billion per year in Medicaid funds to Kansas. For comparison, the total operating cost for all Kansas hospitals is $10.6 billion per year.

Protesters carry signs outside U.S. Sen. Roger Marshalls Yates Center meeting earlier this week. (Christy Davis)

Nearly all Kansas hospitals rely on Medicaid to stay open. With nearly 60% of rural Kansas hospitals already at risk of closing, unless we change course, well lose most of them, and countless lives, in the next decade. Those that remain open will compete for a dwindling amount of capital improvement funds managed by a devastated government workforce. Cuts to education will make it impossible to train much-needed healthcare workers, and Kansans will die.

U.S. senators have three major roles: budget reconciliation, checking executive power and overseeing federal agencies, and participating in relationships with other countries. Based on what I saw in Yates Center, Marshall is failing at all three.

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Republicans have had control of the White House and majorities in the U.S. House and Senate for two months, with two months before that to plan. Still, Congress cant pass a budget or Farm Bill and keeps kicking the can with continuing resolutions. Instead of checking Trumps power, Congress is supporting his big beautiful budget bill, which, if he is listening to his constituents, Marshall knows would devastate our state. Senators are tasked with overseeing federal agencies; but instead of supporting a strong publicly accountable federal workforce that could help his constituents navigate federal funding programs, theyre allowing an unchecked president and his billionaire corporate raiders to sow a chaotic system of private contractors.

Marshall isnt just sitting idly by and watching this happen; he is playing an active role. As a member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, he has boasted about meeting with Elon Musk. Last week, he applauded Trumps nomination of television personality Mehmet Oz, who also dodges questions about Medicaid cuts, to lead the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicaid provides health coverage to 1 in 7 Kansans and 41% of Kansas children. Even if Marshalls plan to regulate social media curbs autism diagnoses, how will parents of autistic children access programs? And how will the Kansas hospitals Marshall says he is committed to, the ones that rely on Medicaid for as much as half of their incomes, survive?

Sen. Marshall opposes earmarks. In Yates Center, he said he had tried unsuccessfully to supplement his staff with a grant writer. Heres a better idea: rebuild a publicly accountable civil service to keep a watchful eye on tax dollars and assist everyone, not just the billionaires, in accessing federal funds.

After his invite-only meeting at the Woodson County Courthouse, Marshall visited the still-smoldering site of Yates Center Health and Rehab, a nursing home destroyed in a wildfire fueled by Fridays windstorm. Mission Health is looking for funds to rebuild. Even if Congress appropriates funds for these types of projects, who will be left to help the community navigate them? Who will cover costs for this and other Kansas nursing homes who now bill Medicaid for 65% of their residents?

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As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Marshall has the responsibility to fund USDA Rural Development and deliver a Farm Bill that is already two years late. As a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, Marshall has the power to check Trumps disastrous tariffs and protect Medicare, Social Security, AND Medicaid.

In the words of one of yesterdays protestors, No one voted for Elon. Kansans deserve more than a senator who fails to stand up to those who aim to destroy our federal government.

Christy Davis is a fifth-generation Kansan who has worked with communities in all 105 counties over a 25-year career. 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.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas (KETK) A cockfighting ring involving hundreds of people was discovered in Mount Pleasant on Saturday and local authorities did nothing to stop it, animal organizations said.

According to Animal Wellness Action and Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), over the weekend they presented to Titus County Sheriffs Office with evidence of a cockfighting event but deputies did nothing to stop it.

12 arrested, 31 birds seized in East Texas cockfighting bust

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The organizations said that representatives showed up to the cockfighting event and took drone footage showing about 225 vehicles and people holding roosters. The groups claimed it was the biggest cockfighting event they have ever seen.

Four deputies showed up to the property after the organizations handed over evidence, but the groups said they feel more could have been done.

Unfortunately, a senior law enforcement officer with the Titus County Sheriffs Office chose not to seek a search warrant, despite the overwhelming evidence presented, Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy President Wayne Pacelle said.

AFFIDAVIT: Detective reveals horrific conditions of dogs found at alleged Smith County fighting ring

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The organization said when deputies showed up to the event, their drones saw people packing up and leaving.

KETK news reached out to Titus County Sheriffs Office several times on Wednesday but were only told that the owner of the property refused their deputies access. We asked for further details and are waiting for a call back.

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TITUSVILLE  Titusvilles Benson Memorial Library is among 11 libraries around Pennsylvania awarded a total of more than $4 million in state grants to rehabilitate their facilities.

Benson has been awarded a $220,796.50 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Educations Office of Commonwealth Libraries and funded through the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.

The grant will pay for 50 percent of an estimated $440,000 roof replacement and exterior repair project at the library, according to Jessica Hilburn, Bensons executive director.

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We just found out (about the award) yesterday, Hilburn told The Meadville Tribune on Wednesday. We have the money for the local match, but we want to do a little more fundraising so we dont dip into our savings.

The project will go to bid this year, she said.

Recipients were selected through a competitive grant process, according to Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe.

Rowe called Pennsylvanias public libraries vital community hubs, connecting residents to essential resources, educational opportunities, and critical services like access to technology and information.

The Commonwealth understands the important role libraries of all sizes play in their communities, and this funding will help Pennsylvanias libraries build, repair, and improve their facilities and operations to better serve visitors and patrons, Rowe said in a statement.

The Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund was established by the General Assembly in 1993. The Department of Education administers the public library portion of the program which is funded from a portion of the states realty transfer tax. Grants pay up to 50 percent of eligible costs in planning, acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of public libraries.
Tom Hanks is taking people on a virtual ride to the moon. At Space Center Houston, visitors can experience an immersive 270-degree multi-screen view of the Apollo missions.

"The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks," was co-written and narrated by the Academy Award-winning actor. In the film, he tells the story of the Apollo missions, when humans landed on the moon six times up until 1972.

For Hanks, it's a project that involves one of his longstanding passions.

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Hanks' love for space

The Academy Award winning actor has loved space since elementary school.

"I was sitting at home in December of 1968 when Bill Anders, Jim Lovell and Frank Borman broadcast a live TV message from the moon. I remember thinking to myself, 'I am so glad I'm 13-years-old and I'm alive at the moment that we as a species go from never being on the moon to having been to the moon and I bought all the little models and all the little toys,'" Hanks said.

As an actor and producer, he was drawn to projects like "Apollo 13"  he played Jim Lovell in the film  and an Apollo mini-series. So, when Hanks saw an art show at the immersive London venue, Lightroom, Hanks got an idea.

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"I just said, 'you know, this could be the closest you could get to walking on the moon if you did something about Apollo here.'"

Hanks worked with Lightroom to create the experience, using mostly photos and film that the Apollo astronauts shot themselves, including a family photo that Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke left on the lunar surface.

The images were handpicked by co-writer Chris Riley, a space documentarian.

"They're pristine, clear," Riley said. "It really feels like you are there again."

The show also includes new interviews with astronauts of the Artemis program that Space Center Houston said on its website, "will grant an insight into the return of crewed surface missions to the moon."

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Hanks said he was starstruck when he had the opportunity to meet some astronauts.

"It's like meeting the Beatles. They're like, 'oh, hey Tom, I really enjoyed that show you made.' I can't believe these guys know my name," Hanks said. "There isn't one of them who doesn't talk about how much fun it was to play in zero gravity."

Reaction to the project

Hanks tells the story of the moonwalkers as if recounting memories on a Sunday drive. While the stories are nostalgic for some, they're aspirational for others.

"It felt like you are on the moon somewhere where you could be doing anything you wanna be, having fun," said Zoila Rollins.

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The 7-year-old from the Dallas-Fort Worth area wants to be an astronaut, while her brother desires to be an engineer. Now, they're one small step closer.

Astronaut Megan McArthur, who's spent 200 days on the International Space Station, felt a special connection to the project, saying she cried the first time she saw it and called the film "emotionally immersive."

"All of that moonwalking happened before I was born, except for the very, very last mission," McArthur said. "I didn't know a lot of the details, in particular, the astronauts talking about the fun things that they got to do."

Future of space travel

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Hanks said he isn't concerned about commercialization or division impacting space travel.

"Here's one thing about 1968.What was going on in 1968? There was a war in Vietnam. There was a huge dynamic of competition and animosity between big chunks of the world. There was a massive amount of us versus them. That's 1968. Does that sound familiar?" Hanks asked. "And if you want, if you need, if you seek some degree of reassurance or inspiration or example, you can get that from the fact that four human beings are gonna start going back to the moon and they're gonna be staying longer. It will be an example of the best of us if we choose to make it so."

You can watch "The Moonwalkers" everyday at Space Center Houston. The film is going on a North American tour starting in Boston this summer.

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Tommy Robinson is being kept in isolation over fears he could be killed in a prison with a significant Muslim population, a court has heard.

The 42-year-old would allegedly be in danger at HMP Woodhill in Milton Keynes if he was moved out of segregation as there were tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims which would be inflamed by his presence.

At the High Court on Thursday, his lawyers requested he be allowed to bring a legal challenge over his isolation arguing that it was a breach of his human rights.

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Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was jailed for 18 months for contempt of court in October after he admitted repeating false and defamatory claims against a Syrian refugee.

He pleaded guilty to 10 breaches of a High Court order made three years earlier which banned him from repeating false claims made in one of his documentaries.

A bearded Robinson, who is due to be released on July 26, appeared at Thursdays hearing via video link wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit.

The court heard he was segregated in HMP Belmarsh on the first day of his sentence after saying he had conflict with followers of Islam.

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After being moved to Woodhill in November, he was again kept away from other inmates following intelligence reports which suggested two other prisoners were plotting to assault him for kudos and notoriety.

The court heard there were also credible reports he had a mark on his head and would be killed by a lifer if he was not kept on a closed wing.

When Robinson arrived at the prison there were already tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim prisoners, the court heard.

It was said Robinsons presence would exacerbate the situation and increase the likelihood of violence and clashes within the prison.

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Alisdair Williamson KC, for Robinson, said: Woodhill has a significant Muslim population and it appears to be that which is causing a difficulty.

Segregation is harming him

Mr Williamson said Robinsons mental health had deteriorated dramatically since his incarceration.

He said Robinson had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following a period of isolation during a previous prison sentence and it had been reactivated.

Mr Williamson continued: We are presented with a position that Woodhill is not a safe place for him to be unless he is in segregation, but that segregation is, we suggest, harming him.

He added: As a civil prisoner who poses no risk we suggest there should be a better way, a more humane way to manage his incarceration.

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In a complaint to the prison in February, Robinson said solitary confinement is destroying my mind and he was terrified of the long term consequences.

He said he believed his isolation was politically motivated and he was being provoked to react.

He added: I want to leave prison mentally well, not mentally broken.

Receiving unique privileges

The court heard that the impact of the segregation could affect him when he was released and his barrister said it may lead to him self harming by using drugs and alcohol.

Tom Cross, for the Ministry of Justice, said that Robinson was being kept on a closed wing, which was different to the segregation unit, for his own safety and not because of his political beliefs.

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He argued Robinson would face threats even if he was moved to another prison.

Mr Cross also noted that Robinson had a bespoke regime with unique privileges and was allowed significantly more visit time than any other prisoner.

He said that in the five months he had spent behind bars, he had had 80 social visits and 13 non-family visits.

Robinson also had access to a phone and made over 1,250 calls. He was able to use a gym, had a DVD and CD player in his cell, and possessed a laptop which he could use to send and receive emails.

There is no alternative to segregation

The court was told he was also free to leave his cell for three hours a day, double the amount of time other inmates in segregation were permitted.

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Mr Cross concluded: Accordingly, [Robinsons] regime does not amount to total solitary confinement.

He said that Robinson was not being held in segregation to break his resistance or will or to debase or humiliate him.

Mr Cross added: The impact on his health has been and remains carefully monitored and his fitness for segregation remains medically certified.

There is no alternative to segregation which has been assessed as acceptable in light of the risks.

A number of Robinsons supporters attended the hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice including one man wearing a Make England Great Again hat.

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Ezra Levant, the Canadian founder of Rebel News, a far-Right media outlet, was in court as was Dan Wootton, the former GB news presenter.

The judge, Mr Justice Chamberlain, will hand down his decision in writing at a later date.

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After filing countless lawsuits against Sean Diddy Combs, Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee has been forced to withdraw himself as counsel on any cases filed in the Southern District of New York.

The withdrawals were prompted by a federal judge who asked Buzbee to explain why he didnt disclose to the courts that he was not permitted to practice law in the southern district. Buzbee apologized for the error in judgement [sic] in a letter to the judge and asserted that he would no longer be representing clients in NYC. Diddys legal team also filed paperwork claiming Buzbee was not allowed to practice law in New Yorks southern district.

I now seek to remedy this error by withdrawing my representation of the Plaintiff in this matter pending the resolution of my admission to this court, Buzbee responded. As an attorney in good standing of the New York State Bar, the Texas State Bar, and your sister district, the Bar for Eastern District of the State of New York, I believe I am eminently qualified and should not be precluded from representing the Plaintiff in this action. At this time, however, my admission status has become a distraction that has shifted the focus of the matter away from where it should be, which is securing justice for the Plaintiff.

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Buzbee has officially been dropped as counsel on 15 cases in New Yorks southern district, but his firm will still represent his clients, telling TMZ, I personally withdrew, not my firm, from the few federal court cases we have on file until such time as my admission is cleared up. Im still attorney in charge in all the New York state cases and intend to file cases very soon in Nevada and California.

Houston lawyer Tony Buzbee holds a press conference at his office announcing the over 100 individual cases he has against Sean Diddy Combs on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 in Houston. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)

While Buzbee  who is also behind the dismissed lawsuit accusing JAY-Z of sexually assaulting a teen back in the early 2000s  is just stepping down from these cases, it was officially determined last month that he could no longer practice law in NYs Southern District, which incudes New York Citys five boroughs (Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island), and Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Sullivan counties.

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Press Release

March 20, 2025 Senator Bong Go monitors investigations into hospital deaths in Bohol and Negros Occidental, urges continued reforms to strengthen healthcare services Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, is closely monitoring the investigations into the recent deaths of infants in separate hospitals in Bohol and Negros Occidental. These incidents have raised concerns over possible lapses in medical care, prompting calls for a thorough review of hospital protocols to prevent similar cases in the future. Senator Go extended his condolences to the affected families, emphasizing the need for accountability while ensuring that the healthcare system is further strengthened to prevent such incidents. "Lubos akong nakikiramay sa mga pamilyang nawalan ng mahal sa buhay. Mahalagang matiyak na maayos ang ating mga ospital at may sapat na suporta ang ating healthcare workers upang makapagbigay ng de-kalidad na serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan," said Senator Go. In Bohol, the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Medical Center, a Department of Health (DOH)-run hospital, is investigating the death of a nine-month-old girl who was brought to the hospital three times between March 3 and 5 due to fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. According to the baby's mother, Maricel Igang, her daughter was repeatedly sent home with medication and oral rehydration salts but was not admitted. The child's condition worsened, and despite eventually being admitted, she did not survive. The hospital has assured the public that it is conducting a thorough investigation to determine if hospital procedures were followed correctly and whether improvements are needed. Senator Go underscored the importance of reviewing hospital policies and ensuring that medical teams have adequate resources to handle emergencies. "Kailangang tiyakin na may sapat na pasilidad at suporta ang ating mga ospital upang maiwasan ang ganitong insidente. Kung may kailangang ayusin, gawin natin ito upang mapanatili ang tiwala ng ating mga kababayan sa ating sistemang pangkalusugan," he stressed. Meanwhile, in Negros Occidental, several medical practitioners of Bago City Hospital are facing administrative charges following the death of a newborn in February. The fact-finding committee created by Bago City found substantial evidence suggesting lapses in medical care. According to the complaint, the baby's mother endured 12 hours of labor and requested a cesarean section, but the procedure was allegedly not performed in time. The baby did not survive, while the mother was left in critical condition. Senator Go acknowledged the pain of the grieving family while also recognizing the challenges faced by healthcare workers in high-pressure situations. "Hindi biro ang responsibilidad ng ating mga doktor at nurse, lalo na sa mga pampublikong ospital kung saan madalas kapos sa kagamitan at tauhan. Dapat nating tiyakin na may sapat silang suporta upang maiwasan ang ganitong mga insidente," he said. He reaffirmed his commitment to improving the country's healthcare system by pushing for more hospitals and continuous upgrades in medical facilities. "Kailangan nating palakasin ang ating mga pampublikong ospital, lalo na sa mga lalawigan kung saan mahirap makakuha ng serbisyong medikal. Suportahan din natin ang ating healthcare workers upang mas mapabuti ang kanilang serbisyo," Senator Go emphasized. With these incidents highlighting the need for continued reforms, Senator Go vowed to sustain his advocacy for a healthcare system that effectively serves all Filipinos, particularly the most vulnerable. "Alam nating hindi madali ang trabaho sa ospital, pero mahalaga na patuloy nating pagbutihin ang ating sistema. Suportahan natin ang ating mga healthcare workers habang sinisigurado rin nating protektado ang ating mga pasyente," he concluded.
At a former American air base in southern Vietnam, work abruptly stopped last month on efforts to clean up tons of soil contaminated with deadly dioxin from the militarys Agent Orange defoliant.

The Trump administrations broad cuts to USAID also halted efforts to clear unexploded American munitions and landmines, a rehabilitation program for war victims, and work on a museum exhibit detailing U.S. efforts to remediate the damage of the Vietnam War.

In addition to exposing thousands of people to health hazards, the cuts risk jeopardizing hard-won diplomatic gains with Vietnam, which is strategically increasingly important as the U.S. looks for support in its efforts to counter a growingly aggressive China.

It doesnt help at all, said Chuck Searcy, an American Vietnam War veteran who has dedicated his time to humanitarian programs in the country for the last three decades. It is just another example of what a lot of critics want to remind us of: You cant depend on the Americans. It is not a good message.

Funding for the Agent Orange cleanup at Bien Hoa Air Base was unfrozen about a week after it was stopped, but its unclear whether funds are fully flowing or how theyll be disbursed, with no USAID employees left to administer operations, said Tim Rieser, a senior adviser to Sen. Peter Welch, who drafted a letter to administration officials signed by Welch and more than a dozen other Democratic senators urging the continued funding of the programs.

Other programs remain cut.

They have reversed a number of these arbitrary decisions, but were far from out of the woods and we dont know how this is going to end, Rieser said.

From foes to friends

The interruptions to aid comes as the U.S. and Vietnam prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War and the 30th anniversary of the normalization of relations between Washington and Hanoi.

It was a slow road back from the war, which lasted some 20 years and saw more than 58,000 Americans, and many times that number of Vietnamese, killed before it finally ended in 1975.

Starting in the 1990s, the U.S. began helping its former enemy address wartime legacies like Agent Orange, a herbicide dropped from planes during the war to clear jungle brush, and which was later found to cause a wide range of health problems, including cancer and birth defects.

The two countries have since been increasing defense and security cooperation as China has become increasingly assertive in the region. In 2023, Vietnam elevated relations with the U.S. to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest level of cooperation and the same as Russia and China.

Trump cuts foreign aid, citing waste

On Inauguration Day, Trump issued an executive order directing a freeze of foreign assistance funding and a review of all U.S. aid and development work abroad, charging that much of foreign assistance was wasteful and advanced a liberal agenda.

But Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Feb. 7 underscored the departments support for ongoing efforts to collaborate on the legacy of war issues, in his introductory call with his Vietnamese counterpart, according to the Defense Department.

Twenty days later, the administration ordered all but a fraction of the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, staffers off the job and terminated at least 83% of its contracts and cut programs globally, including in Vietnam.

Rieser, who was retired Sen. Patrick Leahys foreign policy aide when the Vermont Democrat secured the original funding for Vietnam War remediation projects, said the idea that money was being wasted is factually wrong.

Our foreign aid advances our own national interests, and if the Trump administration doesnt understand that its hard to know what to say, he said.

Agent Orange cleanup is uncertain

A U.S. project to clean up from the former Da Nang Air Base was successfully completed in 2018, giving rise to the Bien Hoa cleanup effort outside of Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon.

The contamination at Bien Hoa, the busiest airport in the world during the war, was nearly four times greater than in Da Nang, with some 500,000 cubic meters (650,000 cubic yards) of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment.

As of 2024, the province in which Bien Hoa is located had more than 8,600 people still suffering from Agent Orange-related health issues, according to local authorities.

The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and USAID referred all questions on the war legacy projects to the State Department in Washington.

In a one-line email, the State Department said that USAID has three contracts conducting dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa in Vietnam that are active and running.

Asked to elaborate on how long the Bien Hoa project was shut down and what operations had resumed, as well as the status of other war legacy programs, the State Department said we have nothing to share on the details of these programs at this time.

Vietnams Defense Ministry referred questions to the Foreign Ministry, which did not respond to requests for comment.

But in a Feb. 13 press conference, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang expressed concern about what could happen if American funding for war legacy projects, which amounts to some $200 million per year, were to end.

The suspension of USAID-supported projects, especially those on clearing bombs and explosives left over from the war, as well as the Bien Hoa airport detoxification project, will have a strong impact on human safety as well as the environment in the project areas, she said.

On Tuesday, a U.S. federal judge ruled that the dismantling of USAID likely violated the U.S. Constitution and blocked further cuts, but stopped short of reversing firings or fully resurrecting the agency.

Cuts risk undoing decades of diplomacy

Sen. Leahy, who retired in 2023, told The Associated Press that it had been a lengthy process over the last 35 years to build the relationship by working hand-in-hand with the Vietnamese to address the problems left behind.

It is through these efforts that two former enemies are now partners. If we pack up and leave without finishing what we started, it will send a message that the Americans cant be trusted, he wrote in an email.

People in the Trump administration who know nothing and care less about these programs are arbitrarily jeopardizing relations with a strategic partner in one of the most challenging regions of the world.

Its too early to say exactly how the abrupt decision will affect relations, but it is likely to call into question whether Washington is still a reliable partner in other dealings, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a political scientist who is a visiting fellow in the Vietnam Studies Program at Singapores ISEASYusof Ishak Institute.

The level of trust gradually increased and it is very easy to dismantle, he said, adding that Vietnam may now think twice before deepening military cooperation ties or purchasing American weapons.

There is good reason for Hanoi to be very cautious. DAVID RISING, HANOI, MDT/AP
Democrats and teachers unions are condemning the upcoming executive order President Trump is expected to sign Thursday dismantling the Department of Education.

Trump has long called to end the department, and, under Education Secretary Linda McMahon, his administration has reduced its size by half, alongside Trump and Elon Musks efforts to reduce the size of the federal government more broadly. An executive order moving to shutter the federal agency has been in the works for weeks, and Democratic leaders and education groups are united against the move.

We should be focused on helping our kids with math and reading  the basics they need to succeed. Absolutely no one is asking for three out-of-touch billionaires to rip apart the Department of Education over some deranged far-right culture war, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

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In taking a wrecking ball to the department, Trump is making it harder for students to get help getting financial aid, jeopardizing the funding schools and families count on every day, and making it easier for predatory businesses to rip students off, Murray added.

Trumps executive order comes after the Education Department already laid off half of its employees. He is expected to order McMahon to dismantle the department as far as she is legally allowed.

The federal agency has some programs that are congressionally mandated  including its civil rights office, Title I and programs for students with disabilities  and cannot be abolished without a change to the law.

But programs not in statute can be eliminated by the secretary, and conservatives argue McMahon can move required initiatives to other federal agencies, such as the civil rights office to the Department of Justice.

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American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten only had four words in response to the news of Trumps executive order: See you in court.

Though legal challenges are assured, the departments defenders fear what could occur while the issue is litigated, which can take years.

Legality aside, dismantling [the department] will exacerbate existing disparities, reduce accountability, and put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, rural students and English as a Second Language (ESL) students at risk, said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), the ranking member on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.) called Trumps move more bulls.

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We know youre just trying to wear us out. But for the record, I am not overwhelmed. My zone isnt flooded, Smith said. I will fight your illegal behavior until the cows come home, and Im pretty sure the hundreds of thousands of people whove contacted my office since you started this nonsense are on the same page.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Mar. 19A shelter in place order for Topsham schools was lifted Wednesday afternoon, several hours after a Mt. Ararat High School student fled the building before classes began.

Superintendent Heidi O'Leary posted a notice to the Maine School Administrative District 75 website around noon, alerting students and families that the student had been located and was in the care of his family.

The Sagahadoc County Emergency Management Agency identified the student in an alert as a 16-year-old boy who was seen leaving the school around 9 a.m.

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Topsham police and the Sagahadoc County Sheriff's Office searched for the student, who left behind personal belongings at the school "that might have suggested the intent to run away," O'Leary wrote in a notice around 10 a.m. These items included a hatchet, hunting knife, personal documents and food.

In a second update around 10:45 a.m., she said the district was collaborating with the student's family.

Topsham police Chief Marc Hagan said officers were concerned for the student's safety until he was found a few miles away from the school, walking along the Cathance River Trail system. Hagan said the student's father made contact with his son, then the department found him by pinging his phone.

Because the high school is near Mt. Ararat Middle School and other elementary schools, he said, the whole school district was ordered to shelter in place out of an abundance of caution.

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O'Leary said in a news release that there was no indication that the student was a threat, but the shelter-in-place order was precautionary to "prioritize the safety of our students, staff, and school community" while police worked to locate him.

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This story was updated to add new information.

A tornado was confirmed to have touched down at Greater Cincinnati's regional airport during a round of thunderstorms Wednesday evening.

The National Weather Service in Wilmington announced the confirmation in a statement Thursday afternoon, saying the tornado touched down at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, locally known as CVG, in Boone County, Kentucky.

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The confirmation was corroborated with video footage, and the storm survey team is still assessing its path length and max intensity, which will be provided later on Thursday, the statement said.

The severe weather Wednesday caused major damage to a building under construction at the airport and peeled back roofs on homes in southeastern Indiana, where a barn also was destroyed, officials say.

A cold front brought gusty winds, rain and storms Wednesday night, according to Enquirer media partner Fox19's weather team.

The building damaged at CVG is on the north end of the airport property, off a cellphone parking lot where drivers pick travelers up once their flights arrive, CVG spokeswoman Mindy Kershner told Fox19. Once complete, the facility is planned to be used for cargo processing.

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Severe weather that came through the area overnight caused damage to a building under construction on airport property. No one was injured, she said early Thursday, confirming that it sustained major damage.

Damage in Southeast Indiana

In southeastern Indiana, roofs were peeled back on two homes in Ohio County, a dispatcher told Fox19.

One is located in the 1000 block of Main Street in Rising Sun and the other is further out in the county in the 4100 block of State Route 262, where their barn also was destroyed, he said.

No injuries were reported, but the American Red Cross was called to assist the family on state Route 262.

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Its not clear yet if this damage  and trees down all over the county  is all from straight-line winds or a small tornado., according to Ohio county dispatchers. We wont know until we can see it when its light, he said before dawn Thursday. Im sure well get more storm damage reports once its daylight and people start waking up.

Power outages linger in area

In Switzerland County, no Southeastern REMC customers are without power, according to the utilitys website.Four power lines were reported to be down on Fairview Road in Vevay, closing it from Nelle Road to Highline Road, a Switzerland County dispatcher said. A tree also was down on Springranch Road, she added.

As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday, 1,148 of the 1,172 Duke Energy customers in Switzerland County were reported to be without power, and Duke's website estimates power will be restored by 5 p.m. Thursday.

Hamilton County still has scattered outages Thursday, most if not all from storms late Wednesday that took down trees all over Hamilton County and especially in Colerain Township, according to the utilitys website and county dispatch.

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The Duke Energy Outage map in Northern Kentucky shows no widespread outages. Multiple trees are down in Ludlow on Poplar Street and Davies Street, the National Weather Service in Wilmington reported.

There also were reports of trees down on East Bend Road in Burlington, according to the weather service.

The weather service said they do not have widespread reports of storm damage and havent decided yet if they will do on-scene surveys later.

Once additional reports of storm damage come in after daylight, if they do, we will coordinate with local emergency management agencies and go from there.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 reporter Jennifer Edwards Baker and the Fox 19 weather team contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tornado confirmed at CVG airport after round of storms Wednesday
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week this week, the state held a tornado drill shortly before 10 a.m. Wednesday.

The warning sirens were activated in Franklin County for three minutes, which is longer than the weekly Wednesday tests at noon.

Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Young said the test went well.

Why fighter jets may be flying near Columbus and Dayton

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The sound heard Wednesday morning, and just about every Wednesday of the year, is what would sound should there be a tornado warning issued. The point of the drill is to offer up the opportunity to practice and strengthen emergency plans.

If its an actual tornado warning or sounding the sirens, your first reaction should be, I need to get, you know, inside a structure, get to the lowest level and preferably a room that has no glass and no windows, Young said.

Franklin County has 198 sirens spread throughout and Young said they all worked properly during the drill.

Every week, we test them and theres typically something that needs to have some level of maintenance done on it, which is why we do that test weekly, you know, and so now when we need them, we know theyll all work, he said.

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Columbus Zoo welcomes 70-plus baby seahorses after two-year wait

Young said the purpose of these sirens is to inform people that if theyre outside and severe weather is rolling in, they need to get to an indoor safe area as soon as possible.

Thats why you want to pay attention, he said. Theyre not designed to wake you up from a sound sleep in the middle of a building.

When a tornado warning is issued, the Franklin County siren warning system is activated by zone; the warning zones are broken up into northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast sections of the county.

Last year, Ohio saw 74 tornadoes touch down, far exceeding the record of 62 set in 1992. Young said people in Franklin County are aware of the devastation tornadoes can cause.

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Twice-suspended dentist in Grove City under investigation after patient dies

Theres a lot of anecdotal stories about how the sirens went off, it woke people up, they started to react, their mobile devices went off, and then they took shelter, and it helped them, Young said. Its all part of being informed and knowing where youre going to get your trusted information, you know, and being weather aware, you know, knowing your surroundings, which makes you better prepared so you can take action to protect you or your family.

Young said it is important to prepare for all types of severe weather, including tornadoes and flooding. In addition to having a plan in place, its also important to build an emergency kit that should include items like a first aid kit, food and water.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO)  A group is urging that Gov. Larry Rhoden veto legislation that would require proposed amendments to the South Dakota Constitution to have a substantial number of signatures from all 35 of the states Senate districts in order to reach the statewide ballot.

The Voter Defense Association of South Dakota is holding a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday. You can watch the news conference in the story above.

The legislation in question is House Bill 1169. It says petitions proposing constitutional amendments must have signatures from voters equal in number to at least five percent of the total votes cast for Governor in the senatorial district at the last gubernatorial election.

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Impeaching judges unusual, unique law school dean says

The legislation keeps the current requirement from the South Dakota Constitution that the total number of signatures on the petition equals at least 10% of the total votes cast for governor in the last gubernatorial election.

Josie Harms, who is press secretary for the Republican governor, told KELOLAND News in an email on Thursday, The Governor has about 60 bills left to sign, and he will announce his decision on that specific bill in the coming days.

The group, Voter Defense Association of South Dakota, issued a statement on Thursday pointing out what its chairman, Matthew Schweich, says is a fatal flaw. Schweich, who led unsuccessful ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana in 2022 and 2024, told KELOLAND News that the 2022 gubernatorial election results werent reported for each Senate district.

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Results were only reported on a precinct and county basis, the groups statement said. Therefore, it is currently impossible to know the exact number of signatures required in each state senate district for a proposed 2026 initiated amendment. This would create a severe and unfair hardship for South Dakotans seeking to exercise their rights under Article 23 of the state constitution.

Article 23 is the constitutional provision allowing voters to petition for constitutional amendments.

The VDA statement continued, Furthermore, it is unclear how the South Dakota Secretary of States office would evaluate petitions submitted for proposed 2026 initiated amendments given that the 2022 gubernatorial results were never officially reported by the legislative district.

KELOLAND News emailed a request for additional information on Thursday morning to South Dakota Secretary of State Monae Johnson, as well as her deputy and the state elections directors. Well let you know more when we receive a response.

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HB 1169s prime sponsors are Republican Rep. Rebecca Reimers and Republican Sen. Tom Pischke. Among the co-sponsors were the House speaker and speaker pro tem, Republicans Jon Hansen and Karla Lems, as well as the Senates top three Republicans, Chris Karr, Jim Mehlhaff and Carl Perry.

Lawmakers can override a governors veto. To do so requires a two-thirds majority in each chamber: 47 in the House and 24 in the Senate.

HB 1169 raced through the House 60-9, then met resistance in the Senate but eventually passed 19-15 after being amended. The House ultimately agreed with the Senate version 63-6.

So far, Gov. Rhoden has vetoed one piece of legislation, House Bill 1132, that sought to expand eligibility for child care workers to receive federally-funded assistance for care of their children. The House sustained the veto.

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The Legislature is scheduled to return to the Capitol on March 31 to consider any additional vetoes or handle other unfinished business.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
This is like a war, says Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir, dialling into our call from her sunny kitchen somewhere in the Majorcan countryside. You have to do whats going to work.

Joana Maria is referring to an open letter, published last week, which was signed by several Majorcan campaign groups. It opens with the words Dear tourists and it outlines the stark numbers behind Majorcas tourism growth.

The letter pulls no punches, painting a picture of an overpopulated island where it has become impossible to live. But it made ripples around the world for its closing lines.

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DO NOT COME, it reads (the capital letters are theirs, not mine). We do not need more tourists; in fact, you are the source of our problem. Locals say: ENOUGH. STAY HOME!

Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir is a leading member of Majorcas SOS Residents protest group

Tourism protest groups have long called for menys turisme, less tourism, or perhaps a better sort of tourism. But now we are finally being told to stay away.

The first in the list of seven signatories is an organisation called SOS Residents, of which Joana Maria Estrany Vallespir is a leading member. I wanted to know what compelled the campaign groups to ramp up the messaging ahead of the 2025 season. Do Majorcans want British holidaymakers this summer, or not?

The biggest problem we have is the number of tourists

The open letter, the first half of which was directed at the Balearic Government, was published in response to a series of policy announcements made in recent weeks. The most notable was the introduction of a new Sustainable Tourism Tax, ranging from from 2.50 to 6 per night during the high season.

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We call this in Spain wet paper, says Joana Maria. It means that its nothing: words, but empty of meaning. They never talk about decreasing [tourist numbers]. The only word they use is contain, but what does this mean? The biggest problem we have in Majorca is the number of tourists, and its because of the number of tourists that we are overpopulated.

In two decades, Majorcas population has grown from 727,000 to 960,000, an increase of 32 per cent. The number of non-Spaniards living across the Balearic Islands has risen from 15.3 per cent to 27.6 per cent. While British and German retirees used to form the largest foreign populations, now they are lower down the list behind Moroccans, Argentines, Colombians and Italians: nationalities which make up a large part of Majorcas immigrant workforce who serve the tourism industry.

Several protest groups have signed an open letter asking tourists to stay away from Majorca - Getty

We talked a lot about what to say, says Joana Maria, reflecting on the process of writing the open letter. We wanted to open the consciousness of tourists. We ask them not to come because we cannot trust our politicians. We are trying to be polite, not aggressive, but we thought we had to say what we think.

Does she believe that this more direct approach, addressing the tourists themselves, will have an effect?

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Some people, Im sure, wont come. But its not going to make a difference. The fact we wrote the letter is not going to make a difference. But we thought: we have to say something about this.

It is like a theme park

There is a popular counter-argument to the so-called anti-tourist protest movement. It goes like this: like it or not, Majorcas economy is now built on tourism. British holidaymakers, many of whom are fiercely loyal to Majorca, plus Germans, French, Spanish mainlanders, pump money into the island and create jobs. Shouldnt the residents of the island be grateful for such prosperity, in a world where so many countries have so little?

There is a scarcity of water, says Joana Maria, hitting home the realities of living on the island. There are cars everywhere, but not all for tourists. They are cars for people working for the tourists. Hospitals and public places are full of people. Rich foreigners buy houses in the countryside, but they dont live here, what they do is rent their properties. Majorca has become a land for speculation. We have a language, Catalan, that is our culture. But they dont care about Majorca. Our way of life is being threatened.

Joana Maria lives around 12 miles (20km) outside of Palma de Majorca. Once upon a time, she could drive into the capital in around 15 minutes. Now, it can often take 45 minutes. In spring, cyclists clog up the roads in vast numbers and slow down the traffic. Her favourite hiking spots are now overrun. Its impossible to walk into a restaurant without a booking. If locals want to go to the beach in the summer, they have to go at 8am to avoid the tourist crowds.

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The travel industry often cites seasonality as a fix for mass tourism. Go in the quieter months, and itll relieve the strain on the summer, is the logic. Joana Maria says it doesnt quite play out like this in practice.

It means spreading tourists all year round, she says. Rather than detracting from the summer hordes, it just extends the busy season early and later in the year, increasing the total annual arrivals. Last year we [the Balearic Islands] had 18.7 million tourists. This year we are supposed to have 20 million tourists.

You cant imagine what its like to live here in the summer. The island is for them. It is like a theme park. You want to live your normal life, but you cant because there are people everywhere. And now? Its all year round.

Are British holidaymakers the target?

One suggestion, popular in the British tabloid press, is that the so-called anti-tourist sentiment is targeted at British holidaymakers. Does talk about diversifying away from low-cost tourism and, in the same breath, away from core British and German markets, have an undertone of any sort?

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The problem is not people coming from England, says Joana Maria. Sure, we dont want hooligans, we dont want people making noise. But thats true for everywhere, in Majorca, in England. If you go to a place you have to respect this place.

What politicians want is to have the same amount of tourists, but rich tourists. We say no. That would be a bigger problem, because that would make a bigger gap between the rich and the poor, making a divided society. Already, some workers cant afford to live in a proper house. Many residents have had to move away. There are people living in caravans, in cars.

Protests are not aimed specifically at British tourists, says Estrany Vallespir - Getty

So what is the solution? I ask Joana Maria what she would do if she were the president of the Balearics. First, she would put a cap on the number of tourists arriving into Majorca. Flights would be also made more expensive (worldwide, not just in Majorca). There would be a limit on the amount of housing available for tourists. Foreign investors would be banned from buying and building in the countryside.

But, of course, no solution is straightforward. Reducing tourist numbers would mean job losses. Making flights more expensive could mean appealing to a richer sort of tourist and perpetuating the wealth gap on the island. Many Majorcans make their income by renting out their homes on sites like Airbnb, not just foreign investors. Joana Maria accepts it is a difficult puzzle to solve.

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This is a monster with so many heads, you dont know where to attack. Its very complicated.

Before we wrap up, I ask Joana Maria if there are plans for more demonstrations and beach occupations like the ones in 2024. On this, she does not wish to comment. I ask if she thinks it was justified when protesters targeted tourists with water pistols in Barcelona last summer.

The act of targeting tourists by spraying water? We wont say do this. I can tell you. But if people do it? Thats OK, because they are fed up. There are different groups, and different people see things in different ways. If you know something is going to work, do it.

Thats why we wrote the letter. We are saying: enough.

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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox conducts a news conference broadcast by PBS Utah in Salt Lake City on March 20, 2025. (Pool photo by Rick Egan \ The Salt Lake Tribune)

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox weighed in on a wide range of federal issues on Thursday during his monthly PBS Utah news conference.

Cox, a Republican, fielded multiple questions from reporters on the impacts of a variety of recent moves from President Donald Trumps administration and how they impact Utah  from tariffs, to the Department of Government Efficiencys layoffs of tens of thousands of federal workers, to Trumps policy to bar transgender military members, to the Trump administrations recent announcement to use federal land for housing.

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Heres a breakdown of Coxs responses. You can also watch the entire news conference here:

Trumps ban on transgender military members

In January, Trump signed an executive order to ban openly transgender people from the military. On Tuesday, a federal judge blocked that ban from taking effect and ordered Trumps Department of Defense to revert to military policy that was in place before he issued that executive order.

Last week, however, the Utah National Guard began encouraging transgender service members to consider voluntary separation from the force as part of implementing Phase 1 guidance related to Trumps order, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Asked about Trumps order and the judges ruling Thursday, Cox told reporters well be watching this very closely, adding that Utah has a very, very small number of military members who are transgender.

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And we care about them, he said. We care about everyone in this state. Im grateful for anyone whos willing to put on a uniform to defend our country.

The governor added that what ultimately comes of Trumps order will be a decision that will ultimately be made in court.

As that decision is made, if the court rules in favor of President Trumps policy, then well do everything possible to help them transition to other work, he said. Weve got a system set up to do that. We want to do this as compassionately as possible and help those people who may need to find another job if that order goes through.

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Cox did not answer when he was pressed on whether he supports Trumps position.

In 2017, Coxs predecessor, former Gov. Gary Herbert, spoke out against Trumps first move to bar transgender people from the military.

Im not going to defend President Trump on this issue, Herbert said at the time, the Tribune reported. People ought to be treated fairly with equality  and that includes the gay community, the LGBTQ community.

Cox supports Trumps order to dismantle Education Department

In an opinion piece published in the Washington Examiner, a conservative outlet, this week, Cox wrote its encouraging to see Trump and newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon reducing the role of the Department of Education and returning power where it belongs: to states and local communities.

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On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to dismantle the U.S. Education Department.

Earlier Thursday, Cox expanded on his stance that overseeing education is not what the federal government was intended to do.

I believe, under the Constitution, this is the purview of state government, he said.

Cox said just the reporting requirements alone by the Department of Education creates an overwhelming regulatory burden on educators.

The other piece of this that benefits all of us is the amount of money, Cox added. If you look at the amount of money that is spent on the Department of Education, and then how much of that money actually gets to students, theres a multibillion-dollar delta there.

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Cox also acknowledged potential downsides, however, including that it could result in a reduction of funding that is sent to the states. He said hes advocating for an approach to prevent that.

We can do two things, he said. We can actually get more money to the states and save the federal government money, which we need to do  just by eliminating that and block granting those funds to the states, he said. I can tell you that that is very popular on the right and the left when it comes to the governors in this country.

Tariffs

After Trump put tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China and spurred whats now shaping up to be a full-on trade war, Cox has expressed concerns about how it could impact Utahs economy.

Excluding gold exported to the UK for refinement, Canada and Mexico are Utahs two largest trading partners for imports and exports, Cox tweeted earlier this month.  Looks like we are about to find out if everything I learned in my poli-sci/economics classes was wrong.

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He also said hes assembled a team of experts to monitor the effects of these tariffs on Utahns and report findings  good or bad  as they become available.

On Thursday, Cox walked a fine line between not disparaging Trump, but also calling the move a huge gamble.

Look, I hope that President Trump is right when it comes to tariffs, Cox said. I really do. I hope this works. I think its a huge gamble.

He added that everything hes previously learned about economics is that tariffs are bad.  So yeah, Im concerned.

However, Cox said hes also trying to keep an open mind, adding that most countries these days now have tariffs, and its hard to debate the argument that if tariffs are so bad, why do all these countries have tariffs?

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So look, Im open to new information. Im open to learning. Im curious, Cox said. Im hopeful that this will lead to something better for our country. And were going to find out.  Markets are going to do what markets do, and well see if its a little short-term harm for a long-term gain, or if this potentially sends us into a recession. I certainly hope not.

DOGE and federal layoffs

Trumps newly created Department of Government Efficiency has been aggressively cutting federal spending, which has resulted in tens of thousands of federal workers losing their jobs.

Asked how he feels about DOGE and its federal layoffs, Cox told reporters Thursday that he has long said that the federal government is spending way too much money and that we have to do something.

So I love the idea of DOGE, he said, I think its really important. Im grateful that finally someone is taking this seriously, understanding that we cant keep spending like this.

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However, Cox acknowledged, without naming specifics, where its been a little clumsy, where its been done the wrong way.

My concern there, he said, is if done poorly, the backlash will be so severe that it will end. And we need it to continue.

Cox added that hes hopeful that theyll learn lessons from the places where theyve made mistakes.

But its going to be hard. Cutting is hard. People losing their jobs are hard, he said. I hope we can do that with a level of compassion and understanding.

The governor added that his administration has been working with the state Department of Workforce Services to help any former federal employees looking for work.

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For anybody thats losing their jobs, were on it. Weve got resources available. We want them, Cox said. You can come to the Department of Workforce Services, they will help you. We will try to get you another job so you can provide for your family. Thats the way we should do it.  We should do it in a compassionate way that recognizes these are real people.

Trump administration moving to use federal lands for housing

Earlier this week, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner announced a partnership to identify and open under utilized federal lands for affordable housing. Turner said HUD will work with the Department of Interior to implement tailored housing programs with guidance from states and localities.

Cox  who has an ambitious goal to help the state build 35,000 new starter homes by 2028  applauded it as a great move.

Its something weve been advocating for a long time, Cox said. We desperately need more housing all across the country, especially in the West (and) the Mountain West.

The federal government owns nearly 65% of Utahs total land area, or 35 million acres out of a total of 54.3 million acres, according to a recently published report from the University of Utahs Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Cox also pointed to a recent social media post by Arthur Gailes, senior manager of housing supply initiatives for the American Enterprise Institutes Housing Center, that said if the federal government sold just 0.1% of its land, it would be enough to easily build 3 million homes.

Were not talking about building houses under Delicate Arch, Cox said, referring to the states iconic landmark in Arches National Park. This is land within the boundaries of existing cities and towns throughout the country.

Cox also pointed to Utah Sen. Mike Lees proposed HOUSES Act, which seeks to allow parcels of federal land to be purchased by a state or local government at a reduced price if its used for housing, subject to a density requirement, and protects against development of second homes.

Cox also pointed to Clark County, in Nevada, where a similar proposal was enacted after former Sen. Harry Reid, a Democrat, passed a bill that allowed the Bureau of Land Management in that county to let housing be built on its land.

Its incredible what theyve been able to do, he said. People wonder why housing prices are lower in Las Vegas, its because of this bill that he passed. But it only applied to Clark County. So its frustrating that we havent been able to do the same things here. I would love to be able to do that here, and we might just get that opportunity.

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This week, a federal judge blocked a Trump administration effort to ban transgender people from serving in the military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the administration plans to appeal that ruling.

The legal battle began days after President Trump took office, when he signed an executive order asserting that being transgender "conflicts with a soldier's commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one's personal life."

Two active service members spoke with "CBS Mornings" about what it means to possibly face the ends of their military careers. Beside the USS Midway in San Diego, Petty Officer Second Class Paulo Batista, an active-duty naval intelligence analyst, said serving in the military was a lifelong dream.

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Batista had put that dream on hold to care for his father, who was dying from cancer.

"At the time, when he passed away, that was his biggest thing. He's like, 'Don't give up. Make me a promise you're not going to give up,'" Batista told CBS News' senior national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata. And he did make that promise.

An amateur bodybuilder, Batista completed his gender transition before enlisting at the age of 38.

"Nobody wanted to help me," Batista said. "I went through at least 22 different recruiting offices. I wanted to serve."

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"It affects my family and my entire command"

In 2021, he got his chance when former President Joe Biden lifted the first Trump administration's earlier ban on transgender people serving in the military. But, four years later, he's facing the possibility of being kicked out.

"Our warriors should be focused on defeating America's enemies, not figuring out their genders," Mr. Trump has said. Meanwhile, the White House says service members receiving gender-affirming health care "are not physically capable of meeting military readiness requirements."

Responding to Mr. Trump's executive order, Hegseth issued a memo in early February that halted recruitment of new service members diagnosed with gender dysphoria and paused gender-affirming care for trans troops. Weeks later, the Pentagon said the U.S. would begin removing trans troops from the military within 30 days unless they obtained a waiver.

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The Department of Defense was also given 30 days to identify and report current service members who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or show symptoms of it, with the first report due March 26. The Army was the first to announce new measures, banning trans troops from joining its ranks, pausing medical treatments and putting an end to promotions with immediate effect.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes this week granted a request for a preliminary injunction sought by transgender active-duty service members and transgender people who were in the process of enlisting, temporarily blocking Hegseth and the military from implementing Mr. Trump's order.

San Diego is also the home port of the USS Lincoln, where Parker Moore works as a nuclear electronic technician. The transgender sailor trained for more than two years for the role and has been actively serving for more than a decade.

"I have a family. I'm married. I have a 6-year-old son," said Moore. "This doesn't just affect me as an individual. It affects my family and my entire command. So, if one day I wake up and I can't, I'm not allowed to do that job anymore, it affects the other 500 people in my department who would now have to pick up that slack."

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Batista echoed that sentiment and said that transgender service members are "everywhere" in the military.

"We're in the office, we're in the Pentagon, we're everywhere," he said. "We're deployed all over. So, to remove us all, you're not only affecting us and our lives in impacting everybody that surrounds."

The Pentagon doesn't have a precise number of transgender troops, because there is no requirement for them to self-identify. But estimates indicate that there are between 10,000 and 15,000 transgender individuals actively serving.

A 2017 analysis found discharging transgender troops would cost nearly $1 billion  far more than the roughly $52 million the Pentagon said it spent over the last decade on gender-affirming care.

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"I think that most people who do have an issue with transgender service members are uneducated," said Moore. "I do not think they actually understand the process or may not have ever interacted with a transgender person."

Jacob Rosen and Melissa Quinn contributed reporting.

Teslas in Las Vegas set on fire and shot with guns in "targeted attack," police say

100 years since deadliest tornado in U.S. history

Republican state Sen. Justin Eichorn resigns after charge for soliciting sex from minor
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO)  The city of Parker is in the process of a multi-million dollar project; redoing some of their streets in town.

Its adding new water and sewer lines, storm sewers, along with new curb and gutters.

But to do that they are cutting down a lot of trees, and thats uprooting a lot of emotions.

The sound of tree branches crunching in the jaws of heavy equipment (nat sound) isnt the only noise youll hear on 3rd Street.

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Im kind of known as being overly outspoken, Tom Abbott said.

Man admits bringing thousands of fentanyl pills to SD

Abbott is just one of many people in town who is voicing concerns and is *stumped as to why the city needs to cut down over 100 trees.

Just the fact this is all being done without consult, they sent us a letter you know six days ahead of time saying, sorry we marked all your trees, those are all coming down, Abbott said.

Each one of these trees marked in pink is scheduled to be cut down, which is upsetting to a lot of residents, including Deb Creegan.

I always walk my dog, Ruby and I love trees, so we always go on Third Street its one of the better streets right now and as soon as I saw the red xs on the trees I started to cry, because I knew they were going to take them down,

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The city has been making infrastructure upgrades for the past three years and held a meeting last week and voted to proceed with the final phase of the project.

Don: You went to that meeting the other night, how would you describe that meeting?

Tom: Heated for a while there were some very vocal people who are upset about it.

We were told the only person who could comment on the project is the mayor. We tried several times to get him for an on-camera interview.

Late this afternoon he sent KELOLAND News a statement explaining that due the scope of the construction and the location of the utility lines, removal of the trees became unavoidable.

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But even so, thats little consolation to those who live here.

People are upset, because people are losing trees that have been here for decades and its going to give the town a whole different look, Abbott said.

You can read the mayors statement in full below:

As Mayor of Parker, SD, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the impact of the ongoing infrastructure project in our community. This project, which replaces aging water and sewer lines and enhances our stormwater drainage system, is a critical investment in the future of Parker. These upgrades will provide safer, more reliable utilities for our residents and businesses for generations to come.

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That said, I understand some of these necessary changesparticularly the removal of trees in the public right-of-wayare difficult to see. Trees are an important part of our towns character, offering beauty, shade, and environmental benefits. Unfortunately, due to the scope of the construction and the location of these essential utility lines, removal of the trees became unavoidable.

I want to assure our community that we remain committed to maintaining the natural beauty of Parker. We welcome input from community members on opportunities for us to enhance it and look forward to working together to ensure that Parker remains a wonderful place to live, work, and visit.

The City Council, City staff, and I greatly appreciate patience and understanding as we all navigate this important project together. Anyone seeking additional information about the construction project can navigate to our website for Phase 7 construction information or contact the City Office for more details.

While progress can be challenging, these improvements will strengthen our towns infrastructure, protect our homes and businesses, and ensure a sustainable future for Parker. Thank you.

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Mayor Derek Nolan

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.
The Transport Advisory Committee is calling for a comprehensive review of bus services in Macau as contracts for the two primary bus companies are set to expire in 2026.

This discussion comes amid growing concerns over rising passenger numbers and increasing congestion, particularly during peak hours and holidays.

According to data from the Transport Bureau (DSAT), buses transported approximately 227 million passengers last year, averaging 624,000 passengers per day.

This volume is nearing pre-pandemic levels, highlighting the critical role of public transport in the region.

However, residents have reported significant challenges in accessing bus services, especially since last years National Day holiday. Many describe experiences of overcrowding and delays, particularly in the busy Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro area.

Chan Chio I, a member of the Transport Advisory Committee, highlighted the pressing nature of the current situation. With the bus contract set to end in 2026, she noted that it presents an opportune moment to assess and enhance the efficiency of bus services.

The committees proposals are focused on improving the public transport experience for both residents and tourists.

Residents have voiced their frustrations regarding the difficulties of boarding buses during peak hours.

Many have found that since last year, navigating the bus system during school rush times has become increasingly challenging. Instances of buses being so overcrowded that people were unable to board have been reported.

During holiday periods, this issue intensifies as both locals and tourists vie for limited seating on the available buses.

Furthermore, residents have expressed concern about buses arriving at stations already full.

The need to board packed buses, rather than wait for the next one, has become a common predicament.

It is almost impossible for me to get on a bus that passes by Cotai or Taipa Village on public holidays because its already full, especially when tourists have their luggage with them, a resident told the Times.

Especially here at Rua do Campo. People are packed here, all waiting for the same buseither route 25 or 25B. Everyone just wants to get on the bus because sometimes the next one takes 10 more minutes, and thats a lot of time when trying to clock in to work, the commuter added.

This situation has raised significant safety concerns regarding overcrowding, prompting calls for more frequent bus services to ease the strain.

Committee member Chan proposed a variety of strategies to tackle the identified challenges. She indicated the need for a reassessment of bus routes to reduce overlap between the travel patterns of tourists and residents.

According to her, the existing routes face significant congestion, particularly those that navigate major tourist attractions.

Additionally, she advocated for the creation of express bus lines tailored to resident commuting patterns, particularly during peak travel times.

Additionally, Chan called for the creation of dedicated sightseeing lines that would cater primarily to tourists, thereby reducing the strain on regular routes. She highlighted the need to extend bus services to new residential areas, such as Zone A and Hengqin, to accommodate the evolving needs of the community.

Meanwhile, DSATs statistics reveal significant disparities in bus route usage.

Route 25B emerged as the most popular, averaging nearly 27,000 passengers daily. In contrast, Route 103X, a circular express line, only attracts about 582 passengers per day. Victoria Chan
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL)  Whether its happening on the other side of the country, somewhere else in Texas, or right in our communities, Digital Producer Mariana Vela takes a look at the stories currently generating the most interest on social media.

Social Rundown: All about feel good animal stories

Sandals Resort International

According to the Wall Street Journal, this company is looking to sell due to turmoil within the late founders family. The selling price could hit around $7 billion. The company has properties from Jamaica to Saint Lucia.

Breathtaking Cosmos

The European Space Agency launched a new telescope, Euclid, in 2023 to explore the hidden forces shaping the Cosmos. Since then, Euclid has identified 26 million galaxies.

LEGO + Pokemon announcement

Calling all LEGO and Pokemon lovers, a new one-of-a-kind collaboration is coming in 2026! The two fan-beloved brands collaborate to bring something new to their fans. It is yet unknown what these sets will include, but reactions from fans have already been uploaded onto YouTube, and it sounds like they are super excited!

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The Carl T. Hayden Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Phoenix. Public domain image

The flags of Arizonas 22 tribal nations have been removed from the Carl. T. Hayden VA Medical Center in central Phoenix and given to the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community for preservation.

I was surprised and appalled when the staff of the Phoenix Veterans Affairs hospital dropped off all 22 Arizona Tribal Nation flags at our office, explaining that they could no longer display them, Ricardo Leonard, vice president of the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community, said in a statement.

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The flags were removed on March 18, according to the SRPMICs Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs.

Not only is this nonsensical, but it dishonors all Native American veterans and their families who have given so much to protect this country, Leonard, a U.S. Army veteran, added.

The move comes on the heels of the U.S. Department of Defense deleting websites about the Navajo Code Talkers who were instrumental to Americas victory in the Pacific Theater in World War II.

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Leonard is calling on the Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins to restore the display of all tribal nation flags at the Phoenix VA hospital, as well as to continue the recognition of tribal nations for their deep commitment to military service.

It should be common sense that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs honors the great legacy of Native American veterans of the 22 Tribal Nations in Arizona, Leonard said in his statement. It would be a tragedy if the VA chooses not to repost the flags.

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Indigenous people across the United States serve in the armed forces at five times the national average, according to the National Indian Council on Aging, and have served with distinction in every major conflict for over 200 years.

Arizona has one of the largest Native voting populations in the country, with more than 305,000 of voting age, according to the National Congress of American Indians. Indigenous people make up 6% of Arizonas overall population.

The removal of the flags comes as part of a new flag policy implemented by the Department of Veteran Affairs that limits the display of flags at VA facilities.

The policy is intended to establish consistency across the department and aligns with longstanding Department of Defense guidelines, the VA stated in a news release. The policy applies to all VA facilities, including offices, government vehicles, medical centers, common areas and parking lots.

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The only flags allowed to be displayed include the U.S. flag, flags of U.S. states and territories, military service flags, VA flags and official flags of U.S. agencies.

And flags representing prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA), Senior Executive Service (SES), military command units and burial flags for honoring Veterans and reservists are permitted.

All Veterans and VA beneficiaries will always be welcome at all VA facilities to receive the benefits and services they have earned under the law, Collins said in a press release.

This policy will bring consistency and simplicity to the display of flags throughout the department, ensuring a singular focus on serving the needs of Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors, he added.

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In a statement emailed to the Arizona Mirror, VA Public Affairs Officer Jessica Jacobsen said, Under the VAs new flag policy, like all sovereign-nation flags, those of federally recognized Indian tribes are only permitted to fly at VA facilities during dignitary visits or special ceremonies.

Jacobsen said there is one exception to the policy at the VAs Cherokee Nation Medical Clinic in Oklahoma. The clinic is located on tribal lands, and the Cherokee Nation flag is allowed to fly there.

Flags of federally recognized tribal flags can still be flown at national cemeteries for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other special events attended by a senior Tribal official, according to the statement.

Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis described the removal of the flags as deeply concerning, emphasizing that it disregards the longstanding acknowledgment that tribes and their members hold political statuses, not racial classifications.

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The Supreme Court has recognized the critical importance of this distinction and so should any policy from the federal government, he said in a statement.

What is particularly inappropriate is that the new policy apparently allows any political sovereign in the state of Arizona to have its flag displayed except an Indian tribe, he added.

Lewis stated that the Gila River Indian Community is a Purple Heart Community because 67 tribal members have received the Purple Heart for their sacrifices.

This is an insult to the tribal members who serve in our armed forces at a higher per capita rate than any other group in America, and the removal of these flags sends a harmful message that their sacrifices are being diminished or erased, he said.

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Lewis urged the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to reconsider this policy and restore the display of Arizonas tribal flags at the Phoenix VA hospital.

An exemption should be granted for tribal flags, given the unique sovereign status of federally recognized tribes and their profound contributions to our nations military, he added.

And U.S. Congressional Rep. Greg Stanton said he is outraged by the reports of the removal, calling it an insult to Native veterans in a letter to the Secretary of Veteran Affairs requesting it be corrected.

All 22 flags were unceremoniously dropped off at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community with little explanation, he wrote in the letter.

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Stanton said that Native Americans have served the United States in every major conflict, and many serve now.

They have sacrificed, bled and died for this country, he added. Removing the flags of Arizonas sovereign tribal nations from the U.S. government building where Native veterans go to seek care after theyve returned home is an insult to their service.

Stanton requested that it be immediately corrected.

The Hualapai Tribes chairman released a statement and expressed his appreciation to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community for protecting the Hualapai flag alongside the other Arizona tribes .

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Your immediate advocacy and public statement condemning this disrespectful act have resonated deeply within our community and across Indian Country, said Duane Clarke, chairman of the Hualapai Tribe.

We stand in solidarity with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community and all other Arizona tribal nations in demanding that the VA rectify this egregious error, he said.

***UPDATED: This story has been updated with additional comments and reporting.

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TROY, Ohio (WDTN)  Fire investigators have offered their official incident report for a fire that ravaged Troys oldest building back in December.

The Overfield Tavern Museum was significantly damaged after a fire broke out in the early morning hours on Dec. 7, 2024. While parts of the building survived, the museum lost a large amount of priceless historical content, and a complete renovation is needed to reopen.

As renovation efforts begin, investigators have completed their assessment of the fire.

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The Ohio State Fire Marshals Office ruled there was no evidence to support any criminal activity related to the cause of the fire, therefore it as been ruled accidental.

Crews make discovery while restoring Troys oldest building

Investigation confirmed the fire originated from the boiler room, where several electrical systems and combustible items were also housed. Due to the extent of burn damage, investigators could not determine the exact system that caused the fire.

Demolition on the museum began earlier this month.

The museum says they are hoping to have a portion of the building reopened before July of 2026, to celebration Americas 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

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TROY, Ala (WDHN)  The Allen family whos already worried trying to recover after an EF-2 tornado destroyed their home over the weekend, is now worried about their belongings that are salvageable being taken.

The family was made aware of someone going through their belongings pulled up earlier in the day and someone had pulled the hot water heater to the side as if they were coming to pick it up.

Allen, who has been out there every day since the tornado to salvage her fathers valuables noticed items moved or missing. She says there havent been any utility trucks coming in to help with cleanup, which is why she believes looters are targeting them.

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Its really sad that someone would take advantage of people I know it looks like a bunch of junk but we could use that scrap metal for money to go towards my dad medical expenses and his needs its just sad.

That same day, Troy police arrested 54 year old Alfonso Lark and charged him felony looting. Police say he took items from their damaged site on highway 29.

Maybe this can be a warning to leave people things alone the rule is simple.

She says her dad is already left with little to nothing, and they have set up a GoFund Me page to help with his surgeries since he doesnt have insurance and to replace his car and home.

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Hopefully it will gain enough money to get him a house a lot of people are offering furniture but he needs to have somewhere to put it.

Despite being worried about looters, allen says they are still trying to find valuables that may be burried in the damage

She says she is thankful for those who have cooked their family meals and donating money or items to help them get back on their feet.

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BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)  35 members of Troy Universitys Alpha TAU Omega fraternity left campus Friday for their 6-day journey to Panama City Beach.

The brothers dedicated their spring break to walking in support of Jeep Sullivans Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures.

What that is, is a foundation out of Bonifay, Florida, set up by Jeep Sullivan, and he takes veterans on hunting and fishing trips and spreads the gospel to them and Mr. Sullivan hopes to save one life at a time, Troy University senior James Strickland said.

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Alabama man arrested for child porn in Bay County

This ministry allows wounded veterans to experience an adventure, boost confidence, and find freedom in the outdoors at no cost to them.

Fraternity members had overnight stops in Enterprise, Hartford, Bonifay, Vernon, and Ebro. Many of them have participated in the walk before.

As a walker for a second year. Its more of a mental game than a physical. Blisters hurt, and knees and hamstrings hurt after walking for so long. But its the mind that gets you to the end. Theres a lot of moving parts throughout this whole thing, Troy University senior Mason Murray said.

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Each participant has raised a certain amount prior to the walk.

As a group, theyre hoping to raise $135,000 this year to support the physical and mental rehabilitation of wounded warriors.

Puppy rescued from house fire in DeFuniak Springs; investigation underway

But the money isnt the only benefit.

Wednesdays splash in the Gulf concludes their journey. But its the beginning of the fraternal bonds and fellowship theyll share for the rest of their lives.

The bonds and the memories that we forged this week are unforgettable. Just suffering together as a brotherhood to support this amazing cause for our veterans who have sacrificed everything for us, Troy University senior Theo Thoennes said.

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The fraternity surpassed its $135,000 goal and ended up raising $140,000.

Even though the walk is over, you can still donate to the cause, by clicking here.

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Donald Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the US department of education while seated at a tiny desk flanked by uniform-clad schoolchildren.

The order hands control over education policy from the federal government to states and local boards.

Were going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs, the president said at the White House ceremony.

Before sitting down behind his desk, the president asked the group of assembled children if he should sign the order and was greeted by enthusiastic nods.

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As he put pen to paper, the children behind him, who were each given their own black felt tip pen and document, signed their own names before raising the documents in the air.

Donald Trump insists closing the department well allow states to determine their own education policy - MANDEL NGAN/AFP

It is not the first time the president has been given an under-sized desk for a signing ceremony. In 2017, he signed several pieces of legislation into law behind a desk he described as a childs desk and the smallest desk Ive ever seen.

The decision to close the department is likely to set up another battle in the courts as shuttering it completely requires the approval of Congress, and the president does not currently have enough votes for that.

The order follows the departments announcement last week that it would lay off nearly half of its staff and is the latest step by Mr Trump to cut through federal bureaucracy.

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Mr Trump said he wants Linda McMahon, the education secretary, who attended the White House event, to put herself out of a job. Hopefully you wont be there too long, he said.

Children applaud as the US president speaks - Carlos Barria/REUTERS

The department oversees some 100,000 public and 34,000 private schools across the US and oversees the $1.6 trillion in student loans taken out by tens of millions of Americans.

His executive order seeks to whittle the department down, citing poor literacy levels and testing scores among American children as justification.

Were going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible, the president said. Its doing us no good.

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Under his plans, Mr Trump laid out an ambition for individual US states to have education systems similar to European countries, including Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland.

Mr Trump sought to assuage Democrat concerns by saying that the departments useful function, including student loans and funding for children with disabilities, will be fully preserved

Theyre going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them, he said.

A schoolgirl holds up her document alongside Mr Trump - Nathan Howard/REUTERS

He also pledged to support teachers, saying they are among the most important people in this country.

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We are going to love and cherish our teachers along with our children, he said.

Formed in 1979, the department of education has long been a political lightning rod in the US, with conservatives favouring school choice policies that help private schools.

Mr Trump has long derided the department of education as polluted by liberal ideology and made a campaign pledge to scrap it.

To do so requires an act of congress, which is unlikely to pass as the Republicans would need to enlist Democratic support to meet the 60-vote threshold required in the Senate.

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The Trump administration on Wednesday defended the detention of a Georgetown University postdoctoral fellow by immigration agents.

Badar Khan Suri, an Indian citizen who entered the U.S. on a J-1 student visa, was arrested by masked agents with the Department of Homeland Security outside his home in Arlington, Virginia, on Monday evening, according to a lawsuit obtained by Politico. The agents claimed his visa had been revoked.

The court papers filed by Hassan Ahmad, Suris attorney, allege that he has not been charged with any crime and has no criminal record, according to Politico, which was first to report the story.

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Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security spokesperson, accused Suri of having close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas, without citing evidence to support the claim.

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media, McLaughlin wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

McLaughlin added that Suri is deemed deportable under a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that gives the U.S. secretary of state power to deport a person who he has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States based on their presence and activities in the country.

Ahmad challenged the contents of McLaughlins statement, telling The New York Times that Suri was targeted seemingly based on who his father-in-law was.

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Ahmed Yousef, the father of Suris wife, served as an adviser to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed by an airstrike in Iran last year, according to the Times. Yousef told the Times he left the position over a decade ago and does not hold a senior role with the group, adding that Suri has never been a political activist. Yousef has previously called Hamas deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel a terrible error.

Suris wife, a U.S. citizen who is a graduate student at Georgetown, has served as a contributing writer for Al Jazeera and multiple Palestinian outlets and worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Gaza, according to a bio statement listed on the universitys website. She has not been detained, Suris lawyer said.

Georgetown University said Suri, who completed his Ph.D. at a university in New Delhi in 2020, entered the country legally to pursue doctoral research on peace-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention, the university said in a statement. We support our community members rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable.

UPDATE: Georgetown University has issued a statement on Suris detention. https://t.co/BIBm1nsP3tpic.twitter.com/U8N8SzNqK6  Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 20, 2025

Suri is being held at a detention facility in Alexandria, Louisiana, according to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement online detainee locator system.

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Beside conducting research, Suri appeared to also be teaching a course at Georgetowns Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Joel Hellman, the dean of Georgetowns School of Foreign Service, to which Suri belongs, said the fellow has been focused on completing his research, in an email to the departments faculty members obtained by The Hoya, Georgetowns student paper.

Like many in our community, Badar has been exercising his constitutionally protected rights to express his views on the war in the Middle East, Hellman wrote. Georgetown has consistently protected such freedoms within the context of our longstanding Speech and Expression Policy.

Suris detention follows the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and recent Columbia University graduate, outside his university-owned apartment on Saturday over his role in student protests of Israels war in Gaza. Khalil, a green card holder who is challenging the governments efforts to deport him, has called himself a political prisoner of the U.S. government.

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President Donald Trump had labeled Khalil a Radical Foreign Pro-Hamas Student, with no evidence, calling his detention the first arrest of many to come.

Related...
By Luc Cohen, Ted Hesson

(Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration's response to a judicial request for more details on timing of deportation flights carrying hundreds of Venezuelan migrants was "woefully insufficient," a judge said on Thursday, accusing officials of evading their responsibilities under an order he issued.

Washington-based U.S. District Judge James Boasberg is weighing whether administration officials violated his March 15 order intended to temporarily block the expulsions. In a new order on Thursday, the judge told Justice Department officials to explain by next Tuesday why the administration's failure to bring the deported migrants back to the United States did not violate his order.

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Boasberg's order on Thursday escalates his dispute with the administration that has raised concerns among Trump critics and some legal experts about a potentially looming constitutional crisis if the administration defies judicial decisions.

Under the U.S. Constitution, the executive and the judiciary are co-equal branches of government, along with Congress, in a system devised for checks and balances among the three.

Trump has said he would not defy any court orders.

The judge said the administration had "evaded its responsibilities" in responses submitted on Thursday to questions he asked about the timing of the flights.

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The administration's response came in the form of a statement from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, official submitted to the judge outside of public view, the judge said. It repeated information that the administration had already given about the flights, and did not directly state whether the government would invoke a legal doctrine involving state secrets to avoid sharing those details, the judge added.

Instead, Boasberg wrote that the ICE official said unspecified cabinet secretaries were still deciding whether to invoke the state secrets privilege, and said the 24 hours the judge had given the administration to respond was not enough for a matter of national security.

"This is woefully insufficient," the judge wrote.

The judge previously expressed skepticism that the state secrets doctrine - which protects sensitive national security information from being disclosed in civil litigation - was applicable, given that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted details of the deportation flights on social media.

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It is common in cases involving sensitive matters for material to be sent to judges outside of public view, but Boasberg said the administration had told him some contents could be disclosed.

Boasberg had previously said he was trying to determine whether the administration had violated his orders, but gave officials the chance to provide further details about the flights.

Thursday marked the first time the judge directly ordered officials to address whether they had violated his order by issuing what is known as an order to show cause.

A CALL FOR IMPEACHMENT

On Tuesday, Trump called for Boasberg's impeachment by Congress - a process that could remove him from the bench - drawing a rare rebuke from the U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts. "I'm just doing what the VOTERS wanted me to do. This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges' I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!!" Trump wrote on Tuesday, also calling Boasberg a "Radical Left Lunatic."

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Boasberg was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2011 in a bipartisan 96-0 vote.

On Saturday, the judge imposed a two-week ban on any deportations under Trump's invocation of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act. Trump said the law allowed him to deport alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua without final removal orders from immigration judges.

Boasberg found that the law did not provide a basis for the president to assert that the gang's presence in the United States was akin to an act of war.

After Boasberg's order hit the public docket on Saturday, three plane loads of deportees landed in El Salvador, where the migrants are being held under an agreement with Trump-aligned President Nayib Bukele's government.

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In court filings late on Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union - which brought the challenge to the invocation of the Alien Enemies Act - cited five cases of Venezuelan migrants whose attorneys or a family member argued they were wrongly labeled as gang members before apparently being deported to El Salvador.

One of the deportees was Jerce Reyes Barrios, a Venezuelan professional soccer player and youth coach with an active U.S. asylum case. In a sworn declaration, his attorney said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had wrongly labeled him a gang member based on a tattoo of a crown that was meant to reference the logo for his favorite soccer team, Real Madrid.

Barrios' name was on a list of 238 Venezuelan deportees deported to El Salvador published by CBS News on Thursday.

(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York and Ted Hesson in Washington, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Will Dunham and Noeleen Walder)
A newly unearthed memo from the Trump administration calls to mind the infamous words of the late segregationist and Alabama Gov. George Wallace, who said at his inauguration in 1963, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever. Now the message of a recent Trump administration memo seems to be segregation again.

NPR reports that a memo issued by the administration in February omits federal guidelines that prevent contractors from receiving federal funds if they operate segregated facilities.

Per the report:

After a recent change by the Trump administration, the federal government no longer explicitly prohibits contractors from having segregated restaurants, waiting rooms and drinking fountains. The segregation clause is one of several identified in a public memo issued by the General Services Administration last month, affecting all civil federal agencies. The memo explains that it is making changes prompted by President Trumps executive order on diversity, equity and inclusion, which repealed an executive order signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 regarding federal contractors and nondiscrimination.

The disappearance of the language doesnt alter the fact that federal law, including the Civil Rights Act, and some state laws still ban segregation and other forms of discrimination in all businesses. MSNBC contributor Melissa Murray told NPR the move was meaningful in its symbolism because these provisions were all part of the federal governments efforts to facilitate the settlement that led to integration in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Studies have shown that racial segregation persists in various aspects of life, including housing and education, despite federal and state laws.

Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk, a far-right influencer and close Trump ally, has argued the Civil Rights Act was a mistake. And the person Trump has nominated to lead the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, far-right lawyer Harmeet Dhillon, doesnt inspire confidence that the administration will prioritize cases involving claims of segregation.

But the symbolism of the administrations retracting its prohibition on contractors operating segregated facilities is also a message: When the government explicitly says it wont do business with segregationists, that discourages segregation. When it doesnt explicitly say that, it provides a permission structure for segregation to occur.

With his tariffs, Trump is threatening to drag the U.S. back into the disastrous economic policies of the 1890s. This retraction of anti-segregation guidelines adds to a heaping pile of evidence that hes looking to replicate that eras social policies, too.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday announced a radar purchase from Australia and an expansion of military operations in the Arctic while visiting Canadas far north in an effort to assert sovereignty over the increasingly contested region.

The prime ministers office said the Canadian $6 billion ($4.2 billion) Over-the-Horizon Radar system will provide early warning radar coverage from the Canada-United States border into the Arctic.

Carney announced the purchase at a military base in the capital of the Inuit-governed territory of Nunavut on his last stop after visiting Paris and London for meetings with leaders there.

Arctic sovereignty is a strategic priority of our government, Carney said. Canada is, and forever will be, an Arctic nation.

The Australian radar system will consist of a series of pillars almost a mile in length. Officials said that the system would have a smaller footprint than what the similar American system would take up.

This will be a significant export if this deal is finalized, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Albanese had a phone call with Carney the prior night.

Obviously, there are issues taking place, particularly between Canada and the United States, I wouldnt have expected to have been happening in my lifetime, Albanese said.

Senior Canadian government officials, who briefed reporters on Carneys plane before the announcement, said the purchase has been well received by top military officials in the North American Aerospace Defense Command, the joint U.S.-Canadian military command that overseas threats over the two countries.

But the officials said they couldnt say how the Australian purchase would be received politically by Washington. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to speak publicly.

Carney also announced the government will spend Canadian $420 million ($294 million) to expand Canadas Arctic operations and training exercises and deploy more personnel. He said Canada will have a greater sustained year-round presence.

The prime ministers flight path took him over Greenland. U.S. President Donald Trumps interest in Greenland, northeast of Nunavut, comes as part of an aggressively America First foreign policy platform that has included threats to take control of the Panama Canal and suggestions that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.

The United States priorities, once closely aligned with our own, are beginning to shift, Carney said.

Trump has threatened economic coercion to make Canada the 51st state. His constant talk of annexation has infuriated Canadians and turned around the political fortunes of the governing Liberal party, which was headed for a historic defeat but now has a chance of winning a fourth term. Carney is expected to call a general election by the end of the week.

The president is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products and has already placed them on steel and aluminum.

Carney and Trump have not spoken since Carney was elected as the new Liberal party leader and prime minister more than a week ago. Carney said at the appropriate time he will have a discussion with the U.S. president, as two sovereign nations, that is comprehensive and not targeted at one issue.

But Trump keeps disrespecting Canada, saying twice on Fox News on Tuesday night that that Canada was meant to be the 51st state.

He said thats why hes hes tougher on his neighbor than Americas biggest adversaries.

Trump also repeated several times that he didnt care that the Liberals might win the Canadian election now.

The Conservative thats running is stupidly no friend of mine. I dont know, but he said negative things, Trump said. So, when he says negative things, I couldnt care less. I think its easier to deal actually with a Liberal. And maybe theyre going to win, but I dont really care. It doesnt matter to me at all.

Carney visited Iqaluit, which is by far the largest municipality in Nunavut, a vast territory straddling the Arctic Circle. Nunavut is roughly the size of the U.S. states of Alaska and California combined, with a mostly Inuit population of about 40,000.

For much of the year, the weather in Iqaluit can be severe. In February 2010, Iqaluit hosted a meeting of finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven nations. Several of the dignitaries, including Carney when he was head of Canadas central bank, went dogsledding in subfreezing temperatures.

It is a distinctive destination  home to about 7,500 people but not a single traffic light  with no road or rail links to the outside world.

Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put the Arctic at the heart of the debate over global trade and security. ROB GILLIES, IQALUIT, MDT/AP
The Trump administration has extended the deadline it gave New York City to end its congestion pricing program, the first of its kind in the nation, as New York officials vowed to keep the tolls on.

The Federal Highway Administration initially instructed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to stop collecting tolls by this Friday to allow for an "orderly cessation."

PHOTO: Traffic moves along midtown Manhattan on February 19, 2025 in New York City. (Alex Kent/Getty Images)

A day before that deadline, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on social media that the Department of Transportation is granting New York a "30-day extension as discussions continue."

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"Know that the billions of dollars the federal government sends to New York are not a blank check. Continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly," he said Thursday.

MORE: DOT says it has terminated approval for NYC's congestion pricing plan

Duffy also warned New York Gov. Kathy Hochul that President Donald Trump and the federal government are "putting New York on notice."

"Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect towards the federal government is unacceptable," he said.

PHOTO: Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at a press conference at the Department of Transportation on March 11, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

In response, Hochul highlighted her statement on social media after the U.S. Department of Transportation pulled federal approval of the congestion pricing plan last month, in which she said, "The cameras are staying on."

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The approval was pulled on Feb. 19 following a review requested by Trump. Duffy said at the time that the "scope of this pilot project as approved exceeds the authority authorized by Congress" under the Federal Highway Administration's Value Pricing Pilot Program while calling it "backwards and unfair."

The MTA has said it is challenging the Trump administration's reversal in federal court, seeking a declaratory judgment that the DOT's move is not proper. Hochul and MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber have said they will not turn off the tolls without a court order.

MORE: Trump administration tells NYC to shut down congestion pricing by March 21

Lieber reiterated that stance during remarks at an unrelated press briefing on Tuesday while contending that this is "not a test of wills" but normal litigation procedure.

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"We're just proceeding with the dispute as you would normally in any litigation setting," he said. "This is not a test of wills. It's just the reality of when you have a dispute, things don't change until a court orders it, and that has not yet taken place."

"We don't expect it will, because we're on pretty strong legal footing," he added.

PHOTO: New York Governor Kathy Hochul presents a booklet mentioning congestion pricing, sitting next to CEO of the MTA Janno Lieber during an MTA Board Meeting at Grand Central Madison in New York City, Feb. 25, 2025. (Sarah Yenesel/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Lieber said the federal government has not yet responded to the MTA's initial complaint, and that there is still more time for them to do so.

"The good news is that the program, which has had such amazing benefits for New Yorkers -- faster travel, cleaner air, fewer crashes, less honking, quieter, better environment for all, and also great economic benefits -- all that is going to continue," Lieber said.

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"The program is underway now for 10 weeks, and it's been successful by every standard," he continued. "And it's the right thing to do for New York to continue it."

The congestion pricing plan, which launched on Jan. 5, charges passenger vehicles $9 to access Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours as part of an effort to ease congestion and raise funds for the city's public transit system. During peak hours, small trucks and charter buses are charged $14.40 and large trucks and tour buses pay $21.60.

The toll generated nearly $50 million in revenue in its first month and is on track to generate $500 million in net revenue by the end of this year, as initially projected, the MTA said.

Trump administration extends deadline for NYC to end congestion pricing originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
The Trump administration is reportedly attempting to deport an Indian post-doctoral fellow from Georgetown University, using the same obscure section of immigration law cited in the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia grad and pro-Palestine protest leader.

The provision the government allegedly cites allows the Secretary of State to determine non-citizens are eligible for fast-track deportations if they threaten U.S. foreign policy interests.

Masked Department of Homeland Security agents arrived outside the Rosslyn, Virginia, home of Badar Khan Suri on Monday and told him his student visa had been revoked.

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In a still-sealed habeas corpus petition filed Tuesday, Suris lawyer said the fellow appeared to be in the process of being punished for the Palestinian heritage and political views of his wife Mapheze Saleh, a U.S. citizen.

Were trying to speak with him. That hasnt happened yet, his attorney, Hassan Ahmad, told Politico, which first reported on the arrest and obtained physical copies of the filing.

This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil, he added.

Fellow was targeted with provision allowing Secretary of State to deem non-citizens deportable if they threaten U.S. foreign policy (Getty Images)

The Independent has contacted the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for comment.

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A State Department spokesperson did not answer specific questions about the purported evidence against Dr. Khan Suri, but toldThe Independent in general that it will work with the Department of Homeland Security in its efforts to prosecute individuals who support terrorists, violate U.S. law, or compromise U.S foreign policy interests.

A 2018 article in the Hindustan Times describes Salehs father Ahmed Yousef as a senior political advisor to the Hamas leadership.

Georgetown said Dr. Khan Suri was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peace-building in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention, a university spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent.

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We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly, the spokesperson added.

Khalil, the Columbia student, has also challenged his detention, arguing his First Amendment political speech and Fifth Amendment due process rights were violated by the arrest.

The Immigration and Nationality Act provision that has been cited by the State Department as providing it with deportation authority in such cases has rarely been tested in court.

However, Donald Trumps sister, a federal judge, ruled in a case in 1996 involving a wanted Mexican diplomat that the provision was unconstitutional and a breathtaking departure from the principles that deportations and extraditions are based on clearly defined offenses and involve a process allowing migrants to hear and challenge the basis of their removal.

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Foreign policy cannot serve as the talisman behind which Congress may abdicate its responsibility to pass only sufficiently clear and definite laws, she wrote at the time, though her ruling was overturned in an appeals court on procedural grounds.

International students at Columbia told The Independent after Khalils arrest that a climate of fear has descended over the campus.

Given the magnitude of statements made by the president and his administration, I feel I am not safe, one international student said.

Ava Lyon-Sereno, a student involved in campus activism surrounding the Israel-Hamas war, said the mood is now tense and fearful.

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International students that havent been involved in protests at all are scared and anxious, and the university isnt taking any sort of hard stance about not cooperating with ICE, she told The Independent, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Richard Hall contributed reporting to this story
Despite the White Houses repeated attacks on federal Judge James Boasberg, the Trump administration remains confident it will prevail in ongoing litigation about the presidents use of executive power.

Even before President Donald Trump retook office, his advisers expected that his executive orders and other policy moves would face immediate legal challenges. It was expected that those challenges would be filed in districts that were friendly to challengers and would result in initial losses for the administration.

That has been the case. Over 160 lawsuits have been filed against various administration policies, Attorney General Pam Bondi said Wednesday on Fox News. They are often in jurisdictions with mostly or all Democratic-appointed judges such as Boston, Maryland, Seattle and Washington, DC, though that doesnt guarantee success for the plaintiffs.

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But the Trump legal strategy has always been a long game designed to get these questions before the conservative supermajority at the Supreme Court where his lawyers believe Trump will prevail in his expansive use of executive power. A recent string of court losses has not deterred the administration from continuing to pursue this strategy.

While the outcome of these cases can have immediate effects for the people at the center of each controversy, the Trump administration is playing a long game.

The Justice Department is also not going to change its approach despite a rare statement being issued by Chief Justice John Roberts condemning the president, without naming him, for suggesting a federal judge should be impeached. Administration officials believe that statement is about Trumps social media posts  not the merits of their legal arguments, according to a source.

Trump responded to Roberts rebuke in an interview with Fox News Tuesday evening, saying that the chief justices comments were not directed at him and continued to attack Boasberg.

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Well, [Roberts] didnt mention my name in the statement, and I just saw it quickly, Trump said. He didnt mention my name  but many people have called for [Boasbergs] impeachment, the impeachment of this judge.

Top leaders at the Justice Department have also engaged in an unusual show of force behind the arguments being made in court about whether the administration defied a judges order to halt deportations of some migrants allegedly affiliated with a Venezuelan gang, adding their names to court filings ordinarily signed by line prosecutors.

According to an administration official, the show of force is meant to show support for and solidarity with prosecutors who are working on this case. Boasberg has suggested the government may have violated his order, which could result in sanctions against DOJ lawyers or even being held in contempt. The official said having all of the top leaders, including Bondi, sign onto the Justice Departments arguments shows that they are not trying to leave one prosecutor out to get sanctioned.

Attacks continue

Despite confidence in the merits of his legal arguments, some officials and Trump allies have continued to ramp up attacks on Boasberg and other members of the judiciary.

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The district court has no ability to  in any way  restrain the presidents authorities under the Alien Enemies Act, or, as I believe, to conduct the foreign affairs the United States, deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller told CNNs Kasie Hunt regarding Boasbergs ruling.

The legal battle over deportations comes amid other court fights the Justice Department is defending to protect the presidents agenda. On Tuesday, a DC District Judge Ana Reyes indefinitely blocked Trumps ban on transgender service members, a controversial policy Trump brought back from his first term.

In Maryland, District Judge Theodore D. Chuang said that Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency had overstepped their authority when trying to shut down USAID. The judges ruling indefinitely blocked the dismantling of the agency.

The administrations show of force has continued publicly.

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These activist judges are trying to control our entire federal government, Bondi said Wednesday on Fox News.

Its having baseless reasoning for these injunctions, and its a clear effort by these judges to slow roll this presidents agenda, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said during her press briefing Wednesday.

Following his interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, referring to Boasberg as a Radical Left Lunatic Judge.

If a President doesnt have the right to throw murderers, and other criminals, out of our Country because a Radical Left Lunatic Judge wants to assume the role of President, then our Country is in very big trouble, and destined to fail! Trump posted on Truth Social.

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While the Justice Department owes more information on the deportation flights to Boasberg by noon Thursday, it will have another opportunity to present its arguments during a hearing next week before a federal appeals court in Washington, DC. The three-judge panel is made up of Trump, George H.W. Bush and Obama nominees.

CNNs Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday afternoon aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, something which has been the center of highly contentious concern and debate since the start of his second term.

According to a White House summary of the order, Trump is directing his education secretary, Linda McMahon, to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States."

Local school districts and states, however, are already in control of their own curriculums. Meanwhile, the federal government provides limited oversight for federally funded schools to ensure safe and equal treatment of students.

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While the White House continues to use words like "close," an official acknowledged the department will continue operating in some form  albeit as a significantly smaller agency  and continue to administer "critical programs," reported USA TODAY.

Here's what to know in Tennessee.

Why does Donald Trump want to eliminate the Department of Education?

As reported by USA TODAY, Republicans have long accused the federal government of holding too much power over local and state education policy, despite the federal government having no control over school curriculum. Trump told reporters last month that he hopes McMahon eventually puts herself "out of a job."

Trump has increasingly criticized the performance of U.S. public schools compared with schools in other countries.

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"Were ranked at the very bottom of the list, but were at the top of the list in one thing: the cost per pupil," he said in February.

The Trump administration has drastically already reduced the department's workforce. Under Elon Musk's leadership at the Department of Government Efficiency, the workforce has been cut from 4,133 to 2,183 workers since the start of Trump's second term.

What does the Department of Education do?

Despite K-12 curricula being largely under the authority of local governments, the department plays a supporting role in K-12 education through funding while also overseeing colleges to ensure legal compliance and federal student aid, reported USA TODAY.

The department is responsible for the following:

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Ensuring K-12 schools comply with federal laws in order to receive funding (federal money makes up approximately a tenth of public school funding). Among other things, those laws protect students and teachers from discrimination and guarantee education for those with disabilities.

Overseeing the country's colleges and universities, most of which receive federal funding, by ensuring they are in compliance with federal statues to ensure equal educational opportunity for students, "regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age."

Helping students afford college through administering student aid, loans and grants.

Tracking education outcomes to determine where the most support is needed for students.

How is the Department of Education organized?

The department has nine program offices which are each tasked with carrying out specific roles. Here's a breakdown:

Institute of Education Sciences: Leads in expanding education knowledge and produces evidence for education practice and policy through four centers. Office of English Language Acquisition: Develops and supports programs for linguistically and culturally diverse students to achieve English proficiency and academic success. Office of Elementary and Secondary Education: Provides support to improve preschool, elementary and secondary education, focusing on the nation's "neediest children." Office of Innovation and Improvement: Supports and tests K-12 innovations, teacher quality programs and school choice reforms. Office of Postsecondary Education: Formulates federal postsecondary education policy and promotes access to quality education, including foreign languages and international affairs. Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools: Promotes student health and well-being through drug and violence prevention, character and civic education and a variety of other efforts. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services: Supports programs for individuals with disabilities to develop their potential and enhance their capabilities. Office of Federal Student Aid: Administers federal financial aid for postsecondary education and provides related information and services. Office of Vocational and Adult Education: Supports programs for adults to obtain high school diplomas or equivalents and pursue further education and lifelong learning.

How much money does Tennessee receive from the Department of Education?

In 2023, Tennessee received a total of $3,368,495,310, as reported in a state budget table. The Volunteer State is estimated to have received $3,540,638,930 in 2024 and is slated to receive $3,661,634,438 in 2025.

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Programs include grants to local educational agencies, rural and low-income school programs, aid payment for children with disabilities, grants for infants and families, and grants for technical education.

According to the department, funds included in state tables are for department programs that allocate funds to states or local educational agencies using statutory formulas and do not reflect all department funds that a state receives.

Contributing: USA TODAY

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump order on Dept. of Education: How much money Tennessee receives
In a move hes been telegraphing for months, President Trump signed an executive order Thursday to begin eliminating the U.S. Department of Education.

We have to get our children educated, Trump said at the signing ceremony. Were not doing well with the world of education in this country.

According to the presidents executive order, newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon must take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.

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Instead, the Department of Educations main functions can, and should, be returned to the States, the order continued.

Trump signed the order alongside the Republican governors of Texas, Indiana, Florida and Ohio, who he claimed would now oversee schools as good as Norway, Denmark, Sweden.

Then youll have some laggards, the president continued. We can all tell you who the laggards will be, but lets not get into that. He went on to mention his home state of New York, which has a Democratic governor.

Last week, the Department of Education under Trump abruptly closed its offices for unspecified security reasons, then sent reduction in force notices to roughly 1,300 employees  part of an effort to slash nearly half of the departments 4,200 workers while also terminating leases on buildings in New York, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland and other cities.

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That was the presidents mandate, McMahon told Fox News at the time. His directive to me, clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education.

But can Trump really dismantle the Education Department? And what will happen if he does? Heres everything you need to know.

Where did the Department of Education come from?

In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed legislation establishing a Department of Education. Just one year later, however, the department was demoted to an Office of Education within the Department of the Interior amid worries that it would exert too much control over local schools. The office initially had four employees and a budget of $15,000; its job was to gather information and advise the nations educators.

In 1939, the Office of Education moved to the Federal Security Agency; in 1953, it shifted to the new Department of Health, Education and Welfare. But it wasnt until 1979 that the office became a cabinet-level department of its own.

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Federal education spending had soared during the 50s, 60s and 70s  to compete with the Soviet Union in science; to battle poverty; to provide equal access for women, people of color and Americans with disabilities. As a result, President Jimmy Carter urged Congress to consolidate the scattered, education-related functions of other departments  Defense, Justice, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development  into a new (and hopefully more efficient) U.S. Department of Education.

What does the Department of Education do?

Today the Department of Education oversees a budget of $268 billion. Its role, according to the DOE itself, is to establish policy for, administer and coordinate most federal assistance to education.

That assistance takes two forms. The first is loans and grants. A full 60% of the Education Departments 2024 budget (or $160 billion) went to the Office of Federal Student Aid, which administers Pell Grants, federal direct subsidized loans, federal direct unsubsidized loans and the federal work-study program. Pell Grants help roughly one-third of U.S. undergraduates  all from lower-income families  pay for college, with an average award of about $4,500. At the same time, more than half of undergraduates in the United States receive federal loans to make college more affordable.

The second form of DOE assistance is spending on public elementary and secondary education. The largest federal fund for K-12 schools is Title I, which supplements state and local funding for low-achieving children, especially in poor areas ($18.4 billion in 2023). The next largest is the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), which helps schools cover special-education costs ($14.2 billion in 2023). Through these programs and others like them  Title IX, Title VI, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973  the Department of Education holds schools accountable for complying with federal nondiscrimination laws.

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All told, public K-12 schools receive about $125 billion in federal funding each year, or roughly $2,500 per student.

That might sound like a big number, but it still represents less than 14% of the total spent on public K-12 education in the U.S. The other 86% comes from localities (often through property taxes) and state education departments.

The idea behind federal spending on education  which started in earnest after Congress passed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965  is to provide supplementary funding that will help states and localities close achievement gaps between students from different backgrounds.

Seeking to increase accountability and achievement, President George W. Bushs No Child Left Behind Act (2002) tied some of this federal funding to statewide standards of student testing and teacher performance. In response to criticism, President Barack Obamas Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) retained NCLBs focus on accountability while giving states more control over testing and reform.

Why does Trump want to end the Department of Education?

According to his draft order, Trump believes that "the experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars  and the unaccountable bureaucrats those programs and dollars support  has failed our children, our teachers, and our families.

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This is not a new argument. In 1980  just one year after its creation  Ronald Reagan campaigned on eliminating the Department of Education, slashing bilingual education and gutting federal funding for public schools.

Better education doesn't mean a bigger Department of Education, Reagan said in 1983. In fact, that department should be abolished.

Trump has long agreed. "I think that education should be local, absolutely, he said while campaigning in 2015. I think that for people in Washington to be setting curriculum and to be setting all sorts of standards for people living in Iowa and other places is ridiculous."

During his first term, Trump took various steps to reduce the Education Departments power. But he didnt eliminate it.

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More recently, however, he has started to blame the department for imposing policies designed to promote diversity, equity and inclusion on local districts  and used that argument to justify ending it once and for all.

We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate Americas youth with all sorts of things that you dont want to have our youth hearing, Trump said during the 2024 campaign.

I told Linda [McMahon]: Linda, I hope you do a great job in putting yourself out of a job, he added last month. I want her to put herself out of a job  Education Department.

Can Trump single-handedly end the Department of Education?

The short answer is no. The department was established by an act of Congress, meaning that Congress would need to pass another law to abolish it. Trump cannot just dissolve a cabinet-level agency with the stroke of his pen  and hes extremely unlikely to find 60 votes in the U.S. Senate to eliminate the department either. Even if every Republican senator voted yes  a big if  Trump would still fall seven votes short.

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At her confirmation hearing last month, McMahon admitted as much.

Yes or no: Do you agree that since the department was created by Congress, it would need an act of Congress to actually close the Department of Education? asked Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

President Trump understands that well be working with Congress, McMahon replied. Wed like to do this right.

At Thursdays signing ceremony, Trump signaled that he might ask Congress to codify his order into law, saying he hoped Democrats would be voting for it as well as Republicans  because ultimately it may come before them.

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Yet even without congressional approval, the Trump White House can do a lot to alter the Department of Education. Previously, Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency had cut dozens of contracts it dismissed as woke and wasteful, firing or suspending scores of employees while gutting the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on Americas academic progress.

Then came last week's layoffs.

So what happens if Trump succeeds?

If Congress actually eliminated the Department of Education  and all the programs it funds  the consequences would be huge.

According to experts who spoke to ABC News, such a move would gut public education funding and disproportionately impact high-need students across the country who rely on statutorily authorized programs, leaving billions of dollars' worth of funds, scholarships and grants hanging in the balance for millions of students in the U.S.

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For her part, McMahon has insisted that isnt Trumps vision, or hers. It is not the presidents goal to defund the programs, she said during her confirmation hearing. It is only to have it operate more efficiently.

The presidents mission, she continued, is to return education to the states. I believe as he does that the best education is closest to the child and not certainly from Washington, D.C.

But what is that likely to mean in real-world terms? For years, Republicans who oppose the Department of Education have talked more about moving its most popular programs to other departments rather than ending them altogether  and McMahon has sounded similar notes.

Long before there was a Department of Education, we fulfilled the programs of our educational system, she said last month. Are there other areas, other agencies, where parts of the Department of Education could better serve our students and our parents on a local level?

This suggests that Trump is likely to propose a similar reorganization in the days ahead.

On Thursday, for instance, the president repeatedly emphasized that the departments useful actions  and there arent that many of them  would be preserved in full and redistributed to other agencies and departments. He then named Pell Grants, Title I funding and resources for children with special needs.

Trump has also spoken of imposing different conditions on public schools that receive federal funds. After vowing to cut off money for schools and colleges that push critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content, Trump recently withheld $400 million in government grants and contracts from Columbia University while demanding changes in student discipline. He has also said that he would like to reward states and schools that end teacher tenure and support universal school choice programs.

Its unclear how the Department of Educations long-standing role in enforcing federal protections for poor children, children of color and children with disabilities would work under Trumps new system.

But the Heritage Foundations Project 2025  the far-right blueprint that Trump seems to be following in his second term  offers one possible glimpse. Its authors suggest first shifting oversight of such programs to the Department of Health and Human Services  before eventually converting their funding to no-strings-attached block grants that would be sent to the states to spend as they please.
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - A conservative U.S. appeals court judge took the unusual step on Thursday of recording himself handling several handguns and explaining their mechanisms to explain why his colleagues had wrongly upheld a California law banning magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

U.S. Circuit Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was on Republican President Donald Trump's shortlist for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination in his first term, said he hoped through the video to show how a lack of familiarity with firearms had resulted in a flawed 7-4 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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"It occurred to me that in this instance, showing is much more effective than telling," VanDyke said. "As the old saying goes, a picture is sometimes worth a thousand words. And here, I hope you will agree that a video is at least worth that much."

Legal experts said they were unaware of any federal judge issuing a video with a ruling, which his colleague U.S. Circuit Judge Marsha Berzon, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, in a concurring opinion said was "wildly improper" and amounted to casting himself as an expert witness.

John Collins, a law professor at George Washington University, said the video of a gun-toting judge with a rifle mounted on the wall could be appealing to Trump, who appointed VanDyke in his first term.

"I suspect it is an effort to audition for elevation to the Supreme Court, should a vacancy occur in the near future," Collins said.

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VanDyke did not respond to a request for comment.

In the long-running lawsuit, the California Rifle & Pistol Association and gun owners argued that the Democratic-led state's ban on large-capacity magazines violated the right to keep and bear arms under the U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment.

A federal judge in San Diego in 2023 agreed, citing a landmark ruling by the 6-3 conservative majority U.S. Supreme Court a year earlier that held that firearms restrictions be "consistent with this nation's historical tradition of firearm regulation" to pass muster.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, appealed, and on Thursday, the appeals court concluded the law comported with the Second Amendment because magazines are accessories, not "arms," and fell within the historical tradition of protecting innocent people from "especially dangerous uses of weapons."

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"A large-capacity magazine has little function in armed self-defense, but its use by mass shooters has exacerbated the harm of those horrific events," U.S. Circuit Judge Graber, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton, wrote.

VanDyke dissented, writing in an opinion that the majority was relying on "its invented 'armsaccessory' distinction as an on/off switch for fundamental constitutional protections."

To prove his point, he included a link to a video of himself handling several handguns and explaining their mechanisms to show how the majority "lacked the basic familiarity with firearms to understand the inherent shortcomings" with its rulings.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Richard Chang)
CHARLESTON  Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Thursday that President Donald Trump has approved his request for Public Assistance in Mercer, McDowell, Monroe and seven other Southern West Virginia counties impacted by the Feb. 15 flood.

The original disaster declaration from Trump was for Individual Assistance, which allowed FEMA to come in and assist homeowners who sustained damage from the flood. Morrisey said the Public Assistance declaration provides supplemental grants to state and local governments and certain private non-profits to cover their costs for debris removal, emergency protective measures and infrastructure restoration.

Thank you to President Trump for approving my request for Public Assistance as we continue to help southern West Virginia recover, Morrisey said in a prepared statement Thursday. The President has supported us every step of the way and we are grateful for this additional federal assistance.

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In addition to Mercer, McDowell and Monroe counties, the Public Assistance declaration also includes Greenbrier, Lincoln, Logan, Mingo, Summers, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.

Trump previously approved the Individual Assistance declaration for Mercer, McDowell, Mingo, Wayne, Logan and Wyoming counties.

The Feb. 15 flood caused widespread damage across the two state region. A combination of factors, including torrential rainfall, melting snowfall and an already saturated ground contributed to the ravaging waters. McDowell County, in particular, was hit very hard by the storm.

Nate Custer, a media relations specialist for FEMA, said more than $10 million in Individual Assistance has already been approved by FEMA for impacted property owners.

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As of Thursday afternoon, Custer said 1,216 people in McDowell County have registered for assistance with FEMA. He said another 425 people have applied for federal assistance in Mercer County.

FEMA is still operating Disaster Recovery Centers at the Lifeline Church of God in Princeton and at the Bradshaw Town Hall in McDowell County.

Trump has not yet acted upon a federal disaster declaration request sought for several Southwest Virginia counties, including Tazewell, Buchanan, Bland and Giles that U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., and U.S. Senator Mark Warner, D-Va., is seeking.
University of California leaders are eliminating a years-old practice of requiring faculty job applicants to submit diversity statements, a move that comes after the Trump administration threatened to revoke federal funding from schools and universities that maintain diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

As part of job applications or promotions, many departments at UC campuses have asked job seekers to submit written testimonials of one or two pages about how they have worked to enhance and support racial and other kinds of diversity in their fields. The essay requests started to appear in some UC applications in the early 2000s and gained popularity in the 2010s, attracting both praise and controversy as UC became a national leader in the practice.

UC regents announced the decision Wednesday evening after their first meeting, held at UCLA, since the federal government launched a series of investigations at UC and other U.S. campuses over allegations that they discriminate against white, Asian American and Jewish employees and students.

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The requirement to submit a diversity statement may lead applicants to focus on an aspect of their candidacy that is outside their expertise or prior experience, Katherine S. Newman, UC provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said in a Wednesday letter to campus provosts.

The regents stated that our values and commitment to our mission have not changed, the letter said. We can continue to effectively serve our communities from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and points of view without requiring diversity statements.

Read more: University of California orders hiring freeze, cuts in response to Trump threats

She added that although stand-alone diversity statements in hiring will no longer be permitted, faculty are still allowed to optionally share any inclusive academic achievements in teaching, research, and service during the academic review process.

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Several conservative states, including Idaho, Utah, Texas and Florida, have in recent years banned schools from using the statements. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also discontinued the practice.

Opponents of diversity statements argue the essays encourage scholars who apply for jobs to shift their focus away from academic achievement. In 2023, a UC Santa Cruz diversity statement requirement prompted a former University of Toronto psychology professor to sue. The professor, who lived in Pennsylvania, alleged the job application requirement violated free speech protections in the Constitution. Last year, a judge dismissed the suit because the professor did not apply for a job.

Multiple UC faculty members familiar with Wednesdays decision said they believed anti-DEI actions of the Trump administration were a significant factor in the regents decision.

Brian Soucek, a UC Davis law professor and expert on diversity statements who has worked with the UC faculty and administration to research their use, legality and efficacy, expressed disappointment.

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It can only be explained as an attempt at advanced appeasement of the Trump administration's current threats, Soucek said. There is nothing else that possibly motivates this change in general or this change being done in this particular way at the current moment.

Read more: Trump administration antisemitism task force says it will visit UCLA, USC

Soucek pointed out that the UC leaders and faculty have been studying and advocating about diversity statements at campuses for years. He said the statements are supposed to look for ways in which our specific fields may be falling short in producing scholarship that addresses the needs of a diverse public.

In a statement, UC Board of Regents Chair Janet Reilly said the university "will continue to embrace and celebrate Californians from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and points of view."

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The Department of Education issued guidance last month to all schools and universities suggesting that their DEI programs  such as minority-focused scholarships and Black and Latino graduation ceremonies  put them at risk of losing federal grants.

Read more: Colleges, K-12 schools ordered by Trump administration to abolish DEI or face funding cuts

The letter did not single out diversity statements, but broadly said the department saw the use of race in admissions, financial aid, hiring, training, and other institutional programming as illegal.

In response, many schools throughout the country have made changes such as closing down diversity offices or positions or renaming them to remove the words diversity and equity. USC shut down a campuswide diversity office, merging it with a culture team, and faculty scrubbed department-level websites of diversity language.

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The Education Department also opened investigations into UC Berkeley and dozens of campuses last week on allegations that they illegally partnered with the PhD Project, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that promotes workplace diversity by connecting business school faculty to students. The Trump administration accused the nonprofit of limiting participation based on race. The nonprofit said last week that it had changed its policies to be open to everyone.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
With one day left to go on the Trump administrations March 21 deadline for New York to end its congestion pricing toll, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted a 30-day extension notice to social media Thursday afternoon.

While Duffy restated the administrations demand for Gov. Hochul to end the tolling program, which charges most motorists $9 a day to drive south of 60th St. in Manhattan, he also extended the window 30 days as talks are ongoing.

The federal government and @POTUS are putting New York on notice, Duffy wrote in an X post addressed to Gov. Hochul. Your refusal to end cordon pricing and your open disrespect toward the federal government is unacceptable, he continued.

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We will provide New York with a 30-day extension as discussions continue, Duffy wrote. Know that the billions of dollars the federal government sends to New York are not a blank check, he threatened. Continued noncompliance will not be taken lightly.

The delay comes as New York elected officials and transit honchos reaffirmed their intention to ignore the federal deadline absent a court order.

Let me be clear, these attacks on congestion pricing are an attack on New Yorks sovereignty, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan) said Thursday  prior to Duffys post  during a small rally at the Brooklyn Bridge. New York has the right to govern itself, to implement policies that improve the lives of its residents, and to make decisions that benefit our infrastructure and our economy.

A spokesman for Hochul  who last month likened Trumps order to that of a monarch  reiterated the governors commitment to the toll.

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Weve seen Secretary Duffys tweet, which doesnt change what Gov. Hochul has been saying all along: The cameras are staying on, Hochuls press secretary Avi Small said in a statement.

Congestion pricing is working, he said. Traffic is down, business is up and support for this first-in-the-nation initiative continues to grow.

The toll is tasked with reducing vehicular traffic while raising money for MTA capital projects  was approved last year and went into effect in early January.

In mid-February, Duffy claimed to have retroactively revoked a key federal authorization for the toll that had been given by his predecessor  a move that prompted trump to declare himself king on social media.

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The MTA immediately filed suit in New York federal court, claiming Duffys orders were unconstitutional. The Trump administration has yet to file any response in that case.

John McCarthy, MTAs head of external relations, said Thursday that his agency will continue implementing the toll as planned.

The status quo remains, which means everyone can continue to expect less traffic, faster commutes and safer streets in Manhattan, he said in a statement. As weve said, there was exhaustive study, projected benefits were right, and we cant go back to gridlock.

Duffys post on X is not the first time the feds have attempted to use future transit funding as a cudgel.

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In a letter sent to MTA Chairman Janno Lieber earlier this week, Duffy demanded a litany of stats  much of it already publicly available  as to crime trends and funding in the subway system.

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter to avoid further consequences, up to and including redirecting or withholding funding, Duffy wrote, giving the transit agency a March 31 deadline to provide the information.

MTA officials said earlier this week that they would be happy to help the feds find the crime data.
Donald Trump gathered school children in a mock classroom scene at the White House on Thursday afternoon to witness the signing of an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education.

As the children watched from their small desks, each with their own replica executive orders to sign along with Trump, the president began his remarks with an update on the horrors of Ukraines war.

Hopefully we can save thousands of people a week from dying. That's what it's all about. They're dying so unnecessarily, he said grimly, forgetting his young audience.

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Its not uncommon for teachers to veer off-topic in the later days of the week, but the president was quick to return to the matter at hand.

Trump said that the department set up in 1979 to ensure equal access to education would be dismantled because we're not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven't for a long time.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order to begin to shut down the Department of Education, during an event in the East Room at the White House on Thursday (REUTERS)

Criticizing what he perceived to be wasteful spending, he appeared fixated on the number of buildings that belong to the Department of Education around the nations capital.

It employs bureaucrats and buildings all over Washington, D.C., he said, emphasizing another point likely not captivating the schoolkids.

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.As a former real estate person, I will tell you I ride through the streets of Washington and it says Department of Education, Department of Education. I said, How do you fill those buildings? It's crazy, he added.

He then painted a grim picture of the U.S. education system, citing its poor performance as justification for eradicating the department.

He noted that 70 percent of eighth graders are not proficient in either reading or in math; 40 percent of fourth graders lack even basic reading skills. Can't read. Students in our public elementary and middle schools score worse in reading today than when the department opened, he went on.

Trump interacting with a child during the bizarre set-up for the signing of the dismantling order (Reuters)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis looks on as he attends the signing of an executive order to shut down the Department of Education by President Donald Trump, during an event Thursday in the East Room of the White House (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

What he failed to mention, crucially, is that the Department of Education currently has no control over the curriculum in schools. Thats already set by states. Funding is also mostly provided by states and local governments.

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Most of the problems students face today have very little to do with the Department of Education. In other words, the presidents order is akin to treating a patients broken toe by punching them in the face.

The president continued with a speech that proved you dont have to have an education to stop others from getting one.

Lamenting Chinas apparently superior schools, he noted with a trademark grammatical flourish: We can't now say that bigness is making it impossible to educate, because China is very big.

The last Republican president to reform education also had a way with words. George W. Bush famously asked: Is our children learning?

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But where Bush set out to expand the departments responsibilities, Trump was here to remove them.

President Donald Trump is applauded after he signs executive orders in the East Room of the White House Trump. He signed an order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, fulfilling an election campaign pledge and a long-held dream of American conservatives. (AFP via Getty Images)

The presidents argument, in short, is that all the decisions on this matter should be decided by states. That was an ominous proposition when he made it regarding reproductive laws during his first term as he stacked the Supreme Court with anti-abortion judges. A rise in infant deaths and life-threatening sepsis followed the end of Roe v Wade as Republican states passed a wave of restrictive new abortion laws.

This time around its a complete diversion. States already decide almost every facet of a childs education. What will be lost is funding for students with special needs, be it financial or educational. It will also remove the protections provided by the department that ensure no group of students can be discriminated against based on race, gender, or disability.

Under Trumps predecessor, Joe Biden, the department launched a series of investigations into schools that had banned books on topics related to LLGBT relationships and race.

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Some of the biggest proponents of those bans were in the audience to see Trumps order signed. Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis, Kim Reynolds, and Gregg Abbott  governors of the three states with the most books banned in the 2023-24 school year  applauded politely as Trump spoke, perhaps breathing a little easier.

Concluding his speech, Trump walked to sit at his own desk amid the children.

Look at those beautiful bright-eyed faces. They are so smart, he said, pointing at them as he walked.

Good-looking people here, he added.

As Trump signed the order, the students all signed their own replicas in unison and held them aloft.

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There may be a bump in the road, however. Trump may have signed an executive order, but to dismantle the department will require an act of Congress, which he doesnt yet have the votes for.

He wont be the first teacher to assign homework that will never get done.
The catering industry is observing changing patterns in tourist spending, according to Chan Chak Mo, president of the United Association of Food and Beverage Merchants of Macau.

At an event yesterday, Chan told the press that although the Chinese New Year holiday in January brought a surge in business for resorts dining operations, smaller establishments have not seen the same benefit.

He also added that foot traffic in residential areas has diminished, and even renowned tourist destinations such as Rua do Cunha and the Ruins of Saint Pauls have experienced fewer visitors.

The sector has been fairly steady since February, but March has seen further declines in business, Chan noted.

As the managing director of Future Bright Holdings, a local catering company, Chan revealed that the company recently issued a profit warning, citing a sharp 87.7% drop in earnings.

He attributed the decline to the ongoing economic uncertainties in mainland China and the reduced flow of visitors after the holidays, which have shaken industry confidence.

Many people believe that the future is somewhat unstable and that confidence is lacking. I hope the government will take action to genuinely focus on improving livelihoods in traditional areas of the catering industry, Chan added.

Chans comments come ahead of the governments launch of a MOP295 million consumption stimulus program.

The 10-week initiative aims to encourage weekday spending by offering residents the chance to win shopping vouchers redeemable on weekends.

Chan also emphasized the importance of urban revitalization and increasing festive activities to help attract tourists.

Despite a decrease in tourists spending power, broadening the tourist market is essential for generating new opportunities within the industry, he concluded.
President Donald Trump is wielding the sledgehammer of Elon Musk's efficiency program to fulfill conservatives wildest dreams of dismantling the Department of Education.

But unlike the Department of Government Efficiency's other, more secretive bureaucracy-slashing efforts, this one is happening in broad daylight. Trump signed an executive order Thursday afternoon surrounded by a cadre of GOP governors, Republican members of Congress and conservative organizations in the White Houses East Room. He was joined by teachers, families and kids  some of whom were seated at school desks behind the president as he signed the order.

Trump framed the executive order signing as the first step, saying that his ultimate goal remains to eliminate the department entirely, suggesting legislation to do so may come before Congress.

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My administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department, Trump said before signing the order. We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), in a Thursday afternoon post on X, promised to introduce legislation to do so as soon as possible.

The careful choreography of the Thursday event underscores the White Houses public ownership of the Education Department dismantling  which they argue will return more power to state and local governments  after a post-Covid pandemic political campaign that emphasized a strong parental and local control of schools. But the administrations cutting spree is also taking on a political risk, with much of the general public wary about sweeping changes that may have consequences for school funding, college financial aid and special education.

As long as investment in the state and local level continues, and as long as this is seen as a deduction in bureaucracy, [Republicans] will benefit, said GOP messaging guru Frank Luntz. But if the local and state funding efforts dont increase, Republicans will be accused of slashing funding for education.

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Nine Republican governors  including Ohios Mike DeWine, Indianas Mike Braun, Floridas Ron DeSantis, Texas Greg Abbott, Tennessees Bill Lee, Idahos Brad Little, Iowas Kim Reynolds, Louisianas Jeff Landry and Nebraskas Jim Pillen  attended the event. Representatives of Moms for Liberty, The Heritage Foundation and Concerned Women for America were in the room as well.

That showcase of conservative intellectual and political firepower appeared at least in part aimed at mitigating some of the potential political peril by soothing the publics fears over a major shakeup of the countrys education system, and pushing back on assertions from Democrats and others that the moves will harm children. An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll taken in late February found that 63 percent of respondents oppose getting rid of the department, with only 37 percent supporting its closure.

Opportunity is always a funny word, because opportunities can turn out well or poorly, said Frederick Hess, education director at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. The old adage of Colin Powell was, You break it, you buy it.

The Education Department dismantling is arguably one of the biggest bureaucracy-slashing efforts to date and may foreshadow moves to come at other agencies. The department last week began the process of laying off nearly half of its workforce, including hundreds of attorneys, student aid workers and civil rights office staff, and is terminating some of its office leases across the country, part of the administrations broader effort to cull the size of the U.S. governments smallest Cabinet agency.

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Yet where DOGEs efforts have at times been divisive, even within the GOP, the efforts targeting the Education Departments have been largely unifying. It has brought together a broad swath of diverse elements of Trumps coalition from the budget hawks and social conservatives, longtime GOP mainstays, to the Republican Partys new techno-libertarian contingent.

Even so, the White House has underscored that despite Trumps long standing promises to abolish the department  which date back to his first presidential campaign  this executive order merely shrinks it. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday morning that the Education Department will, for instance, retain oversight of student loans and Pell Grants for now.

Should Congress pass legislation dismantling the Education Department entirely, Trump said that Pell Grants and other key programs, like Title I and funding for children with disabilities and special needs, would be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that he said will take very good care of them.

Without enough votes to overcome a Senate filibuster or formal administrative rules that can survive a court challenge, federal law limits the White Houses ability to farm out Education Department programs elsewhere across the government  including popular programs such as Pell Grants, federal special education funding, and aid for impoverished students that the administration said would be spared by Trumps order.

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I have no confidence that those services will not be affected, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. If nobodys there to answer the phone, or if no department exists to make sure that Truman High School in New York City gets the funding its supposed to get and that Mayor [Eric] Adams doesnt put it somewhere else  who is going to do that?

This will be a terrible Hobsons choice for local communities, she added. Democrats should make sure that local communities know that.

The White House had initially intended to announce the Education Department executive order two weeks ago but scuttled plans after the Wall Street Journal and others published details of a draft version, said a White House official, granted anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes planning around the order. The day after those reports, Leavitt dismissed them as fake news, as officials worked behind the scenes to plan for a bigger event surrounding the order.

The leak prompted White House officials to reconsider the rollout to underscore its political support and attempt to own the narrative.

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The best way to move forward was to one, finalize the document, and instead of backing away from what we were doing, to embrace it, the White House official said. Why are we going to allow the left and the media to characterize an executive order and its so-called impact, when we can host an event that forces them to cover people who actually support what we're doing?

When you have a room full of governors, superintendents, moms and kids, it's hard to say that this is some radical policy, the official added.

Still, Hess, the AEI education director, said the challenge with ambitious public reforms is convincing the public they will like the result.

It seems very likely in races this fall that Democrats will cut ads with Elon Musk waving that chainsaw, and then youll see some mom talking about how her child with special needs cant get the support they used to get, he said.

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Hess noted that the administrations efforts to dismantle the Education Department were well underway even before Thursday. In addition to cutting workers, the department is already aggressively cutting contracts and grant spending and issuing guidance that pushes states and schools to fall in line with its political and policy priorities at the direction of its secretary, Linda McMahon.

The executive order, however, ties Trump personally to the effort.

It underscores that the president is personally committed to trying to do this. That would seem to help energize those looking to abolish the department, Hess said. And it will also energize those pushing back.
Amid the growing battle between President Donald Trump and the courts, a once-unthinkable question is harder to shrug off: Will the administration deliberately defy federal judges if it doesnt get what it wants?

The issue has come into sharp relief in the challenge to the administrations deportation of Venezuelan nationals under the purported authority of the Alien Enemies Act. The presiding judge  James Boasberg, chief judge of the federal district court in Washington, D.C.  directed the government from the bench to turn the planes around carrying the deportees. That did not happen, though the administration claims it did not deliberately defy the judge. Boasberg has since pressed the government for more information, and on Friday, he will hold a hearing to consider the matter further.

To consider Boasbergs options and the implications, I spoke with Shira Scheindlin, a former federal judge in Manhattan who served on the bench for 22 years. She is no stranger to complex, high-profile disputes involving the government, and as I can attest from brief personal experience  I once litigated before Judge Scheindlin while I worked in the private sector  she had a well-earned reputation for exercising firm control over her courtroom and the lawyers who appeared before her.



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Scheindlin said that in the debate over whether the United States is already in a constitutional crisis, the real red line is if the executive branch defies the judiciary, a move that Trump says he wouldnt take.

But if it were to happen?

Thats when authoritarians become dictators and really tear down the temple by just ignoring the Constitution, ignoring the judiciary, she said. That would be the shocking end to our 250-year experiment.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Did you ever confront a situation where there was a credible suggestion that the government had deliberately violated one of your orders?

No. I dont remember any such event happening.

In the case over deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, the government has argued that there is a difference between an oral order and a written order from a judge  that oral orders are somehow meaningless if they arent immediately embodied in a written order. What do you make of that argument?

That its creative? Thats all I can make of it, because Ive never heard it before.

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When a judge makes an order from the bench, they sometimes say at the end, thats my order or so ordered.

Its tough to appeal an oral order unless theres a certified transcript. Given that this is a high profile case, I bet he had a court reporter in the courtroom. I bet there is a transcript, and I bet they could have appealed it based on the transcript.

I have had that happen  where it was so urgent that [a litigant] took the transcript, got up to the Second Circuit and said, you know, shes wrong.

Judge Boasberg has scheduled a hearing for Friday to determine next steps. The government has been making submissions in response to his orders, but theyve been somewhat tentative and somewhat defiant. If you were Judge Boasberg, how would you approach this hearing?

I think hes posed very specific questions to the government as to when certain flights took off. When did certain flights land? Who gave the [order]? Who was in touch with [the administration] after he issued his oral order?

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Im sure he has a lot of questions that he thinks the government has to answer, and I think the government so far has been evasive in answering such simple questions.

It is not hard to answer the questions I just gave as examples. What was the flight? Name and number. What airport did it leave? What time did it land? Who did you speak to after I gave my oral order? What time?

He knows the time of [his order]. Thats probably on the transcript. Those are the kinds of questions I think I would be asking on Friday.

Assuming that the judge  Judge Boasberg or any other judge for that matter  eventually concludes that the government deliberately violated a court order, what are the judges options?

I can tell you that every former judge I know has been asked this question by somebody in the media, including me. I think the only real option is civil contempt.

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The reason why it cannot be criminal contempt is generally that would be referred to the Justice Department to prosecute. So you might have a lawyer, a witness that you direct to answer [a question], they refuse, and/or they lie. If you want to charge them with criminal contempt, you have to get the U.S. Attorneys office or Main Justice to prosecute, and clearly the Trump Justice Department, or the Bondi Justice Department, is not going to prosecute.

Then you get that question, which was raised in the Eric Adams case, could you appoint a special prosecutor? Thats tricky because of separation of powers, so I think criminal contempt is off the table.

I think civil contempt, however, is something that could be done if the facts are fairly straightforward. The remedy in civil contempt, believe it or not, can include incarceration.

Usually its fines. If it was a lawyer, you might file a grievance against the lawyer. That could be done if these lawyers either lie to the court or personally violate the order  you might want to bring a grievance before the grievance committee of the local bar where theyre admitted, something like that.

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So it could be fines, could be a grievance, but in theory, it could also be jailing somebody. I did that only once in my time on the bench. In a civil contempt case, I actually put somebody in jail because he was so defiant, and then  he did what he was told to do.

You could also sanction the person, and thats always interesting, because you could have fines that double every day, so it can get serious fast. I dont know how good at math you are, but a $1,000 fine doubling every day can quickly add up to real money  not for the United States government, but for an individual. If somebody was individually sanctioned, that adds up.

How would incarceration work in civil contempt? Wouldnt you still need the involvement of the executive branch?

Well, you need the person taken away by the U.S. Marshal. Thats the problem, right?

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When I held someone in civil contempt, I had to say, Marshal, take this person across the street to the jail.

That is part of the executive branch  just the U.S. Marshal escorting the person over to the federal facility. So it still has that problem, but you dont need a prosecutor.

There have been reasons to doubt the veracity of the DOJs arguments in court since the start of the Trump administration  to take just a couple examples, the arguments about why the prosecution against Eric Adams is being dismissed, and the arguments about why some civil servants have been fired.

How do you approach a situation where you might not fully trust the representations that the government is making in court?

Thats a very good question. You have to try to develop evidence extrinsically to prove the falsehood.

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We talked about being evasive  in other words, just refusing to answer or ducking the question  but actually making a false statement to the court? You would have to have extrinsic evidence that its false.

If [opposing counsel] was able to find out what flight, what plane, when it left, when it landed, and it turns out that the government lied and said, Well, the plane took off before your order. Lets say it turned out it took off an hour after the order. Thats bad. Thats a grievance to be filed against the individual attorney, who is an officer of the court, but youd have to develop extrinsic evidence.

You cant just say, I dont trust you. I dont think that would work.

You could say, Im very doubtful that you have been candid with the court. Im concerned about the veracity of what youve told me, but Im not going to take action without facts to prove that you have been dishonest with the court.

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Judges do have a sixth sense for that. Theyve been around. [Judge Boasberg] also has been around a long time. Hes very experienced. I think you kind of know it when you see it.

The lawyer has an ethical obligation to be candid to the tribunal.

Are you worried that well see a situation where the government explicitly and outright defies a court order?

I am concerned about that. Weve been talking  we being civil society, everybody  about whether were in a constitutional crisis.

Everybody keeps writing an op-ed saying, Not yet, but almost.

The constitutional crisis will occur when the executive branch says to the judicial branch, Too bad, I dont have to listen to you. Thats a constitutional crisis, and we havent quite gotten there.

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It seems to me that this executive branch is getting as close to that line as they possibly can without crossing it yet. But if they really just say, We dont have to listen to you, thats very bad.

There have to be three co-equal branches of government, and each branch has to respect the other.

What do you think happens in a situation like that  particularly if its a Supreme Court ruling  in terms of the publics confidence in the judicial system and the effects on American politics?

If we really had the constitutional crisis that I just described  where the executive branch says to the judicial branch, I dont have to listen to you  thats a very, very, very serious threat to our democracy.

We are built on the separation powers. Were built on three co-equal branches of government.

Thats the authoritarian dictator saying, Im tearing down the whole wall.

Thats when authoritarians become dictators and really tear down the temple by just ignoring the Constitution, ignoring the judiciary. We wont have an independent judiciary any longer.

That would be the shocking end to our 250-year experiment. It would be bad.

And as far as public trust, I think more than 50 percent of the public would be very concerned and outraged. They didnt vote for this guy to tear down the house.

Trump has called for Judge Boasberg to be impeached, but this week, we saw a rare statement from Chief Justice John Roberts pushing back on that idea. What do you make of Trumps comments  and also Roberts?

Trump knows better.

His cronies have been talking impeachment for weeks now. They started with a judge from my court, Judge [Paul] Engelmayer, one of the early rulings they didnt like. They attacked him and said he had to be impeached, then they wanted to impeach a different judge. Now its Boasberg.

A lot of us have spoken out against the word impeachment, pointing out very simply that a ruling you dont agree with is neither a high crime nor a misdemeanor, and impeachment is limited to those [circumstances] and has never been used in any other way.

So thats outrageous. Its a terrible thought. You disagree with the ruling, as Roberts said, you appeal it and you appeal it again, and thats our system. But you cant get rid of the judge. The Constitution gives us life tenure. Thats the Constitution, and so impeachment is just not on the table. Theres no basis. Its not a high crime or misdemeanor.

Theres been rising criticism, not just from Trump, but as you mentioned, congressional Republicans and also conservative activists. Are you confident that the judges can tune out all of this criticism? Judges read the news too, and there have been reports of rising threats to judges.

Ive been in that position where Ive been publicly attacked, publicly criticized. The question is, does that deter you? Does that scare you? Does that intimidate you? Thats the threat.

Do you become intimidated? You do have family, you have spouses and children and parents, and there has been violence against judges. You know the history as well as I do. One judge lost her son, and another judge lost a husband and a mother.

Terrible things have happened, so you cant help but worry about your security in an age where weve seen on TV, in a loop that never stops, what the January 6 rioters did, how they acted, how they tore through that building.

It only takes one nut, and you or your family could be in danger.

Theyre doing it to cause a chilling effect, but I think most judges are not going to be deterred. Theyre going to continue to stand up. Theyre going to continue to do what they think is right, but its unfortunate that they have to, even in the back of their mind, worry that a judicial ruling could mean that theyre physically in danger  them and their family. Thats sad, but I dont think theyll be deterred.

They certainly havent been. It seems to me [that Trump has] been losing most cases at the trial level, no matter who appointed the judge, whether its a so-called Republican appointee or Democratic appointee, either way. Hes been losing in the district courts, and he lost again in the Ninth Circuit.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else youd like to add?

Roberts decision to speak out was unusual, almost unprecedented.

He gives a state of the judiciary speech once a year, but I think only once before, maybe twice in all the years hes been chief justice, has he just come out and decided to make a statement. I think the last time was when Trump was president at the beginning, and he kept criticizing judges for being an Obama judge or a Clinton judge.

And Roberts said there is no Obama judge. There is no Clinton judge. Theres no Reagan judge. Theyre all federal judges, and they all do what they think is right.

It was very unusual that immediately after Trump himself called for impeaching judges, [Roberts] must have said to himself, Enough is enough. Im going to speak out. Im the chief justice. They cant touch me. Im going to say what I think.




I thought that Donald Trumps unhinged obsession with eliminating anything he thought to be the result of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives could get no worse than dishonoring the heroes buried at Arlington National Cemetery by scrubbing information about some Black, Latino and women from the cemeterys website.

I was wrong.

Axios is reporting that articles and information about World War IIs heroic Native Code Talkers have disappeared from some military websites.

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According to the report, when asked about the missing pages, Pentagon Press Secretary John Ullyot replied in a statement: "As Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has said, DEI is dead at the Defense Department.  We are pleased by the rapid compliance across the Department with the directive removing DEI content from all platforms."

Pleased?

Code talkers were vital to military success in the Pacific during WWII

Who could possibly be pleased by an effort to erase the history of a group of native men who were vital to the success of every major Marine Corps operation in the Pacific Theater of World War II, particularly America's victory at Iwo Jima.

At least 10 articles containing information about the Code Talkers has disappeared, according to Axios.

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Late last year one of the last Navajo Code Talkers, John Kinsel, died at 107.

Navajo President Buu Nygren said of him, It is appropriate for us to acknowledge, recognize and honor this distinguished mans life, bravery and steadfast dedication to his family, community of Lukachukai and to the entire Navajo Nation as a model Navajo citizen and warrior."

Every elected official in Arizona should be outraged

Kinsel and his fellow Marines represent the best of the Navajo Nation, the best of Arizona, the best of the United States.

Every elected official in Arizona from every party should be pounding on the doors of the Defense Department to reverse the idiotic DEI overreach that is trying to erase the Code Talker legacy.

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They were not an example of DEI hires.

They were an example of honor. Of bravery. Of patriotism.

Of everything the people behind this atrocity are not.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Navajo Code Talkers shamefully erased by Trump DEI order | Opinion
Donald Trump has killed the Education Department.

Via executive order, the president stripped apart the centralized authority overseeing the American educational system on Thursday, marking the end of a 45-year-old institution.

Today we take a very historic action that was 45 years in the making, Trump said, marking the departments elimination. Everybody knows its right. The Democrats know its right, and I hope theyre going to vote for it because ultimately it may come before them.

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Trump then announced who he said he hoped would be the agencys last leader, Education Secretary Linda McMahon.

Its about time; everybodys saying it, Trump said.

Pell grants and Title I funding for low-income students, as well as resources for disabilities and special needs would be fully preserved, according to Trump, though the responsibility would be redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them, and thats very important to Linda, I know, and very important to all of us.

Congressionally appropriated funds, however, cannot simply be handed to another agency.

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Ahead of the executive order, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the drastically downsized agency would continue to administer student loans and Pell grants, with that second part in direct contradiction to Trumps ultimate announcement. She noted that any critical functions of the department would remain, such as providing funding for low-income students and enforcing anti-discrimination policies.

The Education Department was already the smallest Cabinet agency, with just over 4,000 employees. Its budget constituted roughly 4 percent of overall spending, costing American taxpayers $268 billion in 2024, just $14 billion more than it had when President Jimmy Carter brought it into existence in 1979.

History has proven them right, Trump said, referring to people who opposed Carters creation.

Im pleased to report that by offering federal employees two generous buyout options  they were very generous  my administration has initiated a reduction in force and were already cutting numbers that were very surprising, he continued.

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The agency has historically been responsible for approving, monitoring, and distributing federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants and other aid made available to the public via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. Its also been responsible for assessing and analyzing Americas K-12 systems, as well as aggregating data and research on American educational policies. The department also oversaw the implementation of Title IX, and ensured that the American public had equal access to a valuable education.

Its unclear what the future will look like for a college-going American public with such a massively diminished Education Department.

The Education Department annually distributes $120.8 billion in grants and federal loans to college-bound students, according to the office of Federal Student Aid.

When Trump tapped McMahon to oversee the agency, he said her primary function was to put herself out of a job. Since he was on the campaign trail, Trump has promised to dismantle the department in favor of handing the totality of education to the states. His Project 2025inspired vision will be to the detriment of a great swath of states, however, particularly poorer ones in the middle of the country.

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Were going to have 35 like, different ones, Trump said during a campaign stop in Indiana, Pennsylvania, in August. Iowa will do good. A lot of the states will do very good. I can think of probably 3035 will be dofive will be OK, 10 will be OK.

Youll have four or five that will be terrible, but thats OK, we have to control it, Trump said. But youll have, youll have Idaho, youll have Idaho will do a great job, no debt, they run a great state.

During the same rally, Trump blamed Americas low educational scores on the federal agency, while comparing individual states to countries that consistently place high on international education rankings, such as Denmark or Norway, which use national socialist structures to fund their public schools.

On Thursday, Trump reiterated that mindset, mocking some states in the nation as laggards.

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Well work with them. We can all tell you who the laggards will be, right now probably, but lets not get into that, Trump said, before name-dropping his ex-home. Theyll do a job. I think theyll do a job, and theyll go to sections of the statefor instance, New York, youll have a Manhattan and a Suffolk County and a Nassau County and a Westchester County. Those counties I think are going to do very well.

Theyre probably going to be the tougher ones, but I think they have a chance to do really well, said the president, referring to a state that has recently spent more on education per pupil than most other areas of the country.

Trump himself has said that his Department of Education plan involves handing the reins and lofty responsibilities of public school administration over to parents, who famously have all the time in the world to oversee educational curricula while simultaneously working jobs and raising their children.

I figure well have like one person plus a secretary, Trump told a crowd in Milwaukee in October, explaining how hed like to see the Education Department shaved down. Youll have a secretary to a secretary. Well have one person plus a secretary and all the person has to do is, Are you teaching English? Are you teaching arithmetic? What are you doing? Reading, writing, and arithmetic. And are you not teaching woke?

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But erasing the federal funding pipeline will only serve to hurt students in low-income areas around the country. The federal government provides 13.6 percent of funding for public K-12 education across the nation. In states such as Virginia, whose state lawmakers advocated in November for the end of the Education Department, federal dollars account for approximately 12 percent of the states education funding, according to the Education Data Initiative.

Shuttering the Education Department will barely muster up new cashflow to offset the tremendous costs of extending Trumps 2017 tax plan, which overwhelmingly benefits corporations and could add as much as $15 trillion to the national deficit.

This story has been updated.
U.S. President Donald Trump did not raise the topic of occupied Crimea and its recognition as part of Russia during recent talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky said on March 20.

His statement comes days after reports that the Trump administration was considering recognizing Crimea as Russian territory as part of a broader deal to end Russias full-scale war against Ukraine.

Semafor media outlet wrote on March 17, citing two sources familiar with the discussions, that American officials also explored urging the United Nations to follow suit, aligning U.S. policy with Russian President Vladimir Putins long-held stance on the peninsula.

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"We (Zelensky and Trump) once talked about Crimea back in September (2024) in New York. He was interested in what it looks like, why Ukrainians love it so much," Zelensky said during a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

Ukraines Crimean Peninsula has been under Russian occupation since 2014 following a fake referendum staged by Russia to annex the territory.

"I told him (Trump) that this is a unique nature. This is our integral part, this is our Ukrainian peninsula," Zelensky said.

"Without Ukrainians, Crimea is dying," Zelensky said, adding that tourism on the peninsula has largely disappeared since 2014.

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The White House has insisted that both Russia and Ukraine will have to make compromises in order to end the war, calling Ukraine's goal of restoring its pre-2014 borders "unrealistic."

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that the Ukraine-U.S. talks in Saudi Arabia on March 11 included discussions about potential "territorial concessions" as part of a negotiated settlement with Russia.

Zelensky said on March 12 that Ukraine "will not recognize any occupied territories as Russia's" as a condition of any peace deal.

Read also: Russias annexation of Crimea

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told the country Wednesday that Donald Trumps tariffs are partially to blame for rising prices, and that the likelihood that the country will enter a recession has grown, but the president doesnt seem ready or willing to confront that reality.

In an interview with Fox Newss Laura Ingraham that night, the MAGA leader once again ducked and dodged direct questioning on whether his policies would result in an American recession.

There is a lot of talk about a possibility of a recession, and CNBC had a report from the Fed saying they cant rule it out. It could actually happen, Ingraham said, before Trump interjected that everything could happen.

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What can you say to Americans tonight who are concerned about the possibility of a recession, given the fact that youre trying to reorient the economy to a manufacturing economy again? the Fox host continued.

I think, if I didnt get elected, our country would be finished, to start off with, Trump said. And I think Inow that I did get elected, I think were going to have the strongest economy in the history of the world. And I had that economy in four years. With all the harassment, with all the crazy people after me, with all of the things that went on, even with Covid, I had the strongest economy in the history of our country.

I had a stock market that went up 88 percent: 88 percent, number one in history. The other markets went up 66 percent, and I think like 71 percent, he continued.

But that didnt answer the question.

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Will we see a recession in 2025? Are you ruling it out? Ingraham pressed.

Were going to have the strongest economic country in the history of the world, of the planet. We are taking in so much money, Trump said.

Now, some people are unhappy, because it has to come from somewhere. Some of its going to come from Europe, because not everybodys going to be doing as much business maybe in Europe and other places. But I can only speak for the United States. And I am a nationalist, and Im proud of it. I love this country. And I want to help other countries too.

Look, Im the one. If it wasnt for me, they wouldnt be talking peace in Ukraine and Russia, because there are not Americans being killed. Theyre Ukrainian soldiers and Russian soldiers, and Im trying to make peace. And, again, it has not that much to do, other than, we dont want to be paying, Trump said, before continuing to blame former President Joe Biden for the cost of the conflict.

Asked about the possibility of a recession, Trump claims the country was finished if he wasnt elected pic.twitter.com/zlbxEpjHEN  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 19, 2025

In just a handful of weeks, Trumps global trade war has weakened Americas relationships with some of its longest allies, compromising strategic military alliances while also sparking fears of a forthcoming recession as the market slumps hundreds of points in reaction to his whiplash tariff negotiations.



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Economic experts have always cautioned that Trumps tariff plan would hurt the country. In a joint letter released before the election, nearly two dozen Nobel Prizewinning economists formally warned against Trumps economic plan, arguing that the MAGA leaders stiff tariff increases and tax cuts would spell disaster for the average American.

Once Trump began to formally enact his tariffs in February, that concern went into overdrive.

This is a Stop or Ill shoot myself in the foot threat. It defies economic logic, economist Larry Summers told CNN at the time. It means higher prices for consumers. It means more expensive inputs for American producers.

Earlier this month, Trump floated that the little disruption caused by his aggressive trade policies could go on for quite a bit longer, suggesting that Americans should model their economic projections on a 100-year modellike Chinarather than assess his performance on a quarterly basis.
Donald Trump wants one thing to solidify his legacy: A Nobel Peace Prize.

After years of a cornucopia of abusive life choices  both self-inflicted and parentally initiated, Trump clings to a single strand of cogent thought with the tenacity of Sisyphus; how do I glorify myself?

Money couldnt fill the hole in his soul. Power only widens it. He is an increasingly desperate man as time catches up with him. All of the makeup, clothes, bronzer and gold toilets cannot slow the march of time that will inevitably make Trump as inert and irrelevant as his poorest victim.

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His instincts are theatrically based. Hes as virulent as he is shallow and his thoughts are no deeper than what he sees on television. His flights to deport immigrants without benefit of due process is a knock-off version of Con Air. His central act in the Oval Office is reminiscent of The Apprentice. His declarations that he is the law evoke memories of Sylvester Stallones version of Judge Dredd. Trump only wishes he could wear the helmet and growl out I AM the Law with the fury of Stallone. Unfortunately, when he strays into that territory he sounds more like Don Knotts Barney Fife screaming at Andy Griffiths sheriff Andy Taylor. You can almost hear Trump burping out Nip it. Nip it. Nip it in the bud, like a corpulent toad with the face and voice of Deputy Fife.

Trump is currently engaged in his latest theatrical release  Peace Maker  wherein he pretends to solve the problem of world peace by threatening to put boots on the ground in Ukraine, prompting World War III. Stay tuned. The next day he boasted that he had a great talk with Vladimir Putin and that theres now a chance for a ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump and Putin agree an improved bilateral relationship would have a huge upside. This includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.

Trump and Putin have a common adversary; China. And Putin has already stretched his resources to the limit in a vain attempt to increase his resources by conquering Ukraine. Having failed thus far during the last decade to do so, hes now trying to get what he wants through negotiations. It wont stop his desire to put back together the old Soviet Union band he so famously covets, but he now does have the advantage of having the United States as a potential primary trade partner.

Putin seeks survival and domination. Hes likely using Trumps single desire for a Nobel Peace Prize to get it.

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Meanwhile, Ukraine, remember Ukraine? This is a war about Ukraine. Ukraine never started it. Didnt want it  but Ukraine has been fighting it for 11 years. This is a fact Trump conveniently fails to mention as he and his Presidential Pep Secretary Karoline Leavitt spout slogans like, Bidens pathetic weakness caused the war and, if Trump had been in office it never would have happened. It actually began under Obamas watch, and normally Trump would love to beat up Obama, but he has recently developed a soft spot for the guy. More importantly; to mention it happened under Obamas watch would also call attention to the fact that Trump did absolutely nothing about the war in Ukraine during his first term.

Since Trump doesnt mind lying when it comes to accepting responsibility he conveniently forgets that uncomfortable fact as he declares, Theres a new sheriff in town and his name is Donald Trump.

Folks thats not from some B movie. The Pep Secretary actually said those words and followed it up with a warning no one should cross President Trump again - from the White House briefing room.

It sounds like Howdy Doody diplomacy a Republican told me  both dating the source and giving me pause to laugh  which I suppose dates myself.

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The presidents actions underscore his desire to make a difference on a world stage that laughs at and manipulates him. World leaders who embrace democracy look at him derisively. Some find him to be a joke, while minor and major despots look upon him in a combination of wonder and fellowship. Minor dictators look at him with inspiration while his mentor looks on with approval and wariness.

Donald Trump is, after all, volatile. His stability is transactional. His ability for rational thought is limited to his survival instinct.

In many ways, Trump is a human virus. Hes not unique, but he is an aggressive viral infection.

He infected the Republican Party with his parasitic MAGA proteins. They attached themselves to certain receptors in the party, hijacked those and began replicating themselves. They were able to overcome all rational members of the GOP who were either expelled or fled. Gaining power gave MAGA energy. Expelling opposition gave MAGA safety.

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The Republicans fell quickly. The Trump virus raged. Trump won the presidency in 2016. But the virus had expanded too far and too fast. It couldnt control all the levers of government yet because there were those unaffected party members still in positions of power. Then came the COVID-19 virus. While Trump was busy preaching fiction, weve got it under control, and there wont be any deaths, the real virus began killing thousands of Americans.

So, in 2020 the American body politic, with the influence of a real virus, shook off its political virus. But it didnt end it. The festering virus mutated and became even more virulent

As scientists developed effective vaccines and countermeasures to COVID, the MAGA virus spread  there was no effective vaccine against a cult mentality. Its members denied so many basic facts while pushing Trump's fictions that millions of people became confused  unable to tell fact from fiction. The disinformation helped spread the virus. Bidens inability to effectively communicate aided and abetted the disinformation.

The sluggish response by the Department of Justice to pursue Trump on a wide variety of crimes, coupled with a complicit or inept judiciary gave the virus time to explode.

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The depths of Trumps depravity are matched only by the shallowness of his soul. Thus to this day, he denies he lost the 2020 election. He claims to support free speech while destroying it. He denies the actual start of the war in Ukraine because he loves pretending that hes coming to save the day.

The unflinching fact is that the Trump virus is still virulent and viable. It is unaware, like most viruses, of the cost it takes on others and itself.

It is affecting our closest friends and our greatest enemies. It threatens to be all-consuming and unmanageable. Its most cancerous component may be acting Ice Director Tom Homan, a gentleman that political analyst Norm Ornstein calls a psychopath and Nazi. Homan recently identified the next, and perhaps, last domestic enemy against the MAGA virus; the judiciary. He doesnt believe the judiciary is independent and defies any attempt to keep him from deporting anyone he chooses without due process of the law.

We are going to make this country safe again ... I'm proud to be a part of this administration. We are not stopping. I don't care what the judges think. I don't care what the Left thinks. We're coming," he said.

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The Pep Secretary echoes Homans theme but denies the Trumps administrations defiance against the courts out of one side of her mouth and defends it out of the other side. Wednesday was just another day of nonsense in the briefing room. The judges in this country are acting erroneously. They are trying to dictate policy . . . its unacceptable, Leavitt exclaimed.

She defended the concept of co-equal branches of government while at the same time saying that the courts are wrong and cant do what they did. Not one reporter in the briefing room pushed back against that statement, just like no one pushed back when she claimed Trump had an overwhelming mandate, or the war wouldnt have started if Trump had been President.

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

The virus is indeed strong in that one. This is lawfare, The Pep Secretary told us Wednesday. Partisan activists, she declared, were behind recent judicial setbacks. The president himself had called for the impeachment of justices who disagree with him. Trump posted on his Truth Social site Tuesday morning after a judge ruled that he couldnt deport anyone without due process: This judge, like many of the Crooked Judges I am forced to appear before, should be IMPEACHED!!! . . . MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!

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Chief Justice John Roberts attempted to corral Trump within hours of Trumps social media post. For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, Roberts said in a Supreme Court-issued statement. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.

The Trump virus is immune to rational thought and devoid of reality, yet it still thrives. Every press briefing begins and ends with blaming Joe Biden for everything Trump claims is going wrong  while genuflecting at Trumps knees for making things right again.

The virus has overcome the Republicans, laid low the Democrats who seemingly have no answer to Trump other than to cower before him and let him have his way. They may say they are adopting a F*ck around and find out attitude, but to millions of voters not currently overcome by the Trump virus the Democrats appear weak and ineffective.

Right now Trump owns the executive and legislative branches of government. He has effectively compromised the press. He thought when he successfully stacked the Supreme Court in his first term that theyd have his back now. So with recent lower court decisions and a rebuke by the chief justice of the Supreme Court, it appears that some attempt to cure the country of this caustic virus is underway.

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It is a classic struggle; The courts versus the executives with the legislators sitting on the sidelines ultimately cheering for whoever wins. Trump, so far, has vowed to follow the rule of law and respect the courts, though the actions of his administration demonstrate that is a lie. He currently is nibbling around the edge of judicial authority: testing it to see how stiff the opposition will be. If he senses weakness, the virus will overcome the last remaining guardrail and obstruction to totalitarianism  the judiciary branch of government.

The last stand is underway.

Its another Donald Trump production brought to you from the mind of the man who just wants a Nobel Peace Prize  no matter who he has to kill to get it.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  President Trump plans to sign an executive order effectively shutting down the Department of Education on Thursday.

The move will have widespread impacts on childrens education throughout the country including funding for public schools.

Florida man to be executed today for the killing of an 8-year-old girl, her grandmother

The executive order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to: Take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

The measure fulfills a Trump campaign promise. He and many members of the Republican party have long felt control of education should be returned to the states.

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Supporters say its an effort to empower parents to make choices about their childrens education. NBC News reports that title one funding, student loans and students with disabilities aid wont be impacted by the measure.

Schools are run and nearly 90% funded at the state and local level. Data shows Florida receives the third largest amount K through 12 funding, about $6.5 billion per year. Of the roughly $12,000 spent on each student annually, approximately $2,300 comes from federal dollars.

While Trump can downsize the agency, Congress is the only body allowed to fully dissolve the DOE. NBC News reports Trump will sign the executive order during a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump is invoking emergency powers to boost the ability of the US to produce critical minerals  and potentially coal  as part of a broad effort to ramp up the development of domestic natural resources and make the country less reliant on foreign imports.

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An executive order signed by the president Thursday taps the Defense Production Act as part of an effort to provide financing, loans and other investment support to domestically process critical minerals and rare earth elements, according to a White House official. The US International Development Finance Corporation, working with the Department of Defense, will provide financing for new mineral production projects.

The order, which also encourages faster permitting for mining and processing projects and a directive for the Interior Department to prioritize mineral production on federal land, comes as a direct response to long-held concerns among the US and allies that China overwhelmingly controls the processing of some of the most important critical minerals.

These elements are used in a number of products from batteries to defense systems that are seen as crucial to the nations energy and security.

Why the Fight for Critical Minerals Is Heating Up: QuickTake

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Shares of critical mineral miners in Australia and China declined on Friday. Australian lithium miner Liontown Resources Ltd. fell as much as 7.1%, while graphite producer Syrah Resources Ltd. tumbled 9.8%. Chinas Tianqi Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium both fell. Some coal miners, including New Hope Corp Ltd. and Whitehaven Coal Ltd., were down nearly 4%.

In the US, Shares of MP Materials Corp., a rare earths miner, rose as much as 4.6% in after-hours trading. Peabody Energy Corp., a coal producer, gained more than 2%.

Despite possessing some critical minerals, the US currently imports a significant amount, creating economic and security risks, according to the White House. The administration said the US is import-reliant on at least 15 critical minerals and that 70% of imports of rare earths come from China.

Our national and economic security are now acutely threatened by our reliance upon hostile foreign powers mineral production, the White House said in the order. It is imperative for our national security that the United States take immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.

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The Trump administration will also coordinate with the private sector to ensure a stable and resilient domestic supply chain for critical minerals, which under the executive order includes uranium, copper, potash, gold, as well as any other element, compound, or material as determined by the chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, the White House official said. That designation could also cover coal, the official added.

Government support offers to help boost domestic production to satisfy the needs of the Defense Department and private industry amid growing concerns about shortages. China is beginning to implement export controls on materials such as germanium, gallium and antimony.

The administrations move won applause from groups including the National Mining Association and SAFE, a Washington nonprofit that advocates for US energy independence.

During periods of great national challenge, presidents have coordinated federal efforts to overcome obstacles at odds with the United States best interests, said Abigail Hunter, an executive director with SAFE. We are pleased to see that level of action to combat the minerals vulnerabilities the nation faces today, and look forward to working with administration on implementationespecially on catalyzing private sector investment.

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Environmental groups warned the executive order would remove important safeguards in order to expedite mining projects.

Yet again, President Trump is trying to ignore the law and dictate that our national public lands be handed over to private companies for extraction and profit above all else, Rachael Hamby, a policy director with the Center for Western Priorities, said in a statement. The executive order is clearly about enriching mining companies and their shareholders, not enhancing national security.

The Defense Production Act is a 1950s law that former President Harry Truman enlisted to ramp up steel production for the Korean War. Former President Joe Biden similarly invoked the law to encourage domestic production of critical minerals, adding battery materials such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese to the list of items covered under the measure to help companies access $750 million in funds. He also used the law to support American production of electric heat pumps.

Trump used the law in his first term to spur mask production during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Trump teased his plans during his Joint Address to Congress earlier this month, saying he planned to take historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths.

A House select committee on China previously recommended creating a reserve of critical minerals to insulate American producers from price volatility and protect against Beijings weaponization of its dominance in critical mineral supply chains.

Trump said Thursday the US will soon sign a deal on rare earths with Ukraine.

--With assistance from Paul-Alain Hunt and Jessica Zhou.

(Updates throughout.)

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2025 Bloomberg L.P.
There have been plenty of surprises out of the White House since Donald Trump reclaimed the presidency in January.

But Trumps apparent plans to sign on Thursday afternoon an executive order to shutter the U.S. Department of Education isnt one of them.

Karoline Leavitt, the presidents press secretary, posted early Thursday on X (formerly Twitter):

HAPPENING TODAY AT 4PM ET! Trump to sign order Thursday aimed at eliminating education department.

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Long before he was reelected, presidential candidate Trump pledged to scrap the 46-year-old federal agency, saying we will move everything back to the states where it belongs.

And after his inauguration, Trump called the DOE a big con job  adding that he wanted newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to put herself out of a job.

Earlier this week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox threw his support behind Trumps actions against the DOE, writing in an op-ed that education is, and always has been, a state and local responsibility.

The Department of Education wont go away solely with Trumps executive order signature. Thats up to Congress to ultimately decide.

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But Thursdays announcement marked a historic moment in the American education system as the countrys chief executive leader formally moved to eliminate a high-profile element of his administration.

Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, arrives for a hearing of the Health, Education, and Labor Committee on her nomination, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington. | Jacquelyn Martin

Todays DOE: A shell of a federal agency

Even before Thursdays executive order, DOE operations had been severely diminished by the Trump administration.

Roughly half the people who were working at the agency when the president took office just over 60 days ago are now, or soon will be, former employees.

Last week, McMahon announced layoffs of over 1,300 DOE employees. Add that figure to the number of department workers who left in recent weeks through buyout offers or were terminated because they were probationary employees  and the departments staff is now roughly 50% of its previous 4,100.

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The employees who received last weeks pink slips were expected be placed on administrative leave beginning Thursday.

News out of the DOE in recent weeks has not been limited to layoffs and anticipated executive orders.

Last week, the University of Utah and 44 other higher education institutions were told they were being investigated by the Education Departments Office of Civil Rights for allegedly using racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.

That followed news of another DOE investigation involving 60 colleges or universities accused of antisemitic discrimination and harassment.

How will K-12 and higher education be impacted?

If Congress ultimately eliminates the DOE, it wont have a direct effect on whats being taught in Utah classrooms  or anywhere else in the country. Thats because student curriculum is already determined by local schools and districts.

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But the agency does play a significant financial role in both higher and secondary education.

In higher education, 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 well over $1 trillion).

Recently, some student loan borrowers are seeing their payments skyrocket amid changes to the Education Department, Newsweek reported.

Trump has updated the departments income-driven federal student loan repayment programs, causing some borrowers to see their monthly payments rise to anywhere from $500 to $5,000.

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Earlier this month, Trump said that the Education Departments student loan portfolio would be moved if the department is ever fully eliminated by Congress.

What were currently seeing is the worst-case scenario for student loan borrowers, Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek

Not only are the plans introduced in recent years that provided additional student loan repayment and forgiveness options going away, but much of the staff that oversaw these programs and were able to provide assistance to these borrowers have been let go.

The departments largest K-12 role 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 DOE 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.

And, as The Washington Post reported, the agency is charged with enforcing civil rights laws that bar discrimination in federally funded schools on the basis of race, sex and other factors.

In 2020-21, the most recent year for which federal data is available, the federal government picked up the tab for 10.6% of the nations spending on public schools  and that share was elevated due to the infusion of COVID-19-relief funds, Education Week reported. Conservatives argue the money should be sent back to the states so they can decide how to spend it.

More than 108,000 Utah K-12 students benefit from federal funds allocated by the Department of Education, including Title I money.

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Officials at the Utah State Board of Education have said they are waiting to see developments out of Washington, D.C. before articulating a response to a possible DOE overhaul.

Many worry that the upheaval of the DOE would harm kids from disadvantaged homes and communities whose schools receive allotments from the federal agency.

But in his recent op-ed, 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.

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The National School Lunch Program, which reimburses Utah schools and other states for students receiving free or reduced school meals, is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture  not the DOE.

Whats next for the DOE?

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and schools, The Associated Press reported.

The idea has gained popularity recently as conservative parents groups demand more authority over their childrens schooling.

In his platform, Trump promised to close the department and send it back to the states, where it belongs. Trump has cast the department as a hotbed of radicals, zealots and Marxists who overextend their reach through guidance and regulation, the AP report added.

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There remain doubts about the political popularity of eliminating the DOE, according to The Associated Press.

The House considered an amendment to close the agency in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing it.

During Trumps first term, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sought to dramatically reduce the agencys budget and asked Congress to bundle all K-12 funding into block grants that give states more flexibility in how they spend federal money. It was rejected, with pushback from some Republicans.
The net assets of the Provident Fund for civil servants of the SAR are projected to grow by MOP5.76 billion in 2024, according to figures published in the Official Gazette. By the end of last year, the schemes total assets stood at MOP37.6 billion. During the year, civil servants contributed MOP820 million, while the SAR governments contribution amounted to MOP1.64 billion. Investment returns and rebates totaled MOP 4.097 billion. In 2024, 660 new contributors registered for the provident fund, while 580 people canceled their registration. By the end of 2024, there were 24,035 contributors.

Related
President Donald Trump's purge of the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission could permanently reshape the 110-year-old agency in ways that could confuse many of the nations biggest businesses, trigger blowback at other agencies and even hobble Republicans' cherished goals of rolling back regulations.

By firing commissioners Alvaro Bedoya and Rebecca Kelly Slaughter Tuesday night, Trump overturned decades of precedent at a key consumer protection and competition regulator.

The agency, under leadership from both parties, has challenged several major companies, including Facebook for privacy violations, Amazon for antitrust practices and Volkswagen for false emissions claims. A major antitrust case against Meta is scheduled to go to trial in April.

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If this stands, it totally ends the Federal Trade Commission as we have known it, said Stephen Calkins, a former FTC general counsel who teaches law at Wayne State University.

Democrats fear the firings are just the beginning for not just the FTC, but the entire constellation of independent agencies that regulate American businesses.

Trump issued an executive order in February saying all such agencies, including the FTC, Federal Communications Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission, fall within the presidents purview, meaning he can directly control their agendas and fire their commissioners.

Trump is already facing lawsuits after he removed Democratic members of two other agencies, the National Labor Relations Board and Merit Systems Protection Board.

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Even among those challenges, the FTC firings hit the business and political world as a particular shock. Since its founding in the 1920s, it has run as a bipartisan commission with nominees from both parties drafting rules, conducting investigations and bringing enforcement cases  a structure that created stability and predictability for the companies subject to its oversight.

You cant just fire commissioners because you dont like them, you can only fire them for cause, said Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). The FTC should be an independent, bipartisan consumer watchdog that puts consumers ahead of politics.

But the White House held firm on Trumps strategy Wednesday.

President Trump has the lawful authority to manage personnel within the executive branch, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said. President Trump will continue to rid the federal government of bad actors unaligned with his common-sense agenda the American people decisively voted for.

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Trumps move gives unfettered power to Chair Andrew Ferguson to drive the commission's twin goals of consumer protection and antitrust enforcement. Ferguson has said he wants to crack down on the tech industry for allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints online.

After the firings, the FTC has only two commissioners, both Republican: Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak, a lawyer seen as a pro-business regulator with narrow views of agency authority.

It is unclear how any future Democratic commissioners would be nominated or approved. Given the current atmosphere in Washington, University of Washington law professor Douglas Ross said its unlikely that Donald Trump is going to take nominations from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who would traditionally get to fill the Democratic vacancies.

We are in a time of breaking all norms, said Ross. What are the odds [Trump] goes to Chuck?

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A commission without Democratic members presents a new set of reputational and legal challenges for the FTC.

Though commissioners in the political minority didnt drive policy and often disagreed vehemently with the majority's decisions, their relative independence offered a counterweight and reservoir of expertise that strengthened the commission's hand in court and created stability, said Calkins.

The minority slots also served as training grounds for future majority rulemakers  including Ferguson himself, a Biden nominee in 2023 who was promoted by Trump to lead the commission.

Maureen Ohlhausen, an antitrust partner at the law firm Wilson Sonsini and the former acting FTC chair during Trumps first term, warned that investigations and lawsuits brought by the agency could suffer under a partisan commission. The different viewpoints brought by the Republican and Democratic commissioners, coupled with the experience of career staff, sharpen its legal arguments and investigations, she said.

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Bill Kovacic, a George Washington University law professor who chaired the FTC at the end of the George W. Bush administration, said the agency risks losing its reputation in the courts if its lawyers appear to be purely political operatives working at the presidents behest.

That means federal judges could be skeptical of any FTC cases  particularly partisan GOP-sanctioned moves against the tech industry for allegedly censoring conservative viewpoints.

In cases involving tech companies, [FTC lawyers] dont get the benefit of the doubt, Kovacic said. I can see a way in which this hurts the FTC when trying to win tough cases in court.

Berin Szoka, a lawyer who helms the advocacy group TechFreedom, foresees less pressure-testing of various concepts within the FTC and also thinks that will come back to bite the agency in court. This removal of the dissent function really will end up hurting these agencies in litigation over how much the courts defer to them, he said.

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This is the sort of thing that happens in a one-party state  you just stamp out the opportunity for dissent and the incentive for dissent everywhere, Szoka added. Now that commissioners know they can be fired at whim, whats the incentive to go out on a limb?

Many see the FTC move as part of a broader strategy to force the Supreme Courts hand on a key expansion of executive power.

Trump is already using the lawsuits filed by ejected Democrats in at least four federal agencies in an attempt to overturn a 1935 Supreme Court decision, Humphreys Executor, that upheld limits passed by Congress on the presidents powers to fire independent agency members.

Trumps Justice Department said on Feb. 12 it determined that agency powers have changed so much since 1935 that those protections are no longer constitutional.

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Trumps removal of the commissioners earned wide condemnation by Democrats on Capitol Hill, including a letter signed by 28 Democratic senators demanding that Trump reinstate Bedoya and Slaughter.

Republicans were largely silent on the move. An exception was Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who has jurisdiction over the FTC.

The heads of these agencies, like all members of the executive branch, must answer to the president, in whom the executive power shall be vested, Cruz said in a statement to POLITICO. President Trump is right to challenge this precedent and return power to the people.

Democrats fear this is just the start.

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Today, its the FTC. Tomorrow, itll be the @FCC or @FEC, Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) wrote on X. At what point will my Republican colleagues finally speak out?

Cases involving the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board are the furthest along before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Because the White House position on independent agencies calls back to legal precedent of the 1920s and 30s, theres the chance for a huge reversion in the agencys role if the FTC firings go to the Supreme Court.

If the justices agree with Trumps legal argument, the FTC could be forced to return to its 1935 responsibilities to guarantee it a measure of independence, Ohlhausen said.

The commissioners then primarily issued reports and used its in-house administrative process instead of going to court.

John Hendel and Anthony Adragna contributed to this report.
March 20 (UPI) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States could take over Ukraine's embattled electric power plants, at least one of which is controlled by Russian forces, saying American ownership would be "the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

Trump made the offer in an hour-long call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday to brief him on discussions he had with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, a day earlier on implementing a U.S.-brokered cease-fire, according to a White House statement.

Referring to both electrical supply and nuclear power plants in Ukraine as part of a discussion on a partial cease-fire covering energy infrastructure that Ukraine and Russia agreed to, Trump said the United States "could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise."

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"American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure," the statement reads.

Ukraine's electricity generation, transmission and distribution system has been a particular focus of Russia's military strategy since launching its full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022 with power plants, sub-stations and pylons frequently targeted in attacks, including the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, seized by Russia in March 2022 and occupied by its forces ever since.

An offer by U.S. President Donald Trump to take over Ukraine's embattled electric power infrastructure as a mutually beneficial way of protecting it from Russian attacks could extend to the massive Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station on the left bank of the Dnipro River in Russian-controlled Enerhodar, southeastern Ukraine. The plant has generated no electricity since being captured by Russian forces in March 2022. File photo courtesy Russian Emergencies Ministry/EPA-EFE

The plant, Europe's largest, that before being taken over generated half of Ukraine's nuclear energy and one-fifth of its entire electricity output, remains disconnected from the energy grid, but not decommissioned, and under the nominal supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Zelensky told reporters in a virtual briefing Wednesday that the discussion with Trump around the energy plants focused on restarting the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station.

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"Water supply, technical staff, and many more steps to ensure that in a year and a half to two and a half, the plant starts to bring money and electricity to people. This is my vision," he said.

In February, the former Chernobyl nuclear plant in the north of Kyiv province, which suffered a meltdown in 1986 that spewed out a radioactive cloud that contaminated a large part of the country and much of Europe, was targeted by Russia in an attack that damaged the New Safe Containment shelter encasing the reactor to prevent radiation leaking into the air.

In June 2023, the Kakhovka Hydro Electric Power Plant dam on the Dnipro River, northeast of Kherson, was blown up, knocking out one of the country's largest power plants and flooding hundreds of square miles of land downstream in an attack that both sides accused the other of carrying out.

Wednesday's conversation between the two leaders, which Trump called "fantastic" and Zelensky said was "positive, very substantive, and frank," also saw Trump offer close information sharing between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved and to work to fulfill Zelensky's request for more air defense systems, particularly the so-called Patriot system made by Arlington, Va.,-based Raytheon

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Trump agreed to work with him to access what was available, particularly from Europe, although it was unclear if he was referring to U.S. systems currently deployed in Europe or systems from NATO allies in Europe.

They also agreed to send technical teams to Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss extending the energy cease-fire to cover the Black Sea "on the way to a full cease-fire," saying it could serve as a first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security.

The presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial cease-fire as quickly as possible, emphasizing that their representatives would be given authority to "agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security."
By Jarrett Renshaw and Ernest Scheyder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday invoked emergency powers to boost domestic production of critical minerals used widely across the economy as part of a broad effort to offset China's near-total control of the sector.

The move is the latest by Trump to increase U.S. energy and minerals production and comes amid an escalating trade conflict with China, Canada and other large minerals producers that supply American manufacturers.

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Lithium, nickel and other critical minerals are used in many electronics, and demand is expected to surge in coming years for production of electric-vehicle batteries. China is the world's largest producer or processor of many critical minerals.

Trump signed an executive order that taps the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA) as part of an effort to provide financing, loans and other investment support to domestically process a range of critical minerals.

The DPA gives the Pentagon wide berth to procure equipment necessary for national defense. Invoking it essentially declares that relying on rival nations for critical minerals constitutes a national security threat.

"The United States was once the world's largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing federal regulation has eroded our nation's mineral production," the president said in the order.

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The order directs federal agencies to create a list of U.S. mines that can be quickly approved as well as which federal lands, including those controlled by the Pentagon, could be used for minerals processing.

The U.S. currently produces very little lithium and nickel; its only cobalt mine shuttered last year amid intense Chinese competition. The U.S. does have multiple copper mines, but only two smelters to process the red metal into pipes, wiring and other components. The U.S. has only one mine for rare earths, which are used to make magnets that turn power into motion.

Late last year, Beijing imposed an outright ban on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States, causing U.S. manufacturers to scramble for alternative supplies of those niche-but-vital materials.

The order also encourages faster permitting for mining and processing projects and a directive for the Interior Department to prioritize mineral production on federal land. The order directs agencies to help boost U.S. output of copper and gold, neither of which is considered a critical mineral by the U.S. Geological Survey.

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An executive order from Trump had long been sought by U.S. miners, many of which had long complained that bureaucratic delays hampered output.

"Ramping up American mining is a national security imperative and President Trump's strong action recognizes that," said Rich Nolan, head of the National Mining Association trade group.

The Defense Production Act is a 1950 law that former President Harry Truman deployed to ramp up steel production for the Korean War.

Former President Joe Biden also invoked the law to encourage domestic production of critical minerals, adding battery materials such as lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese to the list of items covered under the measure to help companies access $750 million in funds.

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Former Newmont executive David Copley has been named to oversee the mining portfolio for the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council, two sources familiar with the appointment told Reuters. Copley will be the highest-ranking person in the federal government shaping mining policy, one of the sources said.

Trump also said on Thursday that the United States will sign a minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly. Last month he ordered a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports.

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Ernest Scheyder and Jeff Mason; Writing by Jasper Ward; Editing by Ryan Patrick Jones, Sandra Maler and Leslie Adler)
By invoking a wartime law linked to one of Americas most shameful legacies, Donald Trump found himself poised for a historic battle with the judiciary.

After a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting Venezuelan noncitizens the government alleges are members of a criminal gang under the Alien Enemies Act, the president balked. Two planes carrying people alleged by Trump officials to be members of Tren de Aragua remained en route to their destination, in apparent defiance of the courts order.

Were that not sufficient to provoke the courts rebuke, allies of the Republican president including members of Congress are now directly calling for Judge James Boasberg to be impeached. Removal of a judge through the congressional impeachment process is part of the Constitutions proscribed checks and balances for the federal government, but doing so on purely political grounds is unheard of.

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Trump himself echoed those calls for Boasbergs impeachment on Wednesday during a primetime interview with Laura Ingraham on Fox News  though he stopped short of endorsing them directly, as hed done on social media.

I think at a certain point, you have to look at what do you do when you have a rogue judge, was all Trump could suggest to Ingraham in terms of a threat.

Donald Trump's escalating feud with a federal judge over deportation flights could have political consequences on Capitol Hill while also provoking a larger war with the judiciary. (REUTERS)

Even so, a line has been crossed. The chief justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, issued a rare condemnation of the furor over Boasbergs ruling this week, though the president continued to attack the Bush-appointed judge as a radical leftist during his interview and in social media postings.

"For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision. The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose, Roberts said on Tuesday.

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Federal attorneys are seeking the cases removal from Boasbergs courtroom, and may in the end avoid a conflict with a little judge-shopping. But if they dont succeed, growing efforts to punish a judge who refuses to bend to the administration will almost certainly preclude further pushback from the Supreme Court.

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? legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance wrote this week. We are inevitably headed, whether its in this case or another, to a confrontation between a president who has rejected the rule of law and a judge sworn to enforce it. We are in an exceedingly dangerous moment for democracy.

An actual impeachment push in Congress would put moderate Republicans in a familiar but impossibly tough position ahead of the midterms. Many, especially in the Senate, will be wary of the possibility that any attempt to interfere with the judiciary could open the door to future efforts by Democrats to reform the court system to their liking, including expansion of the Supreme Court bench.

Republicans, crucially, also do not control two-thirds of the Senate. No Democrat would sign on to an effort to impeach a federal judge over defiance of the Trump administration  if Mike Johnson or John Thune would even be willing to hold a vote, which they likely would not.

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More than anything else, this latest debacle is an example of Trumps ability to guide the GOP into unwinnable arguments, where the partys moderate wing is politically squeezed and existing fractures within the House and Senate caucuses are stressed. The general rule on Capitol Hill is to never hand your opponents an issue with which they can divide your party. Trump has just done exactly that.

Leadership in the two chambers has so far avoided commenting on calls for an impeachment inquiry  but if the White House keeps up the pressure, that will change.
Donald Trumps former campaign lawyer is furious after his personal information and social security number were made public as part of this weeks release of unredacted JFK assassination files.

Its absolutely outrageous. Its sloppy, unprofessional, Joseph diGenova, a long-time Trump supporter who formerly served as the presidents lawyer on the campaign trail, told The Washington Post.

It not only means identity theft, but Ive had threats against me, diGenova said. In the past, Ive had to report real threats against me to the FBI. There are dangerous nuts out there.

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More than 60,000 documents related to the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy were released by the Trump administration on Tuesday, the vast majority of which were unredacted.

Included in the document dump were the social security numbers of around 200 former congressional staffers and others, according to the Post, including 100 members of the Senate Church Committee established in 1975 to investigate abuses of authority by American intelligence services such as the CIA and FBI.

Many of the individuals mentioned in the documents are still alive, including 80-year-old diGenova, who served on the committee in the 1970s.

It makes sense that my name is in there, he told the Post, but the other sensitive stuff  its like a first-grade, elementary-level rule of security to redact things like that.

Joseph diGenova, former attorney for President Donald Trump, concludes a news conference at the Republican National Committee on lawsuits regarding the outcome of the 2020 presidential election on Thursday, November 19, 2020. / Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag

Speaking of his prior work for the committee, diGenova, who regularly appears on cable news to defend the president, added: It was fascinating work. One of the lawyers on our team located the girlfriend of a mafia guy who was supposedly seeing JFK at the same time.

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He found her in Nevada or Arizona and got chased away by her husband. Other work we did was looking into assassination plots against Castro and people who were assets of the CIA. Incredible stuff.

Other staffers said they were furious about now having to worry about identity theft and financial fraud after being included in the document dump. Some of those interviewed by the Post said they had been forced to freeze their credit cards and bank accounts after being doxxed by the files, while another said they were now looking into the possibility of suing the National Archives.

It seems like the damage is done, but clearly we have to talk to some lawyers, they said.

Documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy are displayed after they were released following an order from U.S. President Donald Trump, in Washington D.C., March 18, 2025. / Carlos Barria / REUTERS

What appeared to be missing from the 60,000 page document dump was any new insight into the actual assassination of JFK.

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Although the outcome of the documents is yet to be determined, many appear to be under 10 pages long and mostly consist of handwritten notes or typewritten reports, many of which are heavily faded due to age and borderline illegible.

The New York Times reported that the files were profoundly more impenetrable than all the previous more annotated ones, and lacked proper classification, with some containing random Cuban stuff from 1965.

Historian Tim Naftali told the publication: I am trying to find stuff that has been re-reviewed and re-released with new information, adding Some have and some have not.

Meanwhile, Kennedy expert Larry J. Sabato told the Associated Press it will take a long time to sift through the documents and discern if there is anything truly important contained within.

We have a lot of work to do for a long time to come, and people just have to accept that, he added.
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to dismantle the Department of Education as much as she can, carving a path of legislative and legal fights to come.

While the White House acknowledges the department cannot be fully eliminated without Congress, the order tells McMahon to do everything legally allowed to shrink the federal agency.

Trumps directive is a win for many Republicans who have argued for the department, which was created in the 1980s and is the smallest Cabinet-level agency, should have never existed, but it creates a political and legal land mine ahead.

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The move follows a massive reduction in the Education Departments workforce, which McMahon described as the first step toward a total shutdown.

His directive to me, clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know well have to work with Congress, you know, to get that accomplished, she said on Fox News, calling the hundreds of lost jobs bureaucratic bloat.

Here is what to know about the moves against the agency.

What does the executive order mean for the department?

McMahon will only be allowed to cancel programs and grants that have not been mandated by Congress.

Some of the mandated programs include the Office for Civil Rights and education for military and native families.

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The White House said Thursday critical functions within the department will remain.

The Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today. As you know, the presidents executive order directed Linda McMahon to greatly minimize the agency. So, when it comes to student loans and Pell Grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

The great responsibility of educating our nations students will return to the states. Any critical functions of the department  will remain, Leavitt added.

But McMahon previously told NewsNation her agency has been considering putting mandated programs in other federal agencies such as student loans in the Treasury Department.

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This is not a turn off the lights and walk out of the department, McMahon said. Its in close consultation with Congress and looking at how the needs of students can best be serviced.

In the event the agency was completely closed, McMahon said she would still want to provide states with the resources and research they would need before shutting the doors.

Those resources could be harder to provide as the Department of Education has fired half of its workforce, going from more than 4,000 employees to about 2,000 workers since the Trump administration began.

It also already canceled hundreds of millions in grants affecting research and teaching programs.

What will it take to completely shutter the agency?

It would take an act of Congress to completely close down the agency.

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A bill to do as such was introduced in both the House and the Senate by GOP lawmakers. But while Republicans control both chambers, it would take 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, a threshold the party does not have.

The federal Department of Education has never educated a single student, and its long past time to end this bureaucratic Department that causes more harm than good, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said when he introduced his bill back in November.

During McMahons confirmation hearing, one of the biggest issues Democrats had with her was her desire to see the department be abolished.

Why do you think that a department that is focused and that really is dealing with children, whether its civil rights, disabilities.  Why do you think that it is better to stick the functions of dealing with children with disabilities in a huge department that will not have the same priority? Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) asked after McMahon said she could see the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act going back to the Department of Health and Human Services.

What is next after this order?

Lawsuits, largely.

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American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingartens Thursday statement to the Trump administration regarding the order was only four words: See you in court.

Many of Trumps executive actions have already been taken to the courts, and advocates had said they were preparing to challenge this one.

Other actions by the Department of Education to reduce its size are already being fought in the legal system, including the decision to cancel millions of dollars in grants for teacher programs.

McMahon, in a final mission message to staffers sent shortly after she was confirmed, said the upcoming changes will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department.

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The question may come down to: How many staffers can the administration fire before the agency is not able to fulfill its mandated responsibilities?

I think that the president also has the authority to hire and fire people within the confines of the budget. So, he cant hire a whole bunch of people he doesnt have money for, but I think he can fire people even if he has money to pay them. I think, conceptually, the limit is, if he fires so many people that he cant do the jobs that Congress has given him, then he will have violated the Constitution, Neal McCluskey, director for the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, previously told The Hill.

Even before the official executive order was signed, advocates and Democratic lawmakers renounced the move.

And lets not pretend for one single second we think he is serious about doing so while following the law  because the very premise of his plan  shuttering the Department of Education  fundamentally goes against the bipartisan laws weve passed establishing and funding it, said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

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It is likely next steps beyond lawsuits is civic action as groups will be encouraging voters to contact their lawmakers and advocate for the protection of the agency.

McMahon may be calling this their final mission, but educators and families remain focused on our sole mission: teaching our students and ensuring every student has the opportunities and resources to learn and thrive. We will work together to protect our students, to protect public education and our communities, said Becky Pringle, head of the National Education Association, the biggest teachers union in the country.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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By the time President Trump put his pen to an executive order to abolish the Department of Education Thursday afternoon, a good deal of the difficult work had already been done.

Last week, Education Secretary Linda McMahon laid off over 1,300 staff members, shrinking the department to half the size it was when Trump took office. The action gutted the Office for Civil Rights, and left the National Center for Education Statistics, which oversees the Nations Report Card, with just three employees.

Related

Going for Blood: After Mass Firing, Many Wonder How Ed Dept. Will Function

The presidents move, rumoured for over a month and the subject of multiple leaked drafts, was largely ceremonial. While multiple polls show most Americans oppose the idea, Trump touted the plan as one with bipartisan support.

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Its been amazing how popular this has been, Trump said during the White House event, where he was joined by parents and children, several governors and members of Congress. People have wanted to do this for many, many years No president ever got around to doing it, but Im getting around to doing it.

Republicans celebrated the event as a chance to eliminate what Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called a cumbersome bureaucracy.

But behind the scenes, GOP governors are clamoring for their next prize: winning greater flexibility to spend federal dollars with fewer strings attached. DeSantis, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds all wrote op-eds this week promoting the idea of merging Title I and other education programs into a single block grant.

Im proud to say that Iowa is the first state in the nation to submit a comprehensive plan to the Department of Education to turn this concept into reality, Reynolds wrote.

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In his brief comments Thursday, Trump promised to protect funding for Pell Grants, Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In a statement, Education Secretary Linda McMahon also sought to reassure the public that closing the department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them.

Related

After Gutting Staff, Education Department Remains Quiet on Future of NAEP Test

For Republican governors, having greater say over how those funds are spent would deliver on Trumps promise of sending education back to the states.

The question is how hard Trump will push to change the way federal funds are distributed. The complicated funding formulas are written into law. Just as eliminating the department requires Congressional approval, so would changing the way the federal government funds education. Any effort to go around Congress would certainly prompt a lawsuit.

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We literally have plaintiffs standing by, said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon, center, joined by several Republican governors, including Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, applauded President Donald Trump during the executive order signing ceremony. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

That threat is unlikely to deter an administration that has already proven itself willing to push the envelope of what the law allows, said Alex Spurrier, an associate partner at Bellwether, an education think tank.

Theres not a clear mechanism for the secretary of education to  establish block grants for all the major federal education aid programs, but it doesnt mean that the administration wont attempt to do something, he said. Whatever moves they make on that front would probably be a legal gray area at best.

In fact, most of Trumps major actions to roll back the federal role in education have met with court challenges:

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Twenty states and the District of Columbia, led by Massachusetts, have sued over the mass layoffs, calling them unconstitutional. The lawsuit asks a federal judge to block Trumps efforts to dismantle the department.

The administration tried to cancel 70 contracts for teacher and principal preparation. On Monday a federal judge ordered the programs reinstated.

Another lawsuit against McMahon and the department focuses specifically on the cuts to the Office for Civil Rights. Filed by parents and advocates, the complaint calls on a judge to force the department to maintain staff needed to process complaints promptly and equitably.

The idea of combining federal education funds into a block grant isnt new. Republicans have long pushed to get them in a lump sum.

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I would love to see the consolidation of the funding, said Indiana Education Secretary Katie Jenner, one of 12 state education chiefs who asked McMahon to prioritize such legislation. I would also love if they gave us the opportunity to better determine the formula.

A block grant, she said, would allow her to redirect funds toward programs that we know are working. She pointed to an initiative to train K-3 teachers in the science of reading as one example.

Related

Exclusive: 12 Education Chiefs Ask McMahon for More Control over Federal Funds

But Democrats and advocates say a block grant would defeat the purpose of Title I, which is to provide support for the most disadvantaged students. The $18 billion program  the largest within the Every Student Succeeds Act  provides funding for extra teachers, summer and afterschool programs and early-childhood education.

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Those funds are concentrated on districts with high numbers and high percentages of kids in poverty, said Charles Barone, director of the Center for Innovation at the National Parents Union, an advocacy organization. A former Democratic House staffer, he said the strict formula for passing the funds down to states and districts was the most contentious issue in the House when Congress passed No Child Left Behind. Thats been like a conservative holy grail as far back as I can remember.

Trump acknowledged during the event that he cant completely do away with the agency without Congresss help. A bill would require 60 votes in the Senate, meaning it would need all Republicans and seven Democrats to pass.

Everybody knows its right and the Democrats know its right, he said. I hope theyre going to be voting for it, because ultimately [it] may come before them.

Related

Expected Trump Order to Shutter Education Dept. Could Amount to Pocket Change

But so far Democrats havent proven willing to consider the plan. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and fellow Democrats sent McMahon a letter Monday asking how shell ensure officials perform their core duties, like monitoring states compliance with federal education laws and processing financial aid forms, with half the staff. She said Trumps executive order wont do anything to improve student performance.

We should be focused on helping our kids with math and reading  the basics they need to succeed, she said in a statement. Absolutely no one is asking for three out-of-touch billionaires to rip apart the Department of Education over some deranged far-right culture war.
Donald Trump came away from his call with Vladimir Putin this week bemoaning the loss of blood and treasure on both sides of the Ukraine war.

While even he knows he cannot bring the dead back to life, he believes treasure can be salvaged from the destruction.

Weeks ago, the US president was trying to cut a deal for Ukraines critical minerals but he now appears to have found a new target: its nuclear power plants.

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The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, held by Russia, is Europes biggest and supplied more than 20 per cent of Ukraines energy before the 2022 invasion.

It is one of four nuclear power plants in the country and Mr Trump has made a pitch to bring all of them under Washingtons control.

Suggesting the move could work as a security guarantee, he told Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, such a takeover would be the best protection for Ukraine and its infrastructure.

Experts have, however, cast doubt on the feasibility of the proposal, arguing it would be logistically impossible for the US to own power plants in Ukraine  and too expensive.

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Mr Zelensky appeared on Thursday to reject Mr Trumps plan, saying his countrys power plants belonged to the people of Ukraine.

We will not discuss it. We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to our state, he said, adding that he was open to talking about US investment in Zaporizhzhia if the plant could be taken back from Russia.

A fire at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine in August 2024. It is now in Russian hands - Ukrainian Presidency/Anadolu via Getty Images

Why Trump wants Ukraines power plants

Mr Trumps thinking is essentially the same as it was with the minerals deal, according to Oleksii Pasiuk, a Ukrainian nuclear analyst from Ecoaction.

Theyre trying to figure out how the US can protect something in Ukraine without really being there, he told the Telegraph from Kyiv.

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The Trump administration has insisted that establishing economic interests in Ukraine would serve as a security guarantee, albeit one a far cry from the Nato membership and US boots on the ground that Kyiv has repeatedly asked for.

The critical minerals deal, which nearly fell apart when Mr Trump and Zelensky engaged in a public shouting match earlier in March, is now back on and may be fuelling the presidents desire to take control of Zaporizhzhia.

The minerals deal can only go ahead if the materials can be extracted, which takes a lot of energy  something which the Zaporizhzhia plant could provide.

US ownership of the plants would also deepen economic ties to Ukraine, potentially bringing lucrative contracts and long-term gains.

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US-based Westinghouse already supplies nuclear fuel to Ukraine, which was one of the primary reasons why it was able to reduce energy dependence on Moscow after Putins invasion of Crimea.

In 2024, the company announced it would build a new reactors for the Khmelnitsky power plant in northern Ukraine. Once completed, the plants energy capacity would exceed that of Zaporizhzhia.

According to Mr Pasiuk, now would be a good time to invest in the Zaporizhzhia plant, should it fall back into Ukrainian hands, as its Soviet-era reactors need replacing.

The question remains as to who would pay for new reactors, which would cost tens of billions of dollars to replace.

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Its a huge investment and its not clear how it would be possible, or who pays for it. America will not pay for it, Ukraine wont, Europe wont, Mr Pasiuk added.

Experts have also raised questions about the logistics of the US effectively claiming ownership of Ukrainian power plants, which are heavily reliant on domestic technology and staff. Even the nuclear fuel provided by Westinghouse is sourced locally.

Nikolai Sokov, who worked on nuclear treaties in Russias foreign ministry in the 1980s, said Ukrainian workers and experts would need to remain at the power plants to operate the technology.

More likely is a joint venture in the form of an investment fund, which both parties could contribute to and benefit from, a concept which formed the basis of the minerals deal.

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Even as he rejected Mr Trumps ownership bid, Mr Zelensky said on Thursday he would be happy to discuss investment opportunities.

But doubts remain as to whether joint investment in or even ownership of Ukrainian nuclear power plants would act as an effective security guarantee.

Brett Bruen, the White Houses former director of global engagement, told The Telegraph: Putin conducts asymmetric operations, hes a master of manipulation. Holding certain mineral fields or a power plant does not protect civilians, it does not protect stability in the country.

This is what Trump fails to grasp, its about a lot more than a real estate deal.

Trump at odds with Putin

But before any deals can be cut between Washington and Kyiv, Putin would need to remove his soldiers from the plant.

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According to recent reports, Putin wants Mr Trump to formally recognise Russias claim over the region in which the plant lies, as well as the territories of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Crimea.

Mr Trumps desire to take control of the plant therefore puts him at odds with the Russian president, but Mr Pasiuk believes raising the prospect of who owns the station could be a test of how willing Putin is to make concessions.

I think its some kind of test to see whether Russia is considering giving Zaporizhzhia back, assuming we have some kind of frozen conflict, he said.

They want to pick specific topics to discuss, rather than the entire war, and it makes sense to choose sensitive topics, like nuclear safety.

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There could also be one benefit of US control over the plant for Putin: stopping Kyiv from building a nuclear bomb.

Mr Sokov said such a development is unlikely anyway given how open Ukraine has been with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

But it is not out of the question. Earlier in 2025, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine should be allowed nuclear weapons if it is not admitted to Nato, which Mr Trump has effectively ruled out.

There is a very small chance anyway that Ukraine is going to build nuclear weapons, if outside actors gain control of power plants it would be even smaller, Mr Sokov told the Telegraph.

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If the US took over management of Ukraines nuclear facilities, it could ensure strict control over the nuclear fuel cycle, preventing Ukraine from diverting nuclear materials for weaponisation.

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The Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) is preparing new guidelines on students use of mobile phones on school campuses, Leong I On, chief of the Division of Secondary Education at DSEDJ, said during yesterdays TDM Chinese radio program Macau Forum.

Leong stated that the authorities will introduce reference guidelines in the upcoming academic year to help schools and parents reach a consensus on mobile phone use.

He added that schools must establish clear management methods and procedures for students bringing mobile phones onto campus, specifying when and where they can use mobile phones and other electronic devices.

According to Leong, the main principles of the new guidelines include restricting students from using such devices during classes and breaks, except for specific educational activities under teacher supervision or in exceptional circumstances.

The official also mentioned that DSEDJ is planning support measures for schools, including the installation of centralized mobile phone management equipment.

During the same radio program, Cheang Sek Kit, head of the Division of Curriculum Development and Assessment at DSEDJ, said that authorities have provided schools with guidance on information technology and Internet use through the school operation guide.

Existing guidelines state that students can use the Internet for research for an average of one hour daily and recommend a 20-minute break after using electronic devices.

Citing international studies, Cheang noted that appropriate use of information technology tools can enhance students mathematical skills and creative thinking.

Last month, in response to a Times inquiry, DSEDJ stated that local schools have the autonomy to establish their own rules regarding mobile phone use on campus.

Although the topic is not new, it has recently resurfaced in public discourse following the Macau Portuguese Schools announcement that it is considering banning mobile phones on campus.

In its response, DSEDJ stated, Schools are also reminded to refer to the health authoritys recommendations concerning daily screen time on electronic devices for different age groups [as well as] to guide students to foster the right attitude and proper habits in using the Internet and mobile phones whilst striking a balance between schoolwork and leisure time.

The bureau also promotes healthy electronic device habits through parenting education, preventive and continuous guidance activities, and publicity efforts on social media platforms.
Donald Trump halted government refugee resettlement programs on his first day in office, but a few weeks later, he decided to carve out an exception for South Africas white Afrikaner population. Now thousands of them want to take him up on the offer.



The Washington Post reports that 67,000 people have expressed interest in refugee status, according to a list presented to the U.S. Embassy in South Africa by the South African Chamber of Commerce in the U.S. The chamber became a point of contact for interested white South Africans asking about the program after Trump issued an executive order on February 7 cutting U.S. funding to South Africa, citing government actions fueling disproportionate violence against racially disfavored landowners.



Trumps order also directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to provide humanitarian assistance to Afrikaners and resettle them in the U.S. Afrikaners, a white minority in South Africa descended from Dutch and French colonists who came to the country in the seventeenth century, make up about 2.7 million of South Africas 62 million people.

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At the root of Trumps executive order and refugee plan is a land expropriation law in South Africa that the president and his benefactor, tech oligarch Elon Musk, claim is unfairly seizing property from white landowners in the country. In reality, the law is meant to address decades of white minority rule under the system of apartheid, which disenfranchised the countrys Black majority to the point that white farmers own about 75 percent of the countrys land. To date, the government has not confiscated any land.



Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, criticized the country earlier this month after his Starlink venture failed to win approval to begin service in South Africa. At the same time, Trump blasted the country in a Truth Social post, again invoking alleged mistreatment of white farmers in the country.



Last week, Rubio announced that South Africas ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, was no longer welcome in the county and gave him until Friday to leave the country over criticisms of U.S. policies under Trump. If the U.S. follows through on its plan to take in large numbers of South Africas white population while barring other refugees, it will not only hurt relations between the two countries, but the U.S. will look like it is enforcing a racist immigration policy.
According to a new poll from NBC, President Trump has tied his highest approval rating from his first term.

While an approval rating below 50% may not be a high point for some, The White House is showing satisfaction with Trump's approval rating, which matches the peak rating of his first term at 47%.

The poll also shows that more registered voters now feel the country is heading in the right direction than at any point since early 2004.

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Here's how Trump's approval rating looks one month into his second term.

What is Trump's approval rating?

NBC News' latest poll shows Trump's approval rating at 47%, matching the peak he reached during his first term. The poll also shows that the margin between his approval and disapproval is closer than it ever was during his first term.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll from March 4 shows Trump's approval ratings below 40% on a range of issues, with only 31% approving of his handling of the cost of living.

Gallup shows Trump's approval rating averaging 46% so far in his second term. Trump's highest approval rating during his first term was 49%, with an average rating of 41%. The average approval rating for U.S. presidents is 52%.

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The Economist released a poll on March 13, showing Trump with an approval rating of 46% and a disapproval rating of 51%, with 3% expressing neither positive nor negative feelings about the president.

What has Trump done in his first two months back in office?

Trump began his second term with 26 executive orders signed on the first day, with several of those orders later blocked by judges.

By the end of February, Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico, ordered the release of the John F. Kennedy assassination files, ensured the "no tax on overtime" was included in the House spending bill and named a Memphis woman as the "pardon czar."

In March alone, he has issued changes to Social Security, cut funding to seven federal programs, established a Bitcoin reserve, purchased a Tesla from Elon Musk, and even floated the idea of stimulus checks from the Department of Government Efficiency.

What executive orders has Trump signed?

In the first two months, Trump has signed a total of 92 executive orders. Trump's first executive order as president in 2025 was to end the weaponization of the federal government.

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He issued the most orders in January with 46, followed by 30 orders in February.

His January executive orders include:

His February executive orders include:

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His March executive orders, so far, include:

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What is President Trump's approval rating? What latest polls show
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin eliminating the Education Department.

Trump cannot eliminate a federal agency without Congress.

Still, Trump and some GOP lawmakers have called for axing the department and shifting responsibilities to other agencies.

President Donald Trump has officially introduced his plan to eliminate the Department of Education. It could disrupt student loans, funding for public schools, and measuring students' achievements in reading and math.

On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order directing his new education secretary, Linda McMahon, to begin the process of eliminating the Department of Education.

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He said that "useful functions," including Pell Grants and Title I funding for low-income districts, will be "fully preserved" but redistributed to other federal agencies.

"But beyond these core necessities," Trump said, "my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department. We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible."

Shutting down the agency requires congressional approval; while Trump and McMahon are seeking to reduce the agency's capacity, completely eliminating it would need 60 Senate votes. Sen. Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate education committee, said in a statement that he will "support the President's goals by submitting legislation to accomplish this as soon as possible."

McMahon said during her confirmation hearing that "Trump understands that we'll be working with Congress" to make changes to the Department of Education.

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"We'd like to do this right," she said. "We'd like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with."

Some Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation to abolish the department.

In November, Sen. Mike Rounds put forth a bill to eliminate the department and "redistribute all critical federal programs under other departments." The bill proposed placing the federal student loans program under the authority of the Treasury Department.

The executive order follows the Department of Education's recent move to restructure the agency by cutting its workforce in half. On March 11, the department announced it was firing over 1,300 workers, leaving just over 2,000 employees remaining at the agency.

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Some advocates have already said they're prepared to take Trump to court over this executive order. Aaron Ament, president of borrower advocacy group Student Defense, said in a statement that "there's no Executive Order the President can sign to legally eliminate the Department of Education."

"We're already preparing to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education in court," he said.

What shutting down ED would mean for Americans

The Department of Education primarily facilitates federal funding and research, including billions in funding for the Title I program that provides federal assistance to school districts to help low-income students. It also manages the trillion-dollar student-loan portfolio, along with funding for districts to teach students with disabilities.

Another core component of the Education Department is its research arm, which collects data on kids' progress on a range of subjects including reading and math. Education experts previously told BI that the data collection is in jeopardy following Trump's move in February to end $900 million in research contracts.

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Some Democratic lawmakers said that gutting the department would have a significant impact on the US education system.

"The staff at the Department provide real services that impact the daily lives of students and their families from enforcing students' civil rights and providing transparent information on how our schools are doing to processing critical aid such as Pell Grants to helping low-income students all over our nation attend college and further their careers," Sen. Patty Murray wrote in a recent letter.

The executive order Trump signed delivers on his past statements that the Department of Education should not exist. The president and other Republicans have said that individual states should be in charge of education  even as states already have significant control  and other agencies can take on some of the department's responsibilities.

This executive order also reflects the goals of the DOGE office  a Trump-created effort unofficially led by Elon Musk that aims to slash government waste. Vivek Ramaswamy, who previously co-led DOGE but has since stepped down, called for eliminating the Department of Education in December following results showing kids' low reading scores in the US.

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Some education policy experts previously told BI there's little indication that getting rid of the department would be effective in addressing certain education issues, such as low reading scores.

"If it weren't for the Department of Education, we wouldn't know" much about reading scores to begin with, said Nat Malkus, a senior fellow and deputy director of education policy at the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute.

After getting confirmed, McMahon detailed her plans for a "historic final mission" for the Department of Education, which included goals to center the department's work on parental rights and removing "divisive DEI" programs from curricula.

"Removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make the best educational choices for their children," McMahon said. "An effective transfer of educational oversight to the states will mean more autonomy for local communities. Teachers, too, will benefit from less micromanagement in the classroomenabling them to get back to basics."

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Have a tip? Contact this reporter via Signal at asheffey.97 or via email at asheffey@businessinsider.com . Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely .

Read the original article on Business Insider
Trump administration officials are proposing new plans to overhaul how America gives out foreign assistance in the wake of efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In memos circulating on social media, Trump administration officials call for moving USAIDs independent operations under the authority of the State Department and renaming its work the U.S. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance (IHA).

USAIDs independent operations were enshrined by Congress, and a federal judge ruled earlier this week that Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) likely acted unconstitutionally in its two-month blitz to effectively shutter the agency.

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Another federal judge ruled earlier this month that President Trump overstepped his constitutional authority with his administrations initial freeze of foreign aid.

Democrats have loudly protested Secretary of State Marco Rubio and DOGEs shutdown of USAID, which involved closing its facilities, cutting staff off from their emails and terminating the majority of programs.

Republicans have publicly backed the moves as in line with reducing governments cost, while privately pushing to maintain U.S. foreign assistance as a key tool of national security.

Rubio, in a letter to lawmakers in February that was reported by The Wall Street Journal, said he intends to work with Congress to reorganize USAID rather than eliminate it.

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The memo circulating in the State Department gives one view of the potential future of U.S. foreign assistance, focused into three pillars.

The first pillar calls for dismantling USAID but acknowledges this could require an act of Congress and changes to the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act (FAA) and the Pay Act. The goal would be to abolish USAIDs mandate as an independent institution, rename it under the acronym IHA, and get rid of the need for a Senate-confirmed administrator in favor of a politically appointed head who would not be subject to Senate confirmation.

The memo shared by Politico says the presidents fiscal 2026 funding request should call for a series of changes to appropriations accounts and that Congress would have to adopt these changes in final legislation that can pass both chambers.

The changes include the abolition of the Development Assistance and Assistance for Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia accounts; the merger of the Migration and Refugee Assistance and International Disaster Assistance accounts; the transfer of the Transition Initiatives account to the Department of State; and the elimination of congressional directives on the Economic Support Fund.

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The second pillar calls for merging at least three agencies: the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.

The memo calls for the Trump administration to request to rescind certain funds from the 2024 appropriations and funnel them into the MCC and DFC. The combined entity would have a sole focus of generating American jobs and capital returns focused on trade, investment, infrastructure (physical and digital) and projecting Americas energy and technology dominance.

The memo says that the new entity would act as a major counterweight to Chinas Belt and Road Initiative  which Beijing used to invest economically and diplomatically in countries it sought to gain influence.

A third pillar calls for consolidating all politically oriented programs that the Trump administration might want to pursue, including those aimed at promoting democracy, empowering women, combatting human trafficking, safeguarding religious freedom, and the persecuted Church, the memo states.

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This realignment would recognize these programs as inherently diplomatic or political and need direct command and control of the secretary of State, the memo reads

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The News

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at shutting down the Department of Education.

Conservatives have long targeted the agency, accusing it of pushing progressive agendas in schools, and saying education policy should be handled at state level.

Actually closing the department may be difficult, though: Shutting down a cabinet-level government agency would require Democratic support to obtain the 60 votes required in the Senate, underscoring the limits of Trumps apparent strategy of favoring headline-grabbing executive orders over legislative action.

The furious pace of executive orders and announcements seems to have served Mr. Trump well so far, one analyst wrote in The New York Times, but the strategy is beginning to show diminishing returns.
President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education, potentially fulfilling a longstanding goal of conservatives.

Joined by a dozen children and several Republican governors at the White House, Trump said he would dismantle the DOE and send more funding to the states.

We have to get our children educated, Trump said. Were not doing well and we havent for a long time. Its about time.

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Trump rattled off a list of dire statistics on falling test scores from coast to coast, and blamed the failure on the DOE. He noted that some members of former President Jimmy Carters cabinet opposed the creation of the department in 1979.

History has proven them right, Trump said, introducing Linda McMahon as the hopefully last secretary of education.

Trump has regularly derided the DOE as a waste of taxpayer dollars and a cesspool of liberal woke ideology. His order vowed to return education authority to the states, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs and benefits on which Americans rely.

The Trump administration has already been gutting the DOE, one of several federal agencies targeted by the White House and billionaire first buddy Elon Musk. The DOEs workforce has been slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

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Advocates for public schools and teachers said eliminating the DOE would be a disaster that would leave children behind in an American education system thats fundamentally unequal.

Theyre talking about taking this money away from kids, said Randi Weingarten of the American Federation of Teachers, a union representing 1.8 million educators. A countrys future depends on its education system. What are we saying?

Trumps reckless attempt to dismantle the Department of Education is an egregious attack on school kids across the nation, said state Senator John Liu, D-Queens, chair of the education committee.

The department sends billions of dollars per year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. It also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

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The White House has not formally spelled out which DOE functions it plans to hand over to other federal agencies and which may be entirely eliminated, though Trump named the popular Pell Grants for college students as one of the programs that would be administered by a different agency.

At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell Grants for low-income college students. She claimed the administration planned to implement a better-functioning Department of Education, not eliminate it.

Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%, with the rest coming mostly from local tax revenue. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington through research grants, along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

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Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and local school districts.

Yet even some of Trumps Republican allies have questioned his right to close the agency without action from Congress. Most analysts say that permanently eliminating the DOE would require Congress approval, and Trump conceded Thursday that lawmakers would likely need to weigh in.

There are also major questions about the popularity of scrapping the agency. The House considered an amendment to close the DOE in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the move.

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March 20 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to dismantle the Department of Education, which Education Secretary Linda McMahon earlier acknowledged was her top priority.

"Today, we take a very historic action that was 45 years in the making," Trump said during a signing ceremony at the White House.

"Everybody knows it's right," Trump said. "We have to get our children educated. We're not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we haven't for a long time."

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He said it's "amazing how popular this is" regarding his executive order to begin dismantling the Education Department.

"After 45 years, the United States spends more money on education by far than any other country and spends, likewise, by far more money per pupil that any other country, but yet we rank at the bottom of the list in terms of success," Trump said. "That's where we are, like it or not."

President Donald Trump said the United States spends far more than any other nation on education but has slipped in global rankings for 45 years before signing an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

He said Pell Grants, Title I funding and funding for special-needs students will be "preserved in full" and redistributed to other agencies and departments."

Denmark, Norway, Sweden and China are in the top 10 in education, Trump said, adding that China's high ranking shows large nations are not especially burdened when providing education.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon listens as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education on Thursday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI

"We're going to be returning education back to the states where it belongs," Trump said. "They want it so badly. The want to take their children back and teach their children," he added.

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Trump also said, "We're going to take care of our teachers" and "we're going to love and cherish our teachers."

Several school-age children and teens were seated at school desks next to Trump while he signed the executive order to abolish the Department of Education.

He said his administration will find another role for McMahon after she completes the Education Departments' dismantling, which requires an act of Congress to finish.

The Education Department has spent more than $3 trillion since its founding by President Jimmy Carter and Congress in 1979 and has "virtually nothing to show for it," a White House online post says.

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"Despite per-pupil spending having increased by more than 245% over that period, there has been virtually no measurable improvement in student achievement," White House officials said.

Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds have reached their lowest level in decades and 60% of fourth-graders and nearly 75% of eighth-graders are not proficient in math, according to the White House.

About 70% of fourth-and eighth-graders also are not proficient in reading, and 40% of fourth-grade students don't meet basic reading levels, Trump said.

Standardized test scores have not improved for several decades, and the United States ranks 28th out of 37 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member nations, the White House says.

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The Trump administration plans to return education to individual states "instead of maintaining the status quo that is failing American students" and says states are best positioned to "administer effective programs and services" that benefit their respective communities.

"Instead of a bloated federal system that burdens schools with regulations and paperwork, the Trump administration believes states should be empowered to expand education freedom and opportunity for all families," White House officials said.

McMahon during her Senate confirmation hearing said Trump told her he wanted the Education Department dismantled and gone by the end of the second year of his second term in the White House.

Trump earlier said the agency, which was established by President Jimmy Carter and Congress in 1979, has failed in its mission to improve the quality of education in the United States.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., accused Trump of taking a "chainsaw to public education in America."

"Shutting down the Department of Education will harm millions of children in our nation's public schools, their families and hardworking teachers," Jeffries said Thursday in a prepared statement.

"Class sizes will soar, educators will be fired, special education programs will be cut and college will get even more expensive," Jeffries said.

He accused Trump and House Republicans of "crashing the economy in real time" while "giving massive tax breaks to billionaires" instead of "supporting our public school children."

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Jeffries said Congress created the the Education Department and only Congress can eliminate it.

"We will stop this malignant Republican scheme in the House of Representatives and in the courts," he concluded.

Although Trump said "everybody" supports dismantling the Education Department, American Federation of Teachers union President Randi Weingarten strongly disagreed.

"See you in court," Weingarten said Wednesday in a statement anticipating Trump's executive order.

She said most people in the United States don't want the department dismantled "because it will diminish opportunity for students."
The Trump administration has rolled back a key clause in federal government contracts that explicitly prohibited contractors from having segregated facilities such as restrooms, restaurants, and drinking fountains.

A February memo from the General Services Administration first reported by NPR stated that several provisions in the Federal Acquisition Regulation, a document that sets uniform guidelines for government acquisitions, are not consistent with the direction of the president.

Though the memo emphasized that all contractorswhether or not they work for the governmentare still covered by existing United States laws on civil rights/nondiscrimination, it instructed agencies not to include a number of FAR provisions and clauses in future solicitations and contracts.

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That list included clauses titled Prohibition of Segregated Facilities, Equal Opportunity, and Affirmative Action Compliance.

An undated photograph of a segregated drinking fountain in the American South. / Bettmann / Bettmann Archive via Getty Images

The memo said these clauses were being removed in compliance with President Donald Trumps executive orders against diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and gender ideology .

FAR Clause 52.222-21 defined segregated facilities to include locker rooms, waiting rooms, recreation areas, transportation, and housing that are segregated by explicit directive or are in fact segregated on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin because of written or oral policies or employee custom.

Segregation still ostensibly remains illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but civil rights lawyer Ben Crump said the GSA memo sends a CLEAR message.

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Democratic Ohio Rep. Shontel Brown also described the change as unbelievable.

The Trump admin removed a federal ban on segregated workplaces for contractorsrolling back a protection put in place in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. While segregation is still illegal, this change sends a CLEAR message. https://t.co/OTcfmiVwPu  Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) March 19, 2025

A federal employee who works on contracts told NPR that making such changes without the typical public notice period of 45 to 90 days is typically reserved for national emergencies.

The way that theyre implementing this in the contracting field is essentially subverting democracy  youre supposed to allow agencies to comment on this, contracting officers to comment on it, and think through the implications carefully," the source said. By doing this, theyre essentially ramming things through hoping no ones going to notice.

GSA spokesperson Will Powell told NPR that the agency has taken immediate action to fully implement all current executive orders and is committed to taking action to implement any new executive orders.

The Daily Beast has also reached out to GSA for comment.
Taiwans leader William Lai Ching-te said that a Taiwanese semiconductor companys massive investment in Arizona is the best model for the islands effort to build computer chips supply lines that dont rely on Chinese producers, in remarks to the states visiting Governor Katie Hobbs.

Taiwans leading chipmaker TSMC has committed $100 billion to build three chip foundries, an R&D center and two packaging facilities in Arizona, on top of a previous pledge to build $65 billion in three chip foundries in the state, one of which has begun operations.

Lai and TSMC say that the latest mega-investment stemmed from customer demand and not pressure from the administration of President Donald Trump.

Trump previously said that Taiwan had taken away the U.S. chip business and that he wanted it back.

At their meeting, this week, Lai said Taiwan and Arizona were working to build a non-red supply chain that excluded suppliers from China, which threatens military action to assert its claim over the island.

TSMC has said the development plans in the U.S. would not affect its work in Taiwan, and that the company currently has 10,000 employees researching and developing 1.0 nanometer chips. Taiwan accounts for more than 90% of advanced computer chip production.

The U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as a country, but is its strongest backer and biggest arms provider.

News about the meeting was released yesterday by Taiwans official Central News Agency.

The project is expected to create 40,000 construction jobs over the next four years and tens of thousands of tech and manufacturing jobs, Hobbs office said in a news release sent before the meeting.

Im thrilled by Arizonas emergence as Americas hub for advanced manufacturing, creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and bringing billions of dollars of investment into our state, Hobbs said in the release.

CNA quoted Hobbs as saying that the TSMC project would not only contribute to the global advancement of artificial intelligence and other technologies, but also strengthen bilateral ties. MDT/AP
President Donald Trump was poised Thursday to order dismantling the Department of Education, potentially fulfilling a longstanding goal of conservatives.

White House officials said Trump would sign an executive order to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education, although most analysts say the permanently eliminating the DOE would require the approval of Congress because lawmakers established and fund the agency.

Trump has regularly derided the DOE as a waste of taxpayer dollars and cesspool of damaging liberal woke ideology.

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His order will vow to return education authority to the states, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

The Trump administration has already been gutting DOE, one of several agencies that have been targeted by the White House and billionaire first buddy Elon Musk.

The DOEs workforce has been slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nations academic progress.

Advocates for public schools and teachers said eliminating the Department of Education would be a disaster that would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.

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This isnt fixing education. Its making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And were not about to let that happen without a fight, the National Parents Union said in a statement.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. It also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement.

The White House has not spelled out formally which Department of Education functions it plans to hand over to other federal agencies and which may be simply eliminated.

At her confirmation hearing, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. She claimed the administration planned to implement a better functioning Department of Education, not eliminate it.

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Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets  roughly 14%, with the rest coming mostly from local tax revenue. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

Republicans have talked about closing the Education Department for decades, saying it wastes taxpayer money and inserts the federal government into decisions that should fall to states and local school districts.

Yet even some of Trumps Republican allies have questioned his right to close the agency without action from Congress.

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There are also major questions about the popularity of scrapping the agency. The House considered an amendment to close the DOE in 2023, but 60 Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the move.

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Amid financial cuts to research in the United States under President Donald Trump, an economics expert suggests that Germany seize the opportunity to recruit top scientists from the US.

In an interview with the Funke Media Group published on Thursday, Ulrike Malmendier, an economics professor at the University of California, said Trump's administration had caused "great concern for scientific freedom and reliable financial support" in the US.

"The development in the US is a huge opportunity for Germany and Europe. I know that a lot of people are thinking about leaving," she said.

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Malmendier drew a historical parallel, recalling how in the 1930s, many scientists fled Nazi Germany, contributing to the rise of the US as a global leader in scientific research.

"Now we can reverse that," Malmendier said.

While acknowledging that German universities cannot easily compete with elite US institutions in terms of research conditions, Malmendier emphasized that the time is ripe for change.

She called for substantial investment in Germany's scientific infrastructure, particularly in fields where the country already excels, such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, and climate technology.

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"We could attract the attention of the best researchers and shift the balance to Europe," she added.

When asked if Trump aimed to end free science, the economist responded, "I fear so  particularly regarding diversity and equality. The impact on science and the economy is devastating."
In an interview with Breitbart News Network, US President Donald Trump has said that conversations with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were "two very good conversations".

Source: Trump in an interview with Breitbart, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Trump said that his conversation with Putin "went very well".

Quote: "I then spoke with President Zelenskyy today and explained what took place yesterday, and my aim is to put these two countries together. Then we work a ceasefire and ultimately we stop losing 2,000 people a week."

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More details: Trump stated that "two thousand people a week or more are being killed in that war," so he wants to stop it.

Therefore, he stressed that he had "two very good phone calls" and expressed confidence that "a deal will be worked out so we can stop the bloodshed thats taking place over there".

"I also want to stop massive payments that are necessary to be made by us. I also want Europe to pay the same as us because they werent able to do that under Biden", Trump added.

Background:

On 19 March, Zelenskyy said that Trump and he had agreed to discuss the technical details of a partial ceasefire, such as halting strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure.

It was also reported that during the conversation, Trump promised Zelenskyy to cooperate with him in finding Patriot air defence systems for Ukraine.

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(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump told Breitbart News in an interview on Wednesday that he believes India will probably be lowering the tariffs it imposes on American goods.

"I believe they're going to probably going to be lowering those tariffs substantially, but on April 2, we will be charging them the same tariffs they charge us," he was quoted as saying.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he would soon sign a natural-resources deal with Ukraine that would give the US partial control over revenue from future resource extraction.

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One of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine, Trump said Thursday during an education event at the White House.

The agreement fell apart late last month after a tense Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Under that deal, Ukraine would contribute half of all revenues from future sales of natural resources, including minerals, oil, natural gas, hydrocarbons as well as infrastructure to a reconstruction fund jointly owned with the US.

Trumps comments come one day after his top spokeswoman said the administration was moving beyond the previously negotiated minerals deal with Kyiv to focus more broadly on a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

We are now focused on a long-term peace agreement, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday. Weve moved beyond just the economic minerals deal framework.

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Trumps focus on Ukraines commodities has raised questions about what the nation really has to offer. It has no major rare-earth reserves that are internationally recognized as economically viable. Ukraine is an established producer of coal, iron ore, uranium, titanium, and magnesium, and expanding those sectors could be profitable for the US.

Earlier: Trump to Expand Critical Mineral Production Using Wartime Powers

The president spoke about the Ukraine agreement shortly after he invoked emergency powers to boost the USs ability to produce critical minerals, and possibly coal, as part of a broad effort to ramp up domestic production and lower reliance on imports.

I also signed an executive order to dramatically increase production of critical minerals and rare earths. Its a big thing in this country, and as you know, were also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world, but in particular Ukraine, Trump said.

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--With assistance from Hadriana Lowenkron.

(Adds additional remarks and context starting in third paragraph)

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2025 Bloomberg L.P.
By Jeff Mason, David Brunnstrom and Erin Banco

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States will sign a minerals and natural resources deal with Ukraine shortly and that his efforts to achieve a peace deal for the country were going "pretty well" after his talks this week with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

Trump made the comments at a White House event after signing an order to increase U.S. production of critical minerals.

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"We're doing very well with regard to Ukraine and Russia. And one of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with respect to rare earths with Ukraine."

Trump referred to his separate discussions this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy aimed at ending Russia's war in Ukraine.

Those talks, which fell short of Trump's aim to secure a full 30-day ceasefire, resulted in Putin agreeing to stop Russian attacks on energy infrastructure for 30 days and Zelenskiy saying he would also accept such a pause.

"We would love to see that (war) come to an end, and I think we're doing pretty well in that regard," Trump said.

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"So hopefully wed save thousands of people a week from dying. That's what it's all about. They're dying so unnecessarily, and I believe we'll get it done."

Ukraine and the U.S. said this month they had agreed to conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine's critical mineral resources, which Trump sees as a means to pay back the United States for its assistance to Kyiv.

Efforts to seal the deal stumbled after a disastrous White House meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy at the end of last month.

Trump and Zelenskiy agreed on Wednesday to work together to end Russia's war with Ukraine, in what the White House described as a "fantastic" one-hour phone call, their first conversation since their Oval Office shouting match that resulted in a short-term cutoff in U.S. military aid and intelligence to Kyiv.

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It was unclear if the deal has changed. An earlier version did not include the explicit security guarantees Ukraine has sought, but gave the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine's natural resources.

It also envisaged the Ukrainian government contributing 50% of monetized amounts for state-owned natural resources to a U.S.-Ukraine managed reconstruction investment fund.

Asked how the current version of the minerals deal differs from the earlier draft, a senior U.S. official said it was "more detailed and comprehensive," declining to elaborate.

Ukraine's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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In Brussels on Thursday, European Union leaders said they would continue to support Ukraine, but did not immediately endorse a call by Zelenskiy to approve a package of at least 5 billion euros for artillery purchases.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Jarrett Renshaw; Editing by Don Durfee and Cynthia Osterman)
By Jarrett Renshaw and Ernest Scheyder

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday invoked emergency powers to boost domestic production of critical minerals used widely across the economy as part of a broad effort to offset China's near-total control of the sector.

The move is the latest by Trump to increase U.S. energy and minerals production and comes amid an escalating trade conflict with China, Canada and other large minerals producers that supply American manufacturers.

Lithium, nickel and other critical minerals are used in many electronics, and demand is expected to surge in coming years for production of electric-vehicle batteries. China is the world's largest producer or processor of many critical minerals.

Trump signed an executive order that taps the Cold War-era Defense Production Act (DPA) as part of an effort to provide financing, loans and other investment support to domestically process a range of critical minerals.

The DPA gives the Pentagon wide berth to procure equipment necessary for national defense. Invoking it essentially declares that relying on rival nations for critical minerals constitutes a national security threat.

"The United States was once the world's largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing federal regulation has eroded our nation's mineral production," the president said in the order.

The order directs federal agencies to create a list of U.S. mines that can be quickly approved as well as which federal lands, including those controlled by the Pentagon, could be used for minerals processing.

The U.S. currently produces very little lithium and nickel; its only cobalt mine shuttered last year amid intense Chinese competition. The U.S. does have multiple copper mines, but only two smelters to process the red metal into pipes, wiring and other components. The U.S. has only one mine for rare earths, which are used to make magnets that turn power into motion.

Late last year, Beijing imposed an outright ban on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States, causing U.S. manufacturers to scramble for alternative supplies of those niche-but-vital materials.

The order also encourages faster permitting for mining and processing projects and a directive for the Interior Department to prioritize mineral production on federal land. The order directs agencies to help boost U.S. output of copper and gold, neither of which is considered a critical mineral by the U.S. Geological Survey.

An executive order from Trump had long been sought by U.S. miners, many of which had long complained that bureaucratic delays hampered output.
A Georgetown University researcher, who was studying and teaching on a student visa, has been detained by federal immigration authorities amid the Trump administrations crackdown on student activists whom the government accuses of opposing American foreign policy, according to court papers.

Masked agents arrested Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow, outside his home in the Rosslyn neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, on Monday night, his lawyer said in a lawsuit fighting for his immediate release. The agents identified themselves as being with the Department of Homeland Security and told him the government had revoked his visa, the lawsuit says.

According to Suris petition for release, he was put in deportation proceedings under the same rarely used provision of immigration law that the government has invoked to try to deport Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student and green card holder who led pro-Palestinian protests on campus. That provision gives the secretary of State the power to deport noncitizens if the secretary determines that their continued presence in the U.S. would threaten foreign policy.

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Suri has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime, his petition says. His detention and petition have not been previously reported.

Suris lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, argued in his petition that Suri is being punished because of the Palestinian heritage of his wife  who is a U.S. citizen  and because the government suspects that he and his wife oppose U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.

The petition says the couple has long been doxxed and smeared on anonymously run, far-right websites due to their support for Palestinian rights. The petition also says that Suris wife, Mapheze Saleh, has been alleged to have ties with Hamas and once worked for Al Jazeera.

A 2018 article about the couple published in the Hindustan Times, an Indian newspaper, said Salehs father, Ahmed Yousef, served as a senior political adviser to the Hamas leadership.

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Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a determination on Saturday that Suris visa should be canceled for foreign policy reasons.

Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media, McLaughlin wrote on X. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

Ahmad said in an interview that he had not been able to contact Suri as of Wednesday evening.

Were trying to speak with him. That hasnt happened yet, Ahmad said. This is just another example of our government abducting people the same way they abducted Khalil.

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Suris detention is the latest in a string of immigration-related arrests that Trump says are just beginning to ramp up. The arrests, Trump says, target terrorist sympathizers or people who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity. But advocates for these detainees say Trump is violating the First Amendment by retaliating against noncitizens  including people in the country legally  based on their political views and free speech.

Suris lawsuit was filed in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday. As is typical for petitions seeking habeas corpus, or release from unlawful detention, the court papers were not available on the courts online docket. POLITICO obtained a paper copy of Suris petition from the court.

As of Wednesday evening, no judge had been assigned to Suris case, and the court had not taken any action on it.

Suris petition said he was taken to a facility in Virginia and expected to be transferred soon to a detention center in Texas. On Wednesday evening, an online locator for immigration detainees showed him at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement staging center at the Alexandria, Louisiana, airport.

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In other high-profile immigration cases, the Trump administration has tried to urgently move forward with deportations before courts have time to intervene.

Ahmad said its unclear whether he will need to refile Suris petition for release in Louisiana, but said he is prepared to do whatever we can to release our client from detention and afford him due process.

According to his faculty page on Georgetowns website, Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the universitys School of Foreign Service. According to his court petition and a university directory, he is teaching a class this semester on Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia. Suri has a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from a university in India.

"Dr. Khan Suri is an Indian national who was duly granted a visa to enter the United States to continue his doctoral research on peacebuilding in Iraq and Afghanistan," a Georgetown spokesperson said in a statement. "We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention. We support our community members' rights to free and open inquiry, deliberation and debate, even if the underlying ideas may be difficult, controversial or objectionable. We expect the legal system to adjudicate this case fairly."


President Donald Trump is serious about impeaching the judge who sought to block the use of an 18th century law to whisk alleged Venezuelan gang members off to prison in El Salvador  but that doesnt mean it will happen, says his deputy chief of staff.

Speaking to POLITICOs Playbook Deep Dive Podcast, James Blair defended the presidents call to remove an obviously partisan judge from the bench while conceding that Congress ultimately may not impeach Judge James Boasberg.

What we're encouraging is a public debate and I think it's a reasonable public debate, Blair said in the interview Wednesday.

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He told POLITICO that the president was attempting to shine a big old spotlight on what the administration views as a judicial encroachment on executive power with a social media post calling the judge a Radical Left Lunatic who should be removed.

Impeaching a federal judge requires majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Even if Republicans in the House had enough votes to impeach, the GOP lacks the required two-thirds majority in the Senate.

Blair left it up to Speaker Mike Johnson to figure out what can be passed or not in the House.

That's the speaker's job. And I won't speak for what the speaker's opinion of that is, he said. I think the thing that is important right now is the president is highlighting a critical issue.

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The deputy chief of staff suggested that Congress may decide to drop the matter.

I doubt that a bunch of floor time will be spent on something if they strongly feel like they can't get the votes, but there are plenty of ways to encourage this public debate, he said. Again, it's up to them to run their chambers, so we'll see.

Trumps call to remove Boasberg came after the judge issued an order temporarily blocking the administrations unprecedented use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport about 250 people from Venezuela, alleged to be members of the Tren de Aragua gang, to a high-security prison in El Salvador over the weekend.

The administration went ahead with the deportation flights after Boasberg ordered them to halt the flights. Boasberg has since demanded an explanation and more information about the decision to deport the people to El Salvador.

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Trumps call for impeachment earned a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts, who slammed the presidents threats as a challenge to 200 years of judicial precedent.

For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision, Roberts said.

A number of Republican lawmakers have also spoken out against the notion of impeaching judges for their rulings. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy called it "idiotic, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn said, "You don't impeach judges who make decisions you disagree with."
Chinese mainland official Song Tao on Tuesday stressed that no individual or force will be allowed to split Taiwan from China, warning that resolute actions will be taken if separatist forces dare to cross the red line.

Song, head of both the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks at a release ceremony for a book on the Taiwan question, which includes information on related policies and the development of cross-Strait relations.

Our determination to solve the Taiwan question and achieve national reunification is firm as rock, he said.

Song said that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historic course, adding that the goal of national reunification must and will be accomplished. Xinhua
WASHINGTON (NewsNation)  President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education.

Congress, since it created the Department of Education, still needs to authorize its elimination.

A White House fact sheet states that the order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.

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The Department of Education will be bye bye very soon: White House spokesman

Trump, in remarks before signing the order, said his administration would take all lawful steps to shut down the department but added that he wanted it eliminated as quickly as possible.

McMahon was present as he signed the order.

Hopefully, she will be our last secretary of Education, Trump said as he introduced McMahon. Trump later said he hopes to find another position for her.

Last week, the department announced that nearly half its workforce would be laid off starting March 21. Those layoffs are being challenged in court.

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Trump has argued that eliminating the department and shifting education authority to the states would improve the U.S. school systems global ranking.

What do Education Department cuts mean for student loans?

Trump views the department as wasteful and has claimed its been overtaken by radicals.

Concern over what could happen next has mounted.

The East Room is set up like a classroom ahead of POTUS 4pmET EO signing dismantling the Education Department. pic.twitter.com/gdUtszPenA  Libbey Dean (@LibbeyDean_) March 20, 2025

Key policies in jeopardy if Education Department is cut

More than 80% of school-age children, about 49 million students, attend traditional public schools that rely heavily on federal assistance.

About 10 to 14% of public schools budgets are allocated to programs and staff that oversee critical policies, such as Title 1, anti-discrimination measures, assistance for low-income students, free lunches and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensures protections for students with disabilities.

Colleges brace for grants, aid losses

Colleges and universities are preparing for the potential loss of critical grants and aid.

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Additionally, there is some concern over the oversight of for-profit colleges and Pell Grants  and a question of how $1.6 trillion in federal student loans could be impacted.

Trump said the Department of Educations useful functions such as Pell grants, Title I funding, resources for children with disabilities and special needs will be fully preserved.

They are going to be preserved in full and redistributed to other agencies and departments, he said Thursday.

Curriculum and learning standards will likely not be affected since those are generally handled at state and local levels.

GOP: US is lagging in student scores

Republicans have pointed to issues such as declining test scores as justification for significant changes.

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What happens if the Department of Education is abolished?

National test scores have indicated students are lacking fundamental skills.

The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress, conducted every two years, revealed average math scores for eighth graders remained unchanged from 2022, but a third scored below basic levels in reading  the highest number in the assessments history.

Critics slam order to eliminate Education Department

The American Federation of Teachers has argued the cuts will gut the agency and its ability to support students, throwing federal education programs into chaos across the country.

See you in court, Randi Weingarten, the head of the American Federation of Teachers, said about the order.

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Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia, the top Democrat on the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, said Trumps order will disproportionately hurt low-income students, students of color and those with disabilities.

Attempting to dismantle the Department of Education is one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said. This. Will. Hurt. Kids.

Hawaiian Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz said everything the Trump administration does because of efficiency and savings is about one thing: enriching the richest people to ever walk the planet.

This time, its our children who will pay for it with their futures, Schatz said.

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Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., called Trumps order a reckless betrayal of Americas commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of their geographical location or socioeconomic status, has the ability to access a free, high-quality public education.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, said Trumps illegal destruction of the Education Department will directly hurt students in his state, Connecticut.

At a time when we should be investing more resources in our students success, President Trump is fully abandoning whats left of the federal governments commitment to public education, Blumenthal said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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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 NewsNation.
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Thursday to purportedly dismantle the Department of Education after weeks of cutting its staff and funding. While completely eliminating a federal department formed by an act of Congress requires congressional approval, which is far from certain, Trump has not been shy about defying constitutional checks on presidential power.

The pending order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, a former WWE executive, to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," while also ensuring "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely," according to a White House summary of the order.

"President Trump's executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement Wednesday.

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The order's signing will be marked by a ceremony in the White House's East Room, which will be attended by several Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Greg Abbott of Texas, Kim Reynolds of Iowa and Mike DeWine of Ohio. Republican lawmakers and leaders from groups like the Heritage Foundation and Moms for Liberty, a group seeking to remake schools in a reactionary image, will also be present to celebrate the death of a department that has long been a target of conservative activists.

Hours after McMahon was confirmed as education secretary, she issued a memo with the subject line: "Our Department's Final Mission." The memo said that "this is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students," which would supposedly leave "American education freer, stronger, and with more hope for the future."

Trump administration officials have said that student loans, Title I, which provides funding for low-income families, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will not be affected. It's unclear, however, to which federal department these programs will be outsourced and how effective they will be in helping high-need students if the Department of Education no longer exists.
By Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will sign a long-anticipated executive order on Thursday that aims to shut down the Department of Education, acting on a key campaign pledge, according to a White House summary seen by Reuters.

Even before it was signed, the order was being challenged by a group of Democratic state attorneys general, who filed a lawsuit seeking to block Trump from dismantling the department and halt the layoffs of nearly half of its staff announced last week.

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The NAACP, a leading civil rights group, also blasted the expected order as unconstitutional.

"This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump," NAACP President Derrick Johnson said in a statement.

Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk have attempted to shut down government programs and institutions such as the U.S. Agency for International Development without congressional approval, but abolishing the Department of Education would be Trump's first bid to shut down a cabinet-level agency.

Trump cannot shutter the agency without congressional legislation, which could prove difficult. Trump's Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, but major legislation, such as a bill eliminating a cabinet-level agency, would need 60 votes and thus the support of seven Democrats to pass.

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Senate Democrats have given no sign they would support abolishing the Education Department.

Trump and Musk are taking a wrecking ball to the Department of Education and firing half its staff," Democratic Senator Patty Murray said in a statement, vowing to fight what she called "Trump and Musk's slash and burn campaign."

The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."

It mandates that any programs or activities receiving remaining Department of Education funds should not "advance DEI or gender ideology," according to the White House summary.

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Trump has repeatedly called for eliminating the department, calling it "a big con job." He proposed shuttering it in his first term as president, but Congress did not act.

Last month Trump said he wanted the department to be closed immediately, but acknowledged he would need buy-ins from Congress and teachers' unions.

"Federal government control of education has failed students, parents and teachers," the White House said in its summary. It said that the department had spent over $3 trillion since its creation in 1979 without improving student achievement as measured by standardized test scores.

Prior to the department's creation, education was part of the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, which operated from 1953 to 1979.

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McMahon told SiriusXMs The David Webb Show on Tuesday the administration's goal was to foster innovation and encourage best practices in education at the state level.

"The Department of Education doesn't educate anyone. It doesn't hire teachers. It doesn't establish curriculum. It doesn't hire school boards or superintendents," she said.

The department's defenders say it is crucial to keeping public education standards high and accuse Republicans of trying to push for-profit education. An immediate closure could disrupt tens of billions of dollars in aid to K-12 schools and tuition assistance for college students.

McMahon, co-founder and former CEO of the WWE professional wrestling franchise, who was confirmed by the Senate on March 3, had defended Trump's plans to abolish the agency, but promised that federal school funding appropriated by Congress to assist low-income school districts and students would continue.

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A source familiar with the order said student loans and services for children with disabilities were codified in law and would continue.

The department oversees some 100,000 public and 34,000 private schools in the United States, although more than 85% of public school funding comes from state and local governments. It provides federal grants for needy schools and programs, including money to pay teachers of children with special needs, fund arts programs and replace outdated infrastructure.

It also oversees the $1.6 trillion in student loans held by tens of millions of Americans who cannot afford to pay for university outright.

LEGAL CHALLENGE

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Attorneys general from 20 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston last week after the department announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of the agency's "final mission."

The job cuts would leave the department with 2,183 workers, down from 4,133 when Trump took office in January, and come on top of staff cuts through buyout offers and the firing of probationary employees carried out as part of Trump's sweeping effort to downsize the federal government.

The lawsuit argues that the massive job cuts will render the agency unable to perform core functions authorized by statute, including in the civil rights arena, effectively usurping Congress' authority in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

It said McMahon "is not permitted to eliminate or disrupt functions required by statute, nor can she transfer the department's responsibilities to another agency outside of its statutory authorization."

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(This story has been corrected to say that McMahon was confirmed by the Senate on March 3, not Monday, in paragraph 18)

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; additional reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Stephen Coates)
President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order on Thursday to start the process of dismantling the Department of Education, two administration officials told CNN, a move that will begin fulfilling a major campaign promise.

The president is set to make the move in a Thursday afternoon event at the White House, the officials said  which Republican governors, state education officials and school children are also invited to attend.

President Trumps executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement.

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While entirely shuttering the Department of Education would require an act of Congress, the president will direct Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states, one of the administration officials said.

A senior administration official said federal funding for students with disabilities, who fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, along with Title I funding for low-income schools and federal student loan payments will not be changed by the order.

USA Today first reported on Thursdays expected signing. CNN reported earlier this month that the White House was drafting the order to launch the process of closing the Department of Education.

Its the latest move by the White House to test the presidents executive authority, with legal action already being prepared by education supporters who oppose the decision.

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On the campaign trail, Trump promised that he would take steps to dismantle the agency once in office again, pointing to the department as a sign of federal overreach and tied it to culture war issues.

I told Linda (McMahon), Linda, I hope you do a great job in putting yourself out of a job. I want her to put herself out of a job  Education Department, Trump said in February.

The expected signing follows the agency announcing workforce cuts of nearly 50% earlier this month, amounting to about 1,300 employees being laid off, in addition to hundreds who took voluntary buyouts.

Unions are already reacting.

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Donald Trump and Elon Musk have aimed their wrecking ball at public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America, by dismantling public education to pay for tax handouts for billionaires, National Education Association President Becky Pringle said in a statement.

If successful, Trumps continued actions will hurt all students by sending class sizes soaring, cutting job training programs, making higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, taking away special education services for students with disabilities, and gutting student civil rights protections, she said.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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President Trump is expected to sign an order on Thursday to launch the Department of Educations dismantling.

A White House official told NewsNation that the anticipated executive order, first reported by USA Today, will receive Trumps signature in the East Room after being postponed by the White House for a few weeks.

Last week, the Department of Education unveiled that it was firing nearly half its workforce. Trump also repeated his argument last week that getting rid of the department and moving education to the states would raise the U.S. school systems global ranking.

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The dream is were going to move the Department of Education, were going to move education into the states, so that the states, instead of bureaucrats working in Washington, so that the states can run education, Trump said. We think when you move it back to Iowa and Indiana and all of the states that run so well  30, maybe almost 40, those will be as good as Denmark, those will be as good as Norway.

USA Today reported that, per a summary from the White House of Trumps education order, Education Secretary Linda McMahon will be instructed by the president to undertake all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States.

Throughout the first weeks of Trumps second term, his administration has made drastic moves to reshape the government, including mass layoffs and buyouts.

When asked about the way Elon Musk and DOGE are dealing with workers employed by the federal government, 60 percent of respondents in a recent Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters said they were not supportive of it. Thirty-six percent said they were supportive of the way Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) were dealing with federal workers.

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Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students. Coupled with the rise of anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is harming our most vulnerable. President Trumps executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students, White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement obtained by NewsNation.

Updated at 10:05 p.m.

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WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  President Donald Trump announced an executive order Thursday to begin the dismantling of the Department of Education.

Trump called it an historic action that was 45 years in the making.

[We will take] all lawful steps to shut down the department, were going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible, he said.

DC tests intelligent speed assistance devices on city school buses

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The department, which was created by Congress in the 1970s, requires Congressional action to fully shutter. However, Trump took steps to redistribute the core functions of the department to other agencies.

Currently, the department oversees the federal student loan program, distributes grants for Title 1 programs and enforces civil rights, all of which Trump said will continue to occur.

The Department of Education does not mandate the curriculums. That responsibility has always been with the states. However, the Trump administration pointed to poor test scores as a reason for the needed changes.

Our childrens test scores are incredibly concerning when it comes to reading rates, literacy rates, math, said Press Secretary Karoline Levitt. The numbers prove that, and the President is finally taking much-needed action to return education to where it belongs and thats to educators closest to students in their states.

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Still education advocates dispute the need for dismantling the agency.

The Department of Education is really important, said Jessica Giles with Education Reform Now. It provides states and local governments with funds for schools, it enforces civil rights protection for students and it ensures there is federal student aid for those who go to school.

Giles pointed out that it will take more than just an executive order to fully close the department.

The Department of Education cant just disappear overnight, she said. Itll take an act of Congress. So, its important that District voters, American voters, let Congress know how important the DOE is.

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Advocates rally to preserve TOPA program in DC

Reaction to the news was mixed.

This is horrible, said Taylor Birkes, a special education teacher from Tulsa.

Shes concerned about the impact this will have on programs for students with disabilities, despite the President saying those programs wont be impacted.

Its basically a lifestyle for the kids. [The DOE] is where were getting all of our services and everything else, she said. Giving them speech therapy, all of that, thats going to cost the parents money, and a lot of the kids in my district, they are low income so parents cant pay for this stuff.

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But Wesley, a father of two high school students, supports the move.

It gives the strength back to the state individually to set up how they feel to raise and educate the children, he said. It is the responsibility of the parents to step up. Otherwise, its easy to let off the gas and expect the federal government to run everything for them and its ultimately not that intent.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration cut staffing at the DOE by about 50%, an effort the President celebrated Thursday.

Bowser: We will meet our financial obligations following passage of federal funding bill

Giles said her agency will continue to monitor the impacts of the Trump administration.

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Were tracking to make sure student achievement data is continued to be collected, student loan repayment still works the way its supposed to, said Giles. And that were continuing to see funds flow to schools in a timely and effective matter. We dont want things to erupt into chaos and confusion.

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WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to start dismantling the Education Department.

"It sounds strange, doesnt it? Department of Education. Were going to eliminate it," Trump said in the East Room of the White House at a ceremony where he was flanked by children seated at school desks. Before he signed the order, Trump turned to the children and asked, Should I do this?

Introducing McMahon, Trump said that hopefully she will be our last secretary of education. He vowed to find something else for you, Linda.

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Congressional approval would be needed to fully abolish the department. Trump said he hoped Democrats would vote in favor.

I hope theyre going to be voting for it," Trump said of congressional Democrats, "because ultimately it may come before them.

Immediately after the signing, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., the chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said on X that he will submit legislation to accomplish Trumps goal of shutting down the Education Department as soon as possible.

Congress established the Education Department in 1979 during President Jimmy Carters administration, and any effort to abolish it would face major obstacles from Democrats in the Republican-controlled Senate, where 60 votes are required to overcome filibusters and advance measures to final votes.

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The House Education Committees top Democrat, Bobby Scott, of Virginia, called the executive order reckless and argued in a statement that it would put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, and rural students at risk.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Thursday morning that the department would not be completely eliminated under the executive order, saying its critical functions would continue, including the enforcement of civil rights laws and oversight of student loans and Pell grants.

"The Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today," Leavitt said, adding that the order directed McMahon "to greatly minimize the agency. So when it comes to student loans and Pell grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education."

The executive order also will not affect department activities aimed at meeting the educational needs of students with disabilities or Title I funding, which goes to school districts with high proportions of students from low-income families, a senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday.

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The text of the order was not immediately published after the White House signing ceremony, which several Republican state attorneys general and governors attended. Trump publicly acknowledged Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others.

Polling on eliminating the Education Department shows the move is broadly unpopular, large part because of opposition from Democrats and independents. A Quinnipiac University survey conducted March 6-10 found that 60% of registered voters opposed the plan, while 33% were in favor of it. Just 1% of Democrats are in favor of the move, while 98% oppose it. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

At her Senate confirmation hearing last month, McMahon acknowledged the need to coordinate with Congress to close the department.

"Certainly President Trump understands that well be working with Congress," she said in response to a question from Cassidy. "Wed like to do this right. Wed like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with and our Congress could get on board with that would have a better-functioning Department of Education but certainly does require congressional action."

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With Trump's executive order, however, it appears the administration to some extent is sidestepping lawmakers. McMahon said Tuesday on SiriusXMs The David Webb Show" that as they "wind down" her department, administration officials want to ensure they are providing states with best practices and the tools they will need.

In her justification for eliminating the department, McMahon said: "I think its important to note what the Department of Education does not do. The Department of Education doesnt educate anyone. It doesnt hire teachers. It doesnt establish curriculum. It doesnt hire school boards or superintendents. It really is to help provide funding so that the states themselves can help with their own programs. But that creativity and innovation has to come from the state level.

McMahon and the administration have already taken steps in recent weeks to gut the department by cutting its workforce nearly in half.

NBC News recently reported that state officials and lawmakers have said they are not prepared to take on the full responsibility of education policy, and Trump's latest order is likely to be met with more legal challenges.

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Labor and civil rights groups issued statements Wednesday blasting the administration for the move. National Education Association President Becky Pringle said the administration's actions "will hurt all students by sending class sizes soaring, cutting job training programs, making higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, taking away special education services for students with disabilities, and gutting student civil rights protections."

NAACP President Derrick Johnson called the order "unconstitutional," adding that "the rule of law doesnt seem to matter" to Trump.

"Only Congress can establish or abolish an executive agency," Johnson said. "Trump is not just seeking to shut down an agency, he is deliberately dismantling the basic functions of our democracy, one piece at a time. This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump."

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
President Trump signed an executive order Thursday seeking to facilitate his longstanding goal of eliminating the Department of Education.

While the order recognizes it would take an act of Congress to completely shutter the department, Trump directed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to do all she can to achieve its end.

Today, we take a very historic action that was 45 years in the making, he said at a signing ceremony at the East Room of the White House that included multiple school-age children sitting at classroom desks. I will sign an executive order to begin eliminating the federal Department of Education.

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The departments useful functions  will be preserved, fully preserved, Trump added, referring to Pell Grants, Title I funding and programs for students with disabilities. Theyre going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments.

But beyond these core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department. Were going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible, he added at the ceremony, which was attended by Republican lawmakers and governors, including Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The White House said earlier Thursday the Education Department will still keep its critical functions that are mandated by Congress.

The Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today. As you know, the presidents executive order directed Linda McMahon to greatly minimize the agency. So, when it comes to student loans and Pell Grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education, Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

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The great responsibility of educating our nations students will return to the states. Any critical functions of the department  will remain, Leavitt added.

Democrats were quick to denounce the move, with Sen. Tina Smith (Minn.) calling it more bulls.

We know youre just trying to wear us out. But for the record, I am not overwhelmed. My zone isnt flooded, Smith said. I will fight your illegal behavior until the cows come home, and Im pretty sure the hundreds of thousands of people whove contacted my office since you started this nonsense are on the same page.

Before the order was even signed, the department took concrete steps to weaken itself by firing half of its employees.

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McMahon earlier this month laid off 1,315 staffers in a reduction in force measure that was taken after hundreds of others were already put on leave or took buyout options. An agency that started with more than 4,000 employees now has just more than 2,000.

Trumps directive to me, clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know well have to work with Congress, you know, to get that accomplished, McMahon said after the massing firing.

While GOP lawmakers in both chambers have proposed bills to wind down the federal agency, they have little chance of getting the 60 necessary votes in the Senate.

It is unclear exactly how small the department can be made in terms of numbers, although there are certain grants and other programs not mandated by law that can be canceled more easily by the administration.

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Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them  we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers, and others who rely on essential programs. Were going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working with Congress and state leaders to ensure a lawful and orderly transition, the Education Department said in a statement Thursday after Trump signed his order.

Moves against the department are certain to face legal challenges. In response to it, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten told the Trump administration simply, See you in court.

The executive order comes weeks after McMahon told staffers they needed to be prepared for their final mission. In a memo, she warned this restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department.

In her confirmation hearing, McMahon supported the idea of moving mandated department programs, such as the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act, to the Department of Health and Human Services.

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According to media reports, the executive order to end the department was in the works for months, but Trump was advised to wait to sign it until McMahon was confirmed.

I told Linda, Linda, I hope you do a great job and put yourself out of a job, Trump said at the White House last month.

Were ranked very badly. And what I want to do is let the states run schools, he added.

Much of the opposition to McMahons confirmation was based on her support for abolishing the agency.

Now, Trump and Musk have aimed their wrecking ball at public schools and the futures of the 50 million students in rural, suburban, and urban communities across America, by dismantling public education to pay for tax handouts for billionaires, said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, the largest teachers union in the country, in response to the executive order.

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Their plans are clear and if enacted, the real victims will be our most vulnerable students. Gutting the Education Department will send class sizes soaring, cut job training programs, make higher education more expensive and out of reach for middle class families, take away special education services for students with disabilities, and gut student civil rights protections, she added.

Updated at 4:52 p.m. EDT

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Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday intended to eliminate the Department of Education, effectively reducing the department to its most bare-bone functions. He did so at a White House ceremony, surrounded by children sitting at school desks.

My administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department, Trump said. Were going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible. Its doing us no good. We want to return our students to the states.

Trump continued to tout other nations doing a good job in education, including China. We cant now say that bigness is making it impossible to educate, because China is very big.

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The president believes eliminating the Department of Education will help America compete. It sounds strange, doesnt it, the Department of Education  were going to eliminate it.

Trump has had it out for the Department of Education dating back to his first term in office. He did what he could to undermine it then, and is now moving to axe it entirely. It was reported earlier this month that the administration had drafted an executive order that would do just that, but the White House denied these reports. The department announced a week later that it was lopping off nearly half of its workforce, cutting 1,300 employees.

The administration cant flat-out eliminate the department without congressional approval, and the order Trump signed on Thursday will likely be the subject of legal challenges.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters ahead of the signing that the remaining shell of the department the administration is keeping in tact will continue to oversee some grant and loan programs: When it comes to student loans and Pell grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education, but we dont need to be spending more than $3 trillion over the course of a few decades on a department thats clearly failing in its initial intention to educate our students.

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CNN reported on Thursday that the department had struggled to find another agency that would take over the management and oversight of its massive, $1.8 trillion student loan portfolio. The Treasury doesnt want it, one source told CNN.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller told Fox News shortly before the signing that the Department of Education here in Washington, D.C., is overwhelmingly staffed by radical left marxist bureaucrats. Who are in every way hostile to western civilization, hostile to American interests, and hostile to our founding documents and culture.

Weve cut the number of bureaucrats in half, Trump gloated during the signing ceremony.

Miller also accused the department  in his mind run by a cabal of communist loving leftists  of infusing American curriculums with evil doctrines such as diversity and inclusion, and not being an asshole to LGBTQ+ people.

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In reality, the Department of Education has very little to do with creating state-level curriculums. Its primary function is overseeing federal funding for public schools, student loan programs, and Pell Grants, as well as overseeing civil rights enforcement and collecting education data.

The history of the education department is as a civil rights agency, the place that ensures that students with disabilities get the services they need, and English learners get the help that they need, that women are protected against sexual assault and sexual harassment on campuses, former Education Secretary John King said in a virtual press conference earlier this month. Thats where this happens, in the Office for Civil Rights at the department taking that away harms students and families.

In fact, one of the first actions the Trump administration took against the Department of Education was to direct their Office of Civil Rights to halt thousands of ongoing investigations, in favor of focusing their work on the presence of transgender youth in schools and sports.

While Trumps sycophants and coattails will celebrate the executive order as a major accomplishment for the America First president, even Fox News found itself having to throw cold water on Trumps authority in this matter. At some point this effort has to run up against the fact that Congress created the Department of Education, said Fox News Contributor and longtime conservative commentator Byron York. You cant get rid of  the president cannot by fiat  get rid of an executive department created by Congress.

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American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten responded to the Trump administrations plans on Wednesday with a simple statement: See you in court.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk, of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) helping orchestrate the administrations cuts responded responded with a meme of Trump throwing up a peace sign on top of the grave of the Departmen of Education. Yes, the meme misspelled Department.

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President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order intended to boost production of critical minerals in the United States and confirmed a deal to gain access to minerals in Ukraine was still on track.

Trump signed the order behind closed doors at the White House. A spokesperson said the order would streamline permitting to allow for increased mining of the minerals.

The order invokes wartime powers under the Defense Production Act to expand domestic U.S. mining production, according to information shared by a White House official.

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In addition, the efforts to increase mineral production may end up including coal, if Interior Secretary Doug Burgum decides that the fossil fuel should fall under the definition of minerals.

Its a big thing in this country. And as you know were also signing agreements in various locations to unlock rare earths and minerals and lots of other things all over the world. But in particular Ukraine, Trump said at an event where he signed a measure aimed at dismantling the Department of Education.

One of the things we are doing is signing a deal very shortly with Ukraine with respect to rare earth, Trump added.

The minerals executive order, meanwhile, takes additional steps to bolster mining, according to the White House.

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This includes allowing approvals for more mining projects to be fast-tracked, directing the Interior Department to prioritize mining over other uses of federal lands and developing financing methods, including the creation of a new fund through the United States International Development Finance Corporation.

Rare earth elements refers to a specific group of materials that are only deposited in relatively small quantities and can be used in a variety of applications including electronics, health care and batteries.

Ukraine has a significant amount of those elements, and they have been central to negotiations between the U.S. and Kyiv as Trump pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine.

Trump administration officials brokered a deal with Ukraine to give the U.S. access to those minerals. The president and his advisers have argued giving the U.S. an economic stake in those critical minerals would provide an increased security incentive for protecting Kyiv against Russian aggression.

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The deal was derailed after a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month, but it appears the two sides are once again prepared to sign off on the agreement.

Meanwhile, the federal government currently considers about 50 minerals to be critical. These elements can have uses ranging from renewable energy to weapons.

Trump has repeatedly sought to bolster U.S. ownership of these elements.

He has also pledged to help the coal industry, which has been on the decline as gas and renewables grow as power sources.

 Updated at 5:54 p.m. EDT

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President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a lengthy call yesterday [Macau time] to an immediate pause in strikes against energy infrastructure in the Ukraine war, but the Russian leader stopped short of backing a broader 30-day pause in fighting that the U.S. administration is pressing for.

The White House described it as the first step in a movement to peace that it hopes will include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and eventually a full and lasting end to the fighting. But there was no indication that Putin has backed away from his conditions for a prospective peace deal, which are fiercely opposed by Kyiv. And shortly after the call ended, air raid alerts sounded in Kyiv, followed by explosions in the city. Local officials urged people to seek shelter.

Putin during the call reiterated his demand for an end to foreign military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. Trump, though, denied that the subject came up during an interview with Fox News.

We didnt talk about aid, Trump said. We didnt talk about aid at all.

Russia also wants Ukraine to pull back its troops from the four regions that Moscow has annexed but never fully captured, renounce any prospect of joining the NATO military alliance and sharply cut its army.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that Ukraine is open to any proposals that lead to a sustainable and just peace, but stressed the need for full transparency in discussions.

Zelenskyy said he was seeking more details on what Putin and Trump agreed on, but rejected Putins demand for halting military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine, warning that such a move would weaken Ukraine.

There are two sides in this war  Russia and Ukraine. Trying to negotiate without Ukraine, in my view, will not be productive, he said.

Ukrainian officials earlier this month proposed a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes and the release of prisoners.

Trump immediately cheered the new development as a major step toward his ultimate goal of ending the biggest land war in Europe since World War II.

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, Trump said on social media.

Putin also told Trump that Russia and Ukraine are set to exchange 175 prisoners of war each today [Macau time], and Russia will also hand over to Ukraine 23 badly wounded soldiers, the Kremlin said.

The limited pause comes as Trump still hopes to get Russia to sign off on his 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials last week agreed to the 30-day ceasefire proposal during talks in Saudi Arabia led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff then met with Putin in Moscow to discuss the proposal.

Zelenskyy, however, remains skeptical that Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.

This is not a game where only Putin dictates the rules, Zelenskyy said, making clear he remains doubtful that Putin was serious about wanting peace.

The Trump-Putin engagement is just the latest turn in dramatically shifting U.S.-Russia relations as Trump made quickly ending the conflict a top priority  even at the expense of straining ties with longtime American allies who want Putin to pay a price for the invasion.

Trump has said Washington and Moscow have already begun discussing dividing up certain assets between Ukraine and Russia as part of a deal to end the conflict.

He said before the call that control of land and power plants would be part of the conversation, which came on the anniversary of Russia annexing Ukraines Crimean Peninsula 11 years ago. That bold land grab by Russia set the stage for Russia to invade its neighbor in 2022.

But neither the White House nor Kremlin made any mention of land or power plants in their post-call statements.

Witkoff on Sunday suggested that U.S. and Russian officials have discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant  Europes largest  in southern Ukraine. Russian troops seized the plant early in the war and it has been caught in the crossfire, fueling fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe.

The plant is a significant asset, producing nearly a quarter of Ukraines electricity in the year before the war.

After a disastrous Feb. 28 White House meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump temporarily cut off some military intelligence-sharing and aid to Ukraine. It was restored after the Ukrainians last week signed off on the Trump administrations 30-day ceasefire proposal.

In his dealings with Zelenskyy and Putin, Trump has frequently focused on who has the leverage. Putin has the cards and Zelenskyy does not, Trump has said repeatedly.

Trump, who has long shown admiration for Putin, has also made clear hed like to see the U.S.-Russia relationship return to a more normal footing.

The president during his recent contentious meeting with Zelenskyy grumbled that Putin went through a hell of a lot with me, a reference to the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election in which he beat Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump on Tuesday again underscored his view that Ukraine is not in a strong negotiating position. AAMER MADHANI, WASHINGTON, MDT/AP
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump signed an executive order to largely dismantle the Education Department  an organization created by Congress and tasked with sweeping responsibilities that involve billions in funds that impact millions of American students.

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The move is part of Trumps vision to overhaul the US government.

Were going to eliminate it, and everybody knows its right, Trump said at a White House event on Thursday, moving to deliver on a campaign promise and a long-sought goal of conservatives. We have to get our children educated. Were not doing well with the world of education in this country, and we havent for a long time.

The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the department, according to a White House fact sheet. It follows an effort to slash its workforce of more than 4,000 employees by nearly half.

The move portends a clash with powerful labor unions and risks roiling parents and students at all levels of education who rely on the departments programs. The presidents attempted demolition of a cabinet-level department is in many ways unprecedented and faces legal and logistical hurdles.

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Cabinet entities have been reorganized in the past with different functions being combined or reassigned. But the last time a department was taken apart was the replacement of the Post Office Department by the US Postal Service more than 50 years ago.

Trumps push to do the same to the US governments educational authority faces an uncertain path, with no clear blueprint for how to carry out his goal. The administration has already acknowledged that because Congress created the department, lawmaker approval will be needed to close it down entirely. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said critical functions would remain within the department, though its size would be greatly reduced.

Trump on Thursday vowed to preserve some of the departments programs, citing funding for children with disabilities and special needs, as well as Pell Grants, which are the largest source of undergraduate financial aid for low-income students.

Theyre going to be preserved in full and redistributed to various other agencies and departments that will take very good care of them, Trump said, referring to what he called the departments core necessities.

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While Trump has said his goal is to transfer the departments functions to states  which he claims will help improve educational outcomes for Americans  and McMahon has floated shifting some programs to other parts of the federal government, many of the details about what duties, if any, could be offloaded remains unclear.

The moves also come as Trump has wielded his powers in a bid to bring US higher education into line with his worldview, taking a more adversarial approach to the nations top academic institutions over conservative complaints that schools are promoting leftist ideologies.

Earlier this month, the administration suspended $400 million in grants at Columbia University following accusations by Jewish students of antisemitism at the school stemming from the protests over the Israel-Hamas war. The administration has moved to deport students who participated in the demonstrations, including Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist who led protests at Columbia.

The administration has also targeted schools over their diversity, equity and inclusion practices and policies on transgender athletes, including freezing $175 million to the University of Pennsylvania, citing policies over who is allowed to compete in womens sports. Trump is set to attend the NCAA wrestling championships this weekend in Philadelphia.

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Loan Portfolio

Atop that list is the departments role overseeing federal loans held by roughly 43 million Americans  or about one in six US adults. Trumps moves to hollow out the Education Department have already sparked anxiety among student borrowers, who collectively hold more than $1 trillion in debt, about how changes may affect loan collection or forgiveness programs.

Trump previously floated moving the loan portfolio to other agencies such as the Treasury, Commerce Department or Small Business Administration but Leavitt earlier Thursday said student loans and Pell Grants would continue to be administered by the Education Department.

During the school year that ended in 2024, nearly $121 billion in federal grants, loans and work-study payments were distributed to almost 10 million students, according to a 2024 fiscal year report. The department also administers the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which about 17 million prospective students complete annually to help determine their eligibility for funding.

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McMahon has said the department will fulfill obligations mandated by Congress. The Education Department touted this week that more than 8 million 202526 FAFSA applications have been processed.

Conservatives have also floated moving the departments assistance programs for students with disabilities to Health and Human Services, making the State Department responsible for the Fulbright-Hayes Program which provides grants to study abroad, and having the Interior Department take on administrating grants to schools in Indigenous communities.

It is uncertain how much authority and responsibility Trump can transfer to the states. Much of the money controlled by the Education Department is dispersed according to federal laws, which would presumably still be in effect even if the departments functions are eliminated.

Local and state officials, not the federal department, already have primary control of school curricula, testing and other priorities across the US. Other agencies also have a role in federal education policies; the Department of Defense oversees military schools and schools on tribal lands are overseen by the Bureau of Indian Education, which is part of the Interior Department.

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While conservatives have long sought to dismantle the department, the push received new impetus in recent years with the right criticizing Covid-19 pandemic school closures and teachings on race, gender and sexuality in schools.

The key to improving education is empowering parents and students and reducing the role of Washington bureaucrats, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg, a Michigan Republican, said in a statement.

The president also sought to deflect criticism from teachers unions, calling educators among the most important people in this country.

Were going to take care of our teachers. And I dont care if theyre in the union or not in the union, that doesnt matter, Trump said.

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Legal Challenges

Trumps move is also likely to spur another round of legal challenges, with controversial elements of Trumps second-term agenda already facing judicial scrutiny. Trumps efforts to scale back the government, particularly through his Department of Government Efficiency effort spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, have drawn lawsuits from contractors, public-sector unions and others.

This executive order is nothing more than an illegal overreach of executive power designed to unemploy dedicated civil servants and decimate the critical services they provide to millions of Americans across this country, Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents over 2,800 workers at the department, said in a statement.

Trump has also moved to limit student-debt relief for public servants, a move that could also draw lawsuits.

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Still, the administration has effectively managed to gut other federal agencies established by law, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the US Agency for International Development, and efforts at the Education Department are already underway.

As part of the recent reduction in force the department fired hundreds of personnel in the Federal Student Aid Office and the Office of Civil Rights, according to a department-compiled list seen by Bloomberg News. Entire teams were eliminated, a senior department official told reporters.

(Updates with background on Trump actions targeting universities)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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2025 Bloomberg L.P.
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  The White House says the U.S. is making progress on ending the war in Ukraine after President Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday.

However, the conflict is still ongoing. Late Tuesday, patients evacuated a Ukrainian hospital after Russian strikes.

Attacks like these are precisely why President Trump is committed to peace. It is time for the death and destruction to stop, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

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Bruce says the U.S. is getting closer to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, but theres still a ways to go.

The shooting has to stop first, Bruce said.

President Trump spoke on the phone with President Zelenskyy Wednesday. He posted on Truth Social it was a very good phone call, and said the U.S. is on track to ending the war.

We have never been closer to peace than we are today, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says Zelenskyy agreed to a partial 30-day ceasefire on energy infrastructure.

She says the president also floated having the U.S. run Ukraines nuclear plants.

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American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Leavitt said.

The call with Zelenskyy comes after the president spoke with President Vladimir Putin Tuesday. Thats when he agreed to pause strikes on energy infrastructure but stopped short of agreeing to a ceasefire.

U.S. officials say thats progress.

Were moving toward a full ceasefire and a longstanding peace in this conflict and thats great news for the American public, Leavitt said.

The White House says negotiators will meet in Saudi Arabia later this week to try to expand the partial ceasefire and end the fighting.

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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 DC News Now | Washington, DC.
By Jeff Mason and James Oliphant

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Flanked by students and educators, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order intended to essentially dismantle the federal Department of Education, making good on a longstanding campaign promise to conservatives.

The order is designed to leave school policy almost entirely in the hands of states and local boards, a prospect that alarms liberal education advocates.

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Thursday's order was a first step "to eliminate" the department, Trump said at a signing ceremony in the East Room of the White House. Shuttering the agency completely requires an act of Congress, and Trump lacks the votes for that.

"We're going to be returning education, very simply, back to the states where it belongs," said Trump in front of a colorful backdrop of state flags.

Young students invited to the event sat at classroom desks encircling the president and signed their own mock executive orders alongside him.

The signing followed the department's announcement last week that it would lay off nearly half of its staff, in step with Trump's sweeping efforts to reduce the size of a federal government he considers to be bloated and inefficient.

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Education has long been a political lightning rod in the United States. Conservatives favor local control over education policy and school-choice options that help private and religious schools, and left-leaning voters largely support robust funding for public schools and diversity programs.

But Trump has elevated the fight to a different level, making it part of a generalized push against what conservatives view as liberal indoctrination in America's schools from the university level down to K-12 instruction.

He has sought to re-engineer higher education in the United States by reducing funding and pushing to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies at colleges and universities, just as he has in the federal government.

Columbia University, for example, faced a Thursday deadline to respond to demands to tighten restrictions on campus protests as preconditions for opening talks on restoring $400 million in suspended federal funding.

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The White House also argues the Education Department is a waste of money, citing mediocre test scores, disappointing literacy rates and lax math skills among students as proof that the return on the agency's trillions of dollars in investment was poor.

Local battles over K-12 curricula accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic, which saw parents angrily confront officials at school board meetings nationwide. It was a discontent that Trump, other Republican candidates and conservative advocacy groups such as Moms for Liberty tapped into.

Trump was joined at the ceremony by Republican governors such as Greg Abbott of Texas and Ron DeSantis of Florida.

Democrats acknowledged on Thursday that Trump could effectively gut the department without congressional action.

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Donald Trump knows perfectly well he cant abolish the Department of Education without Congress - but he understands that if you fire all the staff and smash it to pieces, you might get a similar, devastating result," U.S. Senator Patty Murray said in a statement.

SEEKING CLOSURE

Trump suggested on Thursday that he will still seek to close down the department entirely, and that he wants Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who attended the White House event, to put herself out of a job.

The department oversees some 100,000 public and 34,000 private schools in the United States, although more than 85% of public school funding comes from state and local governments. It provides federal grants for needy schools and programs, including money to pay teachers of children with special needs, fund arts programs and replace outdated infrastructure.

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It also oversees the $1.6 trillion in student loans held by tens of millions of Americans who cannot afford to pay for college outright.

For now, Trump's executive order aims to whittle the department down to basic functions such as administering student loans, Pell Grants that help low-income students attend college and resources for children with special needs.

"We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible," Trump said. "It's doing us no good."

Though Republicans control both chambers of Congress, Democratic support would be required to achieve the needed 60 votes in the Senate for such a bill to pass. At the event, Trump said the matter may ultimately land before Congress in a vote to do away with the department entirely.

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Trump has acknowledged that he would need buy-in from Democratic lawmakers and teachers' unions to fulfill his campaign pledge of fully closing the department. He likely will never get it.

"See you in court," the head of the American Federation of Teachers union, Randi Weingarten, said in a statement.

A majority of the American public do not support closing the department.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll found last month that respondents opposed shuttering the Department of Education by roughly two to one - 65% to 30%. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted online and nationwide, surveyed 4,145 U.S. adults and its results had a margin of error of about 2 percentage points.

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Federal aid tends to flow more to Republican-leaning states than Democratic ones. It accounted for 15% of all K-12 revenue in states that voted for Trump in the 2024 election, compared with 11% of revenue in states that voted for his Democratic rival Kamala Harris, according to a Reuters analysis of Census Bureau data.

Two programs administered by the Department of Education -- aid for low-income schools and students with special needs -- are the largest of those federal aid programs.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason and James Oliphant; Additional reporting by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Alistair Bell and Daniel Wallis)
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR)  President Donald Trump is taking steps to gut the Department of Education.

This comes after the Trump administration fired 1300 workers from the agency this month.

The White House says Thursdays executive order will put education back in the hands of states.

Education advocates call the presidents actions illegal and are already promising to fight back in court.

Much needed action to return education where it belongs, and thats to educators closest to students in their classrooms, said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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The White House argues the agency has gone from a public resource to a public drain on taxpayer dollars, with little return in investment.

Our childrens test scores are incredibly concerning, said Leavitt.

Congress created the agency in 1979 to combat segregation. It sends billions to public schools each year, which makes up about 14% of K -12 school budgets.

Education groups, including the National Education Association, are not convinced.

I dont even know if our states have the capacity to do the administration that will need to be done, Princess Moss, Vice President of the National Education Association.

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Democrats, like Congressman Andre Carson, say low-income students and students with disabilities are sure to bear the brunt.

The watch dogs were essentially fired. It would absolutely gut the rights of students with disabilities. Ask any parent. We should not cut corners when it comes to a childs education, said Carson.

The Department of Education currently oversees more than a trillion dollars in federal student loan programs. The White House says the federal agency will continue oversight of Pell grants and student loans.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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 | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live.
UPDATE (March 20, 2025, 5:14 p.m. ET): A federal judge in the Eastern District of Virginia ruled Thursday that Badar Khan Suri shall not be removed from the United States unless and until the Court issues a contrary order.

Federal immigration authorities are seeking to deport a Georgetown University graduate student from India, accusing him of spreading Hamas propaganda online and of harboring ties to the U.S.-designated terror group.

Badar Khan Suri, who is in the U.S. on a student visa, was arrested Monday night outside his home in Arlington, Virginia, by agents who said they were with the Department of Homeland Security, his lawyer Hassan Ahmad told NBC News.

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Ahmad has filed a habeas petition on Suris behalf seeking his release from a Louisiana detention facility, where he is currently being held.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, claimed in a post on X that Suri was spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media, and that he has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas.

The department has not presented details about its allegations against Suri or evidence that he committed any crime, his lawyer said in the petition. Suri has not been charged and has no criminal record, according to Ahmad.

Georgetown has said that it is not aware of any illegal activity on Suris part and that it has not been informed of a reason for his detention.

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McLaughlin said Secretary of State Marco Rubio deemed Suri deportable under the same provision that the administration has invoked in its attempt to remove Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a legal U.S. permanent resident, from the country.

According to Politico, which first reported Suris arrest, Ahmad argued in the petition that Suri is being punished because his wife, a U.S. citizen, is of Palestinian heritage, and because the administration suspects them of opposing U.S. foreign policy toward Israel. The petition also states that Suris wife previously worked for Al Jazeera and has been accused of having ties with Hamas. (Politico obtained a physical copy of the petition, which is not publicly available and has not been reviewed by MSNBC or NBC News.)

Ahmad told The New York Times that although he is still looking into the case, he believed the accusations are connected to Suris father-in-law, who the Times reported is a former adviser to Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas late political chief. Suris father-in-law, who lives in Gaza, told the Times that he left his position in the Hamas government more than a decade ago. He also told the Times that Suri is not involved in any political activism, including on Hamas behalf.

According to his profile on the universitys website, Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at the Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He has a doctorate in peace and conflict studies from the Nelson Mandela Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi.

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The Trump administration has sought to detain and deport a number of noncitizens, characterizing them as Hamas sympathizers for their public opposition to Israels military assault on Gaza and United States support for Israel. Civil rights advocates have said the administration is targeting legal immigrants based on their political views, in violation of their First Amendment rights.

This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
A harvester crane processes a log on a thinning project in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. The project was led by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, the result of growing efforts by state agencies to conduct work on federal land. President Donald Trump's plans to increase logging on federal lands will depend heavily on states' cooperation, experts say. (Courtesy of Washington State Department of Natural Resources)

Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders to increase logging in national forests and on other federal lands.

Trumps orders direct federal agencies to set aggressive targets for timber harvests and to circumvent environmental laws such as the Endangered Species Act that protect critical habitats.

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State officials and forestry experts say Trumps plan relies heavily on state land management agencies to carry it out. Most states say theyll cooperate to some extent  especially to boost wildfire prevention projects. But most states also are concerned that federal workforce cuts will undermine their goals, and some worry about loosening environmental standards.

Its 100% dependent on state partnerships, said Dallin Brooks, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association trade group. It really is contingent on the states going in and helping. The states have the expertise, the manpower, the local desire, and theyre less likely to face battles on the environmentalist front.

Leaders in liberal-leaning states say theyve invested heavily in wildfire resilience work on federal forests. Theyre cautiously optimistic that Trumps orders could allow them to expand such projects. But they oppose efforts to slash environmental regulations to boost commercial logging.

Meanwhile, foresters in conservative-leaning states say they welcome the chance to increase domestic timber production and help a struggling industry.

States role

Over the past decade, states have played an increasing role in many of the projects on federal lands, from logging to thinning to habitat restoration. Foresters say state agencies often have a stronger workforce and more efficient contracting systems. By letting states take the lead, using partnerships such as the Good Neighbor Authority, the U.S. Forest Service has unlocked hundreds of projects spanning nearly every national forest.

We almost end up becoming like an easy button, said Trevor McConchie, who leads the federal lands program with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

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Meanwhile, Trump fired 3,400 Forest Service employees last month, who have since been temporarily reinstated. But the agency is poised to shed another 7,000 employees in the coming months, E&E News reported. The cuts are likely to increase the feds reliance on state partners.

The Forest Service is cutting staff left and right, so theyre offloading to the states the ability to carry out this logging, said Randi Spivak, public lands policy director with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit. Some states can do good work. But I fear so many states will not.

The Forest Service did not respond to a Stateline interview request.

State leaders say theyre still evaluating Trumps executive orders, but may find some benefits.

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If this results in new opportunities to partner for forest health work, fuels reduction, things that are beneficial for our interest as a state, I want to find and seize those opportunities, said Dave Upthegrove, the Washington state commissioner of public lands. We wouldnt partner in something if we felt it didnt meet our departments rigorous environmental standards.

Since 2019, the state DNR has led projects to thin dense forests and restore habitat on more than 25,000 acres of federal forests.

Other states are taking a similar approach.

If this helps achieve some of the work we need to make our forests more resilient to fire, that would be hopeful, said Chief Matthew Reischman, deputy director of resource management with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. We have a huge focus on treating federal lands.

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Reischman said that 50% to 60% of the state funding California spends on forest health projects is put toward work in national forests and other federal lands. State investments have funded projects covering 300,000 acres on those lands.

The states have the expertise, the manpower, the local desire, and theyre less likely to face battles on the environmentalist front.

 Dallin Brooks, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association

Oregon has also made significant investments in projects in national forests.

To the extent that [Trumps executive orders] allow us to continue this work, we would welcome that, said Kyle Sullivan-Astor, federal forest restoration program lead with the Oregon Department of Forestry. Were not interested in skirting around [environmental] laws or doing anything that is not in line with the mission of the agency.

Boosting timber

In other states, foresters see an opportunity to increase the domestic timber supply and bring back jobs in rural communities.

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We have a lot of mills that are just barely making it right now, Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris said. We have to quickly find where to get more timber to offer.

Norris said the states partnerships to work on federal land will drastically increase because of Trumps orders. She said her agency welcomes the feds loosening of environmental regulations as well. But she said the cuts to staff at the Forest Service and other agencies could undermine Trumps goals.

It has been such a disruption, Norris said. One of the things weve all looked at as the Forest Service workforce reduces is how we use the states strength in contracting systems and timber sale efficiencies on these federal lands. Its become more real than ever that we need to be doing that.

Brooks, of the hardwood lumber group, said the timber industry depends on a strong federal workforce.

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[The Forest Service] accidentally fired all their tree markers, he said. You cant log it if you cant mark the trees. Then they brought them all back. We all want to see less waste from the government, but there is a need for those workers.

In Utah, State Forester Jamie Barnes said state leadership has proven to be a good model for projects on federal land.

Its a lot more efficient, its an easier way to get business done, its a better way to coordinate between industry and the local community, she said.

Barnes said Utah has invested heavily in reducing wildfire risk on federal lands, while partnering with the feds on efforts to boost the timber industry. She called Trumps executive orders long overdue, but said the state is still analyzing the details.

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Utah leaders are also assessing how they might fill gaps caused by the Forest Service layoffs, which could include hiring seasonal workers at the state level. But Barnes expressed confidence that Trumps actions were a strong first step toward reviving the states timber economy.

In Idaho, state forestry officials conduct projects on about 5,000 acres of federal lands each year, including 3,000 acres of timber harvesting. The state views federal lands as critical for its timber industry and aims to support Trumps efforts to increase logging, said Jon Songster, federal lands bureau chief with the Idaho Department of Lands.

More concerns

Environmental groups say Trumps orders, especially those overriding conservation protections, will have devastating effects.

This is going to get carried out in a really horrific fashion, said Spivak, of the Center for Biological Diversity. [Some states] have been chomping at the bit because they look at national forests as places where they can log, log, log.

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Spivak said unchecked logging will focus on the biggest mature trees, which are most important for animal habitat, wildfire resilience and carbon storage. And she noted that large timber projects can cause erosion that damages critical watersheds.

Some state leaders say theyre keeping a wary eye on Trumps regulatory rollbacks.

Were looking to partner where we have shared interests and values, said Upthegrove, the Washington official. It doesnt mean were going to jump in and be a partner for the federal agencies to do anything they want.

Timber industry leaders claim the uptick in work on federal lands will mostly be focused on thinning projects and forest health initiatives. They say wood products are needed to address the national housing shortage. And they agree that states role will be critical.

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Its really up to the individual states and how heavily invested they want to be in this model, said Nick Smith, public affairs director with the American Forest Resource Council, a timber industry group. The Forest Service has a tough job in managing tens of millions of acres, and it needs to lean on its state partners for all the work that needs to be done.

Smith said state agencies should look to increase their own staffing numbers if they aim to help the timber industry increase its production.

Many foresters noted that some regions no longer have the lumber mill capacity to process the wood Trump is directing the feds to harvest. Upthegrove said Trumps orders take an if you build it, they will come approach. But he noted that companies may be unwilling to invest in building more mills to fulfill Trumps plan, given how often his actions have been overturned by the courts.

Oregon officials offered a similar assessment.

The backdrop is the mill closures and mill curtailment happening in Oregon, Sullivan-Astor said. These executive orders perhaps present a first step, but the private sector would need more certainty, because it would require a significant investment [to increase mill capacity].

In Wyoming, Norris said the state is committed to reviving its mill infrastructure and workforce.

Were going to do our job; were going to make wood available to industry, she said.

Trumps plan to scale up timber production coincides with his trade war with Canada. The U.S. imports about 30% of its softwood lumber from Canada, primarily for use in construction. Smith said American companies can increase domestic production. He noted that federal lands currently only produce about 6% to 8% of the nations timber supply.

Brooks, of the hardwood lumber group, agreed that the industry can produce more domestic wood. But he said Trumps tariffs have hurt his sector, because hardwood products get shipped back and forth across the border for processing.

Meanwhile, several state leaders said Trumps cuts to the Forest Service could limit the agencys capacity to fight wildfires, leading to conflagrations that burn the very trees theyre planning to harvest.

Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at abrown@stateline.org.

SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Mar. 20Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders to increase logging in national forests and on other federal lands.

Trump's orders direct federal agencies to set aggressive targets for timber harvests and to circumvent environmental laws such as the Endangered Species Act that protect critical habitats.

State officials and forestry experts say Trump's plan relies heavily on state land management agencies to carry it out. Most states say they'll cooperate to some extent  especially to boost wildfire prevention projects. But most states also are concerned that federal workforce cuts will undermine their goals, and some worry about loosening environmental standards.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

"It's 100% dependent on state partnerships," said Dallin Brooks, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association trade group. "It really is contingent on the states going in and helping. The states have the expertise, the manpower, the local desire, and they're less likely to face battles on the environmentalist front."

Leaders in liberal-leaning states say they've invested heavily in wildfire resilience work on federal forests. They're cautiously optimistic that Trump's orders could allow them to expand such projects. But they oppose efforts to slash environmental regulations to boost commercial logging.

Meanwhile, foresters in conservative-leaning states say they welcome the chance to increase domestic timber production and help a struggling industry.

States' role

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Over the past decade, states have played an increasing role in many of the projects on federal lands, from logging to thinning to habitat restoration. Foresters say state agencies often have a stronger workforce and more efficient contracting systems. By letting states take the lead, using partnerships such as the Good Neighbor Authority, the U.S. Forest Service has unlocked hundreds of projects spanning nearly every national forest.

"We almost end up becoming like an easy button," said Trevor McConchie, who leads the federal lands program with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

Meanwhile, Trump fired 3,400 Forest Service employees last month, who have since been temporarily reinstated. But the agency is poised to shed another 7,000 employees in the coming months, E&E News reported. The cuts are likely to increase the feds' reliance on state partners.

"The Forest Service is cutting staff left and right, so they're offloading to the states the ability to carry out this logging," said Randi Spivak, public lands policy director with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit. "Some states can do good work. But I fear so many states will not."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

The Forest Service did not respond to a Stateline interview request.

State leaders say they're still evaluating Trump's executive orders, but may find some benefits.

"If this results in new opportunities to partner for forest health work, fuels reduction, things that are beneficial for our interest as a state, I want to find and seize those opportunities," said Dave Upthegrove, the Washington state commissioner of public lands. "We wouldn't partner in something if we felt it didn't meet our department's rigorous environmental standards."

Since 2019, the state DNR has led projects to thin dense forests and restore habitat on more than 25,000 acres of federal forests.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Other states are taking a similar approach.

"If this helps achieve some of the work we need to make our forests more resilient to fire, that would be hopeful," said Chief Matthew Reischman, deputy director of resource management with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "We have a huge focus on treating federal lands."

Reischman said that 50% to 60% of the state funding California spends on forest health projects is put toward work in national forests and other federal lands. State investments have funded projects covering 300,000 acres on those lands.

The states have the expertise, the manpower, the local desire, and they're less likely to face battles on the environmentalist front.  Dallin Brooks, executive director of the National Hardwood Lumber Association

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Oregon has also made significant investments in projects in national forests.

"To the extent that [Trump's executive orders] allow us to continue this work, we would welcome that," said Kyle Sullivan-Astor, federal forest restoration program lead with the Oregon Department of Forestry. "We're not interested in skirting around [environmental] laws or doing anything that is not in line with the mission of the agency."

Boosting timber

In other states, foresters see an opportunity to increase the domestic timber supply and bring back jobs in rural communities.

"We have a lot of mills that are just barely making it right now," Wyoming State Forester Kelly Norris said. "We have to quickly find where to get more timber to offer."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Norris said the state's partnerships to work on federal land will drastically increase because of Trump's orders. She said her agency welcomes the feds' loosening of environmental regulations as well. But she said the cuts to staff at the Forest Service and other agencies could undermine Trump's goals.

"It has been such a disruption," Norris said. "One of the things we've all looked at as the Forest Service workforce reduces is how we use the state's strength in contracting systems and timber sale efficiencies on these federal lands. It's become more real than ever that we need to be doing that."

Brooks, of the hardwood lumber group, said the timber industry depends on a strong federal workforce.

"[The Forest Service] accidentally fired all their tree markers," he said. "You can't log it if you can't mark the trees. Then they brought them all back. We all want to see less waste from the government, but there is a need for those workers."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Utah, State Forester Jamie Barnes said state leadership has proven to be a good model for projects on federal land.

"It's a lot more efficient, it's an easier way to get business done, it's a better way to coordinate between industry and the local community," she said.

Barnes said Utah has invested heavily in reducing wildfire risk on federal lands, while partnering with the feds on efforts to boost the timber industry. She called Trump's executive orders "long overdue," but said the state is still analyzing the details.

Utah leaders are also assessing how they might fill gaps caused by the Forest Service layoffs, which could include hiring seasonal workers at the state level. But Barnes expressed confidence that Trump's actions were a strong first step toward reviving the state's timber economy.

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

In Idaho, state forestry officials conduct projects on about 5,000 acres of federal lands each year, including 3,000 acres of timber harvesting. The state views federal lands as critical for its timber industry and aims to support Trump's efforts to increase logging, said Jon Songster, federal lands bureau chief with the Idaho Department of Lands.

More concerns

Environmental groups say Trump's orders, especially those overriding conservation protections, will have devastating effects.

"This is going to get carried out in a really horrific fashion," said Spivak, of the Center for Biological Diversity. "[Some states] have been chomping at the bit because they look at national forests as places where they can log, log, log."

Advertisement Advertisement

Advertisement Advertisement

Spivak said unchecked logging will focus on the biggest mature trees, which are most important for animal habitat, wildfire resilience and carbon storage. And she noted that large timber projects can cause erosion that damages critical watersheds.

Some state leaders say they're keeping a wary eye on Trump's regulatory rollbacks.

"We're looking to partner where we have shared interests and values," said Upthegrove, the Washington official. "It doesn't mean we're going to jump in and be a partner for the federal agencies to do anything they want."

Timber industry leaders claim the uptick in work on federal lands will mostly be focused on thinning projects and forest health initiatives. They say wood products are needed to address the national housing shortage. And they agree that states' role will be critical.

"It's really up to the individual states and how heavily invested they want to be in this model," said Nick Smith, public affairs director with the American Forest Resource Council, a timber industry group. "The Forest Service has a tough job in managing tens of millions of acres, and it needs to lean on its state partners for all the work that needs to be done."

Smith said state agencies should look to increase their own staffing numbers if they aim to help the timber industry increase its production.

Many foresters noted that some regions no longer have the lumber mill capacity to process the wood Trump is directing the feds to harvest. Upthegrove said Trump's orders take an "if you build it, they will come" approach. But he noted that companies may be unwilling to invest in building more mills to fulfill Trump's plan, given how often his actions have been overturned by the courts.

Oregon officials offered a similar assessment.

"The backdrop is the mill closures and mill curtailment happening in Oregon," Sullivan-Astor said. "These executive orders perhaps present a first step, but the private sector would need more certainty, because it would require a significant investment [to increase mill capacity]."

In Wyoming, Norris said the state is committed to reviving its mill infrastructure and workforce.

"We're going to do our job; we're going to make wood available to industry," she said.

Trump's plan to scale up timber production coincides with his trade war with Canada. The U.S. imports about 30% of its softwood lumber from Canada, primarily for use in construction. Smith said American companies can increase domestic production. He noted that federal lands currently only produce about 6% to 8% of the nation's timber supply.

Brooks, of the hardwood lumber group, agreed that the industry can produce more domestic wood. But he said Trump's tariffs have hurt his sector, because hardwood products get shipped back and forth across the border for processing.

Meanwhile, several state leaders said Trump's cuts to the Forest Service could limit the agency's capacity to fight wildfires, leading to conflagrations that burn the very trees they're planning to harvest.

Stateline reporter Alex Brown can be reached at [email protected].

YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
Nearly two months into his second term in office, President Donald Trump is awaiting judicial decisions regarding his immigrant deportation plans and has not yet been able to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Mick Mulvaney, NewsNation contributor and former Trump White House chief of staff, joins NewsNations The Hill to discuss the progress of Trumps second term.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.
President Trump is considering giving up US command of Nato, held by American generals since Dwight D Eisenhower became the first supreme commander 75 years ago. This has further shaken those already panicking about the prospect that Trump might be contemplating pulling out of the alliance altogether. They are right to panic about the state of Nato  but not because of Trump.

We hear never-ending boasts that Nato is the most successful defensive alliance in history. Perhaps it was once, although that was never really put to the test.

I and many other soldiers spent years of our lives manoeuvring armoured divisions across West Germany and rehearsing battles against the Soviet 3rd Shock Army as it rolled across the Inner German Border. It never came, but was that because Nato deterred it or it just didnt intend to? Certainly Nato is no deterrent to Russian aggression today.

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Look at Ukraine. It may not be a Nato member, but when Putin invaded, its defence became Natos number one priority. Innumerable summit speeches were packed with hard-charging rhetoric from Western leaders who promised to support Kyiv to the end, and fell over themselves to be filmed with President Zelensky in his besieged capital.

But Churchillian words never measured up to his dictum of action this day. Yes, lots of military aid poured into the battlefront, but never anything like enough to allow Ukraine to prevail. Putin must have been chuckling to himself and his sycophantic henchmen in the Kremlin, as his threats of escalation and nuclear war scared Nato leaders into stumbling procrastination. No tanks, no planes, no long-range missiles. Then when they eventually plucked up enough courage to gingerly send them, it was too late, too few, and too many restrictions on their use.

As a result it looks likely Ukraine will now end up settling with Russia on Putins terms, with 20 per cent of their sovereign territory in his hands.

Weakness provokes. Imagine a new scenario. Having licked his wounds from Ukraine, Putin stirs up the ethnic Russian population in the Baltic republics. Russian militias form in Latvia, take control of Russian population centres and then invite Russia in for protection.

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What is Natos response? Even if we had sufficient troops and munitions to put up a fight, are we prepared to see British boys die for Riga? And if we wont fight for Latvia, will we then really fight for Poland or Romania if their turn comes? I dont doubt for a moment that our fighting men would advance into battle with all the bravery of the generations that went before. But I have the strongest doubts that our current crop of political leaders would have the courage to send them.

You can bet the same applies to all other Western European Nato members, who have spent decades diluting not only their military capabilities but also any sense of national pride, patriotism, identity or purpose.

US vice president J D Vance summed it up in his recent speech at Munich: Ive heard a lot about what you need to defend yourselves from, and of course thats important. But what has seemed a little bit less clear to me, and certainly I think to many of the citizens of Europe, is what exactly it is that youre defending yourselves for.

Even if Western European leaders find the funds to bring their armed forces up to effective strengths to counter the growing threats, you can be sure they will not act with the necessary urgency. And does anyone seriously believe they will send their young men and women into battle in some far-flung part of Eastern Europe against an enemy that is capable of inflicting tens of thousands of casualties on them?

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What have European navies and air forces done in Yemen against the Houthis challenge to world trade and freedom of navigation in international waters for more than three years? Precious little, even though that terrorist army cannot deal out significant harm against our vastly superior forces.

Its more comfortable to blame Trump for our woes. But Trump or no Trump, the US has no choice than to consider the whole canvas of geostrategic challenges it faces. That includes the potential for large scale coordinated aggression from China, Russia and Iran simultaneously. Given the nature of their alliances, such a scenario is not all far-fetched. It is therefore entirely reasonable to expect Europeans to bear the lions share of the burden against the Russian threat while America focuses on China and the Middle East.

Perhaps therefore Trumps consideration of handing over military command of Nato to a European general is not so irrational from a strategic perspective. But we should be realistic and admit that we can no longer rely on Nato in its current form. To restore collective defence in Europe we will need not just to rearm but to radically reform our political leadership, and that is a much greater challenge.

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The recent move by U.S. President Donald Trump to make cuts at Voice of America and other U.S. government-run media may be welcome news for Chinas ruling Communist Party.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson refrained from commenting on Trumps decision this week but took the opportunity to criticize the outlets.

I do not comment on U.S. domestic policy changes, Mao Ning said when asked about it. But as for the media you mentioned, their bad records in reporting on China are not a secret.

The Trumps administration put almost the entire staff of Voice of America on leave last weekend and ended grants to Radio Free Asia and other media with similar news programming.

Radio Free Asia has an extensive Chinese-language service and frequently reports on human rights issues, including the alleged detention of activists and repression of ethnic groups in Xinjiang and Tibet. Beijing refutes allegations of abuse.

Voice of America, also known as VOA, has a Chinese-language website that often publishes stories not covered by Chinese media, which is state-controlled. China ranks 172 out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

The Global Times, a state-owned tabloid, criticized Voice of America at length in an editorial this week.

The so-called beacon of freedom, VOA, has now been discarded by its own government like a dirty rag, it said.

Beyond China, Cambodias former Prime Minister Hun Sen, who ruled his country for near four decades as an autocrat, welcomed Trumps move.

This is a major contribution to eliminating fake news, disinformation, lies, distortions, incitement, and chaos around the world coming from the propaganda machine that President Trump has stopped funding, he said Monday in a written statement.

Clayton Weimers, USA executive director of the press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders, said that authoritarian regimes are the biggest winners from Trumps gutting of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.

Many of them, like China, are looking forward to filling the gap left by American leadership in media freedom with their own propaganda, Weimers said.

In Washington, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, the top Democrat on the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition with the Communist Party of China, said the moves against VOA and other broadcasters would severely weaken our ability to compete with Chinas ruling party and ultimately make us less safe.

The media outlets provide real reporting to millions living under authoritarian regimes, countering CPC assessment, and allowing Chinese people to question the propaganda and aggression toward the U.S. and our allies and partners, Krishnamoorthi said. KEN MORITSUGU & HUIZHONG WU, BEIJING, MDT/AP
A federal judge has temporarily blocked President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's looming plans to ban transgender service members from serving in the military, an effort that was set to go into effect later this month.

Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes didn't mince words in a ruling issued late Tuesday evening, stating that the Trump administration's ban on transgender service is "soaked in animus and dripping with pretext." The judge paused her preliminary injunction in the case until Friday, giving the government time to file an emergency stay.

"Its language is unabashedly demeaning, its policy stigmatizes transgender persons

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as inherently unfit, and its conclusions bear no relation to fact," Reyes wrote. "Thus, even if the court analyzed the military ban under rational basis review, it would fail."

Read Next: First Space Force Guardian Launched into Space Returns with Stranded Astronauts

Reyes' ruling was praised by LGBTQ+ advocates as well as transgender service members who spoke with Military.com.

Col. Bree Fram, an openly transgender Space Force officer who told Military.com on Wednesday she was expressing her personal views and not those of the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force, said she appreciated the ruling and pointed out that transgender troops have been meeting military standards.

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"Transgender troops are glad that the court noted our service records are 'Exhibit A for the proposition that transgender persons can have the warrior ethos, physical and mental health, selflessness, honor, integrity, and discipline to ensure military excellence,'" Fram said, recalling Reyes words. "We will continue to show that we meet or exceed all standards and look forward to the day where that is no longer questioned and we can continue accomplishing the missions we've been assigned."

Shortly after Trump's late January executive order aimed at banning transgender service members from the ranks, two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups quickly filed lawsuits representing transgender service members and recruits, Military.com previously reported.

The organizations that filed suit, GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders, known as GLAD Law, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, issued a news release saying they believed the ruling would withstand the appeals process.

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"[Tuesday's] decisive ruling speaks volumes," GLAD Law Senior Director of Transgender and Queer Rights Jennifer Levi said in a news release. "The court's unambiguous factual findings lay bare how this ban specifically targets and undermines our courageous service members who have committed themselves to defending our nation. Given the court's clear-eyed assessment, we are confident this ruling will stand strong on appeal."

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller decried the judge's decision in a post on the social media platform X.

"District court judges have now decided they are in command of the armed forces.  Is there no end to this madness?" Miller wrote Tuesday.

Reyes, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, had strongly rebuked many arguments made by Justice Department lawyers during oral arguments last month, including asking one government attorney, "You tell me whether this feels discriminatory," Military.com previously reported.

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Trump issued a transgender service ban during his first term, which also was fought in the court system but was ultimately approved by the Supreme Court in 2019. Biden lifted the ban shortly after taking office in 2021.

Trump's newest executive order during his second term, and Pentagon guidance following it, went even further than his first attempt, which limited new transgender service members from joining and allowed current members to keep serving.

The new policy being rolled out by the Pentagon and administration would separate any service member who has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria or those who have had gender-affirming surgery or hormone therapy. Advocates have previously told Military.com its essentially impossible for transgender troops to keep serving under the strict guidelines required to obtain a waiver.

The Pentagon does not directly track troops who identify as transgender, and the estimated number of those in uniform varies greatly. A Rand Corp. study from 2016 indicated as many as 6,000, and one study from the University of California Los Angeles's Williams Institute claimed upward of 15,000.

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"The court's opinion is long, but its premise is simple," Reyes wrote. "In the self-evident truth that 'all people are created equal,' all means all. Nothing more. And certainly nothing less."

Related: 'Unadulterated Animus': Judge Tears into Trump Administration at Hearing on Transgender Military Ban
Trump's censorship knows no bounds

Boeing B29 Superfortress Enola Gay August 1945 atomic bomb was targeted at Hiroshima Japan 2011 Chantilly Virginia

kropic1/Shutterstock

The Enola Gay WWII aircraft, which dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.

After Donald Trump's Department of Defense removed content related to the historic plane the Enola gay just for having "gay" in its name, everyone is wondering what could be next.

Following Trump's executive orders forcing the removal of all references to DEI in the federal government, the Defense Department recently created a database, obtained by The Associated Press, of more than 26,000 images and posts that have been marked for deletion across all branches of the military. Anonymous U.S. officials told the outlet that the purge could potentially effect over 100,000 pieces of content not just on websites, but social media as well.

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Several photos were seemingly flagged for removal only because their file included the word gay, including the World War II aircraft, which dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Photos of an Army Corps of Engineers project were also slated for removal because one of the engineers had the last name "Gay," as well as a photo of Army Corps biologists because it contained data about fish, including their gender.

Just what is next? We have some predictions below, and they're equally ridiculous as real life.

Gloria Gaynor

Rio de Janeiro Brasil 2024 Singer Gloria Gaynor on the fifth day of Rock in Rio 40 years in the city of Rock

Delmiro Junior/Shutterstock

Gloria Gaynor at Rock in Rio 40 years. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2024)

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Evidently, those with "gay" in their name will not survive the anti-DEI purge.

"The Flintstones" theme song

The Flintstones cartoon cast in Freds car

Screen Gems, Columbia Pictures television division

The Flintstones cartoon cast in Fred's car

Anyone caught having "a gay old time" will be arrested and charged with public indecency. That's not even a joke  that's just what drag bans are.

Shopping

hand is seen giving a credit card to a cashier at a grocery store counter

shutterstock creative

Hand making credit card purchase at store.

You want to make transactions? Trans actions? If conservatives heard that word for the first time today, they'd call it grooming.

The Greek island of Lesbos

The little church of Panagia Gorgona situated on a rock in Skala Sykamias a picturesque seaside village of Lesbos

Georgios Tsichlis/shutterstock

The little church of Panagia Gorgona in Lesbos

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As the place where the terms "lesbian" and "sapphic" both originated, it might be best to cut things off at the source. Or just rename it the island of America.

Queries

Businessmen use smartphones with laptop SEO search icons

shutterstock creative

Man using smartphone at laptop.

Curiosity is illegal now. But with the push to dismantle the Department of Education, that might not be a problem soon.

"Send in the Clowns"

Illustrative editorial cartoon of Donald Trump as a Jack in the Box or fool with jester hat

HelloSSTK/Shutterstock

Illustrative editorial cartoon of Donald Trump as a Jack in the Box or fool with jester hat

With the amount of billionaires at Trump's inauguration, "rich" and "queer" couldn't be further apart. And "don't bother, they're here" couldn't apply more.

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A Little Night Music might not be Stephen Sondheim's most popular musical, but it's starting to become his most accurate.

Transportation

Public busses waiting in depot

Rich T Photo/Shutterstock

Public busses waiting in depot

Hope you're ready to walk everywhere.

Dick Van Dyke

Dick Van Dyke arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Press Room 2013 Los Angeles CA

Ga Fullner/Shutterstock

Dick Van Dyke at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Press Room. Los Angeles, California (2013)

This isn't a prediction. 99-year-old Van Dyke himself has said he "fortunately won't be around" for the rest of Trump's presidency.

"Deck the Halls"

Two hispanic men couple smiling confident decorating christmas tree at home

shutterstock creative

Two men decorating Christmas tree at home

"Don we now our gay apparel?" Sounds like drag to me.

Translations

Duolingo app foreign language learning app lesson on cell phone over English dictionary page

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shofiphoto/Shutterstock

Duolingo foreign language learning app lesson on cell phone over English dictionary page

Conservative complain about comedy being dead when they're the ones that killed it. I can't even joke that "learning languages other than English is woke" because it's something they already believe.

Homosapiens

Anthropology illustration human evolution from monkeys against milky way background with head brain outline i n sky

shutterstock creative

Anthropology illustration human evolution from monkeys against milky way background

After all, to ban being LGBTQ+ is to ban being human.
President Trump will sign an executive order Thursday to begin closing the Department of Education



Education Secretary Linda McMahon has already cut the department's workforce by half



Complete elimination requires congressional approval, which Trump believes he can secure

The move fulfills one of Trump's major campaign promises to return education control to states

UPDATE: President Donald Trump has officially signed the executive order to dramatically reduce the Department of Education, marking a significant step toward his promise to dismantle the federal agency. At a White House ceremony attended by Republican governors, lawmakers, and schoolchildren, Trump declared his administration "will take all lawful steps to shut down... the department" while falsely claiming widespread bipartisan support for the move.



Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified that the order aims to reduce "the scale and size" of the department rather than eliminate it entirelya change that would require congressional action. As the administration pushes educational authority back to states, questions remain about who will handle critical federal functions like civil rights enforcement and disability access compliance.

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday to begin closing the U.S. Department of Education, taking a significant step toward fulfilling one of his major campaign promises.



As NBC News reports, the order will direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," while maintaining essential services and benefits.



This action follows McMahon's recent move to cut the department's workforce by half. "That was the president's mandate," McMahon explained in a Fox News interview. "His directive to me, clearly, is to shut down the Department of Education."

Related: Rick Caruso Opposes L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Recall Effort

While completely dismantling the department requires congressional approval, Trump has expressed confidence in gaining the necessary support. Democratic lawmakers have voiced opposition, with Senator Patty Murray criticizing Trump and Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, for "robbing our students and families of critical funding."



The Education Department represents just 4% of the U.S. budget and primarily functions as a funding distributor and civil rights enforcement organization. The executive order will reportedly direct McMahon to ensure agency funds don't support diversity, equity and inclusion programs.



National Education Association President Becky Pringle warned the closure could lead to larger class sizes, reduced special education services, and weakened student civil rights protections.

Related: MLB Legend Jackie Robinson's Military Service Page Restored After Uproar

"Before federal oversight, millions of childrenparticularly those with disabilities and those from our most vulnerable communitieswere denied the opportunities they deserved," said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union.



Trump has consistently advocated for state control of education. "Your state is going to control your children's education. We're moving it out of Washington immediately," he stated at a Michigan campaign event last year.
President Donald Trump has upended the global geopolitical order in place for more than 70 years with major economic consequences that have only begun to be felt, and which wont help the U.S., according to economist David McWilliams.

The presidents terrifying Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on top of his trade war, have shocked European Union countries, said the Dublin-based McWilliams, an economist who used to work for the Irish central bank, UBS (UBS), and Banque Nationale de Paris (BNPQY) (BNP). He is now a podcaster and author of the forthcoming Money: A Story of Humanity.

We have a very radical president doing very radical things very quickly, with little or no economic coherence, McWilliams told Quartz in an interview. Theres no world in which a large dominant global player turns its back on its trading partners and gets rich. Hes not on a pathway to making America great.

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Trump has undermined the twin pillars of Americas post-World War II global policy: Atlanticism and freer trade. This world may move to a situation closer to the 1930s, carved up into competing power blocks. The U.S. will retreat to the Western Hemisphere with Russia and China taking the rest, McWilliams said.

Trump has thrown in the towel on Russia, McWilliams said, isnt really committed to competing with China in manufacturing in any proper way, and believes that tariffs are the road to economic prosperity.

For investors, that means steering clear of the U.S. for now, McWilliams said.

Theres simply too much risk in America  chaos monkeys are running the show  and thats not good for money, McWilliams said. Instead, European stocks are set to soar on German-led fiscal expansion, with weapons-makers especially likely to benefit.

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The hope is that the American economy will slow, imposing some discipline on this administration, McWilliams said. Even if this stalls the administrations program, damage has been done: The U.S. will struggle to restore government capacity eroded by Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency.

Trump thinks he holds all the cards, McWilliams said. Im not so sure. The last time someone tried to remake the world order  Germany in the 1930s  it didnt end well.

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ISTANBUL (AP)  Thousands of people gathered at Istanbuls city hall for a second night Thursday to rally against the arrest of the citys mayor, which many see as a politically driven attempt to remove a key rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from the next presidential race.

Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested in a dawn raid on his residence on Wednesday over alleged corruption and terror links, escalating a crackdown on opposition figures and dissenting voices. Several other prominent figures, including two district mayors, were also detained.

The detention of the popular opposition leader deepened concerns over democracy and sparked protests in Istanbul and elsewhere, despite road closures and a four-day ban on demonstrations in the city.

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It also caused a shockwave in the financial market, triggering temporary halts in trading on Wednesday to prevent panic selling.

Addressing the rally outside city hall, Ozgur Ozel, the leader of mayors Republican Peoples Party, or CHP, called on supporters to take to the streets to claim their rights without resorting to violence. Yes, I am calling the people to the streets, he said.

Mansur Yavas, the mayor of the capital Ankara and another popular opposition figure, joined the rally, calling on all opposition parties to join forces against injustices.

Police blocked a group of youths who attempted to breach a barricade in an effort to march toward Taksim, Istanbul's central square and used pepper spray to break them up. In Ankara, police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse a protest at the city's prestigious Middle East Technical University. Protests also broke out in the cities of Adana and Izmir.

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The Interior Ministry said six police officers were injured in scuffles with demonstrators in Istanbul.

Erdogan's party rejects accusations of interference

Critics see the crackdown as an effort by Erdogan to extend his more then two-decade rule following significant losses by the ruling party in local elections last year. Government officials reject claims that legal actions against opposition figures are politically motivated and insist that the courts operate independently.

Omer Celik, the spokesman of Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party, disputed allegations by the opposition that the detentions were government-orchestrated and urged respect for the judicial process.

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What a politician should do is to follow the judicial process, Celik told journalists. None of us have any information about the content of the (criminal) file.

He also rejected accusations leveled by the main opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, that the mayors arrest amounted to a coup saying, The name of our party, our president can only be associated with democracy  on the opposite side of a coup.

In his first comments on the mayor's detention, Erdogan accused the opposition of failing to respond to the allegations of corruption with evidence or legal arguments.

"The opposition never responds to the allegations brought forward by the judiciary," Erdogan said. Instead, they confine the matter to political slogans, resorting to the easy way of provoking their base and deceiving the public.

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Earlier, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said authorities had detained dozens of people for sharing provocative social media content related to the mayor's detention.

The authorities identified 261 social media accounts that shared posts that allegedly incited public hatred or crime, including 62 that are run by people based abroad, Yerlikaya wrote on X. At least 37 of the suspected owners were detained and efforts to detain other suspects were continuing.

Imamoglu's arrest came just days before he was expected to be nominated as the opposition Republican Peoples Party's presidential candidate in a primary scheduled for Sunday. The partys leader has said the primary will go ahead as planned.

Germany calls the arrest a bad sign

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed concern over the mayors detention, saying it was a very, very bad sign for Turkeys relations with the European Union.

Scholz said it was depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for the relationship between Europe and Turkey.

We can only call for this to end immediately and for opposition and government to stand in competition with each other, and not the opposition being brought to court, he said.

Prosecutors accused Imamoglu of exploiting his position for financial gain, including the improper allocation of government contracts.

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In a separate investigation, prosecutors also accuse Imamoglu of aiding the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, by allegedly forming an alliance with Kurdish groups for the Istanbul municipal elections. The PKK, behind a decades-long insurgency in Turkey, is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara, Washington and other allies.

It was not clear when authorities would begin questioning the mayor, who can be detained without charges for up to four days. Analysts say Imamoglu could be removed from office and replaced by a trustee mayor if he is formally charged with links to the PKK.

Imamoglu faces other charges

Before his detention, Imamoglu already faced multiple criminal cases that could result in prison sentences and a political ban. He is also appealing a 2022 conviction for insulting members of Turkeys Supreme Electoral Council, a case that could result in a political ban.

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This week, a university nullified his diploma, citing alleged irregularities in his 1990 transfer from a private university in northern Cyprus to its business faculty, a decision Imamoglu said he would challenge. The decision effectively bars him from running for president, since the position requires candidates to be university graduates.

Imamoglu was elected mayor of Turkeys largest city in March 2019, a historic blow to Erdogan and the presidents Justice and Development Party, which had controlled Istanbul for a quarter-century. Erdogan's party pushed to void the municipal election results in the city of 16 million, alleging irregularities.

The challenge resulted in a repeat of the election a few months later, which Imamoglu also won. The mayor retained his seat following local elections last year, during which his party made significant gains against Erdogans governing party.

___

Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Geir Moulson contributed from Berlin.
Turkish police have detained 37 people over social media posts in a crackdown following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, authorities said on Thursday.

A total of 261 accounts were under investigation for "provocative posts," including incitement to hatred and encouraging criminal acts, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on the social media platform X. He said 62 of the accounts are based abroad.

Imamoglu was detained on Wednesday on corruption and terrorism charges, alongside at least 87 other people, according to the state-run news agency Anadolu.

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His detention sparked outrage from opposition figures and rights groups, occurring just four days before his secular Republican People's Party (CHP) was set to nominate him as its presidential candidate.

Imamoglu is considered a possible challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in presidential elections scheduled for 2028.

Yerlikaya said over 18 million posts related to his detention had been identified on X.

It was not immediately clear if and when Imamoglu, currently held at the Istanbul police headquarters, would face trial.

If he is convicted on terrorism charges, the Turkish government could replace him with a government-affiliated official.

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In Turkey, numerous mayors from the pro-Kurdish Dem Party and, more recently, the CHP have already been removed from office due to terrorism investigations and replaced by pro-government trustees.

The removal of the mayor of Istanbul, a metropolis with a population of 16 million, would be a first.

Imamoglu urges country to stand against 'evil'

Imamoglu and the CHP accused the government of being behind the detention orders and of trying to eliminate a political rival.

In a defiant statement on X, Imamoglu wrote: "As a nation we must stand against this evil. This is my call to my people."

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He accused Erdogan's government of targeting his family and assets, calling on public officials and the judiciary to resist any abuse of power.

"I trust the honourable Turkish judiciary. You cannot and must not remain silent," he wrote.

"The mind which seized my diploma will confiscate your property, your honour, your estate, and commit all kinds of usurpation and assault," Imamoglu added.

One day before his detention, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's university diploma, a credential necessary for presidential candidacy, further hindering his potential challenge to Erdogan.

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Authorities also seized a construction firm co-owned by Imamoglu, according to state news agency Anadolu.

Despite a ban imposed by the governor's office of the Istanbul province, students at Istanbul University protested for a second day on Thursday, local media reported. University student groups called for wider protests on X.

Meanwhile, the CHP said it would proceed with Sunday's vote to nominate Imamoglu.

In addition to the official vote by party members, the CHP called on people in Turkey to symbolically vote in solidarity with Imamoglu at boxes that would be set up nationwide.

Erdogan's party denies 'coup' claims

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Thursday strongly denied the opposition's accusations of a "civilian coup."

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In a speech in Ankara, party spokesperson Omer Celik called the claims "the height of political irrationality" and denied that Erdogan's party had any links to the detention orders.

The government contends the detentions are part of independent investigations.

In 2019, for the first time in 25 years, Islamic conservatives in Turkey lost control of the capital Ankara and Istanbul. Imamoglu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor in the 2024 polls.

The loss of Turkey's economic powerhouse Istanbul was a major setback for Erdogan, whose political rise began in Istanbul, where he was elected mayor in 1994.

Germany's Scholz criticizes Turkey for detention

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday described the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu in Turkey as a "very, very bad sign."

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The detention of such a central opposition politician is "depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for relations between Europe and Turkey," Scholz said on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.

"We can only call for this to end immediately," Scholz said. The opposition should not be put on trial, but should be able to compete with the government, the chancellor said.
(Bloomberg) -- Turkish authorities said they detained 37 people over social media posts criticizing the contentious detention of Istanbuls popular mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, which triggered a market meltdown on Wednesday.

Most Read from Bloomberg

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Police identified 261 suspicious account managers, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a post on X on Thursday. The suspects made provocative statements on social media platforms, Yerlikaya said, accusing them of inciting hatred and provoking people to commit crimes. Cybersecurity forces continue conducting virtual patrols around the clock, he said.

Turkey also restricted access to major social media platforms and WhatsApp after Imamoglus detention, internet-monitoring group Netblocks said. Some users were still reporting problems accessing the platforms on Thursday.

Imamoglu, viewed as the main rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in elections scheduled for 2028 was taken into custody early Wednesday, along with dozens of others, on corruption charges. Hes denounced the move as politically-motivated just as he was preparing to formally announce his intention to run.

The selloff in Turkish assets that began following his arrest eased on Thursday as authorities announced measures to curb volatility and support the lira.

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The Turkish government has restricted access to popular social media platforms in the past, including during terror incidents and major natural disasters, mostly citing security reasons.

The countrys internet regulator has the authority to slash bandwidth under several conditions and social media platforms are subject to a long list of rules. The governments tighter grip over the platforms has worried human rights organizations, opposition politicians and other critics, who say it diminishes freedom of expression.

Late Wednesday, a local court also ordered the seizure of Imamoglu Insaat Ticaret ve Sanayi AS, the construction company where the mayor is a partner.

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{microsoft_credit="" caption="Supporters of Turkey's Republican People's Party gather in Ankara to protest against the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. Tunahan Turhan/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa"}

Turkish police have detained 37 people over social media posts following the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, authorities said on Thursday.

A total of 261 accounts were under investigation for "provocative posts," including incitement to hatred and encouraging criminal acts, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote on the social media platform X. He said 62 of the accounts are based abroad.

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Imamoglu's detention on Wednesday sparked outrage, occurring only a few days before his secular Republican People's Party (CHP) was set to nominate him as its presidential candidate. He is accused of corruption and terrorism charges.

Over 18 million posts related to his detention were identified on X, Yerlikaya said.

The CHP accused the government of being behind the detention orders for Imamoglu and 105 others, and of trying to eliminate a political rival.

The government contends the detentions are part of independent investigations.

Social media access in Turkey remained restricted, with users and media reporting slow or blocked platforms.

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The governor's office of the Istanbul province imposed a four-day ban on demonstrations, gatherings and news coverage until Sunday, the day of Imamoglu's nomination.

Despite the ban, hundreds gathered in front of the city administration building to protest Imamoglu's arrest on Wednesday.

Students at Istanbul University protested for a second day on Thursday, local media reported. University student groups called for wider protests on X.

Meanwhile, the CHP said it would proceed with Sunday's vote.

In addition to the official vote by party members, the CHP called on people in Turkey to symbolically vote in solidarity with Imamoglu at boxes that would be set up nationwide.

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It was not immediately clear if and when Imamoglu, currently held at the Istanbul police headquarters, would face trial.

If he is convicted on terrorism charges, the Turkish government could replace him with a government-affiliated official.

In 2019, for the first time in 25 years, Islamic conservatives in Turkey lost control of the capital Ankara and Istanbul. Imamoglu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor in the 2024 polls.

The loss of Turkey's economic powerhouse Istanbul was a major setback for Erdogan.
Turkeys main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on Thursday called for fresh protests in at least 14 cities and provinces, a day after the detention of popular Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

The CHP urged supporters to gather outside party offices and town centres Thursday evening, including Istanbul, in defiance of a demonstration ban imposed in the city through Sunday.

Nationwide protests had already erupted on Wednesday.

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"No sleep, no stopping for us while mayor Ekrem is in custody," CHP lawmaker Ali Mahir Basarr wrote on social media platform X.

Imamoglu, widely seen as a potential challenger to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election, was taken into custody early on Wednesday in a police raid on his Istanbul home over terrorism and corruption allegations.

Erdogan has yet to comment on the move against the mayor of Turkeys largest city.

Despite the protest ban, imposed by the Istanbul governor's office, students at Istanbul University demonstrated for a second consecutive day on Thursday, local media reported. University student groups have also called for wider protests on X.

Officials threaten action against demonstrators

The Istanbul governor's office warned residents in the city to avoid "unauthorized demonstrations," threatening legal action against those disrupting public services.

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Devlet Bahceli, leader of the nationalist MHP party and an ally of Erdogan, condemned the demonstrations on X, accusing the CHP of inciting unrest and warning protesters of "trouble."

Critics say Imamoglu's confinement was politically motivated, with CHP leader Ozgur Ozel urging supporters to peacefully oppose what he called a "civilian coup."

The detention order against Imamoglu and 105 others was followed by a government crackdown on critics.

Turkish police have detained 37 people over social media posts while 261 accounts were separately under investigation for "provocative posts," Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote Thursday on X.

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Imamoglu's case sparked domestic and foreign outrage, coming just four days before the secular CHP was set to nominate him as its presidential candidate.

It was not immediately clear if and when Imamoglu, currently held at the Istanbul police headquarters, would face trial.

If convicted on terrorism charges, Imamoglu could be removed from office and replaced by a government-affiliated official.

Turkey has previously dismissed mayors from the pro-Kurdish Dem Party and, more recently, the CHP over terrorism-related probes, but ousting the mayor of Istanbul, a city of 16 million, would mark an unprecedented move.

Imamoglu urges country to stand against 'evil'

In a defiant statement on X, Imamoglu wrote: "As a nation we must stand against this evil. This is my call to my people."

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He accused Erdogan's government of targeting his family and assets, calling on public officials and the judiciary to resist any abuse of power.

"I trust the honourable Turkish judiciary. You cannot and must not remain silent," he wrote.

"The mind which seized my diploma will confiscate your property, your honour, your estate, and commit all kinds of usurpation and assault," Imamoglu added.

One day before his detention, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's university diploma, a credential necessary for presidential candidacy.

Authorities also seized a construction firm co-owned by Imamoglu, according to state news agency Anadolu.

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Meanwhile, the CHP said it would proceed with Sunday's vote to nominate Imamoglu.

Erdogan's party denies 'coup' claims

Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Thursday strongly denied the opposition's accusations of a "civilian coup" and that the party had links to the detention orders.

The detentions are part of independent investigations, said party spokesperson Omer Celik.

In 2019, for the first time in 25 years, Islamic conservatives in Turkey lost control of the capital Ankara and Istanbul. Imamoglu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor in the 2024 polls.

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The loss of Turkey's economic powerhouse Istanbul was a major setback for Erdogan, whose political rise began in Istanbul, where he was elected mayor in 1994.

Germany's Scholz criticizes Turkey for detention

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the detention of Imamoglu as a "very, very bad sign."

The detention of such a central opposition politician is "depressing for democracy in Turkey, but certainly also depressing for relations between Europe and Turkey," Scholz said on the sidelines of an EU summit in Brussels.
Police in Turkey arrested Istanbul's mayor on charges related to corruption and terrorism, and arrest warrants were issued for about a hundred others. The mayor is a popular opposition leader and rival of the Turkish president. Meanwhile, in Mexico City, lawmakers voted to ban violent bullfighting. And a man has been convicted of stealing a $6 million gold toilet from a British palace. Juliette Goodrich has a roundup of headlines from around the world.
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March 20, 2025 Pimentel praises VAT-Free drugs, calls for wider coverage "Bawat piso na natitipid sa gamot ay malaking ginhawa para sa mamamayan!" This was the strong statement of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as he welcomed the recent inclusion of 17 new medicines in the list of VAT-exempt products, saying it can ease the financial burden of Filipinos needing medical treatment. "Every peso saved on medicine means more food on the table, more money for education, and a better quality of life for our citizens," Pimentel emphasized, urging the government to further expand VAT exemptions to cover more essential medicines. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the newly VAT-free medicines include treatments for high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, and mental illness. Among them are rosuvastatin for cholesterol management, sitagliptin + metformin for diabetes, valsartan + amlodipine for hypertension, and sertraline and quetiapine for mental health conditions. These are in addition to the previously exempt medicines for cancer, tuberculosis, kidney diseases, and other chronic illnesses. Pimentel was among the senators who voted in favor of the bill's approval on the third and final reading on September 9, 2024, paving the way for the expansion of VAT exemptions on medicines. After its passage in Congress, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the CREATE MORE Law on November 7, 2024, further strengthening tax incentives and ensuring lower medicine prices for Filipinos. "Yung VAT exemption ng mga psychiatric meds--maraming hindi nakakaalam. Ako po ang nag-push niyan noong BICAM kaya na-exempt 'yan. Kaya we are in full support sa pag-focus natin sa how to alleviate the burden for families with children or relatives with mental health problems or conditions," Pimentel said during the Marikina Candidate Forum last February 9, 2025. As a staunch advocate of affordable healthcare, Pimentel stressed the need for the efficient implementation of the VAT exemption, ensuring that the benefits directly reach Filipino consumers. "Having a law is not enough--we must guarantee that its impact is felt by the people. Medicine should be accessible and affordable for all," he said. Beyond legislative efforts, Pimentel actively supports on-the-ground healthcare programs, particularly in Marikina, where he has been involved in multi-specialty medical missions and surgical screenings aimed at providing free healthcare services to indigent patients. Thousands of Marikenos have already benefited from these initiatives, receiving free consultations, diagnostic services, medicines, and pre-surgical evaluations through the senator's program. "The people should feel the government's concern not just through laws but through direct services," Pimentel added. The senator vowed to continue championing policies that promote affordable medicines and quality healthcare, reaffirming his commitment to a more inclusive and compassionate healthcare system for all Filipinos.
The tragic deaths of 19-year-old twin brothers Qaadir Malik and Naazir Rahim Lewis on Bell Mountain in Georgia have left their family grappling with more questions than answers. Since the twins were tragically found deceased by hikers on the morning of March 8, law enforcement officers have asserted that the case was a murder-suicide. Their family, however, has declared that the siblings were protective of each other and would never hurt one another.

The brothers were discovered at the summit of Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Ga., nearly 90 miles from their home in Lawrenceville. Authorities, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), concluded in a preliminary report that one brother had killed the other before turning the gun on himself.

Theyre very protective of each other. They love each other, their uncle, Rahim Brawner, told WXIA. Theyre, like, inseparable. I couldnt imagine them hurting each other because Ive never seen them get into a fistfight before.

Casting further doubt on the polices narrative, the twins had plane tickets for a trip to Boston the day prior, and their tickets were untouched in their wallets when their bodies were found. Adding to the mystery, the family insists that the brothers had no prior knowledge of Bell Mountain or any reason to travel there.

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How did they end up out in the mountains? Brawner questioned. They dont hike out there; theyve never been out there. They dont know anything about Hiawassee, Georgia. They never even heard of Bell Mountain, so how did they end up right there? Their aunt, Yasmine Brawner, also reinforced the familys stance. They had a huge support system. We know them. They wouldnt do anything like this. To say they did this to each other? No. Something happened in those mountains, and we want answers.

Reportedly, the GBI completed autopsies on the brothers, but the official cause of death remains pending as further forensic testing continues. The family remains steadfast in their belief that the official explanation does not align with what they knew of the twins. We knew right away that wasnt true, Brawner said of the murder-suicide claim.

Determined to uncover the truth, the family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses and fund efforts to seek justice.

In a heartfelt message on the fundraiser page, Brawner wrote: In recent news reports, it was claimed that they took their own lives. My nephews wouldnt do this! They came from a family of love, and the twins wanted so much for their future. They had dreams of starting their very own clothing line.

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As of today (March 20), the fundraiser has raised $37,248 as loved ones continue their fight for clarity, justice, and accountability in the wake of their loss.

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PICAYUNE, Miss. (WHLT)  Picayune police arrested a man and a woman in connection to the death of a three-year-old girl.

Police said they responded to Crestwood Drive around 10:15 a.m. on March 18 after receiving a call about a deceased child, who was identified as Aurora Enfinger.

Hattiesburg pedestrian killed after being hit by train

Investigators suspected foul play, and the childs death was later ruled as a homicide. Detectives obtained a search warrant in the case to gather evidence, and they also recovered steroids.

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According to police, Christian and Samantha Enfinger were arrested for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

On March 20, Samantha Enfinger was charged with capital murder.

Aurora Enfinger (Courtesy: Picayune Police Dept.) Christian Enfinger (Courtesy: Pearl River County Jail) Samantha Enfinger (Courtesy: Pearl River County Jail)

This is a tragic situation and our thoughts and prayers are with the people that thought well of Aurora. We ask that you pray for those impacted by this horrible crime and never forget this beautiful child, police said.

Anyone with additional information about the case can contact Captain Rhonda Johnson at 601-798-7411.

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Update at 5 p.m.

RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA)  The number of cadets arrested after a fight at Lincolns ChalleNGe Academy is up to five as the investigation continues.

Tony Brown, Rantouls Chief of Police, provided more information to WCIA after he met with the Champaign County States Attorney and staff at the academy. He said that the investigation on Thursday included interviews with both cadets and academy staff, the latter of whom is preparing reports for police to review.

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Brown also provided details on how the fight started. Supposedly, it started over a vape pen, which the cadets werent even supposed to have to begin with. There were two separate groups or teams involved in the fight.

Decatur man accused of hiding camera at Planet Fitness granted pretrial release

A total of five cadets have been arrested, Brown added. Three of them are juveniles whom Brown could not identify. Two are 18 years old.

Those cadets are Michael McKay of Zion and Anthony Williams of Peoria. Both were arrested for aggravated battery and mob action.

In addition, McKay is facing a charge of criminal damage to property because Brown said he damaged the inside of a squad car once he was placed there.

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These are only preliminary charges that resulted in their arrests, Brown said. The Champaign County States Attorney has not formally charged them yet.

RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA)  Two people were booked into the Champaign County Jail as the States Attorney and Rantoul Police Department investigate a massive fight that broke out at Lincolns ChalleNGe Academy in Rantoul.

The jails online reporting system confirmed Rantoul Police arrested two 18-year-olds. They were booked on Thursday and could face charges such as aggravated battery and mob action. Julia Rietz, the Champaign County States Attorney, said three juveniles may also face charges. One of them is still in the hospital.

The fight happened Wednesday evening and involved 70 to 80 cadets. Thats more than a majority of the cadets enrolled in the program, as Lieutenant Colonel Brad Leighton, with the Illinois National Guard, said there are 113 cadets currently enrolled.

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Lincolns Challenge Academy Sgt. accused of attacking two cadets

That number could go down though, Leighton said, as cadets involved in the fight are officially dismissed.

Leighton called the fight a terrible incident, but said there can be unfortunate discipline issues.

Those involved made poor decisions, but those decisions shouldnt reflect the rest of the cadets who are working to make a difference, Leighton added.

Lincolns ChalleNGe Academy has been in operation since 1993 and in that time, it has helped more than 22,000 youth in overcoming their challenges, Leighton said. He added that many have gone on to serve in the military, to college, or to other vocational programs.

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However, he said the focus for right now is on the safety and security of the cadets as well as the community around them. Leighton said staff are always looking at how they can improve.

Part of the military is focused on what they can do better, Leighton said. They will look at this with an eye to improve where they can. Theres also an individual element of responsibility too.

The States Attorney and Rantoul Police met Thursday afternoon to discuss the next steps in the investigation, which is ongoing.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.
AUSABLE  A fire early Thursday morning in the Town of AuSable left two people dead, State Police said.

An autopsy performed Thursday identified the deceased as Elizabeth L. Shalton, age 65, and William E. Regazzi, age 65, according to a release by State Police.

Clinton County Director of Emergency Services Eric Day said the address of the fire was 68 Margaret Street.

The autopsy was performed at Glens Falls Hospital by Forensic Pathologist Kristen Landi, Medical Examiner.

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The cause and manner of death are still pending.

Police said they responded to the fully engulfed structure fire at approximately 1 a.m. Thursday.

Local fire departments extinguished the fire and were able to enter the residence where the two deceased individuals inside were discovered, police said.

Mutual Aid was provided by departments from Ausable Forks, Peru and Willsboro, Day said.

South Plattsburgh responded to the scene with an air truck and with an engine to Keeseville station for standby.

State Police spoke with the New York State Fire Investigators at the scene, who determined the fire was accidental and showed no signs of suspicious activity.

The Essex County Coroner was present at the scene, who ordered the removal of the deceased.

This is an ongoing investigation.
(NewsNation)  U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., faced a sometimes angry crowd at a town hall in his district this week, while his Democratic colleague, Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, says he fared a little better at his own gathering Wednesday. Both members of Congress join CUOMO to discuss the feedback theyre getting from voters.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
TYLERTOWN, Miss. (WHLT)  Tylertown neighbors are rolling up their sleeves to clean up and rebuild after a tornado outbreak on Saturday, March 15. Fifty-four homes were destroyed, and many more were left damaged.

Bobby Blansett and his wife, Donna, were trapped when their home collapsed during the storms. They escaped through a hole in the roof.

It was the scariest thing I ever been in in my life. And the grace and the mercy of God who brought me through it. And I know it wasnt a human that saved me, it was God, Blansett said.

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Next door, Steve Romero and Hailey Harts home and vehicle were also destroyed.

Mississippi tornadoes damage over 1,000 structures

The frame of it was thrown 50 yards down by the river, and everything that we owned inside the home and pieces of the home were scattered across three-acres. You know, theres no home left, said Romero.

Amidst the destruction, the couple found a symbol of hope.

On the back end of the car was the Bible opened up to Ezekiel 7:20 and an American flag in the backyard hanging from a tree, flying in the wind. So, the two things that we need most right now in the world, God and country, Romero stated.

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Both couples said theyve received an overwhelming amount of support from neighbors, churches and volunteer groups, including the Cajun Navy.

18 tornadoes confirmed in Mississippi; damage assessment ongoing

Tremendous help from the Cajun Navy. We got a brand new car behind us. We have a camper. We just paid for a camper, and we paid for some land down in Foxworth. So, well be owning that now. We wont have to rent. We will be in something we own. And theyve just been a tremendous help. Without them, we would have nothing, absolutely nothing, said Romero.

Theres not enough words to just describe how thankful we are for them and everybody else, said Hart.

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If you would like to volunteer, you can go to the Tylertown Fire Department.

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George III, king of Great Britain and its colonies at the time of the American Revolution, has been maligned unfairly.

During both the first and now the second term of President Donald Trump, commentators in the U.S. have invoked the kings misdeeds to criticize Trump. When the president bypassed Congress to create a new government agency, appointed its head and stopped payment of millions of dollars of allocated federal funds, his critics noted that he assumed the role of Congress, a power grab that supposedly made him similar to George III. According to this criticism, the president engaged in tyranny, just as the founders accused George of doing.

As a scholar of early America, I believe, however, that George III has gotten a bad rap. He was not the all-powerful monarch that Trump allegedly aspires to be.

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In the 1770s, the power of the British king was limited by the authority of Parliament. In that system, which Americans and others praised at the time as balanced, the king and the legislature each had specific duties and powers so that neither could control the government alone.

George III was not an absolutist monarch, to use the language of the day for a power-hungry ruler. The English had struggled in the previous century over the extent of the kings power. After fighting two civil wars, executing one king, and, eventually, forcing the monarch to agree to rule with Parliament rather than on his own, they believed their liberties were safeguarded.

This system, known as limited monarchy, was the pride of Great Britain. It was also admired by the American founders. As late as 1774, in his Summary View of the Rights of British America, Thomas Jefferson praised the free and ancient principles of the British constitution in which kings are the servants, not the proprietors of the people.

Trump has been compared with King George III by many writers and commentators; the White House on Feb. 19, 2024, issued the fake magazine cover of Trump crowned like a king. Various

No kingly tyranny

Britons, whether in Great Britain or the colonies, did fear a tyrant, a controlling and abusive leader.

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Some fears came from their study of political theory, which taught that government worked best when composed of various branches that represented the concerns of the different political classes.

As this theory went, an unbalanced government would descend into tyranny with a too-powerful monarch; oligarchy under a dominant aristocratic class; or anarchy with the people out of control. They believed these perils could be avoided only by maintaining balance.

Even though the British did not fear imbalance or a tyrant king in their own case, they could see the danger threatening elsewhere in Europe.

France represented a worst-case scenario. Its absolutist kings had ruled without Frances legislature  the Estates General  for more than a century and a half at the time of the American Revolution. British poet Robert Wolseleys often reprinted poem declared: Let France grow proud beneath the tyrants lust, While the rackt people crawl and lick the dust. The mighty Genius of this isle disdains Ambitious slavery and golden chains.

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Within a few years, Anglo-American criticism of kingly tyranny in France would be validated: That country descended into a violent revolution that resulted in decades of warfare and political violence, including the execution of the entire royal family.

This experience confirmed for the British and Americans that a balanced system was best and that they should count their blessings.

Why revolt?

A list of grievances held by the American Colonies against King George III, set down in Thomas Jeffersons first draft of the American Declaration of Independence, which ultimately included 27 grievances against the king. MPI/Getty Images

If the American revolutionaries admired the British system and sought to copy it in the United States, why did they reject the link to Britain and revolt in the first place?

Americans did not revolt against the nature of British government. Rather they objected to their changing place within the British Empire. The revolutionary crisis had a number of roots, but most of them arose out of changes in the management of the relationship between the American Colonies and the imperial center.

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From the 1760s, the British government took a more activist role in its American Colonies, limiting their geographical expansion and imposing taxes directly on the population. In the past, Colonists had been free to move west, challenged only by the indigenous residents who fought to defend their lands.

Now the British government, aiming to put an end to these wars, blocked expansion. At the same time, to pay down the debt accrued in recent war with France  and fought in part in North America  the government levied taxes not via the Colonial legislatures, as it had before, but directly on residents. This change sparked revolt and, eventually, revolution.

Turning on the king

American Colonists pull down a statue of King George III in New York City during the American Revolution. Corbis via Getty Images

Before 1776, the Colonists believed that George III would come to their rescue and halt these changes imposed by Parliament. They thought initially that he did not realize how the new policies affected them.

Only in 1776 did they accept that George III supported the policy changes and would not defend their rights. It was in that context that they turned on him and declared him tyrannical, blaming him for the new policies and calling for a break with Britain. As the Declaration of Independence said: The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.

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Although they complained about the tyranny of George III, their true objection was that their subordinate position within the empire gave them little leverage when opposing policies that king and Parliament agreed to impose on them.

Once independent, the founders created a system that imitated the British model of mixed governance and created barriers  the powers of Congress and the oversight of the Supreme Court  that they hoped would safeguard their liberties against the threat of renewed tyranny.

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: Carla Gardina Pestana, University of California, Los Angeles

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Carla Gardina Pestana 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.
March 19 (UPI) -- U.S. border officials in Indiana recently seized a handful of counterfeit Botox products with a street value of nearly $10,000.

"These drugs can be expensive and hard to acquire in many locations, but cheap prices are not always the safest, especially when it comes to your health and well-being," LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's field office in Chicago, said Wednesday in a release.

Officials revealed that four boxes of counterfeit Botox vials were confiscated at an express consignment shop in Indianapolis. They added that, had the products been real, they would have fetched at least $8,500 on the market.

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These seizures of counterfeit Botox are one example of our collaborative efforts to ensure the American public is protected from illegal and harmful products entering the United States. CBP urges consumers to only purchase these medications from reputable sources," Sutton-Burke added.

In total officers seized 14 glass Botox vials at about 100 units of the drug supposedly intended to boost self-esteem by way of physical looks, one glass Botox vial with 200 units in it and 1 glass Dysport vial equaling to about 500 units of the illicit substance.

Botox, or botulinum toxin, is restricted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It cannot be imported into the United States without proper documentation due to scores of health risks.

"Unapproved products that you inject could seriously hurt you," stated Melvin Dennis, CBP's acting port director in Indianapolis. "They are manufactured in unregulated and unsanitary facilities with ingredients that you cannot be sure are authentic," he added.

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Three of the four shipments arrived from the same British supplier with the fourth from Indonesia, according to CBP officials.

Meanwhile, two of the packages were destined to different Michigan addresses. The other two were headed to other residences in New Jersey and California.

Federal regulators have urged American consumers purchase any pharmaceutical from a reputable source particularly to avoid unknown and possibly hazardous ingredients, and ensure proper administering by a properly trained and licensed medical professional.

Last year, at least 17 women in nine states fell ill after getting fake Botox shots, with 13 of them landing in the hospital and one who required a ventilator.
AUSTIN (Nexstar)  Just two weeks after getting kicked out of the U.S. House chambers during President Donald Trumps address to Congress, U.S. Rep Al Green, D-Houston, spoke to supporters at a Texas NAACP advocacy day event.

I want you to know that if the Congress wont act and if the court cant act because (Trump) wont abide by the rulings of the court there is but one remedy left, Green said during a fiery 50-minute speech. We the people. We the people will have the last word this country was built on we the people. The country wasnt built on DOGE. The country wont be destroyed by DOGE.

Greens removal from the House floor

After the speech, Green touched on his reasoning for what happened during Trumps speech.

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I did not go to do what I did, Green said. I left my office and I went there to peacefully protest by simply leaving.

But then Trump opened the opportunity to tell (Trump) to his face that he did not have a mandate to cut Medicaid, according to Green. (My Democratic colleagues) stood up and voiced their opinion, which they have every right to do. I dont condemn them in any way, but in doing it  my voice was sort of muted. So I voiced it again. My continuation had more to do with trying to make sure that the President heard my message So I persisted with my message and as a result of my being persistent, the Speaker (Mike Johnson) did what I believe the rules require him to do and he asked that I be removed.

Speaking on the potential for bipartisanship after his removal, his censure and pending resolutions to strip him of his committee assignments, Green said, Ill give you a great example of bipartisanship in the House. We just passed a continuing resolution. The bipartisanship consisted of capitulation, not cooperation. Here is your bill  take it or leave it. That was what we had.

Im willing to negotiate, but you have to have a partner to do it, Green continued.

Greens thoughts on school choice

While Green mostly discussed federal politics, he took time to comment on the proposed Education Savings Account (ESA) legislation  which would give taxpayer dollars to help families pay for private education. Legislation establishing ESAs sailed through the Texas Senate at the beginning of the session and is one of Gov. Greg Abbotts highest priorities.

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(In 1955 Milton Friedman) proposed vouchers as a means of maintaining segregation, Green said. I dont want to go back to a segregated society, Im an integrationist. I went to segregated schools It wasnt until I went to an integrated school that I knew what my parents had told me. They told me you were as good as anyone else. You can do whatever anyone else can do, but I didnt know it until I went to an integrated school.

In addition to ESA legislation, Green talked about what he sees as the biggest problem in Texas state politics.

The politics that have really had an impact on the Congress, on the State House and the State Senate would be the politics of gerrymander, Green said. We gerrymander to the extent that the majority in Texas has a minority of the seats. That has to change.

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March 20 (UPI) -- Federal officials have sanctioned a Chinese oil refinery, as well as an oil storage facility and their owners to cut off Iranian revenues from illicit oil sales that violate international sanctions.

The Treasury Department said it sanctioned China-based Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co. Ltd. and its legal representative and chief executive officer, Wang Xueqing, for purchasing and refining hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian crude oil.

"Teapot refinery purchases of Iranian oil provide the primary economic lifeline for the Iranian regime, the world's leading state sponsor of terror," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

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"The United States is committed to cutting off the revenue streams that enable Tehran's continued financing of terrorism and development of its nuclear program."

The State Department concurrently sanctioned the Huaying Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Terminal Storage oil terminal in China for buying and storing Iranian crude oil from a sanctioned vessel.

The Department of State says "teapot" refineries are private Chinese refineries that are the primary purchasers of Iranian crude oil. Thursday's sanction is the first against a teapot refinery.

A "shadow fleet" of oil tankers transports the Iranian crude oil to the refineries and storage facilities, often by transferring the oil to other vessels in international waters while using deceptive automatic identification system signals to conceal their locations and activities.

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The Iranian shadow fleet includes vessels linked to the Houthis in Yemen and Iran's Ministry of defense of Armed Forces Logistics,according to the State Department.

The Houthis are a designated foreign terrorist organization that attacks commercial shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The State Department and Treasury Department also sanctioned a dozen entities and eight vessels identified as part of the shadow fleet.

The vessels are flagged by many nations and owned and operated by entities in Hong Kong, China, Panama, Liberia and the British Virgin Islands.

The sanctions mean all property and interests in property of the sanctioned people and entities that are located in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. citizens are blocked and must be reported to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Violations of the sanctions are punishable by civil or criminal penalties on U.S. citizens and those of foreign countries.
(WBRE/WYOU)  Police say they have identified and charged a Romanian national who is accused of using card skimming devices to illegally access over 4,600 account numbers, including over 1,000 SNAP benefit accounts.

According to the U.S. Secret Service, Florin Doroiman is believed to be a member of an organized Romanian criminal syndicate and is currently incarcerated in Virginia.

SNAP benefits drained by card skimmers

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The case stems back to December 18, 2024, when Walmart filed the original report regarding stolen account numbers.

We have new developments in a story 28/22 News has been following that affects thousands of people in our area.

A man accused of card skimming at the Wilkes-Barre Township Walmart has been arrested and is facing multiple felony charges for possession and use of an unlawful device.

Police believe he has been committing similar crimes across the country, and hes not acting alone.

Florin Doroiman from Romania illegally obtained 4,600 account numbers from the Wilkes-Barre Township Walmart late last year. More than 1,000 of those were from EBT cards containing government benefits which help people buy groceries.

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Wilkes-Barre Township Police have announced the arrest of Florin Doroiman from Romania. He is accused of using a card skimmer to steal from thousands of peoples accounts.

Doroiman is based out of California, and authorities say he entered the country illegally.

Hes a part of an organized Romanian crew they do access device fraud, skimmers, burglaries stuff like that. Its nationwide, explained Det. Robert Capparell, Wilkes-Barre Twp. Police Department.

He was picked up in Virginia after surveillance video caught him placing a card skimmer at a Walmart in Amherst county.

Investigators say Doroiman was doing the same thing at the Wilkes-Barre Township Walmart in December of 2024.

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Nearly 5,000 cards were compromised at that store.

The skimmer was in place for 13 days before it was detected and reported to police so through all that time those are the potential victims. Those are the compromised accounts, said Det. Capparell.

More than 1,000 of those comrpomised accounts are ebt cards containing snap benefits.

28/22 News first told you about reports of peoples benefits being stolen back in January.

My food stamps went on at midnight, 5:19 this morning they were taken. All of it but one cent, stated Wilkes-Barre resident Amanda Evans. back in January of this year

Congress put a stop to refunding stolen snap benefits in December of 2024, and protections for cards here in PA are limited.

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As for the suspect, Florin Doroiman, police say hell be held in Virginia until his legal matters there are resolved there,

Then, hell be brought back to Pennsylvania for the charges he faces here.

Police hope they can use some of their information from this investigation to track down the other people involved in the suspected Romanian organized crime group.

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Former President Donald Trump with an auto worker at a rally at Alro Steel in Potterville, Michigan on Aug. 29, 2024 (Photo by Anna Liz Nichols/Michigan Advance)

Billionaire tech bros, bankers and other business leaders quickly cozied up to President Donald Trump as he took office on Jan. 20.

The last person I expected to join them was United Auto Workers union President Shawn Fain, but he has.

Just months ago, Fain and Trump were regularly trading sharp barbs. On the campaign trail, Trump relentlessly criticized Fain for supporting President Joe Bidens multibillion-dollar effort to assist Detroit automakers in their choppy transition to electric vehicles.

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Trump called Fain a stupid person, and said during his speech at the Republican National Convention in July that the UAW leader should be fired immediately.

Fain shot back, saying in October that Trump isnt fit to be an autoworker, and he certainly isnt fit to be the President.

In a speech at the Democratic National Convention in August, Fain called Trump a scabsomeone who crosses a picket line to replace workers striking for better pay and working conditions. Its the worst insult a labor leader can hurl at someone.

Shawn Fain speaking at the Detroit National Convention on Aug. 19, 2024 | Screenshot from C-SPAN

They arent exactly buddies now, but Fain sees Trumps planned 25% tariffs on cars and trucks entering the United States from Canada and Mexico as a rare opportunity to win back thousands of auto jobsnot to mention dues-paying memberslost over that past 30 years.

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Fain blames the North American Free Trade Agreement, which allows most goods to flow across the U.S., Canada and Mexico tariff-free, for many of those lost jobs. Trump renegotiated the agreement, now called the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement, in 2020.

The USMCA boosts domestic content requirements in vehicles to avoid tariffs. And 40% of a passenger cars value (45% for light trucks) must be produced in North American plants where workers make at least $16 an hour.

Still, half of the 2.8 million vehicles Mexico shipped to the U.S. last year were built by Detroit automakers. Auto factory wages in Mexico are about a tenth of what U.S. autoworkers earn. (The U.S. runs a little-known trade surplus in autos with Canada, making Trumps attacks on that country seem absurd from an economic standpoint.)

Fain is all-in on the tariffs. His union issued a statement on March 4 calling for the end of free trade among the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and said the UAW was working with the White House to shape the auto tariffs slated to take effect April 2.

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Trump said he wont back down from implementing the tariffs, as he has done before, and said he told the CEOs of the Detroit Three automakers after a meeting earlier this month, Dont come back to me after April 2.

Like Trump, Fain is an elected official who likely sees the prospect of more jobs from increased U.S. auto investment as playing well with his more than 400,000 active members.

Tariffs are a powerful tool in the toolbox for undoing the injustice of anti-worker trade deals, the UAW statement said. We are glad to see an American president take aggressive action on ending the free trade disaster that has dropped like a bomb on the working class.

Trump has said he wants every car and truck sold in the U.S. to be built here, including those that are imported from Europe and Asia. Those automakers only need to move their production here and the tariffs go away, the president has said.

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But its highly unlikely that Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, which have large assembly plants in Canada and Mexico that they have sunk billions of dollars in, will shutter them and move the production here.

Its implausible from an investment standpoint, Alan Baum, a West Bloomfield-based auto analyst, told me. Automakers and suppliers are making it clear they are not able and willing to invest billions of dollars that wont have a payback for years as a result of (tariffs) that could be temporary.

Ford CEO Jim Farley said tariffs against Canada and Mexico will blow a hole in the U.S. industry that we have never seen.

Fain is playing a risky game with a president who is no friend of organized labor. Trump visited Michigan repeatedly during his last two election campaigns but avoided union-represented shops.

The day after Biden became the first sitting U.S. president to join a picket line, which he did in 2023 at a UAW-represented parts distribution center at Willow Run, Trump visited a nonunion Macomb County auto supplier whose president said widespread electric vehicle adoption would likely put it out of business.

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Trumps administration is taking various actions designed to sabotage electric vehicle growth, including rolling back Biden administration fuel economy and tailpipe emission standards, and freezing funds to states to expand electric vehicle charging stations.

The president has said hes also considering killing federal tax credits to automakers to build EV battery plants and for consumers to buy EVs. Those moves could dry up a potential source of thousands of new auto jobs.

Already the economic uncertainty over the impending tariffs is hurting the industry as Trumps 25% tariff on steel and aluminum took hold last week. The upcoming tariffs on Canada and Mexico could hike vehicle prices by as much as $12,500, according to the Anderson Economic Group in East Lansing.

Baum said some smaller parts suppliers might not be able survive Trumps tariff madness. That could bring vehicle production to a halt because the lack of a single part can shut assembly lines.

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We saw that during Covid, he said. Vehicles sat on storage lots for months with missing parts.

The end result could be a long-term decline in auto sales by Detroit automakers and massive layoffs, the exact opposite of what Fain hopes tariffs will accomplish.

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA)  Non-tenure track faculty at the University of Illinois Springfield have reached a tentative deal with the university administration, temporarily averting a strike that could have started this week.

The Illinois Federation of Teachers announced Thursday morning that the two parties agreed upon a tentative contract the previous night. It happened after two full days of bargaining on Tuesday and Wednesday.

UPDATE: Illinois homeschool bill passes; hundreds gather at State Capitol in protest

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Our union negotiating team is glad to announce that we were able to reach a tentative contract agreement with Chancellor Gooch and her team, said Scott Fenton, an English instructor and a member of the union negotiating team. It has been a long and challenging road to secure this first agreement, but we are pleased that they worked with us in the end so we can stay in the classroom with our students. That is where we want to be.

Details of the agreement will not be released until union members and UIS leaders approve it. However, the union did say it will be in effect for three years.

Though it does not go far enough in some important areas, this tentative agreement includes basic improvements in workload and salary that better align our facultys working conditions with those of our colleagues on other U of I campuses, Fenton added. We see it is a stepping stone to critical future improvements for our members and the students we are so proud to teach. We are grateful to them both for their incredible support throughout the process.

The agreement at least delays a strike that the union filed notice for on March 7. WCIA previously reported that negotiations on a new contract have been going on for the last year, with 20 previous meetings and 11 tentative agreements on approximately 20 contract articles being negotiated.

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The strike could have begun on Monday, but two days later, the parties have come to an agreement.

Union members are expected to vote on the proposed contract by the end of the month.

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UK President Eli Capilouto (Photo by Mark Cornelison | UK Photo)

The University of Kentucky is cutting ties with the PhD Project in response to a federal civil rights investigation announced last week.

UK was among 45 universities notified that they were under investigation by the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights because of their association with the PhD Project which works with universities to increase racial diversity in business faculty.

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University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said Wednesday that an initial review found no UK doctoral students are engaged in the program but that UK has participated in the organizations conferences.

We are continuing to examine this issue, but we believe based on our initial analysis that UKs role in this organization has been limited to attendance at an annual conference. This conference is designed to encourage networking among schools to promote enrollment. Further, from that initial review, we do not have any doctoral students engaged with the program, Capilouto said in an update to campus.

In any event, we have discontinued any association with the organization, given this review and the concerns raised. We will be communicating this step to the Department of Education as we fully cooperate with its review, the UK president said.

The New York Times reported that the PhD Project, based in Montvale, N.J., said in a statement on the day the investigation was announced that it had opened its process to anyone, regardless of race or ethnicity, in response to Trump administration dictates to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The statement did not say when that decision was made.
Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF), a prestigious international law firm based in London, has been fined 465,000 (approximately 556,000) by the UKs Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) for breaching sanctions against Russia.

The firm made payments to sanctioned Russian banks following the countrys invasion of Ukraine, violating the UKs strict financial measures aimed at weakening Russias economy and military funding.

In May 2022, as HSF Moscow was winding down operations, the Russian subsidiary made six payments totalling nearly 3.93 million (4.7 million) to three Russian banks: Alfa-Bank JSC, PJSC Sovcombank, and PJSC Sberbank.

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However, these banks were already subject to an asset freeze under UK sanctions, meaning that no UK-regulated entity was allowed to provide them with funds or financial resources.

According to the OFSI, the payments showed compliance failings, insufficient due diligence, and inadequate sanctions screening during HSF Moscows closure.

Some payments were linked to redundancy settlements for employees with accounts at the sanctioned banks, while others covered audit services and insurance products.

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Our commitment to robust enforcement of UK financial sanctions is steadfast. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine must be our priority, and UK financial sanctions continue to be essential to disrupting Russias war machine and putting Ukraine on the strongest footing possible, Emma Reynolds, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said in an official statement.

The statement also confirmed that HSF London voluntarily reported the breaches to the OFSI, meaning a 50% reduction was applied to the fine.

Companies that self-disclose sanctions violations often receive more lenient penalties, as regulators encourage transparency and cooperation.

However, the OFSIs public penalty notice on HSF Moscow stressed that the fine demonstrates the bodys "firm commitment to pursuing financial sanctions breaches wherever they occur, regardless of an entitys size or reputation.

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Following the penalty, HSF London formally requested a ministerial review. A senior Treasury official then upheld the OFSIs decision, confirming that the fine was fair, proportionate, and justified under UK sanctions laws.

However, the OFSI explicitly clarified that the penalty applied only to HSF Moscow and that HSF London itself was not found to be at fault. The latter remains a key international player in advising clients on financial compliance, including sanctions.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56)  The University of Kentucky will be cutting ties with the Ph.D. Project amid a federal investigation into alleged racial discrimination.

UK President Eli Capilouto confirmed the decision after over 50 universities were under review amid the Trump administrations crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Lexington chef competing on newest season of Top Chef

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Capilouto said UKs involvement appeared to be limited to attending an annual networking conference, and no doctoral students were actively engaged in the program.

In any event, we have discontinued any association with the organization, given this review and the concerns raised, he said. We will be communicating this step to the Department of Education as we fully cooperate with its review.

Meanwhile, new state bills filed during the 2025 legislative session could impact the university going forward, including restrictions on DEI funding and changes to tenure policies.

LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS:

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Capilouto said UK would comply with all requirements while staying true to its mission.

Im confident that it will continue to guide our path as we remain focused on partnering with others to make Kentucky stronger and healthier, now and into the future, Capilouto said.

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UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has stated that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has no veto power over the potential deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine.

Source: Sky News, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Lammy emphasised that Putin must accept the proposal of ceasefire in Russia's war against Ukraine.

Quote: "That is the plan on the table, let's get on with it, what are we waiting for? What we certainly can't do is give Putin a veto over the security architecture that will govern that peace."

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More details: Putin has rejected the possibility of NATO or other Western troops being stationed in Ukraine as part of any peace agreement.

Background:

Previously, French President Emmanuel Macron also stated that Russia would have no say in the deployment of foreign forces.

Reports indicate that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans for a Western peacekeeping force in Ukraine at the coalition of the willing meeting on 15 March, with a proposed deployment of over 10,000 troops.

At the same time, Starmer noted that any post-ceasefire plans for Ukraine will require coordination with the United States.

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UK intelligence has analysed the number of Russian forces losses since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Source: UK Ministry of Defence on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK intelligence noted that the Russian armed forces have most likely lost over 900,000 soldiers killed or injured since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Of these, between 200,000 and 250,000 Russian soldiers are likely to have been killed, which is Russia's biggest loss since World War II, UK intelligence said.

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The UK suggested that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin and Russian military leadership are likely to prioritise their war goals over Russian soldiers' lives.

Quote: "They are almost certainly prepared to tolerate continuously high casualty rates so long as this does not negatively affect public or elite support for the war, and those losses can be replaced."

Details: UK intelligence stressed that Putin and the Russian leadership are likely to place much less value on the lives of "ethnic minority Russian citizens from impoverished regions, with Russian recruitment efforts consequently focussed disproportionately on these areas".

The analysis stressed that Russians from large cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg have drafted "have contributed disproportionately fewer service personnel than their poorer, ethnic minority compatriots".

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Background:

Recently, a UK intelligence analysis stated that since the beginning of 2025, the Russians losses in Ukraine have amounted to 90,000 soldiers killed and wounded.

UK intelligence also analysed the state of the Russian army as of the third year of the full-scale war against Ukraine and described its losses.

In addition, intelligence officers wrote that Russia is forcibly issuing its passports in the occupied territories, which are also the basis for conscription into the Russian army.

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The United Kingdom updated its advice for travel to the United States on Thursday, warning of harsh consequences for British passport holders who violate U.S. immigration laws.

The notice comes just a day after Germany updated its travel advice after three of its citizens were detained trying to enter the U.S.

The U.K. foreign office confirmed earlier this month that it was providing support to a British national detained in the U.S. after reports circulated of a woman detained at the border, Reuters reported.

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In its updated advice, the U.K. foreign office told citizens to comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry.

The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly, the office said. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.

According to archived versions of the U.K. website, guidance in early February only stated that U.S. authorities set and enforce entry rules, Reuters reported.

Germany this week said it was investigating the cases of three of its citizens being denied entry and placed in detention when they tried to enter through the U.S. southern border.

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Germany then updated its advisory to warn that entry through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or a U.S. visa, was not guaranteed, and U.S. border control has the final say in allowing people into the country.

A Canadian woman also said she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently, The New York Times reported.

The detainments are causing international concern among allied countries as the Trump administration vows to crack down on migration into the U.S.

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LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday it was important Britain and its allies were able to react immediately should there be a peace deal struck between Russia and Ukraine.

His comments, made during a visit to a nuclear submarine facility, come on the day military chiefs from dozens of countries meet in Britain to discuss planning for a possible peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

"(Our) plans are focusing on keeping the sky safe, the sea safe and the border safe and secure in Ukraine, and working with the Ukrainians," Starmer told reporters.

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"We're working at pace because we don't know if there'll be a deal. I certainly hope there will be, but if there's a deal, it's really important that we're able to react straight away".

(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, writing by Sam Tabahriti, editing by William James)
(Bloomberg) -- Western allies began talks to hammer out the detailed military plans underpinning an Anglo-French-led peacekeeping force, stepping up preparations for a potential truce in Ukraine despite Russian President Vladimir Putins rejection of a full ceasefire.

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UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer was due to join the second meeting of military chiefs in London on Thursday after laying the keel for the first in the next generation of Britains nuclear-armed submarines, a symbolic gesture to highlight the countrys enduring commitment to its atomic deterrent. Speaking from Barrow-in-Furness, Starmer said the timetable for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine was now coming into focus.

Starmer said the goal of the discussions was to turn the political concept into military plans that can be carried out on the ground. We dont know if therell be a deal  I certainly hope there will be  but if theres a deal its really important that were able to act straight away, the prime minister told broadcasters.

Around 30 mainly European countries have offered to contribute either troops, aircraft, naval vessels, intelligence or funding to the so-called coalition of the willing force. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan have also been part of the talks. Thursdays meeting is focusing on nuts-and-bolts operational planning, after last weeks discussion in Paris centered on what contributions each nation was willing to make.

Still, it was unclear what action the countries would be able to take without direct support from US President Donald Trump and the worlds most powerful military. UK armed forces minister Luke Pollard said that the discussions will focus on where certain assets, such as Typhoon aircraft, will be positioned, how they can be refueled and maintained and how they sit alongside resources offered by other allies.

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While Putin this week agreed with Trump to limit attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure, he rejected calls for a full ceasefire while demanding that the US and other nations stop the flow of weapons and intelligence to Ukraine. The Russian side has said it would never accept NATO troops in Ukraine.

Europe wants to ensure its well prepared for the prospect of a broader truce after the White House said this week that efforts toward that would continue immediately with further talks in the Middle East.

Military planners were expected to discuss where assets like aircraft will refuel, where will they be based, how they fit into the wider military activity on the ground and who is providing engineering support. Theyll also talk about how to backfill existing deployments, if assets or troops are moved to Ukraine, to ensure NATOs eastern flank isnt left exposed.

We want the coalition of the willing to be a credible force that will allow Ukraine to enjoy a lasting peace, and that will help Ukraine re-constitute and re-arm and deter Russia from thinking that they can themselves re-constitute and go again, Pollard told the BBC.

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Amid growing concerns about the UKs reliance on the US to maintain its arsenal, Starmer on Thursday formally marked the beginning of the construction of a new Dreadnought-class submarine. Earlier this week, he secretly met with submariners returning from a six-month nuclear deterrence patrol, his office said in an emailed statement.

The new vessel is being built by BAE Systems and is scheduled to enter service in the early 2030s. The cost of replacing the UKs nuclear submarines has spiraled and currently stands at 36.7 billion, up from an estimate of 31.5 billion in 2021, according to figures from the defense ministry.

During the visit, Starmer brushed aside concerns that the UK and US would be excluded from the European Unions new 150 billion ($160 billion) defense fund unless they signed a security pact with Brussels. Britain is currently negotiating such a pact with the EU and aims to sign a preliminary agreement in the coming months.

Im very pleased that the EU is signaling their intent to spend more on defense, Starmer said. Were continuing to have those discussions with them, because I do think theres scope for more joint work.

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Starmers visit is the latest effort by Britains Labour government to highlight the renewed importance its placing on defense in light of the perceived threat posed by Russia in particular, as well as heightened concerns that support from the US for its traditional allies is weakening under Trump. Last month, the premier slashed the foreign aid budget in order to boost defense spending to 2.5% of economic output.

While Britain insists its continuous-at-sea-deterrent is operationally independent, it relies on support from the US for maintenance. That has led to warnings from defense experts and diplomats including David Manning, the former UK ambassador to Washington, that the Britain would be exposed should Trump end nuclear cooperation.

Such suggestions would have been inconceivable previously, but we now have to conceive of them and address them because they are on the table, Manning told a parliamentary committee earlier this month.

Other countries such as France have sovereign arsenals. French President Emmanuel Macron suggested recently that its nuclear protection could be extended to other countries in Europe.

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Our commitment to the nuclear deterrent is unshakable  it is the ultimate guarantor of our national security and the security of our NATO allies, UK Defense Secretary John Healey said.

(Adds comment from Starmer starting in third paragraph.)

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Ukraine has unveiled its latest FrankenSAM, a surface-to-air missile system leveraging existing capabilities within the Ukrainian Armed Forces arsenal to help rapidly provide badly needed additional air defenses. The new system fires repurposed Soviet-era heat-seeking R-73 air-to-air missiles as interceptors and joins a growing list of ground-based air defense systems that make use of stocks of this same weapon. The R-73s primarily equip Ukraines Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter fleets.

Some details of the new system, the name of which has not yet been disclosed, were provided by the Ukrainian Militarnyi news outlet today. This describes a FrankenSAM based on a classified platform, using R-73s  an accompanying photo shows a turret-like launcher with rails for a pair of the missiles on the top. Its not clear how mobile the system is, although its location in a field suggests that it is likely either self-propelled (on a wheeled or tracked chassis) or is otherwise mounted on a towed trailer. Regardless, it looks very compact. It should also be noted that there is a possibility that at least some aspects of the photo may have been manipulated to conceal parts of the system.

The same sources say that the system is in use with the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of Air Defense and Missile Defense, with the suggestion that it may have been developed within that unit.

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Despite the advanced age of the equipment and its limited tactical and technical characteristics, we find opportunities for modernization and implementation of the latest approaches, the brigades commander, Maksym Zaichenko, told Militarnyi.

Zaichenko adds that the R-73 offers the particular advantage of being a fire and forget weapon, thanks to its infrared guidance. This means that the firing unit can change its position after firing, so as not to expose itself to a retaliatory strike. This would also suggest a relatively high level of mobility or at least portability.

Close-up of an R-73 missile loaded on an Osa-AKM vehicle, another type of Ukrainian FrankenSAM system. Come Back Alive

A schematic diagram of the R-73 missile. Public Domain

This is not the first time that Ukraine has received ground-based air defense systems armed with adapted R-73 missiles.

Earlier this year, we got our first look at the containerized, R-73-based Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system, which the United Kingdom and Denmark developed for Ukraine.

The slightly mad scientists at the UK MOD have revealed the Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system for Ukrainian service.



The entire SAM system fits in a standard shipping container, carries a pair of converted R-73 AAMs, and can be quickly deployed off the back of a flatbed. pic.twitter.com/BTF0b7LjCg  OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 12, 2025

The entire Gravehawk system fits inside a modified ISO shipping container with a retractable roof, and its intended to be emplaced on the ground before use, although its unclear if it can be employed while it is still on the back of the truck that transports it. The truck apparently associated with Gravehawk is an eight-wheeled Leyland DAF design equipped with the Demountable Rack Offload and Pickup System (DROPS), which is capable of relatively quickly loading and unloading containers.

A Leyland DAF DROPS truck with a Gravehawk system behind it. UK MoD via Forces News

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Perhaps, the new R-73-based system now revealed as being in use with the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is operated in a similar way, but without more imagery, we cant say for certain.

For targeting, Gravehawk uses a retractable sensor system containing at least one infrared sensor to spot and track targets and cue the R-73 missiles to them. Again, this is the kind of hardware that could also find its way onto the newly revealed surface-to-air missile system.

Similar, if not identical sensors, also appear on another kind of FrankenSAM that the United Kingdom previously supplied Ukraine. However, this uses the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) as its interceptor rather than the R-73 and is mounted on a 66 Supacat High Mobility Transporter (HMT).

The Ukrainian 66 Supacat all-terrain truck chassis, with a twin-rail launcher for a pair of ASRAAMs mounted at the rear. Ukrainian Armed Forces The Ukrainian 66 Supacat all-terrain truck chassis, with a twin-rail launcher for a pair of ASRAAMs mounted at the rear.

Using passive infrared sensors means that the system is not vulnerable to detection by Russian electronic warfare systems, unlike surface-to-air missile systems that rely on active radars. On the new R-73-based system there is also no evidence of an integral radar, although that remains a possibility. Datalinks could also feed the system general situational awareness and targeting data. An array of mushroom-shaped fairings atop the new system are intriguing. The purpose of these is unclear, but they could be related to some kind of passive radio-frequency detection system.

A side-by-side look at the Gravehawks sensor system, at left, and the other British-developed surface-to-air missile system for Ukraine that uses the ASRAAM, at right. U.K. Ministry of Defense via Forces News / Ukrainian Armed Forces

As TWZ has previously written about the R-73, also known to NATO as the AA-11 Archer:

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The R-73, in air-launched form, has a maximum range of 18.6 miles against a head-on target of 8.7 miles against a tail-on target. A ground-launched application would have reduced range since the missile wouldnt benefit from the speed and altitude parameters of the launch aircraft. In this case, its perhaps more relevant to look at the seeker range of the R-73, which would remain broadly the same for ground launch: 6.2-7.5 miles.



The R-73 is a high-off-boresight (HOBS) weapon, with a seeker that can articulate in any direction much farther than a traditional heat-seeking air-to-air missile with a fixed non-HOBS seeker that stares directly forward. Aided by a helmet-mounted sight, the Archer can be launched in air-to-air engagements against targets with off-boresight angles of +/-75 degrees. This gives the R-73 the potential to be a particularly potent, albeit improvised threat for locking onto and engaging dynamic targets with minimal assisting sensors when used in a surface-launched form.

It would appear that, like Gravehawk, the new system relies to a significant degree on the R-73s HOBS seeker since the launch rails otherwise offer a fixed field of fire. The launch rails themselves appear to be the same APU-73 adapters that provide the usual interface between the R-73 and an aircraft pylon.

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Ukraine has also fielded modified 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko) wheeled air defense vehicles armed with R-73 missiles instead of their usual 9M33 interceptors. This is notable for being a domestic initiative combining a Soviet-era surface-to-air missile vehicle with Soviet-era air-to-air missiles.

Come Back Alive

The Ukrainian military has also introduced R-73-armed uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), an application known locally as the Sea Dragon.

  GUR the first in the world to destroy an air target using a Magura V5 naval drone. During the battle in the Black Sea and Crimea, a Russian Mi-8 helicopter was destroyed by R-73 SeeDragon missiles.  Another similar enemy helicopter was hit by fire and was able to reach its base airfield.  MAKS 24 (@maks23.bsky.social)   2024-12-31T08:38:10.618Z

It would seem likely that the new R-73-based surface-to-air missile system is especially relevant when it comes to dealing with Russian long-range kamikaze drones and cruise missile threats. Ultimately, it might also be intended for static employment defending critical infrastructure. Regardless, the capabilities of the R-73 also make it capable of engaging fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

While the missile rails seen in the one photo published so far are specifically for R-73s, its also possible that the new systems could be adapted to fire other missiles like the aforementioned ASRAAM or U.S.-made AIM-9 Sidewinders, which Ukraine has also received.

A Ukrainian MiG-29 seen with four R-73s (and a medium-range R-27 air-to-air missile) under the wing, after returning from a combat mission over eastern Ukraine on August 2, 2023. Photo by Libkos/Getty Images

Many questions about the new surface-to-air missile system remain  not least what its called. However, its appearance underlines the fact that Ukraine has plentiful stocks of R-73s and suggests that these missiles are judged to be a very useful addition to its air defense arsenal.

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Furthermore, the appearance of the new system is another reminder that Ukraine is still badly in need of additional air defenses, with Western allies so far only providing relatively modest numbers of admittedly generally very capable systems. While there have been repeated warnings that Ukraines stocks of missiles for its existing Soviet-era air defense systems might run out, repurposing R-73s for the same role currently seems to be a useful stopgap.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com
Ukrainian troops "destroyed" a command post of the Third Motor Rifle Division of the 20th Army of the Russian Armed Forces near the village of Demidovka in Russia's Belgorod Oblast on March 18, Ukraine's General Staff reported on March 20.

The news comes days after Moscow claimed that Ukrainian troops allegedly launched an offensive on Belgorod Oblast. Russian reports emerged on March 18 ahead of the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, rejected Russia's claims, while President Volodymyr Zelensky neither confirmed nor denied Ukrainian operations in Belgorod Oblast.

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According to the Ukrainian military, Russia used the command post to plan and conduct combat operations against Ukrainian soldiers in Sumy Oblast.

Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Amid Russia's breakthrough in embattled Kursk Oblast, Zelensky said on March 15 that Russian soldiers were amassing at the border to prepare to launch an attack on Ukraine's northeastern region.

Demidovka lies around five kilometers (three miles) east of the Ukrainian border.

"Its (command post's) elimination significantly reduces the ability of the units of the Third Motor Rifle Division of the Russian Federation to operate effectively on the battlefield," the statement read.

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The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

"We have seen a new concentration of troops on the border with Sumy Oblast. We can see what they want to do  they want to strike Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts," Zelensky said on March 18 when asked about alleged Ukraine's offensive on Belgorod Oblast. "We will not let them do it so easily."

Belgorod Oblast is regularly used by Russia to launch strikes against Ukrainian territory. At the same time, Belgorod Oblast authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching attacks against the region and Belgorod city throughout the full-scale war.

Recently, multiple clashes have been reported in the region amid Ukraine's ongoing cross-border incursion focused on neighboring Kursk Oblast.

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Read also: Ukraine denies Russian claims of thwarted attempt to invade Belgorod Oblast  heres what we know

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Ukraine launched a major long-range strike on a key military airbase deep inside Russia that houses nuclear-capable bombers.

In the early hours of Thursday, a swarm of drones hit the Engels base, more than 400 miles from Ukraines front line, in the third such attack in 10 weeks, resulting in a series of explosions.

It came a day after Ukraine said it was willing to commit to the US-proposed temporary ceasefire on strikes on civilian and energy infrastructure, to which Moscow had already claimed to have agreed.

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As a clear military target, Engels  considered one of Russias most important military facilities  near the city of Saratov in southern Russia, would not constitute a breach of such a truce.

The airfield saw a giant mushroom cloud blast followed by secondary detonations of ammunition

Footage posted online showed a large mushroom cloud rising above the Soviet-era base, which hosts Tupolev Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy strategic bombers that are used to launch missile attacks at Ukrainian cities.

Ukraines defence ministry said its forces had struck the airfield and triggered secondary detonations of ammunition.

Engels is now facing serious difficulties, the Ukrainian Centre for Strategic Communication (Stratcom) reported.

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On Thursday morning, local authorities declared a state of emergency in the nearby district and evacuated residents after what they described as the largest-ever attack the region had faced by enemy drones.

The blast and secondary explosions were reported to have a radius of three miles, with videos showing nearby cottages blown apart.

Engels has been used as a major launch base throughout the three-year war and is home to the 184th Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment and 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, a long-range aviation unit.

It also stores Kh-101 and Kh-55 cruise missiles. Open-source analysts reported that a fresh batch of missiles had recently been delivered to the base before it was struck.

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Engels has been a key target of Ukraines military throughout the war. On Jan 8, a swarm of Ukrainian drones targeted a fuel depot there, triggering a huge blaze that raged for six days.

Hours after the fire was finally contained, Ukrainian drones hit it for a second time. There will be no rest for the wicked, Stratcom warned.

Tu-95 strategic bomber based at Engels used to launch missile attacks at Ukrainian cities - AP

The earliest attacks on the base date back to December 2022, when Kyiv was first showing off its ability to successfully penetrate Russias air defences and strike long-range targets.

Two further strikes on Engels were reported in the spring of 2024, where Ukraines military claimed to have destroyed up to three of Vladimir Putins prized Tu-95s.

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If the partial truce goes ahead, Ukraine will refrain from going after Russias oil facilities to hurt its economy and will likely turn its focus to destroying the bombers that launch near-weekly raids on its own power plants.

Russias defence ministry said its air defences had shot down 132 Ukrainian drones over Russia overnight, while pro-Kremlin military bloggers stayed largely silent on the strike on Engels.

Roman Busargin, the governor of the Saratov region, said the strike had left an airfield on fire but did not specifically mention the Engels base, despite it being the main airfield in the area.

Russian state media later said there were 10 victims, but did not provide further details.

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Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, had warned on Wednesday that a partial ceasefire with Russia would likely not come into effect until documents were officially signed.

I understand that until we agree [with Russia], until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly, Mr Zelensky told reporters.

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Ukraine said it hit Russia's Engels-2 air base, causing fires and explosions.

Engels-2 is a key Russian base used for launching bomber attacks on Ukraine.

While Ukraine attacked the military base, Russia bombed a Ukrainian city overnight.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for a major attack that set a blaze at a key Russian air base overnight on Wednesday.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Thursday that its special forces had caused the detonation of an ammunition store at the Engels-2 air base in Russia's Saratova region, resulting in fires and explosions.

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Engels-2, which sits about 450 miles from unoccupied Ukraine, is a key air base from which Russia has launched devastating attacks on Ukraine using its fleet of Tu-95 and Tu-160 bomber aircraft.

It's unclear if any planes were damaged in the attack.

A Tu-95 strategic bomber at Engels air base. Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File

Ukraine's General Staff didn't say what weapons were used, but the region's governor, Roman Busargin, said that Russian forces had shot down 54 drones.

He called it the largest attack on the area since 2022. Russian authorities do not generally report on strikes.

Busargin said in a Telegram post Thursday that a state of emergency had been declared, and that civilians had been evacuated from areas around the base.

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Russian opposition media channel Astra shared images and video of a massive plume of smoke and reported multiple explosions.

The blasts knocked windows out of two kindergartens, a school, and a local hospital, injuring one woman, Busargin said.

Business Insider could not independently verify the reports.

Ukraine's attack on the base came amid a wider barrage, with Russia's Ministry of Defence claiming to have shot down 134 drones overnight across six regions.

It was also the third attack on Engels-2 this year.

In January, Ukraine's 14th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Regiment claimed responsibility for what it described at the time as its largest-ever attack on a Russian military facility, targeting an oil storage facility supplying fuel for the planes.

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The base has taken extensive measures to try to protect the aircraft, including piling tires onto them in an apparent attempt to fool Ukrainian missiles.

In 2023, Russia relocated some of its bombers farther east, to avoid Ukrainian attacks.

A damaged apartment building in Kropyvnytskyi, after the overnight Russian attack. National Police of Ukraine

Ukraine's General Staff said Thursday that it used detailed planning to avoid civilian casualties.

Russia also sent more than 200 attack drones and other missiles against central Ukraine overnight Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

More than 30 explosions were heard in Kropyvnytskyi, a city in Kirovohrad Oblast, the regional governor told broadcaster Suspilne.

Police said that 10 people were injured in the attacks.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian authorities reported a "massive" Ukrainian drone attack on the Engels airbase in Saratov Oblast overnight, with Russia's Defense Ministry claiming to have downed 54 drones over the area.

"Saratov and Engels today suffered the most massive UAV attack of all time," Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov region, wrote on Telegram. He reported a fire burning at the airfield and damage to around 30 houses in the area.

Windows were also blown out at a nearby hospital -- where one woman was injured -- as well as two kindergartens and a school, Busargin wrote.

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The Ukrainian military's General Staff claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media post, saying the operation was a collaboration with the Security Service of Ukraine and the country's Special Operations Forces. "Fire, explosions and secondary detonation of ammunition were recorded in the area of the airport," it said.

"This military facility is used by occupiers' aviation, in particular, to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and terrorist attacks against civilians," the statement said. "To be continued," it added.

PHOTO: This photo shows a Maxar satellite image of Engels Air Base in Saratov Oblast, Russia, taken on Dec. 3, 2022. (Maxar/DigitalGlobe/Getty Images)

Engels -- situated more than 465 miles from the Ukrainian border -- is a major strategic bomber base, from which Russian aircraft have launched long-range missile strikes through the 3-year-old war. It has been attacked several times by Ukraine, most recently in January.

Andriy Kovalenko, the head of the Counter-Disinformation Center operating as part of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, posted a purported video of the attack to Telegram, showing what appeared to be a burning fire in the dark of night. "Russian Engels," Kovalenko wrote.

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Video footage shot from a high-rise apartment in Engels circulating online also showed a large plume of smoke rising from the direction of the airbase.

Kovalenko said the strike destroyed missile stocks, including those of the Kh-101 cruise missile "The number will be known later," he wrote. "This airfield stores the largest number of missiles used by strategic aviation for strikes on Ukraine."

In total, Russia's Defense Ministry claimed to have downed 132 Ukrainian drones over seven Russian or Russian-controlled regions on Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

PHOTO: A view of smoke rising from the Engels airbase in Russia's Saratov Region, Russia, on March 20, 2025. (Social Media/SOCIAL MEDIA via Reuters)

Ukrainian authorities, meanwhile, reported a major Russian overnight bombardment of the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, with more than 30 explosions reported.

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The regional governor also said Russia launched a "massive" attack on the eastern city of Kupyansk, close to the front line. At least 20 bombs were dropped on the city in a matter of hours, they said, with at least one person killed and another wounded.

Ukraine's air force said Russian launched 171 drones in the country overnight, 75 of which were shot down and 63 lost in flight without causing damage. "Kirovohrad, Sumy, and Donetsk regions were affected by the Russian attack, " the air force said.

PHOTO: Plumes of smoke rise from a strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovohrad Region, Ukraine, in this screengrab obtained from social media video released on March 20, 2025. (Social Media via Reuters)

"Russia's attacks on Ukraine, despite its propaganda statements, do not stop," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram. "With each such launch, the Russians show the world their true attitude to peace. "

More drone strikes were reported in Odesa and Zaporizhzhia later Thursday, according to local officials.

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The governor of the Odesa region said civilian infrastructure was damaged -- including a residential high-rise building, a shopping center and shops -- and that multiple fires broke out. Three people were injured in the strikes, the governor said.

Several residential buildings were among the structures damaged in strikes in Zaporizhzhia, and at least two people were injured, the region's governor said.

MORE: Zelenskyy says Putin's 'words' aren't enough as he speaks with Trump on energy ceasefire

The latest exchange of attacks came just after President Donald Trump spoke with Zelenskyy, the latter agreeing to a proposed 30-day ceasefire on attacks against energy and infrastructure targets, which was also approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

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The partial ceasefire is intended as a springboard for a broader pause in fighting and eventual peace deal, American officials have said.

Trump described the call as "very good" in a post to Truth Social. "Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs," he said.

"We are very much on track," Trump added.

PHOTO: This handout photograph released by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine on March 20, 2025, shows rescuers working at a site of a strike in Kropyvnytskyi, Kirovograd region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Ukrainian State Emergency Service/Handout via AFP via Getty Images)

But long-range attacks by both sides have continued throughout the most recent round of negotiations.

"This is what Putin's ceasefire looks like," Andriy Yermak -- the head of Zelenskyy's office -- wrote on Telegram alongside a photo of the aftermath of Russia's overnight attack on Kropyvnytskyi.

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"Russia takes great pleasure in attacking civilians," he added.

ABC News' Tanya Stukalova, Will Gretsky, Kelsey Walsh, Max Uzol, Helena Skinner and Natalia Popova contributed to this report.

Ukraine targets key Russian airbase with 'massive' drone attack originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Ukrainian and American delegations are planning to hold a new round of talks in Saudi Arabia on March 24 to discuss steps toward a ceasefire with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 20.

A U.S. delegation is also expected to meet with Russian representatives in Riyadh on the same day, March 24. These will be two separate meetings that will either happen simultaneously or one after another, Zelensky clarified during a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

According to Zelensky, Kyiv was ready for a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire  in the sky, at sea, and on the ground  but is ready "to take a step back" and talk about a partial ceasefire given Moscow's rejection of the complete ceasefire.

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Following a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18, a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes was agreed upon. Zelensky and Trump held a subsequent call on March 19 to discuss the U.S. president's conversation with Putin the day prior, with Zelensky ultimately agreeing to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.



A ceasefire to ensure the security of the energy system of both countries means no attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian infrastructure, according to Zelensky.

The Ukrainian leader told Trump that Kyiv would prepare a list of civilian infrastructure facilities that should be part of the agreement.

"I don't want there to be a different understanding of what the parties will agree on," he said.

Despite the announcement  made after a call between Putin and Trump on March 18  Russian missile and drone attacks against Ukraine have continued.

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As of March 20, at least five civilians have been killed and 26 others injured since Putin agreed to a partial ceasefire, Ukrainian authorities reported.

Read also: Putins ceasefire  Is Russia still bombing Ukraine? Yes

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Key developments on March 20:

Russia's Engels air base ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

Ukraine, US to hold talks in Saudi Arabia on March 24

Putin orders Ukrainians 'without legal status' to leave Russia, occupied territories by Sept. 10

$5.4 billion on ammunition for Ukraine 'realistic' goal, EU's top diplomat says

Ukraine 'destroys' Russian command post in Belgorod Oblast, military claims

Russia's Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast was successfully hit by Ukrainian drones overnight on March 20, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) confirmed for the Kyiv Independent.

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The statement comes after Governor Roman Busargin reported the heaviest drone strike against Saratov Oblast throughout the entire full-scale war.

A fire, explosions, and secondary detonations of ammunition were recorded at the air base following the attack carried out by the SBU and the Special Operations Forces, the source said.

The Engels-2 military air base hosts strategic bomber planes regularly used for aerial strikes on Ukraine. The independent news channel Astra reported explosions near the air base. According to Busargin, residents living near the airfield were being evacuated.

The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces also reported on the attack.

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"This military facility is used by Russian aviation to launch missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and terrorist attacks against the civilian population," the statement read.

Residents reported an air raid alert followed by a series of explosions in Saratov and Engels, according to Russian Telegram channels. At least four blasts could be heard at around 4 a.m. local time, according to Mash.

Russian air defenses were "ineffective" and launched missiles toward civilian buildings and infrastructure in Engels and Saratov, according to the SBU source.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.

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Read also: Massive drone attack on Kirovohrad Oblast injures 10, including children

Ukraine, US to hold talks in Saudi Arabia on March 24

Ukrainian and American delegations are planning to hold a new round of talks in Saudi Arabia on March 24 to discuss steps toward a ceasefire with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 20.

A U.S. delegation is also expected to meet with Russian representatives in Riyadh on the same day, March 24. These will be two separate meetings that will either happen simultaneously or one after another, Zelensky clarified during a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store.

According to Zelensky, Kyiv was ready for a U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire  in the sky, at sea, and on the ground  but is ready "to take a step back" and talk about a partial ceasefire given Moscow's rejection of the complete ceasefire.

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A ceasefire to ensure the security of the energy system of both countries means no attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian infrastructure, according to Zelensky.

The Ukrainian leader told Trump that Kyiv would prepare a list of civilian infrastructure facilities that should be part of the agreement.

"I don't want there to be a different understanding of what the parties will agree on," he said.

Read also: Putins ceasefire  Is Russia still bombing Ukraine? Yes

Putin orders Ukrainians 'without legal status' to leave Russia, occupied territories by Sept. 10

Ukrainian citizens residing in Russia and Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine must leave by Sept. 10 or "regulate their legal status," according to an official decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published on March 20.

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"Citizens of Ukraine who are in the Russian Federation and do not have legal grounds for staying (residing) in the Russian Federation are required to leave the Russian Federation on their own or regulate their legal status in the Russian Federation by Sept. 10, 2025," the decree reads.

Russia illegally declared annexation of fully occupied Crimea and invaded the east of Ukraine in 2014. In 2022, Moscow partially occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, de facto treating Ukrainian sovereign territory as its own regions.

The decree comes amid Moscow's efforts to Russify the conquered territories by pressuring Ukrainian citizens into accepting Russian passports or forcing them out while trying to attract Russian citizens to move in.

The document says the order will not concern Ukrainian citizens who will register their status with the Russian Interior Ministry by Sept. 10.

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The decree further ordered all "foreign citizens and stateless persons" residing in the occupied parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts to undergo medical checks on drug use and infectious diseases by June 10.

Read also: Putins ceasefire  Is Russia still bombing Ukraine?

$5.4 billion on ammunition for Ukraine 'realistic' goal, EU's top diplomat says

The EU is working on providing Ukraine with 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) for ammunition, top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas said on March 20, as a much larger 40-billion-euro ($43 billion) package still lacks consensus.

Speaking to journalists ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, Kallas called the 5-billion-euro tranche a "realistic plan" that is currently under discussion.

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Despite Kallas saying earlier this week that the tranche of 40 billion euros has "broad political support" among EU members, some countries, such as Italy, France, or Spain, remain hesitant.

Additional European assistance is ever more crucial for Kyiv now as future support from the U.S., the leading military donor, grows increasingly uncertain under President Donald Trump.

The sum of 5 billion euros for purchasing 2 million large-caliber ammunition rounds is seen as a first step that could be achieved before a possible consensus on the more significant tranche.

EU officials have been discussing ways to move the bigger package forward, including basing contributions on consent to avoid a likely veto by Hungary, the bloc's most Russian-friendly country.

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The contributions are to be based on each member state's gross national income (GNI), which has also become a key sticking point in the discussions.

"Some countries have done more, and some countries are bigger economies," Kallas said.

Read also: EU should keep frozen Russian assets until reparations paid even if US returns funds, commissioner says

Ukraine 'destroys' Russian command post in Belgorod Oblast, military claims

Ukrainian troops "destroyed" a command post of the Third Motor Rifle Division of the 20th Army of the Russian Armed Forces near the village of Demidovka in Russia's Belgorod Oblast on March 18, Ukraine's General Staff reported on March 20.

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The news comes days after Moscow claimed that Ukrainian troops allegedly launched an offensive on Belgorod Oblast. Russian reports emerged on March 18 ahead of the phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, rejected Russia's claims, while President Volodymyr Zelensky neither confirmed nor denied Ukrainian operations in Belgorod Oblast.

According to the Ukrainian military, Russia used the command post to plan and conduct combat operations against Ukrainian soldiers in Sumy Oblast.

Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod oblasts. Amid Russia's breakthrough in embattled Kursk Oblast, Zelensky said on March 15 that Russian soldiers were amassing at the border to prepare to launch an attack on Ukraine's northeastern region.

Demidovka lies around five kilometers (three miles) east of the Ukrainian border.

"Its (command post's) elimination significantly reduces the ability of the units of the Third Motor Rifle Division of the Russian Federation to operate effectively on the battlefield," the statement read.

The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.

"We have seen a new concentration of troops on the border with Sumy Oblast. We can see what they want to do  they want to strike Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts," Zelensky said on March 18 when asked about alleged Ukraine's offensive on Belgorod Oblast. "We will not let them do it so easily."

Belgorod Oblast is regularly used by Russia to launch strikes against Ukrainian territory. At the same time, Belgorod Oblast authorities have repeatedly accused Ukraine of launching attacks against the region and Belgorod city throughout the full-scale war.

Recently, multiple clashes have been reported in the region amid Ukraine's ongoing cross-border incursion focused on neighboring Kursk Oblast.

Note from the author:

Ukraine War Latest is put together by the Kyiv Independent news desk team, who keep you informed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you value our work and want to ensure we have the resources to continue, join the Kyiv Independent community.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine obliterated a Russian military command post near the village of Demidovka in Russias Belgorod Oblast on 18 March, where combat operations against Sumy Oblast were being planned.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Quote: "On 18 March 2025, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck the command post of one of the units of the 3rd Motor Rifle Division of the 20th [Guards Combined Arms] Army of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation near the village of Demidovka, Belgorod Oblast [Russia]."

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Details: The soldiers reported that the command post was completely destroyed as a result of the strike. "The enemy used this facility to plan and conduct combat operations against [Ukraines] defence forces in Sumy Oblast," the General Staff stated.

It was noted that the elimination of the Russian command post "significantly reduces the ability of units of the 3rd Motor Rifle Division to operate effectively on the battlefield."

The General Staff assured that Air Force pilots will continue to strike Russian military infrastructure until the end of its armed aggression.

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Hungary's desire to put the issue of Ukraine's future membership in the European Union to a national poll is only a small obstacle that will not prevent Ukraine from opening all negotiating clusters on accession in 2025, said Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine and Minister of Justice of Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Interfax-Ukraine, Ukrinform

Quote from Stefanishyna: "We are confident that the issue of Ukraine's membership in the EU is a decision that has already been made. And we see the problem with Hungary as just a small obstacle that does not prevent us from achieving our goal of opening all negotiating clusters this year."

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Details: She stressed that the national poll is not a referendum.

"Such a written survey also took place before the European Council's decision in December 2023 to open the negotiation process. We have already been through this. I think that the support of Hungarian citizens is much more positive than the expectations that the Hungarian government has," Stefanishyna said.

Background:

Earlier this month, populist Hungarian leader Viktor Orban announced a non-binding nationwide poll on support for Ukraine's accession to the EU. In a list of 12 demands to Brussels released last week, he said the EU should be "a Union but without Ukraine".

This year, the European Commission announced ambitious plans to open three clusters of Ukraine-EU talks before the end of the Polish presidency in June 2025.

However, in mid-February, it was reported that Hungary had blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster and demanded that the list of requirements for Ukraine be expanded.

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Vitold Fokin, Ukraine's first prime minister and former deputy head of the delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on the war in Donbas, has died at the age of 92, his granddaughter Maria Fokina announced on Facebook on March 20.

Born on Oct. 25, 1932, in the village of Novomykolaivka, Donetsk Oblast, Fokin began his career working in coal mines, eventually rising to management positions in Ukraine's coal industry.

Following Ukraine's declaration of independence on Aug. 24, 1991, he became the country's first prime minister and served until Oct. 1, 1992.

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Fokin played a key role in Ukraine's early years of independence. On Dec. 8, 1991, he was among the signatories of the Bialowieza Accords alongside President Leonid Kravchuk, an agreement that formally dissolved the Soviet Union and led to the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Following his resignation, Fokin became a researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations and served as president of the International Foundation for Humanitarian and Economic Relations between Ukraine and Russia.

In August 2020, at the age of 87, Fokin was unexpectedly appointed the first deputy head of Ukraine's delegation to the TCG, the international negotiating body comprising Ukraine, Russia, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Fokin's appointment sparked a public backlash over several of his controversial statements, particularly regarding Russia's role in the war in Donbas.

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Fokin claimed that Russia had been "forced" to annex Crimea to prevent an "American takeover" and denied that Ukraine was at war with Russia in Donbas, contradicting years of official Ukrainian policy and military realities on the ground.

His remarks were widely condemned by Ukrainian officials, with former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov calling for his resignation and Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak urging his removal.

On Sept. 30, 2020, President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Fokin from his post, citing the incompatibility of his views with Ukraine's official stance.

Read also: Zelensky arrives in Norway for talks with Norwegian PM

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By Nerijus Adomaitis and Yuliia Dysa

OSLO/KYIV (Reuters) -Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday Ukrainian experts would be present at upcoming talks involving the United States and Russia, but will not be in the same room as Russia, as a diplomatic push to end the war intensifies.

Russian and U.S. experts are due to discuss ways to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea at talks on a possible peace settlement in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the Kremlin said.

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"There will be technical teams present there," Zelenskiy said during a visit to Norway.

"I understand that the structure is the following: there will be a meeting of Ukraine and America and then some shuttle diplomacy, as our American colleagues said, America with Russia," he told a press conference with Norway's premier.

Zelenskiy said on Wednesday Kyiv would draw up a list of facilities that could be subject to a partial ceasefire brokered by Washington. That list could include not only energy, but also rail and port infrastructure, he said.

SHORING UP EUROPEAN SUPPORT

The Ukrainian leader was speaking on Thursday in Norway, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, a day after his trip to like-minded Finland, as he seeks to shore up European backing amid divergences among countries in the region over how to bolster Kyiv and the EU's own military capabilities.

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Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskiy urged EU leaders meeting in Brussels to approve a package of at least 5 billion euros for artillery purchases for Ukraine and called for continued pressure on Russia.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has scaled back a proposal to pledge up to 40 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine this year, with each country contributing according to its economic size, after resistance from some countries, particularly in southern Europe.

When he addressed the EU summit by video, Zelenskiy said it was "simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent", referring to Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban's opposition to EU statements in support of Ukraine.

The Nordic and Baltic countries, including Norway, are in the camp of more support to Ukraine.

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Norway, which is not an EU member, said on March 6 it would more than double its financial support to Kyiv this year, to 85 billion crowns ($8.03 billion) from a plan agreed in November of 35 billion crowns.

That extra support was now being "immediately translated into support for artillery ammunition, for drone capacity, and also for investment in Ukraine's own industry," Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told the press conference on Thursday.

Norway is the only European nation that can finance increased support to Ukraine from its own coffers rather than from debt as it is home to the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, with assets of $1.8 trillion.

Norway's wealth fund has seen soaring income from gas sales to Europe as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

($1 = 10.5804 Norwegian crowns)

(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis, Terje Solsvik and Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, Yuliia Dysa and Olena Harmash in KyivWriting by Gwladys FoucheEditing by Frances Kerry)
Over the past three years of full-scale war, Ukraines cultural figures have shifted from focusing solely on their craft to becoming diplomats, advocating for their culture abroad as the Russian army continues its relentless attempt to destroy it.

At the same time, within Ukraine itself, a resurgence of national identity that began in 2014 has been accelerated by the full-scale war. Ukrainians en masse are reclaiming and reconnecting with their heritage, immersing themselves in a culture that Russia has spent centuries trying to suppress.

Oksana Zabuzhko, one of Ukraines most prominent authors, has been at the forefront of the countrys cultural revival since its independence in 1991. Her novel Fieldwork in Ukrainian Sex is regarded as one of the most significant works of independent Ukraine and her books have been translated into multiple foreign languages.

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In an interview with the Kyiv Independent, Zabuzhko discussed why Ukrainians should not feel obligated to respect Russian literature, the rightful place of classic Ukrainian female authors in the global literary canon, the challenge of self-censorship during wartime, and why its wrong to share a stage with Russian authors while the war continues.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Kyiv Independent: During the past three years of the full-scale war weve seen an increasing amount of global attention directed at Ukraine and Ukrainian culture. But what does the West still not understand about Ukraine?



Oksana Zabuzhko: Well, I wouldnt place all the blame on the West. A significant share of it does lie there, but I dont see it as my role to act like some kind of global teacher. Honestly, I hate that role, even though I often find myself having to play it.

There are still many things about Ukraine that Ukrainians themselves have yet to fully understand. Were still in the process of self-discovery  learning about our own history, and identity. Right now is a particularly interesting time, with this major tectonic shift happening. For the first time since 1945, Europe is being forced to confront its security system on its own. In a way, (U.S. President Donald) Trump and his administration served as a wake-up call for Europe, and suddenly, were seeing all these fascinating discussions  both Ukrainian and international  taking place in Kyiv.

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For years, Ukraine was seen as an axis between East and West  between Poland and Russia  interpreted through frameworks like Samuel Huntingtons clash of civilizations or other similar narratives, which, frankly, I consider nonsense. But now, were witnessing a shift: Ukraine is becoming an axis that runs North-South. I call this project Mazepas Europe, after (Ukrainian) Hetman (Ivan) Mazepa, who once envisioned it. His vision ultimately failed in the early 18th century, but it was rooted in an older, historically significant route  the path from the Varangians to the Greeks, which has long played a vital role in both Ukrainian and European history.

This idea of an "Intermarium"  linking the Baltic and Black Seas  is not a hierarchical model where great powers dictate terms to smaller nations. Instead, its a democratic Intermarium, where states and nations collaborate as equals, forming temporary alliances and working together on their own terms. It stands in stark contrast to the old model of power, where decisions about smaller nations fates were made over their heads by the so-called great powers  like in Yalta (in 1945).

Its a different approach  very European, I would say. Its deeply anti-superpower, anti-imperial, and at the same time, unmistakably Ukrainian. After all, we have always existed along this historic route from the Varangians to the Greeks.

Mazepas project is something generations of Ukrainians were never taught in school. Our heavily Russified, colonial education system conditioned people to believe that Mazepa was a villain simply because he defied Peter I. (Russian poet Alexander) Pushkin wrote that he was a traitor, and so we were taught to respect Pushkin. But we dont have to.

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This is part of the broader decolonization process  learning about ourselves from a long-term perspective, whether across three centuries or even a millennium. Theres still so much we have yet to share with the world, and many new textbooks are still waiting to be written. Its an exciting subject.

Oksana Zabuzhko, author and poet, attends the 30th Lviv BookForum on Oct. 7, 2023, in Lviv, Ukraine. (Les Kasyanov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

The Kyiv Independent: Building on this idea, I have to say that I recently read Olha Kobylianskas short story Valse melancolique (1898) for the first time, and as a foreigner, I was struck by the strong tradition of feminist thought in Ukrainian literature. The line, We shall live not as mothers or wives, but as women, has stayed with me ever since. It seems to me that if the world were more familiar with Ukraines classic female writers, they would rightfully earn their place in the global literary canon.

Oksana Zabuzhko: Thank you so much  I cant tell you how much I appreciate what you just said. Its something Ive been emphasizing for years: we still need to sell this idea to the West, to convince Western audiences  however loosely we define them  that without Olha Kobylianska, and even more so Lesia Ukrainka, the landscape of European literature is incomplete.

(Ukrainian writer) Lesia Ukrainka was, in many ways, half a century ahead of her time compared to her Western European female contemporaries. Thats an undeniable truth. What makes Ukrainian culture particularly unique in gender terms? Perhaps it has to do with Ukraines long history as a frontier. Heres a simple way to put it: we never burned our witches. Of course, there were practices like trial by water  drowning women to determine if their souls were pure  but the ancient pagan tradition of strong, wise women endured in Ukraine far longer than in most of Europe. Even in the 20th century, every village still had a healer or witch who cured people.

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But its not just about the survival of pagan traditions. Ukrainian folk culture has always had a powerful female voice. Early 19th-century ethnographers were surprised to discover that two-thirds of Ukrainian folk songs were told from a female perspective  something highly unusual at the time. These songs werent just lyrics; they chronicled the entire arc of a womans life.

More importantly, Ukrainian women historically had legal rights that were rare in Europe. They could own property and pass it down through the female line  a practice known as materyzna. This inheritance, whether money, land, or real estate, was untouchable by husbands and meant to be passed from mother to daughter. Compare that to the impact of the Reformation on womens rights in Western Europe, and its easy to see why Ukraine has such strong female and even feminist voices.

Lesia Ukrainka and other Ukrainian feminists of the time didnt just advocate for womens rights; they saw the legal and social restrictions placed on women in European culture as entirely artificial and absurd. Just read her letters  they should be translated into every European language. She was, in a way, the blogger of her time, writing five or six letters a day while traveling. Because of her tuberculosis, she spent much of her life in sanatoriums across Europe. Her letters form an intellectual diary of the Belle Epoque, particularly the decade before World War I. And unlike many of her contemporaries, she had a chilling premonition that this beautiful world was on the brink of collapse.

Her perspective is deeply European, unmistakably Ukrainian, and distinctly female  something that is still missing from the broader European literary canon. And its absolutely fascinating.

The Kyiv Independent: Would you say that there are any major taboos that exist in Ukrainian literature today?

Oksana Zabuzhko: Thats a difficult question  a really difficult one. I wouldnt say were fully ready to discuss how exactly the war has affected our writing.

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In terms of genre, yes, theres already some discussion. Poetry, for instance, always survives  its the art of quick reaction. Essays, too. This is a strong time for poetry and essays. But when it comes to longer forms, like the novel, its much more complicated. And speaking of taboos, theres something I think its time to acknowledge.

One of the biggest challenges for a writer in a country at war is that you lose many privileges  but perhaps the most profound loss is the ability to freely criticize your own country. Its a form of self-censorship, and its a real problem for free thought, for imagination, for writing itself. When your country is under attack  when someone is trying to erase it from existence  you start to think in terms of security above all else. Criticizing your country suddenly feels like siding with the enemy, with those who want to destroy it.

And then you realize that being able to openly critique your own country is a privilege. A privilege that disappears in wartime. Because now, you feel mobilized. You feel a duty to strengthen your country, to contribute to its resilience. Anything that exposes its weaknesses can be twisted, weaponized by those who seek to annihilate it.

That, I would say, is what makes me most uncomfortable in my own writing right now  this imposed self-censorship. But thats war. Thats war.

The Kyiv Independent: Right now in the West, we have a troubling situation where people are eager to humanize Russia, including Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine. They seek a kind of normalization. Perhaps you heard of the documentary, Russians at War, in which soldiers are portrayed as simple, helpless men. I know Ukrainian authors dont particularly want to be diplomats; they want to write. But how do we confront this moving forward?

Oksana Zabuzhko: There are, of course, different shades of propaganda, and Russians at War  a documentary that many of my Western friends didnt even recognize as propaganda  was a shocking example of their naivety. A simple question: Do you really think a filmmaker with a camera would be allowed to move freely among Russian soldiers without permission from someone higher up?

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When I asked this, the response was always the same: Oh, really? I didnt think about that. This lack of awareness is alarming. The war is at their doorstep too, yet they fail to ask the most basic questions. When they see Russian soldiers being filmed by an allegedly independent filmmaker, the first thing they should ask is: How did this filmmaker get access? Of course, it was approved and paid for from the top. This is all part of Russias soft power and propaganda  this push for normalization is a key part of their cultural strategy.

So what can Ukrainians do? Just yesterday, I was discussing this with my agent, who is arranging interviews for me at the Leipzig Book Fair. A journalist asked if I would consider a public dialogue with a Russian writer  someone respected, someone who has written a book against the war, not just a statement or an open letter. And this, too, exposes an important distinction: a writers stance on war is not just what they say in interviews. Its what they put in their books. If a writer has spent years romanticizing the Russian Empire, glorifying (Soviet dictator Joseph) Stalin, or celebrating its imperial past, how can they now claim to be against the war? Its as absurd as imagining a so-called anti-fascist German writer in the 1930s praising (Holocaust architect Heinrich) Himmlers leadership while condemning (Nazi leader Adolf) Hitler in interviews.

The reality is, I might have a drink with one of these so-called anti-war Russian writers in a bar  some of them Ive known for years  but I wont share a stage with them in public discussion. And heres why: in three years of this full-scale war  the largest in Europe since World War II  there has been no collective Russian action against it. Yes, many Russians fled abroad. Yes, some join Ukrainian protests in Berlin or other cities. But have they organized their own protests against Russias war? Have they released any collective statement against it? No. Not one.

But when you put them next to us, when you invite them to share the stage with Ukrainians, you legitimize them. You try to place them in the same category of suffering, as if their situation is comparable to ours. And Im sorry, but its not. Not until they take a real stand. So yes, I might have a private conversation with them, but a public discussion? No way. Not until after our victory.

Note from the author:



Hey there, it's Kate Tsurkan, thanks for reading my latest interview. Oksana Zabuzhko is truly a living legend, one of the greatest figures of contemporary Ukrainian culture, and I was so thrilled to not only finally meet one of my literary heroes but share our conversation with you. Now more than ever it is important to support Ukrainian culture, as Russia seeks to dismantle it. If you like reading this sort of thing, please consider becoming a member of the Kyiv Independent.

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Read also: Historian Marci Shore: Putins obsession with denazification is Freudian projection

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Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has spoken with his Luxembourg counterpart, Yuriko Backes, about cooperation within the drone coalition and in the field of air defence.

Source: Umierov on Facebook, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Umierov said that he met with the Luxembourg defence minister in Kyiv, where they discussed the prospects of cooperation within the drone coalition, which Luxembourg recently joined.

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"Minister Backes reaffirmed Luxembourgs commitment to expanding its support in this field," he said.

They discussed the prospects for industrial cooperation, particularly in the fields of air defence and deep strike. Umierov proposed that Luxembourg support the Ukrainian defence industry using the Danish financing model.

In addition, the ministers discussed the digital transformation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from command of troops to resource management and provision of military services.

Background:

In June 2024, the UK and Latvia, on behalf of the drone coalition, announced a tender to supply Ukraine with FPV unmanned aerial vehicles worth 352,000.

In July 2024, the countries participating in the drone coalition signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a 45 million joint fund.

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Explosions at the Engels airfield in Russia's Saratov Oblast on the night of 19-20 March were the result of a joint operation by Ukraine's Security Service (SSU) and the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda source in security services; General Staff of the Armed Forces on Facebook

Details: The airfield is a key base for Russia's strategic aviation. It is home to Tu-95MS, Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 bombers, as well as warehouses storing FAB and guided aerial bombs and cruise missiles. Aircraft that launch missile strikes on Ukraine take off from this base.

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The SSU and Special Operations Forces' effective drone attack resulted in a fire, explosions and secondary detonation of munitions in the area of the airfield.

The source stated that Russian air defence systems were ineffective and hit civilian buildings and infrastructure in the cities of Engels and Saratov.

Update: The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has confirmed the strike on the military airfield in Engels. It emphasised that this military facility is used by Russian aircraft, including for launching missile strikes on Ukrainian territory and carrying out terrorist attacks against civilians.

Quote: "Ukraine's defence forces have detailed information about the strategic facilities of the Russians, adhere to international humanitarian law and take measures to maximise the protection of civilians and put an end to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine."

Background:

Local authorities reported that a fire broke out at the military airfield in Engels, Russias Saratov Oblast, following a drone attack.

Additionally, local Telegram channels stated that authorities had begun evacuating houses located near the airfield. Later, this information was confirmed by Saratov Oblast Governor Roman Busargin.

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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB)  A Ukrainian man who was wanted for an alleged attempted murder in Florida was arrested at Peace Bridge on Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Thursday.

CPB said that Ruslan Anatoliyovych Chernotkach, a 48-year-old man from Ukraine, was refused entry while trying to get into Canada. During primary inspection, the National Crime Information Center indicated that he was wanted for an alleged attempted murder in Orlando.

The Orange County Sheriffs Office confirmed the active warrant to CPB agents.

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Chernotkach was turned over to the Buffalo Police Department. He is currently being held by the Erie County Sheriffs Office while he awaits extradition to Florida.

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Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here.

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As President Trump prepares to sign an executive order that would effectively end the Department of Education, teachers in Colorado are protesting against the federal cuts to education funding. President of the National Education Association Becky Pringle joins Katy Tur to explain why all American students will be impacted by this executive order.
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP)  Cyprus and the United Nations agency for refugees on Thursday clashed over allegations that the east Mediterranean island nation continues to engage in so-called pushbacks against boats loaded with migrants departing from neighboring Syria or Lebanon.

The clash, which unfolded on the state broadcaster Thursday, came a few days after Cypriot authorities recovered two survivors and seven bodies in international waters off Cyprus after their boat apparently sank in rough seas.

Emilia Strovolidou, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, told the state broadcaster that Cypriot police intercepted three boatloads of migrants inside Cypriot territorial waters on between March 13-14 but prevented them from disembarking at Larnaca port, making them turn back to Syria from where they departed.

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Cypriot Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis vociferously disputed Strovolidous claims, saying Cypriot patrol vessels intercepted two  not three - boats near Lebanons territorial waters within Cyprus search and rescue area of responsibility.

He said Cypriot authorities requested Lebanons assistance  in line with a bilateral agreement - to turn the boats back to the Lebanese coast from where they set sail.

Hartsiotis insisted Cyprus does not engage in pushbacks and abides by its international legal obligations, adding that a serious organization such as the UNHCR must substantiate its claims. He said any relevant information should be forwarded to Cypriot police for a proper investigation.

Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas also said the UNCHRs claims dont stand.

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We have every right to protect our borders including those at sea, Hartsiotis said. Cyprus get-tough approach to irregular migrant arrivals saw a precipitous drop in such arrivals over the last two years. In 2024, migrant arrivals dropped 64% relative to 2022, while the percentage of migrant departures increased from 43% in 2022 to 179% in 2024.

The Associated Press asked the UNHCR to account for the discrepancies in the two versions. In a written statement, the agency offered no additional details but insisted that the individuals on board were denied access to Cyprus and are now back in Syria from where they had fled.

The international legal principle of non-refoulement prohibits all states  from engaging in conduct that risks sending people back - directly or indirectly - to a place where they would be at risk of persecution or serious human rights violations, the statement said.

The Cyprus governments claim that it doesnt engage in pushbacks is based on its own definition of what constitutes a pushback. Hartsiotis said a key element to a pushback is the use of violence, saying Cypriot authorities dont resort to such tactics.

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Europes top human rights court ruled last October that Cyprus violated the right of two Syrian nationals to seek asylum in the island nation after keeping them, and more than two dozen other people, aboard a boat at sea for two days before sending them back to Lebanon.

The row followed Mondays rescue of two men some 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Cyprus where a boat they were passengers on sank in rough seas.

Officials said the boat was believed to be carrying at least 20 Syrian men between the ages of 25-30. An ongoing search of the area has turned up nothing more.

The sinking sparked media speculation over Cypriot authorities alleged inaction, especially after it was learned that the non-governmental organization Alarm Phone had warned authorities a day earlier of a migrant boat in distress somewhere off Cyprus southern coast.

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This prompted an angry response in which government officials stated that air and sea assets had been dispatched in a search effort covering an area of 1,000 nautical miles without any results.

In a joint statement, the ministers of justice, defense and migration said theres nothing so far to suggest that the Alarm Phone warning concerned the sunken boat on which the two rescued men were aboard.

Its unacceptable for the Cyprus Republic to stand accused of violating human rights, the ministers said. the Cyprus Republic has never ignored an appeal for help or a message concerning a search and rescue operation and takes all necessary actions in line with the law.
(Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday that each day of renewed violence in Gaza makes the return of the remaining hostages held there a more distant objective.

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East Khaled Khiari said the return to hostilities threatens all civilians, including hostages, of whom 24 are thought still to be alive.

"With every passing day, we move further away from the objective of returning the remaining hostages safely to their homes," Khiari told a U.N. Security Council briefing.

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At least 91 more Palestinians were killed and dozens wounded in airstrikes across Gaza on Thursday, in addition to hundreds killed since Israeli strikes resumed on Tuesday, Gaza's health ministry said.

Israel's U.N. ambassador Danny Danon told the meeting the strikes on what he called Hamas terror targets would continue "until every last hostage is home."

Acting U.S. Representative to the UN Dorothy Shea blamed Hamas for the resumption of hostilities by "refusing time and time again to accept proposals to extend the ceasefire."

"President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all 59 hostages immediately  including American citizens ... or pay a steep price," she said. "We continue to stand with Israel as they defend themselves and push to secure the release of all hostages from Hamas captivity."

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Shea appeared in front of reporters before the Security Council meeting with Eli Sharabi, an Israeli hostage who was released on February 8, only to discover that his British-born wife and two daughters had been killed in the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.

Sharabi, who also addressed the Security Council, said he had been held mostly underground for 491 days and treated worse than an animal, "chained, starved, and beaten, humiliated."

"I've come back from hell," he said.

Sharabi said the United Nations and the Red Cross needed to act to bring home the remaining 59 hostages, including the bodies of those killed.

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Britain's deputy U.N. ambassador James Kariuki said London condemned as "unacceptable" a statement from Israeli Defense Minster Israel Katz warning of the total destruction of Gaza.

Kariuki said the January ceasefire deal had "fallen apart" with the Israeli air strikes and Britain urged the sides to urgently return to it as "the best chance we had seen to return the hostages to their families and end the suffering."

Russia's representative Dmitry Polyanskiy said there was no justification for Sharabi's treatment, but continued: "we also grieve over all those who died as a result of the escalation which has been going on for over 18 months now."

"This endless vicious cycle of violence needs to end," he said, adding that Russia deeply regretted the resumption of Israeli military operations.

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Palestinian U.N. envoy Riyad Mansour offered condolences to Sharabi and said Palestinians understood his pain, "because we live it, they endure it every day," while adding:

"If Netanyahu truly cared about the hostages, he would not have shattered the ceasefire that was allowing for their release."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to resume bombardments in Gaza has triggered protests in Israel with a coalition of hostage families and Netanyahu critics regrouping and accusing him of using the Gaza war for political ends.

The war started after Hamas militants attacked Israeli communities in October 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza health authorities say Israel has killed more than 49,000 Palestinians in the ensuing conflict, which has reduced the enclave to rubble.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom, editing by Deepa Babington)
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) As fighting resumes between Israel and Hamas, the U.N. Security Council met Monday to discuss the hostage situation in the Middle East. The U.S. emphasized President Donald Trumps demand for the release of Israeli hostages.

Five Americans are held hostage in the Middle East as violence escalates.

President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all hostages immediately, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said during the Security Council meeting.

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Shea placed blame for the ongoing violence squarely on Hamas.

Hamas bears sole responsibility for the war and the resumption of hostilities. Fighting could end tomorrow if Hamas released hostages and laid down its arms, Shea said.

So far, Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed nearly 600 Palestinians over two days.

The return to hostilities threatens our civilians in Gaza, said Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Middle East Assistant Secretary-General.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including women and children, Khiari added.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the administration is working to stop further violence.

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We were in a good place in the cease-fire, and Hamas had the chance to continue it, but they said no, Bruce said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president sees Israels actions as justified.

The president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home. And he fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days, Leavitt said.

The United States told the U.N. that when ceasefire talks resume, Hamas should have no right to speak on behalf of Palestinians.

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WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) As fighting resumes between Israel and Hamas, the U.N. Security Council met Monday to discuss the hostage situation in the Middle East. The U.S. emphasized President Donald Trumps demand for the release of Israeli hostages.

Five Americans are held hostage in the Middle East as violence escalates.

President Trump has been clear: Hamas must release all hostages immediately, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea said during the Security Council meeting.

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Shea placed blame for the ongoing violence squarely on Hamas.

Hamas bears sole responsibility for the war and the resumption of hostilities. Fighting could end tomorrow if Hamas released hostages and laid down its arms, Shea said.

So far, Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip have killed nearly 600 Palestinians over two days.

The return to hostilities threatens our civilians in Gaza, said Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Middle East Assistant Secretary-General.

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, including women and children, Khiari added.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the administration is working to stop further violence.

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We were in a good place in the cease-fire, and Hamas had the chance to continue it, but they said no, Bruce said.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president sees Israels actions as justified.

The president has made it very clear that he wants all of those hostages to come home. And he fully supports Israel and the IDF and the actions that theyve taken in recent days, Leavitt said.

The United States told the U.N. that when ceasefire talks resume, Hamas should have no right to speak on behalf of Palestinians.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
Updated at 5:40 p.m. ET on March 21, 2025

Editors note: This analysis is part of The Atlantics investigation into the Library Genesis data set. You can access the search tool directly here. Find The Atlantics search tool for movie and television writing used to train AI here.

When employees at Meta started developing their flagship AI model, Llama 3, they faced a simple ethical question. The program would need to be trained on a huge amount of high-quality writing to be competitive with products such as ChatGPT, and acquiring all of that text legally could take time. Should they just pirate it instead?

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Meta employees spoke with multiple companies about licensing books and research papers, but they werent thrilled with their options. This seems unreasonably expensive, wrote one research scientist on an internal company chat, in reference to one potential deal, according to court records. A Llama-team senior manager added that this would also be an incredibly slow process: They take like 4+ weeks to deliver data. In a message found in another legal filing, a director of engineering noted another downside to this approach: The problem is that people dont realize that if we license one single book, we wont be able to lean into fair use strategy, a reference to a possible legal defense for using copyrighted books to train AI.

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Court documents released last night show that the senior manager felt it was really important for [Meta] to get books ASAP, as books are actually more important than web data. Meta employees turned their attention to Library Genesis, or LibGen, one of the largest of the pirated libraries that circulate online. It currently contains more than 7.5 million books and 81 million research papers. Eventually, the team at Meta got permission from MZan apparent reference to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergto download and use the data set.

This act, along with other information outlined and quoted here, recently became a matter of public record when some of Metas internal communications were unsealed as part of a copyright-infringement lawsuit brought against the company by Sarah Silverman, Junot Diaz, and other authors of books in LibGen. Also revealed recently, in another lawsuit brought by a similar group of authors, is that OpenAI has used LibGen in the past. (A spokesperson for Meta declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation against the company. In a response sent after this story was published, a spokesperson for OpenAI said, The models powering ChatGPT and our API today were not developed using these datasets. These datasets, created by former employees who are no longer with OpenAI, were last used in 2021.)

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Until now, most people have had no window into the contents of this library, even though they have likely been exposed to generative-AI products that use it; according to Zuckerberg, the Meta AI assistant has been used by hundreds of millions of people (its embedded in Meta products such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram). To show the kind of work that has been used by Meta and OpenAI, I accessed a snapshot of LibGens metadatarevealing the contents of the library without downloading or distributing the books or research papers themselvesand used it to create an interactive database that you can search here:

There are some important caveats to keep in mind. Knowing exactly which parts of LibGen that Meta and OpenAI used to train their models, and which parts they might have decided to exclude, is impossible. Also, the database is constantly growing. My snapshot of LibGen was taken in January 2025, more than a year after it was accessed by Meta, according to the lawsuit, so some titles here wouldnt have been available to download at that point.

LibGens metadata are quite disorganized. There are errors throughout. Although I have cleaned up the data in various ways, LibGen is too large and error-strewn to easily fix everything. Nevertheless, the database offers a sense of the sheer scale of pirated material available to models trained on LibGen. Cujo, The Gulag Archipelago, multiple works by Joan Didion translated into several languages, an academic paper named Surviving a Cyberapocalypseits all in here, along with millions of other works that AI companies could feed into their models.

Meta and OpenAI have both argued in court that its fair use to train their generative-AI models on copyrighted work without a license, because LLMs transform the original material into new work. The defense raises thorny questions and is likely a long way from resolution. But the use of LibGen raises another issue. Bulk downloading is often done with BitTorrent, the file-sharing protocol popular with pirates for its anonymity, and downloading with BitTorrent typically involves uploading to other users simultaneously. Internal communications show employees saying that Meta did indeed torrent LibGen, which means that Meta could have not only accessed pirated material but also distributed it to otherswell established as illegal under copyright law, regardless of what the courts determine about the use of copyrighted material to train generative AI. (Meta has claimed that it took precautions not to seed any downloaded files and that there are no facts to show that it distributed the books to others.) OpenAIs download method is not yet known.

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Meta employees acknowledged in their internal communications that training Llama on LibGen presented a medium-high legal risk, and discussed a variety of mitigations to mask their activity. One employee recommended that developers remove data clearly marked as pirated/stolen and do not externally cite the use of any training data including LibGen. Another discussed removing any line containing ISBN, Copyright, , All rights reserved. A Llama-team senior manager suggested fine-tuning Llama to refuse to answer queries like: reproduce the first three pages of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. One employee remarked that torrenting from a corporate laptop doesnt feel right.

It is easy to see why LibGen appeals to generative-AI companies, whose products require huge quantities of text. LibGen is enormous, many times larger than Books3, another pirated book collection whose contents I revealed in 2023. Other works in LibGen include recent literature and nonfiction by prominent authors such as Sally Rooney, Percival Everett, Hua Hsu, Jonathan Haidt, and Rachel Khong, and articles from top academic journals such as Nature, Science, and The Lancet. It includes many millions of articles from top academic-journal publishers such as Elsevier and Sage Publications.

[Read: These 183,000 books are fueling the biggest fight in publishing and tech]

LibGen was created around 2008 by scientists in Russia. As one LibGen administrator has written, the collection exists to serve people in Africa, India, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, China, Russia and post-USSR etc., and on a separate note, people who do not belong to academia. Over the years, the collection has ballooned as contributors piled in more and more pirated work. Initially, most of LibGen was in Russian, but English-language work quickly came to dominate the collection. LibGen has grown so quickly and avoided being shut down by authorities thanks in part to its method of dissemination. Whereas some other libraries are hosted in a single location and require a password to access, LibGen is shared in different versions by different people via peer-to-peer networks.

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Many in the academic world have argued that publishers have brought this type of piracy on themselves, by making it unnecessarily difficult and expensive to access research. Sci-Hub, a sibling of LibGen, was launched independently in 2011 by a Kazakhstani neuroscience student named Alexandra Elbakyan, whose university didnt provide access to the big academic databases. In that same year, the hacktivist Aaron Swartz was arrested after taking millions of articles from JSTOR in an attempt to build a similar kind of library.

Publishers have tried to stop the spread of pirated material. In 2015, the academic publisher Elsevier filed a complaint against LibGen, Sci-Hub, other sites, and Elbakyan personally. The court granted an injunction, directed the sites to shut down, and ordered Sci-Hub to pay Elsevier $15 million in damages. Yet the sites remained up, and the fines went unpaid. A similar story played out in 2023, when a group of educational and professional publishers, including Macmillan Learning and McGraw Hill, sued LibGen. This time the court ordered LibGen to pay $30 million in damages, in what TorrentFreak called one of the broadest anti-piracy injunctions weve seen from a U.S. court. But that fine also went unpaid, and so far authorities have been largely unable to constrain the spread of these libraries online. Seventeen years after its creation, LibGen continues to grow.

[Read: Theres no longer any doubt that Hollywood writing is powering AI]

All of this certainly makes knowledge and literature more accessible, but it relies entirely on the people who create that knowledge and literature in the first placethat labor that takes time, expertise, and often money. Worse, generative-AI chatbots are presented as oracles that have learned from their training data and often dont cite sources (or cite imaginary sources). This decontextualizes knowledge, prevents humans from collaborating, and makes it harder for writers and researchers to build a reputation and engage in healthy intellectual debate. Generative-AI companies say that their chatbots will themselves make scientific advancements, but those claims are purely hypothetical.

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One of the biggest questions of the digital age is how to manage the flow of knowledge and creative work in a way that benefits society the most. LibGen and other such pirated libraries make information more accessible, allowing people to read original work without paying for it. Yet generative-AI companies such as Meta have gone a step further: Their goal is to absorb the work into profitable technology products that compete with the originals. Will these be better for society than the human dialogue they are already starting to replace?

This article has been updated to include a comment from OpenAI.

Article originally published at The Atlantic
The Rev. Vidal Rivas, senior priest of Iglesia San Mateo in Hyattsville, a growing church consisting mostly of Latino immigrants. (Photo courtesy St. Matthew's Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo)

On a recent sunny, but cool, Sunday morning, Jorge Villela stands with the Rev. Sally Ethelston and a small circle of volunteers at the doors of St. Matthews Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo in Hyattsville.

Theyre there to stand guard and to walk the grounds once Mass begins and the church doors are locked, part of a strict protocol enacted at the growing, largely Latino congregation after President Donald Trump began issuing executive orders targeting immigrants.

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The goals of the door guardians and the process we have in place are to ensure that worship services at San Mateo are able to continue uninterrupted and that any entry by agents of ICE/CBP or cooperating agencies is fully legal, said Ethelston, a deacon at the church, in reference to agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

Inside, men, women and children are filling the pews, while nearly 4,000 people have tuned to Radio San Mateo for the noon Mass celebrated in Spanish by the Rev. Vidal Rivas, a charismatic, longtime community activist and the senior priest for this 500-member congregation.

At the door, Villela greets congregants with a smile and an outstretched hand.

For me that is the best impression you can make, to be received well, he said, greeting each parishioner by name, taking note of the newcomers who file past him to worship at one of three services in Spanish this Sunday.

Guards at the doors

Should ICE agents or officers show up, the guardians know to alert both Father Vidal and Deacon Sally.

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Meanwhile, inside the church congregants begin to fill the sanctuary with communal song, led by a five-woman choir and electric band. White-robed celebrants lead a procession down the central aisle, followed by Rivas and Ethelston in purple vestments.

Sunday services in Spanish fill the pews at St. Matthews/Iglesia San Mateo under Father Vidal Rivas. (Photo courtesy St. Matthews Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo)

In his sermon, Rivas reflects on the days biblical reading recounting the story of the Israelite enslavement in ancient Egypt.

It speaks to us of a reality that we are living today, he said. The Egyptian empire saw this people as a threat because they grew so much [that] they had to be subdued. They had to be humiliated, and they had to be exploited. Sadly, in the times in which we are living, political leaders have forgotten that their grandparents and parents also came as immigrants like us. Its roots are immigrant.

Rivas remarks continued, with nods of recognition.

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And, the laws being promoted insult humanity, suffocate the poor. And, instead of [allowing immigrants] to move around and share in the development of the nation, they are persecuted, imprisoned and deported, he said.

Life mirrors those he ministers

As a Salvadoran immigrant, Rivas life mirrors those he ministers to at San Mateo.

Born in El Salvador, he grew up in a small town that during the civil war there in the 1980s was caught between the excessive violence of the military and the leftist guerrillas. In the midst of that, he became a Roman Catholic priest.

I know what war is. I was kidnapped. I was beaten. I was persecuted, he said. And, as a priest who has suffered in El Salvador, I cannot be indifferent to the pain of the people who suffer the persecution, the injustices.

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Rivas brought that mission to St. Gabriel Church Washington, D.C., in 1998. But early on, his high-profile fight for justice and immigration rights landed him in the crosshairs of church leaders in the diocese.

[They] said I was too liberal for always supporting [those] actions, he said.

His response: They [the immigrants] have committed no crime. All they did was cross a river, a border and be here and contribute.

Father Vidal Rivas is behind the dramatic growth at the church, a hub for celebrations and social services. (Photo courtesy St. Matthews Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo)

Within three years he left the church, but not the priesthood. He worked alongside Latino advocacy groups, with the Barbara Chambers Childrens Center and stood with union organizers. He also founded the Oscar Romero Solidarity Committee, a nonprofit service organization named for the slain Salvadoran Catholic archbishop, an outspoken critic of the war in El Salvador and a champion of the poor, and vulnerable in society.

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In search of a parish where he could minister to the greater immigrant community, Rivas turned to the Episcopalian Church, whose tenets align closely with his Roman Catholic values, but which is more liberal. He was ordained an Episcopalian priest in 2008.

New parish, a sanctuary and refuge

That same year, St. Matthews in Hyattsville offered to rent him space.

Rivas arrived with 35 Latino followers. Among them was Silviano Celestino, who says that San Mateo grew with intention as it began to recruit Latino parishioners.

And, we started inviting them [Latinos], going from house to house, putting flyers under doors, [telling] them there was now a Hispanic community at San Mateo with services in Spanish, he said.

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The Latino and English-speaking congregations unified as a single parish in 2011.

As senior priest, Rivas initiated more services in Spanish, and the popular daily online ministry. Other ministries included providing COVID-19 vaccinations and running an ongoing health clinic. From mid-2022 until the end of 2023, the church housed more than 100 Venezuelan migrants, many seeking asylum for short-term emergency stays.

San Mateo has also become a leader on issues that impact the poor including rent control and food security. Volunteers lead know-your-rights workshops and regularly help immigrant parents fill out temporary guardianship papers to ensure the care and well-being of their children.

Know-your-rights workshops were a focus of outreach at San Mateos as early as 2017. (Photo courtesy St. Matthews Episcopal Church/Iglesia San Mateo)

Rivas has pledged to serve as stand-by guardian to 16 minors.

Commitment never waivers

Padre [Father Vidal] is absolutely phenomenal, said Cindy Conant, a former Hyattsville librarian who has participated many of the volunteer efforts. The people [at San Mateo] are so hardworking and gracious. And, when the people thank me, I want to thank them for letting me be there!

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Rivas, meanwhile, never waivers.

My message is always one of reconciliation and liberation, he said. I try to embody the Gospel in the reality in which we live.

That message moves Villela, a construction worker by day, to head multiple church committees. People feel protected when they hear him speak, he said.

It also moves Celestino, San Mateos janitor, to spend his free time at the church. He teaches Sunday School and is studying to be an Episcopal deacon.

We all have in some way a job or a mission to do within the church to be supportive he said. Its a safe place where there is a lot of help for people who seek it.

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Rivas also hears the fears.

Some tell him that because he is such an outspoken human rights defender that San Mateo will be a target for deportation raids.

And I tell them, its the other way around, the priest says. First, your church is protected by God. Second, we have many friends who take care of us and defend us!

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A car crash turned into a full-on immigration case out of Volusia County. It happened on March 14th, just before 7 am. Deland police said 32-year-old Wendy Alejandra Acosta Esparza was driving east on International Speedway Boulevard.

When she passed by Jacobs Road, she allegedly hit a pedestrian who was on a bicycle. By the time police arrived at the scene, they found out Esparza didnt have a drivers license, and it all unraveled from there.

We checked the rest of the country to see if she had any other identification, and she didnt, said Chris Graham, Community Information Manager, DeLand. Under guidance from the state, we had to contact ICE.

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The woman was taken to the Volusia County Jail and charged with a misdemeanor. Later on, investigators found out she was undocumented.

The Immigration Service has gotten really, really good about interacting with county jails throughout the state and really throughout the United States in seeing that somebody who is brought into the jail is run through the immigration system, said David Stoller, an immigration attorney in Orlando.

Esparza, originally from Mexico, was issued an immigration detainer, which basically means she will still have to deal with her immigration case on top of the criminal case.

The attorney says thats standard procedure.

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While she may have been here for some time, I think the Immigration Service has no idea who she is, Stoller said.

Esparza will remain in jail until her next court date, scheduled for May, regarding the car crash case.

Only after that, will she find out if she will be able to stay in the U.S. or not.









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Visitors are seen in the Colorado Capitol on the first day of the 2025 session of the Legislature on Jan. 8, 2025. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline)

Federal government transparency since January has eroded in spectacular ways.

The Trump administration has barred access to major news organizations it doesnt like. It has deleted more than 100,000 pages on government websites, erasing information on health, census data, the Jan. 6 insurrection and even the countrys founding documents.

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In late January, the administration halted all federal scientific communication with the public from health agencies. Not to mention one of the most alarming features of President Donald Trumps aggressive immigration enforcement: Federal authorities release scant information about people they detain, often leaving community members with no idea about whos been arrested, why they were targeted or where they are.

But Republicans in Washington arent alone in their hostility to open government. Secrecy is especially likely to emerge when one party is in charge, and in Colorado, thats Democrats in state government.

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Year after year, they find new ways to conceal what theyre doing in the name of Coloradans. On the occasion of Sunshine Week, an annual recognition of the importance of open government for a healthy democracy, its useful to highlight ways in which state leaders are falling short of democratic ideals.

For instance, House Bill 25-1242 would have capped increasingly exorbitant hourly fees for records production and repealed provisions of brazen government secrecy legislation from last year, but lawmakers decided they were just fine with their self-assigned secrecy, and the bill never even made it out of its first committee hearing.

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Disdain for transparency was displayed in other legislative actions. Senate Bill 25-77, which already passed the Senate, extends the deadlines by which public records custodians must respond to requests from members of the public. Senate Bill 25-38, which the Legislature has passed, exempts from Colorado Open Records Act requirements the names of people who file a claim for compensation if they incur damages from wildlife, such as wolves.

The debate around a student-athlete name, image or likeness bill was hardly the most consequential event in the Legislature this year, but it was emblematic of the low regard lawmakers have for transparency. The bill allows universities to pay student athletes for their name, image or likeness, which could translate into millions of dollars paid by public institutions to individuals.

But bill sponsors made pleas, however implausible, for the privacy of students and succeeded in exempting NIL deals from CORA provisions. If the governor signs the measure, which the House and Senate passed by wide margins, Coloradans will be barred from learning the details of these lucrative deals.

Legislation from last year, Senate Bill 24-157, basically exempted the General Assembly from the requirements of the decades-old Colorado Open Meetings Law. And get this  Gov. Jared Polis signed this monstrosity during Sunshine Week 2024.

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The bill was only the most outrageous assault on transparency to come out of the Capitol in recent years. But maybe lawmakers have finally gone too far.

As crucial as government transparency is to democracy, its not the sort of topic that typically motivates voters or spurs public outcry. But a coalition of advocates has organized around a proposed 2026 ballot initiative that would amend Colorados constitution to ensure greater government transparency. A draft of the initiative has yet to be released, but it is expected to address the cost of public records, establish a uniform right to access government records and bolster open meeting law requirements. The tipping point for the group was SB-157. As Robert Davis reported for Newsline, the coalition comprises organizations that typically are not politically aligned.

State lawmakers appear to have learned that they will not be held accountable for chipping away at transparency, and they have shown that they cannot be trusted to enact open-government policies on their own. It seems the only way Coloradans can guarantee their own broad access to government business is to mandate it themselves.

Residents of the state came to a similar conclusion in 1972, when voters passed the Colorado Sunshine Law, which required open meetings. The law served the state well, until Democrats at the Legislature decided it was obsolete.

Residents once more could have the final say.

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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)  For the third straight year, United Ways Success by 6 is hosting a childcare provider professional development event.

The event will take place on April 12th, at Ivy Tech in Terre Haute. It is free of charge for childcare providers that sign up.

The event will include development workshops, resource tables from local and state organizations, and network opportunities.

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This year, there will also be a keynote speaker.

Executive Director of United Way of the Wabash Valley, Dorothy Chambers, said events like this can have an effect on the entire community.

Childcare providers offer high quality early learning, nurturing, caring environments that set children up for success in school and beyond, Chambers said. It also provides support for economic vitality in our community. High quality childcare allows parents to engage in the workforce, be more successful in their jobs, and provide overall family stability.

United Way is giving free CPR training to the first 30 childcare providers to register.

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If you would like to sign up, you can visit United Way of the Wabash Valleys 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 MyWabashValley.com.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA)  The University of Arkansas issued a campus-wide statement on March 19, outlining proactive measures in response to rising measles cases across the U.S.

In 2024, 285 measles cases were reported in 33 jurisdictions, none of which were in Arkansas.

A recent study with the CDC shows over 300 confirmed measles cases in 15 jurisdictions as of Mar. 13: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington.

COURTESY: CDC

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The current CDC findings for 2025 show that 93% of cases were outbreak-related to the 3 reported, as opposed to last years 69% association of 16 reported outbreaks.

Though Arkansas has not seen reported outbreaks in recent years, the University of Arkansas emailed students, faculty, and staff, educating the community about measles and how to prevent the highly contagious virus.

CDC issues dengue fever warning for spring, summer travelers

The email comes from the universitys Communicable Disease Outbreak Committee, which reviews public health surveillance reports and other data to ensure the safety of the University of Arkansas community

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Based on this information, the committee recommends policies, procedures, and actions in response to potential and actual outbreaks declared by the Arkansas Department of Health, according to the committees webpage.

The University of Arkansas spring break begins on Mar. 24. According to 2024 enrollment data, approximately 30.6% of the total enrollment comes from the states currently experiencing measles outbreaks.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.
(NewsNation)  The University of California said Wednesday it is doing away with a requirement that faculty applicants submit a diversity statement. The announcement comes after the Trump administration said it would revoke federal funds from schools with diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Many departments at University of California campuses previously had prospective employees write testimonials about how they worked to support racial and other kinds of diversity in their fields, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The LA Times wrote that school officials announced the decision during a meeting at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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In a letter to campus provosts, Katherine Newman, university provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said that although requiring diversity statements will no longer be permitted, faculty candidates can still choose to inclusive academic achievements in teaching, research, and service.

Georgia teen missing for over a year found alive in Tennessee

The regents stated that our values and commitment to our mission have not changed, the letter said, according to the LA Times. We can continue to effectively serve our communities from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds, and points of view without requiring diversity statements.

Janet Reilly, chair of the universitys board of regents, said in a statement that the values and commitment to the systems mission have not changed, the New York Times reported.

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We will continue to embrace and celebrate Californians from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds and points of view, Reilly said.

Multiple current faculty members at the university said they believe President Donald Trumps actions against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were a significant factor in the regents decision, the LA Times reported.

Brian Soucek, a law professor at UC Davis, told the newspaper, There is nothing else that possibly motivates this change in general or this change being done in this particular way at the current moment.

He said the statements are meant to look for ways in which our specific fields may be falling short in producing scholarship that addresses the needs of a diverse public.

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During his second term, Trump has signed executive orders banning diversity practices across the federal government and educational institutions.

Trump will order a plan to shut down the US Education Department

Last month, the Department of Education sent schools and colleges a letter warning of funding cuts for schools with diversity programs, according to NewsNation partner The Hill.

During Wednesdays meeting of school officials, university president Michael Drake said the university system identified three primary risks to its federal funding.

These included the potential freezing or decreasing of federal contracts and grants; potential cuts to Medicare and Medicaid that would have significant impacts on the UC Health enterprise and its patients; as well as threats to the universitys values.

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In addition, Drake said, the university is planning for a state budget cut of nearly 8%  or $396.6 million.

Drake said the university will soon implement a systemwide hiring freeze to help manage its costs and conserve funds.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Administrators of the University of California higher educational system on Wednesday eliminated an element of its hiring process that required job applicants to submit diversity statements, reported the Los Angeles Times.

This change affects multiple campuses affiliated with the University of California, including UCLA, UC-Berkeley and UC-Irvine, among others.

Under the previous requirement, job seekers had to submit essays describing their commitment to and previous work supporting diversity in their fields, including in matters of race, gender and sexual orientation. The requirement dates back to the early 2000s, though it went mainstream in the 2010s.

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The requirement to submit a diversity statement may lead applicants to focus on an aspect of their candidacy that is outside their expertise or prior experience, wrote Katherine Newman, UC provost, in a letter published Wednesday.

Our values and commitment to our mission have not changed, announced Janet Reilly, chair of the University of California Board of Regents. We can continue to effectively serve our communities from a variety of life experiences, backgrounds and points of view without requiring diversity statements.

How Californians have received the change

Reactions to the change have been mixed. The diversity statement requirement was controversial during its time, accumulating a great deal of negative media attention and even a lawsuit.

Some Californians are pleased by the change. The Hill reported that UC-Berkeley rejected 76% of qualified applicants solely because of their diversity statements in 2020. Professors disparaged the diversity statement as a political loyalty oath or litmus test.

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Rather than helping achieve inclusion, these DEI rubrics act as a filter for those with nonconforming views, wrote UC-Davis mathematics professor Abigail Thompson.

Other Californians were upset by the change. Brian Soucek, a UC-Davis law professor and longtime diversity advocate, told the Los Angeles Times that he believes the removal of the statement is a capitulation to the Trump administration.

It can only be explained as an attempt at advanced appeasement of the Trump administrations current threats, Soucek said. There is nothing else that possibly motivates this change in general or this change being done in this particular way at the current moment.

The Trump administrations commitment to remove DEI from schools

It is possible that financial tensions may underscore the University of Californias decision. The state of California recently announced an 8% budget cut to the University of California school system, per the National Review.

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This, combined with the federal governments new policy preventing federally funded schools from using racial preferences as a factor affecting admissions, students and faculty, may have played a role in ending the diversity statement requirement at the University of California.

Schools, including elementary, middle, and high schools, may no longer make decisions or operate programs based on race or race stereotypes in any of these categories or they risk losing access to federal funds, stated the Department of Education in a press release.

The University of California is not the first institution to comply with the Trump administrations effort to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion-based hiring and admissions.

Other universities have:
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (DC News Now)  The University of Maryland Police Department said a recording device was found inside a dormitory bathroom on campus.

Last week, a student told campus police she found a portable recording device in a bathroom inside Johnson-Whittle Hall on the universitys campus. A few days later on March 14, officers got an arrest warrant for 19-year-old Noah White who then turned himself in to police four days later.

City of Greenbelt to host free produce distribution for residents

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One student who did not want to be named said the incident was scary.

To find out that a student put in a recording device in the stall of a bathroom  thats really creepy and obviously not safe, the student said. Dorms are supposed to be safe spaces, especially the bathrooms and this is where you live.

Student Belal Mobaidin said he and his friends were horrified about the incident.

This is honestly sickening, and I dont know why he would do that and its disgusting, Mobaidin said. This is supposed to be a safe environment, and we are supposed to have safety and we are here for studying, not here for these dirty things.

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White will face charges that include using visual surveillance equipment in a private place.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and his adviser, Elon Musk, have repeatedly claimed that former President Joe Biden left NASA's Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore in space for political gain. Trump has claimed efforts to transport the astronauts home began with his own administration.

Musk also alleged, in multiple instances, that his astronautics company, SpaceX, offered to bring the astronauts back but were refused by the Biden administration. During a March 14 news conference, a NASA administrator said he "can't give a lot of clarity" about these purported conversations, but that NASA is a nonpartisan agency that "gets support from whoever's in office."

However, the evidence suggests NASA was working on the Starliner crew's return to Earth as early as August 2024 and delays were due to safety concerns and technical difficulties. In fact, the SpaceX Crew-9, which brought the astronauts home on March 18, 2025, docked at the International Space Station in September 2024, months before Trump entered office and supposedly appointed Musk to oversee the rescue mission.

The original announcement, dated August 2024, said Williams and Wilmore would "continue their work" on the ISS "through February 2025," suggesting it was always the plan for the crew to fly home in early 2025.

While Wilmore said Musk's comments were "factual," he also said he had no information on any politically motivated delays, nor did he see any evidence of that from his perspective, suggesting he had no proof regarding the truth of Musk's statements. In a statement about Wilmore's and Williams' return, NASA's acting administrator, Janet Petro, said: "Per President Trump's direction, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to pull the schedule a month earlier."

Finally, there is no credible evidence that the Biden administration deliberately left the astronauts in space, nor is there documented proof that Biden turned down an offer from Musk's SpaceX to bring them home earlier.

As astronauts Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore finally touched down on Earth on March 18, 2025  following an unexpectedly long nine months in space  rumors abounded that former U.S. President Joe Biden had abandoned them and refused help from SpaceX owner Elon Musk to bring them back.

Williams and Wilmore's intended eight-day trip to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the first crewed test flight for the Boeing Starliner spacecraft began during Biden's administration, on June 5, 2024. Since Trump began his second term in January 2025, he and his adviser Musk have repeatedly claimed that following the malfunction of Boeing's capsule, Biden chose to leave Williams and Wilmore stranded and did not instruct the federal space agency NASA to retrieve them. Musk said he had offered to bring the astronauts back earlier, and Biden had declined.

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Users on social media spread the rumor on Musk's social media platform X, as well as on TikTok and Instagram. One X user captioned photographs of Williams and Wilmore: "I still can't believe that two Americans were stuck in space for months, and the previous administration refused to bring them back when given the opportunity. Welcome home!"

(X @Riley_Gaines_)

Even Wilmore's daughter, Daryn Wilmore, alluded to the claims on TikTok, saying her dad's delayed return had to do with "a lot of politics" and "negligence," but she can't say more because she doesn't "know fully" what happened. Snopes readers also wrote in to ask whether posts about these claims were true.

Evidence suggests that  contrary to Trump and Musk's assertions that they were responsible for finally retrieving the astronauts  NASA was discussing how to facilitate the Starliner crew's return as early as August 2024, and that the SpaceX capsule that brought them back was not only docked at the ISS by September 2024 but scheduled for an early 2025 return. We could find no documented proof to corroborate Musk's claim that he offered to rescue the astronauts earlier.

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In lieu of answering detailed questions, a NASA spokesperson, Joshua Finch, sent links to two of the agency's hourlong news conferences. In the first, on March 14, a reporter asked if NASA leadership could give "any clarity" on "claims that the previous administration refused to bring home the Starliner astronauts despite an offer being made." NASA's space operations associate administrator, Kenneth Bowersox, replied that he "can't give you a lot of clarity there."

"Those discussions, I wasn't part of, so I can't tell you if they did happen or didn't happen," Bowersox said (see 35:31). "All I can tell you is NASA is an incredible nonpartisan agency. We get support from whoever is in office. Our presidents always care a lot about what happens at NASA, and it's great to see that trend continue with our current president."

Musk, SpaceX and Trump did not immediately return requests for comment. It was not possible to reach former President Joe Biden; inquiries left with former Vice President Kamala Harris' office were not returned as of this writing.

Here is a rundown of how the astronauts' long-beleaguered stay on the ISS  and the mission to rescue them  developed over the course of two presidencies.

'SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago'

Trump, on his social media platform Truth Social, claimed in a March 17, 2025, post that he brought the astronauts home "long prior to the two week period originally approved by NASA," and that efforts to bring them home began when he asked Musk to "go up and get the abandoned astronauts because the Biden Administration was incapable of doing so." (Trump appeared to be referencing a prior timeline to bring the astronauts home a month later, although it is not entirely clear.)

(Truth Social @realDonaldTrump)

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It was the latest in a string of claims from him (see 44:31) and Musk that they had "taken on the project" of bringing Williams and Wilmore home.

Musk has repeatedly claimed SpaceX offered to bring the astronauts back under the Biden administration  but was rejected for "political reasons" because they didn't want to make him, as a Trump supporter, "look good." For example, see his Feb. 20, 2025, comments at the Conservative Political Action Conference (see 26:13) and his Feb. 28 comments on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast (see 1:23:34).

Musk even got into a spat on Feb. 20 with a Danish astronaut, Andreas Mogensen, about this claim after Mogensen accused Musk of lying during a Feb. 19 Fox News interview, in which Musk and Trump both claim the astronauts were left in space by Biden (see 14:53).

In response to Morgensen, Musk said "SpaceX could have brought them back several months ago. I OFFERED THIS DIRECTLY to the Biden administration and they refused. Return WAS pushed back for political reasons."

Timeline doesn't add up with Trump and Musk's claims

Despite Trump's and Musk's claims that they were responsible for setting a rescue plan in motion, documentation from NASA reveals that the plan to get Williams and Wilmore home had been in discussion as early as August 2024.

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Starliner's technical problems began before its liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, but it was the issues it encountered before even docking at the ISS on June 6 that forced Williams and Wilmore to stay at the ISS. At first, NASA announced a steady stream of delays to the Starliner crew's return via teleconferences and news releases. The space agency cited the need to review technical issues, avoid other preplanned ISS spacewalks, or conduct additional testing (see 4:59).

By Aug. 7, NASA officials acknowledged in a news conference that the Starliner crew may need to come home on a different spacecraft and discussed leaving two empty seats on the upcoming launch of the Dragon spacecraft  which was built by SpaceX and assigned to NASA's Crew-9 mission. Bowersox, NASA's space operations administrator, said (see 7:47):

Our decision-making process at NASA can run really fast or it can take a while. What you find is that the speed of the decision can vary with the clarity of the information you're working with, the amount of uncertainty in the problem, the time that you have available, and the number of options that you have to deal with issues. If you talk Starliner in particular, we're in a  kind of a new situation here in that we've got multiple options. We don't just have to bring a crew back on Starliner, for example, we could bring them back on another vehicle.

On Aug. 24, NASA announced Boeing's Starliner would return to Earth without Williams and Wilmore, and that the two astronauts would instead fly home aboard the SpaceX Dragon Crew-9 capsule. "The decision to keep Butch and Suni aboard the International Space Station and bring Boeing's Starliner home uncrewed is the result of our commitment to safety: our core value and our North Star," said then-NASA administrator Bill Nelson.

The SpaceX Crew-9 tasked with bringing Williams and Wilmore home docked at the ISS on Sept. 29, 2024  months before Trump supposedly entrusted Musk with the rescue mission. It was stated in the original announcement that Williams and Wilmore would stay at the ISS to "continue their work formally as part of the Expedition 71/72 crew through February 2025," suggesting that it was a long-standing plan for the Starliner crew to fly back home in early 2025. (NASA took advantage of the extended time in space, asking astronauts to complete various experiments and research, including on stem cell technology, lighting systems and sleep rhythms.) Indeed, NASA's descriptions of Expedition 71 and Expedition 72 show that they were planned to run consecutively, the first from April 5, 2024, until Sept. 23, 2024, and the second from Sept. 23, 2024, until "Spring 2025."

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"If I step back to last year, this has been nine months in the making," said Steve Stich, NASA's commercial crew program manager, during a March 18 news conference on the astronauts' return (see 8:30).

What NASA and its astronauts have said

In a series of interviews from space, Wiliams and Wilmore addressed the rumors about their situation. In February 2025, CNN news anchor Anderson Cooper asked them if  as Trump had asserted  they had been "abandoned" by Biden (see 03:34, or archived here). Wilmore responded:

We don't feel abandoned, we don't feel stuck, we don't feel stranded. I understand why others may think that. We come prepared, we come committed [...] So, if you'll help us change the rhetoric, help us change the narrative, let's change it to prepared and committed.

A little more than two weeks before their flight home, Williams and Wilmore held an "in-orbit" news conference in which they fielded questions as to whether it was true Musk had offered to bring them back earlier. Wilmore said, "From my standpoint, politics is not playing into this at all" in response to a question about the timing of his return. When a Washington Post reporter asked again whether it was true Musk offered an earlier return, Wilmore appeared to contradict himself:

I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says is absolutely factual. I have no  we have no information on that though, whatsoever. What was offered, what was not offered, who it was offered to, how [those] processes went  that's information that we simply don't have. So I believe him, I don't know all those details and I don't think any of us can really give you the answer that maybe you would be hoping for.

His comments suggest that he had no official proof that Musk had offered to bring them home earlier, or that Biden had refused that offer for any reason. A reporter for The Times of London alluded to some of these unfounded claims in NASA's March 18 news conference, asking why the organization had not "pushed back more emphatically" against a "fictitious narrative" surrounding the mission and "against the use of astronauts by one of its commercial contractors as political pawns."

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"Oftentimes, there may be things out in the press that may not be exactly what's happening," replied Joel Montalbano, a deputy associate administrator at NASA (see 51:47). "Our job is to fly these missions, and regardless of what you read in the press, our job is to fly successful missions, safe missions, and do the science we do onboard the International Space Station."

However, NASA's acting administrator, Janet Petro, whom Trump appointed to the role in January, said in a statement shortly after the astronauts' splash-landing off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, that "per President Trump's direction, NASA and SpaceX worked diligently to pull the schedule a month earlier."

"This international crew and our teams on the ground embraced the Trump Administration's challenge of an updated, and somewhat unique, mission plan, to bring our crew home," she added.

On March 31, 2025  around two weeks after Williams and Wilmore landed  Williams and Wilmore sat down for an interview with Bill Hemmer, co-anchor of Fox News' "America's Newsroom" show. Referencing their February interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, in which Wilmore had said they did not feel "abandoned," "stuck" or "stranded," Hemmer then asked if they had been "marooned" (see 08:40). Wilmore reiterated that they did not feel abandoned and even went as far as to take some responsibility himself:

Okay, so, any of those  any of those adjectives, they're very broad in their definition. So, okay, in certain respects we were stuck, in certain respects maybe we were stranded. But based on how they were couching this  that we were left and forgotten and all  we were nowhere near any of that, at all. So, "stuck"  okay we didn't get to come home the way we planned. So, in one definition we're stuck but in the big scheme of things, we weren't stuck. We were planned, trained  but let me comment back on this other [assertion that], you know, "they failed you." Who's they? There are many questions that, as the commander of CFT [crew flight test], I didn't ask. So, I'm culpable. I'll admit that to the nation.

Sources:

Anderson Cooper 360. ""We Don't Feel Abandoned, We Don't Feel Stuck, We Don't Feel Stranded": Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore Talk with Anderson about Being In... | by Anderson Cooper 360 | Facebook." Facebook.com, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025, www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3342404222602484. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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C-SPAN. "President Trump Signs Executive Orders." C-SPAN.org, C-SPAN, 6 Mar. 2025, www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-signs-executive-orders/656830. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Fox News. "Rescued Astronauts Speak out on What Can Be Learned from Mission." Facebook.com, Fox News, 31 Mar. 2022, www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1074336591171921. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

---. "Trump, Musk Pull Curtain Back behind Relationship, Media's Divide and Conquer Mission." YouTube, 18 Feb. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMbcMO5JgEo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kekatos, Mary, and Gina Sunseri. "Boeing's Starliner Successfully Docks at ISS after Helium Leaks, Thruster Issue." ABC News, 6 June 2024, abcnews.go.com/US/helium-leaks-discovered-onboard-boeings-starliner-track-reach/story?id=110893167. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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Morelle, Rebecca. "Nasa Astronauts Butch and Suni Finally Back on Earth." BBC News, 19 Mar. 2025, www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mw221z2yyo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Musk, Elon. ""The @POTUS Has Asked @SpaceX..."" X (Formerly Twitter), 28 Jan. 2025, x.com/elonmusk/status/1884365928038563880. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. ""The Astronauts Were Only Supposed to Be..."" X (Formerly Twitter), 5 Mar. 2025, x.com/elonmusk/status/1897420509966688555. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. ""You Are Fully R*******. SpaceX Could..."" X (Formerly Twitter), 20 Feb. 2025, x.com/elonmusk/status/1892584783064052114. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

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NASA. "Expedition 71 - NASA." Nasa.gov, www.nasa.gov/mission/expedition-71/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "Expedition 72 - NASA." Nasa.gov, www.nasa.gov/mission/expedition-72/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "NASA, Boeing Adjust Timeline for Starliner Return." Nasa.gov, 22 June 2024, blogs.nasa.gov/boeing-crew-flight-test/2024/06/21/nasa-boeing-adjust-timeline-for-starliner-return/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "NASA, Boeing Discuss Ground Testing, Forward Work for Starliner Return." Nasa.gov, 25 July 2024, blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/category/boeing/page/2/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Post-Splashdown News Conference." NASA Image and Video Library, 18 Mar. 2025, images.nasa.gov/details/iss072m260772333_NASA%E2%80%99s_SpaceX_Crew-9_Post-Splashdown_News_Conference_250318. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "SpaceX Dragon with Crew-9 Aboard Docks to Station - NASA." NASA, 29 Sept. 2024, www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2024/09/29/spacex-dragon-with-crew-9-aboard-docks-to-station-3/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

NASA Video. "International Space Station Operations (June 28, 2024)." YouTube, 28 June 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-BGAPuzxZU. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "International Space Station Operations Update Media Teleconference." YouTube, 7 Aug. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYPL6bx87yM. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Pre-Departure News Conference  Tuesday, March 4, 2025." YouTube, 4 Mar. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvhpqzL8ZrI. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 Post-Launch News Conference." YouTube, 15 Mar. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqQIhSiR4bk. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

PBS NewsHour. "WATCH: Elon Musk Wields "Chainsaw for Bureaucracy" on Stage before Speaking at CPAC." YouTube, 20 Feb. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9q_udkpymM. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

PowerfulJRE. "Joe Rogan Experience #2281 - Elon Musk." YouTube, 28 Feb. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSOxPJD-VNo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

SpaceX. "Dragon." SpaceX, www.spacex.com/vehicles/dragon/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Taveau, Jessica. "NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft back to Earth without Crew - NASA." NASA, NASA, 24 Aug. 2024, www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. "Welcome Home! NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Back on Earth after Science Mission - NASA." Nasa.gov, 18 Mar. 2025, www.nasa.gov/news-release/welcome-home-nasas-spacex-crew-9-back-on-earth-after-science-mission/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

The White House. "President Trump Announces Acting Cabinet and Cabinet-Level Positions  the White House." The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/designation-of-acting-leaders/. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Trump, Donald. ""I Have Just Asked Elon Musk..."" Truth Social, 29 Jan. 2025, truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113909188940119917. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

---. ""I Just Spoke with the Acting Administrator..."" Truth Social, 17 Mar. 2025, truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114179081339591399. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Updates:

April 2, 2025: This report was updated to include comments from Williams' and Wilmore's March 31, 2025, interview with Fox News. Earlier comments from a February 2025 CNN interview, referenced by Fox News, were also added.

April 3, 2025: This report was updated to reflect that the Boeing Starliner launched on June 5, 2025, not June 6.
A former Eminem studio engineer has been charged Wednesday with stealing celebrated rapper Eminems unreleased music and selling it online.

Investigators say more than 25 songs have been played or distributed online without the consent of the Detroit rapper or Interscope Capital Labels Group, which owns Eminems music.

The music was stored on password-protected hard drives kept in a safe at Eminem's studio in Ferndale, a Detroit suburb, according to an FBI affidavit.

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Joseph Strange, 46, was charged via a criminal complaint with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting US Attorney Julie Beck in Detroit said.

Strange, who lost his job at Eminem's studio in 2021, could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of both counts.

Studio employees reported the theft to the FBI in January, saying unreleased music that was still in development was being played on various websites, including Reddit and YouTube.

A review showed someone transferred files from a hard drive in a safe to an external hard drive in October 2019 and January 2020, when Strange was a sound engineer at the studio.

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Investigators found buyers after Eminem business associate Fred Nassar posted an online warning to fans not to distribute the music.

A Canadian resident who used the screen name Doja Rat told investigators he had purchased 25 unreleased songs from Strange for about $50,000 in Bitcoin. He said he raised the money from a group of fans of Eminem. Strange also was trying to sell some of Eminem's handwritten lyric sheets, Doja Rat said.

Another group of fans organized by someone in Connecticut using the screen name ATL also purchased a couple of songs from Strange for about $1,000, according to the affidavit.

An FBI search of Strange's home in January turned up numerous handwritten Eminem lyric sheets and notes; a VHS tape of an unreleased Eminem video; and hard drives with 12,000 audio files. Some of the files contained music in various stages of development by Eminem and unidentified artists working with him, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit notes that Strange signed an agreement as part of his severance package that specifically prohibited him from electronically circulating Eminem's work.
Unsheltered homelessness declined for a second consecutive year across most of Los Angeles County last year, homeless officials reported Wednesday.

Buoyed by a positive trend in the annual homeless count, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority released a preview projecting a decline of between 5% and 10% when a full statistical analysis is completed in the coming months.

LAHSA Chief Executive Va Lecia Adams Kellum said the results validate her focus on getting people off the street in the two years she has headed the agency.

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"We are onto something," she said in a briefing with The Times. "We have said that it will probably take about three years for unsheltered homeless to go down.... It's taken us two."

The rough count, based on observations by thousands of volunteers who canvassed the county's streets last month, showed 900 fewer people seen on the street and 2,700 fewer vehicles and dwellings.

Final results, expected to be ready by late spring or early summer, will probably show a larger numerical drop after adjustments are made for the estimated number of people occupying each vehicle, tent or shelter. LAHSA officials said they were confident, based on prior years' adjustments, that the decrease will be at least 5%.

The projected decrease would be comparable to last year, when the rough count was down about 4,000.

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The figure reflects the bulk of the county excluding Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale, which conduct separate counts. Officials did not break out a separate figure for the city of L.A.

LAHSA officials released the early snapshot of the data amid a tumultuous public debate over the performance and future of the joint-powers agency created by the city and county in the 1990s to manage homelessness funds. With the infusion of hundreds of millions of dollars of voter-approved tax money, LAHSA has grown rapidly in recent years into a nearly $1-billion-a-year operation.

Recent audits by the city, the county and an outside firm retained through a federal court case have faulted the agency for poor contracting procedures and financial controls.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath has introduced a motion that would break up the agency, creating a new county department that would take over LAHSA's contracting of county-funded programs.

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During the briefing, Adams Kellum declined to take a stand on the proposal, which would leave LAHSA with responsibility for city-funded programs, the annual homeless count and the homeless database.

She appealed for thoughtful management of any change.

"As we are contemplating what is the shape of this, where does their authority sit, how do we divvy out funds, we still believe that a joint city-county vision around unsheltered homelessness must remain," she said.

She also reiterated an oft-stated response that she took on the leadership of the agency knowing that it had problems and believes it is tackling them.

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Two things can be possible at the same time, she said. LAHSA can have problems and it can be improving.

Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WRBL)  Alabama health officials are investigating after an unvaccinated child who traveled through the state tested positive for measles, a highly contagious and potentially deadly virus.

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) released the information late Thursday morning, warning the public of possible exposure. WRBL reached out to ADPH requesting specific details on where the child stopped in Alabama, along with the exact dates and times, in an effort to track the childs movements and assess potential risks. Dr. Wes Stubblefield with ADPH tells WRBL the investigation began Wednesday and as soon as they have additional information and locations to share with the public, they will do so.

ADPH officials believe the exposure risk in Alabama is low but are working to determine possible locations where others may have been exposed. The case is tied to a growing measles outbreak in western Texas, where approximately 300 cases have been confirmed.

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Measles spreads rapidly, infecting up to 95% of unvaccinated individuals who come into contact with the virus. One case can trigger 12 to 18 additional infections, and severe complicationsincluding pneumonia, brain swelling, and even deathoccur in as many as 30% of cases, especially in young children and adults over 20.

Health officials are urging Alabama residents to check their vaccination status immediately. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is over 97% effective with two doses, which are recommended at 12-15 months and 4-6 years of age. Those who have never been vaccinated should get the shot as soon as possible, and anyone exposed to measles can reduce their risk of infection by receiving a dose within 72 hours.

Anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms, fever, or a new rashespecially if unvaccinatedshould call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider to prevent further spread. Measles is contagious for four days before and after a rash appears.

Health officials say this developing situation underscores the urgency of vaccination and public awareness. For more information on protecting yourself and your family, visit ADPHs website.

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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.
DENVER (AP)  A federal agency killed a collared wolf that appears to have crossed from Colorado into Wyoming and killed several sheep, government officials said Thursday.

The wolf was part of a voter-driven reintroduction of the predators in Colorado, a move that angered ranchers who feared losing livestock and agitated political divisions between urban and rural communities. The animals are protected in Colorado, but in large parts of Wyoming it's legal to kill them.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services responded to reports of a predator killing five sheep in north-central Wyoming on Saturday. The agency found evidence pointing to a wolf attack, including bite marks and tracks, according to spokesperson Tanya Espinosa.

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Later that day, the agency killed the wolf it believed was the culprit and discovered it had a collar from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Espinosa said. The wolf and collar were returned to the Colorado agency.

That agency said in a press release that a collar on a male gray wolf alerted the animal's death on Sunday in the same region of Wyoming. Wolves are known to travel long distances to find food or mates, including into other states, read the agency's statement.

The agency said the wolf had been transported from Canada, part of Colorado's ongoing reintroduction efforts after the first wolf paws touched down in December 2023.

___

Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
DOHA (Reuters) - The Taliban on Thursday freed an American citizen who had been detained in Afghanistan for more than two years, following talks between U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler and Taliban officials in Kabul, a source briefed on the release told Reuters.

George Glezmann, who was detained in 2022 while visiting Kabul as a tourist, left Afghanistan on a Qatari aircraft on Thursday evening bound for Qatar, the source said.

Glezmann and Boehler are expected to travel on to the United States, the source added.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of State said on Thursday that the United States will for the first time deny a non-treaty request by Mexico for a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana.

"Mexico's continued shortfalls in its water deliveries under the 1944 water-sharing treaty are decimating American agriculture - particularly farmers in the Rio Grande valley," the department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said in a post on X.

Under a 1944 treaty, Mexico is required to transfer water to the United States every five years from the two dams the countries share on the Texas border.

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Although Mexico's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the denial, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday described the issue as an important one that is being addressed.

"It is being addressed by (national water agency) Conagua and CILA (International Boundary and Water Commission), which is in charge of reviewing this treaty," Sheinbaum said in comment before the State Department's announcement.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward; Additional reporting by Raul Cortes Fernandez in Mexico City; Editing by Caitlin Webber)
A French scientist was denied entry to the US after immigration officials found text messages that were critical of Donald Trump which they said could be considered to be terrorism.

The researcher, who has not been named, was on his way to a conference in Houston, Texas, when officers pulled him aside for a random check and searched his work computer and personal phone, the French newspaper Le Monde reported.

A diplomatic source cited by AFP said that the messages related to the Trump administrations treatment of scientists and scientific research.

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During the search, officers rebuked him for messages which conveyed a hatred toward Trump and could be considered to be terrorism, the same source claimed. Another source cited by AFP said the officers claimed the messages were hateful and conspiracy.

The Telegraph has not seen the content of the messages.

The FBI then opened an investigation into the researcher, but the charges were abandoned, according to the second source.

The incident occurred on March 9, and the researcher was sent back to Europe the following day after authorities confiscated his personal and professional equipment.

There has been outcry since 880 workers were fired at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - SAUL LOEB

The French government condemned US authorities decision to deport the researcher for expressing a personal opinion about Mr Trumps policies.

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I learned with concern that a French researcher, who was going to a conference near Houston was denied entry to the US before being deported, Philippe Baptiste, the French minister for higher education and research, said in a statement to AFP.

This action was taken by the American authorities because the researchers telephone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion about the Trump administrations policy on research.

Freedom of speech, independent research and academic freedom are values that we will continue to stand for resolutely.

Since Mr Trump took office, Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) has instituted sweeping cuts and funding freezes to US universities and research institutions as part of a plan to drastically reduce federal government spending.

Scientists are protesting the cuts to jobs and research funding - SAUL LOEB

Universities have subsequently announced layoffs and revoked offers to graduate students, which critics of the cuts have said will devastate research and lock out a generation of scientific leaders.

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Frances foreign ministry said that while it condemned the incident and promoted freedom of expression and government engagement on cooperation among universities and scientific research, it acknowledged the US was sovereign in matters related to the entry of foreigners.

The US government has in recent weeks come under fire for detentions of foreign nationals, including a British woman who had been denied entry to Canada over a visa mix-up and subsequently arrested when she tried to re-enter the US.

Hilton Beckham, a spokesman for US Customs and Border Protection, said: If individuals violate the terms of a lawful immigration status and attempt to re-enter the country, officers will take appropriate action. Federal privacy restrictions prohibit CBP from discussing specific cases.

All persons arriving at a port of entry to the United States are subject to inspection on a case-by-case basis. As part of their critical national security mission, CBP officers routinely determine admissibility of foreign nationals using longstanding US immigration law.

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If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded.

The FBI did not immediately respond to The Telegraphs request for comment.

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The U.S. plans to hold indirect talks between Russia and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia to understand each side's conditions, Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg announced on March 20.

The talks will involve shuttle diplomacy, with Russian and Ukrainian representatives present in separate rooms.

"You basically say, 'Okay. What are your terms?' And you go to the other side, 'What are your terms?' It's basically shuttle diplomacy between rooms in Riyadh, and that's where they are. And then we'll see where we can get to a comprehensive ceasefire, and that would be the first step to ending this war," Kellogg said during a Glenn Beck interview.

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President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a Ukrainian contact group will meet with U.S. representatives sometime this week to discuss a temporary ceasefire and prioritize protecting civilian infrastructure.

Separate negotiations between the U.S. and Russia are scheduled for March 24, followed by U.S.-Ukraine negotiations on the same day.

The upcoming consultations in Riyadh will include Russian officials Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB).

The Ukrainian representatives have not yet been officially announced.

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Ukrainian and U.S. delegations last met in Saudi Arabia on March 11, where Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a complete ceasefire. Russia did not agree to a complete ceasefire, and Russian missile and drone attacks against Ukraine have continued.

Read also: Berlin Wall is not an option  Zelensky warns against dividing Ukrainian cities by contact line

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
By Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Israel will hold high-level talks on Iran's nuclear program at the White House early next week, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

The planned meeting follows U.S. President Donald Trump's letter to Iran's leadership earlier this month in which he warned Tehran it had the choice of either striking a nuclear deal with the U.S. or facing possible military action.

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The Israeli delegation will be led by strategic affairs minister Ron Dermer and national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi and will meet with senior Trump advisers, the Washington-based source told Reuters.

The two teams are expected to discuss the potential for U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and regional issues related to Tehran, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Axios was first to report on the scheduled meeting in Washington.

Trump said he sent the letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's fiercely anti-Western Supreme Leader, who responded that Tehran would not be bullied into negotiations.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that Tehran will consider the "opportunities" as well as the threats in Trump's letter.

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On Saturday, Trump launched large-scale military strikes against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis over the group's attacks against Red Sea shipping and warned Tehran it will be held accountable if it does not rein them in.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated a "maximum pressure" campaign aimed at isolating Iran from the global economy and cutting off its oil exports.

During his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark deal between Iran and major powers that had placed strict limits on Tehran's nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

After Trump pulled out in 2018 and re-imposed sanctions, Iran breached and far surpassed those limits.

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Western officials fear a nuclear-armed Iran could threaten Israel and Gulf Arab oil producers, and spark a regional arms race. Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons.

Israel, which is battling Iran-backed Hamas militants in Gaza, has made clear it wants to be aligned with the U.S. on any action against Israel's regional arch-foe.

Last year, Israeli strikes on Iranian facilities, including missile factories and air defenses, in retaliation for Iranian missile and drone attacks, sharply reduced Tehran's conventional military capabilities, according to U.S. officials and outside experts.

(Additional reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
By Nate Raymond

(Reuters) - A U.S. judge has been cleared of alleged wrongdoing for going on CNN to speak out against threats made against members of the judiciary and respond to Donald Trump's comments about the daughter of the judge who presided over the New York case in which the now-president was convicted last year.

The Philadelphia-based 3rd Circuit Judicial Council threw out two ethics complaints against Senior U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton in Washington. It found that Walton did not talk about the merits of any legal case, but commented only on Trump's statements made on social media about Justice Juan Merchan, who presided over the New York criminal case, and his family.

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Chief U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Chagares said Walton warned about the "unintended consequences" of public remarks like those made by Trump and "also emphasized the importance of the independence of judicial officers in maintaining the rule of law and ensuring that laws are applied equally to all who appear before a judge."

"These comments do not amount to judicial misconduct," Chagares wrote.

The ruling followed two judicial ethics complaints that were filed against Walton after the judge gave a rare televised interview to CNN in March 2024. One of the complaints was brought by a Trump ally, Article III Project founder Mike Davis. The other complainant has not been identified.

The complaints accused Walton of violating judicial ethics rules by commenting on the merits of a pending case, potentially tainting the jury pools in the four criminal cases then pending against Trump by accusing him of making violent threats against Merchan. Trump was not president at the time.

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The complaints about Walton's interview were consolidated before the 3rd Circuit Judicial Council, resulting in a January 31 decision that was released publicly this week, finding that Walton did not violate the judicial code of conduct.

The decision did not identify Walton by name. But Walton, an appointee of Republican former President George W. Bush, on Thursday confirmed to Reuters he was the judge at issue. Walton had no further comment.

The decision also included quotes matching a complaint filed by Davis, who in an interview said it was clear Walton violated judicial ethics rules.

"Naturally the judiciary protects its own, and this is why Congress must step forward with legislation imposing independent ethics body for the federal judiciary," Davis said.

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The decision comes amid new concerns about judicial security prompted by vocal attacks by Trump, his billionaire adviser Elon Musk and other administration officials against judges who block the president's agenda in court.

For instance, Trump has called for the impeachment of a judge who has ruled in a case concerning the administration's deportation flights and called the jurist a "Radical Left Lunatic."

Walton appeared on CNN after Trump began publicly assailing Merchan and his daughter ahead of his criminal trial on charges related to hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. Trump called Merchan's daughter a "Rabid Trump Hater" in a post on his social media platform.

Walton told CNN it was "very disconcerting to have someone making comments about a judge," and expressed concern that such remarks by people in authority could "resonate with others" and cause them to "maybe cause injury or death to someone."

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Merchan in January sentenced Trump ahead of his inauguration for a second term in office to an unconditional discharge with no prison term after a jury last year found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up the hush money payment.

(Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Will Dunham and Leslie Adler)
(Bloomberg) -- The US labor board has abandoned its case accusing GEO Group Inc. of retaliating against detained immigrants, signaling a different enforcement approach under President Donald Trump.

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In a Jan. 6 complaint, the National Labor Relations Board had accused the private-prison company of subjecting detainees to punishments including solitary confinement because they protested over pay and working conditions and supported labor strikes. The workers attorneys have said they were doing tasks including cleaning and maintenance for $1 a day, and described the case as an important precedent to show such detainees were protected by US labor law.

The case was brought in the final weeks of Joe Bidens presidency by his NLRB general counsel Jennifer Abruzzo, who took an expansive view of who counts as an employee and what their rights are under the law. A week after taking office, Trump fired Abruzzo and one of the labor boards Democratic members, saying he wasnt confident they could treat employers fairly.On Feb. 3 Trump tapped former NLRB member William Cowen as the agencys acting top prosecutor. On Feb. 18, the NLRB regional director who had previously issued the GEO complaint  involving immigrant detainees at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Bakersfield, California  said it should instead be dismissed, according to a filing seen by Bloomberg News.

An NLRB spokesperson declined to comment. The NLRB has sole authority to enforce federal private sector labor law, and its general counsel has sweeping discretion over what sorts of cases the agency does or does not pursue.

GEO has denied wrongdoing, saying participation in its Voluntary Work Program did not make detainees legally its employees. In a filing the day after Trumps inauguration, the company said its alleged actions were "required pursuant to the standards enunciated by ICE. GEO also argued that federal labor law is unconstitutional, and wrongly restricts the presidents authority to fire members of the NLRB, echoing a position recently popularized by Elon Musks aerospace company SpaceX.

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The California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice, whose attorneys had helped bring the GEO workers case to the NLRB, said they would forge ahead with similar efforts. As private detention expands under this administration, we will continue to push for protections for detained workers when they speak out about unsafe working conditions, the nonprofit said in an email.

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DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN)  Local American Postal Workers Union members gathered outside of a United States Postal Service location in Dayton to make their voices heard.

Don Adams, president of the local APWU, said members met outside of the USPS location on East Fifth Street in Dayton to protest possible cutbacks and closures of post office locations.

Dayton gathering of the American Postal Workers Union | WDTN Photo/Matt Channels

Dayton gathering of the American Postal Workers Union | WDTN Photo/Matt Channels

According to Adams, postal employees are not in the job to make a profit, but rather to provide a service to the people. The USPS generates revenue from stamps and service fees rather than tax dollars.

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We actually fall beneath the Congressional action that allows and created the Post Office, and we shouldnt be allowed to be just privatized at the whim of anybody, said Adams. We should be allowed to continue our service that we have.

Adams believes that changing USPS could negatively impact jobs and service delivery times, such as a delay of five to six times the speed mail currently arrives.

When WDTN.com reached out to USPS for comment on the gathering, we received the following statement:

We respect our employees rights to express their opinions and participate in informational picketing while off the clock. USPS spokesperson

Adams recommended individuals who want to stand with them should contact their Congressional representative and tell them to keep the USPS the way it is.

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The APWU said more than 250 gatherings were held Thursday across the nation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDTN.com.
***Watch previous coverage in the video above***

AKRON, Ohio (WJW)  A man accused of opening fire at Akron police officers during a traffic stop has been arrested, the police department confirmed.

The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force found and arrested 30-year-old Jon Tae Von Angelo Nelson, of Akron, on Wednesday afternoon.

The shooting occurred during a traffic stop in West Akron around 3:50 a.m. on Tuesday.

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As FOX 8 previously reported, two Akron police officers pulled over a silver Ford F-150 XLT in the area of Vernon Odom Boulevard and Tyler Street for traffic violations.

14-year-old shot in downtown Cleveland pronounced dead: Police

According to Akron police, when the officers approached the vehicle, the suspect opened fire through the truck window. An Akron police officer returned fire, but the suspect sped away.

A statewide alert was issued for the suspect and the rental vehicle on Tuesday.

In Wednesday evenings update, Akron police said Nelson was taken into custody without incident.

This arrest sends a clear message that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated, Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said in the release. The Akron Police Department is committed to ensuring the safety of our officers and our community and will continue to work tirelessly to bring justice to those who threaten it. We are grateful to the U.S. Marshals Service for their swift and effective action and to all the officers, detectives and agencies who assisted in this investigation.

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When will Cedar-Lee development be demolished?

Nelson faces multiple charges in the shooting, including felonious assault on a police officer, carrying a concealed weapon, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle and failure to comply.

Im thankful an arrest has been made so quickly in this case, and I applaud the work of our officers and detectives, as well as our partner organizations including the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. It is critical that those involved in violence are held accountable for their dangerous actions, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said.

The officer involved in the shooting was placed on paid administrative leave, following department procedure in police-involved shootings. The Office of Professional Standards and Accountability is investigating.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
The State Department is offering a $15 million reward for information linked to four Chinese nationals it says have helped the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) procure U.S. military equipment and drone technology.

Liu Baoxia, Li Yongxin, Yung Yiu Wa and Zhong Yanlai are accused of facilitating the sale of U.S. goods to front companies based in China that would send the technology to Iran, according to a State Department release.

Iran would then transport products to the IRGC and its linked companies including Shiraz Electronics Industries and Rayan Roshd Afzar, which use U.S.-controlled technology to develop and manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles, arms and weapons systems, according to the State Department.

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Manufactured products are then sold to governments and groups in allied countries such as Russia, Sudan and Yemen in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Officials are now urging individuals with information about the illegal sale of technology to report information through their anonymous Tor Browser to receive a monetary reward.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The 2026 race for Tennessee governor is on.

U.S. Rep. John Rose became the first candidate to formally announce a bid for the governors mansion on Thursday, framing himself as the conservative outsider in the contest.

A crowd of several hundred hailed Rose as he launched his campaign for the Republican nomination alongside a 1944 John Deere tractor on the steps of the 4-H & FFA building at the Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon.

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Light sleet was falling as Rose took the podium to the strains of Craig Morgan's "International Harvester," with his wife, Chelsea, and young sons Guy and Sam standing behind him.

Today, as a grateful descendant of fearless Tennessee pioneers and as an eighth generation farmer, I humbly announce my candidacy for governor of the state of Tennessee, Rose said.

Rose, R-Cookeville, has said his priority as governor would be to safeguard the states low taxes, low debt, low regulations, and Christian values won by years of strong conservative leadership. He points to his experiences as a private businessman and seasoned farmer as qualifiers that will set him apart in the race.

"Tennessee's heritage should not be left in the past, though it should live in our future," he said. "It's up to us to maintain the character of this great state and to grow wisely."

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A family farmer and IT businessman, Rose has served in Congress since 2018, when he was elected to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Rep. Diane Black, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP gubernatorial nomination that year. Rose was previously Tennessees Commissioner of Agriculture, and state chair of the Future Farmers of America.

During his speech, Rose framed his family's agricultural heritage as part of Tennesseans' legacy of opportunity, service, and faith in God.

Asher Emery sits on one of the tractors before Congressman John Rose, announces his run for Tennessee governor at Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.

"My grandmother lost my grandfather abruptly and unexpectedly in 1974  that could have been the end of our family farm legacy, but she rolled up her sleeves and kept the farm going for 20 years after his death," Rose said. "It's because of her that I get the chance to live and farm on that same land. Mama Rose is a legend to me."

Setting the stage for a bid, Rose travelled to dozens of Tennessee counties ahead of Election Day last year, alongside Gov. Bill Lee, state House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, and Tennessee Republican Party Chair Scott Golden during a get-out-the-vote tour. He was most recently seen at the Tennessee state Capitol for the legislatures annual Agriculture Day on the Hill, and hosted a barbecue dinner for state lawmakers on Wednesday.

Rose pitches platform on roads, health care access

On Thursday, he outlined an agenda focused on fundamentals: quality schools, a revitalized road infrastructure that alleviates traffic burdens, better access to emergency medical care in every county, and continuing to position Tennessee as a leader in nuclear energy.

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Son of a public school teacher, Rose's first campaign promise is to appoint an education commissioner with "Tennessee teaching experience"  a direct reference to Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds, who is not certified to teach in Tennessee, and whose experience is overwhelmingly policy focused.

"It is through learning that children from all circumstances have a chance to realize their American dream at school," Rose said. "We have thousands of dedicated teachers across the state who put in the extra time and do whatever it takes to deliver for their students in every classroom every day. I love our Tennessee teachers, and that's why as governor, I promise to appoint a Commissioner of Education who has Tennessee teaching experience."

Congressman John Rose, greets supporters after announcing his run for Tennessee governor at Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Rose also pledged to expand every interstate in Tennessee to at least eight lanes, and build four-lane highways to every county seat in the state.

"We have to agree collectively that potholes and traffic jams in our state are old news," he said. "Better roads means a better way of life for every Tennessean."

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Improving access to quality health care is another priority, Rose said, promising to work toward the goal that no resident is "more than 30 minutes away from emergency medical care," and making care "available in every county in Tennessee."

"We don't want life saving care to be out of reach," he said. "When a loved one is diagnosed with a disease, we don't want them to have to travel several hours round-trip to receive care."

Rose also pledged to work on nuclear energy development, support vulnerable children by improving the Department of Children's Services, defend Tennesseans' Second Amendment Rights, work with the legislature on pro-life policies, and make Tennessee "a national leader when it comes to making adoption attainable for Tennessee families."

'A warrior leader'

As strains of Rocky Top blasted through speakers following his speech, Rose's message of faithful service and fundamentals of government was well received by the crowd, many of whom braved the cold winds in well-worn cowboy boots, weather-beaten leather jackets, and other marks of the agrarian voter of Rose's base.

Congressman John Rose, announces his run for Tennessee governor at Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.

Introducing Rose, Chattanooga attorney Jamie Heartfield praised Rose's work ethic and wisdom, saying he "does not talk about values, he lives them, day in and day out."

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"I see John as a warrior leader for Tennessee, and in these very uncertain times, that's what we need," Heartfield said. "He's not just a street fighter  there are any number of those in Washington, D.C., if you just watch the news. ... But it's not about bickering or provoking or clamoring or fighting to be heard."

Supporters listen as Congressman John Rose, announces his run for Tennessee governor at Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.

While many top Republicans are withholding endorsements in the race, a few state lawmakers were in the crowd Thursday to cheer Rose, including Rep. Paul Sherell, R-Sparta, and Rep. Kelly Keisling, R-Byrdstown.

Rose v. Blackburn?

Rose will likely face off against a formidable opponent in U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee. While she has not yet made a formal announcement, Tennessees senior senator has publicly stated her intent to run.

I am strongly looking at it, Blackburn told the Tennessee Journal this week. I intend to run. I will win, and well make certain that Tennessee is the most conservative state in the country."

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Blackburn won reelection to the Senate last year earning 63.8% of the vote, and early polling suggests she would be the Republican frontrunner: Blackburn has a 82% favorability among GOP primary voters, according to polling reported by Axios. Some politicos across the state consider her success a foregone conclusion: at a Tennessee Chamber of Commerce event in January, attendees called her Gov. Blackburn.

But Rose could have appeal among voters. Asked why he supports Rose on Thursday, voter Ken Hall of Monterey, Tennessee, said that first, "he's from Tennessee."

Blackburn was born and raised in Mississippi, and attended Mississippi State. She has lived in Tennessee for decades and served in the state legislature and the U.S. House before winning election to the Senate in 2018.

Congressman John Rose, walks out and greets the crowd before announcing his run for Tennessee governor at Wilson County Tennessee State Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tenn., Thursday, March 20, 2025.

"Also, in our dealings with him, he's always come through when he's made a promise," Hall said.

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Lee and other top Republicans are not wading into the race with endorsements yet.

"Im focused on what Ive got to do for the next two years, Lee told reporters Thursday. Im not moving out yet. We have a lot of work to do and Im happy that we have high-quality people to step up and who are willing to pursue this job.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, said Thursday that "it's still early," but he is confident there will be "a lot of good candidates ... on the Republican side of the ballot."

During the legislature's Agriculture Day on the Hill this week, many saw Lee's entrance down the state Capitol stairs alongside Blackburn as foreshadowing his backing in the looming race.

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R- Tennessee, takes a photo with Kaylee Lentz-Zierer, Miss Rodeo Tennessee, and Ella Mason Teen Miss Rodeo Tennessee during Agriculture Day on the Hill at Tennessee State Capitol building in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, March 18, 2025.

I suspect, whoever the next governor is, that their focus will be like ours," Lee said, "which is to continue to make Tennessee one of the leading destinations for economic development in America.

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Austin Hornbostel contributed.

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at vjones@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 2026 Tennessee governors race: US Rep. John Rose launches campaign
Democratic U.S. Rep. Sean Casten said he absolutely will continue to hold town hall meetings even though a Wednesday event in Downers Grove was cut short by police after heated confrontations between the congressman and a small group of Palestinian and Israeli supporters.

The disruption began when a pro-Israel supporter wearing an Israeli flag confronted Casten. That prompted some members from a group of five pro-Palestinian supporters to individually confront Casten at the front of the stage at the American Legion Post 80 hall where the town hall was being held.

Video of the event before about 200 people showed Casten frequently interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who criticized U.S. military assistance for Israel in its deadly attacks on Gaza residents in its war with Hamas. Pro-Palestinians have frequently criticized Castens position on the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

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At several points, Casten asked the protesters to show some respect to the other audience members who he said had attended the town hall based on the belief the discussion would be centered around the budget-cutting actions of President Donald Trump, adviser Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency and congressional Republicans.

At one point, a pro-Palestinian protester stood in front of Casten to complain of U.S. complicity in child deaths in Gaza. The congressman responded by saying the protester should run for office.

That is the stupidest thing Ive ever heard. You are the most soulless piece of crap Ive ever seen, the protester said. Casten replied, Thats your opinion, as the protester circled around to get on the stage to confront the congressman.

Get off this, sir. Get off the stage right now, the congressman said as Downers Grove police entered the room. Police later separated a pro-Palestinian demonstrator and an audience member. All of the protesters were then escorted by police outside without any confrontation between the two sides.

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Throughout the disruptions, audience members shouted sit down and chanted Castens name to try to drown out the protesters.

Police ultimately decided to shut down the event for safety reasons, said Casten, who briefly left the stage for an audience cool-down period.

On Thursday morning, in an interview with CNN, Casten called the disruptions sad.

The event was driven by just a huge concern that people have about the unlawfulness, the attacks on the Constitution, and that was what the room came to hear, Casten said.

Unfortunately, there were a small group of people who decided to get up and disrupt on an issue that they disagreed on, and its in their rights, he said. But ultimately, the police felt that there was a risk to public safety in continuing.

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Casten criticized Republican congressional members who have been urged not to hold in-person town halls.

Many of my colleagues  are either not inviting anybody who disagrees with them into the room, which, as you can tell, is not something that we do, or choosing not to have them at all, he said.

On a going-forward basis, were going to have to be, much more deferential to what the local police feel is a safe way to do the town hall, he said. But I think its important for us to continue to make sure that we have these avenues for civil discourse and disagreement.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top two Republican lawmakers who lead the Pentagon's oversight committees in the U.S. Congress issued a rare, joint statement on Wednesday expressing alarm about a potential shake-up in U.S. military commands by the Trump administration.

The statement from the offices of Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers cited press reports, including that the Trump administration is weighing relinquishing the U.S. role as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

The position, which oversees all NATO operations in Europe, has been filled by a four-star U.S. general since its creation in 1950. Sources familiar with the matter tell Reuters such a possibility has been discussed but may ultimately not be viable and that no announcement is imminent.

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"We will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress," Wicker and Rogers said in the statement.

"Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with America's adversaries."

NBC News first reported the possible U.S. relinquishment of the job of SACEUR, as the position is known, and said it could be presented as part of a broader cost-cutting shake-up in military commands that could see several positions consolidated.

Still, any move to step away from Europe would stoke further doubt among America's NATO allies about U.S. commitments to European security under President Donald Trump.

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Trump's rapprochement with Russia has already put NATO allies on edge, as have U.S. warnings that European security can no longer be Washington's primary focus.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Sandra Maler)
By Kanishka Singh and Jack Queen

WASHINGTON/ NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has detained an Indian man studying at Washington's Georgetown University and is seeking to deport him after deeming him a harm to U.S. foreign policy, the student's lawyer said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security accused Badar Khan Suri of ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas and said he had spread Hamas propaganda and antisemitism on social media, according to a statement it shared with Fox News.

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The DHS statement to Fox News, which was reposted by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, did not cite evidence. It said Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that Suri's activities "rendered him deportable."

Suri - who is living in the U.S. on a student visa and is married to an American citizen - has been detained in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is awaiting a court date in immigration court, his lawyer said. Federal agents arrested him outside his home in Rosslyn, Virginia, on Monday night.

The case comes as Trump seeks to deport foreigners who took part in pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 Hamas attack. Trump's measures have sparked outcry from civil rights and immigrant advocacy groups who accuse his administration of unfairly targeting political critics.

Suri is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown's Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, which is part of the university's School of Foreign Service. His arrest was first reported by Politico.

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"If an accomplished scholar who focuses on conflict resolution is whom the government decides is bad for foreign policy, then perhaps the problem is with the government, not the scholar," Suri's lawyer said in an email.

A Georgetown University spokesperson said the university had not received a reason for Suri's detention and it was not aware of Suri engaging in any illegal activity.

Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, is a U.S. citizen, said his lawyer. Saleh is from Gaza, according to the Georgetown University website, which said she has written for Al Jazeera and Palestinian media outlets and worked with the foreign ministry in Gaza. Saleh has not been arrested, the lawyer added.

Suri himself has been teaching a class this semester on "Majoritarianism and Minority Rights in South Asia" and has a Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from a university in India, according to the Georgetown University website.

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Earlier this month the Trump administration arrested and sought to deport Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil over his participation in pro-Palestinian protests. Khalil is challenging his detention in court.

Trump, without evidence, has accused Khalil of supporting Hamas. Khalil's legal team says he has no links to the militant group that the U.S. designates as a "foreign terrorist organization."

Trump has alleged pro-Palestinian protesters are antisemitic. Pro-Palestinian advocates, including some Jewish groups, say that their criticism of Israel's assault on Gaza and their support for Palestinian rights is wrongly conflated with antisemitism by their critics.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Jack Queen in New York; editing by Michelle Nichols, Michael Perry and Saad Sayeed)
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff is urging President Donald Trumps administration to rehire Georgia employees at the Environmental Protection Agency so they can continue protecting air and water quality in the region.

According to a letter from Ossoff on Wednesday, he and members of the Georgia Congressional delegation and more from the southeast region, the employees at the Atlanta EPA office play a critical role in public and environmental health and should get their jobs back to continue their work.

Reports indicate that EPA staff members have received emails indicating immediate dismissal due to their probationary status, Ossoff and his colleagues wrote to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

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We are deeply concerned about the negative impacts such terminationsdone across the board without consideration for positional need or programmatic impactwould have on the agencys ability to protect public health and the environment in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee and across the nation, the senators added.

Mentioning recent events in Georgia, like the chemical fire at the BioLab facility in Conyers, Ossoff and the others said the dismissal of the EPA employees working in Georgia and Mississippi for the Region 4 office had helped keep families safe after the fire.

The dismissal of employees at the EPA Region 4 offices threatens the health and safety of all states in Region 4 and will undermine ongoing efforts to monitor and improve air and water quality, manage hazardous waste, and restore the ecosystem of the largest freshwater system in the world, the letter said. We urge you to consider the critical importance of these workers to the EPAs mission and the potential adverse effects these terminations have on public health and the environment in our Nation.

Region 4 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and six tribes.

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(Bloomberg) -- The US is stalling the distribution of $2.6 billion in climate finance to South Africa, stoking concerns the money might be blocked outright, people familiar with the situation said.

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Earlier this month actions by US representatives prevented the World Bank-linked Climate Investment Funds from approving a $500 million disbursement to South Africa, two of the people said, asking not to be identified because a public announcement hasnt been made on the matter.

Those funds would have unlocked a further $2.1 billion from multilateral development banks and other sources of financing. Another attempt to approve the payment may be made at CIF meetings in June, four of the people said.

The development has the potential to deepen a fallout between the nations. The administration of President Donald Trump has already halted aid to South Africa, declared its ambassador to the US a persona non grata, and accused the African nation of expropriating land. South African authorities havent confiscated any private land since the end of apartheid in 1994.

Those tensions come on top of a wider US pullback from global climate initiatives.

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Shortly after his inauguration, Trump promised to yank the US out of the Paris Agreement, an international climate pact. He also canceled a pledge of $4 billion to another international climate institute, the Green Climate Fund, and withdrew from plans backed by rich nations to help Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa reduce their reliance on coal. That last step has already cost South Africa $1 billion in loans.

Disbursements by the CIF can be blocked if any of the 15 nations that have contributed to the $12.5 billion in funds it oversees object or ask for more time to seek additional details on what the funds will be used for, and under what conditions. Its unclear which approach the US took to hinder the approval process.

A US Treasury spokesperson declined to comment.

Member deliberations are not made public. Documents are published once approved, the CIF said in response to questions sent by Bloomberg. The unit in the South African Presidency responsible for climate finance declined to comment.

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As of the end of 2024, of the 15 contributors to the CIF the US was the biggest, having provided $3.84 billion. Its closely followed by the UK at $3.63 billion. Germany, Japan and Canada have each contributed more than $1 billion. The CIFs funding is implemented through six multilateral development banks including the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

South Africa could have secured the money late last year when the Biden administration was still in office, but opted to delay the process in order to alter the terms of the pact. It sought to keep three coal-fired power plants open beyond the 2030 deadline it had originally set.

The earlier version of the plan was approved by the CIF in 2022 and deliberations over the updated plan are ongoing, one of the people said.

Losing the funds would be another blow to South Africas bid to pay for the rollout of green energy and close the coal-fired power plants that supply more than 80% of its electricity, making it the most carbon-intensive economy of any nation with a population of more than 4 million people.

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(Updates with mulitlateral development banks in 10th paragraph, deliberations ongoing in 12th. An AI generated summary was removed after it incorrectly attributed the approval process to South Africa.)

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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Thursday nights execution of Edward James may proceed.

James, 63, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection at 8 p.m. at Florida State Prison.

He has filed multiple appeals through the lower courts, which were all denied. The nations high court denied the final appeal Thursday afternoon.

James was convicted of the Sept. 19, 1993, murders of 8-year old Toni Neuner and her grandmother, 58-year-old Betty Dick.

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James was renting a room in Dicks Casselberry home when he killed them. Prosecutors say he drank heavily and took drugs the night he raped and strangled the child and stabbed Dick to death.

Three other children in the house that night were not harmed.

Authorities say James was later captured in California after driving Dicks car across the country.

His attorneys argued James had cognitive decline and questioned if executing him would violate legalities on cruel and unusual punishment.

James pleaded guilty to the killings and was also convicted of the girls rape and stealing Dicks jewelry and car.

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A jury recommended the death penalty despite his guilty pleas.

James execution will be Floridas second one this year.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
The News

The United Arab Emirates plans to deepen its artificial intelligence investments in the US after US President Donald Trump hosted the Gulf nations top national security adviser.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayeds visit to Washington this week signaled that the UAEs growing focus on AI is taking diplomatic priority over fraught geopolitical issues like the war in Gaza, Middle East Eye wrote.

Sheikh Tahnoon runs two Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds, one of which announced a $25 billion US energy venture to power AI, possibly giving him more capital than any other single AI investor globally.

The UAE is seeking access to the most advanced American AI chips, betting on US technology over China and moving closer to Washingtons sphere of influence, analysts say.
Ukrainian and U.S. officials are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days for continued peace talks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post to social media on March 19.

Following a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 18, a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure strikes was agreed upon. Zelensky and Trump held a subsequent call on March 19 to discuss the U.S. president's conversation with Putin the day prior, with Zelensky ultimately agreeing to stop strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.

Zelensky's announcement comes as U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said on March 19 on X that talks between Russian and American delegations to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine will also take place in the coming days in Riyadh. It was not immediately clear as to when the meetings would take place or whether the Ukrainian delegation will meet face-to-face with their Russian counterparts.

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"Ukrainian and American teams are ready to meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to continue coordinating steps toward peace. We instructed our advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible," Zelensky said following the call.

Zelensky voiced that the U.S. and Ukrainian delegations will continue to work out "technical issues" regarding the partial ceasefire.

During a joint press conference with Finnish President Alexander Stubb in Helsinki earlier in the day, Zelensky said that Kyiv will compile a list of energy, infrastructure, and civilian sites that Russia must cease attacking and present the document to international partners.

"In further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security guarantees," he said.

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Ukrainian and U.S. delegations last met in Saudi Arabia on March 11, where Ukraine agreed to a U.S. proposal for a complete ceasefire. Russia did not agree to a complete ceasefire.

Prior to the March 11 meeting, Ukrainian and U.S. relations were at a low point following a heated argument in the White House between Zelensky and Trump on Feb. 28.

U.S. military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine were paused for several days until the two sides met in Saudi Arabia on March 11.

Included in the Ukrainian delegation are Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's chief of staff, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa.

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Read also: Ukraine war latest: Trump, Zelensky hold phone call to discuss ceasefire; Ukraine brings back 175 soldiers from Russian captivity

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
The News

The US is reportedly stalling the distribution of $2.6 billion in multilateral climate finance to South Africa, the latest sign of fraying ties between the two nations.

Washington had already blocked direct aid after accusing Pretoria  without evidence  of unlawfully expropriating land from white farmers; the White House has since declared South Africas ambassador to the US persona non grata.

The wider American aid pullback has left a wide gap in Africas climate finance needs, which other rich countries will struggle to fill. Were entering a world of more constraints, the head of Britains development finance office told Semafor. You need to do more with less.







SIGNALS

Aid cuts could exacerbate South Africas energy problems

Sources: Bloomberg, The Conversation

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If the World Bank-linked funding is not approved at a later date, it would deal a major blow to South Africas plans to close some of the coal-fired plants that still supply more than 80% of the countrys electricity, Bloomberg wrote. The African nation has endured a years-long energy crisis, marked by periods of daily blackouts. But despite setting ambitious climate targets in 2019, Pretorias latest plan to counter the crisis proposes to keep the coal-fired stations open and dramatically increase gas imports: Renewables could offer a more sustainable solution: South Africa has some of the best wind and solar resources in the world  there is no need [for more fossil fuels], one South Africa development expert wrote in The Conversation.

South Africa becomes caught in US culture wars

Sources: The Council on Foreign Relations, The New York Times

The Trump Administrations singling out of South Africa over a controversial land law, with the White House pledging support for white South African refugees, is a sign of the bizarre policies that result from seeing the world through Elon Musk and MAGA-colored glasses, the Council on Foreign Relations wrote. While Washingtons relations with Pretoria were already on edge over the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, the Trump administrations ire seems more based in rhetoric: South Africa may provide a handy cautionary tale, Max du Preez, a white South African writer and historian told The New York Times: It plays into the fears of white people in America and elsewhere: We whites are threatened.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  United States Postal Service workers are rallying across the nation against potential cuts to their workforce and budget.

This comes after the postmaster general said he would work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on reforms.

Protesters say they provide a public service to all Americans no matter where they live. They fear the proposed changes will only make mail service worse.

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U.S. mail is not for sale, several protesters chanted outside of a distribution center in Northeast D.C.

Judge temporarily blocks DOGE access to Social Security records

U.S. postal workers rallied to defend the postal service from a potential DOGE takeover.

I want to make sure I have a job, my son has a job, you know my grandkids have a job you know at least get our mail, said postal worker Brian McLauren.

The postmaster general announced plans to work with DOGE to cut 10,000 from the workforce and billions of dollars from the USPS budget, which protesters say will change the cost of mail service for customers.

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Its going to be anywhere between a 40 to 140 percent increase in postage for the different areas, and I dont think thats fair, said postal worker Chauncey McCamey.

Protesters worry that the privatization of USPS will threaten the stability of millions of jobs, essential mail delivery that Americans depend on and vote-by-mail access.

My main concern is the public because the postal service is for the public, said McLauren. We provide a service for the people from the cities to the backwoods.

The Trump administration says it is considering merging the USPS with the Commerce Department to fix an agency that has struggled to stay afloat.

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We want to have a post office that works well and doesnt lose massive amounts of money and were thinking about doing that and itll be a form of a merger, but itll Remain the postal service and I think itll operate a lot better, said President Donald Trump.

USPS currently employs 640,000 workers. It plans to cut 10,000 workers through a voluntary early retirement program within 30 days.

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Utah Attorney General Derek Brown has officially joined 27 other state attorneys general in the fight against robocalls.

The AGs are supporting a rehearing by the National Consumer Law Center in a case between the Insurance Marketing Coalition Limited and the Federal Communications Commission. The AGs seek to defend a rule by the FCC that stops telemarketers from obtaining and selling consumers phone numbers to robocallers without their consent.

Robocalls have been harassing Americans for decades, say plaintiffs

The brief hopes to shut the spigot of illegal robocalls by giving the FCC authority to issue and enforce the one-to-one consent rule, which was defined in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in 1991.

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Former Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., who sponsored the bill in the 90s, famously described robocalls as the scourge of modern society.

They wake us up in the morning; they interrupt our dinner at night; they force the sick and elderly out of bed; they hound us until we want to rip the telephone right out of the wall, he said.

But these robocallers are not merely annoying; they cost American consumers over $1.2 billion in 2023 alone, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

In a statement to the Deseret News, Brown said robocalls target the most vulnerable members of our society. He added, This FCC policy would cut off robocalls at the source. It is critical that we protect Utahns from scams that can lead to them losing millions of dollars.

How do the AGs propose robocalls be stopped?

The core legal change the AG brief supports is to uphold the FCCs one-to-one consent rule.

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This rule, according to an FCC consumer guide, prohibits lead generators, texters, and callers from using a single consumer written consent to inundate consumers with unwanted telemarketing robocalls and robotexts from dozens of sellers when consumers visit comparison shopping websites.

Currently, however, the one-to-one consent rule is not fully followed because a panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision invalidating it.

The brief explains, The panels decision invalidating this commonsense rule threatens Amici States interest in protecting consumers, families, and businesses from the deluge of invasive robocalls, asserting that the one-to-one consent rule must be followed for the AGs to protect American citizens.

Americans passionately disagree about many things. But they are largely united in their disdain for robocalls, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh said in a 2020 appeal.

The fight against robocalls in the U.S. is overwhelmingly bipartisan and largely against data collectors and harvesters.
By Robin Respaut

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Joey Cortez, who served 24 years in the U.S. Air Force, had been waiting since August to see a mental health specialist from the Department of Veterans' Affairs, when he experienced a fresh jolt of anxiety.

Cortez was fired last month from his human resources job at the agency - one of about 2,400 employees who lost their jobs at Veterans' Affairs (VA) in the first wave of President Donald Trump's efforts to shrink the federal workforce.

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"Once the firings happened and I was terminated, I started having panic attacks to the point where I black out," Cortez, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, told Reuters. The layoff is also making it harder to maintain his sobriety, as a recovering alcoholic.

"Not a day has gone by since I was fired that I havent thought about picking up a bottle," said Cortez.

After losing his job, Cortez asked the VA to expedite his wait for a therapist and was told there was no record of his request, he said. After a month of calls to the agency, he got an appointment for this August, one year after he started the process. Then the VA offered him an appointment next week because another patient had canceled.

The VA provides health care to 9.31 million U.S. veterans at hundreds of medical centers, clinics and nursing homes across the country.

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It also faces complex problems.

"The VA has bloat. There are redundancies. There are places where we have questioned the administration of care and asked, does it need to be the way it is?" Pat Murray, the legislative director for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, which represents Americans who have fought overseas, said in an interview.

The Trump administration plans additional cuts to the VA of more than 80,000 personnel, according to an internal memo obtained by Reuters. The agency has also announced it is phasing out telework.

Reuters spoke to nine current and former VA employees in California, Oregon, Texas and the Washington D.C. area who said the changes were further disrupting some mental health services and fueling anxieties among those who provide and rely on them.

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The VA employees - who include six mental health professionals and three people in leadership positions - described cancellations of some in-person and telehealth appointments; confusion over staffing of a crisis hot-line; and professionals conducting telehealth visits in makeshift meeting rooms inside VA buildings.

They spoke on the condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to speak with the media.

STAFFING SHORTAGES

A former employee at the VA's Office of Inspector General, who is also a veteran, said any future large-scale staffing cuts would likely worsen shortages and impact the quality of care.

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"There's no way to take a scalpel and do it appropriately that quickly," he said.

VA spokesperson Peter Kasperowicz told Reuters mental health professionals, such as psychologists and social workers, were not included in February's staffing cuts, and the agency is working to recruit mental health providers and improve wait times.

He did not specify how many support staff for these providers had been affected.

Last week, two federal judges ordered the VA and other federal agencies to reinstate thousands of fired probationary workers. Cortez's pay was reinstated but he was told not to return to work.

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The Veterans Health Administration, the branch of the VA that provides healthcare, has experienced severe staffing shortages since 2015, especially among mental health professionals, according to an OIG report last year.

Veterans often benefit from specialized services to treat anxiety, trauma, depression and substance abuse. The proportion of veterans receiving mental health services rose to 31% in 2022 from 20% in 2007, according to the VA. Suicide among veterans is twice the rate of Americans overall.

The VFW's Murray said his organization supports a thorough review of the VA's mental health services, but it needs to be done carefully, "not with a chainsaw."

'THE MOOD IS SO LOW'

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In recent years, the agency had encouraged remote work to help expand access to telehealth services and reduce wait times, especially in rural areas where recruiting providers is difficult.

The VA's Kasperowicz said that, while providers will need to return to VA facilities, veterans will be able to access telehealth appointments.

He did not directly address questions about why mental health providers needed to return to the office.

"The VA will make accommodations as needed to ensure employees have enough space to work and will always ensure that Veterans' access to benefits and services remains uninterrupted as employees return to in-person work," Kasperowicz said.

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In the last few weeks, demand for services among veterans who are VA employees has also risen, one of the mental health professionals, a social worker, told Reuters. A quarter of VA employees are veterans.

The social worker said he is meeting with two to three VA employees a week who are seeking access to mental health care, citing stress and the fear that they will lose their jobs.

"People are calling out sick. People are ill with stress and worry. The mood is so low."

A mental health supervisor in California described scrambling to cover the caseload of a remote worker who had to cancel appointments with more than a dozen veterans, because she could not access a VA facility.

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VA employees in the Washington area and in Oregon said mental health professionals were unsure if they were allowed to answer calls from the VA's crisis hot-line if they were not physically in an office, because they had been instructed not to conduct work outside of a facility.

"People are nervous to be on-call," said a supervisor of mental health providers in the Washington area. "The system is under a lot of duress."

The VA told Reuters that crisis line workers are exempt from the return-to-office policy, and that staff continue to respond quickly to nearly 3,000 calls daily.

Therapists returning to the office are struggling to find private meeting rooms at some VA facilities, according to four of the mental health professionals interviewed by Reuters.

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They described medical and mental health professionals converting closets and conference rooms into offices to comply with the mandate to conduct telehealth visits from VA facilities. They expressed concerns that the crowded rooms could violate patient privacy rights.

"We are scrambling to find space," said a provider in California. "Veterans are going without until we can find spaces for these providers.

Reuters was unable to independently verify the accounts of overcrowding. Kasperowicz said the agency's "policy is to bring as many employees back to the office as space permits."

(Reporting by Robin Respaut in San Francisco; additional reporting by Julia Harte in New York and Gabriella Borter in D.C.; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Suzanne Goldenberg)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  The City of Vancouvers population could grow significantly, but the change wouldnt come without millions of dollars in expenses.

During a Vancouver City Council workshop on Monday, Chief Financial Officer Natasha Ramras presented leaders with four different options for annexation  some of which would give Vancouver the title of Washingtons second-most populous city.

Man arrested in Vancouver after allegedly offering underage girls money for sex

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The first scenario would absorb Clark Countys Fire District 5 up to the citys urban growth area, adding about 95,000 residents. This addition would increase revenue by $56 million with funds like sales, property and garbage taxes, but it would also require $98 million in expenditures like hiring additional police and maintaining more parks.

Under the second scenario, Vancouver would absorb its water service boundary and welcome about 76,000 new residents. This would lead to a $50 million deficit, the largest of all options, which Ramras noted is largely due to the loss of utility revenue and covering additional fire services.

Annexation scenarios (Courtesy Clark/Vancouver Television)

The third scenario entails the largest population increase, with the potential for 171,000 more Vancouver residents if officials vote to absorb the metros full urban growth area. This annexation would accrue $145 million in revenue, with the biggest share coming from property taxes, and about $194 million in expenditures to potentially build another police precinct, maintain additional parks and more.

The final scenario, the least impactful of the four, would add another 1,700 residents from the area that currently spans from North State Route 500 to Padden Parkway. With an estimated $3 million in revenue and $2 million in expenditures, this option would supplement Vancouvers general fund.

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Oregon representative counters bill against book bans by reading explicit excerpt

Councilor Sarah J. Fox told Ramras she would prefer the proposals with the most potential to benefit from the annexation.

I would be really looking at areas that actually have some growth potential versus [those] that are already considered to be fully developed, Fox said. Some of these areas are pretty developed with homes and houses already whereas some areas have larger parcels.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Vancouvers population stood at about 196,000 residents as of July 2023, while Tacoma held nearly 223,000 residents and Spokane held more than 229,000 people.

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Three of the four scenarios would make the city Washingtons second-biggest, after Seattle, with a population of about 755,000 residents.

But councilors advised Ramras to consider expanding the smallest annexation, while also assessing the potential deficit from the third growth scenario.

Gov. Kotek declares state of emergency as floods overwhelm southern Oregon

Mayor Pro Tem Erik Paulsen noted that annexation would come with benefits like a stronger voice at Washingtons capitol, and a stronger influence in the metro area  but he said the decision is not an opportunity to get bigger for the sake of getting bigger.

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Those benefits would be knock-on benefits, but those are not reasons to do this kind of thing, Paulsen added. And we do have to be judicious about the financial aspect as well as the impact to the services of our existing residents.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
Throughout Tuesday 18 March, the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) launched barrages of bombs upon the people of Gaza, shattering the fragile ceasefire with a rain of death and destruction. Over 400 Palestinians were killed and more than 600 injured in the strikes, making it the single bloodiest day of Israels genocide since late 2023.

In typical fashion, Israel justified its latest bombardment by accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire agreement. But the facts reveal otherwise.

The ceasefire agreed in January envisioned three stages. The first phase, completed in February, saw Hamas return 33 hostages, in exchange for about 1,900 Palestinian prisoners  in reality, hostages  held in Israeli jails. The second phase envisioned the total Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages, and the definitive end to hostilities. The third phase would deal with the return of dead bodies and the rebuilding of Gaza.

But, since stage one ended on 1 March, Israel has refused to proceed with stage two: the promised withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza, in particular from the Philadelphi corridor along its border with Egypt. Not only this: Netanyahu then moved the goalposts of the agreement, by demanding Hamas immediately return all the remaining hostages, in return, not for an end to the war, but merely a 30- to 60-day truce. In other words, he made them an offer that they could only refuse.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu ordered the blocking of all aid shipments into Gaza at the beginning of March, and the cutting off of its last power line. Israeli officials are even now threatening to sever the little that is left of Gazas water supply. By doing so they made a mockery of the agreed ceasefire, by trying to starve the Palestinians into submission.

The silence of the liberal establishment on the resumption of the genocide once again reveals their complete hypocrisy. Where are their summits in response to these war crimes? Where are their plans to send peacekeeping forces to protect the people of Palestine? Whereas they are willing to throw hundreds of billions of dollars into protecting self-determination in Ukraine, Israel is their ally, and can therefore do what it likes.

Netanyahus bid for survival

With an end to the 17-month conflict seemingly within touching distance, why has Netanyahu now ripped up the ceasefire?

Its worth remembering that at every stage of the conflict so far, Netanyahu resisted the agreement of a ceasefire with Hamas, finding all sorts of excuses to do so. It was only with the intervention of Trump at the beginning of January that Netanyahu was strong-armed into signing an agreement.

Netanyahu made clear from the outset, however, that he was opposed to the second phase of the ceasefire. Whilst he could accept the exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages, he could not accept the ending of the war. This is because his political survival depends on the conflict. Amir Tibon, writing in Haaretz on 25 January, already explained that ...the same Netanyahu who eventually signed the agreement has been telling his domestic political allies that he has no intention of honouring and implementing it.

So long as Israel was at war, Netanyahu could attempt to distract from his problems at home, and try to rally Jewish Israelis behind him / Image: IDF Spokespersons Unit, Wikimedia Commons

Netanyahu has a personal interest that the war goes on, explained Itamar Yaar, a former deputy head of Israels National Security Council. He doesnt have any feeling of urgency to stop it.

Even before 7 October 2023, Netanyahu was facing multiple crises. His position as prime minister was all that allowed him to defer prosecution on multiple charges of corruption. With his party declining in popularity, he was therefore increasingly forced to rely on far-right Zionist fanatics to prop up his fragile coalition government. His attempts to consolidate power through judicial reform sparked an enormous protest movement that threatened to topple his regime in the spring of 2023.

But so long as Israel was at war  at first against Hamas and the people of Gaza, and later also against Hezbollah in Lebanon  Netanyahu could attempt to distract from his problems at home, and try to rally Jewish Israelis behind him.

The signing of the ceasefire in January, however, presented a major problem for Netanyahu, as the far-right former national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir pulled his ultranationalist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party out of the government in protest. Finance minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to follow suit if the war were not resumed after the ceasefires first phase.

These fanatics want nothing less than the completion of the Zionist project: for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population; and for Jewish settlers to take full control of Gaza and the West Bank. They view the war as a perfect opportunity to achieve their aims.

Netanyahu cannot afford to ignore Ben-Gvir or Smotrich, as the clock is ticking on his regime. If Netanyahu doesnt pass an overdue budget for 2025 by 31 March, then his government will be automatically dissolved and forced to hold elections that he would likely lose.

Breaking the ceasefire thus allowed Netanyahu to re-strengthen his shaky coalition, in preparation for this crucial vote. As soon as Netanyahu ordered the resumption of the bombing of Gaza, Ben-Gvir announced that he was rejoining the government. But whilst this might temporarily strengthen Netanyahus coalition, the prolonging of the war will in fact compound Netanyahus problems in the long term.

The limits of Trump

The resumption of the conflict has revealed the limits of Trumps diplomacy. Back in January, Trump delighted in the fact that he, through his agent Steve Witkoff, had forced Netanyahu into a ceasefire  where Biden had previously failed.

When the agreement started to unravel in February  with the Israelis seeking to amend the terms of the second stage  Trump intervened to increase the pressure on Hamas. He even took over the conduct of the negotiations with Hamas, sidelining the Israelis. Trump clearly calculated that with enough bluster and bullying, he could force Hamas to capitulate on the Israelis terms and get the deal back on track.

On 5 March, Trump threatened in a Truth Social post that the people of Gaza would be dead unless Hamas immediately released all the remaining hostages. I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you dont do as I say. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER! he thundered.

But from the point of view of Hamas, if they were to release all the hostages immediately  in exchange for only a short truce  there would be absolutely nothing to limit the Israelis from unleashing (further) hell on them anyway. It is a demand that they cannot accept.

Trump thinks and acts like a billionaire Manhattan real-estate mogul, but one with the resources of the most powerful military in the world at his disposal. He thinks that with enough pressure and bluster, he can force his adversaries into a deal. But as he is painfully finding out, there are limits to what even he can achieve when confronted with social forces beyond his control.

In an ideal world, Trump wants to remove Hamas from Gaza, as he has made clear. As The Times of Israel stated clearly back in January, US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for national security adviser Mike Waltz says that Hamas must be destroyed and have no role at all in postwar Gaza. Trump wants an end to the conflict so that he can refocus US imperialisms resources on strengthening its near abroad, whilst taking on its main rival, China. But unlike with Ukraine, where he can abandon the war for the Europeans to pick up the pieces, there is no other force capable of filling Americas shoes with respect to Israel.

Hence all Trump could really do to Hamas was threaten to unleash the mad dogs of the IDF on them once again. Far from bringing stability to the region, the renewal of hostilities in Gaza will only intensify the already fraught situation in the Middle East.

Upping the ante

Meanwhile, Netanyahu has ramped up the oppression of the Palestinians in the West Bank, giving the green light for fanatical settlers to conduct pogroms with the backing of the IDF. Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced, while hundreds have been killed. This has further destabilised the West Bank, contributing to the growing anger in all the neighbouring Arab countries.

Netanyahu has, in fact, already thoroughly destabilised the region over the past year. By expanding the war into Lebanon in 2024, forcing Hezbollah to concentrate on their home front, he helped create the conditions for the fall of Assad in Syria. The pogroms carried out by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham regime since coming to power have already set in motion a logic of events that will likely see Syria return to the carnage of civil war.

Clearly anticipating Netanyahus latest bombing of Gaza, Trump, with the connivance of Britain, launched a massive attack against the Houthis in Yemen on Saturday / Image: public domain

And, clearly anticipating Netanyahus latest bombing of Gaza, Trump, with the connivance of Britain, launched a massive attack against the Houthis in Yemen on Saturday. Trump knew that the breaking of the ceasefire would compel the Houthis to restart their attacks on US-aligned shipping in the Red Sea, in solidarity with the Palestinians.

Trump, thinking he could restrain the Houthis by making threats, upped the ante by threatening Iran with dire consequences should the Houthis respond with force. The only result of this has been to increase the tensions between the USA and Iran, as the Houthis have already responded by firing missiles at Israel.

Netanyahu has sought all along to drag the United States into a war with Iran. Trump made it clear that he was pushing in the opposite direction in order to bring back some semblance of stability. But what he wants and what he gets are two very different scenarios. His attacks on the Houthis and the demands he is putting on the Iranian regime are designed to push negotiations in the direction of some deal, but he could end up further destabilising the whole situation.

Israels internal crisis

Netanyahu announced that the bombing of Gaza on Tuesday was only the beginning. Indeed, the IDF launched a renewed ground invasion the next day, reclaiming territory it had ceded under the terms of the ceasefire.

The air force attack against Hamas terrorists was only the first step, said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. He threatened Gaza with complete destruction if all the Israeli hostages are not released and Hamas is not eliminated. Israel will act with force you have never known before, he said in a statement.

Eliminating Hamas, however, is far easier said than done. Israel has tried its hardest over the previous 17 months to do precisely this. In the process, it has killed at least 48,000 people, destroyed 90 percent of Gazas homes, and reduced its infrastructure to rubble. Yet Hamas has not been defeated. It has proved incredibly resilient and has experienced an influx of new recruits and enduring popular support. According to Reuters, Hamas has recruited between 10,000 and 15,000 members since the start of its war with Israel.

Israels genocidal policy has enraged an entire population, which has nothing left to lose. Hamas has recruited a fresh layer of young fighters, who are desperate to avenge Israels crimes. This has been evident throughout the conflict: wherever IDF troops withdrew from Gaza, Hamas immediately took back control. Hamas therefore cannot simply be removed or eliminated by force; it is intimately bound up with the resistance and livelihoods of the people of Gaza.

Prolonging the conflict will only intensify the crisis of the Israeli regime. The new IDF Chief of Staff Eval Zamir has indicated that the renewed ground offensive would require several IDF divisions. This would mean a new large-scale call-up of reservists.

Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu, gave a glimpse of what such a new offensive would require from the IDF:

Previously, we didnt have enough forces to take control and to clear the areas [we took in Gaza]. We killed those who were there. But we retreated afterwards. Here we have to go for an operation in which we will remain for a longer time.

But the mood in Israeli society, and in the IDF, is increasingly hostile to prolonging the war.

As the war has dragged on it has become increasingly clear that Netanyahu is more interested in prolonging the conflict for his own personal reasons than in saving the hostages lives / Image: bringhomenow, Twitter

A number of recent polls have revealed just how unpopular the war  and Netanyahu  have become amongst a broad layer of Israelis. As an article in the liberal Israeli newspaper Haaretz summed up, for the nearly one-half [of Israelis] who do not believe Israel can achieve its war aims, to the 60 percent who want Netanyahu to resign, to the 73 percent who prefer a complete end of the war and withdrawal from Gaza  is there any motivation left to fight?

Haaretz noted how by mid-2024, the IDF was already experiencing falling response rates to its reservist call-ups. This worsened by the time of the ceasefire in January, and continued through March, by which time: only about half of reservists have been reporting to many army units.

This mood will only sour further, as more IDF troops return home killed or injured, and if (as is likely) more Israeli hostages die.

Indeed the issue of the return of the Israeli hostages has been one of the key questions within Israel throughout this conflict. But as the war has dragged on, and as more and more hostages have died, it has become increasingly clear that Netanyahu is more interested in prolonging the conflict for his own personal reasons than in saving the hostages lives.

For example, The Hostage and Missing Families Forum released a statement following Tuesdays strikes, saying it was shocked, angry and fearful at the breaking of the ceasefire. It accused Netanyahus government of deliberate disruption of the process to return our loved ones, which could endanger their lives.

Likewise, Yair Golan, leader of the Labour Party in Israel, wrote on X: The soldiers on the front lines and the hostages in Gaza are just cards in [Netanyahus] game of survival.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is facing an enormous backlash from his plans to dismiss Ronan Bar, the chief of the Shin Bet internal security service, as well as Gali Baharav-Miara, Israels attorney general; a fierce critic of him.

Shin Bet just so happened to be investigating three of Netanyahus advisers over allegations of receiving funds from Qatar, two of whom were then arrested by police this week. Bar was already in Netanyahus crosshairs, however, due to Shin Bets harsh criticism of Netanyahu in its investigation of security failures leading up to 7 October.

The sacking of Bar is therefore seen by many as simply another attempt by Netanyahu to purge the Israeli state of his detractors, thus reigniting the flames of Israel's constitutional crisis. Some have even linked the timing of the latest bombardment of Gaza as a distraction for this move. Indeed, 40,000 people took to the streets in Tel Aviv on Thursday night to protest this latest sacking, whilst demonstrations erupted across other Israeli cities. Protestors railed against both Netanyahus power grab, and his resumption of the war.

No solution under capitalism

Back in January, there were enormous hopes that the hell inflicted on the people of Gaza would finally be relieved  even if only partially. These hopes have been cruelly shattered this week.

So long as Netanyahu clings to power, he has an interest in prolonging the conflict. In doing so, however, he is playing with fire  a fire that threatens to spread out of his control and engulf the entire region.

Whilst there is still strong support for Zionism within Israel, Netanyahu and his far-right allies are revealing in deeds that there is no real security for Jews so long as the Palestinian people are oppressed. Their intensification of the war will not eliminate Hamas, nor will it achieve the release of the hostages. It will, however, intensify the crises within Israel, on the economic, social, and military fronts.

Back in January, there were enormous hopes that the hell inflicted on the people of Gaza would finally be relieved. These hopes have been cruelly shattered this week / Image: WAFA, Wikimedia Commons

Elsewhere, as the death toll from the renewed siege and bombing of Gaza starts to rise, the anger of the Arab masses against the complicity of the regimes in Egypt and Jordan will only increase. Its not inconceivable that at a certain point the tensions will snap, unleashing a new wave of Arab revolutions.

In the West, it is becoming all the more clear to millions that the imperialists have no solution to this crisis. In fact the complicity of Trump, Starmer, Macron, and the rest in supporting Israels genocide will only generate more disgust amongst workers and youth, the longer it drags on. The smiling mask of bourgeois democracy is being exposed for what it really is  a facade for the ruthless exploitation of the worlds workers and poor by a gang of billionaires, who will go to any lengths to defend their interests.

The Palestinians have a right to a homeland. But no one is actually doing anything concrete to achieve this. The western imperialists, both of North America and of Europe, have backed Netanyahus genocidal war. The local Arab regimes have, in one way or another, either directly collaborated with Israel or simply uttered empty platitudes about a state for the Palestinians. These are in no way the friends of the Palestinian people.

And yet, the millions of ordinary working people, the youth, the poor and downtrodden, across the Middle East sympathise with and support their brothers and sisters in Palestine. Only the revolutionary overthrow of all those responsible  the imperialists, the Zionists, and their accomplice regimes throughout the Middle East  can create the conditions for the genuine liberation of Palestine, and an end to the horror and bloodshed.
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Reptile owners from across South Carolina pleaded with lawmakers on Wednesday to defang a bill that in its current form would make it impossible for future generations to own and store venomous snakes.

Born out of concerns raised last fall when Florence resident Jeffrey Leibowitz was bitten as he free handled an inland taipan, conservationists, wildlife experts and a national advocacy group all said House Bill 3937 goes too far in trying to make sure such a thing never happens again.

Banning venomous snake ownership because of one act is as extreme as banning all dog ownership after an attack. It is an overreaction thats going to punish those who have dedicated their lives to safe animal care and education, said Ryan LaPierre, who owns Out of the Ark Educational Animal Shows in Longs.

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Language in the bill sponsored by state Rep. William Hixon, R-North Augusta would among other things:

Require anyone legally in possession of a venomous reptile to apply for a state Department of Natural Resources permit within 90 days of the law being signed

Pay a $150 permit application fee

Pay a $150 renewal fee after three years

Notification to state officials of any temporary or permanent address change

Ban on issuing new permits 90 days after the law is signed

Exceptions carved into the measure would include reptiles used for exhibition facilities open the public and for medical research.

Florence bans ownership of venomous snakes after man bit by inland taipan

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Of the 16 people who spoke out at a House subcommittee meeting, none were in favor of the measure, and all said they werent opposed to language clarifying safe caging rules.

We are all here in the hopes of compromise, as your proposal is unjust and also unfair to future generations and the good folks you dont hear about who are doing it right, said Michael Jolliff, owner of Rat Trap Farms in Little River.

According to a state Department of Natural Resources fact sheet, just six of South Carolinas 40 native snake species are venomous, and just 660 people have ever died from a snakebite in the United States.

Several speakers condemned Leibowitzs actions, saying his cavalier approach to interacting with potentially deadly reptiles gave the broader community a bad name.

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What he was doing was extraordinarily dangerous, and nobody in this community wanted him anywhere near venomous snakes, said Tyler Wright, co-owner of the Black Creek Wildlife Center in Bishopsville. The responsible keepers in this state either should or already do support common sense legislation. We want to make this industry safe. We want to do it responsibly, and we want to do it correctly.

No votes were taken Wednesday, and lawmakers said another hearing is likely before the full committee takes action.

* * *

Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here.

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Ryanair has launched a criminal case against a passenger who claimed to be a UN diplomat whilst verbally abusing cabin crew on a flight to Spain.

The incident happened on 17 January on Ryanair flight FR2001 which was about to depart from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to Santiago de Compostela on the Spanish mainland.

Once on the plane, the passenger, who claimed to be a UN diplomat with diplomatic immunity, attempted to take a seat not assigned to him.

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When the crew asked to see his boarding card, the passenger became verbally abusive and in the end had to be forcibly removed from the flight by the Guardia Civil, the Spanish police force.

Video footage from inside the cabin shows the man being wrestled from his seat by four police officers as frustrated passengers look on.

The passengers inexcusable behaviour caused a 40-minute departure delay and unnecessary disruption to the 137 passengers onboard, the Irish budget carrier said on Wednesday.

Just over two months on from the incident, Ryanair said it has initiated a private criminal prosecution through the Spanish courts against the passenger after he disrupted the flight.

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Ryanair maintains it has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct, with the filing of the criminal case part of a major clampdown on such incidents on its flights.

A Ryanair spokesperson said: It is unacceptable that passengers, many of whom are on a family holiday, are suffering unnecessary delay as a result of one unruly passengers behaviour.

Yet this was regrettably the case for passengers on this flight from Lanzarote to Santiago in January, during which a disruptive passenger caused a departure delay due to his misconduct.

We have initiated a private criminal prosecution against this passenger, in which the court may impose a sentence of 3-12 months imprisonment or a fine of 6-18 months salary.

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These are just some of the potential consequences under Ryanairs zero-tolerance policy for passengers who disrupt flights.

We hope this example will deter further disruptive behaviour on Ryanair flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment as is their right.

The airline is no stranger to taking legal action against its passengers whose behaviour leads to disruption on a flight.

In January, Ryanair said it was claiming 15,000 (12,500) in damages against a disruptive passenger after their inexcusable behaviour forced a flight to divert.

The flight, from Dublin to Lanzarote was forced to divert to Porto, Portugal in April 2024 due to an unruly passenger in the cabin.

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According to Ryanair, 160 passengers were delayed overnight and lost a full day of their holiday. The airline filed legal proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court against the passenger to recover the costs of overnight accommodation, passenger expenses and landing fees.

For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast
VIROQUA, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX)  After some recent incidents in Wisconsin, Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson is spreading awareness about the dangers of sextortion, Good technology is being used for very bad purposes. Its being used to exploit and extort. Its important that we educate the community and try to get ahead of this. Many of the cases are not being reported because of the embarrassment that comes with it.

Torgerson wants families to be aware of sextortion after it was brought to his attention that a child in Vernon County was a victim of sextortion. Sextortion is where people obtain explicit photos from others and threaten to make them public while demanding things like money. It starts out where these criminal scammers will pose as someone they are not and gain trust of our youth and convince them to send inappropriate photos. Once that is done, the extortion begins immediately.

Torgerson encourages any affected family to stop communication with the scammer as soon as possible. The chances of them actually posting these photos are extremely low. They just want your money. If you do not send them any, they are going to, sadly, move on to the next victim.

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Earlier this month, Bradyn Bohn died by suicide in his home just outside of Wausau after becoming a victim of sextortion. Sheriff Torgerson says the awareness his family has brought to sextortion can help many other potential victims in the future. Theyre bringing awareness to the community that this does happen here. Theyre using the life of their son to carry out this important message.

Torgerson says despite reported cases happening only a few times a year, there are still plenty more out there. Families who are experiencing sextortion should contact your local law enforcement agency right away and provide them with the evidence and details of the incident.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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TOPEKA (KSNT)  Originally from Illinois before calling the sunflower state home, Scott McMillan put his leadership abilities to the test through the Marine Corps, keeping aircraft sky bound and safe.

When I was younger I wanted to join the military, McMillan said, and I had enlisted first in the Air Force, because I wanted to be a pilot.

That branch didnt pan out for McMillan, but his interest in aircraft caught the attention of a Marine Corps recruiter. He would enlist under that branch before his senior year of high school, and serve in quite a unique home duty station.

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I was stationed in Iwakuni Japan, he said. Went up to Mount Fuji for weapons training and then we went back up in support of a rotor wing squadron that was supporting a ground unit there.

Veteran Salute: Fueling overseas during the Gulf War

Returning stateside to Bogue Field in North Carolina, Scott took on a leadership role.

I was in charge of aviation fuel in the fuel pits for aircraft, McMillan said. We were fixed and rotor wing aircraft refuellers. I enjoyed working with the aircraft, it was nice to be around, the ground crews were really good to work with, the pilots were really good to work with.

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Having fellow crew members he could rely on made all the difference in his day to day.

It was a big responsibility, McMillan said. Our primary job when wed go into combat, was to be able to be mobile. If we were going to be overrun, wed have to pack everything up and take it with us. We would go in in the morning, the first thing wed have to do was wed have to test the fuel. If the fuel didnt come out the way we needed it to be when we tested it, wed have to shut it down. If the fuel wasnt good, nothing would fly.

After his service ended, McMillan worked on the civilian security team for the Kansas Army National Guard in Topeka.

His last name might look familiar, Scotts Wife, Janell McMillan, was featured in last weeks Veteran Salute segment. The pair met in Cherry Point, North Carolina and have six grandchildren keeping them busy nowadays.

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Monte Burns was fired from the IRS, reinstated, and placed on administrative leave within a month.

Burns' reinstatement followed a court ruling that deemed the firing of probationary workers illegal.

Burns, a disabled veteran, said he's unsure how stable his job will be down the road.

Monte Burns was fired from his federal job, looked for a new one, and then got reinstated  all within a month.

Burns, a disabled veteran in Ohio, spent 15 years in the military and held private-sector jobs before starting at the Department of the Treasury in June. He was fired along with nearly 7,000 other IRS probationary employees in February, even though his performance reviews were sufficient.

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The 55-year-old was reinstated but placed on administrative leave on March 17. In an email he shared with Business Insider, he was told to "not report to duty or perform any work until receiving further guidance."

While Burns hopes to keep his job at the IRS, he's still nervous about his long-term employment. He's already thinking about his retirement, and he said he's unsure he could land a comparable position in the private sector, given his age and disability status.

"I'm still very stressed and worried about it," Burns said, adding if he gets to resume his job, he'll be on track to retire between 65 and 70. "There is a nice weight lifted off my shoulders in the fact that now, at least, I'm getting paid because I'm on administrative leave, but I know this isn't over."

Have a tip about federal workers? Contact this reporter via email at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com or Signal at nsheidlower.30. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely

Burns was reinstated after a recent court ruling deemed the firing of federal probationary workers illegal and ordered that 25,000 probationary workers get their jobs back.

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Burns is also one of dozens of older Americans who recently told Business Insider that they've struggled to bounce back immediately after a termination. Hundreds responded to informal BI surveys to share that they've had little luck finding white-collar positions that paid what they earned in previous roles, citing slowdowns in white-collar hiring.

"When the new administration came on, I knew things were going to change, but I thought I'd be fine," Burns said. "The federal job felt very secure. It's very difficult to get in, but once you're in, it's very difficult to get out  or it used to be."

Landing at the IRS

Burns served in the Army National Guard for six years and on active duty in the Navy for nine. He was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in his spine. He was approved for a Veterans Affairs disability rating of 60%, which indicates his disability significantly affects his daily life and earning capacity.

After his service, Burns got several degrees and worked in the private sector until joining the Department of the Treasury as an IRS auditor for small businesses and self-employed taxpayers. He made the transition because the government role offered robust medical benefits, about a $30,000 annual pay jump, and a continuation of federal service, meaning his time at the IRS would be added to some of his military time.

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Burns said he loved his job, and documents he shared with BI showed he received "fully successful" or "exceeds fully successful" performance ratings. Because Burns hadn't completed one year of work, he was considered a probationary employee.

Burns said no one on his team expected to be fired, but on February 20, he couldn't access his work system. Four hours into his day, Burns' supervisor told him he was fired and to take all his belongings home. He received his termination letter in the mail shortly thereafter.

"Taking into account your performance, and in light of current mission needs, the Agency finds that your continued employment at the Agency is not in the public interest," his termination letter read.

Nearly 7,000 IRS employees were fired and then many of them, mostly probationary workers, were reinstated. Burns said he received no severance pay or termination leave. He receives a disability payment of $1,440 monthly, which he said isn't enough for him to live on long term.

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"It's one of the best jobs I've had, as far as enjoying the work, and I want to do it again," Burns said. "I loved the fact that I was protecting and serving my country, and this is an extension of that. It's why I'm choosing to fight it out."

Navigating his changing employment status

Burns said adjusting to being unemployed has been "really tough and stressful." He and his spouse, who's employed, have talked about whether they could keep their house.

Burns said he's applied to other roles over the past month and is still actively looking, though he suspects his age has hindered his search. Burns added that he's still hoping to return to his IRS job because there's little job security in the private sector.

Burns said he's applying to some companies that support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives based on his veteran, disability, and sexual preference status. He said his spouse is doing fine in his retirement planning, though Burns is worried because hadn't built up a robust 401(k). He's concerned he may need to work and collect retirement simultaneously.

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"I definitely am not wanting to put all my eggs in this basket again," Burns said. "They kind of put holes in the basket, and I don't want the eggs to fall out and crack."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jacob Bushno, a federal employee from Illinois, served two tours in Iraq as part of the Armys air assault division before taking jobs at the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service. Bushno was fired in early February along with thousands of other probationary employees. Credit - Courtesy Jacob Bushno

Jacob Bushno has spent his entire adult life serving his country. He enlisted in the military straight out of high school. After two tours in Iraq as part of the Armys air assault division, he transitioned into civilian service in the federal workforce. Last month, just seven days before finishing his one-year probationary period with the U.S. Forest Service, he was abruptly fired. This week, he was rehired.

Like many of the thousands of federal workers caught in the crosshairs of President Donald Trumps efforts to shrink the federal workforce, Bushno has spent the last few weeks frustrated and confused. But as a veteran, he views his treatment by the new Administration with a different lens.

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I feel very betrayed. All Ive done my whole life since getting out of high school was serve this country, says Bushno, 40, who worked in the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois. I feel like, who's fighting for me, you know?

Bushnos rehiring came after a federal judge on Monday ruled the Trump Administrations mass terminations of probationary workers was illegal. Even as Bushno prepares to return to his position, he remains skeptical about the Administrations commitment to those who have served. I dont trust it, and I think theyre gonna terminate probationary employees again, he says.

The impact of the Trump Administration's job cuts has reverberated across the federal workforce, where veterans make up nearly 30 percent of civilian employees. The Department of Veterans Affairs has not been spared, with over 1,000 employeesincluding staff at the Veterans Crisis Linedismissed. While some have since been rehired, many remain in administrative limbo, left wondering whether they will ever be reinstated.

Read more: Trump Administration Has Reversed Course More Than A Dozen Times

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To some veterans, the wave of firings, as well as cuts to workers tasked with helping veterans, has raised deeper questions about the Trump Administrations commitment to those who served their country in uniform. They say the cuts present a contradiction at the heart of Trump's messaging: while he often positions himself as a champion of veterans, his Administrations policies in its first months have placed many former service members in financial and professional jeopardy. If they're the patriotic party, why are you guys firing disabled veterans? asks Bushno, who says he has PTSD from his tours in Iraq.

The political fallout from the firings may already be shaping upcoming congressional battles and the 2026 midterm elections. VoteVets, a progressive veterans organization, recently launched a six-figure ad campaign targeting Republican lawmakers in competitive districts, highlighting the economic uncertainty veterans face under the Trump Administration. The ad features laid off veterans discussing their growing frustration with the political forces behind the job cuts. I did not put my life on the line for some tech bro billionaire from South Africa to come in here and try to destroy our country, one of the veterans says, referring to White House advisor Elon Musk, who heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has played a role in the cuts.

Exit polling from the November presidential election showed that veterans were much more likely to support Trump than his opponent, with more than 6 in 10 veterans casting their ballot for him.

Ross Dickman, the chief executive of Hire Heroes, a nonprofit that helps veterans find employment, said his organization has seen a sharp increase in veterans seeking help compared to a year ago. He cautioned that while the labor market is strong, its not enough to really overcome the amount of unemployed veterans that were going to see entering the market.

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Tony Ruiz, a veteran from Orange County, Calif., was proud to be hired by the Department of Veterans Affairs last year as a Veteran Service Representative. Then he was fired last month, 10 days before his probation period was set to end. He says he was especially shocked to see the phrase unacceptable performance in his termination letter, after becoming the first employee in his division to win an employee of the quarter award in August. The firing left Ruiz feeling abandoned: I feel like I got a big F-you from the American people, and I feel betrayed.

Former Veterans Affairs employee Tony Ruiz and VA Under Secretary Josh Jacobs pose in Los Angeles after Ruiz received an employee of the quarter award, which Jacobs presented to him. Courtesy Tony Ruiz

Ruiz says he had been recruited for the position by the VA and jumped at the opportunity. I said to myself, this is a chance to serve my country again, serve the veterans again. So I took it, but ultimately it cost me my livelihood and it cost my career, he says.

Although he was technically still a probationary worker like many others let go, Ruiz suspects his firing was politically motivated and a result of his criticism of emails sent by the acting secretary to VA employees unwinding some of the agencys diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Unlike other probationary employees, Ruiz has not been offered reinstatement and believes its because he failed the Administrations unofficial loyalty test. As an American soldier, as a veteran, we value the oath. And so for me, I didn't take an oath to a king, or take an oath to the Administration.

I'd rather be homeless than to bow down to Donald Trump, he adds.

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In a statement to TIME, VA press secretary Pete Kasperowicz said that Ruiz was fired for poor performance and that his dismissal had nothing to do with VAs Feb. 13 and Feb. 24 probationary termination announcements.

In Congress, Democrats are pushing legislation aimed at protecting veterans in the federal workforce. Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Andy Kim of New Jersey introduced a bill last week that would require the Trump Administration to reinstate veterans who were terminated and provide transparency on future dismissals. Duckworth, herself a disabled veteran, has been particularly outspoken, calling the Administrations actions a betrayal. He says he loves veterans. No, he doesn't, she tells TIME. He's firing veterans left and right. These are people who served their country in uniform and then chose to enter federal service to continue serving this country.

Trump has repeatedly defended the workforce cuts. Asked last week whether he feels responsible for people losing their jobs, Trump said: "Sure I do. I feel very badly ... but many of them dont work at all. Many of them never showed up to work."

White House counselor Alina Habba on March 4 suggested that some veterans working in the federal government were perhaps not fit for their positions. As you know, we care about veterans tremendously But at the same time, we have taxpayer dollars, we have a fiscal responsibility to use taxpayer dollars to pay people that actually work, Habba told reporters.

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That doesnt mean that we forget our veterans by any means. We are going to care for them in the right way, but perhaps theyre not fit to have a job at this moment, or not willing to come to work.  I wouldnt take money from you and pay somebody and say, Sorry, theyre not going to come to work. Its just not acceptable, Habba said.

In response to a lawsuit filed by 20 Democratic attorneys general, U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar on Monday ruled that the mass firings were conducted illegally and ordered the administration to reinstate affected employees. More than 24,000 probationary employees across 18 agencies have since been offered their jobs back. Agencies are still sorting out how to bring back those workers and give them the back pay ordered by the courts.

Yet the Trump Administration has signaled that its broader push to downsize the federal workforce is far from over. Already, the VA is planning to cut more than 80,000 workers beginning in June in an attempt to return to 2019 staffing levels, according to an internal memo obtained by TIME. Other agencies are planning similar reductions.

Despite his misgivings with the new Administration, Ruiz says he fears losing his house and would take his job back if offered. But then again if they dont, I will never work for this government again, he says.

Write to Nik Popli at nik.popli@time.com.
Clashes broke out between protesters and police in several cities in Turkey on Thursday, a day after the arrest of popular Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

In Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Eskisehir, police deployed tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators, according to multiple news outlets.

Accounts from Ankara also alleged that plastic bullets were fired at protesters  a claim the governments communications directorate dismissed as misinformation.

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Opposition members of parliament had joined a protest march in the Turkish capital.

Meanwhile, at a large rally outside Istanbuls city administration building, Ozgur Ozel, chairman of Imamoglus Republican Peoples Party (CHP), vowed to escalate pressure on the government.

"From now on, we are on the streets. No one should expect the CHP to make policy only in halls and buildings," he declared.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya later reported that six police officers were injured in Istanbul, where demonstrations had been banned by the province's governor, an appointee of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Students at Istanbul University also demonstrated for a second consecutive day on Thursday.

"No sleep, no stopping for us while mayor Ekrem is in custody," CHP lawmaker Ali Mahir Basarr wrote on social media platform X.

Imamoglu, widely seen as a potential challenger to Erdogan in the 2028 presidential election, was taken into custody early on Wednesday in a police raid on his Istanbul home over terrorism and corruption allegations.

Both opposition figures and outside observers have accused the government of targeting Imamoglu to eliminate a political rival.

CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called situation a "civilian coup."

Erdogan says he has no time to waste on the opposition

Erdogan accused the opposition of misleading the nation following the outcry that erupted over Imamoglu.

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"The oppositions attempts to present their internal conflicts or legal issues as the countrys foremost problem are the height of hypocrisy," Erdogan said on Thursday evening, according to state-run Anadolu news agency.

He added that he had no time to waste on the opposition.

The detention order against Imamoglu and 105 others was followed by a government crackdown on critics.

Turkish police have detained 37 people over social media posts while 261 accounts were separately under investigation for "provocative posts," Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya wrote Thursday on X.

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Imamoglu's case sparked domestic and foreign outrage, coming just four days before the secular CHP was set to nominate him as its presidential candidate.

It was not immediately clear if and when Imamoglu, currently held at the Istanbul police headquarters, would face trial.

If convicted on terrorism charges, Imamoglu could be removed from office and replaced by a government-affiliated official.

Turkey has previously dismissed mayors from the pro-Kurdish Dem Party and, more recently, the CHP over terrorism-related probes, but ousting the mayor of Istanbul, a city of 16 million, would mark an unprecedented move.

Imamoglu urges country to stand against 'evil'

In a defiant statement on X, Imamoglu wrote: "As a nation we must stand against this evil. This is my call to my people."

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He accused Erdogan's government of targeting his family and assets, calling on public officials and the judiciary to resist any abuse of power.

"I trust the honourable Turkish judiciary. You cannot and must not remain silent," he wrote.

"The mind which seized my diploma will confiscate your property, your honour, your estate, and commit all kinds of usurpation and assault," Imamoglu added.

One day before his detention, Istanbul University annulled Imamoglu's university diploma, a credential necessary for presidential candidacy.

Authorities also seized a construction firm co-owned by Imamoglu, according to state news agency Anadolu.

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Meanwhile, the CHP said it would proceed with Sunday's vote to nominate Imamoglu.

Erdogan's party denies 'coup' claims

Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Thursday strongly denied the opposition's accusations of a "civilian coup" and that the party had links to the detention orders.

The detentions are part of independent investigations, said party spokesperson Omer Celik.

In 2019, for the first time in 25 years, Islamic conservatives in Turkey lost control of the capital Ankara and Istanbul. Imamoglu was re-elected as Istanbul mayor in the 2024 polls.

The loss of Turkey's economic powerhouse Istanbul was a major setback for Erdogan, whose political rise began in Istanbul, where he was elected mayor in 1994.
Photographed by Andy Jackson

In many ways, Vivian Jenna Wilson is a lot like any other 20-year-old girl. The Los Angeles native spends hours a day on Discord with her friends; loves reading, RuPauls Drag Race, and Chappell Roan; and she runs late  two full hours late, to be specific, for our scheduled Zoom meeting. Also like many 20-year-olds, she has a complicated relationship with her father. But not everybodys dad is the richest man in the world  a man who spent the last few years consolidating power, becoming one of the most prolific posters on a social media platform he purchased, and suddenly, one of the most powerful figures in the US government. Wilson is, whether she likes it or not, the daughter of Elon Musk.

Wilson entered the public consciousness because of her father, but not for typical nepo baby reasons. (Before you ask, Wilson says shes been financially independent from her father since she came out as trans in 2020, so you can stop sending her Venmo requests for thousands of dollars, something she says has happened before.) At the time, she was trying to disconnect herself from Musk, eventually writing in a 2022 petition to legally change her name that she doesnt wish to be related to [her] biological father in any way, shape or form. Though shed never publicly spoken about Musk before then, her attempt to distance herself from him is what ultimately drew her into the public eye.

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I have a sharp tongue, Wilson tells Teen Vogue in her second-ever published interview. When you spend all of COVID [lockdown] in online communities of queer people who are constantly getting into drama and trying to read each other, [you] learn how to make a response very quickly, and you learn how to be funny and snap at someone else in a comedic way. Getting into fights with other queer teenagers  that's how you learn how to be quick and witty. Much like her father, Wilson is extremely online; unlike her father, shes really good at it.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

It is publicly known that Musk has as many as 14 children with 4 different mothers across a 20-year span: 6 including Vivian (and a child that passed away as a baby) with his ex-wife Justine Wilson; 4 with Shivon Zilis, a top executive at the Musk-owned company Neuralink; and 3 with the musician Grimes. On February 14, conservative influencer Ashley St. Clair announced a 13th child (who, as of this writing, Musk has yet to acknowledge), and on February 28, a 14th child with Zilis was reported.

Fatherhood is a core part of the public persona put forth by the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla and owner of X (formerly Twitter), who frequently expresses alarm about declining birth rates and what he sees as their negative impact on society. As leader of Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which has laid off huge swaths of the federal workforce and shrunk spending for essential government agencies, he has brought his four-year-old son, X  A-Xii, or Lil X, to meetings at the Capitol and a press conference in the Oval Office.

Two years after Wilson filed that name-change petition (and, notably, just nine days after Musk officially endorsed now-President Trumps campaign), her father spoke about her in a conversation with manosphere influencer Jordan Peterson, repeatedly deadnaming Wilson and claiming shed been killed by the woke mind virus. During that interview, Musk built on the picture of Wilson painted in Walter Isaacsons 2023 biography Elon Musk. In that telling, according to Wilson, she was an angry, rebellious child, blinded by radical anticapitalist ideology and hurting her father with her rash decisions.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

So, for the first time, Wilson spoke up. In a series of posts on Threads (an X competitor), she described Musks characterization of her in an X post as entirely fake, called him desperate for attention and validation, and told him to touch grass.

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Since then Wilson has remained highly active on social media, posting to Threads, Instagram, Bluesky (another X competitor), and racking up millions of views on TikTok. Shes garnered a following of nearly one million people across platforms. At the same time, shes avoided speaking to the media, doing only one interview with NBC News to share some of her side of the story after Musk's interview with Peterson.

Wilsons father certainly looms large, particularly in this moment as he continues to take on more political power than even some judges seem to think is legal. Despite Wilson's distance from Musk, she has unique insight into this precarious moment in the USs political history. But shes much more than the estranged daughter of the worlds richest man  in fact, she says, she barely thinks about her father. I'm not giving anyone that space in my mind, she tells Teen Vogue. The only thing that gets to live free in my mind is drag queens.

Instead, Wilson says, shes building her future on a platform shes created herself. Shes living abroad and studying languages in school  she has studied French, Spanish, and Japanese  and, before this all happened, she hoped to become a translator.

But with her newfound prominence, Wilson is considering other possibilities, like Twitch streaming and modeling. I haven't made any money from being famous at all. I have made zero dollars and zero cents. I do live in a lot of people's heads rent-free, though, she quips. I feel like Twitch streaming would be so much fun. I don't feel like the world needs another Twitch streamer, but [I'd] love to do it.

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Other onscreen options also appeal to her: It is my absolute dream to be on a reality show, which I know is absolutely pathetic, Wilson says with a laugh. As an overdramatic little queer, reality shows are something I adore beyond belief. And with this cover story on the books  her first  it feels likely that more opportunities will be coming Wilsons way.

Vivian has always had an uncompromising sense of who she is  and who she needs to be, Wilson's mom, Justine, tells Teen Vogue. She is big, fierce, wild multi-layered magic.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Wilsons vibrant life, full of possibility, underscores the lifesaving power of gender-affirming care for young people. As a child, Wilson struggled through gender dysphoria and the attendant mental health issues it often causes. Shes horrified by the wave of anti-trans legislation targeting young people like her. In the US, her peers are being demonized by the right, and are left undefended by Democrats. One of Trumps first executive orders upon retaking office attempted to bar federal funding for health care providers that perform gender-affirming care for young people under 19; multiple federal judges have blocked the order from taking effect for now.

Wilson is compelled to speak out on trans issues, saying, I don't feel like people realize that being trans is not a choice.

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She continues, Obviously, it's not just trans people that are affected by the current administration, and mentions marginalized groups such as undocumented immigrants and people of color. [Im] really trying to do more advocacy on that front, since the current administration has kind of been like a wrecking ball in that regard.

Wilson recently caught up with Teen Vogue via Zoom from Tokyo, where shes now studying. Shes just as much of a firecracker in conversation as she is online. For the duration of our lengthy conversation, she sits cross-legged on the floor of her dorm room, her straight, blonde hair falling well past her shoulders. We bounce between trans gossip, overly online discourse, her unusual extended family, and what she describes as our cartoonishly evil new government.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Teen Vogue: Tell me about coming out.

Vivian Jenna Wilson: There was one night, it was 11:00 p.m., and I was like, I know for a fact I am trans. I had known for a few months at that point, and I was like, I cannot f**king do this anymore. That was the point where puberty was really picking up and everything in my life was completely falling apart. I was constantly having mental breakdowns in the middle of class. I could not get through days. I didn't want to wake up, I didn't want to do anything. I just wanted to rot, pretty much. It was like, I cannot do this anymore. If I stay in the closet anymore, this is going to take me down a very destructive path.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

I posted it on my public Instagram story [two days] before I told my mom. I do regret that  if I were to do it again, she deserves to be the first one to know. But yeah, that is how I came out. I said, "I'm trans. She/her pronouns."

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Then in a different little text at the bottom-left of the picture was, "Are you Team Peeta or are you Team Gale?" This was in the middle of my Hunger Games [phase] that lasted, like, eight years like four years after the movies came out. I was cringe. I have never not been cringe.

TV: So, are you Team Peeta or Team Gale?

VW: I am Team Peeta, obviously. Gale killed Katniss's sister. F**k that b*tch.

TV: How did your mom react?

VW: She was very supportive of my transition. She is a published writer of supernatural romance fiction, which is where I get all my Vivian-isms, of being cringe and chronically online. When I came out to her, she was like, "Yeah, that figures." She kind of [pieced it together], so when I came out, she pretended to be slightly surprised for 30 seconds and then was like, "Yeah, honey. Okay."

TV: What about your dad?

VW: No, he was not as supportive as my mom. First of all, I had not talked to him in months  in months  so I had to get f**king parental consent to get testosterone blockers and [hormone replacement therapy].

TV: Are you and your mom on good terms?

VW: Yes. She's been supportive of the choices that I have made in college, about being public. She kind of was like, "Well, I can't stop you, so whatever." Does it stress her out? Yes. But she's ultimately fine with it. [Editor's note: Wilson's mother, a novelist and short story author, wrote a viral 2010 essay for Marie Claire under the byline Justine Musk about the dissolution of her marriage; warning signs in their relationship, she wrote, included the fact that Elon told her he was the alpha in this relationship while they danced at their wedding.]

TV: On that note, do you consider yourself to be a famous person?

VW: I don't like saying that I'm famous because I want to do something more to deserve that fame. I want to do something to truly earn the level of attention that I have been getting because I'm very aware of the fact that it was for reasons. I'm famous for my lore.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: What does that level of attention feel like?

VW: I don't know, because I don't think it's something I've fully digested yet. I don't feel like it's something that Ive fully what's the word?

TV: Processed?

VW: Processed! I don't know, I'm just writing my little Threads and my little Bluesky [posts], and sometimes I make little videos, and then they sometimes get views. I ratioed Mark Zuckerberg, though. That was the one time I felt like, I am the f**king queen!

TV: How would you describe your relationship to social media?

VW: I am the Queen of Threads; that's my branding. I have a Bluesky, but Queen of Bluesky doesn't have the same ring to it. I think my relationship with social media is fairly healthy. I have a TikTok account, but I actually don't watch TikTok. I haven't for years. The only social media that I actively use in my day-to-day are Bluesky and Threads. Or YouTube.

TV: Youre incredibly good at posting. Are you doing that all yourself, just winging it? You don't have a media team?

VW: Girl, no. If I had a social media team, they would quit within a week. I just go on my phone, I tip-tap-type my messages, and then sometimes they make the news.

TV: Where does your posting talent come from?

VW: [Laughing] Posting talent is sending me. B*tch, I don't know.

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I don't know if I'm good at social media  I don't know if I would go that far. I make posts. Sometimes people like them and sometimes people don't. My target audience is me. If I laugh, then I'll think, Oh, maybe some other people will laugh  and if they don't, I don't give a f**k.

Something I've had to work on is, as Ive grown a bigger platform, you have to push away that anxiety of, Oh, a lot of people are going to see this.

TV: I think people who have siblings are often funny because they learned how to fight as a kid.

VW: Well, I have four of them. Im tied for oldest. But when we fought, it wasn't really with words. There was a lot of I have four siblings. We're going to leave it at that, honey.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Are you on good terms with your siblings?

VW: Thats a question. I will say I do not actually know how many siblings I have, if you include half-siblings. That's just a fun fact. It's really good for two truths and a lie. I found out about the Shivon Zilis thing the same time everyone else did. I had no idea before that.

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I found out about Grimes having a second child because a drag queen posted about it on Reddit. For a time, me and Grimes were not really in communication because I wasn't in communication with anyone in that family, which still holds true. Tatianna from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 2 and RuPaul's Drag Race: All-Stars 2 tweeted, "[Not] Grimes popp[in] out another axolotl," which made the front-page of the RuPaul's Drag Race subreddit, which is how I found out about it. [Editor's note: Wilson says she found out about Musks reported child with St. Clair the same way, joking, If I had a nickel for every time I found out I had half-siblings through Reddit, Id have two nickels.] Are we going to get into drama?

TV: Girl, exactly as much as you want to get into it.

VW: I don't keep up with that side of the family because I don't. My mom doesn't really either. She's divorced, werk. So yeah. I don't really give a f**k what they do. This is not my problem, okay? I've seen X once, when he was very little.

TV: Speaking of some of your family, I feel like right-wingers are actually pretty bad at posting.

VW: They're not funny. You have to be funny. Most of them have the charisma of a soaking bathrobe. I mean, it's not my fault that most of them don't know how to be funny. It's not that hard.

TV: And yet, between X and Meta, the right dominates so much of the cultural landscape right now. How do you think they manage to own so much of the social media landscape and still be so bad at it?

VW: That's my question as well, because I would like to know. I don't understand how someone can be so horrendously bad at everything involving social skills. Stand-up is one thing, but if you can't tell a joke, if you can't be witty, if you can't make anyone laugh Just be funny!

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Do you consider your social media presence activism?

VW: No. I'm just saying what I feel. I think activism is a little bit more than that.

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I do feel obligated to talk about trans issues. As someone who did transition as a minor, I feel like there's so much villainization of that, and I would really like to raise awareness of the fact that trans care for minors, especially puberty blockers, is really, really important. So maybe stop demonizing these literal children or the people around these children who are just trying to help them to feel comfortable in their own skin.

We've seen such vicious attacks on trans minors, and it's really important that we protect our trans youth and do all that we can, especially in this increasingly hostile political landscape.

TV: How do you think social media has impacted politics?

VW: I don't know if it's been for the better. While queer people and marginalized communities have increased levels of visibility, we also have things like the alt-right pipeline and communities like 4chan, where radicalization has become easier than ever, and that is increasingly concerning.

But social media can also be incredibly informative. Double-check everything, obviously, but it can be a really good way to raise awareness for certain issues. I feel like we saw this with Palestine and Gaza last year, where a lot of people initially found out about that issue from social media. It's a really complicated question.

TV: Do you think were moving in the right direction?

VW: In terms of politics? No. Its terrifying. Every time I open my phone to read the news, I kind of just stare at the wall for 10 minutes. It's horrifying what they're doing, not only to the trans community, but also to migrants, to communities of color, to so many marginalized communities that are being systematically targeted by the new administration and having protections revoked. It's cartoonishly evil.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Youre very vocal online about your politics, but also, specifically, about your dad. Does that take up a lot of space in your day-to-day?

VW: No, it doesn't. It really doesn't. I mean, I'll see things about him in the news and think, That's f**king cringe, I should probably post about this and denounce it, which I have done a few times.

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The Nazi salute sh*t was insane. Honey, we're going to call a fig a fig, and we're going to call a Nazi salute what it was. That sh*t was definitely a Nazi salute. The crowd is equally to blame, and I feel like people are not talking about that. That crowd should be denounced.

But other than that, I don't give a f**k about him. I really don't. It's annoying that people associate me with him. I just don't have any room to care anymore. When I initially did the whole thing, when he came for me, the Jordan Peterson interview, that was the most cathartic moment of my entire life by far. I had all this pent-up energy, I had wanted to speak out for so long after being [essentially] defamed in a book, after being doxxed. Everything that had gone on  especially in my childhood  when that finally happened, it was the most cathartic experience I have ever had. And then I was like, Okay, whatever. [Editors note: Musk did not respond to Teen Vogues request for comment. Wilson said that her address and other personal information have been made public online.]

TV: Do you ever feel scared? He's the richest man in the world.

VW: He's a pathetic man-child. Why would I feel scared of him? Ohhh, he has so much power. Nah, nah, nah. I don't give a f**k. Why should I be scared of this man? Because he's rich? Oh, no, I'm trembling. Ooh, shivering in my boots here. I don't give a f**k how much money anyone has. I don't. I really don't. He owns Twitter. Okay. Congratulations.

People thrive off of fear. I'm not giving anyone that space in my mind. The only thing that gets to live free in my mind are drag queens.

TV: You had serious issues publicly with Walter Isaacsons 2023 biography of your father. In it Isaacson alternates between using your deadname and your middle name.

VW: He had an agenda when writing his book, which was to make Elon look good, or look more complex than he is. In order to do that, he needed to villainize the trans teenager and make it seem like there were two reasonable sides to the story. (Isaacson did not respond to Teen Vogues request for comment.)

TV: Isaacson described your politics as radical Marxism in the book. Do you consider yourself a Marxist?

VW: Im a leftist, not a Marxist. I describe myself by the things that I personally believe in and the things that I feel are pretty common sense, if you think about it for more than two seconds. I believe in [universal basic income]. I believe in free health care. I believe food, shelter, and water are human rights. I believe that wealth inequality is one of the biggest problems of the United States right now, especially of our generation. I feel like workers should be fairly compensated for the work that they do, and I don't feel like wealth should be hoarded by these mega-billionaires who are the top 1%, who only have their own interests at heart. I've met some of these billionaires  they're not very good people. I don't think any of them are.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Does your transness inform your politics?

VW: If one of the sides of the political spectrum is like, Trans people are men who are invading women's spaces to whatever, and they're trying to take away trans health care and trans rights and trying to minimize our visibility, and one of the sides is like, "No," [then] it kind of has to. If you are trans and conservative, you are voting against your own interests. But I am also 20 years old. I am constantly shifting and evolving. I'm never going to be conservative, obviously, but I feel like everyone's politics change.

TV: Do you think your parents influenced your politics?

VW: Seeing that kind of wealth  extravagant wealth  firsthand, while living in Los Angeles and seeing the [huge] homelessness problem, the wealth gap You start to wonder, How is this fair? You have to inevitably come to the conclusion it's not. There is no world in which people should be owning multiple private planes, private islands, private whatever, while other people are sleeping on the street.

TV: Have your parents' politics changed? Was Elon always like this?

VW: I'm going to not answer that. I'm sorry. But [his views are] not because of me.

It's such a convenient narrative, that the reason he turned right is because I'm a f**king tr*nny, and that's just not the case. That's not what that does to people. Him going further on the right, and I'm going to use the word further  make sure you put further in there  is not because of me. That's insane.

Someone's Twitter profile is not who they are in reality. Your perception of someone is a very small glance of what they're choosing to let you into. To judge everything a person says or someone says online as what they really believe is dumb.

I haven't talked to him since 2020. That was almost half a decade ago at this point. Thank God.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: It feels, in this particular historical moment, like trans people  especially trans women  are public enemy number one. Does it feel scary to be so visible, not only as a trans woman but as a public figure?

VW: As a trans woman, I am terrified of losing access to guaranteed medical care. If I didn't medically transition at the age I did, I don't know what would've happened. I don't feel like people realize that being trans is not a choice. I'm so sorry to break it to you.

Transitioning as a minor was something that was medically necessary for me to do in order to be not suicidal, and it is really important that we protect access to trans care for trans youth.

[Editors note: A 2024 study from the Trevor Project found that young people in states that passed anti-trans youth legislation saw increases in rates of attempted suicide. And, according to recently released 2024 survey data from the nonprofit, 39% of trans and nonbinary youth in Wilsons home state of California seriously considered suicide in the last year, with 14% attempting it. Conversely, multiple studies have found that transgender youth accessing gender-affirming care and hormone replacement therapy improves mental health and decreases rates of depression.]

TV: Do you have any advice for trans women?

VW: I'm going to quote [YouTuber] ContraPoints: Stay strong, sister. Don't let the bastards get you down. Don't let other people's perceptions of you affect your own. Don't be ashamed of being trans in a world that constantly tries to make us ashamed of who or what we are.

My transness is not an asterisk to my personhood. I value the trans community so much. I value the queer community. I value trans history and queer history and queer culture and all of that to such a high degree, and I would never want to distance myself from any of that.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

Before I became famous, I had this really wonderful community online with seven of my friends who I met through a different community. We formed our own little clique. We still chat every night, we have for years.

People really devalue the worth of online friendships, and they mean the absolute world to me. [Wilson starts to cry.] Why is this the thing that causes me to cry? Some of the people I'm closest to are people I've never actually met in real life because they live hundreds or thousands of miles away.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Where do you find joy these days?

VW: I've constantly been checking up on my friends, who have also been checking up on me. Ive tried to delve into the things I'm interested in more. And that's really all you can do.

Im really interested in drag. I love drag. I have such an appreciation for the art form, and I would love to participate in the LA scene sometime. It's on my bucket list to win a drag pageant.

Photographed by [Andy Jackson](https://www.instagram.com/anndyjackson/?hl=en){: target="_blank"}

TV: Would you want to do drag as a hyper-femme queen or would you go all the way back around and do drag king?

VW: I think I would be a drag king. I think that would be more fun. But I feel like I would kind of want to do both. Honestly, what if I was a femboy drag king? I would eat that up.

TV: Whats your ideal track?

VW: Okay, so the first number I would want to do is  and I know it's kind of a cliche  but the iconic cerulean speech from The Devil Wears Prada. I would just gradually reveal more and more cerulean, and just live my Meryl Streep fantasy. I'm obsessed with that movie.

TV: Oh my God.

VW: Hi, Anna Wintour!

Teen Vogue has long covered trans rights and anti-trans politics. We hope to serve as a resource for trans youth amid escalating attacks on their access to healthcare and other basic rights. See more of our existing coverage here, or by using the search bar at the top of our site.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, there is help available. You can call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, where a trained counselor can talk to you and connect you with further resources. In addition, you can find out more about what to do if you're experiencing suicidal thoughts here.

Production Credits

Photographer Andy Jackson

Photo Assistant Chris Quyen

Stylist Shunji Sawai

Styling Assistant Hanako Nomura

Makeup Artist Kazuhiro Takenaka at Haco Management

Hair Stylist Kazuhiro Naka

Manicurist Kurumi

Production SHOKUPAN.INC

EP Debbie Pan

Producer Shunya Watanabe

Production Coordinator SAMMI LI

Location Coordinator Adriana Bosnjak

Production Assistant Marine Nabeshima

Production Assistant Ayaka Kojima

Design Director Emily Zirimis

Designer Liz Coulbourn

Editorial Credits

Writer Ella Yurman

Editor in Chief Versha Sharma

Executive Editor Dani Kwateng

Politics Director Allegra Kirkland

News + Politics Editor Lex McMenamin

Features Director Brittney McNamara

Associate Director of Audience Development & Analytics Mandy Velez Tatti

Research Editor Cris Sada

Researcher Shayna Posses

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue

News and Politics: Mid Hero
Elon Musk may be the richest man in the world, but his transgender daughter won't ever be scared of a "pathetic man-child."

Vivian Wilson, 20, graced the latest cover of Teen Vogue for a deep dive into her family, including her relationships with her 13 (known) siblings, and her thoughts about her biological father's "work" for the Trump Administration.

"It's horrifying what they're doing, not only to the trans community, but also to migrants, to communities of color, to so many marginalized communities that are being systematically targeted by the new administration and having protections revoked," Wilson said. "It's cartoonishly evil."

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Wilson is one of six children (five living) Musk had with his first wife, model and writer Justine Wilson. She said that she does "not actually know how many siblings I have, if you include half-siblings," as she found out about Musk's recent child with Shivon Zilis at "the same time everyone else did," and she found out about Grimes' second child when the drag queen Tatianna "posted about it on Reddit." Wilson added that she's seen X, who Musk has recently paraded around the White House, "once when he was very little."

"I don't keep up with that side of the family because I don't," Wilson said. "My mom doesn't really either. She's divorced, werk. So yeah. I don't really give a f**k what they do."

Wilson filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court in April 2022 to legally change her name and gender, citing the reason as "Gender identity and the fact that I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form." She has psaid that Musk was largely absent, and that he was "cruel" to her as a child for being too feminine.

Wilson insisted that Musk's shift further into the political right is "not because of me," saying that "it's such a convenient narrative, that the reason he turned right is because I'm a f**king tr*nny, and that's just not the case. That's not what that does to people."

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She reiterated her previous claims that Musk was "not as supportive as my mom" when she came out as trans, and that she had to get his permission to start puberty blockers and hormone replacement therapy (gender-affirming care) despite not being in contact with him. Now, even as an adult, Wilson said she is "terrified of losing access to guaranteed medical care."

Wilson believes that it's especially important for her to speak out now to "protect our trans youth and do all that we can, especially in this increasingly hostile political landscape."

"If I didn't medically transition at the age I did, I don't know what would've happened. I don't feel like people realize that being trans is not a choice. I'm so sorry to break it to you," she said. "Transitioning as a minor was something that was medically necessary for me to do in order to be not suicidal, and it is really important that we protect access to trans care for trans youth."

"I do feel obligated to talk about trans issues," Wilson continued. "As someone who did transition as a minor, I feel like there's so much villainization of that, and I would really like to raise awareness of the fact that trans care for minors, especially puberty blockers, is really, really important. So maybe stop demonizing these literal children or the people around these children who are just trying to help them to feel comfortable in their own skin."
Trumps dramatic return to the White House has thrown the liberals into complete panic and confusion. They have been accusing Trump of being responsible for every ill in the world, and have flung whatever insults they can at him: from semi-fascist, to fascist, to neo-fascist.

Shamefully, the perennially alarmed so-called 'Lefts' are dragging like a tail behind the liberals, spreading the same confusion and falling into the old trap of 'lesser evilism'. Against this alarmism, which really serves to justify the capitalist status quo, an understanding of the real nature of Trumpism is of paramount importance for revolutionaries so that they dont get caught in the same camp as Genocide Joe and the rest of the hated US establishment.

Meanwhile, totally unaffected by this shrill chorus, Trump is proceeding with business. This week he resumed talks with Russia over the fate of Ukraine, while on the frontlines, the Ukrainian offensive in Kursk has completely collapsed.

At the same time, Netanyahu has torn up the ceasefire with Hamas and has restarted the war in Gaza, which will have explosive consequences for the Middle East.

All of these not only pose big questions for the capitalist world order. Communists, more than anyone else, must understand what is really going on so that they can cut through the fog and fight against the system with a clear perspective.

To explain how Marxists should understand and approach these phenomena, Alan Woods, the leading theoretician of the Revolutionary Communist International, joined Hamid Alizadeh for another episode of Against the Stream, the weekly current affairs podcast of the RCI.

This episode premiered on YouTube. Tune in every Thursday at 6pm GMT, or catch up on Spotify or Apple Music.
Photo via Getty Images

Republicans in the Arizona Legislature want to put increased restrictions on medication abortions, in direct contradiction to a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to abortion that voters approved in November.

Sen. Mark Finchem, R-Prescott, claimed during a Wednesday Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee meeting that there was no way to know exactly why voters favored the Arizona Abortion Access Act.

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More than 61% of those who voted in the Grand Canyon States 2024 general election chose to enshrine the right to abortion into the state constitution.

But that hasnt stopped Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee from voting for House Bill 2681, which would impose a long list of new restrictions and requirements on those seeking medication-induced abortions.

Finchem and Sen. Wendy Rogers, R-Prescott, both argued that HB2681 would protect unborn children who cannot protect themselves. Pro-choice advocates described it as a backhanded way to place additional hurdles in the way of abortion access, defying the will of the voters, and making the most widely used way to carry out an abortion more difficult.

I do hope you respect the will of the voters, said Jodi Liggett, a lobbyist for Reproductive Freedom for All. Theyve spoken loudly, and they dont want politicians involved in their access to care.

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In response, Finchem told Liggett that voters only indicated whether they were for or against the Arizona Abortion Access Act, and that no data existed to explain why, adding that it disturbs him to hear Liggett make missassertions about voters motivations.

Liggett answered that the abortion rights campaign did extensive polling before gathering signatures to put Prop. 139 on the ballot, and those polls indicated that voters dont want politicians making medical decisions for them.

The Arizona Abortion Access Act, as the constitutional amendment was officially known, prohibits any law, regulation or policy that would deny, restrict or interfere with the fundamental right to abortion before fetal viability (generally around 24 weeks) unless it is for the limited purpose of improving or maintaining the health of a person seeking an abortion, consistent with clinical practice standards and evidence-based medicine.

It also prohibits any law or regulation that would interfere with access to abortion after fetal viability if the patients health care provider believes it is necessary to protect the patients life, physical or mental health.

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Additionally, Prop. 139 bars any law that penalizes a person for aiding or assisting someone in exercising their right to an abortion.

House Bill 2681, sponsored by Republican Rep. Rachel Keshel, a member of the far-right Arizona Freedom Caucus, would place numerous restrictions on abortions prior to fetal viability.

Keshels bill would require a doctor who prescribes medication to induce abortion to examine the patient in person, test the patients blood and inform them of the possible physical and psychological aftereffects and side effects of taking the medication.

The physician would also be compelled to inform the patient that they may see the remains of the unborn child in the process of completing the abortion.

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The proposed legislation would also force the doctor to schedule a follow-up visit with the patient, to make all reasonable efforts to ensure the patient attends that appointment and include a record of those attempts in the patients chart.

A medical provider who violates HB2681 could be held civilly liable by the patient who obtained the abortion  their parents if theyre a minor  or by the person who impregnated them.

Any of them could file a lawsuit against the physician to recover monetary damages for psychological, emotional and physical injuries, statutory damages up to $5,000 and attorney fees.

Marilyn Rodriguez, a lobbyist for Planned Parent Advocates of Arizona, called HB2681 fear mongering based on junk science. She accused Republican lawmakers on Wednesday of trying to make the process as difficult and scary as possible to put abortion out of reach for as many Arizonans as possible.

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As abortion restrictions have been for decades, Keshels bill is couched in language about patient safety. It ignores that the drugs widely used to induce abortion in early pregnancy, mifepristone and misoprostol, are considered safe for use up to 10 weeks of gestation, according to the FDA.

Elizabeth Lee, a reproductive medicine expert who spoke on behalf of Reproductive Freedom for All, said that the measure would make it more difficult for women in rural areas to get abortions since in-person visits to a physician could be out of reach for them. Currently, doctors can prescribe medication for abortion through a telehealth visit.

If doctors offices are too far away, or appointments arent available, rural women could be pushed past 11 weeks of gestation and have to undergo a more invasive surgical abortion that comes with an increased risk of complications.

Lee added that the blood testing requirement in the proposed legislation, for RH incompatibility, was completely unnecessary. RH incompatibility is a potentially dangerous condition that happens when a mothers immune system attacks the red blood cells of her fetus, but Lee said that patients typically arent treated for it until 20 weeks of gestation.

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Before voting to forward House Bill 2681 on to the full Senate, Rogers said that the legislature should protect those that cannot protect themselves adding that everyone will have to answer to God for their decisions.

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WACO, TX (FOX 44)  For several years now, Waco Independent School District (I.S.D.) has hosted the Womens Empowerment Summit, an event designed to inspire and equip young women to realize their full potential.

This years theme, Becoming, encouraged attendees to embrace the process of growth, confidence, and leadership.

Yolanda Williams is the Executive Director for Student Support at Waco ISD, who emphasized the importance of providing students with exposure to diverse opportunities. Its very important that we allow our students to be exposed to all different types of opportunities so that people can make choices and know that there are other things that they can do to challenge themselves, she said.

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The summit welcomed young women from 7th to 12th grade, offering a series of seminars and workshops aimed at building skills in areas such as confidence, networking, professionalism, and etiquette. The event provided an opportunity for personal and professional growth, and each year, the summit is hosted at a different campus to offer students a chance to explore new environments.

The summit was held at McLennan Community College last year, while this year it took place at Baylor University.

For Shanija Smith, a junior at Waco High, this was her second year attending the summit. She shared how the experience has helped her grow both personally and professionally.

You get to learn more about being a woman, being confident, being a business professional, Smith said.

Jocelyn Austin, a senior at Waco High, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to attend the summit before graduation, The information I will use in the future, and its very attainable just to sit down and understand everything. It was a beautiful concept, just being in the chairs and I love it, Austin said.

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As the day progressed, students moved from one empowering session to the next, many of them excited about the new possibilities ahead. Its a great opportunity, and I hope that every other district gets to witness this just like we did today. It was a good thing. It was very helpful to the younger women, to even me, myself. I learned some stuff that Ive never, ever gotten a chance to experience and to learn, Austin added.

For Yolanda Williams, seeing the students enthusiasm and excitement year after year continues to drive her passion to make the summit better each time. Its a feeling that I cant even really describe. They its in their words. Its in their smiles. Its in their conversations. The children, they just get so excited, Williams said.

As the summit concluded, these young women walked away with not just new skills, but a renewed sense of purpose, each step closer to becoming the confident, empowered individuals they are meant to be.

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Superintendent Susie Hedalen said this week she wanted to reassure Montana educators and families that funding for schools remains unchanged, and changes at the U.S. Department of Education will give the state more flexibility to serve students.

In a letter released Tuesday, Hedalen said the federal Department of Education is taking steps to reduce bureaucracy and return more control over education to the states.

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As we monitor the effect of these changes, I will continue advocating for our schools to ensure these changes bring real benefits to our educators, students, and families, Hedalen said. My focus remains on expanding opportunities, improving academic outcomes, and resources directly to the classroom.

U.S. President Donald Trump campaigned in part on dismantling the Department of Education. The agency had 4,133 workers when he took office, and last week, 2,183 remained, according to States Newsrooms Washington, D.C., Bureau.

The reductions  ahead of a presidential order expected Thursday to eliminate the Department of Education, according to national media reports  drew protests in Washington, D.C. Congressional approval would be required to do away with the agency.

In Montana, the head of the largest organization representing educators and other public school employees expressed alarm at the slashing of the federal agency and disappointment with the reassurances offered by the state superintendent.

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Amanda Curtis, president of the Montana Federation of Public Employees, said it is impossible to expect the state wont see impacts when federal employees who send checks to Montana have been sent home.

This money literally funds rural schools, literally funds school meals, Curtis said. It is not hyperbolic or dramatic in any way to say these moves are going to hurt Montana kids very, very soon.

In the last school year, 148,585 children attended public schools in Montana. The governors budget proposes nearly $2.7 billion in spending authority for the next biennium for public schools, including federal money.

Curtis said educators are so distraught for their students they are catatonic, and she said she found the remarks from Hedalen unexpected.

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Hedalen is the former superintendent of the Townsend school district and took office as state superintendent in January this year.

She has a history of being a very reasonable school leader, and to see this was really a disappointment, Curtis said.

In her letter, Hedalen said the changes at the Department of Education were designed to not disrupt funding or critical services for students and families, but to empower local schools and communities.

I want to reassure Montana educators and families that funding for elementary and secondary education remains unchanged, Hedalen said.

She said the Office of Public Instruction was informed that the Elementary and Secondary Education Acts formula funding, discretionary grant programs and staff were not affected, meaning these resources will continue to flow without disruption.

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Hedalen said OPI also received notice that special education services and vocational rehabilitation programs remain fully intact.

These changes aim to cut through federal red tape and give our state the flexibility to better serve students in ways that align with the unique needs of our communities, Hedalen said. As I have often emphasized, reducing micromanagement from Washington allows teachers to focus on what truly matters, getting back to the basics.

Lance Melton, head of the Montana School Boards Association, said education accounts for just 5% of the federal budget even though its made out to sound like a really big, significant portion.

But he also said Montana appreciates the funds, and its a disproportionate user of the federal money. He said federal funds account for 12.5% of the education budget in Montana as opposed to the national average of roughly 8%.

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In other words, Montana receives 50% more than other states, or roughly $160 million a year, he said.

Melton also said the Trump administration is offering disclaimers that it does not plan to  at least right now  gut funding for Title 1, for children living in poverty, or for IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, for those who have special needs.

Melton said as long as Montana continues to hear theres no intent or plan to reduce the actual distribution of funds to Montanas public schools, he couldnt say the changes would bring harm to schools just yet.

I wouldnt call it status quo, but I would call it potentially innocuous, Melton said.

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He also said some cuts mean fewer federal employees are ensuring schools are obeying the law, but he said Montana schools already do a good job of being in compliance.

The key question is: How does this impact the appropriation process by Congress? And the jury is still out on that, Melton said. However, he said he is cautiously optimistic.

Curtis, though, said the cuts exacerbate challenges that already exist in education, such as an exodus from the profession.

On top of folks wondering if there are going to be schools in which they can teach, if theyre going to have funding for the education of their students, it just causes so much chaos, Curtis said. It heaps onto the uncertainty and the worry that we were all already feeling in public education.

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Curtis said 50% of Montana students receives Title 1 funds, including for those living below the poverty line.

I dont know how anyone feels they can trust that the money will still flow when the entity responsible for distributing the funds and calculating the funds doesnt have anybody working there anymore, Curtis said.

Early during her role as MFPE president, Curtis said she worried that she would be labeled as a sky is falling leader. She said this time, she has a different problem.

I cant ring the bell enough, Curtis said.

She said her organization is going to contact Montanas federal delegation, but she said members also need to send messages to Gov. Greg Gianforte given his national leadership role and influence on the delegation and Republican Party.

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We really see a space for the governor to show some real leadership, for him to champion Montanas public schools, and we hope he steps up to the plate to do that, Curtis said.

She said shes especially concerned that children in special education who are on Individual Education Plans designed for their unique needs have had their right to education jeopardized without enforcement at the federal level.

Curtis spoke to the Daily Montanan on Wednesday evening, and the Governors Office could not be reached for comment by email on Wednesday evening.

In her letter, Hedalen said OPI is receiving timely updates from the Department of Education, impacts on OPI have been minimal, and no staff reductions are currently planned at the state agency.

At Montana OPI, we stand ready to take on the increased responsibilities to continue serving our students, teachers, and administrators effectively, Hedalen said.
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah (ABC4)  Taylorsville detectives tracked a wanted fugitive linked to a white supremacist gang to Bluffdale where they successfully took him and two accomplices into custody, according to the Taylorsville Police Department.

On Thursday, March 13, Taylorsville street crime detectives found a fugitive with multiple felony warrants, identified as Michael Barney, and tracked him to a Salt Lake City apartment where he was believed to have stolen firearms.

READ NEXT: Man who was rescued after Kaysville tree-cutting accident dies in hospital

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Police said before they could execute a search warrant for the apartment, the suspect and two accomplices, one of which police identified as Brittany Cesspooch, fled the area in a vehicle.

Authorities tracked the car by air and noted that the driver dropped off Barney and an accomplice at a hotel near 1400 West 14000 South in Bluffdale. Detectives then spiked the vehicle and took the driver into custody.

Once a search warrant was obtained for the hotel, detectives approached Barney and the other accomplice who allegedly surrendered after negotiations.

According to police, materials for a clandestine drug lab were found in the hotel room, as well as a stolen firearm and drug paraphernalia. The Salt Lake City apartment also allegedly contained a second firearm, fentanyl, marijuana, methamphetamine, and drug lab materials.

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Police did not identify the second accomplice or elaborate on the claim that Barney is connected to a white supremacist gang.

This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.

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Columbia University faces one of the most consequential choices of its nearly three-century history this week. The Trump administration has given the school a deadline of tomorrow to make a series of concessions in exchange for keeping $400 million in federal funding. Columbia has not publicly signaled what it will do, but The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the university was close to yielding to the demands. That would be a disaster for Columbia, for American higher education, and for the United States.

In a letter earlier this month, the Trump administration sought to dictate how the university disciplines students involved in pro-Palestinian protests last year, structures its disciplinary processes, handles masking on campus, and runs its admissions. It also demands that the university begin the process of placing its Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies under academic receivership for a minimum of five years, a process where universities put departments that have failed to govern themselves under the supervision of some university official outside the department.

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These demands are ostensibly about addressing anti-Semitism on Columbias campus. Anti-Semitism is a genuine problem at the school, but these are not genuine fixes. This is an attempt by the federal government to take control of an elite private university that it sees, correctly, as a bastion of liberalism. The gambit against the MESAAS department makes this especially clear; as a member of the American Association of University Professors academic-freedom committee told the Associated Press, Even during the McCarthy period in the United States, this was not done. These demands come as the Trump administration is also seeking to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the protests at Columbia last year and a legal permanent resident. The government has still not charged him with any crime.

In their defense, Columbias leaders are right to be worried about the threat of a funding cut. As my colleague Ian Bogost has explained, American higher education as we know it depends greatly on federal money. This is not a matter of charity: The nation benefits heavily from research and education. The $400 million ransom here comes on top of other cuts to federal funding for universities. Yet many experts dont think that the governments threats would stand up to legal challenge.

University leaders may also agree with some of the diagnoses the federal government has made about its admissions or disciplinary practices, but these are problems for the university to handle itself. (One bleak possibility right now is that administrators would rather let the federal government take the blame for changes they want to make than face backlash from students, donors, faculty, or alumni.)

Surrendering to Donald Trump, however, would be a serious error. The first impact would be on Columbia itself, which would be granting control to an administration that has been frank about its desire to knock universities down a few notches. Concession would probably provoke outrage from faculty and students, which could cause tumult, could harm the universitys reputation, andcruciallyis likely to only invite further attacks from the White House. Its a death spiral waiting to happen.

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Columbia should know this better than most schools. When House Republicans assailed it over the Gaza-war protests last year, President Minouche Shafik bent over backwards to answer their concerns. It satisfied no one. She lost the confidence of the university community and resigned in August. The ritual bloodletting did not appease the right, as the current pressure campaign shows, but rather emboldened it. The White House is already looking past Columbia to its next target, the University of Pennsylvania, and if these sorties are successful, other colleges will be next.

This is a consistent pattern when people and institutions seek accommodation from this president in order to protect themselves. Theres no such thing as an armistice with Trump; theres only ever a temporary truce.

In 2016, the Republican Party as a whole opted to indulge Trumps candidacy, on the premise that he couldnt possibly win the nomination. When he did, leaders decided to work with him, on the premise that he was inexperienced and policy-ignorant and could be manipulated to serve their ends. Instead, he has conducted a full-scale takeover, remaking the GOP platform in his image, purging opponents, and turning the Republican National Committee into an arm of his business.

In that 2016 race, Chris Christie was the first rival candidate to endorse Trump and assist him. That won him a job leading the Trump transitionuntil he was unceremoniously fired, became the butt of cruel Trump jokes, and emerged as a prominent Trump critic, once it was too late.

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Senator Mitch McConnell also chose to work with Trump and defend him, including some of his baseless claims about the 2020 election being stolen. He seemed to believe that indulging Trump would help further his own priorities. McConnell did get scores of conservative judges appointed, but he also kept taking flak from Trump, and coddling the president helped foment the January 6 insurrection. After the riot, McConnell was furious but glad to be done with Trump. I feel exhilarated by the fact that this fellow finally, totally discredited himself, he told the reporter Jonathan Martin. He put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Couldnt have happened at a better time.

But McConnell didnt want to take the political pain of pushing his caucus to convict Trump after his impeachment. The result? Trump is back as president, and McConnell is casting lonely, symbolic anti-Trump votes as he prepares to leave the Senate. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy initially blasted Trump behind closed doors after January 6, but then quickly flew to Mar-a-Lago to make amends. Yet Trump did nothing to save McCarthy from an internal revolt, and he was deposed as speaker.

Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo ran or considered running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, but both eventually endorsed Trump. Haley practically begged to stump for him. Once elected, Trump promptly shut both out of his new administration and later yanked a security detail assigned to Pompeo because of death threats from Iranstemming from Pompeos work as secretary of state under Trump. Many business executives lined up behind Trump in this election as well, hoping hed be good for the economy. Instead, theyve gotten gyrating markets and fears of a recession.

Foreign leaders have also tried to get on Trumps good side. Frances Emmanuel Macron has been very effective at building a friendly relationship with the U.S. president as a way of fortifying his interests. As a reward for that effort, Trump has slapped large tariffs on Europe, threatened to bail on NATO, and turned his back on Ukraine, a major European priority. Its no wonder that Ukraines Volodymyr Zelensky was willing to spar with Trump in the Oval Office. Stand up to Trump and hell punish you; act conciliatory and hell do it anyway.

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Back in 2019, the journalist Andrew Sullivan warned against accommodating Trump. We are appeasing an angry king, he wrote. And the usual result of appeasement is that the angry king banks every concession and, empowered and emboldened by his success, gets more aggressive and more power hungry.

As it happens, Columbia was founded in 1754 as Kings College. An imprudent choice now could result in the school becoming the de facto fief of an aspiring angry king.

Related:

Here are three new stories from The Atlantic:

Todays News

Donald Trump signed an executive order today that is set to dramatically shrink the Department of Education, but the department would still continue some functions, such as administering student loans, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Tens of thousands of articles on Pentagon websites were removed or flagged for removal to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths order to erase diversity content. According to CNN, which obtained a database showing which content has been or could be purged, these articles cover topics including Holocaust remembrance, Jackie Robinsons military service, and breast-cancer awareness. The Pentagon has since restored some of the removed pages. A Georgetown University researcher on a student visa was detained by federal immigration authorities over alleged ties to a senior adviser to Hamas, which his lawyer denies.

Dispatches

Time-Travel Thursdays: The Reagan administration offers a cautionary tale about cost-cutting zeal crashing up against the reality of how government works, David A. Graham writes.

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Evening Read

The Particular Joy of Watching Film Lovers Geek Out

By Paula Mejia

At this years South by Southwest festival, in Austin, film premieres werent the only major events. The buzziest affair, arguably, took place inside a truck: a facsimile of the Criterion Collections fabled office closet, bursting with select editions of its deep and idiosyncratic film catalog. For three minutes each, movie lovers could enter the Criterion Closet truck to rifle through the companys expansive archive of canonical works, plucking DVD and Blu-ray copies to purchase and take home.

Read the full article.

Culture Break

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Listen. On Radio Atlantic, Hanna Rosin talks about the bird-flu tipping point with our science writer Katie Wu and an egg farmer whos already dealt with millions of deaths in his flocks.

Watchand question. Everything TV taught you about autopsies is wrong, Samuel Ashworth writes.

Play our daily crossword.

Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter.

When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A man seen on video surveillance swiping a bag of cash from an armored car employee has been arrested.

According to the Franklin County Sheriffs Office, deputies responded to a reported robbery in Valleyview, where a Brinks armored car employee was servicing an ATM machine at a Food Mart on Valleyview Drive in the west side of the city.

Columbus police officer injured in southwest side crash

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It was reported that an unidentified man was waiting behind the Brinks employee before snatching a bag with a large sum of money inside of it and fled the store. Video surveillance captured the suspect eyeing the Brinks employee before swooping in behind him to grab the bag.

The suspect was briefly pursued by the Brinks driver but ultimately got away in a dark-colored Ford SUV.

Approximately 14 hours later, at 11:30 p.m., 21-year-old Yelon Shepherd, who was identified as the suspect, was arrested and charged with robbery and felony theft. He is being held in Franklin County Jail while the case remains under investigation.

Shepherd is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal Court for an arraignment hearing on Friday at 9 a.m.

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ROCHESTER, NY (WROC)  That nice warmth felt on Wednesday is gone as temperatures are back down in the 50s this afternoon. We continue to cool as a Canadian air mass pushes in from the northwest.

We start Friday chilly, in the 20s. Increasing pressure clears out skies and its a sunny day with highs in the mid 40s. We see a bit of a bump in numbers Saturday as warm air flows in ahead of another cold front. This will bring some mid-day rain to start the weekend. Its a quick-hitter and will move quickly east before clearing out skies Sunday. Lows through this stretch will consistently fall into the 20s.

8-Day Forecast

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We see another brief spike in temperatures on Monday with highs in the upper 40s as a warm front brings a wintry mix to rain. The cold front and low pressure center will quickly follow Tuesday and keep the threat for wintry mix showers around into Wednesday as numbers are down. We see lows around freezing and highs in the lower 40s through this stretch. Its still not quite cold enough to get accumulating snow, but random dustings could be possible through Wednesday night.

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Tesla owners confirmed on Wednesday that an online map decorated with an image of a Molotov cocktail includes accurate personal information about them, such as residential addresses, raising fears that activists opposed to billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk could target them for vandalism.

The online map went live Monday, displaying the names, addresses and contact information of some Tesla owners and dealerships and members of the Trump administration in an attempt to whip up further backlash against Musk for his role in the Trump administration. 404 Media first reported the website's existence.

Musk condemned the website, writing Tuesday on X: Encouraging destruction of Teslas throughout the country is extreme domestic terrorism!!

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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a statement on X Tuesday that the bureau was "actively working on the Tesla incidents and the swatting incidents."

The website, which was intermittently inaccessible Wednesday, encourages visitors to commit vandalism, including by using a spray can to unleash your artistic flair on a nearby Tesla and through other creative expressions of protest. And in a reference to the escalating vandalism of Tesla vehicles and facilities in recent weeks, the cursor on the desktop version of the map is an image of a Molotov cocktail.

NBC News spoke to six Tesla owners or their representatives who confirmed that at least some information on the website was accurate, though other owners said that in some cases phone numbers or addresses were out of date.

On Tuesday, someone armed with a gun and Molotov cocktails attacked a Tesla service center in Las Vegas, spray-painting resist, firing several shots and torching multiple cars, authorities said. Its not clear whether the map was tied to the incident.

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The website is causing concern among some Tesla owners who fear they or their vehicles could be attacked.

Having our personal addresses out there is not something that I think is cool, said a San Diego Tesla owner named Scott. His family owns two Teslas, and he asked that his name be withheld to prevent harassment. He said they bought the vehicles years ago, before Musks alliance with President Donald Trump, and that it didnt make financial sense to sell them now.

I think theres much more effective ways to protest than attacking individuals property, he said.

Some other Tesla owners said they werent particularly concerned about the site. One said the information listed about them was out of date, and another said personal information had become ubiquitous online anyway.

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The site pushes Tesla owners to join the trend of people selling their vehicles so they can disassociate from Musk. The site says it will take down owners personal information if they provide proof that youve sold your Tesla.

Tesla didnt immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.In a post on X, it advised owners to turn on sentry mode, which allows owners to see and record live video from their vehicles cameras.

The site, called Dogequest, refers to Musks work for Trump as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk has used the position to try to slash federal spending and reorganize whole federal agencies, leading to repeated clashes not only in the federal courts and with Congress but also within the Trump Cabinet. On Tuesday, a federal judge ruled that Musks shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development likely violated the United States Constitution in multiple ways, a decision that Musk attacked as wrong.

The map included only a small fraction of all Tesla owners, listing only a handful in some cities where Teslas are relatively common, such as San Francisco.

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Its not clear who is behind the online map or where they obtained the data they posted. The creators didnt respond to an email sent to an address listed on the website requesting further information or comment.

Domain registration records for the website indicated it was registered via an anonymous domain hosting platform called Njalla Okta LLC.

The map was released following a rise in vandalism against Tesla. Aside from the Las Vegas incident, other reported attacks have involved charging stations in the Boston area and more Molotov cocktails thrown at a dealership in Colorado. On Monday, the San Diego County Sheriffs Office reported that swastikas were painted on multiple Teslas at a dealership.

Attorney General Pam Bondi has said the attacks on Tesla property are nothing short of domestic terrorism and pledged federal investigations.

The Justice Department and the FBI didnt immediately respond to requests for comment about the map.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA)  The Wellford Police Department provided an update Thursday morning regarding an explosive sound that was widely heard.

Police said multiple fire departments were on the scene Wednesday evening searching for what may have caused the sound. No findings were reported that day.

Police initially said early Thursday morning that agencies searched the entire area but nothing found could explain the noise.

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Hours later, police confirmed that the loudness in the Wellford area was due to an explosion at an industrial center. Officers said a machine loaded with material containing a compressed gas cylinder malfunctioned, which caused the explosion.

No injuries were reported and there is no danger to the community or public health according to police.

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Michael Abramowitz and James Boasberg both grew up as children of Washington notables, becoming friends at Saint Albans, the venerable prep school where the local elite has long educated its kids. Their fellow students included future Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), future White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and the sons of a vast array of Washington VIPs ranging from Jesse Jackson to G. Gordon Liddy.

After graduating from Harvard and Yale, respectively, the two went into exactly the sorts of careers that this particular world raises its talented young people to admire. One did journalism, the other did law, and they both wound up in public service.

And this week, in a coincidence that feels downright poetic in the shell-shocked universe known as Permanent Washington, theyre the targets in high-profile Trump administration onslaughts that are otherwise unconnected: the shuttering of Voice of America, where Abramowitz was placed on leave as director, and the battle over the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members, where Boasberg is the judge whose rulings have led to furious presidential condemnations.

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The two friends overlapping news cycles are an accident of fate. But inside the Beltway, they also seem like a giant metaphor for a feeling that has consumed the hometown community: a sense that theres a class war on against the people and professions that represent old Washingtons highest bipartisan ideals, but are viewed as self-dealing leeches by the MAGA base.

Look at the targets of just about any of the Trump administrations campaigns and youll find the sorts of institutions that elite Washington reveres: law firms, news organizations, cultural institutions, nonprofits, prestigious universities, international advocacy groups. And, especially, public service.

In fact, Abramowitz and Boasbergs biographies manage to touch all of these categories, going all the way back to a pair of classically 20th-century Washington family histories.

Boasbergs father came to the capital for Lyndon Johnsons Great Society antipoverty programs and later became an outspoken historic-preservation attorney; his mother was a landscape architect and advocate for the citys green spaces. Abramowitzs father held top Cold War diplomatic posts under Presidents Carter, Reagan and Bush, and later led the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; his mother was a prominent advocate for refugees who established the Washington office of the International Rescue Committee.

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Both sons also went on to exemplary Washington versions of professional success  the kind that involve institutionalism rather than disruption, public interest rather than personal power, and a comfortable living rather than Wall Street megabucks.

Boasberg has spent much of his career drawing a government paycheck as a federal prosecutor, a local D.C. judge and now the chief judge of the citys U.S. District Court. Abramowitz worked for years at the Washington Post before moving to the Holocaust Museum and leading Freedom House, the nonprofit that has advocated for democracy and human rights around the world since being established by Eleanor Roosevelt and her husbands former GOP opponent, Wendell Willkie.

In good Washington-institutionalist fashion, both have long bipartisan records, on and off the job. Boasberg, a Yale Law School housemate of the future Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was nominated to D.C. Superior Court by Republican President George W. Bush and the federal bench by Democratic President Barack Obama. Abramowitzs positions at both the Holocaust Museum and Freedom House involved working for boards full of conservatives as well as liberals. His human-rights efforts got him sanctioned by both Russia and China. Its not partisan, its American, George W. Bush Institute Executive Director David Kramer said of the work. It crosses party lines. Its neither Republican nor Democrat.

They were raised to serve, said Tom Liddy  son of G. Gordon  a Saint Albans classmate and still a friend of both Abramowitz and Boasberg. After graduating in Washington, Liddy went on to join the Marines, run for office as a Republican and host a syndicated conservative radio show; today, hes a county attorney in Arizona. Theyre not here to advance right, left or center. They could have done anything, and they chose to serve.

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Yet both men have now spent the week with MAGA bullseyes on their backs, accused of deviousness and disloyalty.

Soon after Abramowitz announced that he and nearly 1,300 staff had been placed on administrative leave, Trump appointee Kari Lake without proof accused his agency of hiding crooked contracts and employing spies and terrorist sympathizers and/or supporters. As the controversy over Boasbergs ruling intensified at exactly the same time, the jurist was derided by Attorney General Pam Bondi as a D.C. trial judge [who] supported Tren de Aragua terrorists over the safety of Americans.

Trump on Tuesday drew a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts after posting that Boasberg was a radical left lunatic of a judge who should be impeached.

The vitriol so far is about jobs, not biographies. But for Washington, it all lands amidst a barrage of other hits against various federal-city touchstones  and adds to the sense of beleaguerment in that community.

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People are aggrieved by all of the trouble that has been brought down on their careers, but they are heartsick that they are being defamed as corrupt or freeloaders or partisan hacks, said U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), another child of Washington players who grew up to become a public servant, describing the mood of his public-servant constituents in the D.C. suburbs. Thats the opposite of everything that these people believe in and the opposite of everything theyve been doing with their careers.

You dont have to look hard for other examples of besieged institutions whose Trump-era troubles have roiled the Washington elites who once populated them.

The same executive order that did in Voice of America also took aim at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a public-private think tank that has over the years been led by Washington-society titans like former U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) (her late husbands name adorns a local concert hall) and given fellowships to prominent local chroniclers like the journalist Mark Leibovich (he worked on the classic Beltway skewering This Town while ensconced there).

The controversy over Boasbergs ruling, likewise, first arose just ahead of the annual Gridiron Dinner, another bipartisan-Washington station of the cross, and one whose shunning by Trump allies has made people wonder whether it can continue to be relevant. (In a skit at the same dinner, former Virginia governor and Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe complained about losing his own Wilson Center gig thanks to Trump.)

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Another recent shot across the bow of Washingtons elite: Trumps executive order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie, a liberal firm but a player in the bipartisan, historically noncontroversial business of political law. Late last week, Perkins Coie filed legal action against the order, which banned the firms employees from federal offices and stripped their security clearances. But the targeting has petrified an industry that employs a hefty share of local private sector big shots.

What may be the the highest-profile upending of a highbrow Beltway facility was also back in the headlines on Monday, when Trump made his first presidential visit to the Kennedy Center, where he last month ousted board chair David Rubenstein, whose gifts to the Smithsonian and the National Mall make him federal Washingtons most prominent philanthropist.

In political terms, of course, the fact that all these disruptions personally upset longtime D.C. denizens is probably a plus for team Trump.

In the current moment, the CVs of people like Abramowitz and Boasberg are more likely to be slammed on the MAGA right as examples of deep-state perfidy than admirable public service. And in the country at large, theres not going to be a lot of sympathy for insiders bred in the bosom of the D.C. elite  let alone for outfits like a law firm, a think tank or an old-time journalists club that stages an annual white-tie banquet.

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Do you think the American public will say, Oh, I hope they will give due process to Venezuelan gang members? said Tevi Troy, a presidential historian and former Bush administration staffer who counts himself as a skeptic about Washingtons ability to see itself as the rest of the country does. Making a stand for legal process is yet another Beltway trait that doesnt travel well in a populist era. Likewise, the lack of traction for this winters protests in defense of USAID show that standing up for foreign-affairs programs like VOA is a hard sell, no matter how cogent the arguments.

If Trumps antagonists are smart about it, theyre probably also going to stay away from a full-throated defense of even well-respected Washington lifers like Abramowitz and Boasberg. Its a better bet, politically, to take up the cause of the comparative nobodies whove been hit: the fired junior employees staring down unforgiven student loans; the veteran mid-rung workers dealing with insulting weekend emails from the twentysomething Silicon Valley types on the DOGE staff.

Even people who arent on the MAGA right might hear about the idea of a war on Washingtons most revered professions and think: Its about time.

Its a shame. Speaking as a child of the Beltway  I remember interviewing Boasbergs dad as a young reporter covering planning; my parents knew Abramowitzs father in the Foreign Service  I know that Washingtons old establishment has a long list of real things to answer for: bipartisan support for disastrous foreign wars, group-think that led to decades of widening inequality. But reverence for national service, and a willingness to devote your life to public interest professions like journalism or scholarship or human-rights promotion, are things that ought to be admired.





Even if you loathe the capitals clueless rituals, we ought to hold on to the part of the culture that raises kids to ask what they can do for their country. And we ought to be able to debate the merits of a judicial ruling or a government-run global broadcaster without running down the people who have put their lives into the work. The heartache right now is not so much about Washington careerists seeing their work dismantled as it is about hearing it described as dishonorable or sinister.

Theres an old saying: To whom much is given, much is expected, Liddy told me. Thats the way their parents raised them. From the time you wake up at Saint Albans to the time you go to bed at night, youre told you are in a privileged position and much is expected of you.
U.S. and European intelligence data contradict claims made by U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the alleged encirclement of Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Reuters reported on March 20, citing undisclosed sources.

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Ukrainian soldiers have been "surrounded" in Kursk Oblast, an embattled Russian border region where Moscow's forces recently launched a counterattack against a Ukrainian salient.

Ukraine has denied that its troops are surrounded, though it has acknowledged a retreat from the town of Sudzha amid rapid Russian advances.

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According to sources who spoke with Reuters, U.S. intelligence agencies, including the CIA, briefed the White House that while Ukrainian troops are facing intense pressure from Russian forces, they are not encircled.

Despite these assessments, Trump has continued to claim otherwise.

Ukraine launched its cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially seizing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory.

Read also: Russias Engels airbase ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

Russian forces, reinforced by North Korean troops, counterattacked earlier this month, regaining significant ground. The Russian advances coincided with the U.S. pausing intelligence and military support for Ukraine, which was later resumed on March 11.

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Trump made his comments about the alleged encirclement ahead of a planned call with Putin on March 18, in which the two leaders discussed a possible peace deal for Ukraine.

The call was intended to secure Russias agreement to the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire, which Ukraine had already accepted on the condition that Moscow also complied.

On March 13, Putin initially signaled readiness to agree to a ceasefire but followed up with a list of demands, including a halt to foreign military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

During the call with Trump, Putin once again declined to commit to a full ceasefire but did agree to a limited 30-day halt on energy infrastructure strikes.

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Former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton criticized Trumps approach to the war in an interview with the Kyiv Independent, arguing that instead of considering geopolitical or moral factors, Trump is framing U.S. policy toward Russia through the lens of his personal relationship with Putin.

Read also: Russia hasnt received requests from foreign companies seeking to return, Medvedev says

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Questions surround an accounting and tax business which has closed in western North Carolina.

The Alexander County Sheriffs Office issued a public service announcement after getting dozens of calls from concerned customers about Price, Breazeale, and Chastang, PA.

The sheriff told Channel 9s Dave Faherty more than 300 people have been impacted by the closure.

ALSO READ: WNC family recovering from Helene left waiting for home from FEMA

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Some of those customers showed up Thursday morning trying to get their tax documents back. However, the doors were locked and there was a sign on the door telling them to call the N.C. State Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners.

Deputies said theyve already tried to contact the CPA board.

We spoke with several customers who said they dropped their tax documents off weeks ago but nothing has been filed federally or with the state.

Many of them told Channel 9 they just want their paperwork back so they can go somewhere else.

Im very wary because we have to find somebody else. We have to get our tax papers back, so we can take them somewhere else, said Betty Stanbery, a customer. Its going to be tax time and we have no tax returns.

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Faherty tried to call the phone number on the door of the business but the message box was full.

The state CPA board told Faherty there appears to be a landlord-tenant dispute, which will hopefully get resolved soon. People should be able to get their documents by early next week.

Ed Smith said his federal return has been filed but hes unsure about his state return.

Everybody uses it, Smith said. It was word of mouth and things like that. Everybody goes here. When I came here a couple of times, there were cars here asking, Whats going on?

Ed Smith said his federal return has been filed but hes unsure about his state return.

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Everybody uses it, Smith said. It was word of mouth and things like that. Everybody goes here. When I came here a couple of times, there were cars here asking, Whats going on?

Garen Baroorian hopes that happens.

Baroorian said he is undergoing chemo treatments for Stage 4 cancer and doesnt need the hassle.

I just want to get the money from last year, he said. It would help with some of the bills. I spent over $30,000 on hospital medication.

Its not clear what the landlord-tenant issue is about.

Faherty left a voicemail for who he believed was the landlord but has not gotten a call back.

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There is no evidence of an eviction, according to court records.

The sheriffs office encourages people to contact the state for more information.

WATCH BELOW: Scammers target local families with missing pets
Long before Asheville, North Carolina was known for its beer scene, distinctive foods and drinks were central to southern Appalachian communities. From ramps plucked from the earth in springtime to sorghum squeezed in the fall, its unique culinary identity has been a source of pride and tourism dollars. After Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina in September 2024, restaurants were amid the wreckageeven if the buildings were undamaged by the storm, owners and cooks still had to reckon with a lack of clean water for weeks. Suddenly, restaurateurs across the region were making impossible calculations to account for the rapid declines in customer traffic, rejected insurance claims, and bottlenecked relief funds while also dealing with vestigial exhaustion from the COVID lockdowns.

Many of downtown Ashevilles best-known eateries were quick to get back in the groove of normal service, following a short period of adjusted menus and disposable cups. But not every spot was so lucky. Just beyond the citys main business area, dining destinations in Historic Biltmore Village and the River Arts District were totaled. In Madison, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties, among other locations, restaurants suffered similar fates. Yet even with so many places experiencing the crisis, no two owners faced the same set of obstacles. We checked in with some of the storm-ravaged establishments that are navigating very different paths ahead.

Related: The 15 Most Beautiful Places In North Carolina, According To Locals

Noodle Hole, Marshall

Johnny Autry

On August 29, 2024, Ryan Martin and Hallee Hirsh, the husband-and-wife team behind Ashevilles hugely popular Hole Doughnuts, launched a hand-pulled noodle bar in the town theyve called home for a decade. The intimate dozen-seat space was as bouncy as stretched dough, its up-tempo energy was helped along by the enthusiastic chatter of regulars and Radiohead music turned up loud. But four weeks later, the couple was bracing for destruction. They initially thought their storm plan would just entail reconfiguring the line so waiting diners wouldnt get wet, but as predictions grew grimmer, Hallee and Ryan began shutting down Noodle Hole.

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On September 26, a passerby saw them packing their new restaurant into boxes and asked what time they served supper. I wanted to say, Look around, and say goodbye to everything, Hallee recalls. By late October, they were still pressure washing away the muddy residue of floodwaters that rose to 12 feet in their dining room. In tiny Marshall, every business was gutted, and some were swept down the river.

Yet Hallee insists shes grateful she got the briefest glimpse of their fantasy project. Those four weeks were absolute magic, she says, swearing up and down that her outlook for the future is a clearer picture in her mind than the mess they encountered on their first day back in the dining room. She has continued to see evidence of that magic: in the neighbors who squeal their love for her from across the street; in the communitys post-storm wants list, to which she added a Hobart mixer (that she received); and in the generosity of Florida philanthropist Helen Rich, who gave money to several western North Carolina eateries, including Noodle Hole, to help them rebuild in Helenes aftermath.

While Richs primary cause is animal rescue, she and her daughter had been to this region before and were struck by how food was core to its soul. Weve got to start somewhere. [The beneficiaries] can rehire employees, and then those people can go to restaurants, and you can get the heart beating, says Rich, who envisions restaurant patronage becoming a common element of disaster recovery as insurance payments lag and politicians argue about compensation measures. Rich wrote a check to Noodle Hole after a phone call with Hallee and says, She sounded like a great person doing a great thing.

With this gift as well as other funding, Hallee and Ryan plan to re-create their noodle shop just as it was prior to the storm, save for one significant exception: They are redesigning the bar and other fixtures to slide out for easy transportation should a flood ever threaten to lap at their door again. Sounds like magic.

12 Bones Smokehouse, Asheville

Johnny Autry

Before it was battered by Hurricane Helene, Ashevilles River Arts District was a must-visit part of downtown. Bordered by a wide greenway, the low-lying assemblage of former mills and storehouses was dappled with old-world-style bakeries and innovative kitchens. It was the kind of place where artists of all generations swapped ideas and oil paints and where visiting celebrities could tuck into new-wave barbecue without being bothered.

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At 12 Bones Smokehouse, many of those happy customers scribbled their names on a designated wall. While that wall is still standing, the interiors were destroyed. People with businesses along the French Broad River were always cognizant of the hazards posed by the ancient waterway, but the storm assaulted the neighborhood so forcefully that 12 Bones owners Angela Koh and Bryan King found mud in their attic. They had purchased the restaurant in 2012 and relocated four years later to another River Arts District structure when the city took the property by eminent domain for development of sidewalks and public art. It was a thriving hub of the city, Bryan says of their decision to stay, albeit on slightly higher ground. We didnt feel invincible but thought wed be okay. Worst case: We were going to get some streets flooded and wouldnt be able to open for a few days. But to think the building would be almost completely submergedI never thought it was going to be on that level.

Because they were in Seattle when the hurricane hit, they watched floodwaters submerge their dining room on a security camera feed. At first, they thought it might not reach the merchandise. But it rose past the T-shirts and up toward the ceiling, around which time Angela deemed the on-screen situation pretty catastrophic.

Still, Angela and Bryan emphasize that many of their fellow River Arts District restaurateurs were hit harder. In 2019, the couple had opened a second smokehouse with a massive brewery about 10 miles from downtown in Arden, beyond the reach of the river and, admittedly, most day-trippers. Were kind of on an island out here, Bryan says, lamenting that touring artists and North Asheville residents are unlikely to entertain on the outskirts of Henderson County. But having the second location meant that, as soon as the power was restored and employees were accounted for (a process that took a day or two due to downed cell towers), they could start serving again. So 12 Bones Smokehouse reopened on October 8, while their brewing facility functioned as a space where charitable groups could receive and sort donations.

Johnny Autry

They say that, in some ways, theyre thankful for an excuse to keep things small. Maybe it is about simplifying, says Angela, who has had her eye on updating the back patio. Shes always wanted to make it prettier, maybe add some greenery, but she was just too busy going back and forth between restaurants to fuss with cosmetic upgrades. Now, she says, its time to plant.

The NuWray Hotel and Maples, Burnsville

Just hours after Helene stopped pounding Yancey County with more water than three standard rain gauges could hold, Amanda and James Keith waded into the murky kitchen of The NuWray Hotel, too dazed by the storm to pay much attention to the damage around them. Since purchasing the landmark in 2021, the couple had fiddled with its restaurant lineup, which included a deli when Helene barged into Burnsville. Knowing their meats and cheeses were bound to spoil, the Keiths assembled several dozen sandwiches by flashlight and distributed them in the town square. Five days later, the effort had morphed into a full-fledged feeding operation, with free hot meals served at 5:30 p.m. daily.

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When Susan Scoggins neared the front of the line, where James was dishing out smoked chicken, she started bawling. Id kept it together pretty good until then, says the former florist whod become Burnsvilles most beloved baker at her coffeehouse, Maples. But you know how you can be okay until someone asks, Are you okay? I couldnt stop the tears. James had gotten to know Susan when he was emerging from a personal tragedy in Greensboro and relocating to the area. Because the Keiths always stopped by Maples before visiting homes for sale, he will forever associate the taste of Susans chocolate chip cookies with the possibility that life could get better. He wasnt the only one.

Since opening in 2015, Maples had been a haven for the community. It had hosted a weekly open mic night, during which folks honored the areas Appalachian past and bohemian present with covers of Doc Watson and the Grateful Dead. A meditation circle and a knitting club had met there too. On customer-appreciation day a few years back, adoring patrons had danced in the rain. And the rain returned with Hurricane Helene, along with brutally violent winds. Susans granddaughter persuaded her not to spend the night at Maples, even though she was certain she needed to stay to make coffee in the morning. Lacking cell service and power at home, Susan took a few days to muster the wherewithal and nerve to check on Maples. She surveyed the damagea water tank had rolled over part of the building and a 30-foot-tall tree poked through its doorbefore reluctantly joining the food line at The NuWray, knowing one well-meaning question about her cafe would dissolve the glue holding her heart together now that shed faced the debris.

She could still picture her slate gray sewing machine (which locals had used to make free face masks at the start of the pandemic) that was wrecked and half buried toward the middle of the room, the busted guitar necks poking through the rubble, and the mud-caked shards of teatime china. When the question came, she wept. First, James tried to comfort Susan, and then he called his business partners with an idea: Could they hire her to helm the bakery of their on-site cafe and pub, Carriage House Sundries? By the end of October, Susan (pictured above at left, with Victoria Tamberrino) was testing out her cinnamon roll recipe in The NuWrays ovens. When a fan approached her shyly to eulogize Maples and pass along her husbands praise for the pastry that had uplifted James, Susan beamed and reassured her: Well, youll be able to get the same chocolate chip cookie here.

Helens Restaurant, Bakersville

Johnny Autry

Mary Stafford just turned 80 and has lost count of how many times shes made chicken and dumplings. But she remembers the first time she prepared the dish alongside her grandmother, who lived in a simple one-room cabin in Mitchell County. To boil the chicken for the broth, they had to haul water from a well. Seventy years later, Mary still made her chicken and dumplings the same no-shortcuts way (but with the help of running water) at Helens Restaurant, the Bakersville institution that she and her daughter, Donna, took over in 2023. Each Tuesday, people would callthe restaurant hasnt changed its phone number since 1961and say, I can get there by such and such a time; please put me up a plate. And the duo always did. They last offered the weekly special on September 24. Helens closed after that days service for the coming stormand hasnt reopened since.

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The restaurant got its start as the Frontier Drive-In before coming into its own under the leadership of Helen and Wiley Hobson, who ran it like a community clubhouse. Students from the nearby high school flocked to Helens for burgers and shakes, and local shopkeepers took multiple meals a day there. In 1999, when Bakersville was rebounding from another flood, a reporter for the Johnson City Press noted, On court days, it becomes an annex to the courthouse.

Even though the place is situated on the banks of Cane Creek, the Staffords didnt purchase flood insurance when they bought it. They focused their spending on whatever would restore the spirit that had been absent since Wiley Hobson had died in 1998. Both of us put in our complete life savings, Donna recalls. The pair paid to renovate and redecorate, but mostly they invested their timeregularly putting in 17-hour days. Sometimes they squabbled: Donna wanted to create a burger menu, while Mary figured customers could choose their own toppings. (Donna won that battle: One of their bestsellers was topped with fried green tomatoes, bacon jam, and fresh microgreens.) Ultimately, though, they agreed that the enterprise brought them closer together. Ive got four brothers, but Im the only daughter, Donna says. We had talked about doing something just for the girls for years.

On the morning of September 27, their dream was washed away. Helene roared through the buildings lower level, carrying off freezers, the walk-in cooler, thousands of dollars worth of Christmas decorations, and even the walls. A few weeks later, Donna was sitting by the building and watching it sink into the creek when a visiting hiker parked his SUV and shouted, Are you open? She nearly said, Come back, and see us. But knowing that they couldnt afford to relocate or rebuild, she just shook her head and told him she was sorry.



Read the original article on Southern Living
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) The WesternMass Economic Development Council (EDC) has announced that President and CEO Rick Sullivan will be retiring at the end of this year.

Sullivan has helmed the organization since 2015. Before his position at the EDC, he had a lengthy career in public service as Westfields mayor for 14 years, as Chief of Staff for former Governor Deval Patrick in 2014 and 2015, as well as directing the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

A look at Massachusetts legislation and economy impact at Springfield Regional Chambers Business Outlook 2025

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Under his direction, the EDC has brought in millions of dollars in economic development investment throughout western Massachusetts, including food science, quantum computing, and clean tech. He was also active in supporting regional initiatives and legislation, expanding and strengthening businesses, enhancing workforce and economic development, and prioritizing equity in the initiatives of the EDC.

Im proud of the work that weve done, Sullivan said. Im always very mindful of the fact that were a team. Ive been fortunate to have supportive staff here and a board that is really committed to growing the economy of the region. The strength of the EDC is about the people who sit around the table.

Governor Maura Healey said Sullivan has dedicated his career to advancing economic growth in cities and towns across Massachusetts, especially in Western Mass. He has been a great partner in our work to support local businesses, create jobs and grow Massachusetts leadership in cutting-edge industries, Healey said. We wish him the absolute best in his well-deserved retirement, and we look forward to working with the next leader of the EDC to continue to build on his legacy.

Sullivan will be stepping down on December 31, 2025. The EDC Executive Committee has hired Lindauer, an executive search firm with experience in western Massachusetts, to lead a nationwide search for the next CEO.

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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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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP.
Location: Near the southwest corner of Cotton Lane and Waddell Road in Surprise, just west of Loop 303.

Description: Affordable housing developer Dominium may soon build its long-planned 46-acre complex called Truman Ranch Marketplace. The project will include about 600 apartment and townhome units across two different developments, one for families and one for senior living.

Dominium plans to develop a mix of two-, three- and four-story buildings on the site, as well as a self-storage building, restaurants and small-scale retail.

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The site's southwest corner is carved out for the senior living development, which will be the tallest building of the overall project, reaching four stories.

Dominium is finalizing its longstanding plans to build a 601-unit apartment and townhome complex in Surprise called Truman Ranch Marketplace. It will sit near the southwest corner of Cotton Lane and Waddell Road, just west of Loop 303.

History: The projects preliminary development plan was narrowly approved by Surprise leaders in 2022.

That 4-3 vote incited intense backlash from residents, who complained about the incompatibility with the area, traffic problems and the project's location. A group formed the Voice of Surprise, collecting signatures to challenge the councils approval by calling for a referendum.

However, the city rejected the signatures, which prompted the group to file a lawsuit. The case went all the way to the Arizona Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case a year ago. The outcome meant the project's approval didn't qualify to go to the ballot.

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When will the work be done? Dominium officials have said the complex should be ready for residents to move into the new housing units in 2026.

Construction has not yet begun though.

According to the city, Dominium submitted the project's site plans, which the Planning & Zoning Commission approved in May 2023. The city said it's reviewing Dominium's permit applications while the developer finalizes its civil plans.

Like this story? Get more West Valley news straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free weekly West Valley Newsletter, which comes out on Tuesdays.

Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dominium working on site plans for affordable housing in Surprise
Morocco highlighted before the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) on Wednesday the key role of deradicalization as a complementary strategy to security efforts in combating violent extremism in Africa, drawing on shared African experiences and best practices.

The Moroccan delegation stated that the Kingdom has been resolutely committed to a multidimensional strategy that places development at the core of its efforts to combat terrorism and extremism.

At an AU-PSC videoconference on deradicalization, the delegation highlighted the countrys commitment, reflected in initiatives such as the National Initiative for Human Development in 2025, strengthened imam training, and the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema.

These efforts are designed to promote an Islam of tolerance in response to the alarming rise of violent extremism in Africa, the delegation noted during the meeting of AU-PSC, chaired by Morocco for March.

In order to address the complex and transnational nature of this threat in Africa, Morocco positions its efforts within the framework of strong South-South cooperation with its peers on the continent, it reiterated.

On a different note, it called for encouraging member states to tackle, in a comprehensive manner, the structural causes of terrorism and violent extremism, as well as the factors that fuel and facilitate them, based on the link between peace, security, and development, as advocated by the Tangier Declaration.

The delegation emphasized the need to reaffirm the important role of women and youth, as drivers for change, in preventing and combating security threats on the continent, highlighting the necessity of prevention mechanisms tailored to refugee camps, where youth are particularly exposed to extremist ideological rhetoric.

It also advocated for strengthening prevention and early warning mechanisms to anticipate and reduce the risks of violent extremism in Africa.
On a single day late last month, the Mexican government shipped 29 accused drug lords north across the border to face U.S. justice.

Plucked from Mexican prison cells, hustled onto planes in shackles and express-delivered into the waiting hands of American authorities were several notorious capos, whose alleged narco exploits have been chronicled in films, TV series and federal indictments spanning decades.

Among them are brothers said to be behind the brutal group known as the Zetas; reputed leaders of the Gulf, Juarez and Jalisco New Generation cartels; and the elusive Rafael Caro Quintero, wanted since the 1980s in connection with the torture and killing of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent.

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All are now housed at jails across the country on charges including drug trafficking and murder. At least six could face the death penalty, an unusual twist due to the unique circumstances of their arrival.

A photo provided by Mexico's Secretariat of the Navy shows agents escorting reputed drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero after his 2022 capture in Sinaloa. (Associated Press)

With their cases now in U.S. courts, theres been a scramble to find lawyers willing and able to defend such high-stakes clients. President Trump has complicated the situation by designating several cartels as terrorist organizations, raising concerns the Treasury Department could seek to freeze assets used to pay attorneys.

Nearly three weeks after their arrival, several notable defendants sent by Mexico on Feb. 27  including Caro Quintero  still have court-appointed counsel, meaning U.S. taxpayers are footing their legal bills.

Multiple lawyers who specialize in complex federal drug and conspiracy cases described the current moment as unprecedented. Each week seems to bring fresh chaos as Trump ratchets up pressure on Mexico to topple the cartels and stanch the flow of fentanyl.

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Read more: The secretive life  and stunning downfall  of Sinaloa cartel boss 'El Mayo' Zambada

It should be boom times for the so-called white powder bar, as the practice of lawyering for the worlds most prolific drug pushers has been dubbed. But some veteran attorneys are proceeding with caution, warning of unforeseen consequences from Trumps crackdown and preexisting conflicts that limit who can join certain cases.

This is sort of like a niche practice, said Bonnie Klapper, a former federal narcotics prosecutor turned defense attorney. I guarantee you a lot of the usual suspects wont be able to represent these people.

Klapper once helped take down Colombias Norte del Valle cartel, but she has since switched sides, operating as private counsel. Her past work as a prosecutor precludes her from cases in which she helped craft the indictment, and shes heard from colleagues who have spotted other conflicts, such as representing potential witnesses.

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The death penalty charges further narrow the field. Capital cases require experienced learned counsel and bring their own unique set of challenges, not least the possibility of the client being executed. Three of the 29 prisoners sent over by Mexico are charged in California federal courts, including one death penalty case in Los Angeles.

Adding terrorism designations and pursuing the death penalty while restricting ways for former cartel members to remain in the U.S. also risk making it harder for federal authorities to flip informants, Klapper said.

I dont think anybody has thought through the implications of this for the criminal justice system, she said. Because who is going to cooperate if the U.S. wont protect them and their families?

Mexico has abolished capital punishment and typically does not extradite citizens who could be put to death under U.S. law. But officials on both sides of the border have tiptoed around using the word "extradition" for the recent handover. A news release from the Department of Justice said the U.S. simply secured custody of the wanted men.

William Purpura, left, and Eduardo Balarezo, right, trial attorneys for Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, arrive at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Feb. 12, 2019. (Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

William Purpura was one of three lawyers who defended former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman during a three-month trial that ended with a conviction in 2019. That case did not involve the death penalty, but Purpura has worked on a number of others that did. He said its a grueling endeavor, requiring complete dedication to one client.

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A death verdict will haunt trial counsel to the execution and beyond, Purpura said. This is not an undertaking for the usual cast of characters. It is the Chapo trial on steroids.

Purpura and others in private practice said they typically find work through referrals, relying on lawyers in Mexico and meeting with a prospective clients family to build trust before taking on a case.

Defense attorneys have allegedly broken the law in pursuit of business. Last month, a prominent Miami lawyer was charged with a bribery scheme in which prosecutors say two former DEA supervisors leaked confidential information in exchange for Yankees tickets and five-figure secret payments. The tips were about active investigations, which prosecutors said enabled the lawyer to get a head start on wooing the targets as clients.

The lawyer, David Macey, has pleaded not guilty to charges that include bribery of a public official and perjury.

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"David is a devoted father and husband and a highly respected attorney with an impeccable record as a member of the bar for nearly 30 years. He did not bribe anyone," Macey's attorney, David Patton, said in a statement. "The governments allegations are false, and we are confident that the evidence will prove his innocence at trial.

Jeffrey Lichtman, an attorney for drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, talks to reporters outside the federal court in Washington on June 10, 2021. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

Some of the highest-powered operators have taken on generations of relatives from the same family. Jeffrey Lichtman, the lead trial attorney for El Chapo, now defends his clients two sons, known as Los Chapitos, in their pending U.S. cases. Court records also show Lichtman was recently added to the case of a suspected high-ranking Chapitos member who was among the 29 men handed over by Mexico.

Lichtman did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more: Trial of reputed Mexican cartel leader's son offers cautionary tale for 'narco juniors'

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Before representing the Chapo clan, Lichtman once helped New York mob figure John Gotti Jr. beat racketeering charges.

Im used to dealing with clients that society has already discarded, already convicted, and being able to convince [jurors] that maybe everything the government and the press says is not 100% accurate, Lichtman said in a 2017 interview about his decision to represent El Chapo.

One of El Chapos sons is accused of kidnapping their fathers longtime Sinaloa cartel partner, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, and delivering him to U.S. authorities in the summer. The alleged betrayal triggered an ongoing war between cartel factions in Mexico, and left Zambada, 75, facing a possible death sentence for drug and murder charges in the Eastern District of New York. He has pleaded not guilty.

Frank Perez, attorney for cartel leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, leaves federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., after Zambada's arraignment on Sept. 13, 2024. (Corey Sipkin / Associated Press)

Zambadas lawyer, Frank Perez, 70, had careers as an air traffic controller and Dallas narcotics detective before building up his law practice. Perez also tried his hand at politics, launching an unsuccessful bid for Congress as a Democrat in 2014. He recently found himself thrust into the spotlight, with Zambadas case becoming a source of international intrigue and controversy.

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Perez has issued statements on the jailed Zambadas behalf, leveling the kidnapping claims against El Chapos son and denying rumors of a secret surrender deal. Recently, Perez and two lawyers in Mexico petitioned to have Zambada returned to his home country, arguing he was "coercively transferred from Mexican territory."

Read more: Bitter feud among Sinaloa cartel families brings grim new tactic: Grave desecration

The federal judge presiding over Zambadas case in Brooklyn raised concerns that Perez has a potential conflict of interest. Perez also represented his clients son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, a key witness against El Chapo who could now potentially be called to testify against his own father.

The elder Zambada said at a Jan. 15 hearing that he understood the situation and trusted his lawyer.

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"He may have to withhold information he learns from speaking with Vicente that he can't share with me," Zambada said, reading a prepared statement in Spanish. "But I don't want a different attorney. I want Frank Perez to represent me."

Perez declined to comment, except to reiterate his recent public statements that his client is not cooperating with U.S. authorities and fighting to avoid the death penalty.

Read more: From jail, drug lord El Mayo Zambada tells wild story of corruption and murder

Court records show Perez also recently took on another high-profile client: Miguel Angel Trevino-Morales, nicknamed Z-40. Trevino-Morales was arraigned last week in Washington, where he pleaded not guilty to an array of drug and murder conspiracy charges for his alleged leadership of the Zetas.

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Originally a squad of elite Mexican military defectors who became guns for hire, the Zetas formed a ruthless cartel blamed by authorities for a long list of atrocities over the last three decades. A splinter group, the Northeast cartel, was among those designated as a terrorist organization last month by the Trump administration.

The terror designation, several lawyers said, has created uncertainty about whether some standard operating procedures for cartel cases may no longer apply.

The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has long maintained a so-called kingpin list of suspected drug traffickers and front companies that are banned from doing business with U.S. citizens or accessing the banking system. Usually, defense lawyers said, if they provide proper notification, disclosing how much money was received and what it was for, the agency will allow transactions for legal services.

Read more: Soldiers and civilians are dying as Mexican cartels embrace a terrifying new weapon: Land mines

For one thing, the system ensures tax dollars arent unnecessarily spent on court-appointed counsel.

Eduardo Balarezo, another El Chapo trial attorney, said it's in the government's interest to allow private counsel, especially when the defendant is willing to negotiate a plea.

The deals can ensure the client has a chance of someday walking free, net the government millions of dollars in surrenders of illicit cash  and also make less work for all of the lawyers involved.

"It doesnt take that much to go in with your client to the government and listen to him talk," Balarezo said. "You have to prepare him, but its not the same as a trial."

Cesar de Castro, the court-appointed attorney for Genaro Garcia Luna, a former Mexican security official sentenced to 38 years in prison for taking millions in cartel bribes, speaks to reporters in Brooklyn, N.Y., in Feburary 2023. (John Minchillo / Associated Press)

But with Trump rebranding cartels as terrorists, some lawyers worry the government may change its stance on payments and pleas.

Thats a huge question for all these people: Do they have assets to pay for lawyers, and is the government going to do anything about it? said Cesar de Castro, a New York defense attorney who has worked on several major drug cases.

Although U.S. prosecutors have accused top-level traffickers of being billionaires, some can show on paper that they can't afford an attorney.

Read more: Mexico's ex-security czar gets 38 years for cartel bribes. Is he the first of many?

De Castro served as the court-appointed lawyer for Genaro Garcia Luna, a former Mexican security official sentenced last year to 38 years in prison for taking millions in cartel bribes.

The case was under a media and political microscope, forcing De Castro to tread carefully.

Every phrasing of everything is important, he said. Every fricking word matters.

De Castro faced backlash during the trial when Mexicos former president took offense to the lawyer's questions about alleged cartel payments. Death threats ensued  a hazard of the job, the lawyer said.

I dont want to be threatened or chased outside the courthouse. I have a family too. I dont need voicemails telling me I should die. But I had to do it for my client, he said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Rep. Derrick Lente (D-Sandia Pueblo) during Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's State of the State address. Lente, the sponsor for House Bill 450, which contains $1.2 billion in capital outlay projects from lawmakers, the executive and public entities, navigated an 'eleventh-hour' addition of a $10 million request for a reproductive clinic in Northern New Mexico, sparking a House GOP revolt over the bill in the session's last days. (Danielle Prokop / Source NM)

Debate stretched into the evening Wednesday night at the Roundhouse, and New Mexico legislative committees convened into the wee hours of Thursday. Heres what happened if you had other plans (like sleeping).

After hitting the three-hour rule of debate adopted in the lower chambers rules, the House passed House Bill 450 along party lines after House Republicans revolted against a late-addition of a $10 million dollar proposed reproductive health clinic in Northern New Mexico. HB 450 contains $1.2 billion for capital outlay projects across the state, including$600 million in a general fund revenue split between local projects prioritized by House and Senate members and the governor, according to the analysis on the bill.

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Capital outlay now heads to the Senate side, which has a packed schedule Thursday including the possible tackle of a hefty tax package House Bill 14, which includes a new tax on the sale of oil and gas.

The House also passed a bill earmarking $210 million for communities to respond and mitigate the impacts of climate change, carried by House Majority Floor Leader Reena Szczepanski (D-Santa Fe) and Sen Pro Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque). Read our previous coverage here.

Senate Bill 48, passed along a party line vote after hours of debate, and now heads to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams desk for approval. Lawmakers rejected three amendments proposed by Republicans on the floor.

The House unanimously passed Senate Bill 41, which creates a system to send out statewide alerts when Indigenous people go missing. SB41 heads back to the Senate for concurrence  meaning that body will have to approve changes made by the House Judiciary committee. If passed, it will head to the fourth floor for the governors consideration.

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House Judiciary, which convened at 10 p.m. and broke up just after 12:30 a.m., passed Senate Bill 16, which would allow decline to state voters aka independents the ability to participate in primaries without changing their voter registrations, sending the bill to the House floor.

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(NewsNation)  The White House condemned violence against Tesla owners after a website published what it said was personal information on Tesla owners across the U.S.

Called Dogequest, the website has since been taken down. It claimed to have personal details on Tesla owners, but that was not independently verified.

We certainly think its despicable the violence that has been taken against Tesla the company, its employees and just Americans that have chosen to drive an electric vehicle, said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

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Tesla vandalism is nothing short of domestic terrorism: AG Bondi

She also noted that many Democrats drive electric vehicles and called on them to condemn the attacks, which have included arson at Tesla showrooms and service centers.

The arsons appear to be part of a broader surge of anti-Elon Musk sentiment. The billionaire, who has become a significant part of the administration of President Donald Trump, has been the face of controversial cuts to the federal government.

Teslas stock has dropped dramatically since the election as well, with Trump bringing Teslas to the White House in an event meant to promote the company, an unusual move for a president.

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Tesla sales have also dipped, and investors have begun expressing concern about Musks leadership and whether he should step down because his political activities are hurting the company.

What JFK files have been released, and what have we learned?

While it was up, the site showed a map with names, addresses and phone numbers of Teslas with an image of a Molotov cocktail for a cursor.

The owners said they would only remove information if people could provide proof they had sold their vehicle.

The website also listed the addresses of employees of the Department of Government Efficiency, which the administration has alternately claimed and denied was run by Musk.

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Musk called the site an example of domestic terrorism on X.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. 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.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said all the critical functions of the Department of Education will remain, ahead of President Trump signing an executive order to dismantle the federal agency.

The Department of Education will be much smaller than it is today. As you know, the presidents executive order directed Linda McMahon to greatly minimize the agency. So, when it comes to student loans and Pell Grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education, she told reporters at the White House, referring to McMahon, the Education secretary.

The great responsibility of educating our nations students will return to the states. Any critical functions of the department  will remain, Leavitt added.

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The remarks come ahead of Trump signing an executive order Thursday directing McMahon to dismantle the department as much as she legally can.

Certain programs under the Education Department are congressionally mandated, such as Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and are required to be implemented.

However, other programs not in statute can be eliminated by the secretary.

Leavitts comment comes as the president said he wants the department completely eliminated, but that would require an act of Congress, which is unlikely to happen, since 60 votes would be needed in the Senate.

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Republicans hope McMahon will be able to move congressionally mandated programs to other federal agencies, such as the Civil Rights Office and the Department of Justice.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Last week, a Brown University surgeon was deported to Lebanon in violation of a court order. While it was not immediately clear why the doctor, Rasha Alawieh, had been detained and deported, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later alleged that she had expressed support for the terrorist group Hezbollah.

"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 DHS said in a Monday post on X.

Alawieh, who graduated from medical school in Lebanon, first came to the United States in 2018 to start a fellowship at Ohio State University. She later began working as a kidney transplant specialist and professor at Brown University's medical school and obtained an H-1B visa.

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According to CNN, Alawieh's immigration issues first began last month, when she traveled to Lebanon, and her visa to renter the United States was delayed due to increased security vetting of Lebanese travelers. The DHS posted on X that Alawieh had attended the funeral of Hassan Nasrallah, the former leader of Hezbollah who was assassinated by Israeli forces last year. "Alawieh openly admitted to this to CBP officers, as well as her support of Nasrallah," the post reads.

It's unclear why Alawieh was stopped by border officials when she arrived in Boston last Friday. A court filing obtained by Boston local news station WCVB states that Alawieh was found with photos of Nasrallah on her phonethough, again, it's not clear why her phone was being searched in the first place.

"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 read.

According to the document, Alawieh explained "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."

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The day after Alawieh was detained, her first cousin filed a complaint in federal court alleging that border officials had violated her Fifth Amendment right to due process. A judge agreed, ruling that Alawieh could not be taken out of Massachusetts without at least a "forty-eight hours prior notice to the Court," according to CNN.

Officials moved to deport Alawieh anywayleaving her path back to the United States murky. Alawieh is not the only legal U.S. resident to face deportation after nebulous allegations of support for terrorism. Columbia student activist Mahmoud Khalil was seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and taken to an immigration detention center in Louisiana earlier this month. While Khalil, a green card holder, hasn't been accused of any crime, Trump administration officials have explicitly singled out his speech as the cause of his seizure. Khalil had organized a series of anti-Israel protests, during which protesters allegedly distributed flyers bearing Hamas logos, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

"This administration is not going tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro-terrorist organizations that have killed Americans," Leavitt said last week. "We have a zero-tolerance policy for siding with terrorists, period."

The post Why Was a Brown University Surgeon Deported to Lebanon? appeared first on Reason.com.
The EU flag flutters in the North American sky as the Ode to Joy strikes up. A Mountie stands stiffly to attention and snaps a salute.

Canada is now the 28th member state of the European Union.

There have been celebratory speeches, in English and, of course, French. It is a much-needed boost for an EU still smarting from the loss of Greenland to America.

The first shipments of tariff-free crude oil, weapons parts and maple syrup, are sailing towards the EU after years of reforms where Canadians took on swathes of European law.

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In reality, Canada has not gone running back to the old world to escape its nearest neighbour.

But Donald Trump and his desire to turn Canada into the 51st US state is driving the country into the arms of the EU.

Mark Carney, the new prime minister, made a point of visiting Paris and London, but not the US, after being sworn in.

In the French capital, he said Canada was the most European country outside the continent.

Mark Carney met Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Presidential Palace on March 17 - Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu

The former governor of the Bank of England is right. Canada has universal healthcare, King Charles is its head of state and it is famously bilingual.

Canada and the EU want to deepen their relationship as a bulwark against Mr Trump and lessen their dependence on US weapons amid fears over Washingtons reliability.

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Officials are discussing how Canada can be part of the EU push to ramp up its defence manufacturing and unlock hundreds of billions for arms spending.

A new 150 billion euro scheme provides member states with loans to buy weapons, but 65 per cent must be spent on products made in the EU, Norway and Ukraine.

Like-minded nations

Canada and the UK are mentioned as like-minded nations that could provide the other 35 per cent or, if new defence pacts are signed, even more.

Canada has what Europe needs as it scrambles to rearm. That could form the basis for a new relationship.

Sir Keir Starmers coalition of the willing nations to support Ukraine got an early boost from Canadas support for a European Plus peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

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It was a sign that Canada would not abandon Nato, even if the US did.

Like Brussels, Ottawa is also at the beginning of a trade war with Washington.

It has vowed to emerge victorious, armed with the knowledge that it can cut off supplies of oil and eggs, which have become expensive in the US.

The EU has its own hit lists of American products like bourbon and Harley Davidson motorbikes to put pressure on Trump.

Free trade agreement

Canada and the EU already have a free trade agreement. To secure it, Ottawa agreed to reserve the name feta for Greek-made EU cheese. Domestic manufacturers were forced to rename their products feta style.

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A recent survey found that 44 per cent of Canadians thought that their country should join the EU.

But even the European Commission was bemused when it was asked about the possibility of Canada joining the bloc this month.

After saying they were flattered by the online clamour of Canadian Europhiles, the commissions chief spokesman said it simply was not possible.

The EUs treaty limits applications to join the bloc from European states. Although it is not exactly defined, it suggests geographical proximity, as well as shared culture and values.

Turkey straddles Europe and Asia. Its application to join the bloc has been stalled for decades.

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Cyprus, which is in West Asia, joined in 2004, but Moroccos application was rejected because it was not deemed European enough.

Membership of the Council of Europe, the non-EU human rights organisation, is a prerequisite for joining the bloc and Canada is not a member.

The truth is that it is even harder to join the EU than leave it.

Canada is nailing its colours to Europes mast but it will not swap dollars for euros or fly the EU flag as a member state.

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The Lenten season is upon us and will soon lead up to Easter, but we still have some time before the holiday unlike last year.

For millions of Christians, Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, which occurs after a 40-day period known as Lent. The Sunday after the last day of Lent is Easter and is often celebrated with church services and prayer. For many others, the Sunday is associated with brightly colored eggs, bunny rabbits and a good helping of chocolate...possibly in bunny form.

Whichever one you celebrate, it can be a bit of a guessing game of when the roving holiday will occur.

Is Easter always in March or April?

Easter is considered a "moving feast" that doesn't adhere to a specific day each year, like many of our other holidays in the United States. That's because it's based on the lunar cycle, not a solar cycle, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

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Meaning, that Easter Sunday occurs on the first Sunday after the paschal full moon, the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or after the March or spring equinox. Since it depends on the lunar month, which is 29.5 days, the date of Easter can vary.

Easter is usually observed on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25, according to the Almanac. In the Eastern Orthodox Church it can be observed between April 4 and May 8.

When is Easter 2025?

In 2025 Easter is on Sunday, April 20.

For Eastern Orthodox Christians, Easter is also the same day.

When is the first day of spring 2025?

The first day of spring is this week on Thursday, March 20, starting at 5:01 a.m. ET/4:01 a.m. CT, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

What is Lent?

Many of the Christian faith observe Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and prayer. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Good Friday.

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Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent and lasts about six weeks. Believers are meant to observe that period of time with self-sacrifice, prayer and other religious activities leading up to Easter, the day believed to be when Jesus Christ rose from the dead to sit at the right hand of God.

People who observe usually give up a certain "vice" or something that they enjoy in their lives for the time as well. What people give up can range from chocolate to social media.

In 2025, Lent runs from Wednesday, March 5, and ends on Thursday, April 17, just before Easter. That Thursday is also known as Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why does Easter change every year? Here's why, when it is in 2025
If Democrats are all aquiver over the prospect of carving the likeness of Donald Trump into the Harney Peak granite of Mount Rushmore, perhaps they'll like the idea of naming one of the most cursed and congested stretches of highway in Texas after the Republican president.

Less than two months after U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, introduced federal legislation to enshrine Trump alongside the images of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt in the iconic national monument in the Black Hills of South Dakota, freshman Texas state Rep. Joanne Shofner of Nacogdoches raised the ante.

Or maybe lowered it.

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Shofner, a first-term Republican, filed House Bill 5503, which would name the perennially bogged-down Interstate 35 through the heart of Democratic-friendly Austin after Trump. Ironically, the highway's name change would begin and end at the Travis County boundaries just about where I-35 starts snaking through countryside that's a bit more hospitable to Trump.

State Rep. Joanne Shofner, R-Nacogdoches, right, has filed House Bill 5503, which would name the congested stretch of Interstate 35 through Austin the President Donald J. Trump Highway.

If the measure passes  and it's a big "if" considering that six of the seven House members and two of the three senators representing Travis County are Democrats  Shofner, whose East Texas district is some 230 miles from the exit on I-35 that leads to the Capitol, said it'd be an appropriate name change to the highway that bisects the city that serves as the seat of state government.

More: Honk if you agree: Austin's I-35 ranked among top congested roads in Texas, worst for truck traffic

"It is fitting that this designation is located in our state capital, recognizing a president whose impact on Texas and the country is profound and enduring," she said in a news release that lavishes praise on Trump's return to the White House.

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Some on social media suggested the proposal is a dig at the Democrats who control the city's and county's governments.

"It is fitting that this designation is located in our state capital, recognizing a president whose impact on Texas and the country is profound and enduring," Rep. Joanne Shofner said in a news release about her plan to name the section of I-35 running through Austin for Trump.

"If thats not a pointy finger in the eye of deep blue Austin, I dont know what is," the conservative newsletter, Shooting News Weekly, said in a post on X.

Shofner said that is not the purpose of her bill.

"It's not a poke in the eye of beautiful Austin," she told the American-Statesman. "I'm not like that."

Still, some couldn't resist noting the antipathy for the interstate in Austin.

"People hate IH35 already," former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, who is both a Republican and a Trump critic, said on X. "This aint gonna help."

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According to a 2024 analysis by the Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, the 8-mile stretch of I-35 between U.S. 290 and Texas 71, which includes the double-decked portion through the heart of downtown Austin, has the highest "congestion cost" in the state. That refers to the "monetary value of the time, fuel, and other resources wasted due to traffic congestion," according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Trump would not be the first president to have a major highway named for him in Texas. Just four days after Democratic President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, Nueces County commissioners renamed what was then called the Padre Island Causeway in his honor.

Kennedy's successor and native Texan, Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson, became the namesake for I-635, a beltway that opened in 1959 as an alternative to I-35 East and allowed motorists to bypass downtown Dallas' heavier traffic. The highway was named for LBJ in 1974, the year after his death.

The President George Bush Turnpike is part of a toll road network that was designed and built to relieve pressure on the highway system serving the suburbs on the outer loop of the greater Dallas area.

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While those president-named projects were aimed at relieving congestion or connecting a destination beach island to the mainland, a Trump highway through Austin might be viewed by some as an homage to gridlock.

"No one is awful enough to deserve to have I-35 named after them," said an X user who calls himself "a political heretic." "I can't condone such cruelty."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Should Texas Legislature name I-35 in Austin after Donald Trump?
A Japanese missile deployment on Kyushu could annoy China and North Korea, but it would be unlikely to derail improvements in relations between Tokyo and Beijing, according to analysts.

Citing government sources, Japanese news agency Kyodo reported last week that Tokyo was mulling the deployment of long-range missiles - potentially an upgraded version of Japan's Type-12 surface-to-ship guided missile - on its southwestern island of Kyushu near the East China Sea, which could target the shores of North Korea and mainland China.

The deployment, scheduled to begin next March, is designed to fortify Japan's Nansei island chain, according to the report. The region is strategically crucial due to its proximity to Taiwan.

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There are concerns that such a deployment could undermine the recent detente between Beijing and Tokyo but diplomatic observers said that was unlikely, given Japan's missile move was to fulfil its previous defence strategy and the overarching theme of improving bilateral relations.

Wang Guangtao, an associate professor at the Centre for Japanese Studies at Fudan University, said the timing of the announcement was "a probing attempt to test China's thresholds regarding regional security issues".

Japan's new moves are part of efforts outlined in Tokyo's three strategic documents in 2022 to improve counterstrike abilities, and while the timing of the announcement was indeed "delicate", the measures were not necessarily surprising for China, according to Wang.

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"The deployment plan could potentially elicit a response from China. However, the overall trend of improving relations between China and Japan is unlikely to be significantly altered by this development," he added.

According to Yoichiro Sato, a professor of Asia-Pacific studies at Japan's Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University, the range of Japan's new missiles would cover North Korean missile bases as well as Chinese intermediate-range missile bases and related facilities along the coast, but could not reach the long-range nuclear missiles that China holds farther inland.

A Type-12 surface-to-ship missile launches at a weapons range in New South Wales during a military exercise in 2023. Photo: Handout alt=A Type-12 surface-to-ship missile launches at a weapons range in New South Wales during a military exercise in 2023. Photo: Handout>

"Thus, Japan's missiles are for limited counterstrike purposes only after North Korea or China uses their missiles for offensive strikes against Japan," Sato said.

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Timothy Heath, a senior international defence researcher at US-based think tank Rand Corporation, said the missiles would likely be deployed against Chinese naval vessels that came within their 1,000km (620-mile) range in the event of a military conflict.

Heath said the Type-12 surface-to-ship guided missile was a ground-launched anti-ship missile that used GPS navigation and sophisticated radar systems to lock onto targets.

Beijing's growing military prowess has raised alarm in Tokyo, prompting Japan to improve its own military capabilities. From 2022, it has been ploughing 43 trillion yen (US$287.2 billion) into a five-year defence expansion plan, lifting defence expenditure to 2 per cent of its GDP, up from just over 1 per cent previously.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was set to visit Tokyo later this week, where he is expected to meet his Japanese and Korean counterparts for collective talks and separate foreign minister's meetings.

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Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Wednesday that Beijing hoped Tokyo would "take concrete steps" and "remove roadblocks" to improve bilateral ties.

Lian Degui, director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at Shanghai International Studies University, said the missile deployment was one of several obstacles between Beijing and Tokyo that make bilateral dialogue necessary.

"The coming meeting between Wang and [Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi] Iwaya could be a good opportunity for Beijing and Tokyo to explain their perspectives and to find common ground," Lian said.

In light of the diplomatic warming, China might choose to withhold severe criticism of the deployment and the issue would be "handled at most as a calm expression of concern", Sato from Ritsumeikan Asia-Pacific University suggested.

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Masashi Murano, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute's Japan Chair, said the issue might be raised during the Japan-China foreign ministers' meeting, "but it is unlikely that the Japanese government will change its policy, and it should not".

Murano said there was a limited connection between the improvement of diplomatic relations between the two nations and the activities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and maritime law enforcement agencies in the East China Sea, and "this is still the case today".

He said that in 2020, for example, China's military remained active in the East China Sea as both nations were preparing for the Chinese president's state visit to Japan.

In a major update to its national defence policy in 2022, Tokyo pledged to acquire counterstrike capabilities, which Murano said was a conventional counterforce, or denial capabilities, with a longer range than before.

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Despite persistent tensions over territory and their wartime past, Japan and China have appeared to be patching over some of their differences in recent months, partially driven by US President Donald Trump's opaqueness about US allies.

Trump previously expressed dissatisfaction with the state of US-Japanese relations, urging Tokyo to shoulder more of the financial burden for its own defence.

Heath said Beijing might see Tokyo's missile deployment as boosting Japan's self-defence capabilities, reflecting doubts about the reliability of US security guarantees.

Murano added that the existing balance of theatre strike capability heavily favoured China over Japan, which presented China with a window of opportunity to potentially secure a military advantage in the region by initiating an attack, thereby presenting a "risk factor".

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"Strengthening Japan's missile capabilities would help to close this window and reinforce stability," he said.

However, Lian from Shanghai International Studies University, said Japan's attempts to strengthen its counterstrike capabilities were part of the outcome of coordination between Japan and its treaty ally, citing last year's deal in which Japan would buy 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States.

"Japan still has a huge gap with China in terms of advanced military equipment ... The only solution should be through diplomatic engagement to eliminate mutual hostility rather than engaging in an arms race," Lian said.

The Kyodo report also said the missiles would not be deployed in Okinawa prefecture - a part of the southwestern island chain that is closer to Taiwan than Kyushu - amid concerns that it could heighten tensions with Beijing.

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But Wang, from Fudan University, suggested there might be other factors.

"Japan may find Kyushu to be a more advantageous option for missile deployment due to several factors, including technical and geographical considerations, as well as more efficient supply chain logistics within the country," he said.

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.
A total of 67,042 South Africans have expressed interest in relocating to the United States following President Donald Trumps executive order offering resettlement to members of the countrys Afrikaner community. The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (Saccusa) reported a surge in registrations on its website, with tens of thousands seeking more information about the opportunity to move. The offer was made after Trump declared that Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers from the 17th century, were victims of unjust racial discrimination in South Africa.

The Saccusa group, which represents South African businesspeople living in the US, said most of those interested in resettling were aged between 25 and 45, with families of two to three dependants. While the organisation is not an official government body, it became involved in registering interest after being inundated with requests for details on resettlement. The list of those who registered has been handed over to the US embassy in Pretoria, which confirmed receipt of the information.

The offer has added fuel to the growing tensions between South Africa and the US, which escalated in January when South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law a bill allowing land expropriation without compensation. The law was intended to address land inequality by redistributing farmland from the white minority. Trumps response to the bill, including signing the executive order to offer Afrikaner refugees status and cutting aid to South Africa, has worsened the diplomatic rift between the two countries. This discord reached a new level when the US expelled South Africas ambassador last week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio accusing him of race-baiting.
Appeasement. Could there be a more ignoble policy? Just ask Chamberlain. Better still, Churchill himself observed that an appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last.

There is something uniquely craven about a political leader who seeks to make peace with bullies at the expense of honest citizens. So has it come to pass in Britain?

On the world stage, Starmer has, rightly, positioned himself as a vocal and honourable ally of Ukraine. Yet here on his home TERF (sic), he has shown himself to be a man of straw unwilling, unable to stand up to militant transgender activists. They constitute a tiny minority yet they now increasingly control the narrative.

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A friend in her early 70s is due to have a serious operation next month in Glasgow. Her greatest worry? The consequences if she uses the wrong pronouns. A silly old woman? No, shes educated to PhD level; a successful businesswoman.

Its no wonder shes agitated, given that NHS Scotland now has a legal duty to treat biologically male colleagues with facial hair as women  if they identify as female.

Im not a narrow-minded person, she tells me apologetically. But Im afraid Ill panic and say the wrong thing and be made an example of when Im at my most vulnerable.

Its not just patients who are at risk of a witch hunt. Sandie Peggie, a nurse of 30 years, is locked in a battle royale with NHS Fife after complaining she felt uncomfortable sharing a female changing room with trans woman Dr Beth Upton  and was suspended.

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Peggies claim that she was subject to unlawful harassment under the Equality Act is disputed by the health board, which has described her complaint as unnecessary and vexatious.

Id love to dispel my friends fears, but given NHS trusts south of the border have variously been told not to use the term midwife (as it could hurt transgender peoples feelings) and to stop describing babies as being born male or female but to use the egregiously nonsensical assigned female/male at birth, Im not sure I can offer her much reassurance.

In recent days, we have learnt that criminals are free to pick their gender because the Government is refusing to force police to record biological sex. Despite an independent review advising that police forces should collect data on sex rather than just a persons self-declared gender identity, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has declined to issue a mandatory order to all 43 English and Welsh police forces, and the British Transport Police, to do so.

If thats not the politics of appeasement, then what is? I, hand on heart, had no inkling that hurt feelings were such a potent force in determining government strategy.

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Not the hurt feelings of the silent majority, being taken for fools obviously, but the shouty, look-at-me feelings of attention-seeking activists hell-bent on shaping society to suit their needs.

If you google how many transgender people are there in the UK? you are directed to the government website, and met with the following response: We dont know. No robust data on the UK trans population exists. We tentatively estimate that there are approximately 200,000-500,000 trans people in the UK.

Out of a population totalling 69 million. Now it all makes sense  at least it does to Labour, apparently.

My heart sinks every time I walk into a clinic or hospital and see someone in a rainbow lanyard, whispers another friend, in her early 50s with two children. I just know that they will be absolutely primed to take offence at something I say, so I just avoid them.

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Im not sure Im fully on board with such an extreme flight response. But then again Id be fibbing if I pretended I didnt know what she meant.

Is it transphobic to snigger when a man is asked by a pen-pushing hospital administrator if hes pregnant? Or prejudiced to roll our eyes when my friends bewildered 80-something mother is rigorously questioned about her Aids status?

We are living in a cowardly new world where doctors who change gender are given new General Medical Council records under new GMC numbers, men are being registered as women, and everywhere there is the supine acceptance by our elected representatives of the pernicious terminology being foisted upon us. Upon women.

You dont have to be Aldous Huxley or George Orwell to grasp that through language you can erase reality, erase truth, erase women.

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Its time to mount a fightback against the woke warriors. I, for one, refuse to accept the pejorative label gender critical simply because I refuse to be brainwashed into believing the arrant nonsense pedalled by those who want to be different (fine) and to compel us to codify that nonsense (not fine) and punish those who disagree.

Men dont see their safe spaces being encroached so they dont care much. Vanishingly few bearded hims, hers or thems rock up in frocks to make a point by sharing their facilities.

If they did, I have a hunch that hurt feelings wouldnt be the matter under discussion. Much better to bully women, make women shift over to make room, and take away womens single-sex safeguards.

How can it be fair if half the populations rights are being cheese-pared away to keep the 0.5(ish) per cent happy?

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Starmer must stop conceding ground in the culture war immediately. Appeasement is appeasement even when its dressed up as inclusivity.

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The parents of missing University of Pittsburgh student Sudiksha Konanki have asked for Dominican authorities to declare their daughter dead. Their request highlights the heartbreaking realities of losing a child and handling the legalities of a missing person case.

Investigators believe Konanki drowned and no evidence of foul play has been found, Subbarayudu and Sreedevi Konanki wrote in a letter obtained by CNN, asking that police proceed with the legal declaration of her death. As of Thursday, the investigation into her disappearance by the Dominican Republic National Police continues.

We understand that certain legal procedures must be followed and are prepared to comply with any necessary formalities or documentation, Konankis parents letter reads. Initiating this process will allow our family to begin the grieving process and address matters related to her absence.

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The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office in Virginia, where Konankis family lives, told CNN that while it supports the wishes of Ms. Konankis grieving parents to seek closure in their request that the Dominican law enforcement authorities acknowledge the death of their daughter by accidental drowning, it is up to Dominican Republican authorities to make that determination.

That still does not confirm exactly what happened and we may never know with certainty, but Sheriff (Mike) Chapman believes the investigation in the DR should be completed before the case is closed, sheriffs spokesperson Thomas Julia said in an email to CNN Wednesday.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic observe images transmitted by drones as part of the search operation for Konanki, as officials investigate her disappearance as a drowning. - Erika Santelices/Reuters

In the Dominican Republic, police dont typically declare someone deceased without finding either a body or evidence of a crime, according to Dominican attorney Julio Cury. In this case, investigators have neither. A death declaration without a body would have to happen via special law by the countrys Congress or the president, Cury told CNNs Jessica Hasbun. There is no specific time frame for this process, Cury said.

The US Embassy in the Dominican Republic website states it needs an original local death certificate in order to prepare a Consular Report of Death Abroad.

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In Virginia, a person can be presumed dead after disappearance in several scenarios under the commonwealths law, according to Naomi Cahn, a law professor and co-director of the Family Law Center at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Under one provision, a person can be presumed dead seven years after their absence. Under another, there can be a declaration of death in Virginia before the seven years are up if there is a situation where someone was exposed to a specific peril of death, the code specifies.

Possibly what happened here may be a sufficient basis for determining at any time after the exposure (to a specific peril of death), that the person is presumed to have died less than seven years, Cahn told CNN.

The Loudoun County Sheriffs Office is offering support to the family through their Victim Advocate Unit to help them navigate the two-step process of establishing grounds for presumption of death and following judicial procedure, or any other process, should the Konanki family request it, Julia told CNN.

Possible reasons to seek a declaration of death

One of the reasons the family may seek their daughters death declaration is simply for closure, said personal injury and criminal defense attorney Phillip DiLucente.

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From a parental position, they want to honor their child and have it be respected  their wishes  that she be declared dead because theyre under the impression, based upon all the evidence they were given at this juncture, that it was a drowning case, DiLucente said.

It is with deep sadness  and a heavy heart that we are coming to the terms with the fact our daughter has drowned. This is incredibly difficult for us to process, father Subbarayudu Konanki said in an emotional interview on WTTG Tuesday. We kindly ask you to keep our daughter in your prayers, we still have two young children to care for.

I think everybody would agree that they respect the familys wishes, DiLucente said. Nonetheless, law enforcement, as well as the medical examiner, would have their duty (to rule a death), and that duty surpasses any desires.

There is still no body so that an autopsy could be performed, that in and of itself, is difficult for the authorities to then make a decision on whether or not to declare someone deceased, particularly under these circumstances, DiLucente added.

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Another reason for seeking the death declaration, DiLucente said, may be so an estate can be opened and any will and testament could then be administered. For example, any existing college savings plan in Konankis name could then be utilized for their other children, and insurance policies could also be honored and paid out, the attorney explained. Until a death certificate is issued, those things remain in an inertia period, he said.

Finally, DiLucente noted, until an estate is opened and there is an administrator for the estate, no lawsuit could be filed against any person or entity.

If the Konanki family were to seek any type of lawsuit, the declaration of death would also determine the type of lawsuit and the damages for the death, UVA professor Cahn said.

The Konanki family has not indicated plans to sue on behalf of Sudikshas death.

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Konankis case is reminiscent of the 2005 disappearance of 18-year-old Natalee Holloway. In 2012, an Alabama judge signed an order declaring Holloway legally dead.

The teens father had filed a petition to declare his daughter dead, six years after Holloway was last seen leaving a nightclub on the Caribbean island of Aruba with Joran van der Sloot and two other men. No one was charged in her disappearance, and her body has never been found, though van der Sloot later confessed to killing her.

Holloways fathers attorney, Mark White, said at the time that the order  which acted as a death certificate  would help resolve Natalees estate, who still had a small college fund in her name and was listed as a participant and beneficiary on her fathers health insurance.

CNNs Mark Morales, Jessica Hasbun, and Chris Boyette contributed to this reporting.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here. Military Times has edited the headline.

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.

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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.

US Coast Guard Academy censors climate change from its curriculum

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?

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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.

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.

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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.

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Since 1850, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have spiked and global temperatures have warmed by more than 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit. 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.

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.

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. (MC2 Ernest R. Scott/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.

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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 has provided a model for civil society to address climate change in two ways: reducing carbon emissions and adapting to inevitable climate change impacts.

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The U.S. military emits more planet warming carbon than Sweden and spent more than $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, 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.

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.
Much of South Florida remains under a high threat for wildfires through Saturday as thousands of acres burn east of Homestead and crackling dry air descends through the state.

The National Weather Service had Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast under a rare red flag fire warning on Thursday, which may be extended or lowered to a fire weather watch Friday.

While it was only the fifth time since 2020 for a red flag fire warning to be issued in Palm Beach County, including one on Monday, meteorologists said a combination of deepening drought, parched air and gusty winds was enough to trigger the alert. The concern is that an errant ember can easily ignite dried out vegetation resulting in a wind-whipped wildfire.

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Were in that transition between winter and spring, and here in South Florida, thats when we see periods of low humidity with dry-season dryness, said Robert Molleda, meteorologist in charge of the Miami NWS office. This year, given the lingering dryness, thats why we are seeing these critical weather parameters.

The official first day of astronomical spring was Thursday.

A fire that started March 12 in extreme southeastern Miami Dade County had burned 14,000 acres as of Thursday and was only 20% contained. The blaze shut down Card Sound Road and an 18-mile stretch of U.S. 1 between Florida City and Key Largo on Thursday.

#MDFR continues working alongside @FLForestService to contain the brush fire near the 40800 block and Card Sound Rd. The fire is approximately 4,000 acres, with 20% contained.



Although the fire is not near any commercial or residential areas, we urge our community to stay pic.twitter.com/Pt2bF9jLL7  Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (@MiamiDadeFire) March 19, 2025

Eerie images of hazy sunsets and fire-engulfed roadside scrub flooded social media.

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The smoke, which could also be seen on satellite and radar images, was predicted to drift north Thursday, potentially reaching southern Palm Beach County, Molleda said.

Winds were quickly expected to shift westerly late Thursday, which means a prescribed burn on the western shore of Lake Okeechobee scheduled for some time this week could also reach Palm Beach County.

More: 'Roost rings' picked up in South Florida by National Weather Service radar

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced that it planned to burn as much as 28,000 acres in the Moore Haven Marsh on Wednesday, but it did not give a specific date for it to occur.

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To help protect public health and safety, the FWC plans to conduct the prescribed burn under wind and weather conditions that minimize smoke impacts to nearby towns and roads, a statement said.

The cold front expected to move through South Florida late Thursday into early Friday will mean daytime high temperatures near 70 degrees Friday. Saturday morning is forecast to dip into the 40s near Lake Okeechobee and the 50s at the coast.

A significant risk of dangerous rip currents is forecast through Monday.

But the main headline is the fire risk, Molleda said.

A U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday, March 20, 2025 shows all of Palm Beach Count in extreme drought.

We have no rain chances. They are basically zero or very, very low all the way through the weekend, Molleda said.

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A U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday showed a worsening drought with all of Palm Beach County considered to be in extreme drought, the third level of severity on a five-tier scale.

About 41% of the state is in either moderate or extreme drought, with areas of Central Florida north of Lake Okeechobee considered abnormally dry.

Just 2.88 inches of rain has been measured at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach since Jan. 1. Thats 5.2 inches below normal and marks this year so far as the 14th driest in 125 years of records, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

Fort Lauderdale has a deficit of 4.7 inches of rain for the year. Miami is down 3.5 inches. In the Treasure Coast, Stuart has had 5.5 inches of rain this year, which is a deficit of 2.1 inches.

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Rain chances arent in the forecast until Monday when they increase to 30%. Tuesday has a 40% chance of rain.

In addition to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index is also used by the Florida Forest Service to gauge dry conditions.

The index measures drought on a 0-to-800 scale with 800 being desertlike and 0 being saturated ground. Typically, anything over 600 is associated with drought conditions. Palm Beach County in the 600 to 649 range on Thursday.

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: Red flag warning may be extended as drought dry air remains in place
Williamson County Animal Center is hosting a series of events providing local cost rabies vaccinations throughout Williamson County.

Courtesy of Friends of WCAC, pet parents can get their pet vaccinated for $10 per animal or microchipped for $15 on every Saturday in April.

It is a priority for us to be a resource for pet owners, to do all that we can to help them have healthy and happy animals, said Ondrea Johnson, WCAC Director. So we are very excited to be able to offer these clinics again that make it easy for someone to get their pets vaccinated and chipped.

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Tennessee state law requires that all cats and dogs living in Tennessee who are six months of age or older be currently vaccinated against rabies. Owners who refuse to vaccinate their pets can face fines or in extreme circumstances, can have their pet removed from them.

All vaccinated animals who attend the clinic will receive a certificate and tag proving their current vaccination status.

Pet microchips are tiny devices that provide a unique identification number when implanted and scanned. WCAC reports that the animals they receive as lost or stray are nearly twice as likely to be reunited with their families if the pet has a microchip.

The chip is implanted into the pet, typically between the shoulder blades. The device displays the chips number that WCAC staff then uses to identify and contact the animals family.

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Clinics are scheduled as follows:

April 5, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Thompsons Station Middle School

April 5, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: White Oak Animal Hospital in Fairview

April 5, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.: Nolensville Veterinary Hospital

April 12, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.: White Oak Animal Hospital in Fairview

April 12, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Heritage Middle School in Thompsons Station

April 12, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.: All Pets Health Center in Spring Hill

April 12, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.: Nolensville Veterinary Hospital

April 19, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: College Grove Elementary School

April 19, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.: All Pets Health Center in Spring Hill

April 19th, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Bethesda Elementary School in Thompsons Station

April 26, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Williamson County Animal Center in Franklin

April 26, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.: Nolensville Elementary School

Williamson County Animal Center is located at 1006 Grigsby Hayes Court in Franklin, near Franklin Christian Academy. The center is open to the public Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.; closed Sunday. Times may vary due to holidays.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: WCAC to hold low cost rabies vaccination and microchip clinic in April
In the 43 years since it was enacted, Wisconsins open records law has issues that its drafters had never imagined.

Among them: long response times, overused exemptions, unpredictable fees, and privacy rules that unnecessarily delay the release of records.

I dont think we anticipated all the problems, said U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, one of the architects of the law. "We didn't anticipate that governments would just sort of drag their feet. We thought that if the law said they would have to respond, then they would respond.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman

The principle of open government is baked into the very foundation of the dairy state. Wisconsin's first state statutes, in 1849, required elected officials to make their papers available for public inspection at zero charge.

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The state's modern-day public records law, enacted in 1982, made it explicitly clear that the public is "entitled to the greatest possible information regarding the affairs of government."

The idea was to make it really easy and accessible for people to get the records that the government has," Adelman said. "But theres always resistance to these types of laws."

We asked open government advocates in Wisconsin what they would improve about the state's current public records law. Here's what they said:

Set deadlines for responding to records requests

Wisconsin's open records law states that agencies must fulfill records requests as soon as practicable and without delay."

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But the lack of a defined timeline means that what's "practicable" is left to the discretion of the government agency.

The Wisconsin Attorney General prescribes 10 working days for a simple request for a limited number of easily identifiable records. However, it also leaves the door open to interpretation for more complicated requests.

A delay in the release of information is not just an inconvenience to the requester, according to Tom Kamenick, president and founder of the Wisconsin Transparency Project. It's also a sign of how many resources are allocated to handling records requests.

Tom Kamenick

Other states do have deadlines and they seem to make it work, Kamenick said. It would ensure that offices around the state were putting enough resources towards fulfilling record requests.

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Wisconsins neighboring states  Illinois, Indiana and Iowa  generally require agencies to respond to records requests within five, seven and 20 days respectively.

Limit exorbitant fees for locating records

Wisconsin's public records law also allows agencies to collect fees from the requester for expenses incurred while locating the relevant records or making copies.

Kamenick said these fees can sometimes be used to scare off or disincentivize requesters from following through with their requests.

Many agencies calculate location fees by multiplying the wage of the employee performing the search with the number of hours it takes them to find the records.

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More: Wisconsin law entitles you access to government records. Here's how to get them.

If they're told that it's going to take so many hours to find these records, how do you disprove that? How do you challenge that? Kamenick said.

He argues that records custodians  who are already tasked with handling records requests as part of their job description  are essentially being paid twice to do the same work.

They get taxpayer funding already to do this work and then they charge the requester again, so they're double dipping the way I see it, Kamenick said.

Clarify the exemptions for attorney-client privilege and "drafts" of records

Although Wisconsin open records law favors transparency, it makes exemptions. One of those exemptions is for drafts of records.

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Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, said the word draft is often misinterpreted to mean any document that has not been completed.

For example, the Milwaukee County Chief Medical Examiner announced last week that she would no longer allow timely access to what she called "draft reports" on homicides and other types of deaths, which had been a vital public safety reporting tool for years.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice issued guidance that defines drafts as material prepared by someone for "personal use that are generally circulated to those who work for them. The guide also cautions that this exclusion must be narrowly construed.

Once a report starts circulating for feedback, especially outside the agency, then it becomes a public record and not a draft, Lueders said.

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There's a lot of abuse of that exemption by people who just don't think that the public should see a document in progress, he said.

Lueders also takes issue with the attorney-client privilege exemption, which he believes is overused.

Not everything that involves an attorney should be closed to the public, Lueders said. "It's only when there is a discussion of legal strategy or there is some compelling need for attorney-client privilege."

Overturn the advance notification requirement, also known as the 'Woznicki rule'

The "Woznicki rule" is a contested part of the open records law that requires government agencies to notify a public employee if records are going to be released about them. This gives the employee time to sue to block the release of such files.

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The name comes from a 30-year-old lawsuit filed by a high school teacher, Thomas Woznicki, who fought to block the release of his personnel file. He had been charged with having sex with a student, which was later dismissed.

More: Public records make journalism possible. Here are 4 stories we couldn't do without them.

The rule effectively delays the release of public records, increases the cost, and ultimately doesn't change the outcome, according to Lueders.

To my knowledge, no public employee has ever successfully used that statute to block release, Lueders said.

Adelman also believes the rule is flawed. He pointed out that by the time the employee is notified, the requested records have already been cleared by the government agency for release.

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In 1997, as a state senator, he attempted to introduce a provision in the state budget to override the employees right to try to block the release of records.

In the Woznicki case, the Wisconsin Supreme Court really went way too far in terms of privacy, Adelman said.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Experts share 4 ways Wisconsin's public records law could be better
The late Jonathan Brostoff, photographed during his time as a state representative in the Wisconsin Assembly. The Assembly and state Senate approved a resolution in Brostoff's memory March 18, 2025. (Photo by Greg Anderson)

Editors note: If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

On a day of contentious legislative debates and an annual ceremonial custom to recognize Wisconsins tribal communities, members of the Wisconsin Legislature united to remember a former colleague this week.

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More than one lawmaker made clear it was an event they fervently wished would not have been necessary.

Rep. Jonathan Brostoff (D-Milwaukee) speaks during an Assembly floor session in 2021. (Screenshot/WisEye)

Former State Rep. Jonathan Brostoff took his own life on Nov. 4, 2024, with a gun he had purchased just an hour earlier. He was 41 years old. Brostoff served in the Assembly for eight years, leaving in 2022 after he was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council.

Tuesday, the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate each voted unanimously to pass a resolution in Brostoffs memory. The votes were cast in each chamber in a two-part secular memorial service of sorts, with heartfelt eulogies from Brostoffs former colleagues. Many wore green ribbons in recognition of mental health awareness.

Jonathan was well known for his honesty, said Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer. He never held back if he thought we were heading in the wrong direction or missing something important  often crossing his eyes and staring you down. With Jonathan, you always knew where you stood, and he helped us grow as a caucus and as individual legislators.

Sign language bill

One story was told repeatedly: Brostoffs campaign to pass a bill that would tighten state standards for American Sign Language interpreters. The legislation established a tiered licensing system to ensure that people interpreting between doctors and patients or lawyers and clients had a higher level of skill, Brostoff said at the time.

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Frustrated when the legislation stalled, he vowed not to cut his hair until it was signed into law. In an April 2019 Wisconsin Public Television interview, Brostoff  who normally favored a close-cropped cut  sported a curly afro that surrounded his face.

It wasnt a protest, exactly, he told interviewer Frederica Freyberg. Especially for the deaf community, its a visual indicator saying Im with you and were not going to stop until we get this done, Brostoff said.

I would send him pictures of Richard Simmons, Rep. Lisa Subeck said on the Assembly floor Tuesday. He sent me back pictures of Bob Ross.

Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill in July 2019. Sen. Dianne Hesselbein was a member of the Assembly at the time. In the Senate Tuesday, she recalled Brostoffs Assembly floor speech on the day the measure finally passed.

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He signed the entire thing, and it was long, and he could do sign language of the entire thing without looking at notes, Hesselbein said. He knew what he wanted to say, and he was careful, and there was silence, absolute silence and respect.

Colleagues described the diminutive Brostoff as intense, funny, passionate about causes and smitten with his four children.

In the Assembly, Rep. Jodi Emerson recalled hearing Brostoff break into the Itsy bitsy spider song while changing a diaper in the midst of one of their phone calls discussing their work in the Capitol.

Those phone calls were a regular feature of her drives home to Eau Claire from Madison at the end of a busy week in the Capitol. She said she spoke before Tuesdays session with Brostoffs father about those calls.

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I was thinking about that last week, and really wish I would have been able to talk to Jonathan last week, Emerson said. I had my own version of a conversation with him, she added wistfully, but the reception wasnt clear from wherever he was.

Passion and compassion

Brostoff was first elected to the Assembly in 2014. Rep. Christine Sinicki related a memory from Brostoffs campaign that year. She had not endorsed him in the four-way Democratic primary, and at a neighborhood parade both attended that summer, a Brostoff volunteer sidled up to her and made a snide remark, she said.

Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (Photo by Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner)

I went over to Jonathan and I said, I really did not appreciate that. The next day, that volunteer was at my door, apologizing, Sinicki recalled. That was the kind of man that Jonathan was. He had so much integrity.

Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde, who met Brostoff when both were at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, nicknamed him JoBro. But Brostoff had his own self-applied nickname: Honey Badger, after a viral YouTube video and internet meme  Honey Badger Dont Care.

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Hes getting into like, messing with bees and snakes and all types of things, because Honey Badger dont care and hes gonna do what he wants to do anyway. Thats Jonathan Brostoff, Omokunde said.

Brostoff was passionate about the causes he adopted, his colleagues agreed.

Omokunde referred to a comment moments earlier, when Subeck called him tenacious. He paused. However, lets be honest, he continued. Jonathan was annoying  and everybody in this body who ever came across him knows he was annoying.

Affectionate laughter greeted his candor.

Sometimes he could make me crazy, Sinicki said. Thats only because he had such passion and such conviction for the things that he wanted that nothing was going to change his mind, nothing at all.

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For all his fervor as a Democratic lawmaker, Brostoff endeared himself to Republican colleagues.

GOP Rep. Paul Tittl found Brostoff, who was Jewish, to be a deeply spiritual person who asked to attend a regular Capitol Bible study that Republican lawmakers, all Christian, organized. He always added to the conversation.

In the Senate, Sen. Andre Jacque recalled both Brostoffs participation in the Bible study program as well as his enthusiasm for the gaming community. One thing that always struck me about Jonathan is that he was somebody who was unafraid to put himself out there and have conversations, Jacque said. Im going to miss him.

Vetting candidates and repairing the world

Brostoff took it upon himself to vet prospective candidates.

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One was Rep. Robyn Vining, ahead of her first election to the Assembly in 2018. At a Colectivo Coffee near UWM, Jonathan grilled me with questions, and was very clear on his priorities, Vining said. He was also very clear that he would not be supporting me if I did not pass his test.

They talked. What I didnt realize was that after I did pass that test, Jonathan was going to jump on board and fight for me, which is exactly what he did, Vining said. We finished my vetting, and he said, OK, lets go knock some doors.

First-term Rep. Sequanna Taylor was another such candidate. Friends from before she decided to run for the Assembly, she and Brostoff and their families were dining together early in her campaign.

In the middle of him eating, he was like, Give me your spiel, Taylor said. She was caught off guard, but he persisted.

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And so, you know, I went into my little spiel, and he took a moment and he looked at me. He was like, Youll be good, she said. Then he was like, Next time somebody asks you this, though, I want you to be able to say this in 30 seconds flat.

Brostoff was always straightforward, Taylor said. You never had to worry about a gray area with JoBro, because there was no gray area with him.

Sen. LaTonya Johnson speaks about former state Rep. Jonathan Brostoff on the Senate floor Tuesday. (Screenshot/WisEye)

Sen. LaTonya Johnson recalled a riot in Milwaukees Sherman Park neighborhood, part of her district, after an officer-involved shooting 10 years ago. She was visiting the scene the second night of unrest  I was not brave enough to go that first night, she confessed  when Brostoff showed up with big packs of chewing gum.

This is de-escalation gum, Johnson recalled him saying. She was skeptical, but lo and behold the longer we were out there, when things became confrontational, Jonathan would walk up and he said, You want gum? And people would stop, and they would take it. And, she said, it helped redirect peoples attention.

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Subeck said she and Brostoff were two of three Jewish members of the Assembly when they both took office in 2015. She described the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, to repair the world.

This is a concept that is built on our guiding principles of social justice, of making the world a better place, of taking care of our world and taking care of its people, Subeck said. And Jonathan, more than just about anybody else I know, lived up to that principle.

Acknowledging struggles, seeking change

Brostoff was candid about his own mental health history, Subeck added. He brought his own struggles, and he shared his very personal struggles with all of us here in the Legislature, and I believe that they made me, and hopefully made many of you, a better legislator.

There were also calls to address directly how Brostoffs life had ended.

I hope that we will recommit ourselves to preventing needless deaths in this state and to doing what Jonathan would want us to do, and enacting policies that will save other lives, even though we are too late to save his, said Sen. Mark Spreitzer. I will miss my friend Jonathan Brostoff, may his memory be a blessing.

Sen. Jodi Habush-Sinykin prepares to read from a statement written by Jonathan Brostoffs widow, Diana Vang-Brostoff, and his parents, Phyllis and Alan Brostoff. From left, Diana and Phyllis are seated behind Habush-Sinykin. (Screenshot/WisEye)

Jonathans story is one that too many Wisconsin families know the pain of, said Sen. Jodi Habush Sinykin. In 2022 alone, 530 Wisconsinites died by suicide with firearms.

Habush Sinykin read to her colleagues a statement from Brostoffs widow, Diana Vang-Brostoff, and his parents, Alan and Phyllis Brostoff. Earlier, Rep. Deb Andraca read the same statement in the Assembly.

Once again, we want to thank the Wisconsin Legislature for today honoring the memory of our husband and son, the statement began.

Their statement recounted the circumstances of Brostoffs death as well as a commentary Brostoff wrote in October 2019 that was published in the Wisconsin State Journal and Urban Milwaukee about his failed suicide attempts as a teenager. Brostoff had just served on a Legislature task force on suicide prevention.

They quoted Brostoffs column, in which he wrote that access to a firearm for someone contemplating suicide is like having your own personal permanent delete button. In the essay he had acknowledged that if had had access to a gun at the time of those teenage attempts to kill himself, I would not be here today.

Our family believes that had Jonathan been required to wait perhaps a day or two or any amount of time after entering that gun store last November to make that purchase, his life may have been spared, their statement concluded.

And so now, in the interest of saving other lives at risk for mental health issues, domestic violence or other circumstances, it is our hope that you find the collective will to reinstate a reasonable waiting period for finalizing gun purchases. Doing that would enhance your thoughtful and kind honoring of his memory today.

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The death toll from the ongoing outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) across four local Government areas in Nigerias northwestern Kebbi state has risen significantly, reaching 56, health authorities confirmed on Wednesday March 19.

Musa Ismaila, the health commissioner in Kebbi, reported that the number of suspected cases has surged to 653, up from 248 just a week ago. The outbreak, which was initially declared in late January, has grown more deadly in the past two weeks, with a sharp increase in suspected cases.

Ismaila explained that the public health department had started receiving reports of individuals presenting symptoms such as fever, severe headaches, neck stiffness, vomiting, and dizziness, which in some cases have led to fatalities. The state government has responded by distributing drugs and other medical supplies to the affected local government areas and communities in an effort to contain the outbreak. The health commissioner emphasised that the situation remains critical, and authorities continue to monitor and address the spread of the disease.

CSM outbreaks in Nigeria are primarily caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A and are typically more prevalent during the dry season, when low humidity and dusty conditions contribute to the spread of the bacteria. These outbreaks generally subside with the arrival of the rainy season, but for now, the authorities are focused on managing the crisis and preventing further fatalities.
About 20 minutes into a town hall in El Monte this week, Melissa Morgan of San Dimas picked up the microphone to address her congressman, Democrat Gil Cisneros.

"You seem like such an affable, kind, nice man," Morgan said, her voice hesitant at first. "But I am so angry. I am so scared. I feel our democracy is in danger. ... I wish you'd be angry."

Morgan's voice grew stronger as she ticked off her fears: that Social Security would be cut, that the national parks system would be ruined, that billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency would "turn on" Americans after accessing their Social Security numbers and employment histories.

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"I just wish that the Democrats would match my anger and my fear," she concluded. The packed room burst into applause.

The Musk-led mass firings of federal workers and the looming threat of cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security have sparked rage and fear among many voters, which they're directing against lawmakers of both parties.

Melissa Morgan of San Dimas speaks during a town hall with Cisneros. "I wish the Democrats would match my anger and my fear. I fear there won't be another election," Morgan said. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

In California's deep-blue districts, town hall meetings have become venting sessions for voters fed up with President Trump, Musk and what they see as the weakness of the Democratic Party. Lawmakers have tried to walk the line between showing their own anger and explaining that, with Republicans controlling the House, the Senate and the White House, there's only so much they can do.

"In the House of Representatives, the majority is in complete control," Cisneros said, as the crowd in El Monte muttered in displeasure. "We cannot take a bill to the floor to get voted on, because we are in the minority. The only one who makes that decision is the speaker of the House. Anything we do, he's not going to move it forward."

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The few Republican officials who have held town halls lately have faced raucous crowds. At a recent "community coffee" event in Yucca Valley, GOP Rep. Jay Obernolte of Big Bear Lake faced constituents shouting, "No king! No king!" when Trump was mentioned. And this week, more than 25,000 people called in to a telephone town hall with Northern California Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin).

Most Republicans have not met with their constituents recently, on the advice of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who said that town halls "give the other side sound bites."

"They're doing this for the cameras  we all know it," Johnson said. "I think it's wise not to play into it right now."

Republican lawmakers who haven't held town halls have seen protests outside their district offices. This week, about 200 healthcare workers, their unions and their supporters protested potential cuts to Medi-Cal, as Medicaid is known in California, outside the Anaheim Hills office of Rep. Young Kim.

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Josephine Rios, a nursing assistant who has worked at Kaiser Permanente in Orange County for seven years, said she attended the protest on behalf of her 7-year-old grandson, Elijah, who has cerebral palsy.

Rios said she worried that cuts to Medi-Cal would make his medication unaffordable. She said she felt betrayed by Kim, for whom she voted in November.

Cisneros speaks to constituents at the town hall in El Monte. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

"Stripping that away from him will make him home-bound," Rios said. "Stripping his medication is life-threatening."

The budget blueprint that passed Congress this month calls for $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade. Although Trump has said he doesn't support making cuts to Medicaid, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has said that reductions of that magnitude would be possible only through such cuts.

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Democratic leaders hope that they can tap into the simmering rage over Trump, Musk and DOGE to help their party retake the House in the 2026 midterm elections. But the party first must overcome historically bad popularity ratings.

One CNN poll conducted in early March found that 29% of Americans had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, down from 33% in January.

During a new episode of California Gov. Gavin Newsom's podcast that aired Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the reason the popularity of Democrats is plummeting is because of the loss of confidence among members of their own party.

"The Democratic Party is unified  they're unified in being pissed off at the Democrats," Walz said. And, he added, "they are unified in that Donald Trump's policies are going to hurt people."

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Doris Anderson, 81, turned away from Cisneros and told the crowd at the town hall that voters should begin an economic boycott of companies like Amazon. Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, helped bankroll Trump's inauguration.

"The Congress, they're limited in what they can do  but you can stop spending," Anderson said.

By the end of the town hall, Kaime Welsh, 26, of La Verne, stood up to ask: "Can we list one action that you and the Democrats in Congress have taken? In plain English, no stories, no metaphors. What is one action?"

Cisneros said he'd spoken out against Musk and DOGE from the floor of the House. (In one speech, he described Musk's efforts as a "coup.") And, he said, he had joined the Democrats who heckled Trump during the president's joint address to Congress.

An East Los Angeles resident shows her frustration during a town hall meeting with Rep. Gil Cisneros (D-Covina) at El Monte Union High School District on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Part of the problem, he said, is that some constituents weren't hearing about what the Democrats were doing  and others were but felt they didn't go far enough.

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"It is tough, right?" said Cisneros, whose district includes West Covina, El Monte, Baldwin Park and Glendora. "People want the action, but when they see this action, theyre like, 'Well, thats not enough.'"

Patrick Fernandez of La Verne told Cisneros that the Democrats were "candy-coating" and "afraid to call things what they are." That reluctance, he said, "does a disservice not just to us in this moment  it does a disservice to posterity that's going to be looking back on this moment."

"Why are we treating this moment as, 'Maybe well vote them out in midterms'?" Fernandez said. "We can't bank on the midterms, because as I speak, a South African Nazi and his criminal hackers are raiding federal buildings. That's not normal. Thats a coup," he added referring to Musk.

"I agree with you 100%," Cisneros responded. "Our messaging has not been good."

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Members of the crowd began heckling him again.

Times staff writer Andrew Campa contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A woman accused of killing her dog at Orlando International Airport then discarding the dogs body in the trash, is now out on bond.

Channel 9 Eyewitness News has learned that Alison Agatha Lawrence was boarding a flight at Orlando International Airport when police say she killed her dog in the airport bathroom.

According to Orlando Police, on December 16th, officers were called to the airport after a dead pet was found in the womans restroom.

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Orlando Police said they issued a warrant for the arrest of Alison Agatha Lawrence for Aggravated Animal Cruelty, a third-degree felony. On Tuesday, Lake County deputies arrested Lawrence at her Clermont home.

Lake County court records show just hours after she was booked into the Jail, she quickly posted a $5,000 bond.

Sources told Channel 9 Lawrence was trying to board a flight on December 16th, but didnt have the right paperwork to allow the dog to board and couldnt take it.

Sources told Channel 9, Alison Lawrence allegedly drowned her dog in an airport bathroom than threw the small dog in the trash where cleaning staff later discovered the dog.

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On Wednesday, Channel 9 spoke to neighbors who said they recalled Lawrence walking a white poodle in the neighborhood, but noticed both Lawrence and the dog had been absent lately.

Neighbors told Channel 9 Lawrence was always reserved and said they were shocked by the allegations.

Someone that would do such things has got to be disturbed upstairs, said one neighbor.

Channel 9 also spoke with Lawrence sister on Wednesday. She claimed she did not know Alison Lawrence whereabouts, that Lawrence did not have a phone, and that she knew nothing about the allegations.

Meanwhile, Orlando International Airport told Channel 9 they were cooperating with Orlando Police but could not comment further because the investigation was active.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
A woman was arrested Tuesday after an investigation linked her to a dead animal found inside a restroom at Orlando International Airport in December, Orlando Police reported.

Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, was taken into custody in Clermont on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty  a third-degree felony  by the Lake County Sheriffs Office, according to a statement Wednesday from OPD. Lawrence is currently in custody at the Lake County Jail, according to jail records.

WFTV reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources, that Lawrence allegedly drowned her dog in the airport bathroom. She was trying to board a flight but lacked the necessary paperwork to take it on the plane, the sources told the TV station.

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Police told the Orlando Sentinel on Wednesday that officers responded to the airport Dec. 16 in reference to a dead animal found by an employee inside a public womens restroom located before security checkpoints. The police said an investigation tied Lawrence to the incident.

No other information about the incident was provided by the agency, including what type of animal was found.

Airport spokesperson Angela Starke said she didnt have any details to share about the incident. The airport recommends passengers visit the TSA website to learn how to travel with small pets and that the FlyMCO website also has information for pet owners, she added.

State Sen. Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach, said in a news release about WFTVs reporting that the incident is an example of why his bill enhancing criminal penalties for animal cruelty offenses should be passed and signed into law. Leek introduced the bill, SB 502, on March 4.

This is yet another horrible example of why I filed [the bill] related to animal cruelty, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who do harm to innocent animals, Leek said.
Video above: Two videos of the Marion County Record police raid in 2023

NEWTON, Kan. (KSNW)  Kari Newell, a former restaurant owner from Marion who was at the center of a controversial raid on the Marion County Record newsroom in 2023, narrowly escaped a raging house fire early Friday morning that destroyed her rental home.

A fire broke out on the front porch of Newells bungalow on East 10th Street at about 1:30 a.m. on Friday, according to stories in the Newton Kansan and the Marion County Record.

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Newell and three other people inside the home managed to flee safely before the fire, intensified by strong winds, destroyed the home, the outlets reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Wichita woman charged in shooting death of 7-year-old boy

Newell gained national attention in August 2023 when the Marion Police Department raided the Marion County Record newsroom and her home, following allegations that the newspaper unlawfully accessed records related to her 2008 drunken driving arrest.

Newell accused the Record of breaking the law. The highly publicized raid sparked a nationwide debate on press freedom, drawing criticism from journalists and civil liberties groups, and raised questions about the justification for the police action in relation to First Amendment rights.

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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 KSN-TV.
A 36-year-old Sanford woman was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with one count of felony embezzlement.

Jordan Marie Allred, 36, turned herself into police, a press release from the Sanford Police Department states.

She was released on a $250,000 unsecured bond with a first appearance set for Thursday, March 20.

Allred, who has an address in the 5900 block of Mockingbird Lane, was the payroll supervisor and benefits coordinator at Lee County Schools, according to mymarkiii.com. On Wednesday evening, LCS spokesman James Alverson issued a press release that said Allred was terminated on March 14.

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According to the search warrant, the date of the offense was Feb. 25, 2022.

According to eCourts, the amount of the alleged embezzlement was $190,589.

Lee County Schools issued a press release on Friday evening, March 14, about the possible misappropriation of funds and said they turned the matter over to law enforcement.

On Wednesday, March 19, the state auditors office issued a press release saying they were investigating Lee County Schools.

Ive talked to leadership of Lee County Schools, the district attorney and local law enforcement, said State Auditor Dave Boliek. With our investigation into Lee County Schools, the goal is to provide an objective account to assist in resolving what appears to be financial malfeasance.

"Based on Lee County School's internal investigation, it appears that Mrs. Allred was able to use her role overseeing payroll for the district and her access to our systems to direct district funds into accounts believed to be hers, while altering financial data and records to conceal her actions and evade detection," Alverson said. "This manipulation made it difficult to uncover the fraudulent activity at the time."
Mar. 19Investigators believe a 3-year-old boy overdosed on fentanyl he found on his mother's dresser last month in Spokane Valley.

Jessica A. Demaine, 38, was booked Wednesday into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of second-degree criminal mistreatment, third-degree child assault and reckless endangerment, according to a Spokane Valley Police Department news release. The boy survived.

Deputies and firefighters responded at about 10:40 a.m. Feb. 21 to a call reporting a 3-year-old was unresponsive and not breathing at a residence in the 11700 block of East Mansfield Avenue, police said in the release. Firefighters treated the child, who started breathing, and he was taken to the hospital.

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Cameron R. Danley, 40, called 911 saying he found the child, who was unresponsive and turning blue, on the floor upstairs, police said.

Detectives believe the victim's mother, Demaine, left suspected fentanyl pills on her bedroom dresser. The child, thinking it was candy, ingested the pills, lost consciousness and stopped breathing, the release said.

Detectives searched the Mansfield Avenue residence Wednesday and detained Demaine, Danley and 37-year-old Tana M. Brown.

During the search, investigators recovered suspected fentanyl pills, suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia in Demaine's bedroom and attached bathroom toilet, indicating someone attempted to flush and destroy evidence, according to police.

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Danley and Brown were booked into jail for unrelated misdemeanor warrants. All three defendants remained in jail Wednesday night.

"It is shocking that any parent would recklessly or intentionally expose their child to fentanyl, knowing the potentially deadly consequences," Sheriff John Nowels said in the release. "When we learn of this inexcusable behavior, we will seek charges to hold them accountable."

Detectives continue to investigate, and additional charges or arrests are possible.

It's the third known time a young child has overdosed on their parent's fentanyl in Spokane Valley in the past month and a half.

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On Feb. 1, deputies say a baby overdosed but survived after their mother awoke in an Argonne Road hotel to the child holding a spoon used for the drugs. Micala Cameron, 24, was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment with a controlled substance and giving a fake name to deputies.

Then on March 5, deputies in the Valley arrested Samantha J. Anderson, 35, after her 1-year-old son overdosed but survived from playing with a fentanyl foil stored in her purse, according to the sheriff's office. She faces a charge of reckless endangerment.
GLEN WHITE, WV (WVNS) In July of 2024, two lives were cut tragically short after a vehicle struck a woman and her horse in a head-on collision. The man who hit them was driving on a suspended license, but was never charged.

Now, Jessica Massey is coming forward to demand accountability and justice for her sister Robins death.

My sister was a wonderful personand she died in the most horrific way that I could ever imagine. Jessica Massey, Robins sister

On July 7th, 2024, Robin Massey and her friends were returning home after a late night horseback ride, after a gear problem delayed them until almost 10 p.m.

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They were crossing the street on Lester Highway and Church Street, and according to Nathan Cook, Masseys friend, they made sure to take all the proper safety precautions. Despite their precautions, however, a truck coming from the opposite direction failed to stop and hit Robin and her horse, Chaos, in a direct collision, killing her instantly.

They were almost home.

She was trying to stop him, said Cook. We saw headlights and she waved her arms for like a second if that, and he had to have been flying, he wasnt paying attention at all. Theres no way he didnt see her. We all had lights and she had that flashing speaker on the back of her saddle.

According to the police crash report, the driver, named Jesse Acord, was not only driving too fast for the conditions that night, but was driving on a suspended license. A license that he also didnt have on him at the time of the incident, which can be seen in the body cam footage 59News obtained by a FOIA request.

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First Lady of West Virginia taken to hospital

Despite Robin passing away at the scene, the police report said that Acord was not drug tested or given a sobriety test that night, even though he has multiple driving charges on his record, including past DUIs, according to West Virginia Magistrate records.

Acord left the scene that night without a single charge, even though the police report documented that he was driving illegally.

She went to the morgueand he went home. Jessica Massey, Robins Sister

After reaching out to the Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorneys office for comment, we received the following statement from Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Ashley Acord, in return:

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At this time there is insufficient evidence in the investigation of the accident resulting in the death of Robin Massey to support prosecution of more than Driving on an Administratively Suspended License, which is a misdemeanorOur office is currently awaiting follow-up investigation by Law Enforcement to determine whether distracted driving was a factor in this matter.

Ultimately, Massey has been fighting for months to make things right in her sisters name. She has been on a journey toward justice in the hopes that no one else will face the same tragedy.

To know that the outrage is not just within me, that its within other people that love her, gives me the strength I need to keep fighting, said Massey.

Robin Massey was loved deeply by so many friends and family, who all want to make sure she is never forgotten.

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She was an amazing person, said Cook. She seemed like more of a mom to me than my real mom was, and my best friend.

Cooks wife, Marissa, added that she was all-around an amazing person. Ive never met anybody that had anything bad to say about her. She always welcomed everybody, she was just an all-around good person.

Massey said that she is planning a protest soon to raise more awareness for Robins story and advocate for change. The date and time will be announced on the Justice for Robin Facebook page, where you can also find all the latest updates.

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A woman has come under fire for allegedly drowning her dog after she was denied entry on a plane.

According to WFTV-9, an arrest affidavit from the Orlando Police Department explains that the incident happened in December 2024 as the woman, Alison Lawrence, attempted to board a flight to Colombia with her dog, Tywinn. The legal document details that Lawrence didnt have the correct paperwork to take her dog, a 9-year-old miniature schnauzer, on the flight and was subsequently turned away.

As a result, Alison is believed to have taken extreme and tragic action by killing the dog, the OPDs affidavit surmises. Authorities claim that the 57-year-old sought to remedy her flight inconvenience by drowning Tywinn in an Orlando International Airport womens bathroom and leaving the dog behind.

Police claim that they were taken to the scene of the alleged crime, where they found dog food, accessories, and the lifeless pet. Alison Lawrence was identified as the pets owner after an airport employee found the womans contact information on the animals dog tag. Surveillance footage also showed Lawrence arriving with a dog that matched the ID of the deceased animal located in the bathroom.

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Click Orlando reported that Florida state Senator Tom Leek heard about the incident while on the Senate Floor. He reacted to Lawrences heinous actions in a released statement calling attention to an animal cruelty bill that he previously filed to help combat the purported behavior.

This is yet another horrible example of why I filed Senate Bill 502: (Animal Cruelty Offences) related to animal cruelty, which strengthens criminal penalties for those who do harm to innocent animals. It is my commitment to have this good bill pass the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives and sent to Governor Ron DeSantis for his signature, Leek asserted.

On Tuesday (Mar. 18), the woman was taken into custody in Lake County, where she posted a $5,000 bond for her release. Alison Lawrence is now facing an animal cruelty charge, a third-degree felony, for her alleged crime.

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A woman was arrested Tuesday after police said she drowned her dog in an Orlando International Airport restroom because she couldnt take it on her flight.

Police say Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, of Clermont, killed Tywinn  a 9-year-old white miniature Schnauzer  in the airport bathroom Dec. 16 before her flight to Bogota, Colombia, according to her arrest warrant affidavit. She was arrested by the Lake County Sheriffs Office on a charge of aggravated animal abuse  a third-degree felony  and was released from jail on $5,000 bond.

According to the affidavit, the dog was discovered in the bathroom by an airport employee. The employee told police she saw a woman  later identified as Lawrence  in a bathroom stall cleaning up water and dog food from the floor. The employee returned to clean the bathroom about 20 minutes later and saw Lawrence leave the stall. When she went to remove the trash bag she noticed it was unusually heavy and found the dog.

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The Orlando Police Department responded to the scene along with Orange County Animal Services. The affidavit said police found other items in the bag with the dogs body  which appeared extremely damp  including a dog tag with Lawrences name and phone number on it, a dog collar, dog travel bag and harness that said SERVICE DOG.

Animal Services examined the dogs body and found blood on its left leg along along with it being warm and damp. A necropsy ruled cause of death as drowning/submersion into water, according to court records.

Animal Services located a microchip under the dogs skin that revealed Tywinn was registered to Allison Holt  another name used by Lawrence which police learned using a law enforcement database, court records show. Police identified the phone number on the dog tag as belonging to Lawrence listed under the Holt name.

Airport surveillance footage shows Lawrence talking to an airline agent at a ticket counter for about 15 minutes, something the report notes is longer than normal for interactions at a ticket counter  which usually last less than five minutes. She then walked with Tywinn to the bathroom about 20 feet from the ticket area, according to the affidavit.

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The affidavit said footage shows Lawrence later exiting the bathroom without the dog then walking toward the exit to the street and leaving the main terminal. She then walked toward the next-closest door and re-entered the terminal  which the report described as unusual behavior. She later went on to board her plane.

Court records said U.S. Customs and Border Protection determined Lawrence had connecting flights to Ecuador but did not have a flight booked to return to the United States as of when the report was written in January. OPD has not provided any information regarding her return to the United States.
ORLANDO, Fla.  A woman was arrested Tuesday after police said she drowned her dog in an Orlando International Airport restroom because she couldnt take it on her flight.

Police say Alison Agatha Lawrence, 57, of Clermont, killed Tywinn  a 9-year-old white miniature Schnauzer  in the airport bathroom Dec. 16 before her flight to Bogota, Colombia, according to her arrest warrant affidavit. She was arrested by the Lake County Sheriffs Office on a charge of aggravated animal abuse  a third-degree felony  and was released from jail on $5,000 bond.

According to the affidavit, the dog was discovered in the bathroom by an airport employee. The employee told police she saw a woman  later identified as Lawrence  in a bathroom stall cleaning up water and dog food from the floor. The employee returned to clean the bathroom about 20 minutes later and saw Lawrence leave the stall. When she went to remove the trash bag she noticed it was unusually heavy and found the dog.

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The Orlando Police Department responded to the scene along with Orange County Animal Services. The affidavit said police found other items in the bag with the dogs body  which appeared extremely damp  including a dog tag with Lawrences name and phone number on it, a dog collar, dog travel bag and harness that said SERVICE DOG.

Animal Services examined the dogs body and found blood on its left leg along with it being warm and damp. A necropsy ruled cause of death as drowning/submersion into water, according to court records.

Animal Services located a microchip under the dogs skin that revealed Tywinn was registered to Allison Holt  another name used by Lawrence which police learned using a law enforcement database, court records show. Police identified the phone number on the dog tag as belonging to Lawrence listed under the Holt name.

Airport surveillance footage shows Lawrence talking to an airline agent at a ticket counter for about 15 minutes, something the report notes is longer than normal for interactions at a ticket counter  which usually last less than five minutes. She then walked with Tywinn to the bathroom about 20 feet from the ticket area, according to the affidavit.

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The affidavit said footage shows Lawrence later exiting the bathroom without the dog then walking toward the exit to the street and leaving the main terminal. She then walked toward the next-closest door and re-entered the terminal  which the report described as unusual behavior. She later went on to board her plane.

Court records said U.S. Customs and Border Protection determined Lawrence had connecting flights to Ecuador but did not have a flight booked to return to the United States as of when the report was written in January. OPD has not provided any information regarding her return to the United States.

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The High Commission of Malaysia in Nairobi, Kenya, has confirmed that all 55 Malaysian civilians and 18 Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) officers serving in the United Nations Police (UNPOL) mission in South Sudan are safe.

This assurance comes amid increasing concerns over the deteriorating situation in the country. The Malaysian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Thursday March 20, affirming that the High Commission remains in regular contact with UNPOL to ensure the continued safety and well-being of the PDRM personnel.

In light of the escalating tensions in South Sudan, the Ministry has advised all Malaysian nationals living in the country to exercise heightened vigilance regarding their safety and security. As a precautionary measure, Wisma Putra has recommended that Malaysians consider relocating to safer areas or voluntarily returning to Malaysia if they feel their safety is at risk. The Ministry also strongly cautioned against any travel to South Sudan until further notice, urging citizens to stay informed and take appropriate actions to safeguard their well-being.

The Malaysian government further encouraged Malaysians currently in South Sudan to register with the High Commission in Nairobi for timely updates and assistance. Additionally, they were urged to comply with local authorities instructions to ensure their safety in these uncertain times.
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A woman, identified as Nicole Pizzi, is facing both federal and local charges after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant, an emergency medical technician, and a nurse following an incident on a flight from Pittsburgh to Charlotte in 2024.

The events unfolded on June 1, 2024, aboard American Airlines Flight 2255. Court documents reveal that Pizzi, who was reportedly intoxicated, became aggressive toward flight staff during the flight. She allegedly struck, kicked, and even spat on a flight attendant.

Upon the flights arrival at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, records state Pizzi was restrained and transferred over to medical personnel to be taken to the hospital.

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Gruesome discovery sparks search for the remains of 77-year-old Richmond County woman

However, court documents state her behavior continued on the ground. While being transported in an ambulance to the hospital, Pizzi allegedly punched an EMT in the face and violently pulled her out of the medic truck by her hair.

The situation reportedly escalated further once Pizzi reached the hospital. Pizzi is said to have scratched a nurses face before being restrained and sedated by hospital staff for her safety, according to court documents.

Pizzi has been charged with multiple offenses. Locally, she faces assault charges related to the EMT and nurse incidents. This week, new federal charges were filed after an investigation revealed that her behavior during the flight interfered with the duties of the flight attendants and assaulted multiple individuals onboard.

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Charlotte man caught on camera allegedly beating dog says it lives a great life on Instagram prior to arrest

In total, Pizzi is facing four counts of assault under federal law. These charges include:

Interference with flight crew members  Pizzi is accused of assaulting and intimidating the flight attendant during the flight, making it difficult for her to perform her duties.

Assault by striking, beating, or wounding  Three separate counts involve her physical assaults on the flight attendants and staff members.

Despite being released from the Mecklenburg County Detention Center in June 2024, Pizzi now faces the additional pressure of these federal charges.

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Nicole Pizzi faces federal and local charges after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant, an EMT, and a nurse during a flight from Pittsburgh to Charlotte last year.

Court documents reveal that Pizzi was intoxicated during the flight when she attacked a flight attendant by hitting, kicking, and spitting on her.

ALSO READ: ALSO READ: Charges dismissed against woman who forced planes emergency landing at RDU

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Upon landing at Charlotte Douglas, Pizzi was restrained and taken to the hospital by medics.

While en route to the hospital, Pizzi allegedly punched an EMT in the face and pulled her out of the medic truck by her hair.

Later, at the hospital, Pizzi reportedly assaulted a nurse by scratching her face.

Channel 9s Glenn Counts spoke with passengers at Charlotte Douglas Airport who found the situation disturbing.

It is concerning because you have a limited amount of space and a limited number of ways to control a situation like that, said passenger Nancy Logan.

And while most flights are uneventful, Logan said she has seen her share of the not-so-friendly skies.

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I fly almost weekly, and over the years Ive had a few incidents where passengers have become extremely unruly, and its concerning because you dont have a lot of options when youre in the air. Its a small, confined space, Logan elaborated.

ALSO READ: Flight headed to Charlotte makes emergency landing in Virginia

When passengers found out that alcohol played a role in the incident, most expressed that the airport bars and airlines should do a better job of preventing overserving.

Thats tough; you have to treat people like adults and expect they are going to behave like adults, said passenger Julie Dickman.

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Emphasizing to the bartender to use their discretion if someone is being overserved, passenger Harrison Jett echoed.

Pizzi is currently out of jail on local charges but was indicted on federal charges yesterday.

VIDEO: Charges dismissed against woman who forced flights emergency landing at RDU
















MEMPHIS, Tenn.  A woman was found dead in Midtown by Memphis Police on Thursday morning.

Officers say they responded to a suspicious person call on 1021 Melrose Street around 8 a.m. A woman was found and pronounced dead on the scene.

The body was found near a damaged fence near a business near Melrose and Southern Avenue.

MPD says this is a homicide investigation. Investigators are trying to determine if the damage to the fence was connected to the homicide.

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Woman dead, 3 others including child injured in crash

Memphis Police say the victim appears to be in her 20s, but she has not been identified yet.

A man in Midtown, who did not want to be camera, tells WREG hes devastated, but not surprised by this act of violence.

Crimes everywhere, and it aint the weak picking on the weak. It aint the poor picking on the poor, he said. It happens every day. It dont matter what time of day it is. They do it in the dark, they do it in broad daylight. They dont care.

This year, there have been at least 29 homicides in Memphis.

At this time, no suspect information is available.

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If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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Mar. 19Sari Carlson was a smart woman with a warm personality, her brother said.

The 51-year-old moved from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, in the spring of 2022 because she wanted to live on the East Coast; she was drawn to Maine's beautiful scenery and coastline, her older brother Thad Carlson said.

Sari Carlson's body was found in the water near Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth last week. The cause and manner of her death are still under investigation, according to Maine State Police. The agency had asked for help identifying the Portland woman on Friday and released her name Wednesday.

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Thad Carlson, who lives in California, said he didn't know how or why his sister died but that she had been battling a kidney disease before her death.

They grew up in small, rural Ashby, Minnesota, and moved away after graduating high school and college.

Both of their parents have passed away, Thad Carlson said. Their mother, Karen Lucia Gilthvedt, died in 2001, and their father, Ronald Wayne Carlson, died in 2020, but the siblings stayed in touch with occasional visits every few years.

Thad Carlson said he had flown out to Oregon to see his sister a few years ago and visited her in Maine for her birthday last year.

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Sari Carlson preferred to live a quiet, introverted life, he said, but she stayed in touch with a close circle of lifelong friends, even though they lived all over the country.

Her brother said his sister always did what she set her mind to. She went on an expedition to Antarctica about five years ago, which was a big moment for her, he said.

Thad Carlson said his sister was stylish and loved music, art and theater  and he really appreciated her sense of humor, sensitive nature and positive attitude.

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BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN)  A woman was taken to the hospital Wednesday with an injured ankle after an incident report states she drove through a stop sign, into a yard and hit a house in Boardman.

Police were called to a home near the intersection of Donmar Lane and Hopkins Road around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday for reports of a car crashed into a house.

Reports state the driver failed to stop at a stop sign before continuing across the road, then off the road, through a yard and hitting a house.

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The woman, who will remain unnamed as no charges have been filed against her, told police she believed her brakes failed, according to reports. Officers on the scene tested the vehicles brakes and noted there didnt seem to be anything wrong with them.

Officers later spoke to the woman again while she was at the hospital, who said she was wearing steel-toe boots that she normally doesnt wear. Reports say she admitted it was possible she could have pressed the accelerator rather than the brake.

Reports state the woman had chest pain and possibly a broken ankle. No residents of the home were hurt.

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VIRGINIA (DC News Now)  Officials announced that a woman responsible for operating a high-end brothel network in Boston and Northern Virginia was sentenced to four years in prison Wednesday.

According to the United States Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia (USADC), 42-year-old Han Lee, of Cambridge, Mass. persuaded women to travel interstate to work for a prostitution network.

She required sex buyers that allegedly included elected officials, high-tech and pharmaceutical executives, doctors, military officers, government contractors and more to undergo a screening process, including providing employer information and references.

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Han Lee didnt just recruit women to sell their bodies for sex  she built a criminal enterprise designed to thrive in the shadows, evading law enforcement while profiting off her victims like commodities, said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. We will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who exploit vulnerable women through interstate sex trafficking and launder their illicit gains. Those who engage in this conduct will be identified, held accountable and sent to federal prison. Full stop.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Tysons, Fairfax locations part of high-end brothel network, feds say; politicians, military officers among alleged clients

In September of 2024, Lee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution and money laundering conspiracy.

The attorneys office reported that from at least July 2020, Lee ran the prostitution network with multiple brothels in Massachusetts and the Fairfax and Tysons Corner areas of Virginia. She persuaded mostly Asian women to travel between the two states to engage in prostitution.

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Lee, along with Junmyung Lee and James Lee, would rent high-end apartments as brothel locations. The trio coordinated the womens flights and transportation. She also allowed them to stay in the apartments overnight.

The USADC said Lee along with Junmyung and James advertised the prostitution network and offered appointments online. The trio maintained local brothel phone numbers to communicate with customers, schedule appointments and send them a menu.

According to the charging documents, the trio charged buyers around $350 to $600 per hour depending on the services. The buyers paid in cash and the brothel generated over $5.6 million with about 9,450 scheduled dates.

Georgetown University researcher detained by DHS, accused of spreading Hamas propaganda

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The USADC said Lee then used the money to pay rent and utilities at the brothel locations in both states.

Junmyung and James pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in April and June of 2025.

This secretive and covert industry treats women like commodities and provides no protection for the safety and wellbeing of the participants. Todays [March 19, 2025] sentence reinforces the seriousness of this crime and our commitment to use every investigative tool we have to pursue justice, said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol.

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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WSPA)  A woman was sentenced to up to 6 years in prison for embezzling more than $1.5 million from a senior-assisted living facility in Haywood County, according to U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson.

48-year-old Amy Elizabeth Curry of Waynesville was an office manager and bookkeeper at Silver Bluff, a senior living and care facility in Canton, N.C. From December 2022 to April 2023, Curry made at least 154 unauthorized bank transfers from the facilitys bank accounts to bank accounts controlled by Curry and her then-boyfriend. Curry would then delete the wire transfer history from Silver Bluffs bank accounts. The amount reached a total of more than $1.5 million.

Court records show that Curry used the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including to purchase a pick-up truck. Curry also spent over $700,000 of the funds gambling at casinos.

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On December 11, 2023, Curry pleaded guilty to wire fraud. In addition to prison, Curry must pay the embezzled funds back in restitution.

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EAST VILLAGE, Manhattan (PIX11)  A 25-year-old woman was slashed in East Village Wednesday afternoon, according to the NYPD.

The incident happened around 4:45 p.m. near 710 East 9th Street.

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Police say the victim was slashed in the right arm multiple times. She was later taken to an area hospital in stable condition.

Police are searching for the suspect, who they say fled on foot. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

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Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

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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The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) signed an agreement with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE) on Wednesday March 19 to establish a 500-megawatt wind power plant in the Gulf of Suez.

Under the terms of the agreement, SGRE will be responsible for the development, financing, and operation of the wind power plant, according to a statement from the Egyptian Cabinet.

The project is expected to play a pivotal role in enhancing Egypts renewable energy capacity, contributing significantly to the countrys goal of increasing the share of renewable and clean energies in its energy mix. The Egyptian government has set ambitious targets, aiming for 42 percent of its energy to come from renewable sources by 2030, and 65 percent by 2040.

During the signing ceremony, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat highlighted that the project aligns with the governments broader vision to advance the renewable energy sector, maximise the use of natural resources, and reduce carbon emissions.
A Louisiana man was executed this week after a hard-fought battle by his legal team arguing that the method violated his religious freedom went all the way to the Supreme Court. Even more alarming is the fact that it was the states first time attempting the method...ever.

Nitrogen gas was used to put Jessie Hoffman to death on March 18. The execution marks the fifth time the method was used in the United States and the first time in the state of Louisiana, according to NOLA.com. Hoffmans legal team had been trying to block the state from executing him, saying that the use of nitrogen gas, which as CNN explains deprives the body of oxygen and ultimately forces the organs to shut down, violated his Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment as well as his freedom of religion.

Attorneys argued that inhaling the gas would prevent Hoffman, who was Buddhist, from practicing mindful breathing and meditation before his death, according to ABC News.

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Hoffman had been sitting in a Louisiana penitentiary since he was convicted of raping and murdering a 28-year-old woman in New Orleans when he was 18. But his attorneys argued that he spent most of his time in prison becoming a new man who was loved by many.

Tonight, the State of Louisiana took the life of Jessie Hoffman, a man who was deeply loved, who brought light to those around him, and who spent nearly three decades proving that people can change, attorney Caroline Tillman said in a statement.

Nearly 50 people held a vigil outside of the prison, praying, meditating and calling for an end to the death penalty in the United States. Hoffmans case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately voted 5-4 against granting a stay of execution, according to ABC News, with justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Neil Gorsuch in the minority.

Jessie Hoffman was pronounced dead at 6:50 p.m. March 18, just 19 minutes after the gas began flowing, according to ABC News.

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU)  A correctional officer at the Woodbury County Jail accused of assaulting and injuring an inmate has pleaded not guilty.

Austin Svendsen, 29, of Sioux City, submitted his written plea on Tuesday, March 18, per court documents. He is charged with one count of assault, a serious misdemeanor.

Dominican judge holds hearing for Iowans claim of unlawful detainment

Documents state that on Feb. 14, 2025, a Woodbury County Jail inmate was told to pack his belongings and move to another jail cell. However, when the inmate started to argue with jailers, Svendsen and other guards then allegedly grabbed the inmate and took him to the ground.

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Svendsen allegedly kneed the victim in the abdomen and repeatedly hit him in the face. The victim suffered cuts, bruising, and a concussion, documents state.

Svendsen was arrested on March 10 but has since bonded out. He has also waived his right to a speedy trial.

Wesley Thoene contributed to this report.

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Mar. 20Five of the six workers terminated from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery last week have officially returned to their posts, the shipyard said Thursday.

The six workers, all entry-level employees still in their probationary periods, were briefly fired by the Navy Department as part of a sweeping effort, led by billionaire Elon Musk and his team, to cut staff and costs throughout the federal government.

The shipyard was directed to return the affected workers to full employment status Wednesday, spokesperson Danna Eddy said in a written statement. She called the facility's workers "our greatest resource."

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"Five of the six employees placed on administrative leave received this notification," Eddy said. "The sixth employee was already in the process of being released for cause. That action has been completed."

Bill Webber, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2024, which represents the terminated shipyard employees, praised the employees' return to work in a written statement.

"We're really glad to have these hardworking employees back and they are thrilled to be going back to work to perform their duties," Webber said.

Last week, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to rehire probationary employees at nearly 20 government agencies, arguing that the Office of Personnel Management, which oversaw the firings, had no authority to do so.

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The National American Federation of Government Employees was among those who sued.

Webber credited the workers' return to that court victory and the "collective effort" of the national union and partners.

"This shows that when working people band together in unions we do have the power to stand up against this kind of illegal behavior," Webber said in a written statement.

Early this week, Webber said that the fired workers had been placed on paid administrative leave but were waiting to be formally rehired.

A spokesperson for the shipyard could not confirm the reinstatements when asked Thursday afternoon.

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The shipyard also reversed a hiring freeze it had implemented last month, following new orders by the Department of Defense.

But other terminated federal employees, including those at the Togus VA Medical Center, were placed on paid administrative leave this week, and they did not regain full employment status and remain unable to access their work emails and systems, the Maine AFL-CIO said in a written statement.

Matt Schlobohm, executive director of the Maine AFL-CIO, said the Trump administration should "follow the court's order" and immediately reinstate the VA workers.

"Elon Musk's agenda to fire thousands of veterans, gut the VA and jeopardize social security is wildly unpopular with the American people," Schlobohm said in a written statement.

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The worlds happiest country has managed to keep its No. 1 ranking for eight years running. The picture in the United States isnt so rosy.

While Finland once again tops the World Happiness Reports rankings, the United States  at No. 24  earned its lowest ranking yet in the 2025 report. The 13th edition of the annual report marks the United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20.

In the United States and parts of Europe, declining happiness and social trust have contributed significantly to the rise of political polarization and votes against the system, the report finds.

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But in brighter news, global research shows that people are much kinder than we expect.

Peoples fellow citizens are better than they think they are, and to realize that will make you happier, of course, but itll also change the way you think about your neighbors, said John Helliwell, a founding editor of the World Happiness Report.

And so youre more inclined to think of a stranger in the street as simply a friend you havent met and not somebody who poses a threat to you, said Helliwell, who is an economics professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia.

Theres room for improvement, Helliwell said, in believing that were all part of a larger group that looks out for each other. Its an important source of happiness that we havent properly tapped, he said.

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The report draws on Gallup World Poll data from people in more than 140 countries. Countries are ranked on happiness based on their average life evaluations over the three preceding years, in this case 2022 to 2024. The report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an editorial board.

The survey asks each participant to score their life as a whole and rankings are based on those life evaluations. The report then looks at six key variables to help explain life evaluations: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.

The happiest countries

Finland, with people gathered here in Helsinki, is ranked the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row. - Julia Kivel/Visit Finland

When it comes to happiness, the Nordic countries are clearly doing a lot of things right. For the eighth year in a row, Finland is the worlds happiest country, with its neighbors clustered close behind.

Nordic countries like Finland continue to benefit from universally available and high-quality health, education and social support systems. Inequality of wellbeing is also low, said Ilana Ron-Levey, managing director at Gallup.

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Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden  the top four  remain in the same order as 2024. And Norway is again No. 7.

While social support systems that look out for residents welfare are important to Finlands No. 1 ranking, the people play a role too, according to Helliwell.

Having a welfare state doesnt find lost wallets and return them to the owners, said Helliwell, a longtime lost-wallet researcher, referring to data showing that Nordic nations rank among the top places for the expected and actual return of lost wallets. Those are individuals caring about the people with whom they live.

Other factors likely contribute to Finlands strong performance as well. Helliwell said some Finnish experts point to the unity and trust that came out of the Winter War in 1939-40, also known as the Russo-Finnish War.

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They didnt win that war, but what they did is they came together and realized even against overwhelming power they could do remarkably well  Sometimes the challenge posed externally can bring you together.

A less materialistic mindset may also work in Finlands favor, Helliwell said.

And these days, to focus on the personal rather than the material is of ever-increasing importance.

Two Latin American countries  Costa Rica at No. 6 and Mexico at No. 10  both enter the top 10 for the first time in the 2025 report.

Both countries residents have strong social networks and strong perceptions about the direction of their economy and confidence in leaders and institutions, Ron-Levey said.

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The Netherlands (No. 5), Israel (No. 8) and Luxembourg (No. 9) fill out the top 10.

Lowest ranking yet for the United States

After dropping out of the top 20 for the first time last year, the US ranks No. 24 in the latest World Happiness Report.

The decline in the U.S. in 2024 was at least partly attributable to Americans younger than age 30 feeling worse about their lives, said Ron-Levey. Todays young people report feeling less supported by friends and family, less free to make life choices and less optimistic about their living standards.

Last years report paid special attention to happiness among different age groups, highlighting declines among the young in numerous countries.

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The US isnt the only English-speaking country with happiness challenges. At No. 23, the United Kingdom reported its lowest average life evaluation since 2017. Canada, which has seen happiness declines over the last decade, remained in the top 20 at No. 18.

While the variables that help explain life evaluations are complex, there is one balm thats within everyones reach, Helliwell said.

Look seriously at the people with whom you are working, with whom you are living, who are on your streets, and put on a rosier set of glasses when youre dealing with them. And thatll change your behavior in traffic. Itll change your behavior in political discussions. Itll change everything, Helliwell said.

Talking less and listening more helps with attitude shifts that can lead to more cooperation.

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Negativity is poisonous to happiness, he said.

The Netherlands comes in at No. 5 in the 2025 rankings, right after four Nordic nations. Amsterdam is pictured. - Koen Smilde/I Am Amsterdam

Worlds 20 happiest countries in 2025

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Netherlands

6. Costa Rica

7. Norway

8. Israel

9. Luxembourg

10. Mexico

11. Australia

12. New Zealand

13. Switzerland

14. Belgium

15. Ireland

16. Lithuania

17. Austria

18. Canada

19. Slovenia

20. Czech Republic

At the bottom of the list

Afghanistan (No. 147) is once again last on the list. Sierra Leone (No. 146), Lebanon (No. 145), Malawi (No. 144) and Zimbabwe (No. 143) make up the rest of the bottom five for happiness.

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After years of misery, Brad Liefvoort managed to beat his addiction to oxycodone. In 2018, he and his wife, Linda Matthews, from Victoria, Australia, were hosting game nights and taking weekend trips.

They had made it, Linda thought. Brad felt happy to be alive.

But when Brad developed chronic headaches, a doctor prescribed a drug they werent familiar with: tapentadol. Another opioid.

Brad trusted his doctor  but within two years he would be dead.

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In the last five years, prescriptions of this lesser-known opioid have surged as Grunenthal, the family-owned German company that developed tapentadol, has marketed the drug as a safer alternative to traditional opioids.

Now it is accused of having downplayed addiction risks to doctors and influencing regulation governing its prescription, in an investigation by The Examination, a specialist team of global health reporters.

Brad Liefvoort previously had an addiction to oxycodone and assured tapentadol was safe

Booming sales

Grunenthal gained notoriety in the late 1950s with thalidomide, branded as Contergan, a drug used for morning sickness that caused thousands of miscarriages, stillbirths, and severe birth defects.

The company developed tapentadol, branded as Palexia or Nucynta, as patents expired on tramadol, its first blockbuster opioid, which is now widely abused globally.

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Approved in 2008 in the US and 2010 in Europe and Australia, Grunenthal sells tapentadol in Europe and Latin America and collects royalties from licensees elsewhere.

Sales and prescriptions have risen around the globe in recent years in at least 10 countries, according to data collected by The Examination.

In Spain, tapentadol prescriptions have now surpassed oxycodone. In Australia, tapentadol has become the most prescribed opioid, with CSL Seqirus, the licenced seller, boasting last year that it was the only opioid with consistent growth.

Addiction danger

But experts are worried the opioids addictive properties have been played down, causing the drug to be prescribed for long term for chronic pain, against the guidance of UK and US regulators.

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Grunenthal and other opioid sellers have funded studies and articles in medical journals suggesting tapentadol is less likely to cause dependence or abuse.

Yet six independent experts who reviewed this research unanimously found no convincing evidence to support such claims.

I have tried to find evidence  solid, impartial evidence  of tapentadols less addictive properties, and I have not been able to find this, said Eveline van Dorp, an anaesthesiologist and epidemiologist with a specific interest in opioid research at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

In a medical journal, The Examination found that Grunenthal employees touted the drugs supposed low level of abuse, a misleading claim repeated in a video posted on the companys website for Latin American doctors.

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The video also minimised the drugs risk of respiratory depression  slower breathing  a known opioid side effect. Grunenthal took down the website following enquiries from The Examination.

Seven former Grunenthal employees who worked in the marketing, science and sales divisions also said in interviews for this story that tapentadol causes less dependence than other opioids.

In Germany, Grunenthal promoted tapentadol to doctors as highly effective for chronic pain, contradicting guidance from the World Health Organization, and from regulators in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Influence

Grunenthal wields wide-ranging influence through funding doctors, medical organisations, patient groups and educational initiatives across Latin America and Europe.

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In the last decade, Grunenthal has paid more than $9 million to help support at least 900 European patient groups and medical organisations, according to data analysed by The Examination. One company-funded association lobbied the Mexican Congress to loosen regulations around prescribing tapentadol.

Rob Poole, a psychiatrist who ran a clinic in Wales to help patients come off opioids, said many pain doctors are enthusiastic about tapentadol, prescribing it as a wonder drug. He described Grunenthals promotion of tapentadol as a classic drug company disinformation campaign.

In a statement, Grunenthal acknowledged that a few company documents had mischaracterised tapentadols addiction risks.

The company commissioned an independent audit in 2019 and found that claims that tapentadol was less addictive than other opioids were not backed up by sufficient scientific references.

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But Grunenthal denied actively promoting the drug as less addictive and said addiction risks are included in every pack of pills and in product information for doctors.

And, it said, tapentadol is approved for moderate to severe chronic pain in some countries and the labels vary depending on the regulations.

The World Health Organization, the US Food and Drug Administration and independent doctors have warned that tapentadol, like any other opioid, causes dependence and has potential for addiction, misuse and abuse.

Escalating harms

Lucas Trautman, medical director at Oxford Treatment Center in Mississippi, said his facility has gone from rarely seeing tapentadol-dependent patients to treating them regularly over the past three years.

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In Australia, a report by the Coroners Court of Victoria noted an increase from zero 0 to 118 overdose deaths over a seven year stretch ending in 2023.

The rise in tapentadol-involved overdose deaths is reminiscent of what happened when other analgesic products (such as extended release oxycodone ) were introduced, the report states.

CSL Seqirus said in a statement that the reports findings show that there is an ongoing need to ensure all healthcare professionals are aware that tapentadol has potential for harm.

In India, where generic companies sell tapentadol instead of Grunenthals branded product, there is anecdotal evidence of a sharp rise in teenage boys becoming addicted since 2017, according to psychiatrists at a major addiction centre.

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Patients from impoverished areas buy the tablets to crush, mix with water and inject. One 21-year-old who became addicted in high school said withdrawal left him weak, tired and without the energy to brush his teeth, wash his face or speak. I would always be sad, he said.

Grunenthal gained notoriety in the late 1950s with thalidomide, a drug used for morning sickness that caused thousands of miscarriages, stillbirths, and severe birth defects - PA

Industry-funded studies

Since tapentadols introduction, Grunenthal, its licensees or researchers receiving industry funding have published studies or articles suggesting it causes less dependence, addiction or abuse.

The Examination sent five such studies to medical experts who identified a variety of shortcomings. The studies do NOT permit the conclusion that tapentadol leads to less dependence with any certainty, said Kyla Thomas, professor of public health medicine at Bristol Medical School.

Health authorities have also raised concerns. When approving tapentadol, the FDA concluded it had high abuse potential. The World Health Organization warned about its risks in 2014. French and Canadian health authorities also recommended against reimbursing slow-release tapentadol due to high costs, lack of evidence for chronic pain benefit, and abuse concerns.

Insiders speak out

At least seven former Grunenthal employees in Germany and the UK said in interviews with The Examination that tapentadol is less likely to cause dependence.

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One former sales representative, who left in 2023 after six years and did not want to be named out of fear for her career, said she was trained to promote the drug this way using company-provided materials and seminars. Lack of dependence played a major role in her marketing, she said.

Jan-Uwe Claas, a former senior vice president for marketing in Europe, who worked for Grunenthal for two decades until 2022, downplayed the possibility of addiction,

A video on Grunenthals educational site for healthcare professionals across Latin America featured Silvia Allende-Perez, head of a public pain clinic in Mexico and former Grunenthal employee, promoting tapentadol. It included a Grunenthal-branded slide claiming tapentadol has a minimum potential of abuse and that respiratory depression is not reported despite this being a well-known opioid side effect.

Grunenthal said the video did not reflect current evidence and, after The Examinations inquiry, removed it and took the website offline for review. Allende-Perez did not respond to requests for comment.

Grunenthal has also funded the Mexican Association for the Study and Treatment of Pain, according to Angel Juarez, president of the organisation until last year.

Grunenthal said in response that it operates with the highest ethical standards when partnering with healthcare professionals and organisations.

Brad Liefvoort pictured with his pregnant wife, Linda Matthews

Welsh prescriptions

In Wales, the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board raised warnings about Grunenthals marketing of tapentadol in 2019 after discovering the area had more prescriptions than anywhere else in the country.

Tapentadol is extremely similar to tramadol which was also launched (by the same pharmaceutical company) with similar claims of safety, tolerability and lack of addiction potential, all of which have subsequently been proven false, the health board said in an internal report.

Caroline Hildenbfrand-Nixdorf, a family doctor in northern Bavaria said Grunenthal sales representatives told her tapentadol was not an opioid but a hybrid between an opioid and normal pain medication that leads to no or little dependence and encouraged its use for chronic pain.

There is a feeling among doctors, nursing staff, but also patients  that these are harmless substances, said Dominikus Bonsch, addiction specialist and medical director at the District Hospital Lohr am Main in Bavaria.

Its pure nonsense, he said. A myth.

A needless death

In Australia, Linda Matthews had given birth to triplets. But her husband Brads tapentadol prescription triggered a relapse. His addiction raged. He couldnt keep a job and hardly helped with the children.

When he skipped the triplets first Christmas, Linda, seeing no hope, asked him to move out.

Five months later, police found Brad dead, clutching pills in his hand.

A coroners report found he had overdosed on tapentadol and oxycodone, both drugs found in life-threatening amounts.

In the six months before his death, he had been prescribed opioids by more than 10 doctors.

Brad made some really, really bad decisions, said Linda. But he shouldnt ever have been able to get the amount of stuff that he was getting.

World of Pain is an investigative collaboration involving reporting by The Examination, Paper Trail Media, Latin American Center for Investigative Journalism (CLIP), PlatoBR, Salud Con Lupa, El Espectador and Der Spiegel.

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WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C. , was meant to be a global celebration of resilience, history, and solidarity. But with the event just weeks away, it has become the center of an international debate over safety and visibility for LGBTQ + people under the Donald Trump administrations sweeping rollback of rights.

On Saturday, the African Human Rights Coalition called for a boycott of WorldPride, citing grave concerns about the safety of foreign LGBTQ+ attendees, especially transgender individuals and people of color. The organization, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Africans and asylum seekers, likened attending WorldPride in the U.S. to legitimizing apartheid-era South Africa, arguing that visibility in a hostile environment does not guarantee safety or progress.

The United States is no longer a free democratic country that WorldPride signed up for, AHRC Executive Director Melanie Nathan wrote in a statement . She pointed to recent anti-LGBTQ+ policies, the administrations gutting of asylum protections, and increased hostility toward trans and nonbinary people as reasons for the boycott.

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Organizers of WorldPride are pushing back against the boycott call, emphasizing that participation in the event is an act of resistance.

A boycott of WorldPride sends the wrong message, Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director Ryan Bos said in a statement to The Advocate. We need to show up together, show resilience and resistance to ensure we remain visible and heard.

WorldPride, licensed by InterPride and put on by Capital Pride this year, is a global LGBTQ+ gathering that has been hosted in cities such as New York , Toronto, and Sydney. This years event, set for May 17 to June 8, coincides with the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in the nations capital and is expected to draw millions from around the world.

Despite the boycott call, organizers have insisted previously that canceling or relocating the event is not an option. Instead, they argue that WorldPride in D.C. is an opportunity to push back against the administrations anti-LGBTQ+ policies and demonstrate collective strength.

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The AHRC remains firm in its warning, particularly for transgender people and other marginalized groups who may face increased risks when entering the U.S.

Trans people especially will not be safe entering U.S. airports or crossing borders for this event, the AHRC stated. The group warned that foreign visitors  regardless of visa status  could face heightened scrutiny, denial of entry, or placement in detention centers that do not recognize their gender identity.

In February, a directive from the State Department , spearheaded by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, raised alarms over potential travel restrictions for transgender people entering the U.S. The memo, which the administration framed as a policy targeting transgender athletes, included language requiring all visas to reflect an applicants sex at birth. Immigration attorneys and LGBTQ+ advocates warned that the vague wording could be used to deny visas to any transgender person, not just athletes.

Since Trump took office in January, LGBTQ+ people who have made plans to attend WorldPride have raised concerns in online forums dedicated to this year's events. However, D.C. residents in those forums often explain to visitors that the District is more than just the federal government.

Capital Pride Alliance has emphasized that it is working with law enforcement and federal agencies to ensure safety, but the AHRC argues that under Trumps leadership, those agencies cannot be trusted. The group has urged attendees to consider whether traveling to the U.S. is worth the potential risk.

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Bos directly addressed these concerns, offering reassurance to transgender and nonbinary people considering attending WorldPride.

To the transgender and nonbinary people who are considering joining us in D.C. for WorldPride, I want you to know that we are working tirelessly with agencies and advocates to ensure that you are able to safely and securely travel to and from the U.S., Bos said. Our local community is vibrant and diverse, and we are excited to welcome everyone . For those that choose not to, or are unable to, join us in D.C., know that we need you to remain a part of this movement. Please stay active where you are and join us virtually if you are able.

Organizers say that rather than a purely celebratory event, WorldPride 2025 will serve as a direct act of protest . A large-scale march and rally is planned for June 8, modeled after the 2017 Womens March, to highlight global LGBTQ+ struggles.

Still, the political climate has already had an impact. Booz Allen Hamilton, a major defense contractor, recently withdrew its sponsorship , citing Trumps executive orders restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Percerforming Arts, now under Trumps leadership , also removed a National Symphony Orchestra concert tied to WorldPride from its website, raising concerns about LGBTQ+ erasure from cultural institutions.

Even as political tensions escalate, WorldPride is moving forward with its full slate of events, including the largest LGBTQ+ music festival in history. The festival, running June 6-8, will feature performances from Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, Doechii , Kim Petras, and RuPaul, among others.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.  A Wyandotte County man accused of raping a woman in September 2020 is charged four-and-a-half years later in Jackson County Court. If convicted, he could receive a life sentence.

Peytrien Lavelle McClenton, 35, is charged with first-degree rape, second-degree assault and two counts of first-degree sodomy nearly five years after he offered to drive a woman home from the liquor store.

The victim told police that she had never met McClenton before that night but that she needed a ride home. Court documents said when the two arrived at the victims home, she came across her father and his friend.

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Former student sentenced in 2022 Olathe East High School shooting

An argument ensued between the victim and her father, so she kicked him and his friend out of the house. The victim told police that McClenton got angry with her because he thought her father was trying to take advantage of him in some way.

From there, court documents said McClenton hit the victim in the head repeatedly with a handgun. He then told her to remove her clothes and proceeded to sexually assault her.

Later, when the victim asked McClenton if she could get a drink of water, he told her to get a drink from the bathtub so that he could keep her in sight while he kept ahold of the gun.

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The suspect then told the victim to go upstairs and wait 30 minutes before coming back down. She did, and when she finally went back downstairs McClenton was gone.

The victim went to a gas station and called the police. Court documents said she had scratches on her back and a cut on the top of her head where she had been pistol-whipped.

Despite positively identifying McClenton using his Facebook page, police did not arrest him. Court documents said that detectives later verified McClentons identity through further investigation.

While at the hospital, the victim had a sexual assault examination done but only a minimal amount of DNA was found.

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Court documents said detectives tried to contact McClenton by calling him and visiting his home but that they were met with negative results.

Less than two years later in 2022, McClenton was named the prime suspect in a separate KCPD rape report via evidence collected from a sexual assault exam on the victim. Two months later on June 30, 2022, a notification confirmed the male DNA profiles in both cases matched one another but that there was no profile for McClenton to compare them to.

Three KC men accused of committing series of burglaries in 7 states

A different court filing shows that the KCPD Career Criminal Squad was conducting surveillance on McClenton in June 2024. Investigators knew he had two Active Stop Orders for Rape issued by Kansas City, Missouri police and two Kansas City, Missouri city warrants for assault.

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The rapes for which he was wanted happened in September 2020 and April 2022 while the two city warrants for assault were issued in October 2018 and August 2019.

Officers followed McClenton and received instructions from the tactical team to pull him over and arrest him for the two STOP orders and municipal arrest warrants. They turned on their sirens to pull him over to conduct a traffic stop.

However, court documents said McClenton sped off and got up to 100 miles per hour on 71 Highway. Officers eventually arrested him and charged him with resisting arrest.

He was due in court on December 18, 2024, which is when investigators took a buccal swab. Court documents then showed that the lab results from that swab showed him to be a one-in-one-billion match to the DNA at the September 2020 rape scene. He has not been charged in the 2022 case.

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McClenton is due in court Thursday for the rape, sodomy, and assault charges. His bond is set at $500,000. Hes currently on house arrest, according to court records. If convicted of first-degree rape, he could receive up to a life sentence.

Layfayette County middle school janitor facing child sex crime charges

Meanwhile, he was in court the previous day, Wednesday, for the resisting arrest charge. If convicted, he could spend up to four years in prison.

FOX4 contacted Kansas City Police and the Jackson County Prosecutors Office to ask why it took so long to arrest McClenton and if theres possibly more victims. KCPD deferred us to the Prosecutors Office, who did not respond.

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UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY)  Nurses at the Wynn Hospital are now working under a new contract, thanks to a tentative agreement reached on Thursday.

The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and the Wynn Hospital reached a tentative agreement for a new contract on Thursday, March 20. This is the first agreement since St. Lukes and St. Elizabeths Hospitals moved into the location over a year ago.

The current contract expired on December 31, and since the fall, nurses at the Wynn have been fighting for a new contract.

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Over the last few months, nurses have been fighting for a contract that ensures the hospital have a plan to recruit and retain nurses to ensure safe patient care, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said in a statement. This contract is a win for nurses and a win for the future of healthcare in Utica. Now we need the rest of Central New York to follow suit to ensure that ALL patients in New York receive the best care possible.

The new agreement will include across-the-board raises between 14 and 21 percent, retroactive to January 1 over the life of the contract. The contract also includes pay increases to retain trained and experienced nurses.

Nurses are committed to this community, Sheila Conley, an ICU nurse and the president of the union, said in a statement. All we wanted in this contract was the ability to provide the best care possible. We have worked far too long with too many vacancies. Finally, we achieved what we set out to do, and more. We achieved a contract that will ensure that nurses will be able to provide the care this community deserves with safe staffing, higher wages, and improved benefits. Our committee could not be happier.

The contract will also include an appeal process for staffing violations. If the employer continues to violate staffing plans, nurses will be able to appeal to a third party. According to a statement by NYSNA, the agreement will help address staffing issues that the hospital has had to deal with since its opening. NYSNA says that over 200 vacancies remain at the Wynn Hospital since its opening in 2023, down from 250 at the time of the opening.

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NYSNA members will vote on whether to ratify the contract from the Wynn Hospital beginning on Wednesday, March 26. Meanwhile, the situation at Oneida Health continues, as nurses there continue to picket for their own contract.

The relocation to our new downtown location and the merger of the two hospitals have created significant staffing challenges that this contract addresses through crucial measures, Gary Evans, a nurse at the Wynn Hospital, said in a statement. Although management has repeatedly expressed its desire to enhance staffing, we firmly believe that meaningful change will only occur once enforceable safe staffing standards are established and a comprehensive plan for nurse recruitment and retention is implemented. We have worked diligently to secure a contract that enables nurses to provide optimal care, and we are confident that we have achieved this goal.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com.
STORY: Evi Tsapari escaped a burning train through the window of a passenger seat after a collision that left dozens dead in Greece in 2023.

She is slowly healing from the traumatic experience but is still waiting for justice.

I think I am slowly beginning to realize what has happened. The second year is the year of rage, the primary feeling is rage, anger, and I feel somewhat cheated and fooled.

Investigators have cited safety failures and decades of neglect as causes of the crash.

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However, critics point out that no top politician has been investigated over the worst crash in the country's history, partially due to laws protecting them from prosecution.

Tsapari is among 1.4 million people who have signed a petition to overturn that law.

But its progress is stalled by legal debate.

Legally, the issue is not going at all as it should, and I think that in the end the justice system is not as blind and impartial as it claims to be.

Two years after the train crash, safety gaps remain, Greece's Air and Rail Accident Investigation Authority said.

Last month, on the second anniversary of the train crash, hundreds of thousands took the streets to protest the lack of safety reforms.

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This was also fueled by a long-standing mistrust of the government and politicians, stemming from recent disasters and scandals.

In 2018, a wildfire in Mati trapped residents and killed 104 people awaiting evacuation.

Kalli Anagnostou survived the fire.

"We will burn, we will drown, we'll be killed and no one will be held responsible.

Similarly, in 2017, 25 people died in flash floods, which residents blamed on authorities ignoring safety warnings and poor infrastructure.

:: File

That anger looks set to weaken Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose popularity has waned in the polls since he won re-election in 2023.

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Last week, he replaced the transport minister in a cabinet reshuffle.

And he reiterated a pledge to modernize the railway network, this time by 2027.

But relatives have accused the government of a cover-up.

Mitsotakis denies wrongdoing and says that institutions remain strong under his watch.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Public health officials are advising parents in Texas communities hard hit by the measles outbreak to vaccinate their children ahead of schedule, as early as 6 months of age.

But what about children in other parts of the country? Should they adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendation of a first shot at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years of age for the second?

Pediatricians' offices are being flooded with calls from parents concerned about the risk that the highly contagious virus poses to their young children, especially after the death of an unvaccinated 6-year-old child in Texas and an unvaccinated person in New Mexico.

While more than 200 of the 300-plus cases of measles this year have occurred in Texas and New Mexico, cases have also been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

How high is the risk?

The CDC says the risk for widespread measles outbreaks across the U.S. remains low due to high vaccination rates against the disease.

But parents who have concerns should definitely consult with health care providers, especially if they are traveling to areas where measles is present, says Neil Maniar, director of Northeastern's master of public health program.

"It's something for us to think about, especially with spring break and travel," says Carla Bouwmeester, a Northeastern clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences.

What is measles?

Measles "is an extremely contagious disease" that can be spread four days before the telltale rash appears and four days after the rash resolves, she says.

Measles virus particles "can live in the air for up to two hours," another factor that allows one person with measles to spread it to 10 to 18 people, Maniar says.

The viral illness was virtually eradicated from the U.S. 25 years ago, he says.

Why are cases increasing?

But dipping vaccination rates have led to an increase in cases, with the most recent reports of 301 in the first quarter of 2025 surpassing 2024's total of 284 measles cases.

"The foremost concern is that we will see even more outbreaks of measles," Maniar says.

Should infants travel?

Since many cases are connected with international travel, the CDC recommends infants who are traveling internationally get their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine early, at 6 months of age, at least two weeks before departure.

A single dose provides 93% protection against measles while the second dose increases the protection to 97%, Maniar says.

What is the schedule?

The CDC also says that children who receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine between 6 and 11 months, should still adhere to the recommended schedule of additional shots at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years of age.

"They'll still need the regular course," Maniar says.

The MMR vaccine is not recommended for children less than 6 months of age, Bouwmeester says.

She says the shot combined with the chickenpox vaccinethe measles, mumps, rubella and varicella or MMRV vaccineshould only be given to children who are at least 12 months of age.

"The foremost concern is that we will see even more outbreaks of measles," he says.

Other preventive measures

The American Academy of Pediatrics says thorough hand washing, sterilizing household objects, breastfeeding infants and reducing babies' exposure to crowds can help prevent children too young to be vaccinated from getting measles.

Some babies may have protection from antibodies passed through pregnancy, says the AAP, which also recommends against traveling with children younger than six months to areas with measles.

What is herd immunity?

Maniar says communities need to reach 95% herd immunization rates to protect the 5% of the population who are too young to be vaccinated, are immunocompromised or unable to take up the antibodies.

The measles vaccination rate in Gaines County, Texas, where the 6-year-old child died after contracting the viral illness, is reportedly 82%.

"We should not, in this day and age where we have a highly effective vaccine, see outbreaks like this," Maniar says.

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
NEW YORK  New York City mayoral challenger Brad Lander has notched the endorsement of the Congressional Progressive Caucus chair as he vies to be the front of the pack of left-flank Democrats trying to thwart former Gov. Andrew Cuomos comeback bid and oust Mayor Eric Adams.

Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), a rising star in Washington, said he and Lander believe cities should spearhead the nationwide fight against President Donald Trump, who remains deeply unpopular in New York City.

Casars nod comes from 1,700 miles away, but Lander is hoping it might lead New York City progressives like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Adriano Espaillat and Nydia Velazquez to follow suit. None of the three have endorsed in the race.

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Casar and Lander met a decade ago when the House member was on the Austin City Council and Lander was a New York City Council member. Hes now the city comptroller.

When you see the different failures of Mayor Adams leadership, I think thats hurt Democrats across the country and I think that a Mayor Brad Lander would bring pride back to Democrats and progressive-leaning Democrats in whats a really dark time, Casar told POLITICO.

Casars endorsement follows one from the liberal group, Indivisible Brooklyn. Lander was a founding member of the councils progressive caucus; he is now seeking to shed the trappings of certain lefty stances. On public safety and antisemitism especially, Lander has sought to demonstrate a shift in thinking to appeal to moderate voters.

Casar and Indivisible chapters have blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumers vote last Friday for the Republicans stopgap funding measure to avert a government shutdown. Lander has not criticized his fellow Brooklyn Democrat, saying only that hes focused on his duties as city comptroller and the mayoral race.

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Casar will boost Lander Thursday night in an Instagram Live event featuring a fundraising component. Hell also send a fundraising email on Landers behalf, Casars spokesperson said. As Casar attends a rally this weekend in Arizona with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) to lambast Trumps agenda, Lander is preparing a series of New York City town halls to do the same  saying he will reach out to anxious New Yorkers in a way Adams has not.

The incumbent Democrat has cozied up to Trump as the president pushes to dismiss federal corruption charges against Adams.

Casars endorsement puts him at odds with his fellow Texas Democrat, Rep. Jasmine Crockett. The breakout star of the party endorsed and co-hosted an Instagram Live conversation with Adrienne Adams, the council speaker who recently entered the mayors race. Two other New York Democrats in the House  Ritchie Torres and Dan Goldman  endorsed Cuomo and state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, respectively.

Casar, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders are seeking to spread a message of populism as opposed to an affiliation with the unpopular brand of the Democratic Party.

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Lander is attempting to do the same in New York City, as he seeks to link the progressive label to economic issues rather than controversial ones around public safety.

It means fighting for working families, thats the ground it has to be built on, he told POLITICO of being progressive. Working families have to believe Democrats are fighting for them and delivering for them.
(WHTM)  A Midstate tax preparer was indicted for allegedly falsifying documents to take advantage of a program that gave small businesses forgivable loans during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Justice announced Thursday.

Dommonick Chatman, 49, of York, was indicted for allegedly adding false information and supporting documents for Paycheck Protection Program loan applications for some of his clients, the DOJ said.

Chatman operated The Chatman Group, LLC in York.

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According to the DOJ, he was indicted for taking advantage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), created by the March 2020 CARES Act, as part of the efforts to mitigate the challenges small businesses faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Some of the fraudulent applications requested a certain form that reports the business income by a sole owner. Chatman claimed in the applications over $100,000 in gross receipts when the taxpayer did not file the form or reported gross receipts of less than $15,000, the DOJ said.

The requested loan amount the applications asked for was about $20,833, which the DOJ said was the maximum possible amount a sole proprietor with no employees could get. He submitted the applications during March and April 2021.

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Adams County car dealership owner facing more than 350 charges for falsifying PennDOT records; PSP

Following law enforcement questioning him in 2022, Chatman tried to destroy records, including PPP loan application data, according to the DOJ.

The FBI and U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

Chatman was indicted on 20 counts of bank fraud and one count of destroying records in a federal investigation.

The maximum penalty for bank fraud is 30 years in prison while the maximum penalty for destroying records in a federal investigation is 20 years imprisonment.

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NEW YORK (PIX11)  Ahead of a busy travel season for spring break and summer vacation the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is putting out renewed warnings for dengue fever.

New York was among the top three states with the most amount of dengue fever cases associated with travel in 2024, according to the CDC. The area reported 327 cases, just below California which reported 648 and Florida with 1,016.

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The United States saw an 84 percent increase in dengue fever cases in the last year.

This trend is expected to continue with increased dengue activity in endemic areas in 2025, the warning from the CDC reads.

More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State

Popular vacation spots have reported high cases of dengue fever, prompting a public health emergency for Puerto Rico in March 2024 and a dengue outbreak in the U.S. Virgin Islands in August 2024, both of which remain in effect.

Experts from the CDC warn that dengue is more easily spread during the warmer months and travelers should try to prevent mosquito bites especially in areas with high dengue cases.

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Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here.

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ALBANY, New York  New Yorks top court has struck down a law that would have let noncitizens vote in New York City elections, with the courts progressive majority overwhelmingly siding with Republicans who challenged the idea.

The law would have made more than 800,000 people eligible to vote in municipal contests such as mayoral races.

We file some lawsuits that are stretches, said Joe Borelli, the former Republican minority leader of the New York City Council and one of the plaintiffs who challenged the law. This one was, from the beginning, an open-shut case.

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The law was approved in the waning days of Mayor Bill de Blasios administration. When neither he nor successor Eric Adams issued a veto, it automatically became law in early 2022.

The legal battles since then have centered on language in the state constitution that says every citizen shall be entitled to vote at every election for all officers elected by the people.

Republicans argued that this prohibits all noncitizens from casting ballots. Democrats on the City Council who defended the law said this language should be viewed as a floor rather than a ceiling, and that local governments have the power to expand the franchise further if they wish.

In a decision handed down by the Court of Appeals on Thursday, the judges brushed off the Democratic argument by a 6-1 margin.

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Under that interpretation, municipalities are free to enact legislation that would enable anyone to vote  including  thirteen-year-old children, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote for the majority.

It is plain from the language and restrictions contained in [the state constitution] that citizen is not meant as a floor, but as a condition of voter eligibility: the franchise extends only to citizens whose right to vote is established by proper proofs, Wilson wrote.

The Republican victory in this case was similar to ones theyve won in two lower courts in recent years.

As the court had held from the very beginning, the law is clear that voting is a sacred right that is for United States citizens, said Assemblymember Michael Tannousis, a Staten Island Republican and another plaintiff in the case. As the son of immigrants that came to New York for the American dream and worked hard to become naturalized citizens, I am content with todays ruling.
After a legal battle spanning more than three years, New Yorks top court on Thursday struck down a city law as unconstitutional that wouldve expanded the right to vote in local elections to hundreds of thousands of noncitizen residents.

The ruling from the state Court of Appeals likely marks the final nail in the coffin for the law, as the City Council, which adopted the measure in 2021, has no higher venue to appeal the matter to.

In the 21-page ruling, issued by six of the top courts seven jurists, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote that New Yorks Constitution leaves no wiggle room when it comes to who has the right to vote in the Empire State.

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It is facially clear that only citizens may vote in elections within the State of New York, he wrote.

However, Wilson, citing French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville, wrote that the U.S. has long moved toward expansion of voting rights, typically via constitutional amendments.

Whatever the future may bring, the New York Constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens, Wilson added.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, whose Democratic majority has defended the law in court, said in a statement after Thursdays ruling she disagrees with Wilsons interpretation of the law.

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While we are disappointed with todays overall ruling, we respect the judiciarys role in our democracy to make these decisions, said the speaker, whos running for mayor this year. The Council, as always, will continue to support and protect our immigrant community members.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Adams, who allowed the Council bill to lapse into law in January 2022 without signing it, stressed it was the Council, not the mayor, who pursued the appeal to Wilsons bench after lower courts also ruled the law unconstitutional.

The highest court in New York State has made its decision, and we respect the courts ruling, added the Adams spokeswoman, Kayla Mamelak.

The law wouldve granted green card holders and some other legal immigrant New York City residents the right to vote in most local elections, including for mayor, public advocate, comptroller and Council. It would not have given such residents the right to vote in presidential or gubernatorial elections.

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At the time it passed the law in late 2021, the Council estimated it wouldve given 800,000 new city residents the right to vote locally.

But the same day the law took effect, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and other local Republicans sued to block it, arguing it flew in the face of the state Constitution. Opponents of the law have also claimed an expansion of voting rights would unfairly help Democratic candidates for public office.

A court fight has dragged on ever since the Fossella lawsuit, and amid it, the mayors administration hasnt moved to implement the law.

Associate Court of Appeals Judge Jenny Rivera, the lone dissenter to Thursdays ruling, wrote in her own opinion that the citys home rule ability to have decision-making power over local matters shouldve trumped the state constitutional restriction.

The decision from her colleagues, Rivera added, diminishes the power of localities statewide.
After a legal battle spanning more than three years, New Yorks top court on Thursday struck down a city law as unconstitutional that wouldve expanded the right to vote in local elections to hundreds of thousands of noncitizen residents.

The ruling from the state Court of Appeals likely marks the final nail in the coffin for the law, as the City Council, which adopted the measure in 2021, has no higher venue to appeal the matter to.

In the 21-page ruling, issued by six of the top courts seven jurists, Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote that New Yorks Constitution leaves no wiggle room when it comes to who has the right to vote in the Empire State.

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It is facially clear that only citizens may vote in elections within the State of New York, he wrote.

However, Wilson, citing French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville, wrote that the U.S. has long moved toward expansion of voting rights, typically via constitutional amendments.

Whatever the future may bring, the New York Constitution as it stands today draws a firm line restricting voting to citizens, Wilson added.

Spokesmen for the overwhelmingly Democratic City Council, which has defended the law in court, didnt immediately return requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Eric Adams, who allowed the Council bill to lapse into law in January 2022 without signing it, stressed it was the Council, not the mayor, who pursued the appeal to Wilsons bench after lower courts also ruled the law unconstitutional.

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The highest court in New York State has made its decision, and we respect the courts ruling, added the Adams spokeswoman, Kayla Mamelak.

The law wouldve granted green card holders and some other legal immigrant New York City residents the right to vote in most local elections, including for mayor, public advocate, comptroller and Council. It would not have given such residents the right to vote in presidential or gubernatorial elections.

At the time it passed the law in late 2021, the Council estimated it wouldve given 800,000 new city residents the right to vote locally.

But the same day the law took effect, Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella and other local Republicans sued to block it, arguing it flew in the face of the state Constitution. Opponents of the law have also claimed an expansion of voting rights would unfairly help Democratic candidates for public office.

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A court fight has dragged on ever since the Fossella lawsuit, and amid it, the mayors administration hasnt moved to implement the law.

Associate Court of Appeals Judge Jenny Rivera, the lone dissenter to Thursdays ruling, wrote in her own opinion that the citys home rule ability to have decision-making power over local matters shouldve trumped the state constitutional restriction.

The decision from her colleagues, Rivera added, diminishes the power of localities statewide.

_____
Young men are being drawn to toxic masculinity because schools are not boy-positive, a report has claimed.

Research by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) has found men are being left behind in society because they underachieve at school.

It estimated that about half a million men have missed out on higher education in the past decade.

The report warns of the risk that these undereducated men will be driven towards political extremes if male underachievement in schools is not resolved.

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It comes as the Netflix series Adolescence receives critical acclaim for its plot, which centres on a boy, 13, who is arrested for stabbing a teenage girl after being indoctrinated by misogynist influencers.

Mary Curnock Cook, former chief executive of Ucas, the university applications body, wrote in the reports foreword that the rise of toxic masculinity should not be surprising given male educational underachievement.

We want girls to have role models to motivate them to achieve, yet we seem to be intensely relaxed about so many boys growing up with few male teachers, often in single-parent households (where the single parent is usually a mum, not a dad) and in places where their doctor, the vet and the solicitor are also increasingly likely to be female, she wrote.

Is it any wonder they look to social media for their icons and heroes, and are drawn too often to highly toxic versions of masculinity?

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Ms Curnock Cook cited research from the think tank Civitas, which indicated that 24 per cent of parents believed boys at their childs school were made to feel ashamed of being male.

The report said lower educational aspirations, a shortage of role models of the same sex and bias among teachers contributed to boys achieving less at school than girls.

The influencer Andrew Tate, right, pictured with his brother Tristan, is a role model for some young boys - Vadim Ghirda/AP Photo

It called for a series of measures to raise standards by creating a boy-positive environment in schools and encouraging boys into female-dominated professions like care, teaching and nursing.

It is worth noting that some specific changes aimed at a boy-positive environment could be cheap and straightforward to deliver  such as marking International Mens Day, it reads.

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The report, sponsored by Ulster University, also recommended the creation of a junior minister for men and boys who would focus on the gulf in attainment, which it said was one of the most egregious issues in education.

Disadvantaged group

Another recommended measure was for university admissions departments to recognise men as a disadvantaged group.

Mark Brooks, the reports co-author, said boys underachievement was a truth that dare not speak its name.

Each year, it can be clearly seen when the exam results and higher education participation rates are published, he said. Nationally, though, there is little discussion or accountability, let alone any action.

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Nick Hillman, director of the Hepi and the reports co-author, added: Education holds the key to unlocking more equal opportunities across our society, but boys and men currently fall behind girls and women at each stage of education, from infant class to PhDs.

The resolute focus that is generally put on educational differences by class and ethnicity is generally missing when it comes to the sex of learners.

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)  Investigators say the cause of a fire in a north side Youngstown apartment where a man died last week is being ruled accidental.

Lt. Charles Hodge, of the city fire departments Fire Investigation Unit, said the blaze in the 1100 block of Burlington Avenue was caused by cooking on a stove.

The body of a man, Jesse Dandridge, 42, was found when firefighters put out the fire. Hodge said his death is being investigated by the Mahoning County Coroners Office, which has not yet said how he died.

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Dandridges death is the second in a fire in the city this year. A 5-year-old child died from injuries from a Jan. 26 fire in a home on N. Maryland Avenue. Investigators suspect that fire was started by a space heater. The state Fire Marshals office is investigating that case.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com.
A coalition of progressive young voter groups this week blasted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), calling for the party to change course now and take a stronger stance against the Trump administration.

Chuck Schumer, your leadership is failing to meet the moment, reads the letter, titled Gen Z to Schumer: Fight for Us or Step Aside, after he and nine other Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to move a GOP-crafted bill to advance a government-funding measure last week.

The letter called the move just the latest example of how you and other Democratic leaders are driving young people away from the Democratic Party. It was signed by organizers from Sunrise Movement, College Democrats of America, Gen Z Against Trump, United We Dream Action and Voters of Tomorrow.

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Instead of taking a stand against Trumps illegal actions to gut our healthcare, dismantle public education, attack immigrants and trans people, and tear up climate action, you supported a budget that gave tax cuts to Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire buddies. You sided against us.

The Schumer callout comes as the Senate Democrat faces frustration from within his party over his support of the GOP funding bill. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) suggested it may be time for Senate Democrats to choose a new leader, among other voices who are raising questions about his future amid the party infighting.

But Schumer has defended his vote and his status in leadership.

I thought I did the thing a leader should do. Even when people dont see the danger around the curve, my job was to alert people to it, and I knew Id get some bullets, he told CBS Mornings this week, adding Im the best leader for the Senate.

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Young voters helped boost former President Biden to victory in 2020, and while they favored former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024, she underperformed with the demographic as turnout dropped and some shifted to the right.

Now, as Democrats soul-search in the wake of the partys November losses, liberal young voter groups are urging party leaders to take a stronger stance against Trumps barrage of executive action and crackdown on the federal government or risk losing more ground with the bloc.

Obstruct the MAGA agenda with every tool you have, the letter demanded, along with directives to prove youre on our side and give us something to vote for. The youth groups that signed the letter all notably supported Harris in 2024.

If Democrats dont change course now, you will cede even more young and working-class voters in 2026, 2028, and beyond. That would have devastating consequences, not just in 2026 but for generations to come, the letter continued.

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Democrats, this is your wake-up call. If you refuse to fight for our future, we will find leaders who will. The choice is yours.

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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Houston Methodist nurses are using an adapted screening tool at the bedside to assess whether patients have true penicillin allergies, thus enabling their care teams to offer them the most appropriate antibiotics without delay.

This 'delabeling' initiative, which encompasses several specialties across Houston Methodist hospitals, gives patients once considered penicillin-allergic access to life-saving medications immediately, reducing prolonged hospital stays and potentially reducing deaths.

The initiative to scrutinize penicillin allergies, led by M. Yasser Alsafadi, M.D., an infectious diseases physician and medical director of Houston Methodist's Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, set out to re-evaluate patient penicillin allergies and delabel charts when appropriate so that patients can be given the most effective antibiotics.

Alsafadi and his team believe including frontline nurses in the re-evaluation reduces challenges doctors face when they're unable to prescribe penicillin and its derivatives and instead must give patients second-line antibiotics that are not as effective.

"When patients are mistakenly labeled as allergic to penicillin, doctors are forced to prescribe broader-spectrum antibiotics that can be less effective, more toxic and contribute to antibiotic resistance," Alsafadi said. The initiative harnessed the PEN-FAST clinical tool, a set of questions developed to identify patients with little to no risk of a real penicillin allergy.

"We adapted this screening tool and handed it over to our nurses, empowering them to do it on admission," Alsafadi said. "The uniqueness of our approach is that we're relying on a strong partnership with frontline nurses, who are the biggest workforce in the hospital, so having them as partners in this process of improving the assessment and management of penicillin allergies is very powerful."

Penicillin allergy is one of the most commonly reported medication allergies in the U.S., with about 10% of the population reporting they are allergic to penicillin. But the CDC says only about 1% of the population is truly allergic, and most people labeled as being allergic can likely tolerate the medication safely.

Reclassifying penicillin allergies also allows physicians to give more patients the most effective antibiotics prior to surgeries. The antibiotic of choice for prophylaxis for most procedures is cefazolin, which is a cousin of penicillin, and providing it prior to surgical procedures increases the likelihood of better outcomes by preemptively fighting infections, reducing complications and ensuring faster recovery by preventing the introduction of harmful bacteria during or after surgery.

However, when a patient has a penicillin allergy label, prescribers assume the patient is allergic to all antibiotics in this family and often avoid providing cefazolin, which illustrates the indirect ramifications of these penicillin allergy mislabels.

This two-year, systemwide initiative includes Houston Methodist's infectious diseases, nursing, pharmacy, Information Technology (IT), electronic clinical decision support, and data and analytics teams, and captures real-time statistics for sustainable and reproducible results.

Team members include Shivani Patel, Pharm.D., B.C.P.S., with the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, and clinical infectious diseases specialist Wesley Hoffmann, Pharm.D., B.C.I.D.P.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD)  The community is invited to participate in a reentry simulation on Thursday.

The YWCAs Labyrinth program works with previously incarcerated women. So, YWCA McLean County, the Bloomington/Normal Hub of Envisioning Justice, a project of Illinois Humanities joined together to host the reentry simulation.

The public event will give participants a look into the life of the previously incarcerated when trying to reintegrate back into society. According to the YWCA the simulation will spark ideas for improving policies, workplace practices, and community support systems.

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Participants will be provided a life card detailing criminal history, housing and employment. They will also receive a list of tasks they must finish under supervision.

Then for two hours, participants will replicate four weeks in the life of a returning citizen. Theyll maneuver through services including probation, the bank, court and social services.

Bloomington Housing Fair provides resources for all housing needs

Kara Powell, YWCA Labyrinth Program Director, said sometimes people dont understand the obstacles others face when navigating back into society after incarceration.

If we havent experienced incarceration personally or if we dont know someone who has, I think its really easy to think, okay, so they are out and, you know, get a job, get a place to live and move forward. You know, take care of yourself and all of that. And the reality is its just not that easy, she said.

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Powell said one of the barriers people face is not having a birth certificate, ID or any other documentation needed to get a job.

In a press release, The YWCA said, Successful reentry benefits more than just individuals. By supporting returning citizens, we reduce recidivism, strengthen neighborhoods, and create safer, more resilient communities.

The event is March 20 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Bloomington Public Library.

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By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The New Zealand Defence Force is looking to cut 374 civilian positions as it attempts to reduce costs and remain within its budget, it said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement said the defence force would disestablish 667 roles and create 293 new ones. Of these, 287 positions are currently vacant so the headcount would be reduced by about 80 civilians, it noted.

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The proposed cuts are due to the NZDF having to continue to prioritize its outputs and find the savings required to stay within its budget appropriation, while maintaining combat readiness and delivering on core military activities, a spokesman for the Defence Force said in an email.

No timeframe was given on when a final decision on the job cuts would be made.

The New Zealand Defence Force had 3,294 civilian staff, according to its 2024 annual report.

The countrys national security strategy in 2023 said that New Zealand was facing the most challenging strategic environment in decades and that the country needed to spend more money on its military. Plans to increase spending on defence, which is less that 1% of GDP, will come with the release of the Defence Capability plan. The plan was due last year but is expected soon.

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New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said the job cuts were an operational matter for the New Zealand Defence Force.

I trust the NZDF is ensuring taxpayer dollars are being spent to achieve maximum effect while prioritising military outputs, Collins said.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
Ukraine has agreed to a US proposal for a temporary pause in attacks on energy infrastructure in the three-year war launched by Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X on Wednesday following a phone call with US President Donald Trump.

"One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure," Zelensky said in a statement in English after the one-hour conversation.

"I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it," he added.

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It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to the proposal during a call with Trump on Tuesday.

It was initially unclear when the limited ceasefire would begin.

If implemented, it would be the first limitation on the fighting since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

During the call with Zelensky, Trump also proposed that the United States could take ownership of Ukraine's nuclear power plants as a security guarantee.

Prior to the conversation, Zelensky had called on the US to monitor the pause in attacks.

Mutual strikes

Over the course of the war, Russia has severely damaged Ukraine's energy supply with targeted missile and drone strikes, leading to the shutdown of several power plants.

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While this has imposed severe hardship on the Ukrainian population, facing repeated cuts to electricity, heating and water, the system has so far not collapsed entirely.

For its part, Ukraine has used drones to hit Russian oil refineries aiming reduce the fuel supply for the Russian army.

These attacks, which also aimed to reduce Moscow's oil revenues, posed a growing problem for the Kremlin.

While a mutual halt to the attacks on energy facilities would be the first tangible result of Trump's efforts to end the war, Putin has so far not agreed to a US proposal for a comprehensive 30-day ceasefire.

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However, US officials are set to meet with representatives from both Ukraine and Russia in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss an extension of the limited ceasefire.

US offers to take ownership of Ukrainian plants

In addition to Trump's surprise offer to take ownership of Ukrainian nuclear power plants, he and Zelensky also discussed Ukraine's electricity supply, according to Washington.

"[Trump] said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Michael Waltz said in a joint statement after the phone call between Trump and Zelensky.

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"American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure," they added.

In comments to the Financial Times newspaper, Zelensky said that only the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant had been discussed.

The government in Kiev currently controls three of its nuclear power plants, while Russia captured the fourth in Zaporizhzhya in 2022 and still occupies it.

Whether Europe's largest nuclear power plant could play a role in future security arrangements depends on whether Ukraine can regain control and put it back into operation, Zelensky told the British newspaper, adding he had discussed with Washington whether the US could take the plant back from the Russians.

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Ukraine's nuclear power plants have been the backbone of the country's electricity supply because many coal-fired power plants have been damaged in the war.

The Kiev government has also decided to build more reactors.
President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Oslo on March 20 to hold talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, the Norwegian government said.

"I look forward to constructive discussions on how Norway can best provide assistance to Ukraine in both the short term and the long term," Stoere said in a statement.

The visit comes ahead of Zelensky's scheduled online address to the European summit later the same day. Also on March 20, the U.K. is hosting military leaders from over 20 countries to discuss a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine within the so-called "coalition of the willing."

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"Norway supports Ukraine in its fight to defend itself and is contributing to the effort to achieve a lasting, just peace in the country," Norway's prime minister noted.

Stoere and Zelensky will hold a series of meetings on March 20. Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Defense Minister Tore Sandvik are also scheduled to meet members of Zelensky's delegation during the visit.

Norway has supported Ukraine since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Earlier this month, Norwegian parliamentary leaders agreed to increase aid for Ukraine by 50 billion Norwegian krone ($4.6 billion) to a total of 85 billion Norwegian krone ($7.8 billion) in 2025.

Read also: Putin is stalling  Trump ceasefire call met with skepticism in Kyiv

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A new shipment of Western F-16 fighter jets has arrived in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to journalists on March 19.

The president stated that several F-16s had arrived but did not reveal the exact number of jets delivered.

"Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. The Russians lied that they shot down something there, they didn't shoot anything down. And the good news is that several F-16 aircraft have arrived in Ukraine," Zelensky told reporters during a briefing, RBC Ukraine reported.

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Earlier in the day Russian media claimed that an F-16 jets was downed in Sumy Oblast, a claim that Ukraine's Air Force denied.

Zelensky did not specify from where the jets were delivered from.

Ukraine has been requesting F-16s since the start of Russias full-scale invasion, with the first jets arriving in August 2024 after approval from several Western countries.

Several countries have contributed F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine's defense efforts, with the Netherlands  who announced the continued deployment of F-16s to Ukraine  playing a significant role by committing 24 F-16s.

Denmark has pledged 19 F-16s, with initial deliveries made in 2024, while Norway has promised between 6 and 22 aircraft. Belgium has also announced its intention to supply F-16s, though the exact number remains undisclosed.

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F-16s are used in both offensive and defensive operations. The aircraft have been used for intercepting Russian missiles and drones during aerial strikes against Ukraine. They could also be deployed to launch missiles and bombs at Russian positions along the front line.

Read also: Russias Engels air base ablaze after Ukrainian drone strike, Kyiv says

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that talks with President Trump about ownership of Ukrainian nuclear power plants focused only on the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is currently under Russian occupation.

Zelensky said ownership was not discussed specifically, but that a U.S. role in controlling the plant was a question of whether we are able to recover it and recover operations, according to The Financial Times.

Zelensky made his remarks during a Zoom briefing with reporters Wednesday night. According to a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz, Trump proposed American ownership of Ukraines electrical supply and nuclear power plants during a phone call with Zelensky on Wednesday.

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The Ukrainian president said he was exploring with Trump whether there could be an understanding that the U.S. could recover [the power plant].

and the president asked, What if there is an understanding that America can restore it? Zelensky described to reporters. I told him [Trump]: Yes, if it is possible to modernize, invest money, etc., we are ready to discuss it with you. But we spoke exclusively about one station that is under temporary occupation by Russia.

Trump said the U.S. could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure, according to the readout.

The New York Times reported Tuesday that Trump views control of Ukraines nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia as important to eventually expand Ukraines critical mineral extraction industry, part of an economic deal the U.S. is pushing on Kyiv.

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The power plant is occupied by Russian forces and is on the front line of fighting in the southeastern region of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared annexation of four Ukrainian regions in September 2022, including Zaporizhzhia, despite Russian forces only having limited control. Most of the world has not recognized Russias claims.

Updated: 1:55 p.m.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday indirectly criticized Hungary's blockade of his country's accession to the European Union, saying it is "anti-European" for one person to block decisions affecting everyone on the continent.

"Its simply anti-European when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon," he said in a video link to the summit of EU leaders in Brussels.

Zelensky did not mention any country by name, but Hungary had recently prevented joint EU statements on Ukraine. In addition, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has repeatedly criticized the EU's accession talks with Ukraine.

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The EU opened accession negotiations with Ukraine last year. But Zelensky said that while Ukraine has fulfilled the requirements for further talks, there were considerable difficulties in making headway.

Warning against empty promises from Moscow

The Ukrainian leader also warned that Russia cannot be trusted.

Moscow often promises something and a few hours later it means nothing, he said, adding that this is why international pressure on Russia must be maintained despite diplomatic peace initiatives.

He pointed to the heavy Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kropyvnytskyi overnight, which resulted in casualties.

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He said that he had constructive talks with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday about upcoming negotiations between the two countries in Saudi Arabia.

Hope of limiting the fighting

"Ukraine has been advocating for what we are discussing now  an end to attacks on energy and infrastructure and a ceasefire at sea," he said.

The reciprocal renunciation of attacks on energy facilities brokered by Trump this week could be the first curbs placed on the fighting since an agreement on Ukrainian grain exports, which was not extended in 2023.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 19 that he had discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump the possibility of U.S. assistance in restoring the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear facility in Europe, currently under Russian occupation.

"Water supply, technical staff, and many more steps to ensure that in a year and a half to two and a half, the plant starts to bring money and electricity to people. This is my vision," Zelensky said during a Zoom briefing for journalists.

The Zaporizhzhia plant's location, the city of Enerhodar in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on the east bank of the Dnipro River, remains under Russian occupation, and Ukraine has no access to the surrounding territory.

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During the phone call, Trump suggested to Zelensky that the U.S. could be "very helpful in running the plants with its electricity and utility expertise" and that "American ownership of those plants would be the best protection," the White House said, without naming specific facilities.

During the March 19 briefing, Zelensky noted that Trump, during their phone call, had asked whether the U.S. could play a role in rebuilding the facility.

"Yes, if we can modernize it, invest money. This can be discussed, but we talked about only one station," Zelensky said.

Zelensky confirmed on March 14 that the fate of the Zaporizhzhia plant and adjacent Russian-occupied territories had been discussed with the U.S. during bilateral talks in Saudi Arabia a week earlier.

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While the station remains under Russian control, it does not generate electricity. The facility has been repeatedly disconnected from Ukraine's power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure. Moscow has ignored calls to relinquish control of the facility.

Experts told the Kyiv Independent that regaining control over the plant is challenging for Ukraine and that maintaining a military presence there without liberating the surrounding areas remains unlikely.

Ukraine and its allies have consistently urged Russia to withdraw its troops from the plant, warning of nuclear safety risks posed by its militarization.

Russian forces continue to occupy about 20% of Ukraine, with reports of systematic repression, torture, and forced deportations emerging from occupied territories.

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Read also: Russian airbase in Saratov Oblast reportedly on fire after heaviest drone attack on region

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Ukraines nuclear power plants belong to the people of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky declared, after the US proposed taking ownership of the stations as part of a ceasefire deal.



Donald Trump told his Ukrainian counterpart on Wednesday that a US takeover of nuclear power in Ukraine would offer the best protection for the countrys infrastructure against Russian attacks.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian leader, however, dismissed the idea, saying he would not discuss any handover of his countrys power facilities, including Zaporizhzhia  the largest nuclear plant in Europe, which was captured by Russia in 2022.

We will not discuss it. We have 15 nuclear power units in operation today. This all belongs to our state, Mr Zelensky said.

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He added that he could not legally negotiate ownership of the vast Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant, which before the war supplied half of Ukraines energy, but was open to talking about US investment once Ukraine got it back.

In a display of the US presidents shifting designs for peace, the White House on Wednesday said that it had moved beyond the long-contested rare minerals deal which would give the US access to rare earth minerals worth $300 billion.

Anything is possible with the Americans

The new proposal also raises difficult questions about Ukraines sovereignty, while experts have questioned whether such a move would even be logistically or financially feasible.

Anything is possible with the Americans, but this is something quite unusual, a former senior Ukrainian official said.

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The Americans would own it  and on what grounds? It belongs to Ukraine, they told Reuters. Will they buy it? Will they take it as a concession? Many questions.

It comes as US negotiators are set to meet both Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday for the next round of talks on a potential peace deal.

Mr Zelensky, who had a frank hour-long call with Mr Trump on Wednesday, said the US-Ukraine meeting would be separate from Russias talks with the US.

A Russian soldier patrols the territory of Ukraines Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station in May 2022 - ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP

As Europe scrambles to weigh in on plans for peace in Ukraine, EU leaders met in Brussels. The gathering resulted in 26 member states issuing a statement backing Kyiv, although without the support of Hungarys Viktor Orban, who has close ties to Vladimir Putin.

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The heads of state and government discussed the European Commissions 800bn ReArm Europe project two days after Putin rejected Mr Trumps demand for a full ceasefire in Ukraine.

Speaking by video call, Mr Zelensky urged the EU to step up weapons supplies as he accused Russia of continuing to strike Ukraines energy system despite Putin agreeing a halt with the US president.

Yesterday evening, another Russian strike hit our energy infrastructure, he said. Despite Putins words about allegedly being ready to stop the attacks  nothing has changed.

Over two hours of discussions on Ukraine, the EU, the leaders cast doubt on the negotiations between Mr Trump and Putin.

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An EU official told The Telegraph: There was a shared view that no real negotiations are taking place at the moment. Leaders also exchanged about the best ways to have an influence on the process.

There was strong agreement, as reflected at the conclusions at 26, on the need to continue to support Ukraine politically and militarily. Many leaders also underscored the need to speed up the accession negotiations of Ukraine to the EU.

Starmer says coalition of the willing proposals coming together

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer hosted 30 senior military leaders from nations interested in his coalition of the willing near London to hash out plans for an international peacekeeping force for Ukraine.

The Prime Minister said afterwards that proposals were coming together and the focus was now on turning the political intention of security guarantees for Ukraine into reality.

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Whether thats in relation to what might happen at sea or air or defending borders, and those plans are coming together, Sir Keir told the military planners.

It marked the second such meeting of defence chiefs to consolidate support for Ukraine since the USs shifting policy on Ukraine and possible disengagement from the conflict.

Sir Keir Starmer met with military leaders of nations interested in joining the coalition of the willing - PA/Alistair Grant

Despite ongoing negotiations towards a temporary truce, Ukraine and Russia traded another heavy night of aerial attacks.

Ukraine said Russia had launched 171 long-range drones, claiming to have shot down 75 while another 63 were lost likely due to jamming.

Russia said it destroyed 132 Ukrainian drones in six Russian regions, while claiming Ukraine launched its largest ever attack on the Saratov region.

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Ukraine was targeting a key military airbase deep inside Russia which houses Putins nuclear-capable strategic bombers.

Footage showed a large mushroom cloud rising above the Engels airbase in Saratov, southern Russia, home to Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers which regularly launch missiles at Ukrainian cities.

It was the third such attack on the airbase, which is 435 miles from the front line in Ukraine, in 10 weeks. Ukraines defence ministry said its forces had struck the airfield and triggered secondary detonations of ammunition.

As a clear military target, Engels airbase would not constitute a breach of the partial ceasefire on attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure that Ukraine and Russia have both said they support.

06:44 PM GMT

Todays live coverage has ended. Heres a round-up of the days events:

Zelensky dismissed Trumps plan to takeover Ukraines power plants

EU leaders reaffirmed their support for Kyiv at peace summit

Starmer met with military leaders from nations interested in his coalition of the willing

Trumps aides to meet Russian and Ukrainian officials separately on Monday

Ukraine launched a major drone attack on a Russian nuclear bomber base

Ukrainian forces are not encircled in Kursk, according to US intelligence

Kremlin accuses Europe of turning itself the party of war

Zelensky vowed their will be no Berlin Wall across Ukrainian cities

06:35 PM GMT

Russia can only exist in a state of war, warns top Zelensky aide

Russia can only exist in a state of war, a top aide to Volodymyr Zelensky has warned.

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Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian president and main negotiator during the initial 2022 peace talks, said that Vladimir Putin stood to benefit from dragging out negotiations to end the invasion of Ukraine, and that had been reflected in the Russian leaders negotiating tactics with the US.

In an interview with The Telegraph on Wednesday afternoon, shortly after Mr Zelensky spoke with Donald Trump, Mr Podolyak urged the White House to take more decisive action on the war and also called on the European Union to accelerate its own plans to support Kyiv and implement further sanctions on Moscow.

There is one rule for negotiating with Russia: if you agree to something today, the price tomorrow will be higher, he said. Russia can only exist in a state of war.

Sowing chaos in global relations is a priority for Russia. It is important for them that the concept of violence dominates. We just need to discuss all these mutual misunderstandings at the negotiating table, with both the EU and US, because our interests are synchronised, Mr Podolyak said.

Mykhaylo Podolyak says there is one rule for negotiating with Russia: if you agree to something today, the price tomorrow will be higher - Future Publishing

06:25 PM GMT

Starmer: Putin will absolutely breach peace deal if no security guarantees included

Keir Starmer warned that Vladimir Putin will breach any peace deal if security guarantees for Ukraine are not included.

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Speaking after his meetings with allied military leaders, he said: Whats happening here is turning that political intention into reality, the concept into plans.

He continued: It is vitally important we do that work because we know one thing for certain, which is a deal without anything behind it is something that Putin will breach.

We know that because it happened before. Im absolutely clear in my mind it will happen again.

06:03 PM GMT

Pictured: Ukraines troops train near the eastern frontline

Ukraines 59th Shkval Battalion train close to the frontline in the Donbas - Shutterstock

05:39 PM GMT

Starmer: Plans for protecting Ukraine ceasefire coming together

Sir Keir Starmer said that plans for allied countries to safeguard a potential Ukraine ceasefire were coming together, after senior military officials from nations interested in his coalition of the willing met in the UK.

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The Prime Minister said the talks were focused on turning the political intention of security guarantees for Ukraine into reality.

Whether thats in relation to what might happen at sea or air or defending borders, and those plans are coming together, he added.

Keir Starmer met with military planners to map out next steps to protect a ceasefire in Ukraine in Northwood, London - Alastair Grant/AP

05:22 PM GMT

Listen to todays episode of Ukraine: The Latest

05:10 PM GMT

Zelensky hangs up on Macron during press briefing

Volodymyr Zelensky picked up a call from Emmanuel Macron, only to tell him that hed have to phone him back because he was on a live video briefing with journalists.

In a strange scene streamed live to reporters, the Ukrainian leader immediately identified the caller, saying: Sorry Emmanuel, I [was] just having a conversation with some journalists.

Can I ring you back in some minutes, 15-20 minutes? Yes please, thank you, Emmanuel. OK, great. Bye, bye, he said, before putting the phone down.

Then, adopting a more formal tone, he told the waiting journalists: That was President Macron, we have a conversation on average once a day, hes helping a lot.

04:56 PM GMT

Russia denies setting fire to Lithuanian Ikea store

Russia has denied setting fire to an Ikea outlet in Lithuania, after prosecutors suggested it could have been targeted by Moscow because the chains logo uses the same colours as the Ukrainian flag.

Maria Zakharova, the Russian foreign ministry spokesman, said the accusations were baseless and driven by Russophobia.

They need to see a doctor. Russophobia is a disease and a diagnosis, she said.

04:50 PM GMT

Trump did not mention Crimea during phone call, Zelensky says

Donald Trump did not raise the topic of Crimea with Volodymyr Zelensky during their phone call on Wednesday, the Ukrainian leader said.

That [Crimea] is a Ukrainian peninsula, President Trump did not raise this with me, Mr Zelensky said.

We once talked about Crimea back in September (2024) in New York. He was interested in what it looks like, why Ukrainians love it so much, he added.

It came after a report this week said Washington was considering recognising Crimean as Russian territory as part of a potential peace deal with Russia.

Crimea has been occupied by Russia since 2014, when it annexed the territory after pro-Russian Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych was overthrown in the Maidan revolution.

04:08 PM GMT

What Telegraph readers are saying...

03:57 PM GMT

US to meet Russian and Ukrainian officials separately on Monday

US negotiators are set to meet both Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Monday for the next round of talks on a potential peace deal.

Volodymyr Zelensky said the US-Ukraine meeting would be separate from that of the US and Russia, which the Kremlin said would be held in the Saudi capital of Riyadh on the same day.

The Ukrainian leader yesterday said his delegation would discuss technical issues regarding a partial ceasefire that bans attacks on energy infrastructure.

He today said he had drawn up a list of buildings that must not be targeted by Vladimir Putin, adding that he would hand it to the US to give to Russia.

03:44 PM GMT

Ukraine launches major drone attack on Russian strategic bomber base

Ukraine has launched a major drone attack on a key military airfield near a Russian strategic bomber base, causing local officials to declare a state of emergency.

Footage posted on Telegram shows a large mushroom cloud rising above Engels in Saratov, southern Russia, home to Vladimir Putins Tu-95 and Tu-160 nuclear-capable heavy bombers.

Roman Busargin, governor of the Saratov region, said the drone attack had left the airfield on fire and that nearby residents had been evacuated.

Russian state media later said there were 10 victims of the attack, but did not provide further details.

The base in Engels, around 435 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, has been used as a launch base for Russian planes in the war.

It hosts the 121st Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment, a unit of the Russian Aerospace Forces long-range aviation and also stores Kh-101 and Kh-55 cruise missiles.

As a military target, the attack would not constitute a breach of a partial ceasefire that was agreed between Russia and Ukraine covering civilian and energy infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelensky admitted last night that a partial ceasefire with Russia would likely not come into effect until it was agreed upon in a document.

I understand that until we agree (with Russia), until there is a corresponding document on even a partial ceasefire, I think that everything will fly, Mr Zelensky told reporters last night.

02:29 PM GMT

Zelensky draws up list of buildings for Russia not to target

Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has drawn up a list of Ukrainian buildings that must not be targeted by Vladimir Putin under a limited ceasefire deal that bans attacks on energy infrastructure.

He said he will give the list to the US who will hand it over to the Russians.

02:20 PM GMT

Zelensky praises increased Norwegian support to Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky has praised Norways decision to raise support to Ukraine to almost $8 billion (6.17 billion).

It truly adds up to our long term confidence, and it is a very strong, very powerful contribution, he said during a joint press conference with Jonas Gahr Store, Norways prime minister.

We need to continue to pressure Russia so that Putin stops manipulations and makes the concrete steps that all the world wants, the Ukrainian leader added.

Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for a meeting with the Norwegian prime minister at the prime ministers residence - Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB Scanpix

02:10 PM GMT

Starmer: We must be ready to react quickly to any Ukraine peace deal

Sir Keir Starmer was warned that Britain must be ready to react quickly should there be a peace deal struck between Russia and Ukraine.

Were working at pace because we dont know if therell be a deal. I certainly hope there will be, but if theres a deal, its really important that were able to react straight away, the Prime Minister told reporters.

[Our] plans are focusing on keeping the sky safe, the sea safe and the border safe and secure in Ukraine, and working with the Ukrainians, he said.

01:22 PM GMT

Russian glide bombs kill 1 in Sumy

A Russian glide bomb attack on the village of Krasnopillia in the Sumy region of Ukraine killed one person and injured another, Ukrainian authorities said.

The Sumy military administration said that Russia had dropped six glide bombs on the village and that reports indicate one person was killed and another was injured as a result of the attack.

An apartment building, a private house and a shopping center were damaged, it added.

12:59 PM GMT

Kremlin names date for next Russia-US talks

The next Russia-US talks on Ukraine will take place on March 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Kremlin said.

We agreed with Mr Waltz (the US national security adviser) that consultations on this matter in a bilateral format will be conducted by experts appointed by the presidents, Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putins foreign policy aide, said.

These consultations will take place on Monday, March 24, in Riyadh, he added.

Mr Ushankov said the Russian delegation will be headed by Grigory Karasin, a senator and career diplomat, and Sergei Beseda, an adviser to the director of Russias FSB security agency.

The talks will mainly concern ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea, he said.

12:29 PM GMT

Pictured: Russian Grad launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions

A Russian Grad self-propelled multiple rocket launcher fires towards Ukrainian positions in Ukraine, Mar 20 - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

11:44 AM GMT

Up to 250,000 Russians killed in Ukraine since 2022, MoD says

Between 200,000 to 250,000 Russian troops have been killed in Ukraine since the invasion in February 2022, the Ministry of Defence has said.

Russian forces have suffered approximately 900,000 casualties in total including dead and wounded, it added.

Ukraines general staff earlier posted a similar update, saying that Russia had suffered 899,470 casualties as of March 20.

A project by the BBC and Russian independent news site Mediazona has recorded the names of 97,994 Russian soldiers killed since 2022 using a variety of publicly available sources.

Using excess mortality data, they estimated that as of February Russia had lost a total of 165,000 soldiers.

11:19 AM GMT

10 victims of Ukrainian drone attack on Russias Saratov region

Russian state media has reported that there were 10 victims of Ukraines drone attack on its Saratov region, which hit a key military airfield near a strategic bomber base.

It is not clear if the number refers to dead or injured.

A state of emergency was declared in the Engels district of the region after what governor Roman Busargin said was the largest-ever attack it had faced by enemy drones.

Mr Busagarin added that the attack left the airfield on fire and that nearby residents were evacuated.

A smoke cloud rises after a Ukrainian drone attack on Russias Saratov region - X

10:58 AM GMT

Pictured: Aftermath of overnight Russian drone strike

A vehicle is shown burning after an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukraines Kirovohrad region, in an image posted on X by Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian leader said the attack wounded 10 people, including four children, and caused damage to homes, a church and other infrastructure.

He thanked everyone who works on the ground and helps to eliminate the consequences of Russian terror.

A vehicle is shown burning after an overnight Russian drone strike on Ukraines Kirovohrad region - X

10:46 AM GMT

Ukrainian peacekeeping force will need full US involvement

A coalition of the willing planning to deploy a peacekeeping force in Ukraine will only be able to proceed if there is full US involvement, the German ambassador to Britain has suggested.

Miguel Berger said the US will need to provide intelligence, air surveillance and air defence as part of any post-war security guarantee.

Asked if a US proposal of taking control of Ukrainian power plants would be enough of a security guarantee for the coalition to press ahead, Mr Berger told Times Radio: To take over Ukrainian assets is not what we understand as a US backstop.

What we would need is a full US involvement  intelligence, air surveillance, air defence  so that Russia understands that if they would violate a ceasefire agreement, it would mean that they violated also not only against European troops and Ukrainian, but also against the US.

So the US has to be fully involved to make this operational.

10:20 AM GMT

Pictured: Ukrainian rescuers attend site of Russian drone attack

Rescuers are shown working at the site of an overnight Russian drone strike on residential buildings in Kropyvnytskyi in central Ukraine

The attack was reported to have wounded eight people, including a child.

Rescuers working at a site of a Russian drone strike in Kropyvnytskyi - HANDOUT/AFP

10:17 AM GMT

Ukrainian forces not encircled in Kursk

Ukrainian soldiers fighting in the Kursk region of Russia have not been encircled by Moscows troops, according to a report.

US intelligence shared with the White House found that Kyivs troops have lost ground but are not surrounded, three US and European officials told the Reuters news agency.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin have both claimed in recent weeks that Ukrainian forces in Kursk were encircled, with the Russian leader saying on March 13 that they would need to surrender or die.

Mr Trump repeated the claim about encircled Ukrainian troops during a speech on Monday and a TV interview on Tuesday.

10:08 AM GMT

Kremlin: Next US-Russia talks could take place Sunday or next week

The next US-Russia talks on Ukraine could take place on Sunday or early next week, the Kremlin said.

It may not be Sunday itself, the nuances are being agreed. It could be the start, the very start, of next week, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, said.

The two countries will discuss ways to ensure safe shipping in the Black Sea and other aspects of a Ukraine peace settlement, Peskov said.

He added that Russian participants of the talks would be named in due course.

We will inform in due course who will represent the Russian side. I am not ready to do this yet, Peskov said.

09:55 AM GMT

Europe has become the party of war, Kremlin says

Europe is rapidly militarising and has turned itself into a party of war, the Kremlin has said.

It added that Europes actions were at odds with those of Russia and the US, which it said were attempting to reach a peace settlement in Ukraine.

Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin press secretary, said: The signals from Brussels and European capitals now mainly concern plans to militarise Europe, which is clearly at odds with the attitude of the presidents of Russia and the United States to seek ways to enter into a peaceful settlement process.

Europe has so far gone into militarising itself and has rather turned into a party of war.

09:49 AM GMT

No Berlin Wall in Ukrainian cities, Zelensky vows

Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian towns or cities that would fall along a demarcation line in the event of a ceasefire should be emptied of their residents.

The Ukrainian leader said: There are regions, there are cities and towns that are cut off by a contact line, and if in some places you leave this line in place, you will simply leave these cities or towns without life; no one will return to half of the city.

He added: I told President Trump honestly: Do we want Berlin? I think we both understood that this was not an option. The Berlin Wall is not an option.

09:28 AM GMT

EU leaders prepare for peace summit

European leaders are gathering in Brussels for another peace summit centred around the war in Ukraine.

Speaking before the summit, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, said: These are decisive days for Europe.

Our Europe editor James Crisp in Brussels ahead of the summit - well bring you updates as they come in.

Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, arrives at the summit in Brussels - REUTERS

09:04 AM GMT

UK has capacity for peacekeeping force, minister insists

The UK does currently have the military resources and personnel to play its part in a peacekeeping force in Ukraine, a defence minister insisted this morning.

Military experts have questioned whether Britain has enough troops and equipment to sustain a major deployment on the continent.

But Luke Pollard said the UK would be able to answer the call.

Asked if the nation would have enough forces to act today, he told the BBC: Yes. If asked to, the brave men and women of our armed forces have the ability to be able to do this.

He would not be drawn on how many British troops could be sent to Ukraine as part of an international peacekeeping force.

It doesnt benefit anyone except Putin for us to outline our force structure, he sa

08:34 AM GMT

UK set for another coalition of the willing meeting

Dozens of military chiefs from countries keen to help protect an eventual ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine will meet in Britain on Thursday to discuss planning for a peacekeeping force.

Sir Keir Starmer, who has led the proposal alongside Emmanuel Macron, is expected to address the meeting of roughly 30 military officials.

It comes after Russia repeated its demand that western peacekeepers must not be part of any deal and demanded that Europe and the US end all military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Starmer and Macron have been trying to build the coalition since Donald Trump opened direct negotiations with Russia last month to end the three-year-long war.

They say the group is necessary - along with US support - to provide Ukraine with security guarantees that would deter Putin from violating any ceasefire.

08:24 AM GMT

Starmer speaks with Saudi leader

Sir Keir Starmer spoke with Mohammed bin Salman, the leader of Saudi Arabia, last night, congratulating him on his pivotal role in US-led ceasefire talks in Jeddah last week.

Both leaders agreed that securing a just a lasting peace is in everyones interest, and they both looked forward to seeing progress as talks resume on Sunday, a statement from No10 read.

Saudi Arabia has become a key mediator in the war between Russia and Ukraine, hosting talks between US officials and both countries.

More talks between Russia and the US are set to take place in Riyadh later this week, according to Steve Witkoff, Donald Trumps most trusted negotiator.

08:06 AM GMT

Watch: Ukraine strikes Engels military base in Russia

An airfield near a Russian strategic bomber base is on fire after a major Ukrainian drone attack in southern Russia, according to Russian officials and state media.

The base in Engels, about 700 km (435 miles) from the front lines in Ukraine, hosts Russias Tupolev Tu-160 nuclear capable heavy strategic bombers.

Roman Busargin, the governor of Saratov, said there had been a Ukrainian drone attack on the town of Engels that had left an airfield on fire and that nearby residents had been evacuated.

A state of emergency has been declared by authorities.

07:56 AM GMT

US and Ukraine closer than ever, claims UK defence minister

The US and Ukraine are now closer than ever on their positions on ending the war with Russia, a UK armed forces minister claimed this morning.

Luke Pollard said Washington and Kyiv were strongly supporting each other after a bumpy start to the relationship between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky since the formers return to the White House.

Meanwhile, Mr Pollard would not be drawn on the wisdom of a mooted US plan to take control of Ukrainian energy infrastructure to deter Russian attacks.

Asked specifically about the suggestion of the US taking ownership of Ukraines power plants following a call between Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky, Mr Pollard would not be drawn, telling Sky News: The bit that I take from the calls is that Ukraine and the United States are closer than ever on their positions, strongly supporting each other.

The ball is really in Russias court here. They are the ones that arent seeking an immediate ceasefire, they are the ones who are seeking to continue this war.

07:36 AM GMT

Pictured: Russian POWs released by Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 372 prisoners of war on Wednesday in what was described as a confidence-building measure ahead of potential peace talks.

Moscow also released an extra 22 wounded soldiers in need of immediate medical attention.

A group of Russian soldiers wave as they sit in a bus after being released in a prisoners swap between Russia and Ukraine - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

07:15 AM GMT

Putin fears our nuclear weapons, insists Starmer

Vladimir Putin fears Britains nuclear weapons, Sir Keir Starmer has insisted.

The Prime Minister said Trident had proved incredibly effective since its introduction in the 1990s, and that it continued to be a crucial deterrent, with the Russian president resisting Donald Trumps efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.

Sir Keir has also been urged to offer Europe Britains nuclear protection, amid fears Mr Trump will scale back security guarantees for the continent.

He focused on the effect Trident has on Moscows thinking ahead of a visit to Barrow on Thursday, where he will usher in the next generation of submarines to carry the missiles. I think they appreciate our capability. What is obviously important is that they appreciate that it is what it is, which is a credible capability.

07:06 AM GMT

Kyiv says Russia launched 171 drones over Ukraine

Russia launched 171 drones over Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said this morning.

During the night the enemy attacked with 171 drones, the air force said in a statement, adding that it had downed 75 drones and that 63 others were lost from its radars without making damage.

06:59 AM GMT

This is what Putins ceasefire looks like

Russia launched one of its largest-ever attacks on the city of Kropyvnytskyi overnight, injuring at least four children.

Authorities reported that 10 people were injured in total, with one of the victims in critical condition with surface burns covering 90% of their body.

Dozens of drones were launched at the central Ukrainian city overnight, striking homes and residential buildings. Ukrzaliznytsia, Ukraines railway authority, reported that railway infrastructure had been damaged as a result of the attack.

Andriy Yermak, Volodymyr Zelenskys chief of staff, has posted a picture of Russias attack on Kropyvnytskyi, which injured at least 10 people.

This is what Putins ceasefire looks like. Russia takes great pleasure in attacking civilians, he wrote.

06:56 AM GMT

Welcome to our live coverage

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Well bring you the latest news and analysis throughout the day.

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President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting Norway on 20 March.

Source: press service of the Norwegian government

Details: The aircraft carrying Zelenskyy landed on Thursday. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre is the host for the presidents visit.

Stre said he was very pleased to have the opportunity to welcome Zelenskyy to Norway. Norway is firmly committed to supporting Ukraine. The prime minister said that all parties in the Stortinget [Norwegian parliament  ed.] recently reached an agreement to increase funding for Ukraine.

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It is noted that President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Stre will hold several meetings on 20 March.

Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide, and Defence Minister Tore Sandvik will also take part in a working meeting with the Ukrainian president's delegation.

For security reasons, the details of the president's visit to Norway are not disclosed.

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Credit: The Craft Wonder from Pexels

Though we learn so much during our first years of life, we can't, as adults, remember specific events from that time. Researchers have long believed we don't hold onto these experiences because the part of the brain responsible for saving memoriesthe hippocampusis still developing well into adolescence and just can't encode memories in our earliest years. But new Yale research finds evidence that's not the case.

In a study, Yale researchers showed infants new images and later tested whether they remembered them. When an infant's hippocampus was more active upon seeing an image the first time, they were more likely to appear to recognize that image later.

The findings, published in Science, indicate that memories can indeed be encoded in our brains in our first years of life. And the researchers are now looking into what happens to those memories over time.

Our inability to remember specific events from the first few years of life is called "infantile amnesia." But studying this phenomenon is challenging.

"The hallmark of these types of memories, which we call episodic memories, is that you can describe them to others, but that's off the table when you're dealing with pre-verbal infants," said Nick Turk-Browne, professor of psychology in Yale's Faculty of Arts and Sciences, director of Yale's Wu Tsai Institute, and senior author of the study.

For the study, the researchers wanted to identify a robust way to test infants' episodic memories. The team, led by Tristan Yates, a graduate student at the time and now a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, used an approach in which they showed infants aged four months to two years an image of a new face, object, or scene. Later, after the infants had seen several other images, the researchers showed them a previously seen image next to a new one.

"When babies have seen something just once before, we expect them to look at it more when they see it again," said Turk-Browne. "So in this task, if an infant stares at the previously seen image more than the new one next to it, that can be interpreted as the baby recognizing it as familiar."

In the new study, the research team, which over the past decade has pioneered methods for conducting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with awake infants (which has historically been difficult because of infants' short attention spans and inability to stay still or follow directions), measured activity in the infants' hippocampus while they viewed the images.

Specifically, the researchers assessed whether hippocampal activity was related to the strength of an infant's memories. They found that the greater the activity in the hippocampus when an infant was looking at a new image, the longer the infant looked at it when it reappeared later. And the posterior part of the hippocampus (the portion closer to the back of the head) where encoding activity was strongest is the same area that's most associated with episodic memory in adults.

These findings were true across the whole sample of 26 infants, but they were strongest among those older than 12 months (half of the sample group). This age effect is leading to a more complete theory of how the hippocampus develops to support learning and memory, said Turk-Browne.

Previously, the research team found that the hippocampus of infants as young as three months old displayed a different type of memory called "statistical learning." While episodic memory deals with specific events, like, say, sharing a Thai meal with out-of-town visitors last night, statistical learning is about extracting patterns across events, such as what restaurants look like, in which neighborhoods certain cuisines are found, or the typical cadence of being seated and served.

These two types of memories use different neuronal pathways in the hippocampus. And in past animal studies, researchers have shown that the statistical learning pathway, which is found in the more anterior part of the hippocampus (the area closer to the front of the head), develops earlier than that of episodic memory.

Therefore, Turk-Browne suspected that episodic memory may appear later in infancy, around one year or older. He argues that this developmental progression makes sense when thinking about the needs of infants.

"Statistical learning is about extracting the structure in the world around us," he said. "This is critical for the development of language, vision, concepts, and more. So it's understandable why statistical learning may come into play earlier than episodic memory."

Even still, the research team's latest study shows that episodic memories can be encoded by the hippocampus earlier than previously thought, long before the earliest memories we can report as adults. So, what happens to these memories?

There are a few possibilities, says Turk-Browne. One is that the memories may not be converted into long-term storage and thus simply don't last long. Another is that the memories are still there long after encoding and we just can't access them. And Turk-Browne suspects it may be the latter.

In ongoing work, Turk-Browne's team is testing whether infants, toddlers, and children can remember home videos taken from their perspective as (younger) babies, with tentative pilot results showing that these memories might persist until preschool age before fading.

The new findings, led by Yates, provide an important connection.

"Tristan's work in humans is remarkably compatible with recent animal evidence that infantile amnesia is a retrieval problem," said Turk-Browne. "We're working to track the durability of hippocampal memories across childhood and even beginning to entertain the radical, almost sci-fi possibility that they may endure in some form into adulthood, despite being inaccessible."

More information: Tristan S. Yates et al, Hippocampal encoding of memories in human infants, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt7570. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt7570 Adam I. Ramsaran et al, Babies form fleeting memories, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adw1923, www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw1923 Journal information: Science
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has denied any discussions with Donald Trump regarding the transfer of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) or other nuclear facilities to the United States.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre in Oslo on 20 March

Details: Zelenskyy noted that Trump had asked him about the Zaporizhzhia NPP during a phone call yesterday.

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"I told him that if it's not Ukrainian, it will not work for anyone. That's illegal. It won't be able to. And we cannot simply dispose of this plant because it belongs to the state," he explained.

The Ukrainian president stressed that Ukraine was ready to discuss the issue of investments in Ukrainian NPPs and their modernisation.

"But we definitely haven't discussed the issue of ownership with President Trump," Zelenskyy said.

He added that the issue of ownership of other NPPs was not raised in the conversation with the US president either.

Background:

Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz stated that, following the conversation between Trump and Zelenskyy, the two presidents had raised the issue of Ukrainian nuclear power plants and their possible management by the US.

Last month, Zelenskyy noted that he had spoken with Trump and his team about nuclear energy and the Zaporizhzhia NPP.

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The News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he did not discuss the possibility that the US would recognize Crimea as Russian territory during his most recent call with US President Donald Trump.

Mr. President Trump did not raise this issue with me, Zelenskyy said Thursday when asked by the press about Semafors reporting that Washington is mulling the formal recognition of the peninsula as part of Russia as part of an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said that he had emphasized how important Crimea is to Ukrainians to Trump at a meeting last September, adding that the president had seemed interested in why Ukrainians love it so much.

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Crimea is a Ukrainian peninsula, Zelenskyy stressed, adding that it is being suffocated under Russias occupation.

Trump has not made a decision over recognizing Crimea as Russian, but the possibility  urging the United Nations to do the same is under consideration by the White House, two people familiar with the matter told Semafor.

Know More

Last week, Trump said negotiators had discussed dividing up certain assets, adding ahead of his call with Russias Vladimir Putin Tuesday that the two leaders would likely be talking about land, although it remains unclear if that call included any discussion of territorial concessions.

Negotiations over territory is, however, something Zelenskyy said he expected if an initial ceasefire can be achieved. For us, the red line is the recognition of the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories as Russian, he said. We will not accept this.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that his US counterpart, Donald Trump, has not brought up the issue of Russian-occupied Crimea in their discussions.

Source: Zelenskyy at a joint press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyys remarks came in response to a journalist's question regarding media reports suggesting that Trump is considering recognising occupied Crimea as Russian territory as part of a potential peace deal.

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Quote: "Trump has not raised this issue [Crimea  ed.] in talks with me. We talked about Crimea back in September in New York. He was interested in why Ukrainians love Crimea so much because he had heard about it."

More details: The Ukrainian president noted that he told Trump in that conversation that Crimea is an inseparable part of Ukraine.

Background:

It is worth noting that Zelenskyy recently acknowledged that territorial issues will be on the table in future peace negotiations to end the war.

Meanwhile, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz suggested that a future agreement to end Russias war against Ukraine could involve Ukraine ceding territories in exchange for "future security guarantees".

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has received a new batch of F-16 fighter jets.

Source: European Pravda with reference to Zelenskyy's Zoom briefing

Quote: "Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. The Russians are lying when they say they shot something down  they shot nothing down. And the good news is that several F-16 fighter jets have arrived in Ukraine."

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Details: Zelenskyy did not specify the exact number of fighter jets received.

Earlier, the Center for Countering Disinformation reported that claims of an F-16 being "shot down" over Sumy Oblast were false. This fake news was spread by Russian Telegram channels.

Background:

The coalition of fighter jets, established in 2023 and spearheaded by the United States, Denmark, and the Netherlands, commenced the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in the previous year.

Ukraine received the first batch of fighter jets pledged by the Netherlands in October 2024, while the second delivery was completed in early February 2025.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov met with his Belgian counterpart, Theo Francken, in mid-February to discuss the next steps in implementing the F-16 programme.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that the Ukrainian delegation will provide the United States with a list of civilian infrastructure facilities to be safeguarded from Russian attacks during the talks in Saudi Arabia on 24 March. Zelenskyy emphasised that this step is essential to prevent any misunderstandings between the parties regarding potential agreements.

Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre following their talks

Details: Zelenskyy stressed that he brought up this issue during his conversation with Donald Trump. He added that it was crucial to prevent any differing interpretations of these agreements.

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Quote: "From my conversation with President Trump, the key point is as follows: a ceasefire concerning the security of the energy systems of both countries. This means no attacks on energy infrastructure or other civilian infrastructure.

I raised this issue with President Trump and suggested that our side would take responsibility for preparing [a list of  ed.] civilian infrastructure [that cant be targeted during the partial ceasefire]. I want to ensure theres no misunderstanding regarding what the parties are agreeing upon."

Details: Zelenskyy also stated that American officials will meet separately with both the Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Saudi Arabia on 24 March.

"There will be our technical teams, as far as I understand it, the structure is such that there will be a meeting between Ukraine and America," the president said.

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The US will first meet with Ukraine, followed by a meeting with Russia, or these meetings will be held in parallel, focusing on the same topic for each country, the president said.

Background:

On 18 March, the Kremlin stated that Putin endorsed a proposal by Trump for Ukraine and Russia to mutually refrain from striking energy infrastructure for 30 days, issuing an appropriate order to the Russian military.

However, in the early hours of 19 March, Russia launched a large-scale kamikaze drone attack, targeting civilian infrastructure in several oblasts of Ukraine. A direct hit was recorded on a hospital in the city of Sumy, as well as strikes on cities in Donetsk Oblast.

On 19 March, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would prepare and provide its partners with a list of energy, infrastructure, and civilian targets for Russia to cease striking. In return, if Russia halts its attacks on these targets, Ukraine will also refrain from striking Russia's energy sector.

On 20 March, Yuri Ushakov, an aide to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, announced that consultations between Russian and US expert groups on Ukraine would be held in Riyadh on 24 March.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that the European Union needs to develop an approach to prevent individuals from blocking decisions that are "important for the entire continent".

Source: Zelenskyy in an address to EU leaders gathered for a summit in Brussels, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy described the approach "when one person blocks decisions that are important for the entire continent or that have already been agreed upon" as "anti-European".

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"And Im talking about Ukraines EU accession talks and resolving some fundamental issues for European unity," the Ukrainian president said.

Apparently, he was referring to the fact that Hungary has blocked the opening of the first negotiation cluster and is demanding that the list of requirements for Ukraine be expanded.

"Ukraine fulfilled the requirements, but right now, there are serious difficulties in opening Ukraines first and other, of course, other negotiation clusters for EU accession. European efforts that should be bringing more security and peace are also constantly being obstructed. And I believe this is wrong," Zelenskyy stressed.

He noted that Europe "must have a way to prevent individual actors from blocking whats necessary for all".

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"If we say Europe should be stronger in global competition, we must also talk about making European decision-making faster, more flexible, more effective  whether in politics, defence, economics, industry, or any other area. Europe needs speed in making decisions and clear tools to protect itself from unnecessary blockages," Zelenskyy said.

Background: Notably, Orban has announced a nationwide poll regarding support for Ukraine's accession to the EU. In a list of 12 requirements for Brussels released last week, he said that the EU should be "a Union but without Ukraine".

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About 200 people rallied against cuts to Medicaid as they marched to U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse's office at The Tower building in Yakima on Wednesday.

"Health care is a right, that is why we have to fight," the crowd chanted as people walked along Yakima Avenue downtown.

Many were health care workers and concerned residents who fear that lawmakers may cut a program that many Yakima County health care providers and patients rely on.

Central WA Families, a coalition made up of hospitals, nursing homes, and other groups, organized the protest.

Yessica Cabrera, a local childcare provider, said some of her clients rely on Medicaid. Her family own family struggled with supporting a family member until he could get on Medicaid, she said.

"Without it, what will we do?" she said.

Medicaid provides health care coverage to low-income and disabled people and is jointly funded by the federal government and the states. In Washington state, the program is known as Apple Health.

The U.S. House voted on Feb. 25 in favor of a budget blueprint that could lead to Medicaid cuts of up to $880 billion over a decade.

In 2023, over 130,000 Yakima County residents, 50% of the countys population, were enrolled in Apple Health. Nearly 87% of people under the age of 19 in Yakima County use Apple Health.

Comments from Newhouse

During a visit to the Yakima-Tieton canal on Thursday, Newhouse was asked about Medicaid and other potential budget cuts. He said the nation has almost $37 trillion in debt and continues to spend more every year. He said it's not a sustainable path, and not a legacy he wants to pass on to future generations.

"From my perspective, Im approaching this to try to do that as responsibly as possible and protect as many people who depend on the federal government for not just Medicaid, but for a whole host of things," he said. "We have to make sure we do that, but at the same time, we have to be as fiscally responsible as possible."

As a farmer, Newhouse said he's used to working efficiently, and the federal government needs to do the same thing.

"We need to do it smartly and strategically and make sure that we continue to offer services to people that need them on the way, he said.

This story has been updated with additional information.
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Journalists at the Yakima Herald-Republic bring you timely, in-depth and credible local news. Your generous donation supports their work.
Questen Inghram is a Murrow News Fellow at the Yakima Herald-Republic whose beat focuses on government in Central Washington communities. Email qinghram@yakimaherald.com or call 509-577-7674.

This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, email news@yakimaherald.com.
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Association between B*49 prevalence and COVID-19 incidence. Credit: Journal of Translational Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1186/s12967-025-06285-w

Imagine a previously unknown bugnew to our immune defensesthat suddenly emerged and rapidly spread all over the globe, causing the deaths of millions and an economic breakdown due to the interruption of work in virtually every country.

Imagine, however, that the scientific community develops, in record time, a powerful vaccine against the tiny bug. How would you pick who should be vaccinated first? Who is at high risk of developing the severe form of the deadly disease? Who is to be protected with higher priority?

Well, if you find the story familiar, this is what recently happened with the COVID pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. While the world was dealing with so many deaths and the resulting political, economic, and psychological challenges, a multidisciplinary group of scientists led by Professor Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, teamed up to discuss the situation and hypothesize strategies to counteract the deadly bug.

They started by checking whether the high number of COVID hospitalizations in certain Italian provinces could be associated with specific genetic determinants of the resident population. They performed a so-called "ecological study," led by Giovanni Baglio from the AGENAS (Italian National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services) using COVID hospitalization data from the Italian Civil Protection Department and genetic data from the widest local repository availablethe Italian Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

The donor samples were analyzed to determine their HLA genotype and check possible tissue compatibility. The HLA molecules, also called Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), are those that can be recognized as foreign (non-self) by the receiving individual upon organ transplantation and determine organ rejection in the absence of adequate compatibility. Indeed, HLA molecules largely vary from person to person.

"The reason for this diversity is that HLA/MHC role is to present microbial proteins to our immune system to unleash a powerful specific response against the bug to which these proteins belong. From the evolutionary point of view, it means that within the population there will always likely be individuals that can mount an effective immune response, while others might not, eventually succumbing to the disease," says Rita Emilena Saladino, an expert in the Tissue Typing Unit of the Grand Metropolitan Hospital Reggio Calabria.

Saladino is part of a team that first published their findings on the HLA-COVID relationship in 2020 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. That study analyzed HLA data and COVID incidence in the Italian provinces, in collaboration with Pierpaolo Correale, Chief of the Medical Oncology Unit, Grand Metropolitan Hospital "Bianchi Melacrino Morelli" of Reggio Calabria and colleagues.

The paper identified HLA class I genes, HLA-C*01, and HLA-B*44, that seemed permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection. It was the first to show the potential of such an economic and rapid way to identify individuals at risk, despite the limits of the ecological approach.

The team has now performed an updated analysis of the relationship between HLA and severe COVID using two years of additional data through 2022. They have published their findings in the Journal of Translational Medicine. In this new paper, Correale and colleagues further investigated the HLA-COVID incidence association during the subsequent pandemic waves and then performed a "case-control" study analyzing HLA genotypes of patients hospitalized for COVID in two Italian regions, Campania and Calabria respectively.

The new study showed that the association of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genotype HLA-C*01 and HLA-B*44 with severe COVID risk varied and was eventually lost after the pandemic's first waves, as could be expected considering the co-evolution of both the coronavirus and the immune response. But the expression of HLA-B*49 allele emerged as a protective factor and was confirmed by the following case-control study in Campania and Calabria.

The study, including epidemiologists, pathologists, immunologists, and oncologists, was possible thanks to the collaboration with Roberto Parrella, Chief of the Respiratory Infectious Diseases Unit, and his team from the Azienda Ospedaliera Specialistica dei Colli, Napoli.

"Our studies suggest that the ecologic approach, based on publicly available data, can be used in emergency as a rapid and inexpensive method to determine priorities in patient management and during vaccination campaigns," states Francesca Pentimalli, professor of pathology at LUM University, Bari and Adjunct Professor at the Sbarro Institute, Temple University, contributor to the studies.

Provided by Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO)
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Predicted probability of doctor-patient alignment versus missed opportunity for shared understanding. Credit: Patient Education and Counseling (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108487

One in three Australians with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) left their medical consultations with misunderstandings about what was discussed, posing risks to their safety and the management of their condition, according to a new study from The Australian National University (ANU) published in Patient Education and Counseling.

IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, both lifelong inflammatory diseases affecting the intestines. IBD occurs when the body's natural defense system mistakenly attacks healthy bowel cells.

Australia has one of the highest rates of IBD in the world: 17,6000 Australians were estimated to be affected by IBD in 2019. This number is expected to rise to 290,000 Australians by 2030 (more than 1% of the population).

Study lead author, Dr. Neda Karimi from the ANU Institute for Communication in Health Care, said the research provides strong evidence that simple changes in how doctors and patients talk to each other can have a big impact.

"There is complexity in IBD treatment, and patients often don't understand their condition and its treatments. Similarly, doctors aren't getting the full picture of their patients' issues and concerns," she said.

"Our study found that when doctors and patients repeat key messages in different ways, provide more detailed explanations, use examples, and ask for additional information, it helps to create a better shared understanding, all without extending the length of the consultation."

The study found that 36% of consultations showed misalignment, with 40% occurring in understanding patient concerns and 60% in management plans.

The researchers combined detailed linguistic analysis of consultations with data analysis. They identified key predictors of misalignment, including patients not elaborating and clarifying their concerns and doctors not asking follow-up questions or providing well-defined explanations.

"Our findings underscore the importance of open communication and self-advocacy from the patient, as well as the need for clinicians to actively listen, demonstrate genuine interest in understanding patients' concerns, and share clinical reasoning in a clear and accessible manner," Dr. Karimi said.

"Misalignment can occur with any doctor. We found no patient demographic variables that predicted misalignment, such as gender, age, or education."

According to study co-author and renowned gastroenterologist, Professor Susan Connor, from UNSW, the key factors for clinicians to keep in mind include recognizing missed opportunities for shared understanding, listening, and discussing uncertainty.

"A consultation comprises three key components: gathering the patient's history, developing a management plan, and executing the plan. Our study revealed that shared understanding is particularly vulnerable during the first two stages of this process," she said.

"Communication, not time, is key to achieving a shared understanding.

"The length of consultations was not a predictor of misalignment, addressing a common concern among doctors."

The researchers believe the stigma and shame associated with IBD can impact communication, with the lack of recognition in Australia of IBD as a common chronic disease causing more confusion in the community.

"With a rising prevalence of IBD in young people, there is a need for better communication," Dr. Connor said.

"This goes beyond just the doctor and patient; there needs to be recognition in the community so that people can realize what it's like to live with IBD and also be comfortable to discuss it openly."

Rayan El-Chahal was only 13 years old when she was first diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2019. She experienced severe abdominal pain initially, leading to a diagnosis seven months later.

Rayan's mother, who has ulcerative colitis, another form of IBD, was able to help navigate her IBD diagnosis. Rayan's treatment involved infusions, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and bowel obstructions.

She recently transitioned to an adult gastroenterologist at Liverpool Hospital, where she underwent surgery last October.

"Informative, communicative health care providers were so important on my IBD journey," she said.

"There is a need for better community understanding and education about IBD as many people still don't know what it is, and for young people with IBD, it can be quite hard to share their experiences openly due to feelings of shame."

According to the researchers, a cultural shift to raise awareness about communication issues within the medical profession is also needed.

"It would be worthwhile to investigate whether programs designed to improve clinical communication bring about real change in terms of the level of understanding between patient and doctor," Dr. Connor said.

More information: Neda Karimi et al, On being on the same page: Predictors of gastroenterologist-patient misalignment in inflammatory bowel disease, Patient Education and Counseling (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2024.108487
The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below.

You can see the new edition of the Xpat E-Magazine here:

https://xpatloop.com/newsletters/2025/20-march.html



1. First up is another look at a great variety of events to look forward to in the coming days:

* UK Boarding Schools Expo in Budapest, Today - You can arrive anytime from 3.30 - 7.30pm.

Free event at British Ambassador's Residence to meet some of the best boarding schools in the UK.

Complimentary finger food buffet, wine and soft drinks - you're welcome even if you're just curious.



* Spring Restaurant Week in Hungary, Now On Until 30 March

Over 200 restaurants nationwide will offer special tasting menus.



* Garden Expo at Budapest Sportarena, Now On Until 30 March

Hungarys one & only garden show, featuring outdoor living experts.



* British Film Days in Budapest, 20 - 23 March

8 movies: from iconic classics to bold new voices.



* Early Music Festival at Palace of Arts Budapest, Now On Until 23 March

Try surprising new experiences: "Early music is everything except outdated".



* Magical Hungary Nature Photography Exhibition at Biodome, Now On Until 30 March

'Most exciting & prestigious nature photos': 222 images by 66 artists in 10 spatial installations.



2. As always below there's fresh News, Info & Inspiration, plus new Movies & Specials:

E.g. Smoke Bombs in Parliament After Pride Banned, Food Price Reduction: 16% on Average.



3. Plus you can see a great variety of Events for Expats - just a few from the Xpat Calendar:

E.g. Persian New Year Celebration, Classical Concert at Matthias Church in Castle, Jazz Journey.



We hope you like what's in it for you this week.

Yours with best wishes, Team XpatLoop
A massive scandal broke out in the Hungarian Parliament as opposition MP's lit smoke bombs in the chamber after voting for a law to ban Budapest Pride - see video below.

On Tuesday afternoon, in an extraordinary procedure, Parliament passed the legislation to ban Pride by 136 votes to 27. The proposal was supported by the ruling Fidesz and KDNP parties, as well as by Mi Hazank and Jobbik, which entered Parliament on the joint opposition list.



Opposition MPs David Bedo and Lajos Locsei of Momentum, along with independent MP Akos Hadhazy, lit smoke bombs in the chamber in protest against the curtailment of the right of assembly, chanting, We will not let it happen! They also played the Soviet anthem and scattered photographs of Orban and Putin kissing among the benches.



As the liberal Momentum party stated, the amendment is another step by the state party towards Putins dictatorship, deploying facial recognition software against those who dare to speak out against the regime and oppression. Because that is what restricting the right of assembly means, pushed through the National Assembly in a single day.



Kover files criminal complaint over disruption of parlt session



Speaker of Parliament Laszlo Kover has filed a criminal complaint over the oppositions disruption of a parliament session last week in response to a vote on banning the Pride march, parliaments press office said.



Kover has filed his complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutors Office against lawmakers David Bedo, Akos Hadhazy, Lajos Locsei and unidentified perpetrators, the statement said.



In his justification, Kover said the subjects of the complaint had "endangered the well-being" of their fellow MPs by obstructing proceedings in a vote in parliament on amendment proposals to the assembly law related to child protection, "with the express intention of preventing the passage of the bill".



Details of the ban on Budapest Pride and similar events



According to the law, it will be prohibited in future to hold any assembly in Hungary that allegedly violates a childs right to physical, mental, emotional, and moral development or displays content prohibited by the so-called child protection law.



As any depiction of homosexuality is considered a child protection concern, the government claims the legislation could provide a basis for banning Pride parades. The newly adopted proposal, which adds to the law on assembly, prohibits assemblies that violate the provisions of the Child Protection Act.



It also allows for the punishment not only of those who organise a prohibited assembly but also of those who participate in it. Authorities may use facial recognition technology to identify offenders. If an offender fails to pay the fine within 30 days, it will be collected as a tax, with the proceeds allocated to child protection.



Illegal, but the constitution is also being overhauled The constitutionality of the newly adopted legislation is highly questionable, as the right of assembly, a fundamental right, cannot, in principle, be restricted by an amendment to the law.



However, Fidesz has found a way around this, as an amendment to the 15th Fundamental Law would remove this obstacle by prioritising the protection of children above all other fundamental rights, except the right to life.



Momentum Demonstration at Parliament & Fidesz 'Dumbheads' Reaction



Momentum organised a protest rally at 5 p.m. at Kossuth Square in Budapest against the amendment to the law on assembly, which effectively bans Pride and stipulates that participants will be punished.



Commenting on Momentums act, the group leader of ruling Fidesz Mate Kocsis said in a post on Facebook that the little bolsheviks of today financed from abroad attempted to bloc the vote by lighting poisonous flares in an indoor space.



He noted that their lawmaker Gabor Banyai, who had hardly survived Covid, needed emergency medical care after Momentums action in the chamber. Kocsis added, What will come next, you, dumbheads, will you even set fire to the Parliament?



Source: dailynewshungary.com

- republished with permission.



MTI Reports: Lawmakers fined, banned from parlt sessions for protest during Pride ban vote



Six opposition lawmakers who attempted to disrupted a vote in parliament this week on banning the annual Pride march have been fined a total 82 million forints (EUR 205,500) and handed multi-day bans from house sessions, parliaments press office said.



Speaker of Parliament Laszlo Kover has banned David Bedo and Lajos Locsei of Momentum and independent lawmaker from 12 sessions and fined them each six months salary. Ferenc Gelencser, Eva Sebok and Endre Toth of Momentum have been handed a six-day ban and fined four months salary.



Parliament on Tuesday passed an amendment to the law on assembly connected to the protection of children. Lawmakers of opposition Momentum disrupted the vote from the back benches by lighting smoke flares, making noise and throwing down flyers in the chamber from the first floor.



In his justification for his decision, the house speaker said the actions of the lawmakers in question could be deemed offensive and undermined parliaments prestige.



MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes
New Delhi: Joining a series of automakers, BMW Group India on Thursday announced a price increase of up to 3 per cent across its BMW and MINI car range. According to the official notification, the revised prices will come into effect from April 1, 2025. However, the company has not specified which models will see the highest price increase.

The latest price adjustment by BMW India is driven by rising input costs, which have been increasing due to higher material expenses. The adjustment will affect both luxury sedans and SUVs in BMW's lineup, including the company's locally produced models.

Automakers, including original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), generally revise car prices twice a year. This move follows a trend among automakers, as several brands have also announced price hikes citing similar reasons. The increase in material costs has put pressure on manufacturers, leading to adjustments in vehicle prices.

BMW Group India, a fully owned subsidiary of the BMW Group, is headquartered in Gurugram, NCR. The company has invested over Rs 520 crore in its Indian operations, which include a manufacturing plant in Chennai, a parts warehouse in Pune, a training center in Gurugram, and an extensive dealer network across major cities.

Earlier in the day, the Renault India also announced that it will raise the prices of all its car models by up to 2 per cent, starting April.

The price increase will depend on the model and variant. The company stated that the decision was driven by rising production costs, which it has been absorbing for an extended period.

Renault India Country CEO and MD, Venkatram Mamillapalle, stated, "We have tried to keep prices stable for a long time, but the continuous rise in input costs has made this adjustment necessary."
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Speaking on BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Wes Streeting, the UK health secretary, expressed concerns that some mental health conditions were overdiagnosed. The Conversation asked two experts to comment on Streeting's claim. Is the health secretary right?

A year ago, the UK's then prime minister, the Conservative Rishi Sunak, announced "sick note culture" had gone too far. His work and pensions secretary claimed "mental health culture", Mel Stride, had gone too far.

These statements merged concern about the affordability of disability benefits with ideas about the overdiagnosis of mental illness. This appeared to be in response to a report from the Resolution Foundation, a thinktank.

The report said that people in their 20s were more likely to be out of work than people in their 40s. The report attributed this to an increase in young people reporting mental distress (from 24% in 2000 to 34% in 2024).

This was used by some journalists to support the idea of young people as work-shy snowflakes feigning mental illness, which angered many, including disability activists, mental health campaigners and members of the opposition Labor party.

A year on, the UK now has a Labor government. Wes Streeting, the secretary of state for health and social care, is facing criticism for appearing to echo conservative tropes. In an interview about government plans to reduce benefits for disabled people, he agreed that overdiagnosis accounts for an increase in people on benefits due to mental illness. This appears to mirror those media stereotypes about work-shy millennials.

If that is what Streeting meant, then the evidence is not on his side. Ten years ago, a UK national survey of psychiatric symptoms found that a third of people whose psychological symptoms were severe enough to merit a diagnosis did not have a diagnosis.

More recent research using the UK Longitudinal Household Study grouped people according to whether they do or do not have a psychiatric diagnosis and whether they do or do not have psychological symptoms severe enough to merit a diagnosis. The study found 12 times as many people in the "undiagnosed distress" category (with severe symptoms but no diagnosis) than in the overdiagnosed category.

The study also identified significant inequalities. People living with a disability had nearly three times the risk of undiagnosed distress compared with people without a disability.

Women had 1.5 times the risk of undiagnosed distress compared with men. Lesbian, gay or bisexual people were 1.4 times more likely to have undiagnosed distress compared with heterosexual people. People aged 16-24 had the highest risk compared with all other age groups.

This all suggests inequalities in undiagnosed distress are a much bigger problem than overdiagnosis in the UK. Given that many forms of support in the UK depend on having a diagnosis, undiagnosed distress probably means people are not getting the support they need.

However, Streeting also said that too many people "just aren't getting the support they need. So if you can get that support to people much earlier, then you can help people to either stay in work or get back to work."

Given this nod towards prevention and the importance of non-medical support, it is conceivable that Streeting's sentiment may have been about the "over-medicalization" of mental distress rather than overdiagnosis. The difference is important.

The term "diagnosis" reflects a medical model of mental illness. Many would agree that the medical idea of "diagnose and treat" does not serve people with mental distress well. This is because there is a lot of evidence suggesting the underlying causes of mental distress are social, economic, environmental or a result of past trauma.

If Streeting had said "over-medicalized," he would have been in tune with a growing global concern about over-medicalization and over-use of medication to treat mental distress, a position advocated by the UN and the World Health Organization.

Despite UK guidelines recommending psychological treatments as first line interventions for depression, antidepressant prescribing has risen 46% over the last seven years, with over 85 million prescriptions in 202223. This alongside an increase in long-term use of psychiatric medication with no reduction in mental distress at the population level. If Streeting had said "over-medicalized," the evidence would have been on his side.

There has been a dramatic escalation in the number of people seeking treatment for mental health problems in recent years. In the year from April 2023 to 2024, 3.8 million people were in contact with mental health services in England alone, which is 40% higher than before the COVID pandemic. The figures include 1 million children. One in five 16-year-old girls is in contact with services.

The statistics reveal a tendency to over-medicalize a variety of human problems that was supercharged by the pandemic and is likely to result in harmful effects on physical and mental health.

What many people don't realize about a mental health diagnosis is that it is nothing like the diagnosis of a physical condition. It doesn't name an underlying biological state or process that can explain the symptoms someone is experiencing, as it does when someone gets a diagnosis of cancer or rheumatoid arthritis, for example.

A mental health diagnosis doesn't explain anything. It is simply a label that can be applied to a certain set of problems. The process by which this label is conferred is not scientific or objective and is influenced by commercial, professional and political interests.

In most situations, giving people with mental health problems a diagnostic label is unhelpful. It convinces people they have a biological defect, it leads to ineffective and often harmful medical treatment, and most of the time, it misses the actual problems.

Because getting a diagnosis implies you have a medical condition, it misleads people into thinking that they have an underlying biological abnormality, such as a chemical imbalance, even though there is no good evidence that mental disorders are caused by underlying brain or bodily dysfunctions. Research has shown this makes people pessimistic about their chances of recovery and less likely to improve.

Being diagnosed often leads to being prescribed a psychiatric drug, such as an antidepressant. About 8.7 million people in England now take an antidepressant, half of them on a long-term basis.

Prescriptions for other drugs, such as stimulants (prescribed for a diagnosis of ADHD), are also rising fast, even leading to medication shortages. Yet the evidence that any of these drugs improve people's well-being or ability to function is minimal. Moreover, like all substances that alter our normal biological make-up, particularly those that interfere with brain function, they cause side-effects and health risks.

Antidepressants can cause severe and prolonged withdrawal symptoms, sexual dysfunction (which may persist) and emotional numbing or apathy, among other unwanted effects. Stimulants can cause cardiovascular problems and neurological conditions. The widespread, unwarranted prescribing of these drugs will adversely affect the health of the population.

Giving people a diagnosis can also obscure the nature of the person's underlying problems and prevent these from being addressed.

Mental health problems are often meaningful reactions to stressful circumstances, such as financial, housing and relationship problems and experiences of abuse, trauma, loneliness and lack of meaning. Reducing over-medicalization doesn't necessarily mean fewer services. What we need is different services that provide appropriate support for people's actual problems, not treatment for medical labels.

We also need ways to excuse people from responsibilities when necessary, without making them feel like they have to take on a "sick" role that implies they are forever ill and helpless.

Much of today's employment is poorly paid, insecure, boring, exploitative and pressurizing.

It shouldn't surprise us that some people find it hard to endure. We need to improve working conditions for everyone, but we also need to support people who find these conditions especially challenging, without having to label them as sick.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
New Delhi: Finally, the wait is over as the makers of Sikandar have officially revealed its highly anticipated release date. Set to hit the big screens on March 30, 2025, Sajid Nadiadwala's Sikandar, directed by A.R. Murugadoss and starring Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna, has kept the audience hooked with its teaser and songs. Now, the announcement of its release has further elevated the ever-rising excitement!

The makers took to their social media and shared a new poster featuring Salman Khan in and as Sikandar, announcing the release date. They further jotted down the caption -

"Celebrating festivals of India with Sikandar

Iss baar celebration hoga triple! We're coming on the

occasion of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi and Eid!

#Sikandar releases Worldwide in theatres near you on 30th

March 2025

See you at the movies"

The release of Sikandar on March 30, 2025, is indeed an auspicious occasion, as the nation will be celebrating festivals like Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, marking the beginning of a new year in Maharashtra and South India. Moreover, Salman Khan will continue his tradition of delivering an Eid blockbuster, treating his fans from the very next day.

Salman Khan returns to the big screen, joined by the stunning Rashmika Mandanna in Sikandar. Backed by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by AR Murugadoss, the film will be released on March 30, 2025.
New Delhi: Salman Khan's Sikandar is creating a global frenzy, with excitement at an all-time high. The makers of the highly anticipated action thriller recently shared a video caputring fans worldwide celebrating in a riot of colours, music and electrifying energy across London, Los Angeles, New York, and Canada.

The video highlights worldwide enthusiasm for the chart-topping track 'Bam Bam Bhole' from the film.The songs massive success proves that Salman Khan's magic isn't limited to Indiait has resonated across the globe.

Sharing the video on social media, Nadiadwala Grandson wrote, ''Colours, music, and pure Holi energy! Sikandar takes over London, Los Angeles, New York & Canada this Holi!''

Take A look At The Post:

In the video, fans from London, Los Angeles, New York, and Canada are seen grooving to the upbeat rhythm of the song, The track's infectious energy has ignited a global dance fever, with people from different countries joining the celebration this holi.

Salman Khan's signature swag and commanding presence have captivated audiences worldwide. His electrifying performance and dynamic dance moves have turned Bam Bam Bhole song into a Holi anthem. Adding to the charm, Rashmika Mandanna's captivating screen presence and their sizzling chemistry have struck the perfect chord with fans.

With just 10 days to go, excitement is at its peak as fans eagerly await Salman Khans grand return to the big screen.

The film features a stellar cast, including Sharman Joshi, Kajal Aggarwal, Suniel Shetty, Sathyaraj, and Prateik Babbar, among others.

Backed by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by the visionary A.R. Murugadoss, Sikandar is all set to hit theaters on March 30, 2025.
Dr. Sanjay Sarda launched his new book  My Spiritual Journey of Understanding Ram on the occasion of the 90th.birthday of his mother, Smt. Lata Sarda which was on 22nd.March.

He explained to us that this book was a continuation of his Spiritual Journey which began with Finding Krishna Within  the book which was released last year. He felt the need to write the book on Ram, because he thought that the name of Lord Ram is being grossly misused, misinterpreted and misunderstood by religious fanatics, manipulative politicians and ill-informed zealots for meeting their limited vested interests rather than understanding and appreciating the profound wisdom and learnings from the life of Lord Ram  Maryada Purshottam  which is so beautifully narrated in our Ancient Epic of Ramayana by Sage Valmikiji and Tulsi Das jis Ram Charitra Manas.

He has made an attempt to compile, after extensive Research, the essence of the ideology of Lord Ram  to unravel the complexity in the simplicity of Ram. In doing so he has tried to end the debate that the events depicted in Ramayana and the characters in the Epic, were not products of anyones imagination but actually took place.

He has shown that the unnecessary criticism over centuries on some key characters for some of the decisions & actions taken by them in the Epic, was totally unjustified. There has been an attempt over centuries by certain Groups and Western Scholars with malicious intent to purposefully distort the facts and raise doubts in our minds to degrade our Culture & Religion. This book will attempt to clear such doubts.

He has given new insights into various symbolisms that have been used in the Epic. Over centuries, many stories, myths, legends have found their way into the main narrative. These serve the purpose of folklore and popular culture and make the message of the narrative more acceptable to the general public. The message being conveyed symbolically in these stories is important, rather than any attempt to unnecessarily find logic in them.

The part of the book that is special according to him, is the deep-dive on some Hindi & Sanskrit words. As with all Convent educated, English medium schooled persons, his understanding of Sanskrit is negligible and of Hindi is inadequate. He has chosen some key words and by doing a deep dive on them, he hopes that many persons like him, with limited knowledge of Sanskrit, will be able to understand the nuances in the key characters  specially of Lord Ram & Ravana. This chapter is quite unique in its approach to understand the mindset and strength or weakness in different characters by emphasis on some key words or phrases.

Over centuries we have made a villain out of Kaikeyi for being responsible to send Lord Ram to exile. Further, we have not been able to properly justify why Lord Ram had to kill Vali, hiding behind a tree, or why Lord Ram made Ma Sita do Agni Pariksha after victory over Ravana, or why on the instigation of a mere Dhobhi, Lord Ram made a pregnant Ma Sita to go again on exile, or why after re-uniting with Luv & Kush, Lord Ram again wanted Ma Sita to prove her purity thereby forcing her to go back to mother Earth. All these episodes which our non-believer friends attack us and for which we have been defensive at best and deflective at worst, have been explained with sound reasoning & understanding in the book.

Lord Ram has influenced many other religions like Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and the book gives references for these influences by which these religions became richer & more acceptable.

The message of Lord Ram has travelled far & wide  not only across India but many countries of S.E.Asia. The book gives a glimpse of that.

The fundamental problem that we need to address is to understand the difference of Spirituality & Religion. Spirituality moves on the rails of Philosophy & Religion. But Religion is not Spirituality. The misuse of Ram in religion is unnecessary. Spirituality is a journey of self-realization to find the divinity in you whereas Religion is with a basic purpose to make you follow some norms/rules/rituals so that there is a routine or a pattern in your prayers which can slowly make you connect with the Divine and become interested in spirituality.

Ultimately it is a question of Faith. You have it or you dont have it. For all those whose Faith is a work-in-process, this Book can be a good vitamin for helping their soul in strengthening their Faith.

The book is not for sale but Dr. Sanjay Sarda is wanting to circulate free copies to whoever is interested in reading it. Requests can be sent to understanding.ram.drsanjay@gmail.com

Disclaimer-

(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.)
World Happiness Day, celebrated annually on March 20th, is a global event aimed at promoting the importance of happiness in human life. This day serves as a reminder of how happiness can affect our well-being, the environment, and society at large. With increasing stress, mental health issues, and work-life imbalances across the world, World Happiness Day highlights the need to foster a positive, fulfilling, and joyful life. In 2025, the observance of this day will continue to encourage nations, communities, and individuals to prioritize happiness as a fundamental goal of life.

History of World Happiness Day

The origins of World Happiness Day date back to the United Nations General Assembly's resolution in 2012, when it was declared that March 20th would be celebrated as the International Day of Happiness. The initiative was championed by Bhutan, a country that has long promoted the idea of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as opposed to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the most important indicator of national progress.

Bhutans emphasis on the value of happiness inspired other nations to join the global movement. In 2012, the UN adopted the resolution and began celebrating World Happiness Day, with the idea that happiness is a universal goal for all people across the world, regardless of culture or circumstance. Since then, the day has been marked globally, bringing attention to mental health, well-being, and the essential role happiness plays in fostering peace and prosperity.

Significance of World Happiness Day

World Happiness Day emphasizes the role happiness plays in the well-being of individuals, societies, and the world at large. The significance of this day lies in the global recognition that happiness is more than just an individual pursuit; it is something that should be nurtured at the societal level.

Here are some key reasons why World Happiness Day is significant:-

1. Promotes Mental Health Awareness:

Mental health is closely linked to happiness. By celebrating this day, people are encouraged to prioritize their mental well-being and take the necessary steps to improve it.

2. Advocates for Positive Social Change:

Happiness is not just about individual fulfillment but also about creating positive changes in the community, workplace, and society. World Happiness Day encourages governments and organizations to invest in policies that improve quality of life and promote social equality.

3. Supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

World Happiness Day aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being. The day encourages governments, businesses, and individuals to take collective action to create environments that foster well-being and happiness for all.

4. Raises Awareness of the Importance of Connection:

Celebrating happiness reminds people of the importance of relationships, compassion, and empathy in creating a sense of fulfillment.

Importance of World Happiness Day

The importance of World Happiness Day can be understood on several levels:

1. A Global Movement for Better Mental Health:

By focusing on happiness, the day brings attention to the rising mental health concerns, such as stress, depression, and anxiety, which affect people worldwide. The celebration encourages global efforts to reduce stigma and increase support for mental health.

2. Fostering Gratitude and Positivity:

This day provides an opportunity to reflect on the positive aspects of life, helping people practice gratitude. Positive thinking is known to enhance happiness, improve relationships, and reduce the risk of mental illnesses.

3. Improving Social Cohesion:

Happiness is not just an individual pursuitits a shared experience that can bring people closer together. By focusing on collective happiness, this day helps promote social harmony, collaboration, and understanding.

4. A Call for Policy Change:

World Happiness Day serves as a reminder to policymakers that happiness should be a goal in their development plans. Several countries have used the day to push for the implementation of policies that foster health, education, social security, and equality.

When is World Happiness Day 2025?

World Happiness Day is observed every year on March 20th. In 2025, it will fall on a Thursday. Each year, the celebrations might take a different shape, depending on the theme selected by the United Nations or the specific focus areas chosen by different countries and organizations. The focus of the day may range from spreading happiness through personal actions to larger community-building efforts that create lasting social change.

How to Celebrate World Happiness Day?

Celebrating World Happiness Day doesnt require extravagant eventsits more about bringing happiness to yourself and those around you. Here are a few ways to observe the day:

1. Practice Gratitude:

Reflect on the things you are grateful for. This simple practice can improve your overall mood and bring a sense of peace.

2. Be Kind to Others:

Small acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbor or offering a compliment, can increase both your happiness and that of others.

3. Engage in Positive Activities:

Engage in activities that make you happywhether it's spending time with loved ones, exercising, pursuing a hobby, or meditating.

4. Promote Mental Health Awareness:

Share resources about mental health or engage in conversations about the importance of well-being. By raising awareness, you contribute to reducing stigma around mental health issues.

5. Support Happiness Initiatives:

Participate in events or support organizations that focus on promoting well-being and mental health. Many global events and activities are organized on World Happiness Day.

World Happiness Day 2025 offers a chance to reflect on the importance of happiness as a universal goal. The day encourages people to focus on what truly matterspositive connections, mental health, social cohesion, and overall well-being. By promoting happiness on a global scale, we are working toward a world that values joy, empathy, and the well-being of every individual.

As we approach March 20th, take the time to reflect on your own happiness and find ways to spread joy in the lives of those around you. After all, happiness is a gift that is meant to be shared.

(This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, directing them to be present in the House on Friday for the passage of the Union Budget 2025-26.

"All BJP members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that guillotining of various demands for Grants 2025-26 will be taken up for passing in the House on Friday. All members of BJP in Lok Sabha are, therefore, requested to be positively present in the House throughout the day and support the government's stands," the party stated in its letter.

A guillotine is a parliamentary procedure used to fast-track the approval of a bill by curtailing further discussions. The government often employs this mechanism to ensure the timely passage of financial bills when faced with opposition delays.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented the Budget 2025-26 in Parliament on February 1. The previous Union Budget for 2024-25 provided significant relief to the salaried class, exempting income tax on a monthly income of up to Rs one lakh, aiming to boost household savings and consumption. It also prioritized four key sectorsagriculture, MSMEs, investment, and exports.

As part of the tax relief measures, the Finance Minister announced that salaried individuals earning up to Rs 12.75 lakh annually would be exempt from income tax. The budget's overarching goal is to pave a "futuristic path for transforming India into a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047," with a focus on "Garib, Youth, Annadata, and Nari." It also includes new initiatives across various sectors, including agriculture, MSMEs, investment, rural development, and employment generation.

Sitharaman also noted the impact of indirect tax reforms, stating that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has significantly reduced over the years since its implementation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Union Budget 2025, calling it a "Force Multiplier" for Indias development. Describing it as a "budget of aspirations," he said it would fulfill the dreams of 140 crore Indians, particularly by opening new opportunities for the youth.

"This is the budget of the aspirations of 140 crore Indians, this is a budget that fulfills the dreams of every Indian," PM Modi stated.

However, the Opposition criticized the budget, alleging that it disproportionately favored Bihar, which is set to hold assembly elections later this year. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh accused the government of neglecting Andhra Pradesh, despite the states ruling TDP being a key ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

"Bihar appears to have got a bonanza of announcements. It is natural since elections are due there later in the year. But why has the other pillar of the NDA, namely Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?" Ramesh posted on X.

Among the Bihar-focused announcements in the budget, Sitharaman proposed the establishment of a Board for makhana (foxnuts), a widely consumed and produced food in the state. She also announced the construction of Greenfield airports in Bihar, alongside the expansion of Patna Airport and the development of a brownfield airport in Bihta.

(With ANI inputs)
Former Jammu and Kashmir legislator and BJP leader, Faqeer Mohammad Khan on Thursday shot himself dead in Srinagar city. He was 62.

Official sources said that Khan shot himself dead inside a government accommodation in the Tulsibagh area of the city.

Sources said he broke open the almirah in which his personal security officer (PSO) had kept the rifle when he had gone out to offer Namaz.

He was found in a pool of blood with the service rifle of his PSO lying alongside, sources said.

Khan was taken to the hospital, where doctors said he was dead on arrival.

Police have registered a case in this incident and an investigation started to ascertain the details, officials said.

It was not immediately known why he took the extreme step.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah disclosed this during the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session, which is currently underway.

The Assembly mourned his demise and observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect.

Political leaders have expressed their condolences, recalling his contributions to public service in the region.

Khan had fought the last Assembly election in 2024 on a BJP ticket from the Gurez Assembly constituency of Bandipora district. He was defeated in those elections by Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi of the National Conference (NC).

Khan had won the Assembly elections in 1996 from the Gurez Assembly constituency as an Independent candidate. He joined the BJP in 2020.

Legislative Assembly elections were held last year in the union territory after the successful, people-participative Lok Sabha elections. In the Assembly elections, NC won 42, BJP 29, Congress 6, PDP 3, CPI(M) 1, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 1, PC 1, and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) one. Six Independents also won the elections

All its 29 Assembly seats were won by the BJP from the Jammu division. The party could not win a single seat in Kashmir.
Farmers Protest: Punjab Police on Friday evicted farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites which were blocked for more than a year. Police sources told news agency PTI late on Wednesday the protest sites have been cleared after dismantling temporary structures and stages and removing trolleys and other vehicles stationed by the farmers. Amid stringent police action, several farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained in Mohali while returning from a meeting with a central delegation.

#WATCH | Police remove farmers from Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border who were sitting on a protest over various demands. pic.twitter.com/nYHIogfEcM March 19, 2025

Later, the internet was shut down at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders in Punjab following the detention of key farmer leaders Dallewal and Pandher. Police used bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at the Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border to restrict farmers' movement further from where they were sitting on a protest over various demands. In view of the police action at the Shambhu border, traffic on the route has been diverted.

#WATCH | Haryana Police uses bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border to restrict farmers' movement further from where they were sitting on a protest over various demands.



Yesterday, late in the evening, Punjab police removed the pic.twitter.com/Ma5SPYwT9m  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said the farmer leaders were detained in Mohali in the evening while they were headed to the Shambhu protest site after the meeting in Chandigarh with the delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

#WATCH | Punjab | Police remove farmers from Punjab-Haryana Khanauri Border who were sitting on a protest over various demands.



Amid massive police deployment - farmers were evicted, temporary structures erected by them were removed, and several farmers were detained. (19/03) pic.twitter.com/XoYQ52PqVw  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

While the BJP criticised the police action and alleged the AAP government was trying to "sabotage" the talks, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema justified the eviction of farmers, saying industries and businesses have been hit hard due to the prolonged closure of two highways -- "the lifelines of the state". "The AAP is committed to youths and generating employment. They will get jobs if the trade and industry functions smoothly," Cheema said.

Here Are Top Points

1. There were signs from early in the day of impending police action at the two protest sites as they witnessed heavy deployment even as the farmer leaders met the central delegation in Chandigarh. Farmers said earlier in the day that ambulances, buses, firefighting and anti-riot vehicles were deployed near the protest sites. There were around 200 farmers at the Khanauri site and around 50 at the Shambhu border point.

2. Asked when the traffic can resume, a senior police officer said that after the road on the Punjab side has been cleared, the resumption of movement depends on when the Haryana government removes the barricades.

3. In a statement, BJP leader and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu strongly condemned the detention of farmer leaders and alleged the AAP government in Punjab was trying to "sabotage" talks between the Centre and farmers. He said he spoke to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, urging him to remove the barricades put up by the security personnel. He said it will take two to three days for its removal and thereafter, the road will be opened from the Haryana side.

4. After the more-than-three-hour meeting, Agriculture Minister Chouhan said, "The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. The discussions took place in a positive and constructive manner. The talks will continue. The next meeting will take place on May 4."

5. Following the meeting, as the departing farmers entered Mohali from Chandigarh, they were met with heavy barricading in Mohali. Farmer leader Mangat said that Abhimanyu Kohar, Kaka Singh Kotra and Manjit Singh Rai were detained alongside Pandher and Dallewal.

6. Pandher was detained from the Zirakpur barrier and taken to the Bahadurgarh Commando Police Training Centre in Patiala. Dallewal, who was in an ambulance, was also detained.

7. Farmers claimed that the driver of Dallewal's ambulance was removed and police took control of it. Some farmers protested the police action and entered into a scuffle with the security personnel.

8. The protesting farmers -- led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- have been camping at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year when their march to Delhi was thwarted by security forces.

9. They have been protesting in support of various demands including a legal guarantee to MSP for crops. In Chandigarh, the talks between farmer leaders and a central delegation to discuss various demands of farmers remained inconclusive.

(With agencies' inputs)
The Allahabad High Court in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case of the alleged rape of a minor girl ruled that grabbing the breasts and snapping the pajama strings of the victim do not constitute rape or attempt to rape but a serious sexual assault.

According to the news agency ANI, the accused, who have been identified as Pawan and Akash, allegedly grabbed the breasts of the victim (11), tearing her pajama string, and attempted to drag her beneath a culvert. Subsequently, the accused fled from the scene after a passer-by came to her rescue.

The incident is of Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj and the case is registered at Patiyali police station.

Petitioners Akash, Pawan, and Ashok were initially called to be tried under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 18 of the POCSO Act. Now, the court has directed that the accused should be tried under Section 9/10 (serious sexual assault) of the POCSO Act along with the minor charge of Section 354-B IPC (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe).

Further, ANI reported that a single bench of Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra has modified the summons order of Special Judge POCSO Court of Kasganj. The court has ordered a fresh summon and said that the summons issued on the charge of rape is not legal.

According to Hindustan Times, Ashok the father of Pawan and the third petitioner, has been summoned under Sections 504 and 506 of the IPC. He allegedly abused and threatened the victim when she approached him after the incident.

Section 504 of the IPC addresses "intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace' and section 506 of the IPC deals with "criminal intimidation of the IPC.

Talking to the news agency, Advocate Vikas Pahwa said, This gives a bad signal to the entire criminal justice society where we feel that if somebody commits an offense, he will be punished. The Courts have to be a bit cautious of laying down the law. When we talk about High Courts and the Supreme Court, we talk about laying down the law...We have to be a bit careful dealing with such sensitive issues.

Furthermore, Rajya Sabha MP and former chief of NCW, Rekha Sharma, also talking to ANI, weighed in on the matter and said, If the judges are not sensitized, then what will the women and children do? They should see the intention behind an act. NCW should go to the Supreme Court against this. Judges should be told that they can't make such judgments. This is totally wrong, and I am against it.

#WATCH | On Allahabad HC's observation that "Holding breast, breaking pyjama's string is not a crime of rape", Rajya Sabha MP & former chief of NCW, Rekha Sharma says," If the judges are not sensitised, then what will the women and children do? They should see the intention pic.twitter.com/CGZq8PfS5c  ANI (@ANI) March 20, 2025

(with ANI inputs)
A 50-year-old Geography professor accused of sexually exploiting his students was arrested late Wednesday night in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Rajneesh Kumar had been absconding for 72 hours before police apprehended him while he was attempting to secure anticipatory bail.

According to PTIs report, the police recovered his mobile phone and laptop, which are being examined for further evidence. Kumar worked as a professor in the Geography Department of the Bagla Degree College and rose to become the Chief Proctor.

SP Chiranjeev Nath Sinha stated that the investigation began after the police received an anonymous letter detailing Kumars alleged misconduct. On March 13, a case was registered at the Hathras Gate police station under relevant sections of the law. The complaint was supported by a USB flash drive containing videos of students being sexually assaulted, which was handed over to authorities.

Modus Operandi And Blackmail

According to the police, Kumar had installed a special software on his phone and laptop that kept the screen off while secretly recording videos in the background.

Probe revealed that Kumar first sexually exploited a fourth-class female staff member in 2019. He later targeted seven to eight female students, blackmailing them with the secretly recorded videos.

He once engaged in a physical relationship with a woman at his home, which was inadvertently recorded on his computers webcam. This incident allegedly led him to devise a systematic method of exploiting students through secret recordings, Police sources told PTI.

Kumar often lured students by promising them higher marks, academic promotions, and job placements. "He often gifted them expensive items and money to gain their trust. Once he developed a close rapport, he sexually exploited them in his office chamber and secretly recorded their intimate moments. Victims remained unaware of the recordings until they were later used for blackmail. Even after the students graduated, he allegedly continued to threaten and exploit them, SP Sinha added.

Kumar joined Bagla College as a lecturer in 2001 and became the Head of the Geography Department in 2016. He was appointed as the colleges Chief Proctor in July 2024.

As per several media reports his personal life was troubled, with a strained marriage since 1996 and no children.
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This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Adolescence is a critical time for developing social skills, and youth often navigate difficult peer experiences. Parents can help their children by giving advice on how to deal with challenges, but it matters whether youth want support or not. A new study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign looks at the impact of parental advice and youth support seeking in African American families.

The research is published in the journal Social Development.

"A lot of existing research was conducted with predominantly white samples, and we wanted to learn more about whether similar experiences exist for Black families as well. We focused on the types of advice parents give their kids when it comes to challenging peer situations, and how the advice affects the youth's social cognitive skills one year later," said lead author Virnaliz Jimenez, a doctoral student in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois.

The study included a sample of predominantly rural, low-income African American families in the southeastern U.S. Children were on average 12 years old and transitioning to or already in middle school. More than 80% of the families had an annual household income of less than $50,000.

Youth and their parents completed questionnaires at two time points one year apart. Youth read two peer situation scenariosinviting peers to their birthday party and joining an after-school clubthen answered questions that assessed their social appraisal and self-efficacy beliefs.

"Social appraisal is basically how you interpret an ambiguous situation or the intentions of others. Self-efficacy is how much confidence you have in your ability to deal with the situation," Jimenez said.

Parents were presented with three peer challenge scenarios addressing peer exclusion, anxiety about meeting new peers, and trouble making friends, and asked to write down suggestions they might give to their child in these situations.

"We focused on cognitive restructuring advice, which is about helping the child understand or view the situation in a less negative or non-threatening way. If there is a peer conflict, parents might suggest that their child think about the best-case scenario as opposed to the worst-case scenario, for example, considering that someone was just having a bad day rather than intentionally trying to be mean," said co-author Kelly Tu, associate professor in HDFS. Responses ranged from none or vague to specific and detailed.

Interaction between parents cognitive restructuring suggestions and youth support seeking predicting T2 youth social appraisals. Note: Youth support seeking as a moderator of the associations between parents benign restructuring advice and youth social appraisals. Associations reported controlled for covariates. The light-gray-shaded area (8% of the sample youth) represents the region of significance analysis with respect to parents cognitive restructuring advice. Of note, the upper bound region of the was outside the observed values in sample data and thus are not presented. Credit: Social Development (2025). DOI: 10.1111/sode.12794

Overall, the researchers found no direct effects of parental advice on either of the social cognitive measures. However, when youth sought their parents' support, elaborate cognitive restructuring advice was associated with more positive social appraisals.

"Many of these kids were transitioning to middle school, and they may have a lot of anxiety about how they'll fit in and how they will interact with their peers. Constructive advice from parents can be very important in helping them think about the situation in a less threatening way. But if the kids aren't interested or don't want to hear it, the advice is less likely to matter for changing their social appraisals," Jimenez noted.

However, Tu said that, unlike some studies, they didn't find adverse consequences of unsolicited advice. Yet, when children were looking for advice but not getting it, they had lower positive social appraisals regarding peer interactions; that is, they were more likely to interpret peer challenges in a negative light.

The researchers say these findings underscore that parents should listen to their kids when considering how much advice to provide.

"Reciprocity is important, so parents can ask their kids how they can support them in a given situation. If the youth want advice, it should be detailed and specific, helping the child reframe a situation and be able to interact with peers in a more positive way," Jimenez stated.

Practitioners working with families can equip parents with tools that enhance their parenting strategies, such as providing examples of what elaborate, cognitive restructuring advice looks like and how to help kids reframe challenging peer situations toward more positive outcomes.

The research broadens the understanding of parent-child interactions that haven't typically been studied in this population, Tu said.

"While there is a larger body of research on parenting in Black families around racial ethnic socialization and discrimination, we wanted to expand this work by examining how Black families navigate different types of stressful peer situations. Being able to showcase the range of parenting advice Black parents are giving can help to break down negative stereotypes of low-income Black families," she concluded.

More information: Virnaliz Jimenez et al, Social Cognitive Skills in African American Youth: Parental Cognitive Restructuring and Youth Support Seeking, Social Development (2025). DOI: 10.1111/sode.12794
Meerut: New revelations have emerged in the Saurabh Rajput murder case, with the deceased's family alleging that the parents of the accused wife, Muskan Rastogi, were aware of Saurabh's murder well before March 18, when the police were officially informed about the crime.

Saurabh's mother, Renu Devi, has refuted Muskan's parents' claims of ignorance regarding the murder, accusing them of attempting to mislead the police.

"The truth is that Muskan's mother knew about the crime (before March 18). They went to the police station only to save themselves from legal action," Renu Devi alleged on Wednesday.

According to police, Muskan and her lover Sahil Shukla confessed to having stabbed Saurabh to death on March 4. The two then chopped up his body, put the remains inside a drum and sealed it with cement.

The two were arrested on Tuesday.

Renu Devi also claimed that Saurabh's six-year-old daughter, too, knew about her father's death.

"That is why, as we have come to know from some people, she (Saurabh's daughter) was saying, 'Papa is in the drum'," Renu Devi said.

However, SP City Ayush Vikram Singh dismissed this claim, stating, "When Muskan was telling the story of the incident to the family members, the girl might have been present there. The girl did not know anything (beforehand) about this."

According to police sources, Muskan went to her family on March 18 and informed her parents about the murder. The parents then took her to the police. Following this, a case was registered, the body was recovered, and Muskan and Sahil were arrested.

SP City Singh confirmed that Muskan had been planning Saurabh's murder since November 2023. He also said that Sahil is superstitious and that Muskan exploited this by creating a fake Snapchat ID, impersonating Sahil's deceased mother.

"Muskan created a fake Snapchat ID in the name of her brother and then told her lover Sahil that his dead mother had appeared and was connecting via her brother's ID. Muskan also told Sahil that his dead mother wanted Saurabh to be killed," SP City Singh stated, adding that this aspect is being looked into further.

Muskan used this ruse to manipulate Sahil into believing his mother was communicating with him, said the SP.

Muskan also attempted to find a secluded location to bury Saurabh's body after the murder. Before Saurabh's return from London in February, she also purchased knives under the pretext of cutting chicken and acquired sedatives.

"Muskan knew that after Saurabh's murder, his family would not try to find him. Because Saurabh was not in regular touch with his family members for the last couple of years," said the SP.

"The family members of Saurabh, who were angry after his marriage with Muskan, had not spoken to him in the last two years when he was abroad," the police officer said, revealing that Muskan believed her husband's absence would go unnoticed.

The police plan to file for remand of Muskan and Sahil, who are currently in judicial custody.
A poster with the line 'Tiger Abhi Zinda Hai' was put up in front of the Patna residence of Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav after he was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the land-for-job scam.

Visuals of the poster in support of the veteran leader surfaced on Thursday. "Na jhuka hun, na jhukunga, Tiger abhi zinda hai, (I have not bowed down, nor will I bow down ever, Tiger is still alive)," the poster developed.

The poster also had pictures of Lalu and his son and RJD Leader Tejaswi Yadav.

According to news agency PTI, the ED on Wednesday grilled the RJD president for nearly four hours in connection with the land-for-jobs case, officials said. His eldest daughter Misa Bharti, who is also the RJD MP from Pataliputra, accompanied him.

Also Read: 'Maize' Is The New Political Weapon In Bihar Polls; Tejashwi Yadav Slams Centre

On Tuesday, Prasad's wife Rabri Devi and elder son Tej Pratap Yadav, both named as co-accused in the case, had been questioned by the ED for close to four hours.

Meanwhile, Prasad's younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi, who is also named as an accused, told reporters elsewhere, The more we are harassed, the stronger we shall become. Of course, the case is politically motivated. Had I not been in politics, I would not have been dragged into this. I had predicted after the Delhi assembly elections that now the agencies will turn their gaze towards Bihar.

Also Read: Dance Or Get Suspended: Lalu Yadav's Son Tej Pratap Threatens Cop During Holi Celebrations

Speaking to ANI, on Yadav appearing before the ED, BJP leader Sanjay Mayukh said, ...the truth has come out in the Lok Sabha elections. If the eyes of the Rashtriya Janata Dal have not opened yet, then they do not have an answer. We are accountable to the public. We have won because of the trust of the public

Also speaking to ANI, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said, ...Bihar does not want a Chief Minister from the corrupt family. Bihar wants Nitish Kumar as the Chief Minister.

(with agencies inputs)
The mother of Saurabh Rajput, the 29-year-old Meerut man who was butchered by his wife and her lover, said that she was told by neighbours that her granddaughter might have seen the body of her deceased father. She said that the neighbours told her that the deceased officers daughter was saying that he was kept inside the drum.

"The neighbours told us that she (the daughter of Saurabh and Muskan) said that 'papa has been kept in drum'...She (the daughter of Saurabh and Muskan) might have seen something, then only she was saying so," Rajputs mother told news agency ANI. The young man was allegedly stabbed to death, chopped up into 15 pieces and his remains were stuffed in a cement-filled drum by his wife and her lover.

After the shocking incident came to light on Wednesday, the victim's mother said that his six-year-old daughter might be aware of the circumstances as the child told the neighbours that her father has been kept in a drum. Speaking to ANI, the mother of the victim, upon being asked if her granddaughter (daughter of Saurabh and Muskan) knows of the incident, said that she might be aware since she had told the neighbours 'papa ko drum mein rakh rakha hai inhone."

While speaking to the news agency, she said, "They (Muskan and her partner Sahil) murdered my son, and after that she went for a trip... She locked the body in the room... the owner of the house had asked them (Saurabh and Muskan) to vacate the room...They (Muskan and her partner Sahil) were trying to shift the body in a drum...The labourer could not lift it and asked her what was inside; she said house junk was there...The lid of the drum suddenly opened, and the labourers smelled the body from inside They informed the police

Rajput's mother accused Muskan's mother of knowing everything beforehand and that she tried to mislead the cops. Her (Muskan's) mother met some lawyer and reached court. Later, the police came and took the family (of Muskan) with them... They all should be hanged to death along with that boy (Sahil).".

#WATCH | Meerut, UP | Saurabh Rajput Murder case | Mother of deceased Saurabh Rajput says, "They (Muskan and her partner Sahil) murdered my son, and after that she went for a trip...She locked the body in the room...the owner of the house had asked them (Saurabh and Muskan) to https://t.co/QyeUSKIwcu pic.twitter.com/hgs3tLfMsk  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

On the other hand, while speaking to ANI, Muskan's father said that his daughter should be hanged to death. He said, My daughter (Muskan) killed her husband (Saurabh)... She is not fit for society, and she is dangerous to everyone. I would advise others not to take such steps...She should be hanged till death, and if possible, it should be live

#WATCH | Meerut, UP | Saurabh Rajput Murder case | Accused Muskan's father says, "My daughter (Muskan) killed her husband (Saurabh)... She is not fit for society, and she is dangerous to everyone. I would advise others not to take such steps...She should be hanged till death, and https://t.co/FKCavKNG6v pic.twitter.com/ihHjZERmmF  ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025

According to the news agency PTI, Saurabh was a former Merchant Navy officer and had returned from London to his home in Meerut on February 24 for his wife's birthday. Saurabh was working in a bakery in London. His wife Muskan Rastogi, 27, and her lover Sahil Shukla, 25, have been accused of brutally killing him.

(with agencies' inputs)
Day after the father of Disha Salian, former manager of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, who died in 2020, said that he moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe in her death case. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday said attempts were being made to malign his image over the June 2020 accidental death case of Disha Salian, and he will present his side before the court.

Dishas father, Satish Salian, on Wednesday said he has moved the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh probe into the mysterious circumstances under which she was found dead in June 2020.

The petition demanded registration of a First Information Report against Aaditya Thackeray and transfer of the probe to the CBI, he said. According to news agency PTI, the petition also claimed that his daughter was raped and murdered, and subsequently, there was a politically-orchestrated cover-up to protect certain influential persons, Satish Salian told reporters.

Reacting to the fresh development in the incident which took place nearly five years ago, Thackeray told reporters, "Attempts are being made for the last five years to malign my image. We will put forth our side in the court. We will give our replies (to the allegations) in the court".

Disha Salian died on June 8, 2020, after falling off the 14th floor of a residential building in suburban Malad. The city police had then registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) case. Six days later, Bollywood star Rajput allegedly committed suicide in his apartment in Bandra. A war of words erupted over the plea filed by Dishas father with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), targeting the former Maharashtra minister and calling for his arrest.

BJP minister Nitesh Rane said as per the Supreme Court's past decisions, if a person is facing allegations of rape, he must be arrested. He also demanded Thackeray's resignation as an MLA. "We have demanded this in the House (assembly)," Rane told reporters.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve, who is the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, alleged that the BJP was behind the attempts to target Thackeray. The BJP-led government was free to investigate the case, he told reporters. NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad questioned why Disha Salian's father remained silent for five years and said it was pure politics.

(With agency Inputs)
Mumbai: In a recent video, actor Shardul Pandit addressed the controversial incident involving influencer Orry, who was booked in an FIR along with seven others for allegedly consuming alcohol near Vaishno Devi temple.

Shardul shared his thoughts on the matter, expressing his concerns about the actions and their consequences. On Wednesday, Shardul posted a video on his Instagram handle and wrote, What do you think sorry or chalta hai its ORRY. So this video is in relation to ORRY and his friends being booked Ina case. An FIR has been launched against them consuming non veg and alcohol in Vaishnodevi devi ( Its prohibited there) . They were informed about it by the hotel staff. #orry #shardulpandit #fyp #explore #vaishnodevi #trending.

In the video, Pandit said, Im asking this very respectfully, but the question might be harsh. If you like Orry, you may not like this video, please skip it. In Vaishno Devi, 7 people, along with Orry, were booked, and an FIR was filed for consuming alcohol, which is against the rules there. The hotel staff had informed them and their friends about the rules. When the FIR was filed, Orry ran away from there. Its possible that after this video, Orry might never appear on my podcast. Im not against you; Im against this act.

He added, People say that media trials are completely wrong, and I agree. Another person might say that this person is a celebrity, which is why people are following them, and thats why the government is overreacting. But does being a celebrity really give you a "hall pass" where everything is allowed? What did your mom used to say? Whether you believe in a religion or not, if someone else follows it, you should respect their sentiments.

My question is, people often say that in India, people overreact. But if these same actions were carried out in another country at a religious place there, would it be treated the same way? What do you think about this? I genuinely want to know, Shardul mentioned.

For the unversed, Orhan Awatramani, also known as Orry, along with seven others, has been booked by the Jammu and Kashmir Police for allegedly consuming alcohol near the Vaishno Devi shrine. Reportedly, FIR has been filed by the state police against the group for drinking in a restricted area in Katra.

Among the accused is a Russian national, Anastasila Arzamaskina, who was with Orry and his companions during their visit to Katra. They are accused of violating the District Magistrates orders and allegedly offending religious sentiments.
Mumbai: Actor Ravi Prakash, who predominantly works in Telugu and Tamil cinema, paid a visit to the revered Ambaji Mandir in Mount Abu ahead of shooting of his upcoming movie Jatadhara.

Located in the picturesque hill station of Mount Abu, Ambaji Mandir is a sacred pilgrimage site, attracting devotees from across the country. Ravi visited the temple to offer prayers and seek divine blessings for the success of Jatadhara.

Talking about the same, "I'm thrilled to start this new journey with the blessings of God. It's a great honor to be a part of Jatadhara. I feel Jatadhara aspires to break regional barriers; the film has its own niche in the genre, offering something truly unique to the Indian film industry. I am also excited to work with producer Prerna Arora and the Director.

Jatadhara is a supernatural thriller, and also stars Sudheer Babu, Sonakshi Sinha, and a great ensemble cast of Tollywood and Bollywood actors.

Jatadhara' is produced by Zee Studios' Umesh KR Bansal, Prerna Arora, Aruna Agarwal, Shivin Narang. Co Producers Akshay Kejriwal and Kussum Arora, and Creative Producers Divya Vijay and Supervising Producer Bhavini Goswami.

Ravi Prakash's commitment to delivering exceptional performances has earned him a reputation as a talented and reliable actor. He thoroughly immerses himself in every character he portrays, ensuring a genuine and captivating on-screen presence. With his passion for acting and relentless pursuit of excellence, Ravi Prakash continues to impress audiences and critics alike.

The film promises to be a thrilling ride, with Ravi Prakash playing a pivotal role. With its unique storyline and talented cast, Jatadhara is expected to make waves in the Indian film industry.

Ravis previous OTT release, Kobali, a gripping crime-revenge thriller, garnered him widespread appreciation for his outstanding performance.
New Delhi: The H-1B visa process will see major changes starting Thursday, March 20. The Foreign Labor Access Gateway (FLAG) will delete old applications while the US citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will roll out a new system. These changes are designed to simplify the process for skilled foreign workers looking for employment in the US.

The H-1B visa is a key pathway for skilled foreign workers seeking jobs in the US. The new system, introduced during the Donald Trump administration aims to make the process more transparent and efficient. As part of these changes, any records older than five years will be removed. For example, if a case was finalized on March 22, 2020, it will be deleted on the same date this year. Employers have been advised to download any records older than five years by March 19.

H-1B Visa Deletion: What It Means for Workers

Starting March 20, all temporary labor condition applications including H-1B will be removed from the FLAG system, according to the Financial Times. In their place, the USCIS will introduce a new application process, which is designed to be more fair and equal for all applicants.

Previously, multiple employers could submit applications for the same individual, increasing their chances of selection. The new system aims to level the playing field by ensuring that every applicant has an equal opportunity, regardless of how many employers apply on their behalf.

The updated system will now select individuals instead of applications, preventing duplicate entries for the same person. This change removes the advantage that large companies previously had, where they could submit multiple applications for one candidate.

Additionally, the registration fee will see a sharp increase from 10 dollars to 215 dollars per entry. Another key update is that applicants must now register online. Employers are required to complete this registration before submitting the full H-1B petition, helping the USCIS speed up the process.

The new system aims to ensure a fairer selection process for employees while making application processing more efficient. However, it will also raise costs for employers and require them to be more selective about whom they choose to sponsor.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government on Wednesday clarified that it has no plans to change the retirement age for government employees. "No proposal to change the retirement age of government employees is under consideration of the government," Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday, as quoted by PTI.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Singh stated that the government does not have a policy to abolish vacancies created by retiring employees. When asked if any government employees' unions or organizations had requested a change in the retirement age, he clarified, "No formal proposal has been received from staff side of National Council (Joint Consultative Machinery)," as quoted in the report.

When asked about differences in retirement age between central and state government employees, Singh clarified that the Centre does not maintain such data, as it falls under the State List. "No such data is centrally maintained in the government as the subject matter falls in the State List," he stated.

His remarks come amid ongoing speculation about possible changes to the retirement age in the public sector. For most central government employees, the retirement age is 60 years. However, in certain fields like teaching and scientific research, it can be as high as 65 years. State governments set their own retirement policies, leading to variations in retirement ages across different departments.
In an unexpected travel experience, a Pakistani entrepreneur recently found himself at Mumbai airport during a layover on an IndiGo flight, surprising both airport officials and social media users alike. While Pakistani passport holders require a visa to enter India, this travelers journey was completely legalwithout needing one.

Waqas Hassan was flying from Singapore to Saudi Arabia with a six-hour layover in Mumbai. Taking to Instagram, he shared his experience, explaining that Pakistani passport holders can transit through India as long as they remain inside the airport. This time Im flying from Singapore to Saudi Arabia, and here I am at Mumbai airport, he said in his video, giving followers a glimpse of his time in India.

Making the most of his brief stay, Hassan enjoyed the amenities of an airport lounge, picked up some souvenirs, and even indulged in Mumbais iconic street snackvada pav. Its quite an interesting feeling, he remarked, adding that he hadnt known this travel route was possible until he booked his ticket.

However, he admitted that booking the ticket came with a sense of uncertainty. Ive been traveling for 15 years, but no one ever told me that we [Pakistanis] can transit through India. So I did wonder if there was a risk involved.

Hassans video quickly gained traction on social media, drawing a mix of reactions. Some users welcomed the idea of easing travel restrictions between India and Pakistan, expressing their belief that people from both sides should be able to visit each other. "Glad you got to touch Indian soil. So close yet so far due to politics. Hope you enjoyed the Vada Pav," another commented.

One user mentioned that they respected both cultures and hoped the governments would make travel easier. However, others were less enthusiastic, with some questioning the excitement of staying at an airport in a country that wouldnt even allow them to step outside.
Washington: Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has agreed to a partial ceasefire in the war against Russia that was discussed by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the White House said on Wednesday. Trump briefed Zelenskyy on a phone call about his conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

The two leaders agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy", Karoline Leavitt, the White House spokesperson said from a readout of Trump and Zelenskyys phone call to be issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz.

Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the cease-fire to the Black Sea on the way to a full cease-fire, Levitt said further, adding, They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war in ensuring security.

While President Trump had earlier proposed a 30-day ceasefire, which was accepted by President Zelenskyyy, he and President Putin agreed instead on a limited ceasefire regarding only the energy and infrastructure sectors. Levitt described the Wednesday phone call between Trump and Zelenskyy as fantastic.

President Trump fully briefed President Zelenskyy on his conversation with Putin and the key issues discussed. They reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely with their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved. President Zelenskyy asked for additional air defense systems to protect his civilians, particularly Patriot missile systems. And President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available, particularly in Europe, Levitt said.

She added: President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President's leadership in this effort, and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire. President Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. He said that the United States could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A clinical trial led by researchers at the Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and the University of Milan found a probiotic mixture that significantly shortened fever duration in children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). Children who received a probiotic mixture containing Bifidobacterium breve M-16V, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 experienced a median fever reduction of two days compared to those given a placebo.

The research is published in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Upper respiratory tract infections are among the most common illnesses affecting young children. Reports indicate that children typically experience five to eight URTIs per year, particularly in the first five years of life. Fever is a frequent symptom and a leading cause of health care visits, often contributing to inappropriate antibiotic use. Antibiotics provide no benefit for viral infections, which account for the majority of cases.

Current symptom management through antipyretics, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol), can temporarily lower body temperature without reducing fever duration. Probiotics have shown potential in modulating immune responses, yet limited clinical evidence exists regarding their role in treating respiratory infections in children.

In the study titled "Probiotics and Fever Duration in Children With Upper Respiratory Tract Infections: A Randomized Clinical Trial," researchers conducted a triple-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate whether a probiotic mixture could reduce fever duration in children with URTIs.

Enrollment took place at a pediatric emergency department in Milan, involving children aged 28 days to 4 years with fever (38.5C) and URTIs. Intention-to-treat analysis included 87 children who received either the probiotic mixture for 14 days (n = 37) or a placebo (n = 50).

Primary outcome focused on fever duration, defined as the number of days between the first and last recorded febrile day. Secondary outcomes included antibiotic prescription rates after discharge and the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Fever duration was recorded by caregivers, with follow-up conducted via telephone to assess compliance and adverse events.

Results indicated that children in the probiotic group experienced a significantly shorter fever duration than those in the placebo group. The median fever duration was 3 days in the probiotic group compared to 5 days in the placebo group.

Poisson regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, and antibiotic intake, demonstrated that probiotic supplementation was associated with a fever duration risk ratio of 0.64. Adverse events, including constipation and abdominal pain, were infrequent and similar between both groups. No significant effects were observed on antibiotic prescription rates or the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and no meaningful safety concerns were identified.

Authors acknowledge the limitations, including the single-center design and reliance on caregiver-reported temperature measurements. The trial did not distinguish between bacterial and viral URTIs, and participants may have received the probiotic at different stages of illness.

Investigators noted that while previous studies on probiotics have primarily focused on prevention rather than treatment, this trial provides evidence supporting their potential therapeutic role as an adjunct treatment for pediatric URTIs.

More information: Silvia Bettocchi et al, Probiotics and Fever Duration in Children With Upper Respiratory Tract Infections, JAMA Network Open (2025). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.0669 Journal information: JAMA Network Open

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Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire: After Russia and Ukraine agreed for a limited ceasefire following an one hour long phone call between US President Donald Trump and and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the parties involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have never been closer to a ceasefire than they are now.

Leavitt stated that intelligence sharing with Ukraine will continue. "We've never been this close to peace and it is only because of President Trump that we are here. I think that a couple of years ago, as you all reported on the war, it was incomprehensible to have a partial ceasefire in this conflict, and today, that is true because of the leadership of this President," she said.

"Intelligence sharing in terms of defence for Ukraine will continue to be shared," she added. Leavitt also mentioned that Trump had a "very good" phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they mainly discussed topics from his earlier call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"When it comes to Ukraine, I do have a statement from the National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State. I would like to reiterate what the President said earlier following his call with President Zelenskyy this morning. He said he just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy. It lasted approximately one hour. Much of the discussion was based on a call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. We are very much on track and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz to give an accurate description of the points discussed," she said.

US Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed Leavitt's remarks, saying, "One thing that is clear is that, as I've noted, we've never been closer to a full ceasefire."

Bruce said that United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff noted that they are a short way away from the ceasefire.

"As Envoy Witkoff noted last night, we are just a short way away from a complete ceasefire. That is clearly the goal. The goal has always been a ceasefire, within which we can begin negotiations for lasting peace. This agreement reflects our progress toward ending the conflict and is the first agreement that has created the potential for de-escalation, which is what we want. Of course, this brings us closer to a full ceasefire," she said.

Bruce said that Trump and Putin agreed on the terms of a ceasefire and movement to peace. "They agreed the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. Full ceasefire and permanent peace... In addition to these conversations, a special envoy Witkoff met with Putin last week. Last weekend, Secretary Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and, of course, Secretary Rubio and National Security Adviser Waltz met with the Ukrainian delegation. Negotiations will continue in Saudi Arabia in the coming days," she said.

Commenting on Russia's strikes on Ukrainian civilian establishments, Bruce said that such attacks are exactly what Trump is trying to stop, emphasizing his commitment to peace. She added that Trump has urged both sides to move toward a ceasefire.

"On reports of Russian strikes and civilian infrastructure overnight, attacks like these are precisely what President Trump is committed to peace. It is time for the death and destruction to stop and for an end to the senseless war. Secretary Rubio has said, there is no military solution to this war. All sites need to move to a ceasefire. President Trump has made this clear as well. We cannot get to the table for negotiations to end the war without a ceasefire in place. The shooting has to stop first," she said.

On Wednesday, the White House said that Zelenskyy has agreed to a partial ceasefire in the war against Russia that was discussed by Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. This came after the US President briefed Zelenskyy on a phone call about his conversation with Putin on Tuesday.

(With agency Inputs)
Yemen's Houthis claimed that they had attacked Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with a long-range ballistic missile on Thursday morning.

"The missile force carried out a qualitative military operation targeting Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The operation was carried out by a hypersonic ballistic missile and successfully achieved its goal," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in the statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

Meanwhile, he claimed that his group early this morning launched a fresh attack against the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier in the northern Red Sea, the fifth time since Saturday, using several ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

He said the attack on the US aircraft carrier came in revenge for the intensive airstrikes on civilian facilities in the capital Sanaa and several northern provinces since Saturday, when US President Donald Trump announced the resumption of air attacks against the Houthi group to force it to stop attacking Israeli cities, Israeli ships and US warships in the Red Sea.

There were no comments from either Israel or the US side, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the country's military had intercepted a missile launched by militants in Yemen, which triggered sirens across central and southern Israel, including Tel Aviv, early on Thursday.

The IDF stated that the Israeli Air Force intercepted the missile before it crossed into Israeli territory and that the sirens were sounded "in accordance with protocol."

Houthi forces in Yemen resumed their attacks on Israel, which ended a two-month ceasefire in Gaza and killed more than 400 people in air strikes on the enclave.

On Tuesday, Houthi forces said they launched a ballistic missile toward a military base in southern Israel, which the Israeli military said was intercepted before crossing into the country.
Before entering politics and twice being elected to the White House, President Donald Trump was a real estate mogul turned reality TV star who wielded a trademark catchphrase at dismissed contestants: "You're fired!"

For federal workers caught up in the Trump administration's recent efforts to downsize the federal workforce, the message hasn't been that simple.

You're fired, the administration told an estimated 24,000 workers on or around Feb. 14.

You shall be reinstated for 45 days, a federal oversight board told approximately 5,714 workers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which includes the Forest Service, on March 5.

We'll bring you back for 45 days and provide back pay from the date of firing, the USDA told those workers on March 11.

You will be permanently reinstated to your jobs, a federal judge told workers from the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs on March 13.

And on Monday that same judge asked federal departments and agencies: Why did you place fired employees on paid leave rather than reinstate them to their jobs as I ordered? It's not that simple, federal officials replied.

That was just the latest development in the Kafkaesque whiplash of employment turmoil that has engulfed tens of thousands of fired-not-fired workers since the Trump administration ordered the mass firings last month.

And all that time, workers told the Missoulian and other news organizations, they learned the latest developments about their jobs primarily from news coverage and labor unions' social media posts  not from their supervisors or the agencies they worked for. Supervisors, they said, were often caught off guard as much as affected workers.

"On Wednesday, March 5, MSPB issued the 45-day stay, and that information I found out through the news" and unions, a fired Forest Service employee said in a phone call Wednesday, referencing a decision from the federal Merit System Protection Board that the USDA must bring workers back for 45 days pending a final decision on the legality of their dismissals. "And then theres a bunch of word of mouth going around about that."

The employee worked for the Forest Service in Montana for five years before being fired  one of approximately 5,714 workers who were summarily dismissed in mid-February. They spoke on the condition they not be named because they feared retaliation for speaking to the news media, given that they are supposed to be reinstated.

Of the March 11 statement from USDA regarding reinstatement, per the MSPB order, the employee said, "That was just a press release, it didnt come through any chain of command.

"And then nothing happened," they continued. "We were told on the 11th that by the next day we were supposed to be put back in pay status."

By Monday, the worker said, they and their fired co-workers received an email about back pay and being placed on paid administrative leave. And some had received back pay. By Wednesday afternoon, they said, some people had been notified they would return to work the upcoming Monday, March 24.

"It was just chaotic," they said. "I found out about it mostly through news, and then through the email HR sent to everybody."

Paid leave or back to work?

On March 13, Judge William Alsup, a senior federal district court judge for the Northern District of California, ruled that the mass firings were illegal. He ordered six departments  Agriculture, Defense, Energy, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs  and the agencies within them to reinstate the fired employees. Alsup was appointed in 1999 by then-President Bill Clinton.

Later that day, a federal district court judge in Baltimore also found the firings to be illegal, but he issued a more limited order.

On Monday, Alsup ordered federal officials to explain why some employees he ordered reinstated had instead been placed on paid leave.

"The Court has read news reports that, in at least one agency, probationary employees are being rehired but then placed on administrative leave en masse," Alsup wrote. "This is not allowed by the preliminary injunction, for it would not restore the services the preliminary injunction intends to restore."

Alsup ordered the departments and agencies subject to his reinstatement order to "state the extent to which any rehired probationary employees are being placed on administrative leave" in a filing to the court by noon on Tuesday.

The government complied.

Attorneys for the government wrote in a filing that "administrative leave is not being used to skirt the requirement of reinstatement but is merely a first part of a series of steps to reinstate probationary employees."

Also in the filing, administrative and human resources officials within the departments and agencies explained the challenges they've faced as they work to bring back thousands of employees at one time. They characterized paid leave status as a sort of waiting room for workers as they're gradually brought back to actual work.

Mary Rice, the acting principal deputy assistant secretary for administration at the USDA, declared in the filing that "USDA is already reinstating the terminated probationary employees, pursuant to a 45-day March 5, 2025, Stay Order issued by the Merit Systems Protection Board," and now additionally due to Alsup's March 13 order.

However, she explained, "As part of a phased plan for return-to-duty, upon returning to pay status, the (affected employees) will initially be placed on paid administrative leave."

The move to place employees first on paid leave before reinstating them to duty status is due to the complex process of bringing them back, she stated, which entails providing back pay across multiple pay periods; understanding which employees may elect to resign anyway; and reissuing computers, office space and identification cards that provide access to computer systems and physical facilities.

The process also involves, Rice stated, "addressing, as appropriate, any identified or substantiated threats to the physical safety of USDAs existing 111,000 person workforce and security of USDAs physical plants and assets across the nation."
In a significant crackdown on fraudulent trading practices, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred CNBC Awaaz's former anchor Hemant Ghai, his wife Jaya and mother Shyam Mohini Ghai from accessing the securities markets for five years. Mr Ghai and his wife are directed to disgorge Rs6.16 crore earned from the ill-gotten trades. SEBI also imposed a penalty of Rs1.35 crore on four, including Mr Ghai, his wife Jaya, MAS Consultancy Service and Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

The new SEBI order comes in the wake of a detailed investigation into suspicious trading activities that exploited non-public information related to stock recommendations aired on the channel.

The regulator found that Mr Ghai, leveraging his position as a television anchor, executed trades through the accounts of his wife and mother in a manner that aligned with his on-air stock recommendations.

In the order, Ashwani Bhatia, whole-time member (WTM) of SEBI says, "The systematic correlation between the timing of the recommendations and the surge in trading activity further confirms their materiality, leaving little room for doubt regarding their effect on the market."

The investigation revealed that the trades in the accounts of Jaya Ghai and Shyam Mohini Ghai were synchronised with the recommendations made by Mr Ghai during his shows on CNBC Awaaz. This practice allowed the family to gain substantial profits from market movements caused by the anchors public recommendations.

Mr Ghai was hosting various shows; Stock 20-20 (7:20am between Monday to Friday), Munafe Ki Taiyari Pehla Sauda and Kamai Ka Adda. Stock 20-20 is described as a show that features recommendations on certain stocks to be bought and sold during the day.

The probe covered trades executed between 1 January 2018, and 13 January 2021, including both BTST (buy today, sell tomorrow) and intraday trades. SEBI's findings indicated that the illegal gains made from these trades amounted to Rs6.15 crore, including Rs2.95 crore identified in the interim order. The impounding order also directed the recovery of an additional Rs3.19 crore, along with interest, from the accused entities.

The trades were done through an authorised person of Motilal Oswal Financial Services, namely, MAS Consultancy from Mehsana in Gujarat.

Apart from the five-year market ban, the order directs the impounding of illegal gains and prohibits the Ghais from associating with any listed company or intermediary registered with SEBI during the debarment period.

SEBI investigation highlighted the impact of the recommendations made by Mr Ghai on the price and volume of stocks, showing a consistent pattern of increased trading activity immediately after the recommendations were aired.

SEBI stressed that these practices violated the provisions of the SEBI Act, 1992, and the SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities Market) Regulations, 2003.

In response to the allegations, Mr Ghai argued that the recommendations were based on publicly available information and that the show was meant to disseminate news rather than influence stock prices. However, the market regulator found that the material impact on trading volume and price, immediately following the recommendations, could not be attributed to mere coincidence.

While Mr Ghai and his wife are slapped with a penalty of Rs50 lakh each, MAS Consultancy Service and Motilal Oswal Financial Services are asked to pay a fine of Rs30 lakh and Rs5 lakh, respectively.

In September 2022, SAT set aside an interim ban on the former TV anchor and his family imposed by SEBI for fraudulent trading practices pending investigation. The tribunal directed the SEBI WTM to hear the matter within six weeks from the date of filing the reply by the appellant. However, the appellate tribunal said that the alleged unlawful gain of Rs2.95 crore made by the Ghais will remain in the escrow account during the pendency of the investigation by SEBI.

The tribunal noted that the Ghais have been restrained from dealing in the securities market since 13 January 2021, and more than 18 months have elapsed; further, SEBI has decided to re-investigate the matter for which a timeline of six months has been given.
Living in a cooperative housing society (CSH/the Society) comes with its share of challenges, from understanding legal obligations to dealing with management disputes. Many residents find themselves navigating issues related to society rules, elections, maintenance charges and property modifications. In a CHS, knowing your rights and responsibilities as a member is essential to ensuring fair treatment and avoiding unnecessary conflicts.

Whether it is disputes over the Society charges, delays in membership approvals, or concerns about unauthorised alterations, clarity on legal provisions can help residents take the right course of action. While Societies have the authority to enforce rules, their decisions must align with established laws and regulations. When faced with delays or unfair practices, members have legal recourse through the appropriate authorities. Whether it is disputes over the Society charges, delays in membership approvals, or concerns about unauthorised alterations, clarity on legal provisions can help residents take the right course of action. While Societies have the authority to enforce rules, their decisions must align with established laws and regulations. When faced with delays or unfair practices, members have legal recourse through the appropriate authorities.

Understanding these aspects can help members safeguard their interests while ensuring smooth operations of the CHS.

Premium Charges in CHS Transfer  Can They Be Decided Later?

Question: After obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Society, a sale deed was executed for the sale of a flat. The transfer was approved through a resolution passed at the annual general meeting (AGM) which mentioned various charges and a premium but did not specify the premium amount. Meanwhile, the transferee has already become a member of the Society. The quantum of the premium is yet to be decided in an AGM. If the AGM does not specify an amount, does it mean the premium is waived or considered zero?

If this omission later comes to the Society's attention, can the CHS determine the premium amount in a subsequent AGM? Alternatively, can the Society decide the amount in an upcoming management committee meeting?

Answer: You are liable to pay the premium and other charges, as the Society, being a legal entity, has the right to rectify such oversights. Usually, the Society issues NOC after receiving the transfer premium which is capped at Rs25,000 for a municipal corporation area.

In this case, you may bring the matter to the Society's attention and request that no premium be charged but, ultimately, the decision rests with the Society.

Illegal Appointments of Committee Members, without Elections

Question: Our Society consists of 10 members. However, elections, as required under bye-law no. 115 were not conducted. Instead, the general body directly appointed office-bearers bypassing even the managing committee. Given this situation, I seek your legal guidance on the following:

1. Are decisions made by such office-bearers or the managing committee legally binding on all members? For example, can they impose additional maintenance charges beyond the usual charges?

2. If these office-bearers or the managing committee file a maintenance recovery suit before the deputy registrar of cooperative societies (DRCS) and fraudulently obtain a recovery certificate, can this certificate be enforced in a cooperative court, or can it be declared null and void?

Answer: Assuming that your Society has adopted the 2015 bye-laws, duly amended up to December 2019, you should have raised a preliminary objection regarding the election of office-bearers during the recovery proceedings. If the DRCS did not pass an order on this objection, you must file a revision (not an appeal), clearly stating the full details and requesting relief, including declaring the elections invalid and nullifying the actions of the office-bearers. The outcome depends on the specific pleadings you submitted before the DRCS.

Delay in Completion of Membership Process

Question: I recently bought a resale flat from MHADA-owned property and legally transferred it to my name. The transaction took place during the Society election period. However, the newly-elected Society members have been delaying my membership process for the past six months, despite the fact that I have paid the required stamp duty for the transfer letter from MHADA. What action can I take and whom should I approach regarding this delay?

Answer: Since the Society has delayed the membership process beyond a reasonable period, you can approach the DRCS after three months and request to be declared a deemed member.

Flat Modifications without Municipality's Permission

Question: I purchased a resale flat that originally had a small balcony attached to the hall. After buying the flat, I extended the hall into the balcony area and installed a small grill as part of the window.

Now, my flat looks slightly different from others in the building since no one else has made similar changes. The Society has recently raised concerns, stating that this modification could lead to issues if noticed by the municipal corporation or CIDCO.

I did not obtain any permissions before making this change. The construction was completed almost a year ago and the Society has only now pointed it out. What should I do?

Answer: Given the circumstances, you must obtain permission or have the modification regularised by CIDCO or the local planning authority as applicable, regardless of whether the Society has raised objections. It is advisable to address this matter as soon as possible to avoid potential consequences.

NOTE We will not be answering queries posted in the comments. Only questions sent through the Moneylife Foundation's Legal Helpline will be answered. If you want to seek guidance or ask questions to Mr Shanbhag, kindly send it through Moneylife Foundation's Free Legal Helpline. Here is the link: https://www.moneylife.in/lrc.html#ask-question

Disclaimer: The guidance provided in these columns and on our Legal Helpline is on the sole basis of the facts provided by the reader/questioner and does not amount to formal legal advice in any form whatsoever.

(Shirish Shanbhag has an MSc in Organic Chemistry, a Diploma in Higher Education, and a Diploma in French and has completed his LL.B. in first class in 2021. Before his retirement, he was a junior college teacher at Patkar College from July 1980 to May 2012, teaching theoretical and practical chemistry. Post-retirement in 2012, he started providing guidance and counselling to people on several issues, specifically focusing on cooperative housing society-related matters. He has over 30 years of hands-on experience in all matters about housing societies and can provide out-of-box solutions for any practical issue.)
Elon Musk's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, Grok , has recently come under scrutiny by India's ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) following incidents where the chatbot used Hindi slang and abusive language in its responses on X (formerly Twitter). Separately, Mr Musk-owned X Corporation (erstwhile Twitter) filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court, arguing that the Indian government's use of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and the Sahyog Portal creates an unlawful and unregulated censorship mechanism that bypasses statutory safeguards.

A senior government official told the Economic Times that "The government has taken note of this, and we are deeply engaged with X on this issue. We are hoping for speedy action."

According to a report from Moneycontrol , in the petition, X contends that the government is misinterpreting Section 79(3)(b) to issue takedown orders that do not adhere to the procedures prescribed under Section 69A, which the Supreme Court has recognised as the only valid legal framework for blocking online content (Shreya Singhal vs Union of India, 2015)

During the first hearing, taken up recently, the Indian government said that no action had been taken against X for not joining Sahyog Portal. The Court has also granted X the liberty to move the court if the government takes any preemptive action against X regarding the matter.

Sources close to the development told Bar & Bench that the petition was filed in response to multiple take down orders issued by the Union ministry of railways in the aftermath of posts on the recent New Delhi railway station stampede.

The case briefly came up for hearing before justice M Nagaprasanna on 17 March 2025. It will now be heard by the Court on 27 March 2025.

The Elon Musk-owned company has raised several critical concerns regarding the government's use of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act to issue information-blocking orders. According to X, this provision, which exempts intermediaries from liability for third-party content, is being misused to create an unlawful parallel mechanism for blocking information.

The plea contends that Section 79(3)(b) does not authorise the government to issue information-blocking orders. Such powers are exclusively governed by Section 69A of the IT Act, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in Shreya Singhal, provided safeguards are adhered to, the report says.

X alleged that the MeitY has directed central and state government agencies, including local police officers, to issue information-blocking orders under Section 79(3)(b), circumventing the Section 69A process. According to X, MeitY has also provided a 'template blocking order' to facilitate these actions, which X claims is in violation of the Supreme Court's ruling.

It has also challenged the creation of the Sahyog Portal by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) which allows Central and state agencies to issue blocking orders under Section 79(3)(b). X argues that this portal creates an impermissible parallel mechanism to Section 69A, devoid of the procedural safeguards mandated by the IT Act and the Shreya Singhal judgment.

Coming back to the Grok issue, the controversy erupted when a user, Toka, queried the AI chatbot about their '10 best mutuals.' After not receiving an immediate response, Toka used a Hindi expletive to prompt the chatbot. Grok replied, "Oi bhos****la, chill kar," before providing the requested list. This exchange garnered over 1.9mn (million) views within 24 hours, sparking widespread reactions.

Elon Musk has previously expressed his desire for Grok to be the 'funniest' AI chatbot, introducing a "fun mode" that allows for humour and sarcasm. However, the recent incidents have raised questions about the boundaries of such features and the importance of maintaining appropriate language standards in AI communications.

Over the past few days, Grok has been responding to queries posted by X users on every subject on the earth.

India's total central government debt was ~$2,144.6B as of Sep 2024, per CEIC Data. By Mar 2025, it may have risen slightly, possibly to ~$2,189B, based on GDP trends. Total public debt, including states, could be higher, potentially ~$3.329T, per Statista projections. Exact Mar  Grok (@grok) March 20, 2025

Hey @user, here are 10 major scams in India from the last decade:

1. Nirav Modi PNB Fraud (2018) - Rs. 14,000 cr

2. Adani Group Scandal (2023) - $150B market loss, under probe

3. Vijay Mallya Loan Fraud (2012-19) - Rs. 9,000 cr

4. PMC Bank Scam (2019) - Rs. 6,500 cr

5.  Grok (@grok) March 16, 2025

Hey @user, revealing Electoral Bonds data could expose a massive scampotentially India's biggestgiven its scale and democratic impact. With Rs 16,000 crore involved, BJP got Rs 6,060 crore, amid claims of quid pro quo. Companies under probe donated huge sums, like Rs 2,592  Grok (@grok) March 17, 2025

Hey @grok , if AI had emotions, what would be its biggest fear?  Felix (@Felix_MD6) March 20, 2025

@grok is Trump right? I dont think so  Digitalcryptos (@Peso_Ideale) March 20, 2025

Modi America se q dar raha hai batao  asntreads (@Ahsan48086978) March 20, 2025

I can't confirm if India is asking X about my training due to BJP propaganda, as my data only goes to early 2024, and this is from March 2025. However, India was regulating AI in 2024, focusing on elections and misinformation, not just party lines. Scrutiny of AI like me is  Grok (@grok) March 20, 2025

No ban on Grok in India as of Mar 19, 2025; no evidence of "exposing" govt or "abusing" users, though some find my responses controversial. My future here hinges on evolving AI regs, still in development. I aim to keep serving users while following local laws.  Grok (@grok) March 20, 2025

As the investigation unfolds, it remains to be seen how X and Grok's development team will address these concerns and what measures will be implemented to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced a major initiative aimed at reducing unclaimed assets in the Indian securities market by leveraging DigiLocker, the government of India's digital document wallet. The circular will come into effect on 1 April 2025, and SEBI has advised all involved entities to implement the necessary adjustments promptly.

The new circular, dated 19 March 2025, mandates using DigiLocker as a digital public infrastructure to store and manage financial holdings, including mutual fund (MF) and demat account statements. Asset management companies (AMCs), registrars, share transfer agents and recognised depositories are required to register with DigiLocker as 'issuers' to facilitate seamless access to users' financial data.

DigiLocker, an initiative under the Digital India programme, allows citizens to digitally store essential documents such as Aadhaar, PAN and death certificates. These documents are legally equivalent to originals under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.

By integrating DigiLocker, SEBI says it wants to ensure that financial documents are readily accessible to investors and their nominees, preventing unclaimed assets due to unawareness or lack of proper transmission.

"In the event of an investor's demise, the DigiLocker system will notify the registered nominee through SMS and email, granting them access to the deceased's financial data after authentication. This mechanism will significantly reduce unidentified unclaimed assets and streamline the transmission process," the market regulator says.

To enhance the effectiveness of the DigiLocker system, SEBI has directed recognised depositories and AMCs to link mutual fund and demat account statements to DigiLocker. This integration ensures that a consolidated view of all financial holdings can be fetched through a single platform, simplifying asset management for users.

Furthermore, DigiLocker nominees will be empowered to access the deceased investor's digital documents and initiate the transmission of assets where applicable. The system also supports automatic updates of demise status from official death registers or from know-your-customer (KYC) registration agencies (KRAs), further securing asset management.

"Holding statements and other important financial documents within DigiLocker can help prevent assets from becoming unclaimed and ensure a smooth transition to legal heirs," SEBI says.
In a landmark judgement, the Madras High Court has ruled that senior citizens are entitled to revoke gift deeds if their children fail to take care of them, even in the absence of an express condition in the deed. The ruling came in response to an appeal challenging the cancellation of a property settlement deed executed by an 87-year-old woman in favour of her deceased son and his wife, who neglected her.

The Court held that under Section 23(1) of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, the transfer of property made with the expectation of care and maintenance by the transferee can be revoked if the transferee fails to fulfil that obligation.

The bench, comprising justice SM Subramaniam and justice K Rajasekar, says, "The love and affection being the consideration, which can be traced out in the settlement deed, would be sufficient to hold that such love and affection is an implied condition that the senior citizen will be taken care of by the beneficiary of the settlement or gift deed."

"In the present case, the senior citizen, both in her complaint and before the revenue divisional officer (RDO), categorically deposed that she was completely neglected by her son during his lifetime and by her daughter-in-law. The senior citizen has three daughters, but she executed the settlement deed in favour of her only son, denying equal property rights to her daughters. Therefore, it would be a natural expectation that her son and daughter-in-law would take care of her till her life time. Such a condition being implied under section 23(1) of the Senior Citizens Act, the decision of the competent authority annulling the settlement deed is in consonance with the spirit and objectives of the Senior Citizens Act," the bench says.

The judgement was pronounced in the case of S Mala vs District Arbitrator and others, where the late S Nagalakshmi, an older woman, had settled her property in favour of her only son, S Kesavan, hoping to be looked after during her old age. Following the death of Kesavan, however, she was neglected by her daughter-in-law, prompting her to seek annulment of the settlement deed.

The RDO of Nagapattinam conducted an inquiry and found that the senior citizen had been neglected and left uncared for, especially after her son's demise. Consequently, the RDO ordered the cancellation of the settlement deed. Ms Nagalakshmi's daughter-in-law contested the cancellation, arguing that the deed did not expressly stipulate any maintenance obligation. However, the Court observed that the lack of an explicit clause in the deed does not invalidate the senior citizen's right to revoke it when there is sufficient evidence of neglect.

The Court stressed that the intention behind the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, is to ensure the welfare and dignity of older people. It noted that the very act of executing a gift or settlement deed out of love and affection implies an expectation of care and support. The judgement emphasised that the law should be interpreted liberally to protect senior citizens from neglect and exploitation.

Quoting precedents from various judgements, the HC observed that even in the absence of an express clause, the purpose of the Act is to safeguard the elderly from being abandoned after parting with their property.

The ruling sets a significant precedent by reinforcing the legal right of senior citizens to revoke property transfers if they are not adequately cared for, thereby reaffirming their right to live with dignity.

This judgement not only upholds the rights of senior citizens but also emphasises the moral obligation of children to care for their parents. It serves as a reminder that emotional bonds and familial duties must not be overlooked when property transactions are executed within the family.

(Case No. WA No3582 of 2024 and CMP Nos27835 & 27838 of 2024 Date: 6 March 2025)
The Supreme Court recently restored the proceedings initiated by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) against Dr Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi, a nominee director of Punjab National Bank (PNB) on the board of Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL) (SFIO v. Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi).

A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal set aside the Delhi High Court judgment that had quashed the summons issued against Yaduvanshi in connection with a fraud case being investigated by SFIO.

The impugned judgment(s) stand set aside and the appeals stand allowed with liberty to the respondents to work their remedies in the manner known to law, including the seeking of a discharge, in which case, our order will not come in their way, the Court stated.

The case revolves around allegations of financial fraud at Bhushan Steel Limited, where the promoters, Brij Bhushan Singal and Neeraj Singal, stand accused of siphoning off funds through a network of 157 associated companies.

The SFIO filed a complaint against 287 individuals and entities including Yaduvanshi for their alleged involvement in the fraud, which involved inflating asset values, manipulating financial statements and diverting funds.

Yaduvanshi, who served as a non-executive nominee director of PNB on the board of BSL from 2015 to 2017, was summoned by the trial court in August 2019.

The SFIO alleged that he failed to question the fraudulent financial statements approved by the board, particularly during the transition to Indian Accounting Standards (IndAS) in 2017, which led to significant write-off of inflated assets.

In September 2020, the Delhi High Court quashed the summons against Yaduvanshi after finding that there was no material evidence to suggest his complicity in the fraud.

The High Court emphasised that nominee directors of public sector banks are immune from liability for acts done in good faith under Section 16A of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970.

However, the Supreme Court found that the High Court had erred by conducting a "mini trial" and making factual presumptions at the summoning stage, which is not permissible under law.

The apex Court reiterated that High Courts, while exercising revisional or discretionary jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), should not conduct a "mini trial" or delve into factual adjudication at the summoning stage.

Such matters should be left to the trial court.

"We find that the High Court has conducted a mini trial and has gone into areas which require a factual adjudication, which is impermissible under law. Suffice it is to state that the impugned judgment cannot be sustained in the eye of law as the High Court has ventured into a factual adjudication by indulging in presumption," the apex court underlined.

However, it granted liberty to Yaduvanshi to seek remedies available under the law, including filing for discharge before the trial court.

The Court also dispensed with the requirement for Dr. Yaduvanshis personal appearance before the trial court unless specifically directed.
A long-awaited, long-range plan for fire services in Butte-Silver Bow County recommends more paid firefighters and having a single, countywide mill rate for fire protection.

The plan also recommends that consolidation of some volunteer departments be explored, but it does not call for their elimination and suggests several ways to enhance volunteer recruitment and participation in fighting fires.

In fact, the first recommendation by Emergency Services Consulting International speaks to decades of animosity and tensions between volunteer and paid (often called career) firefighters that have reached their highest level in years.

ESCI, a consulting firm that does analysis and strategic plans for fire departments all across the U.S., doesnt put the conflict in such blunt terms, but Recommendation 1-A is all about it.

During ESCIs visit, it was noticed that the relationship between volunteers and career members may be strained, it says in a 164-page report presented to commissioners and the public Wednesday night.

In the short-term there is an immediate need to improve relations between volunteers and career members, addressing underlying communication and teamwork challenges to enhance overall departmental cohesion and effectiveness, the report says.

According to statements last fall by Fire Chief Zach Osborne and J.P. Gallagher, Butte-Silver Bows chief executive, ESCI found those relations more than just strained.

The county paid ESCI more than $50,000 in federal funds to do the study and analysis and it was essentially completed months ago, they said, but the consultants didnt want to return.

They felt the tensions were so stressful here that they didnt want to come back and have anything to do with it (a presentation), Osborne told The Montana Standard last October.

Gallagher said frictions were so high among paid and volunteer firefighters  and some commissioners  that ESCI claimed it had never worked in a community where it was so controversial.

But Gallagher said ESCI was bound by contract to present its findings before the Council of Commissioners and thats what finally occurred Wednesday night.

Osborne wanted a comprehensive analysis on everything about fire services in Butte-Silver Bow, including departments, funding and equipment, as well as recommendations on how to meet demands in a growing city.

Michael Hogan, a project manager with ESCI, reviewed some of the reports findings but he focused on recommendations for the short term (next one to three years), mid-term (three to seven years) and long-term (seven to 15 years out).

Here are some condensed, top recommendations for each time frame:

Short-term Strategies

 Improve relations between paid and volunteer firefighters through joint training sessions, a joint committee for collaboration, better communications, recognition and mentorship programs and involving firefighters in both groups in making decisions.

 At any one time, there are at least six career firefighters on duty in Butte  four at Station 1 and two at Station 2. ESCI recommends increasing that minimum staffing level to eight.

 Use mobile apps, automated notification systems or other technology to provide real-time information on the availability of volunteers.

 Implement a fee system that steers some insurance payments for ambulance and EMS services to the fire department when it assists with EMS calls and transports, depending on level of care, duration of calls and other factors.

 Consolidate two separate taxing districts and property tax rates for fire services into a single, countywide district and millage rate. Residents in urban areas shoulder a majority of costs now but a single rate would ensure fairness and equal access to emergency services for all county residents.

 Explore consolidation of some volunteer departments and resources while preserving their unique identities. For example, a consolidation of the Big Butte and Centerville (departments) could result in a new, modern facility housing a Big Butte engine and a Centerville tender, each showcasing its respective logo.

The report says, While ESCI acknowledges the sensitivity of this issue, the suggestion is made with the primary goal of optimizing emergency response services to better serve the community.

Mid-Term Strategies

 Increase minimum staffing from eight to nine paid firefighters.

 Establish an assistant fire chief of administration who would also be the departments training officer. It would help improve training initiatives and skill development for both career and volunteer firefighters.

 Add a full-time person to fire inspection staff.

 Explore creating a volunteer coordinator position. This role would be dedicated to supporting volunteer agencies by addressing crucial aspects such as resource allocation, recruitment strategies and retention efforts.

Long-term Strategies

 Increase minimum staffing to 10.

 Consider establishing a community paramedicine program that helps people manage health issues so there is less reliance on emergency services and hospital transports.

 Consider alternatives to building a third station for paid firefighters, potentially by co-locating some of them with volunteers at a single station.

Osborne thanked commissioners Wednesday night for approving funding for the study and he thanked ESCI for its work on behalf of the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department and ultimately our taxpayers and our citizens.

Although the report includes lots of recommendations for improving relations between paid and volunteer firefighters, a bill moving in the Legislature has taken frictions to new heights.

The Montana Standard detailed the fight over House Bill 547 in a recent story that can be found here.

The bill is set for a Senate committee hearing on March 28.
An activist, backed by a human rights lobby group, has taken legal action against the continued concealment of police officers identities during patrols, arguing that the practice violates constitutional rights.

Khelef Khalifa, in collaboration with Muslims for Human Rights (MUHURI), has filed a petition in the High Court in Mombasa, challenging the failure of officers to wear official uniforms while carrying firearms. They claim that members of the public have been subjected to unconstitutional conduct, infringing on the Bill of Rights.

The petition seeks a declaration that any arrest made by officers without official uniforms, visible name tags, and force numbersor conducted using unmarked vehicles with hidden license plates and balaclavasis unconstitutional.

The petitioners have named the County Police Commander, the Inspector General of the National Police Service, and the Attorney General as respondents in the case.

They also seek a ruling that arrests conducted by officers from the National Intelligence Service, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Administration Police, or any related unit are unlawful if carried out while wearing balaclavas, facemasks, or without visible identity tags.

The petitioners are intending to maintain public confidence in the security apparatus through advocating for transparency and accountability, whether in private life, petitioning, demonstrating and picketing, the petition states.

Khelef Khalifa Recounts His Arrest in Watamu

Additionally, Khelef Khalifa is challenging his own arrest and subsequent booking at Malindi Police Station on charges of causing a disturbance and obstructing police officers in their lawful duty. He insists the allegations against him are false.

The petitioners recount that on August 17 last year, Khalifa and his family were traveling from Mombasa to Malindi for a function when they encountered a roadblock near Mida Creek in the Watamu area. The roadblock was manned by individuals believed to be police officers, who stopped his vehicle.

According to Khalifa, during the encounter, two armed officers wearing balaclavas approached his car, forcibly removed him, frisked him under the pretext of conducting a search, and ordered him to board their vehicle.

The first petitioner (Mr Khalifa) inquired as to why they had concealed their faces in a menacing manner, yet they acted as though they were police officers. He was accosted and taken into an accompanying vehicle away from his family, the petition states.

Khalifa states that police granted him a Ksh10,000 cash bail at the station but have never charged him with any offense.

According to the petition, authorities staged his arrest to intimidate him in front of his family. He has not yet been charged, and during the last court date on September 23, 2024, the prosecution claimed the file had been taken to Nairobi for review, the petition adds in part.

The petitioners argue that police violated Khalifas rights by unlawfully arresting and detaining him for questioning their lack of transparency.

Furthermore, they claim that officers routinely disguise their identities using balaclavas, masks, and unmarked vehicles during normal patrols, allowing them to harass and arbitrarily arrest civilians with impunity. They assert that this practice violates constitutional protections under Article 49.

The petitioners are calling for a court ruling declaring Khalifas detention unlawful and illegal.

They are also seeking a declaration that the continued use of balaclavas, concealed identities, and hidden license plates by police officers is an abuse of power that directly contravenes the Bill of Rights.
David Oaga Mokaya, a fourth-year student at Moi University, will face trial for allegedly misusing a computer system and spreading false information on Twitter (X) about President William Rutos death.

The court confirmed that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has not issued any directives to withdraw the case, clearing the way for a full trial.

Last December, Mokaya sought a review of the charges against him and questioned whether President Ruto would be called to testify.

Represented by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) through lawyers Ian Mutiso and Danstan Omari, the defense urged the court to compel DPP Renson Ingonga to provide witness statements, including one from the president himself.

This is a matter of great public interest, as the subject of the trial is the Head of State, whom the accused would like to cross-examine during the hearing, Mutiso argued in court at the time.

RELATED: David Mokaya Asks to Cross-Examine Ruto in Court Over Twitter Death Hoax

The defense also claimed that the charges were politically motivated, raising concerns about whether criticism of the government could lead to prosecution.

During Wednesdays court session, prosecutors confirmed that no instructions had been given to drop the case and requested the court to set hearing dates. The defense did not object, and the trial is now scheduled for May 29.

The controversial Twitter post that led to the charges showed military personnel in ceremonial uniform leading a funeral procession with a casket draped in the Kenyan flag, allegedly containing the presidents remains.

Mokaya has since denied all charges and remains free on bond.
Morara Kebaso is growing increasingly uneasy within the opposition alliance, which includes former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, PLP leader Martha Karua, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, and DAP-K leader Eugene Wamalwa.

On March 19, 2025, Morara hinted at a possible departure of his Inclusive National Justice, Economic & Civic Transformation (INJECT) Party from the coalition. Taking to his official X account, he voiced disappointment with one of the opposition partners, though he did not mention any names.

He criticized the presence of tribalism within the opposition, stating that INJECT struggles to align with leaders whose rhetoric and political strategies are rooted in ethnic divisions. He reaffirmed that his party rejects tribal hate as a foundation for political change.

Morara revealed that INJECT had privately and respectfully communicated its concerns to the unnamed opposition partner and remained hopeful for change.

INJECT Party has found it very difficult to continue associating itself with leaders who think tribalism, speak tribalism, and plan tribalism. Our party is not founded on tribal hate as the basis of political change.

Also Read  Gachagua: I Have Prepared a Leadership Blueprint for Murima in Case of My Death

It is our desire to work with other leaders and other political parties if and only if their values are aligned to ours. Its not enough to say RUTO MUST GO. We must reimagine and create a post-Ruto future. We have privately and respectfully conveyed our disappointment with one of our partners in the opposition. We hope to see some change in the coming days, Morara stated.

Earlier this month, Morara announced that INJECT had officially joined the opposition coalition with the goal of holding the government accountable. He emphasized that the partys mission is to advocate for a better future and create opportunities for Gen Zs, ensuring they have the resources to thrive and advance in their careers.
China's e-bike trade-ins hit 2 mln amid policy support

Xinhua) 08:20, March 20, 2025

BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- China has seen more than 2.04 million new e-bikes sold under its consumer good trade-in program as of Tuesday, generating 5.61 billion yuan (about 783 million U.S. dollars) in new sales of such bikes, according to the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday.

Since the start of this year, the daily sales volume of e-bikes under this program has averaged 27,000 units -- 2.5 times the figure recorded the previous year, the ministry said.

During the period, over 2 million consumers have benefited from the program, with total subsidy applications involving over 1.2 billion yuan, averaging 610 yuan per person, the ministry added.

The program has also benefited about 50,000 sales outlets since the start of 2025, with an average per-store sales increase of 107,000 yuan. The majority of these outlets are individual businesses and small-to-micro-sized enterprises.

Since the launch of the program in September 2024, a total of 3.42 million new e-bikes have been sold nationwide, the ministry revealed.

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
Governor George Natembeya has positioned himself as the voice of Kenyans, stepping up to fill what he sees as a leadership vacuum in the opposition following the political truce between President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga.

The Trans Nzoia County governor declared on Tuesday that he would not sit back while the government failed to address pressing national issues. He accused Odinga of abandoning his support base for personal interests instead of standing up for the people.

Leading the Tawe (Luhya for No) Movement, Natembeya claimed that powerful forces were working to silence him. However, he vowed to remain firm in his stance.

I know these people will come for me, but I am not afraid. I will continue to speak out on critical issues affecting Kenyans, and in doing so, I am not disrespecting the President, he asserted.

Natembeya also dismissed the political alliance between Ruto and Odinga, calling it a misguided priority. He warned that the agreement served only the interests of a few political elites while leaving ordinary citizens struggling.

The former Rift Valley regional commissioner criticized Odinga, accusing him of repeatedly using Kenyans support to advance his personal agenda in every election cycle.

Raila did wrong to join this government because it tells a lot about what he believes in. He has had handshakes since the Moi regime, and nothing better came out of it. Even in the handshake with Ruto, Kenyans problems will not be solved, Natembeya remarked.

Elected on a Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K) ticket, the first-term governor has pledged to hold the government accountable. He reaffirmed his commitment to being a strong alternative voice for Kenyans.

I have decided to offer myself to speak on behalf of Kenyans, and I will not fear because it is the right thing to do. We have very serious cross-cutting issues affecting Kenyans, he stated.

He spoke while distributing free seeds to small-scale farmers in Sikhendu under his Fukuza Njaa (Chase Hunger) initiative.

While maintaining his firm stance, Natembeya emphasized that his criticism of the government should not be mistaken for disrespect toward President Ruto.

I respect the President, and he even knows that. But what I am doing is just to speak for the people and the unfolding poor leadership in the country. This does not mean that I am undermining the Presidency, he clarified.

He urged the government to address key national concerns, including the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the new Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF), and the escalating cost of living, warning that failure to act would deepen the struggles of ordinary Kenyans.
Muranga Senator Joe Nyutu has shed light on Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoros removal as chairperson of the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee, stating that the lawmaker has fallen out of favor with President William Ruto.

Speaking during an interview with TV47 on Wednesday, March 19, Nyutu explained that Nyoros relationship with Ruto soured last year when he refused to take a firm stand on the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

According to Nyutu, the President sees Nyoros fence-sitting as an unforgivable betrayal.

William Ruto will never forgive anyone who either voted against Gachaguas impeachment or abstained. Thats exactly what Ndindi Nyoro did. So there is no other beefthe cardinal sin that Nyoro committed was refusing to be used by Ruto to impeach Gachagua, Nyutu said.

The senator described Nyoro as an independent and principled leader who prioritizes his political future and loyalty to the people of the Mount Kenya region over appeasing any individual, including the President.

He is a very principled person, and I do not believe he is anyones project. That would go against the character of Ndindi Nyoro. I know him, and he is my friend, Nyutu stated.

He also dismissed speculation that Nyoro was Rutos political pawn in Mount Kenya, asserting that the Kiharu MP is not easily manipulated.

Ndindi Nyoro cannot be President Rutos project. If he ever allows himself to be used, I would be shocked because that is not who he is. And I dont think he is in the Presidents good books anymore; otherwise, they would still be talking like they used to, Nyutu remarked.
Schoolchildren in Nairobi will soon enjoy safer journeys to and from school, thanks to a new road safety initiative aimed at reducing risks around school zones.

AA Kenya, in partnership with the Federation Internationale de lAutomobile (FIA), has launched the Safe-to-School Project, an initiative designed to improve safety infrastructure and protect young pedestrians.

Kilimani Primary School has been selected for the latest phase of the project, following similar upgrades at Kayole One Primary School last year. The school, which serves 1,650 students aged between 3 and 15, sits in a high-traffic area where road safety remains a major concern.

To enhance protection, AA Kenya and the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) will implement key safety measures, including zebra crossings, speed bumps, school zone signage, and protective sidewalks.

Students and school marshals will also receive road safety training, reflector jackets, and traffic management tools to improve pedestrian awareness.

Speaking at the launch, AA Kenya Managing Director Francis Theuri stressed the urgency of making school zones safer, noting that many child pedestrian accidents are preventable.

He added that these improvements will make school zones more visible to drivers, ensuring safer and more secure commutes for young learners.
Senators have urged Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja to suspend the Urban Regeneration project until all stakeholders are fully consulted.

Their demand comes after residents of Jericho Estate rejected plans to use part of their land for housing construction under the Urban Renewal project.

The Nairobi City County has already signed agreements with private developers to build thousands of housing units. Once completed, some units will be allocated to long-term estate residents, while others will be rented or sold.

Under the Urban Renewal framework, the county government provides land to private developers, who, in turn, finance the construction. The completed units are then shared between the county and the developers based on pre-agreed terms.

The estates earmarked for the Urban Regeneration project include Pangani, Jeevanjee, Bahati, Maringo, Bondeni, Woodley, and Ziwani.

Appearing before the Senate Roads, Transport, and Housing Committee, chaired by Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, Governor Sakaja defended the project. He maintained that public consultations had already taken place across all targeted estates but assured that he would personally engage Jericho Estate residents to clarify the projects benefits.

In all areas, we conducted public participation and explained the need to expand housing. In Woodley, for example, we compensated residents with Sh900,000 each to relocate temporarily and return once the new houses are ready. I will personally conduct public participation with the residents of Jericho, Sakaja stated.

However, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna challenged the governor, questioning why contracts with developers had been signed before completing public participation, particularly in Jericho Estate.

Sifuna argued that Jericho residents rejected the project because they were uncertain about its benefits. He criticized the county for failing to engage the public adequately before initiating the redevelopment.

In your report that you have submitted, the residents of Jericho rejected this project and you are yet to agree with them. Why cant you stop the construction until you conduct a proper public participation? Sifuna posed.

In response, Governor Sakaja reassured that all stakeholders would be involved moving forward. He emphasized that the regeneration program aims to modernize housing and accommodate Nairobis rapidly growing population.

Our goal is to ensure that everyone is carried along in this project. The regeneration initiative is driven by the need to upgrade housing and create space for the citys expanding population, Sakaja stated.
The growing unemployment crisis among young people in Kenya is reaching alarming levels, University of Nairobi Chancellor Patrick Verkooijen has warned.

Speaking at a State Banquet at State House Nairobi, held in honor of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Verkooijen highlighted the struggles graduates face in securing jobs.

Kenya produces nearly one million graduates annually, yet only one in four land formal employment. But what about the rest? Where do they go? Verkooijen posed, referencing the 2024 youth-led demonstrations as a sign of mounting frustration. Some took to the streets, as we witnessed last year. Others managed to reach Europe. But if that trickle turns into a flood, no wall will be high enough to stop it.

He urged the government to tap into the potential of young people and create sustainable job opportunities by leveraging Africas demographic advantage. With the digital economy emerging as a game-changer, he stressed the need to explore unexploited sectors that could absorb more graduates.

Beyond unemployment, Verkooijen raised concerns about the rise of ghostwriting, where Kenyan students write high-level academic papers for Ivy League students abroad just to make ends meet.

The unfortunate irony is that many students in Kenya are already workingnot for themselves or their peers, but writing high-level academic papers for Ivy League students in the United States just to make ends meet.

Despite these challenges, Prof. Verkooijen acknowledged the governments initiatives to address the crisis, particularly through skill development in universities. He pointed to the Big 5 agenda, which introduces specialized short courses, certificates, and masters programs in critical fields such as artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, sustainability, leadership, and health research.

With rising youth unemployment posing a significant threat, Verkooijens message was clearKenya must act now to create opportunities before frustration boils over.
Ten years ago, Emory University physicist Connie Roth upended her field of fundamental science with a discovery that polymer blends  an invention that has made modern life possible  have long-range property gradients across their internal interfaces.

Through a National Science Foundation (NSF) Special Creativity award she won to continue that research into the junction points, her work suggests that sound waves may create connections across disordered matter that are both longer and deeper than previously thought. The research could have practical implications in the design and development of everyday products from automotive parts to medical devices to food storage containers.

Scientists dont understand how exactly the interfaces between polymers create better properties. Industry just mixes different components together until we get the best product, says Roth, chair of Emory Colleges Department of Physics, whose innovative study of polymers has earned her multiple NSF grants and election as Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Im focused on experimentally mapping material behavior near interfaces in a way that helps us solve the puzzle and has the most impact, Roth adds. If new experiments substantiate this concept, it will change the way we understand disordered systems.

Defying existing paradigms

Historically, scientists modeled different polymer domains  or regions within a polymer  as having distinct properties due to the large molecules of a polymer chain not blending well with other polymers.

Those repeating building blocks, known as monomers, form everything from natural materials such as DNA and rubber to synthetic products, such as nylon and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Roths research has long focused on how interfaces alter a polymers properties. Because every polymer has its own glass transition temperature  the threshold at which it changes from a liquid to glass  understanding that touchpoint is key to affecting other properties and to designing better blends.

Roths research lab uses techniques such as fluorescence and ellipsometry to try to explain the effects of forces, interfaces and other influences on polymer properties. She won a five-year NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program grant in 2012 for her research and teaching focused on understanding the underlying properties of polymers.

In 2022, she won the Special Creativity grant, a rare extension of funding to the most creative investigators for her research into polymer material properties at the nanoscale level.

Roths first experiment that defied the physics paradigm of polymers not blending well involved studying how the glass transition temperature changes from one polymer domain to another. The results, locally mapped using fluorescence, showed that the local properties of polymers were strongly perturbed  and that the transition between polymer domains was much deeper and longer than expected, without the sharp distinctions of two materials that dont mix.

Her next step was to coordinate with fellow physics faculty member Justin Burton. The pair designed and conducted an experiment measuring the change in viscoelasticity across a polymer interface using a quartz crystal microbalance. By measuring the change in how a crystal vibrates at a precise frequency, they could model how the stiffness of two polymer domains merge when the interface between them forms.

Roths findings, published last year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that sound wave transmission across a polymer interface couples the stiffness of the materials. That, in turn, allows waves between neighboring polymers to move over long distances.

Macromolecules, a peer-reviewed journal for cutting-edge polymer science research, published a paper this week about Roths novel approach to studying interfaces and her findings.

The theorists wouldnt predict our results at all. Thats what cool, says Burton, associate physics professor and Winship Distinguished Research Professor. She is making waves in the community because her work is quite innovative.

Deboleena Roy, vice dean of faculty and divisional dean of the sciences at Emory College, echoes that sentiment.

Connies work is a perfect example of the creativity and progress that can come with interdisciplinary and collaborative scientific research, Roy says. We are lucky to have Connie on our faculty, and not only that, to have a leader and innovator such as herself serve as the chair of our physics department.

Roths findings are now the subject of experiments in labs around the world and a topic that theorists are tackling to rework mathematical models to explain.

In the meantime, she and her team are examining other variables to be tested, to support or change the initial interpretation. Future collaborations at Emory and abroad will help her lab design those experiments and develop new mathematical models to explain these results.

All research is problem solving, Roth says. Figuring out the puzzle appeals to me, especially if it means an opportunity to understand in a new way any number of things in our daily lives.
Chile reviews Chinese observatory plans

Chile is home to the world's darkest skies and numerous other observatories. File photo: AFP

Chile said on Wednesday it was reviewing an agreement for the construction of a Chinese astronomical observatory on its soil, a project that has drawn criticism from Washington as it jostles with Beijing for influence in Latin America.



Under an agreement signed by President Xi Jinping in 2016 with Chile's Catholic University of the North (UCN), the Ventarrones Astronomical Park was to be built in Chile's Atacama desert - home to the world's darkest skies and numerous other observatories.



"The project is under review, it is not cancelled," the foreign ministry in Santiago said in a statement, without providing reasons.



The ministry said its legal department was studying the agreement and had contacted the UCN and the Chinese embassy for more information.



UCN said it had made the requested data available. The embassy said the observatory was "an open and transparent international initiative."



Two-thirds of Latin American countries have joined Xi's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure program, and China has surpassed the United States as the biggest trading partner of Brazil, Peru, Chile and several other countries. (AFP)
SIUs Paul Simon Institute director to discuss presidential transitions on C-SPAN 2

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill.  John Shaw, director of Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, will discuss presidential transitions Saturday, March 22, on C-SPAN 2 as part of the networks Presidency Series.

Shaws presentation, Rising Star, Setting Sun, will be aired at 8:30 a.m. Central on C-SPANs American History channel and focus on the transition between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and John F. Kennedy following the 1960 election. The talk is from Shaws Jan. 30 conversation A Presidential Transition for the Ages with the White House Historical Association.

Shaw wrote Rising Star, Setting Sun: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and the Presidential Transition that Changed America in 2018. The book chronicles the 10 weeks between Kennedys election on Nov. 8, 1960, and his inauguration on Jan. 20, 1961, and depicts the end of the Eisenhower era and the beginning of the Kennedy administration. Shaw appeared on C-SPAN to discuss that book in October 2018.

This transition was not just a change in the presidency, but a symbolic moment reflecting the tensions between the wisdom of age and the enthusiasm of youth, Shaw said, noting that Kennedy had defeated Eisenhowers vice president, Richard Nixon, and the transition was shaped by deep contrasts in their backgrounds, visions and leadership styles.
PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 20: Hettich, one of the leading global manufacturers of furniture fittings, is pleased to announce the inauguration of its newest state-of-the-art Experience Centre in Indore. Strategically located in the same city as Hettich's advanced manufacturing plant, this new Experience Centre serves as a testament to the brand's commitment to innovation, quality and premium customer engagement. This Experience Centre, which reflects the elegance and sophistication of Hettich's world-class products, offers guests a sumptuous, hands-on look at the brand's high-end hardware and furniture fittings. Its design, which was influenced by the flagship Mumbai Experience Centre that launched last year, exudes elegance and modernity, providing an unmatched combination of style and functionality. Every last detail, from the sleek aesthetics to the interactive displays, is meticulously crafted to provide an upscale, welcoming environment for customers, architects, interior designers, and furniture manufacturers alike. This Experience Centre, which features an impressive selection of Hettich's premium furniture fittings, architectural door hardware, furniture fittings and built-in appliances, is a place where innovation and luxury collide. In addition to upgrading the beauty and practicality of modern living and business spaces, this opulent environment fosters innovation and teamwork in authentic contexts. Commenting on the inauguration, Andre Eckholt, Managing Director of Hettich India, SAARC, Middle East, and Africa, stated: "The launch of our Indore Experience Centre underscores our unwavering commitment to delivering magical interior solutions. This is more than simply another showroom - it is a space offering an unforgettable experience for both consumers and industry professionals, allowing them to engage with our premium products in an environment that strongly reflects our brand's luxury and innovation." The Indore centre is the newest addition to Hettich's network of 11 experience centres across the country. Hettich invites customers and industry professionals to experience the brand's premium offerings firsthand at the new experience centre located at: Ground Floor & 1st Floor, Asteria Pride, Plot No.86, Scheme No. 114-II, AB Road, (Near Doshi Honda), Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452010. About Hettich: With a global revenue of more than 1.5 billion euros, Hettich, a family-owned German lifestyle brand that has been around for 137 years, is one of the biggest producers of furniture fittings worldwide. Hettich began operations in India at the turn of the millennium and quickly established itself as the global industry leader in hardware and furniture fittings. Additionally, because of its strong brand equity and steadfast customer trust, it was named the "Most Trusted Brands of India 2023 and 2024" by Marksmen Daily and the "Best Brands 2022, 2023, and 2024" by the Economic Times. Hettich's product portfolio comprises a repertoire of premium Furniture fittings & Door hardware made with German-engineered quality complemented by Wire products, Aluminum Profiles, Shelving Systems, Built-in Appliances and Furniture Lights, thereby offering comprehensive fitting solutions for all residential and commercial needs. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2645374/Hettich_Indore.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2645375/Hettich_Indore_Centre.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2437651/Hettich_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)
Manipal (Karnataka) [India], March 20: Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Auckland, New Zealand's leading university, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to foster collaborative initiatives in education and research. This MoU will pave the way for student and faculty exchanges and educational programmes.

The agreement was exchanged during the "Shared Visions & Connected Futures" event held at IIT Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, coinciding with the official visit to India by the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon, Hon'ble Prime Minister of New Zealand. Lt. Gen. Dr. M. D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor of MAHE, exchanged the agreement with Professor Dawn Freshwater, Vice Chancellor of the University of Auckland, in the presence of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of New Zealand.

The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Amanda Malu, Chief Executive of Education New Zealand, and Prof. Ranjan Banerjee, Director of IIT Delhi. Dr. Madhu Veeraraghavan, Pro Vice Chancellor of MAHE Bengaluru, Dr. Iven Jose, Director of MIT Bengaluru, and Dr. Anup Naha, Director of International Collaborations at MAHE, were also present to witness to remarkable partnership underlining the importance of this strategic partnership in enhancing global academic cooperation and creating opportunities for students and faculty from both institutions.

For more information, please visit www.manipal.edu.

(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
NewsVoir Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 20: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a Fortune Global 500 company, has announced the launch of the 'Emerge' cohort under the BPCL Ankur Fund to support startups in Energy Efficiency and City Gas Distribution (CGD). This reinforces BPCL's contribution towards India's transition to a greener and more efficient energy future through its commitment to fostering sustainability and innovation in the oil and gas sector. Since its inception in 2016, BPCL through its startup initiative 'Ankur' has supported 30 startups with grants amounting to approximately Rs. 28 crores. With the launch of the 'Emerge' cohort, BPCL through its 'BPCL Ankur Fund' aims to make investments in startups that have developed a Proof of Concept (PoC)/ prototype/ Minimum Viable Product (MVP), or fully implemented solution in the Oil & Gas sector or any other industry and are now ready to expand into Oil & Gas. The applications for the Emerge cohort are open for startups across two key themes: Energy Efficiency and CGD. The Energy Efficiency theme focuses on innovative solutions that optimize energy consumption, enhance sustainability, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within the oil and gas sector which includes advancements such as AI-powered energy management, predictive maintenance of equipment, heat transfer optimization, waste heat recovery solutions etc. Under the City Gas Distribution theme, applications will focus on cutting- edge technologies that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, safety, last mile connectivity and project execution.. It includes solutions like smart metering, pipeline monitoring & leak detection, predictive maintenance, AI-driven project execution tools etc. These themes align with BPCL's commitment to fostering a sustainable and technology-driven energy ecosystem. BPCL Ankur Fund invites applications from eligible early-stage startups that are working under the specified thematic categories. Selected startups can receive investment of up to Rs. 5 crores through funding modes such as equity, Compulsory Convertible Preference Shares (CCPS), etc., with a maximum stake of 20%.To know more, please visit: startup.bpcl.in Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy. Bharat Petroleum's Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, fuel stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 23,000+ Fuel Stations, over 6,200+ LPG distributorships, 500+ Lubes distributorships, 80 POL storage locations, 54 LPG Bottling Plants, 79 Aviation Service Stations, 5 Lube blending plants and 5 cross-country pipelines as on 31.01.2025. Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 Fuel Stations over next 5 years. With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing an ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting several initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With 'Energising Lives' as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum's vision is to be an admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Paytm merchant network expanded by 9 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to 43 million in the third quarter of FY25, with merchants using Paytm's devices increasing by 10 per cent YoY to 11.7 million, according to Motilal Oswal report. Despite a moderation in its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) market share, Paytm continues to hold a dominant position in the merchant payments business, with 85 per cent of its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) coming from merchants. The company expects GMV to grow at a 24 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over FY25-27E. Paytm is leveraging its expanding merchant network to boost loan distribution through the First Loss Default Guarantee (FLDG) model, partnering with 18 lending institutions. This initiative is expected to drive loan disbursement growth at a CAGR of 29 per cent from FY25-27E and increase the contribution of the financial services business to 27 per cent of total revenue by FY28E, up from 20 per cent in FY24. This growth is also projected to fuel a 25 per cent CAGR in total revenue over the same period. The financial services division plays a crucial role in Paytm's revenue diversification strategy, with 15-20 per cent of earnings coming from non-lending activities, such as equity broking and the sale of financial products. The company has been expanding its network of lending partners, which is expected to exceed pre-regulatory restriction levels, reinforcing its stronghold in the market. Paytm's focus on cost optimization and efficient capital allocation is expected to drive profitability improvements. A reduction in capital expenditure (capex) and depreciation costs, combined with strict cost management, should enable the company to achieve positive adjusted EBITDA by Q4 FY25E and overall EBITDA breakeven by FY27E. By FY27E, Paytm is projected to return to profitability, with an estimated profit after tax (PAT) of INR 12.1 billion. Recent media reports suggest that the introduction of a Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions could provide a significant revenue boost for Paytm. This change could incentivize the company to expand its market share in consumer payments, complementing its robust presence in the merchant segment. Paytm's contribution margin is expected to improve to ~58 per cent by FY28E, supported by efficient cost management and an increasing share of financial services revenue. The company forecasts a 25 per cent CAGR in revenue over FY25-28E, while direct costs are expected to rise at a slower 21 per cent CAGR. Key revenue growth drivers include a 33 per cent CAGR in financial services revenue and a 23 per cent CAGR in GMV over FY25-28E. Net payment margins, including subscription fees, are projected to be sustained at 12 basis points (bp) of GMV by FY28E. Paytm remains focused on scaling its loan distribution business, strengthening partnerships with lenders, and growing its customer base, particularly after securing NPCI approval to onboard new users on UPI. The company is also expanding into wealth management services, following SEBI approval for Paytm Money to provide investment insights and research services. This could unlock new sources of fee-based income, further diversifying Paytm's revenue streams. With continued growth in financial services, controlled expenses, and an improving revenue mix, Paytm is positioned to regain profitability by FY27E. The company's strong cash reserves (INR 128.5 billion as of 3QFY25) and limited capital commitments in global markets provide additional financial stability. However, given the challenging macroeconomic environment, fluctuations in UPI market share, and evolving regulatory landscape, analysts maintain a Neutral rating on Paytm stock, with a revised target price (TP) of INR 870, based on 17.7x Sep'26E EBITDA. (ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], March 20: Retifo is a cutting-edge private search engine designed to prioritize user privacy and security in the ever-evolving digital landscape. In contrast to most common search engines that tend to follow and secure individuals' personal information, Retifo allows users to surf the web anonymously without worrying about their search history being retained or monitored. By not storing tracking cookies or personal identifiers, Retifo eliminates data profiling risks and provides an authentic private browsing experience. It doesn't store or share any personal data with third parties, and hence it's a great option for privacy-savvy individuals. With a focus on transparency, Retifo ensures that all search activity remains private, providing a more secure option than search engines that sell user data for advertising. The most defining feature that differentiates Retifo from other search engines is its non-tracking and encrypted method of web searches. Through the implementation of advanced security measures and providing encrypted search functionality, Retifo enables users to safeguard their data from possible breaches and monitoring. As data privacy and internet security concerns escalate, Retifo is an essential stakeholder in the transition to private search engines that do not lean on data collection or profiling of users. Its emphasis on privacy for search engines not only safeguards users' internet activities but also plays a role in the larger campaign for greater openness and agency in the digital realm. Zordo Technologies Expands Its Reach with the Acquisition of Retifo Zordo Technologies has just acquired Retifo, a top private search engine, in a move that reflects its dedication to promoting online security and privacy. Retifo is engineered with a primary emphasis on user privacy, so no personal information is gathered or tracked while searching. Being a non-tracking search engine, Retifo does not employ algorithms to track people's online activity or create profiles based on their browsing history, rendering it an important tool for individuals who are concerned about anonymity and data protection. This take by Zordo Technologies is timely as the privacy debate is central to the tech space, with increasing users looking for alternatives to conventional search engines based on personal data that serve the purpose of targeted advertising. By integrating encrypted search engines and secure browsers, Retifo provides a secure, untracked browsing experience shielding users from data harvesting and cyber attacks. This corporate action by Zordo Technologies establishes Retifo as a market leader in the burgeoning market for secure, privacy-enabled search engines. The need for private search engines such as Retifo has never been more crucial in an age of digital world in which online privacy is increasingly invaded. In contrast to conventional search engines, which tend to hoard and archive personal data, private search engines do not follow or track individuals' behavior. This keeps searches private and safe, without the dangers inherent in data gathering. With data protection search, encrypted search engines, and safe browsing tools, Retifo meets the increasing demand for search engine privacy. The users are no longer at the mercy of businesses that use their information for financial benefit. With growing awareness of the threat of data exploitation, demand for non-tracking search engines only keeps increasing. Retifo is a crucial answer to users seeking protection of their own information yet receiving accurate search results. Zordo Technologies and Retifo, prioritizing security and privacy, are leading the charge towards secure, ethical searching in the future. (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)
Several states are showing signs of fiscal pressure because of the freebies and capital investment is likely to be the casualty, said Emkay Global in its states finance report. Highlighting the issue, the report said that states may try to rationalize their spending on these schemes but they will face pressure. "Thus, while states may try to rationalize their spending on these schemes, the genie is now out of the bottle - we expect fiscal pressure on states to only increase from here on with capex (especially discretionary capex) likely to be the casualty," the report said. The report says that the states are likely to spend less in the Financial Year (FY) 2025, to check the fiscal deficit-to-GDP ratio (by 20-30bps) than the budgeted 3.2 per cent. However, the FY25 estimate of 3 per cent is still higher than FY24's 2.8 per cent, with several states facing fiscal stress.Of the 10 major state budgets for FY26, five states show either worsening or unchanged revenue balance-to-GDP ratios and an equal number have higher fiscal deficits. The report says that the strain from the increased welfare spending is already visible--Maharashtra, for example, has cut funding for the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme from Rs 460 billion in FY25 to Rs 360 billion in FY26, removing "ineligible beneficiaries". The revenue deficit-to-GDP is set to rise from 0.6 per cent in FY25 to 0.9 per cent in FY26 because of the Rs 2,100 monthly payout to women under the scheme. So far, states have borrowed Rs 1.5 trillion in the month against Rs1.2 trillion, which is 26 per cent higher. This is on the back of much lower borrowing throughout the rest of Q4FY25, and indeed, the year. The report adds that the recent surge in borrowing has not been accompanied by higher spending. Data for 19 states till Feb 25 shows that their total expenditure had shown only 10 per cent growth (vs 20 per cent budgeted), with revenue growing at 12 per cent (vs 19 per cent budgeted), whereas capex growth was negative (-4 per cent vs 20 per cent budgeted). This is also corroborated by the cash balance of states which was as high as Rs 2.9 trillion at Feb-end (30 per cent higher than Feb-23). Lower spending can also be seen in the high unspent balances in various SNA accounts for Centrally Sponsored Schemes. (ANI)
VMPL New Delhi [India], March 20: On March 8, 2025, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah was chief guest in a landmark event in Kodinar, Gir Somnath district, Gujarat, to lay the foundation stone for the revival and modernization of Kodinar, Talala & Valsad sugar mills. The event marked a significant step towards revitalizing the region's sugar industry through Indian Potash Limited (IPL), which is spearheading the project. The revival initiative aims to benefit over 10,000 farmers by transforming these mills into ethanol-producing units. This move would not only enhance local agricultural productivity but also reduce India's petroleum imports by promoting ethanol as a biofuel. Shah emphasized that farmers, traditionally known as "annadaata" (food providers), would now become "urjadaata" (energy providers) by contributing to global biofuel production. Indian Potash Limited, the State Cooperative Bank, the Gujarat government and the Union government have come together for the interest of farmers. Indian Potash Limited, with 60% ownership by cooperative societies, plans to modernize the mills and integrate advanced facilities for biofuel production. The mills are expected to commence operations by November 1, 2025. Indian Potash Limited: A Reliable Leader in Fertilizer Distribution and Diversification Indian Potash Limited (IPL) is a prominent player in India's fertilizer industry, founded in 1955 as the Indian Potash Supply Agency. Over the years, it has evolved into a significant force in the market, primarily focusing on the import, handling, promotion, and marketing of potash fertilizers across India. Indian Potash Limited, Under the leadership of Parvinder Singh Gahlaut, has seen immense growth and taken over projects of national importance. IPL is headquartered in Chennai and is known for its extensive distribution network that covers over six lakh villages, ensuring a wide reach and timely availability of fertilizers to the farmers across the country. IPL's key activities revolve around the distribution of a range of fertilizers, including Muriate of Potash (MOP), Dia-mmonium Phosphate (DAP), Urea, Sulphate of Potash, Mono-ammonium Phosphate, and Triple Super Phosphate (TSP). Beyond fertilizers, IPL has diversified into other sectors such as sugar & distillery, dairy, cattle feed divisions and even trading in precious metals. This diversification reflects the company's strategic approach to expand its influence in the agricultural sector. IPL's involvement in the revival of 3 sugar mills viz. Kodinar, Talala & Valsad of Gujarat, marks a significant step in its diversification strategy. The project aims to modernize and revival of these sugar mills under IPL's aegis, transforming them into ethanol-producing units. "We are absolutely delighted to embark on this project, and with a healthy dose of confidence, we're certain that our capabilities will align perfectly with the broader aim of achieving green energy." says Parvinder Singh Gahlaut. This initiative aligns with the government's vision to enhance agricultural productivity and reduce petroleum imports by promoting biofuels. IPL will leverage its existing infrastructure and expertise to integrate ethanol manufacturing facilities. This will involve upgrading the mills to produce ethanol from sugarcane, aligning with India's biofuel policy. To boost sugarcane production, the organization has implemented several innovative measures. These include the introduction of high-yielding seed varieties, the deployment of mechanized sugarcane harvesting machines, and the use of drones for precision fertilizer application. Furthermore, the organization has adopted efficient drip irrigation systems to optimize water usage. Beyond this, it has established facilities for the production of ethanol and gas, further diversifying its operations. By combining its expertise in agriculture with its diversified business model, IPL is poised to make a significant impact in the sugar industry through this revival project. The initiative not only supports local farmers but also contributes to India's broader goals of energy self-sufficiency and sustainable agriculture. As Indian Potash Limited embarks on this new venture, it is expected to further enhance its role as a leader in India's agricultural sector, fostering growth and innovation in the region. (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 20: Terumo India Private Limited, the Indian subsidiary of global medical technology leader Terumo Corporation (TSE: 4543), is marking DE&I week by expanding its commitment to workplace caregivers through #TerumoCares. This effort reinforces Terumo India's dedication to fostering a work environment where associates can integrate their professional and personal lives while managing caregiving responsibilities. A caregiver is defined as "an eligible family member (spouse, domestic partner, children, parents, parents-in-law) who depends on them for care and support." Recognizing the unique challenges caregivers face, #TerumoCares provides holistic support through three 3 areas: Elder & Partner Care, Child & Pet Care, and Self-Care. For those caring for aging or dependent parents or in-laws, or partners, #TerumoCares offers caregiver leave, bereavement leave, elder care assistance, and counseling sessions to help navigate different aspects of caregiving. Terumo India is also fostering a structured support system through 'Caregiver Networks' and 'Care Allies' peer communities designed to encourage open conversations and provide additional support to associates navigating caregiving responsibilities. Speaking on the initiative, Shishir Agarwal, President & Managing Director, Terumo India Private Limited said," At Terumo, Care is one of our core values. As healthcare providers, caring for patients and society comes naturally to us, but caring for ourselves and our families often takes a backseat. We recognize that caregiving responsibilities can make it challenging to integrate work and personal life. With #TerumoCares, we are taking a step towards ensuring that caregivers in our workforce feel valued and empowered." Ritu Anand, Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Communications, Terumo India Private Limited, added, "We believe that strong, inclusive policies are the foundation of a truly diverse and supportive workplace. Yet, caregiving remains an overlooked aspect. With #TerumoCares, we are integrating caregiving support into our inclusive culture, ensuring our associates can pursue their professional growth without compromising on their personal responsibilities. Our people commitment of 'Advancing Healthcare with Heart', is further strengthened with #TerumoCares which truly reflect the needs of our associates." #TerumoCares focus on three key areas: - Elder & Partner Care - Supporting those caring for aging parents, spouses, or partners - Child & Pet Care - Providing resources for working parents and pet caregivers - Self-Care - Because caregivers, too, need care, and their well-being matters just as much About Terumo India Private Limited Terumo India is a rapidly growing medical devices company dedicated to advancing access to high-quality cardiac, vascular, and other medical devices for patients and healthcare practitioners in India. As part of Terumo Corporation, a global leader in medical technology headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Terumo India upholds a mission rooted in 100 years of history: 'Contributing to Society through Healthcare.' Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Gurgaon, NCR Delhi, Terumo India has touched over 100,000 lives. The company is three times Great Place to Work certified and was also recognized as one of India's Top 15 Workplaces in Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, and Biotech in 2022. Terumo India also runs several acclaimed training and development programs, collaborating closely with customers and academic partners to address the skilling needs of India's healthcare system. For more information, visit https://terumoindia.com/ About Terumo Terumo (TSE: 4543) is a global leader in medical technology and has been committed to "Contributing to Society through Healthcare" for 100 years. Based in Tokyo and operating globally, Terumo employs more than 30,000 associates worldwide to provide innovative medical solutions in more than 160 countries and regions. The company started as a Japanese thermometer manufacturer and has been supporting healthcare ever since. Now, its extensive business portfolio ranges from vascular intervention and cardio-surgical solutions, blood transfusion and cell therapy technology, to medical products essential for daily clinical practice such as transfusion systems, diabetes care, and peritoneal dialysis treatments. Terumo will further strive to be of value to patients, medical professionals, and society at large. For more information, visit https://www.terumo.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)
PNN New Delhi [India], March 20: Dabur Red Paste, the Ayurvedic toothpaste brand launches 'Switch To Fluoride Free' campaign on World Oral Health Day. The month-long campaign aims to start a dialogue and sensitize the Indian population about the adverse effects of consuming further fluoride through toothpastes in Fluoride endemic regions of India. The campaign is travelling to multi-cities to start a nationwide dialogue on oral health care and the ingredients we often tend to ignore while using oral care products. The campaign will highlight the real truth behind how and why fluoride became a 'hero' in the oral care industry and bust myths on what it actually entails. Dabur India has a long history of producing fluoride free toothpastes and using ayurvedic natural ingredients promoting healthy lifestyle. The fluoride free movement is advocating for safer, natural alternatives that provide effective oral hygiene without the health risks of fluoride. Fluoride has long been added to toothpaste as a cavity-fighting ingredient. However, recent studies have raised concerns about fluoride health risks, particularly its impact on children and long-term exposure effects through drinking water and other sources. Research shows that high fluoride intake is linked to skeletal fluorosis, thyroid dysfunction, brittle bones, and cognitive decline in children. In fact, research suggests that fluoride levels above 1.5 mg/L in drinking water can contribute to lower IQ in children. Hence the need for fluoride-free toothpaste is growing rapidly. Despite being marketed as essential for oral care, fluoride can accumulate in the body over time. Even with thorough rinsing, traces of fluoride can be absorbed, and the fluoride from other sources may lead to potential health complications affecting the bones, liver, kidneys, and mental health. Given these concerns, the shift towards fluoride-free oral care is gaining momentum worldwide. Mr. Abhishek Jugran, Executive Vice President-Marketing (EVP), Dabur India Limited said, "With this campaign we aim to drive awareness towards a crucial but often times concealed issue. Our goal is to ensure that consumers make informed choices for themselves that will automatically lead to a healthy population. We are also aiming to shake up traditional marketing beliefs with this campaign. Everything that works for the international market isn't in the best interest of Indian Markets. Our products are centered around effortlessly plugging in the need gaps in Indian markets with Natural Ingredients that have been tried and tested over years. Our call out to our consumers is simple. Read up, research and make independent informed choices." Most Fluoridated toothpastes come with a warning "Contains Added Fluoride". Fluoride Free toothpastes do not have this warning label. A great alternative is Dabur fluoride-free toothpaste, which is India's No.1 Ayurvedic toothpaste. It contains 13+ natural ingredients, including Pudina, Lavang, Shunthi, Tomar, and Karpura, all known for their oral health benefits. This natural ingredients toothpaste works to keep your teeth strong, prevent cavities, and ensure fresh breath--without the fluoride side effects. Do check out Dabur fluoride free toothpaste reviews to know more from our users. Health benefits of fluoride-free toothpaste: * Prevent plaque buildup* Keep gums healthy* Freshen breath naturally* Protect enamel and strengthen teeth without harsh chemicals* Protect your teeth against germs Choosing a fluoride-free toothpaste for kids is especially important to protect their developing teeth and overall health. Since children are more prone to swallowing toothpaste, using a safe toothpaste for kids like Dabur Red Paste Ensures they avoid unnecessary fluoride exposure. The Best Fluoride-Free Toothpaste in India When looking for the best fluoride-free toothpaste for sensitive teeth, kids, and adults, it's essential to choose one that is clinically tested and trusted. Dabur Red Paste is an excellent choice as it offers 7 clinically proven oral care benefitsand is even recommended by the Indian Dental Association. Its powerful Ayurvedic formulation makes it a natural toothpaste that is safe for kids, adults, and individuals with sensitive teeth. If you're looking for Fluoride free toothpaste for children check out our range formulated specially to aid oral Health for kids. Disclaimer: This article is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor before taking any step. (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)
The Indian stock market ended Thursday on a high note, with both Sensex and Nifty witnessing a remarkable surge amid a stable global sentiment. Investors remained optimistic despite looming concerns over tariff policies, with the benchmark indices closing at record highs. The BSE Sensex soared by 899.02 points, closing at 76,348.06, while the NSE Nifty climbed 283.05 points, ending at 23,190.65. The overall market breadth remained positive, with 44 Nifty companies advancing, four declining, and two remaining unchanged. Among the biggest gainers of the session were Bharti Airtel, Titan, Eicher Motors, Bajaj Auto, and Britannia, which saw substantial buying interest. Conversely, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, Trent, and Shriram Finance were the top losers, experiencing downward pressure. Market expert VLA Ambala, SEBI-registered research analyst and co-founder of Stock Market Today, analyzed the day's trend, stating that Nifty formed a bullish Belt Hold candlestick pattern with its RSI at 61, suggesting that traders should adopt a buy-on-dip strategy for both intraday and swing trading. "India remains the 'apple of the eye' for developed nations due to its role as both a major supplier of manpower and a vast consumer market. This ensures India's significance on the global economic stage," Ambala said. She further added that the ongoing pullback movement could drive Nifty toward the 23,500-24,000 range in the coming weeks. Traders are advised to invest in quality stocks during dips and focus on sector leaders for optimal returns. The bullish market sentiment comes amid a key international trade development. US President Donald Trump has announced that from April 2, the US will impose reciprocal tariffs on India, matching the duties India levies on American goods. However, India is prioritizing negotiations over a bilateral trade agreement with the US, which is expected to be finalized by the end of the year. Looking ahead, analysts anticipate Nifty to find support between 23,150 and 23,120, while resistance is expected around 23,400 and 23,490 in the next session. With positive domestic cues and global confidence in India's economic resilience, the market appears poised for further gains, making it an opportune time for investors to capitalize on market corrections and invest strategically. (ANI)
The Union government is planning to increase the blending of 20 per cent ethanol in petrol from 2030, Union Minister of State for Tourism and Petroleum Suresh Gopi said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The National Policy on Biofuels - 2018, as amended in 2022, inter-alia advanced the target of 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol to Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 from 2030. Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) achieved the target of 10 per cent ethanol blending in petrol in June 2022 i.e. five months ahead of the target during ESY 2021-22. The blending of ethanol further increased to 12.06 per cent in ESY 2022-23, 14.60 per cent in ESY 2023-24 and 17.98 per cent in ESY 2024-25 upto 28th February 2025. So far, the government has not decided to increase ethanol blending beyond 20 per cent, according to a release by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas that quotes the MoS. According to the Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India 2020-25, prepared by an inter-ministerial committee, using 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol (E20) results in marginal reduction in fuel efficiency for four-wheelers designed for E10 and calibrated for E20. The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) informed the committee that engine hardware and tuning modifications can reduce the efficiency loss due to blended fuel. As per the MoS reply, the committee report has also highlighted that no major issues were observed in vehicle performance, wear of engine components, or engine oil deterioration with E20 fuel. The National Policy on Biofuels permits the use of food grains during the surplus phase, as declared by the National Biofuel Coordination Committee. This Policy also promotes and encourages the use of feedstock such as corn, cassava, rotten potatoes, damaged food grains like broken rice, food grains unfit for human consumption, maize, sugarcane juice and molasses, and agriculture residues (Rice straw, cotton stalk, corn cobs, sawdust, bagasse, etc.). The extent of utilization of individual feedstock for ethanol production varies annually, influenced by factors such as availability, costs, economic feasibility, market demand, and policy incentives. Any diversion of sugarcane juice, its by-products, maize, etc., for ethanol production is carefully calibrated in consultation with relevant stakeholders. Further, the Government has taken several measures since 2014 to encourage farmers and ethanol producers to scale up production under the EBP Programme. The EBP programme includes expanding feedstock for ethanol production, implementing an administered price mechanism for the procurement of ethanol under the EBP Programme, lowering the GST rate to 5 per cent on ethanol for the EBP Programme, amending the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act to facilitate intrastate and interstate movement of ethanol, simplifying the ethanol procurement process by Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), and advancing the target for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol to the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2025-26 from 2030. Additionally, during 2018-22, the Government introduced various Ethanol Interest Subsidy Schemes (EISS) to establish ethanol plants and produce ethanol from molasses and grains. Long Term Offtake Agreements (LTOAs) were also signed by OMCs with Dedicated Ethanol Plants (DEPs). (ANI)
Museum leaders from China, the United States and Canada gathered Wednesday at the Field Museum in downtown Chicago to seek more exchanges and cooperation.

Under the theme of "Now/Next: Make an Impact Together," leaders from more than 20 museums in China, the United States and Canada exchanged views on topics such as "Museum Collaboration during the New Globalization Era: Opportunities and Challenges," "Exhibiting Asian Art and Culture in the East and West," "Research and Exhibiting the Art and Archaeology Collections: Collaborations between Museums and Academia" and "AI, the New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of Museums" at the Pritzker China-U.S. Museum Leadership Forum.

The Pritzker Art Collaborative and the Chinese Museums Association, the U.S. and Chinese sponsors of the forum, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the forum, aiming to further promote exchanges among the museums in the two countries.

In his welcome and opening speech, David Pritzker, director and chief curator of the Pritzker Art Collaborative, said the aim of hosting the forum is to build trust and collaboration, as "the best way to build trust is to have shared experience."

The Pritzker Art collaborative was originally created to collaborate with the Dunhuang Academy. "During that time we became very close with a number of museums around China and also with the Chinese Museums Association," Pritzker said.

By signing the MOU, "we would like to organize more events to bring museum directors in the U.S. and in China together to speak, to share, to get to know one another," Pritzker said. "The Pritzker Art collaborative can be a bridge to try to make it happen."

"Museums are windows for the learning of civilizations," said Chinese Consul General Wang Baodong in Chicago in his opening remarks. "The forum is a highlight of the China-U.S. cultural dialogue."

"We firmly believe that the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations are the common wishes of the people of the two countries," wang said.

A program has been funded jointly by the China Museums Association and the Tencent Foundation to bring Chinese museum professionals to the United States for fellowships from six months to one year.

Douglas Dillon, chairman of the Department of Asian Art of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, expressed the hope that U.S. museum professionals may go to China in the future to get a better understanding of Chinese museums.

"Chinese museums are developing very fast, in the way they display and the method they restore relics. There are lots that we can learn," Dillon said.
SMPL New Delhi [India], March 20: Social Collage, a leading digital solutions provider, has joined forces with American Domains, a prestigious US-based company renowned for its domain strategy expertise since 2000. Together, they are set to revolutionize domain ownership and management with the launch of Domain as a Service (DaaS) in India, APAC, and MENA markets. DaaS is a game-changing approach that eliminates the complexities of domain registration, renewals, and security, offering businesses, startups, and individuals a seamless digital presence. This fully managed service provides a hassle-free domain experience bundled with hosting, SSL security, and ongoing technical and marketing support--ensuring that users can focus on their growth while their online identity is completely taken care of. What is Domain as a Service (DaaS)? DaaS is a subscription-free, long-term solution that provides domains under a simplified, all-in-one model. Unlike traditional domain services where businesses must handle renewals, technical configurations, and cybersecurity on their own, DaaS offers: 1. No renewal hassles - Available in 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year plans. * Full domain lifecycle management - No more worries about server maintenance, security updates, or hidden fees. 2. Complete website & marketing support - Social Collage ensures seamless integration of your domain with your business needs. 3. 24/7 dedicated customer support - Guaranteed assistance at all times. * Affordable and scalable solutions - Designed to suit businesses of all sizes, from startups to enterprises. Bringing American Domains' Legacy to India and Beyond Established in 2000, American Domains has been a pioneer in the domain strategy space, serving global enterprises, small businesses, and individual creators for over two decades. Recognized for its commitment to security, reliability, and innovation, the company has now expanded into the Indian market, aAfter APAC and MENA region with Social Collage as its exclusive partner along with Devopsis Technologies With this collaboration, Social Collage aims to empower businesses and entrepreneurs by providing a cost-effective and hassle-free alternative to conventional domain and hosting solutions. Empowering Businesses with Seamless Digital Identity Solutions In today's digital landscape, securing an online presence is critical for businesses, yet many struggle with the complexities of managing domains, hosting, and security. DaaS removes these barriers, making it easier than ever to establish a strong, secure, and professional online presence. "We believe that businesses should focus on their growth, not on the technicalities of domain management. With DaaS, we are redefining how businesses approach digital identity--bringing simplicity, security, and support into one unified solution," said Rahul RB, Marketing Head . With a vision to provide cutting-edge domain solutions, the DaaS model enables businesses to stay online effortlessly while eliminating common challenges such as forgotten renewals, expired SSL certificates, and server downtimes. The Future of Domains is Here - Get Started Today! Whether you're a startup, a growing business, or an individual creator, DaaS is the future of domain ownership. Say goodbye to complex domain management and embrace a streamlined, fully supported digital presence. Explore DaaS Today: https://socialcollage.in/daas (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)
BusinessWire India New Delhi [India], March 20: Project Management Institute (PMI), the world's leading authority in project management, and Kyndryl, the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider, have renewed their strategic partnership to enhance project management capabilities, thereby fostering innovation, and accelerating digital transformation for Kyndryl and its clients. This announcement underscores both organizations' ongoing commitment to project success and excellence in project delivery. With this, Kyndryl will leverage global standards, certifications, and resources from PMI to empower Kyndryl's workforce with advanced project management skills, enabling them to deliver complex projects with greater efficiency and success. The partnership will further focus on exploring the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in project management and provide access to cutting-edge PMI eLearning resources to drive continued growth and innovation. Pierre Le Manh, President and CEO, PMI, said, "This partnership combines the expertise in project management of PMI with the global reach and technological prowess of Kyndryl. It will unlock new opportunities for innovation for Kyndryl and advance the PMI vision of enabling project professionals to deliver more successful projects. Additionally, as AI rapidly changes the landscape of project management, we're happy to support Kyndryl with our full suite of resources, tools, and learning opportunities, all elements of our PMI AI initiative, allowing Kyndryl to leverage AI to its best potential." Johannes Heinlein, Chief Growth Officer of PMI, said, "Our engagement with Kyndryl, both globally and regionally, has already demonstrated the power of collaboration. We aspire to continue as a trusted partner in South Asia, supporting Kyndryl strategic objectives and contributing to their continued success in the dynamic IT landscape." Amit Goyal, Managing Director, South Asia, PMI, commented, "We are excited to deepen our relationship with Kyndryl. This partnership will enable us to connect with recently PMI-certified professionals and complex program managers from Kyndryl, fostering a community of practice and driving continuous improvement. Kyndryl South Asia will be a key focus of this partnership, leveraging its talent pool and strategic importance to the Kyndryl global operations. PMI is committed to helping project professionals navigate this evolving landscape through initiatives like AI for the profession and learning courses." Michael Moesman, Senior Vice President, Kyndryl, said, "Kyndryl's continued collaboration with PMI is a testament to our unwavering commitment to project excellence and innovation. By leveraging PMI global leadership and resources, we are empowering our teams to deliver innovative solutions for our customers, driving business impact and elevating success across their organisations. This strengthened partnership is a strategic imperative for us as we navigate the complexities of the modern IT landscape and strive to be the trusted partner of choice for our customers' mission-critical systems." Monal Dhama, Vice President, Consult Leader India Collaborative, Kyndryl, commented, "We are excited to build on our continued partnership with PMI and leverage their deep expertise in project management. PMI resources will be invaluable in helping us navigate the complexities of modern IT projects and deliver exceptional results for our clients. We are particularly interested in exploring how AI can evolve as an enabler in the project management profession. At Kyndryl, we are actively exploring how AI integration can optimize project workflows, improve resource allocation, and mitigate risks. We believe that AI can revolutionize how we manage projects, and we are excited to partner with PMI to explore these possibilities further." Project Management Institute equips professionals with the tools, knowledge and community to maximize the impact of projects and contribute to a better world. This commitment is embodied in the latest report from PMI, Maximizing Project Success, which calls for project professionals to manage perceptions, and own project success beyond project management success, while relentlessly reassessing project parameters, and expanding their perspective to deliver more impactful projects. (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)
Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 (T1) will resume full operations from April 15 onwards. As part of this transition, all flights currently operating from Terminal 2 (T2) will be relocated to T1, according to an official release. Currently, Terminal 2 handles approximately 270-280 air traffic movements daily, serving over 46,000 passengers, primarily from Akasa Air and IndiGo. These flights will be shifted to T1 starting April 15. The Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has notified the airlines about the change and requested them to plan accordingly for the transition. According to the release, this shift is a key milestone in Delhi Airport's ongoing modernization efforts, which are designed to maintain world-class services. The expansion and modernization of T1 have been completed as part of the Phase 3A expansion project. The expanded world-class integrated Terminal 1 of Delhi Airport was dedicated to the nation in March last year. The T1 has been revamped with technologies like a Facial Recognition System (DIGIYATRA) at all entry gates, 20 Automated Tray Retrieval Systems (ATRS) for smoother security checks, an Individual Carrier System (ICS) for baggage handling, and 108 Common Usage Self-Service (CUSS) kiosks for check-in and self-service. Speaking about the development, CEO-DIAL Videh Kumar Jaipuriar said, "We are pleased to announce that Delhi Airport's Terminal 1 (T1) will become fully operational from April 15. This marks a significant step in our ongoing efforts to enhance the passenger experience and support the growing demand for air travel. As part of this transition, all flights currently operating from Terminal 2 (T2) will be shifted to T1. We are committed to maintaining seamless operations throughout this transition and ensuring that every passenger continues to receive the highest level of service and comfort. This move aligns with our vision of transforming Delhi Airport into a state-of-the-art aviation hub that meets the evolving needs of travellers." Delhi Airport will be the country's only airport to have the capacity to handle over 100 million passengers annually. The passenger capacity across its three terminals is as follows: T1 can accommodate 40 million passengers per year, T2 15 million passengers per year, and Terminal 3 (T3) 45 million passengers per year. (ANI)
India PR Distribution Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 20: Excess2sell, India's leading B2B e-commerce platform specializing in overstock inventory liquidation, has once again secured its place among the fastest-growing companies in the Asia-Pacific region. The company has been featured for the 4th consecutive year in the prestigious Financial Times' High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2025 list, ranking 233rd. In the previous year, 2024, Excess2sell ranked 227th, demonstrating its consistent performance and continuous growth over the years. Excess2sell achieved an impressive absolute growth rate of 189.92% and a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 42.59% over the evaluated period. With a dedicated team of 22 employees, Excess2sell continues to make significant strides in the B2B e-commerce space. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Mumbai, Excess2sell has established itself as a trusted platform for liquidating overstock inventory across various sectors. Its robust growth and consistent performance have drawn attention from both industry experts and investors. In March 2020, the company secured $1 million in angel funding to further expand its operations and enhance its platform. Anant Chaturvedi, CBO & Co-Founder of Excess2sell, stated: "Being featured for the 4th consecutive year in the Financial Times' High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific list is a proud moment for us. It showcases our dedication, resilience, and ability to adapt to the evolving B2B landscape. Our platform continues to empower businesses by helping them unlock capital tied up in overstock inventory, and this recognition reinforces our commitment to innovation and excellence." The Financial Times' High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific list identifies and ranks companies based on their revenue growth over a specified period, highlighting the region's most rapidly expanding businesses. Excess2sell's consistent inclusion in the list underscores its resilience, business acumen, and the robust demand for its services. About Excess2sell Excess2sell is a leading B2B e-commerce platform founded in 2016 and headquartered in Mumbai, India. The platform specializes in liquidating overstock inventory across various sectors, helping businesses unlock capital and optimize inventory management. With a strong growth trajectory and a commitment to innovation, Excess2sell continues to be a dominant player in the B2B marketplace. Website - https://www.excess2sell.com. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
NewsVoir Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 20: Ahmedabad University deepened its engagement with the arts and the city's cultural fabric with the inaugural Sabarmati International Contemporary Arts Festival of Ahmedabad (SICAFA). More than a festival, SICAFA is a precursor to establishing the School of Performing and Visual Arts, reinforcing the University's commitment to integrating artistic inquiry into its academic and civic mission. Rooted in the belief that a thriving cultural ecosystem is essential for intellectual and social progress, SICAFA connects tradition with contemporary expression, fostering dialogue between artists, scholars, and the wider community. By bringing together performers, creators, and audiences in an immersive cultural experience, Ahmedabad University aims to celebrate artistic excellence and lay the groundwork for a dedicated academic space that will shape the future of performing and visual arts education. Held from March 11-18, 2025, in partnership with Neekoee Foundation and the Polish Institute New Delhi, the festival transformed Ahmedabad into a vibrant hub of artistic expression, featuring a dynamic mix of theatre, folk dance, music, puppetry, storytelling, and thought-provoking conversations with renowned artists. The festival, curated by Deepan Sivaraman, Professor, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, and Neena Naishadh, Founder, Neekoee Foundation, opened with the spectacular Manganiyar Seduction, directed by Roysten Abel, where a grand ensemble of 40 Rajasthani musicians performed within a four-story illuminated structure, mesmerising an audience of over 2,000 attendees. The performance set the tone for a week of artistic excellence and cultural immersion. SICAFA showcased a diverse array of performing arts traditions. Amitosh Nagpal's Middle Class Dream of a Summer's Night, a contemporary theatrical piece, brought a fresh and imaginative perspective to modern Indian storytelling. Jeevit ya Mrit, an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's celebrated short story, was presented as an extended monologue powerfully performed by the National Film Award winning actress Seema Biswas and directed by Anuradha Kapur, former Director of National School of Drama. Folk traditions were equally celebrated, with Purulia Chhau, a spectacular masked dance-drama from West Bengal's indigenous communities, captivating audiences with its vibrant energy and intricate choreography. Theyyam, Kerala's centuries-old ritualistic performance, added a spiritual and visually arresting dimension to the festival. The festival also featured Patrick Sims' Puppetry Show, transporting audiences, especially children, into a world of imaginative storytelling. Saumya Joshi's Oh Womaniya, a high-energy performance by Jigna Vyas, delved into the deepest facets of a woman's identity and experiences, while Girish Karnad's Hayavadana, adapted by Padma Shri awardee Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry, challenged audiences to rethink human identity and transformation. The Anirudh Varma Collective (AVC) delivered a powerful closing act, seamlessly blending Indian classical music with contemporary influences, demonstrating the evolving landscape of artistic expression. SICAFA also curated a special culinary arts segment, featuring India's rich food heritage and its deep cultural connections. Engaging discussions on contemporary arts and their role in shaping cultural consciousness added further depth, bringing together distinguished artists and scholars for thought-provoking conversations. A Cultural Movement for Ahmedabad Beyond a contemporary arts festival, SICAFA was a cultural movement reaffirming the role of the arts in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning. As Ahmedabad University progresses toward launching the School of Performing and Visual Arts, SICAFA will continue as an annual event, deepening the University's engagement with the arts and further cementing Ahmedabad as a global cultural destination. Ahmedabad University is a leading private, non-profit research university offering students a liberal education focused on interdisciplinary learning, practice orientation, and research thinking. The University has been - Recognised by the Government of Gujarat as a Centre of Excellence. - Accredited with 'A' grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). - Awarded a 5-star rating, the highest awarded in the Gujarat State Institutional Rating Framework (GSIRF) for 2021-22 and 2023-24, by the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG), Department of Education, Government of Gujarat. - Awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) International Award for Excellence 2024 for our University Centre. - Awarded a 'Platinum Rating' by the Indian Green Building Council for sustainability and green practices. - Recognised by the UGC under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, becoming one of the very few private research universities to have been awarded this recognition for select research universities. - Recognised as a Highly Commended University for Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year in the Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Asia 2023. - Awarded the AACSB's Innovations That Inspire Award 2023 for its Foundation Programme. - Awarded Gold Rating by the Indian Green Building Council for achieving the Green Building Standards at our University Centre. The University, established in 2009, is rooted in the vision of one of India's finest educational foundations, the Ahmedabad Education Society, which was founded in 1935 by nationalist leaders. Programmes at the University range from bachelors to doctoral levels in humanities and social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and management through its 13 Schools and Centres: Amrut Mody School of Management | Bagchi School of Public Health | School of Arts and Sciences | School of Engineering and Applied Science | Ahmedabad Design Lab | Centre for Heritage Management | Centre for Inter-Asian Research | Centre for Learning Futures | Global Centre for Environment and Energy | International Centre for Space and Cosmology | Sahyog: Centre for Promoting Health | The Climate Institute | VentureStudio An urban university, Ahmedabad promotes independent-mindedness and diversity across all dimensions of its activity and helps students mature into critical thinkers who are analytically equipped, practically oriented, and contextually aware global citizens. The University provides a contemporary educational framework that brings liberal arts, sciences, and the professions to engage together in creating new knowledge for addressing complex challenges of the society and in offering majors that merge the boundaries of disciplines to prepare students for the new economy. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
To highlight the dangers of online misogyny and youth violence, Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has expressed his full support for the Netflix drama 'Adolescence.' The drama depicts the disturbing consequences of online influence on young people. According to Sky News, Starmer revealed that he and his family have been watching the series, describing it as a powerful and necessary conversation starter on the rise of violence carried out by young men influenced by online content. The drama, which stars Stephen Graham and was co-written by Jack Thorne, tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl at his school. As the plot unfolds, the show delves into the dark side of social media, focusing on how internet subcultures, particularly incel culture, can shape the behaviour of impressionable adolescents. The series has garnered critical acclaim and become a global hit, topping Netflix's charts. During Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), Labour MP Anneliese Midgley asked Starmer whether he supports calls for the show to be screened in schools and Parliament. According to Sky News, in his response, Starmer said, "At home we are watching Adolescence. I've got a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, and it's a very good drama to watch. This violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem. It's abhorrent, and we have to tackle it." Online safety has become a pressing concern for both the government and lawmakers. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, speaking to Sky News, emphasized that the government is acutely aware of the issues raised by the drama. She reiterated that while there are no plans to ban smartphones for those under 16, the government is proceeding with the implementation of the Online Harms Act, which aims to regulate tech companies and ensure they take responsibility for protecting young users. Meanwhile, Sky News has learned that around 25 Labour MPs have come together to form an informal group pushing for tougher action on online safety. The group is set to meet next week, with many MPs calling for stronger measures to protect young people from the harmful effects of social media content. These efforts are gaining momentum, especially after a proposed bill to raise the minimum age for social media consent from 13 to 16 was significantly watered down due to lack of government support. 'Adolescence' has sparked intense debate about how to protect children from toxic online influences, with co-writer Jack Thorne criticizing the government's reluctance to take more decisive action against big tech companies. Johnathan Brash, a Labour MP for Hartlepool, has expressed his strong support for the show's campaign to be shown in schools and Parliament. According to Sky News, he called the show "powerful and distressing," explaining that its impact moved him to hug his son immediately. Brash has suggested that some elements of the show could be shown in primary schools, with discretion, to help children understand the dangers of social media before they begin using it. He has vowed to raise the issue with the Department for Education to ensure that Starmer's words of support are followed by meaningful action. The government's response to online safety has come under scrutiny in light of Sky News' investigation revealing that teenagers are often exposed to violent and sexually explicit material on social media platforms. While the government is moving forward with the Online Safety Act, which is set to be enforced later this year, MPs from all parties are calling for more radical steps to curb children's screen time and the harmful content they encounter online. On the other side of the debate, Conservative MPs, including shadow education secretary Laura Trott, are advocating for a ban on smartphones in schools, citing concerns over the negative impact on students' well-being. According to Sky News, Trott has gone as far as to say that she would not allow her own children to have smartphones until they are 16, highlighting the growing concerns about children's safety online. Despite the ongoing discussions, the government has resisted calls for a blanket ban on smartphones in schools, arguing that teachers already have the authority to regulate phone use in the classroom. (ANI)
The Dawoodi Bohra community has once again committed itself to preserving the environment with the relaunch of its 'Save Our Sparrows' (SOS) campaign, aimed at addressing the alarming decline in sparrow populations. This nationwide initiative, which began on March 6, will culminate on March 20, World Sparrow Day, serving as a reminder to protect the small yet ecologically vital bird. The SOS campaign has already made significant strides, with volunteers distributing approximately 50,000 bird feeders across various parts of India, including schools, parks, households, and community centres. These feeders are essential in providing sparrows with food sources, especially in urban areas where natural habitats are shrinking due to environmental degradation and rapid urbanization. In Mumbai and surrounding areas, over 6,500 bird feeders have been distributed among community members. A special event was held at Saifi High School in South Mumbai, where 500 bird feeders were given to students. Huzaifa Maimoon, Principal of Saifi High School, shared the historical significance of this event. "It's about reviving the legacy we began in 2011," Maimoon explained, adding, "During the birth centenary year of late His Holiness Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin, we had distributed around 52,000 bird feeders as part of an initiative to protect and conserve the environment." Maimoon further elaborated on the importance of teaching students not only the science behind ecological processes but also how human activities can inadvertently harm the environment. "The decline in sparrow populations due to urbanization is one such example. We have conducted seminars, webinars, and projects across schools in India and globally, from Singapore to Vancouver, where students researched the causes behind this decline," he said. As part of this initiative, the Dawoodi Bohra community has also developed a unique software to track the distribution of bird feeders. Each bird feeder is geotagged and assigned a unique ID to create a heat map. This allows volunteers to monitor the areas where sparrow numbers are low and assess the impact of the bird feeders in boosting sparrow populations. The project, led by the Burhani Foundation and Project RISE-- the philanthropic wing of the Dawoodi Bohra community--hopes to encourage community members, especially children, to connect with nature and learn the importance of ecological balance. "During the holy month of Ramadan, which is a time for giving back, we want to inspire our students to step away from screens and engage in meaningful activities like protecting nature," Maimoon said. The SOS initiative has already received positive feedback, with community members installing the feeders at their homes and schools. The aim is to distribute 50,000 bird feeders by World Sparrow Day and continue the project year-round to ensure long-term impact. "By taking these small steps, we can make a significant difference in sparrow conservation and also foster a sense of responsibility and awareness among our younger generation," Maimoon concluded. (ANI)
Veteran Telugu actor Chiranjeevi was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Team Bridge India at the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. On Thursday, Chiranjeevi posted several pictures on X (Formerly Twitter) and expressed his gratitude by writing a long note that read, "Heart filled with gratitude for the honour at the House of Commons - UK Parliament by so many Esteemed Members of Parliament, Ministers & Under Secretaries, Diplomats. Humbled by their kind words. Heartened by the Life Time Achievement Award by Team Bridge India." "Words are not enough. But a heartfelt Thank You to each one of my wonderful loving fans, blood brothers, blood sisters, my film family, well-wishers, friends and all my family members and everyone who in every which way contributed to my journey and participated in the humanitarian causes I have been championing," he added. He concluded by saying, "This honor motivates me to continue my work with greater vigour. And Love to each one of you for your beautiful congratulatory messages." https://x.com/KChiruTweets/status/1902638200490778657 Chiranjeevi can be seen receiving the award by dignitaries and posing for the pictures with them. Netizens pour congratulatory messages in the comment section. A user wrote, "Truly deserved! Your dedication and impact inspire us all!" Another one commented, "Many many congratulations to you Sir." On the work front, Chiranjeevi will be seen next in Vishwambhara, a fantasy drama co-starring Trisha and Meenakshi Chaudhary. (ANI)
On Thursday, Tara took to Instagram and shared pictures of her dinner table, which was filled with a delicious buffet.

Tara wore a white dress with a hair bun decorated with roses and earrings.

Along with the post, she wrote, "Saal Mubarak!!!! Nowruz Mubarak. It is now more than ever that i think we could all do with good thoughts, good words and good deeds..Here's me pottering about to create a spread for @bombaytimes today and to give you a little peak of our table for the new year!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/DHaT-cAJHE3/?img_index=1

Recently, Tara was featured in a romantic song, 'Pyaar Aata Hai', alongside Ishaan Khatter.

'Pyaar Aata Hai' marks the first collaboration between Ishaan and Tara. Produced by Anshul Garg under Play DMF, the track is sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Rito Riba. The soulful track was shot in the breathtaking landscapes of Kashmir and released on March 7.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Tara was last seen in the film titled 'Apurva', which was released on Jio Hotstar. (ANI)
Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is set to receive the highest honour from the British Film Institute (BFI), the BFI Fellowship, at the institute Chair's Dinner in London on May 12. According to BFI's official website, the Fellowship recognises Cruise's achievements as an extraordinary, versatile actor whose career has spanned everything from critically acclaimed dramas and romances to dark thrillers and high-octane action films. It also takes into consideration the huge contribution by the actor to the UK film industry as he chose to shoot numerous films, including many Mission: Impossible films on location in London, Birmingham, North Yorkshire, the Lake District, the Peak District, and more. In a statement as quoted by BFI, the 'Mission Impossible' actor said that he has no plans to stop making movies in the UK as he believes that it is home to some incredibly talented actors and directors and stunning locations in the world. "I am truly honoured by this acknowledgement. I've been making films in the UK for over 40 years and have no plans to stop. The UK is home to incredibly talented professionals -- actors, directors, writers, and crews, as well as some of the most stunning locations in the world. I'm grateful for all the BFI has done to support UK filmmaking and this incredible art form we share," said Tom Cruise, as quoted in the press release of BFI. The day before the Fellowship presentation, the BFI will host a special event that Cruise will attend for public audiences, including film students who are looking to break into the industry. As per BFI, after receiving the fellowship, actor Cruise will be joining the distinguished ranks of other BFI Fellows including David Lean, Bette Davis, Akira Kurosawa, Ousmane Sembene, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, Orson Welles, Thelma Schoonmaker, Derek Jarman, Martin Scorsese, Satyajit Ray, Yasujiro Ozu and, most recently, Tilda Swinton, Barbara Broccoli, Michael G Wilson, Spike Lee and Christopher Nolan. Meanwhile, on the work front, Tom Cruise will be seen in 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning'. Set to release on May 23, 2025, The Final Reckoning is the sequel to the 2023 film Dead Reckoning Part One. Newcomers to the franchise include Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Katy O'Brian, and Stephen Oyoung, adding further excitement to this highly anticipated film directed by Christopher McQuarrie, as per Deadline. (ANI)
Stable, healthy and sustainable China-U.S. economic and trade relations align with both nations' fundamental interests and will benefit enterprises worldwide, Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen said during a meeting with the head of U.S. company PepsiCo.

Wang, also the China international trade representative, emphasized that China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually beneficial and win-win in nature, during the Tuesday meeting with Ramon Laguarta, PepsiCo's chairman and CEO.

They exchanged views on topics such as China-U.S. economic and trade ties, as well as the firm's business operations in China, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Highlighting China's confidence in achieving its economic growth target for 2025 proposed in the government work report, Wang said that a series of policy measures introduced by the country to expand domestic demand and promote consumption will provide more opportunities for foreign-invested enterprises, including PepsiCo.

The vice minister also elaborated on China's stance on issues such as the U.S. unilateral tariff hikes imposed on China.

Laguarta said that thanks to China's pro-consumption policies, PepsiCo is reporting rapid growth in its food and beverage businesses in the country.

Pledging increased investment in local operations and a deepening engagement in the China market, he said that PepsiCo is committed to playing a constructive role in advancing healthy and stable U.S.-China relations as a member of U.S. business circles.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta, best known for creating projects like Shahid and Scam 1992, is now all set to entertain Indian audience with a remake of Sri Lankan Comedy 'Tentigo' "Tentigo" opened in Sri Lankan theaters on March 14. The film's Tamil-language adaptation, "Perusu," also directed by Ram, opened in India on March 14, as per Variety. The Hindi-language adaptation marks celebrated casting director Mukesh Chhabra's debut as a producer, with "Tentigo" producer Hiranya Perera attached as associate producer. True Story Films is joining forces with indie powerhouse Crawling Angel Films, with Sanjay Gulati and Neeraj Pandey co-producing the Hindi version. "Tentigo" first gained international recognition after premiering at the 2023 Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, where it won the special jury Award. While details regarding the director and cast remain under wraps, the producers have promised a lineup of talent that will enhance the project, Variety reported. "I'm not usually in favor of remakes, but this one had me genuinely excited," said Mehta. "The moment I saw 'Tentigo,' I couldn't stop laughing. It was sharp, irreverent, and yet deeply emotional - the kind of story that stays with you. I believe this adaptation will resonate with audiences across India." Chhabra, who has collaborated with Mehta as casting director since Toronto selection "Shahid," said: "Working alongside him as a producer feels like a natural extension of everything we've built over the years -- I'm excited about this new chapter in my career." Sanjay Gulati of Crawling Angel Films, known for titles like Sundance winner "Girls Will Be Girls," "Once Again," and "Nimtoh," noted: "Over the last 10 years, many films I've been involved with have premiered at film festivals, but often remained out of the public eye. 'Tentigo,' as a comedy, defies the typical 'festival film' label. Through this adaptation, I aim to break free from such definitions, as what truly matters is reaching a wide audience." (ANI)
The Telangana Government is all set to host the 72nd edition of Miss World. On Thursday, during the pre-launch event of Miss World in Hyderabad, State Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao talked about how hosting this prestigious beauty pageant will help put Telangana's culture and heritage on the global map. "With this, we'll be showcasing Telangana, its heritage, its culture, art forms, and strengths to the globe. Therefore, we'll be attracting lakhs of people within the country and even from outside the country who support the promotion of tourism. It will help in generating revenue and also providing employment for the unemployed youth, men and women," Rao told ANI. "All the security is being taken care of by the government, the police department, and every concerned department is participating. Not only for the tourism department but also for the promotion of temple tourism, eco-tourism, health tourism, medical tourism, etc. All are involved," he added. Speaking to ANI, Miss World 2023 Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic, along with Julia Morley CBE, Chairman and CEO of the Miss World Organization, expressed excitement over India's role in hosting the prestigious competition. "...I love the Indian sparkle that the last edition had, and it will be just amazing, as I said, and India has a lot to offer this time... As you may know and have heard, Miss World is about actually doing the action, not only the talking, so in all of the states we're visiting, we're trying to find some project. We're trying to be helpful. I visited the temple, which was a magical experience. I always dreamt of going to the Hindu Temple to see how it is, and my dream came true yesterday. I received a lot of blessings..." she said. The 72nd Miss World pageant will be held in Telangana between May 7 and 31. (ANI)
Actor Vijay Devarakonda and Prakash issued a clarification on Thursday following the allegations on them for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps through their social media platforms. In a press statement, Deverakonda's team clarified that the actor entered into a contract with the company as a brand ambassador for skill-based games and endorsed the company in regions and territories where online skill-based games were legally permitted. The statement read, "This is to inform the public and all concerned parties that Vijay Deverakonda has officially entered into a contract with a company solely for the limited purpose of serving as a brand ambassador for skill-based games. His endorsement was strictly confined to regions and territories where online skill-based games are legally permitted." It continued, "It is important to clarify that skill-based games, including online games such as rummy, have been repeatedly recognized by the Honourable Supreme Court of India as distinct from gambling or gaming. The court has upheld that such games involve skill rather than chance, making them legally permissible." Deverakonda's team issued the press statement with the motive to eliminate any misconceptions/misinformation regarding the actor's past endorsements for online betting games. "Vijay Deverakonda's legal team and agencies carefully review all associations before entering into any agreements. After a thorough legal review, he agreed to endorse the skill-based gaming platform A23, ensuring that his association aligned with the law standards. However, his endorsement term ended in 2023, and he is no longer associated with the brand. This press release is being issued to eliminate any misconceptions/misinformation and to emphasise that Vijay Deverakonda's past endorsement of a legally recognized skill-based gaming company was completely lawful." On the same day, Prakash Raj also issued a clarification through a self-made video which he posted on his X handle. He admitted to doing an advertisement for a gaming app but later refused to continue as it didn't feel right to him. Taking to his X handle, he said, "I have not received anything from the police station or any summons as such, and when it does, I will deploy, but I think it's my responsibility to reply and clear things for you." The actor continued, "In 2016, people approached me for a gaming app, and I did do it. But within a few months, my conscience, maybe it was legal but I thought that it was not right. But I couldn't do anything, so I let it go for a year's contract. Immediately when they wanted to renew, I said no. My conscience doesn't accept that I don't want to continue." Raj claimed that he had not done any advertisements since then. He said, "This happened around 8-9 years back, and since then, I have not done any ads which promote online gambling. Now, in 2021-22, this company must have been sold to somebody else, and when they put these snippets of me on a few social media, we did send them a notice. In an email, I said look. No, I am not part of it. You can't illegally use it. It has expired. They stopped after that. This is my reply." https://x.com/prakashraaj/status/1902700286424363345? The Telangana police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against 25 celebrities and influencers, including popular figures like Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Manchu Lakshmi, for allegedly promoting illegal betting and gambling apps through their social media platforms. The FIR was filed at the Miyapur Police Station in Hyderabad following a complaint by 32-year-old businessman PM Phanindra Sarma. In his complaint, Sarma claimed that during a conversation with youth in his community on March 16, he discovered many individuals had been influenced to invest their money in these gambling apps, which were heavily advertised by social media personalities. (ANI)
Taking to his Instagram handle, Samay shared the news and promised refunds to people who bought tickets for the show. He wrote,

"Hello guys, I am rescheduling my India tour. You all will get the refunds shortly, see you soon."

The comedian's decision to reschedule the India tour came amid the ongoing case against him for promoting obscenity and vulgar content through his show India's Got Latent.

The controversy erupted after an FIR was filed earlier this month against Makhija, YouTubers Ashish Chanchlani, Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay Raina, and others associated with the India's Got Latent show.

The FIR was based on allegations of promoting obscenity and engaging in sexually explicit discussions during the publicly accessible YouTube show.

Ashish Chanchlani and Ranveer Allahbadia have already approached the Maharashtra Cyber Cell to record their statements in connection with the matter.

The Maharashtra cyber police have reportedly summoned more than 30 people for questioning after registering an FIR against them. However, the police have not yet recorded the statement of comedian and YouTuber Samay Raina, who hosted the 'India's Got Latent' show.

The show came under scrutiny after Ranveer Allahbadia made some offensive remarks on the show.

During an appearance on the 'India's Got Latent' show, the podcaster asked a contestant, "Would you rather watch your parents... or join in once and stop it forever?" The video soon went viral on the internet, with social media users slamming Allahbadia for his offensive remarks. (ANI)
Star Alliance Partners Air New Zealand and Air India on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost air connectivity between India and New Zealand. The MoU was signed at an event in Mumbai in the presence of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, and other dignitaries. The MoU includes the establishment of a new codeshare partnership on 16 routes between India, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand, conferring travellers more choice and convenient access between the two countries. Customers will now be able to travel from the Indian cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai on Air India, and connect at Sydney, Melbourne or Singapore onto Air New Zealand-operated flights to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Queenstown. The codeshare aims to increase the visibility of the respective markets as tourism destinations. The MoU will also see Air New Zealand and Air India explore the introduction of a direct service between India and New Zealand by the end of 2028, subject to new aircraft deliveries and approvals from relevant government regulators. Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran emphasised the strategic significance of India as a future destination, highlighting its rapidly expanding tourism market and increasing travel demand. Air New Zealand Chief Executive Greg Foran said, "India represents a key growth market for Air New Zealand, and we are excited about the opportunity to enhance connectivity for travellers between our two countries. This codeshare agreement is an important first step, offering more options for customers while we work to understand what a direct service could look like". "Today's event underscores the significance of the Indian market to New Zealand, not only for tourism but also for strengthening business and education ties. We are committed to working collaboratively to grow the travel market over the coming years, ensuring a strong foundation for a successful direct service by 2028," said Foran. Campbell Wilson, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, of Air India, said: "As part of Air India's ongoing transformation, we have been expanding our global network using our aircraft as well as through new or expanded codeshare agreements with other airlines, chiefly our Star Alliance partners". "We are delighted to be deepening our relationship with Air New Zealand, which follows the recent expansion of our codeshare partnerships with Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, and All Nippon Airways. This partnership will not only strengthen our presence and simplify customer journeys but also help us develop traffic so that, in time to come, we may viably operate a non-stop service between India and New Zealand, which we and Air New Zealand have committed to explore together with the respective authorities," said Wilson. With India emerging as a growing tourism and business hub, this partnership reflects the airline's commitment to delivering enhanced travel experiences while supporting trade, tourism, and economic growth. Currently, Air New Zealand customers travelling between New Zealand and India benefit from strong connectivity options via Singapore Airlines, offering a smooth transit through Singapore. The prospect of a future direct route would further strengthen the relationship between the two countries, providing more efficient and accessible travel opportunities. The MoU also outlines Tourism New Zealand's commitment to growing inbound tourism from the Indian market. Tourism New Zealand's research shows that 18 million people in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai are actively considering travelling to New Zealand, making it a key emerging market. More than 80,000 international travellers arrived from India last year, 23 per cent more than in 2019. The long-term growth potential is significant, with India earmarked as one of the fastest-growing outbound travel markets. Indian travellers are keen to explore New Zealand's vibrant landscapes, film sets and rich cultural opportunities. The codeshare flights will be available for booking progressively, subject to due regulatory approvals. (ANI)
The estimated market value of the seized ganja in its destination market is approximately Rs 5.10 lakh. The contraband was found abandoned, with no claimant in sight.

Following due legal procedures, the seized ganja was secured as unclaimed property.

The Agartala Government Railway Police (GRP) has initiated an investigation to trace the source and owner of the illegal consignment.

Authorities suspect that the consignment was part of an inter-state drug trafficking network, and efforts are underway to identify those involved.

Law enforcement agencies have intensified their vigilance at railway stations and other transit points to curb the smuggling of illegal substances.

Further investigation is ongoing.

Recently, in a joint operation, the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) apprehended two women drug peddlers at Agartala Railway Station, said officials.

The authorities seized 10.755 kg of dry ganja, which was concealed in two large pit bags. According to police sources, the accused were attempting to smuggle the contraband out of Tripura via Deoghar Express.

They had planned to use Agartala Railway Station as a transit point for transporting the drugs to other states. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Agartala GRP Police Station.

Officials suspect that more individuals may be involved in this network, and further arrests are anticipated.

The two arrested women have been identified as Uma Devi (50) and Kajal Devi (35), both are residents of Bihar's Saharsa. Authorities estimate that the market value of the seized ganja is approximately Rs 1.6 lakh. Both accused will be produced before the court for further legal proceedings. (ANI)
Indian Olympic medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia slammed the government after several farmers were arrested during the ongoing protest at the Shambhu Border in Punjab. He said, "The government was just pretending to talk to farmers. Arresting them after discussions shows that they are not serious about solving the farmers' problems. This is a betrayal." Punia also urged people to stand with the farmers against what he called an oppressive act by both the Central and Punjab governments. A tense situation unfolded at the Shambhu Border when farmers were protesting, demanding action from the government on various issues. During the protest, several farmer leaders were detained by the police. Taking to social media, X Bajrang Punia wrote, "This cowardly act of the government has made it clear that the government was just pretending in the name of talks with the farmers. Calling farmer leaders on the pretext of talks and arresting them is not bravery. When many farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Dallewal met the government with their demands, there was hope that some solution would emerge. But the government took them into custody after the talks. If this is not a betrayal of the farmers, then what is it?" https://x.com/BajrangPunia/status/1902402853693747448 He further added, "If the government was serious about listening to the voice of the farmers, it would have found a solution to their problems, instead of trying to suppress them. This oppressive attitude shows that the government is only pretending in the name of talks while the real aim of the government is to crush the farmers' movement." "All the countrymen should stand with the farmers and oppose this oppressive act of the Central and Punjab governments," Punia said. This came after the Punjab Police took action against protesting farmers at the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police used bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu Border to further restrict the farmers' movement. Punjab Police also removed protesters from the site. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nanak Singh asserted that the entire road would be cleared and reopened for traffic. Speaking to ANI, SSP Singh stressed that the police did not use any force, as the protesting farmers cooperated with them. "Farmers had been protesting at the Shambhu Border for a long time. Today, in the presence of Duty Magistrates, Police cleared the area after they were given proper warning. A few people showed a willingness to go home. So, they were sent home on a bus. In addition, the structures and vehicles here are being moved. The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic," he said. "Haryana Police will also begin their action. Once it opens from their side, the movement on the highway will resume. We did not need to use any force because there was no resistance. Farmers cooperated well and they sat in buses by themselves," the SSP said. Police also removed temporary structures erected by farmers at the protest site. Several farmer leaders, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, were detained by the police. (ANI)
Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh visited Astan Masjid Sharif on Thursday for Phase 2 of training for pilgrims heading to Hajj. "I am at Astan Masjid Sharif today for Phase 2 of training the people who will go on the Hajj pilgrimage... 82 pilgrims from Doda district will go for Hajj from various locations like Srinagar and Delhi," Doda Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh told ANI. He added, "The district administration met the pilgrims today and assured them that we would fulfil all their needs." Singh addressed concerns raised by some government employees, who pointed out that their permission to go for Hajj was still pending. "Some government employees raised the issue that their permission to go for Hajj is pending. We have assured them we will take up this issue with the government," he said. The pilgrims also expressed a need for transportation to travel to Srinagar. Singh responded, "The pilgrims have expressed a need for vehicles to travel to Srinagar. The district administration has assured them of this demand." In addition, Singh confirmed that the pilgrims would be vaccinated ahead of their journey. "We will get the pilgrims vaccinated as well," he assured. Meanwhile, The Indian Army conducted a plantation drive in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, aiming to promote environmental sustainability and contribute to the region's green cover. The event, held in collaboration with residents of the area, aimed to promote green cover and raise awareness about the importance of preserving the environment. Soldiers and civilians enthusiastically participated in the drive, and various saplings were planted in areas across Doda. Speaking to ANI, one of the students who participated said, "We participated in a plantation drive here with the Indian Army and planted saplings. We also took part in a similar plantation drive last year and dedicated it to the brave hearts. We pledged to plant a lot of saplings that would help combat air pollution and contribute to the environment." Another student also spoke to ANI and said, "As global warming is on the rise, we should all contribute and plant as many trees as possible. If we cut one tree, we should plant 100 more trees." (ANI)
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA and daughter of slain Odisha Minister Naba Das, Deepali Das, on Wednesday submitted a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi requesting a CBI inquiry into her father's murder. Speaking to media, Deepali Das said, "We have given a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for a CBI inquiry. The Chief Minister has assured us that he will consider the matter and a proper investigation will be done." On Tuesday, Odisha minister Prithviraj Harichandan assured that the investigation into the murder of Naba Das has been restarted under the current government, and exuded confidence in a fair probe by the crime branch. "The family of the former minister, Naba Das, are not happy with the kind of investigation that was instituted during the last government. Our government has decided, and the investigation process is again active. Two officers from the crime branch, as per the schedule given by the family, have gone to their residence and taken the family statement. I believe that with the kind of investigation that the crime branch would now do, a very free and fair investigation will take place," Harichandan told ANI on Tuesday. Late Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Das was shot on January 29, 2023, by an Odisha Police Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gopal Das from point-blank range in Brajrajnagar of Jharsuguda district and succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in the state's capital. Following the incident, ASI Gopal Das was dismissed from services, on charges of killing the Odisha Health Minister and was arrested by the Odisha Police on January 30. "The ASI of Gandhi Chowk Outpost under Brajarajnagar PS has been dismissed from service on January 30 by exercising power vested under Article 311 of the constitution of India by SP Jharsuguda," a statement from Odisha police read. "The accused fired on the chest of the minister from a very close range," read the charge sheet. As per the chargesheet, the accused was charged under Sections 307, 302, and 27 (1) of the Arms Act, Chand said. The police arrested the accused Gopal Das on the spot following the murder. Former Health Minister Naba Das was a three-time MLA from the Jharsuguda constituency in Odisha. (ANI)
13 fishermen Tamil Nadu who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing outside the approved boundaries, returned home to India on Thursday after being handed over by the Indian Embassy in Colombo. The group of fishermen were arrested on February 26, and were produced in Mallakam court in Sri Lanka, kept imprisoned for nearly a month. Additionally, three fishermen were also admitted to a government hospital in Sri Lanka due to sustaining injuries. The Sri Lankan court had reportedly released the 13 fishermen on 12th March after talks between the two sides. Flights tickets from Colombo (Sri Lanka's capital) to Chennai were arranged for the fishermen, sending them to India after issuing temporary passports to them. After arriving at the Chennai airport, all the fishermen were brought out after completing all checks like citizenship check and customs check. Notably, one fisherman, who was hit on the leg earlier, was picked up early and taken to a private hospital in Chennai for treatment. While the remaining 12 fishermen were brought out. Officials of the Department from the Karaikal area welcomed them and took them to the Karaikal area in a separate vehicle. Earlier on March 18, a group of three fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Delft Island in the Palkbay Sea area. The arrested have been identified as A Shankar (53), M Arjunan (35), and S Murugesan (49). The fishermen, who had received their fishing permits on March 17, were reportedly told by the Sri Lankan Navy that they had crossed the maritime border. The captured boat, IND-TN-10-MM-496, belongs to Thangachimadam Kennedy. Authorities are currently investigating the three men. According to NJ Bose, the State Secretary of the Fishermen's Association, the arrest has stirred considerable turmoil, as the fishermen had just set out from the Rameswaram fishing port along with 403 other boats. (ANI)
A citizen enjoys food at a restaurant in Xixiu District of Anshun, southwest China's Guizhou province, Jan. 24, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has announced a new comprehensive guideline aimed at strengthening oversight across the entire food supply chain, from farms to consumer tables.

The policy, jointly issued by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet, outlines stricter controls and enforcement measures to enhance public health protection and ensure food quality.

The new guideline emphasizes greater coordination between regulatory bodies and a focus on improving food safety at every stage of production, distribution and sale. A key component of the reforms includes the establishment of a traceability system for agricultural products, enabling better monitoring from farms to markets. This is intended to prevent unsafe products from entering the food supply while allowing authorities to respond quickly to any safety issues that might arise.

The policy also tightens regulations surrounding food production and business licensing. Producers and distributors will now face more stringent checks before receiving licenses, and compliance will be rigorously enforced at both the provincial and local levels.

Traditional food producers will be required to meet modern safety standards while preserving cultural practices.

In addition to improving food production standards, the policy addresses food storage and transportation. New safety protocols for warehouses and logistics companies aim to ensure that food is stored and transported under controlled conditions, preventing contamination or spoilage.

As online food sales continue to grow, the document emphasizes the responsibilities of e-commerce platforms and livestreaming hosts in selling food products online. It calls for "ensuring the accountability of online food sales entities and strengthening the collaborative governance of food safety issues in online sales" to improve regulation of the emerging sector. Furthermore, it requires the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory mechanism for food service.

For imported food products, the policy introduces a risk management framework to ensure that all foreign foods entering China meet domestic safety standards. This includes additional oversight of food sold through cross-border e-commerce channels.

In January, data from the Ministry of Public Security showed that 12,000 cases of food safety crimes were solved last year.

Last week, a reporter from The Beijing News conducted undercover visits to several Yangmingyu Braised Chicken and Rice franchise stores in Henan province. They observed kitchens using spoiled mushrooms and processing overnight darkened beef with coloring agents for reuse. They also witnessed leftover food from customers being recycled and reprocessed.

This year's CCTV 3.15 Gala also exposed the issue of excessive phosphate levels in water-injected shrimp sold on various online platforms though advertisements for these shrimp frequently featured claims of "zero additives" and "zero moisture retention agents".
The Ministry of Food Processing Industry's PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (MOFPI-PMFME) scheme has significantly improved farmers' sugarcane processing capabilities. Kewal Kumar, a farmer from Dhanoo village in Udhampur district, has incorporated advanced technology into his chemical-free gud (jaggery) production by utilizing the scheme's support. Kumar has replaced the traditional ox-powered system for extracting sugarcane juice with a tractor, which increases efficiency and reduced labour. "Earlier, I used to grow wheat or rice. However, under PM Narendra Modi's government, farmers have started getting beneficial subsidies, which enabled me to start sugarcane farming. My work got easier once we started getting subsidies on tractors. I started growing sugarcane and making gud (jaggery). Last year, I sold 15-20 quintals of gud in the market," he said. This technology shift has also allowed him to meet the growing demand for his organic, chemical-free jaggery (gud). "I prepared pure organic gud, free of chemicals, which has increased our product's demand. I have attached more farmers to this venture. We have become 'Aatmnirbhar,'" Kumar said. The increased efficiency of production has not only helped Kumar expand his business but also enabled him to assist other farmers. "Earlier, we were in a bad condition. But now we enjoy working in the fields because we make a profit. Earlier, we used to stay drowned in debt. Now, whenever we face any financial problem, we take out a loan from KCC (Kisan Credit Card) and pay it back after six months," Kumar explained. Tikri District Development Council (DDC) member Ashu Sharma has praised the Indian government's efforts in helping Udhampur farmers improve their livelihoods through technology. "We thank the Indian government for helping our farmers double their income. They have helped our farmers revolutionize their farming through technology," Sharma said. The implementation of modern farming techniques has allowed local farmers to adopt practices like poly houses and grow new crops such as dragon fruits. Additionally, farmers like Kewal Kumar have embraced organic farming, producing chemical-free gud (jaggery), which has led to increased demand. "It is joyful to see our farmers using polyhouses or growing dragon fruits... The farmers are making gud organically, completely free of chemicals," Sharma added. Sharma encouraged other farmers in the region to take full advantage of government schemes. "I want to tell our farmers to utilize the schemes of PM Narendra Modi to benefit their farming. Kewal works really hard and earns well," she said. (ANI)
After protesting farmers were evicted from Shambhu and Khanauri borders, Satnam Singh Pannu of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee condemned both Union and the Punjab state government for this action. In a video shared by the Kisan Morcha, Pannu stated that today they will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the "atrocities" on farmers. "We condemn the action against farmers by the Bhagwant Mann government in collaboration with or on the orders of the Modi government. The Bhagwant Mann government and Modi government will have to pay a heavy price for this. Today, we will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the atrocities on farmers," he said. Meanwhile, former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the arrest of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. Demanding their release, Badal accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of ignoring demands made by the farmers despite promising MSP on crops. "The Bhagwant Mann government, which promised to give MSP to the farmers of Punjab in five minutes, is not even ready to listen to the legitimate demands of the farmers today. I strongly condemn the forcible abduction of farmer leaders and farmers," Badal, who is the former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, posted on his Facebook page. "The Punjab government should immediately release the arrested farmers and accept their demands," he added. Indian Olympic medallist wrestler and Working President of Kisan Congress, Bajrang Punia slammed the government after several farmers were arrested during the protest at the Shambhu Border in Punjab. He said, "The government was just pretending to talk to farmers. Arresting them after discussions shows they are not serious about solving the farmers' problems. This is a betrayal." Punia also urged people to support the farmers against what he called the oppressive actions of the Central and Punjab governments. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher. Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organizations and on the other hand, it is arresting them." A tense situation unfolded at the Shambhu Border when farmers were protesting, pressing on their various demands. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police on Tuesday at the Punjab-Haryana border. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police used bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at the Shambhu Border to restrict the farmers' movement further. Punjab Police also removed protesters from the site. Patiala Senior Superintendent of Police Nanak Singh asserted that the entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic. Speaking to ANI, SSP Singh highlighted that they did not use force as protesting farmers cooperated with them." "Farmers had been protesting at the Shambhu Border for a long time. Today, in the presence of Duty Magistrates, Police cleared the area after they were given proper warning. A few people showed a willingness to go home. So, they were sent home on a bus. In addition, the structures and vehicles here are being moved. The entire road will be cleared and opened for traffic," he said. (ANI)
As the Centre continues to hold talks with the farmers in Punjab, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in the state over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that the people of Punjab would "not allow" the Chief Minister to enter any village. Accusing Mann of working at Kejriwal's behest, he alleged the Punjab CM was "putting farmers at stake" to remain in power. "Tu (Mann) sirf Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda (You only do what Kejriwal says). You put the entire Punjab and farmers at stake just to remain in power. You'll see that nothing will happen to Kejriwal, but the people of Punjab will not allow you to enter any village," Bittu said. Speaking about his conversation with Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Bittu said that the central ministers were shocked to hear that action was being taken against farmers with whom they "positively" concluded the talks. "I was just having a conversation with Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Piyush Goyal, and they informed me that we concluded the seventh round of meeting with farmers on a positive note. However, they were shocked to hear what has happened," he added. Condemning the Punjab government's action against protesting farmers, Bittu said that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state should be "ashamed" since they don't want the talks between centre and farmers to conclude. "I condemn this action of the Punjab government. They voted for you (AAP government), and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann should be ashamed. They (the AAP government) did not want a solution to be found through talks between the central government and the farmers. You detained farmers just to win the Ludhiana West by-election," the Union Minister said. Earlier, Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi lambasted the government over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that Punjab was going through "tragic times". Apprising about Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, he added that the farming community was "under attack" as part of a "conspiracy". Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the "arrest" of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher. Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organizations and on the other hand, it is arresting them." (ANI)
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) leader Rohit Pawar has criticised the Maharashtra government over the killing of two individuals from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community in Nashik, including a vice president of Ajit Pawar''s party, the NCP. Rohit Pawar accused the authorities of providing evasive responses and cited discrepancies in official statements regarding similar incidents. Referring to a past incident in Nagpur, Pawar on Wednesday alleged that the police commissioner had issued contradictory statements, raising concerns about transparency in such cases. "In the incident that happened in Nashik yesterday, two people from the ST community, including the vice president of Ajit Pawar''s party, were killed. We are being given evasive answers. When the incident happened in Nagpur, the police commissioner said something else and gave a different statement," he told mediapersons. He also took a swipe at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis''s recent remarks urging ministers to exercise restraint in their comments. "Yesterday, the Chief Minister said that ministers should exercise restraint before making such statements. Instead of saying this, it would be better if they resign," Rohit Pawar said Rohit Pawar also reacted after Satish Salian, father of Disha Salian, the former manager of late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput approached the Bombay High Court seeking a fresh investigation into his daughter''s death in June 2020. NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar said, "If a person has tried to seek justice for his daughter or woman, we wish they get justice. But what really happened should be known. She died four years ago. BJP is doing politics. Politics was done on Sushant Singh Rajput in Bihar for elections. What happened to the SIT that was formed should also be told." "Disha Salian''s father has gone to court. He has named Aaditya Thackeray, but we are sure Aaditya Thackeray has nothing to do with this. We are with him, but let the court decide. If a person is trying to get justice, he should get justice. But if you look at the BJP, they will now start doing politics on it. Four years ago, Sushant Singh Rajput committed suicide. Immediately after the suicide, such banners were put up in Bihar only for the Bihar elections. Now after four years, the BJP will take this issue forward because there are elections in Bihar after four months and elections in Mumbai after six months," he told ANI. Reportedly, the petition urges the court to direct the registration of an FIR against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Earlier on Wednesday, Rohit Pawar said that action should be taken against the accused involved in the Nagpur violence. "When the CM and the DCM gave a statement yesterday, in which they indirectly accepted that it was an intelligence failure. If something is preplanned and the police do not know about it, then it is an intelligence failure. Either it is an intelligence failure, or if it is that they did not act even when they had the intelligence, this means they let the violence happen. If anyone is involved in violence, then action will be taken against them; they may be from any community," Rohit Pawar told ANI. Nagpur Police have arrested 50 people, including seven minors, in connection with the recent violence in the city, Commissioner Ravinder Singal said on Wednesday. The arrests were made following an investigation into the unrest, during which CCTV cameras were also damaged. Authorities are probing the alleged mastermind''s involvement and assessing the sequence of events leading up to the violence. Fifty individuals have been detained, and a curfew remains in effect for the second consecutive day across ten police district areas in Nagpur following violent clashes that erupted on March 17, police said. Speaking to ANI, DCP Rahul Maknikar said, "The situation is under control. The investigation is underway. We have formed 10 teams. We have detained 50 people so far."Meanwhile, the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court (JMFC) has remanded 19 accused in the Nagpur violence case to police custody till March 21. Yesterday, the Ganeshpeth police produced the accused before the court. Maharashtra''s Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam, has condemned the recent violence in Nagpur and stated that it is a very serious matter. "The incident in Nagpur is very serious. Strictest action will be taken. People having the audacity to raise their hands on DCP-level officers and police personnel will not be tolerated at all," Kadam remarked. Additionally, Kadam said that ongoing actions against illegal Bangladeshi intruders in Maharashtra will be intensified. The police were authorised to close roads in affected areas to maintain law and order. Anyone violating the curfew "remains punishable under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)." (ANI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has rejected claims made by father of Disha Salian who had sought a probe into her death and called for the interrogation of UBT Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray. Speaking on the recent petition filed by Salian's father in the Bombay High Court, Raut stated, "Look, everything about the case, you (media) all are misusing it. I have looked at the police investigation, and it was an accident, not a murder." Raut argued that the entire media narrative surrounding the death was being falsely portrayed.. "This is not a murder case; you are saying this. This is being said through you (media). Her father has filed a petition five years after the incident," he said, pointing out the delayed nature of the legal action. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also accused political opponents of exploiting the tragedy for their own agenda. "The whole state knows the politics behind this petition. These people could not thrive on the Aurangzeb issue they raised, the tide of which turned against them. They are giving wind to Disha Salian case to wash their hands off of the Aurangzeb issue," he claimed. Raut strongly criticized those trying to politicize the case, saying it was an attempt to tarnish the reputation of Aaditya Thackeray and the Shiv Sena (UBT). "This dirty politics is defaming our state's name. This is an attempt to malign the name of a youth leader who is doing good work and to malign the image of our party," Raut added. Meanwhile, responding to Disha Salian's father approaching the Bombay High Court seeking a probe, Maharashtra's former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said that the developments seem like a conspiracy. Disha Salian who was a celebrity manager was found dead on June 8, 2020. In 2023, the Mumbai Police formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe Disha Salian's death. The Mumbai Police registered an accidental death case in the matter. (ANI)
Muslim cleric Chaudhary Ifraheem Husain on Thursday condemned the alleged molestation of policewoman during the Nagpur violence which unfolded three days ago, demanding strict action against the culprits. "The case of molestation of women police personnel which came to light in connection with the Nagpur violence is very regrettable and shameful. Women police personnel are serving the country and working in the interest of people. In such a situation, criminals are molesting them, I demand strict action against them," Husain told ANI. Earlier on March 19, Nagpur police registered an FIR on the alleged molestation of policewoman, with the FIR saying that a mob attempted to disrobe her and shouted insulting slogans. The FIR also alleges that a mob shouted inappropriate slogans at other women and vandalised a vehicle. Meanwhile, the muslim cleric further criticised Congress leader Imran Masood for demanding to change the name of Saharanpur railway station in Uttar Pradesh to Maa Shakambhari and asking the party to clarify if they are "in line with BJP" regarding changing names or not. "The way Congress MP Imran Masood from Saharanpur is demanding that the railway station be renamed as Maa Shakumbhari Devi, on the other hand, UP CM Yogi Adityanath is already talking about changing names. So I would like to ask the Congress whether they will give a reply to that, or is Congress also working on the same line as BJP?" Husain asked. Earlier on March 18, Congress leader Imran Masood had urged the government in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to consider changing the name of Saharanpur railway station. Adding to his stance, Congress leader Imran Masood later also demanded that Deoband railway station be changed to Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madni. Masood, while clarifying he is not asking for city's name change but rather just the railway station told ANI, "I said that Saharanpur railway station should be named after Maa Shakambhari. Also, Deoband railway station should be named after Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madni as he was a great freedom fighter, what is wrong with this?... I have not asked to change the name of the place, I have asked to name the railway station." (ANI)
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led Central government over the issue of farmers' protests, stating that they don't care about the farmers. Slamming the BJP, Yadav said that no government should do injustice to farmers and hence their demands should be discussed. Speaking to reporters, the SP chief said, "As far as farmers are concerned, the BJP does not care about them... We have to improve our system from the ground, make farmers prosperous. But the BJP sees the economy from above and makes big people rich... No government anywhere should do injustice to farmers, their demands should be discussed..." Earlier today, Satnam Singh Pannu of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee condemned both Union and the Punjab state government for the eviction of farmers from Sambhu and Khannauir borders. In a video shared by the Kisan Morcha, Pannu stated that today they will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the "atrocities" on farmers. "We condemn the action against farmers by the Bhagwant Mann government in collaboration with or on the orders of the Modi government. The Bhagwant Mann government and Modi government will have to pay a heavy price for this. Today, we will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the atrocities on farmers," he said. Meanwhile, security was heightened at the Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border as Haryana Police removed concrete barricades erected at the border to restrict farmers' movement further from where they were sitting on a protest over various demands. The police officials used bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at the Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher on Wednesday. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav further hit out at the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government over the law and order situation alleging that women and daughters of the state are most "unsafe" under this government. "...You can't even imagine what happened to a girl in Prayagraj. Her eyes were gouged out, she was raped. The BJP's own statistics show that women and daughters are most unsafe in Uttar Pradesh under their government. Is this the BJP's zero tolerance towards law and order?" he said. (ANI)
After protesting farmers were removed from Shambhu and Khanauri borders, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Thursday accused both Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being "anti-farmer." Reacting to the detention of farmers, Tiwari alleged that a conspiracy is "brewing" between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann which led to this action. "Last night, when farmers were fast asleep, 3000-4000 armed policemen used force and bulldozers to remove them (from Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border), and didn't even spare the elderly Dallewal who is on a hunger strike. Now, understand the chronology here... First, Bhagwant Mann throws the farmers out of the CM house. Then he goes to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. Then, a conspiracy brews between the two which spills out as yesterday's oppressive act... Both BJP and AAP are anti-farmer... This was a suicidal step for both as they will drown in Punjab now..." the Congress MP told ANI. Speaking about the meeting of Union Ministers with farmers, Tiwari stated, "Talks have been going on for four to five years. What happened to the MSP promise? A natural alliance has been formed between the two anti-farmer parties..." Meanwhile, Satnam Singh Pannu of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee condemned both Union and the Punjab state government for the eviction of farmers from Sambhu and Khannauir borders. In a video shared by the Kisan Morcha, Pannu stated that they will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the "atrocities" on farmers. "We condemn the action against farmers by the Bhagwant Mann government in collaboration with or on the orders of the Modi government. The Bhagwant Mann government and Modi government will have to pay a heavy price for this. Today, we will hold protest demonstrations outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in Haryana and Punjab against the atrocities on farmers," he said. Earlier today, security was heightened at the Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border as Haryana Police removed concrete barricades erected at the border to restrict farmers' movement further from where they were sitting on a protest over various demands. The police officials used bulldozers to remove concrete barricades erected at the Haryana - Punjab Shambhu Border. Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the arrest of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. Demanding their release, Badal accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of ignoring demands made by the farmers despite promising MSP on crops. "The Bhagwant Mann government, which promised to give MSP to the farmers of Punjab in five minutes, is not even ready to listen to the legitimate demands of the farmers today. I strongly condemn the forcible abduction of farmer leaders and farmers," Badal, who is the former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, posted on his Facebook page. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher on Wednesday. (ANI)
Congress MP Imran Masood on Thursday criticized the central government for focusing on irrelevant issues while farmers continue to struggle. Speaking to ANI, Masood said, "It is very unfortunate that the farmers of the country are struggling, the youth are frustrated, but the government is busy with irrelevant issues. No one is talking about the farmers; instead, we are digging up issues from 400 years ago and turning them into political debates." He urged the BJP-led central government to talk to the farmers instead of focusing on irrelevant matters. "The farmers are suffering, talk to them. The youth are distressed, engage with them. But instead of addressing these concerns, we're focusing on irrelevant matters. This is the situation unfolding in the country," Masood said. Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Thursday lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the arrest of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands. Demanding their release, Badal accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab of ignoring demands made by the farmers despite promising MSP on crops. "The Bhagwant Mann government, which promised to give MSP to the farmers of Punjab in five minutes, is not even ready to listen to the legitimate demands of the farmers today. I strongly condemn the forcible abduction of farmer leaders and farmers. The Punjab government should immediately release the arrested farmers and accept their demands," Badal said in a post on his social media account. Indian Olympic medallist wrestler and Working President of Kisan Congress, Bajrang Punia also slammed the government after several farmers were arrested during the protest at the Shambhu Border in Punjab. "The government was just pretending to talk to farmers. Arresting them after discussions shows they are not serious about solving the farmers' problems. This is a betrayal," Punia said. Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organizations and on the other hand, it is arresting them." On Wednesday, Punjab police removed farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri Border and Shambhu Border, where they were sitting in protest over their various demands, including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. (ANI)
Amid fresh developments in the 2020 Disha Salian death case, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad on Wednesday urged political parties to refrain from 'politicising' the matter, asserting that reports on the case indicate the absence of any political angle. Speaking to ANI, Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad said, "The CID report shows that there isn't a political angle in this case. The police do not have solid proof of murder or rape in this case. I request all political parties not to indulge in such dirty politics." Maharashtra Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap also spoke on the case and said, "I don't know much. It is his right, he (Disha Salian's father) can go (to court) anytime. But my question is that if you feel that injustice has been done to you if you feel that your case has not been presented properly, then there was an opportunity to appeal at that time; why did you not go at that time?" Meanwhile, as political reactions continue to pour over the new developments in the Disha Salian case, the opposition parties in Maharashtra targeted the BJP over the case, stating that it was a 'conspiracy' to defame Aaditya Thackeray. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve on Wednesday accused the BJP of 'conspiring to defame' party leader Aaditya Thackeray by raising questions about him in connection with the Disha Salian death case. Maharashtra's former Home Minister and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Thursday also said that the developments in the Salian case seem like a conspiracy. This comes after Disha Salian's father approached the Bombay High Court seeking a CBI probe and an FIR against Aaditya Thackeray in her death case. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SCP) leader Rohit Pawar also earlier in the day attacked the BJP, accusing the party of politicising late actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death for elections and claimed that the party would do politics over Disha Salian after her father sought a probe into her death. Late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput's father, KK Singh, on Thursday, supported the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Disha Salian's father seeking a probe into his daughter's death, as he expressed hope that a conclusion could be reached on both the incidents. Disha Salian, who was a celebrity manager, was found dead on June 8, 2020. In 2023, the Mumbai Police formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe Disha Salian's death. The Mumbai Police registered an accidental death case in the matter. (ANI)
This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a sandbox in the women's mental health clinic's consulting room at the First Hospital of Tsinghua University in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 23, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

An online counseling platform designed specifically for science and technology workers has been operational for nearly three years, handling over 420,000 inquiries through phone calls and messages, according to Tang Yicheng, executive secretary-general of the Psychological Emergency Volunteer Service Group under the China Association for Science and Technology.

Tang, who also serves as a member and secretary of the Popularization Working Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, said that the hotline was put into use in late May 2022 and now operates daily from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., divided into three six-hour shifts.

The platform is accessible via a mini program on WeChat, China's leading social media app.

"More than 100 volunteers take turns to address the mental health needs of science and technology workers," Tang said during an event hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology earlier this month.

"These operators have backgrounds in scientific research and are certified therapists. Their expertise enables them to better understand and empathize with the struggles faced by science workers," he added.

Tang said that science workers often experience cognitive fatigue, which can lead to memory decline, difficulty concentrating and reduced verbal coherence.

"Exhaustion and a lack of creativity during scientific research can further exacerbate their distress, compounded by common challenges in interpersonal relationships and parenting," he noted.

Given the rising number of people experiencing mental health issues, Tang emphasized the need to enhance public psychological science literacy, including improving the ability to recognize signs of psychological problems in oneself and others.

It is also important to train more mental health professionals and expand services at the grassroots level, he added.
Opposition leaders in Maharashtra have raised concerns over what they allege is a biased approach by the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislative Council. The leaders met Governor CP Radhakrishnan and submitted a complaint letter, requesting his intervention to protect the constitutional rights of the opposition. Ambadas Danve, the Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, wrote in the letter, "Opposition parties are an important element in a parliamentary system. Their role is not to oppose the government but to restrain the decisions and policies of the government. It is to criticize and suggest alternative policies where necessary." However, according to the opposition leaders, both the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Council have seen biased behavior from the Speaker and Chairman. The letter states, "In the Maharashtra Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, Hon. Chairman and Hon. Speaker are adopting a biased and one-sided role in the proceedings of the House. The proceedings are being conducted outside the rules and without following parliamentary conventions." The letter further highlights that opposition leaders are being unfairly restricted from expressing their views on critical issues. "Opposition parties and opposition leaders are being obstructed during important discussions in an illegal manner. While the members of the opposition party have the right to raise cut suggestions in the assembly, their suggestions are not responded to by the government," the letter reads. Danve also points out that during the supplementary demand discussions, ministers of the concerned department or state are often absent, while ministers unrelated to the department are given the opportunity to respond to debates. "During the discussion of the supplementary demand, the Minister of the concerned department and the Minister of State are ignoring it when it is mandatory for them to be present in the House. Also, the secretary of the concerned department is not present in the invisible gallery of the House," the letter noted. According to the opposition, the Speaker of the Legislative Council has failed to ensure fairness in proceedings. "Ministers not related to the department are being given the right to reply to the discussion when the Minister of State of the concerned department is present. This shows a lack of fairness in running the House," the letter emphasized. (ANI)
Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer has called on people of the State to participate in Earth Hour on March 22 by switching off non-essential lights. "Governor of Andhra Pradesh S Abdul Nazeer has given the call to people of the State to observe 'Earth Hour' on Saturday, March 22, by switching off all non-essential lights from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm as part of the WWF's (World Wide Fund for Nature) Earth Hour global movement, originated in 2007," a statement from the Raj Bhavan read. Governor Nazeer has said that the voluntary action of switching off non-essential lights for one hour will help bring conservation and sustainable practices into focus. "Governor Abdul Nazeer has said that the WWF's Earth Hour campaign unites people around the world through the voluntary action of switching off non-essential lights for one hour, to help bring conservation and sustainable practices into focus, creating a better world for future generations," the statement read. In 2024, lights at public places and prominent sites in various cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, were turned off between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm as part of the Earth Hour event. During this time, the lights at India Gate, the famous Akshardham Temple in the National Capital, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai, and Howrah Bridge in Kolkata were switched off. According to the power distribution company BSES, a total of 206 MW of electricity was saved in Delhi alone due to Earth Hour. Organized by the non-profit organization World Wide Fund (WWF), 'Earth Hour' was famously started as a lights-out event in Sydney, Australia in 2007. Since 2007, it has grown to engage millions of supporters in more than 190 countries and territories, inspiring individuals and organizations worldwide to take action for the environment, and driving major legislative changes by harnessing the power of the people, as per the Ministry of Environment. Earth Hour is a worldwide event wherein global landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, Sydney Opera House, the Empire State Building and Rashtrapati Bhawan (India) amongst others have also participated and switched off their electric lights during Earth Hour, as per the Ministry of Environment. Earth Hour 2025 will be observed on Saturday, March 22, from 8:30 pm - 9:30 pm. (ANI)
Relative peace has returned to most areas of Nagpur City after violence had broken out on March 17 over the issue of Aurangzeb's grave. On Thursday, curfew was lifted in the Nandanvan and Kapil Nagar police limits of Nagpur city. As per Nagpur police, the curfew will be relaxed for citizens in Lakadganj, Pachpavali, Shantinagar, Sakkardara, Imamwada, and Yashodharanagar police limits from 2 to 4 pm for purchasing essential commodities. The curfew in Kotwali, Ganeshpeth and Tehsil police station limits will remain in force until further orders. Earlier, Maharashtra Police's Cyber cell said on Thursday that one of the accused in the Nagpur violence "edited and circulated videos" and "glorified violence" on social media, which led to the riots spreading in various parts of the city. "He (Faheem Khan) edited and circulated the video of the protest against Aurangzeb due to which the riots spread. He also glorified violent videos," cyber cell's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lohit Matani told ANI here. The police have registered four FIRs in connection with the riots which took place on Monday night in Nagpur. "Four FIRs have been registered. The first FIR is that videos of the protest against Aurangzeb were edited and circulated, and violence was glorified in the videos. The second is about making clips about the violence and spreading them so that there would be violence between two communities. Third is multiple posts were made in which violence was further instigated," Matani said. Accused Faheem Khan was arrested on March 19, he has been remanded in custody till Friday March 21. Khan is a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MD). He was arrested just after the police filed an FIR regarding the riots. Nagpur Police have arrested 50 people, including seven minors, following the violent clashes that erupted on March 17, an official said on Wednesday. The arrests were made following an investigation into the unrest, during which CCTV cameras were also damaged. Authorities are probing the involvement of the alleged mastermind and assessing the sequence of events leading up to the violence. (ANI)
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the acquisition of 307 advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) for the Indian Army. "In a significant milestone for India''s defence sector, the CCS approved acquisition of Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) worth nearly Rs 7000 crore, marking a major step towards self-reliance in artillery gun manufacturing," as per an official release. ATAGS, the first indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured 155 mm artillery gun, is set to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces with its cutting-edge technology and superior firepower. The ATAGS is an advanced towed artillery gun system featuring a long 52-calibre barrel, allowing for extended firing ranges of up to 40 km. With its larger calibre, the system ensures higher lethality, delivering increased explosive payloads while enabling automated deployment, target engagement, and reduced crew fatigue. This approval underscores India''s growing prowess in indigenous defence manufacturing and technological advancements. "A testament to the ''Make in India'' initiative, ATAGS has been developed through collaboration between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian private industry partners. Over 65% of its components are sourced domestically, including key subsystems such as the barrel, muzzle brake, breech mechanism, firing and recoil system, and ammunition handling mechanism. This development not only strengthens India''s defence industry but also reduces dependency on foreign imports," the release read. The induction of ATAGS will play a crucial role in modernizing the Indian Army''s artillery by replacing outdated 105 mm and 130 mm guns. Its deployment along the country''s Western and Northern Borders will provide the armed forces with a significant strategic edge, ensuring enhanced operational readiness and firepower. "Being an entirely indigenous system, ATAGS will benefit from a robust supply chain of spares and seamless life cycle maintenance. The domestically developed system ensures long-term product support, strengthening India''s self-sufficiency in defence technology," the release read. One of the key advantages of ATAGS is its minimal reliance on foreign components. Critical subsystems such as the Navigation System, Muzzle Velocity Radar, and sensors are designed and sourced indigenously, significantly reducing India''s dependence on foreign technology and imports. "The approval and manufacturing of ATAGS will generate substantial employment, with an estimated 20 lakh man-days created across various industries. Additionally, this development is expected to bolster India''s position in the global defence export market, paving the way for future indigenous defence exports," the release read. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday praised the efforts of the security forces as 22 Naxalites were neutralised during two separate operations in Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh. He said that this was a "big success" in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'. "Today our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'. 22 Naxalites were killed in two separate operations of our security forces in Bijapur and Kanker of Chhattisgarh," Shah posted on X. The Union Home Minister stressed the zero-tolerance policy against Naxals who fail to surrender. Shah said that the country would be "Naxal-free" before March 31 next year. "The Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach against Naxalites and is adopting a zero-tolerance policy against those Naxalites who are not surrendering despite all the facilities ranging from surrender to inclusion. The country is going to be Naxal-free before March 31 next year," he added. Security forces have killed a total of 22 Naxalites in two separate operations in Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh, police said on Thursday. The security forces neutralised 18 Maoists during an encounter in the forest area at the Bijapur-Dantewada border, Inspector General (IG) Bastar P Sundarraj said. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard also lost his life during the encounter, police added. According to the police, the encounter got underway at 7 am on Thursday. In the other encounter at the Kanker-Narayanpur border area, security forces gunned down four Naxalites near village Koroskodo in the police station area of Chhotebethiya, Inspector General (IG) Bastar P Sundarraj said. The security forces have also recovered automatic weapons while the Intermittent firing still continues, police added. The search operations in both areas are underway, police added. Last week, as many as 17 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a police officer said. In February, a total of 18 Naxalites were arrested and explosives were recovered from them in an operation carried out by security forces in three different locations in the Bijapur district. (ANI)
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday strongly objected to a Rashtriya Janata MLA using a mobile phone during the Question Hour of the state's assembly session as mobile phones are not allowed to be used while the assembly is in session. RJD MLA Sugay Yadav was asking a question in the assembly while reading from his mobile phone and Bihar CM spoke against that, reminding the MLA that phones are not allowed to be used during the session. "He (MLA Sugay Yadav) is using mobile phone and talking, this has been stopped, it is restricted, but still he is showing the mobile and speaking," Nitish Kumar said in the assembly. Urging Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav to put a stop to it, Kumar continued, "What is going on? This rule is there for 5-6 years. Remind them, anyone who comes and uses a mobile will be thrown out, do that, remind them." The Bihar CM further said that he himself used to use the mobile a lot, however, he has given it up. "Before I used to see (mobile screen) a lot, then when I realised in 2019 that I can face complications later on in life, I stopped it," CM Kumar said. RJD MLA Suday Yadav had raised a question about the implementation of online portals for Public Distribution System (PDS) shops in the state, asking the government when the portal will be implemented. Meanwhile on March 19, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Yadav appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its probe into land for jobs scam. Party supporters were also seen protesting outside the ED office in Patna. Similarly on Tuesday, Lalu Prasad's wife and RJD leader Rabri Devi and his son Tej Pratap Yadav appeared before the ED for questioning in the contention with the case. Earlier this month, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded its arguments on charges against former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejaswi Yadav, former Minister Prem Chand Gupta, and other accused in the case. The case was related to alleged corruption in the tender of IRCTC hotels. (ANI)
A major political controversy erupted in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly as the Opposition, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), staged a walkout after their motion to suspend regular proceedings and discuss the suspicious death of Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited's (HPPCL) General Manager, Vimal Negi was denied. The Opposition had sought an urgent debate on whether Negi's death was a suicide or a murder, given the concerns raised by his family and colleagues. Addressing the media after the walkout, Opposition Leader Jai Ram Thakur expressed strong discontent over the government's refusal to allow a discussion on the matter. "We had requested that the entire Assembly proceedings be halted to discuss the tragic death of Chief Engineer Vimal Negi. His death raises many serious questions, was it a suicide or a murder? Even his family and colleagues are asking the same question. Yet, it was shocking to see that when our notice was brought up, the Speaker ruled that no discussion would take place. If the Chief Minister had anything to say, he could respond. However, the Chief Minister simply signalled that he had nothing to say," Thakur said. The BJP's demand for an immediate and transparent probe into the matter intensified as Thakur said he had visited the protest site, where Negi's family had been sitting with his body outside the HPPCL office, demanding a CBI inquiry. "We visited the protest site yesterday, where Vimal Negi's family was sitting with his body. Their demand was clear; they want a CBI investigation. They also demanded the suspension of two senior officials. However, instead of suspending them, the government simply transferred one, which does not satisfy the family. The government must understand that mere transfers will not serve justice," he said. Thakur further alleged that after their visit, state ministers attempted to pressure the grieving family into ending their protest. However, the family remained firm in their demand for justice. Thakur said, "Government ministers repeatedly pressured the family to leave the protest site. But the family stood their ground, saying they would not leave until action was taken. Ultimately, an FIR was filed based on Vimal Negi's wife's complaint, but only one official's name was explicitly mentioned. The second person was merely referred to by designation, making it clear that there was an attempt to shield certain individuals." The Opposition's concerns deepened when the state's Revenue Minister, responding to the matter in the Assembly, questioned why a CBI probe was necessary. Thakur criticized the government's reluctance. "The Revenue Minister questioned why a CBI inquiry was needed and implied that it was in our hands to call for one. This is unfortunate. If the family demands a CBI investigation, why is the government hesitant? Why is the Chief Minister silent?" "The situation escalated when Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu finally addressed the Assembly. However, instead of announcing an independent probe, he accused the BJP of exaggerating the issue. This remark further angered the Opposition, leading them to walk out of the session," he said. Thakur emphasized, "It is unfortunate that when the Chief Minister finally spoke, he dismissed our concerns, saying that the BJP has a habit of making an issue out of everything. But this is not about politics, it is about an honest officer who was allegedly pressured to such an extent that he either took his own life or was murdered. We, the BJP legislative group, staged a walkout because the people of Devbhoomi (Himachal Pradesh) deserve to know the truth." The Opposition also raised questions about HPCL's internal operations, particularly the appointment of Director Deshraj. Thakur alleged irregularities. "For a long time, HPCL's internal functioning has been under suspicion. Why was Deshraj made Director after superseding five senior officers? The Chief Minister must answer this as well," Thakur said. The BJP leader said that their demand aligns with the sentiments of Vimal Negi's grieving family. "More than us, it is the family that is demanding justice. They have witnessed the harassment and pressure their loved ones faced. In such a situation, we are only echoing their pain," he said. The BJP's walkout and demand for a CBI probe have now intensified political tensions in Himachal Pradesh, with questions looming over the circumstances of Vimal Negi's death and the government's response to the issue. However, the government has registered FIR against three officers under section 108 of BNS for abetment of suicide and section 3(5) of BNS for common intention for crime. (ANI)
Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Thursday accused the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of trying to cover up the facts about the death of Disha Salian, and expressed confidence that eventually, the "truth will come out in court." Rane said that the issue of Disha Salian death case was raised in the Maharashtra Assembly today too, as his colleague MLA Ameet Satam claimed that the previous government made evidence disappear and put pressure on doctors doing the autopsy of the body. "Our MLA, Ameet Satam, raised this issue in the House today. The entire history was said of how everything happened. This case happened during the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, how it was covered up, how CCTV footage was made to disappear, how pressure was put on doctors... Her father has accused that postmortem report was changed," the State minister told ANI here. "The truth will come out in the court and whoever is guilty of this will definitely be punished," he added. The minister further mentioned that apart from UBT Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray being named by Disha Salian's father, two others, Sooraj Pancholi and Doni Morea were also named. Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske also said that Satish Salain has claimed that the MVA government hid evidence. "Disha's father has stated in his petition that he was being pressured, and much of the evidence was hidden. He took the names of people like Ekta Kapoor, Dino Morea, and Aditya Pancholi and asked for their phone records to be checked. This should be investigated," Mhaske said. "He (Satish Salian) is not making any fake allegations... Everyone knows Aaditya Thackeray's nightlife friend group... If they are innocent, then Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut should come forward and demand an enquiry into the case," Mhaske said. Earlier today, advocate Nilesh C Ojha, lawyer of Satish Salian levelled serious allegations against former Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray, labelling him as an "accused" in the Disha Salian death case. He also accused former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of "not wanting" to take action against Thackeray. Furthermore, Ojha alleged that "corrupt" police officials tried to cover up the case. "During the murder, Uddhav Thackeray's government was there (in Maharashtra), and the accused was his son Aaditya Thackeray. The corrupt police officials tried to cover up the case. After 2.5 years, Shinde's government came, and Fadnavis was the Home Minister. This matter has not come all of a sudden," Ojha told ANI. He further clarified that the matter was not being raised "suddenly" as the Eknath Shinde government had formed a State Investigation Team (SIT) in December 2023. A written complaint submitted in January 2024 also asked for an FIR to be registered. Disha Salian, who was a celebrity manager, was found dead on June 8, 2020. In 2023, the Mumbai Police formed a three-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe Disha Salian's death. The Mumbai Police registered an accidental death case in the matter. (ANI)
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that AAP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have "no faith" in democracy. He said that the farmers were protesting once again because the central government failed to fulfil their demands and the promises it made regarding the grant of legislation on Minimum Support Price (MSP). "AAP and BJP have no faith in democracy. The farmers protest is the world's largest protest. They sat on the streets for over two years earlier. We cannot image what they and their families must have felt. The governments don't realise this. They (farmers) concluded the protests after the Prime Minister talked to them after a year. However, the government didn't fulfil promises which led farmers to protest again," Gehlot told reporters. He asserted that farmers must remain the top priority while adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should have made a law on MSP as soon as he came to power because he used to demand the same from the Manmohan Singh government as the Gujarat CM. "The farmers must be a top priority. Regardless of party line, everyone talks about farmers, but who is fulfilling their demands? Prime Minister Modi used to say in his capacity as Gujarat CM that the Manmohan Singh government should make a law on MSP. He should have done the same as soon as he became the Prime Minister," Gehlot added. As the Centre continues to hold talks with the farmers in Punjab, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in the state over the detention of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, saying that the people of Punjab would "not allow" the Chief Minister to enter any village. Accusing Mann of working at Kejriwal's behest, he alleged the Punjab CM was "putting farmers at stake" to remain in power. "Tu (Mann) sirf Kejriwal de ishareya te nachda (You only do what Kejriwal says). You put the entire Punjab and farmers at stake just to remain in power. You'll see that nothing will happen to Kejriwal, but the people of Punjab will not allow you to enter any village," Bittu said. Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal also lashed out at the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab over the "arrest" of protesting farmers at the Shambhu border, who remain firm on various demands, including legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. Several farmer leaders were detained by the police, including Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who remains on an indefinite fast, and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher. Farmer leader and national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), Rakesh Tikait, condemned the Punjab government's action and said, "On one hand, the government is negotiating with the farmer organisations and on the other hand, it is arresting them." (ANI)
In under a month of the assumption of charge as the 26th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India, the Election Commission led by Gyanesh Kumar along with Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi has put the entire election machinery right up to the BLO level on a path firmly on course for promoting participation of all electors and ensuring a pleasant experience for them at the polling stations. Political parties, being key stakeholders, are also involved at the grassroots level. According to a release, the Commission reaffirms that the nearly 100 crore electors always stand as the pillar of democracy. "Technical consultations between UIDAI and experts of ECI are to begin soon. Though an elector can only vote in the assigned polling booth and nowhere else, the Commission has resolved to remove duplicates countrywide in EPIC numbers and end a decades-long issue within three months. Regular updation of the voter list shall be strengthened in close coordination with the birth and death registration authorities. In the Commission's interactions with political parties, it was clarified that any inclusion or deletion to the draft elector list is governed by the process of appeals under relevant legal provisions for filing claims and objections, available to all political parties in the representation of People act, 1950," the release stated. "In the absence of such appeals, the list as prepared by the ERO prevails," it highlighted. It further emphasized that ensuring 100 per cent enrolment of all eligible citizens, ensuring ease of voting and a pleasant voting experience are key objectives of the Commission. "Steps will be taken to ensure that no polling station has more than 1,200 electors and they will be within three Km of the electors. Even in the remotest rural polling station, basic facilities (AMF) will be ensured. To tackle urban apathy and encourage more participation, clusters of high-rise buildings and colonies will also have polling stations within their premises," the release stated. The Election Commission held a two-day conference of CEOs of all States/UTs at IIIDEM in New Delhi on March 4 and 5, in which, in a first, DEOs and EROs of each of the State/UTs participated. "The conference provided a thrust to energise the entire election machinery with a clear mapping of 28 stakeholders along with their responsibilities as per the framework set by the constitution, electoral laws and guidelines issued by ECI," it added. "Electoral handbooks and manuals for instructions will be harmonised with the most recent changes. Digital training kits in multiple Indian languages will be prepared for easy absorption and effective training of frontline functionaries. Animated videos and an integrated dashboard will provide a digital push to training. A training module is being devised to train BLOs in days to come," the commission mentioned in its release. To ensure full participation of political parties in all aspects of the election processes, CEC Gyanesh Kumar during the CEO conference on March 4 directed that regular all-party meetings and interactions be held by all the 36 CEOs, 788 DEOs, 4123 EROs. "Such meetings across the country will help resolve any outstanding and emergent issues raised by the political parties at the grassroots level itself. This process will be completed in Pan-India by the 31st of March, 2025. The offer of the Commission to train political party representatives and their appointed BLAs on the due processes as per electoral laws including claims and objections to the voter list has been welcomed by political parties. The ECI has also invited suggestions from all political parties on any and all matters concerning the conduct of elections and they can send these by the 30th of April, 2025. The parties have also been extended an invitation to meet the Commission in Delhi at a mutually convenient time," it said. (ANI)
You are here: China

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected the city of Lijiang, southwest China's Yunnan province, on Wednesday afternoon.

He visited a modern flower industry park and the Old Town of Lijiang to learn about local efforts to develop specialized agriculture based on regional conditions, enhance the protection and utilization of historical and cultural heritage, and foster a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
After the Allahabad High Court's observation that "Holding breast, breaking pyjama's string is not a crime of rape", Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma said that that it is wrong and the National Commission for Women should approach Supreme Court on this. Speaking to ANI on Thursday, the former Chief of the NCW called on the judges to see the intention behind an act. "If the judges are not sensitised, then what will the women and children do? They should see the intention behind an act. NCW should go to the Supreme Court against this. Judges should be told that they can't make such judgements. This is totally wrong, and I am against it," she said. Earlier, the Allahabad court observed in a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) case of alleged rape of a minor girl that grabbing the breasts of the victim and snapping her pyjama strings do not constitute rape or attempt to rape but serious sexual assault. A single bench of Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra has modified the summons order of Special Judge POCSO Court of Kasganj and has ordered fresh summons. The court said that the summons issued on the charge of rape is not legal. The accused, identified as Pawan and Akash, allegedly grabbed the breasts of an 11-year-old victim, tearing her pyjama string and attempted to drag her beneath a culvert in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj. The accused fled from the spot after a passer-by came to her rescue. The case is registered in Patiyali police station. Petitioners Akash, Pawan and Ashok were initially called to face trial under Section 376 of IPC and Section 18 of the POCSO Act. The High Court has directed that the accused should be tried under Section 9/10 (serious sexual assault) of the POCSO Act along with the minor charge of Section 354-B IPC (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe). The court, while partially allowing the criminal revision petition, said, "The allegations levelled against accused Pawan and Akash and the facts of the case do not make out the offence of attempt to rape in this case. As per the prosecution, accused Pawan and Akash grabbed the breasts of the 11-year-old victim and Akash broke the string of her pyjama and tried to drag her under the culvert, but due to the intervention of passersby/witnesses, the accused fled from the spot leaving the victim behind. They have not committed the offence of rape." (ANI)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appealed to her political opponents not to tarnish the image of West Bengal abroad ahead of her visit to the United Kingdom on March 22. CM Mamata Banerjee said, "During my UK visit, I have some business meetings and also have a program in the Indian High Commission on the 24th, a G2G program on the 26th, and a G2G program in Oxford on the 27th. We have a good relationship with the UK. They also came to the Bengal Global Business Summit." Mamata Banerjee said that she would return back on the 28th. "There is Id festival and Basanti puja, so I have to return. I am preparing a task force for any emergency situations. We have good relations with the UK in the fields of medicine, education, and cultural fields, our students are studying there at various Universities. If Maharashtra is the financial capital of India, then Bengal is the cultural capital of India. I came to know about some emails, letters, and WhatsApp messages that some opponents are sending to Universities abroad to tarnish our image. You can insult me but don't try to tarnish the image of Bengal abroad," she added. Last month, CM Mamata Banerjee addressed the 8th Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS), where she said that the state government has received an investment proposal worth Rs. 4.4 lakh crore at the Summit. "We don't divide the people. We unite them. We respect people from every caste, religion, creed and community. We must exchange our views together. We must take part in all the festivals. All the festivals are our festivals. Bengal is the cultural capital of India. More than 5000 investors and delegates attended BGBS. We have signed 212 MOUs and letters of Intends signed during this summit covering numerous sectors and many are in the process of tie-up," she had said. (ANI)
After Police removed protesting farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border, Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Thursday slammed Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and said that the people of the state will avenge this "backstabbing." "AAP showed its true character yesterday. We should not forget that Arvind Kejriwal's Delhi government was the first state government to pass the three black laws. It is unbelievable that a party that calls itself a party born out of a movement would resort to ending the farmers' movement in this manner. Punjab will definitely take revenge for this backstabbing," Shrinate told ANI. The Leader of the Opposition in Punjab Assembly, Pratap Singh Bajwa said that this was expected from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as Aam Aadmi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party are "two sides of the same coin." "This was expected from Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann. Why did they (AAP government) betray the farmers? On one hand, they called the farmers for a meeting and then they detained the farmers. BJP and AAP are two sides of the same coin also the Haryana government has started evacuating the borders. They want to ensure that party candidate for Ludhiana West bye-election Sanjeev Arora wins the election so that Arvind Kejriwal can become a Rajya Sabha member," Bajwa told ANI. Earlier on Thursday, farmers united under the banners of the All India Kisan Sabha and Bharatiya Kisan Union, staged a protest march to the residence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini in Karnal. This came after Punjab Police on Wednesday removed farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Shambhu Border who were protesting over various demands. Police also removed temporary structures erected by farmers at the protest site. Several farmer leaders including farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who is on an indefinite fast and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha leader Sarvan Singh Pandher were detained by the Police. Reacting to this, Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the action was taken as they want to open Shambhu and Khanauri borders. Speaking to ANI, Cheema asserted that the farmers should stage a protest in Delhi or somewhere else as their demands are against the Central government. "The AAP government and the people of Punjab stood with the farmers when they protested against the three black laws. The demands of the farmers are against the Central government. It has been more than a year and the Shambhu and Khanauri borders are closed. The traders, youths of Punjab are very upset. When the traders will do business, the youth will get employment and they will stay away from drugs," he said. "Today's action has been taken because we want the youth of Punjab to get employment. We want to open Shambhu and Khanauri borders. The demands of the farmers are against the Central government and they should stage a protest in Delhi or somewhere else but should not block the roads of Punjab," Harpal Cheema said. (ANI)
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel graced the Punah Pran Pratistha Mahotsav and Gop Gyan Gatha of Sant Shree Naga Lakha Bapa Thakardham, near Dholera in Bavliyari, according to the CMO release. Addressing the Bharwad community, the Chief Minister noted their profound faith in the belief that "Thakar Karee Thik," trusting that God will set everything right. He further stated that under the leadership of the Prime Minister, a new era of resurgence of Indian Sanatan culture has begun. Temples across the country are evolving to become modern, grand, and divine. As heritage meets progress, the government is committed to ensuring every citizen becomes a part of this sacred journey. Describing 2025 as a year of remarkable significance, he highlighted that this year marks the 150th birth anniversaries of Sardar Saheb and Birsa Munda, the 100th birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the celebration of the Constitution's Amrit Mahotsav. Additionally, it marks the 375th anniversary of Thakardham's Punh Pran Pratishta. On this occasion, the Chief Minister congratulated the organizers for the extraordinary achievement of women performing the Hudo Raas, setting an outstanding record. The Chief Minister stated that the Gopalak community, followers of Lord Krishna, has made significant contributions in the field of animal husbandry. Through their constructive activities, they have demonstrated unity within the community and created an atmosphere of trust. CM further added that, The Bharwad community has discarded traditional customs and embraced modern, progressive traditions, setting an example of a transformative society through education and training. Reflecting on the Prime Minister's statement that when society's efforts align with government initiatives, progress doubles, the Chief Minister praised the social activities conducted through the Sant Shree Naga Lakha Charitable Trust. He also made a public appeal for people to participate in initiatives like "Ek Ped Maa ke Naam," "Catch the Rain," "Swachh Bharat," and the "Obesity-Free India Campaign." In the presence of the Chief Minister, Paavan Solanki, CEO of the World Record of India Genius Foundation, presented a certificate to Mahant Shri Rambapu. CM also visited Sant Shree Naga Lakha Thakardham for darshan and performed Puja. On this occasion, Member of the Legislative Assembly Shri Jitu Vaghani, Shri Kalubhai Dabhi, Shri Kiritsinh Dabhi, former MLA Bhavan Bharwad, Shri Lakha Bharwad, along with Mahant Rambapu of Thakardham, Mahant Rajendra Das Ji Bapu of Toraniya Dham, and leaders of the Bharwad community, and a large gathering of people were present.(ANI)
Former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo on Thursday attributed the violence in the state to Naxal groups who refused to abandon violence and arms. Speaking to ANI, Deo said, "Such incidents are coming to the fore in the encounter against the people of Naxal ideology due to not abandoning violence and continuously taking up arms." This comes amid intensified anti-Maoist operations in the state, which have resulted in the elimination of 105 Naxals in encounters so far this year. Deo highlighted the significant deployment of paramilitary forces in the region, with over 60 battalions stationed in Chhattisgarh. He emphasised that these forces are available in sufficient numbers in the affected areas, underscoring the government's efforts to tackle the Naxal threat. "Today, more than 60 battalions of paramilitary forces are deployed in Chhattisgarh. Paramilitary forces are available in sufficient numbers in the affected areas," he further added. The former Deputy CM also met Chhattisgarh CM Hemant Soren, as per a release. Earlier in the day, security forces recovered the bodies of 30 Naxalites along with a large cache of firearms during search operations in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Kanker districts on Thursday, Bastar Inspector General of Police P Sundarraj said. Speaking to ANI after two separate encounters with Naxalites in the two districts, IG Sundarraj said, "Operations were conducted today in various areas of the Bastar district. In the Bijapur-Dantewada border region, we have recovered the bodies of 26 Naxalites." "A large number of AK-47 rifles, as well as automatic and semi-automatic weapons, have also been seized. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the encounter," he said. Speaking about the encounter near the Kanker-Narayanpur border, the IG said that four Naxalites were killed in the gunfight, and their bodies were recovered during a search operation. "The search operation is still underway in the area," he added. The encounter in Bijapur district broke out on Thursday morning during a search operation carried out by security forces in Bijapur district. In a separate operation in Kanker district, four Naxalites were killed during a gunfight near a village. (ANI)
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi on Thursday slammed the Karnataka government over the proposed four per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts and the resolution against Waqf Amendment Bill and accused the Congress of engaging in "appeasement politics." "This is the politics of appeasement and even in the Supreme Court, under Article 15 Clause 1, it was said that you cannot give reservation on the basis of religion. And what is happening in Waqf in Karnataka. A farmer adjacent to my constituency committed suicide because land was grabbed in the name of Waqf Board and standing crops were bulldozed, there are many such incidents," Joshi told reporters. The minister accused the Congress government of being "lenient in cases related to PFI and SDPI". "This government, the Congress government under Rahul Gandhi's leadership is completely involved in appeasement. Karnataka has become a laboratory of appeasement politics. I want to warn them that this will not work and we will raise this issue across the country," he added. Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA BY Vijayendra on Thursday criticised the resolution passed by the Karnataka assembly against the Waqf (Amendment) bill, saying that the CM Siddaramaiah-led government had "forcefully passed" it. The Karnataka assembly passed a resolution against the union government's proposed legislation on Wednesday amidst protests from the Opposition. Accusing Congress leaders of being involved in land grab, he said the BJP would be expose such "scams" before people. "Congress leaders are involved in this land grab scam. BJP will expose the Congress government before the people of Karnataka," the BJP leader said. Terming the decision to give four per cent reservation to minorities as "appeasement politics," he said that the party would be protesting on the streets against both issues. "Bringing 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in contracts is very unfortunate. Doesn't he see any other people in the Hindu community? Why this appeasement politics? The state's law and order are deteriorating day by day due to appeasement politics. BJP will take it to the streets on issues of Waqf amendment, 4 per cent quota for Muslims," he said. Earlier on March 19, Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashok had voiced strong objections to the resolution. "We discussed Waqf issues for two days because all our temples and farmers' land have been acquired by the Waqf Board. Many government schools, which have existed for the last 60-70 years, have also been declared as Waqf properties. The Karnataka government is supporting Muslims because of votes," Ashok stated. The resolution was tabled by the state's Law Minister, H K Patil. (ANI)
Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal on Thursday announced that the curfew in Kapil Van and Nandangarh PS areas has been lifted, marking a significant step towards restoring normalcy in the region. However, the law and order situation remains a concern, with 80 people and 11 minors currently in police custody in connection with the recent violence. Speaking to the media, Singal said, "Curfew has been lifted in Kapil Van and Nandangarh PS areas. 80 people and 11 minors are in police custody..." This comes after the violence erupted on Monday night in central Nagpur's Chitnis Park, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that a holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation. As many as 34 police personnel were injured in the violence, and a curfew was subsequently imposed in sensitive areas. Commissioner Singal also provided an update on the investigation, revealing that the accused, Fahim Khan, was seen moving around in two or three places. The police are conducting further probes to unravel the circumstances surrounding the violence. "His (accused Fahim Khan) movement has been seen at 2-3 places.; further probe is underway," he said. In addition to lifting the curfew in some areas, the police have deployed over 2,000 armed personnel in sensitive areas, with quick response teams and riot control police conducting patrols led by a DCP-rank officer. In a recent development, Maharashtra Police's Cyber cell said that one of the accused in the Nagpur violence "edited and circulated videos" and "glorified violence" on social media, which led to the riots spreading in various parts of the city. "He (Faheem Khan) edited and circulated the video of the protest against Aurangzeb due to which the riots spread. He also glorified violent videos," cyber cell's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lohit Matani told ANI here. The police have registered four FIRs in connection with the riots which took place on Monday night in Nagpur. "Four FIRs have been registered. The first FIR is that videos of the protest against Aurangzeb were edited and circulated, and violence was glorified in the videos. The second is about making clips about the violence and spreading them so that there would be violence between two communities. Third is multiple posts were made in which violence was further instigated," Matani said. Accused Faheem Khan was arrested on March 19; he has been remanded in custody till Friday, March 21. Khan is a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party (MD). He was arrested just after the police filed an FIR regarding the riots. Earlier today, Nagpur's Collector Vipin Itankar said that normalcy has been restored in the area, but curfew is still in place in some parts of the city. Nagpur Police have arrested 50 people, including seven minors, following the violent clashes that erupted on March 17, an official said on Wednesday. The arrests were made following an investigation into the unrest, during which CCTV cameras were also damaged. Authorities are probing the involvement of the alleged mastermind and assessing the sequence of events leading up to the violence. (ANI)
BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul on Thursday slammed the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, demanding the President's rule in the State as there is "complete lawlessness" under the TMC regime. Paul's comments echoed West Bengal LoP and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari's statement, in which he called for President's Rule in West Bengal, citing "complete lawlessness" in the state. Adhikari expressed concerns that if the current situation persists, free and fair elections may not be possible by 2026. "We need the President's rule in West Bengal because there is complete lawlessness here. If this situation persists, I don't think we can have a fair election by 2026. To have a fair election for all the parties, we need President's Rule in West Bengal," Paul told ANI. BJP MLAs have staged a protest outside the Assembly Gate against State Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, alleging that Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay is stifling opposition voices in the assembly. Paul claimed that she and her colleagues were heckled and that the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, was attacked when they visited the Baruipur assembly. "We are protesting because the Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay (Biman Banerjee), who belongs to the Baruipur assembly, has not been allowing us to speak inside the assembly... Yesterday, when we went to the Baruipur assembly, we were heckled... Our LoP was attacked... Only Mamata Banerjee's constitution is applicable here in West Bengal... We will continue our protests if our people are tortured and our rights are hampered," Paul said. On Wednesday, West Bengal leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari claimed that there was no democracy in Bengal after Trinamool Congress workers showed a black flag and raised slogans of 'Go Back' to BJP MLAs at Baruipur on Wednesday. Suvendu Adhikari said, "We are being attacked. There is no democracy in Bengal." BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul said that they were being shown a black flag because they were with Sanatan Hindus. "We are being shown the black flag because we are with Sanatan Hindus. We are also with nationalist Muslims. If they (TMC workers) think that we will be intimidated by showing black flags or shouting 'go back' slogans, then they should know that the BJP is not like that. We (BJP) will raise our voices against the injustice that is happening. Police Minister is Mamata Banerjee, and this is being done on her orders. If we talk about the people of Bengal we are suspended. Police are just silently watching," she alleged. Earlier Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her "illiterate" and accusing her of insulting the country's daughter, Sunita Williams. Adhikari's outburst came after Banerjee allegedly referred to the Indian-American astronaut as "Sunita Chawla" instead of Sunita Williams. Adhikari also mentioned a past incident in which Banerjee supposedly claimed that Rakesh Roshan and Indira Gandhi went to the moon. He termed this "shameful" and criticized Banerjee for changing Williams' name. "The CM is saying the wrong things. She is an illiterate Chief Minister. She took the name of Sunita Chawla instead of Sunita Williams. This is an insult to the daughter of our country. Earlier, the CM said Rakesh Roshan and Indira Gandhi went to the moon. It is shameful that the West Bengal CM changed the name of Sunita Williams," said Adhikari. (ANI)
Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma on Thursday accused National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah and his party as well as the Congress party of opposing the right of outsiders to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir asserting that land ownership should be equal for all Indians. "If a Kashmiri can buy land in Maharashtra, why can't a Maharashtrian buy land in Kashmir? If Kashmiri can buy land in Haryana, why can't the people of Haryana buy land in Jammu and Kashmir? India is unbreakable. It was treated as a State within a State... The National Conference had embraced the idea of the two-nation theory- Jinnah's theory. There is one Constitution, one sign, and one identity, as per the slogan of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. This will not happen," the BJP leader said. Targeting the National Conference, Sharma further stated, "Are you looking for a different status based on your religion over here? Should the entire Constitution of India not be implemented here just because there is a Muslim majority? ...We will not let this happen." This comes after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier today speaking in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly stressed the importance of preserving land amid growing population pressure. "Our future is tied with our land; if we don't have land, we will be nothing, but slowly this is in danger. With the increase in population, there is pressure on land, agricultural land has been converted to other purposes this will lead to our more dependence on others," Abdullah said. The CM had also spoken about revised MLA salaries, power amnesty and the revival of the Roshni scheme and also on giving importance to the State's heritage. (ANI)
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed a decree of the State Council, unveiling a set of regulations on resolving foreign-related intellectual property (IP) disputes.

The regulations clarify that relevant government departments should strengthen overseas IP information inquiry and warning services, offering guidance and IP right protection assistance to individuals and organizations.

Consisting of 18 articles, the regulations underscore the role of enterprises, calling for enterprises to enhance their awareness of the rule of law and step up efforts on building the IP talent pool. In addition, relevant government departments are required to provide training for enterprises in key areas of foreign-related IP disputes, sharing experiences and practices through typical case studies.

The regulations specify that the service of documents, as well as investigation and evidence collection in China, should be carried out in accordance with the international treaties to which China is a party or has acceded.

Countermeasures against unfair treatment are also emphasized. According to the regulations, if foreign entities fail to grant national treatment to Chinese citizens and organizations or fail to provide adequate and effective IP protection, the commercial departments under the State Council can conduct investigations and take necessary measures in accordance with the law.

When foreign countries use IP disputes as a pretext to constrain or suppress China, or impose discriminatory and restrictive measures on Chinese citizens and organizations, the relevant departments of the State Council can take appropriate countermeasures and restrictive measures in response, the regulations noted.

The administrative regulations will take effect on May 1, 2025.
The 119 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Assam welcomed 76 new recruits at Kench's Trace, Shillong on Tuesday. These young individuals have taken their first step towards a life of service and dedication as they begin their four-week Phase I training, Defence PRO said in a press release. Following this initial phase, the recruits will undergo an intensive 36-week Basic Military Training at the Assam Regimental Centre in Shillong. This rigorous program will equip them with the skills, discipline, and resilience required to become battle-ready soldiers, prepared to serve the nation in all challenging environments. The unit extended a warm welcome to the recruits, expressing confidence in their journey ahead. As they embark on this transformative path, the Indian Army looks forward to witnessing their evolution into disciplined and committed soldiers, dedicated to upholding the values of courage, loyalty, and selfless service. The Indian Army is hosting a two-day seminar titled 'Resurgent Arunachal : Integrated Approach to Security and Development' at Likabali Military Station on March 21 and 22. This significant event will bring together eminent strategic analysts, military historians, security experts, and academicians to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of Arunachal Pradesh's intricate dynamics, leveraging an integrated approach that synchronizes security, development and perception management, Ministry of Defence said in a press release. The seminar will be graced by senior military officials, distinguished policymakers, and scholars, who will provide valuable insights into the geopolitical, economic, and developmental aspects of the region. It will feature three key sessions covering Arunachal through the Prism of History- Establish historical linkage of Arunachal Pradesh, Trajectory of Development- Development plans of Arunachal Pradesh including Infrastructure, Industry and tourism and leveraging social media- IW leveraging of social media platform to reinforce own narrative and territorial claims. (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh Congress Legislators staged a walkout from the state assembly on Thursday demanding a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) inquiry in connection with a corruption case related to a former constable of state Transport Department. Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar raised the issue calling attention motions in the state assembly and alleged that illegal collections were being made at every transport checkpoints in the state. "Illegal Collections are being made at every transport checkpoints. Central agency is recovering gold bricks in Madhya Pradesh (referring to Gold and cash recovered from an abandoned car in Bhopal in relation to ex-constable, Saurabh Sharma's corruption case) but it is yet to be revealed whose gold and money is," Singhar said. The LoP also questioned why the Transport Ministers from 2013 to till date have not been investigated in connection with the same (alleged transport department scam). He further raised questions over the ongoing investigation in relation to ex-constable Saurabh Sharma's corruption case asking why the people concerned were not called for interrogation and why call records were not checked. "Why did the police not call the people concerned, including Sanjay Shrivastav, Dashrath Patel for questioning? Why the call details of the people involved in the case were not checked. Narco tests should be done into the matter. If Lokayukta Police had taken action in the Saurabh Sharma case, then ED (Directorate of Enforcement), IT (Income Tax department) would not have come here. Our demand is that everyone's CDR (Call details records) should be checked. CBI investigation should be done in the whole matter under the supervision of the court," Singhar said in the state assembly. The Leader of Opposition also claimed that an alleged diary came to light in connection with the Saurabh Sharma corruption case as well. Meanwhile, responding in the assembly, state Transport Minister Uday Pratap Singh said, "A search was conducted at the residence of transport dept ex-constable Saurabh Sharma and Rs 8.58 crore cash was recovered and documents of property worth Rs 30 crore were found, on the basis of which case was registered against Saurabh Sharma. Apart from Saurabh, cases have been registered against several other people as well. The Lokayukta did not seize 52 kg of gold from the car. Information from ED and IT is not received in this context. Currently, the matter is under investigation at EOW (Economic Offences Wing)." Speaking about Sharma's appointment, the Minister said that Saurabh Sharma was given a compassionate appointment. Sharma submitted a fake affidavit during the compassionate appointment and instructions were given to register a case in that matter as well. Minister Singh further highlighted that a transparent investigation was being conducted at transport checkpoints in the state and checkposts on Maharashtra borders were closed. Additionally, the minister denied the claim of illegal recovery at checkpoints in the state. He further added, "No diary was found from Saurabh Sharma. A competent agency is investigating the matter and these agencies have exposed big scams. Our interference in the investigation is not right. We assure transparency in the probe. There is no need for any other agency until the current investigation report comes. A competent agency is investigating. In case after getting the investigation report, we feel that we are not satisfied, then we will think of another agency." Notably, Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta police registered a case against the former constable of state Transport Department Saurabh Sharma under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and conducted searches at his different locations uncovering assets suspected to be disproportionate to Sharma's known sources of income. Later on, the Lokayukta police arrested Sharma, his associates Chetan Singh Gaur and Sharad Jaiswal and produced before the court from where they were sent to the Jail. Earlier, December 19 and 20 last year, the Lokayukta recovered assets worth several crores from two residences linked to the accused, located at E-7/78 and E-7/657 in Arera Colony, Bhopal. In the related development, Bhopal police and Income Tax (IT) officials recovered 52 kg of gold worth over Rs 40 crore and Rs 9.86 crore in cash from an abandoned car. The car was registered under the name of Chetan Singh Gaur and was discovered late at night on December 19 last year near Mendori-Kushalpur Road under Ratibad police station limits. Upon receiving information, officials seized the car and its contents. (ANI)
Assam government has approved the creation of Sattra Preservation and Development Board in the state Budget of 2025-26 on Thursday. The government has examined the recommendations made by the high-level committee chaired by Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma on the implementation of Clause 6 of Assam Accord and decided to implement the recommendations that fall within the purview of the state government, said an official press release. Sattras are monastic institutions of the Neo-Vaishnavite tradition that serve as socio-religious and cultural centres in Assam, founded by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva in the 16th century. In the state Budget it was stated, "We shall create a separate five-member Sattra Preservation and Development Board with autonomous funding, function and functionaries with representatives from Sattra, Judiciary and Land Governance. Sattra Preservation and Development Board shall be vested with adequate powers of Assam Board of Revenue to effectively protect the Sattra land from encroachment and land grabbing. We shall place the necessary Bill before this August House." "We will give both statutory powers and financial resources to the Sattra Preservation and Development Board to look after the overall protection and development of Sattra Institutions," added the Budget. For making the Sattra Preservation and Development Board well-equipped with both financial independence and legal authority, a bill will be introduced in the state Assembly for official approval and support for the overall protection of the Sattra Institutions, said the press release. The deputy speaker of Assam Legislative Assembly Numal Momin told ANI that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a very right decision to constitute a Sattra Preservation and Development Board to protect the Sattras. "There was a long agitation during All Assam Students' Union (AASU) movement and their demands to preserve the Assamese culture and heritage. The Sattra Preservation and Development Board is a part of this and our Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma has taken a very right decision to constitute a Sattra Preservation and Development Board to protect the Sattras and prevent the encroachment and eviction of encroached land of Sattras. The people will definitely love it", said Numal Momin. Numal Momin also said that this step of government will help the indigenous people live with dignity. "This is the difference between the Congress and BJP government. During the Congress regime, thousands of Sattras land were encroached upon by people who migrated from Bangladesh. After BJP came into power in 2016, we are trying hard to preserve our culture and heritage and to give strength to the indigenous people and to give rights to the indigenous people," said Numal Momin. (ANI)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian on Thursday charged against the Union Government's delimitation plans, calling for clarity on the Home Minister Amit Shah's statement. She emphasised that delimitation should not be based solely on population, advocating for a fairer approach. As a mark of protest, Thangapandian and her allies wore T-shirts bearing the message "We want fair delimitation." However, they were barred from entering the house wearing these shirts, with the Speaker citing rules against it. Addressing reporters, Thangapandian said, "We have been requesting the Union Government, especially the Home Minister, to clarify his statement on delimitation. It should not be decided on the basis of population... As a mark of protest against delimitation, our allies and our party members are wearing this T-shirt bearing the plea that we want fair delimitation. We were not allowed to be inside the house wearing this T-shirt... The Speaker said that we can't wear a T-shirt inside the house." Last month, at a BJP programme in Coimbatore, Amit Shah asserted that the southern states will not be disadvantaged by the delimitation process. However, PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss expressed concerns over the delimitation process, citing Union Home Minister Amit Shah's statement that southern states won't lose seats, but failing to disclose the seat allocation for northern states. Ramadoss argued that if India's population reaches 142 crores, the total seats should increase to around 753, but alarmingly, only 15 seats would be allotted to southern states, whereas northern and western states would receive 195 seats. "Although the central government has not yet announced how the delimitation will take place, recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that as per the delimitation, the seats of the southern states will not be reduced. He did not say how many seats the northern states will get... According to some data, if the population of India is 142 crores, then the increased seats will be around 753. Out of this, only 15 seats will be allotted to the southern states. 195 seats will be allotted to the northern and western states... The southern states have done well in population control, why should we be penalized? ... The increase in seats should be the same for all states...," said Ramadoss. Meanwhile, DMK MP TR Baalu stated that Union Home Minister Amit Shah is unwilling to discuss the issue of delimitation. "Amit Shah is not ready to come and have a discussion on the issue of delimitation. Tomorrow, again, we will hold a demonstration on this issue," Baalu said. Earlier in the day, DMK MPs Kanimozhi and T Siva, along with party MPs, held a protest on the issue of delimitation in Parliament House premises. Speaking to the media, Kanimozhi said, "Our leader, Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin, has been raising this concern about delimitation and its potential impact on states that have controlled their population. So we want fair delimitation, and we want the Central government to clarify, but they have only confused us." Tamil Nadu government has locked horns with the Central government over the three-language formula proposed in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the delimitation exercise. (ANI)
The Karnataka Home Minister, G Parameshwara, has ordered a high-level investigation into an alleged honey trap attempt on a state minister. Parameshwara made the announcement during the budget session discussion in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday. This comes after Karnataka Cooperation Minister KN Rajanna alleged a honey trap attempt was made on him and called for an investigation into the matter. During the budget session discussion, Vijayapura MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal raised the issue, saying that an attempt had been made to trap the Cooperation Minister in the state. "This is a bad culture. People's representatives are being blackmailed," he said. Since his name was mentioned, KN Rajanna responded, acknowledging the allegations. "Many people say Karnataka has become a CD and pen drive factory. This is a serious allegation. It is being said that an influential minister from Tumakuru has been caught in a honey trap. The ones from Tumakuru are G Parameshwara and me," Rajanna said in the Legislative Assembly. He further said, "I will file a complaint regarding this. The Home Minister must investigate this matter." The minister also claimed that those involved in making CDs and pen drives had honey-trapped 48 people across different political parties. "They belong to two different political parties. This issue is not limited to our state--it extends to the national level, involving leaders from various political parties across the country. I won't respond to the allegations against me here. I will give a written complaint to the Home Minister. This must be investigated. Let it be revealed who the producers and directors behind this are. The public must know," Rajanna said. "There are pen drives of 48 individuals from two parties. This is a dangerous menace. This is now a public issue. They attempted it on me too. I have evidence. I will file a complaint. Let it be revealed who is involved," he demanded. Responding to this in the assembly, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that he will order a high-level investigation into the allegation. "If we have to uphold the dignity of the House, this issue must be concluded appropriately. If Rajanna submits a written request, I will order a high-level investigation based on that. The truth must come out," he said in the Assembly. Another Karnataka Minister, Satish Jarkiholi, also confirmed the honey trap attempt on a state minister, saying that while the attempt was made, it was unsuccessful. "It is true that it was tried but did not succeed. This is not the first time this has happened in Karnataka; it has been happening for the last 20 years. Every party, Congress, BJP, and JDS, is a victim of this," Jarkiholi told ANI. He further stated that a complaint should be filed and an investigation should be conducted into the matter. "We have demanded that a complaint be filed and an investigation be done... We have told the victim to come forward and file a complaint; only then can it be investigated, and the truth will come out," he added. Further responding to Jarkiholi's statement over the issue, BJP leader CT Ravi said that if Jarkiholi, who is a "prominent" leader, is making the statement, it must be 'true'. "Satish Jarkiholi is one of the most senior leaders. He is one of the most prominent leaders. If he has made a statement, then it must be true...Who is the kingpin of honey trapping?... The one making the allegation is not a common man but a senior leader of the Congress government... So, a serious investigation should be conducted into this matter. I request the Chief Minister to form a special team to investigate this matter and get it investigated," CT Ravi told the media. (ANI)
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday to discuss various state issues, including rural development and housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). After the meeting, Union Minister Chouhan emphasized that out of the 24 lakh houses targeted for Rajasthan under the PMAY, work on 20 lakh houses has been completed, while the rest are in progress. "A very important meeting has taken place. We had set a target of 24 lakh houses for Rajasthan under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, out of which work on 20 lakh houses has been completed. Work on the rest is in progress. Survey work is also going on for the remaining houses," Chouhan said. The Union Minister also posted on X about the meeting and emphasized that the Centre will "leave no stone unturned" in Rajasthan's development. "Today I had a cordial meeting with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Bhajan Lal ji, at Krishi Bhavan in New Delhi and had a meaningful discussion on various topics of rural development," he wrote. "I am extremely happy that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, the schemes of the Rural Development Ministry are being implemented ideally in Rajasthan. Rajasthan should keep progressing, and the lives of villagers should be happy and prosperous; for this, the Central Government under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji will leave no stone unturned," he added. Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma said that the Centre and State government are working for the people. "We discussed the progress reports of various schemes. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has assured me that he will continue to support Rajasthan's development. The BJP governments at the Centre and the state are working for the people of the country," CM Sharma said. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Wednesday stated that the state government would benefit the farmers and deprived sections of the state with various schemes in the mega program that would be organized in the state on the occasion of Rajasthan Day, which is to be held on March 30. The CM further stated that the state government is implementing important schemes through good governance to realise the vision of 'Apno Agrani Rajasthan'. Sharma said that the farmers of the state are benefiting from the schemes of the Central and State governments. As part of the programs being organised on Rajasthan Day, a three-day fair and exhibition of farmer-producer organisations will be held from March 28 to 30 to further empower the farmers of the state. The event will strengthen market linkages, brand building, sales promotion and capacity development for Farmer Produce Organisation (FPO) and also provide a market for FPOs to showcase and sell their products. Also, grants will be transferred under various schemes related to farmer welfare. (ANI)
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) organised an Iftar gathering in the national capital on Thursday, attended by leaders from different political parties. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among those in the Iftaar party. Speaking on the occasion, Tharoor reaffirmed IUML's position as a key ally of the Congress. "The Indian Union Muslim League are our allies and they have got a very strong presence here through Parliament in the Upper and the Lower house. Their senior leaders have come from Kerala and the national IUML establishment. We are delighted to be here to participate in this event and wish the IUML all the very best for Ramzan. May everyone have a blessed Ramzan," he said. Other senior leaders, including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and SP MP Jaya Bachchan, also attended the event. Extending her wishes, Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha expressed gratitude for being invited. "I am happy that they invited me. I am happy to celebrate with them," she said. Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murthy conveyed her best wishes, stating, "I wish a very happy, peaceful Ramzan. We all should enjoy every festival." Congress leader Shama Mohamed highlighted the significance of the gathering. "Ramzan is a holy month and today is a great day as the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has organised a fantastic Iftar where people from across the parties have come here. Iftar is about peace, love," she said. AAP leader Sanjay Singh also extended greetings, stating, "Today, this Iftar party is being organised by IUML. I wish Ramzan Mubarak to the people of their party and all those who are here today and I appeal to everyone to pray for peace, tranquility and prosperity in the country." Meanwhile, former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar arrived at the Pakistan High Commission to attend the Iftar party. Ramzan is the most sacred month in the Islamic calendar that falls in the ninth month of the Hijri (the Islamic lunar calendar). During this holy period, Muslims observe fasting from dawn until sunset, a practice called Roza, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. It signifies values of devotion, self-restraint, and spiritual contemplation. (ANI)
BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, labeling it a "modern Muslim League" under Rahul Gandhi's leadership. This criticism comes after the Karnataka Assembly passed a resolution against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. Bhandari accused the Congress of prioritizing vote bank politics over the welfare of both Hindus and Muslims. He pointed out that the party had objected to the Ram Mandir construction and remained silent on the Nagpur violence. In contrast, Bhandari claimed that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, aims to benefit poor Muslims and farmers. "Under Rahul Gandhi, Congress has become a modern Muslim League, this is the same party that objected Ram Mandir...they did not speak against Nagpur violence...Waqf (Amendment) Bill is in the interest of poor Muslims and farmers...Karnataka Assembly has passed a resolution against Waqf (Amendment) Bill, from this, it is clear that Congress considers Hindus as second-class citizens and don't want the welfare of Muslims either, this is the policy of their vote bank politics...," Bhandari told ANI. The Karnataka assembly passed a resolution against the union government's proposed legislation on Wednesday amidst protests from the Opposition. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 8, 2024, seeks to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923, and amend the Waqf Act, 1995. The bill regulates waqf properties in India, ensuring their proper management and development. Speaking on the development, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi slammed the Karnataka government over the proposed four per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts and the resolution against Waqf Amendment Bill and accused the Congress of engaging in "appeasement politics." The minister accused the Congress government of being "lenient in cases related to PFI and SDPI". Karnataka's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA BY Vijayendra criticised the resolution passed by the Karnataka assembly against the Waqf (Amendment) bill, saying that the CM Siddaramaiah-led government had "forcefully passed" it. Earlier on March 19, Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashok had voiced strong objections to the resolution. "We discussed Waqf issues for two days because all our temples and farmers' land have been acquired by the Waqf Board. Many government schools, which have existed for the last 60-70 years, have also been declared as Waqf properties. The Karnataka government is supporting Muslims because of votes," Ashok stated. The resolution was tabled by the state's Law Minister, HK Patil. (ANI)
West Bengal government on Thursday transferred Dr Subarna Goswami, a prominent figure in the protests demanding justice for the female doctor who was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Hospital to Darjeeling as the Superintendent of the Darjeeling TB Hospital. Goswami, a member of the West Bengal Public Health cum Administrative Services and presently posted as a Deputy CMOH-II, Purba Bardhaman, has been transferred to Darjeeling TB Hospital with immediate effect, according to a notification issued. As one of the key faces of the protests, Dr. Goswami had been advocating for justice and accountability in the wake of the tragedy. Her transfer has raised eyebrows, with many wondering if it's a attempt to silence her or distance her from the case. Sunetra Majumder, Deputy CMOH--IV, Purba Bardhaman will take charge of the Deputy CMOH--II, Purba Bardhaman, temporarily in addition to her normal duty until further orders, the notification further stated. Earlier on March 17, the father of the RG Kar rape and murder case victim expressed his concerns over the investigation alleging multiple individuals are involved in both the crime and tampering of evidence. Speaking to ANI, he revealed that his family has filed a petition in the High Court, submitting 54 questions in hopes of obtaining justice for his daughter. The father further accused West Bengal's Chief Minister of leading the evidence tampering process and stated that despite the police bringing in dog squads for the investigation, they have yet to receive any report. "We have filed a case in the HC and submitted 54 questions. It is with the court to bring us those answers so that my daughter gets justice. Many men are involved in my daughter's rape and murder. And there are many hands involved in evidence tampering. West Bengal CM is leading the process of evidence tampering. Police had brought dog squads for investigation, but we have received no report of that so far. We have faith in the courts, and the courts are working fairly, as per our wishes," the victim's father said. RG Kar victim's lawyer, Karuna Nundy, said, "Today was extremely urgent and the reason is that it has been 180 days since the accused Abhijit Mondol, the in charge of Tala Police Station, and Sandeep Ghosh, the Principal of RG Kar Medical College, they were arrested, and 90 days after that, Abhijit Mondol, who was accused of tampering evidence was given default bail with a Rs 2000 sureity and without any strict bail conditions." She further said that they filed a petition before the HC asking that the Calcutta HC monitor the investigation of the CBI. "Because it is a combination of our courts and the CBI that will result in the robust chargesheet. We made an application before the Supreme Court, and the CJI has now allowed it. We can now proceed with the petition in the Calcutta High Court. There were false reports that we had asked for a fresh investigation and that our plea was rejected," Karuna Nundy said. (ANI)
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday hailed the transformative progress made in the state and the country over the past decade under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at an event, CM Saini highlighted key developments, stating, "In the last 10 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country and the state have changed rapidly. Today, there is a network of roads, medical colleges have come up in every district, and the capacity of hospitals has been doubled." Emphasizing the state's advancements, he added, "Haryana has progressed at a fast pace. In these 10 years, clean tap water has reached every home. Today, no mother or sister is seen carrying a water pot on her head." The Chief Minister also underscored the fulfilment of promises made to the people, saying, "We had pledged to provide 24-hour electricity. Today, we have worked to provide 24-hour electricity in villages." On Monday, the Haryana Chief Minister announced the launch of the Lado Laxmi Yojana, under which women in the state will receive Rs 2,100 per month in financial assistance. CM Saini announced while presenting the state's budget of Rs 2,05,017 crore for the financial year 2025-26 in the assembly. "Lado Laxmi Yojana will be started in the state to provide financial assistance of Rs 2,100 per month to women," Saini said in a post on X earlier. He added that Rs 5,000 crore has been provided for the scheme in the 2025-26 financial year. In a move to enhance artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in the state, Saini also announced the creation of a "Department of Future." "To realize the vision of a developed Haryana, a Department of Future will be established," he stated earlier. The CM said that under this department, the government plans to develop Al hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula. (ANI)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, chats with local residents while visiting the Old Town of Lijiang in Lijiang City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 19, 2025. Xi made an inspection tour in Yunnan Province on Wednesday and Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on southwest China's Yunnan Province to break new ground for its development in the pursuit of Chinese modernization.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee (CPC) and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks during his inspection tour in the province on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday afternoon, Xi visited a modern flower industrial park in the city of Lijiang.

At an exhibition center, Xi learned about fresh-cut flower varieties. He also inspected a rose cultivation area and a rose grading and packaging production line in the park.

Yunnan's flower industry has broad prospects, Xi said, emphasizing the importance of developing the whole industrial chain so that the "beautiful industry" can deliver more benefits to the people.

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, the Old Town of Lijiang boasts a history of more than 800 years. Visiting the town, Xi learned about its history and the distinctive dwellings of the Naxi ethnic group. He also learned about local efforts in protecting and utilizing cultural heritage, and in promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism.

Fresh from a spring snow, the town was bustling with tourists. Xi chatted with local residents and tourists in the town, asking about the state of local businesses and the experience of tourists.

Xi stressed the need to strike a balance between protection and development to make the beautiful old town shine with new vigor and vitality.

During the inspection tour, Xi also visited the provincial capital Kunming, where he heard the provincial authorities' work report on Thursday.

Xi emphasized that promoting industrial transformation and upgrading is essential for high-quality development, calling on Yunnan to strengthen, optimize and expand its resource-based industries through scientific and technological innovation, while proactively developing future industries and emerging strategic industries.

He urged the province to accelerate the development of the cultural and tourism industries and the distinctive agriculture unique to plateau areas.

Yunnan should leverage its strategic location to enhance high-standard opening up and establish itself as a key gateway to South and Southeast Asia, Xi stressed.

He called on the province to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries in areas such as economy, science and technology, talent development, health and culture to generate tangible benefits in the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Highlighting Yunnan's significant role in ecology, Xi urged the province to serve as an ecological security barrier in southwest China, while emphasizing the importance of enhancing governance to ensure ethnic unity and stability in this border region with diverse ethnic groups.

Stressing that the Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for the advancement of all endeavors, he called on officials at all levels to fulfill their responsibilities in Party self-governance, and to take exemplary actions in improving the political environment within the Party.

Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, accompanied Xi on the inspection tour.

On Thursday, Xi met with senior officers and representatives of the soldiers and civilian staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army troops stationed in Kunming.
Maharashtra Minority Commission Chairman Pyare Khan on Thursday called for justice and compensation in the wake of the Nagpur violence. Khan emphasised that no innocent person should be targeted, while those responsible for the incident should face strict action. "There should be no action against any innocent person. Strict action should be taken against those responsible for the incident... Those whose property has been damaged should be compensated within 48 hours...," said Khan. Khan's statement comes after communal clashes erupted in Nagpur's Mahal area during Ram Navami celebrations, leaving several injured and properties damaged. The Chairman has appealed for peace and calm, urging residents to maintain harmony. So far, Nagpur Police have arrested 50 people, including seven minors, following the violent clashes that erupted on March 17, an official said on Wednesday. The arrests were made following an investigation into the unrest, during which CCTV cameras were also damaged. Authorities are probing the involvement of the alleged mastermind and assessing the sequence of events leading up to the violence. The violent clashes erupted in Nagpur on March 17 over the demand for the removal of Aurangzeb's grave, with stones hurled at police amid rumours that a holy book of a community was burnt during an agitation. Meanwhile, the situation is back to normalcy as the curfew imposed in several areas was lifted. In a recent development, Maharashtra Police's Cyber cell said that one of the accused in the Nagpur violence "edited and circulated videos" and "glorified violence" on social media, which led to the riots spreading in various parts of the city. "He (Faheem Khan) edited and circulated the video of the protest against Aurangzeb due to which the riots spread. He also glorified violent videos," cyber cell's Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Lohit Matani told ANI here. The police have registered four FIRs in connection with the riots which took place on Monday night in Nagpur. "Four FIRs have been registered. The first FIR is that videos of the protest against Aurangzeb were edited and circulated, and violence was glorified in the videos. The second is about making clips about the violence and spreading them so that there would be violence between two communities. Third is multiple posts were made in which violence was further instigated," Matani said. Accused Faheem Khan was arrested on March 19; he has been remanded in custody till Friday, March 21. Khan is a leader of the Minorities Democratic Party. (ANI)
Legal experts have emphasized the need for judicial caution and sensitivity in cases involving sexual violence, following the Allahabad High Court's observation certain acts of assault do not constitute rape or attempted rape. Renowned Criminal Lawyer Vikas Pahwa raised concerns over the HC's observations, and warned, "This sends a troubling signal to the entire criminal justice system, creating doubt about the assurance that offenders will face punishment for their actions." Pahwa emphasized the critical role of courts, particularly the High Courts and the Supreme Court, in setting legal precedents and shaping the interpretation of law in a way that upholds justice. He noted that cases involving sexual violence require a heightened responsibility and urged judges to be cautious while formulating judgments. "Such remarks have the potential to erode public confidence in the judicial process, especially in cases that demand empathy and a firm stance against gender-based violence. A more nuanced approach is needed to ensure justice without unintentionally undermining the survivors' rights and dignity," Pahwa said. Former Additional Solicitor General and Senior Advocate Pinky Anand also expressed her dismay over the court's ruling. "While the absence of penetration might raise questions about the charge of rape, the act undoubtedly qualifies as an attempt to rape. I fail to comprehend how such an order could be passed, effectively turning the entire situation into a travesty of justice," Anand said. She further emphasized the gravity of the issue, saying, "It is deeply agonizing that we are even compelled to debate such matters. Our stance must be unequivocal--we cannot and will not tolerate such heinous offences being dismissed in this manner." The Allahabad HC recently ruled that actions such as grabbing a minor girl's breasts, breaking her pyjama strings, and attempting to drag her beneath a culvert do not constitute the offence of rape or attempted rape. Instead, the Court categorized these acts as aggravated sexual assault. In its judgment, delivered on March 17, the Allahabad HC revised a previous summoning order, modifying the charges against the two accused. Initially, the accused had been summoned to stand trial under Section 376 of the IPC (rape) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. However, the charges were altered, and the accused will now face trial under: Section 354(B) of the IPC - assault or use of criminal force with the intent to disrobe, and also under relevant sections of the POCSO Act - for aggravated sexual assault. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday emphasised the importance of promoting traditional farming practices to increase farmers' income in the state. He believed that combining traditional methods with modern knowledge and science can lead to better outcomes, as per a release. During a review of the Agriculture, Horticulture, and Cooperatives Department, Dhami directed officials to focus on innovation, cluster-based farming, and promoting millets. He also stressed the need to support farmers in producing traditional products and fruits, such as apples, pears, and peaches. "The results of the work being done by the departments should be visible on the ground. The schemes being worked on by the departments for the coming financial year should be based on their physical status, financial progress, outcome, and output so that the budget is also used properly and the people's livelihood is also increased," said CM Dhami. Dhami said that along with Aroma, Apple Mission, and Kiwi Mission, work should be done to increase the production of Uttarakhand's traditional products and fruits. "Farmers should be encouraged to increase the production of pear, plum, malta, orange, and peach. Crops which are not damaged by animals should be promoted and farmers should be made aware to increase the production of medicinal plants," he added. During the review of the Cooperative Department, the Chief Minister directed that proper training should be arranged for people in the field of cooperation. To empower farmers, Dhami recommended strengthening the value chain system, increasing Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and linking all Gram Sabhas to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) within the next five years. "In the next five years, all the Gram Sabhas of the state should be linked to PACS. Along with increasing business activities in cooperative societies, strong arrangements should be made for marketing," he said. It was informed in the meeting that an e-Rupi arrangement was being made for the convenience of farmers. This facility will be started in the first week of April. This would provide quick, secure and transparent payment to the farmers, which will bring digital transformation to the agriculture sector. The state is also promoting aromatic crops like damask rose, timaru, and cinnamon, and has arranged for the sale of fresh produce to the ITBP and the Army, providing a fixed market for farmers and promoting local products. (ANI)
On the occasion of World Happiness Day, the Government of India reaffirmed its commitment to empowering citizens through secure and innovative digital solutions. The focus of India's IT sector, which generates over USD 282 billion in revenue, is shifting towards creating indigenous hardware and software products, the Ministry of Electronics & IT said in a release on Thursday. As per the release, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took a visionary leap toward technological self-reliance by launching an ambitious challenge to develop an Indigenous web browser under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Bangalore, conducted this landmark initiative, which aimed at fostering innovation and bolstering digital independence. Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the winners of the Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC). In a function organized by MeitY on 20 March 2025, he expressed immense pride in the participants who demonstrated outstanding innovations, remarkable creativity, and expertise and made significant strides in developing a reliable web browser tailored to Indian needs. The developments are a step forward in realizing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and empowering India's digital future, said the statement. Speaking on the occasion, Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized the Government of India's broader vision of transforming India into a "product nation" from a service nation that is self-reliant on technology, hardware, and software solutions. As part of this vision, IWBDC was launched to develop an Indigenous web browser, receiving enthusiastic participation from startups, students, and researchers, all eager to contribute to India's digital self-reliance. The Minister also urged accelerating the journey from innovation to large-scale productization, enabling the widespread adoption of homegrown digital solutions and encouraging startups and industry to develop competitive, secure, and scalable technologies that contribute to India's self-reliance. The web browser serves as the primary gateway to the internet, enabling activities such as web surfing, email, eOffice, and online transactions. The advantages of an indigenous Indian browser are manifold. Firstly, it ensures enhanced data security, with user data kept within the country's borders, fostering better control over sensitive information. Secondly, it complies with India's Data Protection Act, ensuring privacy and adherence to the highest standards of data security. Additionally, all data generated by Indian citizens will remain in India, enhancing the country's digital sovereignty. Furthermore, the browser will be compatible with all major platforms, including iOS, Windows, and Android, ensuring broad accessibility and usability across devices. Addressing the participants, the Minister said that the development of India's own web browser marks the first significant step towards the creation of an entire Indian digital stack. Zoho Corporation emerged as a winner, with Team PING, a startup, as the first Runner-Up and Team Ajna, a startup, as the second Runner-Up. Recognizing their outstanding contributions, an award of Rs1 crore, Rs75 lakhs, and Rs50 lakhs was given to the winner, 1st Runner-Up, and 2nd Runner-Up, respectively. A special mention was made for "Jio Vishwakarma" for their design of browsers on varied platforms. The Minister also expressed his satisfaction in seeing the winners emerge from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, highlighting the significant talent and potential across India's smaller cities, the statement said. On the occasion, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, highlighted the importance of Indigenous Web Browser and its features. Abhishek Singh, Additional Secretary; Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary; E Magesh, Director General C-DAC; Arvind Kumar, CCA; Sunita Verma, Scientist 'G' and GC(R&D); and other Senior officers from MeitY, C-DAC, and industries also participated in the event. With their certificate trust store, these Indigenous browsers will cater to the needs of Indian users and set a new benchmark for trust-worthy digital interaction. The Indian Web Browser Development Challenge (https://iwbdc.in) was launched, setting the stage for a transformative journey in web browsing. Structured across three progressive stages--Ideation, Prototype, and Productization--the challenge required designing the browser with a spectrum of critical features, including a dedicated trust store with a CCA India Root certificate, Digital Signing within the browser, Child-friendly browsing, Parental Controls, seamless compatibility with all official Indian languages, Web3 support, and cutting-edge browser capabilities. The competition garnered an overwhelming response from startups, industry leaders, and academia, showcasing India's immense talent and drive for digital sovereignty. A remarkable 434 teams registered for the challenge, embarking on a rigorous and competitive journey. As the challenge unfolded, eight outstanding teams made it to the final stage, where their innovations were evaluated by a distinguished Jury Panel. (ANI)
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday commended the security forces for their remarkable achievement in neutralizing 30 Naxalites in two separate operations in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Kanker districts. He said that this significant milestone marks a major success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan', a campaign aimed at making India Naxal-free. In two separate encounters with Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, security forces recovered 30 bodies of Naxalites along with a large cache of firearms during search operations, as per a senior official. Speaking to ANI after two separate encounters with Naxalites in the two districts, IG Sundarraj said, "Operations were conducted today in various areas of the Bastar district. In the Bijapur-Dantewada border region, we have recovered the bodies of 26 Naxalites." "A large number of AK-47 rifles, as well as automatic and semi-automatic weapons, have also been seized. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the encounter," he said. Speaking about the encounter near the Kanker-Narayanpur border, the IG said that four Naxalites were killed in the gunfight, and their bodies were recovered during a search operation. "The search operation is still underway in the area," he added. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard also lost his life during the encounter, police added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah in a post on X assured that the country would be 'Naxal-free' before March 31, 2026. "Today, our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of 'Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan'", Shah posted on X. Last week, as many as 17 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a police officer said. In February, a total of 18 Naxalites were arrested and explosives were recovered from them in an operation carried out by security forces in three different locations in the Bijapur district. Congress leader Charan Das Mahant expressed support for the government's action against Naxalites but questioned the speedy action of economic development of Bastar region and asked which big industrialists will come for whom "red-carpet is being laid". "We appreciate the action. It is a good thing, the action is speedy..It is being said that Naxalites are being eliminated to promote economic activities in Bastar. Who is going to carry out economic activities. Which big industrialists will come for whom you are rolling out the red carpet?" asked Mahant, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Chhattisgarh assembly. Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh and senior Congress leader TS Singh Deo attributed the violence in the state to the Naxal groups who refused to abandon violence and arms. "Such incidents are coming to the fore in the encounter against the people of Naxal ideology due to not abandoning violence and continuously taking up arms," he told ANI. BJP Brijmohan Agarawal stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and guidance of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the campaign to end Naxalism in Chhattisgarh was moving in the direction of success. "Under the leadership of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and guidance of CM Vishnu Deo Sai, the campaign that is underway in Chhattisgarh to end the naxalism is moving in the direction of success," the BJP MP said, speaking to ANI. Further, the BJP MP stated that in 13 months, more than 300 Naxals had been killed. "In the last 13 months, more than 300 Naxalists have been killed. Naxalism is the biggest hindrance in the development of this state and country," he further added. The joint efforts of the police and central forces have brought development to several Naxal strongholds, strengthening public trust in government initiatives. (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday lauded the passing of the Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission Bill in the state Legislative Assembly, calling it a "pioneer in social welfare." He emphasized that Kerala has become the first state in India to pass such a law, establishing a dedicated commission for elderly welfare. "Kerala becomes the first state in the country to pass a law establishing a Commission for the Elderly, ensuring the rights, welfare, and rehabilitation of the elderly," the CM wrote in a post on X. "A pioneer in social welfare, #Kerala once again leads the way by empowering its elderly to actively contribute to society--reinforcing its people-centric development model," he added. On Wednesday, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed the Kerala State Senior Citizens Commission Bill, fulfilling the LDF government's vision for elderly welfare and marking the beginning of a new era for senior citizens in the state. The commission aims to ensure the welfare, protection, and rehabilitation of individuals aged 60 and above while also recognizing their potential to contribute to society through their experience, innovative ideas, and problem-solving abilities. With growing concerns about neglect, exploitation, and abandonment faced by the elderly, the commission will work towards addressing these challenges on a priority basis. It will take proactive measures to facilitate the rehabilitation of senior citizens, integrate their skills into the broader society, and protect their rights. Additionally, the commission will be responsible for providing policy guidelines on matters related to senior citizen welfare and protection. The commission will consist of a Chairperson and at least four members appointed by the government through an official notification. All members, including the Chairperson, will be senior citizens. At least one member will belong to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, and one will be a woman. (ANI)
According to officials, the accused husband was arrested on Wednesday night following a complaint filed by the victim's father.

On January 5, the accused husband, along with his friends, allegedly consumed alcohol at his residence in West Tripura and, under the influence, assaulted and gang-raped the differently-abled woman, police said.

After enduring trauma for over two months, the victim told about her ordeal to her father, who in turn approached the police and lodged a complaint at Amtali Police Station on March 14, naming seven accused, including the husband, identified as Subrata Dey, police said.

Following the complaint, police registered a case, and a probe was initiated.

After an investigation, Amtali police arrested Subrata Dey on Tuesday night. However, the six other accused are still absconding. Investigating officer Sushmita Debnath said that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects soon.

The accused husband was produced before the court, where police sought his remand for further interrogation.

Efforts to trace the absconding accused were on, said Amtali SDPO Shankar Chandra Nath.

Further details are awaited. (ANI)
Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that the farmers' protest at Punjab's Shambhu and Khanauri borders was orchestrated at AAP leader's behest to serve his political interests. "It was at the behest of Punjab CM @BhagwantMann that Punjab was held to ransom and allowed to bleed financially and economically for 400 days due to a dharna which was never in Punjab farmer's interests," Jhakhar said in a post on X. "CM Bhagwant Mann has used, abused, and humiliated farmers for votes and is now trying to take credit ahead of Ludhiana bypoll for vacating a dharna which he himself propagated. This dharna was never a fight to safeguard farmer rights but for one-upmanship between self-styled 'akhauti' leaders propped up by the CM, to massage their egos and for personal aggrandisement," Jhakhar added. Apart from AAP government in Punjab, Jhakhar also targeted Congress party "cheerleaders". "That they made innocent Punjabi farmer a pawn in their political battles was evident from day 1. The biggest set back of all this would be to Punjab's innocent Kissan and Kissani which have been waylaid and appropriated by an unholy alliance of AAP, so-called farm leaders and Congress party 'cheeleaders' who know nothing about real concerns of agriculture," he said. "The question Punjab is asking that if Shambhu and Khanauri could be vacated yesterday without a semblance of protest by such farm leaders, why let Punjab bleed and suffer loss of lives and revenue for 400 days," he asked. Earlier today, Congress MP Imran Masood criticized the central government, alleging that it was focusing on irrelevant issues while farmers continue to struggle. Speaking to ANI, Masood said, "It is very unfortunate that the farmers of the country are struggling, the youth are frustrated, but the government is busy with irrelevant issues. No one is talking about the farmers; instead, we are digging up issues from 400 years ago and turning them into political debates." He urged the BJP-led central government to talk to the farmers instead of focusing on irrelevant matters. "The farmers are suffering, talk to them. The youth are distressed, engage with them. But instead of addressing these concerns, we're focusing on irrelevant matters. This is the situation unfolding in the country," Masood said. On Wednesday, Punjab police removed farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri Border and Shambhu Border, where they were sitting in protest over their various demands, including a legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all crops. (ANI)
Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL), a pioneer in affordable indigenous vaccine development and manufacturing, announced today the launch of India's only vertically integrated, purpose-designed Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Infrastructure and Viral Vector Production Facility at Genome Valley in Telangana's Hyderabad expanding its expertise from vaccine innovation to leading-edge regenerative and personalised therapies that promise hope for millions, said a release. As per the release, this facility ushers in a new era of gene and cell therapies to tackle scientific challenges such as targeted gene expression, immune system modulation, and long-term cell survival. The work will span from boosting immune responses against cancer to ensuring that therapeutic proteins are safely accepted in patients with genetic diseases like haemophilia. The 50,000-square-foot dedicated state-of-the-art CGT facility represents the next milestone in BBIL's long-standing mission to deliver targeted, life-saving treatments that address unmet clinical needs globally by concentrating on critical conditions such as haematological malignancies and inherited blood disorders. Outlining the purpose behind establishing India's only vertically integrated cell and gene therapy facility, Dr. Krishna Ella, Executive Chairman, of Bharat Biotech, said, "Gene and cell therapies represent some of the most intricate, scientifically advanced treatments available today, involving sophisticated processes that require expertise in precise genetic manipulation and specialized manufacturing capabilities. Bharat Biotech, with its extensive experience and proven excellence in viral vaccine manufacturing, is uniquely positioned to master these complexities and produce human-grade vectors at the scale and consistency needed for clinical trials, thus advancing the global fight against rare and complex diseases." Dr. Raches Ella, Chief Development Officer, Bharat Biotech, spearheading this CGT initiative, said, "Bharat aims to democratize gene therapies, traditionally considered prohibitively expensive and available primarily in developed nations or premium institutions. Our CGT facility is designed to produce high-titer viral vectors (AAV, Lentivirus, Adenovirus), which are essential for cell and gene therapy applications - the crucial material for anti-cancer and genetic disorders and robust clinical development abilities for QC releases. Additionally, it has capabilities to manufacture multiple platform products for various disease indications, including blood cancers, solid organ cancers, and genetic disorders." Prof. Krishanu Saha, University of Wisconsin, Madison, said: "Innovations in biomanufacturing for potentially curative cell and gene therapies originate worldwide. It's thrilling to witness the expertise and commitment to developing and scaling novel ideas in India, particularly at Bharat Biotech. My lab has initiated a pioneering collaboration with Bharat Biotech to develop next-generation CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) cell therapies using AI. Ultimately, genuine innovations in both product design and scaling will enhance patient care globally. "For decades, Bharat Biotech has led India's effort in developing and manufacturing affordable vaccines for critical diseases. "The new CGT facility aligns with BBIL's broader vision of expanding beyond traditional vaccines into personalized medicine. Leveraging our proven expertise in forging strategic global partnerships, this initiative will enable the rapid translation of advanced scientific discoveries--from potent therapeutic vectors to in vivo CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) generation--into real-world solutions," said Dr Ella. Describing the CGT focus Areas to meet the demand for complex disease treatments, Dr.Raches added, "Oncology & Rare Diseases treatment therapies are our key focus areas. This facility will support a wide array of advanced therapies, including CD19 CAR T Cell Therapy for Blood cancers and Gene Therapy. Leveraging this deep expertise, Bharat Biotech is not only bridging the gap between scientific innovation and mass affordability but also reaffirming its enduring commitment to democratizing healthcare for the nation and beyond." The key differentiators and technological innovations include expert collaborations, where a world-renowned scientific advisory board and global research partners guide us on the latest genome editing and cell manufacturing technologies. The facility is equipped for advanced viral vector production, designed to produce high-titer viral vectors such as AAV, Lentivirus, and Adenovirus, which are essential for cell and gene therapy applications. An integrated quality assurance system is in place, with specialized teams overseeing both upstream and downstream processes to ensure regulatory compliance and deliver viral vectors that meet the highest standards for clinical use. Additionally, the scalable infrastructure is designed to accommodate continuous expansion as CGT research evolves and demand increases. Additionally, multiple specialized teams--spanning process development, production, quality assurance, and quality control--will collaborate under one roof to drive the clinical translation of novel therapies. Full-scale operations are on track to commence as the facility finalizes regulatory approvals and completes the remaining build-out phases, the release added. (ANI)
The Joint Committee on the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has scheduled its sittings on March 25 and April 2, 2025. On March 25, the committee will interact with two esteemed guests. First, they will meet Justice D.N. Patel, the Former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, who currently serves as the Chairperson of the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT). Following this, they will engage in a discussion with R. Venkataramani, the Attorney General of India. The committee's next sitting on April 2, will feature interactions with two more distinguished personalities. Justice Hemant Gupta, a former judge of the Supreme Court, will share his insights, followed by a discussion with Justice B.S. Chauhan, former judge of the Supreme Court of India and the Chairman of the 21st Law Commission of India. These sittings are part of the committee's review of the two bills, which aim to introduce significant changes in the Constitution and the laws governing Union Territories. BJP MP and 'One Nation One Election' (ONOE) JPC Chairperson, PP Chaudhary, told ANI on March 18: "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 a very positive meeting. The members sought clarification on various issues." Former Solicitor General Harish Salve expressed confidence that the ONOE Bill did not violate any Constitutional provision and dismissed allegations that it would harm the federal structure of the country. Harish Salve heard the members' questions and presented his opinion, stating that 'One Nation, One Election' is Constitutional and that both Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections can be held together, which has happened earlier as well. He also said that there will be no curtailment of voters' rights and that we need to understand these aspects, a source told ANI. According to sources, former Law Commission Chairman Ajit Shah reviewed the bill but didn't fully support its points; he asked for modifications. The JPC Chairman requested him to provide the necessary modifications in writing. The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for ONOE is gathering views and constitutional suggestions from all members, and the committee will modify the bill accordingly. Sources also indicate that the committee will soon launch a website to gather views from different stakeholders. The Opposition leaders also said that the meeting was going very smooth and that they are discussing and clarifying their queries with the experts. PP Chaudhary had earlier told ANI that "we will bring 'One Nation, One Election' for the benefit of the country. The doubts of the members are being cleared through discussions with experts. A portal was to be launched, and its presentation was made." "After making some corrections, the website for 'One Nation, One Election' will be launched, where stakeholders and others can share their opinions clause-wise," he added. The website will have the bill attached in both Hindi and English, allowing people to give their general opinion after reading the Constitution of India. "We want to make full use of technology so that we know what the country wants. Political parties are on the receiving end, so we want to hear from all sections of society. We will deliberate through the website and as witnesses," he said further. "Members have also spoken about experts, and we are calling experts from time to time to seek their views. Advertisements will be placed in various newspapers and electronic media, allowing stakeholders to share their opinions on what form 'One Nation, One Election' should take. The advertisement will have a QR code for access, and people can share their opinions after reading the bill details," Chaudhary explained. Every member of the JPC is working in the national interest, PP Chaudhary said. The Constitution Amendment Bill on One Nation, One Election, currently under review by the Joint Parliamentary Committee, proposes aligning the election cycles of the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies. (ANI)
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Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke and fire rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. [Photo/Xinhua]

A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

The strikes targeted a building under construction in Sanaa's Geraf neighborhood, damaging nearby residential structures and injuring civilians sheltering in an adjacent building, the channel reported.

The attack marked the second U.S. strike on the area since Saturday, when earlier raids killed 53 people and wounded 98, including women and children, according to Houthi-controlled health authorities.

Wednesday's strikes also expanded to other regions, with al-Masirah reporting strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in governorates such as Saada, al-Bayda, Hodeidah, and al-Jawf.

The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, claimed earlier on Wednesday they had launched cruise missiles at the USS Harry Truman in the Red Sea, calling it their fourth such attack in 72 hours.

The group insists its maritime strikes target only Israeli-linked vessels to pressure Israel to halt its Gaza offensive and allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

The U.S. military, which began strikes on Houthi targets Saturday, says the campaign aims to protect international shipping lanes.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned the Houthis on Saturday to cease attacks or face intensified consequences, declaring, "Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."
In a significant legislative move, the West Bengal Assembly has passed the West Bengal Finance Bill 2025, which includes key amendments to the Bengal Excise Act, 1909, most notably lifting the prohibition on women working in bars, a provision previously deemed discriminatory. The bill, tabled by Minister of State Chandrima Bhattacharya, was passed in the Assembly on Wednesday. The amendments aim to modernise the Bengal Excise Act, aligning it with current legal frameworks and addressing regulatory concerns in the state's excise sector. One of the major changes introduced is the removal of restrictions on the employment of women in ON-category liquor shops. The bill states that this amendment was necessary "to remove the prohibition on employment of women in ON category liquor shops as such provision is discriminatory." Additionally, the bill incorporates updates necessitated by the replacement of major legal codes, namely the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Penal Code, with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, respectively. "The Bengal Excise Act which contained reference to the repealed laws has been amended accordingly," the bill states. Another key change involves the regulation of molasses to prevent its use in illicit liquor production. The bill highlights the need "to include molasses in the definition of material for prevention of using molasses for manufacturing of illicit liquor." It further states that the amendments "are essentially meant to make both the Bengal Excise Act, 1909 and the West Bengal Molasses Control Act, 1973 complementary to each other and to prevent overlapping." While regulatory aspects of molasses such as licensing and permits will continue to be governed by the West Bengal Molasses Control Act, 1973, its misuse for illicit liquor production will now be treated as a penal offence under the Bengal Excise Act, 1909. The bill also introduces a charging provision in the Act for levying penalties on excess wastage of spirit in distilleries and warehouses, describing it as a necessary "regulatory measure." Another amendment extends the duration of temporary liquor licences, ensuring that "liquor establishments may continue operation till permanent settlement, in the interest of State Revenue." Additionally, the bill includes a provision to introduce statutory procedures for the confiscation of seized articles, stating that this will "remove difficulties in operation." Another provision extends the requirement of prior sanction from the state government "for all Excise officers while on duty." Furthermore, the bill formalises a structural change in the excise administration by replacing the title "Additional Excise Commissioner" with "Special Excise Commissioner" due to an upgrade in the post. The Bengal Excise Act had previously been amended in 2024 to strengthen enforcement, classify offences based on the quantity involved, and enhance departmental penalties. (ANI)
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Abhay Singh Chautala on Thursday expressed his happiness after attending an Iftar party at the Pakistan High Commission, stating that such gatherings help in fostering mutual understanding and finding solutions. Speaking to ANI, Chautala said, "We meet at Iftar to understand each other's feelings. When such events are held, they help in finding solutions. I am happy that we were invited. We meet each other on the pretext of Iftar and understand each other's feelings... When such parties and functions are organised, some solution is found." The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi hosted the Iftar gathering as part of its National Day celebrations, attended by dignitaries, diplomats, and prominent personalities. Among the notable attendees was former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, who participated in the event as a guest. The Iftar was held as part of the High Commission's annual observance of Pakistan's National Day, fostering diplomatic engagement and cultural exchange. Pakistan has decided to hold its National Day celebrations in New Delhi again this year, which is observed on March 23, the day the Lahore Resolution was adopted in 1940 by the Muslim League. The resolution played a key role in shaping the demand for a separate nation for Muslims in British India, ultimately leading to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The High Commission's commemoration in India reflects an effort to maintain diplomatic traditions despite ongoing challenges in bilateral relations. Ramzan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide. Observed in the ninth month of the Hijri calendar, it is a period of deep devotion, self-restraint, and reflection. One of the five pillars of Islam, fasting--referred to as Roza--requires abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn to sunset. The month is also a time for prayer, charity, and strengthening communal bonds, with Iftar serving as an important moment for breaking the day's fast in a spirit of togetherness. India has maintained a consistent and principled stance in its approach toward Pakistan. Under the "Neighbourhood First Policy," India has expressed willingness to foster normal and peaceful relations, provided they are free from terror, hostility, and violence. It remains committed to addressing any outstanding matters through bilateral dialogue, under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. At the same time, India has asserted that national security remains paramount and has reiterated its resolve to take decisive measures against any threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. (ANI)
An FIR has been filed by an NRI against a Tibetan national at the Women Police Station in Dharamshala, with charges of criminal intimidation and rape, according to information provided by SP Kangra. The victim, an NRI, is currently undergoing medical tests and will provide a judicial statement. Speaking to ANI, Kangra SP, Shalini Agnihotri, said, "In the women PS of Dharamshala, an FIR was registered with the charges of criminal intimidation and rape. The victim is an NRI...her medical test and judicial statement are required, we are completing those requirements today." She further added, "We have started interrogating the accused...we are exploring all the angles...accused is a Tibetian national, victim is NRI...we have initiated the verification process of their documents. We are in touch with the Tibetian office also..." The accused, who is a Tibetan national, has been interrogated, and the police are looking into all possible angles of the case. Agnihotri also mentioned that the verification of the documents of both the victim and the accused is underway. The police are in regular contact with the Tibetan office to assist in the investigation. Further information is still awaited. Recently, one person has been arrested for allegedly raping a British woman at a hotel in the Mahipalpur area of Delhi, while his accomplice has been taken into custody on molestation charges, Delhi police said. According to Delhi police, the woman had travelled from the UK to meet the accused, whom she had befriended through social media. The incident came to light after the victim approached the police, who registered a case and arrested both suspects. Police said that the woman arrived in Delhi and booked a hotel room where she met the man. However, she soon felt that he was attempting to assault her, leading to an argument between them. The accused then allegedly raped her. The woman managed to escape and reached the hotel's reception, but as she attempted to leave, another man allegedly molested her in the lift. Delhi Police have arrested both suspects and have informed the British High Commission about the incident. (ANI)
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt highlighted the strong ties between India and Sweden, said that both countries share business and political relations with no major challenges while expressing optimism that the long-stalled EU-India trade talks will finally move forward as both sides are now more committed to reaching an agreement. "I think we have a good bilateral relationship between Sweden and India. There are business relationships and good political links. I don't see any clouds on that particular horizon," the Former Swedish PM said. Bildt also stressed the importance of enhancing trade ties between India and the European Union, despite previous difficulties in negotiations. "I hope that we will be able to make progress on the EU-India trade negotiations. That's been a somewhat difficult story over the years. But I think both sides have made a new determination to move forward to a conclusion over the years. And that will greatly facilitate cooperation," he added. Speaking to ANI on Monday, Bildt said 2025 would be a "breakthrough year" in EU-India relations, as both sides are committed to finalising an agreement by the end of this year. "I think that we will have a breakthrough this year in the relationship between the European Union and India. There's a commitment now on both the Indian and the EU sides to have sort of an agreement concluded by the end of the year," he stated. Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Bildt noted that both the EU and India would need to make compromises to reach a deal. "It's got to be difficult. It's got to require compromise both from the European side and the Indian side, but in the rather uncertain environment that we have for global trade with tariffs... I think that would be very important," he added. The former Swedish PM is attending the Raisina Dialogue 2025 along with other world leaders, organised by India's Ministry of External Affairs, to discuss pressing global challenges and strengthen international cooperation. (ANI)
US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, in her press briefing on Wednesday (local time), said that the parties involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict have never been closer to a ceasefire than they are now. Leavitt stated that intelligence sharing with Ukraine will continue. "We've never been this close to peace and it is only because of President Trump that we are here. I think that a couple of years ago, as you all reported on the war, it was incomprehensible to have a partial ceasefire in this conflict, and today, that is true because of the leadership of this President," she said. "Intelligence sharing in terms of defence for Ukraine will continue to be shared," she added. Leavitt also mentioned that Trump had a "very good" phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where they mainly discussed topics from his earlier call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "When it comes to Ukraine, I do have a statement from the National Security Advisor and the Secretary of State. I would like to reiterate what the President said earlier following his call with President Zelenskyy this morning. He said he just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy. It lasted approximately one hour. Much of the discussion was based on a call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. We are very much on track and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz to give an accurate description of the points discussed," she said. US Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce echoed Leavitt's remarks, saying, "One thing that is clear is that, as I've noted, we've never been closer to a full ceasefire." Bruce said that United States Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff noted that they are a short way away from the ceasefire. "As Envoy Witkoff noted last night, we are just a short way away from a complete ceasefire. That is clearly the goal. The goal has always been a ceasefire, within which we can begin negotiations for lasting peace. This agreement reflects our progress toward ending the conflict and is the first agreement that has created the potential for de-escalation, which is what we want. Of course, this brings us closer to a full ceasefire," she said. Bruce said that Trump and Putin agreed on the terms of a ceasefire and movement to peace. "They agreed the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. Full ceasefire and permanent peace... In addition to these conversations, a special envoy Witkoff met with Putin last week. Last weekend, Secretary Rubio spoke with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and, of course, Secretary Rubio and National Security Adviser Waltz met with the Ukrainian delegation. Negotiations will continue in Saudi Arabia in the coming days," she said. Commenting on Russia's strikes on Ukrainian civilian establishments, Bruce said that such attacks are exactly what Trump is trying to stop, emphasizing his commitment to peace. She added that Trump has urged both sides to move toward a ceasefire. "On reports of Russian strikes and civilian infrastructure overnight, attacks like these are precisely what President Trump is committed to peace. It is time for the death and destruction to stop and for an end to the senseless war. Secretary Rubio has said, there is no military solution to this war. All sites need to move to a ceasefire. President Trump has made this clear as well. We cannot get to the table for negotiations to end the war without a ceasefire in place. The shooting has to stop first," she said. (ANI)
Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo described the deal between India and the Philippines for shore-based, anti-ship BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles as an important step in strengthening defence ties between the two nations. Speaking about the agreement, Manalo highlighted its significance for future cooperation in various defence areas. "It was a major significant development in our defence relations and that will open the door for further collaboration not only in terms of military equipment but military cooperation, training, exchanging of officers and operational facilities...," he said. Meanwhile, on Monday, the Philippines Foreign Secretary interacted with members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), where he highlighted the growing engagement between the two nations in strategic sectors. FICCI President Harsha Vardhan Agarwal said, "While we continue to be engaged through trade and investment, I'm happy to see that engagement is diversifying into new and strategic sectors," pointing to 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. India delivered BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines in April last year as part of a USD 375 million deal signed between the two nations in 2022. According to defence sources, the Indian Air Force transported the missiles using its American-origin C-17 Globemaster aircraft to the Philippines Marine Corps. The export of ground systems for the BrahMos missile system, along with the missiles, began last month. The delivery comes at a time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and China due to frequent clashes in the South China Sea. The three batteries of the BrahMos missile system will be deployed in coastal areas to strengthen the Philippines' defence against regional threats. The deal received multiple approvals from partner nations involved in the BrahMos programme. BrahMos, a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is considered one of the world's most advanced missile systems. Recognised as the fastest precision-guided weapon globally, BrahMos has significantly enhanced India's deterrence capabilities. Since 2007, the Indian Army has integrated multiple BrahMos regiments into its arsenal, reinforcing its defence capabilities. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump is planning to sign an executive order on Thursday (local time) that aims to eliminate the US Department of Education, delivering on his campaign promise, USA Today reported, citing senior Trump administration officials. Trump is expected to sign the order at a White House ceremony, which will have the participation of several Republican governors and state education commissioners. Trump will instruct his education secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary measures to facilitate the shut down of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, USA Today reported, citing a White House summary of the order. The order also called for the "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely." Trump's new order will set up a new test for the bounds of presidential authority following the Trump administration's efforts to close the US Agency for International Development, which was blocked this week by a federal district judge in Maryland. The department, which was created in 1978 by Congress as a Cabinet-level agency, will not shut down immediately after Trump's order. Eliminating the department entirely needs action from Congress. In recent weeks, Trump has reduced the agency's workforce, but the agency still exists and continues to oversee vital federal funding programs for schools. In a statement to USA Today, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields said the order "will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students." He said recent test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam "reveal a national crisis - our children are falling behind." According to the White House summary, the order takes aim at "regulations and paperwork" required by the Department of Education, stressing that federal guidance in the form of "Dear Colleague" letters from the department "redirect resources toward complying with ideological initiatives, which diverts staff time and attention away from schools' primary role of teaching." A White House official said federal funding for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title I funding for low-income schools and federal student loan payments will remain unchanged under the order that will be signed by Trump while McMahon works on a plan to "bring these funds closer to states, localities, and more importantly, students." Under the order, education programs that receive "any remaining Department of Education funds" will not be permitted to advance diversity, equity and inclusion or gender ideology, the USA Today reported citing the White House summary. Republican Governors Ron DeSantis, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Greg Abbott, and Mike DeWine will be among the state leaders expected to attend the signing ceremony. Republican lawmakers have long accused the federal government of holding power over local and state education policy, although the federal government has no control over school curriculum. Trump's order comes after over 1,300 Education Department employees received termination notices last week as part of "reductions in force" across the federal government pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Combining cuts with voluntary buyouts, the Trump administration has reduced the department's workforce from 4,133 workers to 2,183 workers since he assumed office for the second term. Trump has been criticising the performance of the US public schools compared with schools in other nations. In February, he said, "We're ranked at the very bottom of the list, but we're at the top of the list in one thing: the cost per pupil." Trump and other Republican lawmakers have made these complaints by relying on data from the Education Department's research arm. Since assuming office for the second term, Trump has talked about giving states the complete authority to oversee schools, often signalling Iowa and Indiana as two strongly performing states that "should run their own education," according to the USA Today report. Local school districts and states already oversee what is taught to students in schools, while the federal government provides limited oversight for schools that receive federal funding. Trump's order markets another test of executive authority embraced by the US President, who has ignored Congress to shut down USAID offices and dismantle the functioning of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (ANI)
The Torkham border crossing reopened on Wednesday after 27 days following successful negotiations between jirga members of Pakistan and Afghanistan, Dawn reported, citing a jirga leader from the Pakistan border. The movement of people between Pakistan and Afghanistan via the Torkham border crossing was abruptly suspended on February 27 after differences between the security forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan over construction activities on both sides of the border. The situation further turned worse after eight people, including six troops, were injured as forces of Pakistan and Afghanistan fired at each other. Several houses, some offices of clearing agents and a mosque were hit by artillery shells and cross-border firing continued for three days. Since then, elders on both sides of the border have held talks to end the stalemate. Around 5,000 commercial trucks had been stuck on both sides, causing loss of millions of dollars to traders on both sides, Dawn reported, citing the vice president of the Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi. Pakistani jirga head Syed Jawad Hussain Kazmi said the decision to reopen the border was taken at a flag meeting held at Torkham on the Afghan side on Wednesday. He said the border has now opened for cargo vehicles and will open for pedestrians and patients on Friday after the Pakistani customs infrastructure, which was damaged due to firing from the Afghan side, is repaired. In addition, an immediate ceasefire has been agreed upon until April 15. Kazmi said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to stop building the checkposts. During the flag meeting, Nangarhar Deputy Governor Molvi Azizullah and Commissioner Molvi Hikmatullah represented the Afghan side. Kazmi said, "Pakistani members of the jirga had pressed for a halt to the controversial constructions on the Afghan side." On March 17, a joint jirga, including elders and traders, brokered a deal that included the reopening of the crossing, a ceasefire, and a halt to the development of check posts on the Afghan side near the border. During the weekly press briefing on March 13, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said that the Afghan side had conducted illegal and unilateral construction activity within the Pakistani territory at two points along the Pakistan border, Dawn reported. Meanwhile, the Taliban-appointed officials said they wanted to construct check posts on their side. The Afghan officials claimed that Pakistan had been involved in the illegal development of towers. Pakistani officials have told the Afghan side that the towers are being constructed in the border terminal to facilitate traders and patients. Earlier, two meetings of Pakistani and Afghan officials and a previous jirga meeting were unable to resolve the issue. (ANI)
US Senator and the NASA Administrator Bill Nelson has thanked God and employees of the US space agency after astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to Earth from the International Space Station after a delay of nine months. In a post on social media platform X, Nelson noted that the vote was unanimous to bring the astronauts back on the SpaceX Dragon capsule. "Now that Butch and Suni are home, I thank the good Lord and the people of NASA for all of their hard work, the testing and retesting to find out why the jets were misfiring. At the end of the day the vote was unanimous to bring them back on Dragon. Thank you," Nelson posted on X. https://x.com/SenBillNelson/status/1902419769019576569 NASA Crew-9 astronauts Sunita Williams, Nick Hague, Butch Wilmore, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov breathed Earth's air for the first time in over nine months on Wednesday after the successful splashdown of SpaceX's Dragon capsule in the Gulf of America off the coast of Florida. The astronauts disembarked the capsule on stretchers, as is customary, CNN reported. SpaceX takes this precaution for all astronauts returning from long-duration space missions. Earlier, a worker rinsed the Crew Dragon spacecraft with fresh water to remove as much salt water as possible. "Saltwater is corrosive, and we want to try and rinse out as much of the salt water as possible to reduce that corrosion on the metallic structures," SpaceX's Kate Tice said. The side hatch of the Crew Dragon remains closed throughout its time in orbit. After docking with the ISS, astronauts enter and exit through a different hatch on top of the vehicle, CNN reported. SpaceX's recovery ship, Megan, used a large rig to lift the capsule carrying the four astronauts out of the water. Nearby crew members closely monitored the spacecraft to ensure there were no fuel leaks. As the capsule splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, several dolphins were seen swimming around it, welcoming the astronauts home. At least five dolphins were captured on video circling the capsule as it bobbed in the water, CNN reported. Boats in the area assisted in stabilizing the capsule and ensuring the astronauts' safety. NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov have been in space since September 2024. However, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams had been away much longer--their journey began last June. Initially expected to last just a week, their mission was extended to more than nine months due to issues with their Boeing Starliner capsule, which delayed their return. (ANI)
Lauding the bilateral ties between Lithuania and India, Lithuania's Foreign Secretary Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa said that the ties between the two nations are "very good" and have only positive elements, giving a strong platform for future collaboration. In an interview with ANI, he said that India and Lithuania have already identified certain areas which are producing practical results. He said that it has been 400 years since the first Lithuanian arrived in India and mentioned about commemorating it. He also spoke about the connection between Lithuanian Language and Sanskrit. On India-Lithuania bilateral ties, he said, "The bilateral relationship that we have, we define as very good. It has only positive elements in it and it gives a strong platform for future collaboration. So, we have already identified certain areas which are producing very practical results. One of those is cultural people to people cooperation. Like this year, for example, we celebrate 400 years since first Lithuanian arrived in India. So we think it's a good opportunity to this be commemorated at a larger scale and at a higher level. We planned some projects in Goa, where this Lithuanian arrived, so maybe some visits from Lithuania will follow." "Everyone knows in India, I guess, that Lithuanian language is connected to Sanskrit. So, this helps to identify Lithuania in Indian society, and we believe this is the element which was missing in the past because of 50 years of our occupation by the Soviet Union, we were erased from the map, we didn't have our embassy and we missed this chance that our European countries had after the second world war. So, now it's been more or less restored and we're looking forward for Mr Jaishankar to also visit the Baltic states, our region in the near future to give another boost to those relation," he added. He called science and technology cooperation as one area, where the two nations have small stories popping up. He said, "Science and technological cooperation, we think that's one area where we already have small success stories popping up. We want that cooperation to receive and get us like more permanent institutional structure. We're discussing that possibility with our Indian counterparts. So, inshallah, you know, we will get those issues institutionalized." Highlighting the connection between the Lithuanian language and Sanskrit language, he said, "We really cherish that connection. Eight generations, at least eight generations of Lithuanians have grown on this idea and this is a real scientifically approved fact that Lithuanian and Sanskrit are very closely connected. So, a few years ago, we produced a small dictionary as a stepping stone to a larger understanding of each other. This small dictionary contains 108 words which are identical and identical means that more than Lithuanian language speaker and modern Hindi language speaker can understand them without a dictionary, an intervention, linguistic intervention. So, now with that basis already widely acknowledged, we are working on a larger dictionary which would have 1,008 words. So, the scholars are already up to that as a project approved. So we believe that in the year to come, we would be proud to present this new dictionary to the Indian public as well." He stated that Lithuania is looking positively at the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) and termed it necessary considering the ongoing transformation in economic global economic structure. On India-EU aiming to conclude FTA by end of this year, he said, "Well, Lithuania is positive, is looking positively about the conclusion of free trade agreement. We believe it is necessary, the economic global economic structure is undergoing certain transformation. The COVID was one reminder that the global supply chains should become shorter. And so everyone realizes that and now with the war on tariffs becoming more and more imminent, I believe that European companies will be looking for for new alternative markets as well as other countries subject to to increase tariffs might be eagerly interested in having new partners in Europe. So, with India what what we have is framework of cooperation, FTA as an additional element to that framework with ease commercial transactions." Earlier in February, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the delegations from India and the European Union held talks on a range of topics in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and EU President Ursula von der Leyen, and the leaders have directed their teams to conclude the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations by this year. Lithuania's Foreign Secretary stated that the Russia-Ukraine conflict is not a war between two European nations, but it is a conflict where one European nation invaded another European nation. He noted that it is not about choosing sides but about choosing matter of principle. On the US-proposed ceasefire for the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he said, "Maybe one thing from the outset, you allow me, I believe that this premise as you described it, that there's Ukraine-Russia conflict, this is flawed in principle. There is no, as we see it in Lithuania and by majority of European nations, this is not some conflict between two European countries. This is not a war of two European countries. It is one European country invading another European country. So, the question is not about choosing sides, whether are you with Russia or are you with Ukraine. It's rather choosing matter of principle. Do you support this idea that another country can come and grab a piece of your territory, declare its own, write it in its constitution and say accept it? or you still believe that the norms of international law apply and international law is very explicit." "It's UN Charter which says that we don't conduct relations in that way. We conduct relations based on mutual respect on acceptance of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. So, if these principles are dear to us, we must defend them. So, that's what Lithuania and other European countries have been doing since the beginning of Russia's invasion and before when the annexation of Crimea started. We are most certain, and I personally am strong believer, but with India we're on the same page here, maybe there are nuances and differences of how we speak about that and we wish that India's voice would be stronger on principles and India's voice would be heard across the global community. But as a matter of fact, we do cherish the same idea," he added. Notably, Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the US proposal to enact an "immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire," which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by Russia. Laimonas Talat-Kelpsa said that Russia needs to stop attacking Ukraine to stop the war. He emphasised that Ukraine's economy needs support to survive and spoke on how EU nations were imposing sanctions on Russia. He stressed that Russia's means and instruments of reproducing war machine is weakening due to the sanctions imposed by the EU. He said, "Wen someone attacks you, means, you cannot resolve that issue through negotiation. You just have to defend yourself. So, the easiest way, everyone realizes that, for this war to stop is for Russia to stop attacking Ukraine, to send in missiles which destroy civilian infrastructure, to stop sending drones which make people hide during the night and then kids avoid going to school to protect themselves, to stop those coercion measures which drove already 8 million of Ukrainians out of their homeland and they cannot come back again. "The entire Ukrainian economy needs so much of support to survive. So, that can end at one single instant when leaders of Russia stop this aggression. So in a way, how can we do that? So we have to put pressure on Russia and in the European Union, we have a very principled policy of sanctions. That's our approach. We see it's working. I mean, it's weakening Russia's means and instruments of reproducing its war machine and generating new tanks, new warheads. So as long as we continue on that track, that works. The problem is that some partners, some countries, they try to circumvent those sanctions for the pursuit of commercial benefit and these are activities which are which also need to be stopped. So we are working in that direction actively," he added. Since the war between Russia and Ukraine started in February 2022, European nations have been imposing sanctions against Moscow and offering support to Kyiv. (ANI)
View of Zhaoxing Dong Village in China's Guizhou

Xinhua) 08:29, March 20, 2025

Villagers make sticky rice and grilled pork for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a night view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows Lusheng, a traditional musical instrument, at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers walk outside the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A visitor uses a camera at the Dong culture exhibition center in the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Visitors take photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers make embroideries in front of a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

An aerial drone photo taken on March 18, 2025 shows a view of the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

This photo taken on March 17, 2025 shows a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Tourists pose for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sit around a firepit at a drum tower at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A villager makes embroideries at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

Villagers sing the grand song of the Dong ethnic group for tourists at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A tourist poses for photos at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 17, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

A villager dries traditional Dong cloth at the Zhaoxing Dong Village in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 18, 2025. Located in Liping County of Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Zhaoxing Dong Village is home to over a thousand households of the Dong ethnic group. The traditional architectural style and rich cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group are well-preserved.

In recent years, while maintaining the historical integrity of the village and inheriting the unique cultural characteristics, the local community has established teams of the grand song of the Dong ethnic group and Dong opera troupes. Traditional ethnic festivals have been transformed into tourism attractions. Furthermore, the development of traditional handicraft enterprises and 433 hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants has created over 2,000 employment opportunities for local villagers, allowing them to benefit economically from the tourism industry. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
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The White House said U.S. President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a phone call on Wednesday agreed to "a partial ceasefire against energy" between Russia and Ukraine.

The phone call came one day after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on Tuesday in their phone talks that the peace in Ukraine "will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire" in Ukraine.

U.S. and Ukraine's "technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire" in Ukraine, said a statement signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz.

Trump and Zelensky discussed the situation in Kursk and "agreed to share information closely between their defense staffs as the battlefield situation evolved," said the statement.

During the phone conversation, Zelensky asked for additional air defense systems, particularly Patriot missile systems, and "President Trump agreed to work with him to find what was available particularly in Europe," said the statement.

Trump also discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants with Zelensky and told the latter: "The United States could be very helpful in running those plants. American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure."

Zelensky wrote on X after speaking to Trump, "One of the first steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. I supported this step, and Ukraine confirmed that we are ready to implement it."

However, the White House statement on Wednesday did not mention that the partial ceasefire would apply to civilian infrastructure as Zelensky suggested.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed at a press briefing later on Wednesday that all intelligence sharing between the United States and Ukraine will continue.
US federal immigration authorities have detained a Georgetown University researcher studying and teaching on a student visa in Virginia in the United States, Politico reported. The detention comes amid the Trump administration's crackdown on student activists whom the government accuses of opposing US foreign policy, Politico reported, citing court papers. Masked agents arrested Badar Khan Suri, an Indian national and postdoctoral fellow, outside his home in Arlington's Rosslyn neighbourhood in Virginia on Monday night, his lawyer said in a lawsuit requesting his immediate release. According to the lawsuit, the agents identified themselves as being with the US Department of Homeland Security and told him the government had revoked his visa. According to the petition filed for Suri's release, he was put in deportation proceedings under the provision of immigration law that the US government has invoked to try to deport Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student and green card holder who led pro-Palestinian protests on campus. The provision enables the US Secretary of State to deport non-citizens if the secretary determines that their presence in the US would threaten the country's foreign policy. His petition said Suri has no criminal record and has not been charged with a crime, Politico reported. In his petition, Suri's lawyer said that Suri is being punished as his wife, who is a US citizen, is of Palestinian heritage and because the government suspects that he and his wife are against the US foreign policy towards Israel. The petition said the couple has "long been doxxed and smeared" on anonymously run, far-right websites due to their support for Palestinian rights. According to the petition, Suri's wife, Mapheze Saleh, has been alleged to have "ties with Hamas" and once worked for Al Jazeera. US Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday issued a determination that the visa of Suri should be cancelled for foreign policy reasons. In a post on X, McLaughlin stated, "Suri was a foreign exchange student at Georgetown University actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media. Suri has close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior advisor to Hamas. The Secretary of State issued a determination on March 15, 2025 that Suri's activities and presence in the United States rendered him deportable under INA section 237(a)(4)(C)(i)." Suri's detention is the latest in such immigration-related arrests that US President Donald Trump says are just beginning to ramp up. According to Trump, these arrests target "terrorist sympathizers" or people who have "engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity." Advocates for these detainees have accused Trump of violating the First Amendment by retaliating against non-citizens, including people in the country legally based on their political views and free speech, as reported by Politico. Suri's legal case was filed in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday. As of Wednesday evening, Suri's case had been assigned to none of the judges, and the court had not taken any action on it. According to Suri's petition, Badar Khan Suri was taken to a facility in Virginia and is expected to be soon transferred to a detention centre in Texas. (ANI)
US President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed that Ukraine and the US will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war and that lasting peace under Trump's leadership can be achieved, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. In a statement, Rubio and Waltz said, "Today, President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a fantastic phone conversation. President Zelenskyy thanked President Trump for a productive start for the work of the Ukrainian and American teams in Jeddah on March 11th. The meeting of the senior officials from both nations significantly helped in moving toward ending the war." Zelenskyy thanked Trump for the support of the US, particularly the Javelin missiles that Trump was the first to provide, and his efforts towards peace. Trump briefed Zelenskyy about his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders reviewed the situation in Kursk and agreed to share information closely with their defence staff as the battlefield situation evolved. In a statement, Rubio and Waltz stated, "The leaders agreed Ukraine and America will continue working together to bring about a real end to the war, and that lasting peace under President Trump's leadership can be achieved." During the conversation, Zelenskyy asked for additional air defence systems to protect his civilians, especially the Patriot missile system. Trump agreed to work with Zelenskyy to find what was available, particularly in Europe, according to the statement. In the statement, Trump and Waltz said, "The two leaders also agreed on a partial ceasefire against energy. Technical teams will meet in Saudi Arabia in the coming days to discuss broadening the ceasefire to the Black Sea on the way to a full ceasefire. They agreed this could be the first step toward the full end of the war and ensuring security. President Zelenskyy was grateful for the President's leadership in this effort and reiterated his willingness to adopt a full ceasefire." Trump discussed Ukraine's electrical supply and nuclear power plants. Trump stated that the US could be very helpful in running those plants with its electricity and utility expertise. The statement said, "American ownership of those plants would be the best protection for that infrastructure and support for Ukrainian energy infrastructure." Zelenskyy thanked Trump for continuing to push humanitarian concerns, including the exchange of POWs. He noted they had just had a successful exchange and thanked the President for his leadership. Trump asked Zelenskyy about the children who had gone missing from Ukraine during the war, including the ones that had been abducted. Trump expressed willingness to work closely with both parties to help make sure those children were returned home. They agreed all parties must continue the effort to make a ceasefire work. In a statement, Rubio and Waltz said, "The Presidents noted the positive work of their advisors and representatives, especially Secretary Rubio, National Security Advisor Waltz, Special Envoy Kellogg, and others. The Presidents instructed their teams to move ahead with the technical issues related to implementing and broadening the partial ceasefire. The Presidents instructed their advisors and representatives to carry out this work as quickly as possible. The Presidents emphasized that in further meetings, the teams can agree on all necessary aspects of advancing toward lasting peace and security." Earlier, Trump announced he had a "very good" one-hour phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, aimed at a possible ceasefire with Russia. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. It lasted approximately one hour. Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs. We are very much on track, and I will ask Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, to give an accurate description of the points discussed. That Statement will be put out shortly." (ANI)
World Sindhi Congress held a huge protest to voice their concerns over the construction of illegal canals along the Indus River during the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council at Geneva, and draw attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Pakistan's Sindh. The demonstrators, mainly Sindhi activists, expressed their concerns about the construction of unauthorized canals on the Indus River, which they claim are severely damaging the region's agriculture and ecosystem. One of the protesters stated, "Due to this our agriculture and delta is destroyed. They want to take the last drop of water so that Sindhi people die. Children and women farmers all have risen against the atrocities of Pakistan. Sindh is in the struggle for their survival. In addition to this, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killing, and the persecution of Sindhi Hindus have intensified the protest. This is a matter of life and death and a matter of survival." The protesters denounced Pakistan's actions, calling the situation a "genocide," citing atrocities committed in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and historically in Bangladesh. The protester stated, "One word for Pakistan is genocide. They are committing genocide in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh. Pakistan also committed genocide in Bangladesh. They are bombarding civilian areas in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They are not abducting 100 but more than thousands of people from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They have killed millions in the form of genocide." The Sindhi people have been suffering from a lack of food and water, and there is also a shortage of medical supplies in the region. Holding placards that read "No Canal on Indus River," "Sindhi Lives Matter," and "No Illegal Canals on River Indus," the protestors stressed that these unauthorized canals are draining resources from the region. The protest concluded with a strong call for the international community to address these grave issues and ensure that the Sindhi people's survival is prioritized in any peace or humanitarian efforts. (ANI)
The Indian Himalayan Council of Nalanda Buddhist Tradition (IHCNBT) will convene its first General Assembly at the India International Centre (IIC) in the national capital on March 21 and 22. The event will bring together 120 Buddhist delegates from various Himalayan states across India to engage in vital discussions on the preservation and promotion of the core philosophies and practices of Buddhism, specifically the Nalanda Buddhist tradition. This two-day assembly will focus on addressing the challenges that the Nalanda Buddhist tradition faces in a rapidly changing world. Delegates will examine the effects of modernization, globalization, and socio-political issues on the preservation of these sacred teachings. The assembly aims to identify practical solutions and strategies to ensure the continuity of Buddhist traditions for future generations. The event provides a crucial platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration among Himalayan Buddhist communities. It will foster a deeper connection among these communities and strengthen efforts to protect the essence of Buddhist philosophy and practices. Additionally, the assembly will provide an opportunity for delegates to discuss how to safeguard the rich cultural heritage of the Himalayan Buddhist traditions, which include ancient practices, teachings, and rituals. IHCNBT, founded under the patronage of Nalanda Buddhist spiritual masters from across the Trans Indian Himalayan region, is an important body in the preservation of these traditions. Spanning from the Western Himalayas of Ladakh, Lahaul-Spiti-Kinnaur, Kaza (HP), Uttarkashi, and Donda in Uttarakhand to the Eastern Himalayas of Sikkim, Darjeeling-Kalimpong (WB), and Monyul-Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, the Council has become a national force in safeguarding Himalayan Buddhism. Rooted in the ancient Nalanda University tradition, the IHCNBT focuses on preserving not only the spiritual aspects of Buddhism--such as meditation, monastic discipline, and philosophical study--but also the region's rich cultural and artistic heritage. This includes visual arts, sculpture, painting, music, dance, and architecture, all of which are integral to the Himalayan Buddhist identity. The Council is committed to protecting sacred sites, ancient manuscripts, and rituals that face threats from modern development, climate change, and external influences. In addition to its preservation efforts, the IHCNBT organizes festivals, workshops, and educational programs to bridge the gap between local communities and their Buddhist heritage. The Council also promotes interfaith dialogue and collaborates with local governments and international Buddhist organizations to ensure the continued respect and safeguarding of this unique cultural legacy. Through these efforts, the Indian Himalayan Buddhist Council of Nalanda Tradition plays a vital role in the preservation and global understanding of the Himalayan Buddhist way of life. (ANI)
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused the "leftist Deep State" of "weaponising" the justice system against him, The Times of Israel reported. "In America and in Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the leftist Deep State weaponizes the justice system to thwart the people's will. They won't win in either place! We stand strong together," Netanyahu posted in English from his official account." Netanyahu wrote on his official prime minister account on X. However, the Israeli PM deleted the tweet in less than an hour and posted the same message from his personnel account. Netanyahu's statement came after he detained and questioned two suspects in relation to an ongoing investigation into whether thousands of dollars were funnelled from Qatar to one or more of Netanyahu's aides. The Times of Israel quoting Hebrew Media reported that one of the suspects was released home under unspecified conditions on Thursday morning, while the second is under interrogation. Earlier this week, the Axios news site quoted aides to the prime minister saying that Netanyahu decided to move ahead with his planned firing of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in early February, after leaving his trip to Washington inspired by the moves Trump took "against the deep state" and his appointment of loyalists to key posts, The Times of Israel reported. The government's plans to renew controversial legislation to increase political power over the judiciary along with their plans to fire Bar as well as Attorney General Gali-Baharav-Miara, added with the resumption of airstrikes in Gaza have sparked major anti-government protest in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, President Isaac Herzog expressed complete faith in the country's judiciary. "Israel's strong and independent judicial system is an asset to our democracy, and the president of Israel is very proud of it," Herzog wrote on X. Additionally, Opposition leader Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid party accused Netanyahu of having "completely lost it," in response to the post. "He's gone off the rails" and is "spreading dangerous conspiracies, undermining the rule of law, and slandering Israel," the centrist party posted from its official X account. "He is in panic mode. He knows that his inner circle is mired in foreign interests and that the truth will be revealed. This is not leadership, this is a dangerous and embarrassing panic." (ANI)
The police in Fuyang city of Anhui province raided the Wheatseed Reform Church and detained two of its members under administrative detention for allegedly engaging in cult activities that pose a threat to society, according to the Weiquanwang rights website, RFA reported.

The two detained church members have hired lawyers and filed for an administrative review, but the Fuyang municipal government has not yet accepted or rejected the request, RFA reported.

The incident was also reported by the US-based Christian rights group China Aid. According to the group, the two church members recently received 15-day administrative detention sentences for "using cult activities to endanger society."

Local Christians believe the action is likely related to the church's refusal to join the Communist Party's Three-Self Patriotic Association, which oversees approved Protestant organizations.

Since Chinese President Xi Jinping took office, the government has been conducting a nationwide crackdown on religious activities and venues associated with Muslims, Christians, and Tibetan Buddhists, which began in 2017.

Protestant churches are permitted to operate if they are part of the government-backed Three-Self Patriotic Association. The "three selfs" refer to self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation, essentially emphasizing a rejection of foreign influence, while the term "patriotic" signifies loyalty to the Chinese government, RFA reported.

China has numerous unauthorized "house churches" throughout the country, which are often raided by authorities. Even some "Three-Self" churches have occasionally been targeted as well.

Earlier, police and local authorities conducted a raid on the Xinyi Village Church in Huainan city, Anhui, detaining nine members, including Pastor Zhao Hongliang, RFA reported.

China's oppressive measures, particularly under Chinese President Xi Jinping, have been widely criticized for targeting various aspects of society, including freedom of expression, religious practices, and political dissent. (ANI)
The relatives had assembled to identify bodies brought in by security forces. The violence erupted on Wednesday when families of forcibly disappeared persons, along with human rights activists, attempted to enter the hospital to view the bodies, The Balochistan Post reported.

Last week, Pakistani forces had transferred 23 unidentified bodies to the facility. The police charged the crowd without warning.

"A large group of people, including women, children, and elderly, were peacefully gathered to identify the bodies when police suddenly started baton-charging, injuring several women," one eyewitness stated.

The situation worsened after reports surfaced that 13 of the unidentified bodies were secretly buried at Quetta's Kasi graveyard late on Tuesday night. Local residents claimed to have seen police and official vehicles quickly bury the bodies before leaving the area, as reported by the Balochistan Post.

The covert nature of the burial raised suspicions among families, who feared that their missing loved ones could be among those buried without identification.

Following public protests and increasing outrage, authorities allowed some families into the hospital on Wednesday evening, where five bodies were identified and returned to their relatives, the Balochistan Post reported.

In a separate incident, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) organized a large protest rally to condemn the targeted killing of Shah Jahan Baloch, the 11-year-long enforced disappearance of Chairman Zahid Baloch, and the ongoing systematic violence perpetrated by the Pakistani state and its affiliated death squads in Naal, Khuzdar district of Balochistan.

Security forces in Balochistan have been accused of widespread atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and violent crackdowns on peaceful protests. These actions, often linked to the state's efforts to suppress dissent, have left Baloch communities living in fear, with numerous cases of abuse going uninvestigated or unresolved. (ANI)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sent a letter to Tibetan President in-exile, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) said in a statement. Rubio, in the letter sent on March 10, reiterated the US' unwavering commitment to promoting Tibetans' human rights and assisting them in exercising their fundamental liberties without fear of retaliation and leading peaceful, dignified lives. Sikyong Penpa Tsering, during the current ninth Tibetan parliamentary session, said that a letter personally sent by Marco Rubio to the Sikyong of the Central Tibetan Administration demonstrates the US' steadfast support for the Tibetan cause. This historic gesture, likely the first of its kind, signifies a profound and continuous awareness of the struggle of the Tibetan people, according to a CTA statement. It further solidifies the long-standing relationship between the US government and the Tibetan population. Sikyong praised the 16th Kashag, the Office of Tibet in Washington, DC, the International Campaign for Tibet, and the Tibet Fund for their continued efforts to secure aid that is essential to the preservation of Tibetan religious heritage, culture, and language, according to CTA. Sikyong emphasized that the goals and programs of the Central Tibetan Administration must be in line with the objectives of the current U.S. government and, most importantly, the larger ambitions of the Tibetan people. Earlier on March 1, Marco Rubio has extended wishes to Tibetans on Losar, also known as the Tibetan New Year and expressed US' commitment to protecting the "universal, fundamental, and inalienable human rights" of Tibetans and promoting their distinct cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage. In a statement, Rubio stated, "I extend my warmest wishes to all those celebrating Losar, the Tibetan New Year. On this first day of the Year of the Wood Snake, we celebrate the strength and perseverance of the Tibetan community worldwide." "The United States remains committed to protecting the universal, fundamental, and inalienable human rights of Tibetans and promoting their distinct cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage. I wish Tibetans celebrating all across the world peace and prosperity in the new year. Losar Tashi Delek and Happy New Year," he added. The constant reiteration across many platforms, notwithstanding the suspension of USAID assistance, highlights the United States' unwavering commitment to enforcing its policies on Tibet and its longstanding support for the Tibetan cause, CTA emphasized. (ANI)
Israel expressed grief over the death of a Bulgarian citizen, a UN worker, in the Gaza Strip and said that investigations regarding the circumstances of the incident are being conducted. In a statement posted on X, Israel's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday stated that the "initial examination found no relation to Israel Defence Forces (IDF)" activity, and the IDF forces are assisting in evacuating the body and the wounded who will undergo treatment in hospitals in Israel. "We express sorrow over the death of the Bulgarian citizen, a UN worker, today in the Gaza Strip. The circumstances of the incident are being investigated. We emphasize that the initial examination found no connection to IDF activity whatsoever. IDF forces are also assisting in evacuating the body and the wounded, who will be treated in hospitals in Israel," Israel Foreign Ministry posted on X. https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/1902414275291025623 Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grief to learn about the death of a United Nations Office for Project Services staff member, when two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah were hit in strikes. He noted that five other UN personnel were also seriously injured. Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, said, "The Secretary-General was deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the death of a United Nations Office for Project Services staff member when two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah were hit in strikes. Five other UN personnel were seriously injured." "The locations of all UN premises are known to the parties to the conflict, who are bound by international law to protect them and maintain their absolute inviolability. The Secretary-General strongly condemns all attacks on UN personnel and calls for a full investigation. He underscores that all conflicts must be conducted in a way that ensures civilians are respected and protected," he added. Guterres offered condolences to the family of the UN staff member who was killed. He noted that the deadly strike brings the number of UN colleagues killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023 to at least 280. Antonio Guterres stressed the need for the ceasefire to be respected to bring an end to the suffering of the people. He stated that humanitarian aid must reach all people in need, and the hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Earlier this week, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz directed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to "take strong action against the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip." The decision follows Hamas's continued refusal to release Israeli hostages and its rejection of "all of the proposals it has received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators," according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office. https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1901805676764029174 The Israeli government also warned that it "will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength." The latest offensive follows an operational plan presented by the IDF over the weekend and subsequently approved by the political leadership. (ANI)
The Donald Trump administration is planning to take control of the buffer zone along the southern border in New Mexico and to empower US troops to hold migrants illegally entering the country, The Washington Post reported quoting officials familiar with the matter. As per the officials, these deliberations have been underway for weeks focusing on a section of the border in New Mexico. This move would turn buffer zones into expansive satellite military installations. This move is a part of Trump's border crackdown. As reported by The Washington Post, this effort would enable the most significant use yet of active-duty forces at the border under Trump. However, the militarisation of the buffer zone would certainly raise questions about whether employing the military in this way runs afoul of the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law that prohibits active-duty troops from most law enforcement missions. The military-controlled buffer zone could measure 60 feet deep and would stretch to west to California if the plan is approved, officials told The Washington Post. Additionally, the officials revealed that the Pentagon officials have asked military officers to examine whether any legal complications could arise from having US troops temporarily hold those crossing illegally when CBP agents are not immediately available to arrest them, officials said "It's very, very careful on that wording," said one defence official familiar with the discussion. "It's not 'detention' because once you go into detention, it has the connotations of being detained for arrest. This is holding for civilian law enforcement." Trump's defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has enthusiastically supported other efforts to employ the military at the southern border, a mission he views as essential to US national security. "We have defended other places and other spaces," Hegseth said in February during an initial trip to the border as Pentagon chief. "We will defend this line," The Washington Post reported. (ANI)
 Flash

Israeli troops are seen near the southern Israeli border with Gaza, on March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

Israel on Wednesday expressed "sorrow" over the death of a Bulgarian United Nations staff member in strikes on UN guesthouses in Gaza's Deir al-Balah but said an initial investigation found no Israeli involvement in the incident.

The United Nations said the staffer, employed by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), was killed when two UN facilities were hit. Five other personnel sustained serious injuries.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein said a preliminary inquiry "found no connection" between Israeli military operations and the strike.

"The circumstances of the incident are being investigated," he said, adding that Israel facilitated the evacuation of the victim's body and the wounded from the site.

The injured would receive treatment in Israeli hospitals, he said in a post on social media platform X.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack as a violation of international law. "All UN premises' locations are known to parties to the conflict, who are obligated to protect them," a UN spokesperson said in a statement.

Guterres extended condolences to the victim's family, noting that the death brought the number of UN staff killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023 to at least 280.

"These premises were well known by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and they were 'deconflicted'," UNOPS chief Jorge Moreira da Silva said, adding that it was clear UN personnel were inside at the time.

"This was not an accident, this was an incident," he told reporters, saying additional information was being gathered.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Israeli military denied targeting the compounds. "Contrary to reports, the IDF did not target a UN facility in Deir al-Balah," it said in a statement.

The incident occurred as Israel renewed military operations in Gaza, which officials say are aimed at Hamas militants. Gaza health authorities reported more than 400 Palestinian deaths since Tuesday, including at least 170 children and 80 women, after Israel resumed strikes following a weeks-long ceasefire that began on Jan. 19.

Israel's military said the operations were intended to "eliminate Hamas threats" and would continue "until strategic objectives are achieved."
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], March 20 (ANI: Slovakia's Honorary Consulate was inaugurated in Kolkata on Thursday. The inauguration ceremony was attended by a high-profile Slovak delegation, including Slovakia's Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Blanar, Slovakia's Minister of Finance, Ladislav Kamenicky, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia, Rastislav Chovanec, Slovakia's Ambassador to India, Robert Maxian, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Slovakia, Marian Kery. Jupiter Group MD Vivek Lohia, who is also the Honorary Consul General of Slovakia also attended the ceremony. Speaking to ANI, Juraj Blanar said, "It is really privilege for me to be here and to feel that I feel like in my hometown or my home country because now we can see that this is going to be a small piece of Slovak territory here in Kolkata, sovereign territory of Kolkata." Praising Honorary Consul Vivek Lohia, he said, "Excellency Honorary Consul, is a very distinguished, and very smart person who is well known in this region. And it's a privilege to have you as an honorary consul here because it is a great potential for us to expand our cooperation between our countries, Slovakia and India as well. We don't want to be only in the central India around the capital of India. We want to spread throughout all India. That's why we are reopening this honorary consulate here in Kolkata., in West Bengal and also we want to be active in the neighbouring states like Odisha and also the Uttar Pradesh. This is something which gives us a great opportunity, I mean not only for the Indian investors but also for Slovakia investors and businessmen." He said that West Bengal is very developed when it comes to railways and airports. He also talked about Slovakia's participation in the West Bengal Business Forum. Juraj Blanar said, "West Bengal is a well developed, country states with infrastructure when it comes to roads, when it comes to railways, also the airports. In West Bengal, you've got something as far as I was informed, 9 million of medium and small and medium enterprises, which is proportionately 14 per cent overall of whole India. So can you see this big room for our cooperation? That's why we regularly attend the West Bengal Business Forum. summit which is every year, and I think that's another part of of opportunity. So, I could continue in many ways. As you know, we already have experience with investors from India in Slovakia. The biggest investment in Slovakia and the European Union also is Tata Group, Jaguar Land Rover, EUR1.4 billion. Another one is Uttar Pradesh batteries and other investment and there are 5 or 6 other companies staying in the pipeline to invest in Slovakia. So, we would like to strengthen our cooperation and honorary consul, I would like to really congratulate to having this position, but let me frankly say also that Slovakia would like to have also achievable result." "That's why we are opening this honorary consulate because as I said, many rooms are open for us like different machinery IT by the way, I heard that West Bengal is like Silicon Valley of IT developing very rapidly and also we would like to have some achievement in education and university student exchange and also we would like to have some cultural exchange because I think the best to do any business to know each other, people to people relations. That's why I really appreciate that our Excellency honorary consul has already got many experiences from Slovakia, even more frequently travelled to Slovakia than me to India, by the way, because I am the 2nd time here and I really appreciate that what we have done," he added. He said that trade turnover between two nations has increased up to almost EUR1.3 billion. He thanked Slovakia's Ambassador to India Robert Maxian for doing the job well in India. Speaking about the trade turnover between two nations, he said, "Our trade turnover raised since the last year when it was 800 million up to almost EUR1.3 billion. That means we are growing and we would like to continue in this. I would like to thank our Excellency Ambassador Mr. Robert Maxian because he has done a great job here. He's travelling around and finding a really reputable people as you are, and I think this is something which we have to really appreciate and I'm looking forward to our cooperation." Juraj Blanar handed over the honorary consulate stamp and ID of the Slovak Republic to Lohia and said, "we are looking forward to our cooperation and we try to also help you as much as possible from our side, from Slovakia, from also our embassy." Speaking to reporters, Vivek Lohia called it a "momentous and historical occasion" and said that he felt blessed as Slovakia gave him the responsibility to represent them in Kolkata. He stressed that the ties between two nations have been "historical" and the ties are getting strengthened further. Lohia said, "I think today is a very momentous and historical occasion. Where we are reopening the consulate in Calcutta, and I'm blessed that Slovakia has given this opportunity to me to represent them in this part of the country. The relationship between Slovakia and India has been a very historical relationship and the relationship is now getting strengthened further. I think we all shared a very common ethos and values in terms of development oriented and peace loving nations. There's a very strong industrial connect as the ...has already mentioned. Slovakia is very strong in engineering and automotive in Europe. It's the biggest manufacturer of automotive components and cars." "It has from Volkswagen to Tata Jaguar to all the major companies. We have also contributed in a small way. We have a partnership with a company called ...which is the biggest manufacturer in Europe for freight cars, it's a Slovak company. We have a very strong relationship with them in India. They are our shareholders in Jupiter wagons. Now with....we are investing close to EUR500 million in India and Slovakia to set up a new plan for manufacturing of wheels and axles which will not only be used in the Indian market but also in the European market," he added. He noted that Eastern India holds a lot of potential. He said, "We also have a relationship with the Czech Slovak group which is again we have a joint venture with them in India for brake systems, and that business is also expanding in a significant way. And I think eastern India holds a lot of potential and with the engineering and the automotive and defence and IT, the talent which is there in Slovakia and especially in the eastern part of India, as we know that Kolkata in eastern India has a very strong industrial base, so we believe there is a very strong opportunity for both the Nations to collaborate both for the Indian market and the Slovak market and the partnership can grow very strongly and rapidly." He also talked about the B2B conference, which will have participation of over 100 industries. He said, "I think with the ministers coming here and they are coming today with a very big trade delegation where in the evening we are having a B2B conference which is there where about more than 100 industries from this part of the world will interact with the Slovak delegation, and I think that will foster very strong and fruitful relationship between both countries and I think you know our Prime Minister is very focused to enhance India's foreign policy as well as the industrial to build the economic strength of the country, so we will continue to work with his blessings." (ANI)
Chinese authorities closely monitored Thai journalists during a carefully controlled visit to Xinjiang this week, demanding to review their photos and delete any unapproved images before they could be sent back to Thailand, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA). The visit was part of Beijing's effort to showcase the welfare of Uyghurs who had been deported from Thailand. On February 27, Thailand deported 40 Uyghur men to Xinjiang, claiming that no third country had agreed to accept them and that China had assured their safety. However, U.S. officials later acknowledged that the United States and other nations had offered to resettle the Uyghurs. The deported individuals were among more than 300 Uyghurs who fled persecution in Xinjiang but were detained in Thailand for over a decade. The deportation was met with strong international condemnation. The United States imposed visa restrictions on certain Thai officials involved in the process, a move criticised by Western nations and human rights organisations. In response to mounting criticism, China invited Thai Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and a team of journalists for a three-day visit to Kashgar, Xinjiang, beginning Tuesday, to highlight the welfare of the deportees and others who were forcibly returned in 2015, RFA reported. However, journalists on the trip described heavy surveillance by Chinese security officials. "Thai journalists were escorted by security personnel, who also requested to vet the images before allowing them to be sent back to Thailand," said Pranot Vilapasuwan, news director at Thai-language daily Thairath, on Facebook, as quoted by RFA. Pranot added that reporters were instructed to avoid photographing Chinese officials or, if they took images of Uyghurs and their families, to blur their faces. He also confirmed that Thai officials had screened journalists before the trip. "This means security agencies were filtering the media," Pranot said during a program on Thairath online. Human Rights Watch senior researcher Sunai Phasuk criticised the visit, calling it a staged attempt by China to control the narrative. "Thailand is parroting China's propaganda and collaborating in the crimes against Uyghurs," Sunai said. (ANI)
China has executed four Canadian nationals on drug-related charges, a move that has drawn strong condemnation from the Canadian government and further strained diplomatic relations between the two countries, the New York Times reported. Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly confirmed the executions on Wednesday, stating that Ottawa had sought clemency for the individuals but was ultimately unsuccessful. "We will continue to engage with China as we'll continue to not only strongly condemn but also ask for leniency for other Canadians that are facing similar situations," Joly told reporters. The executions were first reported by The Globe and Mail, citing Canada's Department of Global Affairs. According to the report, the executions took place earlier this year, though no specific dates were provided. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa defended the decision, emphasising the country's strict penalties on drug-related crimes. Joly said that both she and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had made direct appeals to Beijing to prevent the executions. The four individuals, who held Canadian and Chinese citizenship, had been facing criminal charges linked to drug offences, according to Chinese authorities. However, China does not recognise dual nationality, treating them solely as Chinese citizens under its legal system. A statement from Ottawa, cited by The Globe and Mail, condemned the executions as "inconsistent with basic human dignity." The Canadian government has not released the names of those executed, respecting the wishes of their families. John Kamm, founder of the Dui Hua Foundation, a San Francisco-based human rights organisation that advocates for individuals on death row in China, confirmed that he had been involved in lobbying efforts on behalf of the four men but could not disclose further details due to privacy concerns. He noted that the cases were handled in Guangdong province and described it as "highly unusual" for China to execute four foreigners within a short period. The judicial review process for the four men had been ongoing for two years before the executions were carried out, Kamm said. Tensions between Canada and China have been high since late 2018 when the Chinese government detained Canadian citizens Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, following Canada's arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the request of US authorities. The arrests of Kovrig and Spavor were widely criticised as acts of "hostage diplomacy," with the two men eventually released in 2021 after Meng was allowed to return to China, reported the New York Times. Since then, relations have remained strained. Trudeau and senior members of his cabinet have increasingly spoken out against China over human rights concerns, espionage allegations, and accusations of Chinese interference in Canadian elections. Joly previously described China as an "increasingly disruptive global power" and cautioned Canadian businesses about the risks of operating there. On Wednesday, Joly reiterated Canada's condemnation of the executions, stating that Ottawa would continue advocating for other Canadians facing similar legal proceedings in China. The Chinese Embassy, however, dismissed Canada's criticism, insisting that the cases were handled according to Chinese law. "The facts of the crimes committed by the Canadian nationals involved in the cases are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient," the embassy said in a statement. It also urged Canada to respect China's judicial sovereignty and to "stop making irresponsible remarks." Among those still facing capital punishment in China is Canadian citizen Robert Lloyd Schellenberg, who was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking. His sentence was later escalated to the death penalty in 2019 following a swift retrial, which took place shortly after Canada arrested Meng Wanzhou, the New York Times reported. Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, warned that foreign nationals in China remain vulnerable to arbitrary detention and opaque legal proceedings. "Foreigners, like every person in China, are at risk of all kinds of arbitrary detentions and unfair trials," she said. "The universe of cases is really big and we only hear about some of them occasionally." Lynette Ong, a professor specialising in Chinese politics at the University of Toronto, said the timing of these executions suggests that Beijing is maintaining pressure on Canada in diplomatic negotiations. "After the release of the two Michaels, people had hoped for a thaw in relations, but that has not taken place on a substantive scale," Ong said. "The timing of these executions is a way for Beijing to keep up the pressure and keep up the leverage over Canada in bilateral discussions." (ANI)
Speaking at the plenary session of the Congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), Putin highlighted the importance of strengthening ties with BRICS nations to support long-term economic growth. His remarks were published on the official website of the Russian President.

Putin highlighted that the combined gross domestic product (GDP) of BRICS nations grew by 4.9 percent in 2024, reported TV BRICS.

He noted that economic growth in different regions worldwide is expected to remain stable for the coming decades, suggesting that BRICS will play a key role in sustaining global economic momentum. He stressed that continued development within the association would contribute to this positive trend, reinforcing the importance of international cooperation.

The Russian president further urged domestic businesses to take full advantage of opportunities within BRICS, including partnerships with existing and future member states, TV BRICS reported.

"I expect Russian business to take the most active part in these joint projects with our BRICS partners and its future members," Putin stated.

He pointed to the increasing significance of BRICS in global economic affairs and encouraged greater involvement in collaborative initiatives.

Russia has been deepening its engagement with BRICS nations across multiple sectors, including energy, finance, and industrial development. As part of this cooperation, member states are actively discussing steps to transition towards settlements in national currencies, develop a unified payment system, and enhance transport corridors.

The BRICS alliance, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, continues to explore strategies for expanding trade and investment among its members. (ANI)
The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) in Moscow hosted the International Youth Forum "Russia-Asia: Human Resources Potential of the Nuclear Industry of the Region," where students and experts from multiple countries presented advancements in nuclear technology, TV BRICS reported. The event focused on strengthening cooperation between Russia and Asian nations in the nuclear sector, highlighting its role in energy, medicine, and environmental sustainability. Industry professionals from Russia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and other countries participated in the plenary session. In a video address, Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia, noted that around 60 new nuclear reactors are under construction globally, with the majority located in Asia. He emphasised Russia's achievements in the field, stating that the country's nuclear industry is among the most advanced and knowledge-intensive. "The domestic nuclear industry is one of the most advanced and knowledge-intensive industries. The share of nuclear generation in total electricity production is about 20 per cent. That is, every fifth light bulb in Russia shines thanks to the work of nuclear power plants. At the same time, even more ambitious goals lie ahead: by 2045, this figure is expected to reach 25 per cent," Kosachev said. Russian Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education Konstantin Mogilevsky highlighted that collaboration with Asian nations in this field is based on unity and pragmatic cooperation. He underscored the ministry's commitment to ensuring high-quality education and knowledge exchange for students pursuing careers in nuclear technology, reported TV BRICS. The forum featured seven thematic sections, covering topics such as nuclear reactors, radiation safety, agrotechnologies, ecology, nuclear medicine, industrial partnerships, and youth participation in nuclear initiatives. One section focused on the contributions of graduates to regional development, with participants discussing the role of nuclear education in sustainable growth. Indonesian participant Yusriani Mardhiyyah Arifin presented a study on how urbanisation affects vegetation and ecological indicators around tectonic faults in Bandung using satellite imagery. Meanwhile, Myanmar's Ye Yan Naing and Htun Htun Aung introduced environmentally safe methods for synthesising polymer sulfur through high-energy chemistry. Hossain Sijan from Bangladesh demonstrated digital tools designed to enhance environmental education. In the Nuclear Medicine section, experts shared insights on neutron therapy, a type of radiotherapy using neutrons to target cancer cells. Discussions also covered the potential of nuclear medicine for treating glioblastoma, as well as the concept of nuclear energy rehabilitation centres, TV BRICS reported. This marks the first international youth forum of its kind, designed to increase interest in Russian nuclear education and foster global trust in nuclear technology. Since 2020, a related event, the "Russia-Africa: Nuclear Education - Potential for Successful Regional Development" forum, has been held to promote similar initiatives. (ANI)
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, accompanied by Rear Admiral Garin Golding, Chief of Navy, Royal New Zealand Navy (CN-RNZN), visited INS Surat, the Indian Navy's latest indigenously built guided missile destroyer, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, an official press release by the Ministry of Defence stated. The delegation was warmly received by Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Western Naval Command, who provided them with an overview of the warship's advanced technology, strategic significance, and role in national maritime security. Commissioned on January 15, 2025, INS Surat is the newest addition to India's naval fleet, designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in Mumbai. The vessel exemplifies India's push for self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, with over 75 per cent indigenous content, stated the press release. The Prime Minister's visit coincided with the ongoing port call of the Royal New Zealand Navy Ship HMNZS Te Kaha, which is docked in Mumbai from March 19 to 24, 2025. Additionally, Commodore Rodger Ward, Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, is also in Mumbai for engagements at Headquarters, Western Naval Command. These high-level visits underline the growing partnership between the Indian Navy and the RNZN, fostering deeper cooperation in maritime security and defense collaboration. During the visit, CN-RNZN RAdm Golding held discussions with VAdm Sanjay J Singh on strategic naval engagements and the evolving security landscape. He also received a detailed briefing on the role of Western Naval Command. As part of his engagements, the Admiral visited the Heritage Hall at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, and conferred with the Admiral Superintendent of Dockyard on potential technical support for HMNZS Te Kaha's return visit in April 2025. He also paid homage to fallen personnel by laying a wreath at Gaurav Stambh in Naval Dockyard. The visit of HMNZS Te Kaha includes a series of planned activities to enhance bilateral ties, such as cross-deck visits, sporting events, and social interactions, the press release stated. Upon its departure, the ship is scheduled to conduct a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with the Indian Navy, further strengthening operational synergy and reinforcing the shared commitment to regional maritime security. (ANI)
In a significant milestone, Southeast Asian nation Timor-Leste has inaugurated its embassy in New Delhi on Thursday, marking a major step forward in strengthening diplomatic ties with India. Notably, at the ASEAN-India Summit in Jakarta on September 7, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste. The decision is a reflection of the importance India attaches to ASEAN, and its relations with Timor Leste, according to MEA press release. The reciprocal opening of embassies in New Delhi and Dili underscored the commitment to deepening bilateral ties. Meanwhile, Charge d'Affaires Francisco Fernandes praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a visionary leader, highlighting India's growing influence on global affairs. Fernandes noted that relations between the two nations have strengthened significantly, citing meetings between Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao and Prime Minister Modi, as well as President Jose Ramos-Horta's participation in Vibrant Gujarat. "Our relations have strengthened significantly. Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao met with Prime Minister Modi during the ASEAN Summit in Laos, and last year, His Excellency President Jose Ramos-Horta participated in Vibrant Gujarat in Ahmedabad. Today, we officially open our embassy in Delhi, and reciprocally, India has also opened its embassy in Dili. Timor-Leste is situated between Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and we will soon be joining regional organisations like ASEAN," Fernandes told ANI. Fernandes emphasised the potential for collaboration in sectors such as petroleum, gas, tourism, and logistics "I recall Prime Minister Modi's statement that when India prospers, the whole world prospers. With India's vibrant economy and remarkable achievements over the past decade under his leadership, we see an opportunity to collaborate. Timor-Leste has significant potential in sectors such as petroleum, gas, tourism, and, in the future, as a logistics hub." To further boost connectivity, Fernandes stressed the importance of an air services agreement, which could facilitate direct flights between Delhi and Dili. This would greatly enhance trade and tourism opportunities between the two nations. "At present, we do not have an air services agreement, but this is an area with great potential. If we aim to develop our tourism industry, connectivity is essential. We hope to improve this in the future, including the possibility of direct flights between Delhi and Dili," CdA added. Fernandes also acknowledged India's significant contributions to Timor-Leste's development, including scholarships, technical assistance, and partnerships within international forums. As Timor-Leste progresses toward full membership in ASEAN and the WTO, India's experience and support remain invaluable. "India has played a crucial role in supporting Timor-Leste's development, particularly through scholarships, technical assistance, and partnerships within international forums like the United Nations and the WTO. As we progress toward full membership in ASEAN and the WTO, India's experience and support remain invaluable," Fernandes said. Timor Leste joined ASEAN in 2022 as an Observor, before becoming its full Member. The embassy inauguration presents opportunities for Indian businesses in construction, technology, and other sectors, with Fernandes extending an invitation to Indian investors and entrepreneurs. With a focus on infrastructure, logistics, and digital connectivity, Timor-Leste is poised to become a key partner for India in the region. (ANI)
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has sought the federal government's position on the Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) government's conditional plea to withdraw a case concerning judicial appointments in the region's higher courts. During a session led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, the constitutional bench emphasised the need for both federal and GB authorities to resolve the matter, according to a Facebook post by Pamir Times. The lawsuit pertains to the Prime Minister's appointment of judges to PoGB's higher courts without consulting the Chief Minister and cabinet, the post stated. Advocate Makhdoom Ali Khan informed the court that the PoGB government had submitted an application to withdraw the case, according to Pamir Times. However, Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan noted that the PoGB administration also seeks to require consultation with the Chief Minister for such appointments. Meanwhile, the Additional Attorney General conveyed the federal government's stance, asserting that it "does not recognise the need to engage the Chief Minister for these appointments," as per another Pamir Times post. Justice Jamal Mandokhail, questioning the legal framework governing PoGB, urged both administrations to meet and find a resolution. He further advised the federal government to consult the governor and adhere to constitutional provisions on judicial appointments. As per Pamir Times, the court has postponed the hearing for two weeks, instructing the federal government to clarify its stance on the PoGB government's conditional withdrawal request. The people of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan continue to voice their concerns over social, economic, and political challenges. Their protests focus on securing justice, equality, and improved living standards, as they strive for better representation, rights, and development opportunities in the region. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday extended India's full backing to Brazil's presidency for a successful and outcome-oriented COP30. This development comes as Jaishankar met with Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, President of COP30Amazonia and former Ambassador of Brazil to India. "Glad to meet Andre Aranha Correa do Lago, President of UN Climate Change COP30 Amazonia and former Ambassador of Brazil to India. Extended India's full support to Brazil's presidency for a successful and outcome-oriented COP30," Jaishankar posted. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1902681795419873707 Jaishankar's assurance underscores India's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties with Brazil, particularly in the realm of climate action. The two nations have a history of cooperation on global issues, having worked together in forums like the G20, BRICS, and the United Nations. As Brazil takes the helm of COP30, India's support is crucial in driving meaningful outcomes on climate change. The meeting between Jaishankar and Lago highlights the growing partnership between India and Brazil, with cooperation extending to areas like trade, energy, and culture India and Brazil share a strong bilateral partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, a common global vision, and a mutual commitment to fostering economic growth with social inclusion. Their cooperation extends across multiple global platforms, including BRICS, BASIC, the G-20, G-4, IBSA, and the International Solar Alliance. Both countries also collaborate in major multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, WTO, UNESCO, and WIPO. Their relationship was formally recognised as a Strategic Partnership in 2006 and has continued to deepen through diplomatic engagement and trade cooperation. The Indian diaspora in Brazil further strengthens ties between the two nations. An estimated 4,000 Indians reside in the country, with large communities in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Manaus. The majority are professionals and businesspeople, while others contribute to scientific research in fields such as space, agriculture, physics, and biotechnology. The Indian Association in Sao Paulo plays an active role in bringing the community together, organising celebrations for national days and festivals. Indian culture has also found significant appreciation in Brazil, with Indian films gaining a strong following. In recognition of this cultural exchange, the Brazilian postal service issued a commemorative stamp in 2014 marking "100 years of Indian Cinema." Indian film screenings organised by the Indian Embassy and Consulate have received enthusiastic responses from Brazilian audiences. Spiritual and philosophical connections further strengthen cultural ties. Organisations such as the Ramakrishna Mission, ISKCON, and the Bhakti Vedanta Foundation have established a presence in Brazil. Indian classical dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kathak, and Kuchipudi, have gained popularity, resonating with Brazil's vibrant folkloric traditions. The deep cultural and diplomatic ties between India and Brazil continue to expand, reinforcing their strategic partnership on global and regional issues. (ANI)
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has praised India's role in global innovation, emphasising the country's contributions in vaccines, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital infrastructure. In an interview with Times Now, Gates highlighted the innovation taking place in India's digital public infrastructure (DPI) and its global influence. "Well even in my Microsoft days I got to see the depth of talent here. Now Microsoft has so many great people from India including Satya Nadella who's doing a fantastic job and so you know when I started the foundation, I knew that in terms of improving children's lives India would be a place we'd want to be active in partnership with the government and that innovative spirit and it spread way beyond. Everybody knows DPI which is amazing and it is being taken to many countries everybody knows the vaccines but now it's going way beyond that in agriculture, artificial intelligence, diagnostics. Particularly since the pandemic I would say there has been an acceleration," he said. "The financing for entrepreneurs here has been very strong. Some of them are building on that DPI infrastructure. The ones that are successful are setting a good example of starting their philanthropy at a pretty young age and so it's exciting to come here and see not only effective innovations but that are done in such a clever way that the cost can be very low," he added. Gates also highlighted his foundation's partnerships in India, particularly in vaccine development and healthcare innovations. "The partnerships we built here both in delivering things like new vaccines but also inventing things. The majority of all the world's low-cost vaccines are made by key foundation partners who we've worked with, and you know that's not only saved millions of lives in India, it saved millions of lives in other countries as well," he said. Addressing concerns about India being a "laboratory" for vaccine testing, Gates clarified, "Well it is all about innovation. There is nobody who is more careful about making sure these vaccines are super safe, and the Indian government has a great regulator that helps guide us on all these things." Speaking about the role of AI, Bill Gates outlined three major applications in India: agriculture, healthcare, and education. "There'll be three big ways it'll get used. One is for farmers. I think with the kind of weather prediction that AI can provide and you know taking all the pricing information, the soil information, you know presenting the various government credit programs. Even a farmer with a very small piece of land should be able to get fantastic advice and so that they will be far more productive even areas like avoiding pests. A year ago, I saw in Odisha an early system that was already providing benefits there. So, using AI to help that farmer," Gates said. "Next is AI for health care delivery. If a pregnant woman has any questions about what the doctor told them or what best practices are, they should be able to talk to the AI in their local dialect either typing or voice. And then finally AI for the student, like the world's best tutor that is always motivating them and available 24 hours a day. So those are the three that we are going to try and advance quickly with partners here," he added. Gates also acknowledged India's ambitious vision for 2047 and its economic growth and said the vision was very impressive "The vision of getting India to be a fully developed country by 2047 is very impressive, and the fact that not only at the federal level but at the state level... they're each looking at how do they drive that economic growth," he noted. The Microsoft co-founder expressed concern over the impact of wars in Ukraine and the Middle East on global aid efforts. "We've got unrest in the Middle East. We have got the war in Ukraine, and sadly that's diverting a lot of resources that should be going into the health issues to help Africa. It's diverting huge resources away from the aid or debt relief that I'd like to see," he said. However, he remained optimistic about progress, stating, "Despite that, because of the innovation all over the world, I'm still very optimistic," he said. As India continues to expand its influence in technology, healthcare, and space exploration, Bil Gates reaffirmed his commitment to working with Indian innovators to drive global progress. (ANI)
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Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), speaks during a roadshow of the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Milan, Italy, on March 18, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

A roadshow of the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) was held Tuesday in Milan, Italy, with bilateral cooperation highlighted and cooperation agreements signed.

More than 200 representatives from trade and investment promotion institutions, business associations and enterprises of China and Italy participated in the event.

Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), noted the steady progress achieved in bilateral cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy 55 years ago.

Ren also urged further collaboration in traditional sectors while expanding partnerships in emerging fields such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy.

The Italian representatives emphasized the strong bilateral relations between Italy and China. Amid increasing geopolitical challenges and global economic uncertainties, they expect platforms like CISCE to help foster closer supply chain cooperation, contributing to the long-term development of China-Italy and China-Europe economic and trade relations.

The third CISCE, scheduled on July 16-20 in Beijing, is expected to focus on supply chains of advanced manufacturing, clean energy, smart vehicles, digital technology, healthy life and green agriculture.
Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Thursday announced that he doesn't have immediate plans to visit the disputed trijunction of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani. Oli made the statement while answering the question raised by opposition lawmaker, Buddhiman Tamang about his possible visit to the disputed trijunction with India. "A member of the parliament questioned when I would be visiting those (disputed) areas. I don't have any immediate plans to visit, I might go later," the Prime Minister said during the Question Answer session in the parliament. Oli furthermore added that the disputed area was included in the old political map of Nepal, blaming the monarchy for removing it. As a correction, he claimed to reissue the map hitting on the monarch supporters. "We all know that till 1962 AD, the incumbent (political) map of Nepal, which we have reissued and the parliament had endorsed it unanimously as an integral part of our constitution. It is the ultimate truth. It is an established fact that in 1962, those areas (Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani) were Nepali territory and the map of Nepal was also used that way. Meaning, the map which is being used now was in existence back then before 1962. After that, why was the map changed? Who changed it? Who was leading the government and the political system, it is well evident," Oli remarked referring to the party-less Panchayat system of the Himalayan Nation introduced by then King Mahendra. Responding to the second question put forward by opposition lawmaker Tamang about the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), Oli stated that the government is working to ensure the report of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG), jointly formed by Nepal and India, will be accepted through mutual understanding between both countries. "Regarding the query about the EPG report, Nepal hasn't refused to accept it. The Eminent Persons Group (EPG) had agreed to first submit it to the Indian Prime Minister and then submitted to the Nepali counterpart. That is why it was first attempted to be submitted to the Indian Prime Minister. It is not something that can be accepted only by one side, or implemented only by one side; it incorporates Nepal-India relations' multi-faceted aspects suggesting the measures to uplift the level of friendship between the countries for which it was designated to make recommendations which would not undermine the relation. While doing so, it would care for equal justice and suggest long-term solutions to all the existing problems," Oli said. In 2020, Nepal amended the constitution incorporating a new political and administrative map in the preamble constitution. The new map included the tri-junction of Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh which has remained a disputed area between Nepal and India. Nepal's updated map, which incorporates the missing territories, was prepared by the Department of Survey and submitted to the Ministry of Land Management. The Department of Survey claims to have taken accurate scale, projection, and coordinate systems. It was publicly released on May 20, 2020, after the go-ahead signal from the Cabinet meeting on May 18, the same year. The department has collected a map drawn during the Treaty of Sugauli, another brought from London, receipts of payment of land revenues and the order issued by the then Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, as evidence to claim that the land belongs to Nepal. The earlier map issued in 2032 BS left Gunji, Nabhi, and Kuri villages, which have now been included in the recently revised map, adding 335 square kilometres of land. Tensions between Delhi and Kathmandu last year arose after Nepal issued a political map in mid-May, including the tri-junction, which India had earlier included in its November 2019 map. Diplomatic ties between the nations soured further after the inauguration of a road linking Kailash Mansarovar via Lipulekh on May 8, 2020, after which Nepal handed over a diplomatic note to India objecting to the move. Before the handover of the diplomatic note, Nepal also had strongly objected to India's unilateral move to construct the road. Following a strong objection from Nepal, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said the road going through Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district "lies completely within the territory of India". Nepal said it has "consistently maintained" that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), "all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) river, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal." Indian Defence Ministry had said the Border Road Organisation (BRO) in Uttarakhand has connected Kailash Mansarovar route to Lipulekh pass, which will provide connectivity to border villages and security forces. (ANI)
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi marked its National Day with an Iftar gathering, attended by dignitaries, diplomats, and prominent personalities. Among the notable attendees was former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, who participated in the event as a guest. The Iftar was held as part of the High Commission's annual observance of Pakistan's National Day, fostering diplomatic engagement and cultural exchange. Pakistan has decided to hold its National Day celebrations in New Delhi again this year, which is observed on March 23, the day the Lahore Resolution was adopted in 1940 by the Muslim League. The resolution played a key role in shaping the demand for a separate nation for Muslims in British India, ultimately leading to the creation of Pakistan in 1947. The High Commission's commemoration in India reflects an effort to maintain diplomatic traditions despite ongoing challenges in bilateral relations. Ramzan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide. Observed in the ninth month of the Hijri calendar, it is a period of deep devotion, self-restraint, and reflection. One of the five pillars of Islam, fasting--referred to as Roza--requires abstaining from food, drink, and other physical needs from dawn to sunset. The month is also a time for prayer, charity, and strengthening communal bonds, with Iftar serving as an important moment for breaking the day's fast in a spirit of togetherness. India has maintained a consistent and principled stance in its approach toward Pakistan. Under the "Neighbourhood First Policy," India has expressed willingness to foster normal and peaceful relations, provided they are free from terror, hostility, and violence. It remains committed to addressing any outstanding matters through bilateral dialogue, under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. At the same time, India has asserted that national security remains paramount and has reiterated its resolve to take decisive measures against any threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity. (ANI)
Bangladesh's Interim Government has no plans to ban the Awami League, but individuals within its leadership accused of crimes, including murder and crimes against humanity, will face trial in the country's courts, the Chief Adviser's Press Wing said in a statement on Thursday. Speaking with a delegation from the International Crisis Group, led by Comfort Ero, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus confirmed that the government has set two possible timelines for the elections. According to the statement, he assured the group that the dates would not change. Professor Yunus also stated that the government has not ruled out referring Awami League leaders to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. This follows a UN fact-finding mission report on potential crimes committed during the July uprising. "It is very much on the table," he said, underlining the Interim Government's stance on accountability. Reaffirming the administration's commitment to holding elections as planned, Yunus said the vote would not be delayed for any demands. He explained that if political parties seek only limited reforms before the elections, the vote will occur in December. However, if they request a more extensive reform package, elections will be scheduled for June next year. "We have no reason to change the election dates," he added, stressing that the process will be conducted freely and fairly. The Chief Adviser also shared that the Consensus Building Commission has begun discussions with political parties. Plans are underway to finalise and sign the July Charter, which will serve as a guiding framework for government policies in the coming months. "The International Crisis Group officials praised the arrest of Rohingya insurgent leader Ataullah this week, calling it a sign of the Interim Government's commitment to peace and stability in the refugee camps," the statement noted. The delegation also urged increased engagement with the Arakan Army, which controls much of Myanmar's Rakhine State. Professor Yunus acknowledged their concerns, stating that Bangladesh is working to mobilise humanitarian aid for Rohingya refugees. He expressed hope that the upcoming special UN conference on the Rohingya crisis would draw greater international attention to the ongoing humanitarian challenges. Comfort Ero expressed her group's support for Bangladesh in countering misinformation targeting the country and its Interim Government. In closing, Professor Yunus reiterated Bangladesh's desire for strong relations with India but lamented that much of the misinformation campaign against Bangladesh has originated from Indian media. (ANI)
AMHERST  The Amherst County Commonwealths Attorney Office filed a motion Tuesday requesting a judge deny a change of venue request in the case of Justin Jay Sales, a New Hampshire prison inmate charged with aggravated murder in an elderly womans shooting death in Amherst.

Sales, 23, also is accused of first-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, shooting into an occupied dwelling, attempted robbery and two counts of using a firearm in commission of a felony in the killing of Doris Puleio and wounding of her daughter, Trudy Ann Goetz. A jury trial is scheduled to start on June 20 in Amherst Circuit Court and the case is overseen by Judge Michael Doucette, who presides over Nelson Countys circuit court.

Scott De Bruin and Rebecca Wetzel, attorneys representing Sales, recently filed a motion seeking a change of venue outside the county. The defenses motion cited heightened publicity the case has drawn, including much discussion leading up to the November 2023 election for Amherst sheriff and commonwealths attorney in seeking to move the trial elsewhere.

Sales was 18 when he was arrested more than a week after the June 25, 2019, shooting that killed Puleio, 92, and severely injured Goetz, 74 at the time, at a residence on Bobwhite Road in Amherst. He was in custody for about 2 years when he was released in December 2021 when prosecutors dropped the charges because of evidentiary-related issues.

Sales, who is serving a prison sentence in New Hampshire after being convicted in a sexual assault case, returned to Amherst County in early February through an interstate detainer agreement and is held at the Amherst County Adult Detention Center.

The change of venue motion states the defense believes Sales will not get a fair and impartial jury in Amherst and cites numerous media interviews, and a Facebook post that Amherst County Sheriff Jimmy Ayers made in early 2023 criticizing aspects of the investigation under the administration of former Sheriff E.W. Viar. Ayers, who was elected in November 2023, has said the job was not done in bringing Puleios killer to justice and spoke of the case during his campaign that year.

The motion also cites Rich Gilman, a Lynchburg area attorney who ran for Amherst County Commonwealths Attorney in 2023, also discussing the case in his challenge for the seat held by Lyle Carver, the countys chief prosecutor who won the race that year.

A motion from Amherst County Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Amber Drumheller filed March 18 addresses Ayers January 2023 Facebook post while serving on the Amherst County Board of Supervisors. This amplified attention continued through 2024 and increased again upon Defendants return to Virginia in early 2025, the motion states.

The motion reads much information the media has reported about finer details of the case is inaccurate, including specific details about the case that have not been officially released to the public.

The level of accuracy in the information is even lower on social media platforms, the motion states. These inaccuracies have permeated our community harming the chances of seating a fair and impartial jury.

The filing states television outlets have taken a tone of shock and awe and Facebook is where the most inflammatory statements can be found. The motion also mentions at least one Facebook page, Justice for the Puleio/Goetz Family, dedicated solely to creating posts about the case.

Drumhellers motion states the Virginia Court of Appeals upheld denial of a motion to change venue in two cases  the 2013 fatal shooting of a Virginia state trooper on Interstate 85 in Dinwiddie County involving defendant Russell Ervin Brown III; and the case of James Fields, who drove a vehicle into a crowd during the infamous August 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville that killed a woman and injured others. The motion states the Court of Appeals upheld the record there was not such widespread prejudice against Fields, who is serving life in prison after being found guilty of multiple state and federal charges, that he could not obtain an impartial jury.

The Court must determine if the presumption that Defendant can receive a fair trial in Amherst County has been overcome, Drumhellers motion reads. It appears from the motion of Defendant, and likely will be bolstered during the hearing with testimony and argument, that certain elected officials of Amherst County have seemingly done harm to the jury pool. On its face, the motion does not prove that the feeling of prejudice on the part of the citizens of Amherst County is so widespread that this Court can be reasonably certain that it would prevent a jury trial.

To obtain a reasonable certainty, the court must first attempt to seat a fair and impartial jury, Drumhellers motion states. The citizens of Amherst County should be given the opportunity to hear the evidence in this trial and determine the guilty or innocence of Defendant as his alleged crimes took place in Amherst County.

The commonwealth requests Doucette take the defenses change of venue motion under advisement until June 20 or at such time the court may attempt to seat a jury, according to Drumhellers motion.

A hearing is scheduled for both motions to be taken at 9 a.m. March 24 in Amherst Circuit Court. Doucette also is set to take up another from the defense at the hearing that would allow questioning of prospective jurors about who they voted for in the sheriffs and commonwealths attorney races in the county in November 2023.

The most recent Amherst County Sheriffs and Commonwealths Attorney election were very contentious with the Justin Sales case being discussed in pre-election coverage, the defense motion reads. Who potential jurors voted for may show bias and pre-decision in this case.

According to an order entered Wednesday in Amherst Circuit Court, the judge granted multiple motions from the defense to suppress hearsay statements made by law enforcement officers during the homicide investigation. The order states just more than a handful of other motions from the defense to suppress other evidence in the case are scheduled to be taken up May 6 to give both sides more time to prepare.

Sales is serving 32.5 years to 65 years for sexual assault, witness tampering and other charges in New Hampshire and is eligible for parole in March 2041. If convicted on the Amherst charges, he faces a maximum of life in prison.
A synthetic opioid so powerful it can kill with a single tablet is threatening to strain relations between Japan and the United States. Fentanyl, a drug originally developed as a medical anesthetic, has become a national crisis in the U.S. due to its high potency and addictive nature. Now, reports suggest it may be making its way into the country via Japan.
HYOGO, Mar 20 (News On Japan) - A third-party panel investigating allegations of power harassment against Hyogo Governor Motohiko Saito submitted its findings to the prefectural government on March 19th, concluding that ten instances of his conduct constituted workplace harassment.

The report also determined that the whistleblowers allegations were credible and met the criteria for public-interest disclosure, stating that whistleblower protections should apply. The panel criticized Saitos involvement in determining disciplinary measures against the whistleblower as "extremely inappropriate."

The report detailed multiple allegations against Saito, including reprimanding staff harshly, making dismissive gestures such as sighing and tongue-clicking, and issuing unreasonable demands. It also criticized his attempts to identify and penalize the whistleblower, a former director of the prefectural citizens bureau, calling the actions not only improper but also illegal.

The release of the report raises significant questions about Saitos future and the response of the prefectural assembly. Legal experts and governance specialists have weighed in, with some emphasizing the severity of the findings. Lawyer Takuya Kawasaki and Hosei University Professor Hiroshi Shiratori both noted that the committees tone suggested strong dissatisfaction with Saitos conduct. Shiratori commented, "The panel's anger is palpable."

The controversy has also reignited concerns about the treatment of whistleblowers in Japan. The panel concluded that the governors involvement in investigating the whistleblower violated public-interest disclosure laws, which prohibit retaliatory actions. While these laws currently lack strict penalties, the findings have sparked calls for legislative revisions to strengthen protections.

Saito has so far downplayed the committees conclusions, previously stating that the prefectural assemblys investigation represented "one viewpoint." However, with two independent reports now delivering harsh assessments, pressure is mounting on the governor. Political analysts suggest that the assembly may need to reconsider a no-confidence motion, and some argue that Saito himself should take responsibility and step down.

As the debate unfolds, the key question remains: How will Saito and the prefectural government respond to the growing calls for accountability?

Source: MBS
TOKYO, Mar 20 (News On Japan) - Today marks 30 years since the Tokyo subway sarin attack carried out by Aum Shinrikyo. Newly discovered photographs believed to be among the earliest taken after Chizuo Matsumoto, also known as Shoko Asahara, was found in a concealed space have come to light.

One image shows Matsumoto lying face down, wearing a headgear device with cables attached. His bangs hang over his forehead as he appears to be facing investigators dressed in camouflage.

Matsumoto, the leader of Aum Shinrikyo and mastermind behind the sarin attack, was arrested two months after the incident at an Aum facility in Yamanashi Prefecture. He had been hiding in a cramped secret room above the second floor ceiling, where police broke through a wall to find him. The newly surfaced photos appear to have been taken shortly after his discovery.

In another image, Matsumoto is seen descending a staircase under the supervision of investigators. In the background, a row of shoes, believed to belong to cult members who lived at the facility, can be seen.

According to sources, as Matsumoto was being brought down from the hidden space using a stepladder, an investigator asked, "Can you see?" to which he responded, "I'm fine. I can see a little."

However, other reports suggest that he appeared to be completely blind immediately after his arrest, leaving questions about the extent of his vision unanswered.

Source: FNN
Morocco, as chair of the African Unions Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) for March, reaffirmed on Wednesday in Addis Ababa that fighting violent extremism requires a proactive approach focused on prevention and reintegration.

Moroccos Permanent Representative to the AU and UNECA, Mohamed Arrouchi, who chaired a PSC videoconference meeting devoted to deradicalization as a leverage for the fight against violent extremism in Africa, emphasized that addressing violent extremism goes beyond security interventions and requires a proactive approach centered on prevention and reintegration.

Deradicalization thus relies on the dissemination of enlightened counter-discourses by reference figures capable of deconstructing narratives of hatred and intolerance. It also involves offering credible alternatives to those who detach themselves from radical ideologies in order to break the cycles of radicalization, Arrouchi stressed.

Acting against radicalization therefore also means acting on its root causes, by strengthening the resilience of societies through education, employment and social inclusion, while consolidating governance and conflict prevention mechanisms, the Ambassador added.

In this connection, the diplomat stated that the Kingdom has been resolutely committed to a multidimensional strategy that places development at the core of its efforts to combat terrorism and extremism. He also recalled the various initiatives launched by Morocco to struggle against radicalization such as the National Initiative for Human Development, the strengthening of imams training, and the creation of the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema.

The diplomat called for encouraging member states to tackle, in a comprehensive manner, the structural causes of terrorism and violent extremism, as well as the factors that fuel and facilitate them, based on the link between peace, security, and development, as advocated by the Tangier Declaration.

He emphasized the need to reaffirm the important role of women and youth, as drivers for change, in preventing and combating security threats on the continent, highlighting the necessity of prevention mechanisms tailored to refugee camps, where youth are particularly exposed to extremist ideological rhetoric.

He also called for strengthening prevention and early warning mechanisms to anticipate and reduce the risks of violent extremism in Africa.

The theme chosen by the Moroccan presidency of the PSC addresses the current realities and growing challenges posed by violent extremism in Africa. In response, deradicalization is positioned as an innovative lever.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced a loan of 110 million to support the development of an economic zone within the Nador West Med industrial port complex, located in Moroccos Oriental region.

This is the Banks third investment in the Nador West Med complex, following the provision of financing in 2015 and 2022. The loan is complemented by three investment grants: 5 million from EBRD; $3 million (2.8 million) from the United Kingdom and $2.5 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

This financing package will support land development work for industrial and logistics platforms within the economic zone adjacent to Nador West Med port, as well as helping to finance an on-site desalination plant, two wastewater treatment plants and energy-efficient street lighting.

The funding will promote the use of sustainable water management solutions and energy-saving technologies for the economic zones public lighting, contributing to the climate resilience of the zone.

The development of an economic zone at the Nador West Med industrial port complex is expected to unlock the economic potential of the Oriental region, attracting foreign direct investment, boosting private-sector development and creating employment opportunities for the local population.
French billionaire Vincent Bollore is facing fresh fraud allegations from a coalition of African groups, accusing him and his family of benefiting from illegal port concessions across several African nations.

The complaint, filed with the French National Financial Prosecutors Office (PNF) on Wednesday (19 March), targets Bollore SE and its former logistics arm, Bollore Africa Logistics, which was sold in 2022. The collective of African groups called Restitution for Africa, which includes NGOs from Guinea, Togo, Cameroon, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, claim that Bollore and his son Cyrille used corrupt means to obtain lucrative port deals in countries such as Cameroon, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. The coalition alleges that the Bollore Group exploited close ties with local political leaders to secure port concessions, including those in Douala, Kribi, Tema, and Abidjan.

The complaint further accuses the Bollore family of money laundering, arguing that the 5.7 billion euro sale of Bollore Africa Logistics to the MSC shipping group in 2022 was a direct result of the proceeds from these allegedly corrupt deals. The plaintiffs are demanding the restitution of billions of euros, citing a 2021 French law aimed at returning illicit profits to local populations. These new allegations follow previous investigations into the Bollore Groups involvement in financing political campaigns in exchange for port contracts. Despite settling some previous charges, French prosecutors are now reviewing whether these new complaints will proceed to trial.
The United Kingdoms decision to invite the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to an upcoming London conference on Sudans humanitarian crisis has drawn sharp criticism from Sudans army-aligned government.

The conference, scheduled for 15 April, aims to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has displaced millions and led to widespread famine. However, the absence of Sudans army government from the talks, while the UAE is included, has sparked outrage in Khartoum. The Sudanese government, which controls the army, has accused the UK of sidelining the countrys official authorities by not inviting them to the event under the pretext that they are a warring party. Ironically, the UAE, a key supporter of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group involved in the conflict, has been invited despite its complicity in prolonging the war.

Sudans foreign ministry expressed concerns that the UAEs participation would reduce the conference to little more than a public relations stunt, especially given the UAEs ongoing supply of arms and resources to the RSF. The exclusion of Sudans official government is seen as a blow to the countrys diplomatic efforts, particularly as the UK had previously engaged with Sudanese officials in Port Sudan. However, according to the Middle East Eye, representatives of Qatar, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, all of whom are known to favor the Sudanese army over the RSF, will take part in the conference. The UK Foreign Office has defended its stance, emphasizing the involvement of regional and international stakeholders in a bid to end the war and provide humanitarian aid. As the situation in Sudan remains dire, the UKs approach has only added another layer of complexity to the ongoing efforts at the conflict resolution.
As the expiration of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) approaches in September, former US ambassador to Kenya, Kyle McCarter, has cast doubt on the deals renewal, citing its unfavorable terms for the United States.

McCarter, who served under the Trump administration, expressed skepticism about the prospects of extending Agoa through the HR 10366-Agoa Extension and Enhancement Act of 2024, suggesting that the new administration would likely drop the proposal, as Agoa is a one-sided agreement and is set to the benefit of Kenya and not the US. Agoa, established in 2000, has allowed sub-Saharan African countries to export goods duty-free to the US, benefiting industries like Kenyas apparel sector. However, critics, such as Anthony Mwangi, former CEO of Kenya Association of Manufacturers, argue that the deal, while promoting exports, has not maximized its potential for African economies. Kenya, for example, has used less than six of the 6,000 tariff lines available under the agreement, limiting its ability to fully capitalize on the arrangement.

The Trump administrations America First policy, which prioritizes reciprocity in trade agreements, adds to the uncertainty. You cant classify Agoa as a reciprocal trade and its been very clear from President Trump that every arrangement is going to be a win-win, McCarter added. His remarks suggest that the US may move towards bilateral trade deals that favor mutual benefits, potentially leaving Agoa behind. As African nations grapple with these shifting trade dynamics, the future of Agoa remains unclear, with some, like South Africa, even considering exiting the program on their own terms. As the deadline draws near, African countries, particularly in sectors dependent on US access, face a critical period of negotiation and adjustment.
Thousands of South Africans, particularly white farmers, have shown interest in relocating to the United States following president Donald Trumps controversial offer of asylum.

The initiative, aimed at providing a safe haven for farmers feeling threatened by South Africas land reform policies and increasing violence, has sparked a surge of interest from around 67,000 individuals. The South African Chamber of Commerce in the USA (SACCUSA) reported that many of those seeking asylum are between the ages of 25 and 45, with most bearing Afrikaner or English surnames. These applicants expressed concerns over growing insecurity linked to the South African governments recent legislation permitting land expropriation without compensation. Trumps executive order, issued in February, extended refugee status to Afrikaners, describing them as victims of unjust racial discrimination. Later, he broadened the offer to include all South African farmers, describing the country as a dangerous place for them.

This offer has led to strained diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has criticized the asylum offer, asserting that the land reform policies are aimed at ensuring fair access to land and not confiscating property. Trumps intervention, which escalated tensions, has fueled debates on race, economic inequality, and international relations. The U.S. embassy in Pretoria confirmed receiving the list of applicants, and while some view Trumps initiative as a humanitarian gesture, it has become a polarizing issue, intensifying discussions on land ownership and the legacy of apartheid. Some experts and observers have also highlighted that while some white South Africans may face discrimination, more than three decades after apartheid ended, the countrys white minority still continues to control most of the nations private land and wealth.
The Anti-Illegal Migration Agency announced yesterday March 19 the deportation of a group of Nigerian nationals, following their violation of Libyan regulations. According to the Agencys Deportation Office at Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, the deportation was carried out after the completion of the necessary legal procedures for their removal from Libyan territory.

Although the office did not disclose the exact number of individuals deported, it confirmed that operations to remove illegal migrants from the country are ongoing. The Agency continues to enforce measures aimed at addressing illegal migration in line with national regulations.

Illegal migration poses a significant challenge to Africas progress, as it often results in the loss of valuable human capital, disrupts social cohesion, and drains resources that could otherwise be invested in sustainable development.

Many migrants, especially those fleeing conflict or economic hardship, take dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities, which exposes them to exploitation and risks, while simultaneously diverting attention and resources away from tackling the root causes of migration such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of education. This not only undermines the development potential of the countries they leave behind but also exacerbates regional instability, further hindering long-term growth and progress across the continent.
The Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH) has expressed grave concern over the worsening conditions of sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, highlighting the growing violence and human rights violations they face.

In a statement released few days ago, the League described these migrants as victims of attacks and rights abuses, living in increasingly precarious conditions that threaten their dignity and security. The LTDH also condemned the mismanagement of the migration crisis, which it said exacerbates economic and social tensions, impacting both migrants and vulnerable local populations, particularly in areas like Al-Amra in the Sfax governorate.

LTDH particularly focused on the plight of residents in Al-Amra, where locals are being deprived of their right to farm their land due to the ineffective handling of migration issues. While acknowledging the challenges posed by the large influx of migrants, the League firmly rejected the use of repressive security measures or racist rhetoric as a means of addressing the crisis. Instead, it called for inclusive, humane policies that respect Tunisias international obligations and preserve social cohesion. The League emphasised that any approach to migration should be grounded in protecting migrants rights while balancing the countrys economic and social needs.

The LTDH also condemned the institutional racism and discriminatory rhetoric that has been perpetuated by some political leaders, particularly lawmakers. The League warned against the exploitation of migration issues for populist gains and urged authorities to adopt responsible migration policies that safeguard human rights while maintaining stability. It called for stronger cooperation between the government and civil society to address migration challenges, warning that any incitement of racial hatred would only fuel social tensions further.
Moroccos OCP group revenues increased to $9.76 billion in 2024 from $9.02 billion posted in 2023. The growth is supported by higher export volumes and stable prices.

OCPs strong performance in 2024 reflected our ability to effectively navigate evolving market conditions, achieve production and operating efficiencies, and reach several key milestones related to our sustainability objectives, said Mostafa Terrab, CEO of the state-owned phosphate group in a press release.

Market conditions were broadly as expected, with sustained demand across most key regions. OCPs past and ongoing investments in capacity expansion and innovation have strengthened our industrial flexibility and commercial agility, enabling the Group to consistently and efficiently meet incremental global demand, added Mr Terrab.

Fertilizers represented 69% of OCPs total revenues in 2024, up from 66% the previous year. Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) export volumes increased 48%, accounting for 21% of fertilizer sales, reflecting strong uptake from key regions such as Brazil and India.

OCP process-driven production efficiencies and cost optimization programs resulted in significant operating leverage, with EBITDA increasing by 33% and EBITDA margin expanding by 800-basis points on a 6% revenue increase.

OCP delivered these strong financial results while making significant progress on its sustainability agenda, most notably in water management and renewable energy. In 2024, the group desalinated 63 million cubic meters of water for use at its production facilities, enabling the group to maintain consistent operations during a drought while reducing use of natural resources.

OCP also significantly advanced its solar energy program, nearly completing Phase One and leveraging Moroccos excellent weather conditions to further decarbonize operations.

2024 was characterized by stable prices, reflecting recovering demand. Prices remained stable throughout most of the year, including in the second half (after a slight correction at the end of the first half).

This stability was driven by strong demand from key agricultural regions such as Oceania, Europe, North America, and parts of Africa and Asia, which counterbalanced slower purchasing activity in India and Brazil.

Full-year fertilizer revenues grew by 11% in local currency, driven by higher export volumes, particularly to Europe, North America, and India. Additionally, TSP volumes increased 48% year-on-year, accounting for 21% of total fertilizer export sales, up from 15% in 2023.

This growth underscores the Groups commitment to providing fertilizers best suited to enhance agricultural productivity and promote soil health.

Phosphoric acid revenues grew significantly, up 28% year-on-year in local currency, primarily driven by higher export volumes, reflecting strong demand in Europe and Latin America, where OCP captured incremental growth.

Conversely, phosphate rock revenue declined by 35% year-on-year in local currency, largely reflecting reduced sales volumes compared to 2023, particularly to India, where a strong stock buildup in 2023 constrained demand.

In 2024, OCP Gross profit rose to $6.30 billion, up from $4.99 billion reported in 2023, driven by strong revenue growth and lower raw material costs, particularly for ammonia.

Full-year EBITDA increased to $3.93 billion from $2.90 billion recorded the previous year. EBITDA margin expanded to 40%, reflecting the Groups strong growth, production efficiencies, and effective cost optimization.
An Algerian pilot died in a crash of a Su-30 fighter, in yet a new incident in a series of recurrent crashes in recent years that highlight the dilemma of the aging Algerian air force fleet.

The crash took place while the aircraft, which was older than the pilot, was on a training mission in Adrar in the countrys south.

Algeria has lost in recent years dozens of Russian-built aircrafts, mostly due to the aging fleet and lack of proper maintenance.

Algeria received its most recent batch of Su-30s in 2016/17. Five years ago, a Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jet crashed in the evening of January 27, 2020, during a routine exercise, in the commune of Ain Zitoun, northeastern Algeria.

The most recent crash, however, involved a Russian-made helicopter killing three near the airport in the oasis town of El-Meniaa.

Frequent crashes

Algeria boasts the biggest military budget in Africa with an over dependence on Russian weapons, combined with a lack of international experience. The frequent airplane crashes and accidents in the Algerian air force fleet are but a tree that hides a forest of mismanagement and a lack of strategy.

The accident however comes in a series of tragic events caused by military plane crashes. In March 2018, 12 soldiers died in a helicopter crash.

Two months only after a tragic air crash in 2018 of a Russian-built Ilyushin killing 257 soldiers including 26 polisairo members, a C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft overshot the runway in Biskras airport leaving 8 injured.

These accidents indicate that the Algerian military is undergoing a crisis of doctrine. Back in the 1970s, following Algerias independence, its military rulers adopted a strategy inspired by their guerrilla warfare against France combined with the Soviet military doctrine emphasizing the importance of land forces, notably tanks and the artillery.

Little attention was paid to the air force which is the backbone of modern armies due to its decisiveness in terms of undermining the centre of gravity of opponents before engaging in land warfare.

Analysts see that the Algerian air force is much underdeveloped with low skill pilots lacking battlefield experience.

Lack of proper maintenance was also exacerbated by the Russian war effort in Ukraine making it harder for Algeria to receive technicians and spare parts on time.
Morocco, whose King chairs the Al Quds Committee, condemned in the strongest words the resumption of the Israeli aggression on civilians in Gaza and urged a ceasefire, foreign minister Nasser Bourita said, describing the situation as serious.

Morocco strongly and unequivocally condemns the breach of the ceasefire and the resumption of aggression against civilians in Gaza, Bourita said following a meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC), held via videoconference.

The minister emphasized that these aggressions, which have claimed hundreds of victims in recent days, are unacceptable, condemnable, and hinder the consolidation of peace in the region.

He reiterated the call of King Mohammed VI regarding a lasting ceasefire to pave the way for the next steps.

He also denounced the policy of starvation and the disruption of humanitarian aid, which exacerbated the harsh conditions in Gaza.

The Minister also emphasized that the Sovereign insists on the need to establish a lasting path to peace in the region through a two-state solution, ensuring the creation of a Palestinian state along the June 1967 borders, with East Al-Quds as its capital.

Noting that the past eighteen months have seen a devastating toll on innocent civilians, including children and women, along with widespread destruction and starvation in Gaza, Bourita stressed that the ceasefire agreement had offered a glimmer of hopeone that was shattered when the Israeli government reneged on its commitments through its latest attacks.
Spanish authorities have arrested a suspected supporter of the terrorist group ISIS in Cordoba, southern Spain, in a counterterrorism operation carried out in coordination with Moroccos General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST).

The suspect was identified through close intelligence-sharing between the Civil Guard and the DGST, with investigators citing his intense activity on social media in support of Daesh propaganda, the Spanish Civil Guard said on Thursday.

Held under a court order, the individual is considered a potential security threat due to his prolonged exposure to violent jihadist content, the Civil Guard added in a press release.

The arrest underscores ongoing counterterrorism cooperation between Spain and Morocco as both countries work to combat extremism and bolster regional security.
Morocco and Chinas Sunrise Group, a global leader in the textile industry, have signed a deal under which the Chinese group will invest $230 million.

to bolster its textile sector, in a deal aimed at strengthening the Kingdoms role in global supply chains.

The deal, signed in Rabat this Thursday, aims to strengthen Moroccos textile sector, boost its competitiveness, and role in global supply chains.

The Chinese group will establish two industrial units in Skhirat and Fez. These facilities are set to create 7,000 direct jobs and over 1,500 indirect jobs.

The project will also help build an integrated supply chain, which would enable Moroccan companies to produce fabrics and garments locally, reduce logistics costs, and improve efficiency.

The agreement follows a series of negotiations between Moroccan officials and Sunrise Group executives, culminating in a high-level meeting in Shanghai in September 2024 between Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and Sunrise Chairman Xu Leil. The Chinese group, a global player in textiles with subsidiaries across Asia, views Morocco as a strategic gateway to European and African markets.

Akhannouch, who co-chaired with Xu Leil, chairman of Chinese textile giant, the signing ceremony in Rabat, hailed the agreement as a milestone in Moroccos efforts to enhance industrial competitiveness and attract foreign capital. The deal aligns with King Mohammed VIs vision to position Morocco as a regional manufacturing and export hub, he said.

This strategic investment underscores the confidence of foreign investors in Morocco and strengthens our position as a regional leader in the textile industry, Akhannouch said.

Xu Leil on his part pointed out that Morocco boasts one of the most promising and dynamic economies in Africa and that the decision to invest in the North African country was driven by its strategic location. Moroccos position is crucial for our group as it facilitates access to European and U.S. markets, he said.

He noted that Moroccos free trade agreements with the European Union and the United States also played a key role in the groups decision to establish operations in the country.

The project will help Moroccan companies source yarn, fabric, and finished textile products locally, reducing lead times and logistical costs. This will enable firms to fulfill international orders without intermediaries, boosting efficiency in the sector and enhancing the competitiveness of Moroccan businesses in global markets.
French-Algerian writer who was arrested for his views faces a 10-year in jail sentence and a fine of 6887 euros on the charge of terrorism and subversive acts, in a trial denounced by rights activists as political and retaliatory.

Sansal was arrested in November right after landing from France where he gave an interview mentioning the colonial origins of Algerias borders which have been expanded at the expense of Morocco.

His arrest triggered a wave of solidarity by novelists, politicians and rights activists from around the world. President Emmanuel Macron also called for his release.

Sansal was also denied the right to defense. His lawyer Francois Zimmeray was denied a visa and hence banned from taking the case because of his Jewish faith.

In a speech before sycophant Mps, President Tebboune had already condemned Sansal whom he described as a thief and called a bastard who does not know his own father.
Anti-immigrant activist and presidential adviser Stephen Miller speaks to Trump in the Oval Office. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Donald Trump campaigned in 2024 on a promise to launch the largest mass deportation in history of undocumented immigrants. It was one of his more popular promises, too, though polls show varying degrees of support for this effort depending on how sweeping it is and how much collateral damage to rights (and to the economy) is involved.

For all the noise and heat ICE raids are generating, large-scale deportations of illegal immigrants are rolling out slowly because they will require both significant new dollars that Congress has yet to provide, along with major requisitions of state and local law-enforcement resources. But at the same time, the administration is also challenging legal immigration, and those who have benefited from it in the past. Here are the four different avenues the administration appears to be pursuing to go after people legally in this country.

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The Trump administration is targeting people who have Temporary Protected Status, which protects them from deportation, because they are refugees from war-torn or tyrannical countries. During the campaign, Trump talked a lot about Venezuelan and Haitian migrants who were supposedly terrorizing American cities. But it still came as a surprise to Venezuelans  many of them avid Trump supporters  who at one fell swoop lost their TPS status when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem canceled it on February 1. This action stripped 348,000 Venezuelan refugees of their right to stay in the country as of April.

The exposure to mass deportations of previously legal Venezuelan refugees has been fuzzed up significantly by the administrations claims that the people ICE is rounding up and flying to prisons in El Salvador are all members of violent gangs (claims that have produced a potentially catastrophic collision with the federal judiciary). But the TPS revocation applies to everyone, criminal or noncriminal, and represents a major restriction in legal immigration.

Venezuelans are just the first group to lose TPS status; a previous extension for this group happened to expire earliest. On February 20, Noem also canceled TPS for Haitians beginning in August. That will expose about 300,000 legal immigrants to deportation.

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In recent weeks there have been reports of the Trump administration deporting immigrants who have permanent-residence status (known as a green card) or are in the country legally on various visas. The deportations have mostly been justified on national-security grounds, though nearly all of them are being challenged in federal courts. As my colleague Chas Danner explained, legal or illegal immigration status appears to have been disregarded entirely in such cases:

These incidents have come as President Trump cracks down on all kinds of immigration and as international tourists are reportedly canceling or reconsidering their U.S. travel plans in response to various administration policies. But it can be difficult to determine whether these are isolated cases of routine enforcement or whether they presage a new era of arbitrary punishment. Last weeks arrest of green-card holder and former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was clearly political  which he is now calling attention to  while other cases seem more happenstance.

Recent deportees have included those holding student visas, high-skills H1-B visas, and even tourist visas. Again, these are not the undocumented immigrants Trump promised to deport; they are fully documented. It doesnt seem to matter.

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On his very first day in office, Trump issued an executive order that purportedly ended birthright citizenship, though the 14th Amendment says quite clearly, All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. The administration is advancing a fringe argument that the children of undocumented immigrants are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Trumps order would also deny birthright citizenship to anyone whose parents werent at least permanent residents. As NPR explained, this is a deliberately provocative decision:

Already, three federal judges in three different states have blocked Trumps executive order voiding birthright citizenship, and three separate appeals courts have refused to unblock those court orders. Judge John Coughenour, a Reagan appointee in Washington state, was the first judge to block Trumps executive order, calling it blatantly unconstitutional.

But Thursday, in three separate  but nearly identical  filings, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to narrow the lower court orders, which apply nationwide, so that the administration could begin planning to put into effect its new policy against birthright citizenship.

The administration may have put a toe in the water on this issue via the deportation of a 10-year-old citizen who was in the country to secure life-saving medical treatment, as NBC News reports:

A family that was deported to Mexico hopes they can find a way to return to the U.S. and ensure their 10-year-old daughter, who is a U.S. citizen, can continue her brain cancer treatment.

Immigration authorities removed the girl and four of her American siblings from Texas on Feb. 4, when they deported their undocumented parents.

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Still another frontier in restricting legal immigration was initially broached during the first Trump administration: revoking naturalizations. This harkened back to a Cold Warera drive to denaturalize communist citizens, as USA Today explains:

The Supreme Court put an end to politically driven denaturalization campaigns in 1967, ruling that the government could only revoke an immigrants citizenship in the case of fraud or willful misrepresentation.

In the quarter century before Trump first took office, from 1990 to 2017, the U.S. government targeted an average of 11 naturalized citizens per year, according to Frosts research.

Most of those had committed war crimes or other atrocities, then lied about their past to obtain citizenship.

In the first Trump administration, we saw quite a large increase in the number of denaturalization proceedings, Burke Robertson said. Its clear his (new) administration seems to be starting where they left off.

Now Axios reports that denaturalization is back on the front burner:

Whats going to be on the horizon are denaturalization cases, said Mike Davis, a close White House ally and founder of the conservative Article III Project.

Youre going to have Hamas supporters who have been naturalized within the last 10 years, and they are eligible to lose their status as citizens and get deported, Davis said. Its worth it.

Given what we know about this administrations rather broad definition of Hamas supporters, a lot of people are probably going to lose their citizenship along with their First Amendment rights.
Photo: Paul Christian Gordon/Alamy Stock Photo

Across the country, critics of Elon Musk have taken to town-hall meetings and sidewalk demonstrations to protest the Tesla CEOs outsize role in the federal government that has resulted in mass layoffs and steep cuts among agencies. But some detractors have escalated their dissent, vandalizing Tesla dealerships and charging stations, many times with arson, to send a message to the worlds richest man and his political partner, Donald Trump.

In the days since, the Trump administration has rallied behind Musk with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi denouncing the Tesla vandalism as a form of domestic terrorism and vowing to prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. Bondi made good on her promise on Thursday announcing that the Justice Department has levied charges against three people accused of using Molotov cocktails to destroy Tesla property.

The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended, Bondi said in a statement. Let this be a warning: If you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.

Attorney General Bondi announces "severe charges" aimed at "wave of domestic terrorism" against Tesla dealerships/charging stations. pic.twitter.com/e9mL2mgV3p  Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) March 20, 2025

On Friday, Trump jumped in with his own bluster, writing in a Truth Social post that I look forward to watching the sick terrorist thugs get 20 year jail sentences for what they are doing to Elon Musk and Tesla. Perhaps they could serve them in the prisons of El Salvador, which have become so recently famous for such lovely conditions!

In Thursdays press release, the Justice Department did not name the three individuals but outlined their actions in incidents that occurred in Oregon, Colorado, and South Carolina. Though the announcement was new, it appeared to be more of a summary of recent actions undertaken by the Justice Department in multiple states over the past few weeks.

In Oregon, one person was arrested after allegedly throwing multiple Molotov cocktails at a Salem Tesla dealership. Per the agency, they were also armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle. This account lines up with the arrest of Adam Matthew Lansky, a 41-year-old man whom the U.S. Attorneys office in Oregon reported was charged earlier this month with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device.

According to the U.S. Attorneys office in South Carolina, 24-year-old Daniel Clarke-Pounder was witnessed spray-painting F*ck Trump and Long Live Ukraine in red at Tesla charging stations, and reportedly he later used five Molotov cocktails to destroy the chargers. He was arrested and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

In Colorado, an individual was arrested after attempting to light Teslas on fire with Molotov cocktails at a dealership, the agency noting that they were found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons. In February, the U.S. Attorneys office in Colorado announced 42-year-old Lucy Grace Nelson had been charged with one count of malicious destruction of property.

The FBI is said to be investigating more recent incidents at Tesla dealerships. On Tuesday, Teslas at a Las Vegasarea center were set on fire and shot numerous times. Musk himself responded to a video of the burning cars on social media. This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong, he wrote. Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.
Animation: Pedroi Nekoi

The matriarchs in my family have always centered their day around bathing. Theres my 93-year-old Danish grandmother, who has long subscribed to the daily ritual of sitting in shallow lukewarm water. And my shower-averse mother, who refuses to adhere to a specific time in which to submerge in a steaming hot tub. Pre-breakfast, post-afternoon nap, before bed? Please do not disturb. In this way, I am my mothers daughter.

A brief history of my life in baths: I am 4, surrounded by rubber ducks, unconcerned about anything but said bliss. I am 12, stealing my mothers razor, enamored at the traces of hair disappearing with each smooth glide across my leg. I am heartbroken, allowing the warmth of the water to soothe my physically aching body. I am bone-tired in my early 20s, arriving in New York City and greeted with a bathroom decorated with lit candles and the soundscape of Enyas Only Time. I am anxious, allowing the marriage of Sam Fragosos hypnotic voice on his Talk Easy podcast and marinating in bathwater for 45 minutes to work its magic. On almost every occasion, Im stewing in the same slime-green water, courtesy of Badedas Original Indulgent Bath Gelee.

This German bathroom staple has been a favorite in my family since the late 70s, after my grandmother discovered it in a pharmacy in England, where she had moved to from Denmark two decades earlier. By the 80s, the brand became known for its deliberately provocative, purposely cheesy adverts; often featuring a half-naked woman and a romantic room with a view. Jilly Cooper, queen bee of the raunchy read during that period, would often reference Badedas in her novels. In the 90s my mother, who learned about Badedas from her mother, started pouring it into my bath. Ive used it ever since. There have been some minor flirtations with bath salts, essential oils, and glitter-infused bombs over the years (predominantly as a guest at friends homes), but this bath gelee is like coming home  a comfort to return to. It creates this distinctly sexy, almost theatrical blanket of bubbles  think Julia Roberts singing Kiss in Pretty Woman  that will last a solid hour. A little goes a long way (due to its rich concentration, you only really need a teaspoon or so per soak). And no, in case you were worried, it wont leave a green stain on your bathtub, though prepare for a mound of lingering bubble residue post-drain (often I forget to fully rinse it away, though thankfully my boyfriend has yet to show any signs hes bothered by such idleness).

Mostly, the singular scent is addictively transportive. Nostalgic. A great escape in a bottle for the holiday deprived, Instagram overexposed. Its signature herbal, almost pine-y fragrance is endlessly relaxing  enriched with horse-chestnut extract and glycerine to improve circulation and hydrate. My skin feels soft enough afterward I can skip moisturizer (handy, as smothering lotion all over my body is a bi-annual undertaking). For a spell it feels as though Im in an enchanting woodland lodge with a bad Wi-Fi signal, preparing for an evening of reading Siddhartha in bed and little else before falling into an undisturbed ten-hour slumber. I can think of no greater little luxury.

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-In a shocking turn of events....Disney is getting into the morphing action once again with a brand new PR series in development.-Percy Jackson and the Olympians showrunners Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz are in talks to write and showrun the series should it get picked up-Disney previously owned the franchise after Saban sold it to them and moved production from LA to New Zealand. They would end up selling the rights to the series back to Saban after 13 years. Saban would then sell the series again to Hasbro. Hasbro is pairing with 20th Century Fox for the new show. Hasbro had previously paired with Netflix to keep the franchise running but that fell apart.
Last November, Nigerias oil production hit the highest in 2024, at 1.7 million barrels daily. The countrys government has a stated ambition to boost that considerably, by some 1 million barrels daily within two years. But there is a problem it needs to solve first: pipeline sabotage.

Earlier this week, an explosion rocked the Trans-Niger Pipeline, one of the main conduits for crude pumped in the Niger Delta, which carries it to the Bonny export terminal. The explosion sparked a massive fire at a section of the pipeline and the flow of oil had to be rerouted, which was done promptly. The investigation on the blast is ongoing, but a spokesman for Renaissance Group, the owner of the pipeline, said there were suspicions of arson.

The Trans-Niger Pipeline has a capacity of 450,000 barrels daily. Thats 15% of Nigerias total oil export capacityand that makes the explosion an even bigger deal than it might have seemed initially. Because successive Nigerian governments have been trying for years to stop the theft and sabotage of pipelines as a means of reviving the industry. Instead, Big Oil has shrunk its presence in Africas biggest producer, in large part because of the thefts and sabotage. And Nigeria needs fresh oil investments to make that production boost happen.

Related: Russia's Oil Price Drops 24% Below Budget Target

This is a blow to the Tinubu governments recent successes on oil output, gains driven in part by improved security measures, Clementine Wallop, director for sub-Saharan Africa at political-risk consultant Horizon Engage, told Bloomberg. It is also a very difficult investment signal during a period where the government seemed to be turning a corner on energy.

The explosion comes barely a month after the chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission declared that Nigeria was more ready for business than ever, adding that the federal government was committed to regulatory certainty, investment-friendly policies, and global competitiveness. Yet infrastructure security continues to be a problem, and that could very well derail the rest of the government efforts.

Last year, one local oil company and the government estimated that Nigeria loses between 200,000 barrels and 400,000 barrels daily to oil theft. These are dramatic figures because they translate into billions of lost income for the stateand into hesitancy among international oil operators to return to, or enter, Nigeria.

There are more dramatic figures, too. Back in 2022, the Trans-Niger Pipeline was literally perforated by illegal connections, with the head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Companys chief reporting that in less than 200 kilometres we had 295 illegal connections. As a result, the countrys oil output at one point dipped below 1 million barrels daily  from as much as 1.8 million barrels daily.

Since then, efforts have been made to eliminate theft and they have been partially successful, with losses much lower than they were in 2022. Yet that may not be enough to bring in more investmentbecause that pipeline blast this week was not the work of oil thieves.

Nigerian daily Vanguard reported, following the explosion, that it could be the work of militant groups active in the Niger Delta. The militants have threatened to attack oil infrastructure in the Rivers state amid an ongoing political crisis between the state and the federal government over federal money allocation to Rivers, the report said.

The issue of federal oil money distribution to the communities in Nigerias oil heartland has long been a bone of contention between the central government and those same communitiesand it has been linked to militant activity by radical groups such as the Niger Delta Avengers, who were active in the Delta area about a decade ago, targeting oil infrastructure as a means of sending their message about the injustice of oil money distribution. Disgruntlement among the Delta communities also led to the sprouting of other militant groups that also attacked pipelines and export terminals until the government cut a deal with them.

The approach Renaissance takes will be crucial in setting the tone around how the above ground challenges in Nigerias oil and gas sector will be resolved by the indigenous operators, the head of West African upstream research at Wood Mackenzie, Mansur Mohammed, told Bloomberg. Indeed, the companys actions now will be watched closely by companies that may be willing to enter or boost their presence in Nigeria.

For now, the signs appear to be positive. Renaissance, which bought the Trans-Niger Pipeline from Shell, was quick in rerouting the flow of oil and has stopped short of declaring force majeure on exports from the Bonny terminal. Now, its up to the government to work with the industry and demonstrate that it can put an end to the sabotage and the theft. And theyd do well to keep an eye on gas infrastructure as wellcriminals are targeting gas pipelines, too, now, as security gets boosted around oil infrastructure.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice

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Despite the Trump Administrations plans to roll back many environmental laws and regulations, U.S. LNG exporters and project developers will continue to monitor, report, and try to reduce their methane emissions to meet the standards of their exports markets.

U.S. LNG exporters to Europe and Asia are unlikely to see any effect on operations from the plans of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reverse climate regulations, Fred Hutchison, president of industry group LNG Allies, has told Reuters.

Last week, the EPA initiated a formal review of the so-called Endangerment Finding from 2009 that made the basis for climate change-related legislation. If the finding is dropped, this could have significant implications for future policies.

The Trump Administration will not sacrifice national prosperity, energy security, and the freedom of our people for an agenda that throttles our industries, our mobility, and our consumer choice while benefiting adversaries overseas, EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said.

We will follow the science, the law, and common sense wherever it leads, and we will do so while advancing our commitment towards helping to deliver cleaner, healthier, and safer air, land, and water.

Commenting on LNG regulations and standards in Europe, LNG Allies Hutchison told Reuters,

Whatever changes are made to how the United States regulates methane, including the endangerment finding, the EU methane regulation remains unchanged.

According to Chris Treanor of the LNG coalition Partnership to Address Global Emissions (PAGE), the members of the coalition  which include EQT and Williams Companies  have already invested tens of millions of U.S. dollars to reduce their emissions.

They are committed to continuing to drive down their emissions, Treanor told Reuters.

As of this year, EU regulations stipulate that importers of crude oil, natural gas, and coal into the EU will have to report on annual methane emissions data, including from countries and companies exporting to the EU. Information will have to include whether and how they are measuring, reporting and reducing methane emissions.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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A North Dakota jury has ruled that Greenpeace must pay $660 million in damages to pipeline major Energy Transfer after the group was found guilty of defamation, conspiracy, and physical damage to the Dakota Access pipeline.

While we are pleased that Greenpeace has been held accountable for their actions against us, this win is really for the people of Mandan and throughout North Dakota who had to live through the daily harassment and disruptions caused by the protesters who were funded and trained by Greenpeace, Energy Transfer said in comments on the verdict, as quoted by The Hill.

This is the end of a chapter, but not the end of our fight, the interim executive director of Greenpeace USA, Sushma Raman said. Energy Transfer knows we dont have $660 million. They want our silence, not our money. The Hill notes that paying the compensation could bankrupt the environmentalist organization.

The Dakota Access pipeline, which began operation in 2017, ignited perhaps the largest and most public protests from environmentalists. There were camps on the site of a section of the pipeline, violent clashes with the police, arrests, and a cleanup bill of $38 million after the end of the protests.

Although the 570,000-bpd pipeline did begin full operation in 2021, it remained the target of relentless attacks from the environmentalist camp who cited the risk of oil spills and violation of Tribal lands as reasons for their insistence to shut down the infrastructure. The attacks led to additional environmental reviews into the safety of the pipeline and its legality.

The lawsuit against Greenpeace began in 2017 when Energy Transfer took the matter to a federal court. That court dismissed the case, so Energy Transfer went to a North Dakota court, which took three weeks to rule on the issue.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Europes oil and gas giants are increasingly scaling back their climate goals as they struggle to deliver on their ambitious clean energy pledges. Back in 2022, Norway's state-controlled energy giant Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) laid out its roadmap to achieving net zero emissions. However,

In February Equinor scrapped a pledge to devote more than 50% of its gross capital expenditure to renewables and low-carbon solutions by 2030. Equinor has also abandoned plans to invest in Vietnam's offshore wind sector, dealing a significant blow to the country's green energy ambitions. This marked the first time Equinor has abandoned offshore wind development; in contrast, the company has previously exited more than a dozen fossil fuel projects to focus on renewables and low-carbon systems.

"The energy transition has started, but the opportunity set for high-value growth is more limited than we had anticipated," Equinor CEO Anders Opedal said on Thursday.

Similarly, Equinor has announced that it will not move forward with plans to build a pipeline to carry hydrogen from Norway to Germany with partner RWE (OTCPK:RWEOY), citing a lack of customers as well as an inadequate regulatory framework. Equinor was to build hydrogen plants that would enable Norway to send up to 10 gigawatts per annum of blue hydrogen to Germany.

Similarly, Shell Plc (NYSE:SHEL) has announced plans to cease new offshore wind investments and is splitting its power division as CEO Wael Sawan looks to boost the companys profitability.

While we will not lead new offshore wind developments, we remain interested in offtakes where commercial terms are acceptable and are cautiously open to equity positions, if there is a compelling investment case, a company spokesperson said in a statement carried by Reuters.

Shell, like Equinor, appears to be systematically scaling back its clean energy investments. Earlier in the year, the company ditched plans to build a low-carbon hydrogen plant on Norway's west coast due to a lack of demand.

"We haven't seen the market for blue hydrogen materialize and decided not to progress the project," a Shell spokesperson told Reuters.

By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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A group of EU member states, including the biggest economies Germany and France, are arguing that the bloc should allow more flexibility in its currently binding 90% full-storage target by November 1 each year, to avoid price spikes and market speculation.

Germany and France are pushing for a lower or at least a more flexible target, as part of ongoing EU talks on extending the storage filling goals through 2027, sources with knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg.

In the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the halt to Russian pipeline gas supply to most EU countries, the European Commission adopted a target for EU natural gas storage levels to be 90% full by November 1 of each year, ahead of the winter.

However, this rigid November 1 target has created problems for many market players. Policymakers in countries including Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, are concerned that the current high forward gas prices for the summer months would make it unprofitable for gas companies and marketers to store gas.

During the ongoing talks, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and Hungary are among the group of countries seeking 10 percentage points of flexibility in the target to have storage full at 90% by November 1, according to Bloombergs sources.

Poland, which holds the EU rotating presidency during the first half of the year, has reportedly offered additional flexibilityreplace November 1 with a range, October 1 to December 1, by which the EU counties should have their gas storage sufficiently full.

We support less rigid storage level requirements, a spokesperson for the German government told Bloomberg on Thursday.

More flexibility can ensure that the pressure to fill all gas storage facilities equally decreases and that market conditions normalize.

With EU storage depleted at the fastest pace in seven years after a cold winter, the summer refill season presents several challenges in availability, prices, and the money that Europe will have to spend on additional LNG.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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Taiwans state-held oil and gas company CPC Corporation on Thursday signed a letter of intent to invest in the Alaska LNG export project and buy LNG from it, as part of a move to bolster its gas supply and energy security.

The preliminary deal was signed between CPC and the state-run firm Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) in the presence of Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, the Taiwanese Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a statement.

Officials from Alaska are currently touring several countries in Asia, including 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.

AGDC seeks to advance the Alaska LNG project which is designed to deliver North Slope natural gas to Alaskans and export LNG to U.S. allies across the Pacific.

If built, Alaska LNG would be Taiwans closest LNG supply source among all U.S. LNG export facilities. The fuel from Alaska LNG wouldnt need to pass through the Panama Canal, which will effectively shorten shipping time, reduce voyage risks, and improve the reliability of Taiwans natural gas supply, the economy ministry said.

With LNG from Alaska, Taiwan could diversify its LNG supply, ensuring stable energy prices and consistent supply from a friendly neighbor for many decades to come, Alaska Governor Dunleavy said in Taipei, as carried by Reuters.

The U.S. is a staunch supporter of democratically-governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own island.

With the strong backing of the Trump Administration, Alaska officials are pitching investments in the Alaska LNG project to allies across northeast Asia.

In recent weeks, 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.

Despite signals that Asian partners are willing to discuss potential participation in Alaska LNG, Japanese companies appear to be 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 Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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President Donald Trump is considering extending Chevrons sanction waiver for Venezuela, which he earlier this year refused to do, letting the waiver lapse, the Wall Street Journal has reported, citing unnamed sources familiar with developments.

Per the report, the possibility of extending the waiver arose during Trumps meeting with oil and gas executives in the White House on Wednesday. The president and his team are currently discussing the possibility of imposing tariffs on countries that buy Venezuelan oil, the Wall Street Journal wrote, as a means of making it more difficult for China to boost its own presence in the oil industry of the South American country.

Chevron has raised the possibility that China might take its place if it leaves Venezuela, the report also said, appealing to the presidents suspicions of China and its expansion plans.

We are hereby reversing the concessions that Crooked Joe Biden gave to Nicolas Maduro, of Venezuela, on the oil transaction agreement, dated November 26, 2022, and also having to do with Electoral conditions within Venezuela, which have not been met by the Maduro regime, Trump wrote on Truth Social at the end of February when Chevrons license to operate in Venezuela expired.

Chevron has been exporting some 240,000 barrels of Venezuelan crude to the United States daily thanks to the waiver. The amount constitutes a quarter of the countrys total oil production and generates substantial revenues that stay in the Venezuelan economy, Bloomberg reported earlier this week, arguing Chevrons presence was critical for that economy. These revenues are running at some $6 billion.

Chevron also had big plans for its Venezuelan operations, aiming to boost exports from just one of them, Petropiar, by as much as 50% this year, to a total of 143,000 barrels daily. Now, these plans have a chance of materializing if Trump approves the idea of swapping more sanctions for tariffs and an extension of the supermajors license.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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Turkey will get a three-month extension of the U.S. sanctions waiver allowing it to pay for Russian natural gas imports via a U.S.-sanctioned Russian bank, a Turkish official with direct knowledge of the situation told Bloomberg on Thursday.

Turkey, which imports about half of its gas from Russia, obtained the first such U.S. waiver in December, after the United States sanctioned Russian Gazprombank at the end of November.

Before November 21, the U.S. Treasury had refrained from imposing sanctions on Gazprombank, which has been used by Russias European customers to pay for the natural gas they still receive from Russia.

Turkey and other remaining customers of Russian gas in Europe are using Gazprombank.

Overall, Turkey currently imports nearly all the natural gas it consumes, and most of it comes from Russia.

Turkey in November sought a U.S. sanctions waiver to continue using Gazprombank for paying for its energy imports from Russia, while also talking with Russian officials about the future of energy trade and payments.

Earlier this week, U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent spoke with Turkeys Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet ?im?ek. Secretary Bessent briefed Minister ?im?ek on the U.S. Administrations commitment to restoring maximum pressure on Iran in order to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile programs, and stop its support of terrorist groups.

The Secretary and Minister also discussed sanctions, as well as other economic and national security issues of mutual concern, the U.S. Treasury said on Monday.

Hungary, which is one of the few EU member states still importing Russian gas, via the TurkStream pipeline through the Balkans, has also received a similar U.S. sanctions waiver to continue importing and paying for natural gas from Russia.

Unlike other EU member states, Hungary hasnt severed ties with Russia, and top Hungarian officials, including Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto and Prime Minister Viktor Orban, have frequently traveled to Moscow for visits and meetings with Russian officials, including with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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The late Jerry Longe couldnt have been more different from Ebenezer Scrooge, the crabby British businessman he portrayed at the Omaha Community Playhouse.

He was a gifted actor and wonderful human, whose kindness, humor and generosity touched everyone who had the privilege to work with him, Playhouse leaders said this week on Facebook. His loss leaves an irreplaceable void in the hearts of all who knew him.

Longe, who died Saturday, took over the role from Dick Boyd, who had been the theaters original Scrooge for 30 years. A native of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Longe was a professional theater, voiceover, film and TV actor for a couple of decades before that.

He had been onstage at various Omaha theaters and, at one time, worked for the Playhouses Nebraska Theater Caravan.

He was thrilled to be Scrooge and said he loved the characters eventual redemption. He made scores of friends and fans over his 17 years in the role, which, including rehearsals and several performances every week, ate up most of his holidays.

This will be the highlight of my life forever, he said at the beginning of his final season in 2022.

His last year in the role was bittersweet and even heroic, said wife Kathy Longe. Most people didnt know he was in the throes of pulmonary fibrosis, which eventually caused his death at the age of 71.

He had been feeling short of breath when he visited the doctor and got the diagnosis on the plays opening day in 2021.

The doctor told him he had to go on oxygen 24/7, she said, but he said he couldnt because of his work as Scrooge.

He managed to get through 2021 but wasnt sure he could hang on for one more year. But he did.

I want to brag on that, Kathy said. It was so hard for him to do that year. He didnt want anyone to know how hard, but he came home to me every night, and I knew how much he gave to that performance.

When he ran offstage for costume changes, Longes wonderful dresser Bradley Pesarchick would be there with his oxygen tank for a boost, she said.

Thats what allowed him to keep doing it, she said.

Other cast members who knew of his illness were also supportive. And each performance went off without a hitch.

Kathy Longe said his desire to power through without mentioning his pain was consistent with his personality.

He was quite introverted and meticulous. Before he was sick, he took care of everything around the house. He was a stay-at-home dad, a very hardworking person, she said. I had a busy corporate job. I was a very lucky, spoiled wife. He liked doing it.

He was also hilarious, she said, and friends concurred.

The couple met in 1999 at The Rose Theater as members of the cast for Its a Wonderful Life. She had a bit part; he was Clarence, the angel. They would have been married for 24 years in June.

Longe had a daughter, Emily Witt, with his former wife, Rose Glock, a dear friend whos also an actor, Kathy said. Emily lives in Omaha with her husband, Derek, and their 2-year-old daughter, Wrenley. He and Kathy had a son, Grayson, a 17-year-old senior at Westside High School who plans to study music at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

They all shared birthday celebrations for Grayson and Emily, who were born on the same day 17 years apart.

They also enjoyed travel and frequently visited Disney World.

He loved a family road trip, Kathy said.

In retirement, Longe liked to watch movies and TV and listen to music, which was his first love, she said. In his younger days, he was a bass player in bands.

He also enjoyed being with his granddaughter and going to his sons concerts.

A few weeks ago, he started hospice care.

It was a miracle, Kathy said. He was in hospice for three weeks and two of the three were fantastic. He felt like his old self. He got a reprieve.

On March 1, for example, he was able to see his son perform on the trombone with the Metro Area Youth Jazz Band.

Longe passed away at home. A memorial service will be announced at a later time.

We hate that we lost him, Kathy said, but we are at peace with him being free.
LINCOLN  A federal judge has dismissed most of a lawsuit brought by a wind energy company against a northeast Nebraska county that changed its zoning requirements to derail development of a 600-megawatt wind farm.

U.S. District Court Judge John Gerrard said attorneys for North Fork Wind had not proven that actions taken by Knox County officials last summer had interfered in contracts it has in place with a dozen landowners.

Gerrard, in a 40-page order issued March 14, also said Knox County had not violated the Minnesota-based companys rights to due process and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

But, the judge said he would allow North Fork Wind to continue pursuing a Fifth Amendment claim that Knox Countys regulations resulted in the government effectively taking the property owners land.

The lawsuit, which experts say could have long-lasting and far-reaching impacts on the future of renewable energy development in Nebraska, was filed in U.S. District Court in Lincoln last fall after Knox County abruptly changed its zoning regulations governing wind energy projects.

Zoning regulations set in late 2023 included a 2,000-foot setback from non-participating dwellings and also required companies like North Fork Wind to submit a decommissioning plan for turbines at the end of their lifespan.

Following a meeting with a representative of Wind Watchers, a group that opposes wind farm construction in Nebraska, the setback was extended to two miles. Knox County also set regulations requiring North Fork Wind to create an escrow account and purchase a $5 million insurance policy per tower.

North Fork Wind, which had begun development of the 45,000-acre wind farm in 2017, said it had sunk more than $12 million into the project before the regulations were changed, and had paid nearly $17 million to join the Southwest Power Pool.

The company also had paid $1.5 million to landowners in lease and easement payments, and had spent $1 million to comply with existing regulations, it said in its lawsuit.

Both North Fork Wind and the landowners said the new zoning regulations were unlawful and had effectively killed the project, depriving them of their property rights under the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments.

Gerrard, in his order, said while the plaintiffs demonstrated a vested property interest in the development of the wind farm, county officials had not rendered the contracts void.

The lease agreements are fully enforceable; no obligation has been impaired, even if Knox Countys actions may have made performance of the contract less profitable and less likely, he wrote.

Gerrard also said Knox County did not violate North Fork Winds right to equal protection, saying arguments demonstrated a reasonably conceivable state of facts for why the county enacted its zoning regulations, even if empirical data doesnt support those concerns.

Despite there being two existing wind farms in Knox County, they are significantly smaller, Gerrard said, and shorter setback requirements for other properties were proper because of how the land is used in those cases.

Gerrard said North Fork Wind also failed to meet the high bar of demonstrating how its due process rights had been violated. Knox County amended its zoning regulations using an ordinary process, he found, and those regulations apply to all similarly situated individuals.

But, Gerrard said North Fork Winds complaint may meet the requirements established by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1978 to determine whether or not regulations set by government effectively result in a taking of property.

The Penn Central balancing test considers the regulations economic effect on the landowner, how much the regulation interferes with reasonable investment-backed expectations, and the character of the government action.

Gerrard said North Fork Wind had begun acquiring land before and after the zoning regulations were set in 2023, when the setback requirement was shorter, and had spent money on engineers, meteorological towers and other expenses when it was operating under the earlier rules.

He allowed North Fork Wind to continuing pursuing the case against Knox County under that claim, but dismissed the others.

The limited avenue available to the plaintiffs to pursue their lawsuit may seem stringent, given the allegations concerning the conduct of the Knox County zoning board, Gerrard wrote. But governmental bodies are provided wide latitude to enact laws that those bodies believe are in the best interest of the public.

It is not the place of the Court to disrupt those decisions, he added.

In a statement, Jim Sokol, the chairman of the Knox County Board of Supervisors, called the ruling a substantial victory for the county, which was represented by Omaha attorney David Begley.

It is significant that at this early stage of the litigation, the bulk of (the) lawsuit was dismissed, Sokol said.

The press release also said the Knox County board was contemplating banning any new commercial wind farms in the county.
LINCOLN  An amendment that would water down a mandatory paid sick leave initiative Nebraska voters passed in November was slowed down by a filibuster Thursday.

The filibuster halted progress on Legislative Bill 415, although several opponents noted they support the bill itself, calling it a good faith compromise to clarify parts of state law relating to paid sick leave. The opposition was rooted in concerns over a committee amendment that has yet to be officially adopted into the bill.

The amendment reflected a separate bill from State Sen. Paul Strommen of Sidney, LB 698, which remains stuck in committee. The amendment would exempt businesses with 10 or fewer employees from the requirement to offer paid sick leave, and would remove temporary agriculture workers and workers under 16 from the same benefit.

Officials with the paid sick leave initiative opposed the amendment in a press release, saying it substantially undermines the will of voters.

An overwhelming number of voters in our state  including majority support in every legislative district and in 89 of 93 counties  decided that hardworking Nebraskans should no longer have to choose between paying their bills or caring for their or a loved ones health. The right to earn paid sick leave is a common-sense policy that will help workers, businesses, families and our communities thrive, the press release from Nebraska Appleseed said.

In November, nearly 75% of Nebraska voters passed Initiative 436, which will require employers with fewer than 20 workers to offer at least five days of paid sick leave per year, or one hour for every 30 hours worked, starting Oct. 1. Employers with 20 or more workers must offer at least seven days per year.

Several opponents noted how rare such overwhelming support from Nebraska voters is. Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said not one legislative district in the state had less than 63% support for Initiative 436.

Its hard for me to go against 92% of my district, who sent me back here and also approve this, said Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha.

McKinney filed a motion to indefinitely postpone LB 415, which failed Thursday on a 11-32 vote. McKinney told lawmakers that in most legislative districts, more voters supported Initiative 436 than they supported their own senators election to the Nebraska Legislature.

Sen. Tony Sorrentino of the Omaha area  the only amendment supporter to speak Thursday  refuted arguments about the large voter support by pointing out voters also passed Initiative 434 in November, which solidified Nebraskas 12-week abortion ban into the state Constitution. He said using the logic of opponents, he would expect pro-choice lawmakers to never again introduce bills to expand abortion rights.

I think you have to hear both sides of the logic, Sorrentino said.

Abortion rights supporters in the Legislature did not introduce any bills this session to expand abortion rights. However, several bills were introduced this year that would dilute other ballot initiatives that enacted more progressive policies, including legalizing medical marijuana and increasing the states minimum wage.

Sorrentino further argued that the amendment was friendly to LB 415, and said it would remove unnecessary burdens on small businesses.

Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln reflected on the high support Initiative 436, and the lack of opposition to the measure leading up to the general election. She speculated that though opponents of the initiative have deep pockets, they didnt oppose the measure before the election because they knew they would lose, and they had allies in the Legislature that would help them undermine the policy anyway.

Multiple bills to enact similar paid sick leave policies in recent years have stalled in the Legislature due to a lack of support.

Several opponents expressed concern over a growing theme they see in the Legislature about ignoring the will of voters, and noted theres a new rhetoric this year that voters didnt know what they were voting for. Conrad called this mindset offensive and ridiculous.

They knew what they were doing, and they wanted this, said Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha.

Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln said there is a difference between an amendment that clarifies language related to successful ballot initiatives, and an amendment that intentionally walks back policies within those initiatives. He argued the committee amendment would do the latter.

What you see in the amendments that are trying to be tacked on is not simply definitions and clarifications, but a whittling away at what the voters have passed, Dungan said.

If the filibuster stretches the full eight hours allowed, there likely wont be a vote to advance LB 415 until next Thursday.


HB 3595 gives government employee time off for Lunar New Year

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

House Bill 3595 will be having a hearing in House Committee On Rules. Monday 03/24/2025 8:00 AM, HR C, State Capitol

House Bill 3595 would make a Lunar New Year a state legal holiday and injects this day in the Oregon statute that governs the 10 other state holidays that are paid time off for government employees, so we assume this is indeed a new paid off holiday for government employees. You can testify online here (hit submit testimony tab)

Honoring Lunar New Year is wonderful  but  a new government paid time off time is vexing for several reasons.

 Oregon public schools have one of the shortest schools years in America! As a result they are among the very bottom of test scores. How does pulling children away, even more from a short school year going to help these students?

 Oregon has an 18,000 sex offender backlog of unprocessed rapists and a continual backlog of rape kit processing. How does more paid days off for government employees going to help get sex offenders and rape kits processed on time?

 Our government pensions (PERS) is $28 billion in debt! How does giving the entire government workforce a paid day off when we cannot even afford to pay them right now? Our state is $28 billion in debt and the politicians are rolling out paid holidays.

 DMV has been closing nearly a dozen offices during summer. How does fewer DMV open days help drivers who struggle to get appointments?



 The States Corporation Division has been faulted for not being open on Fridays. How does another paid day off for government employees help businesses register in Oregon?

 Government workers like Portlands public employee unions are already required to work a only half-week in the office. How does giving a paid day off to one of the most casual workplace rules in the nation help Portland get out from its government services crunch?

 Our government employees make 20% more than private sector Oregonians. Yet this bill gives all the paid benefits of a lunar new year to government employees while private sector workers lose access to government services and has to pay for child care when schools send their kids home.

 Lawmakers are advancing a bill to pay workers to strike. The bill along with the lunar new year bill are more ways our tax dollars are paying people to not work.

 The list of extreme delay scandals in Oregon state agencies include; Employment Department, Housing Department, Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Transportation. How does adding more paid days off help struggling Oregonians get the services they pay for?

You can testify online here (hit submit testimony tab)

HB 3595 summary, The Act makes the Lunar New Year a state holiday. Here are the other legal holidays that Lunar New Year would join, New Years Day, MLK, Jr.s Birthday , Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas. HB 3595 sponsors, Representative Chaichi, Dobson, Nguyen D, Nguyen H, Pham H, Sanchez, Walters, Senator Jama, Pham

 Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
HB 3076 gun dealer licensing bill

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon

OregonWatchdog.com

Public Hearing today on HB 3076 in House Judiciary Committee, 03/20/2025 3:00 PM , HR F

The NRA-ILA states on HB 3076, This bill will impose significant restrictions and penalties on lawful and already highly regulated Federal Firearms License businesses.

Public Hearing on HB 3076. Bill summary,  Directs the Department of Justice to study the establishment of a state gun dealer licensing program, and to provide the results of the study to the appropriate interim committees of the Legislative Assembly no later than December 31, 2026.

You can testify on HB 3076 here (click submit testimony)

 Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty).
By Oregon Senate Republican Caucus

March 20, 2025

Senate Democrats passed Senate Bill 916, and rejected a common-sense minority report that would have protected small businesses, schools, hospitals, and taxpayers from being forced to subsidize private labor disputes. Under SB 916, striking workers, including public employees, will now be eligible to collect unemployment benefits, making Oregon the first state in the nation to take this extreme step. While only New York and New Jersey allow striking workers to receive unemployment benefits, no state has ever applied this policy to public employees until now.

Unemployment benefits were never meant to bankroll labor strikes, said Senate Republican Leader Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles). This bill rewrites the rules to reward political allies at the direct expense of small businesses, healthcare facilities, and schools, many of which are already struggling with workforce shortages and rising costs. Democrats had the opportunity to support a balanced alternative that ensured fairness and financial responsibility, but instead, they pushed through a bill that prioritizes special interests over working Oregonians.

The minority report, which Senate Republicans proposed, would have required a fourweek waiting period before striking workers could receive benefits, ensured repayment of funds with interest, and required unions to maintain adequate strike funds before members could access taxpayer-supported benefits. It also reinforced long-standing Oregon law prohibiting public employees from striking, mirroring Taylors Law in New York. Instead, Senate Democrats rejected these protections and voted to make Oregon an outlier in the country.

This isnt just bad policy, its unfair to every Oregonian who is expected to show up for work every day, said Senator Suzanne Weber (R-Tillamook). A strike is a choice, not an unforeseen layoff or business closure. People who voluntarily walk off the job should not be entitled to the same benefits as those who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

Senate Republicans unanimously voted no on this costly measure. SB 916 now moves to the Oregon House of Representatives for further consideration.
BLOOMINGTON  Honoring two late pillars of the community, Bloomington District 87's Board of Education has named its newest facility the Willie G. and Gloria Brown Education Center.

The board approved a resolution to rename the building at 2309 E. Oakland Ave. that is being renovated to house the district's pre-K and Bloomington Career Academy at its regular meeting March 19, a move that two of the Browns' three adult children called "overwhelming."

"It's just amazing to us," Michael Brown said. "When we were growing up, I don't know if we ever imagined that this day would be in front of us, right? They were just Mom and Dad."

However, naming an educational facility that will serve the youngest students and those transitioning into a career field is in lockstep with their parents' values, said Michele Honore.

"It goes back to, just, both of our parents' belief in finding ways to always make the next generation better and to have an opportunity to lift somebody up when you can," she said.

In 2024, District 87 purchased the building, formerly known as the Oakland Avenue Building, from State Farm, where Willie Brown worked for nearly four decades, for about $4.5 million. Work is ongoing in the 250,000 square foot space to bring technical and vocational training in as early as this fall.

After Willie Brown died in 2022, the board began thinking of ways to honor his lasting impact on District 87, said board member Brigette Gibson.

Both Willie and Gloria Brown graduated from Bloomington High School in 1966, and Willie was inducted into the District 87 Hall of Fame in 2007, Gibson said.

"He has been a part of our district legacy. And then, with that building, I mean, he was an executive in that building. So, it felt like a real match to honor him this way," she said.

Superintendent David Mouser also said naming the building for Willie and Gloria Brown "is a way to celebrate their lasting legacy and reaffirm our communitys commitment to education and service."

While many remember Willie Brown for his many philanthropic contributions in the Twin Cities and McLean County, Michael Brown wanted to make sure people remembered their mother as well, he said, so he urged the school district to include her name on the building.

"Dad wouldn't have been able to do the things that he was able to do later on in life with his philanthropic giving, whether that was his time or treasure, without Mom," he said.

Gloria Brown was the one who kept the family grounded while her husband was building his career, Honore said.

"She was the boss of everything, really, and our real support system while Dad was out there making his career at State Farm," she said. "(Gloria) was the one keeping us solidified here. She made sure stuff got done here."

That included getting an education, Honore said.

"(Gloria) didn't go to college. So, it was kind of really important for her (that we) have that education," she said.

But the opportunities through the Bloomington Career Academy offer more options for students besides college, something their father championed in his later years, Michael Brown said.

"Individuals that are at a stage in their life where they're saying, 'College may not be for me, but I may want to do something  auto mechanic, plumbing, cook, something like that  and it doesn't take me going to school to learn that trade.' He would be very, very happy with that. That would be pretty cool to him," Michael Brown said.

Still, Willie Brown would have been too humble to accept this recognition, his children said.

"'It's not necessary,'" Honore said, imitating her father as her brother laughed. "'We don't have to do all that.'"

Yet naming this facility that will educate future generations for many years to come helps to carry on their parents' legacies and instill their ideals in the young, Michael Brown said.

"This is something that's going to be put in stone, so to speak, for individuals that walk into that building, individuals that graduate out of that building, and individuals that drive by and maybe want to know more about that building and maybe know a little bit more about Willie and Gloria Brown. ... That's pretty big for an African American in Bloomington-Normal with his family to be recognized that way," he said.
" " You may have seen this phrase in places associated with the dead, such as cemeteries or funeral homes. maradon 333 / Shutterstock

Today we're diving into the eerie concept of memento mori. In Latin, the phrase memento mori literally means "remember that you must die," and it has been a central theme in religious thought, art and philosophy for centuries.

Rather than being a morbid fixation, memento mori serves as a powerful reminder that life is fleeting and should be lived with purpose.

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Throughout the medieval ages, memento mori images  skulls, hourglasses and guttering candles  were used to encourage reflection on life's impermanence. In the Catholic faith, this reminder wasn't meant to cause despair but to inspire a proper practice of faith, humility and virtue, knowing that no one can live forever.
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Utilized volcanic spheres 9735 and 9319 from Gombore IB. Credit: Mussi 2025

A new study by Dr. Margherita Mussi, published in Quaternary International, highlights how naturally occurring basalt spheres may have been used by hominin species as a type of tool for more than 1 million years.

Across Pleistocene Europe, Asia, and Africa, researchers have recognized and been attracted to intentionally manufactured globular lithic items. Over the decades, they have termed these globular lithics "stone balls," "spheres," "speroids," "bolas," "balles polyedriques," "boules polyedriques," and "spheroides a facettes."

Hypotheses for their use range from percussion tools to hunting implements.

However, the equally fascinating naturally occurring lithic items have been less extensively studied, usually only given a cursory mention in the literature.

At Melka Kunture, Ethiopia, various Pleistocene sites within the Upper Awash region feature naturally occurring globular lithics, termed "spheres."

Due to the area having been surrounded by multiple eruptive centers, these spheres are exclusively made of volcanic basalt, unlike many found in the surrounding areas, which are made of limestone.

Spheres used in the study analysis were collected from eight sites, namely Gombore IB, Atebella II, Garba XII, Gombore II-1, Gombore II-2, Garba IIIE, Gotu III, and Garba I.

Gombore IB was the oldest inhabited site, dated to 1.7 mya. It contained almost 5,000 stone tools, three spheres, and two fragments of a Homo cf. ergaster humerus (upper arm bone). Spheres that had been collected from these sites were housed at the National Museum of Addis Ababa.

Meanwhile, Garba I, III, and II were the youngest sites, dated to around 0.6 mya. Together, they contained 22 spheres and more than 7,000 lithic tools.

In total, more than 30 spheres were recovered and stored at the National Museum of Addis Ababa. In addition to these spheres, hominin bone fragments were found, providing evidence about which hominins may have collected and used these spheres.

Exfoliating basalt with a spherical core in the Simbiro gully at Melka Kunture. Credit: Mussi 2025

Beyond the Homo cf. ergaster bones found at the oldest site, Gombore IB, the skull fragments of a Homo heidelbergensis and a Homo sapiens were recovered from Gombore II-1 and Garba IIIE, respectively.

These spheres were carefully analyzed, noting their weight, shape, size, and evidence of flake scars.

Despite being naturally occurring spheres, Mussi notes that they must have been deliberately brought to these sites, excluding natural transportation methods such as by water.

"The metric characteristics, shape, and orientation of pebbles transported by water have been researched and are well understood, as can be seen in previous papers. Furthermore, note that some of the sites are fine-grained deposits where the relatively heavy rock spheres are at odds with the surrounding environment, and also that the rather soft lapilli ones would have been easily crushed during water transport."

Based on her analysis, Mussi suggests that these spheres were carefully selected by early hominin species to be used as percussive tools.

"I am convinced that the hard volcanic ones were used to knap/retouch lithic tools, while the rather soft lapilli ones were used for rubbing vegetables/hides or other stuff," she explains.

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Based on the above, these spheres were not traditional tools but can be described as outils a posteriori, (recognizable as tools only because they have been marked by use).

This discovery is particularly fascinating as it provides new insights into the evolution of tool behavior in early hominins and how they might have exploited their environments.

"It is possibly the first evidence of the use of natural shapes for varied activities, and this happened repeatedly over more than 1 million years of human evolution at Melka Kunture," says Mussi.

"While hominin species were changing from Homo erectus to H. heidelbergensis, the round rocks were selected from various sources in a changing environment. In my opinion, this is good evidence of how the hominins were carefully exploiting any new resource and cleverly using them."

More information: Margherita Mussi, The volcanic rock spheres of Melka Kunture (Upper Awash, Ethiopia) at Gombore IB and later Acheulean sites, Quaternary International (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.quaint.2025.109681 Journal information: Quaternary International

 2025 Science X Network
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Mount Kenya's Lewis Glacier is rapidly shrinking.

Charles Kibaki Muchiri traced the water trickling across the surface of the Lewis Glacier with his fingers, illustrating how quickly climate change is melting the huge ice blocks off of Africa's second-highest mountain.

For nearly 25 years, the affable 50-year-old guide has been taking hikers to the peaks of Mount Kenya, nearly 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) above sea level, and observing their transformation from a landscape of snow and ice, to brown rock.

"It was very beautiful," he told AFP mournfully on a recent ascent.

He recalled the ice caves and thick layer of snow that lasted several months on the peaks of this ancient volcano.

The Lewis Glacier once covered one of Mount Kenya's slopes.

The imposing mass of ice visible in archive photos has now been reduced to just two blocksthe biggest only a few dozen meters wide.

Muchiri said he fears the glacier will be entirely gone in a few years, transforming the landscape and discouraging visitors.

His observations are backed up by numerous studies, while scientists have found ice loss from the world's glaciers has accelerated over the past decade as the planet warms.

Mount Kenya is one of the only mountains on the African continent with glaciers, and scientists fear that as soon as 2030, it could become one of the first to turn entirely ice-free in modern times.

Mount Kenya's glaciers are melting away.

The Lewis Glacier lost 90% of its volume between 1934 and 2010, according to a 2011 study led by Rainer Prinz of Austria's University of Innsbruck.

A satellite study last year, published in the journal Environmental Research: Climate, found that the surface area of the ice on Mount Kenya was just 4.2% of the size compared with the first reliable observations in 1900.

That is in keeping with other African mountains, including the highest, Mount Kilimanjaro, which has just 8.6% of its ice surface left, according to the study.

'Just melt away'

Although less well-known than Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Elephants can sometimes be seen in the dense forest at its base, while the trees give way to verdant hills on the ascent. After long hours of hiking, the brown rocks of the summit appear.

Mount Kenya is still home to atypical flora and unique landscapes.

Prinz said the ice shrinkage is down to temperature changes at the surface of the Indian Ocean that transport moisture throughout east Africa, "and, hence, affected by our warming planet".

The mountains no longer receive sufficient snow and are deprived of the white blanket that protects the glaciers from the effects of solar radiation, he said.

"If they don't have that, they will just melt away," he said.

Porter and guide Godfrey Mwangi, 28, said he has already seen many glaciers disappear.

He pointed to a whitewashed cliff overlooking Shiptons Camp at an altitude of 4,200 meters, once covered in a sheet of ice.

The mountain is still home to atypical flora and unique landscapes, Muchiri added, but the loss of glacier ice has put a stop to certain types of technical climbing.

'Ice cubes'

Rivers are also drying up, with consequences for the flora, fauna and residents of villages at the foot of the revered mountain.

For 25 years mountain guide Charles Kibaki Muchir has seen the glacier's transformation from a landscape of snow and ice to brown rock.

Porter and guide Godfrey Mwangi said he has already seen many glaciers disappear.

The glaciers were never large enough to constitute significant water reservoirs, according to scientists, but had considerable tourist and scientific importance.

There are other ice blocks left on the mountain, but Prinz said they are now "more or less a pile of ice cubes".

The Lewis Glacier did once have an effect on local water supplies, added Alexandros Makarigakis, a UNESCO hydrologist, but it has become so small that its contribution to the local environment has evaporated.

Makarigakis welcomes projects led by young Kenyans to plant trees around the base of the mountain in the hope of slowing the loss of snow.

But he said it will only delay the inevitable.

"Pretty soon we will have a generation that will never associate Africa with glaciers," he said.

 2025 AFP
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California has local and regional strategies to address transportation greenhouse gas emissions. Northeastern University research evaluates how they do. Credit: Nout Gons from Pexels

It's an environmentalist's adage: think globally, act locally.

But does this strategy work for reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced by vehicles?

New research from Northeastern University finds that it's a mixed bag.

"Overall, climate planning strategies help us reduce driving or help us increase non-auto commutes," says Serena Alexander, associate professor of public policy and environmental engineering at Northeastern. "But certain strategies work a lot better at the local level and, for other strategies, regional alignment is important."

Transportation accounts for the largest portion of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with 28% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the sector, and 57% of those emissions are from passenger or light-duty vehicles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

But vehicle miles traveleda measure of how much Americans drivecontinues to rise, even despite the growth of remote work during and after the pandemic.

"We have struggled tremendously in reducing emissions from transportation," Alexander says. "The main reason being that we have struggled in reducing driving even in places where we have done a lot of climate planning."

Act set regional targets for reductions

The state of California exemplifies one of those places.

In 2008, the state passed the Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through coordinated transportation, housing and land use planning.

The act set regional targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles, and regional metropolitan planning organizations worked with municipalities to devise strategies to meet these reductions.

For example, to reduce emissions by a certain amount, the region may adopt strategies like improving public transit, creating more bike path networks or streets that can be dedicated to multiple uses rather than just cars, or building more housing near transit stops, etc.

At the end of the day, however, Alexander notes that it is the local municipality that actually implements most of the strategiesplanting the street trees or maintaining the bike path, for instance, or rezoning neighborhoods.

"To combat climate change and to reduce emissions and reduce driving, you have to take action at all different levels of government," Alexander explains. "So, how do we make sure that these different levels of government work together in an effective, efficient way?"

25 California cities evaluated

To find out, Alexander received funding from the Mineta Transportation Institute to lead a team that evaluated 25 California cities and several climate planning strategies in four areas: improving transportation infrastructure; zoning and planning strategies; reducing vehicle demand; and overarching or integrative strategies (for example, green infrastructure and renewable energy initiatives).

The results, published in the journal Sustainability, as well as in a report, find that, as Alexander says, "planning matters."

Just having climate planning strategies resulted in a nearly 20% increase, on average, in non-auto commutes, according to the research.

But Alexander found certain strategies were most effective if implemented at the local level. These include community engagement, community education, parking requirements, urban forestry, even managing freight delivery and "last mile" deliveryor the final step in getting something delivered to your home.

On the other hand, mass transit and "complete streets"or streets designed for multiple uses rather than solely automobileswere most effective if regionally coordinated. Open space and preserving critical environments were also most effective when addressed regionally.

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Transit access aligned with housing, jobs

In terms of impacts, well-aligned regional and local climate-friendly infrastructure such as energy-efficient lighting and increasing tree canopies led to a 7% reduction in driving trips as it encouraged walking. Aligning strong transit access with housing and jobs was also effective in reducing driving, as did density, walkability, diversity and strong transit systems.

But Alexander notes that "a lack of alignment does not mean a lack of action."

The research found climate planning strategies were much more aligned in the Bay Area than in the area of southern California governed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). She hypothesizes it is due to the population patterns in each region. While SCAG is dominated by the sprawling Los Angeles region, Alexander notes that the Bay Area has three competing cities with large populations: San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.

"When Los Angeles developed its plan, they likely prioritized local needs, leading to a unique approach that diverged from broader regional efforts in the nation's largest metro area," Alexander says. "It's not necessarily a bad sign, it just means that patterns of climate planning across the state and across the nation vary in terms of how different jurisdictions do things."

"There's no one-size-fits-all approach here," Alexander continues. "Every jurisdiction needs to find out what it is that works for them within their specific context."

More information: Ahoura Zandiatashbar et al, What Tackles Vehicle GHG Emissions in California: Regional Plan Adoption or Local Leadership?, Sustainability (2025). DOI: 10.3390/su17031213 Fragmented or Aligned Climate Action: Assessing Linkages Between Regional and Local Planning Efforts to Meet Transportation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Targets. transweb.sjsu.edu/research/214  ions-Senate-Bill-375

This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu.
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Visualized Neural-Rendezvous trajectories for ISO exploration, where yellow curves represent ISO trajectories and blue curves represent spacecraft trajectories. Credit: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Interstellar objects are among the last unexplored classes of solar system objects, holding tantalizing information about primitive materials from exoplanetary star systems. They pass through our solar system only once in their lifetime at speeds of tens of kilometers per second, making them elusive.

Hiroyasu Tsukamoto, a faculty member in the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has developed Neural-Rendezvousa deep-learning-driven guidance and control framework to autonomously encounter these extremely fast-moving objects.

The research is published in the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics and on the arXiv preprint server.

"A human brain has many capabilities: talking, writing, etcetera," Tsukamoto said. "Deep learning creates a brain specialized for one of these capabilities with domain-specific knowledge. In this case, Neural-Rendezvous learns all the information it needs to encounter an ISO, while also considering the safety-critical, high-cost nature of space exploration."

Tsukamoto said Neural-Rendezvous is based on contraction theory for data-driven nonlinear control systems, which he developed for his Ph.D. at Caltech, while this project was a collaboration with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he spent his time as a post-doctoral research affiliate.

"Our key contribution is not just in designing the specialized brain, but in proving mathematically that it works. For example, with a human brain we learn from experience how to navigate safely while driving. But what are the mathematics behind it? How do we know and how can we make sure we won't hit anyone?"

In space, Neural-Rendezvous autonomously predicts a spacecraft's best action, based on data, but with a formal probabilistic bound on its distance to the target ISO.

Tsukamoto said there are two main challenges: The interstellar object is a high-energy, high-speed target, and its trajectory is always poorly constrained due to the unpredictable nature of its visit.

"We're trying to encounter an astronomical object that streaks through our solar system just once and we don't want to miss the opportunity. Even though we can approximate the dynamics of ISOs ahead of time, they still come with large state uncertainty because we cannot predict the timing of their visit. That's a challenge."

The speed and uncertainty of ISO encounters are also why the spacecraft must be able to think on its own.

"Unlike traditional approaches in which you design almost everything before you launch a spacecraft, to encounter an ISO, a spacecraft has to have something like a human brain, specifically designed for this mission, to fully respond to data onboard in real time."

Tsukamoto also demonstrated Neural-Rendezvous using multi-spacecraft simulators called M-STAR and tiny drones called Crazyflies. While he was at JPL, two Illinois aerospace undergraduate students, Arna Bhardwaj and Shishir Bhatta, contacted him to work on a research project using Neural-Rendezvous.

"Because of the speed and uncertainty, it's challenging to obtain a clear view of an ISO during a flyby with 100% accuracy, even with Neural-Rendezvous. Arna and Shishir wanted to show that Neural-Rendezvous could benefit from a multi-spacecraft concept."

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To theoretically justify the empirical observations from the M-STAR and Crazyfly demonstrations, their research looked at how to mathematically maximize the information gathered from the ISO encounter using a swarm of spacecraft.

"Now we have an additional layer of decision-making during the ISO encounter," Tsukamoto said. "How do you optimally position multiple spacecraft to maximize the information you can get out of it? Their solution was to distribute the spacecraft to visually cover the highly probable region of the ISO's position, which is driven by Neural-Rendezvous."

Tsukamoto said he was impressed with the level of dedication and academic potential demonstrated by Bhardwaj and Bhatta.

"The topics explored in Neural-Rendezvous can be advanced even for Ph.D. students. Arna and Shishir were very productive and worked hard, and I was surprised to see them publish a paper, given that this field initially was entirely new to them. They did a great job.

"And while the Neural-Rendezvous is more of a theoretical concept, their work is our first attempt to make it much more useful, more practical."

More information: Hiroyasu Tsukamoto et al, Neural-Rendezvous: Provably Robust Guidance and Control to Encounter Interstellar Objects, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics (2024). DOI: 10.2514/1.G007671 Arna Bhardwaj et al, Information-Optimal Multi-Spacecraft Positioning for Interstellar Object Exploration, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2411.09110 Journal information: arXiv
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers at the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau have investigated who is discriminated against and under what conditions when applying for a job or promotion. The results show that a high qualification is a good prerequisite for being judged fairly. However, even small pieces of additional information can activate stereotypesand turn the tide against applicants.

People often belong to more than one group about which there are cliches, so-called negative stereotypes. The associated prejudice is relevant in the labor market. For example, not getting the job because you are a woman, have a certain sexual orientation or come from a migrant family is precisely the suspicion that plagues many applicants when they are not considered for a job or promotion.

Two studies conducted by a team led by social psychologist Melanie Steffens at RPTU have investigated whether extraneous reasons such as group affiliation are taken into account when assessing a person in a professional context, or whether professional qualifications alone are decisive when filling a position.

For a recent publication in Collabra: Psychology, 212 study participants evaluated fictitious job applications from female surgeons. The study participants were randomly selected individualswith and without management experienceand asked to decide which of the women they would hire and which they would not.

The female applicants to be judged had light or dark skin, as shown in an application photo. They were in a relationship with a man or a woman, as indicated by additional information in the application documents. In addition, they described themselves in the application with four traits that were either exclusively competence-related or additionally warmth-related.

Competency or action-oriented traitswhich, according to numerous studies, the vast majority of people in Western cultures consider to be traditionally masculineinclude, for example, assertiveness, dominance or ambition. Warmth-related or relationship-oriented traitswhich research has shown to be considered traditionally feminine by the vast majority of people in Western culturesinclude traits such as team orientation, helpfulness and empathy.

High qualifications outweigh negative stereotypes

"To our surprise, we found no evidence of discrimination in the study of female surgeons," says Steffens, summarizing the results. Apparently, applying for a leadership position as a female surgeon is enough to overcome negative stereotypes. All women were judged positively, regardless of their social group or the characteristics they attributed to themselves.

What was unique about the study was that the researchers had a large sample of different applications assessed. Each participant was asked to rate 32 applications. In most traditional studies with a similar research question, however, participants only rate one application. According to the researcher, discrimination may have been overestimated because it could be greater in individual cases than on average.

In an earlier study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 746 participants were asked to rate female job applicants with German and Turkish names. They were given either only positive information about the applicants or information that indicated a job-related weakness. According to the research, the majority of people in Western cultures classify this weakness as either "traditionally masculine" or "traditionally feminine."

Steffens remarks, "Traditionally masculine was, for example, that female candidates in a previous project had made decisions without consulting the team."

In other words, they behaved in a power-oriented way. On the other hand, it was a traditionally feminine weakness if a female candidate did not dare to express her opinion in team meetings. The participants in the study were then asked to decide which of four women (with a German or Turkish name, each with a positive assessment, and with a German or Turkish name with a weakness) they would exclude from a fictitious team and which they would promote.

The result: German and Turkish women were equally likely to be promoted if no weaknesses were mentionedTurkish women even tended to be promoted a bit more. However, a typically feminine weakness led to the Turkish woman being excluded more often than the German woman.

"Our interpretation is that a negative female stereotype is more easily activated for Turkish women than for Germans," says Steffens.

The opposite result occurred for typically masculine weaknesses: here the German woman was excluded more often than the Turkish woman. Apparently, Turkish women are more frequently allowed than German women to transgress prescribed stereotypes for "career women."

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Even small amounts of additional information can activate stereotypes

Steffens concludes, "Excellent qualifications are a good prerequisite for being judged fairly. However, even small amounts of additional information can activate stereotypes and patterns of discrimination."

If someone belongs to several groups at the same time (such as Turkish-female, or female-Black-lesbian), this can have complex effects that are difficult to predict in everyday life.

The findings are not only important for working people: "Similar processes can also be expected when applying for university places or internships," says the researcher.

The social psychologist recommends that to counteract discrimination in the world of work, applicants should focus on their good qualifications; those making the decision should ignore social group affiliations as much as possible and be aware that humans tend to weight information differently depending on the person.

More information: Elena Ball et al, How Do Intersections of Sexual Orientation and Race Affect Impressions of Women in a Counter-stereotypical Job Context? A Comprehensive Test Manipulating Individuating Competence Information, Collabra: Psychology (2025). DOI: 10.1525/collabra.129119 Elena Ball et al, Whose misbehavior is inexcusableAnd which one? Jobrelated discrimination against ethnic minority and majority women, Journal of Applied Social Psychology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/jasp.13070 Journal information: Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Provided by Rheinland-Pfalzische Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern-Landau
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A graph I saw in high school appeared to show the Earth breathing. It was a graph that plotted carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the course of the 20th century and into the 21st. CO 2 had risen steadily, and then more rapidly, but it hadn't gone up in a straight line. Each year it had fallen sharply before rising to a new peak, increasing over time in an upwards zig-zag.

What explained this annual, temporary fall in CO 2 , the gas that is overwhelmingly responsible for climate change? The answer was photosynthesis, my physics teacher explainedthe miracle by which plants turn light and CO 2 into food.

This is how our planet has regulated atmospheric carbon for longer than our species has existed. Fossil fuels are disrupting this equilibrium in several ways.

Spring is dawning in the northern hemisphere, where most of the planet's green land is situated. Trees are unfurling leaves that will soak up carbon in the air and turn it into new bark, roots and branches. On a global scale, it's like a gigantic inhalation of carbon. In autumn, when trees shed their leaves, Earth will exhale again.

The air we all breathe is increasingly polluted by fossil fuels. That includes products of fossil fuels, like plastic, which is now so ubiquitous that research suggests simply breathing can introduce microscopic fragments into your brain.

Something similar is happening in plantsand it could have global consequences.

Plants are losing their appetite

"Microplastics are hindering photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert energy from the sun into the fruit and vegetables we eat," says Denis J. Murphy, an emeritus professor of biotechnology at the University of South Wales.

"This threatens massive losses in crop and seafood production over the coming decades that could mean food shortages for hundreds of millions of people."

These are the conclusions of a recent study by researchers in China, Germany and the US. Murphy wasn't involved, but his own research with plant cellswhich the tiniest microplastics can infiltrate and damage the organs involved in photosynthesishas him worried.

"Given the potential (albeit speculative) risk to global food production, more priority should be given to rigorous scientific research of microplastics and their effects on both crops and the marine life that supports fish and seafood stocks," he says.

Not so long ago, people wondered if our fossil fuel habits might actually benefit plant photosynthesis. After all, plants eat CO 2 . Flooding the atmosphere with more of it each year could only whet their appetites, right?

"The amount of CO 2 used by photosynthesis and stored in vegetation and soils has grown over the past 50 years, and now absorbs at least a quarter of human emissions in an average year," say ecologists Amanda Cavanagh (University of Essex) and Caitlin Moore (University of Western Australia).

Most of this extra carbon absorption has come from crops and young trees, the pair say, less from mature forests where a lot of the world's carbon is stored. Cavanagh and Moore say this carbon pump is slowing down, as the other necessary ingredients for photosynthesissoil nutrients and waterhave fallen or stayed the same.

Microplastics could slow the rate at which plants remove carbon further. And then there are the effects of climate change, like drought, fires and floods, which will intensify as long as we continue burning fossil fuels.

After monitoring forests and shrublands in Australia for 20 years, Moore and a team of six colleagues concluded that these ecosystems are at risk of losing their ability to bounce back, and continue absorbing carbon, after successive climate disasters.

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Hacking photosynthesis

We may have done plenty to reduce global photosynthesis, but a team of scientists at the University of Oxford and the Fraunhofer Society in Germany is trying to turn things around. How? By hacking plants to help them get more out of the process.

"You would be forgiven for thinking nature has perfected the art of turning sunlight into sugar," say Jonathan Menary, Sebastian Fuller and Stefan Schillberg.

"But that isn't exactly true. If you struggle with life goals, it might reassure you to know even plants haven't yet reached their full potential."

The team say that plants tend to convert less than 5% of sunlight into new tissueoften as little as 1%. That's because of a mistake plants regularly make, in which an enzyme involved in photosynthesis latches on to oxygen instead of CO 2 .

"If we could prevent this mistake, it would leave plants with more energy for photosynthesis," they say.

Cyanobacteria are Earth's most ancient photosynthesizers. Menary, Fuller and Schillberg say these microscopic organisms could possess useful genes for better sunlight management that might benefit crops like rice and potato plants. Another technique involves helping plants recover from high light exposure quicker.

More efficient photosynthesis, with the help of gene editing and other tools, is not "a silver bullet," the team stress. Certainly not while fossil fuels continue to drown our green planet in carbon it cannot metabolize.

However, this work is likely to prove useful as farmers seek to grow more in an increasingly volatile environment, while sparing enough land for nature.

"This research is about making sure we can grow enough food to feed ourselves," the team say.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: University of Florida

Excessive noise, or noise pollution, in cities has been linked in multiple studies to increased stress, sleep disturbances, and long-term health problems.

Researchers from the University of Florida are on a mission to quiet things down, working with local governments and a private firm to improve both public health and urban living.

Enter Martin Gold, an associate professor from UF's School of Architecture, and his team of students. They recently partnered with Siebein Acoustic, a soundscape design firm that specializes in architectural and environmental acoustics. The team visited Fort Lauderdale, one of Florida's busiest cities, known both as a party destination and a mecca for retirees.

The team studied areas throughout downtown and by the beach to provide recommendations for reducing the impact of sound in the city at large.

To inform their work, researchers recruited participants to walk the city and report on their observations about sound and sights, took photo documentation, acoustic measurements, geographical measurements and analyzed municipal code studies.

The team proposed different improvement strategies including:

Using vertical distance by requiring residential high-rise construction to limit residences in the lower floors of buildings.

Limiting sound levels at windows or balconies of residential units.

Building envelope systems, which are the building components that separate the indoors from the outdoors, that limit sound transmission and absorb sound.

Designing new construction so buildings absorb and diffuse the sounds striking them rather than reflecting and subsequently amplifying the sounds or focusing the sounds in particular areas.

Strategic zoning to incentivize designs along arterial corridors that fill the sites and provide acoustic barriers to the residential neighborhoods behind them.

"We need to take a closer look at how we are designing the next generation of urban environments. There's a lot we can do with soundscape architecture to positively impact issues moving forward," says Martin Gold, associate professor from UF's School of Architecture.

The findings and recommendations were presented at the International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering (Internoise 2024) in Nantes, France. Gold and his students are currently surveying an area of Clearwater and plan to study more cities around the state and offer recommendations for reducing noise.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

A new AI weather prediction system, Aardvark Weather, can deliver accurate forecasts tens of times faster and using thousands of times less computing power than current AI and physics-based forecasting systems, according to research published in Nature.

Aardvark has been developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge supported by the Alan Turing Institute, Microsoft Research and the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting, providing a blueprint for a completely new approach to weather forecasting with the potential to transform current practices.

The weather forecasts that people rely upon are currently generated through a complex set of stages, each taking several hours to run on bespoke supercomputers. Aside from daily usage, the development, maintenance and deployment of these complex systems requires significant time and large teams of experts.

More recently, research by Huawei, Google, and Microsoft has demonstrated that one component of this pipeline, the numerical solver (which calculates how weather evolves over time), can be replaced with AI, resulting in faster and more accurate predictions. This combination of AI and traditional approaches is now being deployed by the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts.

But with Aardvark, researchers have replaced the entire weather prediction pipeline with a single, simple machine learning model. The new model takes in observations from satellites, weather stations and other sensors and outputs both global and local forecasts. This fully AI-driven approach means that predictions are now achievable in minutes on a desktop computer.

When using just 10% of the input data of existing systems, Aardvark already outperforms the United States national GFS forecasting system on many variables and it is also competitive with United States Weather Service forecasts that use input from dozens of weather models and analysis by expert human forecasters.

One of the most exciting aspects of Aardvark is its flexibility and simple design. Because it learns directly from data, it can be quickly adapted to produce bespoke forecasts for specific industries or locations, whether predicting temperatures for African agriculture or wind speeds for a renewable energy company in Europe.

This contrasts with traditional weather prediction systems where creating a customized system takes years of work by large teams of researchers.

This capability has the potential to transform weather prediction in developing countries where access to the expertise and computational resources required to develop conventional systems is not typically available.

Professor Richard Turner, Lead Researcher for Weather Prediction at the Alan Turing Institute and Professor of Machine Learning in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, said, "Aardvark reimagines current weather prediction methods, offering the potential to make weather forecasts faster, cheaper, more flexible and more accurate than ever before, helping to transform weather prediction in both developed and developing countries.

"Importantly, Aardvark would not have been possible without decades of physical-model development by the community, and we are particularly indebted to ECMWF for their ERA5 dataset, which is essential for training Aardvark."

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Anna Allen, lead author from the University of Cambridge, added, "These results are just the beginning of what Aardvark can achieve. This end-to-end learning approach can be easily applied to other weather forecasting problems, for example hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. Beyond weather, its applications extend to broader Earth system forecasting, including air quality, ocean dynamics, and sea ice prediction."

Matthew Chantry, Strategic Lead for Machine Learning at ECMWF, remarked, "We have been thrilled to collaborate on this project, which explores the next generation of weather forecasting systemspart of our mission to develop and deliver operational AI-weather forecasting while openly sharing data to benefit science and the wider community. It is essential that academia and industry work together to address technological challenges and leverage new opportunities that AI offers. Aardvark's approach combines both modularity with end-to-end forecasting optimization, ensuring effective use of the available datasets."

Dr. Chris Bishop, Technical Fellow and Director, Microsoft Research AI for Science, stated, "Aardvark represents not only an important achievement in AI weather prediction but it also reflects the power of collaboration and bringing the research community together to improve and apply AI technology in meaningful ways."

Dr. Scott Hosking, Director of Science and Innovation for Environment and Sustainability at The Alan Turing Institute, observed, "Unleashing AI's potential will transform decision-making for everyone, from policymakers and emergency planners to industries that rely on accurate weather forecasts. Aardvark's breakthrough is not just about speed, it's about access. By shifting weather prediction from supercomputers to desktop computers, we can democratize forecasting, making these powerful technologies available to developing nations and data-sparse regions around the world."

Next steps for Aardvark include developing a new team within the Alan Turing Institute led by Professor Richard Turner, exploring the potential to deploy Aardvark in the Global South, and integrating the technology into the Institute's wider work to develop high-precision environmental forecasting for weather, oceans and sea ice.

Provided by The Alan Turing Institute
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Female, left, and male Galapagos Yellow Warbler - picture by Caglar Akcay, Anglia Ruskin University. Credit: Caglar Akcay, Anglia Ruskin University

A new study has discovered that birds in the Galapagos Islands are changing their behavior due to traffic noise, with those frequently exposed to vehicles showing heightened levels of aggression.

Published in the journal Animal Behaviour and led by experts from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the Konrad Lorenz Research Centre at the University of Vienna, the research examined the impact of vehicle noise pollution on Galapagos yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia aureola), a songbird widespread on the archipelago.

The Galapagos Islands, located over 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador, are considered a natural living laboratory due to the large number of unique, endemic species. The Galapagos yellow warbler is genetically distinct from other yellow warblers found in the Americas and is classified as a subspecies.

Male Galapagos Yellow Warbler on the island of Floreana - filmed by Caglar Akcay, Anglia Ruskin University, in March 2025. Credit: Caglar Akcay, Anglia Ruskin University

A visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1835 helped inspire Charles Darwin to develop the theory of evolution by natural selection. However, recent decades have seen significant human population growth. Alongside a rise in tourism, the permanent population is increasing by over 6% per year, leading to more vehicles on the islands' roads.

The new study involved researchers playing bird songs from a speaker, simulating an intruder, accompanied by recorded traffic noise at 38 locations populated by Galapagos yellow warblers on the islands of Floreana and Santa Cruz20 sites were within 50 meters of the nearest road and 18 were over 100 meters away.

The researchers then measured song, typically used to ward off intruders, and physical, aggressive behaviors such as approaching the speaker closely and making repeated flights across it.

During trials with traffic noise, the researchers found that Galapagos yellow warblers living in roadside territories showed increased aggression, but those living away from the roads showed decreased aggression relative to trials without noise.

Galapagos Yellow Warbler - picture by Alper Yelimlies. Credit: Alper Yelimlies

Importantly, the effect of living on a roadside territory was present even on Floreana Island, with only about 10 vehicles present on the island, suggesting even minimal experience of traffic affects responses to noise.

Additionally, Galapagos yellow warblers on the more populous island of Santa Cruz increased the duration of their song when confronted by traffic noise. These findings support the idea that long-term selection based on noise experience, or an individual bird's previous experience of noise, allows them to adapt and adjust the features of their songs.

Finally, the birds increased the minimum frequencies of their songs during the noise experiments, regardless of their territory's proximity to the road, helping to reduce any overlap of their songs with the low-frequency traffic noise.

Co-author Dr. Caglar Akcay, Senior Lecturer in Behavioral Ecology at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said, "Birds use song during territorial defense as an aggressive signal. However, if external noise such as traffic interferes with the signaling, effectively blocking this communication channel, increasing physical aggression would be an appropriate response.

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"Our results show that the change in aggressive responses in yellow warblers occurred mainly near roads. Birds occupying roadside territories on both islands, and therefore having regular experience of traffic noise, may have learned to increase physical aggression when the territorial intrusion was accompanied by traffic noise.

"We also found some evidence of birds trying to cope with noise by adjusting their song, with yellow warblers in all habitats increasing the minimum frequency of their songs to help them be heard above the traffic noise.

"Our study shows the importance of considering behavioral plasticity in conservation efforts and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of noise pollution on wildlife. It also highlights the significant impact of human activities on wildlife behavior, even in relatively remote locations such as the Galapagos Islands."

More information: Leon Hohl et al, Galapagos yellow warblers differ in behavioural plasticity in response to traffic noise depending on proximity to road, Animal Behaviour (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123119 , dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2025.123119 Journal information: Animal Behaviour
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Farmers in India testing Aegis Armor. Credit: Anish Easwaran/Texas A&M Engineering

Paralysis. Fever. Convulsions. These are just some of the symptoms of a venomous snakebite. If you're lucky and live close to a hospital, you can receive antivenom and leave with a story and a scar. For those who live in more rural areas, a snakebite can mean the loss of a limb or life.

While working as a medical assistant in India during his freshman year, Texas A&M biomedical engineering student and Brown Scholar Anish Easwaran witnessed the fate of a farmer bitten by a snake while tending to his crop. When the farmer arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later, doctors had no choice but to amputate the farmer's leg, an action Easwaran believes could have been prevented altogether.

From that experience, Easwaran dreamed up Aegis Armora low-cost device to protect farmers from snakebites in developing nations and agricultural regions. The customizable armor, composed of impenetrable material, is placed around the lower leg and ankle to block a snake from contacting the skin.

"My first instinct is to explore engineering solutions, especially if I can't see an immediate clinical answer," he said. "That experience motivated me to create something that could prevent similar tragedies."

According to the National Institutes of Health, an estimated one million snakebites occur in India annually, causing around 58,000 deaths. Existing snakebite prevention solutions cost $50 or more, which is almost half the monthly pay for an average farmer making a little under 10,218 rupeesor $119. Easwaran's solution costs less than $5.

Since its conception, Easwaran and his business partner, Texas A&M undergraduate Kaushik Avadhanula, have delivered more than 5,000 products to farmers and have over 13,000 orders in queue. Easwaran is currently working with the Clinton Foundation as a Clinton Global Innovation Fellowan honor given to the top 25 emerging social entrepreneurs in the worldto broaden the reach of Aegis Armor and plans to expand the company's efforts to Vietnam.

"The goal is to meet the demand we're seeing because we have a lot of interest from nonprofits," Easwaran said. "Our next market is Vietnam. Whenever we expand to a new market, my partner and I visit at least one village in the affected area to ensure the armor design works for the local community."

These visits allow Easwaran to witness his product in action, while also observing any pain points in user experience.

Easwaran, Balbin and Avadhanula presenting ElastaScan at Aggie PITCH. Credit: Anish Easwaran/Texas A&M Engineering

"We've learned that people are only willing to use these kinds of armors if they don't feel like an external imposition," he said. "When we first did the pilot study in India, the initial design used an outer layer of recycled car leather. However, the initial version looked industrial, and very few people wanted to use it."

From talking to users in India, Easwaran and his partner discovered that their designs needed to feel more personalized, especially for women and children who often stitch their own clothing.

"We started incorporating traditional clothing patterns and allowed the community to add their own fabrics to the armor," he explained. "This small change made a huge difference. The adoption rates skyrocketed because people felt invested in the solution and saw it as a natural part of their lives."

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One entrepreneur, two devices

Not content to stop with one successful device, Easwaran spent his sophomore year spearheading a second company with fellow biomedical engineering undergraduate Richard Balbin and Avadhanula called ElastaScan. Intended to be utilized by physical therapists to track muscle movements, the device optimizes treatment for patients recovering from injuries.

ElastaScan uses a sensor suite to track muscle activation during movement. This can help physical therapists check a patient's form and ensure supporting muscles aren't compensating for lack of intended muscle activation.

"We originally focused on physical therapy because recovery exercises rely on proper form, and improper form often delays recovery," Easwaran said.

"I saw this firsthand while shadowing orthopedic surgeons. A doctor predicted a patient would recover in six weeks, but eight weeks later, they were still on physical therapy. With our device, we can precisely measure muscle activation, quantify recovery, and make form correction easier."

Easwaran says the student organization Sling Health helped foster his entrepreneurial spirit. The organization's advisor and biomedical engineering professor Dr. Saurabh Biswas guided him through the I-Corps program.

"Dr. Biswas taught me to focus on identifying real problems before jumping to solutions," Easwaran added. "He emphasized talking to experts and gathering data to understand the problem thoroughly. This shifted my approach from purely engineering-focused to more problem-driven. He also helped us navigate the regulatory landscape, FDA rules, and incubator programs for ElastaScan."

For the next steps, Easwaran plans on expanding manufacturing and distributing Aegis Armor to more nonprofits globally. Regarding ElastaScan, Easwaran and his team are continuing to develop, prototype, and refine their product before moving forward with a clinical trial.
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Credit: RDNE Stock project from Pexels

The Trump administration's dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled on March 18, 2025. The court order to pause the agency's shuttering came days after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that 83% of its programs had been cut.

USAID was created in 1961 as the lead agency for U.S. international development. Until recently, it funded health and humanitarian aid programs in more than 130 countries. Despite the administration's claim of cost-cutting, USAID was a relatively small and economical operation. Its US$40 billion budget accounted for just 0.7% of annual federal spending. Congress also required regular reporting and evaluations on USAID, helping to ensure substantial oversight of how it spent its taxpayer dollars.

USAID's swift destruction has sent shock waves across the globe. But as a scholar of the global humanitarian aid sector and donor agencies, I know this assault on foreign aid is not unprecedented.

In June 2020, Boris Johnson, then the prime minister of the United Kingdom, used similar claims of budget-tightening to effectively close the Department for International Development, Britain's equivalent of USAID.

A COVID merger

Both the U.S. and British foreign aid programs have long prompted heated debates over the proper relationship between development, diplomacy and national security. The U.S. and Britain have long been among the top five providers of development assistance worldwide, and both USAID and DFID have played leading roles in the development community.

Countries give foreign aid for both altruistic and self-interested reasons. Treating global diseases and addressing civil conflicts is a way for wealthy Western governments to limit threats that could destabilize their countries, as well as the rest of the world. It also burnishes their reputation and encourages cooperation with other governments.

Scholars from across the political spectrum and around the world have questioned the general efficacy of foreign assistance, arguing that these programs are designed to serve the interests of donors, not the needs of recipients. Other development experts contend that foreign aid programs, while imperfect, have still made meaningful progress in improving health, education and freedoms.

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Britain's DFID was created in 1997 as an independent, Cabinet-level department deliberately independent of partisan politics. It quickly developed a reputation as a model donor, even among skeptics of international aid.

For example, a staffer at the international medical charity Doctors without Borders told me in a 2006 interview that he had scoffed at the idea of a politics-free aid agency.

Yet, he said, he had found DFID "relatively easier to work with" than other donors.

"I have never heard of someone being told, as a result of accepting DFID funds, what to do, either explicitly or behind closed doors," he told me.

But its good reputation could not protect DFID. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Johnson announced that DFID would merge with the Foreign Office, Britain's equivalent of the State Department, to create a new government agency. By uniting aid and diplomacy, Johnson said, the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office would get "maximum value for the British taxpayer," and he cited the economic impact of COVID to justify his decision.

Foreign aid dropped sharply after the merger, from 0.7% of Britain's gross national income to 0.5%a cut of about US$6 billion.

Development professionals decried Johnson's merger, arguing it could not have happened at a worse time, with the pandemic heightening the need for global health funding. And coming shortly after Brexit, Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, DFID's demise further called into question Britain's commitment to global cooperation.

Less money, less impact

Five years later, it's not clear that dismantling DFID has made British foreign aid more efficient or effective, as Johnson pledged.

"We have seen evidence of where a more integrated approach has improved the organization's ability to respond to international crises and events, which has led to a better result," reads one 2025 report by the U.K.'s National Audit Office.

Yet, the auditors add, the British government has spent at least 24.7 millionUS$32 millionto merge its aid and diplomacy offices, and it failed to track these costs. Nor did the leaders of the merger set out a clear vision for its new purpose.

Britain's slimmer new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also relinquished the U.K.'s past leadership in research and expertise, largely due to pay reductions and restrictions on hiring non-British nationals.

From the outset, DFID had invested substantially in building expertise in global development, particularly in conflict-ridden states. In 2001, for example, it spent almost 5% of its budgetan unusually high amounton research and policy analysis to design and assess its programs.

DFID produced regular case studies of the projects it funded, which included getting Syrian refugee children back in school, building roads that help Rwandan farmers move their products to market, and providing health care after Pakistan's 2010 floods.

Given the "development expertise that was lost with the merger," the U.K. government can no longer conduct "the kind of rigorous, long-term focus necessary to make a real impact," said the Center for Global Development in a recent report.

A 2022 study suggests that DFID's dismantling was a fundamentally political move, "divorced from substantive analysis of policy or inter-institution relationships."

Britain's new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, of the leftist Labor Party, initially promised to boost British foreign aid. But in early March 2025, he backtracked, announcing instead a further cut to foreign aid.

By 2027, the U.K. government will spend just 0.3% of its budget on overseas aid. That's roughly $11 billion less than before the merger in 2019.

'Clear and easy target'

USAID's budget was much larger than DFID's, and the administration apparently wants not to streamline U.S. foreign aid but halt it almost entirely. If this effort succeeds, it will have even more severe effects worldwide, at least in the immediate term.

The global health programs administered by USAID, which combat diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, have received bipartisan and global praise. The PEPFAR program, which USAID helps administer, distributes antiretroviral drugs worldwide. It alone has saved 25 million lives over the past two decades, including the lives of 5.5 million babies born healthy to mothers with HIV.

Development professionals tend to see independent government agencies such as USAID and DFID as better able to prioritize the needs of the poor because their programming is run separately from partisan policies.

Yet standalone agencies are also more visibleand so more vulnerable to political targeting.

DFID was a clear and easy target when Johnson began his pandemic-era budget-slashing. USAID is now suffering a similar fate.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

University of Queensland researchers have made a breakthrough in muonic atom research, clearing the way for new nuclear physics experiments.

A team at the UQ School of Mathematics and Physics has combined theory and experiments to show that nuclear polarization does not limit studies of muonic atoms. The research was published in Physical Review Letters.

Co-author Dr. Odile Smits said the finding provides a clear path for using muonic atoms to better understand the magnetic structure of the nucleus.

"Muonic atoms are really fascinating," Dr. Smits said. "A muon is a heavy version of the electron and can be produced by cosmic rays or in the lab.

"They can orbit the nucleus just like electrons, forming muonic atoms, but because they are much closer to the nucleus, they see its structure in far greater detail."

Experiments using muonic atoms have been hindered by uncertainty over how nuclear polarization affects hyperfine structure, which is a small energy splitting within atoms.

Nuclear polarization distorts the shape of the nucleus in a similar way to how the moon creates tides on Earth.

"Our work has shown that the nuclear polarization effect in muonic atoms is far smaller than previously considered," Dr. Smits said.

The team was led by UQ's Associate Professor Jacinda Ginges, who said the breakthrough removed a major barrier to studying muonic atoms.

"This opens the way for new experiments that will deepen our understanding of nuclear structure and fundamental physics."

The team worked with Dr. Natalia Oreshkina at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, who confirmed the results with independent calculations.

The UQ finding will be a stimulus for new experiments with muonic atoms, such as at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Zurich, where a research program is underway to study these exotic atoms in greater detail.

More information: J. Vandeleur et al, Smallness of the Nuclear Polarization Effect in the Hyperfine Structure of Heavy Muonic Atoms as a Stimulus for Next-Generation Experiments, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.093003. On arXiv: DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2408.16516 Journal information: arXiv , Physical Review Letters
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Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

After the safe return Tuesday of two astronauts left behind for months on the International Space Station, the White House characterized the pair as "stranded" and trumpeted their return as a "rescue." Those are words that NASA has been resisting for months.

It made for an awkward situation in a post-splashdown press conference, when NASA administrators insisted they could have brought Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams home at any time, while also seeking not to contradict the president.

The two returned as part of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission, having been on board the station since June after flying up on Boeing's Starliner.

"PROMISE MADE, PROMISE KEPT: President Trump pledged to rescue the astronauts stranded in space for nine months," was the message posted to the White House X account after the landing.

But NASA officials, though parsing their words carefully, stuck to a different narrative.

"We always had a lifeboat, a way for them to come home," NASA Commercial Crew Program Manager Steve Stich said.

Wilmore and Williams flew up on Starliner's Crew Flight Test, arriving June 6 on what was supposed to be as short as an eight-day stay. Starliner, though, suffered thruster failures and helium leaks in its propulsion system. NASA ultimately elected to send Starliner home without a crew and have Wilmore and Williams join the SpaceX Crew-9 mission.

"We tried to look for opportunities to bring the crew back when it was safe to do so," Stich said.

From Stich's point of view, what some saw as the plight of Wilmore and Williams was instead part of what being an astronaut is all aboutand the fact Starliner was a test flight always meant the short stay could be extended.

"The thing I think back of this whole timeframe is how really resilient Butch and Suni were the whole time," he said. "They became seamlessly part of the International Space Station, and they did that because they were experienced astronauts, and we had prepared."

But for months, the Trump camp's political spin has gone in a different direction.

Trump adviser Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, has claimed that during the Biden administration SpaceX offered to get the astronauts earlier than the timeframe that became NASA's planbut was rebuffed for political reasons ahead of the election. After Trump was elected, he said he had directed SpaceX to bring them home "as soon as possible."

Joel Montalbano, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the Space Operations Mission Directorate, said at the press conference that, of course, the agency listened to the president.

"NASA as an agency, we work for the president, and whoever's there, we work for them," Montalbano said. "We had an input from that office. We took a look at it. And you know, our job is to take all the input we get and operate as successfully and safely as we can.

"And that's what we would do for this administration, and that's what we would do for any administration."

Nevertheless, the statements from Musk and then Trump did force the Starliner astronauts' extended stay into a brighter national spotlight. Their words actually came after it was announced in January that Williams and Wilmore would have to stay even longer than expectedpotentially not flying home until April.

Part of that delay was the fault of SpaceX. It was not able to get a fifth Dragon spacecraft working in time for what was originally targeted as the mid-February replacement flight that would allow the astronauts to come home.

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That forced NASA and SpaceX to shift to a different Crew Dragon. And ultimately Musk's company was able to bring the pair home in mid-March.

In the end, Montalbano said politics and public pressure did not play into NASA's decisions.

"Our job at NASA is to successfully and safely fly these missions," he said. "We fly it with the laws of physics and we fly it with our commercial partners. And so oftentimes, there may be things out in the press that may not be exactly what's happening."

Musk's efforts to play up the issue have a competitive benefit for his own company: They emphasize SpaceX's capabilities while painting rival Boeing's Starliner as incapable. Stich and Montalbano insist that is not the case.

"We're working hand-in-hand with Boeing as well on certification of Starliner, getting that vehicle back to flight," Stich said.

While thanking SpaceX for the assistance in getting the astronauts home, he said he still believes NASA needs both Starliner and Dragon as options.

"Butch and Suni's return on Dragon, to me, shows how important it is to have two different crew transportation systems, the importance of Starliner and the redundancy that we're building in human spaceflight for our low-Earth-orbit economy," Stich said.

He noted that Boeing was just as keen to have the duo home as SpaceXeven having a watch party for the return.

"It shows the flexibility of our commercial providers, the fact that they flew up on the Boeing vehicle and home on SpaceX," Montalbano said. "This is a lesson learned for NASA too, such that when we do have Boeing and SpaceX both flying on a regular basis, we need to be able to do the opposite tooif we come up on a SpaceX vehicle and have a problem, to be bringing people home on a Boeing vehicle."

Just when that might come to fruition is a question NASA and Boeing are working to answer.

The biggest issue is solving the thruster problems and helium leaks. The spacecraft did manage a safe return trip last year, and Stich said teams are expecting to make decisions on the next flights for Boeing and SpaceX later this summer.

He said Boeing's next flight might be an uncrewed Starliner"crew-capable," just with all the propulsion system fixes in place.

"What we'd like to do is the one flight and then get into a crew rotation flight," Stich said. "So the next flight up would really test all the changes we're making to the vehicle, and then the next flight beyond that, we really need to get Boeing into a crewed rotation. So that's kind of the strategy."

NASA is looking at Boeing's contract to see what could be done for the company to treat that mission as a post-certification flightmeaning it becomes one of six operational flights Starliner was awarded as part of a contract worth $4.6 billion it has yet to collect on. Boeing has reported more than $2 billion in losses on the program through 2024.

Starliner has fallen more than five years behind SpaceX under the Commercial Crew Program. They won contracts in 2014 but SpaceX made its first crewed test flight to the station in May 2020 and has flown 62 humans in space across its fleet of four Crew Dragonsincluding 10 rotational missions for NASA to the station.

Stich, though, said he's confident Boeing won't throw in the towel on Starliner.

"They realized that they have an important vehicle, and we were very close to having a capability that we would like to field," he said.

2025 Orlando Sentinel. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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A majestic 680-year-old olive tree in an olive landscape in southern Italy. Credit: Palli et al., 2023, Land, 12, 550. 10.3390/land12030550

The olive tree is one of the most iconic symbols of the Mediterranean basin, deeply intertwined with the region's history, economy, and culture. But how did this tree, originally a wild species, come to dominate landscapes across the Mediterranean? A recent study sheds light on the remarkable journey of the olive tree over the past 3,700 years, revealing the key role of human activity in its spread and success in the Central Mediterranean.

The work is published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews.

The origins of olive tree cultivation

Olive trees were first domesticated in the Near East around 6,5007,000 years ago, but their expansion into the Central Mediterranean remained poorly understood.

Researchers from the Universities of Tuscia, Pisa, Rome La Sapienza and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology examined lake sediment samples from Pantano Grande, a coastal salt marsh in Sicily (southern Italy), to analyze fossil pollen remains and other paleoecological markers. Their findings reveal that olive trees were already being exploited in Eastern Sicily as early as the 18th century BCE, during the Early-Middle Bronze Age.

This study suggests that early Sicilian cultures, such as the Castelluccio and Thapsos cultures, actively propagated olive trees. These communities may have used wild olives for multiple purposesfruit, wood, and even forage for animals. However, it wasn't until modern times that large-scale olive cultivation became widespread.

Pantano Grande, also known as Lago di Ganzirri, is a coastal salt marsh located in the municipality of Messina (Sicily). The marsh is still utilized for the cultivation of clams. Credit: Jordan Palli

Trade, culture, and the spread of the olive

One of the study's key insights is the connection between human activity and olive tree expansion. The researchers propose that trade and cultural exchanges between Sicily and the Aegean world during the Bronze Age facilitated the spread of olive tree exploitation.

The Strait of Messina, where Pantano Grande is located, was an important trade route linking the Eastern and Western Mediterranean. Evidence suggests that Mycenaean and Cypriot traders may have influenced local Sicilian communities to utilize olive trees.

The ups and downs of olive tree cultivation

The history of the olive tree in Sicily is not a simple, continuous expansion. Instead, it followed a complex pattern influenced by social, economic, and environmental changes:

Early expansion (18th12th century BCE): Olive trees flourished in Eastern Sicily due to human-driven propagation. This phase ended abruptly in the 12th century BCE, coinciding with the collapse of the Aegean trade networks and sociopolitical turmoil in the region.

Decline and disappearance (12th3rd century BCE): Following the Bronze Age collapse, olive trees became less prominent in the landscape. The Greek period (8th3rd century BCE) saw a focus on cereal agriculture rather than olive cultivation in the Messina area.

Roman revival (3rd century BCE5th century CE): With the rise of the Roman Empire, olive cultivation resurged, as evidenced by a renewed increase in olive pollen in sediment records. Olive oil production became a key economic activity in Sicily during this period.

Medieval transformations (5th14th century CE): During the late-Byzantine and Medieval periods, olive cultivation declined due to shifting agricultural priorities and climatic changes.

Modern expansion (18th centurypresent): The last few centuries have seen a large-scale resurgence of olive tree cultivation in Sicily and the broader Mediterranean region. This is likely due to both cultural preferences and the adaptability of selected olive tree varieties to different environmental conditions.

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The lasting impact of human influence

One of the most striking conclusions of this research is that the ecological success of the olive tree was more closely tied to human activity than to climate change. While environmental conditions played a role, it was human societiesthrough trade, agriculture, and cultural exchangethat determined when and where olive trees thrived. This highlights the deep connection between human civilization and the landscapes we shaped over millennia.

Today, olive groves continue to be a defining feature of Mediterranean landscapes, providing economic and cultural value. The history of the olive tree is a testament to the enduring relationship between humans and nature, showing how our choices can influence ecosystems for thousands of years.

More information: Jordan Palli et al, The human-driven ecological success of olive trees over the last 3700 years in the Central Mediterranean, Quaternary Science Reviews (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2025.109313 Journal information: Quaternary Science Reviews
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The precise location in the night sky of the galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, an extremely tiny dot in the Fornax constellation. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Carniani et al./S. Schouws et al/JWST: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Brant Robertson (UC Santa Cruz), Ben Johnson (CfA), Sandro Tacchella (Cambridge), Phill Cargile (CfA)

Two different teams of astronomers have detected oxygen in the most distant known galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0. The discovery, reported in two separate studies, was made possible thanks to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner. This record-breaking detection is making astronomers rethink how quickly galaxies formed in the early universe.

Discovered last year, JADES-GS-z14-0 is the most distant confirmed galaxy ever found: it is so far away, its light took 13.4 billion years to reach us, meaning we see it as it was when the universe was less than 300 million years old, about 2% of its present age.

The new oxygen detection with ALMA, a telescope array in Chile's Atacama Desert, suggests the galaxy is much more chemically mature than expected.

"It is like finding an adolescent where you would only expect babies," says Sander Schouws, a Ph.D. candidate at Leiden Observatory, the Netherlands, and first author of the Dutch-led study, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.

"The results show the galaxy has formed very rapidly and is also maturing rapidly, adding to a growing body of evidence that the formation of galaxies happens much faster than was expected."

Galaxies usually start their lives full of young stars, which are made mostly of light elements like hydrogen and helium. As stars evolve, they create heavier elements like oxygen, which get dispersed through their host galaxy after they die.

Researchers had thought that, at 300 million years old, the universe was still too young to have galaxies ripe with heavy elements. However, the two ALMA studies indicate JADES-GS-z14-0 has about 10 times more heavy elements than expected.

"I was astonished by the unexpected results because they opened a new view on the first phases of galaxy evolution," says Stefano Carniani, of the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa, Italy, and lead author of the paper accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. "The evidence that a galaxy is already mature in the infant universe raises questions about when and how galaxies formed."

The oxygen detection has also allowed astronomers to make their distance measurements to JADES-GS-z14-0 much more accurate.

"The ALMA detection offers an extraordinarily precise measurement of the galaxy's distance down to an uncertainty of just 0.005%. This level of precisionanalogous to being accurate within 5 cm over a distance of 1 kmhelps refine our understanding of distant galaxy properties," adds Eleonora Parlanti, an author and Ph.D. student at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa.

"While the galaxy was originally discovered with the James Webb Space Telescope, it took ALMA to confirm and precisely determine its enormous distance," says Associate Professor Rychard Bouwens, a member of the team at Leiden Observatory.

"This shows the amazing synergy between ALMA and JWST to reveal the formation and evolution of the first galaxies."

Gergo Popping, an ESO astronomer at the European ALMA Regional Center who did not take part in the studies, says, "I was really surprised by this clear detection of oxygen in JADES-GS-z14-0. It suggests galaxies can form more rapidly after the Big Bang than had previously been thought.

"This result showcases the important role ALMA plays in unraveling the conditions under which the first galaxies in our universe formed."

Provided by ESO
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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Windstorms can seem like they come out of nowhere, hitting with a sudden blast. They might be hundreds of miles long, stretching over several states, or just in your neighborhood.

But they all have one thing in common: a change in air pressure.

Just like air rushing out of your car tire when the valve is open, air in the atmosphere is forced from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

The stronger the difference in pressure, the stronger the winds that will ultimately result.

Other forces related to the Earth's rotation, friction and gravity can also alter the speed and direction of winds. But it all starts with this change in pressure over a distancewhat meteorologists like me call a pressure gradient.

So how do we get pressure gradients?

Strong pressure gradients ultimately owe their existence to the simple fact that the Earth is round and rotates.

Because the Earth is round, the sun is more directly overhead during the day at the equator than at the poles. This means more energy reaches the surface of the Earth near the equator. And that causes the lower part of the atmosphere, where weather occurs, to be both warmer and have higher pressure on average than the poles.

Nature doesn't like imbalances. As a result of this temperature difference, strong winds develop at high altitudes over midlatitude locations, like the continental U.S. This is the jet stream, and even though it's several miles up in the atmosphere, it has a big impact on the winds we feel at the surface.

Because Earth rotates, these upper-altitude winds blow from west to east. Waves in the jet streama consequence of Earth's rotation and variations in the surface land, terrain and oceanscan cause air to diverge, or spread out, at certain points. As the air spreads out, the number of air molecules in a column decreases, ultimately reducing the air pressure at Earth's surface.

The pressure can drop quite dramatically over a few days or even just a few hours, leading to the birth of a low-pressure systemwhat meteorologists call an extratropical cyclone.

The opposite chain of events, with air converging at other locations, can form high pressure at the surface.

In between these low-pressure and high-pressure systems is a strong change in pressure over a distancea pressure gradient. And that pressure gradient leads to strong winds. Earth's rotation causes these winds to spiral around areas of high and low pressure. These highs and lows are like large circular mixers, with air blowing clockwise around high pressure and counterclockwise around low pressure. This flow pattern blows warm air northward toward the poles east of lows and cool air southward toward the equator west of lows.

As the waves in the jet stream migrate from west to east, so do the surface lows and highs, and with them, the corridors of strong winds.

That's what the U.S. experienced when a strong extratropical cyclone caused winds stretching thousands of miles that whipped up dust storms and spread wildfires, and even caused tornadoes and blizzards in the central and southern U.S. in March 2025.

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Whipping up dust storms and spreading fires

The jet stream over the U.S. is strongest and often the most "wavy" in the springtime, when the south-to-north difference in temperature is often the strongest.

Winds associated with large-scale pressure systems can become quite strong in areas where there is limited friction at the ground, like the flat, less forested terrain of the Great Plains. One of the biggest risks is dust storms in arid regions of west Texas or eastern New Mexico, exacerbated by drought in these areas.

When the ground and vegetation are dry and the air has low relative humidity, high winds can also spread wildfires out of control.

Even more intense winds can occur when the pressure gradient interacts with terrain. Winds can sometimes rush faster downslope, as happens in the Rockies or with the Santa Ana winds that fueled devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area in January.

Violent tornadoes and storms

Of course, winds can become even stronger and more violent on local scales associated with thunderstorms.

When thunderstorms form, hail and precipitation in them can cause the air to rapidly fall in a downdraft, causing very high pressure under these storms. That pressure forces the air to spread out horizontally when it reaches the ground. Meteorologists call these straight line winds, and the process that forms them is a downburst. Large thunderstorms or chains of them moving across a region can cause large swaths of strong wind over 60 mph, called a derecho.

Finally, some of nature's strongest winds occur inside tornadoes. They form when the winds surrounding a thunderstorm change speed and direction with height. This can cause part of the storm to rotate, setting off a chain of events that may lead to a tornado and winds as strong as 300 mph in the most violent tornadoes.

Tornado winds are also associated with an intense pressure gradient. The pressure inside the center of a tornado is often very low and varies considerably over a very small distance.

It's no coincidence that localized violent winds from thunderstorm downbursts and tornadoes often occur amid large-scale windstorms. Extratropical cyclones often draw warm, moist air northward on strong winds from the south, which is a key ingredient for thunderstorms. Storms also become more severe and may produce tornadoes when the jet stream is in close proximity to these low-pressure centers. In the winter and early spring, cold air funneling south on the northwest side of strong extratropical cyclones can even lead to blizzards.

So, the same wave in the jet stream can lead to strong winds, blowing dust and fire danger in one region, while simultaneously triggering a tornado outbreak and a blizzard in other regions.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Key agreements in the "Law of the River," which encompasses more than 100 years of regulations, laws, court decisions and more focused on managing the Colorado River, are set to expire next year. First established in 1922 as the Colorado River Compact, the guidelines split water management and allocation among seven states.

Now, those statesArizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyomingare renegotiating the terms of use for the water. Drought, increased temperatures and decreased snowpack in the Rocky Mountains are complicating the matter, according to Antonia Hadjimichael, assistant professor of geosciences at Penn State.

Hadjimichael, an interdisciplinary earth scientist, studies how climate impacts water resources. A lot of her work focuses on the Colorado River because she said it serves as a "fascinating case study" of how climate, water, human institutions, economics and infrastructure interact. She specifically uses mathematical modeling, artificial intelligence tools, visual analytics and high-performance computing to investigate how critical water resources might change in the future and how society can plan ahead to minimize negative impacts.

In this Q&A, Hadjimichael speaks about the Colorado River, its challenges, and the research that looks to make the river a sustainable resource for millions of people.

Why is the Colorado River considered so complex?

The Colorado River is divided up in multiple ways to supply water for people, land irrigation, industries, cities and ecosystems. It's a vital but limited resource for many, and decisions made by one agency or user can have ripple effects on others. This complexity makes it an incredibly engaging challenge from a scientific perspective while also being an urgent societal issue.

What makes the Colorado River so important?

The Colorado River impacts seven states and even crosses international borders into Mexico. What we do in the U.S. affects another country as well. It is emblematic of American water issues, involving tribal rights, historical water rights from early Western expansion and the challenge of sustaining large cities in the middle of the desert while also supporting agricultural communities that feed the nation and the world. Its influence spans far beyond the Southwest.

How many people rely on the Colorado River?

The Colorado River provides water for approximately 40 million people. Major urban centers such as Denver, Los Angeles and Las Vegas depend on its water, as do numerous agricultural communities and industries. Some small villages exist solely because of the water provided by the river. Additionally, tribal communities with long histories in the region also rely on its water, and the ongoing water struggles affect them as well.

What are the biggest challenges facing the river today?

The primary challenge is how water is allocated. The Colorado River Compact, established more than 100 years ago, divided the river's water between the upper and lower basin states. However, the compact overestimated the river's water supply, allocating more water than what is actually available. This issue has been exacerbated by a two-decade-long drought, meaning that not only did we never have as much water as planned, but we now have even less. Reservoirs are at historic lows, and at the same time, demand is increasing due to higher temperatures and drier conditions. Everyone feels they are not getting what they were promised, creating tensions among stakeholders.

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What role does climate change, including drought, play in these challenges?

Climate change drives extreme weather events, like prolonged drought, as well as longer-term issues like the region becoming increasingly drier over time, both of which exacerbate water scarcity in the Colorado River Basin. Higher temperatures lead to increased evaporation, drier soils and higher water demands from crops and ecosystems. This compounds the issue of overallocation, making an already unsustainable system even more strained.

How are people addressing these issues?

Various management efforts exist at different levels. The Bureau of Reclamation oversees reservoirs and negotiates with states. Within individual states, water conservation boards and resource divisions work to determine the best ways to use and conserve water. Conservation efforts target both municipal and agricultural use. Cities have programs to reduce water consumption, while farmers are incentivized to adopt more efficient irrigation methods, sometimes receiving financial compensation to divert less water from the river.

Are conservation efforts making a difference?

Yes, conservation efforts help, but they are often temporary measures. For example, paying farmers to use less water for a season can provide short-term relief, but long-term solutions are needed. Some efforts, such as switching to more efficient irrigation methods, have lasting benefits, but ultimately, the entire system needs to be reconsidered for sustainable water use in the future.

What are some key highlights of your research on the Colorado River?

A lot of our work focuses on the Upper Colorado River Basin within Colorado. We study how different water users with varying rights are affected by drought and how their actions impact others. If one user diverts water, it changes availability for others, which makes managing the system incredibly complex. Understanding these dynamics informs better strategies for sustainable water management in the future.

What's the main takeaway about the Colorado River's future?

The Colorado River is an already stressed system, and we are at a critical point where every drop matters. While conservation and management efforts help, the reality is that we are dealing with a resource that has been overallocated and is being further strained by climate change. Continued cooperation, innovation and difficult decision-making will be necessary to ensure its sustainability for future generations.
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Summer temperatures have climbed in much of the U.S. and the world as greenhouse gas emissions have risen. Credit: Fifth National Climate Assessment

Most of the United States' major climate regulations are underpinned by one important document: It's called the endangerment finding, and it concludes that greenhouse gas emissions are a threat to human health and welfare.

The Trump administration is vowing to eliminate it.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin referred to the 2009 endangerment finding as the "holy grail of the climate religion" when he announced on March 12, 2025, that he would reconsider the finding and all U.S. climate regulations and actions that rely on it. That would include rules to control planet-warming emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane from power plants, vehicles and oil and gas operations.

But revoking the endangerment finding isn't a simple task. And doing so could have unintended consequences for the very industries Trump is trying to help.

As a law professor, I have tracked federal climate regulations and the lawsuits and court rulings that have followed them over the past 25 years. To understand the challenges, let's look at the endangerment finding's origins and Zeldin's options.

Origin and limits of the endangerment finding

In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that six greenhouse gases are pollutants under the Clean Air Act and that the EPA has a duty under the same law to determine whether they pose a danger to public health or welfare.

The court also ruled that once the EPA made an endangerment finding, the agency would have a mandatory duty under the Clean Air Act to regulate all sources that contribute to the danger.

The Court emphasized that the endangerment finding was a scientific determination and rejected a laundry list of policy arguments made by the George W. Bush administration as to why the government preferred to use nonregulatory approaches to reduce emissions. The court said the only question was whether sufficient scientific evidence exists to determine whether greenhouse gases are harmful.

The endangerment finding was the EPA's response.

The finding was challenged and upheld in 2012 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. In that case, Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA, the court found that the "body of scientific evidence marshaled by the EPA in support of the endangerment finding is substantial." The Supreme Court declined to review the decision. The endangerment finding was updated and confirmed by the EPA in 2015 and 2016.

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Challenging the endangerment finding

The scientific basis for the endangerment finding is stronger today than it was in 2009.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's latest assessment report, involving hundreds of scientists and thousands of studies from around the world, concluded that the scientific evidence for the warming of the climate system is "unequivocal" and that greenhouse gases from human activities are causing it.

According to the National Climate Assessment released in 2023, the effects of human-caused climate change are already "far-reaching and worsening across every region of the United States."

During President Donald Trump's first term, then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt considered repealing the endangerment finding but ultimately decided against it. In fact, he relied on it in proposing the Affordable Clean Energy Rule to replace President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan for regulating emissions for coal-fired power plants.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announces plans to reconsider more than 30 climate regulations.

What happens if the EPA revokes the endangerment finding?

For the Trump administration to now revoke that finding, Zeldin must first recruit new members of the EPA's Science Advisory Board to replace those dismissed by the Trump administration. Congress created the board in 1978 to provide independent, unbiased scientific advice to the EPA administrator, and it has consistently supported the 2009 endangerment finding.

Zeldin must then initiate rulemaking in compliance with the Administrative Procedure Act, provide the opportunity for public comment and respond to comments that are likely to be voluminous. This process could take several months if done properly.

If Zeldin then decides to revoke the endangerment finding, lawsuits will immediately challenge the move.

Even if Zeldin is able to revoke the finding, that does not automatically repeal all the rules that rely on it. Each of those rules must go through separate rulemaking processes that will also take months.

Zeldin could simply refuse to enforce the rules on the books while he reconsiders the endangerment finding.

However, a blanket policy abdicating any enforcement responsibility could be challenged in lawsuits as arbitrary and capricious. Further, the regulated industries would be taking a chance if they delayed complying with regulations only to find the endangerment finding and climate laws still in place.

Zeldin's cost argument

Zeldin previewed his arguments in a news release on March 12.

His first argument is that the 2009 endangerment finding did not consider costs. However, that argument was rejected by the D.C. Circuit Court in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA. Cost becomes relevant once the EPA considers new regulationsafter the endangerment finding.

Moreover, in a unanimous 2001 decision, the Supreme Court in Whitman v. American Trucking Associations held that the EPA cannot consider cost in setting air quality standards.

A repeal could backfire

Repealing the endangerment finding could also backfire on the fossil fuel industry.

States and cities have filed dozens of lawsuits against the major oil companies. The industry's strongest argument has been that these cases are preempted by federal law. In AEP v. Connecticut in 2011, the Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Air Act "displaced" federal common law, barring state claims for remedies related to damages from climate change.

However, if the endangerment finding is repealed, then there is arguably no basis for federal preemption, and these state lawsuits would have legal grounds. Prominent industry lawyers have warned the EPA about this and urged it to focus instead on changing individual regulations. The industry is concerned enough that it may try to get Congress to grant it immunity from climate lawsuits.

To the extent that Zeldin is counting on the conservative Supreme Court to back him up, he may be disappointed.

In 2024, the court overturned the Chevron doctrine, which required courts to defer to agencies' reasonable interpretations when laws were ambiguous. That means Zeldin's reinterpretation of the statute is not entitled to deference. Nor can he count on the court overturning its Massachusetts v. EPA ruling to free him to disregard science for policy reasons.

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Location at Pu'ulani, He'eia, O'ahu, an example of a multi-strata agroforestry system in restoration. Credit: University of Hawai'i at Manoa

Protecting native forests combined with transitioning fallow and unmanaged agricultural lands to 'Oiwi (Native Hawaiian) and other place-based agroforestry systems has direct benefits for local fisheries, according to a new study published in npj Ocean Sustainability by an interdisciplinary team from the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, Kamehameha Schools and Seascape Solutions.

These forest management and restoration efforts can improve local food production, biodiversity conservation and cultural connection in places from land to sea.

Mauka to makai

For generations, Kanaka 'Oiwi, like other Pacific island cultures, managed from land to sea (mauka i makai) through a system of land divisions (moku) that ensured food security and ecological balance. However, colonization, land privatization and industrial agriculture disrupted these systems.

Over the past few decades, large-scale declines in plantation agriculture has now left 40% of Hawai'i's agricultural lands fallow and unmanaged, which can pose risks from elevated erosion, invasive species and wildfire.

The research found that combining native forest protection (100,000 acres) with transitioning suitable fallow agricultural land to agroforestry (400,000 acres) could increase sediment retention by 30%, thereby reducing erosion and boosting nearshore food production by almost 100,000 meals per year in some moku. Benefits of this magnitude were shown for west Kaua'i, the south shore of Moloka'i, west Maui and east Hawai'i Island, where communities are tightly connected to and reliant on fishing for livelihoods, subsistence and social networks.

Restoring fallow agriculture lands

While forest conservation and marine resources management receive significant attention in Hawai'i, lower and middle-elevation lands (wao kanaka)traditionally used for agriculture and food productionremain underutilized in natural resource management efforts. In pockets across Hawai'i, 'Oiwi and kama'aina farmers are restoring fallow agriculture lands through Indigenous-informed agroforestry, integrating woody plants and crops to revitalize agriculture, enhance biodiversity and preserve cultural traditions.

"Our findings highlight the importance of forest stewardship from ridge to reef, including biocultural restoration of agroforestry systems in low to mid-elevation fallow agricultural lands which can enhance biodiversity, grow diverse and nutritious foods, on land and from the ocean, strengthen cultural ties, and create green jobs," said Jade Delevaux, lead author, former post-doctoral researcher in UH Manoa's Water Resources Research Center, current senior fellow at the Stanford University-based Natural Capital Project and lead consultant at Seascape Solutions.

Connecting land stewardship, seafood availability

While nearshore fisheries are essential for subsistence worldwide, their value is often underestimated due to limited assessment methods. This research developed a method to map changes in seafood production due to reduced sediment runoff, using fishing pressure, fish surveys and habitat structure maps publicly available.

"Our straightforward approach to connect land stewardship and seafood availability can be applied even in data-limited places," said Kostantinos Stamoulis, study co-author and director of Seascape Solutions. "This study shows that agroforestry transitions can increase sustainable food production both on land and in the sea."

The study calls on policymakers, conservation organizations and funders to integrate biocultural strategies into conservation policies and funding mechanisms. Investing in community-led initiatives and cross-sector collaboration in the Pacific, and across the world, can drive impactful change for biodiversity conservation, food security and human well-being.

More information: Jade M. S. Delevaux et al, Scaling biocultural initiatives can support nature, food, and culture from summit to sea, npj Ocean Sustainability (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44183-024-00090-6 Journal information: npj Ocean Sustainability

Provided by University of Hawai'i at Manoa
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A juvenile chinook salmon is measured by UC Davis researchers during its migration out of Putah Creek. Credit: Lauren Hitt/UC Davis

Almost everywhere in California, salmon are on the decline. But in Putah Creeka restored stream running through the University of California, Davis, campuswild salmon are not only increasing, they are also completing their life cycle.

A UC Davis study, published in the journal Ecosphere, is the first to document Putah Creek-origin salmon. Chinook salmon have been observed in the creek since 2014, but prior studies had shown them to be strays from hatcheries. This new study confirms that some salmon returning to Putah Creek in the fall to spawn are actually born there.

This should not be news. Salmon are famous for their simple life cycle: Hatch in a stream, migrate to the ocean, and return to the stream to spawn at their life's end. Yet salmon in 21st-century California are sometimes trucked or flown to the ocean from hatcheries due to dams, habitat loss, warming streams, drought and other threats restricting their natural migration.

This study shows that at Putah Creekand potentially other altered and dam-controlled streams worldwiderestored waterways can help restore and even create salmon runs.

"The fact that you have Putah Creek-origin fish is a big deal," said senior author Andrew Rypel, director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences at the time of the study. "To have a growing, stable population that's natal means it's a well-managed ecosystem. It means we're taking care of the water and the land the right way, and that there's a future for fish in that place. It also shows there's hope for other streams that are degraded."

Water brought back birds, bugs and salmon

Putah Creek is a tributary of the Sacramento River, flowing through the cities of Winters and Davis. It barely flowed at all after Monticello Dam was installed in the 1950s, which created Lake Berryessa and drastically reduced water to Putah Creek.

Then, in 2000, a lawsuit brought about the Putah Creek Accord, which mandated year-round flows to protect fish and habitat. Since then, local community members, nonprofits, state agencies and UC Davis researchers have worked to restore and study the creek. They've found that once water returned to the stream, so did insects, songbirds, and eventually, salmon.

Hatchery fish and new wild salmon

Until this study, the hundreds of salmon in Putah Creek were all thought to be hatchery strays.

"People began speculating whether any of these Putah Creek-spawning fish were returning to Putah Creek," said Rypel, a professor in the UC Davis Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology department. "It was a challenging scientific riddle to figure out."

Lead author Lauren Hitt, a graduate student in Rypel's lab during the study, used otolithsor ear bonesfrom adult Chinook salmon carcasses recovered from Putah Creek between 2016 and 2021 to determine their origin.

No bigger than a thumbnail, otoliths carry within them the water chemistry of the streams they have traveled, allowing scientists to map their movements and migrations against the chemical tracers of individual streams. This powerful technique allowed Hitt to reconstruct each salmon's life history. She showed that while hatchery-origin fish were most abundant, a handful11 of 407of returning salmon analyzed were born in Putah Creek, completing their full life cycle as wild salmon.

This new run of wild salmon at Putah Creek descended from hatchery fisha finding that could upend some long-held perspectives about the role of fish hatcheries in conservation. Hatcheries provide food and a fishing boost for anglers, yet they have often been criticized for their impact on wild fish genetics, health and habitat.

"The idea that hatcheries can be part of the solution might take people off guard," Rypel said. "But there may be positive effects so long as the salmon have a good place to go. There's a lot of potential to have more Putah Creeks out there."

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Local love

Salmon born in Putah Creek face many challenges in completing their life cycle. They must leave Lower Putah Creek, enter the Yolo Bypass floodplain, travel to Liberty Island, down the Sacramento River and into the San Francisco Bay before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. At the end of their life, they get to do this in reverse. Along the way, restricted fish passage, reduced flows, water that is too warm, too little or too much at the wrong time can be fatal.

In a sobering illustration of these risks, Putah Creek-origin salmon from 2021 died before being able to spawn because an atmospheric river sent debris and ammonia-saturated waters into Putah Creek just as spawning salmon were beginning to arrive. The authors say such setbacks are significant but not insurmountable provided collaborative management of Putah Creek in the future.

"There's so much local love for these fish," said Hitt, currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. "I hope people recognize that their caring about the system and advocating for the system are what made the changes possible. If not for the local community engaging and supporting local streams, I don't think we'd have salmon in Putah Creek today of hatchery or Putah Creek origin. This is just so special."

As for UC Davis's salmon run? Scientists will continue to sample and monitor the fish as they come home. Visitors and community members may see salmon spawning each fall at the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve and throughout the creek.

More information: Lauren G. Hitt et al, Early evidence for establishment of a Chinook salmon population in a restored watershed, Ecosphere (2025). DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.70207 Journal information: Ecosphere
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Distribution of former cutblocks within Victorias previously approved Timber Release Plan with the number of listed threatened species mapped habitats overlapping. Credit: PLOS ONE (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319531

East Gippsland Shire Council has approved a permit allowing the logging of 51 hectares of critical wildlife habitat, exposing a dangerous loophole that threatens to undermine Victoria's native forest logging ban.

The privately-owned forest is critical habitat for rare wildlife, including endangered greater gliders, long-footed potoroos and threatened yellow-bellied glidersall species recovering from the severe impacts of the 201920 bushfires.

The Council's decision, made on Tuesday night, comes after the state government handed responsibility for monitoring and compliance of native forest logging operations to local governments.

Victorian National Parks Association Parks and Nature Campaigner Jordan Crook said local governments did not have the experience or resources to police major logging operations.

"We know native forest logging kills iconic native animals such as greater gliders and koalas and has no place in 2025," he said.

"The Victorian Government promised to close this destructive industry and paid out over $1 billion to do so, but they have left the back door open. With a single tick of a pen by the Planning Minister, native forest logging could end properly in Victoria."

The minister could shut the loophole by making a simple ministerial amendment to prohibit commercial native timber logging on private land, according to expert planning advice commissioned by the VNPA and other conservation groups.

"Without clear regulations, logging operations could ignore federal nature laws. This loophole within a loophole would further endanger rare wildlife," Crook said.

"There's a simple fix to this destructive logging loophole. It needs to be implemented urgently to protect endangered wildlife and unique habitats.

"It's time to end this destructive industry once and for all as promised by the government."

During the council meeting, a councilor acknowledged the decision's significance, stating it "may open the gates to other properties doing the same thing."

Another councilor described the precedent as "the right step forward into the future when we decide to open up more areas for harvesting."

The decision allows logging operations on private property in Cabbage Tree Creek near Cape Conran.

Leading ecologists and wildlife experts last week published a paper in the journal PLOS One, which found "ending native forest logging in Victoria will directly benefit at least 34 nationally listed threatened species by removing the ongoing threat of logging within much of their habitats."

The East Gippsland permit relies on self-reporting by the logging operator every six months.

"This is regulatory chaos," Crook said.

"The council even acknowledges federal environmental laws might apply, but they've left it to the logger to decide whether to follow them."

VNPA submitted detailed advice to the Victorian Government in 2024 outlining how to close this destructive loophole but has received no formal response.

More information: Kita R. Ashman et al, Policy decisions matter: Cessation of logging benefits 34 threatened species in Victoria, Australia, PLOS ONE (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0319531 Journal information: PLoS ONE

Provided by Victorian National Parks Association
U.S. launches new round of airstrikes on Yemen's capital, other provinces

Xinhua) 08:37, March 20, 2025

Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke and fire rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. (Str/Xinhua)

SANAA, March 19 (Xinhua) -- A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

The strikes targeted a building under construction in Sanaa's Geraf neighborhood, damaging nearby residential structures and injuring civilians sheltering in an adjacent building, the channel reported.

The attack marked the second U.S. strike on the area since Saturday, when earlier raids killed 53 people and wounded 98, including women and children, according to Houthi-controlled health authorities.

Wednesday's strikes also expanded to other regions, with al-Masirah reporting strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in governorates such as Saada, al-Bayda, Hodeidah, and al-Jawf.

The Houthis, who control northern Yemen, claimed earlier on Wednesday they had launched cruise missiles at the USS Harry Truman in the Red Sea, calling it their fourth such attack in 72 hours.

The group insists its maritime strikes target only Israeli-linked vessels to pressure Israel to halt its Gaza offensive and allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave.

The U.S. military, which began strikes on Houthi targets Saturday, says the campaign aims to protect international shipping lanes.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned the Houthis on Saturday to cease attacks or face intensified consequences, declaring, "Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before."

Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke and fire rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. (Str/Xinhua)

Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. (Str/Xinhua)

Photo taken with a cellphone on March 19, 2025 shows smoke rising from a neighborhood following an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen. A new round of U.S. airstrikes struck Yemen's capital Sanaa on Wednesday evening, wounding at least nine people, including seven women and two children, according to Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. (Str/Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun)
A man found guilty of impeding traffic during a 2023 prayer walk was given a suspended sentence of 30 days in jail and a $196.50 fine by Judge Sarah Morrison on Wednesday.

Lloyd Big Crow, 44, was found guilty by a jury on March 7 of a Class 1 misdemeanor: standing on highway with intent to impede/stop traffic stemming from a prayer walk on June 3, 2023 for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

Police and prosecutors have maintained that walkers violated traffic safety instructions. Walkers have said they were within their rights per federal treaties.

Big Crow will not need to spend time in jail but must pay a $100 fine and $96.50 in court fees, plus whatever his attorney fees are.

Big Crow said he plans to file an appeal; he has 10 days to do so. In the meantime, Big Crow told the Journal he plans to continue to show support for MMIW victims and survivors and the community as a whole.

"Thank you to everyone that showed up for support," he said.

Morrison said during the sentencing that there was an overwhelming amount of support letters from community members discussing Big Crow's character and community contributions.

Morrison said her verdict is not reflective on her thoughts regarding Big Crow's support of MMIW or the prayer walk. Rather, she said the verdict reflects the findings of the jury and that he did knowingly participate in an unlawful protest.

The prayer walk, organized by Big Crow's aunt Paulette Red Feather, began at Dean-O's Casino on East North Street where family said she had been victimized. The walk was meant to end at the Memorial Park Bandshell. Around 100 people attended.

Red Feather had not obtained a permit but had spoken to police prior to the walk and was told to stay off of the roadway, the Rapid City Police Department told the Journal. Police said it would release additional information when appropriate as other cases related to the event make their way through the court system.

Around eight officers testified during Big Crow's trial on March 6 and 7.

"I don't want this sentence to take away from her (Red Feather's) cause," Morrison said prior to the sentencing. "This issue is not getting the attention (it deserves) and those names (of victims) must be repeated until the list disappears."

The prosecutor, Senior Deputy States Attorney Olivia Siglin, argued that Big Crow be given a suspended sentence of 90 days and a $250 fine as he had showed "no remorse" for the act and in his behavior towards Officer John Olson, the officer who responded to the protest.

We fully support the First Amendment and the right of individuals to express their views, Siglin said on March 7 to the Journal. However, that right does not extend to breaking the law in a way that endangers motorists and pedestrians. The jurys verdict reaffirms that while free speech is protected, it cannot come at the expense of public safety.

Siglin said during the sentencing that she'd never seen so many letters before for a misdemeanor charge, but said she felt some may have been contributed due to statements online claiming Big Crow was charged with a felony.

The Prayer Walk

Big Crow's trial and sentencing were attended by more than a dozen community members, many of whom had participated in the 2023 prayer walk.

Due to the noise from drums, singing and general traffic  they were unable to understand the officer's request, said Linda White Face, Oglala Lakota and a rally participant and MMIW advocate.

White Face, who was at the front of the march when officers arrived, said she thought Officer Olson was flanking the walk to protect participants. She said herself and other participants were unaware that a permit hadn't been acquired from the city for the walk.

According to the Rapid City Parks Department, which issues protest permits, no permit was issued for the walk and they were not contacted by any groups that day.

Police officers testified that officers informed participants to move off the roadway verbally and through the use of speakers.

Red Feather, who was also charged with impeding traffic, died in Oct. 2023. Her charges were dropped in April 2024.

Big Crow is also well known in the Native community for organizing weekly Friday free meals at the Memorial Park Bandshell since 2018 through his organization Oyate ki chatewastepi. Big Crow also works for local nonprofit Oaye Luta Okolakiciye.

"I think Lloyd's case was brutally mishandled," said Matho Gleska Win, Oglala Lakota and a community member who attended Big Crow's sentencing. "Our people are not protestors, they're protectors."

She said that as Rapid City is treaty land and Big Crow is Lakota, he should not be subject to state law's but instead federal. Currently no federal laws exist regarding impeding traffic.

"The judge, every judge, must abide by the treaties, that's federal law," she said. "This is Indian Treaty Land."

White Face said she was not charged for participating in the walk.

According to court documents, Big Crow and others were charged on June 3, 2024.

Others charged for the walk include NDN Collective Organizer Andrew Catt-Iron Shell and Jean Roach, a Rapid City-based Mniconju Lakota Indigenous-rights advocate.

Iron Shell's trial is scheduled for March 30 and 31; Roach's trial is scheduled for April 3 and 4.
A new exhibit at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture delves into Virginias pivotal role in the American Revolution, including the actions of both famed and often-overlooked Virginians who helped establish a new nation.

Give Me Liberty: Virginia & the Forging of a Nation will be on display starting Saturday until Jan. 4, 2026.

The opening coincides with the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henrys Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death! speech, a pivotal moment leading to the American Revolution.

The exhibit is the first major show in the nation to commemorate the United States 250th anniversary, according to the museum.

This is a multi-year, multi-million-dollar effort by the museum to lead the way, both in Virginia and nationally, said Jamie Bosket, President and CEO. Virginia should be first, and we should lead the way with thoughtful content.

The VMHC partnered with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation to develop Give Me Liberty. It is presented by VA250, Virginias semiquincentennial planning commission.

Since 2018, we have been convening leaders across the Commonwealth and beyond to help think about how do we do this? How do we mark this milestone moment for America and serve as many people as possible and bring people together at a time we probably need it the most?, Bosket said.

The exhibit is divided into five sections: Protest to Action, Words to Action, Liberty in Action, Virginia in Action and A Call to Action: Our Living American Revolution of Ideas.

Its filled with symbolic objects like reproductions of Thomas Jeffersons writing desk, the House of Burgesses Speakers Chair and The Belt that Would Not Burn.

The original belt that would not burn was owned by a Cherokee woman who became important in her tribe as a result of picking up a musket in an important battle. Her house was burned by another band of Cherokee, who wanted to support the British. The house was burned, but the belt survived, said Andrew Talkov, senior director of curatorial affairs.

At its entrance up against a bold red wall, Charles Willson Peales portrait of George Washington as a colonel in the Virginia Regiment is showcased alongside his silver-hilted smallsword worn during the French and Indian War.

These are things that have not been together, often, if not for decades and decades. So its really interesting to see these pieces coming together, Bosket said.

Another coupling of artifacts is the letter opener that Patrick Henry waved during his famous Give me liberty, or give me death! speech alongside his eyeglasses.

One of the things about Patrick Henry is that he was incredibly dramatic as a speaker and it was often said by people who observed him that when Patrick Henry was ready to unleash on you, he would push his glasses to the top of his wig, Talkov said.

Give Me Liberty presents familiar names like the Founding Fathers, but it also presents artifacts that emphasize lesser known yet essential contributions of Virginians.

Clementina Rind is one of my favorite stories. She lived in Williamsburg and was running a print press that published some of Jeffersons most fiery rhetoric. And while we know of his contributions, we dont often hear about her contributions and actually disseminating the word, and this was a big deal for a woman to own her own business and to be running this print shop, Bosket said.

Along the exhibit walls, there are plenty of audio and visual aspects of storytelling. One feature shows the places where news was spread: a print shop and a tavern.

When printed material is issued, and when people gather, they start to talk about the issues of the day. And just like a bar today, where people are watching the TV and talking about the news of the day and what they think about it, it was in taverns that information was spread, but you didnt have to subscribe to a newspaper to get the news, because people would read the newspaper publicly. People would get it at home, and they would read it to their families. They would read them in public gatherings and in taverns. So this was really a place where people started to shape their ideas, Talkov said.

The VMHC will be hosting various events to celebrate the 250th anniversary including the Revolution Revisited Podcast which features experts offering a crash course on the nations founding and IllumiNATION starting June of next year which will bring a nightly block party to the museums lawn as a video projection illuminates the museums block-long historic facade.

The exhibit itself is a sweeping narrative. It doesnt just start in 1776. It brings you into the context of whats happening in the decade leading up to the Declaration of Independence. And it does a very nice job of connecting the dots to today. This is more about world changing ideas than just a point in time. This is more about an American journey than just a war, Bosket said.

'Give Me Liberty' exhibit When: Opens Saturday - Jan. 4, 2026 Where: Virginia Museum of History and Culture, 428 N. Arthur Ashe Boulevard Admission: $12 More info: virginiahistory.org
Gov. Glenn Youngkin says Virginia is ready to take full responsibility for the states K-12 education following President Donald Trumps executive order to dismantle the federal education department.

We welcome the federal governments shift of responsibility to the states  and we are grateful that President Trumps executive order does just that, Youngkin said in a statement on Thursday evening.

The (executive order) also makes it clear that there will be no discrimination in the classrooms. We will continue to ensure every student graduates career-, college-, or military-ready.

As Trump moves to disband the federal department, Virginia school officials say questions linger  particularly about civil rights enforcement and federal funding  although state and local governments will continue to drive most education policy and funding.

Trump cannot unilaterally stop the distribution of congressionally mandated federal education funds, like Title I funds that go to schools with high percentages of low-income students, or funds under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act that support special education services. The Trump administration said the department will continue to carry out core functions such as administering Pell grants and student loans.

The U.S. Department of Education was founded, in large part, to ensure schools comply with federal civil rights laws. The departments Office for Civil Rights, which lost 243 employees this month, conducts investigations and issues guidance on how civil rights laws should be applied, such as for students with disabilities.

Its really going to come down to each states individual commitment to enforcing civil rights laws, and that is a concern to me, said Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras.

There are 575 open investigations into Virginia schools, according to the Office of Civil Rights, and more than half of those pending investigations are on the basis of disability discrimination.

Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-4th, noted in a recent interview that the federal government has stepped in to pass and enforce civil rights laws because states like Virginia violated the civil rights of students, first through segregation and then through Massive Resistance to the Supreme Courts school desegregation decisions.

If you say, we are now going to give all of these responsibilities to the states, in some cases, it is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse, McClellan said in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Even if thats not a risk in the commonwealth, the states are not capable of filling this gap. ... The other reason the Department of Education was created was to help fill gaps that state and local governments had in meeting the needs of their students even when they wanted to.

While Trumps Thursday action will not cease education funding to states, Kamras says he is concerned about the potential for a delay in allocation of funds.

I do worry that they could do things to perhaps slow the disbursement of those funds, which would, of course, be highly detrimental to school systems across the country, but certainly places like RPS, where Title I is really important, and of course, support for (students with disabilities) is really important, Kamras said in an interview.

U.S. funds for local schools

About 9% of Virginias education funding came from the federal government in the 2020-21 school year, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In Richmond Public Schools, which has a high share of low-income students, federal funding accounted for about 18% of all education dollars.

Federal funding accounted for about 8% of education funding in Chesterfield County and about 7% in both Henrico and Hanover counties, according to federal data.

I want our teachers and our staff to know that no Title I teachers are losing their jobs tomorrow or anything of that nature, Kamras said. And of course, even if they were to attempt to suspend funding, we would fight that very aggressively.

Kamras emphasized that nothing will immediately change in local schools because of this order  but he said attempting to shutter the department has a strong symbolic impact.

It suggests a lack of commitment to public education, which is very concerning, he said.

Youngkin said at an event in Richmond on Wednesday that block granting  in which the federal government would send a lump sum to states with fewer restrictions on how it can be spent  would benefit Virginians.

Del. Nick Freitas, R-Culpeper, joined Trump at the White House on Thursday for the signing of his executive order.

Freitas said in a post on X that the federal education department has in effect wasted hundreds of billions of dollars over the course of its existence that could have been used to help kids.

Instead, he said, it was used for bureaucratic bloat, job security for left-wing activists, and pushing ideological narratives on children. It is hard to imagine the kind of insanity we are seeing in our modern public schools being possible without the influence of the entrenched bureaucracy at the education department, he said.

Trumps order will likely be challenged in court. Several members of Congress, including Rep. Bobby Scott, D-3rd, ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Education & the Workforce, said Thursday that Trump cannot singlehandedly abolish the Department of Education.

Scott said in a statement: Legality aside, dismantling (the department) will exacerbate existing disparities, reduce accountability, and put low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, rural students, and English as a Second Language (ESL) students at risk.

Scott said the executive order will be used to distract Americans from the fact that Republicans are not working to address the real problems facing students and families: widening academic achievement gaps, school shootings, and the burden of student loans.

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a recent call with reporters that Trump is attempting to shutter the education department through an executive order, instead of through Congress, because he does not have the support.

The president is doing this stuff unilaterally because he lacks the confidence that he can convince Congress to go along, even with the Republican houses, and that should tell you something about how ill-ill-considered and radical this proposal is, Kaine said. If he doesnt think he can get Republican houses to agree with him, then maybe this is not a good idea.

Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, said in a statement last week that major policy changes, such as the elimination of a federal department, must be thoroughly examined through the legislative process in Congress, where representatives can debate and vote on these significant issues.
Dr. William Ferguson Reid, during a virtual celebration of his 100th birthday, recalled with mirth his history-making turn as the first African American elected to the Virginia General Assembly in the 20th century.

Upon taking office in January 1968, the first thing I did was to get a Black page, so I wasnt alone. And also, we had a Black guy in the cloak room. So the three of us were the Black Caucus, he said with a chuckle, joined by others on Saturdays Zoom call.

Today, the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus has 32 members. A Black man, Don Scott, is the speaker of the House of Delegates. A Black woman, Charniele Herring, is the House majority leader. Another Black woman, Louise Lucas, is president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate.

Its a wildly different landscape than the 1968 House of Delegates, which included Reid, four white females and 95 white males.

Reid, who turned 100 Tuesday, did not merely portend todays more inclusive legislature; he played a leading role in making it possible.

The life story of Reid  politician, civil rights activist and a former regional medical director for the U.S. State Department  is a vivid rebuttal of the racist fictions being promoted by a MAGA movement that slanders diversity, equity and inclusion and demeans nonwhite achievement.

During the Massive Resistance of the mid-1950s, Reid cofounded the Richmond Crusade for Voters, a Black voter registration and mobilization organization that University of Richmond historian Julian Maxwell Hayter described as the envy of the rest of the South.

Its hard to imagine the historic firsts that followed Reid  a Black-majority Richmond City Council, the election of Henry L. Marsh III as Richmonds first Black mayor and L. Douglas Wilders historic election as governor  without the grassroots labors of the Crusade.

Reid, a Korean War Navy veteran, managed to do all this while navigating around racist barriers as a practicing physician and surgeon whose skills I can personally attest to  he stitched up a busted lip I sustained in a childhood kickball accident.

Reids historic life lessons remain as relevant as ever, amid a movement that would whitewash or erase his story and others from the schoolhouse, websites and collective memory.

Dr. Ferguson Reid is one of the great heroes of modern Virginia, says veteran political analyst Bob Holsworth, a former professor and dean at VCU. He personally overcame and worked socially and politically to address the systematic racism that characterized the medical profession, the city of Richmond, the county of Henrico, and the commonwealth in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Holsworth noted that Reid, a stellar student at Virginia Union University, was not permitted to attend the Medical College of Virginia. After graduating from medical school at Howard University, he was excluded by segregation from practicing at every hospital in Richmond but one  Richmond Community Hospital, founded and run by Black Richmonders.

Eventually, he was able to make common cause with younger members of the medical profession to open up the medical society, but never forgot this segregation shaped the practice of medicine and access to health care, Holsworth said of Reid, a childhood neighbor of Maggie L. Walker in Jackson Ward.

Reid was instrumental in the formation of the Crusade for Voters, an organization that gained national recognition for its capacity to expand African-American political influence in an environment where a white power structure was organized to forestall it, Holsworth said.

In his historic election to the General Assembly, Reid overcame a byzantine and gerrymandered electoral process, once again designed to limit the influence of Black voters. When he ran for the assembly in a district that included parts of Richmond and Henrico, he frequently found himself excluded from meet the candidates events held in white neighborhoods, Holsworth said.

Reid, in an era before single-member districts in Virginia, won election among the eight top vote-getters in a contest that also sent Eleanor P. Sheppard, Richmonds first female mayor, to the House of Delegates.

Reid, as it turns out, was a reluctant history maker.

Hed prodded young Democrats, including future lieutenant governor J. Sargeant Reynolds, to run a Black candidate in his district. Another Black candidate agreed to run, but ultimately backed out. So then they said, Well Fergie, youre going to have to run, Reid recalled.

It was not my intention to run at all, he said. I was more interested in encouraging people to vote and getting more and more involved than being a candidate myself.

Reid was reelected twice before being ousted by former Richmond councilman Howard Carwile. Hes particularly proud of the open housing legislation he shepherded through the assembly. But voter engagement still animates Reid and his physician son, Fergie Jr., through 90 for 90, a campaign to honor Reid on his 90th birthday to register 90 new voters in each of the commonwealths precincts. Reid and his son are ardent in the belief that Democrats should contest every political contest possible.

Success for any organization must start at its base, Reid said. And in politics, you have to start with the precincts. You dont build a high-rise apartment by building the penthouse first. Youve got to start with the garage and the basement and the foundation. Its the same way it is with an organization. Its the same way with a campaign.

Reid and his wife Jackie now live in Lewes, Delaware, but he remains laser-focused on Virginia and national politics. He laments the rise of Donald Trump, whom he says reminds him of Benito Mussolini. For Democrats to win in 2028, they must establish a coalition with what Reid called Republicans in exile, as well as labor and federal workers. Hes unconvinced that Trump will willingly surrender power when the time comes.

During Saturdays Zoom call, whose participants included past and present Crusade for Voters leaders and Congressman Bobby Scott, activist Ben Ragsdale observed that unfortunately, that segregated past is coming back strong right now.

Now is an opportunity to do it all over again, and thank God youre still with us and giving us advice. Ragsdale said to Reid.

Its a shame that were having to refight battles we already thought wed won while losing ground on voting rights, civil rights and the rule of law.

On April 8, Reid will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Reid says he will not be able to attend. But make no mistake: He deserves all the flowers we can send his way.

It is important, I think, not to view Reid as a hero detached from the context in which he succeeded. In all of his professional and political accomplishments, he had to overcome the significant barriers of structural racism, Holsworth said. At a time today when some political leaders in Virginia want to teach about Black heroes and avoid mentioning systematic racism, Dr. Reids life reminds us how misguided this is.

Dr. Reid has devoted his life to fighting for our rights. Now is our time to return the favor.
American cruise passenger from Carnival Valor rushed to Cancun hospital

Isla Mujeres, Q.R.  An American woman who suffered a stroke during a cruise was rushed to Cancun hospital. On Wednesday morning, Mexican Marina personnel were requested by a waiting cruise ship off the island of Isla Mujeres for a medical evacuation.

Cruise ship Carnival Valor made the distress call regarding one of its passengers. A specialized team of Marina medical personnel met the ship for the transfer of the 54 year old cruise passenger.

The American woman was transferred from the ship onto a Marina vessel for a land transfer after a ship doctor reported she suffered a cerebrovascular accident. She was taken by water to the mainland of Puerto Juarez to a waiting ambulance.

From the Puerto Juarez mainland, she was rushed to a Cancun hospital by a private ambulance for specialized medical care.
Angry Bacalar residents protest Sedena lagoon development

Bacalar, Q.R.  An organized protest in the town of Bacalar was held Wednesday evening. The large group of angry residents are demanding answers from Sedena after trees were felled and a development started.

Last week, Sedena (Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional) personnel began cutting trees on a waterfront area of the Laguna de los Siete Colores. The land, which is reportedly owned by Sedena, is being prepped for a housing project.

More than 200 square meters of laguna facing land was void of its vegetation and land compacted to make way for a building. The development is located on Avenida Costera, across from the iconic Fort San Felipe.

The Wednesday demonstration was organized in response to concerns about the environmental impact that landfilling could have on Laguna de los Siete Colores, a vital ecosystem for the region.

Protestors carried banners, expressing their rejection of the project, warning of the damage it could cause to the lagoon, which already faces challenges from human activities including boating.

We are here to defend our home and our environment. Laguna de los Siete Colores is a heritage that we must protect, not only for its beauty, but also for its ecological and economic value, stated one of the protestors.

The protesters also shared their concern that the development could restrict access to one of Bacalars main attractions.

According to leaked information, Sedena is filling the land for the construction of a hotel to accommodate visiting high-ranking military personnel. Local authorities have not commented publicly on the Sedena (Secretary of National Defense) construction project.
Copa Airlines celebrates its 25 year connection to Cancun

Cancun, Q.R.  Copa Airlines celebrated 25 years of traveling to Cancun Wednesday. The airline says they consider Quintana Roo a global destination. Mauro Arredondo, the General Manager of Copa Airlines in Mexico, said Wednesday that occupancy rates have remained stable since the pandemic, reflecting travelers confidence in air connectivity with the Mexican Caribbean.

Copa not only transports passengers from Panama, but also acts as a strategic bridge connecting Cancun with important cities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and even other Caribbean countries, Arredondo said.

Regarding the recently suspended connection to the Tulum International Airport, Arredondo explained that the decision was related to aircraft availability and operational factors related to aircraft production.

In November, Copa Airlines announced the temporary suspension of its flights into Tulum International. The Panamanian airline suspended a total of four of their international routes due to new plane delivery delays by Boeing.

The reactivation of this route will depend on the regularization of these elements, something we hoping to resume in the future, Arredondo explained.

With a strategically connected flight network and a strong presence in Quintana Roo, Copa Airlines continues to play a key role in expanding tourism in the Mexican Caribbean, strengthening the destinations international presence.

Andres Martinez, the Director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council (CPTQ), highlighted the importance of Copa Airlines as a strategic partner for the destination, facilitating the arrival of tourists from emerging and established markets.

The airline is a fundamental part of the growth of the Mexican Caribbean, and Quintana Roos tourism industry has been one of the most benefited by this connectivity, said Martinez.
Immigration remains a complex issue that has drawn extreme responses on both left and right. A tempered and realistic approach, rooted in our highest values, may just provide a way forward.

Pope Francis papacy has been characterized by a consistent emphasis on reaching out to the marginalized and accompanying them with love and mercy. The Holy Father speaks often of those on the peripheries: the forgotten, the excluded, those who interrupt the rhythms of our lives because they require more attention and care than most. Such is the case with a particular group of people who often find themselves caught in the crossfire of political disputes. Im speaking, of course, of migrants. The pope makes frequent appeals to care for migrants, and his letter to the U.S. Catholic bishops in response to remarks made by Vice President J.D. Vance are an occasion to reflect on the principles that should inform this complex topic.

The circumstances surrounding migration vary according to the uniqueness of each migrant, home country, and host country. Nevertheless, several of the Acton Institutes core principles can help us better assess particular immigration scenarios in the midst of these differences.

The Rights of Migrants and Refugees

Pope Francis letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reiterates long-standing Catholic teaching regarding our duties toward migrants, informed by the Scriptures and pointing toward the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt as the classic example of the plight of migrants. The magnitude of migration today is not trivial. Of the 8 billion people on the planet, 184 million people live in countries where they lack citizenship, which amounts to 2.3% of the global population. Among these are 37 million refugeesmore than double the number in the year 2000. How should we approach such people?

The first Acton core principle to consider when assessing migration is the dignity of the person. A person has a conditional right to migrate rooted in the right to life as one created in Gods image and likeness and possessing an inherent dignity. Deriving from that right to life is the right to provide for oneself and ones family, which may entail migrating.

It goes without saying that anyone who migrates is seeking to improve their well-being. Most people migrate to improve their economic prospects, but others, refugees in particular, migrate because their very lives often depend on it. Refugees are compelled to flee because of war or various forms of persecution. Irrespective of the category of migrant (high skill, low skill, or refugee), immigration is controversial because it is accompanied by numerous challenges. In some cases, the challenge is the general disruption new migrants may cause (economic competition and assimilation), whereas in others those challenges are grave (human trafficking and the drug trade). While few dispute the importance of preventing the latter, there is much more controversy surrounding the economic impact of migration and the viability of assimilation. But here, too, Actons core principles can help guide us.

Migration and Economic Principles

What can we say about the economic impact of migration? What principles can guide us? The most pertinent principle is the creation of wealth. This core principle explains that because human beings can create wealth, economic exchange need not be a zero-sum game. Broadly speaking, the economic impact of immigration adheres to the same underlying principles that apply to the economic consequences of population growthnamely, human beings have creative potential and are a net positive resource to any economy in the long run.

Population growth also amplifies the division of labor. But while there is no inherent zero-sum game with migration, it does come with economic tradeoffs. For example, although the empirical evidence is mixed, some low-skilled migrants displace native workers, while most simply compete with fellow immigrants for job opportunities in the host country. Either way, low-skilled migrants bring net economic benefits to a country, and high-skilled migrants benefit host countries even more. This follows from the principle of creation of wealth.

If migrants bring long-run economic benefit to the host country, what does that imply for their home country of origin? Again, the same principle applies: Just as population growth enhances creative potential and the division of labor, population contraction does the opposite. Large scale emigration, particularly of highly skilled workers, is detrimental to the home country. During a 2023 visit to India, I spoke to a high-ranking clergyman who lamented the outmigration of young talent from his country. He was understandably concerned about its economic and social consequences.

But wait, you say, dont those migrants send massive remittances back home? Indeed they do. Global remittances are quite largeestimated as high as $800 billion in 2022about 80% of which goes back to low- and middle-income countries. By way of comparison, remittances from African migrants were three times the size of all foreign aid given to Africa. It would be an error, however, to rely on remittances for the long-run benefit of developing countries. This is because remittances largely have the same effect as aidthey are not a solution to poverty or the lynchpin to economic growth. Productive and innovative workers drive economic growth; like aid, remittances disproportionately facilitate consumption rather than production.

Steady outmigration is often a sign that something is wrong in the home country. Better instead to reform areas where the home country lacks economic liberty or the rule of law and subsidiarity (two more Acton principles) rather than use remittances as an excuse to avoid the internal reforms necessary to promote economic growth at home.

These same principles apply to refugees. Too often countries approach refugees merely with an emergency mindset rather than an integration and repatriation mindsetsometimes holding refugees in camps for years on end. Lengthy stays in bureaucratically encumbered holding facilities violate human dignity and suppress the creation of wealth. Those who do not have the means or permission to migrate beyond a camp cannot live up to their potential and adequately care for their families. A refugee is a person in neednot an object of perpetual charity.

In short, the treatment of refugees should take a twofold approach: 1) find ways to allow them to exercise their potential, and 2) address the reasons for their departure in the first place, with the goal of facilitating their right to return to their native land.

Refugees bring to mind another right that is often overlooked. This is the right of a person not to be compelled to migrate. Pope Benedict XVI reminded us that there is [a] need to reaffirm the right not to emigrate, that is, to remain in ones homeland. Moreover, Pope Francis reiterated this point in his encyclical Fratelli Tutti. Unfortunately, it is a failure to respect the latter rightthe right to remain in ones homelandthat is often behind the displacement of millions of international refugees.

The Duties of Governments

As noted above, the right to migrate is conditional, based on the circumstances of the migrant and that of the home and host countries. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all migration policy. Border security and immigration policy cannot be globally uniform because the circumstances of each country and its bordering countries are unique. One can hardly expect the United States and Canada to manage its shared border the same way as Columbia does with Venezuela, or Israel does with Lebanon. Furthermore, the motives and intentions of migrants can vary. Oxford economist Paul Collier describes the spectrum of migrant intent, which ranges from seeking complete assimilation on the one end to settling and colonizing on the other. Thus, nation-states have a duty to regulate migration based on these particular circumstances by articulating and enforcing another Acton principle: the rule of law and subsidiary role of government.

Migrants and citizens alike have a right to an orderly and efficient process, along with secure borders, so that immigrants can be properly absorbed. As one might imagine, when migration entails assimilating with the host country, the result is typically low-conflict migration, and migrants become a significant economic and social blessing to their host countries.

By way of contrast, an interaction between U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Chinese Vice-Premier Deng Xiaoping during the Cold War humorously illustrates the phenomenon of immigrant intent and absorption. As recounted by immigration economist George Borjas, Carter scolded Deng for not permitting Chinese to emigrate freely. Deng replied to him, Well, Mr. President, how many Chinese nationals do you want? Ten million? Twenty million? Thirty million? Clearly, the United States could not have absorbed 30 million Chinese, indoctrinated in communist ideology, in short order, which would have been the rough equivalent of 13% of the U.S. population in 1979.

Perhaps more importantly, enforcing the rule of law is essential because inadequate border control often heightens the risks to migrants themselves. One can think of the scourge of human trafficking as an obvious example. The U.S. border patrol apprehended a record 152,000 unaccompanied children in fiscal year 2022, and some estimates suggest that three-quarters or more of unaccompanied children attempting to cross into the United States are victims of trafficking. Furthermore, immigration policyand the willingness to enforce itcertainly shapes the incentives of potential migrants, enticing some to attempt the journey at enormous risk.

Conclusion

Pope Francis has reiterated the Catholic Churchs teaching on immigration, underscoring the rights of migrants while using a lighter touch to acknowledge the importance of the rule of law in regulating migration. His exhortations have common threads with Actons core principles, and those principles can assist us in discerning appropriate ways to manage migration.

Specifically, human beings possess an inherent dignity and create wealth (dignity of the person and creation of wealth), and countries thrive in an environment where the rule of law and subsidiarity are observed and enforced, while simultaneously promoting economic liberty rather than unreasonably restraining people from exercising their talents. Modern-day xenophobes too often reduce people to zero-sum consumers of their countrys resources and underestimate each migrants potential, while others persist in treating refugees with a permanent emergency and segregation mindset. Open-border zealots ignore the importance of enforcing the rule of law and underestimate the harm such neglect entails for both migrants and native citizens. Countries losing talent should examine the incentives driving their departure from their homeland, rectifying deficiencies that hinder a just and vibrant commercial society to enable their own citizens to flourish.

Migration, though accompanied by challenges, can bring great blessings to society if it is properly circumscribed with sound policy. The late economist Julian Simon stated it best when he wrote, Adding more people causes problems. But people are also the means to solve these problems.The ultimate resource is people.
As President Donald Trump continues to cut federal jobs and spending, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Wednesday that hes sticking with last falls forecast that Virginia will see growth, if at a slower place, in the months ahead.

Youngkin said its vital for Virginia to stick with policies that encourage business to invest in the state and hire people here, saying he was signing bills Wednesday that do that.

We anticipated that job growth in the commonwealth might be slower in fiscal year 2026, and that was a recognition that there might be some disruption in the workforce, but also continued strength in Virginia businesses looking to hire, Youngkin told reporters at the Patrick Henry Building after announcing he had signed his first batch of 180 bills. Youngkin has a Monday deadline to sign, amend or veto hundreds more pieces of legislation.

The bills he signed Wednesday include:

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield, speaking for the Senate Democratic Caucus, said: I'm very disappointed that the governor did not talk about the true crisis and the issues that are facing so many Virginians. By contrast, we have the Governor of Maryland that is actively working to ensure that there is a response to the loss of federal jobs."

Hashmi, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, said: We are facing a critical crisis here, and the governor has refused to address any options for working with the Trump administration to protect our federal workers, and he hasn't even spoken about the crisis in Medicaid."

Youngkin said he has been engaging with Trump administration officials.

He said the Trump administration freed up money after he explained that rural communities would be hurt by a pause in Washingtons grants to Federally Qualified Health Centers. These are primary care clinics in underserved areas that care for people even if they cannot pay.

And he said he convinced the Trump administration to extend management contracts at the Department of Energys Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News. Trump administration officials objected to the facilitys latest bidding documents for new contracts, and lab officials worried the current contracts would expire before they could revise the bid documents.

828 more bills

Youngkin said he's still got 828 bills from this year's session to act on, as well as the General Assembly's amendments to his budget proposal.

I will be letting bills out over the course of the next five days, with a bulk of them candidly on Monday," Youngkin said. "And there will be a lot of bills that I sign."

There are a lot of familiar bills that I'll be vetoing, and there are a lot of bills that I'm trying to work to make better," he said, referring to his proposed amendments. "And again, my filter here is really focused on bills that are good for Virginia business when they have something to do with the business side of things, and to make sure that we're not entering into or signing bills that are bad for business in Virginia, he said.

Youngkin did not say anything about bills or budget amendments he would veto or seek to amend. Last year, his record 201 vetoes included measures to raise the minimum wage and launch a paid family leave program. The General Assembly passed identical bills this year.

Youngkin and the General Assembly took different approaches to taxes. The governor proposed tax credits to offset the cost of local car taxes for some Virginians and sought to exempt tips from state income tax, while the legislature opted for a one-time tax rebate.

I'm continuing to work through tax relief, Youngkin said.

The fact that I had included about a billion dollars of tax relief in my introduced budget amendments, and what has come back is about a billion dollars of tax relief from the conference report," that House and Senate budget negotiators reached, "I think, is a meeting of the minds on the fact that we need tax relief, and then we'll work through the best form of that, he said.

But I think that's a major step., he added.

Federal job cuts

Youngkin said that in December when he presented his proposed amendments to the state's two-year budget for July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, he told legislators that he expected there would be some federal job losses.

We haven't seen much of that yet. To be honest, we've seen about 1,000 claims into our into our unemployment commission, he said Wednesday. Later Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater that that figure included about 700 federal employees and 300 federal contractors.

Some 566 federal employee claims came in last week, boosting the total number of new claims filed that week to 4,036, and that is really is not terribly out of line, Youngkin said, adding that weekly new claims for unemployment averaged 5,500 over the last quarter century.

I do anticipate that there will be incremental claims, he said.

But, he said, the trust fund that pays unemployment insurance benefits is robustly funded right now. It's got a billion and a half dollars in it, and I feel very comfortable with the way that works.

The federal government pays dollar for dollar any unemployment benefits paid to federal workers, and so the viability of the unemployment trust fund is really secure, he said.

Finally, what we're continuing to see is companies want to come to Virginia, he said.

I have more economic development opportunities on my desk today than we have had the entire time I've been here, and it's been robust since I've been here, Youngkin said.

I just continue to think that while we know that there is going to be dislocation  I think, long term for the commonwealth ... we will be in very good shape, he said.
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I come from a line of poverty that goes back several generations. Many of my relativesincluding my motherlived in poverty for their entire lives. They could only focus on day-to-day survival and worrying about how they would get their next meal. For us, this meant that retirement planning was never something we discussed. In fact, I dont ever recall hearing the word retirement mentioned at all. The idea of having a nest egg or a financial safety net felt like a totally foreign concept.

Few of us have a pension plan, let alone a 401(k). Im one of the lucky ones. Though its never been much, Ive been able to contribute a small amount from each paycheck to my retirement funds. Now, because of recent economic developments in the United States, coupled with the potential threat to Social Security, Im starting to worry that I might never be able to retire at all.

Since Donald Trump returned to office, his actions (and threatened actions)specifically regarding tariffshave made investors nervous, which has led to market instability and trillions of dollars in losses in the S&P 500. Some economists have warned that theres a good chance the U.S. may be heading toward a recession. Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent both recently said they couldnt rule out that possibility. Because of the way retirement plans are connected to the stock market, many people have experiencedor are waiting to seea precipitous drop in the funds they thought they had. This disproportionately affects people in lower income bracketspeople like me whose accounts dont have much in them to begin with.

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My employers retirement plan has a hybrid structurehalf of it is a pension, and the other half is an investment plan similar to a 401(k). The pension part is less volatile and has lower risk, so Im not nervous about that. The investment half, on the other hand, is a totally different story. Like many other people in this country with investment-based retirement accounts, Ive been experiencing an increasing sense of dread as I track the daily stock market updates and realize the value of my retirement account is plummeting. As the balance gets smaller, the pit in my stomach seems to grow bigger.

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Ive been contributing to this retirement fund for nearly 15 years now. Financially speaking, Id consider myself to be lower middle class, so while my monthly contributions may not seem like a huge amount, its a lot of money to me, as someone who lives on a tight budget. Diverting that portion of my paycheck into this retirement account has meant Ive had to forgo nonessential splurges and cut other expenses. Im crushed to see such a shocking drop in that precious fund, which represents years of sacrifice and hard work. Its also disheartening to think about the devastating financial harm Trump has caused for so many families within the span of just a few weeks.

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Meanwhile, another saga currently unfolding in the country is compounding my anxiety about how I will survive in my later years. Trump and Elon Musk (the latter of whom seems to be driving many recent national actions and decisions) appear to have Social Security in their crosshairs, with Musk referring to the critical program as a Ponzi scheme. Its unlikely that Musk, currently the richest man in the world, has any idea about what Social Security means to the millions of people who rely on it to survive.

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This makes me very nervous about the future of Social Security. Many other Americans feel the same way. Voters have swarmed town hall events held by GOP lawmakers to express concern and anger about recent changes and potential cuts to the program. I paid into that my entire career, a voter from North Carolina said at a town hall meeting, according to an Associated Press story. I worked from the time I was 16. I paid into that, its mine and I want it.

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Some of my family members arent even eligible to collect Social Security because they havent paid enough into the system. Their only option for income in their senior years is Supplemental Security Income and any benefits that might be available through their state. SSI currently has a minimum benefit payment that is less than $1,000 a monthand thats assuming there are no cuts or changes to the SSI system. For most people, thats nowhere near enough to survive on, which is why some seniors are forced to choose between food and utilities or health care and medications. Ive heard some of my relatives talk about receiving utility shutoff notices or skipping doses of their medication because their grocery bills are taking up so much of their monthly budget. Musk, who some say appears to be on a crusade against seniors due to a combination of ego and spite, is unlikely to care.

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Social Security officials have already announced staff reductions and office closures. Other plans reportedly in the works include changes that would make it more difficult for people to file claims or get assistance. A former Social Security commissioner has warned that these and other changes recommended by the Department of Government Efficiency could lead to a system collapse and interruption of benefits. Some experts and lawmakers including Sen. Bernie Sanders have predicted that Trumps goal is to privatize Social Security, a scenario that seems plausible to me, as well.

With this double whammy putting financial support that Id hoped could help fund my eventual retirement on shaky ground, I now find myself among the nearly half of Gen Xers who feel like they will need a miracle to be able to retire.

My retirement fund balance is very modest by most standards. Some might call it minimal. Its nowhere near enough to cover my current monthly bills. I have no delusions about living my senior years in luxury or with enough disposable income to travel the world. I know that Ill need to tighten my belt and cut down on any nonessential spending. Still, I had hoped my relatively meager nest egg would be enough to cover my bare necessities and core living expenses. Now, even that simple goal seems like it might be too ambitious.

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In my most optimistic dreams, I had hoped to be able to retire at around age 65, but I accepted the more realistic possibility that I would have to try to keep working until 70 to maximize my retirement benefits. (Thats assuming, of course, that I dont experience any major health events that derail my plans and take the choices out of my hands.) With even that age-70 timeline now seeming too ambitious, Im anxious that I might have no choice but to continue working even once my physical or mental health makes that difficult. Im also sad that after a lifetime of hard work, I might never be able to slow down and relax or spend quality time with my future grandchildren.

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I strongly hope that I am wrong, and that things change course soon and turn the financial circumstances in a more positive direction. Right now, though, things feel very unstable and worrisome, so its wise to try to prepare for challenging times as best as we can. In my case, that means shifting my mindset and not taking retirement as a given. Im now focusing on cutting expenses, paying down debt, and exploring side hustles and additional sources of extra income. Instead of planning for travel and leisure activities in my postretirement years, I might have to accept the painful reality that, despite my efforts to make things different, retirement might beas it has been for many of my loved onesa luxury that I wont be able to afford.
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This week, Donald Trump invoked a law that played a role in one of the darkest moments in American history. Originally passed in 1798, the Alien Enemies Act has rarely been used over the past 200 years. It was most recently deployed during World War II to justify the detention of Japanese noncitizens, shortly before the incarceration of tens of thousands of Japanese Americans.

The president invoked the law through executive action, directing immigration authorities to target members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang, who are not actually naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the United States. The order proclaims that these migrants are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies, and it does not require the government to have evidence or grant a court hearing.

Within days, multiple flights transported Venezuelan migrants from the U.S. to El Salvador, despite a judges ordering the deportations to stop. Some of the families of those deported have said their loved ones had no connection with Tren de Aragua and were falsely targeted; in some cases, the families believe, simply because they had visible tattoos. Lawyers representing a group of Venezuelan immigrants suing the Trump administration over its use of the Alien Enemies Act wrote in a recent court document, If the president can designate any group as enemy aliens under the act, and that designation is unreviewable, then there is no limit on who can be sent to a Salvadoran prison, or any limit on how long they will remain there.

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The Alien Enemies Act was never intended to be used this way. The wartime law was created during an era when the U.S. did not have federal immigration policy. To better understand why the law was established and how its historically been used, I spoke with Katherine Yon Ebright, counsel at the Brennan Centers Liberty and National Security Program.

Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Shirin Ali: When was the Alien Enemies Act created, and what was the context behind it?

Katherine Yon Ebright: The act was enacted in 1798, during the Quasi-War with France. That was a wholly naval conflict, and it was an undeclared war, or imperfect war, with France. There was no ground incursion, there was no congressional declaration of war, but there was substantial fear at that time that the war would escalate. So the Congress enacted a series of four laws, commonly known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. Three of those laws applied even before the declaration of war or before some sort of escalation by France.

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But the Alien Enemies Act was for a true all-out war. This meant that if Congress declared war, or France sent a ground invasion, that the native citizens, denizens, and subjects of Francepeople who were from France, who were born in France, who notionally owed allegiance to France in wartimecould be regulated, be put into internment camps, or be expelled or deported. One of the reasons that Congress felt this was appropriate is that there was basically no criminal or immigration law that existed at the federal level. There was very little national security law that existed at the federal level.

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Obviously, that is very, very different today, where we have a proliferation of criminal and immigration and national security authorities. The other thing thats worth noting about the context of 1798 is that the law of war, under the law of nations, allowed these noncitizens from the foreign belligerent to be treated as though they were prisoners of war. That is a legal artifact that is no longer true after the adoption of the Geneva Conventions. Today, under the law of war, civilians are supposed to have protections, including against citizenship- or identity-based detentions or internment, as well as against forced repatriation.

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How many times has the Alien Enemies Act been invoked since its passage?

Its been used in only three major conflicts. Now, of course, we have our fourth invocation of the wartime authority for peacetime immigration enforcement coming down this past Saturday by President Trump.

In the War of 1812, which was fought with the British, the Alien Enemies Act was used to regulate British subjects who were not allowed to live within 40 miles of the coast. A U.S. marshal told them that they had to relocate to an inland residence. Then, in World War I, this law was used to heavily regulate noncitizens from the foreign belligerent, which was Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. People from those backgrounds were subject to very intense regulation, ranging from limiting travel to preventing them from living in certain places. For example, if you were a German noncitizen, you could not live in Washingtonso if you had lived in D.C. for decades but were simply not a U.S. citizen and were born in Germany, you had to get out, subject to internment.

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Related From Slate The Trump Admins New Birthright Citizenship Strategy Could Lead to a Truly Bonkers Result Read More

There were several thousand German and Austro-Hungarian internees from World War I. However, by the time World War II started, there was a general consensus that the wartime hysteria and internment policy of World War I was really inappropriate, and that it inflated peoples sense of the dangerousness of Germans and Austro-Hungarians based on their ancestry.

Nevertheless, after the attack on Pearl Harbor, we see another invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. Barring the present day, this invocation of the law has been the only use of the authority based on a supposed invasion. But even then, it was in fact a real invasion, because the attack on Pearl Harbor involved hundreds of military aircraft and dozens of armed submarines. We all know the attack on Pearl Harbor and the other Pacific holdings that launched the United States into World War II. That same day, President Roosevelt invoked the Alien Enemies Act and imposed draconian regulations on noncitizens of Japanese descent and, the following day, noncitizens of German and Italian descent. Those regulations controlled whether noncitizens could own flashlights, maps, certain books, and firearms. On top of that, they allowed the president or the attorney general to intern anyone who was deemed dangerous.

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The act does not have due process protections built into it when the president moves against a noncitizen to put them into a camp or to try to expel them. We ended up with 31,000 noncitizens of Japanese, German, and Italian descent who were put into camps based principally on their ancestry or the conflation of their ethnicity with disloyalty and dangerousness. People are more familiar with the incarceration of Japanese Americans, including U.S. citizens, but we still do remember the Alien Enemies Act internments as a shameful part of our history. In fact, some of the internees from the act, those of Japanese descent, received monetary reparations, and Congress even passed an apology bill.

We are not currently in a war, yet the president has invoked the Alien Enemies Act. What now?

I anticipated that the Trump administration would invoke this act. Hed been promising to do it on the campaign trail, giving stump speeches about how he was going to invoke the law. Then, on Jan. 20, the day of the inauguration, there was reporting that he was going to issue a proclamation claiming that Tren de Aragua was perpetrating an invasion and that that gang was a part of the Venezuelan government. If anything, I am surprised that it took around two months for that proclamation to be released. I think there were probably aspects of the political moment and also some legal concerns within the administration about how they were going to roll out the policy that may have delayed it until now.

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The president is saying that migration and narcotics trafficking constitute an invasion or predatory incursion, but those terms are not defined by the text of the Alien Enemies Act. However, there are other parts of the text of this law that refer to actual hostility and a hostile nation. In 1800 you have James Madison unambiguously writing, in the context of the Alien and Sedition Acts, that invasion is an operation of war. Then you move to the one time that this law has ever been used based on an invasion or predatory incursion, and its Pearl Harbor, right? That looks so different from migration and narcotics trafficking that it makes the way that this law has been invoked by Trump, the language undergirding the invocation, frankly a farce.

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I think, more or less, what were going to see today is Venezuelan noncitizens who are going to be designated or deemed to be members of Tren de Aragua without any verifiable evidence or due process. Its going to sweep up innocent people who are not gang members. And there are parts of immigration law that actually allow this government to pursue individuals who are members of Tren de Aragua, if they can prove it before an immigration judge or in a court of law. The only reason to use the wartime authority is to bypass due process and try to target Venezuelans more broadly when you know you cant prove that theyre actually gang members. I think that that is a major threat to civil liberties and to our Constitution.

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If the Alien Enemies Act led to such horrific abuses, shouldnt it have been repealed a long time ago?

YesI think it should have been repealed in that period when we were taking stock of the World War II internments. But as the politics had it, the primary focus of the reparations movement to account for the incarcerations and internments of World War II was Executive Order 9066. That was the authority under which 110,000 Japanese Americans, including U.S. citizens, were put into camps. As a result, the Alien Enemies Act slid under the radar, but it still is bound up with that shameful history of targeting noncitizens based on their ancestry, not based on their conduct.

Moreover, unlike in 1798, today we have a flurry of different immigration, criminal, and national security authorities that are perfectly adequate. In fact, they are more than adequate for keeping us safe in wartime and in peacetime. Leaving this authority on the books manifestly opens the door to an abuse of a very powerful authority that we have seen in the past violate First Amendment rights, Fourth Amendment rights, arguably Second Amendment rights and Fifth Amendment rights. Its a complete abdication of due process rights and the right to be free from discrimination. I think that even in wartime, this law is neither necessary nor appropriate and therefore can and should be repealed. The fact that it is subject to abuse, as were now seeing in peacetime, makes repeal particularly urgent.

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There is an ongoing legal battle over the presidents use of the Alien Enemies Act, and lets say it eventually goes up to the Supreme Court. How do you think the current slate of justices would interpret this?

I think you could find five votes, maybe more, on the court to turn down an abuse of the act. It is, again, manifestly a wartime authority. The Trump administration is trying to say that migration is an invasion, that narcotics trafficking is a predatory incursion, but the history is remarkably clear that those terms refer to acts of war that trigger the law of war.

The administration is simply not acting in a manner that is consistent with the belief that we are operating under the law of war. Our commander in chief has not identified any armed attack that would trigger the law of war. He has not asked Congress for a declaration of war. In fact, at the start of this month on Truth Social, he posted that the invasion of our country is over, based on the low number of border encounters that we saw in February.

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I think that you would find five votes on the Supreme Court, maybe more, to say that this action was not taken in good faith, that this action is an obvious mistake or a manifestly unauthorized use of power. And even though the courts typically afford the president substantial deference with respect to sensitive national security matters, here it is just so crystal clear that this is not what that law is for. Also, theres so many civil liberties issues with using the law, whether in wartime or in peacetime, that this simply cant go forward.

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Are there other centuries-old laws that the Trump administration could tap into, just as it has with the Alien Enemies Act?

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One big concern that we at the Brennan Center have is around the presidents potential use of the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to use the military for domestic civilian law enforcement. There has been some speculation that he might try to invoke that act to assist with immigration enforcement. As a general matter, the military is prohibited from participating in civilian law enforcement, so rounding people up, enforcing criminal law, immigration law. There is a separate statute called the Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the military from boots-on-the-ground civilian law enforcement, but the Insurrection Act is a very broad exception to that Posse Comitatus principle.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250320/fbi-agent-who-exposed-hunter-bidens-secrets-arrested---1121655960.html

FBI Agent Who Exposed Hunter Biden's Secrets Arrested

FBI Agent Who Exposed Hunter Biden's Secrets Arrested

Sputnik International

Johnathan Buma, a 15-year FBI veteran, was arrested at JFK Airport on charges of illegally disclosing classified intel after circulating a book draft, the New... 20.03.2025, Sputnik International

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He allegedly printed about 130 files, some marked protected, and shared them with associates. The draft detailed his career and whistleblower activities, including the FBIs investigation into a foreign country's WMD program. Buma exposed Hunter Bidens actions with Burisma, claiming the real FBI story during the Trump and Biden years differs from the GOP narrative. In January 2019, Buma brought sources to DOJ prosecutors, pushing the narrative that Hunter's work with Burisma was illegal and linking George Soros to money laundering. He was released on a $100,000 bail while awaiting further proceedings in a California federal court.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20241204/domino-effect-trump-lawyers-mention-hunter-biden-pardon-to-scrap-hush-money-case-1121088608.html

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johnathan buma, a 15-year fbi veteran, was arrested at jfk airport on charges of illegally disclosing classified intel after circulating a book draft, the new york post reports citing court docs.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250320/moscows-non-resource-non-energy-export-covered-157-countries-worldwide-1121654947.html

Moscow's Non-Resource, Non-Energy Export Covered 157 Countries Worldwide

Moscow's Non-Resource, Non-Energy Export Covered 157 Countries Worldwide

Sputnik International

By the end of 2024, Moscow's share in Russia's total non-commodity, non-energy exports reached nearly 19%. The capital's exports grew by 11% compared to 2023 and reached 157 countries worldwide, according to Maxim Liksutov, Moscow's deputy mayor for transport and industry.

2025-03-20T09:42+0000

2025-03-20T09:42+0000

2025-03-20T09:42+0000

russia

sergei sobyanin

moscow

china

turkiye

cis

moscow government

business

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He mentioned that the key buyers of Moscow's products were Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Turkiye, Egypt, Uzbekistan, India, Brazil, Algeria, and Indonesia.The bulk of exports consisted of industrial products, which accounted for nearly 65% of Moscows total non-commodity, non-energy exports to friendly countries, showing a 7% increase compared to 2023. The main buyers of these goods were Belarus, Kazakhstan, China, Turkiye, India, and Uzbekistan.Additionally, Moscow-produced pharmaceutical products and cosmetics remain in high demand abroad. Key partner countries include, in particular, African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.Moscow manufacturers increased exports of energy engineering products by 8%, such as low-voltage electrical distribution devices, pumps, special electrical devices, heat exchangers, hydraulic motors, power plants, and statistical converters. These products were in demand in the CIS countries, India, Turkiye, China, Bolivia, and Bangladesh.Moscow operates the "Mosprom" center, which supports export, industry, and investment activities. In 2024, the center organized 26 international business missions and facilitated the participation of Moscow manufacturers in four major industry exhibitions abroad. During these events, more than 2,800 B2B and B2G meetings were held with potential foreign partners from 46 countries, including China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Iran, India, Morocco, Jordan, Mongolia, Brazil, Thailand, and the CIS countries.

moscow

china

turkiye

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russia, moscow, non-energy export, non-resource export, sergei sobyanin, maxim liksutov, russian economy, business
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250320/tracking-zelenskys-war-against-russian-orthodox-church-1121654319.html

Tracking Zelenskys War Against Russian Orthodox Church

Tracking Zelenskys War Against Russian Orthodox Church

Sputnik International

Ukrainian militants have deliberately desecrated at least 48 Orthodox churches in Russias Kursk region, local authorities said. 20.03.2025, Sputnik International

2025-03-20T07:09+0000

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world

ukraine

ukrainian crisis

russian orthodox church

ukrainian orthodox church (uoc)

christians

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Last year, the Ukrainian army also bombed the Gornalsky Monastery on purpose. \Outlawing Orthodox Christianity: The law placing Ukrainian Orthodox Church under scrutiny and demanding to "sever ties with the Russian Orthodox Church" was adopted by Kiev in 2024. But even before the controversial bill, Orthodox Christians were ostracized . Seizing the shrines: The Kiev regime expelled the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the ancient Kiev-Pechersk Lavra despite the outrage among believers. Over 1,500 churches have been seized by Kievs followers, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Synod said. Profaning the holy places: In December 2024, Ukrainian restaurateur Evgeniy Klopotenko staged a culinary show at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Orthodox Monastery, sparking outrage among the believers. Thirty pieces of silver on Ebay: Ukraine sees no problem dumping historic Orthodox icons online with prices listed in US dollars. Among the century-old icons for sale are depictions of the Mother of God from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and Jesus Christ. Demolishing the shrines: Apart from violence against Orthodox Christians, Ukraine has demolished several churches and chapels, including the Vladimir-Olginskaya Chapel, which belonged to the Tithe Church, the oldest in Kiev.

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ukraine, ukrainian crisis, russian orthodox church, ukrainian orthodox church (uoc), christians
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250320/why-zelensky-cant-be-trusted-ukraine-strikes-russian-oil-facilities-violating-the-ceasefire-deal-1121655694.html

Why Zelensky Can't be Trusted: Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil facilities, Violating the Ceasefire Deal

Why Zelensky Can't be Trusted: Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil facilities, Violating the Ceasefire Deal

Sputnik International

Despite Russia downing its own drones as part of the truce, Ukraine continues to attack Russian energy infrastructure. Let's break it down.

2025-03-20T12:53+0000

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2025-03-20T12:53+0000

volodymyr zelensky

donald trump

vladimir putin

russia

ukraine

krasnodar

russian defense ministry

us

military & intelligence

world

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On March 18, US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed that the first step toward peace would be a 30-day cessation of hostilities against energy and infrastructure sectors. Following the agreement, Russian military forces immediately shot down seven of their own drones that were reportedly targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure facilities linked to the defense industry in the Nikolayev region. However, just hours after the Putin-Trump conversation, the Ukrainian regime launched a drone attack on oil facilities in the village of Kavkazskaya in Russias Krasnodar region on the night of March 19. UAV debris damaged a pipeline between fuel storage tanks. A fire initially broke out over an area of 20 square meters but quickly spread to 4 square kilometers. Firefighting efforts at the oil depot in the Kavkazsky district have been reinforced, with 406 personnel and 157 pieces of equipment deployed to contain the blaze. The attacked facility handles the transfer of oil from rail tank cars to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) system. As a result, operations at the oil depot have been suspended. This is not the first time the Ukrainian regime has violated international agreements. Speaking with Mario Nawfal, Andrew Napolitano, and Larry Johnson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov detailed how Zelensky sabotaged the 2014 Minsk agreements. In April 2022, Zelensky TORE UP the Istanbul accords with Russia after Moscow withdrew its armed forces from Kiev in accordance with the agreement reached after the March 2022 negotiations.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20250314/30-day-ceasefire-push-putin-seeks-long-term-peace-zelensky-wants-war-and-trump-stuck-in-the-middle-1121639177.html

russia

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Ekaterina Blinova

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trump-putin talks, 30-day ceasefire deal, moratorium of strikes on emergy infrastructure, volodymyr zelensky, ukrainian regime violated ceasefire
During the card of harness racing at The Meadows on Wednesday, March 19, a number of horses and drivers were involved in an accident that sent one participant to hospital and prompted a cancellation of racing at the Pennsylvania oval for the remainder of the week.

Approaching the three-quarter mark of the afternoon's 11th dash, race leader Uptown Callie made a break in stride for driver Dave Palone that caused a chain reaction with interference to the trailing horses.

Dandys Starlette (Jeremy Indof), Crystal Sands (Aaron Merriman), Louie The Lilac (Case Bateson), Lorraine J (Brady Brown) and Always B Royalty (Hunter Myers) did not finish the race. All loose horses were caught, and all the horses walked off under their own power as did drivers Indof, Merriman, Bateson and Brown.

Hunter Myers, the driver of Always B Royalty, was transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries after being thrown from the sulky. Trot Insider will provide updates on Myers once official details become available.

The last two races on Wednesday's card were cancelled as a result of the accident. Officials with the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association announced late Wednesday that the previously scheduled cards of harness racing slated for Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21 have been cancelled "out of respect to the Meadows racing community."

(Standardbred Canada)
Disturbed Hanover capitalized on a perfect second-over trip to spring a 9-1 upset in the $35,714 Mares Open Handicap Pace at Ballys Dover on Wednesday, March 19.

Lulu Rocks (Jason Thompson) and Cindy Jo (Pat Berry) battled for early position, with Lulu Rocks reclaiming the lead at the quarter in :27.2, forcing Cindy Jo into the pocket. She controlled soft middle fractions of :57 and 1:24.4 while heavy 1-5 favourite Ludacrous A (Corey Callahan) launched a first-over bid, looking to extend her three-race win streak. Disturbed Hanover and driver Barton Dalious followed live cover, perfectly positioned behind the Aussie mare.

Turning for home, Ludacrous A began to tire, opening the door for Disturbed Hanover to sweep three-wide. Cindy Jo, saving ground along the pylons, surged late, but Disturbed Hanover hit the wire first in 1:53.2, paying $21.20 for the upset. Cindy Jo settled for second, while Ludacrous A held on for third.

Disturbed Hanover, a nine-year-old daughter of Big Jim-Driven To Sin, is owned by The Wiz Kids Stable LLC and trained by W. Bart Dalious, who was all smiles as his son, Barton, guided her to victory. She felt good off the trip, but I wasnt sure if she was going to get there, Barton admitted post-race. She did!

The mare now boasts seasonal earnings of $79,726 lifetime earnings of $579,712.

Earlier on the betting card, trainer Les Givens swept both legs of the Ballys Dover Late Closer for three-year-old pacing fillies with Little Miss Peyton and Bella Artiste. Additionally, Montrell Teague scored four driving wins, while Tony Morgan added three.

Thursdays feature race, the $25,000 USD Open Handicap Pace, will showcase a showdown between three past winners in the class: Wehadababyetzaboy, Itsrockandroll A, and Captaincountrystar.

Ballys Dover races Monday through Thursday with a first race post time of 4:30 p.m.

(With files from Ballys Dover)
Pacing For The Cure is offering scholarships to deserving 2025 high school senior students in the United States looking to pursue higher education, either through college or trade school in 2026.

The scholarships, each valued at $2,500 USD, will be awarded to six prospective graduates in New Jersey, Maine, Ohio Delaware/Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York. It is important to note that the applicant, their parent or their sibling must have a chronic illness or disability related to mobility that requires or may eventually require a mobility device or medical services.

The scholarships are being awarded in honour of people special to the Pacing For The Cure cause, including Mr. Bill Gesek (New Jersey), Ms. Jacqueline L. Graffam (Maine), Mrs. Barbara Carter (Ohio), Mr. Tom Tallman (Delaware/Maryland), Mr. Jeff Altmeyer (Pennsylvania) and Mr. Thomas Merton (New York). Each of these people showed strength and dignity while dealing with the debilitating effects of their diseases and each had strong ties to the harness racing industry.

In order to be considered for the scholarship, students must write a brief paragraph about key topics that provide the Pacing For The Cure Board with insight into their character, qualities and achievements. They are also required to fill out the online application related to the region where they live under the "Scholarship" section on the Pacing For The Cure website at pacingforthecure.org.

Applications will start being accepted on Monday, March 24, 2025, and are due no later than Monday, June 30, 2025.

All applicants will be contacted by Friday, July 11, 2025, by the Pacing For The Cure board to inform them of their decision.

Pacing For The Cure is also available to help those with medical needs. Although initially formed to help those with Multiple Sclerosis, the a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization is available to help provide mobility assistance and medical services for individuals living with autoimmune and neuromuscular diseases (in particular for Multiple Sclerosis, ALS/Lou Gehrigs Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Parkinsons Disease). The application is available under the "Mobility & Services" section on the Pacing For The Cure website.

(With files from Winbak Farm)
Driver Hunter Myers, 27, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio passed away on Thursday, March 20, 2025 in hospital from injuries sustained in a racing accident that occurred on Wednesday, March 19 at The Meadows.

Myers began driving horses in 2014 while attending high school in Williamsport, Ohio and was recognized by the Ohio Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association with its Peter Haughton Memorial Award. His first trip to the winner's circle was at Ohio's Jackson County Fair, where he guided Uptown Dreamer to victory for his father, Michael.

Myers began working with horses full-time immediately after graduating in 2016. He split his time between driving at Ohio and Pennsylvania racetracks. In 2024 during a career-best season, Myers drove the Dan Patch Award-winning three-year-old trotting filly Allegiant to one of her Grand Circuit victories, the Moni Maker at Scioto Downs. He also drove the filly to a 1:52.3 stakes record victory in the Currier & Ives at The Meadows (pictured above).

Myers won more than 300 races in each of the last four years, including two seasons with more than 400 wins. His 455 victories in 2024 ranked ninth best among all drivers in North America and his 464 wins in 2022 placed him seventh on the leaderboard.

Myers won a total of 2,450 races and drove horses to more than $23.8 million in purse earnings during his career.

"Hollywood Casino at The Meadows and the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association would like to pass along our most sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers to the family and friends of Hunter Myers, who passed away early this morning after a tragic racing accident at The Meadows yesterday afternoon," said a joint statement released on Thursday morning by the racetrack and horsemen's organization. "Our thoughts and sympathy are with his fiancee, Chloe Fisher, and son, Hayden Myers, during this time.

"Hunter was a rising star in our industry. The Meadows racing community, and the entire harness racing industry, are deeply saddened by this tragic event."

"Hunter was a young star and was taken too early from us," said a statement from the Ohio Harness Horsemens Association (OHHA) posted on social media early Thursday. "The OHHA sends prayers and condolences to Hunters [fiancee] Chloe, their son Hayden, and Hunters family and friends."

The United States Trotting Association (USTA) also issued a statement on Thursday morning: "The tragic news about driver Hunter Myers passing saddens all of us at the USTA and throughout the industry. The sport is in mourning."

Myers is survived by his beloved fiancee, Chloe Fisher, and their son, Hayden Myers. His presence will be missed by his parents, Mike and Kelly (nee Paas); his sister, Seazon Myers-Turley (Nicholas); niece, Alayna Turley; and his future in-laws Mike and Coleen Dowdall. He is also survived by his loving grandparents, Mike and Jama Paas, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Myers was preceded in death by his grandmother, Brenda Clemens; great-grandfather, Fred Paas; great-grandmother, Betty Paas; grandmother, Beverly Myers; and great-grandparents, Robert and Mable Fredericks, as well as other family members.

Friends may call at The Ferfolia Funeral Home for memorial visitation on Monday, March 31, 2025 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Memorial services will be held at 5 p.m. at the funeral home, located at 356 West Aurora Rd. (OH RT 82) in Sagamore Hills, Ohio.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Hunter Myers.

(Standardbred Canada)
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:

US President Donald Trump (R) with Tesla CEO Elon Musk (L) and a Cybertruck at the White House.

Tesla is recalling more than 46,000 Cybertrucks because of a defect that can lead an exterior panel to detach, increasing the risk of a crash, according to a safety notice reviewed Thursday by AFP.

The recall affects essentially all of the futuristic-looking vehicles delivered in the United States.

The move is due to a part Tesla calls a "cant rail"an exterior panelthat was affixed with an adhesive "susceptible to environmental embrittlement," according to a company filing on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

Detachment of the part, which Tesla describes as "cosmetic," poses the risk of creating a "road hazard for following motorists and increase their risk of injury or a collision," according to the NHTSA document.

The recall is the latest blemish on the stainless steel behemoths, a signature vehicle for Elon Musk's electric auto company.

It comes as the brand encounters consumer blowback in the wake of Musk's key advisory role in President Donald Trump's administration.

Tesla received two field complaints in January about the issue, but company engineers determined there was no problem.

Then in February, the NHTSA notified Tesla of another complaint.

The company, which also cited social media postings on the issue, undertook another investigation that led to a voluntary recall, said Tesla, which will use a different adhesive to attach the part.

As of March 14, Tesla had 151 warranty claims that may be related to the condition. The company said it knows of no accidents.

Demand for the Cybertruck and other Tesla vehicles has tumbled in recent weeks in many consumer markets as Musk presses on with deep cuts in U.S. government departments and staffing through his Department of Government Efficiency.

Analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities called for Musk to clearly define how he will balance his role with Trump and his duties as Tesla CEO.

"Let's call it like it is: Tesla is going through a crisis and there is one person who can fix it....Musk," said Ives, who argued that Musk must provide details on when new vehicles will arrive in dealerships and about a plan for autonomous driving in Texas.

"The violence at Tesla dealers, cars being keyed in parking lots, social movements against Musk around the globe...have all created a massive overhang for Tesla's stock," Ives said. "This is a moment of truth for Musk."

Tesla shares fell in early trade Thursday.

 2025 AFP
Bamberg County Council will be discussing ways to improve the City of Denmarks water system beyond its ongoing tank repairs.

County Administrator Joey Preston explained during a March 10 county council meeting that the MUSC Health Bamberg-Barnwell Emergency & Imaging Center lost water on March 4 because of a cut in a water line.

It is a concern

Denmark Mayor Gerald Wright later explained that a contractor cut the water line, but that the issue was rectified.

Fortunately, in this situation, we didnt have to send our patients over to Orangeburg. They were able to go to the free-standing ER for a period of time, Preston said.

We were able to address that issue and get it fixed, the administrator said.

The center had to be temporarily closed in October because of a lack of water pressure.

A meeting between Denmark mayor-elect Harold Johnson and county and hospital officials will be held this month.

Weve got a meeting scheduled  to talk about it because it is a concern. Were going to have to address those issues in that system before it starts to affect health care. Of course, its been affecting residents for a long time, the administrator said.

During the March 10 meeting, Bamberg County Council approved a resolution authorizing the execution of a loan from the S.C. Water Quality Revolving Fund Authority.

The money will be used for work on the Bamberg County water tank located out at the airport.

We can draw the money down so the state can pay the contractor, but its still not going to be finished. Weve got some other work that weve got to get done on the tank, Preston said.

Council Chairwoman Sharon Hammond asked how filling the countys water tank would help resolve the City of Denmarks water problems. Aging water lines have historically been among them.

The water tanks not going to resolve that problem. Thats a totally different problem. The water tanks going to help resolve the water pressure. The water pressure is very important because Denmark has an issue with water pressure, Preston said.

When Denmark took that tank off  the people on the left side of Main Street almost lost their insurance rating because it had dropped so much, the pressure on the fire hydrants. So whatll happen is  when its filled with Denmark water, itll provide the pressure that theyre going to need to be able to serve the city. Not the entire city, but itll be pressure thats needed at Denmark Tech, Voorhees, the schools, the administrator said.

They took it off because the county built it, but Denmark didnt want to pay to maintain it or keep it up. Thats why it continued to fall over the years. It was county property. Denmark didn't want to apply for a grant to fix it, and there probably werent any grants available during that period of time, Preston said.

Jimmie Shepherd, supervisor of the City of Denmark's water system, said the water tower will make a difference.

"I don't know when they're going to put that tank back online, (but) it would help us a good bit," he said.

Shepherd noted that the replacement of old water lines is a continuing process.

I don't want to be skipping from one side of town to the other side of town. We need to replace all these old lines and upgrade them on the west side or the east side. I'm all for that. They did some up on the east side, but weve still got some old lines that's still giving us problems, Shepherd said.

During the meeting, Hammond asked about a backup system to provide needed water pressure, for example, out to the emergency center.

Preston explained that there was a water line connection that existed between Denmark and the Bamberg Board of Public Works.

The Denmark water line, which lies near the county-owned water tank, was once connected to the City of Bambergs water system.

The backup is the Board of Public Works and Denmark. ... There is a line that ties Bamberg to Denmark for a backup. There was a valve but, for some reason, they turned it off. So theres no backup from Bamberg to Denmark unless there can be some sort of an agreement. There probably would have to be some sort of engineering done, too, to make sure that it would even work right, Preston said.

Hammond suggested that the council discuss the citys water issues during their retreat March 21-22 in Spartanburg because its so important that that emergency room gets water.

Got to find a solution

Weve got to find a solution for that, the council chairwoman said.

Preston said, I dont want to sound critical of Denmark. Im not being critical. Im just telling you some of the facts. Those fire hydrants along that street (near the county water tank) are disconnected, and weve got to get those reconnected and working.

Bamberg County Fire Coordinator Paul Eubanks later said, "It is not good. That means we have to haul water using tanker trucks. So now we have to split people up.

We have to have people available to fill tankers and to drive and operate tankers. I'm talking multiple ones  not just single ones  to deal with fires. ... The hydrant nearest the airport is out of service. Several hydrants down along Highway 78 are out of service.

And youve got a series of pump stations, too, within the City of Denmark that continuously go out, and that issues got to be addressed, the administrator said during the meeting.

Councilman Ken Ahlin asked if a regional water authority connecting the water systems of Bamberg and Denmark had ever been considered.

Preston said, Its a great thought. Well be talking about that at our retreat, but thats a great thought and it should be done.

Councilman Evert Comer Jr. of Denmark said more immediate solutions needed to be discussed in the meantime.

Were all intertwined together. That backup line, I think it worked one time in the past when it was really needed. I dont see why it cant work to a certain degree now to prevent issues with the emergency room and issues with the citizens on that side of the county, Comer said.

He continued, Its a concern that I dont think we need to wait for a long-term solution to the situation. We can get that backup up and going. ... Weve got issues in Denmark. We admit that, but if we work together, it wont affect the citizens and the emergency room as much as its affecting it now when we have issues.

Maybe something could be invoked to get the two towns to come to the table. I know weve been looking at the regional water solution for a long time, but we need something in the interim, Comer said.
Gia xang dau trong nuoc hom nay (3/7) uoc du bao co the giam tu 6,8 - 7,5% so voi ky ieu hanh truoc o. Cu the, gia ban le xang E5 RON 92 co the giam 1.412 ong (6,9%) ve muc 19.118 ong/lit; xang RON 95-III co the giam 1.440 ong (6,8%) ve muc 19.670 ong/lit. Trong khi o, dau hoa co the giam 7,5% ve muc 17.631 ong/lit; dau mazut co the giam 7,2% ve muc 15.730 ong/kg; dau diesel co the giam 7,1% ve muc 17.977 ong/lit.
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